ashamed of Christ or his Words the Doctrines and Institutions delivered by Him in Person or by his Apostles to the Churches Matt. 10.28 32. Mar. 8.34 and lastly the Danger of a fruitless and ineffectual Profession expressly declared in the conclusion of our Saviour's first Sermon upon the Mount Matt. 7.21 c. and in his Farewel Discourse when he went last out of the Temple in the whole 25th chapter of St. Matthew all concerning Professors whence it appears how far People may go in a Profession and yet at last fail of their Expectation upon the consideration whereof it may be doubted whether as many Souls do not miscarry by Security in an ineffectual Profession as by living in gross and scandalous Sins To Souls thus prepared Truth will undoubtedly find admittance and the Good Spirit will be ready to lead them into all necessary Truth The Discourses above-mentioned are OF Prayers for the Dead With a Preface shewing the Necessity of a Retraction of the mistaken Reformation for a more firm Settlement of the Peace of the Nation A Profession of Faith comprizing the Ancient Forms of the Catholick Church with other Articles concerning the Roman Terms of Communion A Letter to a Young Man of one of the Religious Societies in London concerning Separation and the Proceedings of the Reformation Common Principles of a just Vindication of the Rights of the Kingdom of God upon Earth OF PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD Whether the Practice and Tradition thereof in the CHURCH be truly CATHOLICK and a competent Evidence of Apostolick Original and Authority Humbly tendred to the Consideration of the Right Honourable the JUDGES and of the Gentlemen of the Honourable Profession of the LAW With a PREFACE concerning the Reasons thereof and the Concern of the Nation that the Differences about Religion be better considered in order to a more firm Foundation of an Honourable and Lasting PEACE LONDON Printed in the Year 1699. To the Right Honourable John Lord Summers Baron of Evesham Lord High Chancellour of England Sir John Holt Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench Sir George Treby Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Edward Ward Lord Chief Baron and the rest of the Honourable Judges May it please Your Lordships THough at first to some it may seem strange and improper to offer a Theological Controversie to the Consideration of Magistrates and Judges of Civil Causes yet if the present Constitution of the Church of England the Nature of the Question and the special Qualifications of the Persons for the Consideration of such a Question besides the Common Concern of all States and Persons in Matters of Religion be well consider'd nothing can be more reasonable A Church professing and glorying in the Profession of a Religion Established by Law and so intirely subject to the Authority of the State that it cannot call a Synode choose a Bishop Dean or Prebend make a Canon or alter any publick Prayers of the Church without it a Question of Prescription Vsage and Custom than which none are more frequently examined tryed and determined in our Civil Courts and by consequence no Persons more proper to give a Judgment upon such a Question because none more versed and expert in Cases of that nature than those of the Honourable Profession of the Law Besides Your Lordships and the rest of that Honourable Profession have another Qualification indispensably requisite to a just and true Judgment Indifferency and Freedom from any special Prejudice more than what is common to the whole Nation and as much above that as any Persons in it I mean that of Education by which tho' the inconsiderate Vulgar and People of little Judgment are very strangely affected and moved either fondly affecting or childishly abhorring what hath nothing of real Good or Evil but what proceeds from an abused or deceived Imagination yet Men of Parts Judgment and Experience can more easily extricate themselves out of the fetters and manacles of such Impressions and Prejudice upon consideration of sufficient Grounds and Reasons But the Generality of the English Clergy and Non-Conformists are under a double special Prejudice and Pre-ingagement the Authority and Credit of their Party and their own in particular having not only imbibed a Special Opinion in the Case but inconsiderately asserted and so espoused it also besides the Prudential Caution of not disobliging or offending their Auditors tho' many Protestants in other Parts are of another Opinion and the most learned here have deserted the old Cause both in their Disputes in the Vniversity and in their Controversial Writings And therefore as every honest Man in any Difference would desire the Judgment of such as are most indifferent unbyassed and impartial so every wise Man will desire that they may be Persons of most Ability Skill and expert in such Matters And in both these respects I know none more proper to judge of this Case than Your Lordships and the Gentlemen of Your Honourable Profession Nor is this all that You are thus qualified to judge of this matter but you have also a Concern a double Concern in it but that it may be fairly and truly determined a Concern which obligeth you to Impartiality that the Truth may be cleared and an End put to such Differences both in regard to the Places you hold and the Interest you have in the Civil State of the Nation and in regard of your Personal Interest and particular Concerns both in this Life and hereafter For Matters of Religion are of no little Importance to the Well-being of States as well as of particular Persons and to the Well-being of particular Persons as well in this Life as hereafter And all this in a double respect in respect to the Providence of God and in respect of their Natural Efficacy and Tendency It is very manifest that almost all the Vnhappiness Troubles and Disturbance which this Nation hath suffered for more than 150 Years last past have proceeded from unhappy Differences about Matters of Religion And it would be as evident if duly considered that there is as little Likelyhood if Possibility of any long Continuance of Peace without some proper Application to so fatal a Root of Mischief amongst us for the Extirpation or Suppression of it Nor is this so vain unreasonable or impracticable a thing to be thought on or attempted as most Men are apt to presume upon the Vnsuccessfulness of the Attempts which have been made if better consider'd It is no unusual thing for Men to learn from the Errors of former Attempts so to correct their Methods and Measures as to accomplish with ease what others with great Labour were not able to effect Many things in Practice are like Riddles in Speculation which after many have found insoluble by their utmost Study appear at last when the Secret is once revealed very plain and easie to the meanest Capacity But in such Differences as these there is usually a double Secret the one Supernatural managed by
ever since 11. Whether in these Divisions in the Churches called Reformed the Socinian Heresy hath not had great Advantage by their Neglect of so Pregnant a Testimony of the Catholick Church against it as this of the Solemn Memorial of the Passion of our Saviour before the Father as the great Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World 12. Whether all these Churches called Reformed Note The like Judgments of God are observeable upon divers particular Persons who neglect the Opportunities or refuse the Invitations they have for this great Duty and necessary Means For there is as much Unworthiness and Dis-respect done to this Holy Sacrament by Neglect or Refusal of Communion as by Unworthy coming to it or Irreverence at it And most of the Pretences which People make to excuse their Omission will be found but Hypocrisy at last But many have not Opportunities or discerning to observe this in particular Examples have not great Reason to fear and expect a further Judgement upon them for this Neglect if they be not moved by those before mention'd speedily to reform the same that is to be delivered into the Hands of their Enemies as it happened to the Greek Churches and hath happened to some of these already and particularly to one of the most Ancient and best Reformed of them all in all other Respects the Bohemian besides others since 13. Whether there can be any Objection or Exception against the constant use of this Holy-Worship which doth not reflect upon and imply either great Ignorance or something more shameful in such as make it 14. Whether all such as Oppose or Discourage the frequent Rever and Vse of this Holy-Worship do not therein greatly gratify the Devil and do him a very pleasing Service 15. Whether as well from the Nature of the Thing as from the Authority and Practice of the Catholick Church this Holy-Worship ought not to be restored to a daily Frequency in all Cathedrals with Prayers there to be offered up with this Solemn Memorial for the whole Diocess more particularly besides those for the whole Catholick Church and the Nation as also in all great Towns and populous Places where there are a competent number of People to frequent it daily but especially in the Universities and to a Weekly Vse that is every Lords-Day at least in all other Churches 16. Whether all the Clergy belonging to such Churches or in such Places ought not Constantly and Reverently to attend this Solemn Worship except when hindred by sufficient special and extraordinary Occasions 17. Whether our Offering up to God a defective or imperfect Service in a superficial formal Manner hath not been a great Offence and Provocation to many to forsake the Church and go over to the Dissenters and the Restitution of the compleat Christian Worship reverently and devoutly performed would not be as likeâ—y to reduce them 18. Whether our Neglect of the daily Sacrifice so manifestly contrary to the Practice of the Catholick Church hath not been a great Scandal and Offence â—o many of the Papists and hindred their Communion with us and the Restitution of it with all Decency and Reverence be not a likely Means to invite them to come in especially if we did but therewithal restore some more of the undeniable Practices of the Catholick Church and particularly that Solemn Manner of Treating of Penitents so Honourable to God and Beneficial and Necessary to Men 19. Whether though of all the ancient Liturgies that of the Greeks the Form of which may be seen in Cyril of Jerusalem and much of the Matter in the Ancient Book called Clements Constitutions not much different from that which bears the Name of St. James be both more Ancient and more compleat than any now extant of any of the Latin-Churches there be not notwithstanding a great Agreement among them all in all the Principal and Essential Parts of this Holy-Worship and between them and the most Ancient Forms of the Jews in such things as are common to both as many are and not peculiar to the Christians and therefore Whether all Persons ought not to be very cautious how they use either their own extempore Conceptions or Forms composed according to their own private Phansies or Opinions in so Solemn Worship of God 20. Whether it be not the Duty and the Wisdom of any Church or People as well as of particular Persons to give Glory to God by an humble Acknowledgment of their Sin and a speedy Resolute and effectual Reformation but a foolish and dangerous thing either to palliate or cover the same for fear of Weakning their Authority or to delay or procrastinate the Reformation or do it insufficiently or imperfectly upon any other prudential Considerations FINIS THE PREFACE THE Method which our Blessed Saviour prescribed for the Reformation of what is amiss in individual and private Persons and Matters viz. That it be gradual and first as gentle as may be by tacit Admonition or private Reproof and if that will not do then to proceed only to the Audience of one or two but still in private that there may be Witnesses to attest the orderly Proceeding as well as the Obstinacy of the Offender and then indeed if that will not do to report it to the Church or Holy Assembly of the Faithful but never to expose the Person till all other Means have been used and found ineffectual and unsuccessful the same is doubtless according to his Will ordinarily much more to be observed in publick Persons and Matters And this I have endeavoured and do desire to observe in the Matter in hand which is of no mean Moment but concerning a Principal Matter of the Christian Religion the most Solemn and Peculiar Part of the Christian Worship For upon diligent Search under the Conduct of the Hand of God into Miscarriages and Matters amiss therein having plainly discovered and detected the same to my own Satisfaction I have given Notice thereof to such as were concerned to promote a Reformation and expected a just time for something to be done or at least be begun for that Purpose And having done all that could be done in Secret I am now by a regular Course of Proceeding to make my Report to the Church and for that since there is no appearance of any opportunity to do it in a Synod there is no other way left but this of the Press And this I have been careful to use with all the Gentleness and Deliberation that is fit in this Case to be used if we consider who is concerned in it and how far I have already out of respect to those in Authority for no inconsiderable time in a manner suppress'd communicating but to a few and some of the principal men what I had Printed though it did but in part open the Faults and now I do but propose a Specimen of a Remedy to Consideration without expressly noting what is amiss desiring only Leave to use it with my own
are other Matters very observable in this Case as several indirect Ends and Motives which probably might be and certainly were the Inducements to many of the Beginners and Promoters of it the Irregular Manner in which it was managed and settled the subtile Accommodations of the principal parts of the Work to recommend the Preachers and gratifie the People but undermining the Honour of Christ and the Power of Godliness and settling the People in Presumption and Security upon a False Foundation according to the Description of the Apostle Speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them and the Fruits and Effects agreeable thereunto a plain Indication that it was not of God but in the Nature of a Judgment and that they knew not what they did nor what Spirit they were of which tho' certain Truths and very evident when looked into yet are not so obvious to common Observation Nor indeed was I my self so sensible of much of them till after much Study and Indeavours to promote the Service of God and Good of my Country it all seemed to me to be under an Enchantment so that no Good could be done Whereupon considering the Fruits according to our Saviour's Rule upon a fair Invitation and Opportunity I resolved upon a Retirement and a Review of the Reformation the Root which produced no better Fruits And coming to it with much Sincerity and Impartiality I soon perceived all this that I have here said and more very clearly and some things which relate to the Civil State and present Settlement of this Nation of which I soon gave an account to such Persons as I thought most proper to acquaint His Majesty with it to discharge my own Conscience what-ever was farther done in it I do not deny but there was need of a Reformation of divers things but none know better than your Lordships and the Gentlemen of your Profession how common a thing it is for Men who have really a good Cause to make it ill through Passion Partiality unreasonable Demands or Charges and such ill Management as if it come to Tryal it must be found against them or tho' it be not Good yet through Partiality or Prejudice to think it Good and then when by degrees they have well fixed and rivetted that Opinion and besides engaged their Reputation in it to persuade themselves that those things are lawful for the Maintenance of it which in truth are not and those things useful or necessary which in conclusion will but expose and ruine it how much Mischief People thus affected frequently bring upon themselves and others and endless Vexations when obstinate in their Opinion resolute in their Demands and pertinacious in their Contentions right or wrong how undecent and unbecoming even in Civil Matters this appears to all wise and good Men who have Opportunity to observe the Truth of the Case On the other side how much more Prudent it is as well as Just and Honest if a Man have the Misfortune to purchase an ill Title or be unhappily concerned in an ill Cause to indeavour to make it Good by fair Agreement with Parties concerned and Tender of what is just and reasonable and such honest Means as will at least secure his Reputation if not his Cause also however much mend the matter This has been always my Practice and this I am resolved to do in this Case of what I have discover'd upon my Review aforesaid I do utterly disclaim all the Iniquity of the Case that I have already discovered or can discover all the Sacrilege Schism and Heresie and other Corruptions of the pretended Reformation in general and of that of England in particular And tho' I do not forsake the Corruptions of this Church to espouse those of another yet I think fit to make my own Cause good and to stand only upon such Terms as I can comfortably refer to the Goodness and Mercy of God and as I am satisfied will make it their Faults not mine who shall refuse Agreement and Communion with me What I think prudent in my own Case if it be so indeed I could wish the whole Nation did see it as well as I For I believe it a more firm Foundation for a lasting Peace and true Happiness than any other we can build upon And if I be not mistaken in the Matters in Difference there is scarce any but such as many principal Men of the one side think ought to be yielded by them or as all on the other confess may for just Cause be granted by them or may be otherwise accommodated by only fit Explications and Expressions To which since the most considerable on both sides have shewed a very good Disposition and the Nature and Precepts of the Gospel and the Peace and Repose and Common Good of Mankind especially in this part of the World which may have a great Influence upon the rest do require it I believe it would be for the Honour and Interest of which side soever should do it to make the Proposal provided it be very just and reasonable Of those Matters which are thought ought to be yielded this which I propose to your Lordships Consideration concerning the ancient Practice of Prayers for the Dead is one and the most proper Instance that can be in all respects It is indeed a double Instance for it is a plain Evidence that one of the principal Suppositions with which not only Multitudes of People in these last Ages but ever since the first Ages of Christianity have been deceived and misled with very plausible pretence is notwithstanding false in it self besides fallacious misapplications of what is true as appears abundantly by Irenaeus Tertullian and the Common Practice of the Ancient Christians in their Contests with Hereticks and Schismaticks And it is in its self one of the greatest Instances of the Power of Prejudice to abuse weak Men out of their apparent Interest without any other competent ground or reason of the Weakness of Men to be so abused and of the Inconsiderateness of those who presume to be positive and direct others in such Cases that I know of My intention at first was to have published a Vindication of the True English Liturgy the first Book of Ed. 6. composed by known English Clergy-Men and afterward corrupted and disordered by Cranmer and a Faction of Foreigners and other unknown Calvinian Sectaries in Secret and so craftily imposed upon the Church and Nation But when I considered in these unhappy Differences how partially Zealous the Generality of Clergy-Men who have any Zeal at all are for their own Party more than for the common Concerns of Religion or of their Country and how unconcerned the chief of the Clergy of this Nation are and have been ever since the State assumed the Supream Power of Ecclesiastical Matters as if either dispirited or presuming that the Care also is incumbent only upon them who have assumed the Power and how little I have found by