very shame the Convocation thought it necessary to make them But our Author finding all his arguings to be lost as in p 28. he betakes himself to a sham-plot against those that are not for Alterations as if because they said or rather he for them That they were not seasonable they had said the Parliament was illegal the Government precarious and the Laws no Laws it becomes not a Country-Minister to be a Minister of Satan in falsly accusing his Brethren who have all owned the present Authority and Laws and he that blames the want of Connexion in our Collects should have been more cautious then first to raise an Objection of his own and then infer from it such impertinent conclusions as may be mischievous to others But what think you says he if this Government sink I think our causless dissentions will be one of the greatest causes Who sunk the Government under the Royal Martyr Who had well nigh sunk it a second time under the late King to whom such multitude of Dissenters addressed Thanks for Suspending the Laws and promised to obey him without reserve we have had experience enough who they were that could after all their Pleas for Liberty part with their Consciences to save their Lives though with the loss of their Religion Laws and Liberty so as their Brethren might perish a little before them When therefore he would perswade us that we may have a new Law for the intended Establishment I think no Man will be perswaded to run such a risque for having many good Laws already for our Established Worship we may conclude that as to certainty the old are better Having thus treated the Members of the Convocation he takes his Farewel of them leaving them to their Couch and Consideration intimating that they are all become mighty Politicians or Tools for them that are so Who have been made and used as Tools by the late unhappy Politicians is as evident as any matter of fact can be and I wish I could leave this Country-Minister well in his Wits to consider whether he be not used as a Tool to destroy the Established Church by some who think themselves mighty Politicians Some REMARKS on a LETTER from a Member of the Convocation NO sooner had I finished my Remarks on the Letter of the Country Minister to a Member of the Convocation but I were encounter'd with another from a Member of the Convocation to his Friend in which I feared my Opinion would have been oppugned not only by a greater Authority but by sharper Arguments than any I had yet met with But having viewed his Weapons I found that they were flourished and glittered with a Rhetorical style yet they wanted that Logical strength that might enforce them This encouraged me to take my Pen in hand again and to enter the List against this Master of the Assembly for I considered that though his Weapons were keen yet the Arm that wielded them was but weak and it was no great danger to wrest them out of his hands and imploy them against himself His great flourish was A Necessity an absolute Necessity of yielding to many Alterations in our Established Worship This I thought might prove durum telum for Necessity hath no Law especially when it is Absolute then like the Absolute power it bears down all before it This lookt somewhat formidably for I considered that Necessity had destroyed many great and good Men. It was said of that great Hero the Earl of Strafford Illum non tulit Lex verum necessitas non habens Legem And of a greater than he we have a Law viz. of the Jews making and by that Law Oportet mori to dye and dye he did because it was expedient also for the People But that there was an Absolute necessity that Judas should betray his Master I can no more believe than that there is a Necessity That he who is a Member of the Church of Christ and hath familiarly eaten of her Bread and born the Bag too should lift up his heels and kick at her I considered therefore what kind of Necessity this might be for our Opponent grants there is no necessity in respect of the Church her self that she should make Alterations Because saith he p. 1. nothing is more dangerous to Religion than frequently to make Alterations 2. Because an unsteadiness though in Circumstantials only which are always alterable may become an Argument against the whole the Multitude not being able to judge what is Circumstantial and what is Essential in our Worship what is in the Power of the Church to alter and what is not and are apt to call every Alteration though in things indifferent and by variation of times made totally insignificant to be a change of Religion it self and so concluding that we have no firm bottom become Apostates from us to Popery or Atheism And therefore he thinks the Church of England may be justified that it hath not been forward on every demand of the Dissenters to unhinge those of her Communion but hath to the utmost resisted all Alterations hoping by other less dangerous Methods to heal the Divisions that are among us By this I perceived the Absolute necessity would not much affect the Church yet I considered farther whether there were an Absolute necessity from any Precept that did oblige the Church to make Alterations in the external Parts or Rites of Worship and I found she had a Power by Precept to see that all things be done decently and according to her Order and Appointment and another Precept That the People should Obey those that had the Rule over them And accordingly the most Primitive Church of which we read Acts 2.45 Continued daily with one accord in the Temple and in the Apostle's Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayer Nor would St. Paul endure any Contention about Circumstantials contrary to the Custom of the Church 1 Cor. 11.16 Nor can I see this Absolute necessity in the things that are to be altered because they are confessed to be in their own nature indifferent and when they fall under a Precept of those whose proper work it is to injoyn them we cannot without Disobedience to our lawful Governors reject them Neither can this Necessity affect the Persons for whose sake the Alterations are desired because if there be nothing sinful in our Communion it is sinful to separate from it besides the Dissenters would take it ill of any Man that should say they cannot be saved in that way of Worship which they have chosen for themselves and then there is no Absolute necessity for the Church to alter her Constitutions to gain them to her Communion In a Church where Salvation is to be had we ought to abide notwithstanding some inconvenient circumstances whose Amendment is desirable Though there were great Disputes in the Primitive Church about the Place of Worship Circumcision and Meats and Days yet was there no Separation And
VOX CLERI OR THE Sense of the Clergy Concerning the Making of ALTERATIONS IN THE ESTABLISHED LITVRGY WITH REMARKS on the Discourse concerning the Ecclesiastical COMMISSION and several Letters for ALTERATIONS To which is Added An Historical ACCOUNT OF THE Whole PROCEEDINGS OF THE Present Convocation My Son fear thou the LORD and the King and meddle not with them that are given to Change Prov. xxiv xxi Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat August ad Januarium Epist 118. Cap. 5. Licensed and Entred according to Order London Printed and are to be sold by R. Taylor near Stationers-hall 1690. THE AUTHOR'S PROTESTATION TO cure the Prejudices with which too many are already prepossessed and to prevent the growth and mischievous effects which they may produce I have thought it necessary for the security of my self and Brethren to declare what our Perswasions are as to the Present Government both in Church and State And first we have by our Oaths promised to bear Faith and true Allegiance to the King and Queens Majesties And the whole Clergy have renewed their Allegiance to their Majesties and their adherence to the Church as Established in their late Address of Thanks c. in these words Whereby we doubt not but the Interest of the Protestant Religion in all other Protestant Churches which is dear to us will be better secured c. So that whoever do represent them as enemies either to the Church or State or any Protestant Churches do falsly and maliciously reproach them or interpret that to be their sin which is their bounden duty and care and if these be our faults I hope there is no sort of people who joyn with us in living in obedience to the Laws of the Land and in the Communion of the Church will entertain those Prejudices and hard thoughts of us which some that are enemies to both have from the Press and from their Pulpits scandalously suggested against us to draw an Odium on the Consultations of the whole Clergy in Convocation and to incense the people against them as enemies to peace and reconciliation I only crave this kindness from those that are influenced with these reports 1. To consider what our Adversaries report of us And 2ly what may be the reason of such reports The Author of the second Letter reflected on in the following Discourse relating to the Convocation hath these expressions concerning such as are not for Alterations Pag. 6. I expect no less than that they become abhorred of the whole Nation and as the common enemies of its peace be treated accordingly in every Parish where we live among them P. 5. That we have maintained Trifles with unreasonable Rigor And P. 6. we have already lost our reputation with the people by insisting too rigorously on those things P. 9. That there is an obligation upon us of coming to a change not to be resisted without guilt P. 20. That we are a base and false sort of men that can promise in adversity and forget all when that is over P. 22. That we shall lose the people of the Land and give our Adversaries advantage over us to our utter ruin P. 15. That the People are overthrown by Excommunications for a penny or two-penny cause That we shall totally extinguish all Convocations for the future and therefore he desires them to consider whether the Church of England is now met together only to be Felo's de se and not to mention all his vile insinuations that in P. 25. contains as much spite and venom as he could hold without breaking such saith he as are most perversely bent against reason and conscience to do all the wickedness they can to gratifie a peevish humour With these things he asperseth the whole Clergy in general cloathing them as the Persecutors of old did the Christians in Bears and Lions Skins and so exposed them to be devoured by such creatures But this Author comes to Particulars And P. 25. says of the suspended Bishops whom he acknowledgeth as their greatest enemies must that they are excellent men yet says if they should not consent to Alterations The resentment of the State will be heavy on them as enemies to them and us so as they will be immediately crush'd and fall to nothing And more particularly he thus reflects on our worthy Prolocutor as a man worthy of the death of the greatest Criminal For thus he saith of him We have no reason to thank him for his Speech or his Motto the last of which I suppose pleased him best because it carried a double stab with it the one against the Church the other against his greatest Benefactor to promote him in it Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum But 2ly What is the cause of all this bitter zeal and inveterate malice it is only because he fancieth they will not consent to such Alterations as shall be proposed to them but first it may well be supposed that neither he nor they do yet know what Alterations will be for none have been as yet proposed to them and therefore to hang and draw before any crime be alledged against them is a most barbarous practice especially for one that is of the same Communion with them and upon those whom he acknowledgeth to be such excellent men his Fathers and his Brethren But thus did his Predecessors heretofore destroy the Church by such malicious insinuations from groundless fears and jealousies as the Jews did Crucifie our Saviour Venient Romani They will bring in Popery But when the Church hath defeated that Engine and made it wholly useless by rooting up the very foundations of Popery such men must have recourse to other inventions And the noise of Persecution is raised against them that they have been and would be again if they had power as great Persecutors as the Heathen Emperors were but this clamor the present Bishop of Salisbury with some others have silenced proving undeniably that the Church of England had neither the temper nor the power to be of a Persecuting spirit And now the Cry is That she is of a peevish and obstinate humour that against Reason and Conscience hinders peace and reconciliation and in sum saith our Author That she is afraid of losing her Church power and Church-promotions though all the Nation knows with what general unanimity and Christian resolution the Clergy hazarded all their Promotions by refusing to publish the late Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience and suspending the Penal Laws which now their enemies plead for in compliance with the present juncture of Affairs and is as evident as any matter of fact can be and little less evident is it who they are that gape for the Preferments which other men have signally deserved and are legally possessed of if this be not enough wholly to cure the prejudices which have been insinuated into the Minds of over-credulous and inconsiderate Men yet I hope that which follows
Province or the greatest Number of them that shall be present in Person or by their Proxies shall and may from time to time draw into Forms Rules Orders Ordinances Constitutions and Canons such Matters as to them shall seem Necessary and Expedient for the Purposes abovementioned and the same set down in Writing from time to time to Exhibit and Deliver or cause to be Exhibited and Delivered unto us to the end that We as Occasion shall require may thereupon have the Advice of Our Parliament And that such and so many of the said Canons Orders Ordinances Constitutions Matters Causes and Things as shall be thought Requisite and Convenient by Our said Parliament may be presented to Us in due Form for Our Royal Assent if upon Mature Consideration thereof We shall think fit to Enact the same In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourselves at Westminster the 30th Day of November in the First Year of Our Reign Per Breve de privato Sigello BURKER Vera Copia J. C. N. P. His Majesty's Gracious Message to the Convocation sent by the Earl of Nottingham as followeth WILLIAM R. HIs Majesty has Summon'd this Convocation not only because 't is usual upon holding of a Parliament but out of a Pious Zeal to do every thing that may tend to the best Establishment of the Church of England which is so eminent a Part of the Reformation and is certainly the best suited to the Constitution of this Government and therefore does most signally deserve and shall always have both His Favour and Protection and he doubts not but that you will assist Him in promoting the Welfare of it so that no Prejudices with which some Men may have laboured to possess you shall disappoint His good Intentions or deprive the Church of any Benefit from your Consultations His Majesty therefore expects that the Things that shall be proposed shall be calmly and impartially Considered by you and assures you that he will offer nothing to you but what shall be for the Honour Peace and Advantage both of the Protestant Religion in general and particularly of the Church of England The Bishops ADDRESS WE Your Majesty's most Dutiful Subjects the Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury in Convocation assembled having received Your Majesty's Gracious Message together with a Commission from Your Majesty by the Earl of Nottingham hold ourselves bound in Gratitude and Duty to return our most Humble Thanks and Acknowledgements of the Grace and Goodness expressed in Your Majesty's Message and the Zeal You shew in it for the Protestant Religion in general and the Church of England in particular and of the Trust and Confidence reposed in us by this Commission We look on these Marks of Your Majesty's Care and Favour as the Continuance of the great Deliverance Almighty God wrought for us by Your Means in making You the Blessed Instrument of Preserving us from falling under the Cruelty of Popish Tyranny for which as we have often Thanked Almighty God so we cannot forget that high Obligation and Duty which we owe to Your Majesty and on these new Assurances of Your Protection and Favour to our Church we beg leave to renew the Assurance of our constant Fidelity and Obedience to Your Majesty Whom we Pray GOD to continue Long and Happily to Reign over us This Address was not approved of by the Lower House who thought they had the Priviledge wanting the Books of Presidents to present one of their own drawing but that not being admitted it was voted by the Lower House to make some Amendments which were not agreed on till after a Conference with the Bishops the Lower House insisting that they would confine themselves to the King's Declaration and to what concerned especially the Church of England whereupon a Conference was desired and a Committee appointed to attend the Lords The Conference was managed chiefly between the Bishop of Salisbury and the Prolocutor the Bishop urged That the Church of England was not distinguished from other Protestant Churches but by its Hierarchy and Revenues and that it was an equivocal Expression for if Popery should prevail it would be called the Church of England still To which the Prolocutor answered That the Church of England was distinguished by its Doctrine as it stands in the Articles Liturgy and Homelies as well as by its Hierarchy and that the Term of Protestant Churches was much more Equivocal because Socinians Anabaptists and Quakers assumed that Title After this we heard no more Reply but a Committee of the Convocation in the Lower House having drawn up another Form it was consented to And Thanks were given to the Prolocutor for managing the Conference And the Address as agreed on to be Presented was as followeth WE Your Majesty's most Loyal and most Dutiful Subjects the Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury in Convocation Assembled having received a most Gracious Message from Your Majesty by the Earl of Nottingham hold ourselves bound in Duty and Gratitude to return our most Humble Acknowledgments for the same and for the Pious Zeal and Care Your Majesty is pleased to express therein for the Honour Peace Advantage and Establishment of the Church of England Whereby we doubt not the Interest of the Protestant Religion in all other Protestant Churches which is dear to us will be the better secured under the Influence of Your Majest's Government and Protection And we crave leave to assure Your Majesty That in pursuance of that Trust and Confidence You repose in us we will consider whatsoever shall be offered to us from Your Majesty without Prejudice and with all Calmness and Impartiality And that we will constantly Pay the Fidelity and Allegiance which we have all Sworn to Your Majesty and the Queen Whom we pray GOD to continue Long and Happily to Reign over us This Address was presented on Thursday the 12th of December in the Banquetting-Chamber His Majesty's most Gracious Answer to the Bishops Address c. My LORDS I Take this Address very kindly from the Convocation You may depend upon it that all I have promised and all that I can do for the Service of the Church of England I will do And I give you this new Assurance that I will improve all Occasions and Opportunities for its Service I. In the Adjournments it was first debated What Proxies each Man might have from those that were absent and it was agreed that one Man might have four II. Whether those Bishops that had Arch-Deaconries annexed to their Bishopricks might grant Proxies to any Member of the Lower House of Convocation to Vote for them III. Whether such Proctors for the Clergy as had not appeared might grant their Proxies Which was resolved in the Affirmative Presidents being found for the same Then it was complained that the Convocation wanted the Books of Presidents belonging to the Convocation and it being said that the Bishop of Asaph and Dean Tillotson
had such Books they were desired to bring them in which was done and a Committee appointed to inspect them and report what Presidents could be found that might concern the Convocation which is yet under Examination It was proposed that a Committee might be continued during the Adjournment to prepare things against their Meeting but this was denied Complaint was made of some dangerous Books printed contrary to the Canons as that against the Creed of Athanasius which was sent to the Bishops to be Censured by them A Reverend Person made a Speech on the behalf of the Bishops under Suspension that something might be done to qualifie them to sit in Convocation but so as the Convocation might not incur any danger which being not in their Cognizance it was waved and left to farther Consideration The MINUTE PARTICULARS Observ'd in the Proceedings of the CONVOCATION 4 December 1689. PRayers being ended the King's Commission brought in with a Message by the Earl of Nottingham both which being read the Bishops went to Jerusalem-Chamber from whence they sent a Copy of the King's Message with the Form of an Address to which they desir'd the Concurrence of this House Dean of Windsor St. Paul's Exon desired by this House to attend the Lords to know whether they were all consenting to the said Address and likewise to pray a Copy of the said Commission They Reported from the Lords That they were consenting to the said Address and order'd to be sent down to this House and desir'd their Concurrence and that they would order a Copy of the Commission Then a Question arose Whether this House should concur with the Form recommended by the Bishops or Address the King in their own Form Resolv'd by this House To return Thanks to the King in a Form of their own Dean of Peterborough Dean of Christ-Church desir'd to attend the Lords with their Resolution Order'd That nothing of any moment be agreed upon or pass into an Act till the old Books of former Convocations are brought in Order'd That Mr. Pleydell's Proxy be withdrawn The Bishops desiring a Conference Order'd That the Dean of Christ-Church Chichester Litchfield Bristol St. Paul's Peterborough Drs Hooper Maurice Willis be desired to attend the Lords to acquaint them that the House consents to a Conference and have appointed Managers but desire a longer time to prepare Instructions for them The Lords appointed Friday Morning nine of the Clock to be attended about the Conference Order'd That the same Persons together with the Prolocutor Deans of Windsor Exon Dr. Battely and Archd. Feilding be appointed a Committee to draw up Instructions to Morrow at nine of the Clock Adjourn'd to the 6th 6 Decemb. Prayers ended the old Books and the Copy of the Commission brought in The Committee brought in an Address with Alterations with the Reasons why they cannot concur with the Bishops in their Form in these words We are desirous to confine our Address to his Majesty's most Gracious Message and to those things only therein which concern the Church of England which Reasons being approved of and agreed to by this House it was carried up to the Lords by the said Committee who Reported from their Lordships That what Alterations this House makes in their Lordships Address ought to be specified in the respective Lines thereof in particular Exceptions Order'd That the Form of Amendments sent down by the Lords be referred to the same Committee to meet to Morrow at eight of the Clock at Dr. Busby's Chamber saving this House's right of Proceedings in their own way in this and the like cases where there is no Precedent to the contrary Order'd That the House adhere to the Reason of their Amendments which was offered to the Lords Order'd That Drs Tenison Fuller Beveredge Hamond Halton Thorpe Parsons Gregory Grove Saywell Alston Mander Woodward Goodman Busby Younger Moore Stanley Mr. Kimberley Richardson Ottley Buckley and Skelton be appointed a Committee to inspect the old Books belonging to the Convocation and where they find them defective to offer new Orders for the Approbation of this House Eleven whereof to be a Quorum and to meet at three this Afternoon at Dr. Tenison's Library Adjourn'd till to Morrow 7 Decemb. Prayers ended the Committee return'd the Bishops Form of Address Alter'd and Amended according to the order of the House Yesterday which being approv'd of by this House they were desir'd to carry it up to the Lords Adj till 9. 9 Decemb. Prayers ended the Committee return'd the Bishops Form of Address Alter'd according to the order of the House on Friday which being approved of they were again to carry it up to the Lords being prevented by the Adjournment on Wednesday from attending their Lordships with it who brought down three Reasons from their Lordships why the express mention of the Protestant Religion should be inserted in the Address which are as follow 1. Because it is the known denomination of the common Doctrine of the Western part of Christendom in opposition to the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome 2. Because the leaving out this may have ill consequences and be liable to strange constructions both at home and abroad among Protestants as well as Papists 3. Because it agrees with the general Reason offer'd by the Clergy for their Amendments since this is expresly mentioned in the King's Message and in this the Church of England being so much concerned the Bishops think it ought still to stand in the Address Then a Question arose Whether the consideration of these Reasons should be referred to a Committee or debated in a full House Resolv'd That it be debated After the debate the House agreed that after these words in the Address viz. The Establishment of the Church of England it be immediately added Whereby we doubt not the Interest of all the Protestant Churches which is dear to us will under the influence of Your Majesty's Government be the better secured Order'd The Lords desiring a Committee from this House to inspect the old Books That Drs Tenison Mauder Woodward Halton Moore Gregory Mr. Skelton and Ottley be appointed a Committee to attend the Lords this Afternoon at five a Clock to inspect the old Books Adjourn'd till to Morrow 10 Decemb. Prayers ended a Message came down from the Lords for the Managers to attend their Lordships who Reported from their Lordships That they desire the reason of this House why instead of the Protestant Religion they insert Protestant Churches Order'd That the same Managers be appointed to draw up their Reasons immediately who return'd their Reason in these words We being the Representative â—f a form'd establisht Church do not think fit to mention the word Religion any further then it is the Religion of some form'd establisht Church Which Reason being approv'd it was carried up to the Lords The Lords return'd the Amendments with some Alterations in these words After the words Establishment of the Church of England add Whereby we doubt not the Interest of the Protestant Religion in this and all other Protestant Churches which is dear to us will be the better secured under your Majesty's Government and Protection Order'd by the House That the words this and be omitted The Prolocutor at the Request of the House gave an Account of the Conference with the Lords Order'd That the Thanks of the House be given to the Prolocutor for Managing the Conference with the Lords Adjourn'd till to Morrow 11 Decemb. Prayers ended the Prolocutor Reported from the Lords That they had agreed to all the Amendments with this House and that they would give this House an account this Morning when it would be a fit time to wait upon his Majesty with the said Address Then the House desir'd the Prolocutor to attend the Lords and humbly to represent to their Lordships That there are several Books of very dangerous consequence to the Christian Religion and the Church of England particularly Notes upon Athanasius Creed and two Letters relating to the present Convocation newly come abroad and to desire their Lordships Advice in what way and how far safely without incurring the Penalty of the Statute 25 H. 8. the Convocation may proceed in the preventing the Publishing the like Scandalous Books for the future and inflicting the Censure of the Church according to the Canons provided in that behalf upon the Authors of them Then the Prolocutor acquainted the House That their Lordships received the Message very kindly and promised to take it into consideration And also that this House is desired to attend their Lordships at the Banquetting-House to Morrow at three of the Clock to present the said Address to his Majesty Adj. to Friday 13 Decemb. Prayer ended Adjourn'd till to Morrow Prayers ended a Copy of the King's Answer to the Address sent down from the Lords The Prolocutor acquainted the House That the President had declared his sence of the ill consequence of those Books that were sent up from this House to their Lordships and that upon inquiry he could not receive any satisfaction how far the Convocation might proceed in that affair but he would as far as lay in him take further order about it Agreed by this House That the Prolocutor return Thanks to the President for the care he hath taken about our Proposal concerning the Books and to desire his Lordship to proceed further in it Then it was proposed by the Lords to appoint a Committee of both Houses to sit during the Recess After some debate Resolved That this House does not consent to appoint any Committee during the said Recess Adjourn'd to the 24th of January FINIS