we have Love one to another We may talk what we please of Religion and profess what we list the Word of God is plain that whosoever hath not Love and Charity is no Christian but to allude to that of Christ John 10. 1. He is a Thief and a Robber he hath not the Spirit of God abiding and dwelling in him for The Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance And The Wisdom from above is peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good Fruit. So that the very Soul and Spirit of Christianity consists in Unity Love and Amity Wherefore let my Intreaties be prevalent with you to endeavour for a mutual Compliance and Comprehension as you have any Regard to the Honour of God and the Credit of Religion as you would hinder the Growth of Damnable Errors and abominable Debaucheries and do what in you lies to prevent the Ruin and Damnation of Multitudes of poor Souls nay as you would secure your own Salvation and be able with Confidence to appear at the dreadful and impartial day of Judgment let me conjure you in the Name of God to love one another with a pure Heart forvently to follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Patience Meekness to forget and pardon all former Injuries and Affronts doing nothing for the time to come through Strife or Vain-Glory but in lowliness of Mind each esteeming others better than themselves doing all things without Murmurings or Disputings avoiding all foolish and unlearned Questions knowing that they do but gender Strifes behaving your selves like the Servants of the Lord who must not strive but be gentle unto all Men apt to teach patient mutually complying with each other doing all things unto Edification labouring after Peace and Unity that so we may at length with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And for the Accomplishment of this blessed and glorious Design let us above all things avoid Pride and Vain-glory which as it is to be feared hath had no small share both in the causing and increasing of our Divisions We have been so stiff and self-conceited and stood so much upon the pitiful Punctilio's of Honour that we have refused to condescend to one another or to join in a way of Comprehension or mutual Relaxation which seems to be the only way left for Union and Agreement if ever we hope or intend to have it Wherefore let me address my self unto you in the Words of the Reverend and Moderate Bishop Hall Men Brethren and Fathers help for Gods sake put to your Hands to the Quenching of this common Flame the one side by Humility and Obedience the other by Compassion both by Prayers and Tears And as he so let me beg for Peace as for Life by your Filial Piety to the Church of God whose Ruins follow upon our Divisions by your Love of God's Truth by the Graces of that one blessed Spirit whereby we are all informed and quickened by the precious Blood of that Son of God which was shed for our Redemption be inclined to Peace and Love and though our Brains be different yet let our Hearts be one Let us all endeavonr by a Compliance and a Comprehension to promote Love and Charity Peace and Unity that so being Children of Peace and obedient Subjects of the Prince of Peace the God of Peace may Bless us with Peace Quiet and Serenity here and at the end of our Days receive us into his Eternal Peace and everlasting Rest which God of his infinite Mercy grant may be the Portion of us all through the Merits of his only Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen POSTCRIPT BEcause some Practises and Customs mentioned in the precedent Treatise were not from the first Plantation of Christianity but were afterwards introduced and others might not be universal but only followed in some particular Churches it will not be unnecessary to add a Table of the Names Age and Country of those Fathers and of their Contemporaries who have been cited by us that so we may guess at the time when such Customs were brought in and know the Places where they were chiefly practised Names Countries Age. Several Synods held in Africa between Anno Christi 250 260. Alexander Bishop of Jerusalem Anno 228 Anonymus apud Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 16. p. 182. Lesser Asia 170 Anicetus Bishop of Rome 154 The Synodical Letter of the Council of Antioch held Anno 265 Apollinaris Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Lesser Asia 170 Apollonius  200 Asturius Palastina 260 Aurelius Carthage 〈◊〉 Artemon  196 Babylas Bishop of Antioch 246 Saint Barnabas  50 Basilides the Heretick Alexandria 134 Basilides a Bishop in Spain 258 Celerinus Carthage 253 Letters of the Clergy of Rome to the Clergy of Carthage writ between Anno 250 〈◊〉 Clemens Bishop of Rome 70 Clemens of Alexandria 204 Cornelius Bishop of Rome 252 Crescens Bishop of Certa in Africa 258 Cyprian Bishop of Carthage 250 Dionysius Bishop of Corinth 172 Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria 260 Eusebius a Deacon of Alexandria 259 Fabianus Bishop of Rome Anno 236 Firmilian Bishop of Caesarea in Cap padoeia 250 Fortunatus a Schismatic in Africa 255 Fortunatus Bishop of Thucabori in Africa 258 Gregory Bishop of Neoearsarea 250 Ignatius Bishop of Antioch 109 Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons 184 Justin Martyr Samaria 155 Lucius Bishop of Thebeste in Africa 258 Names Countries Age. A Letter of the Churches of Lyons and Vienne to the Churches of Asia Anno 177 Minucius Felix Rome 230 Martialis a Bishop in Spain 258 Natalis Rome 210 Nemesianus Bishop of Thubunic in Africa 258 Novatian Rome 252 Origen a Presbyter of Alexandria 230 Palmas Bishop of Amastris in Pontus 196 Paulus Samosatenus Bp. of Antioch 265 Plinius an Heathen  110 Polycarpus Bishop of Smirna 140 Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus 196 Pontius a Deacon of Carthage 260 Privatus Bishop of Lambese in Africa 254 Sabinus Bishop of Emerita in Spain 258 Sedatus Bishop of Turbo in Africa 258 Secundinus Bishop of Carpis in Africa 258 An Epistle of the Church of Smirna to the Church of Philomilium 168 Stephen Bishop of Rome 258 Tatianus Syria 180 Tertullian a Presbyter of Carthage 200 Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina 228 Theophilus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina 196 Victor Bishop of Rome 196 Victorinus Petavionensis Hungary 290 Vincentius Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Africa 258 Zoticus Bishop of Comane in Lesser Asia 168 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stromat lib. 2. p. 263. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. cap. 2. p. 34. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. cap. 3. p. 36. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Euseb lib. 6. c. 25. p. 226. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Eus. l. 4. c. 15. p. 131. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epistad Herm. apud Euseb.
not permit them to transmit them down to their Successors or through the length of time they are lost and scarce any thing besides the Names of such Synods are now remembred and of Multitudes neither Names nor Decrees are to be found But yet there is enough escap'd the Fury of Persecution and the length of time to convince us that those Synods did decree those things which they judged expedient for the Polity Discipline and Government of those particular Churches that were within their respective Provinces and required them to be observed by all the Members thereof Thus we find these following Canons determined by several Synods in Africa viz. That though a Delinquent had not endured the whole time of Penance yet if he was very sick and in danger of Death he should be absolved That at the approach of a Persecution penitent Offenders should be restored to the Churches Peace That Penance should not be hastily passed over or Absolution be rashly and speedily given That all lapsed and apostate Clergymen should upon their Repentance be only admitted to Communion as Lay-men and be never more capable of discharging or performing any Ecclesiastical Function That no Clergyman should be a Curator or Trustee of a last Will or Testament And many other such like Synodical Decrees relating to the Discipline and Polity of the Church are to be met with in Cyprian which were ever accounted Obligatory to all those Parishes who lived within those respective Provinces and had their Representatives in those respective Synods for to what purpose else did they decree them if it had been fruitless and ridiculous to have made frequent and wearisom Journeys with great Cost and Pains to have debated and determined those things which they judged expedient for the Churches Well-being if after all it was indifferent whether they were obeyed or not But that their Decrees were binding is adjudged by an African Synod of Sixty Six Bishops held Anno 254 who sharply 〈◊〉 a certain Bishop called Therapius for breaking the Canons of a Synod in absolving a certain Presbyter called Victor before the time appointed by that Synod was expired Probably the Breaker of those Canons was to have been Deposed or Suspended or some other severe Punishment inflicted on him since the Bishops of this Synod speak as if they had moderated the Rigour of the Canons against Therapius in that they were contented only with chiding him for his rashness and with strictly charging him that he should do so no more So another Synod in Africa decreed that if any one should name a Clergy-man in his last Will and Testament for his Trustee no Sacrifice should be offered for him after his Death What the meaning of this Offering of Sacrifice after his Death is I shall not shew here since I must treat of it in another place Accordingly when Geminius Victor Bishop of 〈◊〉 had by his last Will and Testament constituted Geminius Faustinus a Presbyter his Trustee Cyprian Bishop of Carthage writ unto the Clergy and Laity of Furnis touching this matter wherein he informs them That he and his Colleagues were very much offended that Geminius Victor had thus broke the Canons of the Synod but that since he had done it he hoped they would take care that he should suffer the Penalty annexed to the Breach thereof that in conformity thereunto they would not mention him in their Prayers or make any Oblation for him that so the Decree of the Bishops which was religiously and necessarily made might be observed by them To these two Instances we may add that of Martialis and Basilides two Spanish Bishops who for their falling into Idolatry in times of Persecution were deprived of their Ecclesiastical Functions and adjudged never more to be admitted to the Churches Communion in any other Quality than that of Laymen which rigorous Sentence an African Synod defends from the Authority of a General Council who had before decreed that such Men should only be admitted to Repentance but be for ever excluded from all Clerical and Sacerdotal Dignities CHAP. IX § 1. Of the Vnity of the Church of Schism defined to be a Breach of that Vnity The Vnity of the Church and consequently the Breach of it to be differently understood according to the various Significations of the Word Church § 2. The Vnity of the Church Vniversal considered Negatively and Positively Negatively it consisted not in an Vniformity of Rites nor in an Vnanimity of Consent to the non-essential Points of Christianity The Rigid Imposers thereof condemned as Cruel and Tyrannical § 3. Positively it consisted in an harmonious Assent to the Essential Articles of Faith The Non-agreement therein called Schism but not the Schism of the Ancients § 4. How the Vnity of a Church Collective was broken this neither the Schism of the Ancients § 5. The Vnity of a particular Church consisted in two things in the Members Love and Amity each towards other and in the Peoples close adherence to their Bishop or Parish Church The Breach of the former sometimes called Schism § 6. The Breach of the latter which was a causeless Separation from their Bishop the Schism of the Ancients In how many Cases it was lawful for the People to separate from their Bishop § 7. A Separation under any other Pretence whatsoever was that which the Fathers generally and principally meant by Schism proved so to have been § 8. Farther proved from Ignatius § 9. Exemplified in the Schism of Felicissimus and Novarian § 10. An Objection answered touching the Schism of Novatian How the Schism of one particular Church affected other Churches § 11. A Summary and Conclusion of this Discourse concerning Schism § 1. HAving in the precedent Chapters discoursed of the Constitution and Discipline of the Primitive Church I come now in this to treat of the Unity thereof which I had a very great Inclination to search into since by the due understanding thereof we shall the better apprehend the Notion of the Ancients concerning Schism because that Schism is nothing else but a Breach of that Unity as will 〈◊〉 evidently appear from the Quotations that we shall be forced to make use of in this Chapter Now that we may know what the Breach of the Unity of the Church was it is absolutely necessary first to know what the Unity its self was for till we understand its Unity it is impossible that we should understand the Breach thereof Now for the distinct apprehending hereof we must remember the various Acceptations of the Word Church as they are related in the beginning of this Treatise and according to the different Significations thereof so must its Unity be diversified or be differently understood and according to the different manner of its Unity so must we apprehend the Breach thereof § 2. If in the first place we reflect upon the Word Church as signifying the Church Universal or all those who throughout
the whole Earth profess Faith in Christ then we may consider its Unity in this Sense either Negatively wherein it did not consist or Positively wherein it did consist Negatively It consisted not in an Uniformity of Rites and Customs for every particular Church was at liberty to follow its own proper Usages One Church was not obliged to observe the Rites of another but every one followed its own peculiar Customs Thus with respect to their Fast before Easter there was a great Diversity in the Observation of it in some Churches they fasted one Day in others two in some more and in others forty Hours but yet still they retained Peace and Concord the diversity of their Customs commending the Vnity of their Faith So also the Feast of Easter its self was variously celebrated The Asiatick Churches kept it on a distinct Day from the Europeans but yet still they retained Peace and Love and for the diversity of such Customs none were ever cast out of the Communion of the Church So likewise writes Firmilian That in most Provinces their Rites were varied according to the Diversities of Names and Places and that for this no one ever departed from the Peace and Vnity of the Catholick Church So that the Unity of the Church Universal consisted not in an Uniformity of Rites and Usages Neither in the next Place did it consist in an Unanimity of Consent to the Non-essential Points of Christianity but every one was lest to believe in those lesser matters as God should inform him Therefore Justin Martyr speaking of those Jewish Converts who had adhered to the Mosaical Rites says that if they did this only through their Weakness and 〈◊〉 and did not perswade other Christians to the observance of the same Judaical Customs that he would receive them into Church-fellowship and Communion Whosoever imposed on particular Churches the observance of the former of these two things or on particular Persons the belief of the latter they were esteemed not as Preservers and Maintainers but as Violaters and Breakers of the Churches Unity and Concord An Instance of the former we have in that Controversie between the Churches of the East and West touching the time when Easter was to be celebrated For when Victor Bishop of Rome had Excommunicated the 〈◊〉 Churches because they continued to observe that Feast on a different time from the Churches of the West not only the Bishops of the adverse Party but even those of his own side condemned him as rash heady and turbulent and writ several Letters about this Affair wherein as the Historian writes they most sharply censured him As for the Latter we have an instance thereof in the Controversie that was between Stephen Bishop of Rome and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage touching the Validity of Hereticks Baptism For when Stephen Anathematized Cyprian because he held the Baptism of Hereticks to be null and void other Bishops condemned Stephen as a Breaker and Disturber of the Churches Peace And amongst others Firmilian a Cappadocian Bishop vehemently accuses him as such because that he would impose upon others the Belief of such a disputable Point which says he was never wonted to be done but every Church followed their own different ways and never therefore broke the Vnity and Peace of the Catholick Church which now saith he Stephen dares to do and breaks that Peace which the ancient Bishops always preserved in mutual Love and Honour And therefore we find in the Acts of that great Council of Carthage convened to determine this matter that when Cyprian summ'd up the Debates thereof he dehorts his Fellow-Bishops from the imposing Humour and Temper of Stephen It now remains saith he that every one of us declare our Judgments concerning this matter judging no Man or removing any one from our Communion if he think otherwise than we do for let none of us make himself a Bishop of Bishops or by a Tyrannical Terror compel his Colleagues to the necessity of obeying So that the forcing a Belief in these lesser matters was Cruelty and Tyranny in the Imposers thereof who for such unreasonable Practices were look'd upon as Enemies to and Violators of the Churches Concord being the true Schismaticks inasmuch as they were the Cause of Schism and Division unto whom therefore may be applyed that Saying of Irenaeus That at the last Day Christ shall judge those who cause Schisms who are inhumane not having the fear of God but prefering their own advantage before the Unity of the Church for trivial and slight Causes rent and divide the great and glorious Body of Christ and as much as in them lies destroy it who speak Peace but wage War truly straining at a Gnat and swallowing a Camel § 3. But Positively The Unity of the Church Universal consisted in an Harmonious Assent to the Essential Articles of Religion or in an Unanimous Agreement in the Fundamentals of Faith and Doctrine Thus 〈◊〉 having recited a Creed or a short Summary of the Christian Faith not much unlike to the Aposiles Creed immediately adds The Church having received this Faith and Doctrine although dispersed through the whole World diligently preserves it as tho' she inhabited but one House and accordingly she believes these things as 〈◊〉 she had but one Soul and one Heart and consonantly preaches and teaches these things as tho' she had but one Mouth for altho' there are various Languages in the World yet the Doctrine is one and the same so that the Churches in Germany France Asia AEgypt or Lybia have not a different Faith but as the Sun is one and the same to all the Creatures of God in the whole World So the Preaching of the Word is a Light that enlightens every where and illuminates all Men that would come to the knowledge of the Truth Now this Bond of Unity was broken when there was a Recession from or a Corruption of the true Faith and Doctrine as Irenaeus speaks concerning Tatian the Father of the Encratites that as long as his Master Justin Martyr lived he held the found Faith but after his Death falling off from the Church he shaped that new Form of Doctrine This Unity of the Church in Doctrine according to Hegesippus continued till the Days of Simeon Cleopas Bishop of Jerusalem who was Martyred under Trajan but after that false Teachers prevailed such as the 〈◊〉 Marcionists 〈◊〉 and others from whom sprung false Christs false Apostles and false Prophets who by their corrupt Doctrines against God and his Christ divided the Unity of the Church So that the Unity of the Church Universal consisted in an agreement of Doctrine and the Corruption of that Doctrine was a Breach of that Unity and whoever so broke it are said to divide and separate the Unity of the Church or which is all one to be Schismaticks So Irenaeus writes that those that introduced new Doctrines did divide and separate the Unity
Church shall suffice I have nothing more to add but mine earnest Intreaty and Persuasion unto all those into whose Hands this little Treatise shall fall to imitate and follow the Primitive Christians in their Moderation and the Peaceableness of their Temper and Disposition In those happy days the Christians were so eminent above all other Sects for their mutual Love and Charity that the Heathens observed it with astonishment and cried out with Admiration Behold how they love one another We are saith Tertullian ready to die for each other and we call one another Brethren because we acknowledge one and the same God the Father and have been sanctified by the same holy Spirit and have been brought from the same state of Ignorance to the light of the same marvellous Truth But alas How is the Gold become 〈◊〉 How is the most fine Gold changed How is that Love and Charity now turned into Malice and Cruelty Pity Compassion and Tender-heartedness have left the World and Envy Hatred and Rancour are succeeded in their Places Love is now exploded as ungenteel and mean Charity is condemned as abject and base whilst Hatred Revenge and Fury are esteemed as Noble and Generous But O Lord how loug Shall Malice and Envy Wrath and Pride for ever ride Triumphant and uncontrolled When 〈◊〉 thou O Prince of Peace and God of Love heal our Breaches and compose our Differences and cause us with all lowliness and meekness and long-suffering to forbear one another in Love endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace We have too too long unnaturally quarrelled already and to the Dishonour of God and the Scandal of Religion have most unchristianly abused each other I speak not this only of one Party but of all we have all been guilty as to this matter we have all erred and gone astray from the most Holy Commandment and have been deficient every one of us in this great and necessary Duty of Love and Unity We have loathed Concord and loved Jarrs and Divisions and have been always back-biting persecuting and maligning one another to this very day never at all remembring that we were Brethren and Professors of the same blessed and glorious Religion But what shall I say This Theme is too harsh and displeasing if it is an unpleasant Work to rip up those uncharitable Actions may they be buried in perpetual silence and oblivion and never more be remembred so as to stir up Anger and Revenge but only so as they may produce in us all Humility Repentance and mutual Forgiveness let us now with our Floods of Penitential Tears at once quench God's Anger for our past Divisions and the Flames of our present Fire and Heats that so there may be no Fuel for future Contentions and being grieved that we have played the Fool so long we may now the more firmly resolve by the Grace of God to do so no more that so however infamous we have been heretofore for our blind Zeal and unaccountable Animosities we may for the time to come be highly renowned and conspicuous for our ardent Love and fervent Charity Putting away all bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamour and evil speaking with all Malice being kind to one another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us Putting on as the Elect of God holy and beloved Bowels of Mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long suffering 〈◊〉 one another and forgiving one another Certain I am we need no Arguments to induce us hereunto both the necessity and Facility of Love and Unity require it at our hands its necessity is evident from hence that whilst we spend our Zeal and Heat about these inconsiderable matters the very Foundations of Faith and Morals are attack'd and shaken Atheism increases Immorality prevails and those damnable Heresies which for many Ages have been silenced and abandoned are now revived by Men of a corrupt Faith who take an occasion from the Lawlesness and Licentiousness of this present Age to vent those cursed Tenents which eradicate and destroy all Religion it is to be feared that unless we hasten to compose our Differences about the Skirts and Fringes of Religion the very Vitals and Essentials thereof will be corroded and devoured by Heresie and Profaneness And as for these and the like Reasons the necessity of an Union or Comprehension is manifest on the one Hand so the Facility of such an Union is as apparent on the other hand for thanks be to God our differences are neither about Faith nor Manners we all believe in one and the same God hope to be saved by one and the same Redeemer desire to be sanctified by one and the same Sanctifier receive one and the same Scriptures assent to the same Doctrins and acknowledge the necessity of the same Duties Our Disputes are only about lesser matters about Modes and Forms about Gestures and Postures and such like inferiour matters about which it should grieve a wise Man to quarrel and which with the greatest ease in the World might be composed and setled if managed by Men of Prudence and Moderation and such Men t is hoped are the Reverend Bishops advanced by their Majesties whose Promotion to those Places of Dignity and Trust many honest and peaceable Men look upon as a good Omen and Prognostick of our Future Union and happy Establishment With these two Considerations let us remember those solemn Vows and Engagements which we made to Almighty God and to one another in the day of our late Distress how we then vow'd and promised that if God would be pleased to deliver and rescue us we would forget our Differences and mutually condescend and abate of our Rigour and Severity Wherefore now since God hath so wonderfully saved us let us not be so perfidious and faithless as to neglect to perform what we then obliged our selves unto but let us willingly and conscientiously discharge it lest God bring severer Judgments on us then ever and at once utterly destroy us both Root and Branch for our Lying Perjury and Hypocrisie Many other such cogent Arguments I might 〈◊〉 produce but that I may avoid too great Prolixity and Tediousness I shall urge but one more which is that unless we have an uniting Spirit and a peaceable Disposition we are no true Christians we unjustly arrogate that glorious Name for the very Soul of Christianity is Love and Charity The Kingdom of God saith the Apostle is not Meat and Drink not zealous Disputes and Strifes about lesser Points but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy 〈◊〉 for he that in these serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men. It is an Absurdity and a meer Contradiction for a Man to say that he is Religious and yet to be malicious and uncharitable Our Saviour flatly tells us that by this all Men shall know that we are his Disciples if