[§. 28.]
PRot. I have yet one thing more, about which to question you. If you will not acknowledge your opinion Heresie in opposing the publick judgment, and definition of the Catholick Church in that most reverend Council of Nice, upon pretence that you have not had a convincing Proposal, that this Definition was therein made according to God's Word, or the Scriptures; yet, how will you clear your self, or your Socinian Congregations of Schism? avoidable upon no plea of adherence to Scripture, if it shall appear, that you have for this opinion deserted the Communion of the Catholick Church; out of which Church is no Salvation.
Soc. [81]I grant there neither is, nor can be any just cause to depart from the Church of Christ; no more than from Christ himself: therefore I utterly deny, that our Churches have made any separation from the Church Catholick at all: and this for many reasons. For 1st. [82]—We have not forsaken the whole Church, or the external Communion of it: but only that part of it which is corrupted, and still will be so; and have not forsaken, but only reformed another part of it, which part we our selves are: and I suppose you will not go about to perswade us, that we have forsaken our selves, or our own Communion. And if you urge, that we joined our selves to no other part, therefore we separated from the whole: I say, it follows not, inasmuch as our selves were a part of it, and still continued so, and therefore can no more separate from the whole, than from our selves.
Prot. So then, it seems we need fear no Schism, from the Church Catholick till a part can divide from it self, which can never be.
[§. 29.]
Soc. Next, As for our separating from all other particular Churches, the ground of our Separation being an error, which hath crept into the Communion of these Churches, and which is unjustly imposed upon us in order to this Communion, we conceive, in this case, if any, They, not We, are the Schismaticks: for as the Arch-Bishop[83].——The Schism is theirs, whose the Cause of it is; and he makes the separation, who gives the first just cause of it, not he that makes actual separation, upon a just cause preceding.
[§. 30.]
Again, Though we have made an actual Separation from them, as to the not-conforming to, or also as to the reforming of an error: yet, First, As to Charity; we do still retain with the same Churches our former Communion.——Not dividing from them through the breach of Charity; Or condemning all other Churches, as no parts of the Catholick Church, and drawing the Communion wholly to our selves, as did those famous Schismaticks, the Donatists. [See Doctor Ferne Division of Churches, p. 105. and 31, 32.]
§. 31.
Next, as to matter of Faith: We hold that all separation from all particular Churches in such a thing, wherein the unity of the Catholick Church doth not consist, is no separation from the whole Church, nor is any thing more, than our suspension from the Communion of particular Churches, till such their error is reformed; For, as Doctor Stillingfleet[84]——There can be no separation from the whole Church, but in such things, wherein the unity of the whole Church lies:—Whoso therefore separates from any particular Church as to things not concerning their being, is only separated from the Communion of that Church, and not the Catholick. Now, that for which we have separated from other Churches, we conceive not such, as is essential, or concerns the being of a Church so, that without it we or they cannot still retain the essence thereof; we declare also our readiness to joyn with them again, if this error be corrected, or at least not imposed: And [85](as Dr. Stillingfleet saith)——Where there is this readiness of Communion, there is no absolute separation from the Church as such, but only suspending Communion, till such abuses be reformed, [or not pressed upon us]. And as Bishop Bramhall[86]——When one part of the universal Church separateth it self from another part, not absolutely or in essentials, but respectively in abuses, and innovations, not as it is a part of the universal Church, but only so far as it is corrupted and degenerated [whether in doctrin or manners] it doth still retain a Communion not only with the Catholick Church, and with all the Orthodox members of the Catholick Church, but even with that corrupted Church, from which it is separated, except only in such Corruptions.