CAP. I.

IT is the manner of men of all per­swasions, §. 1. who undertake to treat of Schisme, to make their entrance with Invectives against the evills thereof, with [Page 2] aggravations of its heinousnesse. All men whether intending the Charge of others, or their own acquitment, esteem themselves concerned so to doe. Sentences out of the Fathers, & determinations of Schoole­men, making it the greatest sinne imagi­nable, are usually produced to this pur­pose. A course this is which mens Appre­hensions have rendred usefull, and the state of things in former dayes easy. Indeed whole volumes of the Ancients, written when they were Actors in this Cause, charging others with the guilt of it, & consequent­ly with the vehemency of men, contend­ing for that, wherein their own interest lay, might (if it were to our purpose) be transcribed to this end. But as they had the happines to deale with men evidently guilty of many miscarriages, and for the most part absurd ad foolish, so many of them having fallen upon such a notion of the Catholick Church and Schisme, as hath given occasion to many woefull mistakes, and much dark­nesse in the following Ages, I cannot so easily give up the nature of this evill to their determination and judgement. A­bout the aggravations of its sinfullnesse I shall not contend. § 2.

The evidence which remaines of an in­dulgence [Page 3] in the best of them, [...] in this businesse especially, deters from that procedure. From what other prin­ciple were those words of Augustine; Obscurius dixerunt Prophetae de Christo quā de Ecclesia: puto propterea quia videbant in spiritu contra Ecclesiam homines facturos esse particulas: Et de Christo non tantam litem habitutos, de Ecclesia magnas contentiones excitaturos. Conc. 2. ad Psal. 30. Neither the Affirmation it selfe, nor the rea­son assigned can have any better root. Is any thing more cleerly and fully prophe­sy'd on then Christ? Or was it possible that good men should forget with what contests the whole Church of God all the World over had been exercised from its infancy about the Person of Christ? Shall the tu­multuating of a few in a corner of Africk, blot out the remembrance of the late diffus [...] ­on of Arrianisme over the world? But Hierom hath given a Rule for the interpretation of what they delivered in their polemicall en­gagements; telling us plainely in his Apo­logy for himselfe to Pammachius, That he had not so much regarded what was ex­actly to be spoken in the Controversy he had in hand, as what was fit to lay load up­on Jovinian. And if we may believe him, this was the manner of all men in those [Page 4] dayes. If they were engaged they did not what the truth only, but what the defence of their cause also required. Though I be­lieve him not as to all he mentions, yet doubtlesse we may say to many of them, as the Apostle in another case; [...]. Though Aristides ob­teined the name of just, for his upright­nesse in the management of his own private affaires yet being ingag'd in the Administra­tion of those of the Common-Wealth, he did many things professedly unjust; giving this Reason, he did them [...].

Besides, §. 3. the Age wherein we live, having by virtue of that precept of our Saviour, Call no man Master, in a good measure freed it selfe from the bondage of subjection to the dictates of men (and the innumerable evills with endlesse intanglements thence insuing) because they lived so many hundreds of years before us; that course of procedure, though reteining its facility, hath lost its usefullnesse, and is confessedly impertinent. What the Scripture expressly saith of this sinne, and what from that it sayth, may regularly & rationally be dedu­ced (whereunto we stand and fall,) shall be afterwards declared. And what is spo­ken [Page 5] suitably thereunto by any of Old, or of Late, shall be cheerfully also received. But it may not be expected that I should build upon their Authority, whose principles I shall be necessitated to examine. And I am therefore contented to lye low, as to any expectation of successe in my present undertaking, because I have the prejudice of many Ages, the interest of most Christians, and the mutuall consent of Parties at va­riance (which commonly is taken for an unquestionable evidence of truth) to con­tend withall. But my endeavours being to goe, non quà itur, sed quà eundum est, I am not sollicitous about the event.

In dealing about this businesse among Christians, §. 4. the Advantage hath been ex­treamly hitherto on their part, who found it their interest to beginne the charge. For whereas perhaps themselves were, and are of all men most guilty of the Crime, yet by their clamarous Accusation, putting others upon the defence of them­selves, they have in a manner cleerly e­scaped from the triall of their own guilt, and cast the issue of the Question purely on them, whom they have accused. The Actors or Complainants part was so priviledged by some Lawes and Customes, that he who had [Page 6] desperately wounded another, chose rather to enter against him the frivolous plea, that he received not his whole Sword into his body, then to stand to his best defence, on the complaint of the wounded man. An accu­sation mannaged with the craft of men guilty, and a confidence becoming men wronged and innocent, is not every ones worke to sleight & wave. And he is in or­dinary judgements immediately acquitted, who averrs that his charge is but recrimina­tion. What advantage the Romanists have had on this account, how they have expa­tiated in the aggravation of the sinne of Schisme, whilst they have kept others on the defence, and would faine make the only thing in Question to be, whether they are guilty of it or no, is known to all. And therefore ever since they have been convin­ced of their disability to debate the things in difference between them and us, unto any advantage, from the Scripture, they have almost wholly insisted on this one businesse, wherein they would have it wisely thought, that our concernment only comes to the triall, knowing that in these things their defence is weake, who have nothing else. Nor doe they need any other Advantage. For if any party of men can estate them­selves [Page 7] at large in all the priviledges gran­ted & promises made to the Church in generall, they need not be sollicitous about dealing with them that oppose them; having at once rendered them no bet­ter then Jewes Solis nosse Deos & Coeli numina nobis and Mahumetans,—out solis neseire datum. Heathens or Publicans, by appropriating the Priviledges mentioned unto them­selves. And whereas the parties litigant, by all rules of Law and Equity, ought to stand under an equall regard, untill the severalls of their differences have been heard and stated; one party is hereby utterly con­demned before it is heard: and it is all one unto them, whether they are in the right or wrong. But we may possibly in the issue state it upon another foot of ac­count.

In the meane time it cannot be denyed, §. 5. but that their vigorous adhearing to the advantage, which they have made to them­selves (a thing to be expected from men wise in in their Generation) hath exposed some of them, whom they have wrong­fully accused, to a contrary evill; whilst in a sence of their own innocency, they have in­sensibly slipt (as is the manner of men) into slight and contemptible thoughts of the thing [Page 8] it selfe whereof they are accused. Where the thing in question is but a name or terme of reproach, invented amongst men, this is incomparably the best way of defence. But this containes a crime; and no man is to set light by it. To live in Schisme, is to live in Sinne; which unrepented of, will ruine a mans Eternall condition; Every one charged with it must either desert his stati­on, which gives foundation to his charge, or acquit himselfe of the crime, in that sta­tion. This latter is that, which in refe­rence to my selfe, and others, I doe pro­pose: assenting in the grosse to all the Ag­gravations of this sinne, that with any pre­tence from Scripture or Reason are heaped on it.

And I would beg of men fearing God, §. 6. that they would not think, that the ini­quity of their Accusers doth in the least ex­tenuate the crime whereof they are accused. Schisme is Schisme still, though they may be unjustly charged with it; and he that will defend and satisfy himselfe by prejudices against them, with whom he hath to doe, though he may be no Schismatick, yet if he were so, it is certaine he would justifye himselfe in his state and condition. Seeing men on false grounds and selfe interest may [Page 9] yet sometimes mannage a good cause, which perhaps they have imbraced upon better principles, A conscientious tendernesse and feare of being mistaken, will drive this bu­sinesse to another issue. Blessed is he who feareth alwayes.

It is well known how things stand with us in this world; §. 7. as we are Protestants we are accused by the Papists to be Schismaticks. And all other pleas, and disputes neglected, this is that which at present (as is evi­dent from their many late Treatises on this subject, full of their wonted confi­dence, contempt, reviling, & scurrility) is chiefely insisted on by them.

Farther, §. 8. among Protestants; as being Re­formatists, or as they call us Calvinists, we are condemned for Schismaticks by the Luthe­rans & Sacramentarian Sectarys, for no other crime in the world, but because we submit not to all they teach; for in no instituted Church Relation would they ever admit us to stand with them; which is as conside­rable an instance of the power of prejudice, as this Age can give. We are condemned for separation, by them who refuse to ad­mit us into Ʋnion. But what hath not an irrationall attempt of enthroning opinions put men upon?

[Page 10] The differences nearer home about Episco­pall goverment, §. 9. with the matter of fact, in the rejecting of it, and somewhat of the ex­ternall way of the worship of God, formerly used amongst us, hath given occasion to a new charge of the guilt of the same crime on some; as it is not to be supposed, that wise and able men, suffering to a great Ex­tremity, will oversee or omit any thing, from whence they may hope to prevaile them­selves against those, by whose meanes they think they suffer. It cannot be helped (the ingagement being past) but this ac­count must be carryed on one step farther. Amongst them who in these late days have engaged (as they professe) into Reformation (and not to believe that to have been their intention is fit only for them, who are concerned, that it should be thought to be otherwise, whose prejudice may furnish them with a contrary perswasion) not walking all in the same light as to some few particulars, whilst each party (as the manner is) gathered together what they thought conduced to the furtherance and improvement of the way, wherein they dif­fered one from another, some unhappyly to the heightening of the differences, tooke up this charge of Schisme against their [Page 11] brethren; which yet in a small processe of time, being almost sunk of it selfe, will aske the lesse paines utterly to remove and take off. In the meane time, it is amongst other things (which is to be confessed) an evidence that we are not yet arrived at that inward frame of spirit, which was aymed at Phil. 3. 15, 16. whatever we have attai­ned as to the outward Administration of Ordinances.

This being the state of things, §. 10. the con­cernment of some of us, lying in all the parti­culars mentioned, of all Protestants in some, it may be worth while to consider, whe­ther there be not generall principles of irre­fragable evidence, whereon both all and some may be acquitted from their severall concernments in this charge, and the whole guilt of this crime put into the Ephah, and carryed to build it an house in the Land of Shinar, to establish upon its own base.

I confesse I would rather, §. 11. much rather, spend all my time and days in making up & healing the breaches and Schismes that are amongst Christians, then one hour in justifying our di­visions, even therein, wherein on the one side they are capable of a fair defence. But who is sufficient for such an attempt? The closing of differences amongst Christians [Page 12] is like opening the Booke in the Revelation: there is none able or worthy to do it in Heaven or in Earth, but the Lamb: When he will put forth the greatnesse of his power for it, it shall be accomplished, and not before. In the mean time a Reconciliation amongst all Protestants is our duty, and practicable; and had perhaps ere this been in some forward­nesse of accomplishment, had men rightly understood, wherein such a Reconciliation ac­cording to the minde of God doth consist. When men have laboured as much in the im­provement of the Principle of forbearance, as they have done to subdue other men to their opinions, Religion will have ano­ther appearance in the world.

I have considered and endeavoured, §. 12. to search into the bottome of the two generall wayes, fixed on respectively by sundry Per­sons for the compassing of peace, and union among Christians, but in one nation, with the issue and successe of them in severall places: namely, that of enforcing uniformi­ty by a secular power on the one side, as was the case in this Nation not many yeares agoe, (and is yet liked by the most,) being a sui­table judgemement for the most,) and that of Toleration on the other, which is our present condition. Concerning them both I [Page 13] dare say; that though men of a good zeale, and small Experience, or otherwise on any ac­count full of their own Apprehensions, may promise to themselves much of peace, Uni­on, and Love, from the one or the other, (as they may be severally favoured by men of different interests in this world, in respect of their conducinges to their ends,) yet that a little Observation of Events, if they are not able to consider the causes of things, with the light and posture of the minds of men in this Generation, will unburden them of the trouble of their expectations. It is something else, that must give peace unto Christians, then what is a product of the prudentiall considerations of men.

This I shall only adde as to the former of these, §. 13. of enforcing Ʋniformity; as it hath lost its reputation of giving temporall tran­quillity to States, Kingdomes, and Common-wealths (which with some is onely valua­ble, whatever became of the soules of men, forced to the profession of that, which they did not believe) the readiest means in the world to roote out all Religion from the hearts of men) the letters of which plea are in most Nations in Europe washed out with rivers of bloud, (and the residue wait their season for the same issue) so it [Page 14] continues in the possession of this advantage against the other, that it sees, and openly complaines of the evill, and dangerous con­sequences of it; when against its own, where it prevailes, it suffers no complaints to lye. As it is ludicrously said of Physitians, the Effects of their skill lye in the Sunne, but their mistakes are covered in the Church-yard: So is it with this perswasion; what it doth well, whilst it prevailes, is evident: the anxiety of Conscience in some, hypocrisie, formality, no better then Atheisme in others, wherewith it is atten­ded, are buried out of sight.

But as I have some while since ceased to be moved by the clamours of men, §. 14. concer­ning bloudy persecution on the one hand, and cursed, intolerable toleration on the other, by finding all the world over, that Events and Executions follow not the Conscientious im­bracing of the one or other of these decryed Principles, & perswasions, but are suited to the Providence of God, stating the civill interests of the Nations; so I am perswaded, that a generall Alteration of the State of the Churches of Christ in this world, must de­termine that controversie: which when the light of it appeares, we shall easily see the vanity of those Reasonings, wherewith [Page 15] men are intangled, that are perfectly sui­ted to their present condition of Religion But hereof I have spoken elsewhere.

Farther, §. 15. let any man consider the pro­posals and attempts, that have been made for Ecclesiasticall peace in the world, both of old, and in these latter dayes; let him consult the rescripts of Princes; the Edicts of Nations, Advices of Politicians, that would have the world in quietnesse on any termes, Consultations, Conferences, De­bates, Assemblies, Councells of the Clergy, who are commonly Zelots in their severall ways, and are by many thought to be willing rather to hurle the whole world in­to confusion then to abate any thing of the rigor of their opinions, and he will quickly assume the liberty of affirming con­cerning them all, that as wise men might easily see flawes in all of them, and an un­suitablenesse to the end proposed, and as good men might see so much of carnall in­terest, selfe, and Hypocrisie in them, as might discourage them from any great Expecta­tions, so upon many other accounts a bet­ter issue was not to be looked for from them, then hath been actually obtained; which hath for the most part been this, that those, that could dissemble most deep­ly [Page 16] have been thought to have the greatest Advantage. In Disputations indeed the truth for the most part hath been a gainer; but in attempts for Reconciliation, those that have come with the least Can­dor, most Fraud, Hypocrisy, secular baits for the subverting of others, have in ap­pearance for a season seem'd to obteine suc­cesse. And in this Spirit of craft and con­tention are things yet carryed on in the world.

Yet I suppose the Parties at variance are so well acquainted at length with each others Principles, §. 16. Arguments, Interests, Prejudices, and reall distance of their causes, that none of them expect any Reconcili­ation, but meerly by one Parties keeping its station, and the other coming over wholy thereunto. And therefore a Roma­nist in his Preface to a late Pamphlet about Schisme to the two Ʋniversitys, tells us plainly, that, If we will have any peace, we must without limitation submit to, and receive those [...], those Commanding Oracles which God by his holy Spouse propoundeth to our Obedience; The sence of which expressions we are full well acquainted with. And in pursuite of that principle he tells us a­gaine. p. 238. That suppose the Church should [Page 17] in necessary points teach errour, yet even in that case every child of the Church must exteriorly carry himselfe quiet and not make commotions (that is, declare against her) for that were to seek a cure worse then the disease; Now if it seem reasonable to these Gentlemen, that we should renounce our sence and Reason, with all that understanding, which we have, or at least are fully convinced that we have, of the mind of God in the Scripture, and submit blindly to the commands, and guidance of their Church, that we may have peace, and union with them, because of their huge interest and advantage, which lyes in our so doing, we professe our selves to be invincibly concluded under the power of a contrary perswasion, and consequent­ly an impossiblity of Reconciliation.

As to attempts then for Reconciliation between parties at variance about the things of God, §. 17. and the removeall of Schisme by that meanes, they are come to this issue among them, by whom they have been usually mannaged, namely Politicians and Divines; that the former perceiving the tenaciousnesse in all things of the latter, their promptnesse & readinesse to dispute, and to continue in so doing with confi­dence of successe, (a frame of Spirit that [Page 18] indeed will never praise God, nor be use­full to bring forth truth in the world) doe judge them at length not to have that prudence, which is requisite to advise in mat­ters diffused into such variety of concern­ments as these are, or not able to breake through their unspeakable prejudices and in­terests to the due improvement of that wise­dome, they seem to have; and the latter ob­serving the facile condescention of the former in all things that may have a consistency with that peace and secular Advantage they aime at, doe conclude that, notwithstanding all their pretences, they have indeed in such consultations little or no regard to the Truth; whereupon having a mutuall diffidence in each other, they grow wearie of all endeavours to be carryed on joyntly in this kind; the one betaking themselves wholy to keep things in as good state in the world, as they can, let what will become of Religion; the other to labour for successe against their Adversaries, let what will be­come of the world, or the peace thereof. And this is like to be the state of things, untill another Spirit be powred out on the professors of Christianity, then that where­with at present they seeme mostly to be acted.

[Page 19] The only course then remaining to be fixed on, §. 18. whilst our divisions continue, is to enquire wherein the guilt of them doth consist, and who is justly charged therewith; in especiall what is, and who is, guilty of the sinne of Schisme? And this shall we doe, if God permit.

It may I confesse seem superfluous to adde any thing more on this subject, §. 19. which hath been so fully already handled by others. But as I said, the present concerne­ment of some fearing God, lying beyond what they have undertaken, and their en­deavours for the most part having tended rather to convince their Adversaries of the insufficiency of their charge and Accusation, then rightly and cleerly to state the thing or matter contended about, something may be farther added as to the satisfaction of the Consciences of men injustly accused of this Crime, which is my aime, and which I shall now fall upon.

CAP. II.

THe thing whereof we treate being a disorder in the instituted worship of God, §. 1. and that which is of pure Revelation, I suppose it a modest request to desire, that we may abide solely to that discovery and description, which is made of it in Scrip­ture; that, that alone shall be esteemed Schisme, which is there so called, or which hath the entire nature of that, which is there so called; other things may be other crimes; Schisme they are not, if in the Scripture they have neither the name nor nature of it attributed to them.

He that shall consider the irreconcilable differences that are among Christians all the world over about this matter, §. 2. as also [Page 22] what hath passed concerning it in former Ages, and shall weigh what prejudices the severall parties at variance are intangled with, in reference hereunto, will be ready to think, that this naked appeale to the only common principle amongst us all, is so just, ne­cessary & reasonable, that it will be readily on all hands condescended unto But as this is openly opposed by the Papists, as a most de­structive way of procedure, so I feare, that when the tendency of it is discovered, it will meet with reluctancy from others. But let the Reader know, that as I have determi­ned [...], so to take the measure of it from the Scripture only. Consue [...]udo sine veritate est vetustas erroris (Cyp. Ep. ad Pomp.) and the sole measure of Evangelicall Truth, is this word, of whom it was said [...]. Id verius quod prius, id prius quod ab initio, id ab initio quod ab Apostolis, sayes Tertul: It is to me a sufficient answer to that fond question, where was your Religion before Luther? Where was your Religion in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles? My thoughts to this particular are the same with Chrysostomes on the generall account of Truth, [...]. [Page 23] Homil. 3. in Acta.

But yet least this should seem too streight, §. 3. as being at first view exclusive of the learned debates & disputes, which we have had about this matter, I shall after the conside­ration of the precise Scripture notion of the name and thing, wherein the Conscience of a Believer is alone concerned, propose and argue also what by a parity of Reason may thence be deduced, as to the Ecclesiasticall common use of them, and our concern­ment in the one and the other.

The word which is Metaphoricall, §. 4. as to the businesse we have in hand, is used in the Scripture, both in its primitive, native sence, in reference to things Naturall, as also in the tralatitious use of it about things Politick and Spirituall or Morall. In its first sence we have the Noune Mat. 9. 16. [...] [Page 24] [...] (in the cloth) it [...] Verbe. Mat. 27. 51. [...] veile of the Temple [...] [...] and the [...] noting an interruption of [...] externall power in things me [...] this is the first sence of [...] or division of parts befo [...] [...]ontinued, by force, or violent dissol [...] [...] The use of the world in a Politicall sence is also frequent: Joh. 7. 43 [...], there was a division among the multitude; some being of one mind, some of another; Joh. 9. 16. [...], there was a division amongst them: and cap. 10. 19. like­wise. So Act. 14. 4. [...], the multitude of the City was divided: and cap. 23. 7. There arose a dissention between the Pharisees and the Sadduces, [...], the multitude was divided, some following one, some another of their leaders in that dissention; the same thing is expressed by a word answering unto it in Latine,

Scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus And in this sence relating to civill things it is often used. [...]. Chronic. Antioch. Joh. Male: p. 98. A. MS. Bib. Bod.

[Page 25] This being the next posture of that word, §. 5. from whence it immediately slips into its Ecclesiasticall use, expressing a thing morall or spirituall; there may some light be gi­ven into its importance, when so appro­priated, from its constant use in this state and condition to denote differences of mind and judgement with troubles ensuing thereon, amongst men met in some one Assembly about the compassing of a common end and designe.

In the sence contended about it is used only by Paul in his first Epistle to the Co­rinthians, §. 6. and therein frequently: cap. 1. 10. I exhort you [...], that there be no Schismes amongst you: cap. 11. 18. when you meet in the Church [...], I heare there be Schismes amongst you: cap. 12. 25. The word is used in re­ference to the naturall body, but with an application to the Ecclesiasticall. Other words there are of the same importance, which shall also be considered, as Rom. 16. 17, 18. Of Schisme in any other place, or in reference to any other persons, but only to this Church of Corinth, we heare nothing.

Here then being the principall founda­tion (if it hath any) of that great Fabrick about Schisme, §. 7. which in latter Ages hath been set up, it must be duly con [...]ered; [Page 26] that if it be possible, we may discover by what secret engines or Artifices the discourses about it, which fill the world, have been hence deduced, being for the most part, uni­versally unlike the thing here mentioned: or find out, that they are built on certaine prejudices and presumptions, nothing rela­ting thereto. The Church of Corinth was founded by Paul Act. 18. 8, 9, 10. with him there was Aquila and Priscilla v. 2, 18. After his departure, Apollos came thither, & effectually watered, what he had planted 1 Ep. cap. 3. 6. It is probable that either Pe­ter had been there also, or at least that sun­dry persons converted by him were come thither, for he still mentions Cephas and Apollo with himselfe cap. 1. 12. & 3. 22. This Church thus watered and planted came toge­ther for the worship of God [...] cap. 11. 20. and for the administration of Discipline in particular, cap. 5. 4. After a while through the craft of Sathan, various evills in Doctrine, Conversation, and Church-order crept in amongst them; For Doctrine, besides their mistake about eating things offered to Idols cap. 8. 4. some of them deny­ed the Resurrection of the Dead, cap. 15. 12. In Conversation they had not only the eruption of a scandalous particular sinne a­mongst [Page 27] them cap. 5. 1. but grievous sinfull miscarriages, when they came together about holy Administrations cap. 11. 21. these the Apostle distinctly reproves in them: their Church-order, as to that Love, peace, and union of heart and minde, wherein they ought to have walked, was woefully disturbed with divisions and sidings about their Tea­chers, cap. 1. 12. And not content to make this difference the matter of their debates and disputes from house to house, even when they met for publick worship, or that which they all met in, and for, they were divided on that account cap. 11. 18. This was their Schisme the Apostle dehorts them from, charges them with, and shewes them the evill thereof. They had differences amongst themselves about unnecessary things; on these they ingaged into disputes and sidings, even in their solemne Assemblyes; when they came all together for the same worship about which they differed not. Probably much vaine jangling, alienation of affections, exasperation of spirits, with a neglect of due offices of love ensued hereupon. All this appeares from the entrance the Apostle gives to his Discourse on this subject. 1 Epist. chap. 1. v. 10. [...], I beseech you that you [Page 28] all speake the same thing. They were of vari­ous minds, and opinions, about their Church affairs; which was attended with the confu­sion of disputings: let it not be so, saith the Apostle; [...], and let there be no schismes among you; which consist in such differences and janglings: he addes, [...]; but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same minde, and the same judgment. They were joyned together in the same Church order and fellowship, but he would have them so also in onenesse of minde and judgement, which if they were not, though they continued together in their Church-order, yet Schismes would be amongst them. This was the state of that Church, this the frame and carriage of the members of it, this the fault and evill, whereon the Apo­stle charges them with Schisme, and the guilt thereof. The grounds, whereon he mannageth his reprose, are their common interest in Christ, cap. 1. 13 The nothingnesse of the instruments of preaching the Gospell, about whom they contended, cap. 1. 14. cap. 3. v. 4, 5. their Church order instituted by God, cap. 12. 13. of which afterward.

This being as I said the principall seat of all that is taught in the Scripture about Schisme, §. 8. we are herè, or hardly at all to learn, [Page 29] learne, what it is, and wherein it doth consist; The Arbitrary Definitions of men, with their superstructions, and inferences up­on them, we are not concerned in. At least I hope I shall have leave from hence to state the true nature of the thing, before it be judged necessary to take into con­sideration what by parity of Reason may be deduced from it. In things purely morall, and of naturall equity, the most generall notion of them is to be the rule, whereby all particulars claiming an interest in their nature are to be measu­red, and regulated; In things of Insti­tution, the particular instituted is first and principally to be regarded: How farre the generall reason of it may be excluded, is of after consideration; And as is the case in respect of duty, so it is in respect of the evills that are contrary there­to. True and false are indicated, & tried by the same Rule. Here then our foote is to be fixed; what compasse may be taken to fetch in things of a like kind, will in its proper place follow. Observe then,

1. That the thing mentioned is en­tirely in one Church, §. 9. amongst the mem­bers of one particular society. No mention is there in the least of one Church [Page 30] divided against another, or separated from another, or others; whether all true, or some true, some false, or but pretended. Whatever the crime be, it lyes wholy with­in the verge of one Church, that [...]et toge­ther for the worship of God, and Admi­nistration of the Ordinances of the Gos­pell; And unlesse men will condescend so to state it upon the evidence tendered, I shall not hope to prevaile much in the processe of this discourse,

2. Here is no mention of any paticular man, §. 10. or any number of mens separation from the Holy Assemblyes of the whole Church, or of subduction of themselves from its power, nor doth the Apostle lay any such thing to their charge, but plainely declares, that they continued all in the joynt celebration of that worship, and performance together of those duties, which were required of them in their Assemblyes; only they had ground­lesse, causelesse differences amongst themselves, as I shall shew afterwards. All the divisi­ons of one Church from another, or o­thers, the separation of any one or more per­sons from any Church or Churches, are things of another nature, made good or evill by their circumstances, and not that at all, which the Scripture knowes and calls by [Page 31] the name of Schisme; And therefore was there no such thing or name, as Schisme, in such a sence, known in the Judaicall Church, though in the former it abounded. All the different sects to the last, still communicated in the same carnall Ordinances; and those who utterly deserted them, were Apostates, not Schismaticks; so were the body of the Samaritans, they worshiped they knew not what, nor was Salvation among them, Joh. 4.

3. Here is no mention of any substraction of obedience from Bishops or Rulers in what degree soever, §. 11. no exhortation to regular submission unto them, much lesse from the Pope or Church of Rome; nor doth the Apo­stle thunder out against them, you are departed from the Amity of the Catholick Church, have rent Christs seamelesse Coat, set up Altare contra altare, have forsaken the visible head of the Church, the fountaine of all unitie; you refuse due subje­ction to the Prince of the Apostles; Nor, you are Schismaticks from the Nationall Church of Achaja, or have cast off the Rule of your Governors; with the like language of after dayes; but, when you come together, you have divisions amongst you: Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth.

A condition not unlike to this befalling this very Church of Corinth, §. 12. sundry years [Page 32] after the strifes now mentioned were allayed by the Epistle of the Apostle, doth againe exhibite us the case and evill treated on. Some few unquiet persons among them drew the whole society (upon the matter) into division and an opposition to their Elders. They, who were the causes [...], a Clement tells them in the name of the Church at Rome, were [...] a few men, acted by pride and madnesse: yet such power had those per­sons in the Congregation, that they prevailed with the multitude to depose the Elders and cast them out of office: So the same Clement tells them; [...]. What he intends by his [...] &c. he declares in the words foregoing, where he calls the Elders, that were departed this life, happy and blessed, as not being subject or liable to expulsion out of their offices; [...] ▪ Whether these men, who caused the differences and sedition against those Elders that were deposed, were themselves by the Church substituted into their roome and place, I know not. This difference in that Church, the Church of [Page 33] Rome in that Ep. of Clement calls every where Schisme, as it also expresses the same things, or the evill frame of their minds and their actings by many other words: [...], are laid to their charge. That there was any separation from the Church, that the deposed Elders, or any for their sakes withdrew themselves from the communion of it, or ceased to assemble with it for the celebration of the Ordinances of the Gospell, there is not any mention: only the difference in the Church is the Schisme where­of they are accused. Nor are they accused of Schisme for the deposition of the Elders, but for their differences amongst themselves, which was the ground of their so doing.

It is alleadged indeed, that it is not the single Church of Corinth, §. 13. that is here inten­ded, but all the Churches of Achaia, whereof that was the Metropolis: which though as to the nature of Schisme, it be not at all pre­judiciall to what hath been asserted, suppo­sing such a Church to be; yet because it sets up in oposition to some Principles of Truth, that must afterwards be improved, I shall briefely review the arguments whereby it is attempted to be made good.

The title of the Epistle in the first place [Page 34] is pretended to this purpose: §. 14. It is [...] wherein (as tis said) on each part the [...] or whole Province, as of Rome, so of Corinth, the Region and Territorie, that belonged to those Metropoli's, is intended: But as I have formerly elsewhere said, we are beholding to the frame and fabrick of Church affaires in after Ages for such in­terpretations as these; the simplicity of the first knew them not; They who talked of the Church of God, that did [...] at Rome, little then thought of Province or Region [...], is as much as [...] Act. 8. 1. [...] is a man that dwells at such a place, properly one that dwells in anothers house, or soyle, or that hath removed from one place, and setled in another; whence it is often used in the same sence with [...], he is such an inhabitant, as hath yet some such consideration atten­ding him, as makes him a kind of a for­reigner to the place where he is; so Eph. 2. 19. [...] and [...] are opposed. Hence is [...], which as Budaeus [...] saies dif­fers from [...], in that it denotes a tem­porary habitation; this a stable and abiding. [...] is so to inhabite, to dwell in a place, where yet something makes a man a [Page 35] kind of a stranger. So it is said of Abraham [...] Heb. 11. 9. 1▪ Pet. 2. 11. joyned with [...]: (hence this word by the learned publisher of this Epistle is rendered pe­regrinatur, diversatur) and more cleerly Luk. 24. 18. [...], which we have rendred, are you only a stranger in Hierusalem: whether [...] & paroecia is from hence or no, by some is doubted, [...] is convivator; and [...] praebitio, Gloss. vetus: So that parochi [...] may be called so from them, who met to­gether to breake bread, and to eat: Allow parochia to be barbarous, & our only word to be paroecia from [...], then it is as much as the Voisinage, men living neare together for any end whatever. So sayes Budaeus [...] are [...]; thence Churches were called [...], consisting of a number of them, who were [...] or [...] the Saints of God expressing the place which they inhabited, and the manner, as Strangers, said of the Churches whereof they were [...] and [...]: this is now made to denote a Region, a Territorie, the ad­jacent Region to a Metropolis; and such like things, as the poor primitive pilgrimes little thought of. This will scarcely as I sup­pose [Page 36] evince the Assertion we are dealing about; there may be a Church of God dwel­ing at Rome or Corinth, without any adja­cent Region annexed to it, I think. Besides, among those who first used the word in the sence now supposed, did not understand a Province by [...], which was with them (as originally) the charge of him that was a Bishop, and no more. [...] was with them a Province that belonged to a Metropolitan; such as the Bishop of Corinth is supposed to be. I do not remember where a Metropolitan Province is called his [...], there being many of these in every one of them. But at present I will not herein concerne my selfe.

But it is said, §. 15. that this Epistle of Clement was written to them, to whom Pauls Epi­stles were written; which appears, as from the com­mon title [...], so also from hence, that Clement advises them to whom he writes, to take and consider that Epistle, which Paul had formerly wrote to them, Now▪ Paul's Epistle was written to all the Chur­ches of Achaia, as it is said expressely in the se­cond, To the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the Saints, which are in all Achaia: Cap. 1. 1 And for the former, that also is directed [...], and the same forme is [Page 37] used at the close of this, [...], wherein, all places in Achaia (and every where therein) not Absolutely are intended; for if they should, then this Epistle would be a Catholick E­pistle, and would conclude the things men­tioned in it, of the letter received by the A­postle &c. to relate to the Catholick Church.

Ans. It is confessed, §. 16. that the Epistles of Paul, and Clement, have one common Title; so that [...], which is Clements expression, is the same with [...], which is Pauls in both his Epistles, which addes little strength to the former Argument from the word [...], as I suppose, confining it thither. It is true, Pauls second Epistle, after its Inscription [...] adds [...]. He menti­ons not any where any more Churches in Achaia then that of Corinth, and that at Cenchrea; nor doth he speake of any Chur­ches here in this salutation, but only of the Saints. And he plainely makes Achaia and Corinth to be all one 2 Cor. 9. 2. so that to me it appears, that there were not as yet, any more Churches brought into order in Achaia, but that mentioned; with that o­ther [Page 38] other at Cenchrea, which I suppose, comes under the same name with that at Corinth; nor am I perswaded, that it was a complea­ted Congregation in those daies. Saints in Acha [...]a that lived not at Corinth, there were perhaps many; but being scattered up and downe, they were not formed into Societies, but belonged to the Church of Corinth, and assembled therewith (as they could) for the participation of Ordinances: So that there is not the least evidence, that this E­pistle of Paul was directed to any other Church, but that of Corinth. For the first, it can scarce be questioned; Paul writing an Epistle for the instruction of the Saints of God, and Disciples of Christ in all Ages, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, Salutes in its beginning and ending all them, that on that generall account are concerned in it. In this sense all his Epistles were Catholick, e­ven those he wrote to single Persons. The occasion of writing this Epistle was indeed from a particular Church, and the chiefe subject matter of it was concerning the Affaires of that Church. Hence it is in the first place particularly directed to them; and our present enquiry is not after all that by any meanes were, or might be concerned in that, which was then written, as to their present [Page 39] or future direction, but after them, who admi­nistred the occasion to what was so written, and whose particular Condition was spo­ken to: This I say was the single Church of Corinth. That [...], all in every place, should be all only in Achaia, or that Cle­ment his [...], should be with them, that are called in Achaia, I can yet see no ground to conjecture. Paul writes an Epistle to the Church of Ephesus. and concludes it, [...]: the extent of which Prayer is supposed to reach farther then Ephesus, and the Region adjacent. It doth not then as yet appeare that Paul wrote his Epistles peculiarly to any other, but the particular Church at Corinth. If concerning the latter, because of that ex­pression with all the Saints which are in all Achaia, if it be granted there were more Churches then that of Corinth with its Neighbour Cenchrea (which whether it were a stated distinct Church or no, I know not) yet it will not at all follow (as was said before) that Clement attending the parti­cular occasion only, about which he and the Church of Rome were consulted, did so [Page 40] direct his Epistle, seeing he makes no men­tion in the least, that so he did. But y [...] by the way there is one thing more, that I would be willingly resolved about in this discourse; & that is this, seeing that it is e­vident that the Apostle by his [...]: and Clemens, by his [...], intend an enlargement beyond the first and immediate direction to the Church of Corinth, if by the Church of Co­rinth, as it is pleaded, he intend to expresse that whole Region of Achaia, what either the Apostle, or Clemens do obtain by that enlargement, if restrained to that same place.

It is indeed said, §. 17. that at this time there were many other Episcopall Sees in Achaia; which untill it is attempted to be put up­on some kind of proof, may be passed by: It is granted that Paul speakes of that which was done at Corinth, to be done in Achaia Rom. 15. 28. as what is done in Lon­don is without doubt done in England: But that which lies in expectation of some light or evidence to be given unto it, is, that there was a Metropoliticall See at Corinth, at this time, whereunto many Episcopall Sees in Achaia were in a subordination, be­ing all the [...] of Corinth, all which [Page 41] are called the Church of Corinth, by vertue of their subjection thereunto; when this is proved, I shall confesse some principles I afterwards insist on, will be impaired thereby.

This then is added by the same Author, §. 18. That the Ecclesiasticall estate was then conformed to the Civill: where ever there was a Metropo­lis in a Civill-politicall sence, there was seated al­so a Metropoliticall Church; now that Corinth was a Metropolis, the Proconsul of Achaia Keep­ing his residence there, in the first sence is confessed. And besides what followes from thence, by vertue of the principle now laid down, Chrysostome calls it a Metropolis relating to the time wherein Paul wrote his Epistle to the Church there in the latter sence also.

The plea about Metropoliticall Churches, §. 19. 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 [Page 42] 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, §. 20. 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 [Page 43] that head of account by the Holy Ghost elsewhere, and is expressly reproved a [...] 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, §. 21. I shall close with, and debate at large, as I have professed.

The Schisme then here described by the Apostle, §. 22. 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, §. 23. 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. [Page 44] 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, §. 24. 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 [Page 45] 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; §. 25. saith He, Schisma ni fallor est eadem opinantem, & eo­dem ritu utentem solo Congregationis delectari dissidio G [...]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 [Page 46] 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, §. 26. (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 [Page 47] 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, §. 27. who suppose all Church power to be invested in some certain Church Officers originally (I meane that which they call of Jurisdiction) who on that account are Eminenter, the Church, the union of the whole consisting in a subjection to those Officers according to Rules, Orders and Canons of their appoint­ment, whereby they are necessitated to state the businesse of Schisme on the rejecti­on of their Power and Authority, I shall speak to them afterwards at large. For the pre­sent, I must take leave to say, that I look upon the whole of such a fabrick, as a pro­duct of prudence and necessity.

I cannot but feare least some mens sur­misings may prompt them to say, §. 28. that the evill of Schisme is thus stated, in a compliance with that, and them, which before we blamed: and seemes to serve to raise sleight and contemptible thoughts of it, so that men need not be shaken though justly charged with it. But besides that sufficient testimony, which I have to the contrary, that will a­bundantly [Page 48] shelter me from this Accusation▪ by an assurance that I have not the lea [...] aime [...], I shall farther add my apprehension of the greatnesse of the e­vill of this sinne, if I may first be borne with a little in declaring what usuall ag­gravations of it I do either not understand, or else cannot assent unto.

Those, who say it is a renting of the seamelesse coat of Christ (in which Metaphori­call expression men have wonderfully pleased themselves) seem to have mistaken their ayme; §. 29. and instead of an Aggravation of its evill, by that Figure of Speech, to have extenuated it; A rent of the Body well com­pacted, is not heightned to any ones appre­hension, in its being called the renting of a seamelesse coat: But men may be indulged the use of the most improper and groundlesse expressions, so they place no power of Ar­gument in them, whilest they find them mo­ving their own, and suppose them to have an alike efficacy upon the affections of o­thers. I can scarce think that any ever sup­posed, that the coate of Christ was a Type of his Church; his Church being cloathed with Him, not He with it. And therefore with commendation of his Successe, who first inven­ted that Allusion, I leave it in the possession [Page 49] of them, who want better arguments to e­vince the evill of this sinne.

It is most usually said to be a sinne against Charity, as Heresie is against Faith. Heresie is a sinne against Faith (if I may so speake) both as it is taken for the doctrine of Faith, which is to be believed, and the assent of the mind whereby we doe believe. He that is a Heretick (I speake of him in the usuall acception of the word, and the sence of them, who make this comparison, in nei­ther of which I am satisfied) rejects the doctrine of faith; and denyes all assen [...] unto it. Indeed he doth the former by doing the latter. But is Schisme so a sinne against Charity? doth it supplant, and root out Love out of the heart? is it an affection of the minde attended with an inconsistency therewith? I much question it.

The Apostle tells us, §. 30. that love is the bond of perfection Col. 3. 14. because in the severall and various waies whereby it exerts it self, it maintaines and preserves notwithstand­ing all hinderances and opposition [...], that perfect and beautifull order, which Christ hath appointed amongst his Saints, wherein men by Schisme are kept off, and withheld from the performance of any of those offices and duties of love, which [Page 50] are usefull, or necessary for the preservation of the bond of perfection, then is it, or may in some sence be said to be a sinne against Love.

Those, §. 31. who have seemed to aime nearest the apprehension of the true nature of it in these days, have described it to be an open breach of Love, or Charity. That that expression is warily to be understood, is evi­dent in the light of this single considera­tion. It is possible for a man to be all, and doe all, that those were, and did, whom the Apostle judges for Schismaticks, under the power of some violent temptation, and yet have his heart full of love to the Saints of the Communion disturbed by him. It is thus far then in its own nature a breach of Love, in that in such men, Love cannot exert it selfe in its utmost tendency in wisedome and forbearance for the preservation of the perfect order instituted by Christ in his Church. However I shall freely say, that the Schoolmens notion of it, who insist on this as its nature, that it is a sinne against Charity, as Heresie is against Faith, is fond and becomming them; and so will others also, shall be pleased to that consider, what they intend by Charity.

Some say It is a Rebellion against the Church, §. 32 that is, the Rulers and Officers of the [Page 51] Church. I doubt not but that there must be either a neglect in the Church in the per­formance of its duty, or of the Authority of it in so doing, wherever there is any Schisme, though the discovery of this also have innumerable intanglements attend­ing it. But that to refuse the Authority of the Church is to rebell against the Rulers, or Guides of it, will receive farther light, then what it hath done, when once a pregnant instance is produced, not where the Church signifies the Officers of it, but where it doth not signifie the body of the Congregation in contradistinction from them, or comprising them therein.

Adde unto these, §. 33. those who dispute whether Schismaticks doe belong to the Church or no, & conclude in the Negative; seeing according to the discovery already made, it is impossible a man should be a Schismatick, unlesse he be a Church member. Other crimes a man may be guilty of on other accounts; of Schisme, only in a Church. What is the formal reason of any mans Re­lation to a Church, in what sence soever that word is used, must be afterwards at large discussed.

But now this foundation being laid, §. 34. that Schisme is a causelesse difference or divisi­on [Page 52] amongst the members of any particular Church, that meet together, or ought so to do, for the worship of God, and celebration of the same numericall Or­dinances to the disturbance of the order appointed by Jesus Christ, & contrary to that exercise of love in wisedome and mutuall forbearance, which is re­quired of them, it will be easy to see, where­in the iniquity of it doth consist, and up­on what consederations its Aggravations doe arise.

It is evidently a despising of the Autho­rity of Jesus Christ, §. 35. the great soveraigne Lord, and head of the Church. How often hath he commanded us to forbeare one another, to forgive one another, to have peace a­mong our selves, that we may be known to be his Disciples, to beare with them that are in any thing contrary minded to our selves. To give light to this consideration, let that which at any time is the cause of such hatefull divisions, rendred as conside­rable as the prejudices, and most importune Affections of men can represent it to be, be brought to the Rule of Love, and for­bearance, in the latitude of it, as prescri­bed to us by Christ, and it will evidently beare no proportion thereunto. So that such differences though arising on reall mis­carriages and faults of some, because they [Page 53] might otherwise be handled, and healed, and ought to be so, cannot be persisted in without the contempt of the immediate Authority of Jesus Christ. If it were conside­red, that he standeth in the Congregation of God Ps. 82. 1. That he dwells in the Church in glory as in Sinai in the Holy place Ps. 68. 17, 18. walking in the mid'st of the Candlesticks Rev. 1. 13. with his eyes upon us as a flame of fire v. 14 his presence and Authority would perhaps be more prevalent with some, then they seem to be.

Againe! §. 36. His wisdome, whereby he hath ordered all things in his Church, on set pur­pose, that Schisme and divisions may be pre­vented, is no lesse despised. Christ who is the Wisdome of the Father. 1 Cor. 1. 24. The stone on which are seaven eyes, Zech 3. 9. upon whose shoulders the government is laid, Is. 9. 6, 7. hath in his infinite wisdome so ordered all the Officers, Orders, Gifts, Admi­nistrations of, and in his Church, as that this evill might take no place. To mani­fest this, is the designe of the Holy Ghost, Rom. 12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 1. Cor. 12. Eph. 4. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. The consideration in particular of this Wisdome of Christ, suiting the Officers of his Church, in re­spect of the places they hold, of the Autho­rity [Page 54] wherewith from him they are invested, the way whereby they are entered into their Function, distributing the Gifts of his Spi­rit in marveilous variety, unto severall kinds of usefulnesse; and such distance, and dis­similitude in the particular members, as in a due correspondencie and proportion, give comelinesse and beauty to the whole, dis­posing of the order of his worship, and sundry ordinances in especiall, to be ex­pressive of the highest Love and Ʋnion, point­ing all of them against such causelesse divisi­ons, might be of use, were that my present intendment.

The Grace and Goodnesse of Christ, §. 37. whence he hath promised to give us one heart, and one way, to leave us peace, such as the World cannot give, with innumerable others of the like importance, are disregarded thereby. So also is his prayer for us; with what Af­fection and Zeale did he powre out his soule to his Father for our union in love. That seems to be the thing his heart was chiefely fixed on, when he was leaving this World, Joh. 17. what weight he layes there­on, how thereby we may be known to be his Disciples, and the World be convinced, that he was sent of God, is there also manife­sted.

[Page 55] How farre the exercise of Love and Charity is obstructed by it, §. 38. hath been de­clared. The consideration of the Nature, Excellency, Property, Effects, Usefulnesse of this Grace in all the Saints in all their ways, its especiall designation by our Lord and Master, to be the bond of union and perfection, in the way and Order instituted for the comely celebration of the Ordinances of the Gospell, will adde weight to this ag­gravation.

Its constant growing to farther evill, §. 39. in some to Apostacy it selfe; its usuall and cer­taine ending in strife, variance, debate, evill surmisings, wrath, confusion, disturbances pub­lick and private, are also to be laid all at its doore. What farther of this nature and kind may be added (as much may be ad­ded) to evince the heinousnesse [...] of this sinne of Schisme, I shall willingly subscribe unto; so that I shall not trouble the Rea­der in abounding in what on all hands is confessed.

It is incumbent upon him, §. 40. who would have me to goe farther in the description of this evill, then as formerly stated, to e­vince from Scripture, another notion of the name or thing, then that given, which when he hath done, he shall not find me refracto­ry. [Page 56] In the meane time I shall both consi­der what may be objected against that, which hath been delivered, and also discusse the present state of our divisions on the u­suall principles, and common acception of Schisme; if first I may have leave to make some few inferences, or deductions from what hath already been spoken, and as I hope, evinced.

On supposition that the Church of Rome is a Church of Christ, §. 41. it will appeare to be the most Schismaticall Church in the World. I say or supposition that it is a Church, and that there is such a thing, as a Schismaticall Church, (as perhaps a Church may from its intestine differences, be so not unfitly denominated) that is, the state and condition thereof. The Pope is the head of their Church, severall nations of Europe are members of it. Have we not seen that head taking his flesh in his teeth, tearing his body and his limbs to pieces? Have some of them thought on any thing else, but, arise Peter, kill and eate, all their dayes! Have we not seen this goodly head, in di­sputes about Peters Patrimony, and his own Jurisdiction, wage warre, fight, and shed blood, the blood of his own members? Must we be­lieve Armies raised, and battailes fought, [Page 57] Townes fired, all in pure love, and perfect Church order? not to mention their old al­tare contra altare, Anti-Popes, Anti-Councells; look all over their Church, on their Poten­tates, Bishops, Friars, there is no end of their variances. What do the Chiefest, choisest pillars, eldest sonnes, and I know not what of their Church at this day? doe they not kill, destroy, and ruine each other, as they are able? let them not say these are the divisi­ons of the Nations, that are in their Church, not of the Church; for all these Nations on their hypothesis are members of that one Church. And that Church, which hath no meanes to prevent its members from de­signed, resolved on, and continued murthering one of another, nor can remove them from its society, shall never have me in its com­munion, as being bloudily Schismaticall. No [...] is there any necessity, that men should for­goe the respective civill interests, by being members of one Church. Prejudicate appre­hensions of the nature of a Church, and its Authority, lye at the bottome of that dif­ficulty; Christ hath ordained no Church, that enwraps such interests, as on the ac­count whereof, the members of it may murther one another. Whatever then, they pretend of Ʋnity, and however they make [Page 58] it a note of the true Church (as it is a pro­perty of it) that which is like it amongst them, is made up of these two ingredients, subjection to the Pope, either for feare of their lives, or advantage to their livelyhood, and a conspiracy for the destruction, and sup­pression of them, that oppose their inte­rests, wherein they agree like those, who maintained Hierusalem in its last Siege by Titus; they all consented to oppose the Ro­mans, and yet fought out all other things a­mong themselves. That they are not so o­penly clamorous about the differences at pre­sent, as in former Ages, is meerely from the pressure of Protestants round about them However, let them at this day silence the Jesuits and Dominicans, especially the Baijans and the Jansenians on the one part, and the Molinists on the other: Take off the Gallican Church from its Schismaticall re­fusall of the Councell of Trent; Cause the King of Spaine to quit his claime to Sicilie, that they need not Excommunicate him eve­ry yeare; compell the Commonwealth of Ve­nice to receive the Jesuits; stop the mouths of the Sorbonists about the Authority of a generall Councell above the Pope, and of all those, whom opposing the Papall omnipo­tency they call Politicians; quiet the contest [Page 59] of the Franciscans and Dominicans about the Blessed Virgin; burne Bellarmines books, who almost on every Controversy of Ch. Religi­on gives an account of their intestine divisi­ons, branding some of their opinions as hae­reticall, as that of Medina about Bishops and Presbyters, some as Idolatricall, as that of Tho­mas about the worship of the Crosse with la­tria, &c. and they may give a better colour to their pretences, then any as yet it wears.

But what need I insist upon this suppositi­on; when I am not more certaine, §. 42. that there is any instituted Church in the World, owned by Christ as such, then I am, that the Church of Rome is none, properly so call­ed. Nor shall I be thought singular in this perswasion, if it be duely con [...]idered▪ what this amounts unto. Some Learned men of latter daies in this Nation, pleading in the justification of the Church of England, as to her departure from Rome, did grant that the Church of Rome doth not erre in Fundamen­talls, or maintained no errors remedilesly per­nitious and destructive of Salvation. How farre they entangled themselves by this concession I argue not: The foundation of it lyes in this cleer truth, that no Church what ever, universall, or particular, can possibly erre in Fundamentalls, for by so doing [Page 60] it would cease to be a Church. My deny­ing then the Synogogue of Rome to be a Church, according to their principles, a­mounts to no more then this: The Papist [...] maintaine in their publique Confessions, fun­damentall errors; in which Assertion its known I am not alone.

But this is not the principle, at least not the sole nor maine principle, §. 43. whereon I ground my judgement in this case: but this, that there was never any such thing in any tolerable likenesse or simili­tude, as that which is called the Church of Rome, allowing the most skillfull of its Rab­bies to give in the Characters and delineati­ons of it, instituted in reference to the wor­ship of God by Jesus Christ. The truth is, the whole of it is but an imitation & exemplar of the old Imperiall Goverment: one is set up in chiefe and made [...] in Spiri­tualls, as the Emperors were in civill things; from him all power flowes to others; and as there was a communication of power by the Emperors, to the Civill state Praefects, Pro­consulls, Vicars, Presidents, Governours of the lesser and greater Nations, with those un­der them, in various civill subordinations, ac­cording to the dignity of the places, where they did beare rule and preside, and ni the military to Generalls, Legates, Tribun's and [Page 61] the inferior Officers; so is there by the Pope, to Patriarchs, Arch-bishops, Bishops, in their severall subordinations, which are as his civil state; and to Generalls of Reli­gious orders, Provincialls, and their depen­dants, which are as his military. And it is by some (not in all things agreeing with them) confessed, that the Goverment, pleaded for by them in the Church, was brought in and established, in correspondency and accommodation to the civill Gover­ment of the Empire; which is undeniably evident and certaine: now this being not throughly done till the Empire had re­ceived an incurable wound, it seemes to me to be the making of an image to the beast, giving life to it, and causing i [...]to speake. So that the present Roman Church is nothing else, but an image or similitude of the Roman Empire, set up in its declining a­mong and over the same persons in successi­on, by the craft of Sathan, through principles of deceit, subtilty and Spirituall wickednesse, as the other was by force and violence, for the same ends of power, dominion, fleshlinesse, and persecution with the former.

The exactnesse of this correspondency in all things, §. 44. both in respect of those, who claime to be the stated body of his Ecclesiasti­call [Page 62] Commonwealth, and those, who are meerly dependent on his will, bound unto him professedly by a military Sacrament, ex­empted from the ordinary Rules and Go­verment of his fixed Rulers in their severall subordination [...], under Officers of their own immediately commissionated by him, with his mannagement of both those parties to ballance and keep them mutually in quiet and in order for his service (especially confiding in his men of warre, like the Em­perors of old) may elsewhere be farther manifested.

I suppose it will not be needfull to adde any thing to evince the vanity of the pre­tensions of the Romanists or others against all or any of us, §. 45. on the account of Schisme, upon a grant of the principles layd down, it lyes so cleare in them without need of farther deduction; and I speake with some confidence, that I am not in expectation of any hasty confutation of them, I meane, that which is so indeed. The earnestnesse of their clamours, importuning us to take no­tice of them by the way, before I enter upon a direct debate of the cause, as it stands sta­ted in reference to them, I shall only tell them, that seeking to repose our conscien­ces in the minde of God revealed in the [Page 63] Scriptures, we are not at all concerned in the noise, they make in the world. For what have we done? wherein doth our guilt consist? wherein lyes the peculiar con­cernment of these [...]? let them goe to the Churches, with whom we walke, of whom we are, and aske of them con­cerning our wayes, our Love, and the duties of it? Doe we live in strife, and variance? Do we not beare with each other? doe we not worship God without disputes and divisi­ons? have we differences and contentions in our Assemblies? doe we break any bond of Union, wherein we are bound, by the expresse institutions of Jesus Christ? if we have, let the righteous reprove us, we will own our guilt, confesse we have been carnall, and endeavour Reformation. If not, what have the Romanists, Italians, to doe to judge us? knew we not your designe, your inte­rest, your lives, your Doctrines, your Wor­ship, we might possibly think, that you might intermeddle out of Love, and mista­ken zeale, but ad populum Phaleras: you would be making shrines, and thence is this stirre, and uproare. But we are Schismaticks in that we have departed from the Catholick Church; and for▪ our own Conventicles, they are no Churches, but styes of beasts▪ But this is [Page 64] most false. We abide in the Catholick Church under all the bonds, wherein by the will of Christ we stand related▪ unto it. Which if we prove not with as much evi­dence, as the nature of such things will beare, though you are not at all concerned in it, yet we will give you leave to [...]riumph over us. And if our own Congregations▪ be not Churches, whatsoever we are, we are not Schismaticks; for Schisme is an evill amongst the members of a Church, if S. Paul may be believed. But we have forsaken the Church of Rome. But Gentlemen, shew first how we were ever of it. No man hath lost that which he never had; nor hath left the place or station wherein he never was. Tell me when or how we were members of your Church? We know not your language, you are Barbarians to us. It is impossible we should assemble with you. But your Fore­fathers left that Church, and you persist in their evill. Prove that your Forefathers were ever of your Church in any communion instituted by Christ, and you say somewhat. To desert a mans station, and relation, which he had on any other account, good, or bad, is not Schisme; as shall farther be manife­sted.

Upon the same principle, §. 46. a plea for [Page 67] freedome from the charge of any Church, reall, or pretended, as Nationall, may be foun­ded, and confirmed; either we are of the Nationall Church of England, (to give that instance) or we are not; if we are not, and are exempted by our Protestation, as before; whatever we are, we are not Schismaticks; if we are fatally bound unto it, and must be members of it, whether we will or no, being made so we know not how, and continuing so we know not why, shew us then what du­ty, or office of Love is incumbent on us, that we doe not performe? Doe we not joyne in externall acts of worship in Peace with the whole Church? Call the whole Church together, and try what we will doe? Doe we not joyne in every Congregation in the Nation? This is not charged on us; nor will any say, that we have right so to doe, without a Relation to some particular Church in the Nation; I know where the sore lyes. A Nationall Officer, or Officers▪ with others acting under them in severall subordinations, with various distributions of power, are the Church intended. A non-sub­mission to their rules and constitutions, is the Schisme we are guilty of.

Quem das finem Rex magne laborum! But this pretence shall afterwards be sif­ted [Page 68] to the utmost. In the meane time let any one informe me, what duty I ought to performe towards a Nationall Church, on supposition there is any such thing, by vertue of an Institution of Jesus Christ, that is possible for me to performe, and I shall [...] addresse my selfe unto it.

To close these considerations with things of more immediate concernment, §. 47. Of the divisions that have fallen out a­mongst us in things of Religion, since the last Revolutions of this Nation, there is no one thing hath been so effectuall a promo­tion (such is the power of Tradition, and prejudice, which even beare all before them in humane affaires) as the mutuall char­ging one another with the guilt of Schisme. That the notion of Schisme, whereon this charge is built by the most, if not all, was invented by some of the Ancients, to pro­mote their plea, and advantage them with them with whom they had to doe, with­out due regard to the simplicity of the Go­spell, at least in a suitablenesse to the present state of the Church in those daies, is too evident. For on very small foundations have mighty fabricks, and [...] in Religion been raised. As an Ability to judge of the present posture and Condition [Page 69] of affaires, with counsell to give direction for their order and mannagement, towards any end proposed, not an Ability to con­tri [...]e for events, and to knit on one thing upon another, according to a probability of successe for continuance, which is almost constantly disturbed by unexpected providenti­all interveniences, leaving the Contrivers at a perplexing losse, will be found to be the summe of humane wisdome; so it will be our wisdome in the things of God, not to judge according to what by any meanes is made present to us, and its principles on that account rendred ready to exert them­selves, but ever to recoile to the originall, and first institution. When a man first falls into some current, he finds it strong, and al­most impassable; trace it to its fountaine, and it is but a dribling gutter▪ Paul tells the mem­bers of the Church of Corinth, that there were divisions amongst them, breaches of that Love & Order, that ought to be obser­ved in Religious Assemblies. Hence there is a sinne of Schisme raised; which when con­sidered as now stated, doth no more relate to that treated on by the Apostle, then Simon Sonne of Jonas, lovest thou me, doth to the Popes Supremacy; or Christs saying to Peter of John, If I will that he tarry till I come, [Page 70] what is that to thee, did to the report, that went afterwards abroad, that that Disciple should not die. When God shall have redu­ced his Churches to their Primitive Purity and institution, when they are risen, and have shaken themselves out of the dust, and things of Religion returne to their native simplicity, it is scarce possible to imagine, what Vizards will fall off, and what a con­trary appearance many things will have, to what they now walke up and downe in.

I wish that those, who are indeed really concerned in this businesse, §. 48. namely, the members of particular Churches, who have voluntarily given up themselves to walke in them according to the appointment of Christ, would seriously consider, what evill lyes at the door, if they give place to causelesse differences, and divisions a­mongst themselves. Had this sinne of Schisme been rightly stated, as it ought, and the guilt of it charged in its proper place, perhaps some would have been more carefull in their deportment in their Relations. At pre­sent, the dispute in the World relating hereunto, is about Subjection to the Pope, and the Church of Rome, as it is called: And this mannaged on the Principles of Edicts [Page 71] of Councells, with the practices of Princes, and Nations, in the dayes long agoe past, with the like considerations, wherein the concernment of Christians is doubtlesse very small. Or of Obedience, and confor­mity to Metropolitan and Diocesan Bishops in their constitutions, and wayes of worship joyntly, or severally prescribed by them. In more Ancient times, that which was agitated under the same name, was about persons or Churches, renouncing the Com­munion and Society of Saints with all o­ther Churches in the World, consenting with them in the same Confession of Faith, for the substance of it. And these differen­ces respectively are handled, in reference to what the state of things was, and is grown unto in the dayes, wherein they are manna­ged. When Paul wrote his Epistle, there was no occasion given to any such Controversies, nor foundation laid making them possible▪ That the Disciples of Christ ought every where to abound in love and forbearance to­wards one another, especially to carry all things in union and Peace in those Societies, wherein they were joyned for the Wor­ship of God, were his Endeavours, and Exhortations: Of these things he is utterly silent: Let them, who aime to recover [Page 72] themselves into the like state and condition, consider his commands, exhortations, and re­proofes. Things are now generally otherwise stated, which furnisheth men with objecti­ons against what hath been spoken, to whose removall, and farther clearing of the whole matter, I shall now addresse my selfe.

CHAP. III.

THat which lyes obvious to every man against what hath been delivered, §. 1. and which is comprehensive of all the particular objections, to which it seemes lyable and ob­noxious, is, that according to this descripti­on [Page 73] of Schisme; separation of any man or men from a true Church, or of one Church from others, is not Schisme; Seeing that is an evill only amongst the members of one Church, whilest they continue so to be: which is so contrary to the judgement of the gene­rality of Christians in this businesse, that it ought to be rejected as fond, and absurd.

Of what hath been the judgement of most men in former Ages, §. 2. what it is in this, what strength there is in an Argument dedu­ced from the consent pretended; I am not as yet arrived to the consideration of Nor have I yet manifested, what I grant of the Generall notion of Schisme, as it may be drawn by way of Analogie or proportion of Reason, from what is delivered in the Scrip­ture concerning it.

I am upon the precise signification of the word and description of the thing, §. 3. as used and given by the Holy Ghost: In this sence I deny that there is any relinquishment, departure, or separation from any Church, or Chur­ches mentioned, or intimated in the Scrip­ture, which is, or is called Schisme, or a­greeth with the description by them given us of that terme. Let them that are contra­ry minded attempt the proof of what they affirme. As farre as a negative Proposition is [Page 74] capable of evidence from any thing, but the weakenesse of the opposition made un­to it, that layed down will receive it by the ensuing considerations. §. 4.

All blameable departure from any Church or Churches, or relinquishment of them mentioned in the Gospell, may be reduced to one of these three Heads or Causes: 1. Apostacy, 2. Irregularity of walking. 3. Pro­fessed sensuality.

1. Apostacy or falling away from the faith of the Gospell; and thereupon forsaking the Congregations or Assemblyes for the worship of God in Jesus Christ is mentio­ned Heb. 10. 25. [...], not wholy deserting the assembling our selves, as is the manner of some▪ A separation from, and relinquishment of the Communion of that Church, or those Churches, with whom men have assembled for the worship of God, is the guilt here char­ged on some by the Apostle. Upon what account they so separated themselves is declared v. 26. they sinned willfully, after they had received the knowledge of the truth; thereby shipping out their necks from the yoke of Christ, v. 28. and drawing back to perdition v. 29. that is, they departed off to Judaisme. I much question, whether any one would think fit [Page 75] to call these men Schismaticks? or whether we should so judge, or so speake of any, that in these dayes should forsake our Churches, and turne Mahumetans; Such a departure makes men Apostates not Schis­maticks. Of this sort many are mentioned in the Scriptures. Nor are they ac­counted Schismaticks, because the lesser crime is swallowed up and drowned in the greater, but because their sin is wholly of another nature.

Of some, §. 5. who withdraw themselves from Church communion, at least for a season, by their disorderly and irregular walking we have also mention. The Apostle calls them [...] 1 Thes. 5. 14. unruly, or disor­derly persons, not abiding in obedience to the order prescribed by Christ in, and unto his Churches: and sayes, they walked [...] 2 Thess. 3 6. out of all Church order: whom he would have warned and avoi­ded: so also [...] 2 Th. 3 2. persons that abide quietly in no place or station, but wan­dred up & down; whom whatever their profession be, he denies to have faith. That there were many of this sort in the Primitive times, who through a vaine and slight spirit neglected, and fell off from Church Assemblyes, when yet they would [Page 76] not openly renounce the faith of Christ, is known. Of such disorderly persons we have many in our dayes wherein we live, whom we charge not with Schisme, but va­nity, folly, disobedience to the Precepts of Christ in generall.

Men also separated themselves from the Churches of Christ upon the account of sensuality, §. 6. that they might freely indulge to their lusts and live in all manner of plea­sure all their dayes Jude 19. these are they that separate themselves, sensuall, having not the spirit; Who are these? they that turne the grace of God into lasciviousnesse and that deny the Lord God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, v. 4. that defile the flesh after the manner of Sodom and Gomorrah, v. 7, 8. that spoke evill of things they knew not, and in things they knew naturally as bruit beasts they corrupted themselves v. 10. Sinning openly like beasts against the light of nature, so v. 12, 13, 16. these saith the Apostle are they that separate themselves, men given over to worke all uncleannesse with delight and greedinesse in the face of the Son, abusing themselves and justifying their Abominations with a pretence of the grace of God.

That there is any blameable separation from, §. 7. or relinquishment of any Church [Page 77] or Churches of Christ, mentioned in the Scripture; but what may be referred to one of those heads, I am yet to learne. Now whether the men of these Abominati­ons are to be accounted Schismaticks, or their crime in separating themselves to be esteemed Schisme, it is not hard to judge: If on any of these accounts, any persons have withdrawn themselves from the Communion of any Church of Christ, if they have on any motives of feare, or love apostatized from the faith of the Gospell, if they doe it, by walking disorderly and loosely in their conversations, if they give themselves up to sensuality and unclean­nesse, and so be no more able to beare the society of them, whom God hath called to holinesse and purity of life, and worship, they shall assuredly beare their own bur­then.

But none of these instances are com­prehensive of the case inquired after; §. 8. so that for a close of them, I say, for a man to withdraw or withhold himselfe from the com­munion externall 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 [Page 78] among them, with which corrup­tion he dares not defile himselfe, it is no where in the Scripture called Schisme, no [...] 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, §. 9. 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, §. 10. or others, be it what it will, which it ought to [Page 79] 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, Pap [...]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, [Page 80] 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; §. 11. 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 [Page 81] 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, §. 12. that Schisme is [...], the breach of Ʋnion; 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 Ʋnion 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 [Page 82] 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.

TO begin with the first thing proposed. §. 1. 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 [Page 84] Elect, Redeemed, Justifyed and Sanctifyed ones throughout the world, commonly called the Church-Catholick-Militant.

2. For the Ʋniversality 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, §. 2. 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 [Page 85] 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, §. 3. 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, §. 4. 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, §. 5. 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, [Page 86] 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) s [...]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 [Page 87] 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, §. 6. 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 [Page 88] 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. §. 7. 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 [Page 89] 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 Church; not only a governing head, to give it Rules and Lawes, but as it were a Naturall head unto the body, which is influenced by him with a new spirituall life, which Bellarmine pro­fesseth against, as any requisite condition to the members of the Catholick Church, which he pleadeth for: In that same [Page 90] which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodies sake▪ which is the Church: which assertion is exactly paralell to that of 2 Tim. 2. 10. Therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake, that they may obtaine Salvation; so that the Elect and the Church are the same persons under severall considerati­ons; and therefore even a particular Church, on the account of its participation of the nature of the Catholick, is called Elect, 1 Pet. 5. 13. and so the Church Mat. 16. 18. is ex­pounded by our Saviour himselfe Mat. 22. 24. But to prove at large by a multiplica­tion of Arguments and testimonies, that the Catholick Church, or Mysticall body of Christ consists of the whole number of the Elect, as Redeemed, Justifyed, Sanctifyed, Called, Believing, and yeilding obedience to Christ throughout the world (I speake of it as Militant in any one Age) and of them only, were as needlessly actum agere, as a man can well devise. It is done alrea­dy, and that to the purpose uncontrou­lably, ter (que) quater (que). And the substance of the doctrine is delivered by Aquinas him­selfe p. 3. Q. 8. A. 3. In briefe, the summe of the inquiry upon this head, is concerning the matter of that Church, concerning which such glorious things are spoken in [Page 91] Scripture; namely, that it is the Spouse, the Wife, the Bride, the Sister, the only one of Christ, his D [...]ve undefiled, his Temple, Elect, Redeemed, his Sione, his Body, his new Jerusa­lem; concerning which inquiry, the Rea­der knowes where he may abundanly find satisfaction.

That the asserting the Catholick Church in this sence is no new Apprehension, §. 8. is known to them, who have at all looked backward to what was past before us. Omnibus consideratis (saith Austin) puto me non temere dicere, alios ita esse in domo dei, ut ips [...] etiam sint eadem domus Dei, quae dicitur aedificari supra petram, quae unica columba appellatur, quae sponsa pulchra sine macula, & ruga, & hortus con­clusus, fons signatus, patens aquae vivae, paradisus cum fructu pomorum, alios autem ita constat esse in domo, ut non pertineant ad compagem domus— Sed sicut esse palea dicitur in frumentis. de Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 51. who is herein followed by not a few of the Papists: hence saith Biel. accipitur etiam Ecclesia pro tota multitudine prae­destinatorum. in Canon. Miss. Lec. 22. In what sence this Church is invisible, was before declared. Men elected, redeemed, justifyed, as such are not visible, for that which makes them so, is not: But this hinders not but that they may be so upon other [Page 92] Consideration; sometimes to more, some­times to fewer, yea they are so alwayes to some. Those that are may be seen; and when we say they are visible, we do not in­tend that they are actually seen by any that we know, §. 9. but that they may be so.

Bellarmine gives us a description of this Catholick Church (as the name hath of late been used at the pleasure of men, and wrested to serve every designe that was needfull to be carryed on) to the interest which he was to contend for, but in it self perfectly ridiculous. He tells us out of Austine that the Church is a living Body, wherein is a body and a soule, thence saith he the soule is the internall graces of the spirit, Faith, Hope, and Love: the body is the externall profession of Faith; some are of the soul and body perfectly united to Christ by faith, and the profession of it; some are of the soule that are not of the body, as the Catechumeni, which are not as yet admitted to be members of the visible Church, but yet are true believers. Some saith he, are of the body, that are not of the soul, who having no true grace, yet out of hope or temporall feare, doe make profession of the faith, and these are like the haire, nailes, and ill hu­mours in an humane body. Now saith, Bellar­mine our definition of a Church com­prizeth [Page 93] only this last sort, whilst they are under the head the Pope; which is all one, as if he had defined a man to be a dead creature, composed of haire, nailes, and ill humours, under an hat: §. 10. but of the Church in this sence so farre.

It remaineth then, that we enquire what is the Ʋnion which the Church in this sense hath, from the wisdome of its head Jesus Christ. That it is one, that hath an union with its head, and in it selfe, is not questioned. It is one sheepfold, one Body, one spouse of Christ, his only one as unto him, and that it might have onenesse in it selfe, with all the fruits of it, our Saviour praies, Joh. 17. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. the whole of it is de­scribed Eph. 4. 15, 16. may grow up into him in all things, which is the head even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted, by that which every joynt supplieth, ac­cording to the effectuall working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, to the edi­fying it selfe in love. And of the same impor­tance is that of the same Apostle, Col: 2. 19. not holding the head, from which all the bo­dy by joynts and bands having nourishment mini­stred, and knit together, increaseth with the in­crease of God.

Now in the union of the Church in §. 11. [Page 94] every sense, there is considerable, both the formalis ratio of it, whence it is, what it is, and the way, and meanes, whereby it exerts it selfe, and is usefull and active in commu­nion▪ The first, in the Church, as now sta­ted, consists in its joynt holding the head, and growing up into him by vertue of the com­munication of supplies unto it therefrom, for that end & purpose. That which is the formall Reason, and cause of the Union of the members with the Head, is the formall Reason and Cause of the Union of the members with themselves. The Originall Ʋ ­nion of the members is in and with the Head; and by the same have they union with themselves as one body. Now the inhabitati­on of the same Spirit in him and them, is that which makes Christ Personall, and his Church, to be one Christ mysticall, 1 Cor. 12. 12. Pe­ter tells us, that we are by the promises made partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. we are [...], we have communion with it; that [...] is no more but [...], I cannot easily con­sent. Now it is in the person of the Spirit whereof we are by the promise made par­takers: he is the Spirit of promise Eph. 1. 13. promised by God to Christ, Act. 2. 33. [...], [Page 95] and by him to us Joh. 14. 16. being of old the great promise of the Covenant Is. 59. 21. Ezek. 11. 17. cap. 26. 36. Now in the participation of the Divine nature con­sists the Ʋnion of the Saints with Christ. Ioh. 6. 5. our Saviour tells us, that it arises from eating his flesh and drinking his Blood: he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him. This he expounds v. 63. it is the spirit that quickneth, the flesh pro­fiteth not. By the quickning Spirit, inhabita­tion in Christ, and Christ in it, is intended. And the same he manifests in his prayer that his Church may be one in the Father, and the Sonne, as the Father is in him, and he in the Father Ioh. 17. 21. for the Spirit be­ing the Love of the Father, and of the Son, is vinculum Trinitatis: and so here of our Union in some resemblance.

The unity of members in the body natu­rall with one head is often chosen to set forth the union of the Church 1 Cor. 12. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 3. Eph 5. 23. Col. 1. 19. now every man can tell, §. 12. that, union of the head and members, whereby they become all one body, that and not another, is onenesse of soule; whereby the whole is animated, which makes the body, be it lesse or greater, to be one body. That which answers hereunto, in [Page 96] the mysticall body of Christ, is the animati­on of the whole by his spirit, as the Apo­stle fully 1 Cor. 15. 45. The union between husband and wife is also chosen by the Holy Ghost to illustrate the union between Christ and his Church. For this cause shall a man forsake his Father and his Mother and cleave to his Wife, and they two shall be one flesh; this is a great mystery, but I speake concerning Christ and his Church, Eph. 5. 31, 32. The union be­tween man and wife we have Gen. 2. 24. they be no more twaine but one flesh; of Christ and his Church that they are one spirit. For he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17. See also another similitude of the same importance Ioh. 15. 5. Rom. 11. 16, 17. This I say is the fountain radicall union of the Church Catholick in its selfe, with its head and formall reason of it.

Hence flowes a double consequentiall Ʋnion that it hath also. §. 13. 1. Of Faith. All men, united to Christ by the inhabitation of the same Spirit in him and them, are by it from, and according to the word, taught of God, Is. 54. 13. Ioh. 6. 45. so taught every one of them, as to come to Christ v. 46. that is by bilieving, by faith. They are so taught of God, as that they shall certainly have that measure of knowledge and faith, which is [Page 97] needfull to bring them to Christ, and to God by him. And this they have by the unction or Spirit, which they have received 1 Ioh. 2. 21, 27. accompaning the Word by vertue of Gods Covenant with them, Is. 59. 29. And hereby are all the members of the Church Catholick, however divided in their visible profession, by any differen­ces among themselves, or differenced by the severall measures of gifts and graces they have received, brought to the perfe­ction aymed at, to the unity of the Faith, & to the acknowledgement of the Son of God, to a per­fect man, to the measure of the stature of the ful­nesse of Christ, Eph. 4. 13.

Nor was this hidden from some of the Papists themselves. §. 14. Ecclesia sancta corpus est Christi una spiritu vivificata, unita fide una, & sanctificata. saith Hugo de Victore, de sacram lib. 2. as he had said before in the former Cap. sicut scriptum est qui non habet Spiritum Christi, hic non est ejus: qui non habet Spiritum Christi, non est membrum Christi: in corpore uno Spiritus unus, nihil in corpore mortuum, nihil extra corpus vivum. See to the same purpose Enchirid. Concil Colon in Symbol.

With peculiar reference to the mem­bers themselves, §. 15. there is another necessa­ry consequence of the union mentioned; [Page 98] and that is the mutuall love of all those uni­ted in the head as before towards one ano­ther, and of every one towards the whole, as so united in the head Christ Jesus; There is an increase made of the body to the edifying it selfe in love Eph. 4. 16. And so it becomes the bond of perfectnesse to this body of Christ. I cannot say, that the members or parts of this Church have their union in themselves by Love; because they have that with, and in Christ, whereby they are one in them­selves Ioh. 17. 21, 23. they are one in God even in Christ, where their life is hid Col. 3. 3. but it is the next and immediate principle of that communion, which they severally have one with another, and the whole body, in and with it selfe. I say then that the communion which the Catholick Church, the mysticall body of Christ, hath, with and in it selfe, springing from the union, which it hath in and with Christ, and in it selfe, thereby, consists in love, exerting it selfe in inexpressible variety, according to the pre­sent state of the whole, its relation to Christ, to Saints and Angells, with the con­ditions and occasions of the members of it respectively, 1 Cor. 12. 26, 27.

What hath been spoken concerning the union and communion of this Church, §. 16. will [Page 99] not I suppose, meet with any contradiction. Granting that there is such a Church, as that we speake of, Coetus praedestinatorum credentium, the Papists themselves will grant that Christ alone is its head, and that its uni­on ariseth from its subjection to him, and dependance on him. Their modesty makes them contented with constituting the Pope in the roome of Christ, as he is as it were a politicall head for government; they have not as yet directly put in their claime to his of­fice as a mysticall Head, influencing the body with Life and Motion: though by their figment of the Sacraments communicating grace, ex opere operato, and investing the ori­ginall power of dispencing them in the Pope only, they have contended faire for it. But if any one can informe me of any other u­nion, or communion of the Church, described as above, then these laid downe, I shall wil­lingly attend unto his instructions: In the mean time, to carry on the present discourse unto that which is aimed at, it is manifest, that the breach of this union must consist in these two things.

1. First, §. 16. the casting out, expelling, and looseing that spirit, which abiding in us, gives us this union.

2. The losse of that love, which thence [Page 100] flowes into the body of Christ, and believers, as parts and members thereof.

This being the state of the Church under the first consideration of it, §. 17. certainly it would be an extravagancy scarcely to be pa­rallel'd, for any one to affirme a breach of this union as such, to be Schisme under that notion of it, which we 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 Ad [...]uncts, §. 18. 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 [Page 101] ordinary so [...]ndnes of his Intellectualls, is de­nyed.

Let us see now then what is our concern­ment in this discourse; §. 19. 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 [Page 102] against a more cunning Sophister, then any Jesu [...]te in the world, with whom the Saint [...] 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 Gilead [...], 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; §. 20. 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 Ʋnion with Christ, of faith in him, of Love to the [Page 103] 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 Ʋnion what ever; and whilest this shield is safe, we are lesse [...]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, [Page 104] 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, §. 21. 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.

[Page 105] 1. All wicked and prophane persons, of whom the Scripture speakes expressly that they shall not enter into the Kingdome of God, §. 22. 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, §. 23. 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, [...]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, 9, 10. Rev. 22. 15.

I find some persons of late appropria­ting holinesse and Regeneration to the Romane partie, §. 24. on this account, that a­mong them only miracles are wrought; Ille Coetus Christiano­rum qui so­lus in orbe clare [...] rege­neratis est ecclesia; solus Coetus Christianorum papae subditorum Claret regeneratis; ergo. prob. apud illas solos sunt qui miracula faciunt. ergo. Val Mag. [Page 106] which is say they the only proofe of true Holinesse. But these men erre as their Prede­cessors, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. Amongst all the evidences that are given in Scripture of Regeneration; I suppose they will scarcely find this to be one; and they who have no other assurance that they are themselves borne of God, but that some of their Church worke mi­racles, had need maintaine also that no man can be assured thereof in this life. They will find that a broken reed if they leane upon it. Deut. 13. 1, 2. Will it evince all the mem­bers of their Church to be Regenerate, Mat. 7. 22, 23. or only some? Exod. 3. 7. if they say all; I aske then what becomes of Bellarmin's Church, which is made up of them, who are not Re­generate, If some only I desire to know on what account the miracles of one man may be an evidence to some in his society that they are Regenerate and not to o­thers? Or whether the foundation of that distinction must not lye in themselves; but the truth is, the miracles now preten­ded are an evidence of a contrary condi­tion to what these men are willing to own 2 Thess 2. 11, 12.

2. All Ignorant persons, §. 25. into whose hearts God hath not shined to give them the knowledg [Page 107] of his Glory in the face of Jesus Christ, are to be added to the former account. There is a measure of knowledg of absolute & indi­spensable necessity to Salvation, whereof how short the most of them are, is evident. Among the open Abominations of the Papall combination, for which they ought to be an abhorrencie to mankind, their professed designe of keeping the people in ignorance is not the least, Hos. 4. 6. That it was devo­tion to themselves, and not to God, which they aymed to advance thereby, is by expe­rience sufficiently evinced: But that, whose Reverence is to be preserved by its being hid, is in it selfe contemptible. What other thoughts wise men could have of Christi­an Religion in their mannagement of it, I know not. Woe to you Romish Clergie, for you have taken away the key of knowledge, yee enter'd not in your selves, and them that were en­tering in you hindred. The people hath perished under your hands for want of knowledge, Zech: 11. 15, 16, 17. The sigment of an im­plicite faith, as mannaged by these men, to charme the spirits and Consciences of poor perishing creatures with securitie in this life, will be found as pernitious to them in the issue, as their Purgatorie, invented on the same account, §. 26. will be uselesse.

3. Adde to these all Hypocriticall selfe-justiciaries [Page 108] who seek for a Righteousnesse as it were by the workes of the Law, which they never attained to Rom. 9. 31, 32. though they take paines about it Chap. 10. 15. Eph. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11. by this sword will fall the fattest cattell of their Herd. How the hand of the Lord on this account sweeps away their Devo [...]ionists, and therein takes down the pride of their glory, the day will discover; yet besides these, there are two other things that will cut them down as the grasse falls before the sith of the Mower.

1. The first of these is Idolatry: §. 27. be not de­ceived, no Idolaters shall inherit the Kingdome of God, 1 Cor. 6. 9. Without are Idolaters, Rev. 22. 15. this added to their lives hath made Christian Religion, where known only as by them professed, to be an abomination to Jewes and Gentiles. Some will one day be­sides himselfe answer for Averroes determi­ning of the case as to his soule. Quoniam Christiani adorant quod comedunt, anima mea sit cum Philosophis. Whether they are Idolaters or no, whether they yeild the worship due to the Creator to the Creature, hath been sisted to the utmost, and the charge of its evill, which the jealous God doth of all things most abhore, so fastened on them [Page 109] beyond all possibility of escape, that one of the wisest of them hath at length fixed on that most desperate and profligate refuge, that some kind of Idolatry is lawfull, because Peter mentions abominable Idolatries, 1 Pet. 4. 5. who is therein so farre from distingui­shing of severall sorts & kinds of it to any such purpose as that he aggravates all sort, & kinds of it with the Epithet of Nefarious, or abominable.

A man may say, §. 28. what is there al­most that they have not committed lewd­nesse in this kind withall; on every hill, and under every green tree is the filth of their a­bomination found; Saints & Angells in Hea­ven; Images of some that never were, of others, that had been better they never had been; bread and wine, Crosse and nailes, Al­tars, wood, and iron, and the Pope on earth are by them adored. The truth is, if we have any assurance left us of any thing in the world, that we either see or heare, feel or tast and so consequently that we are alive, and not other men, the poor Indians who worship a piece of red cloth, are not more grosse Idolaters then they are.

2. All that worship the Best set up by the Dragon, §. 29. all that receive his marke in their hands, or forehead, are said not to have [Page 110] their names written in the booke of life of the Lambe Rev. 13 8. which what aspect it bears towards the visible Roman Church time will manifest.

All these sorts of persons we except a­gainst, §. 30. as those, that have no interest in the union of the Catholick-Church. All prophane, ignorant, selfe-justiciaries, all Idolaters, wor­shippers, or adorers of the Papall power, if a­ny remaine among them, not one way or other visibly separated from them, who fall not under some one or more of these Exceptions; as we grant they may be members, of the Catholick-Church, so we de­ny, that they are of that which is called the Roman. And I must needs informe o­thers by the way, that whilest the course of their conversation, ignorance of the mystery of the Gospell, hatred of Good men, contempt of the spirit of God, his gifts and graces, do testify to the Conscien­ces of them, that feare the Lord, that they belong not to the Church Catholick, it ren­ders their rebuking of others, for separa­ting from any instituted Church Nationall, (as is pretended) or more restrained, very weake, and contemptible. All discourses about meats, have a worme at the root, whilest there is a beame lies in the Eye. [Page 111] Doe men suppose that a man who hath ta­sted how gratious the Lord is, and hath by grace obtained communion with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ, walking at peace with God, and in a sense of his love all his daies, filled with the Holy Ghost, and by him with joy unspeakable and glorious in believing, is not strengthened against the rebukes, and disputes of men, whom he sees and knows by their fruits, to be de­stitute of the spirit of God, uninterested in the fellowship of the Gospell, and com­munion thereof.

CHAP. V.

THe Second generall notion of the Church, §. 1. as it is usually taken, signifies the Ʋniversality 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. §. 2.

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, [Page 113] 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 Ʋniversall Church we are speaking of, is not a thing that hath as such, a specificative forme, from which it should be called an Ʋniversall Church; as a particular hath for its ground of being so called. Its 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 Ʋniversall Church, which is not joyned actually to some particular Church or Congregation, then [Page 114] 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, §. 3. the Ʋniversall 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 Ʋniversal 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 hea [...]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 [Page 115] 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 Ʋniversalis▪ 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 tamet [...] neque exerci­tia pietatis uno numero frequentent, neque Sacra­menta eadem numero participent, neque uno eo­dem (que) 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, §. 4. 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 [Page 116] 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: §. 5. 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, §. 6. 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 [Page 117] 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, for the performance of that worship, which was then required, nor could otherwise be accomplished. For as it is not at all possible, that any such thing should ever be done, considering what is, and shall be, the estate of Christs visible Kingdome to the end of the World; so it is not (that I know of) pleaded, that Christ hath made a­ny such appointment: yea it is on all hands confessed, at least cannot reasonably be denyed, that there is a supersedeas gran­ted to all supposalls of any such duty, in­cumbent on the whole visible Church, by the Institution of particular Churches, wherein all the Ordinances of Christ are duely to be administred.

I shall only adde, §. 7. that if there be not an institution for the joyning in the same nu­mericall Ordinances, the Ʋnion of this Church is not really a Church Ʋnion; I mean of an Instituted Church, which consists there­in but something of another nature. Neither can that have the formall Reason of an in­stituted Church as such, which as such can joyne in no one act of the worship of God [Page 118] instituted to be performed in such societies: So that he that shall take into his thoughts, the condition of all the Christians in the world: their present state, what it hath been for 1500 years, and what it is like to be [...], will easily un­derstand, what Church state they stand in, and relate unto.

3. It cannot possibly have its union by a Relation to any one Officer given to the whole, §. 8. such an one as the Papists pretend the Pope to be. For though it be possible that one Officer may have Relation to all the Churches in the World, as the Apostles seve­rally had (when Paul said the care of all the Churches lay on him) who by vertue of their Apostolicall commission were to be received, and submitted to in all the Chur­ches in the World, being antecedent in office to them, yet this neither did, nor could make all the Churches one Church; no more then in one man were an Officer or Magi­strate in every Corporation in England, this would make all those Corporations to be one Corporation. I doe not suppose the Pope to be an Officer to the whole Church visible as such, which I deny to have an u­nion or order capable of any such thing, but suppose him an Officer to every parti­cular [Page 119] Church, no union of the whole would thence ensue. That which is one Church must joyne at least in some one Church act, numerically one. So that though it should be granted, that the Pope were a generall Officer unto all and every Church in the World, yet this would not prove, that they all made one Church, and had their Church-union in subjection to him, who was so an Officer to them all; because to the constitution of such an Ʋnion, as hath been shewed, there is that required, which in reference to the universall society of Chri­stians, is utterly and absolutely impossible. But the non-institution of any such Officer ordi­narily to beare rule in, and over all the Churches of God, hath been so abundantly proved by the Divines of the Reformed Churches, and he who alone puts in his claime to that prerogative so clearly manife­sted to be quite another thing, that I will not needlessely goe over that work again; something however shall afterwards be remarked, as to his pretensions, from the prin­ciples, whereon I proceed in the whole businesse. §. 9.

There is indeed by some pleaded a sub­ordination of Officers in this Church, tending towards an union on that account; as that [Page 120] ordinary Ministers should be subject to Di [...] ­cesan Bishops, they to Arch-Bishops or Metro­politans, they again to Patriarchs; where some would bound the processe, though a parity of Reason would call for a Pope. Nor will the Arguments pleaded for such a subordination rest, untill they come to be centred in some such thing.

But [1] before this plea be admitted, §. 10. it must be proved; that all these Officers are ap­pointed by Jesus Christ; or it will not con­cerne us, who are enquiring solely after his will, and the setling of conscience therein. To doe this with such an evidence, that the Consciences of all those, who are bound to yeild obedience to Jesus Christ, may appeare to be therein concerned, will be a difficult task, as I suppose. And to settle this once for all; I am not dealing with the men of that lazy perswasion, that Church affairs are to be ordered by the prudence of our Civill Superiors and Governors, and so seeking to justify a non submission to any of their constitutions, in the things of this nature, or to evidence, that the so doing is not Schisme; nor do I concerne my selfe in the order and appointment of Ancient times, by men as­sembled in Synods and Councells, wherein whatever was the force of their determina­tions [Page 121] in their own Seasons, we are not at all concerned, knowing of nothing that is ob­ligatory to us, not pleading from Soveraigne Authority, or our own consent; but it is af­ter things of pure Institution that I am en­quiring. With them who say there is no such thing in these matters, we must proceed on other principles, then any yet laid downe.

Also it must be proved, §. 11. that all these Officers are given, and do belong to the Catholick Church as such, and not to the par­ticular Churches of severall measures, and di­mensions, to which they relate; which is not as yet, that I know of, so much as pretended by them, that plead for this order. They tell us indeed of various arbitrary distribu­tions of the World, or rather of the Roman Empire into Patriarchats, with the depen­dent Jurisdictions mentioned; and that all within the precincts of those Patriarchats must fall within the lines of the subordinati­on, subjection, and communication before de­scribed; but as there is no subordination be­tween the Officers of one denomination in the inferior parts; no more is there any be­tween the Superior themselves, but they are independent of each other. Now it is easily discernable, that these Patriarchats (how [Page 122] many or how few soever they are) are parti­cular Churches, not any one of them the Catholick, nor altogether comprising all that are comprehended in the precincts of it, (which none will say that ever they did) and therefore this may speak some­thing as to a combination of those Churches, nothing as to the union of the Catholick as such, which they are not.

Supposing this Assertion to the purpose in hand (which it is not at all) it would prove only a combination of all the Offi­cers of severall Churches, §. 12. consisting in the subordination and dependance mentioned, not of the whole Church it selfe, though all the members of it should be at once imagined or fancied (as what shall hinder men from fancying what they please) to be comprised within the limits of those distri­butions, unles it be also proved, that Christ hath instituted severall sorts of particu­lar Churches Parochiall, Diocesan, Metropoliticall Patriarchall (I use the words in the present vulgar acceptation, their signification having bin somewhat otherwise formerly; paroecia being the care of a private Bishop, Provincia of a Metropolitan, & Diocesis of a Patriarch) in the order mentioned, and hath pointed out which of his Churches shall be of [Page 123] those severall kinds throughout the world; which that it will not be done to the di­sturbance of my principles, whilst I live I have some present good security.

And Because I take the men of this per­swasion to be charitable men, §. 13. that will not think much of taking a little paines for the reducing any person whatever from the errour of his way, I would in­treat them that they would informe me what Patriarchate according to the institution of Christ, I (who by the provi­dence of God live here at Oxon) doe de jure belong unto; that so I may know how to preserve the union of that Church, and to behave my selfe therein; And this I shall promise them, that if I were singly, or in conjunction with any others, so considera­ble, that those great Officers should con­tend about, whose subjects we should be, (as was done heretofore about the Bulga­rians,) that it should not at all startle me about the truth and excellency of Christian Religion, as it did those poore Creatures, who being newly converted to the faith, knew nothing of it but what they received from men of such Princi­ples.

But that this constitution is humane, §. 14▪ and [Page 124] the distributions of Christians in subjecti­on unto Church Officers, into such and such divisions of Nations and Countries prudentiall and aobitrary, I suppose▪ will not be denyed. The [...] of the Nicene Synod intends no more; nor is any thing of institution, nor so much as of Aposto­licall tradition pleaded therein. The fol­lowing ages were of the same perswasion. Hence in the Councell of Chalcedon the Ar­chiepiscopacy of Constantinople was advanced into a Patriarchat, and many provinces cast in subjection thereunto, wherein the Primates of Ephesus and Thrace were cut short of what they might plead [...] for. And sundry other alterations were likewise made in the same kind Socrat lib. 5. cap. 8. The ground and reason of which procedure, the Fathers assembled sufficiently manifest in the reason assigned for the ad­vancement of the Bishops of Constantinople, which was for the Cityes sake [...] Can. 3. Con. Constan. And what was the judgement of the Councell of Chalcedon upon this matter may be seen in the composition & determination of the strife between Maximus Bishop of Antioch, and Invenalis of Hierusalem Ac. 7. Con. Cal. with translation of Provinces from the [Page 125] Jurisdiction of one to another. And he that shall suppose that such Assemblys as these were instituted by the will and appoint­ment of Christ in the Gospell, with Church Authority for such dispositions and deter­minations, so as to make them of concern­ment to the unity of the Church, will if I mistake not, be hardly bestead in giving the ground of that his supposall.

4. I would know of them who desire to be under this Law, §. 15. whether the power with which Jesus Christ hath furnished the Officers of his Church come forth from the supreame mentioned Patriarchs and Arch-Bishops, and is by them communicated to the inferiors, or vice-versa; or whether all have their power in an equall immediation from Christ; if the latter be granted, there will be a greater independency established then most men are aware of, (though the Papalins understood it in the Councell of Trent) and a wound given to successive Epis­copall Ordination, not easily to be healed. That power is communicated from the inferiors to the Superiors will not be plea­ded. And seeing the first must be insisted on, I beseech them not to be too hasty with men not so sharp sighted as themselves, if finding the names they speak of Barbarous [Page 126] and forraigne as to the Scriptures, and the things themselves not at all delineated therein, [...].

5. The truth is, §. 16. the whole subordinati­on of this kind, which de facto hath been in the world, was so cleerly an humane invention, or a prudentiall constitution (as hath been shewed) (which being done by men professing authority in the Church, gave it as it was called vi [...] Ecclesiasticam) that nothing else in the issue is pleaded for it. And now though I shall, if called thereunto manifest both the unreasonablenesse & un­suitablenes to the designe of Christ for his worship under the Gospell, comparative noveltie, and mischievous issue of that con­stitution; yet at the present, being no far­ther concerned but only to evince that the union of the Generall visible Church doth not therein consist, I shall not need to adde any thing to what hath been spoken.

The Nicene Councell, §. 17. which first made to­wards the confirmation of something, like somewhat, of what was afterwards introduced in some places, pleaded only (as I said before) the [...], old usage for it, which it would not have done, could it have given a better Originall thereunto. And whatever the Antiquities then pre­tended [Page 127] might be, we know that [...]. And I doe not feare to say, what others have done before me, con­cerning the Canons of that first and best ge­nerall Councell, as it is called, they are all hay and stubble; Nor yet doth the laying this custome on [...], in my apprehensi­on, evince their judgement of any long prescription. Peter speaking of a thing that was done a few years before, saies, that is was done [...], Act. 15. 7. somewhat a greater Antiquity, then that by him intended, I can freely grant to the cu­stome by the Fathers pretended.

But a Generall Councell is pleaded with the best colour and pretence for a bond of u­nion to this Generall & visible Church. §. 18. In Consideration hereof, I shall not divert to the handling of the rise, right use, Authority, necessity of such Councells; about all which, somewhat in due time towards satisfaction may be offered to those, who are not in bondage to Names and Traditions. Nor shall I remark what hath been the mannage­ment of the things of God in all Ages in those Assemblies, many of which have been the staines and ulcers of Christian Re­ligion: Nor yet shall I say, with what lit­tle disadvantage to the Religion of Jesus [Page 128] Christ, I suppose a losse of all the Canons of all Councells that ever were in the world, since the Apostles daies, with their acts and contests (considering what use is made of them) might be undergone. Nor yet shall I digresse to the usefulnesse of the Assemblies of severall Churches in their repre­sentatives, to consider and determine about things of common concernment to them, with their tendencie to the preservation of that com­munion, which ought to be amongst them; but as to the present instance only offer

1. That such Generall Councells, §. 19. being things purely extraordinary and occasionall, (as is confessed) cannot be an ordinary standing bond of union to the Catholick Church; and if any one shall reply, that though in them­selves, and in their own continuance they cannot be so, yet in their Authority, Lawes, and Canons they may! I must say, that be­sides the very many Reasons I have to call in­to question the Power of Lawmaking for the whole Society of Christians in the World, in all the Generall Councells that have been, or possibly can be on the Earth; the dispute about the Title of those Assem­blies, which pretend to this honour, which are to be admitted, which excluded, are so endlesse; the Rules of judging them so darke, [Page 129] lubricous, and uncertaine, framed to the interest of contenders on all hands; the Lawes of them, which de facto have gone under that Title and Name, so innumerable, burthensome, uncertain, and frivolus, in a great part so grossely contradictory to one another, that I cannot suppose that any man upon second thoughts, can abide in such an assertion; If any shall, I must be bold to declare my affection to the doctrine of the Gospell maintained in some of those As­semblies, for some hundreds of years, and then to desire him to prove, that any Gene­rall Councell, since the Apostles fell asleep, hath been so convened, and mannaged, as to be enabled to claime that Authority to it selfe, which is, or would be due to such an Assembly, instituted according to the mind of Christ.

That it hath been of Advantage to the Truth of the Gospell, §. 20. that Godly Learned men, Bishops of Churches, have convened, and witnessed a good Confession, in reference to the Doctrine thereof, and declared their abhorrencie of the Errors, that are contra­ry thereunto, is confessed. That any man, or men, is, are, or ever were entrusted by Christ with Authority so to convene them, as that thereupon, and by vertue thereof, [Page 130] they should be invested with a new Autho­rity, Power, and Jurisdiction, at such a con­vention, and thence should take upon them to make Laws and Canons, that should be Ecclesiastically binding to any Persons, or Churches, as theirs, is not as yet to meat­tended with any convincing evidence of Truth. And seeing at length it must be spoken, I shall doe it with submission to the thoughts of good men, that are any way acquainted with these things, and in sincerity therein commend my Conscience to God; that I doe not know any thing that is extant, bearing clearer witnesse to the sad degeneracy of Christian Religion in the profession thereof, nor more evidently disco­vering the efficacy of another Spirit, than what was powred out by Christ at his As­cension, nor containing more hay and stubble, that is to be burned and consumed, then the stories of the Acts and Laws of the Coun­cells and Synods, that have been in the World.

2. But to take them as they are, as to that alone wherein the first Councells had any evidence of the presence of the Holy Ghost with them, §. 21. namely, in the declaring the doctrine of the Gospell; it falls in with that which I shall give in for the [Page 131] bond of union unto the Church in the sense pleaded about.

3. Such an Assembly arising cumula­tive out of particular Churches, §. 22. as it is evi­dent that it doth, it cannot first and pro­perly belong to the Church Generall, as such; but it is only a means of communion be­tween those particular Churches as such, of whose representatives (I mean vertually, for formally the persons convening for ma­ny years ceased to be so) it doth con­sist.

4. There is nothing more ridiculous then to imagine a Generall Councell, §. 23. that should represent the whole Catholick Church, or so much as all the particular Churches that are in the World; and let him that i [...] otherwise minded, that there hath been such an one, or that it is possible there should be such a one, prove by instance, that such there have been since the Apostles times; or by Reason, that such may be in the present Age, or be justly expected in those that are for to suc­ceed, and we will, as we are able, crowne him for his discovery.

5. Indeed I know not how any Councell, that hath been in the World these 1300 years and somewhat upwards, §. 24. could be said to represent the Church in any sence, or [Page 132] any Churches whatever; Their conventi­on, as is known, hath been alwaies by Im­periall or Papall Authority: the persons con­vened such, and only they, who as was pre­tended, and pleaded, had right of suffrage, with all necessary Authority in such con­ventions, from the Order, Degree, and Office, which personally they hold in their severall Churches. Indeed a Pope or Bishop sent his Legate or Proxie, to Represent, or rather per­sonate him, & his Authority. But that any of them were sent, or delegated by the Church wherein they did preside, is not so evident.

I desire then, §. 25. that some man more skilled in Laws and Common usages then my selfe, would informe me, on what account such a convention could come to be a Church Representative, or the persons of it to be re­presentatives of any Churches; Generall grounds of Reason and Equity I am per­swaded, cannot be pleaded for it. The Lords in Parliament in this Nation, who be­ing summoned by Regall Authority, sate there in their own personall right, were never esteemed to represent the body of the people; supposing indeed all Church power [...]n any particular Church, of whatever extract, or composition, to be solely vested in one single person; a collection of those per­sons [Page 133] (if instituted) would bring together the Authority of the whole. But yet this would not make that Assembly to be a Church Representative, if you will allow the name of the Church to any, but that single person: But for men, who have but a partiall power & Authority in the Church, and perhaps, separated from it, none at all, without any delegation from the Churches to convene, and in their own Authority to take upon them to represent those Churches, is absolute presumption.

These severall pretensions being excluded, §. 26. let us see wherein the Ʋnity of this Church, namely, of the great society of men professing the Gospell, and obedience to Christ, accor­ding to it, throughout the World, doth consist; this is summoned up by the Apostle Eph. 4. 5. one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, It is the Ʋnity of the doctrine of Faith, which men professe, in subjection to one Lord Je­sus Christ, being initiated into that profes­sion by Baptisme; I say, the saving doctrine of the Gospell of Salvation by Jesus Christ, and obedience through him to God as professed by them, is the bond of that union, whereby they are made one body, are di­stinguished from all other societies, have one head Christ Jesus, which as to profession [Page 134] they hold, and whilest they doe so, are of this body, in one professed hope of their calling.

Now that this Ʋnion be preserved, §. 27. it is required that all those grand and necessary Truths of the Gospell, without the knowledge whereof no man can be saved by Jesus Christ, be so farre believed, as to be out­wardly and visibly professed in that variety of waies, wherein they are, or may be called out thereunto. There is a proportion of Faith Rom: 12. 6. an Ʋnity of Faith, and of know­ledge of the Sonne of God, Eph 4. 13. a measure of saving Truths, the explicite knowledge whereof in man, enjoying the use of Rea­son within, and the means of grace without, is of indispensible necessary to Salvation, without which it is impossible that any soule in an ordinary way should have communion with God in Christ, having not light suffi­cient for converse with him, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace. These are commonly called Fundamentalls, or first Principles, which are justly argued by many to be clear, perspicuous, few, lying in an evi­dent tendency to obedience. Now look what truths are savingly to be believed, to render a man a member of the Church Ca­tholick invisible; that is, whatever is requi­red [Page 135] in any one, unto such a receiving of Je­sus Christ; as that thereby he may have pow­er given to him to become the Son of God, the profession of those Truths is required, to en­state a man in the unity of the Church visible.

2. That no other internall principle of the mind, §. 28. that hath an utter inconsistency with the reall beliefe of the Truths necessary to be professed, be manifested by the Pro­fessors. Paul tells us of some, who, though they would be called Christians, yet they so walked, as that they manifested them­selves to be Enemies of the crosse of Christ, Phil 3. 18. certainly those, who on one account, are open and manifest enemies of the Crosse of Christ, are not on any, mem­bers of his Church: there is one Lord, and one Faith required, as well as one Baptisme▪ And a protestation contrary to evidence of fact, is in all Law, Null. Let a man professe 10000 times, that he believes all the saving truths of the Gospell, and by the course of a wicked and prophane conversation evi­dence to all, that he believes no one of them, shall his protestation be admitted? shall he be accounted a servant in, and of my fa­mily, who will call me Master, and come into my house▪ only to doe me and mine a [Page 136] mischiefe, not doing any thing I require of him, but openly and professedly the contra­ry? Paul saies of such Tit. 5. 15, 16. They pro­fesse that they know God, yet in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unto e­very good work reprobate; which though pe­culiarly spoken of the Jewes, yet contains a generall Rule, that mens profession of the knowledge of God, contradicted by a course of wickednesse, is not to be admitted, as a thing giving any priviledge whatever.

3. That no thing; §. 29. opinion, error, or false doctrine, everting or overthrowing any of the necessary saving Truths professed, as above, be added in & with that profession; or deliberately be professed also. This principle the Apostle layes downe and proves Gal. 5. 3, 4. notwithstanding the profession of the Gospell, he tells the Galatians, that if they were bewitched to professe also the necessity of Circumcision, and keeping of the Law for Justification, that Christ or the profession of him would not profit them. On this account the Ancients ex­cluded many Hereticks from the name of Christians, so Justin of the Marcionites and others [...] [Page 137] [...] ▪

We are at length then arrived to this issue; §. 30. the belief & profession of all the necessary saving truths of the Gospell, without the manife­station of an internall principle of the mind, inconsistent with the beliefe of them, or ad­ding of other things in profession, that are destructive to the truths so professed, is the bond of the unity of the visible professing Church of Christ. Where this is found in any man or number of men, though otherwise accompanied with many failings sinns and errors, the unity of the faith is by him or them so farre preserved, as that they are thereby rendred members of the visible Church of Christ, and are by him so esteemed.

Let us suppose a man by bare Reading of the Scriptures, §. 31. brought to him by some providence of God (as finding the Bible in the high way) and eviden [...]ing their Au­thority by their own light, instructed in the knowledge of the Truths of the Gos­pell, who shall thereupon make profession of them amongst them, with whō he lives, although he be thousands of miles distant from any particular Church, wherein the [Page 138] Ordinances of Christ are administred; nor perhaps knows there is any such Church in the world, much lesse hath ever heard of the Pope of Rome (which is utterly impossible he should, supposing him instructed only by reading of the Scriptures) I aske whether this man, making open profession of Christ ac­cording to the Gospell, shall be esteemed a member of the visible Church in the sence insisted on or no?

That this may not seem to be such a fiction of a case, §. 32. as may involve in it any impossible supposition, which being granted will hold a doore open for other absurdi­ties, I shall exemplifie it in its most materi­all postulata by a story of unquestionable truth.

Elmacinus, who wrote the story of the Saracens, being Secretary to one of the Ca­liphs at Bagdat, informes us, that in the yeare 309 of their Hegira, about the year 921 of our account, Muctadinus the Caliph of Bagdat by the Counsell of his wise men, commanded one Huseinus the son of Man­sor to be crucified for certaine Poems, where­of some verses are recited by the Historian, and are thus rendred by Erpenius

Laus [...]i qui manifestavit humilitatem suam, [Page 139] celavit inter nos divinitatem suam permeantem donec coepit in creatura sua apparere sub specie edentis & bibentis;

Jamque aspexit cum Creatura ejus, sicuti super­cilium obliquum respiciat supercilium.

From which remnant of his worke it is easily to perceive, that the crime whereof he was accused, and for which he was con­demned and crucifyed, was the confession of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As he went to the crosse he added, says the same Au­thor, these that follow,

Compo [...]ur mens nihil plane habet in se iniqui­tatis, bibendum mihi dedi [...] simile ejus quod bibit secit hospitem in hospite.

And so dyed constantly (as it appears) in the profession of the Lord Jesus.

Bagdat was a City built not long before by the Saracens, wherein it is probable there were not at that time any Christians abi­ding: Adde now to this story what our Saviour speakes Luck. 12. 8. I say unto you whosoever shall confesse me before men, him shall the Sonne of man confesse before the Angells of God; and considering the unlimitednesse of the expression as to any outward consi­deration, and tell me whether this man, or any other in the like condition, be not to be reckoned as a subject of Christs visible [Page 140] Kingdome; a member of this Church in the world.

Let us now recall to minde what we have in designe; §. 33. granting for our processe sake, that Schisme is the breach of any uni­ty instituted and appointed by Christ▪ in what sence soever it is spoken of, our inquiry is, whether we are Guilty in any kind of such a breach, or the breach of such an Ʋnity. This then now insisted on being the union of the Church of Christ, as visibly professing the word, according to his own minde, when I have laid down some generall foun­dations of what is to ensue, I shall consider whether we are guilty of the breach of this Ʋnion and argue the severall preten­sions of men against us, especially of the Romanists on this account.

1. I confesse that this union of the generall visible Church was once comprehensive of all the Churches in the world; §. 34. the Faith once delivered to the Saints being received amongst them. From this unity it is taken also for granted, that a separation is made, and it continnes not as it was at the first institution of the Churches of Christ, though some small breaches were made upon it, immediately after their first planting. The Papists say, as to the Europaean Churches [Page 141] wherein their and our concernment principally lyes) this breach was made in the dayes of our forefathers; by their depar­ture from the common faith in those Ages, though begunne by a few some Ages before. We are otherwise minded, and affirme, that this secession was made by them, and their Predecessors in Apostacy, in severall generations by severall degrees; which we manifest, by comparing the present profession and worship, with that in each kind, which we know was at first embraced, because we find it Instituted. At once then, we say this Schisme lyes at their doors, who not only have deviated from the common faith themselves, but do also actually cause, and attempt to de­stroy temporally and eternally all that will not joyne with them therein. For as the mystery of iniquity began to worke in the Apostles dayes; so we have a testimony beyond exception in the complaint of those that lived in them, that not long after, the ope­ration of it became more effectuall, and the infection of it to be more diffused in the Church: This is that of Hegesyppus in Eusebius Eccles. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 26. who affirmes that the Church remained a Virgin (whilst the Apostles lived) pure and [Page 142] uncorrupted, but when that sacred Society had ended it's pilgrimage, and the generation that heard and received the word from them were fallen asleep, many false doctrines were preached and divulged therein.

I know who hath endeavoured to elude the sence of this complaint, §. 35. as though it concerned not any thing in the Church, but the despisers and persecutors of it, the Gno­sticks. But yet I know also, that no man would so doe but such a one, as hath a just confidence of his own ability to make passa­ble at least, any thing that he shall ven­ture to say or utter. For why should that be referred by Hegesyppus to the Ages after the Apostles and their hearers were dead, with an exception against its being so in their days; when if the person thus expoun­ding this testimony may be credited, the Gnosticks were never more busie nor pre­valent then in that time which alone is ex­cepted from the evill here spoken of. Nor can I understand how the opposition and per­secution of the Church should be insinuated to be the deflowring and violating of its cha­stity, which is commonly a great purifying of it; so that speaking of that broaching and preaching of errors, which was not in the Apostles times, nor in the time of their [Page 143] Hearers, the chiefest time of the rage & mad­nes of the Gnosticks; such as spotted the pure & incorupted Virginity of the church, which no­thing can attaine unto that is forraigne unto it, & that which gave originall unto sedition in the Church: I am of the mind, & so I conceive was Eusebius that recited those words, that the good man intended corruptions in the Church, not out of it, nor oppositions to it.

The processe made in after Ages, §. 36. in a deviation from the unity of the faith, till it arrived to that height wherein it is now stated in the Papall Apostacy, hath been the work of others to declare; therein then I statet the rise and progresse of the present Schisme (if it may be so called) of the vi­sible Church.

2. As to our concernment in this busi­nesse, §. 3 [...]. they that will make good a charge against us, that we are departed from the Ʋnity of the Church Catholick it is incum­bent on them to evidence, that we ei­ther doe not believe and make pro­fession of all the Truths of the Gospell indispensably necessary to be known, that a man may have a communion with God in Christ and be saved. Or

2. That doing so, in the course of our lives [Page 144] we manifest and declare a principle, that is utterly inconsistent with the belief of those Truths, which outwardly we professe; or

3. That we adde unto them, in opinion or worship, that, or those things, which are in very deed destructive of them; or doe any way render them insufficient to be saving un­to us. If neither of these three can be pro­ved against a man, he may justly claime the priviledge of being a member of the visible Church of Christ in the World, though he never in all his life be a member of a particu­lar Church: which yet if he have fitting op­portunity and Advantage for it, is his duty to be.

And thus much be spoken as to the state and condition of the visible Catholick Church! §. 38. and in this sence we grant it to be, and the unity thereof. In the late pra­ctice of men, that expression of the Catholick Church hath been an Individuum Vagum, few knowing what to make of it: A Co­thurnus that every one accommodated at pleasure to his own principles and pretensi­ons. I have no otherwise described it, then did Irenaeus of old; said he, judicabit omnes eos, qui sunt extra veritatem, id est, extra Eccle­siam. Lib 4. cap. 62. and on the same ac­count, is a particular Church sometimes [Page 145] called by some, the Catholick. Quando (que) ego Remigius Episcopus de hâc luce transiero, tu mihi Haeres esto, Sancta & venerabilis Ecclesia Ca­tholica urbis Remorum. Flodoardus lib. 1.

In the sence insisted on, §. 39. was it so fre­quently described by the Ancients.

So again Irenaeus; Etsi in mundo loquelae dissimiles sunt, sed tamen virtus traditionis una & eadem est, & ne (que) hae, quae in Germania sunt [...]undatae, Ecclesiae aliter credunt, aut aliter tradunt, ne (que) hae, quae in Hibernis sunt, ne (que) hae quae in Celtis, ne (que) hae, quae in Oriente, ne (que) hae quae in Aegypto, ne (que) hae quae in Lybia, ne (que) hae quae in medio mundi constitutae: Sed sicut sol Crea­tura Dei in universo mundo unus & idem est, si [...] & lumen & praedicatio veritatis ubi (que) lucet. lib. 1. cap. 3. to the same purpose Jus [...]in Martyr, [...] ▪ Dialog. cum Tryphone.

The generality of all sorts of men wor­shipping God in Jesus Christ, is the Church we speak of: whose extent in his daies Ter­tullian thus related: In quem alium crediderunt Gentes universae, nisi in ipsum, qui jam venit? [Page 146] 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 & Ins [...]larum multarum nobis ignota­rum, & quae enumerare non possumus, in quibus omnibus locis Christi nomen, qui jam venit, regna [...] ad Iudaeos. §. 40.

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, [Page 147] 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, §. 41▪ is a thing of another nature; a Politick body or Common­wealth, 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 Common­wealth dist [...]ctly, as such, it is required that [Page 148] 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 [...]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, [Page 149] 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 whole [...]; 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 [Page 150] 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, §. 42. 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.

LEt us see now what as to conscience, §. 1. 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 [...]eats, wherewith they jugled, when the whole world sa [...]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 [Page 153] Church proposeth to be believed, and what we doe believe, we believe not on ha [...] account.

Ans. Their insisting on this plea so much as they doe, §. 2. 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, §. 3. 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 acc [...]e to them by the pro­fession thereof, whereby the severall indivi­dualls [Page 154] 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, §. 4. 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 [Page 155] 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, §. 5. 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 [Page 156] 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 Scriptur [...] 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. §. 6.

But is not the Scripture to be interpreted [Page 157] 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 Ʋs, and our Faith, that it is fit, [Page 158] that we should be Soul and Body at their di­sposall.

It being then the work of the Scripture, §. 7. 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, §. 8. 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 [Page 159] 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, §. 9. 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. §. 10. Why so? because [Page 160] 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, §. 11. 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 [Page 161] 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. §. 12. 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 [Page 162] 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, §. 13. 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, §. 14. if he hath at al taken notice of these things, whereto find this cloud scattered, without the least [Page 163] 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 at large insisted on. In briefe, put the whole Church of God into that condition of libertie and soundnesse of Doctrine, which it was in when the great uproare was made by the Donatists, and we shall be concerned to give in our judgements concerning them.

To presse an example of former dayes, §. 15. as binding unto duty, or convincing of evill, in respect of any now, without sta­ting the whole substratum of the businesse, and compleat cause, as it was in the dayes and seasons, wherein the ex­ample was given, we judge it not equall. Yet although none can with ingenuity presse me with the crime they were guilty of, unlesse they can prove themselves to be instated in the very same condition, as they were against whom that crime was committed, which I am fully assured none in the world can; the communion of the Catholick Church then pleaded for, being in the judgement of all an effect of mens free liberty, and choice, now pressed as an issue [Page 164] of the Tyranny of some few; yet I shall freely deliver my thoughts concerning the Donatists, which will be comprehen­sive also of those other, that suffer with them in former and after ages, under the same imputation.

1. Then I am perswaded, §. 16. that in the matter of fact, the Donatists were some of them deceived, and others of them did de­ceive, in charging Caecilianus to be ordai­ned by Traditores: which they made the maine ground of their separation, how­ever they took in other things, (as is usu­all) into their defence afterward. Whe­ther any of themselves were ordained by such persons, as they are recharged, I know not.

2. On supposition that he was so, §. 17. and they that ordained him were known to him to have been so; yet he being not guil­ty of the crime, renouncing Communion with them therein, and themselves repenting of their sinne, as did Peter, whose sinne ex­ceeded theirs, this was no just cause of casting him out of Communion, he walking & acting in all other things, suitable to principles by themselves acknowledged.

3. §. 18. That on supposition they had just cause hereupon to renounce the Commu­nion [Page 165] of Caecilianus, which according to the principles of those days, retained by them­selves was most false; yet they had no ground of separating from the Church of Carthage, where were many Elders not ob­noxious to that charge. Indeed to raise a jealousy of a fault in any man, which is deny­ed by him, which we are not able to prove, which if it were proved, were of little or no importance, and on pretence thereof to separate from all, who will not believe what we surmise, is a wild and unchristian course of proceeding.

4. Yet grant farther, §. 19. that men of ten­der consciences, regulated by the princi­ple then generally received, might be startled at the cōmunion of that Church, wherein Caecilianus did preside; yet no­thing but the height of madnesse, pride, and corrupt fleshly interest, could make men declare hostility against all the Churches of Christ in the world, who would commu­nicate with, or did not condemne that Church, which was to regulate all the Churches in the world by their own fan­cy, and imagination.

5. §. 20. Though men out of such pride and folly might judge all the residue of Chri­stians to be faulty and guilty in this parti­cular [Page 166] of not condemning and separating from the Church of Carthage; yet to proceed to cast them out from the very name of Christians, and so disanull their privi­ledges, and ordinances, that they had been made partakers of, as manifestly they did, by rebaptizing all that entered into their communion, was such unparalleld Pharisaisme, and Tyranny, as was wholy to be condemned, and untollerable.

6. The Divisions, §. 21. Outrages, and Enthusi­asticall furies and Riots that befell them, or they fell into, in their way, werein my judgement tokens of the hand of God a­gainst them: so that upon the whole matter, their undertaking, and enterprise, was ut­terly undue, and unlawfull.

I shall farther adde, §. 22. as to the mannage­ment of the cause by their Adversaries, that there is in these writings, especially those of Austin (for the most part) as sweet and gratious spirit, breathing, full of zeale for the glory of God, Peace, Love, Union a­mong Christians; and as to the issue of the cause under debate, it is evident, that they did sufficiently foyle their Adversaries on principles then generally confessed, and acknowledged on all hands, though some [Page 167] of them seem to have been considering, Learned, and dexterous men.

How little we are at this day, in any con­tests that are mannaged amongst us, about the things of God, concerned in those dif­ferences of theirs, these few Considerati­ons will evince; yet notwithstanding all this, I must take liberty to professe, that al­though the Fathers justly charged the Do­natists with disclaiming of all the Churches of Christ, as a thing wicked and unjust, yet many of the principles whereon they did it, were such, as I cannot assent unto. Yea I shall say, that though Austin was sufficient­ly cleare in the nature of the invisible Church Catholick, yet his frequent con­founding it with a mistaken notion of the visible generall Church, hath given no small occasion of stumbling, and sundry unhappy intanglements to diverse in after Ages. His own book De unitats Ecclesiae, which con­tains the summe and Substance of what he had written elsewhere, or disputed against the Donatists, would afford me instances enough to make good my assertion, were it now under consideration or proofe.

Being then thus come off from this part of our Charge and accusation of Schisme, §. 23. for the relinquishment of the Ca­tholick [Page 168] visible Church, which as we have not done, so to doe, is not Schisme, but a sin of another nature and importance; accor­ding to the method proposed, a recharge on the Romanists in reference to their present Condition, and its unsuitablenesse to the Ʋnity of the Church, evinced, must briefly ensue.

Their claime is known to be no lesse, §. 24. then that they are this Catholick Church, out of whose Communion there is no sal­vation: (as the Donatists was of old) that also the union of this Church consists in its subjection to its head the Pope, and wor­shipping of God according to his appoint­ment, in and with his severall qualifications and attendencies. Now this claime of theirs to our apprehension, and Consciences, is

1. Cruell, and sanguinary; con­demning Millions to hell, that invocate and call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, believing all things that are written in the Old and New Testaments, for no other cause in the World, but because they are not convinced, that it is their duty to give up Reason, Faith, Soule, and all to him, and his disposall, whom they have not only un­conquerable presumptions against, as an evill [Page 169] and wicked Person; but are also resolved▪ and fully perswaded in their Consciences, that he is an enemy to their deare Lord Jesus Christ, out of Love to whom, they cannot beare him. Especially will this appeare to be so, if we consider their farther improve­ment of this principle, to the killing hanging, torturing to death, burning of all that they are able, who are in the condition before mentioned. This upon the matter is the great Principle of their Religion. All per­sons that will not be subject (at least in spirituall things) to the Pope, are to be hanged or burned in this World, or by other means destroyed, and damned for ever hereafter. This is the substance of the Gospell they Preach, the centre wherein all the lines of their writings doe meet; and to this must the holy, pure word of God be wrested to give countenance. Blessed be the God of our Salvation, who as he never gave mercilesse men power over the Souls, and eternall condition of his Saints; so he hath be­gan to work a deliverance of the outward condition of his people, from their Rage and cruelty; which in his good time he will perfect in their irrecoverable ruine. In the mean time, I say, the guilt of the blood of millions of innocent persons, yea Saints of God, [Page 170] lyes at their doors. And although thing [...] are so stated in this Age, that in some Na­tions they have left none to kill; in others are restrained, that they can kill no more; yet reteining the same principles with their Fore­fathers, and justifying them in their paths of blood, I look upon them all as guilty of Murther, and so not to have eternall life a­biding in them; being as Cain of that wicked one, who slew his Brother. I speak not of individualls, but of those in generall, that constitute their governing Church.

2. Most false, §. 25. and such as nothing but either judiciary hardnesse from God, sending men strong delusions, that they might be­lieve a lye; or the dominion of cursed lusts, pride, ambition, covetousnesse, desire of Rule, can lye at the bottome of▪ For,

1. It is false, that the union of the Catholick Church, in the notion now under consideration, consists in subjection to any Officer or Officers; or that it hath any pecu­liar forme, constituting one Church in Relati­on to them, or in joynt participation of the same individuall Ordinances whatever, by all the members of it; or that any such onenesse is at all possible; or any unity whatever, but that of the Faith, which by it is believed, and of the Truth professed.

[Page 171] 2. It is most ridiculous, §. 26. that they are this Catholick Church, or that their commu­nion is comprehensive of it in its latitude. He must be blind, uncharitable, a judge of what he cannot see▪ or know, who can once en­tertaine a thought of any such thing. Let us run a little over the foundations of this As­sertion.

First, Peter was the Prince of the Apostles. It is denied; Arguments lye clear against it. The Gospell, the Acts of the Apostles, all confute it. The expresse testimony of Paul lyes against it; our Saviour denies it, that it was so, gives Order that it should not be so. The name and thing is forreigne to the times of the Apostles. It was a Ministry, not a Principality they had committed to them; therein they were all equall. It is from that Spirit, whence they enquired af­ter a Kingdome and Dominion, before they had received the Spirit of the Gospell, as it was dispensed after Christs Ascension, that such assertions are now insisted on. But let that be supposed, what is next? He had an Ʋniversall Monarchicall Jurisdiction committed to him over all Christians. For Christ said, Tues Petrus, tibi dabo claves, & pasce o­ves meas. But these termes are barbarous to the Scripture; Monarchy is not the English [Page 172] of vos autem non sic. Jurisdiction is a name of a right, for the exercise of civill power. Christ hath left no such thing as Jurisdicti­on, in the sence wherein it is now used, to Peter or his Church. Men do but make sports, and expose themselves to the con­tempt of considering persons, who talke of the institution of our Lord, in the langua­ges of the last Ages; or expressions suitable to what was in practice in them. He that shall compare the fraternall Church admo­nition and censures of the primitive institu­tion, with the Courts, Powers, and Jurisdicti­ons, set up in pretence and colour of them in after Ages, will admire at the likenesse and correspondency of the one with the other. The administration of Ecclesiasticall Ju [...]isdi­ction in the Papacy, and under the Prelacy here in England, had no more relation to any institution of Christ, (unlesse it be, that it effectually excluded the exercise of his institutions,) then other civill Courts of Justice among Christians have. Peter had the Power and Authority of an Apo­stle in and over the Churches of Christ, to [...]each, to instruct them, to ordaine Elders in them by their consent wherever he came: so had the rest of the Apostles. But as to this Monarchie of Peters over the rest of the A­postles, [Page 173] let them shew what Authority he ever exercised over them, while he and they lived together; We read that he was once repro­ved by one of them, not that he ever repro­ved the meanest of them. If Christ made the grant of preheminencie to him, when he said Tu es Petrus, why did the Apostles en­quire afterwards, who among them should be greatest? And why did not our Saviour on that dispute, plainly satisfy them, that Peter was to be chiefe? But chose rather to so determine the Question, as to evince them of the vanity of any such enquiry? And yet the determination of it, is that, that lyes at the bottome of the Papall Monarchy. And why doth Paul say, that he was in nothing inferiour to any of the Apostles, when, (if these Gent: say true) he was in many things in­feriour to Peter? What speciall place hath the name of Peter, in the foundation of the new Jerusalem, Rev. 21. 14.? What exaltati­on hath his Throne among the Twelve, whereon the Apostles judge the World, and house of Israel, Mat. 19. 28. What Eminencie of commission for teaching all Nations, or for, giving sinnes? What had his keys more then those of the rest of the Apostles, Joh. 20. 3.? What was peculiar in that triple command of feeding the sheep of Christ, but his triple de­niall, [Page 174] that preceded? Is an injunction for the performance of duty, a grant of new Au­thority? But that we may make some pro­gresse, suppose this also; Why, this Power, Priviledge, and Jurisdiction of Peter, was to be transferred to his successors, when the power of all the other Apostles, as such, dyed with them. But what pretence, or colour of it, is there for this Assertion? What one title or [...] is there in the whole book of God, giving the least countenance to this imagination? what distinction between Peter and the rest of the Apostles on this account, is once made, or in any kind insinuated? Certainly this was a thing of great importance to the Churches, to have been acquainted with it, When Paul so sadly tells the Church, that after his departure grievous Wolves would spoyle the flock, and many among themselves would arise, speaking perverse things, to draw Disciples after them; why did he not give 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 [Page 175] 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, §. 27. 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 [Page 176] 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 [Page 177] 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; §. 28. say they Quia non de verbis solum Scripturae, sed etiā de sensu plurima cōtroversia est, si ecclesiae interpretatio non est cert [...] intelligendi norma, ecquis erit istiusmodi Contro­versiae judex? sensū enim suū pro sua virili quis (que) 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 quaecun (que) illis [Page 178] fuerunt a Christo commendata. Non est puerorum aut Psittaeorum praedicatio, qui sine mente dant, accipiunt (que) sonum. Walemburg. Con. 4. Num. 26.

It is well, §. 29. 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 its 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, §. 30. 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 [Page 179] 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 [...]p [...]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, § 31. that Peter was at Rome, which they shall [Page 180] 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 appointed him to fixe his Chaire, and make that Church, the place of his residence: [...].

Of his meeting Simon Magus at Rome, who in all probability was never there, (for Seme Sangus was not Simon Magus, nor Sanctus, nor Deus Magnus) of the conquest made of him, and his Divells, of his being instructed of Christ not to goe from Rome, but tarry there, and suffer, some thing may be said from old Legends. But of his chaire, and fixing of it at Rome, of his confinement, as it were, to that place, in direct oppositi­on to the tenour of his Apostolicall commission, who first told the story I know not; but this I know, they will one day be ashamed of their Chaire, Thrones, and Sees, and Juris­dictions, wherein they now so please them­selves.

But what is next to this? §. 32. The Bishop of Rome succeeds Peter in all that Power, Ju­risdiction, Infallibility, with whatsoever else was fancied before in him, as the ordinary [Page 181] Lord of the Church, and therefore the Ro­man Church is the Catholick; quod erat demon­strandum Now though this inference will no way follow upon these Principles, though they should all be supposed to be true, whereof not one is so much as proba­ble; and though this last Assertion be vaine and ridiculous, nothing at all being plea­ded to ground this Succession; no Institution of Christ, no Act of any Councell of the Church; no Will nor Testament of Peter; but only it is so fallen out, as the world was composed of a casuall concurrence of Atomes: yet seeing they will have it so, I desire a little farther information in one thing, that yet remains; and that is this, The Charter, Patents, and Grant of all this power, & right of succession unto Peter, in all the Advanta­ges, priviledges and Jurisdiction, before mentioned, being wholly in their own keeping, whereof I never saw letter or title, nor ever conversed with any one, no not of themselves, that did; I would be gladly informed, whether this grant be made to him absolutely, without any manner of con­dition whatever; so that, who ever comes to be Pope of Rome, and possessed of Peters Chaire the [...]e by what meanes soever he is possessed of it, whether he believe the Go­spell [Page 182] or no, or any of the saving Truths therein contained, and so their Church must be the Catholick Church, though it fol­low him in all Abominations; or whether it be made on any condition to him, especi­ally that of cleaving to the doctrine of Christ revealed in the Gospell? If they say the first, that it is an absolute grant, that is made to him without any condition expressed or neces­sarily to be understood, I am at an issue, and have nothing to adde, But my desire that the Grant may be produced; for whilest we are at this variance, it is against all Law and Equity, that the parties litigant should be admitted to plead bare Allegations, without proofe. If the latter, though we should grant all the former monstrous sup­positions, yet we are perfectly secure against all their pretensions, knowing nothing more clearly and evidently, then that He and they have broken all conditions, that can possi­bly be imagined, by corrupting and pervert­ing almost the whole doctrine of the Go­spell.

And whereas it may be supposed, §. 33. that the great condition of such a grant would consist in his diligent attendance to the Scriptures the Word of God; herein doth the filth of their Abominations appeare [Page 183] above all other things. The guilt that is in that society or combination of men, in locking up the Scriptures in an un­known tongue, forbidding the people to read it, burning some men to death for the studying of it, and no more, disputing a­gainst its power, to make good its own Authority, charging it with obscurity, imper­fection, insufficiency, frighting men from the perusall of it, with the danger of being seduced, and made Hereticks by so doing, setting up their own Traditi­ons in an equality with it, if not exal­ting them above it, studying by all meanes to decry it as uselesse and con­temptible, at least comparatively with themselves, will not be purged from them for ever. §. 34.

But you will say, this is a simple questi­on. For the Pope of Rome hath a promise that he shall still be such an one, as is fit to be trusted with the power mentioned; and not one that shall defend Mahumet to be the Prophet of God sent into the world, or the like Abominations; at least, that be he what he will, placed in the chaire, he shall not [...]re, nor mistake in what he delivereth for Truth. Now seeing themselves (as was [Page 184] said) are the sole keepers of this promise and grant also, which they have not as yet shewed to the world. I am necessitated to aske once more; whether it be made to him meerly upon condition of mounting into his Chaire, or also on this condition, that he use the means appointed by God to come to the knowledge of the Truth? If they say the former, I must needs say, that it is so remote from my apprehension, that God who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth only, should now under the Gospell pro­mise to any persons, that be they never so wicked and abominable, never so openly and evidently sworne enemies of him and his Anoynted, whether they use any means or not by him appointed, that they shall al­wayes in all things speake the truth, which they hate, in love, which they have not, with that Authority which all his Saints must bow unto; especially not having in­timated any one word of any such promise in the Scripture, that I know not whatever I heard of in my life, that I can­not as soone believe. If they say the latter, we close then as we did our former enqui­ry. §. 35.

Upon the credit and strength of these [Page 185] sandy foundations, and principles, which neither severally nor joyntly will beare the weight of a feather, in a long continued course of Apostacy have men conquered all Policy, Religion, and honesty, and built up that stupendious fabrick coupled together with subtle and scarce discernable joynts and ligaments, which they call the Catholick Church. §. 36.

1. In despight of policy they have not only enslaved Kings, Kingdomes, Common­wealths, Nations, & People to be their vassalls, and at their disposall; but also contrary to all Rules of goverment, beyond the thoughts and conjectures of all, or any that ever wrote of, or instituted a Go­verment in the world, they have in most Nations of Europe set up a Government, Autho­rity, and Jurisdiction, within anothers Government and Authority setled on other accounts, the one independent on the other, and have brought these things to some kind of consistency; which that it might be accomplished never entered into the heart of any wise man once to imagine; nor had ever been by them effected, without such advantages, as none in the world ever had, in such a con­tinuance [Page 186] but themselves. Si quis aut priva­tus, aut po­pulus eo­rum decret [...] non stetit, sacrificiis interdicunt. Haec paena apud eos est gravissi­ma; quibus ita est interdictum, ii numero impiorum, & scelerato­rum habentur, ab iis omnes decedunt, aditum eorum sermonem (que) defugiunt, ne quid ex contagione incommodi accipiant; neque iis petentibus jus redditur, neque honos ullus communicatur: His autem omnibus Dr [...]dibus praeest unus; qui summam inter eos habet Au­thoritatem: hoc mortus, si quis ex reliquis excellit dignitate, suc­cedit: at si sunt plures, suffragio Druidum adlegitur: Nonnunquam etiam de principatu armis contendunt. Caes. lib. 6. de Bell. Gal. Unlesse the Druids of old in some Nations obtained some such thing.

2. In despight of Religion it self, §. 37. they have made a new Creed, invented new wayes of worship given a whole summe and system, of their own, altogether alien frō the Word of God, without an open disclai­ming of that word, which in innumerable places beares testimony of its own perfe­ction and fulnesse.

3. Contrary to common Honesty, §. 38. the first principles of Reason, with violence to the evident dictates of the Law of nature, they will in confidence of these principles have the word & sentence of a Pope, though a beast, a witch, a Conjurer, as by their own con­fession many of them have been, to be impli­cite [...]y submitted to in & about things which he neither knoweth, nor loveth, nor careth for: [Page 187] being yet such in themselves as immediately, and directly concerne the everlasting con­dition of the soules of men. And this is our second returne to their pretence of being the Catholick Church; to which I adde

3. That their plea is so far from truth, §. 39. that they are, and they only the Catholick Church, that indeed they belong not to it, because they keep not the Ʋnity of the faith, which is required to constitute any person whatever a member of that Church, but faile in all the conditions of it. For

1. To proceed by way of instance, §. 40. they doe not professe nor believe a Justi­fication distinct from Sanctification, and accep­tance thereof; the Doctrine whereof is of absolu [...]e & indispensable necessity to the pre­servation of the Ʋnity of the Faith; and so faile in the first condition of professing all necessary Truths. I know what they say of Justification, what they have determined concerning it in the Councell of Trent, what they dispute about it in their books of Controversies. But I deny that which they contend for, to be a Justification; so that they doe not deny only Justification by Faith, but positively over and above, the infusion of Grace, and the acceptance of the obedience thence arising; that there is any [Page 188] Justification at all consisting in the free and full absolution of a sinner, on the account of Christ.

2. They discover principles corrupt and depraved, §. 41. utterly inconsistent with those truths, and the receiving of them, which in generall by owning the Scriptures they doe professe. Herein to passe by the prin­ciples of Atheisme, wickednesse, and profan­nesse, that effectually worke and manifest themselves in the generality of their Priests & People; that of self [...]ighteousnes that is in the best of their Devotionists is utterly inconsi­stent with the whole Doctrine of the Gos­pell, and all saving Truths concerning the mediation of Jesus Christ therein contei­ned.

3. That in their Doctrine of the Popes su­premacy, §. 42. of merits, satisfaction, the masse, the worshipping of Images, they adde such things to their profession, as enervate the efficacy of all the saving truths they doe professe, and so faile in the third condition; This hath so abundantly been manifested by others, that I shall not need to adde any thing to give the charge of it upon them any farther evidence or demonstration.

Thus it is unhappily fallen out with these men, §. 43. that what of all men they most pre­tend [Page 189] unto, that of all men they have the least int [...]erest in▪ A [...]haeneus tells us of one Thros [...]aus an A [...]henian, who being phrene­tically distempered, whatever ships came into the Pyraeum he looked on them and thought them his own, and rejoyced as the Master of so great wealth, when he was not the owner of so much as a boate: such a di­stemper of pride and folly hath in the like manner ceased on these persons, with whom we have to doe; that where ever in Scrip­ture they meet with the name Church, pre­sently as though they were intended by it, they rejoyce in the priviledges of it, when their concernment lyes not at all therein.

To close this whole discourse I shall bring the grand Argument of the Roma­nists (with whom I shall now in this Treatise have little more to doe) wherewith they make such a noise in the world, §. 44. to an [...]ssue. Of the many formes and shapes whereinto by them it is cast, this seems to be the most perspicuously expressive of their intention.

I have purposely omitted the interpo­sing of the terme Catholick, §. 45. that the reason of the Argument might runne to its length; for upon the taking in of that terme, we have nothing to doe but only to deny the Minor Proposition; seeing the Roman Church, be it what it will, is not the Church Catho­lick; but as it is without that limitation called the Church of Christ indefinitely, it leaves place for a farther and fuller An­swer.

To this by way of inference, §. 46. they adde, that Schisme, as it is declared by S. Austin and S Thomas of Aquin, being so great and damnable a sinne; and whereas it is plain [...], that out of the Church, which as Peter says is as Noahs Arke, 1 Pet. 3. 20, 21. there is no salvation, it is cleare you will be damned. This is the summe of their plea.

Now as for the forementioned Argu­ment, §. 47. some of our Divines answer to the Minor Prop. and that both as to the tearmes of voluntary forsaking, and that also of the Communion of the Church. For the first, they say they did not voluntarily forsake the com­munion of the Church, that then was, but be­ing [Page 191] necessitated by the command of God to re­forme themselves in sundry things, they were driven out by bell, book, and Candle; cur­sed out, killed out, driven out by all manner of violence, Ecclesiasticall and Civill; which is a strange way of mens becoming Schisma­tick.

2. That they forsook not the communi­on of the Church, §. 48. but the Corruptions of it, or the communion of it in its corruption, not in other things, wherein it was Lawfull to con­tinue communion with it.

To give strength to this Answer, they farther adde, that though they grant the Church of Rome to have been at the time of the first separation, a true Church of Christ, yet they deny it to be Catholick Church, or only visible Church then in the World; the Churches in the East claiming that ti­tle, by as good a right as shee. So they O­thers principally answer to the Major Prop. and tell you, that separation is either causeles, or upon just ground and cause; that tis a causeles separation only from the Church of Christ, that is Schisme; that there can be no cause of Schisme, for if there be a cause of Schisme materially, it ceaseth to be Schisme formally: and so to strengthen their an­swer in Hypothesi, they fall upon the Idola­trys, [Page 192] Heresies, Tyranny, and Apostacy of the Church of Rome, as just causes of Separation from her; nor will their plea be shaken to eternity: so that being true and popular, un­derstood by the meanest, though it contain not the whole Truth, I shall not in the least impaire it.

For them, §. 49. who have found out new ways of justifying our separation from Rome, on principles of limiting the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome to a peculiar Patriar­chat, and granting a power to Kings or Nations, to erect a Patriarchate or Metropoli­tan, within their own Territories, and the like; the Protestant cause is not concerned in their Plea; the whole of it on both hands, being forraigne to the Scripture, re­lating mostly to humane constitutions, where­in they may have liberty to exercise their Witts and Abilities.

Not receding from what hath by others solidly been pleaded, §. 50. on the Answers above mentioned; in answer to the principles I have hitherto evinced, I shall proceed to give my account of the Argument proposed.

That we mistake not, I only premise, that I take Schisme in this Argument, in the notion and sense of the Scripture precisely, wherein alone it will reach the Consciences, and bear [Page 193] the weight of inferring damnation from it.

1. Then I wholly deny the Major Prop. as utterly false, §. 51. in what sense soever that expression, True Church of Christ is taken. Take it for the Catholick Church of Christ, I deny that any one, who is once a true member of it, can utterly forsake its com­munion; no living member of that body of Christ can perish! and on supposition it could doe so, it would be madnesse to call that crime Schisme: nor is this, a meer deniall of the Assertion; but such as is attended, with an invincible Truth for its mainte­nance.

Take it for the generall visible Church of Christ; §. 52. the voluntary forsaking of its com­munion, which consists in the profession of the same faith, is not Schisme, but Apostacy, and the thing it selfe is to be removed from the question in hand; And as for A­postates from the faith of the Gospell, we question not their damnation; it sleepeth not: who ever call'd a Christian, that tur­ned Jew or Mahumetan a Schismatick?

Take it for a particular Church of Christ, I deny,

1. That Separation from a particular Church, as such, as meerly separation, is Schisme, or ought to be so esteemed; though [Page 194] perhaps such separation may proceed from Schisme, and be also attended with other e­vills.

2. That however, separation upon jus [...] cause, and ground, from any Church, is no Schisme: This is granted by all Persons living. Schisme is causelesse say all men however concerned. And herein is a truth uncontroulable, Separation upon just cause is a duty; and therefore cannot be Schisme, which is alwayes a sinne. Now there are 500 things in the Church of Rome whereof every one, grafted, as they are, there into the stock & principle of impositi­on on the practice and confession of men▪ is a sufficient cause of separation from any parti­cular Church in the world; yea from all of them, one after another; should they all consent unto the same thing, & impose it in the same manner; if therebe any Truth in that Maxime; It is better to obey God then man.

2▪ I wholy deny the Minor Proposition also, §. 53. if spoken in reference to the Church of Rome; Though I willingly acknowledge our separation to be voluntary from them; no more being done, then I would doe over againe this day (God assisting me) were I called unto it. But separation in the sense contended about, must be from some [Page 195] s [...]ate and condition of Christs Institution, from communion with a Church, which we held by his appointment; otherwise it will not be pleaded, that it is a Schisme, at least not in a Gospell sense. Now though our Forefathers, in the faith we professe, lived in sub ection to the Pope of Rome (or his subordinate engines) yet they were not so subject to them, in any way, or state instituted by Christ; so that the relinquishment of that State can possibly be no such separation, as to be termed Schisme. For I wholy deny; that the Papacy exercising its power in its supreame and subordinate Officers, which with them is their Church, is a Church at all of Christs appointment, or any such thing. And when they prove it is so, I will be of it. So that when our Forefathers withdrew their neck from his Tyrannicall yoke, and forsook the practice of his abominations in the worship of God, they forsook no Church of Christs institution, they relin­quished no communion of Christs appointment. A man may possibly forsake Babylon, and yet not forsake Sion.

For the Aggravations of the sinne of Schisme, §. 54. from some Ancient Writer [...], Austin and Optatus men interested in the contests a­bout it, Leo and Innocent gaining by the [Page 196] notion of it, then growing in the World, Thomas Aquinas and such vassalls of the Pa­pacy, we are not concerned in them; what the Lord speaks of it, that we judge con­cerning it. It is true, of the Catholic [...] Church alwaies, that out of it no salvation, it being the Society of them that shall be saved; and of the visible Church in generall, in some sense and cases: Seeing with the heart man believeth to Righteousnesse, and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation; But of a particular Church in no sense, unlesse that of contempt of a known duty; and to ima­gine Peter to speak of any such thing, is a fancy.

The consequence of this devesting the Roman Synogogue of the priviledges of a true Church in any sense, §. 55. arising in the thoughts of some to a denyall of that ministry, which we have at this day in England, must by the way a little be considered. For my part (be it spoken without offence) If any man hath nothing to plead for his ministry, but meerly that successive Ordination which he hath received through the Church of Rome, I cannot see a stable bottome of owning him so to be; I do not say, if he will plead nothing [...]lse; but if he hath nothing else to plead. He may have that, which indeed constitutes [Page 197] him a Minister, though he will not own [...] that so it doth. Nor doth it come here in­to enquiry, whether there were not a true Ministry in some, all along under the Papa­cy, distinct from it, as were the thousands in Israell in the days of Elijah; when in the ten Tribes, as to the publick worship, there was no true Ministry at all. Nor is it said, that any have their Ministry from Rome, a [...] though the Office, which is an Ordinance of Christ, was instituted by Antichrist: But the question is, whether this be a sufficient and good basis and foundation of any mans in­terest in the office of the Ministry, that he hath received Ordination in a succession, through the administration of, not the woman flying into the Wildernesse under the perse­cution of Antichrist, not of the two witnesses prophesying all along under the Roman A­postacy, not from them to whom we succeed in doctrine, as the Waldenses, but the Beast it selfe, the persecuting Church of Rome, the Pope and his adherents, who were certain­ly Administrators of the Ordination pleaded for: So that in doctrine we should succeed the persecuted Woman, and in Office the perse­ [...]uting Beast. I shall not plead this at large, professedly disclaiming all thoughts of reje­cting those Ministers, as Papall and Antichri­stian, [Page 198] who yet adhere to this Ordination▪ be­ing many of them eminently gifted of God, to dispense the word, and submitted unto by his people in the Administration of the Ordi­nances, and are right worthy Ministers of the Gospell of Christ. But

I shall only remarke some thing on the plea, §. 56. that is insisted on by them, who would, (if I mistake not) keep up in this particular, what God would have pull'd downe. They aske us why not Ordinati­on from the Church of Rome, as well as the Scripture? In which enquiry, I am sorry that some doe still continue. We are so farre from having the Scripture from the Church of Rome, by any Authority of it, as such, that it is one cause of daily praising God, that by his providence he kept them from being either corrupted or destroyed by them. It i [...] true; the Bible was kept among the people that lived in those parts of the World where the Pope prevailed: so was the Old Te­stament by the Jews; the whole by the Ea­sterne Christians: By none so corrupted as by those of the Papall Territorie. God forbid we should say we [...]ad the Scriptures from the Church of Rome as such; if we had, why doe we not keep them as she delivered them to us, [Page 199] in the vulgar Translation, with the Apo­chryphall additions? The Ordination plea­ded for, is from the Authority of the Church of Rome, as such: The Scriptures were by the providence of God preserved un­der the Papacy for the use of his People; and had they been found by chance, as it were, like the Law of old, they had been the same to us, that now they are. So that of these things there is not the same Rea­son. §. 57.

It is also pleaded, that the granting true Ordination to the Church of Rome doth not prove that to be a true Church. This I professe I underst [...]and not: they who or­dained had no power so to doe, but as they were Officers of that Church; as such they did it; and if others had ordained, who were not Officers of that Church, all would confesse that Action to be null. But they who will not be contented that Christ hath appointed the Office of the Ministry to be continued in his Churches, that he continues to dispense his gifts of the Spirit for the Execution of that Office when men are called thereunto, that he prepares the hearts of his people to desire and submit unto them in the Lord, that as to [Page 200] the manner of entrance upon the worke, they may have it according to the minde of Christ, to the utmost in all circumstan­ces, so soon as his Churches are shaken out of the dust of Babylon with his Glory shi­ning on them, and the Tabernacle of God is thereby once more placed with men, shall have leave for me to derive their interest in the ministry through that darke passage, wherein I cannot see one step before me; if they are otherwise qualified and accep­ted as above, I shall ever pay them that honour which is done to Elders labouring in the word and doctrine.

CHAP. VII.

I now descend to the last consideration of a Church in the most usuall Acceptation of that name in the New Testament; §. 1. that is, of a particular instituted Church. A Church in this sence I take to be a Society of men, called by the word to the obedience of the Faith in Christ and joynt performance of the worship of God in the same individuall Ordinances, according to the order by Christ prescribed. This generall description of it exhibits its nature so farre as is ne­cessary to cleare the subject of our present disquisition. A more accurate definition would only administer farther occasion of contesting about things, not necessary to be determined as to the enquiry in hand. Such as this was the Church at Hierusalem, that was persecuted Act. 8. 1. The Church whereof Saul made havock v. 3. The Church that was vexed by Herod Act. 12. 1. Such was the Church at Antioch, which Assembled to­gether in one place Act. 13. 14. wherein [Page 202] were sundry Prophets Act. 13, 1. As that at Hierusalem consisted of Elders and Brether­ren Act. 15. 22. The Apostles or some of them being there then present, which ad­ded no other consideration to that Church then that we are now speaking of. Such were those mens Churches wherein Elders were ordained by Pauls appointment Act. 14. 23. As also the Church of Coesarea Act. 18. 22. & at Ephesus Act. 20. 14. 28. As was that at Corinth 1 Cor. 1. 2. c. 6. 4. & 11. 12. & 14. 4, 5. 12. 19. 2 Cor. 1▪ 1. And those mentioned Rev. 1. 2, 3. All which Paul calls the Churches of the Gentiles Rom. 16. 4. in contradistinction to those of the Jews, and calls them indefinitely the Churches of God, v. 16. or the Churches of Christ, 1 Cor. 7. 17. 2 Cor. 8 18. 19. 23. 2 Thess. 1. 4. and in sun­dry other places. Hence we have mention of many Churches in one Country, as in Judaea Act. 9. 1. in Asia. 1 Cor. 16. 19. in Macedonia 2 Cor. 8. 1. in Galatia Gal. 1. 2. the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 1. 11. and unto [...] Act 16. 4. [...] an­swers v. 5. in the same Country.

I suppose that in this description of a particular Church I have not only the consent of them of all sorts, §. 2. with whom I have now to doe, as to what remaines of this [Page 203] discourse, but aso their acknowledgment that these were the only kinds of Churches of the first Institution. The Reverend Authors of the Jus Divinum Ministerii Anglicani p. 2 c. 6. tell us, that in the Beginning of Chri­stianity the number of Believers even in the grea­test Citys were so few, as that they might all meet [...] in one and the same place. And these are called the Church of the City, and the Angell of such a City was Congregationall not Diocesan; which discourse exhibits that state of a particular Church, which is now pleaded for, and which shall afterwards be evinced, allowing no other, no not in the greatest Cityes. In a rejoynder to that Treatise, so far at the case of Episcopacy is herein concerned, by a person well known by his labours in that cause, this is acknowledged to be so. Believers (saith he) in great Cityes were not at first divided into Parishes, whilst the number of Christians was so small, that they might well assemble in the same place, Ham Vind. p. 16. Of the Believers of one City meeting in one place, being one Church, we have the like grant p. 18. In this particular Church, He sayes, there was one Bishop, which had the Rule of it, and of the Believers in the villages adjacent to that City; which as it sometimes was not so, Rom. 16. 1, 2. so for the most [Page 204] part it seemed to have been the case; and di­stinct Churches upon the growth of the number of Believers, were to be erected in severall places of the Voisinage.

And this is the state of a particular insti­tuted Church which we plead for. §. 3. Whether in processe of time, believers multiplying, those who had been of one Church met in severall Assemblies, by a setled distribution of them, to celebrate the same Ordinances specifically, and so made many Churches; or met in seve­rall places in parties, still continuing one body, and were governed in common by the El­ders, whom they increased and multiplied, in proportion to the increase of believers; or whether, that one or more Officers, Elders, or Bishops of that first single Congregation, ta­king on him or them, the care of those in­habiting the City, wherein the Church was first planted, designed, and sent some fitted for that purpose, upon their desire & choice, (or otherwise) to the severall les­ser companies of the Region adjacent, which in processe of time became dependent on, & subject to the Officer and Officers of that first Church, from whence they came forth, I dispute not. I am satisfied, that the first plantation of Churches was as hath been pleaded. And I know what was done af­terwards [Page 205] on the one hand, or the other, must be examined, as to our concernment, by what ought to have been done. But of those things afterwards.

Now according to the course of proce­dure hitherto insisted on, §. 4. a Declaration of the Ʋnity of the Church in this sense, what it is, wherein it doth consist, with what it is to be guilty of the breach of that Unity, must ensue; and this shall be done after I have premised some few things previously ne­cessary thereunto.

I say then

1. A man may be a member of the Ca­tholick Church of Christ, §. 5. be united to him by the inhabitation of his Spirit, and parti­cipation of his life from him, who upon the account of some providentiall hinderance, is never joyned to any particular Congregati­on, for the participation of Ordinances all his daies.

2. In like manner may he be a member of the Church considered as professing visibly. §. 6. Seeing that he may doe all that is of him required thereunto, without any such con­junction to a visible particular Church. But yet,

3. I willingly grant, §. 7. that every believer is obliged, as in a part of his duty, to joyne [Page 206] himselfe to some one of those Churches of Christ; that therein he may abide in Do­ctrine, and Fellowship, and breaking of Bread, and Prayer, according to the order of the Gospell, if he have advantage and oppor­tunity so to doe; for,

1. There are some duties incumbent on us, §. 8. which cannot possibly be performed, but on a supposition of this duty previously requi­red, and submitted unto. Math. 18. 15, 16, 17.

2. There are some Ordinances of Christ, §. 9. appointed for the good, and benefit of those that believe, which they can never be made partakers of, if not related to some such society. As publick Admonition, Ex­communication, Participation of the Sacra­ments of the Lords Supper.

3 The care that Jesus Christ hath ta­ken, §. 10. that all things be well ordered in these Churches, giving no direction for the per­formance of any duty of worship meerly and purely of soveraigne Institution, but only in them, and by them, who are so joyned, suf­ficiently evidence his mind, and our duty herein. Rev. 2. 7. 11. 29. Rev. 3. 6. 7. 12. 1 Cor. 11.

4. The gathering, planting, §. 11. and setling of such Churches by the Apostles, with the [Page 297] care they took in bringing them to perfecti­on, leaving none, whom they converted, out of that Order, where it was possible for them to be reduced unto it, is of the same importance, Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5.

5. Christs institution of Officers for them, §. 12. Eph. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 28. calling such a Church his Body v. 29. exactly assigning to every one his duty in such Societies, in re­spect of the place he held in them, with his care for their preservation from confusi­on, and for Order, evinces from whom they are, and what is our duty in reference unto them.

6. The judging and condemning them by the Holy Ghost, §. 13. as disorderly blameable persons, who are to be avoided, who walk not according to the Rules and Order ap­pointed in these Churches, his care that those Churches be not scandalized, or offended with innumerable other considerations, e­vince their institution to be from Heaven, not of men, or any prudentiall considerati­ons of them whatever.

That there is an instituted worship of God to be continued under the New Testam. §. 14. untill the second coming of Christ, I suppose needs not much proofe. With those with whom it hath soe, I am not now treat­ing, [Page 208] and must not make it my businesse to give it evidence, by the innumerable Testimo­nies which might be alleadged to that pur­pose. That for the whole of his worship, matter, or manner, or any part of it, God hath changed his way of proceeding, and will now allow the will, and Prudence of Man, to be the measure, and rule of his Ho­nour and Glory therein, contrary to what he did, or would allow under the Law, is so prejudiciall to the perfection of the Go­spell▪ infinite Wisdome, and All-sufficien­cy of Christ, and so destructive to the whole obligation of the second Commandement, ha­ving no ground in the Scripture, but being built meerly on the conceit of men, suited to one carnall interest or other, I shall un­willingly debate it. That as to this parti­cular under consideration, there were par­ticular Churches instituted by the Authority of Jesus Christ, owned and approved by him; that Officers for them were of his appoint­ment, and furnished with gifts from him for the Execution of their employment; that Rules, Cautions, and Instructions for the due settlement of those Churches, were gi­ven by him; that these Churches were made the only seat of that worship, which in parti­cular he expressed his will to have continued [Page 209] untill he came, is of so much light in Scrip­ture, that he must wink hard, that will not see it.

That either he did not originally appoint these things, §. 15. or he did not give out the gifts of his Spirit, in reference to the right ordering of them, and exalting of his Glo­ry in them, or that having done so then, yet that his institutions have an end, being only for a season▪ and that it may be known when the efficacy of any of his institutions ceaseth, or that he doth not now dispense the gifts and graces of his Spirit, to render them use­full, is a difficult taske for any man to un­dertake to evince.

There is indeed in the institutions of Christ, §. 16. much that answers a naturall princi­ple in men, who are on many accounts formed and fitted for society. A Confederation and consultation to carrie on any designe, where­in the concernment of the individualls doth lye, within such bounds, and in such order as lyes in a ready way to the end ay­med at, is exceeding suitable to the principles whereby we are acted and guided as men. But he that would hence conclude, that there is no more but this, and the acting of these principles, in this Church constitution, whereof we speake, and that therefore [Page 210] men may be cast into any prudentiall forme; or appoint other wayes and formes of it, then those mentioned in the Scripture, as appoin­ted, and owned, takes on himselfe the de­monstrating that all things necessarily requi­red to the Constitution of such a Church soci­ety, are commanded by the Law of na­ture, and therefore allowed of, and appro­ved only by Christ, & so to be wholy morall, and to have nothing of instituted worship in them; and also he must know, that when on that supposition, he hath given a probable Reason, why never any persons in the world fixed on such societies in all Essentiall things as those, seeing they are Naturall, that he leaves lesse to the Pru­dence of men and to the ordering and di­sposing of things concerning them, then those, who make them of pure insti­tution, all whose circumstances cannot be de­rived from themselves; as those of things purely morall may. But this is not of my present consideration.

2. Nor shall I consider, §. 17. whether perpe­tuity be a property of the Church of Christ in this sence; that is, not whether a Church that was once so, may cease to be so, which it is known I plead for in the instance of the Church of Rome, not to men­tion [Page 211] others; but whether by vertue of any promise of Christ, there shall alwayes be some­where in the world, a visible Church, visibly cele­brating his Ordinances. Luc. 1. 33. He shall raigne over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdome there shall be no end; is pleaded to this purpose. But that any more, but the spirituall raigne of Christ in his Catholick Church, is there intended, is not proved▪ Mat. 16. 18. upon this Rock will I build my Church, is also urged; but to intend any but true Believers, and that as such, in that promise, is wholly to enervate it, and to take away its force and efficacy. Mat. 18. 18, 20. declares the presence of Christ with his Church where ever it be, not that a Church in the regard treated of, shall be. To the same purpose are other expressions in the Scripture. As I will not deny this in Gene­rall; so I am unsatisfyed as to any particular instance for the making of it good.

It is said, §. 18. that true Churches were at first planted in England; how then, or by what means did they cease so to be? How, or by what Act did God unchurch them? They did it themselves Meritoriously by Apostacy and Idolatry, God Legally by his Institution of a Law of rejection of such Churches. If any shall aske, How then is it possible, that any [Page 212] such Churches should be raised a new? I say, that the Catholick Church mysticall, and that visibly professing, being preserved entire, he that thinketh there needs a miracle, for those who are members of them, to joyne in such a Society, as those now spoken of, ac­cording to the Institution of Christ, is a person delighting in needlesse scruples.

Christ hath promised, §. 19. that where two or three are gathered together in his name, he will be in the midst of them, Mat. 18. 20. It is now supposed, with some hope to have it gran­ted, that the Scripture being the power of God to Salvation, hath (Rom. 1. 16.) a suf­ficient efficacy and energie in it selfe, as to its own kind, for the conversion of Soules; yea let us, till opposition be made to it, take it for granted, that by that force and effica­cy it doth mainly and principally evince its own Divinity, or divine Originall. Those, who are contented for the honour of that word, which God delighteth to magnify, to grant this Supposition, will not I hope, think it impossible, that though all Church state should cease in any place, and yet the Scripture by the providence of God be there in the hand of individualls preserved, two or three should be called, converted, and re­generated by it. For my part, I think, he [Page 213] that questions it, must doe it on some corrupt principle of a secondary dependent Authority in the word of God as to us; with which sort of men I doe not now deale. I aske whether these converted persons may nor possibly come together, or assemble themselves in the name of Jesus? may they not upon his command, and in Expectation of the accom­plishment of his promise, so come together, with Resolution to doe his will, and to exhort one another thereto, Zech. 3. 10. Mal. 3. 10. Truly I believe they may, in what part of the world soever their lot is fallen. Here lye all the difficulties, whether being come together in the name of Christ they may doe, what he hath commanded them, or no? whether they may exhort, and stirre up one another to doe the will of Christ. Most certain it is, that Christ will give them his presence, & therewithall his Authority, for the performance of any duty, that he re­quireth at their hands. Were not men an­gry, troubled, and disappointed, there would be little difficulty in this businesse. But of this elsewhere.

3. Upon this supposition, that particular Churches are Institutions of Jesus Christ, which is granted by all, with whom I have to doe; I proceed to make enquiry into their [Page 214] Ʋnion and Communion, that so we may know wherein the bonds of them doe con­sist.

1. There is a double foundation, §. 20. fountain, or cause of the Ʋnion of such a Church; the one externall, procuring, commanding; the other internall, inciting, directing, assisting. The first is the Institution of Jesus Christ, before mentioned, requiring Peace, and Order, Ʋnion, Consent, and Agreement, in and among all the members of such a Church; all to be regulated, ordered, and bounded, by the Rules, Laws, Prescripts, which from him they have received, for their walking in those Societies.

The Latter is that Love without dissi­mulation, which alwaies is, or which al­waies ought to be, between all the members of such a Church, exerting it selfe in their respective duties one towards another, in that holy combination, whereunto they are called and enter'd for the Worship of God: whether they are those, which lye in the levell of the equality of their common in­terest of being Church-members, or those which are required of them in the severall differen­ces, whereby on any account whatever, they are distinguished one from another [Page 215] amongst themselves; for love is the bond of perfectnesse. Col. 3. 14.

Hence then it appears, what is the Ʋnion of such a Church, and what is the communi­on to be observed therein, by the appoint­ment of Jesus Christ. The joynt consent of all the members of it, in obedience to the command of Christ, from a principle of Love, to walk together in the universall ce­lebration of all the Ordinances of the worship of God, instituted and appointed to be celebrated in such a Church, and to performe all the duties, and offices of Love, which in reference to one another, in their respective stations and places, are by God required of them; and doing so according­ly. See Phil. 2. 1, 2, 3. cap. 4. 1, 2, 3. 1 Cor: 1. 10. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Rom. 15. 5.

Whereas there are in these Churches, some Rulers, §. 21. some Ruled; some eyes, some hands in this Body, some parts visibly comely, some uncomely; upon the account of that variety of gifts and graces which is distribu­ted to them; in the performance of duties, regard is to be had to all the particular Rules, that are given with respect to men in their severall places and distributions. Here­in doth the Ʋnion of a particular Church consist; herein have the members of it com­munion [Page 216] among themselves, and with the whole.

4. I shall farther grant, §. 22. and adde here­unto: Over and above the Ʋnion that is be­tween th [...] members of severall particular Chur­ches, by vertue of their interest in the Church Catholick, which draws after it a necessity of the occasionall exercise of du­ties of Love one towards another, and that Communion they have, as members of the generall Church visible, in the profession of the Faith once delivered unto the Saints; There is a Communion also to be observed be­tween these Churches, as such, which is sometimes, or may be exerted in their Assemblies by their Delegates, for decla­ring the sense, and determining things of joynt concernment unto them. Whether there ought to be an ordinary combination of the Officers of these Churches, invested with the Power for the disposall of things & Persons, that concerne one or more of them, in severall subordinations, by the insti­tution of Christ; as it is not my judgement that so there is, so it belongs not unto my present undertaking at all to debate.

That which alone remaines to be done, §. 23. is to consider, what is our concernment as to the breach of this Ʋnion, which we professe [Page 217] to be appointed by Jesus Christ; and that both as we are Protestants, as also farther differenced according to the intimations gi­ven at the entrance of this Discourse. What hath already been delivered about the nature of Schisme, and the Scripture Notion of it, might well suffice, as to our Vin­dication in this businesse from any charge that we are, or seem obnoxious unto. But because I have no [...] reason to suppose, that some men will be so favourable unto us, as to take paines for the improvement of principles, though in themselves clearely evinced on our behalfe; The application of them to some present cases, with the re­movall of objections that lye against my in­tendment, must be farther added.

Some things there are, §. 24. which upon what hath been spoken, I shall assume and sup­pose as granted in Thesi, untill I see them otherwise disproved, then as yet I have done. Of these the first is. That the depar­ting or secession of any man or men, from any particular Church, as to that communi­on, which is peculiar to such a Church, which he or they have had therewith, is no where called Schisme, nor is so in the nature of the thing it selfe, (as the generall signification of the word is restrained by [Page 218] its Scripture use) but is a thing to be judg­ed, & receive a little according to the causes and circumstances of it.

2. One Churches refusing to hold that communion with another, §. 25. which ought to be between them, is not Schisme properly so called.

3. The departure of any man or men, §. 26. from the Society or Communion of any Church whatever, so it be done without strife, variance, judging, and condemning of others, because according to the light of their Consciences, they cannot in all things in them worship God according to his minde, cannot be rendred evill but from circum­stances taken from the persons so doing, or the way and manner, whereby and wherein they doe it.

Unto these I adde, §. 27. that if any one can shew and evince that we have departed from, and left the communion of any particular Church of Christ, with which we ought to walke according to the order above menti­oned, or have disturbed and broken the Order and Ʋnion of Christs Institution, wherein we are or were inwrapped, we put our selves on the mercy of our judges.

The Consideration of what is the charge on any of us, on this account, was the first [Page 219] thing aymed at in this Discourse, and as it was necessary from the Rules of the method wherein I have proceeded, comes now in the last place to be put to the issue and triall, which it shall in the Next Chapter.

CHAP. VIII.

THat which first presents it selfe, §. 1. is a plea against us, in the name of the Church of England, and those intrusted with the Reiglment thereof, as it was setled and established some yeares since, the summe whereof (if I mistake not) amounts to thus much.

You were sometimes members and Children of the Church of England, §. 2. & lived in the communion thereof; professing obedience thereunto, accor­ding to its Rules and Canons; you were in an orderly subjection to the Arcsh-Bishops, Bishops, and those acting under them in the Hierarchie, who were officers of that Church; in that Church you were baptized, and joyned in the outward wor­ship celebrated therein; but you have now volun­tarily, and of your own accord forsaken and renoun­ced the communion of this Church, cast off your [Page 221] subjection to the Bishops and Rulers; rejected the forme of worship appointed in that Church, that great bond of its communion; and set up sepa­rated Churches of your own, according to your pleasures, and so are properly Schismaticks.

This I say, §. 3. if I mistake not, is the summe of the charge against us, on the account of of our late attempt for Reformation, and re­ducing of the Church of Christ to its primitive institution, which we professe our aime in singlenesse of heart to have been, and leave the judgement of it unto God.

To acquit our selves of this imputation, §. 4. I shall declare

1. How farre we owne our selves to have been, or to be members or Children (as they speake) of the Church of England, as it is called, or esteemed.

2. What was the subjection whein we, or any of us stood, or might be supposed to have stood to the Prelates or Bishops of that Church. And then I shall

3. Put the whole to the issue, and en­quiry, whether we have broken any bond or order, which by the institution and ap­pointment of Jesus Christ, we ought to have preserved entire, & unviolated: not doubt­ing but that on the whole matter in diffe­rence, we shall finde the charge mannaged [Page 222] against us, to be resolved wholy into the Pru [...]ence, and interest of some men, wherein our Consciences are not concerned.

As to the first proposall; §. 5. the severall con­siderations that the Church of England may fall under, will make way for the deter­mination of our Relation thereunto.

1. There being in this Country of Eng­land, much people of God, many of his Elect called and Sanctified, by and through the Spirit and blood of Christ, with the washing of water and the Word, so made true living members of the mysticall body, or Catholick Church of Christ, holding him, as a spi­rituall Head, receiving influences of life and grace from him continually, they may be called, (though improperly) the Church of England, that is, that part of Christs Catholick Church militant, which lives in England. In this sense it is the desire of our soules, to be found and to abide members of the Church of England, to keep with it, whilst we live in this world, the Ʋnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace. Hierusalem which is above, is the Mother of us all; and one is our Father, which is in Heaven; one is our Head, Sove­raigne, Lord, and Ruler, the dearly beloved of our Soules, the Lord Jesus Christ. If [Page 223] we have grieved, offended, troubled the least member of this Church, so that he may justly take offence at any of our waies, we professe our readinesse to lye at his or their feet for Reconciliation, according to the mind of Christ. If we bear not love to all the Members of the Church of Eng­land in this sense, without dissimulation, (yea even to them amongst them, who through mistakes and darknesse, have on severall accounts designed our harme and ruine) if we rejoyce not with them, and suffer not with them, however they may be differenced in and by their opinions, or walkings, if we desire not their good, as the good of our own Soules, and are not rea­dy to hold any communion with them, wherein their and our Light will give and afford unto us peace mutually, if we judge, condemne, despise any of them, as to their Persons, Spirituall state and Condition, because they walk not with us, let us be esteemed the vilest Schismaticks, that ever lived on the face of the Earth. But as to our membership in the Church of England on this account, we stand or fall to our own master.

2. The Rulers, §. 6. Governors, Teachers, and Body of the People of this Nation of Eng­land, [Page 224] having by Laws, Professions, and publick Protestations, cast off the Tyran­ny, Authority, & Doctrine of the Church of Rome, with its Head the Pope; & joyntly assented unto, and publickly professed the doctrine of the Gospell, as expressed in their publick Confession, variously attested and confirmed, declaring their profession by that publick confession, Preaching, Laws and Writings suitable thereunto, may also be called on good account, the Church of Eng­land. In this sense, we professe ourselves members of the Church of England, as professing and adhering to that Doctrine of Faith in the Unity of it, which was here established and declared, as was before spoken. As to the attempt of some, who accuse us for e­verting of fundamentalls, by our doctrine of Election by the free grace of God, of effectuall Redemption of the Elect only, conversion by the irresistible efficacy of Grace, and the associ­ate doctrines, which are commonly known, we suppose the more sober part of our Ad­versaries will give them little thanks for their pains therein: If for no other Reason, yet at least, because they know the cause, they have to mannage against us, is weak­ned thereby. Indeed it seems strange to us, that we should be charged with Schisme [Page 225] from the Church of England, for endeavouring to reforme our selves, as to something re­lating to the worship of God, by men evert­ing, and denying so considerable a portion of the Doctrine of that Church, which we sacredly retaine entire, as the most urgent of our present Adversaries doe. In this sense I say we still confesse our selves members of the Church of England; nor have we made any separation from it, but do daily labour to improve, and carry on the light of the Gospell, which shines therein, and on the account whereof, it is renowned in the world.

3. Though I know not how proper that expression of Children of the Church may be under the New Testament, §. 7. nor can by any meanes consent unto it, to the urging of any obedience to any Church or Churches whatsoever on that account; no such use being made of that consideration by the Holy Ghost, nor any parallell unto it insi­sted on by him; yet in a generall sence, so farre as our receiving our Regeneration, and new birth, through the grace of God by the preaching of the Word, and the saving truths thereof, here professed, with the seale of it in our baptisme, may be signified by that expression, we owne our selves to have been, [Page 226] and to be Children of the Church of England, because we have received all this by the ad­ministration of the Gospell here in England, as dispensed in the severall Assemblyes there­in: And are contented, that this concession be improved to the utmost.

Here indeed are we left by them, §. 8. who renounce the Baptisme they have received in their infancy, & repeat it again amongst them­selves. Yet I suppose, that He, who upon that single account will undertake to prove them Schismaticall, may find himselfe in­tangled. Nor is the case with them exact­ly as it was with the Donatists. They doe the same thing with them, but not on the same Principles. The Donatists rebaptized those, who came to their societies, because they professed themselves to believe, that all Administration of Ordinances not in their Assemblyes was null: and that they were to be looked on as no such thing. Our Anabaptists doe the same thing, but on this plea, that though baptisme be, yet infant baptisme is not an Institution of Christ, and so is null from the nature of the thing it selfe, not the way of its Administration: but this fals not within the verge of my de­fence.

In these severall considerations we were, §. 9. [Page 227] and doe continue members in the Church of God in England; And as to our failing here­in, who is it, that convinces us of sinne?

The second thing inquired after is, §. 10. what subjection we stood, or were supposed to have stood in, to the Bishops? Our subjection being regulated by their power, the consideration of this, discovers the true state of that.

They had, §. 11. and exercised in this Nation, a twofold Power; and consequently the sub­jection required of us, was twofold.

1. A power delegated from the supream Magistrate of the Nation, conferred on them, and invested in them, by the Laws, Customes, and Ʋsages of this Commonwealth, and exercised by them on that account. This not only made them Barons of the Realme, and members of Parliament, and gave them many Dignities and Priviled­ges, but also was the sole fountain, and spring of that Jurisdiction, which they ex­ercised by wayes and meanes, such as them­selves will not plead to have been purely Ec­clesiasticall, and of the Institution of Jesus Christ. In this respect we did not cast off our subjection to them; it being our duty to submit our selves to every Ordinance of man, for the Lords sake. Only when ever they com­manded things unlawfull in themselves, or unto [Page 228] us, we alwaies retreated to the old safe Rule, whether it be meet to obey you or God, judge yee. On this foundation I say, was all the Jurisdiction, which they exercised a­mong, and over the People of this Nation, built. They had not leave to exercise that, which they were invested in, on another account, but received formally their Autho­rity thereby. The tenour whereby their Predecessors held this Power before the Re­formation, the change of the tenour by the Laws of this Land, the investitu [...]e of the whole originall right thereof in another per­son, then formerly, by the same means, the Legall Concession and Delegation to them made, the enlarging or contracting of their Ju­risdiction by the same Laws, the civill pro­cesse of their Courts in the exercise of their Authority, sufficiently evince from whence they had it. Nor was any thing herein any more of the Institution of Jesus Christ, then the Courts are in Westminster-Hall Sir Ed­ward Cook, who knew the Laws of his Country, and was skilled in them to a miracle, will satisfy any in the rise and tenour of Episcopall Jurisdiction: De Jure Regis Eccles. What there is of Primitive institution, giving colour and occasion to this kind of Jurisdiction, and the exercise of it, shall far­ther [Page 229] (God assisting) be declared, when I treat of the state of the first Churches, and the waies of their degeneracy; Let them, or any for them, in the mean time evince the Jurisdiction they exercised, in respect where­unto our subjection in the first kind was re­quired, to derive its originall from the pure Institution of Christ in the Gospell, or to be any such thing as it was, in an imagined separation from the humane Laws, whereby it was animated; and more will be asserted, then I have had the happinesse as yet to see. Now I say, that the subjection to them due, on this account, we did not cast off; but their whole Authority, Power, and Jurisdicti­on was removed, taken away, and anull'd, by the people of the Land assembled in Parlia­ment.

But this, §. 12. they reply, is the state of the bu­sinesse in hand; the Parliament, as much as in them lay, did so indeed as is confessed, and by so doing made the Schisme, which you by adhering to them, and joyning with them in their severall places, have made your selves also guilty of.

But do these men know what they say, §. 13. or will it ever trouble the Conscience of a man in his right wits, to be charged with Schisme on this account? the Parliament [Page 230] made Alteration of nothing, but what they found established by the Laws of this Na­tion, pleading that they had power com­mitted to them, to alter, abrogate, and anull Laws for the good of the people of the Land. If their making Alterations in the Civill Laws and Constitutions, in the Politicall Administrations of the Nation be Schisme, we have very little security, but that we may be made new Schismaticks every third year, whilest the constitution of a Trienniall Parliament doth continue. In the removall then of all Episcopall Jurisdiction founded in the Laws and usages of this Nation, we are not at all concerned. For the Laws en­forcing it, doe not presse it as a thing ne­cessary on any other account, but as that which themselves gave rise and life unto. But should this be granted, that the Office was appointed by Christ, and the Jurisdi­ction impleaded annexed by him thereun­to; yet this, whilest we abide at diocesans, with the severall divisions apportioned to them in the Nation, will not suffice to constitute a Nationall Church, unlesse some Ʋnion of those Diocesans, or of the Chur­ches whereunto they related, into one so­ciety and Church, by the same appoint­ment, be proved, which to my present Ap­prehension, [Page 231] will be no easy work for any one to undertake.

2. Bishops had here a power as Ministers of the Gospell, §. 13. to Preach, administer the Sacraments, to joyne in the Ordination of Ministers, and the like duties of Church Of­ficers. To this we say, let the individualls of them acquit themselves, by the qualificati­ons mentioned in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, with a sedulous exercise of their duty in a due manner, according to the mind of Christ to be such indeed, and we will still pay them all the respects, reverence, duty, and obedience, which as such, by vertue of a­ny Law or Institution of Christ, they can claime. Let them come forth, with wea­pons that are not carnall, evidencing their Ministry to the Consciences of Believers, acting in a Spirit and Power received from Christ, and who are they that will harme them?

I had once formerly said thus much. §. 14. Let the Bishops attend the particular flocks over which they are appointed, preaching the word, admini­string the holy Ordinances of the Gospell in and to their own flock, there will not be contending about them. It was thought meet to returne by one concerned, I shall willingly grant herein my suffrage, let them discharge them (and I beseech [Page 232] all, who have any way hindered them, at length to let and quietly permit them) on condition he will doe this as carefully as I, I shall not contend with him concerning the nature of their taske, be it as he saith the attending to the particular Churches over which they are appointed (the Bishop of Ox­ford over that flock or portion, to which he was, and is appointed, and so all others in like manner) be it their preaching and their administring the holy ordinances of the Gospell in and to their [...]wn flock and whatever else of duty and ratione officii belongs to a rightly constituted Bishop; and [...]et all that have disturbed this course so duly [...]tled in this Church, and in all Churches of Christ [...]nce the Apostles planting them, discerne their [...]rour, and returne to that peace and Ʋnity of the Church, from whence they have causelesly and inexcusably departed.

Though I was not then speaking of the Bishops of England, §. 16. yet I am contented with the application to them; there being amongst them men of piety and learning, whom I exceedingly honour & reverence: Amongst all the Bishops, He of Oxford is I suppose peculiarly instanced in, because it may be thought, that living in this place, I may belong to his Jurisdiction. But in the condition wherein I now am by the providence of God, I can plead an exemption on the same foot of account, as he can his Juris­diction. [Page 233] So that I am not much concerned in his exercise of it, as to my own person. If he have a particular flock at Oxon, which he will attend according to what before I required, he shall have no let or hindrance from me; but being he is, as I heare he is, a Reverend and Learned person, I shall be glad of his Neighbourhood & acquaintance. But to suppose that the Diocesse of Oxon as legally constituted and bounded, is his particular flock or Church, that such a Church is instituted by Christ, or hath been in Being ever since the Apostles times, that in his presidency in this Church he is to set up Courts, and exer­cise a Jurisdiction in them, and therewith a power over all the inhabitants of this Dio­cesse or Shire (excepting the exempt peculiar jurisdiction) although gathered into particular Congregations, and united by a par­ticipation of the same Ordinances; and all this by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ, is to suppose what will not be granted. I confesse, as before, there was once such an Order in this place, & that it is now removed by Lawes, on which foundation alone it stood before: And this is that where in I am not concerned. Whether we have causelesly & inexcusably departed frō the Ʋnity of the Church, is the matter now in enqui­ry. [Page 234] I am sure, unles the Ʋnity can be fixed, our departure will not be proved. A law Ʋnity I confesse, an Evangelicall I am yet in the disquisition of. But I confesse it will be to the prejudice of the cause in hand, if it shall be thought, that the determination of it depends on the controversy about Episcopacy: for if so, it might be righte­ously expected that the Arguments produ­ced in the behalfe, and defence thereof, should be particularly discussed. But the truth is, I shall easily acknowledge all my labour to no purpose▪ if have to deale only with men, who suppose that if it be gran­ted, that Bishops, as commonly esteemed in this Nation, are of the appointment of Christ, it will thence follow, that we have a Nationall Church of Christs appointment: between which indeed there is no Relation or connexion. Should I grant as I said diocesan Bishops, with Churches answera­ble to their supportment, particled into severall Congregations, with their inferi­our Officers, yet this would be remote enough, from giving subsistence and Ʋnion to a Nationall Church.

What then it is which is called the Church of England, §. 17. in respect whereto we are char­ged with Schisme, is nextly to be considered.

[Page 235] Now there are two wayes whereby we may come to the discoverie of what is inten­ded by the Church of England: or there are two ways, whereby such a thing doth arise.

1. Descendendo, which is the way of the Prelates.

2. Ascendendo, which is the way of the Presbyterians.

For the first, §. 18. to constitute a Nationall Church by descent; it must be supposed that all Church power is vested in Nationall Officers viz. Arch-Bishops, and from them derived to severall Diocesians by a distribution of power limited in its exercise to a certaine portion of the Nation, and by them com­municated by severall engines to Parochiall Priests in their severall places. A man with halfe an eye may see that here are many things to be proved.

Thus their first Church is Nationall, §. 19. which is distributed into severall greater portions termed Provinces, those againe into others, now called Diocesses, and those againe subdivided into Parochiall or particular Congre­gations. Now the Ʋnion of this Church con­sisteth in the due observance of the same worship specifically by all the members of it, and subjection according to Rules of their own appointment (which were called [Page 236] commonly Canons) by way of distinction unto the Rulers before mentioned in their severall capacities. And this is that, which is the peculiar forme of this Church. That of the Church Catholick absolutely so called is its Ʋnity with Christ, and in its selfe by the one Spirit, whereby it is animated. That of the Church Catholick visibly pro­fessing, the Unity of the Faith, which they doe professe, as being by them professed. That of a particular Church as such, its obser­vance, and performance of the same Ordinances of worship numerically, in the confession of the same faith, and subjection to the same Rules of Love for edification of the whole. Of this Nationall, as it is called, in the sub­jection of one sort of Officers unto another, within a precinct limited Originally, wholy on an account forraigne to any Church state whatever. So that it is not called the Church of England, from its participation of the nature of the Catholick Church, on the account of its most noble members; nor yet from its participation of the nature of the invisible Church in the world, on the account of its profession of the Truth; in both which respects we professe our Unity with it; nor yet from its par­ticipation of the nature of a particular [Page 237] Church, which it did not in its selfe, nor as such, but in some of its particular Congre­gations; but from a peculiar forme of its owne, as above described, which is to be proved to be of the Institution of Jesus Christ.

In this description given of their Church state, §. 20▪ with whom we have now to doe; I have purposely avoided the mention of things odious & exposed to common obloquy which yet were the very [...]ies & ligaments of their order, because the thing, as it is in its selfe being nakedly represented, we may not be prejudiced, in judging of the strength and utmost of the charge, that lyes against any of us, on the account of a departure from it.

The communion of this Church they say we have forsaken, §. 21▪ and broken its Ʋnity, and therefore are Schismaticks.

I answer in a word, laying aside so much of the Iurisdiction of it mentioned before, and the severall ways of its administration, for which there is no colour or pretence that it should relate to any Gospell institu­tion; passe by also the consideration of all those things which the men, enjoying Authority in, or exercising the pretended power of this Church, did use all their Au­thority [Page 238] and power to injoyne and establish, which we judge evill; let them prove that such a Nationall Church, as would re­maine with these things pared off, that is in its best estate imaginable, was ever in­stituted by Christ, or the Apostles in his name in all the things of absolute necessity to its being & existence, and I will confesse my self to be what they please to say of me.

That there was such an Order in things relating to the worship of God established by the Law of the Land, §. 22. in and over the people thereof, that the worship pleaded for was confirmed by the same Law, that the Rulers mentioned had power, being by the Magistrate assembled to make Rules and Canons to become binding to the good people of the Common wealth, when confirmed by the supreame A [...]thority of the Nation, and not else; that penaltys were appointed to the disturbers of this Order by the same Law, I grant. But that any thing of all this, as such, that is, as a part of this whole, or the whole it selfe, was instituted by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ, that is denyed. Let not any one think, that because we de­ny the constitution pleaded about, to have had the stamp of the Authority of Iesus Christ that therefore we pulled it down and de­stroyed [Page 239] it by violence. It was set up before we were borne, by them who had power to make Laws to bind the People of this Nation, and we found men in an orderly legall possession of that power, which ex­erting its selfe severall wayes, maintained and preserved that constitution, which we had no call to eradicate. Only whereas they tooke upon them to act in the name of Christ also, and to interpose their orders, and Authority in the things of the worship of God, we entreated them, that we might passe our pilgrimage quietly in our native Country (as Israel would have gone through the Land of Edonie, without the disturbance of its inhabitants) and worship God acording to the light which he had gratiously imparted to us, but they would not hear­ken. But herein also was it our duty to keep the word of Christs patience. Their removall, and the Dissolution of this Nationall Church, arose, and was carryed on, as hath been declared, by other hands, on other acounts.

Now it is not to any purpose, §. 23. to plead the Authority of the Church, for many of the institutions mentioned: for neither hath a­ny Church Power, or can have, to institute and appoint the things, whereby it is made [Page 240] to be so; as these things are the very forme of the Church, that we plead about; nor hath any Church any Authority, but what is answerable to its Nature: if it selfe be of a civill prudentiall constitution, its Authority also is Civill and no more. Denying their Church in that forme of it, which makes it such, to be of the institution of Christ; it can­not be expected that we should grant, that it is, as such, invested with any Authority from Christ, so that the dissolution of the Ʋnity of this Church, as it had its rise on such an account, proceeded from an alterati­on of the humane Constitution, whereon it was built; and how that was done, was before declared. Then let them prove,

1. That Ordinary Officers are before the Church, and that in Ecclesia instituta, as well as instituendâ, which must be the foundation of their work: (we confesse Extraordinary Officers were before the Church, not consi­dering the way of mens coming to be joy­ned in such Societies; was it possible it should be otherwise? but as for ordinary Officers, they were an exurgency from a Church, and serve to the completion of it. Act. 14. 23, 24. Tit. 1. 5.)

2. That Christ hath appointed any Natio­nall Officers, §. 24. with a plenitude of Ordinary [Page 241] power, to be imparted, communicated, and distributed to other recipient Subjects, in seve­rall degrees within one Nation, and not elsewhere. I mean such an Officer or Offi­cers, who in the first instance of their power, should on their own single account relate unto a whole Nation.

3. That he hath instituted any Nationall Church, as the proper correlatum of such an Officer; concerning which also I desire to be informed, whether a Catalogue of those he hath so instituted, be to be obtained; or their number be left indefinite? Whe­ther they have limits and bounds prescribed to them by him, or are left to be commensu­rate to the civill dominion of any Potentate, and so to enjoy, or suffer the providentiall enlargements or straights, that such dominions are continually subject unto? Whether we had seven Churches here in England, during the Heptarchy of the Saxons, and one in Wales or but one in the whole? If seven, how they came to be one? If but one, why those of England, Scotland, and Ireland, were not one also; especially since they have been under one Civill Magistrate? or whe­ther the difference of the Civill Laws of these Nations be not the only cause, that these are three Churches? and if so, whether from [Page 242] thence any may not discerne whereon the Ʋnity of the Church of England doth depend?

Briefely, §. 25. when they have proved Metro­politan, Diocesan Bishops in a firstnesse of pow­er, by the Institution of Christ, a nationall Church by the same institution in the sence pleaded for; a firstnesse of power in the Nationall Officers of that Nationall Church to impose a forme of worship upon all being within that Nation by the same institution, which should containe the bond of the Ʋnion of that Church; also that every man, who is borne, and in his infancy babtized in that Nation, is a member of that Nationall Church by the same institution, and shall have distinguished clearly in and a­bout their Administrations, and have told us that they counted to be of Ecclesiasticall power, and what they grant to be a meere emanation of the civill Government of the Nation, we will then treat with them a­bout the businesse of Schisme. Untill then, if they tell us, that we have forsa­ken the Church of England in the sence plea­ded for by them; I must answer, that which is wanting cannot be numbred. It is no crime to depart from nothing; we have not left to be that, which we never were; [Page 243] which may suffice both us and them, as to our severall respective concernments of conscience and Power. It hath been from the darknesse of men, and ignorance of the Scriptures, that some have taken advan­tage to set up a product of the prudence of Nations, in the name of Jesus Christ, and on that account to require the Accep­tance of it. When the Tabernacle of God is againe well fixed amongst men, these shad­dows will fly away: in the mean time we owe all these disputes, with innumerable other evills, to the Apostacy of the Roman Combination, from which we are farre as yet from being cleerly delivered.

I have one thing more to adde upon the whole matter, §. 26. and I shall proceed to what is lastly to be considered.

The Church of England as it is called, (that is, the people thereof) separated herselfe from the Church of Rome. To free herselfe from the imputation of Schisme, in so doing, as shee (that is, the learned men of the Na­tion) pleaded the errours and corruptions of that Church, under this especiall consi­deration of their being imposed by Tyranny; so also by professing her designe to be no­thing, but to reduce Religion, and the worship of God, to its originall purity, from [Page 244] which it was fallen. And we all joyntly justify both her and all other reformed Churches in this plea.

In her designe to reduce Religion to its primitive purity, shee alwayes professed, that shee did not take her direction from the Scripture only, but also from the Councells and examples of the four or five first Cen­turies, to which she laboured to conforme her Reformation. Let the question now be, whether there be not corruptions in this Church of England, supposing such a na­tionall state to be instituted. What I be­seech you shall bind my Conscience to acqui­esce in what is pleaded from the 4 or 5 first Centuries consisting of men, that could, and did erre; more then that did hers, which was pleaded from the 9. or 10. Centuries following? Have not I liberty to call for Reformation according to the Scripture on­ly? or at least to professe that my Con­science cannot be bound to any other? The summe is, the businesse of Schisme from the Church of England, is as a thing built purely and simply on Politicall considera­tions so interwoven with them, so influenced from them, as not to be separated. The fa­mous advice of Moecenas to Augustus [Page 245] mentioned in Diocassias, is the best Authori­ty I know against it.

Before we part with this Consideration; §. 27. I must needs prevent one mistake, which perhaps in the mind of some may arise upon the preceding discourse: for whereas sundry Ordinances of the worship of God are rightly to be administred only in a Church and Ministers doe evidently relate thereunto, the denying of a Nationall Church state seemes to deny that we had either Ministers or Ordinances here in Eng­land. The truth is, it seemes so to doe, but it doth not; unlesse you will say, that unlesse shee be a Nationall Church state, there is no other; which is too absurd for any one to imagine. It followes indeed, that there were no Nationall Church Officers, that there were no Ordinances numerically the same to be administred in and to the Nati­on at once, but that there was not another Church state in England, and on the account thereof, Ordinances truly administred by lawfull Ministers it doth not follow. And now if by this discourse I only call this bu­sinesse to a review, by them who are concer­ned to assert this Nationall Church I am satifyed. That the Church of England is a true Church of Christ, they have hitherto [Page 246] maintained against the Romanists, on the account of the Doctrine taught in it, & the successive ordination of its officers, through the Church of Rome its selfe, from the primitive times. About the con­stitution and nature of a nationall Church, they have had with them no contention. Therein the parties at variance were a­greed The same grounds and principles, improved with a defence of the externall worship and Geremonies established on the Authority of the Church they mannaged against the non-conformists, and separatists at home. But their chiefe strength against them, lay in Arguments more forcible, which need not be repeated. The constitu­tion of the Church now impleaded, deserves as I said the review: Hitherto it hath been unfurnished of any considerable de­fensative.

2. There is another way of Constitu­ting a nationall Church, §. 28. which is insisted on by some of our bretheren of the Presbyterian way. This is, that such a thing should arise from the particular Congregations, that are in the Nation united by sundry Associations and subordinations of Assemblies in and by the re­presentatives of those Churches. So that though there cannot be an Assembly of all [Page 247] the members of those Churches in one place, for the performance of any worship of God; nor is there any Ordinance ap­pointed by Christ to be so celebrated in any Assembly of them, (which we suppose ne­cessary to the constitution of a particular Church) yet there may be an Assembly of the representatives of them all by severall eleva­tions for some end and purpose.

In this sence, §. 29. a Church may be called Nationall, when all the particu­lar Congregations of one Nation, living under one Civill Government, agreeing in doctrine and worship, are governed by their greater and lesser Assemblies, (Jus Divinum Minist. Anglic. p. 12) but I would be loath to ex­clude every man from being a member of the Church in England, that is, from a share in the profession of the faith, which is owned and professed by the people of God in England; who is not a member of a par­ticular Congregation. Nor does subjecti­on to our civill Government and agreement on the same doctrine and worship specifically either joyntly or severally constitute one church as is known even in the judgement of these brethren. It is the last expression of lesser, and greater Assemblies that must doe it; but as to any such institution of Christ, as a [Page 248] standing Ordinance, sufficient to give Ʋnity yea or denomination to a Church, this is the [...]. And yet this alone is to be insisted on. For as was shewed before, the other things mentioned contribute no­thing to the forme, nor Ʋnion of such a Church.

It is pleaded, §. 30. that there are prophesies and promises of a Nationall Church, that should be under the New Testament, as Ps. 32. 10, 11, 12. Is: 2. 2. Is. 10. 18, 19, 24, 25. That it is foretold and promised that many whole Nations shall be converted to the faith of the Gospell, and thereby be­come the people of God, who before were no people, is granted; but that their way of worship shall be by Nationall Churches gover­ned by lesser and greater Assemblys doth not appeare. And when the Jewes shall be converted, they shall be a Nationall Church, as England is: but their way of worship shall be regulated according to the institution of Christ in the Gospell. And therefore the publishers of the life of Dr Gouge have ex­pressed his judgement found in a paper in his study, that the Jewes on their calling shall be gathered together into Churches, and not be scattered, as now they are. A Nation may be said to be converted, from the pro­fessed [Page 249] subjection to the Gospell of so ma­ny in it, as may give demonstration to the whole: But the way of worship for those so converted, is peculiarly insti­tuted. It is said moreover, that the severall congregations in one City, are called a Church, as in Hierusalem Act. 6. 1. Act. 12, 1, 3. Act. 15. 14, 22. so also may all the Chur­ches in a Nation be called a Nationall Church. But this is [...]; nor is that allowed to be made a medium in another case, which at the same time is sub Iudice in its own. The like also may be said of the Church of Ephesus, Act. 20. 17. Rev. 2. 1. Nor is it about a meer denomination that we con­tend; but the Ʋnion & forme of such a church: and if more Churches then one were toge­ther called a Church, it is from their par­ticipation of the nature of the generall visi­ble Church, not of that which is particular, and the seate of Ordinances. So where Paul is said to persecute the Church of God Gal. 1. 13. it is spoken of the Professors of the Faith of Christ in generall, and not to be restrained to the Churches of Iudaea of whom he speakes v. 22, 23. seeing his rage actually reached to Damascus a City of another Na­tion Act. 22. 5, 6. and his desigue was [...]. That by the Church mentioned [Page 250] 1 Cor. 12. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 32. Eph. 3. 21. is intended the whole visible Church of Christ, as made up into one body or Church, by a collection of all particular Churches in the world by lesser and greater Assemblies, (a thing that never was in the world, nor e­ver will be) is denyed and not yet by any that I know proved; not that I am offended at the name of the Church of England, though I think all professors as such, are rather to be called so, then all the Congregations. That all professors of the truth of the Gospell, throughout the world, are the visible Church of Christ, in the sence before explained, is granted. So may on the same account all the professors of that truth in England, be called the Church of England. But it is the institution of lesser and greater Assemblies, comprising the re­presentatives of all the Churches in the world, that must give Being and Union to the visible Church in the sence pleaded for throughout the world, or in this Nation, & that bounded to this relation by vertue of the same institution, that is to be proved.

But of what there is, §. 31. or seemes to be of Divine Institution in this order and fabrick, what of humane Prudent Creation, what in the matter, or manner of it, I cannot [Page 251] assent unto, I shall not at present enter in­to the consideration; but shall only as to my purpose in hand, take up some princi­ples, which lye in common between the men of this perswasion and my selfe, with some o­thers otherwise minded. Now of these are the ensuing Assertions.

1. No man can possibly be a member of a Nationall Church in this sense, §. 32. but by vertue of his being a member of some particular Church in the Nation; which concurrs to the making up of the Nationall Church. As a man doth not legally belong to any County in the Nation, unlesse he belong to some Hundred or Parish in that County; this is evident from the nature of the thing it self, Nor is it pleaded, that we are one Nationall Church, because the people of the Nation are generally baptized, and doe professe the true faith, but because the particular Congregations in it are ruled, and so conse­quently the whole, by lesser and greater Assemblies. I suppose it will not be on se­cond thoughts insisted on, that particular con­gregations, agreeing solemnely in Doctrine and worship under one civill Government, doe con­stitute a nationall Church; for if so, its forme and unity as such, must be given it meerly by the civill Government.

[Page 252] 2. No man can recede from this Church, §. 33. or depart from it, but by depar­ting from some particular Church therein. At the same door that a man comes in, he must goe out. If I cease to be a member of a Nationall Church, it is by the ceasing or abolishing of that, which gave me originall right thereunto, which was my relation to the particular Church, whereof I am.

3. To make men members of any particular Church or Churches, §. 34. their owne consent is required. All men must admit of this, who allow it free for a man to choose where he will fix his habitation.

4. That as yet, §. 35. at least since possibly we could be personally concerned who are now alive, no such Church in this Nation hath been formed. It is impossible, that a man should be guilty of offending against that, which is not: We have not separa­ted from a Nationall Church in the Presby­terian sence, as never having seen any such thing; unlesse they will say, we have se­parated from what should be.

5. As to the state of such a Church as this, §. 36. I shall only adde to what hath been spoken before, the judgement of a very Learned and famous man in this case, whom I the rather name, because professedly [Page 253] engaged on the Presbyterians side. It is Moses Amyraldus the present professor of Divinity a [...] Saumur, whose words are these that follow. Scio nonnunquam appellari particularē Ecclesiam communionem, ac veluti confoederationem plurium ejusmodi societatum, quas vel ejufdem linguae usus, vel eadem Rei-pub. forma (the true spring of a Nationall Church) unà cum ejus­dem disciplinae regimine consociavit: Sic appel­latur Ecclesia Gallicana, Anglicana, Germanica particularis, ut distinguatur ab Ʋniversali illa Christianorum societate; quae omnes Christiani nominis nationes complectitur: At uti supra dix­imus, Ecclesiae nomen non proprie convenire so­cietati omnium Christianorum, eo modo quo convenit particularibus Christianorum coetibus; sic consequens est, ut dicamus, Ecclesiae nomen non competere in eam multarum Ecclesiarum particula­rium consociationē eodem plane modo. Vocetur ergo certe Ecclesia [...]ū quae sunt in Gallia Communio inter ipsas, & Ecclesia si Ecclesia, est multarum Ecclesiarum confoederatio non si nomen Eccle­siae ex usu Scripturae sacrae accipiatur. Paulus enim varias Ecclesias particulares, quae erant in Achaia, Ecclesia Achaiae nuncupat, non Eccle­siam Achajae vel Ecclesiam Achaicam. Amyral. Disput. de Ecclesiae Nom. & Defin. Thes. 28.

These being, §. 37. if I mistake not, things of mutuall acknowledgenent. (for I have not [Page 254] laid down any principles peculiar to my selfe, and those with whom I consent in the way of the worship of God, which yet we can justly plead in our own de­fence) this whole businesse will be brought to a speedy issue.

Only I desire the Reader to observe, §. 38. that I am not pleading the right, liberty and duty of gathering Churches in such a state of professors, as that of late, and still a­mongst us, which is built on other principles, and Hypotheses, then any as yet I have had occasion to mention; but am only in gene­rall considering the true notion of Schisme, and the charge mannaged against us on that single account, which relates not to gathering of Churches, as simply conside­red; I say then

1. Either we have been members by our own voluntary consent, §. 39. according to the mind of Christ, of some particular congregati­ons in such a Nationall church, & that as de facto part of such a church or we have not? If we have not been so, (as it is most certaine we have not) then we have not as yet bro­ken any bond, or violated any Ʋnity, or di­sturbed any peace, or order of the appoint­ment of Jesus Christ; so that whatever of trouble or division hath followed on our way, and walking, is to be charged on [Page 255] them who have turned every stone, to hin­der us our Liberty. And I humbly begge of them, who acting on principles of Refor­mation according to the (commonly call­ed) Presbyterian platforme, doe accuse us for separation from the Church of England that they would seriously consider what they intend thereby? Is it that we are de­parted from the Faith of the people of God in England? they will not sustaine any such crimination: Is it that we have forsaken the Church of England as under its Episcopall constitution? have they not done the same? have they not rejected their Nationall Officers, with all the bonds, tyes and ligaments of the Union of that pretended Church? have they not renounced the way of worship, establi­shed by the Law of the Land? doe they not disavow all obedience to them who were their legall Superiours in that constitu­tion? doe they retaine either matter or forme, or any thing, but that naked name of that Church? And will they condemne others in what they practise themselves? As for a Church of England, in their new sence, (which yet in some respects is not new but old) for what is beyond a volun­tary consociation of particular Churches, we [Page 256] have not as yet, had experience of it.

That we shall be accused of Schisme, §. 40. for not esteeming our selves made members of a particular Church against our wills, by buying or hireing an habitation within such a precinct of ground, we expect not; especi­cially considering what is delivered by the chiefe Leaders of them, with whom now we are treating, whose words are as fol­loweth We grant, that living in parishes is not sufficient to make a man a member of a Parti­cular Church. A Turk, or Pagan, or Id [...]later may live within the precincts of a Parish, and yet be no member of a Church. A man must therefore in order of nature, be a member of the Church visible, and then living in a Parish, and making profession of Christianity may claime admission into the society of Christians within those bounds, and enjoy the priviledges and ordinances which are there dispensed. Ans of Cammil p. 105. This is also pursued by the Authors of Jus Divi­num Ministerii Anglicani p 9, 10. whereaf­ter the repetition of the words first mentio­ned, they adde that all that dwell in a Parish and constantly heare the Word, are not yet to be admitted to the Sacraments, which excludes them from being fideles, or Church Members and makes them at best as the Catechumeni [Page 257] of old, who were never esteemed members of the Church.

If we have been so members by our own voluntary consent, §. 41. and doe not continue so to be; then this Congregation where­of we were so members was reformed accor­ding to the mind of Christ (for I speak now to them that own Reformation, as to their light) or it was not. If it were refor­med, and that a man were a member of it so reformed by his own voluntary con­sent, I confesse it may be difficult how a man can leave such a congregation without their consent, in whose power it is to give it to him, without giving offence to the Church of God. Only I say, let all by-re­spects be layd aside, on the one hand, and the other, all regard to repute and advantage, let Love have its perfect worke, and no Church knowing the end of its being and constitution to be the Edification of Be­lievers, will be difficult and tenacious as to the granting a dismission to any member whatever, that shall humbly desire it; on the account of applying himselfe to some other Congregation, wherein he sup­poses and is perswaded that he may be more effectually built up in his most holy Faith.

[Page 258] I confesse this to be a case of the grea­test difficulty, §. 42. that presents it selfe to my thoughts in this businesse. Suppose a man to be a member of a particular Church, and that Church to be a true Church of Christ, and granted so by this person, and yet upon the account of some defect, which is in, or at least he is convinced and perswa­ded to be in that Church, whose Reforma­tion he cannot obtaine, he cannot abide in that Church to his spirituall advantage and edification: suppose the Church on the o­ther side cannot be induced to consent to his secession and relinquishment of its ordinary externall communion, and that person is here­by intangled; what course is to be taken? I professe for my part, I never knew this case fall out, wherein both par­ties were not blamable. The person seek­ing to depart, in making that to be an in­dispensable cause of departure from a Church, which is farre short of it; and the Church in not condescending to the mans de­sire, though proceeding from infirmity, or temptation. In generall, the rule of for­bearance and condescension in Love, which should salve the difference, is to give place to the Rule of obeying God in all things according to our light. And the deter­mining [Page 259] in this case, depending on circum­stances in great variety, both with reference to the Church offending, and the person of­fended. He that can give one certaine Rule in, and upon the whole, shall have much praise for his invention. However I am sure this cannot be rationally objected by them, who esteeming all Parishes, as such, to be Churches, doe yet allow men on such oc­casions to change their habitations, and consequently their Church Relations Men may be relieved by change of dwelling, Subcom. of Div. p. 52. And when a mans leaving the ordinary externall communion, of any particu­lar Church for his own edification to joyne with another whose Administrations he is perswaded in some things more, or fewer, are carryed on more according to the minde of Christ, is as such proved to be Schisme, I shall acknowledge it.

As then the not giving a mans selfe up unto any way, §. 43. and submitting to any establishment pretended, or pleaded to be of Christ, which he hath not light for, and which he was not by any act of his own formerly engaged in, cannot with any colour or pretence of reason be reckoned unto him for Schisme, though he may, if he persist in his refuseall, prejudice his own [Page 260] Edification; So no more can a mans peace­able relinquishment of the ordinary com­munion of one Church in all its relations, to joyne with another, be so esteemed. For instance of the first case; suppose by the Law of this Nation the severall par [...]chiall Churches of the Land, according to arbitrary distributions made of them, should be joyned in Classicall Associations, and those againe in the like arbitrary disposall into Provinciall, and so onward; (which can­not be done without such interveniences as will exonerate conscience from the weight of pure institution:) or suppose this not to be done by the Law of the Land, but by the voluntary consent of the Offi­cers of the Parochiall Churches, and others joy­ning with them; the Saints of God in this Nation, who have not formerly been given up unto, or disposed of, in this order, by their own voluntary consent, nor are concerned in it any farther, then by their habitation within some of these different Precincts, that by publick Authority, or consent of some amongst them, are combi­ned as above: nor do believe such Ass [...]cia­tions to be the institutions of Christ, whatever they prove to be in the issue; I say they are by their dissent and refusall to subject them­selves [Page 261] to this Order, not in the least liable to the charge of Schisme; whatever they are, who neglecting the great duty of Love, and forbearance, would by any means what­ever impose upon them a necessity of so doing. For besides what they have to plead, as to the Non-institution of any such ordinary Associations, & investiture of them with power and Authority in, and over the Churches, they are not guilty of the distur­bance of any order, wherein they were stated according to the minde of Christ: nor of the neglect of any duty of Love, that was incumbent on them.

For the latter; §. 44. suppose a man stated in a particular Church, wherewith he hath walked for a season; He discovers that some perhaps of the Principles of its consti­tution are not according to to the minde of Christ, something is wanting or redundant, and imposed in practice on the members of it, which renders the communion of it, by reason of his doubts and scruples, or it may be cleare convictions, not so usefull to him, as he might rationally expect it would be, were all things done according to the minde of Christ; that also he hath declared his judgement as he is able, and dissatisfaction; if no reformation doe ensue, [Page 262] This person I say is doubtlesse at liberty to dispose of himselfe, as to particular Church Communion, to his own best advan­tage.

But now suppose this Congregation whereof a man is supposed to be a memb­er, §. 45. is not reformed, will not, nor cannot reforme it selfe; (I desire that it may be minded with whom I have to do, viz. those, who own a necessity of Reformation, as to the Administration of Ordinances, in respect to what hath been hitherto observed in most Parochiall Assemblyes.) Those I have formerly dealt withall are not be impo­sed on with this Principle of Reformation: they acknowledge none to be needfull; but they are not concerned in our present en­quiry. Their charge lyes all in the behalfe of the Church of England, not of particular Assemblyes or Parishes, which it is not possi­ble that according to their principle, they should own for Churches, or account any separation from any of them to be balme worthy, but only as it respecteth the Constitutions of the Church Nationall in them to be observed. If any claime arise on that hand, as to Parochiall Assemblyes, I should take liberty to examine the foundation of the plea, and doubt not, but that I may [Page 263] easily frustrate their attempts. But this is not my present businesse; I deale, as I said, with them, who own Reformation; and I now suppose of the Congregation, where­of a man is supposed to be a member on any account whatever, not to be refor­med.

In this case I aske, whether it be Schisme or no, for any number of men to reforme themselves, by reducing the practice of worship to its originall institution, though they be the minor part lying within the Parochiall precinct; or for any of them to joyne themselves with others for that end and purpose not living within those pre­cincts. I shall boldly say, this Schisme is commanded by the Holy Ghost, 1 Tim. 6. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Hos. 4. 15. Is this yoke laid up­on me by Christ, that to goe along with the multitude where I live, that hate to be reformed, I must forsake my duty, and de­spise the priviledges, that he hath purchased for me with his owne precious blood? Is this an unity of Christs Institution, that I must for ever associate my selfe with wicked and prophane men in the worship of God, to the unspeakable detriment and disadvantage of my own soule?

I suppose nothing can be more unrea­sonable, [Page 264] then once to imagine any such thing.

However, §. 46. not to derive this businesse any farther, but to put it to its proper issue. When it is proved, that this is the will and appointment of Jesus Christ, that every Be­liever, who liveth within such a precinct allotted by Civill Constitutions, wherein the people or Inhabitants do, or may usually meet for the celebration of the worship of God, or which they have light for, on any account whatever doe make profession of, how prophane soever that part of them be from whom the whole is denominated, how corrupt soever in their worship, how dead soever, as to the power of Godlinesse, must abide with them and joyne with them in the Administration and worship, and that indispensably; this businesse may come a­gaine under debate. In the meane time, I suppose the people of God are not in any such subjection. I speake not this, as laying down this for a principle, that it is the duty of every man to separate from that Church, wherein evill and wicked men are tollerated (though that opinion, must have many other attendances, before it can con­tract the least affinity with that of the same sound, which was condmned in the Dona­tists) but this only I say, that where any Church is over borne by a multitude of [Page 265] men wicked and prophane; so that it cannot reforme it selfe, or will not accor­ding to the minde of Christ, a Believer is so farre at liberty, that he may desert the Communion of that society, without the least guilt of Schisme. But this state of things is now little pleaded for.

It is usually objected about the Church of Corinth, §. 47. that there was in it many dis­orders and enormous miscarriages, divisi­ons, and breaches of Love: miscarriages through drink at their meetings; grosse sins in the incestuous person tolerated; false doctrine broached; the Resurrection denyed; and yet Paul advises no man to separate from it, but all to performe their duty in it.

But how little our present plea & defensative is concerned in this instance, §. 48. supposed to ly against it, very few considerations will evince.

1. The Church of Corinth was undoubt­edly a true Church, lately instituted accor­ding to the minde of Christ, and was not fallen from that priviledge by any miscarri­age, nor had suffered any thing destructive to its being; which wholy differences be­tween the case proposed in respect of many particulars, and the instance produced. We confesse the abuses, and evills mentioned had crept into the Church, and doe thence [Page 266] grant, that many abuses may doe so into any of the best of the Churches of God. Nor did it ever enter into the heart of any man to think, that so soon as any disorders fall out, or abuses creep into it, it is instantly the duty of any to fly out of it, like Pauls Mariners out of the ship, when the storme grew hazardous. It being the duty of all the members of such a Church untainted with the evills and corruptions of it, upon many accounts to attempt and labour the remedie of those disorders, and rejection of these abuses to the uttermost; which was that, which Paul advised the Corinthians all and some unto, in obedience where­unto they were recovered. But yet this I say, had the Church of Corinth continued in the condition before prescribed, that notorious, scandalous sinnes had went un­published, unreproved, drunkennesse continued, and practised in the Assem­blies, men abiding by the denyall of the Resurrection, so overturning the whole Gospell, and the Church refusing to do her duty, and exercise her Authority to cast all those disorderly persons upon their obstinacy out of her communion; It had been the duty of every Saint of God in that Church, to have withdrawn from it, to [Page 267] come out from among them, and not to have been partaker of their sinnes, unlesse they were willing to partake of their plague also; which on such an Apostacy would certainly ensue.

I confesse Austin in his single booke against the Donatists, §. 49. post collationem, cap. 20. affirmes, that Elijah and Elisha communi­cated with the Israelites in their worship, when they were so corrupted, as in their dayes, and separated not from their Sacra­ments (as he calls them,) but only with­drew sometimes for feare of persecution; a mistake unworthy so great and wise a person as he was. The publick worship of those 10 Tribes in the dayes of those Prophets was Idolatrous, erected by Jeroboam, confirmed by a Law, by Omri, and continued by Ahab. That the Prophets joyned with them in it, is not to be imagined. But earnest­nesse of desire for the attaining of any end, sometimes leaves no roome for the exami­nation of the Medium's, offering their service to that purpose.

Let us now see the sum of the whole matter and what it is that we plead for our dis­charge as to this crime of Schisme, §. 50. allow­ing the Terme to passe in its large and u­suall acceptation, receding for the sake [Page 268] of the Truths farther ventilation from the precise propriety of the word an­nexed to it in the Scripture: The summe is, we have broken no bond of Ʋnity, no order instituted or appointed by Jesus Christ, have causelessly deserted no station, that ever we were in, according to his mind, which alone can give countenance to an accusation of this Nature. That on pure grounds of conscience we have withdrawn, or doe withhold our selves from partaking in some wayes, engaged into upon meer grounds of Prudence we acknowledge.

And thus from what hath been said, §. 51. it appeares in what a faire capacity notwith­standing any principle or practice owned by us, we are to live peaceably, and to ex­ercise all fruits of Love towards those who are otherwise minded.

There is not the least necessity on us, §. 52. may we be permitted to serve God according to our light, for the acquitting our selves from the charge, which hath made such a noise in the world, to charge other men, with their failings, great, or small, in or about the ways and worship of God. This only is incumbent on us, that we mani­fest, that we have broken no bond, no obligation, or tye to communion, which [Page 269] lay upon us by the will & appointment of Jesus Christ our Lord, and Master: what is prudentially to be done in such a Nation as this, in such a time as this, as to the worship of God, we will treate with men at farther leisure, and when we are lawfully called thereto.

It may be some will yet say, §. 53. (because it hath been often said) there is difference between reforming of Churches already ga­thered and raised, and raising of Churches out of meer materialls. The first may be allowed, but the latter tends to all man­ner of Confusion.

I have at present, §. 54. not much to say to this objection, because as I conceive, it con­cernes not the businesse we have in hand: Nor would I have mentioned it at all; but that its insisted on by some on every turne, whether suited for the particular cause, for which it is produced, or no. In briefe then.

1. I know no other reformation of any Church, or any thing in a Church, but the reducing of it to its primitive Instituti­on, and the order allotted to it by Jesus Christ. If any plead for any other Refor­mation of Churches, they are in my judge­ment to blame.

[Page 270] And when any society, §. 55. or Combination of men, (whatever hitherto it hath been esteemed) is not capable of such a Redu­ction and Renovation. I suppose I shall not provoke any wise and sober person, if I professes I cannot look on such a society, as a Church of Christ, and thereupon advise those therein, who have a due right to the priviledges purchased for them by Christ, as to Gospell Administrations, to take some other peaceable course to make them­selves partakers of them. §. 56.

2. Were I fully to handle the things pointed to in this Objection, I must man­nage Principles, which in this Discourse I have not been occasioned to draw forth at all, or to improve. Many things of great weight and importance must come under de­bate and consideration, before a cleare account can be given of the case stated in this Objection; as

1. The true nature of an instituted Church under the Gospell, §. 57. as to the matter, forme, and all other necessary constitutive causes, is to be investigated and found out.

2. The nature, §. 58. and forme of such a Church is to be exemplifyed from the Scrip­ture, and the stories of the first Churches, [Page 271] before sensibly infested with the poyson of that Apostacy which ensued.

3. The extent of the Apostacy under An­tichrist, §. 59. as to the ruining of instituted Churches, making them to be Babylon, and their worship Fornication, is duely and carefully to be examined.

Hic labor, Hoc opus.

Here lyes our disorder and division; hence is our darknesse and pollution of our garments, which is not an easy thing to free our selves of; though we may arise, yet we shall not speedily shake our selves out of the dust.

4. By what way and meanes God be­gat anew and kept alive his Elect, §. 60. in their severall Generations, when Antichristian darknesse covered the Earth; and thick darknesse the Nations, supposing an inter­cision of instituted Ordinances, so farre as to make a nullity in them, as to what was of simple and pure Institution; what way might be used for the fixing the Tabernacle of God againe with men, and the setting up of Church worship according to his minde, and will. And here the famous case of the united Brethren of Bohemia would come under consideration; who concluding the whole Papacy to be purely Antichristian, [Page 272] could not allow of the Ordination of their Ministers by any in communion with it; and yet being perswaded of a necessity of continuing of that Ordinance in a way of succession, sent some to the Greek and Armenian Churches, who observing their wayes returned with little satisfaction; so that at the last committing themselves, and their cause to God, they chose them Elders from among themselves, and set them apart by fasting and prayer; which was the foundation of all those Churches, which for piety, zeale, and suffering for Christ, have given place to none in Europe.

What was the way of the first Reformati­on in this Nation, §. 62. and what principles the Godly Learned men of those daies procee­ded on, how farre, what they did may be satisfactory to our Consciences, at the present, as to our concurrence in them, who from thence have the Truth of the Gospell deri­ved downe to us,

Whether ordinary officers be before or after the Church, §. 63. and so whether a Church state is preserved in the preservation of Officers, by a power forraigne to that Church, whereof they are so; or the Office be preserved, and consequently the Officers, inclusively in the [Page 273] preservation, and constitution of a Church. These I say, with sundry other things of the like importance, with inferences from them, are to be considered to the bottome, before a full Resolution can be given to the enquiry coucht in this objection, which, as I said, to do, is not my present businesse.

This taske then is at its issue and close; §. 64. some Considerations of the manifold miscar­riages that have insued for want of a due and right apprehension of the thing we have now been exercised in the Consideration of, shall shut it up. §. 65

It is not impossible, that some may, from what hath been spoken, begin to appre­hend, that they have been too hasty in judg­ing other men. Indeed none are more ready to charge highly, then those who when they have so done, are most unable to make good their charge; si accusasse sufficiat, quis erit innocens? what reall Schismes in a mo­rall sense have ensued among brethren, by their causelesse mutuall imputation of Schisme in things of institution, is knowne. And when men are in one fault, and are charged with another, wherein they are not, it is a ready way to confirme them in that, wherein they are. There is more darknesse and difficulty in the whole matter of insti­tuted [Page 274] worship, then some men are aware of: not that it was so from the beginning, whilst Christianity continued in its naked simplicity: but it is come occasionally upon us by the customes, darknesse and invincible prejudices, that have taken hold on the minds of men by a secret diffusion of the poyson of that grand Apostacy. It were well then, that men would not be so confi­dent, nor easily perswaded, that they presently know how all things ought to be, because they know how they would have some things to be, which suite their temper and interest. Men may easily perhaps see, or think they see, what they doe not like, and crie out Schisme and Separation, but if they would a little consider what ought to be in this whole matter; according to the mind of God, and what evidences they have of the grounds and principles, whereon they condemne others, it might make them yet swift to heare, but slow to speake, and take off from the number of Teachers among us; some are readie to think, that all that joyne not with them are Schismaticks; and they are so, because they goe not with them, and other reason they have none: being unable to give any solid foundation: of what they professe; what the cause of [Page 275] Unity among the people of God, hath suffered from this sort of men, is not ea­sily to be expressed.

2. In all differences about Religion to drive them to their rise and spring, §. 66. and to consider them as stated originally, will ease us of much trouble and labour. Perhaps many of them will not appeare so formidable, as they are represented. He that sees a great River, is not instantly to conclude that all the water in it comes from its first rise & spring; the addition of many brookes showers and landfloods, have perhaps swelled it to the condition wherein it is: every difference in Religion is not to be thought to be as big at its rise, as it appeares to be when it hath passed through many Gene­rations, and hath received additions and aggravations from the disputings and conten­dings of men, on the one hand, and the other, ingaged. What a flood of Abominati­ons doth this businesse of Schisme seem to be, as rolling down tous through the wri­tings of Cyprian, Austin, and Optatus of old: the Schoolemen, decrees of Popish Councells with the contrivances of some, among our selves, concerned to keep up the swelled notion of it! Goe to its rise, and you will find it to be, though bad enough, yet quite [Page 276] another thing, then what by the pre [...]udices accrewing by the addition of so many gene­rations, it is now generally represented to be. The great maxime, To the Law and to the Testimonie, truly improved, would quickly cure all our distempers: in the meane time, let us blesse God, that though our outward man may possibly be disposed of, according to the apprehension that others have of what we doe, or are, our Con­sciences are concerned only in what he hath appointed. How some men may pre­vaile against us, before whom we must stand or fall according to their corrupt notion of Schisme, we know not: the Rule of our Consciences, in this, as in all other things, is eternall and unchangable. Whilst I have an uncontrolable faithfull witnesse, that I transgresse no limits prescribed to me in the Word, that I doe not willingly break, or dissolve any Ʋnity of the Institution of Jesus Christ, my minde as to this thing is filled with perfect peace. Blessed be God, that hath reserved the sole soveraingty of our Consciences in his hand, and not in the least parcelled it out to any of the sons of men, whose tender mercies being often­times cruelty it selfe, they would perhaps destroy the soule also, when they doe so to [Page 277] the body, seeing they stay there, as our Saviour witnesseth, because they can pro­ceed no farther; Here then I professe to rest; in this doth my Conscience acquiesce: whilst I have any comfortable perswasion, on grounds infallible, that I hold the Head, and that I am by faith a member of the mysticall body of Christ, whilst I make profession of all the necessary saving Truths of the Gospell, whilst I disturbe not the peace of that particular Church, whereof by my own consent I am a member, nor doe raise up, nor continue in any causeles differences with them, or any of them, with whom I walke in the fel­lowship and order of the Gospell, whilst I labour to exercise faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, and love towards all the Saints, I doe keep the Unity, which is of the ap­pointment of Christ; and let men say, from principles utterly forraigne to the Gospell, what they please, or can, to the contrary, I am no Schismatick.

3. Perhaps the discoverie, §. 67. which hath been made, how little we are many of us concerned in that, which having mutually charged it on one another, hath been the greatest ball of strife, and most effectu-all engine of difference, and distance be­tween us, may be a meanes to reconcile [Page 278] in Love them that truely feare God, though engaged in severall wayes as to some particu­lars. I confesse I have not any great hope of much successe on this account; for let principles and ways be made as evident, as if he that wrote them carryed the Sunne in his hand; yet whilst men are forestalled by prejudices, and have their affections, and spirits engaged suitably thereunto, no great alteration in their minde and wayes, on the clearest conviction whatever, is to be ex­pected. All our hearts are in the hand of God; and our expectations of what he hath promised, are to be proportioned to what he can effect, not to what of out­ward meanes, we see to be used.

4. To conclude; §. 68. what vaine janglings men are endlesly engaged in; who will lay their own false hypotheses, and preconcep­tions, as a ground of farther procedure, is also in part evident, by what hath been delivered. Hence (for instance) is that doubty dispute in the world; whether a Schismatick doth belong to the Church, or noe? which for the most part is determi­ned in the Negative; when it is impossible a man should be so, but by vertue of his being a Church Member. A Church is that alienum solum, wherein that evill dwelleth. [Page 279] The most of the enquiries that are made, and disputed on, whether this or that sort of men belongs to the Church or no? are of the same value and import. He be­longs to the Church Catholick, who is united to Christ by the spirit, and none other: And he belongs to the Church Generall visible, who makes profession of the faith of the Gospell, and destroyes it not by any thing of a just inconsistency with the beliefe of it: And he belongs to a Particular Church, who having been in a due order joyned thereunto, hath neither voluntarily deserted it, nor been judicially ejected out of it. Thus one may be a member of the Church Catholick, who is no member of the generall visible Church, nor of a particular Church, as an elect infant, sanctifyed from the womb, dying before baptisme; and one may be a member of the Church generall visible, who is no mem­ber of the Church Catholick, nor of a parti­cular Church, as a man making profession of the true faith, yet not united to Christ by the Spirit, nor joyned to any particular visible Church; or he may be also of the Catholick Church, and not of a particular; as also of a particular Church; and not of the Catholick. And a man may, every true believer walking orderly, ordinarily is a member of [Page 280] the Church of Christ in every sence insisted on: of the Catholick Church, by a Union with Christ the head; of the visible Generall Church, by his profession of the Faith, and of a particular Congregation, by his voluntary assotiating himselfe therewith, according to the will and appointment of our Lord Jesus Christ.