i An Appeal to Calvin's Tribunal, as to the Hierarchy, Liturgy, and Ceremonies of the Church of England. 1 OR Thomas Long's Calvinus Redivivus COMPENDIZ'D. Calvin's Sentiments of the Creed in general, and of Two Articles in particular. I Find it to be pernicious beyond Measure, that Men do so presume of their own Judgments, as to think all their Opinions firm and true, before ever they weigh them, and are so confident as to refuse Communication with learned Men. As to the Creed, which I also call the Apostles, not troubling my self with the Aut thor of it, I find, by a great Agreement among the Ancients, it is certainly ascribed to the Apostles; whether they thought it to be written and delivered by the Apostles in common, or because they thought to confirm, by such an Appellation, that Summary of Faith, which was fincerely collected out of the Doctrine by them delivered. For I do not in the least doubt, from whomsoever it first came, that from the very first Infancy of the Church, and so in the very Age wherein the Apostles lived, it was received as the publick Confeffion, approved by the Consent of all: Neither is it probable,that it was written by any private Man; forasmuch as it appears from the very first Records, that it was esteemed to be of sacred Authority among all good Men. Calv. Epift. 303. Inftit. L. 2. C. 6. S. 18. Calvin's Sense of that Article of the Creed, The Holy Catholick Church, and the Communion of Saints. IN 'N the Creed, where we do profess to believe the Church, it is not sufficient, that I believe the Company of God's Elect, unless I apprehend such an Unity of the Church, into which I am verily perswaded, that I am ingrafted and made a Member of the fame. For this Article of the Creed belongs to the external or visible Church, that every one may contain himself in a brotherly Agreement with all the Children of God, giving to the Church it's due Authority, and behaving himself as a Sheep of that Fold; And therefore is that Article of The Communion of Saints, adjoined; which intimates, that the Saints are gathered unto the Society of Christ, to this End, That whatever Bleffings God bestoweth on them, should be communicated to each other. Now this Communion with the Church, brings us into the Society of God; and how profitable and necessary the Knowledge of this is, the very Name of Mother, given to the Church visible, may teach us, seeing there is no other way of entering into Life, unless she form us in her Bowels, and nourish us with her own Breasts, and unless we live under her Tuition and Government, until we lay aside Mortality. For out of the Embraces of this Church, no Remiffion of Sins is to be hoped, nor Salvation to be had. In many Places of Scripture, the fatherly Love of God is restrained to His Flock; fo that the Departure from that, is always destructive: For God has obliged us to His ordinary Manner of Teaching, which while Fanatick Men do refuse, they involve themselves in many deadly Snares; and they are devilish Spirits that study to destroy the Unity of the Church. Lib. 4. C. 1. S. 72. S. 3. S. 4. 15. 37. 32. Joel 2, 32. Ezek. 13. 9. Pfal. 106. 4. S. 5. S. 9. Cal Calvin's Notes of a True Church. I Approve of these Marks of the visible Church: First, Pure Doctrine. Secondly, The right Use of the Sacraments. And, Thirdly, a Holy Unity depending thereupon. Calv. de vera Eccles. Reform. P. 322. Calvin's Judgment of fuch Parochial Churches as are now constituted in the Church of England. T'Hose Congregations that are fettled in Towns or Villages (as human Neceffities do require) have justly both the Name and Authority of a Church, as being in Communion with the Church Universal; and to despise the Authority of fuch a Church, to scorn her Admonitions, to be refractory to her Counsels, and mock at her Corretions, is not without Guilt, much less to separate from it, and break it's Unity: For God doth so value the Communion of His Church, that He judgeth him an Apostate from Religion, that shall contumaciously withdraw himself from the Society of fuch a Church; and no Crime can be conceived greater than such sacrilegious Unfaithfulness, whereby we violate that Covenant which the Son of God vouchsafed to make with us. Therefore those Things which God hath joined, no Man may separate, viz. That to whom he is a Father, the Church also be a Mother. Where ever there is a Minister rightly conftituted, who faithfully dischargeth his Office, every one that will be accounted a Christian, ought to adhere to him, and to enjoy his Min stry with the rest of the Flock: But what do they? Because we follow not them in their Errors, altho' we purely preach the Word of God, they account us as ravenous Wolves; and they so abhor us, that they think they should commit a deadly Sin, to be present at our Sermons; therefore they create inferior Ministers, and being made in a Moment, are imployed to rend the Church, divide the People, and gather Congregations contrary to one another, that the Name of God may not be invocated with the joint Consent of all, and with that Concord which becomes it. Calv. Inft. l. 4. C. 1. S. 9. S. 10. Inft. L. 4. C. I. S. I. Calv. contra Anabapt. his Calvin's Resolve anent Protestant Bishops, particularly acknow<ledging the Romish Church to be the true one. a A : A 1 Granted to Cardinal Sadolet, that the Churches under his Jurisdiction were the Churches of Christ, and the Reason of my Judgment in this Particular I have given at large in my Inftitutions. The Sum whereof is this. No Man well in his Wits, ever held that Christianity was quite extinguished, wheresoever the Romish Tyranny did prevail: Whence it follows, That in some Respects there is a Church yet remaining. As in Ifrael when Idolatry prevail'd under Jeroboam and Rehoboam, good Men had a tolerable Estate of a Church for Circumcifion, and the Law, and Sacrifices, and Invocation of God remained: So I willingly grant, that in Rome God hath preserved fome Footsteps of a Church, as whena Building is demolished, the Foundation and Ruines remain: Befides, how else should we prove the Pope to be Antichrift, unless we grant him to fit in the Temple of God, as the Prophets foretold he should? For his Kingdom doth not abolish the Name of Christ or of a Church; God hath there preserved some Remnants of his People, and Symbols of his Church, which the Subtilty of the Devil, nor the Impiety of Men could not destrov; however, they are fo miferably prophaned, corrupted, poisoned, that they want the lawful Form of a Church properly so called. Calv. ad Sadolet. Lib. 4. C.2. S. 9, 10, 11, 12. Dan. 9. 27. 2 Theff. 2. 4 Cal 7 Calvin's Opinion of those who communicate in the Ordinances of God with wie ked Men. TH : be ftill HE Church of God is called holy, but not perfect; Christ is and will purging of it, until he present it without Spot and Wrinkle. You hear the Parable of the Net, and of the Tares, and of the Chaff, by which our Saviour shows, that there will be a Mixture of good and bad in the Church, to the End of the World. For a full Answer to this Question, confider the Church of Corinth, among whoirn there were not a few that erred, but Polution had almost over-run the whole Body: There was not one Kind of Sin but many; nor were they light Errors, but certain horrid Enormities: There was not only Corruption of Manners, but of Doctrine. What doth the holy Apostle in this Cafe, who was the Instrument of the Holy Ghost; at whose Testimony the Church stands or falls? Doth he endeavour Separation from them? Doth he expel them from the Kingdom of Chrift? Or strick them with the fatal Thunderbolt of an Anathema? He doth not only forbear these Methods, but he both owns and declares them to be a Church of Christ; and a Society of Saints: If there were a Church in Corinth, where contentious Sects and Emulations were fo hot, where Strife and Brawling with covetous Desires did grow, where a Wickedness abominable (even to the Heathen) was publickly approved, where the Name of Paul was wantonly abused, whom they ought to have reverenc'd as a Father, where some laughed at the Refurrection of the Dead; with the Denial of which the whole Gospel fell: Where they served Ambition, not Charity; where mot Things were acted indecently and inordinately (and yet it remains, the Miniftry of the Word and Sacraments was not to be refused.) Who dares to take from them the Title of a Church, where the tenth Part of fuch Vices cannot be fastned? To separate from a Church for this Reason, as it is a Sin to which we are prone, so it is a fubtle Device of the Devil. There have ever been some, who being conceited of their own Holiness, as fo many aerial Spirits, despise the Communion of all, in whom they perceive any human Infirmities: Such were the Catharists and Donatifts of old, and the Anabaptists now, whose morofe Humours proceed rather from Pride and a false Opinion of Holiness, than from a true Endeavour of Sanctity; and left it should appear, that they want the Light of Truth, they make Ufe of theShadow of rigid Severity, to whom I commend the Advice of St. Augustine, That they charitably amend what they can, and patiently endure what they cannot, and in Love sigh and lament until God amend all. But when undera Pretence of Zeal for Perfection, we cannot dispense with any Imperfection in the Body, or Members of the Church, then we are to be admonished, that the Devil fwells us with Pride, and seduceth us by Hypocrisy to defert the Flock of Chrift. Matth. 13. Matth. 3. 12. I Cor. II. C. 3. 3. С. 3.1. С. 6. 7. С. 9. 1. Inft. Lib. 4. C. 1. S. 12. 13. Calvin, adverfus Anabaptiftas.. C. 15. 12. Calv. Inft. C. 4. S. 7. 12. Calvin's Opinion of fuch Churches as bave fome Errors mixed with the preache ing of the Word. THe Doctrine of the Church is either that which is absolutely neceflary to be known, as that there is a God, that Christ is God, &c. or Part which is less fary, which may be controverted in the Church, and yet not destroy the Unity of Faith. As for Instance, Suppose that some hold, that the Souls of Men do not go immediately to Heaven, yet do grant they live unto God, but determine not of the Place: The Apostle Phil. 3. 15. plainly sheweth, that such Dissent in Points of Doctrine not necessary, are no Ground for Divifion; some Faults may be discovered both in Dotrine and Administration of Sacraments, which yet ought not to alienate us, from the Communion of the Church. It is indeed a great Fault, when either through Carelesness or Indulgence, or want of Authority, the Minister doth not do his Office, in purging the Church; which the Apostle greatly blames in the Corinthians, but tho the Church be tardy in it's Office, it is not lawful for every private Man presently to reso've on Separation: You may avoid the familiar Society of fuch wicked Men, but not defert the Communion of the Church. And tho' some Men, through an inconfiderate Zeal, may be faulty in this Respect; yet we shall ordinarly find this great Mo ro فر 1(58) rosity to arise, rather from Pride and Disdain, or a false Opinion of Sanctity, than from true Holiness, or a fincere Endeavour to promote it, there ought to be so great an Abhorrence of Schifm amongst Christians, that they alway fly from it as far as pofsibly they can : They ought to have so great a Reverence of the Ministry and Sacraments, that wherever they perceive these to be, they think the Church to be there. This I earnestly perswade, that Schisms do not divide any Church; which, tho' it may be corrupt in Manners, and infected with strange Doctrines, yet it is not wholly departed from that Doctrine, on which St. Paul teacheth the Church of Christ to be founded. This therefore I must still lament, as one of the greatest Evils of our Times, that one Church is so divided from another, that scarce any human Society is maintained among us; much less doth the holy Communion of the Members of Chrift appear among us; which, tho' all profess with their Mouths, very few do in Truth fincerely practise. Calvin. Inst: L: 4. C: 1. S: 12. S: 15. Ep: 11. Ep:12. Ep. 126. to Cranmer. Am fo Calvin's Opinion of the Doctrine of the Church of England. far from objecting any Thing against the Doctrine there professed, that I raI ther give God Thanks, who hath so illuminated them with the Knowledge of found Doctrine, that the chief Magistrate takes Care to have it publickly preached; and it was my Advice, that Care should be taken of unftable (or desultory) Witts, and Provision made to keep out curious Doctrines, (and I think their Articles have done both. In composing of which, I know the English Reformers had Respect to the Augustine Confeffion, as, by comparing them, may appear. And I, who did fubscribe the one, cannot disswade you from subscribing the other.) Calvin: Epift: 87. The 39 Articles were Printed two Years before Calvin's Death. I Think it a Means to of Do Calvin's Opinion of the Limitation of Ministers in the Exercise of their Gifts. : Calv: Epift: ad Proteft Epift: 167. Beza in vita Calvini, Epist: 127. Ad verfipellam quendam. Mr A Continuation of an Appeal to Calvin's Tri bunal, &c. Mr. Calvin's Answer to Mr. Cartwright's Representation of bis Opinion of Arch-bishops and Bishops. MR. Cartwright may not be believed in a Report so contradictory to my publick Writings: : I would never have the Authority of the Church Governours de nied unto them; but do acknowledge, that the Bishops, which, according to their Office, do teach the Word of God, ought reverently to be heard. I had always a great Reverence for the Bishops of your Church, to whom I gave inward Reverence as well as outward Respect, and would gladly have served them, in settling of the English Church; and my Judgment is, That if we may have fuch an Hierarchy, in which the Bishops so excel others, that they refuse not Subjection to Chrift, but would depend on him as their only Head, and refer themselves to him; in which they so preserve brotherly Communion among themselves, that they are united by nothing more than the Truth: In this Cafe I denounce him worthy of all Curses who doth not observe such an Hierarchy with all Reverence and Obedience. And I would to God such a Succeffion had continued to this Day, it should easily have found from us the Obedience that it deserves. I do account the Government by Arch Bishops a moderate Honour, as being within the Compass of a Man's Power to execute, which the Pope's pretended Authority is not; and the ancient Church did appoint Patriarchs and Primates in every Province, as a Bond to unite Bishops in Concord. Calv. Confefs. Fid. Gall. Epift. to Cran.de Reformand. Ecclef. neceffitate. Vera ecclefiæ Reformatio Epist. ad regem Poloniæ. T Calvin's Opinion concerning distinct Orders in the Ancient Church. Here is a threefold Ministry commended unto us in the Scripture, and whatever Ministry was in the primitive Church, wasdistinguished into three Orders; for from the Order of Presbyters, there was chosen Paftors and Doctors, the rest were to infpect Manners and Cenfures. The Care of the Poor was committed to the Deaconss S. Hierom names Five Orders in the Church (viz.) Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, the Fideles, or faithful, and the Catechumeni, (Three of these were of the Clergy, the other Two of the Laity.) Calv. Inft. L. 4. C. 4. S. 1. Calvin's Opinion of the Order of Bishop, as distinct from a Presbyter, in the Primitive Church. T He Presbyters to whom the Office of preaching was enjoined did in every City chuse one out of their Number, to whom they folely gave the Title of Bishop; left Dissension should arise, where all were equal (as it usually comes to pass.) Now every City had a College of Presbyters, which were Paftors and Teachers, for they all had the Office of teaching, exhorting and reproving in the Congregation. To every City a certain Region or Province belonged, which had Presbyters sent from the City, and they were accounted Members of the Body of that Church. This is the Sum then of the primitive Government: Presbyteries consisted of Paftors and Teachers, nor were they seated any where but in Cities, to which the Region (or Diocess) was adjoined; and to avoid Confufion, over each Presbytery, and the adjoining Country, was a Bishop, who in Dignity and Authority was above them: It was no human Invention but a divine Institution, that every one should have a Church affigned to him, yet so as he might by his Presence and Counsel affift other Churches, thus Archippus was Bishop of the Coloffians: And the Affembly at Ausburg declared, That |