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. What have I to do with their Salvation Tit. Not much I confess only 't is an old maxim with Divines that Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus So that if you totally exclude them out of the true Church of Christ you do as much as in you lyes to barr them out of Heaven for which they have reason to give you little thanks Tim. I value not their thanks Tit. However let them have your Prayers that since they are no Christians as yet they may be such in time especially on Good Friday when you pray for all Turks Jews Infidels and Hereticks think on them will you Tim. Then or not at all for I know no other part of our Liturgy will comprehend them Tit. Yes If I mistake not there is one place more wherein they may be remembred without much danger of defiling our Prayers with the thoughts of them Tim. Where is that I cannot call it to mind Tit. That 's much when you read it some 3 times a week 't is that in the Litany That it may please thee to have Mercy upon all men So that if you do but allow them to be men not beasts you may venture to let them have a snip in that sentence Tim. You have named all I am sure now wherein they can have any share Tit. Suppose when you read the Confession We have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done We should understand it of the Phanaticks as well as of our selves would there be any harm in it Tim. None in the world for doubtless 't is true of them to a Tittle And if there were any more such instances I should begin to think our Prayers were composed chiefly for them But surely there is no more Tit. Many more Tim. Where Tit. In the Litany as that From all Pride vain Glory and Hypocrisie from envy batred malice and all uncharitableness Tim. Nothing ever more pertinent Tit. Except that From all Sedition privy Conspiracy and Rebellion from all false Doctrine Heresie and Schisme Tim. Better and better Tit. And that it may please thee to bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are decieved That it may please thee to forgive our enemies persecutors and slanderers and to turn their hearts Tim. Incomparable I profess I shall never read these Prayers hence forward but I shall think of the men they are so apt so exceeding apt that it will add to my devotion ever after Where were my Brains that I never noticed this before As I hope to live I believe scarce a Bishop that knew for whose sake those Prayers were inserted till now Tit. Now then I hope you will let these poor Gibeonites share both in your Confessions and Petitions as oft as you may without turning your Zeal to God into passion against them in Prayer and I have so much Charity as to think they will do much for you and with that sincerity and love as becomes fellow members of the visible Church of Christ for such I take them to be nor doth our Church in this Article exclude them which made it stick long so long by the way but by this time I hope 't is pretty well down if not I am sure the next will drive it down Tim. I 'le try Article 20. Of the Authority of the Church The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies and Authority in Controversies of Faith And yet it is not lawfull for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Goâ—s Word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation Tit. I need not ask whether you ever read this before because I know you did not but how do you like â—â— now you have read it Tim. Not at all in troth unless by Church they mean that at Westminster nor can it be true as to us in any other sense for 't is that Great Assembly or General Councel that decrees and appoints all our Rites and Ceremonies and we have no other than what they approve and establish witness the Act before the Common Prayer Tit. But you believe the Church hath a power to decree Rites which is all the Article asserts in that point Tim. Decree Ay she may decree and decree till her heart akes but if she have not the Votes of the House she shall never have the thanks of the House for her pains and without their Votes and Thanks I know what her decrees will come to Tit. To what Tim. To scorn and disdain with them that make those decrees ' slid man if all the Reverend Bishops of the Land should sit together in Council and decree a Ceremony no bigger than the dash over an Adverb which is scarce half a cross it would signifie no more than if you and I should do it Tit. How you and I we have no power at all Tim. En'e as much as their Lordships in this case was not the P but the other day decreeing out of the Church those Rites and Ceremonies or a good part of them that we have and bad it had the Royal stamp the Bishops might have thrown their Caps after them Tit. And is it not fit that they which make other Laws should by Law establish the Government in the Church Tim. Therefore I would have this Article amended and named thus the P. that is King Lords and Commons Assembled c. have power c. Leaving out the Word Church else I will never subscribe it Tit. That 's done already Tim. I care not but I won't own it Tit. But can you withdraw your hand singly from this and yet subscribe and own the rest Tim. Yes very well Tit. That 's a cunning trick indeed 't is next to a mental reservation By virtue of which a man may subscribe any thing all things and yet in truth subscribe nothing So that I have all this while been under a mistake for I thought you had subscribed all the Articles and it seems you have not
he would have his Disciples and those that succeed them proceed to it with all caution and care endeavouring first by all other means to gain the Offender to Repentance Would to God all our Excommunications were always for such Causes and proceeded with such Cautions and Endeavours It would render both the Sentence more formidable and our Church more honourable Tim. I am fully of your mind for I perceive 't is a thing of weight Tit. 3. That is the next particular the Sentence it self Excommunication carries no less in it than the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5. 5. and 1 Tim. 1. 20. a delivering to Satan Or it is a depriving the Offender of those daily means which Christianity affords and ordinarily Hammonds Annot. on 1 Cor. 5. 5. useth to eject Satan and the power of his Kingdom out of the heart Such are 1. The Prayers of the Church 2. The publick use of the Word and Doctrine of Christianity for he that is under Cerem nec docet nec docetur says the Jews and in the antient Christian Church they that upon Repentance were received in again were first amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearers in the Porch 3. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Now certainly such a Sentence as this which deprives a man of all the Ordinances of God and delivers him over to the Devil is not to be passed against a professing Christian out of pet and humor upon light and trivial occasions but for just Causes and with greatest deliberation and consideration and for right Ends not for revenge or filthy lucre or barely to shew a Dominion and Power But to keep the Church pure by cutting off corrupt Members and to reclaim the obstinate and impenitent by this means when all other proves ineffectual Thus you see Excommunication though an heavy Censure is a Gospel Institution and is appointed for high and excellent ends and is a proper medium to those ends where 't is not abused And I must needs say 't is better used in our Church at this time then it was some Years past Which I hope will make it more valuable than it hath been Many men heretofore being so far from dreading it as a punishment that they sought it as a priviledge as it excluded them from our Church Tim. You have given a full answer to my request and great satisfaction to my mind in this matter which I never before so well considered Tit. I am glad I can gratifie you in any thing Proceed for it grows late Tim. I will. ARTICLE 34. It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly alike for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversity of Countreys Times and mens Manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common Authority ought to be rebuked openly that others may fear to doe the like as he that offendeth against the Common Order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of the weak Brethren Every Particular or National Church hath Authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by mans Authority so that all things be done to edifying Tit. I need not ask your thoughts of this having had your opinion of the 20th Article not much different from this So that you may read the next ARTICLE 35. Tim. The second Book of Homilies the several Titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth contain a godly and wholsome Doctrine and necessary for these times as doth the former Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the 6th and therefore we judg them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understanded of the People The Names of the Homilies 1 OF the right use of the Church 2 Against peril of Idolatry 3 Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches 4 Of good works first of Fasting 5 Against Gluttony and Drunkenness 6 Against excess of Apparel 7 Of Prayer 8 Of the place and time of Prayer 9 That Common Prayer and Sacraments ought to be ministred in a known Tongue 10 Of the reverent estimation of Gods Word 11 Of Alms-doing 12 Of the Nativity of Christ 13 Of the Passion of Christ 14 Of the Resurrection of Christ 15 Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ 16 Of the Gifts of the holy Ghost 17 For the Rogation days 18 Of the state of Matrimony 19 Of Repentance 20 Against Idleness 21 Against Rebellion Tit. These Homilies I suppose you are well acquainted with Tim. Truly no I don't know that ever I saw them I remember that some of our Rubricks sometimes appoint if there be no Sermon an Homily shall be read but understand not what is meant by Homily Tit. It had not been amiss you had informed your understanding better before you subscribed because of the high Commendation the Article gives of them which you consent to examine by your subscription Tim. True the Article saith they contain godly and wholsome Doctrine and do they not Tit. That question comes a little too late from you yet I answer they do The Books of Homilies are I may call them Sermons or Methodical Writings composed on sundry necessary Subjects as you see here by godly and sober men and were of good use in those times saith the Article being read distinctly to the People Tim. But why were they Composed Tit. For the benefit of the Clergy few of whom were able to Preach in those times or doe any more than Read. Tim. How long ago was it or in what times were they Composed Tit. The Article tells you one Book was in Edward the 6ths time the other about 1604. Tim. But why are they in use still what are they better Sermons than are usually Preached in these times Tit. I think not but far short of what many of our Reverend and Learned Clergy Preach weekly Therefore they are rarely enjoyned now but with this Proviso if there be no Sermon Whereby our Church saith no more than this better an Homily than nothing And I think our Governours in the Church shew their wisdom in not requiring the constant use of them For though as 't is said here they contain wholsome Doctrine yet they are not so suitable in these times as in those wherein they were framed Honest B. Lattimer's Sermons contain in them wholsome Doctrines yet if one of them should be read in our Churches it would rather be matter of Ridicle than Edification to most of the Hearers Tim. It is very true for most Persons stand affected to their Sermons as they do to their Garments nothing will please them
Ceremonies are innocent her self being Judge But where I say again are these required Tim. In the Liturgy are they not Tit. Not in that which my Church-Wardens bought for me and they tell me they are sure they bought the newest Edition Tim. I 'le protest you ve stunded me I 'le consider of it Tit. Consider it be ashamed of it for you transgress the Law as much in adding to as in taking from what is contained and prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer For the Act establisheth that and no other the Ceremonies therein contained and no more For your fuller satisfaction read the words of the Act in this point they are these And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no form or order of Common-Prayers administration of Sacraments Rites or Ceremonies mark that shall be openly used in any Church Chappel or other publick place of or in any Colledge or Hall in either of the Vniversities c. other than what is prescribed and appointed to be used in and by the said Book note that also And lest once mentioning of this should not be sufficient you have afterwards when the said Book with the Prayers Rites and Ceremonies prescribed and appointed by it is named these words and no other again repeated What think you now Tim Tim. I think bowing towards the Altar and bowing at the name of Jesus are works of supererogation and not at all meritorious for the Act seems not only not to enjoyn them but to forbid them in as much as they are no where contained in the said Book Tit. Thus you give offence and become a scandal to weak Brethren where you need not nay in things you ought not Tim. I see it and hope I shall avoid it for the future and shall endeavour my brethren of the Clergy about me may do the same Tit. I wish they may But there is that which is far worse than all this Tim. What should that be brother Titus Tit. Thank you Sir for that friendly title I wish we of the Clergy were all true brethren in heart and deed that we might all speak and do the same things as our Rule requires I ampleased I say with this expression of amity and 't will make me the more free in my talk with you as well as serious Tim. The more free the more grateful for you have gained upon me by your plain dealing and strong arguments Go on brother with what you were about to say was worse than the addition of those Ceremonies Tit. 'T is this brother That many of our publick Preachers some ignorantly some I fear designedly oppose and preach down the very Articles of our Church which they have subscribed and which we all are bound to maintain and keep close to which hath been matter of great grief to me to consider Tim. But surely there are none do this Tit. As sure as you are there too many and if I mistake not you for one and that too oft Tim. I am not conscious to my self I do or ever did Tit. I confess I have so much charity as to think so and that your sin is a sin of ignorance because you said but now you never read the Articles Though I must tell you Tim 't is vincible ignorance for that you have not read them is your own fault Tim. No I profess they are so scarce to be got that I know not where to have them and I withal so short of money that I know not how to purchase them Tit. To remove this obstacle and cure your ignorance in some measure here they are I hope you can read as well as preach Tim. Yes yes I am not so ignorant neither pray let me see them Tit. Hold not without Conditions Tim. What are they Tit. Nay teasonable enough First that you will stay so long here as to read them over deliberately and Secondly admit of a short debate as we pass along upon some of them and then tell me whether I do any wrong to you and many others in saying that your Doctrines and theirs do not admirably well agree with them For I meddle only with those that have subscribed yet do not keep to them Tim. All this is highly reasonable and I readily yeild to it Tit. Begin then and read carefully not hastily Article 1. Tim. There is but one living and true God everlasting without body parts or passions of infinite power wisdom and goodness the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Tit. Hold now what think you of this Article Tim. Mighty well sound and good and no body surely but believe and approve it both in part and in whole Tit. I am afraid not how else come you and many others to discourse sometimes against and deride what is contained in it I don't mean the being of a God for tho' some in their works and with David's fool in their hearts say there is no God yet I know you dare not do it in words But that which is next door by they dare and do say Tim. What 's that Tit. That there is no Providence Tim. Admit it wherein doth that cross this Article that hath not a word of Providence in it I don't see but a man may think so and yet safely subscribe this Article Tit. Right 't is what I expected and doubtless there are many of your judgment but what if I prove a Divine Providence governing the world and all that there is and after that prove too that this first Article of our Church plainly asserts it Tim. Then I shall say I never understood it Tit. A worthy satisfaction for your gross wilful ignorance and the great mischief you have thereby done to the Christian Religion and the Church of God established amongst us Tell me what think you of those words of our Saviour Not a Sparrow falls to the ground without your father and the hairs of your head are all numbered I think this bids fair to prove a Mat. 18.29 30. protecting preserving disposing providence and that not only as to the great changes and revolutions in Kingdoms and Nations but even as to smaller matters such as relate to you and me and every man nay to the very beasts and birds And he that shall seriously consider the workings of God now in the world and even in that spot of it which we inhabit and think how the wise and profound Polititians of Rome are baffled in their enterprises and detected in their hellish Plots and Counsels even beyond their expectation or belief must either put out the eye of his Reason or else he must needs see and adore a special hand of Providence acting for us to admiration What prevented the further designed mischief from taking place when London was put in flames if providence did not How came the late
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 not the effects of the Sacraments Tim. Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the VVord and Sacraments yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name but in Christs and do minister by his Commission and Authority we may use their Ministry both in hearing the VVord of God and in the receiving of the Sacraments Neither is the effect of Christs Ordinance taken away by their wickedness nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Saeraments ministred unto them which be effectual because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by evil men Nevertheless it appertaineth to the Discipline of the Church that enquiry be made of evil Ministers and they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences and finally being found guilty by just judgement be deposed Tit. your opinion of this Tim Tim. I have a very good opinion of it as of any I have yet read Tit. But if I mistake not there is that in the close of it toucheth your copy-hold Tim. What is that Tit. 'T is this nevertheless it appertaineth to the Discipline of the Church that enquiry be made of evil Ministers and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offneces and finally being found guilty by jâ—st judgment be deposed Can you heartily consent to this Tim. Yes why not Tit. Here is no body present but our selves therefore I will be plain with you and tell you the ground of my Question Were you not long since presented and accused to your Diocesan by the Church-wardens of the Parish where you officiate Tim. Yes there was a Puritanical Fanatical Church-warden did present me like a splenetick Knave as he was Tit. But pray what was your Crime Tim. A small matter onely sitting up too late and playing the Good-fellow a little too much one Saturday night being to administer the Sacrament the next morning and the Rascal told his Lordship 't was a thing frequent with me so to do Tit. And what did the Bishop say to you Tim. He gave me a grave Admonition and told me if that wrought not upon me Suspension should follow Tit. He spake like himself yet if he had done it as well as said it it might have been better for I don't hear that his Fatherly Admonition hath wrought in you the least reformation What you did before I am credibly inform'd you do still nay that you mend as fowr Ale in Summer insomuch that the far greater part of the Parish are so scandalized at you that they resolve never to receive the Sacrament at your hands more Tim. 'T is a sign they are a company of nice squeemish Ideots and know nothing else they would understand that neither my Vices nor my Vertues signifie any thing to them in my Preaching the Word or Administring the Sacrament Tit. Then whether you are holy or wicked sober or disorderly in your Life it must he the same thing to the People Tim. Yes must and is in this Case for doth not this Article say That he that ministers doth the same not in his own name but in Christs and by his Commission and Authority And that the effect of Christs Ordinance is not taken away by his viz. the Ministers wickedness nor the Grace of Gods Gifts diminished from such as by faith do rightly receive the Sacraments ministred unto them Tit. True these are the Words of the Article and they contain a great Truth Should a faithless wicked man receive the Sacrament at the hands of the holiest man living the Holiness of him that administers would nothing avail such an unworthy Receiver so the contrary But our Church never intended this as an encouragement to Profaneness in her Ministers as she plainly declares by the close of the Article and you make a very ill use of it who shall take such liberty from it Besides Tim. give me leave to tell you that though the ill living of some Ministers and their slight and irreverent Administration of the Holy Sacrament cannot obstruct the Grace of God towards a worthy Receiver yet this is a shrewd bar to keep off sober and serious Persons from that Ordinance especially in those Places where they must receive from the hands of such Ministers or not receive it at all For what Person that hath any sense of God and Religion and the weight of that sacred Ordinance upon his mind though he strives what he can to conquer all prejudices of this kind can receive the Elements at the hands of a profligate and irreverent Minister with that satisfaction that he can at the hands of one who by his heavenly Life and exemplary Devotion in the Sacrament shall excite and quicken the Zeal and Devotion of all that are to partake with him No let me discharge my Conscience this once I heartily wish and pray that those Reverend Fathers who have the Discipline of the Church would narrowly inspect the Lives and Manners of such Persons in the Church as you are who by your disorderly Conversations and slight irreverent and slovenly Administration of Holy Ordinances I must tell you without flattery are a dishonour to God a scandal to the Gospel a reproach to the Ministry the causers of Division and Faction the Promoters of Atheism and Prosaneness and the bane of all true Godliness and Religion 'T is you and such as you that open the mouths of our Enemies that turn the glory of our Church into shame and trample her honour in the dust 'T is you and such as you that make many sick and dying sinners go out of the world without Ghostly Counsel and Absolution the notoriousness of your Crimes raising in them a disgust against you both living and dying and who if any of them miscarry must answer for those Souls Tim. I shall not if they send not for me Tit. But who shall answer for the cause of your not being called at such a time Tim. What you would have Ministers live like Angels Tit. Ministers are called Angels in Scripture and what if I should say they ought to live like Angels for Purity and Holiness I am sure our Saviour propounds to us an higher Pattern
Illius Conjux nata nurusque fuit And of the Priests in general one wittily writes Multi vos sanctos multi vos dicere Patres Gaudent vobis nomina tanta placent Ast ego vos sanctos non possum dicere Patres Possum cum natos vos genuisse sciam What think you now of the Prudence of the Church of Rome in forbidding Marriage and allowing and practising Whoredom Is it preferable to the Wisdom and Piety of our Church which alloweth and encourageth Marriage in her Priests to prevent Fornication and Uncleanness And is the former a better means to Godliness and Chastity than the latter Surely you will change your Opinion though not your Condition and believe a Priest confined by Lawful Matrimony may be as good a Member of the Church as a Town-Bull Tim. Yet we do not read that many of the Apostles were married Tit. Nor that they made use of the Romish Remedy allowed to Priests unmarried Tim. God forbid any should think so they were holy Men. Tit. And Men in perpetual Travels to publish the Gospel to all Nations and under sore and continual Persecutions But if not many yet if any of them took upon them the holy and honourable Estate of Matrimony that is sufficient to justifie this Article of our Church encouraging her Clergy to the same But St. Peter himself was saith our Church a married Man In the Exhortation after Marriage And how the Popes come to lay claim to more Prudence Continency and Holiness than was in their pretended Predecessor I am to learn steadfastly believing none of them ever had such Measures of the Spirit of Purity and Infalibility as he was endowed with And I do farther believe that the licentious Practices of the Romish Priests and Jesuits of this kind suitable to their Principles hath been a great means of promoting Debauchery to so high a degree amongst us For if a Priest may keep a Whore why may not a Nobleman or a Gentleman do the like Nay some of our Lay-Hectors do not stick to aver that it is more pleasurable more prudent and as lawful to keep a Courtisan than a Wife And others that are married have by these Doctrines of Demons been so perverted and drawn away to Licentiousness as to rob their Families to maintain their Misses And from whom do they learn such Gospel but from Rome and her Agents with us Yet we must believe these Men under an inviolable Vow of Chastity Tim. In troth I am of your mind therefore I resolve Coelebacy no farther than I find it consistent with true Chastity and Honesty Tit. And while you can keep that Resolution I have nothing to say against it For you may marry or not marry as your Prudence shall direct and as it shall most promote an holy and godly Life saith our Church to whose Wisdom in this I subscribe Tim. So shall I for I think she is in the right Tit. 'T is but newly come on you then for but just now you thought she was in the wrong and the Church of Rome was in the right Tim. But I see my Errour Tit. 'T is well amend it too and I am satisfied but had you persisted in it I would have read the next Article to you my self to let you see what Punishment you deserved But now you may proceed to it as you have to them before ART 33. Tim. That Person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the Vnity of the Church and Excommunicated ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the Faithful as an Heathen and Publican until he be openly reconciled by Penance and received into the Church by a Judge that hath Authority thereunto Tit. Methinks I tremble at the very hearing of this word Excommunication It carrying in it the most severe and utmost punishment the visible Church can inflict upon any Offender Tim. What think you of suspension ab officio beneficio or of deposition Tit. I look upon them as great Punishments and such as the Church may and ought upon just occasion to inflict But this Take him Goaler nay take him Devil all other are Fleabites to this Tim. As severe and sharp as 't is I wish it were more in use than ' t is Tit. Not too brisk with your Bulls 't is dangerous to play with edg tools It hath been too common to the great reproach and injury of our Church when at the command of a passionate Commissary the timorous Priest hath delivered over several to Satan for not answering immediately to their names though in Court at the same time And the fault lying rather in the voice of the Apparitor than any obstinacy in them Tim. A light Offence truly Tit. But an heavy Sentence and not to be taken off neither without paying their Fees as if that were the matter chiefly designed Tim. Had I been the Priest I should have paused a little ere I had pronounced Sentence Tit. And any one else who considers to whom it belongs to Excommunicate who are to be Excommunicated for what causes and the nature and end of Excommunication Tit. Pray for my satisfaction will you speak a little to these particulars for I am taken with them much Tim. I shall and as briefly and fully as I can Ex subito I say 't is to be considered 1. To whom it belongs to Excommunicate and here I find the Commission given to the Disciples of Christ Matth. 18.17 whom no lay Chancellour or Commissary can represent nor any but such as are in holy Orders as Bishops Priests c. And as the Constitution of our Church is I think Bishops only who are in chief Authority can Excommunicate and are the fittest Judges when and where that a Commissary's Sentence is to be passed Though our Chancellours in our ordinary Courts take upon them to be Judges and to direct and command the Priesthood in this case Which to allow is neither better nor worse then to give the Government of our Church into Lay-hands a thing which we decry'd in the Presbyterians 2. For those that are liable to this Censure they must be more than ordinary Criminals this Censure is not to pass upon common and trivial occasions that makes it contemptible And I find there are three sorts of men Excommunicable by Scripture rule First Such as pervert the sound Doctrine of Truth as did Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. Secondly Such as are defiled with notorious wickedness as the incestuous Person at Corinth 1 Cor. 5. 1 5. Thirdly Such as obstinately persist in their Crimes and Offences after a double admonition or treble rather privately by himself after that before two or three and if that fails then openly before the Church and if he will not hear the Church then let him be to thee as an Heathen man or a Publican Matth. 18.15 16 17. Where our Saviour plainly teacheth us that as this must be the last remedy so
but the newest Fashion Tit. And I can assure you that 's no good humor for Truth is the same in any dress though I confess old Truths in a new dress look somewhat better than new Truths in an old one But I admire you never saw the Homilies since the Canon requires every Parish should have them Tim. There you have them Tit. Yes I caused my Church-Wardens to buy them and have diligently perused them and my advice is you doe the same they are worth your reading if it be but for this reason because you have approved them by subscription to this Article Tim. As you say upon that consideration I may doe it when I can light on them 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 â—r 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 Civil 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 abiâ—ity 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