Schism Detected in Both Extremes, Part 1 · Chapter 4

Schism Detected in Both Extremes · Part 1 · Chapter 4

p. 20CHAP. IV.

His third Caſe.

§. 1. PAge 48, 49. He reſolveth his third Caſe: [Whether it be lawful to Communicate with two diſtinct and ſeparate Churches] negatively, and ſaith, [It is contrary to all the Principles of Church Communion, as any thing can poſſibly be; it is to be contrary to our ſelves, it is Communicating with Schiſm: That the Presbyterian and Independent Churches have made an actual ſeparation from the Church of England he hath evidently proved;—and they are Schiſmaticks, and to communicate with them is to partake in their Schiſm; and if Schiſm be a great ſin, and that which will damn us as ſoon as Adultery and Murther, then, it muſt needs be a dangerous thing to communicate with Schiſmaticks. And p. 42. There cannot be two diſtinct Churches in one place, one for occaſional, and another for conſtant Communion, without Schiſm.]

Anſ. To ſave thoſe that are willing from the Poyſon of theſe Schiſmatical Doctrines, lapt up in confuſion by men that abhor diſtinction, or underſtand not what they ſay; I will firſt lay down that truth that he fights againſt, with convincing evidence, and then ſhew you the miſchief of his falſe Doctrine and Application.

§. 2. The confuſion of theſe Words [Church, Communion, Separation and Schiſm] which every one ſignifie divers things, is the chief means to blind▪ and deceive his Reader; whether it do ſo by himſelf I know not.

I. The Word Church ſignifieth ſometime the univerſal Church; ſometime a ſingle Organized Church as part of it, and ſometime humane combinations of ſuch ſingle Churches; and that into Dioceſan, Claſſical, Provincial, Patriarchal, National, and Papal.

II. The Specification and Nomination of Churches is from the formal cauſe, and the proper Government is that form: And the Individuation is from matter and form, but principally from the form.

III. The Union of Paſtor and Flock in Relation makes that which is a form aptitudinal (as the Soul to the Body) to be the form in act (as the Union of Soul and Body) and Gods command and conſent with the conſent of the neceſſary relate and correlate cauſe that union.

IV. Union is in order to Communion, which is primary by the exerciſe p. 21of the formal powers on the matter, and ſecondary by the action of all the parts according to their ſeveral capacities and Offices.

V. The Union of the Church is of divers degrees. 1. The formal Union of the Head and Body, which maketh it eſſentially the [Chriſtian Church.] 2. The Vnion of the parts among themſelves as Chriſtian, which maketh them a Body capable of Union with the Head. 3. The Union of the parts as unequal Organized, the Official with the reſt, which maketh it an Organized Body, fit for its ſpecial uſe and welfare. 4. Union in integrity of parts, which maketh it an intire Body. 5. Union in due temperament and Qualities, which maketh it a healthful Body. 6. Unity in Common Accidents, which make it a Comely Beautiful Body joined with the reſt. But, 7. Union in mutable Accidents is unneceſſary and impoſſible.

VI. Theſe ſeveral degrees of Union are found in Bodies natural and Politick. 1. The Union of Soul and Body makes a man, and an Embryo before it be organized. 2. The Union of the Body maketh it capable of the Souls further Operation. 3. The Union of the Organical, chief parts, (as Heart, Lungs, &c.) to the reſt make it a true humane Body compleated to the nutriment and action of Life. 4. That it have Hands and Fingers, Feet and Toes, and all integral parts, makes it an intire Body. 5. The due ſite, temperament and qualities of each part make it a ſound Body. 6. Comely colour, hair, action, going, ſpeech, &c. make it a comely Body. 7. To have all parts of equal quantity and office, would make it uncomely: And to have the ſame hair, colour, &c. is unneceſſary at all.

1. The Union of King and Subjects as ſuch makes a Kingdom. 2. That the People be agreed; for one conjunct intereſt and Government maketh them a Community capable of Politie or Government. 3. That there be Judges, Maiors and Juſtices, and ſubordinate Cities of Societies, maketh it an Organized Body, in which Kingly Government may be exerciſed to its end, the common good. 4. That no profitable part be wanting, (Judge, Juſtice, Sheriff, &c.) maketh it an entire Kingdom. 5. That all know their place, and be duly qualified with Wiſdom, Love, Juſtice, Conſcience, Obedience to God firſt, to the Sovereign Power next, to Officers next, &c. maketh it a found and ſafe Kingdom. 6. That it be well ſituate, fertile, rich, eminent in Learning, Skill, &c. maketh it an adorned beautiful Kingdom. 7. That all be equal in Power and wealth is deſtructive; and that all be of one Age, complexion, calling, temper, degree of knowledge, &c. is impoſſible: And that all have the ſame language, cloathing, utenſils, &c. is needleſs at leaſt.

VII. Jeſus Chriſt is the only Univerſal Soveraign of the Church, both of vital influence and Government; nor hath he ſet up any under him, either Monarchical, Ariſtocratical, Democratical, or mixt, Pope, Council, on diffuſed Clergy, that hath the Power of Legiſlation and Judgment as governing the whole Chorch; but only Officers that per partes govern it among p. 22them, each in his Province, as Juſtices do the Kingdom, and Kings and States the World; nor is any capable of more.

VIII. To ſet up any univerſal Legiſlators and Judge, (Pope or Council) is to ſet up an Uſurper of Chriſts Prerogative, called by many a Vice-Chriſt or an Antichriſt; and as bad as making one man or Senate the Soveraign of all the Earth; and to attempt the ſetting up of ſuch or any forreign Juriſdiction in this Land, is to endeavour to perjure the whole Kingdom that is ſworn againſt it in the Oath of Supremacy, and ſworn never to endeavour any alteration of Government in Church or State in the Corporation Oath, the Veſtry Oath, the Militia Oath, the Oxford Oath, with the Uniformity Covenants: And if any ſhould endeavour to introduce ſuch a forreign Juriſdiction who themſelves have had a hand in driving all the Kingdom to all theſe Oaths againſt if, I doubt whether all the Powers of Hell can deviſe a much greater crime againſt Clergy, Cities, and all the Land. Good reaſon therefore had Doctor Iſaac Barrow to write againſt it as he hath done, and to confute Mr. Thorndike, and all ſuch as of late go that pernicious way, by the pretence of Church Union and Communion. As if one univerſal Soveraign and Legiſlator and Judge, were not enough to unite Chriſts Kingdom, or man could mend his univerſal Laws, and could not ſtay for his final judgment; and Churches and Kingdomes might nor till then be ruled without one humane univerſal Soveraign by neceſſary and voluntary agreement among themſelves.

XI. To be a true Believer or Chriſtian, (or the Inſant ſeed of ſuch) devoted to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, according to the ſenſe of the Baptiſmal Covenant, uniteth each Member firſt to Chriſt himſelf directly, and conſequently to his Body or Church; and this coram Deo, as ſoon as it is done by heart conſent; and coram Eccleſia, regularly, as ſoon as he is inveſted by Baptiſm; which Baptiſm, when it may be had ſo, is regularly to be adminiſtred by none but an authorized Miniſter or Deacon; but if through neceſſity or miſtake it be done by a Lay-man, the Ancient Chriſtians took it not for a nullity, much leſs if the Baptizer was taken for a Miniſter by miſtake, being in his place; and if no Baptiſm can be had, open covenanting is vallid.

X. The Papiſts (and their truckling Agents here) have here hampered themſelves in a fatal contradiction: To make themſelves maſters of the World, they would perſwade us, that Sacraments only regenerate and ſanctifie, and that God ſaveth none (by any known way and grant) but by his Covenant Sealed by the Sacraments; and that he authorizeth none to adminiſter this Covenant but Prelates and their Prieſts, and none can validly have it from other hands: And ſo if you will but abate them the proof of many things that ſtand in the way, Heaven and Hell, Salvation and Damnation are at the will and mercy of ſuch Prelates and Prieſts. But unhappily they cannot retrieve their old Opinion, but maintain that Lay-men p. 23and Women may baptize in neceſſity validly, and that Baptiſm puts one into a State of Salvation.

XI. As he that ſwears and keeps his Allegiance to the King is a Subject and Member of the Kingdom, though he be no Member of any Corporation; ſo, though he diſown a thouſand fellow Subjects; yea, though he deny the Authority of Conſtable, Juſtice, Judge; ſo he that is devoted to Chriſt truly in the Baptiſmal Covenant, is a Chriſtian, and a Member of the Univerſal Church, though he were of no particular Church, or did diſown a thouſand Members, or any particular Officer of the Church.

XII. All faults or crimes are not Treaſon: A man that breaketh any Law, is in that meaſure Culpable or puniſhable: but every breach of Law, or wrong to fellow Subjects or Juſtices, as it is not Treaſon, ſo it doth not prove a man no Subject; though ſome may be ſo great as to deſerve death and make him intolerable: And ſo it is in the caſe of our Subjection in the Church to Chriſt.

XIII. To own Chriſts Inſtituted ſpecies of Church Officers is needful to the juſt Order, Safety and Edification of the Church (as to own the Courts of Judicature, Juſtices, &c. in the Kingdom) but to own this or that numerical Officer as truly commiſſioned, is needful only to the right adminiſtration of his own Province.

XIV. As Chriſt did his own work of univerſal Legiſlation by himſelf and his Spirit eminently in the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts, who have recorded all in Scripture, ſo he ſettled Churches to continue to the end aſſociated for Perſonal Communion in his holy Doctrine, Worſhip, Order and Converſation with authorized Miniſters, ſubordinate to his adminiſtration in his Prophetical, Prieſtly, Kingly and Friendly Relations. And thô theſe may not always or often meet in the ſame place, their neighbourhood maketh them capable of Perſonal preſential Communion, as men that may know and admoniſh each other and meet by turns, and in preſence manage their concerns; which differenceth ſingle Churches of the loweſt order from aſſociated Churches of men, that have Communion only by others at diſtance.

XV. As Logicians ſay of other Relations, the matter muſt be capable of the end, or it is not capable of the name and form; ſo is it here: e. g. It is no Ship that is made of meer Sponge or Paper, or that is no bigger than a Spoon; it is no Spoon that is as big as a Ship: One Houſe is not a Village, nor one Village a City, nor a City a meer Houſe. So twenty or an hundred or a thouſand Pariſhes aſſociate, cannot be a ſingle Church of the firſt or loweſt Order, being not capable of mutual Knowledge, Converſe or perſonal preſent Communion: Nor are two or three Lay-men capable to be ſuch a Church, for want of due matter. But ſuppoſing them capable, thô a full and rich Church have advantage for Honour and Strength, yet a ſmall▪ and poor one is ejuſdem ordinis as truely a Church; and ſo is their Paſtor, as Hierom ſaith of Rome and Eugubium; ſo Alexandria and Mijuma, &c. Gregory Neocaeſar was p. 24equally Biſhop of nineteen at firſt, as after of all ſave nineteen in the City.

XVI. If the Apoſtles have Succeſſours in their care and Superiority over many Churches, it will prove that there ſhould yet be men of eminent worth to take care of many Churches, and to inſtruct and admoniſh the younger Miniſters: But it will neither prove 1. That they ſucceed the Apoſtles in the extraordinary parts of their Office. 2. Nor that they have any forcing power by the Sword. 3. Nor that one Church hath power over others by Divine right; for the Apoſtles fixed not their power to any particular Churches, but were general Viſitors or Overſeers of many: Yet if the ſame Man who is fixed in a particular Church, have alſo the viſiting admoniſhing overſight of many as far as was an Ordinary part of the Apoſtles Office, and be called an Archbiſhop, I know no Reaſon to be againſt him.

XVII. There be eſſential and Integral Acts of the Sacred Miniſtry inſtituted by Chriſt: Theſe none may take the Power of from any Miniſters, nor alter the ſpecies or integrity of the Office, by ſetting up any ſuch Superious as ſhall deprive them of that which Chriſt hath inſtituted, or arrogating the like uncalled. But as in worſhip, ſo in Order and Church Government, there are undetermined accidents: As to chooſe the time and place of Synods, to preſide and moderate and ſuch like: And theſe the Churches by agreement, or the Magiſtrate may aſſign to ſome above the reſt: And if the Magiſtrate affix Baronies, Honours, Revenues, or his own due Civil forcing Power, and make the ſame Men Magiſtrates and Miniſters, whether we think it prudent and well done or not, we muſt honour and obey them.

XVIII. Some call theſe humane Accidental Orders, forms of Church Government, and affirm (as Biſhop Reignolds did, and Dr. Stillingfleet in his Irenicon and many excellent men by him cited) that no form of Church Government is of Divine Command. Which is true of all this ſecond ſort of Government which is but Accidental aud humane; but not at all of the firſt ſort which is Divine and Eſſential to Chriſt himſelf firſt, and to Paſtors as ſuch by his appointment; ſo that the eſſential Government of the Univerſal Church, by Chriſt, and of each particular Church by Paſtors ſpecified by him (if not of Superviſors of many as ſucceeding Apoſtles and Evangeliſts in their Ordinary work) are of unalterable Divine right. But the humane forms are alterable: Such I account 1. The Preſidency and Moderatorſhip and accidental Government of one Biſhop in a ſingle Church over the other Presbyters, Deacons, &c. 2. The accidental Government of a Dioceſan as an Archbiſhop over theſe loweſt Biſhops and Churches. 3. And the Superiority of Metropolitans and Patriarchs over them, ſo it be but in ſuch Accidentals and within the ſame Empire, not impoſing a forreign Juriſdiction. Theſe tota ſpecie differ from the Divine Offices.

XIX. All theſe ſingle Church being parts of the Univerſal are leſs noble than the whole, and are to do all that they do as members in Union with the Whole, and to do all as Acts of Communion with them.

p. 25XX. The General precepts of doing all to Edification, Concord, Peace, Order, &c. oblige all the Churches to hold ſuch correſpondencies as are needful to theſe Ends: And Synods are one ſpecial means, which ſhould be uſed as far and oft as the Ends require: And if National Metropolitans and Patriarchs order ſuch Synods, I am not one that will diſobey them. But if on theſe pretences any would make Synods more neceſſary than they are, and uſe them as Governours, by Legiſlation and Judgement over the Particular Biſhops by the uſe of the Church Keyes, and will affixe to them or Metropolitans, beſides an Agreeing Power and the ſaid Government in Accidentals, a proper Church Government by making and unmaking Miniſters or Chriſtians, excommunicating and abſolving as Rulers by the ſaid Keyes, it may be a duty to diſown ſuch uſurpations. As the King would diſown an Aſſembly of Princes any where met that would claim a Proper Government of him and his Kingdom; Thô it were much to be wiſht that all Chriſtian Princes would hold ſuch Aſſemblies for the Concord and Peace of Chriſtendom.

XXI. The Eſſentials of Faith, Hope and Loving Practice, eſſentiate the Church objectively: And theſe are all ſummarily contained in the Baptiſmal Covenant, explained in the Creed, Lords Prayer and Decalouge; and all with much more, even Integrals and needful Accidentals in the Sacred Scriptures, which taking in the Law of Nature, are Gods Univerſal Law.

XXII. There is no Church on Earth ſo ſound and Orthodox as to want no Integral part of Chriſtian Religion: Proved: There is no man on Earth, much leſs any multitude, ſo ſound as to want no Integral part: But all Churches conſiſt only of Men; And therefore if all the Men be ſo far defective, all the Churches are ſo.

It is not their Objective Religion Generally and implicitely received that I mean, but their Subjective Religion, and their explicite reception of the Objective. The Scripture is our perfect Objective Religion in it ſelf, and as an Object propoſed, and in general and implicitely we all receive it. But as a man may ſay, I believe all that's in the Scripture, and yet be ignorant of the very Eſſentials in it; ſo a man may explicitely know and believe all the Eſſentials and more, and yet be ignorant of many Integrals.

All things in Scripture propoſed to our Faith, Hope and Practice, are the Integrals of our Religion: But no Chriſtian underſtandeth all theſe propoſals or words of Scripture: Therefore no Chriſtian explicitely believeth them all, or practiceth all. To hold the contrary, is to hold that ſome Church is perfect in Underſtanding, Faith, Hope and Practice, without Ignorance, Errour or Sin: that is, not to know what a man or a Chriſtian on Earth is.

XXIII. Much leſs do all Churches agree in unneceſſary indifferent accidents, nor ever did, nor ever will or can do.

XXIV. The meaſuring out Churches by limits of Ground, Parochial or Dioceſan, is a meer humane ordering of a mutable accident, and no Divine Determination: And if all were taken for Church members-becauſe they p. 26dwell in thoſe precincts, it were wicked: But if it be but all in thoſe precincts that are qualified Conſenters, it is uſually a convenient meaſure: But ſuch as in many Caſes muſt be broken.

XXV. If a Church with Faithful Paſtors be well ſetled in a place firſt where there are not more than ſhould make up that one Church, it is not meet for any there to gather a diſtinct Church (thô of the ſame Faith) without ſuch weighty reaſon as will prove it neceſſary, or like to do more good than hurt: 1. Becauſe Love inclineth to the greateſt Union; 2. Becauſe a Great Church is more ſtrong and honourable than a ſmall, if the number be not ſo great as to hinder the Ends. 3. And the Ancient Churches kept this Union.

XXVI. If Magiſtrates make ſuch Laws about Church Accidents as tend to further the Churches welfare, or are ſo pretended, and not againſt it, we muſt obey them. But if they wiil either invade Chriſts Autherity or croſs it, by making Laws againſt his, or ſuch as are proper to his Prerogative to make, or invade the Paſtors Office, and the Churches proper right given by Chriſt, or determine Accidents to the Deſtruction of the Subſtance (the Church, Doctrine, Worſhip or Ends) theſe bind the Conſciences of none to Obedience; but Chriſt muſt be obeyed, and we muſt patiently ſuffer.

XXVII. Self-intereſt, Self-Government and Family-Government are all antecedent to Publick Government, which Ruleth them for the Common good, but hath no Authority to deſtroy them: No King or Prelate can bind a man to do that which would damn his Soul, nor to omit that which is needful to his Salvation: All power is for Edification: They are Gods Miniſters for God.

XXVIII. As it belongs to ſelf-government to chooſe our own Dyet, and Cloaths, and Wives, and Phyſicians, (thô we may be reſtrained from doing publick hurt on ſuch pretences;) And it belong to Family Government to educate our own Children, and chooſe their Tutors, Callings, Wives, &c. ſo it more nearly belongs to ſelf-government to chooſe the moſt ſafe and profitable means of our own Salvation, which no man may forbid us; and to avoid that which is pernicious or hurtful; and to Family-Government to do the like for our Children.

XXIX. It is falſe Doctrine of thoſe late Writers who tell us, that only Sacraments ſanctifie or give right to Salvation: The whole Tenor of the Goſpel tells us that men are brought to Faith and Repentance, and to be Chriſtians, and Godly men, and by Faith to be juſtified, by the Preaching of the Goſpel: and that Gods word is his appointed means of Salvation, which his Miniſters muſt preach skilfully, inſtantly, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, to that End: And if the Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt.

XXX. The Goſpel ſaveth not like a Charm, by the bare ſound or ſaying of the words; nor the Sacrament like an Amulet; But as a Moral means (ſpecially bleſt by him that inſtituted it) to work on man as Man, by informing p. 27his Mind, perſwading his Will and exciting his Affections, as Men are wrought on in other Caſes; (which methinks thoſe called Arminians ſhould leaſt deny, who are ſaid to lay more of the Spirits operation on Moral ſuaſion than their Adverſaries; yea and thoſe that account it Fanaticiſm to expect any other gift of Prayer from the Spirit but what is given morally by uſe.) And the contrary Doctrine feigneth God to Work even conſtantly by Miracle: And as the Papiſts make every Maſs-Prieſt a Miracle Worker in Tranſubſtantiation, ſo do they that make the bare ſaying over the Words and doing the outward Acts in the Sacrament, to ſave us ex opere operato, and the Paſtoral teaching and overſight of an ignorant drunken Lad or Reader to be (near)as great a help to Salvation, as the Miniſtry of a wiſe skilful, Holy and exemplary Paſtor, and the clear affectionate Preaching of Gods word: And that tell us (as Mr. Dodwell) how ſufficient a man is to adminiſter the Sacramental Covenant that underſtands what a Covenant is in matters of Common Converſation.

XXXI. If a Wiſe: and Skilful and Conſcionable Miniſtry be as needleſs to Edification and Salvation as ſome Men pretend, it is as needleſs that they ſhould ſtudy to be ſuch, and vain to Glory that they are ſuch, and that the Church of England hath ſuch a Miniſtry, and vain to expect that men ſhould pay them any more reſpect than I owed my Maſter that never preacht but once, and that drunken; (and divers very like him.) Or that they ſhould uſe this as an argument to draw men to hear them.

XXXII. If the King or Law ſhould ſettle a Phyſician of his (or a Patrons) choice in every Pariſh, it were well done if it be but to have help at hand for Volunteers: Bui: if he command all to uſe them and to uſe no other before them or againſt them, where unskilful or untruſty men are placed, no man is bound to obey this command: No mens Law can diſſolve the Law of Nature, nor diſoblige a man from a due care of his Life, nor bind him to caſt it away upon Obedience to ignorant or bad and treacherous Men. And a mans Soul is more precious than his Health or Life; and he is bound to greater care of it; and is no more to truſt it on the will of his Superiours How vaſt is the difference between an ignorant raſh Phyſician or Paſtor, and one that is wiſe, experienced and truſty? They that ſcorn Men for going for greater edification from one to another, do not ſo if a man prefer a skilful Phyſician to one that kills more than he cures; or a skilful and careful Tutor for his Son, yea or a Farrier for his Horſe.

XXXIII. If one Preacher be not for Edification to be greatly preferred before another, then One Book is not: And ſo it's no matter what Book they read or value; and what a Student will this make? And what a Trade for the Bookſellers? And why then ſhould their own Books be ſo valued? And why then do they ſilence hundreds or thouſands and forbid them to preach on pain of ruine, (thô no falſe Doctrine be proved againſt them) if they think not that the difference is very great.

p. 28XXXIV. When Councils hereticated and condemned Thouſands or Hundreds of Prieſts and Biſhops, whom Chriſtian Emperours and Princes owned as Orthodox, they did not then think every Patron, Prince or Prelate a competent Judge with what Paſtor Men ſhould truſt the conduct of their Souls: Nor did they think ſo that forbad men hearing fornicators: Nor Cyprian that required the People to forſake Baſilides and Martial (& Peccatorem Praepoſitum.)

XXXV. So full was the proof given in the Book called, The firſt Plea for Peace, that the Church from the beginning denyed Princes and Magiſtrates to be entruſted with the choice of Biſhops, or Paſtors to whom the Churches were bound to truſt the conduct of their Souls, that he who denyeth it, is not worthy to be, therein diſputed with. And yet we doubt not but they may force Infidel Subjects and Catechumens to hear ſound and ſetled Preachers and Catechiſts; And may diſpoſe of the Tythes, Temples and many other Accidents of the Church; and may drive on Paſtors and People to their Duty.

XXXVI. It is falſe Doctrine that two diſtinct Churches may not be in the ſame Precincts or City; This being a meer Accident which abundance of Caſes make unneceſſary and unlawful: Which I ſhall prove.

That which is no where commanded by God, is no duty: But that there ſhall be but one Church (or Biſhop) in the ſame Precincts, is not commanded of God, Ergo, &c. (Divine of Gods making.)

They own the Major in the caſe of Indifferent thing. If they deny the Minor let the affirmers prove any ſuch command. We grant a command of Love and Concord, and a prohibition of all that is againſt them. But in many inſtances, to have ſeveral Churches in the ſame precincts, is not againſt them.

If they fly to the Canons of foreign Councils, the reaſon of them we ſhall weigh and duely regard; But they were National, and had their Legiſlative Power only from their own Princes and their Counſelling Power only from Chriſt: And we diſown all foreign Juriſdiction.

XXXVII. In all theſe Caſes following (and more) two Churches may be in the ſame precincts (yea and a City.)

1. In Caſe that ſeveral Biſhops are called juſtly to dwell in the ſame City, or Dioceſs, and many of their Flock be with them, e. g. Many Biſhops of England dwell long, yea moſtly in London or in London Dioceſs: e. g. The Biſhop of Eli dwells in the Pariſh of St. Andrews Holbourn: Qu. Whether there he be a Subject to Dr. Stillingfleet as his Paſtor, and bound to obey him? or whether many out of his Dioceſs (thouſands) may not as Lawfully dwell half the Year in London as he? And whether when he preacheth to them, he do it not as their Biſhop (in London Dioceſs.) And ſo of many other Biſhops that here reſide.

XXXVIII. 2. Either our Pariſh Churches are true Churches, or not. If p. 29not, the Separatiſts are ſo far in the right; And ſeparate not from true Churches eo nomine becauſe they ſeparate from them. If yea, then many Churches are in the ſame City and Dioceſs. (Of their agreement and dependance on the fame Biſhop I ſhall ſpeak anon.)

XXXIX. 3. In caſe that in one City, there be reſident Stranges, that are ſent on Embaſſies, or live for Merchandize, or flee from Miſeries, and are the Subject of other Princes, whoſe Laws and Cuſtoms they are under, e. g. At Frankford, Hamburgh, Middleburgh, Dantzick, Conſtantinople, there have been Engliſh diſtinct lawful Churches: And in London there are Dutch and French Churches: And if the King allowed a Swediſh Church, a Daniſh Church, a Saxon Church, &c. with their ſeveral Biſhops, who is ſo weak as to need proof that this is lawful, and they true Churches?

XL. 4. In caſe men of different Language are not capable of mutual converſe by perſonal communion or help: As Dutch, French, Italian, Greeks, Germans, &c. Grotius and Dr. Hammond (oft in Diſſert. and Annot.) do maintain that Peter at Rome had a Church of Jews, and Paul a Church of Gentiles: And that the like diſtribution of Churches of Jews and Gentiles, there was at Antioch, Alexandria and other places: And by this they Salve the Contradictions in Church Hiſtory about the Succeſſion of Linus, Cletus and Clemens: And the Apoſtles ſetled not a ſinful Church way.

XLI. 5. Yea Grotius maintaineth that the Apoſtles ſetled the Churches at firſt not like the Jewiſh Prieſthood, but in the order of their Synagogues; (de Imper. ſum. Pateſt. and in Annot.) And that as there were divers Synagogues in a great City with their Archiſynagogus and Elders, ſo there were divers Churches in a City with Biſhops and Presbyters.

XLII. 6. When there are a greater number of Perſons in one City or precinct than can have any juſt perſonal Knowledge and Communion, and more than any one Biſhop with his Presbytery can perform the needful Paſtoral overſight to, it is lawful and a duty, to gather another Church in that City or Precinct: But this is truly the Caſe of many great Cities, though worldly Wiſdom have at Rome, and other places oft denyed notorious evidence and experience. He that will gather up all the duties that Dr. Hammond ſaith were charged on the Biſhops (in his Annotations on all the Texts that name Elders and Biſhops) if he can believe that any Biſhop can perform the tenth part of them to all in the Dioceſs of London, York, Lincoln, Norwich, &c. I will not diſpute againſt him if he maintain a Biſhops Ubiquity, or that at once he can be in twenty places. But if they ſay, that what then was commanded them to do perſonally, they may do by others, I ſay, that if they may change the Work, they may change the Power, that ſpecifieth the Office; and ſo it is not the ſame Office in ſpecie inſtituted in Scripture: And then Lay-men may have Power to preach and adminiſter Sacraments, and do the Office of Prieſts, and yet be no Prieſt (as Civilians do of Biſhops) which is a Contradiction. Certainly if there be more Scholars in the City p. 30than one Maſter can Teach and Rule, it is no Schiſm to ſet up more Schools and Schoolmaſters, but a duty. And if the Lord Mayor on pretence of City Government ſhould put down but as great a part of Family Government, as thoſe Dioceſans do of Parochial Church Government, who allow none under them to be truly Epiſcopi Gregis, and have the power of their Church Keyes, I think that it were no Schiſm to reſtore Families ſo that the City might have more than one (entirely.)

XLIII. 7. If the Soveraign Power upon Politick or Religious Reaſons ſhould determine, that e. g. Dr. A, and Dr. B, and Dr. C. ſhall all be Biſhops in London, to ſuch Volunteers of Clergy and Laity as ſhall chooſe each of them to be their Biſhop, and this without altering their dwellings, no man can prove it ſinful; And of his reaſons the King is judge.

XLIV. 8. If the Biſhop or Clergy of a City, Dioceſs or Nation, do agree by Law or Canon to admit none to the Miniſtry or Communion that will not commit a known ſin deliberately as the Condition of his Communion, it is a duty to congregate under Other Paſtors in thoſe precincts. This is confeſt: If they ſhould not only hold any errour, or practiſe ſin, but require men to ſubſcribe and approve it, and ſay it is no ſin, no man ought to do this; nor yet to live like an Atheiſt:, and forſake all Worſhip becauſe men forbid him, if it were but to ſubſcribe one untruth: But alas, this is no rare Caſe: In one Emperours Reign all were Anathematized that ſubſcribed not to the Council of Chalcedon, and quickly after all that did, or that would not renounce it: The ſame diviſion and changes were made by the Councils againſt and for the Monothelites, de tribus Capitulis, Images, &c. And when all Men living have many Errours, and the Church of England diſclaimeth her Infallibility, and yet will receive no Miniſter that will not ſubſcribe that there is nothing in her Books contrary to the word of God, the Caſe is hard. But when all the things mentioned in the Plea for Peace are proved lawful, we ſhall be more yielding in this Caſe.

XLV. 9. If true and ſound Chriſtians miſtakingly think one or many things to be heinous ſins, (as Perjury, Lying, Renouncing Obedience to God, and Repentance, &c.) which are things indifferent, but of ſo great difficulty that moſt Learned and Godly and Willing Men cannot diſcern the Lawfulneſs and agree, and yet are not neceſſary nor juſt conditions of Miniſtry or Communion, and ſo it is the Impoſer that entangleth them by difficulty in their diſſeut, it is not lawful for theſe men therefore to forbear all Church Worſhip, but muſt uſe it as they can.

XLVI. 10. If any Church unjuſtly excommnnicate ſuch men; or others, they muſt not forbear all Church order and worſhip becauſe men ſo excommunicate them. No man muſt Sin to eſcape Excommunication; and every man in the World is a ſinner:, And therefore all the World muſt be excommunicated, if all Sinners muſt be ſo. As I before ſaid, the times oft were when almoſt all the Biſhops in the Empire were excommunicated by one another: p. 31Councils and Popes have oft excommunicated ſome for trifles and ſome for Truth and Duty. And ſuch muſt not therefore renounce all Church Worſhip and Communion.

The Church of England do by their ſtanding Law ipſo facto excommunicate all (as aforeſaid) that affirm any thing to be repugnant to Gods Word or ſinful, in their whole Church Government, Articles, Liturgy and Ceremonies, and ſo to ſtand till they Publickly revoke this as a wicked Errour. Now many Lords and Commoners in Parliaments, have ſpoken againſt ſome of theſe particulars; and ſome out of Parliament: Many Miniſters have done the like when the King Commiſſioned them to treat for Alterations; And many when the Accuſations or demands of others have called them to give a Reaſon of their Actions. Some have maintained that it is repugnant to Gods word that Lay Civilians ſhould have the decretive Power of the Keyes, and that the Pariſh Miniſter muſt caſt out of Communnion all that the Lay Doctors or Chancellors excommunicate, and all that dare not receive kneeling, and that they ſhould deny Chriſtendom to all that ſcruple the Engliſn ſort of God-Fathers Covenants, and the tranſient Symbolical Image of the Croſs, with abundance ſuch things: Now all theſe are ipſo facto excommunicate. And thô they be not bound to avoid the Church till this be applicatorily declared, yet actually excommunicate they are, and that by a higher authority than the Biſhops; and they know the Churches decree; and the Prieſts are ſworn to Canonical Obedience; And he that will not tempt them to be forſworn, nor come into a Church that hath excommunicated him, ſeems therein excuſeable: But muſt he therefore renounce the Church of God?

XLVII. 11. If the People are ſo ſet againſt one Biſhop for another, as that half being for one and half for the other, and both Orthodox, they cannot be perſwaded to unite in one. A Council at Rome determined in the Caſe of Paulinus and Flavian at Antioch, that both of them ſhould hold their diſtinct Churches, and ſo live in love and peace. And though one or both parties in this were miſtaken Sinners, ſo are all morral men, who yet muſt not live like Atheiſts.

XLVIII. 12. An undetermined accident muſt be ſo determined as moſt ſerveth to do the greateſt good and avoid the greateſt Evil: But whether divers Churches ſhall promiſcuouſly live in the ſame City or Dioceſs or Pariſn, is an Accident not determined by God, and either way may be for the greateſt good, as circumſtances vary. e.g. When in a Church half cannot conſent to condemn the words of Theodoret, Theodore Mopſueſt, and Ibas, and half will condemn them with the Council; if theſe can ſerve God quietly in Love and Peace in different Congregations, but cannot endure one another in the ſame, it is moſt for the Churches Peace that they be permitted to joyn with thoſe of their own Mind.

When one Pope declared that it's ſound Doctrine to ſay [One of the Trinity was Crucified,] when another had declared that it is not ſound Doctrine, p. 32they that held with one Pope, and they that held with the other might both be true Churches in different Aſſemblies: When Juſtinian raiſed the bloody controverſie between the Corrupticolae and the Phantaſiaſtae, wiſe men thought both ſides were true Churches: Yea and ſo did many wiſe men think of the Orthodox and Neſtorians and many Eutychians.

XLIX. 13. It's a common caſe under Turks and Heathens, that they give liberty of Conſcience for Chriſtians of all parties: Now ſuppoſe that in Aleppo, in Conſtantinople or elſewhere, there be (partly for Countrey ſake and partly for Language, but moſt for different Judgments) one Church of Armenians, one of Greeks, one of Engliſh-men, &c. what Law of God makes only one of theſe to be a true Church, and which is it?

L. 14. Suppoſe that the ſetled Church e. g. in Holland, Sweden, Saxony, is for Presbytery, or for an Epiſcopacy that aroſe from Presbyters ordination, or that had none or a ſhort Liturgy, and the Prince would tolerate Engliſh men (as Frankford did) to ſet up a Church of the Engliſh Form and Liturgy, I think few Prelatiſts would deny it to be lawful.

LI. I omit other inſtances, and come to the matter of Separation, which word ſerveth this man and ſuch other in ſo general and undiſtinguiſhed a ſence, as would make one think he were of Mr. Dodwell's mind, That words in diſpute have but one ſignification, which all are bound to know that uſe them. Even a Bell by the ſame ſound ſometime ſignifieth a call to Church, and ſometime a Funeral, and ſometime Joy; but [Separate, Separate] is rung over and over with theſe men, as if it ſignified but one thing.

1. He that heareth half the Sermon and Service, and goeth out of Church, doth Separate at that time from the reſt.

When a Proteſtant Heretick was doing Penitence with his Faggot at St. Maries in Oxford, and the Fryer was Preaching, a miſtaken Voice in the ſtreet made them think the Hereticks had ſet the Church on fire, and they ſeparated from the Preacher, one Fryer ſtuck by the belly that was going out at the window; the door being wedged with the crowd, a Boy that ſaw it open above their heads, got up on their ſhoulders, and went on 'till he ſlipt into a Monks Cowl, and there lay ſtill 'till the Monk was got out, and felt ſomething on his back, and thinking it was an heretical Devil, began to conjure him in the Name of Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, to tell him what he was, and the Boy cryed, O good Maſter I am the Bakers boy, &c. Quaere, Whether this was Schiſmaticks ſeparation.

At Walſall in Stafford-ſhire, Mr. Lapthorne (known to me in his Iuſty age) who had been a Non-conformiſt, but thought it an honour to be converted by a King, and gloried that King James in conference changed him; but being as ruſtick a thunderer as Father Latimer and more, he was wont to let fly without much fear; one Mr. Martin in the Pariſh accounted the greateſt enemy to Puritans, when he heard what he liked not, would goe out of Church; one day (in a path way where Mr. Lane had rode a little before) p. 33pelting Crabs with a pole, the ground opened and ſwallowed him and his pole, that they could never be found (being a Cole-mine long on fire;) ever after that, when any one would goe out of Church at a bluſtering paſſage, Mr. Lapthorne would call to him, Remember Martin; Quere, Whether all theſe were ſeparating Schiſmaticks?

But this is too far off: In Dunſtans Weſt, where Dr. Sherlock, Preacheth, when I was licenſed: twenty, years ago, at Chriſtmas, as I was Preaching, ſome Lime or Stone fell down in the Steeple with the crowd, the Church being old and under ſuſpicion, they all thought it was falling, and moſt ran out in tumult, and ſome caſt themſelves headlong from the Gallery for haſt; when they were quieted and came in again, the Boyes in the Chancel broke a Wainſcot Skreen with climbing on it, and the noiſe made them run out again; one old woman going out, cryed, It's juſt with God becauſe I took not the firſt warning, Lord forgive me, and I'le never come again: Quere, Whether theſe, or at leaſt this reſolving Woman was a Schiſmatick, and ſeparated from the Catholick Church?

If not, there is ſome ſeparation that is not ſo bad as Murder; and methinks the Doctor ſhould forgive it for the ſucceſs; for the Pariſh hereupon reſolved to pull down the Church and build it new, a far better Fabrick where the Dr. now Preacheth; and it drove me away that I preacht there no more; Whether this new Church built where the old one had poſſeſſion before, be not a Schiſmatical Separatiſt, I leave to him.

LII. 2. Local Separation without Mental can make no culpable Schiſm; for Nil niſi Voluntarium eſt morale; if a man be impriſoned or be ſick and cannot come to the Church, it is innocent Separation; I have been at no Church this half year, much againſt my will, O that God would heal me of this Separation!

LIII. 3. If it muſt be mental Separation that muſt be culpable, then it is diverſified according to the mental degree and kind; and no man ſeparateth from the univerſal Church who ſeparateth not from ſomewhat eſſential to it; to ſeparate from its Integrals or Accidents may be culpable, but it's no Separation from the Church, no more than every breach of the Law is a Separation from the Kingdom.

LIV. 4. Some ſeparate as to place, locally and not mentally, ſome mentally and not locally, and ſome both: He that daily obſerveth the outward Communion of the Church, and yet taketh it for no Church, or denyeth its Faith, Hope or eſſential Duty, ſeparateth indeed. All thoſe men that live unbelievingly, atheiſtically, wickedly, that in their converſe prate againſt the Scripture and immortality of the Soul, and that hate and perſecute ſerious Godlineſs, are damnably ſeparated from Chriſt, and therefore from, the Catholick Church, and are ſo to be eſteemed ſo far as this is known, thô when, it is unknown, the Church can take no notice of it.

LV. 5. It being only Humane Laws and Circumſtantial Conveniences that p. 34make it unmeet to have divers Churches Biſhops living promiſcuouſly in the ſame Pariſhes, Cities, Dioceſes or Nations; where Laws and circumſtances allow it, it is no unlawful ſeperation.

LVI. 6. He that liveth in forreign Lands (Chriſtian, Mahometan or Heathen) where various Churches live promiſcuouſly (Greeks, Armenians, Proteſtants, Papiſts, &c.) is no Schiſmatick, if he chooſe which he thinks beſt, and be abſent locally from the reſt, condemning them no further than they deſerve.

LVII. 7. He that removeth into another Dioceſs or Pariſh for his worldly intereſt, ſeperateth without fault from the Church he was in.

LVIII. 8. It is a lawful ſeparation to remove ones dwelling, becauſe the Miniſter is ignorant, unskilful, or otherwiſe bad, and this for the better edification of his Soul, and the uſe and help of a more able faithful Miniſter, even Law and Cuſtome and reaſon do allow it.

LIX. 9. Thô the Canon 57. and 28. forbid Miniſters oft to give the Sacrament to Strangers that come out of other Pariſhes, even where no Preaching is, yet thoſe many ſober People that uſe this in London, are not taken to be Schiſmaticks, as bad as Murders: Many that are eſteemed the moſt ſober religious Conformiſts do ordinarily goe from their own Pariſh Churches, ſome (in Martins and St. Giles's Pariſh, &c.) for want of room, and ſome for more Edification, to Dr. Tillotſon, Dr. Stillingfleet, Dr. Burnet, Dr. Fowler, Mr. Gifford, Mr. Durham, Mr. Hornech and ſuch others, and communicate with them; and thô theſe are called by the late Catholicks by the Name of Dangerous Trimmers, I think even Dr. Sherlock will think it more pardonable than Murder, if they come to him.

LX. 10. If the King and Law ſhould reſtore the antient order that every City, that is, every great incorporate Town in England ſhould have a Biſhop, (yea or every great Pariſh) and that the Dioceſans ſhould be their Arch-Biſhops, and our new Catholicks ſhould tell the King and Parliament that they are hereby unchriſtened Schiſmaticks, as dangerous as Adulterers of Murderers, for gathering Churches within a Church, I would not believe them.

LXI. 11. If (e.g. at Frankford, Zurick, Lubeck, Hamburgh, &c.) a Church is ſettled in the Lutheran way, and another in the Bochemian way, deſcribed by Laſitius and Commenius, (which is a conjunction of Epiſcopacy, Presbytery and Independency) or a Church that had no Liturgy, or none but that which the French Proteſtants and Dutch have, would it be damning Schiſm, for ſuch as Cox and Horne at Frankford to ſet up an Epiſcopal Church in the Engliſh mode, and with their Liturgy, and ſo far to ſeparate from the reſt?

LXII. 12. If it be true that John Maior, Fordon, and others ſay that Preſbytery was the Government of the Church of Scotland before Epiſcopacy was brought in, was the introduction of Epiſcopacy by Palladius a damning p. 35Schiſm by ſeparating from the former, or a Reformation; is juſt Reformation Schiſm?

LXIII. 13. When the Church firſt ſet up Patriarchs, Metropolitans, General Councils, Monaſteries, Pariſh Churches diſtinct from Cathedrals, Organs, New Liturgies, and multitudes of Ceremonies, this was a departing or ſeparating from the contrary Church way which was there before, was it therefore Schiſm?

LXIV. 14. When Socrates tells us of ſome Countreys that had Biſhops in the Countrey Villages (like our Pariſhes) was it a damning Schiſm to ſeparate from this cuſtome, by decreeing that even ſmall Cities ſhould have no Biſhops, Ne vileſcat nomen Epiſcopi? or when the Chorepiſcopi were put down, where they had been?

LXV. 15. If a man ſeparate not from any thing eſſential to the Church of England, he ſeparateth not from that Church, though he refuſe that which is its Accidents, or ſome Integral parts: We are charg'd with ſeparating from the Church of England, as if it were a matter of fact beyond diſpute, and ſcorn'd for denying it, even by them that will not tell us what they mean by the Church of England, or by Separation. By the Church of England we mean the Chriſtian Kingdom of England, or all the Chriſtians in England, as living in one land, under One Chriſtian King who Governeth them by the Sword, which includeth their Concord among themſelves in true Chriſtianity; we are Chriſtians, we profeſs agreement in Chriſtianity with all Chriſtians we are under the ſame King as they are, and profeſs ſubjection, and take; the ſame Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; yea, we are not charged with differing in any thing called Doctrinal from their Thirty Nine Articles; but we diſown certain late Covenants and Oaths which are not Twenty three Years old, and the Subſcription to one Canon about the Innocency of all in their Liturgy; now either theſe new Oaths, Covenants and Canon, Liturgy and Ceremonies are eſſential to the Church of England, or not; If yea, then, 1. It's a poor humane Church, made by them that made theſe Oaths, Liturgy and Ceremonies. 2. And then it's a new upſtart Church, and no man can anſwer the Papiſts where it was before Luther, or before Henry 8. yea, if its eſſentials were made by this King and Parliament, 1662. then the preſent Church is no older: But if theſe things be indifferent, or not eſſential to the Church, then to ſeparate only from theſe, is not to ſeparate from the Church.

If it be ſaid, That for the ſake of theſe we ſeparate from the Church it ſelf, and therefore from its eſſence; we abhor the accuſation, and challenge them to prove it: If we ſeparate from the Church eſſentially, it is either Locally or Mentally; not Locally, for we are yet in England, nor is Local diſtance only a ſin; not Mentally, for we own it for a true Chriſtian Kingdom, called a National Church, bound to ſerve Chriſt in Love and Concord to their Power: We deny not the King to be the Governour, nor Chriſtians to be Chriſtians, no p. 36nor the particular Churches and Miniſters to be true (thô culpable) Churches and Miniſters, nor their Sacraments to be true Sacraments; we profeſs to hold with them one Catholick Body, one Spirit, one God, one Chiriſt, one Faith, one Baptiſm (in the eſſentials) and one Hope, and are ready to promiſe to live in Concord with them in all other things, as far as will ſtand with our Obedience to God; ſo that we ſeparate not from the Church of England as ſuch, but from ſome of its Accidents, which we dare not be guilty of.

LXVI. 16. The ſame I ſay of a Pariſh Church; he that locally removeth, e. g. from a Church that hath Organs, to one that hath none, ſeparateth from a pair of Organs, but not Mentally from the Church, unleſs the Organs be its eſſence.

LXVII. 17. They that are for the true antient Epiſcopacy, (e. g. as much as Arch-Biſhop Vſher's Reduction which we offer'd did contain) but diſlike the Lay Civilians power of the Keyes, and Officials, Surrogates, Arch-deacons Government, &c. do not ſeparate from the Church as Epiſcopal, but from the humane Novelties which they diſown.

LXVIII. 18. If a Pariſhioner fall out with his Prieſt, and they goe to Law about Tythes, Glebes, Words, &c. and the Suit be long, and the man dare not Communicate with him believing that he hateth him, thô the animoſity ſhould be culpable, being but perſonal, his going from-him to another Church is not ſeparating from Chriſt; (for I hope that even Mr. Dodwell himſelf will not ſay that every Prieſt is Chriſt.)

LXIX. 19. Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius, ſurely there is ſome qualification eſſential to the Miniſtry; if a man want that qualification, it is a Duty to ſeparate from him as no Miniſter, e. g. When I came to Kederminſter, (after my ſubjection to ſix or ſeven worſe) I found the Vicar, one reputed ignorant of the Fundamentals, (he was brought in by Sir Henry Blunt a Papiſt) who Preacht but once a quarter, which moſt thought he might better have forborn, and his Curate Mr. Turner at Mitton Preacht once a day, whom I found ignorant of the Catechiſm Principles by Conference, and he confeſt he had but one Book, Muſculus common places in Engliſh, and he ſaid ſome of that to the People, and they took it for a Sermon; he lived by unlawful Marrying, infamous for Drinking and Quarrelling; he that had taken theſe for no Miniſters, and ſeparated from them, had not thereby ſeperated from Chriſt or his Church Catholick.

LXX. 20. If it prove as hard to know who is the true Paſtor in a competition of Pretenders, as it was to know which was the true Pope, when there were two or three, (above twenty times) or whether, e. g. Optandus was true Biſhop of Geneva that knew not Letters, or whether Duke Heriberts Son conſecrated in Infancy was Arch-Biſhop of Rhemes, or any other Infant conſecrated be a Biſhop, (officiating per alios, Surrogates, Chancellours, Officials, &c.) it is not here a Separation from Chriſt to ſeparate from either of p. 37the Pretenders: He that miſtaketh not, is not liable to the Charge, he that miſtakes, doth not erre in an Article of Faith, but in a difficult point of humane title, and the qualification and right of a ſingle man; and my Opinion is, that if ſuch a title were tryed before our Judges or King, and they ſhould miſtake and give Judgment againſt him that had right, this were no ſeparating from Chriſt, nor proof that they are Infidels.

LXXI. 21 If the Caſe of two contending Biſhops or Presbyters come before a General or Provincial Council, and they miſtake and give it to the wrong, and ſo ſeparate from the right, I do not think that thereby they ſeparate from Chriſt or the Church Catholick, e. g. The Conſtantinopolitan Council firſt gave the Church of Conſtantinople to Nazianzene, and after judged him out as having no right; if by this they ſeparated from Chriſt, they that take them for the Catholick Church repreſentative, muſt ſay that the Catholick Church ſeparated from Chriſt and it ſelf.

When another Council wrongfully depoſed Chryſoſtome, and ſeparated from him, and Cyril Alexandr. perſwaded the continuance of it, did the univerſal Church ſeparate from it ſelf and Chriſt? If a General Council which ſhould be wiſeſt, be excuſable from damning Schiſm, whenever it misjudgeth and ſeparateth from a rightful Biſhop, ſure every Lay-man and woman that doth the ſame, doth not ſeparate from Chriſt.

If it prove that a General Council depoſed Neſtorius as unjuſtly as David Derodon thought, or Dioſcorus as unjuſtly as others thought, or Flavian as unjuſtly as the Orthodox think, this proveth them Guilty of ſome Schiſm, but not of ſeparating from the univerſal Church.

When Menna of Constantinople, and the Pope excommunicated each other, when a Synod in Italy renounced Vigilius, and all his Succeſſors were an hundred years depoſed from their Primacy, and a Patriarch at Aquileia ſet up in his ſtead for a great part of Italy, becauſe Vigilius ſubſcribed to a General Council, de tribus Capitulis, this was Schiſm (ſome where) but not ſeparating from Chriſt.

LXXII. 22. If a man in England ſhould think that all the old Councils were obligatory, which decree that he ſhall be taken for no Biſhop that comes in by the choice (yea or Mediation) of Courtiers, Princes or great men, or any that have not the true Conſent of Clergy and People, and thereupon ſhould conclude that Biſhops, Deans, Prebends, &c. ſo choſen and impoſed are Lay-men and no true Biſhops and Paſtors, this were a ſeparating from thoſe Perſons, but not from Chriſt and the Vniverſal Church, when as Mr. Thorndike ſaith, that till the right of Electing Biſhops by the Clergy and People be reſtored, we need look no further for the reaſon of the Contempt of Epiſcopacy here.

So if a man think that God never truſted every Ignorant Wicked man that can but get Money and buy an Advowſon, to chooſe thoſe Paſtors to whoſe conduct all the People are bound to truſt their Souls, (and the Biſhop to admit p. 38them for fear of a Quare impedit, if they have but a Certificate and can ſpeak Latine) This is not damning Separation.

LXXIII. 23. If a Biſhop ſet up a ſeeming Convert, really a Papiſt (e. g. Mr. Hutchinſon alias Berry, or one of them that lately Confeſſed themſelves Papiſts,) the People that find by experience what the man is, are not damned Schiſmaticks for not taking him for their Paſtor, or for going from him.

If Godfrey Goodman Biſhop of Glouceſter was a Papiſt, did he ſeparate from Chriſt that ſeparated from the Dioceſan Church of Glouceſter, while he was an Eſſential part? Or that did not implicitely truſt all the Prieſts that he ordained?

LXXIV. 24. If in a Cathedral Church one withdraw from their Service, becauſe of their difference in ſinging, Ceremonies, &c. from the Pariſh Churches, thô it be the Biſhops Church that he ſeparateth from, it is not as a Church, nor from any thing eſſential to it, e. g. Miles Smyth Biſhop of Glouceſter (the famous Hebrician, and chief in our Bibles Tranſlation) declared and performed it, that he would never come more to his Cathedral, becauſe the Dean (in Lauds time) kept up the Altar. Qu. Whether he ſeparated from himſelf or his Church? Vbi Epiſcopus ibi Eccleſia: Who were the Separatiſts? They that followed the Biſhop, or they that ſeparated from him and kept to the Ca…hedral? The ſame I ſay of Williams Biſhop of Lincoln that wrote againſt Altars.

LXXV. 25. If faithful Paſtors and People are ſetled in concord, and the higher Powers make a Law to depoſe and eject them without juſt cauſe (as Multitudes were in many Emperours dayes, and Multitudes by the Interim in Germany in Charles the fifths time; and Multitudes in the Palatinate by Ludovicus, and in too many other Countreys) thoſe that leave the Temples and Tythes to the Magiſtrate, but cleave to their old Paſtors in forbidden meetings (called Conventicles) ſuppoſing the Paſtoral Relation not diſſolved (as the Joannites clave to Chryſoſtom) do not thereby ſeparate from the Catholick Church: Had the Power been lawful that ſet up another way, when Dr. Gunning kept up his Meetings at Exeter Houſe, it had not been a Separation from Chriſt that he then made.

LXXVI. 26. If the Law command all to take one man for his Paſtor, and a Parent command his Child, or a Husband his Wife to take another and not that, and the Child or Wife know not which ſhould be obeyed, and whether the choice belong more to the Domeſtick, or the Publick Government, it is not a ſeparating from Chriſt, which way ever ſuch an one ſhall go.

LXXVII. 27. Yea if I ſhould think that ſelf-Intereſt and ſelf-Government bind me rather to chooſe a Paſtor for my ſelf, than to ſtand to ſuch a choice by Prince, Patron or Prelate, which I think intolerable, as well as (againſt their will) I may chooſe a Wife, or a Phyſician, or a Tutor, or a Book, or p. 39my daily food, this is not ſeparating from the Univerſal Church.

LXXVIII. 28. If owning the ſame Dioceſan make them of one Church who differ more than Nonconformiſts and Conformiſts do, then owning the ſame Chriſt, Faith, Scripture, &c. maketh them of one Catholick Church who differ leſs. But, &c. Jeſuites, Dominicans, Janſeniſts, and all the Sects of Papiſts are taken for one Church, becauſe they own the Pope and Councils. In England the Dioceſan Conformiſts are taken for one Church, thô ſome of them are as much for a Foreign Juriſdiction, as Arch-biſhop Laud, Arch-biſhop Bromhall, Biſhop Gunnings Chaplain, Dr. Saywell, Mr. Thorndike, Dr. Heylin, and many more, have manifeſted in their words and writings. And ſome that ſubſcribe the Articles of General Councils erring in Faith and againſt Heathens Salvation, and againſt free will, and for Juſtification by Faith only, &c. do ſhew that they differ in the Doctrines of Religion, (unleſs the ſound or ſyllables be its Religion) while one and another take the words in contrary ſences. Some are for Dioceſans being a diſtinct Order from Presbyters, ſome (as Vſher and many ſuch) deny it: Some hold them to be of Divine Right, and ſome but of humane; ſome think the King muſt chooſe them, ſome rather the Clergy and People; ſome hold them Independent, others rather ſubject to the Arch-biſhops and Convocation; ſome think all that bear Office in their Church Government are lawful, others think Lay-Civilians Government by the Keyes unlawful (and ſo are ipſo facto excommunicate by their own Canons;) ſome that promiſe Canonical Obedience to their Ordinary, take the Judges of the Eccleſiaſtical Courts for their Ordinaries; and others only the Biſhops; ſome think they are ſworn to obey their Ordinaries, if they rule according to the Canons (and ſo to pronounce all Excommunicate that the Canon excommunicates, if commanded;) Others think otherwiſe, that they are judges themſelves whether the Canons command licita & honeſta; ſome take the Pope to be Antichriſt, and the Church of Rome no true Church; others think otherwiſe. Many more (Arminian and other) ſuch differences there are, and yet all of one Church, both Catholick, National, Dioceſan and Parochial (oft:) Much more are thoſe Nonconformiſts that differ from the Church in nothing but what the Impoſers call Indifferent.

LXXIX. 29. If one that prayeth in the Litany againſt falſe Doctrine and Schiſm, and readeth the Conformiſts telling him of the danger of it, ſhould; verily think that Dr. S. printeth and preacheth falſe Doctrine, and ſuch as plainly tendeth to ſerve Satan againſt Chriſtian Love and Peace, and to the moſt Schiſmatical dividing and damning of Chriſtians, ſhould hereupon ſeparate from him for fear of Schiſm and falſe Doctrine, and go to a ſafer Paſtor, I think it were not to ſeparate from Chriſt.

LXXX. 30. If a Biſhop in any Dioceſs in London ſhould openly write or plead for a Foreign Juriſdiction, and we are told that none are true Miniſters p. 40that depend not obediently on the Biſhop, he that for fear of the Law, or of Perſonal or common perjury, ſhould ſeparate from that Biſhop and his numerical Dioceſan Church, doth thereby neither ſeparate from the Catholick Church, nor from the Church of England. As if the Kings Army ſhould have a Colonel that declared himſelf an obliged Subject to the King of France and bound to obey him, the Regiment may forſake that Colonel. Yea if the General of the Kings Army ſhould give up himſelf in ſubjection to the Enemy or a Foreign Power, and ſay, I will take a Commiſſion from the Turk, and my Officers ſhall only obey me, and the Soldiers obey them, were not this an Army of Traytors or Rebels, though none but the General took a Commiſſion from the Enemy? So if the Biſhops ſhould all take Commiſſions from the Pope, or declare themſelves Subjects to a Forreign Juriſdiction, it were no ſeparating from Chriſt, to ſeparate from them all, in Loyalty to Chriſt, and to avoid National perjury and Schiſm.

LXXXI. 31. If a man think that he is bound to uſe all Chriſts inſtituted means of Salvation, and live in a Church that wilfully omitteth any one of them, e. g. either Infant baptiſm, or ſinging Pſalms, or Praying, or Preaching, or the Lords Supper, or all Perſonal care, and diſcipline to exclude the groſly intolerable, to reſolve the doubting, &c. He that in Obedience to Chriſt goeth to a Church and Paſtor (in the ſame Dioceſs or City) that omitteth none of theſe, is no damned Schiſmatick.

LXXXII. 32. He that is unjuſtly caſt out of the Church, and by its very Laws excommunicated ipſo facto, is no damned or Sinful Schiſmatick for Worſhipping God in a Church that will receive him: Nor any one that is denyed Communion unleſs he will ſin; Much more if they ſhould prove half as many and great Sins as the Nonconformiſts have ſaid they fear (in the firſt Plea for Peace, &c.)

LXXXIII. 33. If a Foreigner that doth but half underſtand our language, withdraw to a Church and Paſtor whoſe tongue he underſtands, obeying God and Nature is no damning Schiſm.

LXXXIV. 34. If one that is erroneouſly conceited of the obligation of General Councils, ſhould think it a ſin to kneel at the Sacrament on any Lords day in the year, or any Week day between Eaſter and Whitſuntide, becauſe Tradition and the twentieth Canon of the firſt Council, and that at Trull, &c. do forbid then to adore kneeling, this ſeparating on that account to another Congregation is not damning.

If it be ſaid, that Mr. Thorndike and others tell us that it is not neceſſary that we do the ſame things which the Supream Catholick Power commanded, but that we ſubject our ſelves to the ſame Power which may change their own Laws. I anſwer, 1. The aſſerting of that Univerſal Soveraignty is the greateſt Crime and Hereſie of all. 2. By this it ſeems that our Religion is very mutable, and very uncertain, and a man hath need to take heed of obeying any old p. 41Canons, till he know the mind of the preſent Church; (and who thoſe be, and how to know it.) 3. But what if the ſame man read Dr. Heylin (of Sab.) telling him that this cuſtome againſt Adoration-kneeling continued a thouſand years, and was never revok't by any true General Council, but changed by little and little by mens practice: And what if he queſtion who thoſe Changers were, and whether their practice was Rebellion at firſt, and whether they had power to repeal the Canons of the greateſt Councils without a Council. Sure they that are for ſuch Councils univerſal ſoveraignty, when they have caſt men into theſe ſhares, ſhould ſcarce tell them that they are damnable Schiſmaticks, for joyning with ſuch Churches as obey theſe Councils, rather than with thoſe that mine men for not diſobeying them.

LXXXIV. And now Reader if thou art one that thinkeſt of theſe things with Chriſtian Sobriety and impartiality, I appeal to thee whether if I ſhould be of the mind of Mr. Dodwell, and ſuch ſelf-conceited Reſolvers, I ſhould not write my own Condemnation, and be one of the groſſeſt Schiſmaticks that any Hiſtory hath mentioned, unleſs ever there were any man ſo mad as to hold himſelf to be all the Church: Yea, when he no more diſtinguiſheth of Separation and Schiſm, but involves almoſt all Chriſtians in his Condemnation, and tells us that Schiſm will damn us as ſoon as Adultery and Murder, is it not obvious for all men to infer that we are as odious as Adulterers and Murderers? and doth he not Preach Chriſtians into the hatred of each other? and can any wonder if Rulers ſhould think the Puniſhment of Murderers is not worſe than we deſerve? It is not New-gate only, but Tyburn that theſe healing men do ſeem to aſſign us; it would be too tedious to look over all theſe again, and ſhew you how great the number is that theſe men damn, and how few on Earth in any Age they excuſe from being ſo far like Murderers.

LXXXV. 1. It ſeems to me that he virtually damneth all Chriſtians on Earth as ſuch Schiſmaticks; for it is moſt certain that all men have ſin, and culpable imperfection in Knowledge, Will and Practice; and if any ſay, That he hath no ſin, he is a Lyar, ſaith St. John; and it is certain that all two perſons on Earth have many errours, and many differences from one another; it is certain that the Love and Duty of Chriſtians towards each other is culpably defective in all men: It is certain that no man living is ſo perfect in knowledge as to know all the indifferent things in the world, which may be impoſed, to be Indifferent! And long and ſad experience hath told the Church, that both groſs errours and ſins, and things called Truths or indifferent, which few can be ſure of, may be impoſed. What follows from all this, but that all men on Earth may eaſily fall under the imputation of diſobedience to Prelates, and ſo be Excommunicate, and then they have their choice (when no man is perfect, and they cannot change their mindes) 1. Whether they will be damned as Excommunicate p. 42and practical Atheiſts that give over all Church Worſhip; 2. Or as damnable Schiſmaticks, for worſhipping God in Churches when they are excommunicate; 3. Or as perſidious Lyars, that will make falſe Confeſſions, Profeſſions and promiſes, to get off an Excommunication. When Mr. Dodwel numbers thoſe with Schiſmaticks that [ſuffer themſelves to be excommunicate,] if they have no other means in their Power to hinder it, it ſeems theſe great Enemies to abſolute reprobation, do think all Chriſtians being unavoidably born to imperfection of Knowledg, are as unavoidably born to damnation whenever Prelates or Prieſts pleaſe thus to precipitate them.

LXXXVI. 2. Particularly, 1. The firſt and ſecond Canons ipſo facto excommunicate all that ſay [that any manner of Obedience and Subjection within his Majeſties Realms and Dominions is due to any uſurped and foreign Power:] By this all Papiſts and all pretended Proteſtants (ſuch as Dr. Barrow confuteth) who hold any manner of Obedience and Subjection due to Pope or Foreign Councils, are Excommunicate.

2. Thoſe that ſay that the Book of Common Prayer containeth any thing in it repugnant to the Scriptures are, ipſo facto excommunicate. Which now by the new Laws are interpreted of the preſent Books.

3. In this all are excommunicate who ſay, the Miſ-tranſlations (in Pſalms, Epiſtles or Goſpels, of which many inſtances have been given) to be any thing repugnant in the Scripture.

4. And all that ſay, It is againſt the Scripture to deny Chriſtendom to all Infants that have not ſuch Vowers in their Names and for their Education as we call Godfathers, and Godmothers, thô the Parent (who is forbidden it) offer his Child by Sponſion.

5. And all that ſay it is againſt Scripture to deny Chriſtendom to all that refuſe the Covenanting tranſient Images of a Croſs.

6. And all that ſay that it is againſt Scripture for all Miniſters to profeſs [that it's certain by Gods Word that baptized Infants (without exception) ſo dying are undoubtedly ſaved] when no word of God is cited that ſaith it, and adding to Gods word is dreadfully threatned, and when it's certain that all Miniſters are not certain of any ſuch thing (and I think no one.)

7. All are ipſo facto excommunicate that ſay, It is againſt Gods Word to deny Church Communion in the Sacrament to all that dare not take it kneeling, for fear (thô miſtaken) of breaking the ſecond Commandment by Symbolizing with Idolaters, that are ſeeking to reduce the Nation to their Sin, and that live round about us.

8. All are excommunicate that ſay it is againſt Scripture to pronounce all ſaved that are buryed, except the unbaptized, ſelf-murderers and the excommunicate, while thouſands of Sadducees, Hobbiſts, Infidels, Papiſts, Perjured, Adulterers, Drunkards, &c. dwell among us.

9. By the fifth Canon all are ipſo facto excommunicate that ſay, [Any of the Armies are in any part erroneous, or ſuch as they (perhaps as doubters) p. 43may not with a good Conſcience ſubſcribe to,] and couſequently all the aforeſaid Conformiſts that think the ſence erroneous while they ſubſcribe thoſe words and ſnall affirm, e. g. that Canons are made neceſſary to Salvation, thô the matter cannot be proved by Scripture, contrary to Art. 6.

Thoſe that contrary to Art. 8. ſay, any thing in Athanaſius Creed may not be ſubſcribed.

Such as Biſhop Taylour that againſt Art. 9. deny Original Sin.

Thoſe that ſay contrary to Art. 10. that the Word [no Power] excludeth Common natural Power, or maketh Nature to be Grace.

Thoſe that write againſt our being accounted righteous, only for Chriſts merits, and ſay that another ſubordinate Righteouſneſs is named many hundred times in Scripture, contrary to Art. 11.

Thoſe that contrary to Art. 13. ſay, that works done before the Inſpiration of the Spirit may make men meet to receive Grace.

Thoſe that with Dr. Hammond write for works that are not commanded but counſelled, and Free-will-offerings, contrary to Art. 14.

All they that take Infants and new baptized Perſons to have no ſin, contrary to Art. 15.

All that ſay, that after we have received the H. Ghoſt, we cannot depart from Grace given, contrary to Art. 16.

Thoſe that deny the Doctrine of Election, in Art. 17.

Thoſe that ſay, any on Earth may be ſaved by diligent living according to the light of Nature, without knowing the name of Chriſt, contrary to Art. 18.

Thoſe that contrary to Art. 19. reject that Deſcription of a viſible Church, which reacheth to ſuch as our Reſolver damneth.

All that contrary to Art. 20. ſay, that the Church [may not enforce any thing to be believed for neceſſity to Salvation, beſides the Scripture] even thoſe that ſay, it's neceſſary to Salvation, by avoiding Schiſm to believe that all impoſed Tyths, Covenants Practices, and Ceremonies are not ſin.

All that contrary to Art. 21. ſay, that General or other Councils may be gathered without the command and will of Princes, and deny they may erre, and things ordained by them as neceſſary to Salvation have neither Strength nor Authority, unleſs it may be declared that they are taken out of Holy Scripture.

Thoſe that deny Art. 23. that thoſe are lawfully called and ſent into the Miniſtry, who have publick Authority given them in the Congregation, to call and ſend Miniſters into the Lords Vineyard, are choſen and called hereto, (for want of Canonical Succeſſion.)

Thoſe that contrary to Art. 24. would have Gods Worſhip performed to them that underſtand not the language, to avoid the Schiſm of having many Churches in a City.

Thoſe that take Confirmation or Penance, or the other three for Sacraments of the Goſpel contrary to Art 25.

p. 44Thoſe that contrary to Art. 26. would not have it believed to be the Peoples duty, who know the Offences of Bad Miniſters, to accuſe them.

All that contrary to Art. 27. are againſt Infant Baptiſm, as agreeable to Chriſts Inſtitution.

All that contrary to Art. 28. ſay, the Body of Chriſt is given and taken and eaten in the Sacrament otherwiſe than in a Spiritual manner by Faith.

All that ſay, that in ſome wiſe the wicked are Partakers of Chriſt in the Sacrament, contrary to Art. 29.

All that contrary to Art. 30. ſay, There is other ſatisfaction for Sin beſides Chriſts Blood.

All that ſay, that Men juſtly Excommunicate may be reconciled and received by the multitude without open penance (which is ordinary) contrary to Art. 33.

All that contrary to Art. 34. think that a General Council may ordain ſuch Traditions or Ceremonies as ſhall in all places be one or the like: and that every Particular or National Church may not aboliſh thoſe Ceremonies or Rites which the General Council or Colledge ordained.

Many things in the Book of Homilies [eſpecially againſt peril of Idolatry] are blamed by many Conformiſts, contrary to Art. 35.

All that contrary to Art. 36. ſay, that the Book of Ordination wants ſome things neceſſary.

All that contrary to Art. 37. think that Pope or foreign Biſhops have any Juriſdiction by right in this Land: And all that (by miſtake) ſay, the King hath not chief Power in all his Dominions, meaning in France, of which he profeſſeth to be King, and we ſo call him even in our Prayers to God.

All that ſay, contrary to Art. 38. that it is not their Duty liberally to give Alms, according to their ability.

All that contrary to Art. 39 think men in conforming may ſwear upon truſt of their Superiours words, without judgment, and true underſtanding of Juſtice and Truth.

A…l theſe are already ipſo facto Excommunicated by this one Canon, and if they elſewhere worſhip God, are called Separatiſts and Schiſmaticks, in danger of Damnation, as Adulterers and Murtherers are: And how grea… a number are theſe?

10. All are ipſo facto Excommunicate by the ſixth Canon, who affirm, that the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, by Law eſtabliſhed, are ſuperſtitious, or ſuch as (now commanded) men who are zealouſly and godly affected, may not with a good Conſcience APPROVE, uſe and ſubſcribe as occaſion requireth. That is, all that thus miſtake kneeling at the Sacrament, on the reaſons aforenamed, to be againſt the ſecond Commandment, or that judge ſo of the Surplice, or that think the Groſs, as deſcribed by the Canon and Liturgy, hath all the Eſſentials of a humane unlawful Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace. And all that are againſt the Rites of Godfathers that never owned the p. 45Child as theirs, to be the only Sponſors in its Name, and to Vow its Chriſtian Education (when I never knew one living that ſo much as made the Parents believe that he intended it:) And all that think the words of the Liturgy (making Impoſition of hands an aſſuring ſign of Gods Gracious acceptance) make Confirmation a humane unlawful Sacrament, and ſay ſo. All theſe are cut off.

11. By Canon ſeventh all are ipſo facto excommunicate that affirm, that the Government of the Church of England, under his Majesty, by Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, Deans, Archdeacons, and THE REST THAT BEAR OFFICE in the ſame, is repugnant to Gods word; that is, all Biſhops, Miniſters, Noblemen, Gentlemen or People, that ſay that it is againſt Gods word for Lay Civilians or Chancellours to govern by the Church Keyes, excommunicate or abſolve: And all that think it unlawful for Surrogates that are not Biſhops but Presbyters, either as a Cryer pro forma to pronounce all excommunicate or abſolved who are ſo decreed by the Lay Chancellor, or elſe for them (or a Prieſt-Chancellour) to govern a Dioceſs by the Keyes of Excommunication and Abſolution being no Biſhops; and all that think it ſinful for Archdeacons, Commiſſaries, Officials, &c. who are no Biſhops, to exerciſe the ſame Government by the Keyes over ſo many Paſtors or Churches, or for a Biſhop. to do his Office by others that are no Biſhops, any more than a Prieſt by thoſe that are no Prieſts; or for a Dioceſan with his Lay Court, to Govern many ſcore or hundred Churches under him, without any ſubordinate Biſhop in thoſe Churches, that is, to ſet up the Name and ſhew, and make Chriſts Diſcipline impoſſible: Or for Lay Chancellors or Surrogates to publiſh Excommunications in the Biſhops Name, which he never knew of, nor tryed the cauſe: Or for ſuch Chancellours to oblige all Pariſh Miniſters to publiſh all their Excommunications which are agreeable to theſe Canons. What quality and number they are of that call any of this ſinful, I pretend not to know: But they are all now excommunicate men.

12. The eight Canon ipſo facto excommunicateth all that affirm that the form and manner of making and conſecrating Biſhops, Prieſts and Deacons hath any thing, repugnant to Gods Word, &c:] That is, all thoſe that hold Biſhops and Presbyters to be the ſame Order (contrary to the words of that Book.) Which yet even the Church of England while Papiſts declared in King Aelfriks Canons (ſee Spelman:) And all ſuch as Thorndike, who ſay the People and Clergy ſhould chooſe their Biſhops; or that ſay the Peoples conſent is neceſſary to the Paſtoral Relation to them, and that the old Canons for this are in force.

13. The ninth Canon ipſo facto excommunicateth the Separatiſts.

14. The tenth Canon excommunicateth all that affirm [that Miniſters that refuſe to ſubſcribe to the Liturgy, &c. and their Adherents may truely take to themſelves the Name of another Church, not eſtabliſhed, by Law and dare publiſh that this their pretended Church hath long groaned under the burden of impoſed grievances, by the Church of England, and the Orders and Conſtitutions therein by Law p. 46eſtabliſhed.] (Ipſo facto is not here.) This reacheth to all that confine not Gods Church in England to the Party that ſubſcribe and their Adherents: If any ſay, that if ſuch as Blondel, Rivet, Ameſius, or any other the moſt Learned, holy, peaceable men that dare not ſubſcribe as aforeſaid, ſhould with any Chriſtians worſhip God together, and that theſe are a true Church (though he judge them faulty) and that theſe Canons are grievances, ſuch are to be excommunicated: (Though it be groſs Schiſm in others to confine not onelyonly the Purity but the Verity of a Church to their own Party:) For ſuch to feel and groan loud here is Excommunication.

15. The eleventh Canon much to the ſame purpoſe requireth the Excommunication of all that affirm that any Subjects in England may rightly challenge the Name of true and lawful Churches beſides thoſe allowed by Law, though the King ſhould Licenſe them.

16. The twelfth Canon ipſo facto excommunicateth all, that make Rules and Orders in Cauſes Eccleſiaſtical without the Kings Authority, and ſubmit to them, e. g. All that without the Kings authority agree to turn the Table Altarwiſe, to require People to kneel at the Rails, or to bow toward the Alter or Eaſt, or to ſet up Organs, &c. All theſe are now excommunicate by an Authority above the Biſhops, which no Biſhop or Prieſt can diſpenſe with (but only forbear to publiſh and execute it, but not nullifie it) no nor abſolve any that publickly repent not of it as a wicked Errour.

16. By Canon fourteenth, if any Miniſter ſhall diminiſh any part of the Orders, Rites, Ceremonies, Prayers, &c. inregard of Preaching or ANY OTHER RESPECT, or ſhall adde any thing in matter or form, (e. g. If he let the Parent expreſs the dedication of his Child to God, or lay any charge on any Parent) he breaketh the Church Law, and ſo far ſeparateth from it.

17. By Canon fifteenth when twenty or thirty thouſand are commanded to come to a Church that cannot receive ſix thouſand, and the Alleys and Pewes are wedg'd ſo that they cannot all kneel, yet all that kneel not at the Prayers, and all that ſay not audibly the Confeſſion, Lords Prayer, Creed and Reſponſes, diſobey the Laws of the Church, and ſo far ſeparate from it.

18. When twenty thouſand Perſons are commanded to come in more than can, if ten thouſand of them (or any number) ſhould come to the Church-yard or Porch, to ſhew that they are not preſentable, but would get in if they could, the nineteenth Canon commands to drive them away.

19. The Liturgy and Canon 22. &c. bind all under the penalty of the Law to receive the Sacrament thrice every year: If a ſecret Infidel, Sadducee, Hobbiſt, Socinian, or any Heretick ſay, I am not able to change my Judgment, which is inconſiſtent with the Sacrament, or if one whoſe Conscience tells him of the guilt of Adultery, and that he is not reſolved to confeſs and forſake it yet; or one that by Melancholy cauſeleſsly feareth unworthy receiving to damnation; I ſay, if any of theſe will avoid the charge of p. 47Schiſm, they muſt run upon worſe, till grace recover them, which is not at their command. And yet all notorious Offenders are prohibited it Canon 26. and particularly the Perjured: And if the tenth part ſo many be perjured in England in City and Countrey, as many fear, it's a very great number that are uncapable of Comm-union with the Church.

20. By Canon twenty ſeventh on pain of Suſpenſion no Miniſter muſt wittingly adminiſter the Communion to any but ſuch as Kneel, or to any that refuſe to be preſent at publick Prayers, &c. So that all that Kneel not in receiving are rejected, and if they worſhip God elſewhere, muſt be taken for Schiſmaticks, as dangerous as adulterers or murderers.

21. The twenty eighth Canon forbids admitting ſtrangers to Communion, and commands ſending them home to their Pariſh Churches: It's diſobedience to violate this.

22. The twenty ninth Canon forbids urging Parents to be Preſent when their Children are baptized, and admitting them to Anſwer as Godfathers for their own Children; and any Godfather to make any other Anſwer or ſpeech than the preſcribed.

23. The thirtieth Canon deſcribeth the Croſs as a Sacrament, as ſeemeth to us.

34. By the thirty ſixth Canon no man muſt be a Miniſter that ſubſcribeth not that the Book of Common Prayer and Ordination contains nothing in it contrary to the Word of God, and that he himſelf will uſe no other form in publick, Prayer and adminiſtration of the Sacraments: By which all that refuſe this, or that uſe the forms made and impoſed by the Biſhops on occaſions of publick Faſts and Thankſgivings, ſeem all to be under diſobedience to the Church.

35. By Canon fourty ninth no Perſon not Licenſed as a Preacher, may in his Cure or elſewhere, expound any Scripture, or Matter or Doctrine, but onelyonly ſhall ſtudy to read plainly the Homilies: So that all Miniſters before Licence to preach, all School-maſters, all Parents, or Maſters, that do expound to their Schollars, Children or Servants, the meaning of Baptiſm, or of any Article of the Creed, any Petition of the Lords Prayer, any one of the Ten Commandments (to fit them for Confirmation, or Salvation) otherwiſe than by plain reading the Homilies or Church Catechiſm, doth diſobey the Law of the Church: And ſo do all Tutors in the Univerſities that expound any Scripture, matter or Doctrine to their Pupils, before they are examined or approved by the Biſhop; or any Judge on the Bench or Juſtice that preſumeth to do it to the hearers, or any Friend or Neighbour in diſcourſe: For it is [No Perſon whatſoever not examined and approved by the Biſhop of the Dioceſs.] How few in England ſeparate not from the Church as far as this diſobedience amounts to? If by [no Perſons] be meant only [no Miniſters] it's hard enough, that Miniſters may not be allowed out of the Church what Lay-men are allowed.

36. All thoſe that deny not the validity of Baptiſm or the Lords Supper when they are done by an unpreaching Miniſter, but yet think that a man p. 48utterly unable to Teach otherwiſe than by Reading, may not lawfully be encouraged in ſo high a function, (any more than a man in Phyſick or School-teaching that hath not neceſſary skill, or is utterly illiterate,) and thinks it a ſin to conſent to take ſuch an Ignorant fellow for the Paſtor of his Soul if he can have better; If this man, I ſay, go to the next Pariſh Church for Sacraments, he is to be ſuſpended firſt and next excommunicate: Specially if he ſhould judge that Ignorant Reader, no true Miniſter for want of neceſſary capacity.

37. Surplices, Hoods and Tippets are made the matter of Obedience, Canon fifty eighth.

38. By Canon thirty eighth no Miniſter muſt refuſe or delay to Chriſten any Child (without exception) according to the form of the Common Prayer, that's brought to Church to him on Sundaies or Holy-daies, though the Parents be both Jewes or Heathens or Atheiſts or Sadducees: The Miniſter muſt be ſuſpended that refuſeth it.

39. The ſeventy firſt Canon ſuſpendeth all Miniſters that Preach in any private houſe (except to the ſick or impotenti n time of neceſſity.) By which had Paul here preached publickly and from houſe to houſe, or Timothy in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon as dreadfully adjured, or Chriſt preacht as he oft did, they muſt be ſuſpended: And every Miniſter that preacheth to his Family. And no doubt, repeating his Sermon, is preaching the ſame again.

40. All Miniſters muſt be ſuſpended and then excommunicate, that without the Biſhops Licence appoint or keep any ſolemn Faſts publickly or in private houſes, other than by Law appointed, or be wittingly preſent at any: Though it were in time of Plague, or when divers of his Neighbours are ſick or troubled in Conſcience, or in preparation to a Sacrament, or on ſome great occaſion in Noble-mens Houſes and Chappels: He is not to be truſted to faſt and pray with his own Flock or Friends, or come among them, leſt being excommunicate he be a damn'd Schiſmatick.

The ſame prohibition is for holding meetings for Sermons called Exerciſes: Which Arch-Biſhop Grindall was zealous to ſet up, (Q. Was he then a Schiſmatick? or is the damning dangerous Engine made ſince?)

41. By Canon ſeventy third if any Miniſters meet in any privat ehouſe (as many did by conſent in 1660. and 1661.) to do any thing that any way tends to impeach the Common Prayer or any part of the Government and Diſcipline (e. g. to Petition King or Parliament for the leaſt Reformation of it) he is excommunicate ipſo facto.

42. Canon ſeventy fourth brings all Miniſters apparel under Church Laws, for the Shape.

43. Canon ſeventy ſixth Excommunicateth all that voluntarily relinquiſh their Ministry, and uſe themſelves as a Lay-men. And man having free will, that is done voluntarily, which is done in Obedience to mens command: And yet we are ruined in the World, if we will not leave our Miniſtry, at their Command.

p. 4944. It's tedious to go over all the reſt: I end at the end of them. Canon 139. excommunicateth all them that affirm that the Synod is not the true Church of England by Repreſentation: that is, 1. All that take it for the Church real and not Repreſentative, leſt they make the diffuſed Church (People and all) to be Chief Church-governours, while Convocations govern but as their Repreſentatives. 2. All that ſay, that it is only the Biſhops and not the Presbyters in Convocation that are the Governing Canon-making Church. 3. All that ſay that the Clergy repreſent not King, Nobles, parliaments, Laiety, and that theſe are true parts of the Church of England. All theſe are ipſo facto excommunicate.

45. The 140. Canon Excommunicateth them that deny the Canons obligation of abſent Diſſenters, which yet even many Papiſts deny of Councils Canons.

46. The laſt Canon Excommunicateth all that contemn theſe Canons, as taking them to be the work of a Company of Perſons that conſpired againſt Religious Godly men. All this huge Catalogue are here excommunicate.

47. If any part of all this be Schiſm, Mr. Dodwell ad this man ſeem to teach Separation from the Church of England: Or if the late ſilencing, hunting and ruining of two thouſand Miniſters were Schiſm, and as bad as Biſhop Taylor in Duct. Dubit. Mr. Hales of Eaton, Chillingworth, &c. ſay of the like, then theſe men make all the Church of England to be in as damnable a State as Adulterers and Murderers. Yea they make all damnable Schiſmaticks that hold Communion with the Church of England; for that is their Sentence on them that communicate with Schiſmaticks; viz. that they are guilty of their Schiſm.

48. They unchurch and damn the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Laodicea, Epheſus, Smyrna, &c. in the Apoſtles dayes: For the Scripture tells us of many guilty of Schiſm in all theſe, and yet the reſt communicated with them; for the Scripture ſpeaks more of Schiſm in a Chruch, than of Schiſm or Separation from a Church, Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 10. & 3. 3. & 11. 18. Mat. 12, 25. Luke 12. 52, 53. I Cor. 12. 25. Jam. 3. 15, 16. And yet no one was commanded to ſeparate from thoſe Churches; no not from thoſe that had Hereſies among them, ſuch as denyed the Reſurrection, and taught Fornication, and eating things offered to Idols, that were drunk at the Sacrament or Love-Feaſts, nor thoſe that had Jewiſh Schiſmaticks, who talkt like ours, Act. 15. Except ye be circumciſed and keep the Law of Moſes, ye cannot be ſaved. The Churches were not all unchurcht and damn'd that communicated with ſuch. Yea Peter was guilty of encouraging them in Schiſm, that would not eat with the Chriſtian Gentiles, but he was not unchriſtened by this.

49. They ſeparate from or unchurch almoſt all the Ancient Churches in the dayes of the moſt famous Emperours and Councils. For I have manifeſted paſt doubt that they almoſt all did Hereticat… or ſeparate from one another. It was Schiſm either in Victor to Excommunicate the Aſian p. 50Biſhops, or in them to deſerve it and be excommunicate. The owning or diſowning ſeveral Councils, ſpecially that of Calcedon and that at Conſtde tribus Capitulis, &c. was the Schiſm of almoſt all the Imperial Churches; one part condemning the other. And if either were in the Right, it ſalves not the Caſe with them: For moſt of the ſame men that went that way call'd the Right in one Princes Reign, went contrary in the next, and ſo condemned each other round; eſpecially about Images adoration.

50. Hereby they cut off that Succeſſion of that ſort of Ordination, which they ſay muſt be uninterrupted, while it came down from Churches excommunicated by one another, or make the Proof of it impoſſible.

51. They ſeparate from all the Greek Church at this day, as guilty of Schiſm, both in their Succeſſion from Schiſmaticall Biſhops, at Conſtant. Alexand. Antioch, Jeruſalem, &c. and in their excommunicating not only the Church of Rome for a wrong cauſe (the filioque, but other Churches, and for divers Acts of Schiſm.

52. They muſt by their Principles Separate from the Abaſſines, Aegyptians, Syrians, and all the Eaſtern and Southern Churches that are called Jacobites, and Neſtorians: For Councils and other Churches condemn them: And they condemn the Councils of Epheſus, and Calcedon, and all ſince: And they muſt ſeparate from and condemn the Churches of Armenia, Georgia, Circaſſia, &c. becauſe they ſeparate from others, and are ſeparated from.

53. Their Principles utterly unchurch the Church of Rome, 1. Eſpecially becauſe it is guilty of the greateſt Schiſm on earth, by ſetting up a falſe Church form and head: 2. And becauſe they Schiſmatically condemn and Unchurch three parts of the Church on earth, even all ſave their Sect: 3. And for their many other Schiſmatical Doctrines and Practices: 4. And as being condemned by the Greek Proteſtants and moſt Churches, and ſeparated from by the Church of England which they own.

54. They ſeparate in Principles from all or near all General Councils (ſave the firſt) as having ſeparated from other Councils and condemned them, and being again condemned by them.

55. Some of them condemn and ſeparate from all the Proteſtant Churches that have Biſhops, in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Tranſylvania, &c. becauſe they had not their Ordination Succeſſively from Biſhops but Presbyters at the Reformation: And becauſe they have been guilty of Schiſm againſt others.

56. The Principles of Mr. Dodwel and his Aſſociates condemn the Church of England, as Schiſmatical, 1. Thoſe that claim Succeſſion from Rome, whoſe own Succeſſion hath been oft and long interrupted, by incapacities and Schiſms. 2. For holding Communion with thoſe Proteſtant Churches which theſe men call Schiſmaticks.

57. They condemn and ſeparate from all the Churches called Presbyterian in France, Holland, Geneva, Scotland formerly, and thoſe in Helvetia that have no Biſhops; Tho ſome would threat kindneſs on them by ſaying p. 51that they would have them and cannot? And why cannot they?

58. Their Principles make the Biſhop of Oxford, Briſtol, &c. Schiſmaticks: For their Dioceſes are Churches taken out of Churches, being lately parts of other Dioceſes.

59. And they condemn all the Pariſh Churches in England as Churches diſtinct from Cathedrals: For they are all Churches gathered out of Churches: At firſt the Cathedrals were the only ſingle Churches: Next Monaſteries were gathered; and next our Pariſh Churches. And the Pariſh Church of Covent-garden, is a Church taken out of a Church.

60. Their Principles damn St. Martin that ſeparated to the death from all the Biſhops Synods and them that were near him (ſave one Man) becauſe they perſwaded Maximus to uſe the Sword againſt Priſcillian Gnoſticks, and brought men of ſtrict Religion under Suſpicion of Priſcillianiſm: And ſure the ruined perſecuted Proteſtants here, are more Orthodox than the Priſcillians. And they damn Gildas that told the English Clergy, that he was not eximius Chriſtianus that would call them Miniſters; (Do they not diſgrace the many Churches dedicated to the Memory of St. Martin, if he be a damned man?) I doubt they damn Paul and Barnabas for local angry ſeparating from each other: Whatever they do by Peter and Barnabas for the Separation blamed Gal. 2.

61. If all are Schiſmaticks that here conform not, all thoſe called Conformiſts are ſuch, that conform to the words in a falſe ſence.

62. They ſeparate from all that obey the twentieth Canon of the Nicene Council: And from all that obey the Councils that forbid communicating with a Fornicating Prieſt: And from all that obey the Councils which nullifie the Epiſcopacy of ſuch as are obtruded by Magiſtrates, or not conſented to by the Clergy and people. And many more ſuch.

Abundance more inſtances of their Separation, and Damnation, I might adde: In a word, I think then Principles are, as I firſt ſaid, for damning and ſeparating from all men living, for all men living are guilty of ſome ſort and degree of Schiſm, that is, of Errours, Principles or Practices in which they culpably Violate that Union and Concord that ſhould be among Chriſtians and Churches: Every defect of Chriſtian Love, and every ſinful Errour, is ſome degree of ſuch a violation. All Chriſtians differ in as great matters as things indifferent: And no man living knoweth all things Indifferent to be ſuch: And theſe men diſtinguiſh not of Schiſm, nor will take notice of the neceſſary diſtinctions given (in the third Part of the Treatiſe of Church Concord,) And ſolutio cont… cauſeth pain: nor do they at all make us underſtand what ſort of Separation it is that they faſten on, but talk of Separation in general, as aforeſaid.

LXXXVII. They ſeeme to be themſelves deceived by the Papiſts in expoſition of Cyprians, words de Vnit. Eccleſ. Vnus eſt Epiſcopatus, &c. But they themſelves ſeem to ſeparate from Cyprian as a Schiſmatick, and conſequently p. 52from all the Church that hath profeſt Communion with him, and with all the Councils and Churches that joyned with him: For Cyprian and his Council erred by going too far from the Schiſm and Hereſie of others, nullifying all their Baptisms, Ordinations and Communions: And for this errour they declared againſt the Judgment of the Biſhop of Rome and other Churches; and they were for it condemned as Schiſmaticks by the ſaid Biſhop: And here is a far wider Separation than we can be charged with. 2. And Cyprians words came from the Mind that was poſſeſt with theſe opinions, and are expreſſive of his Inclination. 3. Yet they are true and good, underſtood as he himſelf oft expounds them; the Biſhop of Oxford citeth ſome inſtances, many more are obvious, in which he oppoſeth the Biſhop of Rome, ſaying, that none of them pretendeth to be a Biſhop of Biſhops; and limiting every man to his own Province, and ſaying that they were to give account to none but God, with much the like.

But in what ſence is Epiſcopacie one? 1. Undoubtedly not as numerically in the perſonal Subjectum Relationis: One Biſhop is not another; if you ſhould ſay Paternity is One, none believe that one mans Relation of Paternity is anothers. The Relation is an accident of its own Subject, as well as Quantity, Quality, &c. 2. Nor doth any man believe that many Biſhops go to make up one Biſhop in Naturals. 3. Nor did ever Cyprian hold or ſay that all Biſhops go to make up one Politick Governing Ariſtocracie, as many go to make one Senate or Parliament, that hath a power of Legiſlation and judgment by Vote as one Perſona politica. He never owned ſuch a humane Soveraignty.

But Epiſcopatus unus eſt, I. In ſpecie, all Biſhops have one Office; 2. Objective: As the Catholick Church is one, whoſe welfare all Biſhops ought to ſeek: 3. And ſo finaliter as to the remote End; and are bound to endeavour Concord. 4. And as effects, all are from one efficient inſtitutor. As it may be ſaid that all official Magiſtracy in England is one: 1. As from one King or ſumma poteſtas: 2. As deſcribed by one Law, and as Juſtices of one Species: 3. As all their Cities and Counties and Hundreds are but part of one Kingdom, whoſe welfare all are for: 4. And as they are all bound to keep as much common Concord as they can; if any mean more, they ſhould ten us what; If any mean that all Biſhops make one numerical Univerſal Government, they are heinous Schiſmaticks, and the kingdom is Sworn agaisſt their Judgment: And theſe Men damn them in damning Schiſmaticks.

The truth is, Cyprian de Unitate, Eccleſiae (leaving out the Papiſts additions) is a good Book and worthy, to be read of all; and take Cyprian's Deſcription of the Epiſpcopacy of the Church which we muſt unite with, and the nature of that Union, and we would rejoyce in ſuch. But if Cyprian had lived to ſee … Arians or Donatiſts the greater number; or any Sect after … themſelves the Church becauſe that Princes ſet them up, and had ſeen them depo…e Chryſoſtome and ſuch other, doubtleſs he would never have p. 53pleaded the Unity of Epiſcopacy for this, but have judged as he did in the Caſe of Martial and Baſilides; nor did he ever plead for an univerſal humane Soveraignty.

LXXXVIII. If we are damned Schiſmaticks, I can imagine no pretended manner of Separation in which our Schiſm conſiſts, but firſt, either Local as ſuch. 2. Or Mental, as ſuch. 3. Or Local, cauſed by Mental.

If Local, as ſuch be it: All Chriſtians are Schiſmaticks, for being locally ſeparated from others, and abſent from all Churches; and places ſave one.

If Mental Separation be it, either all Mental Diviſion is ſuch, or but ſome only; if all, then all mortal men are Schiſmaticks, as differing in a multitude of things from others; If it be not all, what is it? is it all difference in the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity? we grant it; and we are charg'd with no ſuch thing. Is it all difference in the Integrals or Accidents? ſo do all differ that are not perfect. Is it all want of Love, or all Vncharitableneſs to one another? all on earth have ſome degree of it; and thoſe are likeſt to have moſt, that do as the Biſhops did againſt the Priſcillianiſts, bring godly people under reproach, on pretence of oppoſing Hereſie; or that ſeek the Silencing, Impriſonment, Baniſhment or Ruine of men as faithful as themſelves: For our parts, we profeſs it our great Duty, to love all men as men, all Chriſtians as Chriſtians, all godly men as godly, all Magiſtrates as Magiſtrates, &c. Is it for our ſeparating in mind from any Principles in ſpecie neceſſary to Communion in the Church Univerſal, or ſingle Churches? let it be opened what thoſe Principles be: We own all Chriſtianity, and all Miniſtry of Gods Inſtitution, and all his Church Ordinances: We own Biſhops over their Flocks, let them be never ſo large, ſo they be capable of the Work and End, and alter not the true ſpecies; and we ſubmit to any that ſhall by the Word admoniſh Paſtors of many Churches of their Duty, or Sin, or ſeek their good. Nor do we refuſe Obedience to any humane Officers ſet up by Princes, to do nothing againſt Chriſts Laws, not nothing but what is in Princes power in the Accidents circa Sacra.

Is it becauſe we diſown any Numerical Rulers? we own the King and his Magiſtrates, we own all that we can underſtand to be true Paſtors; and if we are in doubt of their Calling, we reſiſt them not, unleſs obeying Chriſt before them be reſiſtance: But our Accuſers loudly profeſs, that Uſurpers are not to be owned; and if they go on the ground, that he hath right that the Prince is for, we would know, whether that hold in Turky, in Italy, Spain, France, or only in England, or where? If it be where Princes are Orthodox, do they make all the People Judges of their Princes Orthodoxneſs? And we would know, whether EVERY BISHOPS and PRIESTS right, as a true Miniſter, called of God, and ſet over us, be neceſſary to Salvation, to be believed or known by all the People? if it the, wo to us, that ever ſuch men were ſet over us, whoſe right we cannot know: What abundance of things go to p. 54make a Biſhops or Prieſts right known! 1. That he hath capable ſufficiency. 2. That he is a juſt Biſhop, that's choſen by the King, the Dean and Chapter obediently conſenting, & that the Clergy's and Peoples conſent is unneceſſary. 3.That the Dioceſan ſpecies (over multitudes of Churches without any ſubordinate Biſhop) is of Chriſt, or lawful. 4. That their work, according to the Canon, is lawful. 5. That all our Patrons have right to chuſe Paſtors for all the People. 6. That they are true Paſtors over them that conſent not. 7. That if they prove worſe far than Martial and Baſilides, and be owned by the Biſhops as they were, the people may not forſake them (plebs obſequens divinis praeceptis,) which ſaith Cyprian have moſt power to chuſe or refuſe.

Is every Chriſtian bound on pain of Damnation to know all theſe, and then to examine and judge Biſhops and Prieſts accordingly? or if they miſtake one or more mens Commiſſion, do they therefore ſeparate from the Catholick Church? If ſo, what a caſe was the Eaſt in by the difference between Chryſoſtome and his Competitors? Photius and Ignatius and hundreds others? and France, about the Archbiſhops of Rhemes, when he was put out that depoſed Ludovicus 4. and when an Infant was put in, and oft beſides?

What if the Alexandrians, when Athanaſius was baniſned by, Conſtantine himſelf, were half for him, and half againſt him? Or Baſil at Caeſarea was put down, and hundreds more, or when Theodoſius firſt and ſecond and Martian, and Valentinian, and Zeno, and Anaſtaſius and abundance more, ſet up and pull'd down, and ſet up again againſt each other? What, I ſay, if the People now miſtooke who had the beſt Title? Is this ſeparating from the Catholick Church? When the Interim caſt out hundreds in Germany; When Ludovicus caſt out Multitudes in the Palatinate, and half the People ſtuck to the ejected, perſecuted Paſtor, and the reſt to the Magiſtrates choice, which of them ſeparated from the Univerſal Church? Is every Prieſt the Vniverſal Church, or an eſſential part of it? then it dyeth when he dyeth, and Apoſtatizeth when he doth. How many Ages in above 23 Duplicates or Schiſms, was the World uncertain which was the true Pope? ſuppoſe, e. g. Arthur Jackſon, Edmund Calamy, and many ſuch were placed in their Incumbency, by the Biſhops, Patrons and Pariſh conſent, according to the Law of Chriſt and the Land, and by a mew Act of Uniformity they be all turned out, the Flock not conſenting, nor any Biſhop accuſing, trying or depoſing them (ſave in Legiſlation,) and ſome of the Pariſh think this diſſolveth not their Relation to him, and they cleave to him as before, without any change ſave of Place and Tythes, and others forſake ſuch a one, and follow the Magiſtrates choice, may not both theſe be ſtill of the Catholick Church? If not, I know where the old Canons laid the charge and danger. It's wonderful ſelfiſhneſs in thoſe men, that if they can but get into the Seat, take it for granted, that all muſt own their right on pain of Damnation.

And what if in any ſuch Land, the Prince change his mind, or the next p. 55differ, and put down all theſe ſame men, and ſet up ſuch as differ from them more than we do, is it damning Schiſm for any of their People ſtill to adhere to them?

LXXXIX. Do you find that Mr. Dodwel, Dr. Saywel, Dr. Sherlock, or any of theſe men, do, in Pulpit and Preſs, ingenuouſly tell the People the truth of the Caſe, when they liken men as Schiſmaticks to Murderers for danger? Did you ever hear them ſay, [The Canon, which is the Churches Voice and Law, doth Excommunicate you all that do own your Opinions againſt Conformity, and commandeth us not to admit you to the Sacrament, and yet to pronounce your Excommunication for not taking it: We confeſs they have been holy and Learned Men that have thought many things impoſed unlawful; and therefore we wonder not if it be not in your power to change your judgment, no more than to be perfect in knowledge; and we confeſs if you are unjuſtly Excommunicated, or any of the things made neceſſary to Communion be againſt Gods Word, then it is the Church that guilty of Schiſm, but becauſe this is not ſo, we accuſe you of Schiſm, even of ſeparating from the Vniverſal Church, and from Salvation.

XC. I do admire, that never any one of them would be prevail'd with to prove the Canons Excommunications ipſo facto lawful, when even Papiſts have ſcorn'd all ſuch doings; and when the learnedſt of all their own admired men, that were for comprimiſing matters with Rome, even Mar. Ant. de Dom. Spalatenſis de Rep. Eccl. hath ſo confidently, copiouſly and ſtrenuouſly damn'd it: Chriſt would have none Excommunicate, whatever the Crime be, without Impenitency after due admonition for Repentance, but theſe Canons ipſo facto Condemn and Excommunicate Godly men, without ever admoniſhing them, or calling them to repent, or hearing or ſeeing them: Nothing is neceſſary but the proof of the fact, and then the Law is inſtead of a Judge; and to oblige the People to avoid them, it muſt be publiſhed.

If this and all things named in the firſt Plea for Peace, be ſinleſs, ſtudying and diſputing is not the way to know what is ſinful.

XCI. But, ſaith the Reſolver, [Chriſt hath but one Body, and to be a Member of two ſeparate and Oppoſite Churches, is to be contrary to ourſelves.]

Anſ. But I had hoped your Catechized Boyes had known, 1. That one Body hath many parts. 2. That particular Churches are parts of this Body, as Corporations are of the Kingdom. 3. That all the parts are imperfect, and made up of none but ſinners. 4. That every good man is partly bad, and ſo contrary to himſelf 5. That Churches may be ſo far ſeparate as to be diſtinct, and yet not ſo far as to be contrary or oppoſite. 6. That they may be oppoſite in Accidents and Integrals, that are one in ſpecie in Eſſentials. 7. That a man may own ſeveral Churches, and Communicate with them for that which they agree in, and yet not own both, (or either perhaps) p. 56in that which they are oppoſite in. 8. That there being ſomewhat oppoſite in all men and Churches on Earth, you damn your ſelves for Communicating with them. 9. That a man may have more Communion with the Church which he Locally ſeparateth from, even for ſin, than with that which he is preſent with.

E. g. A Congregation or Nation of men of eminent Sanctity and Order, ſound Doctrine and Worſhip, may, by humane frailty take ſome one falſehood or uncertain thing to be neceſſary to Miniſtry or Communion (as they ſay ſome Churches unhappily of late reject all that own not the Antiquity of the Hebrew Points) I cannot have local Communion with that Church, for they will not receive me, unleſs I ſubſcribe either a falſhood, (or that which I judge falſe;) but yet I highly honour and love them, and have mental Catholick Communion with them, when perhaps neceſſity may make me Locally join with a Church of far worſe men and Order, that will impoſe no ſin on me. 10. And I would adviſe theſe men, did they not deſpiſe my advice, for the Church of Englands ſake, and their own, to retract their Errours, and not lay ſuch a Snare before the People. Should you ſay in the Pulpit, [If the Church be guilty of any Schiſm by her Impoſitions, (oftnamed) Excommunications and ſilencing of Chriſts Miniſters, and afflicting good people without juſt Cauſe, then I, and all that communicate with it and me, communicate in the guilt of Schiſm, and are all in as much danger of Damnation by it as Adulterers and Murderers] tell not your hearers this, for if you do, ſome will think you bid them ſeparate or be damned, and only make a doubt whether moſt men have Noſes or not.

XCI1. Qu. But is not the Inference true?

Anſ. No, it's falſe: There are twenty caſes in which 1. One may be guilty of Schiſm and not be a Schiſmatick, as denominated from what predominateth: 2. And as many in which he is not at all guilty that communicateth with the guilty.

And let the world (that is ſober and awake) judge now whether theſe men or we be the greater Schiſmaticks, and which more condemneth or ſeparateth from the Church of England. We ſay that all Churches have ſome degree of Schiſm, and ſo hath the Church of England, as it hath imperfection, Errour and Sin; but that it is not therefore no Church, nor is it unlawful to communicate with it; All Chriſtians and Churches muſt not be ſeparated from that are guilty of ſome degree of Schiſm.

If any will turn theſe Serious matters into Jeſt, and ſay, as Dr. Saywell, that they will receive Greeks, Lutherans, &c. that come to their Communion, his Serious Readers will tell him, that ſo will moſt Sects receive thoſe that approve of their Communion and come to them: Joyning with you ſignifyeth that they are of your way therein; But will you go to their Churches and Communicate with them? You will receive the damned Schiſmaticks if they come to you, when yet you make it damnable to joyn in their meetings with them. This quibbling beſeems not grave men in great matters.

To conclude, Reader, God having allowed more Legiſlative Power to men in things Secular than in Religion, I may ſay this caſe is like ours in debate.

I. Some Judges and Lawyers ſay, that the Oath of Allegiance makes a Subject in this Kingdom; that the Renouncing or Violating it by Treaſon, or Rebellion, or deſerting the Kingdom, overthrows the Relation. But that other particular faults or quarrels againſt Neighbours, Juſtices, Judges, yea the King himſelf, are puniſhable according to the Laws, but are not all Rebellion, nor diſſolve Subjection, nor oblige the Subjects to renounce civil converſe with each other; though ſome contempt and obſtinacy may outlaw them. Such is our Judgment of Church Relation and Communion, which 1 need not rehearſe.

II. Suppoſe a ſect of Lawyers and Judges ariſe, that ſay, no men are the Kings Subjects, but are Rebels, that break any of his Laws, that Shoot not in long Bows, that Bury not their dead in Woollen, that ſwear prophanely, that eat fleſh in Lent unlicenſed, that have any unjuſt Law-Suit, that wrong any Neighbour, that oppreſs any Poor man, all theſe are Rebels; yea all that plead oppoſite Cauſes at the Bar, and all Judges that judge contrary to one another, and all that miſunderſtand any point of Law and Practice accordingly, and all that beſides the Oath of Allegiance do conſtitute Marriages, Families, Schools, Societyes by any other Covenants of their own, and all that are of different Cities and Companies, parts of the Kingdom, or all whoſe Juſtices, Mayors, Sheriffs, &c. differ from one another in any point of Law and practice: Or all that obey not every Conſtable and Juſtice; or that go to divers Juſtices in the ſame Precincts, or that go from one Juſtice to another to avoid unrighteous Judgment, or that go from the Phyſician of the Place for Health, and from the Schoolmaſter of the Town for greater edification, or that Travel beyond Sea for Knowledge, yea all that underſtand not every word in the Law, that may concern them: If any ſay, none of theſe are the Kings Subjects, but Rebels, oppoſite to him and one another, and deſerve to be all hang'd as Murderers, and ſo are all that have Communion with them; Quaere, 1. Whether theſe men are for the Unity of England? 2. And are Friends to the King that deprive him of all his Subjects; as much as thoſe that would have him have no Subjects, that be not of the ſame Age, Stature, Complexion and Wit. 3. And whether they are Friends to Mankind? 4. And whether they. condemn not themſelves if they live not as Anchorets, out of humane Society. 5. And whether that Nation be not by infatuation prepared for Deſtruction that would believe them, and would hate, ſcorn and ruine them that are of the firſt mentioned opinion, according to the ſaying, Quos perdere vult Jupiter, hos dementat.

As to the more dangerous Doctrine now threatning this Land, that would ſubject England to a Foreign Juriſdiction, on pretence of a Neceſſity of either an Univerſal Church Monarch, or Church-Parliament Senate or Council, or of all the Church on Earth repreſented by Patriarchs or Metropolitans, or that plead for Subjection to them, under the Name of Communion, they require a diſtinct Anſwer. But Dr. Iſ. Barrow, and Mr. Beverley's Catholick Catechiſm, have effectually done it.

FINIS.

THE SECOND PART AGAINST SCHISM: BEING ANIMADVERSIONS On a Book famed to be Mr. Raphſon's.

LONDON: Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide, near Mercers-Chappel. 1684.

TO THE READER.

Reader,

WHEN I had Written the firſt of theſe Diſcourſes, I came after to know more of the Authors Judgment, by another Book againſt me; which I alſo Anſwered, but it lyeth by unprinted. I alſo wrote, for the uſe of ſome private Friends, my Reaſons for Communion with thoſe PariſhChurches who have Capable Miniſters, which many Importuned me to Print; but that alſo is yet undone: But a Book famed to be Mr. Raphſons coming out, I thought it my duty to Animadvert on that, and to bear my Teſtimony againſt Schiſm on both Extreams, left I be guilty of Partiality, and of the Sin and ſuffering of many that may be deceived by them. If theſe Two be not overmuch diſcouraged, the other Two againſt both the Extreams may come hereafter.