aside the Translation that is most exactly agreeable to the Original and use one that is not only imperfect absurd and senseless but in some things so contrary to the Original But some Dissenters think that their Conformity in this respect cannot but prove pernicious to the Christian Religion as it casts a reproach not only on the last and best translation but even on the Original it self They know how jealous God is about his word unto which no additions diminutions or alterations can be made but to the provoking the most high and the wounding their Consciences and therefore are afraid to conform Argument III. III. The third Argument doth more immediately concern the very Service it self unto which the Dissenters refuse to Conform because of that similitude likeness and agreement there is between it and the formes of Prayer which the Papists use That the Reader may be the more fully acquainted with the true State of this controversie about the agreeableness there is between the English and Roman Service Books and what 't is the Dissenters aim at by their insisting so very much on it I must shew 1. What they say concerning the agreableness that is supposed to be between these Service Books 2. How this came to pass What occasion'd our adhering so closely to the Popish Service Book even when we forsook their Communion 3. The Reasonings of some Dissenters from that agreeableness is suppos'd to be between these two books against the English Service First What they say concerning the agreableness that is suppos'd to be between these two Service books The Dissenters do out of King Edward's Letter unto the Devonshire and Cornish Rebels give this following account of it namely As for the Service in the English Tongue thus manifest reasons for it and yet perchance it seemeth to you a new Service and indeed is none other but the old the self same words in English which were in Latine The difference is that you our Subjects should understand in English that which before was spoke in Latine If the Service of the Church was good in Latine it remaineth good in English for nothing is alter'd but to speak with knowledge that which was spoke with ignorance Furthermore these Dissenters add as I find in their Anatomy of the Service Book That every piece and parcel of the Liturgy word for word is out of these Popish peices namely the Breviary out of which the Common Prayers are taken the Ritual or book of Rites out of which the Administration of the Sacraments Burial Matrimony visitation of the sick are taken The Mass-book out of which the consecration of the Lord's Supper Collects Epistles and Gospels are taken As for the book of ordination of Arch-bishops Bishops and Ministers that is out of the Roman Pontifical These things being so whoever pleads for the English Service book doth so far defend the Romish Mass-book not that 't is a defence of the whole Romish Service for in the Anatomy of the Service Book 't is acknowledged that every thing in the Mass-book is not in our Liturgy though all that is in our Liturgy is word for word in the Mass-book But so far as our Liturgy is defended so far that part of the Romish Service is defended for which reason the greatest Champions who among our Church men have most zealously written in defence of the Liturgy and have been consider'd by the Church of Rome as men who have done great Service to the Roman Religion Thus Whitgift and Hooker have had their applauses from the Romanists 'T is not unworthy observation to find Arch-Bishop Whitgift reproaching Cartwright and the Dissenters as a people eminently serviceable to the Papist and Dean Stilling fleet to give the utmost countenance he could thereunto whereas the truth is that that on which Whitgift grounds his censure will not bear it and though none of Dean Stilling fleet 's adversaries have taken any notice of it that I can find yet Whitgift himself is the man who has had from the Jesuites great thankes for what he has written against Dissenters in defence of the English Service and Discipline That Whitgifts Censure concerning the Dissentes subserviency to Popish designes is groundless being rather the product of his indiscreet passions than of sound arguings is evident in that the great reason given to shew that the Dissenters are the Papists promoters is because they assert that the Papists ought not to be compel'd to receive the Supper of the Lord so long as they continue in their Popery that is they ought not to act contrary to their Conscience nor dissemble with Almighty God by professing themselves to be Protestants even when they are really and in heart Papists whether this be to gratifie the Papist let the impartial Reader judge But that Whitgift has gratify'd the Papist in his writings against Dissenters I 'll evince by producing what the learned Parker in his Ecclesiastical policy lib. 1. chap. 33. insists on in answer to this objection of Whitgift Bancroft and others where he shews how William Reignolds the Jesuit asserts that John Whitgift in his discourse against Cartwright has defended the Catholick Cause and accordingly the said Reignolds in the preface against Whitaker makes great use of Whitgift and in the book it self he sends Mr. Whitaker unto Dr. Whitgift for a supply of reasons for the confirming their notion about putting of our caps and making curtesie at the hearing the Name of Jesus Scultinyns and Stapleton give the same Character both of the writings of Whitgift and Bancroft against the Puritanes even as Gretzer the Jesuit triumphs in Saravias and Sutcliff's defence of the Episcopal Authority in Civils And as Whitgift even so Hooker for the service done the Church of Rome by what they have writ in defence of the worship and discipline of the Church of England hath had the praises of the Romanists This Mr. Walton in the life of Hooker has observ'd which is no more than what Dr. King Bishop of Chichester was acquainted with as he himself expresses in a letter to honest Isaac I am glad you mention sayes the Bishop how much value Robert Stapleton Pope Clement the 8th and other eminent men of the Romish perswasion have put upon this book having been told the same in my youth by persons of worth that have travelled Italy And what doth this discover less than that such is the agreement between the Service and Discipline of the Church of England and that of Rome that whoever pleads for the one defends the other Furthermore in the Anatomy of the Service Book we are furnished with an Historical Account of the Papists approving our Liturgy There be sayes the Author thereof abundance of instances for the Papists approving our Liturgy witness Mortons Appeal Pope Pius the 4th and Gregory the 13th offered to Queen Elizabeth to confirm the English Liturgy Witness Dr. Abbot then Prelate of Canterbury and Mr. Cambden in the life of Queen Elizabeth who
mean as your Lordship doth with the Scripture generally The drawing or encouraging others to do what they are not in Conscience convinc'd they may do My Lord There is a real Disposition yea longing Desires among the Non-Conformists towards a Protestant Vnion and it rejoyceth their very Souls to find some such as your Lordship among the dignified Ciergie and do bless God for you There are some such also in England who tho' they Conform do it not blindfold nor upon Corrupt Inducements We believe there are many of you who can in the fear of God profess you have again and again considered the Ecclesiastical Laws and according to your Duty as you believe you have been and are obedient not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake and that you are Sound Protestants and as great an Eye-Sore to the Papist as any among the Dissenters However we are as Confident That there are others who are pretendedly at least great zealots for Conformity and yet Aimrather at an Union between the Church of England and the Church of Rome who consequently hate a Protestant Dissenter much more than they do a Papist not being asham'd to profess They would rather be Papists than Presbyterians There are many such who delight not only to misrepresent the Dissenter as your Lordship will perceive by the Reverend Mr. Baxter's reply to your Postscript but moreover to Unchurch all the Foreign Reformed Churches who have not an Episcopal Ordination Thus Mr. Conold in his Notion of Schism Dedicated to Anthony Lord Bishop of Norwich p. 14. asserts That he who is out of this Line of Apostolick Succession and exercises any Ministerial Office without the Commission of Episcopal Ordination is but a Lay-Imposter and a Schismatick from the Catholick Church and p. 43. speaking of Foreign Protestant Churches adds But if any of them have a Ministry which have no other Orders than their own Vsurpation or popular Election I know not how to Acquit them from being Shismaticks from the Catholick Church But yet though he is so severe in Censuring the Foreign Protestant Churches as Schismaticks from the Catholick Church he is as Merciful to Foreign Papists for in his Epistle to the Reader As for those of your Religion vid. the Popish who live under the Laws of the Romish Dominions I have a great Charity for them says he for they can plead Submission to their own Superiors and I am apt to believe that plea may be very considerable when they come to appear before the Prince of Peace and the God of Order There having been some such in the Church of England ever since the first Reformation they have impeded all Essayes for a Protestant Vnion and have done their utmost rather to Accommodate the Differences between Vs and Rome whereby Instead of Relaxations and Abatements towards Dissenters The Church of England has made the Terms of Communion the more difficult and uneasie unto us to the hightning and increasing the Divisions and at this very day will be at the same work wherein unless timely prevented they may succeed We beseech your Lordship therefore to animate your Brethren who are hearty to the Protestant Interest to Consider with just regards the tender Consciences of Dissenting Protestants and to appear in making a brisk Opposition to those who under pretence of making the Church of England the more Grand and August designs her Ruine by bringing her into her Antient Slavery to the Church of Rome 'T is to be wished a Bill Comprehensive of all Sound Protestants might pass in Order to the uniting us But if that cannot be a Bill lesser Comprehensivē with an Indulgence will very much contribute to the Churches peace and the strengthning the Protestant Interest To which end That the Advice your Lordship gives p. 62. to the end may be regarded by all is the Prayer of him who highly values your Lordships great Learning your Christian Temper and Moderation and who is Your Humble Servant April 1. 1682. The Errata PAge 7. l. 11. dele who p. 9. l. 2. After then add my work is l. 18. dele For. l. 35. for they r. the Dissenters p. 19. l. 22. for if r. of p. 20. l. 23. After then add the Bishops of p. 21. l. 32. for Families r. Faculties p. 23. l. 7. after Objection add has offer'd p. 26. l. ult r. of p. 28. l. 10. dele of p. 32. l. 18. r. it has p. 33. l. 10. d. and. l. 28. r. Proctors p. 34. l. 11. r. Scultingius p. 35. l. 15. r. Intelligencers p. 40. l. 1. r. pages p. 41. l. ult add That is several Popish Vestments p. 42. l. 9. after affairs add than in Civil p. 44. l. 6. after drunkenness add does p. 48. l. 5. r. Superstitious p. 55. l. 13. r. Prince p. 59. l. 19. r. Parity p. 60. l. 10. r. to l. ult r. 2. p 71. l. 27. r. Rites l. 38. after that add are l. ult r. why p. 72. l. ult r. Wild. To the READER THE design of the ensuing Treatise is only to shew how necessary 't is that the Church of England make the Terms of Communion with her somewhat more easie For 't is certain that whatever some suggest concerning the fancy humour and obstinacy of Dissenters He who is the searcher of hearts doth know that they are Conscientious in their Non-conformity Could they with a good Conscience conform they would but seeing they cannot as appears by what is insisted on in this Treatise what must they do They must not sin and offend God to please men 'T is not altogether improbable but that a Conformist in his perusal of the arguments in the following discourse may be supply'd with an answer satisfactory to himself and many others notwithstanding which the Dissenters may still feel more conviction in those arguments for their Non-conformity than in any reply made to 'em and therefore cannot Conscientiously conform Hitherto the Dissenters have been reproach'd as a people who cause divisions in the Church about Trifles who though they won't now Conform if there were a Bill of Comprehension on no easier Termes than a complying with the use of the Liturgy they would generally do it I have therefore upon a seririous and deliberate weighing all things thought it meet at this season when a late book of a singular brother calls aloud for it to give an impartial account of the Dissenters sentiments which are more general concerning Conformity having done it impartially rather indeed like an Historian than a Logician The great thing I abide by and judge my self oblig'd to defend is 1. That there are arguments powerfull enough in the judgments of some to fasten plain convictious on 'em concerning the unlawfulness or inexpediency of the use of the present Ordinary Lord's dayes Service Though I may not be convinc'd by them yet others may 2. That so long as any Dissenters are thus fully convinc'd of the unlawfulness or inexpediency of the Liturgy they must not
English Liturgy was drawn up for the Ministers help in prayer a Book of Homilies was prepar'd to be read instead of preaching unto both which at first all such as had not a License were equally oblig'd But though a stinted form of preaching be in it self lawfull doth it therefore follow that 't is always expedient The like may be said of a form of prayer 3. That about things lawfull that is about such things as are in their own nature indifferent enquiry must be made after their expediency or inexpediency pro hic nunc For many things which are in Thesi lawfull are yet in Hypothesi because of their inexpediency sinfull To eat flesh is in it self lawfull but to eat flesh offer'd unto Idols when another acquaints thee with it is inexpedient and therefore sinfull There are many things that are lawfull which because they edifie not but offend and grieve such for whom Christ dyed are inexpedient yea as so circumstantiated are unlawfull and cannot without sins be complyed with The Apostle Paul in his Epistles to the Romans and Corinthians doth somewhat amply treat of this point where he sayes that though all things are lawfull yet all things are not expedient that is as the Apostle himself explains it all things edifie not All things i. e. all indifferent things are lawfull but not at all times in every circumstance for God's glory and therefore not expedient In the exercise of our liberty about things indifferent if we will follow the Apostle Paul we must take heed that we do nothing that affords grief or proves a stumbling block to those for whom Christ dyed but must endeavour that all things be to the Glory of God and the edification of Souls This is evident from Rom. 14. and 1 Cor. 10. If then the Ordinary Lord's dayes Service be in it self lawfull and indifferent yet if it's use be a grief and a stumbling block to those for whom Christ dyed no way conducive to God's glory nor the peoples edification its use is so very inexpedient as to become unlawfull yea sinfull unto such as know so much the which inexpediency remains notwithstanding any Humane Law to the contrary For when the case is as here stated the word of God shews it to be inexpedient and therefore cannot be altered by any law of man That the Lord's dayes Service though in it self lawfull is in its use inexpedient Some may argue thus namely It becomes all good Christians to mind the Peace and Edification of those Churches where they live and unto this we ought to have a special regard in the exercise of our liberty about things indifferent There is a manifest division among Protestants in this Kingdom the which hath prov'd very pernicious unto the Protestant Religion and if encreased cannot but be much more mischievous and therefore all men must take heed that in the use of their liberty they do not what necessarily tends to the multiplying divisions If we cannot Unite the Conformist and Non-conformist we must do all that lawfully we can to fix an Union between Conformist and Conformist yea and between Non-conformist and Non-conformist This every judicious and sober Christian will I presume grant from which concession 't is thus argued even from the supposition of the lawfulness of the Lord's day Service against the expediency of its use pro hic nunc If a Non conformist's using this service dothnot contribute any thing towards an Vnion with the Conformist but tends to the dividing the Non-conformist though the service be in it self lawfull yet its use is not expedient But a Non-conformists using this Service doth not contribute any thing towards an Union with the Conformist As Mr. Read's experience does evince for sayes he in his case Though we yield as far as we can in things lawfull there is no Vnion no Peace nor Agreement to be had with such men but tends to the dividing of the Non-conformists as is most manifest to any that will but deliberately consider the general practice of the Dissenting Brethren Therefore the use of the Lord's dayes Service pro hic nunc highly inexpedient and not to be done The multiplying divisions among good Protestants cannot be for God's glory nor for the edification of the people but has been and still is a stumbling block unto some and great grief unto others for whom Christ dyed and therefore a man should rather suffer than use it 'T is quaeryed by some whether or no the generality of Non-conformists do esteem the use of the ordinary Lord's dayes Service expedient In answer unto which I may safely assert that the generality of the Non-Conformists do at least consider the Conforming unto the Lord's dayes Service so very inexpedient that they cannot Conscientiously comply with it This is manifest from their avowed Principles and Practises 1. Their Principle is that in matters of Religion whatever is in it self lawfull and pro hic nunc expedient is their Duty The expediency of a lawfull thing makes it Duty It has therefore been the Conscientious endeavour of Non-conformists to find out the expediency of those things which are lawfull i. e. whether the use thereof is for God's glory and the edification of the people and they judge themselves bound in Conscience to do whatever lawfully they may to the end God may be glorified and the edification of immortal souls advanced 2. The Practice of the Non-conformists hath been by this Rule as they dare not do what is to God's dishonour so they are afraid to omit what will be for God's glory and for edification Their being turn'd out of their places to the impoverishing the families of some the great prejudice of all does evince they cannot venture on the doing what is to God's dishonour Their greivous sufferings on the account of their publique meetings do as manifestly demonstrate that they are afraid to omit what is for God's glory and the edification of the people To thefe considerations add that if these Conscientious Non-conformists had been convinced that the use of the ordinary Lord's dayes Service had been both lawfull and expedient that is had been for Gods glory and the people's good would they have lived so many a year in the neglect and omission of so excellent a duty What do they make conscience of one duty but no conscience of another Surely I cannot believe it For this reason I think my self oblig'd to conclude that the true reason why the generality of the Non-conforming Ministers who do not use this Service is because they think it inexpedient they believe it is not for Gods glory nor for edification they fear that should they use it they should dishonour God and be a scandal and grief to many for whom Christ dyed But II. There are others who consider the particular forms of worship appointed in the Liturgy for the ordinary Lords dayes service to be unlawfull of this opinion are some Presbyterians the Congregational generally and
the Anabaptist Here I 'll give the sense of the moderater sort of those who look on the present Liturgy as what cannot by them be used without sin The which I 'll do without an engaging my self so far in their defence as to espouse their quarrel As for my part I think moderation becomes all Christians especially English Protestants in a day wherein they are in danger of being destroyed by the common enemy the Papist This is not a time to fall out with one another and quarrel about lesser things for now the great and weighty matters of our Religion are in hazard there must be an exercise of Christian charity towards each other Let every man give that liberty to the conscience of another which he expects should be given his own for while the World endures there will be as different apprehensions about lesser matters as there are different complections among men and therefore there must be mutual forbearance or there will be no peace among us Methinks it lookes ill when men assume to themselves an unaccountable infallibility the which is attended with a proportionable severity in imposing their own sentiments on others This is not only common among the Papists but also to be observed too much among all sorts of Protestants whether Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or Anabaptist and is I verily believe one great reason of those violent Dissentions that are among us every one thinks that such as dissent from them do so without any solid reasons and therefore not to be tolerated Thus some of the Conforming Clergy esteem the Non-conformists dissent from them to be both unreasonable and intolerable and some Dissenters it may be are even with the Episcopal in those censures they pass on them and among the Non-conformists some who only desire that the subscriptions and abjurings of Covenants be remov'd are willing enough that the Liturgy be established with but a few amendments the which may be done by a Comprehensive Bill that hath nothing of Indulgence in it But really how weak soever the greatest part of the Non-conformists are 't is too manifest that they think that there are other Blocks which lye in their way to Conformity than subscriptions and abjurings whose Consciences should be regarded and who stand as much in need of an Indulgence as others do of a Comprehension If the Bill of comprehension should be comprehensive enough to take me in I think my self oblig'd to do my utmost that such Conscientious persons who through weakness cannot do as much as my self be at least indulg'd Conscience is a tender thing and is really the immediate directer of our actions against the plain convictions of which we must not go No Authority is sufficient to oblige any man to act against the plain convictions of conscience For which reason seeing the Dissenters are fully convinc'd in Conscience that they cannot lawfully conform to the present Terms of Lay-Communion there must be either some alteration of the Termes or some must suffer for Conscience sake whence then to shew the necessity of altering some things even for a comprehension and the indulging in other things for the ease of tender Consciences I 'll give the Reader an Historical Account of some of their reasonings against the Termes of Lay-Communion the which I will produce only to this end namely to shew that the reasons are such as may lay convictions on the Consciences of good and honest if not learned men Though men of great learning may be able to answer them yet if they be such as are unanswerable in the judgmenr of the Dissenters 't is sufficient for the purpose for which I produce them Those arguments may be strong in the judgment of some which are not so in the opinion of others My province then is only to propose not to defend the arguments that are cogent in moving some Dissenters to conclude that as Lay-men they cannot conform unto the imposed Termes of the Church of England For to the compleat Communion of Lay-men there is required a conformity not only to the ordinary Lord's dayes Service but moreover unto their Modes of Administring the Sacraments But that unto this they cannot conform I will essay particularly to evince by shewing more generally why they can't conform to the Terms impos'd on the people and then more particularly why they can't submit unto the Rubrick about baptizing their children nor Communicate with them in the Lord's Supper and in fine give several reasons why others can't with a safe Conscience attend on the Reading of the ordinary Lord's dayes Service 1. Why some cannot Conscientiously comply with the Termes of Communion imposed by the Church on the people 1. More generally Because there are so many things which the Church of England acknowledges to be in their own nature indifferent that are made so necessary apart of Religion as to be Termes of Communion with them They take the Word of God contained in the writings of the Old and New Testament to be the only Rule of the whole and of every part of their Religion whence what is enjoyned them as so necessary a part of Religion as to be made a Term of Communion they cannot conform thereunto unless it be agreeable to the Word of God A Term of Christian Communion is a very necessary part of Christ's Religion the non-embracing which deprives a person of the benefit and advantage of the Sacraments and therefore they must be no other than what our Lord Christ has in his Word made so If any man or society of men assume unto themselves a power concerning matters of Religion which Christ never gave them they think they cannot be faithfull unto Christ if they subject themselves unto them in their exercise of such an irregularly assumed power Christ Jesus is the Sole Lord of his Church and Law-giver in it and therefore the alone Author of the whole of Christian Religion for which reason they cannot receive any such additions as are made meerly by men as parts much less as necessary parts of Christian Religion they know that there are some who say the Imposition may be sinfull when a compliance therewith is a duty But this in matters of Religion especially in the present case they do not understand because when lawfull Authority commands any thing sinfully the great reason why 't is sinfull is because 't is in other manner than according to the Word of God but if the command be not according to God's Word how can their obedience be so All obedience is to a command and such is the connexion between the command and the obedience that we must consider the obedience to be as is the command If the command be out of the Lord and sinfull the obedience thereunto cannot be in the Lord and a duty If the command be not for the Lord but against him the obedience cannot be for the Lord. But that our obedience must be in and for the Lord is acknowledged by the
Church of England But there are many things in their own nature according to the confession of the Church os England indifferent which yet are made so necessary a part of Christian Religion as to be enjoyned as Termes of Christian Communion Whoever conscientiously refuses to be present at their publique Prayers or to kneel at the Sacrament is by the 27th Canon deprived of the Sacrament yea and though the Minister who shall wittingly administer the same to notorious offenders and perjur'd villains incurres not for such a default the pain of Suspension Yet no Minister when he celebrateth the Communion shall wittingly Administer the same to any but to such as kneel under pain of Suspension nor under the like pain to any that refuse to be present at Publique Prayers according to the Orders of the Church of England Thus not only a form os Prayer but this particular form of Prayer in which form there are many things with which these Dissenters cannot comply are made so necessary a part of Religion that if they conform not unto them they are denyed the Lord's Supper and what Minister soever admits such unto the communion is lyable unto a suspension a greater punishment than is threatned against those Ministers who admit such as commit the horrible sin of perjury Moreover though they are convinc'd in conscience they sin if they kneel yet they cannot be admitted unto the Lord's Supper unless they kneel Let us put the best sense on these things and 't is this As the notorious offender and perjur'd villain cannot be admitted to the Sacrament because he complyes not with God's Terms the Holyest man on earth cannot be admitted unless he complies with Man's Termes But what is this less than setting up mans posts with Gods or a setting as high if not a higher value on the precepts of men as on the commands of God But seeing our Lord Christ has purchased a liberty for them whereby they may be admitted to the Sacrament on easier Termes than Man will permit they must abide by this liberty in doing which they do but discharge their duty in asserting the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Sole Author of the whole of Christian Religion and of all the Termes of Christian Communion But 2. To be more particular in shewing why they cannot joyn with the Church in the Sacraments In doing which I 'll contract my self in giving you no other than what I find in the Altar of Damascus 1. Of Baptism I 'll only offer a very little that is insisted on in my Author and therefore will pass by that passage in the Second Prayer before Baptism where the Remission of sins is defired by Spiritual Regeneration As if the pardon of sin consisted rather in the Sanctification of the soul than the dissolving the obligation to punishment and consider the Interrogatories which are these Dost thou forsake the Devil and all his works c. Dost thou believe c. Wilt thou be Baptized in this Faith The Child hath not Understanding nor Faith nor desire of Baptism And how be it the child had Faith can the God-father tell absolutely and in particular that this Child whom he presenteth doth Believe desire Baptism or forsake the Devil It is a foolish thing and great mockery of God's service to demand that of Infants which was at the first demanded of such as were come to years of discretion and were converted from Gentilism The children of Faithfull Parents are within the Covenant of Grace whereupon it is that they are made partakers of the Seal of the Covenant The Covenant being made with the Parents in their Faith and not the Faith of the child the Parents should give confession of their own Faith and not of the Faith of the child which is not because their own Faith is the condition of the Covenant upon their part whereupon God promiseth to be their God and the God of their Seed Whereupon also it followeth that the Father of the child should present the child and give confession and not another because the Covenant is made with him and his Seed and the child is his Seed not the Seed of another whom we call Godfather The Natural Father is the proper God-father Others may be Witnesses of Baptism but that the Father should or can resign this duty to another I deny After that the child is dipped or sprinkled and Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Priest maketh a Cross upon the child's Forehead Saying We receive this child into the Congregation of Christ's Flock and do sign with the sign of the Cross in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ Crucified and Manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil and to continue Christ's Faithfull Souldier and Servant unto his Lifes end He saith not we have received but we do receive as if the child were not received by Baptism but by Grossing or as if the child were again received by Crossing which was before received by Baptism This signing with the cross is no decent gesture it is rather like a jugglers gesture than a gesture of decency and comeliness It must then be used as a Symbolical and Significant Rite But we have no such sign set down in the Word of God as to make two Cross Lines in the Air with our fingers to represent the cross of a Tree or to signifie unto us that we should not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ c. Thou shalt make unto thy self no Image that is any Representation forged in thy own brain to be set up in the Worship of God Admit once the Aerial Cross in Baptism ye cannot refuse to set up the material Cross and the Rood in the Kirck nor the Wooden or Stone Crosses in the High-way For all may signifie the same thing that the Cross on the forehead And by this reason every one may wear a Silver Cross upon his forehead also Further not only other significant crosses material may be brought in upon this ground but also the rest of the beggarly ceremonies of Baptism to deface and deform the purity plainness and simplicity of Christ's institution As to put salt into the mouth of the child to anoint with Oyl the breast and shoulders and the top of the head with Holy Crism and to put a burning Taper into his hands c. for these Toyes had their own glorious signification as well as the Cross Lastly What doth it signifie but that which is already signified in baptism The same valour and courage and constant profession and fighting under Christ's banner is a part of that Grace which is sealed by baptism But besides that it is a significant toy it is also esteemed effective for they say that the infant by it is dedicated to the service of him that dyed on the cross Who did sanctifie this sign for such an use Are men able to
do it It was made also a consecrator of Water Bread and Wine and all other Holy things in time of Popery for the which corruption we ought to abhorr it Again we Sign this child in token that he shall continue Christ's faithfull Souldier to his Lives end These words shall continue to his lives end compared with the like in the Epistle of the 22 Sunday after Trinity God shall continue the work in you to the end shew unto us that we use the cross for a pledge to give assurance to the child to continue in grace to the end which if it be so then it serveth to work faith and is used effectually saith Parker Hooker saith that there cannot be a more forceable means to avoid that which may deservedly procure shame If it be in some sort a means to secure from confusion Everlasting then it is in some sort effective of Grace In a word suppose there were no sinfull use of it for the present the horrible abuse of it in times by-past and the danger and peril of these same abuses are sufficient to remove it out of this Holy Sacrament where it is set up in such honourable State beside the Lord 's own Altar 2. Of the Lord's Supper I 'll not mention all is said of this I 'll only apply my self to what is said of Kneeling which gesture though not according to Christs example nor the nature of the Ordinance is imposed as a necessary condition of our Right in the Lord's Supper whatever right Faith and Repentance may give unto this Ordinance no jus in re no right in it is acknowledged to any among us but such as Kneel whereby Kneeling is made by the Church of England a necessary Term and yet look'd on but as indifferent as if a man had been invested with a power of making a thing in it self indifferent to become a necessary part of Christs Religion But to give you what I find in the Altar of Damascus Where 't is said That without any farther he and they viz. Minister and People Communicate Kneeling after the Popish manner that is with a gesture of Adoration when they are beholding the signs taking eating drinking and inwardly in their minds should be meditating on the signification and the fruit and benefit which they reap by Christ Crucified and consequently cannot without distraction of mind from this employment of the Soul and Meditation pray a set and continued prayer to God or cannot meditate and be employed in the present action without distraction of mind from the prayer and therefore either they pray irreverently which they will not grant or do Communicate this Gesture of Adoration to the other imployments of the Soul and of the outward senses and members of the body about the objects presented which they must grant and so nill they will they they must be forced to confess that they commit idolatry Kneeling is no decent gesture for a Table for commodity they say maketh decency but this gesture is confessed not to be commodious as sitting is It is then enjoyned for another reason to wit for Reverence but to kneel for Reverence and Religious respects is ever Adoration in the highest degree To kneel for reverence that is to adore is not enjoyned here for prayer neither may prayer lawfully be enjoyned in time of another action and part of God's worship to be performed by the same person And suppose it were enjoyned for the short prayer uttered by their priest yet are not the outward senses and inward faculties employed principally on that prayer but upon another action principally and directly intended in the institution whereas the other is only super-added by man Let them frame their Canons and Acts as they please and suppose that they kneel for reverence of the Sacrament common sense may teach us that it is done for that respect either totally or principally but let it be in the least part yet that least part is idolatry Beside the idolatry of this gesture it cannot stand with the right manner of celebration and rites of the institution For when they kneel for adoration they cannot carry the cup from hand to hand nor divide the elements among themselves as Christ hath commanded In many places the people are raised from their kneeling to come about the Table there to receive kneeling and then are directed to their places again saith the Author of the Survey The priest giveth the Bread and the Wine to every one severally out of his own hands When the cup is to be carryed from one to another the communicant is too prophane in their opinion to reach it the Priests Holy hand must take it from one and give it to the other but Christ willed his Disciples to divide it among themselves and it was carryed from hand to hand indeed after the manner of the last paschal cup. When Christ therefore gave the Bread and the Wine he said in the plural number take ye eat ye c. The English priest speaketh in the singular number when he giveth the elements he annexeth not Christs words containing a comfortable promise and uttered in an Enunciative form but other words invented by man and in form of a prayer converting one part of God's worship into another or else confounding them By this 't is manifest that many Ministers may conscientioufly refuse to conform to the Termes imposed on the people They can no more satisfie their consciences in complying with the Termes of Lay-Communion than others can with those of the Ministers Conformity Moreover II. As they cannot hold Communion with the Church in the Holy Sacraments and consequently not comply with what is required of the people in order thereunto so neither can they with a safe Conscience joyn in the ordinary Lord's dayes Service They cannot conscientiously approve of many things in that service unto which they must give their approbation if they conform thereunto Whoever conforms doth thereby shew his approbation of what he conforms unto To what a man conforms to that he manifests his good liking why is it that some cannot conform unto the By-Offices but because they do not approve of them and why do any conform to the ordinary Lord's dayes Service but because they approve of it which is as much as if it had been said Conformity is an Overt Act of Approbation 't is in practice an Approving the thing But some scrupulous Dissenters cannot conform unto the ordinary Lord's dayes Service without conforming to several things to which they refuse the giving their approbation By the ordinary Lord's dayes Service they understand all that Office that is according to the Liturgy and Canon of the Church appoynted to be read Ordinarily on the Lord's day or to speak in the Common Prayer Dialect that Service that is appointed to be read ordinarily on Sundayes against the use of which they do more generally argue thus I. If they must conform to the ordinary Lord's dayes Service it must
commendation The which is read in the Church as the Rule of manners whereas in truth 't is meet only for the countenancing the unjustifiable treasons of the Papists to which purpose it has been improv'd by Saunders de schismate who inciting the English Ladies professing the Popish Religion to murder Queen Elizabeth and all her Favourers calling her Holofernes the Heretical Prince did prove from this example of Judith that they might do it without any the least stain or blot to their Religion This is urg'd in the defence of the reason of the Devonshire and Cornish Ministers from whence I would query whether a person fully convinc'd of that if the book of Judith must be read as the Rule of manners this allowed practice of Judith must be in the like case imitated ought not rather to abandon the reading or hearing of these books then presume to enter on the practises of murdering by lies deceits c. I verily believe that the Non-Conformists rather than that they would imitate Judith in these things would rather be expos'd to the worst of miseries whereby they would more effectually demonstrate to the World the Loyalty of their Principles than by their Conformity There are several other things that must be practised if the Apocriphal Books be embrac'd as the Rule of manners unto which the Dissenters cannot conform But designing to be short I will at this time wave the considering them and proceed to shew the sense some of the Old Church of England Protestants had of these books as I find it in the Abridgment 3. The Old Church of the Jewes saith Dr. Whitaker never vouchsafed the Apocriphal Books so much honour as to read 'em publiquely which also the Learned hold to be a good president for us to follow The Council of Hippo sayes Bishop Jewell speaking of the Canonical Scriptures decreed that besides them nothing might be read in the Church The Council held at Laodicea decreed on the Sabbath we may not read any books that be without the Canon but only the Canonical books of the Old and New Testament To the like effect Chrysostom speaks sayes the same Jewell and as Bishop Jewell so Bishop Horn and Bishop Pilkinton asserts the French Church by the constitutions of Lewes and Charles were against the reading of the Apocrypha Whoever will diligently compare what Protestant writers offer against Apocryphal books with the books themselves will find so many idle stories and fables so many errors and ill presidents in it that they cannot but conclude with Dr. Sutcliff That it is impudence in the Papists that they match Apocryphal books and Legends with the Scriptures or at least read them in the Churches together with the Scriptures From the whole hath been said on this particular I inferr that 't is but charity to conclude that some Dissenters may receive such strong convictions concerning the unlawfulness of conforming to this part of the Liturgy that their Non-conformity may be more justly esteemed the product of Conscience than the Off-spring of obstinacy and an unreasonable Humour Argument II. II. Some Dissenters cannot Conscientiously approve of the Translation of the Psalmes which is read at the ordinary Lord's dayes service because 't is not only imperfect but moreover in some places senseless and absurd and in other places false directly contradicting our last Translation of the Psalmes in the Bible The Translation now us'd is the same set forth in the times of ignorance when the light of the truth did but begin to dawn in Henry the 8th dayes and is 1. Imperfect because among many other omissions all the Titles though a part of the original and very usefull are left out 2. Sensless and absurd for Psal 58. 9. where our Translation has it thus viz. before your pots can feel the Thorns he shall take them away with a Whirl-wind both living and in his wrath In the Service Book Translation 't is or ever your pots be made hot with Thorns so let indignation vex them as a thing that is raw So Psal 72. 6. He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass This in the common prayer is Translated thus he shall come down like the rain into a fleece of Wool This our Old Protestant divines look'd upon as a corruption in the Papists not to be approved but can it be less so when done by the sons of the Church of England Fulk Withers Bulkley Whitaker and others have blamed the Rhemists Translation because 't is in many places senseless and absurd for which reason seeing the Translation of the Psalmes in the Service Book is as senseless in some things as that of the Rhemists is in other 't is as much to be blamed and as little to be approv'd But this is not all for this Translation in Henry the 8th is not only imperfect absurd and senseless but moreover in some places contrary to the original not only in the opinion of Dissenters but also in the judgment of those who were the Authours of the best Translation that ever was in English 1. The Psalter has it in Psal 17. 4. Thus because of mens works that are done against the words of thy lips I have kept me from the wayes of the destroyer but more agreeably to the Original our Translation is thus concerning the works of men by the words of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer whereby 't is apparent that not mens works that are done against the words of God's lips kept David right but concerning mens works David was kept from the paths of the destroyer by the words of God's lips 2. In Psal 18. 26. The Psalter sayes that with the froward thou shalt learn frowardness but according to the Hebrew 't is as our last translation in the Bible has it with the froward thou shalt shew thy self froward 3. In the Psalter Psal 68. 6. 't is thus he is the God that maketh men to be of one mind in an house whereas according to the Hebrew 't is God setteth the solitary in Families 4. In the Psalter Psal 107. 40. Though he suffer them to be evil intreated through Tyrants but according to the Hebrew in our Bibles He poureth contempt upon Princes But 5. In Psal 105. 28. The Psalter sayes And they were not obedient unto his word but the Hebrew And they rebelled not against his word or were not disobedient to his word And in Psal 106. 30. The Psalter has it Then stood up Phineas and Prayed and so the Plague ceased But our Bibles then stood up Phinehas and executed judgment and the Plague ceased which is not only most agreeable to the Hebrew in this place but moreover to the History in number 25. 7 8. Such as conform to the ordinary Lord's dayes Service must not only shew their approbation to the many idle Stories in the Apocryphal books and give 'em that countenance that alone pertains to the pure word of God but besides must lay
sayes the common fame went for truth that the Pope promised to confirm out of his own authority the English Liturgy provided her Majesty should rank her self with the Roman Church To thefe I adjoyn Dr. Boyes who was a bitter expositor of the English Liturgy as Heiga by the Doctors of Dowayes appointment was of the Mass after he hath whetted his teeth upon the Schismaticks in his Epistle to Bancroft he produceth the letter of Pope Pius for the approbation of the Service Book and notes also the Testimony of approbation from Bristow in his motives Queen Elizabeth being interdicted by the Popes Bull. Secretary Walsingham wrought so that he procured two Intelligences to be sent from the Pope as it were in secret into England to whom the Secretary appointed a State Intelligencer to be their Guide who shew'd them London and Canterbury service in all the pomp of it which the popish Intelligencers viewing and considering well with much admiration they wondred that their Lord the Pope was so ill advised or at least ill informed as to interdict a Prince whose Service and Ceremonies so Symobiliz'd with his own and therefore returning to Rome they possest the Pope that they saw no Service Ceremonies or Orders in England but they might very well serve in Rome whereupon the Bull was recalled to this also Doctor Carrier consid p. 45. a dangerous seducing Jesuit gives ample evidences The Common Prayer book saith he and the Catechism contained in it held no point of Doctrine expresly contrary to Antiquity that is as he explaineth himself contrary to the Romish Service c. Much more might be spoke to this purpose but I wave it judging that what hath been already offer'd is sufficient to evince that there is at least in the judgment of many a very great agreableness between the two service books 2. What is it that occasion'd the Church of Englands adhering to so great a part of the Romish Service Book even when she forsook the Communion of that Church Whoever considers the State of the Church in Edward the sixth his time will find that Cranmer and others discover'd a propension to drive on the Reformation much farther than they did but were hindred by the iniquity of the times Thus Bullinger as I find it in a difcourse of the troubles of Franckford reports to Mr. Williams Whittingham Gilby and others that Cranmer Bishop of Canterbury had drawn up a book of Prayers an hundred times more perfect than this we now have but the same could not take place for that Cranmer was matched with a wicked Clergy and Convocation with other enemies There were also reasons of a like nature that might hinder the furtherance of the reformation in Queen Elizabeths dayes for even then the ignorance of the vulgar accompanied with a proportionable hatred to true Religion was very great Whence 't is that Cambden assures us that the change of Religion was not suddenly made but by little and little by degrees for the Roman Religion continued in the same State it was first a full Month and more after the death of Queen Mary The 27th of December it was tolerated to have the Epistles and Gospels the Ten Commandments the Symbole the Litany and the Lords Prayer in the vulgar Tongue The 22 of March the Parliament being Assembled the order of Edward the sixth was re-established and by act of the same the whole use of Lord's Supper granted under both kinds The 24th of June by the Authority of that which concern'd the Uniformity of Publique Prayers and Administration of the Sacraments The Sacrifice of the Mass was abolished and the Liturgy in the English Tongue more and more Established In the Month of July the Oath of Allegiance was proposed to the Bishops and other persons and in August Images were thrown out of the Temples and Churches and broken and burn'd Furthermore as the illness of the times did impeed a sudden Reformation in like manner the moderate temper and favourable disposition the Queen had to some part of Popery was such as hindred a full Reformation whereupon it was not so far carryed on by this Queen as 't was sometime before by her Brother Edward the sixth That Queen Elizabeth had a natural propension to favour some part of Popery is not only manifest from her I hope Conscientious conforming so far in Queen Maries dayes as to hear Divine Service according to the rule in the Romish Church and her oft going to confession and afterwards when she came to the Throne her choosing to be Crown'd by a Popish Bishop according to the order of the Roman Pontifical which had so much in it of the Ceremonies and Superstitions of the Church of Rome that 't is thought very probable the Protestant Bishops would not act in it but with great alterations and that therefore she desired 'em not to be ingaged in it But beside this Dr. Burnet gives us the same Character I have suggested for sayes he in his History of the Reformation Queen Elizabeth receiving some impressions in her Fathers Reign in favour of such Old Rites as he had still retain'd and in her own Nature loving State and some Magnificence in Religion as well as in every thing else she thought that in her Brother's Reign they had stript it too much of External Ornaments and had made their Doctrine too narrow in some points therefore she intended to have some things explained in more general Termes that so all parties might be comprehended by them She inclin'd to keep up Images in Churches and to have the manner of Christ's presence in the Sacrament left in some general words that those who believed the Corporal presence might not be driven away from the Church by too nice an explanation of it So far Dr. Burnet In pursuance of these resolves the Queen attempts the accommodating matters of Religion so unto the Romish Clergy as to take 'em into the Communion of the Church of England the which end as Dr. Heylin affirmes she so effectually compass'd that for several years the Papists continued in the Communion of the Church and when they did forsake it it was not because they approved not of our Liturgy but upon political considerations and because the Councill of Trent had commanded it and Pope Pius the 5th had Excommunicated the Queen and discharg'd her Subjects from their Allegiance and made the going or not going to Church a sign distinctive to difference a Roman Catholick from an English Protestant I 'll give you the words of Dr. Heylin they are in his History of Queen Elizabeth There past another Act for recommending and imposing the book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments according to such alteration and corrections as were made therein by those who were appointed to revise it as before is said In the pursuance of which service there was great care taken for expunging all such passages in it as might give any scandal or offence to the
evil And in another place speaking of sundry of the Popish Ceremonies you have saith he speaking to the Papists so misused these things or rather so defiled and bewrayed them with your Superstitions that we can no longer continue them without breach of Conscience Bishop Pilkinton misliked that in our Liturgy we are so like the Papists In Marriage saith he and many other things besides we are but too like unto them That is our fault generally that we differ not more from them in all our Ministry Bishop Westphaling in his Treatise of Reformation alleadgeth to this purpose and alloweth this sentence of Augustine whosoever be he Jew or Gentile that shall observe the Ceremonies of the Jewes not only he that doth it unfeignedly but even he that doth it to any other intent tumbleth himself into the Bottomless pit of the Devil Bishop Bilson defending the Reformed Churches against a slander of the Papists reporteth thus of them as approving and allowing them in it The Reformed Churches saith he are so far from admitting the full dose of your Heresies that by no means they can digest one dram of your Ceremonies Dr. Humfrey speaking of Constantines zeal in forbidding all Conformity with the Jewes affirmeth That all men ought to imitate him therein and refuse to conform themselves to the enemies of God in any of their Ceremonies And in another place he professeth plainly both his desire and hope of the utter abolishing of the Ceremonies and of all the Monuments of Popish Superstition that yet remain in our Church Dr. Fulk in one place saith If any man mislike our form of Service as not differing sufficiently from yours he sheweth his greater zeal in detestation of your Idolatry and Blasphemy And in another We abhorr saith he whatsoever hath but a shew of Popery In another place he gives this for a reason why our Ministers use to stand at the North-side of the Table at the Communion that we might shew our selves thereby unlike to the Papists Dr. Andrews now Dean of Westminster hath this Speech in his Catechism if it be true that is in Jude 23. that we must hate the very Garment that the flesh had spotted surely because the Idol is as unclean and abominable no less abominable must that Garment be that it hath spotted Dr. Sutcliffe maketh this one of his principal Arguments against the Papists that they have derived most of their Ceremonies and Customs from the Jewes and Pagans See also a most plain and pregnant Testimony of Mr. Greenham for this our first Argument in the last Edition of his Workes But above all others that ever were read Marbury is most peremptory and bitter in this point And as all these Divines agree with us in this our first Argument against the Ceremonies so do they and others also in the reasons we have brought out of the Scriptures to confirm it by For they hold 1. That those Lawes that we have alleadged out of the Old Testament against the Monuments of Idolatry do bind us as much as they did the Jewes and from them they conclude as we have done that all Reliques of Popish and Heathenish Superstition are to be banished out of the Church of of Christ Of this judgment are Calvin Martyr Grineus Wolphius Vrsinus Macabeus Zanchius Simterus Zepperus our own Book of Homilies Dr. Fulk and others 2. That Ezekiah Josiah and the rest of the Godly Kings of Judah which shewed most zeal in abolishing those things which had been abused to Idolatry did no more than they were bound by the Law of God to do and that from their example the Argument holds strong against the Monuments of Idolatry now because all Christians are bound to imitate their zeal therein Of this judgment was Augustine Calvin Martyr Wolphius Lavater Zanchius Zadeel Bishop Jewel Bishop Bilson Dr. Fulk Dr. Rainold Dr. Andrewes Mr. Perkins and others 3. That the retaining of the Popish Ceremonies will certainly be a means to indanger the doctrine that we profess and to bring the people back again to Popery This was the judgment of the divines of Saxony and of them of Hamburgh of Luther Oecolampadius Calvin Bucer Martyr Wolphius Chemnitius Pezelius Zanchius Dr. Andrews Mr. Greenham and others 4. That the retaining of the Ceremonies of Idolaters will cause them to insult over our Religion as if it could not stand without help from them and so harden them in their liking of their own Idolatry This reason hath been used against Conformity with the Jewes by Constantine the Emperor and by all the fathers in the first Councell of Nice and against Conformity with the Papists by Brentius Musculus Bishop Jewel and others Fourthly we are confirmed in this our perswasion that it is unlawfull to retain the ceremonies of the Papists by experience of the great hurt they have done and do daily in the Church For we find That some of the learnedst of our English Papists namely Martial Bristow and he that penned that Petition for the Papists which Dr. Sutcliffe and Mr. Powel have answered have by this Argument justified their Church and Religion that we have borrowed our ceremonies from them yea some of them as Harding Martial and he that wrote the Apologetical Epistle for our English Papists have professed that this was to them an evident Argument that Queen Elizabeth did in her conscience like well of their Religion because she liked and maintained their ceremonies and the superstitious multitude do usually defend the blessing of themselves with crossing their Breasts and Foreheads by our Crossing our children in Baptism So far the Abridgment To which I 'll not make many an addition because I think that the reasonings of those Reverend Divines those great Doctors and Bishops of the Church of England are so weighty and important that an impartial Reader cannot but conclude that though the influence this Argument may have on some be inconsiderable yet it may be strong and very cogent in the judgment of others in order to the obliging 'em to refuse to joyn with the Church in the use of the English Service especially at such a time as this wherein we are under the fearfull apprehensions of Popery If ever a Popish Successor should enter the English Throne we may easily suppose he 'll do his utmost for the re-introduction of his own Religion amongst us the which now cannot be done with more ease and speed than the first establishing the Protestant Religion in this Kingdom has been For as the generality of the people were for Popery then they are now as much against it and therefore as the first Reformers suited the progress of the Reformation to the temper of the vulgar so must the Papist now and as King Edward argued for the English Liturgy from its agreableness with the Romish So now the Papists will argue on behalf of the Romish Service from its agreableness with our English and say if 't were good under an Heretical Under why shall it
of Prayer will admit every Prayer we make must be according to this Command of Christ But will any say That the meaning is when ever you pray repeat the very words and Syllables of the Lords Prayer Let not one Prayer be made without the Repetition of this Prayer If so then whereas now the Lords Prayer is repeated in the Church six or eight times some Mornings it should be so Twenty or Thirty even at the end of every Collect or other short Prayer This none will assert which is enough to shew that none do understand the words of Luke when you pray say to be in this sense namely when ever you pray repeat these words and Syllables for none do it none of the Church of England nor among the Papists The true sense then of those words in Luke is more fully given us in Mathew when you pray say after this manner that is The Lords Prayer is given as a Form a Rule a Directory of our Prayers A Rule to be prayed by which Rule is transgressed by such who when they pray will cut their Prayers into many shreds and pieces The Lord Christs Prayer was but One continued Prayer all its parts most admirably connected he did not say Our Father and teach his Disciples to add Which art in Heaven This is enough to evince that the Common Prayer Book is not according to the Rule of Christ and that although according to the Rubrick a part of the Lords Prayer is so frequently rehears'd in one Morning as if the rehearsing several Pater nosters was ex opere Operato sufficient to procure the pardon of Sin yet the Dissenters who do pray unto him unto whom they are directed by the Lords Prayer for such things as are more generally contain'd in it keeping as near as they can to the same Method do not only keep more close to the command of Christ in Luke but moreover set an higher value on the Lords Prayer than these Conformists who by keeping to the Rubrick at most do make it but the end of some of their Prayers But to return from this necessary Digression to what is farther insisted on by the aforesaid Commissioners p. 62. 'T is said But if we may according to the Common Prayer Book begin and end and seem to withdraw again and make a Prayer of every Petition or two and begin every such Petition with God's name and Christ's merits as making up half the Form or near Nothing is an affected empty tossing of God's name in Prayer if this be not we are perswaded if you should hear a man in a known ex tempore Prayer do thus it would seem strange and harsh even to your selves This being so there are some among the Dissenters who considering how jealous God is in matters of his worship how pure and how holy are afraid to draw near to God in this disorderly and confused manner when they have the opportunity of addressing themselves to the Throne of Grace in a way more agreeable to his Holy and most Blessed Will When they have a Male in their Flock they are afraid to offer a corrupt thing least they thereby expose themselves to that curse in Mal. 1. 14. If they should make their approaches in this disorderly manner unto God will he not say offer it now unto thy Governours will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person Argument V. In the Abridgment an Argument against the Ceremonies to which those who joyn with the Church of England must shew their approbation is fetch'd from the mystical significancy of 'em thus All humane Ceremonies say they being appropriated to God's Service if they be ordain'd to teach any Spiritual Duty by their mystical signification are unlawfull That this Argument may appear in its fuller strength 't will be requisite to consider the nature of Religious Worship as well as a Religious Ceremony and to make some enquiry after the power man has given him to appropriate Humane Ceremonies to God's worship 1. whoever will consult the Learned of most perswasions will find 'em to agree in the general about the nature of external worship and a Ceremony of Religion Dr. Covel a great asserter of the English Ceremonies in his modest and reasonable examination c. Chap. 6. has very handsomely given the sense of the Church of England in Bellarmine's words as neer as an English Translation can well be to a Latine Original Whoever will but compare Bellarmine's 29th Chapter de effectu Sacramentorum with what Dr. Covel has in his 6 chap. will find the agreement to be almost verbatim Ceremonia sayes Bellarmine est actus externus Religionis qui non aliunde habet laudem nisi quia fit ad Dei honorem that is as Covel without making any mention of his Master Bellarmine Translates it ceremonies are all such things as are the external Act of Religion which have their commendation and allowance from no other cause but only that in God's worship they are virtuous furtherances of his honour Thus Covel who borroweth his explications as well as arguments from Bellarmine in order to the making the stronger defence of English Ceremonies is so bold as to take the whole substance thereof from him without any considerable variation whereby we may find that the Church of England agrees so far with the Church of Rome in this matter as to make a Ceremony of Religion to be 1. An external Act expressive of inward worship Actus externus interno respondens qui est quaelibet externa actio quae non aliunde est bona nisi quia fit ad Deum colendum That is as Covel Translates it the External Act answering the internal which is no otherwise good or commendable than that it vertuously serveth to the inward worship of God 't is an outward sign representing the inward frame of the Spirit as 't is after God 2. 'T is also a virtuous furtherance of inward Religion which is to the honour of God It is apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and special signification whereby he might be edified Ceremonies of Religion are means whereby the dull mind is stirred up to the remembrance of duty and whereby the Soul is edified i. e. strengthned and confirm'd in grace Then is a man edified when his graces are suscitated stirred up strengthen'd encreas'd or confirm'd This description of a Religious Ceremony is not only what Bellarmine and Covel out of him give us but also the same to which a late Author in his verdict apon the Dissenters Plea gives his approbation Page 57. That such mystical Ceremonies or Symbolical representations are not sinfull sayes he I am fully convinc'd because they are good for the use of edifying For whatsoever is apt to inform me and put me in mind of my duty and to excite me to perform it That is certainly for my edification because to inform to admonish and excite
Church by Baptism nor can be by meer Cohabitation even so they never were by their own Consent either expresly or interpretatively They never held Communion with the Church of England in all Ordinances were never confirm'd by the Bishops nor ever did participate of the Lord's Supper and therefore I think it cannot be truly said That they Separate How can they cease that Communion which they never had For which reason to prove these Schismatical Separatists who never separated from the Church seems an Impossibility Surely their exercise of that Right and Power with which they are invested as Christians in chosing their own Pastor cannot be an Act Schismatical By this 't is manifest That those who never expresly nor implicitly consenting to hold communion with any Parish-Church in all Ordinances were never actually obliged to hold Communion with such particular Parishes and consequently their forbearing such Communion or their Assembling in places distant from the Parish Church cannot be a Separation and if not a Separation it cannot be a Schism Thus the Reader may easily perceive how necessary 't is that the Conformists prove that those Dissenters who now meet in Assemblies locally distant from the Parish Churches were once Members and under an Obligation of holding external Communion with the Parish Churches if they will prove 'em Separatists Furthermore they must prove 2. That this people do ordinarily Separate themselves from the external Communion of their Parish Church For seeing the Sin of Schism consists in causeless Separation there must be a Separation or there can be no causeless Separation that is there can be no Schism but how the Conformist can prove a Separation any otherwise than by insisting on the people's not holding Communion in the same manner or same place with the Church is difficult to suppose And if they take either of their ways without the Addition of some other Consideration they must either make many of their own Meetings Separate which are in places locally distant from the Parish Church where their Modes of Administration are different or clear many Dissenters from the Reproach of Separation what do they think of such Meetings in which the Common Prayer is read are they Separate and Schismatical But after they have prov'd both these they cannot prove all Dissenters Schismatical unless they can also evince 3. That the Separation is Causeless and Sinful But how they can prove that those who if they separate do so on no other Account than that they may forsake Sin is a point worthy of Consideration If there be any sinful Imposition made the term of Communion 't is sufficient to justifie the Separation of those who withdraw themselves from the external Communion of that Church If a Church that is sound in the Doctrine of Religion though it detests an Idolatrous Worship yet if it make the least Sin the Term of Communion whereby the people cannnot have Communion with that Church but by a deliberate committing that Sin Separation from the Communion of this Church is justifiable For whatever some may suggest we must not commit the least Sin that good may come thereof To insist then so much on the Peace and Vnity of the Church as if it were a Good for the Obtaining which we might venture on a little Sin is a Notion of a very dangerous Tendency giving too great Countenance to a Doctrine of the Papists whereby they justifie all their Villanies A Little evil say they may be done for the Obtaining a great Good for instance The Salvation of the many Souls in Three Kingdoms is a great a very great Good the Killing One Two or Three Hereticks in order thereunto at most is but a little evil which may be done for so great a good Moreover this justifies all their Officious Lying and Equivocating they tell a Lye that some great good may come thereof But this is so contrary to the pure Nature of a Holy God and his Holy Good and Just Command that whoever will indulge himself in a practical embraceing such a Notion doth but prepare the greater Damnation for his own Soul God is a great God and the least Sin being an Offence to his Dread Majesty cannot knowingly with deliberation and allowance be committed but the person that does it exposeth himself to Divine Indignation who ever breaketh the least of these my Commands says Christ Matth. 5. 19. is in danger of loosing Heaven for though a man keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all James 2. 10. We must not speak nor act wickedly for God he is not glorified by Mans lye and therefore Wo unto them that will do evil that good may come thereof Rom. 3. 8. If the least sin be made the Term of Communion no Consideration of Peace and Vnity or of Obedience to the Magistrate can excuse those from guilt that will venture on that sin Whence 't is evident That all those who by the Reasons insisted on in this Treatise are fully convinc'd That somewhat sinful is imposed as a Term of Communion with the Church of England they do but discharge their Duty and keep a good Conscience in separating and yet by separation do not accuse the Church as if she had been no true Church or as if Salvation could not by others be had in it A Church that is sound in the Faith that 't is a true Church in a Theological Sense being lyable to Error may even while Sound in the great things of Religion impose some Error as a Term of Communion from which those who are convinc'd of the Sin must separate A sound Church in the great things may err in lesser matters and may Impose Assent and Consent unto that Error as a Term of Communion with the which these Dissenters durst not comply but seeing they cannot have Communion on easier Terms must separate There is a great Difference between the Errors or Corruptions of a Church which are made Terms of Communion and those which are not 'T is not to be question'd but that a man may joyn with a Church that is less pure than another even with a Church that hath several Spots in it or he must joyn with none and may be under an Obligation of continuing with that Church although he may go elsewhere and be better edifyed otherwise there being variety of Gifts those who are more eminent than the rest among the Ministery must have most of the people round when other honest though not so able Preachers have few or none However if they make the least Spot or Impurity a Term of Communion he dares not comply As long as he may may continue Communion without being made a partaker of the impurities as in many instances he may he must not separate but when they impose their corruptions as Termes of Communion so that he cannot have Communion but by complying with the corruption he must not sin for the sake of Communion nor on any
Officers as Chancellors Commissaries Arch-Deacons and such like whose Offices are of more value and profit by such kind of proceedings might in such sort proceed against the Ministers of the Church yet your Lordship the Arch-Bishop of that Province of Canterbury have beside your general authority some particular interest in the present jurisdiction of sundry Bishopricks vacant and you also the Bishop of London both for your own authority in your Diocess and as head Commissioner Ecclesiastical would have a Pastoral regard over the particular Officers to stay and temperate them in their hasty proceedings against the Ministers and especially against such as do carnestly profess and instruct the people against the dangerous Sects of Papistry but yet of late hearing of the lamentable estate of the Church in the County of Essex that is of a great number of zealous and learned Preachers they are suspended from their cures the vacancy of the place for the most part without any Ministry or Preaching Prayers and Sacraments and in some places of certain appointed to those void roomes being persons neither of learning nor of good names and in other places of that County a great number of persons occupying the cures being notoriously unfit most for lack of learning many charg'd or chargable with great and enormions faults as drunkenness filthiness of Life Gamesters at Cardes hunting of Alehouses and such like against whom we hear not of any proceedings but that they are quietly suffered to the slander of the Church to the offence of good people yea to the famishing of them for lack of good teaching and thereby dangerous to the subverting of many weaklins from their duties to God and the Queens Majesty by secret Jesuites and counterfeit Papists and having thus in a general sort heard out of many partes of the like of this lamentable Estate of the Church yet to the intent we should not be deceived in the generality of the reports we sought to be informed c. Numb 4. A Letter from the Lord Treasurer to the Arch-bishop July 5. 1584. IT may please your Grace I am sorry to trouble you so often as I do but I am more troubled my self not only with many private Petitions of sundry Ministers recommended for persons of credit for peaceable persons in their Ministry and yet by complaints to your Grace and other your Collegues in commission greatly troubled but also I am daily now charged by Councellors and publique persons to neglect my duty in not staying these your Graces proceedings so vehement and so general against Ministers and Preachers as the Papists thereby are greatly encouraged all evil disposed persons and subjects animated and thereby the Queen's Majesties safety endangered with these kinds of Arguments I am daily assailed against which I answer that I think your Grace doth nothing but being duely examined tendeth to the maintenance of the Religion now Established and to avoid Schism in the Church I also have for example shewd your papers sent to me how fully the Church is furnish'd with Preachers and how small a number there are that do contend for their singularity but these occasions do not satisfie all persons neither do I seek to satisfie all persons but with Reason and Truth But now my good Lord by chance I have come to the sight of an Instrument of 24 Articles of great length and curiosity formed in a Romish Stile to examine all manner of Ministers in this time without distinction of persons which Articles are Entituled apud Lambeth May 1584 to be executed ex officio mero c. and upon this occasion I have seen them I did recommend unto your Graces favour two Ministers Curates of Cambridge-shire to be favourably heard and your Grace wrote to me that they were contentious seditious and persons vagrant to maintain this controversie wherewith I charg'd them sharply and they both deny'd these charges and requir'd to be tryed and so to receive punishment I answered that your Grace would so charge them and then I should see afterwards what they should deserve and advis'd them to resort to your Grace comforting them that they should find favourable proceedings and so I hoped upon my former commendations the rather What may be said to them I know not nor whether they have been so faulty as your Grace have been inform'd neither do I mean to treat for to favour such men for pardon I may speak upon their amendment but now they coming to me I asked how your Grace proceeded with them they say they are commanded to be examined by the Register of London and I asked them whereof they said of a great number of Articles but they could have no copies of them I answer'd that they might answer to the truth they said that they were so many in number and so diverse that they were afraid to answer to them for fear of captious interpretation upon this I sent for the Register who brought me the Articles which I have read and find so curiously penn'd so full of branches and circumstances and I think the Inquisitors of Spain use not so many questions to comprehend and to trap their preyes I know your Canonists can defend these with all their particles but surely under your Graces correction this Juridical and Canonical sifting of poor Ministers is not to edifie and reform and in charity I think they ought not to answer to all these nice points except they were very notorious Offenders in Papistry or Heresie Now good my Lord bear with my scribling I write with the Testimony of a good Conscience I desire the peace of the Church I desire concord and unity in the exercise of our Religion I fear no sensual wilfull recusant but I conclude that according to my simple judgment this kind of proceeding is too much savouring the Romish Inquisition and is rather a device to seek for Ossenders than to reform any This was not that charitable instruction that I thought was intended If these poor Ministers should in some few points have any scrupulous conceptions meet to be removed this is not a charitable way to send them to answer to your common Register upon so many Articles at one instant without commodity of instruction by your Register whose office is only to receive their answers by which the parties are first subject to condemnation before they be taught their errors It may be that I say that Canonists may maintain this proceeding by Rules of their Lawes but though omnia liceâ—t omnia non expediunt I pray your Grace bear this one perchance a fault that I have willed them not to answer these Articles except their Consciences may suffer them And yet I have sharply admonished them that if they be disturbers in their Churches they must be corrected and yet upon your Graces answer to me ne sutor ultra erepidam neither will I put falcem in alterius messem My paper teaches me to make an end Your Graces at command William Burleigh