Of Schism, Chapter 1
OF SCHISME.
A DEFENCE OF THE Church of England, Againſt the EXCEPTIONS OF the Romaniſts.
By H. HAMMOND, D. D.
LONDON, Printed by J. Fleſher for Richard Royſton at the Angel in Ivie-lane. M.DC.LIII·
Of SCHISME. A Defence of the Church of England, againſt the Objections of the Romaniſt.
CHAP. I. An Introduction, the danger, and ſin of Schiſme.
§. 1 Two concernments of al Chriſtians.TWO wiſhes rather then hopes there are, wherein all Chriſtians are very much concerned; Firſt, That all that have given up their names to that holy profeſſion, would ſincerely betake themſelves to the diſcharge of all thoſe duties Practiſe of Chriſtianity.(as well more common, one towards another,as more particular, of each ſingle man toward God and toward himſelf) which Chriſt came on purpoſe to plant in, or reduce into the world: The Second, Propagating of it.That the Faith of Chriſt might gain an amicable, univerſal reception in the hearts of all men over the whole world, and that all mankinde (by an uniform obedience to thoſe divine precepts which are moſt agreeable to our rational, i. e. humane nature, and which are able to advance us to the higheſt pitch of moral excellency and dignity, that any created ſubſtance is capable of) might attain the great end of our creation, a paradiſe, or blisful beeing here in this world, only with the mixture of ſome allayes to that bliſſe (and thoſe neceſſary both to the exerciſe of ſome moſt eminent virtues, and ſuch as the Angels are not, for want of paſſible bodies, capable of, and alſo to the inhaunſing of our crown) and then a ſtate of infinite reward, and uncompounded felicity hereafter.
What is to be done toward the latter.§. 2. That the later of theſe may in Gods good time be effectually attempted by all Chriſtian Kings, and Biſhops, and advance more ſucceſsfully, then of late it hath done, ought to be the indevour of all thoſe, whoſe eminencie in the world hath given them capacities, or qualifications to contribute ſome conſiderable degree of aſſiſtance to ſo glorious a work. And for others, whoſe inferiority of condition or ſphere of motion, and the improbability, conſequent to that, of advancing ſo magnificent a deſigne is their juſt excuſe for not entertaining any ſuch hopeleſs thoughts, it is yet their certain duty by conſtant, fervent prayers to ſolicite the good hand of God, who alone can accompliſh ſo divine a work, and by the diligent ſtrict obſervance of all Chriſts precepts to exemplifie to all others the power, and real energie of the faith of Chriſt, where it is admitted into the heart, thereby to attract all others to the imbracing of that, which hath ſuch admirable virtues in it.
§. 3. The chief branches of the former, conſidered in ſociety.As for the former, That is (in proportion to his condition) the known duty of every ſingle Chriſtian, much more of every congregation, and community of ſuch; who are therefore aſſociated into one body, that each ſupplying the defects, and infirmities of others, they may by ſo advantagious an inſtrument, as union of forces is, be enabled to doe what without it they are juſtly ſuppoſeable to want means, or ſtrength to doe, and ſo are deprived of all excuſe, if they be found culpable.
§. 4. In this kinde 1.Charity. The duty of Charity, and peace to all: 2.Obedience. of ready, and filial obedience of thoſe under authority to their lawful authorized ſuperiours: and 3. Paternal exerciſe of Eccleſiaſtical power.of charitative paternal exerciſe of their power, in all thoſe that are inveſted with it by Chriſt, may be juſtly looked on as virtues of the firſt magnitude, which have the moſt lively characters, and impreſſes of the Law-giver, Chriſt's image, and ſuperſcription upon them, & accordingly deſerve the firſt fruits of our care and diligence that they be moſt diligently conſerved, where they are, and induſtriouſly reduced, where by the malignity, or infelicity of the times, they are torn, or eſcaped from us.
The contrariety of Schiſme to the Doctrine of Chriſt.§. 5. For that malices, and rancors, and animoſities among ſingle Chriſtians, but eſpecially ſeditious, mutinous ſpirits, that diviſions, and ſchiſmes, and ruptures, and preparative thereto, cauſleſs anathematizing, and tyrannizing over the Faith of Chriſt's flock, are moſt ſcandalouſly contrary to Chriſt's platform, to the prophecie of the plough-ſhares, and the pruning-hooks, the happy exchange for the ſanguinary, hoſtile inſtruments, is a truth ſo eminently, and ſignally viſible in the practiſe, and doctrine of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles, that it cannot be doubted, or queſtioned on either ſide. And agreeably, there is no one vice, which hath fallen under ſo much of the diſpleaſure, and correption, and ſevereſt diſcipline of the holy Fathers of the Antient Church, as this of Schiſme, and the ingredients, and preparatives to it have done.
§. 6.The Fathers Cenſures of it. It is but a ſmall part of the character thereof, that from S. Paul, and S. Jude they tell us, that it is a ſpecial piece of (a)1 Cor. 3.4. Jude 19. See Fulgentius ad Mon: l 2.carnality; an (b)Quiſquis in Eccleſiâ gratiam conſecutus, ab Eccleſiâ exierit, reus ſibi futurus eſt, i. e. ipſe ſibi quod pereat imputaturus; Quod Apoſtolus explanat, docens haereticum vitandum eſſe, ut à ſemetipſo damnatū Cypr: Ep: 76. Poenas quas meruerant pependerunt, ut à nobis non ejecti ultro ſe ejecerent, de eccleſiâ ſponte ſe pellerent, Ep: 40. Quomodo te à tot gregibus ſcidiſti? Exſcidiſti enim teipſum. Firmilian: ad Cypr: Ep: 75.excommunicating and condemning, i. e. voluntary inflicting of that puniſhment on ones ſelf, which the Governours of the Church uſe to inflict on the moſt ſcandalous ſinners; that (a)Sciat ſe poſtea ad Eccleſiam redire, & cum Epiſcopis & plebe Chriſti communicare non poſſe. Ep: 40. Averſandus eſt talis atque fugiendus quiſquis fuerit ab Eccleſiâ ſeparatus. Ibid. De Unit: Eccleſ:they that ſo divide on their own preſumption, may not at their own will return to the Church, and communicate again with the Biſhop, and his Chriſtian people; that (b)Hanc Eccleſiae unitatem qui non tenet, tenere ſe fidem credit? Cypr: de Unit: Eccleſ: Dum conventicula ſibi diverſa conſtituunt, veritatis caput atque originem reliquerunt. Ibid. Fidem deſtruit, pro Fide perfidus. Ibid.it is contrary to the Faith, (c)Schiſma non faciendum, etiamſi in unâ fide & eâdem traditione permaneat qui recedit. Cypr: Teſtim: l. 3. c. 86.even when it hath not, in reſpect of doctrinal points, any hereſie joyned with it; (d)Quam ver… dilectionem cuſtodit & cogitat, qui diſcordiae furore veſanus Eccleſiam ſcindit, pacem turbat, charitatem diſſipat. Cypr: de Unit: Eccleſ: Arma ille contra Eccleſiam portat. Ibid.Contrary to charity, yea to all the (e)Quiſquis ab Eccleſia ſegregatus adulterae jungitur, à promiſſis Eccleſiae ſeparatur. Cypr: de Unit: Eccl: Habere jam non poteſt Deum patrem, qui Eccleſiam non habet matrem. Ibid. Quomodo poteſt ei cum aliquo convenire, cui cum corpore ipſius Eccleſiae, & cum veſtra Fraternitate non convenit? Quomodo poſſunt duo aut tres in nomine Chriſti colligi, quos conſtat à Chriſto & ab ejus Evangelio ſeparari? Ibid: Extra Eccleſiam conſiſtens, & contra pacem & dilectionem Chriſti faciens, inter adverſarios— computetur. Ep: 76.advantages that belong to a member of the Church, the (f)foreign, Ignat: Ep: ad Eph: Audet precem alteram illicitis vocibus facere, Dominicae hoſtiae veritatem per falſa ſacrificia profanare? Cypr: de Unit: Eccl: Ʋnum manifeſtum eſt apud omnes Spiritus Sancti gratiam non eſſe, nec corum ſacrificiis poſſe Deo placere, neque ſpiritualis gratiae ſanctificationem ſacrificiis corum tribui, qui offerunt ab Eccleſiaſtici corporis unitate disjuncti, ſolius enim Eccleſia Deus delectatur ſacrificiis, quòd ſacrificium Deo facit unit as ſpiritualis, ubi pacis tenacitas fraternam ſervat in charitate concordiam. Fulgent: ad Monim: l. 2.benefits of prayers and ſacraments; that it is (g)foreign. Chryſ: in Ep: ad Eph: Edit: Savil: p. 823.as bad as hereſie; that (h)Quis unquam haereſes inſtituit, niſi qui ſe priùs ab Eccleſiae Catholicae univerſitate, & antiquitatis conſenſione diſcreverit? Vincent: c. 34.there was never any hereſie in the Church, which was not founded in it; and (i)Nullum ſchiſma non ſibi aliquam fingit haereſim, ut rectè ab Eccleſiâ receſſiſſe videatur. Hieron: ad Tit: c. 3.that it is conſtantly forced, in its own defence, to conclude in ſome hereſie or other (all of which being put together will be ſufficient to keep men from being in love with the guilt, or company of ſchiſmaticks) but it is farther branded with theſe ſuperadditions of terror, that (k)Non eſſe quicquam gravius ſacrilegio ſchiſmatis. Aug: contra Parmen: l. 2.2. Ingens flagitium ſchiſmatis Tradition▪ junxerunt. Optat: p. 23. Edit: Caſaub:there is ſcarce any crime ſo grear as ſchiſm, not (l)foreign. Dionyſ: ap: Euſeb: l. 6. c. 36. Pejus hec crimen eſt quàm quod admiſiſſe lapſi videntur. Cypr: de Unit: Eccl:idolatry, (m)Vide Optatum l. 8. c. 25.ſacrilege, parricide; that it hath been under peculiar marks of Gods indignation, in the ſtory of the Jewiſh Church, as in the (n)Quàm ſine ſpe ſint, & perditionem ſibi maximam de indignatione Dei acquirant, qui ſchiſma feciunt, declarat in libro R…g: ſcriptura, ubi à tribu Juda & Benjamin decem tribus ſciſſae ſunt, & indignatus eſt, inquit, Dominus in omne ſemen Iſrael. Cypr: Ep: 76.caſe of the ten Tribes, and of the (o)Addendo autem civitatem Samaritanorum debere omitti, ubi erant ſchiſmatici, oſtendit ſchiſmaticos Gentilibus adaequari. Ibid.Samaritanes, who are ranked with the Gentiles, Mat. 10.5. (p)Exemplo Core, Dathan, &c. oſtenditur & probatur obnoxios omnes & culpae & poenae futuros, qui ſe ſchiſmaticis irreligioſâ temeritate miſcuerunt, Ibid. Deus quod in ſacrilegos & parricidam non ſecerat, [Cain & Ninive] in ſchiſmaticos fecit, Core, &c. Optat: l. 1. p. 25.and ſo in the ſtory of Core, &c. that it is the (q)Novatianus nec debet nec poteſt excipi, quo minus ipſe extra Eccleſiam conſiſtens, inter Antichriſtos computetur, Ibid. Apparet Antichriſtos omnes eſſe quos conſtet à charitate atque ab unitate Eccleſiae receſſiſſe, Ibid. Videndum quis foras exicrit, quis altare contra altare erexerit, quis jaceat ſub ſententiâ Johannis Apoſtoli, qui dixit multos Antichriſtos feras exituros, Optat: p. 1. l. 18. Ab Eccleſiâ ſeparatus haereticus eſt, & Antichriſtus, Proſper de Prom: & Praedict: implend: c. 5.Antichriſtianiſme mentioned by Saint John, the (r)foreign, Ignat: Ep: ad Smyrnenſ:worſhipping or ſerving the Devil, and, in a word, ſo great a crime, that it is not (ſ)Tales e…ſi occiſi in confeſſione nominis fuerint, macula iſta nec ſanguine abluitur, inexpiabilis & gravis culpa diſcordiae nec paſſione purgatur, Cyprian: de Unit: Eccl:expiable by Martyrdome to him that continues in, and hath not repented, and returned from it.
§. 7.No excuſe for it. Much more of this ſubject is every where to be met with in the Antient monuments, and nothing of alleviation to be had for any, who have not the (t)Caeteri tantùm vel ſimplicitate capti, ve… errore inducti, vel aliqua ſallentis aſtutiae calliditate decepti, à fallaciae laqueis vos ſolvite, Cypr: de Unit: Eccl:excuſe of involuntary ſeduction, of error, or ſimplicity to plead for them, and the ſureſt way to doe that effectually, to qualifie them for that plea, is to forſake their courſe, to get out of ſo dangerous a ſnare.
§. 8. Nay 'tis farther obſervable, how unſafe it hath been deemed by theſe, for (u)Judicabit ſpiritalis & eo…s qui ſchiſma operantur, qui propter modicas & quaſlibet cauſas, magnum & glorioſum corpus Chriſti conſcindunt, & dividunt, verè liquantes culicem, & camelum diglutientes, Irenae: l. 4. c. 62.light, and inconſiderable cauſes to break this unity, it being in their opinion very (x)Nulla ab eis tanta poteſt fieri correptio, quanta eſt ſchiſmatis pernicies▪ Irenaeus l. 4. c. 62.hard, if not impoſſible to receive ſuch an injury, or provocation from the Governours of the Church, as may make a rupture, or ſeparation excuſable. And for the Ʋniverſal, or truly Catholick Church of Chriſt, it is not, in (y)Si poſſunt aliqui (quod fieri non poteſt) habere cauſam juſtam quo communionem ſeparent à communione Orbis terrarum. Aug: Ep: 48.S. Auguſtine's opinion, poſſible that there ſhould be any juſt cauſe for any to ſeparate from it, nor conſequently Apologie to be made for thoſe, that on any, whether true, or pretended cauſe whatſoever, have really incurred this guilt.
§. 9. From theſe premiſes thus acknowledged and undeniable, the concluſion follows irrefragably, that it is not the examination of the occaſion, or cauſe, or motive of any mans ſchiſme, that is worth the producing or heeding in this matter; The one thing that is of force, and moment, and, by conſequence, pertinent to be inquired into, is the truth of the matter of fact, whether this charge be ſufficiently proved or confeſſed, i. e. whether he that is thus accuſed, ſtands really guilty of ſeparation from the Church of Chriſt; And this will be a means of ſhortening our method, and giving very moderate bounds to our enſuing diſcourſe, which will now be regularly finiſhed by making theſe two inquiries.
§. 10. The Parts of the enſuing Tract.1. What Schiſme is, and how it may be moſt fitly branched.
§. 11. 2. What Evidences are producible againſt the Church of England, whereby it may be thought liable to this guilt, and withall how it may be cleared from all force of thoſe evidences.
§. 11. Which when we have done, we ſhall not from the office of Advocates proceed to that of the Accuſer, or Judge, but leave all others, that are under the ſame charge, to their proper tribunal, to ſtand or fall, as they ſhall appear able, or not able, upon firm grounds, to maintain, and vindicate their innocence.