in asserting the Absolute Decree will yet not allow the Pelagian Manichee Anabaptist Epicure any plea from any necessity to sin that men are bound in by any decree of God For (h) Calv. Instit l. 3. c. 23. Sect. 8. Sic eorum pendet perditio ex Dei praedestinatione ut cansa materia in ipsis reperiatur Cadit Pgmo Deo sicordinante sed sag vitio cadit saith he Mans perdition so dependeth on Gods pred stination that yet the matter and cause of it is only in themselves And a few lines after Man falleth indeed God so ordering it or possibly in his sense ordaining it but he falls through his own fault (i) Gen. 1.31 God pronounced all that he made very good Whence then saith he became man wicked c. that it may not be thought to be from God or his Creation God gives this elogie and approbation to all that came from him It was very good Propriâ ergo malitiâ saith he Man by his own wickedness corrupted that nature which he received pure from God and by his fall brought all mankind into destruction with himself And in another place proving against the Novatians and Anabaptists that there is yet mercy with God for all sorts of sinners though their sins be never so great and after Baptism also if they sincerely return to God hath these words (k) Caiv. Instit l. 4. c. 1. Sect. 25. Et sanè non allus potest esse affectus ejus qui affirmat se nolle mortem peccatoris sed magis ut convertatur vlvat There san indeed be no other affection in Him i.e. in God who hath said (l) Ezek. 18.13 32. Sect. 37. He hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he return and live 3. Again The highest Arminian I suppose will grant to the Calvinist That All the Decrees of God are in a proper sense Absolute That is taking 1. Decrees as Decrees in God and not as the event decreed Viz. that what God hath determined to do he hath absolutely determined to do as he hath absolately i.e. peremptorily and immutably decreed to save all believers and this particular believer and so absolutely decreed to condemn all finally impenitent and this such an one in particular Yea and 2. Taking Absolute as opposed to any thing without God himself any cause that should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from without moving him so to decree for nothing could move him to send Jesus Christ to redeem the world and to bestow upon sinful miserable man salvation upon his faith and constant obedience nothing could move him to decree salvation upon so easie terms but his own free love the Beneplacitum or good pleasure of his Will So that whatsoever we have it is of Grace si gratia quomodo non gratuita it must be every way free If of Grace (l) Rom. 11.6 then non ex operibus not of works sc nec praestitis nec praevisis neither done nor foreseen This I think even these will grant that though as to the decree of this particular mans salvation there was an intuition of his faith and obedience yet the foresight of God that men would return from their sinful estate was not the cause that God decreed to send Christ to save them but out of his own love he freely being moved by this alone to compassionate the misery of man in whom there was no good at all until he was pleased anew to impart to him decreed this viz. to send Christ to enter into a new Covenant with man and so to save whosoever of mankind shold believe in him and to emancipate their wills and endue them with such supernatural abilities that if they would not be wanting to themselves they might return and be saved Sect. 38 4. On the other side the most rigid Calvinists will yield to the Arminian that in this particular No decree of God is absolute taking 1. Absolute for irrespective to all conditions and 2. Decree for the event decreed the thing to be given according to this decree So that though in their sense God did absolutely decree to save such and such persons and to prepare effectual grace for them and so to bring them infallibly to salvation and as absolutely decree to leave the rest of the world though not without sufficient means to save them if they would not be wanting to themselves to the liberty of their own corrupt wills resolving not to give them that certain portion of Grace which would infallibly save them but to leave them to perish in their own voluntary rebellions Yet that God never decreed that any of these persons elected should be saved without intuition of that faith and obedience which he also decreed should be the only way to salvation He never decreed to save them but upon this condition that they believe in Christ obey the Gospel and persevere in so doing to the end Nor did he ever decree to condemn any person but with an intuition of sin and impenitence previous and antecedaneous to his condemnation Sect. 39 Now consider all these and we must needs see that even both parties do agree in all the main particulars and the substance of that Doctrine which is abundantly enough for us to preach to the people for their information and instruction enough abundantly to set forth the glory of Gods Grace Justice Goodness and Holiness and to quicken us to Repentance Faith Obedience to shew us that none can be saved but by Grace and Mercy to (m) Rom. 3.27 exclude our boasting and that none can be saved without Repentance Faith a sincere constant and persevering Obedience to rowse our security and quicken us to action and to leave us inexcusably guilty of our own perdition if we continue in sin and miscarry Sect. 40 The whole substance of this hath our Church excellently comprised concisely yet fully in that (n) Fourth Collect after the Communion short Collect. Prevent us O Lord by thy goodness there is acknowledged a necessity of preventing grace for a foundation And further us by thy continual help there a necessity of exciting and assisting grace to stir us up and help us in action without which we could do nothing That all our works being begun continued snd ended in thee there the necessity of holy constant uniform sincere and persevering obedience and the practice of good works through that grace We may through thy mercy obtain everlasting life there is the reward expected not of Merit but of Grace and Mercy and all this only Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Here is the foundation of all the love of God to us and of our expectations from God all through Christ and for his sake Sect. 41 I know there are many passages in the writings of several men of each side which may clash with some of these particulars wherein they are said to agree and consequences drawn that do indeed
that a third of another when we are (e) 1 Cor. 12.13 Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. all baptized into one body and should be (f) Gal 3.28 all one in Christ Jesus as it is therefore our duty so it will be our wisdom as to remember the (g) Luke 17.1 Wo to him by whom these come so to be careful that none cast a stone (h) John 8.7 till he be certain that himself is clear that none pretend to take out a mote (i) Mat 7.3 4 5. from his Brothers eye until he have first cast out the beame in his own Sure I am while we give way to Recriminations and Reproaches of persons we shall never hope to see that peace and love which the Gospel so strictly chargeth if it be possible (k) Rom. 12.18 and as much as in us lieth upon all (l) Heb. 12.14 1 Pet. 3.11 the followers of our Lord Jesus who is the (m) Isa 9.6 Prince of Peace and whose Gospel is a (n) Rom. 10.19 Eph. 6.15 Gospel of Peace and Love And besides this general obligation of the Gospel all sober Christians have this particular also to engage them to Charity in their Censures of us who use this Book because what we do herein we do in conformity to and as obliged by a Law Our judgments being not convinced of sin or any material evil in the thing enjoyned God himself layeth an obligation upon the conscience to obey the Lawes that command it and it is then at least Our duty to use it 2. Sect. 4 I would from hence also intreat all pious Christians not to consider Persons but things which is but this That they would (o) Jam. 2.1 not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persous This is sad that some should be so much displeased both with the Liturgy as that they will not hear it and with those Ministers that use it that they will not hear them though they be their proper Pastors and able and faithful ones too under whose ministery the Providence of God hath placed them and they might warrantably expect a blessing far sooner than by stragling abroad and all the reason they can afford is because there are such and such men whom they esteem godly and possibly are so and learned men which will not or do at least scruple to use it But the (p) See the case of Examples largely and a solidly handled by that Reverend Judicious Dr. now Bishop Saunderson in his Lectures of Conscience Lect. 3. examples of men yea of those whom we account the best are not the rule for us to go by we are not so much to consider persons or enquire who do so or so but things and reasons what they do and why they should or should not do so (q) Ipse Bernardus non videt omnia The most learned men see not all things the best men have their errors the most learned and devout Fathers have their naevos blemishes which discover them to be but men Moses Abraham David Peter Paul the best of meer men have shewed something of humane infirmity which might be blamed and may not be imitated And if examples of men be once made our rule we are in danger as well to follow men in error as in the truth The Apohle himself would have us (r) 1 Cor. 11.1 follow him no farther than he follows Christ When therefore on the one side we see a standing Law requiring this way of publick worship and we our selves can see no sin in joyning in it we must know it is our duty and let us not say we cannot or we are unwilling to do it until we see such and such godly men use it or because they use it not For the use or disuse of this or that Form was never made by God to be a distinguishing Character of a godly or ungodly man though yet I confesse obedience to lawful authority in all lawful things is a very great part of such a Character And I fear should this appear to be a duty as undoubtedly it is when the denial of it shall come to be charged upon the soul as surely one day it will then That such and such learned or godly did deny this use or practise will be as poor and insignificant a plea in the court of heaven as it is we know in the courts of men Let us not then in a case of conscience consider what such or such men do but what God would have us to do And in this case of the Liturgy if we see no sin in the matter enjoyned as I am sure there is not and if it be a duty in the Minister to use it as indeed it is while the Lawes command it though others refuse ler all who are conscientious and peaceably minded submit unto it For 3. Sect. 5 The same arguments which do oblige Ministers do also engage all the people to joyn in this way of publick worship if it be a sin in the one it is so in the other if it be a duty of the Minister to use this Book in the publick offices it is a duty of the people to joyn with him also in the same ministrations I shall adde but this to confirm it Sect. 6 It is an unquestionable Duty that the people should join with the Minister in the parts of Publick Devotion and Worship The Minister being there not to act for himself alone but for and with them the spirit of the people must go with the spirit of the Minister in those solemn Services in Prayers Praises c. And they are to testifie their consent by saying Amen As appears both by the (s) Deut. 27.15 Psal 106.48 commands and order of God and the (t) Neh. 5.13.8.6 practice of Saints Yea we sometimes read how the Ministers Saints people all creatures join in praises and the Angels also come in to make up the Quire and join their Amen to the praises of the Saints as in that Vision to St. John (n) Rev. 5.15 7.10 12. twice in the Apocalypse Well then there must be Publick Services wherein both Minister and people all are concerned and all must join and if so then these things must undeniably follow viz. 1. Sect. 7 That these Publick Offices of the Church must be in a known Tongue which the people understand that they may all say Amen It is the Apostles (x) 1 Cor. 14.16 Argument It is not enough that Ministers pray for the people but they must praywith the people and they with the Ministers They must therefore not be Barbarians one to another That wherein all must join must be understood by all And this is one affection of our Liturgy It is not a Romish Missal in a strange language but an English Service in our own Tongue 2. Sect. 8 As they must be in a known Tongue so in easie and intelligible expressions
are tied by all the engagements of Nature Grace and Relation to Peace who are by Nature Nation and Religion Brethren Sect. 19 O when shall it once be that these sad and dismal ruptures of our peace not civil only for here men dare not be altogether so contentious but sacred and ecclesiastical shall be cemented and closed up that we no longer may administer matter of sighing sadnesse and sorrow to our friends or of insulting to the enemies of our Church and State It is this which pleaseth our common adversary and makes the Jesuite laugh in his sleeve as the Proverb is Hoc Ithacus velit magno mercentur Atridae Virg. What the Pope would be at the greatest cost and charge to effect we our selves do for him When the Jesuites were troubled to invent slanders to make us hated or scorned abroad and to find plots to ruine us at home and yet could not do it we have taken the work out of their hands and do it our selves Sect. 20 It is the popular clamour Venient Romani Popery is creeping in Superstition and Idolatry growing upon us the old way for discontented spirits to give vent to their dissatisfactions at the established government and to affright ignorant but well-meaning people with a vain scare-crow and name of Popery But really by our Schisms and Breaches and bitter animosities we do open the door for even Popery yea any thing to enter and we take the ready course to make good that Prophetick speech of the dying Arch-Bishop See Arch B. L. Speech on Scaff alluding to Joh. 11.48 by our Divisions to pave the way where Venient Romani The Romans shall come and take away our place and Nation Absit omnem From which fears by the vigilance of our Governours by our conscientious obedience and peaceable deportment and conformity to the established Laws and by inviolated unity among our selves we are sufficiently secured Sect. 21 And now methinks we should have some thoughts of peace O that that pathetick exhortation of the Apostle might take place and find a room and full reception in all our hearts (m) 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and what Name is dearer what motive greater that ye all speak the same things and there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and the same judgement CHAP. II. Two Arguments to perswade to peace and unity from 1. The strict charge of the Gospel and 2. The possibility and no difficulty to perform it Sect. 1 FOr the attaining and maintaining of this so much wished for Peace and Unity Let me beseech all sober Christians seriously to consider On the one hand The undoubted charge of the Gospel which layeth a necessity and indispensible engagement upon us to seek study and to preserve it On the other The easinesse of attainingit would we truly mind it that it is very possible we may live in peace and it is only our own sin if we do not Sect. 2 Argum. 1. The strict charge of the (n) Ephes 6.15 Rom 10.15 Gospel of peace which we professe beyond all dispute obligeth all Christians to it (o) Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men And (p) Heb 12.14 Follow peace with all men With all men in the greatest extent imaginable how much more with Brethren of the same faith of the same Nation of the same Church and that with the greatest earnestnesse if it be possible and as far as it is possible as much as in you lieth let no fault â—ie in you if ye have it not not only embrace it when it is offered but follow it that ye may gain it Sect 3 The Lord Jesus The (q) Isa 9 6. Prince of peace would be incarnate and come to dwell among men in no time but when peace was amongst them when there was a general peace over the whole world as the stories of those times abundantly shew (r) Caesar Aug. ab oriente ad occidâ—nâ—om à s â—prentrione in Meridiem ac per totum oceani circulum cunctis gentibus una pace compositis Jani portas tortio ipse tunc clausit eo tempore eo anno quo firmissimam verissimamque pacem ordinatione Dei Caesar composuit natus est Christus cujus adventui Pax ista famulata est Paul Oros Histor l. 6. p. 22. in those dayes wherein Augustus Caesar had made a perfect peace from East to West from North to South over the whole circuit of the Ocean was our Lord born The Providence of God so ordering it that a general peace over the world should usher the Prince of peace unto the world At his birth the Angels proclaim it (s) Luke 2.14 Peace on earth good will towards men and indeed the great mercy and love of God to men is the highest engagement upon them to peace and good will one to another And this Jesus who was born in such a time of peace when he preacheth to men doth also straitly command it (t) Mark 9.50 Have salt in your selves be sure to retain the sincerity of grace the purity of faith to keep your selves and others sound in that faith but salt hath some biting acrimony see therefore that this be tempered with prudence and charity that ye lose not peace Have peace among your selves Sect. 4 The Apostle constantly exhorts unto it (v) 2 Cor. 13.11 Be of one mind live in peace Again (x) 2 Tim. 2.22 Flee youthful lusts follow righteousness faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart To this he wooeth the Ephesians by his bonds and presseth them as to a duty which if they practice not they neither answer their profession nor walk worthy of that Gospel to which and wherewith they are called (y) Ephes 4. Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye are called How even thus With all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love then not reproaching or reviling endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And he goes on pressing it by the most cogent Arguments There is one body and one spirit i. e. ye are knit together by one spirit into one body and shall the members of the same body contend one with another see also how he urgeth the same duty from the same ground in another place in his Epistle to the (z) 2 Cor. 12.12 28. Corinthians but he goeth on Ye are called in one hope ye have all the same expectations ye hope for the same end the same mercies the same life eternal why should ye not agree to walk in the same way One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Ye are all
acknowledge an infallibility of the event which is only necessitas consequentis ex hypothesi all things being necessary when they exist and what is future being present and existing to the all-seeing eye of God there being no priority or posteriority in eternity 4. Though there be not this necessitation yet it is agreed That God worketh by his Grace I confesse about the Resistibility or irresistibility they differ irresistibly saith one not irresistibly say the other yet even these agree thus far that God worketh so effectually on those whom he hath ex beneplacito appointed to salvation in ordering the means occasions and opportunities with such congruity to that end as that (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 5. Sect. 9. de facto it is not finally resisted o that though it be possible for the free will of man to resist the calls of God yet in those that believe and are saved the Grace of God works so sweetly and effectually that the will doth not resist but freely and willingly closeth with it 5. That the whole of what we do amisse must be left unto ourselves our sin and condemnation is from our selves and the glory of all the good we do and of all the blessings we receive both in this life and that to come must be given only to Gods grace and love Sect. 21 Yet again Consider the whole series of the acting and Providence of God in reference to man from his creation to his final conclusion see if there be not a perfect accord in all these things 1. That God did create man after his own image in perfect righteousnesse and holinesse and full liberty of will as a Rational creature either to obey God and continue as he was created or to sin and fall away having a power to either and by this we conclude that God decreed to make him so Sect. 22 2. That man thus created and left to himself did yield to the temptations of Satan and by perfectly voluntary disobedience fall away from God and cast himself and so was all mankind brought into a state of sin and misery under the bondage of Satan without all power or possibility yea or so much as desire to recover himself out of that wretched condition This it is evident God did permit for he could have hindred it if he pleased and therefore from all eternity decreed to permit a purposing to make use thereof for the further manifestation of his power wisdom justice and goodness Sect. 23 3. That God out of his infinite compassion to miserable man which he shewed not to fallen Angels that Satan might not finally triumph in such a Conquest if all Mankind should perish did immediatly after the Fall promise a Saviour and in due time did send and therefore from all eternity decreed to send his dearly beloved and only begotten Son Jesus Christ into the World to undertake our Redemption to satisfie Divine Justice for our sin and to make peace by the blood of his Cross and to deliver us from that state of sin and misery Sect. 24 4. That all Mankind which was lost by the fall of the first Adam is restored to a capacity and possibility of salvation through the mercy of God and merits of Jesus Christ the second Adam The merits of the second Adam being as fully sufficient to save the World as the sin of the first to destroy the World So that it is not any want of mercy in God or of merit in Christ if any particular person perish or that the whole Mass of Mankind is not saved and this being so evidenceth the eternal Decree that it should be so Sect. 25 5. That the way for us actually to partake of this salvation of which through Christ all Mankind is made capable is the performance of the conditions of the New and Evangelical Covenant which expresly are sincere repentance from dead works a lively faith in Christ new and holy obedience and perseverance in the same This being the only way wherein God hath expresly said in the Gospel that he will infallibly save men This is that Doctrine which he sends forth his Ministers to preach (d) Mark 16.15 16. Luk. 13.3 5. Acts 3.19 Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. and many more his Heralds to proclaim remission of sins and everlasting life upon the performance and only upon the performance of these conditions So that whether we say or say not there was an intuition or foresight of these things in this or that man antecedent to the Decree to save him yet here is an evident agreement as to the event That God did decree to give salvation to none but such as should persevere in faith and obedience and to deny it to none but the finally impenitent and disobedient There was no Decree ever to save any that should not or to condemn any that should so repent believe and continue obedient That howsoever with God the number of all the saved and damned be infallibly and unchangeably certain yet it is unquestionably true and may and ought to be assured to this to that to any to every particular man that though now he be sinful rebellious a child of wrath and in a state of damnation yet if he repent return and sincerely believe and receive Christ as he is offered to us in the Gospel viz. as his Lord and Saviour he shall be saved Or though now he do believe and be righteous and so in state of salvation yet if he Apostatize to Infidelity or Disobedience and continue in that Apostacy and Rebellion in his sin he shall dye and perish for ever Sect. 26 6. That God in the Gospel doth make real tenders and offers of this remission of sin and eternal life to all and doth seriously exhort all men to whom this Evangelical Covenant or Gospel is made known to accept the proffer to perform the conditions And this he doth sincerely cordially without all fraud or collusion wooing with the most compassionate love and most endearing expressions perswading by the most pathetical Motives and convincing by most demonstrative Arguments and calling heaven and earth to witness the sincerity of his intentions towards them and his earnest desire to shew them mercy and has no delight in their destruction and that he hath done all on his part that now they need not perish if they are willing to be saved From hence it followeth also and herein all sides agree That Sect. 27 7. There is in the Gospel a sufficiency of grace given to all to whom the Gospel is given for I speak not now of the Heathens or Pagans designing in these papers only peace among our selves to leave them inexcusable and whereby they might have been saved were it not for their own voluntary putting off life from themselves so that none can make an excuse for his disobedience by pleading a want of power to obey there being still with the Word and the outward tender of grace by the Word
I can conceive to be liable to any exception and that no part of the matter of the Prayer but only a phrase or expression in the Preface viz. this Which dost make the minds of all faithful men to be of one will Now however if we should submit the phrase to the censure of some curious Criticks it might be thought better to express it otherwise yet here to contend is but a fruitless dispute about words and syllables when the thing is sound and the very thing which the Scripture requires in abundance of places as the duty of Christians and shews to be the affection of the faithful to be (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil 2.2 of one soul of the (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet 3.8 same mind to come together (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1.14.2.1 46. 8.6.15.25 with one accord to (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.2 3.16.4.2 mind savour or affect the same things to be perfectly joyned together in the (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.10 same mind and in the same judgement that they may (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.6 with one mind and one mouth glorifie God And this do all the faithful as to the main concernments of Christianity they forget that they are Christians when they forsake that one Rule (m) Eph. 4.4 5. one Faith one Hope one Gospel which all are to be guided by They are brought by the Grace of God as to agree in one truth so to follow this (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.15 in love (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4.32 in answer to that promise Jer 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 with one Heart And this is all that is said here Which makest the minds of men to be of one will i.e. to be as the Scripture requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alike affected is indeed no more nor other than if it had been expressed in those Scripture-words Which makest all the faithful to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one soul or heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mind savour affect and will the same thing viz. To love what God commandeth and desire what he doth promise as in the Prayer we Petition that they may So that though the words as they are expressed may not in our present English sound so well to a curious ear nor the Phrase be so exact to a Critical observer yet the thing is agreeable to the Holy Canon and therefore howsoever some may conceive a reason why the expression may be fit to be altered yet it cannot be unlawful to use it as it stands 6. The Collect for Trinity Sunday followeth viz. Sect. 13. Coll. for Trinity Sunday Almighty and Everlasting God which hast given to us thy servants grace by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Vnity We beseech thee that through the stedfastness of this faith we may evermore be defended from all adversity which livest and reignest c. There are two main things considerable in this short Collect Answ but in neither of them can I see any thing that should be matter of just exception Sect. 14 1. The one is in the Preface a Confession of the true faith in that principal Article of Tri-unus Deus The Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg Naz. Three yet one Three really distinct in their modus subsistendi their manner of subsisting and operations ad intra yet really one in Essence not divided but all coessential coeternal and coequal in Power Divinity and Majesty As we are taught to confess clearly in the Athanasian Creed And is a truth evident in the Scriptures (q) 1 Joh. 5.7 There are Three that bear record in heaven and these Three are one This is unquestionable among all sound Orthodox and sober Christians Sect. 15 2. The other is a Petition through this faith to be defended And this also such as I cannot well imagine where it can be accounted faulty For 1. If by this faith we understand the Doctrine of faith the Fides quam credimus which we profess concerning the Trin-Vnity it is no more but this We pray that in this Profession we may be protected and defended by God from all things which may hinder our free and open Confession or may oppose our faith or interrupt our peace or disturb that quiet and joy of our souls which in and through faith we may and hope to have Sect. 16 2. If by faith we understand the Fides quâ credimus the Grace of faith by which we (r) Joh. 1.12 receive Christ as he is tendred to us in the Gospel i.e. as (s) Col. 2.6 Christ Jesus the Lord by which we believe receive and close with the whole revelation of Gods mind with affections suitable to the several revelations viz. His Threatnings and angry dispensations with fear trembling and reforming His Promises and Mercies with joy recumbency confidence and affiance His Commands and Precepts with reverence and obedience This is the Evangelical faith this is the faith whereby (t) Rom. 11.20 Heb. 10.38 39. we stand this is the faith (u) Eph. 6.16 whereby we are enabled to conquer all difficulties to go through all streights to scorn (x) 1 Joh. 5.4 5. the enticing allurements of honours pleasures and profits of the world and to despise and contemn the terrours whereby we are (y) 1 Pet. 1.6 7 8. supported in and carried through and delivered out of all tribulations are here enabled to go on with joy and are with courage strengthened to hold out to the end and at last (z) 1 Pet. 1.5 9. attain everlasting salvation This being by God appointed the work of a true faith is that which we pray for that we may have this lively and stedfast faith and through this be so upheld and defended here until we attain the end of our Faith The Salvation of our Souls Sect. 17 7. The Collect for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity is this God which hast prepared for them that love thee Coll. for the sixth Sunday after Irinity such good things as pass all mens understandings pour into our hearts such love towards thee that we loving thee in all things may obtain thy promises which exceed all things that we can desire through Jesus Christ c. This being in the Preface so agreeable to that of the Apostle Answ Sect. 18. (a) 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and in the Petition begging of God that we may obtain what exceedeth all that we can desire so exactly answering that of the same Apostle glorifying God as
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