Epifikof S. Pad to Titus. for tome opinion,but morevfually about fome orderly rites and cere- 703 monies in the Church. Now then to challengemen of fcifine: I. the Churchmull be prooued to agree , and to haue thevnity oftruthboth for doólrine and rites. a. men mull be conuinced by the word, that the doFtrine is the wholefome word,and the rites and ceremonies aree- difying , orderly, inoftentiue , and not fuperflitious. Obisft. But fome are fopeeuifh they will neuer be conuirr:ed and fatisfied eXnfw. The reafon hereof feernes to be, becaufe the Church is fonetimes a party in fuch a queflion; and therefore it were wifdome to bringvpon loch par- ties the iudgement of other reformed Churches , tomake vp fuch a con- ui &ion. And then whenall fuch goodmeanes are v fed, if men feparate from theChurch, let them lie iuillyvnder the reproach of their fin. But whoarenor. farce be it, that every one who carrieth a dinette iudgement concerning i e,, nd fome rites in the Church wherein he liues, fhould prefently becomea fcifmatike: for fuch a one mayRill cleave in heart , in affeelion , and in perfonall pretencevnto the Church , and be farce from interrupting the unity ofthe Church. Yea farre be it that euery departure from thole that call themfelues the Church,yea in maine points ofdo Trine ,fhould befchifine. WereElias, andElizeusfchifmatikes,becaufe theydeparted from Ieroboams worfhippe? were our Sauiour Chrill and his ApoRles fcifmatikes indeparting from the do trines of the Pharifes and Saduces? No, it was leroboam ; it was the Prietis and Pharifes ( who pretended themfelues to be the Church) departing from the truth, and fo from the true unity , that were the authors of Schirme herein. And to for rites, how can we Hoppe a Papitls mouth , if we shall fay that rhofemenwho depart from rites tending to the weakning offaith & doctrine, or offen. fine and fuperilirious; are prefently to be ranked amongScifmatikes ?for haue not weour (clues thus departed from anhundred Romi(h ceremo., nies,and yet we fay they are the authors of Scrfine therein. Let this tali- fie our iudgements,and keep vs from ralhccnfures in matters focapital, and fo difficult. Ifany Cachofike fpiric will Rill reproach vs as Scilhia- tikes;furely we will reioyce herein,that we are not of them,whofccanon bath taught vs,that ifChrifi and his Apotilcs would not fubfcribe to all their decrees, they fhould efcape no other tearmes, butbe reputed Scif- . matikes at theleaR,ifnot burnt for hetetikes. Secondly,note that there hauebin,and (hall be to the end heretics in Thereaiwaie, she Church. Chrill was no boner afcended, but that bleffed doCirine of tiel é. his(cucn while the ApoRles yet hued) was oppugned by hetecikes: a:s in the which fecmeth to be the ground of this precept. Nay no fooner was Church:why, there aChurch,but herdic the difeale and corruption of it, beganne to , difcouer it felfibt truth gateonly the llart,8t was before herefie;yea the _ cares
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