another thing Yea every man will be apt to think he findeth that there which his own corrupt mind brings thither It will bring confusion into Families as well as Churches whilst every Child and Servant will by this principle be tempted to reject the Instructions of his Master or Father who would teach him a Catechisin or form of Prayer for which the Scripture affords him no particular direction 6ly And hereby all possibility of Union among Christians must perish till this opinion perish for if we must unite only in that which Scripture doth particularly direct us to we must not unite at all If we must all in singing Psalms agree in no Metre or tune in the Church but one that Scripture hath prescribed us we must not sing at all If we must pray in publick only in Words prescribed by Scripture to be used in publick we must not pray at all in publick If we must receive the Sacrament only when it is consecrated in Words prescribed by Scripture we must not receive at all 7ly Hereby Christian love will be quenched when every man must account his Brother a Transgressor against the perfect Rule of Scripture that cannot shew a Text of Scripture for the hour the place of worship the bells the hour-glasses the pulpit the utensils which are used in the Service of God Hereby those pious Men Calvin Cartwright Sibs Perkins Hildersham who used a form of Prayer yea almost all the Christians in the World must be condemned 8ly This Doctrine will rack and perplex the Conscience of all Christians by forcing them to think that they are guilty of sin by every Tune Metre Word Gesture Time Place or any other Circumstance of worship which they use without a Scripture warrant On this account some dare not pray in their Families some dare not think what they shall pray some dare not teach their Children to pray some dare not hear a studyed Sermon or read a printed Book To conclude this Tenet will affright poor people from Scripture and Religion and make us our doctrine and worship ridiculous in the sight of all the World Lastly I add that they who do assert this Tenet do many things repugnant to it As v. g. They introduce Lay Elders unordained of whom there is no mention in the Scriptures or in the Church of the first Ages They sing in stinted Metre Hymns of their own devising for which no Precept or Example can be produced from the Book of God Besides where hath our Lord or his Apostles enjoyned a Direrectory for publick worship and that which they imposed what Authority could it pretend to but that of man They when they take an Oath do not refuse to lay their hands upon and kiss the Holy Scriptures Now all agree that Oaths are solemn Acts of Divine Worship for they are Invocations of God and thereby we acknowledge his Omniscience and that he knows the uprightness of our intentions and that his Justice will avenge it self on the false Swearer and that his Power is able to inflict upon him the severest Judgments and that he by his promise stands bound to help and to reward all those who do believe and act according to the Holy Scriptures Here therefore is an outward Ceremony of Humane Institution joyned with many acts of religious worship Again when they enjoyned the solemn League and Covenant they ordered that the whole Congregation should take it 1. uncovered 2 standing 3. with their right hand lift up and bare Now let any man of reason say if it be unlawful to submit to our three Ceremonies of kneeling crossing and wearing a white Garment in Gods Service why it is less unlawful to use three other Ceremonies in that more solemn act of worship viz. the taking of an Oath or if men may appoint these Ceremonies to be used in taking of an Oath what hinders but in other acts of worship they may do the like CHAP. IV. The CONTENTS Obj. 3. It is unlawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship which they endeavour to prove by 12 Arguments To this Argument we answer 1. By shewing what outward worship in the general is viz. The Acknowledgment of some Excellency in the Person worshipped by actions proper to express our Sense or Apprehension of that Excellency Whence 't is concluded that our Ceremonies can be no parts of worship because not in themselves or by their imposition intended to express our Sense of any Divine Excellency The Arguments to the contrary are briefly but fully answered § 1. Obj. 4. To impose our Ceremonies without license from Christ is to invade his Kingly Office he being the sole Law-giver to his Church and derogate from his Prophetick Office which is the only Teacher of his Church and the Appointer of all means whereby we should be taught Answ 1. That it falsly is supposed that the Rulers of our Church have ordained any Ceremonies to teach Spiritual Duties by their Mystical Signification or to be Authentick means of Spiritual Teaching 2 That it can be no derogation from Christs Prophetick or his Kingly Office to stir up our minds by things apt to stir them up to the performance of their duty or to express and signify our duty by things apt to express and signify it 3ly That it is not true that Christ in Scripture hath set down all things by which we may be admonished of our duty 4. That this Argument concludes with equal strength against the imposition of all Ceremonies even time and place 5ly That the Injunction made by Rulers for Decency and Order if they do truly answer these ends are made by virtual Commission from Christ and therefore can be no Entrenchment on his Legislative Power Mr. Baxters Objection answered § 22. CHAP. IV. § 1 IT is not lawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship Obj. 3 but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship Repl. to Dr. Ham. p. 85. therefore it is not lawful to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship The Minor is proved by Mr. Jeans thus Because our Ceremonies are external worship and therefore parts of Gods worship That our Ceremonies are external worship he proves by these Arguments Arg. 1 1. Those external Ceremonies whose proper use is the honouring of God are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Arg. 2 2. All external Ceremonies in their Nature formally elicited from Religion are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Or thus All meer and immediate actions of Religion are parts of Divine worship but our Ceremonies are meer and immediate acts of Religion Another argues in the like manner thus Arg. 3 1. As the means that God hath appointed to teach obedience be acts of Divine Service so the means that man deviseth for that end and purpose must needs be worship also Arg. 4 2. Those signs
of any excellency in or Attribute of God but partly for distinction partly for decency and uniformity and partly for their Antiquity and lastly as being apt to put us in mind of our duty they cannot be supposed by commanding of them to these ends to make them parts of Worship 5ly External and Bodily Worship is either Substantial or Circumstantial and Ceremonial the Substantial parts of Gods outward Worship are vocal Prayer Praises hearing of the Word not as the word of Man but of God receiving of the Sacraments as they import an entering into Covenant with God and an Eucharistical Oblation of our Souls and Bodies to him Those Bodily Acts which be performed by us in pursuance of these substantial parts of Worship and whereby we do signifie either our Reverence of that God in whose presence we are or with whom we have to do as standing uncovering the head kneeling at Prayer bowing of our Body at our entrance into the place of Gods Worship prostration lifting up our Hands or Eyes to Heaven or whereby we do make profession of our Faith in God as standing up at the Creed to profession of our Faith in a Crucified Saviour on which account the Ancients used the sign of the Cross or lastly whereby we enter into Covenant with God according to his institution as by receiving of the Sacramental signs All these are Ceremonial or Circumstantial parts of Worship 6ly These Ceremonial parts of Worship are in the general commanded by God and they are natural signs of Reverence required by the second Commandment for that forbidding all outward Religious Worship to be given to that which is not God and that because it is that Worship which is due to God the affirmative part of that precept must be supposed to be this Thou shalt give unto me that outward Worship when therefore our Church Commands her subjects to Kneel at their receiving of the Sacrament with Prayer and doth exhort but not Command them to Worship God when they do enter into the place of Worship or bow unto the blessed Jesus who is God blessed for evermore when they are by his Name put in Remembrance of that great Salvation which he hath wrought for us she only doth appoint that to be done at such a time which God hath in the general Commanded to be done and so doth institute no uncommanded part of Worship 7ly When any thing is by God Commanded to be done in his own Worship which doth not primarily directly and immediately tend to express or signifie our sense or apprehension of his excellency or his Attributes the doing of it in its own Nature is no part of Worship but only the doing of it in Obedience to the Command of God for all obedience is an acknowledgment of Gods Sovereign Power and the subjection which we owe unto it Thus v. g. to receive the person that is to be Baptized to give the Bread and Wine to the Communicants are no parts of outward Worship because they are not directly and immediately designed to express any excellence of God but only done in order to the Baptising of the person to be received into the Church or the convenience of the Communicants receiving Sitting at the receiving of the Sacrament can be no part of Worship in those Churches which retain the gesture because it is retained only as a most fitting Table gesture and all those things which God enjoyned to be done in his own Temple the use of the Snuffers and the Tongs the cleansing of the Candlesticks the lighting up of the Candles the bringing in of the Wood for the Burnt offerings with infinite things of a like Nature could be no parts of Worship otherwise than as they were performed directly in obedience to a Divine Command Now hence 't is easie to return an Answer to the forementioned objections For 1st Hence it appears that the proper use of those Ceremonies of the Church of England which are not Natural or Instituted parts of Worship is not the Honouring of God by the acknowledgment of any of his excellencies which is sufficient refutation of the first Argument 2ly Hence it appears that they are not meer and immediate Acts of Religion or formally elicited from Religion as the second Argument supposes 3ly Hence it is evident that all the means that God hath appointed to teach Obedience are not Acts of Divine Worship as Preaching Reading of the Word pious Discourse good Advice and good Example which is sufficient Answer to the third Argument which also falsly doth suggest that our Ceremonies are devised to that end 4ly Hence it appears that it is no part of Gods Worship to teach his Worship teaching being an Action directed not immediately to God but Men nor are our Ceremonies devised to be means of Spiritual instruction by their Mystical signification nor are such signs necessarily essential parts of Worship unless afflictions which are signs of Gods displeasure designed to be means of Spiritual instruction be also parts of Divine Worship as the fourth Argument supposeth 5ly Hence it is manifest that the teaching and reading of the Scriptures for edification of the Church is no part of Gods Worship for the reason mentioned before on which false supposition doth the fifth Argument proceed 6ly Nor are all Actions whereby Spiritual duties are taught in Gods Solemn Worship Acts whereby God is Worshipped as is suggested in the sixth Argument 7ly Nor was the use of Jewish Ceremonies in the Solemn Worship of God any part of his true and immediate Worship unless they were such Jewish Ceremonies as did express or signifie some Divine Excellency or the acknowledgment thereof in those that used them as the seventh Argument suggest but doth not prove 8ly Nor are our uncommanded Ceremonies performed directly to God as is supposed Argument the eighth 9ly Nor are all special things done in the Service of God parts of his Worship as is asserted Argument the ninth 10ly Nor must all special Actions done in the Service of God bring special Honour to him viz. by the signification of any of his excellencies not the snuffing of the Candles not the bringing of the Wood to the Temple as the tenth Argument supposeth such Actions are indeed performed in order to those things which do bring Honour to God even as submission to the Ceremonies prescribed by the Church is done in order to the free Preaching of the Word and to the demonstration of our Obedience to Superiors and to the preservation of the Churches Peace by which things God is highly Honoured 11ly All Civil Ceremonies or all the Circumstances of them are not parts of Civil Worship not the taking of the Cup by the Cup-bearer but the Kneeling with it not the filling out of the Wine but the tendring it in that humble posture In a word only those Ceremonies whereby we do express our sense of some excellency in our Civil Superiors or which by Nature or by Custom signifie some excellency in
THE Protestant Reconciler PART II. Earnestly perswading the DISSENTING LAITY To joyn in FULL COMMUNION WITH THE Church of England And Answering all the Objections of the Non-Conformists against the Lawfulness of their Submission unto the Rites and Constitutions of that CHURCH By a Well-wisher to the Churches Peace and a Lamenter of Her Sad Divisions Anglicanam Ego Ecclesiam exoticis pravis superflitiosis cultibus erroribusque aut impiis aut periculosis egregiè ex scripturarum coelestium norma purgatam tot támque illustribus Martyriis probatam pietate in Deum in homines Charitate laudatissimisque bonorum operum exemplis abundantem laetissimo doctissimorum ac sapientissimorâ—m virorum preventu jam à Reformationis principio ad hodierna usque tempora florentem equidem es quo debui loco habui hactenus ac dum vivam habebo ejus nomen honos laudes semper apud me manebunt Dallaeus de cultibus Religiosis Latinorum part 2. l. 2. cap. 1. p. 97 98. LONDON Printed for Awnsham Churchil at the Black-Swan near Amen-Corner 1683. THE PREFACE TO THE Dissenting Laity The Contents of the PREFACE Six Arguments from the Book called the Protestant Reconciler to perswade the Dissenting Laity to submit to the conditions of Communion required of them by the Church of England viz. 1. That they stand bound to do what lawfully they may in order to it and that nothing unlawful is required of them § 1.2 Because they are to do to their Superiors as in like case they would be dealt with § 2.3 From the liberty they take of changing a Ceremony of Christ's own institution § 3.4 Because the mischiefs which will follow on their refusal to submit are greater than those which will ensue on their Conformity § 4.5 From the example of St. Paul § 5.6 From the pernicious nature of Schism § 6. Other Arguments produced 1. From that of the Apostle If any man will be contentious we have no such custom 1 Cor. 11.16 § 7. 2. From his command to give no offence to the Church of God § 8.3 Because God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace § 9.4 Because he requires the believing Wife not to desert her unbelieving Husband vice versâ because God hath called us to Peace § 10.5 Because were all things left indifferent the Minister must impose in some cases § 11.6 From the power committed to Church Governours and the necessity of submission to it § 12.7 From the sad result of their refusing this submission § 13. Two propositions conducing to this end 1. That no prejudices or scruples of Dissenters can excuse them from the guilt of Schism in separating from us till they have done all that lawfully they can for the removal of them § 14.2 That their imagination that the Magistrate exceeds or else unduly doth exert his power in commanding any thing will not warrant their refusal of Obedience to it § 15. Requests to them who cannot fully comply with us viz. 1. To comply so far as they declare either by words or actions that they lawfully may do it § 16.2 To refrain from censuring reproaching or speaking evil of their Governours in Church or State § 17.3 To abstain carefully from all Rebellious Principles and Practices and to confess ingenuously and heartily renounce what hath been done by men of their perswasions in that kind § 18. Brethren MY hearts desire and prayer to God in your behalf is this That you may fully be united to the Communion of the Church of England And in pursuance of this passionate desire I have composed the following Treatise containing a full Answer to all the scruples obstructing your Communion with us which I could meet with in the writings of our Dissenting Brethren And let me O my Friends entreat you by the love of God and your own souls of the Church of Christ which is his body and of her union peace edification by your concern for Christian Religion in the general and for the Protestant Religion in particular which I hope is very great by all the motives which Christianity affords to love peace unity by all the blessings it doth promise to the promoters and all the dreadful evils it doth threaten to the disturbers of them by the sad experience you have had already of the most fatal consequences of our Divisions and by your present fears of a more dreadful issue of them lastly by all that you are like to suffer in your souls and bodies by refractory persisting in your Separation let me I say beseech you on my bended knees by all these weighty motives to lay to heart what I have offered in this Book and in this Preface shall farther offer to engage you to conform and seriously to consider of it and act according to the convictions it may minister unto you as you will Answer your neglect to do so at the great and terrible day of the Lord. Now the considerations I would humbly offer to you are either 1. Such as are proper to induce you to the desired Conformity or 2. Such as may tend to keep you peaceable and conscientious though you do not Conform and may preserve you from doing any thing which may reflect on your Religion towards God or Loyalty towards your Soveraign § 1 1. Then to move you to the desired Conformity be pleased seriously to consider what hath been offered in a late Book stiled The Protestant Reconciler to that end In which Book as the Author pleads warmly for an indulgence or mitigation of some lesser things which do obstruct your full Communion with us which nothing but a due sense of the great danger and unsafe condition of your present state could have induced him to do and nothing but his fervent love to souls and his sincere desire of their Salvation can excuse so hath he many passages which seem most strongly to conclude for your desired submission to the injunctions of Superiors For First P. 34 35. He lays down this position That you stand bound in Conscience to do whatsoever lawfully you may for the prevention and removal of our Schisms and the occasions of them and for the healing our Divisions Which is a proposition evident in it self and there confirmed from plain Scripture testimony and the concern we ought to have for Christian Faith the Protestant Religion the welfare of the Nation and for the peace the order the edification of the Church Secondly He adds That nothing can be unlawful which is not by God forbidden 1 John 3.4 sin being the transgression of a Law and the Apostle having told us Rom. 4.15 P. 198. that where there is no Law there is no transgression whence he infers That Dissenters cannot satisfie their Consciences in their refusal to obey the commands of their Superiors unless they can shew some plain precept which renders that unlawful to be done by them which is commanded by Superiors And seeing God in Scripture hath enjoined
of all Christians to contend earnestly and strive together with one Soul for the promotion of these duties and the prevention of the contrary evils 2ly p. 176. That the preserving of what is most essential unto the welfare of the Church and to the interests of piety is more to be regarded than the omission of what is only circumstantial to them and that precepts which concern only Rituals p. 46. are to give place to those which do concern the welfare of mens bodies and much more to those which do respect the welfare of our Brothers Soul so that when both cannot together be observed we must neglect or violate the former to observe the latter Agreeably to which assertion Divines do generally lay down this as a certain rule concerning positive commands requiring things which it is not intrinsecally evil to omit viz. That all such things cease to be duties when they are inconsistent with others of a greater consequence there being greater reason and obligation when we cannot do both to do the latter with the omission of the former And this that Author doth confirm 1. From the example of God himself who suffered his own ceremonial institutions to be neglected upon accounts of lesser moment p. 171. viz. circumcision for the convenience of his peoples travels in the wilderness the celebration of the Passover in the 14th day of the first month when they were in a journey about their temporal concerns 2ly From the example and declarations of our Saviour who taught that in all such cases p. 171 172. God would have mercy and not sacrifice approved the action of David and his Servants in eating the Shew-bread which was by Gods prescription to be eaten only by Aaron and his Sons and who commanded the impotent man to take up his Bed and walk upon the Sabbath-day whence he seems evidently to infer 1. p. 173. That if God was pleased to suffer his own institutions in matters ceremonial to be neglected when that neglect was needful to promote some higher end if to preserve the life of man and beast he would permit men to do that which otherwise would have been deemed a breach of his own institution and a prophanation of his day it is not to be doubted but he will permit us to do those things which in their natures may be inconvenient when it is necessary to submit unto them for the promotion of the great ends of love peace unity and the advantage of poor Souls if our respect unto our Brothers life and health will warrant our neglect of many outward duties then surely our respect unto the Churches peace and unity and to the good of Souls may warrant our submission to those things for these good ends which God hath never plainly made it our duty to omit and our Superiours whom he most plainly doth command us to obey in lawful matters do enjoin 2ly p. 175. That if the duties mentioned be of an higher nature than any outward circumstance of worship it cannot be so much our duty to endeavour that Gods worship should be performed without those rites or circumstances as that these higher duties should be practised or to contend for the omission of them with loss or hazard of these more weighty matters if in these moral duties consists the life and substance of Religion and the essentials of true Piety whereas the matters which our Dissenters do contend for relate not to the being of Religion but as they think only unto the purer exercise of some religious duties certain it is they ought not so to contend for the omission of these external circumstances as to impair that charity and peace that unity and edification wherein the substance of Religion and the welfare of the Church consists which seems to be the very Argument St Paul insists on when he saith Rom. 14.17 19. the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace wherefore let us follow after the things which make for peace i. e. Let us not by doing or omitting of these things obstruct the Churches peace or hinder the promotion of those things in which Gods Kingdom more especially consists 3ly p. 176. He asks Whether Dissenters can with good conscience say that Gods glory is as much concerned in the administration of his worship rather in some other way than in that mode which now obtaineth in the Church of England as it is certainly concerned in the performance of those moral duties and in the honour and success of Christian Faith the salvation of Souls the welfare of the State and of the Protestant Religion and whether by joining with us in our publick Ordinances such mischiefs would ensue if not 't is certainly their duty rather to comply with the commands of their Superiors p. 177. though they conceive them burthensome and inconvenient than to administer by their refusal so to do occasion to the greater dishonour of their God and all these dreadful evils both to Church and State which do ensue on that refusal § 5 Sixthly This Author strongly seems to argue for this submission in prosecution of the ends forementioned from the example of St Paul who though he were free from all men 1 Cor. 9.19 20. yet made himself servant to all that he might gain the more to the Jew p. 145. becoming as a Jew that he might gain the Jew c. For sure saith he it well becometh our Dissenters to imitate this great example of St. Paul by conforming their wills as servants do unto the will of their Superiors and doing all that lawfully they can to please and testify their due subjection to them without respect to their liberty to do in order to their being serviceable to the Church in the promotion of the Gospel and the salvation of Souls as the Apostle did when he submitted to the circumcision of Timothy when he undertook a legal purification of himself and offered sacrifice against which actions it is easie to produce more plausible exceptions than they can bring against our Ceremonies especially if we consider that the Apostle did comply Acts 21.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 28.17 not only with the Law of Moses for this end but also with the traditions imposed by the Elders and so did yield unto the very thing which they are so afraid to do § 6 Seventhly This Author proves That Schism is a most pernicious evil Chap. 2. §. 1. this he makes good from Scripture from the concurring suffrage of all the Fathers of the Church from the mischievous and dreadful consequences of it and from the opposition that it bears to the great duties of Charity and Peace of Union and Edification Now certainly it highly must concern us in reason and in Conscience where our mistakes are like to prove of such a fatal consequence to our immortal souls and to expose us to such dreadful evils to be very wary
have been asserted and been made publick not only in the times of the late Civil Wars but also since the happy Restoration of His Sacred Majesty whom God preserve For this great scandal you have hereby ministred both to Religion in the general and to the Protestant Religion in particular I verily believe you by just judgment of Almighty God do suffer and will smart severely Wherefore my counsel to you is 1. No longer to defend to countenance or to extenuate those wicked principles and execrable practices which followed from them but humbly to confess and take the shame due to your party for them and patiently bear the indignation of the Lord because you have thus sin'd against him Be pleased I pray you in order to this end to ponder seriously these words of your admired Mr. Defence of the principles of love p. 14 15 16. Baxter who speaks thus unto you I beseech you let us review the effects of the late War is it possible for any sober Christian in the world to take them to be blameless or to be little sins What both the violating the person and the life of the King and the change of the fundamental Government or constitution c. Was all this lawful and to do all this as for God with dreadful appeals to him Dare any man not blinded and hardned justifie all this If none of all this was Rebellion or Treason or Murther is there any such crime think you possible to be committed Are Papists insulting over us in our shame are thousands hardned by these and such like dealings into a scorn of all Religion are our Rulers by all this exasperated to the severities which we feel are we made by it the by-word and hissing of the Nations and the shame and pity of all our friends and yet is all this to be justified or silenced and none of it at all to be openly repented of I openly profess to you that I believe till this be done we are never like to be healed or restored and that it is heinous gross impenitence that keepeth Ministers and people under their distress and I take it for the sad prognostick of our future woe and lengthened affliction to hear so little open profession of repentance even for unquestionable heinous crimes for the saving of those who are undone by these scandals and for the reparation of the honour of Religion which is most notoriously injured Your Commissioners at the Savoy give this account of their faith to his Majesty whom God preserve viz. that in things no way against the Law of God the commands of our Governours must be obeyed but if they command what God forbids we must patiently submit to suffering and every soul must be subject to the higher powers for conscience sake and not resist these are our principles And these must be your principles or you can never reasonably expect the favour or protection of the Government For what their Subjects do at present or may hereafter think forbidden by God in these divided times and contrariety of various sects the Higher Powers cannot know and therefore if they cannot be secured of this I mean by the ordinary way of security given by oaths subscriptions declarations that when their subjects think God hath forbidden what the higher powers do command they patiently will submit to suffering and not resist they cannot be secured of the peace and quiet of their Kingdom I therefore cannot but conceive you are obliged in Conscience as you desire to avoid the truly odious name of Rebel and the just imputation of seditious persons and to wipe off in some good measure the horrid scandal which lies upon your party for your former practices That you are bound in justice as you desire to repair the credit of the Protestant Religion which hath so deeply suffered by the past Rebellions of men of your perswasions and give security unto that Government from which both you and yours expect security That you are bound in policy and prudence as you desire to abate the just suspicions which the Government at present hath and will have of you till you secure them of the contrary and to wipe off the manifold reproaches which are cast upon you as you desire to remove the Prejudices all loyal subjects have against you from their experience of your seditious principles and practices I say I cannot but conceive you highly stand obliged on all these accounts to publish your sincere repentance for and your abhorrence of what men of your perswasion have already done to make now solemn declarations and protestations of your present loyal principles to shew your readiness to give all satisfaction to the Government which can be reasonably desired from you that you do not at present hold nor ever will maintain rebellious principles to remonstrate that if you cannot yet obey in all things the commands of your Superiours you in no cases will resist the Government but patiently will suffer under it and lastly that you will permit no person to be of your communion who will not make this declaration heartily and sincerely Bishop of Winton's Sermon before the King Nov. 5.67 p. 38. For as a Reverend Prelate of our Church doth truly say The best and safest way for Prince State and People is to protect cherish and allow of that Religion and that only which allows of no rising up against or resisting soveraign power no not in its own defence nor upon any other account whatsoever which most Christian and most Orthodox profession if those of the Romish and those of other perswasions that live among us but are not of us would make as frankly and as ingenuously and as sincerely as we do though it would not presently reconcile all other differences betwixt us and them yet it would perhaps be enough to make us live peaceably and charitably and securely together without fear or jealousie of one another which would be a good step towards an accommodation of all other controversies betwixt us in time also Now to conclude this Preface with the Prayer of our own Church Blessed Jesu our Saviour and our Peace who didst shed thy precious Blood upon the Cross that thou mightest abolish and destroy all enmity among men and reconcile them in one body unto God look down in much pity and compassion upon this distressed Church and Nation whose bleeding wounds occasioned by the lamentable Divisions that are among us cry aloud for thy speedy help and saving relief stir up we beseech thee every Soul of us carefully as becometh sincere Christians to root out of our hearts all pride and vain-glory all wrath and bitterness all unjust prejudice and causless jealousie all hatred and malice and desire of revenge and whatsoever it is that may exasperate our minds or hinder us from discerning the things which belong unto our Peace and by the power of thy Holy Spirit of Peace dispose all our hearts to such meekness of wisdom
and as it grew more ancient its Constitutions grew more numerous and so the men of this opinion had they lived then as they did not none that we read of in those times ever pretending separation from any Church on these accounts they must have been obliged to separate from all the Churches then in being Come we to all the Churches of this present Age and we shall find that this opinion will oblige the Authors of it to separate from them also For the Church of Rome and all the Eastern Churches they must much more abominate on this account than any others because their Ceremonies are more numerous and many of them superstitious The Lutheran Churches have not only Lyturgies and other ancient Ceremonies which we observe but they have also Images many other observations which these men stile Superstitious Popish Antichristian Ceremonies In the Reformed Churches they will find Lyturgies of humane invention and change of Apparel for Divine Service even at Geneva they will find enjoyned a Book of Common Prayer composed by Calvin the Wafer Cake the use of God-Fathers in Baptism bidding of Prayer with divers other Coremonies no where commanded in the Holy Scripture and so as Dr. Durel largely proves it is in all Reformed Churches of the West I am not able saith Mr. Baxter to bear the thoughts of separating from almost all Christs Churches upon Earth but he that separateth from one or many Def. of the Princip of love p. 55. upon a Reason common to all doth virtually separate from all Since then it hath been proved that separating on the Account of this principle is virtually condemning and separating from all the Churches of this and all preceding Ages of the Christian World the Authors of it must renounce the principle or bear the blame both of condemning and separating from the whole Church of Christ throughout all Ages This Tenet gives a great advantage to Popery for it asserts that nothing circumstantial must be performed in Gods worship without particular direction from the Word Now it is certain that many circumstances of worship which concern Prayer Preaching of the Word Administration of the Sacraments Church Government the Exercise of Church discipline are not determined in the written Word of God and therefore it is needful if this principle be true either to own Traditions touching matters of this Nature to be received as the Word of God or to confess he hath appointed some infallible persons whether Pope or Councils it is not much material whose determinations in these matters must be received as the Word of God Now these two Tenets are the fundamental parts of Popery on which their other Doctrins and Practices depend and which if we admit we cannot rationally reject whatsoever these infallible Judges shall determine or deliver as the unwritten Word of God I shall conclude this head with a large Passage out of Mr. Baxter who in his defence of his principles of Love speaks thus There are men otherwise very honest and truly Godly who think that the Scripture is intended by God not only as a general Rule but a particular Law for all the very circumstances of worship and that the second Commandment in particular condemneth all that is the product or invention of man in or about the Worship of God and that to deny this is to deny the perfection of the Scriptures If this opinion prevail saith he what abundance of hurt will it do For 1. It draweth men into the dangerous guilt of adding to the Word of God under pretence of defending its perfection and extent For what is adding to the Word of God but making that to be commanded or forbidden by that Word which is not there commanded or forbidden Since therefore evident it is that all particular circumstances of worship are not by that Word prescribed as I have proved already whence it must necessarily follow that some necessary circumstances not there prescribed cannot be forbidden it is plain that this opinion which saith that all circumstances of worship are particularly prescribed in Scripture and that all not prescribed are forbidden there must add unto the Word of God 2ly It prepareth men for Infidelity and the denyal of the Authority of Holy Scripture for when men are made to believe that Scripture if it be a perfect Rule must be a Rule for those things which are not found in it at all they must be tempted when they cannot find all Accidents of worship particularly determined in it to suspect it as a delusory imperfect thing The Divine Will say it tells me not sufficiently and particularly what Books of Scripture are Canonical nor which of the various Readings are right nor whether it be to be divided into Chapters and Verses nor into how many nor in what Metre and Tune I must sing Psalms nor what persons shall be Pastors of Churches nor what Text I shall chuse next nor what Words or Method I shall use in my next Prayer or Sermon 3ly This opinion which seems to plead for the perfection of the Scripture Rule doth plainly charge it with imperfection and obscurity for it asserts that it is necessary in Order to the perfection of this Rule that it should have prescribed every particular circumstance and mode of worship fit and requisite to be used in Gods Service and it is farther requisite that it should do this clearly in all the instances forementioned since otherwise we cannot be assured that we act in all these modes and circumstances according unto its directions Now seeing it is certain that it hath not done so in all the instances forementioned in answer to the former Arguments since learned pious and judicious men can find no such determinations there and therefore judge dispute and act so variously in those matters because they find nothing delivered in those cases with so great clearness and particularity as may determine them in all these cases how to act I say this being so it must be evident that Scripture cannot be according to this supposition a sufficient plain and perfect Rule 4ly This mistake tends to cast all rational worship out of the Church by deterring men from inventing or studying how to do Gods Work aright for if all that man inventeth or deviseth without a particular direction from the Holy Scripture be forbidden by it then must we not study to find out the true Method of Praying or Preaching nor must we study what to say till we are speaking nor what time gesture place or words to use there being no particular direction for these things it being only said in general Study to shew thy self a Workman that needs not be ashamed Now banish Study and you banish Knowledge and rational Religion from the World 5ly This opinion will bring in all confusion instead of pure reasonable worship whilst every man is left to find that in Scripture which never was there one will think that he findeth one thing there and another
the person to whom they are performed are parts of Civil Worship And so also is the case with reference to Religious Worship Nor are our Ceremonies Religious but only Ceremonies used in Religion 12ly Nor would the Command of God to use a Surplice or sign with the Cross to signifie to the Congregation the Reception of the Baptized Person into the Society of Christians make these Ceremonies parts of Divine Worship any otherwise than the doing of them would be an Act of Obedience to Gods Command and therefore the doing of them without that Command can be no Worship and therefore no false Worship Nor is all that God tieth in a particular manner to his Worship any part thereof Obj. 4 To bring in any Ceremonies of Ordained and Mystical signification appropriated to the Worship of God without any License from Christ himself is to Trespass against his Kingly Office for he is the only Law-giver to his Church and hath committed to her no Authority of appointing new things but a Ministry to observe and do such things as Christ hath appointed with order and decency unto Edification It also is a derogation from the fulness of Christs Prophetick Office For Christ is the only Teacher of his Church and the Appointer of all means whereby we should be taught and admonished of any holy Duty and whatsoever he hath thought good to teach his Church and the means whereby he hath perfectly set down in Holy Scripture so that to acknowledg any other means of teaching and admonishing us of our Duty than such as he hath appointed is to receive another teacher into the Church besides him and to confess some imperfection in the means he hath ordained to teach us by This I would learn saith Ames how we can acknowledg and receive any means of Religious teaching with Faith except it appear to be appointed by an Authentick Teacher and Law-giver and how our Prelates in appointing means of Spiritual teaching which Christ appointed not can be accounted therein Ministerial Teachers under him as their and our only Authentick Teacher As also if Christ be our Authentick Teacher in all good that we learn about Religion who taught our Prelates so good manners as to put Fescues of their own making into his hand and so appoint him after what manner and by what means he shall Teach us To this objection I Answer Answ 1 That this Argument is grounded upon this false supposition that the Rulers of our Church have instituted any Ceremonies to teach Spiritual Duties by their Mystical significations or to be Authentick means of Spiritual Teaching whereas I know no Ceremonies appointed to be used to that end so that both the use of the Ceremony and the end are matter of the Churches Precept and it were folly for her to make such Constitutions for since the Church cannot discern whether I have learnt that Spiritual Duty by using of her Ceremonies or not She cannot punish the Offenders against such an Ordinance and so must vainly make it She hath indeed appointed such Ceremonies as she conceiveth apt to stir up the dull mind of Man to the remembrance of his Duty Preface to the C. prayer of Cer. c. by some notable and special signification and therefore hath enjoyned them because she so conceiveth of them but she hath no where said that she enjoyns them to Teach Spiritual Duties or assigned any determinate signification of them v. g. she hath enjoyned her Ministers to wear a Surplice when they Officiate but hath not said that she enjoyns it to Teach them Innocence or Purity or any other Spiritual Duty Rubr. after the Communion She enjoyns her People to Kneel at the Sacrament and tells us that we should signifie thereby our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ but then she doth not say that she designs thereby to Teach us Humility and Gratitude for those benefits but only calls upon us to express that humility and gratitude which she supposeth we have learnt already In a Word these Ceremonies are not by her appointed to signifie at all much less to signifie what being used without her institution they would not signifie but they are appointed to be used as being apt when used to mind us of or bring into our minds our Duty or as fit to excite within us Pious meditations and reflections Answ 2 2ly I answer that if it be no derogation from Christs Kingly or Prophetick Office to stir up our minds to the performance of our duty by things apt to stir them up unto it or to express and signify our duty by things apt to express and signify it then can it be no encroachment on those Offices to impose or require such things as have an aptness thus to signify and mind us of our duties for in it self it cannot be unlawful to require what may be lawfully performed tho it be not required Now if it be a derogation from Christs Prophetick or his Kingly Office to use such things as are apt to put us in mind of our duty it must be unlawful to toll a bell to put us in mind of going to Prayers to keep by us a skull or skeleton to mind us of our Mortality or a pare of Leathern Breeches as Dr. Prideaux did to mind us of our former low Condition to have our vaults or burying places ready fitted and prepared as the Eastern Nations had and some great persons have because these things are apt to mind us of our latter ends or to set apart a closet in our Chambers for private devotions that so our coming thither may mind us of our duty Moreover then the ingenious Meditations of pious Mr. Boyle and Quarles his Emblems and all the History of the five Books of Moses graven in Stone in the Chapter House of Sarum and all things of like Nature which are apt to bring to our Remembrance good things and are not by our Lord in Scripture appointed to be used to these ends must be all Sacrilegious usurpations upon Christs Kingly and Prophetick Office Again then must that pack of Cards which Contains the whole History of the Popish Plot and our deliverance from it be guilty of this Crime because they were designed to stir up our minds to an abhorrence of their wickedness and a Thanksgiving to the Author of our Deliverance and we with equal reason may ask that profound Question of Dr. Ames who taught the Author of them such good manners as to put Fescues of his own making into our hands to mind us of these things Lastly Upon the same account it must be a derogation from Christs Prophetick and his Kingly Office to require men to come gravely into the House of God or be uncovered there or to kneel at their devotions because these things are apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the Remembrance of the Majesty and Greatness of that God with whom he hath to do By these and
bore towards their Christian Brethren And such is kneeling and prostration in prayer embracing and shaking of hands Such saith the Apostle was that covering of the Womans Head in time of Publick Prayer even that which Nature taught 1 Cor. 11.14 15. Such are the Festivals of the Church viz. Expressions of our Praises for the Mercies then received And the standing from Easter to Whitsunday and on the Lords day used in the ancient Church was not to teach by way of signification any duty but to express and testify their Belief of our Lords Resurrection and for this end we also stand up at the Creed now that such signs may lawfully be used and required I know no cause of doubting from any thing which this Objection offers they being not instructive in but only expressive of our Faith and Duty and under this head may be comprised kneeling at the Sacrament as an Expression of our inward Reverence and signing with the Cross as an Expression of our Faith in and owning of the crucifyed Jesus Signs Arbitrary are such as neither of themselves nor yet by any antecedent Custom do signify distincty and determinately to others that which they are instituted or imposed to teach or signify such are the Elements of Bread and Wine for the breaking of Bread doth no more naturally signify the breaking of Christs Body on the Cross than the breaking of any other thing would do and such are all the moral significations of the Rites appointed by the Jewish Law concerning clean Beasts for Sacrifice and unclean forbidden to be sacrificed or eaten and such is the wearing of a Surplice to teach or signify purity it being naturally or by any antecedent Custom no more proper determinately to teach or signify to the Beholder or our selves this Grace than the putting of it on upon black Garments to signify Hypocrisy and a Pharisaical Temper and that we are like Scpulchres white without but black within Against the fitness of the Imposition therefore of such arbitrary signs to teach those duties which are more plainly and determinately taught already in the Word of God I fear this Argument too strongly doth conclude But then the Excellent Bishop Taylor doth sufficiently excuse our Church from this supposed guilt by saying that There is reason to celebrate and honour the Wisdom and Prudence of the the Church of England Ibid. §. 8. p. 327 which hath in all her Offices retained but one Ceremony that is not of Divine Ordinance or Apostolical Practice that is the Cross in Baptism Which tho it be a significant Ceremony and of no other use yet as it is a complyance with the Practice of all ancient Churches so is it very innocent in it self and being one and alone is in no regard troublesome or afflictive to those that understand her Power and her Liberty and Reason I said she hath one only Ceremony of her own appointment for the Ring in Marriage is the Symbol of Civil nor a religious Contract it is a Pledge and Custom of the Nation not of the Religion and those other Circumstances of her Worship are but determinations of time and place and manner of a duty They serve to other purposes besides signification they were not made for that but for Order and Decency for which there is an Apostolical Precept and a Natural Reason and an Evident Necessity or a great Convenience Now if besides these uses they can be construed to any good signification or instruction that is so far from being a prejudice to them that it is their Advantage their Principal End being different and warranted and not destroyed by their superinduced and accidental use sect 3 The use of the Ceremonies is superstitious Oâ—â— 6. and therefore we say they cannot submit unto the Practice of them without sin That the use of the Ceremonies in Religious Worship is superstitious they prove by Arguments already answered viz. That it is super statutum or more than God hath in his Word required and that they are imposed as parts of Worship Moreover these things say they cannot be used without Superstition in the Service of God which have no necessary or profitable use in his Service for as vain Thoughts and Words are forbidden in the Holy Scripture so is it not to be doubted but that vain actions are forbidden especially in the Worship of God Answ 1 To give a Satisfactory Answer unto this Objection it will be only necessary to state the Notion or true import of Superstition that by applying it to our own Practice and to the Practice of Dissenters we may judge who are most guilty of this vice 1. Therefore Superstition being a species of false Worship whereby we do exhibit Worship to an Object to which it is not due or to that Object which deserveth Worship in an undue manner it follows plainly that where no Worship is exhibited by the act done or intended by the Doer or Imposer of the act there can be no Superstition in the Exercise of such an act there may be Vanity and an abuse of Power in the imposing rites unprofitable and unnecessary but there can be no Superstition or Will Worship where there is neither any act of Worship nor any Will to worship God by the Performance of these Rites nor designation of them unto such an end 2ly Superstitious Worship undue as to the manner of it can only be performed by offering that as acceptable and pleasing to God or as an Exercise of Religion and honor to God or an Acknowledgment of some of his perfections which is not acceptable or well pleasing to him which rendreth him no honor and doth not tend to the Acknowledgment of any of his Attributes or perfections for by performing that which indeed is pleasing and acceptable to God or which doth render honor to him we cannot be superstitious hence it must follow that when men make those things a part of their Religion which God hath not commanded or forbidden and think God is pleased with their meer doing or abstaining from doing them they in so doing must be superstitious Two things are therefore necessary to compleat this species of false Worship viz. 1. That the matter about which it is conversant relate to the doing some supposed Religious Act that is some Act of Service acceptable and well pleasing to God and which directly tends unto his honor 2ly That he who doth it do really mistake in judging such an action to be indeed Religious and tending to his honor and therefore acceptable to him 3ly All Superstition consisting fundamentally in this mistake and formally in the ensuing practice thereupon it must with equal reason be concluded that the forbearance of an act upon the like mistake viz. that we conceive it well pleasing to God and tending to his honor to forbear it when indeed it is not so is Superstition because by that Forbearance we equally design to please and honor God and do it as unduly
other Gods save to the Lord only Exod. 22.20 If any of their Cities were withdrawn from God unto Idolatry they were obliged to smite it with the Edge of the Sword utterly destroying it with the Infants and the Cattle thereof Deut. 13.15 and to burn the City and the spoil thereof and must we therefore deal so unmercifully with any Parish or City that is seduced to Popery Did our Dissenting Rebels think it necessary to burn our Houses and the Spoils they took wherefore we see what mischief will ensue upon applying of things commanded to be observed by the Jews towards Idolaters to Christian Kingdoms and People Answ 2 2. It cannot rationally be supposed that God by these or any other Texts of the like nature forbids the doing any lawful action barely on this account that it hath been or is or may by others be abused to Idolatry or Superstition or any other sin provided we do not continue to be ensnared by it Nor is there any ground of fear we should be so for if so 1. This Interpretation and Application of these places would robus of our Churches and our Bells and many other things which the most strict Dissenters did allow of for every Church in which Idolatrous Religion is performed doth seem as much defiled thereby as any kind of action or gesture can be defiled by this that others do abuse them to Idolatry and yet even the Directory saith that Such places are not subject to such pollution by any Superstition formerly used in them and now laid aside as may render them unlawful or inconvenient It is well known that the Bells Fonts Pews and Desks of our Churches were charmed by Popish Prayers in a superstitious manner and yet our late Reformers did not think it reasonable that they should be disused upon that account Now Defence of Dr. Morton p. 569. as the Reverend Doctor Burges puts the question Did God ordain Bells to call men to Church or Church-yards to bury in or a Font of Stone to baptize in or a Silver Cup to administer the Wine of the Supper in or fitting upright at the Communion-Table in token of our familiarity with Christ or one particular place built on purpose for his people to meet in for his Worship now under the New Testament and that separate only to sacred Uses or this or that prescript Form of Prayer except the Lords Prayer in calling on him Speak man are any of these things in their particulars divine and not humane are all these such as may not well be spared upon occasion is there any of these which hath not been superstitiously abused by Papists or other Idolaters as the posture of fitting by the Arians flinch not dally not speak the truth as in the sight of him that shall judge you and us at the last day and then you shall be forced to confess that some of those Rites and Ceremonies which your selves either practise or allow are as meerly humane have been as much abused as those you impugn and are not so necessary but that all or some of them might well be spared and yet you allow them 2ly If this were so it must be unlawful to bow our knees and bodies to God 2 Kings 5.18 because the Heathens bowed their knees to Baal and their bodies to Rimmon 1 Kings 19.18 or to prostrate the body to him as the Heathens did to Idols Exod. 23.24 or to lift up our eyes to God Ezek. 18.12 â—â— 25. or to stretch forth our hands unto him because the Heathens lifted up their eyes to Idols and stretched forth their hands to a strange God Psal 44.20 or sit at the Lords Supper because the Heathens sate when they feasted on their Sacrifices in the Idols Temples Iâ—â—â— 32.6 1 〈◊〉 â—â— 19 Whereas we find these signs of Reverence and Gestures still used both by Jews and Christians who bowed their Knees and Bodies to God 2 Chron. 6.13 Ezra 5.2 2 Chron. 7.3 Act. 20.36 Eph. 3.14 prostrated their whole bodies to him Josh 7.6 Exod. 4.31 Mat. 26.39 Lifted up their eyes and stretched forth their hands unto him Psal 123.1 Mat. 6.11 and lay down at the Paschal Supper not fearing the transgression of the Precept Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God 3ly The Jews themselves and that with approbation from God used many things like unto those which were observed in general by Heathens and by the Nations in particular which the Objection mentions and our Lord Jesus and his Disciples did not scruple such a material conformity with Heathens in indifferent matters as our Dissenters do condemn For v.g. the Jews placed the Tabernacle on a great high place in Gibeon 1 Kings 3.4 where God appeared to Solomon Verse 5. they placed the Ark in the house of Aminadab on the hill 1 Sam. 7.1 their Synagogues are called the houses of God Psal 74.8 and they were always built upon the Hills or higher ground of the Cities altho the Heathens did superstitiously chuse such places for the performance of their Idolatrous Worship and set up their Idols and Altars on every mountain and hill conceiving that they were then nearer to their Gods And our dear Lord went up unto a mountain to pray and therefore did not think that all material conformity with Heathens in such matters was forbidden in these Texts nor did that abuse of Gardens to Idolatry which by the Prophet Isaiah is noted in these words Thou shalt be ashamed of the oak and thy gardens which thou hast chosen Isai 1.29 deter our Saviour from praying in a Garden Joh. 18.1 26. Mat. 26.39 Again the Idolatrous Heathens at their Festivals did lie along or lean on their left sides They laid themselves down on cloaths by every altar Amos 2.8 They feasted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lying down in their Idol temples 1 Cor. 8.10 and yet the Jews tho God no where commanded them to do so did at the eating of their Passover lie down in token of the rest that God had given them in that good Land and Christ and his Apostles did conform themselves unto this custom as I have shewed already and thereby they demonstrated that none of all these Texts forbad material conformity with any Heathen Rites which in their nature were indifferent Ainsw in Deut. 7.5 Nor were the Jews themselves so nice and scrupulous as our Dissenters in this matter for they declare That if an House was built or a Tree planted purposely for an Idol it must be destroyed and may not be turned to common use but if the House was first built or the Tree planted for common civil use and an Idol hath after been placed in that House or under that Tree these may revert unto their first intended use the Idol being removed Since then our Ceremonies were used without any Superstition or Idolatry by the Fathers of the Church before they were abused by Papists to those ends why may they not
that account is never in the least insinuated this therefore Principles of love p 44. saith Mr. Baxter to his dissenting Brethren you may observe that no one Member is in these Scriptures or any other commanded to come out and separate from any one of all these Churches as if Communion with them in Worship were unlawful and therefore before you separate from any as judging Communion with them unlawful be sure that you bring greater reasons for it than any of these recited were And to confirm this Answer it deserves to be considered that we find in the New Testament express injunctions directed to the whole body of the Christian Churches requiring them to refuse Communion in their private conversations with such persons or to renounce familiarity with them not to company with them 1 Cor. 5.9 Not to eat with them v. 11. To mark them who cause divisions and scandals contrary to the Doctrine which they had received and avoid them Rom. 16.17 To withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly Thess 2.3 6. To have no company with them that they may be ashamed v. 14. We also find the Angels or Officers of the Church oft blamed for this neglect by Christ and his Apostles as in the case of the Incestuous Person the case of Pergamos and Thyatira where they were suffered who taught the Doctrins of the Nicolaitans of Balaam and of Jezebel that is both spiritual and carnal fornication This I have against thee O Thyatira that thou permittest Jezebel Vid. Synops in locum quod eam non coerces censuris Ecclesiae that thou doest not execute the censures of the Church upon her this against thee O Pergamos that thou hast those who teach the Doctrine of Balaam whereas thou being the Angel of the Church shouldst have fought against them with the Spiritual Sword as did the Angel who resisted Balaam because his way Numb 22.22 23. Hebr. 12.15 was perverse before God We find them call'd upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to execute the Office of a Bishop by looking diligently that no such persons be among them and warned of the great danger that the Whole lump might be exposed to by such Soure Leaven We lasty find our Saviour praising the Angel of the Church of Ephesus that he could not bear them but never do we find our Lord or his Apostles calling the People to come out from them or to be separate but only in such cases as did oblige them to touch the unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 that is to joyn in their Idolatries or partake with them in their Sins From which Considerations Rev. 18.4 it follows as Estius well notes that the Governors of the Church which tolerate Such Persons in the Church offend and that the People who use familiar converse with them do likewise offend but it by no means follows that they who do perform the publick duties of Religion where they are present do offend and as the Reverend and Learned Dr. Unreas of Sep. p. 217. Stillingfleet well notes There be many Reasons to break off private familiarity which will not hold as to Publick Communion and which may render it the Christians duty to do the first and not the latter For our Communion in Publick is a thing which Chiefly Respects God and is a necessary duty of his own appointing the benefit whereof depends upon his promises and all the Communion we have with other men therein is only that of Christ and his Apostles with Judas at the Paschal Supper joyning together for the performance of a Common Religious duty But private familiarity is a thing which wholly respects the persons we converse with it is a thing of meer choice and of much danger it being hardly to be imagined without approbation at least if not imitation of their wickedness And to this the concurrent judgment of the Old Nonconformists who did not think this want of Discipline sufficient cause of separation from Communion with us for having laid this as a foundation that no man ought to separate from a true Church requiring nothing sinful of him Grav confut p. 18. in order to Communion with them they add that altho it were Granted that we wanted both the exercise of the Churches Censures and some of those Officers which Christ hath appointed to exercise them by yet might we be a true Church notwithstanding as there was a true Church in Judah all the days of Asa and Jehosaphat yet was not the Discipline reformed there till the latter end of Jehosaphats Reign The Church of Corinth was a true Church even when the Apostle blamed them for want of Discipline the Congregation of Samaria is called a Church before the Discipline was established there and even in Jerusalem there was a famous visible Church of Christ long before Sundry parts of the Discipline for want whereof they condemn us were established there yea it is evident that by the Apostles themselves divers Churches were Gathered some Good space of time before the Discipline was setled or exercised by all which it is manifest that howsoever those parts of the Discipline which we want be necessary to the beauty and well being and perservation of the Church yet are they not necessary to the being thereof but a true Church may be without them 2ly They add Ibid. p. 51.52 That it doth not belong to private persons to set up the Discipline of the Church against the will and consent of the Christian Magistrate and Governors of the Church yea they declare that in so doing they should highly offend they are bound saith Giffard P. 59 95 100 101 102. by the bands of Conscience and the fear of God from presuming to take upon them publick Authority And if so it is evident that they cannot chuse Pastors for themselves and set up other Churches and Church Governors to exercise the Churches Discipline because they do conceive it is neglected by the Christian Magistrate and other Governors of the Church Yea lastly let me ask our dissenting Brethren if on account of this supposed neglect of Discipline they think themselves obliged to desert Communion with the Church of England whether will they go The Church of Rome they know besides her other errors is more Guilty of this crime than we men may be any thing in their Communion provided that they be not Hereticks and still be owned as Genuine Members of their Church The rest of the Reformed Churches are as loose as we their Members Generally are as corrupt in manners as ours are the same may be affirmed of the Eastern Churches they therfore must acknowledge that they cannot lawfully maintain Communion with any other Church on this account and that there always was even since the reformation a necessity of separation from all Christian Churches in the world for this neglect of Discipline or that they notwithstanding this supposed neglect may hold Communion with the Church of England now have