Of schisme a defence of the Church of England against the exceptions of the Romanists / by H. Hammond ...

CHAP. VIII. Of the Second sort of Schisme, as that is an Offence against mutual Chari∣ty, This divided into three species, and the first here examined.

§. 1. BUT beside that first species of schisme, as it is an offence a∣gainst the subordination, which Christ hath by himself and his Apostles set∣led in the Church, (from the guilt of which I have hitherto indevoured to vindicate our Church) another was taken notice of, as it signifies an of∣fence against the mutual unity, and peace, and charity, which Christ left among his Disciples; And to that I must now proceed, as farre as the Ac∣cusations of the Romanist give us oc∣casion to vindicate our innocence.

§. 2. * 1.1And for method's sake, this branch of Schisme may be subdivided into three species. The first is a breach in the doctrines, or Traditions, a de∣parture from the unity of the Faith, which was once delivered to the saints; under that head also comprehending the institutions of Christ, of his A∣postles, and of the Ʋniversal Church

of the first and purest ages, whether in Government, or other the like ob∣servances and practises: The second is an offence against external peace and Communion Ecclesiastical: The third and last is the want of that charity, which is due from every Christian to every Christian. Beside these I cannot foresee any other species of schisme, and therefore the vindicating our Re∣formation from all grounds of charge of any of these three, will be the ab∣solving the whole task undertaken in these sheets.

§. 3.* 1.2 For the first it may be consi∣dered either in the Bullion, or in the coyn, in the grosse, or in the retail, ei∣ther as it is a departure from those rules appointed by Christ for the founding and upholding his truth in the Church, this Ʋnity of Doctrine &c. or else as it is the asserting any particular branch of Doctrine, con∣trary to Christs, and the (Apostolical, pure) Churches establishment.

§. 4. * 1.3And here it is first suggested by the Romanist, that by casting out the authority of the Bishop of Rome, we have cast off the head of all Chri∣stian Ʋnity, and so must needs be

guilty of Schisme in this first respect. To which the answer is obvious, 1.* 1.4 that that Bishop of Rome was never appointed by Christ to be the head of all Christian unity, or that Church to be the conservatory (for ever) of all Christian truth, any more then any other Bishop, or Church of the A∣postles ordaining, or planting; and whatever can be pretended for the contrary will be easily answered from the grounds already laid, and cleared in the former part of this discourse concerning the Ʋniversal Pastorship of S. Peter's successors, which must not be here so unnecessarily re∣peated.

§. 5. 2^dly, That the way provided by Christ, and his Apostles for the preserving the unity of the faith, &c. in the Church, is fully acknowledged by us, and no way supplanted by our Reformation. That way is made up of two acts of Apostolical providence, First their resolving upon some few heads of special force, and efficacie to the planting of Christian life through the world, and preaching, and deposi∣ting them in every Church of their plantation. 2. Their establishing an

excellent subordination of all inferior officers of the Church to the Bishop in every city, of the Bishops in every Province to their Metropolitanes, of the Metropolitanes in every region or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to Patriarchs, or Primates, allowing also among these such a Primacie of Order, or dignity, as might be proportionable to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the scripture, and agree∣able to what is by the antient Canons allowed to the Bishop of Rome; And this standing subordination sufficient for all ordinary uses, and when there should be need of extraordinary re∣medies, there was then a supply to be had by congregating Councels, Provincial, Patriarchal, General, as hath formerly been shewed. And all this, it is most certain, asserted, and acknowledged by every true son of the Church of England, as zealously, as is pretended by any Romanist. And from hence, by the way, that speech of the learned and excellent Hugo Gro∣tius (which I discern to be made use of by the Romanists, and look'd on with jealousie by others) will, I sup∣pose, receive its due importance, and interpretation, in his Rivet: Apologet:

Discuss: p. 255. Restitutionem Chri∣stianorum in unum idém{que} corpus &c.

§. 6. As for the subjection (and de∣pendence) of this Church to the Mo∣narchick power of the Bishop of Rome, this will never be likely to tend to the unity of the whole body, un∣lesse first all other Churches of Chri∣stians paid that subjection too, and were obliged, and so by duty morally ascertain'd alwaies to continue it (which it is evident the Eastern Chur∣ches had not done long before the time of our pretended departure) and 2. unlesse the Bishop of Rome were in probability able to administer that vast Province, so as would be most to the advantage of the whole body, For which whether he be fitly quali∣fied or no, as it is not demonstrable in the causes, so is it to be looked on, as a Politick Probleme, the truth of which belongs to prudent persons, and and such as are by God intrusted with the Flock to judge of, i. e. to the Princes, the nursing Fathers of every Church, who are prudentially, and fatherly to determine for themselves and those that are under them, what is most ordinable to that end, and

cannot be obliged to conclude, far∣ther then the motives or premises will bear, to decree what they doe not reasonably, and cordially believe.

§. 7. * 1.5Lastly, for the particular doctrines wherein we are affirmed by the Romanists to depart from the Ʋ∣nity of the Faith, and so by departing from the unity, to be schismatical, as heretical by departing from the faith, this must be contested by a strict sur∣vey of the particular doctrines, where∣in as we make no doubt to approve our selves to any that will judge of the Apostolical doctrine and traditions by the Scriptures, and consent of the first 300 years, or the four General Councels,* 1.6 (the most competent witnes∣ses of Apostolical traditions) so we shall secure our selves of our inno∣cence in this behalf, by that principle acknowledged in our Church, and owned, as the rule by which we are concluded in any debate, or contro∣versie: That whatever is contrary to the doctrine, or practises of those first and purest ages, shall by us (assoon as it thus appears) be renounced, and disclaimed also. Which resolution of rulinesse, and obedience, will, I sup∣pose,

conserve us in the unity of the Faith, and render us approveable to God, though our ignorance (thus un∣affected) should betray us to some misunderstandings of those first times, and be an instrument much more pro∣bable to lead us into all truth, then the supposed infallibility of the Church of Rome can be imagined to be, which as it leaves the proudest presumer re∣ally as liable to error, as him that ac∣knowledgeth himself most fallible, so it ascertains him to persevere incorri∣gible whether in the least, or greatest error, which by fault, or frailty he shall be guilty of.

§. 8. This consideration of the hum∣ble, docible temper of our Church (together with our professed appeal to those first and purest times, to stand or fall, as by those evidences we shall be adjudged) as it necessa∣rily renders it our infelicity, not our crime, if in judging of Christ's truth we should be deemed to erre, so may it reasonably supersede that larger trouble of the Reader, in this place, which the view and examination of the severals would cost him, it being thus farre evident, that it is our a∣vowed

wish and our care (should it be denied to be our lot) a special mark of the Church of England's Reforma∣tion, to preserve the Ʋnity of the Apo∣stolical Faith and Primitive practi∣ses, as intire, as we would have done Christ's body or garment, and the pro∣bability being not weak on our side, that the fact of the crucifying soul∣diers which hath so much of our ab∣horrence and detestation, shall never be our choice, our known, or wilfull guilt, or if it be, that we so farre re∣cede from our Profession.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Three bran∣ches of the se∣cond sort of Schisme.
• * 1.2

  1. A departure from the Unity of Doctrines, or Traditions Apostolical.
• * 1.3

  Our Church vindicated from this, in two branches.
• * 1.4

  In the first, Christs Rules for upholding the truth.
• * 1.5

  In the Second, Particular doctrines.
• * 1.6

  The Church of Englands tem∣per in respect of particular doctrines.