Schismatick And consequently all Societies of Christians who withdraw themselves from the Government of their Bishops who are the Apostles Successors and from communicating with those Presbyters lawfully set over them by Episcopal Ordination and Institution and frame themselves into any other kind of Government are guilty of Schism This 〈◊〉 the true formal Notion of Schism in the sense of the Fathers in the â—tive Church Of which more anon This Church so constituted and established to continue to the end of the â—orld from its Universallity was by the Primitive Fathers called the Catholick Church and from its Unity the Communion of Saints Which is now to be considered What this Union and Communion of Saints is appears by Holy Scripture St. John 13. v. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one for another Love is the Badge of a Disciple of Christ and Member of the Catholick Church but there must be more in the command to the Disciples to love one another than commonly the acceptation Love hath for the Christian Religion enjoyns Love and Charity to all men To Love our Enemies to pray for them that hate us and to do good to them that despitefully use us and persecute us is the command of our Blessed Saviour and Gal. 6. v. 10. As we have therefore opertunity let us do good unto all men So that this Love which one Disciple is to have for another must be such as distinguisheth Chrstians from all other men Now what can that be but to love one another as members of the same Body whereof Christ is the Head and what can that be but to live in Christian Communion and Fellowship one with another Iâ— cannot be the bare loving one another for there are some who are not Christians who are so bountiful and loving towards all men that if this were the only Charactâ—ristical mark of a Christian they would and must pass for Christians without believing in Christ And who seeth not that Pyrats and Robbers and the vilest of men love one another So that it is as before is said not the bare loving one another by which men are known to be Christians but the being admitted by Baptism into the Society of the Christian Church and loving one another in the Communion of that Church this is that which makes true Christian Charity Saint Paul commands 1 Cor. 12.25 26. that there be no Schism in the Body but the Members should have the same care one for another and whether one Member suffers all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honored all the Members rejoyce with it now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Christians to love one another is to love like Members of the same Body to preserve the Body from all Rents and Schisms and to maintain Sympathy and Chriâ—â—â— Charity in the Communion of Christs Body whereof we are all Mâ—â—bers So that Christian Charity unites us to Christs Body and nothinâ—â— Christian Love and Charity that doth not unite us in one Body 〈◊〉 one Communion that is one external visible Communion of the Christian Church Thus you see that by the words Christian Love and Charity so much used in Scripture must be understood the Communion of Saints and that out of the Communion of Saints there can be no Christian Charity And so is the same thing meant expressed by other words namely Brotherly Love Rom. 10.12 and by the name Brethren Heb. 13. v. 1. Let brotherly Love continue This term Brother was given to none but those who liv'd in Communion with the Church not the Gnosticks who seperated from it under pretence of greater Knowledge nor any who separate upon any pretence whatsoever And aâ—ter the Apostles the Primitive Church did confine the Christian Brother-hood to the Communion of the Church all the Precepts relating to Brotherly Love either in the Evangelists or Apostles suppose Christians to be Members of the Mystical Body of Christ that is his Câ—urch and to be all United there in full Communion and this is what tâ—e â—postle means to have no Schism in the Body out of all which it appears Fiâ—thly to assent to and believe all the Articles of Faith contained in the Apoâ—â—les Nicene and Saint Athanasius's Creed allow'd and receiv'd in the Primitive Church to pertake all of the same Table where we aâ— pertake of the same Body which was broken for us and of the same Blood which was shed for us and to joyn all in the same holy Prayers and Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks made as the Aposâ—le expresâ—ly commands for all men to be Subject and Obedient to ouâ— Spiritual Rulers and Governors who have derived their Power and Authority â—rom the Apostles by a due succession to this present Age in all things pertaining to Godly Life Decency and Order as the Catholicks did in the Primitive times this is true Christian Charity in the Language of the Scriptures and this is the Communion of Saints To hold Communion in the Articles of Faith only or what you call Fundamentals without any visible Sign of being in Communion with some Church that is a true Member of the Catholick Church is not sufficient to make a Catholick or one in the Communion of Saints though without such a Communion of Faith it is imposible to be so Corah and his Company were of the same Creed with Moses and Aaron yet were Schismatical wretches and were punished with a Vengeance The Donâ—tiâ—â—s whom you acknowledge to be Scismaticks held the Fundamentals of Religion but their separate Communion from the Catholick Church upon pretence of greater purity excluding all other Churches as not Catâ—o ick this made 'em Schismaticks in the judgment of the Fathers in the Catholick Church at that time So that all particular Churches who agree with the Primitive Catholick Church in all the Articles of Faith and in the external visible Worship and Service of God are true Members of the Catholick Church and in the Communion of Saints and no other The Church of England then having from the first planting of the Gospel here retained the Apostolick power of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Ordaining Priests by an unterrupted Succession of Arch Bishops and Bishops in the right line from the Apostles to this present time and agreeing with and no way repugnant to the Primitive Catholick Church in Doctrin Discipline and Worship is truly a Member of the Universal Catholick Church out of which there is no Communion of Saints The necessary consequence whereof is that they who live within the Jurisdiction of the Church of England and refuse Communion with her in the external visible Worship and Service of God do exclude themselves from being Members of the Catholick Church or in the Communion of Saints and are consequently guilty of Schism The reason is plain because there is no other way for any to hold Communion with the Universal Catholick Church but
THE ARCH-REBEL found OR AN ANSWER TO Mr. M. H's Brief Enquiry into the true Nature of SCHISM By T. W. Citizen of Chester and a Sincere lover of Truth EZEK 13 Verse 10. Because even because they have seduced my People saying Peace and there was no Peace Printed for the Author in the Year 1690. TO THE READER THO by many Learned and Pious Clergy-men of our Church the Folly and Schism of our Dissenters has been clearly and sufficiently evinced and demonstrated yet you see how restless their Spirits are and with what little shifts they continue to buoy up their Faction The little Book of Mr. M. H's Enquiry c. shall by them be vastly prefer'd to and Dogmatically affirm'd to have the Conquest over all the Learned Orthodox and â—laborate Writings of Hooker Bramhall Hammond â—aunderson and divers others I have heard some of his Disciples boast that it was not nor could be Answer'd by any of the Church-men which considering and withall how it was as much below a Clergy-man to spend his precious time about such a trifle of a Book as it is for a Lyon to concern himself with a little insignificant barking Whelp I undertook my Lay-brother with a Resolution of Patience and Courâ—ge without any Apology being not skill'd therein to undergo the censures of all that read these papers If thou be a true Member of our Church I have confidence and am well assured thy precious Balm will never break my Head thy Religion hath taught thee Charity and Candor sufficient to cover any weakness that thou mayest discover and if thou art pleased with my attempt it is my great satisfaction If thou be a Dissenter who has not Sacrificed thy Name to the Factious so as to divest thy self of all Christian Temper of Humility and Consideration there is hope of thy Reconciliation and that thou wilt consider thy desperate State and Condition and if my weak endeavours may contribute to the snatching thee as a Fire-brand out of the Fire I shall exceedingly rejoyce but not I only for the Blessed Angels in Heaven will have joy among them for thy Addition to the Catholick Church of which they are the most Glorious Members If thou be Sceptical a slighter of our Religion Obstinate and Perverse a Despiser and Reviler of our Clergy whom I esteem as the Stewards of the Mystery of God and the Ministers of Reconciliation I shall altogether glory in thy Scoffs and have a low esteem of thy good words THE ARCH-REBEL found OR AN ANSWER TO Mr. M. H's Brief Enquiry into the true nature of Schism c. SIR HAD your Enquiry been to find out the true Notion of the Ninth Article in the Apostles â—reed viz. I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints â—ou had then found the true Standard by which you might have made a far clearer discovery of Schism than you have done by your Enquiry For which purpose I offer to your Consideration first the Origination and first Existance of the Catholick Church which was before the day of Pentecost Acts 1. v. 15. The number of the Names together were about an Hundred and Twenty This Number consisted of the Apostles and Disciples That this was the Church appears Cap 2. v. 47. And the Lord added to the Church that is to the Apostles and Disciples dayly such as should be saved To encrease his Church and to plant it in all Nations Christ Jesus the head thereof gave unto the Apostles Universal power Saint John 20.21 As the Father sent me even so send I you to Preach the Gospel to all the World that in every Nation they that believe might be Baptiz'd and made Members of this Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ And the Apostles according to the Command of our Saviour and by Virtue of that Power wherewith he invested them and those extraordinary gifts which they received by the Descent of the Holy Ghost enabling them mightily for so great a work did preach the Gospel to all Nations and so wonderfully prevail'd that in the life time of St. John there were Seven Churches Established in Asia under Seven Bishops each Church having a Bishop presiding over it which is very manifest by the name Angel which St. John gives them Now though there be a Multiplication or Plurality of Churches by the encrease of Believers yet no variation they are all one with that Church first mentioned at Jerusalem and all one with one another being all United into one Spiritual Society or Body under one Head Christ Jesus and are in all things the same with that first Church United in one Baptism and in one Faith and all pertake at the same Table eating the same Bread being the Symbol of the same Body which suffered on the Cross and drinking all of the same Cup the Cup of the New Testament the Symbol of the Blood of Christ which he shed for his Church and so United all in the visible external Worship and Service of God This is â— Original and first being of the Church The next thing Sir I offer to your consideration is the Continuance oâ— Duration of this Church on Earth and that is till our Blessed Saviour's second Advent St. Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you always even to the end of the World Amen The power wherewith our Blessed Saviour vested the Apostles was not to cease or expire with them but as they had received the power of Governing and Conferring Orders in the Church from Christ Jesus so they conferr'd the same on others that the Church might for ever retain this Apostolical power and thus in this respect our Lord is with his Church to the end of the World And this Apostolical Succession was begun in Timothy and Titus the former being Ordained by the Apostles Bishop of Ephesus the other Bishop of Creet that they were both invested with power of jurisdiction and conferring Orders and that though in each Diocess there were many Presbyters yet that none had Authority to ordain Elders or Priests but they is most manifest by Saint Paul's Epistles to them both To propagate this Apostolical Succession Linus by Apostolical Consecration Succeeded the Apostles in the See of Rome Symeon Succeeded Saint James in the Chair of Jerusalem Anianus Succeeded Saint Mark in the Jurisdiction of the Church of Alexandria And this Succession in the right line from the Apostles to secure the Church from Impostors and Pretenders was so sacredly carryed on and propagated with such certainty that Saint Irenaeus affirms Lib. 3. adv Her c. 3. he could name all the Successors of the Apostolick Churches unto his days And accordingly this line of Apostolick Succession of Bishops hath continued in all Ages without interruption to this present time Now whoever he be that is out of this line of Apostolick Succession and exercises any Ministerial Office without the Commission of Episcopal Ordination can be no more or other than a Lay-Impostor and a
Dissenters and after a Paranthesis are commonly charged with beâ—ng Schâ—smatical the great out-cry is that we leave the Church and the unâ—hanking Mobile who are so well taught as to know no other Churches but the â—ublick places of Worship are easily enduced to believe it as if it were â—chism to Worship God any where else let the Worship there be what it â—ill You cannot be without the Leaven of Reflection for all your pretendâ—d Candor and Charity is not this highly reproachful to say that the Unthinking Mobile c. are easily induced to believe it that is that â—our Meeting is Schism What can you mean but the Pastors and Miniâ—ters of our Church seduce the Mobile to believe that which is false and â—he unthinking Mobile are easily enduced This is a pritty falacy by â—his you would perswade all if you could that none but the Mobile believe â—ou are Schismaticks all the Privy Council the Judges Universities â—nd Magestrates and all above the Mobile have no such thoughts this â—s a random Shot Pray how many besides the unthinking Mobile can you boast of in your Communion God knows you have too much to â—oast of if you have any however your boasting in this is much more vain than God be thanked you have real cause for and all those Poor Souls you have Captivated and lead astray out of Christs Fould are â—gnorant or Giddy-minded and it is done under pretence of more Spiritual Edification and Holiness which is but the Counterfeit of them which glitters with greater Lustre it being the Nature of all Counterfeit things so to do to the Undescerning and Ignorant than the real just as Quack Mountebanks with cunning devised Words and Fables perswade the Moible that their Medicines have much more the Virtue of Healing and that their skill and judgement far surmounts the truly Learned and Judicious Phisitians But God I hope will consider their simplicity and have mercy on them though I wish they would consider what our Saviour saith That if the Blind lead the Blind both fall into the Ditch Then you say as â—f it were Schism to Worship God any where else let the Worship there be what it will It would occasion too long a discourse to pursue I will therefore only mention it The Samaritans in the time of our Saviour were as fully perswaded that their Altar and Worship was as true and acceptable to God as that at Jerusalem as you are that yours is more pure than that of our Church yet our Blessed Saviour tells the Woman St. John 4. v. 22. Ye Worship ye know not what we saith he know what we Worship c. The true reason why the Samaritans Worshiped they knew not what was because it was a separate Altar and a separate Worship from that at Jerusalem this was Schism and had the same effects as your separate Communion hath in this Kingdom viz. Contentions breach of Charity alienation of Affection c. And I do not see but as it was Schism in the Jewish which was the Type of the Christian Church to set up a separate Altar and Worship so it must be Schism to set up a separate Table and separate way of Worship in the Christian Church which is the Anti-type I mention this because you in the 32 page say The common Out-cry is that it is the setting up Altar against Altar supposeing your thoughts here might be upon Mr Dodwells one Altar and one Priesthood as that which makes the Out-cry against you though the Term of Setting up Altar against Altar was used by many of the Fathers in the Primitive Times against Schismaticks in their days whom he follows But Sir If you without prejudice will seriously peruse that Book you will find such weighty reasoning that you will never more despise it and if you cannot but despise it you will perpetuate your Name amongst the most Learned and Judicious above all your Tribe that have been or are and proselite the Diocese besides if you will Answer that Book However it will be a sufficient Answer for me to say it is not the place that makes the Schism but the separate Communion for if you use your way of Worship in one of our Churches it would not abate or excuse the Schism and so if you were rightly ordained and should use the same way of Worship which we use in our Churches and is required by the Church in your Stable and through some Providence necessitated to such a place no one of our Church would nor any other justly could charge you with Schism In your 25 page Those who will allow themselves the Liberty of an Vnpreâ—udiced thought cannot but see the difference so small that as long as we beâ—ieve the same Christian Faith and agree in the same Protestant abhorence of Papal delusions we may easily be looked upon as one and the same as well as two several Parish Churches may especially being Vnited under the care and protection of one Protestant King and Members of the same Common-â—ealth Difference in small and little things comes oft in my way I cannot but wonder that we who agree in the Belief of those High and Sacred Mysteries of Faith so contrary to Flesh and Blood and so transcendant above Natural reason which cannot be wrought in us but by the Grace of God and the operation of his Spirit and yet that even among these there should be men of high and preverse minds sensual and such who cause Division As the Donatists who did separate and â—rend the Church and yet believed the same Fundamental Faith and were Zealous to use your own Words for the great Gospel Truths but their separation was as yours is for little things How would you have your Separate Communion to be looked upon as one and the same Church as well as two several Parish Churches When it is apparent that you do Rob our Parish Churches All you can and would Monopolize all our Parishes into your Communion and yet forsooth would be looked upon as one of our Parish Churches This is a Paradox which passâ—th all understanding And it is as wonderful that the having the same Protestant abhorence of Popish delusions should be a bar to Schism a man may be an Arian Socinian ay or an Atheist if he can but abhor Popery and yet be free from Schism is this one of your great Gospel Truths Is this any thing like Primitive Doctrine that Heresy Atheism Quakerism and all other divided and currupt Opinions so they but abhor Popery may be looked upon as one and the same Church is new and strange Divinity Sir all that follows in your Book being of the same spinning I will spare my self from any more trouble and expose you no farâ—her The Reader will be able to Judge whether I have or not given you a truer Notion of Schism than that in your Enquiry and sufficiently convicted your unskilfulness in expounding Scripture and fully Answered you I will only add