Rule, and they muft proceed by it; because no pretence of Obedience to Men will juftifie Difobedience to Almighty God. If the matter be indifferent, tis our duty to perform what is commanded but if it be finful, we must refufe Obedience, and be content to fuffer for it. Now 'tis plainly contradictory to God's Laws to believe what he has declar'd to be falfe, or to declare those things to be neceffary to falvation which God has not made neceffary; and confequently, the coma mands of lawful Superiors will not warrant fuch a practice.

If it be faid, that our Adversaries do not believe the Popish Articles of Faith to be either abfolutely falfe, or forbidden in Scripture, or not contain'd in it; and confequently, they cannot be blam'd for continuing in that Communion which they verily think to be lawful; I anfwer, that we do not charge them with acting against their Confciences. God forbid, that we fhould be guilty of fo great a breach of Chriftian Charity. All that we urge is this viz. that their Religion in it felf is unlawful, and we have endeavor'd to make them fenfible of it. If they cannot be convinc'd by our Arguments, we leave them to the mercy of God, and judge them not.. But if they have refus'd or withstood the means of Conviction, it will without all doubt be damnable to them.

338

A

DHO

CONFUTATION

O F..

POPERY.

PART IIL.

Of the Popish Objections against the Church, of England.ov

CHA P. In masra

The charge of Schifm from the Catholic Church, anfwer'd and return'd.

I

N the firft Part of this Book I have fhewn, that the Scriptures are our Rule of Faith and in the fecond I have confuted Popery by that Rule. From whence it plainly follows, that the Popish Religion muft of neceffity be forfaken;

and

and confequently, that the English Papifts ought to join in Communion with the Church of England.

But fay they, we have divers Objections against the Church of England, which make us believe that her Religion is unlawful alfo. We must indeed forfake the Church of Rome; but whither fhall we turn, or what fhall we embrace? Wherefore I fhall now with all poffible brevity examin, what may be objected against our own Communion; that thofe who are willing, may receive fatisfaction, and find reft unto their Souls in the profeffion and practice of the Religion by Law eftablish'd among us.

FIRST then, it is pretended that the Church of England is guilty of a Schifm from the Catholic Church of Chrift; and confequently, that the Members of it are divided from Chrift's Body: which division is a moft heinous fin, and makes them uncapable of Salvation. This Objection the Popish Priests are very apt to enlarge upon; that they may thereby frighten fuch as are coming over to us, and force them to continue Papifts.

Now it must be confefs'd, that Schifm is a fin of the deepest die; that it cuts us off from the Communion of Saints in this World, and consigns us to the portion of Devils in the other. So that all Men have just reafon to dread the charge,but much more to avoid the guilt of it. But then it is not charging a Church with Schifm, that makes her guilty of it; becaufe a fault may be unjustly charg'd upon her. Wherefore we must enter into the Merits of the Caufe, and look into the true nature of Schifm, and confider whether the Church of EngLand be guilty of it, or no.

Part III. 'Tis confefs'd on both fides, that Chrift has but one Church. 'Tis true, there are many particu lar Nations which profefs the Chriftian Religion, and these Nations have Church-Governors among them. And in each of these Nations there are fo many thousands of Souls; that they cannot poffibly meet together in one place for the worship and fervice of God. Wherefore, for the regular adminiftration of Difcipline, and for the better order and inftruction of the Flock, 'tis neceffary, that there be diftinct Congregations, under the infpection of their refpective Bifhops, and the perfonal care of the parochial Clergy. But all these Churches continuing in the obfervation of the fel cond or Gofpel-Covenant, that is, profeffing the Fundamental Doctrines of Chriftianity, and agreeing in the Effentials of Chriftian Worfhip, under the Goverment of their Spiritual Superiors, do make up only one great Body, which we call a National Church. And the feveral National Churches being united after the fame method, that is, in Christian Doctrine and Worship, do make up one greater Body, which we call the Catholic, or Univerfal Church. Of which Catholic Church it is neceffary for every Man to be a Member, because he cannot otherwife enjoy the benefits of the Gofpel-Covenant; which is made with none, and confequently can benefit none, but fuch as are true and lively Members of Chrift the Head, by being in perfect Union with his Body, the Catholic Church.

From hence we may easily learn,wherein the true nature of Schifm confifts. He that does not profefs and maintain the Fundamental Chriftian Doarines, and the Effentials of Chriftian Worship, is not a Chriftian, or is not a part of Christ's Myftiçal Body. Whereas he that profeffes and main7

tains

tains the Fundamental Chriftian Doctrines, and the Effentials of Chriftian Worship, but divides and feparates from other Perfons who profefs and maintain the fame things; is a Chriftian, I confefs, or a part of Christ's Myftical Body; but he is rent and divided from other parts of the fame Body; and confequently, he has not the benefit of being a true and lively Member of Christ, which confifts in his preferving the vital union with his head; but he is in great danger, nay (unlefs he return to unity) he is in an abfolute neceffity, of perifhing and being utterly loft, for want of that union with the head, wherein the life of every Member do's confift.

Now a Man that continues in the practice of Church-Communion, cannot be a Schifmatic. Because he is at unity with the whole Chriftian World, as far as lies in his power. He joins in the fame Worship upon all occafions. Whilft he is at home, he communicates with those of his own Congregation; and when he is abroad, he Communicates with that Congregation wherein he then lives, provided that Congregation be not Schifmatical. But. he that will not perform the Duties of ChurchCommunion with his own Congregation, whilft he is at home, but frequents a feparate Congregation in oppofition to his own; or he that communicates when he is from home, with thofe that separate from their own Congregations, and conse-> quently approves and encourages their feparation ; or he that will not fuffer other Perfons to join in Communion with him, either impofing unlawful terms of joining with him, or hindring them from being prefent at the performance of Religious Duties; or he that declares thofe Men to be no Members of Chrift, or profeffes himself to be separate from those Men, who are truely and indeed Mem

Y 3

bers