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A fourth scandall among Calvinists, &c. viz. their aversion from unity.
1. A Fourth great discouragement which I had to joyne in Communion with the Lutheran or Calvinist Churches, was their ma∣nifest renouncing of Christian Charity, and the peace of Gods Church, their unwillingnesse to abate the least point of doctrine even to a very
phrase, or to alter any thing in discipline though to gaine thereby the greatest good, which is unity and reconciliation, in a word, the Spirit of Donatisme, a Spirit of Separation, out of the love of Separation it selfe.
2. Whether it was a naturall inclination in me to hate all quarrells unlesse most extreamely necessary and unavoidable: or my education in the English Church, which of all other Sects doth most professe moderation, I have alwaies dearly esteemed those writers whether Catho∣lique or Protestant, which have endeavoured to lessen the number of differences between Chri∣stians, to give the most moderate qualified sences to differing opinions, and to attempt all probable waies of reconciliation, as Hofmeiste∣rus, Wicelius, Franciscus à Sancta Clarâ, &c. among Catholiques; And Bishop Andrewes, Montague, Grotius, Monsicur de la Millitiere, Acontus, &c. among Protestants. I was more∣over in mine owne understanding convinc'd that in very many points the differences between Catholiques and Protestants was onely in words, while in the meaning both parties agreed, as concerning Freewill, Predestination, Iustification, Merit of Good workes, sinnes Mortall and Veniall, &c. Nay further, that some negative points of doctrine were maintained even by the Church of England contrary to their owne grounds, that is, contrary to the Universall consent of Primi∣tive antiquity, as denying Sacrifice and Prayer for the dead, and by consequence, Purgatory, sacrifice of the Altar, Monachisme, Difference betweene Evangelicall Councels and Precepts, vowes, &c.
3. Hereupon it was that mine owne reason, assisted by my love to Christian unity, perswa∣ding me that for worldly respects, or out of feare of consequences ungratefull, even the Church of England had divided it selfe from the Catholique to a further distance, then justice, truth, and charity would permit, I could not answer it to mine owne reason and conscience, if, instead of approaching to the Catholique Church, I should run quite out of sight from it, by communicating with those Churches whose generall designe and study it is to make the wound of division incurable, and the breach every day wider and wider, among whom it is a crime to talke of Reunion, in a word who call it zeale to professe division from the Catholique Church even in those very points, wherein their consciences cannot but tell them that they doe really agree with it.
4. Manifest testimonies of this more then Donatisticall Spirit have been given by Calvin in his most barbarous censure of that too too mo∣derate condescending booke of Cassander D E OFFICIO PII VIRI, and by the Calvinist∣Churches in France in their comportments to∣wards M••ssicurs Grotius and de la Millitiere upon occasion of those treatises by them published tending to union. Yea so in love have they shewed themselves with Schisme, quatenus Schisme, so zealous to renounce that precious legacy of Peace, which our Saviour at his last farewell to the world left to his Church, that they multiply division upon division even among themselves, making Frusta de frusto, of the seamelesse
garment of Christ, denying Communion to one another even for points in their own opinion of no considerable importance. The Lutherans will not communicate with the Calvinists, nor the Remonstrants, with the Contra-remonstrants, nor the Separatists with the English Protestants, And whatsoever union the French-Calvinist Churches boast of, they owe it entirely to the civill Power there, for if that would allow them the liberty, they would fall into as many devisions, as any of their brethren.
5. If sometimes an extraordinary fit of seeming charity have come upon them, the Cir∣cumstances demonstrate, that it was not love of unity or conscience that begat that good mood, but meerly temperall hopes or feares. I remember S. Augustin, (Ep. 50. ad Bonifas.) Speaking of those professed Masters of Schisms, the Donatists, gives us this observation, Aliquan∣do autem ficut audimus (saith he) nonnulli ••x ••ip•••••• volentes sibi Gotthos conciliare. That is, Time was, as we are informed, that some of them, desirous to gaine favour with the Goths, when they began to be powerfull, said that they beleived the same things (in substance) with them: but the authority of their ancestors confutes them, for neither is Donatus affirmed to have so believed, of whose party they doe willingly boast themselves to be. This passage of S. Augustin might likewise have been thus inter∣preted, In the yeare M. DC. XXXI. when the King of Sweden (King of the Goths) had made a formidable progresse in Germany, A Synod of Cal∣vinists at Charenton in France thought it fit •••• admit into their Communion the Lutherans, saying that they agreed with them in all substantiall points
of Religion; But herein they contradict their ance∣sters, who renounced that communion, and particu∣larly Calvin, of whose party they boast themselves to be, affirmed constantly, that the Lutheran absur∣dities touching Consubstantiation were greater, then of the Catholiques about Transubstantiati∣on.