fault with it and while we took it to be a defective disorderly and inconvenient mode of Worship it would be our sin to use it of choice while we may prefer a more convenient way what ever we ought to do in case of necessity when we must worship God inconveniently or not at all And as to our people for whose edification and not destruction we have our power or offices we have taken that course as far as we are able to understand which most probably tended to their good and to prevent their hurt and separation from the Church and consequently that course which did most conduce to his Majesties ends and to his real service and the Churches peace none of which would be promoted by our obtruding that upon our people which we know them unable to digest or by our hasty offending them with the use of that which we are forced to blame and are endeavouring to correct and alter And we see not how it can be justly intimated that we use no part of it when we use the Lords Prayer the Creed the Commandments the Psalms the Chapters and some other parts and how much more you expect we should have used that we might have escaped this brand of Ingratitude we know not But we know that Charity suffereth long and thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13 4 5. and that we have not attempted to obtrude any mode of Worship on our Brethren but desired the liberty to use things of that nature as may conduce to the benefit of our Flocks And as we leave them to judge what is most beneficial to their own Flocks who know them and are upon the place so it is but the like freedome which we desire We are loath to hurt our people knowingly The time is short if you will answer our reasonable Proposals it will not be too late at the expiration of our Commission or the date of the reformed Liturgie to use it greater liberty hath been used about Liturgies in purer times of the Church with less offence and accusation It can be no just cause of offence to mind them of their duty as they do us of ours telling us It is our duty to imitate the Apostles practise in a special manner to be tender of the Churches peace and to advise of such Expedients as may conduce to the healing of breaches and uniting those that differ for preserving of the Churches peace we know no bettter nor more efficatious way then our set Liturgie there being no such way to keep us from Schism as to speak all the same thing according to the Apostle If you look to the time past by our Duties we suppose you mean our Faults for it is not Duty when it 's past If you in these words respect onely the time present and to come we reply 1. The Liturgie we are assured will not be a less but a more probable means of Concord after the desired Reformation then before the defects and inconveniences make it less fit to attain the end 2. VVhether the Apostle by speaking the same thing did mean either all using this Liturgie of ours or all using any one form of Liturgie as to the words may easily be determined This is of much later date unless you will denominate the whole form of the Lords Prayer and some little parts And those that affirm that the Apostles then had any other must undertake the task of proving it and excusing the Churches for loosing and dis-using so precious a Relict which if preserved would have prevented all our strifes about these things And in the mean time they must satisfie our Arguments for the Negative as 1. If a Liturgie had been indited by the Apostles for the Churches being by universal Officers inspired by the Holy Ghost and so of universal use it would have been used and preserved by the Church as the Holy Scriptures were But so it was not Ergo no such Liturgie was indited by them for the Churches 2. If a prescript form of words had been delivered them there would have been no such need of exhorting them to speak the same thing for the Liturgie would have held them close enough to that And if the meaning had been see that you use the same Liturgie some word or other to some of the Churches would have acquainted us with the existence of such a thing and some reproofs we should have found of those that used various Liturgies or formed Liturgies of their own or used extemporary Prayers and some express Exhortations to use the same Liturgie or Forms but the holy Scripture is silent in all those matters It is apparent therefore that the Churches then had no Liturgie but took liberty of extemporate Expressions and spoke in the things of God as men do in other matters with a natural plainness and seriousness suiting their Expressions to the subjects and occasions And though Divisions began to disturb their Peace and holy Orders the Apostle in stead of prescribing them a form of Diâ—ine Services for their unity and concord do exhort them to use their gifts and liberties aright and speak the same thing for matter avoiding Disagreements though they used not the same words 3. Just. Martyr Tertull. and others sufficiently intimate to us that the Churches quickly after the Apostles did use the personal Abilities of their Pastours in Prayer and give us no hint of any such Liturgie of Apostolical fabrication and imposition and therefore doubtless there was nothing for it could not have been so soon lost or neglected 4. It is ordinary with those of the contrary Judgement to tell us that the extraordinary Gifts of the Primitive Christians were the reason why there were no prescribed forms in those times and that such Liturgies came in upon the ceasing of those Gifts and 1 Cor. 14. describeth a way of publick worshipping unlike to prescript forms of Liturgie so that the matter of Fact is proved and confessed And then how fairly the words of the Apostle exhorting them to speak the same thing are used to prove that he would have them use the same Forms or Liturgie we shall not tell you by any provoking Aggravations of such abuse of Scripture And indeed for all the miraculous Gifts of those times if prescript Forms had been judged by the Apostles to be the fittest means for the concord of the Churches it is most probable they would have prescribed such considering 1. That the said miraculous Gifts were extraordinary and belonged not to all nor to any at all times and therefore could not suffice for the ordinary publick Worship 2. And those Gifts began even betimes to be abused and need the Apostles Canons for their regulation which he giveth them in that 1 Cor. 14. without a prescript Liturgie 3. Because even then divisions had made not onely an entrance but an unhappy progress in the Churches to cure which the Apostle exhorts them oft to Unanimity and Concord without exhorting
and it were really desired that the People should come it were another matter Moreover there is no Rubrick requiring this Service at the Table when there 's no Communion It is not reasonable that the Word Minister should be onely used in the Liturgy for since some parts of the Liturgy may be performed by a Deacon others by none under the order of a Priest viz. Absolution Consecration it is fit that some such word as Priest should be used for those Offices and not Minister which signifies at large every one that ministers in that holy Office of what order soever he be The word Curate signifying properly all those who are trusted by the Bishops with Cure of Souls as anciently it signified is a very fit word to be used and can offend no sober Person The word Sunday is ancient Just. Martyr Ap. 2. and therefore not to be left off Repl. The word Minister may well be used instead of Priest and Curate though the word Deacon for necessary distinction stand yet we doubt not but Priest as it is but the English of Presbyter is lawful but it is from the common danger of mistake and abuse that we argue That all Pastors else are but the Bishops Curates is a Doctrine that declares the heavy charge and account of the Bishops and tends much to the ease of the Presbyters minds if it could be proved If by Curates you mean such as have not directly by Divine obligation the Cure of Souls but onely by the Bishops Deligation But if the Office of a Presbyter be not of Divine Right and so if they be not the Curates of Christ and Pastors of the Church none are And for the ancient use of it we find not that it was so from the beginning And as there 's difference between the ancient Bishops of one single Church and a Diocesan that hath many hundreds so is there between their Curates But why will ye not yeeld so much as to change the word Sunday into the Lords Day when you know that the later is the name used by the holy Ghost in Scripture and commonly by the Ancient Writers of the Church and more becoming Christians Just. Martyr speaking to Infidels tells how they called the day and not how Christians called it All he saith is that on Sunday that is so called by the Heathens the Christians hold their Meetings see the usage of the Church in this point in August Cont. Faustum Manich. lib. 18. cap. 5. Singing of Psalms in Meeter is no part of the Lyturgy and so no part of our Commission Repl. If the word Lyturgy signifie the publick worship God forbid you should exclude the singing of Psalms And sure you have no fitter way of singing then in Meeter When these and all Prayers conceived by private men as you call the Pastors whether prepared or extemporary and by purity of reason Preaching are cast out what will your Lyturgy be We hope you make no question whether singing Psalms and Hymnes were part of the Primitive Lyturgy And seeing they are set forth and allowed to be sung in all Churches of all the People together why should they be denyed to be part of the Lyturgy we understand not the reason of this N. 13. 14. we suppose you grant by passing them by The Phrase is such c. The Church in her Prayers uses no more offensive Phrase then Saint Paul uses when he writes to the Corinthians Galatians and others calling them in general the Churches of God sanctified in Christ Jesus by vocation Saints amongst whom notwithstanding there were many who by their known sins which the Apostle endeavoured to amend in them were not properly such yet he gives the denomiation to the whole from the greater part to whom in Charity it was due and puts the rest in minde what they have by their Baptisme undertaken to be and what they professe themselves to be and our Prayers and the Phrase of them surely supposes no more then that they are Saints by calling sanctified in Christ Jesus by their Baptisme admitted into Christs Congregation and so to be reckoned Members of that Society till either they shall separate themselves by wilful Schisme or be separated by Legal Excommunication which they seem earnestly to desire and so do we Repl. But is there not a very great difference between the Titles given to the whole Church as you say from the greater part as the truth is from the better part though it were the lesse and the Titles given to individual members where there is no such reason We will call the Field a Corn-field though their be much Tares in it because of the better part which denominateth But we will not call every one of these Tares by the name of Corn. When we speak of the Church we will call it holy as Paul doth but when we speak to Simon Magus we will not call him holy but say Thou art in the Gall of bitterness and the bond of Iniquity and hast no part or lot in this matter c. we will not perswade the People that every notorious Drunkard Fornicator Worldling c. that is buryed is a Brother of whose Resurrection to Life Eternal we have sure and certain hope and all because you will not Excommunicate them We are glad to hear of your desire of such Discipline But when shall we see more then desire and the Edge of it be turned from those that fear sinning to those that fear it not Sect. 1. The Connexion of the parts of our Lyturgy is conformable to the example of the Churches of God before us and have as much dependance as is usually to be seen in many Petitions of the same Psalm And we conceive the Order and Method to be excellent and must do so till they tell us what that Order is which Prayers ought to have which is not done here Repl. There are two Rules of Prayer one is the Nature of the things compared in matter and order with nature and necessity The other is the revealed Will of God in his Word in General the holy Scripture more Especially the Lords Prayer The Lyturgy for the greatest part of the Prayers for dayly use is confused by which soever of these you measure it You seem much to honour the Lords Prayer by your frequent use of it or part of it we beseech you dishonour it not Practically by denying it for matter and order to be the onely ordinary and perfect Rule we know about particular Administrations where it is but certain Select Requests that we are to put up suited to the particular subject and occasion we cannot follow the whole Method of the Lords Prayer which containeth the heads of all the parts where we are not to take in all the parts we cannot take them in that order But that none of all your Prayers should be formed to that perfect Rule that your Letany which is the comprehensive
Grace and the Canon saith It is an honourable badge whereby the Infant is dedicated to him that dyed on the Cross we are signified with it in token that hereafter we shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight c. now if a thing may be commanded meerly as a decent Circumstance of Worship yet it is unproved that a thing in its nature as instituted and in the primary intention is thus Sacramentally to dedicate and engage us in Covenant to God by signifying the Grace and Duty of the Covenant be lawfully cammanded by man 1. Decent Circumstances are necessary in genere There must be some fit time place gesture vesture as such utensils c. But that there be some such dedicating ingaging Signs in our Covenanting with God signifying the Grace of the Covenant and our state and duty as Soldiers under Christ besides Gods Sacraments this is not necessary in genere and therefore it is not left to man to determine de specie 2. If there be any reason for this use of the Cross it must be such as was in the Apostles dayes and concerneth the universal Church in all ages and places and then the Apostles would have taken care of it Thus much here in brief of Signes and more anon when you again call us to it Sect. 9. To the second That it is not a violation of Christs Royalty to make such Laws for decency but an exercise of his Power and Authority which he hath given to the Church and the disobedience to such Commands of Superiours is plainly a violation of his Royalty As it is no violation of the Kings Authority when his Magistrates command things according to his Laws but disobedience to the Command of those injunctions of his Deputies is violation of his Authority Again it can be no impeachment of Christs Laws as insufficient to make such Laws for decency since our Saviour as is evident by the Precepts themselves did not intend by them to determine every minute and circumstance of time place manner of performance and the like but only to command in general the substance of those Duties and the right ends that should be aimed at in the performance and then left every man in particular whom for that purpose he made reasonable to guide himself by Rules of reason for private Services and appointed Governours of the Church to determine such particularities for the publick Thus our Lord commanded Prayers Fasting c. But for the times and places of performance he did not determine every of them but left them to be guided as we have said So that it is no impeachment of his Laws as insufficient to make Laws for determining those particulars of decency which himself did not as is plain by his Precepts intend to determine but left us Governours for that purpose to whom he said As my Father sent me even so send I you and let all things be done decently and in order of whom he hath said to us Obey those that have the oversight over you and told us that if we will not hear his Church we must not be accounted as Christians but Heathens and Publicans And yet nevertheless they will not hear it and obey it in so small a matter as a Circumstance of time place habit or the like which she thinks decent and fit and yet will be accounted the best Christians and tell us that it is the very awe of Gods Law Deut. 12. 32. that keeps them from obedience to the Church in these Commands not well considering that it cannot be any adding to the Word of God to command things for order and decency which the Word of God-commands to be done so as they be not commanded as Gods immediate Word but as the Laws of men but that is undeniable adding to the Word of God to say that Superiours may not command such things which God hath no where forbidden and taking from the Word of God to deny that Power to men which Gods Word hath given them Repl. To make Laws to determine of undetermined Circumstances necessary in genere to be some way determined and left to Magistrates or Ministers de specie and to do this according to the general Rule of Scripture and in order to the main end and not against it is not against the Royalty or Will or Christ but to make new dedicating Covenanting Symbols to signifie the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and solemnly engage us unto God and place these in the publick Worship which are not meer Circumstances but substantial Institutions not necessary in genere that there should be any such at all besides Gods Sacraments we fear this is a violation of the Royalty of Christ and a reflection on his Laws as insufficient For 1. If it belong to the Power proper to Christ then it is a violation of his Royalty for any man to exercise it but it belongeth to the Power proper to Christ Ergo c. The Minor is proved thus If it belong to the universal Head or Ruler of the Church as such then it belongs to the Power proper to Christ for we are ready to prove there is now under him no universal Head or Ruler personally or collectively and civilly one But c. If in the Reason of it it should be the matter of an universal Law if any then it should be the work of the universal Law-giver if any But c. If in the Reason of it it be equally useful to the Church universal as to any particular Church or Age then it should according to the reason of it be the matter of an universal Law if of any But c. It hath the same aptitude to engage us to a duty of universal necessity and hath no reason proper to this Age or Place for it but common to all Moreover it is no where committed to the power or care of man Ergo it is proper to the Care and Power of Christ no Text is shewed that giveth man power in such things To do all things decently and orderly and to edification is no giving of power on that pretence to make new Covenanting dedicating Signs To do Gods work decently c. is not to make more such of our own heads it 's but the right modifying of the work already set us And to do all decently orderly and to edification was a duty in Moses time when yet such things as these in question might not be added by any but God when we say by God we mean by his inspired Instruments and when we say by Christ we mean by his inspired Instruments If we should make Laws that every one is publickly to taste Vineger and Gall as a Sign that we are not ashamed of but resolved through all fresh-displeasing diâ—ficulties to follow Christ that did so and thus to engage and dedicate our selves to him this were to do more than to do all things decently and
aforesaid We will therefore and hereby require you the said Dr. Earles c. to supply the place and places of such of the Arch-Bishop and Bishops other then the said Edward Bishop of Norwich as shall by age sickness infirmity or other occasions be hindred from attending the said meeting or consultation that is to say that one of you the said Dr. Earles c. shall from time to time supply the place of each one of them the said Arch-Bishop and Bishops other then the said Edward Bishop of Norwich which shall happen to be hindred or to be absent from the said meetings or consutations and shall and may advise consult and determine and also certifie and execute all and singular the powers and authorities before mentioned in and about the premises as fully and absolutely as such Arch-Bishop and Bishops which shall so happen to be absent should or might do by vertue of these our letters patents or any thing herein contained in case he or they were personally present And whereas in regard of the distance of some the infirmity of others the multitude of constant imployment and other incidental impediments some of you the said Edward Bishop of Norwich c. may be hindred from the constant attendance in the execution of the service aforesaid we therefore will and do hereby require and authorize you the said Thomas Horton c. to supply the place or â—laces of such the Commissioners last above mentioned as shall by the means aforesaid or any other occasion be hindred from the said meeting and consultations that one of you the said Thomas Horton c. shall from time to time supply the places of each one of the said Commissioners last mentioned which shall happen to be hindred or absent from the said meeting and consultations and shall and may advise consult and determine and also certifie and execute all and singular the powers and authorities before mentioned in and about the premises as fully and absolutely as such of the said last mentioned Commissioners which shall so happen to be absent should or might do by vertue of these our Letters patents or any thing therein contained in case he or they were personally present In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made patents witness our self at Westminster the 25 day of March in the thirteenth year of our Reign Per ipsum Regem Barker THE EXCEPTIONS Against the BOOK OF Common-Prayer ACknowledging with all humility and thankfulness His Majesties most Princely Condiscention and Indulgence to very many of his Loyal Subjects as well in His Majesties most gracious Declaration as particularly in this present Commission issued forth in pursuance thereof Wee doubt not but the Right Reverend Bishops and all the rest of His Majesties Commissioners intrusted in this work will in imitation of His Majesties most prudent and Christian Moderation and Clemency judge it their duty what wee finde to bee the Apostles own practice in a special manner to bee tender of the Churches peace to bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please themselves nor to measure the consciences of other men by the light and latitude of their own but seriously and readily to consider and advise of such expedients as may most conduce to the healing of our breaches and uniting those that differ And albeit wee have an high and honourable esteem of those godly and learned Bishops and others who were the first Compilers of the Publick Liturgy and do look upon it as an excellent and worthy work for that time when the Church of England made her first step out of such a mist of Popish Ignorance and Superstition wherein it formerly was involved Yet considering that all humane 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 bee 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 â—emendations be now made therein as may bee 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 Majesties pious peaceable and loyal Subjects after so long a discontinuance of it are more averse from it than heretofore The satisfying of whom as far as may bee will very much conduce to that peace and unity which is so much desired by all good men and so much indeavoured by His Most Excellent Majesty And therefore in pursuance of this His Majesties most gracious Commission for the satisfaction of tender consciences and the procuring of peace and unity amongst our selves wee 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 joyn 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 wee differ is the most Soveraign way to perpetuate Schism to the worlds 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 incumbring Churches with superfluities or not over-rigid either in reviving Obsolete Customes 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 yeeld a little to the imbecillity of their inferiours a thing which St. Paul would never have refused to do Mean while wheresoever false or suspected Opinions are made a peece of Church-Liturgy hee that separates is not the Schismatick for it is alike unlawful
for us c. First We cannot peremptorily fix the Nativitie of our Saviour to this or that day particularly Secondly it seems incongruous to affirm the Birth of Christ and the descending of the Holy Ghost to be on this day for seven or eight dayes together Upon Whitsunday and fix dayes after 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 sinfull 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 sinfull souls and bodies may be cleansed through his precious Body Blood Prayer at the Consecration 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. 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 Rubrick Then shall the Minister first receive the Communion in both kinds c. and after deliver it to the people in their hands knéeling and when he delivereth the bread he shall say The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given fâ—r 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 diverse jointly according to our Saviours Example We also desire that the Kneeling at the Sacrament it being not thaâ— 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. 2. EDW. As touching Kneeling c. they may be used or left as every mans Devotion serveth without blame Rubrick And note that every Parishioner shall Communicate at the least thrée times in the year of which Easter is be one and shall also receive the Sacraments and other Rites according to the Orders in this Book appointed Exception Forasmuch as every Parishioner is not duly qualified for the Lords 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 Wee desire this Rubrick may be either wholly omitted or thus altered Every Minister shall be bound to administer the Sacrament of the Lords 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. 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 Infirmitie or else of Malice and Obstinacy misconstrued depraved and interpreted in a wrong part and yet because brotherly Charity willeth that so much as conveniently may be Offences should be taken away therefore are we willing to do the same Whereas it is Ordained in the Book of Common-Prayer in the Administration of the Lords Supper that the Communicant kneeling should receive the holy Communion which thing being well meant for a signification of the humble and gratefull acknowledging of the Benefits of Christ given unto the worthy Receivers and to avoid the prophanation and disorder which about the holy Communion might else ensue left yet the same Kneeling might be thought or taken otherwise Wee do declare that it is not meant thereby that any adoration is done or ought to be done either unto the Sacramental Bread or Wine there bodily received or unto any real or essential presence there being of Christs natural Flesh and Blood For as concerning the Sacramental Bread and Wine they remain still in their very natural substances and therefore may not be adored for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithfull Christians and as concerning the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ they are in heaven and not here for it is against the truth of Christs natural bodie to be in more places than in one at one time Of Publique Baptisme THere being divers Learned Pious and Peaceable Ministers who not only judge it unlawfull to Baptize Children whose Parents both of them are Atheists Infidels Hereticks or Unbaptized but also such whose Parents are Excommunicate Persons Fornicators or otherwise notorious and scandalous Sinners We desire they may not be enforced to Baptize the Children of such untill they have made due profession of their Repentance Before Baptisme Rubrick Parents shall give notice over night or in the morning Exception Wee desire that more timely notice may be given Rubrick And then the Godfathers and the Godmothers and the people with the Children c. Exception Here is no mention of the parents in whose right the Childe is Baptized and who are fittest both to dedicate it unto God and to Covenant for it We do not know that any persons except the Parents or some others appointed by them have any power to consent for the Children or to enter them into Covenant Wee desire it may be left free to Parents whether they will have Sureties to undertake for their Children in Baptisme or no. Rubrick Ready at the Font Exception We desire it may so be placed as all the Congregation may best see and hear the whole Administration In the first Prayer By the Baptisme of the Welbeloved Son c. didst sanctifie the flood Jordan and all other waters to the Mystical washing away of sin c. It being doubtfull whether either the Flood Jordan or any other waters were sanctified to a Sacramental Use by Christs being baptized and not necessary to be asserted Wee desire this may be otherwise expressed The third Exhortation Do promise by you that be their Sureties The Questions Doest thou forsake c. Doest thou believe c. Wilt thou be Baptized c. Wee know not by what right the Sureties do promise and answer in the name of the Infant It seemeth to us also to countenance the Anabaptistical Opinion of the necessity of an actual profession of Faith and Repentance in Order to Baptisme That such a profession may be required of Parents in their own name and now solemnly
that a convenient conjunction of both might be a well-tempered means to the common constitutions of most But still we see the world will run into extreams whatever be said or done to hinder it It is but lately that we were put to it against one extream to defend the lawfulness of a Form of Liturgie now the other extream it troubleth us that we are forced against you even such as you to defend the use of such Prayers of the Pastors of the Churches as are necessarily varied according to subjects and occasions while you would have no Prayer at all in the Church but such prescribed Forms And why may we not adde That whoever maketh the Forms imposed on us if he use them is guilty as well as we of praying accordiâ—g to his private Conceptions And that we never said it proved from Scripture that Christ appointed any to such an Office as to make Prayers for other Pastors and Churches to offer up to God and that this being none of the work of the Apostolical or common Ministerial Office in the Primitive Church is no work of any Office of Divine Institution To that part of the Proposal That the Prayers may consâ—st of nothing doubtful or questioned by pious learned and Orthodox persons they not determining who be those Orthodox persons we must either take all them for Orthodox persons who shall confidently affirm themselves to be such and then we say First the Demand is unreasonable for some such as call themselves Orthodox have quâ—stioned the prime Article of our Creed even the Divinity of the Sâ—n of God and yet there is no reason we should part with our Creed for that Besides the Proposal requires impossibility for there never was nor is â—or can be such Prayers made as have not been nor will be questioned by sâ—me whâ— call themselves pious learned and Orthodox if by Orthodox be meant those who adhere to Scripture and the Catholick Consent of Antiquity we do not yet know that any part of our Liturgie hath been questioned by such And may we not thus mention Orthodox persons to men that profess they agree with us in Doctrinals unless we digress to tell you who they be What if we were pleading for civil coâ—cord among all that aâ—e loyal to the King must we needs digress to tell you who are loyal We are agreed in one Rule of Faith in one holy Scripture and one Creed and differ not you say about the Doctrinal part of the 39 Art And will not all this seem to tell you who are Orthodox If you are resolved to make all that a matter of Contention which we desire to make a means of Peace there is no remedy while you have the Ball before you and have the Wind and Sun and the power of contending without controul But we perceive That the Catholick consent of Antiquity must go into your definition of the Orthodox but how hard it is to get a reconciling determination what Ages shall go with you and us for the true Antiquity and what is necessary to that consent that must be called Catholick is unknown to none but the unexperienced And indeed we think a man that searcheth the holy Scripture and sincerely and unreservedly gives up his Soul to understand love and obey it may be Orthodox without the knowledge of Church-History we know no universal Law-Giver nor Law to the Church but one and that Law is the sufficient Rule of Faith and consequently the test of the truely Orthodox though we refuse not Church-History or other means that may help us to understand it And to acquaint you with what you do not know we our selves after many Pastors of the Reformed Churches do question your Liturgie as far as is expressed in our Papers And we profess to adhere to Scripture and the Catholick consent of Antiquity as described by Vincentius Liniensis If you will say that our pretence and claim is unjust we call for your Authority to judge our hearts or dispose us from the number of the Orthodox or else for your proofs to make good your accusation But however you judge we rejoyce in the expectation of the righteous Judgment that shall finally decide the Controversie to which from this Aspersion we appeal To thâ—se Generals loading publick Form with Ch. pomp garm Imagery and many Superfluities that creep into the Church under the name of Order and Decâ—ncy iâ—cumbring Churches with Superfluities over-rigid reviving of obsolete Customes c. We say that if these Generals be intended as appliable to our Liturgie in particular they are gross and foul Slanders contrary to their profession page ult and so either that or this contrary to their Conscience if not they signifie nothing to the present business and so might with more prudence and â—andor have been omitted You needed not go a fishing for our Charge what we had to say against the Liturgie which we now desired you to observe was here plainly laid before you Answer to this and suppose us not to say what we do not to make your selves matter of reproaching us with gross and foul slanders Onely we pray you answer Mr. Hales as Mr. Hales whom we took to be a person of much esteem with you especially that passage of his which you take no notice of as not being so easie to be answered for the weight and strength which it carries with it viz. that the limiting of the Church-Communion to things of doubtful disputation hath been in all Ages the ground of Schism and Separation and that he that separates from suspected Opinions is not the Separatist And may we not cite such words of one that we thought you honoured and would hear without contradicting our Profession of not intending depravation or reproach against the Book without going against our Consciences If we cite the words of an Author for a particular use as to perswade you of the evil of laying the hurches unity upon unnecessary things must we be responsible therefore for all that you can say against his words in other respects We suppose you would be loath your words should have such interpretation and that you should be under such a Law for all your Citations Do as you would be done by It was the wisdom of our Reformers to draw up such a Liturgie as neither Romanist nor Protestant could justly except against and therefore as the first never charged it with any positive Errours but onely the want of something they conceived necessary so it was never found fault with by thâ—se to whom the name of Protestants most properly belongs those that profess the Augustine Confession and for those who unlawfully and sinfully brought it into dislike with some people to urge the present State of Affaires as an Argument why the Book should be altered to give them satisfaction and so that they should take advantage by their own unwarrantable Acts is not reasonable If it be blameless no man can
being one of them the mouth of all the rest in the Confession at the Lords Supper 4. By being the onely Petitioners in the far greatest part of all the Letanie by their Good Lord deliver us and We beseech thee to hear us good Lord while the Minister onely reciteth the matter of the matter of the prayer and maketh none of the Request at all we fear lest by parity of reason the people will claim the work of preaching and other parts of the Ministerial Office 3. And we mentioned that which all our ears are witnesses of that while half the Psalms and Hymns c. are said by such of the people as can say them the murmur of their voices in most Congregations is so unintelligible and confused as must hinder the edification of all the rest for who is edified by that which he cannot understand We know not what you mean by citing 2 Chron. 7. 1 4. Ezra 3. 11. where there is not a word of publick prayer but in one place of an Acclamation upon an extraordinary sight of the glory of the Lord which made them praise the Lord and say He is good for his mercy is for ever when the prayer that went before was such as you call A long tedious prayer uttered by Solomon alone without such breaks and discants And in the other places is no mention of prayer at all but of singing praise and that not by the people but by the Priests and Levites saying the same words For he is good for his mercy endures for ever towards Israel The people are said to do no more then shout with a great shout because the foundation of the House was laid and if shouting be it that you would prove it 's not the thing in Question Let the ordinary mode of praying in Scripture be observed in the prayers of David Solomon Ezra Daniel or any other and if they were by breaks and frequent beginnings and endings and alternate Interlocutions of the people as yours are then we will conform to your mode which now offends us but if they were not we beseech you reduce yours to the examples in Scripture we desire no other rule to decide the Controversie by As to your Citation 1 Socrat. there tells us of the alternate singing of the Arrians in the reproach of the Orthodox and that Chrysostome not a Synod compiled Hymns to be sung in opposition to them in the streets which came in the end to a Tumult and Bloudshed And hereupon he tells us of the original of alternate singing viz. a pretended Viâ—ion of Ignatius that heard Angels sing in that order And what is all this to alternate Reading and praying or to a Divine Institution when here is no mention of reading or praying but of singing Hymns and that not upon pretence of Apostolical Tradition but a Vision of uncertain credit Theodore also speaketh onely of singing Psalms alternately and not a word of reading or praying so and he fetcheth that way of singing also as Socrat. doth but from the Church at Antioch and not from any pretended Doctrine or Practise of the Apostles and neither of them speaks a word of the necessity of it or of forcing any to it so that all these your Citations speaking not a word so much as of the very Subject in question are marvellously impertinent The words Their Worship seem to intimate that singing of Psalms is part of our Worship and not of yours we hope you disown it not for our parts we are ashamed of it Your distinction between Hopkins and Davids Psalms as if the metre allowed by Authority to be sung in Churches made them to be no more Davids Psalms seemeth to us a very hard saying If it be because it is a Translation then the prose should be none of Davids Psalms neither nor any Translation be the Sâ—ripture If it be because it is in metre then the exactest Translation in metre should be none of the Scripture If because it 's done imperfectly then the old Translation of the Bible used by Common-Prayer-Book should not be Scripture As to your reason for the supposed priority 1. Scripture-examples telling us that the people had more part in the Psalms then in the Prayers or Reading satisfie us that God and his Church then saw a disparity of Reason 2. Common Observation tells us That there is more order and less hinderance of Edification in the peoples singing then in their reading and praying together vocally It is desired that nothing should be in the Liturgie which so much as seems to countenance the observation of Lent as a Religious Fast and this as an expedient to peace which is in effect to desire that this our Church may be contentious for peace sake and to divide from the Church-Catholick that we may live at unity among our selves For St. Paul reckons them amongst the lovers of contention who shall oppose themselves against the custome of the Churches of God That the religious observation of Lent was a custome of the Churches of God appears by the testimonies following Chrys. Ser. 11. in Heb. 10. Cyrill Catec myst 5. St. Aug. Ep. 119 ut 40 dies ante Pascha observetur Ecclesiae consuetudo roboravit and St. Hierom ad Marcell says it was secundum traditionem Apostolorum This Demand then tends not to peace but Dissention The fasting forty days may be in imitation of our Saviour for all that is here said to the contrary for though we cannot arrive to his perfection abstaining wholly from meat so long yet we may fast forty days together either Cornelius his fast till three of the Clock after noon or Saint Peters fast till noon or at least Daniels fast abstaining from meats and drinks of delight and thus far imitate our Lord. If we had said that the Church is contentious if it adore God in kneeling on the Lords Days or use not the White Garment Milk and Honey after Baptism which had more pretence of Apostolical tradition and were generally used more anciently then Lent would you not have thought we wronged the Church If the purer times of the Church have one custome and latter times a contrary which must we follow or must we necessarily be contentious for not following both or rather may we not by the example of the Church that changeth them be allowed to take such things to be matters of Liberty and not Necessity If we must needs conform to the custom of other Churches in such things or be contentious it is either because God hath so commanded or because he hath given those Churches authority to command it If the former then what Churches or what Ages must we conform to If all must concur to be our pattern it will be hard for us to be acquainted with them so far as to know of such concurrences And in our Case we know that many do it not If it must be the most we would know where God commandeth us to imitate
frigescente devotione cum negligerentur jeiâ—nia inductum Quadrag à Sacerdotibus But when you come to describe your Fast you make amends for the length by making it indeed no Fast To abstain from meats and drinks of delight where neither the thing nor the delight is profitable to further us in our duty to God is that which we take to be the duty of every Christian all the year as being a part of our mortication and self-denial who are commanded to crucifie the flesh and to make no provision to satisfie the lusts of it and to subdue our bodies but when those meats and drinks do more help then hinder us in the service of God we take it to be our duty to use them unless when some other accident forbids it that would make it otherwise more hurtful And for fasting till Noon we suppose it is the ordinary way of dyet to multitudes of Sedentary persons both Students and Trades-men that find one meal a day sufficient for nature If you call this fasting your poor Brethren fast all their life time and never knew that it was fasting But to command hard Labourers to do so is but to make it a fault to have health or to do their necessary work We beseech you bring not the Clergie under the suspition of Gluttony by calling our ordinary wholsome temperance by the name of fasting Sure Princes may feed as fully and delightfully as we yet Solomon saith Wo to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness For meer sensual delight it is never lawful And when it is for strength it is not to be forbidden unless when by accident it will iâ—fer a greater good to abstain Eccl. 20. 16 17. so Prov. 31. 4 6. It is not for Kings to drink wine nor Princes strong drink Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of heavy hearts Nor does the Act of Parliament 5 of Eliz. forbid it We dare not think a Parliament did intend to forbid that which Christ his Church hath commanded Nor does the Act determine any thing about Lent Fast but onely provide for the maintenance of the Navy and of Fishing in order thereunto as is plain by the Act. Besides we conceive that we must not so interpret one Act as to contradict another being still in force and unrepealed Now the Act of 1 Eliz. confirms the whole Liturgie and in that the religious keeping of Lent with a severe penalty upon all those who shall by open words speak any thing in derogation of any part thereof and therefore that other Act of 5 Elizab. must not be interpreted to forbid the religious keeping of Lent If when the express words of a Statute are cited you can so easily put it off by saying it does not forbid it and you dare not think that a Parliament did intend to forbid that which Christ his Church hath commanded and you must not interpret it as contradicting that Act which confirms the Liturgie we must think that indeed we are no less regardful of the Laws of the Governours than you But first we understand not what authority this is that you set against the King and Parliament as supposing they will not forbid what it commands You call it Christs Church we suppose you mean not Christ himself by his Apostles infallibly directed and inspired If it be the National Church of England they are the Kings Subjects and why may he not forbid a Ceremony which they command or why should they command it if he forbid it If it be any Forreign Church there 's none hath power over us If it be any pretended head of the Church universal whether Pope or general Council having power to make Laws that bind the whole Church it is a thing so copiously disproved by Protestants against both the Italian and French Papists that we think it needless to confute it nor indeed dare imagine that you intend it We know not therefore what you mean But whatever you mean you seem to contradict the forecited Article of the Church of England that makes all humane Laws about Rites and Ceremonies of the Church to be unchangeable by each particular National Church And that it is not necessary that Ceremonies or Traditions be in all places one or utterly like We most earnestly beseech you be cautious how you obtrude upon us a Forreign Power under the name of Christs Church that may command Ceremonies which King and Parliament may not forbid whether it be one man or a thousand we fear it is against our Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacie for us to own any such Power And not presuming upon any immodest challenge we are ready in the defence of those Oathes and the Protestant Religion to prove against any in an equal conference that there is no such power and for the Statutes let the words themselves decide the Controversie which are these Be it enacted That whosoever shall by Preaching Teaching Writing or open Speech notifie that any eating of Fish or forbearing of Flesh mentioued in this Statute is of aâ—y necessity for the saving of the Soul of man or that it is the Service of God otherwise than as other politick Laws are and be that then such persons shall be punished as the spreaders of false News are and ought to be And whereas you say the Act determines not any thing about Lent Fast it speaks against eating Flesh on any dayes now usually observed as Fish-dayes and Lent is such And the sense of the Act for the Lyturgy may better be tryed by this which is plain than this reduced to that which is more obscure The Observation of Saints dayes is not as of Divine but of Ecclesiastical Institution and therefore it is not necessary that they should have any other ground in Scripture than all other Institutions of the same nature so that they be agreeable to the Scripture in the general end for the promoting â—iâ—ty and the observation of them was ancient as appears by the Rituals and Lyturgies and by the joint consent of Antiquity and by the antient Translations of the Bible as the Syriack and Ethiopick where the Lessons appointed for Holy dayes are noted and set down the former of which was made neer the Apostles times Besides our Saviour himself kept a Feast of the Churches Institution viz. the Feast of the Dedication St. John 10. 22. The chief end of these dayes being not Feasting but exercise of Holy Duties they are fitter called Holy-dayes than Feastivals and though they be all of like nature it doth not follow that they are equal the People may be dispensed with for their work after the Service as Authority pleases The other names are left in the Calender not that they should be so
kept as Holy-dayes but they are useful for the preservation of their memories and for other reasons as for Leases Law-dayes c. Repl. The antiquity of the Translations mentioned is far from being of determinate certainty we rather wish than hope that the Syriack could be proved to be made neer the Apostles times But however the things being confessed of humane Institution and no forreign Power having any authority to command his Majesties Subjects and so the imposition being only by our own Governours we humbly crave that they may be left indifferent and the Unity or Peace of the Church or Liberty of the Ministers not laid upon them Sect. 1. This makes all the Lyturgy void if every Minister may put in and leave out at his discretion Repl. You mistake us we speak not of putting in and leaving out of the Liturgy but of having leave to intermix some Exhortations or Prayers besides to take off the deadness which will follow if there be nothing but the stinted Forms we would avoid both the extream that would have no Forms and the contrary extream that would have nothing but Forms but if we can have nothing but extreams there 's no remedy it 's not our fault And this moderation and mixture which we move for is so far from making all the Lyturgy void that it would do very much to make it attain its end and would heal much of the distemper which it occasioneth and consequently would do much to preserve the reputation of it As for instance if besides the Forms in the Lyturgy the Minister might at Baptism the Lords Supper Marriage c. interpose some suitable Exhortation or Prayer upon special occasion when he finds it needful should you deny this at the visitation of the sick it would seem strange and why may it not be granted at other times It is a matter of far greater trouble to us that you would deny us and all Ministers the Liberty of using any other Prayers besides the Lyturgy than that you impose these Sect. 2. The Gift or rather Spirit of Prayer consists in the inward Graces of the Spirit not in extempore expressions which any man of natural parts having a voluble tongue and audacity may attain to without any special Gift Repl. All inward Graces of the Spirit are not properly called the Spirit of Prayâ—r nor is the Spirit of Prayer that Gift of Prayer which we speak of nor did we call it by the name of a special Gift nor did we deny that ordinary men of natural parts and voluble tongues may attain it But yet we humbly conceive that as there is a Gift of Preaching so also of Prayer which God bestoweth in the use of means diversified much according to mens natural parts and their diligence as other acquired abilities are but also much depending on that Grace that is indeed special which maketh men love and rellish the holy Subjects of such Spiritual studies and the holy exercise of those Graces that are the soul of Prayer and consequently making men follow on such exercises with delight and diligence and therefore with success and also God is free in giving or denying his Blessing to mans endeavours If you think there be no Gift of Preaching you will too dishonourably level the Ministry If reading be all the Gift of Prayer or Preaching there needs no great understanding or learning to it nor should Coblers and Tinkers be so unfit men for the Ministry as they are thought nor would the reason be very apparent why a Woman mightnot speak by Preaching or Praying in the Church Sect. 3. But if there be any such Gift as is pretended it is to be subject to the Prophets and to the Order of the Church Repl. The Text speaks as Dr. Hammond well shews of a subjection to that Prophet himself who was the Speaker Inspiration excluded not the prudent exercise of Reason but it is a strange ordering that totally excludeth the thing ordered The Gift of Preaching as distinct from Reading is to be orderly and with due subjection exercised but not to be on that pretence extinguished and cast out of the Church And indeed if you should command it you are not to be obeyed whatever we suffer And why then should the Gift of Prayer distinct from Reading be cast out Sect. 4. The mischiefs that come by idle impertinent ridiculous sometimes seditious impious and blasphemous expressions under pretence of the Gift to the dishonour of God and scorn of Religion being far greater than the pretended good of exercising the Gift it is fit that they who desire such liberty in publick devotions should first give the Church security that no private opinions should be put into their Prayers as is desired in the first proposal and that nothing contrary to the Faith should be uttered before God or offered up to him in the Church Repl. The mischiefs which you pretend are inconveniences attending humane imperfeotion which you would cure with a mischief Your Argument from the Abuse against the Use is a palpable fallacy which cast out Physitians in some Countries and rooted up Vines in others and condemneth the reading of the Scriptures in a known tongue among the Papists If the Apostles that complained then so much of divisions and Preaching false doctrine and in envy and strife had thought the way of cure had been in sending Ministers about the world with a Prayer-book or Sermon book and to have tyed them only to read either one or both of these no doubt but they would have been so regardful of the Church as to have composed such a Prayer-book or Sermon book themselves and not left us to the uncertainties of an Authority not infallible nor to the divisions that follow the impositions of a questionable Power or that which unquestionably is not universal and therefore can procure no universal Concord If one man among you draw up a Form of Prayer it is his single conception and why a man as learned and able may not be trusted to conceive a Prayer for the use of a single Congregation without the dangers mentioned by you as one man to conceive a Prayer for all the Churches in a Diocess or a Nation we know not These words that the mischief is greater than the pretended good seem to express an unjust accusation of ordinary conceived Prayer and a great undervaluing of the benefits If you would intimate that the Crimes expressed by you are ordinarily found in Ministers Prayers we that hear such much more frequently than you must profess we have not found it so allowing men their different measures of exactness as you have even in writing Nay to the praise of God we must say that multitudes of private men can ordinarily pray without any such imperfection as should nauseate a sober person and with such seriousness and aptness of expression as is greatly to the benefit and comfort of our selves when we joyn
in their Papers The Law for imposing these Ceremonies they would have abrogated for these Reasons Repl. To what you object to intimate your suspicion of us from N. 7. we have before answered We must profess the abatement of Ceremonies with the exclusion of all Prayers and Exhortations besides what 's read will not satisfie us The Liberty which we desired in all the parts of Worship not to add to the Lyturgy or take from it but to interpose upon just occasion such words of Prayer or Exhortation as are requisite and not to be tyed at every time to read the whole we are assured will do much to preserve the Lyturgy and bring it into more profitable use and take off much of mens offence And pardon us while we tell you this certain truth that if once it be known that you have a design to work out all Prayers even those of the Pulpit except such as you prescribe it will make many thousand people fearing God to be averse to that which else they would have submitted to and to distaste both your endeavours and ours as if we were about drawing them into so great a snare And as the Proverb is you may as well think to make a Coat for the Moon as to make a Lyturgy that shall be sufficiently suited to the variety of places times subjects accidents without the liberty of intermixing such Prayers or Exhortations as alterations and diversities require Sect. 2. First It is doubtful whether God hath given power to men to impose such siguificant signs which though they call them significant yet have in them no real goodness in the judgement of the imposers themselves being called by them things indifferent and therefore fall not under St. Pauls Rule of omnia decenter nor are suitable to the simplicity of Gospel-Worship Secondly Because it is a violation of the Royalty of Christ and an impeachment of his Laws as unsufficient and so those that are under the Law of Deut. 12. Whatsoever I command you observe to do you shall take nothing from it nor add any thing to it You do not observe these Thirdly Because sundry Learned Pious and Orthodox men have ever since the Reformation judged them unwarrantable and we ought to be as our Lord was tender of weak Brethren not to offend his little ones nor to lay a stumbling-block before a weak Brother Fourthly Because these Ceremonies have been the Fountain of many evils in this Church and Nation occasioning sad divisions betwixt Minister and Minister betwixt Minister and People exposing many Orthodox Preachers to the displeasure of Rulers and no other fruits than these can be lookt for from the retaining of these Ceremonies Repl. We had rather you had taken our reasons as we laid them down than to have so altered them E. G. having told you that some hold them unlawful and others inconvenient c. and desired that they may not be imposed on such who judge such impositions a violation of the Royalty of Christ c. you seem to take this as our own sense and that of all the Ceremonies of which we there made no mention You refer us to Hooker since whose Writings Ames in his fresh Suit and Bradshaw and Parker and many others have written that against the Ceremonies that never was answered that we know of but deserve your Consideration Sect. 3. Before we give particular Answers to these several Reasons it will be not unnecessary to lay down some certain general Premises or Rules which will be useful in our whole discourse First That God hath not given a Power onely but a Command also of imposing whatsoever shall be truely decent and becoming his Publick Service 1 Cor. 14. After St. Paul had ordered some particular Rules for Praying praising prophesying c. he concludes with this general Canon let all things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a fit Scheme Habit or Fashion Decently and that there may be Uniformity in those Decent performances let there be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rule or Canon for that purpose Rep. As to your first Rule we answer 1. It is one thing to impose in general that all be done Decently and in Order This Cod himself hath imposed by his Apostle And it s another thing to impose in particular that this or that be used as Decent and Orderly Concerning this we add It is in the Text said let it be done but not let it be imposed yet from other Scriptures we doubt not but more Circumstances of Decency and Order as derermined time place Utensils c. which are common to things Civil and Sacred though not the Symbolical Ceremonies which afterwards we confute may be imposed with the necessary cautions and Limitations afterwards laid down But 1. That if any Usurpers will pretend a Power from Christ to impose such things on the Church though the things be lawful we must take heed how we acknowledge an Usurped Power by formal obedience 2. A just Power may impose them but to just ends as the preservarion and success of the Modified worship or Ordinances And if they really conduce not to those ends they sin in imposing them 3. Yet the Subjects are bound to obey a true Authority in such impositions where the matter belongs to the Cognizance and Office of the Ruler and where the mistake is not so great as to bring greater mischiefs to the Church then the suspending of our Active obedience would do 4. But if these things be determined under pretence of Order and Decency to the plain destruction of the Ordinances Modified and of the intended end they cease to be means and we must not use them 5. Or if under the names of things Decent and of Order men will meddle with things that belong not to their Office as to institute a new worship for God new Sacraments or any thing forbidden in the General Prohibition of adding or diminishing this is an usurpation and not an Act of Authority and we are bound in obedience to God to disobey them 6. Where Governours may command at set times and by proportionable penalties enforce if they command when it will destroy the end or enforce by such penalties as destâ—oy or crosse it they greatly sin by such Commands Thus we have more distinctly given you our sense about the matter of your first Rule Sect. 4. Not Inferiours but Superiours must judge what is convenient and decent They who must order that all be done decently must of necessity first judge what is convenient and decent to be ordered Repl. Your second Rule also is too crudely delivered and therefore we must adde 1. A Judgement is a Sentence in order to some Execution and Judgements are specified from the ends to which they are such means When the question is either what Law shall be made or what penalty shall be exercised the Magistrate is the only judge and not the Bishop or other
Brethren or hinder that peace healing of the Church For Order is for the thing ordered and not contrarily For example there is much disorder lies in the Common-Prayer-Book yet we would obey it as far as the ends of our calling do require It wouldbe undecent to come without a Band or other handsome Raiment into the Assembly yet would we obey if it were commanded us rather than not worship God at all We are as confident that Surplices and Copes are undecent and kneeling at the Lords Table is disorderly as you are of the contrary And yet if the Magistrate would be advised by us supposing himself addicted against you we would advise him to be more charitable to you than you here advise him to be to us We would have him if your Conscience require it to forbear you in this undecent and disorderly way But to speak more distinctly 1. There are some things decent and orderly when the opposite species is not undecent or disorderly 2. There are some things undecent and disorderly in a small and tollerable degree And some things in a degree intollerable 1. VVhen things decent are commanded whose opposites would not be at all undecent their Charity and Peace and Edification may command a Relaxation or rather should at first restrain from too severe Impositions As it is decent to wear either a Cloak or a Gown a Cassock buttoned or unbuttoned with a Girdle or without to sit stand or kneel in singing of a Psalm to sit or stand in hearing the Word read or preached c. 2. VVhen a Circumstance is undecent or disorderly but in a tolerable degree to an Inconvenience Obedience or Charity or Edification may commaud us to do it and make it not only lawful but a duty pro hic nunc while the preponderating Accident prevaileth Christs instances goe at least as far as this about the Priests in the Temple breaking the Sabbath blamelesly and David's eating the Shew-bread which was lawful for none to eat ordinarily but the Priests And the Disciples rubbing the ears of Corne I will have mercy and not Sacrifice is a lesson that he sets us to learn when two duties comes together to preserve the greater if we would escape sin And sure to keep an able Preacher in the Church or a private Christian in Communion is a greater duty caeteris paribus than to use a Ceremony which we conceive to be decent It is more orderly to use the better translation of the Scripture than the worse as the Common-prayer-book doth and yet we would have no man cast out for using the worse It is more orderly decent and edifying for the Minister to read all the Psalms than for the people to read each second verse And yet we would not cast out men from the Church or Ministry meerly for that disorder It is more orderly and decent to be uncovered in divine worship than covered And yet rather than a man should take cold we could allow him to hear a Chapter or Sermon covered why not much more rather than he should be cast out But let us come to the Application It is no undecent disorderly worshiping of God to worship him without our Crosse Surplice and kneeling in the reception of the Sacrament 1. If it were then Christ and his Apostles had worshipped undecently and disorderly And the Primitive Church that used not the Surplice nor the transient Image of the Crosse in Baptism but in an unguent yea the Church for many hundred years that received the Sacrament without kneeling 2. Then if the King Parliament and Convocation should change their Ceremonies it seems you would take your selves bound to retain them for you say you must not worship God undecently But that they may be changed by Authority our Articles determine and therefore Charity may well require the Magistrate to change them without any wrong to the worship of God 3. VVe appeal to the common judgement of the Impartial whether in the nature of the thing there by any thing that tels them that it is undecent to pray without Surplice in the reading place and not undecent to pray without in the Pulpit And that it is undecent to Baptize without Crossing and not to receive the Lords Supper without And that it is undecent for the Receiver to take the Lords Supper without kneeling and not for the Minister to give it him standing that prayeth in the delivery Sect. 8. These promised we Answer to your first Reason that those things which we call Indifferent because neither expresly commanded or forbiden by God have in them a real goodness a fitness and decency and for thâ— cause are imposed and may be so by the Rule of St. Paul by which Rule and many others in Scripture a power is given to men to impose Signs which are never the worse surely because they signifie something that is decent and comely and so it is not doubtful whether such power be given It would rather be doubtful whether the Church could impose such ildle Signs if any such there be as signifie nothing Repl. To your first Answer we reply 1. We suppose you speak of a moral Goodness and if they are such indeed as are within their power and really good that is of their own nature fitter than their opposites they may be imposed by just Authority by equal means though not by usurpers nor by penalties that will do more harm than the things will do good 2. Signs that signifie nothing we understand not It is one thing to be decent and another to signifie something that is decent what you mean by that we know not The Cross signifieth our not being ashamed to profess the Faith of Christ crucified c. do you call that something that is decent It is something necessary to Salvation 3. Signes are exceeding various At present we use but two distinctions 1. Some are Signs ex primaria intentione iustitnentis purposed and primarily instituted to signifie as an Escucheon or a Sign at an Inne door in common matters and as the Sacrament and Cross in sacred matters and some are Signs but consequently secondarily and not essentially as intended by the Institutors so Hills and Trees may shew us what a Clock it is and so every Creature signifieth some good of Mercy or Duty and may be an Object of holy Meditation so the colour and shape of our Cloaths may mind us of some good which yet was none of the primary or proper end of the Maker or Wearer 2. Signes are either arbitrary expressions of a mans own mind in a matter where he is left free or they are Covenanting Signes between us and God in the Covenant of Grace to work Grace on us as moral Causes and to engage us Sacramentally to him Such we conceive the Cross in Baptism to be The Preface to the Common Prayer Book saith They are apt to teach and excite c. which is a moral operation of
Consecrat no man is to be accounted a good Catholick Christian that does not receive three times in the year The distempers which indispose men to it must be corrected and not the receiving of the Sacrament therefore omitted It is a pittiful pretence to say they are not fit and make their sin their excuse formerly our Church was quarrelled at for not compelling men to the Communion now for urging men How shall she please Hooker l. 5. s. 8. Repl. We conâ—ess it is desirable that all our distempers and unfitnesse should be healed and we desire with you that Sacraments may be oftner but that every person in the Parish that is â—â—fit be forced to receive is that which we cannot concur with you to be guilty of Two sorts we think unfit to be so forced at least First abundance of people grosly ignorant and scandalous that will eat and drink Judgment to themselves not discerning the Lord's Body Secondly many melaâ—â— holy and otherwise troubled doubting souls that if they should receive the Sacrament before they find themselves more fit would be in danger to go out of their wits with fear left it would seal them to destruction and as the Lyturgy saith left the Devil enter into them as into Judas or at least it would grievously deject them As formerly so now there is great reason 〈…〉 that the unprepared be not forced to the Sacrament and ye◠〈◊〉 to great a part of the Body of the Church may not be let alonâ— in your Communion without due admonition and discipline that ordinarily neglect or refuse the Churches Communion in this Sacrament Those that are so prophane should be kept away but withall they should be proceeded with by discipline till they repent or are cast out of the Church Sect. 12. Answ. This Rubrick is not in the Lyturgy of Queen Elizabeth nor confirmed by Law nor is there any great need of restoring it the world being now in more danger of Prophanation than of Idolatry besides the sense of it is sufficiently declared in the 28 Article of the Church of England The time appointed we conceive sufficient Repl. Can there be any hurt or danger in the peoples being taught to understand the Church aright Hath not Bishop Hall told you in his Life of a Romanist beyond Sea that would have forced him down that the Church of England is for Transubstantiation because of our Kneeling pag. 20. And the same Bishop greatly differing from you saith in the same Book pag. 294. But to put all scruples out of the mind of any Reader concerning this Point let that serve for the upshot of all which is expresly set down in the fifth Rubr. in the end of the Communion set forth as the Judgment of the Church of England both in King Edward and Queen Elizabeth's time note that though lately upon negligence note upon negligence omitted in the Impression and so recites the words Where you say There is no great need c. We reply 1. Prophaness may be opposed nevertheless for our instructing the People against Idolatry 2. The abounding of Papists who in this point seem to us Idolatrous sheweth that there is danger of it 3. The commonness of Idolatry throughout the world and the case of the Israelites of old shew that mans nature is prone to it 4. Prophaness and Idolatry befriend each other As God is jealous against Idolatry so should all faithful Pastors of the Church be and not refuse to give such a Caution to the People and say There is no great need of it Publick Baptism Sect. 1. Ex. Ans. Until they have made due profession of Repentance c. We think this desire to be very hard and uncharitable punishing the poor Infants for the Parents sakes and giving also too great and arbitrary a Power to the Minister to judge which of his Parishioners he pleaseth Atheists Infidels Hereticks c. and then in that name to reject their Children from being baptized Our Church concludes more Charitably that Christ will favourably accept every Infant to Baptism that is presented by the Church according to our present order and this she concludes out of holy Scripture as you may see in the Office of Baptism according to the Practice and Doctrin of the Catholick Church Cyp. Ep. 59. August cap. 28. de verb. Apost Ser. 14. Repl. We perceive you will stick with us in more then Ceremonies To your Reasons we reply 1. By that Reason all the Children of all Heathens or Infidels in the world should be admitted to Baptism because they should not be punished for the Parents sakes 2. But we deny that it is among Christians that believe Original Sin any absurdity to say that Children are punished for their Parents sakes 3. But yet we deny this to be any such punishment at all unless you will call their non-deliverance a punishment They are the Children of Wrath by nature and have Original sin The Covenant of Grace that giveth the saving Benefits of Christ is made to none but the faithful and their Seed Will you call this a punishing them for their Fathers sakes that God hath extended his Covenant to no more Their Parents infidelity doth but leave them in their Original sin and misery and is not further it self imputed to them If you know of any Covenant or Promise of Salvation made to all without Condition or to Infants on any other Condition or qualification but that they be the Seed of the faithful dedicated to God you should do well to shew it us and not so slightly pass over things of so great moment in which you might much help the world out of darkness if you can make good what you intimate If indeed you mean as you seem to speak that its uncharitableness to punish any Infants for the Parents faults and that a non-liberation is such a punishmeâ—t then you must suppose that all the Infants of Heathens Jews and Turks are saved that dye in Infancy or else Christ is uncharitable And if they are all saved without Baptism then baptizing is of no use or necessity as you seem to think What then is the priviledge of the Seed of the Faithful that they are Holy and that the Covenant is made with them and God will be their God We fear you will again revive the opinion of the Anabaptists among the People when they observe that you have no more to say for the baptizing of the Children of the Faithful than of Infidels Heathens and Athiests To your second Objection we Answer You will drive many a faithful Labourer from the work of Christ if he may not be in the Ministry unless he will baptize the Children of Infidels Heathens and Excommunicate ones before their Parents do repent And the first question is not who shall be judge but whether we must be all thus forced Is not the question as great who shall be judge of the unfitness of persons for the Lord's Supper and yet there