Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.

CHAP. IX. Prop. 9. There is no meer Humane Vni∣versal Soveraign, Civil or Ecclesi∣astical, over the whole Church, and therefore none to make Laws Obliga∣tory to the whole.

§. 1. I ADD this, because of the specious pretences of some, that say we are bound to an uniformity in Ceremonies by the Church: and call all Schismaticks, and such as separate from the Catholick Church, that disown and disuse such Ceremonies as on these pretences they obtrude. And by the Church that thus obligeth us, they mean, either some Universal Soveraign Power: or else an universal Consent of the Church essential (as they call it.) And that Soveraign must be the Pope or a General Council.

§. 2. If it be Universal Consent of all Believers, that they sup∣pose to be the obliging power, I shall answer them, 1. That Be∣lievers are not Governours and Law-givers to the Universal Church, no nor to a particular Church. If that point of the Separatists be so odious that asserteth the multitude of Belie∣vers to be the Governours of a particular Church, and to have the power of the Keyes: what then shall we think of them that give them, (even to such as they call the Laity themselves)

the Government, yea in the highest point even Legislation, over the Universal Church it self.

§. 3. And 2. I add, that the Dissent of those Churches that refuse your Ceremonies, doth prove that there is no Universal consent: If all must consent, we must consent our selves before we be obliged. We are as free as others, we gave none power to oblige us by their consent. If we had, it had been Null: be∣cause we had no authority so to do, and could not have obliged our selves, by a universal Law, or perpetual contract. Or if we had, we had also power, on just occasion to reverse a self-obligation. But no such thing de facto can be pretended against us.

§. 4. And if such an obligation by consent should be pretend∣ed, 3. I would know whether it was by this or by some former generation? Not by this as is certain. Nor by any former: For former ages had no power to bind all their successors in Cere∣monies about the worship of God. Shew whence they had such a power, and prove it, if you can: we are born as free men, as our ancestors were in this.

§. 5. And 4. I would be satisfied, whether every mans con∣sent in the world be necessary to the Vniversality, or not? If it be; then there are no Dissenters: or no obligation because no Universal consent. If not; then how many must consent before we are obliged? you have nothing to say, but [a Ma∣jor part] where you can, with any shew of reason, rest: And 1. How shall we know in every Parish in England, what mind the Major part of the Christians through the world are of, in point of such or such a Ceremony? 2. Yea by this rule, we have reason to think that both Papists and Protestants must change their Ceremonies, because the greater part of Chri∣stians (in East and South, and some in the West) are against ve∣ry many of them.

§. 6. But if it be the Authority of a Soveraign Head that is pleaded as obliging the universal Church to an uniformity in Rites and Ceremonies, we must know who that Soveraign is. None that we know, pretend to it but the Pope and a General Council. And for the Pope we have by many volumes proved him an Usurper, and no authorized Head of the Church Univer∣sal:

The pretended Vice-Christ, is a false Christ. The first usurpers pretended but to a Soveraignty in the Roman world, but had never any shew of Government over the Churches in Ethiopia, India, and the many Churches that were without the verge of the Roman Emp••re.

§. 7. And as for General Councils, 1. They are no more the Visible Head and Soveraign of the Church then the Pope is, This I have proved in another Disputation by it self. 2. There neither is nor can be any Council truly universal, as I have there also shewed. Its but a delusory name. 3. There never was any such in the world, since the Church (which before was confined to a narrow room) was spread over the world. Even at Nice, there was no proper representative of almost any but the Churches under the Roman Emperours power: Few out of the West, even in the Empire: and none out of almost any of the Churches without the Empire: (For whats one Bishop of Persia, or such another of another Countrey, and perhaps those prove the Roman subjects too, that are so called?) If there was but one from Spain, and only two Presbyters of Rome from Italy, and one from France (if any) and none from many another Countrey in the Empire, no wonder if there was none from Eng∣land, Scotland, or Ireland, &c. And therefore there can be no universal obligation on this account.

§. 8. Councils are for Concord by Consultation and con∣sent, and not a Soveraign or superiour sort of Governing pow∣er. And therefore we that consented not are not obliged: and if we had consented, we might on weighty reasons have withdrawn our consent.

§. 9. The Orders established by General Councils have been laid aside by almost all, and that without the repeal of a Council: Yes such Orders are seemed to presuppose the custom of the Universal Church, if not Apostolical Tradition, to have been their ground.

§. 10. Among many others, let us instance only in the last Canon of the Nicene Council, that forbidding Kneeling, com∣mandeth all to pray only standing on the Lords Dayes, &c. And this was the common use of the Church before, as Tertul∣lian and others shew, and was afterwards confirmed again in a General Council: And yet even the Church of Rome hath cast

it off; much more the Protestant Churches. No General Council hath been of more authority then this of Nice: No Ceremony of more common use then this standing in prayer on the Lords dayes: So that it might as much as any, be called the constitution and custom of the Catholick Church. And yet we suppose not these now to bind us to it: but have cast it off without the repeal of any other General Council. And why are we more bound then by the same authority to other Ceremo∣nies then to this? And if to any, then to which, and to how many, and where shall our consciences find rest?

§. 11. Even the Jesuites themselves say that the General dis∣use of a practice established by Pope and Council, is equall to an abrogation, without any other repeal, so it be not by the said powers contradicted. And certainly all such disuse began with a few, and proceeded further: we are allowed then to disuse such things.

§. 12. It would grieve a man that loves the Church to hear the name of the Church abused by many dark, though con∣fident disputers, when they are pleading for their Ceremonies, and Holy dayes, and laying about them with the names of Schismaticks against all that will not do as they do [O (say they,) These men will separate from the Catholick Church, and how then can they be the Children of the Church?] And 1. Which is it that is called by them the Catholick Church? Little do I know, nor am able to conjecture. Did the Catholick Church make the English Common-Prayer Book? what! were the then Bishops in England that consented in that work, the whole Church of Christ on earth? God forbid. Or did ever any General Council authorize it? I think not. And if they would tell us what General Council commanded Christmas Day, or Kneeling at the Sacrament, &c▪ they would do us a pleasure: but I think they will not.

§. 13. And 2. What if these things had all been command∣ed by a General Council? May not a man disuse them without separating from the Church? I think, as good as you are, you do some things your selves that God himself hath for∣bidden you to do; and yet will be loth to be therefore taken for men that separate either from the Church or God. And when you read the Books of Heathen [Philosophers; when you adore

not toward the East, or when you pray & receive the Sacrament, Kneeling on the Lords Dayes, would you be taken to separate from the Catholick Church, for crossing its ancient customs, or Canons? But these perverse and factious reasonings we must hear to the dishonour of Christianity and Reason it self, and that from men that scorn the supposed meanness of others; yea and see poor souls seduced into separation by such empty words! And this is one of the present judgements on this land.