endearing expressions of kindness and arguments of love drawing the Will by sweet promises of the choicest mercies terrifying the impenitent and awakening the secure by severest threatnings and the thunders of most dreadful terrors (a) Deut. 30.15.19 setting before man Life and Death everlasting blessedness upon his (b) Mat. 24 13. Rev 2.10 perseverance in faith and obedience eternal misery upon his final impenitency and disobedience seriously exhorting man (c) Deut. 30.19 Josh 24.15 Job 34.4 Pro. 1.29 Isa 1.16.21 65.12 to make his own choice that he may live and not die (d) Luk. 19.42 Mat. 23.37 Passionately bemoaning the blindness and stubbornness of man that will not see nor close with the things that do belong to his peace and (e) Deut. 32.6.28 29. expostulating with man for his unkindness to God his unmindfulness of himself Calling (f) Deut. 30.19 Isa 1.2 heaven and earth to witness yea making (g) Isa 1.18 19 20. Ezek 18.25 29 Man himself judge between God and his own soul whether by any act or any such irrevocable decree he be bound up that he cannot do otherwise and by solemn oath removing from God all kind of (h) Ezek. 18.30 31. 33.10 11 12 13-21 pleasure in or desire of mans destruction and charging the cause of all upon man himself who will sin and will not repent and by consequence will die Expressly (i) Mar 16.16 Luk 13.3.5 Heb. 10.38 39. most expressly determining Salvation onley upon condition of Repentance Faith Obedience and final Perseverance Damnation onely in case of Infidelity Disobedience Apostacie and final Impenitency Thus from the express Condition in the effect and execution by which onely we can know the cause in this thing they infer such an indeterminate and conditional Decree there being no promise of life but to persons so and so qualified and acting nor salvation given but upon perseverance in faith and obedience no death denounced but upon intuition of sin nor inflicted but where such sin is persevered in Sect. 13 The other side also make their equal claims to the same sacred Oracles Which declare the (k) Rom. 9 11. 28. stability of the purpose of God according to Election That He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth That it is not of him that will th nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy the Discrimination being made with God before they have done cither good or evil and that howsoever God dealeth he hath as unquestionable a soveraignty over his creatures as the potter over his clay that every mouth may be stopped and no man dare to reply against God referring the whole Series of mans salvation to God first (l) Rom. 8.30 Predestinating then calling then justifying then glorifying which onely charge sin and impenitency and consequently impute all the miseries death and destruction on mans perverse and depraved will but declare his help deliverance mercy and life to be only from God and his pure free rich Grace and Love and teach that though Repentance Faith Obedience and Perseverance in these be the expresse conditions of life yet they are all the Gifts of God (m) Act 5.31 Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 who gives repentance and faith and (n) 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Phil. 1.6 1 Thess 5.24 strengthens us to persevere and upholds us from falling and that therefore such shall not utterly and for ever fall away And that these being the gifts of God they must be from the pure love and onely good pleasure of God that man may have (o) 1 Cor. 1.29 nothing to boast of in himself as having nothing but (p) 1 Cor. 4 7. what he hath received and (q) 1 Cor. 15.10 the Grace of God being that which maketh the difference And though no man can be saved but such as are fully willing to be saved and whose wills freely choose the way of righteousness and life yet the will of man is so naturally corrupted and enslaved to lust that man cannot choose nor the will determine it self to that which is really good until it be emancipated and set free by that Divine grace which is not given to all but onely to some certain persons according to the Beneplacitum Dei the good pleasure of God who makes men (r) Phil. 2.13 willing as well as enables them to work Thus from these Scriptures experiences and effects they conclude the Absolute Decree of God to prepare for and give to such a number of persons whom he hath chosen this effectual grace and so to bring them infallibly to salvation leaving the rest to the liberty and corruption of their own will to perish in their own wilful Rebellion Sect. 14 I have no design to interpose mine own opinion I must here cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and confess he must be a man of greater skill and sar greater wisdom and learning than I dare pretend unto or can hope to attain who shall be able to decide this controversie and cut so even a thread as to place the grace of God in the Throne where it must unquestionably sit and have all the glory of the good that is in us or conferred upon us and yet assert the power and liberty of the rational creature which God hath given to it and according to the use whereof it shall and must be judged Sect. 15 But by all this it is apparent That this dispute is not newly started neither Calvin nor Arminius were the first fathers or factors of either opinion that we should be now engaged to prosecute either as a new Doctrine sprung up in the Church when it hath been of old and I believe will be among men while men are in the World And shall we now for this difference break peace shall we not unite in one communion because we cannot agree in this one Doctrine should the Church for this maintain a perpetual Faction and continue a perpetual Rent to the end of the World for a different judgment in so abstruse a Doctrine wherein not Hereticks and Schismaticks but learned men of sober pious and peaceable principles have dissented and do and will dissent while they are on this side Heaven where only they will be fully acquainted with the truth having their understandings inlightned beyond all obscurity and their hearts perfectly purged from all corruptions God forbid Sect. 16 2. To this let me add the difficulty of deciding it which must be concluded from what hath been said in the former Paragraphs and the great pretensions and those strongly probable too which both sides make to those three chief yea only rules to judge and determine of things by Scripture Reason and Experience and Arguments drawn from all these by each dissenting Party which will puzzle the acutest Respondent of the other side to give such an answer and solution to them as may clearly take off the doubt and give satisfaction to them
baptized into the service of one Lord into the same faith engaged in one and the same vow and should not all this engage to the greatest charity to the strictest unity Sect. 5 There was therefore great reason for that charge of his to the Romans (a) Rom. 16.17 To mark them which cause divisions and to avoid them Even (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc attentè diligentur quasi hostes è speculâ observare to watch them as a watchman stands upon the watch-tower to descry an enemy or a Centinel upon the guard to prevent him This is one great end why God hath set his (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.28 Bishops in the Church who are as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to oversee and look to the flock to teach to feed and govern them so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to watch for them to discover approaching dangers as (d) Ezek. 3.17 watchmen to the house of Israel And really the watch cannot be set too strictly nor kept too carefully against such as make divisions that such enemies to peace and love may not creep into the City of God whose grand work is to undermine the faith of the Gospel Sect. 6 They are indeed a sad generation of men who bear this character that (e) Rom. 3.17 The way of peace have they not known They will neither live quietly themselves nor let others live quietly by them and if ye look to their affections (f) Vers 18. they have no fear of God before their eyes and the issue is (g) Vers 16. Destruction and misery are in their wayes Let men pretend never so much to the Spirit to a wisdom above the rest of their brethren and to a more spiritual way yet (h) Gal. 5.20 21. Variance emulations strife seditions heresies hatred envyings are as evident and manifest works of the flesh as Adultery Fornication Drunkenness Murder c. and as much opposite to the wayes of the Gospel (i) Jam. 3.14 15. When ye have bitter envyings and sirife that wisdom is not from above but earthly sensual devilish Yea whatever mens boastings may be where there is envying strife and divisions they are really carnal and walk as men sensual men The Fruits of the Spirit have another name are another thing They are (k) Gal. 5.22 23. Love Peace Joy Long-suffering Goodness Meekness c. The wisdom from above is of another stamp (l) Jam. 3.17 Pure peaceable gentle c. The Disciples of Christ are of another spirit they bear this character (m) Joh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another said that Shepherd who (n) Joh. 10.3.14 best knew the mark of his own sheep even the Lord who best (o) 2 Tim. 2.19 knows who are his This was accounted the Character of the Ancient Christians in Tertullians time (p) Christiani amant paenè antequam nôrunt Tertul. alicubi that they loved one another before they knew the faces one of another and after him we are told by St. Chrysostom that (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 31. in Hebr. Love and peace are the standing marks and badges the distinguishing characters of true Christianity Read over that whole Epistle of that Beloved Disciple S. John ye will find that the whole designe of that is from the exceeding rich love of Christ to us to engage us (r) See particularly 1 Joh. 2.3 6 7 8. ch 3.11.24 4.7 to the end to love among our selves This being both the old and the new command which unless we obey we have forfeited our Christianity That we love one another declaring this to be the special commandment which we have from Christ (s) 1 Joh. 5.21 That he who loveth God love his brother also It is so indeed for our Lord Christ himself saith so (t) Joh. 15.12 This is my commandment that which I especially give in charge wherein ye shall bear the signal character of my Disciples That ye love one another Sect. 8 These are the strict charge the unquestionable unrepealable commands of the Gospel so inseparable a character and mark of a Christian that it is evident whosoever studies not this peace is not careful to maintain this union and love nor willing to lay down his own humors to gain and do his utmost to to promote it he doth hereby give to the world but too much reason to question his Christianity Sect. 9 Argum. 2. And that which may yet engage us farther is to consider this also That what is so straitly charged on us we may with much ease and no difficulty obey if we indeed will live like Christians For the controversies and things in dispute among us are not so great but as they might be easily composed were we not given to contention so notwithstanding some differences concerning them we might live in peace They are not really so great nor are are the distances so wide as through the heats and animosities of men they seem to be Let us but purge our souls of passion and prejudice and not consider persons but things we might soon be reconciled and easily agree as to the main in our practice And this Consideration will aggravate the sin of our Divisions and may justly increase our shame for contending Let us take a view of the particulars of our differences CHAP. III. Our Differences examined as to Doctrine Government Liturgy c. and none found so great as for which to divide the Church This shewed 1. in matters of Doctrine Sect. 1 THose bones of contention which the enemies of our peace have cast in among us are concerning 1. Matters of Doctrine 2. Of Government and Discipline 3. Of Liturgy Rites and Ceremonies But in none of these is there any such great difference between the learned sober men of either the Episcopal or Presbyterian perswasion For men of Fanatick spirits whose principles are purely Schism and Separation we here consider not as the world is made to believe But lay by animosities against persons interests and parties there may be very much compliance for Peace sake Sect. 2 1. As to matters of Doctrine Blessed be God we are secure for the main The 39. Articles have not yet been challenged as guilty of any error of Faith only some things have been desired to be explained some Articles to be made more full and cleer but all this amounts not to a dissent or difference in the thing Sect. 3 But one thing there is which indeed makes a great noise in the world and is matter of high debate even among learned men and managed with so much heat and exasperation as no one Controversie more that I know viz. The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation The Counsels and Eternal Decrees of God about the final estate of Angels and Men with the Appendices of this The Sufficiency and Efficacy of Grace the Vniversality of
learning and so able to judge and of a pious sober humble and peaceable spirit I say it was this learned and grave persons profession in a private discourse with me That he had seriously set himself for several years to the study of this Controversie and had read the most and chief of the writings and arguments of either side But in all that time in all those studies he could not out of any thing wherein they differed pick one Note which he was able to make use of in the Pulpit though in the doctrines wherein they agreed he could find enough And now can that become Christians or men that profess the Gospel of peace to contend about and break peace for those things which are confessedly of so little use of so inconsiderable a profit as to the direction of the lives and to the concerns the great concerns of the souls of men I think not Sect. 51 I am astonished at the heats and exasperations of men in these unprofitable Disputes To see how men who have espoused the quarrel of either extreme are still like a bottle that must have vent or break or as the pregnant womb that longeth to be delivered of its conceptions That every Pulpit where such men come rings aloud with the noise and almost every Sermon is filled with the hard names of Absolute Irrespective or Conditionate Decrees Resistibility or Irresistibility of Grace Supra-lapsarian Sublapsarian Arminian Socinian Calvinist Remonstrant Contra-remonstrant and a many invented School-terms even before popular Auditories by which when all is done the people are as wise as if they had heard a Sermon in Greek or Latine except that they have been stirred up to make a party and to account all the matter of their duty to lie in being of such a side and to affix terms of reproach unto or at least to be full of evil surmisings against the contrary-minded And how baneful this hath been to that brotherly love which the Gospel requires and the peaceable communion of Christians our eyes have seen and our woful experience doth sufficiently testifie and the world can judge Sect. 52 This I speak and write not with reflexion on either part but it is too much the fault and extravagance of men of each extreme wherein the young and least experienced Preachers are most (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confident as if it were not their design to edifie the plain ignorant people by instructing them in the necessary points of the Gospel and building them up in (r) Jude 20. their most holy faith and obedience but to get themselves a name of acuteness in the parts of abstruser learning and highest controversies And those are commonly full of the most confidence who are guilty of the least learning boldly determining where they least understand even then when they pretend to admire the inscrutable abyss of Gods unsearchable counsels boldly presuming to determine and define them Sect. 53 I am fully convinced that would men confine their sentiments to the clear expressions of the Sacred text and conform themselves to the same moderation in defining in these points as our Church hath shewed in her Articles Would all men conscionably comply with that Declaration of His late Majesty of blessed memory to silence these debates and lay aside all further curious search and inquiry and content themselves and shut up these Disputes in the general Promises of God as they are declared in the Scriptures making the Revealed will of God in his Word the onely rule to go by both in Doctrine and Practice all of either side being equally silenced from all medling with especially from all positive defining in any particular of those abstruser points in controversie I say were all this done and yielded to as with how much ease content and satisfaction may it be done by all sober and peaceable men I am confident a very great progress would be made to the securing of the peace of the Church and to the suspending of that turmoil and heat of contention and the preventing of those envyings reproaches and evil surmisings which do so much interrupt that peace Sect. 54 Well then to conclude this Chapter we see in matters of Doctrine there are no differences so wide as by the heats of Contenders they seem to be and such as they are may well be composed among sober and humble men (t) 2. Pap. of Propos to His Maj. p. 24. We dissent not say the Presbyterian Divines from the Doctrine of the Church of England expressed in the Articles and Homilies onely say they some by-passages or phrases are scrupled Notwithstanding these then we may live in peace CHAP. IV. The Differences about Ecclesiastical Government examined And that there is nothing in the Episcopacy established with us but may be submitted to proved Sect. 1 THAT which we shall next consider is the business of Ecclesiastical Government and Discipline This also is made a matter of great dispute and hath been an occasion of as great a Rent in this Age as I think the Christian Church can ever shew and we cannot be strangers to the eager contendings and multitude of writings which have been published on either side with passion and bitterness more than enough Some being confident of an Apostolical Institution of a Prelacy others as confident of the same Institution of a Parity The one for the Jus Divinum and Necessarium of a Paternal and Despotical Episcopacy The other as eager and with heat enough for the same jus of a sole Presbytery yea in some of a Lay-Presbytery too Both sides contending for their own way and that no other Government can be lawful in the Church Both laying a stiffe claim to Antiquity yea the highest Antiquity the primitive pattern The Apostolical Canon and Practice Here we see Sect. 2 1. One contending and pleading for the Bishop in a strict peculiar sense as the only standing Officer in the Church at first superiour to the Deacon and affixed to a City-Church or Metropolis and having all the adjacent places and dependants upon that City for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these among the Ancients signified the same thing his Diocess or Parish And the Church increasing in number and extent so as it became a burden too great for one mans shoulders this Bishop taking in and ordaining others out of the Deacons to be Presbyters that might bear part of the charge and burden And thus the Presbyter will appear to be a later Officer introduced for the necessity of the Church Sect. 3 2. On the contrary The others plead as high for the Presbyter only to be that standing Officer and the Colledge of Presbyters the only Judicatory of the Church for the first Age and the Bishop brought in afterwards as a constant Moderator or Praeses in the Assembly and then by degrees with some superintendency over the rest to keep them in peace among themselves for the
and Feasts of the Church of England Examined and justified THere are two several lovers said that a August in Psal 64. learned Father which have built two several Cities § 1. The love of God buildeth a Jerusalem the love of the world buildeth a Babylon We need not look far back for evidence of the one This poor Church of England hath by woefull experience found that our love of the world hath turned our Jerusalem into a Babylon our Vnity and Order into Division and Confusion and consequently our Beauty and Glory into Deformity and Misery That now it is high time we change our love b 1 Joh 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world It is high time to break off that unhappy match We have bin too long adulterous with the world and disloyal to our God Oh let us now give her a Bill of Divorce for a perpetual separation and cordially resolve and say c Hos 2.7 We will go and return to our first Husband for then it was better with us than now By our divisions and our love of the world we had almost destroyed Oh let us now shew that we can and will do more for the love of our God to repair the breaches and set up the Walls of Jerusalem that were broken down Oh let the flames of love in our souls ascend to the God of Peace then shall we sincerely study and endeavour the Peace of the City of God To quicken these flames excite this love and promote this Peace is the only design of these Papers Oh let my Peace-Offering be accepted with God and his Church though the slenderness of my stock will not reach to a d Lev. 5.7 11. Lamb or Turtles yet the Lord with whom e 2 Cor. 8.12 if there be a willing mind it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not will accept this Free-will-Offering of my soul though it be but as f Lev. 5.11 Flower without Oyle even g Lev. 14.31 such as I am able to get In magnis vel voluisse sat est § 2 In my former Sheets I have considered the Differences in Doctrine the Doubts and Scruples about Government Discipline and the Liturgy or Form of publick Prayer and Administrations Wherein I have endeavoured to remove all considerable Doubts and material Exceptions that which I hope may satisfie the sober minded that there is nothing in any of those things Imposed upon us but what the Conscientious Peaceable Christian may and while enjoyned by such Authority ought to submit and Conform unto § 3 There is now but one thing more that I know that troubles us the matter of Rites those several practices and observations prescribed in our Liturgy and enjoyned by the Canons These things we must acknowledge to have bin made both of late and of old the matters of as high Disputes and as sad contentions as the Church ever knew not alwayes from the nature of the thing but most times from the corruptions of men both the over-rigidnesse of some and the frowardnesse of others for long before their increase to that multitude of which * See Pref. to Com. Pr. of Ceremonies why some abolished and some retained Saint Austin is said to complain and when yet they were not a bused to vanity and superstion even in the very next age to the Apostles what sharp and bitter contentions were there about the time of one Feast How were the whole Eastern and Westorn Church divided about the observation of Easter And since our Church hath abolished that †Pref. to Com. Pr. of Cerem c. excessive multitude and cast out the vain unprofitable and superstitious Ceremonies which obscured the glory of God retaining only those that conduced to Order and Decency and Edification Yet what troubles and turmoyles in this little Island the heats of men have raised heretofore and do still continue about these innocent things we have sufficiently seen and can never sufficiently lament § 4 But what great crime are these harmless Rites guilty of that they should be so much spoken against Is there any such Idolatry Superstition Sinne any thing of so horrid a nature in these or any one of these that a pious soul may not dare to approach near them that a conscientious Christian may upon no terms obey the Law that enjoyns them nor on any hand conforme in practice to them no not to maintain what we are so much bound to promote the Peace of the Church I think not Let us take a view of the Particulars whether the observation of Times or Things for we have but these two to consider 1. The Times to be observed 2. The Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the Sacred Services § 5 1. The Times are either of Fasting or Festivity here all that we have to do is to examine the Fasts and Feasts of the Church of England and how farre these are lawfull to be observed § 6 1. As to the Fasts 1. That Fasting and Prayer is not onely lawfull but a Duty and upon some occasions to be publickly and solemnly kept and observed I know no Christian that ever yet denied Which is to be expressed both 1. In external humiliation of the body in the forbearance of our ordinary food for a time that by that means we may mortifie the flesh and as by a solemn sign declare that we for our sinnes are not worthy of our daily Bread and that we may fit our selves better for the service of God and stir up our souls to more earnestnesse in our suites and supplications to God yea and in laying aside all outward glories and Ornaments and forbearing of delicacies in those things which we must take for the necessary support of our body Hence we read of those practices of the Antients h 2 Sam. 3.31 13.31 Esth 4.1 Psa 35.13 14. Jon. 3.6 8. Dan. 9.3 Renting their cloathes girding with sackcloath sitting on the ground lying on Ashes and putting Ashes on their heads bowing the head and going mournfully It cannot become a solemn Fasting to appear in a garb or carriage suited to Mirth or Festivity But 2. Especially in the humiliation of the heart i Joel 2.12 13. Isai 58.4 5. Ezek. 18.30 31. 1 Sam. 7.4 Jon. 3.10 A broken and a contrite spirit that men resolve and endeavour seriously to cast away sinne repent and reform both heart and life Thus to Fast not to themselves but k Zech. 7.5 to the Lord to seek his face and favour All this we know hath the command of God and the practice of Saints for its warrant and encouragement § 7 The proper occasions of such solemn Fasting are 1. When sin abounds that we by this means may mortifie and subdue the flesh and take as an holy revenge upon ourselves because like l Deut. 32.15 Jesurun we have waxed fat and kicked against our God we
one too §. 20. Answ and we see by some the Reproach is laid high against the Church Whether it be justly taken or any reall occasion of such a Reproach or Scandall be given by the Church through this use of the Crosse we shall now consider § 21 1. That it cannot be given by particular Ministers in their use and therefore is the Scandall unjustly taken at us is evident because we are not free but by a Law determined ad hoc possibly were we every one left fully to our own liberty where the weaknesse of our Congregations would bear it but they would be ready to judge it Idolatrous and Superstitious I conceive we were bound by the law of charity so far as to condescend to their weaknesse as pro tempore during the time at least of their weakenesse ignorance or misprission untill they are betrer instructed informed and established to forbear such an use and not to lay any such occasion of Scandall before them But when we are bound up by a Law and a publick constitution the case is otherwise if any through weakenesse or mistake will judge evil of us we cannot help it the sin is theirs we give not the occasion but do our duty § 22 2. What then shall we lay the guilt upon the Church or her Governors or the Publicke constitution No in no wise To charge Scandall upon a Church and an established Law is a sin of an higher nature than men generally are aware of let us see if we cannot clear them also Scandall is indeed taken against the Church-constitution and Reproach is laid upon her Publick worship as being Superstition Idolatry or bordering upon Idolatry at least as using that which hath been abused to Idolatry and ought therefore to be abolished But hath the Church by her constitution or practice in this thing given any just occasion of these hard thoughts censures or Reproaches I thinke not which I shall manifest by applying these answers to the above mentioned arguments § 23 1. The Minor of the former argument that the Sign of the Crosse is abused by the Papists to Idolatry which is taken for granted is not perfectly true unlesse it be meant of the materiall Crosse which they worship indeed with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their own language yea a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Signe of it as it is used in Baptisme they do not that ever I read that they abuse it to Superstition and to many ridiculous actions and odde ends we grant but to Idolatry may seeme too high a charge Let us as the proverb is give the Devill his due and not charge the Papists with more than they are really guilty of § 24 2. But the Major is evidently faulty and to be denyed for though we grant it not commanded of God and abused by the Papists yet the abuse among them proves not the use unlawfull among us For § 25 1. That some abuse or give Religious worship to a thing where it is not due this cannot make that thing an Idol generally to all but only to themselves who so worship it It may be an Idol there and Idolatry among them who worship it but it is no Idol nor Idolatry nor bordering upon Idolatry among those who worship it not but professedly and publickly condemne such an abuse or our Church openly and expressely both the Cannons and constitutions about the use of this Sign who though she leave it out of her Rubricks yet retaines it and publishes her mind sufficiently in her constitutions Were we guilty of this abuse had our Church ever worshipped or required us to worship the Crosse and so been guilty of Idolatry or Superstition in this use there had been somewhat to be grounded on that argument and some reason to remove the occasion But what they doe beyond the Seas what is done among the Papists whom we acknowledge a most corrupted Church how that should concerne us who are nothing at all concerned in their practice and have cast out their Superstitions I understand not Yea farther § 26 2. I conceive that had we also so abused this yet the former abuse is not a necessary ground of abolishing this Rite unlesse that abuse had still continued When corruption and abuse is so closely joyned and annexed to the use of a thing that we cannot separate the one from the other in the practice of men here we must abolish the thing that we may destroy the corruption But when the abuse may be separated yea and actually is separated from the lawfull use I see not why we may not retaine that thing and the lawfull practice I see no reason why a former abuse should make a present use unlawfull when we really see that abuse is taken away This hath our Church done in the use of the Crosse in Baptisme where cannot but much commend and reverence her practice in reforming her self from the Romish coruptions in these two things § 27 1. Her charity and love to Peace and communion that as many things as we may retaine fellowship and communion in with the Antient Church with them of Rome yea all Christians in the world all things that are lawfull to be used and where she can separate the corruption from the laudable and proper use these she retaineth to shew that though she reformed yet she cut not off her self from the body of Christians nor denied the communion of Saints nor forsooke the fellowship of the Church § 28 2. Her wisdome when she must differ from them and forsake them or forsake the uncrring rule which her Lord hath given her she knoweth when and where to differ When she findeth such an intollerable abuse in a Rite or Ceremonie which like f 2 King 5.27 Gehezies leprosie inseparably cleaveth to it and cannot be cured till the Ceremony it self die or be abolished here she will abolish the Ceremony that she may avoid the corruption but where she can make a separation and purge the Rite from all such abuse she knows how to retaine the Rite and banish the corruption from the use of it This we see evidently she hath done in this the Signe of the Crosse in the two Sacraments Take it in the Learned Huttons words 1. §. 29. Hutton Answ to Reas c. c. 26. p. 156 157. The Signe of the Crosse in the Lords Supper we allow not because neither so Antiently nor so genarally nor so simply received Not so Antiently for it came in but of late yeares in the Eucharist not so generally for it had not that publick approbation as in Baptisme not so simply applyed for it is rather taken from Sorcerers than good Christians and beholding to Heildebrand's Magick almost one thousand years after Christ The danger in the use of it there appeareth because it nourisheth the grounds of conjuring and odde principles in the mystery of the Black Art by Masse-Priests crossing the Bread and Wine both at once and
Charity And now it being free from all breach of Piety the summe of the first Table and of Charity the substance of the second Table it cannot upon any account be judged sinnefull or unlawfull to be used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 53 And then being not unlawfull neither upon the account of Piety nor Charity and being by the publick constitutions required and by the Law of our just Superiours enjoyned what other pretence or shadow of reason we can find to refuse it I see not And for a close let me request that it may be seriously considered whether in our denial we should not be guilty of a manifest sin against the fifth Commandment which without doubt requireth a due q Let me here commend to the Reader for his full satisfaction that Lecture of the Reverend Sanderson of the Obligation of both Political and Ecclesiastical Laws of things indifferent See Case of Conse Lect. 6. §. 22. ad fin in answ to Doubt 6 7. due obedience to the just Laws of our Governours both in Church and State CHAP. V. The Expediency of our Conforming to the established Liturgy and Rites examined and asserted § 1 IN the precedent sheets enough I presume is said to satisfie any considering Christian as to the lawfullnesse of using the publick Form of Confession Prayer Praises and Administration of Sacraments in the Church of England prescribed and of the Rites and Ceremonies there enjoyned in all Administrations of publick Worship This lawfullnesse now being cleared the matter of expediency or inexpediency will with much more ease and facility be resolved To this therefore I shall now offer these few Conclusions 1. § 2 In this case there is an expresse Law determining our practice and requiring our Conformity Now the matter of this Law not being evil yea being just as is proved this must supersede all Disputes about expediency We are here positively commanded and in Conscience obliged to Conforme it is necessary that we obey it cannot be expedient that we Dispute our duty 2. § 3 Expediency is either of a publick or private consideration and consequently particular men Ministers and others may be judges what is expedient in the one but not in the other In matters of private concernment and which onely respect our selves or the particular flocks under our charge or some few persons therein The particular Pastors who by their Residence among them and experiences there are best acquainted with them their wants necessities and conditions are the most competent judges as indeed best able to judge what is most convenient or expedient for them and in those things wherein they are left at liberty they are to be guided by their own prudent and godly discretion to do and act as they shall see most expedient for the benefit and edification of their particular charge But in things of publick consideration which concern the publick peace order and unity of the whole Church wherein we live here is not the private discretion of any one particular person to be the judge who may well understand the needs of his own flock but is not so well acquainted with what is fit to be done for all the Congregations of the Land Here our lawfull Governours are the judges of such publick expediences and though they may mistake in some things and their decrees perhaps be inexpedient as to some particulars yet we are bound up in our practice if they be not sinfull 3. § 4 In matter of obedience we have nothing to do but to examine the matter of the Law if it be evill we must not Conform but in the businesse of expedience we are to judge by those various circumstances of time place and several emergencies according to which a thing is more or lesse expedient as those circumstances and exigencies do more or lesse preponderate either way Let us then consider the several circumstances and apply them to the case in hand 1. § 5 It is beyond dispute that the subject of expediency is only lawfull things it must be first certain that a 1 Cor. 10.23 all things are lawfull before we dispute whether they be expedient But now a Law made by a just authority makes that unlawfull by its prohibition as to our present practice pro hic nunc which was free and not unlawfull for us to do before such an established constitution And this in our case on the one side doth take away the subject of the dispute for now to deny or forbear the use of the publick Liturgy and innocent Rites is no longer lawfull to us who by a Law are obliged to use them Here therefore can be no pretence of expediency in denying a duty 2. § 6 That is most expedient which most tendeth to edification For in this doth the Apostle seem to place the matter of expediency viz. so far as it edifieth when he saith b 1 Cor. 10.23 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient All things are lawfull for me but all things edifie not The expressions are two but the thing is one the latter being but exigetical of the former at least an illustration of it Now then it will be no difficulty for a rational man to judg which way is best and which practice of these two will most edifie the people Whether 1. To submit to the Law in a peaceable Conformity to the Liturgy and Rites established and not troubling our selves or our flocks with trifles and disputes about circumstances matters onely of external order and of a most inferiour nature to set our selves conscientiously to advance the interest of Religion to instruct our people in the Fundamentals of Faith to acquaint them with the mysteries of the Gospel the rich overflowing grace and goodnesse of God to shew them what is their real and indispensable duty both to God and man both by Doctrine and example leading them to the practice of the essential parts of Christianity the practice of faith and obedience of piety and purity humility and love teaching them the onely way of the Gospel c Titus 2. To deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world which is indeed not to put on a shew or d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.5 disguise of godlinesse but to be indued with and shew forth the power truth and sincerity thereof Whether doth this edifie most Or 2. To be froward and dispute against these constitutions when we should be instructing them in the forenamed Fundamentals of Piety to be Preaching against Rites and Ceremonies filling the peoples ears with the names and notions and their hearts with the fears of Innovations Superstition c. by which meanes they are filled with scruples and disquieting doubts and please themselves in a conceit of their own piety zeal and holinesse when yet some give no better evidence of it than their earnest oppositions to the publick constitutions in