convenient and fit for continuance or alteration accordingly Fourth Answer The present terms of Conformity will be the same as to their Lawfulness or Unlawfulness whether there be any condescensions for Dissenters or none at all As I am a Conformist both in judgment and practice so I could offer Arguments in defence of my present Conformity as well as for Concessions to the Nonconformists Yet the Learned Bishop Cosins declared in his last Testament that it was the great duty of us all to Unite and I am sure it is so and that it is no duty of any at all to censure or condemn the present terms of Conformity as Unlawful upon the account of any concessions or recessions from them for so good an end as an happy Re-union and Comprehension I need not remind you in how many Precepts this Duty is enjoyned how tenderly and compassionately the Apostles of our Lord dealt with weak ones how earnestly they charged us to receive them to bear with them to become all things to them to gain the weak to please them to their edification c. Arguments enough to convince us that it is our duty whatever the World say or think of us to yield somewhat to the weakness of our Brethren and to relax as the Author of the Serious and Compassionate Enquiry has it p. 102. Making the terms of Communion more free and easie this is highly recommended by some good men as the most proper expedient for a Protestant Church in our condition Another Objection It would be a dishonour say some to our first Reformers to take away those things which they Established To which I Answer as True state of the Primitive Church The Fathers of this Church when they Reformed this Nation from Popery were desirous to fetch off as many as they could retaining for this cause all the Ceremonies c. Certainly we cannot do our Fore-Fathers a greater honour than to observe their Rule of Reason to conform to the times and therefore they are grosly mistaken who think it a dishonour to them for us to take away what they have Established when we keep close to the reason wherefore they did Establish it Iren. p. 225. This Temper was used by our Reformers in composing our Liturgy in reference to the Papists to whom they had then an especial eye as being the only party then appearing whom they desired to draw into their Communion by coming as near them as they well and safely could I say the same reason which at that time made them yield so far to them would now have perswaded them to alter and lay aside those things which yield matter of offence to any of the same perswasion with themselves For surely none will be so uncharitable towards those of his own Profession as to think there is not as much reason to yield in compliance with them as with the Papists Further Lloyds State Worthies in Quarto p. 998. in the Life of Archbishop Laud he brings in that Bishop disliking Mr. Calvins words of Censure Tolerabiles ineptias who knew not said the Bishop the temper of the Nation requiring then not what was absolutely best but most conveniently good And thus our Reformers did what was best in their days or most conveniently good Even as Aristotles Organon might be best in the days of old but now the case is altered and the reading Lectures out of that Book is commonly with less profit than other Logicks would be the case may be applicable to some things at least in the Common-Prayers if not the Worship it self as not done so much to edifying c. And the Reformers reason for their Imposition ceaseth which was the enlargement of the Church by gaining and winning as many as could be to our Communion The Papists came to this Worship till the 10th or 12th year of Queen Elizabeths Reign But now it hinders and shuts some of our Reformed Protestant Brethren out of our Church and so the reason which made at first for the imposition maketh as much now for the abrogation of some things therein I say again not a dishonour to our first Reformers because a due acknowledgment may be made of their worth and the work of Reformation in their days that it was the best the fittest or at least praise-worthy Our Forefathers who knew what Popery and a Mass-book was by sad Experience rejoyced that they had Prayers sound for the substance and purged from the Corruptions of the Mass book and looked upon it as a wonderful Blessing from Heaven and were thankful And if somewhat be inconvenient and less suitable to the genius of the people in these days not sinful and unlawful or unmeet for good Christians to joyn in I presume no dishonour will be done to our first Reformers who as several are apt to imagine if they had lived in these days would have taken at least some few things away for the enlargement of our Communion Thirdly Gods Honour is greater than that of our first Reformers but God is highly dishonoured by this Worship as it is at present performed carelesly negligently under contempt by many and by most I am afraid little regarded as to the devout use of it And the Question must end in this whether God will be more Honoured by the continuance of the Common-Prayers as at present or whether with Submission to the Wisdom of our Governours it may not admit of an alteration in some things for the better Whether it is like to do most good to Souls and best attain the ends of Worship in its present use or any Amendments or Concessions for a Comprehension So be it Gods Worship be done to edifying by the greater part of our Congregations in the City and Country both God will have the Glory and all good Christians will be satisfied Another Objection What need of a Comprehension Are we not as well without it What shall we be the better for it To which I Answer There are no doubt a Thousand Blessings of Heaven and Earth accompanying that Church state which like the Heavenly Society is at Unity in it self If there were any Community here upon Earth that enjoyed a perfection of Love and Peace how ambitious would Mortals be to enter into that Peaceful Society But the nearest approach that we can make unto it is by a Philadelphian state An Heavenly thing is Unity as Nazianzen well observed Pugnas dissidia nescire Deum Angelos No broyls no jars in Heaven nothing but Peace there and it is a kind of Heaven upon Earth when Brethren dwell together in Unity Psal 133.1 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is c. Pleasant to behold a lovely sight to see an Army marching in an exact order and as amiable and acceptable to hear people of the same Parish Town City and Kingdom pouring out their joint requests with one Mouth and one Heart praying for the Peace and Prosperity of Zion O the Benefits of Union are
scattered each from other upon the Mountains but a storm brings them together So doth Eusebius relate that the Church enjoyed much peace and freedom immediately before the Persecution raised against it by Dioclesian and making no better use of it than to fall asunder into Divisions and Factious Contentions instantly God took a course by way of punishment to cover the Daughter of Zion with a Cloud in his Anger and to cast down from Heaven to Earth the beauty of Israel and not to remember his footstool in the day of his Anger setting up the Right-hand of his Churches enemies and making their adversaries to rejoyce Lam. 2.1 Psal 39.42 Mr. Ward of Ipswich 's Sermons p. 253. Charity Charity is the builder of Churches Strife about trifles hath wasted many famous ones and placed the Temple of Mahomet where the Golden Candlestick was wont to stand We pity the former Ages contending about leavened and unleavened Bread keeping of Easter Fasting on Sundays the future Ages will do the like by us Pygots Abners Plea for Accommodation in 43. p. 33. Take heed your private dissentions do not expose you as a prey to the common adversary I remember the dying Fathers admonition to his Sons Having call'd them all together he caused a Faggot to be brought into the Room and commanded the stoutest of them to break it they tryed one after another but none of them could do it then he bade them undo the band and take them stick by stick and so they snapped them asunder like a twined thread Thus shall it be with you my Sons saith the Old Man when I am dead if you continue united and knit together in the bond of Peace and Love no Enemies shall be able to hurt you but if you once break the bond and fall into differences among your selves you 'l presently be broken to pieces and come to nothing Item p. 42. The wild Boar of the Forest I mean the Turk had never made such inrodes into Christendom had it not been for the dissention of Christian Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the Rebellion in Ireland Ejac. 3. Because we have not more loved thy Truth and practiced in Charity thou hast suffered a Spirit of error and bitterness of mutual and mortal hatred to arise among us Bishop Reynolds Broth. Agreement p. 18. Cites holy Cyprian who in his time looked upon it as one great cause of that fore Persecution which God sent upon the Church Had Unanimity and Peace said he been amongst the Brethren we had long ago obtained our Petitions from Divine Mercy neither had we been thus long tossed with those Tempests which endanger our Faith and Salvation Imo vero nec venissent Fratribus haec mala si in unum fraternitas fuisset animata Bishop Hacket on Acts 15.39 p. 8 9. The passage is well known about Constantine the Great how he remov'd from his Palace in the East because every corner of the Imperial City was filled with adverse disputations about Religion much more you may presume that God will depart from that Church where the flames of notorious discords are Causes of decay of Christian Piety p. 304. As to the extirpation of the Eastern Churches he that shall examine the Records of those Times will have cause to say their janglings and divisions were not only in a Moral and Divine but even in a proper natural sence the Instruments of it the Turk only coming in at those breaches which themselves have made Glanvells Cath. Charity p. 17. The greatest evils that have or can happen to the Church have been the effects of the decay of Charity and of those intestine divisions that have grown up in it From these she hath always suffered more than from external Persecutions The flames within have consumed her when those from without have only sing'd her garments Bishop of Salisbury 's Exhort to Peace and Vnion on Matth. 12.25 p. 3. There is nothing that defeats the end of Religion more and doth more naturally lead to all manner of sin and impieties which must end in Temporal as well as Eternal ruine then our Divisions Pag. 9. In Divisions either party will be so intent on their little designs that the whole may perish and they will bite and devour one another till they are either consumed one of another or made an easie Conquest to those that both see and improve all their advantages Item Exhort p. 10 11. The Africans continued quarrelling about Cecilian and his ordainers till the Vandals came and destroyed both the one and the other Item p. 11. And can we think without astonishment that the difference of the Procession of the Holy Ghost could ever have rent the Greek and Latin Churches so violently one from another that the Latins rather than assist the other look'd on till they were destroyed by the Ottoman Family which has ever since been so terrible a Neighbour to the rest of Europe Mr. Hesketh on Lam 3.20 21. p. 25. It were seasonable to have made some reflections upon the unchristian heats and unreasonable differences that are among us things that render us not only sinners but great fools and plain contrivers for our own Ruine For these are evils that will destroy us alone and by their own weight sink us into destruction Divided Societies last not long the experience of all Ages confirms it for a Truth and I do not see what reason we have to expect an exemption from the common fate Dr. Mores Mystery of Iniquity p. 554. What harm is it to presage so well of the Reformation as that after the decursion of the years of their Childhood God will ripen them into a more Manly sence of the great and indispensable Duties of the Gospel that he will not tolerate nor connive any longer at their Childish squabling about Nut-shells Counters and Cherry-stones and menace them even with destruction if they leave not off their animosities and asperities of mind about toys and trifles and hold fast to the Royal Law of Love If ye bite and worry one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another Gal. 5.15 Mr. Hancocks Sermon on Luke 19.42 If the judgments of God which we have already groaned under cannot sure the dangers that threaten us and our Religion might help to abate our heats and suppress our differences Did not Christianity decay in the Church of Corinth as their Schisms and Factions increased Pag. 31. Were not the former Conquests of these Nations the effects of our own Divisions God grant that saying may never be applyed to us which was used of our Fore-Fathers that whilst they severally quarrel'd among themselves they were all overcome by the common Enemy Item They are convinced that a number of petty Sects and divided Interests cannot long maintain their ground against the Roman Forces Mr. Cooks Sermon on Rom. 12.18 p. 4. Were it not for that security the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it that is the
would satisfie most The Fathers of our Church when they Reformed this Nation from Popery were desirous to fetch off as many as they could retaining for this cause all the Ceremonies and Forms of Prayer they could with a good rectified Conscience Some other things I could mention in the Book of Common-Prayer though not ill in themselves yet fit to be altered and would obviously appear to every wise man once resolved to compose such a Form as to take in most of this Nation which I humbly conceive Governours should in Conscience endeavour becoming all things to all men to gain some though not all yet happily gain all in process of time Principles and Practises of Moderate Divines c. They would be very glad if some things that most offend were taken out of the way particularly that there might be no expressions in our Forms of Prayer that contain disputable and uncertain Doctrines p. 335. Vid. Mr. Wakes Sermon on Rom. 15.5 6 7. p. 23. And that no such weight be laid on lesser things as that they should be inlisted on to the endangering those of an higher nature and hazarding the Churches Prosperity and Peace Serious and Compassionate Enquiry into the causes c. That it will be no Hypocritical tergiversation no wrong either to our Religion or our Consciences if when the case so requires it we change any phrase of Speech how fit soever in our apprehension for one less fit but more acceptable and currant or any Rite or Ceremony that we have great kindness for for one that is more grateful unto others and that according to the saying of the Lord Bacon we learn of the elder times what is lawful and of the present what is fittest Mr. De L' Angles Letter to his Lordship the present B. of London I am sure that if there were nothing wanting to cure your Divisions but the abstaining from some Expressions the quitting some Ceremonies and the changing of the colour of some Habits you would resolve to do that and something more difficult than that with great pleasure Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists Part 3. Pref. It is clear there must be a Liturgy and very many even to Dr. Sherlock mention some Alterations in the several parts of it as desirable and advisable Without any positive arrogance in a matter of this nature I do offer my observation Some that expect much profit by Preaching do think first and second Service too long and tiresome Others that care less for Preaching are very busie in the Interlocutory parts of the Service grow careless and too often prate and stare about and whisper in the Lessons and sleep under our Sermons both are too long for them also All that I will suggest in the last case is First That the second Service or Communion-Service may be then only read when there is a Communion or when there is no Sermon upon Holy-days Secondly That only one of the three Creeds be used at one time in the same Service Thirdly That the so often Repetitions of the Lords Prayer in the same Service may be limited All cannot most do not keep Curats The work of Reading the ordinary first and second Service besides incidental Offices as Baptism Churchings c. make it very expensive to most mens Strength and Spirits and wearisome to the People and the constant necessary work of Preaching and Catechising is hardly endured by the young and healthful but impossible to be performed by the infirm and aged And therefore in King Edward VI. days some Ministers were dispensed with in not Reading the whole as Grand Debate mentions p. 5. It is true indeed if a mans Conscience will bear it a Minister may be both short and seldom in the Pulpit but then it is with two great hazards First Of losing his Auditory or of his Auditories great loss to their Souls This humble Proposal for omitting the second Service hath a fair Countenance from the Rubricks Rubrick the last immediately before the Lords Prayer hath a supposition that the Communion is Celebrated every Lords day c. I mean to conclude with an excellent Citation from Bishop Taylor Duct Dubit p. 375. In Rituals and Ceremonies and little circumstances of Ecclesiastical Offices and Forms of Worship in the punctualities of Rubricks in the order of Collects in the number of Prayers and fulness of the Office upon a reasonable cause or inducement to the omission or alteration these things are so little and fit to be entrusted to the conduct of those sober obedient and grave persons who are thought fit to be entrusted with the Cure of Souls And things of such little concernment are so apt to yield to any wise mans reasons and sudden occasions and accidents and little and great Causes that these were the fittest instances of this Rule i. e. of Latitude if Superiours would not make too much of little things All just Governments give the largest interpretation to Churches Orders in these things to persons of a peaceable Mind and obedient Spirit that such circumstances may not pass into a solemn Religion and the Zeal of good Men their Caution and Curiosity may not be spent in that which doth not profit In many cases a Latitude according to Equity may be presumed but if it be expresly denied it may not be used Which is the case of our Conformists as to those things wherein a Latitude might be taken according to the Law of Equity when they carry some considerable inconvenience along with them and reason for the contrary yet we being strictly bound up by the Church it must bring a guilt upon the persons disturb their peace of Conscience and prove vexatious and troublesome to them that way if they often offend in these matters And this I presume to be the case of those who in their common practice do not come up to the strictness of their bounden and promised Conformity though in some cases when extra casum scandali contemptus they may do otherwise than the express Letter of the Law requires and be guiltless as our Casuists affirm I beg the favour with all Humility and with Submission to the Will and Wisdom of our Governours to offer to their Consideration whether it were not desirable to have a Prayer for particular Graces in the Evening Service the Petitioning part being less perfect then and at such times when the Letany is not used We have such a Prayer in the Whole Duty of Man called a Prayer for Grace comprehensive of particular Graces And then no doubt the use of it would be more acceptable in Families than it is now when it runs out so much in Intercessions and so little in Petition Again I offer to their Consideration whether the Hymns and Offices of Praise after the Lessons especially in the Evening Service are not become less edifying in their present use where those Spiritual Songs are barely Read as in Parish Churches and not Sung there being one way
else it will be look'd upon as a weakness and uncomfortable failing in them not to be able to say a Word or put in an Expression in things of such Importance and Concernment to the Congregation which remain many times unprovided for by the Common-Prayers First The length of the Common-Prayers allows little room for the exercise of the gift in publick though it be with Sobriety and Moderation So much of the time passeth in the use of this Worship that there is little remaining when the Sermon takes up so much besides Secondly Many in Cathedrals Visitations and often in their Parish Churches use only the Lords Prayer in the Pulpit considering the length of their Common-Prayers And indeed a long Prayer in the Pulpit after the long Prayers of the Desk seems to me to be highly inconvenient for the Common-Prayer casting a disrespect upon that whereas if the Ministers own Prayer were placed after the Sermon to pray for a Blessing upon the practical matter of the Sermon among other things it would much further Ministers Gift and Ability in Prayer and promote Gods Blessing upon the Word In Duties preached to pray for Grace to perform them Graces that they may be wrought in us Truths such as are without Controversie for Grace to know and believe them Spiritually and Grace to repent of sins or keep from them with a Confession and Thanksgiving for Mercies Spiritual or Temporal Thirdly The Canon bidding Prayer taken in a strict sence seemeth utterly to forbid and disallow of all use of the gift in publick Therefore by some Conformists it is condemned and held utterly unlawful for them to use any other than an exact Form in generals according to that Canon Fourthly Some look upon themselves bound to use the Common-Prayers and no others in their Families according to that Order All Priests and Deacons are to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly not being let by Sickness or some other urgent cause And the Curate not being reasonably hindered should say the same in the parish-Parish-Church So that if it be not said openly in the Parish Church if Sickness or some other urgent cause do not hinder it is to be said privately in their Families or personally by a mans self Fifthly Some Conformists so addicted to this Form in their Families and in publick are so set against all other manner of Prayer as to call it ex tempore Effusion Confusion vain Bablings Non-sense running beyond the very heighth of Conformity Far be it from me to plead for or to excuse and countenance the wild extravagancies of some fanciful Spirits who place their Devotion more in their various modes of speaking to God and expressing the matter of their Prayers rather than in the Truth and Piety of the Heart Yet I think we ought with Bishop Wilkins to endeavour after the Gift of Prayer accordingly to exercise it in those cases above-mentioned And perhaps some more liberty in publick were desirable or at least the exercise of that liberty which some suppose given us already as Cars Plain Considerations for satisfaction to the disaffected to our Book of Common-Prayer p. 8. Our Ministers have liberty not only in private but in publick both before and after their Sermons to exercise their Gift of Prayer and to enlarge themselves upon any emergent occasion or opportunity afforded as God shall enable them and they themselves shall judge any way expedient or needful Cases of Conscience of the Lawfulness of joyning with Forms of publick Prayer Part 1. p. 28. The Clergy of the Church of England are not restrained from exercising their own abilities in publick Prayer in which is allowed them the liberty the Dissenting Ministers can claim or pretend to to express in their own words all the matter of publick Prayer with all the sobriety affection and seriousness they are able And this permission being of long continuance and hitherto uncontrouled by our Church-Governours amounts to an allowance c. Such a liberty as this and such a practice concurrent with it were desirable But all are not agreed herein nor satisfied in point of this liberty Arg. 6. For Concessions and Alterations in the Common-Prayer because of the frequent commands of bearing with the infirmities of the weak i. e. indulging the weak and scrupulous with some favour and liberty to forbear those things they scruple of becoming all things to all men to gain some and pleasing our Brother for his good to edification and that all things be done in Charity c. these call for some Concessions as my Lord Hales in his Discourse of Religion tells us Some allowance is to be made in the case of a weak Brother who on that account refuseth and cannot though he would obey Either all the Commands of bearing with the infirmities of the weak signifie thus much saith he or nothing at all And though the common Answer is Is it not fitter that he should submit to the Church then the Church submit to him Yet that Answer I presume is not sufficient in this case though there be a Duty that the Child owes to the Father yet that will not excuse the Father from the Duty which he owes to his Child especially when it is from a Conscientious account that he refuseth to obey Mr. Tulli 's Sermon of Moderation p. 22. St. Paul made himself all things to all men c. And how was he all things to all Bishop Hall as a Learned Prelate of our own asks the Question if he did not sometime remit of his right to some Bishop Saunderson ad Aulam Serm. 8. Sect. 38. We deal not like Christians no nor like reasonable Creatures if we expect all men should come to our bent in every thing and we our selves relent not our own stiffness in the least matter for their sakes And even Dr. Sherlock of Religious Assemblies p. 22. Speaks of making all reasonable condescensions to the weakness or ignorance of some doubting and scrupulous Consciences and of giving ease to them and relaxing the terms of Communion 1. But the experience of many years shews that our Brethren remain unsatisfied in their Consciences 2. They offer to give it in upon their Oaths that they are not satisfied in Conscience as some to my knowledge would and Dr. More tells us so on their behalf I think in his Mystery of Iniquity and Answer touching Liberty in Religion a place cited by a Nonconformist in our Discourse together 3. They seem to be in earnest that it is really scruple and dissatisfaction in Conscience when they would part with their Benefices and People most dear unto them and suffer Fines and Imprisonments rather then Conform 4. Again Their Lives prove the same Men whose Lives are all of a piece and uniform such as make Conscience to keep from other sins why should they not be believed in this wherein they plead Conscience Can their Integrity be disproved that they are men of
unspeakably great I profess my self to stand admiring the vanity of this contentious World that values such a state no more Hear what men of the most serene temper men that aspired after it if it were possible to attain to some good degree of it or somewhat like it by living Peaceably with all men and by being Peacemakers Benefits of Peace and Vnity LOrd Bacons Essays p. 13. Speaking of Peace in the Church It containeth infinite Blessings it establisheth Faith it kindleth Charity and it turneth the Labours of Writing and Reading of Controversies into Treatises of Mortification and Devotion Bishop Andrews Sermons p. 672. The Spirit dwells not but where Unity and Love is Think of this seriously and set it down that at Salem is his Tabernacle and Salem is Peace and so the Fathers read it in pace factus est locus ejus make that place for him and he will say here is my Rest here will I dwell for I have a delight therein Mr. Vertues Plea for Peace Christ hath said Blessed are the Peace-makers they shall be called the Children of God Matth. 5.9 As we would share in this Blessedness let it be our study Item p. 51. Would we see good and enjoy long days would we be sure that we have that Wisdom which is from above be peaceable wrangle not for trifles contend not about uncertainties Dr. Goods Firmianus Dubitantius p 165. It is not to be doubted but that Peace and Unity and Love among our selves would much dishearten those restless enemies of our Church and State c. and cause Religion and Primitive Christianity to flourish in our miserable divided Nation while that time which is now spent in vain Wranglings and unchristian Contentions would be better employed in devout Prayer Holy Meditation and Mortification of our Corruptions in Duties of Piety towards Almighty God and of Love Mercy and Charity one towards another Mr. Jekyls Sermons on Jer. 5.29 p. 30. Next to Peace with God without which all other security will prove deceitful Unity amongst our selves is certainly the most effectual thing to the making of us an happy people and till that be attained we may possibly be quiet but we shall never be safe I shall conclude this with an excellent Speech of that Pious and Peaceable Prelate Dr. Reynolds in his Sermon of Self-denyal towards the end It were worth not only our Fasting and Prayer but our Studying our Sweating our Bleeding our Dying to recover Peace to the Church and Unity amongst Brethren again I could argue also from the mischievous effects and consequences of our Divisions that the case of our Church must be very sad and deplorable while our Divisions and Confusions in matters of Religion continue Malorum ilias a multitude of evils throng in upon a Church through its unchristian Divisions A divided state is an unhappy state it is a state of Separation from God as well as from their Brethren Bishop Andrews Sermons p. 672. And what is there would sooner grieve him the Holy Spirit and make him to quit us than discord or disunion Among divided men or minds he will not dwell not but where Unity and Love is They may talk of the Spirit without these in vain To say Truth who would be hired to dwell in Mesheck Psal 120.5 where nothing is but continual jars and jangles Such places such men are even as Torida Zona not habitable by the Spirit by this Spirit But for the Spirit of Division ut habitet inter eos Daemon a fit place for the Devil to dwell among such And surely he that hath an heart affected with any sense of the miserable case of our divided Church though blessed be God not in so lamentable a case now as in former years he that hath any concern for it must needs be convinced that we are not well cannot be well in our multiplicity of Divisions The Lord Chancellor Hides Speech to the Parliament 1660 He calls it a sad Consideration that must make every Religious Heart to bleed to see Religion which should be the strongest of Obligations and cement of Affection and Brotherly kindness and Compassion made by the perverse wranglings of passionate and froward Men the Ground of all Animosity Hatred Malice and Revenge My Lords and Gentlemen saith he this Disquisition hath cost the King many a sigh many a sad hour when he hath considered the almost irreparable Reproach the Protestant Religion hath undergone from the Divisions and Distractions which have been so notorious in this Kingdom Bishop Saunderson 's Sermons ad Aulam Serm. 9. Sect. 30 Odious to God and grievous to every Godly Man it is when such Voices as these are heard in the Church I am of Paul and I am of Cephas and I of Apollo Mr. Baxter in the Life of Sir Matthew Hale saith that he much lamented that so many Ministers were silenced the Church weakned Papists strengthned the cause of Love and Piety greatly wronged and hindred by the present differences about Conformity Doctor Good 's Firmianus Dubitantius c. p. 152 'T is indeed much to be lamented that we should quarrel about Mint and Cummin to the prejudice of the more weighty and material duties and scandal of our Religion Causes of the decay of Christian Piety p. 424. Amidst all our importunate pretences to Piety if there be indeed any such thing amongst us methinks it should give us some relentings make us sadly consider what a deplorable Condition we have brought that very Religion into by our Divisions Bishop of Salisbury 's Exhortation to Peace and Vnity p. 30. There have arisen among us such heats so much bitterness so violent an aversion to one another that it must needs beget great Grief and sad Apprehensions in all that look on and judge impartially Principles and Practices of some Mod. c. p. 4. It pains me to the Heart when I consider to what a prodigious heighth about matters in Religion our feuds are grown and how utterly averse the too many Sects and Parties we are crumbled into are to entertain thoughts of Peace and Accommodation Vnity of the Catholick Church p. 1. Whosoever with an Impartial Eye and a truly Religious concern for the Honour of God the Credit of the Gospel and the Salvation of Men looks into the State of Christendom he will scarce find any greater cause of sorrowful Reflections than from the many Divisions and Animosities which have distracted and separated its Parts Mr. Wakes Serm. on Rom. 15.5 6 7. I do not believe there is any good Christian so little affected with those unhappy Divisions under which the Church at this day labours as not both heartily to deplore them and to think that nothing could be too much that might innocently be done on all hands for the redressing of them And to show that these Worthy Men had cause to complain and bewail our Divisions I shall Exemplifie the Evils The Mischief of our Divisions THE First Mischief
with great regret and expresses some hopes that it might be Repealed next Session of Parliament if the Popish Party did not hinder it and he seems to stand in doubt whether he should Conform himself to it or not upon which he desires Bullingers advice And in many Letters writ on that Subject it is asserted that both Cranmer and Ridley intended to procure an Act for abolishing the Habits and that they only defended their Lawfulness but not their fitness and therefore they blamed private persons that refused to obey the Laws Bishop Grindal in a Letter Aug. 27. 1556. writes that all the Bishops who had been beyond Sea had at their return dealt with the Queen to let the matter of the Habits fall but she continued inflexible He laments the ill effects of the opposition that some had made to them which had extreamly irritated the Queens Spirit Cox Bishop of Ely laments the aversion that they found in the Parliament to all the Propositions that were made for the Reformation of abuses Peter Martyr to Bishop Hooper At first I conceived no small joy of your singular and earnest study in that you put your endeavour that Christ his Religion may be brought again unto a chast and simple Purity For what should be more desired of all Godly hearts then that all things by little and little should be clean taken away and cut off which have very little or nothing in them that can be referred wholly to Edification but rather be judged of the Godly to be superfluous Homily of Fasting Part 1. p. 172 173. Edit 1673. Gods Church ought not neither may it be so tyed to that i. e. Fasting 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 mitigate those Ecclesiastical Decrees and Orders yea recede wholly from them and break them when they tend either to Superstition and Impiety when they draw people from God rather than work any edification in them This Authority to mitigate Laws and Decrees Ecclesiastical the Apostles practised signifying Acts 15. they would not lay any other burden upon them than these necessaries King Charles I. in his Declaration with the Advice of his Privy Council Jan. 164â— As for differences among our selves for matters indifferent in their own nature we shall in tenderness to any number of our Loving Subjects very willingly comply with the Advice of our Parliament that some Law may be made for the exemption of tender Consciences from Punishment or Prosecution for such Ceremonies in such cases which in the judgment of most men are held to be matters indifferent and of some to be absolutely unlawful Bishop of Cork and Ross 's Protestant Peacemaker Some Circumstantials may be on our side abated and had been doubtless long ago if men of eager and inflexible Spirits had not hindered Du. Goods Firmianus Dubiâ— p. 153. Some Wife and Peaceable Men have desired that the use of certain Ceremonies might be forborn at least for a time which notwithstanding they are still continued These Peaceable Men do abhor the great sin of Separation and do continue their Conformity Dr. Stillingfleet also in Preface to Vnreasonableness of Separation Mr. Claud of France Mr. De L' Angle c. Ceremonies to be left free The Canons made 1640. Can. 7. In the Practice or Omission of this Rite bowing towards the Altar we desire that the Rule of Charity prescribed by the Apostle may be observed which is that they which use this Rite despise not them who use it not and that they who use it not condemn not those that use it Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 4 p. 15 Strangers are suffered in their Churches to retain their own Ceremonies as be neither against Faith and good Manners and therefore may be born in Christian Unity without offence or confusion Letter to Johannes a Lasco concerning the use of such Signs It is surely the part of Brotherly Charity commanded us by God to leave the use of those Signs free to the Judgment and Conscience of the Congregation except we see an open abuse either of Superstition or of Contention as if they displeased the greater and better part of the Church It was evident at St. Pauls time by the most clear Scriptures of God that the use of days meats and all other external things was made free and it was a sure token of infirmity of Faith to doubt thereof Lord Bacon in his Consideraâ— Dedicat. to K. James I. For the Cap and Surplice since there be things in their nature indifferent and yet by some held Superstitious and that the Question is between Science and Conscience it seemeth to fall within the compass of the Apostles Rule which is that the stronger descend and yield to the weaker only the difference is that it will be materially said that the Rule holds between a private man and a private man and not between the Conscience of a private man and the order of a Church But yet sith the Question at this time is of a Toleration not by connivance which may encourage disobedience but by Law which may give a Liberty it is good again to be advised whether it fall not within the equity of the former Rule And for subscription it seemeth to be in the nature of a Confession and therefore proper to bind in the unity of Faith and to be urged rather for Articles of Doctrine than for Rites and Ceremonies and points of outward concernment For howsoever Politick Considerations and Reasons of State may require Uniformity yet Christian and Divine grounds look chiefly upon Unity Dr. Edw. Bulkleys Apol. for the Religion Established Edit 1608. p. 112. Touching the use of Surplices Organs c. in Divine Service I say that men may differ in Opinions of these things and agree in unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God Doctor Fuller in his Appeal of injured Innocence in defence of his Church History Multiformity in things meerly indifferent with mutual Charity doth more promote Gods Glory then Uniformity it self Doctor Mores Mystery of Godliness Sect. 10. Pref. About the Communion I confess an Uniformity would look better in outward shew but is not worth the least stir and violence in diversities of actions or rather circumstances interpretable to so good a meaning as either Kneeling or Sitting at the Communion is and the real exercise of Charity in leaving every one free is every whit as suitable to this solemn performance as the most exquisite Uniformity if devoid of the Spirit of Meekness and mutual forbearance Item To the same purpose about the Cross Unity of Hearts being better than Uniformity in Actions indifferent there ought to be no breach nor quarrel about these things By an high value of the indispensables of Christianity and of the tender regard to the Consciences of men the Minister will conciliate more authority to himself than if he
drew too hard to an uniform complyance in things where Christ hath left us free True state of the Primitive Church p 20. Let us be men of understanding men in Devotion be zealous and hold fast the substantial parts of Religion and let us leave it to Women and Children to contend about Ceremonies Let it be indifferent to us whether this or that or no Ceremony whether Kneel or not Kneel Bow or not Bow Surplice or no Surplice Cross or no Cross Ring or no Ring Let us give Glory to God in all and no offence to our Brethren in any thing Doctor Stillingfleets Irenicum p. 65. He must be a great stranger in the Primitive Church that takes not notice of the great diversity of Rites and Customs used in particular Churches without censuring of those that differ'd from them or if any by inconsiderate Zeal did proceed so far how ill it was represented by other Christians And he concludes with that Divine Aphorism of St. Austin Indignum est ut propter ea quae nos Deo neque digniores c. It is an unworthy thing for Christians to condemn and judge one another for those things which do not commend us unto God To the same purpose in Vnreasonableness of Separation That the Cross be left at liberty as the Parents desire it or wholly taken away Pref. p. 83. Edit 3. King Charles II. Declaration at Breda Agreed to leave the Ceremonies at liberty Dr. Rudde Bishop of St. Davids Speech in the Convocation 1604. In the life time of the late Archbishop then Whitgift these things were not so extreamly urged but that many Learned Preachers enjoyed their Liberty therein conditionally that they did not by word nor deed disgrace or disturb the State established King Charles II. Declaration from Breda None shall be denied the Lords Supper for not Kneeling none compelled to use the Cross it shall be Lawful to him that desires to use the Cross to have such Ministers as will use it and if the proper Minister refuse to get another None compell'd to bow at the name of Jesus The Surplice left to liberty except in the Royal Chappel Cathedrals and Universities Another Argument The mischief to the Church hath been very great from these Ceremonies especially from the Cross First as to the Imposition though the present Fathers of the Church have signified their consent unto a due liberty to Dissenters and some Indulgence to them beyond their Predecessors yet several Ministers in Queen Elizabeths and King James I. Reign and that of King Charles I. and at King Charles II. Return have been turned out of their Benefices and silenced for Nonconformity to these Ceremonies although the Church of England confesseth them to be but things indifferent And it were hard for refusing upon a Conscientious account to submit to things indifferent to have one of the greatest punishments inflicted on a man Suspension and Deprivation even as Conformists would many of them think it hard to be Silenced for not assenting to the Perseverance of the Saints or any other of the five points according to the common sense or notion of our Dissenting Brethren Secondly These Ceremonies have been as it were a bone of Contention thrown in between Conformists and Nonconformists Zanchies Letter to Queen Elizabeth 1571. tells her This Counsel about strict Imposition of Ceremonies will trouble the publick Peace of the Church by causing contentions among men and cause them to write Books one against another about things indifferent which are the Golden Apples of Contention Many an hot Dispute and Conference there hath been and Books wrote for and against them with bitterness of Spirit some contending as earnestly about these indifferent things as about matters of Faith as if the very Life and Soul of Religion lay in them and as if the cause of Christ and our Protestant Reformation were to stand or fall with them The Ceremony of the Cross hath been as vexatious to our Church as ever the difference about the Jewish Ceremonies of Days and Meats was in the time of the Apostles which occasioned a Council at Jerusalem Acts. 15. so many Chapters in St. Pauls Epistle and such contention among them Thirdly Much time hath been spent to little purpose or profit in Reading or Studying these matters Oh the many that have wrote for and against No little time doth it cost men in Writing as Bishop Mourton Dr. Bourges for Dr. Ames against them and others nay every Book for or against Conformity as God knows there are abundance of them upon these fruitless Controversies makes the Ceremonies materiam contentionis matter of the Controversie and it calleth for a part and a considerable share in the Book Time also spent in Reading and Studying the point and there must be Prayer to be led by the Spirit to find out the Truth for satisfaction The time also which is spent in Preaching on this point for it is commanded in the Canons I say this time would be much better spent in reading the Bible with Comments or Treatises of Divinity and so be Redeemed for Eternity which now men are necessitated to spend for satisfaction herein All this a great deal or a considerable portion of time may be better improved if this Ceremony be taken away And then as my Lord Bacons Essays p. 13. Speaking of Peace in the Church It turneth the labours of Writing and Reading Controversies into Treatises of Mortification and Devotion Again The strict exaction of these Ceremonies hath occasioned some to cry them up as if a considerable part of Ministers Conformity to the Laws of God and Man lay therein when in truth it is a very inconsiderable part And some have sought to get into favour with greater Persons and attain Preferment by a niceness and strict observance of every Punctilio about the Ceremonies exacting perhaps a more strict Obedience to these than to the Laws of God And he shall pass for an obedient and very good Son of the Church with some that is a zealous stickler for these though he be loose in his Life formal in his Religion and uncharitable to those that differ from him Again Some have declared that they cannot joyn with us in Baptism suffering their Children to be Baptized by Conforming Ministers because of the Sign of the Cross which they in their Consciences cannot allow of nor joyn in the Lords Supper because of Kneeling which seems to them though through great weakness and a more unreasonable prejudice when the Rubrick is so expresly against the Idolatry and Adoration of the Sacramental Bread a symbolizing with Idolaters which things have bred no small perplexity of mind and outward trouble to some Godly Persons said Mr. Sprint in his days Cass Anglic. I shall conclude this with Dr. Preston on the Lords Prayer p. 89. Thy Kingdom come We intreat the Lord that he would curse and cross all Antichristian Plots and Practices and we are to Pray against all lets and
of the People in point of Religion and one cannot there press an Vnion too much For there is never like to be an effectual Reformation of Peoples unreformed Lives without an Union when Conforming and Nonconforming Ministers may joyn together encourage and assist each other in that blessed work And as to an Union Mr. Baxter in his Life and Death of Sir Matthew Hale saith p. 19 20. that the said Judge told him the only means to heal us was a new Act of Uniformity Therefore I shall apply my self to the Governours of the Church that are Lawfully called and have Authority to appoint and alter matters of this nature respecting the Service and Worship of God I shall in all Humility recommend to the Governours Consideration some Arguments for Concessions and Alterations in the Common Prayer and then in the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England And to show that I am not alone and that it is not a project of my own which hath no countenance or encouragement from others I shall mention greater Names in favour of the same Argument and urge their concurrence and that shall be my first Plea First Plea For some Concessions and Alterations in this Worship because there are some things which in the judgment of several eminent Conformists may be altered without any detriment or dishonour to the Church Divers Reverend Bishops and Doctors in a Paper in Print before the unhappy Wars in King Charles I. Reign yielded to the laying aside of the Cross and the making many material Alterations as the Archbishop of Armagh the Bishop of Lincoln Dr. Prideaux Dr. Ward Dr. Brownrigg Dr. Featly met together by Order of the Lords at the Bishop of Lincolns in Westminster besides some Innovations in Discipline given in hinted their desire of the Alteration of many things in the Book of Common-Prayer as the Reading of the Psalms according to the New Translations Lessons of Canonical Scripture instead of the Apocrypha leaving out the Hymn of Benedicite and the saying Gloria Patri after every Psalm changing with my Body I thee Worship into these I give thee Power over my Body I Absolve thee in the Visitation of the Sick into these I pronounce thee Absolved c. Grand Debate p. 31. Again the Bishop of Armagh p. 130 131. from Dr. Barnard to this effect That for the healing of those distractions and divisions among Ministers and others and the moderating of each extream in relation to the use of the Liturgy whereby there might be a return of that wished for Peace and Unity which of late years we have been strangers to he conceived some prudent and moderate accommodation might be thought of by wise men in order to the continuance of the substantial part each side yielding somewhat after the example of St. Paul Rom. 14. Idem Directions about the Liturgy After his Vindication of the Liturgy yet it cannot be denied but that there are naevi in pulchro corpore and as it were to be wished that these were altered so it were to be done without much noise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon the Ordinance against the Common Prayer Sect. 4. Our publick Liturgy or Forms of constant Prayers must be abolished and not amended in what upon free and publick advice might seem to sober men inconvenient for matter or manner to which I should easily consent Idem To the Prince of Wales In this Church I charge you to persevere as coming nearest to Gods Word with some little amendment c. King Charles the Seconds Declaration from Breda 1660. Since we find some exceptions made against several things in the Liturgy we will appoint an equal number of Divines of both perswasions to review the same and to make such alterations as shall be thought most necessary and some additional Forms and it shall be left to the Minister to chuse one or other In the mean time we desire that Ministers would read those parts against which there lie no exceptions yet in compassion to those that scruple it our will and pleasure is that none be punished or troubled for not using it until it be effectually Reformed as aforesaid The Bishop of Corks Protestant Peacemaker p. 29. What most of the Dissenters would be at no Liturgy no Episcopacy may not be cannot be without Schism we are ready to sacrifice all we can otherwise to the publick peace and safety Idem p. 33. But notwithstanding what I have said of the excellency both of the Common-Prayers and of Cathedral Performances I do not conceive the alteration of an Expression or here and there of a whole Prayer or two by Law or dispensing with some Ceremonies I do not conceive such relaxation as this would break the Harmony and Beauty of our Worship or disturb the Union and Peace of our Church There are some Collects and perhaps Rubricks too which with all duty and submission I humbly conceive might be altered for the better Page 118 119. Mr. Hales in his Tract of Schism p. 215. Propounds it as a remedy to prevent Schism to have all Liturgies and publick Forms of Service so framed as that they admit not of particular and private fancies but contain only such things in which all Christians do agree Prayer Confession Thanksgiving Reading of Scriptures in the most plain and simple manner were matter enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgy though nothing either of private Opinion or of Church Pomp of Garments or prescribed Gestures of Imagery or Musick of matter concerning the Dead of many superfluities which creep into the Church under the names of Order and Decency did interpose it self The great Dean of St. Pauls in the Vnreasonableness of Separation Pref. About the Book of Common-Prayer it ought to be considered whether for satisfaction of the scrupulous some more doubtful and obscure passages may not yet be explained or amended Whether the new Translation of the Psalms were not fitter to be used especially in Parochial Churches Whether portions of Canonical Scripture were not better put instead of Apocrypha Lessons Whether the Rubrick about the Salvation of Infants might not be restored to its former place in the Office of Confirmation and so the present exceptions against it be removed Whether those Expressions which suppose the strict exercise of Discipline in Burying the Dead were not better left at Liberty in our present case Such a review made by Wise and Peaceable Men not given to wrath and disputing may be so far from being a dishonour to this Church that it may add to the glory of it And whether using the Liturgy and Approbation and Promise of the use of it may not be sufficient instead of the late Form of declaring their Assent and Consent which hath been so much scrupled by our Brethren True state of the Primitive Church p. 23. Now in Christ I humbly beseech the Governours of the Church calmly to consider were it not better to have such a Form of Service as