and some others have framed their superstructure on viz. 1. That the Alterations intended by it are not prejudicial 2. That they are useful tending to the well-being of the Church 3. That it is a fit juncture for putting the design in execution The Author gives several Instances of several Alterations made as in the Third of Edward the Sixth when the Common-Prayer-book was composed and altered the 1st of Eliz. And a Proclamation for Authorizing an Uniformity of the Book of Common-Prayer and at the Return of Charles the Second the Liturgy was reviewed and altered by his Commission ae the Savoy but our Author takes no notice of the Penalties to be inflicted on such as should not conform to it and on such as should defame it by several Acts of Parliament nor how little effect it had for the healing the Divisions and Schism which some Dissenters had then made nor how much King James the First was displeased with those Dissenters that pretended to make good their Objections against it which they were not able to perform in the Conference at Hampton-Court whereof the Author speaks p. 3. Yet this I say of this Author that he speaks much more modestly than the Author of A Glance on the Ecclesiastical Commission who would precipitate the matter and have an Act of Parliament for a Comprehension first and then an Act to Authorize the Commission But our Author pretends only to prepare things thereby to save Time and Labour in kindness to the Convocation whatever the Pretence be the Consequence may be very prejudicial to the Members of the Convocation if any difference should happen for this Discourse and several Letters being dispersed into the Countries where they have their Residence to prepossess the Minds of Dissenters that they have occasioned the obstruction of the intended Union and as those Letters import deserve to be treated as Enemies That Mobile which are already too full of Rankor against them and have already in a considerable City burnt a Bishop instead of a Pope will be ready to affront them and throw them into the next fire as they were when there was rejoycing for the Bishops deliverance out of the Tower And therefore it had been more prudent if they had with patience expected the determination of the Convocation and forborn those ill-boding Reflections which tend to create an Odium against such Members though it be well known they have no power to offer any thing being limited by the King's Proposals Nor hath the Author consulted better for his own Party when speaking of the Personal Qualifications of the Commissioners p. 8. he tells the Country how they have been traduced as assuming Men who will think themselves bound in Honour to defend what they shall have done as Men that have tenderness enough to part with any thing but their Church-preferments As Men who have a Latitude to conform to a Church de facto which hath Power on its side And pag. 9. Men who conceal their own inclinations till it is time to shew them Men likely to do the Church of England a good turn when opportunity serves and which perhaps they imagine now they have which Characters agree well with those who are known to be Latitudinarians indeed and have Monopolized Church-preferments Yet our Author says they have no temptation now to shew that they are Men of Latitude it seems then they had heretofore Page 10. our Author mentioneth another Objection viz. That as it may happen our Church may be changed altered and transformed by nine Men which are the number of the Quorum in the Commission Now although I dare not say there was any partiality used in naming the Commissioners yet when I consider that many of those that were named did not appear and some very considerable persons that did appear perceiving that some such things as might in their judgment prove prejudicial to the Church were proposed did dissent and withdraw it was not altogether unlikely that Nine of those who remained might prepare such things as the Convocation would not approve of as the Event will shew And as for those great and excellent Men who as our Author says are not named in the Commission it had been a more commendable Office and Duty to have pleaded on their behalf knowing them to be Men of great Prudence and Fortitude as well as of Integrity and Affection to the Church and that they are never like to disturb the Peace of the State to intercede that some favour might be shewn to them as well as to Dissenters Seeing if any they are the Men who suffer for sake of their Consciences especially seeing our Author says The Commissioners design nothing so unreasonable as to fear that the Alterations would not pass in a free Convocation if those Reverend and Judicious Prelates were present But it is our great unhappiness that though there have been several Convocations called yet had not an opportunity of meeting till these Right Reverend Fathers and others were excluded and made uncapable what hinderance this may be to the performance of what they promised as our Author relates That they wanted no due tenderness to Dissenters but were willing to come to such a temper as should be thought fit when that matter should be considered in Parliament and Convocation I cannot divine but acquiesce in the judgment of our Author That if nothing unreasonable were designed it might then have passed and a firm Establishment ensued for doubtless the calm Tempers of those Reverend Fathers would mightily have influenced their Sons Page 13. mention is made of the Commission the Preface whereof is the same with what hath been before mentioned out of the Preface to the Liturgy concerning the Alteration of Rites and Ceremonies c. upon weighty and important Considerations and the end of it is to take away all occasions of differences for the future as well as reconciling all Their Majesties Subjects at present A Blessing this to be seriously endeavoured by all persons but rather to be hoped for than expected for though not only all our Rites and Ceremonies all things tending to Decency and Order should be taken away yet there will be some that will find occasions of difference still for we are told in the late Healing Attempt That it is impossible for the Dissenters to unite if it be still affirmed That the Bishops and Presbyters are not of the same Order That the Power of Ordination is the sole Prerogative of the Bishops i. e. If the Ordinanation by Presbyters be not as authentick as that by Bishops or that the Ordination by Presbyters is void and that the Ordaining them again by Bishops is not Re-ordination and he tells us plainly That it is not the taking away of our Ceremonies and other Impositions that will satisfie the Dissenters but if a Comprehension may not be had on those other terms there can be none at all And a greater Dissenter than he says of Episcopacy That
VOX CLERI OR THE Sense of the Clergy Concerning the Making of ALTERATIONS IN THE ESTABLISHED LITVRGY WITH REMARKS on the Discourse concerning the Ecclesiastical COMMISSION and several Letters for ALTERATIONS To which is Added An Historical ACCOUNT OF THE Whole PROCEEDINGS OF THE Present Convocation My Son fear thou the LORD and the King and meddle not with them that are given to Change Prov. xxiv xxi Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat August ad Januarium Epist 118. Cap. 5. Licensed and Entred according to Order London Printed and are to be sold by R. Taylor near Stationers-hall 1690. THE AUTHOR'S PROTESTATION TO cure the Prejudices with which too many are already prepossessed and to prevent the growth and mischievous effects which they may produce I have thought it necessary for the security of my self and Brethren to declare what our Perswasions are as to the Present Government both in Church and State And first we have by our Oaths promised to bear Faith and true Allegiance to the King and Queens Majesties And the whole Clergy have renewed their Allegiance to their Majesties and their adherence to the Church as Established in their late Address of Thanks c. in these words Whereby we doubt not but the Interest of the Protestant Religion in all other Protestant Churches which is dear to us will be better secured c. So that whoever do represent them as enemies either to the Church or State or any Protestant Churches do falsly and maliciously reproach them or interpret that to be their sin which is their bounden duty and care and if these be our faults I hope there is no sort of people who joyn with us in living in obedience to the Laws of the Land and in the Communion of the Church will entertain those Prejudices and hard thoughts of us which some that are enemies to both have from the Press and from their Pulpits scandalously suggested against us to draw an Odium on the Consultations of the whole Clergy in Convocation and to incense the people against them as enemies to peace and reconciliation I only crave this kindness from those that are influenced with these reports 1. To consider what our Adversaries report of us And 2ly what may be the reason of such reports The Author of the second Letter reflected on in the following Discourse relating to the Convocation hath these expressions concerning such as are not for Alterations Pag. 6. I expect no less than that they become abhorred of the whole Nation and as the common enemies of its peace be treated accordingly in every Parish where we live among them P. 5. That we have maintained Trifles with unreasonable Rigor And P. 6. we have already lost our reputation with the people by insisting too rigorously on those things P. 9. That there is an obligation upon us of coming to a change not to be resisted without guilt P. 20. That we are a base and false sort of men that can promise in adversity and forget all when that is over P. 22. That we shall lose the people of the Land and give our Adversaries advantage over us to our utter ruin P. 15. That the People are overthrown by Excommunications for a penny or two-penny cause That we shall totally extinguish all Convocations for the future and therefore he desires them to consider whether the Church of England is now met together only to be Felo's de se and not to mention all his vile insinuations that in P. 25. contains as much spite and venom as he could hold without breaking such saith he as are most perversely bent against reason and conscience to do all the wickedness they can to gratifie a peevish humour With these things he asperseth the whole Clergy in general cloathing them as the Persecutors of old did the Christians in Bears and Lions Skins and so exposed them to be devoured by such creatures But this Author comes to Particulars And P. 25. says of the suspended Bishops whom he acknowledgeth as their greatest enemies must that they are excellent men yet says if they should not consent to Alterations The resentment of the State will be heavy on them as enemies to them and us so as they will be immediately crush'd and fall to nothing And more particularly he thus reflects on our worthy Prolocutor as a man worthy of the death of the greatest Criminal For thus he saith of him We have no reason to thank him for his Speech or his Motto the last of which I suppose pleased him best because it carried a double stab with it the one against the Church the other against his greatest Benefactor to promote him in it Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum But 2ly What is the cause of all this bitter zeal and inveterate malice it is only because he fancieth they will not consent to such Alterations as shall be proposed to them but first it may well be supposed that neither he nor they do yet know what Alterations will be for none have been as yet proposed to them and therefore to hang and draw before any crime be alledged against them is a most barbarous practice especially for one that is of the same Communion with them and upon those whom he acknowledgeth to be such excellent men his Fathers and his Brethren But thus did his Predecessors heretofore destroy the Church by such malicious insinuations from groundless fears and jealousies as the Jews did Crucifie our Saviour Venient Romani They will bring in Popery But when the Church hath defeated that Engine and made it wholly useless by rooting up the very foundations of Popery such men must have recourse to other inventions And the noise of Persecution is raised against them that they have been and would be again if they had power as great Persecutors as the Heathen Emperors were but this clamor the present Bishop of Salisbury with some others have silenced proving undeniably that the Church of England had neither the temper nor the power to be of a Persecuting spirit And now the Cry is That she is of a peevish and obstinate humour that against Reason and Conscience hinders peace and reconciliation and in sum saith our Author That she is afraid of losing her Church power and Church-promotions though all the Nation knows with what general unanimity and Christian resolution the Clergy hazarded all their Promotions by refusing to publish the late Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience and suspending the Penal Laws which now their enemies plead for in compliance with the present juncture of Affairs and is as evident as any matter of fact can be and little less evident is it who they are that gape for the Preferments which other men have signally deserved and are legally possessed of if this be not enough wholly to cure the prejudices which have been insinuated into the Minds of over-credulous and inconsiderate Men yet I hope that which follows
Province or the greatest Number of them that shall be present in Person or by their Proxies shall and may from time to time draw into Forms Rules Orders Ordinances Constitutions and Canons such Matters as to them shall seem Necessary and Expedient for the Purposes abovementioned and the same set down in Writing from time to time to Exhibit and Deliver or cause to be Exhibited and Delivered unto us to the end that We as Occasion shall require may thereupon have the Advice of Our Parliament And that such and so many of the said Canons Orders Ordinances Constitutions Matters Causes and Things as shall be thought Requisite and Convenient by Our said Parliament may be presented to Us in due Form for Our Royal Assent if upon Mature Consideration thereof We shall think fit to Enact the same In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourselves at Westminster the 30th Day of November in the First Year of Our Reign Per Breve de privato Sigello BURKER Vera Copia J. C. N. P. His Majesty's Gracious Message to the Convocation sent by the Earl of Nottingham as followeth WILLIAM R. HIs Majesty has Summon'd this Convocation not only because 't is usual upon holding of a Parliament but out of a Pious Zeal to do every thing that may tend to the best Establishment of the Church of England which is so eminent a Part of the Reformation and is certainly the best suited to the Constitution of this Government and therefore does most signally deserve and shall always have both His Favour and Protection and he doubts not but that you will assist Him in promoting the Welfare of it so that no Prejudices with which some Men may have laboured to possess you shall disappoint His good Intentions or deprive the Church of any Benefit from your Consultations His Majesty therefore expects that the Things that shall be proposed shall be calmly and impartially Considered by you and assures you that he will offer nothing to you but what shall be for the Honour Peace and Advantage both of the Protestant Religion in general and particularly of the Church of England The Bishops ADDRESS WE Your Majesty's most Dutiful Subjects the Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury in Convocation assembled having received Your Majesty's Gracious Message together with a Commission from Your Majesty by the Earl of Nottingham hold ourselves bound in Gratitude and Duty to return our most Humble Thanks and Acknowledgements of the Grace and Goodness expressed in Your Majesty's Message and the Zeal You shew in it for the Protestant Religion in general and the Church of England in particular and of the Trust and Confidence reposed in us by this Commission We look on these Marks of Your Majesty's Care and Favour as the Continuance of the great Deliverance Almighty God wrought for us by Your Means in making You the Blessed Instrument of Preserving us from falling under the Cruelty of Popish Tyranny for which as we have often Thanked Almighty God so we cannot forget that high Obligation and Duty which we owe to Your Majesty and on these new Assurances of Your Protection and Favour to our Church we beg leave to renew the Assurance of our constant Fidelity and Obedience to Your Majesty Whom we Pray GOD to continue Long and Happily to Reign over us This Address was not approved of by the Lower House who thought they had the Priviledge wanting the Books of Presidents to present one of their own drawing but that not being admitted it was voted by the Lower House to make some Amendments which were not agreed on till after a Conference with the Bishops the Lower House insisting that they would confine themselves to the King's Declaration and to what concerned especially the Church of England whereupon a Conference was desired and a Committee appointed to attend the Lords The Conference was managed chiefly between the Bishop of Salisbury and the Prolocutor the Bishop urged That the Church of England was not distinguished from other Protestant Churches but by its Hierarchy and Revenues and that it was an equivocal Expression for if Popery should prevail it would be called the Church of England still To which the Prolocutor answered That the Church of England was distinguished by its Doctrine as it stands in the Articles Liturgy and Homelies as well as by its Hierarchy and that the Term of Protestant Churches was much more Equivocal because Socinians Anabaptists and Quakers assumed that Title After this we heard no more Reply but a Committee of the Convocation in the Lower House having drawn up another Form it was consented to And Thanks were given to the Prolocutor for managing the Conference And the Address as agreed on to be Presented was as followeth WE Your Majesty's most Loyal and most Dutiful Subjects the Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury in Convocation Assembled having received a most Gracious Message from Your Majesty by the Earl of Nottingham hold ourselves bound in Duty and Gratitude to return our most Humble Acknowledgments for the same and for the Pious Zeal and Care Your Majesty is pleased to express therein for the Honour Peace Advantage and Establishment of the Church of England Whereby we doubt not the Interest of the Protestant Religion in all other Protestant Churches which is dear to us will be the better secured under the Influence of Your Majest's Government and Protection And we crave leave to assure Your Majesty That in pursuance of that Trust and Confidence You repose in us we will consider whatsoever shall be offered to us from Your Majesty without Prejudice and with all Calmness and Impartiality And that we will constantly Pay the Fidelity and Allegiance which we have all Sworn to Your Majesty and the Queen Whom we pray GOD to continue Long and Happily to Reign over us This Address was presented on Thursday the 12th of December in the Banquetting-Chamber His Majesty's most Gracious Answer to the Bishops Address c. My LORDS I Take this Address very kindly from the Convocation You may depend upon it that all I have promised and all that I can do for the Service of the Church of England I will do And I give you this new Assurance that I will improve all Occasions and Opportunities for its Service I. In the Adjournments it was first debated What Proxies each Man might have from those that were absent and it was agreed that one Man might have four II. Whether those Bishops that had Arch-Deaconries annexed to their Bishopricks might grant Proxies to any Member of the Lower House of Convocation to Vote for them III. Whether such Proctors for the Clergy as had not appeared might grant their Proxies Which was resolved in the Affirmative Presidents being found for the same Then it was complained that the Convocation wanted the Books of Presidents belonging to the Convocation and it being said that the Bishop of Asaph and Dean Tillotson