to their duty by sweetness and Charity which is onely able to do great things on these occasions for men who have always something of pride do commonly oppose every thing thot seems to them to act by bare Authority only they scarce ever fail to yield themselves up to forbearance and condescention I shall also here mention the judgment of divers eminent Pastors of the French Church in those Irenical discourses Gesel Hist part 2. It were in the first place to be wished that all who do profess the Discipline of Christ would think and speak the same thing but since the weakness of humane understandings this difficulty of Divine things is so great that such an absolute consent amongst pious persons is scarcely to be expected in this World the next thing to be endeavoured after is that they may agree in the belief of the principle Heads of our Religion and as for other things which neither of necessity belong to Holiness of Life nor the comfort of Souls nor the Kingdom of God that men would so believe them as to bear with them who think otherwise concerning them For that this may lawfully be done the thing it self declares and St. Paul pronounceth not onely in many places doth permit but even commands us to bear with Dissenters This is the common opinion of all persons which from the first ages of Christianity to the present times have been of any esteem or honour in the Church Principles and Practices of some Moderate Divines p. 308. Let the Professors of Christianity labour for the true spirit and temper of Christians and it will be as well with the Christian World as if we were all of the same mind I mean let us not Magisterially impose upon one another and be so Charitable as to believe well of Dissenters from us that live good lives Item p. 348. That we may contend with each other about nothing more then who shall express in the midst of our different perswasions most Charity and most Candor Conformist Plea to the Non-Conformist part 3. p. 62. Doth Christian Love and Compassion prompt us to wish our persecuted Brethren in France enjoyed the liberty of the true Religion there And if they should enjoy a freedom there shall we deny a liberty to Protestant Brethren here I can see no ways to avoid a Justification of the barbarous usage of Protestants there by them that prosecute Protestants here Idem part 4. p. 1. Peace Love and Forbearance have a greater place assigned them in Religion than the things in controversie which cause our Divisions And whether it be Meeter for the greater things to suffer by the lesser or the lesser to give place to the greater let common reason judge and common experience come in as an evidence Mr. Kidder 's Serm. of Peace pag. 24. The best men as they may differ from each other but then their Christian charity will dispose them to forbear and forgive and to debate with great calmness and temper which is the way at once to Truth and Peace Mr. Tully 's Serm. of Moderation pag. 2. Those Homiletic or if I may so speak conversable Graces of Meekness Gentleness Forgiveness Forbearance c. are so frequently pressed upon us in the Sacred Writings upon this prospect partly no doubt that they all of them tend mightily to the sweetning of Societies and to the prevention or healing those differences which are apt to embroil us Argument for Toleration and Indulgence in relation to differences in Opinion pag. 2. We must distinguish between points of Faith and Points of Opinion that we ought to bear one with another in respect of differing Opinions as God doth bear with us all he hath left somethings less plain and clear then others as matters both to exercise the reasonable faculties of good and pious men and to afford them subjects of mutual Charity and Forbearance in their different Sentiments and Apprehensions about them Item pag. 25. As for Separations into several and distinct Conventions I see no cause of fearing any greater inconvenience in them to the Church or to the State if mutual Toleration and Indulgence be the received Principle than is in so many several Clubs of Friendship or Companies of Trade However different they may be from one another in other respects in this they will all agree to love one another for that of God they see and to maintain the publick Liberty the common Interest of all and so though they are as many Conventions as you can imagine and the more the less dangerous one will balance another yet they are not Factions Form of Prayer Dec. 22. 1680. By the power of thy Holy Spirit of Peace dispose all our Hearts to such Meekness of Wisdom such calm and deliberate Long-Suffering and Forbearance of one another in Love that so we may live in Peace and the God of Peace may be with us That Force and Capital Punishments are not to be Inflicted on Christians for their difference in Opinions from us GOod Advice to the Church of England c. pag. 22. And to the end that I may do the Reformation Right and the Principles of the Church of England Justice those in Queen Maries Time particularly Latimer Philpot Bradford Rogers very eminent Reformers hardly one person of any Note but did pass Sentence on Persecution as Anti-christian the Apologies afterwards of the same strain as may be seen in Juel Haddon Reynolds c. censuring the Papists for the Persecutions that they raised against the Protestants for matters of pure Religion Bishop Juel 's Defence of the Apol. pag. 484. St. Augustine saith Nullis bonis in Catholica Ecclesia hoc placet si usque ad mortem in quenquam licet haereticum saeviatur No good man in the Catholick Church likes that any Heretick should be punished with Death As for our parts speaking of our Church we were never yet guilty to one drop of your blood We seek no Aid at Fire and Sword we will rather say with St. Jerom Vtinam filios haereticorum c. Would God we may kill the Children of Hereticks and of all them that be deceived with Spiritual Arrows that is to say with the Testimonies of Scripture And with St. Augustine O si occidas eos gladio bis acuto c. Bishop Andrew's Sermons on Luk. 9.54 55 56. pag. 912. He puts the case whether the Town of Samaria for not receiving Christ upon pretence he was not of their Religion might not be consumed but Christ ruleth the Case for the Town that it ought not to be done It was an Errour this of the two Disciples we see it plain by Nescitis but of it may well be said that Gregory saith of another of theirs O salutaris error c. Blessed Errour it was for by it the World was rid of the like Errour ever after For so long as this verse shall stand in this Gospel it will serve for a resolution to this Question Any
Land would not then be thus Distracted This Man is right and sound that Man is wrong and rotten how so dear Christians What for Ceremonies and Circumstances Let me tell you that Man is right whose Heart is right with God whatever Form he is for Dr. Reynolds observes that some amongst us who think themselves withoult fault have thrown so many Stones at their Brethren who differ from them that they have dasht out the Brains of Peace and buried it in their Contentions and we have cause to fear an Earthquake to roll away the Stone from the Mouth of the Sepulchre before we can expect a Resurrection of Charity Mr. Howe observes that as the Christian Church has grown more Carnal so it has grown more Contentious and as more Contentious so more and more Carnal in the present most deplorable state of Things Carnal Interest is every where designed by one Party and another and by wishing the Prosperity of the Church is only meant the Prosperity of our own Party So that there can be no truly united Prayers or Endeavour for any common Good but what seems desirable by some is dreaded by others and for 1400 Years the Church has been shattered and parcell'd out into no Body knows how many sorts of Communions And instead of sound Knowledge of the Few Clear and great Things of Religion we have spent our time in Doubtful Opinions Disputable Points Logical Questions and Metaphysical Niceties Affected Formalities and Feigned Shews of Devotion which must serve instead of Regular Conversations and make amends and atone for the vilest Practices and People must be affrighted from attending the Ministry of such who use apt and proper Methods to save Souls by being told they are Antinomians or Arminians c. when upon enquiry it may be found they detest the Doctrines imputed to them Dr. Manton in his Sermon before the Parliament gives Advice in Order to the promoting of Unity that Men should not impropriate Christ to any one Party or sort of Professors forasmuch as the Apostle reproves those that said I am of Christ as well as those that said I am of Paul that is those that speak as if Christ were only theirs They were a Faction St. Paul's Dialect was to all that call on the Lord Jesus Christ both their Lord and ours It proves fatal to Religion when Men cry up Names and these Names beget Parties and Factions to the hazard of the publick Welfare Sir Edwin Sands that curious Traveller observes that in all Religions where he has been the most Virtuous People are most respected and reverenced except amongst Christians and he gives this Reason because we have superadded to our seeming Piety superstitious pragmatical or troublesome qualities which forfeits the reputation of Wisdom and makes us despised Sir William Temple takes Notice that in the Netherlands they have one Disease which threatens the Death and Ruine of their State and that is Bigotry for their particular Parties and their extravagant Contests between the two Factions of Arminians and Calvinists And he wisely observes that the way to our future Happiness has been perpetually disputed throughout the World and must be left at last to the impressions made upon every Man's Belief and Conscience either by natural or supernatural means which Impressions Men may disguise or dissemble but no man can resist for belief is no more in a Mans Power then his Stature or his Feature and he that tells me I must change my Opinion for his because his is truer or better without giving me a Reason for it to convince my understanding may as well tell me I must change my Gray Eyes for his that are Black because they are Lovelier and Purer in esteem If he says I must inform my self he speaks Reason if I do it not but if I endeavour it all I can and perhaps more then ever he did and yet still differ from him I easily understand what he means by informing my self which is in short that I must do it untill I come to be of his Opinion If he tells me that Ignorance or Passion or Prejudice blinds me that I cannot see the Truth he says nothing unless he proves it for at the same time I past for one as well in my Sences as he as Pertinent in Talk and as Prudent in Life How he should come to know me better then I know my self I cannot tell nor why his understanding must be the general standard of Truth The present Archbishop of Canterbury whose Moderation is known to all Men has told the World that the Biggots and Zealots of all parties have got a Scurvey trick of lying for the Truth see his Sermon before the King The present Archbishop of York saith in his Sermon before the Parliament That we often make Religion consist in Opinion and outward Profession if we have but once joined our selves with that Party of Christians which we think in the right and espoused all their Controversies and are zealous for the observance of their particular Forms we think we are true Christians let our Morals be what they will As for instance if I am true to the Principles of a separate Congregation and vigorous in opposing all those that are not of my way though I be uncharitable and censorious and affront Authority and contemn good Laws yet I think the Relation I stand in to the People of God will bear me out on the other side if I be a Member of the Church of England I am apt to think my self in the way to Heaven if I be but stout for the Church and zealous against Sectaries and punctual in observing Ceremonies though I have nothing of the Life and Spirit of Christianity in me nor of that Sobriety Meekness and Charity which our Saviour requires of all his Followers Thus that great Man speaks St. Paul has sufficiently exposed and reproved the Bigotry of the Galatians who had a zeal for God but not according to Knowledge and so relied upon their Judaical Forms instead of the Power of Godliness The Learned Lord Faulkland has unanswerably Confuted all pretences to Infallibility not only in the Roman Church but in any other particular Communion and thus demonstrated the Vanity and Mischief of Impositions in Matters of Religion and pleaded for mutual forbearance and Christian Moderation one towards another Dr. Bates well observes if Swords and Racks Gibbets and Fires are proper Methods for Converting Men to Religion the greatest Tyrants are the most infallible Teachers Our Saviours Kingdom was introduced into the World by doing good and suffering evil he opened the way for his Gospel not by killing his Enemies but by dying himself and requiring his Members to dye for the Truth and he propogated his Religion by suitable means namely by the Illumination of Mens Minds Perswasion of their Wills drawing their Affections to embrace it Thus the Dr. has declared his Antipathy to an irregular zeal which commonly ends in Persecution either of
prejudice which is a Fault I confess but a fault incident to good and honest men very often That none are to be shut out of the Church and denied Communion for Lesser Sins and Errors BIshop Tailors Ductor Dubitantium In what case is Excommunication to be inflicted I chuse to give it in the words of the Fathers because there is in this case Reason and Authority too 1. Unless the offence be evident no man must be excommunicated says Origen agreeably Hooker Eccl. Pol. pag. 408. As for Iniquity and Sin it lieth many times hid and because we be all offenders it becometh us not to encline towards hard and severe sentences touching others unless upon notorious wickedness 2. None but peccator gravis scandalosus Why should a man proceed to violent remedies when a gentle application will make the cure Therefore the Fathers in the Council of Worms in Can. 2. Decreed Nullus Sacerdotum c. no Priest shall excommunicate any man sound in the Faith for small and light causes but only for some very grievous fault according to the practice of the Fathers St. Leo in the 93. Epist forbade Let not the Communion be easily or lightly denied to any Christian nor at the pleasure of every angry Priest It was a worthy cause of complaint in St. Leo to consider that this evil was done for so little things and therefore if the Church do Excommunicate him whose Actions or Words though faulty yet can consist with the state of a good man and do not destroy the Love of God the Censure was too heavy as to the External and false as to the Internal Communion For the man is not fallen from God but doth communicate with the head and continue to receive of the Spirit of Christ 3. Neither is this sufficient a scandalous sin alone is not enough for Excommunication is the last remedy Omnia prius tentanda When nothing else will do it then is this to be used for his amendment Bishop Usher 's Directions concerning Liturgy and Episcopal Government That none might be excommunicated but by the Bishop himself with the consent of the Pastor in those Parishes the Delinquent dwells and that for heinous and scandalous Crimes joyned with obstinacy and wilful contempt Idem In his Body of Divinity Bishop Pearson on the Creed pag. 350. By great and scandalous offences by incorrigible mis-demeanors we my incur the Censure of the Church of God and while we are shut out thence we stand excluded out of Heaven Item Doctor More 's Mistery of Godliness 14. chap. That none are to be excluded from Communion that profess the belief of the Holy Scripture and the Creed unless they stand guilty for some gross and scandalous sins and do persist therein impenitent and unreclaim'd Item The Judgment of the Church being nothing else but an effective and terrible Declaration of the Judgment of God must not be exterminating and Final for things of little concernment but according to the Mercy which we hope for Again If the Church kills on Earth i. e. Excommunicates and God saves in Heaven its clear she hath not used her power aright Whoever deserves Excommunication deserves Damnation pag. 530. in Collection of Discourse Polemical and Moral In the Commination The persons coming under the Discipline of the Church said to be such as stood convict of Notorious Sin And further the Wrath of God which obstinate sinners through the stubbornness of their Hearts have heaped unto themselves which despised the Goodness Patience and Long-sufferance of God when he called them continually to Repentance c. And the Curses therein are denounced against wilful and open Evil-Livers Article 33. of the Church of England That person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off that is Excommunicate c. On which Mr. Rogers Exposition reckons two sorts of men to be rightly Excommunicated whereof the one pervert the sound Doctrine of the Truth as did Hymeneus and Philetus the Resurrection the other sort such as be defiled with notorious wickedness Bishop Jewel 's Defence of the Apol. pag. 140. The Minister we say shutteth up the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven against unbelieving and stubborn persons denouncing unto them Gods Vengeance and Everlasting punishment or else quite shutting them out of the Bosom of the Church by open Excommunication Item pag. 146. That the wicked and wilful and such as would not believe c. Item Reply to Harding pag. 32. Persons Excommunicate upon great and notorious Crimes could not be suffered to communicate with the rest of the Faithful Item pag. 88. The apparent wicked and ungodly were removed from the Congregation Bishop Andrew 's Latter Sermons pag. 32. It hath ever been held good Divinity that the Church from Christ received power to censure and separate wilful offenders Item pag. 55. Speaking of the same power given to Edification and not to Destruction I say not first and principally to Destruction nor of any save only of the wilful and impenitent Sinner Item Bishop Andrew 's Sermons Edit 3. pag. 727. Then is not every Error repugnant to Gods Grace God is able to pardon and not impute Error in Opinion as well as Error in Practice did not the High Priest offer as well for the Errors as the Transgressions of the people This only we are to look to that with St. Peter we be not wilful if there come a clear comperi as ready to relent in the one as to repent of the other Archbishop Laud cited in Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 391. The Church of England is not such a shrew to her children as to deny her Blessing or denounce an Anathema against them if some peaceably dissent in Points remoter from the Foundation Bishop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus The Apostles Creed saith he and the Articles therein contained he that believeth and endeavours to lead a Life conformable to the commands of Christ is not to be blotted out of the Roul of Christians nor expelled from Communion with other Members of any Christian Church whatsoever Item That Church doth too much please it self which rejects others in which neither Tyranny nor Idolatry nor Deadly Heresie is found as men unworthy of Communion with her for some Infirmity of Understanding the Fathers of the Ancient Church did not so Why should men be more rigid than God Why should any Error exclude any man from the Churches communion which will not deprive him of Eternal Salvation Dr. Chill chap. 4. Sect. 40. of his Book Doctor Chillingw chap. 4. Sect. 13. What Man or Church believes the Creed and all the evident consequences of it if also he believe the Scripture sincerely and heartily cannot possibly be in any Error of simple belief offensive unto God nor deserve for any such Error to be deprived of his Life or cut off from the Churches communion and hope of Salvation Sir Francis Bacon In his Advertisement of the controversies of
and we wholly deny that the Mistakes and Disorders of Christians in complying with or joyning themselves unto such Churches as we think have no warrantable Institution ought to be any Cause of the diminishing of our Love towards them Mr. Tombs the most Learned Anabaptist that ever I converst with does very much Lament the great Animosities amongst Christians and the sad Face of things in Europe upon that account which saith he should move every Tender-hearted Christian to endeavour to allay those heats lest a deluge of Popery or Mahometanism overwhelm us for though Difference in Opinion should be incurable yet Discords among Christians are not incurable so long as they agree in the Substantials of Religion And he gives many unanswerable Reasons to prove that we ought not to be so abridged of our Christian Liberty to be constrained to hear only one sort of Preachers when it may be more for our Edification sometimes to hear others and he blames those who will not sometimes hear a Godly Learned Conformable Divine in the Neighbourhood and he says that more good has been done by the Preaching of Bishop Vsher Potter Abbot Proctor Sibbs Dod Ball Perkins Hildersham Wheatly Rogers and such Pious Episcopal Men than by the Ministry of rigid Separatists Mr. Bampfield altho' he were for the Observation of the Seventh-day-Sabbath yet expresses himself with great Charity and Respect towards those who differed from him confesses the Darkness of his own Understanding in Divine Truths and Subscribes to those who have a clearer Knowledge in the Mind of Christ tho' he concludes himself to be in the right yet he sees no Reason for quarreling with those whom he fears to be in the wrong Cassander a learned Romanist speaking of those who were fallen from their Church and numbered among Hereticks and Schismaticks it is saith he to be enquired how rightly and justly this is determined of them For there is to be considered as to the Church the Head and the Body from the Head there is no departure but by Doctrine disagreeable to Christ the Head from the Body there is no departure by diversity of Rights and Opinions but only by the defect of Charity George Keith a Learned Quaker writing against Dr. Bajer Professor of Divinity in Germany is so Candid as to tell his Adversary that he writes soberly and fairly of those things which he imputes to them meaning the Quakers as false and erroneous and he supposes his Adversaries Mistakes not to flow from Hatred or Malice of Mind which is too frequent in many others but of some defect of right Reason and Judgment and an Error of Humane Weakness Such is his great Charity which I wish were imitated by those who pretend to be more Orthodox I do not believe that every Christian is bound to understand the exact meaning of every difficult Text in St. Paul's Epistles but I think we are all obliged to practice every Precept of our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount My Lord Chief Justice Hales has well observed that there are many obstruse Points furiously agitated amongst Divines that are not necessary to be known nor possible to be understood without a clearer Revelation from God as particularly the Nature of the Divine Decrees and what influence they have upon the Minds of Men the resistibility and irresistibility of Divine Grace the manner of the Existence of Three Persons in the Unity of Essence the way of the transmission of Original Sin from the Parents to the Child the Extent of Chriist's Sacrifice and how far it was intentially for all or some the Nature of the Will of Man and how it operates towards his Conversion wherein the formal Nature of Justification consists and how far Faith singly considered is sufficient without habitual Holiness The reconciliation of Prescience and Predetermination with humane Actions and contingent Events with many more such Nice Points which wise and good Men humbly enquire into but brand not their Brethren with Malice or Hypocrisie because they differ from them in these things The great Esq Boyl tells us concerning the Calvinists and the Arminians that the truly Pious of either Party are perhaps otherwise lookt upon by God than by one another as contending which of the Divine Attributes should be most respected and honoured the one seeming to affirm irrespective Decrees to magnifie his Goodness and the other to deny them to secure the Credit of his Justice the one Party thinks Grace more magnify'd by believing it so irresistible that to whomsoever it s intended he cannot but be happy and the other thinks Free-Grace most extoll'd by believing it so universal that it will make every man happy if he himself pleases the one consigns to it an unlimited vast extent and the other an infallible victorious Degree Dr. Burton in his Sermons tells us that the way to Unity among Christians is to suppose our selves fallible in our Interpretations and to give our Brethren Liberty of judging what is the true Sence and Meaning of the Scriptures as well as our selves if we can but think the Words capable of the Sense they give or can believe they think it so though we do not so long as it does not overthrow the Foundations of Faith and Holiness or suppose to us it seems to do so so long as it does not so in them let us bear with one another Mr. Charnock observes though there be a smoak in the Temple yet so long as God has a Temple standing and Ordinances kept up let us imitate the Charity of the old Puritans and love all Christ's Disciples Mr. Callamy in his Sermon before the Parliament mentions one that Disputed so long about the five Controverted Points in the Schools 'till he had forgot the six Petitions in the Lord's Prayer If Men do but own the Merit of Christ in our Justification and the Spirit of Christ in our Sanctification let us own them as Brethren Bishop Hall preaching before K. Charles the first expresses himself thus Good Lord what uncharitable Censures are Men apt to pass upon each other let a Man be strict in Moral and Divine Duties though never so peaceable he is a Puritan and every Puritan is a Hypocrite let him be more Free in Conversation though never so Conscientious then he is a Libertine let him scruple some innovated Form and he is a Schismatick let him stand for Ancient Order and Government and then he is a Formalist in the mean Time who can escape free surely I that blame both shall be sure to be censured by both shall be Yes I am to purpose therein I rejoice and will rejoice What! a Neuter says one what on both sides says another this is what I looked for Yes truely Brethren you have hit it right I am and profess my self to be as the Terms stand on neither and yet of both parts I am for the Peace of both for the Humour of neither I wish all my Brethren were of my Mind our
the Hand or of the Tongue A Learned Man now amongst us who hath given the World a clear Demonstration of the Excellency of Humane Understanding tells us that the only way to put an end to all Religious Disputes is to hold fast the Form of sound Words deliver'd to us by inspired Writers and express our Creeds in the Language of the Holy Ghost forasmuch as all Christians properly speaking differ but in one thing and that is the true meaning of the Holy Penman All Parties agree in the Text but differ in the Comment And it s our duty like the Noble Bereans not only to search the Scriptures but to try the Spirits of the Expositors that we may not be imposed on by Bigots who call their Glosses Rules of Faith when Aristotle must interpret St. Paul we have Humane Consequences and Conclusions instead of Divine Revelations and by the Help of Phylosophers the Poor Fishermen must speak Metaphysically perhaps if we had never found any other Creeds than what were made by Christ and his Apostles it had been better with Christendom It s great Presumption for any to undertake the wording of Creeds for others and then to represent that Faith as insufficient which is not deliver'd in their Terms and Phrase and to deny those Persons to be Members of Christ who conscientiously refuse to subscribe to any other Draught then their great Lord hath given them Our Heavenly Father hath left us his Last Will and Testament very Plain and Intelligible in all that 's necessary to be known but some of his Foolish Children pretending to explain it have perplext it and thereby some of the Legatees are like to be cheated and some must be sent to a General Council some to a Convocation and some to an Assembly to know the meaning of it when Himself hath told us If we sincerely seek and worship him we shall know the Doctrines whether they be of God When we consider the smallness of the Writings of the Evangelists the shortness of Christs Sermons the fewness of the Epistles writ by the Apostles and the many large Volumes of Commentators and Criticks since we may say the Text is swallowed upâ—â— in the Comment and Truth lies hid rather then revealed Men darken the Divine Councils by Words without Knowledge it 's not enough for some men to know there is a God and that he is one and Holy Just and Good the Observer of their Actions and Rewarder of their Deeds but they must be distinctly informed of his Nature his Purposes and Decrees and of the suitableness of them all to the Line of their Understandings and yet they know not themselves it will not satisfie them that Christ is the Son of God and that he died for the Sins of Men but they must know the secret of the Relation and after what Manner he is the Son of God Whether he be the Cause or Effect of Gods Love What was the Price he paid Whether he were offered to all or some and what the Spirit is Whether it proceed from the Father or the Son Whether it be a Person how it exists and Rail at their Brethren if they don't use the same Words Conformists Acknowledge that there are Good and Worthy Men among the Dissenters from the Church of England BIshop Jewel in Answer to Mr. Harding The thing is indifferent and may be yielded to saith the one Sect The other that they be the Popes rags and may not be worn Saith Jewel the Godly Learned men at whose persons you so rudely scoffe that refuse to go in your Apparel or otherwise to shew themselves like you have age sufficient and can answer for themselves Notwithstanding thus much I may say in their behalf neither do they commend any manner of Apparel as holy nor condemn any manner of Apparel as unholy That is your proper and peculiar Error Mr. Harding to make so deep account of outward shews They may justly say the same Apparel on your parts hath been fouly abused c. Defence of the Apology part 3. chap. 5. Divis 1. p. 325. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or King James the first Instructions to his Son I do equally Love and Honour the Learned and Grave Men of either of these opinions i. e. for or against Ceremonials which for mine own part I ever held indifferent Again I exhort my Son to be beneficial to the good men of the Ministry praising God that there is a sufficient number of good men of them in this Kingdom i. e. of Scotland and yet are they all known to be against the form of the English Church The Speech of the Bishop of St. Davids Dr. Rudde in the Convocation May 23. 1604 I put a great difference between them that are Schismatical or open disturbers of the state Ecclesiastical established and them that are scrupulous only of some Ceremonies and other circumstances being otherwise Learned Studious Grave and Honest Men and whose labours have been both painful in the Church and profitable to their several Congregations Concerning those Preachers last mentioned I suppose that if upon urging them to the use of Ceremonies and Attire prescribed they should stand out stifly and choose rather to forgo their Livings and exercise of their Ministry and tho I do not justifie their doings therein yet surely there service would be missed at such a time as need shall require them and us to give the right hand of Fellowship one to another and to go Arm in Arm against the common Adversary that so there might be Vis unita fortior c. Also remember that when the Benjamites though for their desert in maintaining of a bad cause were all destroyed saving six hundred and the Men of Israel sware in their fury that none of them would give his daughter to the Benjamites to Wife yet when their hot blood was over they lamented and said there is one Tribe cut off from Israel this day and they used all their wits to the utmost of their Policy to restore that Tribe again In like sort if these our Brethren aforesaid should be deprived of their places for the matters premised I think we should find cause to bend our wits to the uttermost extent of our skill to provide some Cure of Souls for them where they may exercise their Talents verily I know not where to find so many able Preachers within this Realm unprovided for to succeed them Hookers Eccles Pol. Pref. Otherwise i. e. set aside their Errours and Misconceits speaking of the Dissenters right well affected and most Religiously enclined minds Again heartily beseeching you by the meekness of Jesus Christ whom I trust ye love that as ye tender the peace and quietness of the Church If your own Souls hearts and consciences be as I doubt not but they are things most dear and pretious unto you be not blemished with partialities Bishop Halls Apology against the Brownist p. 137 and 138. Sect. 56. Edit 1610 Those men which
Catech. on Blessed Peace-makers There must be no affixing Holiness to Opinions or thinking them the best men that are most of our perswasion Salvation for such as are Faithful in the Common Duties of Christianity BIshop Andrew 's Sermons Ed. 3. Such a way shall there always be do all the Controversie Writers what they can a fair way agreed upon on all sides questioned by none in which whoso orders his steps aright may see the Salvation of our God Page 105. Bishop Saunderson in Serm. 9. Ad aulam Sect. 21. It may be a greater comfort to every well meaning Soul that the simple belief of those certain Truths wherein all parties are in a manner agreed may be and ordinarily is sufficient for the Salvation of all those who are sincerely careful according to that measure of Light and means which God hath vouchsafed them to actuate their Faith with Piety Charity and good Works Bishop Tailors Collection of Discourse Polem and Moral p. 403. He takes it for granted that one Heaven shall hold men of several Opinions and the Unity of the Faith is not destroyed by that which men call different Religions Item p. 595. Speaking of the Papists they keep the Foundation they build upon God in Jesus Christ they profess the Apostles Creed they retain Faith and Repentance as the supporters of all their hope of Heaven and believe many more Truths than can be proved to be of simple and original necessity to Salvation and therefore all the wisest personages of the adverse party allow to them possibility of Salvation whilst their Errors are not Faults of their Wills but weaknesses and deceptions of their Understandings Item p. 713. Now thus much also your men allow to us those who Live well and Die in a true though but general Repentance of their Sins and Errors even amongst us your best and wisest men pronounce to be in a saveable Condition spoken of the Papists Charity to us Bishop of Salisbury 's Remarks on the Methods for Converting Protestants p. 104. A Church may be a true Church which is a Society of Men among whom are the certain means of Salvation and yet be corrupted with many Errors and thus as long as the Church of Rome acknowledges the Expiation and Satisfaction made by the Death of Christ and applies it to all that truly believe and amend their Lives so long she is a true Church so that those in that Communion who adhere truly to that which is the great Fundamental of the Christian Religion may be saved Mr. Chillingsworth 's Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation In his Answer to the Preface of Charity maintained pag. 14. How of dis-agreeing Protestants both parties may hope for Salvation If they use their best endeavours to believe the Scripture in the true Sense and to live according to it as I hope many of all sides do it is impossible but they should believe aright and if they perform the condition of sincere Obedience why should they not expect that God will perform his promise and give them Salvation Mr. Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 56. As many as hold the Foundation and as it were with a slender Thread although they frame many base and unsuitable things upon it things that cannot abide the Trial of the Fire yet they shall pass the Fiery Trial and be saved Collection of Sermons of Mr. Samuel Ward of Ipswich pag. 18. With God I dare be bold to say there is neither Calvinist nor Lutheran Protestant nor Puritan Conformitan or Inconformitan but Faith and Love in Christ is all in all Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement pag. 15. Where one and the same straight Road is kept a small difference of Paths doth not hinder Travellers from coming to the same Inn at Night Spoken with reference to the different Sects of Christians who may yet in their several ways meet at the same Heaven Glanvel 's Catholick Charity pag. 35 36. It s very true indeed that the way to Heaven is but one and to walk in that is the one thing necessary but then that is not this or that particular Path but the way of an Holy Life which may be practised under very different Forms of Apprehension and Belief The paths may be many in this Royal Road he that goes in the plainest and nearest is in the best condition for pleasure and safety but another that goes about or in a Rugged or uneven path may come to the same Journeys end though with more difficulty and danger Judge Hales Discourse of Religion pag. 33. He that fears the Lord of Heaven and Earth walks humbly before him thankfully lays hold on the Message of Redemption by Christ Jesus strives to express his Thankfulness by the sincerity of his Obedience if he falls in any measure is restless till he hath made his peace by true Repentance c. Such a man whether he be an Episcopal or Presbyterian or Independant or Anabaptist he hath the Life of Religion in him and that Life acts in him and will conform his Soul to the Image of his Saviour and walk along with him to Eternity The Quakers take away their affected singularities the men are as other men Some indeed very sober honest just and plain-hearted-men and sound in most if not all the important Doctrines and Practices of Christianity pag. 17. Bishop Wilkins Sermons pag. 63. If a man be truly Conscientious and sincere in those most substantial Duties of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost it is not his mistake or failing in any other lesser things that shall make him uncapable of the Kingdom of God Again in the same Sermon we are not to think the worse of others for their differences so as to despise them or censure such persons as to their Estates and Conditions as if they were not sincerely Religious nor in favour with God for though they should be Erroneous and mistaken in their judgment in such things yet if their Conversations be more just and righteous than ours if more humble and peaceable they are thereupon to be accounted better than we are both more acceptable of God and approved of men Doctor Sherlock in Religious Assemblies pag. 96. Others are scandalized at the great variety of Religions but if wise seeing there is so much dispute which is the true Religion they would use the greater diligence and honesty to find it out and hope that God would pardon those mistakes which are meerly the Errors of their Understandings when they offer unto him a pious and devout Soul that an honest man who is not byassed by Interest and does not chuse a false Religion upon a Design will be accepted for his Sincerity and Devotion Dr. Patrick 's Parable of the Pilgrim describing the Safe guide to the Heavenly Jerusalem pag. 14. He hath Faith enough to save himself and Charity enough to believe that others may be saved that are not in all points just of his belief Doctor
than they are Conformists Plea for the Non conformists Part 3. pag. 75. Indeed the Separation with which the Nonconformists are charged is not as Separation from a Church but as Separation in a Church fundamentally and essentially the same but differing in Modes and Accidents which must needs be the lowest kind of difference For the Conformists and Non-conformists are all one in Christ agreeing in all the parts of Christian Catholick Communion with us Mr. Kidder 's Serm. on 1 Pet. 3.11 The things in which we all agree these things are many and of great weight what we differ about bears no proportion to those things which we are agreed in Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk. 19.42 pag. 24 25. The Mortification of our Lust and Passion living a life of Spiritual Purity and Devotion Self-denial and Meekness Justice and Charity Peaceableness and Patience Sobriety and Chastity and a trusting in the Merits of Christ for pardon of our Sins and acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness these are the substantials of our Religion about which all wise and good men are Agreed however we differ about other Matters Difference of Case between Separation of Protestants from Rome and the Separation of Dissenters pag. 69. As for the Dissenters methinks it should not be hard to disswade the most of them from breaking the Communion of the Church any longer with which they agree in the Substance of Faith and Worship Mr. Wake 's Sermon on Rom. 15.5 6 7. pag. 16 17. Our differences do not at all concern the Foundations either of Faith or Worship and are therefore such in which good men if they be otherwise diligent and sincere in their enquiry may differ without any prejudice to themselves or any just reflection upon the truth of their common profession To conclude this Head Bish Reynold's Br. Reconcil p. 7. Why should not the many Truths wherein we agree teach us to join in Love which is a Christian Duty rather than the few opinions in which we dis-agree cause breach in affection which at best is but an human Infirmity That the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation IN the Common Prayer at the Visitation of the Sick the Minister by the Churches order saith thus to the Sick I shall rehearse to you the Articles of our Christian Faith that you may know whether you do beleive as a Christian man should or no. And so Bishop Tailor on the Credenda in the Holy Catholick Church The Creed which whosoever beleives is a Catholick and a Christian but he that beleiveth it not is neither In Baptism according to the Church of England The question put to the person to be baptized dost thou beleive in God the Father and so to the end of the Creed And will thou be Baptized into this Faith And in the Church Catechism That in our Vow at Baptism we promised to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And in the beginning of the Reformation it was agreed upon that the Bishops and Preachers ought to instruct the people according to the Scripture the Three Creeds and the four first General Councels The Fathers are cited by the Reverend Bishops in testimony that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation as by Arch-Bishop Laud against Fisher Bishop Taylors Ductor Dub. and Bishop Bramhal especially Tertullian Clemens Romanus Ambrose Augustine c. who made the Creed to be the only standing immoveable and irreformable Rule of Faith the sum of the whole Catholick Faith the Key of the Christian Faith the rule and square of the Apostical Sermons i. e. after the making of it wherein the Apostles have collected into one breviary all the points of the Catholick Faith which are diffused throughout all the Scriptures The Creed is one perfect collection and sum plain short and full that the plainness might help the weakness of the Hearers the shortness their Memory the Fulness their Instruction The General Councel of Ephesus did forbid all men to exact any more of a Christian at his Baptismal profession and again the same Councel That it should be lawful for no man to publish or compose another Faith or Creed then that which was defined by the Nicene Councel and that whosoever should dare to compose or offer any such to any persons willing to be converted from Paganism Judaism or Heresie if they should be Bishops or Clergy-men should be deposed if Lay-men Anathematised i. e. Accursed with Excommunication It was the Universal practice of the Primitive Church Credisne at Baptism On Palm-Sunday the Christian converts from Heathenism as yet under Catechizing petitioned for Baptism and from that day forward had some assigned to expound the Creed unto them whereof they were to make solemn profession at Baptism All the Divines of the Reformed Church confessedly and generally own this Truth that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation Bishop Halls Works p. 637. 'T is not Cassander's Speech only but every wise and honest man's the Creed is the common cognizance of our Faith surely saith he Theodoret when he would allay the bitter contentions of those antient Christians of Antioch writes thus both parts made one and the same confession of their Faith for both maintained the Creed of the Nicene Councel and blames the Romanists that the confession of the same Creed is not sufficient with them for peace Item Resolution of Practical Cases of Conscience Case 5. Dec. 3 d. If there were not some special Truths the belief whereof makes and distinguishes a Christian the authors of the Creed Apostolick besides the other symbols received anciently in the Church were much deceived in their aim Doctor Potters Answer to Charity Mistaken p. 221. How can it be necessary for any Christian to have more in his Creed than the Apostles had in the Church of their time may the Church of after ages make the way to Heaven narrower than our Saviour left it c. The Apostles profess they revealed to the Church the whole Councel of God keeping back nothing needful for our Salvation What Tyranny then is it to impose any new matters on the Faith of Christians especially as the late Popes have done under that high commanding Form Qui non crediderit aut fecerit damnabitur Bishop Tailor Coll. of Discourses p. 524. It is a strange Boldness in the Church of Rome first to add Twelve new Articles to the Apostles Creed and then to add the appendix of Athanasius this is the Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved For I demand can any man say and justifie that the Apostles did deny Communion to any man that believed the Apostles Creed and lived a good Life Let them remember Pope Pelagius who when the Bishops of Istria deserted his Communion in causa trium Capitulorum he gave them an account of his Faith by recitation of the Creed and by attesting the Four General Councels and is confident upon this that de fidei firmitate nulla
the Church of England and of his works pag. 138. pag. 192. Of the abuse of Excommunication vide c. Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 54. If was a perilous Error that the Galatians held about Justification yet so far was St. Paul from striking their Names out of Christ's Book that he commandeth others to receive them i. e. to have communion with them with singular Humanity use them as Brethren he knew mans imbecility had a feeling of our blindness which are Mortal Men how great it is The Judgment of the Professors of Divinity in the Vniversity of Aberdeen mentioned pag. 707 is not unsuitable to this Subject That the condition of that Church is worse and incomparably more lamentable that is so swelled and puft up with the splendour of its Golden Edifice upon the Foundation or of its Orthodoxy that neglecting Charity and Equanimity and trampling on the Law of Christ fastidiously rejects and Anathematizeth other Churches Orthodox in the Foundation and willing to maintain place with it than is the condition of those Churches who though they are infirm in Faith inferiour in knowledge do yet hold in the Foundation maintain inviolable Charity and after the Example of Blessed Cyprian do neither judge nor separate from Communion those who think otherwise than themselves Dr. Casaubon 's Necessity of Reformation pag. 142. cited by Dr. Puller 's Moderation c. pag. 436. Were there nothing else objected to Papists but this one thing their uncharitable proscribing and Excommunicating all Christians in all parts of the World as in the Council of Trent imposing her Doctrines which were but disputable before to be de fide with an Anathema to such as thought of them otherwise who are not of their Communion and obliging all that adhere unto them to profess the same I should think that one thing a just ground of Separation or forsaking their Communion Dr. Steward 's Englands Case pag. 26. When Men cast out of the Church Catholick and so damn to Hell all those that hold not their Opinions this St. Augustine oft-times calls Schism in the Donatists I could name you those who are guilty of this but I am sure our dear Mother is not who hath been so mild to those who have most highly opposed her Dr. Hammond's Pract. Catech. Vpon Blessed are the Peace-makers We are not to think our own Opinions in Religion such as are not of Faith of such importance as to deny Communion or Salvation to those who differ from us Item of Schism pag. 165. and pag. 166. That as we exclude no Christian from our Communion that will either Filially and Fraternally embrace it with us being ready to admit any to our Assemblies that acknowledge the Foundation laid by Christ and his Apostles so we as earnestly desire to be admitted to the like Freedom of External Communion with all the Members of all other Christian Churches as often as occasion makes us capable of that Blessing And pag. 5. Tell us the Governours of the Church use to inflict that punishment of Excommunication on the most scandalous Sinner And pag. 15. Calls it that very condition into which the Adulterer and obstinate offender is cast by the Censures of the Church Hammond of the Keys chap. 5. Sect. 18. The more shame for the over-easie denouncers of that censure that inflict it for every trivial commission without consideration whether or no repented of or that use this Sovereign Recipe unadvisedly for any other end than Reforming the Profane Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 366. It is evident that the Divine Moderation of our Church considers the frame of Man and the uncertainty difficulty and imperfection of Humane Knowledge the weakness and variety of Humane Understandings she alloweth much to the force of Prejudice Education and the power and artifice of Seducers Our Church makes a great reserve of Dispensation to persons of Modest Humble Docible and peaceable Spirits and proportions her Censures to the degrees of Malice and the Unchristian Temper which appears in Offenders Dr. Cumber on the Common-Prayer in the Commination Discipline with-held in favour of Dissenters least the imposing it there should make this Holy Means of Reformation despised rather than obeyed Item pag. 369. Dr. Puller Wherefore the Institution of a Christian Man made by Cranmer saith the Bishops are not bound so precisely but they may attemper and forbear the execution of their Jurisdiction when by so doing the cure of the offenders and the tranquility of the Church may be furthered Item pag. 35. According to Equity our Church desires all her Laws may be Interpreted Benignius Leges interpretandae sunt c. She admits of a Mitigation of a rigid Sentence And pag. 11. Disposeth them where the Laws press too hard upon particular persons to relax the Rigour of them Pag. 370. Wherefore those who in Execution of the Church Discipline abuse the most excellent Temper of the Church in the constitution of her Laws under the pretence of Ecclesiastical Authority verily they most of all deserve the Churches Rod and the dire point of her Anathema Let it be considered said Bishop Tailor Ductor Dub. L. 3. pag. 259. How Great a reproach it is to Ecclesiastical Discipline if it be made to Minister to Covetousness and to the needs of Proctors and Advocates Bishop Bramhall pag. 14. Vindicat. of the Church To exclude none from Catholick communion and hope of Salvation either Eastern or Western or Southern or Northern Christians which profess the Faith of the Apostles and Primitive Fathers established in the first General Councils and comprehended in the Apostolick Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and lastly to hold an Actual External Communion with them in votis in our desires and to endeavour it by all lawful means Item pag. 17. There is not the like necessity of communicating in all Externals there is not so great conformity to be expected in ceremonies as in the Essentials of Sacraments Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 2. pag. 223. Edit 4. It is a most pernitious fancy to think that divers Nations and Countries differing by Customs Laws and Manners so they hold one and the same Rule of Faith in the Bond of Peace cannot be parts of the Catholick Church Communicant one with another The Communion of Saints standeth not in External Rights Customs and Manners but in believing the same truth tasting of the same grace resting on the same Hope calling on the same God rejoycing in the same Spirit whereby they be sealed sanctified and preserved unto the day of Redemption Causes of Decay of Christian Piety pag. 285. As Christ when he forewarned his Disciples of the ensuing persecution tells them not only they should be killed but they should be put out of the Synagogue so now as if Christians were emulous of every branch of Jewish Cruelty we transcribe that part of the Copy too and either by causeless Excommunicating others or separating our selves we deny the
is written thus Qui illicite alium Excom c. He that unlawfully Excommunicates another condemneth himself and not another That our Love must be Catholick HOmily of Christian Love and Charity p. 36. Charity is to love every man good and evil friend and foe and whatsoever Cause be given to the Contrary yet nevertheless to bear good will and heart to every man to use our-selves well unto them as well in Words and countenances as in all other Acts and deeds for so Christ himself taught and so also he performed indeed and for as much as the Pharisees with their false glosses had Corrupted this love of our neighbour teaching that this love and Charity pertained only unto a mans friends Christ gave this Godly law of Charity a true and clear interpretation that we ought to love every man both friend and foe adding thereto the Commodity to be the Children of our heavenly Father and this we shall be sure of saith Christ if we love every man without exception Conformists Plea for Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 106. The salutations of the Holy Apostles expressed their largeness and their Catholick love to the Corinthians among whom were great divisions to the Galatians and Colossians among whom were some very Erroneous so did their Benedictions peace be to Brethren and Love c. And Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity Eph. 6.23 and verse 2. Bishop Davenants Letter to Duraeus Whether we will or no it s necessary that we all own Christ as our elder Brother and joyn in strict and Brotherly Communion with all that are his Brethren Moreover all must confesse true and genuine Charity is as necessary to the Salvation of all the Members of the Christan Churches as the true and entire profession of Saving faith Christ having made this love the Cognizance Whereby to discriminate his disciples and those who falsely professe his name he puts this question Whether it be safe Pious or suitable to the duty of Christian Churches not to stretch forth the right hand of Brotherly affection to those Churches which though they differ and in some lesser matters err may notwithstanding be Christs Martyrs and our holy Brethren Mr. Thomas Pierce on St. John the 13.35 Our love must be so extensive that it must reach even to all not only to our fellow-disciples but to all men living upon earth it must reach even to our enemies not onely to those without the pale of the Church who do us little or no hurt even Jews Turks Insidels and Hereticks for whom we pray once in a year in our English Liturgy but to our Crueller enemies within the Church P. 414. item 282. Whom our Lord hath enjoyned us not onely to forgive but pray for to love their souls to pray for their repentance and desire they may be sharers of immortality and blisse of which we shall not have the lesse but rather the more for having sharers and tells us on St. John 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples c Love to Christians as Christians is as the badge and Cognizance the testimony and proof of our real discipleship under Christ and the firmest bond to hold us together in peace and love not so much that we are of one Countrey but that we are of one Christ or to expresse it with St. Paul that we have but One Faith One Baptism Doct. Hammonds Pract. Catechism under meekness to continue constant to the doctrine of the Catholick Church and maintain the inward Communion that of Charity with all the true Church of God wheresoever they are and with particular Churches so far as to embrace them with the armes of Christian Charity to joyn even with the erroneous Churches so far as they are not erroneous Separating onely from their Corruptions Idem on first Epist of St. John 3.14 We know that we are regenerate Christians by our Chariry to other men which he that hath not is clearly an unregenerate unchristian person Idem the first Epist St. John 4.7 And evidence of our being from God is Charity to our fellow Christians for that is most strictly commanded and exemplified to us from God and no practice renders us so like to Gods example and so concordant to his precepts as the sincere exercise of this duty Dr. Barrow 's Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy P. 36. The genuine meaning of that article Catholick Church may reasonably be deemed this that we professe our adhering to the body of Christians which diffused over the World doth retain the saith taught the Discipline settled the practises appointed by our Lord and Saviour and his Apostles that we maintain general Charity towards all good Christians that we are ready to entertain Communion in holy offices with all such Item on Rom 12.18 pag. 230 231. Serm. 3. pursue peace with all without any exception with men of all Nations Jewes and Greeks and Barbarians of all Sects and Religions persecuteing Jews and Idolatrous Heathens as at that time men of all judgments and perswasions Neither is there any evading our obligation to this duty by pretending of others that they entertain opinions irreconcileably contrary to ours that they adhere to Sects and Parties which we dislike and disavow that they are not so vertuous so Religious so Holy as they should be or at least not in such a mannner as we would have them Bishop Saundersons Sermon 3. Ad Aulam sect 39. Here is that evil partiality we are to take heed of when we restrain the Brotherhood or Neighbour to some one party or society in the Church such as we think good of and exclude the rest as if they had no part or fellowship in this Brotherhood nor consequently any right to that special affection where with we are to love the Brethren which partiailty hath indeed been the very bane of the Churches unity and peace and the chief Cause both of the beginning and of the Continuance of most of the Schisms under which Christendom hath groaned from time to time Englands Black Tribunal p. 222. As I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the Holy Catholick Church as I hold Communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the World that love the same Lord Jesus in sincerity and call on his name agreeing with those Truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God though in charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary Dr. Hewyt's Speech at the Scaffold Dr Alestrey's Sermon p. 168. Our Saviours addition Matth. 5.44 saith that we must love our Enemies The Christians hath no Canaanites as Deut. 7. but the most prosligate Adversaries of his Religion he must love and pray for them although they persecute him which makes appear it doth at least include enemies of Religion for persecutions seldom were upon any other ground And Christ hath proved that the
Everlasting Happiness That an Agreement of all Christians in any one Sect or Perswasion is never to be Expected BIshop Jewel 's Answer to Mr. Harding 's Preface It were above all things to be desired of God that his Heavenly Truth may pass forth without these contrarieties and Quarrels of judgments and many Godly Wise Men are much offended to see it otherwise but thus it hath been ever from the beginning Sir Francis Bacon in his Advertisements of the Controversies of the Church of England pag. 183. of his works It is excellently alluded by that Father that noted that Christs Garment was without Seams and yet the Churches Garment was of divers colours and sets down as a Rule In veste varietas sit scissura non sit King James the First 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epistle to the Reader That the variety of Mens Minds is such that tot Capita tot Sensus yea and that even the very Faces that God hath by Nature brought forth in the World do every one of them in some of their particular Lineaments differ from any other Bishop Andrew 's Serm. pag. 519. Contentions there were when St. Paul and his fellow Apostles lived in the Churches under them of their times in the very prime of the Primitive Church then were there contentions this I note that we may not think it strange if there be contentions in our times they shall be no strangers with us in ours they were not with them in theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the difference in point of Church Government Sect. 21. Nor is it any point of Wisdom or Charity where Christians differ as many do in some points there to widen the differences Item Upon the many Jealousies and Scandals rais'd upon the King 'T is strange that so Wise Men as they would be esteemed should not conceive that difference of perswasion in Matters of Religion may easily fall out c. Mr. Hooker of Justification pag. 68. Ye are not now to learn that as of it self it is not hurtful so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensive in doubtful cases to hear the different Judgments of men be it that Cephas hath one interpretation and Apollos another that Paul is of this mind that Barnabas of that if this offend you the fault is yours Carry peaceable Minds and you may have comfort in this variety Dr. Edward Bulkley In his Apology for the Church of England Article 5. pag. 104. Edit 1608. in Answer to Wright 's Articles You vainly and falsely exaggerate Controversies and irreconcilable Jarrs as you tearm them among us in essential points of Faith I confess there hath been in our Church some Controversie concerning External Ceremonies and Form of Covernment as there hath been heretofore between good men as between Peter and Paul between Paul and Barnabas between Anicetus Bishop of Rome and Polycarpus between Chrysostom and Epiphanius and many others who all were godly men agreeing in unity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God Mr. Hieron 's Sermons in Bargain of Salt Now among our selves betwixt us and other Churches there are some differences in Opinion as it cannot be holpen so long as we carry with us our natural imperfections Mr. Chillingworth chap. 1. Sect. 13. Because the contrary belief may be in such points in which Scripture may with great probability be alledged on both sides a sure note of a point not necessary that men of honest and upright hearts true lovers of God and of Truth such as desire above all things to know Gods will and to do it without any fault at all some go one way some another and some suspend their judgments Bishop Bramhals Just Vindication of the Church We see that all the famous and principal Churches of the World the Grecian Roman Protestant Armenian Abyssine have their peculiar differences one with another and each of them among themselves Item p. 19. Though I am far from beleiving when Logomachies are taken away their real dissentions are not half so numerous or their errours half so foul as they are pointed out by their Adversaries yet to hold Communion with them in all things is neither lawful nor possible Bishop Tailors Coll. of discourses in Epist Dedic before Liberty of Proph. No part of this discourse teacheth or encourageth variety of Sects and contradictions but supposeth and finds them already in being and therefore since there are and ever were and ever will be variety of opinions because there is variety of human understandings and uncertainty in things Few men consider since men have such variety of principles such several constitutions educations tempers and distempers hopes interests and weaknesses degrees of light and degrees of understanding impossible all should be of one mind Item p. 401. This variety of opinions in several persons an Argument only of diversities of operations while the Spirit is the same Bishops Reynolds Brotherly Reconciler In that the Apostle saith if in any thing ye be otherwise minded we may from hence learn that in the best ages of the Church there have been and therefore we cannot but expect that there ever will be variety and difference of Judgment among the members thereof first while we know but in part Secondly While there is difficulty in the disquisition of Truth Thirdly Weakness of judgment in men to make that enquiry c. p. 17. Item p. 19. Till all the members of the Church have attained unto their full Stature there cannot be expected such an universal consent of Judgments and harmony of Doctrines even amongst good men themselves as shall not admit of some variety and dissonancy Bishop Saundersons Serm. 8. Ad Aulam Sect. 25. Mens understandings are not all of one size and temper even they that have the largest and clearest understanding yet know but in part and are therefore subject to errours and misapprehensions therefore it cannot be hoped there should be such a consonancy and uniformity of Judgment no not among wise and Godly men but that in many things yea and things sometime of great importance they may and will dissent one from another unto the Worlds end Bishop Wilkins Serm. 13. p. 407 408 'T is a thing most reasonable and fitting in it self speaking of Moderation because of the fallibility of human judgment and that not only from the impotency of our faculties and the prejudices we are liable to from the account of interests but likely from the difficulty and obscurity of things the most Learned and inquisitive men many times differing in their judgments all which put together shew how exceeding difficult and next to impossible it is that men should ever agree in the same apprehensions of things Glanvell's Catholick Charity p. 34. The Learned and the prudent Churches and Councels Confessors and Fathers the former and the latter ages the vertuous and the devout the credulous and the inquisitive they have all differed in the lesser matters of belief and every man differs from
the Division of Hearts that is in the World it is certain that some good men may dissent and then either they shall be afflicted or tempted to Hypocrisie either of which if Ecclesiastical Laws be guilty they are not for Edification they are neither Just nor Pious and therefore oblige not Doctor Stillingfleet 's Vnreasonableness of Separation pag. 9. In the Preface If any Temper can be found out as to the manner of Subscription that may give ease to the scruples of our brethren and secure the peace of the Church and this I suppose may be done by an absolute subscription to all those Articles which concern the Doctrine of the true Christian Faith and the use of the Sacraments even so Bishop Bramhall required of the Clergy in Ireland and a solemn Promise under their hands or Subscription of peaceable submission as to the rest so as not to oppose or contradict them either in Preaching or Writing upon the same penalty as if they had not subscribed to the 36. I shall mention two or three of those Testimonies referred to in the Preface about Ordination Dr. Chillingsworths Religion of Protestants c. Epist 1 ch 6. Sect. 8. by way of Question whether any one kind of the external Forms of Church Government i. e. by Bishops or Presbyters be so necessary to the being of a Church but that they may be divers in divers places and that a good and peaceable Christian may and ought to submit himself to the Government of the place where he lives whosoever he be Which Question we are told in Iren. part 2. ch 8. p. 394. according to the tenour of the rest to which it is joyned must as to the former part be resolved in the Negative no one Form of Church Government so necessary but they may be divers in divers places and as to the latter in the Affirmative i. e. That a peaceable Christian ought to submit himself to the Government which he lives under Judge Hale's discourse of Religion p. 11. That the Episcopal form of Government constituted in England is a most excellent Form of Ecclesiastical Government and exceeds all others may easily be evinced and that it is the best adapted to the Civil Government in this Kingdom is visible to any intelligent person And yet I do not think that the Essence of Christian Religion consists in this or any other particular Form of Government Though the wise and sober sort of Conformists know and profess this that a man may be a good and excellent Christian under this Episcopal or any other Form of Church Government c. Bishop Carletons Consensus Eccles Cathol contra Trident praelectionibus c. 11. de Ecclesia p. 289. cited out of Conf. Plea for the Non-Conformist part 3. p. 36. It is the custom of the Catholick Church ut Episcopi legitime ordinent sed si quis a Presbytero Ordinatus fuerit ordinatio illa etiam vera est ex ejusdem Ecclesiae Catholicae judicio Idem p. 283. Ordination is not to be repeated although it be disorderly and out of course any more than Baptism in the Catholick Church But further even they who have the internal call consisting of good Learning Knowledge in the Scripture and are of a good exemplary Conversation and moved by the Spirit are not to be reckoned as Laymen but next to Presbyters or Ministers according to the declared judgment of great and eminent Protestants as Conf. Plea for Non Conformist part 3. p. 37. Arch-Bishop Abbot added this observation to the 9 Section of the 2d ch de Circumcisione Baptismo Quaestiones sex discussae per Georgium Abbatium p. 109. Martin Bucer saith in Epist ad Eph. c. 4. That some of the Lay-men were admitted to read and interpret the Holy Scriptures in the Primitive and purer Church which they sometimes did perform in the presence of the Bishops and nameth Origen and others And saith he if any man add what the truly learned Hieron Zanchius speaks indefinitely When from the practice of the purer Church they who were not in Holy Orders did Preach the Gospel We answer there is a difference to be made between the simple Layman or the common sort to whom power is given in the Roman Church to Baptize and them who are instar Ministrorum Evangelii and who not only excel the common sort of men for their Learning in holy things but are or were called by the special publick and common Decree of the Bishop and them set over the Congregation publickly to interpret Scripture And these and not others the words of Bucer do note or point at c. Istos ego non audeo ad ordinariorum et vulgarium Laicorum conditiones revocare cum ad Presbyteros tam prope aceedant I dare not bring down these to the condition of ordinary and vulgar Laymen that come so near to Presbyters or Ministers saith the Learned Abbot of this sort And whether Tertullian speak of such as these that were permitted to Baptize I leave to the Judgment of the Learned Bishop Jewels Serm. on 1 Cor. 4.1 2. fol. 223. In these our days the Ministers of God and Preachers of his Gospel are evil spoken of among all men some say they are unlearned they are Craftsmen Some say they preach they cannot tell what Let us examine and try their Doctrine with the touchstone of Gods Word and then be you Judges if you see that we teach you nothing but the mysteries of God that we disclose to you the will of God esteem us to be the Servants of God the Ministers of Christ c. This is but a taste of what is referred to in Iren. part 2. ch 8. and in Ccnf. Plea for Non-Conf part 3. Hearty desires and Prayers for Love and Peace BIshop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus That which all pious persons are with fervent supplications to desire they ought as earnestly to endeavour after Now who doth not dayly solicit God for the peaceable State of the Church who doth not pray that all those things which vex disturb or any way hinder the Edification of the Church should be removed this was the wish of the Royal Psalmist and ought to be the desire of Princes Doctors and all Christians and surely what they sincerely should desire they should as sincerely endeavour after Bishop Hall 's Works pag. 426. Yea let me beg peace as for Life by your filial piety to the Church of God by your love of Gods Truth by the Graces of that one blessed Spirit whereby we are all informed and quickned by the precious Blood of the Son of God shed for our Redemption be enclined to peace and Love and though our brains be different let our hearts be one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the Treaty at Uxbridge Ejac. 1. Oh thou that art the God of reason and of peace c. Soften our hearts by the bloud of our Redeemer and perswade us to accept of peace with thy self and both