holy Scriptures To which I answer That we have nothing establish'd in our Church but what God hath set up by general directions and a just authority nor have we any thing in use and practice amongst us but what is in the root and ground of it as old as the Apostles nor is any thing imposed upon Ministers or People but what hath such sufficient footing and warrant in the Holy Scriptures That the Church hath power to institute external Rites prescribe Forms to make Canons and Constitutions to assist her Children and regulate their Practice in the publick Worship and Service of God is not onely the unanimous Confession of all Protestant Churches of any creditable denomination but is exactly consonant to the mind of God revealed to us in his holy Scriptures where he gives the Church a charge to do all things to edification and to his glory To this end he enjoyns her to perform all her holy Offices decently and in goad order This is God's express command in general but his Word hath no where determined the particulars wherein that decency or order does or shall consist it follows therefore undeniably that the Word of God or the Holy Scriptures do suppose or establish a Power in the Church to institute Rules prescribe Forms and make Canons to that purpose For a clearer Demonstration hereof let us seriously reflect upon these Considerations 1. That Christ and his Apostles intended Unity and to obtain and preserve that Unity they enjoyned Order and Uniformity in the Churches Christ's intent is evident in his ardent Prayer that his Disciples might a Joh. 17. be one and made perfect in one And we may read the great Apostle's aim in his earnest conjuring them b Eph. 4.1 to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace c Rom. 16.17 For there is one body and one spirit one Lord and one Faith one Baptism one Hope of our calling And elsewhere he is no less vehement Now I beseech you Brethren 1 Cor. 4.17 mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them That Order and Vniformity are enjoyned to preserve this Vnity is no less evident d 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Order is the Parent of Decency and to observe the same Rule is to follow Order Hence the Apostle exhorts the Philippians e Phil. 3.16 Let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same things And this is the onely way to keep out Schism whereupon he useth this Observation to the Corinthians f 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment And he tells us to what end he requires this viz. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Rom. 15.6 even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ And upon this account their Order in the Church of Coloss was a Prospect of so much pleasure to him Col. 2.5 For though I am absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ For when men begin to break order they presently grow loose in their Faith both to God and Man 2. Consider that the Apostles at their first Preaching of the Gospel did not presently establish that Order which the state of the Church did afterward require The Church was to be gathered first and afterwards Orders prescribed how it should be governed This is evident not onely from those Decrees made in the first Council at Jerusalem but from the express resolution of S. Paul Acts 15. 1 Cor. 11.34 the rest will I set in order when I come 3. Consider that the Apostle expected such a Settlement should be made by such as were intrusted with the Government of the Church This is clear from his advice and command to Titus For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting or left undone From whence two things may be inferr'd irrefragably 1. That at his first Preaching of the Gospel S. Paul left some things undone which in his own judgment were afterwards fit to be done 2. That he expected the performance thereof from the care of Titus 4. Consider that the Apostle gives certain general rules or Canons to direct the Governours of the Church Instit l. 3. c. 19. sect 15. in making such Establishments such are these Let all things be done to the glory of God Let all things be done to edification Let all things be done decently and in order Hereupon Mr. Calvin does acknowledge such Ecclesiastical Constitutions to be lawful as consonant to the Word of God And Beza accounts them celestial and divine in respect of their foundation and end which is that general decorum commanded to be observed in God's Worship 5. Consider that the Apostle left it to the Judgment of Church-Governours to determine the particulars to be established in such cases For this cause left I thee Titus Titus 1.5 a single person and at least a Bishop in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting David Solomon and Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah and all godly Princes made Laws for the Church of God and were approved yea the Laws and Decrees of Nebuchadnezar of Cyrus and Darius were for the benefit of it And God hath promised that Kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church And it was truly and worthily said in Queen Elizabeths time by that Author before mentioned That Princes especially serve Christ even in making Laws for Christ L. Drios p. 162 Now let us lay these Principles together 1 That the solemn Worship and Service of God cannot be performed without Circumstances for of necessity Circumstances must cloath every action under the Sun 2. That these Circumstances are to be observed according to the rules of decency and order and that these rules are to be adjudged and determined by such as are invested with Authority to that effect it will follow unavoidably that all Subjects and Members of the Church are obliged in Conscience to obey such Determinations and Establishments For 't is most certain where some are impowered to command others are enjoyned to obey else the Power given to Superiours were given to no effect Vbi supra Hereupon Mr. Beza does acknowledge though these Ecclesiastical Constitutions be humane and mutable and do not bind the Conscience properly and of themselves yet if they be just and honest we are obliged to observe them as they contribute to the edification of the Church and that we may avoid scandal Nor want we a better Authority than that of Mr. Beza the
THE LATE PROPOSAL OF UNION AMONG PROTESTANTS Review'd and Rectifi'd BEING A VINDICATION of the most Reverend Father in God EDWIN Lord Arch-Bishop of York And the Reverend Dr. Tillotson Dean of Canterbury FROM The Misprisions of an Apocryphal Proposer With a full ANSWER to his PROPOSAL Presented to the PARLIAMENT Psal 129. 1. Saepe oppugnaverunt à juventute verùm non praevaluerunt Isa 51.32 Et qui adhuc vexant dicunt Inclinare transibimus LONDON Printed by A. Godbid and J. Playford for R. Clavel at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1679. THE LATE PROPOSAL OF UNION AMONGST PROTESTANTS Presented to the PARLIAMENT Review'd and Rectifi'd SIR I Received your Letter and I have seriously perused the Address Humbly presented to the Parliament I like the Title very well A Proposal of Vnion amongst Protestants and the Design in general cannot but be commended but how well it is inforced from the last Will of the most Reverend Dr. Sands some time a Arch-Bishop of York and whether that is to be lookt upon as the Sentiment of the first Reformers will require a farther Examination In the interim as once for the Divisions of Reuben so now for those of England there are great thoughts of heart and who knows not that Peace is a Jewel of great price and to be purchased at any rate that may reasonably secure the possession of it This indeed is the Legacy which our dearest Lord hath left to his Disciples But alas many of the Legatees have renounced their part in it because they cannot be allowed to make their own will of his Church and Kingdom By Peace our Blessed Lord never intended a Conspiracy against the Rules of Decency and Order Peace with God and Conscience and amongst Brethren is the Fruit of Righteousness (a) Isa 32.17 Righteousness is the Foundation of Christ's Kingdom and Peace a Superstructure (b) Rom. 14.17 Now you know 't is the part of Righteousness to give every one their due the best Method therefore to be at Peace is to become just that is to become obedient and to pay our due respects to the Laws and to our Superiours The Author of one Project for the good of England tells us That good Laws and a just Execution of them and not Oaths are the natural and real Security of a Government I am very much of his mind herein For to relax the Reins of Government opens a door to Licentiousness and that is no good friend to Peace and Unity Besides if there can be such a thing as a Rope of Sand there may be a stupid quietness betwixt the parts but no solid useful strength which depends upon Command and Order as much as the attractive splendour and beauty of Societies This Sir is one Reason why the Jesuits so little value the shatter'd Parties of Protestants that they think them not worth a Consult or Plot in comparison of the Church of England Let Authority be own'd as sacred and the Laws be kept inviolable and these will prove the best Bulwark of our Peace and Union Protestants abroad are generally of this persuasion and if any of our own Communion be otherwise minded we are to look upon them as loose Stones that will never stand to support the Building but rather flinch and slip away to betray it as occasion serves These Dissenters complain of hard measure heavy burthens and oppressing yoaks as if their Persons were imprisoned under hatches their Estates torn from them under the Harrows of Sequestrators and their Wives and Children forced to dance a tedious attendance at Goldsmiths-Hall to make their Composition whereas in truth it is the great advantage some of them reap from thence which makes them still in love with their gainful Meetings against Authority This Apocryphal Anonymus tells us these Dissenters would do any thing for Peace only they dare not forsake Holiness neglect their Duty nor wound their Consciences by offending God Sir if there be not some foul tincture of Malice in these Insinuations yet are they no less unjust and scandalous than extravagant What Law what Canon what Rite or Practice injoin'd by the Constitutions of this Church or what Governour amongst us does oblige them to any such matter nay that does not charge and fortifie them to do the contrary As a learned man told those Dissenters in the days of Queen Elizabeth With us there is leave for all men to be good if they will by God's grace endeavour it * Laur. Deios That the Pope is that Antichrist pa. 147. Printed 1590. and Preached at St. Paul ' s-Cross Those desperate Plots that are on foot against this poor maligned Church we resent with no less horror than themselves But while the Pope and his Emissaries the Jesuits with their Vassals are at work to undermine the Foundation Why do these Dissenters make it their business to assault and batter the Walls and Terrets of it They attempt to blow it up and these seek to pull it down they endeavour to extinguish the Name and Essence and at the same time as cooperating to her ruin these labour at least to Eclipse the Glory of it The learned Author Ibid. p. 178. even now mentioned had good ground to conclude That if any thing will bring the Antichristian Yoak upon this Land again which God turn far from us it will be Dissention We readily grant that violent storms should drive the Sheep together burin such a season all sober men will think that the stragling sheep should run into the common Fold and not quarrel with their faithful Shepherd nor labour to pluck down that Fold which is their best shelter We know too without this naâ—â—less Informer That the Red of God should teach us peace and quietness and having been so many years in the Furnace of Affliction we should be so throughly melted as to run easily into one But whether it be more reasonable that the Church should run into their Conventicles which can never be united or their Conventicles into the bosom of the Church let wise men judge This Church of England has been as a Lilly amongst the Thorns and the dissenting Party has been the Rod of God's indignation to chastise her but tho the Rod be not cast into the Fire through the clemency of a gracious Sovereign vet she like Moses his Bush has been miraculously preserved in the midst of flames and the right hand of the Most High has been no less remarkable in her Enemies defeat than in her own happy restauration Nor is it unknown to the wisely considerative what Relentings she has had while they have persisted stubborn and inflexible Nevertheless this officious Advocate craves leave to beg on their behalf That what God hath not set up in the Church may he pull'd down and that rejected as an Innovation which is not as old as the Apostles and and nothing imposed upon Ministers or People but what hath footing and warraint in the
2.16 Vnâ clausulâ comprehendit Judaizantes Pythagorizantes vino abstinere perpetud non erat Judaicum nisi in paucis apud Pythagoristas frequens Cibis nonnullis Judaei abstinebant multo pluribus Pythagoristae Ne admitte tales magistros qui talia non observantes spesalutis excludunt Haec Grotius De crescentibus verbis indicatur in quantum creverit superstitio saith Calixtus The lessening of the words does intimate the increase of Superstition And he does make use of the Number Three that he may comprehend all saith Cajetan And as he goes on though we cannot tell certainly and in specie what Ordinances he means yet we are sure they concern Observances of an external carnal nature as Religious But by the Cardinal 's good leave they placed Religion in the Aversation and Non-observance of them wherein the Apostle reproves their vain Scrupulosity and affected Superstition Modern Expositors have not express'd themselves distinctly and clearly in this matter Ad Col. 2. but S. Ambrose though in few words delivers himself full enough to our purpose Omnis qui baptizatur in Christo moritur mundo cunctis enim superstitionum erroribus abrenunciat solam colit fidem Christi Every one that is baptized into Christ is dead to the world for he renounceth all the errors of Superstition that he may observe the faith of Christ onely as his Religion Those beggarly Elements of the Levitical Law and the Traditions and Ordinances of old Philosophers S. Ambrose calls the Observance of them Superstition For Superstition is an awful veneration of something that is dead under a notion that it still lives in a state of Glory Now those Philosophical and Jewish Ordinances which the Apostle reproves are as well dead to us as we to them Wherefore look upon them as surviving those Dispensations which gave them life and being and to have their imaginary Ghosts in veneration is certainly a most vain and gross Superstition To shut up this part of our Discourse By things indifferent we mean such things as God hath left free to us Col. 2.16 things neither commanded nor forbidden concerning which these Rules may be of use to direct our common Practice 1. Such as are afraid they should offend God and wound their Conscience Col. 2.21 1 Cor. 10.25 27. by the use and practice of such things as God hath not forbidden they are superstitious 2. Such as are afraid they should offend God and wound their Consciences Gal. 4.10 11. Mar. 7.5 c. by the omission or disuse of such things as God hath not commanded they are Superstitious 3. Such as make the use and practice Such was the Case in Gal. 4.10 11. Mar. 7.5 or the omission and forbearance of things indifferent a matter of merit of Religion or Divine Worship of necessity to Salvation Justification and Holiness and binding the Conscience of their own nature or upon any such account they are Superstitious 4. Such as are not led away by an affected singularity in matters that are indifferent 1 Pet. 2.16 with 18. Heb. 13.7 17. Gal. 5.13 2 Thes 3.6 7. Rom. 16 17 18. but do fix the use of their otherwise indeterminate Liberty according to the commands of a just Authority having respect to Polity Decency and good Order they do govern themselves prudently according to Apostolical direction But Lastly such as out of an opinion of Religion do refuse to conform to the Constitution of a just Authority in determining the use of their Christian Liberty about things indifferent to the ends aforesaid they do walk * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorderly in reference to the Government and are upon the matter superstitious schismatical and scandalous In short then according to the Apostles way of Arguing Touch not taste not handle not by a parity of reason the bogling at those Instances amongst our selves appointed for Decency and Order in the solemn performance of God's public Worship and Service viz. Touch not the Surplice kneel not at the Sacrament sign not with the Cross are an Ataxy in Government a denyal of Authority in determing the use of things indifferent a retrenchment of our Christian Liberty a reviving of an old Superstition in other Instances and highly scandalous by casting a snare of necessity upon the Conscience and fixing an Opinion of Religion upon such Abstentions and Omissions as are but indifferent in their own nature This was charged upon dissenting Brethren by a Learned Man in the time of Queen Elizabeth La Drios ubi supra pag. 172. where he faith thus Those Mistakers and Tolerators so he calls them have forgotten the last and extremest degree of Revolters of Forsakers of Refusers and plain Contemners whose case is much to be pitied especially of those mistakers because through them they the rest are come into this downfall By this time I presume you will readily conclude that the Church hath great reason not to yield in those things which she her self calls indifferent though the Dissenters account them sinful For it is evident that hereby 1. She should betray the Truth and our Christian Liberty 2. She should give scandal to her weaker sort of Children who look upon these things as indifferent and submit to the use and practice of them as lawful out of obedience to Authority 3. She should hereby throw dirt upon the face of our first Reformers and condemn their vigilant Successors not onely as unwise in putting these chips according to the Irreverence of this Author into our Porridge but as unjust and tyrannous in imposing things sinful to wound the Conscience And lastly She should hereby encourage these Dissenters in their disobedience confirm them in their error and superstition and so cast a snare upon their Consciences That she may not be forced to do them this unkindness the Church finds her self obliged to deny them their unjust demands I see in the opinion of this Author these things are but bones of contention and stumbling blocks but we know some Spirits are of that temper they will stumble at the best Constitutions under Heaven if themselves have not a hand in them Christ himself is such a stumbling block as cannot escape their wanton kicks and censures 1 Pet. 2.8 Mat. 11.6 which makes him leave this Aphorism upon record Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Let us obtain so much Charity of these dissenting Brethren as to believe us in this our serious Profession that we look not upon the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church as matters of Religion or parts of God's Worship but as outward circumstances of Decency and Order in the performance of it and that coming into any other Protestant Church which differs from us herein we can as freely and sincerely communicate with them as in our own This Author tells us Rome was not built in a day but the structure which takes up much time and pains in rearing up may be pull'd
nevertheless where a certain Order is appointed and received touching such things for the Edification of the Church it is our Judgment that there Unity in such matters ought to be retained and the Orders of the Church ought not to be disturbed according to the rule of the Apostle Let all things be done decently and in order to the edification of the Church Concerning which things we do wonderfully approve and embrace those two Epistles of S. Austin viz. 118. 119. to Januarius after 70 years of age when the heat of his Disputes and Controversial Labours were at an end This was the Faith and Religion which that Learned man professed and died in And whatsoever alteration we can project I am confident 't will generally give more offence than satisfaction and wise men in forein parts will be apt to value us the less for such our levity However with Free States and Princes which are Protestants we may enjoy a firm union by a mutual confederation as is usually done upon all other occasions without any change of Laws Rites Forms or local Constitution on either part And 3. will other sorts of Protestants be so easily persuaded to suffer their deliberate Constitutions to be disputed and contradicted Let us take our measures herein from our late Assembly of Divines whose Advice and Resolution to the then Parliament was this The Advice of the Assembly concerning a Confession of Faith ch 20. sect 4. They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty shall oppose any lawful Power or the lawful exercise of it whether it be Civil or Ecclesiastical resist the Ordinance of God and for their publishing such Opinions or maintaining of such Practices as are contrary to the Light of Nature or to the known Principles of Christianity whether concerning Faith Worship or Conversation or to the Power of Godliness whereof we may be sure they intended to be the Judges or such erroneous Opinions or Practices as either in their own nature or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the Church that is by their Presbyterian Model they may lawfully be call'd to account and proceeded against by the Censures of the Church and by the Power of the Civil Magistrate But let us leave the Protestants of forein Churches and keep our eyes at home and here we cannot but observe to our great grief that the Sects and Factions are many and various and which of them should we design our kindness for For Presbyterians or Independents Anabaptists Quakers or Socinians Where ever you resolve to pitch I believe you will have but a little to gratifie the humour of some Party which you can never oblige For it is not to be imagined that our Governours will ever part with so much as has been impetuously required for then we shall lay a colourable ground to justifie their Solemn League and Covenant with all those horrid Mischiefs which ensued upon it and we shall most certainly deform the Church and unhinge the Government which may be of a worse consequence than a temporary Toleration If you grant but little they will conclude they have given the Church a defeat therein and will triumph in it yet this will be too weak a Charm to make them acquiesce and be at peace with us For this sort of men as well as others are observed to be so restless in their humour that instead of studying to be quiet and to do their own business they are always labouring to be uppermost and in order to that they are always studying new Objections against all establish'd Forms of Decency maugre all alterations intended for their satisfaction Sometimes they cry down the Rites and Ceremonies because they are dumb that is dark and unedifying but since the dumb beast has had her mouth opened to convince the madness of these Prophets See the Preface before the Common Prayer and Ceremonies c. they cry out against them for having too much Tongue that is for being too significant and useful And as another Instance of their Unquietness we may observe their watchfulness and artifice in perverting such charitable Discourses as are designed to draw them into the Communion of the Church to palliate their Dissent from it And how tender and scrupulous soever they make themselves at this day yet they will not let us forget that not very long since while they strained at the very same Gnats they could swallow Camels and thought it just to force others as much as in them lay to do the like Sir if these Practices have any affinity with the Definition of Infirmity or a weak Brother I must confess my self at a loss to understand what it is to be stiff wilful and unteachable In short by offering these Dissenters to yield them they know not what upon the Solicitation of we know not whom we shall expose our selves and our Religion to no purpose The Popish Party will upbraid us for our levity and perhaps in departing from the decent and harmless Rites and Usages of the Ancients long before Popery had a being we may give a scandal to such as have come over to us from their Communion And what are we like to get by it As far as I am able to discern we shall give ground to a profess'd Adversary and make a wilful breach upon our wholsom Laws and Discipline to make a new experiment For if it does not succeed well which none but God Almighty can foresee how shall we recover our ground again and who shall stand in the gap to make up the breach for us We are come at last to the Authority alleaged by that Apocryphal Anonymus in the first whereof I find a double mistake for first the Name of that Reverend Arch-Bishop was not Edward but Edwin Sands who died at York Aug. 8. 1588. The said Reverend Person when he was Vicechancellor of Cambridge at the Instigation of the Duke of Northumberland preached up the Title of Jane Grey for which he was imprisoned by Queen Mary Godwyn of Bishops Afterwards being set at liberty upon the Intercession of some Friends he went over into Germany and staid there till he was called back in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth From thence 't is probable he might bring over with him some Inclinations to the Models of Reformation which he had observed amongst some Protestants in those Countries But besides this mistake in the Name there is a greater in the Title Page and I am a little jealous it was wilful and advised for he represents it as the sentiment of the first Reformers when it was but the single Opinion of that Reverend Archbishop in or about the thirtieth year of that Queens Reign all the rest of the Governours as far as we are able to inform our selves were of another Judgment as their Successors generally have been ever since But let us hear the Bistop's own Words at least
if they be his own he saith thus I have ever been and presently am persuaded that some of them Rites and Ceremonies be not so expedient for this Church now but that in the Church Reformed and in all this time of the Gospel wherein the Seed of the Scripture hath so long been sown they may better be disused by little and little than more and more urged This is that which the Archbishop declares and it is observable that he does not name any one of those Rites and Ceremonies but refers the particularities to the discretion of the Godly-wise What have been disused and altered since that time I shall leave to the Observation of considering men What are retain'd amongst us have been severely and minutely examined and the Godly-wise find them so far from a disposition to choak the seed of the Gospel that they approve them as congenial to the general Dictates and Directions of it and very decent in the solemn Worship and Service of God under it That our Ecclesiastical Policy in some points may be better'd that Bishop does acknowledge and so do we In the Preface to the Commination we are told of a Godly Discipline in the Primitive Church which both they and we wish heartily might be restored but this is not to be hoped for till the generality of men become more governable that is more humble more obsequious to wholesom Discipline and carry a greater veneration for the Authority of the Church But that this Reverend Archbishop was not of the mind of these Dissenters his last Will and Testament which is here produced gives us sufficient Evidence For he saith 1. That the state of a small private Church such as Geneva for example and the form of a large Christian Kingdom neither would long like nor at all brook one and the same Ecclesiastical Government 2. He saith Concerning Rites and Ceremonies by Political Constitutions authorized amongst us I am and have been persuaded that such as are set down by public Authority in this Church of England are no way either ungodly or unlawful but may with a good Conscience for order and obedience sake be used of a good Christian Are the Dissenters of this mind why then do they not conform to them and why does this their Advocate upbraid them as sinful and ungodly and charge them with an edge and sting that wounds the Conscience 3. That Reverend Archbishop tells us further I do utterly mislike even in my conscience all such rude and undigested Platforms as have been more lately and boldly than either learnedly or wisely preferr'd tending not to the Reformation but to the destruction of the Church of England What would this pious Soul have said if he had lived to see our tender consciences cloathing themselves in Arms of Steel marching with Pikes Swords and Pistols bartering down our establish'd Laws and Government with Guns and Cannons and setting up their own new models not with the noise of Axes and Hammers but with the more confused noise of Wars and Tumults and with garments rolled in bloud They have given this best of Churches the Stab made the gaping wounds yea and with their pretious balms have broken our much more precious head and now they call earnestly for a tender hand for a cementing healing spirit as if all the hurt had been done not by but upon themselves These Observations upon the Discourse of that Reverend Person being submitted to the Judgment of every Reader I shall proceed to the remarkable passage of that Reverend and Worthy Dean which he setteth down in these words It is not for private persons to undertake in matters of publick concernment but I think we have no cause to doubt but the Governours of our Church notwithstanding all the advantages of Authority and we think of Reason too on our side are Persons of that Piety and Prudence that fox peace-sake and in order to a firm Union among Protestants they would be content if that would do it not to insist upon little things but to yield them up whether to the infirmity or importunity or perhaps in some very few things to the plausible Exceptions of those who differ from us Before I return an account of the Sense of that Reverend and Learned Person I shall endeavour to undeceive the nameless Allegator He thinks that to some very few things these Dissenters have very plausible Exceptions Sir I am heartily glad to hear their Exceptions are but plausible and reduced to so small a number We have Exceptions against the Presbyterian Discipline and Government and against the Congregational Churches too and those not a few and much more than plausible But what Constitution what Court what Person what any thing in the world shall be allowed to stand if a few plausible Exceptions be sufficient to pull it down There have been plausible Exceptions against A House of Lords plausible Exceptions against the best of Princes and things that are most sacred When we hear of Exceptions and plausible we should well consider the Persons to whom they are so There are exceptions against the holy Scriptures but they are plausible onely to the prophane Atheist Exceptions against the eternal Son of God but they are plausible onely to Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites to Jews Infidels and Hereticks When Ignorance and Faction have made exceptions Pride and Interest will strive hard to make them plausible A thing may be very plausible which is no way just but highly inconvenient It is therefore an Argument of a light and ungenerous mind to argue in matters of so great importance from such popular and loose Topicks Prudent and Pious Persons were not wont of old to do so we may instance in Hooker Hammond Sanderson Nor must we look upon this as the Judgment of that Reverend Dean but as the fond Opinion which these Dissenters have of their own Conceptions Nor can this Allegator think that a few things will satisfie them To rectifie his Judgment herein let him peruse their Solemn League and Covenant as the Mother of all the rest their Directory their Form of Government for England and Ireland their Confession of Faith their lesser and larger Catechisms their Jus Divinum of the Presbyterian Government and since His Majesty's happy Restruration their Petition with the Review and Alteration of the Book of Common Prayer their Petition for Peace with their Reformation of the Liturgy Again this confident Allegator looks at the wrong end of the Telescope when he judges these matters to be so little For to yield up such things and upon such accounts as they demand them we must yield up a branch of truth and our own reason with some part of our Christian Liberty which is never a whit the less considerable to us because we desire not to make use of it for a cloke of Pride Malice or Disobedience Some Laws and Canons also are to be yielded up and some rays of Authority to be eclipsed if not extinguished