Historical Defense of the Reformation, Part 4 · Chapter 1

Historical Defense of the Reformation · Part 4 · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I.

That our Fathers had a Right to have their Church-Aſſemblies ſeparate from thoſe of the Church of Rome, on the ſuppoſition that they were right in the Foundation.

THE Order of the Matters of this Treatiſe requires, that we now go on to that Separation which the Author of the Prejudices calls Poſitive; and that after having confirmed the Right that our Fathers had to Examine the State of Religion and the Church in their days, after our having ſhewed the indiſpenſable neceſſity that lay upon them to forſake the Aſſemblies of the Church of Rome, and to live apart from her Communion, that we alſo eſtabliſh the Right that they had to ſet up a Chriſtian p. 2Society among themſelves, notwithſtanding their going off from the other Party, who were not for a Reformation; and to make up alone, and apart, a Body of the Church, or an External and viſible Communion. This is that which I pretend to eſtabliſh in this Fourth and laſt Part, and to that end I ſhall here Treat of two things: The firſt ſhall reſpect the Right of thoſe Publick Aſſemblies, and the Second ſhall be, concerning that of the Goſpel Miniſtry wherein our Function lies. Howſoever theſe two things have a dependance one upon another, it will yet be well to Treat of them with ſome diſtinction.

To make the Firſt clear, I ſhall firſt lay it down as an indiſputable Truth, That the Right of Religious Aſſemblies naturally follows that of Societies; I mean, That as far as a Religious Society is Juſt and Lawful, ſo far the Aſſemblies that are therein made are Juſt and Lawful; and that on the contrary, as far as a Society is unjuſt and wicked, ſo far its Aſſemblies are ſo too. This Principle is evident to common ſence, and it is for that Reaſon that we condemn the Aſſemblies of the Heathens, Jews, and Mahometans, as Unlawful and Criminal, becauſe their Societies are impious and wicked; and that having no right to be united, to believe and practice thoſe Errors which they believe and practice, they have alſo no right to Aſſemble themſelves together in order to make a Publick Profeſſion. It is for the ſame Reaſon that we hold on the contrary, the Chriſtian Aſſemblies to be not only Juſt and Allowable, but to be neceſſary and commanded by Divine Right, becauſe the Chriſtian Society, that is to ſay the Church, is it ſelf alſo of Divine Right. It is then True, that the Right of Aſſemblies follows that of Societies.

But we muſt further ſuppoſe, as another evident and certain Truth, That our Fathers before the Reformation were Latin Chriſtians, living in the Communion of the Latin Church, in which they made as conſiderable a party, as the reſt of the Latins; and that from Father to Son, throughout a long ſucceſſion, Time out of mind, they enjoyed with the others the rights of that Society. That they were equally in poſſeſſion of it with the other common Aſſemblies of that Religion, having a part in the Miniſtry, in the Churches, in the Sacraments, in the publick Prayers, in the Reading and Preaching of the Word; and that as far as the communion of the Latin Church was lawful, ſo far the part that our Fathers had in it was lawful alſo. That it was not a company of Strangers, or unknown perſons come from the p. 3utmoſt parts of America or the Southern Lands, nor a ſort of People dropt down from the Clouds, who were newly joyned together with them in the ſame Society, but Perſons, and whole Families ſetled a long time ago, who were joyned together with them in the Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Religion many Ages before, and who by conſequence were in poſſeſſion of the Rights of that Society. Although had they been Strangers, Americans, and Barbarians, on whom God ſhould have ſuddenly beſtowed the Favour of Calling them to the True Faith and the True Holineſs of Chriſtanity, yet we could believe that by that thing alone they would have been inveſted in all the Rights of that Society, as much as if they had had it by a long poſſeſſion, time out of mind. But howſoever it be, they were Chriſtians from Father to Son, and neither their blood nor their birth did diſtinguiſh them from the others.

We are now concerned only to ſearch out whether that which hapned to our Fathers, that is to ſay their Reformation, their Condemnation by the Popes and by their Council of Trent, and their Separation from the Church of Rome, can be able to ſpoil them of all their Rights. For if it be True, that they were fallen off, either by their own ill Carriage, or by the meer Authority of the Church of Rome, we muſt yield that our Aſſemblies are Unlawful and Criminal; but if on the contrary, they were not ſo fallen off, if that which hapned to them, did nothing elſe but confirm their Right and render it more pure, more juſt and more indiſputable, they ought alſo to come to an agreement with us that our Aſſemblies are Holy and Lawful, even in a far greater degree then they were before. To begin that Diſquiſition with the Condemnation of the Popes and their Council: I confeſs, that if it were the Court of Rome, that out of its pure Liberality ſhould Communicate Chriſtianity to thoſe only whom it ſhould pleaſe, and that none could either have or preſerve it but by the continual influence of its Favour, after the ſame manner as we have the Day by the influence of the Sun, it would depend on her and her Councils, to take it from us whenſoever ſhe ſhould ſee good with all its Rights and Priviledges. We might very well ſay that it would be too injurious to take it away from us, that we did not deſerve ſo hard a Treatment, yet we ſhould be deprived for that very Reaſon, when ſhe ſhould have taken them from us, whether it ſhould have been with Juſtice or againſt it, with or without any reaſon. But we do not believe that either the Court p. 2duplicate page p. 3duplicate page p. 4of Rome, or its Council, or that all that party who have followed them, though it ſhould have a thouſand times greater ſtrength and Authority then it has, would carry their pretenſions ſo high as to imagine that it depends on their meer good pleaſure to beſtow on, or to take away Chriſtianity and its Rights, I do not ſay from an innumerable multitude of Men, as that is which makes up the Body of the Proteſtants, but even not ſo much as from two or three perſons who ſhould be aſſembled in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt. Saint Paul has ſaid indeed, Who art thou O man that replieſt againſt God? Shall the thing formed, ſay to him that formed it, Why haſt thou made me thus? Has not the Potter of the Earth Rom. 9.Rom 9power out of one and the ſame clay to make one Veſſel to honour, and another to diſhonour? And by theſe words he gives us to underſtand the abſolute Power that God has to make us whatſoever it ſhall ſeem good to him.

But he has Taught us nothing of the like Power concerning the Pope and his Councils, he has not ſaid, Who are you that contend againſt Rome? Nor has he aſcribed to him the power to make and deſtroy us as it ſhall pleaſe him. In effect, There is none but God alone on whom our Chriſtianity depends, it is his Favour that has given it to us, his Spirit and his word have formed it in us, and his Apoſtle has Taught us to ſay with a Holy boldneſs, That there is no Creature either in Heaven, or upon the Earth that can be able to Separate us from his Love. We ought Rom. 8.Rom 8then to lay aſide that Soveraign and abſolute Authority, and to come to the cauſes or reaſons that could have been able to move the Court of Rome, and its Council to condemn the Proteſtants, and to deprive them of their Rights; for if thoſe cauſes are not only vain and frivolous, but unjuſt, and contrary to the Chriſtian Faith and Piety, as we maintain them to be, a Condemnation of that Nature cannot but fall back upon thoſe who have thrown it, ſince they themſelves have broken the Chriſtian Unity; ſo that their ill Carriage has made them juſtly loſe that of which they would unjuſtly deprive the others. And becauſe in thoſe kinds of Conteſts, That which one Party loſes by its injuſtice and its obſtinacy in Error, is recollected and reſtored in the other Party, which does its Duty, The Condemnation of the Council of Trent being ill done as we ſuppoſe, cannot but have heightned and ſtrengthned the Rights of the Proteſtants.

p. 5As to the Reformation, it is not leſs True, that if that ſhould be found to be indeed Conformable to the Word of God, and the inviolable Laws of Chriſtianity, as we ſuppoſe that it is; I mean, if the Things that our Fathers rejected were indeed Errors and Superſtitions contrary to the▪ True Faith and Piety, as we maintain them to be, ſo Holy an Action would be ſo far from depriving our Fathers of the Right of that Chriſtian Society, that on the contrary it could not but fortify that Right, and render it more lawful then it was before. For before the Reformation, That Society was, as I may ſo ſay, a Compoſition of good and evil, of Juſtice and Injuſtice, by reaſon of thoſe Errors which were mixed with the true Doctrine, and thoſe Superſtitions which were to be found in conjunction with that Religion; whereas the Reformation having freed it of that which it had of impurity and droſs, has without doubt put it into a far more Holy State, and much more agreeable to God. How prejudiced ſoever they may be, they can never maintain it, That Error and Superſtition ſhould eſtabliſh any right of Society, nor deny, that, as they are in their own nature more worthy of the Averſion of God and men, then their Approbation, they render thoſe Societies unlawful and criminal. For although all the World by a Univerſal Conſent ſhould be united in believing a Hereſy, or practiſing an Idolatrous Worſhip, That conſent how General ſoever it ſhould be, would not change the natures of things; Hereſy would be always Hereſy, and Idolatry Idolatry, and in that reſpect the Agreement of all mankind would make up a wicked and unjuſt Society. Whence it follows, That a mixt Communion is only lawful in proportion to that which it has of good, and that as its Juſtice is leſſened when its Corruptions increaſe, ſo its Juſtice alſo increaſes when its Corruptions are leſſened. We ought not then to imagine that the Reformation of the Proteſtants has deprived them of the Right of that Chriſtian Society, but we ought to aſſert on the contrary, That it has put them in that reſpect into a far more advantageous condition then they were in before.

There is nothing further remaining but that Separation, which was but by accident, as they ſpeak, the Conſequence of the Reformation: if the whole Latin Church had done her Duty, ſhe would have reformed her ſelf as well as our Fathers. But the Court of Rome and its Clergy would not, and that Refuſal has cauſed that breach of Communion which is fallen out between p. 6the two Parties. It concerns us to inquire, Whether even upon ſuppoſition that that Reformation was Juſt, and by conſequence that that Refuſal of it which they made was unjuſt, That Separation could lawfully hinder our Fathers from holding a Chriſtian Society among themſelves. But this is what they cannot maintain with the leaſt colour of Reaſon. For if the Reformation was Juſt, and if the Refuſal which they made was unjuſt, how can the injuſtice of that Party which ſhould have forgot its duty, and which would have conſtrained the other Party to have forgot it too, deprive the other Party of thoſe Rights that Faith, Holineſs, The Fear of God, and the Communion of Jeſus Chriſt, have naturally given it? Muſt Injuſtice needs Triumph over Juſtice, and Error over Truth? Is it that the Rights of that Society were ſo inſeparably joyned to thoſe who oppoſed the Reformation, that that Society could not ſubſiſt without them, and that ſeparating themſelves out of the motives of an illgrounded Prejudice, or in giving a Juſt ground to others to ſeparate themſelves from them, they ſhould have carried away all that Society with them? This cannot be ſaid, For among all thoſe perſons who compoſe the Body of the Viſible Church, it is certain that there are none, to how high Dignities ſoever they may be raiſed, and whatſoever number of them there may be, that are ſuch Eſſential Parts, as without which the Church cannot ſubſiſt, while there are two or three remaining who may aſſemble together in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt. For Jeſus Chriſt himſelf reſtrained himſelf to that Number, When two or three of you are gathered together in my Name, I will be in the midſt of you. Jeſus Mat. 18.Matt 18Chriſt himſelf alone, his Truth, his Goſpel, his Providence and his Spirit are eſſential to the Church, without which ſhe can never ſubſiſt, but ſhe may without the Pope, without the Court of Rome, without the Council of Trent, without the Biſhops, and without the people who follow Rome, and in a word, without that whole Party which refuſed the Reformation. The Chriſtian Society does not depend on their capricious humours, nor on their Temporal Intereſts. They are not the Soul of that Body, They will be Members of it while they make profeſſion of the True Faith, or at the furtheſt while they do not oppoſe it, but when they ſhall obſtinately remain in Errors incompatible with the Communion of Jeſus Chriſt, and when they ſhall break by unjuſt Anathema's the bond of that Society, We may very well ſay that the Body of the Viſible Church is Leſſened, but we can p. 7never ſay that their withdrawing leaves the Faithful under a Diſperſion.

The better to underſtand this Truth, we muſt know, That although that External Society be common to the good and the bad, to the truly Faithful, to Hereticks, and the men of the World, in a word to all thoſe who are found to be externally mingled in the Body of the Church, yet in effect, the Right of that Society will not, to ſpeak properly, belong to any but the truly Faithful. For the wicked, the Hereticks and thoſe Worldly men who fill up their Aſſemblies, are only aſſociated here while they remain ſuch, in diſhonouring God, by the Contempt they have of his word, and the Indignities they offer in receiving his Sacraments. Therefore God ſaid to the wicked in Iſaiah, When you come to appear-before Iſa. 1.Isa 1me, who has required this at your hands to tread my Courts? And in the Fiftieth Pſalm David aſſures us, that God has ſaid to the wicked, What haſt thou to do to Read my Laws, and to take my Covenant into thy Mouth? Since thou haſt hated inſtruction, and haſt caſt my Words behind thee. It is certain then that the right of the External Society reſides in the Faithful only, who only are the Church of Jeſus Chriſt, his Myſtical body for which he dyed, the Seed which he ſowed with his own hand againſt his harveſt. As to the reſt, they are in that Communion only by Accident, and are the ſeed of Tares which the Enemy riſing at night has thrown into the Field of the Son of God, and which grows with the Wheat until the Time of the Harveſt, and it is alſo only by Accident that they are ſuffered there, to wit, becauſe moſt commonly their wickedneſs is not known, or if it be, their Converſion may yet be Charitably hoped for, or in fine, it may fall out that in going about to pull up the Tares, one muſt alſo pluck up the Wheat with it. But being what they are, they have not any part in the rights of that Society and of thoſe Aſſemblies. Therefore Jeſus Chriſt has promiſed his preſence to none but ſuch as ſhall be aſſembled together in his Name, And Saint Auſtin St. Auguſtine de Bapt. contra. Don. lib. 7. cap. 51.expreſly Teaches that the Power of the Keys, and that of binding and looſing was given to the Church of the Juſt and true Believers, in oppoſition to the wicked, to Hereticks, and to the men of the World that are mixt with them. And it is ſaid of that Church only ſo conſidered in that ſame oppoſition, what Jeſus Chriſt has ſaid in the Goſpel, If thy Brother ſin againſt thee, tell it to the Church; and if he refuſe to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a Heathen man and a Publican. Which lets us ſee that he gave only p. 8the truly Faithful the Right to be in a Society, for there thoſe only have a Right to be in a Religious Society, who have the power of binding and looſing, and of hearing thoſe private complaints to Judge concerning them. But according to him, the truly Faithful have only that power, and it is only to thoſe that Jeſus Chriſt has given it. They are then none but thoſe, to ſpeak properly, in whom the Right of being in an External Society, and of making thoſe Aſſemblies, reſides.

That being ſo laid down, who ſees not, that when it falls out that the Body of that mixed Church is divided into divers parties, about thoſe important matters that reſpect either Faith, or Worſhip, or the General Rules of Manners, all the Rights of that Chriſtian Society remain in that Party which retains true Doctrine and Piety, becauſe it is on that ſide that the truly Juſt and Faithful place themſelves. There it is that the true Church of Jeſus Chriſt is aſſembled in his Name, to which he has promiſed his preſence: for as I have before ſaid, Error, Superſtition and Injuſtice, give none a Right to be in a Society, nor by conſequence any to make thoſe Aſſemblies.

But, they will ſay, if the Body of the Paſtors be found in the other Party, if External Splendor, Multitude, Extent, Succeſſion, Authority of Councils are found there, can any one forbear acknowledging it to be the Body of the Church? There are ſeen amongſt them the Pulpits, Schools, Churches, Biſhopricks, Benefices, Revenues, Dignities, and in a word, all thoſe advantages that mark out the Body of the Viſible Church. A Party that is in that condition, cannot ſuffer that any ſhould put its Rights in Queſtion, its Aſſemblies paſs for lawful throughout all the World, and the Aſſemblies only of the other Party are here Treated of, who finding themſelves ſpoiled of thoſe advantages, cannot be conſidered otherwiſe then as a Sect divided from the Body, as a Branch ſeparated from the Tree, or as a Ray divided from the Sun, according to the compariſon of the Fathers. I anſwer, That thoſe Diviſions that fall out in a mixed Church may be of two ſorts, for ſometimes they are founded only upon perſonal accuſations, or points of Diſcipline, or light and leſs important Queſtions, the Foundation of the Orthodox Doctrine, and true Worſhip remaining intire in both Parties. Of this ſort were the Diviſions of the Novatians, the Donatists, the Luciferians, as it has been noted in the Third Part. But ſometimes the ground of thoſe Diviſions is taken from Doctrine, or Worſhip, or the general p. 9Rules of Manners, and conſiſts in thoſe things that are acknowledged by both ſides to be weighty and eſſential, and in this Rank we may place thoſe Diviſions which aroſe in the Antient Church, by reaſon of the Samoſatenians, the Arrians, the Macedonians, Neſtorians and Eutychians. I acknowledge, that when the Queſtion is only about Diviſions of the former ſort, we cannot rationally hinder our ſelves from acknowledging that Party to be the Body of the Church which has the advantages before ſpoken of, and looking by conſequence on the other Party as a Sect cut from it. The one is the Tree, and the other the cut-off Branch, the one is the Sun, and the other a ſeparated Ray. And the Reaſon that makes that Prejudice Juſt, is not that the greater party cannot have done wrong at the bottom, or that it cannot erre. For it frequently happens that Prejudice, Paſſion, Intereſt, Cabals, prevail among thoſe who have the Eccleſiaſtical Authority in their hands, which makes them give unjuſt Judgments, and it may be the Author of the Prejudices would not maintain all the deciſions and Excommunications of the Church of Rome to be Juſt. But the Reaſon of that Prejudice is, that though even the greater Part ſhould have done wrong in the Foundation, yet the matter treated on is not of ſuch importance, as that it can take away from a Society the Quality of the true Church of Jeſus Chriſt, while ſound Doctrine intirely ſubſiſts there, and Worſhip remains pure. From whence it follows, that there being there no ſufficient cauſe of Separation, the leſſer Party can't be looked upon otherwiſe then as Schiſmatical, becauſe it is cut off from the Greater without neceſſity; and ſuppoſing at the ſame time that it ſhould have Reaſon in the Foundation, yet its Separation would not ceaſe to be criminal. It is in this Caſe that Saint Auguſtin would have thoſe whom violence, or as he ſays, carnal Sedition, has driven from the Chriſtian Aſſemblies, to ſuffer patiently the injury done to them without throwing themſelves either into Hereſy or Schiſm, and without ſetting up of Aſſemblies apart, but that they ſhould maintain and defend even to the death, the Faith which they know Preached in the Church. Sine ulla, ſays he, Conventiculorum ſegregatione uſque ad mortem defendentes & Teſtimonio juvantes eam Auguſt. de vera. Relig. cap. 6.fidem quam in Eccleſia Catholica praedicari ſciunt. But it is otherwiſe when the Diviſion is about matters of the Second ſort, thoſe I mean that are founded upon the weighty points of Doctrine or Worſhip. For then the true Church ought alone to be ſought for, where the true Faith is, where it is goes neither by extent of p. 10places, nor by number, nor by the Body of Paſtors, or Prelates, nor by the Walls of Temples, nor by Councils that we ought to Judge of it, but by the true Doctrine, and where that is to be found, there without doubt is a Right to be in a Society and to gather Aſſemblies. The Reaſon is evident, becauſe we cannot ſay in that Caſe, that although the more numerous Party, more extended, and which has the Body of Paſtors of its ſide, ſhould be wrong in the Foundation, yet that it would not always keep the quality of a true Church, as it may be ſaid in the former Caſe. For a Society that Teaches Error and practiſes a falſe Worſhip, and that will receive none into its Communion but thoſe who believe all that it believes, and practiſe all that it practiſes, cannot be a True Church, whatſoever advantages it have otherwiſe; ſo that finding it oppoſite to another pure Society, there is no need to heſitate in ones Choice.

In the firſt Caſe, the leſſer Party cannot be other then Schiſmatical, becauſe whatſoever Reaſon it may have at the bottom, it would be better to yield then to Separate ones ſelf, but it is not ſo in the Second, for it would be better to ſeparate ones ſelf then to yield, ſince in yielding one ſhould fall into Fundamental Errors and Superſtitions contrary to true Piety. In a word, in the former Caſe, the Number, Dignity, Extent of place, the Body of the Paſtors, Multitude, ought to prevail over Reaſon in a particular Injuſtice, becauſe a Church may be in ſome reſpect unjuſt, without hazarding the Salvation of its Children; but in the Second, Reaſon drawn from Injuſtice, Error, falſe Doctrine, falſe Worſhip, is a thouſand times more conſiderable then all thoſe advantages which I have noted, becauſe we cannot renounce the true Doctrine, and the true Worſhip of God in things of great moment, in which our Salvation would not be abſolutely concerned. It is this difference that cauſes us to take notice of two different ways in the Fathers, which appear ſo oppoſite and contrary one to another, that at firſt ſight trouble our minds. For when they wrote againſt the Novatians or againſt the Donatiſts, or againſt the Luciferians, who ſeparated themſelves out of frivolous Reaſons, that is to ſay, upon points of Diſcipline and perſonal accuſations, but who otherwiſe acknowledged the Church they had quitted, to be Orthodox, they ſet before the people, that Multitude, Extenſion, the Body of the Paſtors, Succeſſion and other advantages of that Nature, as things that ſhewed of what ſide the Church was, and then they held that the leſſer Party cut off p. 11from the greater was as a Member divided from the Body, a Branch cut off from the Tree, or as a Ray Separated from the Sun. But when they were engag'd againſt the Arrians, who taught falſe Doctrine, they did not care to make uſe of thoſe ſorts of Arguments; on the contrary they reſtrain'd themſelves to look for the Church where the True Doctrine and Faith was, and they had no Conſideration either of the Body of the Paſtors, or of the Multitude, or Pulpits, or Councils, when the Arrians made uſe of them to the Prejudice of the true Doctrine, as I have ſhewn in the Third Part. But that very thing evidently diſcovers the Ordinary Cheat that their Miſſionaries are guilty of, and the other petty Writers of Controverſy of the Church of Rome, and into which the Author of the Prejudices himſelf falls. Which is, that in ſtead of following with reſpect to us the way of Writing that the Fathers took, when they wrote againſt the Arrians, from whom they differed in points of Doctrine, ſince the Cauſe is like, they follow on the contrary that that the ſame Fathers took againſt the Novations, the Donatiſts, and Luciferians, with whom they did not quarrel about matters of Doctrine; which is a meer Sophiſm, where they confound two altogether different Queſtions, in referring to one Caſe that which cannot have any place but in the other.

But they will ſay, Are not you your ſelf guilty of Fallacy, in perpetually ſuppoſing, as you do in this diſpute, that you have Right at the Bottom? For that is the thing that is moſt Conteſted, and when we alleadge to you the Body of the Paſtors, Extenſion, Multitude, and the other advantages of the Church of Rome, we do not pretend to own, that the Doctrine of that Church is falſe, or that its Worſhip is corrupted, or to conclude that thoſe Advantages alone would give it the Quality of a True Church, though it ſhould not be Orthodox; but we pretend only, that ſetting aſide the Diſcuſſion of Doctrines, we can Convince you of Schiſm by thoſe Prejudices alone, which without any further Examination, mark out which of the two Communions is the True Church, and by Conſequence which is falſe and Schiſmatical. I have already anſwered Divers Times this Objection; but that it may be reviv'd here further in the Minds of the Readers, I ſhall not fail to ſhew yet farther the Vanity of it, and to diſcover more and more on which ſide the Fallacy lies. I ſay then, that when I ſuppoſe in this Diſpute that we have Right at the Bottom, my Suppoſition is juſt and within the Rules of good p. 12Reaſon, for I do not Suppoſe it either as a thing that I have already proved, nor as a thing granted to me, but as a Matter which ought to be Examin'd, and on the Examination of which that Queſtion of Schiſm, and the True Church, ought neceſſarily to depend. We would, ſay they, ſhew you, without entring into the Diſcuſſion of the Doctrine, by meer Prejudices that you are guilty of Schiſm, and that you have no Right to be in a Society, nor to gather Aſſemblies. And as for me I pretend to ſhew, that that way is Illuſory and Sophiſtical, and that one ought to examine the Doctrines in order, to know which of the two Communions is Schiſmatical, and which is the True Church. To this effect, I prove that though the Proteſtant Party ſhould be deſpoiled of all thoſe Advantages treated on, Provided it have on its ſide the True Doctrine and Worſhip, and the Church of Rome have it not, it has all the Rights of a Chriſtian Society, that its Aſſemblies are Lawful, and that its Separation from the Church of Rome is juſt, from whence it evidently follows, that all thoſe Prejudices are to no purpoſe in the deciding of our Queſtion, and that all depends on the Diſcuſſion of thoſe Points that are in Controverſy between us. See here the uſe of my Suppoſition, The Buſineſs at preſent is not to know whether we have Right in the Foundation or not; if that were all the Buſineſs, I would not ſuppoſe it at all, I would prove it; but the Buſineſs is to know whether they can by thoſe meer Prejudices prove that our Separate Aſſemblies from thoſe of the Church of Rome are unlawful. But I ſhew that they cannot, becauſe if we have Reaſon on our ſide in the Matters that are Controverted, our Aſſemblies are Lawfull, notwithſtanding thoſe Prejudices. In a word, we pretend to maintain our Aſſemblies no otherwiſe then by the Right that the Foundation gives us, but by that Right alone, we pretend to maintain them; ſo that when they Conteſt it with us we run back to the Foundation, and we ſhew them that the Foundation is ſufficient to render our Aſſemblies Lawfull, from whence it neceſſarily follows that they can't treat us as unjuſt and Schiſmaticks otherwiſe then in coming to the Diſcuſſion of the Foundation it ſelf. When therefore they tell us, that to Convince us of Schiſm they need but to ſet aſide the Diſcuſſion of Doctrines, it is as much as if they ſhould ſay, that to ſhew us that we have no Reaſon, they need but to lay aſide that Reaſon upon which we ground our ſelves. The Author of the Prejudices has found this ſhift to be ſo Fine and Ingenuous, that he has Judged it worthy to be Conſecrated to Poſterity by one of his Books.

p. 13In Fine, if we were to clear this Truth by Examples, we need but to repeat here two things which we have juſtified in the Third Part, and which are clear and certain out of the Hiſtory of the Antient Church. The one, That in the Time of the Arrians the Body of the Paſtors followed Hereſy; and the other, That a ſmall Number of the Orthodox, a ſmall Party ſeparated from the Body of its Paſtors, and ſpoiled of all thoſe kinds of Advantages, did not fail to ſet up its Aſſemblies apart, and to hold the beſt Chriſtian Society that it was poſſible for them to do. Thoſe that were Hereticks filled the Churches, and as for the Orthodox they met as they could, ſometimes in the Fields, and ſometimes even in the Churches of the Novatians. As theſe Matters of Fact are Indiſputable and Juſtified by Hiſtory, we have nothing elſe to do but to demand of the Author of the Prejudices, Whether he believes that thoſe Orthodox were Schiſmaticks for having ſo Separated themſelves from the Body of their Paſtors, not only by a Negative Separation, but even by a Poſitive one? Whether he believes that their Aſſemblies were Unlawfull? Whether he believes that they had done better to have remained in the ſame Communion with Hereticks, then in withdrawing from them? Whether he thinks that the Arrians could have ſaid to them with any Reaſon, That without Entring upon any Examination of their Doctrine they could Convince them of Schiſm by that Separation alone? Whether he believes that thoſe Orthodox had given a very ill anſwer in ſaying, That ſince their Separation was only founded on their Doctrine, it was by that that they ought to judge, and not by thoſe vain and deceitfull Advantages which ſometimes follow the Church, but which oftentimes Abandon it alſo, and upon which nothing of Certainty can be eſtabliſhed? The Author of the Prejudices may anſwer what he pleaſes, but we are at leaſt aſſured that he can neither condemn the Arrians without Juſtifying us, nor juſtify the Orthodox without Condemning himſelf.

It is Neceſſary then that we come to agree in this Truth, That the Right to be in an External Society, and by Conſequence to raiſe Aſſemblies, belong to the truly Faithful only; and that if it falls out, that the Body of the Paſtors teaches falſe Doctrine, and corrupts the Miniſtry to that degree that it cannot be allowed to the Faithfull to live in Communion with them, The True Faithfull remain yet united among themſelves by that External Union out of which their Aſſemblies proceed, and that by Conſequence p. 14they have a Right to meet together and to make up a Body in a viſible Communion. But they will ſay, If it falls out that generally all the Paſtors forſake thoſe pretended True Faithfull whereof you ſpeak, Who is there that ſhall Aſſemble them? they are all but ſo many meer private men, and what Right have thoſe private men to gather Aſſemblies? beſides, Religious Aſſemblies are chiefly Inſtituted for the Preaching of the Word, and Adminiſtration of the Sarraments, and can any aſcribe the Right of Preaching, and Adminiſtring the Sacraments to meer private men Separated from their Paſtors? When therefore it ſhould be True that the Right of being in an External Society, That of making Aſſemblies, that of Preaching, That of Adminiſtring the Sacraments, that of Binding and Looſing, and the whole Miniſterial Power ſhould reſide in the Faithfull only, yet it muſt be Confeſs'd notwithſtanding, That all thoſe Rights are to no purpoſe while they are Separated from their Paſtors, becauſe that each perſon among them being but a meer private man, they could not reduce thoſe Rights into Act, as they ſay, that is to ſay, They could not tell how to make any Actual Function. They have none who could join them together into a viſible Body, none among them can Lawfully Aſſemble them, none can Exerciſe the Functions of the Miniſtry among them, none can either Preach or Adminiſter the Sacraments, or Exerciſe the Power of the Keys. Whence it follows that whatſoever Right they have aſcribed to them, yet they do not ceaſe to be in that Condition in a True Diſperſion, according to what is ſaid in the Scripture, I will ſmite the Shepherd, and the Sheep ſhall be ſcattered abroad. And therefore Saint Mark. 14. Eph. 4.Mark 14Eph 4Paul ſays, That God has given ſome to be Apoſtles, others to be Prophets, others Evangeliſts, and others Paſtors and Teachers, for the Aſſembling of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the Edifying of the Body of Chriſt. The Church in as much as ſhe is an External Society, is as an Organical Body, which has its noble parts neceſſary for Life, without which it could not ſubſiſt for a moment, and thoſe parts are her Paſtors, who are not it may be abſolutely neceſſary for the Subſiſtence of Faith and Piety in the Souls of particular men, but who are at leaſt abſolutely ſo for the Subſiſtance of that External Society, and the Publick Exerciſe of Religion. If they overthrow this Order, they change the Church into a raſh Aſſembly, made by Chance, and Licentiouſneſs, and of whoſe Convocation there can be no Reaſon given. Even the very name alone of the Church, which ſignifies a called Aſſembly, denotes, p. 15that to aſſemble in a Body there ought to be a Lawful Call, which can be in none but the Paſtors. The Paſtors are then neceſſary to Bind an External Society; but they are yet further ſo, for the ſetting it in any Order, for otherwiſe it will depend on the Capricious humour of each private man to uſurp the Publick Functions, each man will Imagine himſelf to have a Right to Preach the word of the Goſpell, to Adminiſter the Sacraments, and to do the other Functions of the Miniſtry, which would turn the Church into an Anarchy. Theſe are to me the moſt ſpecious Objections that they can make againſt what I have ſaid concerning the Right that the Faithfull have to be in a Society, even then when they are Separated from the Body of their Paſtors, and they cannot Complain that I have weakned them, for they will not find any thing, either in that Book of the Prejudices, or it may be in all their other Controverſial Writings, that will appear to have as much Force and Likelihood of Truth, as that which I have gathered together in theſe few words.

To Anſwer in ſome Order, I ſhall in the firſt place affirm, That that Objection does not any way touch the Body of the Proteſtants, ſince it is evident not only that all their Paſtors were not contrary to the Reformation, but alſo that in the greateſt part of thoſe places wherein it was made, thoſe who were moſt ardently engaged in it were perſons high in Office and Dignity in the Latin Church, Who had as much a Call as they can reaſonably deſire to preſerve the Bond of Society intire, and to call Aſſemblies together. It is as certain that in divers places the Reformation was made by the conſent of the greateſt part of their Paſtors, as in England, in Scotland, in Swedland, in Denmark, in Saxony, in the Palatinate, in Heſſia in Switzerland, and in many more Cities and Countrys in Germany. So that we may ſay with certainty, That the Reformed People Separated from the Roman Communion did not aſſemble of themſelves, but that they kept up an External Society under the lawful Miniſtry of a Conſiderable number of their Paſtors who called them together into a Body, or to ſpeak better, who hindred their diſperſion and preſerved the Bond of their Unity. They had in that Number their Monks, their Preachers, Prieſts, Curates, Canons, Doctors, Profeſſours in Divinity, whole Univerſities, and Abbies, Biſhops, Arch-Biſhops, Cardinals, and if the light of the Goſpel had not been then inacceſſible to the See of Rome, they had had it may be Popes themſelves, for ſome of them were ſenſible enough of the Neceſſity p. 16of a Reformation. Howſoever it be, we may ſay, That there was yet in the Body of the Paſtors, a Remnant according to the Election of Grace, as there was in the Time of the Arrians according to the Remark of St. Gregory Nazianzen. I confeſs that in ſome places the People of themſelves Aſſembled to Chuſe their Paſtors, but when they ſhould have been guilty of any irregularity in that, beſides that they cannot impute it to all the Body, it would have been rectified by the approbation that all the other Paſtors made of that Election, and by the right hand of Fellowſhip which they gave them, finding themſelves to be in the ſame Eccleſiaſtical Aſſemblies with them, and acknowledging them for their Brethren and Companions in the Work of Jeſus Chriſt. And by ſo much the more as the Times of Perſecution wherein the Faithful were then, often forced them to paſs over thoſe Formalities which it was impoſſible for them to obſerve, and as God himſelf ſeemed to have ratified the choice of thoſe perſons by the bleſſing which he ſpread upon their Labours, as he did particularly upon the Miniſtry of John le Maſon la Riviere, whom the people choſe at Paris in the Year 1555.

But howſoever we are but a very little concerned in the Principles upon which that Objection is grounded, yet we ſhall not fail notwithſtanding to Examine them, to know a little more diſtinctly of what neceſſity Paſtors are for the ſubſiſtence of the Society or External Communion of the Church. I ſay then in the firſt place, it muſt not be thought that the Bond of the External Society of the Faithful abſolutely depend on their Union, or as Cardinal du Perron ſpeaks, on their Adherence to the Body of their Paſtors. It may fall out ſometimes that the Body of the Paſtors, that is to ſay, the greater number of them, fall into Hereſy, and corrupt the Miniſtry in ſuch a manner as the Faithful would be bound to Separate themſelves from them. If there yet remain ſome few Paſtors who maintain the True Doctrine, and oppoſe Error, in that Caſe I ſay that the Faithful may moſt lawfully hold a Chriſtian Society with them in the uſing of all their Functions, aſſemble themſelves under their Miniſtry, hear the word of the Goſpel from their Mouths, and receive the Sacraments from their hands. They cannot ſay that the Church would then be diſperſed, nor that the greater number of the Paſtors had carried away with them all the Rights of the Society, but they ought on the contrary to ſay that being obſtinate in Error, and abandoning the Purity of the Faith, they themſelves in that reſpect loſt the Right of being in the Society, and making up a p. 17Body of an External Communion. For that Principle remains always unſhaken, that Error, Superſtition, and falſhood do not give the leaſt Right to any men to Aſſemble, and that a Society is Juſt only in proportion to that that it has of true Doctrine and Evangelical Worſhip. So that the greater number of the Paſtors is not a Party abſolutely neceſſary to the Body of the Church for its ſubſiſtence, and this appears evidently from the Example of the Orthodox in the Time of the Arrians; for as I have ſaid before, their External Communion did not ceaſe to ſubſiſt in divers places ſeparated from the Body of the Paſtors, they met together, they prayed to God in Common, they heard his word, they received his Sacraments; in a word, they performed all the actions of Religion under the Miniſtry of thoſe few perſons that remained. This is preciſely the Caſe wherein our Fore-Fathers found themſelves in the Time of the Reformation, as I have before ſhewn, and it will not ſignify any thing to ſay that that ſmall number of Paſtors that our Fathers followed had themſelves according to us corrupted their Miniſtry by the Errors and Superſtitions of the other Paſtors, and that they received their Call from their hands, for I affirm that their return to the true Doctrine rectified their Call, and freed it from all the impurity or ill it could have had, after the ſame manner that Felix Biſhop of Rome, and Meletius Biſhop of Antioch, who being ordained by the Arrians, rectified their Miniſtry by Preaching the Truth and oppoſing of Hereſy, and as Liberius and a great number of the other Biſhops who had ſubſcribed to Arrianiſm, purified their Call in returning to the True Faith which they had forſaken. It is certain therefore that the greater number of the Paſtors is not a party of the Body of the Church abſolutely neceſſary for the ſubſiſtence of the External Communion, and that it is an Error to imagine that the bond of the Society depends on them, or that there can be no Aſſemblies made of thoſe who ſhall be ſeparated from them, but ſuch as are Unlawful and Schiſmatical.

But in the Second place, I affirm that it is not even abſolutely neceſſary, and in all reſpects, to the making that External Society to ſubſiſt among the Faithful, that it ſhould have Paſtors. For as it is nature alone that makes man a Sociable living Creature, that is to ſay, that renders him capable of Civil Society, and gives him alſo a right to it, ſo alſo it is Grace which makes a Chriſtian a ſociable man, which renders him, I would ſay, capable of a Religious Society, and gives him a right to it. Ten Men that p. 18ſhould meet one another hy Chance in an uninhabited Deſart, would they not have a Right to joyn themſelves actually together, to aſſemble and to take all the joynt deliberations in publick that they ſhould Judge neceſſary for their own preſervation? And would it not be an extravagance to demand of them what Magiſtrate had aſſembled them, what publick Authority had called them together, who had given them a right to ſpeak among themſelves and to conſult for their common intereſts? Then when there are lawful Magiſtrates, their intervention is neceſſary for the calling and Authoriſing of Civil Aſſemblies, and if any undertake to aſſemble together without their Authority, or without their conſent, their Aſſemblies are raſh and unlawful, but it does not follow from thence that Magiſtrates ſhould be ſo abſolutely neceſſary to a Society, that when there ſhould be none, men could not any more ſpeak or act together, nor aſſemble themſelves, nor take common Conſultations. It is the ſame thing in Religion, if Ten Laymen of the Faithful ſhould meet together caſually, or to ſpeak better, if the ſole Providence of God ſhould make them meet one another in a Deſart Iſland, or in the fartheſt part of America, and engage them all their days in a ſtrange Land, and if they ſhould come to acknowledge each other for true Faithful Chriſtians, can any believe that … ought to remain ſo diſperſed that they could never law… commune together concerning the Chriſtian Faith and Pie… nor meet together to provide for the preſervation of their Religion. This is that which I hold, to be, not only unable to be maintained, but impious. For as Nature alone aſſembles men, when they have no Magiſtrates, and cannot have any; ſo Grace alone aſſembles Chriſtians when they have no Paſtors, and cannot have any. She will not ſuffer them to remain in an intire diſperſion while there remains yet any means to aſſemble them, it is ſhe alone that convokes or calls them together, and her inſtinct forms an unanimous conſent in them, that conſent alone renders their Aſſembly as lawful as it can be made by the Convocation of Paſtors. Thus alſo divers Parties who divided the Latin Church in the Time of the Great Schiſm of the Anti-Popes, proteſted, That they met together at the Council of Conſtance when they no more acknowledged the Pope, nor by conſequence, held any more a Head that could lawfully call them together, for they declared that they called one another together, and that they aſſembled themſelves ſub Capite Chriſto, under Jeſus Chriſt their common Head, that is to ſay, p. 19by his inſtinct, and under his Authority, which ſuplied the want of a Pope. Quatenus, ſay they, in illo quieſt verus Eccleſiae ſponſus, congregati in unum ſimul, matrem Eccleſiam diviſam uniamus. In reſpect of an Aſſembly in the Body of a Council, each Biſhop, each Prelate was but a meer private man, as much as every Believer is in reſpect of an Aſſembly in the Body of the Church; and yet notwithſtanding they aſſembled, they reunited themſelves, they depoſed a falſe Pope who troubled them even then, and they created another. A mutual Convocation then, which is nothing elſe but an unanimous conſent, is ſufficient to make an Aſſembly lawful, when there is no Publick Authority that can call them together.

This is that which juſtifies the Conduct of our Fathers in ſome places of this Kingdom at the beginning of the Reformation, for they Aſſembled ſometimes without any Paſtors, to pray to God together and to Read the Holy Scriptures, their Conſciences could not any more allow them to be preſent at the Aſſemblies of the Roman Communion, and not having further any Paſtor who might Aſſemble them after the Ordinary manner, the Spirit of Chriſtianity Aſſembled them under the Soveraign Paſtor and Biſhop of Souls which is Jeſus Chriſt, and their mutual conſent without doubt made their Society and their Aſſemblies moſt lawful. For as to that which is ſaid in the Scripture, I will ſmite the Shepheard, and the Sheep ſhall be ſcattered abroad; it would be manifeſtly to abuſe that paſſage, if they would conclude from it an abſolute neceſſity of the Paſtors for the ſubſiſtence of that Society. For that is a Prophecy which notes, not that which the Faithful ought to do when they have no Paſtors, but that which ſhould befal the Diſciples of Jeſus Chriſt in the Time of his Paſſion, when the fury of the Jews, and the ſad Condition wherein they ſhould behold their Divine Maſter, ſhould force them to be ſcattered, which has nothing common to the Queſtion we are now Treating of.

In the Third place I ſay, that to underſtand well the true uſe, and the Neceſſity of the Actions of the Miniſtry, the Church muſt be conſidered in two Seaſons, in her firſt formation and in her ſubſiſtence. For in her firſt formation it is certain that the Actions of the Miniſtry were neceſſary for the calling of men to the light of the Goſpel, whereof as yet they had no knowledge, and by Conſequence they were neceſſary to the Eſtabliſhment of the Chriſtian Communion or Society amongſt them, which could p. 20not be without that knowledge. To this end Jeſus Chriſt employed his Apoſtles and Evangeliſts, Go, ſays he, and Teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, Mat. 28.Matt 28and of the Holy Ghoſt; and it is that to which Saint Paul has a chief regard when he ſays, That Chriſt has given ſome Apoſtles, Epheſ. 4.Eph 4and ſome Prophets, and ſome Exangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors, and Teachers, for the gathering together of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the Body of Chriſt. Thoſe glorious Heralds by the efficacy of their word, accompanied with the power of Jeſus Chriſt, called together the Church, if we muſt ſo ſay, as the Holy Aſſembly of God; they Eſtabliſhed the Chriſtian Religion in the World, and ſo united men among themſelves in an External Society by the profeſſion of one and the ſame Faith, of one and the ſame Hope and Charity which inſpired them, ſo that the Acts of their Miniſtry were abſolutely neceſſary for that firſt Eſtabliſhment, becauſe their Preaching was the only means that God would make uſe of to draw men from the Pagan Idolatry or the Jewiſh Obſtinacy, and to give them that Faith without which they could never have had a Chriſtian Society. In this reſpect, there is Reaſon to urge the force of the word Church, which ſignifies not a raſh and tumultuary Aſſembly made by chance or Sedition, but an Aſſembly lawfully called, for it was God himſelf who called it by the voice of his Apoſtle according to the Prophecy of David. The mighty Lord, the Eternal God Pſalm 50.Ps 50hath ſpoken, and called to all the Earth, from the riſing up of the Son to the going down of the ſame. He has called the Heavens from on high, and the Earth to Judge his People; ſaying, Gather ye my Saints together.

In this firſt Eſtabliſhment the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts did three things: On one hand they ſpread abroad the Faith every where, and by this means bound men in an External Communion or Society; on the other hand, they ſet together the Chriſtian Truths which are the Objects of Faith in the Cannon of the Scriptures; and in fine they eſtabliſhed Ordinary Paſtors for the upholding and Government of the Church. By the firſt of thoſe things, in Eſtabliſhing the Faith in mens hearts, they aſſembled, called them together, and put them into a Society, by the ſecond, they laid, as I may ſo ſpeak, the Fountain; or the External and perpetual Magazine of the Evangelical Doctrine. By the Third, they provided for the Ordinary Diſpenſation of that Fountain, ſetling of Miniſters to diſtribute it by their Preaching, the Sacraments, p. 21and the Exerciſe of Diſcipline. Of theſe three things, there is none but the firſt only to which we ought to refer the Convocation of the Church and Eſtabliſhment of the Chriſtian Society. But we muſt ſay that all Three ſerve for its preſervation and increaſe, for they are ſo many ways and means which the Apoſtles left for the preſervation of the Faith, and ſtrengthning of it in thoſe who had before received it, and to propagate it to their Children, and in thoſe who had not as yet received it, in which the preſervation of a Society conſiſts. The firſt contributes much, for as Lights or Torches lighted all together preſerve and mutually ſtrengthen their fire, and are capable of lighting others; So many faithful Chriſtians united together, confirm one another in the Faith and Piety, and are fit to Communicate that Faith and Piety to thoſe who have not yet received it. The Second does not contribute leſs, for the Faithful preſerve and increaſe their light, their Faith, Piety, Sanctity, by the immediate Reading of the Holy Scriptures; Infidels themſelves may be converted this way, and thoſe that go aſtray be brought back to the purity of the Goſpel. The Third is alſo of exceeding great Uſe, for the Paſtors by their Preaching, their Direction, and their Writings, by their Examples, by the Sacraments they Adminiſter, and in a word by all the Actions of their Miniſtry, confirm the Faith where it is, and propagate it where it is not. The Divine Wiſdom has ſo prepared its divers means for the preſervation of that Society, and the Propagation of his Church, That if the Actions▪ of the Miniſtry do not produce that effect for which they are appointed, the other means ſhall, and ſupply that defect. In Effect when the publick Preaching and preſence of the Paſtors fail, the Reading of the Scripture, private Exhortation of the ſimple Chriſtians, the writings of their Paſtors, either dead or abſent, may come to ſuccour, and make the Faith and Charity and Piety ſubſiſt, and by conſequence the External Society of the Church and its Aſſemblies.

How then are the Actions of the Miniſtry neceſſary? They are ſo firſt, By Neceſſity of Precept, as they ſpeak; I mean as it is a means that Jeſus Chriſt has ordained, the Uſe whereof we cannot neglect without ſin. Thoſe who contemn it, reſiſt the Order that God himſelf has eſtabliſhed, and make themſelves unworthy of his Grace; and to this thoſe paſſages in the Scripture refer, which recommend the Paſtors to the Faithful. He that heareth you heareth me, and he that rejecteth you, rejecteth me. Obey p. 22them that have the Rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your Souls. 2. The Actions of the Miniſtry are neceſſary to the Churches well being, though not abſolutely neceſſary to its being. It is not abſolutely impoſſible for a Church to ſubſiſt without having actually any Paſtors, not only becauſe ſometimes Faith and Piety may ſubſiſt without their heavenly food, which is the Word and Sacraments, as a Body may ſubſiſt ſometimes without its nouriſhments, but alſo becauſe one part of that food may come to us otherwiſe then from the mouth of the Paſtors, as I have ſhewn. But they are neceſſary to the well being of a Church, but it is the hand of the Paſtors alone that diſpences the Sacraments to us, and their Preaching is a publick inſtruction that more ſtrongly ſets before our Eyes the Truths of the Goſpel, that livelily applies its Precepts, its Promiſes, its Threatnings, and its Exhortations to us, and frequently forces us to make thoſe Reflections on our ſelves which we ſhould not do without their Aid. Their Authority reſtrains us, their light inlightens us, their Direction guides us, their Example excites us, and their Labours caſe ours. It is certain that a Flock without a Paſtor cannot but be in a very bad condition, for howſoever each of the Myſtical Sheep who compoſe it may defend themſelves againſt the aſſaults of the Wolves, yet it is not ordinarily done either with ſuch force, or ſuch ſucceſs as when the defending of them lies in the hands of Faithful Paſtors to whom God communicates a greater meaſure of his Light and Grace; and although the External Society among the ſimple Faithful may not ceaſe to ſubſiſt though they have not actually any Paſtor, ſince they may be joyned together in Jeſus Chriſt by the profeſſion of one ſame Faith, and the ſame Piety which aſſembles them, by vertue of the firſt Convocation that the Apoſtles made, yet that Society, as far as it is External, would be far better maintained by the Actions of the Miniſtry of the Paſtors, then it would be otherwiſe. 3. I ſhall not fear to ſay that even the Actions of the Miniſtry are neceſſary for the perpetual ſubſiſtence of that External Society, for however the meer Reading of the Word of God, Publick Prayers in Common, the mutual Exhortations of the Faithful, and the Writings of the Doctors of the Church, are without doubt ſufficient to preſerve the Faith and Piety in the Souls of men, not only during ſome time, but even always, if they do not neglect their duty, yet notwithſtanding it muſt be acknowledged that according to the way that we are made, and to ſpeak as they ſay p. 23after the manner of men, a Flock cannot abide a long Time without a Shepherd, ſo as not to fall into Negligence, and by that Negligence into an Oblivion of its duty, and in fine, ſo as the Sheep ſhould not be in a great danger of diſperſion. See here after what manner Paſtors are neceſſary to the Church, but to imagine that it cannot abſolutely have any more a Chriſtian Society, or lawful Aſſemblies among the Faithful, when their Ordinary Paſtors forſake them, is that which they can never maintain with any Reaſon, For the Faithful are the Sheep of Jeſus Chriſt, and when their Paſtors ſcatter them, the Grace and Name of Jeſus Chriſt calls them together, They are in a Society by the right of the firſt Convocation of the Church, which is a perpetual right, which ſubſiſts every where, where the True Faith and true Chriſtian Piety are found Common among many perſons, and it is from that perpetual and immovable Right that that of the actual Aſſemblies Flowes.

But what Order can they hold in their Aſſemblies, ſince they have none to direct them Externally? I anſwer, That the ſame Spirit of Grace which inſpired them with Piety and Charity, would it ſelf ſuggeſt an Order and ſubject them one to another by a mutual conſent; for God does not forſake his own Children, though men and the Church may always ſay in the Languague of the Prophet, When my Father and Mother forſake Pſal. 27.Ps 27me, the Lord ſhall take me up. If there be any Magiſtrate to be found among the Faithful, it belongs to him to ſettle an Order among them, for the Civil Society comes in Naturally to the ſuccour of the Religious, when the Religious is caſt into any Extremity. If there be no Magiſtrate they ought to agree about an Order in private Conferences, before they come to Aſſemble together in a Body, to avoid Confuſion, and every one has a Right to make thoſe private Conferences.

But what can they do in thoſe Aſſemblies? They may pray to God there, they may implore the ſuccours of his Providence, and put their Truſt in his Promiſes. They muſt begin by that Afterwards they will ſearch out all poſſible means to have Paſtors called to that Office by the Ordinary ways, to receive the Sacraments and Preaching of the Goſpel from them; but if that is impoſſible, or if they ſee that that would be evidently to Tempt God, and put the Flock in danger of diſſipation, it is Neceſſary in that caſe that the Flock ſhould chuſe a Paſtor for it ſelf, and Conſecrate him to God by ardent Prayers, in committing to his Truſt the Rights of the Miniſtry that reſide in the Body of the p. 24Faithful, to whom Jeſus Chriſt, according to Saint Auguſtine, has given the Power of the Keys. For we ought not to imagine that the Body of the Faithful ſhould be ſtripped of the Right of the Miniſtry as often as they ſhould be actually without Paſtors. That Right is inviolable, it cannot be either loſt or ſeparated from the Body of the Faithful. We will in the Cloſe examine whether an Election made after that manner gives a ſufficient Call; it is ſufficient at preſent to know that neither the Right of a Chriſtian Society, nor that of Chriſtian Aſſemblies, is ſo neceſſarily tied to the Paſtors, That when there ſhould be none of them, the Faithful could not remain united together externally in a Body of a Viſible Church, or make thoſe Aſſemblies lawful.

The Author of the Prejudices Treating about this matter, diſtinguiſhes between two ſorts of Separations, the one Negative, the other Poſitive. There is, ſays he, a meer Negative Separation which conſists more in the denyal of certain Acts of Communion, then in poſitive Actions againſt that Society from which one ſeparates. Prejug. Chap. 7. Pag. 147.And there is another Poſitive Separation which includes the erecting of a Separate Society, the Eſtabliſhment of a new Miniſtry, and the poſitive Condemnation of the former Society to which he was united. He ſays afterwards, That we did not content our ſelves with the firſt kind of Separation, that we have gone further, that we have formed a new Society, a new Church, that we have ſet up new Paſtors; That it is that kind of Separation whereof he accuſes us, and that it is this alſo that we ought to Juſtify our ſelves about. He repeats the ſame things in the end, and concludes, That when the Faithful ſhould believe themſelves obliged out of a good Conſcience to ſeparate themſelves Negatively, they ought not to form a Society, nor have any Paſtors; But, that they ought to remain in that State without any Paſtors, and without any External Worſhip, in waiting until God extraordinarily raiſe up ſome with viſible Characters of their Miſſion.

I acknowledge that that Diſtinction of two kinds of Separation, is of ſome Uſe, and I have my ſelf made uſe of it for the putting of the matters of this Treatiſe into a more natural Order; but I deny that the Conſequences which the Author of the Prejudices pretends to draw from them, are True. We ſhall ſee in the ſequel, whether the Society of the Proteſtants ſeparated from thoſe of the Church of Rome, may with any reaſon be called a new Church: We ſhall ſee alſo what Right they had to a Goſpel-Miniſtry, p. 25and whether they can ſay that their Miniſtry is new, I conſider only that Principle which he propounds, which is, That when the Faithful ſeparate themſelves Negatively from thoſe with whom they were before united, they ought not to ſet up a Society apart. For he knows not how to ſay any thing that is more contrary to Piety and the Spirit of Chriſtianity. I hold then that if that Negative Separation of the Faithful be Juſt, if it be neceſſary, if they made it out of a good Conſcience, not only they can, but they ought to hold a Chriſtian Society among themſelves, to make a Viſible Body, to Aſſemble, to pray to God together, to Read his Word, to conſult and deliberate for their common Intereſts, even while they ſhould be ſeparated from the greater number of the Ordinary Paſtors, or even when they ſhould have no Paſtors among them. I mean that that is not only a Right but a Duty, an Obligation, and ſuch an Obligation that there is nothing can diſpence with but an abſolute and invincible impoſſibility. The Reaſon upon which I found this Propoſition is taken from the very Nature of the Chriſtian Faith, Piety and Charity. For when God has given us theſe vertues, he has by that very thing indiſpenſably bound us to keep and ſtrengthen them, and by conſequence he has bound us to practiſe thoſe means which he himſelf has eſtabliſhed for that purpoſe. But among thoſe means, That of External Communion with our Brethren to whom he has given the ſame grace, is one of the moſt conſiderable, as I have ſaid before. Therefore Saint Paul told the believing Hebrews, Let us take heed to ſtir up one another to Charity Heb. 10.Heb 10and good works, not forſaking the Aſſembling of our ſelves together, but admoniſhing one another. And to the Coloſſians, Let the word Col. 3.Col 3of Jeſus Chriſt dwell richly in you in all wiſdom, Teaching and admoniſhing one another, in Pſalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs. And to the Theſſalonians, We entreat that you would admoniſh the 1 Theſſ. 5.1 Thess 5diſorderly, that you comfort thoſe that are in affliction, that you uphold the weak. And to the Epheſians, Speake ye one to another in Eph. 5.Eph 5Pſalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Moreover, according as our Brethren labour on their part in the preſervation and confirmation of our Faith, Piety, Hope, and Charity, by the Society that we hold with them, ſo we produce the ſame effect in reſpect of them, for we mutually edify one another. But it is further a Duty to which Chriſtianity engages us. God would not that we ſhould only labour for our own preſervation, p. 26he would have us alſo take care of that of our neighbours, and it would be a deteſtable word in the mouth of a Chriſtian, if he ſhould ſay with Cain, Am I my Brothers keeper? We are further bound to propagate our Faith and Piety in the Souls of our Children, and to labour even to the utmoſt of our power to make it ſpring up in the Souls of Infidels, as one lighted candle may light another; which evidently notes that the Inſtinct of Chriſtianity, is an inſtinct of Society that carries us out not only to own our Brethren, when they are ſo, but to gain more then we had before, and even thoſe which we cannot have.

In fine, Piety would have us give God the higheſt honour and Worſhip that it is poſſible for us to give him. But it is certain This paſſage yet cleared in the Orig. Pag. 321.that God is more honoured in a Society, when all in one Body offer up their Prayers to him, their vows and their praiſes, then when each does it apart, more hearts united together pay God a homage more worthy of his Majeſty. They cannot then imagine a State more contrary to the nature of the true Faith, of Chriſtian Piety and Charity, than that of Diſperſion, nor by conſequence any thing that the Faithful ought to have more horror for, and when the miſery of the Age ſhall caſt them into it by an unavoidable neceſſity, they ought always to preſerve a Spirit of Society, and to pant after the company of their Brethren. My Soul, ſaid David, then when he was in that Condition, Thirſteth after God, after the living and true God, O when ſhall I come and appear before Pſal. 42.Ps 42the preſence of God! My Tears have been my meat Day and Night, while they ſay unto me, Where is now thy God? I remember the Time wherein I went with the multitude, and when I went ſweetly in company with others, with the voice of Triumph, and praiſe, unto the Houſe of God.

It is ſo certain, that the Actual diſperſion of the Faithful does not break the natural bond of their Society, for they are always Brethren, Children of the ſame Family, it can only ſuſpend the Acts of it, and when that abſolute neceſſity which forced them into diſperſion is gone, they return of themſelves naturally into an actual Society, by the force of that Unity of Faith and Religion that is among them, without any neceſſity of a new Convocation. It will ſignify nothing to ſay that the Duties which I have noted reſpect the Faithful only then when they are already in an Actual Society, but that they are not bound to remain there, nor to enter into it, when they have no Paſtors to Aſſemble them. For I ſay that thoſe Duties ariſe not from the p. 27nature of that Society, but from that of Faith, Piety, and Charity, and by conſequence they bind them to preſerve an actual Society, where-ever it is, and even to make one where it is not yet; that is to ſay, they oblige us to United all thoſe to us in whom we ſee the ſame Faith, Piety, and Charity ſhine forth, that we perceive in our ſelves.

In a word, ſince Faith, Piety, Charity, and the other Chriſtian Vertues, bind us to thoſe Duties, they bind us alſo to an External Society, without which they cannot be performed, whence it comes to paſs, that the Faithful are called in the Scripture Sheep, not in reſpect of their Ordinary Paſtors, but in reſpect of their Faith in Jeſus Chriſt; to note, That it is the Faith and not the Miniſtry which makes the Society, and which renders by conſequence their Aſſemblies lawful and neceſſary.