418 DISCOURSE ON THE UNITYOF THE CHURCH. The words of Synesius are remarkable. He having excommuni- cated some cruel oppressors, thus recommends the case to all Chris- tians: " The church of Ptolemais has thus arranged with the breth- ren throughout the world. If any despise the church, and shall receive those proscribed by it, let him know that this is to rend the church, which Christ would have to be one," &c.' Upon which grounds I do not scruple to affirm the recusants in England to be no less schismatics than anyother separatists.' They are, indeed, somewhat worse : formost others only forbear communion; these rudely condemn the church to which they owe obedience, yea, strive to destroy it;they are most desperate rebels against it.* 8. It is the duty and interest of all churches to disclaim the pre- tences of the Roman court, maintaining their liberties and rights against its usurpations; for compliance therewith, as it greatly preju- dices truth and piety, leaving them to be corrupted by theambitious, covetous, and voluptuous designs of those men, so it removes the genuine unity of the church and peace of Christians,unless to be tied by compulsory chains, as slaves, be deemed unity or peace. 9. Yet those churches which, by the voluntary consent or com- mand of princes, adhere in confederation to the Roman church, we are not, merely upon that score, to condemn or reject from com- munion of charity or peace; for in that theydo but use their liberty. 10. But if such churches maintain impious errors; if theyprescribe naughty practices; if they reject communion and peace upon reason- able terms; if they vent unjust and uncharitable censures; if they are turbulent and violent, striving by all means to subdue and enslave other churches to their will or their dictates; if they damn and per- secute all who refuse to be their subjects, in such cases we may reject such churches as heretical, or schismatical, or wickedly uncha- ritable and unjust in their proceedings.' 1 'Evri roúmors ,j IraXelhá3os ixxxnaia Teas rpás má0 ávrarraxov' yñs iavrñs 00.04s araTárTSTar &c. Ei vi Trs w`s przpovra2.7mry ávraa, vIailasr Tmv ixxXnafa,, xal ,/ai vrcer Tabs áoroxnpówrovs a,Tñç (proscribed by it) m; elm áváyxv Tñ vrivnTar vrasaAar, r''." axle's 747, ixxT.naiav, riv ¡a'a, ó Xprasás Jar ßalasw, &c. Ep. lviii., p. 203, edit. Petay. a P. Leo, Ep. lxxxiv. cap. 9. * By " the recusants in England," Barrow plainlymeans Romaniste, in distinction fromProtestant Dissenters, whom he calls " other separatists." En. 8 Cuicunque hreresi communicans merito judicatur a nostra societate removendus. Gelas., Ep. i., adEuphem. Ancommunicare, non est consentire cum talibus P P. Sym. I., Ep. vii. THE END. PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY EDINBURGH AND LONDON
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