The notion of schism stated according to the antients, and considered with reference to the non-conformists, and the pleas for schismaticks examined being animadversions upon the plea for the non-conformists : with reflections on that famous Tract of schism, written by Mr. Hales in two letters to a very worthy gentleman.
         Conold, Robert.
      
       
         
           1676
        
      
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             The notion of schism stated according to the antients, and considered with reference to the non-conformists, and the pleas for schismaticks examined being animadversions upon the plea for the non-conformists : with reflections on that famous Tract of schism, written by Mr. Hales in two letters to a very worthy gentleman.
             Conold, Robert.
          
           [11], 97 p.
           
             Printed by R.W. for William Oliver and George Rose ... and are to be sold by them ..., and R. Chiswell ...,
             London :
             1676.
          
           
             To the reader signed: R.C.
             Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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           Hales, John, 1584-1656. -- Tract concerning schisme and schismaticks.
           Schism.
        
      
    
     
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           Imprimatur
           ,
        
         
           
             G.
             Jane
             R.
             P.
             D.
             Henr.
             Episc
             .
             Lond.
             à
             sac
             .
             domesticis
             .
          
           
             May
             17.
             1676.
             
          
        
      
       
         
         
           THE
           NOTION
           OF
           SCHISM
           Stated
           according
           to
           the
           ANTIENTS
           ,
           And
           considered
           with
           Reference
           to
           the
           NON-CONFORMISTS
           :
           And
           the
           PLEAS
           for
           SCHISMATICKS
           examined
           :
           Being
           Animadversions
           upon
           the
           Plea
           for
           the
           Non-Conformists
           .
        
         
           With
           Reflections
           on
           that
           Famous
           Tract
           of
           Schism
           ,
           Written
           by
           M
           r.
           Hales
           .
        
         
           In
           Two
           Letters
           to
           a
           very
           Worthy
           Gentleman
           .
        
         
           LONDON
           ,
           Printed
           by
           
             R.
             W.
          
           for
           
             William
             Oliver
          
           and
           
             George
             Rose
          
           Booksellers
           in
           Norwich
           ,
           and
           are
           to
           be
           sold
           by
           them
           there
           ,
           and
           
             Nath.
             Brooks
          
           at
           the
           Angel
           in
           Cornhill
           ,
           and
           
             R.
             Chiswell
          
           at
           the
           Rose
           and
           Crown
           in
           St.
           
           Paul's
           Church-yard
           .
           1676.
           
        
      
       
         
         
         
           TO
           THE
           READER
           .
        
         
           THE
           
             Plea
             for
             Non-conformists
          
           (
           tending
           to
           vindicate
           them
           from
           Schism
           )
           came
           to
           my
           hands
           long
           after
           its
           Edition
           ,
           and
           then
           by
           accident
           too
           :
           But
           the
           Schism
           being
           still
           continued
           ,
           I
           hope
           you
           will
           not
           think
           it
           too
           Late
           ,
           or
           Impertinent
           to
           publish
           these
           Animadversions
           upon
           that
           Tract
           .
           Now
           ,
           should
           I
           protest
           against
           all
           Vanity
           ,
           and
           Popularity
           ;
           disavow
           all
           Interest
           ,
           and
           Sinister
           designs
           :
           should
           I
           tell
           you
           in
           most
           Solemn
           ,
           and
           Sacred
           protestations
           ,
           that
           I
           have
           no
           other
           
           end
           in
           the
           publication
           of
           these
           Papers
           ,
           but
           the
           Honour
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           Peace
           of
           his
           Church
           ,
           yet
           it
           were
           still
           at
           your
           mercy
           to
           credit
           these
           Asseverations
           ,
           or
           receive
           them
           as
           the
           usual
           pretensions
           of
           every
           Author
           .
           Therefore
           I
           resolve
           against
           the
           Impertinence
           of
           an
           Apologie
           ,
           and
           leave
           you
           to
           the
           common
           liberty
           of
           Censure
           :
           If
           I
           meet
           with
           the
           fate
           of
           St.
           Paul
           ,
           to
           pass
           through
           good
           as
           well
           as
           
             bad
             Report
          
           ,
           I
           shall
           have
           Honour
           ,
           and
           content
           enough
           .
        
         
           If
           thou
           art
           a
           sound
           ,
           and
           sober
           member
           of
           the
           
             Church
             of
             England
          
           ,
           I
           know
           thy
           Temper
           cannot
           be
           Sullen
           ,
           or
           Ill-natur'd
           :
           it
           is
           thy
           Genius
           to
           be
           Candid
           ,
           and
           Generous
           ,
           and
           thy
           Religion
           makes
           thee
           Charitable
           :
           and
           therefore
           I
           am
           assured
           that
           thy
           Balms
           cannot
           
             break
             my
             Head
          
           :
           and
           if
           these
           Papers
           may
           in
           any
           measure
           contribute
           towards
           thy
           firmer
           settlement
           in
           the
           Communion
           of
           this
           Church
           ,
           my
           principal
           End
           is
           then
           effected
           .
        
         
         
           If
           thou
           art
           a
           Dissenter
           from
           this
           established
           Church
           ,
           but
           hast
           not
           lost
           that
           Christian
           Temper
           of
           Modesty
           ,
           and
           Humility
           ,
           read
           on
           ,
           there
           is
           hope
           of
           thy
           recovery
           ,
           that
           thou
           wilt
           not
           dye
           a
           Schismatick
           .
           But
           if
           thou
           art
           one
           who
           hast
           given
           up
           thy
           Name
           ,
           and
           thy
           Reason
           too
           to
           the
           Leader
           of
           a
           Conventicle
           ;
           let
           me
           beseech
           thee
           to
           read
           no
           further
           :
           for
           this
           little
           Discourse
           will
           but
           provoke
           thy
           Passion
           .
           I
           have
           no
           Hope
           to
           prevail
           upon
           
             Pertinacious
             resolutions
          
           ,
           I
           never
           yet
           cleansed
           a
           Leper
           ,
           nor
           raised
           the
           Dead
           ▪
           but
           if
           I
           had
           ,
           I
           should
           notwithstanding
           Despond
           of
           ever
           perswading
           any
           Obstinate
           ,
           or
           Passionate
           man
           :
           for
           it
           does
           not
           appear
           to
           me
           evident
           ,
           in
           all
           the
           History
           of
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           that
           our
           Lord
           (
           among
           his
           many
           Mighty
           Works
           ,
           and
           Miracles
           )
           ever
           cured
           Perverseness
           .
        
         
           If
           thou
           art
           a
           
             Romish
             Recusant
          
           ,
           let
           me
           intreat
           thee
           to
           Suffer
           thy
           Reason
           
           to
           recover
           its
           Liberty
           ,
           and
           not
           alwayes
           be
           in
           Vassallage
           to
           those
           
             Roman
             Dictators
          
           .
           I
           know
           there
           are
           many
           of
           that
           Religion
           in
           this
           Nation
           ,
           who
           are
           Gentlemen
           ,
           of
           Complaisant
           Converse
           ,
           and
           Ingenuous
           Education
           :
           but
           I
           wonder
           that
           ye
           (
           who
           pretend
           so
           much
           Abhorrence
           of
           Fanaticism
           ,
           and
           boast
           of
           Loyalty
           to
           your
           
             Prince
             ,
          
           )
           should
           yet
           degrade
           your selves
           to
           the
           same
           Level
           with
           the
           Basest
           Sectaries
           ,
           and
           live
           in
           constant
           Rebellion
           to
           the
           Laws
           of
           your
           
             Natural
             Soveraign
          
           .
        
         
           There
           is
           great
           Reason
           that
           the
           Kings
           of
           England
           should
           ever
           have
           a
           peculiar
           Jealousie
           upon
           your
           Party
           :
           for
           though
           your
           Bodies
           ,
           and
           Estates
           are
           Subjects
           of
           England
           ,
           yet
           your
           Souls
           ,
           or
           Religion
           are
           under
           the
           Empire
           of
           a
           
             Forreign
             Jurisdiction
          
           :
           and
           as
           long
           as
           ye
           continue
           so
           ,
           there
           is
           no
           Reason
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           that
           can
           give
           the
           Crown
           sufficient
           Security
           for
           your
           lasting
           Allegiance
           .
           
           As
           for
           those
           of
           your
           Religion
           ,
           who
           live
           under
           the
           Laws
           of
           the
           
             Romish
             Dominions
          
           ,
           I
           have
           great
           Charity
           for
           them
           ,
           for
           they
           can
           plead
           submission
           to
           their
           own
           Superiours
           :
           and
           I
           am
           apt
           to
           believe
           that
           Plea
           may
           be
           very
           considerable
           ,
           when
           they
           come
           to
           appear
           before
           the
           
             Prince
             of
             Peace
          
           ,
           and
           the
           
             God
             of
             Order
          
           .
           But
           for
           you
           ,
           whose
           Lot
           hath
           cast
           you
           under
           the
           Government
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           and
           
             Catholick
             Church
          
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           yet
           to
           Divide
           from
           their
           Jurisdiction
           ,
           and
           subject
           your selves
           to
           the
           Canons
           of
           a
           Forreign
           Church
           ,
           is
           not
           only
           a
           Disobedience
           against
           the
           Laws
           of
           this
           Church
           ,
           and
           State
           ,
           but
           a
           Violation
           of
           the
           Antient
           Canons
           of
           the
           
             Catholick
             Church
          
           ;
           and
           is
           so
           great
           a
           Disorder
           ,
           and
           unreasonableness
           ,
           that
           the
           Penalties
           inflicted
           for
           your
           Recusancy
           ,
           are
           as
           Just
           ,
           as
           they
           are
           Severe
           ,
           and
           ye
           merit
           no
           Compassion
           .
           Indeed
           if
           your
           deserting
           the
           Romish
           ,
           would
           put
           you
           out
           of
           the
           
             Catholick
             Church
          
           ,
           I
           would
           never
           upon
           
           those
           hard
           terms
           perswade
           you
           into
           our
           Communion
           .
           Our
           Profession
           of
           Faith
           ye
           will
           acknowledge
           to
           be
           the
           antient
           Catholick
           ,
           and
           
             Apostolick
             Creed
          
           :
           I
           know
           your
           principal
           Prejudice
           is
           against
           the
           Succession
           of
           our
           Bishops
           ,
           and
           the
           Authority
           of
           our
           Priesthood
           :
           But
           let
           me
           beseech
           you
           to
           do
           so
           much
           Right
           to
           us
           ,
           and
           so
           much
           Justice
           to
           your selves
           ,
           as
           impartially
           to
           peruse
           Mr
           
           Mason's
           
             Vindication
             of
             the
             Ministry
             of
             the
             Church
             of
             England
             ,
          
           and
           if
           his
           Transcript
           of
           those
           Acts
           ,
           and
           Monuments
           of
           our
           Church
           will
           not
           satisfie
           you
           ,
           let
           some
           of
           your
           subtilest
           Jesuits
           convict
           that
           Author
           of
           Falshood
           ,
           or
           Imposture
           ;
           and
           I
           will
           acknowledge
           that
           we
           are
           no
           
             Catholick
             Church
          
           ,
           and
           you
           no
           Schismaticks
           .
        
         
           There
           are
           many
           of
           your
           Religion
           ,
           persons
           of
           great
           Honour
           ,
           and
           Estates
           in
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           who
           may
           easily
           have
           the
           Advantage
           to
           view
           ,
           and
           examine
           the
           Original
           
           Records
           of
           the
           Consecration
           of
           our
           
             English
             Bishops
          
           ,
           in
           that
           great
           Crisis
           of
           our
           Reformation
           ;
           and
           methinks
           in
           so
           weighty
           a
           matter
           ,
           where
           your
           Estates
           (
           if
           not
           some
           raster
           Interest
           )
           are
           highly
           concern'd
           ,
           ye
           should
           be
           strictly
           inquisitive
           ,
           and
           not
           so
           blindly
           acquiesce
           in
           a
           popular
           Mistake
           ,
           and
           Jesuitical
           delusion
           .
           In
           the
           mean
           time
           I
           charge
           you
           with
           the
           guilt
           of
           Schism
           ,
           in
           Dividing
           from
           the
           
             Church
             of
             England
          
           ;
           and
           if
           you
           think
           your selves
           injur'd
           by
           this
           Indictment
           ,
           let
           any
           of
           your
           
             Romish
             Champions
          
           be
           the
           
           Doctor
           's
           Second
           ,
           and
           publish
           a
           Plea
           for
           your
           Vindication
           ;
           and
           though
           I
           am
           none
           of
           the
           Worthies
           of
           England
           ,
           yet
           I
           will
           engage
           for
           a
           Reply
           .
           If
           any
           of
           you
           shall
           think
           fit
           to
           require
           it
           ,
           I
           dare
           undertake
           to
           prove
           ,
           that
           the
           Canons
           of
           the
           
             Romish
             Church
          
           ,
           do
           no
           more
           oblige
           any
           Subject
           of
           England
           ,
           than
           our
           
             Statute
             Laws
          
           do
           bind
           the
           Poles
           ,
           or
           Moscovites
           :
           and
           that
           it
           is
           as
           great
           a
           Disorder
           and
           Impertinence
           ,
           
           for
           the
           
             Bishop
             of
             Rome
          
           to
           excommunicate
           any
           of
           the
           people
           of
           England
           ,
           as
           it
           were
           for
           the
           
             Lord
             Chief
             Justice
             of
             England
          
           ,
           to
           outlaw
           
             Don
             Juan
             of
             Austria
          
           .
        
         
           And
           now
           ,
           Reader
           ,
           I
           leave
           you
           to
           enjoy
           your
           Humour
           ,
           to
           be
           Candid
           ,
           or
           Clamorous
           as
           your
           fancy
           inclines
           you
           .
           To
           be
           wounded
           with
           the
           Arrows
           of
           Bitter
           Words
           ,
           is
           a
           very
           easie
           kind
           of
           Martyrdom
           ,
           and
           say
           what
           you
           please
           ,
           I
           am
           resolv'd
           to
           be
           unconcern'd
           ,
           and
           subscribe
           my self
           ,
        
         
           
             Your
             Christian
             Friend
             ,
             
               R.
               C.
            
             
          
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
           
             Worthy
             Sir
             ,
          
        
         
           I
           Not
           long
           since
           receiv'd
           from
           the
           hand
           of
           a
           Non-conforming
           Pastor
           (
           by
           way
           of
           Answer
           to
           my
           impeaching
           him
           of
           Schism
           )
           this
           Tract
           Intitul'd
           
             A
             Plea
             for
             the
             Non-conformists
          
           ,
           tending
           to
           justifie
           them
           against
           the
           clamorous
           charge
           of
           Schism
           :
           by
           a
           Doctor
           of
           Divinity
           ,
           whom
           the
           Dissenters
           call
           Dr.
           Owen
           .
           And
           whether
           I
           may
           attribute
           it
           ,
           to
           the
           slighting
           or
           carelesness
           of
           our
           Clergie
           ,
           I
           know
           not
           :
           but
           as
           yet
           I
           have
           neither
           seen
           or
           heard
           of
           an
           Answer
           to
           it
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           The
           true
           Friendship
           I
           have
           for
           you
           ,
           and
           your
           abilities
           ,
           which
           I
           am
           no
           stranger
           unto
           ,
           prompts
           me
           to
           put
           this
           Plea
           into
           your
           handling
           ,
           and
           beg
           your
           Animadversions
           upon
           it
           :
           Supposing
           the
           Doctor
           has
           much
           wandered
           from
           that
           Notion
           of
           Schism
           deliver'd
           down
           to
           us
           from
           the
           Primitive
           Fathers
           ;
           the
           sense
           of
           which
           Sacred
           Priests
           ,
           I
           shall
           alwayes
           rather
           espouse
           in
           any
           point
           I
           find
           so
           
           clearly
           determin'd
           by
           them
           ,
           than
           the
           crude
           and
           partial
           (
           if
           not
           Enthusiastick
           )
           Writings
           of
           some
           Moderns
           ,
           whose
           heads
           seem
           rather
           flatus't
           with
           a
           prejudic'd
           Interest
           ,
           than
           ballac'd
           with
           an
           Apostolick
           Sobriety
           .
        
         
           When
           I
           reflect
           upon
           this
           Intrigue
           of
           the
           present
           Dissenters
           from
           the
           
             Church
             of
             England
          
           ,
           in
           confounding
           the
           Notion
           of
           Schism
           with
           that
           of
           Heresie
           ,
           and
           by
           that
           jejune
           project
           would
           evade
           that
           Scandal
           of
           being
           Schismaticks
           ;
           a
           discrimination
           esteemed
           so
           odious
           and
           perilous
           among
           all
           good
           Catholicks
           in
           all
           Ages
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ;
           I
           can
           fancy
           no
           other
           reason
           they
           can
           have
           than
           this
           ,
           
             (
             viz.
          
           )
           lest
           their
           Proselytes
           and
           followers
           should
           be
           justly
           affrighted
           at
           the
           dangerous
           guilt
           of
           Schism
           and
           Separation
           ;
           and
           consult
           their
           return
           to
           that
           Fold
           which
           they
           have
           deserted
           ,
           which
           is
           certainly
           their
           safest
           Interest
           .
        
         
           Another
           Stratagem
           ,
           which
           has
           not
           been
           less
           useful
           for
           them
           than
           the
           former
           ,
           is
           their
           contemning
           an
           Apostolical
           Succession
           of
           Priesthood
           ;
           and
           thereby
           lessening
           the
           hazard
           of
           a
           Schismatick
           condition
           in
           the
           opinion
           of
           the
           people
           :
           This
           unchristian
           humour
           they
           continually
           instill
           into
           the
           Populacy
           ,
           and
           inforce
           it
           with
           this
           Anti-Apostolick
           
           Maxim
           ,
           That
           there
           is
           no
           difference
           between
           a
           Priest
           and
           a
           Laick
           ,
           but
           that
           the
           first
           reads
           the
           Prayers
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           and
           Preaches
           Morally
           ,
           as
           they
           call
           it
           ;
           and
           the
           other
           is
           gifted
           with
           continual
           Revelations
           :
           for
           that
           ,
           they
           must
           mean
           ;
           if
           any
           thing
           ,
           by
           praying
           by
           the
           Spirit
           in
           their
           notion
           .
           I
           must
           confess
           I
           am
           as
           yet
           unconverted
           to
           these
           Opinions
           ,
           and
           have
           an
           awful
           respect
           to
           your
           Sacred
           Order
           ,
           and
           I
           could
           be
           as
           easily
           Proselyted
           to
           Atheism
           ,
           as
           to
           think
           a
           Knipperdolling
           or
           an
           
             Hugh
             Peters
          
           were
           as
           true
           Priests
           of
           the
           Living
           God
           ,
           as
           a
           Tertullian
           or
           a
           Chrysostom
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           As
           an
           obedient
           Son
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           a
           Loyal
           Subject
           to
           my
           Soveraign
           ,
           and
           so
           oblig'd
           to
           be
           very
           solicitous
           of
           the
           Welfare
           of
           Church
           and
           State
           ,
           give
           me
           leave
           to
           sigh
           out
           some
           thoughts
           which
           have
           been
           and
           are
           afflictive
           to
           my
           Solitudes
           ,
           and
           may
           detect
           ,
           if
           not
           the
           causes
           ,
           at
           least
           the
           encouragements
           of
           our
           Schisms
           .
        
         
           When
           I
           see
           the
           admir'd
           providence
           of
           our
           indulgent
           Prince
           (
           so
           eminently
           expressed
           in
           his
           Royal
           Amnestie
           and
           Act
           of
           Oblivion
           )
           for
           the
           obliterating
           all
           Animosities
           and
           Rancours
           (
           which
           might
           still
           ferment
           in
           the
           hearts
           of
           men
           so
           Diametrically
           opposite
           ,
           
           and
           who
           had
           espoused
           Cases
           as
           contradictory
           as
           best
           and
           worst
           ,
           )
           contemned
           and
           flouted
           by
           an
           undutiful
           and
           unchristian
           humour
           of
           persisting
           in
           the
           same
           stubborness
           wherewith
           they
           have
           check'd
           two
           Glorious
           Princes
           ,
           and
           Mated
           a
           third
           (
           God
           bless
           the
           fourth
           )
           and
           wherewith
           they
           brought
           upon
           our
           Church
           and
           Kingdom
           ,
           the
           late
           horrid
           and
           lamentable
           confusions
           ;
           Indignation
           prompts
           me
           to
           think
           ,
           that
           Sincere
           Religion
           cannot
           reside
           in
           an
           ungrateful
           heart
           ;
           nor
           true
           Piety
           and
           Loyalty
           ,
           where
           there
           are
           no
           Symptoms
           of
           their
           repentance
           .
           And
           let
           me
           appeal
           to
           common
           sense
           and
           reason
           ,
           what
           a
           frightful
           face
           of
           Government
           there
           would
           appear
           in
           this
           Nation
           ;
           if
           all
           His
           Majesties
           evil-disposed
           Subjects
           should
           as
           boldly
           resolve
           to
           perpetrate
           all
           those
           Crimes
           prohibited
           by
           the
           Common
           and
           Statute
           Laws
           of
           this
           Realm
           ,
           as
           the
           Dissenters
           do
           temerariously
           transgress
           ,
           or
           fraudulently
           evade
           those
           Statutes
           relating
           to
           Conformity
           .
        
         
           When
           I
           see
           some
           of
           your
           Sacred
           Order
           fly
           at
           a
           Dignity
           ,
           a
           Bishoprick
           ,
           and
           when
           they
           have
           truss'd
           it
           ,
           quarry
           and
           prune
           themselves
           upon
           it
           ,
           and
           live
           as
           if
           a
           Diocess
           were
           only
           designed
           to
           Gorge
           and
           Aggrandize
           the
           Bishop
           ,
           and
           he
           not
           concern'd
           to
           be
           a
           faithful
           Shepherd
           to
           his
           flock
           ,
           but
           negligent
           ,
           
           if
           not
           wholly
           careless
           in
           no
           small
           part
           of
           his
           Episcopal
           Function
           and
           Paternal
           charge
           (
           witness
           the
           omission
           of
           that
           Solemn
           Office
           of
           Confirmation
           :
           )
           nor
           obliged
           to
           moderate
           over
           ,
           and
           inspect
           the
           manners
           of
           his
           inferiour
           Clergie
           ,
           who
           are
           in
           Law
           but
           his
           Curates
           ,
           and
           whose
           vices
           and
           disorders
           reflect
           a
           Blot
           upon
           himself
           ,
           and
           a
           Scandal
           to
           the
           Church
           ;
           then
           I
           think
           ,
           the
           longer
           time
           runs
           ,
           its
           sand
           will
           be
           the
           fuller
           of
           dust
           ,
           and
           I
           am
           ready
           to
           renounce
           my
           Philosphy
           ,
           and
           believe
           that
           Gold
           may
           rust
           ;
           and
           we
           have
           too
           many
           Rosy-Crucians
           in
           Divinity
           to
           make
           their
           Remarques
           .
        
         
           When
           our
           Parochial
           Clergie
           shall
           out
           of
           good
           nature
           ,
           tepidity
           or
           perjury
           omit
           ,
           if
           not
           all
           ,
           at
           least
           some
           part
           of
           the
           Divine
           Service
           ,
           to
           curry
           their
           Males
           ,
           and
           coaks
           their
           Females
           :
           when
           to
           please
           a
           weak
           Sister
           ,
           the
           Cross
           after
           Baptism
           must
           not
           be
           used
           ,
           and
           for
           a
           bribe
           the
           Sacrament
           shall
           be
           Administred
           to
           a
           sitting
           Bumkin
           ,
           and
           the
           Priest
           shall
           civilly
           be
           from
           home
           ,
           when
           a
           thing
           departed
           is
           to
           have
           the
           Burial
           of
           an
           Ass
           :
           when
           every
           Parish
           shall
           have
           a
           singular
           Directory
           ,
           and
           every
           waxen
           Priest
           shall
           assume
           a
           Papism
           to
           dispense
           with
           Oath
           ,
           Canons
           and
           Statutes
           ,
           and
           the
           Diocesan
           shall
           be
           demurely
           compos'd
           into
           a
           posture
           of
           consent
           with
           
           closed
           eyes
           and
           folded
           arms
           ,
           are
           we
           then
           like
           to
           be
           blest
           with
           one
           faith
           and
           one
           way
           ?
        
         
           When
           too
           many
           of
           our
           Nobility
           and
           Gentry
           shall
           assume
           that
           honour
           and
           glory
           to
           list
           themselves
           in
           ,
           and
           be
           reputed
           Sons
           of
           our
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           but
           by
           their
           Profaneness
           ,
           Debauchery
           and
           prodigious
           vice
           ,
           live
           Antipodes
           to
           that
           holy
           Profession
           ,
           and
           act
           below
           the
           dictates
           of
           uneducated
           nature
           ;
           then
           I
           think
           this
           must
           be
           influential
           upon
           the
           Manners
           of
           the
           Populacy
           ,
           and
           create
           an
           inclination
           to
           Schism
           ,
           if
           not
           an
           absolute
           contempt
           of
           Religion
           in
           them
           ,
           who
           are
           commonly
           capable
           of
           no
           other
           direction
           in
           their
           Morals
           and
           Piety
           ,
           than
           the
           vertuous
           examples
           of
           their
           Superiours
           .
        
         
           When
           too
           many
           of
           our
           Nobility
           and
           Gentry
           shall
           desert
           their
           antient
           Seats
           and
           Countrey
           Interests
           ,
           to
           enjoy
           an
           urbane
           effeminacy
           ,
           immerge
           in
           the
           gulfs
           of
           Luxury
           ,
           and
           to
           enervate
           in
           the
           Venereal
           Laboratories
           of
           the
           Town
           ,
           with
           the
           greater
           Security
           to
           their
           names
           ,
           and
           less
           observation
           of
           the
           world
           ;
           this
           must
           be
           reputed
           no
           small
           cause
           of
           Schism
           in
           their
           Tenants
           and
           Dependents
           ,
           who
           in
           many
           Lordships
           and
           places
           of
           the
           Nation
           want
           nothing
           more
           ,
           than
           the
           antique
           Hospitality
           
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           the
           Orthodox
           practice
           of
           their
           Landlords
           and
           Patrons
           ,
           to
           secure
           them
           against
           the
           cantings
           of
           the
           Wolves
           ,
           and
           to
           shame
           them
           into
           a
           conformable
           obedience
           :
           and
           were
           it
           seriously
           consider'd
           ,
           how
           easie
           and
           natural
           the
           motion
           is
           from
           immorality
           and
           Atheism
           ,
           to
           disloyalty
           and
           civile
           Apostasie
           ,
           these
           Monsters
           would
           be
           proscrib'd
           the
           Courts
           of
           Princes
           ,
           to
           learn
           humanity
           among
           flocks
           and
           herds
           .
        
         
           But
           when
           the
           Sacred
           Name
           of
           Jesus
           shall
           be
           mouth'd
           by
           the
           most
           vicious
           persons
           ,
           to
           disguise
           an
           ugly
           ,
           perhaps
           a
           treasonous
           design
           ,
           and
           
             novi
             homines
          
           ,
           men
           of
           yesterday
           ,
           shall
           dare
           to
           trifle
           with
           that
           Scepter
           which
           dignified
           them
           ,
           and
           problem
           the
           Right
           of
           their
           Prince
           in
           the
           face
           of
           his
           Throne
           ;
           when
           Englishmen
           shall
           Italianize
           and
           shoot
           those
           envenom'd
           arrows
           ,
           their
           filthy
           Pasquils
           to
           wound
           their
           Prince
           in
           his
           reputation
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           soul
           of
           his
           Throne
           :
           O
           ,
           then
           I
           think
           ,
           if
           it
           awakens
           not
           all
           the
           Sentinels
           of
           the
           Government
           ,
           sure
           they
           are
           in
           their
           dead
           sleep
           or
           infatuated
           for
           destruction
           .
        
         
           When
           I
           consider
           the
           ill-boding
           circumstances
           attending
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           her
           prodigious
           rents
           ,
           her
           assiduous
           and
           impudent
           Adversaries
           ,
           accompanied
           perhaps
           
           with
           too
           much
           Supinity
           in
           some
           of
           her
           most
           Principal
           members
           ,
           and
           when
           it
           comes
           into
           my
           mind
           ,
           that
           Miracles
           are
           ceased
           too
           ,
           then
           each
           moment
           spur
           on
           my
           thoughts
           to
           expect
           ;
           when
           Religion
           (
           now
           on
           tiptoes
           to
           be
           gone
           )
           should
           turn
           her
           back
           upon
           us
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           ultimate
           failure
           of
           the
           Faith
           is
           at
           hand
           ,
           ready
           to
           be
           the
           Harbinger
           to
           the
           Catholick
           Doom
           .
        
         
           But
           ,
           Sir
           ,
           not
           to
           trouble
           your
           more
           Serene
           Meditations
           with
           such
           melancholy
           reflections
           ,
           give
           me
           leave
           to
           Alarm
           you
           to
           Muster
           your
           notions
           ,
           and
           by
           your
           Animadversions
           upon
           this
           Doctor
           ,
           undeceive
           the
           deluded
           multitude
           in
           this
           weighty
           subject
           of
           Schism
           ,
           the
           Dam
           of
           our
           Mischiefs
           ,
           and
           which
           threaten
           the
           ruine
           of
           our
           Church
           ,
           and
           with
           that
           the
           unhinging
           that
           excellent
           temper
           of
           Government
           which
           has
           been
           the
           envy
           of
           the
           Nations
           .
        
         
           
             SIR
             ,
          
           
             I
             am
             yours
             ,
             
               &c.
               W.
               C.
            
             
          
        
      
       
         
         
           
             Honoured
             Sir
             ,
          
        
         
           THat
           Kingship
           and
           Episcopacy
           ,
           have
           been
           the
           antient
           and
           continued
           Government
           of
           this
           Nation
           in
           State
           and
           Church
           ,
           ever
           since
           our
           Primitive
           Christianity
           ,
           is
           evident
           from
           undoubted
           Records
           :
           But
           the
           Gentlemen
           of
           our
           
             New
             English
             Interest
          
           ,
           mock
           at
           the
           two
           old
           Grandsires
           ,
           Monarchy
           and
           Hierarchy
           ,
           and
           begin
           to
           hope
           that
           they
           are
           come
           to
           their
           decrepit
           Age
           ,
           and
           not
           far
           from
           a
           Grave
           ,
           and
           they
           are
           preparing
           for
           their
           funeral
           .
           It
           is
           now
           scandalous
           to
           be
           Loyal
           to
           our
           Prince
           ,
           or
           Regular
           to
           the
           Church
           .
           You
           will
           be
           thought
           a
           mean-spirited
           Gentleman
           for
           expressing
           any
           regard
           to
           a
           Minister
           of
           Religion
           .
           And
           you
           have
           no
           way
           to
           redeem
           your
           Honour
           ,
           but
           either
           to
           turn
           Atheist
           ,
           or
           list
           your self
           a
           Member
           of
           the
           
             New
             Interest
          
           .
           And
           now
           Sir
           ,
           can
           it
           be
           reconcil'd
           to
           Friendship
           ,
           to
           ship
           your
           Friend
           ,
           when
           the
           Clouds
           look
           black
           and
           threaten
           a
           Storm
           ?
           But
           since
           you
           are
           as
           kind
           to
           me
           as
           you
           are
           to
           your self
           ;
           and
           are
           pleas'd
           to
           embarque
           with
           me
           ,
           I
           am
           resolv'd
           to
           adventure
           ,
           
           and
           am
           prepar'd
           for
           Tempest
           ,
           and
           that
           worst
           of
           Hurricanes
           ,
           the
           madness
           of
           the
           People
           .
        
         
           I
           think
           it
           highly
           necessary
           to
           demonstrate
           our
           Non-conformists
           to
           be
           Schismaticks
           :
           for
           though
           meer
           State
           Interest
           may
           legitimate
           many
           severities
           against
           those
           Persons
           and
           Principles
           that
           are
           Antipodes
           to
           the
           establish'd
           Government
           ;
           yet
           if
           that
           were
           truth
           ,
           which
           the
           Doctor
           pretends
           to
           prove
           ,
           That
           the
           Sectaries
           of
           England
           were
           as
           much
           in
           the
           family
           of
           Jesus
           ,
           or
           in
           the
           Communion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           as
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ;
           it
           would
           puzzle
           my
           Reason
           ,
           to
           make
           a
           Substantial
           Apology
           for
           our
           Penal
           Laws
           .
           But
           if
           we
           can
           make
           it
           evident
           ,
           that
           these
           men
           walk
           disorderly
           ,
           and
           are
           Separatists
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           it
           will
           then
           appear
           ,
           that
           our
           Laws
           are
           so
           far
           from
           Rigor
           or
           Persecution
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           more
           charitable
           provisions
           ,
           and
           only
           design'd
           to
           compell
           men
           to
           come
           in
           to
           that
           Society
           ,
           where
           their
           Eternal
           Interest
           will
           be
           most
           rationally
           and
           manifestly
           secur'd
           .
        
         
           When
           I
           first
           open'd
           the
           
           Doctor'
           s
           Plea
           you
           sent
           me
           ,
           mine
           eye
           chanc'd
           upon
           a
           very
           pleasant
           passage
           ,
           to
           this
           effect
           ,
           viz.
           That
           theGreek
           
             Church
             call
             the
             Church
             of
          
           Rome
           ,
           
           
             Schismatick
             ,
             and
             the
             Church
             of
          
           Rome
           
             return
             the
             Schismatick
             upon
             the
          
           Greek
           
             Church
             .
             The
             Church
             of
          
           England
           
             make
             the
          
           Romish
           
             Church
             the
             Schismatick
             ,
             and
             the
             Church
          
           ofRome
           
             charge
             the
             Schism
             upon
             the
             Church
          
           ofEngland
           .
           —
           Again
           ,
           
             The
             Church
             of
          
           England
           
             call
             her
             Dissenters
             Schismaticks
             ,
             and
             the
             Dissenters
             think
             the
             Church
             to
             be
             Schismaticks
             from
             them
             ;
             and
             so
             we
             have
             call'd
             one
             another
             Schismaticks
             Round
             :
             and
             therefore
             Schism
             is
             but
          
           Vox
           &
           praeterea
           nihil
           ,
           
             nothing
             but
             a
             meer
             noise
             and
             Nick-name
             ,
             which
             every
             Party
             cast
             upon
             all
             them
             who
             are
             not
             of
             their
             Society
             .
          
        
         
           But
           let
           us
           try
           the
           Strength
           of
           this
           Argument
           ,
           by
           translating
           it
           to
           another
           circulating
           word
           ,
           and
           that
           is
           Infidelity
           .
           The
           Mahometan
           calls
           himself
           Musalman
           ,
           which
           my
           Persic
           Dictionary
           assures
           me
           ,
           signifies
           Faithful
           or
           Believer
           in
           God
           ;
           yet
           we
           Christians
           call
           the
           Mahometans
           Infidels
           ;
           and
           they
           call
           us
           Unbelievers
           .
           We
           call
           the
           Jews
           Infidels
           ,
           and
           they
           return
           the
           same
           name
           upon
           us
           and
           the
           Mahometans
           too
           .
           Both
           Christian
           ,
           Jew
           ,
           and
           Mahomentan
           pronounce
           all
           Pagans
           to
           be
           Infidels
           ,
           and
           ten
           to
           one
           ,
           but
           they
           are
           as
           stout
           and
           peremptory
           as
           the
           rest
           of
           Mortals
           ,
           and
           think
           all
           Mankind
           Infidels
           but
           themselves
           .
           Thus
           the
           
           whole
           World
           have
           call'd
           one
           another
           Infidels
           Round
           ,
           and
           therefore
           Infidelity
           is
           but
           a
           meer
           empty
           noise
           ,
           and
           there
           is
           no
           such
           thing
           in
           the
           World
           as
           a
           True
           Religion
           .
           I
           appeal
           to
           any
           sober
           Judgement
           ,
           if
           there
           be
           not
           as
           much
           Logick
           in
           this
           ,
           as
           there
           was
           in
           the
           other
           .
        
         
           I
           hope
           it
           will
           be
           an
           easie
           discovery
           ,
           to
           find
           out
           the
           square
           of
           the
           
           Doctor
           's
           Circle
           ,
           and
           to
           fix
           the
           Notion
           of
           Schism
           upon
           a
           certain
           Basis
           .
           And
           therefore
           Sir
           ,
           in
           obedience
           to
           your
           Request
           ,
           I
           shall
           discuss
           that
           great
           Question
           ,
           Whether
           the
           Non-conformists
           in
           England
           meeting
           together
           for
           the
           Worship
           of
           God
           in
           places
           distinct
           from
           the
           Parochial
           Churches
           ,
           are
           not
           Schismaticks
           ?
        
         
           To
           this
           I
           shall
           answer
           in
           the
           Affirmative
           ,
           and
           shall
           consider
           this
           Separation
           ,
           First
           ,
           With
           respect
           to
           the
           whole
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           Secondly
           ,
           With
           relation
           to
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           To
           be
           a
           Member
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           there
           is
           required
           a
           double
           Unity
           :
           First
           ,
           
           An
           Unity
           of
           Faith
           ,
           or
           Doctrine
           :
           a
           total
           separation
           from
           this
           ,
           we
           grant
           to
           be
           Apostasie
           ;
           a
           disowning
           any
           one
           fundamental
           Article
           ,
           makes
           a
           man
           a
           Heretick
           .
           But
           
           in
           this
           does
           not
           consist
           the
           formal
           notion
           of
           Schism
           .
           Secondly
           ,
           
           There
           is
           requir'd
           an
           Unity
           of
           Order
           or
           Government
           ,
           which
           St.
           Cyprian
           calls
           
             Unitas
             Ecclesiastica
          
           .
           Now
           a
           Separation
           from
           this
           Unity
           ,
           hath
           the
           formality
           of
           Schism
           .
           And
           for
           a
           right
           understanding
           of
           this
           ,
           I
           must
           look
           back
           to
           the
           first
           Origine
           of
           this
           Unity
           .
        
         
           The
           Holy
           Jesus
           ,
           the
           great
           Author
           and
           Founder
           of
           our
           Religion
           ,
           was
           sent
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           all
           power
           in
           Heaven
           and
           Earth
           committed
           to
           him
           .
           Now
           before
           his
           Ascension
           ,
           that
           he
           might
           not
           leave
           his
           Disciples
           to
           the
           end
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           to
           be
           governed
           by
           every
           pretender
           to
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           would
           have
           exposed
           his
           Kingdom
           upon
           Earth
           ,
           to
           eternal
           confusions
           and
           impostures
           ,
           he
           solemnly
           ordains
           and
           consecrates
           the
           Apostles
           his
           immediate
           Delegates
           upon
           earth
           .
           John
           20.
           22.
           
           
             As
             my
             Father
             sent
             me
             ,
             even
             so
             send
             I
             you
             :
          
           by
           vertue
           of
           which
           Commission
           ,
           the
           power
           of
           Ordaining
           ,
           Governing
           and
           conferring
           Orders
           did
           rest
           only
           in
           the
           Apostles
           .
        
         
           They
           took
           care
           to
           continue
           this
           Succession
           ,
           and
           therefore
           Timothy
           was
           by
           the
           Apostles
           ordain'd
           Bishop
           of
           Ephesus
           ,
           and
           Titus
           of
           Crete
           ,
           and
           both
           invested
           with
           power
           of
           Jurisdiction
           and
           conferring
           Orders
           ,
           as
           is
           
           evident
           from
           St.
           
           Paul's
           Epistles
           directed
           to
           them
           :
           and
           though
           there
           were
           many
           Presbyters
           in
           the
           Dioceses
           of
           Ephesus
           and
           Crete
           ,
           yet
           none
           had
           Authority
           to
           ordain
           Elders
           or
           Priests
           ,
           but
           only
           Timothy
           and
           
             Titus
             .
             Linus
          
           by
           Apostolick
           Consecration
           succeeded
           the
           Apostles
           in
           the
           Chair
           of
           
             Rome
             .
             Symeon
          
           governed
           the
           Church
           of
           Jerusalem
           ,
           or
           the
           Diocess
           of
           Palestine
           next
           after
           St.
           
             James
             .
             Anianus
          
           succeeded
           St.
           Mark
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Alexandria
           .
           And
           this
           Succession
           was
           propagated
           with
           so
           much
           care
           and
           certainty
           ,
           that
           Irenaeus
           tells
           us
           ,
           He
           could
           name
           all
           the
           Successors
           of
           the
           Apostles
           in
           the
           several
           Apostolick
           Churches
           unto
           his
           dayes
           :
           
             Habemus
             annumerare
             eos
          
           ,
           
           
             qui
             ab
             Apostolis
             instituti
             sunt
             Episcopi
             in
             Ecclesiis
             ,
          
           
           
             &
             Successores
             eorum
             ,
             usque
             ad
             nos
             .
          
           And
           this
           line
           of
           Apostolick
           Succession
           of
           Bishops
           hath
           continued
           through
           all
           Ages
           of
           the
           Church
           to
           our
           present
           times
           .
           So
           that
           he
           who
           is
           out
           of
           this
           line
           of
           Apostolick
           Succession
           ,
           and
           exercises
           any
           Ministerial
           Office
           without
           the
           Commission
           of
           Episcopal
           Ordination
           ,
           is
           but
           a
           Lay-Impostor
           ,
           and
           a
           Schismatick
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           And
           all
           other
           Societies
           of
           Christian
           people
           ,
           who
           totally
           withdraw
           themselves
           from
           the
           Government
           of
           their
           Bishops
           ,
           who
           are
           the
           Apostles
           Successors
           ,
           and
           from
           the
           Ministry
           of
           those
           Presbyters
           
           lawfully
           set
           over
           them
           by
           Episcopal
           Ordination
           and
           Institution
           ,
           and
           cast
           themselves
           into
           any
           other
           Model
           of
           Government
           ,
           are
           guilty
           of
           Schism
           .
           This
           was
           the
           formal
           Notion
           of
           Schism
           in
           the
           sense
           of
           the
           antient
           Church
           .
           Irenaeus
           Bishop
           of
           Lugdunum
           ,
           who
           convers'd
           with
           Polycarpus
           the
           Disciple
           of
           St.
           John
           ,
           may
           in
           reason
           be
           allowed
           to
           understand
           the
           Primitive
           and
           Apostolick
           Notion
           of
           Schism
           ,
           better
           than
           our
           Doctor
           at
           the
           distance
           of
           sixteen
           hundred
           years
           .
           He
           in
           his
           Book
           
             Adversus
             Hereses
          
           ,
           
           exhorts
           the
           Christian
           World
           to
           hearken
           only
           to
           those
           Priests
           ,
           
           who
           were
           in
           the
           Communion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ;
           and
           who
           those
           are
           ,
           he
           there
           describes
           ,
           
             Quapropter
             eis
             ,
             qui
             in
             Ecclesia
             sunt
             Presbyteris
             obaudire
             oported
             iis
             ,
             qui
             successionem
             habent
             ab
             Apostolis
             sicut
             ostendimus
             ,
             qui
             cum
             Episcopatus
             successione
             charisma
             veritatis
             certum
             secundum
             placitum
             Patris
             accepêrunt
             —
             Reliquos
             vero
             qui
             absistunt
             à
             principali
             successione
             ,
             &
             quocunque
             loco
             colliguntur
             ,
             suspectos
             habere
             vel
             quasi
             Haereticos
             &
             malae
             sententiae
             ,
             vel
             quasi
             scindentes
             &
             elatos
             ,
             &
             sibi
             placentes
             ,
             aut
             rursus
             ut
             Hypocritas
             quaestus
             gratia
             &
             vanae
             gloriae
             hoc
             operantes
             :
             Qui
             autem
             scindunt
             &
             separant
             unitatem
             Ecclesiae
             ,
             eandem
             quam
             Hieroboam
             poenam
             percipiunt
             à
             Deo.
             
          
        
         
         
           Ignatius
           the
           second
           Bishop
           of
           Antioch
           in
           succession
           from
           St.
           Peter
           ,
           
           in
           his
           Epistles
           
             ad
             Trallianos
             ,
             ad
             Smyrnenses
          
           ,
           and
           in
           those
           to
           the
           
             Philippians
             ,
             Ephesians
          
           and
           Philadelphians
           ,
           frequently
           charges
           them
           to
           keep
           themselves
           in
           the
           unity
           and
           communion
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           by
           a
           regular
           obedience
           to
           the
           Bishops
           ,
           
           and
           by
           communication
           with
           the
           Priests
           ,
           who
           were
           set
           over
           them
           by
           the
           Authority
           of
           Episcopal
           Order
           :
           and
           to
           disobey
           those
           Bishops
           and
           their
           Presbyters
           ,
           and
           to
           separate
           from
           them
           ,
           is
           in
           those
           Epistles
           charg'd
           with
           Schism
           .
        
         
           
           Athanasius
           brands
           Ischyras
           for
           a
           Schismatick
           ,
           and
           justifies
           the
           charge
           from
           this
           reason
           ,
           that
           Ischyras
           did
           usurp
           a
           Ministerial
           Authority
           without
           a
           regular
           Ordination
           from
           the
           Bishops
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           gathered
           to
           himself
           a
           distinct
           Congregation
           separate
           from
           the
           Jurisdiction
           of
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Alexandria
           ,
           in
           whose
           Province
           he
           lived
           .
        
         
           St.
           Cyprian
           in
           his
           fortieth
           Epistle
           
             ad
             populum
             Carthaginensem
             de
             quinque
             Presbyteris
             Schismaticis
             ,
          
           exhorts
           them
           to
           have
           no
           communion
           with
           those
           who
           had
           divided
           themselves
           from
           their
           Bishops
           ;
           for
           he
           tells
           them
           in
           that
           Epistle
           ,
           That
           to
           be
           
             sine
             Episcopis
          
           ,
           
           was
           to
           be
           
             extra
             Ecclesiam
          
           .
           And
           in
           his
           Book
           
             de
             Unitate
          
           ,
           he
           gives
           us
           this
           notion
           of
           Schism
           ,
           
             Contemptis
             Episcopis
             &
             derelictis
             Dei
             Sacerdotibus
             constituere
             aliud
             Altare
             ,
          
           or
           
             Conventicula
             diversa
             constituere
          
           :
           That
           it
           was
           Schism
           to
           contemn
           and
           forsake
           the
           Bishops
           ,
           and
           Priests
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           to
           set
           up
           another
           Altar
           ,
           or
           to
           settle
           distinct
           Conventicles
           .
           And
           this
           he
           accounts
           so
           foul
           a
           crime
           ,
           that
           he
           tells
           us
           in
           the
           same
           discourse
           ,
           
             Talis
             ,
             etiamsi
             occisi
             in
             confessione
             fuerint
             ,
             Macula
             ista
             nec
             sanguine
             abluitur
             ,
             inexpiabilis
             &
             gravis
             culpa
             discordiae
             nec
             passione
             purgatur
             ,
          
           That
           Martyrdom
           it self
           cannot
           expiate
           the
           guilt
           of
           Schisim
           .
           And
           when
           
             Maximus
             ,
             Urbanus
             ,
             Sydonius
          
           and
           Macarius
           return'd
           from
           the
           Novatian
           faction
           into
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           they
           express
           it
           thus
           ,
           
             Episcopo
             nostro
             pacem
             fecimus
          
           ,
           they
           had
           reconcil'd
           themselves
           to
           the
           Bishop
           :
           and
           this
           was
           enough
           to
           assure
           St.
           Cyprian
           ,
           they
           had
           renounc'd
           their
           Schism
           ,
           and
           were
           restor'd
           to
           the
           Churches
           communion
           .
           I
           will
           end
           this
           with
           the
           assertion
           of
           St.
           Augustine
           ,
           
           
             Radix
             Christianae
             societatis
             per
             sedes
             Apostolorum
             ,
             &
             successiones
             Episcoporum
             ,
             certâ
             per
             orbem
             propagatione
             diffunditur
             :
             i.
             e.
          
           the
           root
           or
           foundation
           of
           unity
           or
           communion
           in
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           is
           founded
           in
           the
           several
           Seats
           of
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           diffused
           through
           
           the
           Christian
           World
           ,
           by
           the
           certain
           propagation
           or
           succession
           of
           Bishops
           .
           Therefore
           in
           the
           judgement
           of
           St.
           Augustine
           ,
           all
           those
           persons
           ,
           or
           societies
           that
           have
           divided
           themselves
           from
           the
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           succession
           ,
           are
           but
           wild
           plants
           ,
           and
           no
           branches
           of
           the
           Catholick
           stock
           .
           I
           could
           fill
           many
           Pages
           more
           with
           Testimonies
           of
           the
           same
           nature
           ;
           but
           such
           numerous
           Quotations
           would
           look
           like
           Pedantick
           impertinence
           :
           and
           I
           doubt
           not
           ,
           but
           those
           Authorities
           I
           have
           already
           mentioned
           ,
           will
           perswade
           you
           to
           believe
           ,
           That
           a
           total
           separation
           from
           the
           Orders
           and
           Government
           of
           Bishops
           ,
           was
           constantly
           adjudg'd
           to
           be
           Schism
           by
           the
           concurrent
           sentiments
           of
           the
           antient
           Church
           .
        
         
           And
           now
           Sir
           ,
           having
           examined
           these
           Testimonies
           ,
           I
           may
           proceed
           to
           sentence
           :
           That
           seeing
           the
           Teachers
           of
           our
           Non-conforming
           Congregations
           in
           England
           were
           never
           regularly
           Ordain'd
           to
           any
           Ministerial
           Function
           by
           the
           hands
           of
           the
           Bishops
           (
           deriving
           their
           Authority
           from
           Apostolick
           succession
           )
           and
           seeing
           their
           Leaders
           and
           their
           blind
           Proselytes
           have
           wholly
           withdrawn
           themselves
           ,
           from
           the
           Conduct
           &
           Government
           of
           Episcopal
           Authority
           ,
           I
           shall
           therefore
           adventure
           to
           pronounce
           them
           Schismaticks
           ,
           
           not
           only
           from
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           but
           from
           the
           whole
           Corporation
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           Therefore
           that
           which
           the
           Doctor
           so
           Magisterially
           asserts
           at
           the
           end
           of
           his
           seventeenth
           Page
           is
           no
           Axiom
           of
           Divinity
           ;
           for
           I
           have
           already
           prov'd
           ,
           that
           a
           man
           may
           be
           Schismatick
           from
           the
           whole
           Catholick
           Church
           on
           earth
           without
           Heresie
           or
           Apostasie
           .
           The
           premises
           being
           considered
           ,
           will
           furnish
           us
           with
           an
           Answer
           to
           that
           passionate
           Harangue
           ,
           pag.
           21.
           
           
             Do
             we
             not
             own
             Christ
             ,
             his
             Gospel
             ,
             the
             same
             points
             of
             faith
             ,
             the
             same
             acts
             of
             Worship
             ,
             where
             is
             the
             Separation
             then
             ?
          
           This
           St.
           Augustine
           tells
           us
           ,
           was
           the
           same
           Plea
           of
           the
           Donatists
           ,
           and
           might
           have
           been
           urged
           by
           the
           Novatians
           ,
           and
           Schismatick
           Presbyters
           of
           Carthage
           ,
           but
           it
           would
           not
           acquit
           them
           from
           Schism
           ,
           nor
           will
           it
           vindicate
           our
           English
           Sectaries
           .
        
         
           Corah
           and
           his
           confederate
           Mutineers
           were
           neither
           Hereticks
           nor
           Apostates
           ,
           but
           men
           of
           the
           same
           Creed
           with
           Moses
           and
           Aaron
           :
           their
           crime
           was
           the
           violating
           that
           subordination
           which
           God
           had
           appointed
           ,
           and
           not
           submitting
           themselves
           to
           the
           Superiour
           Authority
           of
           the
           Priesthood
           .
           And
           Sir
           ,
           it
           may
           be
           worth
           your
           observation
           ,
           that
           this
           Plea
           of
           the
           Doctor
           ,
           and
           that
           of
           the
           Hebrew
           Rebels
           have
           the
           same
           sense
           ;
           for
           just
           thus
           they
           
           plead
           ,
           Numb
           .
           16.
           3.
           
           
             All
             the
             Congregation
             is
             holy
             ,
             every
             one
             of
             them
             :
          
           that
           is
           ,
           in
           the
           
           Doctor
           's
           phrase
           ,
           Do
           we
           not
           own
           Moses
           ,
           his
           Laws
           ,
           the
           same
           points
           of
           faith
           ,
           the
           same
           acts
           of
           Worship
           ?
           But
           this
           plausible
           plea
           would
           not
           prevail
           ,
           nor
           mitigate
           the
           provocation
           ;
           for
           God
           punished
           one
           Schism
           with
           another
           ,
           
             The
             earth
             rent
             ,
             and
             swallowed
             them
             up
             ,
          
           and
           with
           open
           mouth
           taught
           the
           rest
           of
           the
           Church
           to
           keep
           Unity
           and
           Order
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           the
           profession
           of
           a
           true
           Religion
           .
           Therefore
           the
           Answer
           is
           very
           easie
           to
           the
           
           Doctor
           's
           ruffling
           Question
           ;
           Do
           we
           not
           own
           Christ
           ,
           his
           Gospel
           ,
           the
           same
           points
           of
           faith
           ,
           the
           same
           acts
           of
           Worship
           ,
           where
           is
           the
           separation
           then
           ?
           Why
           Sir
           ,
           the
           separation
           is
           in
           dividing
           from
           the
           communion
           of
           all
           the
           Bishops
           and
           Episcopal
           Presbyters
           ,
           who
           in
           a
           constant
           line
           succeeding
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           have
           only
           a
           just
           and
           regular
           Authority
           to
           govern
           and
           guide
           the
           Christian
           Church
           .
        
         
           
           The
           Doctor
           in
           the
           beginning
           of
           pag.
           34.
           tells
           us
           ,
           That
           a
           controversie
           among
           them
           of
           the
           same
           communion
           is
           the
           chief
           ,
           if
           not
           the
           only
           notion
           of
           Schism
           that
           the
           Scripture
           gives
           us
           .
           I
           confess
           ,
           the
           word
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           Schism
           in
           its
           general
           notion
           signifies
           any
           manner
           of
           separation
           or
           division
           ;
           and
           therefore
           I
           do
           
           acknowledge
           ,
           that
           those
           dissentions
           that
           were
           within
           the
           bowels
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           and
           Catholick
           Church
           were
           called
           Schisms
           ,
           both
           in
           the
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           Writings
           of
           the
           antient
           Fathers
           :
           but
           this
           does
           not
           hinder
           ,
           but
           that
           the
           same
           word
           may
           be
           used
           to
           signifie
           a
           separation
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ;
           for
           if
           a
           wound
           in
           the
           body
           may
           be
           called
           a
           Schism
           ,
           sure
           Amputation
           or
           the
           cutting
           off
           from
           the
           body
           is
           the
           greatest
           rent
           and
           Schism
           in
           the
           World.
           For
           though
           there
           were
           indeed
           divisions
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Corinth
           ,
           where
           some
           were
           for
           Paul
           ,
           and
           some
           for
           Apollos
           ,
           and
           some
           for
           Cephas
           :
           this
           at
           the
           worst
           was
           but
           a
           faction
           or
           a
           breach
           of
           charity
           ,
           but
           it
           was
           not
           properly
           Schism
           in
           the
           highest
           sense
           of
           the
           word
           ;
           for
           they
           still
           setled
           themselves
           under
           the
           Government
           and
           Ministry
           of
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           or
           some
           Presbyters
           ordained
           by
           the
           hands
           of
           the
           Apostles
           .
           But
           those
           Conventicles
           that
           crept
           into
           houses
           ,
           and
           formed
           Assemblies
           distinct
           from
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           Church
           ,
           those
           that
           heaped
           to
           themselves
           Teachers
           ,
           which
           ,
           as
           the
           phrase
           imports
           ,
           were
           not
           set
           over
           them
           by
           Apostolick
           Order
           and
           Institution
           ;
           those
           that
           despised
           Dominion
           ,
           and
           sake
           evil
           of
           those
           Dignities
           which
           did
           superintend
           the
           Government
           of
           the
           Church
           :
           These
           men
           St.
           Jude
           
           tell
           us
           ,
           were
           those
           that
           did
           separate
           themselves
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           were
           Schismaticks
           ;
           and
           just
           so
           are
           their
           Brethren
           the
           Sectaries
           of
           England
           .
        
         
           Before
           I
           proceed
           to
           the
           next
           enquiry
           that
           concerns
           the
           Schism
           from
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           it
           will
           be
           necessary
           to
           state
           the
           right
           notion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           according
           to
           the
           sense
           of
           the
           antient
           Councils
           and
           Fathers
           .
        
         
           The
           Doctor
           and
           his
           Complices
           are
           for
           Comprehension
           ,
           and
           give
           us
           a
           very
           wide
           notion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ;
           for
           they
           will
           have
           all
           men
           that
           profess
           the
           name
           of
           Christ
           ,
           though
           in
           some
           things
           Hereticks
           and
           Schismaticks
           too
           ,
           yet
           to
           be
           included
           within
           the
           boundaries
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           But
           I
           observe
           ,
           the
           Antients
           would
           not
           endure
           this
           Comprehension
           ;
           for
           they
           reckoned
           none
           to
           be
           in
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           but
           those
           who
           confessed
           the
           common
           faith
           delivered
           to
           the
           Saints
           ,
           and
           kept
           themselves
           under
           the
           Orders
           and
           Government
           of
           the
           Bishops
           ,
           who
           were
           the
           Apostles
           Successors
           :
           and
           therefore
           oft-times
           in
           Councils
           and
           antient
           Epistles
           we
           find
           this
           Superscription
           ,
           To
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           in
           Antioch
           ,
           To
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           of
           Alexandria
           ,
           
           To
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           of
           
             Rome
             ,
             &c.
          
           this
           still
           being
           used
           in
           contradistinction
           from
           the
           
             Novatians
             ,
             Arrians
          
           and
           Donatists
           ,
           which
           the
           antient
           Church
           look'd
           upon
           as
           Schismaticks
           and
           
             extra
             Ecclesiam
          
           .
        
         
           Now
           having
           advanc'd
           thus
           far
           ,
           the
           way
           is
           prepared
           for
           the
           second
           enquiry
           ,
           Whether
           our
           Non-conformists
           are
           guilty
           of
           Schism
           from
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ?
           And
           I
           doubt
           not
           but
           to
           prove
           the
           Affirmative
           .
        
         
           The
           Church
           of
           England
           adhere
           to
           that
           Creed
           which
           was
           delivered
           by
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           professed
           by
           the
           antient
           Primitive
           Church
           ,
           and
           confirm'd
           by
           the
           first
           four
           General
           Councils
           ;
           it
           hath
           preserv'd
           the
           Unity
           of
           Government
           by
           a
           succession
           of
           Bishops
           in
           the
           Apostolick
           line
           ,
           as
           appears
           from
           the
           undoubted
           Archives
           and
           Records
           of
           England
           :
           Therefore
           we
           are
           secured
           that
           it
           is
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           a
           most
           excellent
           part
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           Now
           as
           our
           Christianity
           obliges
           us
           to
           be
           members
           of
           that
           body
           of
           Christ
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           :
           So
           the
           eternal
           reasons
           of
           Peace
           and
           Order
           bind
           us
           to
           communicate
           with
           that
           part
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           in
           
           which
           our
           lot
           hath
           plac'd
           us
           ,
           except
           it
           can
           manifestly
           appear
           ,
           that
           that
           part
           is
           so
           corrupted
           that
           we
           cannot
           communicate
           with
           it
           without
           evident
           hazard
           of
           our
           salvation
           .
           It
           were
           an
           unpardonable
           disorder
           ,
           for
           a
           Native
           of
           England
           dwelling
           in
           London
           ,
           to
           contemn
           the
           Laws
           of
           our
           Prince
           ,
           and
           to
           govern
           himself
           by
           the
           Placaets
           of
           the
           
             United
             Provinces
          
           :
           and
           it
           were
           as
           great
           a
           confusion
           ,
           for
           those
           who
           live
           within
           the
           Jurisdiction
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           to
           submit
           themselves
           to
           the
           Orders
           and
           Government
           of
           Rome
           or
           Geneva
           .
           Before
           the
           Papal
           Usurpation
           of
           Universal
           Monarchy
           ,
           the
           Patriarchs
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           had
           their
           distinct
           Limits
           and
           Jurisdictions
           :
           The
           Patriarch
           of
           Constantinople
           had
           his
           peculiar
           Primacy
           or
           Regiment
           ,
           and
           was
           not
           to
           intermeddle
           with
           the
           Province
           of
           Alexandria
           ;
           and
           so
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Rome
           had
           his
           peculiar
           Jurisdiction
           ,
           and
           was
           allowed
           no
           inspection
           over
           
             Constantinople
             ,
             Antioch
          
           or
           Alexandria
           ;
           and
           these
           distinct
           boundaries
           were
           fixed
           by
           a
           Canon
           of
           the
           Council
           of
           Nice
           ,
           and
           because
           it
           con●utes
           both
           the
           Papal
           Supremacy
           and
           Puritanical
           Anarchy
           ,
           I
           will
           give
           you
           the
           copy
           of
           that
           Canon
           .
        
         
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           .
           that
           is
           ,
           Let
           the
           antient
           customs
           be
           in
           force
           ;
           Let
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Alexandria
           have
           the
           Jurisdiction
           of
           
             Aegypt
             ,
             Libya
          
           and
           Pentapolis
           ,
           as
           likewise
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Rome
           was
           accustomed
           to
           have
           in
           his
           Province
           ,
           and
           so
           let
           the
           Churches
           of
           Antioch
           and
           other
           Provinces
           keep
           their
           peculiar
           priviledges
           .
           And
           so
           the
           Christians
           dwelling
           under
           these
           distinct
           Patriarchates
           were
           obliged
           to
           a
           respective
           obedience
           to
           their
           peculiar
           Provincial
           :
           and
           to
           divide
           themselves
           from
           their
           proper
           Patriarch
           or
           Bishop
           was
           accounted
           Schism
           in
           the
           antient
           Church
           .
           Timothy
           being
           constituted
           Bishop
           of
           all
           the
           Diocess
           of
           Ephesus
           ,
           the
           Christians
           residing
           within
           that
           Precinct
           were
           obliged
           by
           the
           rules
           of
           Order
           to
           submit
           themselves
           to
           his
           peculiar
           inspection
           ,
           and
           it
           had
           been
           Schism
           to
           have
           disobeyed
           him
           ,
           or
           separated
           themselves
           from
           his
           Jurisdiction
           .
        
         
           St.
           Ambrose
           observed
           this
           decorum
           himself
           ,
           as
           he
           tells
           us
           by
           St.
           Augustin
           ,
           
           in
           an
           Epistle
           of
           his
           
             ad
             Januarium
             ,
             Cum
             Romae
             sum
             jejuno
             Sabbato
             ,
             cum
             hic
             sum
             non
             jejuno
             :
          
           and
           so
           St.
           Augustin
           counsels
           
             Januarius
             ,
             Sic
             
             etiam
             tu
             ad
             quam
             forte
             Ecclesiam
             veneris
             ,
             ejus
             morem
             serva
          
           ;
           which
           plainly
           concludes
           ,
           that
           Christian
           peace
           and
           order
           requires
           ,
           that
           we
           should
           conform
           to
           the
           Rites
           and
           Canons
           of
           that
           Church
           ,
           in
           whose
           Jurisdiction
           we
           live
           .
           The
           five
           Presbyters
           of
           Carthage
           were
           by
           St.
           Cyprian
           sentenced
           for
           Schismaticks
           ,
           because
           being
           within
           the
           Diocess
           of
           Carthage
           ,
           and
           so
           under
           his
           inspection
           ,
           they
           notwithstanding
           gathered
           to
           themselves
           Assemblies
           ,
           and
           exercised
           Ministerial
           Offices
           without
           his
           Authority
           .
           And
           for
           the
           same
           reason
           Athanasius
           accused
           Ischyras
           of
           Schism
           ,
           for
           modelling
           a
           Congregation
           in
           Mareoles
           without
           any
           subjection
           or
           dependance
           upon
           him
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Alexandria
           ,
           unto
           whose
           Jurisdiction
           that
           Countrey
           belonged
           :
           for
           he
           shews
           us
           his
           Title
           in
           these
           words
           ,
           
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           .
           
             i.
             e.
          
           All
           the
           Presbyters
           of
           this
           Province
           have
           their
           peculiar
           Cures
           ,
           or
           Parishes
           ,
           but
           all
           the
           Churches
           of
           this
           Region
           are
           under
           the
           Jurisdiction
           of
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Alexandria
           .
           And
           the
           very
           same
           thing
           Epiphanius
           tells
           us
           in
           his
           second
           Book
           
             adversus
             Haereses
          
           ,
           
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           &c.
           
           That
           there
           were
           several
           Parochial
           Churches
           ,
           in
           
           which
           the
           Inhabitants
           might
           assemble
           with
           greater
           convenience
           ;
           and
           these
           Congregations
           were
           under
           the
           Ministery
           of
           peculiar
           Presbyters
           :
           but
           all
           these
           Presbyters
           and
           their
           respective
           Churches
           were
           governed
           by
           the
           Superintendence
           of
           the
           Arch-bishop
           of
           Alexandria
           :
           and
           this
           was
           the
           universal
           model
           of
           unity
           and
           order
           in
           all
           other
           Provinces
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           Now
           the
           Arch-bishops
           of
           Canterbury
           and
           York
           have
           as
           much
           Jurisdiction
           over
           the
           Christians
           in
           England
           ,
           as
           Athanasius
           had
           over
           the
           Province
           of
           Alexandria
           ,
           or
           St.
           Cyprian
           in
           the
           Diocess
           of
           Carthage
           :
           for
           beside
           the
           Right
           of
           Church-Government
           which
           their
           succession
           from
           the
           Apostles
           give
           them
           ,
           they
           are
           impowr'd
           to
           exercise
           their
           Jurisdiction
           by
           the
           Laws
           of
           our
           Christian
           Prince
           :
           and
           therefore
           those
           Societies
           of
           Christians
           living
           under
           the
           Jurisdiction
           of
           the
           Arch-bishops
           and
           Bishops
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           yet
           do
           separate
           from
           their
           communion
           and
           Government
           ,
           are
           Schismaticks
           from
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           .
           To
           conclude
           this
           ,
           if
           the
           Novatians
           and
           Donatists
           ,
           if
           the
           five
           Presbyters
           of
           Carthage
           ,
           if
           Ischyras
           in
           Alexandria
           were
           Schismaticks
           ;
           if
           from
           the
           Ascension
           of
           our
           Lord
           to
           his
           second
           Advent
           ,
           there
           was
           ,
           or
           can
           be
           a
           Schismatick
           ;
           then
           the
           Sectaries
           of
           
           England
           are
           Schismaticks
           ,
           not
           only
           from
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           but
           from
           the
           whole
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           Having
           thus
           stated
           the
           antient
           notion
           of
           Schism
           ,
           and
           found
           it
           a
           henous
           impiety
           ,
           though
           our
           Non-conformists
           sport
           with
           it
           as
           an
           Ecclesiastical
           Scarecrow
           ;
           I
           shall
           next
           do
           them
           the
           justice
           to
           examine
           the
           Doctors
           Plea
           ,
           and
           see
           how
           well
           he
           vindicates
           them
           from
           the
           guilt
           of
           Schism
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           He
           denyes
           that
           there
           is
           any
           such
           creature
           as
           a
           National
           stated
           governing
           Church
           of
           England
           .
           If
           the
           Doctor
           means
           by
           all
           these
           rumbling
           Epithets
           of
           stated
           ,
           National
           ,
           governing
           ,
           organical
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           no
           such
           distinct
           organical
           Church
           in
           England
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           a
           separate
           body
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           I
           am
           then
           of
           his
           opinion
           :
           But
           if
           he
           means
           ,
           that
           the
           Bishops
           of
           England
           have
           no
           power
           of
           Government
           over
           the
           Christians
           in
           England
           ,
           it
           is
           a
           very
           foul
           mistake
           ,
           to
           speak
           in
           the
           modestest
           phrase
           :
           for
           I
           have
           already
           prov'd
           ,
           that
           the
           Arch-bishops
           and
           Bishops
           have
           as
           much
           Jurisdiction
           in
           their
           respective
           Provinces
           and
           Dioceses
           of
           England
           ,
           as
           any
           other
           Patriarchs
           and
           Bishops
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ever
           had
           in
           theirs
           :
           and
           
           if
           the
           
             Act
             of
             Uniformity
          
           be
           a
           Law
           ,
           I
           am
           sure
           there
           is
           such
           an
           establish'd
           being
           as
           a
           National
           Church
           .
        
         
           
           In
           Pag.
           30.
           his
           gravity
           drolls
           ,
           and
           gives
           us
           a
           very
           merry
           Argument
           to
           prove
           that
           there
           is
           no
           such
           creature
           as
           a
           National
           Church
           of
           England
           :
           for
           ,
           sayes
           he
           ,
           
             Whoso
             will
             erect
             a
             stated
             National
             governing
             Church
             in
          
           England
           ,
           
             must
             find
             us
             an
             Officer
             clothed
             with
             Authority
             to
             excommunicate
             from
          
           Michael
           '
           s
           Mount
           in
           Cornwall
           ,
           to
           Carlisle
           in
           Berwick
           .
           Now
           Sir
           ,
           let
           this
           pass
           for
           a
           piece
           of
           wit
           ,
           though
           it
           is
           as
           wide
           from
           reason
           ,
           as
           Cornwall
           from
           Berwick
           .
           What
           though
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Antioch
           could
           not
           excommunicate
           from
           Antioch
           to
           Constantinople
           ,
           and
           from
           thence
           to
           the
           borders
           of
           Persia
           ,
           must
           there
           therefore
           be
           no
           governing
           Church
           in
           Greece
           ?
           and
           might
           the
           Christians
           in
           Antioch
           by
           that
           Logick
           separate
           themselves
           from
           the
           communion
           and
           jurisdiction
           of
           their
           proper
           Patriarchs
           without
           Schism
           ?
           If
           our
           Author
           could
           have
           prov'd
           ,
           that
           there
           were
           any
           Provinces
           ,
           or
           Natives
           of
           England
           ,
           that
           were
           
             de
             jure
          
           exempt
           from
           the
           Canons
           of
           this
           Church
           ,
           and
           the
           jurisdiction
           of
           the
           English
           Bishops
           ,
           then
           there
           had
           been
           something
           of
           argument
           :
           But
           if
           the
           Doctor
           for
           contumacy
           and
           disorder
           should
           be
           excommunicated
           from
           
           Church
           of
           England
           in
           Berwick
           ,
           I
           am
           sure
           without
           absolution
           ,
           
             de
             jure
          
           he
           could
           not
           communicate
           with
           any
           Assembly
           of
           the
           Church
           in
           England
           ,
           though
           he
           travail'd
           from
           Berwick
           to
           Carlisle
           ,
           and
           from
           thence
           to
           
             Mount
             Michael
          
           in
           Cornwall
           :
           and
           this
           I
           fancy
           ,
           does
           strongly
           conclude
           ,
           That
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           is
           such
           a
           part
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           which
           hath
           a
           proper
           and
           peculiar
           jurisdiction
           over
           all
           the
           Christians
           in
           this
           Kingdom
           .
        
         
           
           Our
           
             Doctor
             ,
             pag.
             10.
             sect
             .
             12.
          
           owns
           it
           as
           a
           confess'd
           principle
           ,
           
             That
             every
             individual
             member
             of
             the
             Church
             Catholick
             visible
             is
             bound
             in
             duty
             both
             to
             God
             and
             his
             own
             soul
             ,
             to
             joyn
             himself
             to
             some
             particular
             Society
             of
             Christians
             ,
             with
             which
             he
             may
             enjoy
             all
             the
             Ordinances
             of
             God
             ,
             so
             as
             may
             be
             for
             his
             souls
             advantage
             .
          
           Well
           then
           ,
           why
           do
           they
           not
           communicate
           with
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           where
           all
           the
           Ordinances
           of
           God
           are
           observ'd
           and
           solemniz'd
           with
           as
           much
           gravity
           and
           faithfulness
           as
           in
           any
           other
           part
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ?
        
         
           To
           this
           he
           answers
           pag.
           11.
           
           That
           the
           business
           is
           so
           stated
           by
           the
           
             Act
             of
             Uniformity
          
           ,
           
           that
           they
           cannot
           communicate
           with
           us
           without
           doing
           what
           they
           judge
           to
           be
           sinful
           .
        
         
         
           There
           is
           nothing
           can
           justly
           be
           called
           sinful
           ,
           but
           what
           transgresses
           some
           manifest
           Law
           of
           God
           or
           Nature
           :
           and
           could
           the
           Doctor
           have
           prov'd
           ,
           that
           any
           thing
           practised
           or
           enjoyn'd
           by
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           did
           violate
           any
           of
           those
           Divine
           Rules
           ,
           his
           Plea
           had
           been
           allowed
           ,
           and
           his
           Party
           might
           vindicate
           their
           Non-conformity
           .
           But
           to
           Transgress
           a
           plain
           Law
           of
           God
           ,
           to
           disobey
           the
           Orders
           of
           our
           Governours
           ,
           and
           yet
           to
           give
           us
           no
           better
           reason
           for
           it
           ,
           than
           to
           say
           ,
           they
           fancy
           the
           things
           are
           sinful
           ,
           is
           so
           far
           from
           excusing
           ,
           that
           it
           aggravates
           the
           guilt
           .
           For
           ,
           First
           ,
           Their
           disobedience
           is
           an
           affront
           to
           their
           Governours
           ,
           and
           then
           the
           doing
           this
           only
           upon
           the
           account
           of
           their
           own
           judgement
           or
           fancy
           ,
           is
           an
           affront
           to
           God
           :
           for
           private
           conscience
           to
           usurp
           the
           Soveraignty
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           to
           lay
           such
           Divine
           Obligations
           upon
           the
           soul
           and
           mind
           ,
           which
           God
           never
           impos'd
           .
           The
           nature
           and
           guilt
           of
           this
           disobedience
           is
           exactly
           represented
           by
           the
           story
           of
           the
           young
           Prophet
           ,
           1
           Kings
           13.
           he
           was
           sent
           to
           prophesie
           against
           the
           Altar
           in
           Bethel
           ;
           now
           Jeroboam
           having
           cast
           off
           all
           the
           Priests
           and
           Levites
           of
           the
           Aaronical
           line
           ,
           and
           erected
           a
           new
           model
           of
           Religion
           ,
           therefore
           that
           the
           young
           Prophet
           might
           have
           no
           communion
           with
           so
           great
           a
           
           Schismatick
           ,
           God
           charges
           him
           expresly
           ,
           Vers
           .
           9.
           
             to
             eat
             no
             bread
             ,
             nor
             drink
             water
             in
             that
             place
             :
          
           now
           an
           old
           Prophet
           that
           dwelt
           in
           Bethel
           pretends
           a
           new
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           that
           with
           such
           cunning
           delusion
           ,
           as
           he
           prevailed
           with
           the
           young
           Prophet
           to
           go
           back
           and
           dine
           with
           him
           at
           Bethel
           ;
           but
           that
           entertainment
           cost
           him
           his
           life
           ,
           Verse
           24.
           
           The
           reason
           of
           this
           severity
           was
           very
           just
           and
           equitable
           ;
           for
           God
           had
           given
           him
           an
           express
           command
           not
           to
           eat
           in
           that
           place
           ,
           and
           that
           charge
           was
           reveal'd
           to
           him
           by
           some
           such
           manifest
           way
           of
           Divine
           Revelation
           ,
           that
           he
           was
           as
           much
           ascertain'd
           ,
           it
           was
           the
           Word
           of
           the
           Lord
           ,
           as
           he
           was
           assur'd
           of
           his
           own
           being
           :
           And
           therefore
           he
           was
           justly
           punish'd
           for
           disobeying
           a
           plain
           command
           ,
           and
           hearkning
           to
           a
           pretended
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           was
           not
           personally
           reveal'd
           to
           him
           ,
           and
           of
           the
           truth
           of
           which
           he
           could
           not
           be
           so
           much
           secur'd
           ,
           as
           he
           was
           of
           his
           former
           Vision
           .
           Thus
           obedience
           to
           Governours
           in
           general
           ,
           is
           as
           manifest
           a
           Law
           of
           God
           as
           was
           ever
           given
           to
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           we
           are
           in
           no
           particular
           to
           disobey
           them
           ,
           except
           we
           can
           produce
           another
           Divine
           Law
           of
           equal
           evidence
           and
           Authority
           which
           prohibits
           our
           obedience
           in
           that
           particular
           ;
           or
           else
           I
           believe
           from
           the
           process
           of
           the
           former
           story
           ,
           it
           is
           displeasing
           to
           God
           to
           transgress
           such
           a
           plain
           certain
           
           Law
           ,
           without
           a
           manifest
           prohibition
           from
           Heaven
           ,
           but
           only
           out
           of
           niceness
           of
           fancy
           or
           private
           judgement
           .
           And
           if
           the
           Church
           should
           part
           with
           all
           those
           things
           which
           Dissenters
           judge
           to
           be
           sinful
           ,
           there
           could
           be
           neither
           Church
           nor
           Government
           :
           for
           we
           must
           throw
           off
           our
           Hoods
           and
           Surplice
           to
           gratifie
           the
           scrupulous
           Puritan
           ;
           we
           must
           strip
           our selves
           stark-naked
           to
           satisfie
           the
           Fanaticism
           of
           the
           Adamites
           ;
           nay
           ,
           we
           must
           part
           not
           only
           with
           Rites
           and
           Ceremonies
           ,
           but
           the
           whole
           Liturgie
           and
           Hierarchy
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           because
           some
           fancy
           them
           to
           be
           Anti-christian
           ;
           nay
           ,
           the
           Creed
           is
           not
           secure
           ,
           we
           must
           expunge
           the
           Article
           of
           Christs
           Divinity
           to
           humour
           the
           Socinians
           ;
           we
           must
           blot
           out
           the
           Propitiation
           of
           Christ
           ,
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           and
           the
           Resurrection
           of
           the
           body
           ,
           to
           gratifie
           the
           Quakers
           :
           and
           so
           we
           must
           not
           only
           deface
           the
           front
           and
           out-side
           of
           the
           Temple
           ,
           but
           even
           raze
           it
           to
           the
           ground
           ,
           because
           it
           does
           not
           please
           the
           eye
           of
           these
           men
           of
           Babel
           :
           nay
           ,
           we
           must
           renounce
           our
           reason
           and
           our
           senses
           too
           to
           satisfie
           the
           Papists
           in
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           Transubstantiation
           ,
           and
           so
           by
           this
           method
           ,
           at
           length
           we
           must
           neither
           be
           men
           nor
           Christians
           .
        
         
           But
           let
           us
           put
           the
           case
           at
           the
           worst
           ,
           and
           
           suppose
           what
           these
           men
           fancy
           ,
           were
           really
           true
           ;
           That
           there
           were
           some
           things
           enjoyn'd
           by
           the
           Church
           ,
           which
           were
           really
           sinful
           ;
           I
           confess
           this
           would
           be
           a
           difficult
           and
           unhappy
           circumstance
           ,
           but
           yet
           it
           would
           not
           justifie
           a
           total
           separation
           ,
           and
           the
           erecting
           of
           new
           modell'd
           Churches
           ;
           for
           I
           have
           prov'd
           before
           ,
           that
           we
           are
           bound
           by
           the
           eternal
           reasons
           of
           Peace
           and
           Order
           to
           communicate
           with
           those
           Bishops
           ,
           and
           that
           part
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           under
           which
           we
           live
           :
           and
           if
           it
           should
           so
           happen
           ,
           that
           some
           things
           evidently
           sinful
           were
           enjoyn'd
           by
           this
           Church
           ,
           then
           we
           might
           remove
           into
           some
           other
           part
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           that
           were
           of
           a
           sounder
           constitution
           .
           But
           if
           we
           continued
           within
           the
           Jurisdiction
           of
           this
           Church
           ,
           I
           think
           we
           should
           be
           oblig'd
           to
           communicate
           with
           it
           in
           Publick
           Confession
           of
           Faith
           ,
           in
           Devotions
           and
           Sacraments
           ,
           and
           as
           far
           as
           we
           could
           without
           manifest
           sin
           .
           We
           might
           with
           peace
           and
           patience
           enjoy
           a
           pure
           conscience
           in
           our
           own
           family
           ,
           but
           it
           could
           never
           be
           lawful
           by
           any
           rule
           of
           Christianity
           to
           make
           a
           total
           separation
           ,
           and
           to
           set
           up
           another
           form
           of
           Church-Government
           ,
           in
           opposition
           to
           that
           under
           whose
           Jurisdiction
           we
           live
           .
        
         
           But
           Mr.
           H.
           in
           the
           Appendix
           hath
           discover'd
           
           a
           new
           Argument
           to
           vindicate
           the
           Non-conformists
           in
           upholding
           Conventicles
           distinct
           from
           the
           Assemblies
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           :
           The
           summ
           of
           his
           new
           Invention
           amounts
           to
           thus
           much
           .
        
         
           
             That
             necessity
             is
             laid
             upon
             them
             by
             Divine
             Law
             to
             preach
             the
             Gospel
             ;
             
             as
             for
             their
             communion
             with
             our
             Churches
             ,
             it
             is
             but
             an
             humane
             establishment
             :
             Now
             seeing
             they
             cannot
             preach
             in
             our
             Assemblies
             ,
             the
             necessity
             of
             a
             Divine
             Law
             obliges
             them
             to
             teach
             in
             Conventicles
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           Sir
           ,
           to
           encounter
           this
           Gigantick
           reason
           ,
           we
           must
           enquire
           the
           truth
           of
           his
           first
           Postulatum
           ,
           Whether
           any
           such
           necessity
           be
           laid
           upon
           these
           men
           to
           preach
           the
           Gospel
           ?
        
         
           Indeed
           I
           have
           met
           with
           a
           Geneva
           Divine
           ,
           that
           stoutly
           believes
           ,
           that
           necessity
           was
           laid
           upon
           Cain
           to
           be
           a
           Murderer
           ,
           and
           upon
           Judas
           to
           be
           a
           Traytor
           :
           Now
           I
           confess
           ,
           if
           this
           Divinity
           be
           true
           ,
           they
           may
           be
           under
           the
           unavoidable
           fate
           of
           Schism
           and
           Rebellion
           ,
           and
           then
           we
           ought
           to
           pity
           and
           excuse
           them
           ,
           and
           lay
           the
           guilt
           in
           Heaven
           .
           But
           I
           will
           suppose
           Mr.
           H.
           to
           be
           too
           good
           and
           modest
           for
           to
           accuse
           God
           ,
           to
           
           acquit
           himself
           .
           And
           the
           necessity
           he
           pretends
           ,
           is
           founded
           in
           their
           call
           to
           the
           Ministry
           .
           Now
           Sir
           ,
           there
           will
           be
           a
           necessity
           for
           us
           to
           enquire
           the
           truth
           of
           this
           Divine
           Call
           :
           for
           the
           Parliament
           were
           a
           very
           
             Jewish
             Sanhedrim
          
           to
           forbid
           these
           men
           to
           speak
           openly
           in
           the
           name
           of
           Jesus
           ,
           if
           they
           were
           certainly
           sent
           of
           God.
           But
           I
           shall
           ask
           them
           the
           same
           Question
           concerning
           their
           Mission
           ,
           that
           our
           Saviour
           asked
           the
           Jews
           concerning
           
           John's
           Baptism
           ,
           
             Was
             it
             from
             Heaven
             ,
             or
             of
             men
             ?
          
           If
           they
           shall
           say
           from
           men
           ,
           then
           they
           must
           shew
           us
           their
           orders
           from
           the
           hands
           of
           the
           Bishops
           ,
           the
           Apostles
           Successors
           ,
           who
           only
           have
           Authority
           with
           Titus
           to
           ordain
           Elders
           or
           Priests
           in
           every
           City
           :
           If
           they
           say
           from
           Heaven
           ,
           they
           must
           then
           bring
           us
           very
           serious
           credible
           Witnesses
           to
           assure
           us
           ,
           that
           they
           were
           called
           by
           a
           voice
           from
           the
           clouds
           ,
           as
           St.
           Paul
           was
           in
           his
           way
           to
           Damascus
           :
           And
           yet
           if
           this
           were
           done
           ,
           we
           live
           in
           such
           a
           Sceptick
           Age
           ,
           that
           men
           would
           not
           credit
           the
           Boast
           of
           Revelation
           without
           the
           credentials
           of
           a
           Miracle
           .
           And
           I
           confess
           I
           cannot
           blame
           the
           Christian
           World
           for
           this
           suspecting
           humour
           ;
           for
           so
           many
           impostures
           and
           delusions
           have
           been
           imposed
           upon
           the
           World
           by
           this
           pretence
           ,
           that
           't
           is
           prudence
           not
           to
           be
           too
           credulous
           .
        
         
         
           Now
           Sir
           ,
           you
           may
           observe
           ,
           that
           these
           fanciful
           Visions
           and
           Revelations
           have
           strangely
           swelled
           these
           men
           ;
           for
           they
           are
           no
           less
           in
           their
           own
           opinion
           ,
           than
           the
           great
           Apostles
           of
           Christ
           ,
           and
           therefore
           with
           St.
           Paul
           ,
           they
           cry
           out
           ,
           
             Necessity
             is
             laid
             upon
             us
             ,
             and
             wo
             be
             unto
             us
             if
             we
             preach
             not
             the
             Gospel
             :
          
           that
           is
           ,
           Sir
           ,
           That
           the
           Kingdom
           of
           England
           are
           still
           Jews
           and
           Barbarians
           ,
           and
           except
           these
           chief
           Apostles
           preach
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           there
           is
           no
           hopes
           of
           their
           conversion
           from
           Gentilism
           or
           Judaism
           .
           Nay
           ,
           pag.
           5
           ,
           6.
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             That
             there
             is
             such
             a
             necessity
             for
             these
             men
             to
             preach
             in
             Conventicles
             ,
             that
             the
             everlasting
             welfare
             of
             thousands
             of
             mens
             souls
             depend
             upon
             it
             .
          
           Wo
           ,
           wo
           to
           the
           King
           and
           Parliament
           ,
           that
           should
           dare
           to
           stop
           the
           mouths
           of
           these
           men
           ,
           upon
           whose
           breath
           depends
           the
           salvation
           of
           thousands
           of
           souls
           !
           Why
           Sir
           ,
           this
           is
           far
           more
           mischievous
           ,
           than
           shutting
           up
           the
           Exchequer
           ,
           breaking
           the
           East-India
           Company
           ,
           or
           spoiling
           all
           the
           Trade
           of
           England
           .
        
         
           But
           Sir
           ,
           I
           hope
           this
           dreadful
           Harangue
           will
           not
           fright
           you
           ,
           for
           all
           is
           but
           noise
           and
           canting
           :
           for
           I
           dare
           assure
           you
           ,
           the
           Execution
           of
           the
           Law
           will
           no
           way
           hinder
           the
           advancement
           of
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           nor
           hazard
           one
           
           soul
           in
           England
           :
           for
           Christianity
           will
           be
           soberly
           preach'd
           in
           England
           ,
           though
           all
           these
           men
           be
           silenc'd
           .
           And
           besides
           ,
           I
           should
           think
           by
           the
           principles
           of
           Calvinism
           ,
           that
           the
           salvation
           of
           souls
           were
           more
           fix'd
           and
           fatal
           ,
           than
           to
           depend
           upon
           the
           silence
           or
           preaching
           of
           a
           few
           Non-conforming
           Ministers
           .
           You
           know
           Sir
           ,
           the
           Decree
           of
           peremptory
           Election
           was
           dated
           long
           before
           that
           Reprobate
           
             Act
             of
             Uniformity
          
           ,
           and
           therefore
           there
           is
           no
           fear
           of
           losing
           one
           of
           the
           elect
           ,
           though
           these
           men
           be
           struck
           dumb
           :
           and
           as
           for
           the
           Reprobates
           ,
           all
           the
           Oratory
           of
           Dr.
           O.
           and
           Mr.
           H.
           and
           the
           rest
           of
           those
           mighty
           men
           can
           never
           alter
           their
           sadder
           fate
           .
           And
           therefore
           I
           think
           I
           may
           conclude
           from
           their
           own
           Divinity
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           no
           necessity
           laid
           upon
           them
           to
           preach
           the
           Gospel
           .
        
         
           
           Mr.
           H.
           solemnly
           propounds
           this
           weighty
           Question
           ,
           
             Which
             will
             be
             most
             for
             the
             glory
             of
             God
             ,
             either
             for
             the
             Non-conforming
             Teachers
             to
             preach
             the
             Gospel
             to
             their
             meetings
             ,
             or
             to
             keep
             the
             Union
             of
             their
             Parish
             Churches
             ?
          
        
         
           To
           which
           Question
           there
           is
           a
           very
           easie
           Answer
           ;
           for
           no
           doubt
           ,
           the
           God
           of
           order
           is
           more
           glorified
           by
           Unity
           ,
           Peace
           and
           Obedience
           
           to
           our
           Governours
           ,
           than
           by
           disorder
           and
           confusion
           .
           And
           therefore
           I
           shall
           conclude
           this
           by
           inverting
           the
           Argument
           :
           They
           may
           live
           in
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           without
           the
           least
           hazard
           of
           their
           salvation
           ;
           and
           necessity
           is
           laid
           upon
           them
           to
           obey
           their
           Governours
           ;
           and
           wo
           be
           unto
           them
           if
           they
           preach
           the
           Gospel
           in
           Conventicles
           ,
           and
           by
           walking
           disorderly
           ,
           trouble
           the
           peace
           and
           order
           both
           of
           Church
           and
           State.
           
        
         
           But
           there
           is
           one
           Plea
           more
           for
           this
           Schism
           or
           Separation
           ,
           (
           call
           it
           which
           you
           please
           )
           and
           that
           is
           cunningly
           insinuated
           in
           that
           famous
           definition
           of
           Schism
           by
           Mr.
           Hales
           cited
           pag.
           17.
           
           
             Schism
             is
             an
             unnecessary
             separation
             from
             that
             part
             of
             the
             visible
             Church
             ,
             of
             which
             we
             once
             were
             members
             .
          
           That
           their
           separation
           is
           unnecessary
           ,
           let
           the
           Doctor
           himself
           judge
           ,
           who
           pag.
           9.
           tells
           us
           ,
           they
           differ
           from
           us
           only
           in
           the
           insignificant
           fringes
           and
           laces
           of
           Forms
           and
           Ceremonies
           .
           Now
           I
           fancy
           ,
           it
           were
           a
           very
           unnecessary
           and
           undutiful
           thing
           ,
           for
           a
           Son
           to
           disown
           and
           desert
           his
           Mother
           ,
           only
           because
           the
           fringe
           and
           lace
           of
           her
           garment
           did
           not
           please
           his
           eye
           .
        
         
           But
           the
           mysterie
           lyes
           in
           the
           last
           words
           of
           the
           distinction
           ,
           A
           separation
           from
           that
           part
           
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           of
           which
           we
           once
           were
           members
           .
           Now
           Sir
           ,
           there
           are
           vast
           numbers
           of
           persons
           in
           England
           who
           were
           never
           baptized
           by
           the
           Ministery
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           or
           had
           any
           communion
           with
           her
           ,
           and
           then
           by
           the
           judgement
           of
           Mr.
           Hales
           cannot
           be
           charg'd
           with
           Schism
           or
           separation
           from
           her
           .
        
         
           But
           this
           is
           already
           answer'd
           ,
           for
           I
           have
           prov'd
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           bound
           in
           duty
           to
           live
           in
           communion
           with
           those
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           ,
           or
           that
           part
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           under
           which
           they
           reside
           :
           and
           if
           they
           never
           were
           in
           the
           communion
           of
           this
           Church
           ,
           they
           have
           been
           the
           longer
           in
           disorder
           and
           disobedience
           ,
           and
           that
           is
           a
           very
           ill
           method
           of
           excusing
           the
           crime
           .
        
         
           By
           this
           Sophistry
           Schism
           can
           only
           be
           the
           sin
           of
           the
           first
           generation
           :
           Novatus
           and
           his
           contemporaries
           that
           first
           departed
           from
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           were
           indeed
           Schismaticks
           ,
           but
           then
           those
           who
           were
           baptiz'd
           and
           educated
           by
           that
           faction
           ,
           were
           never
           in
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           so
           by
           this
           argument
           were
           free
           from
           Schism
           ,
           and
           so
           downwards
           from
           generation
           to
           generation
           .
           Now
           this
           looks
           like
           Magick
           ,
           for
           it
           teaches
           us
           an
           art
           
           how
           to
           split
           the
           Church
           into
           a
           thousand
           pieces
           ,
           and
           to
           continue
           this
           division
           for
           ever
           ;
           and
           yet
           in
           a
           little
           while
           there
           should
           be
           no
           dis-union
           :
           for
           it
           is
           only
           the
           adventure
           of
           the
           first
           Authors
           to
           break
           off
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           but
           then
           as
           many
           as
           they
           propagate
           to
           the
           end
           of
           the
           world
           are
           no
           Schismaticks
           ,
           because
           they
           never
           had
           any
           personal
           communion
           .
        
         
           Now
           Sir
           ,
           having
           asserted
           that
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           consists
           not
           only
           in
           the
           unity
           of
           faith
           ,
           but
           in
           a
           succession
           of
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           ,
           and
           a
           regular
           obedience
           to
           their
           inspection
           and
           conduct
           ;
           give
           me
           leave
           to
           reflect
           and
           consider
           what
           direful
           conclusions
           our
           Adversaries
           may
           draw
           from
           this
           notion
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           This
           will
           be
           accused
           of
           too
           much
           kindness
           to
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           :
           for
           they
           having
           continued
           their
           succession
           of
           Bishops
           from
           St.
           Peter
           ,
           this
           will
           acquit
           them
           from
           Schism
           ,
           and
           place
           them
           within
           the
           body
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           I
           hope
           Sir
           ,
           it
           will
           not
           offend
           ,
           if
           we
           be
           as
           kind
           to
           the
           Pope
           as
           we
           are
           to
           the
           Devil
           ,
           and
           allow
           him
           his
           due
           :
           No
           doubt
           ,
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           is
           in
           the
           communion
           of
           
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           but
           yet
           this
           is
           no
           argument
           for
           any
           to
           desert
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           remove
           to
           that
           of
           Rome
           ;
           for
           our
           Apostolick
           Succession
           of
           Bishops
           is
           as
           authentick
           as
           theirs
           ,
           and
           our
           Doctrine
           more
           Pure
           ,
           Primitive
           and
           Catholick
           ;
           and
           therefore
           it
           is
           irrational
           for
           the
           Romish
           Church
           to
           accuse
           us
           of
           Schism
           :
           for
           whatever
           they
           can
           justly
           plead
           for
           their
           Unity
           ,
           will
           equally
           establish
           ours
           with
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           I
           cannot
           better
           represent
           the
           present
           State
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           than
           by
           an
           allusion
           to
           the
           Jewish
           Temple
           :
           The
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           we
           are
           able
           to
           prove
           ,
           is
           the
           purest
           part
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           being
           most
           refined
           from
           error
           and
           superstition
           ,
           and
           therefore
           that
           may
           be
           resembled
           to
           the
           
             Sanctum
             Sanctorum
          
           ;
           The
           Greek
           Church
           ,
           though
           something
           defiled
           ,
           yet
           still
           preserving
           the
           Apostolick
           faith
           and
           succession
           of
           Patriarchs
           and
           Presbyters
           ,
           may
           be
           compar'd
           to
           the
           
             Middle
             Temple
          
           ;
           The
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ,
           like
           the
           
             Outward
             á
             Court
          
           ,
           is
           most
           profan'd
           with
           the
           Tables
           of
           the
           Money-changers
           ,
           and
           defil'd
           by
           abominable
           superstitions
           ;
           but
           yet
           though
           it
           be
           filthy
           ,
           it
           is
           a
           part
           of
           the
           building
           ,
           and
           within
           the
           Area
           of
           the
           Temple
           :
           But
           for
           any
           to
           desert
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           to
           communicate
           with
           that
           of
           
           Rome
           ,
           is
           such
           a
           frantick
           humour
           as
           for
           a
           man
           to
           quit
           the
           neatest
           appartment
           ,
           and
           exchange
           for
           the
           most
           sluttish
           room
           in
           the
           same
           house
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           That
           which
           will
           raise
           the
           greatest
           clamour
           is
           ,
           That
           by
           this
           notion
           I
           unchurch
           all
           the
           forreign
           Reform'd
           Churches
           ,
           who
           have
           no
           Bishops
           of
           the
           Catholick
           line
           to
           govern
           them
           ,
           and
           ordain
           their
           Ministers
           .
        
         
           To
           this
           I
           answer
           ,
           That
           if
           any
           of
           the
           forreign
           Churches
           have
           continued
           a
           succession
           of
           Presbyters
           ,
           who
           can
           derive
           their
           Origination
           from
           Episcopal
           Ordination
           ,
           it
           something
           lessens
           their
           dis-union
           ,
           and
           gives
           them
           a
           remote
           alliance
           to
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ;
           yet
           this
           is
           but
           private
           charity
           ,
           and
           will
           not
           justifie
           them
           from
           Schism
           by
           the
           Canons
           of
           the
           antient
           Church
           .
           But
           if
           any
           of
           them
           have
           a
           Ministry
           ,
           which
           have
           no
           other
           Orders
           than
           their
           own
           Usurpation
           or
           popular
           Election
           ,
           I
           know
           not
           how
           to
           acquit
           them
           from
           being
           Schismaticks
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           And
           why
           do
           not
           the
           States
           of
           Holland
           send
           their
           Professors
           from
           Leyden
           to
           London
           to
           receive
           Consecration
           from
           the
           hands
           of
           our
           English
           Bishops
           ,
           and
           so
           engraft
           themselves
           again
           into
           the
           unity
           
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ?
           this
           they
           might
           easily
           do
           ,
           without
           being
           oblig'd
           to
           any
           subscriptions
           to
           Papal
           power
           or
           innovations
           ;
           if
           their
           omission
           of
           this
           arise
           from
           a
           contempt
           and
           abhorrence
           of
           Episcopacy
           ,
           I
           have
           no
           Apology
           for
           them
           ,
           neither
           would
           I
           be
           in
           the
           communion
           of
           those
           Churches
           for
           all
           the
           Bank
           of
           their
           East-India
           Company
           .
           If
           any
           of
           the
           forreign
           Churches
           be
           under
           such
           unhappy
           circumstances
           ,
           that
           they
           can
           justly
           plead
           a
           necessity
           for
           having
           no
           Bishops
           or
           Priests
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           Succession
           ,
           I
           have
           great
           compassion
           for
           them
           ,
           and
           question
           not
           but
           God
           accepts
           them
           :
           for
           I
           receive
           that
           as
           an
           indisputable
           Maxim
           ,
           That
           where
           there
           is
           an
           inevitable
           necessity
           ,
           there
           can
           be
           no
           guilt
           ,
           though
           the
           fact
           it self
           be
           never
           so
           much
           irregular
           .
           But
           as
           for
           those
           Churches
           in
           general
           ,
           I
           have
           St.
           Pauls
           Charity
           ,
           
             Those
             that
             are
             without
             let
             God
             judge
             .
          
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           Our
           squeamish
           ▪
           Sectaries
           are
           offended
           at
           the
           Hierarchy
           of
           England
           ,
           because
           it
           derives
           its
           succession
           from
           the
           Bishops
           of
           Rome
           .
           To
           which
           I
           have
           a
           double
           Answer
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           That
           I
           make
           not
           the
           Chair
           of
           Rome
           the
           sole
           Head
           ,
           or
           Origine
           of
           this
           Catholick
           succession
           :
           for
           the
           Episcopal
           or
           Apostolick
           
           power
           of
           Government
           and
           Ordination
           was
           equally
           conferred
           upon
           all
           the
           Apostles
           by
           the
           general
           commission
           of
           our
           High
           Priest
           Jesus
           :
           and
           therefore
           a
           succession
           of
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           from
           any
           of
           these
           Apostles
           ,
           is
           enough
           to
           assert
           our
           unity
           with
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           You
           know
           the
           twelve
           Apostles
           are
           made
           the
           twelve
           foundation-stones
           of
           the
           Christian
           Temple
           ;
           and
           that
           part
           of
           the
           Church
           which
           in
           a
           right
           line
           is
           built
           upon
           St.
           James
           ,
           is
           as
           much
           in
           the
           unity
           and
           compact
           of
           the
           building
           ,
           as
           that
           which
           stands
           upon
           St.
           Peter
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           Let
           us
           grant
           it
           ,
           that
           we
           claim
           our
           succession
           from
           the
           line
           of
           Rome
           ,
           this
           will
           no
           way
           prejudice
           the
           Episcopacy
           of
           England
           :
           I
           hope
           it
           was
           no
           dishonour
           to
           the
           Holy
           Jesus
           ,
           that
           there
           were
           some
           of
           his
           Genealogy
           that
           had
           no
           very
           good
           fame
           in
           the
           World
           ;
           it
           was
           sufficient
           ,
           that
           by
           that
           line
           it
           was
           made
           evident
           our
           Lord
           sprung
           from
           Judah
           :
           and
           it
           is
           enough
           for
           the
           Bishops
           of
           England
           to
           make
           it
           evident
           ,
           they
           sprung
           from
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           though
           some
           of
           their
           line
           were
           men
           of
           impious
           lives
           ,
           or
           erroneous
           opinions
           ,
           that
           no
           way
           lessened
           their
           power
           of
           propagation
           ,
           nor
           invalidates
           the
           Authority
           of
           our
           succession
           .
        
         
         
           Thus
           I
           have
           consider'd
           Schism
           as
           a
           separation
           from
           the
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           line
           ,
           and
           I
           see
           no
           reason
           to
           recant
           this
           notion
           .
           And
           therefore
           the
           Appendixer
           is
           vastly
           mistaken
           ,
           pag.
           9.
           when
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             That
             if
             the
             Parliament
             did
             legitimate
             their
             Meetings
             ,
             there
             were
             an
             end
             of
             the
             Schism
             :
          
           for
           they
           might
           indeed
           by
           a
           Law
           of
           Toleration
           acquit
           them
           from
           all
           the
           Temporal
           penalties
           of
           a
           separation
           ,
           but
           it
           would
           exceed
           all
           the
           Omnipotency
           of
           Parliaments
           to
           discharge
           them
           from
           the
           guilt
           of
           Schism
           :
           for
           they
           must
           first
           compel
           their
           Teachers
           to
           take
           Episcopal
           Orders
           ,
           and
           bring
           in
           all
           the
           Conventicles
           into
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           place
           them
           under
           the
           Government
           of
           their
           proper
           Bishops
           ,
           or
           else
           they
           would
           still
           be
           Schismaticks
           ,
           
             non
             obstante
             Statuto
          
           .
        
         
           Before
           I
           conclude
           ,
           I
           will
           consider
           some
           grand
           Absurdities
           that
           will
           follow
           from
           the
           denyal
           of
           this
           notion
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           The
           profound
           Fanaticks
           in
           England
           clamour
           against
           the
           whole
           Hierarchy
           ,
           and
           will
           have
           the
           whole
           race
           of
           Arch-bishops
           and
           Bishops
           to
           be
           Anti-christian
           .
           Now
           Sir
           ,
           I
           'le
           appeal
           to
           your
           judgement
           ,
           if
           this
           
           be
           not
           blasphemy
           ;
           for
           then
           all
           the
           holy
           Bishops
           that
           assembled
           in
           the
           first
           four
           General
           Councils
           ,
           that
           did
           assert
           the
           truth
           of
           Christianity
           against
           Pagans
           ,
           Jews
           and
           Hereticks
           ,
           and
           those
           many
           Bishops
           of
           the
           antient
           Church
           that
           headed
           the
           noble
           Army
           of
           Martyrs
           ,
           must
           be
           damn'd
           as
           limbs
           of
           Antichrist
           :
           Nay
           ,
           I
           cannot
           see
           how
           to
           defend
           Timothy
           and
           Titus
           from
           being
           Anti-christian
           too
           ;
           and
           if
           these
           Propagators
           of
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           ,
           were
           Anti-christian
           ,
           where
           shall
           we
           enquire
           for
           Christianity
           ?
           Nay
           ,
           this
           were
           a
           sure
           foundation
           for
           Atheism
           ;
           for
           how
           can
           it
           be
           reconcil'd
           to
           the
           Providence
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           or
           the
           care
           of
           Jesus
           ,
           that
           he
           should
           plant
           a
           Kingdom
           upon
           earth
           ,
           with
           a
           promise
           of
           his
           presence
           and
           most
           careful
           providence
           ,
           and
           yet
           to
           suffer
           his
           own
           Kingdom
           to
           be
           enslav'd
           under
           the
           usurpation
           of
           an
           Anti-christian
           yoke
           for
           sixteen
           hundred
           years
           together
           ?
           if
           this
           were
           true
           ,
           too
           many
           wise
           men
           would
           conclude
           with
           the
           fool
           in
           the
           
             Psalmist
             ,
             That
             there
             is
             no
             God.
             
          
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           If
           this
           succession
           of
           Bishops
           and
           Presbyters
           be
           not
           necessary
           to
           preserve
           our
           unity
           with
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           then
           the
           Keys
           must
           be
           thrown
           away
           ,
           and
           excommunication
           is
           but
           an
           idle
           impertinence
           :
           for
           if
           there
           be
           not
           a
           certain
           body
           or
           corporation
           
           of
           Christians
           known
           by
           a
           succession
           of
           power
           and
           Priesthood
           from
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           how
           can
           it
           be
           known
           ,
           when
           a
           person
           is
           cast
           out
           of
           the
           Church
           ?
           for
           if
           the
           Christian
           Church
           be
           like
           a
           Wilderness
           ,
           where
           every
           family
           may
           pitch
           their
           Tent
           where
           they
           please
           ,
           there
           is
           no
           use
           of
           Keyes
           to
           so
           wide
           a
           desert
           .
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           if
           this
           succession
           be
           not
           necessary
           ,
           how
           can
           any
           rational
           man
           be
           ever
           satisfied
           in
           the
           administration
           of
           Ministerial
           Offices
           ,
           as
           Sacraments
           ,
           and
           Absolution
           ,
           when
           there
           is
           no
           certain
           rule
           in
           the
           world
           by
           which
           he
           can
           rationally
           be
           assured
           of
           the
           regular
           Authority
           of
           him
           that
           ministers
           .
        
         
           To
           conclude
           this
           ,
           if
           this
           notion
           of
           unity
           be
           disown'd
           ,
           then
           every
           Conventicle
           is
           a
           true
           Church
           ;
           and
           every
           man
           whom
           himself
           or
           the
           people
           fancy
           inspir'd
           must
           be
           receiv'd
           for
           a
           Prophet
           ;
           and
           God
           must
           lose
           one
           of
           his
           Titles
           ,
           The
           God
           of
           Order
           ;
           and
           Confusion
           must
           be
           believ'd
           to
           be
           an
           Ordinance
           of
           Heaven
           .
        
         
           Before
           I
           conclude
           ,
           give
           me
           leave
           to
           reverse
           the
           Doctor
           ,
           and
           make
           his
           Front
           the
           Rear
           :
           (
           Sir
           ,
           the
           phrase
           may
           be
           allow'd
           ,
           )
           for
           if
           I
           mistake
           not
           ,
           the
           Author
           has
           been
           
           a
           man
           of
           War
           ,
           and
           understands
           very
           well
           the
           Martial
           Dialect
           .
        
         
           The
           Harangue
           with
           which
           the
           Doctor
           prefaces
           his
           Plea
           ,
           may
           justly
           be
           inverted
           .
        
         
           It
           was
           doubtless
           one
           of
           the
           greatest
           infelicities
           that
           ever
           befell
           the
           whole
           body
           of
           people
           in
           these
           three
           Nations
           ,
           that
           when
           in
           the
           year
           1662.
           
           Religion
           was
           so
           happily
           setled
           in
           Faith
           ,
           Worship
           and
           Government
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           pattern
           of
           the
           antient
           Catholick
           Church
           in
           the
           first
           three
           Centuries
           ,
           and
           though
           this
           Religion
           was
           ratified
           by
           the
           very
           hand
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           dry
           bones
           reviv'd
           by
           the
           Miracle
           of
           an
           unexpected
           Restitution
           ,
           that
           yet
           there
           should
           be
           amongst
           us
           so
           many
           thousands
           of
           such
           perverse
           and
           sullen
           Tempers
           ,
           as
           not
           to
           be
           perswaded
           into
           the
           Churches
           communion
           neither
           by
           Law
           ,
           Reason
           ,
           nor
           Miracle
           .
        
         
           I
           cannot
           discern
           the
           Doctors
           ingenuity
           in
           his
           second
           Section
           ,
           
           where
           he
           originates
           the
           
             Act
             of
             Uniformity
          
           in
           the
           anger
           ,
           ambition
           and
           covetousness
           of
           Church-men
           ,
           and
           allows
           our
           Governours
           not
           one
           grain
           of
           Prudence
           or
           Piety
           in
           the
           composure
           of
           that
           Law.
           
        
         
         
           He
           first
           takes
           notice
           of
           the
           anger
           that
           rested
           in
           the
           bosom
           of
           Church-men
           ,
           
           who
           had
           been
           sufferers
           .
           Methinks
           those
           men
           who
           had
           invaded
           the
           Rights
           and
           Revenues
           of
           the
           Loyal
           Clergy
           should
           have
           been
           content
           with
           the
           publick
           remission
           and
           charity
           of
           the
           
             Act
             of
             Indemnity
          
           ,
           and
           not
           expect
           a
           Miracle
           that
           the
           
             Act
             of
             Oblivion
          
           should
           quite
           destroy
           the
           Church-mens
           memories
           :
           for
           these
           ploughers
           had
           ploughed
           such
           deep
           furrows
           upon
           the
           Churches
           back
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           impossible
           such
           impressions
           should
           soon
           wear
           out
           .
           The
           Doves
           were
           driven
           from
           their
           nest
           ,
           and
           their
           feathers
           of
           Gold
           pluck'd
           off
           by
           those
           ravening
           Vultures
           ,
           and
           they
           were
           forc'd
           (
           in
           the
           Psalmists
           language
           )
           
             to
             lye
             among
             the
             pots
          
           .
           And
           yet
           after
           all
           this
           ,
           they
           must
           not
           so
           much
           as
           reflect
           upon
           all
           those
           rapines
           ,
           nor
           express
           any
           prudent
           caution
           against
           these
           Birds
           of
           prey
           ,
           but
           they
           must
           presently
           be
           accused
           of
           having
           too
           much
           gall
           .
        
         
           His
           next
           charge
           is
           against
           the
           Zeal
           of
           Church-men
           to
           continue
           some
           Bishops
           the
           repute
           of
           Martyrs
           ,
           
           who
           had
           suffer'd
           for
           the
           vigorous
           inforcing
           of
           some
           of
           the
           things
           now
           enjoyn'd
           .
        
         
         
           I
           observe
           ,
           the
           Doctor
           very
           warily
           covers
           the
           Blood
           of
           Charles
           the
           First
           ,
           but
           dares
           dip
           his
           fingers
           in
           that
           of
           the
           Bishops
           ;
           and
           yet
           I
           believe
           ,
           the
           King
           as
           well
           as
           the
           Bishop
           is
           left
           out
           from
           his
           Martyrologie
           .
           Had
           the
           Bishops
           impos'd
           such
           Rites
           and
           Innovations
           as
           had
           been
           inconsistent
           with
           the
           reverence
           of
           Religion
           and
           the
           nature
           of
           Christianity
           ;
           had
           they
           urged
           such
           Observances
           which
           had
           never
           been
           practis'd
           in
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           nor
           required
           by
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           :
           truly
           then
           the
           blood
           of
           Arch-bishop
           Laud
           should
           have
           no
           Rubrick
           in
           my
           Kalendar
           ,
           for
           then
           he
           had
           suffered
           as
           an
           evil
           doer
           .
           But
           when
           those
           things
           required
           ,
           were
           founded
           upon
           good
           reasons
           of
           Religion
           ,
           the
           custom
           of
           the
           antient
           Church
           ,
           and
           enjoyn'd
           by
           the
           just
           Authority
           of
           this
           Nation
           ,
           I
           think
           the
           Arch-bishop
           who
           had
           the
           hard
           fate
           to
           fall
           in
           doing
           of
           his
           duty
           ,
           may
           (
           in
           a
           sober
           sense
           )
           be
           said
           to
           suffer
           for
           righteousness
           sake
           ,
           and
           be
           allowed
           the
           honour
           of
           some
           kind
           of
           Martyrdom
           .
           Sir
           ,
           I
           do
           here
           declare
           my self
           an
           eternal
           enemy
           to
           that
           Religion
           ,
           which
           can
           consecrate
           Sacriledge
           ,
           hallow
           Rebellion
           ,
           and
           sanctifie
           Rapine
           and
           Injustice
           .
           Nor
           will
           I
           ever
           have
           any
           communion
           with
           those
           men
           ,
           who
           Canonize
           the
           most
           infamous
           Traytors
           and
           
           Murderers
           for
           Saints
           ,
           and
           condemn
           the
           best
           King
           and
           Bishop
           in
           the
           World
           for
           Malefactors
           :
           I
           don't
           see
           ,
           but
           by
           the
           Theorems
           of
           this
           Jewish
           Divinity
           ,
           Barabbas
           might
           have
           been
           Sainted
           ,
           and
           Christ
           recorded
           for
           an
           Impostor
           .
        
         
           The
           next
           accusation
           brought
           against
           Church-men
           ,
           is
           their
           desire
           of
           filthy
           Lucre.
           I
           confess
           ,
           covetousness
           is
           one
           of
           the
           greatest
           shames
           of
           humane
           Reason
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           is
           a
           most
           absurd
           impertinence
           to
           see
           Spiritual
           men
           to
           fond
           upon
           the
           things
           of
           earth
           .
           But
           if
           that
           must
           be
           called
           a
           desire
           of
           filthy
           Lucre
           ,
           when
           a
           man
           perhaps
           a
           little
           too
           passionately
           desires
           and
           enjoyes
           his
           own
           just
           Rights
           and
           Properties
           ,
           then
           sure
           it
           was
           the
           foulest
           Lucre
           ,
           for
           those
           men
           no
           invade
           the
           Revenues
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           to
           which
           they
           had
           no
           Title
           ,
           neither
           by
           the
           Law
           of
           God
           ,
           nor
           the
           Statutes
           of
           the
           Nation
           :
           Sure
           none
           but
           a
           Pharisee
           could
           have
           overseen
           so
           vast
           a
           beam
           in
           his
           own
           eye
           ,
           and
           taken
           such
           great
           notice
           of
           a
           little
           spot
           in
           his
           Brothers
           .
        
         
           The
           
             Acts
             of
             Uniformity
          
           and
           that
           against
           Private
           Meetings
           ,
           
           are
           describ'd
           as
           Severe
           and
           Tragick
           ,
           
           as
           if
           they
           had
           been
           the
           Edicts
           of
           Nero
           or
           Dioclesian
           .
           I
           do
           believe
           ,
           had
           
           the
           very
           same
           Laws
           been
           by
           the
           Roman
           Emperours
           imposed
           upon
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           in
           the
           first
           three
           hundred
           years
           ,
           they
           would
           have
           made
           a
           Jubilee
           ,
           and
           have
           been
           celebrated
           by
           the
           antient
           Christians
           with
           Hymns
           and
           Hallelujahs
           :
           The
           Sentiments
           of
           these
           men
           differ
           so
           much
           from
           the
           judgement
           of
           the
           antient
           Christians
           ,
           as
           if
           they
           were
           not
           of
           the
           same
           Religion
           .
           And
           Sir
           ,
           you
           may
           remember
           some
           Ordinances
           of
           Parliament
           that
           did
           more
           bloody
           execution
           ,
           than
           all
           the
           Laws
           and
           Canons
           Royal
           of
           England
           .
           Sure
           you
           have
           not
           forgot
           ,
           when
           Loyalty
           to
           our
           Prince
           ,
           and
           faithfulness
           to
           the
           establish'd
           Religion
           was
           damn'd
           for
           Malignancy
           ;
           and
           the
           Loyal
           Nobility
           ,
           Gentry
           and
           Clergy
           of
           England
           were
           condemn'd
           to
           Axes
           and
           Halters
           ,
           Plunderings
           and
           Sequestrations
           ,
           Prisons
           and
           Banishment
           .
           And
           yet
           all
           these
           Tragick
           Scenes
           must
           have
           a
           silken
           curtain
           drawn
           over
           them
           ,
           and
           must
           be
           interpreted
           as
           expresses
           of
           holy
           zeal
           ,
           and
           Rigour
           and
           Persecution
           charg'd
           only
           upon
           the
           
             Acts
             of
             Uniformity
          
           ,
           and
           that
           against
           Conventicles
           .
        
         
           From
           pag.
           3.
           to
           pag.
           7.
           the
           Doctor
           labours
           to
           assert
           the
           great
           numbers
           of
           Non-conformists
           ,
           and
           insinuates
           ,
           that
           the
           prudence
           of
           our
           Governours
           could
           never
           have
           passed
           the
           
           
             Act
             of
             Uniformity
          
           ,
           if
           they
           had
           not
           been
           mis-informed
           ,
           that
           the
           numbers
           of
           Non-conformists
           were
           very
           inconsiderable
           .
        
         
           I
           confess
           ,
           in
           State
           Logick
           number
           is
           a
           weighty
           argument
           ,
           and
           in
           Politicks
           it
           must
           be
           thought
           imprudence
           ,
           to
           disoblige
           a
           numerous
           party
           ,
           who
           are
           able
           to
           affront
           their
           Governours
           ,
           and
           cast
           away
           their
           cords
           from
           them
           ;
           
             Cum
             plurimi
             peccant
             impunes
             sunt
          
           :
           But
           whether
           the
           establishing
           parties
           and
           divisions
           by
           a
           Law
           ,
           do
           consist
           with
           the
           Piety
           of
           a
           Christian
           Prince
           ,
           I
           shall
           leave
           to
           your
           Judgement
           to
           enquire
           .
           But
           I
           see
           by
           the
           
           Doctor
           's
           Maxims
           of
           Prudence
           ,
           if
           the
           World
           run
           after
           the
           Beast
           ,
           it
           is
           but
           the
           duty
           and
           wisdom
           of
           the
           Kings
           of
           the
           Earth
           to
           fall
           down
           and
           worship
           him
           :
           and
           if
           the
           Arrian
           faction
           be
           great
           and
           popular
           ,
           it
           is
           Prudence
           in
           Constantius
           to
           Arrianize
           .
        
         
           It
           is
           worth
           observing
           ,
           how
           these
           men
           to
           serve
           their
           Interest
           can
           quit
           their
           old
           impropriation
           of
           the
           little
           flock
           ,
           and
           to
           make
           themselves
           formidable
           ,
           will
           appear
           as
           the
           
             Syrians
             ,
             that
             cover
             the
             Land.
          
           But
           this
           Popish
           Argument
           of
           Number
           ,
           is
           never
           urg'd
           but
           upon
           design
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           confess'd
           ,
           Multitude
           is
           no
           infallible
           argument
           of
           truth
           ,
           for
           Anti-christ
           will
           out
           poll
           us
           .
        
         
         
           He
           complains
           ,
           
           that
           there
           is
           a
           vast
           number
           of
           Atheistical
           livers
           ,
           that
           seldom
           or
           never
           resort
           to
           Publick
           worship
           ,
           and
           yet
           these
           escape
           the
           Indictments
           of
           Law
           &
           Censures
           of
           the
           Church
           ;
           but
           all
           the
           arrows
           are
           made
           ready
           against
           the
           servants
           of
           the
           Living
           God.
           Whether
           the
           Title
           of
           the
           Servants
           of
           God
           ,
           which
           these
           men
           appropriate
           to
           themselves
           ;
           be
           not
           a
           Presumption
           ,
           I
           shall
           leave
           to
           be
           examin'd
           by
           Omniscience
           :
           But
           I
           am
           sure
           ,
           they
           are
           guilty
           of
           some
           actions
           of
           so
           bad
           a
           tincture
           ,
           that
           may
           make
           the
           World
           justly
           suspect
           ,
           they
           wear
           the
           Livery
           of
           another
           Master
           .
        
         
           But
           if
           there
           be
           a
           remisness
           of
           Government
           in
           England
           ,
           or
           a
           connivance
           to
           Athe●istical
           Separatists
           ,
           it
           is
           our
           complaint
           and
           lamentation
           as
           well
           as
           theirs
           .
           The
           Doctor
           in
           the
           same
           Section
           makes
           the
           number
           of
           the
           Atheists
           in
           England
           not
           inferiour
           to
           the
           Non-conformists
           :
           And
           then
           by
           the
           late
           insinuation
           their
           number
           will
           likewise
           plead
           for
           Toleration
           ,
           and
           it
           will
           not
           be
           prudence
           to
           molest
           them
           .
           And
           where
           there
           are
           many
           Sectaries
           ,
           it
           is
           no
           wonder
           there
           should
           be
           as
           many
           Atheists
           .
           You
           know
           Sir
           ,
           it
           was
           remarqued
           by
           a
           very
           observing
           Gentleman
           ,
           
             That
             there
             were
             more
             Atheists
             in
             
             the
          
           Seven
           Provinces
           ,
           
             than
             in
             the
             rest
             of
          
           Christendom
           :
           (
           we
           must
           now
           except
           England
           )
           and
           he
           gives
           us
           this
           reason
           for
           his
           conjecture
           ,
           That
           there
           were
           so
           many
           Religions
           ,
           that
           there
           were
           great
           numbers
           of
           men
           that
           were
           of
           none
           at
           all
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           There
           are
           many
           impertinencies
           in
           that
           little
           Book
           ,
           which
           I
           thought
           not
           worthy
           the
           examination
           ,
           and
           which
           your
           Judgement
           will
           easily
           answer
           from
           the
           grounds
           of
           this
           discourse
           :
           Such
           is
           his
           branding
           Parish
           Churches
           for
           a
           Popish
           invention
           ,
           which
           any
           sober
           man
           would
           rather
           have
           thought
           to
           have
           been
           the
           contrivance
           of
           Reason
           and
           convenience
           ;
           for
           we
           find
           this
           invention
           elder
           than
           the
           Pope
           ;
           for
           they
           were
           founded
           in
           the
           Province
           of
           Alexandria
           in
           the
           dayes
           of
           Athanasius
           ,
           as
           Athanasius
           and
           Epiphanius
           inform
           us
           .
        
         
           Such
           another
           impertinence
           is
           his
           tedious
           Harangue
           about
           Separation
           from
           Parochial
           Organical
           Churches
           ,
           which
           no
           way
           concern
           the
           constitution
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           or
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           :
           for
           though
           deserting
           our
           Parish
           Church
           in
           some
           circumstance
           may
           be
           a
           disorder
           ,
           yet
           it
           is
           no
           Schism
           if
           we
           communicate
           with
           any
           other
           regular
           Assembly
           of
           the
           same
           communion
           .
           
           Athanasius
           does
           not
           accuse
           Ischyras
           of
           Schism
           ,
           for
           separating
           from
           his
           Parochial
           Congregation
           and
           Priest
           ,
           but
           for
           erecting
           a
           Conventicle
           ,
           and
           dividing
           from
           the
           Bishop
           ,
           and
           the
           whole
           Catholick
           Church
           in
           Alexandria
           .
        
         
           As
           for
           Mr.
           
           H's
           Discourse
           about
           the
           Obligation
           of
           Humane
           Laws
           ,
           I
           shall
           refer
           him
           for
           an
           Answer
           to
           St.
           Paul
           and
           Bishop
           Sanderson
           ;
           and
           when
           they
           are
           answered
           ,
           we
           must
           enquire
           further
           .
        
         
           I
           take
           no
           notice
           of
           the
           Railery
           against
           Ceremonies
           .
           The
           necessity
           of
           them
           in
           Publick
           Worship
           ▪
           and
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           Church
           in
           enjoyning
           them
           is
           substantially
           prov'd
           by
           Mr.
           Hooker
           ,
           and
           lately
           by
           Mr.
           Falkner
           ;
           and
           if
           their
           Reasons
           will
           not
           prevail
           ,
           I
           will
           not
           pretend
           to
           work
           a
           Miracle
           ,
           or
           hope
           to
           open
           the
           eyes
           of
           them
           ,
           who
           are
           resolv'd
           to
           be
           blind
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           I
           hope
           that
           these
           Papers
           will
           satisfie
           you
           ,
           that
           these
           men
           are
           Schismaticks
           ,
           and
           assure
           you
           that
           I
           am
           ,
        
         
           
             Sir
             ,
          
           
             
               Your
               faithful
               Friend
               and
               Servant
            
             ,
             R.
             C.
             
          
        
      
       
         
         
         
           
             Honoured
             Sir
             ,
          
        
         
           THere
           lately
           came
           to
           my
           hand
           the
           Works
           of
           Mr.
           Hales
           ,
           Entituled
           
             Golden
             Remains
          
           .
           The
           most
           Sacred
           of
           these
           Reliques
           ,
           is
           a
           little
           Tract
           of
           Schism
           ,
           which
           you
           find
           celebrated
           by
           the
           High
           and
           Mighty
           Transproser
           ,
           and
           applauded
           by
           your
           
             Doctor
             of
             Divinity
          
           ,
           and
           is
           the
           fam'd
           Sanctuary
           of
           our
           dividing
           Parties
           .
           Therefore
           having
           some
           Months
           since
           presented
           you
           with
           my
           thoughts
           concerning
           Schism
           ,
           I
           thought
           my self
           oblig'd
           to
           an
           impartial
           perusal
           of
           this
           Famous
           Tract
           ,
           for
           fear
           I
           might
           through
           weakness
           of
           judgement
           have
           impos'd
           an
           error
           upon
           you
           and
           my self
           .
           I
           found
           the
           Remains
           of
           Mr.
           Hales
           prefac'd
           with
           so
           vast
           an
           Encomium
           of
           the
           Author
           ,
           that
           I
           address'd
           my self
           to
           his
           Tract
           of
           Schism
           with
           a
           very
           awful
           reverence
           :
           resolving
           to
           submit
           to
           the
           clearest
           Reasons
           ,
           and
           not
           to
           be
           asham'd
           to
           be
           convinc'd
           by
           a
           Person
           of
           that
           admir'd
           Acuteness
           .
           But
           having
           with
           the
           most
           strict
           intention
           consider'd
           that
           Discourse
           ,
           I
           find
           my
           notion
           of
           Schism
           left
           untouch'd
           .
        
         
         
           But
           because
           our
           Non-conformists
           so
           oft
           Appeal
           to
           this
           Tractate
           ,
           I
           resolv'd
           to
           consider
           how
           far
           it
           could
           serve
           their
           Interest
           ,
           and
           justifie
           their
           Separation
           .
        
         
           
           First
           therefore
           he
           informs
           us
           ,
           That
           there
           are
           two
           things
           which
           serve
           to
           compleat
           a
           Schism
           .
        
         
           
             1.
             
             The
             choice
             of
             a
             Bishop
             in
             opposition
             to
             the
             former
             .
          
           
             2.
             
             The
             erecting
             of
             a
             Church
             or
             Oratory
             for
             the
             dividing
             parties
             to
             meet
             in
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           I
           acknowledge
           this
           notion
           of
           Schism
           to
           be
           both
           Antient
           and
           Orthodox
           :
           Schism
           being
           consider'd
           as
           a
           breach
           of
           charity
           ,
           or
           a
           dissolving
           of
           that
           Bond
           of
           Peace
           ,
           which
           we
           are
           so
           often
           solemnly
           changed
           to
           preserve
           inviolate
           .
           And
           without
           a
           great
           and
           evident
           necessity
           ,
           this
           Dividing
           must
           be
           very
           displeasing
           unto
           the
           Prince
           of
           Peace
           ,
           who
           did
           command
           us
           to
           
             be
             One
             ,
             even
             as
             He
             and
             the
             Father
             are
             One.
          
           Of
           this
           nature
           was
           the
           Schism
           of
           the
           
             Arrians
             ,
             Miletians
          
           and
           Donatiss
           at
           their
           first
           dividing
           :
           They
           set
           up
           Altar
           against
           Altar
           ,
           had
           Bishops
           of
           their
           own
           party
           ,
           and
           their
           peculiar
           
           Oratories
           ,
           and
           would
           have
           no
           communion
           with
           the
           Bishops
           or
           Assemblies
           of
           that
           standing
           part
           that
           alwayes
           called
           themselves
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           The
           Church
           of
           England
           by
           the
           title
           of
           long
           prescription
           and
           the
           establishment
           of
           a
           Law
           ,
           is
           the
           standing
           Church
           of
           this
           Nation
           ,
           with
           which
           all
           the
           people
           of
           this
           Kingdom
           are
           bound
           to
           communicate
           ;
           But
           our
           Non-conformists
           have
           chosen
           to
           themselves
           Pastors
           in
           opposition
           to
           the
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           have
           erected
           their
           distinct
           Congregations
           to
           confront
           our
           Church
           Assemblies
           ,
           and
           therefore
           by
           Mr.
           
           Hales's
           definition
           they
           are
           guilty
           of
           compleat
           Schism
           .
        
         
           But
           Sir
           ,
           it
           must
           be
           observ'd
           ,
           that
           these
           men
           have
           run
           further
           than
           the
           
             Arrians
             ,
             Miletians
          
           and
           Donatists
           did
           at
           their
           first
           dividing
           :
           for
           though
           they
           had
           so
           little
           charity
           ,
           as
           for
           a
           matter
           of
           dispute
           ,
           to
           divide
           from
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           other
           part
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           yet
           they
           had
           so
           much
           Prudence
           ,
           as
           they
           preserv'd
           to
           themselves
           some
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           who
           had
           receiv'd
           their
           Consecration
           and
           Orders
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ;
           and
           when
           their
           Bishops
           and
           Priesthood
           were
           worn
           out
           ,
           the
           Factions
           expir'd
           ;
           
           for
           they
           were
           not
           arriv'd
           to
           such
           a
           height
           of
           Fanaticism
           ,
           as
           to
           think
           themselves
           a
           Church
           without
           the
           Government
           and
           Priesthood
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           line
           .
           No
           ,
           they
           were
           so
           sacred
           and
           curious
           in
           this
           ,
           that
           I
           find
           the
           Arrians
           cavilling
           at
           the
           Ordination
           of
           Athanasius
           ,
           as
           not
           being
           Catholick
           and
           Canonical
           ;
           just
           as
           the
           Papists
           objected
           against
           us
           the
           Naggs-head
           Consecration
           .
           And
           (
           by
           the
           way
           )
           that
           was
           the
           most
           weighty
           and
           considerable
           attempt
           that
           ever
           Rome
           made
           upon
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           :
           and
           could
           they
           clearly
           have
           invalidated
           and
           disannull'd
           our
           succession
           of
           Bishops
           and
           Priesthood
           ,
           all
           the
           learning
           of
           England
           could
           not
           have
           prov'd
           us
           a
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           But
           this
           Cavil
           was
           with
           demonstration
           confuted
           by
           that
           elaborate
           Piece
           of
           Mr.
           Mason
           Arch-Deacon
           of
           Norfolk
           .
           Sir
           ,
           I
           hope
           that
           the
           merit
           of
           this
           Digression
           will
           beg
           its
           own
           pardon
           .
        
         
           But
           to
           return
           to
           our
           English
           Sectaries
           according
           to
           Mr.
           
           Hales's
           notion
           ,
           it
           would
           be
           indeed
           a
           very
           unhappy
           Schism
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           for
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Norwich
           and
           his
           Presbyters
           and
           Jurisdiction
           ,
           to
           divide
           from
           the
           communion
           of
           the
           Archbishop
           of
           Canterbury
           ,
           and
           to
           set
           up
           a
           Church
           of
           the
           
             East
             Angles
          
           divided
           from
           that
           of
           the
           
           West
           .
           But
           supposing
           this
           ,
           there
           were
           yet
           left
           to
           us
           this
           satisfaction
           ,
           that
           we
           were
           still
           under
           the
           Government
           and
           Ministry
           of
           that
           Bishop
           and
           Priesthood
           ,
           of
           whose
           Consecration
           and
           Orders
           we
           were
           sufficiently
           assur'd
           ;
           and
           though
           this
           would
           be
           an
           unlucky
           Faction
           in
           the
           English
           Hierarchy
           ,
           yet
           it
           would
           be
           no
           Schism
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           But
           our
           Separatists
           are
           run
           to
           a
           further
           distance
           ;
           for
           they
           have
           not
           set
           up
           Altar
           against
           Altar
           ,
           or
           one
           Bishop
           in
           opposition
           to
           another
           ,
           but
           have
           thrown
           off
           all
           the
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           Succession
           ,
           and
           have
           erected
           a
           Synagogue
           against
           the
           Church
           ;
           and
           set
           up
           a
           Lay-Elder
           in
           opposition
           to
           the
           Bishop
           and
           Priest
           .
           And
           this
           is
           not
           only
           a
           disobedience
           against
           the
           Laws
           ,
           and
           a
           Schism
           from
           the
           establish'd
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           but
           is
           a
           separation
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
           And
           seeing
           our
           Sectaries
           have
           no
           Priesthood
           ,
           I
           believe
           their
           Conventicles
           to
           be
           no
           more
           a
           Church
           ,
           than
           a
           Club
           of
           Mechanicks
           in
           a
           Coffee-house
           .
           For
           though
           some
           of
           these
           Congregations
           may
           retain
           Imposition
           of
           hands
           as
           a
           mockery
           of
           Ordination
           ,
           yet
           the
           imposing
           of
           Lay-hands
           have
           no
           more
           power
           to
           confer
           Priesthood
           ,
           than
           I
           to
           have
           to
           constitute
           a
           Judge
           of
           Oyer
           and
           Terminer
           .
        
         
         
           Mr.
           Hales
           makes
           Schism
           and
           Sedition
           of
           a
           very
           resembling
           nature
           :
           
           He
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             That
             Sedition
             is
             a
             Lay
             Schism
             ,
             and
             Schism
             is
             an
             Ecclesiastical
             Sedition
             .
          
           Now
           ,
           't
           is
           true
           ,
           it
           would
           be
           a
           great
           Sedition
           to
           set
           up
           a
           Prince
           of
           the
           Blood
           in
           opposition
           to
           our
           Soveraign
           ,
           who
           by
           long
           and
           Legal
           Investiture
           hath
           been
           possessed
           of
           Regal
           Supremacy
           :
           But
           it
           would
           be
           Sedition
           of
           a
           deeper
           dye
           ,
           to
           renounce
           all
           Allegiance
           to
           our
           Prince
           ,
           and
           to
           cast
           off
           the
           whole
           Royal
           Line
           ,
           and
           to
           set
           up
           a
           Forreigner
           ,
           or
           one
           who
           had
           no
           alliance
           to
           the
           Royal
           Blood.
           
        
         
           Thus
           ,
           if
           to
           set
           up
           one
           Bishop
           in
           opposition
           to
           another
           (
           though
           both
           be
           of
           the
           same
           Apostolick
           succession
           )
           if
           this
           be
           a
           Schism
           and
           a
           great
           disorder
           ,
           then
           sure
           ,
           for
           our
           Sectaries
           to
           cast
           off
           all
           the
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           to
           set
           up
           such
           Teachers
           and
           Governours
           ,
           who
           have
           no
           relation
           to
           the
           Sacerdotal
           Line
           ,
           this
           must
           be
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           the
           outmost
           and
           most
           Schismatical
           separation
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           But
           Mr.
           Hales
           proceeds
           and
           gives
           us
           a
           distinction
           of
           Schism
           .
           
             There
             is
             a
             Schism
             ,
             where
             only
             one
             part
             is
             the
             Schismatick
             ,
             for
             
             where
             the
             occasion
             is
             necessary
             ,
             there
             not
             he
             that
             separates
             ,
             but
             he
             that
             is
             the
             cause
             of
             the
             Separation
             is
             the
             Schismatick
             .
          
        
         
           This
           shall
           be
           allowed
           to
           be
           Orthodox
           too
           :
           and
           when
           our
           Non-conformists
           can
           demonstrate
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           necessary
           for
           them
           to
           separate
           from
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           we
           will
           take
           off
           the
           Indictment
           ,
           and
           absolve
           them
           from
           Schism
           .
           But
           they
           must
           prove
           this
           necessity
           from
           weightier
           Topicks
           than
           Fringe
           and
           Lace
           .
           They
           must
           make
           it
           evident
           ,
           that
           they
           cannot
           communicate
           with
           us
           ,
           without
           manifest
           dishonour
           to
           God
           ,
           affront
           to
           Jesus
           and
           his
           holy
           Religion
           ,
           and
           evident
           hazard
           of
           their
           salvation
           .
           But
           this
           can
           never
           be
           prov'd
           ,
           but
           from
           the
           New
           Gospel
           of
           private
           Conscience
           ,
           for
           I
           am
           sure
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           is
           so
           happily
           constituted
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           no
           Law
           nor
           Canon
           in
           the
           four
           Evangelists
           ,
           or
           in
           the
           Apostolick
           Acts
           or
           Epistles
           ,
           that
           will
           justifie
           a
           separation
           from
           it
           ,
           much
           less
           vote
           it
           to
           be
           necessary
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           Our
           Author
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             That
             there
             is
             a
             Schism
             in
             which
             both
             parties
             are
             the
             Schismaticks
             ;
             for
             where
             the
             occasion
             of
             Separation
             is
             unnecessary
             ,
             neither
             side
             can
             be
             excused
             from
             the
             guilt
             of
             Schism
             .
          
           An
           instance
           of
           this
           he
           gives
           us
           in
           that
           great
           division
           
           between
           the
           Eastern
           and
           
           WesternChurches
           about
           the
           Observation
           of
           Easter
           .
        
         
           I
           confess
           I
           can
           make
           no
           Defence
           for
           the
           Churches
           of
           the
           East
           or
           West
           for
           that
           uncharitable
           division
           upon
           the
           account
           of
           a
           different
           Ceremony
           ;
           for
           sure
           the
           several
           parts
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           might
           have
           enjoy'd
           their
           peculiar
           Rites
           and
           usages
           ,
           and
           yet
           preserv'd
           an
           entire
           peace
           and
           universal
           communion
           .
           I
           am
           of
           St.
           
           Austin's
           mind
           ,
           
             Totum
             hoc
             genus
             liberas
             habet
             observationes
             ,
          
           
           
             nec
             Disciplina
             ulla
             est
             in
             his
             melior
             gravi
             prudentique
             Christiano
             ,
             quam
             ut
             eo
             modo
             agat
             quo
             agere
             viderit
             Ecclesiam
             ad
             quamcunque
             forte
             devenerit
             .
          
        
         
           But
           how
           this
           Instance
           of
           the
           Paschal
           Schism
           should
           be
           improv'd
           to
           serve
           the
           Interest
           of
           our
           English
           Sectaries
           ,
           I
           can
           no
           way
           discern
           .
           He
           that
           can
           from
           hence
           extract
           a
           Plea
           for
           our
           Non-conformists
           ,
           must
           have
           greater
           skill
           in
           Theological
           Chymistry
           ,
           than
           I
           dare
           pretend
           to
           .
           For
           though
           this
           unhappy
           controversie
           occasioned
           a
           breach
           of
           charity
           and
           communion
           ,
           yet
           here
           was
           no
           departure
           from
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           on
           either
           side
           ,
           nor
           any
           violation
           of
           Order
           and
           Government
           ;
           for
           the
           Christians
           of
           the
           East
           observ'd
           the
           Canons
           and
           Customs
           of
           the
           
           Eastern
           Church
           ,
           and
           submitted
           themselves
           to
           the
           Government
           and
           Ministery
           of
           those
           Bishops
           and
           Priests
           ,
           in
           whose
           Jurisdiction
           they
           liv'd
           ,
           and
           so
           likewise
           in
           the
           
             West
             ,
             vice
             versa
          
           .
           And
           would
           our
           Non-conformists
           learn
           but
           so
           much
           Order
           and
           Obedience
           ,
           there
           were
           an
           end
           of
           the
           Schism
           .
        
         
           Thus
           I
           have
           consider'd
           the
           Theorems
           of
           our
           Admir'd
           Author
           ,
           and
           I
           find
           no
           mischief
           in
           them
           ;
           but
           there
           are
           still
           behind
           such
           a
           Train
           of
           consequences
           ,
           as
           (
           in
           my
           opinion
           )
           are
           of
           very
           evil
           insinuation
           ,
           and
           do
           no
           way
           merit
           to
           be
           reckon'd
           among
           his
           
             Golden
             Remains
          
           .
        
         
           I
           cannot
           approve
           of
           his
           severe
           Censure
           upon
           the
           Antient
           Church
           ,
           upon
           the
           account
           of
           the
           Paschal
           difference
           :
           for
           he
           interprets
           that
           Breach
           
             to
             be
             a
             just
             judgement
             of
             God
             ,
          
           (
           But
           then
           Sir
           ,
           mark
           the
           Provocation
           )
           because
           (
           sayes
           he
           )
           
             that
             through
             sloth
             and
             blind
             obedience
             ,
             men
             examin'd
             not
             the
             things
             ,
             which
             they
             were
             taught
             :
             but
             like
             Beasts
             of
             Burden
             patiently
             couch'd
             down
             ,
             and
             indifferently
             underwent
             whatever
             their
             Superiours
             laid
             upon
             them
             .
          
        
         
           I
           abhorr
           the
           Barbarity
           of
           rifling
           Sepulchres
           ,
           or
           disturbing
           the
           Ashes
           of
           the
           Dead
           .
           
           But
           I
           wish
           our
           ingenious
           Author
           had
           invented
           some
           kinder
           Emblems
           for
           the
           Antient
           Christians
           ,
           than
           Ass
           and
           Camel.
           For
           though
           they
           were
           so
           humble
           and
           peaceable
           ,
           as
           quietly
           to
           submit
           to
           the
           Orders
           of
           their
           Spiritual
           Governours
           ,
           yet
           they
           were
           not
           so
           tame
           as
           to
           truckle
           to
           an
           Idol
           ,
           though
           commanded
           to
           couch
           by
           Imperial
           Injunctions
           .
        
         
           I
           will
           never
           plead
           for
           a
           brutish
           inadvertency
           ,
           or
           a
           blind
           and
           unchristian
           obedience
           to
           our
           Superiours
           .
           The
           Church
           provides
           by
           a
           Canon
           ,
           that
           all
           Christians
           should
           once
           be
           Catechumeni
           ,
           instructed
           in
           the
           plain
           Fundamentals
           of
           Faith
           and
           Piety
           ;
           and
           therefore
           it
           is
           not
           intended
           ,
           that
           men
           should
           be
           impos'd
           upon
           in
           matters
           that
           concern
           their
           common
           salvation
           ,
           and
           there
           is
           great
           reason
           ,
           that
           in
           things
           of
           that
           moment
           men
           should
           be
           cautious
           and
           inquisitive
           .
           But
           I
           believe
           that
           Apostolick
           Canon
           ,
           
             Let
             all
             things
             be
             done
             in
             Decency
             and
             Order
             ,
          
           hath
           left
           a
           great
           scope
           to
           the
           wisdom
           of
           our
           Superiours
           ,
           to
           order
           the
           publick
           Administrations
           of
           Religion
           .
           And
           in
           institutions
           of
           this
           nature
           (
           the
           people
           being
           secured
           of
           all
           the
           pure
           necessaries
           to
           salvation
           )
           I
           don't
           think
           they
           are
           oblig'd
           to
           any
           further
           examination
           ,
           their
           greatest
           duty
           in
           this
           case
           is
           a
           quiet
           submission
           .
           The
           Gentile
           Christians
           of
           Antioch
           ,
           
           knew
           themselves
           to
           be
           free'd
           from
           all
           Jewish
           or
           Levitical
           Observances
           ,
           but
           yet
           when
           the
           Council
           at
           Jerusalem
           for
           prudential
           Reasons
           and
           considerations
           enjoyn'd
           them
           the
           Abstinence
           from
           Blood
           and
           things
           offered
           to
           Idols
           ,
           we
           don't
           read
           ,
           that
           they
           enquir'd
           any
           further
           ,
           but
           quietly
           obeyed
           that
           Canon
           ,
           and
           yet
           I
           hope
           those
           primitive
           Christians
           deserv'd
           a
           better
           name
           and
           character
           than
           Beasts
           of
           Burden
           in
           matters
           of
           this
           nature
           ,
           I
           cannot
           yet
           discern
           the
           guilt
           or
           irreligion
           of
           a
           blind
           obedience
           .
        
         
           I
           could
           wish
           that
           all
           Christians
           would
           keep
           the
           common
           Faith
           ,
           and
           practise
           the
           plain
           Rules
           of
           Christian
           Religion
           ,
           and
           these
           things
           being
           preserv'd
           entire
           ,
           I
           see
           no
           mischief
           if
           in
           other
           things
           we
           should
           leave
           our
           Superiours
           to
           govern
           ,
           and
           submit
           even
           with
           blind
           obedience
           ,
           and
           not
           trouble
           our selves
           and
           the
           World
           with
           nice
           and
           scrupulous
           examinations
           .
           Blind
           or
           unexamining
           obedience
           to
           our
           Superiours
           ,
           with
           those
           limitations
           I
           have
           stated
           ,
           would
           so
           much
           assure
           the
           peace
           and
           order
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           that
           if
           it
           were
           not
           a
           vertue
           ,
           yet
           I
           am
           sure
           it
           would
           be
           a
           lesser
           crime
           ,
           than
           Pride
           ,
           Schism
           or
           obstinate
           disobedience
           .
        
         
         
           Our
           Author
           reflects
           again
           upon
           the
           Paschal
           Schism
           in
           these
           words
           ,
        
         
           
             We
             may
             plainly
             see
             the
             danger
             of
             our
             Appeal
             to
             Antiquity
             for
             Resolution
             in
             controverted
             points
             of
             Faith
             ,
             
             and
             how
             small
             Relief
             we
             are
             to
             expect
             from
             them
             ;
             for
             if
             the
             Direction
             of
             the
             chiefest
             Guides
             and
             Directors
             of
             the
             Church
             ,
             did
             in
             a
             point
             so
             Trivial
             so
             mainly
             fail
             them
             ,
             can
             we
             without
             the
             imputation
             of
             great
             Grossness
             and
             Folly
             ,
             think
             so
             poor-spirited
             Persons
             competent
             Judges
             of
             the
             Questions
             now
             on
             foot
             between
             the
             Churches
             ?
             Pardon
             me
             ,
             I
             know
             what
             temptation
             drew
             that
             note
             from
             me
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           Sir
           you
           may
           perceive
           that
           the
           Author
           was
           very
           sensible
           ,
           that
           there
           was
           some
           such
           guilt
           in
           this
           passage
           ,
           as
           would
           stand
           in
           need
           of
           pardon
           ;
           And
           therefore
           if
           you
           dare
           adventure
           the
           scandal
           of
           giving
           pardon
           to
           a
           man
           ,
           after
           he
           is
           dead
           ,
           you
           may
           remit
           this
           guilty
           passion
           of
           Mr.
           Hales
           :
           for
           my
           part
           ,
           I
           have
           charity
           for
           him
           ,
           because
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           that
           this
           expression
           was
           drawn
           from
           him
           ,
           by
           some
           vehement
           Temptation
           .
           And
           you
           know
           ,
           that
           a
           very
           great
           Apostle
           under
           a
           Temptation
           denyed
           the
           Son
           of
           God
           ;
           and
           if
           this
           Good
           man
           in
           such
           a
           Hurricane
           ,
           Renounced
           
           all
           the
           Fathers
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           this
           should
           plead
           for
           our
           compassion
           .
        
         
           What
           that
           particular
           Temptation
           was
           that
           occasioned
           this
           Ecstasie
           ,
           he
           was
           not
           pleas'd
           to
           acquaint
           us
           ,
           and
           therefore
           I
           cannot
           determine
           ,
           but
           give
           me
           leave
           to
           conjecture
           .
           I
           find
           Mr.
           Hales
           had
           the
           ill
           Destiny
           to
           be
           a
           member
           of
           the
           Belgick
           Synod
           ,
           and
           he
           informs
           us
           in
           his
           Epistles
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           sometimes
           his
           Province
           ,
           to
           refute
           the
           Arguments
           of
           the
           
             Remonstrants
             ,
             (
             Hoste
             absente
             .
             )
          
           Now
           perhaps
           ,
           observing
           that
           those
           poor-spirited
           Antients
           ,
           would
           not
           be
           press●d
           into
           the
           States
           service
           ,
           but
           were
           all
           of
           a
           different
           opinion
           from
           that
           Synod
           ,
           who
           knows
           but
           this
           unlucky
           contradiction
           ,
           and
           his
           conversing
           too
           much
           with
           Dammannus
           ,
           might
           put
           him
           into
           an
           unwary
           heat
           ,
           and
           make
           him
           Reprobate
           all
           Antiquity
           .
           Our
           Church
           has
           so
           much
           Reverence
           for
           the
           Antients
           ,
           as
           in
           her
           publick
           Articles
           to
           own
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           first
           four
           General
           Councils
           ,
           and
           King
           James
           himself
           would
           never
           impose
           upon
           us
           the
           Novel
           Decrees
           of
           Dort.
           
        
         
           I
           confess
           Sir
           ,
           ever
           since
           I
           understood
           Greek
           ,
           I
           have
           had
           the
           Grossness
           and
           Folly
           (
           as
           Mr.
           H.
           interprets
           it
           )
           to
           have
           more
           
           value
           for
           the
           Judgement
           of
           St.
           Cyril
           of
           Jerusalem
           ,
           St.
           
             Gregory
             Nazianzen
          
           and
           St.
           Chrysostome
           ,
           than
           for
           the
           opinion
           of
           
             Bogermanus
             ,
             Sybrandus
             ,
             Beza
          
           or
           Gomarus
           .
           I
           have
           been
           so
           silly
           as
           to
           think
           the
           Antient
           ,
           Catholick
           Council
           of
           Nice
           (
           that
           was
           but
           three
           Centuries
           remov'd
           from
           the
           Apostles
           )
           did
           merit
           more
           Authority
           and
           esteem
           in
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ,
           than
           that
           partial
           and
           Modern
           Assembly
           of
           Dort.
           And
           I
           cannot
           yet
           alter
           my
           Perswasion
           .
           But
           I
           would
           gladly
           quit
           my self
           from
           those
           ugly
           imputations
           of
           Grossness
           and
           Folly.
           
        
         
           I
           must
           therefore
           examine
           the
           Arguments
           of
           Mr.
           Hales
           ,
           by
           which
           he
           invalidates
           the
           Authority
           of
           the
           Antients
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           He
           accuses
           them
           for
           Poor-spirited
           Persons
           .
           Indeed
           they
           never
           were
           so
           daring
           as
           to
           be
           so
           bold
           with
           the
           Attributes
           of
           God
           ,
           as
           the
           Dutch
           Professors
           were
           in
           the
           Synod
           of
           Dort
           ,
           or
           as
           Beza
           was
           in
           Geneva
           :
           but
           yet
           these
           poor-spirited
           men
           had
           the
           Resolution
           to
           be
           Martyrs
           for
           the
           Name
           of
           Jesus
           ;
           and
           that
           Sir
           ,
           I
           should
           think
           ,
           is
           a
           very
           divine
           and
           noble
           piece
           of
           Gallantry
           .
           Besides
           ,
           some
           of
           them
           left
           to
           the
           World
           their
           
             Golden
             Remains
          
           ,
           excellent
           Monuments
           of
           their
           Prety
           and
           Learning
           ,
           as
           worthy
           as
           our
           Authors
           .
        
         
         
           Secondly
           ,
           But
           his
           great
           Argument
           against
           Appealing
           to
           the
           Judgement
           of
           the
           Antients
           ,
           is
           their
           indiscretion
           about
           that
           trivial
           matter
           of
           the
           observation
           of
           Easter
           .
        
         
           The
           Churches
           of
           the
           East
           and
           West
           ,
           were
           not
           without
           some
           plausible
           reasons
           ,
           for
           their
           different
           observance
           of
           that
           Festival
           ,
           and
           though
           they
           will
           not
           amount
           to
           a
           substantial
           Apology
           for
           that
           Controversie
           ,
           yet
           they
           will
           something
           help
           to
           lessen
           the
           vastness
           of
           the
           Indiscretion
           :
           for
           the
           Eastern
           Church
           had
           been
           taught
           by
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           an
           innocent
           complyance
           to
           the
           Jews
           in
           those
           Quarters
           ,
           that
           they
           might
           not
           scandal
           them
           by
           a
           sudden
           and
           total
           departure
           from
           all
           the
           Mosaical
           Rites
           and
           Observances
           ;
           and
           therefore
           the
           Christians
           in
           the
           East
           governed
           them
           by
           St.
           Pauls
           Rule
           of
           complaisance
           ,
           to
           the
           Jews
           they
           so
           far
           became
           Jews
           ,
           as
           to
           celebrate
           their
           Easter
           Festival
           ,
           upon
           the
           fourteenth
           Month
           ,
           when
           the
           Jews
           observ'd
           their
           Paschal
           .
           And
           though
           I
           confess
           ,
           that
           Reason
           was
           out
           of
           force
           in
           two
           or
           three
           Centuries
           ,
           yet
           Sir
           ,
           you
           know
           ,
           Custom
           has
           a
           Great
           Empire
           upon
           wiser
           creatures
           ,
           than
           Beasts
           of
           Burden
           :
           and
           therefore
           it
           was
           no
           Prodigy
           of
           imprudence
           ,
           nor
           any
           Divine
           Judgement
           ,
           if
           they
           were
           so
           tenacious
           
           of
           an
           Antient
           custom
           ,
           that
           had
           a
           very
           innocent
           and
           Apostolick
           Foundation
           .
           The
           Western
           Church
           being
           at
           a
           great
           distance
           from
           Palestine
           ,
           was
           never
           oblig'd
           to
           that
           complyance
           to
           the
           Jews
           :
           But
           being
           left
           to
           their
           Christian
           Liberty
           ,
           and
           assured
           by
           an
           infallible
           Oracle
           ,
           That
           our
           Lord
           arose
           from
           the
           Dead
           upon
           the
           first
           day
           of
           the
           Week
           ,
           therefore
           they
           judged
           it
           most
           apposite
           and
           rational
           ,
           to
           celebrate
           the
           Anniversary
           Feast
           of
           the
           Resurrection
           ,
           upon
           a
           
             Dies
             Dominicus
          
           .
        
         
           This
           appear'd
           so
           reasonable
           to
           that
           excellent
           Prince
           Constantine
           the
           Great
           ,
           that
           with
           great
           Resolution
           he
           oppos'd
           the
           Jewish
           complyance
           of
           the
           Eastern
           Christians
           ,
           and
           in
           his
           General
           Epistle
           concerning
           the
           Transactions
           of
           the
           Council
           of
           Nice
           ,
           he
           disswades
           the
           Christian
           Church
           from
           that
           custom
           ,
           
             Itaque
             nihil
             vobis
             commune
             sit
             cum
             infestissima
             Judaeorum
             Turba
             —
             Domini
             Percussoribus
             .
          
           And
           besides
           his
           Imperial
           Ratification
           of
           the
           Canon
           of
           Nice
           ,
           he
           inforces
           a
           General
           Uniformity
           in
           the
           Observation
           of
           Easter
           ,
           by
           a
           very
           plausible
           Reason
           ,
           
           in
           the
           same
           Epistle
           .
           
             —
             Unam
             esse
             Catholicam
             suam
             Ecclesiam
             voluit
             ,
             cujus
             tametsi
             partes
             in
             multis
             variisque
             sunt
             dispersae
             locis
             ,
             uno
             tamen
             spiritus
             ,
             hoc
             est
             ,
             Divino
             
             Arbitrio
             fovetur
             .
             Consideret
             porro
             sanctitatis
             vestrae
             solertia
             ,
             quam
             grave
             sit
             &
             indecorum
             ,
             per
             eosdem
             Dies
             ,
             alios
             quidem
             jejuniis
             intentos
             esse
             ,
             alios
             verò
             vacare
             conviviis
             .
          
           All
           I
           design
           by
           this
           ,
           is
           ,
           to
           shew
           that
           there
           was
           so
           much
           Plausibility
           on
           each
           side
           ,
           that
           there
           was
           something
           in
           the
           case
           more
           than
           Trifle
           ,
           and
           not
           such
           monstrous
           Grossness
           and
           Folly
           as
           our
           Author
           represents
           .
        
         
           But
           grant
           this
           Controversie
           to
           be
           trivial
           ,
           and
           the
           Antients
           indiscreet
           in
           the
           manage
           of
           it
           ,
           yet
           I
           cannot
           discern
           the
           Logick
           of
           his
           conclusion
           ,
           that
           therefore
           they
           are
           not
           to
           be
           appeal'd
           unto
           in
           any
           controversie
           of
           Religion
           .
        
         
           The
           sense
           of
           this
           Argument
           amounts
           to
           thus
           much
           ,
           Because
           the
           wisest
           and
           most
           learned
           men
           ,
           have
           sometimes
           their
           mistakes
           and
           indiscretions
           ,
           therefore
           their
           Judgement
           is
           never
           to
           be
           regarded
           in
           any
           matter
           of
           moment
           .
           I
           fancy
           the
           World
           would
           find
           vast
           inconveniencies
           by
           such
           a
           consequence
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           I
           request
           you
           to
           lend
           me
           your
           Italian
           Boccaline
           ,
           for
           the
           Conventions
           of
           Parnassus
           have
           now
           as
           much
           Authority
           as
           the
           four
           first
           General
           Councils
           ,
           and
           sure
           
           there
           will
           not
           be
           so
           much
           Grossness
           and
           Folly
           ,
           in
           Appealing
           to
           the
           Sentence
           of
           Apollo
           ,
           as
           in
           consulting
           the
           Judgement
           of
           the
           poor-spirited
           Antients
           .
           Pray
           search
           the
           Rolls
           of
           Parnassus
           ,
           that
           we
           may
           know
           whether
           Apollo
           have
           Recorded
           Bishop
           Jewel
           ,
           and
           all
           the
           Champions
           of
           the
           Reformation
           for
           Fools
           and
           Asses
           ;
           for
           I
           observe
           they
           were
           all
           so
           impertinent
           ▪
           as
           in
           the
           controversie
           with
           Rome
           to
           Appeal
           very
           often
           to
           the
           Judgement
           of
           the
           Antient
           Fathers
           .
        
         
           Learned
           Chamier
           in
           his
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           (
           for
           antiquity
           sake
           I
           have
           chosen
           the
           Hebrew
           Title
           )
           disputing
           
             de
             usu
             Canonis
          
           ,
           
           censures
           his
           Romish
           Adversaries
           ,
           for
           declining
           the
           Judgement
           of
           the
           Antients
           in
           that
           Controversie
           ,
           
             Dissimulant
             Adversarii
             hanc
             tantam
             Antiquorum
             Testimoniorum
             &
             copiam
             ,
             &
             vehementiam
             :
             ut
             solent
             à
             solis
             Radiis
             oculos
             avertere
             ,
             quibus
             lippitudo
             est
             incommoda
             ▪
          
        
         
           There
           are
           two
           Cases
           in
           which
           we
           Appeal
           to
           the
           old
           Catholick
           Fathers
           .
        
         
           
             1.
             
             In
             Controversies
             of
             Faith
             ,
             or
             the
             great
             Doctrines
             of
             Christian
             Religion
             .
          
           
             2.
             
             Concerning
             the
             Government
             ,
             Custome
             
             and
             Discipline
             of
             the
             Antient
             Church
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           the
           great
           Dispute
           is
           ,
           Whether
           we
           may
           appeal
           to
           their
           judgement
           in
           matters
           of
           Faith.
           And
           here
           I
           will
           freely
           trust
           you
           with
           my
           Sentiments
           .
           My
           Belief
           of
           the
           great
           Fundamentals
           and
           Doctrinals
           of
           Christianity
           is
           founded
           upon
           those
           Divine
           Oracles
           of
           the
           Holy
           Scriptures
           :
           But
           my
           Perswasion
           is
           much
           help'd
           and
           establish'd
           by
           the
           universal
           consent
           of
           the
           old
           Catholick
           Church
           in
           the
           same
           Articles
           .
           For
           I
           consider
           ,
           that
           the
           Antients
           of
           the
           first
           four
           Centuries
           ,
           liv'd
           very
           nigh
           the
           time
           of
           the
           first
           Promulgation
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           when
           the
           Sense
           of
           the
           Apostolick
           Age
           ,
           was
           yet
           fresh
           and
           early
           .
           And
           I
           am
           hugely
           confirm'd
           by
           observing
           ,
           that
           the
           old
           Greek
           Fathers
           and
           Councils
           expounded
           the
           Creed
           just
           as
           we
           do
           :
           for
           sure
           they
           must
           in
           reason
           be
           suppos'd
           to
           understand
           the
           Idiom
           of
           their
           own
           Language
           ,
           and
           therefore
           to
           interpret
           the
           Mysteries
           of
           the
           Gospel
           better
           than
           we
           ,
           who
           are
           so
           many
           Ages
           remov'd
           from
           the
           first
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           are
           but
           Forreigners
           to
           that
           Language
           in
           which
           the
           Gospel
           was
           writ
           .
        
         
         
           There
           is
           still
           a
           controversie
           on
           foot
           in
           the
           Churches
           (
           to
           use
           the
           Phrase
           of
           our
           Author
           )
           concerning
           the
           eternal
           Divinity
           of
           Jesus
           the
           Son
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           Resurrection
           of
           the
           Flesh
           is
           still
           called
           in
           Question
           .
           Now
           though
           my
           Belief
           of
           these
           two
           Articles
           ,
           is
           primarily
           founded
           upon
           the
           Sacred
           Scriptures
           ,
           yet
           that
           which
           makes
           up
           my
           Plerophorie
           ,
           is
           the
           authority
           of
           the
           Antients
           .
           For
           though
           the
           Sacred
           Writings
           appear
           very
           express
           in
           those
           two
           Articles
           ,
           yet
           I
           have
           seen
           all
           those
           Texts
           so
           cunningly
           evaded
           by
           the
           plausible
           interpretations
           of
           the
           Socinians
           ,
           that
           I
           confess
           it
           is
           great
           satisfaction
           to
           me
           ,
           that
           the
           antient
           Catholick
           Church
           did
           in
           General
           Councils
           maintain
           those
           Articles
           and
           expound
           the
           Holy
           Text
           in
           that
           sense
           which
           we
           receive
           .
           I
           was
           about
           to
           have
           concluded
           this
           with
           an
           old
           sentence
           of
           
             Vincentius
             Lyrinensis
          
           ;
           but
           I
           consider'd
           ,
           that
           to
           prove
           the
           authority
           of
           the
           Antients
           ,
           by
           an
           antient
           Author
           ,
           would
           be
           false
           Logick
           ,
           and
           a
           gross
           impertinence
           ;
           and
           I
           am
           very
           shye
           of
           those
           ill-looking
           imputations
           .
           Therefore
           I
           will
           end
           with
           the
           authority
           of
           the
           great
           Chamier
           ,
           who
           was
           but
           a
           Modern
           Divine
           ,
           and
           of
           the
           Reformed
           Gallican
           
           Church
           ,
           and
           I
           hope
           our
           Appeal
           to
           him
           will
           be
           allowed
           .
        
         
           
           In
           the
           controversie
           
             De
             Scripturae
             interpretatione
          
           ,
           he
           discourses
           of
           the
           several
           helps
           to
           a
           right
           interpretation
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           among
           the
           rest
           mentions
           the
           judgement
           of
           the
           Antients
           .
           
             Alter
             ordo
             ,
             veterum
             est
             ,
             atque
             eorum
             qui
             nostram
             aetatem
             praecesserunt
             .
             Horum
             labores
             nemo
             pius
             dubitat
             ,
             Deum
             extare
             voluisse
             ,
             ut
             qui
             viventes
             profuerunt
             Ecclesiae
             ,
             mortus
             non
             sint
             inutiles
             .
             Juvat
             ergo
             :
             &
             valdè
             quidem
             juvat
             ,
             sciscitari
             quid
             senserint
             olim
             boni
             Patres
             ,
             tum
             de
             fidei
             Articulis
             ,
             tum
             de
             singulorum
             Scripturae
             locorum
             interpretatione
             ;
             neque
             earum
             Testimonium
             parvi
             faciendum
             multò
             minus
             rejiciendum
             absque
             graevissimd
             Ratione
             ,
             etsi
             non
             debeant
             fidei
             nostrae
             dominari
             .
          
        
         
           This
           learned
           man
           was
           under
           no
           temptation
           as
           our
           Author
           was
           ,
           and
           therefore
           expresses
           his
           opinion
           of
           the
           Antients
           with
           much
           Reason
           and
           Reverence
           :
           and
           therefore
           if
           I
           have
           been
           guilty
           of
           Grossness
           and
           Folly
           in
           my
           appeal
           to
           Antiquity
           ,
           you
           see
           Sir
           ,
           I
           have
           very
           Learned
           Fools
           to
           bear
           me
           company
           .
        
         
         
           2.
           
           Our
           next
           Appeal
           to
           Antiquity
           is
           in
           the
           Questions
           concerning
           the
           antient
           Government
           and
           Discipline
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           .
        
         
           
           Methinks
           there
           should
           be
           no
           dispute
           concerning
           the
           Equity
           or
           Reasonableness
           of
           our
           Appeal
           in
           this
           case
           .
           For
           all
           Courts
           of
           Justice
           ,
           in
           a
           Question
           concerning
           an
           antient
           custom
           or
           practice
           ,
           do
           constantly
           pass
           sentence
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           Testimonies
           of
           the
           most
           aged
           men
           .
           And
           though
           we
           should
           grant
           ,
           that
           the
           antient
           Fathers
           were
           not
           wise
           enough
           to
           be
           Judges
           ,
           yet
           sure
           their
           very
           antiquity
           makes
           them
           the
           most
           competent
           Witnesses
           of
           the
           Government
           and
           Practice
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           in
           the
           first
           Ages
           of
           Christianity
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           you
           see
           our
           House
           of
           Peers
           ,
           when
           their
           Priviledges
           were
           questioned
           by
           the
           Commons
           ,
           thought
           it
           the
           most
           rational
           Method
           to
           determine
           that
           controversie
           ,
           by
           an
           Appeal
           to
           antient
           Presidents
           .
           And
           if
           our
           Protesting
           Lords
           would
           be
           as
           just
           to
           the
           Church
           ,
           as
           they
           are
           to
           their
           own
           Court
           ,
           and
           allow
           the
           antient
           Records
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           to
           be
           as
           Sacred
           ,
           as
           the
           
           old
           Rolls
           of
           Parliament
           ,
           they
           would
           have
           oblig'd
           themselves
           never
           to
           alter
           Episcopal
           Government
           .
           For
           we
           can
           shew
           more
           numerous
           ,
           and
           far
           more
           antient
           Monuments
           to
           prove
           the
           Primitive
           and
           continued
           Jurisdiction
           of
           Bishops
           ,
           than
           their
           Lordships
           can
           produce
           ,
           to
           assert
           their
           peculiar
           Prerogatives
           .
        
         
           But
           Sir
           ,
           if
           you
           would
           more
           clearly
           understand
           this
           necessity
           or
           usefulness
           of
           appealing
           to
           the
           Antients
           ,
           let
           me
           humbly
           offer
           this
           advice
           .
           I
           know
           your
           Temper
           is
           serious
           and
           contemplative
           ,
           but
           I
           advise
           you
           upon
           this
           special
           occasion
           to
           compose
           your
           mind
           into
           an
           extraordinary
           Fixation
           ;
           and
           when
           you
           are
           retired
           ,
           and
           your
           eyes
           shut
           ,
           and
           your
           arms
           folded
           ,
           Then
           think
           out
           of
           the
           World
           all
           Councils
           and
           Fathers
           ,
           Fancy
           we
           had
           no
           more
           notice
           of
           the
           Judgement
           or
           Practice
           of
           the
           Antients
           ,
           than
           Origen
           had
           of
           his
           State
           of
           Pre-existence
           ;
           Suppose
           this
           present
           Age
           of
           the
           Church
           to
           have
           no
           Monument
           of
           Christian
           Antiquity
           ,
           but
           the
           Gospels
           and
           Epistles
           in
           Greek
           ,
           and
           no
           skill
           in
           that
           Language
           ,
           but
           what
           we
           learned
           from
           Pagan
           Orators
           ,
           Poets
           and
           Philosophers
           :
           And
           at
           my
           next
           Visit
           pray
           acquaint
           
           me
           with
           the
           Result
           of
           your
           thoughts
           ;
           Whether
           in
           those
           considerations
           you
           did
           not
           fancy
           a
           strange
           Darkness
           upon
           the
           face
           of
           Christendome
           ,
           and
           see
           a
           necessity
           of
           a
           New
           Revelation
           to
           interpret
           the
           Old.
           
        
         
           Our
           Author
           proceeds
           and
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             He
             sees
             no
             Reason
             ,
             why
          
           opinionum
           varietas
           &
           opinantium
           unitas
           
             should
             be
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             ,
             why
             we
             might
             not
             differ
             in
             opinion
             ,
             and
             yet
             communicate
          
           in
           Sacris
           .
        
         
           The
           honour
           of
           God
           and
           Religion
           have
           so
           much
           suffered
           by
           our
           Divisions
           ,
           that
           I
           wish
           with
           St.
           Paul
           ,
           Rom.
           15.
           6.
           
           
             That
             we
             might
             with
             one
             mind
             and
             with
             one
             mouth
             Glorifie
             God
             the
             Father
             of
             our
             Lord
             Jesus
             Christ
             .
          
           But
           since
           our
           controversies
           in
           Religion
           are
           so
           far
           multiplyed
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           no
           hope
           the
           Christian
           World
           should
           ever
           unite
           in
           one
           judgement
           ,
           without
           the
           force
           of
           a
           Miracle
           ,
           yet
           it
           would
           be
           happy
           if
           all
           Christians
           would
           quietly
           enjoy
           their
           Differences
           of
           Opinion
           ,
           and
           be
           so
           far
           of
           one
           mind
           ,
           as
           to
           go
           up
           together
           to
           the
           Temple
           to
           pray
           and
           communicate
           with
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           
             in
             Sacris
          
           .
        
         
         
           The
           Church
           of
           England
           retains
           no
           Sacraments
           ,
           but
           those
           which
           have
           the
           manifest
           Authority
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           .
           All
           the
           Prayers
           of
           this
           Church
           are
           immediately
           directed
           to
           the
           Eternal
           God
           :
           and
           all
           presented
           in
           the
           Name
           of
           Jesus
           .
           We
           Petition
           for
           nothing
           ,
           but
           what
           the
           Religion
           of
           Jesus
           allows
           us
           to
           supplicate
           .
           And
           therefore
           I
           see
           no
           reason
           why
           all
           the
           People
           of
           this
           Nation
           ,
           who
           are
           not
           Atheists
           and
           Anti-christian
           ,
           should
           not
           communicate
           with
           us
           in
           those
           confessed
           Services
           of
           Prayers
           ,
           Praises
           and
           Sacramentals
           .
        
         
           And
           this
           is
           all
           that
           is
           required
           by
           that
           Tyrannical
           
             Act
             of
             Uniformity
          
           .
           And
           therefore
           that
           great
           Popular
           Orator
           in
           his
           late
           Harangue
           to
           the
           House
           of
           Lords
           has
           imposed
           a
           Fallacy
           upon
           us
           ,
           For
           he
           passionately
           complains
           against
           the
           Law
           ,
           
             for
             devesting
             the
             People
             of
             their
             Properties
             ,
             only
             because
             they
             cannot
             agree
             with
             Church-men
             in
             some
             uncertain
             Opinions
             of
             Religion
             .
          
        
         
           I
           hope
           it
           will
           not
           amount
           to
           
             Scandalum
             Magnatum
          
           to
           say
           ,
           that
           this
           is
           meer
           
           Sophistry
           .
           For
           our
           Laws
           prosecute
           no
           man
           for
           difference
           of
           Opinion
           ;
           no
           ,
           so
           far
           from
           this
           ,
           that
           the
           very
           Act
           against
           Conventicles
           allows
           our
           Dissenters
           ,
           not
           only
           their
           different
           Opinions
           ,
           but
           the
           quiet
           use
           and
           enjoyment
           of
           their
           several
           Religions
           in
           their
           own
           Families
           ;
           nay
           ,
           it
           granted
           them
           a
           further
           Favour
           and
           Liberty
           ,
           that
           they
           might
           receive
           four
           or
           five
           more
           of
           the
           same
           dissenting
           Brotherhood
           ,
           to
           make
           the
           exercise
           more
           full
           and
           satisfying
           .
           Here
           was
           nothing
           prohibited
           but
           noise
           and
           multitude
           .
           But
           they
           might
           notwithstanding
           that
           Law
           have
           peaceably
           enjoyed
           their
           different
           Opinions
           and
           Property
           too
           (
           that
           great
           Fundamental
           of
           State
           Religion
           .
           )
           The
           Church
           doth
           not
           put
           the
           souls
           of
           men
           upon
           the
           Rack
           ,
           or
           command
           an
           exact
           consent
           to
           all
           her
           Publick
           Articles
           ;
           but
           indulges
           a
           difference
           of
           Opinion
           :
           it
           only
           provides
           for
           the
           Beauty
           ,
           Order
           and
           Solemnity
           of
           Publick
           Worship
           ,
           by
           enjoyning
           all
           the
           Christians
           of
           this
           Kingdom
           to
           communicate
           with
           us
           in
           those
           common
           Sacra
           ,
           that
           all
           sober
           Christians
           acknowledge
           to
           be
           of
           universal
           obligation
           .
        
         
         
           But
           here
           your
           Doctor
           would
           Rejoyn
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           as
           far
           from
           Cornwall
           to
           Berwick
           ,
           as
           from
           Berwick
           to
           Cornwall
           ,
           and
           demand
           a
           Reason
           ,
           why
           we
           do
           not
           exercise
           as
           much
           charity
           to
           others
           ,
           as
           we
           expect
           to
           our selves
           ,
           or
           why
           we
           should
           not
           with
           as
           much
           Reason
           be
           obliged
           to
           communicate
           with
           their
           Assemblies
           ,
           as
           to
           expect
           them
           to
           be
           present
           at
           ours
           ?
           For
           our
           Author
           was
           so
           kind
           to
           Dissenters
           ,
           as
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             He
             sees
             no
             Reason
             why
             we
             should
             not
             mix
             with
             those
             divided
             Assemblies
             ,
             where
             there
             was
             nothing
             done
             ,
             but
             what
             True
             Piety
             and
             Devotion
             would
             brook
             .
          
        
         
           If
           I
           may
           credit
           my
           own
           conscience
           ,
           I
           have
           a
           very
           serious
           love
           and
           veneration
           for
           all
           True
           Piety
           and
           Devotion
           .
           But
           I
           am
           resolved
           to
           have
           no
           communion
           with
           Conventicles
           ,
           and
           will
           faithfully
           acquaint
           you
           with
           my
           Reasons
           for
           that
           Resolve
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           My
           ears
           are
           not
           fitted
           for
           the
           unintelligible
           Rapsodies
           of
           Enthusiastick
           Divinity
           .
           Nothing
           impresses
           upon
           me
           ,
           but
           what
           my
           Reason
           and
           Judgement
           can
           give
           a
           sober
           account
           of
           .
           And
           I
           am
           
           sure
           ,
           there
           are
           many
           Assemblies
           in
           England
           ,
           called
           Religious
           Meetings
           ,
           whose
           chiefest
           Devotions
           consist
           in
           nothing
           but
           Froth
           and
           Groans
           (
           to
           borrow
           an
           odd
           phrase
           from
           our
           Author
           .
           )
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           I
           will
           appeal
           from
           our
           Author
           ,
           to
           Mr.
           Hales
           ,
           who
           towards
           the
           end
           of
           this
           Tract
           gives
           us
           a
           very
           Orthodox
           Definition
           of
           a
           Conventicle
           .
           
             A
             Conventicle
             is
             a
             Congregation
             of
             Schismaticks
             ,
             or
             all
             Meetings
             upon
             unnecessary
             separation
             ,
          
           (
           and
           concludes
           )
           
             that
             it
             is
             not
             lawful
             ,
             no
             not
             for
             Prayer
             ,
             for
             Hearing
             ,
             for
             Conference
             ,
             or
             for
             any
             other
             Religious
             Office
             whatsoever
             ,
             for
             the
             People
             to
             Assemble
             otherwise
             ,
             than
             by
             Publick
             Order
             is
             allowed
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           since
           I
           can
           enjoy
           a
           communion
           with
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           all
           the
           advantages
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           without
           going
           to
           a
           Conventicle
           ;
           I
           think
           it
           were
           neither
           Piety
           nor
           Devotion
           for
           me
           to
           communicate
           with
           those
           Congregations
           ,
           which
           our
           Author
           grants
           to
           be
           unlawful
           Assemblies
           .
           Had
           I
           lived
           in
           the
           dayes
           of
           Dioclefian
           ,
           I
           would
           have
           been
           a
           member
           of
           the
           
             Ecclesia
             Subterranea
          
           ,
           and
           have
           
           assembled
           with
           the
           Catholick
           Christians
           in
           Caves
           and
           Grotto's
           ,
           which
           necessity
           had
           consecrated
           into
           Holy
           Places
           ;
           But
           since
           it
           is
           my
           happy
           Lot
           to
           live
           in
           that
           Age
           and
           Kingdom
           ,
           where
           Christianity
           may
           be
           confessed
           above
           ground
           ,
           since
           a
           just
           Authority
           hath
           opened
           our
           Churches
           ,
           seeing
           I
           may
           offer
           all
           the
           Publick
           Devotions
           that
           God
           requires
           ,
           in
           those
           Solemn
           Places
           which
           the
           Law
           appoints
           ;
           Since
           I
           can
           at
           the
           same
           time
           be
           both
           Devout
           towards
           God
           ,
           and
           Obedient
           to
           my
           Governours
           ,
           I
           resolve
           I
           will
           have
           no
           communion
           with
           those
           Assemblies
           ,
           which
           the
           Law
           of
           the
           Nation
           ,
           and
           the
           Canons
           of
           the
           Church
           make
           irregular
           .
           Sir
           ,
           I
           assure
           you
           ,
           it
           adds
           some
           cheerfulness
           to
           my
           Publick
           Devotions
           ,
           that
           I
           can
           at
           the
           same
           time
           ,
           both
           give
           unto
           God
           ,
           the
           things
           that
           are
           God's
           ,
           and
           to
           Caesar
           ,
           the
           things
           that
           are
           
           Caesar's
           .
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           I
           resolve
           I
           will
           never
           be
           a
           member
           of
           our
           separate
           Congregations
           ,
           because
           in
           them
           I
           cannot
           be
           assured
           of
           my
           compleat
           communion
           with
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           or
           the
           advantages
           of
           a
           Regular
           Priesthood
           .
        
         
         
           I
           question
           not
           ,
           but
           God
           may
           pardon
           without
           the
           Absolution
           of
           a
           Priest
           ,
           and
           give
           a
           man
           possession
           of
           eternal
           life
           ,
           without
           the
           seal
           or
           title
           of
           a
           Sacrament
           :
           but
           salvation
           is
           a
           matter
           of
           such
           vast
           importance
           ,
           that
           I
           would
           never
           adventure
           it
           upon
           extraordinary
           Methods
           ▪
           in
           concerns
           of
           Religion
           and
           everlasting
           interest
           ,
           I
           love
           to
           enjoy
           all
           the
           security
           ,
           that
           God
           hath
           given
           to
           mankind
           .
           In
           that
           great
           Schism
           of
           Israel
           ,
           some
           of
           the
           most
           sober
           and
           considering
           Jews
           ,
           were
           not
           satisfied
           with
           their
           communion
           in
           that
           new
           Church
           of
           Israel
           ,
           though
           it
           was
           established
           by
           the
           Law
           of
           Jeroboam
           ,
           but
           returned
           to
           worship
           at
           Jerusalem
           ;
           yet
           the
           Tribes
           of
           Israel
           retain'd
           the
           same
           Creed
           with
           those
           of
           Judah
           ,
           and
           the
           Calves
           of
           Dan
           and
           Bethel
           were
           not
           design'd
           for
           Idols
           ,
           but
           set
           up
           in
           imitation
           of
           the
           Cherubims
           in
           the
           Temple
           ;
           but
           these
           wise
           men
           were
           dissatisfied
           ,
           because
           their
           Priests
           were
           not
           of
           the
           Aaronical
           Line
           ,
           and
           had
           no
           other
           Consecration
           or
           Authority
           ,
           but
           what
           was
           deriv'd
           from
           the
           Patents
           of
           Jeroboam
           ,
           and
           they
           could
           not
           be
           assured
           ,
           that
           God
           would
           accept
           their
           Oblations
           from
           the
           hands
           of
           those
           men
           ,
           who
           had
           
           no
           Regular
           Priesthood
           .
           Now
           there
           is
           great
           Reason
           to
           believe
           ,
           that
           there
           should
           be
           as
           much
           order
           in
           the
           Kingdom
           of
           Jesus
           ,
           as
           there
           was
           in
           the
           Jewish
           Polity
           ;
           and
           therefore
           I
           am
           assur'd
           both
           by
           Reason
           and
           Sacred
           Oracles
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           an
           Evangelical
           Priesthood
           ,
           that
           hath
           succeeded
           that
           of
           Aaron
           ;
           That
           there
           is
           a
           peculiar
           Order
           of
           men
           ,
           who
           have
           receiv'd
           this
           Priestly
           Authority
           ,
           by
           a
           Regular
           Ordination
           from
           the
           Apostles
           Successors
           .
           And
           I
           esteem
           these
           men
           according
           to
           St.
           
           Paul's
           Injunction
           ,
           
             as
             the
             Stewards
             of
             the
             manifold
             Mysteries
             of
             God
             ,
             and
             the
             Ministers
             of
             Reconciliation
             :
          
           and
           therefore
           (
           without
           an
           inevitable
           necessity
           )
           I
           will
           never
           live
           without
           the
           advantage
           and
           satisfaction
           of
           their
           Ministerial
           Authority
           .
        
         
           St.
           Chrysostome
           in
           his
           Discourse
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           highly
           magnifies
           the
           Office
           and
           Authority
           of
           a
           Priest
           ;
           for
           speaking
           of
           that
           order
           of
           men
           ,
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           &c.
           
           
             That
             God
             hath
             invested
             the
             Priests
             with
             such
             Authority
             ,
             as
             he
             never
             conferred
             upon
             Angels
             or
             Arch-Angels
             .
             For
             to
             which
             of
             the
             Angels
             did
             he
             say
             at
             any
             time
             ,
             
          
           What
           ever
           ye
           bind
           on
           Earth
           ,
           is
           bound
           in
           Heaven
           ;
           and
           whose
           sins
           ,
           ye
           Remit
           ,
           they
           are
           Remitted
           ?
           
             For
             as
             the
             Father
             gave
             Power
             to
             the
             Son
             to
             Remit
             sins
             ,
             so
             the
             Son
             of
             God
             hath
             committed
             the
             same
             Power
             to
             his
             Ministers
             on
             Earth
             .
          
        
         
           I
           believe
           the
           Power
           of
           Absolution
           which
           was
           conferred
           upon
           the
           Christian
           Priesthood
           ,
           by
           the
           Commission
           of
           our
           Lord
           ,
           is
           not
           so
           large
           ,
           as
           the
           Pope
           would
           extend
           it
           ;
           nor
           yet
           so
           inconsiderable
           as
           the
           Puritan
           fancies
           it
           .
           I
           believe
           our
           Saviour
           did
           not
           trifle
           ,
           when
           he
           granted
           that
           Charter
           to
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           but
           sure
           there
           is
           something
           in
           that
           Authority
           ,
           that
           is
           solemn
           and
           momentous
           ,
           and
           whatever
           it
           be
           ,
           I
           resolve
           to
           enjoy
           the
           benefit
           of
           it
           .
           And
           therefore
           I
           declare
           ,
           that
           I
           would
           sooner
           travel
           from
           London
           to
           Larissa
           ,
           to
           communicate
           with
           the
           Greek
           Church
           ,
           where
           I
           might
           be
           assured
           of
           Priestly
           Authority
           ,
           than
           walk
           from
           Temple-Barr
           to
           Westminster
           ,
           to
           joyn
           with
           a
           Lay-Conventicle
           .
           I
           know
           no
           Rule
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           that
           can
           rationally
           assure
           me
           of
           Ministerial
           Authority
           ,
           but
           a
           Sacerdotal
           succession
           from
           the
           Apostles
           .
        
         
         
           As
           for
           the
           Pretension
           of
           Inspiration
           ,
           it
           is
           no
           more
           than
           Mahomet
           and
           Manes
           ,
           and
           every
           Impostor
           have
           pretended
           .
           Their
           Argument
           from
           Gifts
           and
           Qualifications
           ,
           weighs
           nothing
           with
           me
           .
           A
           Jew
           under
           the
           Mosaical
           Oeconomy
           ,
           might
           have
           hired
           an
           Hebrew
           Butcher
           ,
           who
           might
           have
           slain
           his
           Lamb
           or
           Goat
           ,
           and
           have
           dress'd
           it
           ,
           and
           laid
           it
           upon
           an
           Altar
           with
           as
           much
           art
           and
           exactness
           ,
           as
           the
           eldest
           Priest
           in
           the
           Temple
           :
           but
           then
           it
           had
           been
           no
           Sacrifice
           ,
           nor
           have
           ever
           been
           accepted
           of
           God
           ,
           as
           a
           Legal
           Attonement
           :
           no
           ,
           it
           was
           the
           Priests
           offering
           Sacrifice
           ,
           
           that
           made
           them
           Peace-offerings
           ;
           it
           was
           the
           Priests
           sprinkling
           the
           blood
           upon
           the
           Altar
           of
           the
           Lord
           ,
           and
           his
           burning
           the
           Fat
           ,
           that
           was
           an
           essential
           Requisite
           to
           render
           the
           Oblation
           a
           sweet
           savour
           unto
           the
           Lord.
           Angels
           and
           Arch-Angels
           are
           Wise
           ,
           Zealous
           and
           Holy
           Spirits
           ,
           but
           all
           their
           excellencies
           do
           not
           make
           them
           Priests
           ,
           though
           in
           another
           sense
           they
           are
           Ministring
           Spirits
           .
           To
           conclude
           this
           ,
           since
           I
           can
           no
           way
           be
           rationally
           secured
           of
           my
           Relation
           to
           Christ
           ,
           or
           of
           my
           participation
           of
           all
           the
           advantages
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           but
           by
           a
           comm●nion
           with
           the
           Catholick
           
           Church
           and
           its
           Ministerial
           Authority
           ,
           I
           do
           therefore
           assure
           you
           ,
           that
           I
           have
           a
           greater
           value
           for
           my
           communion
           with
           the
           Priests
           and
           the
           Temple
           ,
           than
           for
           that
           ador'd
           Diana
           of
           English
           Property
           .
           And
           if
           any
           unhappy
           circumstance
           should
           ever
           put
           me
           upon
           the
           experiment
           ,
           I
           would
           desert
           this
           ,
           to
           enjoy
           the
           other
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           if
           ever
           the
           Christian
           World
           become
           wise
           and
           sober
           ,
           this
           very
           consideration
           would
           repair
           the
           Breaches
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           prove
           the
           final
           Ruine
           of
           Fanatick
           Conventicles
           .
        
         
           Our
           Author
           passionately
           declaims
           against
           the
           Supremacy
           and
           Ambition
           of
           Bishops
           .
        
         
           I
           confess
           ,
           Pride
           and
           Ambition
           are
           greatly
           inconsistent
           with
           the
           humble
           nature
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           and
           are
           strange
           indecencies
           in
           Spiritual
           Governours
           :
           and
           I
           will
           never
           make
           an
           Apology
           for
           Vice
           and
           Disorder
           .
           But
           this
           ought
           not
           to
           be
           urged
           as
           a
           Reason
           for
           the
           extirpation
           of
           Episcopacy
           .
           Our
           Lord
           did
           not
           suspend
           nor
           degrade
           his
           Apostles
           ,
           because
           there
           was
           a
           strife
           among
           them
           ,
           who
           should
           be
           the
           greatest
           .
           
           Nor
           would
           it
           be
           just
           or
           charitable
           ,
           to
           charge
           all
           Bishops
           with
           these
           evil
           imputations
           .
           I
           observe
           one
           famous
           Instance
           of
           Humility
           in
           the
           Chair
           of
           Rome
           ,
           and
           that
           Sir
           ,
           you
           know
           ,
           is
           the
           most
           Principal
           Seat
           of
           Ambition
           .
        
         
           Gregory
           Bishop
           of
           Rome
           ,
           who
           in
           the
           year
           of
           our
           Lord
           596.
           sent
           Augustina
           into
           England
           to
           convert
           the
           Saxons
           ,
           in
           his
           Epistle
           to
           Eulogius
           Bishop
           of
           Alexandria
           ,
           disowns
           the
           ambitious
           Title
           of
           Universal
           Supremacy
           :
           
             Indicare
             quoque
             vestra
             Beatitudo
             studuit
             ,
             jam
             se
             quibusdam
             non
             scribere
             superba
             vocabula
             ,
             que
             ex
             vanitatis
             radice
             prodierunt
             ,
             &
             mihi
             loquitur
             dicens
             :
             sicut
             jussistis
             ,
             Quod
             verbunt
             jussionis
             peto
             à
             meo
             Auditu
             removere
             ,
             qu●●scio
             quis
             sum
             ,
             qui
             estis
             .
             Loco
             enim
             mihi
             Fratres
             estis
             ,
             moribus
             Patres
             ,
             non
             ergo
             jussi
             ,
             sed
             quae
             utilia
             visa
             sunt
             ,
             indicare
             curavi
             :
             —
             &
             ecce
             in
             praefatione
             Epistolae
             quam
             ad
             me
             ipsum
             qui
             prohibui
             direxistis
             ,
             superbae
             Appellationes
             verbum
             ,
             Universalem
             me
             Papam
             dicentis
             ,
             imprimere
             curastis
             .
             Quod
             peto
             dulcissima
             mihi
             fanctitas
             vestra
             ultra
             non
             faciat
             :
             quia
             vobis
             subtrahitur
             quod
             alteri
             plus
             ,
             quam
             ratio
             exigit
             ,
             praebetur
             .
          
           And
           we
           must
           not
           
           look
           upon
           this
           Modesty
           ,
           as
           the
           Poor
           spirited
           ▪
           humour
           of
           this
           single
           Bishop
           ,
           for
           he
           assures
           us
           in
           the
           same
           Epistle
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           the
           constant
           humility
           of
           his
           Predecessors
           .
           —
           
             Recedant
             verba
             quae
             vanitatem
             inflant
             ,
             &
             charitatem
             vulnerant
             ,
             &
             quidem
             in
             Sancta
             Chalcedonensi
             Synodo
             atque
             post
             à
             subsequentibus
             Patribus
             hoc
             Decessoribus
             meis
             oblatum
             vestra
             sanctitas
             novit
             ,
             sed
             tamen
             nullus
             eorum
             uti
             hoc
             unquam
             vocabulo
             voluit
             .
          
        
         
           But
           Sir
           ,
           our
           Author
           not
           only
           protests
           against
           the
           Ambition
           ,
           but
           the
           Authority
           of
           Bishops
           :
           for
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             They
             do
             but
             abuse
             themselves
             and
             others
             ,
             that
             would
             perswade
             us
             ,
             that
             Bishops
             by
             Christs
             institution
             ,
             have
             any
             Superiority
             over
             other
             men
             ,
             than
             that
             of
             Reverence
             .
          
        
         
           He
           grants
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           a
           greater
           Reverence
           due
           to
           them
           ,
           than
           to
           other
           men
           ,
           but
           how
           this
           should
           become
           a
           duty
           ,
           without
           supposing
           a
           just
           superiority
           to
           exact
           it
           ,
           I
           cannot
           understand
           .
        
         
           I
           will
           not
           here
           ingage
           in
           the
           Controversie
           about
           the
           Divine
           Right
           of
           Episcopacy
           .
           But
           I
           am
           sure
           the
           Apostles
           had
           a
           
           Superiority
           over
           the
           Seventy
           Disciples
           by
           Christs
           Institution
           ,
           and
           I
           am
           certain
           that
           the
           Antient
           Catholick
           Church
           did
           esteem
           Bishops
           as
           the
           Apostles
           Successors
           .
           The
           first
           we
           meet
           with
           in
           Ecclesiastical
           History
           that
           ever
           denyed
           the
           Superiority
           of
           Bishops
           ,
           was
           Aenius
           a
           discontented
           Arian
           ,
           and
           Epiphanius
           records
           him
           for
           a
           Heretick
           ,
           and
           brands
           his
           Opinion
           as
           a
           Diabolical
           Delusion
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           there
           remains
           nothing
           more
           considerable
           in
           our
           Author
           ,
           only
           the
           old
           Puritan
           Cavil
           against
           all
           Pomp
           and
           Gestures
           ,
           Garments
           and
           Musick
           in
           Publick
           Worship
           .
           I
           confess
           ,
           I
           dislike
           the
           gaudy
           Pageantry
           and
           numerous
           Ceremonies
           of
           the
           
             Ordo
             Romanus
          
           ,
           and
           I
           as
           much
           abhorr
           the
           Rudeness
           of
           a
           Conventicle
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           I
           have
           neither
           mind
           nor
           leisure
           to
           examine
           the
           Scruples
           of
           nicer
           fancies
           ,
           but
           I
           will
           propound
           these
           Queries
           ,
           and
           reserve
           them
           for
           future
           consideration
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           Whether
           the
           Governours
           of
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           have
           not
           as
           much
           Authority
           to
           make
           Institutions
           in
           matters
           indifferent
           ,
           as
           the
           Apostles
           ?
           Whether
           the
           
           Womans
           Veil
           ,
           or
           the
           Holy
           Kiss
           ,
           were
           more
           
             Jure
             Divino
          
           ,
           than
           the
           Surplice
           or
           Sign
           of
           the
           Cross
           ?
        
         
           2.
           
           Whether
           a
           Pompous
           Superstition
           in
           Publick
           Worship
           ,
           be
           not
           more
           pardonable
           ,
           than
           a
           Rude
           Forlorness
           ?
           Or
           ,
           whether
           a
           Sancy
           Rudeness
           will
           not
           sooner
           introduce
           Atheism
           ,
           than
           the
           most
           Glorious
           Superstition
           ?
        
         
           3.
           
           Whether
           the
           awful
           Adorations
           of
           the
           Jews
           ,
           the
           Glory
           of
           the
           Tabernacle
           and
           the
           Temple
           ,
           the
           Ornaments
           of
           the
           Priests
           ,
           and
           the
           Musick
           ,
           were
           Leviticall
           ,
           or
           rather
           founded
           upon
           Moral
           Reasons
           ?
        
         
           4.
           
           Whether
           a
           Publick
           Oratory
           or
           Church
           that
           is
           set
           apart
           for
           the
           more
           Solemn
           Worship
           of
           the
           Eternal
           God
           ,
           may
           not
           without
           Superstition
           be
           as
           Glorious
           and
           Magnificent
           ,
           as
           the
           Stadthouse
           in
           Holland
           ?
           (
           except
           Imagery
           .
           )
           Whether
           a
           Respect
           to
           God
           ,
           will
           not
           as
           much
           justifie
           one
           ,
           as
           a
           Relation
           to
           the
           States
           ,
           will
           vindicate
           the
           other
           ?
        
         
         
           Sir
           ,
           Whenever
           you
           please
           to
           command
           ,
           I
           shall
           enquire
           for
           Resolution
           ,
           in
           the
           mean
           I
           rest
           ,
        
         
           
             Sir
             ,
          
           
             
               Your
               Affectionate
               Friend
               and
               Servant
            
             ,
             R.
             C.
             
          
        
         
           FINIS
           .
        
         
         
      
    
     
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A34335-e2010
           
             Lib.
             3.
             adv
             .
          
           
             Haer.
             cap.
             3.
             
          
           
             Lib.
             4.
             
          
           
             cap.
             43.
             
          
           
             ☞
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
             Epad
             Philadelph
             .
          
           
             And
             exhorting
             to
             obey
             the
             Bishops
             ,
             and
             Priests
             he
             tells
             them
             ,
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
          
           
             Ignat.
             Ep.
             ad
             Trall
             .
          
           
             Epist
             .
             42.
             
          
           
             Pag.
             34.
             
          
           
             Aug.
             Ep.
             113.
             
          
           
             Tom.
             1.
             p.
             781.
             ad
             p.
             802.
             
          
           
             Epiphan
             .
             adv
             .
             Haeres
             .
             Tom.
             2.
             p.
             727.
             
          
           
             Pag.
             30.
             
          
           
             Page
             10.
             
             Sect.
             12.
             
          
           
             Pag.
             11.
             
          
           
             Pag.
             3
             ,
             4
             ,
             5
             ,
             6.
             
          
           
             Pag.
             4.
             
          
           
             Page
             2.
             
          
           
             Page
             2.
             
          
           
             Page
             2.
             
          
           
             Page
             4.
             
          
           
             Sect.
             5.
             
          
           
             Page
             9.
             
          
        
         
           Notes for div A34335-e6860
           
             Page
             2.
             
          
           
             Page
             1.
             
          
           
             Epist
             .
             118.
             
          
           
             Page
             3.
             
          
           
             Niceph.
             l.
             8.
             c.
             25.
             
             Lang.
             Int.
             〈◊〉
             
          
           
             Tom.
             1.
             
             Lib.
             10.
             
             Cap.
             5.
             
             Sect.
             1.
             
          
           
             Tom.
             1.
             lib.
             16.
             cap.
             5.
             sect
             .
             5.
             
          
           
             What
             authority
             have
             we
             ,
             for
             Infant
             Baptism
             ,
             the
             Lords
             Day
             ,
             the
             dispensing
             the
             Eucharist
             to
             Women
             ,
             but
             the
             Authority
             and
             Practice
             of
             the
             Antients
             ?
          
           
             Lev.
             17.
             5
             ,
             6.