Schismatick And consequently all Societies of Christians who withdraw themselves from the Government of their Bishops who are the Apostles Successors and from communicating with those Presbyters lawfully set over them by Episcopal Ordination and Institution and frame themselves into any other kind of Government are guilty of Schism This 〈◊〉 the true formal Notion of Schism in the sense of the Fathers in the â—tive Church Of which more anon This Church so constituted and established to continue to the end of the â—orld from its Universallity was by the Primitive Fathers called the Catholick Church and from its Unity the Communion of Saints Which is now to be considered What this Union and Communion of Saints is appears by Holy Scripture St. John 13. v. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one for another Love is the Badge of a Disciple of Christ and Member of the Catholick Church but there must be more in the command to the Disciples to love one another than commonly the acceptation Love hath for the Christian Religion enjoyns Love and Charity to all men To Love our Enemies to pray for them that hate us and to do good to them that despitefully use us and persecute us is the command of our Blessed Saviour and Gal. 6. v. 10. As we have therefore opertunity let us do good unto all men So that this Love which one Disciple is to have for another must be such as distinguisheth Chrstians from all other men Now what can that be but to love one another as members of the same Body whereof Christ is the Head and what can that be but to live in Christian Communion and Fellowship one with another Iâ— cannot be the bare loving one another for there are some who are not Christians who are so bountiful and loving towards all men that if this were the only Charactâ—ristical mark of a Christian they would and must pass for Christians without believing in Christ And who seeth not that Pyrats and Robbers and the vilest of men love one another So that it is as before is said not the bare loving one another by which men are known to be Christians but the being admitted by Baptism into the Society of the Christian Church and loving one another in the Communion of that Church this is that which makes true Christian Charity Saint Paul commands 1 Cor. 12.25 26. that there be no Schism in the Body but the Members should have the same care one for another and whether one Member suffers all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honored all the Members rejoyce with it now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Christians to love one another is to love like Members of the same Body to preserve the Body from all Rents and Schisms and to maintain Sympathy and Chriâ—â—â— Charity in the Communion of Christs Body whereof we are all Mâ—â—bers So that Christian Charity unites us to Christs Body and nothinâ—â— Christian Love and Charity that doth not unite us in one Body 〈◊〉 one Communion that is one external visible Communion of the Christian Church Thus you see that by the words Christian Love and Charity so much used in Scripture must be understood the Communion of Saints and that out of the Communion of Saints there can be no Christian Charity And so is the same thing meant expressed by other words namely Brotherly Love Rom. 10.12 and by the name Brethren Heb. 13. v. 1. Let brotherly Love continue This term Brother was given to none but those who liv'd in Communion with the Church not the Gnosticks who seperated from it under pretence of greater Knowledge nor any who separate upon any pretence whatsoever And aâ—ter the Apostles the Primitive Church did confine the Christian Brother-hood to the Communion of the Church all the Precepts relating to Brotherly Love either in the Evangelists or Apostles suppose Christians to be Members of the Mystical Body of Christ that is his Câ—urch and to be all United there in full Communion and this is what tâ—e â—postle means to have no Schism in the Body out of all which it appears Fiâ—thly to assent to and believe all the Articles of Faith contained in the Apoâ—â—les Nicene and Saint Athanasius's Creed allow'd and receiv'd in the Primitive Church to pertake all of the same Table where we aâ— pertake of the same Body which was broken for us and of the same Blood which was shed for us and to joyn all in the same holy Prayers and Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks made as the Aposâ—le expresâ—ly commands for all men to be Subject and Obedient to ouâ— Spiritual Rulers and Governors who have derived their Power and Authority â—rom the Apostles by a due succession to this present Age in all things pertaining to Godly Life Decency and Order as the Catholicks did in the Primitive times this is true Christian Charity in the Language of the Scriptures and this is the Communion of Saints To hold Communion in the Articles of Faith only or what you call Fundamentals without any visible Sign of being in Communion with some Church that is a true Member of the Catholick Church is not sufficient to make a Catholick or one in the Communion of Saints though without such a Communion of Faith it is imposible to be so Corah and his Company were of the same Creed with Moses and Aaron yet were Schismatical wretches and were punished with a Vengeance The Donâ—tiâ—â—s whom you acknowledge to be Scismaticks held the Fundamentals of Religion but their separate Communion from the Catholick Church upon pretence of greater purity excluding all other Churches as not Catâ—o ick this made 'em Schismaticks in the judgment of the Fathers in the Catholick Church at that time So that all particular Churches who agree with the Primitive Catholick Church in all the Articles of Faith and in the external visible Worship and Service of God are true Members of the Catholick Church and in the Communion of Saints and no other The Church of England then having from the first planting of the Gospel here retained the Apostolick power of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Ordaining Priests by an unterrupted Succession of Arch Bishops and Bishops in the right line from the Apostles to this present time and agreeing with and no way repugnant to the Primitive Catholick Church in Doctrin Discipline and Worship is truly a Member of the Universal Catholick Church out of which there is no Communion of Saints The necessary consequence whereof is that they who live within the Jurisdiction of the Church of England and refuse Communion with her in the external visible Worship and Service of God do exclude themselves from being Members of the Catholick Church or in the Communion of Saints and are consequently guilty of Schism The reason is plain because there is no other way for any to hold Communion with the Universal Catholick Church but
THE ARCH-REBEL found OR AN ANSWER TO Mr. M. H's Brief Enquiry into the true Nature of SCHISM By T. W. Citizen of Chester and a Sincere lover of Truth EZEK 13 Verse 10. Because even because they have seduced my People saying Peace and there was no Peace Printed for the Author in the Year 1690. TO THE READER THO by many Learned and Pious Clergy-men of our Church the Folly and Schism of our Dissenters has been clearly and sufficiently evinced and demonstrated yet you see how restless their Spirits are and with what little shifts they continue to buoy up their Faction The little Book of Mr. M. H's Enquiry c. shall by them be vastly prefer'd to and Dogmatically affirm'd to have the Conquest over all the Learned Orthodox and â—laborate Writings of Hooker Bramhall Hammond â—aunderson and divers others I have heard some of his Disciples boast that it was not nor could be Answer'd by any of the Church-men which considering and withall how it was as much below a Clergy-man to spend his precious time about such a trifle of a Book as it is for a Lyon to concern himself with a little insignificant barking Whelp I undertook my Lay-brother with a Resolution of Patience and Courâ—ge without any Apology being not skill'd therein to undergo the censures of all that read these papers If thou be a true Member of our Church I have confidence and am well assured thy precious Balm will never break my Head thy Religion hath taught thee Charity and Candor sufficient to cover any weakness that thou mayest discover and if thou art pleased with my attempt it is my great satisfaction If thou be a Dissenter who has not Sacrificed thy Name to the Factious so as to divest thy self of all Christian Temper of Humility and Consideration there is hope of thy Reconciliation and that thou wilt consider thy desperate State and Condition and if my weak endeavours may contribute to the snatching thee as a Fire-brand out of the Fire I shall exceedingly rejoyce but not I only for the Blessed Angels in Heaven will have joy among them for thy Addition to the Catholick Church of which they are the most Glorious Members If thou be Sceptical a slighter of our Religion Obstinate and Perverse a Despiser and Reviler of our Clergy whom I esteem as the Stewards of the Mystery of God and the Ministers of Reconciliation I shall altogether glory in thy Scoffs and have a low esteem of thy good words THE ARCH-REBEL found OR AN ANSWER TO Mr. M. H's Brief Enquiry into the true nature of Schism c. SIR HAD your Enquiry been to find out the true Notion of the Ninth Article in the Apostles â—reed viz. I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints â—ou had then found the true Standard by which you might have made a far clearer discovery of Schism than you have done by your Enquiry For which purpose I offer to your Consideration first the Origination and first Existance of the Catholick Church which was before the day of Pentecost Acts 1. v. 15. The number of the Names together were about an Hundred and Twenty This Number consisted of the Apostles and Disciples That this was the Church appears Cap 2. v. 47. And the Lord added to the Church that is to the Apostles and Disciples dayly such as should be saved To encrease his Church and to plant it in all Nations Christ Jesus the head thereof gave unto the Apostles Universal power Saint John 20.21 As the Father sent me even so send I you to Preach the Gospel to all the World that in every Nation they that believe might be Baptiz'd and made Members of this Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ And the Apostles according to the Command of our Saviour and by Virtue of that Power wherewith he invested them and those extraordinary gifts which they received by the Descent of the Holy Ghost enabling them mightily for so great a work did preach the Gospel to all Nations and so wonderfully prevail'd that in the life time of St. John there were Seven Churches Established in Asia under Seven Bishops each Church having a Bishop presiding over it which is very manifest by the name Angel which St. John gives them Now though there be a Multiplication or Plurality of Churches by the encrease of Believers yet no variation they are all one with that Church first mentioned at Jerusalem and all one with one another being all United into one Spiritual Society or Body under one Head Christ Jesus and are in all things the same with that first Church United in one Baptism and in one Faith and all pertake at the same Table eating the same Bread being the Symbol of the same Body which suffered on the Cross and drinking all of the same Cup the Cup of the New Testament the Symbol of the Blood of Christ which he shed for his Church and so United all in the visible external Worship and Service of God This is â— Original and first being of the Church The next thing Sir I offer to your consideration is the Continuance oâ— Duration of this Church on Earth and that is till our Blessed Saviour's second Advent St. Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you always even to the end of the World Amen The power wherewith our Blessed Saviour vested the Apostles was not to cease or expire with them but as they had received the power of Governing and Conferring Orders in the Church from Christ Jesus so they conferr'd the same on others that the Church might for ever retain this Apostolical power and thus in this respect our Lord is with his Church to the end of the World And this Apostolical Succession was begun in Timothy and Titus the former being Ordained by the Apostles Bishop of Ephesus the other Bishop of Creet that they were both invested with power of jurisdiction and conferring Orders and that though in each Diocess there were many Presbyters yet that none had Authority to ordain Elders or Priests but they is most manifest by Saint Paul's Epistles to them both To propagate this Apostolical Succession Linus by Apostolical Consecration Succeeded the Apostles in the See of Rome Symeon Succeeded Saint James in the Chair of Jerusalem Anianus Succeeded Saint Mark in the Jurisdiction of the Church of Alexandria And this Succession in the right line from the Apostles to secure the Church from Impostors and Pretenders was so sacredly carryed on and propagated with such certainty that Saint Irenaeus affirms Lib. 3. adv Her c. 3. he could name all the Successors of the Apostolick Churches unto his days And accordingly this line of Apostolick Succession of Bishops hath continued in all Ages without interruption to this present time Now whoever he be that is out of this line of Apostolick Succession and exercises any Ministerial Office without the Commission of Episcopal Ordination can be no more or other than a Lay-Impostor and a
by holding Communion with the particular Church wherein they live that Church not being Schismatical all the particular Churches through all the World being the Members that make up the Mystical Body of Christ the one Catholick Church Sir having shewed you as clearly as I can the true Notion of the Catholick Church and Communion of Saints Schism is so clearly unmasked that a man may though not from the same impulse yet with as much certainty pronounce and declare you a Schismatick as the Prophet Nathan did King David's Sin when he said Thou art the Man For it is most manifest that all who pretend Christianity and wilfully refuse Communion with the Catholick Church do cut themselves off from and cease to be Members of the Body of Christ for he hath but one Body that is his Church and this in the Language of the Scriptures and the Judgment of the Fathers in the Primitive Times is Schism And this agrees too with the Nature and Signification of the Word Sir though it be above my Education yet since I undertook your Enquiry I have made search and do give you this following account of these Fathers whose Judgments are against you St. Irenaeus Bishop of Lugdunum Lib. 4. adver Her cap. 43. who was Cotemporary with Policarpus a Disciple of St. John who must in Reason be allowed to know the Primitive Apostolick notion of Schism better than you or any who are of your Faction exhorts all Christians to harken to those Presbyters who were in the Communion of the Catholick Church and that they might not be deceived describes them Qua propter is qui in Ecclesia sunt Presbyteris obaudire oportet iis qui Successionem haâ—ent ab Apostolis c. Wherefore they are oblig'd to obey those Presbyters who are within the Pale of the Church who as we have shown are the Successors of the Apostles who have received the sure gift of Truth together with an Apostolical right of Succession according to the Deâ—ree of the Fatherâ— Reliquos vero qui absâ—stunt a principali Successione quocunque loco colliguntar c. As for those who renounce the Apostolical Succâ—ssion and Assemble themselves in any place whatsoever suspect and esteem them as Heretical and Damnable Opinions who flatter themselves with hope of Lucre and Vain Glory but as for them who rend and tear in pieces the Unity of the Church they shall receive punishment of God as Jeroboam did St. Ignatius the Second Bishâ—p of Antioch from St. Peter in his Ep. ad Tralianâ—s ad Smyrnenâ—es and in those to the Philâ—ippians c. frequently charges 'em to keep in the Unity of the Christian Church by a regular obedience to the Bishops and by Communicating with those Presbyters who were set over them by Authority of Episcopal Order that to disobey those Bishops and their Presbyters and to separate from them is in those Epistles charged with Schism St. Athanasius brands Ischyras for a Schismatick and gives this Reason for it that Ischyras did Usurp a Ministerial Authority without regular Ordination from the Bishops of the Catholick Church and gather'd to himself a Congregation separate from the Bishop of Alexandria in whose Province he liv'd St. Cyprian Ep. 4. ad populum Carthaginensem de quinque Presbyteris exhorts them to have no Communion with those who had divided themselves from their Bishops assuring them that to be sine Episcopis was to be extra Ecclesiam And in his Book De Vnitate he gives this Notion of Schism Contemptis Episcopis Derilictis Dei sacerdâ—tibus constituâ—re aliud Altare aut Conventicula diversa constituere That it was Schism to dispise and forsake the Bishops and Priests of God and to set up another Alter or to set up distinct Conventicles Sir though I pretend not to the Originals yet having found these Instances produced by men of unquestionable Sincerity and great Learning I presume to present you with them I have more of this kind before me but these Testimonies are sufficient to shew how different from and far short your discription of Schism is from the Notion of Schism the Fathers had in the Primitive times and that in their Judgment you are Guilty of Schism Sir you cannot by this time but see your Guilt and though you as Criminals usually before our Tribunals plead not Guilty 't is your own phrase yet I beseech you consider your Trial must be before that Tribunal which cannot be deceived or bassled you had better try and judge your self now that you be not judged To live in Schism you ingeniously acknowledge is a black and hanious Crime to promote and patronize it as you do must then be a great agravation of it it is to be out of the Catholick Church and Communion of Saints out of which there is no ordinary means nor any firm ground to fix any hope of Salvation its plain Acts 2.47 The Lord dayly added to the Church such as should be saved no being added to the Church no being saved there is no other way revealed by which you may be saved And it concerns you highly to consider how you can answer for all those many poor Souls that you seduce into Schism and so industriously keep out of Christs Fold I caution you in all Meekness and Christian Charity and out of a sincere desire of your eternal welfare and if you have that preparedness of mind that Meekness and Selâ—-denial which the Holy Jesus requires in the Gospel you will no longer contend with Flesh and Blood but immediately surrender your self into the Communion of that Church where if you will not be wanting to your self you will find all the satisfaction that a Christian can desire there being all things exhibited to you that appertain to Life and Salvation Having thus finished what I designed as sufficient to shew you the true Notion of Schism and your mistake in the Nature of it I proceed to make some Remarks upon your Brief Enquiry c. THe Scope of all you say till your Instance of Eldad and Medad amounts to no more but that Schism is an Arch-Rebel c. a deformed Brat c. a Crime so black no body will plead Guilty to the Indictment And then comes another Law term Hue and Cry c. 't is an hanious Crime but 't is very difficult and scarce possible to find it it cannot be described All I need say to this is the difficulty is removed I have plainly shew'd you how to describe it and so to make a true Judgment who are Guilty whether they plead Guilty or not Guilty The Instance of Eldad and Medad is nothing to the purpose of Schism for they were not if I mistake not to administer in Holy things not any thing of the Priest-hood but that Spirit of Prophecy which they received was to qualifie them for the ease of Moses in the Civil Government and a Crime in the State is Sedition not Schism Yet they did
not assume that without Divine Authority and when you can make as signal a proof that your Authority is Divine we will no more blame you for Exercising in your Stable then Moses did them for Prophesying in the Camp In Page 8. you say I cannot believe that the greatest Worshipers of the Diana of their own Opinions will be so sottish as to brand those for Schismaticks who in every punctilio of Opinion are not exactly of the same Standard with themselves Whâ—m you mean by the greatest Worshipers of the Diana of their own Opinions I take not upon me to tell but if by that saucy Language you mean the Bishops and the other inferior Clergy of the English Church I can answer for them that if the punctilios of Opinions you mean do not cause a Seperate Communion they will never censure that for Schism â—t is not Opinions differing in little things as you call 'em but the erronious and sinful Opinions that tend to Seperation from a truly Catholick Church that they of our Church to use your words brand with Schism men may differ in Opinion in speculative things and be Innocent but Opinions that break the Communion of Saints are Schism Pardon me if I give you a pleasant Instance your Father's Opinion was that it was best to put you to be a Lawyers or an Attorney's Clerk as I have heard my Uncle who was in loco parentis my Guardian his Opinion was that it was best to put me an Aprentice to a Mercer here were different Opinions or Apprehensions but no Schism In your Ninth Page you put a fair Question enough to make the World believe you to be a man of great sincerity viz. Whether a diversity or sepâ—ration of â—ommunion be the foâ—malis ratio of Schism I affirm and have prov'd it is but you answer it with great partiality making a most unnatural Exposition of the Apostles words that can be 1 Cor. 1 10. Page 10. I beseech you Brethren that there be no divisions among you which you rightly say is in the Margin Schisms and pretend upon Enquiry to find what the Schism is by the next following Exhortation of the Apostle That ye all speak the same thinâ—s which you expound viz. In the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity for in little things it can never be made a duty to be of the same Opinion since it is mâ—râ—lly impossible And you name Estius but do not make him vouch for your Exposition if his Exposition agrees with yours which I rather think it does not it cannot be the Apostles meaning for you say Observe he does not oblige us to think the same things i. e. In your preaching and converâ—e speak of thâ—se things only wherein you are agreed and fâ—r those things whereâ—n you differ do not fall out and fight about them but love one another notwithstanding To this I Answer St. Paul is mightily obliged to you for this Exposition you say he doth not oblige us to think the same things but though your thoughts â—e diverse yet speak the same things what is this but that men may think one thing and speak another this does not agree with the sincerity of Saint Paul for this is down right Hypocrisie and Knavery I can make nothing else oâ—'t But you think to make it Orthodox by an i. e. In your preaching and converse speak those things only wherein you are agreed c. This Doctrine were it known would reconcile the World this would merit a Dispensation at Rome you may be admitted there upon these terms if in your Preaching and Converse you will speak of nothing but wherein you are all agreed The Pope they say is commonly an old â—ivil Gentleman and this new Doctrine of yours tending so much to Peace and to the stoping of the mouths of Hereticks who are apt to â—peak of things wherein they are not all agreed would move him to think of some preferment for you But if they at Rome should prove so inhumanely morose and sullen as to make your Journey thither unfortunate â—his Doctrine cannot fail of entertainment at Constantinople the Merchants who trade thither will assure you that the Mahomitans are very obliging to all those who preach and say nothing in converse but wherein all are agreed and you being withal a great abhorrer of Popish delusions they will nemine contradicente heartily agree with you therein and you being a Minister too as you say in your Enquiry page 27. And as such abliged to preach and to trade with that Talent you have received or you say there will be an uncomfortable account shortly especially say you if we look abroad and consider how the apparent necessities of precious Souls calls for our utmost diligence Sir there are abroad at Constantinople abundance of precious Souls who want your diligence Now you who say nothing in your preaching and converse but wherein all are agreed will oblige 'em to hear you and so you will gain an oppertunity to preach your great Gospel Truths to 'em among whom there 's nothing so much wanting one Voyage of you and all your Brethren with your Talents thither could not fail of great improvement that place totally wanting you and we having not nere so great occasion or necessity for you here it would look like a real sence of your Duty if you would Imbark thither to take care of the many precious Souls there who are like to miscary for want of you And pray consider our Church-men are so invincibly lazy they 'l never undertake it and if some of them should have the Courage alas they are so dull it would be to no purpose You are much more qualify'd for it who by Inspiration hold forth with such life and vigour so much more powerful that the success could not fail in you and beside all this there is no reason to fear that one Soul here would perish by your absence This Doctine of yours justly deserves this Harangue But does not this Exposition of yours barr all reasoning and lessen the use and power of preaching one main end and design whereof is to convince men of error and so to Unite their minds and affections by Uniting their Judgments and Understanding you say not one word of Union and Communion which is most strictly enjoyned in every Sentence in the Exhortation That there be no Divisions or Schisms which by the other Sentences the Apostle tells 'em how to prevent viz. that you all speak the same things that ye be perfectly joyn'd together in the same mind and in the same judgment now it 's impossible for people that speak the same things and are perfectly joyn'd together in the same mind and in the same judgment to have any Divisions or Schisms That learned and pious Doctor in our Church Doctor Hammond Familiar in Fathers and Councils hath this Paraphrase upon this Text That therefore which I first exhort you to and that with all earnestness as possible as
the prime addit on of these gifts and graces that are among you is this that ye all teach the same Doctrine and nourish Charity and Vnity that there be no divisions in the Churches but that ye be compacted and Vnited as Members of the same Body in the same belief and affection Is not this quite different from your Exposition you take off the force and efficacy of the Apostle's Exhortation to Unity purposly to excuse your Schism is any thing more demonstrative in the World than that your practice is quite contrary to this Exhortation who have set up a Communion separate from the Church of God establish'd in this Kingdom both by Divine and Civil Sanction You are unlucky in your Exposition very wide from the mark and it can never fare otherwise with you while you live in Schism it being the Nature of Schism to hurry men into a thousand errors Again in the former Paragraph That ye all speak the same things viz. In the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity for say you in little things it can never be made a duty to be of the same Opinion since it is morally impossible I must here say again what I have said that different Opinions in meer Notions and Speculations or any differing Opinions that break not Communion are not here meant for so men may differ and not be guilty of Schism But if you mean by morally impossible that it is impossible for Christians to be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment as the Apostles exhorts so as to maintain Unity and prevent Schism in the Church either the Apostles Exhortation is to no pâ—â—pose and effect or your insinuation very vain You go on that ye be perfectly joyned together with the same mind and in the same â—udgment which say you must be understood of a serious endeavour afâ—â—r it for otherwise a perfect conjunction must be reserved for a world of â—verlasting perfection Sir are you so self dignify'd to use your own words as to be a Teachâ—r of Saints and know not that a perfect Conjunction in the Catholick Church and Communion of Saints is required of all those who are to â—â—â—e to the world of everlasting perfection Your 11 12 and 13 pages are filled with an Enquiry of the Corinâ—hians miscariâ—ge you say that Clemens Romanâ—s in his famous Epistle to â—e â—â—rinthians stiâ—l calls Schisms contentions which I believe is true For â—chism is the Mother of Contention You find that the Corinthians were divided in their Opinions about â—heir Ministers one cries I am of Paâ—l as more Edifying another cries am of Apollos and another I am of Câ—phas this you say did not make â—he Schism for say you Why might not each go where he might be most ediâ—â—d but you say the Schism was in that they Sacrificed Christian Love and â—harity and after you say a great deal to little purpose For It s very plain the Corinthians were accused of that you call Schism â—areâ—y for preferring or admiring one Minister above another though â—dification was the pretence and not for breach of Communion for with â—hichsoever they Communicated it was one and the same Communion â—r Saint Paul and Christ were not divided nor were either of the other â—ivided from Christ their Communion was the same though their Cures â—ere several so that there was no reason as you impertinently say to siâ—ence any of them for in them there was no Schism nor any blame â—ut say you the wâ—y of Curing this Schism was not to silence Apollos and â—ephas that they might all be of Paul and here you make St. Paul some â—art of amends for your former Scandalous Exposition in saying that he â—refered Souls Sâ—lvation before his own Credit How impertinently do you say the way to Cure this Schism was not to â—lence Apollos c. As if to silence you that your followers may come â—o Church were as illegal as to have silenced them Sir there is a vast â—ifference between you and they who are Pastors and Ministers of Christ â—â—ey are the Stewards of the Mysteries of God and the Ministers of Reâ—onciliation and are made so by Apostolical Power of them our Blessed â—aviour saith St. John 10. v. 2 thus He that entreth in by the door is the Shepherd of the Sheep but such as you who climb up some other way our Saviour in the 1 v. calls a Thief and a Robber Had Apollos and Cephas been as disorderly and Schismatical as you St. Paul would in all probability have exercised his Apostolical Power and have silenced them as the Cure and it is more than probable that the Schism which you maintain would receive a Cure were you and all such silenced and supprest In your Recipe for the Cure of Schism one Ingredient is That they walk all the same way though they trace different paths your falacy and equivocation in this is very visible for here is nothing like a different path it is all one way and one path they were all United in the same Communion But you cunningly insinuate this merely to delude the ignorant and undiscerning by perswading them that your Conventicle is the same way with the Church only as you call it a different path which is no other than Schismatical meeting So your cure of Schism is to continue in Schism You are a rare Spiritual Phisitian And then to bring up the rear you have this rare Inference viz. It appears that narrow Spiritedness which is a very improper expression which confines Religion and the Church to our way and party whatever it is to thâ— condemning of others that differ from us in little things is the bain of thâ— Christian Church And to make this as true as the Gospel you set down a Latin Proverb hinc illae lachrymae Sir Religion is the bond of Unity did you ever know Religion with out Bounds and Rules for all of that Religion to be confined to even to a Punctilio and is it narrow Spiritedness to observe those Rules and tâ— be confin'd within the Bounds of Religion is it a Schismaticating Principle to make a true Judgement of Schism which you call an Arch-Rebeâ— in Christs Kingdom and censure them who are Guilty of it Have not all they of your Conventiling Communion Rules given them though of your own parties making by which they are confin'd to yours and distinguishable from all other different Communions If you or any other of the Presbyterian Communion come to London or any other parâ— of this Kingdom do not you hold exactly the same way of Worship aâ— you have here sure you cannot deny this and is not this to confinâ— your Sect to your own way and Communion Why then do you reproachfully call this narrow Spiritedness in others and practice it your selves You say condemning of others that differ in little things is the great Schismaticating principle which hath been so much the bane of the Christian Church
this digression which I think not impertinent and then I 'll close The Prayers made for the the Wednesday Fast cannot be Charged with Popery as your Party have the Liturgy Supplications fitted to the Occasion and for all capacities imposed by Lawful Authority by them who have the Rule over us What account can you give to God to the Government and to your own Conscience why you omit or refuse so indispensible a duty The Apostle saith Obey them that have the Rule over you and Commands this duty of Obedience to our Governors upon the Severest and Highest Penalties Rom. 13. v. 1 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation How can you reconcile your Practice with this Apostolical Injunction Unless you can charge the Prayers with something not lawful or not reasonable to be offered to God you are highly Criminal in the Apostles Judgment God Almighty hath now settled the Government where there is as true and real Abhorence of Popish Delusions as you or any of your Party can pretend to yet you yield not obedience to them even in a Religious Duty All your pretence is that your Prayers are more purely Spiritual you seek God in more apt and pleasing words words which immediately flow from the Spirit What is this but to limit and restrain the Holy Scripture to your way and to your Faction as if no Prayers but those hammered out of your own Brains could bear the stamp of the Holy Spirit of God and is it * Swoppery in Robbery not highly Prophane if not Blasphemy to impure all your Levites and Impertinencys to the immediate dictates of the Spirit of God though this Holy Spirit you pretend to can no where be found but in the Holy Catholick Church and Communion of Saints where alone our Blessed Lord hath Promised it shall be to the end of the World All the Impostors in the world who have set up before you even Mahomet himself and a great number of Hereticks and Schismaticks in the Christian Church pretended to inspiration and by it have deceived many But this your pretence to inspiration can never proselyte any but the Ignorant and Undescerning and those who are given to Change unless you can produce the Credentials of a Miracle All our Prayers in our Liturgy are directed to God Almighty and are presented in the name of the Blessed Jesus and all we supplicate for are for no other things but what is allowed of and required in our holy Religion Now why any but Atheists and those that are Antichristian joyn not with us in those Prayers and Praises especially considering that it is the Apostle Saint Paul's Judgment Rom. 15.6 That we might with one mind and with one Mouth glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I know not unless for the same Reason that you refuse those Prayers for the Fast added to the Liturgy viz. Obstinacy and Disobedience Now Sir to close up all you cannot but see your Guilt I Address to you in all Meekness and Christian Charity that you will seriously consider the dangerous and desperate State and Condition you are in for all the great and precious promises made by God in Christ Jesus are only to them who are Members of the Mystical Body of Christ the Holy Catholick Church and Communion of Saints they who are not of the Catholick Church and Communion of Saints may flatter themselves with Unwarrantable and Groundless Fancies but can have no real Title or Right to any of those precious Promisses and therefore as you love your Soul suffer not filthy Lucre Interest or Pride to with-hold you any longer out of the Catholick Church wherein alone Salvation can be had it is not your purer Administrations or any other pretence can avail or stand you in any stead they only who are of this Society which is the Mystical Body of Christ here on earth have any Right Heb. 12 vers 22.23.24 to come to the Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the first born which are Written in Heaven And to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant that you may have Right and Title to all this I heartily Pray with the Church in the Liturgy That it may please God to bring you into the way of Truth and all such as have erred and are deceived Amen FINIS
Violate its Unity so long as it continues in the true use of the Word and Sacraments though otherwise it be over-run with many blemishes and corruptions Inst l. 4. Sect. 10 11 12. You see how Mr. Calvin is against you from whom the Original of your way had its date I here make it my hearty request to you that you will read the Letters of the Reformed Divines of Foreign Countries to the Bishop of London viz. That of Monsieur le Moyne Professor of Divinity at Leyden concerning the Nature of our Differences and the unlawfulness of Separation from the Church of England That of Monsieur de Langle a Preacher of the Reformed Church-meeting at Charenton near Paris And also That of Monsieur Claude all of the same Subject you have them all at the end of Dr. Stillingfleet's Vnreasonableness of Separation They all conclude you under Schism In Page the 20th towards the end you have these words I need not mention the occasion having dispatched that before Whether they be Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or by what Name or Title soever they be self-dignified or distinguished you cannot forbear not only Uncharitableness but Hatred and Malice against the Clergy and consequently the whole Church you Condemn Bitterness and Uncharitableness as Schism in all other and where can it be found more apparently than in you in these words By what Name or Title soever they be self-dignified or distinguished these are not Applicable to your Party less to the Anabaptists then they must be spoken of the Archâ—Bishops and Bishops of our Church whom the King always nominates and they are accordingly truly Consecrated to be so Orders instituted by the Apostles in the Church of Christ and from them continued to this present age without interruption 1 Cor. 12 28. And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers c. helps in Government c. God hath set them up and you revile them as men setting up and dignifieing themselves is this your Charity what more Diabolical Spirit can there be in any Sect â—mong men than thus to dispise and set at nought those who are dignified by Divine Right and Authority to Rule and Govern in the Church of God you make it a Schismaticating Principle to censure you of Uncharitableness and Bitterness who have even in this rank'd your self among those whom the Apostle St. Jude in his Epistle verse 28. calls filthy Dreamers who speak evil of Dignities Yet say you But to come a little closer the Meetings of the Dissenters though now blessed be God permitted and allowed by the Law of the Land yet are commonly Charged with being Schismatical the great Out-cry is that we leave the Church and the Vnthinking Mobile who are so well taught as to know no other Churches but the Publick places of Worship are easily induced to believe it as if it were Schism to Worship God any where else let the Worship there be what it will you go on those who will allow themselves the Liberty of an Vnprejudiced thought cannot but see the difference so small that as long as we believe the same Christian Faith and agree in the same Protestant abhorrence of Papal Delusions we may easily be looked upon as one and the same Church as well as two several Parish Churches may especially being Vnited under the Care and Protection of one Protestant King and Members of the same Protestant Common-Wealth Sir Indulgence which carries the Title of the Act always imploys a defect if not a Crime you say you are permitted and allowed though the Act is no more than Indulgence which never signifies approbation or likeing all you have by it is but for the hardness of your Hearts as our Blessed Saviour says of the Indulgence of the Jews for putting away their Wives by a Bill of Divorse to which our Saviour saith Mat. 19 8. But in the beginning it was not so Their Plea for that Indulgence is distroyed by an Argument drawn from Antiquity I have the like Argument for you in the Primitive Church it was not so no Indulgence for seperate Communion upon any pretence whatsoever you have one and I give my reason why I wish no ill effects follow it In the year 1560. Mr. J. Calvin by his Letter to Arch Bishop Grindal solicites him to obtain the favour of the Queen to Assign and at his request she did Assign the Church of Saint Anthony in London for some French exiles then there and were of Mr. Calvins Principle to meet in and with License to set up the Genevian Discipline and a Form of Prayer which had no Conformity with the English Liturgy which proved in the event a design expedient of Calvins for advancing Presbitery in the room of Episcopacy Upon this Toleration their numbers so increased that in the year 1568. they broke out into open Schism choosing to meet in Barns and Fields rather than in Churches with their Brethren as formerly teaching 't was impious to hold any Correspondence with the Conforming Churches Upon this very occasion viz. the Queens Toleration and particularly her Indulging the Genevian Discipline within 8 years time their Members so increased and their Insolence also that the Queen plainly saw as her own words were that such were the restless Spirits of that Factious people that here was no quietness to be expected from them till they were utterly supprest In order to which she called a Parliament in 1592. wherein strict Laws were made against them and executed accordingly Barrow Penry and Burchet were hanged for such Nonconformity-principles as were Treasonable and by those sharp Laws made against them the Ring leaders were humbled and the whole Body of 'em brought to a good degree of Quietness at that time and held dureing her Reign I heartily wish that your Great Champion Mr. Baxter prove not a true Prophet who in his Epistle Dedicatory before his Treatise of Self-denial to Coll. James Berrey then one of the Council of State calls Toleration Englands misery a Liberty for drawing men to Hell a wicked damning Liberty a Strengthening the Party Tolerated a giving way for their Power a giving a way our own Power a preparing Faggots for our own Martirdom And he represents Tolerating Magistrates as a sort of men that Rule as though they were uncertain whether there were a Heaven or a Hell Thus he By the story in the Queen you see what use your Predecessors those great pretenders of Sanctity made of their Indulgence and if you tread their Paths you may fall into the like mischiefs and I will tell you why you can never stand right with the Government because your Principles carry you to the rooting out of Episcopacy which is the Pillar of Ecclesiastical Government And we see by Mr. Baxter with what Vigor and Zeal Uniformity will then be held forth in all your Pulpits I now return to the remainder of your Paragraph You say the meetâ—ng of the