The Grotian Religion Discovered, Section 6 – Section 13
SECT. VI.
ANother thing that I dislike in Grotius §. 6.his design, is, that it would make the unity and Peace of the Church seem impossible and our divisions desperate, by calling us all to Impossible terms of unity as the only terms. And then as this will engage men in a great deal of zealous toyl for nothing, and draw them that are of Healing dispositions, to misled desires and prayers, and to lose all their labour; so it will entice others that …ome after them, to think that Unity is impossible, because such great attempts were frustrate (which might have been blessed with much more success, had they been better guided, and gone upon truly Catholick terms.) He that saw so much of the Catholick Church (three parts of four saith Bishop Bram…) to stand so long at such a distance from the Roman Principles which Grotius propoundeth as the Healing terms, and that sees what endeavours of the Jesuites and Fryars, in Aethiopia, Syria, Armenia, Thracia, Russia, and almost all over the Christian world, have been frustrated already, me thinks should never have taken it for a thing Probable, (if possible) that this must be the Healing way. Its an uncomfortable Physician that tels the Patient that there is no hope of his cure but by those same means that have been long used by the skillfullest men without success; But he is much more an uncomfortable Physician that tells his Patient that he must fetch a medicine from the Moon, or the Antipodes or have the brains of a Phaenix, before he can be cured. The terms that Grotius propoundeth for our Unity and Peace are as impossible. For the Catholick Church throughout all the world to be united in one visible Head and Governour, and to own the Doctrines that Grotius must have them own, even the Tridentine Creed and Council with the rest of that nature, is a thing that cannot be. For, 1. The plain commands of God are against it. 2. The workings of Gods Spirit in the soul are against it. The Catholick Church is Holy; He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his. This Spirit will not suffer the Church to be guilty of those Practices that Grotius propounds as the way to peace. Though it may permit some to fall so far, it will not do so by all; nor let the Catholick Church be cemented by such errour and corruption. 3. And the Society that Grotius would incorporate us in, is not One in it self but many, under the name of one: For many Heads have many Bodies: And how can we Center with them in a Head that is yet unknown? Or how can that be a Means of our Unity, that will not procure their own? Saith Bishop Bromhall to Mileterius (p. 169.) [You tell us moreover that this Church is the Roman Church: That is not true: but suppose it were most true, as it is most false: What should a man be better or nearer to the knowledge of the Truth, and consequently to his salvation for his submission to the Roman Church? As long as you cannot agree among your selves, either what this Roman Church is, or what your Infallible Judge is? One saith, it is the Pope alone; Another saith, No: but the Pope with his Conclave of Cardinals; A third will go no less then the Pope and a Provincial Council. A fourth will not be contented without the Pope and a General Council. A fifth is for a General Council alone, either with or without the Pope. A sixth party (and they are of no small esteem among you here at this present) is for the Essential Church, that is, the company of all faithful people, whose reception, say they, makes the true ratification of the Acts of its representative body: It were as good have no Infallible Judge, as not to know or agree who it is.]
SECT. VII.
THE third cause of my dislike of Grotius's §. 7.way, (or design in respect to the terms of Concord) is, because it is Ʋncharitable and Censorious, cutting off from the Catholick Ʋnited Society, the Reformed Churches that yield not to his terms, and will not be Reconciled to the Pope of Rome. And thus under pretence of Healing he woundeth; and in the name of a Peace-maker, he Divideth, and cuts off (if I may speak my own judgement of men) the Holyest parts of the Church on earth, and those that are so dear to Christ, that he will never give thanks to them that thus reproach them or seek to cast them out. As you reproach those throughout your Book by the name of Puritans that differ from you (a people much dearer to God then to Mr. Pierce) so doth Grotius make the name of the Reformed or Protestants a note of reproach to those that will not be reconciled to the Pope.
SECT. VIII.
A Fourth reason of my dislike of the §. 8.way of his design, is, because it is a trap to tempt and engage the souls of millions into the same uncharitable, censorious and reproachful way, which he thus entered into himself. When a false Center of the Churches Unity is set up, and impossible or unlawful terms of Concord are thus pretended to be the only terms, it will easily follow that they that believe this, will uncharitably censure all that close not with them on these terms, for Schismaticks or Hereticks: and in their writings and speeches will thus reproach them. And how great a wrong it is to the Church of God, thus to tempt and engage so great a number in a constant practice of so great a sin, me thinks all tender consciences should easily discern.
SECT. IX.
A Fifth reason that moves me to dislike §. 9.this design, is, that it tendeth to engage the Princes of Christendom in a persecution of their subjects, that cannot comply with these unwarrantable terms. And that its likely to be no small number, nor the worser part; but the soundest, and wisest, and holyest men. For if once Princes be set on this kind of Pacification, and are perswaded that these are the only terms, and so that the dissenters are factious, Schismatical or unpeaceable men; no wonder if they silence the Ministers, and leave their flocks in lamentation, and persecute the people, and think all this while that they do God service, and are but suppressing a company of tu…bulent rebellious Schismaticks, and are mercifully promoting the peace of the Church: This is the unhappy issue of the attempts of Pride; when men have such high thoughts of their own imaginations and devices, that they think the Churches wounds can be healed by no other plaister but by this of their compounding; and specially when men depart from the Word of God and the simplicity of faith, and the true Center and terms of Unity and Peace, they are involved in the guilt of persecution before they are aware.
SECT. X.
A Sixth reason of my dislike of Grotius §. 10.his Pacification, and all such as his, is, because it engageth the Church of Christ in a way of sin, both in false Doctrine, Discipline and worship, as if these were the most desirable way for the Church. God hath forbidden that Popery, and many of those errours, that Grotius would make the way to Peace. And the displeasing of God, is a most unlikely way to the Unity and Peace of Christians; and a way that should not seem desirable to any that are indeed the servants of Christ. That's not a Means that hath no tendency to the End; much less which crosseth and overthroweth the End. What's the end of the Churches Unity and Peace, but the increase of Holiness and the Honour and Pleasing of God, in the salvation and felicity of his Saints. But these mistaken waies do tend to lead men from God, to diminish Holiness, and promote sin, and consequently to hinder mens salvation, and to displease and dishonour God: And is this a desirable way to Peace? The Turks have more Unity and Concord then the Christians; and yet Mahometanism is not desirable. Satan is a friend to Unity and Concord in evil. He would not have his Kingdom divided against it self; For then how shall it stand? It is not therefore every Peace, but that which promoteth the Holiness & Salvation of men, that is desirable. I abhor their disposition that can despise or violate the Churches peace for every petty conceit of their own, which they have called by the name of Truth, or Duty. But for all that, I had rather have a contention that promoteth Holiness and Salvation, then a Peace that doth destroy it. For its no Means with me that destroyeth the End.
SECT. XI.
THis much may suffice to satisfie you of §. 11.the Reasons of my dissent from such unhappy Pacifications as Grotius did attempt; that you may see also to what ends I disswaded men from complying with this design: It was no uncharitable dis-affection to the persons, but an apprehension of the exceeding hurt that the Church was like to receive by it, in such respects as these, that moved me to say what I did against Grotius and such as he. I love and honour them much more then violent Papists; but I am satisfied that the Reformed Churches are more amiable Societies then their Pacification would make us. I am zealously desirous of the Healing of the breach between Papists and Protestants: But if the best of them be as a bryar, and the most upright sharper then a thorny hedge, (Mic 7. 4.) I would intreate all the sons of Peace, that they will not too hastily condemn us, because we shake not hands with them. If it be possible as much as in us lyeth, we would live peaceably with all men, (Rom. 12. 18.) But that which God hath forbidden, is Impossible: It lyeth not in us to have Peace and Unity with them that will have none with us, unless we will break with God, and our consciences. Its a dear price to pay for peace with men, if we must buy it with the loss of our Peace with God, and the hazard of our Salvation and Eternal Peace, and the prosperity of the Church and Truth.
SECT. XII.
MAny of the late Episcopal Divines §. 12.do propound terms of Peace that are much lower (to the Romanists) then the terms of Grotius were. And yet though I honour their Peaceable dispositions, I durst not consent to their terms, nor do I think that they will ever prove truly Healing in the end. I mention them to let you know, that it is not all Episcopal Divines that I suspected of a compliance with Grotius and Cassander; no nor all of the later strain: Which one would have thought might have been believed at the first affirmation. The old sort of Episcopal Divines that received the Publick Doctrine of this Nation, contained in the 39. Articles, the Homilies, &c. I wholly acquitted from my jealousies of this compliance. And I extended it to none of the New Episcopal party, but such as I there described. I will instance in Bishop Bramhall, because I suppose that you value his judgement, and I as highly honour his Reason and clearness of discourse, as any mans that I have lately read. I may well hope that many of your present friends do intend no nearer a closure with the Pope then he: And I take him for no Papist, though I dare not follow him. His terms of Peace with Rome are these. 1. He will not admit the Popes Ʋniversality of Jurisdiction, by the Institution of Christ. 2. Nor his superiority above Oecumenical Councils. 3. Nor his Infallibility of Judgement, pag. 138. (& p. 151. Edit. 2.) 4. But he saith, (fol: ult.) [If you could be contented to wave your last four hundred years determinations, or if you liked them for your selves, yet not to obtrude them upon other Churches; If you could rest satisfied with your old Patriarchal Power, and your Principium unitatis, or Primacy of Order, much good might be expected from free Councils and conferences from moderate persons; and we might yet live in hope to see an Ʋnion, if not in all opinions, yet in charity, and all necessary points of saving truth between all Christians; to see the Eastern and Western Churches joyn hand in hand, &c.] And it is a Primacy as of Christs Institution that he would here grant them. For pag. 165. (Edit. 2.) he saith, [Cyprian gave a Primacy or Principality of Order to the chair of Saint Peter, as Principium Unitatis; so do we.] This with his Doctrinal Concessions, and others about worship, are his way of Unity.
SECT. XIII.
I Take not this Learned Bishop for a Papist, §. 13.though I take Grotius for one; 1. Because I find him more disowning a fellowship with that party then Grotius did. And every man shall by me, be taken to be what he Professeth to be, and supposed to be of no other way but what he owns, till I have very weighty Reasons to Judge otherwise. 2. Because he gives them no more then some Reconcilable members of the Greek Church would give them: and (except the points after named) seems to be just of the Greek way of Religion. 3. Because he disowns their Council of Trent, and last four hundred years determinations. 4. His two knocking Arguments conclude against them, much otherwise then Grotius doth; (pag. 196. Edit. 1.) which are these, and worthy the reciting, [That Church which hath changed the Apostolical Creed, the Apostolical Succession, the Apostolical Regiment, and the Apostolical Communion, is no Apostolical, Orthodox, or Catholick Church. But the Church of Rome hath changed the Apostolical Creed the Apostolical Succession, the Apostolical Regiment, and the Apostolical Communion. Therefore the Church of Rome is no Apostolical, Orthodox, or Catholick Church. They have changed the Apostolical Creed, by making a new Creed, wherein are many things inferred, that hold no Analogie with the old Apostles Creed: The Apostolical Succession, by ingrossing the whole Succession to Rome, and making all other Bishops to be but the Popes Vicars and Substitutes, as to their jurisdiction: The Apostolical Regiment, by erecting a Visible Ʋniversal Monarchy in the Church: And lastly the Apostolical Communion, by excommunicating three parts of the holy Catholick Apostolick Church. 2. Again, that Church which resolves its faith, not into Divine Revelation and Authority, but into Humane Infallibility or the Infallibility of the present Church, without knowing or according, what that present Church is, whether the Virtual, or Representative, or the Essential Church, or a Body compounded of some of these, hath no true faith. But the Church of Rome resolves its faith, not into Divine Revelation and Authority, but, &c. Therefore the Church of Rome hath no true faith.