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A29077 Vindiciæ Calvinisticæ: or, some impartial reflections on the Dean of Londondereys considerations that obliged him to come over to the communion of the Church of Rome And Mr. Chancellor King's answer thereto. He no less unjustly than impertinently reflects, on the protestant dissenters. In a letter to friend. By W.B. D.D.; Vindiciæ Calvinisticæ. Boyse, J. (Joseph), 1660-1728. 1688 (1688) Wing B4083; ESTC R216614 58,227 78

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them their Office. Many of them try'd his remedy they represented these things to their Ecclesiastical Superiors as Luther to the Archbishop of Mentz and the Bishop of Brandenburg and the Pope himself But they soon learnt by dear experience how averse the Court of Rome was to any Reformation and how little it was to be expected from the Prelates who either had no will or no courage to attempt a Reformation against the will of the Pope Luther and all his followers in stead of prevailing with those that had the conduct of the Church were excommunicated as Hereticks Now according to Mr. K's principle these Reformers being censured and suspended by the Prelates to whom they were subject were discharged from the execution of their Office and should no more have made a Schism in the Church to regain it than one must make a Rebellion in the State to regain a Civil Office. And since they did not desert their Office but went on to preach against the Constitution of the Romish Church and the will of their Superiors the Popish Prelates they were no better than Schismaticks and Church-Rebels Nay if his Notion of the Catholick Church be true the people that separated from the Popish Prelates and adher'd to their excommunicated Pastors ceast to be members of the body of Christ And how great a part of the Reformed Churches and their Pastors fall under this heavy charge And will Mr. K. own all these unavoidable consequences upon mature deliberation What if we should once more have a Popish Convocation in England and these should restore the Romish Religion and suspend a●l the present Parish-Ministers whom Mr. K. thinks now lawful Pastors According to his Principle they being but Presbyters and the Bishops Subjects must not preach against the Constitution of the Church of England declaring her judgment by a Convocation in whom the supreme Government of the Church is lodg'd they must therefore cease their Ministry and no more make a Schism by the exercise of it than they must make a Rebellion in the State to regain a Civil Office. Nay to separate from such Governors of the Church of England will prove those that do it no Catholick members of the Church The same principles may be apply'd to the Arrians who got Imperial Councils and consequently the Government of the Imperial Church into their hands and for such Pastors as Athanasius to preach against Arrianism which was then the Doctrine of the Church was Schism and Church-Rebellion In a word According to these Principles 'T is in the power of a Convocation to damn many thousand souls by suspending an Orthodox and substituting a corrupt Ministry and for those Orthodox Pastors when suspended to endeavour their salvation by the exercise of their Ministry is to be Schismaticks and Church-Rebels And what is this less than to set up the will of such Church-Governors above the will and laws of Christ above the Salvation of Souls and above the Interest of Truth and Holiness Therefore 3. Let us examine the Grounds of this strange Assertion viz. Because there is a regular way for reforming abuses And for particular Presbyters to do it against the will of the Bishops whose Subjects they are is like reforming abuses in the state in spight of the King a remedy generally worse then the disease c. Answ 1. All that these reasons prove is that Reformation shou'd be first sought by humble addressing to our Superiors But Mr. K. plainly leaves it impossible if they refuse 2. They are founded on this wretched mistake that the Authority of Bishops in the Church does resemble that of a King in the State and so to reform abuses in the Church against their will is like reforming abuses in the State in spight of the King. Whereas t is Christ's Authority in the Church that does resemble the King 's in the State. And therefore if he wou'd rightly state the comparison it runs thus Christ the King of his Church requires all his Officers to preach the pure Doctrine and administer the pure institutions deliver'd in his Gospel which is his universal law Let us suppose there are in this or that particular part of the Church dangerous corruptions crept in The law of Christ obliges these his officers to disown them and reform them but the Major part of these will not but presume to silence those that do it according to his command Now the Quest is whether those that obey the command of Christ be the Rebells against him or those that neither will obey his commands themselves nor allow others to do so One wou'd think that such as refuse to reform and silence all that in their own place attempt it according to the tenour of their Commission are like to prove the Church Rebells But no doubt the Pastors of a Church may disown and excommunicate one that abuses his office to the perverting the Church and for him to continue to p rvert the Church by such male-administration is to Rebell against Christ and his laws The charge of Rebellion therefore must arise from the vio●ation of Christ's Authority not mens which the Major part of Pastors may be guilty of in a Nation as well as the lesser 3 He seems to confound a private and a publick Reformation 4. The Reason given why a Bishop or Presbyter when censur'd is discharg'd from his Office viz. Because to regain it is like making a Rebellion to regain a Civil Office does suppose two great mistakes 1. That the Ordainers give a Spiritual office in the Church as the King gives a Civil office in the State And this is no less a mistake then to set the Ordainers in the place of Christ T is his Charter gives the sacred office as the King 's does the Civil and the Ordainers do but for orders sake approve and ceremonially invest the person as the Recorder does the Mayor of a Town whom the Burghesses choose And herein Mr. K. seems to own that very error which is the ground of all Mr. M's impertinent Questions 2. He supposes that the Bishops who ordain Presbyters have equal power to depose them from their Ministerial office as the King has to take away a Civill Commission And thus p 27. he te●ls us That the present Dissenters were the Bishops subject accountable to them as their Superiors and liable to be discharg'd from their office and the benefits of the Communion of the Church by their Censure Whereas T is plain that it is the Charter of Christ gives the sacred office as the King 's does the Civil And as none can take a Civil Commission given by the King to any Subject but by the King's orders and Command So none can take away that spiritual Commission Christ has given any officer in his Church but by his orders But now he has given none leave or Authority to depose his officers but for evident Male-administration as preaching Heresie gross scandal c. And if in any part
less auspicious Finally why will these persons thus clamor as if they bewailed they had lost an opportunity to inflict the same evils by the interposal of a power we might well have expected less kindness from Have we any thing but immunity from punishment Do we enjoy your preferments or places Is it no favour you reap whilst you enjoy your Revenues and publick opportunities of service you will esteem it so and more pitty others if ever you come to endure the penury hazard and contempt of other faithful Ministers which tho I suggest in order to a more sober judgment yet I desire never to behold M K p 72. Reply M K. Brands us as friends to the Popish Party Through the weakness of the Clergy this silly reproach is propagated among the people the fa●shood wherof time may discover more than a present flash of heat for low interests can do But wh●rin ●yeth this friendship unless th●t you will not suffer us to be friends with you and therfore you conclude we must needs be one with them ● heartily wish all could acquit themselves of culpab●e friendship with them as we can I am sure we agree not in principles with them in any thing w●erin we differ from you and we blame you for nothing but wherin you agree with them Let us reform your Church and We promise we wi l remove nothing but what is Popish Let them reform your Church and I 'le engage they 'l take away nothing but what is Presbyterian Do you condemn us for any thing but that which Popery would relieve us in is it we that bow to the East and to the Altar do we use vain pageantry in Consecrating of Churches and utensi●s baptiseing them with saints names Do we frisk from place to place in reading our Service use the sign of the Cross kneel at the Sacrament which never obtained in the Church before Transubstantiation Have we Absolution of sins to the uncensured Is private Communion our manner Have we Organs Singing-boys unscriptural Confirmation preaching Deacons Reading over the Dead Holy days Surpluses Responsa's and twenty more appendants to worship The Romish Church hath all these wheras we worship God without all this stuff added to Gospel institutions and are content with that that for decency the contrary wherto is indecent by natural light or common usage Further whether most countenanceth the universal Headship your Diocessans or our plain Presbyter Have we Deans and Chapters Chancellors of Bishops-Courts the prime managers of Discipline Pluralities c. What common interest can we have with them unless as subjects to the same King how little some of the N. Conformists befriended their interest these very men lately reproacht us with and its Christian and Generous in his Majesty to overlook Few considering men will think that we who have endured so much under you for dislike to the remains of Popery will espouse that Church Form where we must meet with all your fau●t and much greater Nor is it probable we should do any thing unbecoming sinceer and discerning Protestants though we profess due Loyalty both from Conscience and from Grateful Resentments What then can be the matter that whiles the Hind commends you as next of kin your worship practices Costitutions yea Doctrines of late do so exceed in Harmony with the Popish party abov● Us while Mr M. tells you their Flowers are your ornament yea the world knoweth they love most of you your wayes better than us and many of your own proclaim they would be Papists rather than Presbyterians that yet we must sti l in ta●k Sermons and Print have this character of great friendship fastned on us It seemeth to have its rise from this you had cast us out of all places and possessed them your selves whereby you apprehend us now less envied and so less exposed to the first attack of Covetousness or ambition in your rivals But is it fair in you first to set us below envy and then fret that we are not made a sacrifice to preserve your grandure I shall conclude these remarks I have made on M. K's unseasonable provocations with my hearty prayers to God that he would discover to the Church of England and to us whatever our mistakes have been that by his present dealings he would dispose us to true repentance for our foolish as well as sinful heats and our valuing any interest above Christs and that he would give all a more truly Catholick spirit which will be found the serviceable as well as Christian temper and is so needful to revive the bleeding interest of Religion among us That I may contribute my mite to this and the peace which would result therefrom permit me to hint 1. The terms imposed on the Nonconformists were amazingly severe and certain to make the number of the scrupulous considerable No Church under heaven except the popish ever imposed assent and Consent to so many disputable things We must solemnly assent to many Doctrines we cannot own and to many practices which we always scrupled and much more their revival after they were once removed We must be reordained we must solemnly declare the covenant bound no man when as a vow it must bind to all that was lawful in it and we know some who were sui juris when they took it we must swear never to endeavour alteration in the Church as established whereas it owns in its preface to the curses in the liturgy that its Discipline is defective and we believe the same of many other things to say nothing of the many disorders apparent in it The Presbyterians on the Kings return proposed to use the Liturgy with some amendments and to submit to the Model of Episcopacy drawen up by the peaceable Bishop Vsher but availed not 2. The Consequences of the divisions produced by these severe terms have been dismal How much of mens Ministry hath been wasted on these matters which might have been employed to more edifying purposes the prophane have had an engine to exert their inbred emnity against the serious Was it not come to that pass that one was jeered as a Phanatick if he dared not to be prophane Yea under the shaddow of zeal against Nonconformists men became light in their gravest employs Heterodox in their notions and too many did ridicule all Religion in the most probable evidences of it as Cant and Hypocrisy What need I enlarge any more Were the things contended for by the imposer valuable so as to countervail the least of these mischiefs 3. It is necessary for Church and State that the union of Ministers and communion of Sts. be provided for on more comprehensive terms All our study and prayers back'd with sore hardships have not nor ever can bring us to comply with these the Churches strongest arguments for them be that they are indifferent and surely the Churches necessity will at last convince her that 's a poor Plea Religion must decay and the
method 't is capable of and only take notice of those Answers wherein Mr. K's either Judgment or Charity seems to fail him The 1st Quest proposed by D. M. in his Preface is What is meant by the Catholick Church Mr. K's Answer is 'T is the whole body of men professing the Religion of Christ and living under their lawful spiritual Governors p. 4. There is no doubt he intends this for the description of the Catholick Church here on earth as measured by a judgment of charity and comprising all credible professors of the Christian Religion Here are two characters to distinguish the Members of it Professing the Religion of Christ and Living under lawful spiritual Governors Now that which I chiefly dislike in this description is that this latter mark of the Catholick Church Living under lawful spiritual Governors gives us a Notion of it not only very obscure but too narrow Nor does he find any such mark assign'd either in that Text he quotes 4 Eph. 3 4 5. or in that passage he cites out of St. Augustin And 't is the more necessary to insist on this because every Notion of the Catholick Church which is too narrow is so far schismatical for it cuts off those from their relation to the Catholick Church who are members of it and Mr. K. himself does afterwards apply it to that ill purpose That this Notion of the Catholick Church is too narrow on supposition Mr. K. mean no better than he speaks is hence evident because there are many who are true members of the Catholick Church who live under no Pastors or spiritual Governors at all nor indeed have the opportunity to do so What does he think of many Christians that live in some forreign Plantations where they are not furnish'd with them Nay to propose an Instance much more considerable What does Mr. K. think of all the Protestants who are yet in France and because they will not change their Religion are confin'd to Galleys Prisons or Convents Are all these by the banishment of their Ministers exc●uded from the Catholick Church Has the French King's Edict so malignant an influence as to cut them off from the body of Christ by depriving them of their lawf●l Pastors If so Popish Princes have a very formidable power and Protestants may well dread their Edicts upon a Spiritual as well as Temporal account more than all the Thunders of the Vatican But I fear Mr. K. would scarce allow the Reformed Churches in France to be any part of the Catholick Church if they had their Pastors again if we compare this description of it with other passages in his Answer For this description is very obscure and if I conjecture right Mr. K's Notion of lawful spiritual Governors much more narrow What does he mean by Lawful Spiritual Governors Are they to be estimated such by the Law of the Land or by the Laws of the Church or by the Law of Christ Does he mean such spiritual Governors as are establisht in every Nation by the Authority of the Civil Magistrate If so then the Arrian Bishops when establisht by the Emperors of their opinion were the only lawful Pastors and all that part of the people that adher'd to their Orthodox Pastors ceast to be members of the Catholick Church Then the Popish Clergy in France are the only lawful Spiritual Governors and the Protestants there are no part of the Catholick Church because they separate from them And shou'd the Popish Clergy be establisht in these Kingdoms by Law all that shou'd adhere to their Protestant Pastors even those whom Mr. K. now thinks their only lawful ones wou'd cease to be members of the body of Christ So that the supreme Magistrate might make Pastors lawful or unlawful at his pleasure and make those that are this month members of the Catholick Church cease to be so the next But this is a Principle I wou'd hope fitter for Mr. Hobbs than for Mr. K. to defend Is it then the Laws of the Church that must determine who are the lawful Pastors If this be his Notion of them as his following discourse wou'd incline one to think What Church does he mean whose Laws must determine this great debate If the Vniversal Church I know none can make Laws to oblige all the members of it but Christ himself whom Mr. K. grants to be the only Head of it p. 55. And how shou'd we know the sense of the universal Church in this matter when there has been no General Council these many hundred years nay when there never was any such thing at all The largest Councils that Church-History records being summon'd by the Roman Em●erors whose Mandates cou'd not reach the extra-Imperial Churches What is this Church then whose Laws or Judgment must determine who are lawful Pastors Is it every National Church If so 't is a difficult matter to know what that is For unless Mr. K wou'd give such a schismatical Notion of it as the Papists give of the Catholick Church it must include all the particular Christians and particular Societies of such within the bounds of that Nation who profess the true Christian Religion in all its essentials for all true Churches do not profess it in equal purity Such a National Church is not of divine Institution and is indeed only a combination of Churches as united under one Civil Sovereign It s true Notion lyes not in any combination purely Ecclesiastical and Intrinsecal but Civil and Extrinsecal As the true National Church of England unless we will confine the name to a Sect or Party denotes all the Churches in England as united under one King that has a civil Supremacy over them But what if in the same Nation there be a division about some disputable Doctrine as betwixt Lutherans and Calvinists in the dominions of several German Princes or about Church-Government and modes of Worship c. as in these Nations What if the several particular Churches according to these differences in their judgment fix under different Pastors Who are the Church whose Laws must decide this debate about lawful Pastors Is it such an Assembly of the Clergy as our Convocation But what if both Parties have such Assemblys Is it that Party of the Clergy which the Civil Magistrate does establish and not the other then the Civil Magistrate may in Germany make both the Lutherans and Calvinists lawful Pastors and here both the Conformists and the Nonconformists nay and unmake them at his pleasure and so make their Churches a part or no part of the Catholick Church Nay if this be true then in France the general Assembly of the Popish Clergy must determine who are lawful Pastors and were the Protestant Ministers there now for the people to adhere to them wou'd not only be unlawful but what is worse such a Sin as would cut them off from the Catholick Church And does Mr. K. really think so What wou'd they cease to be the subjects of Christ
believe with the heart but confess with the mouth to salvation as the Apostle Paul speaks Rom. 10. v. 10. But these real Saints do not make up one distinct external society by themselves but as mixt with a crowd of Hypocrites who joyn with them in the same external profession of Christianity Nor are they exactly distinguishable from Hypocrites in our Judgment which cannot pierce into the hearts of men and only looks at the credibility of their external profession If therefore it be enquir'd what is the true Catholick Church We must answer All sincere Christians who are one body or society by their belief of and subjection to Jesus Christ their common Head and center of Unity If it be enquir'd whom should we in charity judge to be members of the Catholick Church the Answer is obvious All that make a credible profession of that Faith and that subjection If it be askt further what is a credible profession 't is answer'd A profession not contradicted by notorious ignorance of the essentials of Christianity by fundamental Errors or by notorious wickedness And he that would prove any particular Church or Churches that call themselves Christian to be no parts of the Catholick Church must prove that they deny or at least do not profess some essential Article of the Christian Faith or are notoriously ungodly I add notoriously ungodly because subjection to the laws of Christ is as necessary to our being the true members of his Church as belief of his Doctrine and consequently a credible profession of that subjection as requisite to our being esteemed such And therefore D. M. has very little reason to value himself upon this Question And the Church of Rome has so little reason to arrogate to her self the Title of the Church Catholick that a man must be very charitable to allow her to be a part of it but no wise man will allow her to be any other than the most corrupt and unsound part of it For that Church has gone so near towards the subverting the essential truths and laws of Christianity by their dangerous corruptions in Doctrine Worship and Practice that it wou'd be the best service D. M. can do her to demonstrate clearly that there is a credible profession of Christianity left amongst those that practically hold all the Decisions of the Council of Trent exagr To reconcile that Doctrine of their Council that imperfect Contrition or Attrition is sufficient to dispose a man for Absolution in the Sacrament of Penance Council of Trent Sess 4. cap. 4. with that necessary Doctrine of the Gospel Wihout Repentance there is no Remission of Sins To reconcile the worship of the Church of Rome with the second Commandment is a task well worthy of D. M's pains But I hope in many that live in the communion of the Church of Rome the common principles of Christianity which they retain prevail against the poysonous additions of Popery and all the Doctrines of that and other Councils are not practically held by them But their claim to be a part of the Church Catholick is not near so clear and indisputable as that of the Reformed Churches whose Doctrine and Worship compar'd with the holy Scriptures evidence them to be an incomparably sounder part of it tho even all the Reformed Churches are not equal in their soundness and purity This Catholick Church hath only one universal Head Jesus Christ and is one Body only on the account of its union with and subjection to him Nor is there any Vicarious universal Head under Christ to which the Government of the Church Catholick is committed whether Pope General Council or Colledge of Prelates Nor can any such humane Head make Laws obligatory to the universal Church For any to pretend to it is an usurpation of Christ's Legislative power and 't is chiefly on the account of that Vsurpation and employing that usurped power to deprave the Church and destroy its soundest members that the Protestants have call'd the Pope Antichrist Particular Churches are the chief integrating parts of the Church Catholick I speak of it here as measur'd by the judgment of charity As to any of these particular Churches if the Quest be Are they a part of the Catholick Church It must be resol●'d by the credibility of their Christian Profession If th● Question be Are they Churches regularly constituted or organiz'd 'T is in the reso●ution of this Quest We must consider whether they be a society of Christians united under one or more such Pastors as Christ has appointed for personal communion in Faith Worship and holy living and whether their Pastors were in a regular manner set over them And here the dispute about lawful spiritual Governors must come in F●r that a particular Church have a lawful Pastor is not absolutely necessary to its being a true Church and consequently a true part of the Catholick Church as Mr. K. himself acknowledges in the fore-quoted place p. 90. tho how he will reconcile that Concession with his description of the Catholick Church I do not understand 'T is only necessary to its being a Church regularly constituted And who are such lawful Pastors there will be occasion to discuss in answer to the 4th Quest The s●cond Quest is Whether by the Church Catholick be meant the Church of England alone or the Church of England in communion with other Churches Mr. K. well replys The Church of England is no more the Catholick Church than the British Seas are the whole Ocean But he does ill to found its being a part of the Catholick Church on its subjection to Catholick Bishops I suppose he means Diocesan Bishops For it wou'd not cease to be a part of the catholick Church if it shou'd disown Diocesan Prelacy And if Mr. K. think otherwise he has these two difficult Propositions to prove First that Jesus Christ has instituted the Office of Diocesan Prelates in his church and secondly that he has made such Prelates the center of catholick Unity and subjection to them necessary to our being members of the catholick church Now if Mr. K. will undertake the defence of these two Propositions he not only unchurches all the Reformed Churches that want Diocesan Prelacy but even the Catholick Church it self for a Century or two at least as I offer to evince if Mr. K. please to demand it For communion with other Churches it must be understood in the essentials of Christian Religion for it can scarce be expected in all its integrals in this imperfect state but much less in unnecessary humane additions to Christianity And we must not confound communion with subjection the former may be due where the latter is not The third Quest is With what other Church does the Church of England communicate in Sacraments and Liturgy Mr. K. well answers That Vnity in Liturgy is no part of communion of Churches and that the Church of England and had his charity been wide enough he might safely have added
also the Churches cal●'d Presbyterian and Independen● is united with all other Christians in the participation of the same Sacraments And I doubt not the Presbyt and Indep Churches administer them as agreeably to our Saviours Institution as any other I come therefore to the 4th Quest Whether by the Catholick Church be meant the variety of all Protestants since they want her essential mark Unity Before I consider Mr. K's answer to the Quest I shall offer one that is very obvious and I doubt not more agreeable to the temper of every true Catholick and charitable Christian viz. That all the Reformed Churches whose publick Confessions of Faith are extant are true parts of the Catholick Church tho some of them may be more others less pure and uncorrupted Of Quakers we can make no judgment because we know not what their ●pinions are and 't is well if they do so themselves For Fifth-Monarchy men I know no distinct Churches constituted of them and if they hold no other Notion of a Fifth-Monarchy than the learned Mr. Mede on the Rev. seems inclin'd to believe I hope Mr. K. will not think it inconsistent with salvation If D. M. ask where is the essential mark of the Church Catholick viz. Vnity among the Episcopal Presbyt Indep and Anabapt Churches Answ What Vnity does he mean If an Unity in the essentials of Ch●istian Faith and Holiness let him name me one of these Churches that denys any essential Article of the Christian Religion or one Precept of the moral Law nay or one essential part of Divine Worship as Praise Prayer Preaching or one Sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ For tho the Anabaptists deny the Baptizing of Infants yet they do not deny Baptism it self and however I may judge them mistaken in that point I should think him more dangerously mistaken that should on the account of their Error in so intricate a controversy condemn them as no part of the Catholick Church I will not patronize all the irregularities that may be objected in some of these Churches but my charity does oblige me to add that they are not such as invalidate the credibility of their Christian Profession nor the thousandth part so gross as the corruptions of the Greek and Roman Churches Or does Mr. M. mean by Catholick Unity an Vnity in an humane universal Head of the Church as Pope or Council This is no better than an Vnity in owning a gross Usurper that invades the Prerogatives of our blessed Lord the only Head of his Church that claims an universal power over his Church without any commission from him Or does he mean an Unity in all the Errors Idolatry Superstition and corrupt practices that have by degrees crept into the Church and over-run any considerable part of it I hope he will not make this the mark of the Catholick Church's Vnity no more than he wou'd make mens diseases a mark of their unity in the humane nature This is an Unity to be avoided not courted or desir'd Or does he mean an Vnity in humane unnecessary Canons that shall reduce all Christians to an exact uniformity in the external modes of Religion This is an Unity never to be effected but either by reducing mens judgments to an uniformity about those matters or by forcing them to comply with what their judgments condemn The former is morally impossible considering the different degrees of our knowledge in this imperfect state on earth and one might as wisely attempt to bring all Nations to affect the same civi● customs ceremonies or garb The latter is a lo●ding it over God's heritage and exercising a dominion over the Faith of Christians in the higest degree which the Apostles themselves disclaim and forbid 2 Cor. 1.24 2 Pet. 5.3 An uniformity in humane rites is no unity prescrib'd in the word of God and consequently not necessary to the constitution of the Catholick Church The laws of Christ which alone are obligatory to the Catholick Church have made sufficient provision for its Unity as far as 't is attainable on earth for perfect Unity is the effect of the perfect light and love of Heaven And for any single person or collective body of Pastors to prescribe other terms of Unity to the Catholick Church than Christ has done is not only an usurpation of his legislative power but one of the most effectual methods that Hell has found out to raise Schisms and Divisions in it and thereby to destroy Christian love And he that knows not how fatal an Engine the needless and corrupt impositions of ambitious Prelates and their Councils have been above these 1300 years to deprave and tear the Christian Church under pretence of reducing it to an impossible Uniformity is either a stranger to Church History or has too deep a tincture of that wretched pride and ignorance that has animated imperious Patriarchs and Popes I proceed now to consider Mr. K's Answer to D. M's Quest which I shall transcribe at large Neither are all Protestants Catholick Members of the Church nor they only Those among Protestants that embrace the Catholick Faith and make no separation from their lawful Governors and that live in Vnity of Faith and Charity with their neighbour Churches are catholick members and have that unity which is essential to the catholick church But these are not to be confounded with Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Fifth-monarchy men Quakers c. since these have separated themselves from their lawful Governors as much as Mr M. himself though their crime be less than his as he is less guilty that makes a rebellion than he who joyns with a Forreigner to enslave his countrey I did not expect a man of Mr. K's abilities cou'd have betraid so much ignorance or uncharitableness or both in answering so easy a Question If the Dissenters be guilty of Schism I am sure 't is n●t half so gross and palpable as what this one Paragr●ph contains nor so opposite to true christian love Mr. K. who charges D. M for talking of things without clearing them would do well to take his own advice 'T is hard to imagine what he means by Catholick members of the Church Does he mean the same by it as members of the catholick church or no If he do not what signifies his Answer to D. M's Question which was Whether the church catholick contain all the variety of Protestants who want her essential mark viz. Vnity Nay why does he assert those Protestants only whom he here describes to have that Unity which is essential to the Catholick Church For none can be members of the Catholick Church but such as are united with their fellow members in those things which essentially constitute them one Church or Body Catholick members of the Church is no very proper expression 't is like total parts and can have no tolerable sense distinct from that plainer expression Members of the catholick church If Mr. K. make any distinction betwixt these two phrases it must be
the sole power of Church-Government in a Nation and exercise it against the will of Christ to the n●torious detriment of souls as by unjust silencing of faithful Pastors when their labours are highly conducive to the Churches good by imposing on the people sinful conditions of Church-communion by obtruding unqualifi'd Pastors on the people against their consent c. To separate from such Bishops so far as to disobey these unjust commands is no separation from our lawful Governors and is no more a Rebell●on in the Church than 't is a Rebellion in the State to disobey one that usurps a Power he never receiv'd from the King and which he exercises against the laws and interest of the Kingdom And therefore I would propose these two Questions to Mr. K. in reference to this Head. Q. 1. On supposition the Presbyt's and Indep's have made an unjust separation from their lawful Governors whom they should have subm●tted to Whether ●his be such a crime as will exclude them from being Catholi●k members of the Church To resolve that We must consider the nature of their separation Their Ministers separate from the Bishops i. e. they are not willing to obey them in what they account a sinful and dangerous usurpation viz. the assuming the sole power of Church-Government and depriving the Pastors of particular Churches of an essential part of their Office and suspending them unjustly Their people separate from the Parish-Ministers but 't is not by disowning them as no true Ministers but by refusing to receive them as theirs because they judge they have a right to choose a Physician for their Souls as well as for their Bodies and therefore think not themselves bound to acquiesce in the Patrons or Bishops choice when contrary to their own edification especially when there are terms of Parish-communion impos'd to some unlawful to others greatly suspected and all true Church-discipline is cast out or neglected They separate not from the conforming Churches as no true Churches but as preferring the ordinary communion of purer because they judge the laws about Parish-order do not oblige when injurious to the interest of Religion and Souls Now suppose them mistaken in these matters through the weakness of their judgment will this sort of separation make them cease to be Catholick membe●s of the Church 'T is not a separation from any thing Christ has made necessary to the unity of his Church 't is only a separation from some humane order which they dare not comply with because they apprehend it contrary to the laws of Christ And is this to be compar'd to a Rebellion in the State as he is pleas'd to do p. 6. Is the convocation Christ or their Canons equally obligatory as his laws or do those that disobey the Canons of the Convocation because they judge them opposite to the laws of Christ renounce their Allegiance to him as the Head of his Church Are their Canons even about things they call indifferent as necessary to be obey'd as the undoubted Rules of the Gospel by all that wou'd be Catholick members of the Church when those that are requir'd to obey them fear the things commanded are unlawful When I read such expressions as this about Church-Rebellion I cannot but lament the effects of humane ignorance and pride and observe in such as Mr. K. some degrees of that spirit that has acted Papal Councils who made no scruple of treating all that would not pay them a blind obedience with such characters as these And I know no better way to convince Mr. K. of the folly of this Principle I am opposing than by shewing him how pernicious the consequences of it are to his own Party For if this sort of Schism which he supposes the Dissenters guilty of prove them to be no Catholick members of the Church then sure more heinous Schism will prove those to be in the same condition who are gui●ty of it Greater Schism is more opposite to Catholick Vnity than lesser But the Prelates are guilty of more heinous Schism than this of the Dissenters supposing it to be Schism and consequently if Mr. K's principle be true are no Catholick members of the Church That the Prelates are gui●ty of more heinous Schism I offer this Argument to evince Those who impose unnecessary and and doubtful terms of Church-Commun●on nay who declare many thousands of true Christians ipso facto excommunicated are greater Schismaticks than those who only scruple those terms tho through mistake and who unch●rch not those Churches which they are thus forc'd to separate from For the Schism of the Imposers is more voluntary and curable by forbearing to prescribe such terms of Communion as are more likely to prove engines of Division The Schism of the Refusers is more involuntary and in doubtful cases often incurable And 't is more opposite to Christian Love to excommunicate thousands of sincere Christians than 't is to prefer those Churches which we upon the best enquiry judge more pure before those that seem more corrupt without unchurching them even tho in so doing we should be guilty of some breach of the Churches peace by v●olating a tolerable humane order So that all Mr. K. will gain by excluding Dissenters from the Catholick Church on the account of their Schism will be That by the same reason our Convocation were no Catholick members of it and if so I am sure they are no lawful Governors in it For what I have here asserted that the Convocation have excommunicated thousands of sincere Christians and that ipso facto I appeal to their Canons and to the consciences of any that peruse them and know the Nonconformists in these Kingdoms few whereof are not by some of these Canons ipso facto excommunicated See Mr. Baxter's English Schismatick detected who from p. 42. to the 50th recites the particular Canons Nay if all that are guilty of equal Schism with that of the Dissenters supposing them guilty be no Catholick members of the Church I fear there are few such in the World. Sure the Schism of the Papists is of a more monstrous nature who unchurch a●l the Churches on earth besides themselves And the Greeks pay them in the same coyn And if other of the Eastern Churches do not unchurch one another they have lost their old wont What dreadful work Councils have made in hereticating and unchurching one another upon very unjustifiable grounds fills up both pages in Church-History And as such were more heinous Schismaticks than those that are guilty only of passive separation i. e. separation occasion'd by mens scrupling the lawfulness of some humane Canons so according to this notion they were no Catholick members of the Church And at this senseless rate we may soon reduce the Catholick Church to a small compass And what would become even of the Christian World if the compassions of our blessed Lord were as narrow as the charity of such censorious Christians The 2d Quest I wou'd propose to
Mr. K. is Vpon what grounds does he assert that the Presbyterians Independents c. have made a separation from their lawful spiritual Governors This Quest relates to the regular constitution of their Churches Who then are the lawful Pastors of these Presbyterians c. from whom they have separated Does he mean the Bishops or the Parish Ministers If the Bishops they must be consider'd either as the King's Officers to execute that civil power which he has circa sacra And so the Presbyterians submit to them and separate not from them Or they must be consider'd as Christs Officers to exercise that spiritual power which his Charter gives and as such the Presbyterians are very ready to submit to them when they have prov'd the divine Right of their Office Or they must be consider'd as the Churches Officers and if so 't is requisie that Church should obey them who assign them their Office or consent to be their subjects not those who account their Office a sinful usurpation and are the more unwil●ing to become their Subjects because they cannot be so without complying with sinful Impositions and even approving their usurpation And that any Church may lawfully constitute new Officers whom Christ never appointed and su●ject his undoubted Officers to their Authority especially such as Diocesan Prelates who by engrossing the power of the Keys render Church-discipline impracticable is a proposition Mr. K. will hardly prove If the Parish-Ministers be the lawful Governors they separate from I would willingly know how they come to be the lawful Governors or Pastors to those that consent not to their Pastoral relation and have sufficient reasons why they do not Will Mr. K. say that all persons ought to commit the conduct of their Souls to that Minister whom the Bishops or Patron chooses and that 't is sinful separation not to do so I wou'd then enquire What does he think of those Parishes that are so large that scarce the tenth part of the people can enjoy the labours of the Parish-Ministers as Stepney Giles Martins and Cripplegate Parishes in London which have one with another 30000 or 40000 souls in each of them Does he think it an unlawful separation for that part of the people that cannot have room in the Parish Churches to attend the Ministrations of other pious and judicious Pastors Is this such a separation too as will exclude them from the Catho●ick Church To assert t●is is to prefer a point of humane order or rather disorder about Parish-bounds b●●ore the salvation of souls and in effect to say that 't were better all those peop e should want the ordinary means of salvation and live like Pagans or Atheists without any publick worship of God than such a point of Church-orde● be violated And if any can believe all this 't is very much to be doubted whether they know what souls and their salvation are Again What does Mr. K. think of such Parish-Ministers as want the necessary qua●ifications such as are notoriously ignorant or scandalously wicked Do those in their Parishes who after having sought redress in vain choose other Ministers of eminent lea●ning and ho●iness make a sinful separation even such as will argue them no Catholick members of the Church If he say this he still prefers a meer point of humane order before the end of it the edification of souls and had rather haz●rd their damnation than have a scandalous Parish Minister disown'd whose Life is more likely to debauch than his Doctrine to reform his Hearers I might ins●st on many such Questions as these but because Mr. K. has not thought fit to give us any reason why he takes the Parish-Ministers for the only lawful Governors even to those Nonconformists that consent not to their pastoral relation I sha●l f●r their vindication offer this argument to prove that the Nonconformists live under their lawful spiritual Governors or Past rs and consequently make no separation from them I instance in the Presbyterians Those are the lawful spiritual Governors of particular Christian Flocks or Churches who have all the qualifications requisite a valid Ordination the consent of those Churches and who in taking the oversight of them violate no law of God nor any just law of man. But such are the Pastors of the Presbyterian Churches in these Kingdoms E. they are the lawful Pastors of those Churches The minor Prop. alone needs proof viz. That the Pastors of the Presbyt Churches are such as are here describ'd For their Qualifications and the consent of the people that is matter of fact concerning which they may safely appeal to those that know them ●nly I would here suggest that a considerable number of Ministers who prescribe various difficult exercises to a Candidate for the trial of his abilities are as likely to judge of them as one single Bishop who usually commits the examination of them to his Chaplain For the validity of their Ordination I undertake to make that good in answer to the Questions about Mission The only doubt then remaining is Whether these Pastors in taking the oversight of their Flocks do violate any law of God or any just law of Man 1. For the laws of God I cannot understand any that they should be supposed to violate but either that law that enjoyns us to obey Superiors or such as enjoyn the preservation of the Churches peace For the former it falls in with what doubt may arise concerning the laws of men For the latter the precepts of God which concern the Churches peace I need only say these two things to clear them from the suspicion of violating them 1. That the great duties recommended in the holy Scriptures in order to the preservation of the Churches peace are a mutual forbearance in things indifferent and a charitable judgment of each other in lesser differences This is evident from the 14th Chapt. of the Ep. to the Rom. to the 17th ver of the 15th where these duties are at large prest from great variety of Topicks and urg'd on those that had Pastors among them And to say this great Rule on y oblig'd Christians to these duties till the Clergy had determin'd those indifferent things and by their imposing them cast out all Dissenters is too like the confidence of those Gentlemen who own Christ instituted the Communion in both kinds But te●l us his Institution obliges not now the Church has pleas'd to command it shall be otherwise And I do appeal to any impartial judg whether the Convocation or the Presbyterians have better observ'd this great Rule that concerns the Churches peace But 2. No Law of God enjoyns us to do any thing sinful for the Churches peace But for the Pastors of the presbyterian churches to desert their ministerial Office when never just●y forbidden and when their labours were highly conducive to the Interest of Religion and the Salvation of souls were sinful Methinks those Men that are so zealous to exclaim against all alienation of
terms of the Ministry as Christ's own Laws forbid his Ministers to obey If all ought not to forbear their Ministry who are forbidden by an unjust Law What is there in the case of the silenc'd Ministers that sh●uld oblige them to it I know nothing can be imagin'd but this That obedience to that Law tho unjust would in their circumstances tend more to the good of the Church and sou s than all their ministerial labours And if any can make this good I doubt not but they will forbear For proof of the contrary see p. 27 28. under the former Head. All the Quest therefore will be concerning the conditions of the Ministry that by the foresaid Law were impos'd upon them For the first mentioned the Declaration of Assent and Consent c. Are there not many thousands of sincere and upright Chr●stians in these Kingdoms who do really judge kneeling at the Sacrament unlawful because they account it a symbo izing with the Church of Rome in a ceremony abus'd to Idolatry who judge the Cross in Baptism unlawful because 't is a new Tessera or symbol of our Christian Profession of hum●ne Institution to which those very duties and blessings of ●he Gospel are annext which our Lord has annext to Baptism ●special●y when the words of the Canon are To dedicate them ●y that badge the sign of the Cross to the service of Christ whose benefits ●●stow'd on th m in Baptism the name of the Cross does represent Or wh● scruple the use of Sponsors in Baptism to undertake that work which ●s the Parents duty and not theirs unless the Parent be incapable and the more because the 29●h Canon of the Church sa●th No Parent shall be urged to be present nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his ●wn child He that knows not there are many thousands who judge ●hese things unlawful and yet are persons as eminent for their piety as those that are otherwi●e minded is either a stranger to these Nations or has very little charity left Whether these persons be mistaken in these scrup●es or no I do not now dispute nor is it necessary to my Argument to suppose them in the right But I wou'd hope it will be granted me that their credible profession of Religion gives them a right to all the seals of the Covenant and that 't is not lawful to debar them from the Lords-Supper or their children from Baptism on the account of these scruples To say otherwise were to make it lawful for the Ministers of Christ to reject those whom they have all imaginable reason to be●ieve that their Lord receives nay whom he has commanded them to receive Rom. 14.1 Whereas to reject s●ch is a heinous degree of Schism and opposite to the great law of Charity and Christian forbearance which Pastors as well as people are concerned in 'T is the very sin Diotrephes is charg'd with 3 Ep. Joh. v. 10. Now if it be un●awful to deprive such of external Church-priviledges as in the judgment of rational Charity have a right to them then 't is unlawful to profess our Assent and Consent to a Book which obliges us to th●s Uncharitable and Schismatical practice For the Book obliges us to administer the Sacraments only in the manner there prescribed and by the Canons of the Church those Ministers incur the danger of Suspension that do otherwise So that we cannot be Ministers without approving th●se Schismatical Conditions of Church-Communion and perhaps excluding the most sober part of a Parish on the account of them Whereas Christian Love forbids us to Exclude such and much more forbids us to Assent and Consent to their Exclusion For the 2d Cond●tion of the Ministry That Clause in the Oxford Oath wherein we must swear never to endeavour any Alteration of Government in the Church Do's Mr. K think there are no Corruptions in the Government of the Church which if alter'd and reform'd wou'd greatly conduce to the advancement of real Religion Is the exercise of Church-Government by a Lay-Chancellor and the manner of their process in the Spiritual Courts no corruption that needs amendment What when so solemn a thing as the Censures of the Church is manag'd more like a d●sign to correct mens purses then either the Errors of their Judgment or disorders of their Pract●ce and as Dr. Burnet in the life of Bishop Bedel complains That Excommunication had lost all its force as a Spiritual Censu●e and was dreaded only on the account of the effects it produc't in Law. And these matters are not since chang'd for the better Is that Discipline by which every particular Church shou'd be as much as possible preserv'd from the infecti n and scandal of notoriously wicked members possible to be exercised by a Bishop or his Lay-Chancellor for a whole Diocess containing 3 or 4 hundred or perhaps as many more particular Churches For Instance Is the Bishop of Lincoln whose Diocess contains in it 1000 or 1100 Parish-Churches capable to cal● all the scandalous sinners within that vast Precinct to Repentance to examine the crimes alledg'd against them use all the admonitions and reproofs that tend to reclaim them and after due evidence of their impenitency cast them out of Church Communion How many thousands must he have at once in his Court if he exercised Church Discipline as strictly as the H. Scriptures enjoyn or as the Common-Prayer-Book owns it was practised in the primitive Church See Pref to the Commination used in Lent. And does there need any plainer Argument of the impossibility of it then that this Discipline was never actual●y exe c●sed by the B●shops to any purpose nor one scandalous si●ner of a thousand in a Diocess ever call'd to Repentance for his notorious crimes or censured for his continuing in them unless it were some scrupulous Nonconformist And does Mr. K. think these things need no alteration If he doth so I would gladly know What Church-Government or Discipline signifies To what purpose then is all this stir about an Empty Name when there is no use to be made of the Thing to the great purposes it 's intended for when 't is not exercised to preserve the honour of Religion by a credible profession of it in particular Churches and to secure those Churches from the pernicious influence of such whom their Haeresies or their scandalous crimes render unfit for Christian Society If these things be gross abuses If the present Church-Government render Discipline impracticable and deprive Parish-Ministers of an essential part of their Office Is it lawful to swear We will never endeavour an alteration of this and that without any limitation signified as in an irregular manner or beyond our particular Sphoere Is it lawful for those who know these to be corruptions which have greatly depraved the Church and dishonoured Christianity to swear they will never e●deavour to amend them They might as well bind themselves by oath never to Repent nor Promote the
affection to a Party perverted his judgment I shall now put an end to this long Letter by a few reflections on these matters 1. I could heartily wish Mr. K. and all that approve these passages in his Book to consider seriously Whether they are acted by true Christian charity and love whilst they deny so many Christian Churches in these Kingdoms living under the Pastoral care of Orthodox and pious Ministers never justly silenc'd to be any part of the Catholick Church and that upon such Principles as pass the same hard censure on all the Reformed Churches that were set up as separate from Popish National Churches To unchurch true Churches is the most opposite to that love which is the life of Christian Unity and is the highest degree of Schism How much more to unchurch so many and those so eminent for the purity of Faith Worship and Practice nay for their charity too towards those parts of the Catholick Church that are less pure than themselves I should heartily rejoyce if any one could shew me any Churches on this earth wherein there is a more pure peaceable and credible profession of Christianity made as to its integrals as well as essentials than in those Reformed Churches abroad and those at home which I have here been obliged to defend from the Assault of a Protestant Divine I am farr from denying our Parish Churches to be true parts of the Catholick Church and I hope all that account themselves oblig'd on the reasons suggested in this Paper to frequent other Christian Societies do esteem them as such and own all the credible profession of Religion made among them Tho there are many things wherein they cou'd desire them reform'd especially they cou'd wish them that liberty of consenting to their own Pastors which was the general practice of the Catholick Church in its purest Ages and was confirm'd by the judgment of so many Councils See Mr. Baxters Church History passim and his Answ to Dr. Stillingfl p. 128 129 c and Blondel de jure plebis c. And they would be glad to see some tolerable exercise of that true and godly discipline which the Common-prayer book acknowledges was practic'd in the primitive Church and the restoration whereof it saith is much to be wished But the mischief is tho they have a profest assent and consent to this 't is only to wish it for they have sworn to endeavour no alteration how desirable soever 2 I wou'd hope that long experience will convince us all of the necessity of more large and comprehensive terms of Christian Concord as farr as that is to be expected or attain'd on earth I hope the Churches unity will no more be lay'd by Protestants on such humane Canons as are not only unnecessary but contrary to the Churches interest and edification Nor the breach of such a sinful unity be branded as Schism and Church-Rebellion Mr. Hales of Eaton and Dr. Stillingfleet once were of another mind and lay'd the charge of Schism in all such cases at the right Door viz. the Imposers 3. Tho I can expect no perfect cure of our divisions unless the Churches in these Nations were cemented on a more wide and Catholick foundation I mean not the schismatical terms of the Roman Church Yet I wou'd humbly propose it to the Consideration both of the sober charitable Conformists and Nonconformists whether something may not be done to promote some considerable degrees of Concord even while the differences of our judgment and practice do remain May they not publickly declare they own each others Assemblies for true Christian Churches May not their members to testifie a true Catholick charity maintain occasional Communion shou'd it not be own'd scismatical on either hand to confine that part of Christ's Catholick Church which is in these Kingdoms to either party May not the Pastors own each other for true Ministers of the Gospel and Pastors to such as consent to their Pastoral relation I speak of such as want not the necess●●y qualifications May they not rejoyce in the success of each others labours for promoting that common Interest of Christianity wherein both ●re agreed For sure that ought to be infinitely dearer to us then the narrow Interest of a party or the Interest of more dubious Opinions a●d modes of Worship May they not concur to promote each others just esteem and reputation in order to the success of their labours May they not maintain a more amicable correspondence in order to a nearer union of their affections and if possible of their judgment and practice too May they not forbear unjust Ca●umnies and reviling language to render each other odious May they not love and honour in each other whatever there appears of the Image of their Lord and Master his gifts and graces May they not both joyn in the defence of the Reformed Religion upon the common principles wherein the Protestant Churches agreed And would not so much of mutual affection and concord tend more to credit true Religion and strengthen its real Interest then the contrary uncharitable narrow and irreconcileable Temper I doubt not but the truly moderate on both sides are acted by this truly Catholick and Christian Temper And it wou'd be a comfortable presage to these Churches to see this temper more generally diffus'd and prevalent among us But for those that will still fancy Christ has every where committed the government of his church to Diocesan Prelates and by catholick Vnity mean a subjection to all their cannons and censures and make all disobedience to their commands when contrary to the commands of Christ Schism and Church Rebellion They may long talk of Catholick Unity and Peace But they are next to the Papists the most dangerous enemies of it For they have too deep a tincture of their humour who make a mighty noise about Vnity but when we come to enquire where it lies They mean a subjection to a certain Gentleman that dwells at Rome or at best to that Clergy who adhere to him in all the corruptions of Christian Doctrine worship and Practice Lastly I wou'd advise all of Mr. K's mind to consider well the Catholick principles suggested in this paper in opposition to his schismat●cal ones to the case of a popish convocation in Eng. or Irel. shou'd such a convocation suspend him from preaching his protestant doctrine administring prot sacraments as D. M. calls them and he go on to do it By his own Notions he wou'd be a schismatick and Church-Rebel by mine a faithful pastor to his Flock and a Loyal subject of Jesus Christ And therefore whether his principles or mine be more honest more agreeable to the holy Scriptures more serviceable to advance the Authority and Interest of Christ more conducive to the welfare of Souls I leave to his own conscience to determine on second thoughts And doubt not but most of his own Brethren will acknowledge mine to be so I cannot but reflect on