BUT

CHA P. IV.

Directions in Cafe of Schifm.

UT what fhall an Orthodox Christian do, if fome part of the Church fhall cut it felf off from Communion with the Catholick Faith? Why then, there is nothing to be done, but to prefer the Body that is found, before a putrefy'd and infectious Member. But what if fome new Error fhould infect not only a small part, but should be ready to spread it felf at the fame time over the whole Church? Then we must be sure to cleave close to Antiquity, which on a fudden cannot be totally corrupted by any novel Imposture. But what if among the very Ancients we find two or three Perfons, or perhaps a whole City or Province in an Error? Why then our great Care must be to prefer the Determinations of the Ancient Church made in some general

k

* Quid fi novella aliqua Contagio non jam portiunculam tantùm fed totam pariter Ecclefiam commaculare conetur?] Our Author suppofes a Cafe here, which, were I a Papift, Ifhould not thank him for, viz. That the whole Present Church might poffibly be cor rupted. And what then will become of the Infallibility of the Church of Rome? And when he comes to the Proof of this in his fixth Chapter, he gives an Inftance of an Herefie, which had almoft corrupted the whole World, the Latin Church, especially the Pope himself not excepted, as I fhall fhew when I come to the Inftance. But by the whole Church, our Author must mean the Church Reprefentative, and not the Church Diffufive, or every individual Member of Chriftendom, because he fuppofes fome found Chriftians to be left, and for a Prefervative against this univerfal Corruption, advises 'em to keep close to Antiquity, which on a fudden cannot be totally polluted with any novel Impofture.

Council

Council (if any fuch Determinations there be) before the Rashness or Ignorance of fome Particulars. But what if a Question arife, concerning which there are no fuch Determinations extant? Why then we must make it our Business to confult the Judgements of the Ancients, and compare together what thofe Authors have faid at feveral times and distinc places, who perfevering in the Faith and Communion of the one Catholick Church, may be look'd on as approved Teachers, and worthy of Credit; and whatever we find to have been afferted not only by one or two of them, but to have been held, written, and taught by all, unanimously, clearly, commonly, and constantly, there to fix our Faith, and rest sa

tisfy'd.

1 Id fibi quoq; intelligat abfq, ullâ dubitatione credendum.] Vincentius tells that upon any emergent Difficulty concerning the Faith, we should have Recourfe to the Decrees of general Councils, if any fuch Decrees relating to the Point in Queftion are to be found; if not, he bids us confult fuch of the Ancients, who at different times, and different places were look'd upon as the most approved Doctors of the Age they liv'd in; and what they teach una. nimoufly, plainly, frequently, and conftantly, of that to reft indudubitably certain. But tho' indubitable Certainty in our Author's Opinion is fufficient, yet in the Opinion of the Papifts, it seems it is not; for they tell us, that we must have an abfolute infallible Certainty in Matters of Faith, and fend us therefore to a Church, which (as they fay) cannot err; because if we may be deceiv'd, we must be always uncertain. But first, how am I to be infallibly certain of this infallible Church? From Scripture? That cannot be, because, tho' I undoubtedly believe the Scripture to be theWord of God, yet the Reasons I believe it upon are the intrinfick Goodness of the Revelation and human Teftimony. And therefore the Effect cannot exceed the Cause, and my Belief rife higher than the Motives of Credibility, that is, I cannot be infallibly certain upon the Grounds only of a moral Affurance. Secondly, Suppofing I was infallibly certain of the Truth of Scripture; yet is it any where faid directly, and in exprefs Terms, that the 5 Church

tisfy'd. But to make this Matter more intelligible, I fhall illuftrate each Rule by an Example, and dwell fomething more particularly upon it for fear that out of an overfond Defire of Brevity, I fhou'd too lightly pass over the most weighty Points in this short and curfory way of Writing.

Church of Rome cannot err? If not, how can I be oblig'd to fee that clearly which is but obfcure, and which none of the Ancients cou'd fee any more than I? This is in effect to command Impoffi bilities, and oblige Men to fee what is invifible. Thirdly, We read of Degrees of Faith in Scripture, of a Little and Great, a Weak and a Strong Faith, we find the Apoftles praying to God to help their Unbelief, and to increase their Faith; but do Men ufe to pray for degrees of Infallibility, or to believe what they fee or know? So that Faith is not founded upon infallible Certainty, nor are the Motives of it equal to the Evidence of Senfe or Science. And laftly, To fay, That if we may be deceiv'd, we must be always uncertain, is to tell all the World what they know to be a Lye. For 'tis poffible that my Senfes may deceive me fometimes, and yet I am indubitably certain of what I fee and feel. I have often miftook my Road; but does it follow from thence, that I cannot be certain of my Way to the next Door, or my own Parish-Church? I conclude therefore with my Author, that upon any emergent Difficulty concerning Matters of Faith, when I have follow'd the Di rections here laid down, I may reft even so Indubitably certain as to lay down my Life for it, tho' not Abfolutely infallible, that the Faith which was fufficient for the Primitive Chriftians, will be fo to me; and that God will affuredly accept of fuch a Faith, because I have done my best to be rightly inform'd, and no Man can do

more.

CHAP.

СНАР. У.

The Example of the Donatifts apply'd here to fhew, That we ought to keep to Univerfality.

IN

N the Time of m Donatus, from whom the Donatifts deriv'd their Name, a great Part of Africa plung'd themselves into his extravagant Error; and no longer mindful of the

Name

Tempore Donati, a quo Donatifta.] The Inftance of Donatus being here produc'd to illuftrate that Part of the Rule, which orders us to adhere to the Communion of the Catholick Church in Cafe of any particular Schifm, it may not be improper to give fome Account of the Schifm, and the Schifm-maker. There were two Donati of the fame Party, Donatus Bishop of Cafe Nigra or Calame, and Donatus Bishop of Carthage, and Succeffor to Majorinus. Í bave written a Book (faith St. Auftin) against the Epiftle of Donatus who was Bishop of Carthage, next after Majorinus, wherein he pretends that the Baptifm of Jefus Christ is not valid out of his Communion. vid. Aug. Retract. 1. 1. c. 21. From this Donatus it was, that the Schifmaticks call'd themselves Donatifts. The Occafion of this long and bloody Schifm, was this; upon the Death of Menfurims Bishop of Carthage, Cecilian was chofen to fucceed him by the unanimous Suffrages of the People, and confecrated by Felix Bishop of Aptungis. Whereupon Botrus and Celefius, who had been intriguing for that Bifhoprick, finding themselves difappointed, ftruck in with one Lucilla, an imperious and ftomachful Lady, who cou'd never forgive the Reprimand Cecilian, when Arch-Deacon, gave her for kiffing the Bones of a dead Man juft before she receiv'd the Communion. These three fet their Heads a working to out Cecilian of his Bishoprick, and for that end difpatch'd Leo ters to Secundus Bifhop of Tigifis to haften to Carthage, with the reft of the Numidian Bishops,who had been Traditors in the Dioclef an Perfecution; and yet falfly objected this very Crime againft Felix, thereby to invalidate the Ordination of Cecilian; accordingly they protefted againft Communion with Cecilian, and fet up Majorinus in his ftead, who was a Domeftick of Lucilla, and had been Rea

der

Name of Chriftian, nor the Religion they profefs'd, preferr'd the Sacrilegious Rashness of a fingle Perfon, before the Authority of the whole Christian Church. In this critical Jun&ture then, those in Africa that detested the abominable Schifm, and held Communion with all the other Churches in Christendom, those

der of Carthage when Cecilian was Deacon; they fent likewise a Circular Letter to all the Bishops of Africa to perfuade them to a Rupture with Cecilian. However, Cecilian continu'd in the See of Carthage, and in Communion with great Part of the Bishops of Africa, and with all the other Bifhops of the World, who declar'd themselves in his Favour against the Numidians, who made the Schifm. They were condemn'd by a Synod of nineteen Bishops at Rome, where Miltiades was Prefident. But the Party of Majo rinus concluding they had hard measure, addrefs'd themselves to Conftantine; upon which, in the Year 314, he call'd a Council in the City of Arles, which condemn'd them likewife. At laft they appeal'd from hence to the Emperor, who, believing he might take Cognizance of this Caufe as being a Matter of Fact only, an Accufation against Cecilian; or because he wou'd oblige the Donatifts to yield, (as St. Austin thinks) gave Judgment himself at Milan in favour of Cecilian; condemn'd the Donatifts, caus'd an Information to be drawn up againft Sylvanus who was of their Party, and their Temples to be taken from them; but recommends 'em to be gently treated, as a Means to bring them back into the Bofom of the Church. vid. Optat. Milev. l. 1, 2, contr. Parmen. Auguft. Epift. 162. 165, 166. & alibi. As to their Opinions, I have already taken notice of their Prefumption in Rebaptizing the Catholicks, which Epiphanius remarks as the Practice of the Cathari allo, Epiphan. Har. 59. And as Schifmaticks have always fet up for Saints, fo the Donatifts were the Puritans of that Age; they look'd upon themselves as the only People of the Lord, as the Church without Spot or Wrinkle, and pretended to perfect Righteteousness; and this was common to them with the Novatians. Aug. 1. 2. contr. Ep. Parmen. c. 7, 8, 9. Secondly, They held the Juft to be defil'd by Communicating with the Wicked, and That to be no Church at all, where such a mix'd Communion was tolerated; and this too was common to them with the Novatians. vid. Cypr. lib. 4. Ep. 2. And as a Confequence of this, they agreed with the Novatians, That they alone were the Church of Chrift. Aug. Har. 69. How they fubdivided into Factions, and into what Extravagances they ran at length, may be feem more fully in Theodoret. lib. 4. Haret. Fab.

alone