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Paul says is greater than all zeal, yea greater than any virtue. Let me cite to you a passage from the writings of Archbishop Bramhall, a writer who is allowed on all hands to have been one of the ablest champions of the English Church. Archbishop Bramhall writes thus:
1. "First, I acknowledge that the Church of Rome is a true Christian Church in that sense that I have declared, that is, meta-physically, because it still retains all the essentials of a true Church. To have separated from it in any of these, had been either formal heresy, or formal schism, or both. But we have retained all these as much as themselves; and much more purely than themselves, for it may seem doubtful whether some of their superstitious additions do not virtually overthrow some of the fundamentals of religion; but with us there is no such danger.
2. "Secondly, I acknowledge, that besides the essentials of Christian Religion, the Church of Rome retains many other truths of an inferior nature, in doctrine, in discipline, in sacraments, and many lawful and laudable practices and observations. To have separated from these had been at least material schism, unless the Church of Rome should obtrude them upon other churches, as necessary and fundamental articles of Christian Religion, and so presume to change the ancient creed, which was deposited with the Church by the Apostles as the common badge and cognizance of all Christians for all succeeding generations.
3. "Thirdly, it is agreed, that one may not, one must not, separate himself from the communion of a true Christian Church for the vices or faults of particular persons in point of manners. We may not leave the Lord's field because there are tares, nor His floor because there is chaff, nor His house because there are 'vessels of dishonour,' nor His college because there was a Judas.
4. "Fourthly, some errors and abuses are not simply sinful in themselves; but to those that did first introduce them, to those who maintain and practise them for ambitious or avaricious ends, they are sinful. These are pressures and grievances to the Christian flock, rather than sins. They suffer under the burden of them, but they are innocent from the guilt of them. And so 'reum facit superiorem iniquitas imperandi, innocentem subditum ordo serviendi.' 'A superior may sin in his commands, and yet his subject be innocent in his obedience' These are no just cause of separation to a private Christian; 'Charity covers a multitude of sins.' But they are just cause of reformation to a National Church or Synod.
5. "Fifthly, there are some errors in disputable points; and some abuses are mere excesses without guilt, rather blemishes than sins; and for these alone no man ought to separate himself from a Christian Society, or abandon a true Church for trivial dissensions. Our duty in such a case is, to pray and persuade, without troubling the peace of the Church, and to leave the rest to God. 'Let us there-
