2dly. Schismatical Separation proceeds from hatred, 1or at least from a want of Charity; but do the Nonconformists thus separate? What is done out of Conscience to God, cannot be fairly interpreted hatred to our Brother. It is love to God that causes men to walk according to Conscience; but it is want of love to him that makes them hate their Brother. These two cannot stand together. If we call that hatred which indeed is Conscience, we forfeit our own Charity by misconstruing the Charity of others. It is the desire of the Nonconformists to live in charity with the Conforming Brethren. In the Council of Carthage St. Cyprian and his Fellow-Bishops, in the point of rebaptizing those that were baptized by Heretics, plainly erred and dissented from the rest of the Church; yet they were never charged with Schism for it, and why? Because they did it neminem judicantes, neo à jure communionis aliquem, si diversum senserit, amoventes: Judging none, ⟨p. 52⟩removing none, that thought otherwise, from the right of Communion. That Error of Rebaptization,2 which in the Donatists was, as St. Austin speaks, Fuligo in tartareâ faeditate, the smoke of their hellish filthiness, was in St. Cyprian but, naevus in candour sanctae Animae, a freckle in the candour of an holy Soul; and the reason was, because St. Cyprian had what they had not, Charitatis ubera, the breasts of Charity to cover his Defects. In respect of this Charity Bishop Davenant saith,3 Melius de Ecclesiâ meruit errans Cyprianus, quam Stephanus Romanus recte sentiens, & Ecclesias quantum in se fuit, Schismatico Spiritu dilacerans. Cyprian, erring, deserved better of the Church, than Stephen, Bishop of Rome, rightly thinking, but by a Schismatical Spirit, as much as he could renting the Churches. Charity is a great thing, and I hope it may be found among the Nonconformists; they leave the Church, neminem judicantes, judging none of their Conforming Brethren the breasts of their Charity may cover some defects. I hope therefore Schism ⟨p. 53⟩in this respect cannot be charged upon them. I am sure Charity is in all good men, Conforming or Nonconforming; but if we compare Parties together, that Party which binds burdens on Conscience, and leaves them there, seems to me to have less of Charity, than that which shrinks and withdraws the Shoulder from them.
2dly. Schismatical Separation proceeds from hatred, 1or at least from a want of Charity; but do the Nonconformists thus separate? What is done out of Conscience to God, cannot be fairly interpreted hatred to our Brother. It is love to God that causes men to walk according to Conscience; but it is want of love to him that makes them hate their Brother. These two cannot stand together. If we call that hatred which indeed is Conscience, we forfeit our own Charity by misconstruing the Charity of others. It is the desire of the Nonconformists to live in charity with the Conforming Brethren. In the Council of Carthage St. Cyprian and his Fellow-Bishops, in the point of rebaptizing those that were baptized by Hereticks, plainly erred and dissented from the rest of the Church; yet they were never charged with Schism for it, and why? Because they did it neminem judicantes, neo à jure communionis aliquem, si diversum senserit, amoventes: Judging none, ⟨p. 52⟩removing none, that thought otherwise, from the right of Communion. That Error of Rebaptization,2 which in the Donatists was, as St. Austin speaks, Fuligo in tartareâ faeditate, the smoak of their hellish filthiness, was in St. Cyprian but, naevus in candore sanctae Animae, a freckle in the candor of an holy Soul; and the reason was, because St. Cyprian had what they had not, Charitatis ubera, the breasts of Charity to cover his Defects. In respect of this Charity Bishop Davenant saith,3 Melius de Ecclesiâ meruit errans Cyprianus, quam Stephanus Romanus recte sentiens, & Ecclesias quantum in se fuit, Schismatico Spiritu dilacerans. Cyprian, erring, deserved better of the Church, than Stephen, Bishop of Rome, rightly thinking, but by a Schismatical Spirit, as much as he could renting the Churches. Charity is a great thing, and I hope it may be found among the Nonconformists; they leave the Church, neminem judicantes, judging none of their Conforming Brethren the breasts of their Charity may cover some defects. I hope therefore Schism ⟨p. 53⟩in this respect cannot be charged upon them. I am sure Charity is in all good men, Conforming or Nonconforming; but if we compare Parties together, that Party which binds burthens on Conscience, and leaves them there, seems to me to have less of Charity, than that which shrinks and withdraws the Shoulder from them.
- 1Schismatici discessionibus iniquis à fraternâ Charitate dissiliunt. Aug. de Fide, & Symbol. cap. 10.
- 2De Bapt. cont. Don. l. 1. c. ult.
- 3Sentent. de Pace 112.
