all that obey the twentieth Canon of the Nicene Council And from all that obey the Councils that forbid communicating with a Fornicating Priest And from all that obey the Councils which nullifie the Episcopacy of such as are obtruded by Magistrates or not consented to by the Clergy and People And many more such Abundance more instances of their Separation and Damnation I might adde In a word I think their Principles are as I first said for damning and separating from all men living for all men living are gulity of some sort and degree of Schism that is of Errours Principles or Practices in which they culpably Violate that Union and Concord that should be among Christians and Churches Every defect of Christian Love and every sinful Errour is some degree of such a violation All Christians differ in as great matters as things indifferent And no man living knoweth all things Indifferent to be such And these men distinguish not of Schism nor will take notice of the necessary distinctions given in the third Part of the Treatise of Church Concord And solutio continui causeth pain nor do they at all make us understand what sort of Separation it is that they fasten on but talk of Separation in general as aforesaid LXXXVII They seem to be themselves deceived by the Papists in exposition of Cyprians words de Vnit. Eccles. Vnus est Episcopatus c. But they themselves seem to separate from Cyprian as a Schismatick and consequently from all the Church that hath profest Communion with him and with all the Councils and Churches that joyned with him For Cyprian and his Council erred by going too far from the Schism and Heresie of others nullifying all their Baptisms Ordinations and Communions And for this errour they declared against the Judgment of the Bishop of Rome and other Churches and they were for it condemned as Schismaticks by the said Bishop And here is a far wider Separation than we can be charged with 2. And Cyprians words came from the Mind that was possest with these opinions and are expressive of his Inclination 3. Yet they are true and good understood as he himself oft expounds them the Bishop of Oxford citeth some instances many more are obvious in which he opposeth the Bishop of Rome saying that none of them pretendeth to be a Bishop of Bishops and limiting every man to his own Province and saying that they were to give account to none but God with much the like But in what sence is Episcopacie one 1. Undoubtedly not as numerically in the personal Subjectum Relationis One Bishop is not another if you should say Paternity is One none believe that one mans Relation of Paternity is anothers The Relation is an accident of its own Subject as well as Quantity Quality c. 2. Nor doth any man believe that many Bishops go to make up one Bishop in Naturals 3. Nor did ever Cyprian hold or say that all Bishops go to make up one Politick Governing Aristocracie as many go to make one Senate or Parliament that hath a power of Legislation and Judgment by Vote as one Persona politica He never owned such a humane Soveraignty But Episcopatus unus est 1. In specie all Bishops have one Office 2. Objectivè As the Catholick Church is one whose welfare all Bishops ought to seek 3. And so finaliter as to the remote End and are bound to endeavour Concord 4. And as effects all are from one efficient institutor As it may be said that all official Magistracy in England is one 1. As from one King or summa potestas 2. As described by one Law and as Justices of one Species 3. As all their Cities and Counties and Hundreds are but part of one Kingdom whose welfare all are for 4. And as they are all bound to keep as much common Concord as they can if any mean more they should tell us what If any mean that all Bishops make one numerical Universal Government they are heinous Schismaticks and the Kingdom is Sworn against their Judgment And these Men damn them in damning Schismaticks The truth is Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesiae leaving out the Papists additions is a good Book and worthy to be read of all and take Cyprian's Description of the Episcopacy of the Church which we must unite with and the nature of that Union and we would rejoyce in such But if Cyprian had lived to see either Arians or Donatists the greater number or any Sect after call themselves the Church because that Princes set them up and had seen them depose Chrysostome and such other doubtless he would never have pleaded the Unity of Episcopacy for this but have judged as he did in the Case of Martial and Basilides nor did he ever plead for an universal humane Soveraignty LXXXVIII If we are damned Schismaticks I can imagine no pretended manner of Separation in which our Schism consists but first either Local as such 2. Or Mental as such 3. Or Local caused by Mental If Local as such be it All Christians are Schismaticks for being locally separated from others and absent from all Churches and places save one If Mental Separation be it either all Mental Division is such or but some only if all then all mortal men are Schismaticks as differing in a multitude of things from others If it be not all what is it is it all difference in the Essentials of Christianity we grant it and we are charg'd with no such thing Is it all difference in the Integrals or Accidents so do all differ that are not perfect Is it all want of Love or all Vncharitableness to one another all on earth have some degree of it and those are likest to have most that do as the Bishops did against the Priscillianists bring godly people under reproach on pretence of opposing Heresie or that seek the Silencing Imprisonment Banishment or Ruine of men as faithful as themselves For our parts we profess it our great Duty to love all men as men all Christians as Christians all godly men as godly all Magistrates as Magistrates c. Is it for our separating in mind from any Principles in specie necessary to Communion in the Church Universal or single Churches let it be opened what those Principles be We own all Christianity and all Ministry of Gods Institution and all his Church Ordinances We own Bishops over their Flocks let them be never so large so they be capable of the Work and End and alter not the true species and we submit to any that shall by the Word admonish Pastors of many Churches of their Duty or Sin or seek their good Nor do we refuse Obedience to any humane Officers set up by Princes to do nothing against Christs Laws nor nothing but what is in Princes power in the Accidents circa Sacra Is it because we disown any Numerical Rulers we own the King and his Magistrates we own all that we can understand to be true
Politick informed by Christ the Divine-Humane Head and particular Churches are subordinate Bodies Politick parts of it as such but not as Christian constitutively informed by their proper Pastors which all those Episcopal men believed that used the old description Ecclesia est plebs Episcopo adunata This is all plain to other men § 49. P. 201 202. He finds nothing like proof but my Assertion That the Regent part is the Informing part and if it have not one Regent part it is not one Society as Political If it have none it is no Polity If it have many it is many Ans. Reader his own words are What a Drudgery it is to dispute with such If he had talkt of these things at School he would not have challenged his Master to prove the signification of the words in his Dictionary but now he is a Disputer there is no end with him If he challenge me to prove that Rex signifieth a King and Subditus a Subject and so of the rest he will get the better by tiring me I can only refer him to books and use and men of that profession And so I do here If Politia do not signifie the Government and Governed Societies informed by Government all the Politicks and Dictionaries and use of Politick-Professors have deceived me I know Politria is sometime used Tropically for any cause of life any rules of living yea for good works by Chrysostome c. But I said enough to make him know that I spake of it in the usual proper sense of Politicians And so it is taken 1. For the stated Form of â—â—vernment in Civiiate 2. For the administration of that Government 3. For the Ius Civitatis or Burgesship in a governed City 4. For the â—nverâ—ation of men in such a governed Society What is Politica but civilis scientia What is Politicus but civilis respublicae gerendae peritus or â—ui rempublicam gerit Tho it be called Respublica a fine from the publick â—â—od yet men of that profession have appropriated the Names of Respublâ—ca Civitas and Politia to governed Societies only and analogum per se pâ—situm stat pro famosiâ—re analogato Saith he ' This I grant is true of such Societies as are One by one supreme 〈◊〉 power but not of such a Society as is One not by one supreme power over the whole but by one Communion And such a Society the Church is Ans. This is downright Heresie But he meaneth not as he speaks For he often confesseth that Christ is the Soveraign Head of the Church And to confess that and yet say That tho Christ be the Regent Head and Soveraign yet this doth not inform it or unifie it is gross contradiction as if the Fâ—rm did not give the specifying and unifying esse nemen We may next come to deny that Master and Scholars are a School or King and Subjects a Kingdom or Soul and body united a Man or that Two and Two are Four 2. He here plainly makes the Church to be but a Community which is false 3. And yet he will have it a Political Society For he saith That for a Politicaâ— Sâ—ciety to be informed by the One Regent part is not true of the Church which plainly includeth That the Church is a Political Society and yet hath not One Regent Head which is a contradiction He saith The Church must be excepted from Mr. B 's Rules and Definitions of 〈◊〉 Ans. You see to what a pass these men would bring us As we must have New Rules and Laws of salvation if we will be of their Church-state so we must have New Politicks and New Dictionaries The Church cannot be a species of a Politick Society without New Definitions of Polity Next say God's Laws are no Laws unless you make a New Definition of Laws in genere and Christians are no Men without a New definition of a Man I will not pretend to teach this Doctor but if he will go to School again I may hope he may meet with a Tutor that will teach him these Things following I. That a meer Community is not a proper Body Politick Civitas vel Respublica but an ungoverned Society of Equals in hoc associated for common good So are a company of men that venture all their Goods and Lives in one Ship as Equals agreeing on some means of common safety or any combined Body without Government 2. That no Community can make a true Law in proper sence but meer contracts tho the Names of Laws may be abusively so used For a Law is only the signification of a Rector's Will making the Subjects duty with due reward or punishment And it is the first part of the Administration in Government Legislation is the Prerogative of Rulers and never belongs to Equals in Community III. That a proper Political Body is only a Society consisting of Governour and Subjects united relatively IV. That if Twenty Governors Kings or States that are each supreme in their Republick confederate so as to set up one in rule over all the rest or the Major Vote of themselves to be Governor of the rest they make a new Kingdom or Republick by it But if they only confederate for the strictest Concord Offensive and Defensive this makes no new Polity nor Law but meer Contract of Equals tho all are Kings each one may make Laws for his own Kingdom according to those Contracts but they are Laws only by the Authority of their proper Soveraign V. That Cities are Bodies Politick and in a Kingdom are subordinate parts headed per modum formae by their proper chief Governour but supposing the superior Headship of the Kingdom and that Kingdoms are informed by Union with their Soveraigns specified as the Soveraigns are Monarchical Aristocratical Democratical or mixt and unified by them But no man's Soveraignty is unlimited independent or absolute God being only such over all and Earthly Soveraigns more dependent under him than Mayors and Justices under the King VI. That even so it is in the Church which is one Political Body under Christ containing particular Churches subordinately inâ—ormed by their proper Pastors VII That a Confederacy of these Pastors is very useful for agreement to observe the Laws of Christ and to make such Local by-By-Laws as Corporations may do by Charter to determine their own Circumstances which the Law of the Land determines not each Church hath power which many may agree to use allowing necessary variety And the Magistrate may determine that which is not proper to the Pastor's Office for many But the concord of these Associated Confederates can make no Law but contract nor any proper new Church-form save as improperly called a Church from Accidents If the Saxon Heptarchs had agreed to govern all their Kingdoms by strict consent this had not made another Kingdom or Law they had not been made One Kingdom by such a Confederacy but many Kingdoms agreeing as one Community of Equals VIII The Relation that all
The word Unus equivocal 44. Whether we may call all those Bishops who causelesly break Vnity No Catholick Bishops 44. More of Catholick Vnity of Bishops His Opinion of the Original of Arch-Bishops 46. His charge of Knavery and blind Fury managed by more and more confusion 47. He denieth the Church to have any one constitutive Regent Head when it is essential to Christ to be such and the Church to have such He confesseth that the Church is no Politiâ—al Society as headed by men 48. Whether Civil and Church Policy be not the same in genere 49. What Principles of Politicks the Dr. should have learnt in his Youth Nine Points which he should have been taught p. 51 52. Dr. Parker's Doctrine The Defenders dâ—shonouring Dr. Stillingfleet as if he denied Christ to be a constitutive Regent Head of the Church Visible as such p. 53. How far Christ is such a Visible Head 52. Whether all causeless Separation from any part of the Church on account of Accidents or by Opinions cut off men from the whole Church with more of his errors confuted to p. 56. The Contents of the Fourth Part. The Reasons of my own Communion with Parish-Churches QU. 1. Whether men should be compelled to Communion with any Church by corporal Penalties plainly answered p. 1 2. Qu. 2. Whether they who consent to communicate with some Church may choose their own Pastor or Company or may by force be confined to their Parish-Priest and Church 3. Qu. 3. For what Reasons I and such others do hear in and communicate with the Parish-Churches And whether so to do be a sin or a duty or a thing indifferent 6. The true case and extent of my Iudgment herein 8 11. Twenty Four Reasons of my Iudgment and Practice which have still seemed unresistible to my conscience 12. The Iudgment both of the old Nonconformists and the old Separatists for it in their own words 18 19. Many Objections answered 24. Why I yielded to mens importunity to publish these Reasons at this time 26. The Contents of the Fifth Part being an Account why the Twelve Arguments said to be Dr. I. O's do not change my Judgment MY Position and premised History of the matter of Fact p. 1. Dr. O's Premises considered p. 6. Many mistakes therein manifested 11. His First Argument from the want of Institution examined 12. His Second Argument 18. His Third Argument p. 30. And so to the Twelfth Forty Errors proved in them at least His laying the stress of his condemnation not of ours only but of all Liturgick Forms on the ill effects of them constrained me in faithfulness to the present endangered minds of Readers and also to my own conscience to say so much of the ill effects of Separation on the other side as I know will be censured by many But as I have oft done it before in my Treatise of Baptism my Gildas Salvianus my Key for Catholicks Admonition to Mr. Bagshaw c. I judg it made necessary on this occasion to repeat so much as have done THE PREFACE DID not the Thoughts of a better promised World afford me Comfort and Relief the Thoughts of the Case of this so much forsaken Earth would break my Heart my Faith and Hope To see so much of Earth yet Unchristian and so few of the Christian Nations either in Knowledge Love or Holiness answering their Holy Profession but damning one another and more themselves And to see how great a hand the Clergy of almost all Churches have in this by notorious implacable Contention and to see how little hope there is of a Remedy If Princes and Patrons chuse Wise Holy Peaceable Men in England will they do so in France Flanders Spain and other Popish Lands And either there they will expect the same Royal Power make the Pope and his Agents the Electors which is worse And with such the Love of Money Vain-glory and Self-opinion Worldliness Pride and Ignorant Error will keep up Envy Strife and Persecution Confusion and every Evil Work O how sad is the Case of the Laity that must hear Men pretending to great Learning and Authority with raging Confidence damning the Opinions and Persons of each others and calling to Princes to destroy those that they cannot convince and that will not take them for their Masters pretending that subjection to them and all their ensnaring Laws is necessary Communion And with such Confidence do they Write and Talk that it must be very expert and setled Christians that can tell who is in the Right but the Crowd believe them that have most Interest in them or that speak the last word or that have greatest Power There is but one way possible to cure all this besides wise and godly Princes which all Peace-makers have still agreed on Even to Unite in the Divine Authority and Primitive Simplicity of Doctrine Worship and Discipline and to bear with others in smaller Matters Supposing the Determination of such mutable Circumstances which belong to each Minister his Place Christ hath promised Salvation to all that practically so agree He hath commanded them all to Love one another even as themselves and to receive one another as Christ received us Baptism devoting us to the Father Son and holy Ghost then made men Christians and Catholicks The Creed the Lords Prayer Ten Commandments were thought a sufficient Test as to the Orthodox Exposition of the Baptismal Covenant Upon these Terms the Church Formed into Pastors and Flocks lived in Loving Communion in the Lords Supper and in holy Doctrine Prayers Praises and doing good to all they could The Kingdom that is the Church of God and Christs Reign therein consisteth not in Ceremonies and lesser things but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost The Unity necessary hereunto was that described Ephes. 4.3 4 5. One Body One Spirit One Hope One Lord One Faith One Baptism One God and Father of all And the keeping of this Unity was in the Bond of Peace with all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in Love v. 2 3. These Terms were made for our Love and Communion by Christ the Maker of the Church the Author and Perfecter of our Faiih These Terms are few sure plain possible as Christs Yoke is easie and his burden light and his Commands not grievous These Terms all Christians are actually agreed and united in He knows not Mankind that doth not know That the ignorance weakness and badness of Man is such as that it is impossible that all good Christians should unite otherwise upon things hard dark doubtful and numerous The Primitive Simplicity Purity and Love are the only Terms of Universal Concord in the Church on Earth But now by Preachers with wordy confidence these only healing terms are accused as the way of the most damning Schism O the subtilty of the Serpent that beguiled Eve O the folly of Men that will be thus drawn away from the simplicity of Christ by takeng
the only Remedy against Schism to be the chiefest cause They have made Associations and Confederacies of Men to set up New Forms of Churches Church-Government or Communion by multitudes of Clergy-Laws or Canons of their own to be necessary to Ministry and Communion and consequently to avoid Schsm and consequently to Salvation By which Arrogancy and Impositions and Arbitrary Laws and Censures thereupon the Christian World is now almost all broken into Sects condemning and censuring one another into Greeks Muscovites Armenians Georgians Nestorians Jacobites Abassines Maronites Papists Protestants c. And of all these the Papists pretend to a Power of Government by Legislation and Iudgment over all the Christians on Earth some placing it in the Pope as chief some in a Council or the Colledge of Bishops as chief of which the Pope is the prime Member most in Pope and Council agreeing This Sect unchurcheth all Christians save themselves and have made so many Canon-Laws as none can understand and keep Some that yet do not own the Pope tell us That yet the Church on Earth is one Political Body not unified by its Relation to Christ the Head and Form He is not Visible enough say the Papists to Head a Church that may be called Visible But it is unified by a certain Confederacy of Communion among themselves which sometime they call an Universal Government and say they have power to make Universal Laws and sometime say It is not One Unifying Government but One Communion and yet make Laws which all must hold Communion with They say and unsay and know not what to say They cannot tell us what are the necessary terms of that Communion nor how to know with what Nations and Churches we must hold it But this they agree in That Christ the Finisher of our Faith hath left Faith Worship and Government so unfinished that Bishops of all the World or many Nations they know not who must make us more Laws and when they will have done and compleated Religion no man knows And that all that will be Christians must on the Terms of these Canons have Communion with them and refuse not one thing that they command And therefore must all be learned enough to know that all that they command is lawful And if any withdraw for an Oath or Covenant or Ceremony tho he mentally own them as true Churches or if for dissent he be excomunicated by them he must worship God in no other Assembly but live like an Atheist till he be convinced of the Lawfulness of their Impositions else all that so worship God are damnable Schismaticks and so are all that communicate with them So that I know but few on Earth that they damn not for breaking their Canons tho they would keep all the Laws of Christ And every where they that have strength and possession presume that it is they that must thus be the Standers and Rulers of all others about them It is an utter Maze which they make the Terms of catholick communion and consequently of Salvation instead of the few plain certain things which Christ made necessary We can get but few of the vulgar to understand the sense of Baptism the Creed Lords Prayer and Ten Commandments And our churches are much made up of such and our Parishes have too many Sadduces Infidels and Hobbists yet all must be supposed to know 1. That all the Bishops and Priests are truly called and authorized when few know what maketh them Pastors indeed 2. And that all their words ceremonies and impositions are not repugnant to God's Word 3. And that all are to be avoided whom their Canons and Lay-civilians excommunicate 4. That it is a company of true Bishops and Churches in other Nations whose communion they own 5. That all are Schismaticks that they so judg and their churches no true churches of The English Schismatick detected and confuted Occasioned by a Resolver of Cases about Church Communion CHAP. I. SAITH THE RESOLVER § 1. THE Church is a Body or society of men separated from the rest of the World and united to God and to themselves by a Divine Covenant A. He saith this is the plainest description he can give That is not the fault of his Auditors or Readers 1. As to the Genus a Community of equals without Rulers is a body but I suppose he meaneth not such 2. Is it enough that it be of Men sure now they should be Christians 3. Many are separated from the rest of the World secundum quid that are no Christians some in one respect and some in another and none in all respects 4. Vnited to God is an ambiguous word no Creature is Vnited to him perfectly so as to be thereby what he is God in the created Nature Only Christ is united to him Hypostatically in his created Nature All are so far united to him in natural being as that in him they live and move and have their being And the Nature of man is one sort of his Image All things are united to him as effects to their constant efficient The Church should not be defined without any mention of Christ The Churches Union with God is by Christ. 5. Christ himself as Head is an essential part of the Church and should not be left out of a Definition thô the meer Body may in common speech be called the Church as the People may be called a Kingdom 6. Will any Divine Covenant serve or must it not be only the Baptismal Covenant 7. Is it called Divine only as made by God or as commanded by God and made by Man or as mutual Certainly Gods Law and offered or Conditional Promise is most frequently called His Covenant in Scripture and this uniteth not men to God till they consent and Covenant with him Their own Covenant Act is necessary hereto And that is a Divine Covenant only as commanded and accepted and done by Gods assisting Grace 8. The form of a Church is Relative and the Terminus is essential to a Relation It is no definition that hath not the End of the Association Therefore this is none at all and so the beginning tells us what to expect This description hath nothing in it but what may agree to divers forms of Society and so hath not the form of a Church And if he intended not a Definition but a loose description I would a defining Doctor had had the Chair during this controversie Let us try this description upon a Mahometan Kingdom Army or Navy or suppose them meer Deists 1. Such a Kingdom Army or Navy may be a Society 2. Of Men. 3. Separated from the rest of the World secundum quid ad hoc and none are separated from it simpliciter ad omnia e. g. No man is separated from the common humanity No Deist from any but Atheists and no Christian in believing a God and the Law of Nature and Nations 4. They are Vnited to God so far as owning a God and
trust the conduct of their Souls Nor did they think so that forbad men hearing fornicators Nor Cyprian that required the People to forsake Basilides and Martial Peccatorem Praepositum XXXV So full was the proof given in the Book called The first Plea for Peace that the Church from the beginning denyed Princes and Magistrates to be entrusted with the choice of Bishops or Pastors to whom the Churches were bound to trust the conduct of their Souls that he who denyeth it is not worthy to be therein disputed with And yet we doubt not but they may force Infidel Subjects and Catechumens to hear sound and setled Preachers and Catechists And may dispose of the Tythes Temples and many other Accidents of the Church and may drive on Pastors and People to their Duty XXXVI It is false Doctrine that two distinct Churches may not be in the same Precincts or City This being a meer Accident which abundance of Cases make unnecessary and unlawful Which I shall prove That which is no where commanded by God is no duty But that there shall be but one Church or Bishop in the same Precincts is not commanded of God Ergo c. Divine of Gods making They own the Major in the case of Indifferent thing If they deny the Minor let the affirmers prove any such command We grant a command of Love and Concord and a prohibition of all that is against them But in many instances to have several Churches in the same precincts is not against them If they fly to the Canons of foreign Councils the reason of them we shall weigh and duely regard But they were National and had their Legislative Power only from their own Princes and their Counselling Power only from Christ And we disown all foreign Jurisdiction XXXVII In all these Cases following and more two Churches may be in the same precincts yea and a City 1. In Case that several Bishops are called justly to dwell in the same City or Diocess and many of their Flock be with them e. g. Many Bishops of England dwell long yea mostly in London or in London Diocess e. g. The Bishop of Eli dwells in the Parish of St. Andrews Holbourn Qu. Whether there he be a Subject to Dr. Stillingfleet as his Pastor and bound to obey him or whether many out of his Diocess thousands may not as Lawfully dwell half the Year in London as he And whether when he preacheth to them he do it not as their Bishop in London Diocess And so of many other Bishops that here reside XXXVIII 2. Either our Parish Churches are true Churches or not If not the Separatists are so far in the right And separate not from true Churches eo nomine because they separate from them If yea then many Churches are in the same City and Diocess Of their agreement and dependance on the same Bishop I shall speak anon XXXIX 3. In case that in one City there be resident Stranges that are sent on Embassies or live for Merchandize or flee from Miseries and are the Subject of other Princes whose Laws and Customs they are under e. g. At Frankford Hamburgh Middleburgh Dantzick Constantinople there have been English distinct lawful Churches And in London there are Dutch and French Churches And if the King allowed a Swedish Church a Danish Church a Saxon Church c. with their several Bishops who is so weak as to need proof that this is lawful and they true Churches XL. 4. In case men of different Language are not capable of mutual converse by personal communion or help As Dutch French Italian Greeks Germans c. Grotius and Dr. Hammond oft in Dissert and Annot. do maintain that Peter at Rome had a Church of Iews and Paul a Church of Gentiles And that the like distribution of Churches of Iews and Gentiles there was at Antioch Alexandria and other places And by this they Salve the Contradictions in Church History about the Succession of Linus Cletus and Clemens And the Apostles setled not a sinful Church way XLI 5. Yea Grotius maintaineth that the Apostles setled the Churches at first not like the Jewish Priesthood but in the order of their Synagogues de Imper. sum Patest and in Annot. And that as there were divers Synagogues in a great City with their Archisynagogus and Elders so there were divers Churches in a City with Bishops and Presbyters XLII 6. When there are a greater number of Persons in one City or precinct than can have any just personal Knowledge and Communion and more than any one Bishop with his Presbytery can perform the needful Pastoral oversight to it is lawful and a duty to gather another Church in that City or Precinct But this is truly the Case of many great Cities though worldly Wisdom have at Rome and other places oft denyed notorious evidence and experience He that will gather up all the duties that Dr. Hammond saith were charged on the Bishops in his Annotations on all the Texts that name Elders and Bishops if he can believe that any Bishop can perform the tenth part of them to all in the Diocess of London York Lincoln Norwich c. I will not dispute against him if he maintain a Bishops Ubiquity or that at once he can be in twenty places But if they say that what then was commanded them to do personally they may do by others I say that if they may change the Work they may change the Power that specifieth the Office and so it is not the same Office in specie instituted in Scripture And then Lay-men may have Power to preach and administer Sacraments and do the Office of Priests and yet be no Priest as Civilians do of Bishops which is a Contradiction Certainly if there be more Scholars in the City than one Master can Teach and Rule it is no Schism to set up more Schools and Schoolmasters but a duty And if the Lord Mayor on pretence of City Government should put down but as great a part of Family Government as those Diocesans do of Parochial Church Government who allow none under them to be truly Episcopi Gregis and have the power of their Church Keyes I think that it were no Schism to restore Families so that the City might have more than one entirely XLIII 7. If the Soveraign Power upon Politick or Religious Reasons should determine that e. g. Dr. A and Dr. B and Dr. C. shall all be Bishops in London to such Volunteers of Clergy and Laity as shall choose each of them to be their Bishop and this without altering their dwellings no man can prove it sinful And of his reasons the King is judge XLIV 8. If the Bishop or Clergy of a City Diocess or Nation do agree by Law or Canon to admit none to the Ministry or Communion that will not commit a known sin deliberately as the Condition of his Communion it is a duty to congregate under other Pastors in those precincts This is confest If they
we there Worship and therefore it is it self a subordinate act of Worship So to stand or kneel at Prayer and not to sit Though in Scripture we read of sitting standing kneeling and prostration yet no one of these is made necessary by Institution yet are they subordinate Acts of Worship expressing our inward Worship of God And the reason why being uncovered or kneeling are now chosen is not a particular Institution but because the Custom of the Country hath made them the most congruous Expression of our inward Worship when as Paul tells us That then and there it was a shame for a man to be covered and the whole Church for many hundred years forbad all kneeling in Adoration on the Lord's Days And more To these I add the gesture of the Adult in Baptism whether they shall be Baptized kneeling to signifie Humble Reception or not is left to choice So is the Gesture in singing Psalms If any think that speaking to God by prayer praise or thanksgiving in Psalms should in honour to God be done Standing or Kneeling rather than Sitting it is no addition to God's Institution And that we commonly use sitting in Psalmody and not when we Pray in Prose is meerly because Custom maketh one more offensive than the other The same I say of the Gesture of Preaching which some do sitting with their Hats on and others stand to avoid a seeming dishonour of Gods Name and Service Also some holy Nonconformists I have known that would rarely name God but with their Hats put off or bowing their Heads or with Hands and Eyes lift up towards Heaven Old Mr. Atkins at Tipton near Dudley did thus use to shew such Reverence when he named God that would strike Reverence into those that saw and heard him and hath oft Affected me more than a Sermon This was External Worship not Instituted in the particulars but in general of Reverence to God 2. Another instance is in Vows to God which are acts of Worship But for the Matter of them several things may be Vowed which are not particularly commanded but onely in the General And for the Form or Words I do not think that Mr. Raphson can shew me all that Vow called the Covenant in any particular Institution and yet I conjecture that he taketh it not to be Idolatry nor Unlawful 3. Another Instance is in things devoted and offered to God The Scripture in general saith Honour God with thy substance and with the first Fruits of thy increase And that Christians at first sold all and laid at the Apostles Feet which yet Peter tells Ananias he might have chosen not to do And for many hundred years after they brought their Weekly Donations for the Ministers Sacraments and Poor to the Altar and Offer'd it first to God And so Paul would have the Corinthians give their Collections as to God for the Saints But no Institution told them how much they should give but the General Rule 4. Another Instance is the length or degree of outward Worship If I pray two hours rather than one it is an act of Honour or Worship not particularly commanded So whether men shall in Publick read one Chapter or two sing one Psalm or two or more is undetermined by God 5. Another is about set Days and Hours for Worship as to keep a yearly Thanksgiving for Deliverance from the Powder Plot the Spanish Invasion for the Reformation c. So also Fasts and what days Lectures shall be kept and what hour And what day and hour the Lord's Supper shall be Administred which are Circumstantial Acts of Worship 6. Another Instance is in the choice of Psalms and Hymns the use of Davids are Lawful and so are others but no Institution tyeth us to One but leaveth us to chuse 7. Another Instance is in the Tunes and Metre of Psalms which we use as Subordinate Acts of Worship It is but lately that the Churches used Metre and Melody of Tune but Prose read with a loud Voice yet I hope we are not Idolaters for our Metre and Melody which I may say also of Church Musick which David used and we may do where it 's Edifying but it 's no Institution now Yea when Paul directs the Church to use Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs which is for singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord and therefore it is Worship which some men must indite and make 8. Another Instance is in the versions of the Psalms of David where among many we may chuse which seems best 9. Another Instance is in the publick and private Reading of the Scriptures Translated where every word is the work of man God wrote it not in English but in Hebrew and Greek but man Translates it some well and some defectively yet I hope an English Bible is not an Idol 10. So also the dividing the Scriptures into Chapters and Verses which are the Works of man is no Idolatry 11. And another Instance is the Method and Words of Sermons and Prayers whether a Minister shall Preach by way of Doctrine Reason and Use or otherwise and Expound by way of Paraphrase or otherwise what words he shall use God hath not instituted in particular but mens invention maketh these some suddenly and some beforehand 12. Another Instance is the use of helps or written Words Whether one shall use Notes in Preaching and read them or not Whether the words of a Prayer shall be written and read or not God hath not determined And so Books of Catechism Publick Confessions Prayers Meditations as formed are all the works of man and no Idolatry And if Parents impose words of Prayer on their Children it is no Sin as Deut. 6. and 11. shew 13. Another Instance is in the form of Ordination when the Words and many Circumstances are undetermined Imposition of Hands is a lawful Sign and so is doing it by a Writing or by meer Words without that Imposition some receive it Kneeling some Standing some by one Form of Words some by another c. some from one Ordainer some from many c. And none of these determined by Institution 14. The same is true of Discipline The Form of Words for Admonition for Absolution for Excommunication for the Penitents Confession and Request are left to Humane Wisdom so the matter and manner be regulated by the general Law And they that say that God hath Instituted that the Church shall be Governed Necessarily by fixed Classes with Appeals to National Synods and that here a Major Vote hath Governing Power over the lesser part yea and that these must be made up of Two sorts of Elders of which one sort are un-ordained or are not Authorised to Administer the Word and Sacraments do but add to the Word of God if they say these National Assemblies are the Supreame Church-Power what Law of God did ever Institute That a Minister or Classis e. g. in Geneva Breme Scotland is not as much subject to the Decrees of
that Dispositio receptiva sine qua Materia non recipit formam And now this famous Doctor cannot understand me when I assert it's Necessity to humanity unless I mean that one may be a man without it I would not exagitate this ignorance were it not in a Man that is damning and encouraging the silencing and ruining of so many Servants of Christ for their supposed Ignorance of the Lawfulness of all their Oaths Promises and Impositions But Reader my Heart grieveth to think that so great a number should be caried by such men as this to the same Love-killing opinions and practices I 'le put a case to you A Leveller that would have got down the Universities undertook that his Parrot should Learn Philosophy as well as Scholars and should dispute with any of them all He taught the Parrot only two words before Noon every day It 's true Sir and I understand you and to say two more every day afternoon viz. You lie Sir and away you Rogue When he had learnt them perfectly he inviteth a Tutor to read Philosophy to his Parrot He reads in the morning a Lecture of the Principles of Man and the Parrot oft saith I understand you and I'ts true Sir The Hearers admiring it are invited to dispute with the Parrot in the Afternoon Multitudes come and the Respondent maintained that Man hath a Reasonable Soul and next that Parrots have none such The Parrot oft answered You lie Sir and at last Away you Rogue If the Company gave the Parrot the better and concluded for Brutes against Humanity did they more deserve pity or indignation Once more God made Adam's Body before he breathed into it the Breath of Life If this Body had not its form it was not a Body nor a humane Body without the proper form of such That which hath no form is no being If the form of that Body was forma Hominis then Adam's Body was a Man without his Soul And then the Soul is not forma hominis But saith the Doctor I know not what it meaneth unless it be that Adam may be a man without the Corporeal form or Organization But lest the Doctor when he understands me should think that I have hereby served his Notion of Communion I must add that it is not either the placing or the being of all the parts of a humane Body that is this formâ—l Organization but only of the Essential parts It may be a humane Body without a Finger or Hand or Foot or Arm or Leg and what great diversity of parts are found within men and diversity of place and shape you may see in Skenkius his Observation as well as in Paraeus Hildanus Hollerius and multitudes more that afforded him his instances But without a Heart a Brain a Stomach a Liver Lungs c. it cannot be a humane Body organized And without a Gospel Ministry to guide the Flocks it is not a compleat organized Body of Christ though in fieri it was an Embrio before But I must again warn the Reader not to argue too far from Similitudes In a natural Body God hath fixed all the parts by a constant Law of generation except in Monsters But in political Bodies the difference is much Civil politicks quoad formas specificas are humane Creatures and men may alter them The Church is a Divine politie God hath fixed its essentials But he hath left many of its Accidents to the choice of Man who may alter them as Edification requireth And again I say that Catholick Union in the Essentials only is necessary to the Being of the Church and in the Integrals to its Integrity and in the needful common Accidents to its Comeliness and in other Accidents its unnecessary and impossible God makes the Man but the Tailor makes his Cloathes and the Country and Usage and Parents may diversifie Colour and Complexions Metropolitans and Patriarchs and Diocesian Churches as containing multitudes of Churches without Bishops and their Chancellors Officials Commissaries Arch-Deacons c. are humane Creatures as the Episcopal Protestants usually confess And Liturgies are various as Languages and Ceremonies are like our Periwigs Some think it lawful to wear Womens Hair and some think it unlawful though the fashion But I remember none yet that have taken all for Rebels or Out-laws that wear not Periwigs or are not of the same Habit Language or Complexion nor any that for these send men to Prison nor that think it a wise way to unity § 23. p. 46. He comes after with an If I mean to conjecture what I mean and think it fits his present case well why then doth he quarrel with it But what is his case Then the Church cannot be united to Christ in one Body without union with it self and the unity of the Catholick Church cannot consist meerly in the Union of all particular Churches in and to Christ without any Union among themselves Ans. Who did he ever Read or hear say that the Churches have no Union or no other than their Union in Christ among themselves He may see before § 9. I named ten points of their Union On Condition that he will not take the Cloathes or the Periwig or the House or the Horse or Coach no nor his Wealth or Office for the man I 'le once more tell him for the Readers sake and not his wherein the Unity of the Church consisteth and also in what all have Communion Politick Bodies are not like Natural where all the Members must have a continuity of contract Men that touch not and see not one another may be Members of one Kingdom Houses that touch not one another may make one City 1. The Church is considered in its meer Essence 2. It s Organized compleat state needful to its Edification 3. In its gradual growth or perfection 4. In its mutable accidents I. Christ and Christians United are all that is Essential to it as a Church II. Christ and Christians Sub-Churches or Societies of Pastors and Flocks are all that is necessary to make it an Organized Church compleated in the parts necessary to its Edification These Pastors at first were extraordinary Apostles and Prophets for the first settling of universal Laws and order And after Ordinary Pastors to Teach and Guide the Flocks III. This Body hath integral parts of various degrees differing in Knowledge Orthodoxness Piety Peace Power of Preaching and Purity and order of Worship and Government Some in it Preach Christ not sincerely but in strife and contention to add affliction to sincere suffering Preachers and some as Diotrephes receive not the Brethren but cast them out of the Church and forbid others to receive them and judge or despise each other for things that God would have left free and receive not those that Christ receiveth IV. All of them differ in multitudes of accidents They are not bound to agree in the same Forms Liturgies or unnecessary Circumstances Nor in humane additional Modes called forms of Government
Bare Unity is more intelligible tho no one know wherein it must be § 39. He adds To preservt the Peace and Unity of Episcopacy it 's necessary that every Bishop do not only observe the same Rule of Faith but especially in matter of weight and consequence the same Customes and Usages and the same Laws of Discipline and Government and when any difficult case happens for which they have no standing Rule to consult Ans. The longer the worse If I ask him whether he mean such Customs and Usages as are part of God's Word materially commanded or commended in Scripture I know not what he will say but I strongly conjecture he will say No It is Tradition and Church-Customs not there mentioned If I ask how these come espcially to be mentioned as matter of weight and consequence he confesseth that God and not Man made the Church And is not God's Law sufficient to be its Universal Rule If man make these matters of weight man may unmake them 2. But is it not Universal Church-Communion that he is speaking of I provoke him to tell me if he can who on Earth hath power beside God and our Saviour to make Laws the same of Discipline and Government to the Universal Church Is not Legislation the prime part of Government Have not you oft denied any Humane Supreme Government under Christ over all the Church Do you not here say the contrary Know you not the difference between the Contracts of a Community and the Laws of a Polity It 's no true Law if it be not the act and instrument of a Rector to govern his Subjects If Twenty Kings meet or School-Masters Physicians c. and agree on certain Points of Government this maketh them not One Polity Kingdom or School Their Contracts are neither Laws to each other nor to their common Subjects but every King may make them a Law to his own Subjects 4. If you should mean only National Laws of Discipline and Government how come all the Churches in the World to be obliged to observe the same Laws e g. our Canons This as to Traditions is expresly contrary to our Articles of Religion which you subscribe And when the Church-Laws of all Countreys differ so much which must all be reduced to If you say They must all agree to those called the Codex Ecclesiae Universalis or the Four or Six first approved Councils c. I answer 1. It 's gratis dictum And how prove you those universally obligatory and no other And how will you satisfie Conscience which are the obligatory Laws indeed 2. Why do you then cast all from Communion that observe the 20 th Canon of the Council of Nice 3. What power have dead Bishops over us and all Christ's Church They were Canons for one Empire which is dissolved and of which we are no part 4. Is Christ so insufficient a Lawgiver even for Laws necessary to the Unity of his Church as that we must have more Laws of Government and Discipline which the Catholick Church must unite in or be no Church And shall that man plead for such Laws that yet saith There is no universal Governor I never said you are a Cassandrian or a Papist But it was such ignorant Doctors that saddled the Horse and held the Stirrup while the Pope got up § 40. This saith he makes it highly reasonable for Neighbour-Bishops at as great a distance as the thing is practicable with ease and convenience as the Bishops of the same Province or Nation to live together in a strict Assâ—ciation and Confederacy to meet in Synods to oblige themselves to the same Rules of Discipline and Worship There may be a primacy of order granted to some Bishops and their Chair by general consent and under the regulation of Ecclesiastical Canons for the preservation of Catholick Unity Ans. You make this Catholick Unity essential to the Church And yet doth it lie in Humane Canons and Assâ—ciations Did Christ leave things so essential to Humane Invention And is concord in your Canons necessary to salvation And yet the proof of all this is but this and such Doctors Assertion that it's highly reasonable And so Unity and Salvation must lie on all that such will think highly reasonable 2. If Subjects may thus make their own Laws no doubt they will make them suitable to their Natures and Inclinations And it 's confest that oft the most even of Bishops are bad and worldly men and suitable to their Ends and Interests How many would be glad if Soveraigns would thus let Subjects make their own Laws 3. But how were the Canons or Laws of a National Church to be a Rule to all the Church on Earth and necessary to its Unity 4. And how comes this man that made it damnable in the Independents to make a Church-Covenant as if they renounced Baptism now to make Church-Associations and Confederacies to be so necessary to Catholick Unity Truly I know no answer for the man but the same that Binnius giveth us when Pope Iohn and Hormisda gave a contrary determination de fide on the question Whether it may be said that One of the Trinity was crucified One said Yea But the Nâ—storians taking hold of it the other said Nay Ita mutatis hostibus saith Bâ—â—nius arma necessario mutanda sunt That 's true when it 's for themselves which is false when it 's for others 5. But it was modestly done to confine these Confederacies to the greatest distance that the thing is practicable with ease and convenience And so he fairly denieth General Councils and after more plainly But when the Armenians Syrians Abassines Greeks c. cannot with ease and convenience go above Five or Six Hundred miles at most and so each Countrey hath different Customs Laws and Canons Can the Catholick Church obey them all § 41. P. 127. This saith he seems to be the true Original of Archiepiscopal and Metropolitical Churches Ans. If so I will not believe that they are necessary to Catholick Unity and Salvation till I know who invented them and whether they had as good a Commission as the Apostles 2. If Bishops made the first Achbishops and Parish-Bishops say others the first Diocesans and Presbyters the first Parish-Bishops then 1. Inferiors may make Superiors and give the power which they never had 2. Why then may they not ordain Equals and propagate their species 3. Then Presbyters or Bishops are of God and Archbishops of Men. § 42. Page 128. Saith he Every Bishop is the proper Governour of his own Diocess and cannot be regularly imposed on against his consent Ans. Yet even now He that causelesly breaks this Union is no Catholick Bishop It seems then it goeth not by Vote but a Dissenter may be a free Catholick I pray you then impose not on others against their conâ—ent The whole Authority saith he of any Bishop or Council over other Bishops is founded on the Laws of Catholick Communion Therefore they have no
Pastors have to the Universal Church will enable any of them more or fewer confederate or not ex authoritate Ministri Nuncii to tell any other Bishops or Churches of heinous scandalous sin and admonish them and renounce Communion with the impenitent and exhort people to forsake Heretick Bishops c. But all this as Equals and not as the fixed Overseers of other Churches nor as Rulers of other Pastors And so one Martin may do by a Synod of Bishops IX Kings are as truly and I think as much obliged to do their work in Concord and Communion The contrary dreadful Doctrine of Dr. Parker for setting up an Vniversal Council of Princes to govern all the Kings on earth is to be confuted elsewhere as also his subjecting Christ to Kings which implieth that they may command reward and punish him as Bishops And Kingship is as truly One as Episcopacy That is 1. It is of the same species 2. Under the same Universal King 3. Governed by the same Universal Laws 4. Bound to regard the Good of all the Church and World above that of their own Kingdoms 5. And bound to contribute the utmost of their Wit Interest and Power for the said common good of Church and World And because all the Kings in Europe may do more to this common good of all than Bishops without them can do I may say That they are bound hereto rather more than less than the Bishops As a rich man is bound to liberality more than a poor man and one that hath the Tutorage of Princes and Nobles Sons or a Physician that hath an Hundred such Patients is bound to more care and more bound to care than another And all Kingdoms are as truly parts of God's Kingdom over men as all Churches are parts of the Universal Church If Justices or Mayors will of themselves make a New Body Politick by Confederacy and Association and say We claim no Superiority but an Authority in order to Communion to make Laws of Government for the Kingdom or many Counties and should say It is One Kingdom as Unified by this Communion and these Laws of ours and not by their Relation to one King I should doubt whether to call them Sots or Rebels or Traitors § 5â— P. 206 207. he boldly repeateth How oft have I told him what it is that makes the Catholick Church One Catholick Church which is the constitutive Form he enquires after viz. Not one superior power over the whole Church but one Communion and this Communion is in Humane Forms and Canons Ans. How oft doth he tell us that which if a Dissenter had asserted I should have thought the Name of an Heretick too gentle for him as coming so near the denying both of the Church and Christ. See here the Church is not made One and so not made the Church by its unitive Relation to Christ the Head He is not the constitutive Regent Form but a Voluntary Agreement to make Laws of Government c. is the constitutive Form And yet he saith before It is not made by Man but God § 51. But p. 220. he disgraceth the Dean by these words Mr. B. indeed says That the Universal Church is headed by Christ himself But as the Dean adds this doth not remove the difficulty For the question is about the Visible Church whereof the particular Churches are parts and they being visible parts do require a visible constitutive Regent Head as essential to them Therefore the whole Visible Church must likewise have a visible constitutive Regent Head Ans. Dangerously false and the Fundamental Principle of Popery When they know how frequently the Papists are answered to this by Protestants and I told them how fully I had answered it to Iohnson and oft why have we no Reply but say over and over the same things Viz. 1. No Kingdom nor thing is Visible simpliciter but secundum quid Our King is not visible in Ireland nor but to â—ew in England His soul is visible to none nor his body save the outward Accidents If he were seen by none but Courtiers it were a Visible Kingdom 2. In all these Respects the Church is Visible 1. The Bodies of the Subjests are Visible 2. Their Oath af Allegiance Baptism and Profession are Visible 3. Christ lived Visibly on Earth 4. He is Visible in Heaven to his Courtiers 5. He hath one Visible Law and Covenant to govern all his Church 6. He hath Visible Officers 7. He hath Visible administrations of Mercy and Justice by himself and his Officers 8. And he is coming to Judgment Visibly and all Eyes shall see him Now the Controversie is either de re or de nomine De re none but a false Teacher will deny any one of these that I say not a gross Heretick 2. De nomine either this much may warrant the Name of a Visible Church or not If not we must go the old way of some former Protestants and say That the Chatholick Church is not Visible And for ought I see we must say That the Kingdom of Ireland if not of England is Invisible because few see the King and no man ever saw the Soul of King or Subjects or their Bodies save the skin If all this warrant not the Name of Visible Church the Confederacy of an unknown Company of Bishops will not But remember that the Controversie is but de nomine and we say more by far to prove it Visible than you do while you deny Popery § 52. P. 2â—5 I Argued That if a Regent Supreme be the informing part of a Diocesan Metropolical c. Church so must it he of the Catholick if the word Church be used univocally Hence he inferreth that I thus argue If there be not a Supreme Head over the whole Church there is no such over any part So little doth he understand an Argument When as I argued only from the parity of Reason That if the summa potestas be not the Form of the Catholick Church then it is not of Diocesan Churches But it is of Diocesan Churches as is confest Ergo This supposeth that they confess Christ to be the summa potestas Therefore I say He must be the Constitutive Form The man blusht not here to say That I infer A Bishop cannot govern his own Church unless one Bishop or a Colledge govern the whole How little Belief is due to such a Man § 53. P. 844. He saith I think it as certain That those Churches cannot be Members of the Catholick Church whose Communion is unlawful Answ. Seeing it is plain That he meaneth not only mental Communion in Essentials of which it's true but local Communion in outward Acts I take him to be one of the grossest Schismaticks that ever I had to do with and one of the greatest Enemies to Christian Catholick Love If any could prove it unlawful to have Ministerial Communion in England where he cannot have it without declaring Assent and Consent to all
thingt in their three Books that would not prove the Church of England no part of the Catholick Church If a Lay-man could prove it unlawful to trust other men with his Child in Baptismal Covenanting as far as the Church here doth or sinful to joyn in avoiding the Communion of all such gâ—dly men as the Canons or a Lay-Civilian may Excommunicate This will not prove the Church of England no part of the Catholick Church If any Church will deny men Communion unless they subscribe to some one small Untruth as the Liturgies false Rule to find out Easter-day or a mis-translation or the denial that Christ died for all c. this doth not unchurch them all But men have made so many snares by their numerous invented sinful forms of Communion that by such schsmatical Censures as this one scarce knows what Church on Earth is â—ot unchurched § 54. He saith Where there is 〈◊〉 bâ—â—ach of Communion no declared 〈…〉 act of communiâ—n between 〈…〉 be in communion with each 〈…〉 You may say of them what you will But all these Negatives speak no positive Act And is Communion nothing but Negations All this I may say of those that never heard of each others being 2. There may be an express disowning of each as the Romans did the Asians about Easter and the Africans about rebaptizing and the Britains disowned Augustine and as some disown a Pair of Organs or neglect of Discipline c. And yet both be parts of the Catholick Church § 55. P. 326. He is so Catholick in Doctrinals as to say that We may safely communicate with any Church how different soever our Opinion in other Matters may be when we agree in all the Fundamentals of Christian Faith and Essentials of Worship Answ. What could one wish more Is this the same Man May you not then admit those that so far agree with you Are all your humane Associations and Confedearcies and all the Laws for Church-Discipline and Government made by men that have no Legislative Power Essentials of Worship or Fundamental Doctrines of Faith Are all that your foresaid Canons Excommunicate Men for such Essentials If this much be enough in the Church notwithstanding all other Sins and Errors why not in those that you should receive But it seems by this that Matters of Divine Faith and Worship besides bare Essentials are small things to him in comparison of Bishops Rules and Canons § 56. Pag. 395. He saith To separate causelesly from any true and sound part of the Catholick Church cuts such Separatists off from the Church If they will justifie their Separation they must prove that what is Enjoyned is Sinful Answ. 1. Have you answered what they have said and said again towards a Proof Remember that you call them to it and justifie their Separation if they prove it 2. But your Conclusion is false and odious leaving it doubtful what part of the Christian World you damn not If I could prove that you separate causelesly from the Nonconformists doth that certainly cut you from all the Church I doubt there are too few Christians on earth who do not in some degree separate causelesly from others Grotius joyned with no Church locally in Worship long before he died Most of the Church in East West South and North is damned falsly by this Rule He that doth but causelesly separate pro tempore from a Preacher by Passion or Mistake as Mr. Martin aforesaid from Mr. Lapthâ—rne separate causelesly from a true and sound part of the Christian Church His words make me think so sadly of the Case of the Church that must be tempted and distracted by such men as puts me far from a sporting frame But as Dr. Twisse and some of the Gravest Writers sometime divert their Readers with a sad Story that hath somewhat in it ridiculous why may I not put him another such Case At Bridgenoth before 1639. One Parson Crosse a thorough Conformist Preacht a Sermon In which inveighing against Marriage he said If you marry a Widow She will be like a Banbury Cheese when all the Paring is cut off there 's little left So when all Portions and Legacies are paid â— Whoever Maid or Widow if you will hope for a Wife and virtuâ—us Woman you must be like a Man that will find out one Ele in a Barrel of Snakes It 's a hundred to one you miss her But if you light on her you have but a wet Snig by the Tail a slippery handful Now the Women were angry with the Preacher he was an Orthodox Licens'd Man They separate from him Quere Whether they separated from the Catholick Church Reader I am tired with following this Writer and Mr. Crosse's Sermon makes me think of his Book By that time all the wordy mistakes are pared off the good matter is like his pared Banbury Cheese And if you fish for them at a venture it 's great odds but you meet with some scurvy words or matter instead of them Or if you light of that which is better his Sence is so uncertain in undistinguisht words that you have but Mr. Crosse's wet Snig by the Tail But not to seem more incredulous and indifferent from him than I am I subscribe to his words to Mr. Humphrey pag. 226. Ignorance and Insensibility is as great a security to some Men against Shame as Impudence is to others And to his words to Mr. Lobb pag. 388. What a blessed thing is Ignorance which helps Men to confute Books without Fear or Wit And I do acknowledge That this â—r hath helpt me more sensibly to understand St. Paul 1 Tim. 3.6 Not a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil FINIS UNNECESSARY SEPARATING disowned in the Reasons of the Authors Censured Practice § 1. WHEN I see 1. How many suffer for refusing Communion with the Parish Churches 2. And how many are offended with Me and such others for Communicating with them censuring Us as mistaking compliers with Sin The Cause and some good Peoples request invite me to answer these following Questions I. Whether Men should be compelled to Communicate with any Church by Corporal Penalties II. Whether they who consent to Communicate with some Church may chuse their own Pastor and Company or may by force be confined to their Parish Priest and Church III. For what Reasons I and such others Hear in and Communicate with the Parish Churches And whether so to do be a Sin or a Duty or a thing Indifferent § 2. I. To the first case I answer 1. It were happy if the Sword could compel Unbelievers to Believe but it cannot nor is a way which Nature or Scripture ever allowed Man to use for such an end 2. To force an Unbeliever to Lie by saying he Believeth is a Sin 3. An Infidel must not be Baptized till he profess with seeming Seriousness and Willingness that he Believeth in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and will Vow
Pastors and if we are in doubt of their Calling we resist them not unless obeying Christ before them be resistance But our Accusers loudly profess that Usurpers are not to be owned and if they go on the ground that he hath right that the Prince is for we would know whether that hold in Turky in Italy Spain France or only in England or where If it be where Princes are Orthodox do they make all the People Judges of their Princes Orthodoxness And we would know whether EVERY BISHOPS and PRIESTS right 〈◊〉 a true Minister called of God and set over us be necessary to Salvation to be believed or known by all the People if it be wo to us that ever such men were set over us whose right we cannot know What abundance of things go to make a Bishops or Priests right known 1. That he hath capable sufficiency 2. That he is a just Bishop that 's chosen by the King the Dean and Chapter obediently consenting that the Clergy's and Peoples consent is unnecessary 3. That the Diocesan species over multitudes of Churches without any subordinate Bishop is of Christ or lawful 4. That their work according to the Canon is lawful 5. That all our Patrons have right to chuse Pastors for all the People 6. That they are true Pastors over them that consent not 7. That if they prove worse far than Martial and Basilides and be owned by the Bishops as they were the people may not forsake them plâ—bs obsequens divinis prâ—ceptis which saith Cyprian have most power to chuse or refuse Is every Christian bound on pain of Damnation to know all these and then to examine and judge Bishops and Priests accordingly or if they mistake one or more mens Commission do they therefore separate from the Catholick Church If so what a case was the East in by the difference between Chrysostome and his Competitors Photius and Ignatius and hundreds others and France about the Archbishops of Rhemes when he was put out that deposed Ludovicus 4. and when an Infant was put in and oft besides What if the Alexandrians when Athanasius was banished by Constantine himself were half for him and half against him Or Basil at Caesarea was put down and hundreds more or when Theodosius first and second and Martian and Valentinian and Zeno and Anastasius and abundance more set up and pull'd down and set up again against each other What I say if the People now mistooke who had the best Title Is this separating from the Catholick Church When the Interim cast out hundreds in Germany When Ludovicus cast out Multitudes in the Palatinate and half the People stuck to the ejected persecuted Pastor and the rest to the Magistrates choice which of them separated from the Universal Church Is every Priest the Vniversal Church or an essential part of it then it dyeth when he dyeth and Apostatizeth when he doth How many Ages in above 23 Duplicates or Schisms was the World uncertain which was the true Pope suppose e. g. Arthur Iackson Edmund Calamy and many such were placed in their Incumbency by the Bishops Patrons and Parish consent according to the Law of Christ and the Land and by a new Act of Uniformity they be all turned out the Flock not consenting nor any Bishop accusing trying or deposing them save in Legislation and some of the Parish think this dissolveth not their Relation to him and they cleave to him as before without any change save of Place and Tythes and others forsake such a one and follow the Magistrates choice may not both these be still of the Catholick Church If not I know where the old Canons laid the charge and danger It 's wonderful selfishness in those men that if they can but get into the Seat take it for granted that all must own their right on pain of Damnation And what if in any such Land the Prince change his mind or the next differ and put down all these same men and set up such as differ from them more than we do is it damning Schism for any of their People still to adhere to them LXXXIX Do you find that Mr. Dodwel Dr. Saywel Dr. Sherlock or any of these men do in Pulpit and Press ingenuously tell the People the truth of the Case when they liken men as Schismaticks to Murderers for danger Did you ever hear them say The Canon which is the Churches Voice and Law doth Excommunicate you all that do own your Opinions against Conformity and commandeth us not to admit you to the Sacrament and yet to pronounce your Excommunication for not taking it We confess they have been holy and Learned Men that have thought many things imposed unlawful and therefore we wonder not if it be not in your power to change your judgment no more than to be perfect in knowledge and we confess if you are unjustly Excommunicated or any of the things made necessary to Communion be against Gods Word then it is the Church that is guilty of Schism but because this is not so we accuse you of Schism even of separating from the Vniversal Church and from Salvation XC I do admire that never any one of them would be prevail'd with to prove the Canons Excommunications ipso facto lawful when even Papists have scorn'd all such doings and when the learnedst of all their own admired men that were for comprimising matters with Rome even Mar. Ant. de Dom. Spalatensis de Rep. Eccl. hath so confidently copiously and strenuously damn'd it Christ would have none Excommunicate whatever the Crime be without Impenitency after due admonition for Repentance but these Canons ipso facto Condemn and Excommunicate Godly men without ever admonishing them or calling them to repent or hearing or seeing them Nothing is necessary but the proof of the fact and then the Law is instead of a Judge and to oblige the People to avoid them it must be published If this and all things named in the first Plea for Peace be sinless studying and disputing is not the way to know what is sinful XCI But saith the Resolver Christ hath but one Body and to be a Member of two separate and Opposite Churches is to be contrary to ourselves Ans. But I had hoped your Catechized Boyes had known 1. That one Body hath many parts 2. That particular Churches are parts of this Body as Corporations are of the Kingdom 3. That all the parts are imperfect and made up of none but sinners 4. That every good man is partly bad and so contrary to himself 5. That Churches may be so far separate as to be distinct and yet not so far as to be contrary or opposite 6. That they may be opposite in Accidents and Integrals that are one in specie in Essentials 7. That a man may own several Churches and Communicate with them for that which they agree in and yet not own both or either perhaps in that which they are opposite in 8. That
a larger Council of many Nations and that the Synod at Dort had not as much Power as a lesser at Hague or a Synod of many Nations as much as one in Scotland But if as by parity of Reason they must they say that General or large Councils are the Governours of National Assemblies as they are of Classis and Presbyteries then they bring us under a Foreign Jurisdiction which the Kingdom is sworn against and I think they are Papists but of the French sort who make General Councils Superior Governours of the Universal Church And if they determine the bounds of Church-Power by the Magistrates Laws and yet damn Erastians they seem in ignorance to deal too hardly with themselves 15. Another Instance is in the Place of Publick Worship God hath not determined where the Assembly shall meet where the Pulpit Font Table c. shall stand And if great and lofty Structures called Temples be Built purely to shew how we honour God and Religion as Constantine and others after him did at Constantinople Alexandria Ierusalem over the Grave of Christ and all over the Empire this Actual Expression of Honour to God is Cultus modalis secundarius a subservient sort of Worship and no Idolatry but Lawful 16. The same I say of Church Utensils If for the Honour of God and Religion the Pulpits and Tables have Ornaments of Silk Cups and Trenchers and Flaggons of Silver the Font and Seats have some special Neatness c. this is left to Man's Determination without any particular Institution and is no Idolatry 17. And if as Judges and Lawyers have distinguishing Habits the Ministers have so officiating and at other times to no worse end or manner than the said Utensils are put I know no Institution that is crost by it nor that forbids it 18. Another Instance may be of Speaking in the Assembly whether it shall be One Minister or Two or Three Whether Lay-men may not be Interlocutors by Questions yea and sometime Preach and Pray c. God hath not particularly determined but left to Human Choice 19. Many good Christians knowing the Lord's Day to be an Instituted Day of Thanksgiving for the greatest Mercies do as an Act of Honour wear their best Cloathes and Feast themselves and the Poor accordingly that day This is Lawful by the General Law but not particularly Instituted by God 20. Professing Signs in our Covenantings with God and Confessing of our Religion are left to be chosen onely by the General Laws of Edification and Order When a Nation or Church or Person renew their Covenant with God and their Confession of Faith it may be done when the Ruler demandeth their consent either by word or by subscribing or by lifting up the hand or by standing up or by bowing the Head for these are all or most found in Scripture instances yea sometimes they fell by Prostration to the Ground yea and so they oft did in receiving a Charge or Message from God by his Ministers I will add no more Instances These are enough If yet it be said That none of these be acts of Worship I again Answer 1. Then do not by Slander call them so and say still that Man's inventing or using these is using false Worship If they be no Worship they are no false Worship Confess then that it 's but a bare name that you charged with Idolatry for its onely such things as these that we would add 2. But de nomine If an Action done directly to honour God be to be called Worship some of these at least may be called Secondary subordinate Worship But if you appropriate the Name to Gods stated Ordinances these must not be called Worship but the manner order circumstances or accidents of Worship But call them what you will they are but what God alloweth and the General of them he commandeth I need not say much to his Applicatory Words 1. To return from Separation to Love and Union is as fitly called a Returning to their Vomit as returning from Drunkenness and Fornication to Sobriety and Chastity may be so called Repentance is casting up our Sin 2. The Names of bowing to Baal Dan and Bethel Babylon Idols c. are as easily used by Quakers Ranters Familists c. against all God's Church and Worship And they were worn so thread-bare by the railing Separatists then called Brownists against the Old Learned Godly Nonconformists that they turned to the Speakers reproach And I suppose he knoweth that the Scots were called as bad and worse by the Army that conquered them in 1650 c. 3. That sitting or drinking with the superstitious in acts of religious adoration is a sign of defection This would make all Backsliders who so sit and drink with him and such as he who is so superstitious as to turn sin into duty and duty into sin and falsly father Laws on God Yea that is worse than superstitious as is after manifested 2. Superstition is an offering somewhat as pleasing to God which is not pleasing to him All Christians have some degree of this in Matter or Manner for we know but in part and prophesie in part c. And so no Christians must joyn with others But must they not give over all Religious Duty themselves seeing their own defects more defile them than other mens 3. Christ doth not disown all imperfect worship that hath some Superstition And we must receive one another as Christ receiveth us 4. It was Superstitious persons that Paul commandeth Christians to receive to Communion Rom. 14. 5. Thus he condemneth the Apostles and the Churches then and the Scripture it self 6. It is dreadful revolting to choose rather forbearance of all Church Communion than to Communicate with our Parish Churches when better cannot be had and men are not forced to any sin themselves And he that will communicate with none that sin in Preaching Prayer Sacraments shall communicate with none 7. It is a gross Service of Satan and Popery to fight against Love and Unity and bring all the Publick Assemblies under disgrace as unlawful that Popery may take possession unresisted 4. His words of silly Sheep bleating after any Shepherd c. are but a Net to catch silly Souls It 's the common Trap of the Papists to put ignorant people to prove the Calling of the Ministers or forsake them They that preach the Gospel and do the Office tho faultily and are in possession have a Calling sufficient to justifie the Hearers when it may not be enough to justifie themselves A better Call than the High Priests that Christ did send men to 5. As to the Argument of Scandal It is of dreadful weight to deter a tender Conscience as from conforming to sin so from his groundless Separation and war against Unity and Love 6. That God saith such Means shall not profit yea curseth it is a slander against God and Scripture and all the Church on Earth that 's known by perverting and misapplying