A Reply to the Catholic Gentlemans Answer, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. An Anſwer to the Exceptions made to the ninth Chapter.
Sect. I.
The hinderances of Communion imputable to the Romaniſt, not to us. Siquis Eccleſiam non audierit, one of our grounds. What is meant by Eccleſia.
Num. 1 THE Exceptions to this Chapter are not very great, whether we reſpect their weight or number, yet upon the ſame account that the former have been our exerciſe, theſe may for a while detain us alſo.
Num. 2 In his 9th Chap: ſaith he, he pretendeth the Roman Catholick Church is cauſe of this diviſion, becauſe they deſire communion, and cannot be admitted, but under the belief and practice of things contrary to their conſciences, of which two propoſitions, if the ſecond be not proved, the firſt is vain, and is as if a ſubject ſhould plead he is unjuſtly outlawed, becauſe he doth not deſire it: Now to prove the latter, he aſſumeth that the Proteſtant is ready to conteſt his Negatives, by grounds that all good Chriſtians ought to be concluded by, what he means by that, I know not, for that they will convince their Negatives by any ground, a good Chriſtian ought to be concluded by, I ſee nothing leſſe.
What then will they conteſt it by? all grounds a good orthodox Chriſtian ought to be concluded by? If they anſwer in the Affirmative, we ſhall ask them whether ſiquis Eccleſiam non audierit be one of their grounds, and if they ſay no, we ſhall clearly disprove their Major, but then their defence is, if any ground, or rule of it ſelf firm and good, ſpeaketh nothing clearly of a point in queſtion, they will conteſt that point by thoſe grounds, and is not this a goodly excuſe?
Num. 3 The deſigne of Chap: 9. of the Treatiſe of Schiſme, is to vindicate us from all guilt of ſchiſme, as that ſignifies offence againſt external peace and communion Eccleſiaſtical, and it being certain that we exclude none from our Communion, that acknowledge the foundation, and that we deſire to be admitted to the like freedome of external communion, with all members of all other Chriſtian Churches, the reſult is viſible, that the hinderances, that obſtruct this freedome, are wholly imputable to the Romaniſt, ſuch are their excommunicating us, and impoſing conditions on their communion, ſuch as we cannot admit of without ſin, or ſcandal, acting contrary to conſcience, or making an unſound confeſſion.
Num. 4 To this all that is anſwered is, that unleſſe this ſecond be proved, viz: that ſuch conditions are by them impoſed on their communion, the firſt, that of our deſire of Communion, is vain; And to this I make no doubt to yeild, for if we may with a good conſcience be admitted to their Communion, and yet wilfully withdraw our ſelves from it, then I confeſſe there is no place for this plea of ours; But for the conteſting of this, there was not then, neither will there now be any place, without deſcending to the ſeverals in difference between us (which was beyond the deſigne either of thoſe, or theſe Papers) and therefore for that all that can be ſaid is, that we are ready to maintain our Negatives, by grounds that all good Chriſtians ought to be concluded by; And becauſe it is here askt, whether ſiquis Eccleſiam non audierit be one of thoſe grounds, I anſwer without queſtion it is, and ſo is every other affirmation of Christ, or the Apoſtles, however made known to us to be ſuch. And I cannot ſufficiently admire, why, when it is known to all Romaniſts, that we are ready to be judged by Scripture, and when it is certain that ſiquis Eccleſiam non audierit] are the words of ſcripture, he ſhould ſuppoſe (as here he doth) that we will ſay, No: i. e. that we will refuſe to be tried or concluded by that.
Num. 5 Here I muſt ſuppoſe that by Eccleſiam he underſtands the Roman (which he calls Catholick) Church; but then this interpretation or underſtanding of his, is one thing, and thoſe words of Chriſt are another, for they belonging to the Church indefinitely, under which any man, that hath offended, is regularly placed, doe to a member of the particular Roman Church ſignifie that, as to an Engliſh man the Church wherein he lives, and that, is not the Roman, or the Vniverſal Church of God, and that is more than the Roman.
Num. 6 And ſo by acknowledging that ground of ſcripture, we are no way obliged to believe all that that particular Church of Rome, to which we owe no obedience (and are as ready to conteſt that by the ſame means alſo) exacts of us.
Num. 7 As for our conteſting any point by that ground or rule which ſpeaketh nothing clearly of it, I gave him no occaſion to make any ſuch objection againſt us, and withall have ſaid what was ſufficient to it Chap. 8. Sect. 3. n. 7. and ſo need not here farther attend to it.