as appears in the Councel What similitude hath this case with the known subjection of England to Rome known I say and acknowledged even by our lawes ever from the conversion of the Country under St. Gregory All lawful mutations of Provinces which were ever made as long as the Church was in her full power had to this effect the especial authority of some general Councel So in the Councel of Constantinople many dioceses and some whole Provinces were made subject to that Patriarch which before were subject to Ephesus and the Primate of Trace So in the Councel of Calcedon exchange of Provinces was decreed between the Patriarch of Antioch and Hierusalem and in the first general Councel the sea of Hierusalem was created a Patriarchate and the refore the Fathers took some Provinces from the Patriarchate of Antioch others from Alexandria And in the foresaid example the Cyprians could not shake off the authority of Antioch till the decree was produced of the Councel of Ephesus Much loss this Iland ought to separate from the Sea of Rome by reason of the titile of conversion and only under Gregory the first but long before the entrance of St. Austin under Pope Elutherius by Elvanus and Meduinus Priests being requested thereunto by King Lucius Anno Dom. 179. Whilest it was possest by the Brittans in which primitive faith it remained immaculate and uncorrupted except the question of Pascha in which it was corrupted by Picts and Scots indeed they resisted St. Austin because they thought he sided with the Saxons who had expelled them by force out of the kingdom and because they had an Arch-Bishop of their own of Legancestriae Those other things which the Author so often cited of the Treatise of Schism mentioned for he proves nothing concerning the nullity of power or of all superiority of Christians as they are such so that no obedience but simple reverence is due to our betters except that which may arise by certain convention amongst men not by right This Tenet indeed if made good would make all Schism impossible all superiority ridiculous and arbitrary but it is far from Christian verity being against Scripture it self and all common sense of Christians And truly whatsoever the same Author saith in and for the cause of the Donatists if it hath any favour he doth not onely accuse St. Augustine but the whole Church of foolishness and malice and all the Prophecies of the fignes of the Church upon which St. Augustine before him Optatus Hierom and all Bishops and Doctors rely out of the old and new law the Prophets and the Acts of the Apostles all which in them this man derideth what he speaketh of the use of Images he simply affirmeth as the rest but is so far from proving any thing that he doth not so much as attempt it neither is it a thing worthy my insisting upon since every Abodary Controvertist makes it obvious to children Yet Mr. Hobbs will force me afterward to joyn issue with him in it In fine The Treatise of Schism speaketh many things which seem distructive to Christian faith which he barely proposeth or rather supposeth out of which false supposition he doth falsly conclude that there is no Schism in the Church but as Aristotle Pol. l. 2. c. 4 rightly admonisheth Suppositions indeed may be made as every one pleaseth but not impossible ones Neither is it of more moment what Antonius de Dominis l. 4. and others contend that it was not lawful for the Africans to appeal to Rome according to the 22. Canon Concil Melevit And in like manner England was not bound to recur thither or elsewhere but justly provided for its own right whilest it withdrew it self from the Roman yoak as the African Church living in the district of the Patriarchate procured to it self the same ease First I say that Africa did in no wise withdraw it self from the obedience of the Sea of Rome I add moreover neither did it deny the right of appeals but in certain cases certain persons to wit simple Clearks which did appeal thither without observing any order of law which the Bishop of Rome did doth at this day condemn otherwise read St. Augustine ep 162. Omitting others who expresly affirms the right of appeals to the Sea of Rome So the pretended Canon made by the consent of the Bishop of Rome sheweth no other thing but in no wise as I said did it withdraw it self from the obedience of the Sea of Rome Neither is there the least shew of it but of the clean contrary in the reciprocal letters of that Councel to the Pope and of him to them as may be seen in the body of the Epistle of St. Augustine it would be tedious to learned Readers if I should write them out they will more easily recur to the place cited I add further worthy to be noted If the right of appeals had been there abrogated yet it concludes not that the jurisdiction of the Sea of Rome over them was anulled except any should be so senceless as to imagine that the prefects of the Pretorian Court were not subject to the Roman Emperors because their authority deserved to be advanced to such a height that it was not lawful to appeal from them l. 1. F. de offic Pref. Praet I am not ignorant that some Grecians as Nilus contend that the right of appeals which the Seat of Rome hath for he acknowledgeth that in respect of the other Patriarchs doth not convince that Seat to have jurisdiction over them Because by the same reason the constant Inopolitan having by the Councel of Calcedon Can. 9. the same power over their Metropolitans doth not exexcise jurisdiction over them I answer That be denieth only the Bishop of Rome to have the same power over the general Patriarchs which he hath over other Bishops who are ordained by authority derived from him and therefore concludes that the Pope cannot trouble their ordinary government which is true This therefore confirmeth what hitherto hath been said and maketh good that England by all law remains subject to the Sea of Rome under pain of Rebellion CHAP. 7. Protestants have made this Schism IT is clearer then noon day that not Catholicks but Protestants have made this Schism and divided the Church because when in any Common-wealth governed under the same Prince or Soveraignty and by the same lawes a few men withdraw themselves from the obedience of authority and increasing in number they begin to set up their conventicles make lawes and the rest of the body remaining in the ancient manner of government under their own Soveraign power proclaim a war It is manifest not the Body of the Common wealth which still persevereth in the same state but these few men receding from the Body with their adherents have made the division and blown up the rebellion In the same manner have Protestants behaved themselves towards Catholicks before the scandal of Henry the 8th or
of all Colledges ours And yet beyond Julian ye debar us of our own Schools The truth is the laws are made against religion and against the propagation of it against the professing of it in frequenting Sacraments onely administred by Priests When a town or castle is besieged convoys stopped all hanged who attempt to bring ammunition viures hath any intercourse with them are not these in this case persecuted for their allegiance if they expose themselves to all these dangers out of duty to their Prince or whatsoever is Supreme Soveraignty This is our case ye hang and quarter all who would bring unto us spiritual ammunition and Sacramental vivers by death ye obstruct all convoys and why all this Is it not to extirpate our religion is it not to force us to render the small holds we have wherewith God almighty hath intrusted us of his holy religion in our Souls There are some who would seem to abolish all persecution from Catholicks in blood and fortunes pretending it to be injustice to persecute for religion and upon this glorious title of Christian liberty and neighbourly tenderness do cover malice beyond all proceedings of Christians even against Jews or of the Turks even against Christians subject to their civil empire and truly what human nature abhors namely to take their children from them and educate them in their own aiery and uncertain wayes The Church of God in her most flourishing times as under Constantine and Theodosius when all Insidels and Jewes were under their power never attempted such a cruelty against the law of nature Nay the Turks never do it except upon faile of their ordinary exactions which truly are nothing to the burthens of Catholicks here If it be unlawful to persecute as they hold in their fortunes for religion its most in consequent to hold it more lawful to persecute in children Lands and goods are appropriated onely jure gentium children jure naturae wherein no power except God himself can dispense To take away goods or land is theft or rapine This must be reduced to Homicide Nature is so little acquainted with it that there is not a proper appellative yet appointed for it Christian Divines out of this principle have judged it unlawful even to baptise Infidels or Jewes children against their parents wills by reason of the high title of the natural law of parents to children hence some have taught that baptism so attempted would not be valid But to let that pass here is a fortiori as Logitians speak concluded That to dispossess parents of their children in all schools of Christ of law of reason is abominable and therefore I cannot beleeve that our laws will admit such acts to be lawful especially since by precedent Sanctions its already felony to take away children upon any pretences There are yet another sort who seem more tender then all the rest and pretend to reduce all to an Henoticon or Unitive namely that we may all in offensively retain our own faith referring the examine of all differences to Gods court to whom alone as the gift of faith so the animadversion or punishment of transgressions in it proportionably and consequently is to belong as they say what real effect will this produce time will discover if they proceed consequently to their principles it must needs take away many unchristian-like animosities which hitherto have been nourished Michael Balbut as Zonaras in his Annals witnesseth promised in the beginning of his Empire that he would not compel any to follow any other opinions of God then what each man would himself but soon after he persecuted Catholicks cruelly permitting all others to do what they listed he was a man indeed full of all wickedness But Josephus l. 2. against Apion saith that it was honorable in the Romans that they would not compel their subjects to violate their ancient lawes and neligion but content themselves with such honors and duties as the giver may with piety and equity give them for they account not of forced honors or duties which come of compulsion A course certainly worth all Princes observing in order to their subjects and the onely way to be secure of their loyalties as the liberty of France in order to Protestants and Holland to Catholicks manifestly shew However it is evident out of these premises that there is a great Schism betwixt us in England Protestants are wont to say that they are not separated from Catholicks or the Catholick Church no not from the Roman but that they do communicate with all the members thereof fearing and worshiping God truly and make one Church with them they onely separate themselves from Papistry which is not say they the Church but an Imposture adhering to the Church or an heap of errors brought into the Church by the tyranny and fraud of the Bishops of Rome That they and Catholicks are not two fields sepatated the one from the other but one whereof one part is covered with nettles and darnel over-sowed by the Pope but the other part is purged by the labour and industry of the Protestants but this if it were true doth not infringe but rather confirm what we have said before for when we see with our eyes Catholicks and Protestants to abhor from mutual communion who in his wits will deny that there is Schism and division betwixt them or who will affirm there is any unity among them requisite to make one Church And that they add that they are separated from Papistry and the errors of the Pope that they are as it were the one part of the field purged and cleansed Catholicks the other part covered with errors Although all this were granted which yet is never to be granted it makes nothing at all to the diminishing but adds much to the augmenting of Schism because according to this Protestants are not onely separated from the communion of Catholicks which is sufficient for Schism but likewise from the doctrin which as I said before maketh heresie So whilest they strive to take away or patch up Schismatical division they bring in heretical confusion which is much more pernitious and more difficultly consistent with Catholicks Therefore it remains for certain that there is a true Schism betwixt Catholicks and Protestants the question will be onely to see which of these made first the breach The other main Achilles which they use that they withdraw themselves from the obedience of the Bishop of Rome without Schism is because he had onely Patriarchall power over them introduced onely by human right and custom is frivolous for to omit that right that he hath from Christ over the whole Church which is Papal I will onely give this touch We indeed are principally accused for adhering to the Popes supremacy as being a novelty But how clearly it was acknowledged in the 4 first councels needs no other proofs then themselves Nay Tertullian St. Cyprian Ireneus the first writers acknowledge it though in some perticulars they were
perpetual stile of the Church yea the very Councel of England convince in Spelman 'T is true those Churches which were out of the Roman Empire were subject to no Patriarch as much as can be gathered out of the Canon of the Councel of Ephesus except they put themselves under any one or I think rather that by law they ought to be subject to that Patriarch from whom by his Apostolical Missionaries they first received the feith of Christ ob similitudinem casus Bulgarorum Nam secundum Juristas similium similis est ratio As we argue of the Indies and others lately converted Japonians and those of China It is true de facto some Provinces against all Law have revolted from the Patriarch of Rome to the Patriarch of Constantinople after the division of the Empire and others from him to others as Russia to the Bishop of Moscovia but these are done against all lawes and government of the Church The shift which our Country-men fly to saying they were compelled unto it for the too much cruelty of the Pope with the same facility it is rejected for it ought to have been examined by a general Councel and parts on both sides be heard as in the Councel of Trent an excellent occasion was given but ours appeared not because if it be lawfull for subjects to withdraw themselves from the obedience of their superiours as often as they pretend tyranny or what oppression soever so that themselves be actors and judges in their own causes it is to be feared that subjects of Princes or whatsoever soeveraignties by this occasion will lay hold on easie pretences of Rebellion for if the reason be good it is every-where in force and so any province out of apprehension of tyranny c. may justly and lawfully withdraw it self from their Prince or the Soveraign Magistracy Therefore it remains firm that seeing England by the most antient and strong right was subordinate to the Bishop of Rome neither hath that subordination been hitherto abrogated by any lawful and sufficient Councel yea neither the cause heard therefore they ought to remain under obedience of the same sea until a full discussion of the matter otherwise she can be no wayes free from the crime of Schism and rebellion according to that of St Nazianzen ep 1. We desire to know what this great lust of bringing novations about the Church is that every one that will c. For if they who now make the stir had any thing that they might disprove or condemn in us about faith not so truly we not being admonished was it meet to commit such a wickedness For you ought to be willing either to perswade or be perswaded if so be also we are in any place or number that who fear God and for the defence of the faith have undergone great labours and have well deserved of the Church and then if also then we machinate new things but notwithstanding by this reason these petulant and contumelious men might peradventure have some sufficient excuse Behold how this great Saint and Doctor of the Church maketh any recess from the Church impossible and unlawful The pestilent poyson of Schism covered over with an ill plaister may be judged sound by impudent men but truly except it be purged and wiped to the very bottome of the soar with the plaister of Christian peace it will be Schism still and consequently bring death to those that are infected with it Some labour to cloak their Schism and pretence of reformation under the fact of Ezechias Reg. 4.18 The business is this The Jewes had fallen into an inveterate custome of erecting altars and offering incense upon the mountains to the brazen Serpent c. contrary to Gods command The kings his predecessors were often reprehended for their neglect herein and Ezechiah much commended for his zeal and fortitude in breaking this ill custom Hence they argue it lawful for kings to reform abuses in the Church as in England All which is nothing to the purpose For first he did it with consent of the high priest as Josias also did in compleating the work begun by Ezekias as appears c. 23. Secondly there is no doubt but Princes are obliged by their office as being nurses of Gods Church to labour especially with the Prelates of the Church to suppress all emergent insolencies or innovations Thirdly Which is the main point Ezechias did not erect any new altar of division against the mother Church Jerusalem but took away the breach or division which be found made by others In the case of England it is just contrary King Henry the eighth began the rest have increased the Schism and erected new altars of division against Gods ordinances in the old and new law as Jeroboam did Reg. 11.29 which God so severely punished So that I cannot see at all with what modestie this fact of Ezechias or Josias could be alledged to warrant the dissection of our Country from the Church since it plainly inferreth the contrary namely that abuses though never so much authorized by wicked Princes or long customs are to be abolished by succeeding Princes to redintegrate the primary union and conformity with the mother Church which is the case of England A main Objection which they use for their Schism is because as they say we forbid a discussion of our tenents by the light of reason which they esteem to be against reason which should be our guide in all things and especially in matters of religion CHAP. 5. Of what use Reason is in disoussing of Faith PHilosophy and Faith go upon contrary principles and hence peradventure they lay hold of occasion of error the antiquity of opinion in Philosophy if it be any thing it must be fortified with new reasons otherwise in process of time it vanisheth but in Christian faith reason it self that it may be efficatious springeth from antiquity otherwise in that it is new it vanisheth away according to that of St. Augustine against two Epistles of the Pelagiuns c. 6. The antiquity of our doctrine declares the truth of it as the novelty of the other shews it to be Heresie In Philosophy reason raigneth here it serveth and consequently is captivated according to the Apostle It is not quite rejected neither is it admitted out of the bounds of a servant for as Roger Bacon excellently speaketh in his fourth part of his greater work We do not seek reason before faith but after it Here was Chillingworth's error in objecting that Catholicks as well as they recur to reason in faith we do indeed use reason as a servant not as a mistris We put it as Frier Bacon notes after faith not before it but these new pretenders to divinity prefer their reason before faith Turn the cat in the pan and make faith subservient to their reason as Teriullian against Hermogenes They descend from the Church to the School of Aristotle they appeal as to the supremest court to the seat of common