A SERMON OF THE COMMVNION OF SAINTS; PREACHED BY EDWARD may, chaplain to the honourable society of LINCOLNES inn. 1 John 4.1. Probate Spiritus an sint ex Deo. Try the Spirits whether they be of God, or no. Gal. 5.22.23. Fructus Spiritus, charitas, gaudium pax, longanimitas, benignitas, bonitas, fides, mansuetudo, temperantia; The fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, &c. LONDON Printed by John Dawson for George Lathum, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard, at the sign of the brazen Serpent. 1621. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God, by divine providence, Lord Bishop of, &c. Whose name is written in heaven; and so not desirous to be name on Earth. Hymnum Deo dicere sempiternum. EDWARD may. COnsummatissime Conclamatissime Pontificum: Sidus. Apost: l. 2. epist. 2. l. 7. epist. 7. pardon my humble boldness, if I speak my soul in these words of old Sidonius( as it fits me) though otherwise afraid to give you your own, having so often seen in your face the picture of S. Paulinus his humble soul: whose watch over himself, fearing to admit vndeserued praises, refused just commendations, B. Paulinus epist. 1,& 2. ad Seuerum. as it appears by his just reprehension of severus, who much honoured him, Te multa dilectio vsque ad mendacij peccatum trahit. Well, 1 Cor. 15.10. Aug. epist. 32. ad Paulium. what you are, you are by the grace of God,& laudatus& benedictur 〈◇〉 cuius gratia tu talis es, The Church of our blessed Lord Iesus owes him much for you, myself owe not the least, and come now to augment my debts, beseeching you to secure me so far as I need protection for my Sermon( which I offer unto the family for which our Lord Iesus died, as a testimonial of my desires to live in it, and for it: and to signify( though 〈◇〉 what obscurely) unto it, that respect and charity which my heart exhibits you) necessitated to the press, both by the desires of honourable and learned Gentlemen of our own society:( though not for itself to be desired) as also by some who haue with much bitterness( having not yet, Sufficiunt nobis sensus tantum& judicium Sanctorum Saluian ad ecclesiam Cath. l. 4. Gal. 5.23. Basil de Spiritu Sancto. Cap. 17. I fear tasted of the Spirit of goodness) cut me for it: not knowing( God llumine them) that they take from God all that honor and glory which he intends himself, in our Creation, and consecration to their power, when they do so. Such and so violent haue the {αβγδ},& {αβγδ}, the thoughts and speeches of rigid separation ever been, I am loth to say any thing, for many times I lament them, because they are of those kind-hearts( of which the world speaks) who are most their own foes: kind they are: for they bestow vpon men more then they are willing to receive, such is their bounty now adays: yet to the praise of Gods secret-wisedome I speak it, I haue found such my friends, and myself much improved by them: {αβγδ} cyril Catech: 4. Christ is still in the manger & Greg: Tha●…turg: Ser. 1. in An●… ia●. For Custodes sunt( as Petrarch said of enemies) they are my guardian Angells, God hath appoynted them to keep me in his ways, yea, Saluatores sunt, they are as so many saviours next mine onely saviour; yet they are their own enemies, standing in their own light, while they study, and profit, and grow old in affencted. Ignorance, learned mis-interpretation, zealous-malice, and in an holy contempt of all sacred and spiritual things, as sacred derivation of the holy-Ghost; sacred imposition of hands, sacred succession of Bishops and Presbyters; sacred orders; sacred offices; sacred ceremonies; the sacred patrimony of the Crucified; the necessity of sacred repentance; th' authority of the sacred Church: Yea, the sacred sceptre of Christ himself, Animalis homo non percipit quae sunt Dei. and( for which let the world expect the heavy hand of Gods anger) th'efficacie, necessity, the life and fruits, the reverence, and honour of sacred Sacraments themselves, and of all those holy-reall Donations( though spiritual) which Christ Iesus bequeathed unto his Church: O Lord God of patience, and long-suffring, what holy thing haue not their hearts profaned, their tongues blasphem'de, their hands polluted and destroy'de? And yet, as if they did magnify our ministry, 2 Tim. 3.7. Coäceruant sibi Magistros ad sua desideria prurientes auribus. Coäceruant wee know their store now adays when one or two of their own, are nullius numeri: and sibi Magistros, I correct myself, Saint Paul surely spake not of these times, for now we are made slaves: ad desideria sua, as their several fancies led them, not guided by the mind of Iesus Christ, nor his Church; prurientes auribus, ears, there is the seat of their affections, not well devoted souls; and what is th'affection itself but Itch? A corrupted liver is the cause, and if episcopal authority be not the cure, the sound Doctrine of our dear Redeemer will prove loathsome, and none but scrubbers in request. And very fitly doth he Metaphor this petulant humour which infects most Churches, Itch, for he who is tainted with it cannot bee quiet for it; for his hands, and tongue, and ears, and all his parts, and passions must be doing: First, out of his pure devotion, Qui abhominaris Idôla Sacrilegium facis? Rom. 2.22. he cannot hold his fingers from committing Sacrilege; no, nor bridle his tongue, for that is nothing else but a bitter invective, and refutation of an innocent Ornament or two, and that by Scripture,( for he speaks nothing else, and he doth nothing else but speak) And lastly: when he hears how well the last are reported of, he will bee nothing but a hearer, to gain the name of just or honest with men, though he loose it with God, for he runs up and down to hear, to this end to hear; and his ears Itch to hear schismatical Doctrine, till he may hear himself spoken of for an honest hearer; and till the God of peace and unity will not hear his prayers. And further( with pity and grief I speak it) not doubting but sighs of fire haue ascended up to God, from the Altar of your charitable heart for these men) I had ever thought that zeal in Prayer, zeal in praising God, Fructus spiritus charitas gaudium, pax, &c. Gal. 5. 22. {αβγδ}. Mat. 3.11. zeal for Gods glory, zealous charity( the first of the fruits of the Spirit of Iesus) had been the true zeal, and fire with which Iesus doth baptize his Saints, when he dips them in the holy Ghost, and not an itching fervour which infects the Church; yet I see these humors( sound Religion that they make) make men accounted the onely zealous ones, and all are Antichristian( how Orthodox soever) all profane( how holy soever) who do not Itch. Good Lord Iesu look vpon thy distracted Church, serving thyself of Pastors after thine own Spirit, and not of popular affectation; and of people who may humbly learn to live after thy saving example, and not subtly to dispute away their souls. Now then( reverend Father) whatsoever the spirit and humour of some men bee, as my thoughts haue been as in the sight of our Lord Iesus Christ, concerning this Sermon, onely for the gathering of the Saints, proportionably to my poor skill into one Spirit,( for which I look for much ill-will from some, for no reward, but from God alone) yet shall it much refresh me if you accept it: and I shall be defended against all Spirits: and I shall be encouraged to persist steadfast and immovable in the work of the Lord( though it fall out that I be made either pro corpore mystico, 1 Cor. 15. ult. Paulinus Epist 28. ad Victricium. Zeno: Veronens: Ser. de Sancto Arcadio. Acts 2. or pro capite ecclesiastico, Martyr vivus with S. Victricius, or see myself vivum cadaver, as did S. Arcadius.) But howsoever, I shall haue company enough, for all our Blessed lords Apostles were believed by some, derided by others, and I shall rest with honor enough, that the seruant be as his Lord. Alma Trinitas& vna divinitas paternitatem vestram, S: Bonifacius Anglus Archi: epist. Mogunt. Epist. 9. ad Huetbert. & hic Sanctis virtutibus proficientem ac valentem augeat,& custodiat;& in futurâ be dine, inter splendida Angelorum Agmina gaudentum, remunerando glorificet. Now to our Lord Iesus Christ be all glory, for infinite eternities. Your Lordships most humble seruant, in the service of our Lord. Good Reader for as much as concerns the body of the Sermon, understand this, that in some places since it was printed, I find my meaning much obscured for thy clearer understanding: And many oversights and omissions haue also not a little defaced it, which I beseech thee pardon: I will make amends here for some. page. 1. line 1. this for the. page. 23. Iouinianus for jovinian. Pause for pauses. marginal oversights, page. 2. qua for quia. page. 5. eum for est. Pag. 22. Talinus for Tatius. marginal omissions, page. 7. Chrysost: l. 3.& 6. de Sacerdotio& hom. 51. in Mat: page. 9. Laicus omnis fine Sacerdote perficieus aliquid frustra facit Clemens, Rom. Apost. Constitut: l. 2. c. 31. Saluian Solorio Episcopo. SVper est vt oars Dominum Deum nostrum,& orando id impetres, vt libellus, ad Ecclesiae Christi honorem, conscriptus tantum apud Deum. Scriptori suo prosit, quantum prodesse eum, ipse, omnibus cupit: Nec iniustum, puto, est desiderium, quo tantum sibi aliquis praestari postulat pro salute, quantum ipse optat cunctis pro charitate. A SERMON OF THE COMMVNION OF SAINTS. 1 John 1.3. And truly our Communionis with the Father, and his son Iesus Christ. THis Communion of Saints is as ancient as eternity itself, jehovah possessed wisdom in the beginning of his way, proverbs 8. 22. and verse 30. Shee was from everlasting by him, one brought up with him, daily his delight rejoicing always before him. The three Saints, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Esa. 6. Dominus, Deus, oimpotens, the holy Father, Apocal. 4. the holy son, and the holy Spirit of both did communicate in incommunicable glory, in inaccessible light, in their most blessed, and incomprehensible Ioy, in the unity of their deity, before heaven or earth were made: for, before the heauens were, they dwelled in an inconceiueable inhabitation one of another, which the greek Church termed {αβγδ}, Damas: l. 3. c. 7. Orthodox. fid. and the latins translated circum incessio, of which S. John speaks in his fourteenth Chapter: Hil: Pictau: l. 4. de Triu: Deus in Deo est:& inquo est Deus Deus est, qua Deus ex Deo est. I in the Father, and the Father in me; for the Father is in the son, and the holy Ghost: the son is in the Father and the holy Ghost: the holy Ghost is in the Father and the son: which mysterious Communion S. Augustine judiciously, Aug. l. 6. de Trin: c. ult. And from this inhabitation it comes that our prayers are accepted to what person soever of the trinity they are directed: and that prayer to one is prayer to every one, Zeno. Veronens: ser. de Psal. 129. and like himself observed; Singula in singulis Et omnia in singulis Et singula in omnibus Et omnia in omnibus Et vnum omnia & every one in every one. All in every one. every one in all. All in all. One all, yea, and all one. An unspeakable Communion or common union( you see) they had in Nature, in glory, in blessedness. But such was their goodness( common to them all) that they created Angells and Man, the Angells he made Spirits, Psal. 104.4. and a flaming fire; Spirits readily to serve him; a flaming fire, ardently to love him: job 1.6. Psal. 93.7. Heb. 1.6. he honoured them with the name of sons, yea, Gods, that so they might haue the nearest Communion with him, and always behold the face of our Father which is in heaven. Mat. 18.10. And for man: the God of glory made him the glory of God, 1 Cor. 11.7. Heb. 1.14. Honorandi tamen sunt amici tui Domine. and made him after the Image of his Image, after the Image of his eternal son, yea, and made the Angells themselves to serve Man,( I take it therefore to bee a sin against the glory of Mans creation to serve the Angells) thou hast crwoned him with glory and worship( saith david unto his Lord. Psal. 8.5. ) And to this end did God set such a crown of Glory and worship vpon mans head in the day of his creation, that he might be fitted for fellowship with his Maker. Then did the King of Saints put him into Paradise, and drew covenants, Apo. 15.3. and walked with him in the Garden, but how? whether by some created deputy, testifying his presence in the form of man( as is commonly conceived) or whether by any more immediate communication, onely the soul of Adam can determine. But howsoever: God so visited him, that he for his part intended to haue Man his eternal companion, which job considering, said; job 9.17. What is man that thou shouldst magnify him? and that thou shouldst set thy heart vpon him, and that thou shouldst visit him every morning? But some of those Angells sinned at first by Pride,( which both then and ever since hath been the mother of all division, and the deadly bane of the Saints Communion) for that either they refused to keep man, scorning to bee ministering Spirits; or, because they opposed the Adoration of the Man-Christ;( if it were delivered them from the instant of their Creation) Let all the Angells of God worship him: or, lastly, because they grudged, Heb. 1.6. hearing that the nature of man which CHRIST should assume and associate with his divinity should be above them in glory, and so consequently the body mystical to be where the head triumphant is, above all Angells. They sinning( I say) by Pride, and envying man when they had sinned, that he should ascend unto their glory which they had lost; especially, transcend them in glory, presently set vpon Man, and drew him into their sin and separation from God, here was now the first schism,( the devill the first schismatic) and the first interruption of the Communion of Saints. But yet so great a lover was our gracious Creator of this Communion begun with Man, that he spared not the Angells which sinned, 2 Pet. 2.4. Goffrid: Vindocinensis Ser. 1. in nat: Dom. but because Man fell away by suggestion, and not of himself like the angel who sinned desperately,( if not the sin against the holy Ghost) And because God saw millions of millions which might be Saints in one man, whereas Angells propagate not; having also innumerable myriad of Angels besides, and but one onely man, and all men in him: But indeed because God was God,( for he could haue raised Saints of stones) he looked vpon man with the eye of pity, Mat. 3.9. and in the multitude of his saving mercies, said of him( as it is in ieremy) Shall he fall, jer. 8.4. and shall he not rise? shall he turn away, and shall he not return? Then did God pass the promise of his eternal decree, that medius should be medians, that the second Saint in trinity should assume our flesh by personal union into the fellowship of his divinity, and so be again Imanuel, God with us, that we again might haue communion with God, and reattayne unto the fellowship of the Saints in light. Coloss. 1.12. So that whereas God for the first Communion at Mans creation imprinted on him the Image of his son: Now for the reconciliation God imprinted on his son the Image of Man, Phil. 2 7. Oportuerat mediatorem Dei et hominum per suam ad vtrosque domesticitatem, in amicitiam& concordiam vtrosque reducere,& facere vt Deus assumeret hominem et homo se dederit Deo Quâ enim ratione filiorum adoptionis eius participes esse possemus nisi per filium eam quae eum ad ipsum recipissemus abeo communionem, nisi verbum eius communicasset nobis, caro factum. Irenaeus l. 3. c. 20. adverse. haeres. Psal. 78.60. He was found in shape as a man: God was united hypostatically to man, to revnite man to God. And thus far haue I prefac'd unto youth antiquity, and dignity of the Saints Communion, both for that the blessed Trinity began it in th●… eternal unity: and enlarged it in, the creation of Man and Angells; and renu'd it by the incarnation of the Word the second Saint. And to let pass that Communion, which the old Church until the dayes of Christ, had both among themselves, and with their God; a taste of which I could give you by Enoch his walking with God, and Abrams frequent conferences with the most high God: and Moses his visions, and Mount communications; and by all those revelations, and oblations, and prayers, and praises, and holy passages, but above all by that tabernacle in which God dwelled among them; to pratermit( I say) all that typical Communion of the Saints of old. It is faithfully to be observed, how that at the incarnation of Christ, and actual renovation of this Communion, S. John begins this Epistle; Contextus. That which was from the beginning, which wee haue heard, which we haue seen without eyes, which wee haue looked vpon, and our hands haue handled of the Word of life, that eternal life declare wee unto you, and why? to what end do we declare it unto you? that you may haue fellowship with us: that is, we show you Christ Iesus his union with our nature, whom we haue seen in the flesh and had Communion with, that you may know and beleeue, that God hath bound himself unto man by an Assumpsit of Man into God; and the reason why he hath so obliged himself, and was so united is this; that you might haue Communion with the Apostles, and be of the apostolical Church: But blessed S. John, what is your Communion then who are Apostles? truly our Communion is with the Father, and his son Iesus Christ. You see then( to speak but a word of the dependence) that society with the holy Apostles is society with the heavenly Lord, and all they who come unto Christ Iesus, now since his coming, must come by the Apostles, and unto them, and by,& unto them who succeed them, or they shall never come unto the sight of essential happiness; for, these are the beginners& continuers of the Saints Communion. God who is the Father of Spirits; and Iesus Christ who is the saviour of souls, hath not onely given authority and spiritual power over his mystical body which is the Communion of souls,( for what think you of those voices from his own lips, feed my sheep: preach: baptize: whose sins ye remit: whose sins ye retain?) But hath also given a power over his own natural body which is himself unto them, for to them onely was it said: do this in remembrance of me; by which words, they haue Commission to dispose of that very body which was given for the life of the World,& of that invaluable blood which was shed to redeem sinful souls: for which causes the Bishops and Presbyters haue( as antiquity can tell) been honoured with an honour which no King, Isiod: Pelufiota: l. 2. Epist: 5. {αβγδ}. no angel had ever given him; they are the Makers of Christ his body, they do a work which none but the holy Ghost besides them ever did, they make up the mystical body of Christ by the holy Ghost which made his body of Virgin-substance, joh. 20.22. which Iesus gave them by Insufflation: Insufflauit iis& dixit accipite Spiritum Sanctum, &c. Act. 8.17.18. 1 Tim. 4 14. 2 Tim. 1.16. Which holy Ghost is now by imposition of hands successively received from apostolical men, that still the body of Christ may be made unto the end of the World; for, this power was not given the Apostles ad tempus, but ad consumationem, Mat. 28.20. as the Apostles themselves were given, in their heires, ecce ego vobiscum: for though they be with him, yet he is with them in their successors; & ecce behold he is with them on earth, though they be in heaven with him: and as Christ Iesus himself is bodily in heaven, but by his spirit still on earth, and till the end; Num cessauit gratia in sancta ecclesiâ 〈◇〉 Abfit: Epiphanius hares: 48. so are his Apostles for themselves in heaven: in Bishops and Presbyters on earth until the second, and last consummatum: and do still by the holy Ghost make the mystical body( I am sure) let who list dispute of his natural. Wherefore beloved; if they then make not you members of Christ, how can you be bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh? If you bee not begotten by them, how can you be children of the living God? Nay, how can you haue any thing to do with God, if you haue not communion with us? I know presumption vpon wealth, and distempers of opinion, and wit, haue left the world little respect to us; no care of our Communion, less love of our persons: I am sensible of contempt and persecution, and greatness complains shee is disgraced, if perchance once a year she be seen in company of a poor Priest, when as their greatness hath made us poor; yea, now the world takes itself little beholding unto the Father of Lights for his stars; Ordo& plebs in Tertullia his time were as Termini incompossibiles, l. de exhort. ad Castitat. And in his li. deprescript, he complained, that Laicis Sacerdotalia munera, &c. in Castris haereticorum. lo mag. epi. 62. ad maxinum Antioch: epis: Praeter eos qui sunt Domini Sacerdotes, nullus sibi ius docendi,& praedicandi audeat vindicare siue fit ille Monachus, siue Laicus qui alicuius scientiae, nomine gloriatur; quia etsi optandum est, ve omnes ecclesiafilij, quae recta et sanasunt sapiant; non tamen permittendum est, vt quisquam extra sacerdotalem or din●… m Constitutur gradum sibi predicatoris assumat cum in Ecclesiâ Dei omnia ordinata esse conveniat, vt in uno christi corpore et excellentiorae membra suum officium impleant et inferiora superioribus non resultent. they doubt not but to see the light of life well enough without them, but if this be possible( I say if ordinarily possible, and I know vpon what grounds I speak) let us never haue that Faciall Vision( if it be not offensive to use the word of Pope John 22) of the God of Glory. Then is it a usurpation of transcendent presumption, not onely to lay hand vpon our benefice, but our holy Offices beside, as if we were but Church-men for their ease, as some of them haue chapels: as if there were no other use of the Apostles, but to save them a labour: what else mean those heretical sounds so often in our cares, every man is a Priest to himself: blaspheming the saviour of the worlds institution, Goffrid: vindocinensis opus: ●. and in effect, calling the cognizance of the Apostles, the cozenage of the people: supper quem videris spiritum ille est qui baptiz at in spiritu sancto. John 1.33. And it hath been ever held stiffly, that Bonus laicus non potest facere quod malus sacerdos. I speak not of Gods extraordinary operation. Obedite prapositis vestris qui vigilant pro ammabus. Heb. 13. 17. {αβγδ}. while they say that Lay-men may preach, baptize, consecrate, distribute the sacred Mysteries: superfluous generation that wee are? And when they haue said and done their desire, what haue they done? laics preaching can convert no more then a good moral sentence out of Seneca: their Sacraments( as they proceed from them) confer no more, then the Vine and fountain haue afforded: for not having the spirit by imposition, and apostolical succession; they do all without Gods spirit, Gods ordinance, Gods promise, Gods blessing; and so will be the success: Then must it be assented unto, that you must haue communion with us, or else not with the Father and his son Iesus Christ. Gods will is that his ordinance bee obeied; and Gods will is that his sons shall be beholding to his seruants for their glory. Thou owest me thy very self( saith S. Paul to Philemon) yea, even Christ himself that Great shepherd, and Bishop of souls, after his humiliation began, obeied his own institution and honoured it, neither did he, neither could he himself haue ascended unto his kingdom, but by the Priesthood. And thus much I haue declared unto you, concerning the dependence of the Text, and the beginners and continuers of this Communion, that you may haue communion with us, And truly our communion is with the Father, and his son Iesus Christ, all is but one Communion if with us, with him; not with him, if not with vs. To part the Text: the Communion of Saints admits a double consideration, in regard of the Saints themselves, and both are in the Text. 1. One is {αβγδ}, our Communion specified and pointed out with a double Article, that communion, that ours: take notice of it. 2. The other is {αβγδ}, &c. 1. The first is, Communio cum corpore: our communion with the Apostles, and their Successors, and all their converts. 2. The other is, Communio cum capite, with God the Father, &c. The head and the body are one Christ, and our Communion amongst ourselves is our commuon with the Father, &c. Yet for the better understanding of this admirable and divine communion,( the pith and sweet, and cream of all divinity, then which your souls never tasted any thing more wholesome and delicious) I say for the better understanding of the whole communion, and for the better conjoining of every Saint and member, and all the Saints together with God, we must thus for a time divide it: And also divide them( the Saints themselves) into these three ranks and orders. 1. Some are Saints Per Substantialem sanctitatem, and also per gubernationem and these are the three persons of the blessed trinity, who are Rex sanctorum, Apocal. 15.3. God is the beginner and governor of their communion. 2. Some are Saints per creationem, as those Angells which were created holy and so perseuer'd. 3. Some are Saints, Per vocationem, and these are men vocati sancti, Rom. 1.7. The second order is of the body of our Communion, because they minister for our sakes. Heb. 1. I shall speak first of our Communion amongst ourselves, and then of our communion with God the Father, &c. And in our communion, first of our communion with men, then of our communion with Angells. In our communion of men with men, there are three branches. 1. The first is, Separatorum cum vivis, the communion of men separated from communion with their bodies by death, with the living: and that is the departed Saints communion with us, and ours with them. 2. The second is, Seperatorum cum seperatis, the Communion which the separated souls of the just haue one with another in heaven. 3. The third is, vivorum cum vivis, the Communion which the living haue with the living, and this is our communion amongst us who yet live on earth. Of all these shall I speak unto you( God assisting me, though not now) beginning with Saints by Vocation, with that communion which is amongst ourselves here on earth, and so by degrees ascending, till wee come unto innumerable companies of Angells, to the general assembly and Church of the first born, and to God the judge of all, with the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Iesus the Mediator of the new covenant, Heb. 12. And to that blessed Communion of all, of God, and men, and Angells, altogether in unchangeable felicity, and eternal glory. To begin then with that communion which is amongst ourselves here on earth, of necessity these three questions fall first into consideration. 1. Who are the Saints of this Communion, and who are not? 2. What that Communion of Saints is, which is both to be believed, and practised? 3. What those graces and duties and blessings are, in which those Saints do, and ought to communicate? And here we shall see how far we may, and must communicate with the universal Church? How far with the Church of Rome? How far with particular Churches? And how far with particular men? Aug. in Psal. 30. Conc. 2. in l. de vnitat: ecclesiae. cap. 4. Isidor. Pelus. Epist. 246. l. 2. 1. For the first, it is easy to answer, that all they are Saints who are members of Christ: now totus Christus est caput& corpus,( as S. Augustine many times remembers us) the head is the onely begotten son of God, the body is the holy Church, a true Saint must haue communion with both, or not with whole Christ. For to what end is it to be in the true Church, and to haue a false faith concerning Iesus Christ? and what will it profit to beleeue aright concerning Christ, and not to be in the true Church? That glorious Martyr S. Cyprian, Cyprian l. 2. Epist. 8. & the Fathers ever 〈…〉 themselves to this refuge, against ●… onatus, and ●… ga●us, and Donatus, and that whole rabble of heretics and schismatics which hath always pestered the Church: Non potest esse cum Christo, qui cum sponsâ Christi, atque in eius ecclesiâ non est: And doth not S. Augustine speak home? Aug: Epist. 48. Nobiscum estis in baptismo, in Symbolo, in cateris dominicis Sacramentis: in spiritu autem unitatis, invincalo pacis, in ipsô denique Catholicâ ecclesiâ nobiscum non est is. whosoever then would prove a right Saint, must join himself to the great mystery of two in one flesh, Ephes. 5. Christ and his Church. But because wee are now about Communion with the body, let us try onely who are Saints of the body and this experiment is soon made: Who are in the catholic Church, for the catholic Church, and the communion of Saints are but one Article of faith; all then who are in the first are of the second: now who are in the first? That Miracle of understanding( S. Augustine I mean) gives one mark for all: Aug. tract. 32. in John. they are in the holy catholic Church who haue received the holy Ghost:& they haue received the holy Ghost who speak all Languages( as did the Apostles at the day of pentecost) they then who speak all Languages, are Saints of our Communion, but what? Is he then no Saint, who speaks not all tongues? No,( saith he) for how can he bee seeing he hath not that Spirit by which they spake all tongues, who were in one place? the Church spake all ●… ngd ag●… s then, and it speaks all now, and how bespeak●… 〈…〉 all hath not the holy Ghosts I ow●… d can 〈◇〉 be a Saint? he is pr●… sus& diuisu ab unitate membrorum quae unitas linguis omnium liquitur, If therefore any bee of the Church, let him show me this sign, what sign? Let him speak all tongues: well, but can Augustine himself show this sign? Loquor planè. I do evidently speak them all, Quia omnis lingua mea est, that is, Ti● corporis cuius membrum sum: Ecclesiast corpus Christi, in hoc corpare membrumes, cum ergo membrumes eius corporis quod loquitur omnibus linguis, creed te loqui omnibus linguis: yea, but still we seek the Church in the Church: how know we who is a member? Well enough: unitas membrorum charitate concorda●…, et ipsa vnitat loquitur, accipimas ergo Spiritum sanctum, si amamus ecclesiam, si unitate compaginamur, si catholicon nomine& fide gaicdemas, credam ac fratres quantum quisque amat ecclesiam Christi, Not shut up in the synagogue. {αβγδ}. Isidor. Pelusiot. l. 4. Ep. 103. tantum habet Spiritum Sanctum. Here is the pith of all: if wee will bee of that Church which is not confined to any one country, or nation, but is catholic,& every where, where any ●… yes, 〈◇〉 Language is heard, and if we love that Church we are Saints, and within the Communion: So that he who believes the catholic Church, must also love the catholic Church; for, indeed universal charity makes thee of the universal Church, and the holy spirit of love being communicated unto thee in that extension, as that thou lovest all the members of that Church, makes thee a member of it. For every member of the body speaks his own Language, and every member speaks the Language of every member, and every member speaks the Language of the whole. 1. The language of every member is love, and care, and preservation, and every member speaks this for itself. 2. every member hath its particular love, Tolle condemn& tuum est qd habeo, tollam condemn et meum est quod habes, oculus solus videt in corpore said nunquid soli sibi oculus videt? Et manui videt, et pedi videt, et caeteris membris videt. Aug. ubi suprae. and every member says the same for it also: For the eye watcheth for the head, the head's a counseler, the mouth's an orator, the hand's a physician; the heart's a divine; the legs are footmen; every member is seruant to any member, even to a goutie to, to cure it, and to make it found. 3. Lastly, every member speaks the language of the whole; if the whole speak prosperity, every member speaks the same; if it speak content, every member says the same; if it speak for preservation, every member in its own dialect says the same, if it complain of affliction or tribulation, every member sings the lamentations of the whole; the voice is mourning, the eye is weeping, the heart is sighing, the hands are pleading, the head is hanging down, and every part and member is compassionate; which make the saying true, Pars totius, totum parts exhibet officium; And that part which doth not sympathise is dead, or cut off, and not animated with the soul. So is it in the body mystical of Iesus Christ( as S. Paul teacheth) as the body is one, 1 Cor. 12.12. and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, Vess. 25. so also is Christ: and in the 25. v. he says they all say the same, being animated per eundem spiritum, God would haue no schism in the body, In vnum spiritum baptizatisumus, in uno spiritu potati s●…. but that the members should haue the same care, one for another, and whether one member fuffer all suffer with it, if one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it; now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And( I will not say) as true as the gospel, for it is the truth of the Gospel, as many of you as are members veritate essentiae siue formae( as the learned speak) of that catholic and aecumenicall body of Iesus Christ: do speak the language of every member, and of the whole, or else you are not actuated by the Spirit of Iesus, but are dead and rotten members of his Church: you offer up your odours duly into the vial of the angel, which are the prayers of Saints: you make supplications and deprecations, and all humble-earnest invocations, for the whole Church, and pray that the prayers of the whole Church, and every member of the Church may be heard. You rejoice for the rejoicing of the Church; you are comforted with her prosperity, and you mourn for her desolations: you lament and bewail her wounds and gashes; the sects, and cuts which are made vpon the body of the Lord Iesus:( I say) you speak all her languages, or you haue not the Spirit, neither are you Saints of this communion with vs. But if you do speak all her languages, whensoever you speak to God for her( though you speak but one) God hears all languages speak unto him, and when any member of that body intercedes for her, all Languages do sound in Gods cares in heaven for thee, because thou art a member of that vnitiue body: And if any would know how this can be, I answer, with S. Paul, per eundem spiritum, by the self same spirit which is whole in every one, and the same in all, totus in toto,& totus in qualibet parte. Alas, alas then for all them who speak but the Language of one Nation, it may be not so much, but of one city; and with more restriction, but of one conventicle, but of one chamber, one chimney, but of one man, Hareticus de se Natus, Optatus l. 1. pag. 14. unitas ab uno said non ad vnum unity comes of one, but if it come to one it is no longer unity. said Optatus. Well was it for that man who abrenounced the catholic Church, holding God had lost his Church, and therefore would begin to shape God a new one, and baptize himself first; Well was it for that man that he saw his sin, and the Church his tears. But pity we that novice in knowledge, Robinson Angloleydensis Apol. Brownist. p. 25. that Nouator by invention, at best( and thats bad enough) that novatian by profession, who speaks onely his own tongue, in dividing himself from that body which the Spirit of Iesus informs, in separating himself from the communion of a principal part; in spreading his papers before the eyes of all men, that it is incongruous divinity for a Christian to say the Pater noster by himself; these are his words, Vt vero quis solus et siue alio dicat Pater noster vix congruum videtur: I know it is incongruous divinity among such as are not of the Church; for how can they say, Our Father, who are not his children? How little haue such been acquainted with the language of the holy Ghost? Christ Iesus our head understood a mysterious congruity in it when he had his Apostles enter into their closetts and shut their doors, and pray, Mat. 6.6. and two verses after, after this manner pray ye: Our Father, &c. L. Dominus nobiscum cap. 6. Petrus Damianus, an ancient Bishop, in demonstrating the Communion of them, who are Saints in this practise of prayer, assures us Quod neque hic pluralibus verbis vrius personae solitudo preiudicat, neque illic multitude fidelium a singularitate discordat; the solitude of one person is not prejudicial to the plural words, nor the multitude of believers disaduantageous to every several mans good; every particular is universal, and the universal is particular( the communion of Saints is an heavenly and divine Logi●…) and that holy mans reason is, In toto vniuersali quicquid totius est, etiam parts est. because of that Spirit which is in every man, and fills all, and unites all the partes. Then when we say, pater-noster, each of us by ourselves, there is( saith he) solitudo pluralis: when more pray together, there is multitudo singularis one for all, and all for every one, for all are one. And this is a sure and perfect representation of that mutual circumincession, and ancient {αβγδ} of the three first Saints. Thus you haue seen in the general who are the Saints of our Communion, and who are not;(!) they who speak all languages per spiritum unitatis& charitatis. I must now descend to particulars, and declare that heretics who pervert the Faith: schismatics who haue relinquished charity: Apostatats forlorn of hope, are not Saints of our communion: Now( saith S. Paul) remain faith, hope, 1 Cor. 13. and charity, these three, and onely these three to bring us unto God, and if these fail what remaines? It concerns us not a little to know who are the men with whom we must Communicate, and therefore also to understand whether in the Church, great and known sinners, secret Infidels, and excommunicate be of our communion, and how far we must communicate with them, and in what things? And amongst men of another temper, whether the weaklings and not perfect be Saints of our Communion, and of our conversation with them. beloved, let me not be mistaken, that I go about to tell you who are elect, who are reprobate: for that were to usurp omniscience: the Lord onely knows his own: but because these things all, are with great eagerness disputed, and because it behoveth us to know how far our communion is extended? how limited? how enlarged? and because God hath revealed himself with what kind of men we must communicate, and in what things, and how far: these we must know if we would be known of God for his. To speak onely of the three first sorts of men at this time, for these things require many Sermons, our greatest pains; your best attention, and so much the more, by how much the communion of Saints hath been neglected; for from the dayes of our saviour, until this hour, no one man hath been so charitable unto the Saints as to bestow one whole Sermon vpon their communion ( for any thing that I can find) nor any just Treatise, onely some little expositions, except onely one schismatic, who appropriates this communion most unjustly unto his own separation. Now then for the first three it is plain, these are not of our communion, neither can they haue fellowship with God the Father, and his son Iesus Christ: so long as they are such; 1. First, not apostatas, flinchers, voluntary renouncers of Christ Iesus,& the societies of good men, bidding all Religion farewell, fighting for gentilism in life, Hereticus spiritalis adulter: Caralitanus de non conueniendo cum haereticis in Opusculo. Haeresis idôlum novi Test: Hieronym: in Ose. cap. 11. Aug. l. de fid. et Symbol. c. 10. Ireneus l. 3. cap. 3. &c. De balneo non lotus exiliuit dicens, quod timeat ne balne●… Concidat cum intus esset Cerinthus inimicus veritatis; et ipse Policarpus Marcioni occurenti si bi& dicenti cognosce nos respondit cognosco te primogenitum satanae: Tanti Apostoli& borum discipuli habuerunt timorem vt neque verbo tenus communicarent alicui corum qui adulter a●… erant veritatem. and heresy in iudgment. These are not of the Church, nor of our communion: he who hath the Doctrine of Christ, hath the Father and the son; but if any man come unto you and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not to house, bid him not God speed, 2 joh. 9.10. So neither are heretics nor schismatics of the Saints, nor of the true Church, because a fundamental heretic diuids himself from the head Christ Iesus; a schismatic from the body his Church: So said 〈◇〉 Augustine, Hereticus non pertinet ad ecclesiam Catholicam quoniam diligit Deum; nec schismaticus quoniam diligit proximum, He is against faith, the other against charity: with one of these wee are tied to Christ the head, with the other unto his body: now if these sinews be cut off by us, we cut ourselves from the head and body of Christ. 2. For him then after one or two admonition reject him, Tit. 3.10. If Cerinthus be in the bath S. John will not stay there. 3. And for the schismatic he is touching himself so long as he is such, in as poor a case, for in that he separats from the body of the Church he cannot haue the Spirit of Christ: So S. Iude v. 19. Hi sunt qui segregant se ipsos, animales, Spiritum non habentes: The three of life grew no where but in the midst of Paradise; nor is Christ to be found& life eternal, but in the universal Church: his promises are onely given unto his Church, It is the heresy of Arrius, to put no difference between Episcopus, and Presbyter, Epiphani haeres 75. Aug. haeres. 53. It is the schism of the Audians to object the riches of the Church. Epiph. haeres. 70 Constantine that glorious Emperour, Osculatus est Episcoporum vulnera:& Sacerdotum facinora, imò stupra, suo paludamento, obtecturum se profitebatur, Theod. hist l. c. 11. At detestabilis nequitia Arianorum communes patres aspernatur& suos ipsorum pernegat. Theod. c. 12 Cpy. l. 4. Epist. 9 Procalice pocula lignea vino implentur, Ludo. Lauather. hist. Sacrament. his covenants only drawn between him and his Church: then without the Church, without the promise and covenant; without these, without Paradise& salvation: they therefore who separate from their Bishops and Presbyters,& equal them both: that both may haue but equal pensions: and list at the first, that they may level the latter with the dust in the streets,& all to tear the coat of Christ; they who separate from the church because the Bishops please them not, by reason of their jurisdiction(!) because the Apostles please them not( for there is not one drop of apostolical blood amongst us, if it run not more liberally in their veins) I say, they who separate from them, and from their Presbyters( as all schism ever came from their contempt) and are not well joined cohaerentium sibi invicem Sacerdotum glutino; with the glue of of Priests( as S. Cyprian speaks) all these come not within the sphere of the Holy Ghosts activity, what cup discipline soever the Brownists study; or what conventicle soever the separatists approve: or what wooden discipline soever some zwinglians haue practised, or what course soever,& singular way, any sort of men take different or contrary to the universal Church which violates charity. Let me then for conclusion beseech you all that hear me, even by that blood which was shed for the sins of the world, and by his death, who died for all men, and by those merites which millions of sinful worlds cannot impoverish; that none of you look toward the sinful Apostata in life( for the errors of the will, will draw errors of iudgement, and both of them draw iudgement from the God and judge of all: Tatinus Adae Saluti contradictionem facit. Irenaeus l. 1. c. 31. nor let any of you incline unto the Heritique in belief, nor with the schismatic( reprobating himself, in reprobating all besides his own brood) restrain Gods love to ourselves, limit the common salvation to a few, extend our own charity to none. I cannot now declare, what Communion wee must haue either with particular Churches, or particular men of what stamp soever( which by the aids of Gods Spirit I shall hereafter) yet haue you as little to do with the two first sorts of men, as some of the strictest in the Church of Rome haue with us in things spiritual, who say not grace, no not at their own tables, if a Protestant bee present. Let all that you haue to do with the two first( I say) in the things of God, be to pray for their conversion, or to compel them by a punishing mercy, and saving severity. For the last man, as we are not to separate with him, so not from him; but to converse to dispute, persuade, to preach unto him unity( if harmony haue not blown him forth of the Church, and beyond the Seas) to exhort him that he would be pleased to amend and conform himself, before he begin to patch and reform the Church; that he would first understand Gods book, before he venture to make God a new Bible; that he would first learn before he presume to teach, especially his teachers, and reform the Bishops( as some who in Irenaeus his time, Irenaeus l. 3. c. 1. Matth. 25. Gal. 5.6. called themselves Emendatores Apostolorum, forsooth, the menders of the Apostles.) That they would get them oil in their Lamp's, as well as fire in their weeks: for faith works by love, for their fiery faith without charity, will be but a blast to the world, but a dangerous burning to themselves. persuade them by all Christian peaceableness, and by the meekness of Iesus himself, Tettul. adverse. martion. l. 5. Spongia Marcionis. Interpuncta Iouiniani. that they use no longer martion the heretics Sponge: nor Arrius his red-chalke: nor jovinians interpointings, with which they defaced the truth of God, for they haue Marcions Sponge, or that which is worse, they wipe the image of God out of the book of life by uncharitable censure, by unwise and hasty iudgement. They haue Arrius his red-chalke, or worse, Miniatula Arij Creta. painting every christian, whose souls cost as much precious blood as theirs, yea, every Priest of the High God, who perhaps dissents but indifferencies with the coal of the foulest and blackest imputations. And they haue jovinians interpuncts too, Interpuncta Iouiniani. or worse, for they will make their pause and and their periods where they should not, they will begin to commend vpon other mens commendations, and then make the ordinary stop: But; shaking their heads, intimating great crimes( no doubt) in him, they can know no evil by: and whereas Iouinianus corrupted with his points, but the dead letter, these misinterprete the voices, the sermons, the lives of most innocent and Orthodox men: Admonish them( I say,) that their practices please not God, joh. 16.2. and that they must not kill the Lords disciples, and then think they haue done God good service. Rom. 3.17. Lastly, if the way of peace they haue at all known, if any of us, haue any communion with any of them, let it be to this end, that they separate not themselves from their own Pastors, that are able to administer any counsel or comfort; for if they contemn these little ones, they contemn him that sent them: and if in contempt they separate from him, they haue made their first step and act to that final separation( as vpon great reasons I am resolved:) But let not this be taken, that the helps of other Pastors may not be required, but that our ordinary communion be with our own. And let us daily beseech our Lord Iesus, the prince of peace, to put an end to these warres and dissensions of his Church, and that he would hasten, Matth. 13.41. to take out of his kingdom( according to his promise) all that doth offend; That the body of the Lord Iesus may no longer fight against itself: Preached at the end of Hilary term. 1620. Oh preserve his body: speak all the languages of the whole, and every part of it: and wheresoever you shal be seuer'd, speak our language, and we shall speak yours, haue communion with us, as we haue with the Father, and his son Iesus Christ: love you the universal Church, Christ Iesus will love you. I end with S. Pauls exhortation, compellation, adjuration: Phil 2.1.2. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any communion of the Spirit,( they are his words) if any bowels& mercies fulfil my ioy, that ye be of one meaning, having the same love, of one mind, agreeing in one, doing nothing by contention, or vain glory: If we haue any love to ourselves, if any to our Lord Iesus, think on these things. FINIS.