Either saith he it is a part of the Contents or not If not we must not consent to that falshood that it is If it is O far be it from us that believe a God a Judgment a Life to come and the sacred Scriptures to Assent and Consent to that Act with all its penalties silencing and ruining such as Conform not Answ The Act for Uniformity naming the Book of Common-Prayer always names that Book as distinct from it self and as a thing annexed to it and if the Parliament had injoyned the Use of some New Translation of the Bible and prefixed their Act to that Translation and required our Use of the same under penalties our Assent to such an Act could not suppose the Act it self to be a part of the Canonical Books Secondly The design of the Act in these words To the intent that every person may certainly know the Rule to which he is to Conform in Publick Worship and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England c. be it Enacted c. Plainly shews what are the parts to the use of which we are to declare our Assent which particulars are Enumerated more than once but not a word of the Act for Uniformity or the Act 1. Eliz. which in the Contents is mentioned with it whereof Mr. Baxter ought to be minded for under the Contents of the Book the First thing mentioned is The Acts in the Plural for Vniformity of Common-Prayer whence I argue If the Parliament intended that this last Act should be taken as a part of the Common-Prayer Book because it is in the Contents for the same Reason it may be thought they intended that other Act 1. Eliz. to be a part also which were very unreasonable For then we must subscribe our Assent to the use of Two Common-Prayer Books viz the Old and the New 3. That Act of Queen Elizabeth explains what is meant by Open or Common Prayer By Open Prayer in and throughout this Act is meant that Prayer which is for others to come unto or hear either in common Churches or Chappels or Oratories commonly called the Service of the Church and the intent of that Act was that no Minister should refuse to Vse the said Common-Prayers and Administer the Sacraments in such Order and Form as they are mentioned in the said Book or willfully or obstinately standing in the same Use any other Rite Ceremony Order Form or manner of Celebrating the Lords Supper c. than is mentioned in the said Book This Act was Printed probably to give Light to the other and to shew that the same thing was formerly required of Ministers And if the Conformists heretofore did not take that Act to be part of the Common-Prayer Book then there is no reason why they should take the New Act to be a part of the New Book 4. The Book of Common-Prayer was compleat before the Act was made it was first presented to the King who approving it offered it to the Parliament who approved of it and afterwards made their Act for Uniformity in the Use thereof And whoever gathered the Contents of the Book did no more intend to have all things named therein to be parts of the Book than they that set forth the Bible with Contents to the Chapters and Psalms intended that we should take those Contents for Canonical Scripture The Contents of Ps 149. says the Prophet exhorteth to praise God for that Power which he hath given to the Church over the Consciences of Men. But that is no part of the Text neither the Acts Prefaces Rubricks c. which come not into Use in the Administration of Prayer Sacraments c. any part of that Book to the Use whereof we give our Assent and Consent This Act doth exclude the Use of any other Forms when it injoyns those prescribed in the Book for publick Worship but it doth not include those previous Acts Prefaces and Instructions which only tend to justify and inforce the Use of the common-Common-Prayer But Mr. Baxters Dilemma may be answered to the advantage of Conformity thus Either the Acts for Uniformity and the Prefaces are parts of the Book to which our Assent is required or not if not then our Assent to them is not required if they be then our Assent will be more facile upon this account First because in that Preface concerning the Service of the Church it is thus said for as much as nothing can be so plainly set forth but doubts may arise in the Vse and Practise of the same to appease all such diversity if any arise and for the resolution of all doubts concerning the manner how to understand do and execute the things contained in this Book the Parties that so doubt or diversly take any thing shall always resort to the Bishop of the Diocess who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in this Book And if the Bishop of the Diocess be in doubt then he may send for Resolution thereof to the Arch-Bishop Here is a way opened to such as think that the Acts and Prefaces are to be Assented to to clear their doubts to their satisfaction the several Bishops within their Diocess have a Power by Law to explain any doubts that may arise concerning the Use and Practise of Uniformity and their determinations are declared to be as Valid as the Law it self Now doubtless if sober Dissenters did consult their Diocesans in such Cases as concern their Practise in the publick Worship they might easily obtain satisfaction Again it is said in the Preface before the Liturgy We are fully perswaded in our Judgments and we here profess it to the World that the Book as it stood before established by Law doth not contain in it any thing contrary to the Word of God or to sound Doctrin or which a Godly Man may not with a good Conscience use and submit unto or which is not fairly defensible against any that shall oppose the same if it be allowed such just and favourable Construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the best Translations of the Holy Scripture it self If these Mitigations be admitted a great many of the Objections made by Mr. Baxter and others would vanish And if they be not admitted Mr. Baxter himself will grant that they cannot safely subscribe this Assent and Consent to all things contained in the Bible according to any Translation But says he if they might but say we Assent to all things contained that are not by humane frailty mistaken they would soon conform herein See the Plea p. 166. Now the Church of England declares here and in the Preface to the Articles 1564. that they prescribe not these Rules as Laws equivalent with the Word of God and as of
the performance of some more necessary duties I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and St. Paul did Circumcise Timothy to avoid greater inconveniencies when doubtless he had rather not have done it And as we may do some things so we may omit some other which are injoyned by Law according to the exigency of circumstances so it be done without bewraying contempt of Authority or giving just occasion of scandal to others Bishop Sanderson p. 19. of Submission to Superiours The last thing that I shall premise is that the Non-Conformists are not yet agreed what that is in our Conformity which they think to be sinful For what some think unlawful others condemn only as inconvenient One sticks at the Sign of the Cross another at Kneeling at the Sacrament a third at the Surplice a fourth can submit to all these but sticks at Reâ—ordination which different judgment of dissenters gives just cause to believe that there is no real sinfulness in either because what some think to be sinful others grant to be lawful These things being premised I come to the business of Ministerial Conformity Mr. Baxter tells us § 7. that the root of the difference is this That the Non-Conformists thought that they should stick to the meer Scripture rules and simplicity and go far from all additions which were found invented or abused by the Papists in Doctrine Worship and Government against which Opinion Mr. Baxter disputes part 3. ch 2. of his Directory And the Conformists thought that they should shew more reverence to the Customes of the Antient Church and retain that which was not forbidden in Scripture which was introduced before the ripeness of the Papacy or before the year 660. and common to them with the Greek which doubtless was the sounder Opinion So that the Foundation of Non-conformity was lay'd on a false principle and they that built thereon frequently raised Sedition and would have as certainly destroyed the Nation as they did one another had they not been prevented For Mr. Baxter observes that some of them were so hot at home that they were put to death not for their Non-conformity but for Murder Treason or Blasphemy as the Histories of those times shew Others as Ainsworth Robinson Johnson c. fled beyond Sea and there gathered Churches and broke by Division among themselves And whereas Mr. Baxter says that the difference among the Exiles at Frankford was that Dr. Cox and Mr. Horne and their party strove for the English Liturgy and the other party for the freer way of praying from the present sense and habit of the speaker It will appear to him that reads the Troubles of Frankford that the Question was not between the English Liturgy and such free Prayers which were not then publickly used For Calvin himself used a Liturgy at Geneva and a short Form before his Sermons and sometimes that which we call Bidding of Prayers as may be seen after his Sermons on Job Printed in English And Mr. Calvin thus relates the matter p. 33. of his Opuscula When the Exiles could not agree about the English Liturgy they did by my Advice and Approbation draw up another Printed in the English Tongue 1556. wherein was a Confession taken out of Daniel the 9th a Prayer for the whole Church the Lords Prayer the Creed c. the rest of this Section carrieth its Confutation with it The 8. § concerns the conformity of Lay-men which falls under that of Ministerial Conformity § 9. Where first of Assent Consent and Subscription nothing is contrary to Gods word c. This as Mr. Baxter observes is required by the 36. Canon not by the Act or the Book it self Now if we consider by what Men this hath been subscribed to ever since those Canons were Confirmed and what Latitude the Church seems to allow us in making this Subscription viz. If we shall allow it such just and favourable construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the best Translation of the Holy Scripture it self which as you have seen Mr. Baxter himself doth grant they that Scruple at this may also refuse to subscribe any Articles Confession of Faith yea even the Apostles Creed This therefore is already answered and so is the next Objection that the Subscriber will use that Form in publick Prayer c. and none other For other occasional Forms for Prayer and Thanksgiving commended to us by authority may be used without violating this Subscription it being Casus omissus the constant practice of the Church shewing that this exception was intended though not expressed and that conceived Prayers before Sermons are not hereby forbidden the general practice doth evince All Law-givers do leave to the Judges and Magistrates a Power to interpret the doubtful Letter of the Law and to mitigate the rigour of its Execution in order to the publick good and dispenseth with the Subjects so be it they observe the chief end of the Law in the omission of some circumstances on reasonable occasions and unavoidable accidents without which Justice would be turned into Wormwood He therefore that presumeth of the Magistrates consent to dispense with the Observation of the lesser parts of the Law on just occasions and in needful cases presumeth no more than he hath reason to do And this Bishop Sanderson groundeth on that Maxim Salus Populi Suprema Lex All that is required by the Act is unfeignedly to Assent and Consent that there is such a measure of Truth and Goodness in the Book of Common-Prayer as qualifies it for the publick Worship of God which even they that pretend disorders and defects in it may do in Obedience to Authority for the sake of Peace Order and Charity as well as for the continuing of themselves in the Ministry And doubtless they may approve of the present Liturgy with all its defects which was compiled by the Holy and Learned Martyrs and hath been reviewed and approved by many stout Confessors as well as of their so he calls his new Liturgy more correct Nepenthes which being done in haste hath many Imperfections or the Directory that had nor Creed nor Decalogue both which leave Men to their own extemporary Conceptions And in a short time justled out the Lords Prayer too The title of the Act which is the Key that opens the sense and intention of the Law-givers is an Act for Vniformity of publick Prayers and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies so that if Uniformity be unfeignedly observed the Act is satisfied though the Conformist may wish that some things in the said Book had been amended But some Men are so unhappy as to contrive Nets and Snares to involve themselves and others and raise nice distinctions where the Law distinguisheth not As do they who say Assent implies the Truth and Consent the goodness of the things 2. And whereas the Act says to all things they
Baptism was Instituted for the Remission of Sins and to be a Seal of the Covenant of Grace seeing it is certain by the Word of God as Mr. Baxter Asserts that Infants have a right to Baptism I see no cause why Mr. Baxter may not Assent to this Rubrick Our Wiser Seniors ought to deal so candidly with young and unstudied Divines as to Interpret a Rubrick occasionally delivered by them agreeably greeably to those other places wherein this Doctrine of the Church to which they had formerly subscribed is purposely handled and explained now Article 25. concerning the Sacraments the Church holds That in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome Effect and Operation And Article 27. Those who receive Baptism rightly are thereby as by an Instrument Grafted into the Church and obtain Remission of Sins Now as this may probably be the meaning of the Rubrick so it is the sense of all sober Protestants that all such Infants as are duly Baptized are admitted into the Covenant of Grace and are in a State of Salvation And this the Church of God hath alway taught that none shall perish for the Imputation of the Sin of the First Adam that are Baptized into the second Adam and unless Infants that dye shortly after their Baptism have this benefit by it we may turn Anabaptists and deny it to them without any Injury But it is objected that neither Rubrick nor Canon except from Baptisme and certainty of Salvation any Children of Turks Infidels c. Answ Mr. Baxter grants that as under the Old Testament Abraham might cause the Children born in his House or bought with his Mony to be Circumcised so Christian Proprietors may by themselves or other Godfathers Offer such Children to Baptism and the benefits thereof And Fulgentius de Vera praed l. 1. c. 12. says that if such Infants die soon after Baptism they are heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ Favores sunt ampliandi P. 174. It is Objected that the Ministers subscribing to use no other Form in the Administration of the Sacraments than what is injoyned by the Book of Common-Prayer the Non-Conformists cannot Assent to it lest they should refuse from Baptism the Children of true Christians who will not procure Godfathers nor submit to the Sign of the Cross for the Priest consenteth saith Mr. Baxter p. 177. Not to Baptize them who dare not receive it with the Vse of the Cross and Godfathers Answ That as the Practice of our Church in one case of necessity when Children are like to dye shews that they approve of Baptism without either Godfathers or the Sign of the Cross so it argues that they do approve of it in other cases where no contempt or scandal doth appear as where Godfathers may not be had and it may be dangerous to use the Cross as in the late times of confusion and those persons have a very low esteem of the necessity and benefit of the Sacraments as do withdraw themselves and their Children from them meerly on a Ceremony used in the Administration But the great fear of the Non-Conformists is lest this Use of the Cross be a second Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace made by Man added to Baptism and the rather because it is the Use of an Image though transient in Gods Worship and to such high ends p. 180. n. 5. and the question here is whether the Cross be not here made not only a Sacrament in a larger Sense as Ordination and Matrimony may be called Sacraments but even a Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace Answ I perceive Mr. Baxter is none of the young unstudied Divines in raising Scruples and Controversie which he hath as well multiplyed in number as aggravated in the nature of them It is yet a vainer Cavil which Mr. Baxter hath against those Words in the Exhortation before the Communion That no Man should come to the Holy Communion without a full Trust in Gods Mercy and with a quiet Conscience Any Man that shall read the whole Period will find this to be the sense of it that because it is the duty of every one to come to that Holy Sacrament with a full Trust in Gods Mercy and a quiet Conscience Therefore such whose fears are great and their Faith but weak whereby they might be hindered from not Communicating at all or not with comfort should consult their own or some other able Pastor for satisfying their doubts removing their fears and strengthning their Faith in such a measure as that they may receive it for the better and not for the worse If a serious Christian should complain to Mr. Baxter of the weakness of his Faith and some troubles of Mind I doubt not but that after Ghostly Counsel and Instruction he would advise the same method viz. to frequent the Holy Communion for the increase of his comfort and strengthening of his Faith Suppose the case stood thus That one who is afraid of Communicating with such as he thinks to be wicked Persons or to receive the Sacrament kneeling should consult with Mr. Baxter whether he may Communicate according to the Order prescribed in the Liturgy I am much deceived if Mr. Baxter could not give him sufficient reason to lay aside those doubts and rather than to neglect that Ordinance to submit to the Orders of the Church and receive that Sacrament kneeling and if it be no Sin to receive it it is none to give it to one that kneels nor is it any way inconvenient for scrupulous persons to seek Resolution and Consolation from some able Minister of the Church P. 184. N. 15. Mr. Baxter observes that by the Liturgy every Parishioner is to Communicate twice a year the Rubrick says three times in the year whereof Easter is to be one As for the compelling Men so to do that is as he observes by Statute and therefore it concerns not the Conforming Ministers so that this will not amount to what Mr. Baxter reports as if it were the Voice of the Minister Receive the Sacrament or lye in Goal But Mr. Baxter ought to have understood this Rubrick cum grano Salis if he had so much left for it could not be strictly understood of every Parishioner but only of such as should be judged fit and duly qualifyed not to every Child or ignorant Person seeing it directs that such as are admitted to that Sacrament should be able to give an account of the Catechism and be actually Confirmed or desirous of Confirmation And the Curate is to have notice at least the day before who intend to Communicate and if any of them be a notorious evil-liver or have done any wrong to his Neighbour by Word or Deed whereby the Congregation is offended or if the Curate perceive any to live in malice and hatred he may not only admonish them to forbear the Lords Table but not suffer them to be partakers thereof till he know them to be reconciled But into what deplorable