gently with them and adjudged Communion to them And the Africans pretended to no authority over them but by Counsell told them of Gods own Law which no man had power to invalidate They charge the people as heinous sinners if they forsake not a wicked unmeet Bishop or Pastor what Libellaticks were I supposed the reader to know viz such as to save their lives in persecution had permitted another to put their names by subscription to a false profession that favoured idolatry or infidelity Obj. 1. But Cyprian and the African Councils were mistaken in the point of Rebaptizing those baptized by Hereticks and so they might be here Ans 1. The Council of Nice decreed the rebaptizing of those that were baptized by some Hereticks though not by all And if the Africans did not confine the word to such they erred only in not sufficiently distinguishing of Hereticks 2. If we are excused from receiving the testimony of such Fathers and Councils as had any Errour or as great an Errour as that you may see what will follow 3. We do not citâ— Cyprian and the African Council as infallible nor as having more Governing power over us than the present Rulers but as being to us I say to us of more credit and authority in telling us what is jure devino than those Bishops or others that now condemn us as Schismaticks 4. Câ—pâ—â—an and the African Councill were not forbidden for this judgment of theirs to Preach Christs Gospel nor cast out of the Churches noâ— sent to Goals nor called and used as Rogues and Schismaticks and farr worse then drunkards adulterers yea or the atheists and infidels among us Nor were the people that obeyed their Councill so used But tâ—e names of these holy men are venerable to this day Obj. 2. There were then no Christian Magistrates and therefore the peoples power must be used in their stead Ans Church power was the same before and after The Lawes of Christ concerning it altered not The Pastors were then the Guides of the people by divine right And the power of the Keyes was no less forcible or effectual as used by the Bishops and Presbyters than when the power of the sword was added to them if not much more And the peoples power of choosing and refusing Bishops continued many hundred years after Magistrates were Christians confirmed even by Popes and Councills Obj. 3. This would cast all into confusion and there would be no Church Government if the people be Judges when a Minister is bad and then maâ— full him down or forsake him and choose another Answ This is after further answered I now only say 1. The people may not touch his Person by violence nor deprive him of his benefice or temple nor yet degrade him As they that change their Physician or Lawyer do no such thing but simply choose one that they can trust No man will win more by my salvation than I shall nor would suffer more than I by it if I were damned Who is more than I concerned what becometh of my soul Am I not to have more care of it than of my estate or health of body Who can easily believe those men that send us to goales and ruin us for trusting our soules with such Guides as to the best of our understandings we think meetest or at least for avoiding such as we cannot so farr trust and then tell us that they do it because they love our souls better than we love our selves and therefore will not trust them to our choice 2. what confusion doth it cause that every man now chooseth his owne Tutor in philosophy his own master his own Lawyer and physician and every woman at age her own husband 3. Doth not the Church of England as is said allow every man his choice when no man is forbidden to forsake any Bishop or Pastor and choose another by removing his habitation when he pleases So that all this is but about Parish bounds which is confessed to be of humane alterable constitution And how ordinarily do many Gentlemen of the Church of England go from their own Parishes in London 4. You may see by Philip Nyes printed papers and Mr. Tombs his that even those called Independents and some Anabaptists are for hearing such Parish-Teachers as their Rulers shall appoint so they may but commit the Pastoral care of their souls to such as they can better trust and have Sacraments and special Church Communion free 5. what great confusion doth it breed in London that the French and Dutch Churches thus differ from the rest and have their proper modes and Government Yea or that the Nonconformists by the favour of his Majesties Licenses had their choice and several meetings Let not envy and animosity seign greater confusion than there is and the matter will appear much otherwise than it is represented even that the discords and confusions were incomparably less on that occasion than they were under the Bishops in the better times of the Churches even from An. 400 to 600 of which more in due place 6. They that will condemn all that hath inconveniences shall condemn all things in this world But the Greatest must be noted and avoided first Shall the people have any judgment of discerning or not If yea the bounds of it must be shewed and not the thing denyed as if it must bring in all confusion If Usurpers claim the Crown the Subjects must judge which is their true King and must defend his right Will you say If the people be Judges they may set up Usurpers and put down the King They are but discerners of that which is before their duty They have no right to erre nor to alter the Law or right But if it be otherwise they are to be ruled as brutes And so must not judge so much as whom they must obey Is there any Christian that dare say that Bishops or Princes are in all things to be obeyed lest the people be made Judges And so that under Heathen Mahometan Papist Heretical Rulers they must be all of their Religion as to the external professing and practising part None dare for shame say so save an Infidel Is not this a greater confusion or michief than that which is now disputed against Therefore the bounds must be set on both sides which are not difficult to discern As the people have property in their limbs children and liberties and acquisitions antecedently to humane Government which is to order these and not to destroy them so have all men greater interest in the safety of their own souls which no man can take from them no nor is it in their just power to put it into the hands of others from themselves If Hereticks blind guides oâ—â—faithless men or insufficient be made Pastors of the Flocks and all men commanded to hear no better nor trust the Pastoral Conduct of their souls into any wiser or safer hands Satan will be more gratified by it than by the
Drunkenness Popery c. and then would command all Ministers on pain of silencing to subscribe that no man is bound to perform that Vow this would not do them any service but involve each Subscriber in the guilt of a multitudes perfidiousness SECT XIII V. The Fifth Part of Conformity 1. THE The Fifth Part of Conformity is the Subscribing of the said Declaration and taking the Oxford Oath as it concerneth Civil Government viz. It is not lawful on any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that traiterous position of taking Arms by his authority against his person or against those that are commissioned by him in pursuance of that Commission 2. Here the Question is not of the first Clause of taking Arms against the King but only of the last against those that are commissioned by him the Ministers being mostly ignorant of Law and not knowing what is called a Commission and what seal maketh it such For as they are satisfied that no true Legal Commission of the King may be resisted so while the unexpounded words have no limitation or exception 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 Garrisons Magazines Treasure Navies or Guards nor yet to destroy the Kingdoms Cities Laws and Judgments and seize at pleasure on all mens estates or lives And they dare not swear or subscribe that which the generality of Learned men Heathens Papists and Protestants Politicians Lawyers and Divines are commonly against it being too great presuming on their own wits to say or swear that almost all the world are in the wrong even men in their own profession and that yet they are wiser than all these An Oath therefore being to be taken understandingly their not understanding this causeth their refusal and it pleaseth not the Law givers to explain it to them 3. But though this be a very important business we are so unwilling to meddle with matters of our Rulers Power as being less pertinent to our function and the late debates in the House of Lords as some body hath published them have said so much in this case that we think it best to say no more of it SECT XIV VI. The Sixth Part of Conformity or Obedience consequently required of Ministers 1. THE Sixth part of Obedience required of us consequently is that till we can do all aforesaid We must desert our former flocks though they desire us to continue our care of them and that we give over our preaching the Gospel of salvation to any but our families or four more and that no man not ordained by Diocesans administer the Lords Supper c. 2. The question is not whether we should give up the Temples and Tythes and all publick Maintenance when ever it is required of us Though St. Ambrose would not obey the Emperour Valentinian in giving up one Temple which he could spare to the Arrians yet the Nonconformists are of another judgment and think them all in the Magistrates power But it is the Office Relation and Work that they dare not renounce or cease from without a better discharge 3. Yet they judge that where truly there is no necessity of their labours or they should do more hurt than good by Preaching it is their duty when forbidden to forbear But not because any will say we are Judges and it is so when notoriously it is not so 4. But this requireth a larger disquisition than we may here stay to make SECT XV. VII The Seventh Part of required Obedience 1. THE Seventh Part of the Obedience required of us is that we come not within five miles of any City or Corporation which sendeth Burgesses to Parliament or to any other place whatever where we have ever preached since the Act of Oblivion except on the Rode or summoned 2. Many Ministers have their friends houses and all that they have in those forbidden places 3. The greatest places being most populous have most need of Preachers many souls being more precious than few and the publick Teachers that have many thousands needing more help than they that have but little charges 4. Few Ministers are rich enough to be able to sell their houses and goods at loss when perhaps none will take them and to take houses in other Countries 5. A great part of the Land is seated so neer Corporations that it is hard to find a place that is above five miles off them And some Ministers have Preached about in so many places that it is hard to find a place within their reach above five miles from the places which they have preached in And in such places it is rare to find empty houses and Landlords that will let them on terms which they are capable of so hard to them is this confinement 6. They think that men can no more disoblige them from preaching to many in Cities and Corporations than to four or five in Villages seeing the Churches of old were planted most in Cities and Christ saith not forsake all the souls in Cities if they bid you but When you are persecucuted in one City fly to another 7. Though we live not to eat we must eat to live and when Ministers that have nothing are like to beg or famish among strangers in poor Villages and bigger places do more call for help and will allow them bread they think it no sin to eat bread any more than to give bread to others that are in want 8. The former Laws send them when they are in beggery to be kept by the Parishes where they last lived and this Law forbids them to come within five miles of them SECT XVI The Adjuncts and other Matters agreed on which affright the Nonconformists I. AS there are some sins far greater and more terrible to conscience than others so aggravating Adjuncts oft make them such And these here seem very frightful We are not now charging any others with sin nor proving the unlawfulness of what we fear but expressing the Matter of Fact agreed on which doth affright us I. Both sides agree that it is a great aggravation of sin to be done by a Minister of Christ a person consecrated to holy work to preach truth and holiness and serve at the Altar For our Doctrine will be the less regarded and men will be tempted to follow our bad example who are bound to be to them patterns of purity and obedience to God And Christian and Protestant Religion is most injured by Ministers sins II. It is agreed that our Ministorial sins which we do as if they were part of our Office in the publick Assemblies have a special aggravation differing from mens secret personal crimes III. It is agreed that Lying and Perjury are sins of so heinous a nature as that they tend to overthrow humane trust and converse and all Societies and deprive Princes of part of the security due
not oppose Sect. XVIII We find proof thar ordinarily Churches were first planted in Cities there being not then in the Villages Christians enough to make Churches But we find no proof that when there are Christians enough to constitute Churches they may not be planted in Villages also Nor yet that there may not be more Churches than one in the same City For so Grotius saith There were even then when Christians were comparatively but few and that they were as the Jewish Synagogues in this respect And Dr. Hamond largely asserteth that Peter had a Church of Jews and Paul another of Gentiles at Rome and that so it was in other Cities Sect. XIX Much less is it by Divine Institution that Bishops and their Churches or Seats be only in such as we now call Cities which by their priviledges are distinct from other great Towns and Corporations whenas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then signified a great Town or Corporation such as our Market-Towns and Corporations now are Sect. XX. But it is the Law of God that all things about Churches and Church-affairs which he hath left to humane prudence should be done according to such general Rules as he hath prescribed for their regulation SECT IV What Princes and Pastors may do in such matters I. THese foresaid General Laws of God do both give the Rulers their Power for determining things committed to them and also limit their power therein II. These General Laws are that All things be done to Edification the circumstances fitted to the End the Glory of God and the Publick Good the promoting of Truth and Godliness that all be done in Love to the promoting of Love and Unity and that all be done in Order and Decently and as may avoid offence or scandal to all both those without and those within Gal. 6. 15 16. Phil. 3. 15 16. 1 Cor. 14. 3 5 12. 26. 17. Rom. 14. 19. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 23. Ephes 4 12 16 19. 2 Cor. 12. 19. 6. 3. 11. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 13. III. Therefore no Rulers Civil or Ecclesiastical have their power to scandalize and destroy but only to edifie being the Ministers of God for good Rom. 13. 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. IV. The great Dispute is handled excellently against the Papists for Kings by Bishop Bilson of Christian Obedience Bishop Andrews Tortura Torti Bishop Buckeridge Spalatensis and many more whether the Kings of Christian Kingdoms have not the same power about Church-matters as the Kings of Israel and Judah had David Solomon Hezekiah Josiah c. which cannot be answered by an only Yea or Nay without a more particular consideration of the compared Cases V. We suppose it certain that Christian Kings have no lesser power than the Kings of Israel except 1. What any such King had as a Prophet or in peculiar by an extraordinary grant 2. And what alteration is made by alteration of Church-offices Laws and Worship which may make a difference of which hereafter VI. And 1. It must be remembred that God then reserved the Legislation to himself which he exercised by Revelation and by special Prophets And so the Prophet Moses delivered them that Law which no King had power to abrogate suspend or alter by adding or diminishing Deut. 12. 32. Jos 1. But they had a mandatory power and of making some subordinate by-By-laws as Cities and Corporations have from and under the King VII 2. Yea great and special Mandates were oft sent from God by Prophets against which the Kings of Israel had no power VIII 3. The Executive or Judicial Power was divided part was in the Kings and Magistrates and part was in the Priests and Levites which the King could not usurp himself as appeareth in Uzziahs offering Incense nor yet forbid the Priests to use it according to God's Law nor change or abrogate their Office For he and they were subject to God's Laws IX 4. God himself settled the High Priesthood on the line of Aaron and all the Priesthood on the Tribe of Levi and it was not in the power of the King to alter it X. 5. God stated the High Priesthood on the Priests during life Numb 35. 25 28. Jos 20 6 c. which Law the Kings had no power to violate XI 6. There are more particular Laws made by God for the duty of the Priests describing their office and work than for any other particular case as many hundred Texts will tell us And none of these Laws might be altered or suspended by the Kings of Israel Nor those by which God stated some of the Judicial Power in the Congregation Num. 35. 12. to 26. XII 7. Solomon's putting out Abiathar and putting in Zadok is not contrary to any of this For supposing the words 1 King 2 35. to be not only a history of the bare matter of fact but a justification of it de jure 1. It poseth learned men to resolve how Zadok and Abiathar are oft said to be both High Priests before and Zadok still put before Abiathar 2. It is certain that Zadok had the right both of Inheritance and especial Promise Numb 25. 11 12 13. 1 Chron. 6. 3 4 c. And what Solomon did was that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled How the possession came into the hands of the line of Ithamar Expositors cannot find It is like it was by occasion of the confusions of their oft Captivity and Anarchy in the interspace of the Judges 3. Even the Priests were the King's subjects and might be punished for their crimes so it were according to God's Laws And if Abiathar forfeited his life he forfeited his Office XIII 8. The Priesthood then depended not on the institution or will of the King or People He might not put out a lawful Priest that had not forfeited his Life or Office He might not have put any one in his place that had not right from God or that was unqualified He might not have forbid the Priests the work appointed them by God But yet if he had injurioâ—slâ— deposed one Abiathar and put in a Zadok the loss had been little to the Church But if he had deposed so great a number of the Priests and Levites as that a great part of God's commanded work must needs thereby have been lest undone and Religion so far destroyed or had as Jeroboam put of the basest of the people or uncapable persons into the Priesthood the loss had been greater and the thing unwarrantable and such as he had not power from God to do XIV And the quality of Moses Law and its Works as different from the Laws of Christ and the Works thereof must be considered that we may discern the difference of the Cases A man that did attempt to draw the people to Idolatry was then to be put to death yea the City to be destroyed that concealed him Deut. ch â—3 so were they that blasphemed and such as committed other heinous
crimes against Religion yea those that would not enter into or renew their Covenant with God were by Asa's command to be put to death But Christ will have mens Atheism Irreligiousness Idolatry and Iâ—fidelity cured by the Preaching of the Truth which therefore requireth that the Preachers for number and qualification be answerable to their work especially seeing they are things so mysterious and supernaturally revealed which men are to believe And the works of Moses's Law lay very much in ceremony and outward actions which a man of mean qualifications might easily do But the great work of the Gospel is to bring Life and Immortality to light and to Preach Christ by whom came Grace and Truth and more notably than the Law of Moses did to call men to Mortification Self-denial Cross-bearing contempt of the World by Faith and Hope and Love of a better World and to bring them to a heavenly mind and life And mens salvation is laid on this If it were but to offer Sacrifices and do over the task of outward Ceremonies a Mass-Priests qualifications might serve the turn And if it were but to put men to death that will not be Jews and take their Covenant and that draw any from their Religion neither so many nor so excellent Ministers were necessary But we are under a better Covenant even a Law of Love which is more eminently become the first and last the great and new Commandment and the regent Principle in Souls and Churches and the number and quality of the Preachers of it must be answerable XV. As Moses was God's ministerial Law-giver to the Israelites and was faithful in all his trust so Christ is the great Prophet like unto him as typified by him whom God hath raised up to his Church whom they that hear not shall be cut off by God and from that Church as he hath appointed The Legislation Universal is now the work of Christ by himself and by the Holy Ghost which he promised and gave for that use to his Apostles that they might infallibly understand his will and remember what he had commanded them to teach the world XVI Kings or Pastors may not now alter or suspend any of these Laws of Christ any more than the Jewish Kings or Priests might alter or suspend the Laws of Moses XVII Christ hath instituted a Ministry to be for ever stablished in the world to Preach his Gospel to convert volunteers unto Faith and Holiness and to gather by Baptism all Consenters into his Covenant and Church and to teach them all that he hath commanded them And this none have power to overthrow XVIII He hath stated on the Pastors of such Churches the Power afore described of Teaching Assemblies and particular persons of leading them in publick Worship and Sacraments and of judging by the power of the Keys whom to receive into their communion by Baptism and profession of Faith and whom to admonish and for obstinate impenitence to reject And this Institution none may alter XIX He hath instituted ordinary Assemblies and stated particular Churches as is aforesaid for these holy exercises and forbad all Christians to forsake them and he and his Apostles have appointed and separated the Lord's day hereunto None therefore may abrogate or suspend these Laws All this is proved Matth. 28. 19 20. 16. 19. 18. 18 19. Joh. 20. 23. Luk. 12. 37 38. Mat. 21. 36. 22. 4 5 c. 24. 45 46. Heb. 10. 25 26 Act. 11. 26. 1 Cor. 11. Ephes 4. 4. to 17. 1 Thes 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 17 24. Tit. 1. 5 6 c. 1 Tim. 3. Act. 14. 23. Act. 20. 1 Cor. 16. 1 c. XX. Christs Laws empower and oblige the Bishops or senior Pastors to Ordain others for this Ministerial service of the Church and so to propagate their order to the end of the world By which Ordination 1. They are Judges of the persons qualifications whether he be such as Christs Laws admit into his Ministry 2. And they solemnly invest him in the office But the Power with which they ministerially invest him delivering him possession as Christ appointed resulteth directly from the Law or Donation of Christ As the power of a Mayor from the Charter of the King and not from the Electors or Investers None therefore have power given them by Christ to hinder such Ordination and Propagation of such a Ministry Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. XXI So exceeding great are the benefits and priviledges of being members of Christ and his Church universal and particular that no unwilling person is immediately capable of it Nor is it possible ex natura rei for any adult person that consenteth not to be a Christian or a Member of any particular Church He cannot be a just Communicant against his will nor pray and praise God with the Church nor take a man for his Pastor or use him as a Pastor against his will And God hath laid mens salvation or damnation on the choice or refusal of their wills Therefore no man can be the Bishop or Pastor of a Church either de jure or truly de facto against the Church or Peoples will or without their consent And as the Nature of the thing proveth this so doth the sacred Scripture Act. 14. 23. 2. 37 38. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Mat. 28. 19. And so doth the judgment and practice of Christ's Church for many hundred years which is so fully proved by Blondell de jure plebis and confessed by the Papists themselves and so express in all antiquity that we need not add the proof Therefore no power may change this Law of Nature and of Christ nor can they by any Law Mandate Choice Ordination Institution Imposition or other act make any man a real Pastor to that People that consent not to the relation Nor are they any true particular Churches where Pastor and People do not consent No more than the relation of Husband and Wife Master and Servant Tutor and Scholars can be without consent XXII Christ and his Spirit have commanded his Ministers to preach the Word to be instant in season and out of season to reprove rebuke and exhort 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. And having put their hand to Christ's Plough not to look back and none hath power to alter this Law of Christ or to suspend it His Ministers by his Authority preached against the will of Princes for above three hundred years and since then against the wills of erroneous Princes who professed Christianity XXIII If Church-History be not to be believed the pleas thence used for Prelacy must cease If it be to be believed God hath wrought miracles to justifie those that would not cease Preaching when Princes yea Christian-Princes have forbidden them And the Church hath honoured their fidelity herein The case of Athanasius Basil Meletius and abundance more evince the later And for the former we will now instance but in the case of the Bishops of Africa whose tongues
were cut out by the King's command and they spake freely by miracle after they were cut out as is testified by Aeneas Gaze◠and by Victor Uticensis who saw and spake with and heard the persons when this miracle was wrought upon them and by Procopius XXIV It will be objected that Constantius Valeus Gensericus Hunnericus c were Arrians and the later conquering Usurpers Answ 1. Even Heathen Emperours and Kings are our Governours though they want due aptitude to their duty as also do many wicked Christian Princes And we owe them obedience when their Laws or Mandates are not against the Laws of God We must not say as Bellarmine that Christians should not tolerate such Princes and that the ancient Christians suffered for want of Power to resist 2. Let the Emperours called Arrians be made no worse than they were Some were for Concord and Toleration of both Parties and so are more suspected than proved to be Arrians And Arrians themselves though unexcusably erroneous were not like the Socinians that utterly deny Christ's Deity They subscribed to all the Nicene Creed save the the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They would say that Christ was Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made c. They thought that as the Sun-beams or Light are its immediate emanation but not its substance as commonly Philosophers say they are not how true we say not so Christ was an immediate emanation from the Father before and above Angels by whom all things else were made And how dangerously Justin and most of the ancientest Doctors before the Nicene Council speak hereabout and how certainly Eusebius and other great Bishops were Arrians and how lamentably the Council at Ariminum endeavoured an uniting Reconciliation by laying by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And even old Osius by their cruelty yielded to them as Liberius subscribed to them we need not send any men to Philostorgius nor Sondius for proof it being so largely proved by D◠Petavius de Trinitate who fully citeth their dangerous words And if the heterodoxies of the Prince shall be made the reason of the Subjects disobeying him in a matter lawful in it self as some that we speak to now suppose we shall hardly know where to stop nor what bounds to set the Subjects when they are made Judges of the Princes Errours and what examination of cognisance of it they must have 3. Constantine that banished Athanasius who kept in while he could against the Emperours will is not proved an Arrian Nor Valentinian who commanded Ambrose not to cease Prenching himself nor to forsake his Church nor to subscribe to Arrianism but only to tolerate the Arrians to meet in one spare Church which was in Millan as an act of moderation But Ambrose resolutely disobeyed the Emperour we justifie not the manner because he thought that God's Law made it his office as Bishop so to do 4. And as to Gensericus and Hunnericus's Usurpation it was then ordinary with the Bishops even of Rome to submit to men that had no better title and alas how few of many of the old Roman Emperours had any better at least at first XXV We doubt not at all but that Kings are the Governours of Bishops and Churches by coercive power as truly as of Physicians or other Professions And though they have no Authority to abrogate or suspend the Laws of Christ yet they have a Power of Legislation under Christ as Corporations for by-By-laws have under them which power is only about those things which God hath left to their determination and not either above Christ against Christ or in coordination with Christ but only in such subordination to him and to his Laws XXVI How far Rulers have power or not to command things indifferent and how far things scandalous and evil by accident some of us have opened already distinctly and need not here repeat XXVII And we have there shewed that as they may regulate Physicians by General and Cautionary Laws but not overthrow their Calling on that pretence by prescribing to the Physician all the Medicines which he shall use to this or that Patient at this or that time c. so they may make such General and Cautionary Laws circa sacra 1. As shall drive Bishops and Pastors on to do their certain duties 2. And as shall duely restrain them from sin and doing hurt 3. And they may punish them by the sword or force for such crimes as deserve that punishment And a King of England may depose or put to death a traiterous Bishop Priest or Deacon as lawfully as Solomon deposed Abiathar XXVIII And as we have there said we suppose that there are some circumstances of the Ministers work which it belongeth to his own office to determine of and are a true part of his Ministerial works But there are others which it is meet should be universally determined of for the Concord of all the Churches in a Kingdom These the Pastors and Churches by consent may agree in without a Law it Kings leave it to them And Kings by the advise of such as best understand Church Cases may well by their own Laws make such determinations As for instance in what Scripture Translations what Versions and Metres of Psalms the Churches shall agree Much more may they determine of the Publick Maintenance of Ministers and the Temples and such other extrinsick accidents XXIX Princes and Rulers may forbid Atheists Infidels Hereticks and Malignant opposers of necessary truth and godlyness and all that preach rebellion and sedition that propagate such wicked Doctrine and may punish them if they do it And may hinder the incorrigible and all that provedly or notoriously are such whose Preaching will do more hurt to men than good from exercising the Ministry or Preaching in their jurisdiction or Dominions For such have not any power from Christ so to Preach but serve the Enemy of Christ and man XXX Princes and Rulers may for order sake distribute their Christian Kingdoms into Parishes which shall be the ordinary bounds of particular Churches And such distribution is very congruous to the Ends of the Ministry and Churches and conduceth to orderly settlement and peace And experience hath shewed us that such Parish Churches where the Pastors are faithfull and fit may live as Christians should do to their mutuall comfort in Piety Love and Peace And such Parish-order we desire XXXI But no Rulers may hence conclude 1. that Parishes are distributed by God immediately or that he hath commanded such a distribution as a thing of absolute necessity to a Church But the Generall Rules of order and Edification do ordinarily in Christian Kingdomes require it 2 Nor may any make a Parish as such to be a Church and all to be Church members that are in the Parish as such for Atheists Infidels Hereticks Impenitent Rebels may live in the Parish and many that consent not to be members of that or any Church And not
only in worse lands but in Ireland and in England as part of Lancashire the far greatest part of the Parishioners are Papists who renounce the Protestant Churches in some places XXXII Neither dwelling in the Parish nor the Law of the Land makes any Christian a member of that Parish Church without or before his own consent But proximity is part of his extrinsick aptitude and the law of man or command of his Prince may make it his duty to consent and thereby to become a member when greater Reasons mollify not that obligation XXXIII Parish Bounds and such other humane distributions for conveniency may be altered by men and they bind not against any of Christs own Laws and predeterminations nor when any changes turn them against the good ends for which they are made of which more afterward when we speak of separation XXXIIII And about these humane Church-Laws the general Case must be well considered how far they are obligatory to conscience and in what cases they cease to bind Sayrus Fragoso and other the most Learned and Moderate Casuists of the Papists ordinarily conclude that Humane Laws bind not when they are not for the Common good We had rather say that when they are notoriously against the Laws of Christ or against the Common good or are made by usurpation without authority thereto they bind not to formal obedience in that particular though sometime other reasons especially the honour of our Rulers may bind us to material obedience when the matter is indifferent and though still our subjection and loyalty must be maintained But of this before and more largely by one of us Christian directory Part. 4. Chap. 3. Tit. 3. c. The Council of Toletum 1355 decreed that their decrees shall bind none ad culpam but only ad poenam see Bin. Inoc. 6th Sect. XXXV Kings and Magistrates should see that their Kingdoms be well provided of publick Preachers and Catechists to convert Infidels and Impious men where there are such and to prepare such for Baptisme and Church priviledges and Communion as are not yet Baptized but are Catechumens And they may by due means compel the ignorant to hear and learn what Christianity is though not to become Christians for that is impossible nor to prosess that which is not true nor to take Church-Priviledges to which they have no right and of which at present they are uncapable But they may grant those rewards and civil Priviledges to Christians and Churches for their encouragement which they are not bound to give to others and which may make a moving difference without unrighteous constraint XXXVI Christ and his Apostles having as is aforesaid settled the Right of Ordination on the Senior Pastors or Bishops and the Right of Consenting in the People and this continued long even under Christian Emperours Princes or Patrons may not deprive either party of their Right but preserving such Rights they may 1. Offer meet Pastors to the Ordainers and Consenters to be accepted when there is just cause for their interposition 2. They may hinder both Ordainers and People from introducing intollerable men 3. They may when a Peoples Ignorance Faction or Wilfulness maketh them refuse all that are truly fit for them urge them to accept the best and may possess such of the Temples and Publick Maintenance and make it consequently to become the Peoples duty to consent as is aforesaid so also when they are divided XXXVII Princes ought to be Preservers of Peace and Charity among the Churches and to hinder Preachers from unrighteous and uncharitable reviling each other and their unpeaceable controversies and contentions XXXVIII Christ himself hath instituted the Baptismal Covenant to be the Title of Visible Members of his Church and the Symbol by which they shall be notified And he hath commanded all the baptized as Christians to Love each other as themselves and though weak in the faith to receive one another as Christ receiveth us but not to doubtful disputations and so far as they have obtained to walk by the same rule of Love and Peace and not to despise or judge each other for tolerable differences much less to hate revile or destroy each other and it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and the Apostles to lay no greater burden on the Churches even of the Ceremonies which God had once commanded but Necessary things Act. 15. 28. And these terms of Church-Union and Concord which Christ hath made no mortal man hath power to abrogate All things therefore of inferiour nature though Verities and Good must be no otherwise imposed by Rulers than as may stand with these universal Laws of Christ which are the true way to prevent Church-Schisms XXXIX Princes by their Laws or Pastors by consent where Princes leave it to them may so associate many particular Churches for orderly correspondencie and concord and appoint such times and places for Synods and such orders in them as are agreable to Gods aforesaid generall Laws of doing all in Love to Edification and in order And how far if Rulers should miss this generall Rule they are yet to be obeyed we have opened elsewhere XL. As we have there also said that Princes may make their own Officers to execute their Magistratical Power circa sacra which we acknowledge in our King in our Oath of Supremacy and if such be called Eclesiastical and their Courts and Laws so called also that ambiguous name doth not intimate them to be of the same species as Christs ordained Ecclesiastical Ministers or as his Churches and Laws are so now we add that if Princes shall authorize any particular Bishops or Pastors to excercise any such visiting conventing ordering moderating admonishing or governing power as it belongeth to the Prince to give not contrary to Christs Laws or the duties by him commanded and priviledges by him granted to particular Churches we judge that Subjects should obey all such even for conscience sake However our consideration of Christs decision of his disciples controversie who should be the greatest and our certain knowledge how necessary Love and Lowliness and how pernicious wrath and Lordly-Pride are in those that must win souls to Christ and imitate him in bearing not making the cross together with the sad history of the Churches distractions and corruption by Clergy-Pride and Worldliness lamented by Nazianzene Basil Hilary Pictavus Socrates Sozomen Isidore Pelusiot Bernard and multitudes more yea by some Popes themselves these and other reasons we say doe make us wish that the Clergy had never been trusted with the sword or any degree of forcing power or secular pomp yet if Princes judge otherwise we must obediently submit to all their Officers XLI It seemeth by the phrase of His Maiesties Declaration about Ecclesiastical affairs 1660 in which after consultation with his Reverend Bishops the Pastoral way of Perswasion reproofs and admonitions are granted to the Presbyters that a distinction is intended between this Pastoral and the Prelatical Government And we
differ from them because they prefer some other Teacher before them and say somewhat against their opinions or ways do condemn themselves while they cry down Schismaticks and seem not to know what manner of spirit they are of The Wisdom from above is first pure and then peaceable and gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and hypocrisie and the fruit of righteousness is sowen in peace by peace-makers But if there be envying and strife it is infernal wisdom earthly sensual and devilish introducing confusion and every evil work whether it be found in Factions Contentions Antichurches and Hereticks or in those that can bear with no Dissenters nor receive them that are weak in the faith but make things unnecessary and their own conceits and wills the measure of mens liberties and their censures He that would pursue all as Rebels in a Kingdom who interpret not every Law alike would more divide the Kingdom than all mens different expositions now do LVII We do with sorrow confess that the discords of the people about chusing their Bishops hath been a great scandal to Infidels and a great dishonour to the Church and hath caused many lamentable Schisms not only under Christian Emperours but Heathen But it hath been greatest about the greatest Prelates especially the Bishops of Rome Alexandria Constantinople Aâ—â—ioch c. since Dâ—masus got that seat by Conquest in the Church a multitude of Schisms have fallen out even when Princes challenged the choice A long time two at once sometimes three and once five or six Popes living that were and had been Popes The Schism of the Donatists was so caused by Bishop set up against Bishop so was that of the Iâ—anites at Constantinople and of Dioscorus at Alexandria and many more But it must be noted 1. That the Electing Bishops-Priests and Magistrates have occasioned these Schisms as much if not far more than the Electing people have done 2. That yet Princes for many hundred years after Constantines time did not think it meet to prevent such Schisms by depriving the People or Presbyters of their Electing-power much less of Consent 3. That the Cure must not be by altering Christ's institution and the Churches practice continued 600 if not 800 years and with most or many to this day nor by overthrowing the very Constitution of Churches and the Law of Nature it self nor by introducing a greater evil as it would be to teach all people to receive all and only such Pastors as Princes every where shall set over them and all Ministers of Christ to cease their Office when men forbid it them LVIII Obj. 4. But if Ministers themselves must be judges whether a Magistrate do justly silence them then none will take themselves to be silenced justly and so all Hereticks will Preach on It is the Rulers that must judge Ans 1. when we hear and read how the Papists deceive the ignorant by repeating the question who must be the judge it grieveth us to find some Protestants so unskilful in answering it when the answer is so easy that when opened we hope few â—â—ber Protestants differ in it Judgement is Publik or Private Publik Judgement is either Antecedent by a Lawgiver judging what shall be commanded and made the subjects duty or consequent by a Judge so strictly called Judging of Titles and Crimes in order to punishment according to law Private Judgement is either by Arbitrators or private Censurers or by every mans Conscience discerning and judging what is his duty and what is sin 1. The Sovereign of the World is the only Judge by Legislation what shall be the duty of all mankind by the Law which he maketh to bind high and low which none may alter or suspend 2. And he is the only fountain of Power to his Creatures 3. And he is the only final absolute infallible judge 2. The Sovereigns of Kingdoms and Common wealths and masters in their families are judges antecedently what shall be their Subjects duty by their Laws subservient to Gods And they and their Officers receiving power from them are the Judges Consequently by Decision who shall be punished as Criminal and who not and who shall be protected in his propriety or estate by the sword of Iustice 3. The true Bishops or Pastors of the Church are Guides to the people according to Christs Laws in the matters of their Office and decisive Iudges who shall be taken in or put out of Communion in the respective Churches 4. Every mans Conscience is that Private discerning Judge of his own Duty and sin Of Arbitrators or Censurers we need not speak This all of us are agreed in And the question who shall Judge is still urged by some as if they thought that some man or men must needs in all cases of Religion be taken for such Absolute Judges that what ever they Judge all subjects must obey it And on this pernicious supposition is built the Popes pretended Infallibility because they think that religion is fallible that is Gods Law if the judge that is an ignorant man or men be fallible But all Protestants at least are agreed that all men are Gods subjects and that all humane Power of Legislation Judgement and execution is limited and that no man may judge against God or his Laws And that men should know Gods Laws and justifie them and judge by them and condemn all that is against them But no man hath power to condemn or contradict Gods Law it self No man hath power to judge that there is no God no Life to come no Christ or that one word of God is false or to forbid one thing which God commandeth or command one thing which God forbiddeth no man hath power to judge that souls shall be deprived of such needful Teaching and Sacraments and publick worshiping of God as God hath provided and commanded them to use Nor to forbid Christs faithful Ministers causelesly to Preach his word and worship him in the Churches and administer his Sacraments Nor causelesly to silence or punish them for so doing Therefore in this case our consciences would not be bound though still we profess that Gods Law bindeth us not to rebel or take up arms against their injuries but patiently to bear them and pray for our persecutors LIX Obj. You say that Rulers may not causelesly silence or punish such But still they are judges whether there be cause Ans They are so For it is about their proper work But they are Judges subject to God to whom they shall answer it if they disobey him And the subjects are pâ—ivate discerning Judges whether the Laws of men contradict Gods Laws so far as concerneth their obeying or not obeying them We must still repeat that the esse is before the scire and the Being of the case and Truth before the judging of it either the Preacher deserveth Silencing or not before you come to judge the case If he ought to be silent
a Christian Civil Governour of a Christian People that are his Subjects We daily pray that the Kingdoms of the world may all be Christian and we believe that their Kings are the Governours by the sword of all the Clergy as well as others 3. Nor is the question whether Kings may call all their Kingdoms into a holy Covenant with God by lawful means giving them an example first themselves 4. Nor do we contend about an Equivocal Name whether a Christian Kingdom as such may be called a National Church 5. No nor whether a Christian Nation governed by a Heathen or Mahometan King may be called a Christian Church or Kingdom or a Protestant Nation ruled by a Papist King is to be called a Protestant Kingdom or Church for this is but about bare names 6. Nor do we question whether a Christian King may make such accidental disparity between the Pastors as we have before described 7. Nor yet whether the Pastors of one Kingdom may associate and hold Synods for Unity and Counsel and be named a National Church as they are such Associations obliged to Concord §4 But our doubts are these 1. Whether it be in it self specially instituted by God that every Kingdom or Nation of Christians shall have One summam Potestatem essentialiter Ecclesiasticam or one Priest-Head whether a single person or an Aristocracy or a Common Synod as a constitutive part of the National Church 2. Whether this Priest-Head whether High-Priest or Council stand in subordination to the King as part of the same formal Church as a General or a Vicerov that maketh not a distinct Kingdom though he may make a distinct subordinate Society as an Army City c or is he Head of a coordinate different species so as that the same Kingdom shall be two Policies formally viz. a Christian Kingdom or Royal Church and a Priestly Church each being supream in their proper species and both made coordinate by Christ and so they are formally two Churches National About the Jews the Controversie is made by Dissenters e. g. Galaspie Coleman Selden c. exceeding difficult 3. Whether the very Jewish Church Policy be established by Christ for the Christian Church or be repealed 4 Whether the said Ecclesiastical Head must be One as the High Priest or an Aristocracy of many or a Synod of the whole Clergy or whether it be left indifferent which 5. Or whether God hath ordained such a National Church-form only by the general Command of doing all things in Order and Unity and to Edification 6. Which is the Priestly-Head or highest Governour of the Church of England which is a constitutive part as a King in a Kingdom 7. Who is it that chooseth or authorizeth the National Priestly Head that we may know when we have a lawful Chief Pastor and when an Usurper 8. Whether the King or he is to be obeyed in Circumstances or matters Ecclesiastical if they differ and make contrary Laws Without the solution of these questions the name of a National Church will not be understood nor of any practical importance Our own thoughts of them are as followeth § 5. It is certain that the Mosaical Law made for the Jews peculiar republick as such is abrogate not only the Ceremonial part but all All that was not then made for all the world is ceased 1. Because the Common-wealth is ceased for which it was made 2. The Holy Ghost expresly and frequently determineth it so even of that Law that was written in stone as such 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Heb. 7. 12. 19. Gal. 4. 21 o. 3. 24. The natural part and that which was instituted positively long before for perpetuity were both of them God's Laws before Moses's time and as such obliged other Nations and so do still The matter written in stone except some few mutable particulars as the seventh day Sabbath c. is such as we are still obliged to 1. By Nature 2. By Christ But not as it was part of the Jews peculiar Mosaical Law Much less doth it bind all the world to its Policy § 6. If the Jewish Law either as such or as stablished by Christ for his Kingdom did bind all the world to this day then it would bind them to their Civil Policy as much at least as to their Ecclesiastical But few Christians think that it binds them to their Civil Policy For if it did then 1. All Nations that have varied from it to this day have sinned 2. No diversity of Governments could be lawful 3. Then it would perplex men to be sure whether it be the old Mosaical form by Judges or the later Regal form that bindeth 4. Then such a Civil Council or Sanhedrim as was appointed the Jews would be a Divine Establishment and not variable at the will of Kings or People Many other things would follow which Kings would not easily believe § 7. There may be much more said for the continuance of the Jews civil Policy than for their Ecclesiastical For there is much more forbidden of the latter than of the former Though all nations be not bound to their civil policie they may set it up if they please They are not prohibited For Christ hath not made new Laws for civil states as such But he hath made new Church Laws and thereby altered yea prohibited much of the old § 8. We know no more reason why the Jewish form should bind us than that which was before the Jews and particularily Melchezedeks who was a King and Priest God owned both and commandeth us neither at least as in conformity to them § 9. The Holy Ghost saith expresly Heb. 7. 11. 12. That perfection was not by the Levitical Priesthood and that the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change of the Law which is called the Law of a carnal Cammandment verse 16. and that there is a disanulling of the Commandement going before for the weakness and unprofitableness of it for the Law made nothing perfect v. 18 19. the Covenant or Law being not faultless a new one doth succeed it v. 7. 8. 9. 10. The first Tabernacle is not standing which had their ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary Heb. 9 1. 8. 11. He taketh away the first Law and Priesthood that he may establish the second Heb. 10. 8 9 11. 16. 17 c. § 10. Whilest it is agreed on that the essentials of the work or office of the Jewish Priests is ceased as Heb. 7. and 8 9 and 10 shew and their Title by birth and the appropriation to one Tribe c. it followeth that the Jewish Priesthood is ceased But yet we confess that Christ if he had pleased might have setled a High Priest and Council like theirs in every nation for his own work But if the old form bind us not we are left only to enquire what new one is setled by Christ and whether he have done so or not § 11.
28. When able faithful Pastors are lawfully set over the Assemblies by just Election and Ordination if any will causelesly and without right silence them and command the people to desert them and to take others for their Pastors in their stead of whom they have no such knowledge as may encourage them to such a change we cannot defend this from the charge of Schism which puts a Congregation on so hard a means of Concord as to judge whether they are bound to that Pastor that was set over them as Christ appointed or must renounce him and take the other when they are Commanded So Cyprian in the case of Novatian sayes that he could be no Bishop because another was rightfull Bishop before XXXI 29. In England it belongeth 1. to the Patron to present 2. to the Bishop to ordain and institute and therefore to approve and invest 3. to the people jure divino to be free Consenters 4. and to the Magistrate to protect and to judge who shall be protected or tolerated under him If now these four parties be for four Ministers or for three or two several men and cannot agree in one the culpable dissenters will be the causes of the Schism XXXII 30. If a Church have more Presbyters than one and will be for one way of worship discipline or doctrine and another for another as at Frankford Dr. Cox Mr. Horn and others were for the Liturgie and others against it so that the people cannot possibly accord it is the culpable party which ever it be that must answer for the Schism So much of enumerated Schisms XXXIII On the Negative we suppose that none of these following are Schisms in a culpable sense 1. All are agreed that it is no Schism for the Christian Church to separate from the ancient Jewish or from the Infidel Heathen World XXXIV 2. All Protestants are agreed that it is no Schism to deny obedience to the Roman Pope nor to deny that communion with them which they will not have without obedience To separate from other Churches is to deny them meer Communion But to separate from the Roman as Papal is but to deny them subjection To deny any other Christian Church to be a true Church is Schismatical if they have the Essentials of a Church But to deny the Papal Church or Monarchy to be a true Church of Christ's institution is true just and necessary though they be Christians because we mean only the Papal Church form as it is an Universal Ecclesiastical Monarchy of the whole Christian world which no other Church but that doth claim XXXV 3. It is no Schism to deny Subjection to Pope Councils or Patriarchs of other Kingdomâ— or to any forein Power by what names or titles soever called XXXVI 4. It is no Schism to deny that Christ hath any such Visible Church on Earth as is one by Union with any Universal Head Personal or Collective besides himself XXXVII 5. It is no Schism to Preach and gather Churches and elect and ordain Pastors and Assemble for God's Worship against the Laws and will of Heathen Nahometan or Infidel Princes that forbid it For thus did the Christians for 300 years And if there be the same cause and need it is no more Schism to do it against the Laws and will of a Christian Prince Because 1. Christ's Laws are equally obligatory 2. Souls equally precious 3. The Gospel and Gods worship equally necessary 4. And his Christianity enableth him not to do more hurt than a Pagan may do but more good If therefore either out of Ungodly enmity to his own profession or for fear of displeasing his wicked or Insidel Subjects he should forbid Christian Churches he is not to be therein obeyed XXXVIII 6. If a Prince Heathen Infidel or Christian forbid Gods Commanded worship and any Commanded part of the Pastors office as in Papists Kingdoms Prayer in a known tongue and the Cup in the Lords Supper is forbidden and as they say all preaching save the reading of Liturgies and Homilies is forbidden in Moscovie and as the use of the Keyes is elsewhere forbidden It is no Schism to disobey such Laws what Prudence may pro hic nunc require of any single person we now determine not XXXIX 7. If any Prince would turn his Kingdom or a whole Province Diocess or County into One only Church and thereby overthrow all the first order of Churches of Christs institution which are associated for Personal present Communion allowing them no Pastors that have the power of the Keyes and all essential to their office though he should allow Parochial Oratories or Chappels which should be no true Churches but Parts of a Church It were no Schism to gather Churches within such a Church against the Laws of such a Prince Many write that there is but One Bishop in Abassia though some say that others have Episcopal power under him some that read the old Canons which confine Bishops to Cities and take not the word as then it was taken for any great Town or Corporation but for such priviledged Towns only as are called Cities in England hence gather that as the King may disfranchise Cities and reduce them to ten two or one in a Kingdom he may by consequence do so by Churches that have Bishops which if it be spoken but of Episcopi Episcoporum we resist not But if of Episcopi Gregis of the first Order of Churches called Particular we suppose that out of such a Kingdom-Church Provincial or Diocesan-Church it is no Schism to gather particular Parochial Churches though forbidden And the same reason will prove that if in a lesser circuit the same things be done though in a lower degree viz were it but three four or ten particular Churches of the largest size capable of Personal Communions turned into one which is capable only of distant Communion per alios it is lawful to gather particular Churches out of that larger sort of Church If the Bishop of Rome Alexandria Antioch Cesarea Heraclea Carthage c. should have put down the Bishops of ten twenty an hundred or many hundred Churches about them and set up only Oratories and Catechists in their stead making them all but part of their own Churches it would have been lawful to have gathered Churches in their Churches For God never made them proper Judges whether Christ should have Churches according to his laws nor whether God should be worshipped and souls be saved or his own nstitutions of Churches be observed XL. 8. If Bishops would ordain Presbyters by limiting words restraining them from any Essential or Integral Part of the Office or Power as instituted by Christ and yet profess that they ordain them to the Office which Christ hath instituted it is no Schism for those Presbyters afterward to claim and execute in season all the power which by Christ's institution belongeth to their Office though against the Bishops Wills Because the Bishops are not the Authors or Donors of
of preserving Truth Charity and Peace But it is but a Means to the Ends of the things Ordered and the publick good Therefore if Order should be made the advantage of Heresie Church-Tyranny or Iniquity and be turned against the good of Church and Souls as it is in the Policy of the Roman Church and in well ordered Armies of Rebels or such as have unlawful wars this would make it no Schism or sin â—o break such order These notices interposed we add 4. That it hath been the Judgement of the most honoured Ages of the Church that it is no Schism in the forementioned Cases to cleave to the faithful Pastors that were duly ordained and consented to and to refuse subjection to such as lawful Princes have imposed in their steads 1. That even in the Jewish State the Kings had not the Election of all the Priests and Levites much less the Prophets is before proved though they had the Government of them according to God's Laws 2. That the Apostles sent by Christ performed their Office against the will of the Roman and Jewish Rulers is not denied 3. And because some think that this was proper only to Apostles or men sent immediately by Christ we add that it is not denied that this was the case of others in that Age As Timothy who is charged before God and Angels to Preach in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. Titus Apollo Silas and such others and of all the setled Elders of the Churches Act. 14. v. 23. Tit. 1. 5. 2 Thes 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 17 c. 4. And it is not denied that this was the case of all the ordinary Pastors for the first three hundred years under the unbelieving Emperors And as is aforesaid even these were Governours of the Christian Pastors and Churches who are commanded Rom. 13. to obey them and they wanted not Governing power though in part they wanted aptitude to use it well so that Christians were to obey even Heathen Governours in lawful things 5. And it is undeniable that this was the judgment and case of the Fathers and People of the Church under the Christian Emper ours that were Arrians or favoured the Arrians And as is aforesaid the Arrians would have subscribed to all the Nicene Creed that Christ is Light of Light God of God very God of very God begotten not made till they came to that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Eusebius subscribed to that also and to the whole who yet notwithstanding Socrates's charitable excuse is by his own Epistle from that Council to his People plainly proved to be an Arrian as Petavius hath fully manifested And yet how the Churches of the East did commonly cleave to their Pastors when Constantius and Valens ejected them and how they resolutely refused the imposed Bishops some as Arrians and some but as suspected saying We have lawful Bishops already and how stifly they refused to forbear their forbidden Meetings and Publick Worship with their former Pastors Church-history puts us out of doubt Athanasius oft stayed with his flock till banished by violence by Constantine Constantius and Valens Eustathius Bishop of Antioch did the like yea came to the Imperial City Constantinople and there lived in secret to confirm the People and presumed to ordain a Patriarch of that City chosen against the Emperours will For when Eudoxius was dead the orthodox people chose Evagrius a man of their own judgement and refused Demophilus Socr. l. 4. c. 13. Both the consecrator and the consecrated Bishop stayed with them till the Emperour sent souldiers from Nicomedia to master the people and banished them both into several Countries and at once put fourscore Priests to death burning them in a ship at Sea to whom the people adhered who came to petition him for justice and forbearance Saith Socr. cap. 14. When the Emperour at Edessa gave the Lieutenant a blow with his fist because he had not scattered the Conventicles as he had charged him the Lieutenant for all this great disgrace set himself though unwillingly to obey the Emperours wrath and displeasure but gave notice secretly of it to the people for it was far from his mind to fall a murthering so many godly Citizens that none should shew his face in the Temple that none should be found raising of any Conventicle But not one made account of his advice nor regarded his threats for the day following all flocked in great companies to the Temple Then followeth the mention of a woman that with her little Child hastned through the crowd to the meeting hoping to die with the rest The citizens of Cyzicum banished Eunomius from their City whom Eudoxius had preferred to that Bishoprick not so much for his Errours as for his arrogant and insolent manner of Preaching with Logical tricks and sophisms which they could not bear and so they drove him to Constantinople where he layd by his Bishops Office Id. c. 7. And when Eleusius repenting of his sin in a forced subscribing to the Ariminum faith would have had them have chosen another Bishop they would have or acknowledg no other but him being the undoubted Chusers of their own Bishop Ib. c. 7. The City of Antioch sell into two parties of the Orthodox besides the Arrians and chose two Bishops Paulinus and Meletirs Though it was then contrary to the Canons that one City should have two Bishops none questioned the peoples right to chuse nor denied either of them to be true Bishops And though the Emperour forbore Paulinus for his rare parts and virtues and banished only Meletius the people would not obey his Orders but still assembled as before We are not ignorant what tumults popular Elections of Bishops have oft caused But two things all acquainted with antiquity know which much serve to counterballance this objection 1. That where Emperours and Synods of Bishops have made themselves the Electors the tumults or confusions or at least the consequent evills were not less but greater 2. And when they did thus assume the Election which was for the most part but in a few great seats and not of ordinary Bishops still they suppose a necessity of the peoples consent When the Emperour chose the Patriarchs what one Emperour did another undid And the peoples dissent undid it sooner and the Ruling Bishops so oft disagreed that their synods and Churches were lamentably militant By the favour of the Emperour Dioscorus was the strongest at Ephesus having the Souldiers and Rulers on his side and by them the Major Vote of the Bishops But it was more Theodosius and his Officers that carryed it than equity even to the condemning of Eusebius and such others and the beating of Flâ—vianus the Patriarch of Const unto death And when by the Emperour and prevailing Bishops will new Bishops were placed Anatâ—lâ—us at Const Maximus at Antioch Nonus at Edessa Athanasius for Savinian c saith Liberatus in Breviaro cap. 12 schisma factum est inter
season and adjured them before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom to preach the Word be instant in season out of season c. 4. The indispensible Law of Nature obligeth every man according to his Place and Calling his Ability and his Opportunities to do his best to propagate Christ's Gospel and to save mens souls as much and more than to seed mens bodies and save their lives But our Calling is to do it as Ministers of Christ thereto devoted And we did not receive this Calling to be altered or forborn at the will of man but to be performed according to the Word of God Men being not the Makers of the Office nor of God's Law under which we execute it nor the Donors or Limiters of the Power but only 1. The Electors of the Persons that shall receive it 2. And the Investers of them in it by Ministerial delivery 3. And the Governours of us in the exercise of it according to God's Laws by which they may punish us for male administration but cannot dissolve the Laws obligation to those that are indeed commanded by it LI. Obj. 2. If there be able Preachers in one part of the Parishes and the other part have such as deliver all that is necessary to salvation intelligibly it is unlawful to Preach against the will of the Prince or Prelates in such a Country Ans We deny this unproved assertion 1. Indeed it will follow that such persons are justly condemned by God if they repent not though they had but a Reader 2. And that they should be thankful for so much and gladly accept it in such Churches when they can have no better But not 1. that it is in the power of any man justly to forbid them better when God provideth it 2. Nor that they must obey such a prohibition as such Though prudence may discern forbearance to be a duty by accident when the hurt would be greater than the good There is no doctrine objectively of absolute necessity to salvation but the doctrine of the Baptismal Covenant which is expounded in the Creed Lords prayer and Decalogue But there is much Doctrinal and active Means necessary to make men Understand Believe Love and Practise this necessary Covenant doctrine And the doctrine or articles of faith will save none that do not Understand Believe Love and Practise it and that sincerely preferring the things revealed before all the pleasures riches and honours of this World A Parrot shall not be a Saint for saying the Creed LII These following matters of fact are presupposed to the answer of this objection and in them all sober Protestants are as we suppose agreed 1. That this aforesaid sincerity of Faith Repâ—ntance Hâ—pe Love and Obedience is made by God of necessâ—â—y to salvation 2. That as it will not profit a man to win all the World and lose his soul so neither will doctrinal formality or obedience to superiours that hinder sound Preachers recompence him for the loss of his soul And that God would not have mens Government maintained by mens damnation nor will the ungodly be the best members of Church or Kingdoms Order is a means to save men and not damn them some few Heathens offer to Devils a sacrifice of mans flesh and blood But if a man should offer to God the Lover Saviour and Sanctifyer of souls a Sacrifice of the souls of thousands and say All these are to be kept in Ignorance and ungodlyness and so to be damned to please God who will have them obey their superiours at that rate this were a dishonour to God of unexpressible iniquity and errour Christ that hath taught men to seek first his Kingdom and to take up the Cross and to forsake Father and Mother and Life and all to serve him in the saving of their souls and had planted inseparably self love into our natures surely did not mean so Contraâ—â—ly as that we must forsake Christ Heaven and Salvation to obey men 3. That certain experience putteth us past doubt that ignorance sensuality worldliness profaneness are far more common and a holy heavenly mind and life and all serious Christianity and obedience far very far more rare in those Kingdoms and Parishes which have no plain convincing serious lively and exemplary Preachers than in those that have although they be baptized and have the Creed Lords prayer and Decalogue in their Liturgie And yet here are all things of absolute objective necessity to salvation What a case the Moscovites are in that have only Liturgies and Homilies read we mentioned before And how sad the case is among the Greeks Armenians Abassins and most Papists for want of better Preachers Bishop Usher could say of the Irish that more perished by not knowing what we are on both sides agreed in than by their Popish Errours And what a case the Scottish Highlanders too many of the Welsh and most Parishes in England were in as to serious piety which had heretofore but Readers or Preachers that did less than read a Homilie experience constraineth us to know as also what difference there is yet to be seen as to serious faith and godliness between the fruits of a clear serious holy diligent Preacher and of raw youths that say over a pedantik lifeless speech and out of the pulpit little differ in speech or life from Carnal Worldlings or formal Hypocrites Though we know that all that profess to be seriously Religious are not so yet none are so that do not profess it as they have opportunity As we are not able to deny this experience of the different fruits of different Teaching when all have the Creed Nor dare deny the necessity of serious faith repentance and holiness to salvation lest we renounce the Gospel nor yet that no men much less most men or many thousands may as an act of obedience to man refuse those helps which God provideth them and without which few Comparatively are truely converted from a Carnal life and saved so therefore we dare not think or say that humane Lawes or orders are arguments of sufficient weight to move them hereunto LIII Obj. 3. But the hurt of the peoples chusing Teachers and Assemblies without or against the Rulers will is greater than the hurt that cometh by the want of better Teachers Ans 1. The peoples choice doth hurt by accident in those Countries where the Rulers put down necessary helps and where the people are Erroneous Heretical and Unruly and so where the people would choose unsufferable men supposing still that no Church is constituted without mutual consent of the Pastor and the flock and that the Rulers alter not or violate not Christs Laws by which he hath appointed the ordering of Assemblies Therefore it is the Rulers Office to hinder the people from doing mischief without hindering them from their duty and from doing well To Govern them in their work and not
of Miracles since the Apostles hath assured us that his separation from communion with these Bishops though cruel to Hereticks so gross was confirmed by vision and by an Angel from Heaven and he forbidden their communion for the time to come We again mention this as not yet having heard any answer to it 11. Our own Canons forbid the people to communicate with Ministers for lesser faults as private Preaching Sacraments Fasts Conventicles or out of their own Parishes c. 12. Moses the Monk aforementioned is commended by Historians because he would not be ordained by Lucius not because erroneous but because he had persecuted others by the countenance of Valens the Emperour Though his persecution extended not to the silencing of thousands or hundreds or very many that we read of And as is aforesaid he chose to be ordained by banished men 13. Especially if men have no obligation to that insufficient heretical or ungodly Priest but humane because a Patron presented him or a Magistrate imposed him or because Parish-order which is a humane thing of meer convenience will else seem violated When as the avoiding of the danger of a false Pastor and the guilt of his sin which by owning him may be incurred and escaping the great loss of a faithful Pastor's guidance when we are conscious that we greatly need it are things of greater importance and of Moral and Evangelical Divine obligation In this case we cannot prove it Schism to avoid a wicked Priest The Bishops hold it a duty to avoid a Nonconformist that hath not their License But such a one as is foredescribed hath not Christ's License and is a Nonconformist to his Laws Again let it be noted 1. That even under the Jewish Law Magistrates were not the chusers of the Priests but God chose them by setling the Priesthood on one line 2. That Christ hath by his Spirit in the Apostles altered the Priesthood and the way of their calling and entrance under the Gospel 3. That the Church neer a thousand years was in possession of that way and many hundred of those years the possession was universal in all the Churches 4. That the chusing of Bishops or Priests by Magistrates or Lay-Patrons was none of that way which Christ appointed Therefore seeing it is not the chusing or making but the Governing of Bishops or Priests that is committed to Princes and Christ's Law is the first by which they must govern it seemeth to us that they cannot oblige the Subjects to take up with wicked Pastors when better are prohibited and are to be had LXVII 21. In those times and Countries where the allowed Bishops are corrupted by ignorance heresie ungodliness or faction and set themselves to bring in an unconscionable corrupt sort of Ministers into the Churches and will not ordain fit and conscionable men or by snares divide the Churches and cast out the most worthy and impose sinful conditions on all whom they will ordain it seemeth to us to be no Schism to seek ordination from other Bishops and in case of necessity at least to be ordained by such Presbyters as are either the sole or chief or equal Pastors in Parochial Churches especially in Cities and to perform the Office of Presbyters without such Bishops consent We here suppose such Bishops had themselves been duely elected and ordained yet 1. They have their power to edification and not to destruction 2. We are more obliged to Christ's interest and the Churches safety than to them God will have mercy rather than Sacrifice and preferreth mens salvation to ceremony or Church Laws 3. So the Oâ—â—â—odox forsook the Arrian and other wicked Bishops Malignity and wickedness is poison in the Clergy as well as Heresie and Schism So as is aforesaid Moses and Martin disowned the bad Bishops that were neer them so the Protestants disowned the Papist Bishops And Bugenhagius Pomeranus a Presbyter reformed and ordained Bishops in Denmark Bishop Vsher himself told one of us that being asked by his Sovereign whether he found that ever Presbyters ordained Presbyters he answered I can shew your Majesty more even where Presbyters made Bishops citing the Alexandrian custom out of Jerom to Evagrius The Judgment of English Bishops and Divines for the validity of such Ordination by Presbyters and of the Ordination in the Reformed Churches abroad some of us have proved heretofore at large 4. Christ having made a Law which conferreth the Pastoral Power on him that is made a due Receiver as the King's Charter doth the Power of the Lord Mayor on him that is duly chosen to it it followeth that no more is absolutely necessary to such reception of that Power but that the person be duly qualified and have consent and opportunity and the best investiture which the time and place will afford Of which Voetius de desperata causa Papatus and one of us in a Dispute of Ordination have long ago said that which we suppose will never be well answered 5. And Grotius de Imperio summ Potest circa Sacra an excellent Book hath shewed that he that is the sole Pastor of a Church is in effect a Bishop And indeed Dr. Hammond as is said in his Disser and Annotations asserteth de sacto that in Scriptures one Bishop without any Presbyter under him was setled in each Church so that every Pastor of a particular Church then was a Bishop as far as can be proved And if that was the Apostolical institution that every Church have a Bishop and that there was no sole Pastor at least but Bishops then he that is ordained the Pastor at least sole or chief of a particular Church is ordained a Bishop The reason is because his Office and Power followeth the Law and Charter of Christ that made it and not of the investing Ministerial Ordainer if he would alter it or pronounce it otherwise LXVI 22. Not to obey Lay-Chancellours where they govern the Church by the power of the Keys decreeing Excommunications and Absolutions and performing the work of Exploration and Admonition belonging to Bishops in order thereto we take to be no Schism nor to refuse subscribing or swearing to such a Government LXVII 23. Not sacrilegiously to desert the sacred Ministry when vowed and consecrated thereto is no Schism LXVIII 24. Where such sins are made the Condition of Ministration by men in power as that all the whole Ministry of a Kingdom are bound in conscience to deny consent and conformity thereto it is the duty of all the Ministry in primo instante to forbear their Ministerial Office or none for the reason is the same to all For example If ten or twenty untrue or unrighteous forbidden things must be subscribed declared covenanted or sworn or as many sins practised yea were it but one no doubt but the whole Ministry is bound to deny Conformity to any one such thing Now if all these must forbear or lay down their Office because forbidden by men to exercise it then it is
in the power of a Prince to cast out Christianity when he pleaseth and to deny God all Publick Worship and we must ask leave of Rulers that Christ may be Christ and souls may be saved as if the Keys of Heaven and Hell were theirs None that we write for Protestants or Papists will assert this But if All must not lay down their Ministry why must a thousand or two thousand do it rather than all the rest We suppose it will be said that if a thousand should refuse Conformity all might continue their forbidden Ministry but if two thousand only of ten thousand should deny Conformity these two thousand must lay down because the rest are a competent supply to the Churches Answ But these be but unproved words 1. How shall we be sure that other mens sinning will absolve the two thousand innocent from their duty If in the first Instant it be confessedly the equal duty of all how will the weakness and sin of one part change the obligation of all the rest 2. If the Churches be somehow supplied by mens sin will it follow that truth and righteousness in sounder blameless men will not mend their supply but must be cast out by others sin 3. And where can the wit of man ever set bounds to such power of sinners It will here be granted us that if the most in France conform to Popery it will not disoblige all others from the exercise of their Ministry And who then can say what those untruths and sins are which a weak and erring Ministry may be guilty of which shall serve to disoblige the rest No man here can set us any certain measure 4. Would it have an honest sound if it should be said to the people The greater part of the Ministers by sin yea gross deliberate sin unrepented of have procured the liberty of their Ministry and they are enow for you and therefore you must hear none of those that refused so to sin and are cast out e. g. suppose it were the subscribing of the Covenant against Pâ—elaey that were made the Condition of our Preaching here by Law Or subscribing to the Divine Right of unordained Elders and their power in Presbyterian-Classes If most of the Ministers take that Covenant doth that prove that all the rest if forbidden to Preach must be silent This were an easie way to introduce any Errour by forbidding any but the defenders of it to Preach If Julian might not thus have put down the Gospel nor Valens have put down the Homoousians as they called the Orthodox nor the Papists so put down the Protestants why may Calvinists or Lutherans so put down one another As if I were bound to be a Minister only till other men will sin Obj. But suppose that the sin be on the silenced Ministers part and the other be in the truth Ans 1. Then the silenced Ministers are not guiltless of the Schism 2. But if it be so if their errour be in a small and difficult matter not deserving silencing as theirs Rom. 15. about meats and daies c it may be far greater Schism in the silencers then in them Obj. But suppose it a doubtful case and one party take consenting to be a sin and the other part and the greater take it to be none If you may preach on because you think that you are in the right then no Heretick should be silenced Ans This was answered before 1. If men will still thus confound the scire and the esse or put the scire before the esse they may go on in errour and no reason can silence them The thing is realy first true or false before it is known or thought so to be If it be true then he that thinketh it false is the delinquent If it be a sin it is not mens taking it for no sin that will make it so nor disoblige the orthodox from their Ministry But if it be no sin that is Commanded the Nonconsenters are in the fault And if it be a Heresie which they stand for may be sâ—lenced And yet we will not deny but if the generality of the Ministry obtain their liberty by some small tollerable sin or errour and the sounder part be few and unnecessary in that Country â—rudence obligeth them to go to some other place that needeth them and never to excercise their Ministry where in true reason it is like to do more hurt than good LXIX 25. Where under any of the foresaid unjust prohibitions the silenced Ministers and people shall gather no distinct Churches but only Auditories or Chappels as parts of the Parish Churches and that only where there is through the bigness of the Parish or distance from the Parish Church or paucity or insufficiency or unfaithfulness of Parish Priests a true necessity not unchurching or separating from the Parish Church but owning it and holding Communion with it and promoting the reputation of the true Parish Minister and Communion and perswading others to the like we cannot see that this is any Schism but rather their practise who fire and divide mens minds by envious clamours against the innocent and proudly calling others Schismaticks LXX 26. We have greatly lamented the true Schismatical disposition of some religiously affected persons who make their singularities or little differences the occasions of unchristening unchurching or degrading those that are wiser than themselves and running away from one another on pretence of discipline and avoiding sin But yet we hold that gentle forbearing tolerable differences even in distinct Churches guilty of Schism so they be kept from unpeaceable reviling of others is a meeter way to avoid the mischiefs than with prison sword or fire to exasperate them It is noted that Nestorius the Heretick was the first sharp persecutor of the Novatians But most of the better Bishops tolerated them as did the Emperours And two prudent gentle Bishops of Constantinople Atticus and Proclus reduced the Joannites and lenified other divided Parties which the flercer men had made and kept up by their violence SECT VII Some Matters of Fact preparatory to the true Application of what is before laid down WE must crave that justice of the Reader as to note that hither to we have spoken but of the Doctrinal part about Schism not applying it to England or any others Nor shall we now any otherwise apply it than to lay down some little part of the Matters of Fact which the Nonconformists are considering to help others to apply it without mistake as they shall see cause We intend not in this the determination of the points in matter of right nor do we here tell men unless on the by in the stating of some few questions what it is that we account good or evil much less do we here give the proofs or reasons of our Cause That is the thing for which we greatly desire the allowance of our Superiours But must not unnecessarily presume to do it lest we displease them
Counties the Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen that had still adhered to the King profest and published their peaceable desires of Concord and resolution against revenge And Letters were written from France to divers here to take off all the unjust suspicions that some had raised about the Kings Religion all which promoted the Concord that accomplished the Change 27. Those that saw the marvelous success of this reconciliation and concord and knew that the Clergies distance was most likely if any thing to hinder the happy perfection and settlement of a full desired peace did presently attempt an agreement among them And upon the motion of some of the since silenced Ministers the Earl of Manchester and the Earl of Orery mentioning it to the King they told us that it was well pleasing to His Majesty Whereupon His Majesty vouchsafing them audience and great encouragement several persons on each side were appointed to treat of the necessary terms of setled Concord and to yield to each other as far as they could and offer their mutual concessions What was done in this is not now to be mentioned save that part of it was published by some body which declareth it and the first part being about Church Government and worship issued in the publication of His Majesties Gracious Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs by which all our breaches seemed at the present to be almost healed and the House of Commons gave His MAJESTY Publick thanks 28 At this time the Lord Chancellor as a token of His Majesties Gracious favour and acceptance offered Bishopricks to three that then treated for Reconciliation and Deanries to two or three of them Of the three first one did the next day save one refuse it but in a letter to him professing his gratitude and that he was so rejoiced in His Majesties Gracious Declaration that if it might but be setled by Law he resolved to use his utmost endeavours to perswade all men to conformity on those terms and therefore would not disable himself thereto by taking a Bishoprick and making men think that it was not for just concord but his own interest that he wrote or pleaded Another of them soon accepted The third and the two or three that had Deanries offered them only suspended till they saw whether His Majesties Declaration would live or dye 29. what was done in the next attempt upon His Majesties Commission to agree on such alterations of the Liturgie as were necessary to tender Consciences c. we are to make no further mention of then is made by the writings given in which some body shortly after in part and with many false printings published An Addition to the Liturgie A Reply to some former Papers of the Bishops and an Earnest Petition to them for the Churches Peace which were given in and never answered by them that we know of some one printed And being in writing required by a Right reverend Bishop then in the Chair as from superiours to lay by meer Inconveniences and to give in those points which we took to be flat sin we gave in eight particulars the next day as part and by that time but one of our arguments about one of them was half handled and the rest of the arguments untouched and the rest of the Controverted instances not medled with our Commission was expired And the Bishops argumentation as Opponents afterward on another occasion printed 30. Shortly after the convocation of the Clergie setled the Liturgie as now it is setled The Kings Declaration dyed The Parliament made the Act of Vniformity by which many Ministers for not conforming to that Law were on August 24. 1662 ejected and silenced on severe penalties About Eighteen hundred of their names from several Counties were shewed Mr. Calamy and others and some say about 200 were omitted and that they were in all above 2000. 31. They that had treated for Reconciliation foresaw what sad divisions were like to follow if we were not healed and united and therefore in their Petition made a solemn Protestation that nothing but the fear of sin and Gods displeasure should hinder them from Conformity deprecating the woful effects of the division which could not possibly be otherwise avoided than by some necessary abatements of the Impositions and fore telling much that hath since come to pass which common understanding might easily see in the Causes 32. The persons that were silenced were not of one mind and measure about all the things imposed on them 1. Some of them were Episcopal and for as much as Richard Hooker writeth for and were against the Covenant and never took it and the Parliaments War and were for the Liturgie and Ceremonies and had Conformed had these been all that had been imposed who yet were cast out of Fellowships and Ministry Yea some had suffered for the King and been ruined in their patrimony some imprisoned for him and some had been in arms for him 2. Besides these and other Episcopal Nonconformists some and very many and we think the greatest part of any one were such disengaged pacificators as we before mentioned about associations 3. Some were for the Presbyterian Government and 4. Some for that called Independent which were comparatively but few Also some were as heretofore Dr. John Reynolds Dr. Humpbrey Mr. Perkins Mr. Paul Bayn c. for some part of Conformity Kneeling and Litâ—rgie and some for the Surplice against other parts Many would have come in to all the old Conformity had it not been for that one sentence in the Canon-subscription Nothing Contrary to the word of God which kept out Mr. Chilâ—ingworth himself as is reported till some dispensation let him in But the New Conformity was such as satisfied them all against it Many purposed to have yielded to Prelacy Liturgie and Ceremonies and gone to the utmost that Conscience would tolerate rather than lay by their Ministry But when they saw the new Act for Uniformity their deliberations were at an end 33. Their interest honour or somewhat else led many persons of those times when they had made the name of Presbyterians odious to call all the Nonconformists that were Episcopal or neutral by the name of Presbyterians even those that had declared themselves against the Presbyterian frame so they were not Independents And they continue that practice to serve their ends to this day 34. The elder sort of the Nonconformists were ordained by Diocesan Bishops The younger sort were ordained by Assemblies of the Parish Pastors of Cities and Countries no other ordination being then allowed by those in Power 35. As to the late Civil Wars which some most lowdly charge on the Nonconformists this is the truth that the several parties charge the beginning of that war on one another One party saith that the Presbyterians begun it in England Another party lay it on the old Church of England men that followed Archbishop Abbot and such like Both these accused Parties laid the beginning on Archbishop Laud
as an Innovator and those that followed him And some think that every side had too much hand in it and were to be blamed The truth is 1. That more by far of the Nonconformists than of the late sort of the Prelatists were for the Parliament in those times 2. That some that were Sectaries and some that were hot for the Parliament did conform 3. That some few that had been in the King's Army or Cause and that were sufferers for him and were against the Covenant and the Parliaments War were Nonconformists 4. That many more of the old Episcopal Comformists than of the later sort of them were for the Parliament 5. That the Archbishop of York Williams who had some time been Lord Keeper was one of the Parliaments Commanders in North-Wales as it is reported without denial 6. That most Ministers are dead that were in that War 7. That the Westminster Assembly as is said came thither almost all Conformists 8. That so small is the number of the present silenced Ministers who had any hand in those Wars that if no other were ejected and silenced but they the case would be judged comparatively very easie and it would be thankfully accepted as hath oft been told For most were then youths at School and in the Universities and many lived in the King's quarters and garrisons and many other never medled with Wars at all it being now about thirty four or five years since the War began 9. That all the Wars that have been since their opposition to the Parliament and violence done to the person of the King were far from being owned by the common sort of the now Nonconformists as was said 10. The Doctrine of Bilson Hooker and such like containing such Principles as Parliament men then usually professed is before mentioned though not fully recited and is commonly known and that the main body of the Parliament Assembly Army Commanders Lord Lieutenants Mâ—jor Generals of Bragades and Sea-Captains were professed Conformists of the Church of England 11. Lastly We had hoped that His Mâ—jesties prudence had by the Act of Oblivion long since ended this part of the Contention but we find still some conformable Ministers whom in other respects we much esteem and love who as if Truth Charity Justice and Humanity had been forgotten by them affirm in print that All the Nonconformists were guilty of the King's Death passing over what is aforesaid of the Conformists and others of them crying out to Magistrates to execute the Laws on us by the urged Motive of their late sequestrations and sufferings as if they knew not or would not have others to know how few Nonconformists in Parliament or Militia there were at the beginning of the War in comparison of the Conformists and how much the second third and following Causes Parties and Tragedies in that War were disliked by the now Episcopal and Presbyterian Nonconformists 36. The people who now adhere to the Nonconformists who were at age before the Wars whom we that write this were acquainted with had very hard thoughts of the Bishops persons and some of Episcopacy it self because of the foresaid silencing of Ministers and ruining of honest men about Sunday-sports Reading that Book and other such things besides Nonconformity But when the Ministers that guided them began to seem more reconciled to the Episcopal Party and upon the reports and promises which they had heard had put them in hope that the next Bishops would prove more moderate peaceable and pious than the former and would by experience avoid divisions and persecution the said people began to be enclined to more reverent and favourable thoughts of Episcopacy and the Bishops and were upon experience of the late confusions in a far fairer way to union submission to them than before But when they saw their Teachers taken from them and some such set over them against their wills who were better known to them than to the obtruders and when they heard of about 2000 silenced at once this so much alienated them from the Bishops that it was never since in our power to bring them to so much esteem of them and reverence to them as might have been but multitudes by this were driven further from Conformity than the silenced Ministers 37. The 2000 silenced were not a quarter of the Ministers of England who were in possession before the return of the Bishops so that it is evident that above three fourth parts of the Ministers that kept in under the Parliament and Protector notwithstanding Covenant Directory and all did prove Conformists 38. The New-altered Liturgy was not printed and published till August 24. or near it when the Ministers were to be silenced that subscribed not and consented not so that we must needs suppose that they were but few Ministers in England in comparison of the rest who ever saw and read much less long considered that Book before they declared their Assent and Consent to all things in it Sure we are that we that lived in London who had it at the first publishing found the time past or so short to examine all things in it with due deliberation that had it been blameless we must have been silenced unless we had consented upon an implicit faith 39. Since we were silenced His Majesties Declaration for more Liberty in Religion came out 1673. but soon died And since then we have been called to many attempts for Unity in which we have twice come to an agreement with those honest peaceable pious and learned Divines of the Church of England who were appointed to treat of it with us But that signified nothing as to our healing while Reasons unknown to us or ineffable prevailed 40. Yet still we have been called on to Tell what we sâ—â—ck at and what we desired and what would satisfie us who desire nothing but leave to excercise the Ministry to which we were ordained and the Cant still goeth on among the ignorant at least as if we had never told them to this day or as if since the new conformity we had ever been called or had leave to tell them or as if the same men would endure us to tell them our case of dissent and the reasons of it to this day But the Judg is at the door SECT VIII The Matters of Fact as to what is required of us by Laws and Canon to which we must conform And first of Lay-men I. OF Laymen that will have any Government or Trust in any City or Corporation is necessarily required the taking of the following Oath and Declaration by a Law I Swear that it is not Lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King And that I Abhor that Trayterous position that Arms may be taken by His Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissioned by him And the Declaration is That there is NO OBLIGATION upon me or ANY OTHER person from the Oath Commonly called the solemn League and
perish Dead Images of all good things is but the last and most effectual means of destroying the life and real good Dead shews and Images of good are Hypocrisie sincerity is reality seriousness and life We take our Baptism to be our Christening or the summe of the Christian Religion And it is but for men to do that seriously at Age which they did in Infancy by others authorized or others for them which is the Conversion which we daily preach And it grieveth us to see what multitudes when aged never seriously think either what they did or received in their Infancy and how many hate such a life as they have vowed and yet think that they stand to their Baptismal Covenant And till the Pastors of the Church make a serious work of it to bring all their Parishes to a serious understanding and consideration of their Baptism and a serious owning it and renewing of that Covenant we cannot hope that the people will be serious Christians or that men will not think that serious Anabaptists are better than Hypocrites that contemn their Baptism SECT II. The Second Part of the Matter of Conformity THE First Part de facto being contained in the Canonical Subscription and the Declaration hath been opened The Second Part is the case of Reordination Either they that require Episcopal Ordination for all that were otherwise ordained when Bishops were put out do intend it a second Ordination or not If yea then it is a thing condemned by the ancient Churches by the Canons called the Apostles c. and by Gregory M. and others likened to Anabaptistry If not then they take such mens former Ordination to be null and consequently no Ministers to be true Ministers that are so ordained and not by Diocesans and consequently all such Churches to be no true Churches while they take the Roman Ordination to be valid To speak of the consequences of this as to the nullity of Baptizings and Consecration of the Lords Supper c. and of the taking of God's name in vain in the Office if it prove evil would be to go further than the Matter of Fact SECT XI The Third Part of Conformity THE Third Part of Conformity is the Subscribing against the obligation from the Vow To endeavour any change or alteration of Government in the Church with the Oxford Oath That we will never endeavour any alteration and the Articles for our Prelacy and the Ordination-promise and Oath of Canonical Obedience before-mentioned as to this point together 2. Even those Nonconformists that are for the lawfulness yea the need and desirableness of Bishops and Archbishops have so much against this Subscription as that to avoid prolixity we will forbear reciting the particulars any further than to tell you that while a thousand or many hundred Parish-Churches are all without any particular appropriate Bishops great Towns and Villages when in Ignatius's daies the Unity of each Church was known by having One Altar and One Bishop with the Presbyters and Deacons And Jerom defineth a Church to be Plebs unita Episcopo and consequently they are without the Discipline and Pastoral oversight of such Bishops and while all these Parishes are in the old sense become No Churches for ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia but only Parts of a Diocesan Church And while the old form of Churches Presbyters and Bishops is thus changed And while one Bishop hath now more work of Discipline besides Confirming and all his other work than an hundred of the ablest and best men can do and so such Discipline is necessarily undone And while the Case is as if the Bishop of Carthage had put down six hundred neighbour-Bishops and become the sole Bishop of all their Churches or as if all the Schools in a Diocess have but one Governing School-master who had power to judge what Scholar to receive or to refuse And while the Keys are to be exercised by Lay-men these will be unsatisfying things 3. The Conformists are not agreed of the meaning of these Subscriptions and Oaths some think that they covenant only to submit to them though they dislike them But others think that it is also to approve the Government Some think that it is only Bishops that they are bound to But others say that the word Ordinary certainly signifieth more than Bishops even Lay-Chancellours And that the forâ—cited Canon expresly nameth many others even with an catera the rest that bear Office And any alteration must needs mean more as any alteration in State sure extâ—nleth to more than not endeavouring to change Monarchy or the King himself Some say that by nâ—t endeavouring is mâ—ant only not unlawfully endeavouring but not that all endeavours are forbidden viz. not petitioning speaking when called c. Others say that if exceptions had been allowed the Law makers would have made us know it and not have spoken universally And that if you expound it of unlawful endeavours you leave all men at liberty to judge what is unlawful and all Schismaticks will take the Oath or Subscription because they hold their endeavours to extirpate Prelacy to be lawful Some say that one may endeavour in his place and calling to take the Church-Keys out of the hands of Lay-Chancellours notwithstanding this Subscription and Oath But others more ingenuously say that the very actual Government or Keys being in the hands of Lay-Chancellours if it bind us not against endeavouring to change these it binds us to nothing that can be understood And that if Subjects thus take liberty after Universal Oaths and Promises to make such exceptions they reproach the Law-makers as if in such tremendous things as these they knew not how to put their Laws in words intelligible and of common sense And they relax all such sacred bonds Some say that in not endeavouring is excepted unless the King commission or command us But others say that if the Law-givers would have had such exceptions they had wit enough to have put them in And that if you leave it to men to except from universals you cannot tell them where to stop And that the use of the Oath and Subscription is that the Church-Government be taken for unalterable SECT XII The Fourth Part of Conformity IV. THE Fourth Part of Conformity is the Subscription against the obligation of the Oath called the Solemn Vow and Covenant Corporations are constituted by Declaring that there is no obligation from it to any one without exception But Ministers must only subscribe that there is no obligation on me or on any other person from the Oath to endeavour any change or alteration of Government in the Church 2. It is none of the Controversie here 1. Whether that vow was lawfully imposed or contrived 2. Nor whether it were lawfuly taken 3. Nor whether part of the matter was unlawful But supposing all these unlawful 1. Whether all alteration of Church Government be unlawful whether it be not in the power of the King and Parliament
to set a Bishop in every Market Town or to take the use of the Keys from Laymen or to take down Archdeacons Officials Commissaries Surrogates c Whether all Reformation be out of the power of the King or not to be desired by the people 2. Whether that which is Lawful may not be done by the Law makers and be endeavoured by speech in Parliament or by petition by the people Especially if the King Command it 3. Whether men be not bound by a Vow to that which is Lawful much more to that Which is antecedently a duty 3. The Conformists are here disagreed among themselves some say that the Vow Bindeth not because it was unlawfully imposed But otherâ— better say that this proveth no more but that the Imposers could not bind me to take it by any authority of theirs And that if I had taken it in secret without imposition I had been bound by it Els no private Vow should bind Some say that it binds not because it was sinfully taken But others truly say that if Oaths bind not wherever men take them sinfully no wicked man should ever be bound by Oaths or Vows because they usually make them sinfully by an ill end and intention wrong motives or ill principles or manner Or at least a bad man might choose whether ever he will be obliged But all good casuists agree that if the matter be lawful the unlawful taking hinders not the obligation A man that is Baptized with ill motives or intentions is yet obliged by his Baptismal Vow Some say that it binds not because the matter it self is unlawful But it s granted that it bindeth to no unlawful matter Others therefore truly say that he that Voweth six things whereof three are sinful is not disobliged by the conjunction of these from the other three that are Lawful Els a Knave may keep himself disobliged as to all Vows by putting in some unlawful thing Some say that it binds not because we were antecedently bound to all that is good by other bonds and therefore not by this But others truly say that this is a most intollerable reason and would nullifie our Baptismal Vow and all our sacramental Vows renewed and all Covenants that ever man can make to God of any duty For Gods own Laws first bind us to every duty But for all that our own Vows Covenants and promises secondarily bind us also And a man may have many obligations to one duty Yea indeed the Covenanters ordinarily profess that they think not that a man should Vow any thing to God but what God first hath made his duty And they are against the Papists for making Religions and duties to themselves which God never made And therefore they profess that if some things in the Covenant were not their duty before they would not think that they are bound to it now And they profess that if they had never taken that Vow they had been bound to all that by it they are bound to And therefore condemning that Vow doth no whit secure the Government of the Church e. g. Lay Chancellours use of the Keys or the destruction of discipline from their Lawful endeavours to alter it And they profess that seeing the King hath power to command them Lawful things if they had Vowed any thing meerly Indifferent it would not have bound them against the Kings Commands Because it is not in subjects power by Vows to withdraw themselves from their obedience to authority Some say that the Proclamation of King Charles the first against the Covenant null'd the obligation But others truly say 1. That it could null no more than the Imposition to take it and not the obligation when it 's taken in necessary things 2. That this is nothing to all them that took it afterward and that when Charles II. had though injuriously been drawn to declare for it Some say that it binds not because men took it unwillingly But others truly say 1. that this would leave it in the power of a bad man to nullifie all Vows and contracts by saying that he did them unwillingly 2. That man hath fâ—ee will and cannot be compelled And a Vow of a thing Lawful to save ones life bindeth Men must rather die than lie 3. This would teach Subjects to say that they take all Oaths of Alegiance to the King unwillingly and therefore are not bound 4. It s true that no man that forceth another injuriously to a promise can claim to himself any right from that which was not free but procured by his own injurious violence or fraud But God wrongeth none and a Vow to God bindeth though procured by sinful force by men Some say that It was only a League and Covenant with men and not a Vow and therefore ceaseth câ—ssante occasione and by the consent of Parliamentâ— c. Ans There is no place for the belief of this objection to any that knoweth a Vow otherwise than by the name Indeed an Oath that is but an appeal to God that I will faithfully perform my Covenant with a man obligeth me not when that man hath discharged me from any obligation to him But this in question was primarily a promise or Covenant made to God which is a Vow and a League and Covenant of men with one another that they will perform it as is notorious to any man that readeth it with common understanding II. The second thing questioned about that Vow and the main is whether every Minister must or may become the judge of all other mens Consciences and obligations in three Kingdoms even of many thousands whom they never saw nor heard of and that so far as to absolve or justifie them from all obligations by that Vow to endeavour any Church reformation 2. It is here supposed 1. That though men ought to take an Oath in the sence of a Lawful Governour so far as they know it yet that they are not bound beyond the plain meaning of the words to the sense of Usurpers Therefore they know not but the King and Lords c. might take the same words in another meaning than the obtruders did intend e. g to reform according to Gods Word and the example of the best reformed Churches might signifie to them an opposition to Presbytery 2 That if men mistake the sence of the Imposers they are bound to keep an Oath in the Lawful sence in which they took it And then how knoweth every Minister in what sense every man in the three Kingdoms took it And how is he able to say that no one man of them all is obliged by it to endeavour a lawful and necessary reformation 3. And as to the former Argument that men were forced to it many of the Old Parliament are yet living and many others that then forced others to it and were not forced to it themselves 4 And if the present Parliament-men could upon what compulsion soever Vow to reform e. g. scandalous Ministers Swearing
to them for their lives and Crowns And that in a Preacher of the Gospel they are intollerable tending to tempt the hearers to believe nothing that we say IV. It is agreed that by assertion to absolve thousands of persons known or unknown and justifie them if they should prove guilty of such a crime and so to draw on our selves the guilt of many thousand perjuries would be a sin of as heinous a nature as most we can imagine V. It is agreed by Protestants that all Oaths Covenants and Laws must be understood according to the plain and usual sense of the words unless our Rulers otherwise expound them and tell us that they mean somewhat else VI. It is agreed that though Judges must determine of the sence of Laws so far as to decide the cases that are brought to them yet none can make an universal obligatory exposition of a Law to bind the subjects conscience in understanding it but the Sovereign and Lawgivers themselves Else a Judge might become a Legislator and frustrate the Kings Laws by his expositions If Judgements be the expositors and preservers of Common unwritten Laws which are Customs it is because it is the Law-makers or Sovereigns will that it shall be so VII It is agreed by all Protestants that stretching the words of Laws Oaths and Promises to meanings quite differing from the Common use of the words without the direction of the Law-makers to to do and taking such Oaths or Covenants with eqnivocations and mental reservations on pretence of Charitable interpretation for our own ends and interests is more suitable to Atheists than sincere Christians and would overthrow humane trust and the end of Laws and Princes safety as well as other sorts of perjury For instance if one take the subscribed Declarations that Its unlawful on any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and so on and will thus equivocate as they say some do viz. It is unlawful that is against the Law of the Land but not against Gods Law To take Arms against the King that is as King but saith Suaâ—ez and such others when he is excommunicate by the Pope he is no King On any pretence that is say they unjust pretence by his authority against his person and Souldiers that is say the equivocaters Its well said that we may not do it by his Authority but we may do it by the Law of nature and so by Gods Authority whose Law that is against any Commissioned by him that is say they lawfully commissioned and we are judges when his Commissions are unlawful So We will not endeavour any alteration of Government in Church or State that is say they 1. Not of Monarchy or the King but we may yet disturb any of his Officers 2. Not of the Essentials of Episcopacy but we may seek to take down their wealth and Lordships and reduce them from Diocesans to Parochial or Corporation Bishops 3. Not by unlawful means but we take not that to be unlawful which they do What good will Oaths or Covenants taken with such Latitude or Equivocation do Do they secure any of the ends of Governments Rulers should abhor such Equivocations and stretching Latitudes as these VIII It is agreed on both sides that if we might go on this supposition that our Rulers can require nothing that is unjust or impious or against the Law or Common good or their own interest and therefore that no exposition is to be put on their Laws or Impositions which is of any such importance by this rule any oath or Covenant or promise in the world which Governours shall impose upon us may be taken For we must put a good sense upon them all And the sense is the Oath or Covenant IX It is commonly agreed that a man may not deliberately tell one lie to save his life or his Ministerial liberty And that if any one only of all the things imposed on us be a sin it is the duty of all the Ministers of England rather to suffer any thing or to dye than to Commit it And that if it be one mans duty to be silent in such a case it would be the duty of all the Ministers in the Land if the things be sin X. And all are agreed that to silence all the Ministers of the Nation is a thing that God hath not given any man authority to do because of the necessity of their Ministry and consequently not to silence any necessary Ministry at all XI It is agreed that Satan would fain corrupt States and Churches with the most heinous sins to expose them to Gods judgements and the enemies scorn And that common Perjury or Perfidiousness is one of those greatest sins And that as the Belief of the Truth is the beginning of Christianity so Satan is a Lyer and the father of Lies And he that thinketh that Satan is endeavouring to stigmatizâ— Persons Churches or Kingdomes with his brand of PER should the more carefully avoid the receiving of that mark XII It is agreed that God hath within these fourteen years excercised very grievous Chastisements on Cities and Corporations by such a Plague on London and many Corporations and such fires on London Southwark and many Corporations and such increase of Poverty though we have more liberty at Sea and Land for trade than almost any Nation neer us as that the like hath not been known in our forefathers daies And that if this should be the Voice of Christ as a reproof of our perfidiousness and perjuries saying except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish it would leave the impenitent without all just excuse XIII It is agreed by us all that God will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain especially by perjury or false Vows or Covenants And that for Oaths broken the Land may mourn And that he is the grand enemy of Church or Kingdomes who would by such sin bring them under the judgments of God And as Achan bring in an accursed thing XIV None can deny that it is better to cherish honesty and conscience especially about Oaths and Covenants which secure Converse and the lives of Princes than to teach men to stretch Conscience in such matters and to make every seared Conscience capable of the holy Ministry preferment and honour and a fear of such sin to be the way to silence and ruine XV. we agree that when Jesuites and other Papists have contracted the shame of equivocation and perfidiousness Protestants should not partake with them and take the shame on their religion XVI It is agreed that when the Scots Covenant is so greatly decryed and the violation of the Oaths of Allegiance and other Oaths and Covenants was found necessary to the killing of the King and other late confusions and iniquities we should not after such warning either insnare men in unnecessary Oaths Covenants nor harden such men against Repentance by doing any such thing our selves much less by commanding it XVII
goods or mony but thousands utterly ruined in the world and crept into holes and lived in poverty when it was a wonder that they dyed not by hundreds of famine and when such a sight as London in its ruines was before mens eyes which he that saw sure can never forget If then men because that the Bishops or Parliament forbad them should have refused to Preach the Gospel of Christ and to teach men to lay up a treasure in Heaven and to comfort such a ruined City what excuse would such unfaithfull servants have had at the bar of their great Judge XIX These two great and notorious necessities succeeding in those two dreadful years 1665 1666. calling the Nonconformable Ministers out of their retirements and latitant and silent state resolved them to serve God more diligently and openly than they had done whatever it cost them And many Country Ministers were awakened to the like by the examples of those in London Though yet a great number who are in places of less need or not called out as aforesaid still lie much silent XX. WHILE THE DREADFUL FIRE WAS WASTING LONDON and OTHER CORPORATIONS THE PARLIAMENT and BISHOPS WERE AT OXFORD MAKING AN OATH TO DRIVE ALL NONCONFORMISTS ABOVE FIVE MILES FROM ALL CITIES and CORPORATIONS that send Burgesses to Parliament and all other places where ever they had Preached since the act of oblivion So that had they obeyed the Laws London had been deserted in the Plague and in the ruines and few people suffered publickly to worship God At the mention of which the heart of the writer of this trembleth especially to think how much further the Bishops went in this then the Synod of Ithacius and Idacius went from which Martin separated to the death by Gods miraculous instruction XXI The Plague Fire Poverty which have seized not only on London but on many other Corporations of England more than other places and more than hath been known in our forefathers daies make many wish that the Corporation-Oath and Declaration might be reviewed and that Gods Judgments as a Tâ—empet sounding REPENT O ENGLAND were heard by all the Corporations of the Land before we hear that time is past And that it might be considered whether either an Unlawful Imposing or an Unlawful taking or the neighbourhood of any Vnlawful particulars can warrant any man to declare that neither he nor any other person is obliged by that Vow to Repent of his sin or to oppose prophaneness Popery or Schism or any thing contrary to sound Doctrine and Godliness And to enquire in what Countrey or age of the world Christian Mahometan or Heathen there was ever such a Law before It was that age of the Church in which Hell ruled most on earth even in the Wars between Pope Gregory 7th and the Emperour when the Pope swore them on one side and the Emperour on the other and men swore and unswore and forswore as the powers that they were under bid them which made Abbas Urspergâ—nsiâ— Chron p. 32. say Ut omnis homo jam sit perjurus praedictis facinoribus implicatus ut vix excusari possit quin sit in his sicut popâ—lus sic Sacerdos And that pleasant man who knoweth his own name who merrily derideth his adversaries for gathering a doubt of our fundamentals from our differences may more feelingly know one day that God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain And may consider that it was no more precise a man than Cotta in Câ—cero de Nat. Deor. l. 1. that would prove men did not believe that there was a God because they durst be perjured instancing in perjured and ungodly Carbo It was not a sign of Schismaticks but of very charitable moderate men that could hear and regard such a perjured Ministry as Urspergensis saith was then in the Roman Church especially in Germany where the temptation lay XXII A little after the Plague and Fire some Nonconformable Ministers about London met to consider whether our actuall forbearance to joyn with the Parish Churches in the Sacrament might not tend to deceive men and make them believe that we were for separation from them and took their Communion to be unlawful And upon the Reasons given in they agreed that such Communion was lawful and meet when it would not do more harm than good But because at that time a storm was coming on men from the Act against Conventicles and their judgment was against ruining those that in this were not of their minds on the reasons aforesaid and being credibly informed that their communicating at such an unseasonable time would not only perswade men that force compelled them but also draw them to ruine others that durst not imitate them they resolved to delay for a fitter opportunity because God will have mercy and not sacrifice and our Liberty is not alwaies our Duty nor must be used to other mens destruction Thus violence crosseth the Authors ends XXIII Shortly after when such thoughts returned and many thought it meet to joyn in the publick Assemblies the Oxford Oath and Act of Confinement was put in execution and drove them all away For the reasons aforesaid had satisfied them not to desert the souls in all Cities Corporations and places where they had Preached and so they were fain to hide themselves to avoid six months imprisonment in the common Gaols whither some of us were sent so that if they had come to the Parish-Churches to Common-prayer or Sacraments they had exposed themselves to multitudes of witnesses and so to certain imprisonment Except in some odd corners of the Country where they were strangers about five miles from Corporations or acquaintance where their example would have wrought little on any in the Cities or that had known them So that the Oxford Act most effectually forbad them coming to Church or holding Communion with any Parish-Churches within five miles of any such City Corporation or Village where they had Preached since the Act of Oblivion This they could not avoid XXIV Yet many Ministers were afraid of introducing unwarrantable separations by avoiding the severities of the Law and Bishops and many that did retire to Country-Villages five miles distant as confined did there constantly joyn with the Parish-Churches in Liturgy and Sacrament But this being far from Cities and not in the sight of the people that were most disaffected to the Prelates and Liturgy did little with them and so they were disabled by the Bishops or Rulers to do what they desired against other mens extreams XXV Before this many Ministers had offered thankfully to accept the Liberty of Preaching in the Parish Churches where the Liturgy is used and being present at it And some to this day that live in the Country where they can get so much favour preach in the Parish-Churches and joyn in the Liturgy and draw others to it and go from place to place thus to avoid being taken XXVI Many seeing how we were thus
We justly maintain against the Anabaptists that Infants relation to the Covenant and the universal Church as members was not repealed by Christ because it was not founded only on the Law of Moses which if it had it were as such repealed § 12. The Holy Ghost by the Apostles Acts 15. hath declared to all the Churches of the Gentiles that they are not bound to keep the Law of Moses and hath absolved us from all saving things antecedently and on other reasons necessary verse 28. § 13 If the Jews form of Government be ours then the High-Priest must have the power of the Sword or sit in judgment for life or death as Deut. 17. 12 13. and other places shew But many Papists and Protestants are agreed that the clergy have no power of the Sword or force unless the King make them also Magistrates § 14. It is a matter of so great importance to the Church to know whom we must obey that it is not to be thought that any way is made necessary by Christ which he hath not made intelligible and certain to be indeed his will Especially when the Apostles strove who should be the chief and two of them made it their request and when the Corinthians and others were ready to set up one before another and say I am of Cephas c. § 15. Yea Christ on this occasion expresly forbad them to seek to be one above another and told them that though Kings exercise authority and have magnifying Titles with them it should not be so but their preeminence should consist as that of a servant in humility and service unto others Luk. 22. which will not stand as we suppose with establishing the Jewish order § 16. And Pauls reproof of their making a Church head of Cephas Paul or Apollo or taking them to be other than helps of their faith and not Lords of it and Ministers by whom they believed even then when Schisms made it necessary to have known to whom they must appeal and adhere if that had been the way doth further confirm what we say § 17. The argument that some worthy persons bring from the Prophesies that Nations should be converted unto Christ and that the Kingdom should be taken from the Jews and given to a Nation that would bring forth the fruits of it Matth. 21. 43. and that the Kingdomes of the world are made the Kingdoms of Christ and that Egypt and Assyria should be converted and equalled with the Jews c. do ineeed shew that there should be Christian Kings and Kingdoms which the Apostles were sent to endeavour Mat. 28. 19. to convert Nations But here is nothing that we can perceive to prove that these Christian Nations must have the Jewish Church Policy § 18. Nay contrary the Church is said to be built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2. 20. and not of the Mosaical Policy of Priesthood Rev. 21. 14. It hath twelve foundations § 19. It is said Zech. 2. 11. Many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord and shall be my people So Zech. 8. 22. Isa 65. 1. Rom. 10. 20. Isa 2. 2. 55. 5. Hos 2. 23. Isa 60. 3. 49. 22. But not a word in all this of the old form of Policy or Priesthood but Contrarily that the Law should come out of Zion and a new Covenant should be made And it is certain that so large a history as we have of Christ's performances is a far clearer light than obscure Prophecies and darker texts must be explained by the plainer and not contrarily § 20. We see not how the Synod Act. 15. maketh any thing for a National High Priest or Sanedrim or any like Policy For 1. It appeareth to be no act of proper National Government but did bind other Churches as well as those within the Empire 2. It was an arbitration at the request of doubting persons and it was not the Relation of the Arbitrators to one seat of National Power as the Metropolis that was respected but the quality of the persons sent to who would have been equally obeyed had they dwelt in the least Village of another Land 1. There were the Apostles that had the promise of the Holy Ghost 2. There were many whom the people must needs more confide in than in one especially whose power was questioned by gainsayers 3. Both Apostles Elders and Brethren there were such as had seen or were neer to Christ and his works and therefore likeliest to know his mind 4. They were Jews themselves and therefore most impartial Judges in the point that Jewish Teachers troubled them about so far as that they might well acquiesce when Jews themselves resolved them And when the Apostles were dispersed we find not any more Jerusalem-Councils Governing the Imperial Churches § 21. If that Councils Authority were properly National and arose from the prerogative of Jerusalem then 1. All the Apostles when scattered would have been subject to James the first Bishop of Jerusalem thought to be no Apostle 2. Then Jerusalem might have after claimed the Supremacy as of Divine right before Alexandria Antioch or Rome But it is certain by experience that the whole Church was of another mind when Jerusalem had not so much as the fifth or lowest Patriarchate till long after by another grant But if the Power was not fixed to the place but the Itinerant Apostles then it is nothing to prove any Governing Church over others as being affixed to such a place Nor shall we easily find the Apostles Itinerant Successours in that power § 22. II. It is certain that Christ chose twelve Apostles besides Paul who had a preeminence before other Ministers and that he joyned with them some Prophets and Evangelists appointing them all to gather Churches through the world discipling and baptizing Nations and teaching them all things that he commanded a work to be still done and to which he promised his presence to the end of the world And that these having gathered Converts set over them fixed Bishops or Pastors or Elders to be their constant Guides in Teaching Publick Worship and Discipline under Christ the great Prophet Priest and King of the Church And that to the Apostles first and by them to others he gave them the Keys that is the Judging Power of reception and rejection and the Official Power of pronouncing God's reception or rejection of them according to his Word § 23. There is not the least evidence that these Apostles did affix a Superiour Power over the other Churches to any particular seats Patriarchal or Metropolitan much less National or that any of them exercised Government over the rest or that they themselves did fix themselves as Bishops to any twelve or thirteen Cities in the world much less to twelve Kingdoms § 24. There is no notice in Church history of any one National Church-power Priest or Synod setled asserted or exercised under Heaven of above three hundred years Egypt and Assyria that were
prophesied to be Christian Nations never were distinct Christian Kingdoms but parts of the Empire nor had a National Church or Head being but parts of such a Church Nay when Rome got the National Primacy it had not such a Priestly Governing Soveraignty as the Jews High-Priest had § 25. Though there was no Christian King for three hundred years unless he of Edessa or Lucius of England of whom we have little certainty but it 's like that both were subjects to others yet if a Supream Church-Power had been necessary the Apostles would have before erected it which they never did For even Rome pretendeth to be by them made the Ruler of the whole world and not a meer National Head which Constantinople claimed but not as of Apostolical institution § 27. The question whether the Jews had they believed should have continued their High-Priest and Church Policy is vain as to our purpose 1. It being certain to Christ that they would be dissolved by unbelief And 2. he having setled another way and changed theirs 3. And if their Priesthood and Law except as it typified spiritual things had stood yet it would not have bound the Gentile Christians in other Nations § 28. When Emperours became Christians they did not set up the Jewish Policy nor thought themselves bound to it no nor any setled Priestly Supremacy for National Government For Councils were called but on rare accidents by the Emperours themselves and to decide particular cases about Heresies And the Pope had but the first voice in such Councils § 29. But if every Nation must have the Jewish Policy then the whole Empire must then have one High Priest and then the Pope hath a fair pretence to his claim of a Divine Institution as the Church Soveraign of the whole Empire which it 's like was then seven parts in eight of the whole Christian world at least unless Abassia were then generally Christians as now But then his power would change with the Empire and fall when it falleth § 30. III. But if the question be only whether a National Priestly Soveraignty be lawful or whether God's general Rules for Concord Order Edification do bind the Churches prudentially to erect such a form To this they sayas followeth 1. We will first lay hold on certainties and not prefer uncertainties before them We are sure that such a power of Apostles and Pastors as is before mentioned was established and that the junior Pastors were as Sons to the seniors ordained by them Whether the power of Ordaining and Governing Ministers was by Apostolical Establishment appropriated to men of a superiour degree in the sacred Ministry seemeth to us very dark 2. We are past doubt that all particular Churches by Apostolical order had Bishops and that a Church was as Hierom saith Plebs Episcopo adunata and as Ignatius the Unity of every Church was notified by this that to every Church there was one Altar and one Bishop at that time and as Cyprian Ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia 3. And we are satisfied that every Presbyter is Episcopus Gregis whoever claim to be Episcopi Episcoporum which the Carthage Council in Cyprian renounced 4. And we are satisfied that no Church-superiours have authority to destroy the particular Church form Ministry Doctrine Worship or Discipline which were setled by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles And that the priviledges and duties of these single particular Churches being plainest and surest in Scripture they must be continued whatever Canons or Commands of any superiour Priests should be against them 5. Nor can they force any man to sin 6. Nor have any Priests a forcing power by the sword or violence but only the power of the Word and Keys that is of taking in or putting out of the Church where they have power and binding men over on just cause to the judgment of God The power that they have is from Christ and for him and not against him and for the Churches edisication and not destruction and what is pretended contrary to this is none They cannot dispense with the Laws of God but preach and execute them 7. And these things being thus secured though in our doubts we dare not swear or subscribe that National Patriarchal Provincial or Metropolitical Powers are of God's institution yet we resolve to live in all Christian peaceableness and submission when such are over us § 31. And we must profess that when we find how anciently and commonly one Presbyter in each Church was peculiarly called the Bishop without whom there was no ordinary ordinations and against whom in matters of his power none was to resist and also how generally the Churches in the Roman Empire conformed themselves to an imitation of the civil power as to their limits in all the official part being all subject to the Emperour who set up no Ecclesiastical Peer we are not so singular or void of reverence to those Churches as not by such notices to be much the more inclined to the aforesaid submission and peaceableness under such a power nor are we so bold or rash as to reproach it or condemn the Churches and excellent persons that have practised it §32 Nay we have already said that securing the state worship doctrine and true discipline of the inferiour particular Parish Churches there are some of us that much incline to think that Archbishops that is Bishops that have some oversight of many Churches with their Pastors are Lawful successours of the Apostles in the ordinary part of their work And such of us have long ago said that the Episcopal Government of the Bohemian Waldenses described by Commenius and Lascitius is most agreable to our judgment of any that we know excercised Therefore that which we humbly offered for our concord in England at His Majesties Restauration was Archbishop Ushers form of the Primitive Church Government not attempting any diminution of the Power wealth or honour of the Diocesanes or Archbishops but only a restauration of the Presbyters to their proper Office-work and some tolerable discipline to the particular Parish Churches §33 But we must ever much difference so much of Church order and Government as God himself hath instituted and is purely divine and unchangeable from those accidentals which men ordain though according to Gods general Rules For these are often various and mutable and are means to the former and never to be used against them And of these accidentals of Government we say as they that say no such form is fixed by God Concord order decency and edification are alwaies necessary But oft times it may be indifferent whether concord order and decency be expressed by this accidental way or that And that which is most congruous for order decency edification and concord in one Countrey Church or time may be incongruous in another Therefore if the question be but how far the giving one Bishop or Pastor power over others or making disparity of Cities in conformity to
the state be prudently to be chosen we only say so that Gods establishment be not violated whatever we might think best we presume not herein to give Laws to the Lawgivers nor to obtrude our Counsel uncalled on our superiours much less seditiously to oppose their Lawful institutions § 34. But to those that think that Gods foresaid General Laws of order concord edification do make such a policy ordinarily necessary in the Churches as imitateth the Jews or the civil form of Government we humbly offer to their consideration 1. If so then it would have been the matter of an Vniversal Law with its due exceptions And then Christ the only Vniversal Lawgiver would have made it For if he have not made all necessary Vniversal Laws his Laws are imperfect And then there should be some other Vniversal Lawgiver to supply that defect But there is no other upon earth whether Pope or Council 2. It is contrary to the nature of undetermined circumstances to be alwaies the same and so to be fit matter of such Vniversal or fixed Laws The cases will vary and then so will the duty 3. There will be great diversity of the interest and ingeny of the Judges of the case in several Countries and ages And therefore though some think the said imitation of the civil state alwaies best vet others will not § 35. But if such a settlement were certainly best let it be remembred 1. That the Jews had not under the chief High-Priest one in every City or Tribe like Diocesane Bishops 2. That their Synagogues had discipline within themselves ever where there was but a Village of ten persons there was a Presbyter that had the power of judging offenders § 36. What man doth prudently set up man may prudently alter as there is cause Greg. Nazianzen earnestly wisheth that there were no difference of Place or seats among the Pastors of the Church And therefore he neither thought their Government of each other to be of Divine right nor of prudential necessity or use Else he would have been against it And the whole Greek Church did and still doth take the seats of preeminence to be but of mans appointment or else they would never have changed them and set Constantinople so high as they did And the Council of Calcedon expresly determineth that Rome was by the fathers made the chief seat because it was the seat of the Emperour which was mutable § 37. The Councils in those daies were about Popes or Patriarchs and could depose them And yet it is most evident to any man considerately reading such history that all the Councils called before Christian Emperours gave them more power and conjoyned their authority did meet only for acts of Agreement and not of Regiment over each other Many such synods are mentioned by Eusebius And the Right Reverend Arch-bishop Usher declared his judgment so in general that Councils had but an agreeing power and not a Regent power over the particular Bishops Yet these two things must be supposed 1. That the Pastors in a synod are still Rectors of their slocks and their Canons to them may be more authoritative than a single Pastors words 2. That Gods Law bindeth us to keep love and concord and the Agreements of Councils may determine of the matter in alterable points and so even absent and present Bishops may concordiae gratiâ be obliged by Gods Law to keep such canons as are made for concord and so they may be the matter of our duty But seeing the Church for 300 years judged Councils to have no proper Governing power over particular Pastors and Bishops or Patriarchs singly had ever less power than Councils it followeth that then a Churches Government of disparity and supraordinate Bishops like the civil or like the Jews was not then taken to be of divine right nor then of any right at all § 38. And as to the doubt whether it began after 300 years to be a prudential duty or at least most desirable when we hear what is said on both sides we think it not easie to judge either how much in such a case Christ hath left to humane prudence nor which way the scales of prudence herein will ordinarily turn On one side it is said 1. That it is absurd that there should be no appeals for injured persons to a superiour power 2. And that the dissensions of the Church else will be remediless and all will be broken into heresies and sects 3. And that Apostolical men of a higher rank than meer Presbyters will else have no convenient opportunity to excercise their Governing power if it be not tyed to fixed seats § 39. On the other side they plead 1. That it is safer for the Church to have Religion in the power of many Bishops or Pastors than that one High Priest or Patriarch should have power to corrupt it or silence the faithful preachers or persecute the people when ever he proveth a bad man Yea they say it must be rare if he be not bad seeing it is certain that the most proud and worldly men which are the worst will be the most earnest seekers of rich and honourable places and he that seeketh will usually find 2. They say Christ directly forbad this to his Apostles Luk. 22. That which they strove for was it that he forbad them But that which they strove for was who should be the chief or greatest and not who should tyrannize 3. They say that all Church history assureth us that there have been more Schisms and scandalous contentions about the great superiour Bishopricks far than any of the rest It is a doleful thing to read the history of the Churches of Alexandria Antioch Constantinople and Rome Gregory Nazianzen giveth it as the reason why the contention at Cesarea was so lamentable because it was so high an Archbishoprick The whole Christian world hath been scandalized torn and distracted by the strife of Bishops of and for the highest seats Their famous General Councils which we justly honour for their function and that which they did well were shamefully militant even the first and most honoured Council at Nice was with great difficulty kept in Peace by the personal presence wisdom and authority of Constantine preaching peace to the preachers of peace burning their libels of mutual accusation silencing their contentious wranglings and constreining them to accord Nazianzens descriptions of the ignorance and insolence and naughtiness of the Clergy Orat 1. and of the shameful state of the Bishops Orat. 32. must make the readers heart to grieve The people he describeth as contentious at Constantinople yet as endued with the Love of God though their zeal wanted knowledge pag 528. But the Courtiers as whether true to the Emperours he knew not but for the greatest part perfidious to God And the Bishops as fitting on adverse thrones and feeding adverse opposite flocks drawn by them into factions like the clefts that Earthquakes make and the pestilent
State though not alwaies materially And that the King as King is but an Accidental Civil Head as he is over Physicians and Schoolmasters being neither himself and that the National Church must have a formal Clergy-head Personal or Collective which shall in suo genere be the highest though under the Magisttates Civil Government as Physicians are 4. The Papists say that all National Churches are under the Pope as Universal Pastor who may alter them as he seeth cause 5. Some moderate men say that only Diocesan and Metropolitical Churches are jure Divino and that they are called National only improperly from one King or concording association as ab accidente and not properly from any formal Clergy-head § 43. VI. Lastly which is the formal Head of the Church of England and so what that Church is we are left as much uncertain 1. If it be only a Civil Head that denominateth it One then it is but a Christian Kingdom which we never questioned And Dr. Rich. Cosins in his Tables of the English Church-Policy saith That the King hath Administrationem supremam magisque absolutam quae dicitur Primatus Regius And Tho. Crompton in his dedication of it to K. James saith Ecclesiastica Jurisdictio plane Regia est Coronae dignitatis vestrae Regiae prima praecipua indivisibilis pars Ecclesiasticae leges Regiae sunt neque alibi oriuntur aut aliunde sustentantur aut fulciuntur penes Ecclesiasticos judices per Archiepiscopos Episcopos derivata a Rege potestate jurisdictio Ecclesiastica consist it And yet our Kings and Church explaining the Oath of Allegiance declare that the King pretendeth not to the Priesthood or power to administer the Word and Sacraments but as Crompton adds from Constantine is extra Ecclesiam constitutus a Deo Episcopus alii intra Ecclesiam Episcopi This is plain If they hold to this and claim no power in the English-Policy but as the Kings Officers in that part which belongeth to Christian Magistrates who will oppose them But this reacheth not to the Keys Preaching or Sacraments 2. Some say that the King is partly a Clergy man as Melchizedek and so that he is the formal Head and might perform the Priestly Office if he would But this our Kings have themselves renounced 3. Some say that the Archbishop of Canterbury is the formal Head but that cannot be because he is no Governour over the Arch-Bishop of York or his Province 4. Most say that the Convocation is the formal Church-Head which makes it One Political Church But 1. If so then why saith the Canon that the Convocation is the true Church of England by Representation and those excommunicate that deny it We enquire after the Church-Head or Governour And that which is but the Church it self by representation is not its Head unless the Head and Body be the same and the Church govern it self and so it be Democratical The governed and Governours sure are not the same 2. And the Supream Power is supposed by those that take Episcopacy for a distinct Order to be in the Supream Order only But the far greater part of the Convocation are not of the Supream Order Nay thus the Presbyters should be partly the chief Governours of the Bishops while they make Canons for them 3. When we did but motion that according to Arch-Bishop Ushers form of the Primitive Episcopacy Presbyters might joyn with the Bishops in proper executive Church-government instead of Lay-Chancellors and such like they decryed it as Presbytery and call us Presbyterians ever since And if they say that the Presbyters have so great a part in the Supream Government it self which obligeth all the Nation how much more would they be themselves Presbyterians which they so abhor § 44. Having oft said that we desire Christian Kingdoms as the great blessing of the world we mean not either that 1. All in a Kingdom should be forced to be baptized or profess themselves Christians whether they are so or not For lying will not save men nor please God and even the Papists are against this 2. Nor that all should be supposed to be Christians that are in the Kingdom But that the Kings be Christians and the Laws countenance Christianity and the most or ruling part of the Kingdom be Christians and all just endeavours used to make all the rest so The Ancient Churches continued them Catechumens till they were fit for Baptism and though they were for Infant-Baptism they compelled none to be baptized in Infancy or at Age but left it to free choice They baptized but twice a year ordinarily They kept many offenders many years from communion And if Crabs Roman Council sub silvest be true they at Rome admitted not penitents till fourty years understand it as you see cause The true Elibertine Canons kept many out so many years and many till death and many absolutely as shewed that they were far from taking all the Nation into the Church And the Christian Emperours compelled none It was long before the greatest part of the Empire were Christians In the daies of Valens the Bishops were some of them banished into places that had few Christians if any In France it self even in St. Martin's daies the Christians of his flock were not the most but he wrought miracles to convince the Heathens that raged against Christianity where he dwelt c. § 1. There are two appendent Controversies handled by some that write for National Churches which need but a brief solution The first is whether it be not an Independent Errour to expect real holiness in Church-members as necessary in the judgment of charity The second Whether it be not such an Errour to require the bond of a Covenant beside the Baptismal Covenant § 2. To the first we say that so much is written on this point by one of us in a Treatise called Disputations of Right to Sacraments c. that we think meet to say no more The Opponents now confess that it must be saving Faith and Consent to the Baptismal Covenant that must be professed And Papists and Protestants agree with all the Ancient Church that Baptism putteth the true Consenter into a state of certain pardon and title to life And God maketh not known lying a condition of Church-communion He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved It is true that God hath not made Ministers Arbitrary Judges of mens secret thoughts but hath limited them in judging to take their tongues that profess Faith and Consent to be the Indices of their minds But sure the power of the Keys containeth a power of judging according to Christ's Law who is to be taken into the Church by Baptism and who not If only the seeker be made Judge it will be a new way of Church-Government and a bad And then the question is 1. Whether he that accepts ones profession seemingly serious of Faith and Consent and that de praesente is not bound to hope in charity that such
Ecclesiastical Laws as the Surplice the sign of the Cross at the sacred Font kneeling in receiving the Sacrament and such like which yet by some light prejudice he thought were superstitious and Popish The question is What obligation there is in this case I say 1. Such an Oath cannot be taken during such errour without grievous sin For he sinneth grievously that sinneth against his conscience though erroneous For when the Judgment of the Intellect is every ones nearest Rule of action the will if it follow not that judgment failing from its Rule must needs be carried into sin It 's a common saying He that doth against his conscience buildeth to Hell Verily he that sweareth what he thinketh unlawful would swear if it were indeed unlawful that becometh unlawful to him that is lawful to another as the Apostle judgeth Rom. 14. 14 2. I say such an Oath doth not bind Because an Oath cannot take away a former obligation nor induce another obligation contrary to it But that Oath which is taken against the dictate of conscience had a former obligation arising from that dictate For the dictate of conscience whether right or erroneous alwaies obligeth at least not to act against it But a following Oath cannot remove that obligation but is it self invalid and loseth its obliging force 3. But if the swearer after better taught do see and correct his errour the Oath which bound him not before beginneth then to bind him P. 77. Other Cases there are of things by Accident unlawful by reason of ill effects of the thing it self as it may be a hinderer of a greater good or a cause at least an occasion of evil The fourth Case is when the thing sworn seemeth unlawful as hindering the effect of some antecedent good as of a Vow or Promise made before As if one that had before-hand bound himself to some work of Piety or Charity after take an Oath that hindereth the fulfilling of the former Vow As if one that vowed to give half his gain weekly to the poor shall after swear to give it all to the war This case hath no difficulty I plainly answer such an Oath is neither lawful nor obligatory because that the former obligation whencesoever contracted whether by Covenant or by Vow or by bare Promise or by meer Office or Duty remaineth valid and puts a bar to every following contrary act Read Prael 4. § 11 12 13 14 15. what he saith for the obligation 1. Of spontaneous Oaths 2. Of Oaths caused by fraud 3. Or by fear extorted 4. Even of Oaths to Robbers P. 110. 3. He that taketh an Oath imposed by one that had no just authority but not otherwise vicious is bound to perform what he swore Read p. 175 c. what he saith at large against equivocation stretching reservations as opening the door to all lying and perjury and frustrating the end of Oaths P. 195. Of the latitude and extent of an Oath How far the senso is to be measured by the scope As when the Cause of the Oath was particular but the words are general e. g. The Popes Usurpation was the Cause of the Oath of the Kings Supremacy But the words of the Oath so assert the Kings Supremacy as exclude all others as well as the Pope from exercising supreme Power in this Kingdom Answ Such an Oath obligeth as to the words themselves in their utmost latitude The Reason is because the intention of the Law though made on a particular occasion is general to hinder all incommodities of the same kind for the future As Lawyers fetch not the sense of Laws from the Proem but from the body of the Statute so we must judge of the just interpretation of an Oath not by the promised recognition or other preface but by the body of the Oath it self P. 208. He is alwaies perjured that intendeth not what he promised but he is not alwaies perjured that performeth not what he promised The bond being dissolved P. 227. Vows made to God as a party cannot be relaxed by man though men may give away their own If you swear for the sake of another as to his honour obedience profit or other good the Oath bindeth not unless he for whom you swear take it as acceptable and firm P. 242. Concl. 4. It is a grievous sin to impose an Oath unduly on another As 1. An Oath not stablished by Law or Custom c. 2. An Oath that is repugnant or in the sense that the words hold forth in the common use of speaking seemeth repugnant to any Oath by him formerly lawfully taken 3. They that constrain men to swear to a thing unlawful as against our duty to God or our Superiours or the Laws of the Kingdom or against good manners or that which is otherwise dishonest and may not be kept 4. He who imposeth an Oath of ambiguous sense or any way captious to ensnare the conscience life liberty or fortune of his neighbour 5. He that without necessity by fear compelleth or by Authority impelleth or by counsel example fraud or other artifice or reason induceth another to swear who he knoweth will swear against the judgment of his conscience I would all men in great power would remember how filthy a character Jeroboam branded his own conscience fame and name with that made Israel to sin and how greatly they provoke God's great wrath against themselves that abuse their power to other mens ruine which God gave them for edification and not for destruction P. 243. Concl. 5. An offered Oath is not to be taken with a reluctant or doubting conscience 1. Because what is not of faith is sin 2. Because we must swear in judgment which he doth not that sweareth against his consciences Judgment 3. Because this is done for some temporal commodity or to avoid some loss or obtain some gain or to get some mans favour or such like But how unworthy of a Christian is it to set God behind the World Heaven behind Earth the Soul behind the Body eternal joy behind temporal gain the hope of the life to come behind present ease inward peace behind outward 4. Because he that so sweareth evidently exposeth himself to the danger of Perjury a most heinous sin For he that for hope or fear of any temporal commodity or discommodity can be induced to swear that which he ought not it is scarce credible but he may by the like hope or fear be drawn from doing what he swore And PERJURY was by the very heathens accounted one of those most heinous sins which they believed would bring the wrath of the Gods not only on the guilty but on their posterity yea on whole nations much more is it to be feared of us who worship that one true God who hath solemnly professed that he will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain Lest while which way ever we look we see such a great and luxuriant crop of Oaths and