Non-Conformity hath been the sad occasion of much disturbance in this Nation of Tumults and War and that it continues to dissociate our minds and interests one from another to the general unquietness of this poor Church is that which none can well deny II. That all unnecessary and avoidable actions and proceedings whereby strife debates envy hatred malice and variance are entertained amongst men are contrary to Gods Laws and the Blessed Rules of the Gospel That teacheth to be like minded one towards another chiefly in matters of Religion Rom. xv 5. To consult in all our Actions Love Mercy and Charity one towards another John xiii 34. Which teaches us to suppress all distasts and to study to advance the universal unity of the Christians amongst whom we live 1 John iii. 1. and to abstain from all actions whereby differences are maintained 1 Cor. xiii 4 5 6. III. That we are to comply with all Rules Rites and Ceremonies established in the Church if they be not directly against Gods Glory or the Salvation of Mens Souls or if they be not expresly forbidden in Gods Holy Word or contrary to it This is confirmed to us by Christs own Example who conformed to the harmless and indifferent Injunctions of Men to avoid all singularity for in the Celebrating of the Paschal Lamb he eat it not standing as Moses commanded but lying down upon a Couch Matth. xxvi 20. Mark xiv 18. He caused a Hymn to be sung which was a Jewish Ordinance Christ also conformed himself to the Synagogue-Worship established amongst the Jews by an Human Authority which our Blessed and peaceable Saviour was so far from disapproving that he expresly tells his Disciples that they who had made that Ordinance sit in Moses Seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do Matth. xxiii 2 3. And in many other particulars of as high an importance as those which cause you my Non-Conforming Brethren to separate from us this Divine Saviour teacheth you by his good Example to avoid singularity to observe the Rules and Orders appointed in the place where you live and not for such matters as endanger not in themselves your Salvation to cause that disturbance that will infallibly indanger the Churches Peace and Unity and beget in your Souls those passions vices and distempers which are not agreeable with our Christian Religion and present interest or our future hopes of Salvation IV. That all disobedience to the Magistrate in things not contrary to Gods Word and Will is unlawful and forbidden by S. Paul Rom. xiii 1 2. Let every Soul be subject unto the higher powers For there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation A passive obedience is not sufficient where an active is required and may and ought to be yielded And though you do not actually resist at present the Civil Magistrate all Non-Conformity is a kind of resistance take heed therefore that by this opposition you render not your selves liable to the Curse and so deserving the Damnation that is so severely threatned In the third Chapter to Titus verse the first he desires him to put his people in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates and to be ready to every good work And to the Hebrews St. Paul speaketh more pertinently to our purpose Obey them that have rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And St. Peter 1 Epist Chap. ii vers 13. calls upon you to submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man without the exception or distinction of Civil or Ecclesiastical matters and that for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream or unto Governors for so is the Will of God Are these Commands of any force or Authority with you my Brethren Are you not thereby required to Conform to the Laws Rules and Constitutions of Gods Church amongst us enjoyned by Authority are not these Ordinances of Men which you ought to submit to Therefore none of you can refuse an obedience to them without violating Gods Laws and breaking the Sacred Rules of the Gospel I could instance many other Examples Precepts Commands and Entreaties out of Gods holy-Holy-Word directed to you to wish require and desire you to be at Unity and Conformity with us your Brethren especially in the Publick Worship of God and to set aside all prejudice and partiality whereby you are hindered from seeing and embracing the Truth What is it therefore that keeps us at such a distance Is it your Consciences How can your Consciences oppose Gods Word and Will Is it Conscience that obliges you to be irregular in your practices and reject us as Prophane and Idolatrous who labor in all respects to be conformable to the Holy Precepts of the Gospel Is that Conscience in a word that teacheth you to be disobedient to the Laws of God and Man And to breed a disturbance in a Church and Kingdom for such frivolous and idle matters to the encouraging of our Enemies against us to conspire the ruin of our King and Countrey For Gods sake as well as for your own sakes and for Religions sake and the happiness of your Posterity deceive not your selves and think not to deceive God and man with this childish and empty excuse Let me tell you what I conceive to be the true causes of your obstinate Non-Conformity to the Church of England for the reasons commonly alledged of Conscience of Popery Superstition and the unjustifiableness of our Government and Liturgy by Gods Word are but meer pretences and empty excuses to cozen the weaker sort and to colour these following causes of our unreasonable Non-Conformity in the Eyes of the World CHAP. IV. The true causes why most part of our dissenting Brethren will not joyn with us in the Worship of our God enquired into In what particulars our differences chiefly consist and their grand Objection Answered IT is the usual custom of all malecontents to pretend one thing and to intend another and to veil over the foulest Actions with the most glorious covering in imitation of the grand Impostor who appears to us commonly in the garb of an Angel of Light Thus Korah and his rebellious Confederates who separated themselves from Moses and his Congregation pretended the Peoples Holiness and Priviledge and the Rulers Tyranny for their dividing from them Thus Absalom's Ambition was veiled over with a desire of doing justice more carefully to Gods People and freeing them from a tedious Attendance at David's Court. Thus Jeroboam the wicked Son of Nebat pretended the ease of the People for his Idolatrous Worship Thus the Quakers Fifth-Monarchy Anabaptists and many of the worser sort of Separatists whose Souls and Understandings God hath given over to
matter as much Papists as you I am afraid I shall never be able to persuade neither the Pope nor his Jesuits that we of the Church of England are such Friends of Popery as you my Non-Conforming Brethren would have us to be I shall be rather able to make them take us for Turks and Jews than Roman Catholicks Wherefore then will you needs accuse us so falsely against all equity and probability What do you find of Popery in us and our Church Is it the Government by Bishops and their Suffragans It is possible that this Order established in our Church may give occasion to the weaker sort to look upon us near a kin in this respect because they are mistaken in the Notion of Popery and in the chief and essential properties of that Religion God forbid that all Monarchical Government in Gods Church on Earth should be Popish and Antichristian Then we must include the Primitive Churches setled by the Apostles in Asia and the East under the Government of Bishops to be Popish also Then the Grecian Church under the Patriarch of Constantinople The Egyptian under the Arch-Bishop of Alexandria and the Antiochian and Jerusalem Churches and generally all the Churches of Christ in Constantine's days and since were Popish Nay all the Fathers St. Cyprian St. Austin St. Ambrose St. Chrysostom were Papists as well as we and our Bishops Hier. ad Macceb Aug. in Psalm 45. by that reason For all their Churches were governed by Bishops and a Monarchical Authority The Calvinists also whom you say are your nearest Brethren are also Papists if this reason were good for they wish that they might have Bishops to govern them in their reformed Churches and that it could consist with their safety in the midst of their Enemies to have the same form of Government as we have here in this Land Examin but their Letters mentioned by Dr. Durel and a Letter of Peter Martyr to Beza at the end of his Common-places at his return from the Assembly of Poissy concerning the Bishop of Troye in France who embraced the Protestant Religion Peter Martyr pag. 801. and was universally received and acknowledged by all the Calvinists in his Diocess Ministers and others as their Lord and Bishop And you will have no cause to think them to be Enemies of Episcopacy as the Papists and you would persuade us for divers ends But there is a vast difference in the point of Church-Government between the Papists and us They render Homage to the Pope as the Supream Lord of the Church on Earth we acknowledge none but Christ and under him our Lawful Sovereign They differ from us much in their Episcopal Laws which savour of Tyranny and are not so conducing to the Reformation of mens manners and the good of Christianity as ours The Name Prerogatives and Honours of the Popish Bishops are for the most part yet continued to our Protestant Prelates by the liberality of our Religious Kings And is this the cause that you accuse them of Popery Do their Honors and Riches grieve you Are you displeased to see the Rulers of our Church appear with decency splendor and the respect of their Country I am perswaded that if the Kings Majesty would take from them their Lordships their Estates and Dignities and send our Bishops amongst you to beg their bread as the Mendicant Fryers of Rome though then they would be much more like the Papists than they are at present you would scarce take the pains to accuse them for being Popishly affected But I have this Charitable opinion of you my Non-Conforming Brethren that you would never have thought to accuse our Bishops and their Church Government of Popery had not the Jesuitical Party that insinuate amongst you minded you of it for their own ends and out of a displeasure to see the excellent Order Decency and Splendor of our Church free from the abominations of Idolatry and their Monkish absurdities But that you may not be so soon mistaken my Brethren in a matter of so great a moment as Popery and Superstition is I beseech you to understand what Popery is and what not that you may not be so easily cosened and imposed upon by your Enemies and ours in this Nation Popery comprehends all those Heresies and grievous Errors which the Pope and the Court of Rome have delivered as Articles of Faith by which the Popes Authority or rather Tyranny is established in the World contrary to Gods Word and Glory and the Salvation of mens Souls According to this definition if our first Reformers had retained the abuses of Popery the Transubstantiaton Purgatory Images the Merits of Saints Indulgences Pardons and such like follies not warranted but contrary to Christ's Doctrines and Christianity you might then accuse us with reason of being guilty of Popery But shall we for our Conformity to Christs Commands and the Primitive Church in Discipline and Government be accused by you of Popery and Antichristianism What is there in our Government or Church that tends to promote the Popes Interest or to draw men away from Christ and our dependency upon him and his merits If something of the Civil Power be intrusted in the hands of our Bishops I hope none of you will presume to appoint our Wise Princes and Parliaments whom they are to settle in Authority under them That proceeds from our Princes Will who is Gods Vicegerent amongst us For our Articles our Catechism our Rubrick and way of Worship is as free from Popery as our Government and Ecclesiastical Laws For how can that be Popish which opposeth all the Errors and Mistakes of the Papists which Teacheth to implore Gods assistance and direction against the Heresies and Designs of the Pope which was used in the Christian Church before ever the Pope claimed an universal superintendency How can that be Popish which agrees with Gods Word and the Doctrines and Practices of all the Reformed Churches Enemies of Popery and which their most Judicious Divines embrace as most consonant with Faith and Piety Search into every thing Authorized in the Church of England and let the most refined Soul and quickest Eye tell us under what Ceremony or in what Article of our Faith or in what corner of our Rubrick or in what part of our Devotions they perceive any Colour of Popish Superstition I dare affirm and willl engage to prove that most of our Non-Conformists are far more Superstitious and Popish in their Belief and Practice than any in the Church of England In those particulars in which your Conformity is required What is there of Popery of Superstition or contrary to Reason or good manners For if there be nothing to be excepted against Why will you not joyn with us your Brethren You cannot be angry with Set Forms in general because Christ our Saviour recommended one to us as an Excellent Pattern to draw ours by You may be displeased at the reading of our Prayers but if
to be reconciled with us and their own duty by all the Reasons and Commands of God and Man You know and may easily discover in your usual hearers if you please to give your selves the trouble several wicked vices as pride selfconceitedness hypocrisie hatred malice envy c. which their Non-Conformity alone hath bred and nourished in their Souls You know that the blessed rules of the Gospel and the sweet temper of Christs Religion requires from you another disposition and other carriage than many of you and most of your followers exprest to us your Brethren and your Christian Governors If you have a sincere regard to Religion and a desire to advance Gods Glory on Earth you will at last endeavour a reconciliation for fear of the mischiefs which our separation from one another is like to bring upon us all Remember that a compliance with your Peoples Non-Conformity is no longer seasonable in regard of the obstinacy of those that continue in it against all Law and Reason You have sufficiently complied with their humors do you now comply with your obligations to God and Man you have had a care of the salvation of their Souls now look to the preservation of your own and run not your selves into the remediless sin of a wilful denial and opposition of God truth to the last The Apostles in their yielding to the Jewish mistakes laboured always to make them sensible of their Error by minding them still that Moses Ceremonies were not needful to be observed and at last told them plainly That they were a denyal of Christs coming in the Flesh Galat. It would become your Learning and Integrity my reverend Brethren to deal thus plainly with your Congregations if you would be true followers of the Holy Apostles Tell them that Conformity to the Church of England is no such a Crime as they have imagined that they are bound to obey Mans Laws when they are not contrary to the Commands of the Gospel That they should be reconciled with our Worship and Church and strive to Conform as near as they can to what is required from them Tell them that Schism and Separation from the approved way is a grievous sin That their Souls are in danger of Damnation by resisting and disobeying the lawful Commands of their Superiors under God That they should take heed of not persisting obstinately in their errors and not to refuse obedience to the least Command of the Gospel when discovered to them Tell them to be more in love with Truth than with Faction more desirous of meeting with the rest of their Brethren in Gods Worship than fond of their private and unlawful meetings where the Gospel may be Preached it is true because it is in opposition to their other Brethren and to the Authority of the Nation they are not warrantable by Gods Word Tell them in short that the Blessed Gospel of our Saviour as well as his Interest and our Glory requires us all to joyn and unite together in all Acts of Piety on Earth that we may avoid the Devils temptations and be more fit to unite together in Heaven to sing oraises to our great God and Redeemer Our Blessed Saviour who is dead for you as well as for us and is gone to prepare a place for us in the glorious Mansions of Eternity intends not to receive you by your selves and appoint your aboads distinct from the rest of Christians why are you so serupulous or so superstitious as for trivial matters now to divide from us in that Worship which is to prepare us for Gods presence O my Brethren did we but consider how ridiculous our Nation appear to our Neighbours and to the Blessed Angels above and how pleasing our Divisions are to our Enemies of Rome we should doubtless blush for shame to have hitherto encouraged a separation so childish and ill grounded for no other cause but the humor and mistakes of the vulgar sort seeing that it renders us liable to the reproach of Men and Angels and causeth us all to be in danger of the ruin of our worldly interest and what mischiefs it causeth to the Souls of men do you judge If the respect to Religion be pretended examin whether this pretence can avail against an apparent Duty or excuse you from a submission to the Laws of God and Man examin whether at present you draw not more evil upon the heads of your Followers and Religion it self by an opposition to Conformity than you would by yielding to Reason and Law and to your Christian obligations I know that some prophane and vicious persons refuse to be conformable for other reasons because they have cast off all respects for their God and Religion I know the Jesuits and the disguised Papists amongst you will not Conform to our Church but exclaim against our Religious Worship because they have a wicked design to manage the ruin of the Nation But I intend not these lines for their benefit and perusal but only for such of our Non-Conforming Brethren whose hearts God may at last move with a sence of their duty to joyn with us in Gods Service They that hereafter shall refuse and continue in an obstinate refusal and in their usual clamors against us may justly be suspected for Papists or some hired to promote the Jesuitical design the overthrow of Church and State Were the differences in Religion between us in the Fundamentals a Separation would be well grounded But we all agree in the chief Articles of our Faith we embrace together the same Religion and Belief we worship the same one God Creator of Heaven and Earth and expect Salvation through the Merits of a Crucified Christ we subscribe to the same Covenant of Grace and acknowledge but two Sacraments as Seals we look upon the Holy Scriptures as the only infallible Rule of our Faith and Practice In a word we agree in all the essential parts of the Christian Religion many of the circumstances in which we disagree are so inconsiderable that if we had not an earnest desire to contend they would not be able to cause any dispute much less to disturb the publick peace The chief differences are about Church Government and Gods Publick Worship for the latter they are so frivolous idle and impertinent that I shall say no more in vindication of our practices than hath been already said but for the Government we agree in the chief Principles and Maxims though we differ in the conclusion For we all say that in all Church Governments amongst Christians that there is a regard to be had to the Models allowed of and appointed by the Holy Apostles and Primitive Fathers That the Rules of the Gospel ought not to be opposed but obeyed in the prescribing of Laws for the preservation of Christian Societies That in all Church Government there is a special regard to be had to the end of all Government which is the safety of the whole to keep it
from the attempts of all Enemies and dangers That this may cause a variety in Kingdoms and Nations agreeable to the Government in the State to the nature and inclinations of the people and several other circumstances which are to be weighed in this Case That a Government established in a Nation by the publick Authority if not contrary to Gods Word and Will ought not to be resisted by Christian Subjects That every individual Believer must not presume to censure and murmur against the appointed Order in Church or State or meddle with the Princes Office and Power That the Government in the Church belongs to the Sovereign Prince under God as well as in the State and that it is a dangerous presumption for every private person to venture to contradict the Laws which such Lawful Princes think convenient in their wisdom to settle in a Church in these and such like truths I suppose most of our Non-Conforming Brethren will agree with us But nevertheless the Presbyterian will be governed by his Presbytery and Lay-Elders in a subordination to Assemblies and Synods The Independent will acknowledge no Orders in the Church but what are appointed in his Congregation and both refuse Obedience to Episcopal Authority though suitable to the former Rules and Maxims Episcopacy recommends to us in Gods Church a Monarchical Authority Presbytery would have an Aristocratical mixed with Democracy the Independent pleads for a Democratical To what purpose is this adoe about Government it concerns not our Salvation in case we behave our selves justly righteously and soberly in this present world in case we can but lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty As this is the chief duty of every individual Christian it should be our endeavour and purpose in all our actions The Presbyterian forsook Episcopacy and thought to mend his condition under that Government he gave an Example to the Independent to forsake Presbytery with hopes of living with more ease in a new Government never heard of in the Primitive Church unless it be amongst Hereticks and Enemies of Gods Truth for the establishing of this strange Order in this Church they lay down most dangerous Doctrines contrary to Gods Word and all Reason for instance That every Christian upon the account of being so a real Christian a good man Separation no Schism in opposition to an excellent Sermon of that Worthy Divine Mr. Sharp and a Believer may be no member of Christs visible Church and is not bound to joyn in external Communion with it where it may be had That a suspicion or a bare persuasion of sin in the publick practices commanded by Authority is sufficient to free both Minister and People from their Obedience and License them to Act contrary to the same That Christians are not subject to Ecclesiastical Laws unless they be contained in the Holy Scripture That men may be Christians without any subjection to Authority or dependency upon Christs Church And such like Doctrines directly contrary to Christs great design in mans Redemption which S. Paul tells us was Union Ephesians ii 16. That he might reconcile all unto God in one Body by the Cross I would have these my Brethren know that as man was created in respect to a Society he is also redeemed with the same relation for we cannot think that this good Saviour hath freed him from sin and the Devils power to live by himself for ever as a wild Anchoret in the Desart and Mountains he hath enlightned his followers with that spirit and given them those principles that tend to Union and Communion Therefore St. Paul saith in 1 Cor. xiv 33. That God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints What means the Apostle by Peace is it that every individual Christian should be scattered upon the face of the Earth and upon the least suspicion or ill grounded prejudice abominate all correspondency in the Publick Worship of God that he should look upon his brethren redeemed by the same bloud governed by the same spirit and animated with the same hopes with a supercilious countenance and fly from them as from a Wolf or a Devil Yet these are the consequences of some of the Independent principles But I suppose it no difficult matter to reclaim most of them from such pernicious opinions which have proved as destructive to their private Congregations as they have to the Church of England for they tend to encourage disorder and to license men to cast off all respects to all Governours and Government of what sort soever But methinks if we had that honour for our Nation as becomes us and as other people have for theirs we should not be more fond of the new modes in Government and Gods Worship recommended to us by our Neighbours and imposed upon us by a Scotch Frolick than of the antient and wise method and Government established amongst us by our Forefathers Why must the new fangles and fashions of strangers affect us more than the discreet constructions of our own Christian Rulers Though the people of our Nation alter often their habits methinks in so serious a business as Religion Government and Gods Worship we should not be so changeable as we are in our apparel I know the rigid Independents are accused for denying the appointed maintenance to Ministers Tythes the encouragement of Learning and Gods Service they are accused for not allowing any set forms of Prayer not so much as the Lords Prayer for not admitting any to the Ordinances but such as are of their own fraternity for denying the Magistrates Power over the Godly See Mr. Baily's Dissuasive from the Errors of the times for allowing the killing of all opposers But these wicked Doctrines I suppose are not maintained by the most moderate Independents who differ from us chiefly in the Government of the Church in all other things it is likely that they may be brought to comply with us though at present they give themselves the liberty to abuse and carp at many other innocent circumstances of the Religion and Worship of the Church of England I find my self engaged in this place to give a Reply to a grand Objection against this Advice and call to Conformity which seems to be allowed by St. Paul in his Fourteenth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans and which is commonly pleaded as an excuse by our Non Conforming Brethren That they extreamly suspect our practices and worship to be sinful and therefore they are not bound to act against a doubting Conscience by joyning with us in that which they conceive to be unlawful Agreeable to S. Paul's words in another occasion and case He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin This passage is but a weak Plea for Non-Conformity in England for the Romans case and ours differ in these particulars Their Controversies were concerning
and renders them less able to resist their Enemies It is not to be imagined what inconveniency a small division will cause in a City or Common-wealth As in the natural body a head-ach or a light distemper renders the man feeble and not fit for action so the publick divisions bring great impediments to those proceedings that would tend to the Nations happiness honour safety and peace and ought to be so much the more odious the more a well compact and setled body in good order and temper is in a thriving and prosperous condition II. It breeds discontents and disturbances at home which if kept secret occasions murmurings and complaints amongst the inferiors and many times when they break out they raise Rebellions and Civil-Wars for it is certain that there can be no division or faction in a place but must proceed from and cause discontent hatred and variance which commonly rob from us our inward and outward peace And though the Division may be only in some particular respects which may not hinder a correspondency in other publick relations that correspondency can never be hearty and those endeavours together cannot be so successful and vigorous when they proceed from parties that entertain mutual displeasures especially in that very thing which is the greatest tye of all human Societies Religion III. It lays us open to all the attempts contrivances and malicious designs of our Enemies How easie is it to ruin a divided party to set and incourage one faction against another And though the division may observe some bounds and not proceed to that extremity to which it naturally tends it cannot be denied but that a crafty Enemy may easily advantage himself thereby and work the mischief if not the total overthrow of a divided People for there are alwaies opportunities given for such wicked purposes by the discovery of this weakness In short that Nation is in no small danger and the mischiefs into which it is likely to fall are innumerable that is divided in such a manner that there is no hopes of union Our Blessed Saviour foretells the fate of that Society or House that it cannot stand but must needs of its own accord fall into ruin But of all divisions those about Religion seem to be the most unnatural unreasonable and ominous factions and parties in the State may be tolerated when they aim not directly at the dissolution of Government nor the discredit or opposition of Authority in such a case they are not so dangerous nor of that ill consequence as to give us an hot Alarm And though they may diminish of that Love and Respect that is due to our Sovereign by obliging us to prefer an interest not agreeable with his and the Common-wealths they are not so criminal but they may correspond with our Allegiance to our Prince But divisions and factions in Religion in the same Nation threaten us with those unavoidable dangers that make Governours take heed how they tolerate that which is against all policy chiefly in those Kingdoms as are surrounded with watchful Enemies that wait for such an opportunity to insinuate themselves and undermine us They tend to the dissolution of the Government the overthrow of the Laws the introducing of all disorder in the State as well as in the Church They tend first to the contempt of Authority and next to the ruin of mens Bodies and Souls leaving us naked to the first attempts of all our spiritual and temporal Enemies chiefly when that division which is envied and aimed at is so twisted with the Government of the Common-wealth that there is no dissolution of the one without the danger of the other when all the other divisions rise in opposition to it and will admit of no compliance with it when openly and secretly they labor to discredit it and its lawful proceedings incouraging the Factious part to exclaim against it and its injunctions and to endeavour to draw away the people from their respect to it and its way of worship what rational Soul can tolerate so palpable an opposition What Governours in the State can suffer Religion to be contemned and trodden under foot with a publick allowance Is it reasonable that such dangerous factions should have the liberty to increase and act with the sufferance of the Laws and of the publick Authority When all the actings and distasts of these factions are not justifiable amongst men of reason by the Laws of God or the Laws of men and all are grounded upon prejudices mistakes and misapprehensions and such frivolous causes as they will be one day ashamed to own when all masks and vizards shall be pulled off Is it just that the Rulers of the State in such a case should countenance such pernicious proceedings and give the stamp of Authority to Actions either ridiculous in themselves or dangerous to the People committed to their charge The danger may seem less when they are weak and inconsiderable but little evils are to be shunned and avoided as well as great though they have not increased to an head they deserve no allowance because they are not able to prevail upon the sound part but should be cured as speedily as may be in the mean while for the publick peace and quiet the execution of the Laws is suspended and by the wisdom of the Governours they are winked at but all Factions are not to be esteemed by what they can do but by what they would do Let the Principles of those that are divided from us be enquired into let the designs of their party be examined let their tempers and dispositions be tried by an impartial scrutiny and they themselves will discover so much danger to the Nation and find the Government and Kingdom threatned with such mischiefs as that they will have no reason to incourage such divisions whereby their own peace and safety is threatned as well as that of their Posterity I know Conscience is the grand Plea of all our dissenting Brethren the Papist he pleads Conscience for the murther of Kings and Princes and the advancing his Religion by Hellish Plots and Contrivances The Heathen he pleads Conscience in the worship of his Idols The Jew and the Mahumetan saith he observes the Rules and Dictates of his Conscience and our Brethren have the same pretence in their mouths for their opposition of Lawful Authority and their incouragement in their division from us But this plea that is so commonly used in the justifying of the greatest villanies causeth us with good reason to suspect it in less matters Remember O my Christian Brother and Sister when thou shalt appear before the Impartial Tribunal of the Lord Jesus this pretence of thy Conscience will not be able to sanctifie thee and cause him to approve of Actions and Proceedings directly opposite to his Word and Holy-Laws Though it may blind thine own eyes and cause thee to be more excusable before men than if thou didst act against the sollicitations of
chastise us for such unreasonable dissensions in such matters as we may easily comply with one another I know your common Objection against us is that in regard such Observances Customs and Ceremonies that breed a difference between us are but trivial in themselves they should not be imposed upon you with that strictness In Answer to this I intreat thee my Brother to consider three things first that a Conformity to one way one rule and manner in this Church is absolutely necessary for how unbeseeming a thing it is that one Congregation should practise one thing another act in another manner one Minister wear green another yellow another black another gray another white If in one place were all singing in another all preaching in another all praying How ridiculous would our Church appear to all the foreign Nations if these things were allowed by Authority It is therefore most certain that one way and one worshipping our God is absolutely needful and becoming the wisdom of our Nation Secondly consider that the way and method established by the Governours in Church and State is not to be referred to the humor of every fancy or of every dissatisfied and private person and that it is very reasonable in such cases as all acknowledge indifferent in themselves when one way is to be chosen and others rejected to take that which the publick Authority approves of and agrees with their Judgment and Piety whom God hath established over us and whose office it is to appoint such things for us to observe and obey Thirdly consider that trivial and indifferent things when stamped by the Authority of the Nation cease to be so and become necessary to be observed That which is indifferent in it self and but a trifle is a greater invitation to you to practise it and renders your stifness more inexcusable but in regard it is commanded by Authority I am bound to obey The indifferency ceaseth and I should think it a crime and a breach of Gods Law Of Obeying the Magistrate for Conscience sake If in things indifferent I preferred mine own partial humor to the Commands of my Prince and Governors And wonder not if they require so strictly thine obedience and mine to these orders because in this licentious Age men of corrupt designs take any liberty to dispute against Authority and contemn its injunctions under the pretence of Religion and Conscience And because this way and method seems to them the wisest whom God hath appointed over us to prescribe it in the worshiping of God and most agreeable with Gods Glory and the Nations Honor Credit and Advantage Therefore there can be no Superstition in them to require our exact obedience to all the Rules which they judge to be just and best befitting our Piety and in us to yield it in things indifferent in themselves as some foolishly imagin In all other matters which give you a distast I know none but may be comprehended under this notion and be looked upon as trivial and indifferent in themselves The designed compendiousness of this Seasonable Advice suffers me not to examin them all nor to weigh all the objections that you are wont to make in justification of your Non-Conformity But for those that relate to our Prayers and publick Liturgy I refer you my Christian Brethren to a small treatise now in the Press called the Christians Devotions and Directory in these dangerous times wherein I have laboured to clear and blow away all those mists that hide the truth from your discovery and to give you satisfying reasons for our practice and for your benefit with directions how you shall be able to prevail upon your averseness and bring your selves to receive a real and an inward comfort from our way of worshipping Unto the perusal of that Treatise I refer all those that would receive better satisfaction in matters disputed amongst us Conformity according to the Laws of the Land is plainly required from every person To set up therefore Meeting Places in opposition to Authority and the Established Service of God is an apparent breach of these Laws To haunt and frequent them under a pretence of receiving many Soul-comforts from the Learned and Godly Sermons and Exercises of Piety in those prohibited Assemblies is not warrantable in the Minister nor his Auditory according to the Laws of the Nation To withdraw from the Service of God under Episcopacy and to leave off the Assembling with our Neighbours in our ordinary Churches To forbear from Prayers the Sermons of our Common Teachers and the receiving of the Lords Supper and the other Acts of Non-Conformity are likewise breaches of these Laws of men established by the Lawful Authority of the Nation by the King and Parliament and are so well known to be so that I shall not offer to prove it The greatest Question is Whether these proceedings of the Non-Conformists be against Gods known Laws I doubt not but they will all acknowledge that the false Accusations the wicked Surmises the slanderous Reports and the pretended Crimes of Superstition Idolatry and their other uncharitable Censures of us and our Worship by which we are discredited Gods Holy Name abused and the sincerity and integrity of our Christian Governours and practices misrepresented are contrary to Gods Law Thou shalt not hear false witness against thy Neighbour It is a great injustice for them in hopes of advancing the interest of their Sects Exod. xx Psal xxxiv 13. 140. 11. Psal x. 18. to misconstrue our actions to fasten upon us Crimes to endeavour to discredit us and our Profession for besides the wrong done to us their brethren they blind the eyes and lead into error and mistakes many poor ignorant and well meaning Souls whereby true Religion is slighted and Faction and Schism kept up to the destruction of many persons and the dishonour of our Reformation and Church But their other practices though never so well coloured in the eyes of men with pious pretences are contrary to Gods Laws as well as mans Decrees That this may better appear to you consider these following and undeniable Truths gathered out of Holy Scripture I. That it is the duty of every Christian to seek as well as to pray for the Peace of Gods Church Psalm cxxii 6. To endeavor to be at peace with all that profess Christianity in Truth 1 Thess v. 13. That peace is a precious Jewel which we ought carefully to seek and to preserve 1 Pet. iii. 11. That we should abstain from all those practices that disturb our Brethrens Peace Mark v. 50. That we should follow after the things that make for Peace Rom. xiv 19. That it is the property of heavenly wisdom to be peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie James iii. 17. And many other passages call us to mind in all our actions the peace and publick quiet of the Church and People where we live Now that
the abolished Ceremonies of the Jews or the prophane practices of the Heathen Idolaters ours are about the Lawful Decent and Religious Ceremonies of Christians Their Controversies were about such matter as were in themselves scandalous as eating of things sacrificed to Idols partaking with the Idolaters in a Heathen Temple or observing the Fasti and Nefasti days of good or ill luck according to the Roman persuasion but our Disputes are for such things as all acknowledge to be harmless and innocent The Romans were newly Converted to Christianity and therefore many weak in Faith were not to be discouraged by the liberty other men allowed themselves we in England methinks should be well grounded and setled in the Christian Religion and not to be discouraged from its Profession by every trifle The things in Controversie were never enjoyned or looked upon by the Rulers of that Church as sit to be practised and of any decency in Gods Worship our matters in dispute are approved by the Authority of the Nation and every true hearted English Soul is bound by the undeniable Laws of God as well as by Mans Laws and for the credit of the Nation as well as for the preserving of publick Peace and Unity to Submit and Conform Do you think in Conscience that in our case if S. Paul did live amongst us that he would bid you not Conform Because you are damned if you Conform doubting He that tells you in the former Chapter vers 16. Be of the same mind one towards another Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate Be not wise in your own conceits And in the fifteenth Chapter vers 5. Be ye like minded one towards another that ye way with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Think ye that he would have opened so wide a gap to Non-Conformity and to the sinister designs of Apostats and Hereticks Think ye that he would have given this liberty to disturb the Churches Peace to these Sons of Tumult and Division to tell them that a groundless suspition of sin in the practices of the Church or the bare pretence is sufficient to justifie their irregularities disorders schisms separation and disobedience to the Commands of their Superiors He that tells you that ye must needs be subject for Conscience sake would he have said that a naked excuse or a meer immagination of sin in the things enjoyned frees you from all subjection and gives you liberty to disobey the Magistrate in indifferent mattres Are you to prefer your wilful suspitions or groundless fancies to the declarations of your Brethren and Christian Rulers to imagin sin in that which they think not only lawful but also needful to be practised This General Rule Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin vers 23. is misapplied to our case and is not to be allowed as a lawful excuse for the omission of an apparent duty for there are none of our Non-Conformists but might easily attain to that Knowledge and Faith which might justifie their Unity with us Were they living amongst the Canibals or in the darkness of Popery or Heathenish Idolatry where none were able to remove their doubts to satisfie their minds and inform their Consciences this plea might be so long allowable till they were able to gain more knowledg Calig aut in Sole Quinctil But for them to shut their eyes to all the beams of light and their ears to all the Reasons Arguments and Persuasions of the Doctors of the Church of England and to say we are blind we don't believe we are not persuaded and therefore our Conformity without Faith would be a sin is a most ridiculous pretence unto which meer necessity drives them who are obstinately resolved to the contrary Suppose a Heathen or a Papist should have had the same advantages as you have to understand the Truth and as strong invitations to make profession of the Gospel would you allow them this pretence to excuse themselves from embracing the Gospel Why did not the Presbyterians and Independents approve of this Plea in those whom they cast out of their Assemblies for Religions sake and would not admit them to communion Men must take heed in this corrupt Age of such general Rules which the Devil is wont to wrest to promote his own wicked purpose But in this case you will say what shall we do what course shall we take for our Consciences have gotten such a command over us and our judgments through such like persuasions that we can enjoy no peace within our breasts if we comply with you in things so contrary to our principles We are as much afraid to hear your prayers as to worship before an Idol of Stone or Timber to see a white Surplice as to assist at Mass to have a Cross upon our Childrens foreheads as to receive the marks of the Beast In a word we are as much afraid to submit our selves to your Worship and the Government of Bishops as to Apostatize from Christ and forsake Christianity This fear and these persuasions cannot easily be overcome what advice therefore would you give us that we in this case might take that Course which may agree in some respects with our obligations to our Superiors and favour us a little in our weakness that we may not do any thing to disturb the peace of our Consciences which you say are mis-led CHAP. V. Seasonable and Christian Advices for our Non-Conforming Brethren who are possessed with such strong prejudices against the Church of England that they cannot easily overcome them and a Reconciliation proposed I Will freely grant what you would have us believe that you are afraid by a compliance with our Church to wound your Consciences or to act contrary to your persuasion which you think to be well grounded and that by such a proceeding you should disturb the quiet of your Souls as when Conscientious men commit a sin against Gods Laws Yet my Brethren in this case your resolved Non-Conformity is not warrantable nor agreeing with Christian prudence because your Superiors to whose Judgments Reason and Duty teaches you to yield a little condemns it as prejudicial to the publick and because it is so apparently destructive to Peace and all Christian vertues which Unity and Uniformity in Religion are wont to nourish in a Society Therefore in this case for your own quiet and the publick Peace I advise you my Brethren to observe a medium between a strict Conformity and a Non-Conformity until such time as you can be better informed and to practise these following Rules which will infallibly give your Souls and Consciences satisfaction and answer in some respects your obligations to your Superiors under God as well as secure the publick peace of the Church However I am certain you are bound by Gods Holy Word to observe these Rules that though the case were as you suspect I am certain that if you will govern
to us in your Religious Worship as your Consciences will suffer you endeavour to assist at Prayers and if you can have no Devotion inwardly however express outwardly that respect that is due to your God whom we adore Whatever you pretend I cannot think any of you so extraordinary mistaken as to think that a Crime which we reckon a Duty and so Superstitious as to scruple at an attendance with us in our Service of God If therefore you be willing to attain to a freedom from all those niceties and fears be frequent at the publick Prayers of the Church If you cannot at first have any Devotion this frequentation will soon bring you to a right relish of those Petitions and that way of Worship and the sooner if you will observe the motions of the Body enjoyned in the Common-Prayer for this submission and this custom will have a speedy influence upon your minds and cause your Souls to joyn in the same respects to God Certain it is that the nearness of relation between the Soul and the Body will beget a mutual compliance between the Actions of the one and the Affections of the other so that the often practising of things must needs reconcile us to those performances and remove the strongest prejudices which are not grounded in reason nor strengthned by Divine Revelation nor any worldly interest which in this cause ought to have no hand If therefore any weak Brother cannot at present comply with the Devotions of the Church of England if he finds an inward repugnancy for our publick Prayers which hinders him from receiving that benefit and comfort thereby intended Let him follow and try my advice but a few months let him force his Body to observe all the motions of respect commanded in the Rubrick let him stand up when we give glory to God and sing forth his praises let him kneel in Prayer and outwardly observe a due Reverence and he shall find that his former aversion will insensibly wear away and by degrees he will bring his Soul to a hearty and Religious compliance with our godly Forms of Prayer which before he could never use with any satisfaction to his mind He shall find his unhappy humor of discontent evaporate it self and his Body draw after the Soul and its faculties to a sincere worshipping of our good God in the manner that is practised amongst us This and many other directions to this same purpose I recommend to your perusal my Brethren who are willing to be cured of all prejudice against our Church and Worship you shall find them in my Christians Devotions and Directory now in the Press However I would advise you for your own and the Churches Peace to draw as near as you can to us and be frequent in the offering up of the Prayers of the Church for this propinquity will both acquaint you with the innocency of our practices and free you from all those idle and needless apprehensions of sin which a distance from us begets and nourishes in your minds Many other Seasonable Advices I could give you to the same purpose but the compendiousness of this Tract suffers me not to enlarge If you were desirous of a reconciliation there are ways to be found out to bring us all together And though we stand at such a distance and entertain such unreasonable animosities against one anothers persons and practices I dare engage to offer to you my Brethren such proposals as may agree with most of your Conscriences and with the honour of our Church and the Majesty of our Laws with a little mitigation Our Governors no doubt will be willing to embrace such amongst you as lead a good Life and to encourage your Conformity by all possible means Neglect not this motion but answer it with a Christian compliance You shall find us all both Clergy and People ready to receive you for we have in this Nation such Worthy Wise Learned and Christian Rulers in the Church as no Nation can shew the like nor was ever our Church better furnished with able Divines skill'd in all kind of Learning nor more remarkable for their Wisdom Piety and Moderation You shall find our Bishops for the Publick Peace of the Church ready to condescend to your weakness in all such things as shall agree with their Consciences the honour and good of the Church and the preservation of his Majesties Authority This Nation was never blessed with a more merciful mild and more gracious Prince more willing to be govern'd by Law and Reason an Enemy of blood and violence You see that he bears with your infirmities suffers you to take that liberty in matters of Religion which the severity of the Law condemns His goodness and excellent disposition is an invitation to you Abuse not his Royal Favors to your own prejudice and the publick wrong Let his Reign be Blessed with an accommodation of those differences which have involved us already in unspeakable Miseries and woful Tragedies Some of our Governors need not be advised to a Christian moderation and a kind reception of the weak Brethren This Noble and Seasonable Vertue hath gained the greatest part of considerable Towns to Conformity and won them the esteem of all their people The present Bishop of Bath and Wells by a kind and generous behaviour hath done much good in Taunton amongst the Nonconformists For though it is not safe to comply with Schism and Faction by falling away from our Duty and the observance of the Laws there is a wise behaviour in requiring obedience with meekness and Christian complacency which prevails more upon the minds of men than that furious zeal which would have fire to come down from Heaven upon all opposers I dare ingage to you my Non-Conforming Brethren if you will discover the least forwardness to this blessed Union All the Bishops Clergy and good People of the Land will rejoyce and that such conditions shall be granted to you which Reason Conscience and your own Interest will require you to accept O that you would therefore all desire and seek for this Union with us in Gods Holy Worship and thereby secure the publick Peace of the Church the prosperity of your King and Country from all wicked attempts of Barbarous Enemies O that you would but prefer this your interest of your Soul and Body and the indispensable obligations to the Laws to your own unadvised phancies or the jealousies of blinded and deluded Consciences I shall therefore conclude this Seasonable Advice with an Address to you the Chief Leaders and Teachers of these our Brethren CHAP. VI. An Exhortation to all the Learned Pious and Christian Teachers amongst our Non-Conforming Brethren to prevent in time the Nations ruin by an Vnity with us and to lay aside all Prejudice and Partiality WE look upon many of you to be men of great Learning and Exemplary Piety some of you by your Religious Works have gained an esteem amongst all the Reformed