divine evidence I adhere to it I answer from the internal operation and testimony of the Holy Spirit which Spirit causeth a most firm fiducial assent in me that these Scriptures were delivered to the Church as God's Word by Apostolical Tradition for the Church pretends no new Revelation concerning the Canon of Scripture i. e. were delivered by those divinely preserved from any fallibility therein Neither doth here again in the matter of divine faith appear any Circle at all And if it be further asked what rational ground I have to think this is a perswasion of God's and not of some evil spirit or this indeed an Apostolical Tradition which I am told is so here I urge for these the prudential motives § 151 Again Suppose I be asked concerning some other Article of faith that is defined by the Church though the same Article doth not appear to me clearly delivered in the Scriptures why with a divine faith I do believe it to be divine Revelation I answer because the Church which is revealed by the Scriptures to be perpetually assisted by the holy Ghost and to be infallible for ever in matters of faith defined by her hath delivered it to me as such If again why with a divine faith I believe these Scriptures in general or such a sence of those Texts in particular which are pretended to reveal the Churches infallibility to be divine Revelation I answer as before because Apostolical Tradition hath delivered them to be so which Apostolical Tradition related or conveyed to me by the Church I believe with a divine faith by the internal operation of the Holy Spirit without having at all any further Divine Revelation from which I should believe this Revelation to be divine Or if any will go one step further and prove this Apostolical Tradition also divine from the divine works the Apostles did Miracles yet here he must conclude neither have we any further divine word or work to confirm to us their doing such divine works But then if I be asked further whether I do not believe with a divine faith the Church's relation concerning such Apostolical Tradition or Miracles to be infallible I excluding now this supposition which in the order of these questions is in this place to be excluded viz. that Scriptures are the Word of God and so excluding this answer that I believe the Churches relation infallible with a divine faith from the testimony which the Scriptures give to the Church Here I answer No I do not believe with divine faith this relation of the Church to be infallible for divine faith builds upon nothing but Divine Revelation and if I were to bring another Divine Revelation still to support my faith of the former so must I also bring yet a further Divine Revelation for this my believing the Church and here must needs be a process in infinitum But in this place I answer That I believe the Churches Tradition or testimony being taken here in the latter sence mentioned before § 126 infallible only with an humane and acquisite faith builded on the forenamed prudential motives and the ultimate resolution here of my divine faith is into Apostolical Tradition or their Miracles not the Church-Tradition or her Relation that conveys to me the Apostolical With a divine faith I do believe the Apostolical Tradition related by the Church but I do believe the Church her truly or infallibly I mean not as infallibly here relates to the divine Promise but to the prudential Motives relating this Apostolical Tradition with an acquired or rational faith § 152 The natural order of a Christians belief then seems to be this 1st The Divine Revelations are communicated to the world by certain persons chosen by God and for the confirmation of their mission from him doing Miracles which persons also are commanded by God to ordain others to divulge and perpetuate the knowledge of the same Revelations to mankind to the end of the world the chief body of which these persons also draw up and deliver in writing Of which Divine Revelations delivered by them this is one That these their Successors shall for ever be so far assisted by God's holy Spirit as never to err in teaching all truths or if you will in truly relating all Divine Revelations any way necessary to mens salvation which Divine Revelation also concerning themselves is as it ought to be delivered among the rest to all posterity by these very Successors of whom it is spoken These things thus conveyed those to whom these Revelations are made do 1. with a rational and acquisite faith believe the Tradition of these Successors of the Apostles who are rendred most credible to them by all those prudential motives mentioned before § 121. their multitude their sanctity their Martyrdoms in testimony thereof c. 2. But then applying themselves to the things related which are said to have been revealed and delivered first by God to persons assisted with most infallible Miracles they do believe these things related after the manner expressed before § 134. with yet an higher and a divine faith wrought in them by the holy Spirit and resting it self not on the veracity of these secondary Relators but on the veracity of God himself from whom these Revelations are said originally to come yet the rational introductive to all this faith being the veracity of those who immediately convey the Tradition of these things to them 3. Then further one of the Divine Revelations which the Church or these Successors do deliver to Christians as I said being this That these Successors of the Apostles who deliver their doctrine to us shall be for ever infallible in delivering all necessaries from this Revelation I say delivered by them Christians also believe the infallibility of this Church or of these Successors not by a rational faith only grounded on the former motives of credibility but by a divine faith because grounded on a divine Revelation and consequently believe also all things delivered by these persons as necessaries with a divine faith on the same account § 153 After all this to reflect now a little on the objection We see 1st That no Circle is made in a Catholicks ground or resolution of faith divine or acquisite but that there is an ultimate Revelation divine though this not necessary to be alwayes the same whereon divine faith resteth and into which and no humane motives it resolveth it self and an inward operation of God's Spirit whereby the firmness of adherence of this faith to such Revelation in particular as divine is effected And again that these are motives from humane authority sufficiently credible or also morally infallible or as some of late express themselves not-possibly-fallible which if they can prove whenas it is in the natural power of all men even taken collectively abstracting here from any divine superintendencies to tell a lye none have reason to envy any advancing of the evidences of Christian Religion or any part thereof
Goars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 149 150. S. Chrysost Mass See below §. 170. Such is their practice whilst both East and West together with the ancient Church do hold Christ to be totally present and so also totally exhibited in any one species 2ly A Relative veneration of the Cross and of sacred Images or at least of Pictures which is the same is also a known practice of the Greek Church and a macter defined lawful in the second Nicen entertained by the present Greek Church as the seventh General Council 3ly As to Monastick vows and Celibacy of the Clergy 1st It cannot be denyed but that the Eastern Churches do and have alwayes held lawful and used these vows and abounded with Monasteries as well as the Western 2ly Amongst these vows hold lawful and use that of perpetual Chastity which vow is generally taken by the cloistered Religious and enjoyned also to all their Priests who enter into Orders unmarried though those that are married before are also admitted by them into such Orders which vow exacted from all such argues that they agreeably with the Western Church and contrary to the Reformed hold all persons using a meet endeavour to be capable of this gift of Continency and then upon this granted it can be no injustice in the Roman Church in order to a greater freedom from secular cares to exact that from the Clergy that the Eastern doth from the Monks and to enjoyn to so many of her Sons as shall desire her spiritual preferments that only which it is agreed all are able to perform § 165 4ly For auricular or Sacramental Confession to the Priest held necessary for all great and mortal sins by which Christians fall from the grace of their baptism as also the injunction of meet penance for them That these are taught and practised in the Greek as well as the Roman Church see Jeremias the Constantinopoâ—itan Patriarch Resp 1. c. 11. Gabrielis Philadelph Metropolit lib. de Sacramento poenitent Simeonis Archiepiscopi Thessalonic on the same subject apud Morinum de Administrat Sacrament poenitent And Goars Euchologion in the Orationes super poenitentes p. 678 679. where also he sets down the Officium confitentium and mentions the several sorts of penances usually prescribed See also Eugen Roger. Recollect Terre Sancte l. 2. tract 4. c. 5. Thus Jeremias the Patriarch †Respons 1. c. 11. to the Tubing Divines affirming Vt omnia peccata recenscantur aut per singulas species enumerentur non esse necessarium Respondentes dicimus Eum qui confitetur tum demum perfectam peccatorum suorum consequi curationem si peccata omnia omnesque eorum partes quantum animus illi sufficit quantum meminisse potest cum contrito humiliato corde recensuerit atque confessus fuerit feceritque ea omnia quae maximè illis peccatis quae admisit adversantur quoting S. Basil †AscetioÌ„a Omne delictum apud eum qui praesidet referre oportet malitia namque silentio tecta occultus ac sub cute latens morbus est And after concerning Sacerdotal Absolution he saith †c. 12. Neque quenquam absolvimus nisi primò just as poenas castigationes illi pro peccatis admissis injung amus idque plurimas ob causas Daille †De Confessione l. 4. c. 1. indeed quotes Arcudius ‖ De Sacramento l. 4. c. 1 as saying that the Greek and Russian Bishops and Priests seldom confessed and that concerning this matter Pope Eugenius also in the Council of Florence †Sess ult questioned the Greeks Cur neque Pontifices neque Presbyteri celebraturi peccata sua confiteri soleant from which neglect of it Daille gathers they hold no necessity of it But 1st the neglect of a thing infers not the denial of it to be duty and why may not Daille rather collect a necessity of auricular confession to have been taught by the Clergy from the constant practice of it by the people than a non-necessity held from the neglect of it in the practice of some of the Clergy 2ly Arcudius himself Ibid. makes another comment upon it saying that this was not generally neglected by the Priests but that some of them confessed more frequently And again for the desuetude of confession in others gives this reason not that they allowed what they did but that many of them being guilty of crimes for which by the Canons they were liable to be suspended from their functions chose rather to conceal their faults miserè impoenitentes manere than to suffer such censures and publick shame especially whenas confession being held necessary only in case of mortal sin it cannot be required that any constantly before he celebrate or within some short space of time should confess because it is not certain that so soon he must fall into such a sin without which some holy men are thought to have passed a great part of their life and therefore though an annual confession is by the Church enjoyned to all as being to them some way beneficial yet is it not so enjoyned as to all for annual mortal sin jure divino necessary And some such way it seems the Pope in the Council of Florence received satisfaction from the answer of the Greeks though what it was is not there set down Arcudius †Ibid. imagines some such reply as this returned to him Nonnullos habere usum confitendi in plerisque abusum esse neque enim saith he hac nostrâ aetate Graeci hoc benè fieri probare contendunt c. § 166 Concerning all the precedents and several other points that the full accord of the Greek with the Roman belief and practice may be yet more confirmed to you be pleased to peruse more particularly the three answers of Jeremias Patriarch C. P. to the Lutheran Divines of Tubing who sent unto him their Augustane confession desiring an agreement and union between the Reformed and the Greek Churches ut Constantini urbs Tubing aque Christianae concordiae charitatis vinculo mutuo copulentur quo nihil optatius contingere nobis posset †Acta Theol. Wirtenberg Epist See Jerem Patriarch Epilog fin and that they might the easier obtain their request telling him that they submitted to the first seven General Councils ‖ Epist Theol. Tub. Hierem Patriar praefat resp 1. To whom first the Patriarch going through all those Articles declareth the faith of the Greek Church in the most and most considerable points contrary to their and consenting with the Roman Doctrines And they still unsatisfied and replying writes a second answer in defence of his first toward the end of which †p. 250. he thus paternally exhorts them Stemus itaque Fratres in petrâ fidei Traditione Ecclesia non transferentes termino à S. Patribus nostris positos non dantes lorum illis qui rebus novis student adificium sanctae Dei Catholicae
14.16 26. 16.15 Compared with Acts 15.28 Joh. 5.20 27. 1 Cor. 12.7 8. his promising them a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an Assista that should abide with them for ever to teach them all things and to bring all things to their remembrance For ever i. e. Not with the Apostles only For then what would become of the Nations that after their times were still to be instructed especially when any Controversies should arise concerning the understanding of the Apostles Writings which Writings are miss-understandable in things necessary and which S. Peter saith in his time the unlearned wrested to their own destruction ‖ 2 Pet. 3.16 but with their Successors also * See Mat. 18.20 compared with 17 18. his promising that when they were gathered together in his name to hear the Causes brought to the Church brought to her still daily notwithstanding the Scriptures he himself would be in the midst of them and would ratifie in heaven what they should upon earth which implieth also that he would assist them on earth at least when this is a supreme and unappealable Church-authority to do as to the main both what was meet to be submitted to by those whom he sent to their Tribunal and what was meet to be ratified by the heavenly Tribunal But if after the Rule of Scripture the necessity of such Tribunals ceased why are these afterward continued and in Controversies of Faith appealed repaired to * See Mat. 16.18 19. his promising that the Gates of Hell should never prevail against those to whom he gave the Keys i. e. against the Clergy nor against the Church built by and upon them And * see Luk. 23.31 the not failing of S. Peter's Faith prayed for by our Lord in order to establishing his Brethren * See 1 Tim. 3.15 the Church unlimited to the Apostles days said to be the Pillar and ground of Truth surely this from its Teachers being so For so the Apostle elsewhere using the same Metaphor frequently calls these Teachers Gal. 2.9 Pillars Eph. 2.20 Foundations and Grounds amongst which Teachers Timothy being admitted is warned here to be very circumspect and careful of his behaviour And * see 2 Tim. 2.19 compared with 16 17 20. the Foundation of God the Church standing sure notwithstanding that Hymeneus and some others as Vessels in this great house of God not of Gold and Honour but of Earth add Dishonour had erred from the Truth of God * See Eph. 4.11 13. his giving these Teachers that the world should not be tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine In whose Doctrine therefore in order to this end this Doner hath fixed some stability neither can it be applied only to the Apostles or their times seeing that the experience of so many various winds of Doctrines even since all their VVritings and concerning the sence of their VVritings see 2 Pet. 3.16 Blowing in the Church and carrying the unstable to and fro argues the same necessity of such Doctors still And * see Rev. 1.13 16. Where our Saviour to denote his perpetual presence to these succeeding Teachers and Governors of his Church after all the times of all the Apostles save St. John is described though in Glory yet walking in the midst of the seven Mother-Churches of Asia and holding their Bishops in his hands And therefore he hath commanded an Obedience to these Governors proportionable to his assistance that those who will not hear them should be reckoned as Heathens or Publicans he being in the midst of their Assemblies and ratifying in heaven what their Sentence binds or looseth on Earth * See Mat. 18.17 18 20. And hath said concerning them ‖ Luke 10.16 that he that heareth them heareth him From which may be gathered that that Clergy who have still the same mission from him may require the same audience in his stead CHAP. II. Several Limitations of Protestants concerning these Promises 1. That they were made only to the Apostles § 8. 2. Or made to all the succeeding Church-Guides but conditional § 12. R. That our Lord's Promise of Indeficiency in Necessaries was not made to the Apostles only but to their Successors § 9. And to their Successors not conditional but absolute § 14. And that this Indeficiency in Necessaries is most rationally placed by the Church § 8 in her General Councils or such accord and consent of the Clergy as is equivalent to such Councils § 15. IN Answer to these Texts some of the Reformed ‖ Chillingw p. 92. 115. 19. Stillingf p. 256 2 8 259 519. Several Limitations of Protestants concerning these Promises 1. That they were made only to the Apostles would restrain these absolute Promises only to the Apostles or first Promulgators of the Gospel for this reason because no need that they should be extended to any more For by these first for all succeeding times was a written Rule left clear and plain even to the unlearned and to all that use common reason in all necessary points of Faith and therefore that all Controversies which these plain and clear Scriptures intelligible to every one decide not are not Controversies in any point necessary and need not to be decided nor do Christians now having an infallible and plain Rule for Necessaries need afterwards besides this another living unerrable Guide in them But such an Answer 1st Seems neither any way sufficient to satisfie the Texts as hath been partly shewed already in the Explication of them § 9 which do promise to the world's end not a Rule only but Persons Reply 1. sent to preserve us from every wind of Doctrine and which command Obedience not to a Rule only but to Persons expounding it under pain of being ejected as Heathens and Publicans and under pain of being bound in Heaven when they bind us upon Earth an authority exercised not only by the Apostles but upon the strength of these and the like Texts extended beyond the former Limitation by their Successors also Only this Order is required to be observed in our Obedience that we perform it in the first place to the supreme Church-authority and then also to particular persons or Churches only as they are conformable to and united with the whole who otherwise as experience shews may err even in Fundamentals and so our obedience to them ruine us Nor 2ly seems such answer sufficient to satisfie the Necessities of the times following the Apostles wherein § 10 whether there have not risen controversies notwithstanding the clearness of the rule left us some of which have bin in matters necessary and wherein the people greatly needed the directions of their spiritual Guides I leave to your Judgment if you please to reflect on either the old Arrian Nestorian Pelagian or the new Socinian Solifidian Church-Anarchical both anti-episcopal and also anti-presbyteral errors all maintain'd by such who have presumed as much as any that they have common reason to understand plain Scriptures Nay who account these so clear
and the sense thereof where evident and not controverted as in many points it is clear by both sides as holding it infallible equally acquiesced in And 2ly Where the true sense of this common Rule happens to be disputed and brought into question and so there is need of some other guide to shew which sense is the right here the guide which Protestants direct men to is not the certain and infallible Scripture but indeed in the last place every mans own judgment or Reason and the guide which the Roman doctrine directs men to is their Spiritual Superiours and in the last place the most supream Council of them Where also 1st that supreme Guide whom the particular Guides of Catholicks hold themselves obliged to follow is affirmed in all their Definitions concerning necessaries to be infallible and 2ly Since such their Definitions are only in things in which the sense of the Scriptures is controverted it may be presumed that the sense of the same Definitions is to private persons much more intelligible and plain than those Scriptures that are explained by them And 3ly this living Guide from time to time as any doubt ariseth can render it self still more intelligible which the Rule of Scriptures cannot § 24 This from § 3. is spoken to those Protestant-Divines who though they make a Promise of Indefectibility or Infallibility in Necessaries absolute to the Church-Catholick yet affirm it to be to the Churches Clergy even taken in the Supremest Consultations and meetings of it only conditional which Promise of absolute Indefectibility being thus extended to the Church but withheld from the Clergy though it implies still an infinite benefit and favour to some particulars yet seems to afford very litle consolation to Christianity in General being a promising no more than this That in all Ages to the end of the World there shall be some men in it that shall not teach but only retain so much faith or divine truth as thereby to be saved which thing may be where is no preaching no Administration of the Sacraments and indeed no external visible Church at all which thing may be though all the Clergy do Apostatize if at least some few Laicks continue Orthodox CHAP. IV. II. Other Protestant Divines granting the Clergy some or other of them alwayes unerring in Necessaries but this not necessarily the Superiour or major part of them § 25. That the subordinate Clergy can be no Guide to Christians when opposing the Superiour nor a few opposing a much major part § 30. § 25 II OTher Reformed Divines there are who allow not a conditional but absolute Promise made to the Clergy some or other II. in a greater or in a smaller number in all times Nay yet further Other Protestant Divines granting the Clergy and Church-Guides some or other of them always unerring in Necessaries but not necessarily the Superiour or major part of them made also to some visible distinct Body and Society or external Communion of them together with the Congregation of faithful adhering to them so that all the Clergy shall never in no Age universally apostatize but some of them still remain Orthodox or also some body of them and there shall always be a visible Orthodox Church or Churches such as hath a right publick profession of Christianity and a true Ministry in it of the Word and Sacraments so that according to these Divines the fore-mentioned Promises ‖ §. 12. advance somwhat higher * That Promise Mat. 28. signifying That Christ will be with some or other of his Clergy in some place or other for ever so as that they shall certainly teach what he hath commanded them And * that Jo. 14. That they shall so love him keep his Commandments as that his Spirit shall abide with them for ever lead them into all Truth Necessary And * that Luk 10. That they shall so faithfully recite the Truths he committed to them as that those who hear them hear him § 26 Of this Church and Clergy so assisted thus Dr. Ferne ‖ Division of Engl and Rome It cannot be imagined saith he that God who promised to be with them and guide them should take away his Truth from all the Guides and Pastors of his Church and preserve it by the Judgment and Conscience of Lay-people but that some Guides and Pastors though of less number and place still be they that shall detect prevailing Errours and preserve the Truth § 27 To the same purpose is that Testimony of Mr. Hooker ‖ 3 l. p. 124 That Gods Clergy are a state which have been and will be as long as there is a Church upon Earth necessary by the plain Word of God Himself a State whereunto the rest of Gods people must be subject as touching things that appertain to their Souls health For where Policy is it cannot but approve some to be leaders of others and some to be led by others This Clergy then to have thus a perpetual Being must never err in Fundamentals and therefore it will be irrational to deny them in these to be a perpetual secure and unerring Guide § 28 To the same purpose speaks Arch-Bishop Lawd ‖ §. 37. p. 318 There must be saith he some one Church or other continually visible For if this be not so then there may be a time in which there shall not any where be a visible Profession of the Name of Christ which is contrary to the whole scope and profession of the Gospel And this saith he such a visible Church as hath in all Ages taught the unchanged Faith of Christ in all Points fundamental ‖ Numb 3 5 And thus Dr. Field also ‖ 1 l. 10. c. p. 14. 15. affirmes That the Church is alwayes visible in respect of the Order of Ministery and due obedience yielded thereunto and them discernable that do communicate therein and below That always an open known and constant Profession of saving Truth is preserved and found among Men and the Ministery of Salvation continued and known in the World for how saith he should there be a Church gathered without a Ministery ‖ See 2 l. 6 c. And in the Preface to his whole Book of the Church he discourseth on this manner Seeing the Controversies of Religion in our times are grown in number so many and in matter so intricate that few have time and leisure fewer strength of understanding to examine them what remaineth for men desirous of satisfaction in things of such consequence but diligently to search out which amongst all the Societies of the World is that blessed Company of Holy ones that Houshold of Faith that Spouse of Christ and Church of the living God which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth that so he may embrace her Communion follow her Directions and rest in her Judgment Thus he § 29 And thus far went Mr. Calvin long ago holding that there is a visible Society consisting of Clergy and
some of them enemies to the Christian Religion and divided into so many Communions that it is not visible to the eye of man how they should be regularly assembled I say here he adds ‖ Schisme guarded p. 352. That because it is not credible that the Turk will send his Subjects that is four of the Proto-Patriarchs with their Clergy to a General Council or allow them to meet openly with the rest of Christendom in a General Council it being a thing so much against his own Interest that therefore if these Patriarchs do deliver the Sense and Suffrages of their Churches by Letters or by Messengers this is enough to make a Council General And That as there have been General Oriental Councils Without the personal presence of a Western Bishop so there may be an Occidental Council I add General without the Personal Presence of one Eastern Bishop by the sole communication of their Sense and their Faith And for the calling also of this General Council §. 35. n. 2. he saith ‖ Ib. p. 356. That if the Pope have any right either to convocate General Councils himself or to represent to Christian Soveraigns the fit Seasons for Convocation of them either in respect of his beginning of unity or of his Proto-Patriarchate he doth not envy it him since there may be a good use of it in respect of the division of the Empire so good caution be observed And before p. 91. he saith That at present he will not dispute whether the Bishop of Rome by his reputed Primacy of Order or beginning of Vnity may lawfully call an Oecumenical or Occidental Council by power purely spiritual which consists rather in advice than in mandates properly so called or in mandates of courtesie not coactive in the exterior Court of the Church that considering the division and subdivision of the ancient Empire and the present distraction of Christendom it seemeth not altogether inconvenient That the Primitive Fathers did assemble Synods and make Canons before there were any Christian Emperors but that was by authority meerly spiritual they had no coactive power to compel any man against his will and the uttermost they could do was to separate him I suppose he meaneth who contemned their summons or their Canons from their communion and to leave him to the coming or judgment of Christ Ib. p. 120. He seems to allow the Church-Governours a right to summon Councils where there are no Christian Soveraigns to do it i. e. that will do it and to make Canons such as the Primitive Bishops made before there were Christian Emperors Only I hope he will consequently allow further what was done also by these Church-Governours in the Primitive times that if Ecclesiastical Governors have authority as need requires to summon such a Meeting they may appoint some place for it which place will always be in some Princes temporal Dominions and that if they may make Canons they may divulge and send abroad their Laws and Canons to the Church's Subjects upon spirituâ—l censures inflicted on the disobedient which must be also amongst some temporal Prince his Subjects for so did the Governors of the first Council ‖ Act. 15. appoint the place of their Meeting Hierusalem and sent abroad their Canons amongst the Emperors Subjects both contrary to the then secular Powers and this without entrenching on any ones Politick Rights The Bishop having condescended to thus much concerning General Councils §. 35. n. 3. he yields further ‖ Reply to Chalced presat That until such Council the most general that is procurable he submits himself to the Church of England wherein he was baptized or to a National English Syxod But here he makes too great a leap though perhaps he had some reason for it in removing his Submission immediately from a General to a National Synod of his own Church for between these lies a Patriarchal or Occidental Synod to which he ought to submit the just authority also of which above a National Synod he elsewhere both freely maintaineth ‖ Vindic. of the Church of England p. 258. and though not here yet elsewhere he also refers his trial to it There is nothing saith he Schism Guarded p. 136. that we long after more than a General Council rightly called rightly proceeding or in defect of that a free Occidental Council as General as may be But then we would have the Bishop to renounce that Oath to the Pope that hath been obtruded upon them Lastly Concerning the quality of Obedience due to such Councils even in non-fundamentals he saith ‖ Vindic. of the Church of Engl. p. 27. That as to Questions non fundamental when these are once defined by a lawful General Council all Christians though they cannot assent in their judgment are obliged to passive Obedience to possess their souls in patience And they who shall oppose the Authority and disturb the Peace of the Church deserve to be punished as Hereticks where also he makes this the fourth way of rendring ones self guilty of Heretical pravity I suppose because though the Councils Determination in his opinion makes no point Heresie yet at least it equals the crime of the Opposer to that of an Heretick I have been somewhat copious in giving you the condescensions of this Bishop §. 36. n. 1. not to make advantage of what a single Author indulgeth Reply Where Conc. what Judgment of the Church sufficiently obligeth but because they seem no greater than reason requireth and what all Protestants allowing a Church-Government ought to stand to and therefore I desire your leave before I proceed to some other quotations to reflect a little on this submission of the Bishop's and to see how far it truly performed will rationally carry him or others towards a present settlement in many of the points controverted 1st Then This I presume here ought to be granted me that in the Bishop's or others professing a submission to the General or Vnanimous accord of the Church Catholick in any Doctrine or Practise this accord ought not to be taken so strictly either for what is defined by Councils or accepted by the Church diffusive as that if any particular Person Church or Party perhaps his own that is held Catholick dissent in any thing from all the rest being a much major part in respect thereof and joined also with the supreme Pastor of the Catholick Church and Primate of the Patriarchs he shall account himself discharged from Obedience or deny such a Consent to be sufficiently General and Unanimous to oblige him Concerning which see more Disc 2. § 25. and before § 31. 2. This premised Come we now to the Bishops submissions §. 36. n. 2. which are promised 1 st To the present Church Catholick viz. To all things universally believed or practised by it 2 ly To Free General 3 ly Or also free Occidental Councils Which to review in their Order In respect of the Church
being just that either of these should be the Judge therefore that the Divines on one part and on the other arguing for their own Tenents there might be Judges i. e. Laicks indifferently chosen on both sides that is in an equal number to take knowledge of the Controversies And see Mr. Stillingfleet motioning some such thing p. 479. And this indeed was the only way they had in referring themselves to judgment not to be cast if the Judges of their own side at least would be true to them But to let these things pass As to a due proportion of National Votes this Council of Trent is not to be thought deficient therein whilst those Nations who by their own if by any ones fault had fewer Votes in the Council in passing the Decrees yet were as plenary and numerous as the rest in the acceptation of them after it And were now anew these things put to an equal Vote of the Western Nations I see not from what the Protestants may reasonably expect supposing the greatest liberty in these Votes that is possible an issue diverse from the former For have they any new thing to propose in their Orations and Speeches before such a Meeting that they have not already said in their Writings And notwithstanding are not the major part of the Occidental Clergy and the Learned that peruse them of a different judgment And why should not the others have as great presumptions upon an equal hearing to pcevail for reducing some of the Protestant party by Scriptures explicated by Apostolical Tradition Councils and Fathers as the Protestants of gaining some of the others by Scriptures alone Or if any will say that ancient Tradition Councils or Fathers are on the Protestant side how comes this to be one of their Articles proposed to the Council that all Humane Authority being excluded the Holy Scriptures might be judge in the Council And the Trent safe-Conauct running thus Quod causae controversae secundum Sanctam Scripturam Apostolorum Traditiones probata Concilia Sanctorum Patrum Authoritates Catholicae Ecclesiae Consensum tractentur VVhy desired they a freer Safe conduct after the form of that of Basil to the Bohemians Which if it had been granted saith Soave ‖ p. 344. they had obtained one great point that is that the Controversies should be decided by the Holy Scripture This from § 36. n. 1. I have said occasionally to Bishop Bramhal's so frequent free offers of Submission to the judgment of the present Catholick Church or of free General or also Occidental Councils § 37 Next come we to Arch-Bishop Lawd He § 31. p. 318. affirms That Of Archbish Lawd the Visible Church hath in all Ages taught that unchanged Faith of Christ in all points Fundamental Doctor White saith he had reason to say this And § 21. p. 140. It is not possible the Catholick Church i. e. of any one Age should teach He speaks therefore of the Governors of it in such Age against the Word of God in things absolutely necessary to Salvation And § 25. n. 4. If we speak of plain and easie Scripture the whole Church cannot at any time be without the knowledge of it If A. C. means no more than that the whole universal Church of Christ cannot universally erre in any one point of Faith simply necessary to all mens Salvation he fights against no Adversary that I know but his own fiction For the most learned Protestants grant it VVhere he speaks of the Church as teaching such points as appeareth by the Context Ibid. p. 139. Because the whole Church cannot universally erre in absolutely fundamental Doctrines therefore 't is true also that there can be no just cause of making a Schism from the whole Church That she may err indeed in Superstructions and Deductions and other by-and unnecessary Truths from her Curiosity or other weakness But if she can err either by falling away from the foundation i. e. by Infidelity or by heretical Errour in it she can be no longer holy for no Assemblies of Hereticks can be holy and so that Article of the Creed I believe the Holy Catholick Church is gone Now this Holiness saith he Errors of a meaner allay take not away from the Church Likewise § 33. n. 4. p. 256. the same Archbishop saith yet more clearly That the whole Catholick Church Militant having an absolute Infallibility in the prime Foundations of Faith absolutely necessary to Salvation if any thing sway and wrench the General Council he must mean here in non-necessaries such Council as is not universally accepted for a General Council universally accepted by the Church Catholick is unerrable in necessaries because the Church Catholick he saith is so upon evidence found in express Scripture or demonstration of this miscarriage hath power to represent her self in another body or General Council and to take order for what is amiss either practised or concluded in the former and to define against it p. 257. And afterward p. 258. That thus though the Mother-Church Provincial or National may err yet if the Grandmother the whole Universal Church He means in a general Council universally accepted cannot err in these necessary things all remains safe and all occasions of disobedience taken from the possibility of the Church's erring are quite taken away Again § 38. n. 14. he saith That a General Council de post facto after it is ended and admitted by the whole Church is then infallible And for this admittance or confirmation of it by the Church he granteth ‖ §. 26. p. 165. That no confirmation is needful to a General Council lawfully called and so proceeding but only that after it is ended the whole Church admit it though never so tacitly The sum of all in brief is this 1st That a General Council or indeed any Council whatever less than General accepted or admitted by the whole Church is infallible in Necessaries the reason is plain because he holds the whole Church is so 2ly Consequently that Obedience and this of Assent is due to such Council or to the judgment of the Church Catholick that is delivered by this Council as to necessaries Of Assent I say to it because infallible 3ly That all are to acquiesce none presume to urge or credit any pretence of Scripture or Demonstration against such a judgment because infallible 4ly That it is Schism to depart from the judgment of such a Council because the Archbishop holds all departure of any Member from the whole Church Catholick to be so ‖ §. 21. p. 139. § 38 Now thus much being professed by the Archbishop if he will also allow the Church Reply Where or her Councils and not private men to judge what Definitions are made in matters necessary and 2ly will grant an acceptation of such Council by a much major part of the Church Catholick diffusive I mean Concerning what acceptation of Councils by the Church diffusive is only necessary of those
we hold it impossible the Church should ever by Apostacy Of Dr. Field and miss-belief wholly depart from God in proving whereof Bellarmine confesseth his Fellows have taken much needless pains seeing no man of our profession thinketh any such thing Bellarmin's words are Notandum multos ex nostris tempus terere dum probant absolutè Ecclesiam non posse deficere Nam Calvinus caeteri Haeretici id concedunt sed dicunt intelligi debere de Ecclesiâ invisibili So we hold that it never falleth into any Heresie So that he is as much to be blamed for idle and needless busying himself in proving that the visible Church never falleth into Heresie which we most willingly grant Bellarmin's words are Probare igitur volumus Ecclesiam visibilem non posse deficere nomine Ecclesiae non intelligimus unum aut alterum hominem Christianum sed multitudinem congregatam in quâ sunt Praelati Subditi urging also afterward out of Eph. 4.11 the Ministries of Pastors Doctors c. never to fail in the Church quae Ministeria saith he non possunt exerceri nisi se Pastores Oves agnoscant From all which I collect that of such a visible Church-Government consisting of Prelates and Subjects it must be that Dr. Field affirms Ibid. That in things necessary to be known and believed expresly and distinctly it can never be ignorant much less err nor never fall into any Heresie As also afterward c. 4. In all Ages he acknowledgeth a Church that not as a Chest preserves only the Truth as a hidden Treasure but as a Pillar by publick Profession notwithstanding all Forces endeavouring to shake it publisheth it to the world and stayeth the weakness of others c. CHAP. VI. IV. Learned Protestants conceding the former Church's Clergy preceding the Reformation never so to have erred in defining Necessaries as that the Church governed by them did not remain still True Holy and Catholick § 41. § 41 IV. SUitably to their Concessions set down in the last Chapter these Learned Protestants do not assume the confidence to pronounce IV. 4. Learned Protestants conceding the former Churches Clergy preceding the Reformation never to have so erred in defining Necessaries as that the Church governed by them did not still remain True Holy Catholick The joint Body of the Governors of any precedent Age of the Church how corrupt soever they have been in their Conciliary Definitions to have erred or to have misled the people in Necessaries Essentials or Fundamentals of Religion whether in respect of Faith or Holiness notwithstanding that they have placed in these very times the Reign of Antichrist Whence it may be presumed that the Church shall not see nor suffer hereafter worse times than those past And that all these Governors in any succeeding Age shall not miss-guide the people in Necessaries or Fundamentals whom in the times of Antichrist they have not misled so Therefore Bishop Bramhall ‖ Vindic. 2 c. p. 8. Reply to Chalcedon p. 345. holds the present Roman a true part of the present Church Catholick and frequently affirms the Reformed as to Essentitials in Faith not to have separated from it And Dr. Potter speaks thus of the present Roman Church ‖ §. 3. p. 63. The most necessary and Fundamental Truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned and for that reason learned Protestants yield them the Roman the Naeme and Substance of a true Church Dr. Field also ‖ Des 3. pt p. 880. thus apologizeth for this Tenent at least for the times before Luther Because some men perhaps will think that we yield more unto our Adversaries now than formerly we did in that we acknowledge the Latine or Western Churches subject to Romish Tyranny before God raised up Luther to have been the true Churches of God in which a saving Profession of the Truth of Christ was found I will 1st shew that all our best and most renowned Divines did ever acknowledge as much as I have written And so he proceeds to urge several Authorities to confirm it And thus Mr. Thorndike ‖ Epilog Conclusion p. 416. saith Though I sincerely blame the imposing new Articles upon the Faith of Christians and that of Positions § 42 which I maintain not to be true yet I must and do freely profess that I find no position necessary to salvation prohibited none destructive to salvation enjoined to be believed by it the Roman Church And therefore I must necessarily accept it for a true Church as in the Church of England I have always known it accepted seeing there can no question be made that it continueth the same visible Body by the succession of Pastors and Laws that first were founded by the Apostles the present Customes that are in force being visibly the corruptions of those Customs which the Church had from the beginning I suppose he means being the same Customs which the Church had from the beginning though in some manner corrupted For the Idolatries which I grant to be possible though not necessary to be found in it by the Ignorance and carnal Affections of Particulars not by command of the Church or the Laws of it I do not admit to destroy the salvation of those who living in the Communion of this Church are not guilty of the like There remaines therefore in the present Church of Rome the Profession of all the Truth which it is necessary to the Salvation of all Christians to believe either in point of Faith or Manners So he saith concerning Prayer to Saints That those who admit the Church of Rome to commit Idolatry therein can by no means grant it to be a Church the very being whereof supposeth the Worship of one God exclusive to any thing else And l. 3. c. 23 Concerning Communion in one kind he saith That they in the Church of Rome who thirst after the Eucharist in both kinds do receive the whole Grace of this Sacrament in the one kind is necessary to be believed by all who believe that the Church of Rome remains a Church though corrupt and that Salvation is to be had in it and by it 2. Again For the Essentials or Necessary Doctrines in order to Holiness these learned Protestants grant § 43 that Holy is an Attribute unseparable from Catholick Credo Sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam And that the Church cannot be the one unless it be the other and as in the whole so in the parts that no particular Church is a part of the Catholick that hath not the Holiness of the Catholick Of which thus the Archbishop ‖ p. 14◠If we will keep our Faith the whole Militant Church must be still Holy For if it be not so still then there may be a time that a falshood may be the Subject of the Catholick Faith which were no less than Blasphemy to affirm For we must still believe the Holy Catholick Church And if she be not still Holy
then at the time that she is not so we believe a falshood under the Article of the Christian Faith Of this more needs not be said § 44 3. Again If under such Governors the visible Church preceding the Reformation is allowed to have been Catholick and Holy from these it must needs be granted also not to have been Heretical or Schismatical Which Churches Protestants contra-distinguish to the Catholick Church and all the Members of it and in which Churches dividing from the Vnity of the Catholick no salvation can be had by those who if either knowing or culpably ignorant of these sins of such a Church do not actually desert such a Communion For this likewise see the Quotations out of the Archbishop before § 367. and out of Dr. Field before § 40. Bellarmine saith he is to be blamed for idle and needless busying himself in proving that the visible Church never falleth into Heresie which we most willingly grant And l. 1. c. 7. he saith That the name of Catholick Church distinguisheth men holding the Faith in Unity from Schismaticks whom as also Hereticks though he there affirms to be in some sort of the Church taken more generally as it distinguisheth men of the Christian Profession from Infidels yet not of the Church Catholick or fully and perfectly of the Church with hope of Salvation ‖ l. 1. c. 14. p. 21 c. 7 p. 13. The Common Prayers also used both in the Roman and Protestant Churches on Good Friday shew the same Oremus saith the one pro Haereticis Schismaticis ut Deus eos ad Sanctam Matrem Ecclesiam Catholicam atque Apostolicam revocare dignetur Have Mercy Lord saith the other upon all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks and so fetch them home to thy Flock that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites and be made one Fold under one Shepherd But in the trans-ferring these Good Friday Collects out of the former Missal into their new Common-Prayer-Book 't is observable that though the Reformed retained Hereticks yet they omitted Schismaticks and 2 ly changed the former Expression of revoca ad Sanctam Matrem Ecclesiam Catholicam Apostolicam into Fetch home to thy Flock c. As if the mention of our Holy Mother the Catholick Apostolick Church might occasion in the people some Mistakes See also Bishop Bramhal's Vindication of the Church of England c. 2. p. 9 27 28 before § 34. And thus Mr. Thorndike in his Letter concerning the present state of Religion ‖ 208. ' When we say we believe the Catholick Church as part of that faith whereby we hope to be saved we do not profess to believe that there is such a company of men as professing Christianity but that there is a Corporation of true Christians excluding Hereticks and Schismaticks and that we hope to be saved by this faith as being members of it of that Corporation And this is that which the stile of the Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church signifies as distinguishing the Body of true Christians to wit so far as Profession goes from the Conventicles of Hereticks and Schismaticks For this title of Catholick would signifie nothing if Hereticks and Schismaticks were not barred the Communion of the Church Thus he § 45 In the former passages you may observe that the Authors fore-quoted speak not of some or other in the Church before Luther to have bin Catholick and consequently holy c. but of the visible Church consisting of the ruling Clergy and the subject and conforming Laity according to the publick doctrines and Definitions thereof as these being not deficient in the Essentials of the Church Catholick either as to Faith or Holiness for such a Church Catholick they believe always to be whose doctrine and definitions discipline and external visible profession maintained by the Governors thereof is Catholick And if in any other sense we call it a Catholick-Church when we hold its Governours and Doctrines mean-while Heretical and Schismatical viz. by reason of some that may be found herein Catholickly perswaded we may as well call that an heretical Church the Doctrines and Doctors of which are Catholick if perhaps some only in it be heretically affected To go on Therefore Dr. Field proceeds also so far as to own the Western Church that was before Luther § 46 for the Protestants true Mother for indeed where could he find at that time a Church any whit better to call Mother and to confesse ‖ l. 3. c. 6. ' That she continued the true Church of God until our time And To those saith he that demand of us where our Church was before Luther began We answer it was the known and apparent Church in the world wherein all our Fathers lived and died wherein Luther and the rest were baptized and ‖ 3 Part p. 880. wherein a saving profession of the truth in Christ was found In order to which he so far justifies the publick service also of those dayes which our Fathers frequented even the Canon of the Mass it self as to say ‖ Append. 3 l. p. 224. ' That the using therof no other was used in those days than is now is no proof that the Church that then was was not a Protestant Church and that both the Liturgie it self and the profession of such as used it shew plainly that the Church that then was never allowed any Romish errour And again so far justifies he the doctrine of that Church which he owns as Catholick and the Protestants Mother as to affirm ‖ 3 l. p. 81. That none of those points of false doctrine and errour which the Roman Church now maintaineth and the Protestants condemn were the doctrines of that Church before Luther constantly delivered He must mean constantly for the present Age before Luther for in that Age he acknowledgeth it Catholick or generally received by all them that were of it but doubtfully broached and devised without all certain resolution or factiously defended by some certain only c. It seems therefore that look how many Doctrines of those now condemned by Protestants may appear to have bin in the Church §. 47. n. 1. I say not here the Catholick but the Latin Church for of this he speaks before Luther not doubtfully broached but in her Councils resolved in her publick Liturgies conformed to and generally received Generally not as including every single person for so perhaps were not the doctrine of the Trinity or of Christs Incarnation received but so generally received by the then Western Church-Governors as is necessary for the ratification of the Decrees of their Representatives met in Councils for more than this cannot rationally be required so many he will acknowledge for Catholick and in obedience thereto shew a filial Duty to this his Mother And therefore after this to defend the discession of the Reformed from and their present non-communion with the present Western Church he seeks to relieve
from one another all concurring in the same judgment for a corporal Presence and a substantial mutation Or can there be any new Light in this Point since there are no new Revelations attainable in these present times which those were not capable of Or if there could is not much the major part of the present Clergy and Ecclesiastical Governors of Christianity still swayed on the same side against any present evidence pretended If we consider saith Dr. Hammond ‖ Of Heresie §. 13. n. 2 3. Gods great and wise and constant Providence and Care over his Church his desire that all men should be saved and in order to that end come to the knowledge of all necessary Truth his promise that he will not suffer his faithful Servants to be tempted above what they are able nor permit Scandals and False Teachers to prevail to the seducing of the very Elect his most pious godly Servants If I say we consider these and some other such like General Promises of Scripture wherein this Question about the Errability of Councils seems to be concerned we shall have reason to believe that God will never suffer all Christians to fall into such a temptation as it must be in case the whole Representative should err in matter of faith I add to define therein any thing contrary to the Apostles depositum and which Christians may not safely believe or without idolatry practise and therein find approbation and reception among all those Bishops and Doctors of the Church diffused which were out of the Council And though in this case the Church might remain a Church and so the destructive gates of hell not prevail against it and still retain all parts of the Apostle's Depositum in the hearts of some faithful Christians which had no power in the Council to oppose the Decree or out of it to resist the General approbation yet still the testimony of such a General Council so received and approved would be a very strong Argument and so a very dangerous temptation to every meek and pious Christian and it is piously to be believed though not infallibly certain That God will not permit his Servants to fall into that Temptation Thus Dr. Hammond whose words I desire may be seriously considered with application to this great Controversie of Christ's Presence in the Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass We do not believe saith the same Doctor ‖ Ibid §. 14. n. 6. that any General Council truly such ever did or shall err in any matter of Faith ‖ See before §. 56. n. 2. We are most ready in all our differences to stand to the judgment of the truly Catholick Church and its lawful Representative a free General Council ‖ Vind. c 2. p. 9. Or in defect of that a free Occidental Council ‖ Schism Guarded p. 136 saith Bishop Bramhal It seems very fit and necessary for the peace of Christendom that a general Council supposed thus erring should stand in force till evidence of Scripture or demonstration make the Errors to appear as that another Council of equal authority reverse it Saith Arch-Bishop Lawd ‖ p. 227. Again An Argument necessary and demonstrative is such saith he as being proposed to any man and understood the Mind cannot chuse but inwardly assent unto it So it is not enough to think on to say it is demonstrative the light of a demonstrative Argument is the evidence which it hath in its self to all that understand it Well but because all understand it not If a quarrel be made as was by Berengarius four or five times Who shall decide it No question but a General Council For if it be evident to any man then to so many learned men as are in a Council doubtless And if they cannot but assent it is hard to think them so impious that they will define against it And if that which is thought evident to any man be not evident to such a grave Assembly its probable it s no Demonstration and the Producers of it ought to rest and not to trouble the Church ‖ Pag. 245 246. Thus Arch-bishop Lawd How then I say in the present point can the reformed reviving the former Arguments of Bertram Scotus Erigena Berengarius c. still trouble the Church again with urging of them after the judgment of so many Councils already passed upon them If the reformed tie us to obedience as of assent when the Council brings evident Scripture or Demonstration so of Silence when we cannot bring it against the Council and after our bringing what we think Demonstrative tie us to stand to the judgment of the Council whether it be so or no From hence it follows that as we may not gain-say a second Council after our Demonstrations proposed and disallowed by it so we may not gain-say the former or the very first Council if we produce no new demonstrations but such as were considered by such Council and rejected Now if Councils are thus to judg of Demonstrations brought against their former Decrees and the Contradictour to acquiesce in their judgment Can any desire a fairer Judicature by Councils in any matter for silencing future disputes if not for uniting variety of opinions than there have already bin of this And is there any reason that Protestants should refer themselves in this point as they do to the judgment of a new Council If all these Councils successively erred in this point so manifestly as that they could not lawfully oblige their subjects especially bringing no new Arguments to silence the next and the next to that of such Councils as ever we can hope for may err so too and the same obedience of silence be denied to them whilst one pretended Evidence or Demonstration quelled another new one starts up and demands satisfaction § 60 But if these Councils be invalid for establishing the belief or at least the non-opposition of a substantial Conversion Let us see the proceedings of the Reformation here to repeal their Acts and establish the contrary to them After all these Councils forenamed and that of Trent added to them A. D. 1562. a Synod is called at London of two Provinces only of the West consisting of about twenty four Bishops and two Metropolitans And by these against all the former Councils abovesaid it is decreed ‖ Article 28. That the change of the substance of the bread and wine in the Eucharist is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture and overthrows the nature of a Sacrament If then the rest of Christendom have no more then Protestants here say they have for many ages they have had no Sacrament of the Lords Supper amongst them Next in obedience to this their decree they tie their subjects not to silence or a non-contradiction of it but to subscribe ‖ Synod 1603 Can. 63 that they acknowledge it i. e. confess believe it to be agreeable to the Word of God i.e. to be true
he a Synod consisted of the Metropolitans ‖ l. 5. c. 30. p. 513. and Bishops of one Kingdom or State only the chief Primate was Moderator 2 If of many Kingdoms one of the Patriarchs and chief Bishops of the whole World was Moderator Every Church and therefore this of England as to Ecclesiastical Governme being subordinate to some one of the Patriarchal Churches and incorporate into the unity of it 3. Thirdly the Actions of a whole Patriarchship were subject to a Synod Oecumenical And elsewhere he saith ‖ l. 5. c. 52. p. 668. That the Patriarch of the West may call a Council of the Western Bishops lawfully punishing those who obey not his summons and he and ihe Council so assembled may make Decrees which shall be obligatory to all the Western Church And thus Bishop Bramhall ‖ Vindic. of the Ch. of England p. 257. What power the Metropolitan had over the Bishop of his own Province the same had a Patriarch over the Metropolitans and Bishops of sundry Provinces within his own Patriarchate And afterward Wherein then consisted Patriarchal Authority in ordaining their Metropolitans for with inferior Bishops they might not meddle or confirming them in imposing of hands or giving the Pall in convocating Patriarchal Synods and presiding in them c when Metropolitical Synods did not suffice to determine some emergent differences or difficulties So in Schism-guarded p. 349. he saith That the Ecclesiastical Head of the Church is a General Council and under that each Patriarch in his Patriarchate and among the Patriarchs the Bishop of Rome by a Priority of Order And see Ibid. p. 4. his allowing this Bishop to be Exordium Vnitatis This of the subordination of the Bishops of several Nations to a Council Patriarchal taken out of others because omitted by Dr. Hammond Above which the next and highest subordination is that of all the Bishops in Christianity to a Council General To which General Council this Doctor thus professeth elsewhere ‖ Of Heresie §. 11. p. 149. the due subjection of the Church of England Vpon the strength of this perswasion saith he that God will never permit any such universal testimony concerning the faith to conspire in conveying error to us as we have never yet opposed never opposed that implies obedience of Silence but upon the former perswasion I see not why he should not say never dissented from any universal Council nor other voice of the whole Church such as by the Catholick Rules can be contested to be such so for the future we professe never to do And on 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church is the Pillar and Ground of truth he comments thus According to this it is that Christ is said Eph. 4.11 to have given not only Apostles c. but also Pastors and Teachers i.e. the Bishops in the Church for the compacting of the Saints into a Church for the continuing them in all truth that we should be no longer like children carried about with every wind of doctrine And so again when heresies came into the Church in the first Ages it is every where apparent by Ignatius's Epistles That the only way of avoiding error and danger was to adhere to the Bishop in communion and doctrine and whosoever departed from him and that forme of wholesom words kept by him was supposed to be corrupted And the same also to S. W. objecting ‖ Schism disarm p. 255. That it availed not for freedom from Schism to adhere to the Authority of our Bishop as the Arrians did if such Bishop hath rejected the authority of his Superiors and taught contrary to them He grants ‖ Answ to Schism disarm p. 261. concerning any Bishops and those adhering to them if departing from their Superiors That retaining the Authority of their Bishops is not being taken alone any certain Argument or Evidence of not being schismaticks c. This he for establishing such Church-authority and the due subordinations thereof from any of which whether person or Council a voluntary departure of those who are subordinate ‖ Of Schism c 3. Answ to C. Gentlem. p. 30 or also a wilful continuance under their censures laid upon them ‖ is by him declared Schism Of which Schism he speaks thus ‖ Answ to C. Gent. p. 9. First saith he those Brethren or People which reject the Ministry of the Deacons or Presbyters in any thing §. 4. wherein they are ordained and appointed by the Bishop §. 24. n. 2. and as long as they continue in obedience to him and of their own accord do break off and separate from them ‖ Of Schism p. 34. refuse to live regularly under them they are by the ancient Church of Christ adjudged and looked on as Schismaticks Here then are many late Sects among Protestants rejecting the Clergy I know not well by what name to call them confessed guilty of Schism In like manner saith he ‖ P. 37.41 if we ascend to the next higher link that of the Bishop to whom both Presbyters and Deacons as well as theBrethren or People are obliged to live in obedience the withdrawing or denying this obedience in any of these will certainly fall under this guilt And as this obedience may be of two sorts either of a lower or of a higher kind the denying obedience in any particular lawful command of the Superior or the casting off all obedience together de throning them or setting up our selves either in their steads or in opposition to them so will the Schism be also a lighter and a grosser separation And here are all Protestant Presbyterial whether Persons or Churches for any thing I can understand opposing Episcopacy or setling instead of it a Presbyterial Church-Government confessed also by him guilty of Schism of Schism I mean from their spiritual Superiors wherby also they becom no members of the Church-Catholick which Church-Catholick stands always contradistinct to Heretical and Schismatical Churches nor are any such Schismaticks known to be so and not recanting such their Schism to be admitted to enjoy the communion of the Presbytery of any Church that professeth it self a member of the Catholick Which thing will 1st cut off no small body of the Protestants from the Catholick Church And 2ly will render in some manner partaker of their guilt any other Protestant-Clergy that shall communicate knowingly with them The same sentence upon the Presbyterians deserting their Bishops that is their spiritual Superiors pronounceth Dr. Ferne They have incurred saith he by leaving us ‖ The Case between Eng. and Rome p. 46 48. and I wish they would sadly consider it no less then the guilt of Schism which lies heavily on as many as have of what perswasion or sect soever wilfully divided themselves from the Communion of the Church of England whether they do this by a bare separation or by adding violence and sacriledge to it For making good saith he this charge of Schism against them we
will premise some undeniable truths which speak the Authority of Church Governors the obedience due thereunto the condition of Schism and the danger and guilt of it The first is that the Church of Christ is a Society or Company under a Regiment discipline Government and the members constituting that Society are either persons taught guided governed or persons teaching guideing governing and this in order to preserve all in unity and to advance every member of this visible Society to an effectual and real participation of Grace and Vnion with Christ the Head and therefore and upon no less account is obedience due unto them Eph. 4.11 12 13 16 and Heb. 13.17 and he that will not hear the Church to be as a Heathen and Publican Mat. 16. c. Thus he And thus clear-sighted men are in the case where they are to require obedience but not so where to yield it This said of the Schism of Presbyters departing from their Bishops the same Dr. Hammond saith ‖ Of Schism c. 3. of the Schism of Bishops departing from their Metropolitans and of Metropolitans from their Primats or Patriarchs Now to go on If then for example the Presbyter is bound upon such a guilt to obey his Bishop then the subjects of both the Presbyter and the Bishop when these two dissent are tied to adhere to the Bishop not to the Presbyter i.e. to obey him whom the other if he continued in his duty ought also to obey and sic de caeteris These subordinations therefore known Christians also cannot but know in the division of Church-Governors distinct in dignity still those to whom their obedience is thus fastned 2. Next §. 25. n. 1. In a Body or Court consisting of many of an equal rank as Councils the supreme Ecclesiastical Judge do in which body in all or most causes or decisions may and usually do happen some dissenters that here it is necessary for rending the decrees of such complex bodies effectual that at least the much major part thereof joyned with the prime Apostolick See conclude the whole the traditionary practice of the most universally allowed Councils from the beginning of Christianity as likewise the same practice in all Civil Courts of the same composition doth sufficiently put this out of dispute if any thing can be so See what is said of this Disc 1. § 31 36 38. Where if it be further demanded for legitimating the Acts of such a Council or also for the sufficient acceptation by the Church Catholick of such act or definition what proportion this major part whether defining in Council or accepting out of it is to bear in respect of the minor or how much to exceed it I know not what better director herein we can have than the former custom of the Catholick Church and the example and pattern of the primitive times Nor what greater justification the proceedings of later Councils can receive herein than the same practice as theirs is appearing in those ancient Councils that are universally allowed If then we stay here a litle to review the proceedings §. 25. n. 2. of the first Councils and think the later times may safely steer according to their course Looking into the first Council of Nice we find in Hilarius ‖ De Syncdis no less then eighty Bishops before this Council was assembled mentioned to have disallowed the reception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See also what Bishops Arius pretended to have sided with him in his Letter to Euseb Nicomed written some years before the Nicene Council ‖ Apud Epiph Haer. 69. Theodoret. l. 1. c. 5. and in the Council also ⋆ seventeen Bishops some of note at the first to have dissented from the rest and after the Council * Arianism in the Eastern parts to have grown in a small time to a much greater bulk supporting their cause with several unwary expressions of former Ecclesiastical Writers as Justin Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian Clemens Alexand. Origen ‖ See Pelavins in Epiph. Her 69. before a stricter discussion of this controversie Yet was this no diminution to the strength of the Nicene decree or to a valid acceptation thereof both being done by a much greater part of the Church Again in the third General Council of Ephesus §. 25. n. 3. we find John the Patriarch of Antioch with his Oriental Bishops above thirty favouring Nestorianism and opposing the decrees of the rest of that Council yet did not the other part of that Council forbear to define Anti-Nestorianism without and against them and also to excommunicate them for their non-conformity to the major part nor did the Christian world cease to account the acts of this Council valid without the acceptation thereof by this Patriarch and his party these acts being justified by the much greater part of the Church Catholick joyned with the Roman Patriarch Neither supposing that this Patriarch and his Bishops and their Successors had continued to this day as too many ever since in those parts do and as they did for some time to oppose this decree could it have rescued Nestorianism from being justly reputed an Heresie though this party was so considerable as that the Emperour retarded the Execution of the Councils censures upon them till that in the year next ensuing the Patriarch and most of the rest were regained to a peaceable submission to the Church Catholick and her doctrine Come we to the fourth General Council of Chalcedon §. 25. n. 4. Two years before it in a question concerning our Lord's consisting of and in two natures distinct not only before but after their union in one person the prevalent party in a Council of above 120 Bishops had defined the contrary tanquam de fide For which also they pretended the doctrine of the Fathers Athanasius Cyril Alexand. and Gregory Nazianz. Concerning which Fathers you may find Eutyches ‖ In Concil Constantinop apud Conc Chalc. act 1. pleading thus for himself Vae mihi si sanctos Patres anathematizavero And Dioscorus thus ‖ Conc. Chalc Actione prima Ego testimonium habeo sanctorum Patrum Athanasii Gregorii Cyrilli in multis locis quia non oportet dicere post adunationem duas naturas sed unam naturam Dei verbi incarnatam Ego cum Patribus ejicior Ego defendo Patrum dogmata non transgredior in aliquo horum testimonia non simpliciter neque transitoriè sed in libris habeo Thus Dioscorus in the Council of Chalcedon and we find the subscription of 96 Bishops either deluded or forced as they complained afterward ‖ V. Conc. Chalc. Act. 1 4. to Dioscorus his definition in that former Council But the great Council of Chalcedon notwithstanding such an opposition defined the contrary doctrine as of faith and deposed the chief Actors in this former Council amongst which were the Patriarchs of Antioch and Alexandria And to the greater authority of this Council all the rest save
extare unde ea quatenus omnino ad salutem est necessarium cognosci indubitatò possit At nihil tale extare praeter sacras literas Nam si dicas Ecclesiam esse unde ea cognitio semper peti possit primum statuendum tibi erit Deum etiam decrevisse ut Ecclesia vera falsa enim ad eam rem inepta est semper usque ad mundi finem extet Sed ut Ecclesia vera extet à quâ omnes salutaris vâ—ritâ—tis notitiam indubitatè pevere queant requiritur ut homines complures coetum aliquem qui in omnium â—oulos incurrat constituant At non est quod quis certam aliquam Ecclesiam hoc privilegio a Deo donatam esse contendat ut fide excidere nequeat Deinde non posse Ecclesiam veram certo cognosci nisi prius cognoscatur quae sit salutaris Christi doctrina praeterea indipsum saltem debuisse alicubi in sacris literis clarè ac perspicuè scriptum extaâ—e debere ab Ecclesia peti omnia quae ad salutem scitu sunt necessaria quaenam ea sit Ecclesia ac unde debeat cognosci clare describi ne quis in câ cognoscenda facile errare posset Nam si quippiam scriptu fuisset necessarium hoc sane fuisset sine quo reliqua omnia quae cripta sunt nihil aut parum admodum prodessent Denique eam Ecclesiam quam isti Pontificii perpetuo extitisse volunt constare multis in rebus atque adeo in iis quoquâ— quâ— ad salutem sunt necessariae gravissime errare Things usually pleaded by Mr. Chillingw and his followers but whether borrowed from these I can say nothing ‖ See below § 47. n. Thus the Socinians lay the platform of their Religion and when the Protestants for confuting their errour urge Fathers and Church-authority against them they reply That they have learnt this from them to receive nothing besides Scripture and to neglect the Fathers ‖ See Simlerus de Filio Dei S. Spiritu Prafat Mean-while Appeals of the Fathers in Controversies of Religion to the trial of the Holy Scriptures I acknowledge frequent and that also somtimes waving Church-authority ‖ See S. Austin contra Maximinum l. 3. c. 14. but never made in opposition to it former or present Their great humility which also kept them Orthodox hindred them from presuming this and had any of them done it posterity would not have stiled him a Father The second thing is §. 40. n. 2. that as to the sufficiency or intirenesse of the Scriptures 2 for the containing all those points of faith that are simply necessary of all persons to be believed for attaining salvation Roman Catholicks deny it not but only deny such a clearness of Scripture in some of those as Christians cannot mistake or pervert Catholicks contend indeed that there are several things necessary to be believed by Christians according as the Church out of Apostolical Tradition hath or shall declare and propose them as touching the Government of the Church several Functions of the Clergy Administration of the Sacraments and some other sacred Ceremonies and particularly concerning the Canon of the Scriptures which are not contained in the Scriptures at least as to the clear mention therein of all those appertinents which yet have bin ever observed in the Church And touching the obligation of believing and due observing of several of these Traditions as descending from the Apostles learned Protestants also agree with them ‖ See Dr. Field of the Church l. 4. c. 20. Dr. Tailor Episcopacy asserted § 19. Reasons of the University of Oxford against the Covenant 1647. p. 9. and in particular concerning the believing of the Canon of Scripture though it be a thing not contained in Scripture See Mr. Chillingworths Concession p. 55. ‖ See also p. 114 where he saith That when Protestants affirm against Papists that Scripture is a perfect Rule of faith their meaning is not that by Scripture all things absolutely may be proved which are to be believed For it can never be proved by Scripture to a Gain-sayer that there is a God or that the Book called Scripture is the Word of God For he that will deny these Assertions when they are spoken will believe them never a whit the more because you can shew them written But their meaning is that the Scripture to them that presuppose it divine and a Rule of faith as Papists and Protestants do containes all the material objects of faith is a compleat and total and not only an imperfect and a partial Rule Where in saying all material objects of faith he means only all other after these he names presupposed and pre-believed But though I say Catholicks maintain several Credends that are not expressed in Scriptures necessary to be believed and observed by Christians after the Churches Proposal of them as Tradition Apostolical amongst which the Canon of Scripture Yet they willingly concede that all such points of faith as are simply necessary for attaining salvation and as ought explicitly by all men to be known in order thereto either raâ—ione medii or pracepti as the doctrines collected in the three Creeds the common Precepts of manners and of the more necessary Sacraments c. are contained in the Scriptures contained therein either in the Conclusion it self or in the principles from whence it is necessarily deduced ‖ Bellarmin de verbo Dei non scripto lib 4. cap. 11. Illa omnia scippta sunt ab Apostolis quae sunt omnibus simpliciter necessaria ad salutem Stapleton Relect Princip Doctrinae fidei Controver 5. q. 5. art 1 Doctrinam fidei ab omnibus fingulis explicitè credendam omnem aut ferè omnem scripto commendarunt Apostoli The main and substantial Points of our faith saith F. Fisher in Bishop White pag 12. are believed to be â—postolical because they are written in cripture S. Thom 22. q. 1. art 9. primus ad primum art 10. ad primum In Doctrina Christi Apostolorum he means câ—pâ—a weritas fidei est sufficienter explicata sed quia pervesi homines Scripturas peâ—vertunt ideo necessaria fuit temporibus proceâ—encibus explicatio fides contra insurgentes errores Therefore the Church from time to time defining any thing concerning such points defines it out of the Revelations made in Scripture And the chief Tradition the necessity and benefit of which is pretended by the Church is not the delivering of any additional doctrines descended from the Apostles times extra Scripturas i. e. such as have not their foundation at least in Scripture but is the preserving and delivering of the primitive sence and Church-explication of that which is written in the Scriptures but many times not there written so clearly which traditive sence of the Church you may find made use of against Arianisme in the first Council of Nice ‖ See Theod. Hist l. 1 c. 8. Or
verbi gratiâ id sentire de Christo quod Photinus opinatus est i. e. in modern language to be a Socinian no small errour in ejus haeresi baptizari extra Ecclesiae Catholicae Communionem alium vero hoc idem sentire sed in Catholicâ baptizari existimantem ipsam esse Catholicam fidem Illum nondum Haereticum dico nisi manifestatâ sibi doctrinâ Catholicae fidei resistere maluerit illud quod tenebat elegerit c. § 19 And this is Dr. Hammonds Comment on the fore-quoted place of Titus how consonant to his own or other Protestants doctrines I know not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ P. 761. self-condemned signifies not a man's publick accusing or condemning his own doctrines or practices for that self-condemnation being an effect and part of repentance would rather be a motive to free any from the censures of the Church who were already under them then aggravate their crime or bring that punishment upon them Nor yet 2ly can it denote him that offends and yet still continues to offend against conscience and though he be in the wrong yet holds out in opposition to the Church For besides that there are very few that do so and these known to none but God and if that were the Character of an Heretick then none but Hypocrites would be Hereticks and he that through pride and opinion of his own judgement stood out against the doctrine of Christ and his Church in the purest times should not be an Heretick this inconvenience would further be incurred that no Heretick could possibly be admonished or censured by the Church for no man would acknowledge of himself that what he did was by him done against his own conscience nor could any testimony be produced against him before any humane Tribunal no man being able to search the heart It is rather an expression of his separation from and disobedience to the Church and so an evidence of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being perverted and sinning wilfully and without excuse For he that thus disobeys and breaks off from the unity of the Church doth in effect inflict that punishment on himself which the Church useth to Malefactors that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 13.10 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cutting off from the Church which when he being an Heretick and therein a Schismatick also doth voluntarily without the Judges sentence his very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a spontaneous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or excision And that this Doctor may not go alone see Dr. Fernes Comment on the same place ‖ The Case between the Ch. of Engl. and Rome p. 53. when he writ against Presbyterians accusing them of Schism from the Church of England The word Heretick saith he according to the use of it then implied one that obstinately stood out against the Church or that led any Sect After the strictest Sect or Heresie of the Pharisees Acts 26.5 After that which they call Heresie Acts 24.14 a factious Company divided from the Church so they called or accounted of Christians and Gal. 5.20 we have it reckoned among the works of the flesh Debates Contentions Heresie So here Heretick that leads a faction a sect or that wilfully follows or abets it A man therefore that is a Heretick contentious disobedient to the Order and authority of the Church reject for he is self condemned having both past the sentence upon himself by professing against or dividing from the Church and also done execution like that of the Church's censure and excommunication upon himself by actual separation or going out of the Church A fearful condition Thus he And something to the same purpose saith Dr. Hammond ‖ Of Fundamentals c. 9. §. 4. concerning the guilt of those who afterward deny or oppose the things defined and added to the Apostles Creed by the first Councils Though the Creed saith he in the ancient Apostolick form were sufficient for any man to believe and profess yet when the Church hath thought meet to erect that additional Bulwark against Hereticks the rejecting or denying the truth of those their additions may justly be deemed an interpretative siding with those ancient or a desire to introduce some new Heresies And the pride or singularity or heretical design of opposing or questioning them now they are framed being irreconcileable with Christian charity and humility is justly deemed criminous and liable to censures Again § 6. Though those who believed c. the matter of the Apostles Creed had all those Branches of Christian Faith which were required to qualifie mankind to submit to Christs Reformation yet he grants the wilful opposing these more explicit Articles added by Councils and the resisting of them when they are competently proposed from the Definition of the Church will bring danger of ruine on such persons Again § 8. This i of one Baptism and all the former additions in the Nicene Creed being thus setled by the universal Church were and still are in all reason without disputing to be received and embraced by the present Church and every meek member thereof Here then it seems that Heresie it is or something criminous equivalent thereto to oppose the Church's definitions and additions though the former Creed was sufficient to have been believed and professed in all times before them Lastly King James in his Answer to Card. Perron penned by Casaubon seems to have the same Notion of Heresie as also of Schism with the Roman Church and the Fathers making Heresie any departing from the Faith Schism from the Communion of the Church Catholick Credit vero Rex saith Casaubon ‖ Letter to Perron simpliciter sine fuco fallaciis unicam esse Ecclesiam Dei re nomine Catholicam sive Vniversalem toto diffusam mundo extra quam ipse quoque nullam Salutem debere sperari affirmat damnat detestatur eos qui vel jam olim vel postea aut a fide recesserunt Ecclesiae Catholicae facti sunt Haeretici aut à Communione facti sunt Schismatici Difference here about the Extent of the Catholick Church there is some but none that all opposition of its Faith is Heresie Again Nullam spem Salutis superesse iis qui à fide Ecclesiae Catholicae aut ab ejusdem Communione discesserint Rex ultro concedit I suppose here is meant the present Catholick Church and in any difference the main Body thereof its whole and integral Faith or any part thereof and its external Communion Otherwise if this meant of the Catholick Church collectively of all ages when in some ages several points of Faith were not yet defined and of every member thereof in those ages when in most points may be found some dissenters and of Points of Faith necessary inferiors being Judges a term applyed as any one pleaseth to more points or fewer Lastly of Communion internal which may be said now to be deserted now retained as any
clear sayings of one or two of these Fathers truly alledged by us to the contrary will certainly prove that what many of them suppose it do affirm and which but two or three as good Catholicks as the other do deny was not then matter of Faith or Doctrine of the Church for if it had these had been Hereticks accounted and would not have remained in the Communion of the Church Thus with him if one or two of the Ancients that are not therefore at that time accounted Hereticks for it can be shewed to dissent the concurrence of all the rest is held not sufficient to prove a Catholick Doctrine in a matter of Faith nor such an accord of them sufficient to be called a Catholick consent or such as that all maintaining the contrary thereof after it is declared by a Council to be such a Catholick Doctrine will be Heresie Whereas contrary it is manifest both that some Dissenters from a Catholick Doctrine of Faith especially if not so universally evident as some others are or a consequential that is in those times not so much considered are not therefore guilty of Heresie before a more publick declaration and clearing of such points by a Council witness S. Cyprian in the Point of Non rebaptization and yet that the Doctrine may be truly called Catholick before the Council and the Dissenters also perhaps not free from a culpable ignorance therein For if the dissent of some few Fathers in the Council as in that of Nice or Chalcedon hinders not that a Point may be declared then a Catholick Doctrine neither doth the dissent of some few Fathers before the Council hinder that then it was not a Catholick Doctrine But to return to Mr. Stillingfleet Such conditions they say must the Point have in which the Church-Catholick is unerring and the obligation to believe and conform to which is universal and the opposite whereof is Heresie which conditions if you please to apply to the Articles of Faith opposing the Arrian Nestorian or Pelagian Hereticks you shall finde scarce any of them but that the Opposers thereof upon a deficiency in some of these requisites may withdraw his obedience thereto without any guilt of Heresie But 2 ly They leave us also still uncertain which or how many these Fundamentals or necessaries are Or who shall judge what points have or have not such an universal attestation as they require from the Church and therefore they leave us also uncertain what is or is not Heresie leave us also uncertain by whose sentence and judgment such Hereticks may be restrained proceeded against and punished since they hold Councils no certain Judge concerning these Points what are necessary and Fundamentals or universally attefted what not and likewise since they hold these Fundamentals as to private men varying according to a sufficient proposal of them more Points being Fundamental to one than to another ‖ Chill p. 137. Still P. 98.99 and consequently Heresie in opposing them varying accordingly they having cast off also that of the Church from being a sufficient proposal of any ones conviction therein § 53 And indeed if 1 st Protestants maintain that no Councils or Church without tyranny may require belief or internal assent from their Subjects to their Definitions or Articles of Religion a practice much exclaimed against in the Church of Rome and if I misunderstand them not denied to be lawful by several reformed And 2 ly this be granted that the holding of a Tenent contrary to some Fundamental Point and not only the outward profession and publick maintaining of such a Tenent is Heresie I see not how the reformed Churches though they should declare a particular Tenent to be an Heresie yet can discover any Heretick whatever unless he voluntarily publish his Heresie nor how they can or do remove any such out of their Communion or also sacred Orders if 1 neither those who hold such Heretical opinions stand anathematized by their Canons nor there may be the exacting from such entring into Orders a confession of their belief or an acknowledgement of any internal assent to their Articles of Religion Both which for such Points are the practise of the Catholick Church But if it be maintained that this also is the practise of the reformed Churches or at least this of England why is the requiring of such assent to and belief of the contrary of that which she deems Heresie blamed in the Roman § 54 Lastly the description which is made by Mr. Stillingfleet ‖ p. 153. of that Catholick Church which our Blessed Saviour instituted in the world mentioned before § 41. seems to take away all such Judge upon the earth by whom Heresie can be discovered or made known for if the Church-Governors cannot prescribe infallibly i.e. infallibly without mistake for there is no need that infallibly here signifie any thing more in any Controversie on which side is Divine Truth but That men are to be left herein to judge for themselves according to Scripture that is what seems to them out of Scripture to be truth because saith he overy one is bound to take care of his soul and of all things that tend thereto Then neither could the Fathers of Nice Judge concerning the Consubstantiality of the Son a thing strongly questioned and put it into the Creed Nor those of Ephesus and Chalcedon judge so concerning one person of our Lord and 2. natures and put these in the Creed Judge I say so as that others can be obliged to hold that to be Heresie in these points which they pronounce so Nor was there then any way to convince the Arrians infallibly of Heresie but that they are still to be left to judge for themselves as bound to take care for their own souls and of all things that tend thereto The same may be said much more concerning Pelagianism and other errors formerly condemned for Heresie which do expresly oppose no Articles in our Creeds By this way then an Ecclesiastical restraint of external profession there may be but none of belief or opinions nor obstinacy in holding them where no Obligation acknowledged to hold otherwise This of those who express Heresie as an obstinate error against some Fundamental or necessary article of faith universally attested such by the Church in the manner before mentioned But Dr. Hammond ‖ Of Heresie §. 2.11 n p. 70. somewhat more condescending and enlarging the compass of Heresie though he makes it indeed to be an opposition of the Faith in any one or more branches of it by way of Emphasis and excellence that was once delivered to the Saeints and that was set out by Christ or his Apostles from him to be by all Men belâ—eved to their Righteousness and confest to their Salvation And an opposition of such faith saith he ‖ §. 5. n. 2. as descends to us from the Apostles by a Catholick Testimony truly such i. e. universally in all respects 1 of place 2
separation at all This concerning some Protestants restraining Schism to culpable or causeless separation § 57 Again some of them there are who straiten Schism yet farther ‖ See Stillingf p. 331.357.359 251 290. compar p. 54.56 Whitby p. 424. and making it a separation only from other Christians or Churches in such things wherein it is absolutely necessary to be united with them which is thus far true then state this necâ—ssary union to consist only in the belief of those Fundamental Articles of Faith or Doctrine which are absolutely necessary to Salvation or essential to the being of a Church § 58 Where they hold it not Schism to separate from all particular Churches of the present age for a Doctrine universally held and imposed as a condition of their Communion because they say an error may be so imposed But only Schism to separate from the Primitive and Vniversal Church for Doctrine 1 st That can be made appear to have been Catholick and universally received in the manner expressed before § 52. by the Church of all ages successively from the Apostles to the time of such separation And 2 ly That can also be proved a Doctrine necessary to Salvation and essential to the being of a Church * For the first of these Mr. Stillingfleets words ‖ P. 371. to this purpose in answer to the unlawfulness of reforming former Catholick Doctrines are It is not enough saith he to prove any Doctrine to be Catholick that it was generally received by Christian Churches in any one age but it must be made appear to have been so received from the Apostles time not to say that A. D. 1517. such and such Doctrines were looked on as Catholick and therefore they were so But that for 1517. years successively from the Apostles to that time they were judged to be so and then saith he we shall more easily believe you And p. 357. he saith That we are not to measure the Communion of the Catholick Church by the judgement of all or most of the particular Churches of such an age And * for the 2 d. In the 2 d. Part c. 2. proving Protestants not guilty of Schism p. 331. he saith Whoso separates from any particular Church much more from all for such things without which that can be no Church separates from the Communion of the Catholick Church but he that separates only from particular Churches any or all as to such things which concern not their being is only separated from the Communion of those Churches not the Catholick And therefore saith he supposing that all particular Churches have some errors and corruptions in them though I should separate from them all for such errors but what if for some truth though this not Fundamental I do not separate from the Communion of the whole Church unless it be for something without which those could be no Churches And p. 358. No Church can be charged with a separation from the true Catholick Church but what may be proved to separate it self in something necessary to the being of the Catholick Church and so long as it doth not separate as to these essentials it cannot cease to be a true Member of the Catholick Church This is freely granted But what are these Essentials to the being of the Church-Catholick p. 357. he saith That the Communion of the Church-Catholick lies open to all such who own the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith And p. 251. he saith All that is meant by saying that the present Church he means Catholick is infallible in Fundamentals is that there shall always be a Church for that which makes them a Church is the belief of Fundamentals and if they believe not them they cease to be so That therefore which being supposed a Church is and being destroyed it ceaseth to be is the formal constitution of it but thus it is as to the Church the belief of Fundamentals makes it a Church and the not belief of them makes them cease to be a Christian Church Well But what are these necessaries or Fundamentals of the Christian Faith that we may know how long a person or Church retaineth the Communion of the Catholick See then concerning this p. 53. 54 55. These are such points saith he as are required by God as necessary to be explicitly believed by all in order to attain salvation And which are they p. 56. Nothing ought to be required as a necessary Article of Faith but what hath been believed and received for such by the Catholick Church of all ages And afterward What hath been admitted into the ancient Creeds Here then I take his Tenent to be That no more is necessary to render any person or Church free from Schism and a true Member of the Catholick Church and continuing in its Communion than the true belief of all Fundamentals or points absolutely necessary to be believed for attaining Salvation § 59 But here also 1 st These leave us uncertain how particularly to know and distinguish these Fundamentals and Essentials wherein only is Schism from other points that are not so or they do infold them all within the compass of the Creeds where also they contend that they must not be extended to all the Articles thereof whence it will follow that one departing from the Churches Communion for requiring his assent as a condition thereof in respect of some of these Articles yet will be no Schismatick as they state Schism Nor none a Schismatick that is not even in a Fundamental an Heretick Again since several Doctrines there are that are delivered by all former ages which yet are not Fundamental or Essential to Salvation or to the being of a Church thus the separating from all particular Churches or from our spiritual Superiours for any doctrine taken for such will not be Schism So one that separates from the Communion of his Superiors for their requiring his assent and conformity to the Episcopal Government of the Church though he is a Schismatick in Dr. Hammonds account ‖ Schism p. 163. yet must be none in Mr. Stillingfleets unless he will make Espiscopacy essential to the being of a Church concerning which I refer you to his Irenicum and so pronounce the Presbyterian and Transmarine reformed Congregations no Churches of Christ The same may be said of any separating from the external Communion of his Superiors requiring of him consent and conformity to the Definitions of the first four allowed General Councils and the constitutions of the universal Church of the first and purest Ages whether in Government or other the like observances and practises which separation is by Dr. Hammond ‖ Schim p. 156. 160. declared Schism but cannot be so upon Mr. Stillingfleets theses unless all these will be maintained by him Fundamentals and Essentials to the being of the Catholick Church I mean as to faith necessary for her attaining Salvation Lastly Mr. Stillingfleet saith ‖ P. 356. a Church enjoyning some dangerons errors as
the present Roman Church where Christian Religion now as anciently enjoys its freedom to see which of them resembles the constitution aspect and manners of the ancient Catholick Church we find them of a very different temper proportion and pretentions One of them by much the greatest and through the Universe most dilated Body and Communion that is in Christianity I mean such as is united in the same Government Laws Faith and Discipline with a certain subordination of all the Members and Officers thereof one under Ecclesiasticall Head So that if we suppose the Church-Catholick where are many divided Christian Societies or confederacies separated from one another in their Communion to be but one unanimous Body of them concerning which see 2 Disc § 26. n. 1. § 27. n. 3. and it again to be for universality the greatest of those bodies this must be it And again if we suppose a General Council assembled of all these its votes would have the predominancy over any of the rest taken a part and in any conjunction of them all in such a meeting it may reasonably be imagined from the agreement which the most considerable of the other Churches have with it in most of the Western Controversies that in voting them its party would be increased sooner than any other § 73 Again This great Body also we find hath continued to this day united to and joyned with the See Apostolick and Chair of S. Peter like that Church-Catholick in the Primitive times And we find it using its authority still after the same manner as then did the true Catholick Church still pretending it self upon our Saviours promises in its supreme Councils joyned with the authority of the same Chair a certain and infallible Guide in the determination of all necessary Faith to whom all its Subjects owe not only silence but submission of judgement and belief We find it from time to time as the ancient Church when any new Controversies Opinions and Sects arise any way dangerous making new definitions and more explications of the Catholick Faith and enlarging from age to age for which also its adversaries complain of it the particular and explicite knowledge and profession thereof amongst her Children as the Heterodox grow more particular and multiplicious in those errors that would any way undermine it as also anciently the Nicene Creed was thought a necessary supply to the Apostolick and again the larger Athanasian to the Nicene Creed And these her definitions now as then she passeth under Anathema to opposers or dissenters declares Hereticks still as they were esteemed anciently such as oppose them because such after them judged to be now wilfully and contumaciously erring and Schismaticks such as depart on what cause soever from her Communion as vindicating to her self compounded in her supreme representative of all those particular Churches that remain undivided from S. Peters Chair the true Title and right of the Catholick Church § 74 Again upon the same grounds and as authorized immediately by our Lord we find her holding her self obliged and taking upon her to give and promulgate her Laws in matters clearly Spiritual and Divine secular powers whether favouring or frowning to all her Subjects however dispersed in several temporal Dominions presuming still and thinking great reason for it to use as much spiritual authority in their States when Princes a e become Christian and her Sons as all grant her lawfully to have done when they were yet heathen and her Enemies We find her also pressing this obedience to her Decrees on her Children not * from promising as S. Austin ‖ De utilit Credendi c. 1. saith the Manichees anciently did which was the occasion of his writing his book De utilitate Credendi Ecclesiae before that the things we believe are proved to us evident proofs or demonstrations though these are not wanting but * from her authority and commission received from our Lord to decide all controversies she thinks necessary and * from the traditive sence of holy Scripture delivered to her from her Fore-fathers And so also it is in this Church that her subjects as soon as any thing is cleared to them to be the Church's doctrine dispute it no farther but presently resign their judgment thereto And §. 75. n. 1. as we find it publishing with great authority its Laws to all its Subjects and Members where ever residing So also by our Lords order Mat 28.19 diligently sending forth its Missions into all quarters of the world amongst strangers and those out of its fold whether Infidels or Hereticks for converting or reducing them to the Christian and Catholick Faith And to this Body and that since the time of Gregory the First when also it was much-what the same as it is now do most of the Northern Nations owe their Conversion to Christianity and at that time our Ancestors among the rest under Ethelbert and his Successors received that Roman Profession of Religion which 900. years after under Edward the Sixth they cast off And by the same indefatigable Zeal Labours and Sufferings of its Missioners are still those great conversions of Mahometans and Heathens made both in the West and East-Indies and Southern parts of Affrick not to insist here on the late reduction of some of the Christian Sects also of the Northern and Eastern parts to the Roman Communion Where in calling to mind Gods gracious promises of the Gospel to be preached to all Nations ‖ Mat. 24.14 Mark 13.10 and the fulness of the Gentiles to be brought into his Fold †Rom. 11. which we see both heretofore and at the present to be effected solely or principally by this Body through great hazards and much expence of its blood I desire all sober persons to consider whether the good God having thus promised to the Nations Bread * would give them instead thereof but a Stone and having promised them the Revelation of his Truth yet * would not send it to them but abased and mixed with a manifold Idolatry as Protestants imagine the worshiping of dead men and of a breaden God and these brought in amongst them by Antichrist himself if the Head of these Missioners the Pope be so thus only Satan fighting against Satan and Popery against Heathenism * would not I say communicate unto them these waters of life to drink of unless mortified as it were 1 st with several errors as the Protestants say gross damnable and perilous to their Salvation and from which the external Communion of all true Believers ought to separate And again the end of the world and as the Protestants say of the reign of Antichrist whom they count now above 1000. years old his full age being foretold to be 1260. being now not far off I desire him next to consider * whether that which is said to be instead of the Roman the most pure and Orthodox Religion recovered by Luther and to which therfore these Nations if not already must be
own understanding and industry to find out his own way to Heaven because he can securely trust no living guide on Earth besides through all the thorny controversies of the present age grown as Dr. Field saith in number so many and in matter so intricate which require vast pains throughly to examine and an excellent judgment aright to determine and which much eloquence and long smoothing of them the interposing of humane reason in divine matters and the varying records of former ages have rendred on all sides so far plausible and resembling truth that a little interest serves the turne to blind a man in his choice and make him embrace an errour for truth let him I say humbly resigne his wearied and distracted judgment wholly to her direction § 80 For as Sir Edwyn Sandys in his Relation of the Western Religions ‖ p 29. speaks methinks very pertinently though in the person of a Romanist pleading his own cause Seeing Christianity is a Doctrine of Faith a Doctrine whereof all men even children are capable as being gross and to be believed in general by all Seeing the high vertue of Faith is in the humility of the understanding and the merit thereof in the readiness of Obedience to embrace it and seeing the outward proofs thereof are no other than probable and of all probable proofs the Church-testimony is most probable So he which I propose rather thus Seeing of outward proofs of our Faith where the true sense of Scripture is the thing disputed the Church's testimony whether for declaring to us the sense of Scripture or judgment of the Ancients is a proof of most weight What madness were it for any man to tire out his soul and to wast away his spirits in tracing out all the thorny paths of the controversies of these days wherein to err is no less easy than dangerous what through forgery of authors abusing him what through sophistry transporting him and not rather to betake himself to the right path of truth whereunto God and nature reason and experience do all give witness and that is to associate himself to that Church whereunto the custody of this heavenly and supernatural truth hath been from heaven it self committed to weigh discreetly which is the true Church and that being once found to receive faithfully and obediently without doubt or discussion whatsoever it delivereth § 81 And then further If in this disquisition of his to make use here of that plea which the same Author in the following words hath very fairly drawn up ‖ Relation of Western Religious p. 30. for the Church of Rome and her adherents without giving us any counter-defence or shewing any more powerful attractives of the Churches reformed what ever he intended If besides the Roman and those Churches unitted with it he finds all other Churches to have had their end or decay long since I mean the Sects and Religions that have been formerly in the Western World Hussites Lollards Waldenses Albigenses Berengarians which some Protestants make much pretence to or their beginning but of late if This being founded by the Prince of the Apostles with promise to him by Christ that Hell gates should not prevaile against it but that himself will be assistant to it till the Consummation of the World hath continued on now till the end of a 1600. years with an honourable and certain line of near 240. Popes Successors of St. Peter both tyrants and traytors pagans and hereticks in vain wresting raging and undermining If all the lawful General Councils that ever were in the world have from time to time approved and honoured it if God hath so miraculously blessed it from above as that so many sage Doctors should enrich it with their writings such armies of Saints with their holiness of Martyrs with their Blood of Virgins with their purity should sanstifie and embellish it If even at this day in such difficulties of unjust rebellions and unnatural revolts of her nearest children yet she stretcheth out her arms to the utmost corners of the world newly embracing whole Nations into her bosome If Lastly in all other opposite Churches there be found inward dissentions and contrariety change of opinions uncertainty of resolutions with robbing of Churches rebelling against governours things much more experienced since this authors death in the late Presbiterian wars confusion of order invading of Episcopacy yea and Presbytery too whereas contrariwise in this Church the unity undivided the resolutions unalterable the most heavenly order reaching from the height of all power to the lowest of all subjection all with admirable harmony and undefective correspondence bending the same way to the effecting of the same work do promise no other than continual increase and victory let no man doubt to submit himself to this glorious spouse of God c. This then being accorded to be the true Church of God it follows that she be reverently obeyed in all things without further inquisition she having the warrant that he that heareth her heareth Christ and whosoever heareth her not hath no better place with God than a publican or a pagan And what folly were it to receive the Scriptures upon credit of her authority the authority of the Church that was before Luthers time and not to receive the interpretation of them upon her authority also and credit And if God should not alway protect his Church from errour i. e. dangerous to or distructive of Salvation and yet peremptorily commanded men always to obey her then had he made but very slender provision for the salvation of Mankind which conceit concerning God whose care of us even in all things touching this transitory life is so plain and eminent were ungrateful and impious And hard were the case and mean had his regard been of the vulgar people whose wants and difficulties in this life will not permit whose capacity will not suffice to sound the deep and hidden mysteries of Divinity and to search out the truth of intricate controversies if there were not others whose authority they might safely rely on Blessed are they who believe and have not seen Though they do not see reason always for that they believe save only that reason of their Belief drawn from authority the merit of whose Religious humility and obedience doth exceed perhaps in honour and acceptation before God the subtil and profound knowledge of many others Thus that Author pleads the cause of the Roman and its adherent Churches without a Reply To which perhaps it will not be amiss to joyn the like Plea §. 82. n. 1. for this Church drawn up by another eminent person ‖ Dr. Taylor liberty of prophecying §. 20. p. 249. in a treatise writ concerning the unreasonableness of prescribing to other mens Faith wherein he indeavoured to represent several Sects of Christianity in their fairest colours in order to a charitable toleration These considerations then he there proposeth concerning the Roman Church Which saith he may very
the days of Edward the Sixth Expedit quidem saith he prospicere desultoriis Ingeniis quae sibi nimium licere volunt claudenda est etiam janua curiosis doctrinis Ratio autem expedita ad eam rem una est Si exstet nempe summa quaedam doctriâ—ae ab omnibus recepta quam inter praedicandum sequantur omnes ad quam etiam observandam omnes Episcopi Parochi jurejurando adstringantur ut nemo ad munus Ecclaesiasticum admittatur nisi spondeat sibi illum doctrinae consensum inviolatum futurum Quod ad formulam precum rituum Ecclaesiasticorum valde probo ut certa illa extet a qua Pastoribus discedere in functione sua non liceat ut obviam eatur desultoriae quorundam levitati qui novationes quasdam affectant Here I understand him to require the Clergy to be obliged by Oath to receive and Preach such a certain forme of Doctrine and to practice such Ecclesiastical Rites as shall be agreed upon by their Governours In which thing if He speaks reason what can more justify the proceedings of the Church-Catholick in restraining not only her Subjects tongues but tenents and opinions in matters which she judgeth of necessary belief Notwithstanding these evidences cited above §. 84. n. 1. implying assent required to the Articles of the Church of England yet her Divines when charged therewith by Roman Catholicks do return many answers and Apologies whereby they seem either to deny any such thing or at least do pretend a moderation therein very different from the Roman Tiranny 1 rst Then they say α That they require not any oath but a Subscription only to these their Articles ‖ Bishop Bramhal Reply to Chal. p. 264. 2. β Require subscription only from their own not from strangers See Bishop Bramhall vindic p. 155. And This Church prescribes only to her own Children whereas the Church of Rome severely imposeth her Doctrine upon the whole World saith Bishop Lawd ‖ P. 52. 3. γ Nor yet require it of all their own but only of those who seek to be initiated into holy Orders or are to be admitted to some Ecclesiastical preferment ‖ Bishop Brambal vind p. 156. 4. δ These Articles not penned with Anathemas or curses against all those even of their own who do not receive them 5 ly ε Subscription not required to them as Articles of their Faith or at least as all of them Articles Fundamental of their Faith as belief is required to all hers as such by the Church of Rome but only required to them as Theo ogical veritie ‖ Bâ—amh Reply p. 350. and Inferiour truths †Stillingfleet p. 54. To this purpose Bishop Bramhall Reply p. 350. We do use to subscribe unto them indeed not as Articles of Faith but as Thelogical verities for the preservation of unity among our selves Again ‖ Ib. p. 277. Though perhaps some of our negatives were reveald truths and consequently were as necessary to be believed when they are known as affirmatives yet they do not therefore become such necessary truths or Articles of Religion as make up the rule of Faith which rule of Faith he saith there consists of such supernatural truths as are necessary to be known of every Christian not only necessitate praecepti because God hath commanded us to believe them ‖ See Schism guarded p. 396 but also necessitate medii because without the knowledge of them in some tolerable degree according to the measure of our capacities we cannot in an ordinary way attain to Salvation And ‖ Reply p. 264. We do not saith he hold our 39. Articles to be such necessary truths extra quas non est â—alus nor enjoyn Ecclesiastick persons to swear unto them but only to subscribe them as Theological truths And thus the Arch Bishop ‖ p. 51. All points are made Fundamental and that to all mens belief if that Church the Roman hath once determined them whereas the Church of England never declared that every one of her Articles are Fundamental in the Faith To which they add ζ That as for those of these Articles that are positive doctrines and Articles of their Faith they are such as are grounded in Scripture and General Truths about which there is no controversy ‖ Bramh. vindic p. 159. and such saith Mr. Stillingfleet †p. 54. as have the testimony and approbation of the whole Christian World of all ages and are acknowledged to be such by Rome it self η And then as for the rest of those Articles they are only negative as the Arch Bishop ‖ p. 52. refuting there where the thing affirmed by the Roman-Church is not affirmed by Scripture nor directly to be concluded out of it Or as Bishop Bramhall ‖ Vindic. p. 159 They are no new articles or innovations obtruded upon any but negations only of humane controverted Traditions †Reply p. 279. and Refutations of the Roman suppositious principles ‖ Ib. p. 277. And though some of them were revealed truths c. as before yet do they not therfore make up the rule of Faith ‖ i. e. as this Rule is before explained θ 6 ly That such subscription whether of positives or negatives is required by the Church of England to a few in comparison of that multitude of Articles made on the other side Though the Church of England saith the Aâ—chb ‖ p. 51. denounce Excommunication as is before expressed yet she comes far shoâ—t of the Church of Romes severity whos 's Anathema's are not only for 39. Articles but fer very many more about one hundred in matter of Doctrine 7 ly ξ Concerning the just importance and extent of such subscription several expressions I find that the Subscribers do not stand obliged thereby * to believe these Articles § 84. n. 2 and the reason given because the Church is fallible but only * not to oppose not to contradict them To this purpose We do not look saith Bishop Bramhall ‖ Bishop Bramh. Schism garded p. 190 Stillingf p. 55. upon the Articles of the Church of England as Essentials of saving Faith or Legacies of Christ and his Apostles but in a mean as pious opinions fitted for the preservation of unity neither do we oblige any man to believe them but only not to contradict them And Si quis diversum dixerit we question him Si quis diversum senserit if any man think otherwise in his private opinion and trouble not the peace of the Church we question him not ‖ Vindic. p. 156. Again λ Never any son of the Church of England was punished for dissenting from the Articles in his judgement so he did not publish it by word or writing After the same manner speaks Mr. Stillingfleet ‖ P. 104. The Church of England excommunicates such as openly oppose her Doctrine supposing her fallible the Roman Church excommunicates all who will not believe
whatever she defines to be infallibly true And The Church of England bindeth men to peace to the Churches Determinations reserving to men the liberty of their judgements on pain of Excommunication if they violate that peace And Mr. Chillingworth saith ‖ P. 375. That Protestants cannot with coherence to their own grounds require of others the belief of any thing besides Scripture and the plain irrefragable indubitable consequences of it without most high and most Schismatical presumption plain irrefragable indubitable consequences such therefore cannot be the most of the 39. Articles we know by how great a part of Christianity controverted denied Lastly thus the Arch-bishop answering to the fifth Canon of the Church of England objected by A. C. ‖ P. 51. It's one thing for a man to hold an opinion privately within himself and another thing boldly and publickly to affirm it as if that Canon prohibited only the latter of these This then seems of late the commoner exposition of subscription and most suitable to the Protestant Principles 8. But 8 ly Some other expressions also fall from the same Writers §. 84. n. 3. and others intimating assent required For 1 st The Arch-bishop saith concerning the fifth Article that perhaps only publick affirmation is the sence of it but speaks nothing clearly against assent required by it and I suppose he saw good reason for it I pray you view the place in him So in the precedent page he saith The Church of England is not such a shrew to her Children as to deny her blessing or denounce and Anathema against them if some peaceably dissent in some particulars remoter from the Foundation Where this restriction remoter from the Foundation seems so to indulge dissent in respect of some of the 39. Articles as that she doth not allow it generally in respect of them all unless any will say all the Articles are such So Mr. Whitby ‖ P. 100. in his Answer to Mr. Cressy amongst other ifs puts in this for one If they the English Church-Governours require a positive assent it is because the thing determined is to be evident in Scripture c. We do use saith Bishop Bramball ‖ Reply p. 349. to subscribe unto them indeed not as Articles of Faith but as Theological verities is not this a subscribing that they assent to or hold them for Theological verities So p. 264. We do require Ecclesiastical persons only to subscribe them as Theological Truths for the preservation of unity among us and the extirpation of some growing errors and Mr. Stillingfleet useth the same expression from him To subscribe them as Theological Truths meaneth he not here to subscribe that they are Theological Truths For the preservation of unity means he not unity of Opinion and of the Profession of such Truths As the title also prefixed to the Articles mentioned before ‖ §. 83. n. 1. imports saying That the Articles were drawn up for the avoiding diversities of Opinions and establishing consent Else where diversity of Opinion is allowed in all things what extirpation of errours which follows in the next words can be hoped 9. μ Lastly §. 84. n. 4. I find frequent mention in these Authors of a conditional assent or belief required in general as due to the Churches proposals whether concerning matters of Faith or other constitutions yet without any particular application thereof to the 39. Articles Conditional viz. Then * when a person is not competent to search her grounds or * where the Church adheres to and forsakes no part of the Apostles depofitum or * when she proveth and evidenceth to them the truth of what she proposeth or * so long as they cannot evidence and prove to her the contrary But then they leave the judgement of this condition when she sufficiently proves such a thing or they the contrary when the party is not competent to search grounds or when the Church adheres not to the Apostles Depositum to themselves and not to the Church reserving to every private person the ultimate judgement a judgement of discretion as they call it See Dr. Ferne's Case between the two Churches p. 40.48 49. Division of Churches p. 45.47 61. Considerations p. 19. Dr. Feild p. 666. Dr. Jackson on the Creed l. 2. § 1. c. 5. 6. out of which see some Quotations before § 20. Dr. Hammond's answer to a Catholick Gentleman p. 16.17 Dispatcher dispatched c. 5. p. 358. Having seen this defence of Learned Protestants for the Church of England her composing new Articles of Religion §. 85. n. 1. and exacting of her Subjects subscription and conformity to them wherein they endeavour to represent the Yoke of these her Articles and her Excommunications very light though the Presbyterians groan under the weight thereof in comparison of that of the Roman Canons and their Anathemas Now give me leave to make some reflection on what they have said and out of these to return answers to the precedents so far as it seems necessary Obs 1 1 st Then this is clear that they confining their Rule of Faith within as narrow a compass as they please yet some of their 39. Articles will be found to be a part of it and to be such supernatural truths as are necessary to be known of every Christian necessitate medii and such as extra quo◠non est salus as well as some of those in Pius's Bull or in the Council of Trent are Of this sort must several of the 1 st 8. Articles be concerning the Trinity Son of God c. And I ask whether they are not willing that some other of them as 8. The fall of Adam 18. Salvation only by Christ 15. Christ only without sin 11 Justification by Faith 25.27 Two Sacraments ordained by Christ and these not only bare signs but effectual Instruments of Grace 6. Sufficiency of the holy Scripture for Salvation be admitted into the Rule of the Protestants Faith but thrown amongst Theological and inferior verities Since then it is most certain that some of their Articles are part of their Rule and of the most necessary and fundamental Faith Next I ask concerning these whether in the liberty they profess in their Church and the want of it they accuse in the Roman they require no assent from their Subjects or at least from those of them whom they admit to H. Orders and Ecclesiastical Preferments to these Articles or whether they do not require them to profess and teach all or some of them at least which they cannot do unless they also oblige them to hold them for none may profess against what he thinks and therefore who is tyed by them to profess so is by them tyed to think so But if they do not require such assent then may one that holds against them the 〈◊〉 Doctrines in several of the prime Articles of their Faith not only enjoy their Communion but sit down among their Doctors only if as he believeth professeth
English Church in obliging her Subjects to believe these points Errors which the Roman Church doth hers to believe Truths hath in his as large a Creed as the other if the other hath Twelve new Articles so in her stating the contrary to them hath she and is equally tyrannical or more because the Articles of the other are the elder of the two the Subjects of the one having no liberty left to affirm them as of the other to deny them For Example A Subject of the Church of England supposing him obliged to believe her Articles true hath no more liberty left to hold Transubstantiation a Truth than a Romanist hath to hold it an Error Or to instance in the implyed affirmative that is maintained in opposition to Transubstantiation on the Church of Englands side a Subject of this Church hath no more liberty left to hold the remaining of the Substance of the Symbols in the Eucharist an Error than those of the Roman have to hold it a Truth This of the first sort those who as peremptorily deny a thing as the others affirm it But next you may observe that neither are the later sort who suspend their judgment because such point seems not proved to them in this always the most secure and safe If the proposers to them of that point be such persons as they are commanded to believe unless themselves can prove the contrary to it which is the case of all those who have Spiritual Superiors and if the knowledge of such a Truth be any way profitable to their Salvation which Truths I suppose these Superiors never define without foreseeing First such Doctrines defined beneficial to be known This from § 85. n. 2. is my 2d. Observation concerning the Church of Englands negative Articles 3ly You may observe §. 85. n. 4. that when these Protestant Writers say Obs 3 that these 39 Articles that is the most of them or the negatives see Observation 1. ‖ §. 85. n. 1. are not made by them Articles of their Faith they explain themselves to mean not made fundamental Articles of their Faith or such the belief of which is necessary ratione medii for attaining salvation and such as extra quas creditas non est salus ‖ § 84. n. 1. they meanwhile not denying that whatever is Scripture and a revealed Divine Truth is an Article of our Faith i. e. as Bp. Bramhall Necessary to be believed and assented to by us when it is known to be revealed Now as they do not make the most of their 39 Articles the rule or articles of their Faith in the forenamed sense so neither doth the Roman Church or Council of Trent her Canons whatever Protestants tell the World so often to the contrary Fundamental indeed they call sometimes all points defined by the Churches Councils and hold them necessary to be believed for attaining salvation but not necessary in such a sense as ratione medii necessary or absolutely extra quas creditas non est salus but onely necessary to be believed upon supposition of a sufficient proposal of them to any person that they have been so defined Again necessarily to be believed also for attaining Salvation not because that no person can be saved and that after the Churches definition of them in his not believing them But because if after such proposal and sufficient notice given him of their being defined he believe them not he now stands guilty in this his disobedience to his supreme spiritual Guides of a mortal sin unrepented of destructive of his Salvation A thing spoken plainly enough by the answerer of the Archbishops Book §. 85. n. 5. and yet misrepresented by the Replier ‖ p 48 49. who imposeth these propositions as maintained by the Roman Church That what the Church determines as matter of Faith is as necessary to be believed in order to Salvation as that which is necessary from the matter i. e. necessary ratione medii And that an equal explicit faith is required to the definitions of the Church as to the Articles of the Creed and that there is an equal necessity in order to Salvation of believing both of them Whenas he might easily have informed himself that there is not an equal necessity required by the Roman Church of the very Articles of the Creed in order to Salvation and whenas not onely this one condition of the Churche's having defined them for none are obliged necessarily to believe explicitly whatsoever the Church hath defined but a second also of a sufficient proposal to us of what the Church hath defined renders her Definitions necessary to be believed and then necessary to be believed indeed as to the doing of our duty in order to our Salvation but not all of them necessary to be believed as if the knowledg of them were so necessary to our Salvation as that without this it could not be had as that of some of the Articles of the Creed is Neither is the Greek Church one ground of this authors mistake by F. Fisher or others of the Roman Church charged as guilty of Heresie in any other manner save this that supposing a lawful General Council accepted by the Church Catholick to have defined The procession of the H. Ghost à Filio so many of the Greek Church as have received a sufficient proposal that such a Council hath so defined it if they continue to deny or disbelieve it are guilty of Heresie leaving the rest free unless it can be proved that à Filio is a Fundamental in the other sense i. e. ratione medii free I say so many amongst them as happen to be either by natural defect and incapacity or external want of instruction invincibly and inculpably ignorant either of the just authority of such a Council or of its Divinely assisted inerrability in all necessaries or of such its Decree or of the true sense thereof which persons indeed by reason of the evidence of all these things cannot be the most or the learned but yet may be some for all in an Heretical Church are not affirmed Hereticks though the Churches censures according to the reasonable grounds of conviction concerning any such point generally published are passed upon all that are involved in such a Society whilst God who knows all capacities absolves from them whom he seeth innocent and preserves his Wheat from the fire though by the Church bound in the same bundle with the Tares As for the other ground of the Replyers mistake ‖ Stillin p 48. That famous passage of Pius Hanc veram Catholicam Fidem extra quam c. he might have learn'd to have made a more moderate and qualified construction of it from his own descant on the like clause in the Athanasian Creed Haec est Fides Catholica quam nisi quisque c. where he ‖ p. 70 71. could well discover a conditional necessity as to some of the Articles thereof viz. A necessity
of believing them upon conviction that they were of Divine Revelation why not then allow such a one here extra quam nulla salus i. e. to such as receive a sufficient proposal of their being so defined and therefore do or might receive a sufficient conviction that they must also be Divine Truth Though for a fuller answer to that clause of Pius I must refer you to the considerations on the Council of Trent § 80. n. 2. Now to proceed in our Discourse Fundamental therefore the Church of Rome affirms many of her Canons for I speak not of all not so to be §. 85. n. 6. but that 1st A Christian may be ignorant of them without loss of his salvation and indeed amongst the vulgar who is there that is not ignorant of several of them Onely in time of need and where danger of seducement as any Canon is of greater moment or the truth thereof particularly invaded the Pastors are vigilant to inform their Sheep of the Churches former definitions of them 2ly Nay further may hold the contrary to some of them though defined yet if not sufficiently proposed to him that they are so without loss of salvation 3ly In ones holding the contrary to them after sufficiently proposed I mean both the decree manifested to him and the just authority that made it and the divine assistance thereof the loss of salvation doth not ensue nor the Churche's censures take hold on such a person for the simple non-believing the matter of such Canon or for the holding of the contrary For if this the meer non-believing or the holding of the contrary to any Church-definition whatever abstracting from a sufficient proposal that such thing hath been defined by the Church were enough to destroy any ones salvation then so this would be before the Churches determination of such Point or so would be to the invincibly ignorant after it a thing which no Catholick affirms and see S. Austins stating of this matter de Baptis 4.16 before § 18. Though it is freely granted here that the ignorance of such a truth as is beneficial for our salvation which all definitions of Councils are supposed to be to some or other both after and also before the Councils defining thereof may confer something in its degree according to the benefit of the truth one miscarries in to the loss of his salvation The Churche's censures therefore I say as to many of her Canons are incurr'd and salvation ruin'd not for the meer disbelieving such Point defined but for obstinately doing this after sufficient ground of conviction that such an authority hath so defin'd it Posiquam ea quae ad fidem pertinent authoritate Vniversalis Ecclesiae determinata sunt si quis tali ordinationi pertinaciter repugnat haereticus censetur ‖ S Thom. 22.11 q. 2. Qui autem ex ignorantiâ crassâ vel etiam affectatâ saith Layman out of the common Doctrine of the Casuists †Theol moral â—2 Tract 1 13. c. propter inquirendi taedium c. errorem aliquem contra fidem tenet eum statim derelicturus si intelligat Catholicae Ecclesiae repugnantem esse talis non est pertinax nec Haereticus So that the Churches Anathema in many of her Canons seizeth on a person not so much for the matter of his error though this not denied to some degree hurtful to him and diminishing his perfection in the Faith as the pertinasy of his erring and the contumacie and perverseness of his will disobeying the Church and his Spiritual Superiors sufficiently manifesting the contrary truth to be her Doctrine and a portion of the Christian Faith and manifesting it always for some good ends of preserving her Sons orthodox in such parts thereof as she sees to be invaded by some contrary error of perilous consequence Now let it be considered whether the Church of England if the sense of the 5. Canon related above ‖ § 83. n. 1. stand good doth not make her 39 Articles Fundamental and exclude from Salvation those who affirm or hold any of them erroneous on the same manner whilst she excommunicates i. e. cuts off from the Body of Christ if the Excommunication be just as she thinks it is such persons as remain in this wicked error till such time as they repent and publickly revoke it For I ask what is this wicked error for which unrepented of he is so cut off from Christ and consequently his Salvation destroyed but his holding or if you will his not repenting upon her Admonition but persisting to hold the contrary to some one or more of her Articles or Definitions if she declare then his Salvation lost in his holding the contrary to such Article is not the Article then after her proposal made in the sense we are speaking of fundamental to him Or suppose his wicked error be not holding but saying the contrary to such Article when he holds otherwise which I cannot apprehend to be sense i. e. that any one can be said to erre in a thing when he saith onely that he holds it but really doth not hold it at least thus far then as to non-contradiction the Article still is made fundamental for here whoever contradicts unrepenting thereof is damned 4ly For the application of Haec est Fides extra quam non est salus which is so often said by Protestants to be made to all the Definitions of the Council of Trent and the confession thereof necessary to the enjoying of the Communion of this Church 1st No such Sentence is applied to the definitions by the Council it self except onely to the Nicene Creed of which they say it is Fundamentum firmum unicum Sess 3. but onely by a Pope after it And 2ly If we should also grant the sense of this clause to be that which Protestants put upon it whereas it is capable of another sense which they cannot disallow of which see Consid Conc. Trid. § 80. namely this That an explicit belief of every one of the Definitions and Canons of all the lawful General Councils that have ever been or made any such for Pius speaks of all Canons of Councils as well as those of Trent is necessary to every one and that ratione medii for attaining Salvation For thus the Protestants will needs understand it a thing so irrational that any one may see that a Church that holds this must damn all or most of her children for who is there especially among the laity or vulgar that hath an actual knowledg or explicit faith of every Canon of every lawful General Council that hath been in the Church Yet is it not required by Pius of all men that they assent to this truth for their enjoying the Roman Communion but onely of those who enter into Sacred Orders or Religions But 5ly It may be noted also concerning this Bull of Pius which seems of a long time the main grievance of Protestants the main Apology for their
relinquishing the Roman communion and that in which she is chiefly charged to have violated the Unity of the Catholick Church ‖ Sâ—â—llin p. 55. that it came forth many years after the Protestants discession from this Church whether we look at Luther's or that under King Edward or the last under Queen Elisabeth and many years too after the birth of their XXXIX Articles made against the Roman Faith both after those composed under Edward VI. A. D. 1549 and reconfirmed under Queen Elisabeth 1562. This Bull not being made till 1564. So that herein they seem to take their chiefest excuse for their discession from that Church from a thing that hapned long after it as if they departed from it out of the foresight of an offense which though it then was not yet would be given them by it The 4th thing I have to observe to you touched before is §. 85. n. 7. Obs 4 that though the Church of England in her Synod affixeth not particular Anathemaes to her Articles as the Roman-Catholick doth in that of Trent with a Si quis dixerit c. Anathema sit yet the forementioned 5th Canon of this Church pronounceth in general an Excommunication to a Si quis affirmaverit that any of these Articles is in any part erroneous The weighty value of which Excommunication also you may learn out of their Art 33. These things premised §. 85. n. 8. now to speak briefly to the former Protestant-Defence made Resp to α. § 84. n. 1. c. To α I answer that by the instances in the Canons c. produced before § 83. n. 1. and some of the expressions § 84. n. 3. the Church-Governours intention in requiring this Subscription seems to be Assent To β That as the Church of England requires submission to her Articles onely from her own Children or Subjects So doth the Council of Trent whose Subjects if it be a general one ‖ Or which see Consid on Coun of Trent § 15 c. is all Christianity if a Patriarchal ‖ Of which see Ib § 43. all the Western Churches and amongst the rest that of England To γ That as subscription to the Articles in the Church of England is only required from those who are to be initiated into holy Orders or admitted to Ecclesiastical Preferments so is Pius's oath to the Canons only exacted from those who enter into sacred Orders or Religions But as the Anathemaes in the Council of Trent extend to all persons so doth the Excommunication of the Church of England Can. 5. To δ That though these are not penned with a particular Anathema yet they are with a general Excommunication Can. 5. To ε That as not by them to their Articles so neither by the Church of Rome to her Canons is subscription required as to Articles of her Faith or Articles Fundamental if Faith or Fundamental be understood in such a sense as the Protestant quotations above explain them This hath been shewed § 85. n. 5 6. To ξ By this it is confessed that of the 39 Articles no more are Articles of the Church of England's Faith than those only wherein Rome doth agree with her and then if to the rest of her Articles no assent be exacted of any as is contended above § 84. one in all things believing and being of the same perswasion with the Church of Rome is freely admitted into the Church of Englands Communion nay may without violation of her constitutions lawfully enter into her holy Orders and Ecclesiastical preferments and there remain without any engagement to defend the Church of England's Doctrine or teach and instruct the people against the Roman Errors To n That her Negative Articles involve Affirmatives and those too pretended divine Revelations see before § 85. n. 3. which are the objects of Faith and do bind so strictly on one side as the Roman Canons do on the other and supposing assent required to them do admit as little latitude of opinion and at Luther's appearance the matter of these Roman Canons being in possession as to the common belief and practice of the Church these Negatives of them of the two will prove the Innovations Lastly In what sense Protestants say these Negatives are no Articles of their Faith i. e. faith necessary ratione medii to salvation in the same sense the Roman Church saith neither are her Positives that contradict them To θ Of the many Canons in the Council of Trent made in opposition to them Luthers many errors and innovations of Doctrine which were daily collected and brought into the Council were the cause And as to the main Points that are in debate between the Church of Rome and of England the Negatives in the English Articles equal the Affirmatives in the Canons of Trent To χ Whether assent to the Articles be required in subscription or only non contradiction as to any uniform accord in their later Writers I see nothing clear and the later seems more agreeable with their Principles but in the former instances out of some Canons c. assent seems as strictly required in this Church and that upon Excommunication as in the Roman upon Anathemaes and the Act of Parliament Elisabeth 13. recited before § 83. n. 1. an Act passed not only by the Lords Temporal but Spiritual i. e. the Governours of this Church is most express for it Review it ‖ § 83. n 1. To λ § 85. n. 9. It is true also in the Roman Church that thought is free and Ecclesia non judicat de occultis or peccatis merè internis i. e. no way discovered but true also that the Ecclesiastical Magistrate may lawfully inquire into mens thoughts and beliefs and question a person herein for this is done in Baptism and that not only words are punishable as faults by this Magistrate but thoughts if any one shall reveal that he thinks so i. e. thoughts when they are any way discovered as any one upon examination manifesting any blasphemous thoughts or tenents of his may be lawfully excommunicated and in such a case is excommunicated not for the revealing them in word but for the holding them so who defignes a treason and afterward reveals it is justly punished not for the revealing but designing thereof and this the Church of Rome doth and if the Church of England extend not her Inquisition or censures thus far especially as to those persons she admits into the Clergy she may expect a Babel of Religions and dissenting judgements in points of greatest consequence under the mask of one external Communion To μ §. 85. n. 10. Only a conditional Assent required seems to signifie little for establishing unity of Faith or consent in Religion which tyes none so but that of two Subscribers one may absolutely assent another dissent the same person assent to day dissent to morrow And a Socinian confident of his opinion as freely subscribe as any other of the Reformed a Presbyterian
Church or in such representation to be infallible But 2ly Neither can it be made evident that the universal Church de facto hath either by a formal act or by a tacit consent devolved either its infallibility or its whole power and authority on or given any commission to any General Council to appear in behalf of the universal Church which Commission must precede the being of such a Council and also is necessary not only to the first but toties quoties to every General Council but that the universal Church did ever agree in any such act is utterly impossible to be demonstrated either that it was or could be 3ly Neither suppose it had such a delegation yet can this representative upon this lay title to our Lords or to any divine institution of which there cannot be produced one tittle from Scripture of Christs conveying over the Churches power to it or any particular order from the Apostles concerning it but only to the Church's i. e. humane institution And if we enquire thus instituted what authority it hath The utmost saith Mr. Stillingfleet ‖ p. 510. that can be supposed is this That the parts of the Church i. e. such parts whom by their delegation and chusing of them the persons in the Council represent may voluntarily consent to accept of the decrees of such a Council and by that voluntary act or by the supreme authority enjoyning it such decrees may become obligatory Thus he And thus I think the authority of General Councils is sufficiently pared 1 Their authority only delegative from that Body which yet they pretend to bind by their acts 2. None of them a representative of the whole which neither hath nor can make any such representative 3. Commissioned by some parts of the Church only 4. The promises of divine assistance as to infallibility not made to them if any made but only to the whole diffusive Body of the Church Catholick from whose laws let us but take away Councils Protestants are secure enough 5. Nor possible by the Church diffusive to be made over or assigned to them 6. These not of our Lords nor Apostolical but only humane institution 7. Obligatory only to those parts of the Church who voluntarily consent to accept of their Decrees One would suspect that General Councils have been no great friends to Protestantism when they put in so many bars to keep out their Decrees from annoying the Reformation Men seldom vilifie an Authority that favours them § 92 To this I answer 1st That the Church Governours whenever assembled in Council do act by the self same authority received from our Lord and from their Divine Institution by which they act singly in their several charges and that all the rest of the Church Catholick are their subjects obliged in all duty to them as much when con-as dis-joyned For as Dr. Hammond answers the Catholick Gentleman ‖ p. 27 28. in clearing of himself that his mentioning of Schism against Bishops Metropolitans and Primats involved also Schism against the Councils compounded of all these It is evident that this Power which severally belongs to these Bishops is united in that of the Councils compounded of them and so the despising of that the power of such Councils is an offense under the first sort of Schism and a breach of the subordination to all the rancks of our Ecclesiastical Superiours What authority then and whence they had it singly they have united Neither is this their authority either in their several Provinces or in their Synods delegative save from Christ and his Apostles § 63 2. Next That they are not pretended to have their infallibility in necessaries by any assignment from the Church diffusive but that they have it immediately from the divine promises made principally and primarily to them to whom is committed the feeding of our Lords sheep for ever and the guiding them in the right way of which see Disc 1. § 7.14 and that the Church diffusive is therefore unerring for ever in necessaries because these Guides are so and the reason why the gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church the building is because in the chief place they shall not prevail against these Pastors and Teachers the Rocks and Foundations whereon it is built And if such promise made primarily to them then surely made to them in this their most comprehensive capacity when all joyned together If at any time the Church in the Acts ‖ cap. 15 28. might use the stile Visum est Spiritui sancto nobis then in their general assembly and when they were collecti in unum ‖ ver 25. every smaller meeting of them or also every single person seeming muchless capable thereof and if this inerrability necessary to them in any manner at all most necessary in these highest Courts to which ultimately all others do appeal and whose Laws all are bound to obey See before § 8. § 94 3ly As to the convening and composure of this conjunct Judicature of the Clergy I answer 1st That these Church Governours are by our Lord's and Apostolical constitution placed in a due subordination one to another †See Disc 2. §. 23 24. and several Superiours indued with power to assemble them in greater or lesser Bodies as the business requires and times permit these Superiors being sometimes assisted herein by the secular powers as in the times after Constantine yet sometimes also without them as in the ages preceding Constantine the Diocesan Synod being convened by the Bishop Provincial or National by the Metropolitan or Primat and General by the Prime Patriarch and Bishop of the chief Apostolick See For why not an Ecclesiastical person have the right of calling a General Council as well as the Metropolitan of a Provincial Synod the Primat of a National and as Dr. Field ascends higher the Patriarch of a Patriarchal ' For it is evident saith he †p. 668. p. 518. that there is a power in Bishops Metropolitans Primates and Patriarchs to call Episcopal Provincial National and Patriarchal Synods yet the last of which consisteth of the Bishops living under the temporal Government of several Princes and that neither so depending of and subject to the power of Princes but that when they are enemies to the faith I add by the same reason or enemies to the Orthodox faith they may exercise the same without their consent or privity and may subject them that refuse to obey their summons to such punishments as the Canons of the Church do prescribe in cases of such contempt or wilful negligence Thus he 2. Next That these conjunct Proceedings and Judicature of the Church-Guides in greater causes do appear also to be sufficienly allowed and authorized by our Lord and his Apostles both * from those Texts which mention and refer to a conjunct authority as from Mat. 18.17 tell the Church which signifies a presence of more than one of those who were to
argumentations alwayes made by them concerning such particular Conclusion so neither do they collect it from any such inspiration which they sensibly pâ—rreive nor from any express testimony that the Spirit gives to such its operation as the Apostles did but only in general from the Divine Promise that in all such Conclusions they shall not miscarry § 111 3ly The Church's infallibility differs from the Apostolical in that it is an inspiration or revelation if you will not of any new Doctrine but of such as was in its principles at least formerly revealed and delivered by Christ or his Apostles and therefore the knowledge thereof if at any time it was not might be attained by deduction from those Principles without any new inspiration and is actually had in the Church still either from such true Principle or by Tradition of the Conclusion it self And to end this question let them who ask it consider in what manner the Church Catholick diffusive is for ever preserved infallible in necessaries a thing they affirm without its equalling infallibility Apostolical And I answer her General Councils are so too To the other part of the Query I answer In what sort their infallibility equals not the Apostles so neither that of their decrees that of Scripture § 112 13. Again Q. 13. it is asked †Dr. Pierce Answ to Cressy p. 9. How many persons or Guides all fallible can make up one infallible any more than many Planets one Sun or many acts of finite knowledge one truly infinite I answer 1st with another question How the whole diffusive Body of the Church consisting of many members all fallible or failable in necessaries yet is affirmed by Protestants that it shall be for ever infallible or unfailable in necessaries 2ly Infallible being understood as it is meant i. e. for the Church actually never erring at such time in such a meeting and treating on such matters the question is no more than this How several persons erring in one thing may be non-erring in any or in another thing Or how the same persons when met together and divinely assisted in the matters they consult about do not or shall not err when the same persons in the same things at some other time when not consulting together and having no certain divine assistance promised to them may and ordinarily do err And it is answered that this is effected by the good pleasure of God divinely assisting and preserving them in such meeting in such matters from error It is also urged †Dr. Pierce Ib. p. 11. That Councils indeed may actually not err as single persons also may not yet that hence none can rightly stile Councils infallible or unerrable and that there is a great difference between the Participle suppose non fallens or non falsus and the Adjective in bilis non fallibilis I answer whatever difference there be between Participles and Adjectives no more is here meant by the second that by the first only with a semper added to it viz. Ecclesia infallibilis i. e. semper non falsa if I may use this word in errabilis i e. semper non errans or de facto nunquam errans Now though particular members of the Church are also unerring in several things yet not alwayes and though this that God may preserve single persons unerring alwayes is true yet that he doth so is denied of them but affirmed of the Church or lawful General Council as to all necessaries Is it not strange that grave Divines rather than be found without a reply should raise mâ—sts and make great difficulties and fall on vindicating the divine Attributes in such a matter as this intelligible to children who one day must give account hereof § 113 After all these objections and difficulties made concerning the infallibility or not erring of lawful General Councils Next supposing that all such are as to all necessary faith an infallible Guide and all the former difficulties concerning this point clearly removed yet a new roll of objections and interrogations is brought in against our discerning or knowing certainly what or how many of past Councils have been lawfully General 14. Next then it is urged That Q. 14. lawful General Councils only being pretended infallible Any § 114 to be certain of any particular Councâ—l it s not erring and so to yeild his assent to its decrees as such must know first whether it is a lawful General Council And for this again must know who are justly the constitutive members of such a body * whether Bishops only or also Presbyters or also the Laity as Act. 15.22 23. the Brethren also are admitted * whether the votes therein ought to be numbred according to the persons or rather to the several Churches and Nations the greater Churches having many times in the Synod the fewer representatives and so the fewer personal votes * whether the Bishops sitting therein were lawful Bishops and in order to this whether 1st truly Priests and truly baptized and whether that some of these Sacraments had no miscarriage for want of the Priests due intention in administring them * whether a sufficient number of Bishops residing in it and those equally from all parts so to make it a full and entire representative of the Church Catholick and * whether the Pope's summons be sufficient thereto though this question seems needlesly asked for all those Councils in the convening of which both the Pope Christian Princes have concurred * 1. whether the Bishops appearing in Council were sufficiently commissioned from those Churches they pretend to represent and 2. * whether sufficiently instructed as to the points to be decided concerning the fence therein of the absent Bishops first declared in their Provincial or other Synods or meetings and 3. * whether those in the Council did truly speak and render this their fence * whether being lawfully assembled they have also lawfully proceeded * whether they came to the Council without prejudice and sought nothing but the truth otherwise they are not gathered together in Christ's name and then neither is he in the midst of them whether a faction or some few more powerful have not out-witted or over-awed the rest and * whether some not corrupted or bribed to give their vote against conscience * whether being lawfully assembled and lawfully proceeding they made indeed such decrees as are pretended theirs * what of these decrees are de fide what not * whether these decrees have that meaning really which the peruser of them apprehends for Scriptures in deciding of Controversies being doubtful and liable to wrong interpretations why may not the decrees of Councils be so too †Stillingf p. 512. Nay much more for we have many other places to compare the help of original tongues and the help of the primitive Church to understand Scripture by when the decrees of Councils are many times purposely framed in general termes and with ambiguous expressions to give satisfaction
short Collect and the service of one single day Next for a more worthy preparation to the receit of those Graces which our Lord in the foresaid mysteries hath procured for us * Her assigning another part of this year for a time of Humiliation and Confession as the holy time of Advent and of Lent fitted with a constant service suitable to the Exercise in those times of a godly sorrow and Contrition Those of her Sons who are lovers of piety thus spending some part of this Ecclesiastical year in a spiritual joy Hymns Prayers and Thanksgivings another in Litanies Fastings Tears and sundry penitential devotions * Her receiving several Books of Scripture as Canonical and Divine and so requiring of all her Sons a suitable observance and obedience thereto which others degrade extenuate and reject And whilst they pretend the holy Bible their only Rule of Faith yet are the persons also who most abridge it * Her studying likewise all the wayes how to preserve these Divine Oracles in a most sacred reverence and esteem and unviolated by the private and undigested interpretations and glosses of the vulgar and unlearned the true sence of which together with the letter she takes care that they should receive from the mouths of their spiritual Pastors and Teachers so to keep the most infirm steady in an Orthodox faith * Her entertaining also vindicating several writings of the Fathers as Genuine and Councils as obligatory whereby the doctrine both of Christian Faith and manners is much fortified and promoted of which writings and decrees others whilst they question the Authority lose the Benefit * Her many external expressions of honour and reverence to all things which any way more nearly relate to God and his Saints partly to elevate her devotions to them partly to excite the memory and imitation of them whilst others not knowing these natural effects of this divine love stile such her affection superstition * The holy Example shining before others of many of both sexes within her Communion treading under their feet all secular pleasures contents and ambitions and shewing the highest precepts and Councils of this Church practiceable especially those examples of several Religious Orders living under various Rules of a singular devotion fitted for all sorts and conditions and drawn up by persons endued with a divine prudence joyned with a long experience By whose eminent sanctity conspicuous to all is sufficiently removed any prejudice to the holy doctrine and discipline of this Church raised from the vicious lives of some others the undutiful Sons of a most pious Mother If then I say all these advantages of attaining salvation and of increase of grace are found to be in such a singular manner promoted in this Church as not in any other so that as she only pretends to be the infallible Guide so she only seems worthy to be so let him consider what precious helps he loseth in not rendring himself perhaps for some trifling secular respects in all things her obedient Disciple And in the midst of such resigned thoughts may the good Lord the only Teacher of hearts so open his that amongst the many paths by several Sects with equal zeal proposed he may make an happy choice of that which may most surely conduct him to eternal happiness and be most acceptable to the Divine Majesty To whose Patronage and Benediction the Author humbly commits these his labours well considering That none can do any thing against the Truth but for the Truth †2 Cor. 13.8 And That whatever Council or work is not of God shall come to naught * Act. 5.38 That an Woe is to all those that call good evil and evil good †Esay 5.20 And He accursed that makes the blind to wander out of the way * Deut. 27.18 and therefore assureth his pious Reader that he would not wittingly take this paines only to inherit to himself the malediction due to a Seducer and to become answerable to God for the loss of his Soul or for any other end save that of advancing God's glory in his eternal Felicity And if any shall hereafter designe a confutation of these Discourses he also is desired first to take into his thoughts the same Meditations least perhaps learning or wit or some secular interest should prevail with him either to write those things to perswade others which do not perswade himself or to believe and perswade himself those things which oppose an apparent Truth if he were divested of some inordinate passions and prejudices clouding his judgment For we may presume from such an heavy curse laid on false Guides that though an utterly irresistible evidence of Truth in Divine matters must not be expected which would lessen the merit of our Faith yet so sufficient a manifestation thereof is left us by our good Lord as will render the learned when opposing it unexcused To Him the Fountain of all Truth and faithful Protector of his Church be all Honour and Glory for ever Amen CHAP. XI A supplement to the fourth Chapt. 26. § precedent Wherein is shewed a consent of the Doctrine and Practice of the moldern Eastern Churches with the Occidental in the chief Points of present Controversie 1. Transubstantiation § 158. n. 2. 177. 2. Adoration of the Eucharist § 159 177. 3. Sacrifice of the Mass § 160. n. 1. 177. 4. Invocation of Saints § 161. 5. Prayer for the souls of the departed as betterable hereby in their present condition § 162. 6. Communion in one kind or intinct only § 163 178. 7. A relative veneration of Images or Pictures Ibid. 8. Monastick Vows and marrying denyed the Clergy after their having taken Holy Orders § 164. 179. n. 1. 9. Auricular or Sacramental Confession § 165 179. n. 2. The Replyes made hereto by Protestants considered § 182. c. IT is affirmed above §. 158. n. 1. Cap. 4. § 26. that the great points of modern Controversie 1. Transubstantiation or a substantial Conversion of the Elements into Christs Body a 2. Adoration of the Eueharist i. e. of Christ's body and blood as present in it which follows from the former b 3. The Sacrifice of the Mass not only that of Prayers Praise and Thanksgiving nor only of the Mysteries offered in the consecration of them as a commemoration of the passion conceded also by learned Protestants but also of the very Body and Blood of Christ in these Mysteries which follows from the first point offered in this service as a commemorative and applicative of the virtue and merit of the same Body and Blood offered on the Cross pro vivis defunctis c 4. Invocation of the Blessed Virgin and Saints d And 5. Such prayer for the dead as infers their present condition before the day of Judgment whatever their restraint or sufferings be conceived betterable by the Intercessions of the living e Do clearly appear to have been universally held and practised and the approbation
recuperemus And Agni Dei praecones velut oves mactari sancti Martyres huic assidue exposcite simulque nobis debitorum remissionem donari In the Office in time of pestilence Goar p. 793 795 Vehementibus continuis doloribus perculsi tibi virgo cuncti procidimus potenti tuâ protectione cunctos salva O pura miserere Dei sponsa ab hae pernicie morbo gravi nos praeserva infirmit atibus medere O Domina And A grassantis morbi angustiis Apostoli Jesum Dominum servatorem deprecantes nos educite Martyrum turmae sacri Doctores c. aegrotorum dolores vestris intercessionibus mitigate salutem conferte Some of these too in as high expressions you see as those found in the Roman Church But if we will permit which is all reason those who use such words to expound their meaning they understand only by them the Blessed Virgin Saint's procuring of God by their intercessions those favours and mercies which they ask of them †See Bell. de sanct Beat. l. 1. c. 17. nor are they apprehended to preserve of save people any otherwise than S. Paul did 1 Cor. 9.22 See Jeremy the Constantinopolitan Patriarch in his first answer to the Lutheran Divines †p. 128. Ad Dominam nostram ad sanctos exclamamus Persancta Domina Deipara pro nobis intercede peccatoribus Omnes sancti Angeli Apostoli c. foeminarum sanctarum caetus orate pro nobis That Exposition therefore of this Patriarch which some †See Mr. Stillingf p. 502. make use of to perswade the credulous as if the Graecian in the Doctrine of invocation differed from the Roman Church ‖ Hierem. p. 127. i. e. Invocatio quae ad Sanctos fit non propriè Invocatio fit sed per accidens si◠dicendo per gratiam Non enim Petrus aut Paulus i. e. virtue naturali exaudiunt invocatores suos sed illa gratia quam habent secundum illud quod Dominus dixit Ero vobiscum usque ad consummationem is not thus to be understood that none of these Saints hear or at least by some other way know mens prayers though as Cardinal Bellarmine observes †De sanctorum beatitudine l. 1. c. 20 neither thus could Saint invocation be vain if others at the least for them heard and granted their supplicants requests for the same Patriarch's saying afterward p. 243. that it may be many wayes shewed that the Saints invocated do help and relieve doth presuppose also that they know mens necessities and therefore the Lutheran Divines in their Reply endeavour to prove this against him among other things that Saints hear not mens prayers But he meaneth only that they hear them not suis viribus naturalibus but per supernaturalem gratiam Dei as he explains himself also in his second answer p. 245. Sanctos multum posse cum per gratiam sint Dii inquit enim Psalmorum author Deus stetit in Synagogâ deorum dignitates scilicet distribuens ut interpretatur divus Gregorius And In sua vitâ plenos fuisse Spiritus sancti atque post funera ipsorum ejusdem Spiritus gratiam non excessisse ex ipsis § 162 e Concerning the fifth The Prayers of the Greek Church for the deceased are not only made for remission of sin at the day of judgment a happy resurrection at that time glory life eternal in the Kingdom of Heaven c. for the person of the defunct but also for present remission rest light peace refreshment cum spiritibus justorum consummatis in sinu Abrahae in Paradiso in loco refrigerii lucis unde dolor aerumna suspiriuiu exulant c. for the souls of the defunct viz. of such defunct to use the Patriarch's expression †Hieremiae Patri primum Resp c. 21. Qui inter paenitendum preventi morte fuere nondum autem peccatorum maculas eluere potuerunt for rest and refreshment for them in sinu Abrahae c. i. e. in the present celestial region of happy souls imagined inferior to that they shall inhabit after the day of Judgement So in the modern Greek Mass it is said Offerimus tibi c. pro requie remissione animae servi tui N. in loco lucido à quo abest dolor gemitus And Fac eam quiescere ubi circumspectat lumen vultus tui And in their Officium exequiarum apud Goar p. 525. Cum spiritibus justis consummatis animae servi tui salvator da requiem in vitam aeternam quae à te est custodi illam benigne In quietis loco quo sancti tui cuncti resident animam servi tui compone Domine quia tu solus es clemens Tu Deus es qui in infernum descendisti compeditorum aerumnas solvisti ipse animae servi tui da requiem § 163 Next As these Five Points were universally held and practised at the coming of Luther so it may seem as clear to any moderate Protestant that the forenamed Points together with four more added to them viz. 1. Communion in one kind 2. Veneration of sacred Images and Pictures 3. Monastick vows and Celibacy of the Clergy And 4 Auricular or Sacramental Confession of all mortal sin and the injunction of due pennances for them are the main points in the Roman Church that are thought to give just offence and to have necessitated a Reformation But in these four last also it may easily be shewed that the Roman Church stands not alone but that these points also are and were at the appearance of Luther the common practice of the Eastern Churches in such a manner as Protestants disallow and oppose 1st For Communion in one kind The modern Greeks also are known to communicate the Ecclesiasticks and the Laicks after a several manner for they give the Clergy the Symbol of Christ's Body into their hands after which in their order they suck the Blood of our Lord out of the Chalice standing on the Altar with a pipe but they communicate the people only with the Symbole of Christ's Body intinct in that of his blood taken out of the Chalice with a little spoon and so put into their mouths Not eating therefore the Body and drinking the blood of our Lord apart as Protestants contend our Lord not only instituted but commanded it This former way of communicating the people in both kinds having been changed in both Churches upon the same ground namely the many abuses and irreverences which have happened in giving the consecrated bread into their hands and allowing so many Communicants of all ages and conditions to drink out of the Chalice Lastly they communicate the Sick only with the Symbol of Christ's Body consecrated on Maunday Thursday for all the year following and then on that day be sprinkled with the Symbol of his blood and softned again for the sick with common wine at the time when they administer it †See
their more moderate Doctors In which tenents if the Greek Churches may be saâ—d to agree with the Protestant so also may these Doctors in the Roman Concerning some of which I will set you down the late candid concession of Mr. Baxter no great friend of the Church of Rome in his Key for Catholicks part 1. c. 5. I am satified saith he that in many dâ—ctrinal points the difference between us and the Papists is not so great as commonly it is taken to be by many if not by most on both sides as in the points of certainty of salvation of pardon of justification of works of faith and in almost all the Cont oversies about Predestination and Redemption Free will the work of Grace c. The Dominicans in sense agree wiâ—h the Calvinists as they call them and the Jesuits with the Lutherans and Arminians and so in divers other points How near doth Dr. Holden come to us in the fundamental points of the Resolution of our faith How near come the Scotists to us in sense about thâ— point of merit And Waâ—densis and others yet nearer How near comes Contarenus to us in the point of Justification How near comes Gâ—rson in the point of venial and mortal sinâ— perhaps 〈◊〉 near â—us we are to our selves How near come the Dominicans and Jâ—nseâ— us 〈◊〉 us in the points of Predestination Grace and Freewill For my own part I scarce know a Protestant that my thoughts in these do more concur with than they do with Jansenius Thus Baxter concerning some of the Roman Doctors yet who own the Council of Trent agreeing with Protestants in those points wherein Sandys and Field suppose the main difference to be between the Reformed and the Roman Churches § 169 To this of Sandys may be added the latter collection made by Alexander Ross †View of Relig p. 476 480. out of Boterus Chytraeus Brerewood Possevine Thomas a Jesu Hieremias Patriarch Chapl. Resp ad German Concil Florent The Greeks saith he place much of their devotion in the worship of the blessed Virgin Mary and of painted but not carved Images in the intercession prayers help and merits of the Saints which they invocate in their temples The Scarifice of the Mass is used for the quick and the dead and they use to buy Masses They do not hold a Purgatory fire yet they believe there is a third place between that of the Blessed and the damned where they remain who have deferred repentance till the end of their life But if this place be not Purgatory I know not what it is saith he nor what the souls do there Priests among them may marry once but not oftner but p. 496. he faith that Protestants herein differ from the Greek Church that the Protestants permit Priests after Ordination to marry But the Greeks permit not this but only that a married man may be admitted into Holy Orders so he abstain from his wife when he officiates They use leavened bread in the Sacrament and administer in both kinds § 170 But note that what he saith of the Moscovian p. 485. is also true of the Greek Church that they give to the people at once both the Body and Blood of our Lord mingled in the Chalice with a spoon and so to the sick only the Symbol of the bread consecrated on Maunday Thursday for all the year following and then on that day besprinkled with the other Symbol of the wine and softned again for the sick with common wine when they administer it as hath been already said § 163. See Goars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 153. which receiving both species together in a spoon as it is testified by many Travellors who have been spectators thereof so it may be collected out of S. Chrysostom's Liturgy as it is now used by the modern Greeks where before communicating the people it is said Tunc accipiens Diaconus sanctum Discum super sanctum calicem sanctâ spongiâ diligenter abstergit so putting the particle of the Symbol of the bread into the Chalice adorans semel where also observe adoration sumit sanctum Calicem cum veneratione procedit ad ostium attollens sanctum Calicem ostendit illum populo dicens cum timore Dei fide accedite and so with a little spoon called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you may see described in Goars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rituale Graecurum p. 152. takes out a very small particle thereof and puts it into the mouth of the Communicant § 171 He goes on They have four Lents in the year They will not have neither the blessed souls in heaven to enjoy Gods presence or the wicked in hell to be tormented till the day of Judgement They esteem equal with the Scriptures the acts of the seven Greek Synods and the writings of Basil Chrysostom Damascen and their Traditions They believe that the souls of the dead are bettered by the prayers of the living They are no less for the Churches authority and for Traditions than the Roman Catholicks be When the Sacrament is carried through the Temple the people by bowing themselves adore it and falling on their knees kiss the earth They have their Monks who are all of S. Basil's Order these have their Archimandrites or abbots The Patriarch Metropolitans Bishops are of this Order and abstain from flesh but in Lent and other fasting dayes they forbear fish milk and eggs The Greeks celebrate their Liturgies in the old Greek tongue which they scarce understand On the Festival dayes they use the Liturgy of Basil on other dayes that of S. Chrysostom They have no other translation of the Bible than that of the 70. Lastly For auricular or Sacramental Confession to the Priest though he omits it in the Greek yet he †p. 485. mentions it as used in the Russian Churches which follows herein the practice of the Greek Meanwhile their chief differences from the Church of Rome he makes to be these Their denying the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son their denying the Pope's Supremacy their not using either Confirmation or extreme Unction But in the first of these they differ not more from the Roman than from the Protestant Churches In the second not so much from the Roman as do the Protestant Churches of which see below § 181 186. As for the two last Alexander Ross might have found in one of the chief Authors Jeremiah the C. P. Patriarch †Resp 1. c. 7 both these Sacraments to be acknowledged by and used in the Greek as well as Latine Church Confirmation being conferred by them alwayes immediately after Baptism Ad quod illud dicimus saith he in eâ ipsâ orthodoxâ Catholicâ Ecclesiâ septem divina Sacramenta esse 1 Baptismum sci 2 Sacri unguenti Vnctionem or as he stiles it afterward sacrum Chrysma sive Confirmationem 3 Sacram Communionem 4 Ordinem 5 Matrimonium 6
Poenitentiam Et 7 Extremae Vctionis oleum Of which see below § 181. Resp ad 9. sect 172 For these many differences of the Greek as well as the Roman from the Reformed Churches it is that Mason being to prove a case of necessity for the ordaining of Protestant Ministers beyond Seas only by Presbyters in § 23. on that subject argues thus These Ministers could not receive Ordination from the Popish Churches because of the abomination of their sacrificing Priesthood and because these would ordain none but in a Popish manner to a Popish Priesthood c. And neither saith he by the same reason could they obtain Ordination from the Greek Church For Bellarmine denyeth it to be a Church because they were lawfully convicted in three full Councils of Heresie and especially of the Heresie about the proceeding of the holy Ghost which to be a manifest Heresie saith Bellarmine both the Lutherans and the Calvinists do confess Wherefore seeing no Church as Mason goeth on will give Orders but only to such persons as approve their doctrine therefore they could not with a safe conscience seek to the Greek Church whose doctrine they justly misliked And being thus excluded from the Greek and the Latine from the East and the West no Bishops being as yet turned Protestants to ordain what shouâ—d be done It was the duty of the Magistrates not to suffer false Prophâ—ts and to plant godly Preachers in their plaâ—es But whence shouâ—d tâ—â—y have them the Bishops were so faâ— fâ—om yielding Ordinaâ—â—o◠〈…〉 tolerable manner that they persecuted such as sought thâ—◠〈…〉 Wherefore it must either be devolved unto Presbyters 〈…〉 â—ad already dâ—sâ—rted eur former Church-Commuâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the Church of God must suffer most laâ—entable ruine and desolation 〈◊〉 Anâ— was not this a case of necessâ—ty thus Mason well â—eeing the Reâ—ormation as much destitute of any relief or countenance from the Greek Church as from the Roman § 173 And now by the two Relations of Sands and Ross both Protestants we may see how much truth the assertion of Cardinal Perron in his Reply to King James Observation 3. c. 22 hath in it who there undertakes to make good That these doctrines or customs are common to the Western Church with the Oriental and Meridional upon which Doctrines therefore the Pope's Supremacy may be gathered to have had no influence Namely Transubstantiation of bread into the Body of Christ Adoration of the Eucharist Oblation of the Sacrifice of the Mass as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the living and the dead Prayer to Saints Veneration of Reliques and Images prayer for the dead Confession Sacramental and Auricular Lent Vows Celibacy of Religious Interdiction of Priests to marry after having taken Orders Seven Sacraments using in Divine Service the original Tongue not understood by the vulgar The same doctrine of Freewil and Justification § 174 To Perron add Grotius his judgement in the Preface to his Votum pro pace where giving account of the success of his former Studies he saith Ii qui secesserant the reformed ut factum suum tuerentur asserebant validè doctrinam Ecclesiae ejus quae cum sede principe cohaeserat esse corruptam per multas haeraeses idololatriam Id mihi causas dedit inquirendi in dogmata ejus Ecclesiae legendi libros utrinque scriptos legendi eriam quae scripta crant de praelenti statu ac doctrinâ Ecclesiae ejus quae est in Graeciâ earum quae per Asiam Aegyptum ei cohaeserunt Inveni in Oriente eadem esse dogmata quae essent in Occidenti Conciliis Vniversalibus definita de Regiminee Ecclesiae exceptis cum Papâ Controversiis i.e. about his authority de Sacramentorum perpetuis Ritibus sententias consonantes Therefore the Pope easily indulged the Russian Greek Churches who are subject to the King of Poland when they reconciled themselves to the Roman Church and submitted to his Supremacy to continue all their former Grecian Rites and Ceremonies and the same he permitteth also to the Greek Church in Rome § 175 This of the modern Greek Church which now hath two Patriarchs undependent of one another one residing at Constantinople and another at Hierusalem to which later the Greeks in and about Palestine do adhere Now with the Greek Church are joyned in Religion and Communion * the Russian Churches excepting those under the King of Poland joyned to the Roman * the Inhabitants of Georgia or Iberia and * the Melchites of Syria called so by other Sectaries because they adhere to the Council of Chalcedon i. e. as the other reported it to the Imperial Faction To whom also I may join the Maronites conforming in their Liturgy and most of the Ceremonies of their Religion to the Greek Church but in their Communion now joyned to the Roman Of these the Maronites Georgians have two independent Patriarchs of their own set up without any conciliar authority acting therein the one residing in a Monastery in Mount Sinai the other in a Monastery in Mount Libanus The Metropolitan of the Russians also hath of late cast off his subjection to the Patriarch of Constantinople and stands absolute Only the Melchites of Syria continue their subjection still to the Patriarch of Antioch translated to Damascus Antioch now ruined Now if inquiry be made after the judgment or practice in the points forementioned of the other Churches or Sects §. 176. n 1. in the Eastern parts of the world 1. Here 1st If we should admit some variation or disparity of all these Churches from the rest as to several of these points yet cannot these reasonably be put in the scale to counterballance the Greek and Latine Church shewed already to be united therein Especially since these I mean the remotest Eastern and Southern Churches and chiefly those comprehended within the Patriarchate of Alexandria with which also the Ethiopian or Abyssin Church hath alwayes run the same course being a constant adherent to it were the first part of Christianity that was over-born with the Power of Mahomet that great false Prophet and open opposer of our Lord Christ and his Kingdom and so the first wherein the Christian Doctrine and discipline learning and good manners were oppressed relaxed and corrupted these miserable Churches falling under the Mahometan bondage in the seventh Century suffering first the Arabian or Sarazen and then the Scythian or Turkish tyranny whereas the Greek meanwhile was respited from it till about the 14th Against these Churches also there want not some other prejudices both for that several of them have causlesly departed from the obedience of their former Patriarchs and have set up new ones in their stead And yet more for that they have made a recession also from the former allowed General Councils some of them by maintaining Nestorianism and others Eutychianism contrary to them and as the Greek Church stands divided from the Roman in the procession of the holy Ghost so these again from the
in that most reverend Council of Nice upon pretence that you have not had a convincing Proposal that this Definition was therein made according to Gods Word or the Scriptures yet how will you clear your self or your Socinian Congregations of Schism avoidable upon no plea of adherence to Scripture if it shall appear that you have for this opinion deserted the Communion of the Catholick Church out of which Church is no Salvation Soc. †Dr. Potter p. 75. I grant there neither is nor can be any just cause to depart from the Church of Christ no more than from Christ himself therefore I utterly deny that our Churches have made any separation from the Church Catholick at all and this for many reasons For 1st †Chillingw p. 274. We have not forsaken the whole Church or the external Communion of it but only that part of it which is corrupted and still will be so and have not forsaken but onely reformed another part of it which part we our selves are and I suppose you will not go about to perswade us that we have forsaken our selves or our own Communion And if you urge that we joined our selves to no other part therefore we separated from the whole I say it follows not in as much as our selves were a part of it and still continued so and therefore can no more separate from the whole than from our selves Prot. So then it seemes wee need fear no Schism from the Church Catholick tilla part can divide from it self which can never be § 29 Soc. Next As for our separating from all other particular Churches the ground of our Separation being an error which hath crept into the Communion of these Churches and which is unjustly imposed upon us in order to this Communion we conceive in this case if any They not We are the Schismaticks for as the Arch. Bp. †Lawd p. 142. The Schism is theirs whose the cause of it is and he makes the separation who gives the first just cause of it not he that makes an actual separation upon a just cause preceding § 30 Again Though we have made an actual Separation from them as to the not-conforming to or also as to the reforming of an error yet 1st As to Charity we do still retain with the same Churches our former Communion †Dr. Ferne Division of Churches p. 105. and 31 32. Not dividing from them through the breach of Charity Or condemning all other Churches as no parts of the Catholick Church and drawing the Communion wholy to our selves as did those famous Schismaticks the Donatists § 31 Next as to matter of Faith We hold that all separation from all particular Churches in such a thing wherein the unity of the Catholick Church doth not consist is no separation from the whole Church nor any more than our suspension from the Communion of particular Churches till such their error is reformed For as Mr. Stillingf †p. 331. There can be no separation from the whole Church but in such things wherein the unity of the whole Church lies Whos 's therefore separates from any particular Church as to things not concerning their being is onely separated from the Communion of that Church and not the Catholick Now that for which we have separated from other Churches we conceive not such as is essential or concernes the being of a Church so that without it we or they cannot still retaâ—n the essence thereof we declare also our readiness to joyn with them again if this error be corrected or at least not imposed And †Stilling Ib. as Mr. Stillingf faith Where there is this readiness of Communion there is no absolute separation from the Church as such but onely suspending Communion till such abuses be reformed or not prâ—ssed upon us And as Bp. Bramhall †Vindic. of the Church of England p. 9. When one part of the universal Church separateth it self from another part not absolutely or in essentials but respectively in abuses and innovations not as it is a part of the universal Church but onely so far as it is corrupted and degenerated whether in doctrine or manners it doth still retain a Communion not onely with the Catholick Church and with all the Orthodox members of the Catholick Church but even with that corrupted Church from which it is separated except onely in such Corruptions § 32 Prot. Saving better Judgments methinks a separation if causeless from the Communion of all other Churches or from those who are our Superiours in a lesser matter than such a Fundamental or essential point of Christianity as destroyes the being of a Church should be Schism and the smaller the point for which we separate the greater the guilt of our separation Were not the Donatists Schismaticks in rejecting the Catholick Communion requiring their conformity in such a point in which St. Cyprian's error before the Churches definâ—ng thereof was very excusable and the Affrican Congregations in his time not un-churched thereby Soc. †Dr. Potter p. 76. But the Donatists did cut off from the Body of Christ and the hope of Salvation the Church from which they separated which is the property of Schismaticks And †Stillingf p. 359. Division of Churches p. 106. They were justly charged with Schism because they confined the Catholick Church within their own bounds But as Dr. Ferne saith †Had the Donatists only used their liberty and judgment in that practise of rebaptizing Hereticks leaving other Churches to their liberty and though thinking them in an error for admitting Hereticks without baptising them yet willing to have Communion with them as parts of the Catholick Church saving the practices wherein they differed then had they not been guilty of Schism In that which I hold I only follow my conscience condemn not the Churches holding otherwise On the other side †Chillingw p. 278. Christ hath forbid me under pain of damnation to profess what I believe not be it small or great and consequently under the same penalty hath obliged me to leave that Communion in which I cannot remain wothout the Hypocritical Profession of such a thing which I am convinced to be eroneous †Ib. 279. At least this I know that the Doctrine which I have chosen to me seemes true and the contrary which I have forsaken seemes false and therefore without remorse of conscience I may profess that but this I cannot and a separation for preserving my conscience I hope will never be judged causeless § 33 Prot. At this rate none will be a Schismatick but he who knowes he erreth i. e. not who holdeth but only who professeth an error or who knows that the point for the non-conformity to which required of him he deserts the Church is a Truth and the contrary which he maintaines an error But Dr. Hammond †Of Schism p. 23. 24. 25. tells you That he that doth communinate with those I suppose he means
true That the Church of England blindeth men to peace to her determinations reserving to men the liberty of their judgments on pain of excommunication if they violate that peace For it is plain on the one side where a Church pretends infallibility the excommunication is directed against the persons for refusing to give internal assent to what she defines But where a Church doth not pretend to that the excommunication respects wholly that overt Act whereby the Churches peace is broken And if a Church be bound to look to her own peace no doubt she hath power to excommunicate such as openly violate the bonds of it which is only an act of caution in a Church to preserve her selfe in unity but where it is given out that the Church is infallible the excommunication must be so much the more unreasonable because it is against those internal acts of the minde over which the Church as such hath no direct power And p. 55. he quotes these words out of Bp. Bramhall †Schism guarded p. 192. To the same sence We do not suffer any man to reject the 39. Articles of the Church of England at his pleasure yet neither do we look upon them as essentials of saving faith or legacies of Christ and his Apostles but in a mean as pious opinions fitted for the presâ—rvation of unity neither do we oblige any man to believe them but only not to contradict them By which we see what vast difference there is between those things which are required by the Church of England in order to peace and those which are imposed by the Church of Rome c. Lastly thus Mr. Chillingworth †p. 200. of the just authority of Councils and Synods beyond which the Protestant Synods or Convocations pretend not The Fathers of the Church saith he in after times i. e. after the Apostles might have just cause to declare their judgment touching the sence of some general Articles of the Creed but to oblige others to receive their declarations under pain of damnation what warrant they had I know not He that can shew either that the Church of all ages was to have this authority or that it continued in the Church for some ages and then expired He that can shew either of these things let him for my part I cannot Yet I willingly confess the judgment of a Council though not infallible is yet so far directive and obliging that without apparent reason to the contrary it may be sin to reject it at least not to afford it an outward submission for publick peace sake Thus much as the Protestant Synods seem contented with so I allow Again p. 375. He saith Any thing besides Scripture and the plain irrefragable indubitable consequences of it Well may Protestants hold it as matter of opinion but as matter of faith and religion neither can they with coherence to their own grounds believe it themselves nor require the belief of it of others without most high and most schismatical presumption Thus he now I suppose that either no Ptotestant Church or Synod will stile the Son 's coequall God-head with the Father a plain irrefragable indubitable Scripture or consequence thereof about which is and hath been so much contest or with as much reason they may call whatever points they please such however controverted and then what is said here signifies nothing § 36 Prot. Be not mistaken I pray especially concerning the Church of England For though she for several points imposed formerly by the tyranny of the Roman Church hath granted liberty of opinion or at least freed her subjects from obligation to believe so in them as the Church formerly required yet as to exclusion of your doctrin she professeth firmly to believe the 3. Creeds and concerning the additions made in the two latter Creeds to the first Dr. Hammond †Of Fundamentals p. 90. acknowledgeth That they being thus settled by the universal Church were and still are in all reason without disputing to be received and imbraced by the Protestant Church and every meek member thereof with that reverence that is due to Apostolick truthes with that thankfulness which is our meet tribute to those sacred Champions for their seasonable and provident propugning our faith with such timely and necessary application to practice that the Holy Ghost speaking to us now under the times of the New Testament by the Governors of the Christian Churches Christs mediate successors in the Prophetick Pastoral Episcopal Office as he had formerly spoken by the Prophets of the Old Testament sent immediately by him may finde a cheerfull audience and receive all uniform submission from us Thus Dr. Hammond of the Church of England's assent to the 3. Creeds She assenteth also to the definitions of the 4 first General Councils And the Act 1. Eliz. †cap. 1. declares Heresie that which hath been adjudged so by them now in the definitions of these first 4. General Counclls your tenent hath received a mortal wound †But lastly the 4th Canon in the English Synod held 1640. †Can. 4. particularly stiles Socinianism a most damnable and cursed Heresie and contrary to the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England and orders that any convicted of it be excommunicated and not absolved but upon his repentance and abjuration Now further than this namely excommunication upon conviction No other Church I suppose hath or can proceed against your Heresie It being received as a common axiom in the Canon Law that Ecclesia non judicat de occultis And cogitationis poenam nemo patitur And Ob peccatum mere internum Ecclesiastica censura ferri non potest And in all Churches every one of what internal perswasion soever continues externally at least a member thereof till the Churches censures do exclude him § 37 Soc. The Church of England alloweth assenteth to and teacheth what she judgeth evident in the Scripture for so she ought what she believes or assenteth to I look not after but what she enjoynes Now I yeeld all that obedience in this point that she requires from me and so I presume she will acknowledge me a dutiful Son Prot. what obedience when as you deny one of her chiefest and most fundamental doctrins Soc. If I mistake not her principles she requires of me no internal belief or assent to any of her doctrins but only 1st silence or non-contradiction †See Disc 3 § 84. n. 2. n. 4. or 2ly a conditional belief i. e. whenever I shall be convinced of the truth thereof Now in both these I most readily obey her For the 1st I have strictly observed it kept my opinion to my self unless this my discourse with you hath been a breach of it but then I was at least a dutiful subject of this Church at the beginning of our discourse and for the 2d whether actual conviction or sufficient proposal be made the condition of my assent or submission of