upon Is the Peace of the Church â—…rown so cheap and vile that it should be sold for things unnecessary One while he cries up Peace so high p. 108. That he protests if a Man must suffer Martyrdome he thinks it equally acceptable to God to lay down a Mans life for preservation of the Peace and Unity of the Church as in Testimony against flat Idolatry Are they not to be admired that value Peace more than their Lives and yet will venture it upon indifferent things Are they not more to be admired that extol Peace so highly and yet sacrifice it to their own meer wills and pleasures But is not this yet the greatest wonder that Peace should depend oâ—… that which Salvation does not and yet he will sacrifice his Life for it as soon as against that upon which his Eternal Damnation depends 2. If Men be not Competent Iudges of their own Actions what is become of that Iudgement of Discretion wherewith we were even now gratified Is this the Iudgement of Discretion to surrender our Consciences upon Discretion The Romanists who appropriate all Iudgement to the Clergie and deal with the rest of Mankind as Idiots and Sots could have said no more then that Men are not Competent Iudgâ—… of their own good And if we may not be allowed a liberty to judge for our selves in those lesser matters debatable amongst Christians much less in those greater matters which they say admit of no debate And how much our Authors Cure is better than that of the Romanists I know not I think they are both worse then the Disease 3. Why is not the danger of trusting others as great as trusting to the Word of God Mine Eyes may be presumed to see for my conduct as faithfully as another Mans and my own Conscience will probably be as faithful to my Eternal concerns as any ones I could find And I have tried it that it 's much easier to obtain a moral certainty that I have the Mind and Will of God then that I have grasped the Mind of any Church from their most Authentick Articles or Confessions of Faith 4. Why should others be troubled that I am not so wise as they It 's none of my trouble that they use their liberty without dispising whilst I exercise that which God has given me without judging If we must trust others in composing Worship and Divine Service for us Terms of Communion of Christians where is then the difference between That and the Popish Implicit Faith This will make the People Sheep indeed but silly ones I am sure such is my weakness I can see no difference between Blind Obedience and trusting others with the determination of it or between Implicit Faith and trusting others as the Reason of my Belief either then here 's no Remedy or one worse then the Disease The Disease at worst is but to enjoy a liberty in those things Christ left free nor is there any necessity that freedom should be 〈◊〉 and the Remedy to trust others blindfold with our Consciences whom we have no assurance will be over tender of them and if we had have no Commission from Christ to intrust them any where but in his own hands But what now if the people be foolish proud and contentious what remedy has the Church 〈◊〉 Why she only declares them guilty of sin and contâ—…macy and casts them out of Communion But â—…hat if they be humble and meek and peaceabâ—…e only cannot by searching studying praying discoursing see the lawfulness of the imposed Terms of Communion Must the Church declare them contumacious and cast them out of Communion It may tempt us to think that is no Remedy of Gods prescribing that deals alike with humble and pround the peaceable and contentious But for all this demureness I doubt there are other Remedies besides a Declaration other Weapons besides Paper Pellets There is a Significavit a Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo de Harâ—…tico Comburendo An Oath of Abjuration a Warrant of Distress if they submit not to those Impositions upon which Salvation depends not and in their judgements such as are sinful and then damnation is hazarded by them I have often admired the modesty of the Church of Rome She never put any Man to death She never burnt any at a Stake It 's not for Holy Men Men of Peace to shed Blood to be Instruments of Cruelty No the Church only delivers them over to the Secular Power and what he does with them how he treats them she knows nothing Thus having drawn in the Magistrate to do her Drudgery she wipes her Mouth washes her Hands and protests she is Innocent of the Blood of these Men. An Objection was timely foreseen that might be made against his Discourse and like a person that knew how to be friendly to himself he has put it in favourable and gentle Terms This will equally extend to all other Reformed Churches as well as our own and might have brought forth all the evil we complain of and impute to it in former Ages as well as now for the generality of the People were not much wiser then now That is the Protestant Churches have their Members as lyable to mistake beyond Sea as ours on this side they have Private Reason as well as we and a Iudgement of Discretion too and so had the Primitive Times too Christians then were equally in danger of being seduced by their own injudiciousness and yet the one continued in much peace and the other still continues so without the Remedy of Imposing Mystical Ceremonies Nay to speak properly without the Disease of Impositions The not imposing doubtful things as the Terms of Communion were with them the Prophylacticks of Schisms and Divisions and the imposing of them which is strange is the Therapeutick of Schisms and Divisions to which he answers two things § 1. That other Churches found the effects of Ignorance and Arrogance more or less as well as we To which might be returned That they found it not in those things which they left free but if at any time they laid the weight of the Churches peace upon unnecessaries they found in proportion the same effects of the same Cause which we have found But says he that was to be ascribed not to the happiness of their Constitutions but to the unhappiness of their Conditions I confess I am not altogether of his mind it was mainly due to the happiness of their Constitution there were fewer Contentions because fewer Bones of Contention and less of Divisions because they united upon a Scrâ—… ptural and therefore secure bottom That the Church of Corinth needed a check for her Divisions is very true and a smart one she deserved And 't is as true too That the Apostle had not Recourse to our Modern Remedies to exert his Apostolical power to silence the Clamour by darting the Thunderbolt of Excommunication against the weaker Party and yet he had a far more specious pretence
the Doctrine of the Churches Power to take it away 3. That the most rigid Calvinists do not scruple Subscription to the Articles so far as they relate to the Quinquarticular Controversies and for a clear experiment herein for once let the Church make those Articles only the single Rail about the Communion Table and we shall soon see such Multitudes of Dissenters crowd into the Constitution that she will hardly find two Benefices a piece for them It 's my greater admiration that they who deny Particular Election Original sin the interest of Christs death in Reconciling God to us that they who assert Iustification by our own Works Freewill c. can subscribe them and indeed it seems they swallow'd them with some Reluctancy and are now reaching and straining with many a sowr face to Degorge not the Bait of the Benefice which is infinitely sweet but the Hook of the Article which is unmereifully sharp This pretended Pretence then might safely have been forborn but that the Lapwing thinks it advisable to raise a huge cry where 't is not that we may not search where really it is to make a clampering about the Non causes to divert our Fnquirers from the true and proper causes of Non-consormity Like the ingenious policy of the Thief that being arraigned for a Horse freely confessed the stealing of a Bridle but prudently concealed it was upon the Horses Head But says our Enquirer though this neither needs nor deserves an Answer yet I stall reply Two things to it That is he will give us Two needless Answers to One needless Objection 1. The summe of the former needless Answer is thus much Common Arts and Sciences which depend upon Humane Wit and Invention are capable of daily improvements but Christianity depending solely upon Divine Revelation can admit of no new discoveries The busie Wit of Man way perplex but it can never bring to light any New Thing for if we admit of any New Revelations we lose the Old and our Religion together we accuse our Saviour and his Aposiles as if they had not sufficiently revealed Gods Mind to the World and we incur St. Paul's Anathema which he denounces against him whosoever it shall be nay if an Angel from Heaven that shall Preach any other Doctrine than what had been received The Enquirer may call this a Needless Answer sor who shall hinder him from calling his own what he pleases but I assure him it contains a great deal of Needful Truth which had he like a good Husband improved the rest of his Book had been more needless than this Answer Needless we consess it to be as to the Objection which was it self needless but not so for his own Confutation for thus the Dissenters will come over him If neither Time nor the Wit of Man can make any New discoveries in Christianity then the Pope who like another Columbus or Americus has made Great and New discoveries in the Terra Incognita of Tradition and Ceremonies must either be a God or a Devil That the Liturgy was a principal part of Gods Worship he has told us in the Introduction that it was discovered from the beginning and not by later Adventurers he will be sore put to it to prove for all the Musty Fragments of St. Iames's Liturgy That it was not part of the Wisdom of Christ or his Apostles we are well enough satisfied That there was Wit and Invention in it we confess all the Question is whose Wit should have the glory of the Invention Again If to admit New Revelations be to lose the Old and our Religion together Let us make a short Quaery upon 't whether to admit of New Ordinances and Constitutions be not to lose the Old and our Religion together That is whether Gospel Institutions be not exclusive of new ones as well as Gospel Revelations and why we may not expect a new Credimus as well as a new Mandamus New Revelations as well as New Injunctions A New Prophet of the Church seems to me as necessary as a New King over the Church and a New High-Priest as needful as either And I proceed upon this Principle that the Law of Christ was as perfect as his Discoveries He has told us as fully and clearly what we should do as what we should believe He that may invade the Royal Office upon pretence there are not Laws enough for the Government of the Church may with equal appearance of Reason invade the Prophetick Office too upon pretence there are not Revelations now for its instruction And therefore the vigilant universal Pastor has found it as necessery to supply the defect of Revelations by his own Traditions as the nakedness of Worship by decent Ceremonies As Jesus Christ vindicated the Moral Law from the false Glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees so he superadded a Ceremoniâ—…l Law depending meerly upon his own fulness of Power and Authority now what right any can pretend to add new Particulars to his Ceremonial Law which they may not also pretend to add to his Meral Law I cannot Divine And therefore one of our Enquirers great Friends who had his Eyes in his Head and saw farther into these matters than his poor Neighbours was constrained to assert a power that had lain dormant somewhere of adding New Particulars to the Divine Law But further If New Revelations do accuse our Saviour and his Apostles as if they had not sufficiently revealed Gods Mind to the World Then new ways of teaching Gods Mind new invented Symbolical Ceremonies will accuse him and them of the same culpable failure in not discharging those Offices committed by God to a Mediator and by him to his Apostles And in short If we incur St. Paul's Anathema which he denounces against him that shall Preach any other Doctrine than what he has received Then they will do well to get out of the way of that Curse who Preach this Doctrine The Church has power to decree Rites and Ceremonies Unless they be sure they have received it from Christ for it s but ill venturing to stand in the way of an Angel with a drawn Sword more terrible than which is one of the Scriptures Anathema's Some will ask where and when and from whom the Church received that Doctrine which some Preach viz. A Power to impose Mystical and Symbolical Ceremonies as the Terms of Communion with a Churchâ—… but I shall only say that our compassionate Enquirer will need a most compassionate Reader upon these Two Accounts First that he makes an Objection for Dissenters which is their Answer And Secondly that he gives an Answer to that Objection which is their very Objection but yet we have not heard the Conclusion The Consequence says he of these Premises is That the elder any Doctrine of Christianity can be proved to be it must needs be truer and he that talks of a more clear Light of the latter Times and clearer discoveries in Religion talks as idly as he that
those Errours in time and not only of those Errours but of Gross Popery like by such means in time to Creep in amongst them as they found by late experience it dangerously begun I say not that the Articles of the Church encline to Popery nay they detest it but this I say that if they did encline to Arminianism they must to Popery If they do not why are they with allowance so misconstrued if they do then the secession of the Non-conformists is thereby justified Having therefore made this Objection for the Dissenters he will give them their Answer and prove the unreasonableness of this suggestion That the Church of England approaches too near the Superstitions of Rome 1. It s certain says he there hath been little or no Alteration made either in the Doctrine Discipline or Liturgy since the first Reformation Little or none Does he mean for the better or the worse To say there has liâ—…le or none been made for the better is a Commendation so cold that silence had been more an Honour than such praise The Reformation was begun as the times would bear A fair Copy was set for posterity to imitate never dreaming that their Rudiments should have been our utmost perfection That their first step should have been our Hercules Pillars and a Ne plus ultra to all future endeavours To say there has been little or no Alterâ—… made for the worse is a more modest way of Defamation but â—…enters have many things to say to this § 1 That there have been consâ—…ble Alterations made in the Articles themselves if not as they remain in Scriptis yet as they are publickly interpreted for we subscribe not to a heap of Letters and Syllables but to the sense and meaning of certain propositions as they are owned by the Church What the Church owns say they we can no otherwise understand then by those Writings which appear every day Licensed and approved by those of greatest Authority in the Church Now if we may judge of the meaning of the Articles by those Writings They are as much Altered as if Negatives had been changed into Affirmatives or Affirmatives into Negatives In former times they were generally subscribed because the most scrupulous were generally informed by those of most eminent place in the Church that the meaning was found but now say they we are informed otherwise we see our mistake the words have a different and contrary meaning and therefore we must be excused in subscription 2. They will say That what the Enquirer calls little or nothing is a very great something for it concerns us not so much what is put into the Liturgy or Rituals as what is made a Condition of Communion whiâ—…h the Church Now in the beginning of the Reformation though many things were in use yet few imposed as the necessary Terms of enjoying a station in that Society Things supposed indifferent were used as in different In the 13th of Q. Eliz. subscription is only required to Doctrinals and such Subscribers though not ordained by Prelates were admitted to officiate as Ministers of the Church of England But now subscription is peremptorily required to all and every thing contain'd in the Book of Commonprayer The Book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons wherein are considerable Doctrinal Additions and Alterations such as the different Orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons supposed to be distinct jure divino A Doctrine which A. B. Cranmer understood not as is evident from his M. S. exemplified in Dr. St. his Irenicum In the beginning of the Reformation Ceremonies were retained to win upon the people who were then generally Papists and doted upon old usages and not as the necessary conditions of Communion They were retained not to shut out of Dores the Protestants which is their present use but to invite in the Romanists which was their Original end but there 's nothing more common then for Institutions to degenerate and be perverted from the first Reasons of their usage and yet still to plead the Credit of their Originals Thus Indulgences and Remission of sins were first granted to all that would engage in the Holy War to recover the Sepulchre of Christ out of the hands of the Saracens but in process of time they were dispensed to them who would massacre the Waldenses and Albigenses and such as could not obey the Tyranny of the Romish saction Thus was the Inquisition first set up to discover the Hypocritical Moors in Spain but the edge of it since turned against the Protestants And thus were the Ceremonies perverted at first made a Key to let in the Papists and now made a Lock to shut out Protestants What a glorious work must it then be to abolish those Engines that seeing they are become weak to do Good they may be rendred as impotent to do mischief Imitating herein the Apostle who once circumcised Timothy to gain the weak Iews yet stoutly refused to Circumcise Titus least he should stumble the weak Gentiles 3. The Ceremonies its true crept into the Church pretty early yet they laid no weight no stress upon them It was decreed by the Councel of Sardica that none should be made a Bishop 〈◊〉 â—…e that had passed the Inferiour Orders and continued in them for some time and yet we see they insisted not upon such a Canon when it might prejudice the Church and exclude useful persons from the Ministry and therefore Nectarius was chosen Patriarch of Constantinople not only being a Lay-man but unbaptized As our Enquirer commends and admires the Churches Wisdom in forming her Doctrinal Articles that men of various perswasions might subscribe them so her tenderness and wisdom had been no less admirable had she recommended Ceremonies with such an Indifferency that they who were passionately sond of them might be humoured and they that protest they scruple them in Conscience towards God might fairly let them alone for it can be no dishonour to a Church to be as Lax in Ceremonies of humane constitution as in Doctrines of Divine Revelation 4. Dissenters say from good grounds that that which makes all an insupportable burden viz. That we must subscribe according to the clause of the 20th Article that The Church has power to decree Rites and Ceremonies is added since the Beginning of the Reformation And this they think heavier than all the Ceremoniâ—…s put together many could practice a thing supposing it indifferent in it self and having a real tendency to a greater good who can by no means subscribe that the Church has such a power to take away my liberty I have taken notice that in the Ancient Bibles of this Church the Contents of Psalm 149. ran thus The Prophet exhorteth to praise God for his Love to his Church and for his benefits But in the latter days we had got high ranting Language The Prophet exhorteth to praise God for his Love to his Church and for that power that he hath given to his Church over the
then any Church Governours can now justly Claim His Apostolical Commission to Plant and Water Churches which would have commanded Reverence to his Person and conciliated Authority to his Determinations and yet he either had no such power or durst not use it but took the Healing way tolerating things tolerable and pressing them mutually to Love and Peace under their various apprehensions about Mint Anise and Cummiâ—… But yet he thinks That the Reason why Primitive Christians whilst under persecution had one Heart and Mind was because they submitted their private Fancies to publick Safety Which is only the assigning of an Imaginary cause for a Real one Primitive Christians whilst surrounded with Adversaries were of one Heart and Mind in the main and the true Reason was because their dangers and pressing fears had not yet let in that Prelatical Imposing Spirit into the Guides of the Church which Ease and Liberty afterwards produced And though we dare not charge our Divisions upon Peace Plenty and Liberty which are great Mercies to a sinful people yet we would lay the Saddle upon the right Horse the blame at the right door 'T is not the injudiciousness of the People who are willing to be quiet and accept of rest upon tolerable terms but the obstinacy of Clergy-men who make their own Wills the reason of their Injunctions not considering that all mens Intellectuals are not of one size and height and yet as if Consciences were to be fooled with Mens Souls sported with they necessitate the People either to act against their Light or to fall under the severe lash of a Poenal Statute § 2. That these Evils broke out no sooner says he is due to the contentment generally took in their first Emerging out of the Darkness and Superstitions of Popery Very true they were so full of Admiration at what God had done for them that they considered not what further to ask God to do for them so transported that they were out of Egypt that they never considered how short the Wilderness was of the promised Land And hence he might have answered himself p. 13. If there be such a dangerous Affinity between the Church of England and Rome how came it to pass that Cranmer and Ridley c. laid down their Lives in testimony to this against that Rome was not built nor will it be destroyed in one day Our first Martyrs laid down their Lives in Testimony that Rome was guilty of dangerous Doctrines but not that we had nothing remaining that needed a Reformation 2. A second cause is That a great part of this Nation having been leavened with Iewish Superstitious or Traditions hath thereby been indisposed to an uniform reception of and Perseverance in the Reformation of Religion held forth by this Church When I first read the charge of Judaism brought in against the Dissenters I remembred what I had met with in the virulent Titles of some Lutheran Book Calvinus Iudaizans Calvinianorum Nesterianismus Calvine-papismus Noâ—…us Calvinistarum Deus to which we may add Calvine-Turcismus and some others I began to cast about in my thoughts for the reason of such an Imputation Have they set up an Image of the Aaronical Priesthood Have they their High-Prieâ—… their inferiour Priesâ—… and Levites attired in the Linen Ephod with all the Accoutrements of the Aaronical Wardrobe And that they may more exactly symbolize therewith have they provided for their Priests an Altar settled upon them a Levitical maintenance and to carry on the parallel have they erected Temples distinguisht by sacred Apartments Have they their Holy and most Holy place Chancelled in for the greater Reverence of the sacred Mysteries to secure them from the Approaches of the prophane and injudicious Rabble and have they all these enclosed within Holy Ground And the rather beacuse Dionysius assures us That the Christians in his time had solemn Temples like the Iews and the Chancel severed with special sanctifications from the rest of the Church whereas says he the Christians of the first Age made their Assemblies both in such private places and in such simplicity as the Apostles did I considered again whether the Non-conformists had not introduced a pompous padagâ—…gie of Ccremonies and imposed them upon the People whether they might not parhaps have instituted some Feasts and Holy-days upon an old Judaical account as of the Circumcision Purification or whether they had not appointed some Office or solemn special Service for Lustration of Women after Childbirth in correspondence with the Iewish Purifications of Women after their uncleanness whether they observed any sacred time Analogical to the Passover or had any Foot-steps of the ancient distinction of Meats into clean and unclean Or any thing that might give cause of suspicion that they had by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revived Moses his extraordinary Quadragesimal Abstinence or whether they introduced Temple instrumental Musick whether loud sounding Cymbals or Organs having such good proof in Durantus his Rationale from that Text Let every thing that hath Breath praise the Lord And when I could find no track of reason for the charge upon these accounts I went to enquire of the Enquirer And it does appear by his talk that a more secret and mysterious Judaisme then all this has of old been rooted in this Nation that no Ecclesiastical Pick-axes have been able to extirpate it for says he the greatest difficulty that Austin the Monk found here was to bring the Inhabitants from the observation of Easter and some other Rites according to the manner of the Iewish and Eastern Churches to that of the Roman and Western and the doing it cost the lives of twelve hundred Monks who stubbornly opposed his Inovations This Austin was certainly a Formal Fop as ever this poor Nation was harassed with Two third parts of his whole Ministerial or Apostolical work was Ceremony for upon these conditions he propounded Peace to the Britains If you will in these three things obey me In celebrating Eastar in due time In Baptizing according to the manner of the Roman Church and in Preaching the Word to the Nation all other Ceremonies Fashions and Customs though they be contrary to ours yet we will willingly bear with them Was not this a person of great moderation But why not condescend in those two as well as all the rest Oh it s the Religious policy of Rome to reserve as much of Ceremony as like a Quit-rent will serve to Recognize the Papal Soveraignty and that point of Soveraignty alone will in due time fetch in the other To own that Churches power to impose ics Jurisdiction to award terms of Communion though but in one single instance is the delivery of a Twig and a Turf which give her Livery and Seisâ—…n of the Conscience in the name of the whole Man But if Austins Reformation was so Ceremonious in it self and so bloody in its effects which are if not inseparably yet commonly linked together If he could have
all his experiments and great shew of skill in healing he is wheeled about to that last and worst of Papal Remedies which some call Axes Halters Gibbets Racks Pillories Imprisonment others the Holy Inquisition which is just the plea of the Papists for all their Barbarities That if the People will not be perswaded they see no Reason why the Church should not deliver thâ—…â—…er to the secular powers to be burne for Hereticks CHAP. II. The Enquirers notion of Schism examined and as Applyed to the sober Non-conformists proved uncharitable unjust and false SChism is an Ecclesiastical Culverine which being overcharged and ill managed Recoyles and hurts the Canoneer He that undertakes to play this great Gun had need be very Curious and careful to spunge his Canon Well lest it fire at home Nothing has more naturally tempted the Imprudent to account nothing to be Schism then that some hasty angry men have made every thing so That causeless separation from a particular Church of Christ whereof we were once duly Members is a sin of a deep dye is owned by all that own the Gospel and have any tender regard tâ—… the prosperity of the Church or propagation of the Truth but yet we ought not to be so easily credulous as to believe every departure to be that heinous thing which passionate men in hot blood out of prejudice to the persons of others or a necessity to secure and establish their own Acquists over mâ—…ns Consciences are resolved to call so It was not therefore lightly but with great judgement that the learned Hales calls it one of those Theologiâ—…al 〈◊〉 with which they who use to uphold a party in Religion use to fright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making any enquiry into it are ready to Relinquish and oppoâ—… it if it appear either erroneous or suspicious St. Cyprian it seems affirms it to be of so horâ—…ble a Gâ—… thâ—… Martyrdom was not a sufficient Expiation of it And upon the like occasion he might have said as much of any other siâ—… for I have not learnt that Martyrdom was design'd to expiate our siâ—… but to bear witness to Gods Truths And the same Cyprian at another time will inform us that Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis Deum metuens à peccatore praeposito separare se debet A people fearing God and Conscienciously obsequious to his Commands not only may but ought to separate it self from a scandalous and wicked Pastor And therefore we may secure our selves that such separation in his judgement is not That Schism which Martyrdom will not expiate The true reason why separation in the Scripture and purer Primitive times was esteemed a Crime so unpardonable was because the Church made no other Terms of enjoying her Communion then Christ had made That Superiours durst-not venture the Churches Peace upon such a sandy foundation as her own Inventions turned into Impositions for if the Terms of Communion be of Mans making the separation that enâ—…ues will be but a Schism of mans making too and whether a Church has first a power to make a sin and then to make it damnable I have some reason to question Let nothing be declared Schism but what the Scriptures haâ—… made so and we shall be content it be made as great a sin as he can reasonably desire Had not our Enquirer been carried down in the torrent of his own overflowing Eloquence till he had quite lost himself he might have answered himself from his own words p 109. For this cause says he it pleased God that his Church in those early days should rather be harassed with persecutions which made it unite it self the closer and paring off all superfluities keep to the necessary and essential Doctrines delivered to it then to be softned and made wanton by ease and so to corrupt the simplicity of the Gospel Let a Church then return to the simplicity of the Gospel Let her repent of that softness and wantonness of Spirit which by Ease she has contracted Let her pare off all superfluities and keep close to the necessary and essential Doctrines delivered to it and she shall find us as ready to write Philippics against Schism as him self though we want his Ciceronian quill and wordie excellencies Now though we are all convinced that Schism veri nominis is a most detestable Impiety yet to beget in us a greater aversation from it it may be profitable to listen to his reasonings which are so potent as will doubtless drain both the Conventicles and the Theatres § 1. None says he can doubt of this who considers what care our Saviour took to prevent it what pains he took with his Apostles that they might be throughly instructed and not differ in the delivery of his mind to the World We do with all humble thankfulness own the faithfulness of our Saviour in instructing and the Carefulness of the Apostles in following their instructions They delivered to the Churches as the whole Counsel of God Acts 20. 27. so only the Counsel of God 1 Cor. 11. 23. I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you And let but the Pastors of the Church imitate these patterns keep exactly to their instructions from the Lord Christ which we doubt not are proportionable to reach the ends of Unity and Peace else they had not been sufficiently instructed and either we shall have no separations or the case will be so plain the separation so evidently Schism â—…hat the Schismaticks shall not be able to obtend the least umbrage to cover their gross prevarication But when Embassadors throughly instructed in all the means to prevent that evil shall go beyond their Instructions and impose new unheard of Terms of Communion which never came into his heart to approve nor ever came out of his mouth to impose give me leave to say thus far they are not Embassadors and by consequence a Noncompliance with them therein cannot be interpreted any affront but faithfulness to him who entrusted them with those dispatches And if Christs instructions given to his Apostles to prevent this growing evil were insufficient I am affraid they will be but sorrily helpt out who have recourse to men for fuller instructâ—… § 2. To prove the greatness of this sin he observes and we thank him for the observation that the Apostles were industrious to resist all beginnings of Schism in every Church to heal all breaches to take away all occasions of Division to unite all hearts and reconcile all minds and to requite his kindness I will repay his observation with this other that they either are not the Apostles Successors in their healing Spirit or else have seen some weighty reason to depart from their judgement about the hainousness of that sin who instead of taking away the occasions of Divisions which they have given or removing the stumbling Blocks out of the way of Union which they have laid do give greater to and lay more obstacles before the Christian world § 3.
which the present necessity did restrain 4. Churches are not to feighn necessities and Imaginary Exigencies as an Engine of ambitious spirits to try conclusions upon mens Consciences or practise upon their â—…ameness and therefore the necessity ought to be such as carries its own evidence along with it There are many things which the Divine Authority had determined as to its â—…id and sort which yet are not so determined in the Inâ—…viduals now when a Church meets with any of these she must come to a determination for otherwise the Divine Commands cannot possibly be reduced into act nor our duty Exercised Thus he has commanded his Churches to assemble themselves together for publick worship he has appointed them Ordinances wherein to receive mercy and grace from him and Officers to administer the Ordinances in the Church the Church therefore is obliged to do whatsoever is necessary to the doing of her duty Thus Goâ—… having obliged them to worship they must come to an agreement about the place meerly because 't is impossible to meet no where But if the divine will hath not determined in specie man cannot under the most specious pretence of decency or adorning the worship institute any thing because it wants some head of a Divine Command to which to reduce it Thus God having given no Command to any Church to worship him under sensible formes and signes of Invisible Grace no Church has power to Institute any such and worship God by them For in this case Divine wisdome Love and Authority have demonstrated themselves and setled Enow to answer Gods Ends and ours If he had said as often as you baptize besides the washing with water which I have commanded you see that you make some figure over the face of the person to be baptized and not determined the figure whether Hexagonal pentagonal or the like the Church must come to a conclusion about some figure or the duty must for ever lye fallow But a General Command that all things be done decently and in â—…der will never introduce these Symbolical Ceremonies because the Command may be satisfied without them or any of them they are â—…ot necessary so much as by disjunction whatsoever is comprehended under a Divine precept is a necessary duty at least by disjunction Antecedent to any Command of any Church but these Ceremonies are not necessary in any sense antecedently to the Command of a Church and therefore are not comprehended under that General precept Let all things be done decently and in order And indeed if they were the sign of the Cross would be a necessary duty not only in oâ—… at Baptisme but in the Lords Supper in every prayer in alâ—… preaching in singing of Psalms and in every Religious Exercise seeing that precept enjoyns all things to be done decently and in order And we may presume that our Saviour with his Disciples and Apostles performed All divine service in the most decent congruous and edifying modes and yet they never practised that or any other Ceremony of that sort and therefore they are not comprehended under the Rule Nevertheless our Enquirer is resolved he will give us two Instances of this Truth that some things are necessary to the Constitution and administration of a particular Church that are not in themselves necessary absolutely considered And if he thinks it worth the while he may give us two hundred for we are perfectly unconcerned in them all 1 The first instance is in the Apostles times the abstaining from things strangled and blood was by the Council of Ierusalem adjudged and declared necessary to be observed by the Gentiles in order to an accommodation between them and the Iews and yet I suppose scarce any body thinks the observation of that Abstinence so Enjoyned necessary in it self Let us apply it either then the abstaining from Ceremonies must be adjudged necessary in order to an Accommodation between our Church and other Protestants or the obsâ—…rving of them be adjudged necessary in order to an accommodation between us and the Romanists which he would chuse I am not informed But let us Examine a little his great Instance § 1. It was adjudged and declared necessary to be observed saâ—… he Therefore say I it was enjoyned because first necessary and not made necessary by the Injunction The thing was not unnecessary before the Synâ—…dal Letters nor the Council at liberty to have determined the contrary unless an accommodation between Jew and Gentile was a thing unnecessary 15. Acts 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon yoâ—… no greater burden then those necessary things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now let him try his skill to conclude a power to impose things unnecessary from this fact of theirs who only imposed things necessary § 2. That a Council had the Immediate assistance of the Holy Ghost and might more safely adventure upon such an Imposition then any particular or National Church who as they have no promise cannot in faith expect any such extraordinary direction and we hope that no Church will assume equal power to impose unless they could produce equal authority for their power in which the Consciences of Christians might securely acquiesce It would be strange language from a Synod It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no other burdens then these necessary things that yet observe all Ceremonies of our appointment § 3. The people might reasonably conform to that decree which had their own Antecedent consent and the more patiently bear the burden which was not imposed upon them without themselves for this Canon was not only sent to the Churches by the order of the Apostles and Elders and the whole Church v. 22. but what ever obligatory power there was in it from man It ran in the name of the Apostles Elders and Brethren But alas the Case is otherwise with the poor Churches in reference to impositions of late Ages who know no more what Impositions shall be laid upon their Consciences then the poor horse is acquainted whither his Master intends to ride him § 4. This was a Decree not to burden them but to case and relieve them not to pinch the Gentiles but to discharge them of those servile loads which some Judaizing Converts would have imposed on them we read v. 1. That certain came down from Iudea which taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved And when Paul and Barnabas opposed this Tyranny yet such was their Zeal for their old Ceremonies that they reinforced their scatter'd squadrons from certain of the Sect of the Pharisees who believed v. 5. saying That it was necessary to Circumcise them and Command them to keep the Law of Moses At last the Case comes before the Council and they determine against these Judaizing Bigots That their blind Zeal should not be the measure of what was necessary or unnecessary and yet not to
Best in it self And in what a Lamentable plight must a Learned Author be to gratify such Contrary demands Let him then Agree himself with himself whilst I examine his Reasonings Church government is Necessary in the General but this or that form of government in particular is not necessary not absolutely necessary therefore somethings not necessary in themselves are or may be necessary to the constitution or administration of a particular Church This if I greatly mistake not is the whole strength of this Period To which I answer in these particulars 1. That though the Scripture does not trouble us with Terms of Art Monarchical Aristocratical Democratical Yet at least all the Officers belonging to the Church of Christ are there specially determined And from the Nature of the Officers the species or particular form of the Government will of necessity emerge If the Officers of the particular Churches stand upon equal ground one with another the government which results from thence will be Aristocratical If there be an Imparity and subordination of the governors of one Church to another the government which results from thence will be Monarchical And if the Churches governed by their respective Pastors are not knit together by some Common bond the government will be denominated Congregational 2. Supposing that the government is only Commanded in the general but the particular form not determined yet this will never conclude that the Church may Impose such things as Terms of Communion which are noe Commanded in the general It can never follow that a Church may institute and impose Ceremonies for which there is no General warrant because it must agree upon a Government for which there is a General warrant Nor that she may Impose those things which are not necessary either to the Constitution or Administration of a Church because she must determine upon that which is necessary both to the constitution and administration of it 3. He pretends to prove that it is unlawful to separate upon the Account of unnecessary Conditions of Communion and he gives us an Instance in Episcopacy which yet his Margin affirms to Be best in it self and Apostolical for Antiquity from hence we are instructed That unnecessary conditions are such as are or may be Best in themselves And let him but produce such Terms of Communion as being unnecessary in themselves are yet best in themselves and I am confident there will be an end of this Controversy whereas therefore his Margine tells us That this is Argumentum ad Homines he says very true it is so to himself and his friends If Episcopal government be best in it self how will he thence conclude the Churches power to Impose indifferent things unnecessary things which are not best in themselves But if Episcopal government be indifferent and unnecessary in it self how is it best in it self and Apostolical for Antiquity An indifferent thing best in it self An unnecessary Apostolical constitution is a notion which founds very harshly in my ears and perhaps the most of our Readers But we are all tyred out with these paralogisms we have heard a great clamour of Schism Schism as the manner is and when we come to Enquire after that Reason we are returned with a nihil dicit or which is all one nothing to that purpose CHAP. III. Of the Nature of the things scrupled by Dissenters Shewing that there is no necessity to sacrifice either Conscience or Truth to Peace which may be purchased at lower Rates or else would be too dear IT was my Unhappiness to read of one who to an excellent Discourse of the influence of Adams Transgression upon the misery of mankind made this Blasphemous return What a stir is here about the eating of an Apple Much what of the same Temper was that Blustering Hector Pope Iulius the second Who being humbly advised by a Cardinal not to Rage so immoderately for a Peacock which it seems was stoln answered like himself God could be Angry and Plague the World ser a sorry Apple and shall not I much more for a delicate Peacock When our Enquirer would perswade us that the Things in Controversie are of small Importance Let me perswade him that no Disobedience to God or Treachery to our own Souls can be little to those who understand the Majesty of the one or the Worth of the other When the Compilers of our Liturgy shall plead on the behalf of the Ceremonies that though the keeping or ommitting of one in it self considered is but a small thing yet the wilful and contempinous transgresâ—… of a common Order and Discipline is no small offence before God I hope without offence we may affirm a little more of the least of Christs Precepts That little sins will find a great Hell It 's the solemn and Religious custom of those who would make their own pleasures the supream Reason of their own Commands and our Obedience first to flatter us that the matter is inconsiderable till we have submitted and then to threaten us with the sanction of those commands as no less then Eternal damnation when violated But if the making the Things in Dispute a Sacrifice would satisfie our Enquirer we are content they be immediately offered up as a Holocaust to the peace and unity of the Church in those flames they have kindled But he comes to explain himself 'T is not that the Ceremonies should become a Burnt-offering to Peace but that the Consciences of the Dissenters should be Sacrificed to the Ceremonies or which is more to his purpose their Persons Sacrificed to those Touchy Deities as he calls them of Custom and Vulgar Opinion Those sins which men count small are therefore great because their temptations are less pressing and so being more easily avoidable have less to plead in their excuse or Defence But an Imposing spirit alwayes turns the wrong end of the Perspective-glass which shrinks a Mountain into a Mole-hill and a Bulky-Minster with all its Cathedral Apurtenances into a Chappel of Ease where twenty Nobles per Annum will not Defray the Charges of a Ceremonious Conformity All things are Little or Great as they serve the present occasion Little when their Imposing is vindicated and Great when the Neglect of them comes to be punished Little or nothing till the yoke is fastened on and then weighty when once their Conscience is shakell'd with Canonical obedience The undoubted way therefore to settle a righteous and a durable peace is to take just Measures of things Not to keep one Bushel by which to mâ—…e out Imposâ—…tions and Another by which to deal out Censures neither on the account of Peace to Reneger any of Gods Truths nor by unnecessary Impositions to disturb the Churches quiet And if men could be perswaded to set aside Passion and those alluring baits to Empire over souls and calmly consider how mean at the best those things are upon which they lay the vast weight of our Concord they would see Reason not to
and Christian way then all these put together To bear with one another to leave judging censuring despising persecuting to leave men to those Sentiments which they have contracted from insuperable weakness or less happy Education whilst they are good men good subjects good Christians sound in the Faith and Worship God no worse then the Scripture commands them And he that cannot Indulge his brother sound in the Fundamentals and walking together with his brethren so far as he has attained let him prate of peace till his Tongue akes 't is evident he would not purchase Peace with Shoobuckles The Apostle has recommended this expedient to us by his own example 1 Cor. 9. 20 21. which the Enquirer could see to quote and not to understand Unto the Iews I became as a Iew that I might gain the Iews To them that were without the Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without the Law To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some It seems the Blessed A postle had not yet learnt to snickle the private Conscience with his publick Authority That which he quotes from Greg. Naz is indeed more considerable to his design Who affirms how St. Basil dissembled the Coesseutiality of the Holy Chost and delivered himself in Ambiguous Terms on that point least he should offend and loose the weak The Reader will conclude by these instances that though the Enquirers designly open to condemn the Dissenters yet his Mediums do strongly plead their Cause We are illustrated with an Apostle with a famous Bishop both eminent for their Condescentions to the weak such as laid not the stress of the Churches Peace upon their own Wills or A postolical power or Ecclesiastical Authority nor defined too severely Controverted points and yet when he comes to the Application the duty of yelding is pressed upon the Dissenters Whose coming up in a hundred points were perfectly insignificant unless they could nick the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Canon-Conformity I would ask the Enquirer whether the Dissenters ever pleaded to be gracified in so weighty a point as the Coessentiality of the Holy Spirit Or whether Ambiguity or a handsome equivocation there must be one of those things we must give for Peace If neither of these he might have spared Bafil if not for our sake yet for his own And out of all these excellent Materials we expected he should have composed a Speech to the Reverend Bishops My Lords I have humbly set before your discerning judgments the great example of the Great St. Basil and the greater instance of the famous Dr of the Gentiles persons whose Authority in the Church and wisdom to manage that Authority was without disparagement equal to the same Qualifications in your Lordships And yet their hearts so humble when their places were so high their Condescentions greater then their Exaltations carries somewhat in it of that Divinity which bespeaks your Imitation They would become all things to all men though sin to none They were ambitious to wiâ—… the weak by Meekness and not to wound the weak by Majesty The way of Peace lyes plain before you stâ—…p to them in things Indifferent who cannot rise to you in what they call sinful your yeelding to the weak will be your strength And whilst you gain tender Consciences to the Church you will gain Immortal honour to your selves Let it be the glory of your lives that you have made up our Breaches and not the Epitaph of your Tombs That the way of Peace you have not known He comes now to the Grand example indeed that of our Blessed Saviour which if it be but faithfully alledged and Congruously applyed must silence all dispute and conquer the must restif reluctancy Let us then hear how Christs example leads us to Conform 1. Christ complied with the Rites and Customs he found What right or wrong 'T is true he complied with those he found because he found such Rites and Customs as were warranted by the Law He was Circumcised True It became him to fulfil all Righteousness He did eat the Passeover Very true He was made under the Law He wore their Garments spoke their Language No doubt of it He was a Jew by Birth and approved himself a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God 2. He condescended to the very humours of that stubborn people True Not by Imitating them not assuming the person of a Iewish Zealot but mildly reproving their irregularities He came not in the blustering Whirlwind nor in the terrible Earthquake but in the still small voice of Evangelical Meekness He came not to break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax but rebuked his mistaken Disciples that they understood not the spirit of the Gospel nor what a temper it called for that they must needs fetch fire from Heaven to Consume the truly Schismatical Samaritans when they should rather have Castigated their own heats and calmed their own passions which were kindled from a worse fire I expect still how he will accommodate this Condescention of our Blessed Saviour to his purpose for either the Dissenters must be those stubborn people and then if the Clergy will imitate their Lord and Master they must condescend to their very Humours or else Dissenters must in imitation of Christ condescend to the Clergy and then it supposes them to be the stubborn and inflexible party Besides Condescention in Inferiours to Superiours will be very improper Language 3. He used their phrase in his Discourse And the Non-conformists speak as proper English as their Wit serves them that they cannot Adorn their conceptions or cloath their thoughts in thunder 〈◊〉 ping Phraseology may perhaps be their Misery but certainly not their Sin 4. He observed their Feasts We Question it not He came to do his Fathers will and amongst other particulars that also of observing what ever Ordinance was of Divine Institution But the Render must know here 's a secret Argument couch't in these words against Non-conformity which I will ingenuously own and 't is this The Jews had instituted a Feast in Memory of the Dedication of the Temple Now this Festival had not the character of Divine Institution and yet this Feast our Saviour solemnized and who then can be so refractory as not to observe the Holy-Dayes and consequently all other Humane Constitutions which bear no direct Repugnancy to the Law of God I shall neither assert at present that this Festival had Divine Warrant nâ—…r deny that it was properly of a Religious Nature but this I return That it appears not that our Saviour performed any Act or spoke any Word that may be interpreted or Construed an approbation of that practise All that appears is from 10 Iâ—… 22 23. And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication and
Monsieur de la Motte In his late Motives to his conversion p. 108. 109. D'oâ—… vient done disent ils qu'il y a si peu de personnes qui quitent la Religion Romaine que de ceux qui l'ont quitée pour embrasser la Protestante on en voit une grando partie qui y retonrnent qui font comme on dit leur Recantation Whence comes it say the Romanists that so few quit the Roman Religion and that of those who have forsaken it to embrace that of the Protestant we see many that Return back and as we say make their Recantation To which he gives this Answer Ie pourrois â—…lleguer mille Raisons particuliers pour lesquelles plusiturs illustres Protestans ont 〈◊〉 Religion en France quin'est plus à la mode dit on â—…n ce Païs-là â—…nt embrassé la Romaine je dis seulement en general ce qu'il est facile de remarquer dans les particulieres que â—…'est l'interest qui les ment les retient qui les fait changer quiles empeche de rechanger I could give a thousand particular Reasons for which some eminâ—…nt Protestants have â—…uited their Religion in France which say they is Now no longer the mode in our Country and have Embraced the Romain Faith But I only say this in general which is very easy to Observe in the particulars That it is meer Interest that Allures them first and then fixes them That makes them change and then hinders them from a Rechange The pension of a thousand Crowns as he goes on which they promise to a Minister in Case he will renounce his calling is a most violent temptation § 3. I could tell the Enquirer of those that have deserted their station in the Church of England and have given their Reasons for it and embraced a persecuted Reformation I could tell him of many young Schollers eminent for piety and learning who have rather chosen a retired estate and mean Condition then those allurements which would make many a mouth water at them But let every man stand or fall to his own Master I am not qualified to judge either way but this I will say that whosoever shall Reason the one way or other will find his Argument Inconclusive and I have known so much in my small Observation and known some men too well then either to be much Confirmed in my judgment by their presence or stagger'd by their Absence 3 There are men of as clear understanding as good life and as Comfortable consciences in the society of this Church as are any There else to be found And if I should say there are Persons of as clear understanding as good life end as Comfortable consciences in the society of the Non-conformists as are any where else to be found I should discover a vanity equal to that of the Enquirer I cannot be of every mans Religion that is of a much clearer understanding then my self unless I resolve to be of twenty Contradictory Religions at once Nor can I judge it my duty to Imitate every one of a holy life further then in his Holiness Nor of every mans way that pretends to a Comfortable Conscience in his way because I see some fitch in Comfort to their Consciences from the greatest provocations or grossest delusions Besides it 's no part of the clearness of mens understandings to be wiser then the Scriptures or to study Reasons why they ought to destroy all that are not of the same Intellectual stature with themselves Nor does it add to their Holiness that they can persecute others whose lives are Holy Nor to the solid Comsort of their Consciences that they endeavour to weaken the Comfort of other mens and I will further add that since my own Conscience can only directly witness to my self it can never be allowed Credence with Another if I deny it its proper work and Office in Another But we have met with this Braggadochian Pyrgopolinias before whether the Reader is referred if at least he shall judge so inconsiderable a Trifle to merit further Consideration 4 The things objected against this Church are but at most disputable Matters because all wise and good men are not Agreed upon them but that which is sub judice and yet under dispute cannot be called evil till the dispute is ended and the decision made against it To which I crave leave to Answer 1. That then some of the greatest and most important points in Religion must be called disputable seeing all wise men and some good men are not Agreed upon them 2. If the matters he still sub judice and cannot be called evil till the dispute be ended why are the Non-conformists Executed before condemnation for I hope he arrogates no such partial Tribunal to himself that the things in controversy shall be reputed undecided when he would justify the one and yet decided when he would Condemn the other 3. We say the things are already decided by Scripture long ago if that may be Judge and if any other Judge be set up the Condemned party will appeal thether as the Highest Court of Judgment in matters relating to Conscience and the Immediate worship of God where alone they ought to be Judged 5 The things scrupled in this Church are such as the like may be found and Complained of in any Church of the whole world at least since the Apostles times To which I say 1. That I have been too much beaten to the Game then to be Overborn by the Enquirers Daring Confidence and do smoothly deny the Matter of Fact Many particular Churches may be found at this day where Mystical Ceremonies are not found much less made the Terms of Communion But he has two wide Creep holes at which he will escape 1. That we choose wath National Church we will It seems then A particular Church and a National Church are Terms that Measure each other And thus if we instance in the Ancient Albigenses Waldenses or the present French Churches he may reject the issue because they are not National Churches And all the Churches for three hundred years after Christ because they were not National 2. He will undertake this taske If he may have the History and knowledg of that Church whatever it be or was since the Apostles times as we have of this I Commend his discretion 〈◊〉 knows it difficult to get the Church-History of other National Churches so full as we have of our own 2. If the Churches in the Apostles times had none of these things now scrupled we shall rather chuse and such choise is our Duty to Conform to their patterns then any junior and more green-headed Constitutions They are the Apostolical times and Churches of whose constitutions we have infallible Records which we propound for our Exemplars and he will be tryed by Any Others if we will bate him them for which we thank him I am now expecting a serious Proposition and he
to live in the practise of all Christs institutions if we cannot enjoy them in one place upon Christs Terms his Command and tenderness to our own souls oblige us to seek out where we may enjoy them better cheap § 4. He that cannot perform all that the Laws require of him may forbeâ—… judging them that do the man of a Tender Conscience finds it enough to judge his own actions This is a most excellent Rule and Dissenters desire no more liberty Let them but judge of their own actions and they leave all others to stand or fall to their own Masters And it seems hard if they may not be indulged this priviledge since the silliest Creature that ever was is presumed to have so much wit as to come out of a shâ—…wr of Rain rather then to be wet to the skin § 5. The truly tender Conscience that is the Fool all this while will freely part with money nay of all the men in the world there 's none so free as he for a Fool and his money are soon parted Well! But if he cannot conform to the Laws he can pay the penalty I promise you that 's a great Question whether he can or no. Where nothing's to be had the King must lose his Right But if this be the grand qualification of a Tender Conscience to be made a Begger I wonder what his Priviledge can be unless it be to succeed old Clause the King of Beggers For his satisfaction if the penalty be moderate such as I can pay without ruine to my self and family though I be not satisfyed in the justice of it yet herein I may lawfully depart from my own Right and shall esteem it a great mercy if my coyn may compound for my Conscience 3 Readers you have heard the qualifications of a Tender Conscience be but now Masters of so much Patience as to sit out the Priviledges and that last Scene will make you ample satisfaction â—… Every private Christian is bound in Charity and compassion towards such a Man to deny himself of some part of his Liberty to gain him that is in those things that are matter of no Law where you have first a Bit and then a knock or the fair Concession and the wary Revocation § 1. The Concâ—…ssion Every private Christian is bound in Charity to such a Man to part with some of his Liberty to gain him wherein there are several things to be advised upon 1. The subject of the Proposition Every private Person 2. The nature of the obligation Bound in Charity and compassion 3. The matter of the duty To deny himself of some part of his Liberty 4. The end to gain him In few or none of which particulars can I arrive at any clear satisfaction 1. Every private Person And are not all publick Persons bound by the Law of God to walk charitably not to destroy souls I doubt we forget that God is here the Legislator with whom is no respect of Persons Charity is the fulfilling of the Moral Law And if any Person be so publick as not to be obliged by it we must leave those Commands Thou shalt do no Murther Thou shalt not commit Adultery to exercise the small fry and hamper the vulgar The Apostle Paul was a publick Person and one as well qualified to discern and impose things indifferent as any that have made the fairest pretences that way and yet he Professes with more then ordinary servency 1. Cor. 8. 13. That he will eat no flesh whilst the world stands least he should make his Brother to offend And who shall venture to make that the matter of an Ecclesiastical Canon which the Apostle durst not venture to practise They that assume a greater Authority had need give greater proof of greater Charity And yet greater was the importance of Flesh to the Health and life of Paul then a Ceremoâ—… can possibly be to the peace of the Church For. 1. Flesh is Disjunctively necessary to the health and life of Man that is either flesh or some other food but neither this nor that humane Ceremony is necessary either to the glory of God the peace of the Church or Decency and order in the worship The Church has served God decently lived peaceably and glorified God eminently without them and in his time may do so again 2. Flesh was a thing perfectly indifferent in it self and owned so by all that were well instructed in their Manumission from the Mosaical servitude but the more we are faithfully instructed in the Doctrine of Christian Liberty the more are we satisfied that we are at Liberty from all other Ceremonies of men as well as from those that were once of Divine Institution 2 Bound in Compassion and Charity I am not well satisfied that a Debt of meer Compassion or free Charity is all we owe our Brother in this case However we owe our God a Debt of Iustice It 's he that says Destroy not him with thy mâ—…at for whom Christ dyed 14. Rom. 15. And that there is no comparison between the Law that enjoins Ceremonies and that Law that commands us not to offend our Brother I thus prove 1. The Law that forbids scandal is Negative but the Law that commands Ceremonies is but Affirmative Now Gods own affirmative precepts may have their outward acts suspended in some cases for some time but Negatives admit of no relaxation He that says thou shalt not do says thou shalt never do unless dispensed with by a power aequal to his that gave the Prohibition 2. The Command of not scandalizing is purely moral the heart and life of the sixth Commandement For he that says thou shalt not Kill primarily intends I shall not destroy the soul but the Command of Ceremonies but positive And positives ought to give place to Morals If there be any Truth in that Doctrine of the Enquirers That Godlays little stress upon Circumstantials that his own positive Laws give place to the Moral Law much more ought Mans Ceremonial Law give place to Gods Moral Law Thou shalt not Kill 3. The Command of not giving offence because Moral is therefore perpetual but the Command of Ceremonies Temporary and may be momentany for the Church of England 34. Art Asserts a power in every National Church not only to ordain but to change and abolish Ceremonies 4. The Command of not scandalizing the weak not destroying the soul is in Materiâ Necessarâ—… the thing it self is good in it self and for it self though no positive Command had interposed in the case but Ceremonies have no other Goodness but what is breath'd into them by the breath of Man which if it were measured by the good effects would be found very little 5. The Command not to offend is unquestionably obligatory but that Command for Ceremonies is at best questionable whether it be so much as lawful 6. The Command to avoid offence has a direct and natural tendency to beget and preserve Amity and unity amongst
Christians but the Command of Ceremonies apparently has occasion'd Divisions between Protestants and Papists between Protestants themselves between those of the same Nations and all Humane Terms of Church-communion necessarily produce the same bitter fruit 7. The power of ordering the smallest matter in the Church must conform to the Soveraign end of edification 2. Cor. 13. 10. The power which the Lord hath given me for edification and not Destruction But no power may suspend my duty of pleasing my Brother to his edification 8. Supposing the worst That it 's only a Debt of Charity which my Brother may challenge of me not to scandalize him and a Debt of justice to Obey the Magistrate in this very case yet the Miniâ—…s of justice ought to vail to the Magnalia of Charity As the Command of a Father in lower instances ought to yeeld to the preservation of my Neighbours life 3 Some would except against the matter of his concession to deny himself in some part of his Liberty what a small some that may be none knows perhaps there 's no part of his Liberty which that duty may not Command 4 I except lastly against his propounded end to please and gain him as not adaequal to that which the Command has in it's eye To scandalize or give offence may be taken either in a primary sense and so it denotes a culpable giving occasion to a Brother to sin or in a lower and secondary sense for the angering and displeasing of a Brother This distinction well observed would unravel much confusion which pesters our discourses 1. If we compare the displeasing of a private person with that of a publick the latter is more sinful and much more dangerous for the wrath of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon 2. To occasion culpably a publick person to sin is more heinous then to occasion the sin of a private person because the sins of those in eminent places have such a fatal influence upon the peoples pollution and the procurement of Gods displeasure 3. But if we compare a scandal in the primary sense with one in the secondary then it 's no measuring cast whether it be more eligible to displease the one or destroy the other Nor can there be sin in displeasing one when I cannot otherwise please but by destroying the other for though my own folly may possibly so ensnare me yet God never puts me under such Circumstances that I shall be necessitated to sin § 2. You have heard his fair concession now take his Limitation along with you That is says he in those things that are matters of no Law but left free and undeterminate there the Rule of the Apostle takes place 15. Rom. 1. 2. We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves And let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to edification and we will add 14. Rom 13. Let no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way v. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed v. 19. Let us follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another v. 20. for meat Destroy not the work of God This is the last retreat of these Gentlemen Hether they retrire as to their Triary and strong Reserves You ought to bear the infirmities of the weak to edify him heavenwards not to murder his soul till a Law be made to the contrary you are bound in Charity and compassion to such a one till you receive further Orders and then you must be savage and barbarous But his Reasons follow 1. Reason because we may not do evil that good may come The sinews of which Reason lye in a supposition that to omit a Ceremony is an evil thing compared with the saving of a soul. This General Rule may be applied that other way we must not do evil that Good may come and therefore may not draw a poor Brother into sin that some good may come by it and the rather if we consider what good comes by it As the saving my self a pecuniary mulct or Recognizing the Magistrates power to Command which may be done and is so in many ways wherein the scandal of another is not concern'd And if I should transgress a Ceremony or so for the saving of a soul we may Lawfully presume upon the general will of the Legislator that no positive Command of his should be so rigorously insisted on when it would destroy a greater good 2. Reason We must not break the Laws of God or man â—…ut of an humour of complaisance to a Brother Ans To discharge a weighty duty to avoid the scandalizing of a Brother to walk charitably which the Enquirer p. 137. when he had occasion to magnify Charity tells us is an essential part of Religion ought not to be put of with a frothy Droll as if it were nothing but the humour of Complaisance The Apostle whose head understood the speculation and whose heart entertained the love of this Doctrine much better then himself has taught us other things That to sin against the Brethren is to sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. 'T is to destroy with our meats indifferent things him for whom Christ dyed 14. Rom. 15. And if these be matters of humour and complaisance and we should venture a Ceremony for them it would be but to stake one Complement against another 3. Reason In those times says he the Magistrate being Pagan took no care of the Church nor had passed any Laws concerning the management of the Christian Religion And so Christians had a great deal of scope and room for mutual condescension But the case is quite otherwise when there 's a Law in being c. Really the Pagan Magistrate was very much overseen unless perhaps he knew nothing less or more of his Authority over things indifferent and then the Apostles must needs be to blame who never inform'd him of that Power over the Church wherewith Christ had eâ—…rusted him And above all St. Paul was utterly inexcusable having so inviting an opportunity to do it in Being so long at Rome having friends in â—…aesars Household and this in Quinquiâ—…nnio Neronis when the Lion was treatable and approachable Besides this must have obliged him to entertain better thoughts of Christians and Christianity and engaged him to protect and defend it when it lay so entirely at his devoir The Enquirer instructed us p. 144. that such a Society as a Church could never be conserved without some Rites or other nor any publick Worship be performed if all Ceremonies and Circumstances such as of time place persons and the like be left indefinite and undetermined He has told us since that the power of Determining and Defining these things ly's in our Governours who understand the Civil Policy p. 151. And now he tells us That in those primitive times the Magistrate had passed no Laws
concerning the manage of the Christian Religion so that it was impossible that either Church Government should be Lawfully administred or publick Worship duely performed because the Apostles were negligent in informing the Emperour of his power or he careless in performing his duty I wonder that amongst all the Apocryphal Epistles of Christ to Agâ—…arns or Paul to 〈◊〉 we meet with none of the Apostles to Nero. That whereas their Lord and Master had left them in great hast and either through the â—…urry of business had forgotten or littlenâ—…ss of the things had neglected to settle his Churches nor had passed any Laws concerning the manage of Religion for want of which politick constitutions they were in a lamentable confusion the worship of God lying at sixes and sevens the Government of the Church meeâ—… Anarchy none had power to Command none were obliged to obey every one did that which was rigâ—…t in his own eyes none had power to impose or compel the rest to submit to such Terms of Communion as were necessary besides those few and plain ones appointed by Christ himself And for as muâ—… as they were altogether by the â—…ars about indifferent things and they had no Rules in their Law-â—…ooks to determine these intricate matters They do therefore humbly beseech his Imperial Majesty that he would Review and Revise their Religion and add such other mystical Ceremonies significant of Gospel grace wherewith his well-known piety could not but be intimately acquainted and that he would take speedy and effectual care with these vexatioâ—…s Tender Consciences who scrupled eating of meats because once prohibited by the Law of Moses and straightly charge and Command that none should gratify them in â—…heir weakness and take such other and further order about their Religion as he in his Royal wisdom from time to time and at all times hereafter should judge meet and expedient And his Petitioners shall humbly Pray c. But to satisfy that Assertion I shall offer further these pariculars 1. It cannot appear that the Roman Emperours had any such Commission as is supposed to make that no duty which God had made a duty To make it no sin to give offence which otherwise had been a sin nor to add New Terms of Communion or to shut out of the Church those whom the fundamental Laws of Christ would receive 2. This principle of his Reflects most scandalously upon the greatest Temporal Mercy which God ever vouch safed his Churches I mean the Christian Magistrate for it implies that the condition of Christians was much more easy under the Pagan then under the Christian Magistrate Then says he the Christians had a great deal of scope and room for mutual condescension but now they are crowded up by restrictions Then the Worship of God was not clog'd with needless Ceremonies but now it 's incumbred with New Terms of Communion I might then have relieved a weak Conscience But the case is quite othâ—…wise says he now there 's a Law in being Then I might have used my liberty in indifferent things and only be restrained by Prudence and Charity but now I am debarred of it by the will of Authority This I say is a scandalous Reflexion For God has promised Christian Princes as Nursing Fathers to the gospel-Gospel-Church to secure and protect them and the Enquirer makes them Step-fathers tempting us to think that we have got no such great Bargain by the change 3. It 's clear that the Apostles had as much power to order the meer Circumstances of worship and Church-government as was needful to their exercise and actual performance or else all their determinations were sinful 2 The next priviledge of this tender Conscience is That it becomes the Magistrate so far to consider the satisfaction of peoples minds as well as the safety and peace of his Dominions as not to make those things the matter of his Laws which he forâ—…sees mens weakness will make them boggle at This is his Concession wherein he needed not have been so Timorous For when the Magistrate is settling the Civil peace of his Dominions he needs not concern himself whether the people will skew or no. But as if he had been affraid he had conceded too far he wisely limits the concession As unless there be weighty Reasons on the other hand to counterbalâ—…ance that consideration And they must be weighty Reasons indeed that will counterballance the edification and Salvation of weak yet sincere Christians that will counterballance the peace and safety of his Dominions Indifferent things will hardly weigh against these but what are those ponderous things that will make the scales even against these why 1. Such things which though some scruple are necessary to Government yes by all means when things necessary to Government are put in the ballance with the peace and safety of his Dominions they ought to turn the beam but this is freely granted that if mens scruples would overturn Government they must scruple on at their own peril But now we are ready to join issue with him upon this point That the things scrupled are neither necessary or any ways advantageous to the Being well-being or Glorious being of this or any Government The Roman Empire was in its greatest Glory at its highest pitch when the Apostles Baptized without the sign of the Cross and preacht without the Holy Garment The Christian Religion naked and plain as Christ left it had not the least evil or malignant influence upon the peace of that Empire Though it was the Policy of its enemies then to clap all the Commotions that arose upon other accounts upon the back of the Christian Doctrine It was the popular cry These are the men that have turned the world upside down And when the Judgments of God broke out upon them for their persecutions still to clamour Tollitâ—… Impios Christianos ad Leones Away with such Fellows 't is not sit they live a day Nay it 's evident that many Nations have prospered both in war and peace by land and sea who never knew the Ceremonies and none the better for them 2. Such things which are grateful to the greater or more considerable part of the subjects Those are such things which counterballance tender Consciences and the peace and safety of his Dominions I suspect the Enquirer to be a raw Statesmâ—…n as well as a crude Casuist what would he have a Prince destroy one half of his subjects to graetify the other half The Apostle has offered a rational expedient that the one may be gratified and yet the other not destroyed 14. Romans 3. â—…et not him that eateth despise him that eateth not And let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth They to whom Ceremonies are so grateful sawce may have their fill of them and must they needs compel squeaâ—…ish stomacks to feed on the same Dish The gratefulness of Ceremonies to some mens fancies is no solid Reason why a consâ—…rable though not the more
wou'd set himself to decry the Piety of that other World Let him Copy out the Treachery of Iudas exaggerate the Apostacy of Demas the Heretical pravity of Hymenâ—…us and Philâ—…us let him enlarge upon the Ambition of Diotrephes the Blasphemies of Cerinthus the Debaucheries of the Nicolaitans and above all be sure to plie the Villanies of the Gnostieks with warm Cloaths and what a frightful Mâ—…dusa would that Age appear if drawn to the life by those Exemplars Suppose once more that our Orator had an itch to imploy his mercenary Pen to scrape acquaintance with some tempting preferment to reconcile his lines to the Genius of the present Age and imploy his Talents where he shall not lose his oyl and pains Let him with Apelles take up on trust the particular Excellencies of the most exemplary Christians let him borrow the single beauties of meekness patience humility charity faith self-denyal constancy that like the Sporades lie dispersed and scattered up and down the world let him A masse all the individual worthinesses that are not yet banisht to Heaven and unite all these in one Table and such a draught perhaps shall not need to be ashamed to shew its face before the most exact pieces of proportion that are reserved in the Archives of Antiquity And to speak a plain truth if one tenth part of what these men ascribe to their great Patrons in their Dedicatory Epistles were true I could easily evince that there are very few who have the disposal of fat Advowsons but are more Illustrious Saints than any of the Primitive Fathers and perhaps we shall not need to except the Twelve Apostles As he would scandalously reproach the stable fixed Providence of God that should conclude Nature to be almost worn off her legs her Powers enfeebled her Spirits dâ—…bilitated from the precotious deaths of those who dig their graves with their teeth and with the sheers of Luxury and Riot cut the thread of their lives before Reason would say it was half spun out to its just length so would he no less maliciously blaspheme the steady Reiglement and superintendency of the only Head and Governour of the Church with the efficacious influences of the H. Spirit upon the Souls of true Christians who from Hypocrisie the mother and her daughter Apostacy of those who Court Religion for her Dowry shall conclude against the power of Godliness in those Christians which is very conspicuous to all who are not concern'd in point of self-preservation and self-justification to decry real Holiness according to the Primitive Pattern whilst they would be thought the great Adorers of the Primitive Times A practice well-becoming the Legions of Beelzebub or the trainedbands of Accaron whose delight it is with the importunate Flie to fix upon the galled parts exasperating sores with their venomous probosâ—…es which would heal of themselves whilst prejudice will not suffer them to take notice of the entire and sounder parts What Arguments our Enquirer hath furnisht A theism with to wound Religion which he would pretend to heal I shall not need to observe they are a generation quick-sighted to espie and take their advantages without a Monitor But when I hear him Lâ—…ment the palpable contraâ—…ion of the liâ—…es of the Generality of Christians now to the Rules of their own Religion and that few 〈◊〉 the measures of their Actions or the Rule of their lives from the New Testament I expect to hear others ask why they should be more obliged to the Humility Self-denial Sobriety recommended in the Gospel than their Teachers who apparently conform themselves to the secular Grandeur and swelling Pomp of the most licentious times And if a plain Truth might be spoken without any ones taking snuff there can be no more Reason assigned why the People should be tyed up to the Rules of the N. T. in their Lives than Church-men are to make it the Rule and Rubrick of their Worsâ—…ip They who expect Primitive Submission must give Precedents of Primitive Moderation And if they will exact and challenge the Ancient Manners let us see in them the Ancient Examples In vain shall Mother Crab command her â—…aughter to creep forward if she confutes her instruction by creeping backward If then â—…ters be really so Retrograde and gone off from their true Centers yet it cannot become them to Condemn the World for being Wrong who resolve it shall never be Right He that complaâ—…s things are not as they were and yet Disputes that they ought to be as they are shall never dispute me into a Plerophory of his sincerity They that confess a want of the Ancient Discipline which yet they will not restore and complain at the same time of a Defect of the Ancient Piety which they pretend they cannot Remedy do but weep over the Vineyard which is laid wast whilst they either pluck up the â—…edge or refuse to repair the decayed Mounds and Fences or deplore an Inundation of Wickedness which is broken in upon us and yet stand by the Slâ—…ce and will not shut it down nor suffer others to do it because they have no â—…all to the Work All things in this lower World insensibly contract corruption and with a silent foot decline from their Original Integrity so that every day furnishes us with New Reasons to scowr off the encroaching Rust and restore them to their Primitive Brightness He that â—…ows against the Stream must incâ—…ssantly ply his Arms and Oats and work against the pressing importuniâ—…y of the Current or else shall find himself unawaâ—…es hurâ—…ied down the Stream Sic omnia â—…ato In pejus ruere ac retro subâ—…apsa referri Virg. It was a seasonable Question of a Great Person many years ago Why the Civil State should be purged and restored by good and whelsome Laws made every Third or Fourth Year in Parliament prâ—…iding Remedies as fast as Time breedeâ—…h Misâ—…s and contrariwise the Ecclesiaâ—…al State should still continue upon the Dregs of Time and receâ—… no alterations now for this five and forty years and more And I am sure its another five and forty years and upwards since that Complaint was made It will then be very seasonable to complain of Modern Corruption and cry up Primitive Devotion in these Men when they shall demonstrate a real willingness to reduce what is amiss into order to make what is crooked straight by the Primitive Rule of Reformation That the Conversations of those early Christians was Commendable I readily admit that there is a wretched Degeneracy in our days I sadly see yet give me leave to Note and Detest the Hâ—…pocrisie of those who build Sâ—…tely Monuments to and bestow Ranting Epitaphs upon the Deceased Piety of the Former and yet destroy or discourage the Remaining Piety of the present Age That pluck down the Living Temples of the Spirit that upon their Ruines they may build their own Palaces who first Stigmatize Primiâ—…e Holiness with the Modern Brand of Fanaticisme and then persecute it
were all in their Graves as well as dead and rotten And if those Decent Ceremonies had a Decent Buâ—…ial it were an Honour as great as those of a Nobler Extract 〈◊〉 Divine Ceremonies had bestowed on them I would seriously enquire of our serious Enquirer 1. If some Ceremonies were Abolished because they were superstitious and therefore dangerous why all the rest were not served with the same sawce that were equally or more superstitious and therefore more dangerous I think it 's demonstrable that all the superstition that ever stuck to Holy Water Cream Salt Spittle Oyl was â—…nnocency to that horrid abuse of the Sign of the Cross. But 2. 〈◊〉 the Superstitions of the remaining Ceremonies were capable of separation from them why might not a little Oyl and Elbowgreace have been bestowed on the rest and their Lives saved 〈◊〉 seems most of the Ceremonies were knock'd o th' head because they would not go to the charge of Rearing them 3. If many Ceremonies were a Burden whether were not half of that many half as great a Burden and so pro rato And if so where was the Churches Commission to impose any unnecessary Burden upon the Necks of Disciples 4. If some of the old superstitious Ceremonies when well scraped and wiped were lest for Decency and Comeliness in the Worship why where not the rest scummer'd up that the Worship might be more Decent For iâ—… Two or Three Innocent Ceremonies will add a Decency Two or Three hundred will have burnish'd it to such a Lustre as must have either ravish'd or blinded the Eyes of all Beholders 5. Who shall insallibly assure us just how few will be no Burden and the imposing of them no sin and yâ—…t â—…ne more shall make them all burdensome and so the imposition of them to become sinful Or just how many to an Unite will render the Worship Decent and the adding of one more render all Deformed If the Church then why might not the Church of Rome in her days have Determined the Question Especially seeing that of all pretenders she alone challenges an infallibility which is the most considerable thing in this Case when the Church must carry her hand even and cut by a thred between Decency and Indecency A Burden and no Burden 6. If the Church has a power to impose a load though a lesser load has she a power to communicate strength though it be but little strength to bear that little Especially seeing the Burden here must not lie on the Back but the Heart not on the Shoulders but the Conscience She that pleads an Authority to Institute can she produce a power to Bless what she Institutes to any Spiritual End This encouragement we have from Christ whose perogative it is to impose that he will give Grace to bear what he imposes and thereby make his Yoke casie and his Burden light Qui mihi est Oneris Author idem erit Adâ—…inistrationis Adâ—…tor said Leo And so Austin Da quod jubes jube quod vis If any Church could incline the Heart towards her Testimonies or give a Heart to keep her Statutes Iudgments and Commandments and do them or make her Commandments not grievous Let her multiply Ceremonies till she is weary and spare not Let her use her Discretion and we shall use nothing but Submission But this dead weight sinks our Spirits quite 7. Whether is not such an assuming power exceeding dangerous in its Consequences for upon this Principle the Church may impose a round thousand of Ceremonies if she will say and think them decent and the Crow thinks all her young ones White and all are sond of the Brats of their Brains as well as the Issue of their Bodies yes and Ten Thousand more if she will but decree they are not burdensome which she is the less a Competent Judge of because Superiours who command do not feel that load which Inseriâ—…urs who must obey do groan under So much of the Moderation of the Reformation 3. The English Reformation was the most perfect and compleat in its kind The perfection and compleatness of a Reformation is to be taken from its Agreement with its Rule and Idea which say we is thâ—… Word of God and to this we do unmovably adhere till we have good security that they have found out a better All Perfection with us is but Defection and all compleatness Fancy which is not measured by that Rule It will therefore be the great Glory of the English Reformation to acquit it self well in this point wherein our Enquirer will endeavour our satisfaction 1. For Doctrine This Church retains says he the most Ancient Doctrine and soundest Confession of I aith founded upon the H. Scripture That the 〈◊〉 Scriptures are the foundation of Faith we gladly hear some intimation of and shall lay up the concession against another time whether the Church has attended to this Rule in her Doctrinals belongs to another Discourse 2. For Government He tells us The English Reformation retains the most Primitive Church-Government These things are wisely and warily penn'd thought I A Scripture Creed and a Primitive Church-Government Confession sounded on H. Scriptures and Government founded on a word called Primitive why shhould we not have a Confession sounded on something else than Scripture as well as a Government Or why not a Church-Government founded on the Scripture as well as the Doctrine So that he has provided well for the Doctrine but for the Government it may sinck or swim for any Relief it can expect from our Enquirer except a hard word will do it Primitive Antiquity is one of those Stulta Amuleta quae Controversiâ—… collo appendunturut Armilla Maleficarum Potent Charms and Pompous Enchantments not to Cure but Conjure down a Controversie for since 〈◊〉 may be taken in a Latitude of three 〈◊〉 five or 〈◊〉 time of need six hundred years after Christ it would be very hard if any Crotchet Humour and Fancy had not set up for it self in that time which shall be enough to entitle it to the Warrantie of the Primitive times Let him therefore prove it Scriptural and so jure Divino and he has said more to me than if he had run up its Pedigree through a Dozen or more Centuries But is not this short word The most Primitive Church-Government a foundation too narrow for that High Boast p. 2. That our Church is of a sound and healthful Constitution I think I have sufficiently though briefly manifested in the Introduction Briefly and suffciently The Two most desirable Qualifications in Argument and Evidence that may be And surely it must de brief enough which is comprehended in this one Sentence The English Reformation retains the most Primitive Church-Government but whether it be sufficient or no let the Reader look to that 3. For the Liturgy That is as he thinks the Best accommodate to reconcile and unite Mens Devotions And how well it has answered its end and the
out of Heaven and a Key to let them in again 4. They that have been ejected by that 〈◊〉 find no evil consequences in their ejected state In the Primitive times it was therefore terrible because Christ abbetted his own Ordinance administred for his own Spiritual Ends in his own Regular way but now Men dare not trust Christ with his own Work but have supplied his vengeance with a Significavit a Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo delivering Men over to the Sheriff whom thereby they call the Devil by craft but otherwise the Excommunicated Person cats his Bread and drinks his Wine with a Chearful Heart because the Lord has accepted him 3. That so few frequent the Church is because they have either been scoffed or railed or beaten out of doors or barred out by Conditions not comporting with Scripture Rule and Warrant Men know that Christ must be their Judge to him they must give an account of their Souls and Worship in the Great Day and therefore they are willing to Worship God according to his Will revealed in his Sacred Word unless any can give them Counter-security to save harmless and indemnifie them before his dreadful Tribunal And if they must suffer for such resolved adherence to a Scriprure Religion they have only this humbly to reply Daveniam Imperator Tu Carcerem Ille Gehennam Christ threatens a Hell the Law only menaces a Goal 4. That the Liturgy was then counted a principal part of Gods Worship we cannot help We judge that none but God can make the least much less a principal part of Gods Worship God only knows which way he will be Worship'd with Acceptation And it is our grear Happiness that he has acquainted us with that Will of his in his Word to which we apply our selves for our Directory and are not sollicitous about Apocryphal Rubrics As to matters concerning Religion Nature Teacheth no further than the Obligation to the Duâ—…y but leaves the particular determination of the manner of Obedience to Divine Positive Laws So we are instructed from the Author of Origin Sacrae p. 171. 5. That it is now become the great point of Sanctity to scruple every thing was not spoken with that regard to Honesty and Truth as might have been expected from a Compassionate Enquirer They scruple being Holier than Christ has commanded them wiser in matters of Religious Worship than the Scriptures are able to make them They scruple giving up their Consciences to those whom they see no great reason to trust till better evidence be given how they regard their own They scruple all Retreats in Reformation and all Retrograde Motions towards Evangelical Perfection and Purity and they with our Enquirer would scruple a little more this overlashing That it 's an Essential part of some Mens Religion to be Censorious And a great point of Sanctity to scruple every thing Let him then continue to Lament the change and we will pray that God will make a more through change reducing Doctrine Worship Discipline to the Word of God the only Rule of Reformation PART I. CHAP. I. A Sober Enquiry into the Apocryphal Causes of Non-conformity pretended by the serious Enquirer St. Augustin and the Synod of Dort Vindicated the Articles of the Church of England Cleared The Learning Preaching and Conversations of the N. C. modestly justified against the scandalous Reflections of the pretended Compassionate Enquirer but without Recrimination AFter a very short Epistle or to speak Canonically that which stands instead of the Epistle to very little and a tedious Introduction to much less purpose the Enquirer falls full drive upon the Causes of the separation from the English Reformed Church In imitation of the French Embassadors Musicians who would needs give the Grand Seignior a fit of Mirth but were so cruelly tedious in tuning their Fiddles that the Sultans Patience was quite worn out and he could not be perswaded to hear the first Lesson Now the Causes are either Apocryphal and pretended or Canonical and Real and it 's a wonder to me when his Invention was once broached that he did not feign this for another Cause of separation that such Heterogeneous Causes should be bound up together in the same Volume and Covers For these Apocriphal Causes let it not beget another scruple in your Captious Heads whether they are pretended by Dissenters or only pretended by this Enquirer to be amongst their pretences for it will come all to one there being some collateral matters which it shall go hard but he will entice or force into the Discourse or else the Reader might have sung whâ—…p Barnaby and Retreated to his Recreations the longest Holy day in the Year 1. The very first of these pretended Causes is some Blame they lay upon the Doctrine of the Church and the main if not the only thing excepted against in this kind is That the Thirty Nine Articles are not so punctual in defining the Five Points debated in the Synod of Dort as they could wish Just as your common Hackney Versifiers or Water Poets make one Verse for the Reason and the other for the Rhime sake so was this Objection mounted against the Doctrine of the Church for the sake of his precious Answers wherein he will find or make as handsom an occasion as impertinency will admit to vilifie St. Austin and the Synod of Dort It will be extreamly difficult to give our Enquirer a satisfactory Answer in this Point Shall we say This is not the main thing in the Articles excepted against by Dissenters He will readily Reply However then you tâ—…itly grant that this is one of your little Cavils Shall we say This is not the Only thing they scruple he will return nimbly Then it seems you consess this to be one though not the only thing you Boggle at Really if I know how to content him I would do it and the best expedient that offers it self at present is this Answer 1. That the Church has other Doctrines not contained in the 39 Articles imposed on the Faith of Subscribers and perhaps the scruple may lie against them 2. That the 39 Articles contain other Doctrines besides those relating to the five Points debated 〈◊〉 the Synod of Dort as that of Art 20. The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies And that of Art 34. Every Particular or National Church hath Authority to Ordain Change and Abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by Mans Authority And what now if the quarrel should lie against one of those And I am the rather induced to suspect they may hesitate in these particulars because I have heard some of them privately Speak and seen others publickly Print that though they can practise such things which being in their own Natures indifferent remain under all their concurrent Circumstances lawful yet they cannot find where the Church has any Commission to impose them They can assert and use their Christian Liberty and yet cannot subscribe to
may have something to do to keep Man humble upon this Hypothesis But whether of these Two Principles makes the nearer Approach to the Church of England I mean that Doctrine which is express'd in the thirty nine Articles let the 10. Art judge The Condition of Man is such after the Fall that he cannot turn nor prepare himself by his own Natural Strength to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will Our Enquirer will tell us by and by p. 9. That there has been little or no alteration made in the Doctrine of this Church since the beginning of the Reformation And therefore I conclude that there has been no alteration made from an Anti-Arminian to an Arminian sense for that cannot be called little or no alteration Now that this 10 Art in the beginning of the Reformation in Edw. VI. Reign had an Anti-Arminian sense will be out of Question to him that remembers what Addition there was then made to it The Grace of Christ or the H. Ghost by him given doth take away the Stony Heart and giveth an Heart of Flesh and although those that have no will to good things he maketh them to will and those that would evil things he maketh them not to will yet nevertheless he forceth not the will Articles Printed by I. Day Anno 1553. Cum Privilegio If this then be the sense of the Article let him go practise at home and turn his Brains how to keep Man Humble and yet neither make him Stock nor Stone and when he has found out the Mystery send word to the Synod who I am assured never asserted higher than this amounts to But if this be not the sense of the Article at present though it was once so then it must follow that the Church has more than a little alter'd her Doctrine since the Reformation And then a worse thing than all this will follow for p 8. He allows That if this Church did approach too near Popery it would serve to justifie a Secession from it But says another if it approaches too near Arminianism it approaches too near Popery and therefore our Enquirer will warrant any Mans Secession from the Church without the least imputation of Schisme What a close connexion there is between those two errours we shall hear e're long and thither we refer the Reader when we have told him that the Church of England is certainly free from any Tincture of Arminianism and so far free from any spot of Popery only it concern'd the Enquirer to understand the consequences of his own scandalous Reflections I have done with his first Answer 2. I come now to his second The Artiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Church do with such adâ—… prudence and wariness handle thesâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paerticular respect was had to these Men and care taken that they might Abundare sensu suo I cannot imagine what greater Reproach he could throw upon these famous Articles and their worthy Compilers then to suggest that they were calculated for all Meridians and Latitudes As if the Church did imitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Delphian Apollo whose Oracles wore Two Faces under one Heed and were penn'd like those Amphilogies that cheated Croesus and Pyrrâ—… into their distruction Or as if like Ianus they looked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backwards and forwards and like the untouch'd Needle stood indifferently to be interpreted through the two and thirty Points of the Compass The Papists do never more maliciously reproach the Scriptures than when they call it a Lesbian Rule a Nose of Wax a Leaden Dagger a Pair of Scamans Trowzes a Movable Dyal you may make it what a Clock you please And yet they never arriv'd at that height of Blasphemy as to say it was Industriously so penn'd by the Amannenses of the Holy Ghost I dare not entertain so little Charity for an Assembly of Holy and Learned Men convened upon so solemn an occasion that they would play Legerde main and contrive us a Systeme of Divinity which should be 〈◊〉 pacis non veritatis The Conventicle of Trent indeed acted like themselves that is a pack of Juglers who when they were gravelled and knew not how to hush the noise and impâ—…rtunate Clamour of the bickering Factions the Craftiâ—…r Lâ—…ng Mâ—…n found out a Temper as they call'd it to skin over that Wouâ—…d which they could not heal and durst not search And what was the success of these Carnal Policies only this Both parties retained their differing opinions believed just as they did befâ—…re and when they fâ—…und how they had been cajouled the Conâ—… versiâ—…s which for a while had been smothered under the Ashes of a Blind Subscription broke out into a more violent flame The craft of this Politick Juncto that impartial Hâ—…storian Pietro Polaâ—… has opened to the World Hist. Conne of Trent p. 216. In the â—…ear 1546. says she In the end of the Session Dominicus a Soto principal of the Dominicans wrote Three Books of Nature and Grace wherein all his old Opinions were found Then comes Andreas Vega a great Man amongst the Franciscans and he â—…ites no less than Fifteen Books upon the 16 Points of the Decree that passed that Session and expounded all according to his own Opinions And yet their opinions were directly contrary to one another though both supposed to agree with the Decree of the Council So Righteous it is with God that they who design not their Confessions for an Instrument of Truth which is Gods End should not find them an Instrement of Peace which is all their End They that will separate Truth from Peace shall certainly miss both of Pâ—…ace and Truth The Title prefix'd to the Book of Articles does abundantly secure us of their Honesty The Catholick Doctrine believed and professed in the Church of England Now how shall we at all believe if we know not what to belâ—…eve And if the Trumpet gives an uncertain Sound 't is all one as if it were not Sounded That which is every thing and every where is nothing and no where That which has no determinate Sense has no Sense and that 's very near akin to Non-sense The Iews indeed have a Tradition that the Manna was what every Mans appetite could relish and such a Religion would these Men invent as should be most flexible where it ought not to bend and where it should yield there to be inâ—…exible Strange it is that Religion of all things in the World should be unfix'd and like Delos or O-Brazile float up and dâ—…n in various and uncertain Conjectures What Aristotle â—…'d to say of oâ—… of his Books That is was Editus non Editus and what was the just reproach of the Rhemists Testament that it câ—…e forth as some reporâ—… of a great Princes Sword with
Consciences of Men This is no little Addition 5. They will tell him that the number of Non-conformists was considerable from the very Infancy of the Reformation though it could not be expected that their names should be inserted in the Church Calender amongst the Confessors and that Non-conformity has run a line parallel with the National Reformation to this day But says our Enquirer The main quarrel is that we are not Always Reforming No that 's not the main nor any Quarrel that Dissenters have with them Let but Reformation be made in what is necessary and as often as is necessary and I know none disposed to Quarrel It were better never to be sick than to have a Remedy yet upon supposition of a Disease in my mind there 's nothing like an approved Medicine It 's more desirable not to make Shipwrack than to escape by a â—…lank yet when a wrack is made he deserves to sink that despises a subsidiary Plank If it were possible for Churches not to contract corruption I know no need because no use of Reformation Some Men hate Reformation as the Bear hates the Stake They pretend that the Reformation of the Church will discompose the State But the best way to preserve the Iron is to scowr away the Rust A dirty Face may be Wash'd and yet the skin never rub'd off and the House swept and never thrown out of the Windows They plead again That no Reformation can be made but what will notably diminish the Revenues Grandeur and Credit of the Church And this Objection has more real weight in it than all the rest This is the Capital grievance Hinc illae Lachrymae But does it not argue ae Saleable and Mercenary Soul that would Barter away Purity for Pluralities The most severe Reformation would leave too much if any thing for such an Objector what ever have been the specious Pretences this has been the real obstruction of an effectual Reformation Kings and Parliaments have always been inclinable towards a Redress of Exorbitances but the Covetousness and Pride of Churchmen have ever impeded their Pious endeavours A Parliament in Queen Eliz. Reign as we read in Dr. â—…llers Ch. History was bringing in a Bill against Pluralities and A. B. Whitguift sends a Letter to her Majesty signifying they were all undone Horse and Foot 〈◊〉 it passed Observe how he deplores the miserable state of the Church The woful and distressed estate whereinto we are like to fall forceth us with grief of heart in most Humble manner to â—…ave your Majesties most Soveraign Protection Why what â—…s the â—…ter were they making a Law against Preaching No! or against Common-Prayer By no means what ailes then the distressed Man why We therefore not as Directors but as Humble Remembrancers beseech your Highnesses favourable beholding of our present state and what it will be in time if the Bill against Pluralities should take place No question it must be utter extirpation of the Christian Religion Thus in another Letter to the same Queen he complains with Lamentations that would soften a heart of Marble That they have brought in a Bill giving liberty to marry at all times of the year without restraint well but if men be obnoxious to the evil all times of the year why should they not use the Remedy that God has appointed all times of the year The Apostle who tells us It s better to marry then burn did not except any time of the year But why may not a Parliament make a Law as well as the Ecclesiastical Court give a License that it shall be Lawful to marry at any time of the year Ay but the Parliament will make the Law for nothing whereas those other will have Money for their Liceâ—…ses But he proceeds It s Contrary to the old Canons continually observed by us Why but is it not Contrary to the old Canons to take Money for a License Yes but It tendeth to the slander of the Church as having hitherto maintained an Errour And now you have the bottom of the Bag All Reformation must touch the Clergy either in their Credits or Profits and it were better never to put a hand to that work then to touch either of those with a little finger 2. His second Answer is All is not to be esteemed Popery that is held by the Church of Rome we are not to depart further from her then she has departed from the Truth and those things wherein they Agree are such and no other as were generally received by All Christiaen Churches and by the Roman before it lay under any iâ—… character Many things might be returned but I shall say little only 1. As all is not to be accounted Popery which is held by the Church of Rome so neither is all to be accounted Schism which hot men in their passions and prejudices will call so Let that be now accounted Popery which in the beginning of the Reformation by the most eminent Divines of this Nation was so accounted and he will hear no more I presume of that Argument 2. I would be satisfied whether Rome departed from the Truth Simplicity and Complexion of the Evangelical Worship when she loaded the Church with such multitudes of unnecessary Ceremonies and Superstitions If not why did the Church of England depart from her in Any if so why did she not depart in All 3. Why should we be so tender of departing from an Abominable Strumpet were it not more Christian to say we will depart from the Reformed Churches abroad no further then they have departed from the Truth and then the Argument will be ingenuously strong rather to part with Ceremonies that we may Syncretize with Protestants then retain them that we may hold fair Quarter with Papists 4. It cannot be made appear that those things wherein the Agreement yet abides were generally received by all Christian Churches Kneeling at the Sacrament was not received in the Church till Rome came under an ill and most odious Character Many Centuries after the Apostles knew it not and when it was first entertain'd it was accommodated to the grand Idol of Transubstantiation But our Enquirer has a mind to be Resolved in a few Questions for his own private satisfaction 1. Qu. If there be such a dangerous affinity between the Church of England and the Romish how came it to pass that the blessed Instruments of our Reformation A. B. Cranmer and others laid down their lives in Testimony to this against that I meddle nor with his dangerous Affinities nor Câ—…nsanguinities nor whether they come within the Prohibited Degrees or no what I am concern'd in is his argument which may receive this short Answer They laid down their lives in testimony against those Errours wherein they differ'd and not against those wherein they might be agreed They might possibly agree in many and yet differ in so many as might cost them their Lives There was difference enough to justifie their opposition and yet
in new Accoutrements And as Nations have differing Attires each from other and the Winters-freeze differs from the Summers-stuff so the same Church must have a Mourning Worship and a Wedding Worship accommodated to her outward accessions or declensions in Wealth and Riches The external Condition of the Church does vary but her God is the same her joy may be turned into sorrow her sorrow into joy she has her fasting as well as her feasting days solemn Humiliations and solemn Thanksgivings but her Worship continues still the same Though the Worshippers may alter their garbe yet the Worship which respects the immutable God is immutable like himself If new things pleased our God it were our duty to study new things If he shall declare for Summer Ceremonies and Winter Ceremonies we must provide accordingly but if with him there be no variableness nor shadow of turning that Worship and Service which we offer to him ought to observe the same fixedness and stability 3. Another of their follies was that they could not hit upon the right rule of Reformation It was their unhappiness that this Enquirer was not then born to direct them to it which advantage the present Age may enjoy if we be not wanting to our selves And it is this That those differing forms be fitted to the Humour and Custom of the People and made consonant to the civil Constitutions A Rule had need be straight or else whatever is framed by it will be crooked Now 1. For the Humour of the People This has sometimes the sad fate to be decryed as the cause of Deformation and now the happiness again to be as much cryed up for the rule of Reformation which if it be varied according to the ebbing and flowing of this Euripus must needs be changed half a score times in four and twenty hours 2. Custom has I confess a fairer plea some persons of no small Learning pretending it to be the only rule of decency in things indifferent In p. 31. our Enquirer intimates That the Constitutions of a Church by Time are digested into Customs and made natural Now if Custom be the only rule of decency then the Churches Constitutions ought to be of no things but what are naturalized to a People by Custom and thereby made decent unless he has a power also to command All things te be done undecently and then leave to be made comely by long usage and continued Custom but if the Churches Constitutions her power to impose and judge what is decent be the Rule of Decency and the Reason of our Obedience then Custom is not the only Rule of Decency How much better were it that the peoples fluctuating Humours odd Customs and the Churches Constitutions were all regulated by the Word of God which is equal insallible and impartial Equal and therefore we shall not be to seek for our Worship upon every accident infallible and therefore we may safely confide in its direction and impartial and so abets no party favours no faction or worldly interest but faithfully and fully delivers out to us the mind and will of God Whereas our Enquirers rule must prove the Author of all mis-rule and confusion amongst the Churches of Christ when Humours shall cross Customs Customs thwart Humours and perhaps Civil Constituiions shall retrench both Customs and Humours One instance will a little enlighten us in his design and meaning Where says he the Reformation had not at the first the Countenance of the Civil Government there the Reformers were constrained to enter into particular confederations with one another from whence Presbyterian Government seems to have taken its rise Say you so then I know who will assume But for the first three hundred years after Christ all along through the purest Primitive times the Christian Reformation had not the Countenance of the Civil Government and therefore they enter'd into particular Confederations from whence the Presbyterian Government had its rise I cannot certainly tell and therefore dare not conjecture whether these particular confederations be not a kind of New Latine for the solemn League and Covenant but this I will say That tâ—…â—…anks of the Classis are ordered to be returned to this Gentleman for his Learned Argument to prove the Presbyterian to have been the Primitive Church-Government All this while it remains a great mystery how these poor Exiles prejudiced the English Reformation And therefore in the first place he will give us some light into it by a plain and familiar illustration As the Children of Israel even when they had Bread from Heaven Angels Food longed for the Onions and Garlick of Aegypt remembring how sweet they were to them under their bitter Bondage so these Men retained as long as they lived a lingring after those entertainments which they found then very pleasant when the other was denied them The foundation of this ingenious illustration lies in these Two Things First That the Rites and Ceremonies of England were Manna Bread from Heaven Angels Food And Secondly That the Worship of the Reformed Churches without these Ceremonies were Onions and Garlick he must have an Ostrich-Stomack that could concoct them unless they were first mâ—…erated and dissolved in a Menstruum of Ceremonies Now the parallel is so self-evident that we shall only need to gather what drops of it self and not to shake the Tree For 1. As the Manna was of Gods own appointment so we must not question but the Ceremonies also were 2. The Manna was Angels Food and as whenever Angels will cloath themselves with a Garment they cannot assume one of more Congruity than Light so whenever they shall please to condescend to a Treat from Men they cannot be served up with a more agreeable Dish than Ceremonies And then 3. As the Manna was despised and accounted dry Meat so are these Ceremonies too and therefore as wise Fathers take away their Childrens Meat if they will not eat their Bread so the Fathers of the Church think it wisdom to deny their Children Spiritual Food if they will not down with the Ceremonies or let them fast till they have a better Stomack But the parallel comes off very lamely at last For the Manna lasted only whilst the Church was in the Wilderness and ceased as soon as they entered the Land of Canaan whereas the poor afflicted and persecuted Churches knew none of those Rites but surfeited of them in the day of her Rest and Prosperity And therefore to have carried on the Humour he might have feigned one thing more as well as all the rest That those Exiled Worthies lived all the fourty years of their Banishment upon nothing but Rites and Ceremonies but when they came to the Land of Promise the Manna ceased We have heard a long narrative of the cause of Non-conformity from the Exiles in Queen Maries days which had it been delivered without colour or fraud had amounted to no more than this naked little when the Righteous God saw it necessary to
unchain the Devil and let him loose upon the Englisâ—… Protestants to exercise their Graces and correct their Follies he gave some of them Christian Courage to abide by the tryals to others of them Christian Wisdom to secure themselves by flighâ—… Had all fled the Truth had wanted Witnesses at home for the present had all stay'd the Truth had wanted Successors for the future they that fled found the Care of God attending them and the Mercy of God as a Harbinger going before them to provide them first a Room in the Hearts and then in the Houses of their Brethren Where being emanâ—…ipated from the prejudices of Inâ—…eterate Custom got from under the Dâ—…resse of Imposing Power humbled by afflictions and made more willing to bear the Yoke of Christ and finding the Reforming Churches a tolerable Counterpane of the New Testament Worship many of them not consulting with Flesh and Blood came off from Ceremonies content to Worship God with the same Measure of Decency prescribed and practised by Christ and his Apostles When therefore he tells us that those Fxiles received a Tincture of those other Rites before they had well imbibed or sufficiently understood the Reasons of the Church of England He says no more thaâ—… that the Rationale of the Liturgie and the Compassionate Enquiry were not then written for where else to find the Reasons of the Church for imposing Ceremonies I am yet to seek 2. A second Cause of this evil effect is The bad and incompetent provision made for a learned and able Ministry in the Corporations and generality of the great Parishes in England But before this Incompetency can possibly be remedied it must be known what is a Competency for a Learned Minister for some that are Learned enough are also Able to spend five times more than the people are worth or can spare Two things are here considerable which have exercised our Enquirers politick Head-piece The Grievance and the Redress of the Grievance 1. For the Grievance The multitude of Opinions that deform and trouble the Church are generally hatch'd and nursed in the Corporations and Market Towns Nay not only the dissatisfaction with the Rites and Ceremonies but the conâ—…ulsions and confusions of the State took their Origin from the bad Humours of thâ—…se greater Societies But how easily might all this mischief have been remedied had he pursued his own Primitive Rule of Reformation viz. Modelled the Rites and Government of the Church to the Humours and Customs of the People But his meaning was That Reformation should be accommodated to the Humours of the Villages where the people mind nothing of Religion as he thinks but not of the Market Towns where they are intent upon New Fashions But the Reader must look on these as the lesser sports of his Wit and the dilations of a pregnant Fancy for the true Reason of all the dissatisfaction about those Rites has been the want of good ground for them in the Word of God and the main cause of the troubles that have ensued thereupon has been the unreasonable and unseasonable imposition of them upon the Consciences of Men. But our Enquirer is otherwise minded and he imputes these Conâ—…ns and Confusions § 1. To the Fullness and Luxury of these great Towns Well! have a little patience till he can procure his Proclamation against Trade and to shut up the Shops and that will most effectually take down their Greace and humble their haughty Stomacks and they will grow tame and manageable But then another difficulty will arise how they should maintain a Learned and able Ministry and allow him such a Revenue as he shall confess to be a Competency but is not this inconvenience to be found in the Country Towns and Villages No! They are for the most part quiet and peaceably comply with establish'd Orders for they are tired with hard labour and never trouble themselves noâ—… others but apply themselves to Till the ground and earn their Breat with the sweat of their Brows Let them have liberty to be poor and pay their Tithes and they concern themselves little in Religion or the saving of their Souls they go by the old Rule Si Mundus vult vadere sicut vult Mundus debet vadere sicut vult These Creatures indeed will make fit materials for Uniformity to work upon you may put the Bridle in their Mouths and clap the Saddle on their Backs and ride them till they are broken winded and foundred and they will neither wince nor complain and yet there are some sowr Lads and knotty pieces amongst these too that will not budge a foot nor yield an Ace further than Conscience informed from the Word of God shall command them § 2. In these great Towns they have leasure to excogitate Novelties and Spirit and confidence to abet them and here there is great concourse of people where Notions are more easily started and Parties sooner formed for the defence of them Where the dividing Notions have been most started I cannot infallibly tell but I am sure the richest Corporations find themselves something else to do than to excogitate Ceremonies or other Novelties and whether Convocations have always sat in the great Towns or little Villages is easily determined § 3. The misery of all is That in these great Towns where was most need of the most liberal maintenance so pittiful a Pittance is left to the Curate or Minister that he can scarce afford himself Books to study nor perhaps Bread to eat without too servile a dependance upon the benevolence of his Richer Neighbours by which means either his Spirit is broken with Adversity or the dignity of his Office obscured or he tempted to a sordid â—…nnivance at or complyance with their follies and so like Esau sells his Birthright for 〈◊〉 Mess of Pottage The bottom of the Grievance in plain terms is this If the Clergy could but once procure a Revenue settled hard and faâ—…t upon them to their minds which what it is neither we nor perhaps themselves ever knew had they but more Wealth to support their Grandeur out of the hard labour of the poor drudging Moyls that tug hard night and day to get Bread had they but Midas his Option or Fortunatus his wishing 〈◊〉 that every thing they touch'd might be Gold they would then make the Bleâ—…-aprons Lacquey it and trot to the Courts by their Horse sides and it does them good but to imagine how they would firk their lazy Hides and curry the sâ—…abbed Humour of Non-conformity out of them Thus much of the Malady the Remedy follows 2. The Remedy of this insupportable Grievance in short is this That a Law be made that all Corporations Market Towns and great Parishes provide a Maintenance for the Vicars in proportion to London for till some such course be taken it will be in vain to expect that the Church of England or the best Laws of Religion should either obtain just Venâ—…ration or due Effect So far
English Clergy which he intimates p. 39. That the motives and invitations of the most judicious Clergy to undertake the work viz. the charge os the flock is from the most liberal maintenance 7. Whether the healing of the Clergies Poverty will not cure them of their Laboriousness in Preaching and whether doubling the Revenues will not single the Sermons I have read of a poor Vicar that being taken notice of by the Bishop for an industrious Preacher to encourage him in his work he gave him a good bulkie Parsonage but observing that he began presently to slacken his pace and come to once a day he sends for him expostulates the Case with him why he should work less now he had more Wages to whom he answered ingenuously Parvâ—… lâ—…quuntur Curae ingentes sâ—…upent 8. Whether it was advisedly spoken by our Enquirer to compare a Ministers Condescension to his scrupulous people in the matter of Ceremonies to Esau's selling his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage for if the Minister should happen to cut short his Common Service to gratifie his Patron in hopes of a Dinnâ—…r the worst he can make of it is that he fells a Mess of Pottage for a Sunday-Pudding And if a Ministers Birth-right consist in Rites and Ceremonies he that gives a Mess of Pottage for it will certainly buy it too dear 3. The third cause is the late Wars And for proof hereof he will desire the Reader to look no further back then the late Wars between this Kingdom and the States of the Low-Countries But why no further back we used to be lead back as far as the late Civil Wars but our Enquirer was better advised then his Reader perhaps is aware of It had not been safe to follow truth too near the Heels least it should have dasht out his Teeth But into what a perplexed Dilemma has he brought the Church of England If we have Peace with Holland and therewith Trade and Commerce then comes in all the new fangled Commodities Ceremonies and Rites of forreign growth exotick Customs jack-in-a-boxes If we have War with them then the Reins of Government are remiss and Non-conformity grows apace for that says he the Contempt of Religion is greater and the state of the Church worse at the end then the beginning of thâ—…se Wars Could we but onderstand the mystery that lurks under that word Religion and that Iâ—…rgon and Cypher the state of the Church we might easily return an Answer By Religion then understand Ceremony by the state of the Church understand its power to crush and ruine all that comply not with those Ceremonies and then it 's very true that Wars are a great Enemy to Religion Every thing is so far to be reputed evil as it crosses and so far good as it advances the Trade of Ceremonies and Impositions If Navigation and Merchandise be Essential to the flourishing state of the Nation yet if they stand in the way of Ceremonies damn them as Schismatical and Wars and Blood-shed and the beggering of the Nation if they would but promote Ceremonies were amongst the choicest desirables However the remedy is cheap and easie 'T is but parting with the Flag the Soveraignty of the Sea which our Enemies would have perswaded us were but a Cerâ—…mony the fishery the East-India Trade and perhaps two or three more such inconsiderable necessaries and we might have secured our Innocent Ceremonies and the Church-men swagger'd over the Consciences of Dissenters He that has a mind to interpose in a discourse of Wars may possibly get a broken Pate for his pains otherwise the Valour of the English Nation has so justified it self in our Naval Engagements that it needs not be ashamed to look back upon its behaviour but I shall only observe as I pass on these few things 1. That the Ecclesiastical Histories observe to our hand that the Wars between the Emperour and the Persians proved a means to check those persecutions which the Arians raised against the Orthodox And if the great Governour of the World will over-rule publick Calamities to render the condition of persecuted Christians tolerable we have the more reason to admire his powerful wisdom who out of so great an Evil could extract so great a Good 2. I must call to mind one of our Enquirers grave sentences ubi solitudinem feccrunt pacem vocant That which some men count Peace is nothing but havock and desolation Like some great Enclosers who having depopulated all about them and left nothing but the bare Ribs and naked Skeleton of sometimes flourishing Farms bless themselves that they are 〈◊〉 from the noise of the obstreperous Carters Thus when our Ecclesiastical projectors shall have ruined Trade routed the Conscientious and forced peaceable Dissenters into deserts beggar'd Corporations those Nests of Schism they may applaud themselves for profound States-men that they have wrought out their own Ease with the miseries of the People 3. Wars may reasonably contribute something to a just and well bounded Liberty of Conscience for how could a Prince expect his Subjects should hazard their lives in his righteous cause and quarrel and open their Purses wide to maintain the War when either they must lose them in his Service or if they return having survived apparent dangers be trampled upon at home by those who have all the while sat still at ease wrapt up in warm Furr and security There 's no great difference whether a man be slain by chain-shot or a single Bullet And yet a generous Spirit would accept is as moreEligible to meet a noble death in the Field fighting for his Prince and Countrey then to languish and pine away an inglorious Life in servitude under Ecclesiastical Impositions 4. If the effects of War were lamented as letting in Debauchery and Prophaneness tolerating immoralities antiquating the practice of Religion we should mourn with him that thus mourns But when we shall have an Oration of the Evils of the War and at last the great one is that it makes people not so fond of Ceremonies whereas Peace and Prosperity multiplies them it 's enough to make a people entertain thoughts less evil of the one and less honourable of the other for thus the Spartans made the lives of the People so intolerable in Peace that they might more readily engage in Wars abroad And indeed such mis-representations of the reasons of things have made the World desire like the Salamander â—…ar for its Element that they might not dwell in the hotter fire â—…f Persecution in a more moderate Climate called Peace for a Person of Honour that in defence of his Country has come up to the mouth of a Canon and come off with renown to be slain by an Ecclesiastical Canon would make him resent his fall with regret and dying bite the ground 4. The fourth and indeed the greatest cause of all these mischiefs is a pestilent evil known by the name of Trade This Kingdom of Great Britain is an Island
Banishment or extend the Statute of Praemunire to every one that shall keck at a Ceremony I hope God will pour out the Spiriâ—… of Wisdom and Understanding of Counsel and the fear of the Lord upon our Legislators we may make Rods to whip our selves upon â—…r Childrens backs and the Teeth of Posterity may be set on edge with those sowr Grapes which though the Fathers did not eat yet they planted the Vines that bore them But what would he have Why he would have a more simple way of Agriculture attended to as it was amongst the Spartans and this Nation formerly Really if it had not been for these Spartans I cannot tell what we should have done But it 's always thus when Divines will be Statesmen and dictating to their Superiours Scholars sit up late at their Studies till the Cocks and their Brains begin to crow and what uncouth whimseys breed in their Heads There was once amongst us an odd Generation oâ—… Folk we call'd 'em Adamites and they would level all things reduce all things to the mode of Paradise such another Capriâ—…io is our Enquirer who though he will not reduce Religious Affairs as high as the Apostle yet Trade must be carried higher and new modeled Secundum usum Spartae I am a thinking what we should do with our Wool which was once the staple commodity of the Natiâ—…n till the Ceremonies carried it when we have spun it woveâ—… it and worn as much as we need what must we do with the rest I should never have guessed but that there ' s an Old Stuff set off with a New Name they call it Episcopacy revived and that must employ the remainder I have heard of a supercilious Spanish Dom who being ask'd by his Friend How the English men lived Answered Oh they live by selling Ale to one another The Answer was unpardonably scandalous yet agreeable to the Morose Humour of that people But to this very pass must we come when the design against Trade takes to Barter Food for Raiment and both for Ceremonies 2. His next expedient is That every one have so much Charity towards the Governours of his own Countrey and thâ—… Church as to think them both as wise and honest as in other places And let me add A great deal honester and wiser too We hope our Governours are so wise and tender of their Subjects as to allow them their Consciences the only thing God has reserved to himself and that they are ambitious to preserve intire for him which will sweeten all that cost and pains they are at in the Service of him whom Divine Grace has set over them But the highest opinion we can possibly entertain of the Wisdom and Sincere Piety of our Governours may well consist with a Humble Petition to be excused in that one thing the Immediate Worship of God As it does not imply that I am wiser or better then every man whose Religion I cannot own in every particular so neither doe it suppose that I entertain low thoughts of the Legislators Wisdom because I cannot subscribe to his Tendries whilst I patiently submit to his penalties for it must needs be supposed that I judge him vested wiâ—… Authority from God to govern me and wise in annexing a Sanction to his Law so equal that I may submit to it whose preceptive part I cannot discern so to be I have heard some plead in justification of the Severities inflicted on the Jesuites in Q. Elizabeth and K. Iames his Reign that they suffered not for Religion but disturbing the Government we humbly beg the same savour Let not our Worship be accounted a Breach of the Peace ipse factâ—… but if the matter be disloyal or the Consequences turbulent and tumultuous we have no farther to plead in our own behalf 3. A third expedient is That we impute not all the distractions of mâ—…ns minds and the quarrels against the Church to the badness of its Constitution since this point of Trade hath such an influence as we see both in the nature of the thing and in the effects of it I have no power to compound for the Trading part and presume he has as little to treat on the behalf of the other part The blame of our Distractions Divisions and Quarrels will lie wheâ—… they â—…ught let him or I lay them where we please If Trade brings in multitudes of Opinions yet that those Opinions make quarrels is because perhaps one needless Opinion is made Cock of the Dung-hill and Crows over all the rest its equals and may be its betters I think impartially there 's blame on all hands and if we could wave that sorry way of excusing our selves by accusing others we were certainly in a fair way of Healing yet one â—…uint he has left unproved to the Charity of his well-disposed Reader viz Thâ—… Trade in its own Nature has such an influence upon our Distractions 4. His last remote Cause is from the Papists and Atheists who both though upon several grounds combine their malice against the Church 1. And first for the Papists concerning whom he will treat of two things first why they are such Enemies to our Church and then wherein the Fnmity discovers it self § 1. What is the reason that these Papists should be such implacable Enâ—…mies to this Church did we ever go about to Blow up the Pope and his Consistory with Cun-powder or ever Massacre a Hundred Thousand of his Catholicks in Ireland Oh no! It was a higher or a deeper cause no matter which whilst our Enquirers penetrating Head can reach it 1. Thâ—… decent order of our Church shames their Pageantry Rome has a Brazen-face of her own and I assure this Gentleman for all his Câ—…nfidence it ' s not a little matter will serch the blood into her â—…heeks She has cause enough to blush but she wants a bore-head though the blood of Thousands of Protestants lies upon her Conscience yet it appears not in her Looks But before our Enquirer upbraid them with their Pageantry it will be necessary that he gives us the Nice critical difference between Ceremonies Decency and Pageantry for if the definitions of both be not fixed to a hairs breadth either the Papists will prove their Theatrical pomp to be Decency or our Ceremonies to be Pageantry If all mystical Rites be Decent they will shew us Twenty for One and will hardly be made to blâ—…sh for their penury or to envy our greater pâ—…y But if they should be found a piece of Pageantry they have infinitely out-done us but withall it s no great commendation to have but little Pageantry in Gods Service 2. The Dignity of the Church shames theirs Dignity is a Term of Art and capable of several meanings If by Dignity we should as we ought to understand A real essential worthiness arising from something excellent in the account of God then this Church has so out-stript her that she ought not to be named in the same day and
year But if we speak with the Vulgar and take this Dignity for some external glory shining out in secular Lusire which is that currant signification which Custom the Master of the Mint has stampt upon It I doubt she will hold up her Head and not be dasht out of Countenance she can prodâ—… her purpuratos patres her Cardinals Princes fellows her Dignitaries she can produce you her Acolytes dancing attendance upon her Decans her Deacons footing it after her Priests her inferiour Clergy boâ—…ing before her mitred Prelates and alâ—… these orderly Reverencing their Metropolitan but then she boasts unmeasurably that she has an Ecclesiastical Head to be the Center of Union to all those so that whether you run up the scale from the poor Ostiary to the Exorcist and so upwards or down the Scale from the supream infallible Noddle moving all the inferiour Wyers she will brazen it out and never hang down her Head 3. The An ient Gravity of our Church reproves theirs I am sorry for the Honour of our Church which I truly Reverence that this Gentleman in vying with Rome should pitch upon those particulars wherein if we do excel and carry the day it will be no such Victory as to challenge a Triumph and yet such is the dubiousness of the case that perhaps we may lose the day I do not yet hear that Rome has disclaimed Antiquity to be one of the marks of the true Church and know something of her presumption in applying into her self Let any Antiquity short of Scripture Epocha be fixt upon and she will make a sorry shift to scramble through many a tiresome Century and scuffle to come as near the Apostolical days as some others Both sides I think have play'd at the game of Drop-father so long till they are weary and forced to confess that some things now in usage were unknown to the Fathers and many things practised by the Fathers which we have silently suffered to grow obsolete by desuetude I look upon these things as matters of course and form to look big and set the best foot before for if ever we confute Rome with an Army of hard words Decency Order Antiquity Gravity they must be such as the Word of God has made so It must be a Decency warranted by God himself either from the Light of Nature or Scripture an Order of Christs Establishment a Gravity exemplified from the Apostles and an Antiquity which was from the Beginning and when Scripture is once made sole Umpire in the Quarrel As the Church of England will certainly run the Papist out of all distance so the Non-conformist will begin to put in his stake and perhaps win the Plate § 2. If you ask how the Church of Rome undermines our Church he answers 1. She furnishes other parties with Arguments against it It were much easier to evince that the Euquirer has rather borrowed his Arguments from Rome then Rome lent one to the Non-conformists I think there 's not one Arrow he can shoot against them but I can shew him where 't was borrow'd or shotten from a Jesuites Quiver where was that Argument taken from Axes Halters Pillories Galleys Prisons Consiscations as some express it or as he more concisely Executing the Laws borrow'd but from Rome The Scripture knows it not the better sort of Heathens abhorr'd it Protestants disown it Papists only glory in it Uterejure tuo Caesar sectamque Lutheri Ense Rotâ Ponto Funibus igne Neca And whence was that argument for Active unlimited Obedience to all things commanded by the Church borrowed for though it becomes no mouth so well as his that can boast of Infallibility yet still we are pressed with the same Argument and in the last resort Publick Conscience must carry it I am sorry this imprudent person should give any one occasion to say further that some of us at home have furnisht Rome with Arguments against the Reformation Arguments from the Scripture Rome has none from the nature of the thing not one but some have put into their Hands a left-handed Dagger which does mischief enough it 's called Argumentum ad Hominem Thus when we are earnest with them to throw away their Oil and Cream they bid us throw away our Cross If we desire her to reform her Cowles and Copes she calls to us to reform our Surplice When we in a friendly way caution them not to feed upon the Devils flesh they answer As good eat his flesh as the Broth he was boiled in 2. She is all for blind Obedience at home but preaches up tenderness of Conscience abroad And what the difference is between blind Obedience and Obedience meerly on the account of the Command I would willingly learn And if any can shew us a better reason for the things commanded and enjoyned then that we shall return him thanks If I might now borrow the Enquirers place so long as whilst I propounded a few Enquiries I would immediately resign to him his Province § 1. If the enmity between the two Churches be so great as is pretended what was the reason that so many Stars of the first magnitude in this Orb were in Conjunction with the Dragons Tail why were they so ready to yield him his Western Patriarchate and all within the first four hundred years which will at once bring England under his Subjection though I much question whether the Grand Seignior will have so much good nature as to resign him the Eastern Patriarchate so easily § 2. If the Church of Rome be this Churches Enemy is she not then concerned to get more Churches to be her Friends It 's a wild Humour of some Church-men that they will disoblige all the world provoking every ones hand against themselves whilst their hand is against every one If Rome be an Enemy she is a potent malicious subtle and United Enemy and it concerns a Church not to be divided at home when her Enemies are united abroad and to combine with the forreign Protestants in Love were an excellent way to prevent the Combinations of Romes hatred § 3. It would be enquired If Rome be such an Enemy what should be that which provokes her wrath and indignation what that should be that makes the envious Snakes wherewith Antichrists head is periwigg'd to hiss and spit out their Venom Does she Storm and Rage because we have retained two or three of her fine Ceremonies that cannot be the Origin of her spight They are those things wherein the Church of England and Non-conformists are mutually agreed that Rome opposes this Church in and they are those things wherein this Church symbolizes with Rome wherein she differs most from the Non-conformists When the Heathens triumphed in the great feats of their Maximus Tyrius and Apollonius Tyanaeus the Christians answered That whatever good effect their Religion ever had upon the Lives of Men was owing to those Principles and Truths which it had in Common with Christianity Thus will Dissenters plead
received any such command to invent and impose Ceremonies she can tell us where others may read it as well as her self And to conclude at present they say That this one Principle granted That the Church may impose upon her Members whatever is not expresly forbidden does either put the Body of Christians under a more heavy Yoke then that of the Iews or else torment them with fears that they may be so And indeed supposing this exorbitant power to impose parts of Worship or Ceremonies or any of these things in Debate the condition of the Iews was much more desirable in this respect then that of Christians For § 1. Their Law-giver was Iehova who had an absolute and unlimited power over them and they that are Gods Creatures will not grudge to be his Servitors He was Lord paramount of Worship and Conscience and might he not be allowed to do what he would with his own He is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and shall they not live in subjection to him who expect to live in a Kingdom with him Since there is a necessity of obedience it sweetens it unspeakably that it 's both Interest and Priviledge to obey and that he who requires obedience is their God a God whose Will is the Rule of Righteousness and therefore the most satisfactory Reason of his Commands and his Creatures Duty And Implicit Obedience is then Honourable when God calls for it § 2. As their Law giver had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority to Command so he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a power to influence the weakest Elements He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had absolute Sovereignty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of Almighty power which was a double encouragement to the observers of his precepts For 1. He was hereby able to secure the Obedient in his Service upon which Account Christ claims the Legislative Power over Conscience â—…am 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy 2. By this Power he could render efficacious these Rudiments which in themselves were but beggerly Ordinances and produce by them Spiritual and Supernatural effects And I am 〈◊〉 the rather to think that God has not committed the â—…ral Power of instituting much less the Sovereign Power of imposing Religious Ceremonies and Observances because he has not communicated that other Power to bless their own appointments â—…or invigorate them with success God may well be allowed to Command what he pleases seeing be can and will bless whatsoever he Commands § 3. Their Law-giver was Faithful one to whom they might securely commit their Consciences one with whom they might â—…ith the greatest satisfaction of Heart commit their Souls He â—…hat has a sole right to any thing will be faithful in keeping it because 't is his own and who may better be entrusted with the Guardianship of Worship and all Religion then their Owner But though we ought not to be Censorious yet we may and ought to exercise some prudence and caution to whom we resign our selves in matters of Religion though the best of Men not knowing how they may use us but well knowing that we may more easily Captivate ourselves to the Will of an Imposer then being once enthralled vindicate our selves into our Christian Liberty Or if for no other Reason yet for this because they are but Men. § 4. The Jewish Yoke was a determinate Yoke It was Onus but Determinatum A Burden but a stinted Burden It 's no small alleviation to the Labourers toyl when he knows his work to the Traveller that he knows his Journeys end The fews had their work before them but upon the Modern Principle The burden of Christians is Indefinite which is but a better word for Infinite The Truth is in these Humane Impositions we see the beginning but no Man knows the end of them it 's a Nemo scit Our load must be bounded with no other Limits then a Churches Will and that Will perhaps bounded with no other then its Power since it 's Canoniz'd for good Divinity That the Church may impose whatever is Decent and that the Church is Iudge of what is Decent though who the Church is is not so certain § 5. Their Law-giver was one of known and approved Tenderness who either apportioned his work to their strength or their strength to his work he fitted the Yoke to their Neck and their Neck to the Yoke The main thing that renders Christs own Yoke so easie his Burden so light is that as his Authority imposes so his strength supporta Men may lay heavy burdens on our Shoulders but where there is most need cannot touch them with one of their Fingers § 6. Their Law-giver was one who in all his Impositions consulted their own good and benefit as wel as exercised his own Authority The Iews wrought hard indeed but their work had much of wages in 't The design of their Mystical Rites and Ceremonies directed them to a Saviour Legal Administrations well order'd were Gospel Priviledges Before Christ came Ceremonies were Illustrantia such as discovered the Person Nature Office and Grace of the Messiah a Candle is better then no Light but to us they are all Obscurantia such as darken the state of Christianity As before the Sun-rising the Prodromous Clouds whose edges are fringed with Gold comfort us with the hopes of an approaching greater Light which when the Sun is up do but darken the Horizon Thus did Ceremonies illustrate Christ at the Annuntiation but obscure him at his Advent It will be needless further to Vindicate the Dissenters I shall leave them to the Enquirers Patronage who by the same Reason that he justifies the Church of England from Popery will I hope clear the Non-conformists from Judaism p. 12. All says he is not to be accounted Popery which is held or practised by the Church of Rome Nor say I is all to be accounted Judaism which was either the principle or practise of the Iewish Church p. 13. Nor is it reasonable to say such a thing is received from the Church of Rome because it is there to be found unless it be found no where else And as little Reason to say the Dissenters have received this Principle from the Jews That no Worship is lawful for that is their Principle but what is prescribed by the Scripture unless it were found no where else But this was a Principle so clear in the Light of Nature that Numa the great Ritualist of Heathen Rome durst not hope that ever his Ceremonies would ever obâ—…ein amongst a people that had Fyes in their Heads unless he had or pretended to have a Conference with his Goddess Aegeria Thus the Palladium of Troy that Mystick Ceremony in which the Fate of their City was wrap'd up is supposed to have come down from Minerva the famous Image in Diana's Temple ' Acts 19. 35. is supposed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fallen from Jupiter and
Glory and to confirm them in thâ—…r blind Idolatries when the God that made Heaven and Earth gave the fullest discoveries that it was fit for Mankind to expect Upon the Account of this the Jews rejected that Messias they had so long expected and gloried in before he came though he exactly answered all the Characters of Time Place Lineage Doctrine and Miracles that their own Writings had described him by No wonder then if the Non-consormists suffer under Prejudice amongst those that have not only seen their Doctrine stigmatized with the odious Marks of Judaism their Churches with the Brand of Schism their Persons with Treason and Rebellion but also had been formed into a Combination against them and so had both their Consciences and worldly Interest engaged against them and it For few have the generosity and strength of mind to bear up against the Torrent of Times or confidence enough to oppose the Impetuousness of common Vogue or prevailing Opinion There are not many that have the sagacity to discern the true Images of things through those thick Mists that cunning Politicians cast about them It 's very ordinary to take the Condemnation of any Person or Party for a sufficient Proof of the Accusation and to think the Indictment Proved It was enough both with the Jews and Gentiles against our Saviour that he was condemned as a Malefactor The Ignominy of his Cross was a greater Argument against him with the Generality then the excellency of his Doctrine or Evidence of his Miracles was for him The Arguments against Non-conformity were not weighed but numbred An Impeachment of Accumulative Disorder Schism Faction Judaism Popular Rashness and Disobedience to Magistrates was formed against them and still there was more in the Conclusion then â—…uld be made â—…ut by the Premises and in the Sum Total then in the Particulars of which it consisted for though no Point of all these could be proved against their Doctrine Worship or Discipline yet they must be so upon the whole This being Agreed the Cry is then Crucifige Destroy it Root and Branch To all which add that it was the corrupt interest of some to deceive others into an ill Opinion of the Reformation partly as being enraged that any sparks of Primitive Purity should be left unquenched which might burn up their vast hopes they had conceived of dividing the spoil amongst themselves Partly being conscious to themselves that by Reason of their no more then Declamatory Vulgar and Puerile Abilities improved from Apothegms and Proverbial Sentences they could not be fit to fill any considerable place in a Church Reformed according to the Scriptures nor yet to content themselves with a private station in a persecuted Society they therefore chose to fall in where they might be entertained as useful Tools and rewarded for their singular Talents of Reviling And when once it is come to that pass That by this Craft we get our Livings one two or three like the Silver-smiths of Ephesus no wonder if the Apostolical Doctrine and Government be cried down and the Great Diana of Pauls-conformity cried â—…p sooner then built The sum is this some men are blindly led by their Education and care taken that they never come to a view of the Dissenters principles others by Interest forced to espouse that Religion that has the fairest Dowry A third sort by their Reputation that they may not seem to have been in an Errour And when all these Causes shall as they too frequently do happily concur such an associated and complicated Temptation will form a prejudice strong enough to oppose the clearest Demonstrations and to stir up so much rancour and malignity as shall incessantly persecute mis-represented Truth I will add one word from the Learned Author of Orig. Sacr. and conclude It cannot be conceived That many out of Affectation of Novelty should declare themselves Christians in the Primitive times when so great hazards were run upon in the professing ofit Few soft spirited men and lovers of their own â—…ase but would have found out some fine distinctions and nice evasions to have reconciled themselves to the publick Laws and such things which the Primitive Christians so unanimously refused when tending to Idolatry and Prophaneness An ordinary Judgement will soon determine whether party may more plausibly complain of being pressed down with unreasonable prejudices They that will appear in the Quality of Dissenters must stem the violent Current of prevailing Example inveterate Custom whilst others have nothing to do but skull away with the Tide when it comes in with the Celeusma of Queenhithe westward hoe Lambeth hoe Dissenters must storm the Turn-pâ—…kes of Reproach Poverty and those more formidable ones of the displeasure of Friends and wrath of Superiours smoaking out in Imprisonment or other penalties besides the Ecclesiastical Charitiâ—…s of Excommunication The rest have nothing more to do but patiently and meekly submit to Preferments and Dignities And if they can but compass such a measure of self-denial as to renounce ruine and misery and rise to such a height of contentment as to be willing to enter upon Ease and Aâ—…luence the worst is over and their greatest prejudices conquered 4. The last cause of the Distractions and ill Estate of this Church is the want of true Christian Zeal and of a deep and serious sense of Piety And the Enquirer wishes that it be not the greatest as well as the last And so do I too for the want of Zeal for Gods Commands makes us so scalding hot for Humane Constitutions The want of such a Zeal for the Authority of Christ as a King makes us so bold to Invade his Office The want of Zeal for the Perfection of Scriptures makes us so Zealous for unscriptural Traditions The want of Zeal for the substance makes us so Zealous for Ceremonial shadows When all those Spirits that Holy ardour of Soul that flame of Affection which ought to be expended in the love of God and his Law is evaporated in Airy speculations contentions for and impositions of new Inventions This Cause is plainly in the number of those which like the Weathercock conform to every gust of Wind It is Communis juris and therefore the first occupancy creates a Title What was it made the Primitive Church so unanimâ—…s that it was not crumbled into parties nor mouldred away in Divisions nor quarrelled about Opinions nor separated one part from another upon occasion of little scruples but because the turbulent â—…pirit of Imposition was not yet raised nor ambitious domineering over the Faith and Consciences of the Brethren had not yet got any considerable Head It 's true there was a spice of this encroaching Humour found amongst the Iudaizing Christians who would needs obtrude their Ceremonies upon the Gentile Converts as necessary to Communion with the Church but the divinely inspired Apostles were ready at hand to check the growing Evil and vindicate the Churches from the serviâ—…ude â—…f beggarly Rudiments It
's true Diotrephes his fingâ—…rs it â—…hed to be tampering but the Beloved Disciple that lay in his Masters Bosom who was privy to his meek and gracious Temper and knew how displeasing such imperiousness was to him gave an early and timous rebuke to the Attempts and Essays of Praelatical Arrogancy and indeed he could not but remember and was concern'd in it how smartly Christ had snibb'd Aspiring Church-men That there was so much Tranquility therefore amongst the Primitive Christians was not that they were without differing apprehensions for mens parts were no more alike nor thâ—…ir Educations more equal then now But because there was a Spirit of Condescension to and mutual forbearance one of another The strong either in Knowledge or Authority did not trample upon the weak There was then some diversity of Eupressions in which the Pastors of several Churches delivered themselves for there were neither Homilies nor Liâ—…urgies yet they did not dispute themselves into parties because they made not their own Sentiment the Test of Orthodoxy nor their private Faith the publick standard and measure to which all Christians should be tyed to subscribe They allowed a latitude in things not fundamental nor had learned the modern Artifice of Fettering Consciences in the Chains of Assent and Consent to the Dogmats of a prevailing party In those days meâ—… were sincerely good and devout and set their Hearts upon the Main the huge consequence and concern of which easily prevailed with those Holy men to over-look other mens private Opinions They were intent upon that wherein the power of Godliness consisted and upon which thâ—… Salvation of Souls depended and so all that was secure they were not so superstitiously concerned for Rituals either to practice them much less to impose them They would not stake the Churches Peace against Ceremonies and then play it away rather then not be Gamesters They considered that they had all one God one Faith one Baptism one Lord Iesus Christ and never insisted upon one Posture one Gesture one Garment one Ceremony They Good men found enough to do to mortifie their Passions to bear their Burdens of Afflictions and Persecution to withstand the temptations of the Devil and the contagion of evil Examples And had no strength to spare nor superfluous time to wast to Conn the Theory of Ceremonies and practice new devices But when men grow cold and indifferent about great things then they become â—…ervent about the lesser when they give over to mind a holy life and heavenly Conversation then they grow fierce Disputants for and rigid Exacters of the sulâ—… Tale of Ceremonies Thus when the Scribes and Pharise 〈◊〉 became so violent for the necessity of washing hands they little regarded the cleansing of their Hearts They that will make things indifferent to become necessary the next news you hear of them is that they make things necessary to become indifferent when men cease to study their own hearts they become very studious how to vex and torment other mens for then they have both leisure and confidence enough to trample upon their inferiours Then it shall be a greater sin for a Monk to lay aside his Cowle then his Chastity and to be a scrupulous Non-conformist to the Laws of Men then a scandalous Non-conformist to the Laws of God In short that I may say the same thing over again which I have twenty times already said and that I may convince the Reader that I have read Erasmus de opiâ—… vâ—…orum as well as his famous piece of the Art of Preaching Then and not till then do the little Appendices of Religion grow great and mighty matters in mens esteem when the Essentials the great and weighty matters are become little and inconsiderable which I had had little need to have mentioned but for the sake of those Elegant and Modish words Appendices and Essentials which in an Eloquent Oration ought not to have been forgotten Dixi That there are Distractions in the Nation Divisions amongst Christian Brethren and a separation from the present Church of England in various degrees is evident The Industry of our Enquirer in Tracing out the Causes of them has been very commendable though his success has not been answerable Had he pleased to approve himself a skilful and impartial as well as a serious Enquirer he had certainly directed us to one cause more which for want of Ariadnes Threed in the Anfractuous windings of this Labyrinth he has quite lost himself and his Travels Honest Gerson of old has notified it to the non-observing World and from him I shall recommend it to the Reader There can be saith he no General Reformation without the Abolitions of sundry Canons and Statutes which neither are nor reasonably can be observed in these times which do nothing but ensnare the Consciences of men to their endless Perdition no tongue is able to express what evil what danger and confusion the neglect and contempt of the Holy Scripture which doubtless is sufficient for the Government of the Church else Christ had been an imperfect Law-giver and the following of Humane Inventions hath brought into the Church Serm. in die circ part 1. 'T is that which has ever been lamented and by all moderate persons complained of That unnecessary Impositions have been made the indispensible conditions of Church-Communion without precept or precedent from the Word of God To this cause had he reduced all our Divisions he said more in those few plain words then in all those well coucht periods wherewith he has adorned his Discourse and darkened Counsel As the matter of Law arises out of the matter of Fact so the Justice of the Non-conformists Cause appears from the terms that are put upon them in order to Communion If the Terms be unjust it will justifie their Cause If they have sinfully managed their Cause its goodness will not justifie their Persons what Dissenters usually insist upon for their Justification I shall reduce to these Heads § 1. They plead that some things are imposed upon their Faith tendered to Subscription as Articles of Faith which are either false or at best they have not yet been soo happy as to discover the truth of them In Art 20. They are required to subscribe this Doctrine The Church hath power to Decree Rites and Ceremonies which Clause of the Article as we fear it has been by some indirect means shuffled into the Article it not being found in the Authentick Articles of Edw. 6. so it proves also that the Terms of Communion have been enlarged since the first times of the Reformation They object also against that Doctrine in the Rubrick That it is certain from the Word of God That Children Baptized and dying before the Commission of actual sins are undoubtedly saved The Scripture the Protestant Churches nor any sound Reason have yet given them any tolerable satisfaction of the Truth of the Doctrine about the Opus operatum of Sacraments That Doctrine laid down in the
Catechism That Children do perform Faith and Repentance by their sureties is also as great a stumbling to our Faith and we cannot get over it How the Adult should believe and repent for Minors or Infants Believe and Repent by Proxie I omit many others § 2. They plead that they are not satisfied in the use of any Mystical Ceremonies in Gods Worship and particularly they judge the use of the Cross in Baptism to be sinful A Sacrament of Divine Institution according to the definition of the Church in her Catechism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof where we have 1. The matter of a Sacrament An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace 2. The Author of a Divine Sacrament Christ himself 3. The End of it to be a means to convey the thing signified and a pledge to assure us of it Hence it 's evident that it 's simply impossible that any Church should institute a Divine Sacrament because they cannot give it a Causality to those Graces it is instituted to signifie Nevertheless it 's possible for Men to institute Humane Sacraments which shall have the Matter of a Sacrament That is an outward Visible Sign of an inward Spiritual Grace and they may pretend to ascribe an effect to it also to stir up to excite or encrease Grace and Devotion And yet because it wants the right efficient Cause it 's no lawful Sacrament though it be an Humane Sacrament Such an institution say they is the Sign of the Cross. An outward Visible Sign of an inward Spiritual Grace Ordained by Men as a means to effect whatever Man can work by his Ordinance Here is the matter without Divine Signature which is the thing they condemn it for 3. They plead that since Communion with the Church is suspended and denyed but upon such Terms as take away Christian Liberty in part and by consequence leave all the rest at Mercy they dare not accept of Communion upon those Terms There are some things which God has in the general left free and indifferent to do or not do yet at some times and in some Cases it may be my great sin if I should do some of them as when it would wound the Conscience and destroy the Soul of a weak Christian If now I shall engage my self to the Church that I will never omit such an indifferent thing and the Soul of that weak Christian should call to me to omit it I have tyed my Hands by engagement I cannot help him though it would save his or a thousand Souls out of Hell because I have given away my freedom to the Church 4. They plead that they ought not to hazard their Souls in one Congregation if they may more hopefully secure them in another for that their Souls are their greatest concernment in this World and the next Now say they there 's no Question but Men Preach such as they Print with pubiick allowance and therefore they ought to provide better for their Souls elsewhere Especially they say That the Doctrine of Justification is Articulus stantis vel cadentis Ecclesiae an Article with which the Church falls or stands This Article say they in the Parish where we live is quite demolish'd by the Doctrine of Iustification by Works we are bound therefore to provide for our safety and depart and when we are once out we will advise upon another Church not which is tolerable but which is most eligible and in all things nearest the Word 5. They plead that there 's no obligation upon them to own the Churches Power to impose new Terms of Communion unless the Church can prove her Power from Christ it 's not for them to disprove it it lies upon her to prove it and to prove it substantially too or else it will be hard to prove it their duty to own it 6. They say the World is pestered with Disputes about Worship about Religion and therefore since all cannot be in the right they are willing to go the safest way and Worship God according to his Word If the things disputed be lawful to be done let 'em be so they are sure its lawful to let 'em alone and they think there 's no great hazard in keeping to Scripture Rule nor can believe that Christ will send any to Hell because they did not Worship God in an External Mode more neat and spruce then God commanded 7. They pretend that the things imposed are parts of Worship which none can Create but God nor will God accept of any but such as are of his own Creating and whether they be Integral or Essential Parts they do not know but in the Worship of God they find them standing upon even ground with those that are certainly Divine or at least as high as Man can list them 8. They do not find that God ever commanded the things imposed either in general in special or their singulars If God has commanded a Duty to be done the Church must find a place to do it in but though the Church must find a place for the Duty a time for the Duty she may not find new Duty for the time and place 9. They are the more cautious of all Ceremonies because the old Church of England in her Homilies Serm. 3. Of Good Works tell us That such hath been the corrupt inclination of Man superstitiously given to make New Honcuring of God of his own Head and then to have more Affection and Devotion to keep that then to search out Gods Holy Commandments and do them 10. They say they have read over all the Books that have been written in justification of those things and they find their Arguments so weak their Reasons so futilous that setting aside Rhetotick and Railing there 's nothing in them but what had been either answered by others or is contradicted by themselves which hardnes them in their Errour who are gone astray into the right way 11. They say it 's their duty to endeavour a Reformation according to the Word which if others will not they cannot help it and hope they will not be angry with the willing PART II. CHAP. I. The several ways for prevention of Church-Divisions mentioned by the Enquirer considered The Papal Methods 1. Keeping the People in Ignorance 2. An infallible Iudge 3. Accommodating Religion to the Lusts of Men. Three other ways mentioned by the Enquirer 1. Teleration 2. Comprehension 3. Instruction AS that Person will highly merit of this present Age whose discerning eye shall discover and his charity propound to the world such rational expedients as may amicably compose our present differences upon terms comporting with the Consciencious principles of the contending parties so our fears of the success are justly greatned by the frequent disappointment of our hopes Confident Pretenders posting up their Bills in
not the shallowness of the Governours Judgement I dare not Act against my own I confess my self to seek in the great secret of a private and publick Wisdom â—…s much as I am in that of the private and publick Conscience a superstructure raised upon that foundation Nor have I learnt the difference between the Roman Ignorance and resigning my own Râ—…ason between darkness and no use of Light between having no private Reason and renouncing it for the publick Reason in things directly respecting God and his Worship The one is born blind and the other has lost his Eyes the one is the Romish Opiate and the other a more gentle if more gentle preparation of 〈◊〉 § 2. He answers Secondly If it had come timely yet the Remedy is worse then the Disease we esteem it better if one be necessary to â—…rr like men then to be driven like Beasts or Actâ—…d like â—…ppets An Heroick Spirit and such as may assure us that our Physician will not cast us into a Lethargiâ—… to prevent the Ravings of a Feaver and that he will not follow that Bishâ—…ps â—…thod who had no other Cure for the Head-ake then to cut it off I have read of a King of France who was extreamly delighted in a Gentleman of his Bâ—…d-chamber who had the proper Case of a Man bâ—…t his upper Rooms it seems were but furnisht like 〈◊〉 witâ—… Lumbâ—…r Tâ—…is young Courtier by some accident took an occasion to fall into a 〈◊〉 which elevating his Bâ—…ain â—…bove its natural and dull temper to a due height requisite or Raptures created him ex tempore a most accomplisht Poet Physicians are alâ—…â—…ummon'd and they summon their Art to restore him to his formâ—…r little self success attends their Endeavours and the Gentleman is at once delivered from his Distraâ—…ion and tâ—…at â—…reater madness Poetry The King having lost the satisfaâ—…tion he conceived in his Airy Fancies and valuing a Mad Viâ—…oso before a sober Logger-head threatens to hang 'em up every Mothers Son unless they did presently recover him again to Wit by putting him besâ—…des it such Mountebanks there are in the World who cannot keep Men peaceable unless they make them â—…ocks and Stones 2. A second 〈◊〉 for â—…visions much used by the Romanists is their Infallible Iudge â—…o which whosoever pretends on this side a Deity needs only his own mouth to confute him what follows in our Enquirer I read with much complacency The Scripture plainly tâ—…lls us that all men are lyars such as may deceive or be deceived and most undoubtedly would never hâ—…ve made such a distinction of Christians as strong men and Babes in Christ nor made it our duty to consider one anothers weakness and practise mutual fâ—…rbearance if it had intended any where to direct us to such an Umpire as should have ended all differences and made all men equally certain Much less that the weak in judgement should be forced to keep pace with the strong in their practises or that Babes should drive at the rate of grown men Again There â—…as says he a time when the Apostles had the assistance of the Hâ—…y Spirit in such a manner as to guide them into all Truth and gave miraculous proof that they had so and yet this would not cure all the Schismes nor resolve all the Scruples nor silence all Disputes It must needs therefore seem unreasonable for them who confessing a fallibility of judgement should yet as peremptorily bind their Deoretals upon the Consciences as if they not only pretended to but could give evidence of their infallibility It 's noted for one of the impudent Essays of Papal presumption and Hypocrisie that he calls himself Servus Servorum Dei and yet Acts as if he were Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium I never liked Jacobs smooth voice when I felt Esâ—…'s rough hands and heavy Fists when we hear of the Publick Wisdom and Conscience and both fallible and yet like Moses his Rod swallowing up the private Wisdom and Conscience because they are fallible I rejoyce in the great Advantage of an Infallible God who guides us by an Infallible Rule to whom we may securely commit our Souls Nor can I see the so much boasted preheminence of their Infallible visible Iudge above our certainly Infallible Rule for whatever this Infallible Gentleman determines it must come to our Cognizance either by word or writing and then it amounts to no more then an Infallible Rule and by consequence lyable to mis-interpretations and all the inconveniencies which they have unjustly charged upon the Word of God which has been confirmed to us by Autopsy for whatever have been his Determinations De fide the Contenders retain their former sentiments which they protest they would never do were they assured in the true meaning of his Decrees Here I began first to suspect that this second part of the Enquiries could not possibly be the Child of the same Father with the former For that other Enquirer assured us that in the Primitive times All good men were of one way and All bad men of another that there was but one division of men that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were the only Sects that the World was known by but this Enquirer tells us That there were Schismes Divisions Scruples Disputes in those early days which the Holy Spirit given to the Apostles in such a manner as to lead them into all Truth would not Cure resolve nor silence Had the Apostles understood those frightful consequences which we have learnt to impute to diversities of judgement in lesser matters with suitable variety in practise attending it they might easily have silenced those disputes by the interposition of their Authority and the Churches no doubt would as easily have acquiesced in the judgement of the Apostles who could give irrefragable proof that they were sent of Christ. Nor have these rigorous Decisions ever reacht their pretended ends in healing differences but only consopited them under the Ashes for a while or taught men a little more craft to draw over the Articles to their private Opinions rather then conform these to the publick belief Another Papal Remedy is the Accommodation of Religion to the Lusts and Interests of Men allowing them to think believe do any thing in the world provided they be subject to the universal Pastor for the Pope seeing that the World will not be brought over to him upon the Terms of Christ is content to come over to the world in Morals if they will but come over to him in his Ceremonials Much what of the same good nature with that other grand Impostor Mahomet who when that sullen Mountain would not stir a foot to come to him very courteously answer'd Then let us go to the Mountain Whether this Prescription will be agreeable to or practicable upon English Constitutions is a great Question The Author of this Second part concludes that we of this Church have too much simplicity and
works of the flesh be found amongst us Adultery Fornâ—…cation Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulation Bitterness Strife Seditions Herefies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like We plead not for the guilty only let the innocent find mercy at home who in other places might expect a Reward Is he a meet person to undertake the Healing of our Breaches to compose our differences that cannot distinguish between a Toleration in Ceremonies and the Tolerating of Idolatry that knows not the nice difference between Tolerating every thing and nothing If it be all one to Indulge in things confessed Adiaphorous at best and the necessary duties of the Decalogue talk no more of Healing He must prove a Physician of no value that when the balm of Gilead drops into his mouth knows not how to Apply it 2. The second propounded Remedy is an excellent Opener known to this present age by the name of Conprehension which in our Authors Glossary signifies The making the Terms of Communion more free and easie opening the Arms of the Church to receive more into her Bosom thereby to enlarge both the Society and Intrest of the Church and one would think that so much Reason coucht in so few words might have vindicated the Receipt above contempt and recommended it to a probationary experiment self-preservation would make a harsher medicine then this go merrily down If any thing make a Building strong that must be carried to such a vast Height that must bear such a weight that shall be exposed to such shaking Winds it must be a proportionable widening the foundation But let us hear our Betters § 1. For my part says he If such a Course please our Governours I have no mind to oppose any thing to it They are infinitely obliged to him surely that if they please to shew kindness to tender Conscienced Subjects he will not oppose not declare against them This is a Moderation far beyond Mr. Bayes's hotter temper he will tell them If they will Rule they must they must they must but is this all I had thougt he had brought with him Licentiam ad practicandum A Commission to prescribe and now I see he can do nothing without the Colledge but what now if such a wholesome course please not though it profit might it not have become a Compassionate Enquirer to have forwarded them with a humble Hint or two of their interwoven Interest and Duty when he preaches so admirably upon those points of Reverence Contentment Submission Charity and has shewn his skill in the Theory does he use to Rivet it no better then thus If these virtues please my Auditors I have no mind to oppose If you will be chartiable you may for all me I 'le promise you I shall never study your ruine and plot your destruction If Church-Governours please to enlarge the Society and Interest of the Church If they please to strengthen it against 〈◊〉 Enemies abroad and procure it peace and contentment at home he will not oppose The best natur'd man that ever was in the World They who are Governours of the Church are bound in Conâ—…nce to make the Terms of Communion easâ—… and free not to make the Yoke heavier then Christ made it They that came in easily ought to let others in upon the same Terms whoever they were that first clogg'd the Churches Communion with multitudes of unnecessary Conditions are like him that receiving a clear Estate of Inheritance from his Father leaves it encumbred and charged to his Son who perhaps may never be able to take off the Mortgage and so shall thank his Father for just nothing Christ made the way to Heaven narrow enough and there 's no need to make it straiter Governours in the Church may easily mistake in the Quantity of their power but this is sure How great soever it be they have all for Edification none for Destruction They ought not to reject those whom Christ will receive And a little plain English would here have done no hurt but have been Acceptable to the best of Church-men whose misery it is to have many flatterers about them which let them know their virtues but few faithful Monitors who will acquaint them with their Duty § 2. He desires it may be Considered that there are many things that look very probably in the general notion and speculation that would flatter one into a great opinion of them which when they come to be â—…ycd are no ways answerable Therefore never attempt any thing that wears the Appearance of Honourable to the Worlds end the benefits may possibly exceed as well as fall below expectation It was Davids counsel to Solomon Up and be doing and the Lord be with thee There are many things which in the generalnotion and speculation would terrifie one with appearances of Inconveniencies which when they come to be tryed were the suggestions of Cowardice Thus Children in the Twiâ—…ght seeing every object through the spectacles of their own fears make that a Bear which Nature calls a harmless Bush. § 3. But many difficulties occur in the Reducing things of this Nature into practise that were not foreseen in the Theory And many blessings and mercies may and will occur which will overweigh the difficultes in attaining them the difficulties momentany the advantages perpetual the inconveniencies personal the benefits general the prejudices to some sew mens too much plenty the Advantages to many mens Souls It 's a strange resolution that we will not endeavour to be happy for fear we should encounter a difficulty in the way thither If the knot cannot be untied Alexanders Sword will cut it to withdraw from Apparent Duty for fear of uncertain danger is but like his that would not shoot the Bridge because it might possibly fall on 's Head Those accidents which can neither be foreseen nor prevented in doing a good work are by wise men not to be regarded I never hear such Arguments used against the Attemps for preferments I shall judge them real in their Declamations against Comprehensions when they use to discourage themselves from the same Difficulties in seeking great things for themselves The Sluggard cries out There 's a Lion in the way when it 's nothing but his own lazie Soul that paints out dread and terrour to his Imagination let none hereafter â—…at because he may possibly find his death where he sought his life let none Travel because he may be robb'd nor ride on Horseback because he may possibly get a fall There 's nothing truly Glorious but must be waded to through difficulties but some secret Lusts commonly pretend them greater then they are § 4. This is not done says he and we do not know when it will be set about That is we will use the means when the end is effected How happy had the Christian World been if the first Imposers of Ceremonies had acted by those principles suen conditions are not imposed and we know not when
His third proof is taken from the loveliness of Unity It 's not says he the sublimity of Christian Doctrine nor the gloriousness of the Hopes it propounds that will so recommend it to the opinion and â—…steen of beholders as when it shall be said Ecce ut Christiani Amant when they shall observe the Love Concord and Unanimity amongst the Professors of it The Enquirer has here stumbled at unawares upon the formal reason of Schism or sinful separation which lies not in the variety of Opinions or differing practices modes or forms of Worship but in a want of true love and charity That which renders Christianity truly beautiful and amiable in the Eyes of Beholders is that it teaches the Professors thereof to love one another with a pure heart frvently though under different perswasions as to Modes of Divine Worship and Discipline That their hearts are larger to receive one anothers persons then their heads are to conceive one anothers notions But yet as he is a fond Lover that chuses his Wife by the Eye for the symmetry of her external frame or cloathing of wrought Gold rather then those virtues which adorn the Soul so he that chuses his Religion by Sense and not by Faith will make a most lamentable bargain He that falls in love with Christs Church upon External Allurements and Extrinsick Motives will either repent or quit his choice when she is persecuted her outward frame discomposed her order violated the Shepherd smitten and the Sheep scatter'd whereas he that espouses Religion for those invisible glories which she propounds and keeps in his steady eye the recompence of reward will adhere to his choice when she is most black and the Sun of Persecution has too familiarly looked upon her But I shall not need to trouble my self or the Reader with any more of these fine Arguments Schism is an evil whether he be angry at it or no. And separation may be good whether he be pleased or no All the Question will be that seeing there is an apparent separation found amongst us from the Political Church of England and supposing that there is sin one where or other where the guilt of it ought to lye The Enquirer has spoken a great deal of Truth in in a few words That some have found pleasure to get that Child which they would by no means have laid at their own doors A successful piece of Villany it is which sometimes passes for a virtue for the Fathers who have begot these Brats to expose them to be kept and maintained at the cost of the poor innocent Parish And if we might guess at the true Father by the Childs Physiognomy All the divisions which have so heavily charged the Churches having sprung from Ceremonies from needless Impositions from unnecessary Terms of Communion They who take such pleasure to beget thâ—… one may be presumed to have been the Grand-fathert of the other If yet there be any controversie depending whose the Child is The Enquirer recommends to us the Wisdom of Solomon for discovering the True Mother and because we know Partus sequitur ventum if we can once find out the Damm we shall make her confess the Sire It was the early proof says he Solomon gave of his Wisdom in discovering the true Mother of the living Child to which both the Litigants laid equal claim I confess his illustration proceeds hitherto but very oddly for there the quarrel was who should have the Child and be reputed the true Mother but with us all the controversie is who shall be discharg'd of it but all similitudes do not run of four Leggs and it 's very well if this will hop on one observe how he lays both ends of his discourse together As that wise Prince discovered the true Mother by the tenderness of her Bowels towards the Infant so we may perhaps discover the true Children of the Church by their respect and tenderness to her Ay just so no doubt Even as the Wheelbarrow rumbles over the Pebbles so a Thumb-rope of Sand will make an excellent 〈◊〉 for Fishers folly The comparison would run a little more naturally and regularly thus As the true Mother was discerned by the tenderness of her Bowels towards the Infant who would rather part with her right then that her bleeding Eye should ever see her Child divided so we may perhaps discover the true Mother of the Church by her condescending and relenting pity who would rather wave her claims and resign her right in some lesser instances then ever endure to see the body of Christ divided by a Schismatical Dichotomy And as the Harlot notwithstanding all her pretences bewrayed her self to the discerning eye of that Judicious Prince who could be content the Child should rather dye then she lose her moyety so will she evidence her self to be a Stepmother Church which peremptorily insists upon a pretended right to Impâ—…se at the Peril of the Churches Peace rather then by waving those pretences save the endangered Church from imminent destruction but some mens Allegories are never so excellent as when they are impertinent or non sense and I presume he found this Allusion in the Wisdom of Solomon in the Apocryphal Writings We are come at length to the Question what is the true notion of Schism A point that deserves to be handled with the greatest exactness for upon the True stating hereof the issue of the whole controversie depends His notion or definition of Schism is this Schism is a voluntary departure or separation of ones self without just cause given from that Christian Church whereof he was once a Member Or Schism is a breach of that Communion wherein a man might have continued without sin I shall not need to find faults or pick holes in this definition they will offer themselves as he opens the Terms only I observe 1 That it offends against one of the sacred Laws of Definition which ought to be most religiously and inviolably preserved Definitiones debent cum Definito reciprocari The Definition ought to be convertible with the thing defined And that this is not so is evident because there may be a Schism where there is no separation from External Communion There is a Schism in a Church as wel as from a Church The Churches Garment may be rent and yet not rent in two Thus the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church I hear there are Divisions amongst you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 12. v. 25. That there may be no Schism in the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Definition which is as narrow as his Charity and leaves out those who ought â—…o be taken in must necessarily be stark naught 2 This definition is very short in expressing that which is indeed the Poison and Venom the formal Reason of all Schismatical departure viz. the want of Charity and true Evangelical Love for he that departs from a Society yet loves the real Christians
therein and the Society it self so far as it is a Church of Christs institution only he loves his own Soul with a more intense love and accordingly makes the best provision for it he can and would rejoyce that others would accept of the same advantages ought not to be called a Schismatick but if they who pretend to a power to stamp what significations they please upon words will call him so the best is no Nick-names will prejudice him in the sight of that God who searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins As Heresie is opposed to the Faith so Schism is opposed to Love and Heresie and Schism are distinguisht by those things to which each of them is opposed 3. It 's faulty for its ambiguity because he tells us not what the Christian Church is from whence the departure must be made to denominate it Schismâ—…ical If he means a particular Congregation united under its proper Pastor according to the Laws of Christ it will prove it Schismatical to depart from a Church of Non-conformists If he understands a National Church he should do well to prove that such a Church is of Christs institution but I shall wave these and many more till he has discanted upon the particulars of his own Definition § 1. I call it says he a departure or separation from the Society of the Church to distinguish it from other sins which though they are breaches of the Laws of our Religion and consequently of the Church yet are not a renunciation of the Society There may be such a person who for his wickedness deserves to be â—…ast out of the Church as being a scandal and dishonour to it yet neither separating himself nor being cast out of the Society remains still a Member of it This is indeed too true And hence it is that many Churches are so over-run with scandalous Debauchez that there 's very little difference between the impaled Garden and the wide Wilderness And perhaps was there more of this Authorative separation there would be less of that prudential separation If rotten and gangreened Members were cut off the sound would not have that necessity to provide for their own security If the Contagion were not so Epidemical there were less need to seek out for better and more wholesome Airs when an Impudent Blasphemer who out-faces the Sun the Notoriety of whose Crime needs no Dilator shall yet quietly maintain his station in a Church whilst others for not coming up to a Ceremony shall be rejected though otherwise holy and inoffensive men may make Models and Idea's of Schism to save their Credits long enough before they will be much regarded § 2. I call it says he a voluntary separation to distinguish 〈◊〉 from punishment or Schism from Excommunication Yes but he ought to have called it Voluntary upon a higher account in opposition to such departure as is made with regret and reluctancy for when a sincere Christian has used all due means to inform himself of the Truth of such a principle or the lawfulness of such a practice as may be made the Conditions of Communion with that Society when he has asked advice of God in his word when he has pray'd with David that God would open his Eyes when he has conferred with the most judicious and impartial Christians when he has humbly and modestly represented to the Pastors and Governours of that Church the suspected Condition or the innovation crept into the Church and yet can neither procure Reformation of the abuse not toleration of his particular non-complyance nor yet find satisfaction of the lawfulness of such practice he may without guilt withdraw himself from that Society nor ought this to be charged upon him as a departure having in it any thing of sinful voluntariness when a Merchant throws his Lading over-board to preserve Life I grant that he may be said willingly to throw it away because his precious life preponderates and turns the Scale of the will yet none will condemn that poor Merchant of too little affection to his Merchandise Thus when a Christian can find no rest no satisfaction to his Conscience from those suspected Conditions which in the constant exercise of his Communion do recur and shall reâ—…ede from that Society joyning himself to another where with full satisfaction of spirit he may pursue his own Edification such a one ought not to be charged with a voluntary departure nor shall it be charged upon him as such in the judgement of him that shall judge the World § 3. I call it says he a departure from a particular Church or from a part of the visible Church to distinguish it from Apostacy which is a casting of the whole Religion the name and profession of Christianity But here his definition is very Crazie and ill joynted for it ought to be defined a departure from a particular Church of Christ to distinguish it from such a Constitution as is either no particular Church of Christs institution or none so far as the separation is made from it such a one as is not united under Christs Officers nor conjoyned by Christs Ligaments Christ has taken special care that there may be no Schism in the Body 1 Cor. 12-25 And for this end he has commanded a spirit of mutual forbearance and condescension he has mingled and temper'd the body together with such exact geometrical proportion that each of the parts may care for the other for this end also he has instituted some extraordinary Officers whose work and Office was to cease with the present exigency and occasion and the ordinary whose Office and Employment as the Reasons of them were to be perpetuaI Now if any Society of Men calling themselves a Church and in the main respects being really so retaining the great Doctrines of Christianity and such Ordinances whereby Salvation is attainable shall yet put it self under other Officers then Christ has appointed and practise other Ordinances then he has instituted and make Communion with her impracticable without submitting to such Officers such Ordinances separation from that Society can be no separation from a particular Church of Christ Because though they may be such a Church in the main yet so far as the separation is made they are not so And they deny Communion with them so far as they are a Church of Christ because of non-submission to them so far as they are noâ—… a Church of Christ. § 4. I add says he those words whereof he was once a Member because Schism imports division and making two of that which was but one before So that if an Act was made to divide some of our greater Parishes which are much larger then some of the Primitive Diocesses into Two under their distinct Pastors this must be a Schism according to this famous definition for here is 1. A voluntary departure 2. From a particular Church 3. whereof once they were all Members and wherein 4. they might all have continued without
solution of it carries fire in the Tail of it for it brings with it a piece of Doctrine which is seldom pleasing to Superiours But were it not that men hate chargeable Truth more then cheap Errour and love cheap Corruptions beyond costly Reformation there could be no great difficulty who should be judge in this case For 1. Who may more justly challange a Liberty to judge what is sin then he that must be damned if he do sin He that sins at another Command will hardly perswade him to be his substitute in the Condemnation nor will God accept him for the sinners proxy 2. If the Church must judge Then though her terms be the most apparent violations of the Divine Law yet there can never be any lawful separation unless we can Imagine her so modest as to confess a sin and yet at the same time so immodest as to impose it To acknowledge her Terms sinful and yet with the same breath to enjoyn them as necessary to Communion It will be pretended that the same Inconveniencies will follow the other way for if a particular person who withdraws must judge then let the Terms be perfectly innocent yet to be sure he will plead that they are sinful unless we can suppose him so modest as to confess himself a Schismatick and yet at the same time so immodest as to persevere in his Schism But I conceive that this arguing is very wide 1. Because every Mans Soul lies at stake and it cannot be imagined that he should either not study its Interest or that understanding it he should not endeavour to secure it I speak of such as are otherwise Consciencious for if he be a person vitious and proâ—…igate one eaten up of wickedness we ought not to flatter our selves with any great hopes of the impartiality of his determinations And if he have thus debauched his Conscience the Laws are open The Magistrate who has his power from the Moral Law has by the same Law sufficient Authority to coerce by punishments whatever Enormities are committed against it 2. We have no Reason to suppose any Man to be a Hypocrite in the matter of separation which is attended with so mamy dreadful penalties unless notorious evidence will warrant such a Judgement § 3. A rational suspicion of a breach of the Divine Law is enough in the Apostles judgement to justifie the suspension of my own Act and if it prove no other then a thing indifferent in it self yet such dissatisfaction will excuse from sin for so the Apostle Rom. 14. 5. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind 14. To him that esteemeâ—…h any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin The Enquirer has all this while stood like the very picture of Modesty equally placed between the two exarâ—…ams of All separavation and no separation have but a little patience and you shall see how manfully he will behave himself against them both 1. For the poor Romanists he gives them a small pat with his Foot and they are silenced for ever It 's plain says he it can be no sin to separate when it 's a sin to Communicate Yes very plain it is but so say the Dissenters It can be no sin for us to separate when it 's a sin to communicate Ay but says he It was an apparent breach of the Divine Law upon which we separated from Rome Why so say the Dissenters It 's an apparent breach of the Divine Law upon which we separated from the Church of England Ay but will he say you ought to have trusted wiser men then your selves and not like the Antipodes to have run upon your heads Oh! but then comes in the Romanists and falls upon his bones You ought to have trusted wiser men then your selves your Superiours in the Church from whom you separated and not have ran upon your own heads Nay replies he but we have a judgement of Discretion and ought to be Masters of our own Reason so far as to take Cognizance of our own Acts Well! The Non-conformists catches that word by the end before it be well out of his Mouth We are for a judgement of Discretion too and ought so far to be Masters of our own Reasons as not to Act against them nothing can be returned that I can foresee but that it is not for such pitiful sneaks as the Dissenters to talk of Conscience and a judgement of discretion it s enough for the Gendarms of Reason to make use of that plea against Rome But I will leave him to squabble it out with the Romish Synagogue 2 He has quickly you see shaken them their foddering but these cumbersome Fanaticks stick as close to him as a Burr and therefore he must now give them a rattle It 's plain says he that Schism being so great a sin and of so extream bad Consequences that which must acquit me of the guilt of it in my separation can be nothing lesse then an equal danger on the other hand and that when I may persevere without sin it must of necessity be a sin to separate upon inferior dislikes This looks pretty well at first but for a few Inconveniences in the Argument 1. That he begs the whole Question at a Clap the question was wheâ—…her the Imposition of such Laws and Terms of Society as cannot be submitted to without apparent breach of the divine Law be the only just cause of separation He affirms it and for proof gives us this that Schism being so great a sin that which must acquit me of the Guilt of it in my separation must be equal danger of sinning wherein he supposeth that all separation is Schism where there is not equal danger of sinning that is of an apparent breach of the divine Law whith is but the question it self a little disgnised to make it more passable to the unwary Reader the truth is Schism is so great a sin that no danger of sinning whatsoever can acquit me of it for I do not know that any thing will compound for uncharitableness for pride for obstinacy but separation for the benefit of all Gods Ordinances that I may be edifyed and built up in the most holy faith but nothing of the nature of the abominable sin in it 2. Dissenters will answer that the danger of sinning is more clear and evident when I act against my Conscience then in separating peaceably and modestly from a particular Church for it cannot be lawful in any Case to act against my light but it may be lawful in some Cases to separate from a particular Church there is lesse danger of sin in breaking a humane constitution whitch 't is at least questionable whether man has power to enâ—…oyn then of violating the dictate of my own reason informed by all the means I can use from the word of God 3. Non-conformists
say that they ought not to separate but when non-separation is sinful but then they say that non-separation may be sinful upon other accounts then the apparent breach of the divineLaw made the terms of entring into or continuing in communion for say they it is our sin if a Church retains some corroptions in it which prejudice edification and she shall resolve never to make any alteration in her worship or discipline nor make any further progress towards a through Reformation not to provide for my self elsewhere and having opportunity I sin if I take not accept not the advantage which providence offers me and wherein the word warrants me And yet he wonders that any doubt should be admitted in this Case Let me advise him to beware of Excessive wonderment they say it will make a man as lean as a rake but what 's the Cause of his admiration Why some think to wash their hands of the Imputation of Schism upon other terms as namely if a Church shall not require such terms of Communion as are Expresly sinful yet if she shall require indifferent unnecessary or at most suspected things that in this case there is enough to Excuse the person that shall separate from a participation of this sin There are some no doubt of that judgment and when I have praelibated a few things he shall have his full blow at them § 1. That when they joyn issue upon this point 't is not because they are satisfyed that the things required unto Communion as the antecedent conditions of it or to be practised in communion as the mattor of it are indifferent in their use and application for they are ready to maintain it upon equal laws before equal Judges that they are sinful in their use antecedent to their imposition but the true reasons why they use this place are 1. Ex abundanti thinking that their very outworks are impregnable against his batteries 2. Out of respect to this Church which they highly honour and reverence her too much then to charge her flatly with sinful impositions and therefore do offer this state of the question and are hardly capable of so much incivility to so considerable a body and so great a part of the visible Catholick Church unless the importunity of some modest men did extort that answer from them 3. They doubt whether some Churchmen will be Masters of so much patience as to bear freedome though temperateness of speech which is absolutely necessary to the manadging the Controversy when thus stated and have reason to fear that some who provoke them to assert the sinfulness of the terms will make such an Assertion an unpardonable sin not to be expiated without if with Martyrdom § 2. When he states the question about things suspected to be sinful I hope he will give them the common civility to draw up their own plea in their own terms and to â—…xpâ—…ane what they mean by suspected things in the question because they are not compelled to maintain Every proposition which he in his well known charity shall obtrude upon them A practâ—…se thâ—…n may be taken upon suspicion of sinfulness two wayes first upon light slighty trivial grounds of suspicion which have no wâ—…ight with a serious and rational Considerer Or 2dly upon violent presumptions such as may sâ—…agger a person of good judgment and diligence and 't is these that they are willing to argue it with him whether if a Church shall impose such things as the terms of Communion with her as have or do or may puzzle judicious persons about their Lawfulness and cannot clear it up to their Consciences that they are Lawful yet they may not forbear Communion in this Case § 3. They desire the same justice in Explaning themselves about the term indifferent A thing may be indifferent in its own nature which is not so in its use as applyed to and practised in the Immediate worship and service of God If the things under debate be found upon diligent search to remain indifferent after they are vested with all their circumstances in Gods Worship they have no quarrel against them that I know of but if they be only indifferent in their own general nature they desire to be Excused if they dare not admit the consequence that therefore they must needs be so when used in Gods worship and then made the terms of Communion § 4. Unnecessary things may be either such as are absolutely unnecessary or such as are hypothetically so some things that are not absolutely and in themselves necessary yet may become necessary proâ—…ic nunc even antecedent to the interposition of the Churches Authority And Dissenters say that what ever the Church shall impose ought to be necessary either in it self or by concurrent Circumstances which when they shall conspire together may be by a Lawful Authority Enjoyned pro tempore that is so long as such necessity shall continue which when once removed the things ought to return into their former Classis of Indifferents § 5. When they deny the Churches power of imposing things Expresly sinful they deny also a power of imposing things sinful by just consequence They judge many things sinful which are not forbidden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scriptures and many things duties which are not Litterally and Syllabically commanded in the Scriptures They say not that the sign of the Crosse was ever by name prohibited but they say there are undoubted maximes laid down in the word from which it will undeniably follow that in its present station in the Church it is sinful And now he may when he pleases speak his three things which if they be pertinent and proved as strongly as they are spoken confidently I am content 1. His first say consists of a Conceâ—…ion and an Assertion § 1. His Concession I willingly acknowledge that such a Church as shall studiously or carelesly clog her communion with unnecessary burdensom and suspected conditions is very highly to blame that is the sins but that it became not him to tell her so and then I will venture to say a few words also 1. If it be the Churches sin to command unnecessary burdensom suspect Conditions It cannot be my duty to obey A Church may possibly sin in the manner of her Command and yet I not sin in doing the matter of the Command but when the sins in the Enjoyning I cannot conceive how it should be my sin not to give obedience for I look upon my duty as the result of the Churches Authority and wherein she has no Authority it will be impossible to find a foundation upon which to build my duty All Offices of Justice arise from that relation wherein he that claims and he that yeelds subjection stand to each other And where there 's no relation there can be no relative duty now in this case before us where the Church has no power to command nay where she sins if she commands so far she is none
Schism lay in nothing indeed but running away from a Church as the vulgar error carries it he had come a little nearer the mark but if we durst content our selves with the Scripture notion of Schism which includes those feuds heats intestine broiles those envyings malignities wherewith factious and bandying parties in the besome of a Church do persecute each other there might be as much Schism as almost the Divel could desire and yet no separation But let us hear his proof of the Consequence forasmuch says he as there never was nor probably ever will be such a Church as required nothing of those in her Communion but things strictly and absolutely necessary Ergo what why therefore if the non-necessity of some of the terms of Communion be a sufficient warrant of separation there can be no such thing as Schism pray forbear there is a medium as I take it between non-necessary and strictly and absolutely necessary I mean those things which being neither necessary in their own nature nor made so by any positive Law of God in particular yet by a concurrence of weighty circumstances serving under some General Command of God do become at that time and under those circumstances necessary and these are those things wherein many Churches I suppose all Churches have at one time or other Exercised their power now then though 't is true that if the non-absolute necessity of the Terms of Communion be a warrant of separation there would be no such thing as Schism at all by unwarrantable separation from a Church because perhaps there never was a Church that required nothing of those in her Communion but things absolutely necessary yet it may be true that the non-necessity of the Terms of Communion may be a good warrant for separation and yet there may be Schism enough in the world for captious froward Spirits will be cavilling at and dividing upon the account of those things which by a particular Church are required becoming necessary from circumstances but to inform him aright in this matter Non-conformists do affirm that what ever is made a condition of Communion ought to have some kind of necessity in it or with it antecedent to its imposition and being made such a condition still he is harping upon and has great mind to prove what we are not concern'd to deny but if he tempts to it perhaps I may deny it That there was never nor ever will be any such Church c. And because I would entertain the Reader with a little of our Enquirers merriments he shall hear his proof of the point 1. He tells us he has shewed us this partly in the Introâ—…uction and so pag. 2. For proof of the soundness of this Churchâ—… constitution he posts us over to the Introduction and wâ—…en we come to turn over this Introduction there 's an honest weâ—…lmeaning oration of something or other without proof 2. He could easily make it appear at large through all Ages weâ—…l then we will suspend our belief till his Magdâ—…burgensis come abroad 3. He will save himself and the Reader the labour of writing the Century's very good We are satisfied any way i' th world he shall find us the most reasonable people in the world if he will but abate us these unnecessary iâ—…positions But which way shall we spare our pains oh thus name one Church if you can that hath admitted of no other opinion or Rites but such as have been absolutely necessary And has this great montain teemed this little mouse He should have proved that never any Church in any age in any Country but had imposed things not absolutely necessary and he like a modest man that can be content with a Competency proved only that there never was any Church but admitted such things is there no small critical difference between admitting in the use and practise somethings indifferent in an indifferent way and imposing requiring and enjoyning them as necessary Terms of Communion I will make a fair motion Let this Church admit of the use and practise of some things not absolutely necessary yet neither in their nature sinful nor for multitude burdensom nor for abuse suspected nor in their Instituted use Sacramental and yet not impose them as necessary Conditions of Communion and if there be less uniformity there will be a Thousand times more unity and true inward love Evangelical tenderness and fraâ—…nal forbearance to compensate a little outward decorum which perhaps is very Surprizing with women and children All this while I distrust not the Readers Aâ—…umen to see the Sophistry He would make it out there 's no Church which admits not some determinations not strictly and absolutely necessary and he would thence inferr that there 's no Church but what imposes such not absolutely necessary determinations and thence that if non-necessary Terms of Communion be a warrant of separation there can be no Schism in the world at all whereas there are such things as being neither unnecessary nor yet absolutely necessary may be â—…it matter of agreement in Christian Societies that they may be more stedily governed more peaceably and inoffensively manadged the Ordâ—… nances more methodically and orderly administred and the spiritual and eternal welfare of souls more effectually advanced 3 The third and last thing he will say is that somethings are necessary to tâ—…e Constitution and administration of a particular Church that are not in themselves necessary absolutely considered This he will say and who can help it why will he say it why doubtless as a medium to prove his conclusion or he had better have said nothing now that which he engaged to prove was this That things indifferent unnecessary c. Imposed as conditions of Communion are not enough to Excuse the person that separates from a participation of the sin of Schism the argument marcheâ—… in this order If somethings are necessary to the Constitution of a Church which are not absolutely necessary in themselves then the Imposition of unnecessary Terms of Communion is no Excuse for separation but the former is true Ergo so is the later or in short if some things be necessary then the Church may impose things not necessary quod erâ—…t demonstrandum He has been told over and over again that many things not necessary in themselves may become necessary prâ—… hic nunc but then they must be thus qualified before they can be fit matter of a Churches determination 1. They must be necessary one way or other Antecedently to the Churches determination 2. The necessity must extend as far as the determination For if they become necessary to one particular Church and not to another it will not oblige the other Church to come under the Imposition unless they come also under the necessity 3. That when the necessity evidently ceases the Imposition ought also to cease and the members of the Church may claim it of right to be relaxed of the burden and may reassume their former liberty
fit Protestant or Papist and indeed any School-Boy that has a Theme or Declamation to compose That the Causes of separation from the Church of Rome were pregnant every way clear and evident we do therefore agree And that the Reasons of separation from the Church of England are not so great but then neither is the separation so great for as we agree in the fundamental Articles of Religion so we may quickly agree in all the rest when some of a more fiery temper will let their Mother Alone to exercise to all her Children such an Indulgence as is agreeable to their various Measures of light in lesser concerns But says our Author It 's quite otherwise in the Church of England For. 1. No man here parts with his faith upon Conformity But I am afraid they must part with it or they will hardly be accepted Their faith is that the Lord Christ is the only Lawgiver of his Church that the Scriptures are the adequate and Commensurate Rule of all Religious Worship and if they do not part with thus much of their faith they must live in a Contradiction to it but perhaps he may understand their faith better then they themselves 2. No man is bound to give away his Reason for Quietness sake Then I know who was mistaken p. 64. who tells us That since the peace of the Church often depends upon such points as Salvation does not and since in many of those every man is not a Competent judge but must either be in danger of being deceived himself and of troubling others or of necessity must trust some body else wiser then himself she recommends in such a case as the safer way for such private persons to comply with publick determinations And we may assure our selves of our Enquirers good nature in this particular who condemnes Virgilius for asserting the Antipodes though it were demonstrably true and the contrary impossible And then I am afraid we must sacrifice our Reason to Peace and rather subscribe like Brutes then run the risque of being perscuted like Men. 3. A man may be as holy and good as he will The goodness and holiness of a Christian lyes very much in using Holy Means for Holy Ends Gods Holy Ordinances in order to Holiness in the Habit and Complexion of the Soul He that may not use the means of Holiness when he will may not be as Holy as he will but as Holy as he can without them He that will use all the means of God in order to that great end it may possibly cost him more then he would willingly lose for any cause but that of righteousness Methought it was an odd sight t'other day to see a Grave Divine in his Canonical Habit marching With a Brace of Informers piping hot on either Hand the one like the Gizzard the other the Liver stuck under the wings of his Sacerdotal Habiliments from one of his Rectories to the other to give Disturbance to a Company of poor Innocent people that would have been a little more holy if they might when this is reformed I 'le believe that the more of Holiness appears the better Churchmen we are reputed 4. This Church keeps none of her Children in an uncomfortable estate of darkness for we must know that there 's a twofold estate of darkness a comfortable and an uncomfortable estate Now the Comfortable estate of darkness lyes in trusting others submitting our private to the publick wisdom this is that blessed state whereinto he would wish his best friends But the unconfortable state is that Remedy which is Practised in Spain and Italy for the Cure of Church Divisions An excellent Remedy it is but it comes too late to do any good here The difference between them was observed before either to be born blind or made blind to have no Conscience or prohibited to exercise it to have no eyes or not to use them and in my private opinion there 's no great comfort in either of them 5. She debars none of her Members of the comfort and priviledges of Christs Institutions Some that have struggled with a doubting Conscience have attested the contrary but however she may possibly debar some of those priviledges and comforts that would have been her Members because they dare not give the price she rates those priviledges and comforts at 6. She recommends the same Faith the same Siriptures that the Protestants are agreed in Yes but then she recommends those Ceremonies to boot in which Protestants neither are nor ever will be agreed in We do therefore seriously triumph that the Church of England with the Protestants are also fully and perfectly agreed that they have not only the same God and Christ but the same Object of Worship too though I know not wherein God and the object of worship differ the same way of Devotion in a known Tongue the same Sacraments the same Rule of Life which are all the great things wherein the Consciences of men are concerned To which I shall need to say no more but that we in the General profess our owning of all these and yet our differences be very considerable but let our Consciences be concerned about no other no other Sacraments no other Rule of Life no other Devotion and what is necessary to reduce all these into practice and I can assure him Dissenters will flock a pace into the bosome of the Church He promises us now that he will faithfully and briefly recite the matters in difference And I confess for brevity he has performed his promise well enough but for his fidelity the Dissentets sadly complain of him I shall therefore crave the liberty to use a little more prolixity and I shall endeavour to compensate it with much more fidelity to reciting the material points wherein we differ As § 1. Whether a Minister ordained according to the appointment of the Gospel to the exercise of the whole Ministerial work may without sin consent that a main part of his Office be statedly and totally taken out of his hands and his work Cantoned at the will of another § 2. Whether any Church has power from Christ to appoint in and over it self or Members any Officers specially distinct from those Christ hath ordained § 3. Whether any Church hath authority from Christ to institute any other Ordinances of fixed and constant use in the Church then Christ hath instituted § 4. Whether it be an apparent invasion of and open reproach to the Regal Office of Christ for any Society of his to institute either new Officers or new Offices for the Govorning and Administring that Society which the head hath not allowed § 5. Whether it be not the duty of every particular Church to conform all the worship and administration of Religion to the Laws of their Institution and that whatever is not so Conformed be not a Corruption which ought to be Reformed by those Laws § 6. Whether if a Church shall peremtorily refuse to remove such
Officers Offices Ordinances superadded to the Evangelical Law A person that shall separate from its Communion in those things wherein it refuses to reform may without breach of charity be called a Schismatick § 7. Whether a Christian may act against the superseding Dictate of his Conscience and may give it up to be ruled by an Imaginary publick Conscience § 8. Whether seeing we have the unerring word of God to guide us to be mislead by our Leaders is a good Countersecurity against the Judgment of God § 9. Whether it be lawful to break the least of Scripture Commandments to purchase our Quiet with men or secure our own Repose in the world § 10. Whether the command of my Superiour will justify me in Murthering the Soul of my weak Brother when I may avoid giving the scandal in things indifferent § 11. Whether can the command of a Superiour make that no sin but a duty but without that command had been no duty but sin § 12. Whether a Minister of the Gospel may submit to have his Prayers and Sermons Composed for him by others And whether he be a Minister at all who is not able in some measure to discharge both to Edification § 13. Whether a Christian may without sin wholly and perpetually suffer his Christian Liberty to be determined one way though under future Circumstances it may be the command or God for a season to determine it the other way § 14. Whether a Christian Willing to subscribe to all that Christ has propounded to him to believe and to engage solemnly to do all that Christ requires him to do and not contradicting such engagement by Conversation arguing him of praevalent Hypocrisy but having given good proof before men of his Holiness ought to be denyed Christian Communion § 15. Whether upon such tendries made and their refusal only because he will not submit to new Terms of Communion not approved by the Word of God he shall adjoyn himself to some other particular Church where the Doctrine of Christianity is purely Preached the Sacraments duely Administred and the Conditions of enjoying all these and other the Ordinances of Christ honourable and easie such Departure from the one and Conjunction with the other be that Schism noted in the Scripture § 16. Whether any Church hath power to advance indifferent things above their indifferent Natures and make them Holy in their use and relation appropriated to Gods immediate Worship and impose them as the Terms of exercising the Ministerial Office § 17. Whether any Church hath power to institute new dedicating and imitiating signs and symbols whereby persons are declared and professed to be visible Cristians § 18. Whether being clearly convinced by the Word of God that there are Corruptions in a particular Church whereof I am a Member I ought not to endeavour in my place and Station lawfully to reform them And if a prevailing number in that Church shall not only refuse to reform but require of me to renounce all such lawful endeavours upon pain and peril of casting out of Communion I may not wave the society of the corrupt Majority and adhere to the more sober and moderate party who will reform themselves 2 His second task is to prove that something must be foregone for peace The design of this loose Discourse may de reduced to this Argument Small matters though truths or duties are to be sacrificed to peace But the things that Dissenters stick and boggle at are such small matters therefore they ought to be sacrificed to peace To which I only say at present That I modestly deny both his Premisses and do hope he will as modestly deny the Conclusion And perhaps some Sawcy Fellow or other will take up the Argument and give it one turn Small matters that are indifferences ought to be sacrificed to peace but the things imposed upon Dissenters in the judgment of the Imposers are small indifferent things therefore they ought to be sacrificed to peace or thus Those things which we account little we ought not make necessary to peace union 〈◊〉 the things which are in difference are in our own account little therefore we ought not to make them necessary to peace and union Something then we would give for peace and more then we can modestly speak of If it were to be had for Money we should not think that Gold could buy Peace too dear though Truth may But may we humbly enquire of the Enquirer whether he have this Peace to sell And at what rates it may be purchased I have Carefully not to say Curiously perused his whole Discourse and I must confess to the Reader that I am so far from understanding how the Market goes that I suspect he knows not his own Mind Page 131. He tells us We must be at some cost to purchase it and part with something for it Well! but what is that something Will Petitions Supplications Prayers Humbling our selves at his Footstoole procure us Peace No! That something is nothing Men are not so mad as to part with such a rich Commodity as Peace for an old song of Petitions What is it then Oh! pag. 130. He told us from Erasmus That Peace was not too dear at the price of some Truth Very good Will then telling half a dozen round Lyes procure us our Peace or the renouncing half a score Scripture-truths or so Oh but we are commanded to buy the Truth not sell it Net to do evil that good may come And besides that Peace will never wear well nor last long that is purchased with the loss of Truth To war with God or skirmish the Scripture is no approved method to secure Peace amongst our selves Well then pag â—…32 He tells us We must subdue our passions and castigate our heats And I think we have had pretty good Coolers then we must take in our sailes lighten the ship cast overboard the Fardles of our private fancies and opinions And we are Content to cast overboard any thing that is purely our own only if any of the Rich Lading of Truth should be packt up in those Fardles we humbly pray that may be spared If our own private personal Concerns were only called for he should find the Non-conformists as one man saying sin autem Jonas ille ego sim projicite me in Mare ut tempestas desaeviat Pray throw us into the Sea only do not throw any concern of Christ nor Reformation after us Well! then he would have us offer something to those touchy Deities of Custom and Vulgar Opinion But really these are a Couple of such Insatiable Idols it were cheaper to starve them then feed them we may Maintain Bell and the Dragon at as easie rates What is it then we must part with for peace At last it comes out with much ado Loath to confess till just turning off the Ladder for these are his Last words under this head pag. 137. In a word that we part with all that
sends us this offer That since there is no Grand Master of Religion concerned in the Controversies between us nor any violation of the Laws of God in our Complying with the Laws of this Society and since Mahomet must either go to the Mountain or the Mountain must come to Mahomet i. e. one side or other must yeeld we will be perswaded to think it reasonable that the subject should submit to the Governour and opinion give place to ancient Custom and Novelty to the Laws in being This is his friendly Motion and one so Modest that we would be perswaded to think it reasonable If he had given us Reasonable arguments to be perswaded which that he has not I think is Evident from what has been already said with these further Considerations § 1. That his motion is grounded on a false suggestion That there 's no grand matter of Religion concern'd in the Controversie nor any Law of God violated by our Complyance for the Perfection of the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith worship and Church-Government is a Grand matter of Religion and greatly concern'd in this Dispute The soveraignty of Christ over his Church His compleat discharge of all his Offices His Kingly Office in Making Laws his Prophetical in revealing the whole mind of God is no small matter of Religion and greatly concern'd also in this dispute which Law-giver by his Express Law and Royal Edict has Commanded all his true Ministers 28. Math. 19. 20. To Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Traâ—…hing them to Observe whatsoever he has Commanded them Adding a gracious promise of his special asssisting presence in this work That he would be with them always unto the end of the world we think that the Terms of enjoying all the Ordinances of Christ is but Observing whatsoever Christ has Commanded which Law is apparently exprâ—…sly palpably violated to use his own expressions when any thing else or less or more is made the Condition of our admittance into the Kingdom of Christ. § 2. I know no Reason why any party should be the Immoveable Mountain that is too stiff in the hams to Come to Christ I have ever judged Christ him self to be that Mountain to which Mahomet and all Pretenders ought to move It was Noted as a piece of arrogant Moroseness in Austin the Monk that he would stir no more then a Mountain to meet the British Christians half way in an Amicable Association But if the Church will needs be the 〈◊〉 yet let her remember that Christ is set upon that Holy hill and if she will not Move in Deference to his Authority He that touches the Mountains and they smoak and makes the Hills to tremble can by his Almighty power send such an Earth-quake in her bowels as may cause her to yeeld to Reason § 3. Though Opinion and Custom may fight it out for me yet let the proudest Ancient Custom bow down to the institutions of Christ. It has ever been as a Common so a successful Peliey to clap hoary Periwigs upon juvenile innovations to conciliate some Reverence to their Antique Looks Errour has often a more wrinkled face then Truth but Truth alway's Carries the Graver aspect They that Imp their pin-feather'd inventions wich plumes borrowed from Time's wings do not Teach them to fly but flutter Antiquity is like Romulus his Assylum where all pursued Corruptions take sanctuary 'T is the grand Borrough and safe Retreat of superstition when fetretted out of her Lurking-holes of Counterseit Reason He can say very little for his opinion that cannot plead Antiquity Custom and such like Mormo's Thus the Aquarian Hereticks pleaded Custom to use water mingled with wine in the Eucharist whose folly Cyprian thus Censures Victi ratione opponunt consuetudinem quasi Consuetudo Major esset veritate Being beaten at the weapon of Reason they fetch out the old Rusty sword of Custom As if such aBilbao sword durst try its edge against the tryed scimitar of Truth such a roat does Tertullian give these childish pretences Consuetudo ab aliqua ignorantiâ vel simplicitate initiam sortita in usum per successionem Corroboratur it a adversus veritatem vindicatur sed Dominus Noster Jesus Christus veritatem se non Consueâ—…udinem cognominavit Haereses non tam Novitas quam veritas revineit quodcunque adversus veritatem sapit erit haeresis etiam vetus consuetudo A Custom of Base and dunghil Extract yet gaining some Repute by Long usage and prescribing for it's gentility time out of mind grows sawcy and Malapert against Truth it self But our Lord Iesus Christ called himself by the Title of Truth not of Custom The clearest conviction of Heresy is not by the leaden Lesbian Rule of Practise but by the Golden Rule of the Scriptures Errour is Errour still and will be so of plebeian Breâ—…d and Ignoble parentage though it has purchased a coat of Armes scrapes acquaintance with some Ancient families and would make it out that it came in with the Conquerour The Gibeonites Acted very subtlely when they came to Ioâ—…na with Old sacks upon their Asses and wine-bottles old and reut and bound up and â—…ld shooes and clonted upon their feet and all their provision dry and mouldy as if they had come from far when all this while they were but their Next Neighbours It 's a pretty sight doubtless to see the State which the great Czar of Muscovy uses upon publick Festivals and Entertainments The great Chamber all beset with grave Personages Adorned with Ermines and Gold from head to foot dazling the weak eyes of vulgar spectators and yet perhaps you shall find some of these Knezzes next day in their Blue Aprons who shall think it no Empeachment of their late Glories to sell you a penny worth of Pepper such a Masque we have presented to us of old Customs all gorgeously attired like the Antediluvian Patriarchs and when we come to examine them they are little better then to use our Authors expressions The Dictates of Ambition the Artifices of gain and a colluvies of almost all the superstitions errours and Corruptions of former Ages § 4. Since there must be a yeelding in order to peace then surely they have all the Right and Reason on their sides to have the Honour of the Condescension Who Consess that the Matters in difference are Indifferent in themselves such as where in no grand Matter of Religion is concerned rather then they who ate bound up by immoveable persuasions that they are sinful 2. They who are most Remote from the primitive simplicity and not they who have no higher Ambition then to perform all things which and as Christ has Commanded 3. They who have made the Additions which Cause the Divisions and not they who only take up their Religion as near as they can as they found it delivered and recommended to them by the unerring word of God 4. They who have enough
to spare and may part with some excrescences and never touch the Quid of Religion rather then they who own a Naked Religion without any Additaments and if any such be found Amongst them they are Content to surrender them up as a Sacrifice to peace 5. They who by their Authority are Qualified to make a through Reformation and such Abatements in supernumerary observations such fillings up of the Chasmes and vacuities as may not only Retrieve peace at Home but procure a General union with all the Reformed Churches abroad to the strengthning of the Protestant Religion weakning the hands of the Common Enemy rather then those poor people whose Circumstances are such that they cannot propose the Terms of peace to others and what Alterations they shall make in themselves will be insignificant to an universal settlement 6. They who have already given some specimens of their Condescensions to the Romanists by Removing some exasperating passages and it may be hoped and expected that they will take a few steps towards a Compliance with dissenting Protestants For as the Author of the Irenicum observes well p. 132. That which was laid as a bait for them the Papists was never intended as a Hook for those of our own Profession And therefore to conclude this Chapter I will take the freedom to Quote that Celebrated Son of the Church for a Theological Notion whom he has already quoted 〈◊〉 Philosophical one Dial. 5. p. 399. speaking of the Papacy as the Kingdom of Anti-Christs he has those Notable words Which we knowing so experimentally not to be Compassed by Needless Symbolizing with them in any thing I conceive our best policy is Studiously to Imitate them in nothing but for All indifferent things to think the worse of them for their using them As no person of Honour would willingly go in the known garb of Any Lewd and infamous person whatsoever we court them in they do but turn it to our scorn and Contempt and are the more hardned in their wickedness wherefore seeing that Needless Symbolizing with them does them no Good but Hurt we should Account our selves in all things indifferent perfectly free to satisfy and please in the most universal manner we can those of our own party nor Caring what opinions or Customs or outward formalities the Romanists or others have or may have had from the first Degeneracy of the Church which we ought to Account the more hidâ—…ously soiled by the Romanists using them but supporting our selves upon plain Scripture and solid Reason to use and profess such things at will be most Agreable to us All and make most for the safety and welfare of the Kingdom of Christ for this undoubtedly O Philopolis is the most firm and true Interest of Any Protestant Church or state whatsoever CHAP. IV. The vanity of the Enquirers Confidence noted in boasting that they who find fault with the Churches Constitution will never be able to find out or agree upon a better his Reasonings about this matter examined IT was a piece of the old Roman valâ—…ur to kill themselves for fear of being Killed and it 's a Considerable piece of the New Roman piety not to stir for fear of going out of the way to Resolve against Reformation upon some dangers which are fancied may attend Reformation That Church always apprehending or pretending to apprehend dreadful inconveniences in all changes though apparently for the better Before we can possibly know whether A better way may be found out we must first be Agreed what is a Good way Now All Goodness Consists in the due Conformity of a thing to it's Rule and Idaea by which it ought to be measured and it 's fitness to reach that end to which it is a Means And therefore the betterness of Any thing must be judged of by it's nearer Approach to that Rule and it 's greater proportionableness to the attainment of it's design If then we could find out A worship more Agreable to the Rule of worship or a Constitution more apt to reach the great intendments of Holiness and Peace such a worship such a Constitution will justify it self to be a better then any of it's Competitors which shall Deviate from that Rule or more uncertainly attain the Desired End 1 The first part of our task then will be to find out our Rule which when we have done we have nothing remaining but to apply that Rule to those Models which we would erect or having erected we would examine their Regularity And as they shall be found to approach nearer or depart farther from that Rule we may Confidently pronounce they are therefore by so much The better or the worse Now the only Rule of Reformation in our judgment is the Infallible word of God which we therefore judge sufficient and adaequat because they give this Testimony to their own Perfection And seeing we have now to do with those who own the Scriptures to assert nothing but Truth it will be evidence enough that they are such a Rule if they do but Assert that they are so It is indeed no new thing to hear them charged as Lame and defective such as must be pieced and eked out either with Immediate Revelations or Humane Traditions to render them a Compleat and perfect standard of our Faith and acceptable obedience To which we only oppose the Testimony of the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for Correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnisht unto all good works Concerning which sacred Rule I will use our Authors Confidence with I think better warrant That they who find fault with this Rule will never be able to find out or Agree upon a Better whereof the Endless mazes the perplexed labyrinths into which they have cast themselves who despising and forsaking this only Canon have delighted to find out by-paths is very clear but very sad demonstration for when they have tryed Traditions or gaped for revelations or depended on the Churches Authortiy and yet found no satisfaction they think to secure themselves and gratify theMagistrate with a New power who has already such burdens upon his shoulders that we have more need incessantly to sollicite the throne of grace on his behalf for wisdom Counsel strength to manage and bear them then fondly to think to do him a kindness by Imposing upon him a greater work which all others are weary of But this one Text which I have mention'd may abundantly satisfy us that there can be nothing requisite to equise and furnish out A Christian A Minister A Church for Duty and obedience but what is summarily therein ascribed to the written word § 1. That the Scriptures are of unquestionable Authority to Determine all those Controversies whereof they haveCognizance because they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired which no person no Church no Convention of
or ten of the clock otherwise it cannot be attended on by the whole Church But if Time be taken in the latter sense for such time as shall render the worship more Asceptable to God because perform'd in such time there 's no necessity man should determine it both because all the skill he has can add no such Respect to Time and because God has already determin'd for so much of that time as his wisdome has judged necessary There are three Considerations of Time which may deserve our thoughts in this Case 1. The Quamdiu Or the quota pars temporis how long the Action shall continue 2. The Quoties how often the Action shall recurr as whether in an Annual diurnal horary or septenary Revolution let that word please or displease 3. The Quando or Epocha from what point of time the Action shall start or bear date When therefore he says 〈◊〉 worship can be performed unless this Circumstance of time be defined and determined I would know to which of these considerations of Time his Assertion does Relate for it 's Certain that in every of these Respects Time either is or must be determined by God or man § 1. Then for the Quamdiu of Solemn time we affirm that God has sanctified to his service and commanded us to keep holy one day in seven but how much of this time shall be Alotted to private and personal devotions how much bestowed upon domestick and family duties how much assigned to publick service is not precisely determin'd by God yet thus far he has determin'd by the Light of Nature and common Reason that if A day must be Expended in and divided between these three kinds of Devotions that each ought to have such a proportion assigned to it as the weight and dignity of the work requires still apportioning the whole time amongst them excepting so much as he has reserved for the incident duties of necessity and Charity which Exception he has put in to all affirmative precepts § 2. For the Quoties how often this solemn sacred time shall return we affirm that God has sufficiently determin'd it nor can we be affrighted out of our senses with the Empty clamours of Iudaism Sabbatarianism or whatever other noyses irreligion and prophaness can muster up There is no necessity therefore that Any Church should determine upon any other Revolution of sacred time and if she shall make the Adventure she will apparently sin for she must either make the Revolution narrower and so sin against the Churches Liberty by prescribing too frequent a Return or wider and to sin against the Churches Edification by too Seldom a Return of the publick worship § 3. For the Quando when this solemn and sacred time shall commâ—…nce He that has determined when the day of Labour has determined thereby when the day of Rest shall begin As in the one he Commands us to do All our work so on the other He commands us to do All his which is therefore the More ours Because it is wholy his But for the Quando of the publick worship As God has not determin'd it so it 's necessary some or other must But still what 's all this to Ceremonies Now the Great Question here will be who ought to make this determination And in my weak judgment They who are upon the place who know best the particular circumstances out of which the Expediency of such Determination must A rise they who 〈◊〉 â—…e conveniences and inconveniences of determining this way or the other are the most competent Judges in this Case Suppose the Question were whether we ought to meet together for publick worship at nine or ten of the clock what could a convocation say to this or what general Law could be made for all the particular Churches in a thousand miles Circuit If we look upon the Country Villages they have the oxe and asse to water and feed their cattle to attend in the field for whom God has made provision that they shall rest and not serve upon his day If you look on the petty or greater Corporations they have no calves in the stall no flocks in the field their shops are shut in their affaires reduced to a Narrower Compass and therefore may commence sooner then the Country Vâ—…lages Suppose nevertheless that some will needs Determine this affaire That all Churches under whatsoever Circumstances expedient or inexpedient right or wrong with all their particular members shall upon pain of excommuniation assemble for publick worship strictly at nine of the clock upon pretence of uniformity and that all may unite and associate their devotions as it were at once beleaguering heaven and wrestling for a blessing I cannot but think what distractions confusions it would raise in mens hearts and consciences what squabbles what quarrels it would create in the viceinage For my neighbours Dyal I observe goes a full quarter of an hour before mine and he sets his clock by his own Dyal and then rises in the Morning by his own clock If for no other Reason yet because he can hear his clock strike better then his Dyal so that here 's an endless controversy like to arise between us whether his clock or mine shall deserve Excommunication Now to part or prevent this fray there is a certain infallible Officer erected called a Sexton or Sacristan one that will take his cath his Clock goes true whatever Sir Sun says to the contrary and he shall decide this Brawle when he chimes all-in so that in the upshot this great Question the Church troubles her self with must be resolved into this Momentous Canon That all Churches shall begin their publick Worship when my Goffe whatchicallum pleases And thus much for the Circumstance of Time 2 Place This is indeed a Circumstance and considered in general an inseparable Circumstance of a Body so that it haunts us wherever we go like a familiar and pursues us more earnestly then our shodow and therefore as to publick worship there must be some Determination of Common place where a Church shall assemble for the ordinary worship of God But if place be consider'd as Riligious that is as such a place as renders the worship more acceptable to God we say It 's not in the power of Man to Determine of any such Religious or holy place because he can make none so And yet though he cannot determine the place as Religious he may determine it as convenient and perhaps 〈◊〉 And besides since the Magistrate is concern'd to keep an eye upon all assemblies whatsoever that the publick peace committed directly to his charge may be preserved and not violated by seditious Meetings he may therefore command all the Churches under his jurisdiction to convene in such open places where his Officers may come and make inspection into their demeanours and behaviours and the Churches are bound in order to this end to submit to his determinations in Conscience to God for if the Place or time
be inconvenient yet that 's only some prejudice to the worshippers but no pollution of the worship it self and the primitive Christians no doubt would chearfully and thankfully have struggled with many incommodities provided the freedom of worship at any time or place might be secured to them But if more open places will certainly expose them to ruine they may Lawfully keep their foot out of the snare for as Master Hales says well In times of Manifest corruption wherein Religious assembling is dangerous Private Meetings however besides publick order are not only Lawful but of necessity and duty else how shall we excuse the Meetings of our selves in Q. Maries days 3 For Persons they also will fall under the same distinction The Circumstance of the Person in general as whether his Name be N. or M. is of little or no consideration in the case but for persons in special as marked out for publick service that is very material And we affirm that Christ has already determined upon that point The Qualification calling setting apart of such a one to his Office with the Nature and end of his Office together with his whole emploiment work and duty towards the Church are all determined and none has power that I know of to dispense with those determinations The Materials out of which a Church is to be formed the ends of that embodying by what bonds and ligaments they are united the duty of Pastors Teachers and all Church Governours prescribed by what Laws they shall govern and how far the members are to give obedience are all so far limited that the Church has nothing to do but to submit to the Commands of her Lord and if she be a true Spouse of Christ she will submit exercising all prudence in applying general Rules to particular persons and emergent cases 4 But his last word And the like will do him more service and us more mischief then all the rest for how to bring in the Cross Surplice and other Mystical Symbolical Ceremonies under time place or person was very difficult but this Et catera And the like will do the feat and at this back-dore thousands of Ceremonies such as Holy Oyl Spittle Cream Salt Ephata's and the like may be introduced But what now if these Ceremonies be not The Like but other-like why then is all this pompous discourse blown up A moral Circumstance is not the like with a Natural That which adds neither moral good nor evil to the worship is not the like with one that does so That which is Commanded with the duty is not the like with that which is not so That without which the Worship cannot be performed is not the like with that which is not requisite to its performance I conclude therefore that And the like conceals some mysterious point from us which 't is not as yet convenient to discover to us And keeping a wary Eye upon it let us proceed to his third assertion 3 If there must says he be some determination in Circumstantials it must be made either by God or man very true If it must be done it must be done there 's no remedy And for all Religious Circumstances such as may render the Worship either more useful and edifying to men or more pleasing and acceptable to God they are already determined by the Lord of worship and Kirke or Keysar have nothing to do herein at least he has not proved that they have for those other Circumstances which are necessary to reduce the Ordinances of Christ into Act and Exercise it 's no very great matter who determines them if they have but power and abuse not their power God has determined in general that we worship him and has prescribed all the ordinances by which we ought to worship him and therefore we must come to a determination when and where we will worship him He has determined more specially that the Churches worship him solemnly upon his own day and the Churches must come to a fixed resolution when they will begin that worship he has determin'd we shall Baptise with water and therefore if we will execute that Command we must use some water or other but he has not determined that we shall make any Figure either of Triangle square cross or Circle and therefore none can determine in particular where God has not determined in the general He has determin'd that I must worship him decently and therefore that I worship him in some garments for Nakedness is contrary to Natural Decency but he has not Commanded me in general that I worship him in holy garments and therefore none can determine holy garments in worship Again he has determined the Officers of the Church and wherefore such and such persons duely qualified according to his rules must be chosen to execute the Offices but he has not empowred the Church to Erect new Officers and new Offices and therefore such an attempt is beyond the Churches commission But now says he God has made no such determination Ay! but we say and must say it a hundred times over if the contrary be a hundred times asserted without proof That God has already determined all Religious Circumstances which we call Ceremonies all Ordinances of worship to exhibite seal convey any Spiritual mercy or supernatural grace and for those natural Circumstances which attend all Actions whether sacred or civil they must be agreed on before such actions can be performed in a Community And if this be the game he flies at believe it he stoops to a very mean Quarrie The Reader is often vext with an odd word which frequently oceurs in The Enquirer called Determination A Term both of a Mischievous and a Lubricons Nature and it would be good service to the peace to bind it to it 's good behaviour To Determine signifyes to settle or fix to one side that which has hung in the aequipoise of Neutrality when those things which have played in a pendulous posture between good or evil use or non-use come to be settled one way or other they are Determined Now the Question is whether any have power to Determine things in themselves indiffirent that they shall be no longer indifferent in their use To which all that I shall need say as to the present occasion will be comprehended in these following particulars 1. That where two Circumstances of the same kind offer themselves if the one or the other be necessary to the discharge of some necessary duty there 's a power lodged somewhere to determine whether of these two shall carry it otherwise a Necessary duty must be eternally suspended it's ends â—…ustrated and it self hang 〈◊〉 Petentiâ for ever without ever being brought in to Act. 2. Where two or more Circumstances offer themselves none of which are necessary to the discharge of the duty there 's no power lodged in any to determine for any of them for if one unnecessary Circumstance which is every way unnecessary may be
determined by power from God ten thousand such may be determined and then our misery will be this that though our burden be intolerable yet we can have no cause to complain but with Issachar must patiently â—…ouch down under it 3. If Circumstances besides their Natural Adhesion to an Act have any Morality ascribed to them as if they render'd an act of Religion either better or worse none is vested with power to impose them nor any with a Liberty to use them Because we ought not to make Gods Worship worse and we are sure we cannot make it better then he has made it 4. In those cases where God has vested any with a power of determination it ought to be made clear that they who pretend to the power have a commission to show for it because liberty is a thing so precious that none ought to be deprived of it without good Reason and this is the Task which our Enquirer will in the last place undertake for us 4 If Circumstantials says he must be determined or no Society And God hath made no such determination what remains but that man must And then who fitter then our Governours who best understand the Civil Policy and what will suit therewith and with the Customs and inclinations of the people under their Charge In which notable Thesis two things call for examination his â—…ssertion and the Reason of it § 1. His assertion That none is fitter to Determine Circumâ—…antials then our Governours Where 1. We must suppose that he understands Civil Governours or else his Reason will bear no proportion to his assertion 2. Let it be observed that it 's no â—…eat or however no killing matter to the Non-conformists 〈◊〉 their Cause who it is that Determines meer Circumstanâ—…als for they are things of a higher Nature then these about which the Controversy is if some mens Interest would 〈◊〉 them see it 3. Seeing that the Determination of such â—…eer Circumstances in some cases is matter of meer trouble in some cases impossible for the Civil Magistrate to determine them I am confident they will not be displeased if Reason dischargâ—…s them of so useless a burden As time in General is a Circumstance concreated with every Humane Action so with every command and obligation to duty there is a Concreated Command and obligation to determine of some time wherein to discharge that duty And hence it must unavoidably follow That to whomsoever God has immediately and directly given a Command to worship his Great and holy Name to them he has immediately and directly at the same time ipso facto given a Concurrent Command to determine of all those circumstances which are necessary to the executing of that Command Thus if God has obliged every Individual person to Pray he has therewith commanded him to single cut and set apart some time wherein to put up his supplications to God Thus also If God has directly and immediately Commanded every particular Church to worship him jointly and publickly he has also by virtue of that Command enjoyn'd them to agree upon a time to celebrate and solemnize that worship Now this Command is so straightly bound upon the Consciences of all Churches that though none should determine for them nay though all should Determine against them yet are they under it's authority and must come to an issue about it unless they will draw the guilt of the neglect of worshipping God upon their souls with that wrath which is due to so great contempt of the Divine Law Now that every particular Church has a direct Command to worship God and by consequence to determine of those circumstances which are necessary to the worship is evident from this one Consideration that they all did so in obedience to the authority of Christ in his word whilst all Civil Governours were so far from Determining the Circumstances that they determined against the substance The Gracious God has now made some of the Kings of the earth Nursing-fathers to his Churches but yet we cannot believe that the Churches power is less under her Fathers then it was oâ—…der those Bloody Persecutors And if this power be lodged in the Civil Magistrate and he have no rule to Direct him about the when and where what a miserable case would the Churches be in if he should never determine these Circumstances without which the Churches can never worship God For thus proceeds his Argument No publick worship can be Performed without the Determination of some Circumstances as time for one and place for another But God has determined none of these Circumstances therefore unless some other Determination be made besides what God has made no publick worship can be performed Again If some other determination must be made besides what God has made then it must be made by man but some other determination must be made besides what God hath made therefore it must be made by man Again If a determination of circumstantials must be made by Man then by the Civil Magistrate But a determination must be made by man therefore by the Civil Magistrate from whence it will be easy to Argue That if a Magistrate will not determine of those circumstances which are necessary to the publick Worship of God there can be no publick worship but when the Magistrate is an enemy to the Christian Religion he will never determine of those circumstances which are necessary to the publick Worship of God Therefore when the Magistrate proves an enemy to the Christian Religion there can be no publick Worship of God Nay there ought to be none And it will hold against the Protestants worship where the Magistrate is a severe Romanist Now though it be true that the Command to Worship God publickly be directly and immediately given to the Church yet seeing every Church is in the Commonwealth as a part of it and that every soul therein ought to be subject to the higher powers and because the peace of a Nation is not a little concern'd in the prudent or disorderly management of publick assemblies and seeing that the chief Magistrate is the Vicegerent and great Minister of God to preserve the peace that this lower world may not be too like a Hell therefore has he a very great concern herein Ne quid Reâ—…ublica detrimenti capiat And therefore if any Church shall chuse such unseasonable times or places as may give just occasion of jealousy that some mischief is hatching against the Government he may prohibit them that suspected place time or other jealous Circumstance and command them to elect some more convenient and in offensive ones That so Religion may be cleared the Magistrates heart 〈◊〉 the peâ—… secured only it seems reasonable to assert 1. That the Magistrates power herein is but Indirect and in order to peace and that the Christian Church had such power to determine all such circumstances before ever Magistrates owned Christianity 2. That the Magistrates power seems not to extend
to determine between Contradictories but disparates that is that he has no power to determine whether the Church shall Worship or not worship but that of two times or places or â—…her Natural Circumstances the one carrying some appearance of suspicion the other none he has therein a just power 3. That where no private person might determine of such a Circumstance in his personal devotions nor a particular Church hath any power to determine for themselves in their publick worship there it seems the Magistrates power reaches not because he might then make that a persons or a Churches duty by his Authority which without his Command had been their sin 1 If then the Question be who is fittest to determine those Circumstances which are Necessarily to be determined the Answer is ready They are fittest to determine to whom the Command is Directly given and who must answer it to God if for want of such Determination the Worship of God be laid aside and neglected 2 If the Question be put who is fittest to determine of those Circumstances in publick assemblies which relate to the publick peace The answer is clear He to whom the Conservation of the publick peace is Committed is accountable to God if through his default it be violated 3. If the Question were once more moved what if the Magistrate should forbid a Church to Worship God at all The answer is obvious though the Duty be hard He that has made it a duty to suffer quietly and patiently has promised suffering grace that they may suffer comfortably and couragiously taking up the cross willingly bearing it â—…omely and following their Master faithfully 4. But if the Question were put as it ought to be if it answers the Enquirers designs who is fittest to determine of Ceremonies which are not any way necessary to the discharge of the duty such new Ordinances whereof God has not spoken one word either in general or particular It will be hard to say who is the fittest because none is fit That is though many may be meet to determine of meet Natural Circumstances and they the fittest to whom the Command to perform the duty is directly given yet none is empowred to make new worship or new parts of worship or to add any thing to the Commands of Christ. § 2. The Reason of his assertion follows They best understand the Civil Policy and what will sâ—…t with it and with the Customs and inclinations of the people This Divinity that Religion is to be modelled according to Civil Policy the Costoms and inclinatiâ—… of the people was certainly borrowed from Apollo's Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idol was therein 〈◊〉 to his own interest who used this one principle to root out 〈◊〉 True Religion wherever he bore sway Where Haman had learn't it I know not but I am sure he hâ—… it at his fingers ends 3. Esth. 8. And Haman said unto the King There is a people dispers'd and scatter'd abroad among the people in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom and their Laws are Divers from all peoples neither keep they the Kings Laws Therefore it 's not for the Kings profit to suffer them Thus Aristotle in his Adulatory discourse to Alexander the Great tells him that when Apollo was asked concerning the Worship of the Gods he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all the Oracles enjoyned men to Sacrifice according to thâ—… own Country Customs Thus Socrates in Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You see that the Delphian God when any one asked him How he might worship the Gods with Acceptation answered According to the Law of the City or Commonwealth And Seneca professes that in matters of Religion he considered not Qua diis Grata sed qua Legibus justa Not so much what was acceptable to the Gods as what was warranted by the Laws of the Land But I hardly forbear smiling when I read how the Delphic Devil was put to his Trumps about this Question Tully tells us Lib. 2. de Legibus Cum Athenienses Apollinem Pythium Consulerent quas potissimum Religiones tenerent oraculum editum est â—…as quae essent in More Majorum When the Athenians consulted Apollo what forms of Religion chiefly they should embrace The Grave Oracle answers Those which had the Authority of their Ancestors Custom and usage But here the Embassadors cross't him and told his worship Morem Majorum saepe esse mutatum The Custom of their Ancestors had been often changed Alas they had reform'd and reform'd again and again over and over and could arrive at no settlement for want of a Rule and therefore they demand Quem morem potissimùm sequerentur è variis Which of all those various Customs and Rites they should observe The Devil who is never wholy at a loss for an Answer gave them this Optimum pray pick out the best you can find though never a barrel had better herrings But to his Reason I say 1. That he has now wholy given away the Churches Authority which has made such a Noise in these last Ages and all her power in determining things indifferent is surrender'd upon discretion It 's very suspicious that they have no assurance of the Consistency of their Notions when they know not where to fix this power of instituting and imposing Ceremonies one Age talk't of nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but we hear no more of that but privately among friends Another time the Church was â—…ght in to vouch for them but it will not do there At 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas Erastus taught us to throw them upon the Civil Magistrate Grotius has made use of the Notion and for his sake we cry it up at home but Another Chapter will offer us further occasion to discourse that matter 2. That the Magistrate understands the Civil Policy best is very true but no warrant for the imposing of Ceremonies for what is the Civil Government prejudiced If I worship God according to his own Rules or what propriety of the subject destroyed what prarogative of the Prince impaired or what priviledge of Parliament invaded by a Ministers baptising according to Christs naked institution without the Cross 3. It 's one of the greatest disservices the Enquirer can do to Religion to make it truckle to the Humours and customs of the people p. 59. he tells us the vulgar are altogether for extreams and blames Calvin for Complying with the Humour of the vulgar And yet now all o th' sudden the Magistrate must determine because he knows best what suits with the inclinations of the people though indeed one main end of the Christian Reliâ—…ion was to oppose those radicated Customs and Idle Humours received by Tradition from their Fathers I am now obliged to look a little backwards and consider his attempts to prove that God has not Determined Circumstances wherein if he had pleased to have understood others all this had been spared unless perhaps he understood not himself A long story he tells us of
for either it makes it better As doing the same thing with Baptism viz. dedicating a person to the service of Christ seeing a double tye or obligation to any duty seems stronger then a single one or else it will render it worse because it does that supertuoâ—…sly which Christs own Ceremony had before done sufficiently and endeavours to perform that ineffectually which the institution of Christ had already effectually performed And because it being a part of instituted worship and yet wanting divine Institution nor having any track or footstep in the light of Nature it seems to Overdo what was once well done Now since it must either prejudice or Meliorate the worship it may be convenient to enquire whether it may have a propitious and benign or a Malignant influence upon it And Dissenters are enclined to think the latter All the goodness of Instituted worship depends meerly upon the Authority of the Legislatour either as he has instituted it or empowred others to institute it or promised to accept it from us and bless it to us Now say these Dissenters Christ has neither instituted this Dedicating Symbol nor empowred others to institute it nor promised to accept it at our hands nor Entailed any blessing upon it and therefore it must needs render the Worship less good because itself as used is evil And whether Christ has instituted it or warranted others to do it or annext any such promise to it they are willing to joyn issue with any of their Brethren who will soberly manage the Debate Some of them I have heard thus Argue All worship not-Commanded is forbidden But these Ceremonies are worship not-Commanded therefore they are forbidden § 1. The Major Proposition I thus prove first from the Concession of the Learned Dr. H. Hammond a great and strenuous Patron of Ceremonies who in his Treatise of Superstition and will-worship against Master D. C. â—…teely owns it That all uncommanded worship is forbidden Secondly I prove it by this Reason They who may institute New Worship may destroy the old Worship For Cujus est instituere ejus est destituere the same Authority that can make a Law can Repeal a Law But no man can destroy the old worship therefore none can institute new worship Lastly I prove it from the Authority of God who destroyed Nadab and Abihu 10. Lev. 1. and renders this Reason of it because they offer'd strange fire before the Lord which he Commanded them not I know it is answered by Master Booker and others That the strange fire was not only not-Commanded but forbidden To which I reply suppose that to be true yet God only insists upon this that it was not-Commanded It is pleaded further that God was strict and punctual in his commands to the Iewish Church but he has indulged us a greater Latitude under the Gospel But the reply is easy That our Liberty under the Gospel lies not in an exorbitant power to frame New Ceremouies or new worship but in our discharge from the serâ—…itude of the old Not that we may Create more but that he has loaded us with fewer particulars of instituted worship It 's then very evident That all worship not-Commanded is forbidden § 2. The Minor I thus prove viz. That Symbolical Coremonies are worship not-Commanded That which is a part of worship 〈◊〉 worship but the Ceremonies are a part of worship and not Commanded therefore they are worship not-Commanded 〈◊〉 will seruple to grant the Major The parts must needs partake of the Nature of the whole The Mâ—…r I thus evince from the Enquirers Concession in his Introduction where he reckons it amongst the Glories of the first times of Resormation That the Liturgy and publick Prayers were counted a principal part of Gods worship That which is made a part of a principal part of Gods worship and yet uncommanded is a part of Worship not-Commanded but such are the Ceremonies therefore they are a part of Worship not-Commanded The former proposition depends upon a known and received Maxime Quod est pars partis est pars 〈◊〉 the second proposition is our Enquirers own assertion The Liturgy is a principal part of worship the Ceremonies are a part of the Liturgy therefore the Ceremonies are a part of a principal part of Worship And if the Enquirer stick at any thing here I will make him this fair offer Let him undertake to prove the Ceremonies Commanded and I will undertake to provâ—…them Worship There are only some excellencies in this Chapter which like the Sporades lye dispersed up and down his discourse whose cohaerence not obliging them to any fixed Residency I shall for a conclusion in this place consider them 1 His first great assertion is p. 147. That Christ uever went about the Composure of Laws either of Civil or Ecclesiastical Policy We shall not need to concern our selves about Christs Civil Laws seeing he professes his Kingdom was not of this world 't Was not a Worldly Kingdom administred according to the Maximes of State and Mysteris of Policy which had obtained here below That it should be Spiritual The Laws and Constitutions the Officers and Ministers thereof of Divine Original managed for spiritual Ends by spiritual means the Rewards spiritual and eternal the punishments inflicted upon the disobedient all spiritual so the Apostle 2. Cor. 10. 4. The Weapons of our warsare are not Carnal but mighty through God v. 5. And having in readiness to Revenge all disobedience It 's true also that when once we have tinctured our brains with false Notions of Ecclesiastical Policy whereof we find no footsteps in Scripture we shall be ready to affirm as much of those Laws which he has prescribed concerning the Administration of his spiritual Kingdom but this we think clear 1. That Christ has instituted as many Laws as such a Church as he established shall need And perhaps he was not concerned to write Decretals Extravagants Glosses Canons Bulls to fit all the Governments that the wit of man should afterwards excogitate 2. He has by Himself and his Apostles described all the Officers which he judged sufficient to conduct his Disciples in wayes of Holy obedience through the temptations of this world to eternal life 3. He has also instituted as maâ—… Ordinances and Sacraments as may serve to guide and direct them as Christians and let any one Name one that is wanting to that end if they be able 4. From the Nature of those Officers which he hath appointed the species Nature Kind of his Ecclesiastical Government is abundantly manifested 5. He has given express charge that It be not so with his Officers as 't is with the Kings of the Gentiles who exercise Lordship over them â—…2 Luk. 25. 6. Nor has he Commissioned any Governours to make any Laws directly for his Church as a Church binding the Conscience of his Disciples 7. The Sacraments which he has ordained the express Rules he has given for Pastors or Bishops with all other
Officers are evidence sufficient that he has made some Laws of Ecclesiastical nature and that he has been defective therein becomes not Christians to Assert 2 The Apostles says he ibid. gave certain directions suited to the Conditions of the times and places and people respectively but never composed a standing Ritual for all aftertimes Which will be put beyond all dispute by this one Observation That several things instituted by the Apostles in the primitive Churches and given in Command in their sacred writings were intended to be obliging only so long as Circumstances should stand as then they did and no longer Where we have two things that challenge Consideration § 1. His Doctrine That the Apostles game Certain Directions suited to the Conditions of the times places and persons respectively but never composed a standing Ritual To which I say 1. If by a standing Ritual he mean a Portuis a Liturgy a Mass-book a Ceremonious Rubric The Rules of the Pye or the like it 's very true and that which the Non-conformists do gladly accept the Confession of but if by a standing Ritual he understand fixed Laws suited to the Condition of the Church in all Ages under all the various dispensations of Gods providenâ—…s we deny it and expect his proof § 2. His evidence is this This 〈◊〉 observation will put 〈◊〉 beyond all dispute It 's a happy observation and deserves a Hecatombe for its invention that will silence all dispute in this matter but what is it That several things instituted by the Apostles in the primitive Churches and given in Command in their sacred writings their Epistles were intended and so Construed only to be obliging so long as Circumstances should stand as they did and no longer To which I answer 1. That there were indeed some temporary Ordinances such as were to expire with the Reason and occasion of their institution but then there was also sufficient evidence that it was the will of God that they should expire and cease such was that Command of Anointing with Oyl 5. Jam. 14. which was sealed and attested by an extraordinary concurrence of Gods power witnessed to by miraculous effects But God having now Broken that seal withdrawn the concurrence of his power we need no other evidence that it was only proper for the first planting of Christianity and is now long ago out of date 2. His one observation comes infinitely short of putting this question out of dispute with any wise man for what if several institutions were temporary will it follow that none were perpetual what if some were suited only to those times shall we thence conclude there were not enow suited to all aftertimes There were extraordinary Apostles are there therefore no ordinary Pastors and Teachers Or must a Nation be at all this vast charge to maintain Humane Creatures what if some Rites were momentany Are there not Sacraments in the right use where of Christ has promised to be with his Ministers to the end of the world such wherein we are to shew forth the Lords death till he come It 's as easy to say all this of Baptism and the Lords Supper that they were calculated only for the Meridian of those days and some are not ashamed to say it as of any other order or constitution of Christ by his Apostles whose temporary nature is not expressed or evidently implyed in the temporary Reason upon which it was built 3. The Epistles of the Apostle to the Corinthians as a Church shews what ought to be the order and Government of every Church The occasion of writing those Epistles might be and was peculiar to them and so was the occasion of writing all the rest but thâ—… Design is Common to All. Nor ought any one to dare to Distinguish betwixt temporary and perpetual institutions where the Scripture has not furnisht us with sufficient ground for such Distinction 4. As there never was a more pernicious and destructive design managed by the Prince of darkness then the Rejecting the Scriptures as the only Rule of Faith worship and all Religious obedience so the Mediums where by 't is carried on is the very same with that of this Enquirer There are an absurd Generation amongst â—…s in this Nation to whom if you Quote the Apostles Authority in his Epistle to the Corinthians For the standing and perpetual use of the Lords Supper will give you just such another Answer Wâ—… do you think 〈◊〉 dwell 〈◊〉 Câ—…th what is 〈◊〉 Eâ—…le to the Corinthians to us whâ—… are English men and so it seems unconcern'd Thus the Papists justify their half Communion Serenus Cressy Chap. 12. p. 137. in Answer to Dr. Peirce his Primitive Rule of Reformation we acknowledg says he Our Saviour instituted this mystery in both Kinds That the Apostles received it in both Kinds That St. Paul spâ—…aks as well of Drinking c. But the General Tradition of the Church at least from his Beginning will not permit us to yeeld that the Receiving in Both Kinds was esteem'd as necessary to the essence of the Communion or Inâ—…grity of the participation of Christs Body and Blood But let us see what service his select Instances will do him to prove his Doctrine Of this Nature says the Enquirer were the Feasts of Love the Holy Kiss the order of Deaconesses To which I return 1. The Feasts of Love and the Holy Kiss were not as all Institutions of the Apostles All that the Apostle determined about them was that supposing in their Civil Congresses and converses they salute each other they should be sure to avoid all levity wantonness all Appearance of evil for Religion teaches us not only to worship God but to Regulate our Civil Actions in subordination to the great ends of Holiness the adorning of the Gospel and thereby the glorifyinâ—… of our God and Saviour I say the same concerning the Feasts of Love The Apostle made it no Ordinance either temporary or perpetual but finding that such a civil Custom had obtained amongst them introduced we charitably believe for the maintaining of Amity amongst them and seeing it sadly to degenerate amongst the Corinthians He cautions them against gluttony drunkenness all excess and ryot to which such Feasts through the power of corruption in some and the Remainders of corruption in the best were obnoxious which is evident from 1 Cor. 11. 21. One is hungry another is drunken The Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 8. Commands that Men pray every where Lifting up Holy hands Can any rational Creature Imagine that he has thereby made it a duty as oft as we pray to elevate our hands That was none of his design to that Age or the present But under a Ceremonial phrase he wraps up an Evangelical duty As if he had said Be sure you cleanse your hearts And if you do lift up your hands let them be no umbrage for unholy souls 2. Concerning Deaconesses I can find no such Order or Constitution of the Apostles It 's true
they used in their Travels and other occasions the services and assistances of Holy women who chearfully administred to their Necessities and are thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how childish is it to conclude an order or Institution from so slippery a thing as an Etymology The Angels are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministring Spirits 1. Heb. 14. â—…ill any from hence infer that they read the Liturgy Magistrates are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. Râ—…m 4. 6. And â—…et itâ—… no part of their Oâ—… tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. 〈◊〉 was by some Ecclesiastical Writers dignified with the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence some conclude he was a Liturgy-maker And thus our willing Enquirer to serve a turn must needs have those Good women that did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by all means to have been ordained to the Office of She-Deacons These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Bellarmine notes signify no more in their general import then Quâ—…libet publicâ—… munere sungi to perform any publick service for the Common benefit whether sacred or Civil But when they are applyed to any Religious work or service then by accident they have a sacred signification â—…tampt upon them And therefore the same Cardinal from those words 13. Act. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As they ministred to the Lord Has sound out a Masse compleatly rigged out for service Others will discover from thence a Liturgy though the duller sort of people ean espy no more then the worship of God which may very well consist without either 1. In a word The Duty 's of saluting with an Holy Kiss The ordering of all our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Feasts of love to Gods Glory The ministring in our respective places to the necessities of the Saints are as much in force as ever unless Holiness be grown out of fashion so that this one Observation will hardly put the Question beyond all Dispute let him try a second 3 If it be true as he says that the Christian Religion â—…as to throw down all Inclosures to unite the world under one Head and make of all Nations one people and therefore must be left with freedom as to Circumstantials Then it seems they design some depopulating inclosures and to disunite the world again who set up such distinguishing Ceremonies as divide those of the same Nation the same Religion both at home and abroad 4 His confidence that It is evident that it is unreasonable to expect that every Ceremony made use of by Christians should be found prescribed in the Scripture or proved thence does not at all move me I am accustomed to encounter feeble proofs seconded with gigantick confidences I think it 's reasonable that they who pretend to Imitate Christ should follow his example in this also 5. John 30. I can of my self do nothing as I hear I judge And that they who act under his Authority should produce his Commission or at least not expect so ready a Compliance with those Ceremonies which they confess not to be proved from Scripture In the mean time from Circumstances in the promises to Ceremonies in the conclusion from some Circumstances to all from Natural to Moral is a leap too great for any one to take that valued the breaking of his Neck more then the Breaking of his East His fine story of Pacuviâ—…s is lamentably impertinent for the Question there was who should be the Senator allowing the Senate approving the Order but quarrelling the persons but Dissenters greatest Dispute is about the Office whether jurâ—… 〈◊〉 or no They Question not whether Cross or Cream suit best with Baptism but whether any such Ceremonies ought to be used with it or Added to it They do not set op two or three new devices as Candidates for preferment but plead that all of that Kind be removed And if all the scuffle were which of them should be used which repudiated the Non-conformists would not bet a penny on either of their Heads CHAP. V. A thorough Examination of that Principle whereon the Enquirer lays too great stress That God lays very little stress upon Circumstantials in Religion THe Historian observes of the Ligurians a kind of Banditti that skulk't here and there and always plaid least in sight that major erat aliquanto labor Invenire quam vincere They were an enemy harder to be found out then being once discovered to be rowted upon which account this Enquirer may pass for an Antagonist more troublesome then formidable and yet therefore formidable because troublesome He Professes himself as ready to lay down his life for the preservation of unity as in testimony against flat Idolatry and next to if not before them he seems willing to dye a thousand deaths rather then ever state a Question God lays very little stress upon Circumstantials That may be true And God lays very great stress upon Circumstantials That may be as true also But when He lays very little and when very great stress upon them let others blow the coal for him he will save his breath for better purposes The Question would receive a very quick dispatch if we his poor Plebeian Readers were worthy to know what he intends by Circumstantials but seeing we are none of his great Cronies and Confidents that may be admitted into his Cabinet-Consels we must be content with the Andabatarian Feneers to Cuff it out blindfolds If he were under any Obligation to use such Mediums and Instances as were proportionable to his conclusion we might conjecture that by Circumstantials he means some Divine instiutions But seeing he has imposed upon himself no such severe discipline I know none has that power over him as to compel him to their Laws of Discourse and Disputation God lays very little stress upon Circumstantials undetermined by himself but there imposers lay the main stress And God lays very great stress upon Circumstantials by himself once determined but there I thank you our Enquirer lays very little And there is Reason enough and to spare why God should lay great weight upon the smallest matters which he has commanded but not half enough why Men should lay such a stress upon their Pleasures as to venture the Churches Peace upon them unless it could be made out that they had Authority from God to do it warrantably an Infallible Spirit to do it exactly and infinite Charity to guide that Authority without which to entrust any Creature with such a Power over Circumstantials were but to put a sword into it's hand that would kill some wound many and at last Destroy himself It is indeed a Noble Design which he pursues viz. To Beget in Men better Notions of God and better Measures of Religion for hetherto Men have sancied God to be very rigid and severe about small sins but our Enquirer will ease the minds of Men of their
sitting and excepting these two Circumstantials 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred to all the rest But then I would reply 1. That there was no necessity to except Time Because it neither was nor possibly could be included in the Command Do this for all men that have any Ambition to speak congruously agree it to be non-sense to say that Time can be done It must be some action here to which this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must relate 2. If he will needs except the Action of sitting down I ask Quo warrantâ—… why should one Anteâ—…dent Action be excepted more then all the rest And if one why are not all the rest foreprized The Papists have excepted the whole Cup from the Laity the Reverend Bishops have excepted sitting and then why may not a third except breaking a fourth Blessing and then come the Quakers and the Learned Grotius with a Non semper communicandum per symbola and shut out the whole institution I confess I never liked these exclusions ever since I saw first one parcel and then another excluded till at last there was a clean House And thus by our Enquirers Maxime we have made a fine Sacrament of it under pretence that Christ lays little siresâ—… upon circumstantials under the New Testament Little stress did I say Nay None at all For if God layd very little stress upon them under the Old Testament and the Divine wisdom has express't far less concern for them under the New I cannot guess what that something should be that is far less then a very little but a meer Nothing We should now examine his instances under the New Testament but plenty has made him so poor that he will give us but one But one indeed but that one is a great one and may stand for Many When says he the Apostle Paul had vehemently declaimed against the Necessity of Circumcision and proclaimed the danger of it as is obvious to any one that reads his Epistles yet the same Paul Circumcises Timothy to the intent that thereby he might render himself and his ministry more acceptable to the Iews This is his one his only great Instance out of the New Testament And it was but Reasonable that a person so polite and terse in his style should employ all the flowers of Elegancy to embellish it and therefore for it 's greater ornament he will now use a Figure which some by a hard Name call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It has been hetherto taken for granted by all that I have met with that the Apostle Circumcised Timothy some good while before he wrote any one of his Epistles and somewhat longer before he wrote those wherein he proclaims the danger of Circumcision The first Epistle that he wrote was that first to the Thessalonians And not long after the second to the same Church The postscripts to both which Date them from Athens where we find him Acts. 17 But the learned Dr. Lightfoot judges and I think upon clear grounds that they were penned a year after and written from Corinth But whether from Athens or Corinth both must needs be written after the Circumcision of Timothy which we find Acts. 16. 1. In his journey to Lystra and Derbe And the Learned Estius is of the same judgment with our own Learned Doctor The Learned Whitaker also concurrs thus farr with them Qu. 6. contra Humanas Tradit p. 415. Novi Testamenti Canonem non fuisse tum editum cum Paulus hanc Epistolam ad Thessalonicenses scriberet he speaks of the second Epistle written the same year with the former imò ne ullos quidem N. T. libros tum fuisse scriptos affirmo excepto solo Matthaei Evangelio si irenaeo credimus etiam Matthaei Evangelio Antiquiores fuâ—…re hae duae If then these two Epistles were the first he wrote and they written from Athens according to their postscripts or from Corinth as indeed they were It 's certain that they and therefore all the rest must be written some time after the Circumcision of Timothy Here is then a most desperate stumble somewhere or other unless he can prove and what can he not prove that St. Paul's journey to Lystra and Derbe was after his journey to Athens and Corinth which unless he showes himself a scorn to the Reader he will not attempt The instance being so impertinent we need not much be concern'd about the winding up of his conclusion yet because some may have a mind to be pleasant let us have it In which carriage of his he has beyond all exception demonstrated to us that all Ceremonial Appendages are perfectly sâ—…bordinate and ought to yeeld to the designs of peace charity and edification as the greater good yes this is Demonstration infallible Demonstration Demonstration which puts the Controversy beyond all exception and the poor Non-conformists are siderated with the violence of it And yet to speak plain English here 's nothing but pittiful trifling For. 1. This Irrefragable Demonstration is reared upon a rotten foundation that Paul wrote his Epistles first wherein he declaims against Circumcision and then afterwards Circumcises Timothy 2. All that he has built upon that foundation is as rotten That all Ceremonial Appendages are perfectly subordinate and ought to yeeld to peace charity and edification let me observe § 1. If these Ceremonious Appendages bâ—… so perfectly subordinate to those great ends then how will it prove that God lays very little stress on them Just as if some superacute Philosopher should undertake to prove that because eating and sleeping are perfectly subordinate to Health and life therefore we ought to lay very little stress on them § 2. If those institutions of the Gospel which he calls Ceremonious Appendages should at any time cross the great ends of peace charity and edification there 's no doubt but that they ought to strike fail but he cannot prove that the meanest of Christs institutions are opposite at any time to a just peace that they weaken Christian charity or hinder edification Nor can we suppose without the highest derogation to the Divine wisdom That any of Christs means for edification should ever overthrow their designed ends Their subordination to the end shows their inseriority to the end but since Christ has allotted them their place let no man dare to disturb their station § 3. If Divine Ceremonial Appendages ought to give place and yeeld to peace charity and edification then we may presume without presumption that Humane Ceremonial Appendages shall be compelled to submit and conform themselves to those great ends and that none shall ever lay such a stress upon these as may endanger much less destroy those glorious intendments But here we are disappointed God must lay little stress upon his but they will lay incredible weight upon theirs And as one said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let heaven and earth be blended and jumbled together in an eternal 〈◊〉 It 's a principle to be maintained to the
practise and they may deny it too when they have done whithout fear of self-contradiction or danger of entrenching upon the Magistrates Authority For. 1. What must we understand by interposing If I might freely deliver my own private opinion It 's lawful nay expedient nay necessary that he interpose or else I am affraid his poor dissenting subjects will be worried to death But they who plead so Zealously for his Interposing when that interposition is not tempered to their good liking make the vault of Heaven echo again with their clamours that the Distressed Church is quite undone In a word if Church-men will be Determining one thing after another that we can see no end New subscriptions New oaths new jests New Ceremonies superconformity to the Canon above Law and practise above Canon what will become of the simplehearted Laicks if a vigilant and prudent Prince do not interpose and timously determine upon their Determinations 2. I now utterly despair of understanding his Meaning of Circumstantials A word that has run through as many shapes as are in all Ovid's Metamorphosis And amongst all the pleasant stories in that ingenious Romance I remember one that the Reader will not condemn for impertinent There was one Ezisichthon whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and extream voracious stomack had no other supply at last but from one Daughter now this Madamolselle you must know had a singular faculty to transform her self into any shape she pleased once he sold her for a round summe and she came trotting or ambling home again for she had all her paces in the shape of a bonny filly Another time he sold her and received his money honestly for her and she came home in the shape of a Milckcowe Such another ambiguous versatile Creature is this Circumstantial If we should say the Magistrate has no power to Determine Circumstantials presently he 's o th' top o th' House what an obstinate generation are those Fanaticks What will you not allow your Prince to appoint where you shall assemble for your publick worship of God must he have no concern in time and place in order to the securing of the Peace yes yes Sir withal our hearts and we shall be heartily glad on 't humbly thankful for it and honestly proud on 't too and I would â—…e could preavail with our Enquirer to be our Sollicitour to procure us a Determination of those Circumstantials well then says he you agree the Magistrate may Determine Circumstantials but such are the Ceremonies and now you are in a cloos get out again how you can 3. Therefore he should have resolved plainly whether the Magistrates Commission extends to the Determination of all or only some certain Circumstances and my Reasons are these 1. If he have not a Commission to Determine All then the question will Recurr whether it reaches those under Debate for thus he Argues Circumstantials may be Determined by the Magistrate But Ceremonies are Circumstantials Therefore Ceremonies may be Determined by the Magisâ—…rate Now if the Major in this Syllogism be not universal the Syllogism is peccant in forme If it be then deprecating the Displeasure of those whom we truly Honour in the Lord and for the Lord we humbly deny it All Circumstantials may not be Determined by the Magistrate for 2. Christ has already Determined of some Circumstantials and whoever makes it one it 's no Question with me that no power on earth can undetermine or otherwise determine what God has already fore determined 3. There are some Circumstantials which cannot profitably and therefore not Lawfully receive an universal and uniform Determination 4. Because if all undetermined Circumstances may be Determined in their use the life of Man may be made the most wretched miserable and undesirable thing in the world and he had as gooâ—… preach that other more eligible and more edifying Doctrine Ita de te literam longam facito for where should the most caâ—…telous foot tread besides a snare and such is the Condition of superstitious Papists whose consciences are perpetually perplexed with endless scrupulosities about those minutes which the Church has made sin which else had been as Innocent in offensive things as a piece of powdred Beef and Turneps Now for the proof of this Doctrine he tells us It has been 〈◊〉 fully and substantially done by the incomparable Hugo Grotius and by a late eminent Divine of this Church that it 's enough to referr the Reader to them Indeed he must be an incomparable Person that can write Substantialy about Circumstantials but I confess I do not build much either upon the Authority or Reasonings of the otherwise incomparable Hugo ever since I read his dangerous discourse Lib. 1. cap. 4. § 13. de jure B. P. Si rex habeat partem Imperii partem alteram Populus 〈◊〉 Senatus Regi in partem non-suam in volanti vis justa oppon poterit quia eatenus Imperium non habet Quod locun habere sentio etiamsi dictum sit Belli potestatem penes Regemfore id enim de Bello exterâ—…o intelligendum est cun alioqui quisquis partem summi Imperii habeat non possit nor jus habere eam partem tuendi quod ubi fit potest etiam Rex suam Imperii partem Belli Jure Amittere that is If King hath one part of the soveraign Power and the People or Senâ—… the other part If the King shall invade that part which is none of hâ—… own just resistance may be made against him because so farr 〈◊〉 hath no Authâ—…rity at all which I judge to hold true although it 〈◊〉 said That the power of making warr is in the King for that must be understood of a forrain warr whenas otherwise whoever has a share in the soveraignty cannot but have also Authority to Defend that share which when it so falls out the King may lose by the right of warr his own share of the soveraignty Here is dangerous Doctrine enough to Cure me of my Ambition of ever being a Hugonoâ—… As for that late eminent Divine of this Church who has so convincingly asserted this power I cannot divine who it should be unless perhaps that Longwinded Author with whose eluoubrations some are resolved to vex the Fanatics though they never read him themselves And therefore leving these voluminous Authors to scold it out with their own Mouths let us attend to the enquirers more concise Reasonings 1 It 's certain says he that Magistrates had once such a power in the Circumstantials of Religion and that in the old Testament It is certain indeed that they had a power not only in the Circumstantials but the substantials of Religion all the Question is whether they had such a power as he pleads for And if they had it then whether they had it jure Regio or Prophetico whether in their own Right as Kings or by Delegation in some extraordinary case from God § 1. The Prince might have nay he had a power to
spur up and quicken the lazy Priests and Levites to their duty and yet no power to create them a duty He had power to punish Church-men to restrain the exorbitances of the Clergy and for Male-administration to cashiere them nay to order the High-priest himself if he proved factious seditious or Rebellious and endeavoured any Alteration of the Theocracy either in Church or State but he had no power to make New administrations He had a power to restore the corrupted worship to it's primitive integrity but he had no power to institute Worship and therefore it 's more then Ridiculous to Argue from a Power to such a power § 2. He pretended to prove That the Magistrate in Determining these circumstantials did not exceed his Commission and his medium is from the Iewish Magistrate Now his proper diâ—… and easy way to have evinced that the Iewish Magistrate had this power had been to have exemplifyed the Commission it self and not stand trifling with Matter of fact to prove Matter of right especially seeing that the Commission is upon Record and many doubts in Law will arise from the fact as whether what was done was done jure and if jure then Quo jure Now for the Commission from him by whom Kings reign it was ready drawn of old only a blanck left to insert the Name of that particular Person whom God immediately or by â—…cession should chuse 17. Deut. 18. 19. 20. It shall be when he 〈◊〉 upon the Throne of the Kingdom that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a book out of that which is before the Priests and Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and those statutes to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren that he turn not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end he may prolong his days in the Kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel from whence 't is evident that though the Israelites were for some time in their minority govern'd by Judges yet when their Nation should grow up to it's greatest perfection God would then bestow upon them â—…he most perfect form of Government viz. Monarchy and in the most perfect manner continue it viz. by succession not impeaching his own prerogative to alter either the form or the time but with a Negative upon any or all the people so is it as plain that God fyes up his Prince to Govern by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deuteronomy à Copy of the Laws and statutes Morel and positive without turning to the right hand or the left in excess or defect mangling or mending Gods Laws Allowing to himself still a power to vary but not to them save by his Direction § 3. This great proof for the Magistrates power over the Circumstantials of Religion is fetcht from the Magistrates power iâ—… the Iewish Commonwealth He that is so severe upon the Nonconformists that they are Iudaizers if they argue but a fortiori from Moses to Christ now takes his greatest proof from David to the Christian King and though it be scandalous for them to Reason from that Topick in Doctrinals yet is safe and honourable for himself to Reason thence in Politicals and Ceremonials his instances come now to be considered § 1. David as I shewed before altered somethings and instituted others in the Temple worship That 's his instance And David as I proved before altered nothing instituted nothing without special Direction from God that 's my answer which special warrant when it shall be produced for any Alterations of or Additions to Christs institutions under the Gospel they shall by me be most Cordially embraced § 2. Hezekiah says he without a Scripture for it broke the Brazeâ—… Serpent to pieces though it was a Symbolical Ceremony of Gods own Iustitution Oh but if Hezekiah had set up one brazâ—… Serpent as a Symbolical Ceremony without Gods institution it had been more to his purpose then if he had broken a hundred Let him take these few things along with him and then make the best he can of his instance 1. If Hezekiah needed no Scripture warrant to destroy an old Antiquated Institution of God because it had been and still was abused to Idolatry much more may a Christian Prince without further Scripture warrant abolish such Symbolical Ceremonies as being originally the meer inventions of men have been and still are abused to the most fowle Idolatry and grossest superstition that ever was in the world 2. Let the Enquirer recollect himself a little He undertook to prove that Princes have power to set up Ceremonies and his instance proves only thus much that they have power to pluck them down 3. Hezekiah needed no Scripture to empower him to destroy the brazen Serpent because it was then no institution of God It had been once indeed a temporary appointment of God but the ceasing of the End was the Determination of the use when it 's sacred Relation ceased it was of no more value in Gods account when Hezekiah broke it then so much Brass 'T is not true therefore that Hezekiah broke in pieces the brazen Serpent though it was but though it had been forâ—…rly an institution of God He did not make it but declare it to be Nchushtan an old Relique made a New Idol and now served as it deserved 4. I do not understand that the brazen Serpent was a Symbolical Ceremony what grace what duty did it signify A type it was to direct their faith to Christ fot that time to expect the healing of their souls from him but the visible service was only to heal their bodies stung with the firy Serpents 3. John 14. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up 5. Hezekiah had Scriptures more then one not only to enable but Command him to do it He needed no new Authority but new wisdom to Apply alâ—…s old general Command to a particular case If the Enquirer could but shew as much Scriputre warrant for the setting up one Ceremony as Hezekiah had for destroying a thousand Idols he would think himself a jolly fellow I might urge his Authority from the second Commandement where God declares himself a jealous God in the Matter of instituted worship and how many following generations might smart for the prevarication in that particular he well knew There might have been a Drachm of the brazen Serpent as well as an Ounce of the Golden Calf in their subsequent calamities if he that was Custos utriâ—…sque Tabulae and now had not his name for nothing had not testifyed against that abomination But I shall crave leave to Remember him of the incomparable Huge who upon this fact of Hezekiah thus Egregium Documentum Regibus at quamvis
to the whole If any person whose greater Abilities may manage the Service more to the glory of God be present his charitable prudence will instruct him to procure such assistance as may best promove the spiritual concernâ—… of those under his charge To shut up this point The powers here ascribed to a Master of a Family are such as do not reach the case in hand Determination of Chapters Prayers Times Postures Gestures Persons which were not before determined by the divine power will not make up one Mystical Ceremony and the Magistrate may have all this power and yet none such as will reach the case in hand That power which will serve to make a Primitive Directory will not serve to impose a Modern Liturgy All that can possibly be screwed out of these instances of Paternal Authority is no more then this that he may Determine between two or more Circumstances one of which is disjunctively necessary to the performance of a necessary duty but it will be hard when he comes to try it to infer a power to impose mystical Ceremonies which are no ways necessary to the performance of any duty no not by Disjunction I presume I have saved my Bail if I should give no further answer yet for his greater satisfaction I shall trouble the Reader with these few Considerables § 1 That the Governour of a Family being upon the place and having all present Circumstances within his prospect may more usefully determine upon all determinable Circumstances then a Magistrate for a whole Nation and the several Congregations therein whose Accidents are so various that they cannot possibly come under any uniform Determination suppose a strict Law were made at Paris that every particular Church in the Nation should commence their publick service on the Lords day precisely at nine a clock it is Mathematically certain that some would have done and got half through their dinners before others would be half way in their Devotions They in furthest Eastern Parts would have come to their Amen before those on the Calabrian Ocean would be at their Oremus because of the diversities of Meridians and Longitudes and yet all would be but nine a clock § 2. That the consequence from the Power of a Master of a Family to the Civil Magistrates power is not very clear for the Master of a Family is supposed to have Minors in his Family who cannot be safely trusted with the Determination of those Circumstances which must necessarily be determined but it would be a reproach to the Christian Religion that all the Bishops Pastors and Churches in a Nation could not find wit enough to determine what time of the day were most expedient to Assemble in The power of a Prince is farr more Noble then that of the Family Governour and yet by Reason of the incapacity and unfitness of the matter the bulkiness of the Aggregate the lesser power may possibly Determine upon some small Circumstances which the greater power is unfit to do To be Captain of a Man of Warr is more honourable then to Command a Skuller and yet this latter will tack about more nimbly then that cumbersome Argosie because the Vessel is more Manageable § 3. This uniformity which is so much driven at in all these arguments as the great Reason of the Necessity of universal Determination is a name much bandied in speculative discourses rather then a thing practicable if we may judge that not fecible which never yet was attained Let us look a little nearer home And first we find no Punctual uniformity between the two Provinces He that can sing Divine Service in the Province of York may without new instruction be utterly to seek in the Psalmodie of Canterbury look upon the same Province and compare the Parochial with the Cathedral service and there 's less uniformity still He that can â—…adge pretty well at a Country-Church is quite lost in the uncouth usages of the Minister Look into the Parochials and some have their Conformity superconformity statute Ceremonies and Canon Cerâ—…monies so that you would hardly judge them to be half-sisters take a step nearer and look in the same Parish-Church uniformity is not to be found there the Minister is not conformable to himself At one prayer he stands at another he kneels at one part of the publick Service he is all white and then that Colour is most decent by and by all Black and then that is most decent nor is there any uniformity between the Minister and the people â—…e at the Delivery of the consecrated Elements praying in a posture of standing and they in the Act of Receiving who pray not yet confined to Geniculation Nor is there less discrepancy between the several parts of worship for whereas the grand Plea for Ceremonies is a certain Decency which they conciliate to the service and their great usefulness to stirr up the dull minds of men yet only Baptism is adorned with the sign of the Cross and the rest left naked of so great an ornament and yet the Apostles Rule is let all things be done decently and we have as much need to have our dull minds quickned in the other Sacrament and all other pars of worship § 4. Lastly That power which belongs to the supream Civil Magistrate as such belongs to all and every supream Magistrate but this power of instituting imposing Ceremonies belongs not to every supream Magistrate therefore it belongs not to the supream Civil Magistrate as such that is it belongs to none The Reason of the Major Proposition is taken from that Common Axiome A 〈◊〉 ad omne valet consequentiâ—… The proof of the Minor is this That which belonged not to the supream Civil Magistrate for three hundred years after Christs time belongs not to all Civil Magistrates but this power of instituting and imposing Ceremonies belonged not to the Civil Magistrate for three hundred years after Christs time therefore it belonged not to all To enervate which Argument it must either be denyed that the Roman Emperours during that Period were supream Civil Magistrates which St. Paul opposes charging the Churches to obey them or asserted that they had a power to determine of the Circumstantials of the Christian Religion and prescribe what Ceremonies they saw good in the Evangelical worship 2 We now come to his second Thesis If the Magistrate may Determine these Matters then not only Christian Charity and humility but Common Prudence requires us to presume of the wisdom and reasonableness of his determinations and much more to obey them I shall say little but perhaps smile the more at the prettiness of the consequent It 's our duty to presume of the reasonableness but much more to obey those Determinations that is it 's much mâ—…re our duty to obey then to be Rational That we are to presume very highly of the wisdom of our Superiours acting within their proper Sphaere we readily admit For when God calls them to a work he
will bestow competent wisdom for the discharge of it but yet am I not to presume so unmeasurably of any ones wisdom as to resign up my Faith and Conscience with the disposal of Gods worship without more a do to it If God had given him Authority to determine these matters I should not have been concern'd to Question his wisdom Gods Command had superseded my little scruples and though he had miscarried in his prudential Decision I should have received the praise of subjection but till such Authority do appear I shall sâ—…t down on this side such prâ—…sumption though somewhat beyond despair If the Reader has any pitty left he may do charitably to bestow a little of it upon me that must be obliged to answer all the Sentences and Apothegms in wits-commonwealth and yet to this drudgery I shall patiently submit â—…ill I am quite tyred and then Resign this Province 1 It 's enough says he to warrant and require our obedient that the thing is the Command of our Superiour and not beyond the Sphâ—…re of his Authority That Religion is within the Magistratâ—… Sphâ—…re I have freely owned but not to all intents and purposes not to pluck up what God has planted not to plant what God has pluckt up Substantials and Circumstantials are all within his Sphaere but not to do what he pleased withal As all Persons with their Civil concerns are within the Magistrates Sphâ—…re their lives Liberties and estates all come under his cognizance and yet there are some great Lawyers and Loyal subjects who think they are not within his Sphâ—…re to dispose of them at pleasure so are all the conncerns of Religion within his Sphaere too to preserve not to destroy to propagate not to alter to encourage not to innovate in the worship of God for All power is for edification not destruction Every Christian has Religion within his sphaere that is he has a concern in it but no concern over and above it Tota Religio but not Totum Religionis as Totus Homo yet not Totum Hominis are within the reach of Magistracy He has a power to secure Religion Religion is therefore within his sphaere but he has none to make new Religion or a new part of Religion that therefore is out of his sphaere nor will it excuse me to God his word and my own conscience blindly to obey in every thing some whereof may be out of his sphaere because he has a power to command somethings which are within his sphaere The true Ancient Protestants of this Church with no less zeal then success defended the Princes Power and supremacy against all the claims of Rome and yet never ascribed such a power to him as might shackle Conscience and dispose of Religion at pleasure I shall give the Reader a tast from the learned Bishop Bilson who dedicates his book to Q Eliz and it came abroad Cum Privilegio Dial p. 533 534 535. c. The Discourse is between a Papist and a Protestant Philander If the Queen establish any Religion you are bound by your â—…ath to obey it whatsoever it be Theophilus We must not rebel not take Armes against the Prince as you affirm you may but with reverence and humility serve God before the Prince Phil. Then is not the Prince supream Theo. Why so ' Phil. Your selves are Superiour you will serve whom you list Theo. As though to serve God according to his will were to serve whom we list and not whom all Princes and others ought to serve Phil. But you will be Iudges when God is well served and when â—…t Theo. If you can excuse us before God when you mislead us we will serve whom you appoint us otherwise if every Man shall answer for himself good Reason he be Master of his own Conscience in that which toucheth him so near and no man can excuse him for Phil. This is to make every private man supream Iudge of Religion Theo. The poorest wretch that is may be supream Governour of his own heart Princes rule the Publick and external actions of their Countries but not the Consciences of men Phil. Would you have such Confusion suffered in the Church that every Man should follow what he list Theo. I would not have such presumption and wickedness brought into the Church that Christ and his Word should be subjected to the wills or voices of Mortal men For though the whole World should pronounce against him or it God will be true and all men shall be lyars Phil. No more would we Theo Why then restrain you Truth to the Assemblies and sentences of Popes and Praelates as though they must be gently entreated and fairly offer'd by Christ before he might attempt or expect to recover his own Phil. We would have things done orderly Theo. Call you that Order where Christ shall stand without doors till your Clergy shall consent to bring him in Phil. God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace Theo. It 's no Confusion for one Family yea for one Man to serve God though all the Families and men of the same Realm will not Ioshua said to the people If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord chuse you whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord. Elias was left alone for any that he saw willing to serve God in Israel and yet abated not his Zeal Micheas alone opposed himself against 400. Prophets with what judicial Authority can you tell Amos neither spared Ieroboam the King not Amaziah the Priest and yet he was but a simple Heards-man and not so much as the Son of a Prophet Iohn Baptist had no Competent Jurisdiction over the Scribes and Pharisees that saâ—… in Moses his chair and yet he condemned them for a Generation of Vipers The Counsels where Peter Stephen Paul were convened accused and punisht lacked none of your Judicial formalities and yet the Apostles stoutly both resisted and condemned their Deliberative and Definitive sentences Phil. The Apostles Commission we know but yours we know not Theo. You cannot be Ignorant of ours if you know theirs so long as we preach the same Doctrine that they did we have the same power and Authority which they had keep your Competent Jurisdictions Judicial Cognitions and Legal Decisions to your self The Son of God first founded and still gathereth his Church by the mouths of his Preachers not by the summons of Consistories He that is sent to preach may not hold his tongue and tarry till my Lord the Pope and his Mitred Fathers can intend to meet and list to consent to the ruine as they think of their Dignities and Liberties Phil. Deshise you Counsels Theo. By no means so long as they be Counsels that is sober and free Conferences of Godly and learned Teachers but if they wax wanton against Christ and will not have the Truth received until they have consented we reject them as Conspiracies of the wicked which no Christian ought to
especially sets us at Liberty to pursue our own Reason And can he pretend to be a Rational Creature that will not submit to it's Dictates If ever Christian Liberty have scope enough it must be when it exspatiates in the fields of our own Reason I am confident the most straight-Laced precisian cannot pretend he is pincht But now the Limitation And to Obey any Laws of men that shall not contradict the express Laws of the Scriptures I suppose there are very few or none in the world that form their Laws expresly contrary to Scripture Laws and yet they may make such as may as effectually frustrate the design of Scripture Laws as if they had in Terms point blanck contradicted them A rare Liberty this is and was the foundation of that Gentlemans humour who profess't he would Preach in a Fools Coat if the King should Command him For I do not remember that that contradicts any express Law amongst all the crafty devices of the Devil to induce our Grand-mother Eve to eat of the Tree of Knowledge and of all the weak excuses of Eve for eating of that Tree I wonder This was not thought on that it was not contrary to any express Law of God For. 2. Gen. 16. God commanded the man saying of every Tree of the Garden thou may'st freely eat But of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat But it seems the Devil had not learnt the Sophistry to evade the precept because the express Law was given to the man and not to the woman There are Consequâ—…ntial Laws which we have no liberty to contradict That a Minister contradiâ—…t not destroy not the ends of his Ministry a Christian the ends of his Christianity And it had been impossible that all Negatives should be expressed Thou shalt not stand upon thy head Thou shalt not wear a Fools Coat Thou shalt not play at Dice or Cards in the Worship of God but thus he thinks he has made goodprovision for a safe conformity to the Ceremonies because it is not said Thou shalt not use the Cross in Baptism Thou shalt not use Cream Oyl Spittle Thou shalt not conjure out the Devil At which back-dore came in all the Superstitious fopperies of Rome And with this passeport we may travel all over the world from Rome to the Port from thence amongst the Tarrars and Chineses and conform to all for perhaps we shall not meet with one Constitution that contradicts an express Law of Scripture 4. Concession p. 191. I have a power in utrámque and may do or leave undone all those matters that are not defined in Scripture This indeed makes amends for all for if it be part of my liberty to leave undone what 's not defined there as well as to do what is not so I have no great Reason to complain for want of liberty but yet there is a Restriction behind that recals one half of this According as publick Laws and the ends of all Society shall require Thus all along the Reader will observe that he seems to retreat from his Fort in the Concession and when we are mounted he springs his Mine and blows us all up with his Retractation The summ of this liberty then is thus much we have a liberty in utramque but you shall be determined to one you may do which you will provided you do which another commands you you may pursue your own Reason provided you do not pursue it but the publick wisdom you are not tyed up to any other insâ—…itutions save only those plain ones of the Gospel provided you be obliged to such other as Authority commands This is such an â—…tramque that I have been studying what should be the substantive to it and I cannot imagine what unless it be in utramque either a good benefice or a Comfortable importance I shall further offer these things 1. Christian Liberty may be restrained by publick Authority and by private Reason but if publick Authority restrain it one way and my private Reason would restrain it another and the publick authority shall carry it against my own Reason not only Christian but Humane Liberty is violated 2. The perpetual determining of my liberty to one part that I may in no case act the other way whether it be by an external compulsory power or by my own superstition is a violation and destruction of my Christian Liberty 3. Authority peace Charity prevailing with my Reason to determine one way will not violate Christian Liberty for when the great ends of Peace and Charity shall cease to be obtained by such determination it 's supposed also that Reason will cease and Authority ought to cease to continue such determination 4. If Peace and Charity shall cease to call for such a determination ad unum and thereupon my Reason cease to put me upon such a determination and yet Authority shall continue its determination my Christian Liberty will warrant me to follow my own Reason That which was the intolerable burthen of the Jews which they were not able to bear our Enquirer tells p 186. was especially this That the Law of Moses enjoyn'd a great number of little observances which by their multitude were hard to be remembred by their Nicety difficult to be observed and by their meer positive nature and having no essential goodness in themselves had less power upon the conscience of men to awaken their care and diligence about them and because it 's hard for the mind of man to attend to many things at once especially if also the things in which his care and obedience is required be such as are not enacted in his Conscience and when he can see no other Reason of or advantage by his obedience but meerly his obedience therefore was that Law called impossible This say the Dissenters would be their case should they submit to what the Enquirer pleads for and there fore an infringment of their Christian Liberty There is one Text of Scripture by which he will prove that his is the true Notion of Christian Liberty The Apostle says he in several of his Epistles but especially that to the Romans en joyns the Christians in their scruples about eating of certain Meats and in the conduct of themselves to consult Charity towards their weak Brethren the peace of the Church and their own edification to which purpose he advises us to see 14. Rom. and Chap. 15. Now if the Reader will be Ruled by me we will venture for one quarter of an hour to look into those places let the danger be what it will and I am confident we shall not find our Christian Liberty determinable by any outward power v. 3. The Apostle lays down the only true way of maintaining peace and love amongst Christians under their various apprehensions and various practises â—…t not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth And to this Rule the Canons of 1640.
clear places has put all this out of dispute who were most severe in their obedience under the most severe persecutions Thus Tertullian in Apolog. Cap. 30. Nos pro salute Imperatorum Deum invocamus Precantes sumus pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam illis prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes Senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum quaecunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt We pray to God for the safety of our Emperour that God would give them a long life a peaceable Government that he would preserve the Royal Family that he would vouchsafe them a faithful Council a Loyal People a quiet world valiant Armies and what soever their own wishes can desâ—…re Thus Dionysius in his Apology for the Christians in the persecution under verus Nos unum Deum colimus veneramur omnium fabricatorem huic etiam sine intermissione pro eorum regno ut firmum stabile Maneat preces adhibemus We worship says he and adore only one God the Creatour of All things and to him we powr out our prayers night and day that the Government of our Emperours may abide firm and unshaken They that would plead Christianus sum I cannot conform would as sincerely say Christianus sum I dare not resist There is then no Question but that we are all upon pain of eternal damnation bound to obey the Civil Magistrate and all that are sent by him in all civil things which are not demonstrably sinful according to the Municipal Laws but the Question will meet us again though we avoid it How farr their power extends in matters of Immediate worship and things directly within the verge of Conscience wherein possibly I can yeeld as farr as another though I would proceed upon better grounds then the Enquirer has layd down which now I come te examine § 1. The New Testament says he no where excepts the case of Religion Answer 1. No where excepts it Ay but where dâ—…s â—…he New or Old express and include it I was in hopes thaâ—… according to his promise he would have proved that the Magistrate exceeds not his Commission in determining the thinâ—… under debate and he puts us of with this They are not excepted out of his commission He that Acts by Commission must have his powers authorized by his Commission Suppose a Prince should issue out a Commission to certain Delegates to hear and Determine all Differences relating to the Forrest and they shall intermeddle with affaires that are out of the Purlieus will it be thought enough to say These places are not excluded their Commission 2. Nor do I except the case of Religion out of the Magistrates Commission but only Humbly enquire of the Enquirer how farr the Commission extends in Religious matters To this he gives us an Answer I mean so farr as Circumstantials and those things which God himself hath not defined But this will either destroy all again or not mend the matters one jot for 1. I no where find that God has excepted Substantials more then Circumstantials out of his Commission In what respect the one is included the other is so and in what respect the one is excluded the other is so that is both are included for his preservation and both excluded as to his alteration of adding to or subtracting from them If a Commission be produced that the Magistrate shall guide me in all acceptable external instituted Worship excepting the substantials thereof I have enough for exceptio in non exceptis firmat Regulam The exception of substantials would more strongly include the Circumstantials And therefore I am affraid he will not produce a Commission that excepts substantials Let it be substance or Circumstance let men invent what Terms or Names they please If in the outward exercise of Religion Christians shall disturbe the peace they shall know and find that the Magistrate has a coercive power that will reach them and all their outward Actions for the assecurating that peace wherewith God has entrusted him To give Almes is an Act a substantial Act of Religion yet if any Pharisaical spirit shall sound his Trumpet to draw a concourse of people after him and thus turn the trumpet of Religion into a trumpet of Rebellion if he shall make Sacramentum pictatis vinculum iniquitatis He and his Act come within the Magistrates Commission And yet it extends not to Alter an Act of Religion but to suppress a Design of faction and sedition 2. Such an exception as he fancies in the Magistrates Commission as it no where appears so would it be purely nugatory did it appear unless we had withal some infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discriminate the Circumstantials from the substantials Otherwise either he might encroach upon the substantials under the Notion of Circumstantials or a refractary people would be alwayes crossing and thwarting his determinations under pretence that the substantials were invaded when he was only modelling and ordering the Innocent Circumstantials And thus as the sea and the land are alwayes eating into each others Liberties or as in some Nations where prerogative and propriety are not equally ballanced the one is beating up the others Quarters perpetually so would there be an unappeasable warr between these Substantials and Circumstantials which like the Marches between two Kingdoms of no firm correspondence would be ever subject to the longer and sharper sword But Christ has not left these concerns at such a loose end § 2. He argues thus If they have not power in such matters of Religion as we speak of it 's manifest they have no Magistracy or legislative power at all in Religion I will deal freely with our Enquirer for ought I know to the contrary they have this power and a farr greater power in the Matters of Religion wâ—…hreof he speaks for I do not yet understand what those Matters of Religion are whereof he speaks but to answer as well as I can conjecture at his intentions 1. I know not what a Legislative power in Religion means in the hands of any but the Lord Iesus Christ. The Scripture has told us 4. Jam. 12. That there is one Law-giver who is able to save or to destroy He that can eternally save upon obedience or eternally damn upon disobedience may securely challenge a legislative power over the Church It 's certain from hence that Christ is the only Law-giver to his Church in some sense and in what sense that should be but that he alone can impose matters of immediate worship upon the Conscience I cannot tell He that denies Christ to be the only Legislator at this day may with equal Reason deny him to be the only Iudge in the Great Day and it 's not worth the while for a few Ceremonies to loose one of the Articles of our Creed Hetherto a General Council has been thought to have the Highest visible power on earth to make Laws for the Church and yet the Church of
England has Determin'd Aâ—… 21. That they may err and have sometimes erred â—…en in things pertaining to God And therefore it will â—…e our safest and wisest course to leave the Legislative power in matters of Religion in the hands of Christ where God entrusted it and where we found it who can neither deoeive nor be deceived 2. There may be a Magistratical power about Religious matters where there is no Legislative power The Magistrate may have an Executive power to do all that God has commanded Him and see others do all that God has commanded them and yet no legislative power to alter or add to the Institutions of Christ what a vast Field has every supream Magistrate wherein he may place out all his zeal power and Authority and yet never touch â—…he Philactory or fringe of the Garment of Christ either by enlarging or pairing it away His power is very evident in the Moral Law bottom'd upon Eternal and immutable Reasons and to build it upon such dubious and precarious Hypotheses â—…r to overcharge it with unscriptural powers is but secretly to undermine it or crush it down with it 's own weight 3 His third Argument is this It 's generally acknowledged and accordingly practised that Fathers and Governours of Families have Authority in Matters of Religion within their own families at least so farr as the case in hand Nay pray forbear a little That they have an Authority in matters of Religion is indeed acknowledged and I wish it were more practised All I haesitate at is whether he has such a power as farr as the case in Hand The case in hand is or should be whether the Magistrate has power to determine such externals of Religion as he to blind the business thought meet to call Circumstantials and such a power as Dissenters acknowledge not so they practise not It were very hard if a Master of a Family should arrogate to himself such a power as to enjoyn his Wife Children Servants Relations Strangers to have a Pugil of salt layd upon their Tongues in token that they shall not be ashamed to have their speech seasoned with savoury discourse without submission to which Crotchet they shall either not be admitted into the family or if already admitted cast out of doors or however not permitted to hear a Chapter read or joyn in prayer all their days This would have been a little more to the case of which our Enquirers instances come exceeding short Who doubts says he but the Father or Head of a Family may prescribe what Chapters shall be read what Prayers used what times shall be set apart for Devotion what postures whether kneeling standing or being uncovered who shall officiate in his Family with innumerable others of a like Nature And if they be but of the like Nature they will never do us any harm Let 's look'em over however 1 What Chapters may be read Why truly if the Question be only which of the two or more of equal Authority He may be as fit as another but if the Competition were between two the one out of Scripture the other out of some Legendary Fabler that has stufft a Farce with Romanticks I Question much his power to Determine for God has at least Determined thus farr that in all our Worship of him we speak and read nothing but the Truth and he that teaches his Family ought to teach from or according to the Oracles of God 2. What Prayers used God will not accept a female from him that has a Male in his Flock As the Prince will not accept such a present much less will the great God who gives what he receives and therefore may justly expect the best No Master of a Family has Authority to offer prayers to God less good if God have furnish't him with better 3. What times shall be set apart for Devotion The setting apart of Common time for Family-Worship is a meer Circumstance which neither renders the Worship more or less acceptable to God as it is time And it is disjunctively commanded by Him who has commanded Masters of Families to continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving 4. Col. 1. 2. If God has commanded Worship he has also therewith commanded some time wherein to Worship A time must therefore necessarily be resolved on but 〈◊〉 good favour this is not to the case in hand And yet as large as the Masters power may be in this matter he must have regard to the General rules of the Gospel that All things be done for edification to advance the success of the Duty He may neither determine upon a Revolution too infrequent nor upon a continuance too short to slubber and huddle over the Ordinance in formal hast nor upon an unseasonable hour when his overworked and overwatched servants are ready to drop asleep when tyred Nature is ready to over-Master the souls gracious propensities towards Gods service And where he seems to have most power he has farr short of an Absolute power 4. For postures whether kneeling standing or being uncovered I never so much admired the difference between praedicamental situs habitus as to move a quarrel whether being uncovered was a posture or no yet I think these things are not capable of an universal fixed unalterable Law If one of these postures shall render any one in the Family uncapable of pursuing and reaching the ends of an Ordinance That Parent shall sin against God who rigidly exacts the most plausible posture or gesture and I suppose he has no Commission from God to sin against him If standing shall so disease a weak child that being in pain he cannot attend the present service If kneeling shall ordinarily expose another to drowziness If being uncover'd shall prejudice health and endanger life If any of these or any other shall distract the mind make the duty a Burden wear out the Body Masters of Families must know that their power is for edification and not destruction and God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice whatsoever an Imperious Master will have He that shall teach that Magistrates may dispense with the Circumstantials of Gods worship will sure never be so hardy as to teach that Masters of Families and Magistrates too ought not to dispense with their own institutions 5. In what Habit No Master of a Family has power to enjoyn any Religious Habits appropriated to divine service In the General 't is true Habit is necessary upon many accounts for health decency But Religious Habits are not so not put into the Charter of Domestick Power nor indeed capable of a Canon 5. Who shall Officiate in a Family The duty of Officiating in the Family is primarily incumbent upon himself I know no Reason he should claim the Authority who waves the duty If he will have the honour let him discharge the work of a Master of a Family nor may he Command his Child to pray that cannot pray with that usefulness to edification