The True Catholic and Catholic Church Described, Part 29 – Part 30
20. Lastly, The greatest hinderance of our Unity is, the ungodliness of the most that profess themselves Christians, whereby they become uncapable matter for our truest neerest Ʋnion, and yet think that we must be united to them all: when they will not joyn with us in the vitalls of Christianity, but stick in the bark, and take up with the name, yet do they think that we must joyn with them, and be of their Communion and opinions in all externall things, and if we differ from them, they think we are Schismaticks. Men lay the Churches Unity too much in meer speculations, which they call the Articles of faith, and too little in Practicals, and holiness of life, whereas there is no Article of faith, but is for practice; and as truly as the understanding and will are both essentiall to the soul, so truly the sanctity of understanding and will are both essentiall to a Christian: And as the Holiness of the Heart, is as essentiall as faith to a Reall Christian, or member of the Church regenerate; so the Profession of Holiness is as essentiall as the Profession of faith, to make a man a member of the Church, visible or Congregate. And therefore as we can have no inward Union and Communion, with any but the truly sanctified, so can we have no visible Church-Union or Communion, but with those that Profess to be truly sanctified. Its a shameful thing to hear every drunkard and scorner at godliness, to rail at the many divisions in the Church, and to call for Unity and Concord, when its he, and such as he that hinder it, that will not be united to Christ himself, nor joyn with us in the onelyonly Center of Union, nor in the greatest and most necessary things, without which all Christian Union is impossible. But because I take this to be a necessary point, I shall handle it, God willing, more fully by it self.
To conclude all, let me exhort all Christians, to drink in this Truth into their Judgements and affections. If you are Christians indeed, you are Catholicks. And if so, you must have 1. Catholick Principles, And 2. Affections. I beseech you look to both these well.
And as you must keep the great Catholick Principle, which is the subject of our discourse, viz. To know what a true Catholick is, and which is the Catholick Church, that so you may not do as the Papists, that take up a sect under the abused name of Catholicisme, and plead against the Catholick Church for that sect, under the name of the Catholick Church; so also you must know, and keep close to the true Catholick Rule; and not do as the Papists that have honoured a private and crooked Rule by that name, to the Churches trouble, and their own delusion: And also you must keep close to the true Catholick Governour of the Church and judge of Controversies, and turn not aside with Papists and others, to an usurper, or a private judge. In these three, your Catholicisme must much consist. The first, (what the Catholick Church is, and what a true Catholick) I have said as much to as I conceive necessary. The other two I shall say a little more to, viz. The Catholick Rule, and the Catholick Judge, and then of the 4th and last, which is, the Catholick spirit or Affections.
1. We are all agreed, that the Will of God revealed, must be, and is the Catholick Rule of faith and life. But we are not all agreed, which is this Revelation of the Will of God. That the Book of the Creatures and the principles of Nature, do reveal much naturall-morall verity and duty, we are agreed: but the doubt is of supernaturall Revelation. And of this we are agreed, that [whatsoever is certainly delivered to the Church by Prophet or Apostle, or any person infallibly proving a Divine inspiration or Command, to deliver what he speaks, must be received as from God. And whatever is so revealed concerning faith or duty, by way of imposition, is our Rule: and if revealed to All, it is the Rule to all:] We are agreed also, that the Holy Scriptures containing those Books which the Reformed Churches take for the Cannon, are a Divine infallible Revelation concerning Faith and Duty. And therefore we are all agreed, that the Holy Scriptures are the Rule. But whether they be the whole Rule, we are not agreed. The Reformed Churches say, that the sign is but to make known the Doctrine signified: and that while the inspired Apostles were themselves alive, their own voices were the sign, and instead of a written word to all that heard them and more. But knowing that they must die, and that the word of persons not infallibly inspired, is no Rule of faith, and how hardly things not written, are preserved from alteration and deprivation, therefore they left their Doctrine in writing, for the easier and surer, and more universall Communication and preservation. And that Universall infallible Tradition hath delivered us down both this Scripture, and also (by it selfe) the sum of Christianity, in the Creed and Baptismall Covenant, and in the hearts of the faithfull from age to age. So that we make very high account of Tradition, as bringing us in one hand, the essentials of Christianity, and in the other, the whole body of sacred Doctrine in the Scriptures, containing all these Essentials and more, And this is the Rule of our faith and life: yet we confess, that if any could prove, a certain delivery of any more from the Apostles to the Church, we are ready to receive it, which way ever it be delivered. But the Papists adde, that partly Tradition, and partly the Cannons and Decrees of the Church, are to be received as the Rule as well as Scripture, and that much is revealed by verball Tradition to that end, which is not in Scripture, which is with equall pious affection and reverence to be received; and that the Church which is the keeper of this Tradition, is onelyonly the Roman Church, or all that believe in the Pope of Rome, as the Universall Head or Soveraign of the Church.
Now the Question is, Whether theirs or ours be the Catholick Rule?
And here the wickedness of factious Disputers, hath done the Church a world of wrong on both sides. Some are so mad in their Contentions, that they care not what they say scarce, so they do but cry down one another. The Papists cannot cry up their Tradition, but they must speak so reproachfully, impiously, foolishly, of the Scriptures, as if they were stark Infidels. To omit others, the reading of Rushworths Dialogues, and Whites additions and Defence, is a notable bait to tice men to Infidelity, and those Dialogues contain the very same Arguments which the new Apostate Infidels use. And on the other side, many to say as much as they can against the Papists, do so cry down Traditions, that they (tantum non) disable themselves to make good the Scripture it self. O perversness! O dolefull fruits of Contentions! Whereas a true Catholick should be glad of any light from Heaven, whatsoever: and must know, that God in great mercy to his Church, hath by these two hands, delivered us his will: Not some part in Scripture, and the rest by unwritten Traditions, as say the Papists: but some part by such Tradition, and all by Scripture, and that Scripture by Tradition. So that God hath given us two strings to one bow: and the Papists will have two bowes also; and others will have but one string.
Well; 1. I prove that the Scripture is the Catholick Rule.
That is the Catholick Rule of faith, which the whole Church in all ages and places hath received as the Rule: but such is the Scripture. Papists and Protestants, Greeks and Armenians, Abassines and all Christians, confess that the Canonicall Scriptures, are the Revelation of the Will of God: so that this must be Catholick, which the Catholick Church receiveth.
2. And I prove, that the Papists Rule is a Sectarian crooked Rule, and not Catholick. 1. That is not the Catholick Rule of faith, which the Catholick Church did never receive: but such is the Popish Rule of Roman Tradition: therefore if you take it in the generall, viz. [The Traditions of the Roman Church to be received by her peculiar authority.] 1. The Reformed Churches now disown it. 2. The Greeks and other Eastern and Southern Churches now disown it. 3. The primitive Church did never own it: so that all the Church was once a stranger to their Rule, and the most of it is an adversary to it at this day. And can that be the Catholick Rule, which most of the Catholick Church disclaims? The Eastern and Southern Churches think that the Roman Traditions are of no more authority then their own: nay of farre lesse, and much of them false. 2. If you look to their additions of the Apocryphall Books, to the Cannon of the Scriptures, the ancient Catholick Church was against them; as Dr. Reignolds, and newly Dr. Cosin at large, and through every age hath shewed. 3. If you come to particulars: The very Essence of the Roman Catholicism and Church, and the Universall Head still of their Pope, which are the master points of their Tradition, are denyed and detested by the far greater part of the Catholick Church on earth, to this day. And is this a Catholick Rule which the Catholick Church denyeth? A great stir the Papists make about Catholick Tradition, and the Judgement of the Catholick Church. But what good would this do them, if we were as much for Tradition as they? When the most of the Catholick Church condemneth them and their Traditions, or own them not, even in the principall points essentiall to their Religion?
And what have they to say to this? Nothing but what any thief may say of a true man when he hath cut his purse, even to call him thief first! Forsooth, most that are called Christians, by far, are all Hereticks; and therefore none of the Catholick Church; and therefore their votes are no impeachment to the Papall claim. And how prove you that? Why the Pope saith so, and so do his faction. Why but he is a party! how know we that he saith true? Why here you must leave them: he saith that he saith true; therefore he saith true: He saith that the most of the Church, are not of the Church, but Hereticks, and that none but his subjects are of the Church, therefore it is true. And so he must be the judge in his own Cause, and be believed by the Catholick Church on his own Authority. Read but the third Section of Rushworth's second Heathenish Dialogues, and see what a filly shift the self-conceited Disputant is at, in answering this Objection, [All Christians agree in the acceptation of the Scripture, and far fewer in divers points of Doctrine? for the Churches of the Roman Communion, are no such extraordinary part of Christendom, compared to all the rest. Answ. For the extent of the Churches, I cannot certainly tell you the truth, because I fear many are called Christains, who have little either in their belief or lives, to verifie that name: But you know, in Witnesses, the quality is to be respected, as well, and more then the quantity: so that these Countries, in which Christianity is vigerous, are to be preferred before a greater extent of such, where little remains more then the name. Suppose in a suit at Law, one party had seven legitimate Witnesses, the other as many, and besides them, twenty Knights of the P…st, (known perjured knaves) would you cast the Cause for this wicked rabble.] Thus Rushworth.
And is this all? And is this a Catholick Cause or Rule? You see now from their most violent subtile disputers, that they dare not stand to the major vote. They cannot deny but the Papists are the far smaller number: And most must not carry it! How then? Why we must be judged by the best, and not by the most. Content: And I must solemnly prosess, that if my salvation lay upon it, and I were to go to morrow, either to Heaven or Hell, according to my choice of the holier party to trust my faith upon, I should make as little doubt, whether the Reformed or the Roman Professors, be more holy (as far as ever I was able to discern,) as I should do, whether the Latine or the Greek Church be the more learned. If godliness and honesty of witnesses must carry it, I must live and die where I am. But especially when the Papists are wo…sted at both, and have neither the greater part, nor the honester, (o… which I am qui…e past doubt, as I am, whether England be better and greater then the Orcades) where then is their Catholick faith and Rule?
As for all the heathenish cavils of Rushworth, against the certainty of Scripture, because of the Language, the Translations and such like b…ind malignant exceptions, I shall answer them, if God will, in a fitter place.