as the most zealous of the Church of England. Liberty of conscience, when it operated against themselves, was called, cursed Toleration, that hideous monster of Toleration, in a book subscribed by the ministers of the province of London, Dec. 14, 1647*. We are then agreed, that schism must be of pernicious consequence, and that it is a grievous affliction to the Christian society; though we are not rightly agreed as to the objects of schism. If considered in itself, it is the opposite to St. Paul's virtue of charity; as any intelligent person may see, who reads the 13th chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians as a continuation of the 12th chapter. And if charity is the greatest of all virtues, its contrary, which is schism, must be the greatest of all sins; therefore we justly pray against it in the Litany. Whether the Dissenters ever follow our example, is more than I know; though it can scarcely be expect

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ed

VOL. IV. * See a friendly debate between a Conformist and a Non-conformist. Edit. 3, p. 76. That the Dissenters are, to this day, of the same intolerant spirit, is not to be doubted; and I have had repeated demonstrations, of it under my own eye, who have seen a small minority of dissenters, though unprovoked, stir up such a furious opposition against a Church, and its minister, that a good man, of a peaceable temper, made this reflexion upon it to his clergyman: Sir, I perceive we should not have so much as a barn to worship God in, if they could prevent it.'

ed that they should pray against, while they continue in it, and think it hath nothing frightful to wise people. But if we may judge of it by its fruits (and there is no better rule), what envy and hatred, what disputings and railings, what cruelty and persecution, what rebellion and sacrilege, hath it not produced in this kingdom? and they who acted these things were so far from taking shame to themselves, that they laid all the guilt of them upon the Church, which they persecuted and plundered! We should be glad to forget these things, but that there are some amongst us who delight in the memory of those unhappy times, and chew all the murder and the mischief of them over again, which is the case with the author of the Confessional, and other writers of the same spirit. As to the corruption of doctrine, which follows upon schism, it was so apparent to the actors in the schism of the last century, that it forced from them that testimony above mentioned, against the cursed nature of Toleration. Threescore different sects, some holding monstrous and blasphemous opinions, rose out of the Presbyterians of that time. Now, to make light of all these things, as if schism, which is a root of bitterness, i. e. an active principle of mischief in the mind, were but a slight offence, a mere

scarecrow

scarecrow to wise people, is to deceive men, and bring their consciences and souls into a fatal snare. Nay, it is not only to deceive them, simply, but with the very deception which brought death into the world. The tempter suggested to our first parents, that they should not surely die; and that their apprehensions of danger arose from the ignorance and childishness of their understandings.

2. They plead next, that their schism, with respect to the Church of England, is no more than a separation from an human establishment; for that the Church of England has no foundation but upon the King and the Parliament; whereas the Church of Christ is founded upon the doctrines taught by the Apostles.

If our Church has no foundation but upon the King and Parliament, then certainly it is not founded upon the authority of Christ, and consequently it is no Church of Christ. But will any man say, that a national Church, being a member of the Catholic Church of Christ, ceases to be such, when adopted as a part of the constitution, and established by the civil power? Suppose it were persecuted by the civil power; and its ministers and worship were proscribed; would it therefore cease to be a Church of Christ? Certainly not: for the Church

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Church of the Hebrews in Egypt, was still the Church of God, though the people were under a cruel edict not to serve him, and God owned it as such, and delivered it at last. Do the powers of this world unmake the Church by their reception of it, when they do not by their persecuting of it? Do its bishops and priests cease to be bishops and priests? Do its sacraments cease to be sacraments? Doth its discipline cease to be Christian discipline, and love its authority, because the state admits of it, and establishes it? I say, suppose they were. to declare against all these things, as the Heathens and Jews did in the first ages of the Gospel, their declaration would signify nothing: because the Church, in its priesthood and sacraments, derives its authority only from Jesus Christ, which the persecution of the civil powers cannot reach; much less can their allowance turn it into an human authority, and render it of none effect. But we shall see hereafter, how all this is overthrown, by another plea which the Dissenters (forgetting this) have made use of to defend their separation from the Church of England.

To say, that the Church of Christ is founded upon the doctrines taught by the Apostles, is a gross mistake. Doctrines can no more confer authority

authority of office to Church ministers, than the statute book in England can make a justice of the peace; whose power must come to him by personal deputation. A written law does nothing, till there comes an executive power, lawfully ordained, to administer and bring it to effect. Let any Dissenter shew us the text or doctrine that will make a priest. We can soon shew him one which tells us how priests must be made.-No man taketh this honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron; who was called by an outward consecration, from a person whom God had commissioned to consecrate: and the power thus given descended by succession to his posterity. The power of absolution was given by Christ to the Christian ministry, and without this power there can be no such thing as a Church of Christ. The priesthood had the power of absolution under the law of Moses; and even the priests of heathenism were never considered as the representatives of the people, but of the God to whom they belong; to pronounce blessings and forgive sins in his name. But the Presbyterians are so far from claiming this power to themselves (though supposed to be in all the priests of the world), that they mock at in us, and call it Popery and juggling; and a Church