there promised to do you shall be an able and faithful Minister of the Church of Christ The exhortation runs in these Words YOV have heard Brethren as well in your private Examination as in the Exhortation which was now made to you and in the holy Lessons taken out of the Gospel and the Writings of the Apostles of what Dignity and of how great Importance this Office is whereunto ye are called And now again we exhort you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you have in remembrance into how high a Dignity and to how weighty an Office and Charge ye are called That is to say to be Messengers Watchmen and Stewards of the Lord to teach and to premonish to feed and provide for the Lords Family to seek for Christs Sheep that are dispersed abroad and for his Children who are in the midst of this naughty World that they may be saved through Jesus Christ for ever Have always therefore printed in your remembrance how great a Treasure is committed to your charge For they are the Sheep of Christ which he bought with his Death and for whom he shed his Blood The Church and Congregation whom you must serve is his Spouse and his Body And if it shall happen the same Church òr any Member thereof to take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence ye know the greatness of the fault and also the horrible punishment that will ensue Wherefore consider with your selves the end of your Ministry towards the Children of God towards the Spouse and Body of Christ and see that you never cease your Labour your Care and Diligence until you have done all that lieth in you according to your bounden duty to bring all such as are or shall be committed to your Charge unto that agreement in the Faith and Knowledge of God and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ that there be no place left among you either for Errour in Religion or for Viciousness in Life Forasmuch then as your Office is both of so great excellency and of so great difficulty ye see with how great care and study ye ought to apply your selves as well that ye may shew your selves dutiful and thankful unto that Lord who hath placed you in so high a Dignity as also to beware that neither you your selves offend nor be occasion that others offend Howbeit ye cannot have a mind and will thereto of your selves for that will and ability is given of God alone Therefore ye ought and have need to pray carnestly for his holy Spirit And seeing that you cannot by any other means compass the doing of so weighty a Work pertaining to the Salvation of Man but with Doctrine and Exhortation taken out of the holy Scriptures and with a Life agreeable to the same consider how studious ye ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures and in framing the Manners both of your selves and of them that specially pertain unto you according to the Rule of the same Scriptures And for this self same cause how ye ought to forsake and set aside as much as you may all Worldly Cares and Studies We have good hope that you have well weighed and pondred these things with your selves long before this time and that you have clearly determined by Gods Grace to give your selves wholly to this Office whereunto it hath pleased God to call you So that as much as lieth in you you will apply your selves wholly to this one thing and draw all your Cares and Studies this way and that you will continually pray to God the Father by the mediation of our only Saviour Jesus Christ for the heavenly Assistance of the Holy Ghost that by daily reading and weighing of the Scriptures ye may wax riper and stronger in your Ministry and that ye may so endeavour your selves from time to time to sanctifie the Lives of you and yours and to fashion them after the Rule and Doctrine of Christ that ye may be wholesom and godly Examples and Patterns for the People to follow Tim. I confess this is very serious and weighty and do acknowledge I never perused or pondered it before Tit. Add to this that daily Prayer at the end of the Confession And grant O most merciful Father for his sake that we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy name Is not the Minister concerned in this as well as the People when he saith and grant that we may c Tim. Yes without doubt and by Gods help hereafter my Practice shall be more conformable to my Prayers Tit. Pray God it may for evil Ministers 't is the phrase used in this Article are most odious to God and injurious to his Church of all others One such impious Wretch by his ungodly life gives such a wound to Religion and the Cause of God as many of his Brethren though exemplary both in life and Doctrine are not able to heal Besides I tremble to think of the Reward of such a Minister in another world and what he will be able to plead for himself to the great Bishop of Souls the Lord Jesus at his general and final Visitation Rev. 22.12 I beseech you therefore Tim. remember the weight and excellency of your Calling and the solemn Promises in the face of the Congregation made to God then when you were admitted to it Not forgetting your Obligation by Baptism which is the subject of the following Article you are next to read Tim. I give you my hearty thanks and hope these things will make an impression upon me for good Tit. I shall rejoice to see it Go on ART 27. Tim. Baptism is not only a sign of Profession and mark of difference whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not Christened but it is also a sign of Regeneration or New Birth whereby as by an Instrument they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church the Promises of the Forgiveness of Sin and of our Adoption to be the Sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed Faith is confirmed and Grace increased by vertue of Prayer unto God The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the Institution of Christ Tit. You see here what high and noble priviledges are signified and sealed to us by our Baptism Regeneration Adoption and Remission To which our Church explaining this Article in her Catechism adds Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven What Obligations to an holy Life can there be greater or stronger than these Tim. None surely Tit. Add hereto the Covenant on our part to renounce the Devil and all his Works to believe the Articles of the Christian Faith and obediently to keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of our Lives Which Covenant unless we perform and keep we have no right to or benefit by the
7. The Predestinate are both justified by Faith sanctified by the Holy Ghost and shall be glorified in the life to come 8. The consideration of Predestination is to the Godly most comfortable but to curious and carnal persons very dangerous 9. The general promises of God set forth in Holy Scripture are to be embraced of us 10. In our actions the word of God which is his revealed will must be our direction These are the several Doctrines laid down and asserted in this Article Would you have any more Tim. No here is enough and as much as all that ever wrote for Predestination and Election can say and had our Church enlarged this Article to the bulk of the Common Prayer she could not have spoke more to the purpose than she hath in this one Page I wonder the Reverend Fathers of the Church will suffer her Sons to wrong her as they do dayly openly making her speak through their Mouths and often through the louder mouth of the press those Tenets which she never held nay which in the very body of her Articles she so plainly disowns and contradicts Tit. I rejoyce at your Conviction Now these being fundamental points it may not be amiss I think nor time ill spent to see a little for your fuller satisfaction and confirmation what ground and footing each point in this Article hath in holy writ the perfect Rule and Touchstone of all matters of Faith and manners Tim. No sure no loss of time but time well improved and if you will take so much pains I shall thankfully partake of it Tit. For the vindication of our Church reprehension of those men who have subscribed to her and yet oppose her and for thy establishment Tim. I will do it To begin with the first then 1. There is a Predestination of men unto life Everlasting To fit on my Right hand and on my left Math. 20.23 Math. 22.14 Math. 24.23 Joh. 6.37 is not mine to give but shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father For many are called but few chosen But for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortned All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me To this truth also doe the Evangelists St. Luke and St. Paul give witness the former faith that of the Gentiles at Antioch so many as were Ordained unto Eternal life believed and the other saith whom he foreknew he also did Predestinate Act. 13.48 Rom. 8.29 And Paul blesseth God for this saying Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who c. hath chosen us in him before the fourdation of the world Eph. 1.3 4 5. having Predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself Are not these Texts to the purpose Tim. As clear as can be Tit. Besides the Example of the Elected Creatures Men and Angels of the two brethren Abel and Cain Isaac and Ishmael Jacob and Esau of the two servants of King Pharaoh of the two Kingdoms of Juda and Israel the two peoples Jews and Gentiles the two Apostles Peter and Judas the two thieves upon the Cross the two men in the fields the women at the Mill are a great illustration to this truth The next is 2. Predestination hath been from Everlasting or before all times Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Math. 25 34. which the Apostle understands to be from Everlasting saying God hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Again God hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works Eph. 1.4 but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began And as good footing on the same word hath the following point viz. 3. Not all men but certain are predestinated to be saved Luk. 10.20 Joh. 16.14 2 Tim. 2.10 Rejoyce that your names are written in heaven saith our Saviour and I know mine and am known of mine I suffer all things for the Elects sake And our Church in her order for burial of the dead prayes for the accomplishment of the number of Gods Elect. And again in the same Office come yea blessed receive the Kingdom prepared for you And in the form of Baptism we pray that the infant to be baptized may remain in the number of thine Elect Children c. not all men but a certain number are Elected or Predestinated to life 4. They which are Predestinated unto Salvation cannot perish Joh. 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10.28 29. Math. 16.18 Rom. 8 30. Rom. 11.29 who is greater than all And the gates of hell shall not prevail against them Moreover whom he Predestinated them he also glorified The gifts and calling of God are without repentance They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would have continued with us So the next point which these men so much stick at is as cleerly taught in Gods word as any of the former namely 5. That of the meer will and purpose of God some men in Christ Jesus are Elected and not others unto salvation a Rom. 9.11 b Eph 1.5 c 2 Tim. 1.9 d Exod. 33.19 e Rom. 9.15 f Eph. 1.4 5. g 1 Pet. 1.18 19 20. h Eph. 1.5 6. Prov. 16.4 Rom. 9.21 a That the purpose of God according to Election might stand b Having Predstinated us according to the good pleasure of his will c Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace d I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy c. f He hath chosen us in Christ and Predestinated us through Christ g Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things c. but by the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb c. who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you Who hath Predestinated us to the praise of the glory of his grace The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of wrath Hath not the Potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour another unto dishonour was ever any thing more fully and plainly said in holy writ than this part of our Article Tim. I think not or can be Tit. These portions of Scripture to which more might be added were it needfull doe not barely assert a Predestination of some and not of others but assign also all the causes of such Predestination
am convinced it had been as well to have let these high points alone Tit. As well and much better had you spent your time and exercised your Talent Tim upon the 10 Commandments Preached down Atheism Idolatry Drunkenness Whoredom Swearing and such immoralities and in Preaching up Faith Repentance Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness you would have done God better service and had more thanks from your Reverend Diocesan than for your yelping against Predestination Election stability in grace c. without measure or reason and as you acknowledge your self without understanding 'T is a miserable reproach to our Church to see Buzards soaring at that which is above the Eagles flight Tim. I shall be more carefull for the time to come and lay out more hours dayly in Reading than ever I have done Tit. 'T is well resolved and to that forget not to add daily and serious praying and it may not be amiss to insert into your private devotions those requests of our Church Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and forgive us all our sins negligences and ignorances But 't is time we dismiss this and look to the next Article Article 18. Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ Tim. They also are to be had accursed that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth o that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of nature For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved Tit. What is your judgment touching this Article Tim. My judgment is that our Church is too scanty in her charity to damn the greatest part of the world even many Heathens who have lived admirable good strict and moral lives according to the Religion and light they had and for ought I can see the Patriarchs to boot and all that lived before Christ Tit. Not a word on 't Tim For all that our Church saith in this Article is That the Profession of every Religion cannot save a man live he never so virtuously and that no man ever was or shall be saved but only by the name or Faith of Jesus Christ This doth not condemn the Patriarchs or those before Christ who believed in him to come and whose Faith was every way as beneficial to them as ours believing in him now he is come and the Apostle recounting many of these Heb. 11. saith these all dyed in the Faith Tim. But then what shall become of the poor Heathens Tit. Our Church determines not but wisely saith whosoever among them or any other fort of Mankind are saved are saved by the name or Faith of Jesus Christ and no other And gives you her reason because the holy Scripture doth set it out so to us saying through his Jesus Christs name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Act. 10.43 Act. 4.12 neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved So that the charity of our Church in this point is every whit as large as the Scriptures will allow And this is the Faith and Confession of the Reformed Churches d. Confess Helv. 2. ar 10.11 and 2. Ch. 11.13 Basil ar 4. Bohem. c. 4.10 Gall. ar 13.16 17. Belg. ar 17.20 21. and therefore whether your charity Tim or your ignorance be the greater I will not say but this I say to subscribe to such a number of unintelligible Articles unsight and unseen was no Mathematical demonstration of a wonderfull wisdom in you Tim. But it was a sign of the greater Faith Tit. Yes a Popish or implicit Faith by virtue of which if the Imposers honesty had not been of a better stamp than your Faith you might have under-written to the Alcoran or Mass-book as well as the Articles Tim. No hold there Tit. Why what should have hindered nay how do you know you did not since you never lookt what it was Tim. But who could divine but I would Tit. That 's somewhat indeed for I believe they don 't often meet with such blind Believers which may make them as you say somewhat the more wary But if the worst had come to the worst you could have come off tutâ conscientiâ Tim. How so Tit. As you do with the Articles which you believe have subscribed Tim. How is that Tit. Deny them all or many at least of the most considerable of them Tim. What won't go down must come up and there is an end on 't Tit. Then I hope the next will down glibb for I know nothing in it that is the least choaky Try Article 19. Of the Church Tim. The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Hierusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred So also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies but also in matters of Faith Tit. Well are not my words true there is nothing sticking here Tim. Yes something that sticks with me a little and doth not go so smoothly off as I expected Tit. What should that be you believe such a thing as a visible Church of Christ don't you Tim. Yes but not this description of it Tit. Wherein is it faulty Tim. The fault is this that our Churches charity in my mind is as much too great in this as it is too little in the former Article Tit. How so prithee Tim. Because by this description of a true visible Church she allowes some of the Fanatick Congregations to be true Churches or at least true members of the visible Church of Christ for in some of these Congregations the Word they say is purely preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Tit. And if it be so why should they not be reckoned among those parts that help to make up the whole Tim. What without the Common Prayer and Ceremonies these true Churches or true Members of the visible Church of Christ God deliver me from such Churches Tit. Why the Article doth not tell you these are necessary to the constitution of a Church but only the Preaching of the pure Word and right Administration of the Sacraments Tim. Well they are none of our Church I am sure Tit. True no more are the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas yet parts and members of the visible Church of Christ and our Church is no more But I find Tim. you have a greater kindness for Socrates Plato and other Heathen than for these Dissenters for you could be content even now the former might be saved but for the Salvation of these latter Tim.
unto God Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture Tit. Now what did you think of this at the time of subscription Tim. How could I think any thing of what I never saw read nor heard but now I think 't is sound and good and I own and assent to it though it is like in our time there may be no occasion to make use of it Tit. Then we 'll dismiss it to our Successors and come to the next Article 22. Of Purgatory Tim. The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons Worshipping and Adoration as well of Images as of Reliques and also Invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the Word of God Tit. Here I hope your heart shall follow your hand Tim. Ay Sir and more hearts if I had them for all this I stedfastly believe though I am afraid this Faith is going out of fashion Tit. I hope not as long as the Defendor of it lives there is no fear and if Prayers will add to his days he is like to live as long as any that ever sat on his Throne and therefore I hope our Fears will dye before he dyes Tim. Pray God they may and be buried too never to rise more in our Generation or in the Generations after us Tit. Amen Amen And I am joyful to find you so hearty a Protestant I wish they be all such that wear our Livery But what 's the next Article Article 23. Of ministring in the Congregation Tim. It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the Office of Publick preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this work by men who have publick authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard Tit. I suppose we need not stay long here neither Tim. No for I know none but Quakers Lay-elders and such holders forth as the Apostle describes That creep into Houses and lead captive silly women c. but can digest this Article well enough I am sure there is never an Orthodox Divine nay scarce a right Presbyterian but will subscribe to it Tit. Presbyterian yes for Ordination by laying on of hands is a Doctrine they stiffly maintain both in their Sermons and Writings yea and many of them have admitted of Episcopal Ordination rather than run before they were sent Tim. I know they have but for all the rest of the Dissenters they had as lieve Old Ketch should goll them as a Bishop Tit. Why then are the Presbyterians decryed as the great bane and pest in Church and State when at least in respect to others they are men of some orders Tim. O Sir because they are the leading faction Tit. Leading do you call them I am sure they lead the smallest number of any Dissenters this day in the Nation yet unhappy men that they are all that do any ways oppose or undermine the Government either in Church or State are cryed down under that new frightfull and abominable title Presbyterians for my part though I know they are not in infallible yet I cannot but pity them Tim. But I can't what pity a crew of Knaves and Villains Tit. Take heed Tim. for they come nearest the Church of England of any other Dissenters and upon a small abatement could joyn with her which the rest of the Dissenters would not and are they the worse Knaves and Villains for this Tim. Yes much the worse but pray say no more of them for I abhor the very name and cannot hear it repeated with Patience Tit. I would not provoke you too much but I would gladly hear your reasons Tim. That I can't do without thinking of them at least and the very thoughts of them put me into such an heat as utterly confounds my reason Tit. We use to say break my head and shew me a reason but it seems they must be content to be called Knaves Villains and what not without reason Tim. Yes for this once they must and shall and that for this reason because I can't stay now to give my reasons Tit. Are they so very long then Tim. Yes much longer I see than the next Article which I am just going to read Tit. Well Tim. I perceive 't is an hard matter to force reason from you proceed as you will Article 24. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the people understandeth Tim. It is a thing plainly repugnant to the VVord of God and the custom of the Primitive Church to have publick Prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a Tongue not understood of the People Tit. There is nothing you can dislike in this Tim. No 't is very Orthodox and according to the Apostles direction 1 Cor. 14.6 to 19. Tit. So I percieve you have some Scripture at command Tim. Yes but this Text I cannot but remember For at one of the conferences appointed by the right Reverend Father in God the B. of L. where the subject was against Praying c. in an unknown tongue the Dr. that Preached in our division cited this place so often that I shall never forget it Tit. You give a good account how you came to have it so ready at hand proceed to the next Article 25. Of the Sacraments Tim. Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and Gods good will towards us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and Extreme Vnction are not to be accounted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lords Supper for that they have not any visible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duly use them And in such onely as worthily receive the same they have a wholsom effect or operation but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation as St. Paul saith Tit. You may read on for I know not but you'r sound in this and I shall not charge you but where I know you are guilty Artic. 26. Of the unworthiness of the Ministers which hinder
and natural Inferences from your Doctrine and if you would speak out you must own it As a Divine of our Church once did when being exhorted by a Person of Quality to give God thanks for his good Providence in raising him to such a Preserment replied to this purpose Providence saith he thank my Money and my Friends for without these I had gone without it for all Providence Are not these trusty Lads to their Subscriptions of the Articles Tim. Enough of this Sir I have done Let us go on to the next Artic. 2. The Son which is the Word of the Father begotten from everlasting of the Father the very and Eternal God of one substance with the Father took mans nature in the Womb of the blessed Virgin of her substance so that two whole and perfect Natures that is to say the Godhead and Manhood were joyned together in one person never to be divided whereof is one Christ very God and very man who truly suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a sacrifice not only for Original guilt but also for actual sins of men Tit. This is another Article you and I have subscribed to and profess to own and have promised to maintain Tim. And good reason for I see nothing in it but what is sound and Orthodox and he deserves not the name of a Christian that says otherwise Tit. I am of your mind yet I fear you have cracked some part of it in your elaborate discourses ex tempore To try you I will only crave your Opinion of one little branch of it What think you of Original Sin Tim. I take it to be only a privation of Original Righteousness Tit. Now I know whereabouts you are You are one of those subtil Gentlemen who subscribe the Articles of the Church of England and when you have done preach the Doctrines of the Church of Rome and Canons of the Council of Trent This is very pretty a Popish Priest may do as much Council of Trent Sess 3. Can. 6. But we will debate farther on this in its proper place under Artic. 9. which speaks as plain English in this point as ever Article did Go on therefore to the next Artic. 3. Tim. As Christ died for us and was buried so also it is to be believed that he went down into Hell Tit. Here is something in this Article will take up a little more of our time than ordinary because it is a matter of weight and what I know you and I much differ in Tim. What can that be 't is all mighty plain to me Tit. No doubt since you never read it before but when you have considered it as oft and throughly as I have done perhaps you may hesitate as well as I in what sense we are to take the latter part of it viz. So also it is to be believed that he went down into Hell Pray what is your sense of it and how do you teach people to understand it Tim. That Christ did personally and locally go down into Hell that is into the place or state of the damned to suffer there to conquer and overcome the Devils in their place of residency and to free those Souls that were detained in Hell till Christ's descension thither Tit. I know some of the Ancients and all the Papists are of this opinion yet I confess 't is not clear to me nor do I find any reason to think our Church intends this sense in her Article And if you will have patience with me I shall give you my Reasons for it Tim. I will exercise what patience I can but pray be brief Tit. As brief as the weight of the matter will give me leave To explain the Terms of the Article a little He went down or descended To descend is properly to to go down by bodily motion from an higher place to a lower But in a borrowed sense or speech it signifies a change of state from better to worse from greater to meaner as Isa 47.1 Come down or descend and sit in the dust O virgin daughter of Babylon into Hell The word here Englished Hell in the Hebrew is Sheol in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this I find is taken four ways in Scripture For the grave or place of the dead 1 King 2.6 For the power of death or state of the dead appointed to all men good and bad as Psal 89.48 For extreme humiliation or abasement or such sorrow and pains as may be compared to hellish sufferings 1 Sam. 2.6 Psal 18.5 and for the place and state of the damned Luke 16.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when he was in Hell Now in which of these senses do you take it Tim. In the last as without doubt our Church intends it Tit. That is not in any or all the three first viz. the grave the power of death or extreme abasement and hellish sufferings but in the last namely that Christ descended into the place of the damned suffered in the same flames wherein the rich man cries out he was tormented and wherein the Devils themselves and damned Spirits have suffered do and shall suffer for ever Tim. Yes I believe so and shall never believe otherwise Tit. Perhaps you may when you have heard what I have to ofter to the contrary which now follows 1. It is not clearly recorded as all other parts of our Belief are in Holy Scripture that Christ did locally and personally descend into the place and state of the damned For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken in this sense occurs but once in all the New Testament viz. Luk. 16.23 which is not spoken of Jesus but of Dives Nor doth the word there signifie the place of the damned from the force or propriety of it but from the circumstances which are there noted For Dives is not simply said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in inferno seu Gebenna but in torments and flames Moreover the Evangelists who have professedly delivered to us the whole History of our Saviour from his Incarnation to his Ascension have not made the least mention of his descention into Hell in this sense Tim. Surely you are mistaken Tit. Discover where And I cannot conceive they would have omitted it had Christ done it or had it been necessary to salvation to believe it Particularly St. Luke writes nothing of it in his Gospel in his Preface to which he tells Theophilus That he would write to him in order of all those things where of he had perfect understanding Luk. 1.3 And St. Paul rehearsing certain chief Heads which he had preached to his Corinthians mentions the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ but not his local descension to the state and place of the damned which had been a fit place and opportunity to have inserted it yet affirms he had preached what would suffice to salvation if they were not wanting to themselves 1 Cor. 15.1 to 5. Tim.
Preach according to the Articles you have subscribed or not But by the way I observe Tim. you have a Whisking Faculty at handling to handle Three such Points in two half hours or thereabouts Tim. Nay I was not longer yet performed so well that I had as many thankful scrapes as Dr. O. himself for his long interwoven Discourse of late at Tit. 'T is like you might have as many Tongues but I doubt not so many Guineys as he Tim. Guineys what are they Tit. Now I see thou art ignorant of something besides the Articles Guineys they are the great Procurers of Advousons Presentations and Ecclesiastical Preferments their Principal Residence is about the Court and they sometimes help a Church-man at a dead lift when Merits and Friends both fail Tim. I wish I could meet with one of these Courteous Gentlemen I am sure none ever stood in more need of his Assistance Tit. One no less than some hundreds according as the Place may be Thousands will do you any kindness at all Tim. Nay then I despair for having lived Forty years and never met with one 't is more than probable I shall be dead before I procure a Thousand to stand my Friends Tit. It will do you more good to understand the Articles of the Church and practise them for that will make you happier in Forty years more than all the Guineys in England can Therefore push on to the next Article V. The Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is of one Substance Majesty and Glory with the Father and the Son very and eternal God Tit. Here I hope you are found too Tim. Yes truly for the Athanasian Creed teacheth me thus much touching the Holy Ghost which Creed I have often Repeated and do most stedfastly believe Tit. I wish all that have subscribed this Article could say as much But let us have the Sixth Article VI. Tim. Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church Tit. As to this I hope you are perfectly Orthodox Tim. So perfectly that I wish all but the Canonical Books of Scripture had been left out of our Calendar for since our Church here Affirms that these Contain all things necessary to Salvation and consequently are sufficient for Example of Life and instruction of Manners I think we might have made a pretty good shift with these especially on Sundays without Tobias Bell and the Dragon with the use of the Apocraphites Tit. And I Assure you if our Calendar were to suffer a new impression and I were the Corrector I should not boggle much to gratifie you in this Opinion Tim. I thank you for your good will but since it is not in my power nor yours to amend it we must be content and make as much use of the former and as little of the latter as possibly we may Tit. Very good I wish we agree in the next as well as we do in this Article VII The Old Testament is not Contrary to the New for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ who is the only Mediator between God and Man being both God and Man Wherefore they are not to be heard which feign that the old Fathers did look only for transitory promises Although the Law given from God by Moses as touching Ceremonies and Rites do not bind Christian men nor the civil Precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any Common-Wealth Yet notwithstanding no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral Tit. This Article hath a great Deal in it Tim. Where lies it I don't perceive it Tit. No Why it Requires of every Christian Man Obedience to all the Commands called Moral now how do you Comport with it in your Practice Tim. I own it Obedience is Due to all the Commands that are Moral Tit. Why is there any that is not Moral Tim. Yes I think so Tit. Which is that Tim. The Fourth Tit. Why so Don't the Article term it so Tim. I can't tell I don't believe it Tit. Nor a great many besides you who have subscribed this Article yet deny the sence of it Tim. I must be plain In troth I hold it no more moral than All Saints or the Fifth of November Tit. I thought somewhat was the matter you make so slight of it Why doth the Church require all her Members when this Command is read to say Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law c. that you can share one half of it Weekly to your own use and Service Tim. And I hope no Offence Tit. And as you give your People leave in the Afternoon so many of them take leave for the Forenoon and thus you share the whole betwixt you leaving the rest to God Almighty Yet no Offence I hope Tim. If it be Moral why is it not perpetuall without Alteration Tit. 'T is the shameful Prophanation of this Day by you and such as have Sucked in your Principles that hath Ushered in so much Irreligion amongst us and helped to pull down such severe Judgments upon us But hoping being better informed you will become reformed hear me a little as to this point Tim. When you have said all you can you can never prove it Moral and perpetual Tit. You have owned 't is so by your Subscription of this Article and will you now question it Tim. Yes I do for I knew not there was any such Article amongst them if I had known it I Tit. Nay never Repent you have done it for you have no cause if you understood as you ought Tim. Understand what Tit. That the Morality of this Fourth Command lies not in observing the Seventh day from the Creation for the Fourth Commandment doth not require to use and sanctifie the Seventh Day from the Creation not from any other period or Date of time but only the Seventh Day after Six of Labour or coming between Six of Labour in a settled Course of Numbring from any Period that God should appoint and so in the Meaning of that Commandment we do now and ever must use the Seventh Day For the Seventh is that part in order of Numbering which still comes between Six having Six before it and Six after it continually and so our Sunday our Day of rest hath and therefore we also rest the Seventh Day Tim. I deny it ours is the first not the Seventh Tit. And the Seventh as much as the first the first of our Week and Seventh after Six of Labour Indeed the Period
from which we take the beginning of our Account is not the same but another from the Jews for they did Reckon from the beginning of the Creation and so forward we from the Resurrection and so forward but ours is as truely and surely the Seventh as theirs though Reckoned from another Period and as for the Period whence the account must be made we have no word at all in the Precept For the Precept saith not Six Days from the Creation thou shalt labour and the Seventh from the Creation is the Sabbath of the Lord but Six Days shalt thou labour nor doth it say The Lord blessed and Sanctified the Seventh Day from the Creation but the Sabbath Day that is the Seventh after Six of labour Tim. And what do you understand by all this Tit. I understand what I suppose the Article Enjoynes by Requiring every Christian to yield obedience to the Commandments and so to this Fourth among the rest viz. That you and I and every Christian is oblidg'd by vertue of this Command for ever to rest every Seventh day after Six from all labour Recreation c. and to Dedicate it in Solemn manner wholly to the worship and Service of God by preaching Reading Praying and other Holy Religious Duties and Exercises both in Publick and Private Consider this a little and give me your thoughts Tim. I need not much time to Study I have in the Company I have been Conversant with some Clergy men as well as others heard the Sabbath so Decryed and the strickt Observation of it so slighted and vilified that I thought there was little in it more than another day But for the future I hope I shall be more diligent in preparing for it and more strickt and serious in the Observation of it than ever I have been Tit. You will do very well and to endeavour to bring it into greater esteem and veneration with the people wherever you come for the life of all Religion amongst us consists in a due keeping this day and believe it our own practice in this regard will prevail more than our Preaching Inasmuch as Examples are of more force with men than Precepts And 't is our Obedience to Gods Commands which must evidence the sincerity of our Faith contained in the Creeds mentioned in the next Article Article VIII The three Creeds Nice Creed Athanasius Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed ought throughly to be received and believed for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture Tit. Touching this I think I need not question you for though you never see them in the Articles before yet you have often Read them in the Common-Prayer and I suppose with hearty assent to the Articles of Christian Faith contained in them Tim. I do so Tim. Let us therefore hear the next viz. Article IX Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of Adam whereby man is very far gone from Original Righteousness and is of his own Nature inclined to evil so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit and therefore in every person born into this world it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation And this infection of Nature doth remain yea in them that are regenerated whereby the lust of the Flesh called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some do expound the wisdom some sensuality some the affection some the desire of the flesh is not subject to the Law od And although there is no condemnation for them that Believe and are Baptized yet the Apostle doth confess that concupisence and lust hath of it self the nature of sin Tit. If I remember right at Reading the second Article you discovered your self a little infirm and faulty about Original sin calling it only a privation of Original Righteousness what think you now Tim. I think if I had Read this Article I should never have Subscribed it nor do I believe it now I have Subscribed it Tit. What nothing no part of it Tim. Truely very little a very small part of it Tit. Do you believe the Scriptures if you do I see no reason why we should not believe this found Article of our Church even every shred and Syllable of it For 1. It asserts that there is Original sin which is called sin Rom. 7.8 The sining sin Rom. 7.13 The sin that dwelleth in us Rom. 7 20. The sin that so easily besets us Heb. 11.1 The body of sin The body of Death The Law in the Members It is also called Fesh Rom. 7.23.24 Joh. 3.6 Rom. 7.5 Ro. 7.25 King 1.8.38 Heb. 12. Jam. 1.14 The old man The Law of sin The plague in ones own heart And the root of bitterness Besides the woful effects we find of it in our selves proves it As blindness in the mind darkness in understanding rebellion in the will c. with unholy and unclean affections proneness to sinful and aversness to Holy and Godly Actions 2. Next this Article teacheth us that this Original corruption remains in every man even in the Regenerate and this St. Paul acknowledgeth at large in Rom. 7. and Gal. 5.17 He saith the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that we cannot do the things we would And St. James Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust And the best of Gods Children bewail the remainder and indwelling of this Lust and Corruption doubtless therefore our Church is right thus far 3. And also in saying in every person born into the world deserves Hell and Damnation for if it be sin as hath been proved already it can deserve no less Rom. 1.18 Colos 3.5.6 Jam. 1.15 Ro. 6.23 So that I can find nothing in this Article but may go down very well if Arminius or Socinus hath not turned your Stomach against it Tim. It can never enter into my Head that Adams sin he being but one should defile the Universal Nature Tit. I thought Socinus was in your Belly before now he looks out at your mouth 1 Cor. 15.47 Ro. 5.12.17 Adam had in him the whole Nature of mankind and by his one offence the whole Nature was defiled Tim. Adams sin was not voluntary in us we never gave gave consent to it Tit. There is a twofold will Voluntas Nature the whole Nature of man was represented in Adam therefore the will of Nature was sufficient to convey the sin Nature Volent as Personae and by every actual sin we justifie Adams breach of Covenant and that Text Rom. 5.12 19. seems clear for the imputation of Adams sin All were in Adam Peccatum Adami ita posterii imputatur ac si omnes idem peccatum patranissent Bellarm. Again Peccatum Originale tametsi ab Adamo est non tamen Adami sed nostrum est Tom. 4. l. 4. c. 3. 8. and sinned
not easie nay 't is almost impossible to miss it Tit. Why what is the sense say you Tim. That Believers or such as have received the Spirit of God and his saving Graces may fall away Tit. What totally and finally and perish Everlastingly Tim. Yes totally and finally and be Damned Tit. I judged I should find you as sound in this Point as that Sheep that shaking her self in a frosty Morning falls in pieces That this Article or our Church in it doth not intend a total and final Apostacy is apparent to me by these Two things 1. Because she saith not That such as have received the Holy Ghost c. may fall away but that they may fall into Sin as David Peter and others who Sinned or fell into great and gross Sins after Grace given yet no final Apostates 2. Because she saith in this Article That the grant of Repentance is not to be denyed to such as it is to be granted They which thus Sin after the Reception of the Holy Ghost and Grace given may Repent And by the Grace of God may rise again and amend their Lives as the forementioned Saints and Servants of God David and St. Peter did which no final total Apostate ever did or can do Therefore it cannot be meant of a final Apostacy or falling away from Grace And therefore if you have taught any such Doctrine you have Preached down this Article and many plain Texts of Scripture to boot as They should deceive if it were possible the very Elect. Whom he loveth he loveth to the end The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 2.6 Rom. 8.30 He that believeth in him shall not be confounded Whom he did predestinate them he also called whom he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also glorified And many more gracious and infallible promises assuring us of the stability and perseverance of true Believers of such as have received the Holy Ghost and Graces thereof Tim. Nay now we are in indeed if we are come to Election and Predestination Tit. Yea and good and proper mediums too to prove no final apostacy or falling away from grace for grant the one and the other follows Election and Predestination are inconsistent with a total and final defection But I hope Tim these are not frightfull terms to you you have heard of them before Tim. Yes but don't well understand them Election and Predestination 't is nonsense Tit. Such sense as you have subscribed to and consequently should believe and maintain against all Arminians and other Opposers Tim. I can't imagin any Article of our Church asserts any such thing so contrary to all reason as nothing can be more Tit. Yes this is such an unreasonable Article and by good luck the very next in course and so full mouth'd for Election and Predestination that you 'ld think some body spoke it through Calvin's Mouth or at least that that wretched stiff Predestinarian guided the hand of him that writ it Look there 't is Tim. nay ne'er start at it but out with it like a man of metal Article 17. Tim. Predestination to life is the Everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to Everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk Religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to Everlasting Felicity As the Godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to Godly Persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the Flesh and their Earthly Members and drawing up their mind to high and Heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their Faith of Eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God So for curious and carnal persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods predestination is a most dangerous downfall whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlesness of most unclean living no less perillous than desperation Furthermore we must receive Gods promises in such wife as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the word of God Tit. Bless me what 's the reason of this sudden paleness in your countenance you look as though you were fainting away Tim. Not so Sir but I am stricken with a strange horror and astonishment to think how our Pulpits ring of Doctrines directly contrary to this Article for though I was so careless as never to read the Articles till now yet I concluded these great Dons had and never questioning their honesty I was confirmed in it by their constant preaching no such Article could possibly be but now I see they are out as much as I I pity them with all my heart Tit. Pity thy self man Tim. I do so but them more because I declare it mine was a sin of Ignorance I am afraid theirs is otherwise and because being leading men they have drawn me and many more into this error by their authority Tit. I am more than half of your opinion For our Church as fore-seeing how prone men would be to dance after Arminius his Pipe hath taken more pains in framing this Article than ordinary on purpose to prevent them and 't is so full so plain and punctual that one would think no mistake can arise but what is willfull Tim. Full and punctual there is all that ever can be thought on against Universal Redemption Free Will Falling away from Grace and the use of those points which are most what their subjects especially on popular occasions Tit. Take the contents of the Article and you will be confirmed in your opinion which are these 1. There is a predestination of Men unto Everlasting Life 2. Predestination hath been from Everlasting 3. Not all men but certain are Predestinated to be saved 4. They which are Predestinate unto Salvation cannot perish 5. In Christ Jesus of the meer will and purpose of God some are Elected and not others to Salvation 6. They who are Elected unto Salvation if they come unto years of discretion are called both outwardly by the word and inwardly by the Spirit of God
as 1. The Cause efficient to be the everlasting purpose of God 2. The Cause formal Gods infinite goodness mercy and free grace 3. The Cause material the blood of Christ 4. The Cause final or end why both God the Father hath loved and Christ for his Elect hath suffered is the glory of God and the salvation of men so that I cannot see how any man who is at enmity with this Article can hold any good friendship with these Texts of Scripture or with those that arise to prove the next point which is this 6. They who are Elected unto salvation if they come unto years of discretion are called both outwardly by the word and inwardly by the spirit of God These things are most evident and clear in the Scriptures where is set down both the calling of the Predestinate their obedience to the word being called Rom. 8.30 Gal. 1.15 1 Thess 2.12 2 Tim. 1.9 Eph. 1.13 their adoption by the Spirit to be the chidren of God and their holiness of life and conversation whom he did Predestinate them he also called God separated me from my mothers womb Called me by his grace Walk worthy of God who hath Called you to his Kingdom and glory He hath saved us and called us with an holy calling according to his own purpose and grace c. In whom also ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 16. the same spirit bearing witness with your spirits that we are the children of God Eph. 2.10 And for their being chosen and called to holiness of life and good works the Apostle plainly enough asserts saying we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them And the Grace of God hath appeared Tit. 2.11.12 c. teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and Godly in this present world yea saith the next Proposition 7. The Predestinate are both justified by faith sanctified by the Spirit and shall be glorified in the life to come All these blessed effects of Predestination doth the Scripture fully assert for know saith the Apostle a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.16 Moreover whom he predestinated c. them he also glorified If children then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ And as we have born the image of the earthly Rom. 8.30 v. 17. 1 Cor. 15.49 so shall we bear the image of the heavenly Now are not all these consequents of Predestination viz. Justification Sanctification and Glorification fully enough expressed in these Texts Tim. Very fully in my opinion Tit. Therefore very well doth our Church say in the next part of this Article That 8. The consideration of Predestination is to the godly most comfortable but to curious and carnal persons very dangerous To the former the Meditation of it must needs be exceeding sweet pleasant and comfortable because it greatly confirms their faith in Christ and encreases their love towards God Rom. 8.18 v. 31 32 33 34. I account the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us If God be for us who can be against us He that spared not his own Son how shall he not with him freely give us all things Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth ye are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.13 14. until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory And again grieve not the holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 Here is a deep and large Well of Consolation to the godly yet not affording the lest drop to carnal and wicked men Tim. But doth not this Doctrine lead towards Desperation Tit. by no means for no man either from the word of God or this Article of our Church can gather that he is a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction but contrariwise by many and great arguments may perswade himself that God wills not his destruction as by the next proposition plainly appears viz. 9. That the general promises of God set forth in holy Scripture are to be embraced of us Math. 11.38.39 Joh. 3.16.17 1 Tim. 2.4 such are Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden and I will give you rest God gave his onely beloved Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish c. Who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth These and many more such general Promises of grace and favour to mankind are heartily to be embraced of us as encouragements to faith repentance and an holy life So that whoever embraceth these promises and as our Church in the close of this Article saith 10. Will in his actions be directed by the revealed will of God hath no ground to despaire or to exclude himself out of the number of Gods Predestinate or chosen ones Thus you see the drift of this Article comprehending most fully and clearly that great doctrine of Predestination with all its coherent doctrines which is so much cryed down in our day and which is the wonder and shame of all by some sons of our Church who have subscribed it Tim. I must confess I have been one of those led by the example of the greater ones rather than by the depth of my own knowledge But surely these men have something to say for themselves is not our Church single in this point Tit. Admit she were yet there are two weighty reasons why they should not desert or oppose her in this First Because she hath the Scripture on her side And Secondly Because they have listed themselves her faithfull votaries by subscription Tim. That is true these are plaguy strong tyes Tit. But withall I say she is not single in this point for the Churches in Helvetia Basil and France believe and hold the same as their publick confessions bear witness yea all the reformed Church Tim. Who then are the enemies to it Tit. The Arminians Socinians Antinomians and Papists amongst these last the Jesuits are the acutest and most malitious opposers of it Tim. This is more than I understood before Tit. It must needs since you never inquired into it before no not so much as to consult the Article which of it self had been sufficient to have regulated you both in your private opinion and publick Doctrine whereby you have often brought your self under the lash of that severe reprehension of St. Jude Jude 10 13. to those who foam out their own shame speaking evil of those things they know not Tim. I
aforesaid Priviledges Nay our Baptism will prove but an aggravation of our Condemnation in the day of Judgment and an unbaptized Heathen would not change estates at that day with such a baptized Christian Moreover we who are made Ministers do most solemnly devote and dedicate our selves to God to holy services and gaining of souls as the Deputies of Christ in the day that we enter into holy Orders And if none of all these bonds will hold us certainly we are the worst of men and deserve the highest Censures the Church can inflict upon us And our Church will never be glorious till all such Apostates be either throughly reformed or totally ejected out of her Tim. I hope I do forsake all the Works of the Devil Tit. Except Drunkenness and Swearing Tim. Truly 't is very seldom In a passion perhaps an Oath may slip and when I meet with good Company I am loath to part and apt to be merry but 't is rare And bating these I think I have no fellowship with the Works of darkness Tit. But there is another Vice I know not whether you will allow it a Work of the Devil or not you are almost incurably infected with for 't is Chronical Tim. What 's that Tit. That which I think in a Minister as bad as either of the former Tim. I can't imagine what you mean Tit. I mean Sloth horrible Sloth and Idleness spending little or no time in fitting and improving your self for the difficult and weighty Duties of your Office And this Vice exposeth you to the rest and all other whatever Besides this makes you so profoundly ignorant that you are not able in any tolerable manner to defend our Religion against Papists and Sectaries and your weak defence of the Truth confirms them in their Errour and makes them cast off all thoughts of reconciliation to our Church Doubtless therefore Idleness in a Minister is a great sin a woful shame and the Mother of many sins And till I see you reform this I shall have small hopes of you as to the rest But this is all I shall hint to you from this Article which puts you in mind of your Priviledges and Obligations by your Baptism Now proceed ART 28. Tim. The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the Love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christs Death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and with Faith receive the same the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ and likewise the Cup of blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ Transubstantiation or the change of the Substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by Holy Writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to many Superstitions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual manner And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not by Christs Ordinance reserved carried about lifted up or worshipped Tit. You may read the two following for they both relate to this ART 29. Tim. The wicked and such as be void of a lively Faith although they do carnally and visibly press with their Teeth as S. Augustin saith the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ yet in no wise are they Partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the Sign or Sacrament of so great a thing ART 30. The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs Ordinance and Commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike Tit. What is your sentiment of these three Coherent Articles and what do you observe from them Tim. I think they contain very sound Doctrine and I observe our Church throws out Transubstantiation and Half Communion Tit. Nothing else Tim. No What Observations do you make from them Tit. Such as I think reprehend both your Practice and Doctrine Tim. Pray what are they Tit. First this Twenty ninth Article which with the rest you have subscribed ex animo to be agreeable to the Word of God declares That wicked persons Vid. Canon 36. void of lively Faith receiving the Sacrament in no wise partake of Christ but rather to their own condemnation And doth not your Conscience tell you you have been oft such a Receiver Tim. I bless God not in the least Tit. I am sorry for it For whoever continues in any known sinful Courses open or secret is a wicked Person Now to omit secret Impieties not observable by Man yet are not by any Coverts to be hid from the notice of God your Swearing and Drunkenness and Ideleness are publick sinful Courses and continuing in these as you do hitherto I cannot learn by this Article how you can be a worthy Communicant at this Sacred Ordinance nay I wonder you do not tremble to think of that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment to himself Tim. But before I come to the Sacrament I repent of these miscarriages Tit. What Repentance without Reformation This is new Divinity Repent of Sin and not forsake Sin The Scriptures teach us other manner of Repentance than this Repent and turn Ezek. 18. and Let the wicked forsake his way Esa 55. And our Liturgy will tell you in her Confession That true Repentance consists in sorrowing for Sin sorsaking Sin and living soberly righteonsly and godly for the time to come Besides had you this lively Faith in Christ which our Church saith is necessary to make us worthy Receivers I must tell you it would purifie your heart and reform your life 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope c. Believe it therefore that Faith and Repentance that consists with the allowed and daily practice of such soul irregularities in the Life will never render you a worthy Receiver at Christs Table on Earth or procure you admittance into his Kingdom in Heaven Often read this Article and take this Reprehension and Warning by it in good part which you must needs do if God give you 〈◊〉 heart to reflect seriously upon your Life and Practice Then 〈◊〉 Another thing the reading of these Articles brings to mind and I would 〈…〉 is this Did not you once instigate your Church warden to present a great part of the Youth of your Parish for not coming to the Sacrament at Easter Tim. I did so V. Canon 112. and 't is agreeable to the Canon which requires all Men and Women of the Age of Sixteen years to receive and to be presented if they neglect it Tit. These are the Words of the Canon I know and I
but I shall not be at the cost to purchase them my self Tit. As you please for that but I hope you will read the next Article which will be no charge to you Tim. I will ARTICLE 36. The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and Ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of Edward the 6th and confirmed in the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are Consecrated or Ordered according to the Rites of that Book since the second Year of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be Consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully Consecrated and Ordered Tit. This Article you and I and every Minister of the Church must heartily own else he must dissallow of his own Orders Therefore we need spend no time here nor much about what follows ARTICLE 37. The Queens Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all Causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any Forreign Jurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government by which Titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended we give not to our Princes the ministring either of Gods Word or of the Sacraments the which thing the Injunctions also lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that onely Prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself that is that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Givil Sword the stubborn and evil doers The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for hainous and grievous Offences It is lawful for Christian men at the Commandment of the Magistrate to wear weapons and serve in the Wars Tit. No man can refuse to subscribe this Article that hath taken the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy as I know you have Tim. Yet if I mistake not this is one of the three Articles the Dissenters would expunge from the thirty nine and I wonder for what cause Tit. Because it makes the King Supream in and over all persons and things Ecclesiastical as well as Civil which most of Dissenters thought was no better than to make him a Pope Yet some of them I think have better considered it since for they have lately taken the Oath of Supremacy and I know not if understood aright how any man can refuse it that is not a Papist Tim. Then this Article may stand now as it is Tit. Yes and with approbation too no doubt for swearing is every whit as bad as subscribing and he that will doe the one cannot reasonably refuse the other Tim. But do they swear as we subscribe ex animo Tit. Who can say that I hope they do being great pretenders to Conscience and sincerity But their Practice will be the best indication of this which I would gladly believe will prove answerable to their Oath and Obligation by it Tim. I wish interest and designs be not at the bottom I suspect them really Tit. 'T is time and Patience must give you satisfaction whether 't is so or not and that 's all the answer can be given at present Tim. You say well and for this reason I shall watch their water And if they don't act and walk according to the Ecclesiastical Laws to which they have now obliged and subjected themselves they shall hear of it on both ears Tit. And I think it is not amiss to remind you that you walk and act according to your Oaths and Obligations least your reprehensions of them be returned with the Devil rebukes Sin Tim. I hope I shall give them no cause for such Repartees having now a better understanding of things than I had And my knowledg being bettered I trust my practice shall be answerable Tit. Well resolved 't is the best way saith the Apostle by well doing to put to silence ignorant and foolish men Tim. In troth more Knaves than Fools I doubt Tit. Judge Charitably Tim. and as becomes a Christian think the best till you see just ground to alter your opinion And let the consideration of your own infirmities make you bear the more with your Brethrens Tim. Nay for Love and Charity I believe there is not much lost between them for mine would serve me to see them subdued and theirs to see the Church destroyed Tit. I perceive by your eyes your Choler begins to rise in your Stomach and therefore we must leave this and proceed to the next Article and so to a close in a few words Tim. Why have we so near done Tit. Yes there is but two more and they not long neither Tim. I am glad of it for I am almost weary Tit. But I hope you don't repent of your pains Tim. No no I 'le proceed ARTICLE 38. The Riches and Goods of Christians are not common as touching the Right Title and Possession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every man ought of such things as he possesseth liberally to give Alms to the poor according to his ability Tit. You are no Leveller are you Tim Tim. No. Tit. Nor do you believe and hold that Dominion and Right as to Worldly Riches and Possessions is founded in Grace Tim. No more than I do a World in the Moon or that Dr. O. hath a right to the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury Tit. But you believe and teach That all Christians ought to be Charitable and Rich in good Works and I hope you are so your self Tim. Yes I so teach and so do according to my ability for I am not ignorant of the Divine Commands to this Duty the many gracious promises made to those that doe it and severe threatnings breathed forth against those that neglect it Tit. Then I perceive you are sound as to this Article Read the last ARTICLE 39. Tim. As we confess vain and rash Swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his Apostle So we judg that Christian Religion doth not prohibit but that a man may Swear when the Magistrate requireth in a Cause of Faith and Charity so it be done according to the Prophets Teaching in Justice Judgment and Truth Tit. The summe of this last Article is this That vain and rash Oaths are unchristian and forbidden by the Gospel And that a lawful Oath by the same word may be given and taken in Justice Judgment and Truth Or when we are lawfully called