Selected quad for the lemma: act_n
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A49109
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The case of persecution, charg'd on the Church of England, consider'd and discharg'd, in order to her justification, and a desired union of Protestant dissenters
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Long, Thomas, 1621-1707.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing L2961; ESTC R6944
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61,317
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83
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Men encouraged and taken into the Constitution Do we value a few Indifferent Ceremonies and some late Declarations and doubtful Expressions beyond the Satisfaction of Mens Consciences and the Peace and Stability of this Church As to this material Question I shall crave leave to deliver my Opinion freely and impartially and that I. With respect to the Case of the People the Terms of whose Union with us is acknowledged by our Brethren to be so much easier than their own But these are of two sorts 1. Some allow the use of the Liturgy but say they cannot joyn in Communion with us because the participation of the Sacraments hath such Rites and Ceremonies annexed to it which they think unlawful and therefore till these be removed or left indifferent they dare not joyn with us in Baptism or the Lord's Supper because in the one the Cross is used and in the other Kneeling is required As to these I answer 1. Upon the most diligent Search I could make into these things I find no good ground for any scruple of Conscience as to the use of these Ceremonies and as little as any as to the Sign of the Cross as it is used in our Church notwithstanding all the noise that hath been made about its being a New Sacrament and I know not what but of this at large in the following Treatise 2. I see no ground for the Peoples Separation from other Acts of Communion on the account of some Rites they suspect to be unlawful And especially when the use of such Rites is none of their own Act as the Cross in Baptism is not and when such an Explication is annexed concerning the intention of Kneeling at the Lord's Supper as is in the Rubrick after the Communion 3. Notwithstanding because the use of Sacraments in a Christian Church ought to be the most free from all Exceptions and they ought to be so Administred as rather to invite than discourage scrupulous Persons from joyning with them I do think it would be a part of Christian Wisdom and Condescention in the Governours of our Church to remove those Bars from a freedom in joyning in full Communion with us Which may be done either by wholly taking away the Sign of the Cross or if that may give offence to others by confining the use of it to the publick Administration of Baptism or by leaving it indifferent as the Parents desire it As to Kneeling at the Lord's Supper since some Posture is necessary and many Devout People scruple any other and the Primitive Church did in Ancient times receive it in the Posture of Adoration there is no reason to take this away even in Parochial Churches provided that those who scruple Kneeling do receive it with the least Offence to others and rather Standing than Sitting because the former is most agreeable to the practice of Antiquity and of our Neighbour-Reformed Churches As to the Surplice in Parochial Churches it is not of that consequence as to bear a Dispute one way or other and as to Cathedral Churches there is no necessity of Alteration But there is another thing which seems to be of late much scrupled in Baptism viz. The use of God fathers and God mothers Excluding the Parents Although I do not question but the Practice of our Church may be justified as I have done it towards the end of the following Treatise yet I see no necessity of adhering so strictly to the Cannon herein but that a little Alteration may prevent these Scruples either by permitting the Parents to joyn with the Sponsors or by the Parents publickly desiring the Sponsors to represent them in offering the Child to Baptism or which seems most agreeable to Reason that the Parents offer the Child to Baptism and then the Sponsors perform the Covenanting part representing the Child and the Charge after Baptism be given in common to the Parents and Sponsors These things being allowed I see no obstruction remaining as to a full Union of the Body of such Dissenters with us in all Acts of Divine Worship and Christian Communion as do not reject all Communion with us unlawful 2. But because there are many of those who are become zealous Protestants and plead much their Communion with us in Faith and Doctrine although they cannot joyn with us in Worship because they deny the Lawfulness of Liturgies and the right Constitution of our Churches Their case deserves some consideration whether and how far they are capable of being made serviceable to the common Interest and to the support of the Protestant Religion among us To their Case I answer First That a general unlimited Toleration to Dissenting Protestants will soon bring Confusion among us and in the end Popery as I have shewed already and a Suspension of all the Penal Laws that relate to Dissenters is the same thing with a boundless Toleration Secondly If any present Favours be granted to such in consideration of our Circumstances and to prevent their Conjunction with the Papists for a general Toleration for if ever the Papists obtain it it must be under their Name If I say such Favours be thought fit to be shewed them it ought to be with such Restrictions and Limitations as may prevent the Mischief which may easily follow upon it For all such Meetings are a perpetual Reproach to our Churches by their declaring That our Churches are no true Churches that our manner of Worship is unlawful and that our Church-Government is Antichristian and that on these accounts they separate from us and Worship God by themselves But if such an Indulgence be thought fit to be granted I humbly offer these things to Consideration 1. That none be permitted to enjoy the priviledge of it who do not declare That they do hold Communion with our Churches to be Unlawful For it seems unreasonable to allow it to others and will give Countenance to endless and causeless Separations 2. That all who enjoy it besides taking the Test against Popery do subscribe the Thirty Six Articles of our Faith because the pretence of this Liberty is joyning with us in Points of Faith and this may more probably prevent Papists getting in amongst them 3. That all such as enjoy it must declare the particular Congregations they are of and enter their Names before such Commissioners as shall be Authorized for that purpose that so this may be no pretence for Idle Loose and Prophane Persons never going to any Church at all 4. That both Preachers and Congregations be liable to severe Penalties if they use any bitter or reproachful words either in Sermons or Writings against the Established Constitution of our Churches because they desire only the freedom of their own Consciences and the using this Liberty will discover it is not Conscience but a turbulent factious Humour which makes them separate from our Communion 5. That all indulged Persons be particularly obliged to pay all legal Duties to the Parochial Churches lest meer Covetousness tempt
them if they are constant to their own principles for the keeping out of Popery and it will be an indelible Reproach to them all who have professed a greater detestation of Popery and the Church of England which they have slandered and opposed as if they had too far complied with the Papists if they should at last confederate with them to take off those Laws which they unanimously consented to as a means to keep out Popery especially it being evident to all considering persons that when these Laws are abrogated those Laws by which Popery was formerly established will be in force and so they who consent to the taking away the one do consent to the establishing of the other and set up Popery by a Law. See the first and second of Queen Mary But to return to the Vindication of the Church of England from the Imputation of Persecution let the Reader consider that the Established Church hath neither any Power nor any Principle that may incline her to it 1. It hath never had any Power the Church being always in its Minority and the King being her Guardian she cannot enact any thing for her self her Courts are the King's Courts her Convocations are called by the King's Writs they cannot consult of any other Matters but what are proposed by the King nor make any Canons but what are proposed by the King nor make any Canons but what are ratified by his Authority nor execute them but by his Warrant and that under these Proviso's that they be not against the King's Prerogative nor against the Common or Statute Laws And there lieth an Appeal to the Court of Chancery and the Common Law which may grant Prohibitions against their Proceedings and hinder the Execution of their Sentences so that neither any Corporal Punishment can be inflicted nor any Fine leavied but by the Civil Magistrate by whom all Penal Laws are executed so that if there be any cause of Complaint it is to be charged on those Members of Parliament which themselves chose to Vote for them Nor ought they to complain of what was acted by their own Choice And whosoever will duly consider the Rise of those Laws by which the Complainers have suffered the greatest Penalties will find that they were enacted or procured by the Complainers themselves for those Laws by vertue whereof the greatest Execution hath been done since the Reformation were contrived by the Papists I mean the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance which though some are pleased to call Protestant Oaths yet were they in being before the Reformation That of Supremacy was enacted in a full Parliament under King Henry the Eighth and was only a Vindication of the ancient Rights of the Crown from foreign Usurpations it was defended by divers Learned Men of the Romish Perswasion particularly by Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester And some great Men lost their Lives for defaming or refusing to take that Oath viz. The Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moore and if others have suffered on the same account since the Church of England cannot justly be accused of what was so solemnly recognized by the Papists Nec lex est justior ulla And as to the Oath of Allegiance though it were brought into a form by King James as a Test to discover such persons as had often conspired to take away his Life yet as to the matter of it it was to be administred in all Courts-Leet to the Subjects of the Crown and was so framed as to turn the Edge of it against the Papists 2. The Church of England hath no principles that may incline any of her Communion to Persecuting Practices for she makes the holy Scriptures the Rule of her Faith and Practice and Light is not more contrary to Darkness than the Spirit of the Gospel is to that of Persecution When James and John moved our Saviour to call for fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans Luke 9.54 Our Saviour rebuked them saying Ye know not what spirit ye are of for the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Of what spirit then are they of who will call for Fire from Hell if they cannot obtain it from Heaven it concerns others to consider As many as walk by the Rule of the Gospel are for Peace and Acts of Mercy And it 's well known that the Church of England strictly injoyns that nothing be preached by her Ministers but what is plainly declared in the Scriptures or may be clearly ded uced from it The Church teacheth all of her Communion to pray for all Men even their Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and frequently useth our Lord's Prayer which obligeth them to forgive Men their Trespasses as they hope to be forgiven of their heavenly Father And St. Paul assures us That all our gifts and graces without charity are nothing worth that charity which suffereth long and is kind which is not puffed up is not easily provoked thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13. by which Rule all Christians ought to walk Here the Counsel of Optatus is seasonable Si vestros videri Martyres vultis probate amasse pacem in qua prima sunt Martyris fundamenta aut dilexisse deo placidam unitatem aut habuisse cum fratribus charitatem sine qua maxima imperiosa virtus caret effectu p. 72. If our Church did lay claim to an infallible Spirit and enforce her new Decrees on the Consciences of Men under the pain of an Anathema on all that should not receive them with the like submission as they do to the Oracles of God Did she exact a blind Obedience and an implicite Faith to her Ordinances with a Non-obstante to the Institutions of Christ or if she did pronounce all Hereticks that refuse to hold Communion with her and teach that no Faith is to be kept with such Hereticks Did she account Men Hereticks for keeping and reading their Bibles and Books of Piety and Devotion or set up an Inquisition to Imprison Torment and put to Death Men and Women for their dissent from it in such Opinions Did it punish Men because they believe their Senses and will not fall down and Worship a piece of Bread and give Divine Honour to the Works of Mens hands and Worship the Creature more or besides the Creator Rom. 1.25 Did it approve or allow the deposing Doctrine and approve of Rebellion and Resistance and Massacring thousands of innocent persons for its Advantage and Grandure which some of the Complainers of both Perties have contended for and practised Or did it teach that Dominion is founded in Grace that wicked Men have no Right to what they enjoy but it belongs to the Saints to possess the Earth and to bind Kings in Chains c Did it erect Imperium in imperio an Ernpire independent and paramount to that of the Prince in whose Dominions they live as too many of the Cornplainers do affirm Then might the charge of Persecution be justly pleaded