Defense of Brief Inquiry into the Nature of Schism, Part 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. 1.
The true Notion of Catholick Unity; diſtinguiſhed into Political and Moral. A Regular Miniſtry not Eſſential to this Unity. The Judgment of the Fathers and others.
IT is the obſervation of an Ingenious Gentleman, that the World has never been without ſome extraordinary word, to fill mens mouths, and furniſh out Pamphlets, and by which the Sentiments of men, have been for the moſt part more abſolutely governed, than by the true reaſon of things, for Reaſon concludes nothing, without diſquiſition; but the other, like a kind of ſpell, captivates and determines mens thoughts, many times beyond the Relief, of the moſt rational and convincing Arguments.
Amongſt all the Charms of this nature, which take place as the Intereſts and Deſigns of Parties, or poſture of Publick Affairs, vary and direct, I know of none, that has been more unmercifully tortured, and forced to ſpeak things never intended by it, than this of Unity: It has been the Motto, and Device, of every Aſcendant Party, in the Militant Church, to frighten the weak and timorous, and chaſtiſe the more reſolute oppoſers of Spiritual Uſurpation and Tyranny.
The Papiſts, for the good Service it has done them, have preferr'd it to be the Seventh Note of their Church, according to the Order in which their great Cardinal has marſhall'd them; and under the Umbrage thereof, have raiſed the greateſt Feuds and Diviſions, that ever infeſted the Chriſtian World. In their moſt bloody Perſecutions, barbarous and funeſt Tragedies, they have ſtill pretended to act by the Commiſſion of Catholick Unity, to advance her Intereſts, and to make her glorious in the World; when in the mean time, Chriſtianity it ſelf has been rendred odious and contemptible, Ridente Turce, nec dolente Judaeo.Turks, Jews, and Pagans, have beheld her flames with pleaſure, and warmed themſelves, and ſaid, Aha, thus we would have it.
It muſt not be denied, but that Catholick Unity, where it is ſo happy as to be underſtood, acquaints us with ſomething very ſacred and venerable, of which we cannot be too fond or tender, it bears the Image of Divinity; and if it were not in it ſelf a moſt excellent thing, the name of it, could never be made ſo ſpecious a pretence.
It has been often, and confidently aſſerted, that all the Diſſenters in England, have departed from the Unity and Communion of the Catholick Church: This lies as a mighty prejudice in the minds of many, both againſt our way, Arch-Rebel, p. 28. Reply, p. 1.and perſons too; and their common Inference from hence is, That we are out of a State of Salvation, have no right to any of the Promiſes of the Goſpel, that all our Hopes are unwarrantable and groundleſs Fancies, that we are contemners of the Peace and Unity which Chriſt has bequeathed to his Church; and if they will demonſtrate, that our caſe is indeed ſuch as they deſcribe it, we will not perſiſt in it a day longer, for we cannot be ſo fond of the Inconveniencies of Non-Conformity here, as meerly for the ſake thereof to purchaſe to our ſelves, greater Miſeries hereafter.
But that we may evince, how void of Reaſon and Humanity, the Sentence which they have paſt upon us is, let us enquire, wherein the Catholick Unity and Communion of the Church conſiſts, and then try, whether none of our Diſſenting Congregations be within the Verge of it.
By this Catholick Unity, our Adverſaries underſtand, not that which is accidental, may be preſent or abſent without the deſtruction of the Subject, which ſome Churches may have, and other True Churches may be without, for then it would not ſerve their purpoſe, which is to conclude all that want this Unity, to be in a State of Damnation; and indeed it is the trueſt acceptation of the word, to make it ſignifie Eſſential Univerſal Unity, (Uniformity in accidentals belonging more properly to the common place of order) in this ſenſe, therefore we ſhall ſpeak of it, that we may come up as cloſe to their thoughts as we can.
Nothing then belongs to the Catholick Unity of the Church, but what belongs to the being of the Church; that which makes it a Church makes it one; Ens & Unum being convertible; and nothing can diſſolve its Unity which does not deſtroy its Eſſence; and certainly the being, and the ſtate of the Church muſt not be confounded: Many things are required to the due and orderly ſtate and form, in which the Church ought to be, and appear in the World, and which may contribute to her ſtability, beauty and enlargement, which ſuppoſe her Eſſence, but do not conſtitute it.
This Eſſential Catholick Unity whereof we ſpeak, may be diſtinguiſhed into Political and Moral.
Political, whereby all the True Members of the Church are united unto Chriſt the Head, and that is by true Faith: And
Moral, by which they are United one to another, and that is by Chriſtian Love, which in ſome degree always follows the former; thoſe that have a mind to it, may quarrel with the terms of this diſtinction; but if I may but expreſs my meaning by them, I ſhall not be at all concerned about it.
1. The Political Unity, is that which does primarily, neceſſarily, and immediately conſtitute, that Sacred Society, the Church of God, which was therefore by the Primitive Chriſtians, as well as our firſt Reformers, frequently known by this ſhort definition, Catus fidelium, the Congregation of the Faithful; ſometimes, the Body of Chriſt, the Temple of God, Divin. Inſtit. l. 4. c. 13.and ſuch like: So Lactantius, Eccleſia eſt verum Templum Dei quod non in parietibus eſt, ſed in corde, & fide hominum, qui credunt in eum, & vocantur fideles; The Church is the True Temple of God, which does not conſiſt in the bare Walls, but in the Hearts, and Faith of Men that believe on him, and are called Faithful; and before him Ignatius, in the ſame ſenſe calls it, foreign, The Holy Congregation, Ep. ad Trall. vid. Iſidor. Peluſ. Epiſt. l. 2. Ep. 247.the Aſſembly of the Saints. To the ſame purpoſe ſpeak all thoſe Fathers who affirm, that the Church was built upon the Faith of Peter, not upon his Perſon or Authority, a great Cloud whereof, the Illuſtrious Chamier, has collected to our hand, proving thereby, that our Union with the Church, De Oecumen. Pont. l. 11. c. 4.is founded in our believing on Chriſt, the True Foundation, and Chief Corner Stone; nothing therefore can diſſolve this Union, but what is inconſiſtent with True Faith in Chriſt.
And this agrees fully, with the tenour of Holy Scripture, which every where lays the Salvation of Men upon their believing, Epheſ. 3.17.4.13.1 Pet. 2.6. Behold I lay in Zion a Chief Corner Stone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him ſhall not be confounded. By this Faith Men are United to Chriſt, and therefore cannot be divided from his Body which is the Church. St. Paul calls the Church of God, the Houſe or Family of God, and how a Man comes to be a Member of that Noble Family, we are told, Eph. 2.18. by the Spirit (i. e. working of Faith) we have acceſs unto the Father, and are no more Strangers and Forreigners, but Fellow-Citizens of the Saints, Gal. 6.10.and of the Houſhold of God; and therefore this Houſhold of God is elſewhere called the Houſhold of Faith. In ſhort, nothing is more evident than that the Apoſtles received Men and Women into the Viſible Church by Baptiſm, upon the Profeſſion of their Faith in Chriſt, and thereby inveſted them in all the Sacred Priviledges of the New Covenant, which belong only to the Church of God.
This Excellent Grace of Faith, from whence our Union with Chriſt, and his Body the Church doth flow, is a very comprehenſive thing, it includes our ſolemn and hearty Choice of the Eternal God, as our chiefeſt Happineſs, and hereby all the True Members of the Church, are United in the Love and Service of One God, and ſo diſtinguiſhed from the Pagan World, and in an humble affiance in One Mediator, in whoſe hand alone, they are brought back unto God, and hereby are diſtinguiſhed from Mahometans, and thoſe that call themſelves Deiſts, they are alſo United in the gracious Influences of One bleſſed Spirit; and hereby are diſtinguiſhed from all impenitent ſenſual perſons, who have grieved and quenched that Spirit: And they are hereby United in One Rule of Faith, Worſhip, and Obedience; not that they all underſtand this Rule alike, or are fully conformed unto it; but in this they agree, that they all take it for their Rule, and endeavour an Univerſal Compliance with it, and are diſtinguiſhed hereby from all that reject this Law, and ſet up any other in oppoſition to it: This Faith likewiſe Unites them in One Baptiſm, not that they all agree in the External Waſ… and Modes of Adminiſtration, but in that which the Apoſtle Peter makes to … Subſtance of it, not the putting away of the filth of the fleſh, but … of a good Conſcience towards God, 1 Pet. 2.21.when a Mans Conſcience returns a conſenting Anſwer to the Goſpel Propoſals, and by a ſolemn Self-dedication becomes Sacred to God, he has then the Subſtance of that Ordinance.
This is the True Catholick Unity, deſcribed in the 4th of Epheſ. 5, 6. There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one Hope of your Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſm, one God and the Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
2. The Moral Unity, by which the Members are knit one to another, is that of Love: This is the Unity of the Spirit, which is to be held in the bond of Peace, and will always flow from the other, by a kind of Spiritual Sympathy and Senſation; but it muſt be acknowledged, this admits of various degrees, and is ſubject to ſinful Declenſions; Emulation, Paſſion, Intereſt, Miſunderſtanding of Perſons and Things, may very much weaken the Bond of Amity, but it muſt be habitually in every True Chriſtian; and he that has no brotherly kindneſs, for thoſe that appear to him True Believers can never know that he has paſſed from Death to Life.
Miſtakes and Weakneſs, may create Jealouſie, and too great Diſtances even amongſt great and good Men. Paul and Barnabas from different apprehenſions about the management of their Work, proceed to a parting one from another: And too many Brethren, that have all the ſame Father, and are all bound for the ſame home, cannot forbear falling out by the way: The Corruption of Nature both fullies mens Graces, that they do not ſhine forth ſo clearly as otherwiſe they would, and alſo darkens their ſight, that they cannot ſo well diſcern the Virtues of each other, and where the Eye is dim, and the Object clouded too, no wonder if miſapprehenſions and uncharitable ſurmiſes ariſe, and men miſtake one another for Enemies, and fall a quarrelling, when perhaps a true Light would let them ſee they are all Friends.
But certainly, as far as Believers underſtand one another, they have Chriſtian Affection one for another; and if they knew more of the Truth of each others Chriſtianity, their Mutual Love would be greatly encreaſed. And a ſhyneſs in ſome tempers, and unwillingneſs to converſe more freely, and often together, keep up mens prejudices, and hinder their deſired Union; and yet they have ſtill a fervent Love for the Church in general, though their Affections be miſplaced as to particular perſons.
This Brotherly-kindneſs, where it is prevalent, will oblige the Members to have the ſame care one for another, not envying, but rejoycing at each others Heath, Beauty, and Improvement, it would make them ſenſible of each others uſe ulneſs and ſervice, they would not think any part ſuperfluous, or tye it up from performing its duty towards the good of the whole; the Eye would not ſay to the Hand, I have no need of thee: This would not permit them to reproach and deſpiſe each other, for their blemiſhes and deformities, but oblige them to cover the ſame with the greateſt candour and civility, and to beſtow more abundant honour upon thoſe parts that may be thought leſs honourable.
This is that great Law of Love which the King of the Church has given to all his Diſciples, as the Bond of Peace amongſt themſelves, and the great Characteriſtick by which they ſhall be diſtinguiſhed from others: John 13.35.By this ſhall all men know that they are Chriſt's Diſciples, if they love one another. Where the Soul is wholly deſtitute of this, all pretences of Love to God, or Faith in Chriſt, are falſe and vain; 1 John 4.20.For he that loves not his Brother whom he has ſeen, how can he love God whom he has not ſeen? And true Faith will work by Love.
I know this Account of Catholick Unity, as conſiſting in Faith and Love, will not meet with general approbation: Many will reject it as to ſpiritual, who have placed their hopes of Salvation in being of ſuch a Party, and in a Zealous Obſervation of the Rites and Ceremonies of that Communion in which they are, theſe are too ſenſleſs to be argued with, That can ſuppoſe the Son of God would be incarnate, and crucified, only to teach men a particular kind of dreſs, and faſhionable geſtures, and a form of words, &c. whilſt their Souls are under the dominion of ſin, and they have not learned to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in an Evil World.
Many will cenſure it as too narrow, excluding from the Church, all formal and inſincere pretenders to Chriſtianity; but I ſuppoſe when we underſtand one another, we ſhall not much differ about this; it is certain in Foro Dei, none but true Diſciples are true Church-Members; but in Foro Eccleſiae, all that ſeem to be ſo, muſt be ſo accounted. When we ſay, ſuch a one is a Member of the Viſible Church, we mean, he is viſibly a Member of the Church, that is, he appears ſo to us, and we are obliged to think ſo of him, till he diſcovers the contrary; but whether he be really ſo or no, God only knows.
And moſt will condemn this Notion, as too large and general, including even thoſe that have not a Regular Miniſtry amongſt them, nor are joyned to any particular Congregation, duly organized: And here indeed the main difficulty we have to encounter is about the Unity of the Miniſtry, and how far that is eſſential to the Unity of the Catholick Church.
And I freely grant, every True Member of the Church of Chriſt, will give great deference to the Miniſterial Office; and whoever they be, that will preſume to ridicule the Function, and deſpiſe its juſt Powers, cannot in reaſon be thought to have the Faith and Charity of the Goſpel. But there muſt be a great difference made, betwixt contemning the Miniſtry, and queſtioning the Rights of this or that particular perſon to the Office, or ſcrupling the Term o… Made of his Adminiſtrations, or preferring another before him, whoſe Qualifications and Conduct are more anſwerable to the great Ends of that Office.
But though I do verily believe, it is eſſential to Catholick Church Unity, that every Member love and honour the Miniſterial Function; yet, I dare by no means affirm it to be equally neceſſary, that every Perſon be under the Conduct of a Regular and duely called Miniſtry; this indeed, is requiſite to the flouriſhing State of the Church, and all are obliged to pray for it, and endeavour it in their ſeveral Spheres of Activity; but it is not abſolutely Neceſſary to the Being of the Church, or the Salvation of her Members. My Reaſons are theſe:
1ſt. This would be to confound the Unity of the Church, with its Order, which muſt be diſtinguiſhed here, where we ſpeak of Eſſential Unity; that which belongs to the Order of the Church always ſuppoſes its Eſſence; a thing muſt firſt be, before it be capable of Order: Thus the Excellent Monſieur Claude argues, Hiſtor. Def. of the Reform. Part 4. p. 57.To admit that to be a true Church where the Miniſtry is, and deny that to be a true Church, where the Miniſtry is not, is a vain, deceitful and illuſory way of reaſoning; For the true Church naturally goes before the Miniſtry, and does not depend upon the Miniſtry, but the Miniſtry on the contrary depends upon it; as in the Civil Society, the Magiſtracy depends upon the Society, and not the Society on the Magiſtracy. In the Civil Society, the firſt thing that muſt be thought on, is, That Nature made Men; afterwards we conceive that ſhe Aſſembled and United them together. And laſtly, from that Union which could not ſubſiſt without Order, Magiſtracy proceeded. It is the ſame thing in a Religious Society: The firſt thing that Grace did, was to produce Faith in the hearts of Men, after having made them believe ſhe united them, and formed a mutual Communion between them; and, becauſe their Communion ought not to be without Order, and good Government; from thence the Miniſtry aroſe. So that a Lawful Miniſtry is after the true Church, and depending upon it. And a great deal more to the ſame purpoſe.
2dly, This would make it utterly unlawful for the Laity to Reform the Church from idolatry, or other Abuſes, unleſs the Clergy would joyn with them in it; and ſo would condemn thoſe Princes and Churches in Germany, and elſewhere, that Reformed without their Biſhops; yea, againſt their Wills, and repeated clamorous Prohibitions. Either the Popiſh Biſhops and Clergy, were the regular Miniſtry of thoſe Churches before the Reformation, or no; if they were not, then there was no Regular Miniſtry amongſt them, and the Line of Succeſſion failed; and either they had no Churches, or elſe their Churches re…ain'd their Beings without the Miniſtry: But if the Popiſh Clergy were the Regular Miniſtry, Then either thoſe that Reformed without them, were cut off from the Unity of the Catholick Church, and Reformed themſelves into Hell, as the Papiſts ſpeak, or elſe they were ſtill in the Unity of the Church, though at preſent without a Regular Miniſtry.
Thoſe that will needs thruſt the Unity of the Epiſcopacy into the Deſinition of the Catholick Church, would do well to conſider, Every Nation was not ſo happy as England, in having Biſhops ſo willing to comply with their Rulers, in a Seceſſion from Rome; or in having Rulers ſo Potent and reſolved as ours were: And yet God forbid any Proteſtant ſhould ſay, they ought to have delayed their Reformation, till they had diſguſted Princes, and complying Biſhops to lead them on. Surely, the lawfulneſs of our Departure from Rome, does not depend upon ſuch contingencies. How few Biſhops there were that gave the leaſt countenance to Luther's Proceedings, none can be ignorant, that has read any thing of the Hiſtory of that Reformation; the Miniſtry they had was generally choſen by themſelves, out of the moſt learned of the Laicks, ſome few of the Prieſts and Monks falling in; the Nobles themſelves ſometimes devoted their Gifts to the Service of the Church, as the Prince of Anhalt, Du Pleſſis, Sadeel, and others; they never inſiſted upon an uninterrupted Line, but maintained, That where the true Faith and Doctrine were, there was the true Church; Claudes Hiſt. Def. Part 4. p. 58.and that it is the Call of the Church, and the Approbation of the moſt competent Judges therein, that makes a Lawful Call of Perſons to that Office, and that the Church has a full and entire Right to ſet up Miniſters for its Government, ſuppoſing it have the true Faith.
3dly, If there can be no true Church without a Regular Miniſtry, what becomes of the Being of a Church, when its Miniſters are dead and baniſhed, and no other yet choſen? By this Notion the Church muſt be diſſolved and die with them, and the Death of the Shepherd muſt be the Damnation of the Flock; for if the Regular Miniſtry of each particular Church, be the great Ligament, by which that part is faſtned to the whole, it muſt needs follow, that upon the Failure of the Miniſtry, it falls off from the Body, and conſequently from Chriſt the Head. If it be replied, that ſuch Societies remain in the Unity of the Church, whilſt they deſire a true Miniſtry, and endeavour to get one, though at preſent they are without it, That's as much as we demand; for then it is not eſſential to Catholick Unity, that there be a Regular Miniſtry, but that there be a deſire of it; and no doubt all true Chriſtians have ſuch deſires, and the great difference amongſt them is, which Miniſtry is moſt Regular; and, it is their apprehenſion of the greater Regularity of theirs than of others, that makes each ſide of them prefer their own before others.
In ſhort, if we admit the abſolute Neceſſity, of ſuch a Miniſtry, under whoſe Conduct every Church muſt be; what ſhall we ſay of thoſe Scandalous Tumults and Conteſts that have happened about the Election of Biſhops? Vott. de D…ſp. Cauſ. Pap. l. 2. § 2. Ch. 3. p. 143.one Party chooſing this, another that; ſometimes falling to downright blows, and the ſtronger Side winning the day, ſuch things often happened in the earlier Ages of the Church, and ſometimes the Controverſie was a long time undecided, and yet far be it from us to think the Eſſence of thoſe Churches was loſt, during thoſe Contentions; it is true, ſome have invented a Metropolitan or Patriarch, to whom thoſe Churches remained United, in the vacancy of the Epiſcopal Seer, to ſave the Body from periſhing, and over theſe the Pope as the principal viſible Head of Unity; but I hope I need not prove that there may be Catholick Unity without theſe.
I expect to be aſſaulted with that Text, Rom. 10.14, & 15. How ſhall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard, and how ſhall they hear without a Preacher, and how ſhall they Preach unleſs they be ſent by this ſending, I know many underſtand Regular Ordination to the Work of the Miniſtry; and they would infer from hence, that none can believe, but by th… Preaching, of a rightly Ordained Miniſtry; which muſt therefore be neceſſary to the very being of the Church.
But it is certain, the Word and Works of God never contradict one another, and therefore this cannot be the ſence of the place; for we read of great Converſions made, by the Preaching of thoſe, that were never ſo Ordained; Ruffinus, l. 1. c. 10.as thoſe of the Abyſſines by Frumentius and Edeſius, and the Roman Merchants, and the Iberians by a Captive Maid; as for this Text, it plainly ſpeaks of that Extraordinary Miſſion of the Apoſtles to the Gentile World, by them, as Men infallibly inſpired for that End, were the great Doctrines of the Goſpel delivered, and the perpetual Rule of Faith laid down, this they muſt by no means have preſumed to do, had they not been ſent of God; and yet without ſuch a Goſpel the World had never believed on Chriſt, and this Apoſtolical Doctrine is ſtill the great Inſtrument, by which God converts Souls ſometimes by reading of it themſelves, ſometimes by hearing it from others, whether duely ordained, or no, ſometimes by bringing it to their Remembrance when they are neither reading nor hearing it; though the uſual way is by the Preaching of a faithful Ordained Miniſtry; but to ſay, that it is never done by other means, cannot be proved by Scripture, and is evidently contradicted by Experience.
I cannot but have a great value for the Judgment of Monſieur Claude in this particular, and ſhall therefore tranſcribe his words, in that learned Treatiſe before mentioned, Hiſtor. Def. Part 4. p. 54.viz. It is the Church that produces the Ordinary Miniſtry, and not the Ordinary Miniſtry that produces the Church; The Church was the fruit of the Extraordinary Miniſtry of the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts; That Miniſtry of theirs, produc'd it at firſt, and not only produc'd it, but it has always made uſe of that means, or that ſource for its Subſiſtence; and we may truly ſay, That it yet produces it, and that it will produce it unto the End of the World: For it is the Faith that makes, and always will make the Church, and it is the Miniſtry of the Apoſtles that makes and always will make the Faith: It is their Voice that calls Chriſtians together at this day; it is their word that eſſembles them, and their teaching that unites them. It is certain that the Miniſtry of the Apoſtles was ſingular; that is to ſay, only tyed to their Perſons, without Succeſſion, without Communication or Propagation; but it ought not to be thought that it was alſo tranſitory, as that of other Men, for it is perpetual in the Church; Death has not ſhut their Mouths as it has others, they ſpeak, they inſtruct, they inceſſantly ſpread abroad Faith and Holineſs among the Souls of Chriſtians, and there is not another Fountain from whence thoſe Virtues can deſcend but from them. If any demand of us, what is the perpetual Voice that we aſcribe unto them? We anſwer, That it is the Doctrine of the New Teſtament, where they have ſet down all the Efficacy of their Miniſtry, and the whole virtue of that Word, which gave a Being to the Church; there is their true Chair and Apoſtolick See; there is the Center of Chriſtian Unity; there it is that they inceſſantly call Men, and joyn them into a Society—But as to the ordinary Miniſtry, we cannot ſay the ſame thing of them, it is not their Voice as diſtinct from that of the Apoſtles, that begets the Faith, that aſſembles Chriſtians into a Society, or that produces the Church: They are no more but meer Diſpenſers of the words of the Apoſtles, or external Inſtruments, to make us the better underſtand their Voice, to ſpeak properly, it is not the Voice of the ordinary Paſtors, that produces Faith, where it was not before, it is the word of the Apoſtles themſelves; They are no more but thoſe External Guides, that God has eſtabliſhed in the Church to lead Men to the Scripture, and even ſuch Guides as cannot hinder us from going thither of our ſelves, if we will;—Therefore there is a great difference betwixt theſe two ſorts of Miniſters, the one preceded the Church, the other follows it; the one has an independent and ſovereign Authority, with Infallibility on its ſide; the other is expoſed to Vices, Diſorders, Errors and humane Weakneſſes, inferior to, and depending on the Church.
And indeed to affirm that no Man can be truly converted but by a Regular Miniſtry, would involve the Minds of Men in endleſs Perplexities: A Man muſt know all thoſe things that belong to the due miſſion of the Preacher, and muſt be aſſured that all thoſe met in the perſon, by whoſe Miniſtry he was helped to believe, before he can know that he has true Faith; this would keep perſons in a dark and uncomfortable ſtate all their days, eſpecially if a Line of uninterrupted Succeſſion be neceſſary to a true Miſſion; for then a Man muſt be able to prove, that the Biſhop that ordained his Converter, was ordained by another Biſhop, and that by another, and ſo up to the Apoſtles; which, becauſe no man in the World can be morally aſſured of, it is impoſſible for any Man to know that he has true Faith. This is an inſuperable difficulty on the one hand.
And on the other, thoſe Perſons that know they have true Faith by the powerful effects of it upon their Hearts and Lives, muſt conclude from hence that their Preachers were duely ordained and called, otherwiſe they could nor have been inſtrumental in their Converſion; and yet this would not be true, for doubtleſs there are many honeſt Souls that fear God, and work Righteouſneſs amongſt thoſe Sects, that have no Regular Miniſtry amongſt them: So that this Aſſertion would rob many Souls of the comfort of a true Faith, becauſe of the uncertainty of their Miniſters Miſſion; and it would confirm others in an irregular and unauthorized Miniſtry, becauſe of the cerainty of their Faith.
I hope by this time I may venture to conclude, That the eſſential Unity of the Church, conſiſts in Goſpel-Faith and Love, hereby Men are made Saints, and unired to Chriſt, and Members of the Catholick Church. Did I think the Cheſter Gentleman would not yet take it, I would be ſo civil to him, as to and ſome more Teſtimonies.
That of Clemens Alexandranus is appoſite enough, The ancient Catholick Church is but one only Church, Strom. l. 7.and aſſembles in the Unity of one only Faith, by the Will of one only God, and Miniſtration of one only Lord, all thoſe who were before Predeſtanted to be juſt, having known them before the Foundation of the World. In Cant. Hom. 1. In Maten. 16. De Ar…. Patr. l. 1. c. 3 In Pſal. 35. De coronà indilitis.So likewiſe Origen, The Church is the Society of the Saints; and elſe where, The Church which God builds conſiſts in thoſe who are upright, and full of thoſe Thoughts. Words and Actions which lead to Bleſſedneſs. St. Amtroſe tells us, The Aſſembly of the Righteous is God's Tabernacle, and that the Saints are the Members of Jeſus Chriſt. Terrullian ſays, Where there are Three, there is a Church, though they be Laicks, for every one lives by his own Faith.
S. In Job, c. 26.Jerome ſpeaks to the ſame purpoſe, ſaying, The Church which is the Aſſembly of all Saints, is the Pillar and Ground of Truth, becauſe ſhe has in Jeſus Chriſt an Eternal firmneſs; In Cant. Hom. 1.(and elſewhere) The Church is the Aſſembly of all the Saints. And again, The City of the Lord is the Church of the Saints, the Congregation of the Juſt. St. Auſtin ſpeaking of the viſible or mixt Church, De Bapt. Con. Donat. l. 7. c. 51.diſtinguiſhes it into two Nations, Jeruſalem and Babylon; the Faithful, and the Wicked: the latter may be in the Viſible Church, but are not really of the Church; and ſays, The Rights of the Church belong only to the Faithful.
Amongſt the Divines of the Reformed Churches, the Incomparable Jurieu ſpeaks as fully to the purpoſe as we can deſire; Paſtora… Lett. Vol. 1. p. 151.He deſcribes the Unity of the Church, by the Unity of the Spirit, the Unity of Doctrine, and the Unity of the Sacraments; and expoſes the Biſhop of Meaux, for making the Unity of the Miniſtry, neceſſary to Salvation; ſaying, They muſt have loſt their Senſes that ſuffer themſelves to be deluded with ſuch Imaginations, as if the Medicine muſt be given by ſuch a hand, or elſe it would not heal, but poiſon them; and adds, Ah my Brethren, open your Eyes upon this Folly, and be aſhamed thereof, be ſure, every hand that gives you the true Doctrine is good in that reſpect, the ſaving remedy of Truth heals, from whomſoever it comes.
And the ſame Perſon, reckoning up the Innovations of the Third Age, mentions amongſt the reſt Cyprian's corrupt Idea of the Church, thereby opening a Door to the moſt cruel Doctrine that ever was advanced; of which he thus ſpeaks: He made a falſe Idea of the Unity of the Church, which be encloſes in one external Communion, and becauſe the Unity of one viſible Head was not yet invented, he imagined I know not what Unity of Epiſcopacy, which all the Biſhops did individually poſſeſs; whereof nevertheleſs each adminiſtred but a part. This inconſiſtent Imagination, gave place afterwards for the ſubſtitution of one ſingle Head, to the end, that a viſible Head might be given to the Unity of the viſible Communion, which might be the Center thereof.—The Biſhop of Meaux brags much of four or five Paſſages in Sr. Cyprian, P. 149.that ancient Doctor goes ſo far as to ſay, [There can be no Martyr but in the Church, that when a Man is ſeparated from its Unity, 'tis in vain that he ſheds his Blood for the Confeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt.] This Maxim in a large ſignification may be ſuffered, for indeed there may be Hereticks, who confeſſing the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, but on the other ſide ruining the Foundations of the Chriſtian Religion, may die for the Religion of Jeſus Chriſt to no advantage. But the Application which St. Cyprian makes thereof, is one of thoſe Faults, over which wiſe Men ought to draw a Curtain; he proceeds ſo far as to apply it to the Nevatians. Now it muſt be known, that the Novatians were good Chriſtians, a thouſand times better than the Papiſts, ſince they did not ruine any of the Foundations, but retained and believed all the Chriſtian Verities, only they were ſomething ſevere in Diſcipline, and would not receive thoſe that fell in times of Perſecution to the Peace of the Church; was not this a fine occaſion to ſay as Cyprian did, That a Novatian was no Chriſtian?—O what temper are the Doctors of the Roman Church, that make uſe of thoſe Exceſſes which ought to be hid out of honour to thoſe Great Men that fell into them? It was Cyprian's Zeal, for the Peace of the Church and the Harred he had for Schiſm, that ran him into that Exceſs, as to think or ſay, P. 150, 151.That out of I do not know what Exterior Unity of the Church a Man could not be ſaved; and it was in this Age that Men begun to corrupt the Idea of the Church.
I have tranſcribed thus much, out of the Letters of this Illuſtrious Divine, becauſe ſome, noted Men amongſt us, lay much ſtreſs upon the Authority of Cyprian, in this Notion or One Communion, and One Epiſcopacy; though they can make bold to cenſure him themſelves, in the caſe of Rebaptizing, Ep. 68. Ed. Goulart, p. 201.and the Peoples Duty of withdrawing from the Communion of a Debauched Biſhop, in which he is very Poſitive; and I know not why they ſhould deny us that Liberty they take themſelves.
But it may be, the Opinion of an Eminent Divine of the Church, would go further with ſome People than either Scripture, or Fathers, or foreign Authors: And is it not the common ſence of that Church that has ſo often told the World, there is none upon Earth ſo Learned and Wiſe as her ſelf; that without the Unity of Epiſcopacy, there can be no true Church, no Sacraments, no Salvation? I confeſs, her Chieftains have been free enough of ſuch kind of Language, when it has been her Glory to tread upon the Necks of poor Diſſenters; but when the Tables were turned, and ſhe had to do with an Adverſary that could make as great a Noiſe about Catholick Unity and Communion as her ſelf, ſhe learned more Modeſty and Diſcretion.
Though they all acquitted themſelves well, in their late Rencounters with the Papiſts; yet I know none that have come off more cleverly, than the Examiners of Bellarmine's Notes of the Church; Upon the ſeventh Note, [the Union of the Members amongst themſelves] We have this Account of Church-Unity.P. 164, 165.
There is the Unity of ſubmitting to One Head, the Lord Jeſus; There is the Unity of Profeſſing the Common Faith that was once delivered to the Saints; There is a Unity of Sacraments; a Unity of Obedience to all the Laws and Inſtitutions of Chriſt, the Union of Chriſtian Affection and Brotherly Kindneſs: The Unity of Diſcipline and Government, by retaining for ſubſtance the ſame Form that was left in the Church by the Apoſties, an Unity of Communion in the Worſhip and Service of God.— Now to ſpeak clearly, there ought to be all theſe Kinds and Inſtances of Unity in the Church, but we ſee evidently they are not all thore; I mean in every part and Member of the Church, and therefore they are not all neceſſary to the being of a Church, but ſome of them are; and they are, The Acknowledgment of One Lord, the Profeſſion of One Faith, and Admiſſion into the ſtate of Chriſtian Duties and Privileges by One Baptiſm: And this is all that I can find abſolutely neceſſary to the Being of a Church.
And if they be the ſame Perſons that Vindicate the Diſcourſe of the Notes, they ſpeak yet plainer thus: Vindic. p. 20, —22.In ſuch a divided ſtate of Chriſtendom as this is, meer External Unity and Communion cannot be the mark of a true Church— All true Chriſtian Churches are United in the moſt Eſſential things; Epheſ. 4.5, 6.They have one Hope, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſm, one God and the Father of all; and this makes them one Body, animated by the ſame Holy Spirit, which dwells in the whole Chriſtian Church; but ſtill they are not One entire Communion, but divide and ſeparate from each other; this we will grant is a very great Fault, but yet if they Communicate in ſuch things as make one Church, their Quarrels and Diviſions may hurt themſelves, but cannot deſtroy the Unity of the Church, for the Church is one Body not meerly by the Agreement of Chriſtians among themſelves, but by the Inſtitution of Chriſt, who has made all thoſe that profeſs the ſame Faith, and are united in the ſame Sacraments, to belong to the ſame Body, to be his own Body: And therefore Chriſtians are never Exhorted to be One Body, for that they are, if they be Chriſtians, as the Apoſtle expreſly aſſerts; but they are exhorted to live in Unity and Concord, becauſe they are One Body, Eph. 4.1, 2, 3.
And in the 25th Page, Thoſe who profeſs the true Faith of Chriſt without any corrupt Mixtures, are Sound and Orthodox Churches; other Churches are more or leſs pure, according to the various Corruptions of their Faith; And thus it is with reſpect to the Chriſtian Sacraments and Worſhip too.
I hope this will be acknowledged very pertinent to our purpoſe, but if we deſire it, he will yet ſpeak more plainly, for when his Adverſary had ſaid [Succeſſion of Doctrine, without Succeſſion of Office, is a poor Plea,] He anſwers, I muſt needs tell him, it is a much better Plea than Succeſſion of Doctrine; for I am ſure, P. 53.there is not a ſafe Communion where there is not a Succeſſion of Apoſtolical Doctrine; but whether the want of a Succeſſion of Biſhops will in all Caſes unchurch, admits of a greater Diſpute: I am ſure true Faith in Chriſt, with a true Goſpel Converſation, will ſave Men: and ſome Learned Romaniſts defend the old Definition of the Church, Jo. Laun. Ep. Vol. 8. Ep. 13.that it is Coetus Fidelium, the Company of the Faithful; and will not admit Biſhops or Paſtors into the deſinition of a Church.
I have e'en tired my ſelf with theſe Quotations, not for the ſake of our Cauſe, but out of Civility to the Citizen of Cheſter, and Men of his Temper, that by taking up a falſe Idea of Catholick Unity, to the Excluſion of all thoſe that have not Dioceſan Epiſcopacy, are animated by it, to the greateſt Severities againſt them, concluding that thoſe who ſhut themſelves out of the Catholick Church, are well enough ſerved if they be caſt out of Civil Saciety, and denied the common Rights and Privileges of Mankind.
Let us now examine this Gentieman's Notions about the Unity of the Church, which may give us a little diverſion in our Journey; He charges the Vindicator, with miſ-reporting his Deſcription of Unity, Reply, p. 16.omitting that which was neceſſary to be added; and if he did ſo, he was very much to blame: But let us turn to the places, and try whether it be ſo or no.
Thoſe words out of which we muſt draw his Notion of Unity are theſe, Though there be a Multiplication of Churches by the encreaſe of Believers, yet no variation; they are all one with that Church firſt mentioned in Jeruſalem, and all One with one another, being all United into one Spiritual Society or Body, under One head Jeſus Chriſt, Arch-Rebei, p. 2.and are in all things the ſame with that firſt Church; United in One Baptiſm and in One Faith, all partake at the ſame Table—and ſo all United in the viſible external Worſhip and Service of God. This Account of the Unity of the Church, the Vindic, thus Contract, All Churches are One, as United into One Body, Vindic. p. 16.whereof Chriſt is the Head, having the ſame Baptiſm, the ſame Faith, and the ſame Euchariſt. Now what has he omitted, that belonged to this deſcription of Unity? why he ſhould have added, They are all One with that Church firſt mentioned at Jeruſalem, but that he left out; and he ſhould have added, They are all one with one another: and again, They are in all things the ſame with that firſt Church, but he omitted both theſe: A very dangerous Omiſſion! But pray, what do all theſe three Sentences amount to, more than this ſingle Aſſertion, the Catholick Church is One? Not one of them anſwers the Queſtion wherein it is One, it is no explanation of the Unity of the Church, to ſay it is all One with the Primitive Church, and all One with it ſelf, and the ſame with that firſt Church; ſtill the Queſtion is, wherein is the Church One? wherein does the Unity of all true Churches conſiſt? For to ſay they are One, becauſe they are One, and becauſe they are the ſame, and all One with one another, is a moſt vain and ridiculous Tautology, which the Vindicator was ſo civil as to paſs by, only fixing upon thoſe words that tell us wherein they are One, even as united into One Body, under One Head, having the ſame Baptiſm, Faith and Euchariſt, and ſo united in the Worſhip of God; the other Phraſes barely aſſert the Unity, theſe deſcribe and explain it; But this Gentleman knows not when he is well dealt with, but will force us to expoſe him whether we will or no.
The Vindicator having thus Collected out of his words, a deſcription of Unity, as conſiſting in the ſame Lord, and in the ſame Baptiſm, Faith and Euchariſt, agrees to it with this Explanation. [that is the ſame for Subſtance] for it does not appear that they all agreed in the Primitive Times in the ſame Circumſtances; and infers from hence that there may be Catholick Unity, without Dioceſan Epiſcopacy and Ceremonies; neither of which he put into his Deſcription.
The Gentleman's reply to this is very remarkable, for thus it goes; It is plain, all that he drives at here is, that there may be a true Church-Unity without Epiſcopacy, which Doctrine is a meer Innovation, &c. But why did he not then inſert the Unity of Epiſcopacy in his Deſcription? If he left it out, it was not to be expected the Vindication ſhould foiſt it in for him, as he now would do himſelf, but it is too late, and to add it now, is not a Defence of his former Paper, but an Amendment rather, ſuch as it is, but indeed rejected by the moſt Judicious of the Epiſcopal Writers, as has been already evinced; to which I will here add one citation more, that I may either recover him out of his frenzy, or leave him inexcuſable; 'tis the Learned Author of The Summary of the late Controverſies betwixt the Church of England and the Church of Rome.P. 123.
He very well diſtinguiſhes between External Eccleſiaſtical Communion and the Unity of the Church; and ſays, The Unity of the Catholick Church conſiſts in One Faith, and Worſhip and Charity; that indeed ſuch external Communion when occaſion offers, ſhews that we are all Diſciples of the ſame common Lord and Saviour, and own each other for Brethren. But the Church may be the One Body of Chriſt without being One Eccleſiaſtical Body, under One Governing Head, which 'tis impoſſible the whole Chriſtian Church ſhould be; and therefore a Church that divides it ſelf from that Eccleſiaſtical Body, to which it did once belong, if it have juſt and neceſſary Reaſons for what it does, is wholly blameleſs, nay commendable for it, if it have not, it ſins according to the Nature and Aggravation of the Crime; but ſtill may be a Member of the Catholick Church, and ſtill enjoy all the Privileges of the Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints, and Promiſes of Everlaſting Life; which ſhews how the Holy Catholick Church in the Creed may be One; Norwithſtanding all thoſe Diviſions of Chriſtendom, which are cauſed by the Quarrels of Biſhops, and Diſputes about Eccleſiaſtical Canons and Juriſdiction.
Thus have theſe Learned and Sober Gentlemen, made up thoſe defects, which the Lord Verulam complained of in his day, Advance. of Learning, l. 9. p. 472, 473.he ſets down amongſt the Deficients, and recommends us a wholeſome and profitable work, a Treatiſe touching his degrees of Unity in the City of God: and he tells us, It exceedingly imports the Peace of the Church, to define what, and of what Latitude thoſe points are, which diſcorporate Men from the Body of the Church, and caſt them out, and quite Caſheir them from the Communion and Fellowſhip of the Faithful. The bounds of Chriſtian Community are ſet down, one Faith, one Baptiſm, and not one Rite, one Opinion, the Coat of our Saviour was entire without Seam, but the Garment of the Church was of divers Colours: In the mean time, it is very likely he that makes mention of Peace, ſhall receive that anſwer Jehu gave to the Meſſengers, Is it Peace Jehu? What haſt thou to do with Peace? Turn and follow me: Peace is not the matter, that many ſeek after, but parties and ſiding.
To conclude this point, Dr. Stilling-fleet, Irenic. p. 121. God will one day convince men that the Union of the Church lies more in the Unity of Faith and Affection, than in the Uniformity of doubtful Rites and Ceremonies.ſince the Unity of the Church conſiſts in the true Catholick Faith and Chriſtian Affection, whereby Men are knit to Chriſt the Head, and to one another; None are out of the Unity of the Church, but thoſe that are deſtitute of theſe fundamental Graces, and to affirm this of Proteſtant Diſſenters in general, is a piece of Diaboliſm which the Goſpel abhors, and Humanity it ſelf will be aſhamed of. We muſt firſt prove that Men are without Faith, before we can prove that they are without the Church, and not (with the Papiſts) condemn them as void of Faith, becauſe out of the external Communion of their Church. It is a very fooliſh and miſleading method, to prove our intereſt in the Faith, by our intereſt in the Church, as if we muſt firſt know the true Church, and that we are in it, before we can know the true Faith or that it is in us: this way of arguing has been always condemned by Proteſtant Writers. The Scripture Teſt for the trial of our Faith, is a ſerious endeavour to perfect Holineſs in the fear of God, to be careful to maintain good works, &c. And indeed nothing but groſs Hereſie and known conſtant Immoralities, can warrant us, in ſaying, that any who profeſs to be Chriſtians are deſtitute of the Faith: and whether Diſſenters in England, do not generally ſhew as much of the fear of God, both in their Fumilies and common Converſation as their Neighbours, muſt be left to the Conſciences of all obſerving Men here, and the righteous judgment of God hereafter.
And I hope they may modeſtly juſtifie their pretenſions to Chriſtian Love and Charity too; I am ſure their quiet and peaceable behaviour under ſo many years ſevere Perſecution, will plead more ſtrongly for them, than for thoſe by whom they ſuffered ſuch things; all the World will take notice, how unable thoſe Gentlemen were to bear a very ſmall ſhare of thoſe Severities themſelves, which they had for a long time ſo liberally inflicted upon others.
I am far from the thoughts of charging theſe things upon the Epiſcopal Party in general, or even the Clergy themſelves; but all the Nation will bear witneſs, 'tis too true concerning thoſe Biſhops and others that were formerly moſt uneaſie and troubleſom to their Diſſenting Brethren.
How odd a thing was it, for this Gentleman to begin his Book, with Panegyricks upon Peace, when the avowed deſign is to juſtifie all thoſe Violations thereof, that have been the ſcandal of the Proteſtant Religion. He tells us of a bleſſed Legacy left us by our dying Redeemer, and why then ſhould we not be ſuffered to enjoy it? I am ſure we ſhould have been glad to have lived in the obſcureſt places and circumſtances, where we might have enjoyed that Sacred Bequeſt; but there were a Generation of Men amongſt us, who having ſpent their own Legacies, would needs deprive us of ours, unleſs we would ſurrender the dearer Peace of our own minds. I am afraid it is the conſcienciouſneſs of their former guilt, that makes many of them, ſo very ſuſpicious and jealous of Diſſenters as they are; they can hardly believe that we have any Charity for them, becauſe they know how little they have diſcovered towards us: And thus the remembrance of what is paſt, puſhes them on to farther abuſes, inſtead of producing fruits meet for Repentance; whereas I do verily believe the generality of Diſſenters can heartily forgive all that's paſt, and would be glad to ſee any ground of hope that the ſame men would not greedily embrace the firſt opportunity of acting over again their former exceſſes.