dantly demonstrate such objections as this to be perfectly CHAP. unchristian. III. CHAP. IV. A SECOND OBJECTION ANSWERED. WHERE IS NOW THE PROTESTANT ENGLISH CHURCH? 1. THE next objection is prepared and aimed against us [Case of the English from another coast, and will be most for their advantage put Church] into this short question, Where is now your Protestant English Church? when your church-doors and even parlours themselves are shut up against those of you which are the ancient remaining bishops and presbyters of the Church of England, officers regularly entered into, and continuing in that function? 2. To this, not to examine the truth of the suggestion, which I suppose to fail in many respects, the answer will be the same as if the heathens should ask, as once they are supposed to have asked the Psalmist, in a state of the like captivity, "Where is now your God," viz., that as our God so [Ps. cxv. our Church is now where it was before, ere this interdict 2.] came out against us. with that of the 3. Or if it may tend to the satisfaction of any that I [compared should a little enlarge on this theme also, I shall then, as before, first demand where the Church of the Israelites was Israelites,] when the people were carried into Assyria or Chaldea; were they not then removed as far from their own solemn place of worship, the temple at Jerusalem, and from all their numerous synagogues erected in Palestine, and that by the very same means, a visible force, by which we are discharged from the public and even more private exercise of our functions? and consequently was not the lot of that people the same with the worst which can be suggested or affirmed of ours, viz., to be sheep kept out of their pastures upon the interdicting of their shepherds? 4. Secondly, whether in the most prosperous times Arianism, when the Catholic bishops were driven out of [with that of of the Church in times of Arianism;] CHAP. their churches, banished out of Constantius' dominions, IV. and forced to fly to the west as to a hiding place, a refuge from those sad calamities, it be by the objectors imagined that there was no Catholic or orthodox Church in those regions wherein the Arian emperor thus persecuted the truth? [and in the time of the Ottoman 5. Thirdly, whether in the time of Anastasius the emperor, who was an Eutychian heretic, and a bitter enemy and persecutor of the orthodox through the whole eastern empire, the Goths and Vandals, Arian princes meanwhile domineering in Italy, Spain, and Africa, and pagan kings bearing rule in France, England, and Germany; whether, I say, in this space there were not yet an orthodox Church remaining, though persecuted in all those places, or whether there were at that time any part of the Church which enjoyed the evdía, exempt from that black persecuted condition? Much might be added of the particular state of the African Church under the Vandals out of Victor Uticensis, but the argument is too copious. 6. Fourthly, whether when the Ottoman race of Mahometan emperors subdued so great a part not only of Asia emperors] but Europe also, and therein so many eminent Christian Churches setting up Mahomedism for the public worship, yet permitting Christians to live, though but as under saws and arrows and axes of iron, instead of utterly depopulating their cities, it can with truth be suggested that these Christian Churches were all destroyed? I speak not of later times, wherein some liberty of assemblies is at a dear rate sold to them, but before they came to purchase or find so much mercy at their conquerors' hands, whilst all exercise of Christian religion was under close interdicts, all their churches filled with their false worshippers; yet even then hath not this sad captivity been deemed sufficient to unchurch all the Christians under those proud tyrants' dominions. [with that 7. Lastly, what will these disputers pretend as to the of the Romanists in Romanists themselves, who have continued for some years this coun- in this kingdom without public assemblies, and acknowledge try.] willingly, I suppose, that their state hath been all this while a state of persecution, that no priest of theirs is allowed to celebrate mass among them, that they can have no bishop IV. or ordinary residing here, and (as is supposable at least) CHAP. do not all receive influence either immediately or mediately from their supreme bishop? Will not their union with the Catholic Church over the world, and their sincere desire to enjoy the liberty of assemblies, &c., preserve them within the bosom of the Church, though they do not enjoy these felicities? 8. It is vain to pay any larger or more solemn attendance to this objection, to which I have elsewhere spoken more punctually, and do now only suppose that all that hath since been added to our pressures hath infused no fresh virtue into the arguments. 9. The truth is, these and the like ways of their demurest arguings or suggestions at this time are but acts of diligent observers of opportunity, which think to gain more by the seasonable application, by addressing their fumes or medicaments, tempore congruo, when the pores are open or the body in any special manner receptive, than by the intrinsic virtue or energy of them. Romanists 10. The argument I suppose the very same which three [This obscore years since was frequently pressed against us of this Jection of nation, that ever since our departure from the Romish yoke not new.] we have ceased to be a Church; only now the darkness of our present condition makes them hope that their sophistry shall not be so easily seen through as formerly it hath been, and that either we shall be found less diligent or less dexterous to defend a persecuted profession, or else more inclinable to part with it. 11. It is meet, therefore, we should be instructed by them and learn wariness from their wiles, and as antidotes and prophylactic methods which are at all times of like power and virtue, are yet most necessary to be produced in time of a general distemper, so I suppose a more particular discourse on this matter, though it will not now have more real force, or consequently hope for better success upon those that are impersuasible than formerly it had, may yet be more seasonable to the wants of some weak seducible members of our persecuted communion, in tenderness to whom it may not be amiss more distinctly to consider the argument itself, Tr. of Schism, ch. xi. [pp. 287 sqq.] IV. CHAP. that was now only to be new dressed and furbished, and receive some aid from the condition of our present pressures, and to begin with examining what and how many things there are which may by the disputers be thought sufficient to unchurch or destroy any particular Church. 12. And I suppose them reducible to these four: 1. apostacy; 2. heresy; 3. schism; 4. consumption and utter vastation. 13. For the first, that of apostacy, or renouncing the whole faith of Christ, I hope of that we shall not be deemed guilty, who are by our greatest enemies acknowledged to retain many branches of that faith which was once delivered to the saints. 14. For the fourth, that of utter consumption, it can as little be pretended, as long as so many bishops, presbyters, and duly baptized Christians among us remain alive and constant to their first faith. 15. For the third, that of schism, the fathers which aggravated the sin of it to the highest do not yet allow it the force of unchurching, but call them brethren, i. e. fellow Christians, which were most obstinately guilty of it. But howsoever it be, of that I have in a discourse on that subject, and in a first and second defencer of that discourse, said as much as yet appears necessary to be pleaded in defence of our Church. 16. There remains then only the second, that of heresy, to which also some preparative matter hath been laid down in the tract of Fundamentals, but not in so particular a relation to the present question as will excuse the reader from all addition of trouble at this time. 17. I shall therefore on this account, and to perfect the answer to the present objection, transgress the bounds of my first design, and enlarge a while upon this enquiry, what may be defined the formalis ratio, wherein heresy, properly so called, must necessarily consist, and without which no person or Church can justly be deemed guilty of that dangerous sin, that piece of carnality. [For an account of these publications see the preface to the present volume.] IV. or ordinary residing here, and (as is supposable at least) CHA P. do not all receive influence either immediately or mediately from their supreme bishop? Will not their union with the Catholic Church over the world, and their sincere desire to enjoy the liberty of assemblies, &c., preserve them within the bosom of the Church, though they do not enjoy these felicities? 8. It is vain to pay any larger or more solemn attendance to this objection, to which I have elsewhere spoken more punctually, and do now only suppose that all that hath since been added to our pressures hath infused no fresh virtue into the arguments. 9. The truth is, these and the like ways of their demurest arguings or suggestions at this time are but acts of diligent observers of opportunity, which think to gain more by the seasonable application, by addressing their fumes or medicaments, tempore congruo, when the pores are open or the body in any special manner receptive, than by the intrinsic virtue or energy of them. Romanists 10. The argument I suppose the very same which three [This obscore years since was frequently pressed against us of this Jection of nation, that ever since our departure from the Romish yoke not new.] we have ceased to be a Church; only now the darkness of our present condition makes them hope that their sophistry shall not be so easily seen through as formerly it hath been, and that either we shall be found less diligent or less dexterous to defend a persecuted profession, or else more inclinable to part with it. 11. It is meet, therefore, we should be instructed by them and learn wariness from their wiles, and as antidotes and prophylactic methods which are at all times of like power and virtue, are yet most necessary to be produced in time of a general distemper, so I suppose a more particular discourse on this matter, though it will not now have more real force, or consequently hope for better success upon those that are impersuasible than formerly it had, may yet be more seasonable to the wants of some weak seducible members of our persecuted communion, in tenderness to whom it may not be amiss more distinctly to consider the argument itself, Tr. of Schism, ch. xi. [pp. 287 sqq.] |