A discourse of the forbearance or the penalties which a due reformation requires by H. Thorndike ...

CHAP. VII. That it is for the Interest of the Reformation, as much as of the See of Rome.

HAving therefore observed (upon due consideration, as I hope) that all the Errours, which have had Vogue during our late Confusions, are reducible to these two Positions, destructive to two Articles of our Creed, that Profess one Catholick Church, and one Baptism for remission of Sins; I am still led by the same Conside∣ration, to think my self tyed in Consci∣ence, freely to Profess; that, where these two Positions clearly renounced, and the sense of those two Articles duely establish∣ed, and received by all Parties, that owne the same Creed, the Re-union of the whole Church, must needs follow. For, the Power of the whole Church being so stated, as to presuppose the whole condi∣tion of our Salvation: and to extend only, to the determining of those things, which

may promote edification in it, without endangering the Unity of the Church; why should not I think, that there is found, by the consent of the whole Church from the beginning, so clear a re∣solution of all that is disputed, to maintain Separation, concerning the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, that it cannot be refused by the Parties, owning the com∣mon Faith? There is great cause to fear, that, notwithstanding the mischiefs we feel by our own Divisions, some would think it still a greater mischief, that the Whole Church should be re-united; Though upon just Terms, and such, as must needs re-unite our selves. But, if the Christian Religion oblige us to do men good against their will; He that demands nothing, but the Right Ʋnder∣standing of two Articles in the Creed, to the Re-uniting of Christendom, intends the greatest Charity, that those who love Division can receive. Whether his de∣mand be sufficient to do his Work or no; he must leave it to the World to judge. For, it is to be acknowledged, that, when the Condition of our Salvation is setled, and all that causes Division upon the Account of it; there remains, besides,

very many Disputes, concerning Publick Orders, as well in the Offices of the Church, as in the publick Government of it; and the Interest, as well of the State as of the Church, in the same. But, let not therefore those that love not Unity pretend Difficulty. For, they shall find such Principles laid, to the determining of them all, in the Visible Laws of that one Church, which cannot continue One, but by owning the same; that the due bounds of Reformation cannot escape them, that will not decline the thred and the grain of these grounds. And yet, in all this, no man declines the Scripture for the only Rule of Faith. But, he that refuses the See of Rome for Judge in the Sense of it; which is all that remains in question; may well crave leave to decline the Judgment of any private Spirit, not confined within the bounds, which the Visible consent of the Church determineth. Not as if the sense of the Scripture were not more and more to be discovered; which is in∣deed discovered every day more and more. But, because the true sense of it will always fall within the compass of that, which the Church hath always re∣ceived. I am very well perswaded, that

the See of Rome will never hear of any Terms of Reconcilement, so long as they see our Divisions increase. But I am very well assured, that the Divisions of the Re∣formation can never be Re-united, so as to prevent the like for the future; but upon that Ground, which, being received, will serve to re-unite the Whole Church. There can never be One Visible Faith, One Visible Church, upon any other terms. There can be no such sin as Heresie to vio∣late Faith, as Schism to violate Charity, upon other terms. And therefore, it is out of Love to the Reformation, that I in∣sist upon such a Principle, as may serve to re-unite us with the Church of Rome; Being well assured, that we can never be well re-united with our selves otherwise, That, not only the Reformation, but the Common Christianity must needs be lost, in the Divisions, which will never have an end otherwise. And he that can take measure, how much of it is lost in thirty years time, since these Troubles began; even among them that inclose the Name of Saints, and the Godly to themselves; will easily believe, that it hath not long to live, unless Division be put to death. And yet the vain hopes of the Parties,

ever since the Division, may make it ap∣pear, that both have Reason enough to be reconciled. They of the See of Rome have long expected; a hundred and fifty years or thereabouts; that those Christi∣an Princes, that have looked upon the Reformation as dangerous to the Peace of their Dominions, should give them assistance, to reduce all that Protest against the abuses thereof, by force of Arms, to submit to their Will. Which would be, to make that Will the Law of Religion, as well to themselves, as to those that should be so reduced. But the experi∣ence of so much time evidences, that the Powers of Christendom have something else to do, then to imploy the forces of their Dominions to that purpose: And that, if it prove for the Interest of some of them, at some times, it will prove not to be for the Interest of others, at the same or other times. Of which Interest, as they are indeed, and in Conscience, to give account to God, and not to the See of Rome; so, that they will ever make the See of Rome the Judge of them, what ap∣pearance can there be? So, it is time of the day for them to hearken to Reason, whether they regard God, and Religion, or

Interest, and themselves. But is not our Case the same? Or, are not we transpor∣ted as far, with the conceit that they are limbs of Antichrist and Idolaters, as they are, with the conceit, that we are Here∣ticks and Schismaticks? Have we not as long expected, when the Kings would joyn to strip the Whore of Babylon naked, as they, when they would joyn to reduce the Hereticks by force? And is it not yet time of the day for us; whatsoever opi∣nion, those that imploy their time, in searching the meaning of a Prophesie, may have; at least to make it no Princi∣ple of our Profession, nor to maintain Sepa∣ration upon the Account of it? Knowing, that were the Pope twenty times Anti∣christ, and the Papists Idolaters, he can ne∣ver be Antichrist, nor they Idolaters, for any thing, that the consent of the Catho∣lick Church either alloweth, or injoy∣neth. So, that, whatever become of any Prophesie in Gods Word, and the sense of it, the bounds of Reformation will be the very same; And he will be no less an Heretick or a Schismatick, that makes the Pope Antichrist, or the Papists Idolaters, for doing or believing any thing, which the Church from the beginning hath in∣joyned

or allowed, to be believed or to be done, then if he pretended no Prophesie to prove it. If ever any people had cause to reflect upon the sad consequences of this conceit, we are they, that shall find no probable reason, to impute the mischiefs of the late Ʋsurpation to, but the hope of fulfilling this sense of this Prophesie. It is a vain thing to think, that a man, who believed no God, could Act a counterfei∣ted Religion throughout, as we have seen the Usurper do. He that could hope to be saved, either without Faith, or with∣out good Works, by having Christ alive at the Heart, why should not he think, that all the foul way he went through was the Service of God, having intended to strip the Whore of Babylon by his means? Neither Manichaeus, nor Mahomet, nor any Enthusiast can be barred, of the like aim with this, if once he make his private Spi∣rit parallel to the Scripture. For, that which the same Authority last dictates, as in Wills and Testaments, must take place. I say not that this is the Case of those, that interpret this Prophesie of the See of Rome. I believe they follow their Rea∣son, in expounding Scripture by Scripture. But if their Reason be not the Reason of

Religion, the Reason of that Christianity which we all have Interest in, the private Spirit that follows it may take all for Gods Service, though never so wicked, that is done in prosecution of it. In the mean time, Division increasing among us as it does, I think, I gratifie our selves, and not the See of Rome, in proposing that truth, which reconciles the Interest of Re∣formation, to the Interest of Ʋnity in the Church. For in Civil War; as Schism is nothing but a Civil War in the Church; that Party that divides is the likely to Ruine. And though the first hopes of the See of Rome have proved addle, yet if our Divisions prevail, they must needs have fresh hopes to prevail, by our Divi∣sions.