omnes omnium Charitates inse complectitur Sir I have sent you my Answer written with a more legible hand and with some regard of ease to my self in transcribing with my very hearty love recommended and assured to you I commend you to the Grace and Blessing of Almighty God resting Your very respectful Friend Ra. Exon. Austie in Hartfordshire Iuly 21. 1655. Bishop Brownrigg ' s Answer about Government Prop. 1. YOur first Proposal is In every Parish where there are more Presbyters than one let one be the Chief and his Consent chiefly taken in the guidance of the Church Answ. 1. This Case is rarely to be found in the Parishes of England nor can there be a sufficient Maintenance for a Plurality of Presbyters in our Parochial Congregations yet if such be found it may be a good means to preserve Order and Peace that the ordering of Affairs which shall be referred to them be managed by him that hath the Praesecture of that Parish I wish that in those Churches which beside the Incumbent have had Lecturers this Rule had been observed Prop. 2. Let many such Churches be associated call it a Classis or what you will and let the fittest Man be their President as long as he is fit that is during life unless he deserve a removal Answ. 2. This Proposal looks like our Rural Deaneries or Choriepiscopal Order which hath been laid much aside but for the reducing of it and to make it profitable I wish that it may be bounded with fit Canons prescribing what they may do and with intimation from the Bishop and his Inspection and that such a Dean or President may be continued for Life that being a means to breed Experience if he do not deserve a removal Prop. 3. Let divers of these Classes meet once or twice a Year in a Provincial Assembly and let the fitâ—est Man in the Province be their standing President Answ. 3. This Course hath been by Law and Practice already used in our Church in the Archidiaconal Visitations and Synods which may be more quickened and actuated by sit Canons for their Direction what and who the President must be may be provided for by Canons and his Station continued and that Presbyters having Cure of Souls should not be accounted meer Preachers but Church-Guides and as they are already acknowledged Rectors of Churches Prop. 4. Let it be left to every Man's Conscience Whether the President be called by the Name of Bishop President Superintendent Moderator c. seeing that a Name is no meet Reason of a Breach c. Answ. 4. If by President you understand him that must moderate the Half-year or yearly Synods under the Inspection of the Diocesan as his Order may be newly framed so his Name may be newly imposed but that the Primitive Name of Bishop should be turned into a new Name is as you say no meet Reason for a Breach and we see Presbyters assume that Name to themselves and to put a new Name upon an old Institution is as Augustine speaks in the like Case Indoctis struere fallaciam doctis facere injuriam Prop. 5. Let no Man be forced to Express his Iudgment de Jure Whether the President have a Negative Voice in Ordination or Excommunication or whether he be distinct in Order or Degree seeing it is not the unanimous and right Belief of these things that is of Necessity for then they must have been in our Creed but the unanimous and right Practice but let them all agree that they will constantly joyn in these Classical and Provincial Assemblies and then only Ordain and that they will not Ordain but when the President is one unless in Case of flat Necessity which is never like to befall us if this may be takenâ— Answ. 5. If by President you understand the Diocesan then that the Bishop should be deprived of his Negative Voice in Ordination or Excommunication and so I conceive in other Censures and Acts of Government is to make him a meer Shadow without any Authority like our Scrutators in our University to propound Graces and collect Suffrages and pronounce Sentence Surely St. Paul invested Timothy and Titus with more Power and Authority both for Ordination and Censures but then to remedy the Inconveniencies of a wilful Negative it 's fit that an Appeal may be made to a Provincial Synod that may examine and if need be rectifie what was amiss in the Negative That Church Businesses were Ordered by the Concurrence of more Presbyters besides the Bishop in Cyprian's time was fit at that time when the Government of Church Affairs was Arbitrary and not Regulated by Law in which Case it was safest for the Bishop to have the Consent of others with him This is not our Case we have express Canons and Laws laid upon Bishops beyond which they cannot go and so may well be intrusted with the Execution of the Sentence of the Law the Sentence of the Judge being only Declarativa Executiva and if he transgress those Rules prefixed he is liable to Censure In our Church plurimum legi minimum Episcopo relinquitur as we see in Civil Matters one Justice of Peace hath the Power of Executing the Sentence of a Law or Statute but no Arbitrary Power granted to him That the Bishop be distinct from the Presbyter whether ordine or gradu is the Schoolmens Debate and I conceive may have such accord as may not ingender strife That Ordination be by the Assistance of Presbyters is already required in our Form of Ordination and if it be fixed to the Times of Synods it may be easily granted and sure that Blame that hath been laid upon our Bishops for Ordaining of insufficient Men is most what an undue Charge the Law of the Land hath set that lowness of sufficiency in Men to be ordained and instituted that if a Bishop refuseth to give Orders or Institution to a Man presented by the Patron he is punishable by the Judges As I have heard Archbishop Abbot was fined an Hundred pounds in case he did not admit a Clark so meanly qualified as the Law requires Some other Proposals are added in the End of your Letter Prop. 1. I Am satisfied that the Apostles have Successors in all those Works that are of standing Necessity and that Church Government is one of those Works and that it is improbable that Christ should settle one Species of Church Government in the Apostles Hands for an Age and then Change it for ever after and they that affirm such a change must prove it Answ. 6. Supposing what the Apostles did in ordering of Church Government to be in the Name and by the Authority of Christ this Assertion I conceive to be very true and it doth infer a Subordination of all Officers and Members of the Church to the Apostles and those that were their Successors Prop. 2. Whether the Apostles had a Power by Office to govern the LXX and the Presbyters as inferior Officers besides the
it formerly was involved Yet considering that all human Works do gradually arrive at their Maturity and Perfection and this in particular being a Work of that Nature hath already admitted several Emendations since the first compiling thereof It cannot be thought any Disparagement or Derogation either to the Work it self or to the Compilers of it or to those who have hitherto used it if after more than an hundred Years since its first composure such further Emendations be now made therein as may be judged necessary for satisfying the Scruples of a multitude of sober Persons who cannot at all or very hardly comply with the use of it as now it is and may best sute with the present times after so long an Enjoyment of the glorious light of the Gospel and so happy a Reformation Especially considering that many Godly and learned Men have from the beginning all along earnestly desired the Alteration of many things therein and very many of his Majesty's pious peaceable and loyal Subjects after so long a discontinuance of it are more averse from it than heretofâ—â—â— The satisfying of whom as far as may be will very much conduce to that Pâ—â—ce and Unity which is so much desired by all good Men and so much endeavoured by his most excellent Majesty And therefore in pursuance of this his Majesty's most gracious Commission for the satisfaction of tender Consciences and the procuring of Peace and Unity amongst our selves we judge meet to propose First That all the Prayers and other Materials of the Liturgy may consist of nothing doubtful or questioned amongst pious learned and orthodox Persons inasmuch as the professed end of composing them is for the declaring of the Unity and Consent of all who join in the publick Worship it being too evident that the limiting of Church-Communion to things of doubtful Disputation hath been in all Ages the ground of Schism and Separation according to the saying of a learned Person To load our publick Forms with the private Fancies upon which we differ is the most soveraign way to perpetuate Schism to the World's End Prayer Confession Thanksgiving reading of the Scriptures and administration of the Sacraments in the plainest and simplest manner were matter enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgy though nothing either of private Opinion or of Church-pomp of Garments or prescribed Gestures of Imagery of Musick of matter concerning the Dead of many Superfluities which creep into the Church under the Name of Order and Decency did interpose it self To charge Churches and Liturgies with things unnecessary was the first beginning of all Superstition and when Scruple of Conscience began to be made or pretended then Schism began to break in If the special Guides and Fathers of the Church would be a little sparing of incumbering Churches with Superfluities or not over-rigid either in reviving obsolete Customs or imposing new there would be far less Cause of Schism or Superstition and all the Inconvenience were likely to ensue would be but this they should in so doing yield a little to the imbecillity of their Inferiors a thing which St. Paul would never have refused to do Mean while wheresoever false or suspected Opinions are made a piece of Church-Liturgy he that separates is not the Schismatick for it is alike unlawful to make profession of known or suspected Falshood as to put in practice unlawful or suspected Action 2. Further we humbly desire that it may be seriously considered that as our first Reformers out of their great Wisdom did at that time so compose the Liturgy as to win upon the Papists and to draw them into their Church-Communion by varying as little as they well could from the Romish Forms before in use so whether in the present Constitution and State of Things amongst us we should not according to the same Rule of Prudence and Charity have our Liturgy so composed as to gain upon the Judgments and Affection of all those who in the Substantials of the Protestant Religion are of the same Persuasions with our selves Inasmuch as a more firm Union and Consent of all such as well in Worship as in Doctrine would greatly strengthen the Protestant Interest against all those Dangers and Temptations which our intestine Divisions and Animosities do expose us unto from the common Adversary 3. That the Repetitions and Responsals of the Clerk and People and the alternate reading of the Psalms and Hymns which cause a confused Murmur in the Congregation whereby what is read is less intelligible and therefore unedifying may be omitted The Minister being appointed for the People in all publick Services appertaining unto God and the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament intimating the Peoples Part in publick Prayer to be only with Silence and Reverence to attend thereunto and to declare their Consent in the Close by saying Amen 4. That in regard the Litany though otherwise containing in it many holy Petitions is so framed that the Petitions for a great part are uttered only by the People which we think not to be so consonant to Scripture which makes the Minister the Mouth of the People to God in Prayer the Particulars thereof may be composed into one solemn Prayer to be offered by the Minister unto God for the People 5. That there be nothing in the Liturgy which may seem to countenance the Observation of Lent as a Religious Fast the Example of Christ's fasting Forty Days and Nights being no more imitable nor intended for the Imitation of a Christian than any other of his Miraculous Works were or than Moses his forty Days Fast was for the Jews And the Act of Parliament 5 Eliz. forbidding abstinence from Flesh to be observed upon any other than a Politick Consideration and punishing all those who by Preaching Teaching Writing or open Speeches shall notifie that the forbearing of Flesh is of any necessity for the saving of the Soul or that it is the Service of God otherwise than as other politick Laws are 6. That the religious Observation of Saints-days appointed to be kept as Holy-days and the Vigils thereof without any Foundation as we conceive in Scripture may be omitted That if any be retained they may be called Festivals and not Holy-days nor made equal with the Lord's-day nor have any peculiar service appointed for them nor the People be upon such Days forced wholly to abstain from Work and that the Names of all others now inserted in the Calender which are not in the first and second Books of Edward the sixth may be left out 7. That the Gift of Prayer being one special Qualification for the Work of the Ministry bestowed by Christ in order to the Edification of his Church and to be exercised for the profit and benefit thereof according to its various and emergent necessity It is desired that there may be no such imposition of the Liturgy as that the exercise of that gift be thereby totally excluded in any part of Publick
conciliatory endeavours and yet gives an Account how he resolv'd to set upon reconciling work in order whereto the Worcestershire Agreement was form'd which was not altogether without its success from p. 139. to p. 150. Nineteen Quaeries about Ecclesiastical Cases drawn up by an Episcopal man in the late Times and convey'd to him by Sir Ralph Clare with his Answer to them from p. 151. to p. 157. A Letter of his in answer to Sir Ralph Clare his Parishioner who would not Communicate with him unless he might receive kneeling and on a distinct day and not with those who received sitting p. 157 c. A Letter from the associated Ministers in Cumberland and Westmoreland to the associated Ministers in Worcestershire p. 162. an Answer to it p. 164. Many other Counties begin to associate for Church Discipline the Articles agreed to by the Ministers in Wiltshire p. 167. A Letter from the associated Churches in Ireland to Mr. Baxter and the associated Ministers in Worcestershire p. 169. the Answer to it p. 170. A second Letter from the Irish Ministers p. 171. A Letter of Mr. Baxter's to Bishop Brownrigg about an Agreement between the Presbyterian and Episcopal Party p. 172. The Bishops Reply to it containing his Iudgment about Church Government p. 174 175 c. Mr. Baxter's Notes on the Bishop's Answer p. 178. After this he upon occasion of the passing of Letters between him and Mr. Lamb and Mr. Allen two Anabaptist Freachers to disswade them from separation propounds and answers this Question Whether it be our duty to seek peace with the Anabaptists and proposes a method of managing a Pacificatory attempt with them p. 181. c. A personal Treaty of his with Mr. Nye about an Agreement with the Independants and a long Letter to him about that affair p. 188 c. Proposals made by him in Cromwell's time for a general holy Communion Peace and Concord between the Churches in these Nations without any wrong to the Consciences or Liberties of Presbyterians Congregational Episcopal or any other Christians p. 191 c. The occasion of choosing a Committee of Divines to make a Collection of Fundamentais of which Mr. Baxter was one p. 197. His own Iudgment of Fundamentals ib. and p. 198. The proceedings of the Divines in this matter p. 199. Papers deliver'd in by Mr. Baxter to them on points wherein he differ'd from them p. 200 c. An Account of his preaching before Cromwell and personal Conference with him afterwards in private and a second Conference with him in his Privy Council p. 205. of what past between him and Dr. Nich. Gibbon ibid. Of his Acquaintance and Conversation with Archbishop Usher while he continued at my Lord Broghil's where a particular account is given of the Learned Primates Iudgment about Universal Redemption about Mr. Baxter's terms of Concord and about the validity of Presbyters Ordination p. 206. Of the Carriage of the Anabaptists after the Death of Cromwell p. 206. and the general Confusion of the Nation p. 207. New Proposals he made to Dr. Hammond about an Agreement with the Episcopal Party by Sir Ralph Clare's means p. 208. Dr. Hammond's Answer and Mr. Baxter's Reply p. 210. Of General Monk's march to London and the common sentiments and expectations of people at that time p. 214. of his preaching before the Parliament the day before they voted the King back p. 217. of his Conference with Dr. Gauden and Dr. Morley p. 218. What past between one William Johnson a Papist and Mr. Baxter in particular with reference to the Lady Anne Lindsey daughter of the Countess of Balcarres whom he had seduc'd and afterwards stole away and convey'd into France p. 218 c. Two Letters of Mr. Baxter's to this young Lady one before she was stole away and the other while she was in a Nunnery in France p. 221 c. Of peoples various expectations upon the King's return p. 229. Of some of the Presbyterian Ministers being made the King's Chaplains and Mr. Baxter among the rest ibid. several of them together wait on his Majesty The sum of Mr. Baxter's Speech to the King p. 230. the King receives them graciously and orders them to bring in Proposals in order to an Agreement about Church Government p. 231. where upon they daily met at Sion Colledge for Consultation p. 232. Their first Address and Proposals to his Majesty about Concord p. 232 c. the brief sum of their judgment and desires about Church Government p. 237. Bishop Usher's Model of Government to which they all agreed to adhere p. 238. Five Requests made to the King by word of mouth suiting the Circumstances of Affairs at that time p. 241. The Answer of the Bishops to the first Proposals of the London Ministers p. 242. the Ministers defence of their fore-mention'd Proposals p. 248. His Majesty's Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs as it was first drawn up and shown to the Ministers by the Lord Chancellour p. 259. The Ministers Petition to the King upon their sight of the first draught of this Declaration p. 265. the Alterations of the Declaration which they offer'd p. 275. a Conference between several Divines of each side about the fore-mention'd Declaration before the King at the Lord Chancellours and the effects of it p. 276. of the coming out of the Declaration with amendments p. 279. Of Mr. Baxter's preaching before the King and printing his Sermon and the false accusation of him by Dr. Pierce on that occasion p. 279. a Character of Dr. Pierce and Account of his enmity against Mr. Baxter p. 280. of the offer of a Bishoprick made to Mr. Baxter with some others who joyntly demurr'd about the acceptance p. 281. Mr. Baxter refuses to accept the terms proposed in the fore-mention'd Declaration and sends a Letter to the Lord Chancellour containing his Reasons p. 282. Dr. Regnolds accepts a Bishoprick other Preferments offer'd to other Presbyterians who refus'd them p. 283. An Address of Thanks to the King from the London Ministers for his Declaration p. 284. a Censure of this Declaration p. 286. How well this Declaration was put in Execution p. 287. Mr. Crofâ—on's writing for the Covenant and imprisonment in the Tower p. 288. A false report spread about of Mr. Baxter by Mr. Horton Chaplain to the Earl of Manchester p. 289. an account of Mr. Baxter's transactions with the Lord Chancellour about the Affairs of New-England p. 290. a Letter to Mr. Baxter from the Court and Government of New-England p. 291. another from Mr. Norton p. 292. another from Mr. Elliot p. 293. Mr. Baxter's answer to Mr. Elliot p. 295. Mr. Baxter's endeavours to be restor'd to the People of Kidderminster from whom he was separated upon the return of the sequestred Ministers to their Livings p. 298. A Letter of my Lord Chancellours to Sir Ralph Clare about Mr. Baxter's return to Kidderminster p. 299. Of the Rising of the Fifth Monarchy men under Venner about this time p. 301.
the People this Protestation which caused some to be offended with me About that time the Parliament sent down an Order for the demolishing of all Statues and Images of any of the three Persons in the blessed Trinity or of the Virgin Mary which should be found in Churches or on the Crosses in Church-yards My Judgment was for the obeying of this Order thinking it came from just Authority but I medled not in it but left the Churchwarden to do what he thought good The Churchwarden an honest sober quiet Man seeing a Crucifix upon the Cross in the Church-yard set up a Ladder to have reacht it but it proved too short whilst he was gone to seek another a Crew of the drunken riotous Party of the Town poor Journey-men and Servants took the Allarm and run altogether with Weapons to defend the Crucifix and the Church Images of which there were divers left since the time of Popery They Report was among them that I was the Actor and it was me they sought but I was walking almost a mile out of Town or else I suppose I had there ended my days when they mist me and the Churchwarden both they went raving about the Streets to seek us Two Neighbours that dwelt in other Parishes hearing that they sought my Life ran in among them to see whether I were there and they knockt them both down in the Streets and both of them are since dead and I think never perfectly recovered that hurt When they had foamed about half an hour and met with none of us and were newly housed I came in from my walk and hearing the People Cursing at me in their Doors I wondered what the matter was but quickly found how fairly I had scaped The next Lord's Day I dealt plainly with them and laid open to them the quality of that Action and told them Seeing they so required me as to seek my Blood I was willing to leave them and save them from that Guilt But the poor Sots were so amazed and ashamed that they took on sorrily and were loth to part with me § 57. About this time the King's Declarations were read in our Market-place and the Reader a violent Country Gentleman seeing me pass the Streets stopt and said There goeth a Traitor without ever giving a syllable of Reason for it And the Commission of Array was set afoot for the Parliament medled not with the Militia of that Country the Lord Howard their Lieutenant not appearing Then the rage of the Rioters grew greater than before And in preparation to the War they had got the word among them Down with the Round-heads Insomuch that if a Stranger past in many places that had short Hair and a Civil Habit the Rabble presently cried Down with the Round-heads and some they knockt down in the open Streets In this Fury of the Rabble I was advised to withdraw a while from home whereupon I went to Glocester As I past but through a corner of the Suburbs of Worcester they that knew me not cried Down with the Round-heads and I was glad to spur on and be gone But when I came to Gloucester among Strangers also that had never known me I found a civil courteous and religious People as different from Worcester as if they had lived under another Government There I stayed a Month and whilst I was there many Pamphlets came out on both sides preparing for a War For the Parliaments Cause the principal Writing which very much prevailed was Observations written by Mr. Parker a Lawyer But I remember some Principles which I think he misapplieth as also doth Mr. Thomas Hooker Ecclis polit lib. 8. viz. That the King is singulis major but universis minor that he receiveth his Power from the People c. For I doubt not to prove that his Power is so immediately from God as that there is no Recipient between God and him to convey it to him Only as the King by his Charter maketh him a Mayor or Baliff whom the Corporation chuseth so God by his Law as an Instrument conveyeth Power to that Person or Family whom the People consent to and their Consent is but a Conditio sine quâ non and not any Proof that they are the Fountain of Power or that ever the governing Power was in them and therefore for my part I am satisfied that all Politicks err which tell us of a Magestas Realis in the People as distinct from the Majestas Personalis in the Governors And though it be true that quo ad naturalem bonitatem in genere Causae finalis the King be universis minor and therefore no War or Action is good which is against the common Good which is the end of all Government yet as to governing Power which is the thing in question the King is as to the People Universis Major as well as Singulis For if the Parliament have any Legislative Power it cannot be as they are the Body or People as Mr. Tho. Hooker ill supposeth who lib. 1. Polit. Eccles. maketh him a Tyrant that maketh Laws himself without the Body but it is as the Constitution twisteth them into the Government For if once Legislation the chief Act of Government be denied to be any part of Government at all and affirmed to belong to the People as such who are no Governors all Government will hereby be overthrown Besides these Observations no Books more advantaged the Parliament's Cause than a Treatise of Monarchy afterwards published and Mr. Prin's large Book of the Soveraign Power of Parliaments wherein he heapeth up Multitudes of Instances of Parliaments that exercised Soveraign Power At this time also they were every where beginning the Contention between the Commission of Array and the Parliaments Militia In Gloucestershire the Country came in for the Parliament In Worcestershire Herefordshire and Shropshire they were wholly for the King and none to any purpose moved for the Parliament § 58. Whilst I was at Gloucester I saw the first Contentions between the Ministers and Anabaptists that ever I was acquainted with For these were the first Anabaptists that ever I had seen in any Country and I heard but of few more in those parts of England About a dozen young Men or more of considerable Parts had received the Opinion against Infant Baptism and were re-baptized and laboured to draw others after them not far from Gloucester And the Minister of the Place Mr. Winnel being hot and impatient with them hardened them the more He wrote a considerable Book against them at that time But England having then no great Experience of the tendency and consequents of Annabaptistry the People that were not of their Opinion did but pity them and think it was a Conceit that had no great harm in it and blamed Mr. Winnel for his Violence and Asperity towards them But this was the beginning of the Miseries of Gloucester for the Anabaptists somewhat increasing on one side before I came away
another kind of Militia I had than theirs I found that many honest Men of weak judgments and little acquaintance with such Matters had been seduced into a disputing vein and made it too much of their Religion to talk for this Opinion and for that sometimes for State Democracy and sometime for Church Democracy sometimes against Forms of Prayer and sometimes against Infant Baptism which yet some of them did maintain sometimes against Set-times of Prayer and against the typing of our selves to any Duty before the Spirit move us and sometimes about Free-grace and Free-will and all the Points of Antinomianism and Arminianism So that I was almost always when I had opportunity disputing with one or other of them sometimes for our Civil Government and sometimes for Church Order and Government sometimes for Infant Baptism and oft against Antinomianism and the contrary Extream But their most frequent and vehement Disputes were for Liberty of Conscience as they called it that is that the Civil Magistrate had nothing to do to determine of any thing in Matters of Religion by constraint or restraint but every Man might not only hold but preach and do in Matters of Religion what he pleased That the Civil Magistrate hath nothing to do but with Civil Things to keep the Peace and Protect the Churches Liberties c. I found that one half almost of the Religious Party among them were such as were either Orthodox or but very lightly touched with their mistakes and almost another half were honest men that stept further into the contending way than they could well get out again but with competent help might be recovered But a few fiery self-conceited men among them kindled the rest and made all the noise and bustle and carried about the Army as they pleased For the greatest part of the common Soldiers especially of the Foot were ignorant men of little Religion abundance of them such as had been taken Prisoners or turned out of Garrisons under the King and had been Soldiers in his Army And these would do any thing to please their Officers and were ready Instrument for the Seducers especially in their great Work which was to cry down the Covenant to vilifie all Parish Ministers but especially the Scots and Presbyterians For the most of the Soldiers that I spoke with never took the Covenant because it tied them to defend the King's Person and to extirpate Heresie and Schism Because I perceived that it was a few Men that bore the Bell that did all the hurt among them I acquainted my self with those Men and would be oft disputing with them in the hearing of the rest and I found that they were men that had been in London hatcht up among the old Separatists and had made it all the matter of their Study and Religion to rail against Ministers and Parish Churches and Presbyterians and had little other knowledge nor little discourse of any thing about the Heart or Heaven but were fierce with Pride and Self-conceitedness and had gotten a very great conquest over their Charity both to the Episcopal and Presbyterians Whereas many of those honest Soldiers which were tainted but with some doubts about Liberty of Conscience or Independency were men that would Discourse of the Points of Sanctification and Christian Experience very savourily But we so far prevailed in opening the folly of these Revilers and Self-conceited men as that some of them became the laughing-stock of the Soldiers before I left them and when they preached for great Preachers they were their weakness exposed them to contempt A great part of the mischief they did among the Soldiers was by Pamphlets which they aboundantly dispersed such as R. Overtons Martin Mar-Priest and more of his and some of I. Lilburn's who was one of them and divers against the King and against the Ministry and for Liberty of Conscience c. And Soldiers being usually disperst in their Quarters they had such Books to read when they had none to contradict them But there was yet a more dangerous Party than all these among them only in Major Bethel's Troop of our Regiment who took the direct Jesuitical way They first most vehemently declaimed against the Doctrine of Election and for the power of Free-will and all other Points which are controverted between the Jesuits and Dominicans the Arminians and Calvinists Then they as fiercely cried down our present Translation of the Scriptures and debased their Authority though they did not deny them to be Divine And they cried down all our Ministry Episcopal Presbyterian and Independent and all our Churches And they vilified almost all our ordinary Worship especially singing of Psalms and constant Family Worship They allowed of no Argument from Scripture but what was brought in its express words They were vehement against both the King and all Government but Popular and against Magistrates medling in Matters of Religion And all their disputing was with as much fierceness as if they had been ready to draw their Swords upon those against whom they disputed They trusted more to Policy Scorn and Power than to Argument They would bitterly scorn me among their Hearers to prejudice them before they entred into dispute They avoided me as much as possible but when we did come to it they drowned all Reason in fierceness and vehemency and multitude of words They greatly strove for Places of Command and when any Place was due by order to another that was not of their mind they would be sure to work him out and be ready to mutiny if they had not their will I thought they were principled by the Jesuits and acted all for their Interest and in their way but the secret Spring was out of sight These were the same men that afterward were called Levellers and rose up against Cromwell and were surprized at Burford having deceived and drawn to them many more And Thompson the General of the Levellers that was slain then was no greater a Man than one of the Corporals of this Troop the Cornet and others being much worse than he And thus I have given you a taste of my Imployment in the Army § 78. As soon as I came to the Army they marched speedily down into the West because the King had no Army left but the Lord Goring's there and they would not suffer the Fugitives of Naseby-fight to come thither to strengthen them They came quickly down to Somerton when Goring was at Langport which lying upon the River Massey was sent to keep him in on the farther side while Fairfax attended him on this side with his Army One day they faced each other and did nothing The next day they came to their Ground again Betwixt the two Armies was a narrow Lane which went between some Meadows in a bottom and a small Brook crossing the Lane with a narrow Bridge Goring planted two or three small Pieces at the Head of the Lane to keep the Passage and there placed his best Horse so
Our Disputations proved not unprofitable Our Meetings were never contentious but always comfortable We took great delight in the Company of each other so that I knew that the remembrance of those days is pleasant both of them and me when Discouragements had long kept me from motioning a way of Church-order and Discipline which all might agree in that we might neither have Churches ungoverned nor fall into Divisions among our selves at the first motioning of it I found a readier Consent than I could expect and all went on without any great obstructing difficulties And when I attempted to bring them all conjunctly to the work of Catechizing and Instructing every Family by it self I found a ready consent in most and performance in many So that I must here to the praise of my dear Redeemer set up this Pillar of Remembrance even to his Praise who hath employed me so many years in so comfortable a Work with such encouraging Success O what am I a worthless Worm not only wanting Academical Honours but much of that Furniture which is needful to so high a Work that God should thus abundantly encourage me when the Reverend Instructors of my Youth did labour Fifty years together in one place and could scarcely say they had Converted one or two of their Parishes And the greater was this Mercy because I was naturally of a discouraged Spirit so that if I had preached one Year and seen no Fruits of it I should hardly have for born running away like Ionah but should have thought that God called me not to that Place Yea the Mercy was yet greater in that it was of farther publick Benefit For some Independents and Anabaptist that had before conceited that Parish Churches were the great Obstruction of all true Church Order and Discipline and that it was impossible to bring them to any good Consistency did quite change their Minds when they saw what was done at Kiderminster and began to think now that it was much through the faultiness of the Parish Ministers that Parishes are not in a better Cafe and that it is a better Work thus to reform the Parishes than to gather Churches out of them without great Necessity And the Zeal and Knowledge of this poor People provoked many in other parts of the Land And though I have been now absent from them about six Years and they have been assaulted with Pulpit-Calumnies and Slanders with Threatnings and Imprisonments with enticing Words and seducing Reasonings they yet stand fast and keep their Integrity many of them are gone to God and some are removed and some now in Prison and most still at home but not one that I hear of that are fallen off or forsake their Uprightness § 137. Having related my comfortable Successes in this Place I shall next tell you by what and how many Advantages this much was effected under that Grace which worketh by means though with a free diversity which I do for their sakes that would have the means of other Mens Experiments in managing ignorant and sinful Parishes 1. One Advantage was that I came to a People that never had any awakening Ministry before but a few formal cold Sermons of the Curate For if they had been hardened under a powerful Ministry and been Sermon Proof I should have expected less 2. Another Advantage was that at first I was in the Vigour of my Spirits and had naturally a familiar moving Voice which is a great matter with the common Hearers and doing all in bodily Weakness as a dying Man my Soul was the more easily brought to Seriousness and to preach as a dying Man to dying Men for drowsy Formality and Customariness doth but stupisy the Hearers and rock them asleep It must be serious Preaching which must make Men serious in hearing and obeying it 3. Another Advantage was that most of the bitter Enemies of Godliness in the Town that rose in Tumults against me before in their very Hatred of Puritans had gone out into the Wars into the King's Armies and were quickly kill'd and few of them ever returned again and so there were few to make any great Opposition to Godliness 4. Another and the greatest Advantage was the Change that was made in the Publick Affairs by the Success of the Wars which however it was done and though much corrupted by the Usurpers yet it was such as removed many and great Impediments to Mens Salvation For before the riotous Rabble had Boldness enough to make serious Godliness a common Scorn and call them all Puritans and Precisians that did not care as little for God and Heaven and their Souls as they did especially if a Man were not fully satisfied with their undisciplined disordered Churches or Lay Chancellors Excommunications c. then no Name was bad enough for him And the Bishops Articles enquiring after such and their Courts and the High Commission grievously afflicting those that did but Fast and Pray together or go from an ignorant drunken Reader to hear a godly able Preacher at the next Parish c. this kept Religion among the Vulgar under either continual Reproach or Terror encourageing the Rabble to despise it and revile it and discouraging those that else would own it And Experience telleth us that it is a lamentable Impediment to Mens Conversion when it is a way every where spoken against and prosecuted by Superiors which they must embrace and when at their first Approaches they must go through such Dangers and Obloquy as is fitter for confirmed Christians to be exercised with than unconverted Sinners or young Beginners Therefore though Cromwell gave Liberty to all Sects among us and did not set up any Party alone by Force yet this much gave abundant Advantage to the Gospel removing the Prejudices and the Terrours which hindered it especially considering that Godliness had Countenance and Reputation also as well as Liberty whereas before if it did not appear in all the Fetters and Formalities of the Times it was the way to common Shame and Ruine Hearing Sermons abroad when there were none or worse at home Fasting and Praying together the strict Observation of the Lord's Day and such like went under the dangerous Name of Puritanism as well as opposing Bishops and Ceremonies I know in these Times you may meet with Men that confidently affirm that all Religion was then trodden down and Heresy and Schism were the only Piety but I give Warning to all Ages by the Experience of this incredible Age that they take heed how they believe any whoever they be while they are speaking for the Interest of their Factions and Opinions against those that were their real or supposed Adversaries For my part I bless God who gave me even under an Usurper whom I opposed such Liberty and Advantage to preach his Gospel with Success which I cannot have under a King to whom I have sworn and performed true Subjection and Obedience yea which no Age since the Gospel came into this Land
Churches Good must be first regarded As to the other Question Why we dealt not thus by all the Parish and took them not all for Members without question We knew some Papists and Infidels that were no Members We knew that the People would have thought themselves wronged more to be thus brought under Discipline without and against their own Consent than to 〈◊〉 them to withdraw And we thought it not a Business â—it for the unwilling â—â—â—â—ually at such a time as that But especially I knew that it was like to be their utter undoing by hardening them into utter Enmity against the means that should recover them And I never yet saw any signs of hope in any Excommunicate Person unless as they are yet men and capable of what God will do upon them except one that humbled himself and begged Absolution Now either Discipline is to be exercised according to Christ's Rule or not If not then the Church is no purer a Society as to its Orders than those of Infidels and Pagans but Christ must be disobeyed and his House of Prayer made a Den of Thieves If yea then either impartially upon all obstinate impenitent Sinners according to Christ's Rule or but on some If but on some only it will be a Judgment of Partiality and Unrighteousness whereas where there is the same Cause there must usually be the same Penalty If on all then the multitude of the Scandalous in almost all places is so great and the Effects of Excommunication so dreadful that it would tend to damning of multitudes of Souls which being contrary to the design of the Gospel is not to be taken for the Will of Christ we have our Power to Edification and not to Destruction A few in case of necessity may be punished though to their hurt for the good of all but multitudes must not be so used Indeed a Popish Interdict or mock Excommunication by the Sentence of a Prelate or Lay-Chancellour may pass against multitudes and have no considerable Effect but as it is enforced by the Sword But the Word of God is quick and powerful and when it is thus personally applyed in the Sentencing of a guilty obstinate Sinner doth one way or other work more effectually Therefore in this difficulty there can be but two Remedies devised One is with the Anabaptists to leave Infants unbaptized that so they may not be taken into the Church till they are fit for the Orders of the Church But this is injurious to Infants and against the will of God and hath more inconveniences than benefits Though for my part as much as I have wrote against them I wish that it were in the Church now as it was in the days of Tertullian Nazianzen and Austin where no man was compelled to bring his Infants to Baptism but all left to their own time For then some as Augustine c. were baptized at full Age and some in Infancy The second therefore is the only just and safe Remedy which is That by the due performance of Confirmation there may be a Soleman Transition out of the state of Infant Church-Membership into the state of Adult Church-Membership and due qualifications therein required and that the unfit may till then be left inter Auditores without the Priviledges proper to Adult Members of which I have fully written in my Book of Confirmation 26. Another Advantage which I found to my Success was by ordering my Doctrine to them in a suitableness to the main end and yet so as might suit their Dispositions and Diseases The thing which I daily opened to them and with greatest importunity laboured to imprint upon their minds was the great Fundamental Principles of Christianity contained in their Baptismal Covenant even a right knowledge and belief of and subjection and love to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and Love to all Men and Concord with the Church and one another I did so daily inculcate the Knowledge of God our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier and Love and Obedience to God and Unity with the Church Catholick and Love to Men and Hope of Life Eternal that these were the matter of their daily Cogitations and Discourses and indeed their Religion And yet I did usually put in something in my Sermon which was above their own discovery and which they had not known before and this I did that they might be kept humble and still perceive their ignorance and be willing to keep in a learning state For when Preachers tell their People of no more than they know and do not shew that they excel them in Knowledge and easily over-top them in Abilities the People will be tempted to turn Preachers themselves and think that they have learnt all that the Ministers can teach them and are as wise as they and they will be apt to contemn their Teachers and wrangle with all their Doctrines and set their Wits against them and hear them as Censurers and not as Disciples to their own undoing and to the disturbance of the Church and they will easily draw Disciples after them The bare Authority of the Clergy will not serve the turn without over-topping Ministerial Abilities And I did this also to increase their Knowledge and also to make Religion pleasant to them by a daily addition to their former Light and to draw them on with desire and Delight But these things which they did not know before were not unprofitable Controversies which tended not to Edification nor Novelties in Doctrine contrary to the Universal Church but either such Points as tended to illustrate the great Doctrines before-mentioned or usually about the right methodizing of them The opening of the true and profitable method of the Creed or Doctrine of Faith the Lord's Prayer or Matter of our Desires and the Ten Commandments or Law of Practice which afford matter to add to the knowledge of most Professors of Religion a long time And when that is done they must be led on still further by degrees as they are capable but so as not to leave the weak behind and so as shall still be truly subservient to the great Points of Faith Hope and Love Holiness and Unity which must be still inculcated as the beginning and the end of all 27. Another help to my Success was that my People were not Rich There were among them very few Beggers because their common Trade of Stuff-weaving would find work for all Men Women and Children that were able And there were none of the Trades-men very rich seeing their Trade was poor that would but find them Food and Raiment The Magistrates of the Town were few of them worth 40 l. per An. and most not half so much Three or four of the Richest thriving Masters of the Trade got but about 500 or 600 l. in twenty years and it may be lose 100 l. of it at once by an ill Debtor The generality of the Master Workmen lived but a little better than their
The Uniting of the Churches upon the Primitive Terms and the tollerating not of all but of tollerable Differences is the way to Peace which almost all Men approve of except those who are uppermost and think they have the Reins in their own hands And because the side which is uppermost are they that have their Wills therefore the Churches had never a settled Peace this Thousand years at least the true way of Settlement and Peace being usually displeasing to them that must give Peace to others But this way hath the mark of being the best in that it is the only way which every Sect acknowledge for the second and next the best and is it which all except the predominant Party liketh But Wisdom is justified of her Children § 149. To consummate the Confusion by confirming and increasing the Division the Independants at last when they had refused with sufficient pervicacy to associate with the Presbyterians and the Reconcilers too did resolve to shew their proper strength and to call a General Assembly of all their Churches The Savoy was their Meeting-place There they drew up a Confession of their Faith and the Orders of their Church Government In the former they thought it not enough expresly to contradict St. Iames and to say unlimitedly That we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ only and not by any Works but they contradicted St. Paul also who faith That Faith is imputed for Righteousness And not only so but they expresly asserted that we have no other righteousness but that of Christ. A Doctrine abhorred by all the Reformed and Christian Churches and which would be an utter shame to the Protestant Name if what such Men held and did were indeed imputable to the sober Protestants I asked some honest Men that joyned with them Whether they subscribed this Confession and they said No. I asked them why they did not contradict it and they said that the meaning of it was no more than that we have no other Righteousness but Christ's to be justified by So that the Independant's Confessions are like such Oaths and Declarations as speak one thing and mean another Also in their Propositions of Church Order they widened the breach and made things much worse and more unreconcileable than ever they were before So much could two Men do with many honest tractable young Men and had more Zeal for separating Strictness than Iudgment to understand the Word of God or the Interest of the Churches of the Land and of themselves § 150. But it hath pleased God by others that were sometime of their way to do more to heal this Breach than they did to make it wider I mean the Synod of New-England who have published such healing Propositions about stated Synods and Infants Church Membership as hath much prepared for a Union between them and all other moderate Men And some One hath strenuously defended those Propositions against the opposition of Mr. Davenport a dissenting Brother I take this to be more for healing than the Savoy Propositions can be effectual to divide because the New-England men have not blemished their Reputation nor lost the Authority and Honour of their Judgments by any such Actions as the leading Savoyers have done § 151. When the Army had brought themselves and the Nation into utter Confusion and had set up and pull'd down Richard Cromwell and then had set up the Rump again and pull'd them down again and set up a Council of State of themselves and their Faction and made Lambert their Head next under Fleetwood whom they could use almost as they would at last the Nation would endure them no longer nor sit still while the world stood laughing them to scorn as acting over the Minster Tragedy Sir George Booth and Sir Thomas Middleton raised Forces in Cheshire and North-Wales but the Cavaliers that should have joyned with them failed them almost all over the Land a few rose in some places but were quickly ruined and came to nothing Lambert quickly routed those in Cheshire Sir Arthur Haselrigge with Col. Morley get into Portsmouth which is possessed as for the Rump Monk declareth against them in Scotland purgeth his Army of the Anabaptists and marcheth into England The Rump Party with Haselrigge divided the Army at home and so disabled them to oppose Monk who marcheth on and all are afraid of him and while he declareth himself against Monarchy for a Commonwealth he tieth the hands of his Enemies by a lie and uniteth with the City of London and bringeth on again the old ejected Members of the Parliament and so bringeth in the King Sir William Morrice his Kinsman and Mr. Clarges were his great Advisers The Earl of Manchester Mr. Calamy and other Presbyterians encouraged and perswaded him to bring in the King At first he joyned with the Rump against the Citizens and pull'd down the City Gates to master them but at last Sir Thomas Allen then Lord Mayor by the perswasion of Dr. Iacomb and some other Presbyterian Ministers and Citizens as he hath oft told me himself invited Monk into the City and drew him to agree and joyn with them against the Rump as they then called the Relicts of the Parliament And this in truth was the Act that turned the Scales and brought in the King whether the same men expected to be used as they have since been themselves I know not If they did their Self-denial was very great who were content to be silenced and laid in Gaols so they might but bring in the King After this the old Excluded Members of the Parliament meet with Monk He calleth them to sit and that the King might come in both by him and by them He agreeth with them to sit but a few days and then dissolve themselves and call another Parliament They consented and prepared for the King's Restoration and appointed a Council of State and Dissolved themselves Another Parliament is chosen which calleth in the King the Council of State having made further preparations for it For when the Question was Whether they should call in the King upon Treaty and Covenant which some thought best for him and the Nation the Council resolved absolutely to trust him Mr. A. especially perswading them so to do And when the King came in Col. Birch and Mr. Prin were appointed to Disband the Army the several Regiments receiving their Pay in several places and none of them daring to disobey No not Monk's own Regiments who brought in the King Thus did God do a more wonderful Work in the Dissolving of this Army than any of their greatest Victories was which set them up That an Army that had conquered three such Kingdoms and brought so many Armies to destruction cut off the King pull'd down the Parliament and set up and pull'd down others at their pleasure that had conquered so many Cities and Castles that were so united by Principles and Interest and Guilt and so deeply engaged as much
186. 30. The third Sheet was called One Sheet for the Ministry against the Malignants of all sorts containing those Reasons for the present Ministry which shew the greatness of the Sin of those that set against them It was intended then against the Quakers and other Sectarian Enemies to the Ministry but is as useful for these Times and against those that on other pretences hate and silence and suppress them and might tell their Consciences what they do § 187. 31. The fourth Sheet I called A Second Sheet for the Ministry being a Defence of their Office as continued against the Seekers who pretend that the Ministry is ceased and lost And it may serve against the Papists that question our Call for want of a Succession and all their Spawn of Sectaries that are still setting themselves against the Ministry and against the Sacred Scriptures § 188. 32. Mr. William Montford being chosen Bayliff of Kiderminster desired me to write him down a few brief Instructions for the due Execution of his Office of Magistracy that he might so pass it as to have Comfort and not Trouble in the Review which having done considering how many Mayors and Bayliffs and Countrey Justices needed it as well as he I printed it in an open Sheet to stick upon a Wall Entituled Directions for Iustices of Peace especially in Corporations for the Discharge of their Duties to God suited to those Times § 189. 33. Mr. Iohn Dury having spent thirty Years in Endeavours to reconcile the Lutherans and Calvanists was now going over Sea again upon that Work and desired the Judgment of our Association how it should be successfully expedited which at their desire I drew up more largely in Latin and more briefly in English The English Letter he printed as my Letter to Mr. Dury for Pacification § 190. 34. About that time Mr. Ionathan Hanmer of Devonshire wrote a Treatise for Confirmation as the most expedient means to reform our Churches and reconcile all that disagree about the Qualification of Church Members I liked the Design so well having before written for it in my Treatise of Baptism that being requested I put a large Epistle before it and after that when some Brethren desired me to produce more Scripture Proof for it than he had done I wrote a small Treatise called Confirmation and Restauration the necessary means to Reformation and Reconciliation But the times changed before it could be much practised § 191. 35. Sergeant Shephard an honest Lawyer wrote a little Book of Sincerâ—ty and Hypocrisy and in the end of it Mr. Tho. Barlow afterward Bishop of Lincoln wrote without his Name an Appendix in Confutation of a supposed Opinion of mine that Saving Grace differeth not Specie but Gradu from Common Grace To which I replied in a short Discourse called Of Saving Faith c. I had most highly valued the Author whom I wrote against long before for his Six Exercitations in the end of Schibler's Metaphysicks But in his Attempt against me he came quite below himself as I made manifest and he resolved to make no Answer to it In this Tractate the Printer plaid his part so shamefully that the Book is scarcely to be understood § 192. 36. Being greatly apprehensive of the Commonness and Danger of the Sin of Selfishness as the Summ and Root of all positive Evil I preached many Sermons against it and at the Request of some Friends I published them entituled A. Treatise of Self-denial which found better acceptance than most of my other but yet prevented not the ruine of Church and State and Millions of Souls by that Sin § 193. 37. After that I published Five Disputations about Church-Government in order to the Reconciliation of the differing Parties In the first I proved that the English Diocesance Prelacy is intollerable which none hath answered In the Second I have proved the Validity of the Ordination then exercised without Diocesanes in England which no Man hath answered though many have urged Men to be re-ordained In the third I proved that there are dives sorts of Episcopacy lawful and desirable In the fourth and fifth I shew the lawfulness of some Ceremonies and of a Liturgy and what is unlawful here This Book being published when Bishops Liturgy and Ceremonies were most decryed and opposed was of good use to declare my Judgment when the King came in for if I had said as much then I had been judged but a Temporizer But as it was effectual to settle many in a Moderation so it made abundance of Conformists afterwards or was pretended at least to give them Satisfaction Though it never medled with the greatest Parts of Conformity Renouncing Vows Assent and Consent to all things in three Books c. and though it unanswerably confuted our Prelacy and Re-ordination and consequently the Renunciation of the Vow against Prelacy and opposed the Cross in Baptism But Sicvitant Stulti Vitia as my Aphorisms made some Arminians If you discover an Error to an injudicious Man he reeleth into the contrary Error and it is hard to stop him in the middle Verity § 194. 38. At the same time I published another Book against Popery fit for the defensive part and instructing Protestants how to answer any Papist It is entituled A Key for Catholicks to open the jugling of the Iesuits and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand whether the Cause of the Roman or Reformed Churches be of God In this Treatise proving that the Blood of the King is not by Papists to be charged upon Protestants I plainly hazarded my Life against the Powers that then were and grievously incensed Sir H. vane as is before declared And yet Mr. I. N. was so tender of the Papists Interest that having before been offended with me for a Petition against Popery and a Justice of all times spake against it on the Bench and his Displeasure encreased by this Book he took occasion since the King came in to write against me for those very Passages which condemned the King-killers Because comparing the Case with the Doctrine and Practice of the Papists I shewed that the Sectarians and Cromwelians had of the two a more plausible Pretence which I there recited he confuteth those Pretence of theirs as if they had been my own thereby to make the World believe that I wrote for the King's Death in the very Pages where to the hazard of my Life I wrote against it when he himself took the Engagement against the King and the House of Lords and was a Justice under Oliver and more than so signed Orders for the sequestring of others of the King's Party But the great Indignation against this Book and the former is that they were by Epistles directed to Ri. Cromwell as Lord Protector which I did only to provoke him that had Power to use it well when the Parliament had sworn Fidelity to him and that without any Word of Approbation to his Title Yet those that were
I do believe all the Sacred Canonical Scripture which all Christian Churches do receive and particularly I believe in God the Father Almighty c. The second Part instead of Books of unnecessary Canons containeth seven or eight Points of Practice for church-Church-Order which so it be practised it is no great matter whether it be subscribed or not And here it must be understood that these are written for Times of Liberty in which Agreement rather than Force doth procure Unity and Communion The third Part containeth the larger-Description of the Office of the Ministry and consequently of all the Ordinances of Worship which need not be subscribed but none should preach against it nor omit the practice except Peace require that the Point of Infant Baptism be left free This small Book is called by the Name of Universal Concord which when I wrote I thought to have published a Second Part viz. a large Volume containing the particular Terms of Concord between all Parties capable of Concord But the Change of the Times hath necessarily changed that purpose § 198. 42. The next published was a Sermon before the Parliament the day before they voted in the King being a Day of Humiliation appointed to that end It is called A Sermon of Repentance of which more afterward § 199. 43. The next published was a Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen at Pauls being on their Day of Rejoycing for General Monk's Success to bring in the King It is called A Sermon of Right Rejoycing § 200. 44. The next was a Sermon of the Life of Faith preached before the King being all that every I was called to preach before him when I had been sworn his Chaplain in Ordinary of which more afterward § 201. 45. The next was called A Believer's last Work being prepared for the Funeral of Mrs. Mary Hanmer Mother to my Wife then intended but after married Its use is to prepare for a Comfortable Death § 202. 46. Before this which I forgot in its proper place I published a Treatise of Death called The last Enemy to be overcome shewing the true Nature of the Enmity of Death and its uses Being a Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Elizabeth Baker Wife to Mr. Ioseph Baker Minister at Worcester with some Notes of her Life § 203. 47. Another was called The vain Religion of the Formal Hypocrite A Discovery of the Nature and Mischief of a Formal vain Religion preached at Westminister-Abby with a Sermon annexed of the Prosperity of Fools This being preached at Covent-Garden was unjustly accused and published by way of Vindication with the former § 204. 48. The next was a Treatise on Luke 10. 42. One thing is needful called A Saint or a Bruit shewing the Necessity Utility Safety Honour and Pleasure of a Holy Life and evincing the Truth of our Religion against Atheists and Infidels and Prophane ones § 205. 49. The next was a Treatise of Self-knowledge preached at Dunstan's West called The Mischiefs of Self-ignorance and Benefits of Self-acquaintance which was published partly to vindicate it from many false Accusations and partly at the desire of the Countess of Balcarres to whom it was directed It was fitted to the Disease of this â—urious Age in which each man is ready to devour others because they do not know themselves § 206. 50. The next was a Treatise called The Divine Life which containeth three Parts The first is of the Right Knowledge of God for the imprinting of his Image on the Soul by the knowledge of his Attributes c. The second is Of walking with God The third is Of improving Solitude to converse with God when we are forsaken by all Friends or separated from them The Occasion of the publishing of this Treatise was this The Countess of Balcarres being going into Scotland after her adobe in England being deeply sensible of the loss of the Company of those Friends which she left behind her desired me to preach the last Sermon which she was to hear from me on those words of Christ Iohn 16. 32. Behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be Scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me At her request I preached on this Text and being afterward desired by her to give it her in Writing and the Publication being her design I prefixed the two other Treatises to make it more considerable and published them together The Treatise is upon the most Excellent Subject but not elaborate at all being but Popular Sermons preached in the midst of diverting Businesses Accusations and malicious Clamours When I offered it to the Press I was fain to leave out the quantity of one Sermon in the end of the second Treatise That God took Henoch wherein I shewed what a mercy it is to one that hath walked with God to be taken to him from this World because it is a dark a wicked a malicious and implacable a treacherous deceitful World c. All which the Bishop's Chaplain must have expunged because men would think it was all spoken of them And so the World hath got a Protection against the force of our Baptismal Vow § 207. Because I have said so much in the Epistles of these two Books of the Countess of Balcarres the Reader may expect some further satisfaction of her Quality and the Cause She is Daughter to the late Earl of Seaforth in Scotland towards the High-lands and was married to the Earl of Balcarres a Covenanter but an Enemy to Cromwell's perfidiousness and true to the Person and Authority of the King with the Earl of Glencarne he kept up the last War for the King against Cromwell and his Lady through dearness of Affection marched with him and lay out of doors with him on the Mountains At last Cromwell drove them out of Scotland and they went together beyond Sea to the King where they long followed the Court and he was taken for the Head of the Presbyterians with the King and by evil Instruments fell out with the Lord Chancellor who prevailing against him upon some advantage he was for a time forbidden the Court the Grief whereof added to the Distempers he had contracted by his Warfare on the cold and hungry Mountains cast him into a Consumption of which he died He was a Lord of excellent Learning Judgment and Honesty none being praised equally with him for Learning and Understanding in all Scotland When the Earl of Lauderdaile his near Kinsman and great Friend was Prisoner in Portsmouth and Windsor-Castle he fell into acquaintance with my Books and so valued them that he read them all and took Notes of them and earnestly commended them to the Earl of Balcarres with the King The Earl of Balcarres met at the first sight with some Passages where he thought I spake too favourably of the Papists and differed from many other Protestants and so cast them by and sent the
the Saints Rest where I have not said half that should have been said and the Reason was because that I had not read any of the fuller sort of Books that are written on those Subjects nor conversed with those that knew more than my self and so all those things were either new or great to me which were common and small perhaps to others and because they all came in by the way of my own Study of the naked matter and not from Books they were apt to affect my mind the more and to seem greater than they were And this Token of my Weakness accompanied those my younger Studies that I was very apt to start up Controversies in the way of my Practical Writings and also more desirous to acquaint the World with all that I took to be the Truth and to assault those Books by Name which I thought did tend to deceive them and did contain unsound and dangerous Doctrine And the Reason of all this was that I was then in the vigour of my youthfull Apprehensions and the new Appearance of any sacred Truth it was more apt to affect me and be highlyer valued than afterward when commonness had dulled my Delight and I did not sufficiently discern then how much in most of our Controversies is verbal and upon mutual Mistakes And withal I know not how impatient Divines were of being contradicted nor how it would stir up all their Powers to defend what they have once said and to rise up against the Truth which is thus thrust upon them as the mortal Enemy of their Honour And I knew not how hardly Mens Minds are charged from their former Apprehensions be the Evidence never so plain And I have perceived that nothing so much hindreth the Reception of the Truth as urging it on Men with too harsh Importunity and falling too heavily on their Errors For hereby you engage their Honour in the business and they defend their Errors as themselves and stir up all their Wit and Ability to oppose you In controversies it is fierce Opposition which is the Bellows to kindle a resisting Zeal when if they be neglected and their Opinions lie a while despised they usually cool and come again to themselves though I know that this holdeth not when the Greediness and Increase of his Followers doth animate a Sectary even though he have no Opposition Men are so loth to be drenched with the Truth that I am no more for going that way to work and to confess the Truth I am lately much prone to the contrary Extream to be too indifferent what Men hold and to keep my Judgment to my self and never to mention any thing wherein I differ from another or any thing which I think I know more than he or at least if he receive it not presently to silence it and leave him to his own Opinion And I find this Effect is mixed according to its Causes which are some good and some bad The bad Causes are 1. An Impatience of Mens weakness and mistaking frowardness and Self-conceitedness 2. An Abatement of my sensible Esteem of Truth through the long abode of them on my Mind Though my Judgment value them yet it is hard to be equally affected with old and common things as with new and rare ones The better Causes are 1. That I am much more sensible than ever of the necessity of living upon the Principles of Religion which we are all agreed in and uniting these and how much Mischief Men that over-value their own Opinions have done by their Controversies in the Church how some have destroyed Charity and some caused Schisms by them and most have hindered Godlyness in themselves and others and used them to divert Men from the serious prosecuting of a holy Life and as Sir Francis Bacon saith in his Essay of Peace that it 's one great Benefit of Church-Peace and Concord that writing Controversies is turned into Books of practical Devotion for increase of Piety and Virtue 2. And I find that it 's much more for most Mens Good and Edification to converse with them only in that way of Godliness which all are agreed in and not by touching upon Differences to stir up their Corruptions and to tell them of little more of your knowledge than what you find them willing to receive from you as meer Learners and therefore to stay till they crave Information of you as Musculus did with the Anabaptists when he visited them in Prison and conversed kindly and lovingly with them and shewed them all the Love he could and never talkt to them of their Opinions till at last they who were wont to call him a Deceiver and false Prophet did intreat him to instruct them and received his Instructions We mistake Mens Diseases when we think there needeth nothing to cure their Errors but only to bring them the Evidence of Truth Alas there are many Distempers of Mind to be removed before Men are apt to receive that Evidence And therefore that Church is happy where Order is kept up and the Abilities of the Ministers command a reverend Submission from the Hearers and where all are in Christ's School in the distinct Ranks of Teachers and Learners For in a learning way Men are ready to receive the Truth but in a Disputing way they come armed against it with Prejudice and Animosity 3. And I must say farther that what I last mentioned on the by is one of the notablest Changes of my Mind In my youth I was quickly past my Fundamentals and was running up into a multitude of Controversies and greatly delighted with metaphisical and scholastick Writings though I must needs say my Preaching was still on the necessary Points But the elder I grew the smaller stress I layd upon these Controversies and Curiosities though still my intellect abhoâ—reth Confusion as finding far greater Uncertainties in them than I at first discerned and finding less Usefulness comparatively even where there is the greatest Certainty And now it is the fundamental Doctrines of the Catechism which I highliest value and daily think of and find most useful to my self and others The Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments do find me now the most acceptable and plentiful matter for all my Meditations They are to me as my daily Bread and Drink And as I can speak and write of them over and over again so I had rather read or hear of them than of any of the School Niceties which once so much pleased me And thus I observed it was with old Bishop Usher and with many other Men And I conjecture that this Effect also is mixt of good and bad according to its Causes The bad Cause may perhaps be some natural Infirmity and Decay And as Trees in the Spring shoot up into Branches Leaves and Blossoms But in the Autumn the Life draws down into the Root so possibly my Nature conscious of its Infirmity and Decay may find it self insufficient for numerous Particles and
far meaner thoughts of my own Understanding though I must needs know that it is better furnished than it was them 11. Accordingly I had then a far higher opinion of Learned Persons and Books than I have now for what I wanted my self I thought every Reverend Divine had attained and was familiar acquainted with And what Books I understood not by reason of the strangeness of the Terms or Matter I the moreâ— admired and thought that others understood their worth But now Experience hâ—th constrained me against my will to know that Reverend Learned Men are imperfect and know but little as well as I especially 〈◊〉 that think themselves the wiseâ—â—â— And the better I am acquainted with them the more I perceive that we are all yet in the dark And the 〈◊〉 I am acquainted with holy Men that are all for Heaven and pretend not much to Subtilties the more I value and honour them And when I have studied hard to understand some absâ—ruse admired Book as De Scientia Dei De 〈…〉 Praedeterminatione de Libertâ— to Creature a c. I have but attained the Knowledge of Humane Imperfection and to see that the Author 〈◊〉 but a Man as well as 〈◊〉 12. And at first I tookâ— more upon my Author's Crâ—dit 〈◊〉 now I can doâ— And when an Author was highly commendâ—d to me by 〈◊〉 or pleased me in some part I was ready to entertain the whole whereas now I take and leave in the same Author and dissent in some things fromâ— him that I like best as well as from others 13. At first I was greatly inclined to go with the highest in controversies on one side or other as with Dr. Twisse and Mr. Rutherford and Spanhemiâ—â— de Providentia gratia c. But now I can so easily see what to say against both extreams that I am much more inclinable to reconciling Principles And whereas then I thought that Conciliators were but ignorant men that were willing to please all and would pretend to reconcile the World by Principles which they did not understand themselves I have since perceived that if the amiableness of Peace and Concord had no hand in the business yet greater Light and stronger Judgment usually is with the Reconcilers than with either of the contending Parties as with Davenant Hall Usher Lud. Crocius Bergius Strangius Camero c. But on both accounts their Writings are most acceptable though I know that Moderation may be a pretext of Errors 14. At first the Stile of Authors took as much with me as the Argument and made the Arguments seem more forcible But now I judge not of Truth at all by any such Ornaments or Accidents but by its naked Evidence 15. I now see more Good and more Evil in all Men than heretofore I did I see that Good men are not so good as I once thought they were but have more Imperfections And that nearer approach and fuller trial doth make the best appear more weak and faulty than their Admirers at a distance think And I find that few are so bad as either their malicious Enemies or censorious separating Professors do imagine In some indeed I find that Humane Nature is corrupted into a greater likeness to Devils than I once thought any on Earth had been But even in the wicked usually there is more for grace to make advantage of and more to testifie for God and Holiness than I once believed there had been 16. I less admire Giftes of Utterance and bare Profession of Religion than I once did and have much more Charity for many who by the want of Giâ—ts do make an obscurer Profession than they I once thought that almost all that could pray movingly and fluently and talk well of Religion had been Saints But Experience hath opened to me what odious Crimes may consist with high Profession and I have met with divers obscure Persons not noted for any extraordinary Profession or forwardness in Religion but only to live a quiet blameless Life whom I have after found to have long lived as far as I could discern a truly godly and sanctified Life only their Prayers and Duties were by accident kept secret from other mens observation yet he that upon this preâ—ence would confound the Godly and the Ungodly may as well go about to lay Heaven and Hell together 17. I am not so narrow in my special Love as heretofore Being less censâ—rious and talking more than I did for Saints it must needs follow that I love more â—s Saints than I did before I think it not lawful to put that Man off with bare Church Communion and such common Love which I must allow the Wicked who professeth himself a true Christian by such a Profession as I cannot disprove 18. I am not too narrow in my Principles of Church Communion as once I was I more plainly perceive the difference between the Church as Congregate or visible and as Regenerate or Mystical and between Sincerity and Profession and that a Credible Profession is proof sufficient of a Man's Title to Church Admission and that the Profession is Credible in foro Ecclesiae which is not disproved I am noâ— for narrowing the Church more than Christ himself alloweth us nor for robbing him of any of his Flock I am more sensible how much it is the Will of Christ thâ—â—t every Man be the chooser or refuser of his own felicity and that it liâ—th most on his own hands whether he will have Communion with the Church or not and that if he be an hypocrite it is himself that will bear the loss 19. Yet am I more apprehensive than ever of the great use and need of Ecclesiastical Discipline and what a sin it is in the Pastors of the Church to make no distinction but by bare Names and Sacraments and to force all the unmeet against their own wills to Church Communion and Sacraments though the ignorant and erroneous may sometime be forced to hear instruction And what a great dishonour to Christ it is when the Church shall be as vicious as Pagan and Mahometan Assemblies and shall differ from them only in Ceremony and Name 20. I am much more sensible of the Evil of Schism and of the Separatingâ— Humour and of gathering Parties and making several Sects in the Church than I was heretofore For the Effects have shewed us more of the mischiefs 21. I am much more sensible how prone many young Professors are to Spiritual Pride and Self-conceitedness and Unruliness and Division and so to prove the Grief of their Teachers and Firebrands in the Church and how much of a Minister's work lieth in preventing this and humbling and confirming such young unexperienced Professors and keeping them in order in their progress in Religion 22. Yet am I more sensible of the Sin and Mischief of using Men cruelly in Matters of Religion and of pretending Mens good and the Order of the Church for Acts of Inhumanity or Uncharitableness Such know not
prosecute them or cast them out as it is against the nature of the body to dismember it self by cutting off any of the parts And it is easie to bring such Persons to Agreement at least to live in Charitable Communion But on the other side the Carnal Selfish and Unsanctified of what Party or Opinion soever have a Nature that is quite against holy Concord and Peace They want that love which is the natural Balsom for the Churches wounds They are every one Selfish and ruled by Self-Interest and have as many Ends and Centres of their Desires and Actions as they are individual Men. They are easily deceived and led into Errour especially in Practicals and against Spiritual Truths for want of Divine Illumination and Experience of the Things of God and a Nature suitable thereto Their Designs are Carnal Ambitious Covetous as Worldly Felicity is their Idol and their End God is not taken for their highest Governour his Laws must give place to the Desires of their Flesh Their very Religion is but Pride and Worldliness or subject to it They have a secret Enmity against a holy spiritual Life and therefore against the People that are holy They love not them that are serious in their own Religion and that go beyond their dead Formality This Enmity provoked by Self-interest or Reproof doth easily make them Persecutors of the Godly if they have but power And their carnal worldly hearts incline them to the carnal worldly side in any Controversies about Religion and to corrupt it and make it a carnal thing These Hypocrites in the Church do betray its Purity and Peace and â—ell Christ's Interest and the Gospel for as small a price as Iudas sold his Lord for And though in a time when God's Providence setteth his own Cause on the higher ground and giveth it the advantage of holy Governours these Men may possibly be serviceable to its welfare as finding it to serve their carnal Ends yet ordinarily they will â—ell the Peace of the Church for Preferment and are either imposing persecuting Dividers or discontented humourous Dividers and hardly brought to the necessary terms of a just and holy and durable Peace of whom I have more largely written in my Book called Catholick Unity These and many more Impediments do rise up against all conciliatory endeavours § 22. But I found not all these alike in all the disagreeing Parties though some of both Sorts in every Party The Erastian Party is most composed of Lawyers and other Secular Persons who better understand the Nature of Civil Covernment than the Nature Form and Ends of the Church and of those Offices appointed by Christ for Men's Spiritual Edification and Salvation The Diocesan Party with us consisted of some grave learned godly Bishops and some sober godly People of their mind and withal of almost all the carnal Politicians Temporizers Prophane and Haters of Godliness in the Land and all the Rabble of the ignorant ungodly Vulgar Whether this came to pafs from any thing in the Nature of their Diocesan Government or from their accommodating the ungodly Sort by the formal way of their Publick Worship or from their heading and pleasing them by running down the stricter sort of People whom they hated or all these together and also because the worst and most do always fall in with the Party that is uppermost I leave to the Judgment of the considerate Reader The Presbyterian Party consisted of grave orthodox godly Ministers together with the hopefullest of the Students and young Ministers and the soberest godly ancient Christians who were equally averse to Persecution and to Schism and of those young ones who were educated and ruled by these As also in those places where they most prevailed of the soberest sort of the well-meaning Vulgar who liked a godly Life though they had no great knowledge of it And this Party was most desirous of Peace The Independant Party had many very godly Ministers and People but with them many young injudicious Persons inclined much to Novelties and Separations and abounding more in Zeal than Knowledge usually doing more for Subdivisions than the few sober Persons among them could do for unity and Peace too much mistaking the Terms of Church Communion and the difference between the Regenerate invisible and the Congregate or visible Church The Anabaptists Party consisted of some but fewer sober peaceable Persons and orthodox in other Points but withal of abundance of young transported Zealots and a medley of Opinionists who all hasted directly to Enthusiasm and Subdivisions and by the Temptation of Prosperity and Success in Arms and the Policy of some Commanders were led into Rebellions and hot Endeavours against the Ministry and other Ioandalous Crimes and brought forth the horrid Sects of Ranters Seekers and Quakers in the Land § 23. But the greatest Advantage which I found for Concord and Pacification was among a great number of Ministers and People who had addicted themselves to no Sect or Party at all though the Vulgar called them by the Name of Presbyterians And the truth is as far as I could discover this was the Case of the greatest number of the godly Ministers and People throughout England For though Presbytery generally took in Scotland yet it was but a stranger here And it found some Ministers that lived in conformity to the Bishops Liturgies and Ceremonies however they wisht for Reformation and the most that quickly after were ordained were but young Students in the Universities at the time of the change of Church Government and had never well studied the Point on either side And though most of the Ministers then in England saw nothing in the Presbyterian way of practice which they could not cheerfully concur in yet it was but few that had resolved on their Principles And when I came to try it I found that most that ever I could meet with were against the Ius Divinum of Lay Elders and for the moderate Primitive Episcopacy and for a narrow Congregational or Parochial Extent of ordinary Churches and for an accommodation of all Parties in order to Concord as well as my self I am sure as soon as I proposed it to them I found most inclined to this way and therefore I suppose it was their Judgment before Yea multitudes whom I had no converse with I understood to be of this mind so that this moderate Number I am loth to call them a Party because they were for Catholicism against Parties being no way pre-engaged made the Work of Concord much more hopeful than else it would have been or than I thought it to be when I first attempted it § 24. Things being in this Case I stood still some years as a looker on and contented my self to wish and pray for Peace and only drop now and then a word for it in my practical Writings which hath since been none of my smallest troubles The Reasons were 1. Because I was taken up in Practicals and in such
me for which I thank you and rest Yours in the best Bonds R. Vines § 27. Something also I wrote to Reverend and Learned Mr. Th. Gataker whose Judgment I had seen before in his own Writings And having the encouragement of such Consent I motioned the Business to some London Ministers to have it set on foot among themselves because if it came from them it would be much more taking than from us But they thought it unfit to be managed there for several Reasons and so we must try it or only sit still and wish well as we had done § 28. Next this the state of my own Congregation and the necessity of my Duty constrained me to make some Attempt For I must administer the Sacraments to the Church and the ordinary way of Examining every Man before they come I was not able to prove necessary and the People were averse to it So that I was forced to think of the matter more seriously and having determined of that way which was I thought most agreeable to the Word of God I thought if all the Ministers did accord together in one way the People would much more easily submit than to the way of any Minister that was singular To attempt their Consent I had two very great Encouragements The one was an honest humble tractable People at home engaged in no Party Prelatical Presbyterian or Independant but loving Godliness and Peace and hating Schism as that which they perceived to tend to the ruine of Religion The other was a Company of honest godly serious humble Ministers in the Country where I lived who were not one of them that Associated Presbyterian or Independant and not past four or five of them Episcopal but dis-engaged faithful Men. At a Lecture at Worcester I first procured a Meeting and told them of the Design which they all approved They imposed it upon me to draw up a Form of Agreement The Matter of it was to consist So much of the Church Order and Discipline as the Episcopal Presbyterian and Independant are agreed in as belonging to the Pastors of each particular Church The Reasons of this were 1. Because we all believed that the practice of so much as all are agreed in would do very much to the Order and Reformation of the Churches and that the controverted Parts are those of least necessity or weight 2. Because we would not necessitate any Party to refuse our Association by putting in a word which he disowneth for we intended not to dispute one another into nearer Agreement in Opinions but first to agree in the practice of all that which was owned by us all According to their desire I drew up some Articles for our Consent which might engage us to the most effectual practice of so much Discipline as might reduce the Churches to order and satisfie Ministers in administring the Sacraments and stop the more religious People from Separation to which the unreâ—ormedness of the Churches through want of Discipline inclined them and yet might not at all contradict the Judgments of any of the three Parties And I brought in the Reasons of the several Points which after sufficient Deliberation and Examination with the alteration of some few words were consented to by all the Ministers that were present and after several Meetings we subscribed them and so associated for our mutual help and concord in our Work The Ministers that thus associated were for Number Parts and Piety the most considerable part of all that County and some out of some neighbouring Counties that were near us There was not that I know of one through Presbyterian among them because there was but one such that I knew of in all the County and he lived somewhat remote Nor did any Independant subscribe save one for there were that I knew of but five or six in the County and two of the weightiest of them approved it in words and the rest withdrew from our Debates and gave us no reason against any thing proposed Those that did not come near us nor concur with us were all the weaker sort of Ministers whose Sufficiency or Conversation was questioned by others and knew they were of little esteem among them and were neither able or willing to exercise any Discipline on their Flocks As also some few of better parts of the Episcopal way who never came near us and knew not of our Proposals or resolved to do nothing till they had Episcopacy restored or such whose Judgments esteemed such Discipline of no great necessity And one or two very worthy Ministers who approved of our Agreement subscribed it not because they had a People so very Refractory that they knew they were not able to bring them to submit to it Having all agreed in this Association we proposed publickly to our People so much as required their Consent and Practice and gave every Family a Copy in Print and a sufficient time to consider and understand it and then put it in Execution and I published it with the Reasons of it and an Explication of what seemed doubtful in it in a Book which I called Christian Concord which pleased me and displeased others § 29. There were at that time two sorts of Episcopal Men who differed from each other more than the more moderate sort differed from the Presbyterians The one was the old common moderate sort who were commonly in Doctrine Calvinists and took Episcopacy to be necessary ad bene esse Ministerii Ecclesiae but not ad esse and took all those of the Reformed that had not Bishops for true Churches and Ministers wanting only that which they thought would make them more compleat The other sort followed Dr. H. Hammond and for ought we knew were very new and very few Their Judgment was as he afferteth in Annot. in Act. 11. in Desertat that all the Texts of Scripture which speak of Presbyters do mean Bishops and that the Office of Subject-Presbyters was not in the Church in Scripture Times but before Ignatius wrote it was but that the Apostles planted in every Church only a Bishop with Deacons but with this intent asserted but never proved that in time when the Christians multiplied these Bishops that had then but one Church a piece should ordain Subject-Presbyters under them and be the Pastors of many Churches And they held that Ordination without Bishops was invalid and a Ministry so ordained was null and the Reformed Churches that had no Bishops nor Presbyters ordained by Bishops were no true Churches though the Church of Rome be a true Church as having Bishops These Men in Doctrine were such as are called Arminians And though the other sort were more numerous and elder and some of them said that Dr. H. Hammond had given away their Cause because hereby he confesseth that de facto the Churches were but Congregational or Parochial and that Every Church had a Bishop and no Subject Presbyters were ordained by the Apostles or in Scripture
time which is almost all that the Presbyterians desire yet Dr. H. Hammond and the few that at first followed him by their Parts and Interest in the Nobility and Gentry did carry it at last against the other Party Now in my Christian Concord I had confessed that it was only the moderate ancient Episcopal Party which I hoped for Agreement with it being impossible for the Presbyterian and Independant Party to associate with them that take them and their Churches and all the reformed Ministers and Churches that have not Episcopal Ordination for null And knowing that this Opinion greatly tended to the Division of the Christian Churches and gratifying the Papists and offending the Protestants I spake freely against it which alienated that party from me Having setled our Associations Dr. Warmerstry after Dean of Worcester and Dr. Thomas Good after Prebend of Hereford were willing to have a Conference with us in order to bring in the Episcopal Party in Shropshire where they then lived to our Association Accordingly we met with them at Cleobury in Shropshire and our Articles were read over by Dr. Warmerstry and examined one by one and in the conclusion they professed their very good likeing of our Design and that they purposed to join with us but they thought it not meet at that present being but two to subscribe their full Assent lest it should seem over hasty to their Brethren and should hinder the Association which they Desired to promote But yet at present they subscribed as followeth Sept. 20. 1653. § 30. WE whose Names are under written having had Conference with divers of our Brethren of the Ministry of Worcestershire concerning their Agreement and Association for the promoting of Peace and Unity and Reformation of their respective Congregations according to the Word of God do by these Presents approve of their Christian Intendments in the general as being such that in Reference to the present Condition of the Church we conceive to conduce very much to the Glory of God the Promotion of Holyness the restraint of Sin the removing of Scandal and the setling of God's People in Christian Unity and Concord Witness our Hands the Day and Year above written THO. WARMESTRY THO. GOOD This is that Dr. Warmestry who when I was silenced by Bishop Morley and he made Dean of Worcester came purposely to my Flock to preach those vehement tedious Invectives of which more hereafter 31. In our Association we agreed upon a Monthly Meeting at certain Market-Towns for Conference about such Cases of Discipline as required Consultation and Consent Accordingly at Evesham and Kiderminster they were constantly kept up In the Town where I lived we had once a Month a Meeting of Three Justices of the Peace who lived with us and three or four Ministers for so many we were in the Parish my self and Assistants and three or four Deacons and twenty of the ancient and godly Men of the Congregation who pretended to no Office as Lay-Elders but only met as the Trustees of the whole Church to be present and secure their Liberties and do that which any of the Church might do and they were chosen once a year hereunto as Grotius de Imperio sum 〈◊〉 adviseth because all the People could not have leisure to meet so oft to debate things which required their Consent At this meeting we admonished those that remained impenitent in any scandalous Sin after more private Admonition before two or three and we did with all possible tenderness persuade them to repentance and labour to convince them of their Sin and danger and pray with them if they consented And if they could not be prevailed with to repent we required them to meet before all the Ministers at the other monthly Meeting which was always the next Day after this parochial Meeting There we renewed our Admonitions and Exhortations and some Ministers of other Parishes laboured to set it home that the Offender might not think it was only the Opinion of the Pastor of the Place and that he did it out of ill Will or Partiality If he yielded penitently to confess his Sin and promise Amendment more or less publickly according to the Nature of the Scandal we then joined in Prayer for his true Repentance and Forgiveness and exhorted him farther to his Duty for the future But if he still continued obstinately impenitent by the Consent of all he was by the Pastor of the Place to be publickly admonished and prayed for by that Church usually three several days together and if still he remained Impenitent the Church was required to avoid him as a Person unfit for their Communion as is more fully opened in the Articles of our Agreement § 32. This monthly Meeting of the Ministers proved of exceeding great Benefit and comfort to us where when we had dined together we spent an Hour or two in Disputation on some Question which was chosen the Week before and when the Respondent and Opponent had done their Part they were pleased to make it my Work to determine And after that if we had any Church-business as aforesaid we consulted of it And many Ministers met with us that were not of our Association for the Benefit of these Disputations I must confess this was the comfortablest time of all my Life through the great delight I had in the Company of that Society of honest sincere laborious humble Ministers of Christ Every Week on the Lecture Day I had the pleasant Company of many of them at my House and every Month at our appointed Meeing I had the Company of more I so well knew their Self-denial Impartiality Peaceableness and exemplary Lives together with their Skill and faithful Diligence for the Good of Souls however almost all of them have been since silenced and cast out that its pleasant to me to remeber the Converse I had with them so aimable are sincere and upright Men whose singleness of Heart doth imitate the State of the primitive Believers when proud self-seeking reserved Hypocrites do turn their best Endowments into a Reproach § 33. When Dr. Warmestry and Dr. Good had subscribed as above a while after Dr. Warmestry consulted with his London Brethren and he received a Paper of Animadversions not against the Articles of our Agreement but against my Explication of them and my Passages which oppose those Episcopal Divines who deny the Ministry and Churches which have not Prelatical Ordination These Animadversions he sent to me with a Letter which signified his desire of Peace in general but that he must not strike a League with Faction c. There was no Name to this Paper but long time after I learnt that it was Mr. Peter Gunning's afterwards Bishop of Ely I presently wrote an Answer to it and offered the Doctor to send it him if he would tell me the Author Because it is too long to be inserted here I have put the Paper and Answer together in the End where you
may read them After this I received from Sir Ralph Clare these ensuing Papers as from some Courtiers which are of the same Strain with Dr. Gunning's which with my brief Answer I adjoin SIR THE Influence and Power you have in the present Pastor of your Church who is much famed abroad and had in a reverend Esteem as well for Piety of Life as for his Learning Moderation and desiring the Peace of the Church gives Encouragement to your old Acquaintance and Associate in that One-glorious Court of England to desire the Favour that this inclosed Paper may be presented to his Christian View and Consideration presuming so great is his Charity that he will not leave any wounded Soul unhealed wherein he is able to bestow his Balm In this he extends not his Charity alone as to a single Person but in me there are many more of your Friends included who would have appeared in Person or met in Conference were is not our Mansions are at too great a distance and the Malignity and Iealousy of Times challenges Retirements rather than Assemblies It is not civil in us to chalk the Method of Answering the Queries yet for Easement Sake and Brevity it will be satisfactory his free Concession of any Proposals in the Affirmative to be true without any Enlargement of Reasons and for those Queries which may and must admit Divisions Distinctions and Discourse on the Case let the reverend Gentleman use his own Form Iudgment and Discretion as believing he will proceed with such Candor and Impartiality as becometh a Man of his Calling and Eminency waving all By-Interests and Relations to any Party or Faction either regnant or eclipst which Act will deservedly heighten the high Esteem he is valued at and your self by this Honour done engage me and many more of your old Friends in me to subscribe our selves Your Servants Theophilus Church A feigned Name April 20. 1655. Certain Queries and Scruples of Conscience offered to some Learned Divines for Resolution and Satisfaction 1. WHETHER may a Christian Magistrate tolerate Liberty of Conscience in Religion and Church Discipline without Scandal 2. Whether may and ought a tender Conscience exercise and use his Liberty and Freedom without Violence inforced by Superiors 3. Whether in Matters of Government Ecclesiastical depending only of Fact the general and perpetual Practice of the Church from Age to Age be not a sufficient Evidence and Warrant of the Right Truth and certainty of the thing 4. Whether the Vocation of Bishops be an Order Lawful in it self 5. Whether the Regiment Ecclesiastical by Bishops hath not continued throughout the Christian Church ever since the Apostles untill Calvin's days No Church Orthodox dissenting 6. Whether was there ever since the Apostle's days so much as one national Church governed by a Presbytery without a Bishop untill Calvin's Days If so where was the Original in what Place by what Persons of what continuance and how was it lost or changed into Episcopacy and upon what Grounds or Motives 7. Whether the present Ministry in the Church of England as it now separated from their lawful Superiors or Bishops be not Schismatical 8. Whether all these Ministers that have taken the Oath of Canonical Obedience to their Bishops and have backsliden and submitted to those Powers that violently deprived the said Bishops of their legal Powers and Iurisdictions by yielding a voluntary Obedience to their Ordinances are not under a high Censure of Perjury and Schism 9. Whether those Ministers now pretended to be made and ordained in the Church of England only by their Fellow Ministers without a Bishop be true Ministers or no or else meer Lay Persons and bold Usurpers of the Sacred Function and Order like Corah and his Complices 10. Whether all those Ministers which are now in actual possession of the late Incumbents Parsonages and Cures of Souls and deprived for their only adhering and assisting their late lawful Prince and their Governour and also their Bishops to whom they owed all Canonical Obedience without and beside any Legal Induction or Admission may not be reputed as Intruders and false Shepherds 11. Whether it had not been an excellent part of Christian Perfection rather to endure passively lost of Liberty Estate and even of Life it self for the maintenance and defence of the Iust and Legal Rights invested in the Church and the Bishops it 's Superintendent Pastors and the Liturgy and Service of the Church than carnally for Self-interest and Ends to comply and submit even against their knowing Consciences to a violent and meer prevailing power and force in the abolishing of Episcopal Power and the daily Prayers and Service used in the Church 12. Whether all such Persons be not guilty of Schism and of Scandal given which Communicate and be present in such Ministers Congregations and Assemblies whether in Church or in private Meetings to hear their Prayers or Sermons or receive their Sacraments according to the now present mode and form more especially in the participation with them in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Or how far may a good Christian Communicate with such without just Scandal given or taken 13. Whether it be lawful and just for any Orthodox Minister or Episcoparian to accept of any Benefice with Cure of Souls as the state of the English Church now standeth visible and ruling without guilt of Schism by compliance to their Form 14. Whether as the Condition of the present Church of England is The Ministers thereof may not legally and so justifiably exercise and use against the late Liturgy of the Church there being no Statute Law prohibiting the same And whether those that continue the Observation of the late Directory be not perturbers of the Peace of the Church especially since the limitation of trial by a pretended Legality and Command for its observance is expired and not reconfirmed 15. Whether the old Iewish Church had not set Forms of Prayer whether St. John the Raptist our Saviour's Praecursor and our blessed Saviour himself taught not their Disciples set Forms of Prayers and whether the Christian Church especially since the time of Peace from the violence of Heathenish Persecution had not nor generally used set Forms of Prayer And whether the Ministers now ex tempore Prayers in the Church be not as well a set Form of Prayers to the Auditors whose Spirits are therein bounded as any set Form of Prayer used in the Church 16. Whether may a Christian without Scandal given appear to be a Godfather or Godmother to a Child in these New Assemblies where the Minister useth his own Dictates and Prayers and not of the ancient Liturgy except the Words of Baptism I Baptize thee A. B. in the Name of the Father c. 17. Whether any Supream Earthly Power or Powers Spiritual or Temporal joint or separate can alienate and convert to secular uses or imployments any Houses Lands Goods or Things once devoted offered and dedicated to God and his Church
4. Most Presbyters that I know do perform all Ecclesiastical Matters upon supposition of a Divine Direction and not upon the Command of Humane Powers Ad 9m. The Ordination of meer Presbyters is not null and the Presbyters so ordained now in England are true Presbyters as I am ready to maintain But wait for the Accuser's proof of the nullity Ad 10m. 1. This calls me to decide the Controversie about the late Wars which I find not either necessary or convenient for me to undertake 2. The like I must say of deciding the Legality of Inductions and Admissions 3. If a worthy Man be cast out had you rather that God's Worship were neglected and the People perished for lack of Teaching then any other Man should be set over them though one that had no hand in casting him out Must the People needs have him or none as long as he lives Was it so when Bishops were cast out heretofore by Emperours or Councils I think may take the Guidance of a destitute People so I hinder not a worthy Man from recovering his Right 4. I never desired that any should be Excluded but the Unworthy the Insufficient or Scandalous or grosly Negligent And I know but too few of the Ejected that are not such And this Question doth modestly pass over their Case or else I should have said somewhat more to the Matter Ad 11m. 1. It is a necessary Christian Duty to see that we do not the least Evil for our own safety And all God's Ordinances must be maintained as far as we can But as I before disclaimed the Arrogance of determining the Controversie about our Diocesan Episcopacy so I think not every Legal Right of the Church which it hath by Man's Law nor every thing in our Liturgy to be worthy so stiff a maintenance as to the loss of Life nor the loss of Peace Nor did the late King think so who would have let go so much But I think that they that did this carnally for Self-interest and Ends did grievously sin whether the thing it self were good or bad especially if they went against their Consciences 2. I think there is no unlawful Prayers or Service now offered to God in the Church ordinarily where I have had opportunity to know it And I think we pray for the same things in the main as we were wont to do and offer God the same Service And that Mr. Ball and others against the Separatists have sufficiently proved that it is no part of the Worship but an Accident of it-self indifferent that I use These Words or Those a Book or no Book a Form premeditated or not And no Separatist hath yet well answered them Ad 12m. Such as you described you can hardly know and therefore not knowingly scruple their Communion for a Man's ends and knowledge are out of your sight You can hardly tell who did this against Knowledge and Conscience carnally for Self interest But if you mean it of your ordinary Ministers and Congregations I am past doubt that you are Schismatical if not worse you avoid the Assemblies and Ordinances mentioned upon such Accusations and Suppositions And I shall much easier prove this than you will make good your Separation Ad 13m. Permitting you to suppose Orthodox and Episcoparian to be the same at present you may easily know that the Episcopal are not all of a Mind but differ I think much more among themselves than the moderate Episcopal and Presbyterians differ some maintaining that the Ordination of meer Presbyters is not null with divers the like things which the novel sort doth disclaim The old Episcopal Protestant may not only take a Cure of Souls now without any Contradiction to his Principles but may comfortably Associate with the peaceable Ministry of the Land and may not conscionably avoid it The Novel sort before mentioned ought to rectifie their mistakes and so to take up their duty but as they are I see not how they can do it in consistency with their Principles unless under the Jurisdiction of a Bishop Ad 14m. For the Point of the legality of the Liturgy you call me to determine Cases in Law which I find my self unfit for And for the Directory its Nature is according to its Name not to impose Words or Matter nor bind by human Authority but to direct Men how to understand God's Word concerning the Ordering of his Worship Now either it directeth us right or wrong If wrong we must not follow such Directions If right it 's no unlawful disturbance of the Churches Peace to obey God's Word upon their Direction Circumstances wherein some place most of their Government they very little meddle with And indeed I know but few that do much in the order of Worship eo Nomine because it is so in the Directory but because they think it most agreeable to God's Word or most tending to Concord as things now stand Would you have us avoid any Scripture or orderly Course meerly because it is expressed in the Directory And think you those are Ways of Peace Ad 15m. I think on the Credit of others that the Jewish Church had a Liturgy I am sure they had Forms of Praises and Prayer in some Cases I know Christ taught his Disciples the Lord's Prayer I will not determine whether as a Directory for Matter and Order or whether as a Form of Words to be used or when or how oft used I conjecture you regard the Judgment of Grotius who saith in Matt. 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In hunc Sensum Non enim praecipit Christus verba recitari quod nec legimus Apostolos fecisse quanquam id quoque fieri cum fructu potest sed materiam precum hinc promere i.e. Pray thus that is to this Sense For Christ doth not command the saying of the Words nor do we read that the Apostles did it though that also may profitably be done but hence to fetch the Matter of Prayer You know the Directory adviseth the use of the Words And how it was that Iohn taught his Disciples to pray I cannot tell nor will herein pretend my self wiser than I am The Example of the Primitive Church is never the more imitable for the Cessation of Persecution and its Example before is most to be regarded that being purest that is next the Fountain We are sure that the Church long used extemporate Prayers and its probable betimes some Forms withal I think they are strangely Dark and addicted to Extreams that think either that no Forms are lawful or that only prescribed or premiditated Forms are lawful And if you will condemn all publick extemporate Prayers you will err as grosly as they that will have no other Ad 16m. I know no necessity of any Godfather or Godmother beside the Parents unless you will call those so that in case of their necessary Absence are their Delegates Nor do I know that ordinarily among us any Dictates or Prayers are used that
a sober Christian hath the least reason to scruple Communion in Will you have a Pastor that shall not speak in the Name of the People to God or will you call his Prayers his own which he puts up by Virtue of his Office according to God's Word Ad 17m. I think they cannot without Sacriledge make such Alienation except where God's Consent can be proved For Example if the Ministers of the Church have full as much means given as is fit for the Ends to which it is given and yet the People will give more and more to the Burden and ensnaring of the Church and the impoverishing or ruin of the Common-wealth here I think God consents not to accept that Gift and therefore it was but an Offer and not plenarily a Gift for want of Acceptance for he accepts not that which he prohibits Here therefore the Magistrate may restore this to its proper use But whether this were any of the Case of these Sacrilegious Alienations too lately made in this Land is a farther Question I apprehend a deep Guilt of Sacriledge upon some Ad 18m. The Particulars here mentioned must be distinctly considered 1. About Fasts and Feasts the Question as referring to the Obligation of the Laws of the Land is of the same Resolution as all other Questions respecting those Laws which being a Case more out of my way I shall not presume to determine without a clearer Call Only I must say that I see little Reason why those Men should think themselves bound in this who yet suppose themselves loose from many other Laws and who obey many of the Laws or Ordinances of the present Powers 2. I much fear that not only the Querist but many more are much ensnared in their Consciences by misunderstanding the Nature and use of Synods It 's one thing for an Assembly of Bishops to have a superior Governing Power directly over all particular Churches and Bishops and another thing for such an Assembly to have a Power of determining of things necessary for the Concord of the several Churches I never yet saw it proved that Synods are over Bishops in a direct Governing Order nor are called for such Ends but properly in ordine ad Unitatem and so oblige only more than single Bishops by Virtue of the General Precept of maintaining Unity and Concord This is the Opinion of the most learned Bishop and famous antiquary that I am acquainted with 3. And then when the end ceases the Obligation is at an End So that this can now be no Law of Unity with us 4. All human Laws die with the Legislator farther than the surviving Rulers shall continue them The Reason is drawn from the Nature of a Law which is to be jussum Majestatis in the Common wealth and every where to be a sign of the Rectors Will de debito vel constituendo vel confirmando Or his Authoritative Determination of what shall be due from us and to us Therefore no Rector no Law and the Law that is though made by the deceased Rector is not his Law but the present Rector's Law formally it being the signifier of his Will And it is his Will for the continuance of it that gives it a new Life In all this I speak of the whole Summa potestas that hath the absolute Legislative Power If therefore the Church Governors be dead that made these Laws and no sufficient Power succeeds them to continue these Laws and make them theirs then they are dead with their Authors 5. The present Pastors of the Church though but Presbyters are the true Guides of it while Bishops are absent and the true Guides conjunctly with the Bishops if they were present according to the Judgment of your own side Whoever is the sole existent governing Powerâ— may govern and must be obeyed in things Lawful Therefore you must for all your unproved Accusation of Schism obey them The Death or Deposition of the Bishops depriveth not the Presbyters of that Power which they had before 6. Former Church Governors have not Power to bind all that shall come after them where they were before free But their Followers are as free as they were 7. The Nature of Church Canons is to determine of Circumstances only for a present time place or occasion and not to be universal standing Laws to all Ages of the Church For if such Determinations had been fit God would have made them himself and they would have been contained in his perfect Word He gives not his Legislative Power to Synods or Bishops 8. Yet if your Conscience will needs persuade you to use those Ceremonies you have no ground to separate from all that will not be of your Opinion 9. For the Cross the Canons require only the Minister to use it and not you and if he do not that 's nothing to you 10. Have you impartially read what is written against the Lawfulness of it by Amesius's fresh Suit Bradshaw Parker and others If you have you may at least see this that it 's no fit matter to place the Churches Unity or Uniformity in and they that will make such Laws for Unity go beyond their Commission Church Governors are to determine the Circumstances pro loco tempore in particular which God hath in Word or Nature made necessary in genere and left to their Determination But when Men will presume beyond this to determine of things not indeed circumstantial or no way necessary in genere nor left to their Determination as to institute new standing Symbols in and with God's Symbols or Sacraments to be engaging Signs to engage us to Christ and to Work Grace on the Soul as the Word and Sacraments do that is by a moral Operation and then will needs make these the Cement of Unity this is it that hath been the Bane of Unity and Cause of Divions 11. Kneeling at the Sacrament is a Novelty introduced many hundred years after Christ and contrary to such Canons and Customs of the Church to which for Antiquiâ—y and Universality you owe much more respect than to the Canons of the late Bishops in England 12. If your General Rule hold that you stand bound by all Canons not repealed by equal Power you have a greater burden on your back than you are aware of which if you bore indeed you would know how little this usurped Legislative Power befriends the Church And among others you are bound not to kneel in the Church on any Lord's Day in Sacrament or Prayer Grotius de Imperio Sumpotest would teach much more Moderation in these Matters than I here perceive Ad Q. 19m. 1. It 's too much Self-conceitedness and Uncharitableness to pass so bold a Censure as your Supposition doth contain of the visible ruling Church being Schismatical and so Heretical Which is the ruling Church I know none in England besides Bishops that pretend to rule any but their own Provinces and but few that pretend Order to Regiment Perhaps when the
their Consciences Why do they not obey the present Secular Powers in all other things It is known the King consented to relax this And however this is little to them that go on the Ground of Divine or Ecclesiastical Right And if we must so plunge our selves into Enquiries after the Rights of Secular Governours before we can know whether to stand or set at the Sacrament we are all uncertain what to do in greater Matters for there are as apparent grounds for our uncertainty of five hundred years old and more which this is no place to dive into And it would be as unlawful on this ground to read any other Psalm or Chapter but what was of old appointed for the Day as to forbear kneeling at the Sacrament And perhaps on the Opponents grounds it would be still as sinful to restrain a Child or Servant from Dancing on the Lord's Day And if it be Ecclesiastical Authority that they stick at that must be derived from Christ and so Originally Divine or it is none And then not to wade so unseasonably into the main Controversie 1. Before they have proved their Legislative Authority 2. And that this Congregation is Iure Divino part of their Charge and under their Jurisdiction 3. And that they had power to contradict the Examples of Christ and his Apostles herein and the constant practice of the Primitive Church and the Canons of Councils even General Councils 4. And that their Canons are yet in force against all these I say before all this be well done we shall find that there must go more than a slight Supposition to the making good of their Cause According to their own Principles a lower Power cannot reverse the Acts of a higher But the General Councils Nice and Constantinople that forbad Kneeling on any Lord's Day was a higher Power than the English Convocation Ergo The English Convocation cannot Repeal its Acts. Though for my own part I think that neither of their Acts do need any Repeal to Null them to us in such Cases 5. Besides this if these Canons bind Conscience yet it is either by the Authority that Enacted them or by the Authority of the present Church-Governours that impose them If old Canons bind without or against the present Power then the same Canon that forbiddeth Kneeling bindeth and many an hundred more a great part of which are now made no Conscience of If it be the present Authority that is above the Ancient then 1. They that pretend to such Authority over this Congregation should produce and exercise it For if we know them not not receive any Commands from them we are capable of no Disobedience to them 2. And in the mean time We that are in the place must take it as our Charge or do the Work or for ought I know it will in most Places be undone For the Authority is for the Work 3. We use to take it for the great partiality at least of the Church of Rome that will be judged by none but the present Church that is themselves when we would be tried by the Scripture or the Ancient Church In a word I do not think that when Circumstances tending to Order and Decency are so mutable that God ever gave power to any Bishops to tie all Congregations and Ages to this or that Sacrament Gesture nor at all to make them so necessary as that Bodily Punishment or Excommunications should be inflicted on the Neglecters of them And I think that Calling which hath no better Work than this to do is not worth the regarding And here I should propound to the contrary-minded one Question Whether if a Bishop should command them to stand or sit they would do it Yea or if a Convocation commanded it If they say Yea then must they lay by all their Arguments from pretended irreverence to prove Sitting evil for I hope they would not be irreverent nor do evil at the command of a Bishop or Convocation And then let our Authority from Scripture Example and the Universal Church and a General Council and the present Secular Power and the late Assembly and Parliaments and the present Pastors or Presbyters of the Congregations I say let all this be set against the present Countermand of I know not who nor for what Reason as being not visible But if they say They would not obey the Bishops if they forbad them Kneeling then let them justifie us that obey them not when they command us to Kneel having so much as is expressed to the contrary Thus Sir I have first given you my Reasons about the Gesture it self And of putting it into each Persons hands I have thus much more to say 1. I know nothing to oblige me to it 2. Christ himself did otherwise as appeareth in Matth. 26. 26 27. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take ye eat ye drink ye all of it doth shew that it was given to them all in general and not to each man singly 3. And in this also Antiquity is on my side the contrary being much later More Reasons I have that I shall not now trouble you with To this I may well add That no Man can have any Rational pretence that I know of against the Receiving of the Sacrament upon such a General Delivery 1. Because the contrary was never yet pleaded necessary Iure Divino that I know of 2. And if it were a Sin it would be the Ministers Sin so to deliver it and not theirs who as they have not the Rule of his Actions so they shall not Answer for them Having thus told you my thoughts of the Matters in doubt I shall next tell you my purpose as to your Motion 1. I did never hitherto to my remembrance refuse to give the Sacrament to any one meerly because they would not take it Sitting or Standing nor did ever forbid or repel any on that account nor ever mean to do If any of my Charge shall take it Standing or Kneeling I shall not forbid them on any such account 2. If they further expect that I should put it into each Man's hands individually I may well expect the liberty of guiding my own Actions according to my own Conscience if I may not guide theirs It is enough that in such Cases they will refuse to be Ruled by me they should not also usurp the ruling of me but let us be equal and let me have my liberty as I am willing to let them have theirs and if I sin they are not guilty of it Nor have they any ground to refuse the Sacrament rather than so take it 3. Yet if any of my Pastoral Charge shall be unsatisfied if they will but hear my Reasons first and if those Reasons convince them not if they will profess that they think it a Sin against God for them to Receive the Sacrament unless it be put into their hands Kneeling and Ergo that they dare not in Conscience take it otherwise I do purpose to
is a Peace of Actual Communion in the Worship of God as Members of the same particular Church Thus we owe not to every Christian though sincere in the main 3. There is a Peace which is among the Members of all particular Political Churches in the World as related to each other and obliged to hold Communion as far as is necessary for the Common Good 4. There is a Peace which is common to all professed Christians Members of the Universal Church though perhaps of no particular Political Church 5. There is a Peace to be kept with sober Heathens or Infidels 6. And there is a Peace to be kept with Enemies both of us and the Gospel as far as we can I shall give you my Thoughts about the present Question in these following Propositions Premising that 1. It is not the Peace of bosom Friendship that the Question intendeth and Ergo we need not stand on that 2. Nor is it the Peace that is due to Enemies or that is due to Infidels and those without but it is the other sorts due to the several sorts of Christians Prop. 1. We may not have that Peace which is proper to Christians much less that which is proper to Christians in Church-Order with any that deny the Essentials of Christianity Prop. 2. As for those Anabaptists that in zeal for their Opinion do endeavour the Extirpation of the Ministry or of those of them that are against their Opinions or any other way do attempt that which would tend to the ruine or great damage of the Church we may not have that Peace and Communion with them as with inâ—ffensive Brethren but must admonish them as scandalous and gross Sinners and avoid them if after due admonition they desist not and repent not Prop. 3. Those that deny the Divine Institution or present Existence of Ministry or Worship and Ordinances or governed Churches are uncapable of being Members of any true Political Church and Ergo we cannot have such Church-Communion with them and because their Doctrine is of heinous Consequence as tending to the destruction of all church-Church-Order Worship and Communion we must reject them if they shall teach it after due Admonition Prop. 4. As for them that think it unlawful to have Communion with us unless we will renounce our Infant Baptism and be rebaptized we cannot have Communion with them in that Case though we would because they refuse it with us Prop. 5. We cannot lawfully disown the Truth of God nor own their Errours for Communion with them nor may we yield for any such Ends to be rebaptized Prop. 6. We may not lawfully be Members of a Church of Anabaptists separated on that Account from others nor of any other unlawfully separated Church nor ordinarily Communicate with them in their way of Separation though we might be admitted to it without any other disowning the Truth or owning their Mistakes Except it were in a case of Necessity as if such a Church were removed among Infidels or gross Hereticks where we could have no better Communion in worshipping God Prop. 7. If any one that Erreth but in the bare Point of Infant Baptism or other Errours that subvert not the Christian Faith shall yet take it to be his duty to propagate those Errours it will be the duty of every Orthodox Minister when he hath a Call and findeth it Necessary to defend the Truth of such Errours and to endeavour the establishing of the Minds of the People and not to let them go on without Controll or Contradiction lest he be guilty of betraying the Truth and Peace of the Church and the Souls of the People who are usually sorely endangered hereby The like must be done by Private Christians privately or according to their Places and Capacities So much for the Negative The Affirmatives follow Prop. 1. The Common Love which is due to all Men and the Common Peace which must be endeavoured with all must be held or endeavoured as to them that deny the Essentials of Christianity But as is before said this is not it that the Question doth intend Prop. 2. It is our Duty to do the best we can to reclaim any Erroneous or Ungodly Person from his Errour or Impiety that so they may be capable of that further Love and Peace and Communion with us which in their present state they are uncapable of Prop. 3. Those that believe not some Points that are necessary to the Constitution or Communion of Political Churches if yet they believe in Christ and worship God so far as they know his Will and live uprightly may be true Christians and so to be esteemed even when they make themselves uncapable of being Members of any Political Church Prop. 4. Some Anabaptists and others that make themselves uncapable of being Members of the same particular Churches with us or of local Communion in God's Worship may yet be acknowledged to be Christian Societies or truly particular Political Churches though in tantum corrupt and sinfully separated I mean this of all those that differ not from us in any Article of our Creed or Fundamental of Christian Religion nor yet in any Fundamental of Church Policy As e. g. those that only re-baptize and deny Infant Baptism or also hold some of the less dangerous Points of 〈◊〉 or Pâ—lagianism but withal hold all the Fundamentals necessary to Salvation and Church Policy or Communion Prop. 5. If any Person disclaim his Infant Baptism and be Re-baptized and then having so satisfied his Conscience shall continue his Communion with the Church where he was a Member and not separate from them and shall profess his willingness to embrace the Truth at soon as he can discern the Evidence of 〈◊〉 and shall live 〈◊〉 and inoffensively under the Oversight of the Church-Guides 〈◊〉 may not Exclude such a one from 〈◊〉 Communion but must continue him a Member of that particular Church and live with him in that love and peace as is due to such Prop. 6. If such an one should also mistake it to be his Duty publickly to enter his Dissent to the Doctrine of Infant Baptism and so to acquiesce and live quietly under the oversight of the Ministry and in the Communion of that Church he ought not to be rejected Prop. 7. It is our Duty to invite those called Anabaptists now among us to loving familiar Conferences of purpose 1. To narrow our Differences as far as is possible by a true stating of them that they seem not greater than they are 2. And to endeavour if possible yet to come nearer by rectifying of Mistakes 3. And to consult how to improve the Principles that we are all agreed in to the Common Good and to manage our remaining Differences in the most peaceable manner and to the least disturbance or hurt of the Church Here come in two more Questions to be resolved 1. How should such an Attempt be managed 2. What hope is there of Success For the first I shall
Weakness or other Impediments cannot alway come so far as the common Meeting of the Church And consequently we shall agree that the Number of a particular Church exceed not so many as are ordinarily capable of personal local Communion in God's Worship which is a chief end of their Conjunction 6. We are agreed that these particular political Churches should consist of two parts Officers and their Flock the ruling part and the ruled part and all the great Controversies that have troubled us about the Peoples Power of Government shall be thus agreed confess but this that Pastors are the Overseers Teachers Guides or Rulers of their Flocks and are over the People in the Lord and that the People are bound to obey those that rule over them that watch for their Souls and let all the rest be silenced 7. We are agreed that it is meet that in every particular Church there be usual Meetings of the Officers and Delegates if the Church see cause or other persons that shall desire to be present for the hearing and trying causes before they are brought to the open Assembly And therefore where they can be had there should be many Officers in a Church 8. Whereas there be three Opinions about assisting Elders 1. That they should be Men of the same Office with the Pastors Ordained and Authorized to Administer Sacraments and Preach when it is necessary though they may divide their Work in the Execution 2. That they should be a distinct Office unordained and not authorized to Preach or Administer Sacraments 3. That they should be unordained and no Officers but the meer Trustees of the People deputed by them to do that only which private Members may do let this Controversie be wholly laid aside and all left to their liberty in this matter 9. These particular Churches shall have power to govern within themselves being once Constituted Excommunication it self not excepted Only their Constitution and Ordination of their Pastors must be agreed on as followeth 10. It is the Judgment of the Presbyterians that Ordination by Overseers or Pastors is of Necessity to the Being of an Overseer or Pastor where it may be had and that some Ruling Officer is an Essential part of a Political Church though not of a meer Community and that Imposition of Hands is a fit Ceremony and to be used as of Divine Appointment though not Essential to Ordination It is the Judgment of the Congregational that Ordination by such Teaching Elders is lawful if not of necessity and that Imposition of Hands is lawful In all this therefore let the licet stoop to the oportet Agree that you will not de facto establish any Pastor or Teacher over a particular Church without Ordination by teaching Elders leaving the point of necessity undetermined except in case of necessity when such Ordination cannot be had And also that you will submit to Imposition of Hands as a thing lawful Only for those that think Imposition to be unlawful agreeing in other things an Ordination without Imposition as an extraordinary Indulgence to a tender Connscience may be tollerated 11. As a local personal Communion of individual Christians is necessary in particular Churches to a Concatination or Union and Communion of these Churches by Officers Delegates as the Joints and Ligaments is a great Duty and desirable Mercy which I hope we are all agreed to value seek and maintain 12. For this end it is agreed by us that there shall be known times and places of meeting agreed on which all the Pastors shall frequent as oft as they well can not forbidding any of our People that are desirous to be with us 13. None shall be taken into these Associations but approved Men for Godliness and Ability and that by consent of the associated Ministers and none refused that are fit for our Communion 14. The Works of these Assemblies shall not be to make Laws to the Churches or any of their Brethren to bind them ex authoritate Imperantis as if they were to exercise a proper Legislative Power Nor yet by Agreement to determine of any unnecessary things and make those to be Duties which are not so in themselves much less to lay the Union of the Churches on such unnecessary determinations nor yet to exercise any coercive Power by bodily Penalties or Mulcts and least of all to bind Men to sin against God But it shall be to agree upon the unanimous Discharge of our Duties which God hath imposed to maintain Love and Concord and remove all Offences and Strangeness and other Occasions of Division to encourage and strengthen one another by Exhortation and Prayer to know who are cast out of the several Churches that we may concur in avoiding those that are to be avoided to discern to whom our Communion should extend to increase the Reputation of God's Work in our Hands both to those within our Communion and those without it by our Concord and Unanimity and so to further the Success of our Labours to help the younger Ministers by some profitable Exercises and to help one another by common Advice especially in cases of great difficulty In general it shall be for Union and Communion of Churches and Pastors and for the Benefits that come by both Being all agreed on this much if any think that such Synods are also for Direct Government of particular Pastors and Churches as a higher governing Order or Power such shall keep that Opinion to themselves and not impose it on others as necessary to our Agreement or Communion Or if those that hold Synods to have a direct ruling Power over particular Pastors and Churches and those that hold them to have only an agreeing Power in order to Communion Or any of these shall think that they are bound in Conscience to declare their Principles in associating and assembling they shall all have Liberty to declare and register it so they will after go peaceably on in their Association though we desire rather that the Principles were silenced 15. But as we are agreed that it belongeth to these Conventions to discern and judge what particular Churches Ministers or other Persons are fit or unfit for their common Communion when the Cognizance of it is necessary and this extended Communion is a thing to be valued and sought so consequently in order to such Ends it is the Duty of particular Churches Pastors or other Persons to render an account of their Doctrines and Practices to these Assemblies when upon considerable Accusations or other just Cause it is desired 16. If these Assemblies in order to Unity or the Progress of Religion shall agree in the Determination of some Circumstance not expresly determined in Scripture supposing that the Determination is needful and agreeable to the general Rules of Scripture every Church and Pastor ought to stand to this Agreement for the sake of Concord if they do not judge it to be a Sin that is agreed to though they see not the necessity
E. g. The Time and Place of their Convention must be agreed on by them and the lesser part must yield to the greater or else by diffent no time or place may ever be agreed on So that if the greater part agree on one Translation of the Bible to be used in all the associated Churches or on one Version of the Singing Psalms it will tend much to Edification and agrees with the Scripture Commands of Unity If therefore that which they agree on seem to a particular Church or Pastor no better than another Version or scarce so good yet for Unity if it be not unlawful or like to be more hurtful than the Diversity will be they ought to concur But still be it remembred that the Churches Peace or Unity should be laid by Agreements on nothing unnecessary And therefore all agreements may not be seconded with an avoiding all Dissenters 17. Because in the great Case of taking Members from other Churches or Parishes the Exception from the general Rule of Parish Limits cannot be so enumerated as punctually to resolve each Doubt that may occur let us first lay down what Rules or Exceptions we can agree on at least this general that we will take no such Person into our Churches when it tendeth more to the hurt than the furtherance of the common Good and Christian Cause And therefore that we will first bring the particular case to the Association or at least be there responsible concerning it as we are about other Church Affairs Accordingly when any is actually offended that another hath taken a Member out of his or another's Church or Parish let the Association hear the case on both sides and if they justifie the accused there is an End if not they are to convince him or them that they go against some Rule of Scripture or Nature e. g. against the Honour of Christ and good of the Churches or christian Cause And if neither he nor they can be convinced nor brought to reform after sufficient Admonition it must be considered whether the case be small and tollerable or great and intollerable If the former we must bear with it yet professing our Judgment against it if intollerable we must proceed to disclaim Communion with the guilty and so to exclude them from the Association and common Communion which yet must not be done but in heinous cases And thus the particular cases must be tryed and concluded as they fall out for there is no laying down any Rule beforehand that will fit all cases particularly 18. Those first Associations being composed of such Pastors and Churches as are near and within a capacity of such Communion as aforesaid voluntarily combined should also hold correspondence with Neighbour Associations either by Delegates in some more general Meetings as in each County one or at least by Letters and Messengers which Communion is to be extended even as far as our Natural Capacity extendeth and the Edification or Preservation of the Churches shall require it And thus the Presbyterians and Congregational Men are agreed if they are willing If all will not let those agree that have hearts and not stay for the rest And here you see a Satisfaction to your two Demands My Question was What are the things that the Congregational must have and will insist on the denial whereof doth binder our Unity and Agreement Your Answer was in these words To manage all Church Affairs by the Elders and Brethren within themselves and without dependance unless for Advice on any other Ecclesiastical Power 2. To take in such as are qualified and freely offer themselves to joyn though of other Parishes Yet so as if a particular Church in that Parish which for the Substance is gathered according to the Order of the Gospel and the Party a Member thereof an account is to be given to the Church or the Elders of it of the Cause of his removal that it may be if possible with consent And this is all that hinders our Agreement it seems Alas 1. For the first it is granted you in terminis only in point of Ordination yield but to be Ordained by Teaching Elders which you confess lawful and others think necessary And remember 1. That to depend on other Ecclesiastical Power even for Advice is a great dependance 2. That to depend on them not as a Superiour Power but as a Link upon the Chain for Union and Communion we can never exempt you from nor will you sure desire it There is a fourfold Advice 1. An Authoratative Advice of Governours as Parents Schoolmasters Pastors to their Inferiours who are bound to obey them on a double account ratione materiae authoritatis Thus the Pastors in a Synod advise their Flocks conjunctly 2. The Authoratative Advice of one Officer to another And so as we preach to one another I think as Christ's Ministers we must advise one another 3. An Advice of a Major part among Equals in Order to Union and Concord and this is the Principal to be respected in these Conventions 4. An Advice of a private Person not authorized by Office and this binds but ratione materiae c. 2. To your second you will grant as I hope by the printed Debates that ordinarily Parish-bounds shall be the Rule for Limitation alter Parishes if they be amiss and that you 'l not swerve from this Rule but upon necessary Cause and not when it is to the apparent wrong of the Cause and Interest of Christ and you will yield to be responsible to the Association which you are a Member of concerning the Case when you are questioned And this shall agree us And why should I not add two Propositions for Peace with the Episcopal That way or the Persons are not so contemptible if you consider the Antiquity the great Difficulty their Number and Extent and the Works of many of them as to be refused our Communion though on some Abatements to them Prop. 19. Let therefore these Presbyteries of particular Churches have one to be the stated President as long as he is found fittest and let all the Associations at least where Episcopal worthy Men require it have such fixed Presidents quam diu bene se gesserint as your Assembly at Westminster had by common Consent Bishop Hall and Usher say this will satisfie but it will not without the next Prop. 20. Seeing the Presbyterians and Congregational say That except in case of necessity it 's lawful to forbear Ordination till the President be there and One and to take him with you and the Episcopal say That it 's of necessity therefore let the Case of Necessity and the Title be purposely silenced and left to each Man's Judgment but de facto let your Licet yield for Peace to their Oportet at least for some years trial And agree to Ordain none but in necessity without the President as he shall Ordain none without the Consent of the Association or at least the Elders of the
the great pollution of our Churches and much of our Distraction in Matters of church-Church-Order is from the careless unobserved irregular Transition out of the state of Infant Membership into the state of Adult Membership every ignorant Man almost taking himself for an Adult Member because by Baptism he was made an Infant Member and hath customarily been present at Publick Worship Let the distinction therefore between Infant Members and Adult be more observed in every Parish and let the Transition out of the one state into the other be more solemn and regular under the Judgment of the Guides of the Church That no Person may be admitted to be an Adult Member but by the Minister in the face of the Congregation ordinarily after a Solemn Profession of the Faith Repentance and Resolution for a Holy Life of the Person admitted to which there must be the preparation of Catechising and of a Conversation that contradicteth not the Profession so made 1. This was the Course of the Ancient Churches who catechized Children and admitted them among the Confirmed Members by Imposition of Hands 2. The Divines of the Reformed Churches commonly own it and with for it in their Writings 3. The Episcopal Divines in the Rubrick of the Common Prayer Ordained that none should be admitted to the Sacrament till after Catechising and a Certificate under the Minister's or Curate's hand he were confirmed by the Bishop though it was done to little purpose by them 4. The Presbyterians Examination of Men before the Sacrament intimateth the like 5. The Congregational Men's trial of particular Church-Members importeth their approbation of this 6. The Anabaptists by going farther do seem to be permitted of God of purpose to awaken us to this Duty and I think they will continue to be our Scourge till this be done and this will half satisfie some among them that are moderate and silence many Objections of the rest 3. Let the Ministers approved by the State be constrained to Catechize and personally instruct and publickly preach to all the Persons in their Parishes according to their strength and opportunity in order to prepare such as are willing to learn for an Adult state of Christianity as the ancient Churches did their Catechumens And let the young and ignorant and ungodly of this Rank be compelled by some moderate Penalty to hear and confer with the Teachers and be instructed and catechized by them And let not any Ministers be suffered to administer the Lord's Supper to any that have not been admitted as aforesaid upon a Profession of Faith and Holiness into the number of Adult Members 4. Seeing a particular Church must consist of Christians cohabiting and consenting let Parishes be the ordinary Bounds of Churches so that all the Adult Members of the Universal Church and no other at Age within that Parish who do consent be Members of that particular Church into which they are first admitted or whether into both at once we need not determine And if any be taken out of other adjoyning Parishes let it be by exception from the common Rule And seeing there are many Cases in which Members may be taken out of other Parishes the Differences thereabout may be denied as is after declared Prop. 8. § II. 5. The Pastors of particular Churches have power to Teach and Rule those Churches according to the Word of God and the People are bound to esteem them love them honour them and obey them I Tim. 5. 17. I Thess. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 7 17. Therefore let them use the Power of Administring all Congregational Worship and the Keys for Binding and Loosing within their own Congregations◠And let it be granted to them that desire it at least for Peace and Concord sake that they be not forced to Subjection to any pretending to a Superiour Governing Power besides the Magistrate 6. As particular Christians must hold Communion in particular Churches for the Worship of God and their mutual Edification so particular Churches must all hold such a Correspondency and Communion with one another so far as their Capacity extends as most tendeth to the Edification Strengthening Peace and Concord of them all and to the Publick Prosperity and the Success of the Gospel among them and in the World The whole Church being one Body must maintain the Union and Communion of the Parts and do God's Work in the greatest Concord that they can and with the best Advantages 7. This cannot de done well without Meetings to these Ends nor those Meetings be improved to the best advantage unless the Times and Places be fixed and commonly known And as the use of them is ordinary so the Assemblies should be ordinary and not only seldom in some extraordinary Cases Nor is any sort of Men so fit to manage them as Ministers who have most Ability and Leisure being wholly set apart to the Work of the Gospel It is therefore meet that there be known Times and Places of Meeting where Ministers and as many more as the Churches shall think fit may assemble Every Minister or Church according to their conveniency choosing of what Association they will be which ordinarily they should frequent and which should consist of such and only such as for Piety Ability and faithful Diligence are fit for the Ministry and such Communion 8. If it be the Judgment of some that these Assemblies have a Superior governing Power over the particular Pastors and of others that they are only for Communion and mutual Assistance they shall either keep their several Opinions to themselves or at least having professed and recorded them shall continue their Presence and Assistance to those lower ends that all are agreed upon Not to make new Laws for the Churches or any of the Members of the Assemblies to bind by a ruling Power but to consult and advise and agree nor yet to agree upon things unnecessary nor lay the Churches Unity upon such much less to exercise any magisterial coersive Power But 1. To open any occurrent difficult Cases in Doctrine or Practice that befal any particular Church or Pastor wherein they need their Brethrens Advice 2. To agree upon the best and profitablest manner of managing the Work of God in regard of undetermined Circumstances in cases where Uniformity will further the Work As for Example what Translation of Scripture to use what Version of the Psalms to sing c. 3. To communicate those Affairs of the Churches that are of common concernment to give notice of such as one Church hath excommunicated that other Churches may avoid them or else they may have Familiarity with all other Christians about them and be entred among them as Members and so Excommunication will lose its force and miss of its Ends. 4. To maintain personal Unity among Ministers by Familiarity and Correspondency and to heal Divisions and Dissentions and Estrangedness and cherish Brotherly-love 5. In case any be injuriously cast out of any Neighbour-church as for professing sound Doctrine against
Reasonings that are brought against co-ordinate Tradition you will invalidate subservient Tradition which is necessary to convey the very Scriptures from the Apostles and to assure us that these are all the same Writings and not corrupt and which is the Canonical and that there were no more 6. My sixth Reason against your Assertion is That it seems injurious to the Work we have in hand For 1. you will by any one Errour keep or cast out many godly Men from the Ministry 2. You will harden the Libertines when they discern it 3. And you will do more to introduce an Universal Toleration than can be done by most other Means imaginable For 1. One flaw found in your Work may cause it to be cast by 2. It will seem a potent Reason for such Toleration when the choicest Enemies shall mistake in their very Fundamentals 3. You will force us that are your Brethren to petition for Liberty and then others will think that they may come in at the same Gap 7. I added It will be a dishonour to the Parliament 1. When they shall send so hard a Work abroad and establish such a crooked Rule if they thus receive it from you if they reject or correct it it will be their grief to see our Division and Mistake 8. Lastly I added That it will be much to our own dishonour For 1. The Parliament will exactly scan it and no doubt discover the Mistake And 2. many too curious Eyes will examine it and what a reproach will it be to us to be the By-word of Gainsayers and to hear that such chosen Enemies have erred in their very Fundamentals and for the Papists to insult over us and say we can agree in no Confession and know not yet what Religion we are of And withal it may bring us under Jealousies with others that indeed we are Friends to Universal Toleration and made such flaws in our Work to destroy it and intended to undo all by our overdoing or misdoing I should not have presumed to have put you to so much trouble nor have made any stop in your Work when the dispatch is so desirable had not the Consequents of Silence seemed to me so intollerable I only add 1. I dare not think but Scripture is sufficient both for Matter and Words to afford us Fundamentals and to any thing which it speaks I am ready to subscribe 2. I dare not think that your late Reverend Assembly hath left out the very Fundamentals in their large Confession to which in this Article I offered to subscrible 3. I dare not undertake at the day of Judgment to justifie that Man from the Charge of damnable Infidelity who hath had only verbal Tradition of Gods Revelation of the Sum of Christianity as if this did not make his Infidelity inexcusable because he had it not from Scripture But I think that he shall be damned for his Infidelity who believeth not in Christ if he have all other Means besides the Scripture to help him to believe Ri. Baxter After this Paper they new worded the Article which occasioned the following Paper The Article All the means of Revealing Iesus Christ are subordinate and subservient to the Holy Scriptures and none of them co-ordinate It is no small trouble to me that I was necessitated to be the least delay to your Proceedings by reason of my unsatisfiedness with the former Article But that after our Endeavours for a Closure in that point and when we thought that all had been brought to Agreement the Matter of our Difference should be again received by the Addition of this Article is yet a greater trouble to me Not so much for my own sake as others lest it should offend the Parliament and open the Mouths of our Adversaries that we cannot our selves agree in Fundamentals and lest it prove an occasion for other to sue for an Universal Toleration I am unsatisfied in the last that is the Negative Clause of this Article as I was in the former 1. As to the Truth of it and 2. As to the weight of it as a Test for the Ministers that shall be allowed to preach 3. And as to the Necessity of it to Salvation as a Fundamental Concerning the first it must be remembred 1. That you speak of All means of revealing Christ without any Exception Limitation or Restriction no not so much as to ordinary means nor restraining it to means sufficient to Salvation 2. That you deny them to be co-ordinate absolutely also without any distinction exception or limitation 3. I desire it may be observed that I am not my self imposing any Terms on you or offering the Terms subordinate or any other to be put into the Article but only giving a Reason why I cannot subscribe it as it is which I shall now render having premised these Observations 1. The word co-ordinate being comprehensive and ambiguous I conceive doth among others contain these several Sences following 1. As the Species is subordinate to the Genus 2. As the nearer Causes in the same rank are subordinate to the higher and remote and all to the first Cause as in Generation the nearer Parents to the remote 3. As the Means are subordinate to the End in order thereto 4. As the less worthy is subordinate to the more worthy in degrees of Comparison Many other common Sences I now pass These being at least the three first common and the opposed Co-ordination universally denied I see no Evidence to warrant the denial 1. In the first respect I conceive that Divine Revelation being the Genus by word and by writing are distinct Species And as the delivery of the thing revealed is the Genus so the delivery of the perfect word in Scripture and of the Sum of the matter in Sacraments and other Means forementioned are distinct Species 2. In order of Efficiency I conceive that some Means are Supra-ordinate to Scripture and some Co-ordinate and Subordinate in several Respects and some Subordinate only of which I shall give Instances anon 3. In order to the nearer End those Means are subordinate to Scripture which are supra-ordinate in Efficiency and some of those which ab origine are co-ordinate when yet in order to the more remote End they are co-ordinate 4. In order of Dignity some Means are above Scripture some below it For Instances in these Cases 1. Jesus Christ himself both as the great Prophet of his Church inditing the Scriptures by his Spirit and sending the Apostles and still sending Ministers and owning his own Word is one Means of Revealing himself to Mankind And he is in order of Efficiency and of Dignity above the Scripture but subordinate as to the End which is near but not as to the ultimate End 2. The Holy Ghost inspiring the Apostles is a Means of Revelation supra-ordinate to the Scripture in Efficiency and Dignity And the Holy Ghost as enabling and sending forth Pastors is co-ordinate in Efficiency and subordinate as to one
Peace on these Terms how easily and safely might you grant them without any wrong to your Consciences or the Church Yea to its exceeding benefit How lowd do our Miseries cry for such a Cure How long hath it been neglected If there be any more than what is here granted by us that you think necessary for us to yield to on our parts we shall gladly revive your Demands and yield for Peace as far as is possible without forsaking our Consciences And what shall be agreed on we shall promise faithfully to endeavour in our places that the Magistrate may consent to it The inclosing Paper signified a readiness to yield to an Agreement on the primitive Simplicity of Doctrine Discipline and Worship as Dr. Heylin also doth We are agreed and yet never the nearer an Agreement O that you would stand to this in the Particulars We crave no more Q. 1. Did the â—â—imitive Church require Subscription to all in our 39 Articles or to any more than the words of Scripture and the Ancient Creeds in order to Mens Church-Communion and Liberty Were such Volumes as our Homiliâ—s then to be subscribed to Q. 2. Were any required as necessary to their Ministry in the Primitive Times to Subscribe to the Divine Right of Diocesan Prelacy and promise or swear Obedience to such Or to Subscribe to all that is contained in our Book of Ordination Q. 3. Were all most or any Bishops of the first Age of the lowest rank now distinguished from Archbishopâ— the fixed Pastors of many particular Churches or of more Souls than one of our ordinary or greater Parishes Much less of so many as are in a Diocess Let us but have no more Souls or Congregations under the lowest rank of Bishops now than were in the first Age or second either ordinarily and we shall soon agree I think in all the Substance of Government Q. 4. Was our Common Prayer used and necessary to a Pastor's Liberty in the first or second Age Or all that is in it Or will you leave out all that you cannot prove to have been then used and that as necessary as now it is supposed Q. 5. Were the Cross Surplice and Restriction to kneeling in receiving the Eâ—charist enjoyned by Peter or Paul or any in the first Age or second either or many after If you say that some Form of Prayer was used though not ours I answer 1. Prove it used and imposed as necessary to the Exercise of the Ministry and that any was enjoyned to Subscribe to it and use it on pain of Deprivation or Excommunication 2. If the first supposed Book of Prayers was necessary in Specie for continuance we must have it and cast away this thatâ—s pleaded for If it were not then why may you not as well dispense with this and change it seeing you cannot plead it more immutable than the supposed Apostolical or Primitive Prayer Book 3. When Forms of Liturgy came up had they not divers in the same Empire and also changed them in particular Churches as the Controversie between Basil and the Church of Neocaesarea shews c. And why then may not as much be granted now in England at least to procure Unity and Peace in other things after so long uncharitable Alienations and doleful Effects of them in the Church and State N. B. That the foresaid Exceptions against imposing the Subscription of the 39 Articles are urged ad hominem because though the Doctrinal Part of those Articles be such as the generality of the Presbyterians would Subscribe to yet I see not how the Reverend Brethren on the other side can possibly Subscribe them as reconcileable to the Principles published by many of them § 67. Shortly after this when Sir George Booth's Rising failed Major General Monk in Scotland with his Army grew so sensible of the Infolencies of Vane and Lambert and the Fanaticks in England and Ireland who set up and pull'd down Governments as boldly as if they were making a Lord of a Maygame and were grasping all the Power into their own Hands so that he presently secured the Anabaptists of his Army and agreed with the rest to resist these Usurpers who would have England the Scorn of all the World At first when he drew near to England he declared for a Free Commonwealth When he came in Lambert marched against him but his Soldiers forsaking him and Sir Arthur Haselrigge getting Portsmouth and Col. Morley strengthning him and Major General Berry's Regiment which went to block it up revolting to them the Clouds rose every where at once and Lambert could make no resistance but instead of fighting they were fain to treat And while Monk held them Treating his Reputation increased and theirs abated and their Hearts failed them and their Soldiers fell off and General Monk consulted with his Friends what to do Many Countreys sent Letters of Thanks and Encouragement to him Mr. Tho. Bampfield was sent by the Gentlemen of the West and other Countreys did the like so that Monk came on but still declared for a Commonwealth against Monarchy Till at last when he saw all ripened thereto he declared for the King The chief Men as far as I can learn that turned his Resolution to bring in the King were Mr. Clarges and Sir William Morrice his Kinsman and the Petitions and Affections of the City of London principally moved by Mr. Calamy and Mr. Ash two ancient leading able Ministers with Dr. Bates Dr. Manten Dr. Iacomb and other Ministers of London who concurred And these were encouraged by the Earl of Manchester the Lord Hollis the late Earl of Anglesey and many of the then Council of State And the Members of the Old Parliament that had been formerly ejected being recalled did Dissolve themselves and appoint the Calling of a Parliament which might Re-call the King When General Monk first came into England most Men rejected in hope to be delivered from the Usurpation of the Fanaticks Anabaptists Seekers c. And I was myâ—self so much affected with the strange Providence of God that I procured the Ministers to agree upon a Publick Thanksgiving to God And I think all the Victories which that Army obtained were not more wonderful than their Fall was when Pride and Errour had prepared them for it It seemed wonderful to me that an Army that had got so many great and marvellous Victories and thought themselves unconquerable and talkt of nothing but Dominion at home and marching up to the Walls of Rome should all be broken and brought into Subjection and finally Disbanded without one blow stricken or one drop of Blood shed and that by so small a power as Monk's Army in the â—â—â—ginning was So Eminent was the Hand of God in all this Change § 68. Yet were there many prudent pious Men that feared greatly the return of the Prelates an exasperated Party that had been before subdued and as they saw that the Fanaticks would bring all to Confusion under
Liturgy and Ceremonies we most humbly represent unto your Majesty 1. First For Church-Government that although upon just Reasons we do dissent from that Ecclesiastical Hierarchy or Prelacy disclaimed in the Covenant as it was stated and exercised in these Kingdoms yet we do not nor ever did renounce the true Ancient and Primitive Presidency as it was ballanced and managed by a due Commixtion of Presbyters therewith as a fit means to avoid Corruptions Partiality Tyranny and other Evils which may be incident to the Administration of one single Person Which kind of attempered Pesidency if it shall be your Majesty's grave Wisdom and gracious Moderation be in such a manner constituted as that the forementioned and other like Evils may be certainly prevented we shall humbly submit thereunto And in Order to an happy Accommodation in this weighty Business we desire humbly to offer unto your Majesty some of the Particulars which we conceive were amiss in the Episcopal Government as it was practised before the Year 1640. 1. The great Extent of the Bishops Diocess which was much too large for his own personal Inspection wherein he undertook a Pastoral Charge over the Souls of all those within his Bishoprick which must needs be granted to be too heavy a Burthen for any one Man's Shoulders The Pastoral Office being a Work of Personal Ministration and Trust and that of the highest Concernment to the Souls of the People for which they are to give an Account to Christ. 2. That by Reason of this Disability to discharge their Duty and Trust personally the Bishops did depute the Administration of much of their Trust even in matters of spiritual Cognizance to Commissaries Chancellors and Officials whereof some were Secular Persons and could not administer that Power which originally appertaineth to the Pastors of the Church 3. That those Bishops who affirm the Episcopal Office to be a distinct Order by Divine Right from that of the Presbyter did assume the sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction to themselves 4. That some of the Bishops exercised an Arbitrary Power as by sending forth their Books of Articles in their Visitations and therein unwarrantably enquiring into several things and swearing the Church-Wardens to present accordingly So also by many Innovations and Ceremonies imposed upon Ministers and People not required by Law and by suspending Ministers at their Pleasure For reforming of which Evils we humbly crave leave to offer unto your Majesty 1. The late most Reverend Primate of Ireland his Reduction of Episcopacy unto the Form of Synodical Government received in the ancient Church as a Ground-work towards an Accommodation and fraternal Agreement in this Point of Ecclesiastical Government Which we rather do not only in regard of his eminent Piety and singular Ability as in all other Parts of Learning so in that especially of the Antiquities of the Church but also because therein Expedienâ— are offered for healing these Grievances And in order to the same end we further humbly desire that the Suffragans or Corepiscopi mentioned in the Primate's Reduction may be chosen by the respective Synods and by that Election be sufficiently authorized to discharge their Trust. That the Associations may not be so large as to make the Discipline impossible or to take off the Ministers from the rest of their necessary Imployments That no Oaths or Promises of Obedience to the Bishops nor any unnecessary Subscriptions or Engagements be made necessary to Ordination Institution Induction Ministration Communion or Immunities of Ministers they being responsible for any Transgression of the Law And that no Bishops nor any Ecclesiastical Governors may at any time exercise their Government by their own private Will or Pleasure but only by such Rules Canons and Constitutions as shall be hereafter by Act of Parliament ratified and established and that sufficient Provision be made to secure both Ministers and People against the Evils of Arbitrary Government in the Church 2. Concerning the Liturgy 1. We are satisfied in our Judgments concerning the Lawfulness of a Liturgy or Form of publick Worship provided that it be for the matter agreeable unto the Word of God and fitly suited to the Nature of the several Ordinances and the necessity of the Church nether too tedious in the whole nor composed of too short Prayers unmeet Repetitions or Responsals nor too dissonant from the Liturgies of other Reformed Churches nor too rigorously imposed nor the Minister so confined thereunto but that he may also make use of those Gifts for Prayer and Exhortation which Christ hath given him for the Service and Edification of the Church 2. That inasmuch as the Book of Common Prayer hath in it many things that are justly offensive and need amendment hath been long discontinued and very many both Ministers and People Persons of Pious Loyal and Peaceable Minds are therein greatly dissatisfied whereupon if it be again imposed will inevitably follow sad Divisions and widening of the Breaches which your Majesty is now endeavouring to heal We do most humbly offer to your Majesty's Wisdom that for preventing so great Evil and for setling the Church in Unity and Peace some Learned Godly and Moderate Divines of both Perswasions indifferently chosen may be imployed to Compile such a Form as is before described as much as may be in Scripture words or at least to Revise and effectually Reform the old together with an Addition or Insertion of some other varying Forms in Scripture phrase to be used at the Minister's Choice of which Variety and Liberty there be Instances in the Book of Common Prayer 3. Concerning Ceremonies We humbly represent that we hold our selves obliged in every part of Divine Worship to do all things decently in order and to Edification and are willing therein to be determined by Authority in such things as being meerly Circumstantial are common to Humane Actions and Societies and are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian Prudence according to the General Rules of the Word which are always to be observed And as to divers Ceremonies formerly retained in the Church of England We do in all Humility offer unto your Majesty these ensuing Considerations That the Worship of God is in it self perfect without having such Ceremonies affixed thereto That the Lord hath declared himself in the Matters that concern his Worship to be a Iealous God and this Worship of his is certainly then most pure and most agreeable to the Simplicity of the Gospel and to his holy and jealous Eyes when it hath least of Humane Admixtures in things of themselves confessedly unnecessary adjoyned and appropriated thereunto upon which account many faithful Servants of the Lord knowing his Word to be the perfect Rule of Faith and Worship by which they must judge of his Acceptance of their Services and must be themselves judged have been exceeding fearful of varying from his Will and of the danger of displeasing him by Additions or Detractions in such Duties wherein they must
Coactive Power but where it must be used that it be by Magistrates And that your Execution be not annexed to their Iudgments nor any Man punished by you meerly because he is Excommunicate that is sorely punished by them 3. Every stated full Congregation that had unum Altare was by Divine Institution to have a Bishop of their own or many if they could be had which Bishops were called Elders also in the Scripture And for Order sake where there were many of these the Churches soon placed the Precedency and Moderatorship in one whom they called by Eminency the Bishop 4. Because in the beginning there were no stated Churches or Altars ordinarily but in Towns and Cities therefore the same Apostles that ordained Elders in every Church are said also to appoint that they be Ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppidatim in every Town or City And it being long before the Villages had Churches they were the Parish or Diocess of the Bishops of the Town And when Rural Bishops were placed in those Churches they were subjected to the City Bishops when every Church as in the beginning should have had a Bishop of their own 5. If you will return to the Scripture Pattern every stated Congregation that hath one Altar must have Pastors that have the Government of the People and if you will return to the primitive Episcopacy eminently so called every one of these Churches should have a Bishop with Fellow Presbyters as his Collegues or Deacons at least in smaller Churches 6. If you will return to the first and lowest degree of Corruption of church-Church-Order you must have a Bishop and Presbytery in every City and Town only such as our Corporations and Boroughs are who must take care also of the adjacent Villages 7. For the maintaining of Unity and Concord and Edifying each other by Communion these Bishops held ordinary Synods or Meetings in which by Agreements called Canons no proper Laws they bound up themselves in things of mutable Determination and also tied themselves to their Duties 8. Besides these particular Bishops there were General Overseers of the Church such as the Apostles Evangelists and others that fixed not themselves in relation to any one particular Church but the Care of many And that these have Successors in this ordinary part of their Work we do not gainsay But we humbly crave that if our Diocesans will be such they be taken for Archbishops or General Pastors and that they take only a General Charge of the Flock overseeing the particular Pastors or Bishops and receiving Appeals in some Special Cases and not a particular Charge of each Soul as the particular Bishops have And therefore that they be not charged with ordinary Confirming or admitting into the state of Adult Members all the People which will bind them in Conscience to know and try them all or most Nor yet to receive Presentments of all Scandals nor to Excommunicate and absolve or impose Publick Penitence on all that these belong to 9. If these things may not be granted we must be bold to leave our Testimony that Diocesans assuming the particular Government of all the People in so many Churches as they have in England are destructive 1. To the very being of all the particular Churches save the Cathedral or City where they are It being that old Maxim Ubi non est Episcopus non est Ecclesia viz. in sensu politica 2. And to the Pastoral Office of Christ's Institution 3. And to the most ancient Episcopacy Whenas by the establishing of these Parochial Bishops at least Oppidatim the Diocesans may become of great use for the Work of General Oversight We refuse not General Officers so they overthrow not the particular Officers and Churches As if General Officers in an Army or Navy would be the sole Commanders and depose all the Captains and consequently make the Discipline impossible 10. We most earnestly beseech your Majesty that in Matters of Doctrine Discipline and Worship the Modes and Circumstances and Ceremonies may not be made more necessary to our Ordination Institution Ministration or Communion than God hath made them either in Scripture or in the Nature of the thing lest they be still the Engines of our Divisions and Calamity but that we may hold our Concord and Communion in Necessary things according to the Primitive Simplicity and may have Liberty in things Unnecessary as to Subscriptions Promises and Practice that so the Churches may have Peace and Charity in both And that our Discipline which operateth on the Will may not be corrupted by unnecessary and unseasonable violence nor any permitted much less constrained to be Members of our Churches and Communion that vilifie such Priviledges and cannot be moved by our Exhortations nor feel the weight of a meer Excommunication Though a gentle Force is necessary to compel the Learners or Catechumens to submit to the necessary means of their Instruction and to restrain the petulant from abusing the Worship and Worshippers of the Lord. He that will rather be cast out of the Church by Excommunication than repent and amend his wicked Life is so unfit to be a Member of the Church that it is most unfit to drive him into it by Imprisonment Mulcts or Secular Force And this is that which doth corrupt and undo the Church I shall here Annex Archbishop Usher's Model of Government which we now also presented The Reduction of Episcopacy unto the Form of Synodical Government received in the Ancient Church proposed in the Year 1641. as an Expedient for the prevention of those Troubles which afterwards did arise about the Matter of Church-Government Episcopal and Presbyterial Government conjoyned BY the Order of the Church of England all Presbyters are charged to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same And that we might the better understand what the Lord had commanded therein the Exhortation of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their Ordination Take heed unto your selves and to all the Flock among whom the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to rule the Congregation of God which he hath purchased with his Blood Of the many Elders who in common thus ruled the Church of Ephesus there was one President whom our Saviour in his Epistle to the Church in a peculiar manner stileth the Angel of the Church of Ephesus And Ignatius in another Epistle written about twelve Years after to the same Church calleth the Bishop thereof Betwixt which Bishop and the Presbytery of that Church what an harmonious Consent there was in the ordering the Church-Government the same Ignatius doth fully there declare by the Presbytery with d St. Paul understanding the Company of the rest of the Presbytery or Elders who then had a Hand not only in the delivery of the Doctrine and Sacraments but also
Judgment of the most Learned even of those Churches that have not retained them Every National Church being supposed to be the best and most proper Judge what is fittest for themselves to appoint in order to Decency and Edification without prescribing to other Churches § 24. That the Ceremonies have been Matter of Contention in this or any other Church was not either from the Nature of the Thing enjoyned or the enjoyning of the same by lawful Authority but partly from the weakness of some Men's Judgments unable to search into the Reason of Things and partly from the unsubduedness of some Mens Spirits more apt to contend than willing to submit their private Opinions to the Publick Judgment of the Church § 25. Of those that were obnoxious to the Law very few in comparison have been deprived and none of them for ought we know but such as after admonition and long forbearance finally refused to do what not only the Laws required to be done but themselves also formerly had solemnly and as they prosessed willingly promised to do § 26. We do not see with what Conscience any Man could leave the Exercise of his Ministry in his peculiar Charge for not submitting to lawful Authority in the using of such things as were in his own Judgment no more than inexpedient only And it is certainly a great mistake at the least to call the submitting to Authority in such things a bringing the Conscience under the power of them § 27. The Separation that hath been made from the Church was from the tâ—king a Scandal where none was given The Church having fully declared her sence touching the Ceremonies imposed as Things not in their Nature necessary but indifferent But was chiefly occasioned by the Practice and defended from the Principles of those that refused Conformity to the Law the just Rule and Measure of the Churches Unity § 28. The Nature of Things being declared to be mutable sheweth that they may therefore be changed as they that are in Authority shall see it expedient but it is no proof at all that it is therefore expedient that it should be actually changed Yet it 's a sufficient Caution against the Opinion or Objection rather of their being held by the Imposers either necessary or Substantials of Worship Besides this Argument if it were of any force would infer an expediency of the often changing even of good Laws whereas the Change of Laws although liable to some Inconveniencies without great and evident necessity hath been by Wise men ever accounted a thing not only Imprudent but of evil and sometimes pernicious Consequence § 29. We fully agree with them in the acknowledgment of the King's Supremacy but we leave it to his Majesty's Prudence and Goodness to consider whether for the avoiding of the offence of some of his weak Subjects he be any way obliged to Repeal the Established Laws the Repealing whereof would be probably dissatisfactory to many more and those so far as we are able to judge no less considerable a part of his Subjects Nor do we conceive his Majesty by the Apostle's either Doctrine or Example obliged to any farther Condescention to particular Persons than may be subservient to the general and main Ends of Publick Government The Lord hath entrusted Governours to provide not only thà t Things necessary in God's Worship be duly performed but also that things advisedly enjoyned though not otherways necessary should be orderly and duly observed The too great neglect whereof would so cut the Sinews of Authority that it would become first infirm and then contemptible As we are no way against such tender and religious Compassion in Things of this Nature as his Majesty's Piety and Wisdom shall think fit to extend so we cannot think that the Satisfaction of some private Persons is to be laid in the Balance against the Publick Peace and Uniformity of the Church Concerning particular Ceremonies § 30. It being most convenient that in the Act of receiving the Lord's Supper one and the same Gesture should be uniformly used by all the Members of this Church and Kneeling having been formerly enjoined and used therein as a Gesture of greatest Reverence and Devotion and so most agreeable to that Holy Service And Holy-days of human Institution having been observed by the People of God in the Old-Testament and by our blessed Saviour himself in the Gospel and by all the Churches of Christ in Primitive and following times as apt means to preserve the Memorials of the chief Mysteries of the Christian Religion And such Holy-days being also fit times for the honest Recreation of Servants Labourers and the meaner sort of People For these Reasons and the great Satisfaction of far the greatest part of the People we humbly desire as a thing in our Judgment very expedient that they may both be still continued in the Church § 31. As for the other Three Ceremonies viz. the Surplice Cross after Baptism and bowing at the Name of Jesus although we find not here any sufficient Reason alledged why they should be utterly abolished Nevertheless how far forth in regard of tender Consciences a Liberty may be thought fit to be indulged to any his Majesty according to his great Wisdom and Goodness is best able to judge § 32. But why they that confess that in the Judgment of all the things here mentioned are not to be valued with the Peace of the Church should yet after they are established by Law disturb the Peace of the Church about them we understand not § 33. We heartily desire that no Innovations should be brought into the Church or Ceremonies which have no foundation in the Laws of the Land imposed to the disturbance of the Peace thereof But that all Men would use that Liberty that is allowed them in things indifferent according to the Rules of Christian Prudence Charity and Moderation § 34. We are so far from believing that his Majesty's Condescending to these Demands will take away not only Differences but the Roots and Causes of them that we are confident it will prove the Seminary of new Differences both by giving dissatisfaction to those that are well pleased with what is already established who are much the greater part of his Majesty's Subjects and by encouraging unquiet Spirits when these things shall be granted to make further Demands There being no assurance by them given what will content all Dissenters than which nothing is more necessary for the setling of a firm Peace in the Church A Defence of our Proposals to his Majesty for Agreement in Matters of Religion Concerning the Preamble § 1. WE are not insensible of the great Danger of the Church through the Doctrinal Errours of many of those with whom we are at difference also about the Points of Government and Worship now before us But yet we chose to say of the Party that we are agreed in Doctrinals because they subscribe the same Holy Scriptures and Articles of Religion and Books
you know that there are many Dissenters as Papists Quakers c. for whom we never medled And we think this an unjust Answer to be given to them who craved of his Majesty that they might send to their Brethren through the Land to have the Testimony of their common Consent and were denied it and told that it should be our work alone and imputed to no others In Conclusion we perceive your Counsels against Peace are not likely to be frustrated Your Desires concerning us are like to be accomplished You are like to be gratified with our Silence and Ejection and the Excommunication and Consequent sufferings of Dissenters And yet we will believe that blessed are the Peace-makers and though Deceit be in the Heart of them that imagin Evil yet there is Ioy to the Counsellors of Peace Prov. 12. 20. And though we are slopt by you in our following of Peace and are never like thus publickly to seek it more because you think that we must hold our Tongues that you may hold your Peace yet are we resolved by the help of God if it be possible and as much as in us lieth to live peaceably with all Men Rom. 12. 18. § 102. Hereupon some very very learned godly Men renewed their former Speeches That it was a vain Attempt to Endeavour a Reconciliation with such Men that their Minds were exasperated and they were resolved to monopolize the Favour of our Prince and all Honours and Preferments to themselves That there was no hope they would do any thing for the promoting of strict serious Godliness or any thing that deserved the Name of Ecclesiastical Discipline That undoubtedly they do but draw us on partly to spin out the time till they are ready to persecute us without any danger to themselves and partly to set us together by the Ears and otherwise abuse us by drawing us to grant them that which they know our Brethren cannot grant § 103. To all this I answered for my own part That though Charity commanded me to hope that there were some Men among them better than this Description doth import yet my Reason forced me all things considered to have as low Expectations of this Conference as they had and that I made no doubt but that the End would verefie much that was said that for my own part I looked e're long to be silenced by them with many hundred more and that all this was but to quiet Men till the time But yet for all that I was fully convinced that it was our Duty not only to yield to an offered Treaty but to be the Seekers of it and follow it on till we see the Issue 1. Because we are commanded if possible as much as in us lieth to live peaceably with all Men. 2. Because though we have too great a probability of such an issue as they describe yet we are not certain of it and the least possibility of a better Issue may shew us that we should wait on God in the use of the Means till we are disappointed 3. Because we have no other means at all to use To keep our Flocks and publick Work we cannot For the old Laws will be in force again if we say nothing and new ones will further enforce them if there be need And for our parts we are not formidable to the Bishops at all were our Number five times as great as theirs For we abhor all Thoughts of Sedition and Rebellion and they know that this is our Judgment and therefore how should they be afraid of Men whose Consciences bind them to make no resistance to the legal Exercise of a lawful Authority If it were the Anabaptists Millinaries or Levellers they would fear them But for my part I thought it very unmeet that such a Word as intimated any formidableness in us should ever come out of our Mouths either to them or to our People or among our selves for it seemeth to intimate either that we would resist or would have them think so 4. And I looked to the end of all these Actions and the chief things that moved me next the pleasing of God and Conscience is that when we are all silenced and persecuted and the History of these things shall be delivered to posterity it will be a just Blot upon us if we suffer as refusing to sue for Peace and it will be our just Vindication when it shall appear that we humbly petitioned for and earnestly pursued after Peace and came as near them for the obtaining it as Scripture and Reason will allow us to do and were ready to do anything for Peace except to sin and damn our Souls And for my own part I could suffer much more comfortably when I had used these means and been repulsed than if I had used none 5. And Lastly I gave them all notice that I hoped if we got no more to have an opportunity by this Treaty to state our Difference right to the understanding of Foreigners and Posterity and to bear my Testimony to the Cause of Truth and Peace and Godliness openly under the Protection of the King's Authority both by Word and Writing which they that sat still would never do but look on with secret silent Grief till all is gone and then have their Consciences and others tell them that they never made any just attempt or spake a Word to prevent the Ruine § 104. But as to the point of yielding too far to them I told them first that moderate Episcopacy was agreeable to my Judgment and that they knew that I medled not as a Presbyterian but as a Christian that is obliged to seek the Churches Peace And also that others may accept of those Terms as better than worse which yet they cannot take to be the best And if we mist it as to the way or terms our Brethren that thought so had the Liberty to acquaint us with our Error and to set us right § 105. Shortly after this instead of the Diocesans Concessions it was told us that the King would put all that he thought meet to grant us into the Form of a Declaration and we should see it first and have Liberty to give notice of what we liked not as not consistent with the desired Concord◠and so the Diocesans cannot be charged with any mutability as having ever granted us such Abatements which after they receded from We thankfully accepted of this Offer and received from the Lord Chancellor the following Copy of the Declaration This Copy of a Declaration the Lord Chancellor next sent us to peruse and alter before it were published that it might satisfie our Desires Received on Sept. 4. His Majesty's Declaration to all his loving Subjects of his Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs HOW much the Peace of the State is concerned in the Peace of the Church and how difficult a thing it is to preserve Order and Government in Civil whilst there is no Order
and Government in Ecclesiastical Affairs is evident to the World and this little part of the World our own Dominions hath had so late Experience of it that we may very well acquiesce in the Conclusion without enlarging our self in discourse upon it it being a Subject we have had frequent occasion to contemplate upon and to lament abroad as well as at home In our Letter to the Speaker of the H. of Commons from Breda we declared how much we desired the Advancement and Propagation of the Protestant Religion That neither the Unkindness of those of the same Faith towards us nor the Civilities and Obligations from those of a contrary Profession of both which we have had abundant Evidence could in the least degree startle us or make us swerve from it and that nothing can be proposed to manifest our Zeal and Affection for it to which we will not readily consent And we said then That we did hope in due time our self to propose somewhat for the propagation of it that will satisfie the World that we have always made it both our Care and our Study and have enough observed what is most like to bring disadvantage to it And the truth is we do think our self the more competent to propose and with God's assistance to determine many Things now in difference from the time we have spent and the Experience we have had in most of the Reformed Churches abroad in France in the Low Conntreys and in Germany where we have had frequent Conferences with the most Learned Men who have unanimously lamented the great Reproach the Protestant Religion undergoes from the Distempers and too notorious Schisms in Matters of Religion in England And as the most Learned amongst them have always with great Submission and Reverence acknowledged and magnified the Established Government of the Church of England and the great countenance and shelter the Protestant Religion received from it before these unhappy times so many of them have with great ingenuity and sorrow confessed That they were too easily mislead by misinformation and prejudice into some disesteem of it as if it had too much complyed with the Church of Rome whereas they now acknowledge it to be the best fence God hath yet raised against Popery in the World And we are perswaded they do with great Zeal wish it restored to its old Dignity and Veneration When we were in Holland we were attended by many Grave and Learned Ministers from hence who were looked upon as the most able and principal Assertors of the Presbyterian Opinions with whom we had as much Conference as the multitude of Affairs which were then upon us would permit us to have and to our great Satisfaction and Comfort found them Persons full of Affection to us of Zeal for the Peace of the Church and State and neither Enemies as they have been given out to be of Episcopacy or Liturgy but modestly to desire such Alterations in either as without shaking Foundations might best allay the present Distempers which the Indisposition of the Times and the Tenderness of some Mens Consciences had contracted For the better doing whereof we intended upon our first Arrival in this Kingdom to call a Synod of Divines as the most proper Expedient to provide a proper Remedy for all those Differences and Dissatisfactions which had or should arise in Matters of Religion and in the mean time we published in our Declaration from Breda A Liberty to tender Consciences and that no man should be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in Matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as shall upon mature deliberation be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence Whilst we continued in this Temper of Mind and Resolution and have so far complyed with the Perswasion of particular Persons and the Distemper of the Time as to be contented with the Exercise of our Religion in our own Chappel according to the constant Practice and Laws established without enjoyning that Practice and the Observation of those Laws in the Churches of the Kingdom in which we have undergone the Censure of many as if we were without that Zeal for the Church which we ought to have and which by God's Grace we shall always retain we have found our self not so candidly dealt with as we have deserved and that there are unquiet and restless Spirits who without abating any of their own Distempers in recompence of the Moderation they find in us continue their bitterness against the Church and endeavour to raise Jealousies of us and to lessen our Reputation by their Reproaches as if we were not true to the Professions we have made And in order thereunto they have very unseasonably caused to be printed published and dispersed throughout the Kingdom a Declaration heretofore printed in our Name during the time of our being in Scotland of which we shall say no more than that the Circumstances by which we were enforced to Sign that Declaration are enough known to the World That we did from the moment it passed our Hand askt God forgiveness for our part in it which we hope he will never lay to our Charge and that the worthiest and greatest part of that Nation did even then detest and abhor the ill usage of us in that particular when the same Tyranny was exercised there by the power of a few ill Men which at that time had spread it self over this Kingdom and therefore we had no reason to expect that we should at this season when we are doing all we can to wipe out the Memory of all that hath been done amiss by other Men and we thank God have wiped it out of our own remembrance have been our self assaulted with those Reproaches which we will likewise forget Since the printing of this Declaration several Seditious Pamphlets and Queries have been published and scattered abroad to infuse Dislike and Jealousies into the Hearts of the People and of the Army and some who ought rather to have repented their former Mischief they have wrought than to have endeavoured to improve it have had the hardiness to publish That the Doctrine of the Church against which no Man with whom we have conferred hath Excepted ought to be reformed as well as the Discipline This over-passionate and turbulent way of Proceeding and the Impatience we find in many for some speedy Determination in these Matters whereby the Minds of Men may be composed and the Peace of the Church established hath prevailed with us to invert the Method we had proposed to our self and even in order to the better Calling and Composing of a Synod which the present Jealousies will hardly agree upon by the assistance of God's blessed Spirit which we daily invoke and supplicate to give some determination our self to the Matters in difference until such a Synod may be called as may without
pretend to Divine Authority or true Antiquity It granteth them much more than Reverend Bishop Hall in his Peâ—â—re-maker and many other of that Judgment do require who would have accepted the fixing of the President for Life as sufficient for the Reconciliation of the Churches 2. It being most agreeable to the Scripture and the Primitive Government is likest to be the way of a more Universal Concord if ever the Churches arrive on Earth at such a Blessing However it will be most acceptable to God and to well informed Consciences 3. It will promote the Practice of Discipline and Godliness without Disorder and promote Order without the hindering of Discipline and Godliness 4. And it is not to be silenced though in some respects we are loath to mention it that it will save the Nation from the Violation of the Solemn Vow and Covenant without wronging the Church at all or breaking any other Oath And whether the Covenant were lawfully imposed or not we are assured from the Nature of a Vow to God and from the Cases of Saul Zedekiah and others that it would be a terrible thing to us to violate it on that pretence Though we are far from thinking that it obligeth us to any Evil or to go beyond our Places and Callings to do Good much less to resist Authority yet doth it undoubtedly bind us to forbear our own Consent to those Luxuriances of Church-Government which we there renounced and for which no Divine Institution can be pretended It is not only the Presbyterians but multitudes of the Episcopal Party and the Nobility Gentry and others that adhered to his late Majesty in the late unhappy Wars that at their Composition took this Vow and Covenant And God forbid that ever the Souls of so many thousands should be driven upon the Sin of Perjury and upon the Wrath of God and the Flames of Hell Or that under Pretence of calling them to repent of what is evil they should be urged to commit so great an Evil. If once the Consciences of the Nation should be so debaâ—ched what good can be expected from them or what Evil shall they ever after be thought to make Conscience of or what Bonds can be supposed to oblige them or how can your Majesty place any Conâ—idence in them notwithstanding the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy which they take or how can they be taken for competent Witnesses in any Cause or Persons meet for human converse or how should those Preachers be regarded by their Auditors that dare wilfully violate their solemn Vows and it would be no Comfort nor Honour to your Majesty to be the King of a Persideous Nation And whatever Palliation Flattery might at Hand procure undoubtedly at distance of time and place where Flattery cannot silence Truth it would be the Nations perpetual Infamy And what Matter of Reconciliation would it be to the guilty Papists when we blame their impious Doctrines that have such a tendency How loose would it leave your Majesty's Subjects that are once taught to break such sacred Bonds Till the Covenant was decried as an Almanack out of date and its Obligation taken to be null that odious Fact could never have been perpetrated against your Royal Father Nor your Majesty have been so long expulsed from your Dominions And the Obligation of the Covenant upon the Consciences of the Nation was not the weakest Instrument of your Return We therefore humbly beseech your Majesty with greater importunity then we think we should do for our Lives that you will have Mercy on the Souls and Consciences of your People and will not urge or tempt them to this grievous Sin nor drive them on the insupportable Wrath of the Almighty whose Judgment is at hand where Princes and People must give that account on which the irreversible Sentence will depend For the honour of our Religion and of your Majesty's Dominions and Reign we beseech you suffer us not to be tempted to the violating of such Solemn Vows and this for nothing when an Expedient is before you that will avoid it without any detriment to the Church nay to its honour and advantage The Prelacy which we disclaimed is That of Diocesans upon the Claim of a Superiour Order to a Presbyter assuming the sole Power of Publick Admonition of particular Offenders injoyning Penitence Excommunicating and Absolving besides Confirmation over so many Churches as necessitated the Corruption or Extirpation of Discipline and the using of Humane Officers as Chancellors Surrogates Officials Commissaries Arch-Deacons while the undoubted Officers of Christ the Pastors of the particular Churches were hindered from the Exercise of their Office The Restoration of Discipline in the particular Churches and of the Pastors to the Exercise of their Office therein and of Synods for necessary Consultation and Communion of Churches and of the Primitive Presidency or Episcopacy for the avoiding of all shew of Innovation and Disorder is that which we humbly offer as the Remedy beseeching your Maiesty that if any thing asserted seem unproved an Impartial Conference in your Majesty's hearing may be allowed us in order to a just Determination Concerning the Preamble in your Majesty's Declaration we presume only to tender these Requests 1. THAT as we are perswaded it is not in your Majesty's Thoughts to intimate that we are guilty of the Offences which your Majesty here reciteth so we hope it will rather be a motive to the hastening of the Nation 's Cure that our Unity may prevent Mens Temptations of that Nature for the time to come 2. Though we have professed our willingness to submit to the Primitive Episcopacy and a Reformed Liturgy hoping it may prove an Expedient to an happy Union yet have we expressed our dislike of the Prelacy and present Liturgy while unreformed And though Sacriledge and unjust Alienation of Church-Lands is a Sin that we detest yet whether in some Cases of true Superfluities of Revenues or true Necessity of the Church there may not be an Alienation which is no Sacriledge and whether the Kings and Parliaments have been guilty of that Crime that have made some Alienations are Points of high Concernment of which we never had a Call to give our Judgment And therefore humbly beseech your Majesty that concerning these Matters we may not to our Prejudice be otherwise understood than as we have before and here expressed 3. That as your Majesty hath here vouchsafed us your gracious Acknowledgment of our Moderation it might never be said That a Ministry and People of such moderate Principles consenting to Primitive Episcopacy and Liturgy could not yet be received into the Settlement and countenanced Body of your People nor possess their Stations in the Church and Liberty in the Publick Worship of God 4. And whereas it is expressed by your Majesty That the Essence and Foundation of Episcopacy might be preserved though the Extent of the Jurisdiction might be altered this is to us a ground of Hope
that we may not fear their Power And the Prefaces In knowledge of whom standeth our eternal Life and whose Service is perfect Freedom have no more evident respect to a Petition for Peace than to any other And the Prayer it self comes in disorderly while many Prayers or Petitions are omitted which according both to the method of the Lord's Prayer and the Nature of the things should go before 10. The third Collect intituled for Grace is disorderly in that it followeth that for Peace which belongs to the last Petition of the Lord's Prayer and in that in the Conclusion of Morning Prayer we begin to beg the Mercies for the Day And it is defective in that it is but a General Request for defence from Sin and Danger And thus the main parts of Prayer according to the Rule of the Lord's Prayer and our common Necessities are omitted as may be seen by comparing our Forms with these 11. Most of our Necessities are passed over in the like defective Generals also in the Evening Prayer 12. The Latany which should contain all the ordinary Petitions of the Church omitteth very many particulars as may appear in our offered Forms compared with it It were tedious to number the half of its omissions And it is exceeding disorderly following no just Rules of method Having begged pardon of our sins and deprecated vengeance it proceedeth to Evil in general and some few Sins in particular and thence to a more particular enumeration of Iudgments and thence to the recitation of the parts of that Work of our Redemption and thence to the deprecation of Iudgments again and thence to Prayers for the King and Magistrates and then for all Nations and then for Love and Obedience and then for several states of men and then for all men and for Enemies and then for the Fruits of the Earth and then for Repentance Forgiveness and Grace again and then turneth to Repetitions of the same Petitions for Pardon and Mercy and after the Lord's Prayer returneth to the same request again Next this in the midst of Prayer it repeateth Let us pray Next is a Prayer against Adversity and Persecutions which was done before and both here and through the rest of the Prayers the deprecation of bodily suffering hath very much too large a proportion while spirituals are too generally and briefly touched which is unbeseeming the Church of Christ which mindeth not the things of the flesh but of the spirit Rom. 8. 5 6 7. Next followeth a reduplicate Petition that God would arise and help us and deliver us with an interposed Argument from his Ancient Works which comes in without any reason or order and is the same that was before petitioned and seems to be fitted to some special distress or danger of the Church and yet mentioneth not that distress or danger and is to be used equally in the prosperity of the Church Next this followeth the Doxology as if we were concluding and then we go on to the same Requests so oft before repeated for deliverance from afflictions and sorrows though perhaps it be not a time of Affliction with us but of Joy and so it proceeds to ask forgiveness so often asked and then four time repears the Petition for Audience when we draw near an end and twice repeats the general Petition for Mercy Next this while we are praying we agains say Let us pray And then again pray against deserved Evils and for Holiness in general all out of any order and oft repeated while abundance of most weighty Particulars are never mentioned Next this the Prayer for the King and the Royal Family is again repeated which went before If that were the due place why should not our Petitions have been there put in together for them but the minds of the Church are thus tossed up and down like the Waves of the Sea from one thing to another and then to the first again without any regard to order in the presence of the God of Order Next this the Bishops and Curates are prayed for without the Parish Incumbent Presbyters or else it 's intimated that they are but the Bishops Curates or else they are called Bishops themselves and no Man can tell certainly which of these is the sence And the Preface would intimate to the People that it is some special great marvel for Bishops and Curates to have Grace And after all this there are no particular petitions for them according to the nature and necessity of their Work or of their Congregation but only this one General Request that they may have God's Grace and Blessing to please him Lastly before the Blessing is Chrystsostom's Prayer meerly for the granting of our Requests with two Petitions one for Knowledge the other for Life Eternal The following Prayers and Thanksgivings on particular extraordinary Occasions are with the Confession the Prayers for the King and the Church Militant the best composed of all the daily Common Prayers But that these Prayers and Thanksgivings are all placed after the Benediction is disorderly And though it 's most probable that yet it was intended they should go before it in use there is no such thing expressed in the Book And thus we see how unlike the Litany is to the Lord's Prayer and how far from all just Order which is a deformity that such Holy Works should not be guilty of 13. The like defectiveness and disorder is in the Communion Collects for the Day That for the first Sunday in Advent hath no Petition for any thing in this Life but the Generals To cast away the Works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light That for the second Sunday in Advent is a very good Prayer viz. to learn and obey the Scripture but there is no more reason why it should be appropriate to that day than another or rather be a common Petition for all days The same is true of that for the third Sunday in Advent which begs no more but hearing our prayers and lightning our darkness As little reason is there for the appropriating that for the fourth Sunday in Advent to that day which is a General Request that God would come among us and succeur us and speedily deliver us who through our sin and wickedness are sore let and hindered without acquainting us what the wickedness or the lett is which is meant The Prayer on Christmas-day determineth that Christ was born as on that day when the world of learned Men are not agreed of the Month or Year much less the Day And the same Prayer is appointed for divers days after so that if by day is meant any other space of time than a Natural Day then it is no fitter for Christmas day than another If it mean a Natural Day then it is an untruth on the following days in the sence of the Imposers The Collect on St. Stephen's day hath but one Petition That on St. Iohn's day hath nothing in it proper to him
in the reason of it That the Jews Children are called Innocents that were two years old and that they are said to confess Christ by dying and so must have a Holy-day when they confessed him but objectively as Sacrifices did that hence we take occasion to pray for the killing of Vices in us that our Lives may express our Faith is partly uncertainty at the best and partly incoherence The Collect for the Epiphany hath no Petition but one for the fruition of the glorious Godhead after this Life The Collect for the first Sunday after the Epiphany is no more pertinent to that day than to another and is only for the Generals the hearing of our Prayers the knowing our duty and doing it That for the second Sunday after Epiphany is no more pertinent and is only for audience and peace That on the third Sunday after the Epiphany is no more pertinent and hath nothing but in General that God will look upon our Infirmities and help us in all dangers and necessities The same is to be said of that for the fourth Sunday after Epiphany which is only for health of body and soul to pass and overcome Sufferings The Collect for the keeping of the Church in the true Religion is no more pertinent to the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany that to another day The Collect on Septuagesima Sunday is that we that are justly punished for our offences may be mercifully delivered when perhaps the Church is under no special Punishment nor is there any reason for the order of this Prayer That on the Sunday called Sexagesima hath no reason of its location or order there and hath no Petition but that so oft repeated one to be defended against all adversity The Petition for Charity on Quinquagesima Sunday hath no reason for disorder nor for appropriation to that day but should be part of every days Requests The same is to be said of the Collect on the first day of Lent which also unhandsomly saith that God hateth nothing that he hath made which is true only in a formal sence quâ talis For he hateth all the works of iniquity Psal. 5. 5. The General Petitions on the second Sunday in Lent to keep our bodies from adversity and our souls from evil thoughts have no reason for their order The same is true of that on the third Sunday in Lent which hath no Petition but that God will look upon our desires and stretch forth his right hand to be our defence against Enemies There is no more reason for that order of that on the fourth Sunday in Lent which is only a Petition for relief to us that are worthily punished when perhaps we are under no special Punishment but in Prosperity The same Ataxie is in that on the fifth Sunday in Lent which asketh nothing but to be governed and preserved evermore That on the Sunday before Easter and divers days after giveth no reason of Christ's Incarnation and Death but that all mankind should follow the example of his humility and yet must be used rather then that on the second Sunday after Easter which in fewer words conjoyneth both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Ensample of Godly Life The first Collect on Good-fryday hath no Petition but that God will graciously behold this his Family inconveniently also expressed the Pronoun this seeming plainly to mean that particular Congregation which is not to be called God's Family but part of it The following Collects for the day are good but have no order as to their location Even the Collect on Easter-day is disorderly and dry having no Request annexed to the mention of Christ's Resurrection but that by God's help we may bring the good desires he hath given us to good effect which also is repeated the next day and also on the first Sunday after Easter That on the second Sunday after Easter is fitter for Good-friday but indeed must be a daily Petition That on the third Sunday after Easter hath no reason of its order or placing there The same is true of that for the fourth Sunday after Easter and that on the fifth Sunday which are but Generals to think and do good That on Whitsunday and divers days after useth the words as upon this day of which before and petitioneth for no gift of the Spirit but a right judgment and rejoycing That on Trinity Sunday asketh nothing at all but through the stedfastness of our Faith to be defended evermore from all adversity A Petition so frequently repeated even alone as if we would perswade the Enemies of the Church that we are a worldly carnal People and principally seek the things that perish when indeed it is a sin to pray to be evermore defended from all adversity when God hath told us that through many tribulations we must enter into his kingdom and that he that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution and that God chasteneth every son whom he receiveth and that he that will be Christ's Disciple must deny himself and forsake all and take up his Cross and follow him accounting the afflictions of this present time unworthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed That on the first Sunday after Trinity is as the rest having no special respect to the day or order of Requests and containeth only the General Request so oft repeated of Grace to keep God's Commandments and please him No more reason is there for the order of the Petition for fear and love on the second Sunday after Trinity Nor of that on the third Sunday which only asketh audience and that God by his mighty aid will defend us without any instancing from what No more reason is there for the order of the Requests on the fourth Sunday after Trinity the fifth the sixth the seventh the eighth which only prays God whose Providence is never deceived to put away from 〈◊〉 all hurtful things and give us these things that be profitable all mee Generals in which no particular repentance or desires are expressed So also on the ninth Sunday that hath the like Generals and on the tenth Sunday which asketh nothing but that we may obtain our petitions and ask that which pleaseth God and that on the eleventh Sunday that we running to the Promises may be partakers of the heavenly Treasure and that on the twelfth which asketh for that which we dare not presume to ask and that on the thirteenth that we may so run to the promises as to attain them which is all the Petition and that on the fourteenth and that on the fifteenth keep us ever by thy help and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation and that on the sixteenth the seventeenh the eighteenth where the infections of the Devil is an inconvenient phrase the nineteenth the twentieth the one and twentieth the two and twentieth which again prays that the Church may be free from all adversities the three and twentieth which is nothing
but in general that what we ask may be granted the four and twentieth for forgiveness the five and twentieth for Good works all which are without any special reason both appropriated to the several days and placed where they stand in the order of our Requests The Petition on St. Thomas's day for so perfect a Faith as shall never be reproved in the sight of God is of doubtful conveniency because contrary to the Scripture prediction of the event In the Collect on St. Iohn Baptist's day the preaching of Penance is a word of a more misleading tendency as now used than the preaching of Repentance 14. The Lord's Prayer is a third time to be recited before the Communion when yet as it is a Rule of Prayer as to order it is forsaken through the Book The next Prayer for loving and magnifying God's Name is most necessary but there out of order The Commandments come in also out of order without any special reason of connexion to what goeth before and followeth So do the following Prayers for the King which yet in themselves are very good And the Epistle and Gospel and Creed The Churchwardens are not directed to an orderly collection for the Poor In the Sentences exciting to remember the Poor the Scriptures and Apochryphal Passages of Tobit are confounded without any note of sufficient distinction as if we would have the People believe that Tobit is Canonical Scripture The Prayer for the Church Militant one of the best is very defective having no Petition for the Church but those for Truth Unity Love and Concord The Exhortation biddeth all and intreateth them for the Lord Jesus sake even the worst and most unprepared that be present to come to the Lord's Table as invited thereto by God himself which is a great wrong to him and them And it misinterpreteth the Parable Matth. 22. to which it seemeth plainly to allude which speaketh not of our coming to the Sacrament but of our coming to Christ and into his Church Though indeed the Exhortation is very good if it were made at a sufficient distance before the Sacrament that they might have time of Preparation The next Admonition against unworthy Receiving is very good but impertinent and unseasonable while it perswadeth them to come to the Minister for Advice in order to the Sacrament which is perfectly to be administred It is a disorder for one of the Communicants to be invited to be the Mouth of the rest in Confession of Prayer If the People may pro tempore make a Minister why not for continuance and so the Common Prayer Book is for the Principles of Popular Separatists The proper Prefaces for Christmas-day and Whitsunday repeat the word at this day which is either a falshood or impertinent and non-intelligible to the most It is a disorder in the next words to begin in a Prayer and end in a Narrative It is disorderly for the Minister to receive the Sacrament in both kinds himself before the other Ministers or People do receive it in either There is no sufficient Explication of the Nature and Use of the Sacrament premised which is the greater defect where the Sacrament is allowed to be administred without a Sermon and where so many of the People never learned the Catechism or understood what a Sacrament is The Exhortation is too defective for the exciting the Faith and other Graces of the Communicants which yet we can bear with if the Minister may be allowed himself to speak such other quickening Words of Exhortation as he findeth suitable to the temper of the Communicants The Confession of Sin before the Communion is too general and defective The Consecration Commemoration and Delivery and Participation are not distinctly enough performed Sometime the Minister is to kneel at Prayer and sometime to stand up without any special reason given for it It were more orderly to make the Delivery distinct in Scripture words and not to confound Prayer and the Delivery together It is more suitable to Christ's Example that the Words of Delivery be ordinarily in the Plural Number and to the Church or to many at once Take ye Eat ye Drink ye than in the Singular Number recited to each one It is disorderly for the People to repeat every Petition of the following Prayers after the Minister That the Hymn be sung in Prose seemeth disorderly The Collects appointed to be said after the Offertory have no reason of order or connexion with what went before or followeth after The first of them beggs Assistance in these our Supplications and Prayers which should rather be towards the beginning than when we are concluding And it beggs but the oft repeated benefit of Defence against the Changes and as it is inconveniently called the Chances of this Life And another of them again asketh those things which we dare not ask But it is the greatest disorder of all that every Parishioner shall Communicate at least thrice in the year whether he be fit or unfit and be forced to it In Baptism it is the greatest disorder that Ministers must be forced though against their Consciences to baptize all Children without Exception the Children of Atheists Infidels Hereticks unbaptized Persons Excommunicate Persons or Impenitent Fornicators or such like It is disorderly that the Parents are neither of them required ordinarily to be present and present their Child to Baptism but it is left to Godfathers and Godmothers that have no power to consent for them or enter them into the Covenant unless it be in the Parents name or they be Pro-parents taking the Child as their own And it frustrateth due Enquiry and Assistance when the Parents may choose whether they will come before to the Minister to be instructed about the Nature and Use of Baptism and may choose whether they will let him know of it till the Night or Morning before The Exhortation before Baptism is very defective omitting many weighty Points So are the two Prayers before it where also it is inconveniently said That God by Christ's Baptism did sanctifie the Flood Jordan and all other Waters to the mystical washing away of Sin The ascribing of the Gift of the Holy Ghost to Infants by their Baptism as its ordinary Effect and necessary to their Regeneration is to bring an undetermined uncertain Opinion into our Liturgy The Arguments for Infant-Baptism are so defectively exprest as have tempted many into Anabaptism The third Prayer saith very little but what was said in one of those foregoing Sureties that have not the Parents power are unjustly required to promise in the Infant 's Name or the Infant by them And so it is a doubt whether many Infants have ever indeed been entred into the Covenant of God when they cannot be said to Promise or Covenant by Persons whom neither Nature or Scripture or any sufficient Authority hath enabled to that Office The Sureties are unjustly and irregularly required to profess present Actual Faith in the Infant 's name
former naughty lives as is partly expressed in the Rubrick and more fully in the Canons Rubrick Exception Then shall the Priest rehearse distinctly all the ten Commandments and the People kneeling shall after every Commandment ask God's mercy for transgressing the same We desire 1. That the Preface prefixed by God himself to the ten Commandments may be restored 2. That the fourth Commandment may be read as in Exod. 20. Deut. 5. He blessed the Sabbath day 3. That neither Minister nor People may be enjoyned to kneel more at the reading of this than of other parts of Scriptures the rather because many ignorant Persons are thereby induced to use the Ten Commandments as a Prayer 4. That instead of those short Prayers of the People intermixed with the several Commandments the Minister after the reading of all may conclude with a suitable Prayer Rubrick Exception After the Creed if there be no Sermon shall follow one of the Homâ—â—â—es already set forth or hereafter to be set forth by common Authority We desire that the Preaching of the Word may be strictly enjoined and not left so indifferent at the Administration of the Sacraments as also that Ministers may not be bound to those things which are are as yet but future and not in being After such Sermon Homily or Exhortation the Curate shall declare c. and earnestly exhort them to remember the Poor saying one or more of these sentences following Two of the Sentences here cited are Apocryphal and four of them more proper to draw out the Peoples Bounty to their Ministers than their Charity to the Poor Then shall the Church-wardens or some other by them appointed gather the Devotion of the People Collection for the Poor may be better made at or a little before the departing of the Communicants Exhortation  We be come together at this time to feed at the Lords Supper unto the which in Gods behalf I bid you all that be here present and beseech you for the Lord Iesus Christ sake that ye will not refuse to come c. If it be intended that these Exhortations should be read at the Communion they seem to us to be unseasonable The way and means thereto is first to examine your Lives and Conversations and if ye shall perceive your offences to be such as be not only against God but also against your Neighbours then ye shall reconcile your seâ—ves unto them and be ready to make Restitution and Satisfaction And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy and with a quiet Conscience We fear this may discourage many from coming to the Sacrament who lye under a doubting and troubled Conscience Before the Confession  Then shall this general Confession be made in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion either by one of them or else by one of the Ministers or by the Priest himself We desire it may be made by the Minister only Before the Confession Exception Then shall the Priest or the Bishop being present stand up and turning himself to the people say thus The Minister turning himself to the People is most convenient throughout the whole Ministration Before the Preface on Christmas day and 7 days after  Because thou didst give Iesus Christ thine only Son to be born as this Day for us c. First We cannot peremptorily fix the Nativity of our Saviour to this or that day particularly Secondly it seems incongruous to affirm the Birth of Christ Upon Whitsunday and six days after and the descending of the Holy Ghost to be on this day for seven or eight days together According to whose most true promise the Holy Ghost came down this day from Heaven  Prayer before that which is at the Consecration  Grant us that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body and our Souls washed through his most precious blood We desire that whereas these Words seem to give a greater efficacy to the Blood than to the Body of Christ they may be altered thus That our sinful souls and bodies may be cleansed through his precious Body and Blood Prayer at the Consecration We conceive that the manner of the consecrating of the Elements is not here explicite and distinct enough and the Ministers breaking of the Bread is not so much as mentioned Hear us O merciful Father c. who in the same night that he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and gave to his Disciples saying Take eat c.  Rubrick  Then shall the Minister first receive the Communion in both kinds c. and after deliver it to the people in their hands kneeling and when he delivereth the bread he shall say The Body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting Life and take and eat this in Remembrance c. We desire that at the Distribution of the Bread and Wine to the Communicants we may use the Words of our Saviour as near as may be and that the Minister be not required to deliver the Bread and Wine into every particular Communicants hand and to repeat the words to each one in the singular number but that it may suffice to speak them to divers jointly according to our Saviours Example  We also desire that the Kneeling at the Sacrament it being not that Gesture which the Apostles used though Christ was personally present amongst them nor that which was used in the purest and primitive times of the Church may be left free as it was 1. and 2. EDW. As touching Kneeling c. they may be used or left as every Mans Devotion serveth without blame Rubrick Exception And note that every Parishioner shall Communicate at the least three times in the year of which Easter to be one and shall also receive the Sacraments and other Rites according to the Orders in this Book appointed Forasmuch as every Parishioner is not duly qualified for the Lord's Supper and those habitually prepared are not at all times actually disposed but many may be hindered by the Providence of God and some by the Distemper of their own Spirits we desire this Rubrick may be either wholly omitted or thus altered  Every Minister shall be bound to administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at least thrice a Year provided there be a due number of Communicants manifesting their Desires to receive And we desire that the following Rubrick in the Common-Prayer-Book in 5 and 8 Edw. established by Law as much as any other part of the Common-Prayer-Book may be restored for the vindicating of our Church in the matter of Kneeling at the Sacrament although the Gesture be left indifferent Although no order can be so perfectly devised but it may be of some either for their Ignorance and Infirmity or else of Malice and Obstinacy misconstrued depraved and
his Discources Of Dr. Pierce I will say no more because he hath said so much of me On our part Dr. Bates spake very solidly judiciously and pertinently when he spake And for my self the reason why I spake so much was because it was the desire of my Brethren and I was loth to expose them to the hatred of the Bishops but was willinger to take it all upon my self they themselves having so much wit as to be therein more sparing and cautelous than I and I thought that the Day and Cause commanded me those two things which then were objected against me as my Crimes viz. speaking too boldly and too long And I thought it a Cause that I could comfortably suffer for and should as willingly be a Martyr for Charity as for Faith § 237. When this Work was over the rest of our Brethren met again and resolved to draw up an Account of our Endeavours and present it to his Majesty with our Petition for his promised help yet for those Alterations and Abatements which we could not procure of the Bishops And that first we should acquaint the Lord Chancellour withal and consult with him about it Which we did and as soon as we came to him according to my expectation I found him most offended at me and that I had taken off the distaste and blame from all the rest At our first entrance he merily told us That if I were but as fat as Dr. Manton we should all do well I told him if his Lordship could teach me the Art of growing fat he should find me not unwilling to learn by any good means He grew more serious and said That I was severe and strict like a Melancholy Man and made those things Sin which others did not And I perceived he had been possessed with displeasure towards me upon that account that I charged the Church and Liturgy with Sin and had not supposed that the worlt was but inexpendiency I told him that I had spoken nothing but what I thought and had given my Reasons for After other such Discourse we craved his Favour to procure the King's Declaration yet to be past into an Act and his Advice what we had further to do He consented that we should draw up an Address to his Majesty rendering him an account of all but desired that we would first shew it him which we promised § 238. When we shewed our Paper to the Lord Chancellour which the Brethren had desired me to draw up and had consented to without any alteration he was not pleased with some Passages in it which he thought too pungent or pressing but would not bid us put them out So we went with it to the Lord Chamberlain who had heard from the Lord Chancellor about it and I read it to him also and he was earnest with us to bloe out some Passages as too vehement and such as would not well be born I was very loth to leave them out but Sir Gilbirt Gerrard an ancient godly Man being with him and of the same mind I yielded having no remedy and being unmeer to oppose their Wisdoms any further And so what they Scored under we left out and presented the rest to his Majesty afterwards But when we came to present it the Earl of Manchester secretly told the rest that if Dr. Reignolds Dr. Bates and Dr. Manton would deliver it it would be the more acceptable intimating that I was grown unacceptable at Court But they would not go without me and he profest he desired not my Exclusion But when they told me of it I took my leave of him and was going away But he and they came after me to the Stairs and importuned me to return and I went with them to take my Farewel of this Service But I resolved that I would not be the Deliverer of any of our Papers though I had got them transcribed and brought them thither So we desired Dr. Manton to deliver our Petition and with it the fair Copies of all our Papers to the Bishops which was required of us for the King And when Bishop Reignolds had spoken a few words Dr. Manton delivered them to the King who received them and the Petition but did not bid us read it at all At last in his Speeches something fell in which Dr. Monton told him that the Petition gave him a full account of if his Majesty pleased to give him leave to read it whereupon he had leave to read it out The occassion was a short Speech which I made to inform his Majesty how far we were agreed with the Bishops and wherein the difference did not lye as in the Points of Loyalty Obedience Church Order c. This Dr. Monton also spake And the King but the Question But who shall be Iudge And I answered him That Judgment is either publick or private Private Judgement called Discretionis which is but the use of my Reason to conduct my Actions belongeth to every private rational Man Publick Iudgment is Ecclesiastical or Civil and belongeth accordingly to the Ecclesiastical Governours or Pastors and the Civil and not to any private Man And this was the end of these Affairs § 239. I will give you the Copy of the Petition just as I drew it up because 1. Here you may see what those words were which could not be tolerated 2. Because it is but supposing the under-scored Lines to be blotted out and you have it as it was presented without any Alteration For those under scored Lines were all the words that were left out To the King 's most Excellent Majesty The due Account and humble Petition of us Ministers of the Gospel lately Commissioned for the Review and Alteration of the Liturgy May it please your Majesty WHen this distempered Nation wearied with its own Contentions and Divisions did groan for Unity and Peace the wonderful Providence of the most Righteous God appearing for the removal of Impediments their Eyes were upon your Majesty as the Person born to be under God the Center of their Concord and taught by Affliction to break the Bonds of the Afflicted and by Experience of the lad Effects of Mens Uncharitableness and Passions to restrain all from Violence and Extremities and keeping Moderation and Mediocrity the Oyl of Charity and Peace And when these your Subjects Desires were accomplished in your Majesty's peaceable possession of your Throne it was the Joy and Encouragement of the Sober and Religions that you began the Exercise of your Government with a Proclaimation full of Christian Zeal against Debauchery and Prophaneness declaring also your dislike of those who under pretence of affection to your Majesty and your Service assume to themselves the liberty of Reviling Threatning and Reproaching others to prevent that Reconciliation and Union of Hearts and Affections which can only with God's Blessing make us rejoyce in each other Our Comforts also were carried on by your Majesty's early and ready Entertainment of
the Rubrick should not be mended where all Vestments in them of Divine Service are now commanded which were used 2 Edw. 6. 4. Whether Lessons of Canonical Scripture should be put into the Kalender instead of Apocrypha 5. That the Doxology should be always printed at the End of the Lord's Prayer and be always said by the Minister 6. Whether the Rubrick should not be mended where it is that the Lessons should be sung in a plain tune why not read with a distinct voice 7. Whether Gloria Patri should be repeated at the end of every Psalm 8. Whether according to that End of the Preface before the Common Prayer the Curate should be bound to read Morning and Evening Prayers every day in the Church if he be at home and not reasonably letted and why not only on Wednesday and Friday Morning and in the Afternoon on Saturday with Holy-day Eves 9. Whether the Hymns Benedicite omnia Opera c. may not be left out 10. In the Prayer for the Clergy that Phrase Perhaps to be altered which only worketh great marvels 11. In the Rubrick for the Administration of the Lords Supper whether an alteration be not to be made in this That such as intend to Communicate shall signifie their Names to the Curate over Night or in the Morning before Prayers 12. The next Rubrick to be cleared how far a Minister may repulse a scandalous and notorious Sinner from the Communion 13. Whether the Rubrick is not to be mended where the Churchwardens are strictly charged to gather the Alms for the Poor before the Communion begin for by experience it is proved to be done better when the People depart 14. Whether the Rubrick is not to be mended concerning the Party that is to make his General Confession upon his knees before the Communion that it should be said only by the Minister and then at every Clause repeated to the People 15. These words in the Form of the Consecration This is my Body This is my Blood of the New Testament not to be printed hereafter in great Letters 16. Whether it will not be fit to insert a Rubrick touching kneeling at the Communion that is to comply in all Humility with the Prayer which the Minister makes when he delivers the Elements 17. Whether Cathedral and Collegiate Churches shall be strictly bound to Celebrate the Holy Communion every Sunday at the least and might not it rather be added once in a Month. 18. In the last Rubrick touching the Communion it is not fit that the Printer make a full Point and begin with a new Great Letter at these words And every Paâ—â—shioner shall also receive the Sacrament 19. Whether in the first Prayer at the Baptism these words Didst sanctifie the Flood of Jordan and all other Waters should be thus changed Didst sanctifie the Element of Water 20. Whether it be not fit to have some discreet Rubrick made to take away all scandal from signing the Sign of the Cross upon the Infants after Baptism or if it shall seem more expedient to be quite disused whether this Reason should be published That in ancient Liturgies no Cross was confined upon the Party but where Oyl also was used and therefore Oyl being now omitted so may also that which was concomitant with it the Sign of the Cross. 21. In Private Baptism the Rubrick mentions that which must not be done that the Minister may dip the Child in Water being at the point of Death 22. Whether in the last Rubrick of Confirmation those words be to be left out and be undoubtedly saved 23. Whether the Catechism may not receive a little more Enlargement 24. Whether the Times prohibited for Marriage are quite to be taken away 25. Whether none hereafter shall have Licenses to marry nor be asked their Banns of Matrimony that shall not bring with them a Certificate from their Ministers that they are instructed in their Catechism 26. Whether these Words in Matrimony With my Body I thee worship shall not be thus altered I give thee power over my body 27. Whether the last Rubrick of Marriage should not be mended that new married Persons should receive the Communion the same day of their marriage may not well be or upon the Sunday following when the Communion is celebrated 28. In the Absolution of the Sick were it not plain to say I pronounce thee Absolved 29. The Psalm of Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth were it not fit to be composed out of proper Versicles taken from divers Psalms 30. May not the Priest rather read the Communion in the Desk than go up to the Pulpit 31. The Rubrick in the Commination leave it doubtful whether the Liturgy may not be read in divers places in the Church 32. In the Order of the Burial of all Persons 't is said We commit his Body to the Ground in sure and certain hope of Resurrection to Eternal Life Why not thus Knowing assuredly that the Dead shall rise again 33. In the Collect next unto the Collect against the Pestilence the Clause perhaps to be mended For the honour of Iesus Christ's sake 34. In the Litany instead of Fornication and all other deadly Sin would it not satisfie thus From Fornication and all other grievous Sins 35. It is very fit that the Imperfections of the Metre in the singing Psalms should be mended and then Lawful Authority added unto them to have them publickly sung before and after Sermons and sometimes instead of the Hymns of Morning and Evening Prayer § 242. And now our Calamities began to be much greater than before We were called all by the Name of Presbytorians the odious Name though we never put up one Petition for Presbytery but pleaded for Primitive Episcopacy We were represented in the common talk of those who thought it their Interest to be our Adversaries as the most Seditious People unworthy to be used like Men or to enjoy our common Liberty among them We could not go abroad but we met with daily Reproaches and false Stories of us Either we were feigned to be Plotting or to be Disaffecting the People c. And no Sermon that I preached scarce escaped the Censure of being Seditious though I preached only for Repentance and Faith and Morality and Common Vertue yea if it were against Disobedience and Sedition all was one as to my Estimation with those Men. And the great Increaser of all this was that there were a multitude of Students that studied for Preferment and many Gentlemen that aimed at their Rising in the World who found our quickly what was most pleasing to those whose Favour they must rise by and so set themselves industriously to Reviling Calumniating and Cruelty against all those whom they perceived to be odious And he that can but convince a worldly Generation of any thing that 's the ready way to their Preserment shall be sure to have it closely followed and throughly done with all their might § 243. Before and
fourth sort are the Independents who are for the most part a serious godly People some of them moderate going with Mr. Norton and the New-England Synod and little differing from the moderate Presbyterians and as well ordered as any Party that I know But others of them more raw and self-conceited and addicted to Separations and Divisions their Zeal being greater than their Knowledge who have opened the Door to Anabaptists first and then to all the other Sects These Sects are numerous some tolerable and some intolerable and being never incorporated with the rest are not to be reckoned with them Many of them the Behmâ—nists Fifth-Monarchy-men Quakers and some Anabaptists are proper Fanaticks looking too much to Revelations within instead of the Holy Scriptures And thus I have truly told you of all the Sorts among us except the Papists who are sufficiently known and are no more of us than the other Sects are The Atheists and Infidels I name not because as such they have no Pastors § 286. Next it will not be amiss if I briefly give you the Sum of their several Causes and the Reasons of their several Ways I. The Conformists go several Wâ—ys according to their forementioned Differences 1. Those that are high Prelatists say 1. For Episcopacy it is of Divine Institution and perpetual Usage in the Church and necessary to Order among the Clergy and People and of experienced Benefit to this Land and most congruous to Civil Monarchy and therefore not to be altered by any no not by the King and Parliament if they should swear it Therefore the Oath called the Et caetera Oath was formed before the War to Swear all Men to be true to this Prelacy and not to Change it 2. Those that are called Conforming Presbyterians and Latitudinarians both say that our Prelacy is lawful though not necessary and that Mr. Edward Stillingfleet's Irenicon hath well proved That no Form of Church Government is of Divine Institution And therefore when the Magistrate commandeth any he is to be obeyed But since they grew up to Preferment they grow to be hot for the Prelacy § 287. And therefore as to the Covenant they all say 1. That the End of it was Evil viz. To Change the Government of the Church without Law which was setled by Law 2. That the Efficient Cause was Evil or Null viz. That the Imposers had no Authority to do it 3. That the Matter was Evil viz. to extirpate and change the Government of the Church by Rebellion and Combination against the King 4. That the Swearers Act in taking it was sinful for the foresaid Reasons 5. That the King's Prohibition and disowning it did nullifie all the Subjects Obligations if any were upon them by virtue of Numb 30. 6. That the People being all Subjects cannot endeavour the Change of Church Government without the King 7. That King Charles took not that same Covenant but another 8. That he was forced to it 9. That he was virtually pre-engaged to the contrary Matter in that he was Heir of the Crown and bound to take the Coronation Oath 10. That to cast so many Men as the Bishops out of all their Honours and Possessions is Injustice which none can be obliged to do 11. That if it were lawful before to endeavour an Alteration of the Government of the Church yet now it is not when King and Parliament have made a Law against it These are Mr. Fulwood's and Mr. Stileman's Pleas and the Sum of all that I have heard as to that Point § 288. But further as to the Interpretation of the Words of the Declaration hereabouts the Latitudinarians and Conforming Presbyterians and some of the Prelatists say as followeth 1. That the Declaration includeth not the King when it saith There is no obligation on me or any other person which they prove because that Laws are made only for Subjects and therefore are to be interpreted as speaking only of Subjects 2. Because the King is meant in the Counterpart or Object viz the Government of the State which is not to be altered 2. They say that it is only Rebellions or other unlawful Endeavours that are meant by the words to Endeavour 3. They say that by any Alteration is meant only any Essential Alteration and not any Integral or Accidental Alteration of the Government 4. And the leading Independents have taught them also to say that this Covenant was essentially a League between two Nations upon a certain occasion which therefore if ever it did bind is now like an Almanack out of date Et cessat obligatio cessantibus personis materiâ fine 5. They principally argue that all Mens words are to be taken charitative in the most honest and favourable sence that they will bear much more the King 's and Parliaments Therefore Charity permitteth us not to judge them so inhuman irrational irreligious and cruel as to command Men to be perjured and to change the constituted Government by prohibiting King Parliament or People to do any thing which belonged to them in their places These are the Reasons for the lawfulness of declaring against the Obligation of the Covenant § 289. 3. In the same Declaration it is professed That it is not lawful on any pictente whatsoever to take up Arms against the King or any Commissionated by him c. Concerning this they are also divided among themselves One Party say That this is true universally in the proper sence of the words The other say That it is to be understood of such as are legally Commissioned by him only and that if he should Commission two or three Men or more to kill the Parliament or burn the City or to dispossess Men of their Freeholds it were lawful forcibly to resist Or if the Sheriff be to raise the Posse Comitatus in obedience to a Decree of a Court of Justice to put a Man into possession of his House he may do it forcibly though the Defendant be Commissioned by the King to keep it Because they say that the Law is to be taken sano sensu and not as may lay the Law-givers under so heavy an Accusation as the literal unlimited sence would do § 290. 4. The fourth Matter of Difference being the Oath of Canonical Obedience they here also differ among themselves 1. Some of them think that as the Necessity of Monarchy and our Relation to the King doth make the Oath of Allegiance necessary or very meet so the Necessity of Prelacy and our Relation to the Prelates doth make the Oath of Obedience to them justifiable and meet For that which must be done may be promised and sworn 2. Others of them say That it is only to the Bishops as Magistrates or Officers of the King that we swear to them 3. And others say That as we may be subject to any Man in humility so we may promise or swear it to any Man And it being but in licit 〈◊〉 honestis that what we may
lawfully do we may swear to do § 291. 5. The fifth Controversie is about Re-ordination of such as were not Ordained by Diocesans but by the Presbyteries which then were at home or abroad And here they are also of two minds among themselves The one sort say That Ordination without Diocesans is a Nullity and those that are so Ordained are no Ministers but Laymen and therefore their Churches no true Churches in sensu politico And therefore that such must needs be Re-ordained The other sort say That their Ordination was valid before in foro spirituali but not in foro cioili and that the repeating of it is but an afoertaining or a confirming Act as publick Marrying again would be after one is privately married in case the Law would bastardize or disinherit his Children else § 292. 6. The sixth Controversie is about the lawfulness of the Assent and Consent to be declared which is to all contained in the Book of Articles the Book of Ordination and the Book of Common Prayer These comprehend abundance of Particulars some Doctrinal some about the Offices and Discipline of the Church and some about the Matter the Order and Manner and Ceremonies of Worship Here they are also divided among themselves some few of them take the words plainly and properly viz. the willing Conformists and think that indeed there is nothing in these Books which is not to be assented and consented to And indeed all the Convocation must needs be of that mind or the Major part and also the Parliament because they had the Books before them to be perused and did examine the Liturgy and Book of Ordination and make great Alterations in them and therefore if they had thought there had been any thing not to be assented and consented to they would have altered it by correction before they had imposed it on the Church But for all that the other Party is now so numerous that I could yet never speak with any of them but went that way viz. with the Latitudinarians to expound the words all things contained in the Books which they assent and consent to All things which they are to use and their Assent and Consent they limit only to the use q. d. I do dissent that there is nothing in these Books which may not lawfully be used and I do consent to the use of so much as belongeth to me Though yet they think or will not deny but that there may be something that may be ill framed and ill imposed The reason of this Exposition they fetch from the word use which is found after in the Act of Uniformity though it be not in the words of the Delaration And for the Books they say It is lawful to use the Common-Prayer and the Ceremonies Cross Surplice Copes and Kneeling at the Sacrament and all that is in that or the other Books to be used and therefore to declared so much § 293. More particularly 1. Concerning the Kalendar imposing the use of so many Apocryphal Lessons they say that they are read but upon Week-days and that not as Scripture but as edifying Lessons as the Homilies are and as many Churches have long used them And that the Church sufficiently avoideth the Scandal by calling them Apocryphâ—◠§ 294. And 2. for the parcelling and ordering of the Prayers and Responses as they are some of them say that it is the best Form and Order and it 's only Fancy and 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 them Others say that they are disorderly indeed but that is not the Sin of the Users when they are imposed but of the Framers and 〈◊〉 § 295. And 3. as for the Doctrine of the Salvation of Baptized Infants in the Rubrick of Baptism and all the rest in that Book and in the Nine and thirty Arâ—â—â—â—â— some of them say that they are all found viz. the willing Conformists but the unwilling Conformists say that these are not things to be used by themâ— and therefore not within the Compass of the declared Assent or Consent in the Act. § 296. And 4. as to the Charitable Applications excepted against in Baptism Confirmation the Lord's Supper Absolution of the Sick and Burial they say they are but such as according to the Judgment of Charity we may use And if there be any fault it is not in the Common Prayer Book which useth but such words as are fit to be used by the Members of the Church but it is in the Canons and Discipline of the Church which suffereth unfit Persons to be Church-Members § 297. And 5. as for the Ceremonies they say 1. That Kneeling is freed from all suspicion of Idolatry by the annexing of the Rubrick out of King Edward the Sixth's Common Prayer Book which though the Convocation refused yet the Parliament annexed and they are the Imposers and it is their sence that we must stand to And as it is lawful to Kneel in accepting a sealed Pardon from the King by his Messenger so is it in accepting a sealed Pardon from God with the Investiture of our Priviledges § 298. And 2. they say that the Surplice is as lawful as a Gown it being not imposed primarily because significant but because decent and secondarily as significant say some Or as others say It is the better and fitter to be imposed because it is significant and that God hath no where forbidden such Ceremonies § 299. And 3. for the Cross in Baptism they say that it is no part of the Sacrament of Baptism but an appendant Ceremony that it is the better for being significant that it is but a transient Image and not a fixed much less a graven Image and is not adored that it is but a professing sign as words are or as standing up or holding up the hand and not any Seal of God's part of the Covenant and though it be called in the Canons a Dedicating Sign it is but as it signifieth the Action of the Person or the Church and not as it signifieth the Action of God receiving the dedicated Person And some say That it cannot be de denied but that according to the old and common use of the word Sacrament as a Military Engagement it is a Sacrament yet it is not pretended to be a Divine but a Humane Sacrament and such are lawful it being in our definition of a Church Sacrament that it is Ordained by Christ himself And though Man may not invent New Sacraments as God's sealing or investing Signs and so pretend that to be Divine which is not yet man may invent New Human Sacraments which go no further than the signifying of their own Minds and Actions And they say That if such mystical Signs as these had been unlawful it is a thing incredible that the Universal Church should use such as far as can be found from the Apostles days even the Milk and Honey and Chrysm and White Garment at Baptism and the Station on the Lord's Days and the oft use of the Cross and
pursued me to this very day 2. But it is the Reasons against our full Obedience to the Imposition of this Conformity which I am now to rehearse but I must desire the Reader to remember that my bare Recital is no sign of my Approbation of all that I recite though I be one of those that dare not Conform § 304. And first there are divers general Reasons which keep some of them more than others from Conformity and drive them further even from joyning with them in Liturgy or Sacrament 1. Some of them look upon the Principles and Lives of many of those who fall in with the establisht Church as furnishing them with a sufficient Plea against Conformity For say they it 's easie to observe how the Prophane and Vitious and Debaucht and Scandalous which makes up but too great a part of the Nation fall in with that Party in the Church that are for Prelacy and Liturgy c. and for oppressing those who differ in their Sentiments from them about these Matters Now how say they can we safely joyn in with that Body of Men that harbours so many open Enemies to all Religion as the prophane part of the Nation comprehends But some who are more considerate reply That this is no other than what is the usual Attendant of a National Establishment it being a common thing for all those in a State who are really of no Religion in appearance to fall in with that Mode of Religion that is favour'd by the Law and most encouraged by the Prince § 305. 2. The same Persons say That by Conforming they shall own and strengthen Usurpers who have made a New Office which Christ never made and to the great wrong of Christ and the peril of the Church have made themselves Lords of God's Heritage And as he that obeyeth the Pope's Law is guilty of his Usurpation so is he that obeyeth the Prelates Laws though the Matter commanded were lawful in it self But the moderater Nonconformists are not for this Reason because say they it is but Counsel as it cometh from the Convocation and it is the King and Parliament that make a Law of it whom we must obey in lawful things And they say further That we must not forbear a Duty for fear of Encouraging Men's Usurpations § 306. They say also 3. That these Impositions are done by the Prelates in meer design to root out godly Ministers and Christians And that when they feared that the old Conformity would not serve turn they have added such new Materials of set purpose which keep out a Thousand at least that would have yielded to the Old Conformity And what they aim at further when they have thus driven out all the able faithful Ministers God knoweth But if we set in with them and use the very means which they have â—â—bricated for this very end to destroy the Interest of Godliness though the Act commanded were indifferent we are made guilty of their Sin But the moderate Nonconformists say That such Reasons as these are good Seconds where the Matter is first proved evil but 1. That Mens Designs are lateâ—t in their hearts and the strongest Conjectures will not serve instead of Proof 2. If that it were known to any one of us not by the Evidence of the thing but by some other Discovery that a lawful thing is Commanded with a pernicious design that will not excuse us from our Obedience unless it be probable that the Church is like to be saved from ruine by our forbearance to obey And we may do the thing commanded without any participation of the Guilt of Mens private malicious Intentions § 307. 4. Also they say That we have Covenanted to endeavour a Reformation and had begun it and therefore shall be Covenant-breakers and Backsliders if we yield to any thing which was to be reformed But here the more moderate have many Distinctions between things unlawful and things only inconvenient and between those that have opportunity to do better and those that have not and between seldom Communion and most ordinary And they say that things unlawful must not be done whether we have covenanted against them or not But for things only inexpedient or evil by a superable Accident they become our Duties and no Covenant disobligeth us from our Duty and that the Covenant never was intended to oblige us to prefer no Worship before that which is defective but only to prefer that which is better before it And that it may be a duty to Communicate sometime with a very faulty Church in order to our Catholick Communion with the whole so be it our ordinary particular Communion be in the purest Church and Order caeteris paribus that we can have § 308. 5. And another Reason given is That the Aggravation of the Sin of these Imposers is very great that they have been Persecutors heretofore and seen and felt God's Judgments for it and have been convinced and intreated to return to Charity and yet they have with renewed Malice set themselves to the debauching of the Consciences of the Kingdom and to the extirpation of Natural Honesty and have branded all their Party with the Mark of Perjury Perfidiousness and Persecution while they brand the Consciencious with the Name of Puritans And therefore they are a Generation ready for perdition and certainly near some heavy Curse And for us to joyn with them that are in the way to Wrath is the way to be partakers of their Plagues But the moderate say to this 1. That the Extenuation as well as the Aggravation of their Sin must be considered And that it must be remembred that among the Nonconformists there is a Party of Sectaries that Rebelled against all the Governours that were over them and cut off the King's Head when they had conquered those that are now against them in the Field and sequestred their Estates And that such great Provocation may not only sublimate Malice where it findeth it but greatly exasperate even temperate Men. 2. That it 's true that we must partake with no Men in their Sin as ever we would escape their Plagues but when that which is the Imposers Sin is become the Subjects Duty God will not plague us with them for doing our Duties 3. That it is dangerous to presume to foreteâ— on whom God will bring his Judgments in this Life and to preâ—ume that we are safe and they are near perdition while all things come alike to all and the differencing Day of Judgment is not yet come Therefore it is dangerous on such Prophesies or Presumptions or Fears to go out of the way of any Duty or to avoid any lawful Communion with the Church § 309. 6. Again it is said That these Impositions being the Engines of Division in the Church as Mr. Hales himself affirmeth we shall be partakers of the Schisms if we use them But the moderate say That indeed if we partake in the Imposition we partake in the
to put up to God in all which they are meer Executioners of other Mens Judgments as a Cryer or such other Messenger § 316. 2. The second Charge against this Diocesan Prelacy is That it introduceth a New Humane Species or Presbyters or Spiritual Officers instead of Christ's which it destroyeth that is a sort of meer Subject Presbyters that have no power of Government but meerly to Teach and Worship That this is a distinct Species is proved in that 1. It wanteth an essential part which the other Species hath 2. From the Bishop's own profession who in the beginning of the Book of Ordination Subscribed to do declare it plainly determined in Scripture viz. That Bishops Priests and Deacons are three distinct Orderâ— which word Orders is the common term to signifie a Species of Church Officers distinct from a meer degree in the same Order or Species That this Office is New is proved 1. In that Scripture or Antiquity never knew it 2. Dr. Hammond Annot. in Act. 11. and in his Latin Book against Blondell Dissertat professeth that it cannot be proved that the word Bishop Presbyter or Pastor signifieth in all the Scripture any other than a proper Bishop or that there was any such as we now all Presbyters in Scripture times And in his Answer to the London Ministers he saith That for ought he knoweth all his Brethren of the Church of England are of his mind So that Presbyters that had no Governing Power were not in Scripture times And though he says that the other sort came in before Ignatiu's time yet 1. He saith not that this sort had no Government of the Flock but that they were under the Bishop in Government so that yet they are not the sort that we are speaking of 2. And he doth not prove any more § 317. 3. A third Charge which they bring against our Prelacy is That it destroyeth the Species or Form of particular Churches instituted by Christ The Churches which Christ instituted are Holy Societies associated for Personal holy Communion under their particular Pastors But all such Societies are destroyed by the Diocesan Frame Ergo it is destructive of the Form of particular Churches instituted by Christ. The distinguish between Personal Local Communion of Saints by Pastors and their Flocks and Communion of hearts only and Communion by Delegation or Deputies 1. We have Heart-Communion with all the Catholick Church through the World 2. Particular Churches have Communion for Concord and mutual Strength in Synods by their Pastors or Deputies 3. But a holy Communion of Souls or individual Persons as Members of the same particular Church for publick Worship and a holy Life is specifically distinct from both the former as is apparent 1. By the distinct end 2. The distinct manner of Communion yea and the matter of it And that this Form of Churches or Species is overthrown by this Prelacy they prove The Churches of Christ's institution were constituted of Governing Pastors and a Flock governed by them in Personal holy Communion every Church having its proper Pastor or Pastors But such Churches as are thus constituted are destroyed by our Frame of Prelacy Ergo The Major is confessed de facto by Dr. Hammond ubi supra as to Scripture times and sufficiently cleared in my Treatise of Episcopacy Ignatius his Testimony alone might suffice who saith That to every Church there was one Altar and one Bishop with the Presbyters and Deacons his Fellow Servants A Church of one Altar and of a thousand Altars A Church that is for Personal Communion and a Church that hath no Personal Communion with her Pastor or Bishop or with one of a hundred of her Fellow-Members a Church which is a Church indeed and that which is no Church but only a part of a Church are more than specifically distinct for indeed the Name is but equivoeally applied to them as distinct Natures or Societies Every Church univocally so called in sensu politico as a governed Society hath its pars gubernaâ—s and pars gubernata to constitute it But so have not our Parish Churches as such indeed as Oratories and Schools as instructed and worshipping Societies they have their Parochial Heads but as governed Societies they have no Heads proper to themselves nor any at all as Churches but as parts of a Church For the Diocesan is Head of the Diocesan Church as such and not of a Parochial Church as such but only as a part of the Diocesan Church And as it is no Kingdom which hath no King so it is no Political Church which hath no Governour or Pastor So that Diocesans destroy particular Churches as much as in them lyeth Unless any will say that as one King as he is persona naturalis may be three or twenty Kings as persona civilis as related to several Kingdoms and so one Bishop as persona naturalis may yet be a thousand Ecclesiastical Persons as Pastor of so many Churches But this being ridiculous and yet said by none that I have heard of I shall not stand to confute it But were it so yet a Pastor that never seeth or speaketh to his People nor hath any personal Communion in Worship with them and this according to the Constitution it self is not of the same sort with a Scripture Pastor 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Hebr. 13. 17 c. which labour among them and preach to them the Word of God and watch for their Souls c. And consequently the Churches constituted by them are not of the same Species It is one Office personally to Teach Oversee Rule and Worship with them and another to do none of these to one of a thousand but to send the Churchwardens a Book of Articles § 318. 4. A fourth Charge is That it setteth up a New Church-Form which is unlawful instead of that of Christ's institution that is a Diocesan Church consisting of many hundred Parishes which none of them are Churches according to the Diocesan Frame but parts of one Church It hath been shewed that this Diocesan Church is of another Species than the Parochial one being for personal Communion which the other is uncapable of the far greatest part of the Members never seeing their Pastor nor knowing one another any more than if they lived in several parts of the World And that this Church Form is new is proved already that is that there was no Diocesan Church having many stated Congregations and Altars much less many hundreds and all under one only Bishop or Governour either in Scripture time or two hundred years after excepting only that in Alexandria and Rome some shew of more Assemblies than one under one Bishop appeared a little sooner Here note That it is not an Archbishop's Church that we are speaking of who is but the General Pastor or Bishop having other Bishops and Churches under him but it is a Church infimae Speciei commonly called a particular Church which hath no other Churches or Bishops under it
Name of Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Government And so by the Name they seduce Mens minds to think that this is indeed the use of the Keys which God hath put into the Churches Hands 3. Hereby they greatly encourage the Usurpation of the Pope and his Clergy who set up such Courts for probate of Wills and Causes of Matrimony and rule the Church in a Secular manner though many of them confess that directly the Church hath no forcing Power And this they call the Churches Power and Spiritual Government and Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and say that it belongeth not to Kings and that no King can in Conscience restrain them of it but must protect them in it And so they set up Imperium in Imperio and as Bishop Bedle said of Ireland The Pope hath a Kingdom there in the Kingdom greater than the Kings Against which Ludov. Molinaeus hath written at large in two or three Treatises So that when the Papal Power in England was cast down and their Courts subjected to the King and the Oath of Supremacy formed it was under the Name of Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Power that it was acknowledged to be in the King who yet claimeth no proper Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Power so greatly were these Terms abused and so are they still as applied to our Bishops Courts so that the King is said by us to be Chief Governour in all Causes Ecclesiastical because Coercive Power in Church Matters which is proper to the Magistrate was possessed and claimed by the Clergy And in all Popish Kingdoms the Kings are but half Kings through these Usurpations of the Clergy And for us to Exercise the same kind of Power mixt with the Exercise of the Keys and that by the same Name is greatly to countenance the Usurpers § 352. If it be said That the Church claimeth no Coercive Power but as granted them by the King or that it is the Magistrate that annexeth Mulcts and Penalties and not the Church I answer 1. They perswade the Magistrate that he ought to do so 2. Force is not a meer Accident but confessed by them to be the very Life of their Government It is that which bringeth People to their Courts and enforceth all their Precepts and causeth Obedience to them so that it is part of the very Constitution of their Government And as to Fees and Commutation of Penance Pecuniary Mulcts are thus imposed by themselves 3. Their very Courts and Officers are of a Secular Form 4. The Magistrate is but the Executioner of their Sentence He must grant out a Writ and imprison a Man quatenus excommunicate without sitting in Judgment upon the Cause himself and trying the Person according to his Accusation And what a dishonour do these Men put on Magistrates that make them their Executioners to imprison those whom they condemn inuudita causa at a venture be it right or wrong So much of the Nonconformists Charges against the English Prelacy § 353. By this you may see what they Answer to the Reasons of the Conformists As 1. To the willing Conformists who plead a Iur Divinum they say That if all that Gersom Bucer Didoclavius Blondell Salmasius Parker Baines c. have said against Episcopacy it self were certainly confuted yet it is quite another thing that is called Episcopacy by them that plead it Iure Divino If 1. Bishops of single Churches with a Presbytery under them 2. and General Bishops over these Bishops were both proved Iure Divine yet our Diocesans are proved to be contra jus Divinum 2. To the Latitudinarians and involuntary Conformists who plead that no Church-Government as to the form is of Divine Institution they answer 1. This is to condemn themselves and say Because no Form is of God's Institution therefore I will declare that the Episcopal Form is of Divine Institution for this is part of their Subscription or Declaration when they Profess Assent and Confent to all things in the Book of Common Prayer and Ordination And one thing in it is in these words with which the Book beginneth It is evident to all Men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church Bishops Priests and Deacons which Offices were evermore had in such reverend estimation c. So that here they declare that Bishops and Priests are not only distinct Degrees but distinct Orders and Offices and that since the Apostles time as evident by Scripture c. when yet many of the very Papists Schoolmen do deny it And the Collect in the Ordering of Priests runs thus Almighty God giver of all good things who by the holy Spirit hath appointed divers Orders of Ministers in the Church So that in plain English they declare That Episcopacy even as a distinct Order Office and Function for all these words are there is appointed by the Spirit of God because they believe that no Form is so appointed 2. That which Mr. Stillingfleet calleth A Form is none of the Substance of the Government it self nor the Offices in the Church He granteth that 1. Worshipping Assemblies are of Divine appointment 2. That every one of these must have one or more Pastors who have power in their Order to teach them and go before them in Worship and spiritually guide or govern them But 1. Whether a Church shall have one Pastor or more 2. Whether one of them shall be in some things subject to another 3. Whether constant Synods shall be held for concord of Associated Churches 4. Whether in these Synods one shall be Moderator and how long and with what Authority not unreasonable these he thinks are left undetermined And I am of his mind supposing General Rules to guide them by as he doth But the Matter and Manner of Church-Discipline being of God's appointment and the Nature and Ends of a particular Church and the Office of Pastors as well as the Form of the Church Universal it is past doubt that nothing which subverteth any of these is lawful And indeed if properly no Form of Government be instituted by God then no Form of a Church neither for the Form of Government is the Form of a Church considered in sensu politico and not as a meer Community And then the Church of England is not of God's making Quest. Who then made it Either another Church made this Church and then what was that Church and who made its Form and so ad Originem or no Church made it If no Church made the Church of England quo jure or what is its Authority and Honour If the King made it was he a Member of a Church or not If yea 1. There was then a Church-Form before the Church of England And who made that Church usque ad Originem If the King that made it was no Member of a Church then he that is no Member of a Church may institute a Church Form but quo jure and with what
only to the Holy Canonical Scriptures in general and to the Creeds and 36 Articles in particular And no Oath Promise or Consent he required save only the renewing of the Covenant which in Baptism we made to God and a promise of Fidelity in our Ministry and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to the King And for all lesser matters let it suffice that the Laws may restrain us from preaching against any Established Doctrine or against Episcopacy Liturgy or Ceremonies and from all Male-Administrations or Church-Tyranny or Injustice about the Sacraments and that we be punishable according to the quality of the Offence II. The Fire having now caused a Necessity of many more publick Assemblies for God's Worship besides those in the yet standing Parish-Churches we humbly conceive that it would much conduce to the re-edifying of the Churches and City and the contenting of many and the drawing off the people from more private Meetings if a competent Number of the Ruin'd Cnurches be allowed to such sober Protestants as will repair them with the same liberty and Security for possession as the French and Dutch in London have their Churches the people chusing their Pastors and maintaining them Or if his Majesty's Bounty allow them any Stipend that none have that Stipend whom his Majesty approveth not And that the Pastors be not suffered to introdâ—ce there any Heresie or Idolatry but shall preach the Doctrine of the sacred Scriptures not opposing the Doctrines or Orders of the Church and shall worship God according to the Liturgy or the Assembly's Directory or the Reformed Liturgy offered by the Commissioners 1660. as they desire III. That all such be capable of Benefices who subscribe and swear as is aforesaid and being of Competent Abilities shall be lawfully Ordained or if already ordained are confirmed by the late Act or shall be confirmed by any Commissioned by his Majesty they being obliged some time to read the Liturgy and sometimes to administer the Sacrament according to it abating the Ceremonies And to be often present when it is read which shall be ordinarily or constantly done and the Sacrament administred as oft as is required by Law by himself or some other allowed Minister And that those who will only subscribe and swear as is abovesaid being ordained also as aforesaid but cannot so far conform to the Liturgy may be allowed to preach and Catechize publickly as Lecturers or Assistants to some others and to have such further Liberty about the Sacraments as by just Regulations shall be made safe to Religion and the publick peace There is another way which would satisfie almost all by allowing each party such a Minister whose Ordination and Ministration they do make no scruple at which would prevent all private Churches and perhaps all Face of Schism among us which is if in every Parish where any party dissenteth from the Established way the Dissenters be left at liberty either to communicate with any Neighbour-Parish or to chuse an Assistant for the Incumbent which Assistant shall be maintained by themselves unless the Incumbent will voluntarily contribute And shall officiaâ—e one half of the Day as the Incumbent doth the other having leave to do it according to the foresaid Directory or the Additional Liturgy offered 1660. or at least to have the use of the Church at such Hours as the Incumbent doth not there officiate The people receiving the Communion from each according to their several Iudgments And though so great a Rupture as ours is cannot be cured without some inconveniences which may be here objected yet such Laws may be made for the Regulation of this Liberty as may restrain all Faction Contention and Mutual Contempt or Injuries and even the Naming themselves Members of distinct Churches as might be shewed § 66. The Copy of the Lord Keeper's or Dr. Wilkins's Proposals In order to Comprehension it is Humbly Offered 1. That such persons as in the late times of disorder have been ordained by Presbyters shall be admitted to the Exercise of the Ministerial Function by the Imposition of the Hands of the Bishop with this or the like Form of Words Take thou Authority to Preach the Word of God and to Minister the Sacraments in any Congregation of the Church oâ— England where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto An Expedient much of this Nature was practised and allowed of in the Case of the Catharists and Melesians Vid. 8th Canon Concil Nic. â—ynodical Epistle of the same to the Churches of Egypt Gelasius Cyzicenus Hist. Con. Nic. 2d part 2. That all persons to be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity or the Employment of a School-master after the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy shall instead of all former Subscriptions be required to subscribe this or the like Form of Words I A. B. do hereby profess and declare That I do approve the Doctrines Worship and Government Established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to Salvation and that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Doctrine contrary to that which is so Established And I do hereby promise That I will continue in the Communion of the Church of England and will not do any thing to disturb the Peace thereof 3. That the Gesture of Kneeling at the Sacrament and the use of the Cross in Baptism and bowing at the Name of Iesus may be left indifferent or may be taken away as shall be thought most expedient 4. That in Case it be thought fit to review and alter the Liturgy and Canons for the satisfaction of Dissenters that then every person to be admitted to preach shall upon his Institution or Admission to preach upon some Lord's Day within a time to be limited publickly and solemnly read the said Liturgy and openly declare his Assent to the Lawfulness of the use of it and shall promise That it shall be constantly used at the time and place accustomed In order to Indulgence of such Protestants as cannot be comprehended under the publick Establishment it is Humbly offered 1. That such Protestants may have liberty for the Exercise of thâ—r Religion in publick and at 〈◊〉 Charges to build or procure places for their publick Worship either within or near Tâ—â—s as shall be thought most Expedient 2. That the Names of all such persons who are to have this Liberty be Registred together with the Congregations to which they belong and the Names of their Teachers 3. That every one admitted to this liberty be disabled to bear any publick Office but shall fine for Officers of Burden 4. And that upon shewing a Certificate of their being listed among those who are indulged they shall be freed from such legal penalties as are to be inflicted on those who do not frequent their Parish-Churches 5. And such persons so indulged shall not for their meeting in Conventicles be punished by Confiscation of Estates 6. Provided that they be
and Corporation Which Law while they durst not for the most part of them obey they were fain to live privately as still flying from a Goal and to preach to none but those that sought to them and thrust in upon them So that their Congregations were through necessity just of Independent and Separating Shape and outward Practice though not upon the same Principles And the common People though pious are so apt to be led by outward palpable Appearances that they forgot both former Principles and sad Effects and Practices though such as one would think should never have been forgotten at least by them who suffered all these Confusions and Calamities as the Fruits yea more than so 1. the Sense of our common Faultiness 2. and the necessity of our present Concord 3. and the harshness of grating upon suffering Persons 4. and the reconciling nature of our common Sufferings made us think it unseasonable and sinful though after ten Years to tell one another never so gently of our former Faults or to touch upon our different Principles but 't was thought best to bury all in silence whilst the Fruits of them spread more and leavened a great part of the Religious People of the City yea of the Land § 97. And it was a great Advantage to them that their selected Members being tyed by Covenants stuck close to them and the Presbyterians Assemblies unless they gathered Churches in their way were but unknown or uncertain People for a great part And so the only order seemed to be left in the gathered Churches § 98. And another Advantage was That being more than the rest against the Bishops Liturgies Ceremonies and Parish-Communion they agreed much better with the disposition and passions of most of the Religious suffering People And those of us that were of another mind and refused not Parish-Communion in some Places and Cases were easily represented by them to the People as luke-warm Temporizers Men of too large Principles who supt the Anti-christian Pottage though we would not eat the Flesh. And a few such Words behind our backs wrought more on the Minds of many especially of the meaner and weaker sort of People than many Volumes of Learned Argument This weakness we cannot deny to their Accusers § 99. But whoever be the Sect-Masters it is notorious That the Prelates tho' not they only are the Sect-makers by driving the poor People by violence and the viciousness of too many of their Instruments into these alienations and extreams though I confess that Men's guilt in the Days of Liberty of Conscience must silence both Masters and Disciples from justifying themselves When I think of our Case and think of Christ's way of using Parables I am inclined to interpose a few § 100. In the West-Indies the Natives make Bread of a Root which is poison 'till corrected and then it is tolerable Bread The Europeans had a Controversie with the Indians and another among themselves The Indians said That their Roots were the better because our Wheat consisted of so many small incoherent Grains and was divisible even unto Atoms To prove which they did grind it to Flower on the Mill and then triumphing cryed see what Dust your Corn is come to The Christians said that their Wheat was better than the Indian's Roots as being more agreeable to the Nature of Man and that all those Atoms might be Cemented by a skilful hand and fermented into a wholsom Mass and baked into better Bread than theirs On the other side in a Place and Year where English Corn was scarce some of the Christians did eat of the Indian Bread but the rest maintained that it was unlawful because the Root had poison in it and therefore they would rather live without The other answered them That the Poison was easily separable from the rest and a wholsome Bread made of it though not so good as ours The Contention increased and the Refusers called the other Murderers as persuading Men to eat Poison And the other called them ignorant Self-Murderers who would famish themselves and their Families When the reviling and censure had continued a while the Famine grew so hot that one half of the Refusers dyed and the rest by pinching hunger and dear-bought Experience were first induced to try and aâ—ter to feed on the Indian Bread to the preservation of their Lives But e'er long the English Wheat prospered again and then the Europeans fell into three Parties among themselves One Party joyned with the Indians and said the Indian Bread is best for that saved our Lives when the English failed us Therefore it shall be made Banishment or Imprisonment to sow or speak for the English or European Grain or Bread Another Party reviled those that drew their Fathers to eat Indian Bread and said shall we be befooled and go against our Nature and our common Senses our Taste our experience of Strength and Vivacity Do we not see that the English is best Therefore they were Traytors that drew our Fore-fathers to eat the others and these are inhuman Tyrants that now compel Men to it But the third party said The English Bread is best which we never denyed but the Indian Bread was a thousand fold better than none we only used it when we could get no better which was no changing of our Minds but of our Practice And we will do the like in the like case of necessity Yea though it grieveth us to be put to it by our own Countrey-men we will rather eat now the Indian Bread than be famished by Banishment or in a Prison How this Controversie will end time will shew But every side hath so learned Men that it 's never like to end by Disputing for every one can shame his Adversary's Words But either another Famine or a plenty of European Bread with liberty to use it is like to end it if it ever end § 101. The like Controversie fell out in the Indies whether Asses or Horses were to be preferred as fittest for Man's use The Indians said Asses because it had been their Countreys use and Horses were so unruly that they would run away with the Rider and cast their Burdens to the danger of Men's Lives The Europeans said the Horses might be so used as to be more tame and so made far more useful than the Asses and some little inconveniencies and perils must be endured for a greater good At last all the European Horses dyed and then the English fell into Difference whether it were lawful to ride on Asses Some said no and aggravated their baseness Some said yea when we can have no better But when the Land was again stored with European Horses the English fell into just such a Difference as before Some would have all the English Horses kill'd and those banished or imprisoned that would use them And they said Do we not see by long experience that Coits cannot be tamed nor made tractable except to a few that use to
under the Profession of being a Church distinct from the Church of England and neither of these is my Case 2. The Statute of the 35 of Eliz. expoundeth it accordingly charging none of Unlawful Assembling but such as Separate or Communicate not with the Church 3. There is no other Statute that saith otherwise 4. The Rubrick and Law alloweth Conformable Ministers to keep many Religious Assemblies which are not in the Church being but Subordinate as 1. At the Visitation of the Sick where no numbers of Neighbours are prohibited to be present Sermons at the Spittle Sturbridge-Faire c. 2. At private Baptisms 3. At private Communions where any Family hath an impotent Person that cannot Communicate at Church 4. At the Rogation Perambulations where it was usual to Feast at Houses in their way and there for the Minister to instruct the People and to Pray and sing Psalms 5. The Laborious sort of Conformable Ministers have many of them used to repent their Sermons to all that would Assemble at their Houses Which Repeating was as truly Preaching as if they had Preached the same Sermon in several Pulpits Therefore all Meetings besides Church-Meetings are not Conventicles nor those that are in Subordination to them 5. Even the late Expired Act against Conventicles forbiddeth no Religious Exercises but such as are otherwise than the Liturgy or Practice of the Church and distinguishing expresly between the Exercises and the Numbers doth forbid no number when the Exercises are not otherwise as aforesaid tolerating even unlawful Exercises to the number of Four but not to more The Second Proposition That my Meetings were never Unlawful Conventicles is proved 1. I do constantly joyn with the Church in Common Prayer and go at the beginning 2. I Communicate in the Lord's Supper with the Church of England 3. I am no Nonconformist in the Sense of the Law because I Conform as far as the Law requireth me having been in no Ecclesiastical Promotion May 1. 1662. the Law requireth me not to subscribe declare c. till I take a Cure or Lecture c. 4. I sometimes repeat to the Hearers the Sermon which I heard in the Church 5. I exhort the People to Church-Communion and urge them with sufficient Arguments and Preach ordinarily against Separation and Schism and Sedition and Disloyalty 6. I have commanded my Servant to keep my Doors shut at the time of Publick Worship that none may be in my House that while 7. I go into the Church from my House in the Peoples sight that my Example as well as my Doctrine may persuade them 8. In all this I so far prevail that the Neighbours who hear me do commonly go to Church even to the Common-Prayer and I know not three or two of all the Parish that use to come to me who refuse it which success doth shew what it is I do 9. I have long offered the Pastor of the Parish the Dean of Windsor that if he would but tell me that it is his Judgment that I hinder his Success or the People's Good rather than help it I will remove out of the Parish which he never yet hath done 10. I have the Now-Arch-Bishop's License not reversed nor disabled to Preach in the Diocess of London which I may do by Law if I had a Church And I offered the Dean to give over my Meetings in my House if he would permit me to Preach without Hire sometimes occasionally in his Church which I am not disabled to do By all this it appeareth that any Meetings are not Unlawful Conventicles 11. And riotous they are not for my House being just before the Church Door the same Persons go out of the Church into my House and out of my House into the Church so that if one be riotous both must be so And I perform no Exercise at all contrary to the Doctrine or the Practice of the Church but when the Curate readeth only in the Evening and doth not Preach or Catechize when he hath done one part I do the other which he omitteth 2. The Oath cannot be imposed on me because I am none of the three sorts of Offenders there mentioned The first sort in the Act are such as have not Subscribed Declared and Conformed according to the Act of Uniformity and other Acts I am none of them because the Laws require it not of me being as aforesaid in no Church Promotion on May 1. 1662. The second sort are other Persons not Ordained according to the Order of the Church but I am so Ordained The third sort is School-Teachers which is not my Case though I have also a Liceâ—se to Teach School And that the two Descriptions of the Conventicles in the Preamble are to be the Expositions of the following prohibitous Parts of the Act is plain by the answerable distinction of them And also 1. Because the very Title and plain design of this Act is only to restrain Nonconformists 2. Because the express end and business of it is to preserve People from Seditious and Poisonous Doctrine But the Clergy which are not Nonconformists are not to be supposed to be defamed or suspected by the Laws of Preaching poisonous seditious Doctrine nor can it be imagined that they mean to drive them five Miles from all their Parishes in â—ngland if they should once be at a private Meeting or put the 40 l. Fine on them if they preach one Sermon after such Meeting to their Parishes before they have taken the Oath though no Man offer it them which would follow if it extended to them And I am exempted from the Suspicion of that Preaching 1. By being chosen and Sworn His Majesty's Chaplain in ordinary and Preaching before Him and Publishing my Sermons by His Special Commands and never since accused of ill Doctrine but the sharpest Debates written against Nonconformists do quarrel with them for quarrelling with my Doctrine 2. Some think the words have kept in the Act refer to the time past before the Act and then 't is nothing to me 3. Should I not have been Convict in my presence of some one unlawful Conventicle and of not departing after five Miles from the place for how should I be bound to forsake my Dwelling as an Offender before I knew of my Offence Lastly I told the Justices That I did not refuse the Oath but professed that I understood it not and desired time to learn to understand it if I could which they denyed me and would neither tell me who were my Accusers or Witnesses nor shew me the Words of the Accusation or Depositions nor suffer any Person but us three themselves and me to be at all present or to hear any thing that was said by them or me And though I shall never take Oaths which I cannot possibly understand nor in a Sense which is contrary to the plain importance of the Words till they are so expounded nor shall ever number deliberate Lying or Perjury with things indifferent yet
my Lord there are other Fruits of it which I am not altogether hopeless of Receiving When I am commanded to pray for Kings and all in Authority I am allowed the Ambition of this Preferment which is all that ever I aspired after to live a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty Diu nimis habitavit anima mea inter osores pacis I am weary of the Noise of contentious Revilers and have oft had Thoughts to go into a Foreign Land if I could find any where I might have a healthful Air and quietness that I might but Live and Die in peace When I sit in a Corner and meddle with no Body and hope the World will forget that I am alive Court City and Country is still fill'd with Clamours against me and when a Preacher wanteth Preferment his way is to Preach or write a Book against the Nonconformists and me by Name So that the Menstrua of the Press and Pulpits of some is some Bloody Invectives against my self as if my Peace were inconsistent with the Kingdom 's Happiness And never did my Eyes read such impudent Untruths in Matter of Fact as these Writings contain and they cry out for Answers and Reasons of my Nonconformity while they know the Law forbiddeth me to answer them Unlicensed I expect not that any Favour or Justice of my Superiours should Cure any of this But 1. If I might but be heard speak for my self before I be judged by them and such things believed For to contemn the Judgment of my Rulers is to dishonour them 2. I might live quietly to follow my private Study and might once again have the use of my Books which I have not seen these ten Years and pay for a Room for their standing at Kiderminster where they are eaten with Worms and Rats having no security for my quiet Abode in any place enough to encourage me to send for them And if I might have the Liberty that every Beggar hath to Travel from Town to Town I mean but to London to over-fee the Press when any thing of mine is Licensed for it And 3. If I be sent to Newgate for Preaching Christ's Gospel For I dare not sacrilegiously renounce my Calling to which I am Consecrated per Sacramentum Ordinis if I have the Favour of a better Prison where I may but walk and write These I should take as very great Favours and acknowledge your Lordship my Benefactor if you procure them For I will not so much injure you as to desire or my Reason as to expect any greater Matters no not the Benefit of the Law I think I broke no Law in any of the Preachings which I am accused of and I most confidently think that no Law imposeth on me the Oxford-Oath any more than any Conformable Minister and I am past doubting the present Mittimus for my Imprisonment is quite without Law But if the Justices think otherwise now or at any time I know no Remedy I have yet a License to Preach publickly in London-Diocess under the Arch-bishop's own Hand and Seal which is yet valid for occasional Sermons tho' not for Lectures or Cures But I dare not use it because it is in the Bishop's power to recall it Would but the Bishop who one would think should not be against the Preaching of the Gospel not re-call my License I could preach occasional Sermons which would absolve my Conscience from all Obligations to private Preaching For 't is not Maintenance that I expect I never received a Farthing for my Preaching to my Knowledge since May 1 1662. I thank God I have Food and Raiment without being chargeable to any Man which is all that I desire had I but leave to Preach for nothing and that only where there is a notorious Necessity I humbly Crave your Lordship's Pardon for the tediousness and again return you my very great Thanks for your great Favours remaining My Lord Your Lordship 's Humble Much Obliged Servant Richard Baxter Iune 24. 1670. One Reason more also as additional moveth me That the People of Scotland would have such jealous Thoughts of a Stranger especially at this time when Fame hath rung it abroad that I Conform that I should do little good among them and especially when there are Men enough among themselves that are able if Impediments were removed Another Letter to the E. of Lauderdale I Scarce account him worthy the Name of a Man much less of an English-man and least of all of a Christian who is not sensible of the great Sinfulness and Calamity of our divided and distracted Condition in his Majesty's Dominions The Sin is a Compendium of very many heinous Crimes The Calamity is 1. The King 's to have the trouble and peril of Governing such a divided People 2. The Kingdom 's to be as Guelphes and Gibelines hating and reviling one another and living in a Heart-War and a Tongue-War which are the Sparks that usually kindle a Hand-War and I tremble to think what a Temptation it is to Secret and to Foreign Enemies to make Attempts against our Peace and to read Infallibility it self pronouncing it a Maxim which the Devil himself is practically acquainted with That a House or Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand 3. The Churches To have Pastors against Pastors and Churches against Churches and Sermons against Sermons and the Bishops to be accounted the perfidiousest Enemies of the People's Souls and the Wolves that devour the Flock of Christ and so many of the People to be accounted by Bishops to be Rebellious Schismaticks and Fanaticks whose Religiousness and Zeal is the Plague of the Church and whose ruine or depression is the Pastor's Interest against whom the most vicious may be imployed as being more trusty and obedient to the Orders of the Church How doleful a Case is it that Christian Love and delight in doing good to one another is turned almost every where into wrath and bitterness and a longing after the downful of each other and to hear in most Companies the edifying Language of Love and Christianity turned into most odious Descriptions of each other and into the pernicious Language of Malice and Calumny It is to sober Men a wonderful sort of wickedness that all this is so obstinately persisted in even by those that decry the evil of it in others And to one sort all seemeth justified by saying that others are their Inferiours and to the other by saying that they are Persecuted And 't is a wonderful sort of Calamity which is so much loved that in the face of such Light and in the fore-sight of such Dangers and in the present Experience of such great Concussions and Confusions the Peace-killers will not hold their hands My Lord Many sober By-standers think That this Sin might cease and this misery be healed at a very easie Rate and therefore that it is not so much Ignorance as Interest that hindereth the Cure And they wonder who those Persons
required but I think it should be the Congregation's And what if the Elders dissent Shall that hinder the Relation or not 93. The number of chosen Ministers in National Synods will be inconsiderable as to the rest 96. The use of a National Synod where all Bishops and Moderators are chosen by the King and the Commissioner ruleth being before-hand resolved to be to Compile a Liturgy and Rules for all Points of Divine Worship with the Methods Circumstances and Rites to be observed therein Many knowing what Liturgy Subscriptions Declarations and Rites are pleasing to Authority in England will imagine them in fierâ— if not virtually set up already in Scotland when these Rules are set up 107. Publick Pennance And why not and Suspension from Communion till penitent Confession be made But I know not why Compensations should serve instead of Confession and Promise of Reformation without which Money will not make a Man a Christian nor fit for Church-Communion But for any other Pennance besides one penitent Confession and Promise of Amendment and desire of the Churches Prayers for Pardon I know nothing of it and therefore meddle not with it 132. No Act Order nor Constitution may be Expounded to reach to Scripture Constitutions and Orders and the proper Acts of the Ministerial Office if not better explained 133. The Word Ecclesiastical Meeting may be interpreted of particular Synaxes or Congregations of a Parish for Worship if not limited which Convocating of the People is part of the Pastor's proper Office and for a thousand Years was so accounted by the Catholick Church And if in case of Discord or Heresie a few Neighbour Ministers meet for a Friendly Conference to cure it it seemeth hard to charge them with Sedition 140. If the Parties be able to come 143. Many of these Faults should be Corrected by Mulcts before Men be forbidden to Preach the Gospel If every Man be Suspended which I suppose is prohibiting him to Preach and Endeavour Mens Salvation who useth unsound Speeches Flattery or Lightness I doubt so many will talk themselves into Silence that a sharp Prosecution will leave many Churches desolate 145. But what if there be no Preachers to be had May not the Suspended Preach 146. Disobedience to some of the small Ecclesiastical Rules may be punished with Mulcts without absolute Silencing especially when able Preachers are wanting Shall the instructing of the Peoples Souls so much depend on every Word in all these Canons But oh that you would make that good in Practice that Labouring to get Ecclesiastical Preferment should be punished if it were with less than Deposition It would be a happy Canon 147. But shall the Synod or Presbytery carry by Vote or not 149. If every Church-Session have this power of Suspension with power but to say We declare you unfit for Communion of this particular Church till you repent it would give me great Satisfaction were I in Scotland For to speak freely I take these two Things to be of Divine Appointment 1. That each particular Church have its proper Pastor who have the Ministerial Power of Teaching Worship Sacraments Prayer Praise and Discipline and I desire no more Discipline than you here grant that is Suspension from Communion in that particular Church if also the Person may be declared unfit for it till he Repent 2. That these Pastors hold such Correspondency as is necessary to the Union of the Churches in Faith and Love And 3. For all the rest I take them to be Circumstances of such prudential Determination that I would easily submit to the Magistrates determination of them so they be not destructive to the Ends and would not have Ministers take too much of the trouble of them upon themselves without necessity 152. But then you seem here to retract the particular Churches Power again For if a Man may be debarred the Communion for once sinning by Fornication Drunkenness c. why not much more for doing again after Repentance I differ more from this than all the rest Is it not enough that the Party may Appeal to the Presbytery And that the Sessions or Pastor be responsible for Male-Administration or Injury if proved This one Canon would drive me out of the Ministry in Scotland I would never be a Pastor where I must after the first Crime ever after give the Sacrament to every flagitioâ—s Offender till the Presbytery suspend him unless they do it very quickly which perhaps they may never do 153 154. No doubt but Iure Divino every true particular Church hath the Power of Excommunicating its own Members out of that particular Church-Communion Delivering up to Satan is a doubtful Phrase which I shall not stand on But an Excommunication which shall bind many Churches to avoid the Sinner must be done or Consented to by those many Churches Therefore Excommunication should be distinguished 156. Sure some few Ecclesiastical Rules and Proceedings may be so low as that a Contempt of them may be easilyer punished than with this terrible Excommunication Impenitency must be joyned with Scandalous Sins or else they make not the Person Excommunicable as is implyed in what followeth 162. No doubt but every Church may absolve its own Members from that sort of Excommunication which it self may pass And so may a Presbytery But if the Magistrate will have a more formidable Diocesane or National Excommunication and an answerable Absolution those Circumstances are to be left to his Prudence so be it he deprive not each particular Pastor and Church of their proper Power and Priviledge plainly found in Scripture and used many hundred Years through the Catholick Church Honourable Sir The Copy which you sent me goeth no further than to the Visitation of the Sick viz. to Can. 176. And so much according as I was desired I have freely and faithfully Animadverted And in general here are many excellent Canons though of many things I cannot Judge and those few Exceptions I humbly offer to your Consideration craving your Pardon for this boldness which I should not have been guilty of if the worthy Messenger had not told me that it was your desire Sir I rest Your Humble Servant Rich. Baxter Iuly 22. 1670. § 173. I had forgotten one passage in the former War of great remark which put me into an amazemeut The Duke of Ormond and Council had the cause of the Marquess of Antrim before them who had been one of the Irish Rebels in the beginning of that War when in the horrid Massacre two hundred thousand Protestants were murthered His Estate being sequestred he sought his restitution of it when King Charles II. was restored Ormond and the Council judged against him as one of the Rebels He brought his cause over to the King and affirmed that what he did was by his Father's Consent and Authority The King referred it to some very worthy Members of his Privy-Council to examine what he had to shew Upon Examination they reported that they found that he had
Sentence of a Lay-Chancellour or any other But let them that desire it cause such to do it whose Conscience is not against it 9. When there are Presentments or Appeals to the Chancellour's Court or Bishop's let not sickly weak Ministers or those whose Parishes cannot be so long neglected be put to travel long Journeys or neglect their Studies and Ministerial Work by oft or long Attendances in bringing Witnesses against those to whom they only refused on the foresaid Reasons to deliver the Sacrament 10. Seeing Ministers who live among them are supposed to be best acquainted with the Penitence or impenitence of their People let it be left to their Prudence whom they wil absolve in Sickness and privately give the Sacrament to and let the Sick chuse such Confessors as they think best for themselves And let those few words at Burial which import the Justification and Salvation of the Deceased be left to the Minister's Discretion who hath known the Person 's Life and Death 11. Let no Minister be forced to deny Christian Communion to those Persons otherwise found and Godly who think it unlawful to kneel in taking the Sacramental Bread and Wine though it may be upon causeless Scruples 12. Let Ministers have leave to open the meaning of the Catechism and not only to hear the Words themselves And it is much to be wished that the Catechism were amended And let him have leave at Baptism and the Eucharist to interpose some few quickning words of Exhortanion lest form alone do cast them into a customary dullness 13. Let the use of the Surplice be left indifferent in the Parish-Churches or at least if the Curate frequently use it let it suffice 14. If any live under a Minister â—hat is very ignorant or scandalous or very unsuitable to the People or to his Work let them not be punished for going often to hear and Communicate where they can better profit in any Neighbour Church of the same Diocess So be it they pay the Incumbent his Dues V. Let not those who are ordained by Presbyters be put to renounce their Ordination or be re-ordained but only upon proof of their fitness for the Ministry receive by word or a written Instrument a Legal Authority to exercise their Ministry in any Congregation in his Majesty's Dominions where they shall be Lawfully called VI. We desire that no Excommunicate Person as such may be imprisoned and ruined in his Estate but only such whose Crimes in themselves considered deserve it VII As we desire all this Liberty to our selves 〈◊〉 it is our judgment 〈◊〉 Desire that Christian Lenity be used to all truly Conscientious Dissenters and also the Tolerable may be Tolerated under Laws of Peace and Safety But who shall be judged Tolerable and what shall be the Laws or Terms of their Toleration we presume not uncalled to make our selves Counsellours or Judges But for avoiding the inconveniences which the foresaid Concessions to our selves may seem to threaten to the Church we hope it will suffice if there be a Law made for the Regulation of the Bishops the Ministers and the Flocks That People or Ministers uncivilly revile not one another That no Licens'd Ministers shall Preach against any of the Doctrine of the Church nor against Episcopacy Liturgy or the Established Ceremonies That all Magistrates be excepted from all open personal Rebukes or disgraceful Censures or Excommunications because Caeteris Parâ—ous positive Instituted Orders give place to Natural morals such as the Fifth Commandment containeth That all negligent or scandalous Ministers be Punished according to the Measure of their Fault And the omission of Preaching Liturgy or Sacraments shall be Punish'd not presently with forbidding them to do any thing because they do not enough but with the Sequestration of their Church-maintenance viz. That they lose a month's Profit of their Benefice for a month's Omission and so on proportionably And that those whose Insufficiency Heresy or Crimes are such as that their Ministry doth more hurt than good be totally cast out And that the Bishops may not Silence Suspend Deprive or Excommunicate any Minister Arbitrarily but by a known Law and in case of Injustice we may have sufficient remedy by Appeals And that no former Law or Canon which is contrary to any of this be therein in force 1. If Sacraments were but left free to be administred and received by none but Volunteers 2. And Liberty granted the Ministers to Preach in those Churches where the Common-Prayer is read by others I think it would take in all or almost all the Independents also 3. Supposing the Door left open according to the first Article These three would unite us almost all But I have mentioned the rest because the first of these will not be granted The Strictures returned upon these Proposals with the Answers My Lord I Return you this Paper with an Answer to the Strictures not with any hopes of Agreement with the Author For whoever he is I have no hope of Peace or Healing by him or by his consent according to the Principles and Rigour here expressed 1. Prop. Supposing the Church-Government may not be altered Strict a All the particulars following do directly or indirectly either overthrow or undermine the Church Governmene Answ. If by the Church Government be meant as the Propounder did mean the Constitution containing the Diocesan frame with Deans Arch-Deacons Lay-Chancellours as Governing by Excommunication and Absolution there is nothing in these Proposals incompetent with that Frame nor motioning any alteration of it Tho there is that in it which our Judgments take to be very great sin For we can quietly live under a Government sinful while we are not put to sin by our consenting to the sin of others But if by the Government be meant the whole Exercise of their Government according to the Act of Uniformity and the Canons we confess that every abatement desired by us is against it And if we could do all requir'd by the Governours we were full Conformists and needed none of this But this Pâ—efatory Prognostick tells us what to expect For whoever intendeth our Solemnity and suffering will foretel it by his Accusations And if a Cross be our intended Lot no wonder if Overthrowers and Vnderminers of the Government be the Title to be written on it 1. Prop. And the Subscribing the Doctrine and Sacraments c. Strict b So they may not be required to Subscribe either to the Government or Liturgyor Rites and Ceremonies of our Church Answ. 1. If there were nothing at all in the Diocesan frame in England Lay-Chancellours Spiritual Government nor any other part of the Government and Word in the Liturgy or any Ceremony which we do not nor dare not approve and Justify by a Subscription what need we any of this ado any more than any Bishops or Conformists seeing we were Conformable already 2. We are willing to Swear Subscribe and Covenant Allegiance to the King who is a
their Lawful Pastors to prevent all ill Effects 6. And for the Minister himself to repeat his Sermon or Catechize or Instruct his People that will come to him And is this the intolerable Evil worthy to be avoided at the rate of all our Calamities Are all our Divisions better than the enduring of this If any Limitations necessary had been omitted I might have expected to have found them named which I do not But 1. No Man's denial can make us ignorant of it that too great a Part of the People in most places know not what Baptism Christianity or the Catechism are and many hundred thousands cannot Read 2. And that few Ministers so personally instruct them as their need requireth nor can do for so many or by their Instruction they have not cured them 3. That to go to their Neighbours on the Lord's Day to hear again the Sermon which they had forgotten and to Praise God and hear the Scripture or a good Book that is Licens'd read hath done great good to many Souls 4. That otherwise such Ignorant Persons as we speak of except at Church-time cannot spend the Lord's Day to any Edification of themselves or Families 5. Men are not hinder'd from Feasting Drinking Playing together frequently and in greater Numbers Why then by Bishops from reading the Scripture or a Licens'd Book or Sermon 6. That God hath Commanded Provoke one another to Love and to good works And exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 10. 24. and 3. 13. And Cornelius had his Friends with him in his House for God's Servics Acts 10. and Acts 12. 12. In Mary's House many were gathered together praying And we find not that even the Iews were ever forbidden it by the Pharisees themselves And he that seeth his Brother have bodily need and shutteth up the Bowels of his Compassion from him how dwelleth the Love of God in him And the need of Souls is more common and to be Compassionated Rules may Regulate Charity in both cases but may forbid it or the necessary Exercises of it in neither He shall Perish as guilty of Murder that lets the Poor Die for want of his Relief tho he be forbidden to relieve them unless when the hurt would be greater than the good Love and Mercy are too great duties for a Bishop to null or dispense with We put no private Man on Ministerial Actions but in his own place to shew mercy to Souls To say that on this pretence Schismatical Meetings will be held is no more to the people than to say that all Errours and Wickedness may be kept up by Pretences of Reason Truth Piety Scripture Honesty c. But we must not therefore say Away with Reason Truth c. But I hope God's Servants will Die rather than desert their Master's Work 4. Prop. 1. The greatest part of it once a Quarter of Reading the Liturgy by Lectures Strict i Why not all as well as the greatest part Why not always as well as once a Quarter Answ. 1. I know that here and there a word may be scrupled as the reading of Bell and the Dragon or such like which silently past by maketh no disturbance And I think the Scrupling of such a word deserveth not that all the Peoples Souls be Punished for it with the loss of all their Teachers Labours 2. I never hear one Conformist that saith it all And why may not one be forborn as well as another 3. All the Liturgy for the day will be work too long and great that weak Men that have no Curates cannot Read all and Preach or Catechize also If you say that Preaching and Catechizing then may be omitted I answer They are God's Ordinances and needful to Men's Souls And seeing Prayer and Preaching are both Duties proportion is to be observed that neither may be shut out If you account the Liturgy better than Preaching yet every parcel of it intirely is not sure of so great worth as to cast out Preaching for it Rich parsons that have Curates may between them do both but so cannot poor Countrey Ministers that are alone and are sickly And as to the Always 1. The Canon limiteth some but to once in half a year which is less 2. The Conformable City-Preachers that have Curates very rarely Read it 3. Else what should Men do with Curates if they must always Read themselves 4. A weak Man may do both once a Quarter that is not able to do it every day 4. Prop. 2. It is supposed it will be done Strict k Yes once a Quarter for you would have no Man obliged to do it oftner nor all of it then neither Answ. Read and believe as you can The words were If in the Congregation where he is Incumbent the greatest part of it appointed for that time be sometimes as once a Quarter used by himself and every Lord's-day ordinarily unless Sickness c. either by himself or by his Curate or Assistant Is every Lord's-day but once a Quarter Or can it be every day done and no one obliged to do it 4. Prop. 3. Let not Christian Parents be forbidden to dedicate their Children publickly c. Strict l Christian Parents are not forbidden to present their Children to be Baptized But the Church in favour to the Infants appoints others in case the Parents should die or neglect their duty to have a Paternal care of them in order to their Education for the performance of their Baptismal Covenant That which follows is not worth the Animadverting being nothing else but an Uncharitable and Scandalous Insinuation Ans. 1. Read and believe what is forbidden Then shall the Priest speak to the Godfathers and Godmothers on this wise Dearly Beloved This Infant must also faithfully promise by you that are his Sureties That he will renounce the Devil c. I demand therefore Dost thou in the name of this Child renounce c. The Godfathers and Godmothers must say I renounce them all Dost thou believe c. Answ. All this I stedfastly believe Quest. Wilt thou be Baptized in this Faith Answ. That is my desire Q. Wilt thou obediently keep c. Answ. I will They are after to Name the Child After the Priest shall say to the Godfathers and Godmothers For asmuch as this Child hath promised by you that are his Sureties to renounce to believe in God and to serve him It is your parts and duties to see that this Infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a Solemn Vow Promise and Profession he hath here made by you c. See the rest So that here All the Covenanting Action on the Infant 's part is made the proper work of his Sureties called Godfathers and Godmothers without one word of the Parents doing it or any part of it And then cometh the Canon and farther saith Can. 29. No Parent shall be urged to be present nor be
it exposeth the Magistrate to the reproach or Contempt of the Subjects and so shaketh the very frame of the Kingdom or Government The Magistrate's honour for the good of the Kingdom is more necessary than his Dishonour and shame can be to the Order of that particular Church 2. And a suspending of the Pastor's Act of delivering him the Sacrament with an humble admonition may better attain the Lawful end 3. Christ himself hath oft taught us this Exposition of his Law When he did eat with Publicans and sinners he preferred their repentance before the positive Order of not being familiar with such as being never intended in such a Case When the Disciples pluck't the Ears of Corn and himself cured the sick on the Sabbath day he proveth that the positive Law of Rest was intended to give place to the Moral Law of Necessity and Charity and proveth it by the instance of David and the Officiating Priests and twice sendeth the contrary minded Pharisees to learn what that meaneth I will have mercy a Natural Duty and not at that time sacrifice a positive institution And they that will pretend a positive Law of Order for a Congregation to the dishonouring of Kings and Iudges and Magistrates and making them contemptible and so unable to govern do Pharisaically set up Positives against natural moral Duties By which means Popes and Patriarchs and other Prelates have wronged Princes and troubled the world too much already Do you no better justifie the Common slander how much the Non-conformists are against the honour of Magistrates in comparison of the Church of England I know some Non-conformists think as you but others do not See the old Non-conformists judgment against excommunicating Kings in a Latin Treat De vera Genuina Christ. Relig. Authore Ministro Anglo An. 1618. pag. 280. 4. Moreover the execution of the sentence of Excommunication on Princes and Rulers will less consist with the honour that is due to them than the sentence it self For to avoid them that they may be ashamed to turn away from not to be familiar with them to keep them out of the Church at all God's special Church-worship are things that we cannot do without neglect of much of our duty to them We must attend them and obey them with honour I know a General Council hath forbidden Bishops to carry themselves with Lowliness at the tables and in the presence of Princes and great men And I know that some think that Excommunicate Princes have forfeited their honour and it is lawful to dishonour them yea and all wicked Princes who deserve Excommunication and I know Mr. Hooker in his Eccles. Polit. saith that it is supposed that a Prince that is the Head of a Christian Church be himself a Christian But all these are Errours tending to the subversion of Order and Government And the Higher Powers whom God's Spirit commandeth us to honour and be subject to were Nero and the Roman Senate and other Enemies of Christianity even Idolatrous Heathens And if these must be honoured much more a Christian King or Judge who were he a private man might deserve an Excommunication At least I hope that the Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo shall not be issued out against the King or his Judges though the Canon 65. command that every six months in Cathedrals and Parish-Churches the Excommunications be declared of those that obstinately refuse to frequent the Divine Service established by publick Authority and those especially of the better sort and Condition who for notorious contumacy or other notable Crimes stand Excommunicate c. Though the Better sort are singled out especially for the sentence and shame yet if it should be Judges and Sheriff who shall Judge and apprehend them Prop. id Not silence suspend c. Arbitrary but by a known Law Strict No Bishops do or can do so Neither is there any Law or Canon to that purpose that I know of Answ. I am loth to Name Iustances lest it provoke Mr. Potter is dead Dr. Willes of Kingsion now Chaplain to the King they say I am sure hath complained much of his suspension at Shadwell I remember Bishop Reighnolds was so sensible of the necessity of this Provision that at the Savoy Treaty he was most earnest to have it inserted and insisted on It may be it is Minister's ignorance in the Law that maketh them when suspended not know where to seek for a remedy unless in vain or to their undoing Postscript If Sacraments were left free c. It would take in the Independents c. Strict If Independents may be taken in by us now why did not you take them in when you were in power but preach and write so much as you did against Toleration of them But you that would have us dispense to all things now would your selves dispense with nothing then Answ. It 's pity that matters of publick fact should be so much unknown and that when such inference follow 1. I was never in power Nay my Lot never fell out to be of any side that was Vppermost in Church matters nor in State-Usurped power but I always was of the under side 2. It was the Toleration of all Sects unlimitedly that I wrote and preacht against and not that I remember of meer Independents 3. Those that did oppose the Toleration of Independents of my acquaintance did not deny them the liberty of Independency but opposed separation or their Gathering other Churches out of Parish-Churches that had faithful Ministers If they would have taken Parish-Churches on Independent Principles without separation neither I nor my aquaintance did oppose them no nor their Endeavours to reform such Churches 4. The Case greatly differed For an Independent to refuse Parish-Churches when no Ceremony no Liturgie no Oath or Subscription is required of him which he scrupleth is not like his refusing Oaths Subscriptions Liturgie Ceremonies c. 5. But in a Word Grant us but as much and take us but in as we granted to and took in the Independents and we are content Make this agreement and all is ended we desire no more of you We never denyed the Independents the liberty of preaching Lectures as often as they would Nor yet the liberty of taking Parish-Churches They commonly had Presentations and the publick Maintenance And no Subscription Declaration Liturgie or Ceremony was imposed on them Again I say I ask you no more Liberty than was given the Independents by their brethren called Presbyterians Let your Grant now agree but with your intimations 6. And how then say you we would dispence with nothing For my part and those of my mind we never imposed nor endeavoured to impose any thing on any man as necessary to Ordination Ministry or Communion but The owning of the Scripture Generally and the Creeds Lord's Prayer and Decalogue and Sacraments particularly with that measure of understanding them and ability to teach them which is necessary to a Minister and fidelity therein
Worship Ans. 1. And who shall make that Rule The Bishops And who shall be Bishops You And so the Sum is The only certain and safe way of Healing is for no Man to differ from our Judgment or Will in our Agendis or Credendis Circumstance or Substance manner or matter of Worship nor say a Word to God in publick but what we write down for him or allow him What Sectary would not be such a Healer 2. But I am sorry that any Christian much more Pastors can believe that ever all the Church will be such Idolizers of Man as to stretch their Consciences to own all that for matter and manner substance or Circumstance he shall prescribe or else will all be so ripe in Knowledge as all to know which are the right Modes and Circumstances and so come to be of one mind The Church of Rome had not needed Inquisitions Flames and Racks nor lost so many Kingdoms if this could have been done But if ever the Church be heated by Men of your Opinion by this which you account the only way neither God nor Reason have herein spoken by me Wonderful that near one Thousand three Hundred Years Experience of the Churches doth not convince you and teach you better Strict For though an Agreement in the Essentials only be enough to make any Man a Member of the Catholick or universal Church yet is it not enough to make a Man a Member of this or that particular National Church For all the Reformed Churches agree as appears by the Corpus Confessionum in the Essentials of Faith and Worship and therefore in that respect they are all Members of the Church-Catholick but they do not agree either in the same form of Government or in the same outward form of Worship or in the same Ecclesiastical Discipline or in the same Rites and Ceremonies And it is the Agreement in such things as these as well as in Essentials which constitutes and giveth Denomination to the several National Churches which all of them taken together do make up the Church Catholick Thus to make up one Member of the French Dutch or any other Reformed Churches it is not enough to be a Catholick no nor a Protestant-Catholick neither but he must subscribe and conform not only in point of Judgment to their Confession of Faith but in point of Practice also to all their Rules Orders and Usages in Preaching Praying Administration of the Sacraments and all External Rites and Ceremonies prescribed by publick Authority to be used in the publick Worship of God for the more solemn more unanimous more decent and more edifying performance of the same which if any Man upon any pretence whatsoever refuse to do he cannot be of such or such a National Church where a Conformity to all such things is indispensably required of all that will be of or continue in the aforesaid respective Churches And is it not as Lawful and reasonable for our Church to prescribe Conditions of her Communion to those that will be of it and continue in it as it is for any other of the Reformed Churches to prescribe to those that are of theirs Ans. 1. It 's well that Christ is more merciful than Men His easie Yoke and light Burden Mat. 11. 29. and the necessary things Act. 15. is enough to make Men Members of him and his Body the Church Catholick that they may be saved But he that will be of a National Church must bear and do no Man knows what 2. But how will this stand with Christ's Catholick Laws A true Catholick Christian shall be saved But he that is no more with you is guilty of one of the greatest Crimes viz. Contempt of your Authority and can he then be Saved Christ's Catholick Members must love honour and cherish each other But with you he that obeyeth you not in every Word Mode and circumstance or ceremony is to be silenced and persecuted Christ's Laws are that he that is weak even in the Faith be received but not to doubtful disputations and that for smaller difference we neither despise nor judge each other but receive one another as Christ received us and that so far as we have attained we walk by the same Rule and mind the same things and if in any thing we be otherwise minded God will reveal even this unto us And that we must love one another with a pure Heart fervently and by this be known to all Men to be Christ's Disciples But your National Process carrieth it beyond this Line you will first break this Catholick Law as if your National Church were not part of the Universal and make Laws for judging the foresaid Dissenters and then plead yours against Christ's Laws and say he meant not those that are under a Law while he forbad such Laws And so you may Excommunicate reproach avoid imprison undo and silence those that Christ commanded you tenderly to Love and say they are Schismaticks for they obey us not in every Circumstance O! how much easier is Christ's Yoke than yours 3. But what is this National Church which is so contrary to Christ's Catholick Church If it be all the Churches and Christians that are under one Christian Prince we own it as such But this needs no such conditions as you name And it is not true that the Catholick Church consisteth only of such for the Subjects of the Turks and Heathens are part of the Catholick Church If it be all the Churches of a Kingdom as voluntarily associated for Communion or Concord I repeat the same as aforesaid But if you mean all the Churches of a Kingdom as under one Constitutive Ecclesiastical Head and Pastor few Protestants will say that it is of God's Institution Bilson and others usually say Patriarchs Metropolitans c. are humane Creatures And verily I had rather be no Member of a Church of Man's making till I better know the Maker's Authority than renounce all that mutual Love and Brotherly concord and forbearance and kindness and all Christ's Promises of Salvation to such which he hath settled upon his Catholick Members And if what you say be true who would not rather far be a meer Catholck Christian out of all National Churches than be in them But I yet hold that though your particular Canon bind not the Church universal yet Christ's universal Laws bind all particular Churches and Christians 4. And that which maketh me dissent is that I am not able to discern how all Men can obey such Laws as you mention and live in any concord with you without renouncing all Conscience Christianity and Religion Not that I judge all to do so that agree with you For those that agree in Iudgment may agree in Practice But you must make me mad or unacquainted with Mankind before you make me believe that a whole Kingdom will ever be so perfect in Judgment or so much of the same temper Education condition converse c. as to be all of
Expressions And this Expedient I gather from my Lord Cook who hath providently as it were against such a season laid in this observation The â—orm of the Subscription set down in the Canons ratified by King James was not expressed in the Act of the 13th of Elizabeth Instit. p. 4. c. 74. And Consequently if the Clergy injoyed this freedom untill then in reference to the particulars therein contained what hinders why they might not have the same restored in reference also to others It is true that it may seem hard to many in the Parliament to undo any thing themselves have done But tho this be no Rule for Christians who are sometimes to repent as well as believe if they be loth to repent any thing what if they shall only Interpret or Explain Let us suppose then some Clause in this Bill or some new Act for Explanations If anâ— Nonconformist cannot come up to the full meaning and intent of these Injunctions rightly Explained let him remain in statu quo under the state only of Indulgence without benefit of Comprehension for so long as those who are not Comprehended may yet injoy that ease as to be indulged in some equal measure answerable to his Majestie 's Declaration whether Comprehension be large or narrow such Terms as we obtain are pure Advantage and such as we obtain not are no loss But if any does and can honestly agree to the whole sense the Parliament intends in such Impositions why should there be any Obstruction for such a Man tho he delivers himself in his own words to be received into the Established order with others Unless men will look on these Injunctions only to be contrived for â—â—gines of Battery to destroy the Nonconfromist And not as Instruments of Vnity to edify the Church of God I will not leave our Congregational Brethren neither so long as I have something more that may be said for them not ordinarily considered by any It is this that tho indeed they are not and cannot seek to be of our Churches as they are Parochial under the Diocess or Superintendency of the Bishops yet do they not refuse but seek to be comprehended within the Church as National under his Majesty I will explain my self The Church may be considered as Vniversal and so Christ alone is the head of it and we receive our Laws from him Or as Particular and so the Pastors are Heads Guides or Bishops over their respective flocks who are commanded therefore to obey them in the Lord Or as National which is an accidental and external respect to the Church of God wherein the King is to be acknowledged the supreme Head of it and as I judge no otherwise For thus also runs the statute That our Sovereign Lord shall be taken and reputed the only supreme Head in Earth of the Church of England called Ecclesia Anglicana Now if it should please the King and Parliament to allow and approve these Separate Meetings and Stated Places for Worship by a Law as His Majesty did by his Declaration I must profess that as such Assemblies by this means must be constituted immediately integral parts of the Church as National no less than our Parish Cougregations So would the Congregate Churches at least those that understand themselves own the King for Head over them in the same sense as we own him Head over ours that is as much as to say for the supreme coercive Governour of all in this accidental regard both to keep every several Congregation to that gospel-Gospel-order themselves profess and to supervise their Constitutions in things indifferent that nothing be done but in subordination to the peace of the Kingdom Well Let us suppose then a liberty for these separate Assemblies under the visitation of his Majesty and his Justices and not the Bishops I would fain know that were the Evil you can find in them If it lie in any thing it must be in that you call Schism Separation then let us know in it self simply considered is nothing neither good nor Evil. There may be reason to divide or separate some Christians from others out of prudence as the Cathechumens of old from the fully instructed for their greater Edification and as a Chappel or two is added to a Parish-Church when the people else were too big a Congregation It is not all Division then or Separation that is Schism but sinful Division Now the supreme Authority as National Head having appointed the Parochial Meetings and required all the Subjects of the Land to frequent them and them alone for the Acknowledging Glorifying or National serving and worshiping the only true God and his Son whom we have generally received And this Worship or Service in the nature of it being intrinsecally good and the external Order such as that of time and place and the like Circumstances being properly under his Jurisdiction it hath seemed to me hitherto that unless there was something in that order or way prescribed which is sinful and that required too as a Condition of that Communion there is no Man could refuse his attendance on these Parochial Assemblies without the sin of Disobedience and consequently his separation thereby becoming sinful proves Schism But if the Scene be altered and these separate Assemblies made Legal the Schism in reference to the National Church upon the same account does vanish Schism is a separation from that Church whereof we ought or are bound to be Members if the supreme Authority then loose our obligation to the Parish-Meeting so that we are bound no longer the iniquity I say upon this account is not to be found and the Schism gone Lo here a way opened for the Parliament if they please to rid the Trouble and Scruple of Schism at once out of the Land If they please not yet is there something to be thought on for the Separatist in a way of forbearance that the innocent Christian at least as it was in the time of Trajan may not be sought out unto Punishment Especially when such a toleration only is desired as is consistent with the Articles of Faith a Good Life and the Government of the Nation And now I turn me to the Houses My Lords and Gentlemen I will suppose you honest persons that would do as you would be done unto that would not wrong any or if you did would make them recompence There hath been very hard Acts passed which when the Bills were brought in might haply look smooth and fair to you but you saw not the Covert Art secret Machination and purposely contrived snares against one whole Party If such a form of words would not another should do their business By this means you in the first place your selves some of you were overstript Multitudes dispossest of their Livings The Vineyard Let out to others The Lord Jesus the Master of it deprived of many of his faithful Labourers And the poor sheep what had they done bereft of their accumstomed spiritual
the Parish Churches through the greatness of some Parishes the lowness of the Minister's voices and the paucity of Churches since the burning of the City And they confess that the knowledge of the Gospel is ordinarily necessary to salvation and teaching and hearing necessary to knowledge and that to leave the people untaught especially where so many are speaking for Atheism Beastiality and Infidelity is to give them up to Damnation But yet they say that to do so is my duty because the Bishop is against my Preaching And I ought to rest satisfied that it is the Bishop and not not I that must answer for their Damnation Alas poor Souls Must they needs be damned by thousands without making any question of it as if all the question were who should answer for it I will not believe such cruel men I undertake to prove to them to them 1. That our English Species of Dioâ—â—san 〈◊〉 and Lay Choncellours power of the Keys is contrary to God's Word and destructive of true Discipline and of the Church form and Offices instituted by Christ. 2. That were the Offices Lawful the men have no true calling to it being not chosen or consented to by the Clergy or the People 3. That if their Calling were good they have no power to forbid the present Silenced Ministers to Preach the Gospel but thereby they serve Satan against Christ and Men's salvation Paul himself had his power to edification and not to destruction And Christ the Saviour of the World giveth his Ministers only a saving power and to none a power to samish and damn the people's Souls 4. That we are Dedicated as Ministers to the Sacred Office and it is Sacriledge in our selves or others to alienate us from it while we are not unfit or unable for it 5. That we are Charged as well as Timothy before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the Dead at his appearing that we Preach the Word and be in season and our ef season reprove rebuke exhort c. 6. That the Ancient Pastors for many Hundred years did Preach the Gospel against the Wills of their Lawful Princes both Heathens and Aâ—â—ians 7 That the Bishop hath no more power to forbid us to Preach than the King hath And these men confess that Ministers unjustly Silenced may Preach against the Will of Kings but not say they of Bishops 8. That were we Lay-men we might teach and exhort as Lay-men as Origen did though we might not do it as Pastors much more being Ordained the Ministers of Christ. And that now to us it is a work which both the Law of Nature and our Office or Vow do bind us to even a Moral Duty And that when Christ judgeth men for not Feeding Clothing Visiting his Members it will not excuse us to say that the Bishop forbad us That if King or Bishop forbid us to feed our Children or to save the lives of drowning or famishing men we must disobey them as being against a great command of God Love and the Works of Love being the great indispensable Duties And Souls being greater Objects of Charity than Bodies 9. That it was in a Case of Pharifaical Church Discipline when Christ avoided not converse with sinners when their good required it that Christ sent the Pharisees to learn what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice and at two several times repeateth the same words 10. That Order is for the thing Ordered and it's ends and a power of Ordering Preachers is not a power to depose necessary Preaching and famish Souls 11. And I shew them that I my self have the License of the Bishop of this Diocess as well as Episcopal Ordination and that my License is in force and not recalled 12. And that I have the King's License 13. And therefore after all this to obey these Silencers nay no Bishop doth forbid me otherwise than as his Vote is to the Acts of Parliament which is as Magistrates and to fulfill their will that will be content with nothing but our forsaking of poor Souls and ceasing to Preach Christ this were no better than to end my Life of Comfortable Labours in obeying the Devil the Enemy of Christ and Souls which God forbid § 272. Yet will not all this satisfie these men but they cry out as the Papists Schism Schism unless we will cease to Preach the Gospel And have little to say for all but that No society can be governed if the Rulers be not the Iudge Yet dare they not deny but a Iudgment of discerning duty from sin belongeth to all Subjects or else we are Brutes or must be Atheists Idolaters Blasphemers or what ever a Bishop shall command us But under the Censures of these unreasonable Men who take our greatest Duties for our heinous sin must we patiently serve our Lord But his approbation is our full reward § 273 On Iuly 5th 1674. at our Meeting over St. Iamses's Market-house God vouchsafed us a great Deliverance A main Beam before weakened by the weight of the People so cracked that three times they ran in terrour out of the room thinking it was falling But remembring the like at Dunstan's West I reproved their fear as causeless But the next day taking up the boards we found that two rends in the Beam were so great that it was a wonder of providence that the floor had not faln and the roof with it to the destruction of multitudes The Lord make us thankful § 274 A person unknown professing Infidelity but wâ—ether an Infidel or a jagling Papist I know not sent me a Manuscript called Examen 〈◊〉 charging Scripture with Immorality Falshoods and Contradictions from the beginning to the end and with seeming Seriousness and Respectfulness importâ—ned me to Answer him I was in so great pain and weakness and engaged in other work that I sent him word that I had not time or strength for so long a Work He selected about a Dozen Instances and desired my Answer to them I gave him an Answer to them and to some of his General accusations but told him That the rational Order to be followed by a Lover of Truth is first to consider of the proofs brought for Christianity before we come to the Objections aganst it And I proved to him that Christianity was proved true many years before any of the New Testament was Written and that so it may be still proved by one that doubted of some words of the Scripture and therefore the true order is to try the truth of the Christian Religion first and the perfect Verity of all the Scriptures afterwards And therefore Importuned him first to Answer my Book called The Reasons of the Christian Religion and then if I lived I would answer his Accusations But I could not at all prevail with him but he still insisted on my Answering of his Charge And half a year or more after he sent me a Reply to the Answer
be Schismaticks with them that unite not in their Center or at least be not tyed to union by their ligaments So he is a Schismatick to a Papist that Centers not in the Pope as the Principium unitatis and visible Head of the Church and in the Roman Church as the Heart of the Church Catholick denominating the whole He is a SchismatiÌ„ck with some others that owns not every Order or Ceremony which they maintain For my part I should think that he that 〈◊〉 in â—hrâ—â—t and â—â—â—deth the sound and wholsome Doctrine contained in the Creeds of the Church and maintaineth love and unity with all Christians to the utmost extent of his natural capacity even with all that he is capable of holding Communion with is no Schismatick nor his attempts for that end Schismatical Combinations If there were a Bishop in this Diocess and he should go one way suppose he command that all Church Assemblies be at such a time and all worship in such a form and all the Presbyters and People go another way whether they do well or ill so the thing itself be tollerable and will not meet at the time nor worship God in the form which he prescribeth I should think I were guilty of Schism if I separated from all these Churches and guilty of ungodliness if I wholly forsook and forbore all publick worship of God because I could have none according to the Bishops commanding Much more if there were no Bishop in the Diocess at all This seems to be our case in respect of both Worship and Discipline at least for the most part Is that man guilty of no Schisme nor Impiety who will rather have no Discipline exercised at all on the profane and scandalous but all Vice go without controul and the rage of Mens sins provoke Heaven yet more against us who will rather have no Ministerial Worship of God in Prayer or Praise no Sacraments no Solemn Assemblies to this end no Ministerial Teaching of the people but have all Mens Souls given over to perdition the bread of life taken from their mouths and God deprived of all his Worship then any of this should be done without Bishops That had rather the Church doors were shut up and we lived like Heathens than we should Worship God without a Bishops Commands and that when we have none to command us 3. We distinguish of the necessity of Bishops either it is a necessity ad bene esse for the right ordering of the Church when it may be had or it is a necessity ad esse to the very being of a Church or of Gods Worship without which we may not offer God any publick Service or have any Communion with any Congregation that so doth The former we leave as not fit for our determination and therefore we do not contradict you in it nor seek to draw you to own any Declaration against it The latter we do deny there is no such necessity of Bishops as that God can have no Church without them and that we must rather separate from all our Assemblies and never offer God any publick Worship then do it without them remembring still that we speak of those Bishops whom we are charged with rejecting and not the Pastors of particular Congregations And in this distinction of necessity and in this conclusion I have the consent of the generality of the Protestant Bishops so far as I know to a Man as far as their Writings declare to us their Minds and therefore Episcopal Divines may consent Except to Sect. 2. 1. Whether in this Worcestershire Association whoever will enter into it doth not therein oblige himself to acknowledge those for Presbyters and Pastors of Churches who profess themselves to have been made such in a Church where there are and were Bishops that never denyed them Orders without the Hands Consent or Knowladge of the Bishop yea in a time when Bishops were without any accusation before any Ecclesiastical Superiour Synod or other unheard ejected laid by by their own sheep and Presbyters that owed them obedience Reply to Sect. 2. To your first Question I answer 1. You must distinguish of punishing and ejecting Bishops that deserve it and casting out their Order 2. Between casting out the appurtenances and corruptions which made up the English sort of Prelacie as differing from the Primitive and casting out the Order and Office of Bishops simply in itself 3. Between those Men that do cast them out and those that do not 4. Between a Church that hath Bishops and one that hath none 5. Between them that can have Ordination by them and those that cannot 6. Between those Ministers of this Association that were Ordained by Bishops and those that were not 7. Between the Irregularity and sinfulness or Ordination and the nullity thereof and so between a Minister regularly Ordained and a Minister Irregularly Ordained who is a Minister still Hereupon I answer further in these conclusions 1. That too many of the Bishops lately ejected did deserve it is beyond dispute 2. Whether the Parliament in the state that they were in had not power to punish them by Imprisonment or Ejection as Solemon did Abiathar without an Ecclesiastical Superior or whether the Clergy be exempted from such punishment by the Secular power till they are delivered up to them by the Ecclesiastical Head hath been voluminously disputed in the world already Sutcliffe Bilson Iewel and a multitude more have proved that Kings have power in all Causes and over all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil and that the Pope hath no power of Jurisdiction in England let the Oath of Supremacy judge and if the Metropolitan of Canterbury or the highest Ecclesiastical Power miscarry who shall restrain or eject them but the Civil Power unless we go to the Pope for more acceptable witnesses I commend to you Spalatensis Grotius and Saravia yea Fr. de Victoria and several Parisians The two former one de Republ. Eccles. the other de Imperio summarum potestatum will never be well answered If it be said the King did it not I answer I think the Authority by whom that much was done that we now speak of will be acknowledged sufficient by most that were against the fact and that fought against the Parliament that understood the Laws It was long before the King withdrew 3. Many of those that approved of the Ejection of those unworthy men yet approved not of the dissolution of the Office and such may be many and for ought you know most or all of the Ministers here Associated Though I suppose rather it is otherwise yet while Men do for peace silence their opinions who knows what they are And sure I am many among us had no hand in the downfall of the Bishops and whether any at all be lyable in this to your Charge besides my self whereof more anon I know not most of our Association were in the Universities in the Wars and the rest were some I
say that God will make their Acts as useful to the honest Receiver as if the Ordainer had done it by just Authority and another to say that such an Ordainer had Authority because his Incapacity was not known or judged that is because it was not then known that he had none 2. Moreover if the Catholick Churches Acceptation and Reputation which you mention would serve turn then 1. It were well worth the knowing what you mean by the Catholick Church do you mean the whole or only a Part If the whole then few Ministers or Bishops must be so accepted for who is known to all Christians in the World If a Part then what Part must it be what if one Part repute him a true Minister or Bishop and the other a false or none which is very common If you say it is the People over whom he is Pastor then nothing more common then for them to be divided in their Judgments If you say it is the greater part then we shall be at utter Uncertainties for our Succession as little knowing what the greater part of the People thought of our Predecessors if you mean the Superior Bishops then a Metropolitan it seems is the Catholick Church when a Bishop is to be judged of and it is like a Patriarch for a Metropolitan and the Pope for him But as 1. We know not how these judged of our Predecessors 2. So we little believe that these Mens Judgments can make a Man to be a Bishop that is none or make him have a Power which else he had not this is worse than the Doctrine which hangs the Efficacy of the Sacraments on the Priests Intention It 's like the Faith of some that think to make a Falsehood become true by believing it true 3. And you know it is the Pope whose Succession we are questioning and which is the Catholick Church that must accept and repute him a true Pope If the Council of Basil were the Catholick Church then you know how Eugenius was reputed and then where is our Succession I doubt not but true Christians that are not guilty of the Nullity of the Ordination nor knew it may have the Benefit and Blessing of such a Man's Administrations and they may be valid to the Receiver But that is on another ground which I have lately manifessed to another in debating this Cause and not that the Administrator had any true Ministerial Authority from God Again I refer you to my Answer to Bellarmine and others in those Papers Except to Sect. 18. V.G. Put case one not baptized thought to have been baptized had per ignorantiam facti been promoted to be Bishop Archibishop or Patriarch yet so long as the Church knew it not nor himself perhaps but did accept him bona Fide though ipso Facto had it been known such had been uncapable of Episcopal Order yet being so accepted by the Catholick Church Ordinations done by him were not null nor did he interrupt the Succession but latente omni defectu baptismi he was a true Bishop though after his Death by any Writing they had come to discover it for the Church as all Judicatures rightly proceeds secundum allegata probata the same I say of secret Symony V. S. But on the other side to speak now to the Presbyterian Case Reply to Sect. 18. Nay then put Case the Man were not Ordained and the Church took him to be Ordained you say the Church must proceed secundum allegata probata doth not this give up your Cause and yield all that I plead for which is that an authoritative Ordination and so an uninterrupted Succession is not simply and absolutely necessary to the being of the Ministry For you confess your Churches Reputation may serve without it By the way take head least you either make the People to be none of the Catholick Church or at least you give a Power to the People to make Ministers Bishops and Popes by their bare Thoughts without Ordination or so much as Election But then you will remember that if Reputation without just Ordination may serve turn I know not but those among us may be Ministers whom you disclaim For the Pastors and People of all the Protestant Churches in Europe except your selves here do take such for Ministers so far as it is possible by Writings Professions and Practices to know their Minds and I hope they are as good a part of the Catholick Church as the Pope and his Consistory are If Reputation then will make Pastors without Ordination we may have as good a Plea as those you plead for For the case of Symony you mention see what I cited out of Dr. Hammond and you know sure that many Canons make Ordinations null and the Office null ipso Facto whether ever the Party be questioned in Judgment or not such Canons and Laws are equal to Sentences A Case also may be known that is never questioned and Judged who could question the Sodomitical unclean murderous Popes though it was commonly known I take it for granted therefore that the Knowledge degraded them without a Judgment according to your own Words here unless one part of them contradict the other Except to Sect. 19. The same ancient Church which did make void and annul constantly all Ordinations made by meer Presbyters whether they Schismatically arrogated to themselves to be Bishops and were not nor so reputed by the Church or otherwise upon any Pretention whatsoever for at that time no necessity could be with any Colour nor was pretended Reply to Sect. 19. 1. But is it the Judgment of the Ancient Church that will serve to degrade or null a Minister of this Age If so then all your former Arguing is in the Dust For though your Popes had none to Judge them Wicked and Uncapable then yet the ancient Church before them did make void and null the Office and Ordinations of such as they If it must be a present Power that must do it we have not yet been called to any Judicature about it 2. Your Parenthesis seems to intimate that if the Presbyters be but Reputed Bishops by the Church then their Ordinations are not null All 's well on our side then except you only or the Romanists be the whole Western Church For not only Pastors and People here do take Presbyters to be Bishops having Power of Ordination but so do the rest of the Reformed Churches or at least most of them They think that the primitive Bishop was the Bishop of one particular Church and not of a Diocess or many Churches 3. You talk of necessity again but you would not say that necessity would have excused them then if there had been such though it seems you would be thought to judge of the Reformed Churches as the Protestant Bishops do or else hide your Judgment in part Except to Sect. 20. These Three Fallacies are the Summ of all his Arguments rather popular Calumnies for want of Argument
mediately from Christ If you deny the Consequence and say that we may have our Authority from Christ mediately though we have it not from some Person who had it immediately from him I demand how if you say by the Mediation of his written Word I answer that the written Word is no fit medium to convey the Authority of the Ministry now a days upon any Men And that upon this Account The giving of Authority which we talk of is an Action terminated upon sum individuum in this Age. But the Scriptures meddle not with any of the Individuums of these times and therefore it cannot give any Authority unto any single Person now a days The Major I think is clear the Minor I prove thus If the Scripture meddle with any of the Individuums of this Age it doth it either quod Nomen or quoad Adjunctum aliud incomunicabile or by some general Discription which may be personally and particularly applied to some individuum But I am confident you will not say it doth either of the two former ways neither doth it say I by the third way and therefore not at all That it doth not give any Authority to any single person by way of general Discription I prove thus If it doth it must be in some such Form of Words or Words of equivalent to these They that are thus and thus qualified may be Ministers of the Word but there is no such Form of Words in Scripture There is I confess such a Form of Words in the Scripture as this They that preach the Word shall be thus and thus qualified But if any individuum shall venture upon the Application of this Proposition to take the Authority of the Ministry upon himself The Application I conceive must proceed in this Form But I am thus and thus and thus qualified therefore I may preach the Word But this is to proceed ex omnibus affirmativis in the second Figure which you know makes a wild Conclusion If you say that there is such a Form of Words which being the Major may be so accommodated to any single Person in the Minor as he may thereby infer this Conclusion Therefore I M. I. or I R. B. have Authority to preach the Gospel and this without respect to any Action to be performed by some Person quasi mediante then I will yield that I have been beating the Air all this while I have said nothing to the first Branch of the first Proposition concerning our having our Authority immediately from Jesus Christ neither do I intend till I know that it will be denied Authority I conceive to be far different from either Abilities to undergo an Imployment or a willing Mind to undertake it or Conveniency of Habitation for the Discharge of it or the Desire of any kind of Men inviting a Man to it I say I conceive Authority for the Discharge of any Office to be very far wide from any one of these or altogether For a Man may have all these and yet want Authority For Example in civil Matters A Gentleman may be abundantly qualified to be a Justice of the Peace he may have a willing Mind to do his Country Service in that way his Habitation for such an Imployment may be more than Convenient he may be put upon it and invited to it by his Country Neighbours and yet for all this no Man will take hâ—m for an Officer in the Common-wealth till his Name be in the Commission from the Supreme Magistrate and he taken his Oath as a Stipulation to the supream Magistrate on his Part for his Faithful Discharge in it Neither would any understanding Man think himself obliged to obey his Warrants if he should have the Confidence to issue out any before these compleating Acts be done notwithstanding all the former Preparations towards it In like manner to the thing in Hand about Ecclesiastical Officers A Man I doubt not may have competent Qualifications for the Work of the Ministry he may have a willing Mind to the Employment he may have an Habitation fit for the Oversight of such a Congregation he may be invited by them to undertake the Care and Oversight of them and yet for all this till Jesus Christ the Supreme Governor of his Church shall by his Vicarios Episcopos put his Name into the Commission and take reciprocal Security from him for his faithful Discharge in it he neither can nor ever was esteemed a Minister duly authorized And therefore though God as in the Case of a Civil Magistrate may very fitly and properly be said to do all as you urge I think out of Spalatensis So he may be said in the Case of Ecclesiastiacal Officers to be said properly and fitly to do all yet he doth not all the Work without the Mediation of his Vice-gerents and I cannot see but that part of the Work which he hath left for them to do is as necessary for the compleating and perfecting of the Work as that which he doth without their Mediation and by consequence if that part of the Work be left undone the whole Work is as imperfect and incomplete as if this had been done but the other Parts left undone Here is in this I confess some thing taken pro confesso that Jesus Christ hath some Vice-gerents here on Earth and that he hath left some part of this Work in their Hands for them to do Which being a Matter of Fact shall be proved when I know it is denied III. But Thirdly My Third Argument is this I do therefore plead for an uninterrupted Sucession because it appears to me that most of the Invaders and Intruders upon the Ministerial Office are very much strengthened and justified in their Schism and Usurpation if Succession be not material For I will not deny but many of them are Men competently qualified and all of them willing to undertake the Work live conveniently or will live conveniently to discharge the work are chosen by a Number of Christians who call them out to it Now if all this make them Ministers authorized why do we clamour against them why do we not give them the Right Hand of Fellowship and Brotherhood in the Work of the Lord If you say they take this Course for their Call when there is no necessity if you say this is a Course only to be used in extream Necessity when either the Parties think that there are no Church Officers in being or those that are in being be so corrupt and wicked as either they will not give them Orders or they dare not take Orders from them I answer That this extreme necessity is their Case They think there be no such things as Christs Church Officers now in being or if they be they are such as either will not give them Orders or such as they dare take no Orders from And therefore they are still excusable upon such an Hypothesis as you propound Whereas do but grant a Succession uninterrupted
Rome where none shall be admitted that will not swear to do wickedly and to false Ways And in the great Arrian Defection when scarce Six or Seven Bishops were to be found that did not turn Arrians among whom the Bishop of Rome was one that revolted and they would ordain none but those that would be of their Way and so would engage Men against Christ. God did not give them Power to destroy the Church but to preserve Order and propagate it They can do nothing by any Power from God against the Truth but for the Truth When Ergo They will not ordain to the Preservation but to the apparent Destruction of the Church we are not obliged to receive their Ordination And that the failing of regular Ministerial Ordination doth not destroy the Ordination or Law of God de Specie conservandâ and that it was never the Will of God that there should be no Ministry at all longer than they might be so regularly Ordained appears thus 1. The Office of the Ministry is of standing Necessity to the very Being of a Political Church whereas the Ecclesiastical Authoritative Ordination is but necessary to the well being and ordering of it Ergo the failing of the later causeth not a failing of the former The Reason of the Consequence may appear in that God hath oft suffered his Church in all Ages to fall into Disorders and Distempers when yet he hath preserved the Being 2. God hath not inseparably tyed a necessary certain End to one only mutable uncertain means But the Office of the Ministry is the necessary certain End of Regular Ecclesiastical Ordination viz. by one in Just Power and this is a mutable uncertain means Ergo God hath not tyed the Office of the Ministry to this alone The Necessity of the Ministry and the certain Continuance of it to the Church I suppose will be granted even to every Church while it remains a Church Political The Uncertainty and Mutability of that means is before proved 3. God hath not put it into the Power of Bishops or other Ordainers to destroy his Church for ever but if the Ministry were inseparably annexed to their authoritative Ordination it would be so Ergo It is in the Power of their Wills whether they will ordain any other Bishops to succeed them which if they should not do the Succession is interrupted and the Office must for ever fail If you say it is not to be supposed that all will deny to Ordain others I answer 1. What Promise or Certainty of the contrary 2. It is not possible their own Judgments may be turned against Bishops and so renounce that Calling or may they not turn most of them Heretical and so will ordain none that will not be so too As it was actually when the whole World turned Arrian except six or seven Bishops there were none left and a tenth Part nay the Hundredth part of the Church could not have recourse to six or seven persecuted Bishops hidden in Wildernesses or Corners or Fugitives that Men knew not where to find And that it was then unlawful to have submitted to the Arrians Ordination on their Terms I suppose will not be denied And the few that do not turn Hereâ—icks may yet clogg their Ordinations with such unlawful Impositions and Engagements as that no Man fearing God may justly submit to them which is at best the Case of all the Romish Church as is said So that if all Men else obey God they must not be Ordained by these Men and consequently these Men have Power to destroy the Church which if it were affirmed but of the Churches in one Nation is not true No nor of one Congregation for the Sense of the Precept for Ordination is this That the Churches may be edified and well guided and my Worship rightly performed do you ordain Elders c. 4. God hath made it indispensably necessary to his People to the World's End to assemble in solemn Congregations and then to perform his publick Worship viz. In Prayer Praises Sacraments Preaching and Hearing c. But without the Ministry this cannot be performed Ergo he hath made it indispensably necessary that they have a Ministry and consequently the failing of Authoritative Ecclesiastical Ordination doth not destroy the Ministry Both by necessity of Precept and of Means is Publick Worship necessary to the World's End Ordinary teaching publickly and being the Mouth of the People in Praising God and Administring Sacraments and blessing the People c. are Ministerial Actions Now suppose you come into a Nation or Country where such Ordination fails as if you had lived in the Reign of the Arrians durst you absolve all the Churches from all God's Publick Worship Durst you have said to whole Countries Never Assemble to Worship God by Solemn Praises Never baptize any Never communicate in the Lord's Supper This were to contradict a Precept in Force that binds them to do what you forbid them and it were to destroy their Souls and bid them forsake God and quench his Graces For without God's Publick Ministerial Ordinances Grace and Christianity it self could not be long continued at least ordinarily and in many Witness the Unchristianing of the vast Kingdom of Nubia for want of Ministers If you would have such to appoint Private Men to do these Things pro tempore in this Case of Necessity that is to grant all for then the People do make those Private Men Ministers pro tempore whether they give them that name or not for the Office is but Power to do those Works which belong thereto and if they have Power to do the Work they have the Office The like may be said of those Reformed Christians that live under the Romish Power if they must have no Miniâ—â—â—rs they must have no Worship or Sacraments which Ministers are to perform If they must have Ministers either Romish or Reformed Not Romish for they cannot follow them or join with them but by known sinning in wicked Engagements and wicked Actions Not Reformed if there be a Necessity of Authoritative Ordination For the Romish Bishops if they have Authority will not Ordain without forcing Men to open Sin nor may any Pious Man submit to their Ordinations on their Terms and many People cannot have Reformed Bishops no nor Presbyters to ordain them 5. The Law of Nature and the express unchangable written Word agreeing thereto do require Men to do the Offices of Ministers who have a fitness for it and where there is an undeniable Necessity of their Help But the failing of Authoritative Ecclesiastical Ordination will not dispence with the Law of Nature and the express moral written Law agreeing therewith Ergo It will not dispense with such Men for the neglect of such Ministerial Works I think none will question the Minor For the Major understand that those whom I call fit are they that have the Qualifications which I mentioned before Here I take it as undenyable that Duty and
10. The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. All Members of the Body must have the same care one of another verse 25. And if one Member suffer the rest must suffer with it verse 26. and Ergo do their best to relieve them Every good Man is a publick Good bonum quo communius eo melius God's Gifts are so many Talents that must be accounted for Matth. 25. and he that hath best improved them for his Lord will havè the most comfortable Reckoning These Generals tying Men to do all the Good they can doth tye them that have Abilitiès and Opportunities for the Ministry to use them where there is need and that in Order as being ordained thereto where it may be had and out of Order where it may not and there is necessity even as Paul bids Timothy Preach out of Season you will acknowledge that they that have Abilitiés where the Church is in necessity may and must seek a right way to use them and so seeks an Ordination into the Ministry 1 Tim. ◠1 2. He that desireth the Office of a Bishop desireth a good Work But God as he gives no Gifts in vain so he sets Man upon no vain Endeavours Those therefore that are bound to seek to be Ministers are not bound to vain Endeavours and therefore there is a possibility of Succeeding But there is very oft no possibility of Authoritative Ecclesiastical Ordination Ergo There must be a possibility of succeeding some other way for nemo tenetur ad impossibile God's Gifts of Light are not to be put under a Bushel While I live where my Pains may be spared and others enough may competently supply my Room I will do nothing disorderly nor without Authority from Man so far as belongs to them to convey it and if they that have Power silence me I will be silent But if I live where there is a visible Necessity of my Labours I will by God's Help rather preach without Authority yea though I were silenced than forbear as knowing that Men have their Power to Edification and not to Destruction and I will rather venture to answer before God to the Charge of doing Good and saving Souls to Christ without Imposition of Hands or Human Appointment than the Charge of hiding my Talent as a slothful evil Servant and of letting Men go to Hell and reject Christ for want of a Commission from Man to hinder them for I know that He that converteth a Sinner from the Error of his way hath saved his Soul from death and covered a multitude of Sins Iam. 5. 20. 6. Christ himself hath taught us in Scripture so to interrupt his Laws as that Ceremonials and meer Positives do give way to natural Morals and Substantials and that when two Duties come together and cannot both be performed the greater must be chosen and therefore it is so in our present Case 1. Even under the Law this is oft manifested to instance but in one Circumcision it self which was so far necessary as to be called God's Covenant and he that neglected it was to be cut off from the People yet in the Wilderness for forty Years together is dispensed with and gives place to greater natural Duties 2. Much more under the Gospel when God placeth less in Externals as choosing such Worshippers as will worship him in Spirit and in Truth Christ often healeth on the Sabbath Day and tells them it is lawful to do Good viz. necessary Good on that Day He tells them that David when he was Hungry and they that were with him did eat the Shew-bread which was not lawful viz. without such Necessity for him to eat but only for the Priests And that the Priests in the Temple do break the Sabbath and are blameless and therefore justifies his Disciples for rubbing the Eares of Corn. If the Prophet Isaiab under the Law could tell them that This was the Fast which the Lord hath chosen to loose the Bands of Wickedness to undoe the heavy Burdens and to let the Oppressed go Free and to break every Yoke Is. 58. 6 7. And the Holy Ghost saith I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices or thy Burnt Offerings to have been continually before me Psal. 50. 8. How much more under the Gospel would God have Externals and Modals stoop to the Substance He that tells us there is Joy among the Angels in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth would not have that Office that calleth them to Repentance laid by nor Men forbear the Works of it for want of a Man rightly ordained himself to say Goe There is some great Moment in that Lesson which Christ calls the Pharises so emphatically to learn Mat. 9. 13. But go ye now and learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Nor is Christ very forward to satisfie their Demand By what Authority dost thou these things Mat. 21. 24 27. Nay he flatly refused 7. An Ordained Minister may have sufficient cause to give over his Calling without the Will of the Ordainer or any in his place therefore he may have sufficient Cause to assume it without the Will of an Ordainer The Antecedent is doubtless Nay it may be his Duty to give over as if the People do generally reject him or if he be called to an Employment where he may be certainly more serviceable or is fitter for or when there are many abler to supply his Place if he remove c. For the Consequence perhaps you will say It follows not because all must concur to a Man's Call to the Work But one thing wanting may call him from it But I answer The Strength of the Consequence is here in that as clear a Call at least is necessary to take a Man off a Course of Duty in so needful an Employment as to put him on And therefore let us suppose a Parity in other Respects and look only at that one Reason The Good of the Church It is certain that if I knew I were a great Wrong to the Church by my Continuance as by keeping out one far better or the like I were bound to give over though without the Ordainers Consent or against it if it cannot be had Therefore it follows that if my exercising that Office be undoubtedly Consideratis considerandis to the great Good of the Church I may do it without an Ordainer if Ordination cannot be had It is the Onus and Labor that is the first and chief thing considerable in the Ministry and the Honos and Power is but in order to that 8. If Secular Power may be derived from God at least so far as to oblige the Subjects to Obedience and to give them the Benefits of that Power and this without any regular authoritative Conveyance from Man then so may Ecclesiastical Power also But the Antecedent is true Ergo The Antecedent is proved 1. In that Scripture commands us to obey such
out But I say that I cannot find it in your Papers You urge six Particulars presently from whence I suppose you intend to do it But at length your self fall beside the Question in the winding them up For whereas you say that the Form in the Law was not only thus That they that Preach the Word must be thus and thus qualified but That they that are thus and thus qualified may be appointed to Preach the Word I think you are beside the Question For I did not engage you to prove that there were in Scripture such a Form of Words as this But they that are thus and thus Qualified shall be appointed to Preach but That Men thus and thus qualified may Preach the Word or have in being so qualified Authority to preach the Word betwixt which two Propositions I conceive there is much Difference It is one thing to say That they that are thus and thus qualified may be appointed that is may have Authority given them to preach the Word And it is a far different thing to say That they that are thus and thus qualified may preach or have de facto Authority to Preach being so qualified And being used as Mediums in a Syllogism will produce very different Conclusions For Example Suppose we could find such a Form of Words in Scripture as these That they that are thus and thus qualified may preach the Word And make this the Major in the Syllogism Then any single Person or Individuum as could infallibly frame himself into the Assumption thus But I am thus and thus qualified might infallably also make out his Commission to preach into this Conclusion Ergo I have Authority to preach the Word And without any thing to do with further Ordination might presently go about the Work The Word giving him his Commission and I confess were there such a Form would be a sufficient Medium to convey Authority as a sufficient Discoverer of the Will of God concerning such an Individuum But then if there be only such a Form as this They that are thus and thus qualified shall be appointed to Preach the Word Then any single Person or Individuum having first fitted himself into the Minor thus But I am thus and thus qualified could make no other Conclusion but this Ergo I may be appointed to Preach the Word which Conclusion as I never did deny so it is little Advantage for you to have proved For the Question is not whether the Word doth direct who shall be appointed to Preach But whether the Word doth immediately by an immediate Application of something immediately by an immediate Application of something in its self to an Individuum conveigh Authority into that Individuum to Preach so as there shall be no need of further appointing or commissioning from Church-Officers which it would have done if there had been such a Sense in the Word 〈◊〉 required But no such matter though there should be such a Sense as you produce For I cannot yield that which you conceive we are both agreed in viz. That when the Word hath described the Qualifications of the Minister that then there is no more to do but to discern or judge who is the the Man that hath those Qualifications for though the Bishop should judge such or such an Individuum to be fitly qualified for the Ministry as discerning the Qualifications which the Word requires in him yet till he hath by Imposition of Hands Fasting and Prayer set him a part for the Work he is yet no Minister to my understanding whatever he may be to yours But Sir I confess though you have not formalitur answered this Argument yet you have given me so much Light from your most excellent Discourse which you make from your quinto to the End of this Second Arguments Reply that I can answer it my self And therefore I shall as I said at the beginning acknowledge that you have both satisfied it and my own scrupulous Mind about this Question And I do fully consent with you that though the Succession of Ordination might be interrupted yet we may draw our Authority from Christ by the Mediation of the written Word or indeed by the very Law of Nature which was a thing I confess I had not as your self seems to tax me duely considered But now having well weighted what Stress both Laws lay upon all Men to do what good they can when they have an Opportunity and there be a necessity of their Help I do not doubt but a Man may have a sufficient Discovery of the Will of Christ calling him out to Duty and by Consequence giving him sufficient Authority for that Work though he may want the regular entrance into it And therefore since I see a way to justify the Ministry and to derive our Authority from Christ though the Succession should be interrupted though also in the mean I think all Men alive may be defied to make full Proof either that the Succession ever was or ever shall be interrupted I shall neither trouble you nor my self any farther about a business to so little purpose But superceding from all the rest of my promised Task shall only add something concerning your Reply to my third Argument and that is this To my Question that I make in the Behalf of the Invaders of our Office why we Clamour so much against them why we give them not the Right Hand of Fellowship you answer We do not we may not give them the Right Hand of Fellowship because they come not into the Vineyard by the Door But I Reply from your own Principles that it is for them morally impossible to come in by the Door the Door to them being by Providence nailed up The Men which you call Church Officers being either such as will not give them a Commission or such as they dare not take a Commission from as conceiving them not lawful Ministers and because they cannot have their Orders from them salvâ conscientiâ it becomes impossible to them quia omne turpe inhonestum est impossibile And so though you say nothing is more untrue yet to me nothing seems more evident than that the case of extream Necessity is their case The Anabaptist for Example he cannot be ordained by a Bishop he dare not because he judges the very Order to be Antichristian The Presbytery if he have any better Opinion of them yet they think so ill of him that they will not give him Orders Either therefore though he be never so well qualified for the Work he must take his Call from the Company of Brethren or he must take it upon his own discerning the Qualifications in himself or he must not Preach at all though he sees the Church of Christ have never so much need of his Help Now if you say that in such a Case a Man may not bury his Talent when the Church hath need of his Help and he an Opportunity to give it but he may
impartially search after the Truth by Study but with Patience not setting God a time for his Resolution As for my Twenty Arguments which you say he is referred to I partly considered what they made for before I set them down They prove a Necessity of Profession of Consent in all adult Covenanters But yet Parents may profess their Consent to their Childrens Covenanting or Engagement The Parents are the Believers and the Consenters and Ergo must be the Professors They have Power of devoting and giving up and engaging their Children to God I would Mr. L. could tell me When the Priviledge and Duty of Parents entering their Children into the Holy Covenant with God and solemnizing this did cease Let him answer me but that one Question well and prove it and I will be of his mind but this is besides my Intent It will not prove that Infants are not saved because it is said so oft That he that believeth shall not perish and he that believeth not is condemned already and shall be damned c. No more will it prove that Infants that profess not and believe not may not be entered by professing Parents into Covenant with God as undoubtedly till Christ's Time they were because Profession is necessary to the adult As the Parents Will disposeth of them for their good so the Parents Profession is enough But I come to my Conclusion I am no Prophet but I hope God hath given Mr. L. his Light and his Tryals yet for higher ends and suffered him to delay his Relinquishment of the Schism that he may be more serviceable to the Church in helping to heal the common Breach To which End I make this Motion to him and tell him from me I think it is of God and will produce his Comfort 1. If he desire it I will presently send him a Model of Agreement between the Churches of the Poedobaptists and Anabaptists as commonly called in order to their charitable brotherly Communion and the preservation of the common Truth that it suffer not by our Divisions This he and I will subscribe to and then I doubt not to get Mr. Tombes to subscribe it and next I will get all our Association to subscribe it and next let Mr. T. and he get what other of the Re-baptised to subscribe it that will If none but he and I do it we will publish it and shame the World into a Peace or do our Parts And methinks I foresee great Benefits that will ensue more than this Paper will hold to enumerate 2. When this Agreement is Published Mr. L. shall also Publish his Arguments and I my Reasons for our Agreement 3. When this is done let Mr. L. become the Pastor of a Church that 's mixt of the Baptized and Re-baptized if it may be if not at least a Publick Preacher in a convenient Station For I see that Light in his Argumentation that he may not hide and that God will never Suffer him to cast off and go against but at his Peril which I cannot fear Dear Mrs. L. receiving your Letter near Bed-time on Saturday Night I thought it no Sin to make it part of this Lord's Day 's Work to return you this Answer which I desire you to accept from and pray for Your Brother in the Covenant and Spirit of Christ Rich. Baxter Aug. 22. 1658. If Mr. L. look into my Book for Infant Baptism let him know that I much repent of the harsh Language in it but not of the main matter London the 16th of Sept. 1658. Honoured Sir I Perceive my Wife hath unknown to me sent you my Papers touching Free Communion with all Saints which God knoweth my Heart and Soul is in and since the Matter is so well received by you as appeareth by your kind answer and my own particular Case so affectionately tendred by you I am encouraged to further Converse and indeed do welcome your Overtures of a loving Correspondency with many Thanks both to God and your self 'T is a rare thing to find Men of Parts Learning and great Abilities cloathed with Bowels of Mercies or Humbleness of Mind Psal. 113. 5 6. The Prophet speaketh in the Praise of the Almighty That though he was high yet humbled himself to consider the things on Earth yea even the poor on the Dunghil sitting in Dust God's Heighth hindereth not him but Mens doth them ordinarily though not in it self Not as a Cause but as an Occasion through the Corruption that is in the Heart of the best It may be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whom I have sought with Fasting Prayers and Tears hath appointed you to interpret his wonderful dealing with me and to shew me my Uprightness I mean what he will account so He that could do so would be an Interpreter one of a Thousand to me that walk in Darkness and see little Light O that I knew the Mind and Will of God in my difficult Case happy should I be I have this Comfort in my Affliction that my Will is perfectly subdued to God's I would go his way if I could tell where it lay But alas I cannot find it I make my moan to the Almighty but he seemeth to carry it severely towards me instead of making streight Paths for my Feet Upon my earnest Solicitations he leaveth me in the Hand of Tormenting Fears That you may the better know what to say to me I shall as briefly as I can tell you my case My Understanding being enlightned that all Saints as Saints ought to hold Church Communion against what I have foolishly printed for which I loath my self and abhor the Sight of it I set my self to consider other Events that lead me to that narrowness of Spirit at last come to doubt whether God be pleased with Re-baptizing to the Rejection of Infants out of the Visible Church But am out of doubt in this that to rebaptize any now do denominate their visible Saintship or give right to Church Fellowship and so to part them from all the Believers in Christ not so Baptized as the World as not of the visible Church of God is a most pernicious Error and a great Evil further I found fault with Popular Government in the Church as it confounds the Definition of Governour and Governed Also that in the setled State of the Church no Man ought to take a Personal Charge but Persons both able and wholly devoted to the Work That to be a Merchant and a Minister doth not agree except in Cases of invincible Necessity That in the Levitical Order appointed by God there is a moral equity respecting the Ministers of the Gospel both Separation to the Work and and Maintenance in it and however People may Imagine the contrary Principles and Practices prove dishonourable to God and destructive to Religion In the multitude of these Thoughts I began to conclude that it was not possible for me to hold my Relation to the People I now serve and
doubt that neither the Episcopal Presbyterian nor Independant way alone will well settle the Church But that each of the three Parties and those called Erastians have somewhat of the Truth in peculiar and somewhat of Faultiness and if ever the Church be well setled it must be by taking the best and leaving out the worst of every party and till that can be done we must bear with what we cannot amend Octobo 9. 1688. Mr. J BEcause your Friend refuseth Conference though I promised secrefie and a loving Debate I will for your sake answer your Questions my self which I take to be these Two I Whether you ought not presently to fix your self in a particular Church and not continue any longer occasional Communion with many II. What Church you should be a fixed Communicant in I. As to the First I know not well what is meant by fixed Membership by the Author of the Writing which you shewed me you must be a fixed Member of Christ and the Church Universal or else you are no fixed Christian But as to particular Pastors and Congregations Order and Concord and Edification are the general Rules which tell you where to fix and how far 1. You ought not to commit any real Sin for Communion with any Church 2. Though you may and must join with faulty Assemblies and Worship yet you must not justifie their Faults nor profess your Consent to them nor promise that you will never endeavour any Amendment of them 3. There must be no Self-obliging unnecessarily Liberty is not so contemptible a thing that we should cast it away for nought much less must you bind your self contrary to God's Providence or without excepting Alterations by it 4. Your Church-Membership as to particular Congregations must have no greater fixedness than your Habitation and other Obligations You may remove your Congregational Relation when you remove your Dwelling and none can hinder you from removing both when your Interest requireth it Suspect them that would make you their Propriety II. As to the Second where you should fix 1. You are in your Father's House under his Government and must obey him in all lawful things and must not go against his Consent 2. You are a Member of a Christian Family and no Scripture tells us of the Members of one Christian Family being of divers Churches nor alloweth it 3. Scripture knoweth no particular Churches but what were bounded by Neighbourhood and Cohabitation except Hereticks There were never Churches gathered out of Churches then nor two approved Churches of the same Language in the same Bounds 1. I do hereby undertake to prove against any Disputer that there is no Form so agreeable to God's Word as this following 1. A Christian Kingdom consisting of a Christian King or supreme Power and particular confederate Churches being the Burgesses and peaceable Unbelievers that tolerated Aliens or Catechumens 2. A reformed Episcopacy Successors to the Evangelists that without the Sword or Force had the Care of many Churches 3. Reformed Parish-Churches consisting of Godly Pastors and professed Christian Cohabitants the incapable being Catechumens which made the old Nonconformists declare that they were so far from being against Parish-Churches that their Lives would be a burden to them if they were not restored to them The first Church State that Christ himself made was the Platform of a Christian Kingdom Church offering to make Iudaea such setting Twelve Apostles over the Twelve Tribes and Seventy two Disciples the Number of their great Council and so would have gathered all Ierusalem's Children to himself as a Hen gathereth her Chickens Mat. 23. which they refusing he declared that the Kingdom of God should be taken from them and given to a Nation that would bring forth the fruit thereof and so they were cut off for their Unbelief and we graffed in to the same Olive or political State the Mosaical Law only changed for Christ's Law And as all the Prophets foretold this that Christ's Church should be a Davidical Kingdom so after Two Hundred Ninety Four Years Tryal it was set up and the Pagan Empire Babylon did fall and Christ reigned by Christian Emperors and his enemies were made his Footstool and the Kingdoms of the World became the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ consisting of Churches confederate for Unity and the Nations brought in their Glory to it and the Fulness of the Gentiles came in and all the Israel of God were saved Iudaea becoming the most Christian Nation in the World And Heaven and Earth rejoiced at the Fall of Babylon and this new Ierusalem's iniâ—ial Sâ—aâ—e And sure it is such a Kingdom-Church which those expect that talk of the future Thousand Years Reign of Christ. As Teachers are under him as Prophet and Priests as he is Priest so are Christian Kings as he is King and bad Kings are no more Reason against his Institution than bad Teachers and Priests 2. There are Three Sorts of Pastors or Bishops in Christ's Church I. Such as were to gather many Churches out of Infideâ—s and to set Elders or fixed Bishops over them and then oversee both the Elders and People Such Christ made the Apostles whose Office was partly extraordinary and temporary and is so far only ceased and partly ordinary and continued and so Christ promised to be with them to the end of the World And such were Evangelists sent forth with and by the Apostles to gather and oversee many Churches and Pastors Such were Titus Timothy Luke Mark Barnabas Silas and many more God never recalled this Order of Ministers if any say he did it lyeth in them to prove it This was the first sort of Pastors II. The Second Sort were the fixed Elders which these ordained in every Church who were all Bishops over the Flocks and so called but under the general Ministers who yet had none of them any forcing Power by the Sword these two God instituted III. The Third Sort between these Two was a President Pastor in every particular Church like the President of a Colledge who had some moderating guiding Power among the rest of the Elders This was set up to avoid Division among the Elders every Church having usually many and received even in some of the Apostles Days and never rejected for a Thousand Years 3. Particular Churches in Scripture Times were distinguished by the places of their Neighbourhood as I said before and there were never two Churches in the same Bounds except Hereticks and Men of divers Languages From this it is plain that the most Divine From of Government is 1. A Christian Kingdom 2. With Reformed General Ministers 3. And Reformed Parish-Churches having fixed Pastors and where it may be our Chief c. Moreover as to your fixing the Churches in Question with you I suppose are not the Papists the Quakers the Familists c. But the Episcopal the Presbyterian the Independent and the Separatist if not the Anabaptists also I. The Episcopal are of Two Sorts
Conformists and Nonconformists The Episcopal Conformists are of Two Sorts some lately sprung up that follow Archbishop Laud and Dr. Hammond hold that there are no Political Churches lower than Diocesan because there are no Bishops under them and so that the Parish-Churches are no Churches properly but part of Churches nor the Incumbants true Bishops but Curates under Bishops nor the Foreigners true Ministers or Churches that have no Diocesan Bishops This Party called themselves the Church of England 1658 1659. When we knew but of Four or Five Bishops left alive who Dr. Hammond said with that Party of the Clergy were of his Mind And these seemed uppermost in 1660 and 1661. and were the men whom I disputed with in my Treatise of Episcopacy The other Episcopal Conformists are they that follow the Reformers and hold the Doctrine of the Scripture as only sufficient to Salvation and as explicatory of it the Thirty Nine Articles the Homilies Liturgy Book of Ordination Apology c. These take the Parish-Pastors for true Rectors and the Parish-Churches for true Churches but subordinate to the Diocesans and to be ruled by them But the Laws have imposed on them some Declarations and Subscriptions which they think they may put a good Sense on though by stretching the Words from their usual Signification The Bishops and Deans are chosen by the King indeed and by the Prebends in shew The Incumbant are chosen by Patrons ordained by Diocesans with Presbyters and accepted by Consent of the Communicants of the Parish The Episcopal Government is managed partly by the Bishops and partly by Lay-Civilians and Surrogates The Episcopal Nonconformists are for true Parish-Churches and Ministers reformed without swearing promising declaring or subscribing to any but sure clear necessary things desiring that the Scripture may be their Canons disowning all persecuting Canons taking the capable in each Parish for the Communicant and Church and the rest for Hearers and Catechized Persons desiring that the Magistrate be Judge whom he will maintain approve and tolerate and the Ordainers Judges whom they will ordain and the People be free Consenters to whose Pastoral Care they will trust their Souls desiring that every Presbyter be an Overseer of the Flock and every Church that hath many Elders have one Incumbent President for Unity and Order and that Godly Diocesans may without the Sword or Force have the Oversight of many Ministers and Churches and all these be confederate and under the Government of a Christian King but under no Foreign Jurisdiction though in as much Concord as is possible with all the Christian World And they would have the Keys of Excommunication and Absolution taken out of the Hands of Lay-Men Chancellors or Lay Brethren and the Diocesans to judge in the Synods of the Presbyters in Cases above Parochial Power That this was the Judgment of the Nonconformists that treated for Peace in 1660. and 1661. is to be seen in their printed Proposals in which they desired Archbishop Usher's Model of the Primitive Episcopacy joined with the Synods of Presbyters II. The Presbyterians are for Parish-Churches as aforesaid guided by Elders some teaching and some only ruling and these under Synods of the like Class without Diocesan or Parochial Superiors and all under a National Assembly of the same as the Supreme Church Power III. The Independants are for every Congregation to have all Church Power in it self without any superior Church-Government over them whether Bishops or Synods yet owning Synods for voluntary Concord Of these some are against local Communion with the aforesaid Churches and for avoiding them by Separation some as if they were no Churches and had no true Ministers some for Forms of Prayer some for faulty Communicants some for Episcopal Ordination and some for subscibing and some for all these and many other pretended Reasons But some Independants are for occasional Communion with the other Churches and some also for stated Communion in the Parish-Churches for which you may read Mr. Tomes's the chief of the Anabaptists in a full Treatise and Dr. Thomas Goodwin on the first of the Ephesians earnest against Separation as the old Nonconformists were Now which of all these should you join with I affirm that all these except the Separatists are parts of the Church of England as it is truly essentiated by a Christian Magistracy and confederate Christian particular Churches All are not equally sound and pure but all are parts of the Church of England Liturgies and Ceremonies and Canons and Chancellors are not essential to it as a Church or Christian Kingdom But it is now a Medly less concordant than is desirable but you are not put upon any such Disputes whether you will call the present Church of England Roman as denominated from the King that is the Head or whether you will say that King and Parliament conjunct are that Head and so it is yet Protestant because the Laws are so or whether you will denominate it materially Protestant because the Clergy and Flocks are so your Doubt is only what Congregation to join with I answer That which all your Circumstances set together make it most convenient to the publick good and your own Though I hold not Ministerial Conformity lawful I take Lay-Communion in any of these except the Separatists to be lawful to some Persons whose case maketh it fittest But I judge it unlawful for you to confine your Communion to any one of them so as to refuse occasional Communion with all save them 1. The parish-Parish-Churches have the Advantage of Authority Order and Confederacy and the Protestant Interest is chiefly cast upon them therefore I will not separate from Lay-Communion with them though they need much Reformation 2. You must not go against your Father's Will no nor divide the Family without necessity The same I say of your Husband when you are married 3. The Nonconforming Episcopal and Presbyterians have not such Churches as they desire but only temporarily keep Meetings like to Chappels as Assistants to others till Parishes are reformed 4. I think it a stated sinful Schism to fix as a Member of such a Church and Pastor as is of the Principles of the Writing which you shewed me I. Because they grievously slander the Parish-Churches and Ministers as none and their Worship and Government as far worse than it is II. Because they Renounce local Communion with almost all the Body or Church of Christ on Earth by renouncing it on a Reason common to almost all III. Because they separate from such Churches as Christ and his Apostles joined with and so seem to condemn Christ and his Apostles as Sinners Christ ordinarily joined with the Iews Church in Synagogues and Temple-Offices when the High-Priest bought the Place of Heathens and the Priests Pharisees and Rulers were wicked Persecutors and the Sadduces Hereticks or worse he sent Iudas as an Apostle when he knew him to be a Theif or a Devil The Apostles neither separated nor allowed Separation from
sinful Omission of the People that will not first privately and then before witness and then to the Church or Pastor admonish the Offenders this is the Sin of Pastors and People but nullifieth not the Church or Office 12. Through God's great Mercy the Doctrine professed by the Church of England and usually preached in many thousand Parish Churches is sound and as well preached as in any other known Kingdom on Earth though Ministers have had their Sins which we still smart for and by 13. There is nothing in the Liturgy-worship which the Laity in the Congregation are ordinarily to perform or joyn in which they may not lawfully do or joyn in or be present at most that needeth Reformation being in Rubricks and By-Offices Baptizing Confirmation Excommunications Absolutions Burials and in the Ministers part 14. The Ministers have all the three parts that can be accounted by any party necessary to an outward Call 1. They have the Magistrates Consent by his Law who is Judge whom he will maintain and tolerate 2. They have the Ordainers Consent and Mission Bishops and Presbyters who are Judges whom to Ordain 3. They have the Communicants Consent expressed in their constant Attendance and Communicating who are the discerning Judges to whom to commit the Pastoral Care and Conduct of their own Souls And though more be desirable no more is of necessity 15. The Confederate Parish-Churches of England that have able godly Pastors want nothing which CHRIST or his APOSTLES or the UNIVERSAL CHURCH of Christ for Six hundred years yea or to this day did ever make or judge necessary to the being of Ministers or Church Nor have the said Churches any Errour or Sin in Doctrine Worship or Government which either Christ or his Apostles or the Universal Church for Six hundred years after Christ did judge inconsistent with the being of a valid Minister and true visible Churches The large proof of these Fifteen Propositions I offer though too long now to perform which though they will not justifie such Ministerial Conformity as I have been urged to yet you may easily see by them 1. What Church-Frame is most agreeable to Scripture 2. And what to judge of the false Accusers of the Church 3. How far Separation is sinful Division and contrary to Christian Love and Union I know the Dividers say 1. That I am turned Conformist 2. And why do I not Conform if I think so well of the Parish Churches and Liturgy And 3. Why have I lost above Twenty thousand pounds in Five and twenty years by refusing a Bishoprick and other Preferments To whom I answer If our printed Proposals Disputes and Petitions for Peace in 1661. and my first second and third Plea for Peace and many more such Writings and my Cure of Church Divisions and my Book for the true and only way of Church Concord and my Confutation of many that made me a Separatist while I Communicated in my Parish Church and never gathered a Church meerly because I forsook not my Ministry but gratis preached a Lecture and my Book against Sacrilegious Desertion of the Ministry I say if all these Books will not silence these ignorant Objectors nor restrain them from speaking evil of that which they understand not I owe them no more nor can hope to cure their quarrelsome Ignorance should I say or write never so much more They have contemned so many excellent Rulers and Pastors single and Assemblies far wiser than I and so censoriously condemn almost all the Body or Church of Christ on Earth that I am not so vain as to expect to escape their Censure Even in New-England not only Mr. Wilson Mr. Norton and such other single Independent Ministers lived and died in lamented Separation and warning the Land against it as their danger but their Synods have been at much trouble thereby and left their Healing Determinations and Testimony against that Dividing Spirit and Way They that would see more may read a small Book of Mr. Philip Nye for Hearing the Parish Preachers and a bigger Book of Mr. Iohn Tombes the greatest and most learned Writer against Infant-Baptism vindicating the Lawfulness and Duty of joyning in ordinary Communion in Word Prayer and Sacrament with the Parish-Churches Dr. Thomas Goodwin on Ephes. 1. Serm. 36. pag. 488. explaining some Words in the foregoing Sermon IT was understood as if I said That all Parish Churches and Ministers generally were Churches and Ministers of Christ such as with whom Communion might be held I said not so I was wary in my Expressions I will only say this to you about it There is no Man that desireth Reformation in this Kingdom as the generality of all godly People do but will acknowledge and say That multitudes of Parishes where Ignorance and Prophaneness overwhelmeth the Generality Scandalousness and Simony the Ministers themselves that these are not Churches and Ministers fit to be held Communion with Only this The Ordinances that have been administred by them so far we must acknowledge them that they are not to be recalled or repeated again But here lyeth the Question my Brethren and my meaning Whereas now in some Parishes in this Kingdom there are many godly Men that do constantly give themselves up to the Worship of God in publick and meet together in one place to that end in a constant way under a godly Minister whom they themselves have chosen to cleave to though they did not choose him at first These notwithstanding their mixture and want of Discipline I never thought for my part but that they were true Churches of Christ and Sister-Churches and so ought to be acknowledged And the contrary was the Errour that I spake against Secondly For holding Communion with them I say as Sister-Churches occasionally as Strangers Men might hold Communion with them And it is acknowledged by all Divines that there is not that Obligation lying upon a Stranger that is not a Member of a Sister-Church to find fault in that Church or in a Member of it as doth on the Church it self to which one belongeth I will give you my Reasons that moved me to speak so much It was not simply to vent my own Judgment or simply to clear my self from that Errour but the Reasons or rather the Motives and Considerations that stirred me in it were these First If we should not acknowledge these Churches thus stated to be true Churches of Christ and their Ministers true Ministers and their Order such and hold Communion with them too in the Sence spoken of we must acknowledge No Church in all the Reformed Churches None of all the Churches in Scotland nor in Holland nor in Germany for they are All as full of mixture as ours And to deny that to our own Churches which we do not to the Churches abroad nothing can be more absurd And it will be very hard to think that there hath been no Church since the Reformation Secondly I know nothing tendeth more to the
Spirit among others is a great rejoicing to me And I hope I may tell you that it is in vain as I am sure I may tell you it is no small Sin any more to resist and strive against him If the Hand of our dear and tender Lord be setting you in joint again shrink not on account of present pain much less should you fear the Reproach of being in Communion with the Body but impartially hearken unto him and yield but lay by all Tumults of Spirits and Passions and get out of the Noise of vulgar Clamours for the Voice of Peace is a still Voice and in Calmness must be attended unto And when you are restored if you find not the Sweetness and Advantages of Peace if you are indeed restored in Mind as well as Practice the Lord hath not spoken in this by me I can hardly think that he that hath raised these Thoughts within you and begun these Convictions will let them die In order to the Ends desired and hoped for I shall offer you so much of my present Thoughts as your described Case requires And 1. though I desire not to dispute the Case of Infant Baptism with you now yet I may say we believe you live in a constant Sin against the Lord in neglecting denying and opposing it and that if you will by one erroneous Supposition draw on a Chain of hurtful Consequences you are the Cause of your own Disorders At a fitter Season I should desire you but to answer me this one Argument All that should be sacramentally or solemnly inticed into the Holy Covenant with God as his People should be Baptized or at least be taken as true Members of the Church and their Entrance just but the Infants of believing Parents should be sacramentally and solemnly entred into Covenant with God or his People Ergo c. The Minor we give you the abundant Proof of Law and Promise for before Christ. It was Abraham's Duty and Priviledge according to the Tenour of the Promise which was made with him before the Law to enter his Children sacramentally and solemnly into the holy Covenant It was all the Churches Duty after both Jews and Proselytes both the uncircumcised Females and the circumcised Males and all the uncircumcised Church in the Wilderness Deut. 29 c. Tell me now how I should answer it before the Lord if I tell Parents that they are absolved from this Duty of solemn entring their Children into the Covenant and are divested of the blessed Priviledge especially when you here tell me well that you know of none but his Body that Christ is the Saviour of and that the Church is this Body Ergo you know of no Salvation for Infants if they be not of the Church Ergo Exclussion would be a heavy Case shall I say that Christ hath recalled this Law and Grant but how should I prove it I shew you the Law and Grant do you shew me the Repeal and we have done Christ never speaks a word to repeal it nor any of his Apostles Entring our Children into the holy Covenant is not a Ceremony If God say to a Father why didst thou not dedicate this Child to me and solemnly enter him into Covenant with me what can he say The Precept Promise and long Practice were plain was the Repeal also plain Yes if it be a Repeal for Christ to take such Children into his Arms and bless them and tell us of such is his Kingdom and to be offended with those that would have kept them from him and to command that all Disciples be Baptized He knew well enough when he instituted Baptism and exercised it first upon the adult that the Iews did so too with their Proselites And Ergo when he did in that no more than they did that yet admitted the Infants of Church-Members his baptizing the Adult could no more signify his Denial of Infants to be baptized than the Iews baptizing the Adult could signify it who at that time baptized Infants also nor could the Disciples interpret Christ's Doctrine and Will to be contrary to the Iews when his Practice was no more than theirs And when he never uttered a Syllable to intimate a Repeal of that great Mercy and Duty of entring Infants solemnly into the Covenant which by God's Appointment had continued so long And the Covenant was I will be thy God and thou shalt be my People But all this falls in besides my first intent and therefore I rather expect your Pardon than your regard of it at the present though time may shew you Light in that which now seems Darkness 2. But if our Infant Baptism were irregular how will you prove it a Nullity never by any sound Argument every Irregularity is not a Nullity Whether you take the Word as signifying Faedus Sacramentale a Sacramental Covenant as Scripture commonly doth more notably intending the Covenant than the outward Act or Sacramentum Faederale a Federal Sacrament or Action most notably signifying the Sign or Act it 's all one to our purpose for Infants are capable of both the Covenant and the outward Sign and of all that is essential to Baptism That they are capable of being entred into Covenant 1. Nature tells us we commonly enter them under Princes as their Subjects and into private Contracts with Landlords for Possessions 2. The ancient Law Promise and Practice of the Church before Christ tells us for then it was actually done by God's Command And that they are capable of the outward Sign is undeniable Prove it a Nullity if you can though it were a Sin 3. But if both were granted the Sin and Nullity I come now to give you my Reasons why it warrants you not to deny Communion with the Churches that were thus Baptized in Infancy And 1. I beseech you note that Baptism is as necessary if not much more to the Admission of Men into the universal visible Church as such or into a particular Church Ergo If Men may be admitted into the universal visible Church without adult Baptism then he may be admitted into a particular Church without it But yet here grant that he may be a Member of the universal Church without it Ergo Baptism is indeed appointed to be our regular entrance by way of Sacramental Covenant and Investiture into the Church Universal and not into a particular Church necessarily though it may be into both yet it is but indirectly into the particular Church The Eunuch and all that were baptized first in any place by the Apostles were baptized only into the Church universal and afterward setled in Order under Pastors in particular Churches Baptism as such as it was called our Christening doth only list Men under Christ as Christians and if it do any more as to the thing in Question it is accidentally and not always nor necessarily We are not directly sure baptized to our Pastors and so not to that Particular Church nothing then is more plain
shall we find them and make them in our Brethren Christ gathereth and will you scatter he reconcileth and uniteth and will you divide he justifieth and will you be he that shall condemn Even them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and all for want of delaying Baptism till your time when in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth nothing nor uncircumcision but the New Creature and Faith that worketh by Love Have you mark'd how Unity and Love is inculcated in the New Testament and that as Omnipotency is most eminently engraven upon the Creation and Wisdom on the Laws of God so Goodness is most eminently engraven on the Redeemer and that in this Glass the Father in his Love and Goodness must be known and hereby the Impress and Image of Love must be made upon our Souls They that are least for Love and holy Unity are least like God and least for him and most like his Enemy and ours 18. Christ is both King Prophet and Priest and no one is sincerely related unto him in any of these respects but is related to him in all And Ergo all Christians are to be under his Church-Government and Protection in his Family as well as under his Teaching If they are by your own confession Fellow Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God do not disfranchise them nor deny them their Priviledges 19. Will not your Principles lead to narrowness of holy Charity in Communication of worldly Goods and destroy Christian Communion in this Those that were in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer not through levelling but charitable Community had all things as common sure you will refuse this when you refuse Communion in Sacrament you will on the same ground think that those few only of your Opinion are to partake of this Special Communication For the Reason is the same 20. Contrary to the Spirit and Scope of the Gospel you lay greater stress upon the very timing of a holy Ceremony than under the Law was laid upon the being of the Ceremony it self Women had Communion without Circumcision The Males in the Wilderness did hold all holy Communion even in the Passover without Circumcision To all this let me add these few Questions to you 1. Do you think in the most humble frame of your Soul that you have no failing as great as you suppose the mis-timing of our Baptism to be and would you be rejected for it 2. Is this norrowness of special loving Communion answerable to the Principles of Universal Redemption and Grace wherein I suspect you go beyond me 3. Have you well considered that God's Unity is the first of his Attributes next his Being The Lord our God is one God And so the Unity of the Church is next the very Essence of it so to be regarded and maintained The Unity cannot be destroyed without destroying the Essence and therefore many Truths and Duties must be put behind the Churches Unity when accidentally the use of them is made inconsistent with it 4. It hath been the common frame of the Church since the Apostles days till of late to consist of a mixture one half baptized at Age being converted at Age from Infidelity and their Baptism before neglected and the other half that were born of Christian Parents baptized in Infancy And both sorts lived in Peace and Love and no Church History that ever I read doth give us any the least intimation that ever these two Sorts disagreed hereupon or accused one anothers way or made it any occasion of a Division And will you advance Knowledge and Holiness in the end of the World by advancing Uncharitableness and Division 5. Bethink you with sobriety as before the Lord if you had lived in the Church in the second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth and tenth Century or lower in all which though many were baptized at Age being not Christians by any Infant Covenant yet no Writer that ever I saw doth tell us of one Church or one Pastor no nor of one Man that was a Catholick Christian no nor of one Heretick that I remember that was against the lawfulness of Infant Baptism I say if you had then lived would you have separated from all the Churches on Earth What! from the Universal Church in your Communion or would you have had all these Ages have laid by all instituted Church Order and Worship The consequences of this would rise so high that I will not name them to you Only I would further ask you 6. If you think their Baptism a Nullity and consequently the instituted Churches Ministry Order Sacraments Nullities that were used in all those Ages the seventh eighth ninth tenth c. when almost none but such as were baptized in Infancy were Church Members how far then do you differ from the Seekers that tell us All these were lost in the Apostacy 2. And how easily will a Papist trample you in the dirt and laugh you to scorn when he puts you to prove Successive Church and Ordinances and Ministry 3. And what advantage give you the Infidels and our own Remnants of Infidelity to deny the Head by so far denying the Body 7. Would you have a Unity and do you ever expect such a thing or not If not If you do on what terms do you expect it You can never with the least Encouragement of Reason expect that all should deny Infant Baptism and come to you These late years have given you as much advantage as you can well expect and yet you see the most of the Godly dare not come to you If therefore you will neither come to them in Judgment nor yet close in Communion with Christians of different Judgment what do you but give up Unity as desperate and fix in your divided State 8. And will you give the Papist Disputants so much Encouragement as to confess to them that among us there is not any hopes of Unity or loving Christian Church Communion I have been longer than I intended upon these Reasonings but it is because I would not neglect you but some one of them at least may stick upon you of which success your lives declaring you so honestly impartially and happily disposed to Love and Peace I make no doubt And now to your Objections which should have been my whole Task but that I would make sure the Issue And 1. to your first Argument I answer 1. It is against you and overthrows your Cause for as ordinarily Women were admitted to the Passover without Circumcision but not without the Covenant and as in extraordinary Cases offered as of all Israel 40 years in the Wilderness the Males also were admitted uncircumcised so much more may it be now in case of Baptism 2. Either the Ordinances and Examples of the Jews about Circumcision afford us Arguments for regulating our Baptism and Communion or not If not then you urge them in
a Nonconformist and is your Address to your self or do you take the Word Church there also equivocally and improperly If so you should have said so The Prelatists grant with Cyprian that ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia and with Ignatius that to every church there is one Bishop with his Presbyters c. No King no Kingdom no Master no School nor Family no Bishop no Church Therefore the Prelatists hold that we have no true proper Church below a Diocesan and that Parishes are not Churches but Chappels or parts of a Church and this is not the least part of our Nonconformity how hold that Parishes are or should be true Churches and not only parts of a Church in fini ordinis without any proper Bishop Tell me better I pray which side you here intend to take Quest. 4. Seeing p. 111. c. you very well plead for the Power of Kings in Determination of Parish-Bounds and Church Orders as under the Jewish Polity and the new way of the Conformists is so far contrary as that they hold that if a Bishop command one Time one Place one Translation Metre Ceremony Utensil c. and the King another that the Bishop is to be obeyed before the King because it belongs not to him but to the Church Is it the New Conformity in this that you are for or for the old and the Nonconformists who in this Agree Quest. 5. Some Words p. 124 125. move me to ask you whether such Anabaptists as you formerly taught and joined with or the ignorant irreligious vulgar as you then accounted them were the better People If the Religion of them that mind little of God or Life Eternal further than to join with the Church be the true State of Regeneration and Holiness were it not more worth your Labour to write a Book against that which now we take for Holiness seeking first God's Kingdom and Righteousness But if other Wise and Pious Sectaries be better than impious Churchmen were those times so much better than these as you describe them in which there was not one counted Religious e. g. from 1625. till 1637. for Three that I say not for Ten or Twenty that are now in most places that I have known Quest. 6. And I add hath not Scotland kept out Sects without our Conformity more effectually than Conformity here kept them out Quest. 7. P. 129. Had you nothing but Suspicion and Opinion to oppugn and must that be granted you and yet have lived so long where you live Quest. 8. Because you talk so much of Shism sinful in it self without ever telling us exactly how to know it I pray tell me if Mr. Sangar Dr. Manton and such others should say to these Parishioners we are in the Relations which we were truly and justly stated in and because the Magistrate hath given others the Parish-Churches and the Tythes you separate from us and come not to our Assemblies therefore you set up a sinful Schism as some did in the Churches of the Roman Empire who adhered to Pastors put in by the Emperors while the People adhered to their former Pastors How shall I answer them better than they do you Quest. 9. Your Question p. 157. moveth me to put you to think it over again whether you think indeed as your Words import if all the People of England these fourteen Years past had heard no Sermon but in the Parish-Churches and so had heard none of the 2000 Nonconformists or neer that were silenced even in all those Parishes where the reading of the Liturgy is the far best and likeliest means of the Peoples Good and in all those Parishes where not one of very many hath any Church to hear in I say do you think that there would have been more Persons truly converted and saved by this means If you think that all these 1800 or 2000 Mens Preaching hath done and doth more harm than good had it not been a directer way to have written to them to convince them of it that they might cease of which more anon Pag. 161. You say If instead of this each Christian of you had kept to Parochial Communion and each outed Minister had kept their Residence among them and Communion with them as private Members in the Parish way and had also in a private Capacity joined with those Ministers which have succeeded them in doing all the Good they could in the Parish as by a private Application and Improvement of the publick Labours of their Minister together with Catechizing and other personal Instruction and Exhortation privately administred to the several Families in the Parish c. Quest. 10. Will you do us the Favour as to answer first those Books that be written to prove our Obligation to Preach such as Ios. Allen's Call to Archippus and my Sacrilegious Dissertion c. was not that to have gone before such Advises as this If you say Dr. Fullwood hath done it I beg of you to tell me what Arguments of his you think have done it while he yields the contrary Quest. 11. Would you have all those Ministers take this course that must lye in the Common Goal if they come within five Miles of the Place can they do it in Newgate If you say that the Act of Consinement had not been made but for Conventicles we have Proof of that nor is the Occasion now any Remedy for the future Quest. 12. Do you not know that Conformists will not endure us in this private Diligence which you speak of I will give you in the end an Instance from the Parish where I live Quest. 13. Do you well know what sort of Ministers are in too many Parishes of England I will not imtate the Gloscester Cobler in gathering up their Faults but only ask you if for Instance Mr. Corbet that was turned out of Bromshut had stayed there where Mr. Hook the Patron hath often told me that their Preacher was formerly an Ale-seller and was so common a Drunkard that he would be drunk in the Pulpit could you have advised him to do nothing but apply this Man's Sermons as you say When I was young the first place I lived in had four Readers successively some Drunkards all my Masters the next place had in my time an old Reader that never preached as had most of the Churches round about us his Curates were successively three Readers of which one never Preached one Preached and was a Stage-Player another my Master also a common Drunkard never preached but once and then he was stark drunk when the Old Man's Eyesight failed that was the chief Incumbent he said Common-Prayer by rote and one Year a Day Labourer and another Year a Taylor read the Scriptures and we had no more What Mr. Dance and Mr. Turner were at Kidderminster and Mitton Chappel I suppose you know Quest. 14. Would you have those Ministers take the Course which you describe in the Parishes where the generality of the People must be
be unjustly forbidden to Preach while Ability and Mens need continueth we must neither obey nor rebel XVI A Man may go further in obeying the Civil Power that only sets up Publick Teachers or Catechizers if they be unworthy than those that set up Church Pastors to whom we must commit the Pastoral Care of our Souls if they be unfit and receive the Sacraments from them Of which Mr. Philip Nye's Papers now printed may satisfie you XVII On some occasions it is lawful to hear an unmeet Minister And his Sacramental Administrations may not be Nullities or invalid to the Innocent Receiver We lose not our right when he loseth his reward But it is not lawful to encourage any intolerable Person in his usurping of the Ministry either by ordinary attending him or by committing the Care of our Souls to him that is 1. To such as are intolerably unable in Knowledge or Utterance or Practice 2. Or to such as are Atheists Infidels or true Hereticks 3. Or to notorious Malignants that do more harm than good XVIII Though its a hard Question how far other Vices disoblige us from submitting to such a Ministry e. g. Perjury Renouncing Reformation and Repentance great Errours Drunkenness Idleness and such like yet 1. He that can without greater mischief than benefit have a better should undoubtedly prefer him 2. And a Man that feeleth the need of a better to his own Soul and knoweth how much a Scandalous Ministry wrongeth Christ and the Church is very unfit to be persecuted or troubled for preferring his Soul's benefit before a Humane Parish Order For Cyprian and an African Council in the Case of two Portugâ—l Bishops have laboured to prove out of Scripture That A Libellaticke and so such like scandalous Sinner is uncapable of being a Bishop or Pastor and ought to be forsaken by the People though the Neighbour Bishops own him 2. Pope Nicholas and the Canons of some Councils Command that no one hear Mass of a Priest that liveth in known Fornication And may not a Christian be tolerated in being but as strict against Vice as the Papists and Councils are and being of the opinion of so holy a Martyr as Cyprian and erring if he err but as he and that African Council did XIX All this is but Preparatory To the Case I say you must distinguish between the Command and the Prâ—hibition of your Rulers and your Parents 1. The Command of you Prince is the Command of a lawful Power and to hear honest tolerable Ministers such as we have many in the Pubâ—ick Assemblies is a lawful Command whatever some say without profit against it and therefore you ought to obey it And your Parents are a lawful Power for the many Reasons which I publickly named expresly mentioned rather than Princes in the fourth Commandment And to Hear and Communicate in the Assemblies of Orthodox godly Christians unlawfully prohibited by Man is a lawful Command and ought to be obeyed Both the Powers are lawful and both the Commands lawful and both must be obeyed as far as you can at several seasons But you cannot be in two places at once 2. Intending no dishonour to Authority I must not betray Truth and Souls while it is my Office to resolve their Doubts proposed with submission to better Information I am past doubt that both the Prohibitions in your Case here are lawful and neither of them to be formally obeyed That is in general to take any true Ministers of Christ for no Ministers or Christians for no Christians and Churches for no Churches and so to avoid them or to take their Communion for sinful when it is not is a heinous sin He that thus avoideth lawful Communion as unlawful reproacheth the People and Worship of the Lord and in a degree doth as it were Excommunicate all those Churches judging them unworthy of Communion And if it be a great sin rashly to Excommunicate one Christian what is it so to Excommunicate whole Parishes Cities Counties or Congregations Your Parents forbid you to hear in Publick It is an unlawful Prohibition of a lawful thing commanded by the King and Laws and you are not to obey it You say the Laws forâ—id you to joyn with any Nonconformable Ministers and Christians in other Assemblies than the Parish Churches If they do so I humbly conceive that it is an unlawful Prohibition of a thing that God to some commandeth and therefore is not to be formally obeyed God commandeth us not to forsake the assembling of our salves Hebr. 10. He chargeth all true Ministers to preach his Word and be instant in season and out of season and woe be to them that are truly called and not lawfully deposed if they preach not the Gospel when there is need He that shall say That now in England there is not true need of the joynt Labours of all faithful Ministers of Christ Conformists and Nonconformists will but shew that ignorance or unconscionable indifference in the Matters of Salvation as will warrant all wise Men to suspect his Counsel and all that know the Falshood to reject it Christ requireth all his Servants to live in purity love and peace and consequently not to reject Communion with each other as unlawful when it is not so nor to go any further from each other than they needs must nor unjustly to judge one Man much less Christian Societies He that in the days of the Emperours of various Opinions Constantius Valens Theodosius Junior Zeno Anastasius the Leo's and others that were some for Images and some against them would have called the Pastors and Assemblies unlawful and unfit for Communion because they were forbidden would have been a guilty Separatist And so may he be that separateth from forbidden Assemblies as well as he that separateth from commanded ones by men And if God command Love and Communion of all Christians as they have occasion as being one Bread and one Body what God commandeth and conjoyneth no Man may forbid or put asunder Therefore I conceive you owe Obedience to both the positive Commands but to neither of the general Prohibitions of Communion XX. But you cannot obey both at once I answer Obey both as far as you can and obey neither when it tendeth to your destruction If Parents bid you joyn with Hereticks or Rebels obey them not If others bid you commit the Pastoral Care of your Souls to intolerable Men obey them not But where formal Obedience ceaseth Prudence must direct you about material Obedience It is Obedience when we do it in Conscience to the Authority It is Prudence when we gather our Duty from the End Avoid that most that bringeth the most intolerable Consequents and prefer that which tendeth to the greatest Good Some dwell where there is no Competition all the Ministers being only of one way Some when the â—ll Consequents are more on one side and some where they are more on the other And Rituals give place to Morals Go learn
see the Examples of Tyranny and rash Excommunication let him read Iohn's Epistle to Diotrephes and the pious Admonitions of Irenaeus to Victor The Examples of Schisms we have in others not a few To which Optatus Melev prudently ascribeth three Causes Wrath Ambition and Covetousness But how many score Canons Interdicts and Bloody Wars do prove all this XXVIII And had not these Vices conquered Common Reason with Christianity in such men it were a Wonder that so unprofitable and causeless a thing as forcing all Christians to Unite on the profest Approbation and Practice of all the needless Things which such impose and denying them Communion and Peace on the Terms that Christ prescribed for all his Servants to own and love each other on should be thought a sufficient Justification of all that Dividing Cruelty of which it hath been guilty And that Church-Grandees should make such Schisms as are yet in East and West and then hate and persecute the Sufferers as Schismaticks Saith Grotius on Luke 6. 22. Scitum est Veterum Iudaeorum cujus Maimonidememinit siquis Innocentem à Communione arcuerit ipsum excidere jure Communionis And Dr. Stillingfleet on Archbishop Laud and before him Chillingworth conclude That if a Church deny Communion to her Members on those Terms that give them Right to Communion with the Church Universal that Church is guilty of the Schism Were it not more Christian-like easie and sweet to joyn all in the practice of the Laws of Christ by which we shall be judged with the needful use of edifying Order and Circumstances that all Sizes and Ages of Christians might live in Unity and Love than to cast out all that cannot Unite on Terms so far beyond meer Christianity as most Churches on Earth require When the Volume of Councils and Canons were unknown and plain Familiar Discipline was used in the open Church-Meetings Christians were less divided saith Grotius in Luc. 6. 22. Apud Christianos Veteres praesidente quidem Episcopo Senioribus sed Conscia Consentiente Fratrum multitudine morum judicia exercebantur If Christians be partial hear an impartial Heathen Ammianus Marcellinus who scandalized with the murder of Men kill'd in the Church for the Election of Pope Damasus concludeth how well it would have gone with Christianity if those great Roman Prelates had lived like the poor humble inferiour Bishops See his words But if Paul's full Decision on Romans 14. will not bring us to necessary forbearance no Plainness not Authority will serve Numb IX An Act for Concord by Reforming Parish Churches and Regulating Toleration of DISSENTERS I. THE Qualification requisite to Baptism in the Adult for themselves and in one Parent at least or Pro-Parents for Infants is Their understanding Consent to the Baptismal Covenant in which they are solemnly devoted to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as their God and Father Saviour and Sanctifier Renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil so far as they are adverse And the requisite Qualification of the Adult for proper Church Priviledges and Communion in the Lord's Supper is That they forsake not the said Covenant or Christianity but publickly own it not rendering their Profession invalid by any Doctrine or Practice inconsistent therewith And that they understandingly desire the said Communion II. The Christian Churches have universally taken the Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments as delivered by Christ for the Summary of the Christian Belief Desire and Practice expounding the Matter of the Baptismal Covenant Therefore all Pastors shall Exhort all Housholders to learn themselves and teach their Families the words and meaning of the Baptismal Covenant and of the Creed Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments And shall also thus Catechize such themselves as need their help as far as they or their Assisstants can do it III. No Minister shall Baptize any Person Adult or Infant till the Adult for themselves and the Parent or Pro-Parent who undertaketh the Education of the Child as his own have there professed their Belief of the Christian Faith and their fore-described Consent to the Christian Covenant in which they are to be solemnly devoted to God And such they shall not refuse Nor shall the Pastors admit any to the proper Priviledges of Church Communion and partaking of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ but those who have made Profession that they resovedly stand to their Baptismal Covenant in the foresaid Belief of the Christian Faith and Desire and Obedience to Christ. Which Profession shall be made in the Church or to the Pastor before sufficient Witness or to the Diocesan or some other Pastor who shall give Testimonial of it And if any shall go from the Parish-Church Pastor to be Confirmed by the Bishop or received by any other Minister without the Certificate or Consent of his own Parish Pastor the said Pastor shall not be obliged to admit him to Communion till to him also before Witness he have made the said Profession IV. Because in great Parishes and Cities where Persons live unknown and as Lodgers are transient and too great a Number desire not Communion and many Communicate only with other Churches and it is needful for Order that all Pastors know their Communicating Flock from the rest the Pastor may for his memory keep a Register of the stated Communicants of his Parish and put out the Names of those that deny or remove or are lawfully Excommunicate or that wilfully forbear Communion above fix Months not rendering to the Pastor a Satisfactory Excuse But occasionally he ought not to refuse any Stranger who hath Testimony of his Communion with any other approved Christian Church V. If by the Pastor's knowledge or by just accusation or same any Communicant be strongly suspected of Atheism Infidelity or denying any Essential part of Christian Faith Hope or Practice or to live in any heinous Sin the Pastor shall send for him and enquire of the Truth and if he be proved Guilty gently instruct him and admonish him and skilfully labour to bring him to Repentance And if he prevail not shall again send for him and do the same before some Witnesses And if he yet prevail not or if he wilfully refuse to come or to answer him shall open his Case before the Church Vestry or Neighbour Pastors and if he be present there admonish him and pray for his Repentance And if yet he prevail not to bring him to the profession of serious Repentance he shall declare that he judgeth him a Person unmeet for Church Communion till he Repent and shall till then forbear to give him the Sacrament But when he professeth serious Repentance shall receive him But if after such oft Professions he continue in such heinous Sin he shall not again receive him till actual Amendment for a sufficient time to make valid his Profession VI. Ordination to the Priesthood shall be a valid License to Preach And every just Incumbent being the Pastor Overseer or
Rector of his Parish Church shall as such have power to Preach to them without any further License and to judge according to God's Word to whom and how to perform the proper Work of his Office on what Text and Subject to Preach in what Words and Order to Teach and Pray But if Canons also be made a Rule they shall not oblige him against the Word of God And if for Uniformity or some Mens disability he be tyed to use the Words of prescribed Forms called a Liturgy he shall not be so servilely tyed to them as to be punishable for every Omission of any Collect Sentence or Word while at least the greatest part of the Service appointed for the Day is there read and the Substance and Necessary Part of the Offices be there performed no though he omit the Cross in Baptism and the Surplice and deny not Communion to those that dare not receive it kneeling And if any worthy Minister scruple to use the Liturgy but will be present and not Preach against it he shall be capable notwithstanding of preaching as a Lecturer or Assistant if the Incumbent Pastor do Consent VII No Oath Subscription Covenant Profession or Promise shall be made Necessary to Ministers or Candidates for the Ministry besides the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy and Subscribing to the Sacred Canonical Scriptures and to the ancient Creeds or at the most to the Articles of the Church excepting to them that scruple the Twentieth Thirty fourth and Thirty sixth as they speak only of Ceremonies Traditions and Bishops and the necessary Renunciation of Heresie Popery Rebellion and Usurpation and the Promise of Ministerial Fidelity according to the Word of God Or at least none but what the Reformed Churches are commonly agreed in And let none be capable of Benefices and Church-Dignities or Government in the Universities or Free-Schools who hath not taken the said Oaths Subscriptions and Renunciations VIII Let none have any Benefice with Cure of Souls who is not Ordained to the Sacred Ministry by such Bishops or Pastors as the Law shall thereto appoint for the time to come But those that already are otherwise Ordained by other Pastors shall not be disabled or required to be Ordained again And let no Pastor by Patrons or others be imposed on any Parish Church without the consent of the greater number of the stated Communicants And at his Entrance let some Neighbour Ministers in that Congregation declare him their Pastor as so Consented to and Ordained and preach to them the Duty of the Pastor and Flock and pray for his Success IX If any Pastor be accused of Tyranny Injury or Mal-administration he shall be responsible to the next Synod of Neighbour Pastors or to the Diocesan and his Synod or to the Magistrate or whomsoever the Law shall appoint and if guilty and unreformed after a first and second Admonition shall be punished as his Offence deserveth but only in a Course of Justice according to the Laws and not Arbitrarily Nor so as to be forbidden his Ministerial Labours till he be proved to do more hurt than good And if the supposed Injury to any who is denied Communion be doubtful or but to one or few let not for their sake the Church be deprived of their Pastor but let the Person if proved injured have power to forbear all his Payments and Tythes to the Pastor and to Communicate elsewhere X. Because Patrons who choose Pastors for all the Churches are of so different Minds and Dispositions that there is no certainty that none shall be by them Presented and by Bishops Instituted and Inducted to whom godly Persons may justly scruple to commit the Pastoral Conduct of their Souls whose Safety is more to them then all the World And because there may be some things left in the Liliurgy Church Government and Orders which after their best search may be judged sinful by such godly and peaceable Christians as yet consent to the Word of God and all that the Apostles and their Churches practised And Humanity and Christianity abhor Persecution and Human Darkness and great Difference of Apprehensions is such as leaveth us in Despair of Variety and Concord in doubtful and unnecessary Things Let such Persons be allowed to assemble for Communion and the Worship of God under such Pastors and in such Order as they judge best Provided 1. That their Pastors and Teachers do take all the foresaid Oaths Professions and Subscriptions before some Court of Judicature or Justices at Sessions or the Diocesan as shall be by Law appointed who thereupon shall give them a Testimonial thereof or a written License of Toleration 2. That they be responsible for their Doctrine and Ministration and punishable according to the Laws if they preach or practice any thing inconsistent with their foresaid Profession of Faith and Obedience or of Christian Love and Peace 3. That their Communicants pay all Dues to the Parish Ministers and Churches where they live And if such People as live where the Incumbent is judged by them unfit for the Trust and Conduct of their Souls shall hold Communion with a Neighbour Parish Church they shall not be punishable for it They paying their Parish Dues at home Nor shall private Persons be forbidden peaceably to pray or edifie each other in their Houses XI Christian Priviledges and Church Communion being unvaluable Benefits and just Excommunication a dreadful Punishment no unwilling Person hath right to the said Benefits Therefore none shall be driven by Penalties to say that he is a Christian or to be Baptized or to have Communion in the Lord's Supper Nor shall any be Fined Imprisoned or Corporally and Positively punished by the Sword meerly as a Non-Communicant or Excommunicate and Reconciled but as the Magistrate shall judge the Crimes of themselves deserve But if Non-Communicants be denied all Publick Trust in Churches Universities or Civil Government it is more properly the Securing of he Kingdom Church and Souls then a punishing of them But all Parishioners at Age shall be obliged to forbear reproaching Religion and profaning the Lord's Day and shall hear publick Preaching in some allowed or tolerated Church and shall not refuse to be Catechized or to confer for their Instruction with the Parish Minister and shall pay him all his Tythes and Church Dues XII The Church Power above Parish Churches Diocefan Synodical Chancellors Officials Commissaries c. we presume not to meddle with But were it reduced to the Primitive State or to Archbishop Usher's Model of the Primitive Government yea or but to the King's Description in his Declaration 1660. about Ecclesiastical Affairs and if also the Bishops were chosen as of old for Six hundred years and more it would be a Reformation of great Benefit to the Kingdom and the Churches of Christ therein But if we have but Parish Reformation Religion will be preserved without any wrong or hurt to either the Diocesans or the Tolerated And if Diocesans be good Men
Officers in the Court Freemen in Cities and Corporate Towns Masters and Fellows of Colledges in the Universities c. are required at their Admission into their several respective places to give Oaths for well and truly performing their several respective Duties their liableness to punishment in case of Non-performance accordingly notwithstanding Neither doth it seem reasonable that such Persons as have themselves with great severity prescribed and exacted antecedent Conditions of their Communion not warranted by Law should be exempted from the tye of such Oaths and Subscriptions as the Laws require § 17. 4. We agree that the Bishops and all Ecclesiastical Governours ought to exercise their Government not Arbitrarily but according to Law 5. And for Security against such Arbitrary Government and Innovations the Laws are and from time to time will be sufficient provision Concerning Liturgy § 18. A Liturgy or Form of Publick Worship being not only by them acknowledged lawful but by us also for the preservation of Unity and Uniformity deemed necessary we esteem the Liturgy of the Church of England contained in the Book of Common Prayer and by Law established to be such a one as is by them desired according to the Qualifications here mentioned 〈◊〉 1. For Matter agreeable to the Word of God which we 〈◊〉 all other lawful Ministers within the Church of England have or by the Laws ought to have attested by our Personal Subscription 2. Fitly suited to the Nature of the several Ordinances and the Necessities of the Church 3. Nor too tedious in the whole It 's well known that some Mens Prayers before and after Sermon have been usually not much shorter and sometimes much longer than the whole Church Service 4. Nor the Prayers too short The Wisdom of the Church both in ancient and latter times hath thought it a fitter means for relieving the Infirmities of the meaner sort of People which are the major part of most Congregations to contrive several Petitions into sundry shorter Collects or Prayers than to comprehend them altogether in a continued stile or without interruption 5. Nor the Repetitions unmeet There are Examples of the like Repetition frequent in the Psalms and other parts of Scripture Not to mention the unhandsome Tautologies that oftentimes happen and can scarce be avoided in the Extemporary and undigested Prayers that are made especially by Persons of meaner Gifts 6. Nor the Responsals Which if impartially considered are pious Ejaculations fit to stir up Devotion and good Symbols of Conformity betwixt the Minister and the People and have been of very ancient practise and continuance in the Church 7. Nor too dissonant from the Liturgies of other Reformed Churches The nearer both their Forms and ours come to the Liturgy of the Ancient Greek and Latin Churches the less are they liable to the Objections of the Common Enemy To which Liturgies if the Form used in our Church be more agreeable than those of other Reformed Churches and that it were at all needful to make a Change in either it seemeth to be much more reasonable that their Form should be endeavoured to be brought to a nearer Conformity with ours than ours with theirs Especially the Form of our Liturgy having been so signally approved by sundry of the most Learned Divines of the Reformed Churches abroad as by very many Testimonies in their Writings may appear And some of the Compilers thereof have Sealed the Protestant Religion with their Blood and have been by the most Eminent Persons of those Churches esteemed as Martyrs for the same § 19. As for that which followeth Neither can we think that too rigorously imposed which is imposed by Law and that with no more rigour than is necessary to make the Imposition effectual otherwise it could be of no use but to beget and nourish factions Nor are Ministers denied the use and exercise of their Gifts in praying before and after Sermon Although such praying be but the continuance of a Custom of no great Antiquity and grown into Common use by Sufferance only without any other Foundation in the Laws or Canons and ought therefore to be used by all sober and godly Men with the greatest inoffensiveness and moderation possible § 20. If any thing in the Established Liturgy shall be made appear to be justly offensive to sober Persons we are not at all unwilling that the same should be changed The discontinuance thereof we are sure was not our Fault But we find by experience that the use of it is very much desired where it is not and the People generally are very well satisfied with it where it is used which we believe to be a great Conservatory of the chief Heads of Christian Religion and of Piety Charity and Loyalty in the Hearts of the People We believe that the difuse thereof for sundry late years hath been one of the great Causes of the sad Divisions in the Church and that the restoring the same will be by by God's blessing a special means of making up the Breach There being as we have great cause to believe many Thousands more in the Nation that desire it than dislike it Nevertheless we are not against revising of the Liturgy by such discreet Persons as his Majesty shall think fit to imploy therein Of Ceremonies § 21. We conceived there needs no more to be said for justifying the Imposition of the Ceremonies by Law established then what is contained in the beginning of this Section which giveth a full and satisfactory Answer to all that is alledged or objected in the following Discourse which is for the most part rather Rhetorical than Argumentative Inasmuch as lawful Authority hath already determined the Ceremonies in question to be decent and orderly and to serve to Edification and consequently to be agreeable to the General Rules of the Word We acknowledge the Worship of God to be in it self perfect in regard of Essentials which hindereth not but that it may be capable of being improved to us by addition of Circumstantials in order to Decency and Edification As the Lord hath declared himself Jealous in Matters concerning the Substance of his Worship so hath he left the Church at liberty for Circumstantials to determine concerning Particulars according to Prudence as occasion shall require so as the foresaid General Rules be still observed And therefore the imposing and using indifferent Ceremonies is not varying from the Will of God nor is there made thereby any addition to or detraction from the holy Duties of God's Worship Nor doth the same any way hinder the Communication of God's Grace or Comfort in the performance of such Duties § 22. The Ceremonies were never esteemed Sacraments or imposed as such nor was ever any Moral efficacy ascribed to them nor doth the significancy without which they could not serve to Edification import or infer any such thing § 23. Ceremonies have been retained by most of the Protestant Churches abroad which have rejected Popery and have been approved by the
Schism One useth the Surplice in the Pulpit and another not One Prayeth before Sermon And another only bids them Pray One Prayeth after Sermon and another not One at the Singing of Psalms doth sit another stand and it maketh no Schism And the Convocatioâ— 1640 Commend Indifferency about Bowing towards the Altar Therefore that Convocation was not of your mind But either way will serve us Prop. 5. Not to renonuce their Ordination or be Re-ordain'd Strict They are not Neither doth their Re-ordaining imply that they are but only that they are not sufficiently qualified to Officiate in our Church Ans. What Qualification is it that that they want Generals here decides not the Case If it be only the Qualification of Legal Authority or License Why will not the giving of that qualifie them Or what necessity is there of Re-ordination But when you as well as we profess that Re-ordination when real is unlawful and yet you require their Ordination de Nova which they call Re-ordination Doth not this tell the World that you take the first for null 6. Prop. No Excommunicate Person as such to be Imprison'd and Undone but such whose Crimes deserve it Strict Contempt of Authority is one of the greatest Crimes and for that it is that men are Excommunicated first and afterwards Imprison'd Why doth not this Exception lie against such as are Outlawed in the Chancery as well as against those that are Excommunicated Answ. Because the Cause differeth E. g. I believe I have had multitudes with me Conformable as well as others who being of timerous or melancholy Constitutions and under Temptations and Trouble of Mind dare not receive the Sacrament for fear of doing it unworthily and of eating and drinking Damnation and the Devil entring into them according to the words of the Liturgy which affright them and they never Communicated in their Lives at above 30 years of Age and have oft been going and never durst venture One of them was with me within this hour Some that have ventured have faln Distracted and some near it by Terror and Temptations You can tell them reason against all this And so can I and have done it as like as oft as most of your Curates and yet they are Uncured And I must not say how little is done in too many places to cure their Ignorance or Timerousness which is the cause And are you sure that all these poor troubled timerous Souls are worthy of utter ruine as Contemners of Authority For not Communicating they must be Excommunicated and after Imprison'd and undone in the World even during life unless they can be changed by you Every Man deserveth not utter ruin who doth not all the good that he can do But can such a person change their own minds and fears because you give them reason for it I know they cannot And when Christ tenderly carrieth his Lambs in his Arms and will not break a bruised Reed Shall I in his Name as his Minister Excommunicate them and deliver them up if not to the Devil to the Magistrate to be Beggered and perpetually Imprisoned Let me rather bear the wrath of all the Prelates on earth and all that they can say or do against me Prop. 7. But who shall be judged tolerable it doth not become us c. Strict As it doth not become you to be Judges of what is or what is not tolerable in the case of others so it doth much less become you to be Judges of what is or what is not to be granted in your own case Ans. We never arrogated any of your Power over our Brethren We have formerly in our Folly hoped that we might presume to be Petitioners though not Iudges what is to be granted us We are not ashamed to confess that we did desire leave to Preach Christ's Gospel But we become not Iudges in the Case of our Superiours Acts. But by or without your leave we must be discerning Iudges of our own Duty or Sin whatever it cost us And I think no sober Christian will give the contrary under his hand as his Judgment Prop. id That no Licensed Ministers shall Preach against any of the Doctrine c. Strict It seems Vnlicensed Ministers may be allowed to speak for or against what they list Answ. Our Case is hard with you I put in Licensed or Vnlicensed And the first Honourable and Learned Person that saw it thought Vnlicensed should be put out because it was unmeet for us to tell His Majesty whom he should tolerate or how far but to meddle only with our own Case who desired Licenses And now for blotting out that word and not medling with any others we are censured as motioning that the Unlicensed may say what they list Thus all our Peace-making motions have been long interpreted by some Prop. id That all Magistrates be excepted from all open Personal Rebukes and disgraceful Censures or Excommunications because c. Strict We take Excommunication to be an Ordinance of God from which Magistrates are not to be exempted Ans. 1. God never ordained that a Lay-Chancellor should Excommunicate them 2. God never gave power to any to excommunicate a King Prince or other Ruler if any at all but that particular Pastor to whom by voluntary Consent he committeth the Charge of his Soul The Independents that think as you are yet more modest in this in that they subject the Ruler to none but the chosen Pastor of that particular Congregation which he voluntarily joyneth himself to 3. Is not the World much abused when they are told that it is the Presbyterians that are for excommunicating Princes and not the Episcopal For my part I am fully of the mind of Bishop Bilson and Andrews in â—ortura Torti in this that to an Impenitent wicked Ruler I would suspend my own Act of giving him the Sacrament with Chrysostom's resolution rather to suffer But my Judgment is that no Bishop nor Minister especially one that is not his proper Pastor may lawfully use any open personal rebukes or disgraceful censures or Excommunications against Kings Iudges or Honourable Magistrates And my Reason no Papist Prelate Presbyterian or Independent is able to refel viz. from the fifth Commandment The stablished perpetual Law of God Commandeth us to honour them Disgraceful Excommunication is not accidentally but purposedly a dishonouring them For Men are excommunicated that they may be shamed The after-positive Institution of Excommunication nulleth not this antecedent Moral Law but must give place to it and bindeth not against it I farther prove that 1. Because all Men confess that this last is but a Law of Order and that Order is for the sake of the end and thing Ordered and that it oft obligeth not when it ceaseth to be a means to that end or would destroy it And that E g. If you knew that an Excommunication of a King or Judge would prove the Dissolution of that Church it were not Lawful Therefore neither when
while these envious Preachers cryed out against our Preaching and perswaded men how fully we were maintained they laboured for Laws to increase their setled maintenance and some of them in my hearing Preached how miscrable a case the Clergy were in were they left to the people's kindness and bounty And yet proclaim our fulness who are left to the kindness of those few who also pay fully their Tythes to the Parish Ministers who these Envyers say are but the smaller and poorer sort in the Land which comparatively is true though by this time I think the far greatest part are grown into dislike with the present Prelates who yet cleave to their Church And if their noble rich and numerous followers would leave them in want were they left to their Charity it seems they take their Church to consist of men much more covetous and less Religious and liberal than our few poor men § 261. The Lord's day before the Parliament was dissolved one of these Prelatists Preached to them to perswade them that we are obstinate and not to be tolerated nor cured by any means but Vengeance urging them to set Fire to the Fagot and teach us by Scourges or Scorpions and open our eyes with Gall. Yet none of these men will procure us leave to publish or offer to Authority the Reasons of our Non-conformity But this is not the first proof that a carnal worldly proud ungodly Clergie who never were serious in their own professed belief nor felt the power of what they Preach have been in most Ages of the Church its greatest plague and the greatest hinderers of Holiness and Concord by making their formalities and Ceremonies the test of Holiness and their Worldly Interest and Domination the only cement of Concord And O how much hath Satan done against Christ's Kingdom in the World by setting up Pastors and Rulers over the Churches to fight against Christ in his own name and livery and to destroy piety and peace by a pretence of promoting them § 262. This foresaid Preacher brings to my remembrance a Silenced Minister who heard the Sermon Mr. Iohn Humphrey a man not strait and factious in Doctrin Government or Worship as his Books shew for the middle way about Election Justification c. and his former Writings for giving the Lord's Supper to the Ungodly to convert them and his own Reordination and writing for Reordination The former Sessions of Parliamen he printed a sheet for Concord by restoring some silenced Ministers and tolerating others for which he was Imprisoned as was Dr. Ludovicus Molinaeus M. D. Son to old Peter for writing his Patronus against the Prelatists but delivered by the Common Act of Pardon And this Session the said Mr. Humphrey again printed another sheet and put it into the hands of many Parliament men which though slighted and frustrate by the Prorogation of the House yet I think hath so much reason in it that I shall here annex it though it speak not at all to the righteousness of our Cause and the Reasons of our Non-conformity that the Reader may see upon what Terms we stood But the truth is when we were once contrived into the Parliament's Inquisition and persecution it was resolved that we should be saved by the King or not at all and that Parliaments and Laws should be our Tormenters and not our Deliverers any more Mr. Iohn Humphrey's Papers given to the Parliament-Men Comprehension with Indulgence Nihil est jam dictum quod non fuit dictum prius Terence IT hath pleased his Majesty by several gracious Overtures to commend a Union of his Protestant Subject to the consideration of a Parliament A design full of all Princely Wisdom Honesty and Goodness In this Atchievement there is a double Interest I apprehend to be distinguished and weighed that of Religion it self and that of the Nation The advance of Religion doth consist much in the Unity of its Professors both in Opinion and Practice to be of one Mind and one Heart and one way in Discipline and Worship so far as may be according to the Scriptures The advance of the Nation does lie in the freedom and flourishing of Trade and uniting the whole Body in the common Benefit and dependence on the Government The one of these bespeaks an Established Order and Accommodation the other bespeaks Indulgence Liberty of Conscience or to eration For while People are in danger about Religion we dare not launch out into Trade say they but we must keep our Moneys being we know not into what straits we shall be driven and when in reference to their Party they are held under severity it is easie for those who are designing Heads to mould them into Wrath and Faction which without that occasion will melt and dissolve it self into bare Dissent of Opinion peaceably rejoycing under the Enjoyment of Protection The King we know is concerned as Supreme Governour and as a Christian Protestant Governour As he is King he is to seek the welfare of the Nation as he is a Christian the Flourishing of Religion and the Protestant Religion particularly is his Interest as this Kingdom doth lie in Ballance he being the chief Party with its Neighbour Nations The Judgment now of some is for a Comprehending Act which may take in those who are for our Parochial Churches that severity then might be used for reclaiming all whosoever separate from them The Judgment of some others is for a free and equal Act of Grace to all indifferently the Papists with most excepted whether separatists or others abhorring Comprehension as more dangerous to them upon that Account mentioned than all the Acts that have passed Neither of these Judge up to the full interest of the King and Kingdom as is proposed It becomes not the Presbyterian if his Principles will admit him to own our Parochial Churches and enjoy a Living to be willing to have his Brethren the Independents given up to Persecution And it becomes not the Separatist if he may but enjoy his Conscience to Repine or envy at the Presbyterian for reaping any further Emolument seeing both of them supposing the later may do so have as much at the bottom as can be in their Capacities desired of either It is an Act therefore of a mixt Complexion providing both Comprehension and Indulgence for the different Parties must serve our Purpose And to this end as we may humbly hope there is a Bill at present in the House A Bill for the ease of the Protestant Dissenter in the business of Religion Which that upon this present Prorogation it may be cast into this Model I must present the same yet in a little farther Explication There are two sorts we all know of the Protestant Dissenters one that own the Established Ministry and our Parish Congregations and are in Capacity of Union upon that account desiring it heartily upon condescension to them in some small matters The other that own not our Churches and so are
uncapable of a Conjunction who do not and cannot desire it or seek it For the One that which we propose is a farther Latitude in the present Constituted Order that such may be received and this we call Comprehension or Accommodation Let us suppose that nothing else were required of a Man to be a Minister of a Parish than there is to the Parishioner to be a Member of a Parish Church as part of the National If a person Baptised will come to Church and hear Common-Prayer and receive the Sacrament and does nothing worthy of Excommunication he is he may he must be received for a Parochial Member In like manner If a Minister first ordained and so Episcopally or Classically approved for his Abilities for that function will but read the book of Liturgy and Administer the Sacraments according to it and does nothing which deserves suspension we appeal to all this indifferently sober why should not this suffice a Man for the enjoying his Living and exercising the Office unto which he is called For the other there is indeed nothing can be done to bring those in and joyn them with us in Parochial Union yet is there this to be proposed that you bear with them and not let any be persecuted meerly for their Consciences and that we call Indulgence or Toleration If the Presbyterian now may be comprehended he will be satisfied to act at his Ministry without endeavouring any Alteration otherwise of Episcopacy If the Congregationalist be indulged he will be satisfyed tho he be not Comprehended for that he cannot submit unto and so shall there be no Disobligation put on any but all be pleased and enjoy the ease of this Bill Let but the Grounds of Comprehension be laid wide enough to take in all who can own and come into the publick Liturgy which we suppose as yet to be the greater weight ofâ— the Nation and when the Countenance of Authority and all State-Emoluments are cast into one Scale and others let alone to come of it without persecution to inflame them or preferment to encourage them especially if one Expedient be used which shall not pass unmentioned in the close that such as came in may find it really better to them to be a priest to a Tribe than a Levite to a Family we need not doubt but time the Mistress of the Wise and Unwise will discover the peaceable Issue of such Counsels And here let me pause a little for methinks I see what Icesicles hang on the Eeves of the Parliament-House at this Motion what prejudices I mean and Impressions have been laid on the Members by former Acts. There was a speech delivered by the then Chancellour in Christ-Church Hall in Oxford to the Parliament there and the Schollars assembled Wherein the Glory of contriving the Oxford-Oath and Consequently of the like former Impositions was most magnificently as well as spitefully enough arrogated to its proper Author It wasâ— it seems the designed Policy of that Great Man to root those Principles out of Men's minds upon which the late Wars as he supposed were builded and he would do it by this Invention to wit the Imposing upon them new Declarations Oaths and Subscriptions of a strain framed contrary to those Principles I do remember now the sentence of Esdras to the Apologue of the Angel where the Woods and the Seas would encounter one another Verily says he it was a foolish purpose for the trees could not come down from the hills nor the Waves get up from the shoars I must say the same of this Policy It was really a great vanity to think that folk should be made to swear away their thoughts and beliefs Whatsoever it is we think or believe we do think it we must think it we do believe it we must believe it notwithstanding any of these outward Impositions The honest Man indeed will refuse an Injunction against his Conscience the knave will swallow it but both retain their Principles which the last will be the likeliest to put any villanous Practice on On the Contrary there is nothing could be advised more certain to keep the Covenant and such Principles alive in Mens heart 's and memories than this perpetual injoyning the Renunciation of it Nor may you wonder if that Lesson sink deep into Men's flesh which you will teach them with Briars and Thorns as Gideon taught the Men of â—uccoth Besides it is the most impolitick thing that ever could have been for such Contents as are of that dangerous Consequence to Majesty and the Government to have them once disputed or brought into question to be put into these Declarations Oaths and Subscriptions which necessitates the Examination of them to so many It was the wisdom of the Ancient Church instead of Contention about the Jewish Ceremonies to take care they might have an honourable burial And I dare say if that great Lord Chancellor had but put off his Cap to the Covenant and bidden it a fair Adieu only he should have done more towards its Extirpation than by all this iterated trouble to Men's Consciences And if it shall therefore please the succeeding Ministers of our State instead of going to root out the Principles of Innovation which are got into people by this means which is no means to do it but the means to rivet them more in us to endeavour rather to root out the Causes from us which make men willing to entertain such Principles and desire Change I suppose their Policy will prove the sounder The way to establish the Throne of the King is this to make it appear that all those Grievances and all those Good things which the People in the late times expected to be removed or to be obtained by a Common Wealth or a Change of the Government may be more effectually accomplished by a King in the Acts of his Parliament I am sensible how my Threm riseth upon me and that I begin to shoot wide I take my Aim therefore again and two things in earnest I would expect from this Bill as the summ of what is necessary to the end of it our Ease if it be made to serve the turn The one is that Bishop Laud be confined to his Caththedrals and the other that Chancellour Hide be totally expelled our Acts of Parliament By the first I mean that the Ceremonies in the ordinary Parish Churches be left to the Liberty of the Minister to use or use them not according to his Conscience and Prudence toward his own Congregation And by the latter that all these new devised Oaths Subscriptions and Declarations together with the Canonical Oath and the Subscription in the Canons be suspended for the time to come If that be too much I shall content my self with a modester motion that whatsoever these Declarations â—e that are required to be made subscribed or sworn they may be imposed only as to the Matter and End leaving the Takers but free to the use of their own