Solemn League and Covenant being read the King Swore that for himself and successors he should consent and agree to all Acts of Parliament injoyning the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant c. in the Kingdom of Scotland as they are approved by the general Assembly of that Kirk and Parliament of that Kingdom And that he should give his Royal Assent to Acts and Ordinances of Parliament passed or to be passed injoyning the same in his other Dominions And in the Declaration set forth at Edinborough in His Majesties name 1650. But penned as it seems by the Covenanters He declares That if the Houses of Parliament of England sitting in freedom shall think fit to present unto him the propositions of peace agreed upon by both Kingdoms he will not only accord to them and such Alterations there anent as the Houses of Parliament in regard of the Constitution of Affairs and the good of his Majesty and his Kingdoms shall judge necessary but do what is further necessary for the Prosecuting the ends of the Solemn League and Covenant Especially in those things which concern the Reformation of the Church of England in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government And p. 107. He doth also declare his firm resolution to manage the Government of the Kingdom of England by the Advice of his Parliament consisting of an House of Lords and an House of Commons there All which His Majesty hath punctually performed and the Parliaments of both Kingdoms having rescinded the Covenant and condemned it as an unlawful Oath and settled the ancient Government of the Catholick Church I speak with all humble submission His Majesty is not at all obliged by that Covenant thus taken much less to make any alteration in the Government of the Church of England unless he would act not only contrary to the established Laws but contrary to that very Oath and Declaration by which the Non-conformists suppose him to be obliged which oblige him to agree to such alterations as the Houses of Parliament in regard to the Constitution of Affairs and the good of His Majesty and his Kingdoms should judge necessary and to manage the Government of the Kingdom of England by advice of his Two Houses of Parliament And this will answer the first Question in the Negative that neither the King who was injuriously and unlawfully as is acknowledged drawn to declare for it and consequently no other person that took it afterward are bound by it to make any alteration c. If any alteration be found necessary there are lawful means to be used for that end But there is no obligation from this Covenant being so repealed to use even lawful means much less such unlawful ones as the Covenant implies i. e. for Subjects to reform without and against the Magistrate and his Laws By this also a second question is resolved p. 215. which Mr. Baxter calls the main question Whether every Minister must or may become the Judge of all other Mens Consciences and Oligations in three Kingdoms For let it be remembred that the case is only whether they are obliged by the Covenant to endeavour any alteration c. Any lawful endeavours are not denyed but the Covenant being Condemned as an unlawful thing cannot lay an obligation on any to act against the Laws whereby the Church Government is established Against this a third question is urged whether this League and Covenant were a Vow to God and not only a League and Covenant with Men which cessante occasione and by consent of Parliaments doth cease Mr. Baxter affirms that it was a Vow to God and a League and Covenant of Men with one another that they will perform it and instead of Proof he says it is notorious to any Man that readeth it with common understanding Answ 1. The Title of it is a Solemn League and Covenant there is no mention of a Vow to God And in the Preface a mutual League and Covenant 2. And in the Renunciation it is to be declared that there lyes no Obligation from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant If any part of it be a Vow to God that is not mentioned to be disclaimed for 3. The particular Case wherein its Obligation is to be disclaimed is to endeavour any alteration c. Now how can it consist with the nature of a Vow to God to make unnecessary alterations against the Laws of the Land Would not this cause the Christian Religion in a short time to be exploded out of all Kingdoms 4. It is notoriously known that the few things that make the Contract as Mr. Douglas calls it or Covenant between the Rebel Scots and English to seem as a Vow to God were used only as a pretence to draw on that part of the Covenant which is acknowledged to be unlawful and which is the greatest part of the Covenant the intent whereof was to strengthen the Rebellion against the King as by the negative Oath and the general actings of both Nations which followed doth evidently appear And what Rebellion or Heresie may not be Covenanted for under pretence of such Vows If therefore there had been any thing of a Vow to God in the Covenant it was a horrid Profanation of Gods name to make it subservient to such unlawful ends And it is rightly observed that it binds to the Extirpation of Bishops out of other Churches as well as out of ours alone 5. The most part of those who took the Covenant when it was first imposed had declared their approbation of the established Government and sworn Obedience to the Bishops so had generally all the Assembly and fixed Ministers and as I presume Mr. Baxter himself and whatever contrary Oaths they took afterward are rightly esteemed to be as Null the pretence of a Vow notwithstanding 6. It is inconsistent with the nature of a Vow to be forced as the Covenant generally was as hath been observed from Mr. Baxter That the Scots taking advantage of the straits to which the King had reduced the English Parliament brought in the Covenant as the condition of their help and that the House of Lords complained of the Parliament as Mr. Baxter calls the House of Commons which tyed them to meddle with nothing but what they offered to them And though the Covenanters pretended for this Vow the Example of Gods people in other Nations and the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times yet there never was the like Oath for matter and manner taken by any people fearing God in any Age of the World I conclude with a Concession of Mr. Baxters p. 213. of the Plea It is not in the Subjects power by Vows to withdraw themselves from Obedience to Authority which is proved from Numb 30. And the Reason of it is because Obligatio prior praejudicat posteriori God hath first injoyned Obedience to our Superiours They therefore lawfully requiring our submission to the established Government there can lye
from these words until he come to the period where he says As I have here described the Judgment of such Non-conformists as I have Conversed with I do desire those that seek our blood and ruine by the false accusation of Rebellious principles to tell me if they can what body or party of Men on Earth have more sound and Loyal principles of Government and Obedience And if any person can extract any such principles within all that period I will say he hath turn'd Mr. Baxter's Whetstone into the Philosophers Stone He says indeed we are all bound if it be possible and as much as in us lyeth to live peaceably and follow peace with all men But how have they followed this principle We have he saith many years beg'd for peace of those that should have been the Preachers and wifest promoters of peace and cannot yet obtain it nor quiet them that call for fire and sword not knowing what spirit they are of This is the Presbyterian way of Petitioning for Peace to rail against their Superiours charging them with persecution fire and sword and asserting that there can be no peace until the Laws for Conformity be all reversed the Bishops Authority and the Kings too in Ecclesiastical affairs taken away the Liturgy exchanged for Mr. Baxters new Directory as he hath at large declared in the first part and such a desolation as this they call peace solitudinem volunt pacem vocant He says the Declaration about Ecclesiastical affairs telleth us that the King would have given the people peace Answ And there were a sort of men whom the King for peace sake desired to read only so much of the Liturgy as was beyond exception and they would not did not these tell the World they would have no peace but victory So true it is as Mr. Baxter says with unpeaceble Clergy-men no Plea no Petition no not of the King himself could prevail but the things that have been are and the Confusions of our age come from the same causes and sorts of men as the Confusions in former ages did for which we need not go to Mr. Baxters Church History the Men and methods of 41. and 42. are well nigh revived They told His Majesty in their second Paper for Peace That if he would grant their desires it would revive their Hearts to daily and earnest Prayers for his Prosperity But what if he deny them Then p. 12. it astonisheth us to foresee what doleful effects our Divisions would produce which we will not so much as mention in particular lest our words should be misunderstood And it is obvious enough to whom they would apply that passage p. 117. of their reply to the Exceptions As Basil said to Valens the Emperour that would have him pray for the Life of his Son If thou wilt receive the true Faith thy Son shall live which when the Emperour refused he said the Will of the Lord be done So we say to you if you will put on Charity and promote peace God will honor you but if you will do contrary the Will of the Lord be done with your honors Amen say I Let them fall into the hands of God who is still exceeding gracious to them and not into the hands of such cruel men who have War in their Hearts while they Petition for Peace And will Mr. Baxter still demand what party of Men on Earth have more Loyal Principles Our English Papists who as Mr. Baxter grants adhered to the King would be offended if I should say they that fought against the King were more Loyal than they who with Lives and Fortunes fought for him dares he compare with the Church of England who lived and died and rose again with their King to the great regret and envy of those Men I will not say only that the Primitive Christians but even the Old Greeks and Romans had better Principles than any you practise by and will rise up in Judgment against such a Generation How vainly do you inquire what Hottoman or Bodin have written Consider the Precepts of our great Lord and the Practice of the Primitive Christians for the first 600. years and how night the true Members of the Church of England followed those Principles and Examples for Twenty years together and how far the Presbyterians Acted contrary to them and then convince the World whether the party you Boast of or these were most Loyal But Mr. Baxter demands Must this Age answer for their Fathers deeds what is all this to the present Non-conformists Answ If they follow the deeds of their Fathers we cannot deny them the reputation of being their Children who without controversie begat and Nurtured them And though I have not the opportunity to ask those Noble Lords and Gentlemen whom Mr. Baxter names concerning the Conformity of their Fathers yet I can give you their Sense and the Opinion of the whole Nation concerning the behaviour of their Children who have as great a mind to begin a second War And take it in the best English Dialect i. e. in the Acts of Parliament And first in the Act against Conventicles 16. Car. 2di N. 2. For providing of further and more speedy remedies against the growing and dangerous practice of Seditious Sectaries and other disloyal persons who under pretence of tender Consciences do at their meetings contrive insurrections as late experience hath shewn c. And in the Oxford Act they say of those that Preach in unlawful Assemblies Conventicles or Meetings under colour or pretence of the Exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom have settled themselves in divers Corporations of this Kingdom three or more in a place thereby taking opportunity to distill the poysonous principles of Schisms and Rebellion into the hearts of His Majesties Subjects to the great danger of the Church and Kingdom c. Now how little difference there is between such Seditious tumults and meetings the late Rebellion in Scotland doth demonstrate where the chief Masters of those Assemblies Preached an Evangelium Armatum and having in cold Blood barbarously murthered the most Reverend Arch-Bishop drew many Thousands into the Field and would have done the like by the King himself had he been in their power as by their Declarations we may guess I do not accuse their Brethren of England of Rebellion the Parliament says their actions tend to it and that is Tantamount to a Plot. Sedition and tumults open and professed disobedience to the Laws adhering to a Rebellious Covenant refusing the Tests of Obedience which require only the disclaiming of Rebellious Principles and Practices Preaching and Printing what is actually Seditious and tends directly to Rebellion and all this when our Parliament hath declared that there is an horrid Plot on foot for the destroying of the King and established Religion to the latter whereof you are avowed Enemies this may draw at least a suspition on you that you are in the Plot whether
is meet for the safety of Mens Health that none practise Physick but a Licensed Physician And until there be a greater want of Divines or Physicians than now there is it is pitty that such as are not Licensed should be permitted The Third part of Conformity begins p. 208. concerning the Renunciation of the Covenant whereof he treats § 11. and 12. Ministers saith he must onely subscribe that there is no Obligation on me or any other person from the Oath c. to endeavour any change or alteration of Government in the Church to which he adds the Oxford Oath That we will never endeavour any alteration And the Articles for Prelacy the Ordination promise and Oath of Canonical Obedience Against all which he Objects that even those Non-conformists that are for the lawfulness yea the need and desireableness of Bishops and Arch-bishops are unsatisfied in these things That some Hundred of Parishes are without any particular appropriate Bishops and consequently are without the Discipline of such Bishops and so are no Churches but only parts of a Diocesan Church that the Bishops have more work than they can do and the Keys are to be exercised by Lay-men Answ I have already shewed Mr. Baxters judgment of Bishops and Lay-Chancellours and shall only add that the Laws which Impower the Ministry with the Exercise of Discipline are so full and exact that if each Minister did faithfully perform his duty there would be no need to complain for want of work or of authority to do it effectually Every Minister is to admonish his Parishioners not to delay the Baptism of their Children whereby they are entred into a Covenant with God and by their Sureties ingaged to Faith Repentance and new Obedience as soon as they come to years of Discretion they are to be instructed out of the Church Catechism every Sunday which Catechism Mr. Baxter himself commends to be better for its Method than most others Then upon their knowledg of the Principles of Religion and owning their Baptismal Vows whereof the Minister is to take cognizance and certify to the Bishop they are to be Confirmed and none but such are to be admitted Communicants and none but Communicants to be admitted as Godfathers c. The Minister ought both publickly and privately to admonish such as are scandalous and to deny them the Communion until they manifest their Repentance which is a kind of Excommunication He is constantly to Celebrate publick Worship to Preach the Word of God and Administer the Holy Sacraments frequently to visit his Parishioners that he may know the State of his Flock to instruct the Ignorant rebuke the Wicked incourage the Good to visit the Sick absolve the Penitent and to strengthen them by the Word of God and the Comforts of the Holy Sacrament against the fear of death If these things were duly done as they might and ought to be there would be no cause to complain either that the Bishop hath too much or the Pastor too little work the fault is not in the Laws or Constitution of Government but in the want of due Execution To omit the many impertinencies in the 12. § there are Three things only on which he grounds his Plea for the Covenant The First is p. 214. Whether when Charles the II. had though injuriously been drawn to take the Covenant it doth not oblige those that took it afterward and whether the King having taken it no one person be bound by it p. 143. Answ Mr. Baxter leads me by this Question to consider how His Majesty was dealt with by the Scots in this matter how they tortured him with various temptations of hopes and fears and so affronted him with many horrible Reproaches of his own Sins as well as of the Sins of His Father and Grandfather that he often attempted to leave them what Provocations he met with in private may be guessed at by their publick Actions The Thursday before the Coronation was set apart as a Solemn day of Humiliation throughout the Land for the Sins of the Royal Family Robert Douglas in the Coronation Sermon told the King That His Grandfather King James remembred not the kindness of them who had held the Crown upon his Head yea he persecuted faithfull Ministers he never rested till he had undone Presbyterial Government and Kirk Assemblies setting up Bishops and bringing in Ceremonies In a word he laid the foundation whereupon his Son our late King did build much mischief in Religion all the days of his Life 73. P. 52. He tells the King to his Face That a King abusing his Power to the overthrow of Religion Laws and Liberties which are the fundamentals of that Covenant may be controlled and opposed And if he set himself to overthrow all these by Arms they who have power as the Estates of the Land may and ought I suppose by obligation of the Covenant to resist by Arms because he doth by that opposition break the very Bonds and overthrow the Essentials of this Contract and Covenant This may serve says he to justify the proceedings of this Kingdom against the late King who in a Hostile way set himself to overthrow Religion Parliaments Laws and Liberties Thus was the Kings Crown lined with Thorns and he had Gall and Vinegar given him to drink instead of the Royal Unction which that prophane Scot thus derides p. 34. The Bishops behoved to perform this Rite and the King behoved to be Sworn to them But now by the Blessing of God Popery and Prelacy are removed let the anointing of Kings with Oyl go to the door with them and let them never come in again If the King ought by the Laws of the Kingdom to have been Sworn to the Bishops this may make void the Obligation of the Covenant for the Coronation Oath is a right of the Subject and concerns their interest and security and the King as Heir to the Crown is obliged to that Oath and if any subsequent Oath may violate that in one particular it may also in others and then farewel to Magna Charta the priviledges of Parliament and Liberty of the Subject See more in the Review of the grand Case p. 139. 140. P. 92. He tells the King That God in his Righteous judgments suffereth Subjects to conspire and rebel against their Princes because they rebel against the Covenant made with God and adds I may say freely that a chief cause of the Judgment upon the Kings House hath been the Grandfathers breach of Covenant with God and the Fathers following steps in opposing the work of God and his Kirk within these Kingdoms and probably too many do still think they may rebel again in Defence of the Covenant But I argue from the manner of the Kings taking the Covenant as it is related p. 75. c. that the King is not obliged by it to make any alteration in the Government of our Church for thus it is related That the National Covenant and the
no obligation on me or any other person to endeavour alteration of the Government If any fault be found in subordinate Governours we may in our places and callings endeavour a Reformation of them but the Government is a noli me tangere we may not undermine foundations But Mr. Baxter proposeth another question whether the Covenant as a Vow to God bind to things necessary Answ To all necessary things we are pre-ingaged by the Command of God and extraordinary means must not be used when ordinary may serve Mr. Baxter § 43. of his Directory says A Vow is as Null when the matter is morally or civilly out of our power as if a Child or Servant Vow a thing which he cannot do lawfully without the consent of his Parent or Master though the thing in it self be lawful for God having bound me to obey my Superiours in all lawful things I cannot oblige my self by my own Vows § 79. of his Directory Make not a Law and Religion to your selves which God never made by his Authority nor bind your selves for futurity to all that is a duty at present where it is possible the changes of things may change your duty And § 3. p. 19. The true nature and use of Vows is but for a more certain and effectual performance of our duties not to make new Laws and Religions to our selves From which concessions it will follow that the power of Reforming c. being in the King the Vow was Null And it is morally impossible for them to do that in their places and callings which they cannot do without Invading the Place and Office of their Superiours And therefore notwithstanding the pretence of a Vow yea though it were for things lawful which the alteration of the established Government is not we may declare that there lyes no Obligation c. P. 216. § 13. Mr. Baxter insists on the Declaration concerning taking Arms against the King c. Where he says the question is not of the first clause of taking Arms c. For he grants that a Popish King is to be obeyed in lawful things p. 77. but of the 2 d. viz. I abhor that Traiterous position of taking Arms by his Authority against his person or against those that are commissioned by him This as the Law of the Land hath declared to be Traiterous so hath the Law of God 2 Pet. 2.13 requiring submission to the King as Supreme and unto Governours sent or Commissioned by him The ground of this Declaration was for the security of the Kings Person against such as distinguishing between his publick and private capacity under pretence of his Authority detained his Towns and fought those Armies where the King was in person but when they had Conquered him they declared the Supreme Authority to be in themselves But Mr. Baxter pleads that Ministers are mostly ignorant of the Law not knowing what is called a Commission and what Seal makes it such and they dare not think that a Lord Chancellour or Keeper hath Power at his pleasure to depose the King by Sealing Commissions to any to seize on his Forts c. Nor yet to destroy the Kingdoms Cities Laws and Judgments and seize at pleasure on all Mens Estates or Lives This had been good Doctrine if Mr. Baxter had taught it when the Kings broad Seal was broken and by Virtue of a counterfeit one the Lives and Estates of the best Subjects were destroyed the Act of Parliament hath declared the Supreme Authority to be inseparable in the Kings Person so that we cannot doubt of the Legality of Commissions granted by him and his pretended ignorance against the known Laws being that Block on which the best of Kings fell I hope no good English-Man will stumble at it again But Mr. Baxter complains that these words against those that are Commissioned by him are unexpounded and have no limitations or exceptions It is not fit for private men to distinguish where the Law doth not or that an Usurper or Protector pretending Reformation and Liberty and that abused Maxim of Salus populi Suprema Lex should rather be obeyed than such as Act regularly by the Kings Commission and according to the known Laws Wherefore to seek evasions and to suppose extraordinary Cases that may never happen against plain and necessary duties ought not to be a Bar against this Declaration That which followeth § 14. Of deserting their Flocks and keeping Conventicles and § 15. of not residing within Five Miles of Cities and Corporations are not conditions of Conformity but consequences of their Non-conformity And I leave them to be read and considered by others who will perceive how well Mr. Baxter deserves the Character which the Reverend Bishop Sanderson gave of him That he never knew a Man of more pertinacious confidence and less abilities in all his Conversation A double minded Man is unstable in all his Ways An Answer to some passages in the Second Part of the Non-conformists Plea for Peace HAving reflected on as much of the First Part of the Non-conformists Plea as concerned the Ministerial Conformity I thought it not material to answer the many Impertinencies Printed in that Book But finding a Second Part extant published as the Authors say to save their Lives and the Kingdoms Peace from the false and Bloody Plotters who would first perswade the King and People that the Protestants and particularly the Non-conformists are Presbyterians and Fanaticks And next that it was such Presbyterians that killed his Father and next that our Principles are Rebellious and next that we are Plotting Rebellion and his Death c. On which particulars he enlargeth in the Preface where I find him thus to justify his party I desire those that seek our Blood and Ruine by the false accusation of Rebellious Principles to tell me if they can what Body or Party of Men on Earth have more sound and Loyal Principles of Government and Obedience and p. 109. of that Book We are far from designing any abasement of the Clergy nor do we deny or draw others to deny any due reverence or obedience to them I considered that very many of Mr. Baxters Readers are apt to believe him and therefore must needs be greatly incensed against those whom he accuseth to be the Persecutors of such a pious and peaceable party viz. the Bishops whom he calls Thorns and Thistles and the Military Instruments of the Devil p. 122. of the Book of Concord and p. 247. of the first part of the Plea and complains Popish Clergy-Men as if he were in Egyptian Bondage or the Popish Inquisition of tearing Engines Goals Starving and Bloody Persecution Ruine and Death Every good Man is sensible what Indignation such Cruelties practised upon innocent persons may raise in the hearts of our English Nation who are noted for their compassion to their Brethren in misery against the Authors of it and I suspect these suggestions are published to inrage them against their present Governours
Either saith he it is a part of the Contents or not If not we must not consent to that falshood that it is If it is O far be it from us that believe a God a Judgment a Life to come and the sacred Scriptures to Assent and Consent to that Act with all its penalties silencing and ruining such as Conform not Answ The Act for Uniformity naming the Book of Common-Prayer always names that Book as distinct from it self and as a thing annexed to it and if the Parliament had injoyned the Use of some New Translation of the Bible and prefixed their Act to that Translation and required our Use of the same under penalties our Assent to such an Act could not suppose the Act it self to be a part of the Canonical Books Secondly The design of the Act in these words To the intent that every person may certainly know the Rule to which he is to Conform in Publick Worship and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England c. be it Enacted c. Plainly shews what are the parts to the use of which we are to declare our Assent which particulars are Enumerated more than once but not a word of the Act for Uniformity or the Act 1. Eliz. which in the Contents is mentioned with it whereof Mr. Baxter ought to be minded for under the Contents of the Book the First thing mentioned is The Acts in the Plural for Vniformity of Common-Prayer whence I argue If the Parliament intended that this last Act should be taken as a part of the Common-Prayer Book because it is in the Contents for the same Reason it may be thought they intended that other Act 1. Eliz. to be a part also which were very unreasonable For then we must subscribe our Assent to the use of Two Common-Prayer Books viz the Old and the New 3. That Act of Queen Elizabeth explains what is meant by Open or Common Prayer By Open Prayer in and throughout this Act is meant that Prayer which is for others to come unto or hear either in common Churches or Chappels or Oratories commonly called the Service of the Church and the intent of that Act was that no Minister should refuse to Vse the said Common-Prayers and Administer the Sacraments in such Order and Form as they are mentioned in the said Book or willfully or obstinately standing in the same Use any other Rite Ceremony Order Form or manner of Celebrating the Lords Supper c. than is mentioned in the said Book This Act was Printed probably to give Light to the other and to shew that the same thing was formerly required of Ministers And if the Conformists heretofore did not take that Act to be part of the Common-Prayer Book then there is no reason why they should take the New Act to be a part of the New Book 4. The Book of Common-Prayer was compleat before the Act was made it was first presented to the King who approving it offered it to the Parliament who approved of it and afterwards made their Act for Uniformity in the Use thereof And whoever gathered the Contents of the Book did no more intend to have all things named therein to be parts of the Book than they that set forth the Bible with Contents to the Chapters and Psalms intended that we should take those Contents for Canonical Scripture The Contents of Ps 149. says the Prophet exhorteth to praise God for that Power which he hath given to the Church over the Consciences of Men. But that is no part of the Text neither the Acts Prefaces Rubricks c. which come not into Use in the Administration of Prayer Sacraments c. any part of that Book to the Use whereof we give our Assent and Consent This Act doth exclude the Use of any other Forms when it injoyns those prescribed in the Book for publick Worship but it doth not include those previous Acts Prefaces and Instructions which only tend to justify and inforce the Use of the Common-Prayer But Mr. Baxters Dilemma may be answered to the advantage of Conformity thus Either the Acts for Uniformity and the Prefaces are parts of the Book to which our Assent is required or not if not then our Assent to them is not required if they be then our Assent will be more facile upon this account First because in that Preface concerning the Service of the Church it is thus said for as much as nothing can be so plainly set forth but doubts may arise in the Vse and Practise of the same to appease all such diversity if any arise and for the resolution of all doubts concerning the manner how to understand do and execute the things contained in this Book the Parties that so doubt or diversly take any thing shall always resort to the Bishop of the Diocess who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in this Book And if the Bishop of the Diocess be in doubt then he may send for Resolution thereof to the Arch-Bishop Here is a way opened to such as think that the Acts and Prefaces are to be Assented to to clear their doubts to their satisfaction the several Bishops within their Diocess have a Power by Law to explain any doubts that may arise concerning the Use and Practise of Uniformity and their determinations are declared to be as Valid as the Law it self Now doubtless if sober Dissenters did consult their Diocesans in such Cases as concern their Practise in the publick Worship they might easily obtain satisfaction Again it is said in the Preface before the Liturgy We are fully perswaded in our Judgments and we here profess it to the World that the Book as it stood before established by Law doth not contain in it any thing contrary to the Word of God or to sound Doctrin or which a Godly Man may not with a good Conscience use and submit unto or which is not fairly defensible against any that shall oppose the same if it be allowed such just and favourable Construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the best Translations of the Holy Scripture it self If these Mitigations be admitted a great many of the Objections made by Mr. Baxter and others would vanish And if they be not admitted Mr. Baxter himself will grant that they cannot safely subscribe this Assent and Consent to all things contained in the Bible according to any Translation But says he if they might but say we Assent to all things contained that are not by humane frailty mistaken they would soon conform herein See the Plea p. 166. Now the Church of England declares here and in the Preface to the Articles 1564. that they prescribe not these Rules as Laws equivalent with the Word of God and as of
say it means all words and expressions 3. Whereas it says to the Vse of all things they pretend it to be meant of those things that come not into Use and 4. whereas it says in sensu composito all things contained and prescribed in and by the Book c. they say it is extended to all things that are contained as well as prescribed Now to the First the Phrase of Assent and Consent being used by our Legislators we must satisfie our selves of the meaning of it in the use of our Laws where it signifies no more than an agreement between parties in grants and contracts and is used where the parties agreeing in some cases might wish that it had been otherwise yet upon considerations may unfeignedly Assent and Consent to them as is shewed at large by Mr. Faukner p. 91. c. 2ly Whereas they extend it to every Phrase and Expression the Act mentions only the things which it particularly enumerates viz. all the Prayers Rites Ceremonies Forms and Orders 3. Whereas it says to the Vse of all things they pretend it requires our Assent and Consent to such things as come not into Use but are only occasionally mentioned as when it is said in the Preface That this Book as it stood before established by Law did not contain in it any thing which a godly man may not with a good Conscience use and submit to which clause cannot be included in the Declaration for then the things which were thought fit to be altered must be still in some sort Assented to 4. The Act mentioneth the things to the Use whereof we are to Assent and Consent viz. the things contained and prescribed in and by the Book c. It is not said contained in or prescribed by but three several times it is carefully expressed as well before and after as in the Declaration so that it seems to require no more than is expressed in the second Declaration I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now by Law established Nor can it be reasonably thought that our Law-makers require more in our Conformity to the present Liturgy than they themselves declared concerning the Old in these words We are perswaded in our judgments and we profess it to the World that the Book as it stood before established by Law doth not contain in it any thing contrary to the Word of God or to sound Doctrine or which a godly man may not with a good Conscience use and submit unto or which is not fairly defensible against any that shall oppose the same if it shall be allowed such just and favourable Construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the very best Translations of the Holy Scripture it self Now if Dissenters would use this Candor in judging of those things prescribed to be used for Uniformity sake they might no doubt declare their unfeigned Assent and Consent unto them But Mr. Baxter puts all out of doubt that the Act requires more than a bare Assent to the Use of the Common-Prayers c. Because the House of Lords added to another Bill which was brought into their House a Proviso that the Declaration should be understood but as obliging men to the use of it and the House of Commons refusing at a conference about it they gave in such reasons against that Sense and Proviso to the Lords upon which they did acquiesce and cast it out If so the Bishops in the House of Lords were more your friends than the Commons 2. It is fit we should unfeignedly approve of those Services which we offer to Almighty God and not barely submit to them as to burdens 3. Much less if our judgments tell us they are sinful or 4. To use them as the Pharises did their Prayers for mischievous designs 5. The Papists are not the only men that have their Emissaries who serve themselves into such Assemblies as they approve not of that they may have better opportunities to prepare the Minds of men for and to serve the occasions of doing mischief These and some other such might be the weighty Considerations which Mr. Calamy said Apol. against Burton prevailed with him and many of his Brethren for their so late laying down the Common-Prayer and for these reasons many would still yield a feigned and partial submission to the use of some parts of it that they might have advantages to destroy the whole And certain it is that such Conformists draw more prejudices on the Church than the Non-Conformists can do There was therefore great reason for all this Caution that men might not mock God nor delude their Superiours in things that concerned his publick Worship and his Churches peace And I fear that they who cannot serve God unfeignedly in the Communion of our Church will do it but hypocritically any where else And lastly I have heard concerning the pretended Proviso that the Commons answered that they had expressed the Obligation to be only to the use of things prescribed so plainly that it needed no further explanation with which the Lords were satisfied I conclude this with a Direction of Mr. Baxter § 27. of his Directory If any impose an ambiguous Oath and refuse to explain it and require you only to take it in those words and leave you to your own sense If a lawful Magistrate command it or the interest of the Church or State require it I see not but he may take it on Condition that in the plain and proper sense of the words the Oath be lawful and that he openly profess to take it in that sense And Q. 152. he determines that it is lawful to profess or subscribe our Assent and Consent to humane Writings which we judge to be true and good according to its measure of Truth and Goodness as if Church-confessions that are sound be offered for our consent we may say or subscribe I hold all the Doctrine in this Book to be true and good And this he cannot deny of the things prescribed to be used by the Liturgy And if as Mr. Baxter says the presence of Godfathers who hear the Charge concerning the Education of Children implyes their consent So doth the presence of such as come to our Congregations to Worship God according to the Liturgy imply their Assent and Consent to the same This is a real and that which is required is but a verbal Declaration of our Assent So much of Assent c. in general P. 160. Mr. Baxter insists upon some particulars unto which the Non-Conformists cannot give their Assent The first is the Rules given in the Rubrick to know when the moveable Feasts and Holy-days begin Where it is said that Easter-day on which the rest depend is always the first Sunday after the first Full Moon which happens next after the 21. of March To which I answer that this being a general Rule
Sections and this is the result of all If every Pastor might be a Bishop in his Parish Independent and free from any Superiour to controul him if he may have an arbitrary power if they may be arbitrary in exercise of the power of the Keys without appeal such as he says p. 265. the Jews had where there was a Village of Ten Persons there was a Presbyter that had power of Judging Offenders Then we should be so far says he from using the controversie about the Divine Right of Episcopacy as a distinct Order from Presbyters to any Schisme or injury to the Church as hitherto they have done that we should thankfully contribute our best endeavours to the Concord Peace Safety and Prosperity thereof i. e. they would give the Bishops leave to exercise their Authority in Vtopia having provided that they shall have nothing to do in England But the Magistrates must yield to them also Might we be freed from Swearing Subscribing Declaring and Covenanting unnecessary things which we take not to be true and from some few unnecessary practices which we cannot justify And if they might have power of Ordaining such as they please and of Confirming the Adult not according to the Order of the Church of England for that comes too near to Popery but according to Mr. Baxters or Mr. Hanmers Model that is May the power of altering the Laws in Church and State then and not till then when these necessary terms are granted they will serve the Church so modelled in poverty and raggs But of so great a mercy says he experience hath made our hopes from Men to be very small and the Reason of the thing makes our hopes as small of the happiness of the Church of England till God Unite us on these necessary terms To what great streights do some Men reduce themselves that they cannot live unless they Rob and ruine their neighbours subvert whole Churches and Kingdoms and grasp all Power and Authority over the Bodies and Consciences of their Brethren into their own hands Did ever any Bishop aspire to such Tyranny as this the Pope only excepted is not the King and whole Nation greatly Culpable not to trust themselves with the Ingenuity of this people of whose Loyalty and Charity they have had such experience and is it not pitty that they should be constrained to attempt these things against Law when they so humbly desire to have them established by Law and when the reason of the thing i. e. their resolution to have it so it being their great concern as he calls it makes the hopes of the happiness of the Church of England to be very small which Men so resolved as they are may foretel as Mr. Baxter doth without a Spirit of Prophecy Sect. 2. p. 207. Mr. Baxter proceeds to the second part of Conformity which he calls Re-ordination and says it was either intended as a second Ordination or not If yea it is a thing condemned by the ancient Churches by the Canons called the Apostles c. If not then they take such Mens former Ordination to be Null and consequently all such Churches to be no Churches their Baptizings and Consecration of the Lords Supper c. to be Null Answ Although the Ordination by Presbyters alone especially when it hath been done in opposition to * P. 237. of the five Disputations We Ordain not presente but Spreto Episcopo and Contempt of Bishops hath been ever condemned in the Church and the validity thereof is still questioned yet granting it to be valid a Submission to Episcopal Ordination is no renouncing of that which was performed by Presbyters no more than the submission of the Disciples of John who had been Baptized by him with the Baptism of Repentance to the Baptism of Christ Nor doth the Law any where require them to declare that their former Ordination was Null because then it would have pronounced their Baptizings and other Ministerial Offices to be Null if therefore we did juge as charitably of our Legislators as we ought and Interpret the Laws by the practice we cannot find any such thing as Re-ordination intended For first the word is no where mentioned but the Ordination required is to qualify them for the exercise of their Ministry in the Church of England and to capacitate them for it Thus in the Preface to the Book of Ordination it is said None shall be taken as Ministers of the Church of England but who are so Ordained It denyeth not but they may be Ministers elsewhere and the Act for Vniformity renders them uncapable of any Parsonage Vicaridge c. in the Church of England But the same Act allows of the Ministers Presbyterially Ordained in other Reformed Churches to exercise their Ministry here by His Majesties Authority Yea the same Parliament permits them to meet and exercise many Ministerial duties so that the number above that of their own Families do not exceed Five and Mr. Baxter knows that the most eminent Divines of our Church ever held the Ordination by Presbyters in forraign Churches to be lawful 2. It is Mr. Baxters Opinion that the outward part of Ordination may be repeated Directory l. 3. Q. 21. And that the Ordainer doth but Ministerially invest the person with Power whom the Spirit of God hath qualified for it by the Inward Call now the Inward Call being the Essential part as he accounts and the Ministerial Investiture of the person with power being the outward part P. 311. of the Plea I see no reason why one Ordained by Presbyters may not submit to Episcopal Ordination by his own Argument Yea Mr. Baxter there affirmes That the mutual consent of the people and themselves may suffice to the orderly admittance into the Office especially if the Magistrate consent and the Ordainers should refuse For which see more in his Dispute of Ordination from whence I propose this case suppose a person fitly qualified for Parts and Piety Chosen and Ordained a Minister by an Independent or Anabaptistical people should afterward submit himself to Presbyterial Ordination I doubt not but the Presbyters would think it lawful to Ordain him and I believe they would not admit him into their Churches without such Ordination which may justifie our Superiours in requiring that they who will be admitted Ministers of the Church of England should be Episcopally Ordained For here is nothing repeated but the outward part or Ceremony of Investiture which by Mr. Baxters Confession may be repeated and is no more than the Marriage of such by a Minister who had been Married before by a Justice of Peace Or as he makes another Comparison it is no more than if a person very expert in Physick should practice without a License Upon which he tells you a story of his great success in Physick which he practiced many years gratis and saved the Lives of multitudes p. 78. of the Third part of the way of Concord and yet he there grants that it
person to banish the thoughts of repenting for his own sins by inquiring into the heinous sinfulness of Conformists I wish heartily he could prove his innocency in the one as easily as they can in the other and if he cannot clear his innocence that he would manifest his penitence then would I as readily give him the right hand of fellowship as he now denyeth it to others and he might be as great an instrument of peace on earth among the Saints as of joy in Heaven among the Angels of God I shall only beseech Mr. Baxter to say that Prayer heartily which he hath penned in the 251 and 252. pages of his Cure of Divisions and then let him reply as he thinks fit Lord hide not my own miscarriages from my sight and suffer me not to take any sin that I have committed to have been my innocency or duty lest I should dare to Father sin on God and lest I should live and dye without repentance and lest I should be one that continueth judgments and danger to the Land stir up some faithful friend to tell me with convincing evidence where it is that I have miscarried that contrition may prepare me for the peace of remission O save me from the plague of an impenitent heart that cannot indure to be told of sin and from that ungodly folly which taketh the shame which Repentance casteth upon sin to be cast upon God and Religion which bind us to Repentance and Confession Amen Now when you have humbly and sincerely renewed this Prayer to Almighty God I beseech you to consider seriously with your self that it may be God hath in answer to your prayers raised up so vile an instrument as I am to be your Monitor that what you thought your duty is your sin and that you are one that still continueth judgments and danger to the Land For first you seemed doubtful of it when you prayed against it 2. When after long and mature deliberation you entred into Communion with our Church in all its Ordinances that concern Lay-Communion and resolved together with other of your Brethren to continue in it and by that practice of yours as well as your Arguments did influence many others to a like pious and peaceable behaviour how can it be less than a sin against God and a grieving and gravelling the Consciences of such well-disposed Christians not only to withdraw your avowed Communion but to practise that which directly tends to Division and Confusion 3. That in the judgment of such as were very pious and learned men in your own Opinion that practice of yours which continueth and encourageth separation from our Communion is sinful such were Cranmer Ridly Peter Martyr and others that compiled the Liturgy in King Edward the VI. days and Parker Grindal Horne Jewel who reviewed and recommended it in Queen Elizabeths days Such were Vsher Davenant Potter Hall Carleton and others in the days of King James and King Charles of Blessed Memory What think you of all these sober and moderate Conformists such as Bolton Whately Fenner Dent Crook Dike Stock Smith Preston Sibbs Stoughton Taylor c. These you confess were no ignorant nor temporizing persons What think you of Jacob and Johnson who were Independents yet wrote against separation And what think you of the most learned and pious of the Non-conformists such as Cartwright Egerton Hildersham Dod Ames Parker Baines Brightman Ball Bradshaw Paget Langly Nichols Hering who wrote more against separation than any of the Conformists themselves Principles of Love p. 57. as you affirm What think you of the Assembly of Divines Twiss Gataker c. Among whom you say you never heard but of Five Non-conformists what think you of such as have Conformed since 1660. such as Reynolds Conant Wallis and lastly what think you of the Father of all the Non-conformists Mr. T. Cartwright who after he had written as much as he could against Conformity saw so much of the weakness of his arguments as that he repented and Conformed at last If all these have judged a bare withdrawing of the people from our Communion to be unlawful and against their duty I wonder how you can still think your more positive opposing and hindring of it to be your duty I considered again that to live in the contempt of the Laws and lawful Autority both of Church and State in a well established Kingdom is a sin of no mean nature in it self and by its effects may prove exceeding sinful for Schism and Division Spiritual Pride Censoriousness are as certainly sins and perhaps greater than Whoredom and Drunkenness and Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft I considered also that you have had long experience of the evil of Schism how great a matter a little fire kindleth and did meditate and foretel with what design I know not in the second paper to the King p. 12. That if you should lose the opportunity of your desired Reconciliation i. e. if you could not obtain what you would it astonished you to foresee what doleful effects your divisions would produce These and such other motives prevailed with me to become your Monitor that what you now take to be your duty is your sin and that your present practice tends to the continuing of judgments and danger to the Land and if my charitable admonition to you and peaceable endeavors for unity and establishment in the Church and State be still despised I can only continue my prayer to God as well for my self as you in the Petitions above mentioned Lord hide not our own miscarriages from our sight c. Cujus Aures clausae sunt ut ab Amico verum audire nequeat hujus salus desperanda est Cicero de Amicitia FINIS