INDEPENDENCY

OF THE

CHURCH

UPON THE

STAT E,

As to its Pure

Spiritual Powers:

Proved from

The HOLY SCRIPTURES, and the Writings of the Primitive Fathers.

With ANSWERS to the most Material OBJECTIONS.

As

By THOMAS BRETT, LL.D. Father bath fent me, even fo fend I you. S. John xx. 21.

LONDON:

my

Printed for HENRY CLEMENTS, at the Half-Moon in S. Paul's-Church-yard. 1717.

ERRAT A.

PAGE 2. Margin, Line 2. for Gal. vii. read Gal. vi. Pag. 3. Lin. 30. for Words, read Word. Pag. 12. Lin. 14. after Chrift put a Colon. Pag. 21. Marg. Lin. 1. for Rom. xiii. read Rom. xii. Pag. 27. Lin, 1 read Porphyric. Pag. 28. Lin. 29. after did, add not. Pag. 31. Lin. 26. read detefted. Pag. 34. Lin. 7. for it, read they. Pag. 37. Lin. 23. for four, read for. Pag. 40. Lin. 25. read together. Pag. 48. Lin. 9. read Lin. 1. read Account of Church-Government. Pag. 6o. Lin. 21. for delicompulsory Account read Dominate as 1 fordel gated, read delegated. Pag. 62. Lin. 5. after it put a Colon. Pag. 64. Lin. 31. after Office put a Comms. Ibid. Lin. ult. for to, read or. Pag. 65. Lin. 18. after Men put a Comma. Ibid. Lin. 30. for may, read might. Pag. 73. Marg, for Cor. xiv. read Cor. iv. Pag. 75. Lin. 4. for just, read unjuft. Ibid. Marg. for Chron. xxviii. read Chron. xxvii. Lag: 77. Lin. 3. dele that. Pag. 92. Lin. 11. for thy, read they Pag. 192. Lin.9. read Separation. Pag. 104. Lin. 9. dele the. Pag. 110. Lin. 6. for per fwaded, read perfuaded. Pag. 111. Lin. 17. after Perfon put a Note of ·Interrogation. Ibid. Lin. 18. after Fault put a full Stop.

THE

CONTENTS.

§ I.

INTRODUCTION.

Tis unjust to charge Primitive Doctrines as Popish, and gives the Papifts great Advantages against

us.

.

Page i § II. Therefore, to inform our Flocks what are the Doctrines of the Primitive Church, is the beft Method to preferve them from Popery.

vi

III. The prefent and fome following Treatifes defign'd for this Purpose SIV: The Masters here propofed to be treated of, are the fame Primitive Doctrines which I defended in my Vindication of myself from the Charge of Popery, with the Addition of two other Points, viz, Mixing Water with the Wine in the Holy Eucharift. And the Practice of Chrifm in Confirma tion. With a Declaration of my Defire, that we should reftore all the Universal Customs of the Church as they were at the Time of the Council of Nice.

vit

SV. This the beft Method to introduce Catholick Unity in the Church.

viit

The Independency of the Church upon the State, as to its pure Spiritual Powers.

HAT are the Spiritual Powers of the
Church, as fet down in Holy Scripture.

Pag. I

A 2

6 11.

§ II. Objection concerning Kings being Nurfing Fathers of the Church, confider'd.

3

III. The Pope's Encroachments on the State the Occafion of Setting up the Regale to fuch an Height in the Reign of King Henry VIII.

4

IV. A Query put at that Time concerning the Regal Autho rity in Spiritual Affairs. And how it was then differently anfwered.

5

§ V. Another Query at the fame time, and to the fame Purpose, with the Anfwers then given.

6

VI. This is the Beginning of thofe Principles now called Eraftian.

8

§ VII. Chrift the Head of the Church; therefore all Spiritual Power must be derived from him.

9

§ VIII. Chrift committed no Part of this Power to the Magiftrate, but to his Apostles and their Succeffors.

10

§ IX. This Power not imply'd in the Civil Magiftrate's Su

premacy.

12

14

§ X. Supreme Head of the Church, a new Title never affum'd by any Prince before King Hen. VIII. SXI. What Power be affum'd by vertue of this Title. I XII. He feem'd to think Bishops but his Deputies, even in

16

Spiritual Matters, but was not fully satisfy'd in that Point. 17 § XIII. And never durft take upon him to confecrate a Bishop.

18

9 XIV. This Title only given to him and his Son, King Edward VI. and repealed by Parliament in the next Reign, nor ever after restored.

19

6 XV. Strange therefore that any, especially Clergy-men, fhould now give our Kings this Title.

20

XVI. Kings have, however, a Civil Authority over Spiritual Perfons.

21

§ XVII. And in Civil Sanctions annex'd to Spiritual Canses. 23 XVIII. This the Right of all Princes, whether Heathen or Chriftian.

28

§ XIX. Appeals from the Archbishop to the King, as used in this Realm, confider'd.

29

§ XX. The Independency of the Church as to pure Spiritual Matters, afferted by the Homilies.

31

34

§ XXI. And also in an Act of Parliament. g XXII. How the Spiritual and Temporal Governor may, and in fome Cafes muft, both judge the fame Perfon, and in re

lation

lation to the fame Caufe, and yet neither interfere with the

other.

36

XXIII. The Civil Magiftrate cannot give or take away a
Spiritual Office.

40

§ XXIV. The Kings naming or recommending a Perfon to be confecrated a Bishop, does not give fuch an one the Epifcopal Commiffion.

43

§ XXV. And our Bishops, though fo nominated by the King yes receive their Spiritual Authority from Senior Bishops, and fo have the fame Power which the Apostles and Primitive Bishops bad.

45

47

§ XXVI. Therefore, as the Civil Magistrate does not give this Power, fo neither can be take it away. XXVII. The Bishop has no Spiritual Superior in his own Line or District, as is proved from Scripture.

§ XXVIII. This Superiour Authority of the Bishop neceffary to preferve the Unity of the Body of Chrift.

55

§ XXIX. And unless this Unity be preferv'd, all Gifts and Graces are nothing worth, as S. Paul teaches. 57 9 XXX. For, the Breach of this Unity makes a Schifm, and deftroys the Band of Charity: And the People had no Power to depofe their Bishop, or put another in his Place. 59 6 XXXI. Neither had the Civil Magiftrate any fuch Power. Ib. § XXXII. Neither did the Bishop's Non-Residence, or Neceffary Abfence, deprive him of his Authority over his Flock. 60 XXXIII. Nor the Civil Magiftrate's Prohibition. § XXXIV. The Intruders into another Bishop's Diftri& were Schifmaticks, though Supported by the Civil Magiftrate. 62 64

9 XXXV. All this prov'd from S. Paul's Doctrine.

61

§ XXXVI. Dr. Hody's Notion about Deprivations by Irrefiftible Force, contrary to S. Paul's Doctrine.

65

9 XXXVII. His Mifreprefentation of the Novatian and Donatift Schifms.

68

Ibid.

§ XXXVIII. An Account of the Novatian Schifm from S. Cyprian and others living at that Time. § XXXIX. An Account of the Donatift Schifm from Contemporary Authors.

72

S XL. No Irrefiftible Force can be used to depofe a Bishop. 74 9 XLI. The Cafe of Abiathar faid to have been depos'd by Solomon.

§ XLII. That Cafe confider'd.

75 76

§ XLIII. An Answer to feveral Queries. 1. Whether Chrift

A 3

appointed