A Sober Inquiry Into the Reasonings of the Serious Inquiry, Part 2 · Chapter 2

A Sober Inquiry Into the Reasonings of the Serious Inquiry · Part 2 · Chapter 2

p. 152CHAP. II.

The Enquirers notion of Schism examined, and as Applyed to the sober Non-conformists, proved uncharitable, unjust and false.

SChism is an Ecclesiastical Culverine, which being overcharged, and ill managed, Recoyles, and hurts the Canoneer. He that undertakes to play this great Gun, had need be very Curious, and careful to spunge his Canon Well, lest it fire at home. Nothing has more naturally tempted the Imprudent to account nothing to be Schism, then that some hasty angry men have made every thing so.

That causeless separation from a particular Church of Christ, whereof we were once duly Members, is a sin of a deep dye, is owned by all that own the Gospel, and have any tender regard t… the prosperity of the Church, or propagation of the Truth, but yet we ought not to be so easily credulous, as to believe every departure to be that heinous thing, which passionate men, in hot blood, out of prejudice to the persons of others, or a necessity to secure and establish their own Acquists over m…ns Consciences, are resolved to call so.

It was not therefore lightly, but with great judgement, that the learned Hales calls it, one of those Theologi…al …, with which they who use to uphold a party in Religion▪ use to fright … … making any enquiry into it, are ready to Relinquish and oppo… it, if it appear either erroneous or suspicious.

St. Cyprian (it seems) affirms it to be of so hor…ble a G…, th… Martyrdom was not a sufficient Expiation of it. And upon the like occasion, he might have said as much of any other si…, for I have not learnt, that Martyrdom was design'd to expiate our si…, but to bear witness to Gods Truths: And the same Cyprian at another time will inform us, that Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis, & Deum metuens à peccatore praeposito separare se debet. A people fearing God, and Conscienciously obsequious to his Commands, (not only may, but) ought to separate it self from a scandalous and wicked Pastor. And therefore we may secure our selves, that such separation (in his judgement) is not That Schism which Martyrdom will not expiate.

The true reason why separation in the Scripture, and purer Primitive times, was esteemed a Crime so unpardonable, was, because the Church made no other Terms of enjoying her Communion, then Christ had made: That Superiours durst-not venture the Churches Peace upon such a sandy foundation, as her own Inventions, turned into Impositions: for if the Terms of Communion be of Mans making, the separation that en…ues will be but a Schism of mans making too, and whether a Church has first a p. 153power to make a sin, and then to make it damnable, I have some reason to question.

Let nothing be declared Schism, but what the Scriptures ha… made so, and we shall be content it be made as great a sin as he can reasonably desire.

Had not our Enquirer been carried down in the torrent of his own overflowing Eloquence, till he had quite lost himself, he might have answered himself from his own words, p 109. For this cause (says he) it pleased God that his Church, in those early days, should rather be harassed with persecutions, which made it unite it self the closer, and paring off all superfluities, keep to the necessary and essential Doctrines delivered to it, then to be softned, and made wanton by ease, and so to corrupt the simplicity of the Gospel: Let a Church then return to the simplicity of the Gospel: Let her repent of that softness and wantonness of Spirit, which by Ease she has contracted. Let her pare off all superfluities, and keep close to the necessary and essential Doctrines delivered to it, and she shall find us as ready to write Philippics against Schism as him self, though we want his Ciceronian quill, and wordie excellencies.

Now though we are all convinced that Schism (veri nominis) is a most detestable Impiety; yet to beget in us a greater aversation from it, it may be profitable to listen to his reasonings, which are so potent, as will doubtless drain both the Conventicles and the Theatres.

§ 1. None (says he) can doubt of this, who considers what care our Saviour took to prevent it, what pains he took with his Apostles that they might be throughly instructed, and not differ in the delivery of his mind to the World. We do with all humble thankfulness own the faithfulness of our Saviour in instructing, and the Carefulness of the Apostles in following their instructions. They delivered to the Churches, as the whole Counsel of God, Acts 20. 27. so, only the Counsel of God; 1 Cor. 11. 23. I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you; And let but the Pastors of the Church imitate these patterns, keep exactly to their instructions from the Lord Christ, which we doubt not are proportionable to reach the ends of Unity and Peace, (else they had not been sufficiently instructed) and either we shall have no separations; or the case will be so plain; the separation so evidently Schism; …hat the Schismaticks shall not be able to obtend the least umbrage to cover their gross prevarication: But when Embassadors throughly instructed in all the means to prevent that evil; shall go beyond their Instructions, and impose new, unheard of Terms of Communion, which never came into his heart to approve, nor ever came out of his mouth to impose, give me leave to say thus far, they are not Embassadors, and by consequence, a Noncompliance with them therein, cannot be interpreted any affront, but faithfulness to him who entrusted them with those dispatches: And if Christs instructions given to his Apostles to prevent this growing evil were insufficient, I am affraid they will be but sorrily helpt out, who have recourse to men for fuller instruct…,

p. 154§ 2. To prove the greatness of this sin, he observes (and we thank him for the observation) that the Apostles were industrious to resist all beginnings of Schism in every Church, to heal all breaches, to take away all occasions of Division, to unite all hearts, and reconcile all minds: and to requite his kindness, I will repay his observation with this other; that they either are not the Apostles Successors in their healing Spirit, or else have seen some weighty reason to depart from their judgement about the hainousness of that sin, who instead of taking away the occasions of Divisions, which they have given: or removing the stumbling Blocks out of the way of Union, which they have laid, do give greater to, and lay more obstacles before the Christian world.

§ 3. His third proof is taken from the loveliness of Unity. It's not (says he) the sublimity of Christian Doctrine, nor the gloriousness of the Hopes it propounds, that will so recommend it to the opinion and …steen of beholders, as when it shall be said, Ecce ut Christiani Amant: when they shall observe the Love, Concord, and Unanimity amongst the Professors of it. The Enquirer has here stumbled at unawares upon the formal reason of Schism, or sinful separation, which lies not in the variety of Opinions, or differing practices, modes or forms of Worship, but in a want of true love and charity: That which renders Christianity truly beautiful and amiable in the Eyes of Beholders, is▪ that it teaches the Professors thereof to love one another with a pure heart frvently▪ though under different perswasions, as to Modes of Divine Worship and Discipline; That their hearts are larger to receive one anothers persons, then their heads are to conceive one anothers notions. But yet, as he is a fond Lover that chuses his Wife by the Eye, for the symmetry of her external frame, or cloathing of wrought Gold, rather then those virtues which adorn the Soul; so he that chuses his Religion by Sense, and not by Faith, will make a most lamentable bargain; He that falls in love with Christs Church upon External Allurements and Extrinsick Motives, will either repent, or quit his choice when she is persecuted, her outward frame discomposed, her order violated, the Shepherd smitten, and the Sheep scatter'd; whereas, he that espouses Religion for those invisible glories which she propounds, and keeps in his steady eye the recompence of reward, will adhere to his choice when she is most black, and the Sun of Persecution has too familiarly looked upon her.

But I shall not need to trouble my self, or the Reader, with any more of these fine Arguments; Schism is an evil, whether he be angry at it or no. And separation may be good, whether he be pleased or no: All the Question will be, that seeing there is an apparent separation found amongst us from the Political Church of England, and supposing that there is sin one where or other, where the guilt of it ought to lye! The Enquirer has spoken a great deal of Truth in in a few words, That some have found pleasure to get that Child, which they would by no means have laid at their own doors▪ A successful piece of Villany it is, which sometimes passes p. 155for a virtue, for the Fathers who have begot these Brats, to expose them to be kept and maintained at the cost of the poor innocent Parish. And if we might guess at the true Father by the Childs Physiognomy: All the divisions which have so heavily charged the Churches, having sprung from Ceremonies, from needless Impositions, from unnecessary Terms of Communion; They who take such pleasure to beget th… one; may be presumed to have been the Grand-fathert of the other.

If yet there be any controversie depending whose the Child is: The Enquirer recommends to us the Wisdom of Solomon, for discovering the True Mother, and because we know, Partus sequitur ventum, if we can once find out the Damm, we shall make her confess the Sire: It was the early proof (says he) Solomon gave of his Wisdom in discovering the true Mother of the living Child, to which both the Litigants laid equal claim—I confess his illustration proceeds hitherto but very oddly, for there, the quarrel was, who should have the Child, and be reputed the true Mother but with us, all the controversie is who shall be discharg'd of it: but all similitudes do not run of four Leggs, and it's very well if this will hop on one: observe how he lays both ends of his discourse together: As that wise Prince discovered the true Mother by the tenderness of her Bowels towards the Infant, so we may perhaps discover the true Children of the Church by their respect and tenderness to her. Ay; just so no doubt! Even as the Wheelbarrow rumbles over the Pebbles, so a Thumb-rope of Sand, will make an excellent … for Fishers folly; The comparison would run a little more naturally and regularly thus. As the true Mother was discerned by the tenderness of her Bowels towards the Infant, who would rather part with her right, then that her bleeding Eye should ever see her Child divided, so we may perhaps discover the true Mother of the Church, by her condescending and relenting pity, who would rather wave her claims, and resign her right▪ in some lesser instances, then ever endure to see the body of Christ divided by a Schismatical Dichotomy. And as the Harlot, notwithstanding all her pretences, bewrayed her self to the discerning eye of that Judicious Prince, who could be content the Child should rather dye, then she lose her moyety, so will she evidence her self to be a Stepmother Church, which peremptorily insists upon a pretended right to Imp…se, at the Peril of the Churches Peace, rather then by waving those pretences, save the endangered Church from imminent destruction: but some mens Allegories are never so excellent, as when they are impertinent, or non—sense; and I presume he found this Allusion in the Wisdom of Solomon, in the Apocryphal Writings.

We are come at length to the Question, what is the true notion of Schism? A point that deserves to be handled with the greatest exactness; for upon the True stating hereof, the issue of the whole controversie depends. His notion, or definition of Schism, is this. Schism is a voluntary departure or separation of ones self, without p. 156just cause given, from that Christian Church, whereof he was once a Member: Or, Schism is a breach of that Communion wherein a man might have continued without sin. I shall not need to find faults, or pick holes in this definition, they will offer themselves as he opens the Terms, only I observe, (1) That it offends against one of the sacred Laws of Definition, which ought to be most religiously and inviolably preserved. Definitiones debent cum Definito reciprocari; The Definition ought to be convertible with the thing defined: And that this is not so, is evident, because there may be a Schism where there is no separation from External Communion: There is a Schism in a Church, as wel as from a Church. The Churches Garment may be rent, and yet not rent in two: Thus the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church, I hear there are Divisions amongst you: foreign, ch. 12. v. 25. That there may be no Schism in the body, foreign. That Definition which is as narrow as his Charity, and leaves out those who ought …o be taken in, must necessarily be stark naught. (2) This definition is very short, in expressing that which is indeed the Poison and Venom, the formal Reason of all Schismatical departure, viz. the want of Charity, and true Evangelical Love; for he that departs from a Society, yet loves the real Christians therein, and the Society it self, so far as it is a Church of Christs institution, only he loves his own Soul with a more intense love, and accordingly makes the best provision for it he can, and would rejoyce that others would accept of the same advantages, ought not to be called a Schismatick; but if they who pretend to a power to stamp what significations they please upon words, will call him so, the best is, no Nick-names will prejudice him in the sight of that God, who searcheth the heart, and tryeth the reins. As Heresie is opposed to the Faith, so Schism is opposed to Love; and Heresie and Schism are distinguisht by those things to which each of them is opposed.

3. It's faulty for its ambiguity: because he tells us not what the Christian Church is, from whence the departure must be made to denominate it Schism…ical: If he means a particular Congregation united under its proper Pastor according to the Laws of Christ, it will prove it Schismatical to depart from a Church of Non-conformists. If he understands a National Church, he should do well to prove, that such a Church is of Christs institution; but I shall wave these and many more, till he has discanted upon the particulars of his own Definition.

§ 1. I call it (says he) a departure or separation from the Society of the Church, to distinguish it from other sins, which though they are breaches of the Laws of our Religion, and consequently of the Church, yet are not a renunciation of the Society. There may be such a person, who for his wickedness deserves to be …ast out of the Church as being a scandal and dishonour to it, yet neither separating himself, nor being cast out of the Society, remains still a Member of it. This is indeed too true, And hence it is, that many Churches p. 157are so over-run with scandalous Debauchez, that there's very little difference between the impaled Garden, and the wide Wilderness: And perhaps was there more of this Authorative separation, there would be less of that prudential separation: If rotten and gangreened Members were cut off, the sound would not have that necessity to provide for their own security; If the Contagion were not so Epidemical▪ there were less need to seek out for better and more wholesome Airs: when an Impudent Blasphemer, who out-faces the Sun, the Notoriety of whose Crime needs no Dilator, shall yet quietly maintain his station in a Church, whilst others for not coming up to a Ceremony, shall be rejected, though otherwise holy and inoffensive, men may make Models and Idea's of Schism to save their Credits long enough, before they will be much regarded.

§ 2. I call it (says he) a voluntary separation to distinguish … from punishment, or Schism from Excommunication. Yes, but he ought to have called it Voluntary upon a higher account, in opposition to such departure as is made with regret and reluctancy: for when a sincere Christian has used all due means to inform himself of the Truth of such a principle, or the lawfulness of such a practice as may be made the Conditions of Communion with that Society; when he has asked advice of God in his word, when he has pray'd with David, that God would open his Eyes, when he has conferred with the most judicious and impartial Christians, when he has humbly and modestly represented to the Pastors and Governours of that Church, the suspected Condition, or the innovation crept into the Church, and yet can neither procure Reformation of the abuse, not toleration of his particular non-complyance, nor yet find satisfaction of the lawfulness of such practice, he may without guilt withdraw himself from that Society; nor ought this to be charged upon him as a departure, having in it any thing of sinful voluntariness: when a Merchant throws his Lading over-board to preserve Life, I grant that he may be said willingly to throw it away, because his precious life preponderates and turns the Scale of the will, yet none will condemn that poor Merchant of too little affection to his Merchandise. Thus when a Christian can find no rest, no satisfaction to his Conscience from those suspected Conditions, which in the constant exercise of his Communion do recur, and shall re…ede from that Society, joyning himself to another, where with full satisfaction of spirit he may pursue his own Edification, such a one ought not to be charged with a voluntary departure, nor shall it be charged upon him as such in the judgement of him that shall judge the World.

§ 3. I call it (says he) a departure from a particular Church, or from a part of the visible Church, to distinguish it from Apostacy, which is a casting of the whole Religion, the name and profession of Christianity: But here his definition is very Crazie, and ill joynted: for it ought to be defined a departure from a particular Church of Christ; to distinguish it from such a Constitution, as is either p. 158no particular Church of Christs institution, or none, so far as the separation is made from it: such a one as is not united under Christs Officers, nor conjoyned by Christs Ligaments: Christ has taken special care that there may be no Schism in the Body, 1 Cor. 12-25. And for this end he has commanded a spirit of mutual forbearance and condescension; he has mingled and temper'd the body together with such exact geometrical proportion, that each of the parts may care for the other; for this end also he has instituted some extraordinary Officers, whose work and Office, was to cease with the present exigency and occasion, and the ordinary, whose Office and Employment (as the Reasons of them) were to be perpetuaI. Now if any Society of Men, calling themselves a Church (and in the main respects being really so) retaining the great Doctrines of Christianity, and such Ordinances whereby Salvation is attainable, shall yet put it self under other Officers then Christ has appointed, and practise other Ordinances then he has instituted, and make Communion with her impracticable, without submitting to such Officers, such Ordinances; separation from that Society, can be no separation from a particular Church of Christ: Because▪ though they may be such a Church in the main, yet so far as the separation is made, they are not so: And they deny Communion with them, so far as they are a Church of Christ; because of non-submission to them, so far as they are no… a Church of Christ.

§ 4. I add (says he) those words—whereof he was once a Member, because Schism imports division, and making two of that which was but one before. So that if an Act was made to divide some of our greater Parishes (which are much larger then some of the Primitive Diocesses) into Two, under their distinct Pastors, this must be a Schism, according to this famous definition; for here is, 1. A voluntary departure, 2. From a particular Church, 3. whereof once they were all Members; and wherein 4. they might all have continued without sin.

But the most considerable thing here will be, how I became a Member of that Church, from which the departure is supposed to be made; for 1. To be forced into a Church, will never make me such a Member, but that I may re-assume my liberty and right when the force is removed; Violence and Constraint unite me no otherwise to a Church, then a great Beetle unites a Wedge to a Tree; which though it may by main strength be driven into the Tree, yet not being engras…ed into it, no Union is created with it, nor does it derive any nourishing juices from it. 2. Baptism alone will not do it: because as I conceive, that Ordinance solemnly unites me only to the Catholick visible Church, and not to a particular Congregation; otherwise, whenever the providence of God shall transplant me into another particular Church, I must be re-baptized, and so as often as I remove, because as to that Church I am unbaptized. 3. Nor will my being born and bred within national limits and precincts, denominate me a Member of such National Church or Constitution, because it passes for a Current Maxime. That the Church is in the Commonwealth, p. 159and therefore Church and Kingdom; Church-member and Subject are not Terms of equal extent and demensions. And besides, there are many Congregations of Christians in this Nation, not syncretizing with the National Policy, who yet are not stigmatized with the Brand of Schismatical, but without the least reproach of Schism Worship God, and exercise Discipline according to their own private and peculiar Laws. 4. Therefore to make me a Member of a particular Church, there must be the concurrence of my own free choice, which whether it ought to be signified by express and over… Acts▪ or that an implicite and tac…te consent may not suffice, is he… no season to discourse.

§ 5. But the only difficulty (I am sure the gr…est) is, that which he subjoins in th…se words—An unn…ssary separation, or without just cause, or to separate from that Society wherein I may continue without sin. Two extreams there are it seems.

1. Of The Zealo…s of the Church of Rome, who scarcely allow any thing as a sufficient cause of separation▪ But I look on this as a very unjust surmise of the Romanists; for their most rigid Zealots will in The… allow sinful conditions, imposed for a just …round of sinless departure, only they deny to individuals a judgement of discretion to determine each for himself of the sinfulness of the Condition; And thus what they seem to give with the right hand▪ they take away with the left: And herein our Enquirer is as strait laced as they; for though in the general he will prodigally allow us, that sinful Impositions are a just plea for separation, yet he has forestalled that concession all along with a fine contrivance; That our private Wisdom must lower the Top-sale to the publick. Thus p. 64. Since the peace of the Church often depends upon such points as Salvation does not, and since in many of those, every man is not a Competent judge, but must either be in danger of being deceived himself, and of troubling others, one of necessity must trust some body else wiser then himself; so that the matter according to this Gentlemans Hypothesis, is just as long as 'tis broad; but that the Church of Rome speaks that with open Mouth, which he delivers between the Teeth.

2. The other supposed extream is, that of some Protestants, who make the Causes of separation as many, and as light as the Iews did of Divorce, almost for any matter whatsoever: But as our Saviour, when the case was put, found out a middle way betwixt Divorce for no cause at all, and for every cause, so ought it to be done in this business of Schism.

Reader! we are now in a hopeful way for the compromising all the Controversies that have vext our Northern Climate, and to seal general Releases of all Actions, and causes of Actions against each other, from the beginning of the Reformation, to the day of the Date of these presents: for as we may charitably presume of all our Episcopal Brethren, that they will stand to the final award of so great an undertaker as our Enquirer, so I am confident I may engage for all the dissenting Brethren, p. 160that they will abide by the Umpirage of Iesus Christ; and that whatever expedient he used in deriding the grand Question about Divorce, shall conclude them in all their Debates about Schism: Now the final Decision of that affair we find, Mat. 19. 8. where our Saviour considers not what could plead inveterate Custom, or a gray headed practise to abet its pretensions, he slights all the Arguments from laudable Examples, and the Traditions of their Forefathers, and runs up the practise to its Primitive Institution; and tells them, From the Beginning it was not so. And indeed if a Transcript be blotted or blurr'd. we presently have recourse to the Original, and from thence redintegrate whatever the hungry worm, or greedy Moth has de…aced: when the Streams are muddied and polluted, we relieve our selves from the Spring, where the Virgin, and unpolluted waters, flow clearest and sweetest, without adulterate mixtures. It was the cry in the Council of Nice, foreign, and we cry the same one and all, Let the terms of Comunion in the first plantation of the Gospel Church be produced, and he that will not subscribe, and submit to those Archetypes, let him be branded for an obstinate Schismatick.

Now therefore if ever our Enquirer promises himself and us, that he will Hit the m…rk; I say then, and then only, is there just cause of separation, when perseverance in the Communion of such a Church cannot be without sin, that is, when she shall impose such Laws and Terms of Society, as cannot be submitted to, without apparent breach of the Divine Law. Thus he says! And if I should tell the Reader, I say the contrary, we should make a squabble on't, to render our selves ridiculous; let it therefore neither be what I say, nor what he says, but what wiser men then us both say, who may be presumed more impartial in their Judgements, wherein they vindicate the Dissenters, because they were, or are eminent Members of this Church. And first I will present him with the judgement of Mr. Hales, a Person of whom the Church of England has great cause to boast. Now amongst many other things to our purpose, in his Treatise of Schism, he acquaints us; 1. That when either false or uncertain conclusions are obtruded for Truth, or Acts either unlawful or ministring just scruple, are required of us to be performed; in these cases, consent were Conspiracy, and open Contestation, is not Faction or Schism, but due Christian Animosity. 2. That nothing absolves men from the guilt of Schism, but true and unpretended Conscience. Therefore such a Conscience will absolve from the guilt of it. 3. That where the Cause of Schism is necessary, there not he that separates, but he that is the Cause of the separation is the Schismatick. 4. That to require the execution of some unlawful or suspected act, is a just cause of refusing Communion; for not only in Reason, but in Religion too, that Maxime admits of no Release,▪ Cautissimi cujusque praeceptum, quod dubitas ne feceris. 5. That it hath been the common Disease of Christians from the beginning, not to content themselves with that measure of Faith which God and Scriptures have expresly afforded, but out of a p. 161vain desire to know more then is revealed, they have attempted to devise things, of which we have no Light neither from Reason nor Revelation; neither have they rested here, but upon pretence of Church Authority (which is none) or Tradition, (which for the most part is but …eigned) they have peremptorily concluded, and confidently imposed upon others a necessity of entertaining conclusions of that nature. 6. To l…ad our publick forms with the private fancies upon which we differ, is the most Soveraign way to perpetuate Schism unto the worlds end. Prayer, Confession, Thanksgiving, Reading of Scriptures, Administration of Sacraments in the plainest and the simplest manner, were matter enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgie, though nothing, either of private Opinion, or of Church pomp, of Garments, or prescribed gestures, of Imagery, of Musick, of matter concerning the Dead, of many superfluities which creep into the Church, under the name of Order and Decency, did interpose it self. To charge Churches and Liturgies with things unnecessary, was the first beginning of all superstition. 7. That no occasion hath produced more frequent, more continuous, more sanguineous Schisms, then Episcopal Ambition hath done. 8. That they do but Abuse themselves and others, that would perswade us, that Bishops, by Christs institution have any superiority over other men, further then that of Reverence: or that any Bishop is superiour to another, further then positive order agreed …pon amongst Christians, hath prescribed, 9. In times of manifest corruptions and persecutions wherein Religious assembling is dangerous; Private Meetings howsoevr, besides publick Order, are not … lawful, but they are of necessity and duty: All pious Assemblies … times of Persecution and Corruption, however practised, are indeed, … rather Alone the lawful Congregations, And publick Assemblies, though according to form of Law, are indeed nothing else but Riots and Convemticles, if they be stained with Corruption and Superstition.

There is one person more, whom, since he has quoted Incognit… for an excellent person, I will the rather recommend to his consideration. Irenic. p. 109. where speaking of the private Christian, he says; He is bound to adhere to that Church, which appears most to retain the Evangelical purity. And p. 116. He is bound to break off from that Society which enjoyns a mixture of some Corruptions as to practise: One word from Dr. Iackson, chap. 14. of the Church: where he acquits those of the Schism which withdraw from…hat Church which imposeth Rites and Customs, that cross the Rule of Faith and Charity. Bishop Bramhalls Testimony will pass for sterling. p. 7, 8. of Schism: When there is a mutual division of two parts, or members of the mystical Body of Christ one from the other; yet both retaining Communion with the universal Church, quamcunque partem amplexus fueris Schismaticus non Audies, quippe quod▪ universa Ecclesia neutram damnavit: Which side soever you close with, you shall not be reproacht for a Schismatick, because the universal Church has condemned neither side: And he plainly tells us, p. 101. That it was not the erroneous Opinions of the Church of Rome, but the obtruding them by Laws upon other Churches that warranted a separation.

p. 162Next we will hear a word from the Learned Lord Verulam, 'Tis a sign (says he) of exasperation to condemn the contrary part as a Sect; yea, and some indiscreet persons have been bold in open preaching, to use dishonourable and derogatory speeches and censures of the Churches abroad, and that so far, as that some of our men (as I have heard) ordained in forreign parts, have, been pronounced no lawful Ministers,—And further; let us remember, that the ancient and true bounds of Unity, are one Faith, one Baptism, and not one Ceremony, one Policy; and endeavour to comprehend that saying,▪ Differentia Rituum, commendat unitatem Doctrinae: Christs Coat was indeed without Seam, yet the Churches Garment was of divers Colours.

Amongst all these, we must not forget that noble and gallant Person the Lord Falkland, A little search will find them, (He speaks of no little ones) to have been the destruction of Unity, under pretence of Uniformity; to have brought in superstition and scandal under Titles of Reverence and Decency, to have slacked the strictness of Unity, which was between us, and those of our own Religion beyond the Sea….

S…rates, lib. …. cap. 21. tells us, that in his time there could scarce… be found two Churches that used the same forms of prayer. In France, the Ritual of Paris differ'd from that of Anjou, and in England we had our Devotions secundum usum Sarum, & secundum usum Bangor; and yet the one never reproacht the other for Sectaris or Schismaticks; I am consident therefore to assert it. That neither the Wit nor Malice of man can prove him a Schismatick, who maintaining Evangelical Love towards, and holding the substantial Doctrines owned by the Church of England, shall either out of choice, or necessity, transplant himself from under the spreading shadow of a Goodly Cathedral, to a Parochial Church, and yet the one has its Organs, Adoration towards the East, and Altar, Adoration at the Naming of Iesus, with multitudes of Rites and Observances, unknown to the Villages, and far more differing from the Parochial Usages and Customs, then the Worship of most Country Towns differ from that of the Non-conformists.

After all this, I shall throw up the Authority of these great names, and give him full scope for his Rational Abilities, to prove his proposition, when I have first noted those few things.

§ 1. He requires an apparent breach of the Divine Law, as the only thing that can excuse separation from the guilt of Schism: but will not a real breach of the Divine Law serve the turn, unless it be so apparent as he can desire. I perswade my self, God never yet spoke so loud, that they who have barracadoed their Ears with prejudice, will hear him: nor ever yet wrote so plain, that they will see his mind, whose Eyes interest has sealed up: And what if it be an apparent breach of the Divine Law in the sincere judgement of him that separates; must he never discharge his Duty, till he can perswade all the world to see theirs, and pursue it.

p. 163§ § Who shall be Iudge, whether the Imposed Terms contain an apparent breach of the Divine Law? and such as will justifie a separation? Mr. Hales indeed tells us, It's a point of no great depth or difficulty; but yet the true solution of it, carries fire in the Tail of it; for it brings with it a piece of Doctrine which is seldom pleasing to Superiours. But were it not that men hate chargeable Truth more then cheap Errour, and love cheap Corruptions beyond costly Reformation, there could be no great difficulty who should be judge in this case: For 1. Who may more justly challange a Liberty to judge what is sin, then he that must be damned if he do sin: He that sins at another; Command will hardly perswade him to be his substitute in the Condemnation, nor will God accept him for the sinners proxy. 2. If the Church must judge; Then though her terms be the most apparent violations of the Divine Law, yet there can never be any lawful separation, unless we can Imagine her so modest, as to confess a sin, and yet at the same time, so immodest as to impose it. To acknowledge her Terms sinful, and yet with the same breath to enjoyn them as necessary to Communion.

It will be pretended, that the same Inconveniencies will follow the other way: for if a particular person who withdraws, must judge, then let the Terms be perfectly innocent, yet to be sure, he will plead, that they are sinful; unless we can suppose him so modest, as to confess himself a Schismatick; and yet at the same time so immodest, as to persevere in his Schism. But I conceive that this arguing is very wide: 1. Because every Mans Soul lies at stake, and it cannot be imagined that he should either not study its Interest, or that understanding it, he should not endeavour to secure it: I speak of such as are otherwise Consciencious; for if he be a person vitious, and pro…igate, one eaten up of wickedness, we ought not to flatter our selves with any great hopes of the impartiality of his determinations: And if he have thus debauched his Conscience, the Laws are open; The Magistrate who has his power from the Moral Law, has by the same Law sufficient Authority to coerce by punishments, whatever Enormities are committed against it. 2. We have no Reason to suppose any Man to be a Hypocrite in the matter of separation, which is attended with so mamy dreadful penalties, unless notorious evidence will warrant such a Judgement.

§ 3. A rational suspicion of a breach of the Divine Law is enough in the Apostles judgement to justifie the suspension of my own Act; and if it prove no other then a thing indifferent in it self, yet such dissatisfaction will excuse from sin: for so the Apostle, Rom. 14. 5. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind. 14. To him that esteeme…h any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean, 23. He that doubteth, is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of Faith; for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin.

The Enquirer has all this while stood like the very picture of Modesty, equally placed between the two exar…ams of All separavation, p. 164and no separation: have but a little patience, and you shall see how manfully he will behave himself against them both.

1. For the poor Romanists, he gives them a small pat with his Foot, and they are silenced for ever. It's plain (says he) it can be no sin to separate, when it's a sin to Communicate Yes very plain it is! but so say the Dissenters. It can be no sin for us to separate, when it's a sin to communicate: Ay but (says he) It was an apparent breach of the Divine Law upon which we separated from Rome. Why so say the Dissenters: It's an apparent breach of the Divine Law, upon which we separated from the Church of England. Ay but (will he say) you ought to have trusted wiser men then your selves, and not like the Antipodes, to have run upon your heads: Oh! but then comes in the Romanists, and falls upon his bones: You ought to have trusted wiser men then your selves, your Superiours in the Church, from whom you separated, and not have ran upon your own heads: Nay replies he, but we have a judgement of Discretion, and ought to be Masters of our own Reason, so far as to take Cognizance of our own Acts: Well! The Non-conformists catches that word by the end, before it be well out of his Mouth; We are for a judgement of Discretion too, and ought so far to be Masters of our own Reasons, as not to Act against them; nothing can be returned that I can foresee, but that it is not for such pitiful sneaks as the Dissenters, to talk of Conscience, and a judgement of discretion, its enough for the Gendarms of Reason to make use of that plea against Rome. But I will leave him to squabble it out with the Romish Synagogue.

2, He has quickly (you see) shaken them their foddering; but these cumbersome Fanaticks stick as close to him as a Burr, and therefore he must now give them a rattle.

It's plain (says he) that Schism being so great a sin, and of so extream bad Consequences, that which must acquit me of the guilt of it in my separation, can be nothing lesse then an equal danger on the other hand, and that when I may persevere without sin, it must of necessity be a sin to separate upon inferior dislikes. This looks pretty well at first but for a few Inconveniences in the Argument. 1. That he begs the whole Question at a Clap, the question was whe…her the Imposition of such Laws and Terms of Society as cannot be submitted to without apparent breach of the divine Law be the only just cause of separation? He affirms it, and for proof gives us this, that Schism being so great a sin that which must acquit me of the Guilt of it in my separation, must be equal danger of sinning: wherein he supposeth that all separation is Schism, where there is not equal danger of sinning that is of an apparent breach of the divine Law, whith is but the question it self a little disgnised to make it more passable to the unwary Reader; the truth is, Schism is so great a sin that no danger of sinning whatsoever can acquit me of it, for I do not know that any thing will compound for uncharitableness, for pride, for obstinacy, but separation for the benefit of all Gods Ordinances, that I may be edifyed and built p. 165up in the most holy faith, but nothing of the nature of the abominable sin in it. 2. Dissenters will answer, that the danger of sinning is more clear and evident when I act against my Conscience, then in separating peaceably and modestly from a particular Church: for it cannot be lawful in any Case to act against my light, but it may be lawful in some Cases to separate from a particular Church: there is lesse danger of sin in breaking a humane constitution, whitch ('tis at least) questionable whether man has power to en…oyn, then of violating the dictate of my own reason informed by all the means I can use from the word of God. 3. Non-conformists say, that they ought not to separate, but when non-separation is sinful, but then they say, that non-separation may be sinful upon other accounts then the apparent breach of the divineLaw made the terms of entring into; or continuing in communion: for, say they, it is our sin, if a Church retains some corroptions in it, which prejudice edification, and she shall resolve never to make any alteration in her worship; or discipline, nor make any further progress towards a through Reformation, not to provide for my self elsewhere, and having opportunity, I sin if I take not, accept not the advantage which providence offers me, and wherein the word warrants me.

And yet he wonders that any doubt should be admitted in this Case. Let me advise him to beware of Excessive wonderment: they say, it will make a man as lean as a rake: but whats the Cause of his admiration? Why some think to wash their hands of the Imputation of Schism upon other terms as namely; if a Church shall not require such terms of Communion as are Expresly sinful, yet if she shall require indifferent unnecessary or at most suspected things that in this case there is enough to Excuse the person that shall separate from a participation of this sin. There are some no doubt of that judgment: and when I have praelibated a few things, he shall have his full blow at them.

§ 1. That when they joyn issue upon this point, 'tis not because they are satisfyed that the things required unto Communion as the antecedent conditions of it, or to be practised in communion as the mattor of it are indifferent in their use and application, for they are ready to maintain it upon equal laws, before equal Judges, that they are sinful in their use, antecedent to, their imposition, but the true reasons why they use this place, are. 1. Ex abundanti thinking that their very outworks are impregnable against his batteries. 2. Out of respect to this Church which they highly honour, and reverence her too much then to charge her flatly with sinful impositions; and therefore do offer this state of the question, and are hardly capable of so much incivility to so considerable a body, and so great a part of the visible Catholick Church, unless the importunity of some modest men did extort that answer from them. 3. They doubt whether some Churchmen will be Masters of so much patience as to bear freedome though temperateness of speech, which is absolutely necessary to the manadging the Controversy when thus stated: p. 166and have reason to fear that some who provoke them to assert the sinfulness of the terms, will make such an Assertion an unpardonable sin, not to be expiated without, if with Martyrdom.

§ 2. When he states the question about things suspected to be sinful, I hope he will give them the common civility to draw up their own plea in their own terms, and to …xp…ane what they mean by suspected things in the question: because they are not compelled to maintain Every proposition which he in his well known charity shall obtrude upon them: A pract…se th…n may be taken upon suspicion of sinfulness two wayes, first upon light slighty, trivial grounds of suspicion, which have no w…ight, with a serious and rational Considerer: Or 2dly, upon violent presumptions, such as may s…agger a person of good judgment and diligence: and 'tis these that they are willing to argue it with him; whether if a Church shall impose such things as the terms of Communion with her, as have, or do, or may puzzle judicious persons about their Lawfulness, and cannot clear it up to their Consciences that they are Lawful, yet they may not forbear Communion in this Case.

§ 3. They desire the same justice in Explaning themselves about the term indifferent: A thing may be indifferent in its own nature, which is not so in its use, as applyed to and practised in the Immediate worship and service of God; If the things under debate be found upon diligent search to remain indifferent, after they are vested with all their circumstances in Gods Worship, they have no quarrel against them that I know of; but if they be only indifferent in their own general nature, they desire to be Excused if they dare not admit the consequence, that therefore they must needs be so when used in Gods worship, and then made the terms of Communion.

§ 4. Unnecessary things may be either such as are absolutely unnecessary, or such as are hypothetically so, some things that are not absolutely and in themselves necessary, yet may become necessary pro…ic & nunc, even antecedent to the interposition of the Churches Authority; And Dissenters say that what ever the Church shall impose ought to be necessary, either in it self, or by concurrent Circumstances, which when they shall conspire together, may be by a Lawful Authority Enjoyned pro tempore, that is so long as such necessity shall continue, which when once removed the things ought to return into their former Classis of Indifferents.

§ 5. When they deny the Churches power of imposing things Expresly sinful, they deny also a power of imposing things sinful by just consequence; They judge many things sinful which are not forbidden. foreign, in the Scriptures, and many things duties which are not Litterally and Syllabically commanded in the Scriptures: They say not that the sign of the Crosse was ever by name prohibited: but they say there are undoubted maximes laid down in the word, from which it will undeniably follow that in its present station in the Church it is sinful; And now he p. 167may when he pleases speak his three things, which if they be pertinent and proved as strongly as they are spoken confidently, I am content.

(1.) His first say consists of a Conce…ion and an Assertion.

§ 1. His Concession, I willingly acknowledge that such a Church as shall studiously or carelesly clog her communion with unnecessary, burdensom and suspected conditions, is very highly to blame, that is, the sins; but that it became not him to tell her so; and then I will venture to say a few words also. 1. If it be the Churches sin to command unnecessary burdensom suspect Conditions: It cannot be my duty to obey; A Church may possibly sin in the manner of her Command, and yet I not sin in doing the matter of the Command, but when the sins in the Enjoyning, I cannot conceive how it should be my sin not to give obedience; for I look upon my duty as the result of the Churches Authority. and wherein she has no Authority it will be impossible to find a foundation upon which to build my duty: All Offices of Justice arise from that relation wherein he that claims and he that yeelds subjection stand to each other: And where there's no relation, there can be no relative duty: now in this case before us where the Church has no power to command, nay where she sins, if she commands, so far she is none, of my superior; and therefore so far the relation is none, and by consequence the duty just as much. 2. If the Church be to blame highly, nay very highly to blame, that clogs her Communion with these burdensom things, then we may presume she sins, for who shall dare to assume so much freedom as to blame her, unless she transgress the Law of her God? If then she have sinned and transgressed some Law of God, it must be some negative precept, thou shalt not impose burdenso… things; for it is a principle our Enquirer will not sell for Gold: That what ever is not forbidden, is Lawful; If then God had not forbidden her to impose such burdensom things, she could not sin, or be to blame in so doing (according to his principles) now say I, the same God that has prohibited the Churches Imposition of, has also prohibited my subjection to burdensom conditions: And let this Gentleman produce his Scriptures for the one; and I will drop texts with him for the other when he pleases; Thus we are commanded, 1 Cor. 7. 23. not to be the servants of men: not only bought with a price, and set free once, but commanded to assert that freedom, and 5. Gal. 1. to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and not again to be entangled with the yoke of bondage; Now if ever these Scriptures do us any service, or be of any use, it must be in this particular, that I am obliged not to take a burden and cumber upon my soul, at his hands who has no authority to impose it: If then a Church shall clog her Communion with burdensom things, she is to blame, she sins, and I am not bound to obey, and therefore my departure can be no Schism. I mean no Schism but one of mans creating; 3. If a Church sin in clogging her Communion with things which without p. 168crime or fraud are suspected of sin upon such grounds as are allowed just and ponderous in other cases, then it cannot be my sin to separate: for the Church sins in commanding, and I should sin against the authority of God in my conscience in doing what I really upon Strong presumptions judge to be sinful, though it were not commanded: And no… one would think it could be no such meritorious work, no act so acceptable to God to persevere in the Comunion of a Church, when she sins in commanding, and I sin in obeying suspecte… conditions.

§ 2. We come now to his Assertion notwithstanding all this, which he has granted he will fetch it back again, if it be possible, and we shall gain nothing by any thing he gives us, and there are also two parts of his Assertion. 1. The negative part; 'Tis not burdensomness, nor every light suspicion of sin that can justific any separation; concerning the burdensomness we have spoken somewhat before; yet a word or two about the suspicion; 'tis not a light, or however not every light suspicion that is but like the dust of the ballance that will do it: really it was cunningly fenced! He expects perhaps that we should assert every light suspicion that weighs no more then a feather should be enough to justifie a separation; Ay; but there are violent presumption, which they say in some cases are admitted for good evidence. If I meet a person coming out of the house in a great rage with a bloody sword in his hand, and Immediately I enter in and find a person lying in his blood, I do assure you I shall not condemn my self for lightness of belief, or casmess of entertaining suspicions; if I suspect the man I met to have been the murder or; light suspicions may be as easily shook of as fastened on, and contemned as tendered: but it becomes no wise man to act against these strong presumptions of sin, which the Dissenters have of the imposed terms of Communion; And it will appear they are such as may make a hardy resolute person stand and pause before he rushes upon the practise: 1. They are sure that Christ is the perfect and therefore the only Lawgiver of his Church: had he not been the former, there had been no pretence he should be the later: Now seeing these terms of Communion, are Laws imposed upon the Church; they seem to impeach his wisedome that he saw not the fittest terms for his Churches to hold Communion upon, they do reproach his care that he has not left laws enough for his Church, and they seem to invade his Authority without any warrant: all which things are enough to raise a suspicion (at least) of good strength in a wisemans breast, which none but a hardy spirit would act against.

2. They are sure that some of these conditions have been occasioned by and used in and with, and are suited and accommodated to the grossest Idolatry that ever was in the world, and is at this day used to give countenance to it: And they say they are sure that God did once hate Idolatry, and so hate it as that he could not endure to be served in the vessels, worshipt in the places, not after the manner (in the most minute circumstances) that Idolatry p. 167was committed in; and therefore we have Reason to suspect that the things required of us are displeasing to God: our using of them has emboldened Idolaters, and hardened them to go on without repentance in the way of so great abomination: Nor have they been a Bridge as was hoped, to bring them over to us, but a Boat to waft us over to them, they being more hardened by our retaining them, and some of our own made more wavering; thinking there can be no great difference between those Religions, where there is so great a Symbolizing in outward modes and Ceremonies.

3. They are sure that all uncommanded worship is forbidden worship, and do think their time ill bestowed with him that shall deny it: All worship being part of that Homage and service we owe to God, it will be impossible to Guess what he will accept as such without revelation: Now we are sure that the Enquirer owns the Liturgy to have been a principal part of worship: and we are as sure that the Ceremonies are part of the Liturgy, and that which is a part of a part, is part of the whole, nor can any man discern any difference between them, and other things which are confessedly parts of worship, and therefore they think they may with modesty say, there's ground enough for a violent suspicion of their sinfulness.

2. The affirmative part of his Assertion follows; It must be plain necessity or certainty of sin in complyance that can justifie any separation: I should be glad to know what cortainty of sin he will allow to justifie a separation? does he Expect a mathematical certainty? or only a moral assurance? If you ask, an Arithmetician says (I: Martyr in his dialogue with Trypho) how many twice two will make? he will answer yo… as often, four! and if I were asked a thousand times what certainty of sin were required to the suspension of my own act, I would as often answer no more of necessity then that the thing does not appear to my best and Impartial judgment to be Lawful, separation is not necessarily a sin, there are as pregnant Commands for it, as prohibitions of it, It may be a duty, and it may be a sin, and why need we not as plain argument to prove that separation is not my duty, as that it is not my sin? seeing it may be one as well as the other? why now he arrests us with his Reasons.

§ 1. Forasmuch (says he) as I cannot be discharged from a plain duty, but by an equal plainess of sin. This reason looks very prettily at first sight, and yet it demonstrates no more then a great good will to the cause: And 1. 'Tis no more then a plain begging of the Question; viz. That Complyance is a plain duty, Schism indeed is a plain sin, but separation is not plainly Schism; It is a plain contradiction to the Assertion, but not a plain confutation of it, unless the denyal of it in other words be a confutation. The business in short is this; I suspect such Compliance is not my duty; and again, I suspect the terms of Communion are sinful, and surely we may set suspected sin, as a Barr to what is but suspected duty at any time of the day; let us a little compare things: that which he calls plain duty, is complyance with such a Church as imposes p. 168things unnecessary, burdensom and suspicious, that which he calls plain sin, is refusing such compliance; now this say I, is a plain begging of the Question which is all the plainess in his Reason: First to enquire whether such a separation or non-Complyance be Lawful, and then to suppose such Complyance to be plain duty. And then to assign this for the Reason that nothing but equal plainess of sin can discharge me from a plain duty. 2. Dissenters do affirm that it is as plain, nay more plain, and if he will have it so much more plain a sin to practise the Ceremonies then to separate, for separation may be a duty in some cases, but the practising of such Ceremonies cannot be a duty in any Case, on this side divine prescription: God has warranted separation in the General, but he has not so warranted Ceremonies.

§ 2. His second reason is; And for this phrase suspected; it is so loose and uncertain that there's no hold of it, men will easily suspect what they have no mind to: whether this word suspected be a phrase or no, I shall leave to the wrangling Grammarians, only I am afraid in a while, every small particle will be a phrase, where these Gentlemens occasions require it. A suspected evil is no such trivial thing in the Apostles divinity as the Enquirer would persuade us: to act in any case when we have not clear light into the Lawfulness of the action is sin, and such a one as renders the actor obnoxious to eternal damnation. He that doubts is dammed if he eat. And indeed to act against the restraine of our own judgment though mistaken, argues a mind prepared to act against our judgments, if they had not been mistaken: He that shall attempt to clip the Kings Coyn, may meet with a plated piece, yet had if been right stander'd, he would have served it no better: that men will easily suspect what they have no mind to, ought not to prejudice those wo have no mind to a thing, because they suspect it to be evil. Tis as easy for another to say that what men have a desperate love to, they will never be brought to suspect its sinfulness. What wise man would suspect four or five hundred pounds per Annum to be unlawful? our Inclinations naturally warp towards ease, and rest, and they that know no God but their mistaken selves, will own no Scripture but what is dictated from the inspiration of fleshly Interest. The Byas of nature draws us more to suspect the Lawfulness of that which being unlawful would undo us, then to suspect that to be unlawful, which being Lawful would advance us.

And this may justifie all sober Dissenters, that they who condemn them are confessed to be too blame in clogging their Communion with unnecessary, burdensom and suspected Conditions, and they who are condemned for suspecting it to be as sinful in them to obey as it is in others to command, and thereupon suspending their Compliance, are either violently cast out of, or not admitted into Communion. And this is your monstrous Schismatick.

And I am very confident, that not only the Scripture, but all Antiquity with the unanimous su …rage of the Reformed Churches p. 169will justifie and acquit that person of the Guilt of Schism, who being found in the faith, holy in his life, earnestly pleading, and petitioning for Reformation, humbly desiring he may have Christs ordinances upon Christs terms, and yet being denyed his Right shall make his applications to some other particular Church of Christ, where his admittance may be more easy, his continuance more certain and safe, his mind not distracted with suspicions about his own actings, but his whole strength and spirits expended in the edification of his own soul in truth, holiness, and peace, which before were wasted in doubtful disputations.

(2) The second thing he will say is, if the non-necessity of some of the terms of Communion be a warrant of separation, then there can be no such thing as Schism at all: I doubt not but he intends that his argument shall proceed a remotione Consequentis ad remotionem Antecedentis: But there is such a sin as Schism, therefore the non-necessity of some of the terms of Communion is not a warrant of separation: there are many things I would answer to this argument: 1. That the whole Syllogism is troubled with an old malady called ignoratio Elenchi, for 'tis not half an hour ago since he undertook to prove that the Churches requiring indifferent, unnecessary, or at most susp…cted things would not excuse the person that should separate from the Guilt of Schism. Afterwards he put in burdensom into the Question: And now I perceive he would be glad to take Eggs for his money, if he could get them, and sit down content with this sorry conclusion, that the non-necessity of some of the Terms is no sufficient warrant of separation: which fault is an argument some call an Ignorance of the Question, but I call it a fighting with his own shadow, what if bare non-necessity alone, without burdensomness, or what if both these without strong suspicion of sin will not warrant it, yet if all conjunct will do the feat. Dissenters will Escape the Hue and Cry after Schism, and Schismaticks; 2. I deny his Consequence: there might be, there would be Schism, to much Schism, though I confess not half so much as there is, though the non-necessity of the Terms were a good warrant of separation: If Schism lay in nothing indeed but running away from a Church (as the vulgar error carries it) he had come a little nearer the mark; but if we durst content our selves with the Scripture notion of Schism which includes those feuds, heats, intestine broiles, those envyings malignities, wherewith factious and bandying parties in the besome of a Church do persecute each other, there might be as much Schism as almost the Divel could desire, and yet no separation: But let us hear his proof of the Consequence, forasmuch (says he) as there never was, nor probably ever will be such a Church as required nothing of those in her Communion, but things strictly and absolutely necessary, Ergo what? why therefore if the non-necessity of some of the terms of Communion be a sufficient warrant of separation, there can be no such thing as Schism, pray forbear, there is a medium as I take it between non-necessary, p. 170and strictly and absolutely necessary; I mean those things which being neither necessary in their own nature, nor made so by any positive Law of God in particular: yet by a concurrence of weighty circumstances serving under some General Command of God, do become at that time, and under those circumstances necessary, and these are those things wherein many Churches, I suppose all Churches, have at one time or other Exercised their power, now then though 'tis true that if the non-absolute necessity of the Terms of Communion be a warrant of separation, there would be no such thing as Schism at all by unwarrantable separation from a Church, because perhaps there never was a Church that required nothing of those in her Communion but things absolutely necessary; yet it may be true, that the non-necessity of the Terms of Communion may be a good warrant for separation, and yet there may be Schism enough in the world: for captious froward Spirits will be cavilling at, and dividing upon the account of those things which by a particular Church are required becoming necessary from circumstances: but to inform him aright in this matter; Non-conformists do affirm, that what ever is made a condition of Communion, ought to have some kind of necessity in it or with it, antecedent to its imposition; and being made such a condition; still he is harping upon: and has great mind to prove what we are not concern'd to deny: but if he tempts to it, perhaps I may deny it: That there was never, nor ever will be any such Church, &c. And because I would entertain the Reader with a little of our Enquirers merriments, he shall hear his proof of the point.

1. He tells us he has shewed us this partly in the Intro…uction, and so pag. 2. For proof of the soundness of this Church… constitution, he posts us over to the Introduction, and w…en we come to turn over this Introduction, there's an honest we…lmeaning oration of something or other without proof▪ 2. He could easily make it appear at large through all Ages; we…l, then we will suspend our belief till his Magd…burgensis come abroad; 3. He will save himself, and the Reader the labour (of writing the Century's) very good! We are satisfied any way i'th world, he shall find us the most reasonable people in the world, if he will but abate us these unnecessary i… positions: But which way shall we spare our pains? oh thus! name one Church if you can that hath admitted of no other opinion or Rites, but such as have been absolutely necessary. And has this great montain teemed this little mouse? He should have proved that never any Church in any age, in any Country, but had imposed things not absolutely necessary, and he like a modest man that can be content with a Competency, proved only that there never was any Church but admitted such things: is there no small critical difference between admitting in the use, and practise somethings indifferent in an indifferent way and imposing, requiring, and enjoyning them as necessary Terms of Communion: I will make a fair p. 171motion; Let this Church admit of the use, and practise of some things not absolutely necessary, yet neither in their nature sinful, nor for multitude burdensom, nor for abuse suspected, nor in their Instituted use Sacramental, and yet not impose them as necessary, Conditions of Communion, and if there be less uniformity, there will be a Thousand times more unity, and true inward love, Evangelical tenderness, and fra… nal forbearance to compensate a little outward decorum, which perhaps is very Surprizing with women and children.

All this while I distrust not the Readers A…umen to see the Sophistry; He would make it out there's no Church which admits not some determinations, not strictly and absolutely necessary; and he would thence inferr that there's no Church, but what imposes such not absolutely necessary determinations, and thence that if non-necessary Terms of Communion be a warrant of separation, there can be no Schism in the world at all: whereas there are such things as being neither unnecessary, nor yet absolutely necessary, may be …it matter of agreement in Christian Societies, that they may be more stedily governed, more peaceably and inoffensively manadged, the Ord… nances more methodically and orderly administred, and the spiritual and eternal welfare of souls more effectually advanced.

(3) The third and last thing he will say is, that somethings are necessary to t…e Constitution and administration of a particular Church, that are not in themselves necessary absolutely considered; This he will say, and who can help it? why will he say it? why doubtless as a medium to prove his conclusion, or he had better have said nothing; now that which he engaged to prove was this; That things indifferent, unnecessary, &c. Imposed as conditions of Communion are not enough to Excuse the person that separates, from a participation of the sin of Schism; the argument marche… in this order: If somethings are necessary to the Constitution of a Church, which are not absolutely necessary in themselves, then the Imposition of unnecessary Terms of Communion is no Excuse for separation; but the former is true, Ergo so is the later; or in short, if some things be necessary then, the Church may impose things not necessary: quod er…t demonstrandum.

He has been told over and over again, that many things not necessary in themselves, may become necessary pr… hic & nunc, but then they must be thus qualified, before they can be fit matter of a Churches determination. 1. They must be necessary one way or other, Antecedently to the Churches determination; 2. The necessity must extend as far as the determination: For if they become necessary to one particular Church, and not to another, it will not oblige the other Church to come under the Imposition, unless they come also under the necessity. 3. That when the necessity evidently ceases, p. 172the Imposition ought also to cease, and the members of the Church may claim it of right to be relaxed of the burden, and may reassume their former liberty, which the present necessity did restrain. 4. Churches are not to feighn necessities, and Imaginary Exigencies as an Engine of ambitious spirits to try conclusions upon mens Consciences, or practise upon their …ameness, and therefore the necessity ought to be such as carries its own evidence along with it.

There are many things which the Divine Authority had determined as to its …id and sort, which yet are not so determined in the In…viduals; now when a Church meets with any of these, she must come to a determination, for otherwise the Divine Commands cannot possibly be reduced into act, nor our duty Exercised: Thus he has commanded his Churches to assemble themselves together for publick worship, he has appointed them Ordinances wherein to receive mercy, and grace, from him and Officers to administer the Ordinances in the Church, the Church therefore is obliged to do whatsoever is necessary to the doing of her duty; Thus Go… having obliged them to worship, they must come to an agreement about the place, meerly because 'tis impossible to meet no where. But if the divine will hath not determined in specie, man cannot under the most specious pretence of decency, or adorning the worship institute any thing, because it wants some head of a Divine Command, to which to reduce it; Thus God having given no Command to any Church, to worship him under sensible formes, and signes of Invisible Grace, no Church has power to Institute any such, and worship God by them; For in this case Divine wisdome, Love, and Authority, have demonstrated themselves, and setled Enow to answer Gods Ends and ours.

If he had said, as often as you baptize, besides the washing with water which I have commanded you, see that you make some figure over the face of the person to be baptized, and not determined the figure, whether Hexagonal, pentagonal or the like, the Church must come to a conclusion about some figure, or the duty must for ever lye fallow.

But a General Command, that all things be done decently and in …der, will never introduce these Symbolical Ceremonies, because the Command may be satisfied without them, or any of them, they are …ot necessary so much as by disjunction; whatsoever is comprehended under a Divine precept, is a necessary duty at least by disjunction, Antecedent to any Command of any Church; but these Ceremonies are not necessary in any sense antecedently to the Command of a Church, and therefore are not comprehended under that General precept. Let all things be done decently and in order; And indeed if they were, the sign of the Cross would be a necessary duty, not only in o… at Baptisme, but in the Lords Supper, in every prayer, in al… preaching, in singing of Psalms, and in every Religious Exercise, seeing that precept enjoyns all things to be done decently and in order. And we p. 173may presume that our Saviour, with his Disciples and Apostles, performed All divine service in the most decent, congruous, and edifying modes, and yet they never practised that▪ or any other Ceremony of that sort; and therefore they are not comprehended under the Rule.

Nevertheless our Enquirer is resolved he will give us two Instances of this Truth that some things are necessary to the Constitution, and administration of a particular Church, that are not in themselves necessary absolutely considered: And if he thinks it worth the while, he may give us two hundred, for we are perfectly unconcerned in them all.

(1) The first instance is in the Apostles times: the abstaining from things strangled and blood, was by the Council of Ierusalem adjudged and declared necessary to be observed by the Gentiles, in order to an accommodation between them and the Iews; and yet I suppose scarce any body thinks the observation of that Abstinence so Enjoyned necessary in it self: Let us apply it, either then the abstaining from Ceremonies must be adjudged necessary in order to an Accommodation between our Church, and other Protestants, or the obs…rving of them be adjudged necessary in order to an accommodation between us and the Romanists, which he would chuse, I am not informed.

But let us Examine a little his great Instance.

§ 1. It was adjudged and declared necessary to be observed (sa… he) Therefore (say I) it was enjoyned, because first necessary, and not made necessary by the Injunction: The thing was not unnecessary before the Syn…dal Letters, nor the Council at liberty to have determined the contrary unless an accommodation between Jew, and Gentile, was a thing unnecessary, 15. Acts 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon yo… no greater burden then those necessary things, foreign. Now let him try his skill to conclude a power to impose things unnecessary from this fact of theirs, who only imposed things necessary.

§ 2. That a Council had the Immediate assistance of the Holy Ghost, and might more safely adventure upon such an Imposition, then any particular or National Church, who as they have no promise, cannot in faith expect any such extraordinary direction; and we hope that no Church will assume equal power to impose, unless they could produce equal authority for their power, in which the Consciences of Christians might securely acquiesce: It would be strange language from a Synod. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no other burdens then these necessary things, that yet observe all Ceremonies of our appointment.

§ 3. The people might reasonably conform to that decree, which had their own Antecedent consent, and the more patiently bear the burden, which was not imposed upon them, without themselves, for this Canon was not only sent to the Churches by the order of the Apostles, and Elders, and the whole Church, v. 22. p. 174but what ever obligatory power there was in it from man, It ran in the name of the Apostles, Elders and Brethren; But alas the Case is otherwise with the poor Churches in reference to impositions of late Ages, who know no more what Impositions shall be laid upon their Consciences, then the poor horse is acquainted whither his Master intends to ride him.

§. 4. This was a Decree not to burden them, but to case and relieve them, not to pinch the Gentiles, but to discharge them of those servile loads, which some Judaizing Converts, would have imposed on them; we read v. 1. That certain came down from Iudea which taught the brethren; and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved. And when Paul, and Barnabas opposed this Tyranny, yet such was their Zeal for their old Ceremonies, that they reinforced their scatter'd squadrons from certain of the Sect of the Pharisees who believed, (v. 5.) saying, That it was necessary to Circumcise them, and Command them to keep the Law of Moses: At last the Case comes before the Council, and they determine against these Judaizing Bigots; That their blind Zeal should not be the measure of what was necessary, or unnecessary; and yet not to Exasperat… them, left perhaps they might apostatize wholly from Christ, and relapse to Moses, (as they were in a fair way,) They determine to Lay no other burden upon them but those (really) necessary things: In opposition to those other, which the Jewish Brethren falsly pleaded to be necessary: so that they eased the burden which some would by doctrine have laid upon their shoulders, and only charg'd them by their determination with what was really necessary.

§. 5. Let us consider the things Imposed. v. 29. Abstaining from meats offer'd to Idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Of which, fornication, was unlawful in it self; By Blood, many Learned men understand Murther, which opinion the Learned Dr. Hammond recites, and, as I remember approves: As to the not eating of things strangled. It had Contracted a very Reverend, and Grave Countenance by its Antiquity, being Numbered amongst the seven percepts of the sons of Noah: And lastly, as for meats offer'd to Idols, under that Notion, it was, and is still, unlawful.

§. 6. All this was for Avoiding scandal; The Morality of which praecept, had it been understood by the Raw Novice Professors of the gentiles, it had taught them to abstain from a greater matter then Blood or things strangled (supposing them indifferent) that they might give no offence. And therefore whilst this Canon was in force, and the sharpest edge set on it, I question not but that the Gentile Christian might have eaten the foreign priyately, or in Company where no offence was taken, for what were the Jews concern'd what I should eat at home, either of the foreign, fragments, or portions of the sacrifices sent to me by the Heathen Relation, or of those things that were killed by sus…ocation: p. 175for thus was the end of the Decree attained, the Apostles satisfied, the Jews pleased, and Christian Liberty asserted, and vindicated: But the Case is otherwise with us: for such is the Holiness of a Cross, or Surplice, that if a Minister satisfied in their use; and yet convinced that they ought to know their distance, and give place to the Conscience of the weak, or of the strong, who is supposed weak in this instance, shall omit them, he shall be lyable to be reviled by the Author of the former part of the Enquiries. p. 25. for an underminer of the Church, A debaucher of his Office, and what not, and for want of a white garment, shall have a hole pickt in his black coat, and suspended both a… Officio, & beneficio.

§. 7. Here was no penalty annext by way of sanction to this Decree. The Apostles contented themselves with that spiritual Power wherewith the Lord Christ had Armed them: nor do we read that ever any were excommunicated about it, nor urged it as an indispensable Condition of enjoying the ordinances of the Gospel.

§. 8. It appears from the Apostle Paul, that when this Decree had a little gratified a people ter…cious of old usages, and humour'd them into some handsome Complyance, it Expired of Course, (as to whatever obligation arose from the prohibition of things in themselves indifferent) and lay amongst the Obsolete Canons not regarded, for when the Reason of an Ecclesiastical Law ceases, the Law it self ceases, without any formal repeal; which some expecting should have been more solemn, conceive it i… force to this day.

There is no question but those Churches who going of from the Dregs of Rome, finding their people both Ignorant, and obstinate, and extreamly a verse to a through Reformation, did in prudence leave them some of their old little toyes, till they should know better, and then they would throw 'em away of themselves; They that had suckt in Popery with their Mothers milk, would be very pievish, and wrangle unmercifully to be weaned all at once: staied nurses did therefore deal with them as they could bear, expecting when they should fall to more manly food: But seeing by this time they have either reacht their end, or never will; and seeing the subtle enemy of Purity and peace, would pervert their ends, if they be permitted quietly to expire, and dye of themselves, (which they would soon do, if not fetcht again by their over-Officious friends importunity) The Protestant Religion should have no Cause to bewail their funerals.

[2] His second Instance is in Church-government. The short of, it is thus much: That some Church-government is necessary, yet no particular form necessary. As whether it ought to be Monarchical, or Aristocratical, Episcopal, or Consistorial. This seems very dangerous Doctrine, for now it seems Episcopal government is degraded of its old pretence to a jus Divinum: And now the Presbyterian and Congregational forms stand upon even grounds with the Praelatical, saving wherein this last has got the advantage by Law. But here we are to understand that his Text and his marginal reading; his Chethib, and Keri, do strangely vary, and its like to p. 176cruciate our Rabbines to reconcile them: for his Text reads thus: Few, or none wil affirm that either of these formes (Episcopal or Consistorial) are necessary. But his Margine reads thus; I do not mean to weaken the Authority, and reputation, of Episcopal government, which I sincerely think to be both best in it self, and Apostolical for it's Antiquity: Thus the Author of the Introduction, calls it the Most primitive Government. Now some will perplex themselves how to Agree his scriptio, and his Lectio: The text, and the Comment. He tells The Episcopal Mode is not necessary, and yet he does it not at all to weaken it's reputation; though it has been hetherto reputed to stand upon a divine bottome by our Learned Churchmen; but yet he does not Mean any harm, Good man, no not he: but with such good meanings, filly soules use to palliate the irregular effects of grosse Ignorance. If a Man should come to my house, and with his crows, and pickaxes, begin to belabour the foundation, Alarmed with the noise, I come out, friend what do you mean to weaken the foundation of my house, I shall have the Roof shortly come about my ears; Oh Good Sir. (replies he) I do assure you I have no meaning to weaken your house, or shake its walls, I sincerely think your house is the strongest house in all the Parish: and to his work he falls again as hard as he can drive: A declaration contrary to the fact has no more Credit with me then it needs must.

But this is not the worst on't. Here seems to be an irreconcileable Contradiction. Episcopacy, is Indifferent, and yet best in it self: Not necessary, and yet Apostolical, and yet some think there was an absolute necessity of this quarrel between the Text, and Margine; The Margin was Added to make the Text passe muster, and if the one had not been a Deleatur, the other had mi…'t of an Imprimatur; The necessity of the Argument required Episcopacy should be a Thing indifferent: but the necessity of pleasing his Patron required it should be Best in it self; And in what a Lamentable plight must a Learned Author be, to gratify such Contrary demands? Let him then Agree himself with himself, whilst I examine his Reasonings.

Church government is Necessary in the General; but this or that form of government, in particular, is not necessary, (not absolutely necessary) therefore somethings not necessary in themselves, are, or may be necessary to the constitution, or administration of a particular Church. This, if I greatly mistake not, is the whole strength of this Period. To which I answer in these particulars. (1.) That though the Scripture does not trouble us with Terms of Art, Monarchical, Aristocratical, Democratical, Yet at least all the Officers belonging to the Church of Christ are there specially determined: And from the Nature of the Officers, the species, or particular form of the Government, will of necessity emerge; If the Officers of the particular Churches stand upon equal ground one with another, the government which results from thence will be Aristocratical: If there be an Imparity, p. 177and subordination of the governors of one Church to another the government which results from thence will be Monarchical; And if the Churches governed by their respective Pastors are not knit together by some Common bond, the government will be denominated Congregational. (2.) Supposing that the government is only Commanded in the general, but the particular form not determined, yet this will never conclude, that the Church may Impose such things as Terms of Communion which are noe Commanded in the general. It can never follow that a Church may institute, and impose Ceremonies, for which there is no General warrant, because it must agree upon a Government, for which there is a General warrant: Nor that she may Impose those things which are not necessary either to the Constitution or Administration of a Church, because she must determine upon that, which is necessary both to the constitution, and administration of it. (3.) He pretends to prove that it is unlawful to separate upon the Account of unnecessary Conditions of Communion, and he gives us an Instance in Episcopacy, which yet his Margin affirms to Be best in it self, and Apostolical for Antiquity: from hence we are instructed, That unnecessary conditions, are such as are or may be Best in themselves: And let him but produce such Terms of Communion, as being unnecessary in themselves, are yet best in themselves, and I am confident there will be an end of this Controversy: whereas therefore his Margine tells us, That this is Argumentum ad Homines: he says very true, it is so to himself and his friends. If Episcopal government be best in it self, how will he thence conclude the Churches power to Impose indifferent things, unnecessary things; which are not best in themselves? But if Episcopal government be indifferent, and unnecessary in it self, how is it best in it self, and Apostolical for Antiquity? An indifferent thing, best in it self, An unnecessary Apostolical constitution, is a notion which founds very harshly in my ears, and perhaps the most of our Readers.

But we are all tyred out with these paralogisms, we have heard a great clamour of Schism, Schism, as the manner is, and when we come to Enquire after that Reason, we are returned with a nihil dicit, or which is all one, nothing to that purpose.