them the least direction to make their addresse to him that should succeed Peter in his Power and Office for reliefe and redresse Strange that it should be of necessity to Salvation to be subject to him in whom this power of Peter was to be continued that he was to be one in whom the Saints were to be consummated that in Relation to him the Unity of the Catholick Church to be preserved under paine of damnation should consist and yet not a word spoken of him in the whole Word of God But they say Peter had not only an Apostolicall power with the rest of the Apostles but also an ordinary power that was to be continued in the Church But the Scripture being confessedly silent of any such thing let us heare what proof is tendered for the establishment of this uncouth Assertion Herein then thus they proceed It will be confessed that Jesus Christ ordained his Church wisely according to his infinite wisedome which he exercised about his body Now to this wisdome of his for the prevention of innumerable evils it is agreeable that he should appoint some one person with that power of declaring truth and of Jurisdiction to enforce the receiving of it which we plead for For this was in Peter as is proved from the texts of Scripture before mentioned therefore it is continued in them that succeed him And here lyes the great stresse of their cause That to prevent evills and inconveniences it became the wisedome of Jesus Christ to appoint a person with all that Authority power infallibility to continue in his Church to the end of the world And this plea they mannage variously with much Sophistry Rhetorick and Testimonies of Antiquity But suppose all this should be granted yet I am full well assured that they can never bring it home to their concernment by any Argument but only the actuall claime of the Pope wherein he stands singly now in the world which that it is satisfactory to make it good de fide that he is so will not easily be granted The truth is of all the attempts they make against the Lord Jesus Christ this is one of the greatest wherein they will assert that it became his wisedome to doe which by no meanes they can prove that he hath done which is plainly to tell us what in their judgement he ought to have done though he hath not that therefore it is incumbent on them to supply what he hath been defective in Had he taken the care he should of them and their Master that he and they might have ruled and reviled over and in the house of God he would have appointed things as now they are which they affirme to have become his wisedome He was a King that once cryed Si Deo in creatione adfuissem mundum melius ordinassem But every Fryar or Monck can say of Jesus Christ had they been present at his framing the world to come whereof we speake they would have told him what had become his wisedome to do Our Blessed Lord hath left sufficient provision against all future emergencies inconveniences in his word Spirit given promised to his Saints And the one Remedie which these men have found out with the contempt and blaspemy of him and them hath proved worse then all the other evills and diseases for whose prevention he made provision which he hath done also for that remedy of theirs but that some are hardned through the righteous judgement of God and deceitfulnesse of sin The mannagement of this plea by some of late is very considerable say they Quia non de verbis solum Scripturae sed etiaÌ„ de sensu plurima coÌ„troversia est si ecclesiae interpretatio non est certâ—… intelligendi norma ecquis erit istiusmodi Controversiae judex sensuÌ„ enim suuÌ„ pro sua virili quisque defendet quod si in Exploranda verbi Dei intelligentia nullus est certus judex audemus dicere nullam rempublicam fuisse stultius constitutam Sin autem Apostoli tradiderunt Eccclesiis verbum Dei sine intelligentia verbi Dei quomodo praedicarunt Evangelium omni Creaturae quomodo decuerunt omnes Gentes servare quaecunque illis fuerunt a Christo commendata Non est puerorum aut Psittaeorum praedicatio qui sine mente dant accipiuntque sonum Walemburg Con. 4. Num. 26. It is well that at length these men speak out plainly If the Pope be not a visible supreame Judge in over the Church Christ hath in the constitution of his Church dealt more foolishly then ever any did in the constitution of a Commonwealth If he have not an infallible power of determining the sense of the Scriptures the Scripture is but an empty insignificant word like the speech of Parats or Popyniaies Though Christ hath by his Apostles given the Scriptures to make the man of God wise unto Salvation and promised his spirit unto them that believe by whose assistance the Scripture gives out it s own sence to them yet all is folly if the Pope be not Supreame and Infallible The Lord rebuke them who thus boldly blaspheame his word and wisdome But let us proceed This Peter thus invested in power that was to be traduced to others went to Rome and Preached the Gospell there It is most certain nor will themselves deny it that if this be not so and believed their whole fabrick will fall to the ground But can this be necessary for all sorts of Christians and every individuall of men among them to believe when there is not the least insinuation of any such thing in the Scripture certainly though it be only a matter of fact yet being of such huge importance and consequence and such a doctrine of absolute indispensable necessity to be believed as is pretended depending upon it if it were true and true in reference to such an end and purpose as is pleaded it would not have been passed over in silence there where so many things of inconceivable lesse concernment to the Church of God though all in their respective degrees tending to edification are recorded As to what is recorded in story the order and series of things with the discovery afforded us of Peters course place of abode in Scripture doe prevaile with me to think stedfastly that he was never there against the selfe contradicting testimonies of some few who took up vulgar reports then when the mystery of iniquity had so farre â—pâ—rated at least that it was judged meet that the chiefe of the Apostles should have lived in the chiefe City of the World But that we may proceed grant this also that Peter was at Rome which they shall never be able to prove and that he did Preach the Gospell there yet so he did by their own Confession at other places making his residence at Antioch for some years what will this availe towards the setling of the matter under consideration There Christ
latter sence also The plea about Metropoliticall Churches I suppose will be thought very impertinent to what I have now in hand so it shall not at present be insisted on That the state of Churches in after Ages was moulded and framed after the patterne of the civill Goverment of the Roman Empire is granted And that conformity without offence to any be it spoken we take to be a fruit of the working of the mystery of Iniquity But that there was any such order instituted in the Churches of Christ by the Apostles or any instituted by the Authority from the Lord and Ruler is utterly denyed nor is any thing but very uncertaine conjectures from the sayings of men of after Ages produced to attest any such order or constitution When the order spirituality beauty and glory of the Church of Christ shall returne and men obteine a light whereby they are able to discerne a beauty and excellency in the inward more noble spirituall part indeed life and soul of the worship of God these disputes will have an issue Chrysostome sayes indeed that Corinth was the Metropolis of Achaia but in what sence he sayes not the Politicall is granted the Ecclesiasticall not proved nor are we enquiring what was the state of the Churches of Christ in the dayes of Chrysostome but of Paul But to returne If any one now shall say will you conclude because this evill mentioned by the Apostle is Schisme therefore nothing else is so I Answer that having before asserted this to be the chiefe and only seat of the Doctrine of Schisme I am inclinable so to do and this I am resolved of that unlesse any man can prove that something else is termed schisme by some divine writer or blamed on that head of account by the Holy Ghost elsewhere and is expressly reproved aâ— another crime I will be at Liberty from admitting it so to be But yet for what may hence by a parity of Reason be deduced I shall close with and debate at large as I have professed The Schisme then here described by the Apostle and blamed by him consists in causelesse differences and contentions amongst the members of a particular Church contrary to that of love prudence and forbearance which are required of them to be exercised amongst themselves and towards one another which is also termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15. 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16. 13. And he is a Schismatick that is guilty of this sinne of Schisme that is who raiseth or entertained or persisteth in such differences nor are these termes used by the Divine writers in any other sence That any men may fall under this guilt it is required 1. That they be members of or belong to some one Church which is soe by the institution and appointment of Jesus Christ And we shall see that there is more required hereunto then the bare being a Believer or a Christian 2. That they either raise or entertaine and persist in causelesse differences with others of that Church more or lesse to the interruption of that Exercise of love in all the fruits of it which ought to be amongst them and the disturbance of the due performance of the duties required of the Church in the worship of God As Clement in the forementioned Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. That these differences be occasioned by and do belong to some things in a remoter or nearer distance appertaining to the worship of God their differences on a Civill account are elsewhere mentioned and reproved 1 Ep. cap. 6. for therein also there was from the then state of things an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. This is that Crime which the Apostle rebukes blames condemnes under the name of Schisme and tells them that were guilty of it that they shewed themselves to be carnall or to have indulged to the flesh and the corrupt principle of selfe and their own wills which should have been subdued to the obedience of the Gospell Mens definitions of things are for the most part Arbitrary and loose fitted and suited to their severall apprehensions of Principles and conclusions so that nothing cleare or fixed is generally to be expected from them from the Romanists description of Schisme who violently without the least colour or pretence thrust in the Pope and his Head ship into all that they affirme in Church matters least of all I can allow men that they may extend their definitions of things unto what they apprehend of an alike nature to that which gives rise to the whole disquisition and is the first thing defin'd But at this I must professe my selfe to be somewhat entangled that I could never yet meet with a definition of Schisme that did comprize that was not exclusive of that which alone in the Scripture is affirmed so to be Austins Definition contains the summe of what hath since been insisted on saith He Schisma ni fallor est eadem opinantem eodem ritu utentem solo Congregationis delectari dissidio Gâ—n Faust lib. 20. cap. 3. by dissidium congregationis he intends separation from the Church into a peculiar Congregation a definition directly suited to the cause he had in hand and was pleading against the Donatists Basil in Epist ad Amphiloch Con. 44. distiguisheth between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as he makes Schisme to be a division arising from some Church controversies suitable to what those dayes experienced and in the substance true so he tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when either Presbyters or Bishops or Laicks hold unlawfull meetings Assemblyes or Conventicles which was not long since with us the only Schisme Since those days Schisme in generall hath passed for a causelesse separation from the communion and worship of any true Church of Christ the Catholick Church saith the Papist with a relinquishment of its society as to a joynt celebration of the ordinances of the Gospell how farre this may passe for Schisme and what may be granted in this description of it the processe of our discourse will declare In the mean time I am most certain that a Separation from some Churches true or pretended so to be is commanded in the Scriptures so that the withdrawing from or relinquishment of any Church or society whatever upon the plea of its corruption be it true or false with a mind and resolution to serve God in the due observation of Church institutions according to that light which men have received is no where called Schisme or condemned as a thing of that nature but is a matter that must be tryed out whether it be good or evill by vertue of such generall rules and directions as are given us in the Scriptures for our orderly and blamelesse walking with God in all his wayes As for them who suppose all Church power to be invested in some certain Church Officers originally I meane that
and visible of any Church or Churches on the pretension and plea be it true or otherwise that the worship Doctrine discipline instituted by Christ is corrupted among them with which corruption he dares not defile himselfe it is no where in the Scripture called Schisme noâ— is that case particularly exemplified or expressely supposed whereby a judgement may be made of the fact at large but we are left upon the whole matter to the guidance of such generall principles and Rules as are given us for that end and purpose What may regularly on the other hand be deduced from the commands given to turne away from them who have only a forme of Godlinesse 2 Tim. 3. 5. to withdraw from them that walk disorderly 2 Thes 3. 6. not to beare nor endure in communion men of corrupt principles and wicked lives Rev. 2. 14. but positively to separate from an Apostate Church Rev. 18. 4 that in all things we may worship Christ according to his mind and appointment what is the force of these commands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like is without the compasse of what I am now treating about Of one particular Church departing from that communion with another or others be it what it will which it ought to hold unlesse in the departing of some of them in some things from the common Faith which is supposed not to relate to Schisme in the Scripture we have no example Diotrephes assuming an Authority over that Church wherein he was placed 3 Joh. 9 10. and for a season hindering the brethren from the performance of the duty incumbent upon them toward the great Apostle and others makes the nearest approach to such a division but yet in such a distance that it is not at all to our purpose in hand When I come to consider that communion that Churches have or ought to have among themselves this will be more fully discussed Neither is this my sence alone that there is no instance of any such separation as that which is the matter of our debate to be found in the Scripture It is confessed by others differing from me in and about Church affaires To leave all ordinary communion in any Church with dislike where opposition or offence offers it selfe is to separate from such a Church in the Scripture sence such separation was not in being in the Apostles time say they Papâ—â—accom p. 55. But how they came to know exactly the sence of the Scripture in about things not mentioned in them I know not As I said before were I unwilling I doe not as yet understand how I may be compelled to carry on the notion of Schisme any farther Nor is there need of adding any thing to demonstrate how little the conscience of a godly man walking peaceably in any particular Church society is concerned in all the clamarous disputes of this Age about it being built on false Hypotheses presumptions and notions no other way considerable but as received by tradition from our Fathers But I shall for the sake of some carry on this Discourse to a fuller issue There is another common notion of Schisme which pleads to an originall from that spoken expressly of it by a parity of reason which tolerable in it selfe hath been and is injuriously applyed and used according as it hath fallen into the hands of men who needed it as an engine to fixe or improve them in the station wherein they are or were wherewith they are pleased Indeed being invented for severall purposes there is nothing more frequent then for men who are scarce able to keep off the force of it from their own heads whilest mannaged against them by them above at the same time vigorously to apply it for the oppression of all under them What is on all hands consented unto as its generall nature I shall freely grant that I might have liberty and advantage thence to debate the restriction and application of it to the severall purposes of men prevailing themselves thereon Let then the generall demand be granted that Schisme is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breach of Vnion which I shall attend with one reasonable postulatum namely that this union be an union of the appointment of Jesus Christ The consideration then of what or what sort of union in reference to the worship of God according to the Gospell is instituted appointed by Jesus Christ is the proper foundation of what I have farther to offer in this businesse Let the breach of this if you please be accounted Schisme for being an evill I shall not contend by what name or title it be distinguished It is not pleaded that any kind of relinquishment or desertion of any Church or Churches is presently Schisme but only such a separation as breakes the bond of Vnion instituted by Christ Now this union being instituted in the Church according to the various acceptions of that word so is it distinguished Therefore for a discovery of the nature of that which is particularly to be spoken to and also its contrary I must shew 1. The severall considerations of the Church wherein and with which union is to be preserved 2. What that union is and wherein it doth consist which according to the minde of Christ we are to keep and observe with the Church under the severall notions of it respectively 3 And how that union is broken and what is that sinne whereby it is done In handling this triple proposall I desire that it may not be expected that I should much insist on any thing that falls in my way though never so usefull to my end and purpose which hath been already proved and confirmed by others beyond all possibility of controule and such will many if not most of the principles that I proceed upon appeare to be CAP. IV. Severall Acceptations in the Scripture of the name Church Of the Church Catholick properly so called Of the Church visible Perpetuity of particular Churches A mistake rectifyed The nature of the Church Catholick evinced Bellarmine his description of the Church Catholick Vnion of the Church Catholick wherein it consists Vnion by way of consequence Vnity of Faith Of Love The Communion of the Catholick Church in and with itsselfe The breach of the Vnion of the Church Catholick wherein it consisteth Not morally possible Protestants not guilty of it The Papall world out of interest in the Church Catholick As partly profane Miracles no evidence of Holinesse Partly ignorant Selfe Justitiaries Idolatrous Worshippers of the Beast TO begin with the first thing proposed The Church of Christ living in this world as to our present concernment is taken in Scripture three wayes 1. For the Mysticall body of Christ his Elect Redeemed Justifyed and Sanctifyed ones throughout the world commonly called the Church-Catholick-Militant 2. For the Vniversality of men throughout the world called by the preaching of the word visibly professing and yeilding obedience to the Gospell called by some
the Church-Catholick visible 3. For a particular Church of some place wherein the instituted worship of God in Christ is celebrated according to his minde From the Rise nature of the things themselves doth this distinction of the signification of the word Church arise for whereas the Church is a society of men called out of the world It is evident there is mention of a twofold call in Scripture one effectuall according to the purpose of God Rom. 8. 28. the other only externall The Church must be distinguished according to its answer and obedience to these calls which gives us the two first states and considerations of it And this is confessed by the ordinary glosse ad Rom. 8. Vocatio exterior fit per Praedicatores est communis bonorum malorum interior vero tantum est Electorum And whereas there are Lawes and externall rules for joynt communion given to them that are called which is confessed the necessity of Churches in the last acceptation wherein obedience can alone be yeilded to those Laws is thereby established In the first sence the Church hath as such the properties of perpetuity invisibility infallibility as to all necessary meanes of Salvation attending of it not as notes whereby it may be known either in the whole or any considerable part of it but as certaine Adjuncts of its nature and existence Neither are there any signes of lesse or more certainty whereby the whole may be discerned or known as such though there are of the Individualls whereof it doth consist In the second the Church hath perpetuity visibility infallibility as qualifyed above in a secondary sence namely not as such not as visible and confessing but as comprizing the individualls whereof the Catholick Church doth consist For all that truely believe professe though all that professe doe not truely believe Whether Christ hath had alwayes a Church in the last sence and Acceptation of the word in the world is a most needlesse enquiry nor are we concerned in it any farther then in other matters of fact that are recorded in story though I am apt to believe that although very many in all Ages kept up their station in Relation to the Church in the two former acceptations yet there was in some of them scarce any visible Society of worshippers so far answering the institution of Christ as to render them fit to be owned and joyned withall as a visible particular Church of Christ but yet though the notions of men were generally corrupt the practice of all professours throughout the world whereof so little is recorded at least of them that did best is not rashly to be determined of Nor can our Judgement be censured in this by them who think that when Christ lay in the Grave there was no Believer left but his Mother and that the Church was preserved in that one person So was Bernard minded Tractat. de pass Dom. ego sum vitis sâ—la per illud triste sabbathum stetit in fide salvata fuit Ecclesia in ipsa sola Of the same minde is Marsilius in Sent. Quaest 20. Art 3. as are also others of that sort of men see Bannes in 2. 2. Thom. Quaest. 1. Art 10. I no way doubt of the perpetuall existence of innumerable Believers in every age and such as made the profession that is absolutely necessary to salvation one way or other though I question a regular association of men for the celebration of instituted worship according to the mind of Christ The 7000 in Israel in the dayes of Elijah were members of the Church of God and yet did not constitute a Church state among the ten Tribes But these things must be farther spoken to I cannot but by the way reminde a learned Person with whom I have formerly occasionally had some debate in print about Episcopacy and the state of the first Churches of a mistake of his which he might have prevented with a little enquiry into the judgement of them whom he undertook to confute at a venture I having said that there was not any ordinary Church Officer instituted in the first times relating to more Churches in his Office or to any other Church then a single particular Congregation He replyes that this is the very same which his memory suggested to him out of the Saints Beliefe printed 12 or 14 yeares since where instead of that Article of the Apostolick Symbole the holy Catholick Church this very Hypothesis was substituted If he really believed that in professing I owned no instituted Church with Officers of one denomination in Scripture beyond a single sence v. 24. saith the Apostle I fill up that Congregation I renounced the Catholick Church or was any way necessitated so to doe I suppose he may by what hath now been expressed be rectifyed in his Apprehension If he was willing only to make use of the advantage wherewith he supposed himselfe accommodated by that expression to presse the perswasion owned in the minds of ignorant men who could not but startle at the noyse of denying the Catholick Church it may passe at the same rate that most of the reports in such discourses are to be allowed at But to proceed In the first sence the word is used Mat. 16. 28. upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it this is the Church of the Elect redeemed justifyed sanctifyed ones that are so built on Christ and these only and all these are interested in the promise made to the Church as such in any sence but is peculiarly made therein to every one that is truely properly a part member of that Church Who and who only are interested in that promise Christ himselfe declares Joh. 6. 40. Joh. 10 28 29. Joh. 17. 20 24. they that will apply this to the Church in any other sence must know that it is incumbent on them to establish the promise made to it unto every one that is a true member of the Church in that sence which whatever be the sence of the promise I suppose they will find difficult worke of Eph. 5. 25 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himselfe a Glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing He speakes only of those whom Christ loved antecedently to his dying for them whereof his love to them was the cause who they are is manifest Joh. 10. 15. Joh. 17. 17. And those on whom by his death he accomplished the effects mentioned of washing cleansing and sanctifying bringing them into the Condition promised to the bride the Lambs wife Rev. 19. 8. which is the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 2. of elected saved ones v. 27. Col. 1. 18. containes an expression of the same light and evidence Christ is the head of the body the
are enquiring after But because there is very little security to be enjoyed in an expectation of the sobriety of men in things wherein they are or suppose they may be concerned that they may know before hand what is farther incumbent on them if in reference to us they would prevaile themselves of any such notion I here informe them that our perswasion is that this union was never utterly broken by any man taken into it or ever shall be to the end of the World and I suppose they esteeme it vaine to dispute about the Adâ—uncts of that which is denyed to be But yet this perswasion being not common to us with them with whom we have to doe in this matter I shall not farther make use of it as to our present defence That any other union of the Catholick Church as such can possibly be fancyed or imagined by any as to the substance of what hath been pleaded leaving him a plea for the ordinary soâ—ndnes of his Intellectualls is denyed Let us see now then what is our concernment in this discourse unlesse men can prove that we have not the spirit of God that we do not savingly believe in Jesus Christ that we doe not sincerely love all the Saints his whole body and every member of it they cannot disprove our interest in the Catholick Church It is true indeed men that have so great a confidence of their own Abilities and such a contempt of the World as to undertake to dispute them out of conclusions from their naturall sences about their proper Objects in what they see feele and handle and will not be satisfied that they have not proved there is no motion whilst a man walks for a conviction under their eye may probably venture to disprove us in our spirituall sense and experience also and to give us Arguments to perswade us that we have not that communion with Christ which we know we have every day Although I have a very meane perswasion of my own Abilities yet I must needs say I cannot think that any man in the world can convince me that I doe not love Jesus Christ in sincerity because I doe not love the Pope as he is so Spirituall Experience is a security against a more cunning Sophister then any Jesuâ—â—te in the world with whom the Saintâ— of God have to deale all their lives Eph. 6. 12. And doubtlesse through the rich grace of our God helpe will arise to us that we shall never make a Covenant with these men for peace upon conditions for worse then those that Nahash would have exacted on the men of Jabesh Gileadâ— which were but the losse of one eye with an abiding reproach they requiring of us the deprivation of whatsoever we have to see by whether as men or Christians and that with a reproach never to be blotted out But as we daily put our Consciences upon triall as to this thing 1 Cor. 13. 5. and are put unto it by Sathan so are we readie at all times to give an account to our Adversaries of the hope that us in us Let them sift us to the utmost it will be to our advantage Only let them not bring frivolous objections and such as they know are of no weight with us speaking as is their constant manner about the Pope and their Church things utterly forraigne to what we are presently about miserably begging the thing in Question Let them weigh if they are able the true nature of Vnion with Christ of faith in him of Love to the Saints consider them in their proper Causes Adjuncts and Effects with a sprituall eye laying aside their prejudices and intolerable impositions if we are found wanting as to the truth and sincerity of these things if we cannot give some account of our translation from death to life of our implantation into Christ and our participation of the Spirit we must beare our own burthen if otherwise we stand fast on the most noble and best account of Church Vnion what ever and whilest this shield is safe we are lesse â—mxious about the issue of the ensuing contest Whatever may be the apprehensions of other men I am not in this thing sollicitous I speake not of my selfe but assuming for the present the person of one concerning whom these things may be spoken whilest the efficacy of the Gospell accomplisheth in my heart all those divine and mighty effects which are ascribed unto it as peculiarly it workes towards them that believe whilest I know this one thing that whereas I was blind now I see whereas I was a servant of sinne I am now free to righteousnesse at liberty from bondage unto death instead of the fruits of the flesh I find all the fruits of the Spirit brought forth in me to the praise of Gods glorious grace whilest I have an experience of that powerfull work of conversion and being borne againe which I am able to mannage against all the accusations of Satan having peace with God upon justification by faith with the love of God shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost investing me in the priviledges of Adoption I shall not certainly be moved with the disputes of men that would perswade me I doe not belong to the Catholick Church because I doe not follow this or that or any part of men in the world But you will say this you will allow to them also with whom you have to doe that they may be members of the Catholick Church I leave other men to stand or fall to their own Master only as to the Papall multitude on the account of severall inconsistencies between them and the members of this Church I shall place some swords in the way which will reduce their number to an invisible scantling I might content my selfe by affirming at once that upon what hath been spoken I must exclude from the Catholick Church all and every one whom Bellarmine intends to include in it as such namely those who belong to the Church as hairs and ill humours to the body of a man But I adde in particular 1. All wicked and prophane persons of whom the Scripture speakes expressly that they shall not enter into the Kingdome of God are indisputably cut off Whatever they pretend in shew at any time in the outward duties of Devotion they have neither faith in Christ nor love to the Saints and so have part and fellowship neither in the union nor communion of the Catholick Church How great a proportion of that Synogogue whereof we are speaking will be taken off by this sword of their Popes Princes Prelates Clergie Votaries and people and that not by a rule of private surmises but upon the visible issue of their being servants to sin â—aters of God and good men is obvious to all Persons of really so much as reformed lives amongst them are like the berries after the shaking of an Olive tree 1 Cor 6. 7 8
the Gospell and communion thereof CHAP. V. Of the Catholick Church visible Of the Nature thereof In what sense the Vniversality of Professors is called a Church Amiraldus his Judgement in this businesse The Vnion of the Church in this sense wherein it consists Not the same with the Vnion of the Church Catholick Nor that of a particular instituted Church Not in relation to any one officer or more in subordination to one another Such a subordination not proveable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Nicene Synod Of generall Councells Vnion of the Church visible not in a generall Councell The true Vnity of the Vniversality of professors asserted Things necessary to this union Story of a Martyr at Bagdat The Apostacy of Churches from the unity of the Faith Testimony of Hegesippus Vindicated Papall Apostacy Protestants not guilty of the breach of this Vnity The Catholick Church in the sence insisted on granted by the Ancients Not a Politicall body THe Second generall notion of the Church as it is usually taken signifies the Vniversality of men professing the Doctrine of the Gospell and obedience to God in Christ according to it throughout the World This is that which is commonly called the visible Catholick Church which now together with the union which it hath in its selfe and how that Unity is broken falls under consideration That all Professors of the Gospell throughout the World called to the knowledge of Christ by the Word doe make up and constitute his visible Kingdome by their professed subjection to him and so may be called his Church I grant That they are precisely so called in Scripture is not unquestionable What relation it stands in to all particular Churches whether as a Genus to its Species or as a Totum to its parts hath lately by many been discussed I must crave leave to deny that it is capable of filling up or of being included in any of these denominations and Relations The Vniversall Church we are speaking of is not a thing that hath as such a specificative forme from which it should be called an Vniversall Church as a particular hath for its ground of being so called It s but a collection of all that are duely called Christians in respect of their profession nor are the severall particular Churches of Christ in the world so parts and members of any Catholick Church as that it should be constituted or made up by them and of them for the order and purpose of an instituted Church that is the cellebration of the worship of God and Institutions of Jesus Christ according to the Gospell which to assert were to overthow a remarkable difference between the oeconomy of the Old Testament the New Nor do I think that particular Congregations doe stand unto it in the Relation of Species unto a Genus in which the whole nature of it should be preserved and comprized which would deprive every one of membership in this Vniversall Church which is not joyned actually to some particular Church or Congregation then which nothing can be more devoid of truth To debate the thing in particular is not my present intention nor is needfull to the purpose in hand The summe is the Vniversall Church is not so called upon the same account that a particular Church is so called The formal Reason constituting a particular Church to be a particular Church is that those of whom it doth consist doe joyne together according to the minde of Christ in the excercise of the same numericall Ordinances for his worship And in this sence the Vniversal Church cannot be said to be a Church as though it had such a particular forme of its own which that it hath or should have is not only false but impossible But it is so called because all Christians throughout the world excepting some individuall persons providentially excluded do upon the enjoyment of the same preaching of the word the same Sacraments administred in specie profes one common faith and hope but to the joynt performance of any exercise of Religion that they should heaâ—e one Sermon together or partake of one Sacrament or have one Officer for their Rule and Government is ridiculous to imagine nor doe any professe to think so as to any of the particulars mentioned but those only who have profit by the fable As to the description of this Church I shall acquiesce in that lately given of it by a very learned Man Saith he Ecclesia Vniversalis est communio seu societas omnium coetuum I had rather he had said and he had done it more agreeable to principles by himselfe laid down omnium Fidem Christianam profitentium sive illi ad Ecclesias aliquas particulares pertineant sive non pertineant qui Religionem Christianam profitentur consistens in eo quod tametâ—â— neque exercitia pietatis uno numero frequentent neque Sacramenta eadem numero participent neque uno eodemque omnino ordine regantur gubernentur unum tamen corpus in eo constituunt quôd eundem Christum Servatorem habere se profitentur uno in Evangelio propositum iisdem promissionibus comprehensum quas obsignant confirmant Sacramenta ex eadem institutione pendentia Amyrald Thes de Eccles nom defin The. 29. There being then in the World a great multitude which no man can number of all Nations Kindreds people and languages professing the doctrine of the Gospell not tied to mountaines or hills Joh. 4. but worshipping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Let us consider what union there is amongst them as such wrapping them all in the bond thereof by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ and wherein the breach of that union doth consist and how any man is or may be guilty thereof I suppose this will be granted That only Elect believers belong to the Church in this sense considered is a Chimaera feigned in the braines of the Romanists and fastened on the Reformed Divines I wholly assent to Austins dispute on this head against the Donatists and the whole entanglement that hath been about this matter hath arisen from obstinacy in the Papists in not receiving the Catholick Church in the sense mentioned before which to doe they know would be injurious to their interest This Church being visible and professing and being now considered under that constituting difference that the union of it cannot be the same with that of the Catholick Church before mentioned it is cleare from hence that multitudes of men belong unto it who have not the Relation mentioned before to Christ and his body which is required in all comprehended in that union seeing many are called but few are chosen Nor can it consist in a joynt Assembly either ordinary or extraordinary for the celebration of the Ordinances of the Gospell or any one of them as was the case of the Church of the Jewes which met at set times in one place
thus related In quem alium crediderunt Gentes universae nisi in ipsum qui jam venit Cui enim alii Gentes crediderunt Parthi Medi Elamitae qui habitant Mesopotamiam Armeniam Phrygiam immorantes Aegyptum regionem Africae quae est trans Cyrenem Romani incolae tunt in Hierusalem Iudei Gentes caeterae ut jam Getulonum varietates Maurorum nulli fines Hispanarum omnes termini Galliarum diversae Nationes Britanorum inaccessa loca Romanis Christo vero subdita Sarmatarum Dacorum Germanorum Seytharum abditarum multarum Gentium Provinciarum Insâ—larum multarum nobis ignotarum quae enumerare non possumus in quibus omnibus locis Christi nomen qui jam venit regnaâ— ad Iudaeos Some have sayd and doe yet say that the Church in this sence is a Visible Organicall Politicall body That its visible is confessed both its matter and farme bespeakes visibility as an unseparable Adjunct of its subsisting That it is a body also in the generall sence wherein that word is used or a society of men embodyed by the profession of the same Faith is also granted Organicall in this businesse is an ambiguous terme The use of it is plainly Metaphoricall taken from the members instruments and Organs of a naturall body Because Paul hath said that in one body there are many members as eyes feet hands yet the body is but one so is the Church It hath been usually said that the Church is an Organicall body What Church Paul speakes of in that place is not evident but what he alludes unto is The difference he speaks of in the individuall persons of the Church is not in respect of Office Power and Authority but gifts or graces and usefullnesse on that account such an Organical body we confesse the Church Catholick visible to be in it are persons indued with varietie of gifts and graces for the benefit and ornament of the whole An Organicall Politicall body is a thing of another nature a Politick body or Common-wealth is a Society of a certain portion of mankind united under some forme of Rule or government whose supreame and subordinate administration is committed to severall persons according to the Tenor of such Laws and Customes as that Society hath or doth consent unto This also is said to be Organicall on a Metaphoricall account because the Officers and Members that are in it and over it hold proportion to the more noble parts of the body Kings are said to be Heads Councellors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the constitution of such a Common-wealth distâ—â—ctly as such it is required that the whole hath the same Laws but not that only Two Nations most distinct and different on the account of other ends and interests may yet have the same individuall Laws and customes for the distribution of Justice and preservation of peace among themselves An entire forme of Regiment and government peculiar thereunto is required for the constitution of a distinct Politicall Body In this sence we denie the Church whereof we speake to be an Organicall Politicall Body as not having indeed any of the requisites thereunto Not one Law of Order the same individuall Morall Law or Law for Morall duties it hath but a Law given to the whole as such for Order Polity Rule it hath not All the members of it are obliged to the same Law of Order and Polity in their severall Societies But the whole as such hath no such Law it hath no such head or Governour as such Nor will it suffice to say that Christ is its head for if as a visible Politicall body â—t hath a Politicall Head that Head also must be visible The Commonweal of the Jews was a Politicall body of this God was the Head and King hence their Historian saith their Government was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when they would choose a King God said they rejected him who was their politicall Head to whom a sickle was paid yearly as Tribute called the sickle of the Sanctuary Now they rejected him not by asking a King simply but a King after the manner of the Nations yet that it might be a visible Politicall Body it required a visible supreame Magistrate to the wholeâ—… which when there was none all Polity was dissolved amongst them Judg. 21. Christ is the head of every particular Church its Lawgiver and Ruler but yet to make a Church a visible Organicall Politicall Body it 's required that it hath visible Governours Rulers and of the whole Nor can it be said that it is a Politicall body that hath a supreame Government Order in it as it is made up and Constituted of particular Churches and that in the Representatives convened doth the supream visible power of it consist for such a Convention in the judgement of all ought to be Extraordinary only in ours is utterly impossible and de facto was not among the Churches for 300 years yea never besides the visible Catholick Church is not made up of particular Churches as such for if so then no man can be member of it but by vertue of his being a Member of some visible Church which is false profession of the Truth as before stated is the formall Reason and Cause of any Persons Relation to the Church visible which he hath thereby whether he belong to any particular Church or no. Let it be evidenced that the Universall Church whereof we speake hath any Law or Rule of Order and Government as such given unto it or that it is in possibility as such to put any such Law or Rule into execution that it hath any homogeneous Ruler or Rulers that have the care of the Administration of the Rule and Government of the whole as such committed to him or them by Jesus Christ that as it hath the same common spirituall and known Orders and Interests and the same Specificall Ecclesiasticall Rule given to all its Members so it hath the same Politicall interest Order and Conversation as such or that it hath any one cause constitutive of a Politicall Body whereby it is such or hath at all the forme of an Instituted Church or is capable of any such forme and they that doe so shall be farther attended to CHAP. VI. Romanists charge of Schisme on the account of separation from the Church Catholick proposed to consideration The importance of this plea on both sides The summe of their charge The Church of Rome not the Church Catholick Not a Church in any sence Of Antichrist in the Temple The Catholick Church how intrusted with interpretation of Scripture Of intepretation of Scripture by Tradition The interest of the Romane Church herein discharged All necessary truths believed by Protestants No contrary principle by them manifested Profane persons no members of the Church Catholick Of the late Romane Proselyts Of the Donatists Their businesse reported and case stated The Present
state of things unsuited to those of old Apostacy from the Vnity of the Church Catholick charged on the Romanists Their claime to be that Church sanguinary false Their plea to this purpose considered The blasphemous mannagement of their plea by some of late The whole dissolved Their inferences on their plea practically prodigious Their Apostacy proved by instances Their grand Argument in this cause proposed Answered Consequences of denying the Roman Church to be a Church of Christ weighed LEt us see now what as to conscience can be charged on us Protestants I meane who are all concerned herein as to the breach of this union The Papists are the persons that undertake to mannage this Charge against us To lay aside the old Plea subesse Romano Pontifici and all those â—eats wherewith they jugled when the whole world saâ—e in darknesse which they doe not now use at the entrance of their charge The summe of what they insist upon firstly is The Catholick Church is intrusted with the interpretation of the Scriptures and declaration of the Truths therein contained which being by it so declared the not receiving of them implicitely or explicitely that is the disbelieving of them as so proposed and declared cuts off any man from being a member of the Church Christ himselfe having said that he that heares not the Church is to be as an Heathen man or Publican which Church they are that is certaine It is all one then what we believe or doe not believe seeing that we believe not all that the Catholick Church proposeth to be believed and what we doe believe we believe not on haâ— account Ans Their insisting on this plea so much as they doe is sufficient to evince their despair of making good by instance our faylure in respect of the way and principles by which the unity of the visible Church may be lost or broken Faile they in this they are gone and if they carrie this plea we are all at their disposall The summe of it is the Catholick Church is intrusted with sole power of delivering what is truth and what is necessary to be believed This Catholick Church is the Church of Rome that is the Pope or what else may in any juncture of time serve their interest But as it is known 1. We deny their Church as it is stiled to be the Catholick Church or as such any part of it as particular Churches are called or esteemed So that of all men in the World they are least concerned in this Assertion Nay I shall goe farther Suppose all the members of the Roman Church to be found in the Faith as to all necessary Truths and no way to prejudice the Advantages and priviledges which accâ—â—e to them by the profession thereof whereby the severall individualls of it would be true members of the Catholick Church yet I should not only deny it to be the Catholick Church but also abideing in its present Order and Constitution being that which by themselves it is supposed to be to be any particular Church of Christ at all as wanting many things necessary to constitute them so and having many things destructive utterly to the very Essence and being of that Order that Christ hath appointed in his Churches The best plea that I know for their Church state is that Antichrist sits in the Temple of God Now although we might justly omit the Examination of this pretence untill those who are concerned in it will professedly owne it as their plea yet as it lyes in our way in the thoughts of some I say to it that I am not so certaine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to sit in the Temple of God seeing a Learned man long agoe thought it rather to be a setting up against the Temple of God Aug. de Civitate Dei lib. 10. cap. 59. But grant the sence of the expression to be as it 's usually received it imports no more but that the man of sinne shall set up his power against God in the midst of them who by their outward visible profession have right to be called his Temple which intitles him and his Copartners in Apostacy to the name of the Church as much as changing of mony and selling of Cattle were Ordinances of God under the old Temple when by some mens practising of them in it it was made a den of Theeves 2. Though as to the plea of them and their interest with whom we have to do we have nothing requiring our Judgements in the case yet ex abundanti we adde that we deny that by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ the Catholick Church visible is in any sence intrusted with such an interpretation of Scripture as that her declaration of Truth should be the measure of what should be believed or that as such it is intrusted with any power of that nature at all or is inabled to propose a Rule of Faith to be received as so proposed to the most contemptible individuall in the world or that it is possible that any voice of it should be heard or understood but only this I believe the necessary saving Truths contained in the Scripture or that it can be consulted with all or is as such intrusted with any Power Authority or Jurisdiction nor shall we ever consent that the Office and Authority of the Scriptures be actually taken from it on any pretence As to that of our Saviour of telling the Church it is so evidently spoken of a particular Church that may immediately be consulted in case of difference between Brethren and does so no way relate to the businesse in hand that I shall not trouble the Reader with a debate of it But doe we not receive the Scripture it selfe upon the Authority of the Church I say if we did so yet this concernes not Rome which we account no Church at all That we have received the Scripture from the Church of Rome at first that is so much as the Book its selfe is an intollerable figment But it is worse to say that we receive and own their Authority from the Authority of any Church or all the Churches in the World It is the expression of our Learned Whitaker Qui Scripturâ—â—â— non credit esse divinam nisi propter Ecclesiae vocem Christianus non est To deny that the Scripture hath immediate force and efficacy to evince its own Authority is plainly to deny them on that account being brought unto us by the providence of God wherein I comprize all subservient helps of humane Testimony we receive them and on no other But is not the Scripture to be interpreted according to the Tradition of the Catholick Church and are not those interpretations so made to be received I say among all the figments that these latter Ages have invented I shall adde amongst the true stories of Lucian there is not one more remote from Truth then this Assertion That all that any one Text of Scripture may be interpreted according to the universall Tradition of the Catholick Church and
be made appeare so to be any farther then that in Generall the Catholick Church hath not believed any such sence to be in any portion of Scripture which to receive were destructive of Salvation And therefore the Romanists tell us that the present Church that is theirs is the keeper and interpreter of these Traditions or rather that its Power Authority and Infability being the same that it hath been in former Ages what it determines is to be received to be the Tradition of the Catholick Church for the triall whereof whether it be so or no there is no rule but its own determination which if they can perswade us to acquiesce in I shall grant that they have acquired such an absolute dominion over Vs and our Faith that it is fit that we should be Soul and Body at their disposall It being then the work of the Scripture to propose the saving Truths of Christ the beliefe and profession whereof are necessary to make a man a member of the Church so as to make them of indispensable necessity to be received if they can from them convince us that we doe not believe and professe all every one of the Truths or Articles of Faith so necessary as expressed we shall fall down under the Authority of such conviction If not we professe our Consciences to be no more concerned in the Authority of their Church then we judge their Church to be in the priviledges of the Church Catholick But 2. It may be we are chargeable with manifesting some principles of Prophanenesse wherewith the beliefe of the Truth we professe hath an absolute inconsistency For those who are liable and obnoxious to this charge I say let them plead for themselves For let them professe what they will and cry out 10000 times that they are Christians I shall never acknowledge them for others then visible enemies of the Crosse Kingdome and Church of Christ Traytors and Rebells are not de facto Subjects of that King or Ruler in reference to whom they are so Of some who said they were Jewes Christ said they lyed and were not but the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2 9. Though such as these say they are Christians I will be bold to say they lye they are not but slaves of Sathan Though they live within the Pale as they call it of the Church the Catholick Church being an inclosure as to profession not place yet they are not within it nor of it any more then a Jew or Mahumetan within the same precinct suppose they have been Baptized yet if their belly be their God and their lives dedicated to Satan all the Advantage they have thereby is that they are Apostates and Renegadoes That we have added any thing of our owne making profession of any thing in Religion absolutely destructive to the fundamentalls we professe I know not that we are accused seeing our crime is asserted to consist in detracting not adding Now unlesse we are convinced of failing on one of these three accounts we shall not at all question but that we abide in the unity of the visible Catholick Church It is the common cry of the Romanists that we are Schismaticks Why so because we have separated our selves from the communion of the Catholick Church what this Catholick is and how little they are concerned in it hath been declared How much they have prevailed themselves with ignorant soules by this plea we know Nor was any other successe to be expected in respect of many whom they have wonne over to themselves who being persons ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and the power of the Faith they have professed not having had experience of communion with the Lord Jesus under the conduct of them have been upon every provocation and temptation a ready prey to deceivers Take a little view of their late Proselyts and it will quickly appeare what little cause they have to boast in them With some by the craft and folly of some Relations they are admitted to treat when they are drawing to their dissolution These for the most part having been persons of dissolute and profligate lives never having tasted the power of any Religion whatever they have professed in their weakenesse and disturbed dying thoughts may be apt to receive any impression that with confidence and violence is imposed upon them Besides it is a farre easier proposall to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and so by Purgatorie to get to Heaven then to be told of Regeneration Repentance Faith and the Covenant of Grace things of difficulty to such poor Creatures Others that have been cast down from their hopes and Expectations or out from their enjoyments by the late revolution in these Nations have by their discontent or necessity made themselves an easie prey to their zeale What hath been the residue of thir Proselytes What one who hath ever manifested himselfe to share in the power of our Religion or was not prepared by principles of superstition almost as deep as their own have they prevailed on But I shall not farther insist on these things To returne Our communion with the visible Catholick Church is in the unity of the faith only The breach of this union and therein a relinquishment of the communion of the Church lyes in a relinquishment of or some opposition to some or all of the saving necessary truths of the Gospell Now this is not Schisme but Heresie or Apostacy or it is done by an open profligatenesse of life so that indeed this charge is nothing at all to the purpose in hand though through Grace in a confidence of our own innocency we are willing to debate the guilt of the crime under any name or title whatever Unto what hath been spoken I shall only adde the removeall of some common objections with a recharge on them with whom principally we have as yet had to do come to the last thing proposed The case of some of old who were charged with Schisme for separating from the Catholick Church on an account wholy and cleerly distinct from that of a departure from the faith is an instance of the judgement of antiquity lying in an opposition to the notion of departure from the Church now delivered Doth not Augustine Doe not the rest of his Orthodox contemporaries charge the Donatists with Schisme because they departed from the Catholick Church And doth not the charge rise up with equall efficacy against you as them At least doth it not give you the nature of Schisme in another sence then is by you granted The Reader knows sufficiently if he hath at al taken notice of these things whereto find this cloud scattered without the least annoyance or detriment to the Protestant cause or of any concerned in that name however by lesser differences diversified among themselves I shall not repeate what by others hath been