himself to some particular Society he that is in the Communion of the Church of England must appear to live in the Communion of the Catholick Church more than any Member of the Church of Rome And you were strangely mistaken in your Sentiments of Religion when in this Notion of the Catholick Church you quitted the one Communion and Embrac'd the other § 4. But perhaps you will tell me that the Church of Rome is truly Catholick not so much upon account of its extent or comprehension or even the terms of Communion in her as for her Antiquity and Catholick Doctrin in that she appears the same from the days of the Apostles while the Church of England as it is now establisht seems to take her date from the Reformation of her If these should be your thoughts there are two particulars that deserve to be considered by you 1 st That no Article of Faith is maintained in the Church of England as necessary to Salvation but what is evidently founded on the Holy Scriptures and consequently hath been believed and received as such by every true Christian from the Primitive Ages So that you cannot instance any one particular that we hold as such to which the universal rule of Catholick Doctrin may not be easily and properly applyed viz. Ab omnibus ubique semper fuit creditum It was at all times and in all places and by all Men believed Whereas every particular wherein the Church of Rome doth differ from her is also evidently of a later date and it is easie to instance whenever you require it if not the particular time when it was introduc'd at least a certain Age when it was not so believed And consequently then the Doctrin of the Church of Rome as she is at variance with the Church of England cannot with any Truth be stiled Catholick nor as it is such be the occasion of your Change § 5. The Second particular is that the Reformation of any thing doth not extirpate its former being and new make it nor yet essentially change it from the same thing that it was before but only rectifying what was formerly amiss and removing all things that were repugnant to its Nature it leaves the Being essentially the same but renders it abundantly more pure and illustrious The Church of England therefore cannot be truly said to have lost or changed any of the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion by her Reformation or any wise to cease from being the same Church that it was before since whatsoever was received by the Primitive Christians she still holdeth believeth and openly professeth and whatsoever was not so she never could esteem as part of her Religion And she hath made no change either in her Faith or Practice but by rejecting of such Unchristian Novelties as in the times of Ignorance and oppressing Tyranny were slily introduc'd and forcibly imposed upon her Whereas in the Canons of the Council of Trent which do comprize the Faith and regulate the Communion of the Church of Rome not only many things reputed by the Ancient Fathers as uncertain for instance Purgatory as I shewed before but also some that are evidently false viz. Transubstantiation as will appear hereafter are not only therein determined and as Articles of your Faith made a part of your Religion but also delivered to us with an Anathema to Unbelievers and as the express terms of the Communion If therefore you will say that the Religion or the Being of a Church is to take its beginning from the last system of the Christian Faith or the last change of Discipline that was Establisht in her and will consider farther that the Faith of a Christian is to be measured à credendis not à negatis from the points to be believed not those uncertainties that are deny'd by him You will find it necessary to acknowledge that the Old Religion is maintained in the Church of England and that that of the Church of Rome is of a later date Since the Church of England as I shew'd before stands by the Primitive Rule of Faith and what ever was so determined by the first four General Councils and this without the mixture of any Secular Notions or any thing that is opposite either to Reason or the Scriptures and consequently then she professeth the same Faith and the same Religion which she ever did and is not essentially changed since she was first Establish'd But the Church of Rome hath evidently made many changes and innovations both in Faith and Practice and hath imposed new Articles as necessary to Salvation which were never so reputed before her Injunction And therefore in point of Doctrin as also she cannot be truly called the Catholick Church nor on that account have drawn you to her Communion § 6. As to your second Motive founded upon the Excellence both of Faith and Practice which you supposed in the Church of Rome as that it is more Orthodox than the Church of England Should I Examine at large every particular Disputation into which this Point may lead us to determine it and which is already extant and discust fully upon this Subject it would probably require more time than I can have leisure to expend and withal would seem impertinent to my present design which is your Satisfaction with all brevity and plainess Especially when so much hath been said already by more Learned Persons that it is almost as impossible to add to as to answer their Arguments and I cannot but suppose that you are acquainted with them although you seem not satisfied nor convinced by their Evidence It is certainly sufficient in this case to have recourse but to our foundation that our Faith and Worship both are wholly founded upon the Scriptures have the consent of the Universal Church backt with Reason and an uninterrupted Practice which warrants and maintains whatever we hold as necessary against the force of all manner of Opponents Whereas the Doctrin and Devotion of the Church of Rome is chiefly built upon a loose Tradition or rather indeed the Projects and Inventions of Monastick Votaries such as True Religion cannot countenance nor the Law of God be perswaded to comply with In so much that should a Stranger but inspect our Churches and knowing only that God is a Spirit and that they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth should he examine the grounds and circumstances of Publick Devotion in them he would discover clearly the Nature of our Religion both consonant to Reason and the God we Worship while the other is hid in Ceremonies buried in external I ormalities and makes but a meer shew or pageant of Devotion § 7. But since however there is one particular case of moment in deciding whereof this Question may be resolved also viz. Whither the Church of Rome or Church of England is more Pure and Orthodox both in Faith and Worship It will not be amiss to enquire into it
A LETTER TO A FRIEND Concerning his CHANGING HIS RELIGION IMPRMATUR June 23. 1692. R. BARKER LONDON Printed for R. Clavell at the Peacock in St. Paul's-Church yard 1692. The CONTENTS SHewing the reasonableness of any Man 's changing his Religion upon proper Motives and of what nature they are and wherein the scandal of such a change is truly given An enquiry is then made into the reasons of this Gentleman's Proceedings and those are observed to be chiefly two viz. That he might become more truly in the Communion of the Catholick Church and that he might be more Pure and Orthodox in his Faith and Worship § 1. The first of these Proposals iâ— examined and the Church of Rome is shewn not to 〈◊〉 the Catholick Church upon account either of its Authority or Comprehension The first is proved in that the Catholick Church was not establish'd by our Saviour under a Monarchical but an Aristocratical Government and this is shewn farther from the election and practice of the twelve Apostles That the Church of Rome is but a particular Church is also shewn from Scripture An Objection relating to St. Peter is answered The practice of the Apostles and the Bishops their Successours shews that their Government was in Society Several reasons are urged farther to prove that the Church of Rome cannot be the Catholick Church and that the Church of England as a particular Church hath equal right and as good a claim as she to all those Promises which are made unto the Church by our Blessed Saviour in the Gospel § 2. This is further shewn to have been the opinions even of the Church of Rome in former Ages and proved from her Decrees and Practice in the Sacrament of Baptism A Comparison is also made between the Church of Rome and that of the Donatists on this pretence and St. Augustine's Argument against the one applyed in terminis unto the other § 3. A Comparison is also made between the Church of Rome and Church of England as to terms of Communion and thereby it is shewn that according to his notion of Catholick he that lives in the Communion of the Church of England lives more in the Communion of the Catholick Church than any Member of the Church of Rome § 4. A further Comparison is made between the Churches as to the Universality of their Doctrin and thereby it is shewn that the Catholick Faith is much more truly profest in the Church of England than in the Church of Rome § 5. It is also shewn that in point of Doctrin the Church of England is more antient than the Church of Rome so that the old Religion appears evidently to be still profest there and that no new Doctrin was brought in but rather abolisht by the Reformation § 6. The second Motive is enquired into and examined and a brief Comparison in this point is made between the Churches shewing how the one is â—ounded on the Scriptures and is consonant to the Law of God and the Principles of Reason while the other hath no ground but a loose Tradition and Contradicts them both in her Doctrin and Religious Practice § 7. The Question is more particularly stated in that Doctrin and Practice that relates unto the Sacrament With a brief Observation of the unreasonableness of the one and the danger of the other as they now stand in the Church of Rome § 8. The Doctrin of the Church of Rome in this Point is laid down and two observations are made upon it First That our Saviour's words at the Institution of the Sacrament are not to be understood in a literal sense as she asserteth Secondly That if they were yet neither can her Doctrin be inferred from them nor her Practice be justified by them § 9. The first of these is proved 1st From the nature of the thing in that it contradicts our Senses which are shewn to be proper Judges in this Case as well as any other The imposition also of the Schoolmen is detected in treating on this subject in improper terms and farther it is also shewn that in this sense they cannot agree with the concomitant expressions as well before as after the Institution § 10. The same thing is proved 2dly From the design of the Institution which is shewn and explained and then compared with the Passover and other Sacrifices among the Jews and so both the Practice and the Benefits thereof are illustrated by shewing what they did and what they expected § 11. It is proved also 3dly From the occasion of that expression which is shewn to be a parallel Phrase constantly in use among the Jews at the Celebration of the Passover and so by the evident meaning of their words the sense of our Saviour is fully explained § 12. The Doctrin of the Church of England in this Point is shewn to agree with that of the Fathers and the ancient Doctrin of the Church of Rome her self This is shewn to be still evident in the Roman Missal although it hath been alter'd since the days of St. Ambrose to make it more conformable to the present Doctrin § 13. The former Observation is proved 4thly From our Saviour's own Declaration John vi Where he tells his Disciples that he is spiritually to be understood and therefore as is further observed not only St. Paul but even the aforesaid Missal calleth the Sacrament Bread after its Consecration § 14. Another Comparison is made between the Doctrin of the Church of Rome and that of the Church of England as to the consequences of them and thereby shewn that in the Church of Rome Men hazard their Salvation on the truth of an Opinion that may be false and more than probably is so for none not the least advantage if it should be true § 15. The other Observation also is propounded and therein it is shewn that our Saviour's words in the literal sense can only respect his Body and that too as it was dead and offer'd up to God in Sacrifice And several Reasons are offered thence to shew that this is not a proper Object for Divine Worship and therefore observed that the Council of Trent to justifie their Practice do strein the words abundantly beyond all that they can bear without any Reason or Authority for it § 16. Another danger is observed even in going to Mass as it is in the general Practice of the Church of Rome in that many are always present whenever the Sacrament is Administred who are not in a fit state to be Partakers of it and this is shewn from Scripture as well as the Practice of the Primitive Christians § 17. Some other Particulars of the like nature are proposed and briefly toucht to shew the further evidence of the Proposition discust And so the Conclusion is made with an Exhortation to return A LETTER TO A Friend c. SIR AS every Man's Salvation is his Principal Concern and ought to be the chief end of all his Undertakings
understand it Mystically or reject those expressions as false and incongruous And it is also observable in other places when some of them fly higher in their Rhetorical expressions and to enflame the Zeal or to raise the Devotion of their Auditors who were apt to think too grosly of this Sacred Ordinance seem to express this change which you desire I say it is observable that they often speak not only beyond the truth and all that we believe but even the very utmost that you your selves will own and consequently there is no reliance upon such expressions as shew not the Faith but the Fancy of their Author Nay although it is apparent that the Roman Missal hath been alter'd since the days of St. Ambrose to make it more conformable to your present Doctrin Yet there is a memorable expression still retained in it in the very Prayer of Consecration wherein the Ancient Doctrin is sufficiently apparent For it is certain that no Man wou'd ever pray to God to grant him less than he expected to receive and yet it is obvious that although they pretend to a Transubstantiation yet they desire no more there than what we Pray for who do not believe it Their words are these Quam oblationem tu Deus in omnibus quaesumus ut benedictam c. Facere digneris ut nobis corpus sanguis fiat dilectissimi Filii tui c. Which Oblation we beseech thee O God to vouchsafe to render blessed c. that it may become to us the Body and Blood of thy most Beloved Son c. Since then the difference on debate is this whether the Elements in the Sacrament are changed as to their substance and so really made the Body and Blood of Christ in se in themselves as the Church of Rome asserteth or whether without any such Change or Alteration of their Substance they become Spiritually or Sacramentally so Nobis to us who do Receive by Faith the Body and Blood of Christ in them as the Church of England doth express it I say it is sufficiently apparent that the Composers of the Roman Missal have delivered their Opinion for us to be the same with that of the Church of England and not with the present Church of Rome So that the Ancient Doctrin of that Church is evidently for us and whatever is profest in point of Faith upon other occasions yet the truth in this place so far prevaileth as to be openly asserted whenever Mass is Celebrated among you § 13. But lastly this is not only the voice of Men but agreeable to the Declaration of Christ himself who directs all Christians not to understand him on this subject in a Literal Sense but to expound his words Spiritually as containing a Mystery For in the sixth Chapter of St. John's Gospel he is very express as to the nature and design of this his Holy Institution as most of the Ancient Doctors have always understood him though Bellarmine for special Reasons is of another Opinion insomuch that if any Text of Scripture soundeth fair for Transubstantiation it is to be lookt for in that Chapter But we find in the conclusion that this was never intended by our Saviour For when his Disciples were offended at his Doctrin apprehending foolishly as St. Augustine observes that they must be Canibals in order to be Christians as if the eating of humane flesh was to be a Rite in their Religion he rectifies their thoughts and explains his meaning fully v 63. saying it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life that is as St. Augustine expounds it they are spiritually to be understood by you as containing a Mystery that will hereafter be apparent in the Institution of a Sacrament that will explain them And therefore it is observable that St. Paul calls the Eucharist Bread and not the Body of Christ but as it is received The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For me being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. x. 16 17. and in the following Chapter v. 26 27 28. even after an account given of the Consecration of it yet he is still express in calling it Bread and if words are to be understood always in a literal sense when no absurdity doth follow the Missal saith the same thing in the Prayer after Consecration calling it Panem sanctum vitae aeternae the Holy Bread of Eternal Life All which would strangely derogate from the nature of the thing if it were Christ's Body and not Bread which they discourse of But this is confirmed beyond all disputation by that expression of our Saviour at the Institution of it Do this in remembrance of me For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lord's Death 'till come 1 Cor. xi 26. Since first it contradicts the common form of speaking to remember a present Object that stands before us when we cannot make Reflections thus but upon absent things And secondly if Christ should actually come whenever the Sacrament is Administred then that Holy Institution is no longer to continue being to determine on our Saviour's coming especially when we know that it is no ravity even in the Scripture for a thing that represents or signifies another to bear the name or title of the thing represented § 14. If then Sir there is no advantage to a Christian in the Carnal Manducation of the Body of Christ as I suppose you will confess and it is â—vident to all Men that in point of Faith and as a Sacrifice the Body and Blood of Christ are as really and truly received by the Faithful in the Church of England as in the Church of Rome You must needs acknowledge then that in this Point of Faith and Worship you have gotten no advantage by the change of your Religion but rather on the contrary in the Rules of your Devotion you hazard your Salvation upon an Opinion that may be false and more than probably is so for none not the least advantage if it should be true For if those Elements should not be changed by their Consecration according to your Fancy and you know that besides all the reasons that can be offered against it there are a multitude of Circumstances that may obstruct their Change grosser Idolatry cannot be committed than Men are daily guilty of in Worshiping the Host And if you will believe Câ—nsterus in his judgement on the Case and it is reasonable to allow him well acquainted with your Doctrin you will find that your Publick Devotion in this point of Worship doth exceed the very Heathens in their greatest Idolatry And yet on the other hand if those Elements should â—e changed as you unreasonably believe but no Man can prove by solid Argument it is
so no Action whatsoever can be justly lyable to Censure that is either founded on that motive or even tends to that design But it is very unreasonable to find fault with him that shall change his Sentiments of Religion and consequently make an open Profession of it provided that he acts directly upon truly Christian Motives according to a real apprehension of the Truth and a serious Conviction of the Conscience The only thing that in this Case is liable to Censure being a base compliance with the thoughts of other Men or a change of the True Religion upon false inducements since neither God nor Man can be secure of his Fidelity whom Interest can bribe to act against his Conscience It is therefore no small Satisfaction unto me and I believe also to the rest of all your Friends that being well acquainted with your former Conversation we believe your sincerity in all that you have done and that no Temporal advantage the too common spur of mean and fickle Spirits could ever incline your thoughts to entertain a Notion but as you were perswaded of and confided in its Truth So that either the want of a due Consideration in respect of your Motives to believe or some great mistake in your Notion of Religion and that as well in respect of the Faith which you deserted as of that which you embrace have ever appeared to me as the reason of your Change that you should quit those Principles wherein you were Bred for such as upon enquiry can never appear unto you either so Rational or so Christian As it is the duty of every Christian therefore to endeavour the satisfaction of his offended Brother and to rectifie those Errors that have seduc'd him from the Faith so I think my self obliged by the special tyes of Friendship to be peculiarly concerned in your Restitution and not only to discover to you the Sophistry of those Arguments that have imposed upon you but also to explain those Truths wherewith you seem unacquainted For if the account be true which I have had of your Desertion your Motives to leave the Church of England and Embrace the Communion of the Church of Rome were these A desire to live more truly in the Communion of the Catholick Church and to become more Orthodox in your Faith and Worship If then I can make it evident that you were mistaken in both these great Proposals and that a contrary event in both is the sure result of this your undertaking It will be reasonable to expect your Repentance for what you have done and a Reconciliation to that Mother whom you have forsaken § 1. How the first of these Proposals could ever influence your Practice is a very hard thing to be imagined or why you should phansie now that you are more in the Communion of the Catholick Church than you were among us before your Change is really a Conceit that I cannot find the ground of Since the common imposition by the Name of Catholick must be too slight to move a Man of Learning When the Name of Roman Catholick is but an usurpt Title that carries little less than a contradiction in the terms I know indeed there is an Error in the Notion of Church-Government that is too prevalent with many Christians and may possibly seduce them from the Truth of their Religion to submit unto those Laws that can't oblige them And that is That the Government of the Catholick Church on Earth is Originally Monarchical and consequently that the Unity thereof consists in the due subjection of all the Members unto the Dominion of one Universal Bishop So that no Man can be a Christian or in the Communion of the Catholick Church but he that will submit unto the Pope's Authority But in Truth it is fully evident from the Scriptures from the Constitution of the Church and from the practice of all Christians in the Primitive Ages that the Government of the Church on Earth is Aristocratical and that the Unity thereof doth eminently consist in the Communion of all its Members So that every Person that makes Profession of the Christian Faith and lives in the Communion of any particular Church or Society of Christians he is certainly in the Communion of the Catholick Church of Christ and according to the sincerity of his Profession he hath an undoubted Right unto all her Promises For first the Scriptures do expresly tell us that Christ Selected not one alone but twelve Apostles and that he gave them all but one Commission jointly as well as made them by it all equal in Authority That he was so far from constituting one as his Vicar upon Earth with an Absolute Dominion over all his Brethren that he forbad such Ambition as disagreeable with his Laws and Ordained Humility to be their way of Government Ye know saith he Mat. XX. 25. that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister And whosoever will be chief among you let him be your Servant Intimating clearly that Ecclesiastical Authority is not like the Dominion of the Gentils which was altogether managed in a Despotical way of Government But as he himself was a pattern of Humility and submitted unto Death for the good of his People so their joint Power should consist in serving others without any pretence unto a Temporal Dominion St. Paul therefore most evidently refers the building of the Body of Christ which is certainly the Catholick Church not to any one but unto the Apostles in the plural number Ephes iv 11 12. and although he was himself the last of all that Order being as he saith 1 Cor. xv 8 9. the least of the Apostles as one that was born out of due time Yet he assures the Galatians Galat. ii 7. that in point of Authority in the Church of Christ he was inferior unto no Man in that the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed unto him as that of the Circumcision was to Peter And consequently then St. Peter's Principality if he had any was limited to the Jews that were Converted to the Faith and not extended to the Gentils over whom he ne're presided So that in this pretence of a Succession from the Prince of the Apostles the Pope can have no claim to a Jurisdiction in our Countries except he can derive our Pedigree from those of the Circumcision But to manifest more clearly that the Church of Rome is not the whole Tree or Body of Christians no nor so much as the Root thereof St. Paul not only reckons her among the Branches Rom. xi 17. but doth expresly admonish her not to usurp Dominion as if he were suspicious of her future greatness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do not boast against or rather do not insult over the Branches But if thou
boast or insult thus thou bearest not the root but the root thee Ib. v. 18. And lastly to shew the World farther that it was but a particular Church and not the Catholick to whom he wrote that Epistle to the Romans he threatens her v. 22. with being cut off or totally destroyed if she continueth not in the Goodness of God Whereas Christ hath expresly promist to his Universal Church that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against her Mat. xvi 18. If any Man shall urge against me that the Church to whom our Saviour made this promise must be founded on St. Peter as the Text expresses it and consequently it can be no other but the Church of Rome who claims all her Rights and Priviledges from him I answer 1 st That the whole Church of Christ may be said in some Sense to have been built upon St. Peter in that he was the first of the Apostles that Preacht the Gospel after the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them and it is obvious that by his Sermon so many were Converted to the Faith that a Church was founded thereby at Jerusalem and this being the first Fruits of the Christian Religion the whole Building might properly be represented by it and so that Promise of our Saviour doth not respect the Church of Rome whatsoever her pretences are but the whole Society or Body of Christians 2 dly That St. Augustine in Expounding of that Text tells us that by the Rock Christ meant himself and not St. Peter And also that St. Peter is not to be understood in that place and many other in the Scripture as a single Person but as fully representing the whole Society or Body of Christians to whom the Promises were made and all those Favours given For Christ's Question in that place was evidently proposed to all the Disciples and so the Answer to it appears in the name of all and whatever gift or promise was thus made to one is to be understood as having a respect to all Since it is evident that there is no one particular Benefit or Power granted by our Saviour unto St. Peter but what the rest of the Apostles as the Fathers have observed had an equal Right to and as great a Concern in And if we consult our Ecclesiastical Records we shall find this Commission to be Executed thus and although St. Paul tells us that the care of all the Churches came upon him daily 2 Cor. xi 28. yet both in planting of the Church and in Governing it being planted no one single Person presided over all but they acted all alike as Members of a Society And when they were called away by God to be rewarded for their Labours they left the same Form of Government with the Bishops their Successors who maintained it constantly for several Ages following And whenever any Dispute or Controversie arose among them that was destructive to their Faith or Discipline as it was observed among the Apostles themselves before they took care for to decide it in a Synod or Assembly And we never find that any single Person under the pretence either of being Infallible or of having a Supream Power over all the rest did undertake for to determine what was thus Disputed but the Decree of the whole Church was required to decide it as the regular Act of the whole Society Some of the Bishops being still assembled in a Synod or Council and the rest submitting unto their determinations Thus their Unity was maintained in the matters of greatest moment and by their Literae Formatae or circular Epistles in all the things of smaller consequence and so they preserved themselves entire as one Society or Body of Christians not by any Superiority of one over the rest but by the right hand of fellowship from one to another And each of them was so perswaded of the Unity of the Catholick Church which was thus preserved that whosoever was excluded from the Communion of any one particular Church he was adjudged as cut off from the Communion of the whole And could not be received into another Congregation until he was reconciled unto that Church which he offended So that the Catholick Church of Christ cannot be confined to any Country nor yet limited or restrained to one peculiar Governour but it contains the whole Body or Society of Christians even all that are Baptized into the Covenant of Grace And as every particular Church is at Unity in her self by the submission or agreement of all her Members under one Governour so is the Unity of the Catholick Church maintained by the agreement or correspondence of those Governours whereby they do compose one Catholick Society And therefore it is well observed that there can be no more necessity of an Universal Bishop to establish and maintain this Unity in the Church than there is of an Universal Monarch to keep Peace and Commerce in the World Since agreement among the Bishops is as sufficient to the one as correspondence among Princes is unto the other And as there cannot possibly be more than one Catholick Church because it contains all Christians and consequently all particular Churches whatsoever So no one particular Society of Christians let its extent be never so great or Members numerous can justly lay a claim unto that Title Nor on the other hand can any particular Church cease to be a Member of this Catholick as long as she continues Christian that is as long as she retaineth the Holy Scriptures as the word of God and expounds their meaning by Catholick Tradition And consequently then no Society of Christians can be denied this priviledge or any other Right and Claim which the Catholick Church pretends to until they do renounce the Faith and cease to be Christians and so are no longer Members of the Body of Christ That the Church of Rome therefore is the Catholick Church upon account either of its Authority or comprehension is no more a Truth than that a part is the whole the terms being equally evident and therefore as plain in the conclusion And if the Church of Rome is but a particular Church and so a Member only of the Catholick The Church of England also must have an equal claim unto the same Right and Title while no one can deny that she is Christian And therefore she cannot lose her Property in the Promises of her Saviour till she quits that Christianity whereon they are founded Whence it evidently follows that all the Members of the Church of England are equally qualified for all Priviledges in Religion and all Advantages in respect of the Catholick Church which any Member of the Church of Rome can have a just claim or reason to pretend to § 2. This is a Truth of so much Evidence that all the Antient Christians even in the Church of Rome believed it otherwise their Decree against Re-baptizing Hereticks made by Pope Cornâ—lius and confirmed after by
Pope Stephen must contradict the Principles of the Christian Religion and deny Salvation unto Penitent Believers For if no Man can be a Christian but he that is in the Communion of the Catholick Church and Baptism is not Sacramental nor Beneficial to Salvation where the Person is excluded from the Society of Cristians Such Baptism then must be necessary to Salvation as doth make a Man a Christian and a Member of that Society If any Person therefore that is Baptized by one whom you call Heretick and with whose Church you will not Communicate be notwithstanding this so much a Christian as that he is to be Baptized no more but if he shall change his Religion and become a Convert to the Church of Rome they will receive him into their Communion but never permit him to be Baptized again I say then this is a fair Concession from themselves that they Believe that he was a Christian and consequently a Member of the Body of Christ before he was actually of their Communion For the Scripture tells us that every Branch although it is unfruitful yet it abideth in the Vine until it is cut off viz. by an Apostacie from the Faith nor can any new Branch be grafted in but by that Sacrament of Baptism which Christ ordained for it And therefore it is evident that those Antient Fathers did not believe that all Men were Apostates who differed from them in Opinion as to Religion but acknowledged that they were still Christians though Erroneous and therefore would not repeat their Baptism which was compleat before but received them Charitably by the Imposition of Hands Which is a sufficient Evidence that the Catholick Church of Christ is more extensive than the Church of Rome and that a Christian may be a Member of the one although he is not actually in the Communion of the other And therefore it is observable even at this day that in the Administration of Baptism in the Church of Rome no Man is obliged by his Baptismal Vow to believe their own Articles or Constitutions but only to Profess the Christian Faith as it is in common with all other Christians and which is not sufficient in a state of Maturity to qualifie any Person to be of their Communion And consequently then those Articles are not necessary in order to be a Christian although the proper Standard of the Church of Rome But a Man may be a Member of the Catholick Church that is not precisely one of her Communion There is a Famous Act Recorded of the Donatists in Africa that is exactly parallel with our present case They being scarce a National or particular Church but rather a broken part or fraction of one yet positively decreed themselves to be the Catholick Church of Christ and in a Synod of their own party formally Excommunicated all other Christians that would not submit unto their determinations But certainly no Rational Man will say that that Decree so made was True and Authentick or that all the Christian Church was obliged to submit unto it and to be concluded by it because it was boldly delivered as a Truth and confidently asserted with over-great assurance by a company of Men that called themselves a Council But rather on the contary such an Act is to be derided and the Censure laught at as contrary to Reason and all Humane Constitutions which leave all Persons in their perfect Liberty until by themselves it is submitted And therefore St. Augustine's Argument against them is as fully unanswerable in respect of us who make the same Plea against the Church of Rome For if you confess that I am a Christian although I am no Papist you declare then that the Christian Faith is openly profest without the Communion of the Church of Rome And whosoever will endeavour to reduce the Catholick Church to such a narrow compass must be Guilty of the Schism that is occasioned by it in excluding so many Christians from the Communion of Saints § 3. But that the Church of Rome might render it self more a particular Church and less the Catholick if possible than any other is she hath of late years streightned her own extent extreamly by setting such new limits and restraints on her Communion as former Ages never heard of nor the Catholick Church ever prescribed or exacted Thus Purgatory was far from being an Article of Faith and necessary to Salvation in the days of St. Augustine Or the Worshiping of Images from being a Duty in Religion before the second Council of Nice So that without believing things that are incredible viz. Transubstantiation the Infallibility of the Pope c. And doing things that are unpracticable viz. Worshiping the Host and the Virgin Mary c. no Man can be admitted now into her Communion but a Man that is a real and most faithful Christian that believeth in and conformeth himself to the Holy Scriptures and also doth expound them in hard places according to the Faith and Practice of the Primitive Christians Yet notwithstanding all this he is excluded by her as being an Inâ—idel and as far as in her lyeth is deprived of the common Benefits and the Priviledges of a Christian Whereas the Church which you Deserted is evidently in this Case conformable to the Catholick in that any faithful Christian of any other particular Communion if he doth believe the Scriptures and understand them in the Sense of the Universal Church as it is delivered by the four General Councils which you must also own to be the Catholick Faith if your Opinion differs not from that of Athanasius If this Man I say doth make it his business to live up unto those Rules he is freely admitted into her Communion and may publickly enjoy all the common Rights and Benefits of a Christian without any other Injunction or Imposition on his Conscience For none of her Articles are propounded with Anathema's nor is there so much as a bar from her Communion inflicted on those Persons that do not Subscribe them but as their Title shews us they were composed for Peace for the avoiding of diversity of Opinions and for the Establishing of consent touching True Religion For the never did believe that any Society on Earth as the Church of Rome asserts it of her self had power either to alter or to add unto the Faith or to contradict the Institution of our Saviour and the practice of the Primitive Christians with a bold tamen or non obstante to them or ever to impose now Articles of Faith upon the People as absolutely necessary unto their Salvation which the Primitive Christians for some hundreds of years were never known to have thought or heard of So that according to your own Notion if to be Catholick is to be of no Party nor Faction in Religious Matters but a Christian in full latitude and in respect of the Church in general since every Member of the Universal Church must adjoin
to the nature of Man or to the justice of God especially if he should punish us for being so deceived I refer to any Man of reason to determine I will not trouble you with the recital of any of those Arguments which demonstrate this Change to be impossible and that the Doctrin doth imply so many contradictions that it is no proper Object for Almighty Power But this I must desire you to observe that if a substantial change were made of the Elements by the words of Consecration then the act of the Apostles was manifestly different from the command of Christ whereon it was founded For nothing can be clearer from the Text than that our Saviour gave the Bread and commanded them to take and eat that is Bread the words of its Consecration being not yet pronounced If then they did eat another substance and not Bread who can truly say that they fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord or Received the Sacrament according to his order § 10. As to the Design in this most Sacred Institution it appears to be the same in relation unto Christians as that of the Passover was unto the Jews That as they did believe in a Messias that was to come and of whom their Sacrifices were but Types and Shadows and so were partakers of the Sacrifice that he was to offer by eating of those Sacrifices that did Typically represent it So we that now believe in a Messias already come should in a parallel manner become Partakers of the same Oblation and by an external act like unto what they did in every Circumstance we should obtain the benefit of that propitiatory Sacrifice and really and truly be made Partakers of it And therefore our Saviour Christ appointed that Bread and Wine should be received by his Disciples in the place and stead of his Body and Blood which were the real Sacrifice that he offered unto God for Man and very improper things to be actually eaten or drank by Christians and therefore he calls the Bread his Body and the Wine his Blood not as being really the things themselves but as Instituted by him to represent them to us So that by a due participation of these Creatures according unto Christ's appointment it is certain that all Christians are partakers of that Sacrifice which he offer'd to God for them and the Bread and Wine being duly Consecrated and Received in the nature of a Sacrament the Body and Blood of Christ is really and truly received by the Faithful in them not that the Elements are changed in themselves or that there is any real alteration of their substance but the act is Spiritual in respect of the Receivers who take them not for Food but as a Mystery in Religion and therefore they do not receive them in their common notion as they are Bread and Wine that is proper Food to nourish or sustain the Body but as they represent the Body and Blood of Christ and are appropriated by Faith to nourish and support the Soul And since then this Sacrament was ordained to become a Sacrifice to Christians as St. Augustinâ— tell us and that those Patriarchs of old who believed in a Messias that was to come were as actual Partakers of that Sacrifice which he hath offered as we can be For they all eat the same spiritual Meat and they all drank the same spiritual Drink 1 Cor. x. 3. Neither is there Salvation in any other Acts iv 12. And yet it was impossible that they should eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood according to the Letter because his Body was not framed yet nor actually born It is therefore rational to conclude that we are still Partakers of the Body and Blood of Christ in the same manner that they were not in a Literal but a Spiritual participation Since the reception of them by Faith only was fully sufficient to the Salvation of the one and therefore is all that is necessary to the Salvation of the other § 11. And this gives us a fair light into the reason or occasion of this Figurative Expression in that the Sacrament of the Eucharist being Instituted by our Saviour in the place of the Jewish Passover which was now to be abolished many of the External Rites were still retained to shew that all those Types are now compleated And therefore as it was usual at the introduction of the Paschal Lamb for the Priest or some other of the Company to tell the People that this is the Lamb that was slain in Egypt when the Lord passed over the houses of our Fathers and slew the Egyptians And again after Supper was ended distributing Bread and Wine to every one in order was wont to tell them This is the Bread of Sorrow which our Fathers eat in Egypt Whereas all Men know that it could not possibly be that very Lamb that was slain nor that very Bread that was eaten in Egypt but another Lamb and other Bread Instituted by God's order in the stead or commemoration of it So our Saviour likewise at the Institution of the Sacrament using the same Phrase upon the like occasion ought to be understood in the same manner of expression And since it was in conformity to their constant way of speaking that when he Instituted Bread and Wine to be Received by Christians in the Commemoration of his own death as that Lamb was of the Passover he said of the Bread This is my Body and of the Wine This is my Blood we are to understand by it no more than if he had told us that they are Elements Sacramentally to be Received in the stead and commemoration of his Body and Blood So that although there is nothing Corporeally upon the Table after the Coâ—â—eâ—ration but the same things that were there before nor eatâ—â— by the Receivers but very Bread with the very same substance that it always had Yet in the notion of a Sacrament and as a Religious Mystery it is not to be received as meer or common Bread by any true or faithful Christian But we verily believe that the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ is actually and truly partaken of in those Elements and as the Church of England Emphatically expresses it The Body and Blood of Christ are verily and indeed taken and Received by the Faithful in the Lord's-Supper § 12. This you cannot but know to be the Doctrin of the Sacrament as it is received in the Church of England and if you will consult Antiquity you shall find that it hath not only been the general Doctrin of the Universal Church but particularly of the Church of Rome in former Ages For the Antient Fathers generally speak of the Spiritual and Figurative Being of Christ's Body in the Sacrament and do expresly call the same thing at the same time both Bread and the Body of Christ which is impossible to be a truth in the Literal sense and therefore it is necessary to