renounced the Bishop of Rome without any reasonable Cause But let us see wherein our Brethren are to be blamed or do any thing but what our King and Governours may allow the Primitive Bishops of our Reformation being Judges The Religion of our Brethren is Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve It is the Religion of Christ and not of Anti-christ I reckon it cannot stand with the Prince's Duty to reverse this heavenly Decrce Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God c. with establishing two Religions in one Realm the first authorized by Christ Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 1. p. 21. Edit 4o. and bequeathed in his Testament to the Church the next invented of Antichrist and flatly repugnant to the Prophetical and Apostolical Scriptures Our Brethren endeavour to keep strictly to the Scripture and Christ as Law-giver Then as the Minister must dispence the Word of Truth be therewith offended and grieved who list so the Magistrate may draw the Sword of Justice to compel and punish such as be blindly led Part 1. pag. 33. and maliciously bent to resist sound Doctrine Who then should be punished Preachers or they or those Officers that trouble them Object But the Magistrate is to be obeyed in all lawful things and every particular Church hath power to ordain Ceremonies so they be not contrary to God's Word Answ No Man disputes the Magistrate's Power in commanding things good and necessary the Doubt is concerning things which are indifferent as some suppose but not indifferent as the Dissenters suppose Of things indifferent hear the Judgment of the same learned Bishop We may not for things indifferent trouble the weak Minds of our Brethren yet this Rule bindeth no Magistrate to remit the Punishment of Error and Infidelity Ibid. Pag. 33. because God hath charged to suffer no kind of Evil unrevenged and this is the greatest whose Voice they must hear whose Will they must obey though they were sure thereby to scandalize never so many both Aliens and Subjects If they are things truly indifferent then Governours may forbear to command them whereas many do rationally scruple the Observation of them and cannot without Sin observe them Condescention and Selfdeial would rid Mens Consciences out of this Strait between the Magistrate's Command and the Dictates of Conscience Object But by their Preaching and separate Meetings they break the Communion of the Church and are guilty of Schism and to tolerate them is to tolerate a Schism Answ This is the great Clamor of the Accusers but let us see wherein Communion of Saints and Churches doth consist and then we shall see what Schism I cannot quote a more learned Doctor of this Church Ibid. Part 2. p. 223 224. or of greater Authority than the same Reverend Bishop Bilson he shall decide this Case It is a most pernicious Fancy to think the Communion of Christ's Church depends upon the Pope's Person or Regiment let them that imagine one Vniversal Soveraign Power over the Church in our days whether one or many observe this Doctrine and that divers Nations and Countries differing by Customs Laws and Manners so they hold one and the same Rule of Faith in the Bond of Peace cannot be parts of the Catholick Church Communicant one with another and perfectly united in Spirit and Truth each to other and fy on your Follies that rack your Creed and rob Christ of his Honour and the Church of all her Comfort and Security whilst you make the Unity of Christ's Members to consist in Obedience to the Bishop of Rome and not in Coherence with the Son of God! The Communion of Saints and near dependance of the Godly each on other and all of their Head standeth not in external Rites Customs and Manners as you would fashion out a Church observing the Pope's Canons but in believing the same Truth tasting of the same Grace resting on the same Hope calling on the same God rejoycing in the same Spirit whereby they be sealed sanctified and preserved against the day of Redemption The Communion of the Catholick Church is not broken by diversity and variety of Rites Customs Laws and Fashions which many Places and Countries have different each from other except they be repugnant to Faith and Good-manners as St. Augustine ad Januarium Irenaeus c. Eusebius l. 5. c. 23. Socrates l. 5. c. 22. Simple Verity is the Band of Unity Jewel Defence p. 460. Praelection de Ecclesiâ Bishop Carlton makes the Unity of the Church to consist in one Head Christ one Body one Spirit one Faith or one Rule of Faith And if Unity consists in Uniformity in the same Form of Prayer Liturgy and Ceremonies there was no such thing as Unity there were as great Schisms in the Apostles days as among our Brethren according to the Judgment of the same learned Bishop Bilson Ibid. fourth part p. 619 620 c. Some of their own might be so vain-glorions as in making their Prayers at the Lord's Table which was then done by Heart and not after any prescribed Order or Form to shew the Gift of Tongues In the publick Service of the Church the Ministers and Elders which were many both Travellers and there Dwellers had every Man his Psalm his Instruction his Tongue Revelation or Interpretation as the Spirit of Grace thought most expedient And other Order in the Divine Service in the Apostolick or Primitive Church we read for certain of none besides the Action of the Lord's Supper which the Apostles and so no doubt all their Churches always used in the end of their publick Meetings but with no set Prayers save only the Lord's Prayer as Gregory confesseth The rest of their Prayers Blessings and Thanks-givings were in every place made by the Gift of the Holy Ghost inspiring such as were set to teach and govern the Church And you have long since their time framed a Liturgy in James's Name Pag. 620. Yet for so much as the Church of Christ did not acknowledg it your main Foundation is a Dream of your own that the Church of Gorinth had a prescribed number and order of Prayers pronounced by some one Chaplain Pag. 621 ☜ that said his Lesson within-book or might not go one Line beside his Missale for any good Where the Christians under the Apostles had in their Assemblies first prophecying i. e. declaring of God's Will and revealing of his Word at which the Insidels and new Converts unbaptized might be present and next Prayers and Psalms to celebrate the Goodness and Kindness of God and to prepare their Minds for the Lord's Table to which all the Faithful came with one Consent of Heart and Voice giving Thanks to God for their Redemption c. And this was done by the mouths of such Pastors and Ministers as it pleased the Holy Ghost to direct and inspire for that Function and Action The People hearing understanding Pag. 622. and
same Fault as saith the Scripture Nah. 1.9 as the learned Mr. Beveredge in his Notes upon those Canons hath observed Is it likely these should be Canons of the Apostles contrary to 1 Cor. 5.11 Or if they be genuine and ancient how disagreeing is the modern Usage of the Nonconformists who are convicted of no such Crimes according to the ancient Canons but yet who are for their Nonconformity punished in several Courts and several times and ways Deposition is judged Punishment sufficient saith Zonaras so Aristenus for to subject to a double punishment omnino inhumanum est is altogether inhuman Other Canons command a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon to be deposed that beat offending Believers or Infidels that have done wrong Can. 27. If a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon obtain his Dignity with Money let him be deposed and he that ortained him Can. 29. If a Bishop have made use of Secular Princes to obtain a Church let him be deposed and excommunicated If a Presbyter contemning his own Bishop shall separate from him and set up an Altar without Cause or blameless either in respect of Religion or Justice let him be deposed Can. 31. But this is not the Case of our Nonconformists Duarenus reckons the deposing and ejecting Crimes to be 1. Simoniacal Ambition 2. Incontinency 3. Perjury 4. Manslaughter 5. Treason 6. Or besides these Crimes any legal Infamy But Panormitan admonisheth that they were not to observe the Severity of the ancient Canons because the Men of this Age are not like those ancient Men or Men of ancient Times Duaren de sacris Eccles-Ministris c. l. 8. c. 6. There are other Causes which touch not our Brethren but other Men much nearer 2. In what they do they proceed upon Principles common to all Christians and Protestant Churches in taking the Word of God for their Rule as a divine and perfect Rule The Christian Faith as they of the Church of Rome had explained it was a Submission to the Church The Reforming finding that this was the Spring of all their Errors and that which gave them Colour and Authority did on the other hand set up the Strength of their whole Cause on an explicit believing the Truth of Scriptures because of the Authority of God who had revealed them saith the Reverend Dr. Burnet History of the Refor Book 3. p. 286. It were easy to be copious on this Argument They who began the Reformation laboured in translating and publishing the Scriptures and would have all their Doctrines tried by them The Reverend Bilson bids the Papists Prove your Religion and Service which you stoutly and falsely term Catholick to be commanded by Christ or else Women and Children be they never so silly will collect by the manifest Words of our Saviour that their Promise in Baptism doth straitly bind them from believing your Errors and admitting your Masses until you shew good and effectual Warrant out of the Word of God that you do what Christ did and teach what he taught without adding or altering any jot For this is the Duty that Baptism requireth of us to believe no Teacher but one which is Christ to follow no Stranger to regard and obey no Lord or Law-maker in the Church but only the Son whom the Father appointed to be Master and Leader Subject part 1. foreing to Religion p. 18. and Ruler of the Gentiles This being a Principle common to all the Protestant Reformers they who hold it and no other repugnant to it or inconsistent with it Jewel's Apolog. c. 16. Divis 1 2. C. 17. Divis 1 2. every true Protestant must needs hold they ought not to be punished for walking after it And suppose any particular Man or Denomination of Men err in their Superstructures and Consequences yet whether that Error be not a tolerable Error and not a punishable Crime which is consistent with Piety and Charity may be left to the Judgment of every charitable Christian 3. According to this Rule and Principle they frame their Worship and model their Government and Discipline and they that keep to that though by different Schemes having their Flaws and Failings they cannot err a damnable Error and if not damnable it is want of Charity that will judg it intolerable And there are those General Rules and Directions which direct us as by a Patern they direct us to our End God's Glory and mutual Edification the outward manner Decency and Order and altho in particular Decencies and Rules of Order there may be a Diversity yet all agree about Order and the greatest Disagreement is in some Points of Decency which are but Accidents which are no Parts of Divine Worship as the Reverend Bishop Abbot writes The Means by Christ the Spring and Pranciple the holy Spirit the Matter Word and Sacraments Traditions p. 844 in Defence of Mr. Perkins and do properly and immediately respect Men. It is a hard Case to punish all Men that are not of the same Complexion or that cannot see alike clearly tho they walk with us in the same way of Faith and Holiness and Peace The Church of Christ never bred that Notion that Church-Unity and Communion doth consist in Accidents no more than Humane Nature in Complexion Shape Stature or of Children in Cloaths of the same Colour Fashion Length c. 4. And once again they are punished for Nonconformity and besides what hath been said elsewhere in particular besides the Consideration of the wicked Design Sedition Rebellion and Schism and the odious Pretence take the Law in the Strictest Sense of it and any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England seems to be forbidden by it It seems to be unsafe for any to punish upon this Law and it is hard to be punished by it it signifies something but certainly what is very dubious For in the Liturgy i. e. Book of Common-Prayer there are two things only 1. Rules Directions and Orders called Rubricks 2. The Parts of the Worship and Ceremonies ordered prescribed and directed by them It seems the meaning of the Law is That no other Exercise of Religion shall be lawful without the Common-Prayer both Matter and Rites according to the Rubrick but then the Words of the Act agree not because the Practice of the Church in many Places is different from the manner of the Liturgy as others have proved by Instances The Practice of all Cathedrals may not be alike for ought I know The Practice of the Cathedral and Parish-Churches are not the same as all Men know nor of one Parish like another while so many go beyond the Rule the Practice of some Churches and Colledge-Chappels and some Chappels differ from others some reading all Psalms and Canticles and Chapters on Wednesdays and Fridays and others reading only some Prayers and the Litany * And this is according to the manner of the Church of England in Q Eliz. days Vid. Injunct
ought to receive and obey the Truth and to believe no more than what Christ hath commanded to be believed and to worship God according to the Will of Christ Shall we say the Protestants in France do not hold the Faith nor worship God according to the Gospel then what are they who say so If they profess and believe the Truth they ought to be permitted that 's plain for the Truth 's sake and for the Lord's sake Doth Christian Love and Compassion prompt us to wish our persecuted Brethren in France enjoyed the Liberty of the true Religion there and if they should enjoy a Freedom there shall we deny a Liberty to Protestant Brethren here I can see no way to avoid a Justification of the barbarous Usage of Protestants there by them that prosecute Protestants here for far lesser Differences from our Establishments than theirs from the Papists Suppose an Embassador was sent to treat with the French King at this time of Prosecution of our Native Protestants for a Cessation of that cruel Persecution how readily might an Answer be made Why may not I suppress Hereticks when in England you suppress Protestants 4. A Diversity of Order and Manner of Discipline and Worship may be as well permitted without breach of Church-Unity in the same Nation as in divers Nations without breach of Christian and Catholick Unity If different Forms of Belief are allowed the matter being divine and the one more large and explicit than others why may not different Modes and Order of Discipline and Worship be allowed and permitted Our Worship is according to our Faith as we believe so we worship Notwithstanding our use of three Forms of Profession of our Faith we agree in one Faith so in different Forms of Worship we agree in one Evangelical Worship And our Reformers might with as great Reason have pitched upon one of the three Creeds and for Uniformity sake required Assent to that and the use of that and no other as our Modern Fathers pitch upon one Form of Worship and require our Assent and Use of that and no other For Uniformity in Faith is more necessary than Uniformity in Orders and Rites We use the Creed called the Apostles Athanasian and Nicen Creed Bishop Jewel hath written a larger Form in his Apology for the Church of England agreeing in Words with neither and in his Reply to Harding reckons up eight Forms composed by several Authors and Fathers Apol. 2d part 1. c. Divis 1. Diversity of Creeds fol. 38. Harding cavilling against his Declaration of our Faith as many in our days exclaim a-against Dissenters said In our Fathers days Christian People lived in perfect Vnity c. before Luther 's New Gospel But let us learn from our Reverend Father Jewel that Unity of Faith may agree with Diversity of Forms of Faith and by Consequence with Diversity of Forms of Worship Object But the Administration of God's Worship ought to be uniform in one Nation and variety of Rites in one National Church would Cause Division of Judgment and by Consequence Division of Affection and to tolerate divers ways of Administrations would be to tolerate matter of perpetual Discord and Schism Answ Besides what the learned and acute Sir Thomas Overbury answers to a part of the matter of this Objection pag. 106. and the Commissioners in the Savoy Account of Proceedings p. 8 9. I 'll return my Answer in two things 1. Without Controversy our Lord Jesus took care for the Preservation of Unity such a Unity as is necessary among his Disciples and yet took no such Course as these Men build all Unity upon 2. The Church of Corinth was doubtless a particular Church and according to the Sense of the Reverend Bishop Bilson quoted before there was no Form of Liturgy prescribed p. 619 620. To be short Multitudes of learned and able Men living in one Kingdom have diversity of Apprehensions and Notions of things as well as in divers Nations and except Uniformity of Words might produce an inward Uniformity of Conceptions it hath not that Influence upon Unity as some Men think by their too violent urging of it 3. I am for Uniformity according to General Rules not excluding Prudence which must judg what 's necessary what 's expedient what 's edifying or what not for to exclude Prudence is to limit Divine Providence to particular Rules Divine Providence proceeds from Soveraignty Prudence observes it and Conscience must obey it Saving the Dominion of Providence and the Exercise of Ministerial Prudence let 's be as uniform as we can This prudential Latitude is allowed to every Curate in the choice of Homilies in dividing them leaving a part for the After-noon and changing of Lessons reading one for another as shall be most for Edification in the Admonition to all Ecclesiastical Ministers before the second part of the Homily To conclude this Question I desire the violent and active and the violent and oppressive Disputants of these times to answer Whether they think that our Protestant-Dissenting-Brethren that preach the Faith and labour to convert and build up precious Souls are unworthy to enjoy Liberty to preach the Gospel or to enjoy their Estates or to live in any part of the World If not what ground have they for their ill Opinion What Christian Charity have they How do they conspire with Bloody Inquisitors and French Persecutors yea Irish Rebels and Inhuman Rooters out of Heresy But if not worthy to live among us retaining their Liberty of Conscience and Religion Whither shall they go Where are they like to sind more natural Affection than among their Native Country-men and Acquaintance Where shall they be more wel-come among the Papists among Infidels where Satan bears so much Rule or among Protestants abroad Alas where who can entertain them Would you banish them to Scotland Ireland there are too many already Whither would you have them go for they are bid begon if they 'll not conform by some where they may do good there 's work enough for them where ever they are Why may they not do good here among us To be short they who turn them out of their Hearts and Charity upon the same reason banish them out of the Land if not out of the World And what if they should say as their Ejectors do We had better live or be in any Land or Nation even among the Papists or Insidels than live among such as these Would it not sound worse than all that yet they have said And what a Division or Schism at the very root would that be if it grew to it Which it hath not done and I wish never may But we may see that Violence is a Wedg to make the most ghastly Schism that ever was seen in a Christian Church But rather than be guilty of so unpeaceable and uncharitable a Thought or Carriage capable of such a Construction which all Christians should as ill endure to lodg within them as the
K. CHARLES I. ΕΙΚ. ΒΑΣΙΛ 27. To the Prince of Wales BEware of exasperating any Factions by the Crossness and Asperity of some Mens Passions Humours and private Opinions imployed by you grounded only upon Differences in lesser Matters which are but the Skirts and Suburbs of Religion Wherein a charitable Connivance and Christian Toleration often dissipates their Strength whom rougher Opposition fortifies THE Conformist's Third Plea FOR THE Nonconformists Argued from the King's Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs Grounded upon the approved Doctrine AND Confirmed by the Authorities of many Eminent Fathers and Writers of the Church of England By the Author of the two former PLEAS Lord Bishop of Cork's Protestant Peace-maker Pag. 128. To these who ask What need of more Vnion I return What need of more Holiness What need of Godliness Charity Justice Are these Christian Duties and is not Vnion and Peace as much so I am and must be in the mind that the Strength of the Protestant Cause both here at home and throughout Christendom lies in the Vnion of Protestants and the Glory Purity and Fower of Christianity in this World stands or falls with Protestantism LONDON Printed by J. D. for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXII A PREFACE to the Christian and Peaceable Reader that seeks the things that be of Christ A Zeal for Peace and Vnion hath overcome all Discouragements arising from many Causes and inspired me to a Boldness prevailing against much Fear even to publish the secret Workings of my Heart As long as the Church dare shew her Face my Notions are not afraid of the Light they can receive no Luster from my Name let them go forth in that Light and Power which the Father of Lights and the God of Peace hath given and shall give unto them and if they may but give any Light to discover the way of Peace let me not only ly in Obscurity which I love because fittest for me but be disgraced by them who speak all manner of Evil of me If I have not forsaken and betrayed the Truth I have not forsaken nor betrayed the Church and when you come to see the Weapons which I handle and the Leaders and Authorities which I follow in the following Treatise as well as the Cause for which I plead I hope you will be convinced that as far as I have pleaded for the Nonconformist Brethren I have not run from my Colours There is common Truth a large and spacious ground to take them in and to build up one and the same Fabrick upon it comfortable to all true Christians receptive of all the Family of God and impregnable against all their and our Enemies It is some Relief and Comfort to see many lift up their Feet i. e. come and view the Desolations of the Church of Christ among us to be affected with them and some in whom is an excellent Spirit are contriving to bring the separate Apartments under one Roof and within one Line and Wall And these do stand upon the Rock of Evangelical Principles when not supported by the Arm of Flesh But no sooner do Arbitrators move for a Reconciliation but others do all they can to thrust them from them without respect to their Persons or due Reverence to Truth and Reason He that interposeth in this Difference doth at the Peril of Opposition The R. Rev. Author of the first Naked Truth hath found this true though his Quality and Person were more than guest at yet the Episcopal Staff could not bear off the Lashes of several Junior Writers from the Back of Naked Truth But Truth be it never so naked can bear Blows and Lashes as it hath always born the Violence of Storms and Times Truth cannot long be confined within Doors but will appear in open view whatever its Entertainment be whether Scorns Contradictions Laughter and Mockery Abuses and Scourgings or Approbation and Honour The Appearance of such a Book as that Naked Truth at such a time was like a Comet it drew the Eyes of all that could to look upon it it was a Divine Manifestation of a Primitive Christian-Spirit of Love And certainly as that pious Endeavour hath encreased his Comforts so he hath not lost all his Labour for since that we have had more Overtures of Peace than we heard of in the many Years of Discord and Troubles from the Learned in the Church of England The Nonconformists have born all the Blame and Scorn and Sufferings of our Divisions and have offered as much towards Peace and Accommodation as was possible for them to offer But partly their Writings and the doleful State of Religion have drawn out some Wishes and Concessions from some Men of Eminency in the Church towards Peace and Accommodation And tho these as yet seem too little yet there is much to be gathered from them first as to their Propensity to Peace 2. The Influence which their Concessions may have upon austerer Tempers 3. Because they being satisfied in the Point of Conformity as to their own Practice do yet for a greater Good and Peace incline to a Comprimise The Learned Dean of St. Paul's hath with submission to Authority made some Proposals and I hope would yield to more if the Composure were put into his hand Even Dr. Sherlock who is currantly thought to have writen the Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet Pag. 103. doth wish with all his Heart that some Expressions were altered to prevent any Scandal to the scrupulous or to the profane this he writes only for the Office of Burial of the Dead which he calls an excellent Office supposing the due Exercise of Church-Discipline to cast all notorious Sinners and Schismaticks out of the Communion of the Church which the Church supposeth to be done I am of his Mind Pag. 102. concerning the Excellency of that Office It is most comfortable to the Minister and most Comfort to all true Christians when we can use it upon good Evidences concerning the Dead But as the visiting of the Sick hath been too often to me the most uncomfortable Office of my Ministry so it hath been a great Addition of Sorrow to commit those Bodies to the Earth concerning whom I had no hope of their resting in Christ O what dejecting Stories could I write of too many but I forbear If he be so sensible of the ill use which may be made of that excellent Office and do so heartily wish that some Expressions were altered to prevent Scandal to the scrupulous and prophane methinks for the same Reasons he might wish more Alterations might be made in other things and Offices Most frank and generous are those Expressions of the Right Reverend and Pious Bishop of Cork Protestan-Peacemaker p. 29. We are ready to sacrifice all we can otherwise i.e. without Schism to the publick Peace and Safety what most of the Dissenters would be at no Liturgy no Episcopacy no Vniformity may not be cannot be without
dissenting Brethren who now ly out of Doors and strong to endure all the Batteries of our Adversaries upon the Doctrines of our famous Bishops and Doctors as upon a Foundation I am certain I have misquoted none of them nor forced them from their Native Sence and Coherence If I have failed in my arguings and kept not to the Line of Reason that must be discovered by sharper Lights than mine is and by thus doing a Conformist may plead for the Non-Conformists and not forsake the Church I have also thought that if the same Methods and Mediums were used for healing our Divisions which were proposed to reconcile or at least to cool the far greater Controversies between the Lutherans and Calvinists by our famous and reverend Bishops Morton Hall Davenant c. we had seen the Kingdom of Christ gone up apace as the Temple did without the Noice of Axes and Hammers I am persuaded the Divisions of the Church ly near the Hearts of some of you and it cannot but be grievous to see into what Hands our Brethren are fallen as given to the Spoil and I know the Christian Saying as I received it from credible Testimony that my Lord of L. and C. answered a busy Extinguisher of Light who told him Dr. G. was preaching He is about his Master's Work let him alone again Preaching and praying are good Works Where there is an Antipathy against Popery there is Moderation to Protestant Dissenters I humbly beseech you Christian Gentlemen Justices of the Peace bear with me a Word or two Do you think if peaceable Non-Conformity be not fit to be indulged nor spared will Non-Conformity and Heresy meeting in the same Person be indured if it be possible to root it up All the Disputations against Non-Conformity now may be strong Arguments against the Toleration of Heresy as our Religion is called by the Papists and they who stretch their Power against Protestants for Non-Conformity do justify the Roman Cruelties and prove their Proceedings to be more rational and you that strive with the Flat or Back of the Sword may be smitten with the Edge if you can endure and you must take it patiently or be self-condemned I beseech you Gentlemen consider who they are that run and ride up and down upon this Work that would take Ministers and Hearers but such whose Sacraments are Healths filled with Wine void of the Spirit whose Devotions are Wounds and Dam-mees Will these ever reform a Church that make the World the worse Must not that Execution of Law be thought unhappy which is effectually the putting one of Contzen the Jesuite's Rules into Execution as above said for changing of Religion and bringing in Popery viz. to Proceed to the Severity of Laws and Punishments against Protestants POST-SCRIPT I Am forced to break off abruptly in the Close of these Sheets about Vnion and must leave what is behind to another Part. In the mean Time that the Vnion I press for may be more easily effected I humbly beseech my Brethren in the Ministry and all others to revive the almost lost Virtue of Moderation Consider what the excellent Dean of Canterbury says in his Preface to Bishop Wilkin's 15 Sermons lately published where in Vindication of that rarely accomplished Bishop whose great Name and excellent Spirit it seems could not escape a smutting from some of our Fire-brands He thus defends both the Vertue of Moderation and that great Example of it to wit And I purposely says the Dean mention his Moderation and likewise adventure to commend him for it notwithstanding that this Vertue so much esteemed and magnified by wise Men in all Ages hath of late been declamed against with so much Zeal and Fierceness and yet with that good Grace and Confidence as if it were not only no Vertue but even the Sum and Abridgment of all Vices I say notwithstanding all this I am still of the old Opinion that Moderation is a Vertue and one of the peculiar Ornaments and Advantages of the excellent Constitution of our Church and must at last be the Temper of her Members especially the Clergy if ever we seriously intend the firm Establishment of this Church and do not industriously design by cherishing Heats and Divisions among our selves to let in Popery at these Breaches But more especially consider our blessed Saviour teacheth us Moderation by his Laws concerning these Matters in Difference by his Apostles by his easy Yoke his Blessings and his Judgments and by a visible Providence over our chief City London which should be an Example to Norwich Bristol Coventry and a Warning to them There was nothing to be done in the Year of the dreadful Plague The Magistrate found other Work the next Year after the dreadful Fire two Years after the Government fell into the Hands of Sr. W. Turner whose unsuspected Affection to the Church made his Wisdom and Moderation the more remarkable and the Blessing of Peace and Contentment of Mind attended And how much happier was his Year and of the Successors of Sir S. Sterling than that troublesome Year to the Nonconformists and certainly as little comfortable as it was honourable to himself Sir Richard Ford was feared but his eminent Prudence procured him Honour and Estimation And what Conspiracies or Seditions were moved as much as to make him thoughtful about them What Cause of Suspicion or Fear did the Dissenters give his honourable Successors till the breaking out of the dreadful Plot and did not the Lord Mayors since that rest confident in the Loyalty and Fidelity of the Dissenters and did not two of them concur in the Vote against the Prosecution of them And since the Presbyterian Sham-plots have made even Hardiness and Impudence to blush at their Confidence what Suspicions have they moved to give any Colour for them How dear was Sir Patience Ward to all good Men as appeared in their publick and private Prayers for him in his dangerous Sickness and did not he leave his Government in a peaceable safe State After several Years Indulgence of the Non-Conformists did they grow trouble some by their Numbers or factious by their Ease And I do heartily wish the R. H. Sir John More now L. Mayor may leave it as he found it and carry a Peace in his Bosom answerable to the Piety and Moderation of his Speech at his Election for which I know many Prayers were made for him by some that never saw him that his Piety may not be outdar'd by some of an imperious Humour to impose upon others an impious notion I do humbly recommend to you Mr. Bold's Sermon against Persecution to which I set my Seal That Men cannot be Conscientious but they must be Factious and take Pleasure or Pride or something else in representing peaceable Religion as a Torch of Rebellion What tender Heart will be able to bear the Stings of Conscience for touching such as fear God with but the Point of the Sword for professing that same
build upon another and a new Foundation though by them called old But Protestants agree in the same Foundations of Religion obey the same Civil Government in the same Person and same Fundamental and Civil Laws and yet some are separated for Sacrifice the Lot is cast upon them and great Rewards allowed to any that will do the Work Our Parliaments from 1673 to the last would have prevented this Ruine but for their sakes and their own Parliament is here taken Synecdochically they are now like to suffer Our last Parliaments were chosen with less Expence Debauchery Tumult or Faction than any we have known in our days Some had not been long in the House but they were driven out of their former Prejudices and Prepossessions by the clear and convincing Reasons and Debates of the House They were generally Men of the noblest Estates in their several Counties but acting as if they had nothing private or domestick and applying themselves to the Preservation of the King 's Sacred Person and of the Reformed Protestant Religion to which they are obliged by Obligations of an even lasting Effect Since their Dissolutions they cannot but be sensible how their Proceedings are confured and exposed and many either of them or of such as approved of them are put out of Commission and many that are most disaffected to them are either continued or fill up the Vacancies and these proceed upon contrary Reasons and Motives and run into contrary Methods What they would have composed and healed these do taking the opportunity of a long Vacancy of Parliament discompose with a greater Severity than at any time before And the Sufferings of the Nonconformists do clear the Members of Parliament from being Nonconformists or Fanaticks for if they were they should meet with the like Treatment and Usage and so the Sufferings of the Nonconformists serve as a Vindication of the Parliament from the censure of being such themselves All those noble and worthy Patriots are now the unsatisfied Spectators of an excessive Trouble and Charge if not irrecoverable Ruine of thousands of peaceable Subjects by which the King will never be enriched nor the Church united The inferior Rank are affected according to their differing measures of Reason and Sense of Religion and the publick Good The more Understanding and discerning enquire into the Cause of this Mischief which is the dissent of the Nonconformist's Judgment from some unnecessary and variable Impositions c. when ever the Government plenseth may be taken away without derogation of Power or loss of any Fundamental in Religion either of Belief or Practice or danger to the Government or Peace They cannot but say these matters of Dissention need not be They believe their own Senses they have neither seen nor heard of any Sedition or Tumult or Plot contrived among the Protestant Dissenters They know them to be Men of Abilities Piety Righteousness and Peace and have waded through the deep Waters of many Afflictions without sinking or drowning or overthrowing the Ship in which too many drive a Merchandize bring in Wealth and others fish for Men to save them from the bottomless Pit If they are unacquainted with the Nonconformist Preachers they are acquainted with their Hearers and know their Principles and Conversation and if they are not better they are no worse than other Men and cannot but be grieved that they lie at the Mercy of many that have no Vertue to commend them They that love Godliness and Righteousness in any in whom they believe or hope it is that are glad for the increase of Knowledg or Godliness by what Instrument soever and endeavour to be merciful as their heavenly Father is merciful are not and cannot be pleased with those Proceedings of ruining Men for Conscience These are not so subtile as to lay any great Weight upon the Distinctions which some Men invent to excuse the Severity The more unknowing and unconcern'd are in a maze wondring what kind of People these Nonconformists are what kind of thing this Nonconformity is but they know or hear that the Men are given to pray hear Sermons sing Psalms and other pious Exercises and live if not better yet no worse than many that go to Church And of these many have so much Sense that they think and say surely it is hard to drive honest Men's Cattel seize their Goods break open Houses for doing well And as many as love Ease and the World take their Ease and follow that Religion which is encouraged with Preferment and a Freedom from Charge and Molestation Some Zealots against Nonconformists are incensed against them as against Pharisees that pray to devour all as against seditious Persons and secret Traitors that want nothing but Opportunity as against the Authors of all our Unsettlements and Miseries These are for the King and who is against him These are for the Law as now established and no alteration which is to tie up the Power of the King as much as the Parliament for it is as much his Prerogative to abrogate old Laws when necessary as to make new These are for the Church of England and against all that are against it and what 's that for the Bishops and the Nonconformists never did as much as petition to take them down or diminish their Revenues they are for preaching in Churches and so are Nonconformists if they might for Allegiance to the King so are the Nonconformists for the King's Supremacy so are the Nonconformists for Ceremonies and Orders of the Church here they begin to disagree And for these things can you persecute your Brethren These Zealots are as erroneous for these things as any others are against them The most of our Conforming-Protestant Laicks are bound to bear Offices higher or lower in Cities Towns Hundreds Parishes The superiour Magistrates may forbear to break open Meetings for Religious Exercises or set others on much more to animate the Rabble to pluck down their Meeting-Houses there is no Law for it that we the unskilful in the Laws know or hear of The inferior are under Command but these are meant of only lawful Commands and legal Warrants And here is now a very displeasing Tragedy to be seen Here are Informers very Strangers in the Countries which they plague and molest that swear against some Persons by hear-say whom they do not know and these are the great Ministers of Justice they do little less nay sometimes no less than expect the Justices should take their Information without Examination of them at their time at the very nick when they please and not when the Justice pleaseth These are the Masters of the Justices themselves who must serve them or forfeit 50 l. to them and 50 l. more to him that can get it Some Justices are forward and officious in carrying on this Work of Reformation and Union they issue forth Warrants upon them that meet upon the Parish Officers that are slack some give out Warrants to break open
Perswasions bearing date March 25 in the thirteenth Year of his Reign We in the Accomplishment of our said Will and Intent do authorize you to advise upon and review the said Book of Common-Prayer comparing it with the most ancient Liturgies of the purest Times to take to your serious Consideration the several Directions Rules Forms of Prayer and things in the Book of Common-Prayer contained to advise consult upon and about the same and the several Objections and Exceptions which shall now be raised against the same and if occasion be to make such reasonable and necessary Alterations Corrections and Amendments therein as shall be agreed upon to be needful and expedient for the giving Satisfaction to tender Consciences c. The Bishops c. answer On the contrary we judg That if the Liturgy should be altered as is there required not only a Multitude but the Generality of the soberest and most Loyal Children of the Church of England would justly be offended since such an Alteration would be a virtual Concession that this Liturgy was an intolerable Burthen to tender Consciences a direct Cause of Schism a superstitious Usage upon which Pretences it is here desired to be altered which would at once justify all those who have obstinately separated from it as the only pious tender-conscienced Men and condemn all those that have adhered to it in conscience of their Duty and Loyalty with the loss and hazards of their Estates and Fortunes as Men superstitious schismatical and void of Religion and Conscience For these Reasons and those that follow we cannot consent to such an Alteration as is desired till these Pretences be proved And now it might easily appear to them what afterwards came to pass but let us observe 1. There is no doubt but some of them knew what his Majesties Proposal was for the Propagation of the Protestant Religion being his Chaplains and chief Ministers about him and some of them if I am not mis-informed made some Alterations and Amendments in the King's Declaration 2. They do manifest an Opinion of the Reforming Divines inconsistent with the Character which his Majesty gave of them as grave and learned Ministers and proceed with them according to a mean and uncharitable Opinion 3. If they saw no necessity of any Alterations 1. They dissented from the Judgment of as eminent Divines of the Church See First Plea p. 22 c. p. 32. as any in it 2. They do not agree among themselves for Mr. Thorndike one of them thought a Reformation was necessary to Union 3. They made some Alterations such as were pleasing to them though not satisfactory to others 4. They destroy the King's Supposition and the reason of his Proposal for the Propagation of the Protestant Religion Peace of the Church satisfying tender Consciences c. 4. If they were commissioned to advise c. then had it not been a great Satisfaction to the whole Church and an effectual way to silence the cavilling Opponents if they were but Cavillers 1. To have answered their Reply 2. to have petitioned his Majesty for a longer time to have heard them out but when eight Points were to be disputed they had only time for one of them being the last day of their Commission If I am mistaken in any of these things as I believe I am not I shall be glad to be corrected by a trie History of those Passages It was about giving the Sacrament to Persons that scruple kneeling about which there was a Division among themselves Some of them held that we are not to refuse to give it to them that kneel not but to give it to them that kneel the words of the Rubrick being The Minister shall take in both kinds himself and deliver it into the hands of the People kneeling as if the sense were we are to give the Sacrament into the hands of the People kneeling but are not forbid to give it to them that do not kneel Dr. G. Dr. P. and Dr. S. were for this lax Interpretation Now Lord Bishops of Ely Chester Norwich other Dr. M. now Bishop of Winchester was for the rigid sense that the People must kneel or we must not give it And Dr. P. now Dean of Salisbury offered to maintain against Mr. Baxter See Mr. B's Defence against Mr. Cheney pag. 38. that it was an Act of Mercy to those that scruple and refused to receive the Sacrament kneeling to deny them the Communion of the Church therein but the Commissioners of his own side restrained him 4. How little did some of them care for the King 's conjuring them to acquiesce in and submit to his Declaration Or tho his Majesty thought himself competent to propose a Remedy they thought him not or else they would have advised a little further having so great a charge from him giving him hopes of their Compliance and seeing the Peace and Settlement of the Church so much concerned in it and the House of Commons approving of it to whom they owned an Acknowledgment for their Service done for them they might have made their Memorial blessed to all Generations as Healers and Peace-makers And now it is plain that those who ruled most in those Councils exercised a kind of Soveraignty over the Reason of all others and waited for a Parliament and Convocation that should at once silence Objections and answer Petitions Since those Transactions the reforming Divines never had but one or two Opportunities of treating and composing our doleful Differences the Composers agreed but the House of Commons hearing of it voted against bringing in a Bill of Compreehension and the Reverend Dr. Burnet in the Life of the Great Sir Matthew Hale gives us the Reasons that prevailed at that time against it And if I may not be too tedious I will crave leave totranscribe his Lines Pag. 70 71 72 73. But two Parties appeared vigorously against this Design of Comprehension by Law the one was of some zealous Clergy-Men who thought it below the Dignity of the Church to alter Laws and change Settlements for the sake of some whom they esteemed Schismaticks they also believed it was better to keep them out of the Church than bring them into it since a Faction upon that would arise in the Church which they thought might be more dangerous than the Schism it self was Besides they said if some things were now to be changed in compliance with the Humor of a Party as soon as that was done another Party might demand other Concessions and there might be as good Reasons invented for these as for those many such Concessions might also shake those of our own Communion and tempt them to for sake us and go over to the Church of Rome pretending that we changed so often that they were thereby inclined to be of a Church that was constant and true to her self and these Reasons wrought on the far greater part of the House of Commons There were others
to them and if he cannot exercife his Ministry after he is called unto it what doth it profit him to be a Minister or what is the Church the better for his Office If one acknowledged to be a Minister of the Universal Church may not administer in a particular Church then is it not because that particular Church requires some Conditions which are not so large as the Rules and Conditions of the Universal Church This may put us to search whether different Rules stricter Laws prescribed as Conditions of Entrance and Continuance in the Ministry and Church-Communion be not the Cause or Occasion of Schisms in particular Churches These Catholick Rules and Conditions are to be taken and received from the Apostles who went into all the World to gather and to found Christian Churches They gave us Laws enow to govern any particular Church who were sent into all the World And no Decrees of General Councils are of equal Observation with the Scriptures not only because of their Sanctity but because of their Universality and the very Errors and Mistakes of them in some Particulars are tolerable that do what they can to find out and follow the Will of God in Scripture And this Diversity can be no Inconvenience to any Church because of the plain Injunctions and Commands of keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace of loving and forbearing one another in Love But to return What shall we say Are they but Lay-men or but quasi Lay-men that were once ordained by Diocesans or what it others can prove by the Holy Scriptures and the Catholick Rules of Faith that they are called of God and make proof of their Gifts which make there serviceable to the Souls of poor Sinners and only scruple some late implicating perplexing Terms what shall they do in this case They would enter into the Service according to the uncontroverted general Rules of Christ the Soveraign Law-giver of his Church but that will not serve the turn they must do more They have received Gifts from the Spirit of the same nature with other Ministers they 'l submit their Gifts to the Trial to free them from the Fanaticism imputed to them These Gifts are for some use they are their Talents and they must give an account of them to the Giver of them at his appearing Whither can any of them go and not be serviceable Is there any City Town Parish or noble Family in England in which there is not need or where such as they may not be exceeding profitable but in some Places there is a crying need O how few few Labourers are there in very large Fields yea as offensive as the presence of the Brethren are in many places there is not an useless Man among them nor one place hardly where is not need if not extream need What shall they do conform to the Church as Lay-men only What if the Bottle be so full that its ready to burst what if the Fire of Zeal true Zeal kindle must they not speak with their Tongue What if the Breast be full and they who were begorten in Christ Jesus by their Ministry cry cry to them O give us of the sincere Milk of the Word shall they say No my Breast is full but I must not draw it out What if they have Bread enough and can divide it and see a Company of poor Souls ready to starve and pine for Want and yet they must not give them a piece of Bread City Ministers are most quarelsome and contentious with them but if from their high Places they saw and knew but what I know instead of charging them with Separation and Schism they would beg of Authority that they would send them into many places of the Land which are more like a Wilderness than the Garden of the Lord but instead of doing this some have written to prepare a prejudiced People to entertain them with Stones or beseech them to depart out of their Coasts and not to open their Doors to entertain them or their Ears to hear them Oh! how are many of the Servants of God true Subjects able Preacers at this day forced to hide and many are as shy and close to entertain them as if they were Traitors and the Hue and Cry were out against them But what if these Men cannot think themselves discharged of their Work when their Hire is stopt they cannot but pity those that have no Shepherds or not enow they cannot stop their Ears against the Cry of the poor what if Conscience cry Wo to me if I preach not the Gospel O there are too many that never heard that Preaching in their Bosom Some have pleaded that Wo concerned none but the Apostle what shall they do between two Woes Wo from Christ if I preach not and Wo from Men if I preach Object They must obey the Laws obey Authority Answ So they must and as far they can they do Object But they say they must obey God rather than Men. Answ So did the Apostles who taught Obedience to Governours Neither may any godly Prince take it as any Dishonour to his Estate to see God obeyed before him Defence of the Apology part 1. p. 20. of my Edit for he is not God but the Minister of God saith our Venerable Father Bishop Jewel Object But our King and Magistrates and Laws are not such as They were neither are our Conventiclers Apostles Answ True I cast no Reflections upon the King but acknowledge his Life and Protestancy to be singular Mercies and Priviledges But if the first Christian Churches were planted and the Faith preached where the Rulers were Unbelievers disaffected to it and Persecuters of it then Preachers that preach the Doctrine of the Apostles and live according to the Gospel may humbly expect if not lay some Claim to a Priviledge of preaching and worshipping God as near as they can discern according to his mind The Case of the Brethren is so clear in it self The Canon Law calls their divers Orders Religion but to Christians and Protestants there is but one Religion that some in Power have no other colour for proceeding against them than as Men that exercise another Religion as I can produce which clearly intimates that it is unreasonable to proceed to Confiscations and Banishment against Men that profess the same Religion And whereas Godliness and Honesty may claim Protection they represent them as wicked and dishonest in the highest Degree that is seditious and withdrawing the King's Subjects from their Allegiance c. But this is the old Language Apolog. c. 2. Divis 7. p. 21. as the most Reverend Bishop Jewel writes as objected against them that we be fallen from the Catholick Church and by a wicked Schism have shaken the whole World and troubled the common Peace and universal Quiet of the Church and that as Dathan and Abiram conspired in times past against Moses and Aaron even so we this day have
best is they dissented from the Law without Impeachment of their Loyalty to the King for they would gladly have submitted to his Terms and could not obey the Law without any great Dishonour to the Legislative Power for they only dissent from a few Men who then could sway enow to do their Work They must not only do but they must subscribe Is that true of the same wise Lord Bacon Their urging Subscriptions to their own Articles is but lacessere irritare morbos Ecclesiae which otherwise would spend and crush themselves And it is true there are some which as I am perswaded will not easily offend by Inconformity who notwithstanding make some Conscience to subscribe For they know this note of Inconstancy Page 35. and Defection from what they have long held shall disable that Good which otherwise they would do When they have done this they must assent and consent c. Non consensum quaerit sed dissidium auget qui quod factis praestatur verbis exigit He seeketh not Union but Division which exacteth inwardly that which Men are content to yield in outward Action the same great Man still If some of the things themselves be small yet it is not a small thing that is required of us about them namely a Declaration and Subscription our unfeigned Assent c yea our quiet Submission to the use of them as tolerable sufficeth not as we apprehend Principles and Practices of the N.C. p. 13. c. saith the wise and holy Mr. Corbet I know all is sheltred under and fathered upon the Law but who invented who formed these things Had they the Catholick Spirit Wisdom Charity Authority of the whole Church in them to which all must yield Assent and to whom all must consent under peril they could not but know there were and would be Dissents and Disatisfactions they could not but know these Injunctions could not be so pleasing to the generality of the Kingdom and Church who had received the King's Declaration with such Applause and Gratulation And here may the fifteenth Query of the learned and judicious Sir Thomas Overbury come in Men are not Masters of their own Perswasions and can not change their Thoughts as they please He that believes any thing concerning Religion cannot turn as the Prince commands him or accommodate himself to the Law or his present Interests except he turn Atheist c. Reverend Dr. Purnet's Preface before the History of the Rights of Prince pag. 49. Whether to require Conformity in Practice where there is difference in Judgment be not to command a Man to act against Light and Conscience and consequently to sin and Query XXI c. 3. Whether it doth not imply that if a Man assent to all Articles of Faith to the Doctrine of the Apostles concerning the Authority of the Magistrate concerning Decency and Order and things indifferent and be otherwise fitted for preaching the Gospel and Administration of all Ordinances yet except he do assent and consent to all things required by some modern Bishops and Clergy-men it shall avail him nothing he shall be uncapable to officiate and whether these modern Church-men do not set up themselves above and exercise an Authority to dictate most absolute and higher than the Apostles did who were next to Christ himself 4. Suppose a Man be a lawfully ordained Minister i. e. by Bishops as many of the Nonconformists are or able and fit in respect of soundness of Faith Utterance Aptness to teach and be scrupulous of the Truth of some Proposition which is no Article of Faith or of some Ceremony and Modes of Practice is it not hard that for some Weakness of Understanding he cannot assent to what is formed by others not infallible that he should be uncapable of the Exercise of the Ministry and the Church deprived of his other Abilities for that Mistake Weakness or call it Error Our Saviour bore with his Disciples when he reproved them Are ye yet without Vndrstanding and did not turn them out 5. Whether Assent and Consent to some human Laws Rites and Ceremonies upon which neither Faith nor Unity depends be not hereby made more necessary for Exercise and Practice than the assenting to Articles of Faith or than preaching the Gospel or by consequence the Salvation of Immortal Souls It is true there is a vast difference in the nature of the things but as to Capacity and Incapacity to minister in the holy Office it is all one for a Man to refuse Assent and Consent to every thing as it is to an Article of the Creed 6. Or that Conformity to Order and the use of the Liturgy a monthly Sermon or a Homily is more for the Edification of the Church than diligent and constant preaching without a particular Assent to all every thing Which I will freely speak it can be affirmed by none but a Man that sets light by his own Salvation and never personally conversed with his own Flock or knows the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace or Eternal Life or the Practice of the Primitive Church Hitherto I have laboured to open the nature of the Cause of these Proceedings against our Protestant Brethren and it is their Nonconformity passive and active the first of which is a refusal of the modern Terms of Church-Freedom the second is a worshipping of God in Christ according to the Rule of the Holy Scripture as nearly as they can discern it and after the common either allowed or not disallowed manner of the Reformed Protestant Churches and particular this of England And in what they do they follow the same Rule and act from the same Principles which our first Reformers professed and their learned Defenders have maintained And three Questions shall take up the whole of what 's to follow 1. Whether they the Protestant Nonconformists justly deserve to be silenced suppressed and punished as they have been and are 2. Whether they are not at least to be permitted and indulged 3. Whether we ought not to unite and become one by removal or abating the things that divide and break us so that we may hold mutual and actual Communion in the same Exercises of Religion without fear of offending our Superiours thereby or any other So much hath not been spoken of the first Question in the Second Plea but that much more may be produced to encline if not draw the sensible Reader to the right side of the Question 1. It is clear that they are not deposed and prosecuted for such Crimes as were meritorious of Deposition in the Ancient Church by their Canons those Crimes were Fornication Perjury Theft Let a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon convicted of Fornication Perjury or Theft be deposed but with caution that he be not separated Canons called the Apostles Canons i. e. from the Communion of the Faithful as Balsamon expounds non segregetur adding a Reason for this Moderation that no Man be punished twice for the
ought to be restrained nor Ungodliness and Dishonesty for which they should be punished any more than the best of Men But worshipping the true God in Christ by the Spirit according to his Word c. By the foregoing Doctrine they are to be encouraged and protected There is but one thing to their Prejudice their Disobedience to some Temporal Ecclesiastical Laws requiring Subscriptions c. Hear a little further the Doctrine of the Bishops and Doctors To devise Rites and Ceremonies for the Church is not the Prince's Vocation but to receive and allow such as the Scriptures and Canons commend and such as the Bishops and Pastors of the Place shall advise not infringing the Scriptures or Canons And for all other Ecclesiastical Things and Causes Princes be neither the Devisers non Directors of them but the Confirmers and Establishers of that which is good Bilson pag. 252. and Displacers and Avengers of that which is Evil The Ceremonies in divers particular Churches are of divers sorts and that without any Inconvenience at all so they all agree in those unchangeable Laws given by the Universal Head Christ The Reverend Dr. Nowel's Reproof of Dorman p. 25. See Homil. of Fasting second Part. How easy may the Bishops if they pleased take away the Causes of our decried Schism or without any Crime of Schism permit a Diversity to them that are governed by the unchangeable Law of Josus Christ and only differ from their particular and changeable Laws To conclude If the Faith of the Nonconformists be the Catholick Faith as it is in all and every Point and Article even the same which is professed in the Church of England contained in the Scriptures if they are good Men and honest Subjects Then we are taught and exhorted to pray that the King and all in Authority under him may have Wisdom Strength Justice Clemency and Zeal to God's Glory to God's Verity to Christian Souls and the Common-wealth Let us pray they may rightly use their Sword and Authority for the Maintenance and Defence of the Catholick Faith contained in the Holy Scriptures The 3d part of the Homily of Obedience p. 69. Lond. Edit 1673. and of their good and honest Subjects for the Fear and Punishment of the evil and vicious People Object But they transgress the Laws therefore are not good and honest Subjects break the Orders of the Church c. Answ Preaching and hearing the Catholick Faith is I hope no Transgression of the Laws if it be then you do in effect say the Laws are against Godliness and the Exercise of the Catholick Faith They are good and honest Subjects that pray for the King pay Tribute live in Godliness and Honesty therefore they are to be protected and encouraged which was the Proposition to be proved I suppose no Law ought to be construed or executed which in Construction and Execution is contrary to the Catholick Doctrine of the Church of England established by Law The Faith they profess is Catholick their Worship is according to the Scripture and they corrupt the People neither with Sedition or Disobedience The Conditions of Liberty which they refuse are no Article of Catholick Faith or Practice therefore they ought not to be punished according to the Doctrine of the Church of England The second Question is Whether the Nonconformist Protestants are not to be indulged and permitted The former Discourse answers this Question If they do not deserve to be punished but protected and encouraged then they ought to be permitted and indulged while they design and act nothing inconsistent with or contrary to the Duties of good honest peaceable Subjects 2. Permission and Indulgence is the lowest degree of Favour that can be shewed to Catholick Christians and Protestants in a Christian Protestant Kingdom 1. If more be due to the Profession of Christian Religion yea of the Protestant Religion Then a Permission or Indulgence is the least Respect and Favour due to it But more is due to it than Permission therefore that 's the least 2. If Permission was due to Godliness and Honesty from adverse Powers both Jewish and Heathen and if it be due to Reformed Christians in Popish Countries then it is much more due to Protestant Professors in Protestant Kingdoms and States But the former is true therefore much more the latter Of these in particular 1. The Jewish Powers ought to have permitted the preaching of the Gospel to our Saviour and his Apostles because it was of God and God hath Soverign Power in all the World to set up his Kingdom and Laws It was the Sin of the Jews to forbid the preaching of the Gospel it was a Duty in the Apostles to preach it even when forbidden If it was a Sin in the Jews to forbid it they ought certainly to permit it yea they ought to have received and obeyed it If it had been a Duty and no Sin in the Jews to forbid the preaching of Christ it had been a Sin in the Apostles notwithstanding and against that Prohibition to preach it But it was an Obedience to God the higher Power to preach it therefore they who forbad it ought to permit it yea much more it was their Duty to believe it 2. The same Reason will hold all the World over because Christian Religion is from God and teaches the Knowledg and Obedience and Worship of God and the way to Life therefore God may send it all over the World by Men called and sent by him without the Commission of the Powers of the World And if Men knew the Gift of God they ought to esteem it the greatest Mercy and manifestation of Grace that was ever shewed to the Sons of Men. Our Saviour commands his Apostles to go into all the World to preach the Gospel to every Creature It comes among them without their Knowledg and against their Wills Ought it to be received or not if not then God ought not to be obeyed according to his revealed Will which no Man dare affirm if it ought to be received it ought to be permitted and indulged with an overplus of Reverence and Honour Godliness and Honesty was to be priviledged and protected to be cherished ard not extinguished in Heathen Kingdoms 1 Tim. 2.2 They desired to lead quiet Lives free from Trouble and Persecution the use they were to make and did make of their Quietness was the Exercise of Godliness and Honesty To this end they were to pray for Kings and all in Authority And Kings and all in Authority may venture and not fear to give Protection and Security to all that pray for them and that live in Godliness and Honesty under them If protection and Quietness might be expected from Heathens much more from Christians 3. If Refermed Christians ought to be permitted in Popish Kingdoms and States then Christians professing the Reformation may be much more permitted in Protestant Kingdoms and States and by Consequence in this Kingdom Popish Kings and Rulers
Sacrament using his own Words and so it be delivered in four Forms who will doubt but he holds Communion sufficient to the Ends of the holy Sacrament And the Uniformity lies in Blessing and giving Thanks in taking Bread breaking it giving and taking it as a Token of the Body of Christ to the appointed End and so also the Cup as a Token of his Blood drinking it to the appointed End Uniformity of Words is not necessary to Church-Communion neither in Articles of Faith nor in Preaching nor in Prayer nor in Sacraments and yet Church-Communion is as necessary a Duty as associating of Churches and Assemblies it being truly the End of such Association and Assembling And yet no Man of sense will deny the great Advantages of Consent Agreement Similitude and Uniformity in all our Administrations as near as we can frame our Minds thereunto which will never come nearer than according to general Rules without Debates and Disputes as many if not more and of as great an Influence upon Peace as can arise from the Application and Construction of General Rules II. Let us remove and take away the Causes of Disunion and Division as much as possibly we can And first Those that are within us which may be reduced to Flesh and Self For whereas there is among you Envying Strife and Divisions are ye not carnal and walk as Men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 4. Self is the Schismatick within us till we are converted from it we are separate from Christ and by Consequence are disunited from his Body and do not consent to the Terms of his Covenant and Salvation Self-conceit Pride and Loftiness Self-will Self-seeking and Self-love are the Springs of our bitter Waters of Strife and Separation that run into divers Channels or rather break the Banks and over-flow the Church 2. The outward Causes are besides the Co-operation of the World and Devil the rigorous exacting and enforcing of particular Conditions of Church-Liberty and Communion with such Forfeitures and Penalties as hinder the Progress of the Word of Life and the Salvation of Souls All our Wars have been before the Gates of the City since many have been turned out we say they shall not come in except they will subscribe to Terms and they say they cannot except they are taken away Both Sides must sound a Parlee and our Governours have the greatest and most imitable prevailing Example of the King of his Church Homily of Fasting â—â—st part p. 172 173. Edit Lond. 1673. and his Apostles Hear our Homily God's Church ought not neither may it be so tied to that or any other Order now made or hereafter to be made and devised by the Authority of Man but that it may lawfully for just Causes alter change or mittigate those Ecclesiastical Decrees and Orders yea recede wholly from them and break them when they tend either to Superstition or to Impiety when they draw People from God rather than work any Edisication in them and not in these Cases alone as you shall hear afterwards This Authority Christ used for the Order and Decree made by the Elders for washing oft-times tending to Superstition our Saviour changed into the Sacrament of Regeneration This Authority To mittigate Laws and Decrees Ecclesiastical the Apostles practised Acts 15. signifying they would not lay any other Burden upon them but these Necessaries Thus ye have heard that Christian Subjects are bound to obey even in Conscience sincere Laws which are not repugnant to the Laws God Ye have heard that Christ's Church is not so bound to observe any Order Law or Decree made by Man To prescribe a Form in Religion but that the Church hath full Power and Authority from God to change and alter the same when need shall require c. Was there ever greater need than now Love of Union Peace and Growth of Godliness Sence of imminent Danger and that Danger no less than Destruction hath moved the Right Reverend Bishop of Cork to print those pressing Divine Sermons and take his Testimony as carrying greater Authority than of private Men's of the necessity of Union speaking of the Protestants in Ireland We must unite or be destroyed First Serm. p. 29. And how far is Ireland from England Can the Protestant Church in Ireland be destroyed and England be safe Yea how much further is the Destruction from England than from Ireland may not England be destroyed first It is most likely for if England be destroyed Ireland cannot escape if Ireland be destroyed England will be endangered but may better withstand it than Ireland can The same discerning and sensible Bishop cannot conceive any Possibility of an Union of all honest-minded Men of different Persuasions amongst us that call themselves Protestants but by the coming of such several Dissenters into the establish'd Church Hence the Inference is not far to be fetched Second Serm. p. 61. That this Union can never be but by taking away the Bars and the Chains that keep the Dissenters from entering in Upon what Terms saith that Right Reverend and Excellent Person must we of the Establish'd Church come over to you that dissent or you come over to us We declare we cannot without Schism and then adds a most generous Expression of a large and catholick Spirit But are ready to sacrifice all we can otherwise to the Publick Peace and Safety Pag. 29 O that all were thus frank in their biddings for Peace and Union But Right Reverend Father Dissenting-Protestants and Independents will never press you so far as to come to them that is to be Presbyterians and Independents If you will do what you may without Schism and they do what ever can be done with a good Conscience the deadly Wound is in a hopeful way of cure Find out first what Unity is necessary for this imperfect State 2. Observe what Rules Christ gave by his Spirit and the Holy Apostles practised for Unity against Schism for Truth and Faith against Heresy for Government against Confusion for Order against Disorder for Decency against Indecency for Worship against Idolatry and Irreligion for Discipline against decay of Piety and for the soundness of its Members in a word for Admission into Communion and Priviledges for Edification Peace and Comfort And what more can be necessary for Unity and Peace of Christians in one Nation than what was sufficient for Christians in all Nations And then there will be neither Schism on one hand nor Dissent on the other That one Rule of the Apostle as far as we have attained let us walk by the same Rule would unite and heal us and do us more Service than all the Volumns of Canons besides And who can walk by the same Rule further than he hath attained The Means to be used for Union are 1. A sincere Observation of and consciencious Consent unto the Terms of our Christianity and