they omitted 2. Our second Motive shall respect the 39 Articles of the Church of England in which if a few things which are not of the substance of the Christian Religion were explained or amended it were a very easie thing for the Church of England and the Baptised Believers in this Nation to compose their differences in point of Doctrine and Faith as touching the Basis or foundation of the Christian Religion And to the intent that Unity may be herein attained between us we shall humbly beg leave with plainness to shew when we offer our Proposals the Particulars whereof we are doubtful in some of the said Articles Our third Motive to seek for Concord with the pious Protestant is the contents of that remarkable Letter long since sent to Mr. J. Tombes B. D. upon occasion of his learned Disputations concerning the Restauration of holy Baptism to its primitive use and written by that Reverend Man Dr. Barlow now Lord Bishop of Lincoln which verbatim is as followeth I am a friend to your person whom I have known though unknown to you this 31 years and to your opinion too as to the main of it for I believe and know that there is neither Precept nor Practice in Scripture for Paedobaptism nor any just Evidence for it for about two hundred years after Christ The first who bears witness to Infant Baptism practised in the Church is Tertullian but so as he expresly dislikes and condemns it as an unwarrantable and irrational Custome And Nazianzen a good while after him in his Oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dislikes it too and would not have Infants brought to Baptism till they were of some age and able to answer for themselves Sure I am that in the primitive times they were first to be Catechumeni and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illuminati or Baptizati and this not only Children of Pagans or Pagans converted but Children of Christian Parents Nazianzen though a Bishop's Son being not baptized till he was about 30 years of age as appears in his life and the like is evident of some others The Truth is Infant Baptism did how or by whom I know not come in in the second Century and in the 3d and 4th began to be practised though not generally and defended as lawful from that Text grosly misunderstood Joh. 3. 5. Vpon the like gross mistake of Joh. 6. 53. they did for many Centuries both in the Greek and Latin Church communicate Infants and give them the Lord's Supper and I confess they might do both as well as either but altho they baptized some Infants and thought it lawful so to do yet Austin was the first that ever said it was necessary inde durus pater Infantum I have seen what my learned and worthy Friend Dr. Hammond Mr. Baxter and others say in defence of it and I confess I wonder not a little that men of such great parts should say so much to so little purpose for I have not yet seen any thing like an Argument for it And not only this Letter but many other Testimonies which are found in the Writings of learned Protestants to the same purpose as hath bin shewn by diverse hands in our Books now extant do greatly perswade us to hope that the Controversies about Baptism draws towards an end and were this point well agreed many other things would be therewith so moderated as that we should by Gods help approach that Blessing to have one Heart and one Way 4. Our fourth Motive is taken from that great dread which seems to be at present upon this Land of the encroachment of Popery but what is in this God knoweth nor shall we concern our selves with secrets And seeing it is rational to believe that nothing shall sooner bring such Fears and heavy Judgments upon us than our own Dissentions and Divisions in which there is too much dissenting from the Truth therefore do we the more earnestly desire to dispose our minds to unite in Truth and Charity with all such as love God and their Neighbour and walk according to the general rules of Christianity resolving to bear what with a good Conscience may be born for Peacesake in the Truth in which we shall upon a friendly and free Debate be agreed Our last and principal Motive is That hereby God shall be glorified in the furtherance of a Faithful and Impartial Reformation of Life and Religion when we who have had so great a share in contending one against another shall after a Christian and Manly sort cease our conflicts each with other by stooping to what of sincere Truth hath appeared in our Disputes and not leave our Divisions Hereditary to our Posterity but rather a pious Example of our Charity to be by them pursued For seeing it is a rational presumption that there hath bin said what well can be said on both sides what then remains but that we bend our minds to cease our strife by such a Christian Compliance as may justly render us willing to be overcome by Truth on both parts where the matter shall require it And herein let none so much consult his own glory as the good of Christians in general as it is written Let no Man seek his own but every Man anothers wealth And again let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to Edification And let that Christian speech of Clement come to mind and conclude this Preface Is there any one then saith he that is bravely spirited among you Is there any one that hath compassion Doth any one abound with Charity Let him say If this Contention Sedition or Schism be for me or by my means I will depart I will go my ways whithersoever you please I will do what the rest commands Only let the Sheepfold of Christ enjoy peace with the Elders which God hath placed over it He that shall do this shall purchase to himself great Glory in the Lord and every place shall receive him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer to God for his Blessing upon this present endeavour for Concord amongst Dissenting Christians O Most Mighty most Holy and most Gracious God! What are we that we should speak unto Thee the God of Heaven and Earth We beseech thee pardon our unworthiness and for the sake of Christ our Saviour hear this Prayer which in his Name we do with our whole Heart pour out before thy Majesty O Lord in thy Fatherly Compassion behold the sad Divisions which have befallen the Christian People throughout the whole World And seeing nothing is too hard for Thee Graciously be pleased to move upon the Hearts of all sober and Heavenly-minded Christians however differing in some Points concerning the Christian Profession and so work by thy Spirit of Power Love and Wisdom that they may be so united in Brotherly Affection as speedily to consider one another in Love And to have compassion one of another under their unhappy differences in Opinion O destroy the
Your Wisdoms know very well who hath said A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump and that every Plant which the heavenly Father hath not planted must be rooted up and how vain the Worship even of the true God is esteemed by Christ which is taught by the Precepts of Men All which crys aloud that Religion be restored to its primitive Purity that so Men may give unto God the things that are God's and cease to serve him with their own inventions What we shall here propose to these holy Ends is no more than what at present we conceive to be very needful Howbeit we may not prescribe to you but only offer an occasion to your Wisdoms to consider us as Christians not as Enemies For it is evident that those Coercive ways which some encline to and under which we have bin and still are exercised are not like to effect Christian Amity and Unity but rather to make the Breach much wider That then it may please God even the God of Peace to direct your Wisdoms to those wholsome Methods which may be natural to procure and continue a lasting Peace between us in the Truth of the Gospel shall be our Prayer to him for you and in whose fear we humbly make these following Proposals And first I. Concerning the 39 Articles c. As we have already hinted that in our judgment some things in the 39 Articles of the Church do admit of some amendment We shall therefore humbly propose our Doubts in that case that the Fundamentals being secur'd other things may the more easily be reconciled 1. Our first scruple concerns the third Article where it requires Belief that Christ went down into Hell besides his being in the state of the Dead and buried in the Sepulchre Now this Passage is so dubious as that even Mr. Rogers who wrote a Book in defence of the 39 Articles doth confess that the native and undoubted Sence of this Article is not known so that we conceive it ought not to be required as an Article necessary to the Christian Faith 2. In the 8th Article all things contain'd in the three Creeds are required throughly to be believed in some of which is the said clause of Christ's Descension into Hell the meaning whereof is doubtful And some terms in the Creed of Athanasius are so hard to be understood that we think they ought not to be imposed as necessary We humbly conceive the Modesty of Hillary more safe than some os the Zealous Speeches of Athanasius who tells us That whatsoever is used more than the Father Son and Holy Ghost is beyond the compass of Speech the reach of of Sence and the capacity of Understanding And though he had used the Words Three Hypostasis yet he confesses This is to do things unlawful to speak that which ought not to be spoken to attempt things not licensed to put things in peril of the Speech of Men which ought to be kept in the Religiousness of minds And Austin confesses that it ought not to be spoken How the Father Son and Holy Spirit are three A Holy Trinity there is but how it subsisteth God only knoweth And here both the Modesty and Caution of Mr. Calvin also is worth our Consideration who speaking of the Titles or Expressions viz. A Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead saith If the Names have not been without cause invented we ought to take heed that in rejecting them we be not justly blamed of proud Presumptuousness I would to God saith he they where buried indeed so that THIS FAITH WERE AGREED OF ALL MEN That the Father Son and Holy Ghost are ONE GOD and yet that the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost the Son but distinct by certain Properties Instit l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 5. 3. The 13th Article would have it believed that no Works done without Faith in Jesus Christ are pleasant to God c. Which we think is doubtful considering how it is said that the Prayers and Alms of Cornelius were come up for a Memorial before God Act. 10. 1 2 3. yet 't is certain he did not then know Jesus Christ 4. The 18th Article seems doubtful where it teacheth that none can be saved who diligently frame their life according to the Light or Law of Nature c. Whereas if God have given them no other Law or Light to walk by we conceive it more safe for us to leave them to the Lord who will not gather where he hath not strewed than thus to censure them 5. The second Paragraph of the 27th Article may well be omited seeing it is granted by learned Protestants that there is no plain Scripture for Infant Baptism Instead of which Paragraph it may safely be inserted that the Infants of Christians should be devoted to God by Prayer and Blessing which may be justified by the Law of Nature and specially by the Words of Christ Mat. 19. 6. 6. The 36 Article not necessary to be imposed as an Article of the Christian Faith seeing that Book of Consecration of Archbishops Bishops ordering of Priests and Deacons is not of Divine Authority and it must needs be more safe to refer the business of Consecrating or ordaining Christ's Ministers of what rank soever to the Rules given in the holy Scripture And hence we do further conceive it is very needful that those severe Sentences of Excommunication contain'd in the Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical specially these two contain'd in Can. 5. 9. be recalled For seeing they themselves that composed the 39 Articles were but Men though pious Men and therefore as themselves teach Art 21. might possibly err even in things pertaining to God Therefore as they further say things ordained by them have neither Strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of the Word of God Nor ought the Church to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation which is either against or besides the Word of God as they also teach Article 20. Thus much of the 39 Articles II. Concerning the visible Church of Christ 1. As it is rightly acknowledged by Christians generally and particularly by the Church of England Article 19. That the Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things which of necessity are requisite to the same So it may be as truly observed that none be admitted Members of this Visible Church or Mystical Body of Christ till they give evidence that they are faithful at least by their personal Profession of the Faith of Christ and Willingness to walk in newness of Life according to the Principles or general Rules of the Christian Religion contain'd in the holy Scriptures the Rule of Faith 2. And seeing it is the Work of God through which Man with the Heart believeth unto Righteousness from
Spirit of Pride and BLOOD-THIRSTINESS from amongst the Christian People And let all that are called by that Name be ashamed that ever such wrath hath bin found amongst them and let them be humbled before thy Majesty in the remembrance of it O Lord we beseech thee Most Gracious God we confess unto Thee we are not worthy to undertake any thing in behalf of the Peace and Vnity of divided Christians But thou O God that despisest not the base and weak things of this World be intreated to bless our present Enterprise as it is consistent with thy pleasure to the good of thy People universally That they may be one in Truth and Peace according to thy Word which is Truth We beseech thee to bow the Heart of the Mighty the Wise and Honorable in the Christian Nations to study Truth and Peace to condescend to any thing for thy Glory and thy Peoples Happiness and we pray that none who are called by thy Name may any longer be puffed up for one and against another O teach those that love Thee to strive together with one mind for the Truth and Power of Religion according to the Gospel Good Lord be intreated for thy Names sake in behalf of all those that are of pious meaning in these Nations especially that their Hearts being intirely knit together in the great and more necessary parts of thy Worship they may Glorifie thy Name with one consent by a charitable forbearance in things which are not sinful in thy sight We intreat Thee our God make us thy Servants ever to be ready on our parts to evidence by act what here we propose in words and grant thy Spirit to enable us herein to serve Thee and all such as fear Thee and love thy Testimonies And grant that none of thy People may uncharitably censure this our undertaking for Concord amongst thy Servants Grant them Patience to consider what is here offered and where we may seem deficient herein lead others to supply what is wanting that through thy Blessing upon our united Endeavours the Good here intended may be prosperously promoted to thy Praise O Lord to the great increase of Charity and therewith to the true comfort of thy People throughout the whole World Even so Lord God Almighty Even so Amen A Friendly Epistle TO All the Bishops Ministers OF THE Church of England Reverend Sirs MAy it please you in the meekness and gentleness of Christ to lay aside a little those exterior Honours which are conferred upon you and to condescend to Men of low degree and in that Condescention seriously to ponder what is herein with Humility and Sincerity submitted to your Consideration We do seriously account it a part of our Infelicity to see the Distractions and Divisions which are in our Land about things relating to the Worship of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and therewithal it is too evident that the Power of Godliness is much neglected and the Ways of Christianity greatly depraved whereupon many that love the Lord Jesus are so estranged among themselves as to become Adversaries to their own Peace and the Comfort of each other May it then please God to lead us all to the Consideration of these ill Effects and to remove the Causes of them And seeing we may perhaps be under worse Apprehensions concerning one another than there is real cause for let it be calmly considered on both parts that our greatest differences are about Ceremonies And those also of Humane device as we conceive the best of which are not worth the loss of one Soul and therefore in no wise fit to adventure the breach of our Peace and Christian Concord for their sake which may be the cause of perishing to many May it therefore seem well pleasing to you the Bishops of the Church of England with your Brethren of the Ministery to admit of some friendly and free Debate with the Bishops and Teachers of the Baptized Churches in this Nation to try if by any means a way may be found to bring us to Christian Concrd in the Gospel of God To effect this is either impossible or difficult only Not the first sith our differences lie not in the doctrinal part of any Foundation-Article of the Christian Religion so much as in the application or practick part of them For to touch a little the grand points about which we differ viz. Sacred Baptism and the Discipline of the Church of these we spake the same thing for thus you teach That in Baptism there is an inward and spiritual Grace and an outward and visible Sign And that Repentance whereby we forsake Sin And Faith whereby we stedfastly believe the Promises of God made to us in that Sacrament are the things required of all Persons that are to be baptized And hereunto we do most heartily subscribe And touching holy Discipline your Doctrine is That the manner of proceeding in Excommunication is first by gentle Admonition and that once or twice given with the Spirit of meekness if the fault be not notoriously known and next by open reprehension afterwards by publick sentence of the Church to put him from the company of the faithful to deliver him to Satan to denounce him an Heathen and a Publican if no Admonitions will serve and the crimes be very offensive To this Doctrine like wise we do give our full consent Nevertheless it must be granted a very great difficulty as things now stand to reform what is really amiss on your part in the practice relating to those two points of the Christian Religion especially seeing that the worldly interest of so many carnal-minded men seems to depend upon the continuation of the Errors which have befallen you in the practice of these holy Institutes Howbeit this Difficulty is not greater than it was to reform what was as really amiss in that great Ordinance the Lord's Table whether we consider their Error who for many Centuries gave the Communion to Infants or theirs who by their Transubstantiation destroy the very nature of the Sacrament Nor shall we here forget but thankfully remember the great Travel and Sufferings of your Martyrs and the pious Zeal which appeared in many of them when called to reduce that holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper from many corruptions by which it had been prophaned But yet we must needs condole their shortness in not looking with like diligence into the pristine purity of the other Sacrament By which oversight we which survive them are exposed the more to our present Difficulties And hence we may borrow that passage in 1 Chron. 15. 13. Because ye did it not at the first therefore the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order And here we ought to learn that seeing God would not indulge his Servant David in such an oversight when yet his intention was very pious will have his own Methods duly observed in things pertaining to his Service