no body use The second year of King Edw. 6. was the minority of the Reformation and before we consent to make it our pattern we must know what it was and whether no Act of Parliament have since reversed that which then was used Chap. XXI Point XVIII Of giving an Account to the Ordinary of all that we keep from the Sacrament that he may Proceed against them according to the Canons L. VVHy cannot you Approve of and Consent to this M. For many and great Reasons 1. From the Ordinary 2. From our Selves and our Ministry 3. From the People 4. From the Church 5. From the Nature of the Matter L. I. What have you against it from the Ordinary M. I told you before that 1. Some of the Ordinaries are Lay-Men sitting in Corners to Decree Excommunications and Absolutions proper to the Clergy And we ought not to consent to the guilt of this 2. Other Ordinaries are single Presbyters that have no Power of the Keys from Christ over their Brethren and over a multitude of Churches 3. Other of the Ordinaries are Diocesans over Hundreds of Churches that have no Bishops of their own under these And we ought not to own any of all these L. II. What Reasons have you from your selves M. If we should accuse to the Ordinaries all that we ought to keep away it will utterly destroy our Ministry 1. We are bound to keep away all that desire not Episcopal Confirmation 2. All Ignorant Persons that are unready to be Confirmed 3. All Atheists Infidels Hereticks scandalous Sinners and that live in malice to others much more to the generality of Godly Men. 4. All the Nonconformists whom they call Schismaticks that Kneel not c. And in a Parish of 30000 or 40000 in London it 's well if of all these sorts there be not many Thousands And 2. The Ordinaries Courts are full of other Work And in the Countrey they are oft far from most Ministers 3. Ministers have usually much more Work than they can do at home and less Money than they need And the Prosecution of all these and bringing up Witnesses will take up all their time and leave them none for their Studies or many other Offices at home And it will undo them in their Estates 4. It will make the People so much to hate them that their Preaching will do little good 5. And when they know all this none of the Ministers will practice it as Experience tells us and so they will all live in the breach of the Covenant which they made and when to get a living they have falsly professed Consent to all this Accusation and Prosecution Self-love will not suffer them to do what they consented to L. III. What are your Reasons against it from the People M. 1. The Multitude that makes it unpracticable 2. The greatness of some of them that will ruine the Ministers 3. But especially because it will cross the just end of our Ministry and make them uncapable of receiving any Profit by us And our Power is given us for their Edification and not for their Destruction This will but harden them against our Doctrine L. Do not you by this Condemn your selves that desire a stricter Discipline which would offend them more M. No for 1. We would not turn our Churches into Prisons nor bring in any under our Discipline but consenting Volunteers 2. We would have no Lay-men or forced Ordinaries to do this but Pastors of their own choice whom they well know 3. We would have nothing done against any sinner Magisterially and forcibly by the abuse of the Keys but only humble Ministerial convincing them by Gods word of sin and of Gods wrath and praying for their repentance and meek and patient warning them and waiting till they prove obstinately impenitent And then only an Exclusion of them declaratively from that Communion from which they exclude themselves without any force on their Goods or Persons L. IV. What are your reasons from the Church M. 1. We ought not to consent to so great a corruption of its Discipline 2. Nor to a course that will render it odious to men 3. And deprive it so much of the true work of a faithful Ministry L. 5. What mean you by your reasons from the matter M. The ordinary proceeding according to the Canons must cast out a multitude of truly godly Christians and then they must be further prosecuted and ruined as we shall see anon under the particulars And we cannot Covenant and Consent to be prosecutors of such men before such Judges for such an end and to such direful Effects Chap. XXII Point XIX Of Publishing the Lay-Chancellors Excommunications and Absolutions according to the Canons L. HOw are you bound to publish their Excommunications M. 1. By our Ordination-Covenant to obey the Ordinary 2. By the Oath of Canonical Obedience 3. By this assent and consent to the words last mentioned to accuse them that the Ordinary may proceed against them according to the Canon 4. By constant custom If we do it not we shall be suspended or cast our L. But the Oath of Canonical Obedience is but in licitis honestis M. I told you before it implyeth that all that is Canonical is licitum honestum And they will not allow us to be Judges but will suspend us if we refuse their commands as unlawful and dishonest And the Canon it self ipso facto Excommunicateth all that say any of their Governing Offices are contrary to the Word of God or that the Canons bind not Dissenters And so far is the Church from taking this for unlawful or dishonest as that it expresly commandeth it in these words Can. 65. All Ordinaries shall in their several Jurisdictions carefully see and give order that as well those who for obstinate refusing to frequent Divine Service Established by publick Authority within this Realm of England as those also ESPECIALLY OF THE BETTER SORT and Condition who for notorious contumacy or other notable crimes stand lawfully Excommunicated be every six Months ensuing as well in the Parish Church as in the Cathedral by the Minister openly in time of Divine Service upon some Sunday denounced and declared Excommunicate that others may thereby be admonished to refrain their Company and excited the rather to procure out a Writ de Excommunicato capiendo so that no man can be a Minister that will not practise it L. And what have you against the practice of it M. 1. To be the Agent of Lay-mens Excommunicating 2. And the Instruments of godly mens Excommunications and Ruins You may as well ask us why we dare not oppress and destroy men without cause the Publishers cannot be Innocent Chap. XXIII Point XX. Of Publishing Excommunications according to the 4th Canon M. THE Fourth Canon saith Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Form of Gods Worship in the Church of England Established by Law and contained in the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments
place in the Ministry without Presbyters Ordination and who then durst not be twice Ordained And for Churchmen that must be strictly Religious to suffer on such terms I cannot speak against But we secular men think these too little things to suffer for M. If your consciences can call such prophanation of Gods Name such condemnation of Protestant Churches such strengthening the hands of a little thing they shall be no measure for our consciences For we believe that we must die and that there is a God and a righteous final Judgment CHAP. VI. II. Of the Covenant and Oath of Canonical Obedience to our Ordinary or Bishop L. WHat harm is there in your promising or swearing obedience to your Ordinary in things Lawful and Honest. What a man should do he should not refuse to swear or promise M. I will first tell you the words imposed and then I will state the Controversie and then I will tell you our Reasons The Words at Ordination are these 1. On Deacons and Priests Will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers to whom is committed the Charge and Government over you following with a glad Mind and Will their godly Admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly Iudgments Answ. I will so do the Lord being my help The Form of the Oath which they use to impose is this Ego A. B. Iuro quod praestabo Veram Canonicum Obedientiam Episcopo Londinensi ejusque successoribus in omnibus licitis honestis And little know we of What Religion their Successors will be or who will have the choosing of them I 'le not swear to I know not who The Bishops themselves also must take this Oath of due Obedience to the Arch-bishop In the Name of God Amen I N. chosen Bishop of the Church and See of N. do profess and promise all due reverence and obedience to the Arch-Bishop and to the Metropolitan Church of N. and to their Successors So help me God through Iesus Christ. L. What is your Controversie against any of this M. 1. We do not question the duty of obeying the King and all his Officers governing as Magistrates by the power of the Swords which the King may commit to them If Bishops or Lay Chancellors be made Magistrates we will obey them as such And therefore when they summon us we appear and answer because the King authorizeth them And many Non-conformists have defended the taking the Promise as supposing that the Word Ordinary signifieth only the Judge of a Court set up by the King as Supream Governor by the Sword in matters and over persons Ecclesiastical as well as Civil according to the true sence of the Oath of Supremacy 2. We do not refuse to promise and swear due Obedience to such as are our Lawful Pastors ruling the Church by the power of the Keys according to the Word of God Though we think that requiring such Oaths is an irregularity in them against the ancient Canons and a farr higher presumption than the Independents Covenant 3. We do not deny a patient and quiet submission to unlawful persons and acts of Government not owning their sin our selves and doing no evil at their command But these are the things which we are not satisfied in I. Obedience hath essential Relation to the Laws and Mandates of those that we obey And the Canons of England are the Laws by which they openly profess to Rule the Church And therefore they call it the Oath of Canonical Obedience that is of obeying the Church Government according to the Canons And when we know the Canons before-hand we know what Government and Obedience is meant And we swear fraudulently if we take not the Oath in the sence of the Imposers And they commonly tell us that this is the meaning of Due Obedience and if Godly Admonitions or in licitis honestis be put in that doth but suppose that Obedience according to the Canons is Godly and licitum honestum and not that we are left to choose which Canons we will obey All Bishops I doubt not will stand to this Exposition of the sence Now there are abundance of things in the Canons which we think to be greater sins than we think meet to call them II. We know that the Rule of the Bishops is by Chancellors Courts and other such where Lay-men exercise the Church Keys by Decretive Excommunications and Absolutions which wise men think to be sacrilegious Usurpation and a Prophanation of a dreadful part of Christs Government And Lawyers and Civilians tell us that the word Ordinary signifieth the appointed Ordinary Judge of the Court and so that we swear or Covenant to obey Lay-Civilians using the Keys And other chief Ministers can mean no less than all the Archdeacons Officials Commissaries Surrogates c. whom we covenant to obey not in civil things or the circa Sacra belonging to Magistrates which we refuse not but in the exercise of the Church Keyes III. They that think they have fully proved that Diocesans Ruling many hundred Churches without any Bishops under them are an Office in Specie contrary to Gods Word and the practice of the Primitive Church and that it corrupteth or excludeth true Church Discipline do think it a sin to conform by an Oath of Allegiance or Obedience to them though they live peaceably under them IV. They that think that by Scripture and Reason and Universal Church Customs and Canons they are no Bishops or Pastors that come in by Magistrates without the Election or consent of the Flocks and Clergy think that to swear Obedience to them is to be guilty of their Usurpation These four be the things refused in this Oath and Covenant of Obedience L. And what have you against obeying according to the Canon M. I. You may gather it from the foregoing enumeration of the Canonical Impositions Many things of a heinouser nature than Liturgies Ceremonies or things Indifferent 1. We dare not obey an Order for Excommunication according to the 4th Canon against any man that affirmeth that the Book of cammon-Cammon-Prayer containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures Judge that by the proof that I shall anon give 2. The same I say of the Excommunication in Can. 5 6 7 8. and many others which are after to be particularly mentioned 3. And there are many things in the Canons which we dare not practice and therefore dare not swear Canonical Obedience L. That Oath doth not oblige you to approve of all that is in the Canons no more than a Iustices Oath to execute the Laws doth bind him to approve of or execute every Law. M. We would not be guilty of an over rigorous Exposition But had it been in the days of Queen Mary when the Six Articles and other Lawes for Murdering Innocents were on foot and were actually expounded by Execution I would not have been one of the Justices that should have sworn to execute them Though a Justice
said at the Grave than in the Pulpit L. But some say none of those words signifie the persons Salvation but his removal hence M. Read them If those do not none do L. But some say that by Excommunicate is meant Excommunicable or such as ought to be Excommunicate and then what more can you desire M. Their saying is a presumptuous contradiction to that which they consent to what reason have they for it Is Excommunicate and Excommunicable all one Or may they put what sense they list on Laws If they do but tell the Bishops this much they will make them know that they are not made Judges of who is Excommunicable When I have craved but the alteration of that word they answered me with contempt that so every Priest or Curate should have the power of damning whom he please But sure Siâ—encing our judgment of a man is not damning him But what place is there for any doubt when the Book nameth the three sorts excepted exceptio firmat regulam in non exceptis Yea the express exposition in the Canon â—8 is If he shall refuse to Christen the one or bury the other that is Any brought except the party deceased were Denounced Excommunicate Majori Excommunicatione for some grievous and notorious Crime and no man able to testifie of his repentance he shall be Suspended by the Bishop of the Diocese from his ministry by the space of three months And alas how many thousand Infidels Hobbists Sadducees Hereticks Adulterers Thieves Perjured Scorners at godliness c. are among us unexcommunicated If all in England be saved except the Unbaptized Excommunicate and Self-murtherers which de singulis one by one must be said of all the rest either Scripture and Pulpits are much mistaken or else we that live among men are in a dream and our senses are all deceived CHAP. XVII Point XIV Of Consenting to Read the Apocrypha L. WHat harm is there in reading the Apocrypha M. I told you that we scruple not reading most of it in the place of Homilies or other Books especially the books called Wisedom and Ecclesiasticus But 1. Many Bishops and Doctours of the Church of England have accused the books of Tobit of down right lies and the books of Iudith Bell and Dragon c. as being meer fictions 2. And when we read these it is to be done in the same order as we read the Scripture by the name of Lessons which is the Title given to the Chapters read out of the Old and New Testament 3. And if we could yet read all these that will not serve unless we declare our Assent Consent and Approbation of the Appointment of them in the book which we cannot do L. But they are for the most part to be read but on week days or holy days M. The Conforming Clergy Consent and Covenant to the Imposition that requireth them to read the common-Common-Prayer every day in the week unless they be hindred by sickness or some urgent cause And so it is still the publick Service God's Service is all to be done with holy Reverence and if the Book of Tobit and some others be guilty of so many gross falsehoods as Protestants have and do still accuse them of I fear both to use them as Lessons in the place of God's Word lest it be prophanation and also to subscribe or declare my Approbation of the Calender and that use lest I be guilty of the sin of all the Ministers in England that so use it And it 's dangerous to seem to tell the people that so many books are God's Word that are not such For they understand not the Greek word Apocrypha and every Reader at least that is not Licensed to Preach is forbidden by the Canon to expound even that one word to them CHAP. XVIII Point XV. Of Assenting to Mistranslations and Subscribing that they are not contrary to the Word of God. L. ARE not the Epistles and Gospels used according to the last Translation M. Yes in the new Books they are but the Psalms are not L. What great mistranslations are there M. Sometimes a whole Verse or more is left out and sometimes the Translation is quite contrary to the Text. As Psal. 105. 28. They rebelled against his word instead of They rebelled not against his word And in the Book which this justifieth are many in the Epistles and Gospels I have cited them at large elsewhere L. How cometh there to be so many faults in the old Translation M. The work was an excellent good work But the Authors it seems for want of skill in the Hebrew followed the Septuagint Greek translation which hath these and many such defects L. Sure it is lawful to use and follow the Septuagint for the Apostles did so in the New Testament M. 1. The Apostles some times use it and sometimes follow the Hebrew against it and sometimes neither 2. But to Use it is one thing and to Justifie it is another thing It was in common use in the time of Christ and his Apostles and they used that in speaking to the people which use made intelligible and acceptable And we scruple not using it But all the works of Man are imperfect as Man is And why must we subscribe that there is nothing in it contrary to the word of God When as every mistake in it is contrary to it L. It seems then you would not subscribe to the Bible that there is nothing in it contrary to the Word of God M. I will subscribe to the truth of all that is in the true Copies of the Original if there by any such And I will subscribe that the various Lections in those Copies that we have are not the failing of the Holy Ghost or Apostles nor are such as leave us in just doubt of any necessary Truth And I will subscribe to the Translation so far as it agreeth with the Original But I will not subscribe that any Translation is perfect or faultless or to this or that Hebrew or Greek Copie as if in every word or Lection it certainly agreed with the Autographs And why should men make snares for the Church by imposing Professions that any mere man's works are perfect when all mortal men are confessedly imperfect Is it not enough peaceable to use them and to profess that all the word of God is infallible Truth L. But I cannot think that an Approbation of all the Translations is intended in your Assent and Consent M. Are they no part of that which is contained in the Book and prescribed by it Or could not the Parliament speak sense Chap. XIX Point XVI Of Consenting to reject all from Communion who desire not our Episcopal Confirmation L. ME thinks you that have written a Book for Confirmation should not scruple consenting to this M. I told you that I am so far from scrupling the true use of Confirmation that I think it is the want of it that is the greatest corruption of
that hath a preaching Minister When if these be Pastors and feed the Flock they had more need to drive such Men to Preaching Ministers than from them L. But the Validity of the Sacrament dependeth not on the worthiness or ability of the Minister M. 1. But the Edification and consequently the Salvation of Souls hath no small dependance on the Ability and Ministration of skilful faithful Pastors as Mens Health and Lives do on skilful Physicians And no man should deny himself the benefit of such that can lawfully have it nor should starve his Soul in Obedience to Canons If Preaching and that soundly and skilfully be as needless as such men pretend why did Christ Preach and send out Preachers and why did Paul so dreadfully charge Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. to Preach the Word and be instant in season and out of season c. And why doth he so urge the Ephesian Elders Act. 20. to imitate him that taught them publickly and from house to house day and night with tears And why do the Prelates make every Priest Covenant in their Ordination to instruct the People out of the Scripture and with all faithful diligence to Minister Doctrine and teach the People with all diligence to observe God's Commandements and to use both publick and private Monitions and Exhortations as well to the sick as the whole within their Cures as need shall require and occasion shall be given Why do they Ordain them all to be faithful Dispensers of the Word of God Is all this done by mere Reading that which a Woman or a Boy of 12 years old can read as well as they Do these Men know what Souls are worth how the Reason and Will of Man are moved How strong Sin is and how blind and bad the Heart of Man L. But it is the Sacraments that they are forbidden to go far from an unpreaching Minister M. 1. Other Canons also forbid them oft to Hear in other Parishes 2. If my Need and God's Law oblige me to choose a better Pastor than that ignorant Reader tho' in another Parish is it not fit and my Duty to Communicate with him that I justly take for my Pastor Moreover I must tell you that when an Ignorant Fellow taketh on him the Sacred Office which he is unfit for and so liveth in the constant Sin of omission and of Prophanation of Holy Things and of betraying Souls I take it to be a Sin to harden and encourage such a bold Presumer in so great Evil and to encourage People that need better to be content with such a Pastor Tho' I determine not whether he have the Essentials of the Ministry and tho' I doubt not but the Sacraments are no nullities to them that take him for a true Minister And yet I must add that there are some Abilities Essential without which no Man is truly a Minister of Christ And this Essential Ability as certainly reacheth to the work of Teaching as to Administring Sacraments He is not worthy the Name of a Minister that denies this I would not strain this Necessity over high But I say that he is no Minister that wants Essential Ability And if the Papists and their Emissaries would make the People believe that all not ordained by Prelates are no Ministers and that such excellent Men as Blondel Chamier Sadeel Dalle and all such abroad are none I think them more excusable who take him for none that cannot Preach and must be forbidden to Expound any Doctrine If it were for want of Tongue and Voice he could not read If it be for want of Knowledge can that Man be by Office a Teacher of Christian Doctrine that knoweth it not and cannot teach it and cannot do that for his Flock that every Parent and Husband should do whom the Children and Wives are commanded to learn of L. A man may read sound Doctrine that understands it not and by reading may teach others M. But he is not capable of the Office of a Teacher of Christianity that understands it not no nor so much as of Christianity it self or adult Baptism A Turk that believeth not the Gospel may read it And you may write it on a Pillar and that may teach Men and yet Pillars and Books are not Pastors L. But what 's all this to your Conformity M. 1. It 's unlawful for me to Swear Obedience to this 2. Or to publish an Excommunication against good Christians for not despising their Souls and the Preaching of the Gospel 3. Or to repel such Persons if they seek to me for any Pastoral Helps and Sacramental Communion Chap. XXXIII Point XXX Of Canon 58. that maketh the Surplice necessary to Ministration M. I Am not determining whether it be any Sin to wear a Surplice nor censuring any man for it But when it is known how many learned and excellent Ministers have been against it I take it for a greater Sin than I will name to eject them from the Ministry for it and I cannot approve of such a Canon But enough of this before Chap. XXXIV Point XXXI Of Christening all Children without Exception according to Canon 68. M. THe words are No Minister shall refuse or delay to Christen any Child according to the Form of the Book of common-Common-Prayer that is brought to the Church to him upon any Sunday or Holy-Day to be Christened I have said so much of this before that I here only say briefly 1. This supposeth a false or unproved Doctrine that the Infants of all Atheists Infidels Jews Hereticks Blasphemers c. are in the Covenant of Grace so far as to have right to be put by Baptism into present Possession of Pardon and of right to Salvation 2. When none must be delayed that are brought to Church the Minister cannot so much as enquire whether the God-fathers know what Christianity is or are Christians or Jews or Infidels Or whether ever they received the Lord's Supper which the Canon makes necessary 3. Till they have given the Church proof from God's Word that all Infants in the World have right to Baptism it is too great Domination over mens Faith to command Obedience on pain of Suspension Had we given no better proof for the Holiness and Baptism of the Seed of the Faithful than these men bring for the Seed of Infidels most good Christians had turned Anabaptists long ago Chap. XXXV Point XXXII Of Can. 72. Against Fasts and Prayer L. VVHat are the words of that Canon M. No Minister or Ministers shall without License and Direction of the Bishop of the Diocess first obtained and had under his Hand and Seal appoint or keep any Solemn Fasts either publickly or in private Houses other than such as by Law are or by Publick Authority shall be appointed Nor shall be wittingly present at any of them under pain of Suspension for the first Fault of Excommunication for the second and of Deposition from the Ministry for the third Neither shall any Minister not
Preacher or Catechize who doth not subscribe these words Ex animo That the Book of common-Common-Prayer and of Ordaining of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully be used and that he himself will use the Form in the said Books prescribed in publick Prayer and administration of the Sacraments and no other V. No man is to be Ordained a Minister nor have any place or Benefice or Cure that doth not openly and publickly before the Congregation declare his unfeigned Assent and Consent to the use of all things in the said Book contained and prescribed in these words and no other I A. B. Do here declare my unfeigned Assent and Consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the Book entitled The Book of common-Common-Prayer and Ordaining And every Lecturer also the first Lecture and every Month must publickly and openly declare his Assent to and Approbation of the said Book and to the use of all the Prayers Rites and Ceremonies Forms and Orders therein contained and prescribed VI. By this all must Assent and Consent to this Article of Faith or Doctrine It is certain by the Word of God that Children which are Baptized dying before they commit actual Sin are undoubtedly saved Not excepting any though the Children of Atheists Infidels or Sadducees VII We must Assent and Consent that at publick Baptism persons called Godfathers and Godmothers who take not the Child for their own do in the name of the Child Covenant with God without the Parents who are forbidden to be Godfathers or Godmothers or to speak one word nor must be urged to be present nor may the Godfathers c. speak one word but what is written in the book And they are there not only to promise for the future but to profess in the Name of the Child at present I renounce them all the Devil World and Flesh and All this I stedfastly believe and to be baptized This is my desire and for obedience I will. And these Godfathers also engage as their parts and Duty to see that this Infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a solemn Vow Promise and Profession he there made by them And that they call on him to hear Sermons and chiefly that they provide that he may learn the Crede the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments in the vulgar Tongue and all other things that a Christian ought to know and believe to his Soul's health and that the Child may be vertuously brought up to lead a godly and Christian life All this these three persons must promise as before God and the Church but the Parent is not only excused from any such promise but forbid it by the Canon VIII We must Assent and Consent to refuse to baptize the Child of any godly Christian who bringeth not his Child to be baptized with such undertaking Godfathers either because he can get none that will seriously promise him to do what they must Vow to do and so dare not draw them into sacrilegious perfidiousness or because he thinks it his own part to enter his Child into God's Covenant and thus to promise for its Education IX We must Assent and Consent to sign the Infant with the transient Image of the Cross In token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World the Devil and to continue Christs faithful Souldier and Servant to his lives end Which the Canon farther expounds thus To dedicate them by that Badge to his Service whose benefits bestowed on them in Baptism the name of the Cross doth represent an honourable Badge whereby the Infant is dedicated to the Service of him who died on the Cross. X. VVe must Assent and Consent to Baptize none publickly without this Sign but to deny Christendom to all that dare not receive it and their Children XI VVe must Assent and Consent to reject all that dare not receive it Kneeling from the Sacramental Communion of the Church XII VVe must Assent and Consent to a false Rule to find out Easter-day for ever in these words Easter-day on which the rest depends is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon which happens next after the one and twentieth day of March. The common Almanacks tell you it is often false XIII VVe must Assent and Consent to use words at the Burial of all except the Vnbaptized Excommunicate and self-murtherers which plainly pronounce them saved viz. For asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God to take to himself the Soul of our dear Brother here departed And we give thee thanks for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our Brother out of the miseries of this sinful world and that we may rest in him as our hope is this our Brother doth XIV VVe must Assent and Consent to read publick Lessons out of Iudith Bell and the Dragon Tobit and other Apocryphal books from Sept. 28. till Nov. 24. every day except some proper Lessons interposed XV. VVe must Assent and Consent to all the mistranslations of the Psalms c. and not only use them which we refuse not but subscribe that none of them are contrary to the word of God. XVI We must Assent and Consent to admit none to the holy Communion till such time as he be Confirmed or be ready and desirous to be Confirmed that is by Bishops in the English method XVII We must Assent and Consent that such ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof at all times of their ministration shall be retained in use as were in this Church of England by that authority of Parliament in the Second year of Edward VI. XVIII We must Assent and Consent to give an account within fourteen days of every one that we keep from the Sacrament to the Ordinary And that the Ordinary proceed against the offending person according to the Canons XIX We must publish all such Excommunications and Absolutions as are according to the Canons decreed by Lay Chancellors XX. This binds us to consent and publish the Excommunication of all that affirm that the Liturgy containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures And the Oath of canonical Obedience binds us to such publication if it be commanded us XXI And we are both these ways bound to publish all Excommunicate ipso facto if commanded who affirm any of the Rites and Ceremonies such as may not be approved and used lawfully XXII And all that say any of the Thirty Nine Articles in any part may not be subscribed though it be but about Traditions or Ceremonies XXIII And we must if required publish all ipso facto Excommunicate who say the Church Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and the rest that bear Office is against God's word XXIV We must if commanded publish all Excommunicate who affirm
and terms which they undertake to prove sinful 3. And our Ministry is by this made arbitrary to the Bishops will. He may bind us to the Office and when he hath done keep us from it L. If they deny you Licenses they bind you not to preach M. Ordination is a Vow and Dedication to the sacred Office Mark the Covenant which they impose on us Are you determined out of the Scriptures to instruct the people committed to your Charge c. Answ. I have so determined by God's Grace Q. Will you give your faithful diligence always so to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded c. that you may teach the people committed to your Care and Charge with all diligence to keep and observe the same Answ. I will so do by the help of the Lord. Q. Will you be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's word and to use both publick and private monitions and exhortations as well to the sick as to the whole within your Cure as need shall require and occasion shall be given Answ. I will the Lord being my helper Is it not treachery to draw men into all these Vows and then to command them never to Preach nor Expound any Doctrine or matter any where Doth it not come near to an Atheistical prohibition of Religion may they not tell their people the meaning of Baptism or the Creed or Lord's-Prayer or Commandments May they not teach their own Children and Servants these If a Priest may not do it much lesse the Laity and Vulgar L. The meaning is not against expounding to their children or wives at home but in the Church M. Can the Church of England tell such a meaning no plainer than by saying either in his own Cure or elsewhere Is not his House or his Neighbour's House elsewhere If they can speak no plainer I would they would make us no Laws till God Licence them 2. But suppose that elsewhere speak only of Churches you know that other Canons forbid them Preaching in private houses 3. And what a Priest is that who must be forbidden to teach the people in the Church or there to tell Children the meaning of the Catechism How like is this to the Moscovy State L. You know that many men are unable to Preach Expound or speak sense about Divinity if they should attempt it M. And are such fit to be made the Teachers and Guides of the Flock shall the same men make a man Physician to an Hospital and when they have done forbid him to do any more than read to them a Physick Book of their making Is it not an ability to teach men at least the Essentials of Christianity Essential to a Minister Do they not then make No-ministers and call them Priests if they ordain men that cannot Teach the essentials L. Reading the Scripture and Homilies is Teaching M. It is so but if that only will qualifie one for the Priesthood one may be a Priest that knows no more than an Infidel or Atheist and if Reading will qualifie men for a Benefice many will study for no more and the people will value them accordingly L. But you know that when the Land came out of Popery we must have meer Readers in most places or worse M. And you know that these Canons were made in K. Iames's days long after that and that they are now continued as the Church Laws Did our last Convocation alter them It is such excellent men as the world is not worthy of Ames Bayn Parker Hildersham Dod c. that have been forbidden to Preach whilest these that could not preach were Ordained and inducted It is only the present things that I am speaking of 2. And though men of mean abilities if tolerable may be tolerated yet men that want essential qualifications should not be made Ministers but if bare Reading be necessary they may Read as Lay-men I conclude therefore that as making such Priests and Canons is a sin in them so to obey them by omission of Ministerial teaching for want of a Licence from the Bishops would be sinful Conformity in any true Minister of Christ if he live where his Ministerial work is necessary And to forbear all Expounding any matter or doctrine save by Reading our Homilies is sacriledge and perfidiousness and uncharitable inhumanity CHAP. VIII IV and V. Of subscribing and declaring Assent and Consent L. WHat is your next exception to Conformity M. Subscribing according to the Canon that there is nothing in the book of common-Common-Prayer contrary to the word of God. and that we will use no other form 2. And publickly declaring our Assent and Consent to all things contained and prescribed in and by it and our Approbation of all the Forms Orders c as aforesaid L. What have you against this Approbation of the Liturgy M. Negatively 1. We blame nothing in it that is good And I take it for a good Book in the main but not faultless As you said of the Canon of allowing Readers so say I of the Liturgy it was better immediately after Popery than it is now that is it was more congruous and was a great Reformation and we honour the Book and their Memory that made it 2. We do not think that there is any such faultiness in it as maketh it unlawful to joyn in the publick Worship and ordinary Communion with the Church where it is used We honour them as true Churches of Christ. 3. I do not think it unlawful to read the ordinary Lords day Service when the publick good requireth it and we can have no better without greater hurt than benefit Our objections being most against the by-offices especially of Baptizing and Burial Bâ—â— 1. We think it unlawful to Covenant to use no other Forms in publick Prayer II. And unlawful to subscribe and declare that it is faultless I. For the first we have these Reasons 1. The Bishops themselves by the King's order do upon special occasions of Fasts and Thanksgivings prescribe impose and use other Forms and we must not covenant to disobey them 2. The publick Ministers have and do in the Pulpits before Sermon use other Forms And so break this Covenant themselves 3. It belongs to the office of a Pastor as well to word his own Prayers as his own Sermons And it is sinful to renounce so much of the work of the Office which we are vowed and ordained to L. These instances are a clear exposition of the Canon and shew that by no other Form they intended not to exclude other Pulpit-prayers or other Forms prescribed by the Bishops M. 1. If the whole Church of England here also can speak no more intelligibly than by no other Forms to mean only till the Bishop prescribe it and except your own daily Form in the Pulpit I would they would leave us to God's own Laws and not
take on them to be necessary interpreters of its great difficulties If such men forbear that expounding which they forbid others till they will do it better the loss will be the less Scripture speaketh plainlier than this 2. But who giveth this exposition To expound the Law by a common obligatory Exposition is proper to the Law-makers He that maketh the words maketh not a Law if he make not the sense Judges make not the sense but decide particular Cases by it as they understand it The Canons are made by the Convocation which he that denyeth to be the Representative Church of England is Excommunicate The Pulpit Preachers nor the particular Bishops are not the Convocation and therefore have not power to expound their Canons by any Common obligatory exposition much less contrary to the express words Which way most of the Clergy went under Bishop Parker Grindal and Abbot is well known And yet now they are so far from being taken for the Expositors of the Churches sense that they are openly scorned as popular fautorer of Puritans and those of their mind called Grindalizers II. But it is the second that is the Trojan horse whose name is Legion I mean that hath many more evils in the belly of it viz. that we must profess that the three Books Articles Liturgy and Ordination are so utterly faultless that there is nothing in them Contrary to the word of God and that we Assent and Consent to all contained and prescribed in and by them L. What have you against this what is there in it that is contrary to God's word M. God's word is perfect and forbids the least faulty errour or defect If we had never seen the Book we know that men made it and that every one that made it had ignorance error and sin and can a perfect faultless volumn be made by such faulty men Operari sequitur esse They renounce all pretensions to Infallibility in the Articles of Religion L. You interpret the words rigorously By nothing contrary they meâ—n nothing so contrary as that one may not use the Books M. If by nothing they mean not nothing and if by contrary they mean not contrary we will better know what they mean before we subscribe else you may make it lawful to subscribe to any thing in the world and say that the Imposers mean better than they speak L. And Assent and Consent is expresly confined to the use M. 1. I shall prove that that is not true 2. That if it were true it no whit amends the matter nor maketh it lawful to us I. It is not true For. 1. The words of the declaration are as expresly universal as man can speak And the foregoing words to the use do speak but deâ—fine and the words of the Declaration de mediis And all Lawyers agree that when the title of a Law expresseth the End that limiteth not the sense of the words of the Law because the Means may be larger than the End. As the Oxford Act of Confinement is in the title to keep Nonconformists from Corporations And yet Lawyers resolve that it extendeth also to Conformists if one of them should but once preach in a Conventicle The Parliament and Prelates thought that the way to secure the Vse was to oblige them to Assent and Consent to all in the Book contained and prescribed 1. Therefore they ty all to declare in that same form of words and to add no other least they should make any exposition that limits them 2. And the word Assent signifieth an Act of the understanding which must have Truth for its object 3. And it is after exprest by the word Approbation whereas a man may use that which he doth not approve of 2. Oaths Covenants and Professions must be taken in the most usual proper sense unless another be exprest to be the Imposers meaning which is not here done and the words are most universal and without exception 3. And to put all out of doubt the Parliament expounded themselves 1. At the making of the Act this was debated and reasons given against the limited expressions which prevailed 2. Since then a new Act against Conventicles being made it was moved in the Lords House that seeing Non-conformists were thus far forbidden private worship they should be so far invited to Conformity as that a Proviso might be added to this Act that the Declaration in the Act of Uniformity should be understood to oblige men but to the Vse of the things required and the Commons rejecting that Proviso it came to a debate or conference between the two Houses where the Commons gave their reasons against that sense and proviso In which the Lords acquiesc't Though I was not present the Parliament-men that were reported this and I never met with man that contradicted it or questioned the truth of it II. But if it were otherwise it were to us never the better For 1. It were an ignorant reproach of the Church of England to say that they have put any thing in their Liturgy which is of no use This will Include every syllable They themselves tell you in their Prefaces what use the very Calender and every other part are of The use of the Articles of Faith and Doctrines is our understanding assent and belief of them in order to Love and Practice The use of the orders in the Rubrick is to oblige us to obedient practice and so of all the rest And to Assent approve and Consent to every thing contained and prescribed practically even to the use of them is more than a bare speculative assent L. Wherein lyeth the sin of such a Declaration M. 1. In general it is incredible as I said before in consideration of the matter and the Authors together The Book of Articles Liturgie and Ordination are a big Volumn and contain great variety of matter and that high and mysterious The Authors were every one of them men of imperfection that had ignorance error and sin And operation exceedeth not power Who dare say that any Sermon or Prayer that ever he maketh hath nothing in it but what he may assent and consent to Much less so great a Book 2. The Articles which must be subscribed as faultless say Art. 15. Christ alone is without sin But all we the rest though baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And Art. 21. General Councils For as much they be an Assembly of men whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God they may err and sometimes have erred even in things pertaining to God And are our Convocation more infallible than General Councils The Church must be exemplary in humility and is it humility to say we Bishops and Priests having written three Books he shall not preach Christ's Gospel that will not declare that there is not a word in them that is
nor to refuse or delay to baptize in private in case of danger who ever desireth him to do it 2. The Twenty nine Canon saith No Parent shall be urged to be present nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his own Child Nor any Godfather or Godmother shall be suffered to make any other answer or speech than by the Book of common-Common-Prayer is prescribed in that behalf The Parent may say what he will to God in secret But at the Christening of his Child if he should but say I believe God's promise to the faithful and their seed I do devote my Child to Christ and engage him in his Covenant or I promise to educate him to Christianity he breaketh the Canon and goeth against the Churches Law. I did before the Bishops at the Savoy 1661. put the case to them thus without fiction An Infidel of my Parish that useth openly to talk against the Scripture and Life to come to avoid inconveniencies resolveth to send his Child to be baptized and I must not refuse it by the Law Hath the Child right to Baptism and is it undoubtedly saved Dr. Sanderson in the Chair answered nemime contradicente that if he brought him with Godfathers according to the Church of England I need not doubt it But there were but two in the Parish that openly declared themselves to be of his opinion and those two being his familliers are likest to be the Godfathers If the Child have not Right for Infidel Parents sake how can Infidel neighbours called Godfathers give him right L. But the Canon saith that the Godfathers shall be only such as have received the Sacrament M. Alas none are forwarder than these to receive the Sacrament and laugh at it and say they will obey the Church Yet I doubt not but a faithful Parent may be present if he will and may tell the Godfathers in private that his presence shall signifie his devoting act and when the Priest speaketh to the Godfathers he may bow his head whether the Priest will or not to signifie that act of his But this is nothing to the sense of the Church nor to our Assent and Consent to their exclusion of the Parent L. I confess it sounds to me as unnatural But what is your other reason against our sort of Godfathers M. Iâ— My second Reason is that it is a prophanation of this great and sacred Ordinance to invest those in the visible state Christianity and Salvation pretendedly that have no right to such investiture so they have but Godfathers they are to baptize the children of any Jews or Heathens or open enemies to Christ as well as of Christians which is a manifest prophanation L. What is the fault of it M. 1. It supposeth a false Doctrine that Infidel Children are within the Covenant and may be baptized as well as Christians which in the Books aforecited I have fully disproved 2. It is a dangerous adding to God's word and worship 3. It is a deceiving of mens Souls as to childrens state to make them believe that their children dying when baptized are all saved how bad soever the Parents be 4. It is a dreadful belying of God and prophanation of his name if men shall in the name of God pronounce pardon and salvation to those whom he never gave them to L. But God will not punish the Children for their Parents sin M. Not those that see their fathers sins and forsake them and live not as their Parents did and that 's all that the Scripture saith for such But if you will read my two foresaid Disputations for Original sin you will see it fully proved that God punisheth Infants because they are the guilty and corrupt seed of guilty and corrupt Parents Do you believe our Church Articles and yet deny original sin If Infants have no guilt and sin what need have they of Baptism or of a Saviour If they have need of both sure it is for no actual sin done by them was not the World lost for Adam's sin Was not Cain's posterity cursed for his sake Were not all the Infants of the old World and all the Infants of the Sodamites burnt with fire from Heaven and the Infants of the Canaanites and Amalakites c. killed for their Parents sin Did not Christ tell the Jews Mat. 23. that all their Forefathers persecutions should be punished on that Generation The Jews knew this that said His blood be on us and on our Children Our Liturgy saith Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our Forefathers c. 2. And yet I tell you that it is for their own sin that the seed of the wicked perish sin is made their own when soul and body were for guilty corrupt Parents made such by themselves I do not say that God imputeth their Parents infidelity to them But this infidelity is the reason of their not being delivered from their own original guilt If Rebels forfeit Life and Estate and so their Children live in beggery and the King offer to restore Father and Children if the Father will thankfully accept his grace If the Parent refuse this his Children will be beggars Not because the King punisheth them for their Fathers fault but because he first deprived himself of the Estate which he should have left them and next because he refused to deliver them If a Father will set the Pox on his children and after refuse a Physician that would cure him and them the Physician doth not punish the children All Scripture and Nature tell the world that it is so deep an interest that Parents have in children as being causes of their very essence by Communication from their own essence and it is so natural a power that Parents have over their children that it should seem no strange thing to Christians or Infidels that God maketh a very great difference between the seed of the faithful and of the Infidels and wicked And its strange that any men should rather lay their title to pardon and salvation upon a meer neighbour or stranger that perhaps is a wicked wretch himself than on the Parents of the child L. But will God save children for their Parents Faith M. If he destroy Infants for Adam's sin do you think that Justice is so much more extensive then Mercy that he will shew no mercy for Parents sake But the case is this Christ the Second Adam hath merited pardon and salvation to be given conditionally to all Not absolutely for then all would be saved What the condition is to the adult we are agreed viz. Faith and Repentance and Dedication to Christ by covenant consent And do you think that Infants pardon and salvation hath no condition If none than all Infants are saved if any condition what is it 1. Is it barely that they be baptized without any right but what all have This is an injurious fiction God never said it And it s an unreasonable imputation on God as if he would
Nor did I ever to this day know one man or woman that performed this which all three undertake A very few I have known that will ask How doth my Godson and say you must be a good Boy and learn your Book and perhaps give him a piece of Silver But usually they never look after them I confess with shame that I have been Godfather to four to one when I was a Child and knew not what I did but thought it was only to be a Witness of Baptism And to three more when I was twenty three years of age of all which I agreed beforehand with the Parents to be but a Witness and that they should stand there themselves as the undertakers and signifie it Two of these I never saw since a third now dead I never saw since his Infancy till a little before he dyed and the fourth never since till that lately he came a begging to me I confess one Bishop told me once that he knew one or more that had performed this Vow so did never I who have lived in many parts of the Land. Those that perform it not sure are guilty of heinous perfidiousness as breaking so solemn a Vow to God. And if this be so common in England that to this Age I could never know of one performer is not the case doleful and dreadful that the Nation should by such perfidiousness be made Christians L. But this is the Parents or Godfathers fault what 's this to the Minister or to your Assent and Consent M. If it be not nothing to the Canons and to the Liturgy it is not nothing to him that must Assent and Consent to all things in that Liturgy and must swear Canonial obedience And 1. Do you think that the Nation can so commonly live in this sin and the Church Governours and Orders be innocent in it Can those Canons and Orders be blameless that without any more opposition let such perfidiousness go to our Christening Can the medicine be laudable that so many miscarry in the use of it 2. By the Canon all men are constrained to get some Godfathers and they can force none that is unwilling 3. No Conscionable persons will Promise and undertake that which they never purpose to perform I never in all my life met with one godly man that if you opened all the undertaking plainly to him would say seriously I am resolved to do all this but would refuse the office when he knows it is expected 3. If there be hundreds or thousands in a Parish that are grosly ignorant of the nature of Baptism and what they do or that ere Atheists Infidels wicked men not Excommunicate the Minister can not deny to take them for Godfathers if they did but ever once receive the Sacrament And to this 68th year of my age I never knew one Godfather or Godmother questioned or refused by any Minister 4. If the Parent can get no man to stand he shall be ruined for it as not bringing his Child to be Baptized according to the order of the Church 5. Rich men will not give up their Children to the God-father's propriety or education Poor mens Children none will take And is it lawful to Assent and Consent to such orders of Baptism as cherish this If Parents were the undertakers we might urge them to performance But from such others who can expect it CHAP. XI Point VIII Of refusing to Baptize without such Godfathers L. YOV have been long on this Point I pray you be shorter on the next M. It needs not many words it is so gross We dare not Assent and Consent to deny Baptism to all Children of godly Parents that have not such Godfathers and Godmothers while the Parent offereth to do his own part professing his faith and dedicating his Child to God and promising a faithful education L. How prove you that you must put away all such M. 1. Did you ever know any baptized otherwise in the Church 2. The words of the Rubrick are There shall be for every Male Child to be baptized two Godfathers and one Godmother and for every Female one Godfather and two Godmothers 3. The Godfathers and Godmothers only are to speak and covenant without which it is no Baptism Meer washing without Covenanting is no Christian Baptism so that the Church of England doth make Godfathers essential to it And what it is to add to the Essentials of so great an Ordinance of God as was instituted by Christ's own mouth for so high an use as our Espousal to himself judge you 4. The Canon to which all must subscribe saith that he himself will use the form in the said Book prescribed in publick prayer and administration of the Sacrament and no other 5. The Act of Conventicles maketh it 20 l. the first time and 40 l. every time after for above four to meet to worship God otherwise than according to the Liturgy and practice of the Church of England And to baptize without Godfathers is otherwise 6. And then the Oxford Act banisheth them five miles from Corporations Is not here sufficient proof L. And why should any scruple so small a matter M. 1. Did I not before tell you why 2. Suppose they scrupled it through mistake shall every mistake or errour of Parents deprive the child of Baptism I 'll tell you why I dare no more Assent and Consent to this than I dare consent to cut off a hand or foot of every such child 1. Baptising is Christening and dare I causelessly deprive a Soul of visible Christianity 2. They themselves make it an Ascertaining means of Salvation as the forementioned Rubrick sheweth And would they have us shut Infants from Salvation for nothing yea they seem to confine Salvation only to the baptized while they conclude that they are saved as baptized ones and except the unbaptized from Christian Burial The best can be but to leave them as without any promise of life from Christ And how can we believe that God will give them that which he never promised them And shall I damn souls for want of a humane unnecessary if not corrupt invention 3. It is against the interest of Christ and the Church shall I make a Covenant to rob Christ and the Church of visible Members for nothing Murthering Infants is death by God's Laws and mans And Innocents day is one of the Christmas Holy days And is it a thing indifferent for me and all the Ministers of the National Church to make a solemn bargain that we Assent and Consent to keep out all from the Church and from the Covenant and in their sense the hope of Salvation on such an account as this L. The thing were dismal and unexcusable if it were as you make it But how can you say that they shut them out when they force all Parents to bring them in and to submit to their way when did you ever know any child refused on this account M. Many a hundred in my
Plea for Peace declared my Political Principles which after all thoughts I stand to And no one hath given me a word of Exceptions against them to this day after so many years but some in meer Malice tell me of my Aphorisms revok't without taking notice of this I here repeat that I am ready to engage to the utmost that I renounce all Rebellion Treason and Sedition and all Principles tending thereto that I am for as much Power of Princes and Obedience of Subjects as any Text of Scripture speaks for or as is given or asserted by any General Council or the Confession of any Christian Church that I have seen except what is ascribed to the Pope and his Substitutes And I hold it unlawful to take Arms at all against the King that is against either his Authority Person Rights or Prerogative or against any lawfully Commissioned by him yea or unlawfully except in such Cases as God's Law of Nature or the King himself by Law or contrary Command shall bind Men to resist L. And so you will suppose that God's Law of Nature bindeth you in some Cases to resist And will not all Rebels plead that Law M. Dare you say that there is no such Case King Iames writeth that a King may not make War against his whole Kingdom If Ten Irishmen pretend a Commission to Kill all the Parliament and Protestants in the Land or to seize on the King's Garisons or if King Iohn give his Kingdom to the Pope ask Hooker Filson or Parliaments what the Law of Nature saith to these Cases Chap. XL. Point XXXVII Of Assenting and Consenting to the Damnatory Clauses of Athanasius's Creed L. I Hope you will not quarrel with the Creed M. I take the Creed called Athanasius's tho' the Author is unknown to be an excellent Explication of the Doctrine of the Trinity And could wish that it were more used and learnt of all But I am not so far to judge other Men as to conclude all Men certainly damned for ever that are not so well skilled in that Mystery as to believe every word there written L. I have heard Learned Men say That the Assent and Consent is not to be extended to the Damnatory Clauses but only the Doctrinal Articles M. They that can make Laws and Oaths speak or mean what they list need not stick at any thing Is not the Damnatory part a part of the Book of common-Common-Prayer and contained in it L. But they prove thus that it meaneth no such Consent or Approbation The Liturgy requireth you to read the Apocrypha and yet not to believe all things in it to be true For say they divers things in Tobit are evidently false And so tho' it bind you to use and read Athanasius's Creed it binds you not to believe all in it to be true M. This Cheat is too gross to deceive a School-Boy with Is Athanasius's Creed a real part of the Common-Prayer Book contain'd in it or not L. Yes no doubt we there find it both contained and prescribed Verbatim M. Is the Apocrypha any part of the common-Common-Prayer Book and contained in it or not L. If there be any Sentences out of it there inserted those are part else the Apocrypha is no part of the Book It is only the Order to read it that is a part M. Is not this a palpable Deceit to argue that we are not bound to Assent and Consent to that which is contained in the Book because we are not so bound to that which is not contained in it Chap XLI Point XXXVIII Of Saying common-Common-Prayer twice a day every day in the Year ordinarily L. IT is but that you shall every day say the Morning and Evening Service not being lett by Sickness or other urgent Cause And what have you against this M. I think when the Book was made to help the ignorant Vulgar out of Popery every day to use the common-Common-Prayer was a very good help to them But the Case is much altered and People now have more suitable Helps and Ministers have so much other Work to do in their Studies and with their Neighbours every day and some Prayers to use more suitable to their Families and Closets that it must needs be a sinful Impediment against other Duties to say Common-Prayer twice a day If they were commanded to Preach twice a day every day in the year it would cause a sinful Omission of other Duties how good soever Preaching be in it self L. But then you have urgent Cause of forbearance M. We are not for abusive dallying with Covenants about Sacred things It is evident by the instance of Sickness that the Authors of the Imposition meant only extraordinary Causes as urgent and not that we should take our ordinary Work for such an urgent Cause As if a Man that is bound to spend most of the day in his Shop should Covenant to go Thirty Miles every day if he be not lett by urgent Cause L. But you see that almost no Conformists do thus therefore it 's certain that they do not so understand it M. That 's a warning to take heed of promising that which we see so many that promised it not perform They are our Monitors to take heed of such a playing with Sacred Covenants and deceiving the Law instead of obeying it Chap. XLII Point XXXIX Of forcing the unwilling Parishioners to the Sacrament and Accusing and Excommunicating the Refusers L. HOw are you bound to this by Conformity M. 1. We must assent and consent to the Rubrick which commandeth That every Parishioner shall Communicate three times a year at least 2. The Oath of Canonical Obedience binds us to obey the 112 Canon as well as the rest which saith The Minister Churchwardens Questmen and Assistants of every Parish-Church and Chappel shall yearly within 40 days after Easter exhibit to the Bishop or his Chancellor the Names and Surnames of All the Parishioners as well Men as Women which being at the Age of 16 years received not the Communion at Easter before And then they are to be Excommunicated if they refuse and to lie in Jail till they die when taken by the Writ De Excommunicato Capiendo L. And why should not men be forced to their Duty and to their own good if they are backward to it M. The internal part is the first and chief part of their Duty without which the external is not their Duty but their great Sin. It is the Duty of Heathens to Believe and be baptized but not to be baptized till they believe It is the Duty of Candidates for the Ministry to get Ability and Ordination and to officiate But not to officiate before they get Ability and Ordination It is the Duty of every Man to believe the Truth of the Gospel and to profess that belief But to say he believeth when he doth not is Hypocrisie and Lying It is a sloathful Man's Duty to rise and dress him and go to his Work but not
Oxford-Oath in the Act of Confinement and the Subscription in the Act of Vniformity M. I have told you fully before Not because we differ in Doctrine but in expounding the words of that Oath and Subscription 2. Were neither Arch-bishop Abbot nor his Clergy nor the Parliaments of those times of the Church of England as well as Sâ—bthorp and Mainwaring Were not the Laws made by those Parliaments made by the Members if not Representatives of the Church of England You know that our late great Defenders of the Church describe the Church of England to be those that Worship God according to the Law And were the Parliaments that made those Laws none of the Church themselves Chillingworth would not Subscribe without a limitting Profession Was he therefore none of the Church Was Bishop Bilson none of the Church Was R. Hooker none of the Church The first dedicated his Book to Queen Elizabeth and the latter is Dedicated to our King Charles the second and Praised by his Father And yet the Author of the Holy Common-wealth hath larglier than any man confuted Hooker's Popular Principles When William Barclay a Lawyer defended the King of France his Temporal Power against the Popes Usurpation of a Power to depose and restrain him he is fain to profess that the contrary opinion was so common that he was taken to speak some strange and singular thing And yet none doubts but he was of the same Church of Rome I again challenge you to name that point in which we differ in this Doctrine from the true Church of England L. You hold that Kings may be resisted by Arms. M. Not so much as the aforesaid Bishop and Doctors of the Church of England did or the Parliaments that made Church-Laws Again See our second Plea for Peace how far we disclaim it I profess that I am acquainted with no meer Non-Conformist Ministers that hold it at all lawful for Subjects to resist the King or any Supream Power by a War except in case that he notoriously declareth that he will if he can destroy the Common-wealth or deliver it up to a foreigner or destroyer that hath no right L. Sure the cry would never be for Extirpating the Dissenters for this Plot and their disloyalty if they were not guilty M. Nay if that be your argument Strangers to them say they are disloyal and guilty ergo they are so I leave you to God's answer for I will not undertake to answer you But will you use Sobriety a little further 1. It is now twenty seven years since they were ejected and cast out of maintenance and countenance and left to beg or crave their bread Long have they been laid in Gaols and fined deeply the Law laying on them twenty and forty pound a Sermon Their Goods Beds Books taken from them and they left destitute How many in all these years have ever been accused and proved guilty of one disloyal or seditious Sermon or Word I know of none Certainly it was not for want of will in the Accusers Those that by Oaths have brought them under Convictions and Warrants for distress of five ten and much more forfeitures even divers hundred pounds at once before they were ever summoned to speak for themselves would sure have sworn some disloyal Words against them had they been able And can many hundred Ministers have a fuller proof of their innocency than that they had no such prosecution twenty seven years from such a sort of Adversaries in so great Sufferings 2. And now this Plot is detected It is divers Months since and many Countries and Corporations have accused the Dissenters of it and cry them down to Extirpation And to this day I cannot hear of any one English Minister or at most not of two that is either an Episcopal or Presbyterian Non-Conformist so much as accused or named as guilty The French and Dutch Churches in London are Dissenting Presbyterians Yet no man accuseth any of them for being in Plots and yet must they also be destroyed But Sir if any one or more of the Episcopal or Presbyterian Non-Conformists Ministers or People had been found guilty would you condemn thousands or any of the guiltless for their sakes On what account Is it for their Relation to them They are mostly strangers to one another Come and let us try your rule of Justice I. Is there any Relation nearer than that of Father and Son And can any Minister be supposed to have more interest in or influence on his Hearers than a Father hath on his Son And you know that the chief man accused is the Kings eldest Son I hope you will not for this charge the King as if he principled him for Treason against himself Nor as if he were to suffer for his Sons faults II. The Judges have oft declared that many Iesuits and Papists were Plotters and Traitors and they died for it I hope you will not make all Papists guilty of their crime nor extirpate them for it And yet the Papists are Conventicling Dissenters too III. The Lords and great Men accused of this Plot and Treason how justly God knoweth were of the Church of England and shall all the Church of England be destroyed for their sakes Dr. Whitby and others now blamed by the Oxford-Convocation and Bishop Bilson Mr. Hocker c. were of the Church of England and shall all the English Clergy be accused of their words IV. Many of the accused were Hobbists and Infidels and some common ill-living Protestants Shall all the Hobbists and Infidels and ill-living Protestants be extirpated for their faults V. Many Gentlemen of some late Parliaments are accused not yet tried and proved guilty Shall all the Parliament-men therefore be extirpated as guilty VI. Some Lawyers and Students at Law are accused Shall all Lawyers and Students therefore be extirpated VII Divers of the Nobility are accused Must all Noble-men be therefore reproached VIII Some that have been of the Kings Privy Council were accused Is his Council therefore to be disgraced or destroyed IX Formerly many Judges have been guilty Are Judges therefore to be dishonoured X. By this justice you may next conclude They were Englishmen that were accused therefore let all English-men be rooted out Or they were Protestants and Christians therefore away with all Protestants and Christians Whereas I think it an unjust conclusion that because they were Irish-men and Papists that murdered two hundred thousand in Ireland therefore root out all Irish-men and Papists unless you will inferr They are men that commit all sin therefore root out mankind If it had been men that hate serious Godliness and are the seed of the Serpent and of Cain that are at deadly enmity to the true fear of God and thirst for the blood of the innocent that are accused of this Plot and if People had petitioned to have all this sort of men rooted out for it it would have fallen on more than you and I are willing to name or