Of Christian communion to be kept on in the unity of Christs church and among the professors of truth and holiness : and of the obligations, both of faithful pastors to administer orthodox and holy offices, and of faithful people to communicate in the same : fitted for persecuted or divided or corrupt states of churches when they are either born down by secular persecutions or broken with schisms or defiled with sinful offices and ministrations.

CHAP. IV. Of Deprivations by Synods in the foresaid Cases.

ANd thus, I think it may sufficiently appear, how the manifold ob∣ligations, which are shewn above to lye on Faithful Bishops and Ministers, not to suppress, but to exercise their spiritual ministrations in the foresaid Cases, are not set aside, or barr'd, by any inhibition or deprivation, though of the most Lawful Civil State. They will do it with more ease and worldly encouragement, when the State tolerates, and much more when it fortifies and furthers them therein. But they are not at liberty to give it off, but must go on exercising the same, when it is more troublesome, and when the State gain-says, and puts them under persecution for so doing.

And thus it is, where the State will Act apart, and proceed without a Synod in depriving Bishops, and in discharging the Ecclesiastical Communi∣on, and dependance of the people, Spiritually related, and united to them.

But Deprivation of Bishops, who are Spiritual Powers; is more or∣dinarily by a Synod of Bishops, who are a Spiritual Judicature. Great Reason there is, for the Deprivation of Bishops, to proceed in this course. The Civil-State, indeed, comes in, by Reason of Civil Accessions and Endowments, which strengthen and encourage the spiritual ministrations. But these Civil Accessions, are but Accessaries and Appendages; and their spiritual powers, are the Principal in their Ministrations, and in Church Communion and dependance on them. And therefore the re∣moving of their ministrations, and of the Communion and dependance of the Church thereupon, is never so fitly, and fully attempted, as by spiritual judicatures, who, being spiritual persons, have more directly to do with Church Communion, and spiritual powers. And accordingly, this has still been the course of the most Pious Princes, who have reser∣ved the deliberations about Religion and Church matters, and the De∣positions of Bishops, (which so closely affects Church Communion,) to Convocations and Synods of Bishops and ••lergy. And when these proceed to sentence, it more directly affects the concerned parties: Church Communion, and Church Governors, being more directly under the Church-mens Cognizance; and not only indirectly and by the by, as it may ingage the deprived persons, when not bound to it otherwise, to yield and acquiesce in voluntary complyance for civil interests.

But suppose a Concurrence of both these powers, and that the de∣privation of the Rightful State is confirmed by Synodical Concurrence: Yet I observe in the last place, that this Deprivation by Synods, is not sufficient to bar or discharge Bishops or Ministers, from the foresaid Ex∣ercise of their Spiritual Ministrations, in the above mention'd Cases.

Bishops and Metropolitanes, are not more subject and dependant on Sy∣nods; than Presbyters and people are on their Bishops: Our Lord him∣self, and his Holy Apostles, having appointed Bishops in his Church, and call'd for our subjection and obedience to them. But this submission of Priests and people to their Bishops, is with a Salvo to their Holy Re∣ligion, and its Articles and Interests. And if any Bishops go against the Truths, or Laws of Christ, or against the interests of Souls, and of True Religion, we are not to follow them, or to depend on them therein. To stick to any necessary Christian Doctrines, Worship, or Practices, Christs Faithful people and Ministers must break even with their own Bishops; holding even them Anathema, as St. * 1.1 Paul directs, when they would lead them contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles, as I noted before, and shall shew more fully * 1.2 afterwards. And so must they with any other Bishops, or Number and Synods of Bishops, in like Case.

All Exercise and Administration, of Church Authority and Juris∣diction, is tyed to Rules. Not only to Rules, of the Churches own making, or Ecclesiastical Canons; but above all, and in the first place, to the Rules laid down by Christ himself. And all the validity of Church Acts in way of external judicature, in Synods, or other∣wise; is so far, as they go by them, or do nothing against them.

Thus it is, in Decreeing Rites and Ceremonies, or Determining Controversies of Faith; wherein, though the Church has Authority, yet is it thus li∣mited, and has no Authority, as our Church * 1.3 Declares, to ordain any thing contrary to Gods word. Even general Councils, are bounded by this Limi∣tation, and things ordained by them, * 1.4 say the Thirty Nine Articles a∣gain, as necessary to Salvation, have neither strength, nor Authority, unless it may be declared that are taken out of Holy Scriptures.

And thus it is also in Matter of Censures, or Ecclesiastical Sentences judicially past therein upon persons, whether Laicks, or Ecclesiasticks. We, in the * 1.5 Exercise of our Apostolical Power, can do nothing against the Truth, or in punishing and Censuring any for Faithful observance thereof; but all our Power is for the Truth, and to be exercised in its behalf, by punishing and not sparing, not those who stand to, but those who defect from it, 2 Cor. 13. 8. When the Church speaks to us in Ex∣ternal Judicatures, we must hear it, as our Lord † 1.6 orders. But we must hear it speaking under Christ, never against him. So that if it Excom∣municates any, for sticking firm to any part of his Holy Religion, with

whom, for that very adherence sake, he requires his Faithful Follow∣ers, to hold Communion; Or, if it deprives, or discharge any Mini∣sters, from Administring the same, in any case where he has charged them to keep on that ministration: Its power here, is set up against him, and its Acts, have no Power to bind those, who are concerned in them.

Thus it is, when it sha Excommunicate any, for adhereing to any neces∣sary Christian Doctrines, Worship, or Practices. For all, who would hold to Christ, must Neglect such Censures; and, though any Church or Synod throws such persons out of its Communion, they are joyfully to well come and receive them into theirs. For, when our * 1.7 Lord Artho∣rizes, and gives validity to Church Censures, saying they shall be bound in Heaven, and bidding us look on all who will not hear the Church, as Hea∣th••ns and Publicans: He limits this validity to those censures, which pass upon men, not for any parts of righteousness, but for real offences. If thy Brother Trespass against thee, and will not hear thee, tell it unto the Church: So that some real offence or Trespass, must still be the ground of the process. Mat. 18. 15. 17. It must be, for not hearing the Church, when it calls us to his Truths and Precepts, not when it sets up to carry us from them. For there, if it use censures, it acts of it self, and not by his Commission: It opens, or shuts, by an Erring Key, and must not expect, that what is so bound or loosed on earth, shall be Ratifyed in Hea∣ven. By such perverse Censures, the Church only deprives it self of the Communion of Faithful Christians; but doth not deprive them, of Communion with Christ, or with one another. * 1.8 The unjust Excommu∣nications of the Jewish Sinhedrim, when they cast Christs Disciples out of their Synagogues, only estranged or cut off themselves, says Photius, but † 1.9 brought those Disciples so much nearer to their Lord and Master. And so now, says he, when the imitators of the Jews Excommunicate the Followers of the Apostles, they thereby only ‖ 1.10 Conjoyn and Unite them the more to those Divine Apostles, to whom they are more closely and exactly knit, both in Faith and Life, by the Communion of sufferings. But they miserably cut off them∣selves, both from their Doctrine, and from our Orthodox Faith.

And therefore, instead of bemoaning themselves, under such Excom∣munications, and seeking to have them take off, by Complying with the Church; our Blessed Saviour fortifies his ••r•••• followers against them, and bids them, not only patiently to rest under t••em, but triumpha••••ly to re oyce therein. They shall put you out •• the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ues, says he to ••••em, and Cautions them not be offended thereat, when it should happen, or not to fall off from him or his ways, to recover the Liberty of the S••na∣gogues

again, Joh. 16. 1. 2. When they shall seperate you from their com∣pany, by Excommunications and Anathema's, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Mans sake; rejoyce ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold! Great is your Reward in Heaven; for in the like manner did their Fathers unto the Prophets. Luk. 6. 22, 23. And thus, the Holy Apostles, and Faithful Adherers to Gods Truth, and Worship, and good Christian Practices, did in all times, when, for such Adherence, they fell under the Anathema's of Synods, or the Excommunication of Chur∣ches, during the Papal, or any other former, or later Persecutions. They joyfully received such sentences, and always owned one another, and held Communion in Adherence to Gods word and ways, among them∣selves; when they were cast out of the communion, of such corrupt and Apostatizing Synods, or Churches.

And 'tis the same, when it shall deprive or discharge any Faithful Bi∣shops and Ministers, from supporting such necessary Doctrines, worship, and practices, by their Ministrations, as Christ requires. For then, not∣withstanding such deprivations and discharge, by Churches and Synods, CHRIST'S Faithful Ministers must hold on Ministring, and his faithful People must hold on Communicating, and Adhereing to them therein. Thus, as our LORD * 1.11 Notes, their Fathers had Separated and cast out the Old Prophets, from Prophesying in their Company, or Assemblies: Who still went on Preaching and Ministring the Word, which they were sent out to publish. And thus the Sanhedrim, that great Synod of the Jewish Church, discharged the Apostles from Ministring Christianity, or Preaching any more in Christs Name; who told them, they could by no means desist thereupon, but must hold on their Ministration, being to Ovey God rather than men. Act. 4. 18, 19, 20.

Thus also several Synods Deprived Athanasius, and the other Ortho∣dox Bishops, who were the stout Asserters and Maintainers of the Divi∣nity of our Lord, against the Arians. Such was the Synod of Tyre. And such also was the Synod of Antioch, whose Deprivations of Athanasius and the other Orthodox Bishops, were a Blow made at the Nicene Faith: though their Canons, being good, and according to Primitive Usage, were by Orthodox Councils afterwards taken into the Book of Ecclesia∣stical Canons, out of which, * 1.12 several of them are repeated verbatim in the great Council of Chalcedon, and are there, among the Canons of others Synods, † 1.13 taken in to be Canons of the Universal Church. And such likewise were the deprivations of other Synods, assembled in that Cause afterwards.

Now under these Synodical deprivations, the great Business of those suffering Bishops, was to shew, that whatever other Immoralities or Per∣sonal

Crimes were pretended against them, (as several were most im∣pudently pretended, against all Ground and Reason,) yet in reality and truth, their deprivations were for the Cause of the Faith, or for their firmness in maintaining the Divinity and Consubstantiality of Christ with the Father. This, Athanasius, and Paulus, plead for themselves, teach∣ing, * 1.14 That their Depositions were not for any other Cause, but for the sub∣version of the Orthodox Faith, as is related by † 1.15 Socrates and ‖ 1.16 Sozomen. And what they made appear to the Emperor Constans, was, That they suffered, † 1.17 not for the Crimes or ill Lives they were accused of, as the sen∣tence of Deposition did contain, but for their thinking, and teaching differently from the Synods their D••posers, about the Faith.

And when it was once clear, to any Persons, or Churches, that they were deprived for the cause of the Faith: they were not hindred by any Authority of external Judicature, in the Synods their deposers; but readily received, and communicated with them, as Christs true Bishops still in those places. For, notwithstanding these Synodical Deprivations, Athanasius was all the while own'd and adher'd to by the Faithful Ae∣gyptians; as Paulus also was by the Faithful Constantinopolitanes. And when they came to Rome, on their giving full satisfaction in this Point, Julius the Bishop of Rome received them to Communion. Hearing the Cause of each, * 1.18 says Sozomen, and finding them all to agree in the Nicene Faith, which he saw undermined and struck at by their Deprivers, he received them to Communion, as being of the same Belief with himself.

This Reception of Athanasius and others, who stood deprived by the Synods of Tyre and Antioch, &c. to his Communion, was before the Synod of Rome, wherein the Orientals should have justified their Proceedings, had acquitted and received them. For before the Sy∣nod was held at Rome, in the Cause of Athanasius; Pope Julius, gave Notice of the time appointed for it, to the Eastern Bishops, who had been Deposing Athanasius at Antioch, and substituting Gregory in his place; writing to them, to send some of their number, to clear the justice of their sentence and proceedings in that cause. This is plain from A∣thanasius, who * 1.19 says it was held after the Letters sent by Eusebius, and af∣ter both the Eusebians, and he himself had been cited to appear at it. And also from Pope Julius's † 1.20 Letters to them, on the Request, and at the Con∣clusion, of the Roman Synod, wherein he mentions the return of his Presby∣ters, Elpidius and Philoxenus, who were ‖ 1.21 sent with the former Letter, and the answer they had brought him from Eusebius, and the Orential Bishops. But before this first Letter, to notifie the time appointed for the Roman Synod to the Orentials; Julius, on plain appearance, that their sufferings

were not for any other pretended Crimes, but only on account of the Orthodox Faith, had embraced the Communion of Athanasius, and the o∣ther Deposed Bishops. For Sozomen * 1.22 relates, that on his receiving them to Communion, he writ that Letter to the Orientals, taxing their unjust sentences and attempts upon the Nicene Faith, and calling them to the Synod to be held at Rome, there to justifie their proceedings against them. And in the Letter, which the Orientals sent back to him, which he received, as I have now shewn, before the sitting of the Roman Synod, and which was read to the Bi∣shops therein Assembled; they * 1.23 complain of his having Communicated with Athanasius, and his Adherents, which they said was a Reproach cast on their Synods, and an Abrogation of their sentence. So that his disregard of the Synodical Deprivations of Athanasius, and the other Orthodox Bishops, Deposed in the Synods of Tyre or Antioch, was not on account, of their having been regularly reversed, by any Superior External Judicature. But it was, as having been of no force and effect in themselves, because passing on Christs Faithful Pastors, for their Fidelity and Firmness to the True Christian Faith.

Besides, when the Synod at Rome sate in the cause of Athanasius, and the other Orthodox Bishops, and Synodically admitted them to Commu∣nion: I do not see, how, in the Regular way of External Judicature, this could take off the Deprivations by the foremention'd Synods. For the Synod at Rome, was inferior in Number of Bishops, Consisting, as Atha∣nasius * 1.24 says, only of about Fifty Bishops. Whereas the Synod of Tyre, besides the Egyptians, who came along with Athanasius, Consisted of six∣ty Bishops met there from divers places * 1.25 says Socrates; and the Synod of Antioch, which again Deposed him, and the other Orthodox Bishops, con∣sisted of Ninty seven, as Sozomen * 1.26 reports. And moreover, the Synod of Rome, consisted of Bishops, who lived more remote and further off, and were Subjects of another Prince, viz. Constans. Whereas the Synods which deprived them, Consisted of the Neighbouring Bishops, some of them Comprovincials to the accused parties; and were Subjects of their own Emperor, viz. Constantius, whose censure may seem more conclu∣ding on the Fellow-Bishops of their own Empire. So that Julius, and his Fifty Bishops in the Roman Synod, could not reverse the Deposi∣tions of those former Synods, in Regular way of outward Judicatures.

But yet finding, whatever other things were pretended, that in rea∣lity they had been deposed in those Synods, for their Firmness to the Nicene aith, in prejudice whereof there lyes no power of depriving in any Synods; before any Superior, or more general Council had re∣versed their depositions in Regular way of External Judicature, they took part, and Communicated with Athanasius, and the other Depri∣ved Bishops. And this, the Faithful Aegyptians, both Clergy and Peo∣ple, had done, without any regard to the Deprivation of those Synods,

all the time of Athanasius's forced absence from them; and are applaud∣ed by Pope Julius for the same. For, in his * 1.27 Letter to the Church of Al∣exandria, after the Synod of Sardica, on the Restitution of Athanasius to his See; he extols them, for their firm and constant adherence to the right Faith, and to him their Bishop, who had been so glorious a Confessor and Maintainer thereof, all the while he was violently torn from them, and another obtruded on their Church in his room.

And like to this, has been the Practice, I think, of all times. For still, as Errors and Corruptions, in Doctrine, Worship, and Practice, pre∣vailed and became general in any places; on any considerable oppositi∣on made to them by Christs faithful Ministers, to silence Gain-sayers, they have had the establishment of Synods. And these Synods, have anathematized the Truth, condemned and deposed the Preachers, and excommunicated and cast out the Adherents and Practicers thereof. But yet the Preachers and Ministers of God's Worship and Truth, have still held on their Ministrations, and God's faithful People have stuck to them therein: And under all the depositions and excommunications, of Councils or Churches, they have kept Communion with one another, in these necessary Truths and Ways of God, which Corrupt and Apostate Councils have anathematized. Or else, under that power of Error, which has so often tyrannized over the Truth, more especially in the Arian Persecutions, and in the several steps and advancements of the Papal Corruptions, the pure Worship and Doctrine of Christ, had pe∣rish'd, and all Face of a true and unadulterated Church had long since failed from off the Earth.

This I say, in case of Depositions, or other Censures, for the Cause of the necessary Truths, or Worship of Jesus Christ. In deprivations for other things, or on pretence of mere personal Crimes, the Case, I grant, may be otherwise. For in them, though the Sentence be unjust, it is a personal Wrong, and affects the sufferers themselves. And in private suf∣ferings, 'tis reasonable to bear much for Orders sake, and to be tyed up to ways of Order for Redress: So that such sufferers, shall be bound to rest under the judicial Injustice, till they can have it reversed in like sort as it was laid on, viz. in way of Judi••ature, or by Regular Appeals. And accordingly in all depositions, for such private or personal Crimes, this is required by the Antient Canons. If a Bishop, Presbyter, or Deacon, say the Councils of * 1.28 Carthage and ‖ 1.29 Sardica, (and the same Determinations, † 1.30 says Balsamon, are to be taken as meant of Lay-men too,) be deposed, on pretence of his Idleness and Neglects; let him not dare, say they, to go on, or to assert his former Right of Communion, during the time of his Excom∣munication,

* 1.31 till his Cause has had a new Cognizance and Examination, or been heard over again. And if, before such re-hearing, he presume to do otherwise; he shall be judged, say the Fathers at Cartharge, thereby to have given sentence of Condemnation against himself.

But in Depositions or Excommunications, for doctrinal Truths, and spiritual Ministrations; there is not only a Wrong to themselves, but a Wrong to Religion. And there they must go on, for the sake of Gos∣pel-worship and doctrines, which are Christs Cause; though they would be content to suffer and sit still, so far as it is their own. And according∣ly, the Council of Constantinople, entituled, Prima & Secunda, excepts the Case of * 1.32 Heretical Prelates promoting or pushing on any Heresies, when it requires Inferiors to stay for a synodical Cognizance, before they break off dependance from their Prelates, in all other Cases.

Though Synods therefore, are the most Venerable Ecclesiastical Ju∣dicature here on Earth; yet is all the Obligation and Authority, of their decisions or sentences, within this Compass. They have no Effect, or Force, against the Truth, as St. Paul * 1.33 says, or against any for ad∣hering to it. So that they are to affect none, who have Christ and his Truth plainly on their side. Nor do their judgments and defini∣tions, bar those, who are concerned to take Notice of them, from ex∣amining and judging for themselves, whether they strike at any part of Christian Truth and Religion, before they pay Obedience to them. I grant, there ought to be great deference to their determination; and all private Persons are to use great modesty, and care, in judging af∣ter them; and need to look, that the blow and destruction thereby made, to any necessary Truth or Practice of our holy Religion, be very plain, before they over-look and disregard what they order. But still, judge they must, because in all their belief and practice in these things, it is not any implicit dependance on men, or a blind obedience to any humane sentence or decision; but observance of the Truth it self, or of what Christ has appointed in his Word, that must justifie them. And there∣fore, if on an humble and diligent examination, and by plain evidence, it appear, that in their definitions of Articles, or censure of Persons, they strike at the Truth, and seek the overthrow of any part of Re∣ligion;

their Acts are to be esteemed as of no effect, and all concern∣ed Parties, both Clergy and People, are to go on doing the same, in Re∣ligious Ministration and Communion, as if there were no such thing. More just, and authoritative Synods, they will be like to seek; and ap∣peal from these, in a regular way, to others more general, which, in ex∣ternal way of humane judicature, shall reverse their unjust sentences. But suffering all in the Cause of Truth and Religion, they will not desist in the mean time; but go on, notwithstanding any such synodi∣cal Anathema, or Deprivation, in true spiritual Ministrations and Com∣munion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gal. 1. 8.
• * 1.2

  Part 3. c. 3. & 4.
• * 1.3

  Ar∣ticle, 20.
• * 1.4

  Ar∣ticle, 21.
• * 1.5

  Ver. 2.
• † 1.6

  Mat. ••0. ••7.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 18. 17, 11.
• * 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c.
• † 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
• ‖ 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Photius Pats. Constant. Epist. Michaeli Metropol. Mitylenes, Epist. Photii 116 p. 157.
• * 1.11

  Luk. 6. 22, 23.
• * 1.12

  As Can. Antioch. 4, 5, 16. vid. Con. Chalced. Part 2. Act. 4. p. 324. & p. 319. & Part 2. Act. 11. p. 406. Tom. 3. Conc. Ed. Bin.
• † 1.13

  Concil. Chalced. Can. 1.
• * 1.14

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• † 1.15

  L. 2. c. 20.
• ‖ 1.16

  L. 3. c. 11.
• † 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Soz. l. 3. c. 10. p. 511.
• * 1.18

  Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 8. p. 507.
• * 1.19

  Apol. 2. adv. Arian. sub. ••it.
• † 1.20

  ••••. p. 739.
• ‖ 1.21

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 ad Solit. p. 816,
• * 1.22

  l. 3. c. 8. p. 597.
• * 1.23

  Soz. ib. p. 508
• * 1.24

  Ep. ad Solit. p. 818.
• * 1.25

  L. 1. c. 28
• * 1.26

  L. 3. c. 5. p. 501.
• * 1.27

  Ap. Soc. Hist. Ecc. l. 2. c. 23. p. 109. 110, 111.
• * 1.28

  Held An. 419.
• ‖ 1.29

  Held An. 347.
• † 1.30

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Bals. ad Can. 12. Concil. Sardic.
• * 1.31

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Concil. Sardic. Can. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Conc. Carth. Can. 32.
• * 1.32

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Conc. Const. 1 & 2 Dict. Can. 15.
• * 1.33

  2 Cor. 13. 8.