Baptism the last if his Translators have not abused him was scarce sound in any thing But the Cross was used in Constantine's times and why may it not now be used shall we accuse Constantine of Popery and Superstition Thus is the King said to have argued in the Conference and by his argument he gave us to understand that he liked not that any one should charge Constantine with Popery or Superstition I therefore will lay neither to his charge but yet his purpose not to be baptized till he might be baptized in the same River where Christ was baptized viz. Jordan if it did not proceed from superstition proceeded from a very odd humour God crossed him in that his design and put him under a necessity either to receive Baptism in another place than Jordan or not to receive it at all In this I follow Ensebius for whom should I rather follow than him who so well knew Constantine and hath transmitted his History to posterity If any man incline to those who would have Constantine baptized many years before at Rome I leave him to Scultetus in his Medulla who defends Eusebius against Baronius Mr. Knewstubb's second question was supposing the Church had power to add significant ceremonies whether she might there add them where Christ had already ordained one Which he supposed was no less derogatory to Christs Institution than if any Potentate of the Land should presume to add his Seal to the Great Seal of England To this Dr. Barlow saith p. 70. the King answered That the case was not alike for that no sign or thing was added to the Sacrament which was fully and perfectly finished before any mention of the Cross is made I dare not think this was King James his answer for it is only fitted and suted to our own Church as then it was ordered and still continues In the first Book of King Edward crossing was appointed before Baptism could be pretended to be perfected or indeed begun which was also the usage of the ancient Churches 2. I conceive the presumption of any subject would be great if he should add his own seal to confirm or signifie any thing that the King 's Great Seal was appointed to confirm and signifie though the Great Seal had been set before he set his Seal 3. Methinks the argument stands still in its full force If applying of water to a believer in the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost do signifie all that the Cross signifies to what end is the Cross used The child that is baptized with us is obliged by Baptism obediently to keep Gods holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of his life what can the Cross oblige him to more Is not confessing the saith of Christ crucified one of Gods commandments I know a learned man hath replied that constancy is not distinctly signified in being baptized as it is in being crossed But I ask Is it any benefit to a man to have some ceremony used that doth more distinctly mind him of his constancy than Baptism did If it be none then such a ceremony is needless if it be some benefit how came it to pass that no Apostle ever used any such ceremony and why do we not excogitate other ceremonies to admonish us as distinctly of other duties Mr. Knewstubbes third question was In case the Church had power to institute such a sign how far such an Ordinance was to bind them without impeaching their Christian liberty The King charged him never more to speak to that point And therefore I will not speak to it at all but must needs say it was an odd question if it were so propounded as the Relator hath worded it Dr. Reynolds is again brought on the stage p. 71. objecting the example of the Brazen Serpent stampt to powder because the people abused it to Idolatry wishing the Cross because superstitiously abused might be abandoned also To this the King is made to say 1. If it were abused to Superstition in the time of Popery that plainly implies that it was well used before Popery As if nothing had been abused by the Papists in Divine Worship but what had been once well used 2. That there is no resemblance between the Brazen Serpent a material visible thing and the sign of the Cross made in the air As if a thing made in the air might not be abused to superstition as well as a material visible thing 3. That the Papists themselves did never ascribe any power or spiritual grace to the sign of the Cross in Baptism Whether they did or no their Writings will best testifie 4. The material Crosses which in time of Popery were made for men to fall down before them to worship are removed as they desired Whereas most present at the Conference knew that in many places they were not removed The next thing objected was the wearing of a Surplice a kind of Garment which the Priests of Isis used to wear To which His Majesty answered inter alia That if Heathens were commorant among us so as they might take occasion to be strengthned or confirmed in Paganism then there were just cause to suppress the wearing of it A notable answer and which the Nonconformists may do well to treasure up as like to stand them in good stead in these controversies With my body I thee worship is an old and odd phrase and if it may not be altered it must be explained and then Mumpsimus may do as well as Sumpsimus The Ring in Marriage Dr. Reynolds approved and the corner'd cap. Committing of Ecclesiastical censures unto Lay-chancellors the King promised to take order to reform p. 78. And Archbishop Grindal's prophesyings it is like enough His Majesty would not have disliked if he had not misunderstood the design of them And now I would fain know whether what the Bishops got by this Conference may not be put in a mans eye and he never see the worse Dr. Reynolds got a great deal by it viz. a new Translation of the Bible such an explication of the use of the Cross as if the story be true he did acquiesce in a large addition concerning the Sacraments in the Church-catechism c. so that Dr. Heylin in his History of Presbyterians quarrels with King James for giving any way to the Conference There is but one thing more I will concern my self to take notice of in Mr. Scrivener's Action against the New Schism he desires to have one place in which Presbyter signifies a Lay-man Though I think I could satisfie his desire in this yet I find not my self on any account obliged so to do for the English Nonconformists are not over-fond of Ruling-Elders those Churches that retain such Officers will not acknowledg them to be lay-men nor indeed have they any reason to acknowledg them to be such For why should Church-officers chosen by the Church and commended to the grace of God by prayer be called laicks because they labour at some employment to keep themselves from being chargeable to the congregation why then the Apostle Paul was for some part of his time a Laick for he laboured And in later times I could instance in men that for their Learning and Piety deserved to be Metropolitans who yet were fain to preach and work It were to be wished that many in England to whom the care of souls is committed were permitted and enjoyned to follow some calling in the week-days for by that means they would be less scandalous than now they are Why should men that know not what it is to study be forbidden to dig Are they Laicks because they do not preach Many we have in England who would think scorn to be termed Laicks that never did preach never had licence to preach Are they Laicks because they are not ordained by laying on of hands It will be hard to prove that that ceremony is essential to make a man a Church-officer But yet Mr. Scrivener hath good leave to fall upon these Ruling-Elders to bring them into any Court by a Quo VVarranto and if he do chance to cast them there be but few Nonconformists that will be at cost to bring the business to a new Trial. These Elders in some places are made the more pert because of the multiplicity and variety of answers that the Prelatical give to those places of Scripture on which their divine institution is pretended to be built It would tire an ordinary patience to reckon up the various expositions that are given of 1 Tim. 5.17 Scultetus censures the answers given by Bilson another condemns the answer given by Scultetus others confute all the answers given by Mr. Mede Among all that have written against Elders whether unlearned or learned I have not met with any that have satisfied me yet I can satisfie my self about this place For those Churches that argue heartily for these Elders do argue from the general word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the two participles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the two articles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the two species or kinds of Elders from the two participles two articles two special Elders divided and separated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the discretive particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Mr. Scrivener face this argument with some of the old answers and see what will come on it And let him take heed how he strikes at these Lay-Elders as he will call them lest he wounds those among us known by the name of Lay-chancellors In the mean time I beseech him to commune with his own heart and to consider with what spirit he writ his books against Daillee and the English Nonconformists by so doing he will be brought I doubt not to take shame unto himself and so prevent the far greater shame of having his railings and calumnies laid open by others Quod erat exorandum FINIS
from us Tell them that the ordinations made by Luther are invalid because he was but a mere Presbyter or that as many of them as come over hither must be reordained before they are capable of any Ecclesiastical preferment unless they have been ordained by Bishops properly so called they will quickly let you see that no reconciliation is to be hoped for I dare boldly say the generality of Presbyterians in England are against no Episcopacy but what the Lutherans themselves abhor There are sundry other things in Mr. Moines Letter for the which I could expose him but I forbear and desire English men not to estimate him by this Letter which is so interpolated that he need not own it as his I undertake at any time to bring a credible witness that shall swear that Mr. Moine hath both by word of mouth and also by Letter under his hand declared that his mind about Episcopacy is not truly represented by this Letter as Printed by Mr. Durel many things being left out that would as much have crossed his design as those which he hath published do further it I come now to the Assembly that Mr. Durell hath called to decide our controversies for us he will have Joannes Amos Comenius the only surviving Bohemian Bishop permitted to speak first and the Presbyterians desire nothing more they have some of them translated a great deal of his Book into English they refuse not to stand or fall by his Paraenesis directed by name to the Church of England when it seemed sollicitous concerning the best form of Church Government Had not Mr. D. picked and culled out of the writings of the Divines whom he quotes just so much as would serve his turn he had manifestly betrayed the cause of those who have preferred him in the judgment of uninterested men he hath done it consequentially by referring Scholars to the Books of the Authors themselves For let a man go to the Letter of Monsieur Bochart written to Dr. Morley and there he shall find that Presbytery is Ancienter than Episcopacy The Reader also is directed to go to a Letter of Monsieur Vauquelins to prove that he thought the Book of common prayer very far from Popery and Superstition Page 278. but if he go to Page 189. he shall find he saith only that there is not in the Book any formal superstition which certainly is not to say it is very far from superstition I profess I know not any one Member of that Assembly Mr. D. would have called that hath not in his writings said more against the Church of England in the Controversies now on foot than for it Of Danaeus I have spoken before and suppose Mr. D. will be willing enough to have him left out of the Synod if he will not let him at his leisure read what he saith of Aerius in his Comment upon St. Augustine de Haeresibus I shall enquire into the mind only of two or three more and they shall be such as I suppose he will have no quarrel against because they are Frenchmen viz. Capell Rivet Casaubon Capell tells him his mind plainly in his Theses de divini verbi necessitate Parag. 29. he saith that there were by the Apostles themselves instituted Churches and in every one of them before their death there was constituted by them a Colledge of Presbyters by whose Labor Ministry and dayly Preaching the Doctrine of the Gospel might be propagated to the end of the World In his Theses about the vocation of Evangelical Ministers Parag. 11. The ordinary power of Preaching the Gospel is that which by the Apostles is committed to their successors Presbyters being by them appointed in every City in the Churches founded by them In his Theses de diversis Ministrorum Evang. Ordinibus gradibus He vohemently contends that the Ministry was properly instituted by God to procure the eternal Salvation of men and that the order of Presbyters alone may suffice to that end and that the dignity and superiority of Bishops above Presbyters is meerly of humane constitution and that there was no cause why the Bishops and their Patrons should so much on this cause and account insult and wax insolent against those whom invidiously they call Puritans and Presbyterians In his Theses of the various Regiment of the Church Parag. 15. He severely censures the pompous mode of worship used in our Cathedrals but Parag. 24. he saith plainly that the English men did not do unwisely who threw the yoke of Episcopacy off their necks Ay but in his Theses about Liturgies he retracts what he had written about abolishing Hierarchical Government Ans No man can see such retractation but Mr. D. himself who sees by extramission and not by intramission as we may observe Page 193 194. Had Capell intended any retractation he would have used plain words importing a revocation or retractation of what he had before written but he useth no words but what may well consist with what he had before said When the same Capell comes to deliver his judgment about festivals he even laughs at the reason or argument used by our great Hooker to prove them by But go we from Capell to Dr. Andrew Rivet whose engagements and obligations to our Bishops were perhaps greater for that he was civilly treated by some of them as he doth somewhere acknowledge as also that at Oxford he had the Honorary degree of Doctor conferred on him His judgment about Episcopacy we have seen before about other things let him now have leave to speak First it is like enough that at the University be might observe that form of Oath Ita me Deus adjuvet sancta Dei Evangelia whether that Oath stuck in his stomach or no I cannot tell but in his explication of the Decalogue he puts this question What is to be thought of that custom which obtaineth in some Churches that have in other things thrown off the Popish superstitions that he that sweareth should touch the Holy Bibles or the Gospels or some part thereof And answereth if the words be conceived as among the Papists so God help me and these Holy Gospels I see not how the reliques of superstition can be excused In the same explication of the Decalogue putting the question concerning the Saints days observed here in England he saith he cannot approve the judgment of those who accuse our Church of Idolatry on that account but wisheth withal the custom were amended because of the peril of Idolatry Just as our Presbyterians are accustomed to say In his Comment on Exod. cap. 28. He handleth a question about the special and peculiar vestments of Ministers and hath these words Whereas in England Ministers put on linen vestments it were not to be indured if they did this in imitation of the Jews or for any mystical signification But how if they do it only for some distinction yet still we must be afraid of Gideons Ephod Of the novelty of Organical Musick he speaks
THE Nonconformists VINDICATED FROM THE ABUSES Put upon them By Mr. DVREL and SCRIVENER Being some short Animadversions on their Books soon after they came forth In two Letters to a Friend who could not hitherto get them Published Containing some Remarques upon the Celebrated Conference at Hampton-Court By a Country Scholar LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheap side 1679. THE NONCONFORMISTS Vindicated c. SIR THough I have of late wholly addicted my self to the Study of Practical Theology and spent all that time I could redeem from my necessary occasions in Reading such Authors as make it their business to declare unto us the essentials of Christianity yet it hath been some delight to me from time to time by your Letters to understand what Books have been Printed about those comparatively Petit controversies that have of late years so miserably divided our British Churches I heartily wish you had still continued only to be my Intelligencer then I had been at liberty either not to send for the Authors you mentioned or else when I had sent for them to lay them aside as soon I had enough of them but you were ambitious to be my Benefactor and therefore lately sent me at your own cost Mr. Durells two Eristical Volumes conjuring me by all our friendship to read them over and to return you my thoughts of them and though I have again and again importuned you to excuse me from so unwelcome an employment yet will you take no denial wherefore that I may not seem finally obstinate I do herewith send you some Animadversions the fruit of a few leisure hours in reading whereof if you either encrease the itch of disputation or be forced to abate of the esteem you as yet have of your Author you know where to lay the blame I assure you I envy not unto him the Ecclesiastical dignities and benefices he enjoys but I think he was as unmeet a person as any could have been pitched on to undertake the Cause of our Church against the Nonconforming Ministers for the grounds of this so severe censure I refer you to what follows and at present shall only lay before you three or four necessary qualifications of him that would plead for conformity with any success or credit to our Church 1. He had need to be free from all suspition of ambition and of that which the Apostle calls the root of all evil else his adversaries will say that in his pleadings for the Church he seeks not her but hers The Writings of Mr. Hooker Mr. Sprint Dr. Burges as they are in themselves sober and learned so they are by all or most read without any prejudice because they contented themselves with such ordinary preferments as they either had before they had written or might have expected though they had never written for Ceremonies Nay Dr. Burges professeth that he lost more by conforming than any did by not conforming by the way whereas Dr. Heylin saith Hist of Presby Pag. 327. That King James occasioned this Doctors preferring to the Rectory of Colshill in Warwickshire the Reader may take notice that he was never Rector of Colshill but of Sutton Goldfield unto which the King occasioned not his preferment for the presentation was given him without his seeking by Mr. Shilton after it had been first refused by Dr. Chetwind I therefore doubt not but he did write for the lawfulness of Subscription out of conscience and that he would have continued in that opinion though Authority had frowned upon it I dare not say so much concerning all that were or would have been more highly dignified The first English man that grated hard upon the Presbyterian Government in the Latin tongue was Dr. Matthew Suttliffe Dean of Exeter in a Book entituled de verâ Catholicâ Christianâ Ecclesiâ this very man whether discontented because his Book against Mr. Mountague was suppressed or angry that he missed some preferment he aimed at or for some other reasons we know not of before his death professed his hearty sorrow that he had written so much against Presbytery and for the power of the domineering Prelates as may be seen in the Jus divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici Who professed a greater zeal for Hierarchy than Patrick Adamson But Hierarchy not being able to pay its quarters in the worlds own coin how poorly did he Recant all his actings for it Confessing Presbyteries to be an ordinance of Christ and craving Gods mercy that he had called them a foolish invention bewailing his pride and covetousness that had put him upon undertaking the office of an Archbishop as that wherewith justly the sincerest professors of the word have found fault and condemned as impertinent to the office of a sincere pastor of Gods word ingaging also that if he had health he would write a confutation of Sutliffes Book All which and much more is to be found in the Records of the Scottish Nation 2. He that would with any advantage to the Church undertake to confute Nonconformists must be one that hath seen and well considered either all or the chiefest of their Books and well knows the Histories of the times in which they were written Else first he may commit such foul mistakes in Chronology as will render him ridiculous and contemptible to all his Readers Can the most mortified Presbyterian chuse but laugh when he finds in Dr. Heylins History of Presbyterians Pag. 264 that about 1570. Mr. Carthwrights grace for Doctor was denied him by the major part of the Vniversity which so displeased him and his adherents that from that time the degrees of Doctors Batchelors and Masters were esteemed unlawful and those that took them reckoned for the limbs of Antichrist as appears by the Genevian notes on the Revelations How can it appear from the Geneva notes that from the time of denying Mr. Carthwrights grace degrees were accounted unlawful when every one knows that many years before the denial of that grace those notes had been both made and published perhaps by such as never saw or heard of Mr. Carthwright Nor is that less ridiculous which occurs Pag. 294. where mention being made of a Pamphlet written by Stubbes of Lincolns-Inne it is said that Stubbes had married one of Mr. Carthwrights Sisters and therefore may be thought to have done nothing without his privity Mr. Carthwright indeed married one of Mr. Stubbes his Sisters but that Mr. Stubbes married one of his Sisters is a falshood and if it were supposed to be a truth what ground is that why a man should think that Stubbes did nothing without his privity Do all writers make their Brothers-in-law privy to their designs I acknowledg that Thuanus saith it was found out that Mr. Carthwright instigated him to write the Libel but Thuanus is not to be relied on in matters relating to the English Puritans because in such he follows one who was their bitter adversary as also because Thuanus himself
indeed it doth not but he also might have done well before he dabled in the Printers Ink to read over some Compendiums then would he have amended the Title of above Fifty Pages in his Book not writing The Conformity of the Reformed Churches with the Reformed Church of England for this Enunciation There is a conformity betwixt the Reformed Churches and the Reformed Church of England in the things of present controversie cannot be proved but by an Induction shewing that all or the most or the most famous Reformed Churches agree with the Church of England in all or most or the chiefest of those matters the present Nonconformists scruple Hath he shewed this he doth as good as confess he hath not for Page 53. Sect. 63. giving us the summa totalis of his atchievements he plainly says it amounts but to thus much There is hardly one of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England that is not used in some one Reformed Church or other Which suppose he had proved as he hath not he is many stages off from the conclusion he propounded to infer if he deem he is not let him write a Book to prove that the Language of the Matachuses is conformable to the English Language because there is some one word in which both languages do agree and see whether he will not be laughed at to purpose But I will free my mind from all prejudices that may be taken against Mr. D. on the account of his Country nor will I create him any odium from the high elogiums he bestows on the Earl of Clarendon sentenced by King and Parliament to perpetual banishment as unworthy to live in England though I wonder Mr. D. doth no where bewail his sin or misery in heaping so many praises on him who deserved so few 'T is not the man but his Book I am to undertake and in it I will shew 1. Where there is a real controversy betwixt Episcoparians and Presbyterians he quite mistakes it 2. That he takes a great deal of pains to prove that which was never questioned by any sober man among us 3. That he defiles his Paper with many untruths and falshoods 4. That he hath let fall not a few passages which are manifestly prejudicial and destructive to the Church of England as it is now established As to the real controversies now on foot the principal of them may be reduced to three general Heads Episcopacy Liturgy Ceremonies The Presbyterians say that if they conform they must receive Episcopacy as an order by Divine Law superior to Presbytery and invested with sole power of order and jurisdiction Search Mr. Durell's Book with Candles and if there be in it any one Line tending to prove that either there is any such Episcopacy in any one reformed Church or that any one Reformed Church if her judgment were asked would approve such an Episcopacy and I will confess my self mistaken He reckoneth himself most secure of the Lutheran Churches and among the Lutherans especially of such as are governed by a Monarchy particularly he tells us That in Denmark they have Bishops and Arch bishops name and thing Page 5. How much he is mistaken in this will soon appear if we consult the History of the Reformation of that Kingdom About the year 1537 Bugenbagius is sent for into Denmark where the Twelfth of August he performed all the Ecclesiastical part of the Kings Coronation and Fourteen days after that Coronation he ordained Seven Superintendents to be keepers and executors of all Ecclesiastical Ordination and to do the office of Bishops Now I ask seeing Bugenhage was but a Presbyter whether he put the Superintendents into an order higher than his own if he did who gave him an authority so to do If he did not then are there no Bishops properly so called in Denmark Melchior Adam who relates this of Bugenhagius relates also in the life of Luther that he calling Three other Presbyters to join with him in laying on of hands ordained Nicholas Amdsorf Bishop repudiating one chosen by the Colledg of Canons and very dear to the Emperor That is he ordained one by the name of a Bishop but he was only a Presbyter and could not think himself to be of an higher Order being ordained by Luther that was but a meer Presbyter Gerhard acquaints us That the Papists or at least some of them did proclaim the Ordinations in their Churches to be void and null because performed by Luther who was no Bishop but that ever any Lutheran thought their Ordinations less valid on that account will never be proved I have read Hunnius his Demonstration of the Lutheran Ministry and though he were himself a Superintendent yet he so little magnifies his Office that he sticks not to affirm That he who ordains ordains only as the Officer of the Church and that any one whatever that should by the Church be set to ordain would ordain as validly as a Bishop doth And if it will do Mr. D. any kindness I can and will on his desire direct him to a Lutheran who calls us Anglos Papizantes for straining Episcopacy so high and appropriating Ordination to that Order Chemnitius had occasion to examine the Anathematizing Decrees of the Conventicle of Trent one of them was If any one shall say that a Bishop is not superior to a Presbyter let him be Anathema There he was necessitated to shew the judgment of the Lutheran Churches and yet he there delivereth nothing but what the English Presbyterians can subscribe to and though the incomparable Philip Melancthon was blamed for giving more to Bishops than was meet yet he hath not given more to them than what the English Nonconformists are ready to give them Thus of the Lutheran Churches It will not be so difficult for me to find out the judgment of the Churches more strictly called Reformed because I shall find the most famous of them except the Gallican meeting together at the Synod of Dort Of the Gallican therefore by themselves and I say that the Writers of those Churches have done more against our English Hierarchy than the Writers of any or all Reformed Churches besides For 1. Some of them have made it their business to overthrow the credit of Ignatius his Epistles from which more than from any writing whatever our Hierarchy doth strengthen it self Did not Salmasius and Blondell strain their diligence to prove that even the most correct Copy of Ignatius is spurious And when our learned Hammond had taken some pains to vindicate the Epistles Maresius quarrels with Bâ—ondell because he did not presently all other business laid aside take the Doctor to task and maintain against him the Apology he had made for St. Hieroms opinion yet Dally tells us that Blondell had intended to answer for himself had he not been prevented by death Because death did prevent him therefore his friend Monsieur Dally hath done that work for him and it is said that Dr. Pierson hath
British Divines concern themselves to make protestation open protestation against them If they did then all at once down falls the one half of Mr. Durell's Book For then the Holland Churches in their very Confession of Faith condemn the Discipline of the Church of England and if the Holland Churches do so other Churches do so also For by the Divines of no other Church besides the English was any dislike shewn to those words asserting the parity of all Ministers As for the Deputies of the Gallo-Belgick Churches they declared That the French Churches though not there present had before in a National Synod held in the City of Vitriack 1583 declared solemnly their approbation not only of the Doctrine but also of the Discipline of their Holland Brethren No wonder they so readily consented for an Egg is not more like to an Egg than is the Gallican Confession to the Belgick in the matters of Ministers and Discipline both of them are a note above the Ela of many who have the ill hap to be called Presbyterians and lose their livings here in England both say That this is one part of the Polity taught in the word that there should be in the Church of Christ Pastors Elders Deacons To this it is like that Mr. Durell himself hath subscribed for he somewhere tells us That he had for some years a place among the French Protestants and he tells us page 54 That no man is to be ordained a Minister or admitted to any other office in the said hurcâ—es but he must subscribe besides the publick Confession of their Faith the Canons and Constitutions agreed on at Paris commonly known by the name of their Discipline Now if a man should go to him and ask him whether he believes it to be any piece of Christs Polity that there should be in his Church Elders Ruling-Elders distinct from Preaching Elders or Pastors he would either say no or say nothing Why did he with his hand subscribe to that which he did not with his heart believe Perhaps he is a Latitudinarian or hath a Sluce in his Conscience But the simple Nonconformists in England dare not say they assent to all and every thing if there be something unto which they do not unfeignedly assent they say they can promise not publickly to contradict any thing delivered in the Liturgy or Book of Ordination and some who are beneficed and dignified tell them they mean no more by professing assent and consent But Nonconformists cannot bring themselves to imagine that form of words imports no more What a misery it is that so many Families should be ruined for want of a distinguishing faculty Episcopius hath prescribed a Receipt which if they can but take may cure them of their scrupulosity but let them fear lest it purge them of their Conscience also For thus he What if the Magistrate require words and forms of speaking by which an opinion directly contrary to our faith and opinion is wont to be expressed Answ As long as my opinion is not known if those forms be such or conceived in such words which admit a true sense though a false be wont to be expressed by them I allow them for peace sake Respon ad 64. Quest Page 54. My Lord of Landaff's Protestation hath set my Pen a running further and faster than I designed yet I will not give it check until I have also taken notice of something else which his Lordship relates in his Book against Mountague viz. That he told some Divines of the Synod the cause of all their troubles was because they had no Bishops amongst them who by their authority might repress turbulent spirits that broached novelty every man having liberty to speak or write what they ist It seems his Lordship was of opinion thas if Holland had but been blessed with Bishops Arminianism had never come to such an Head in the Low-Countries and so the Papists tell us That if we would but submit our selves to the Bishop of Rome we should then have no differences about the sense of Scripture yet never any Pope of Rome hath set out any infallible Commentary upon the Bible nor hath any Episcopal authority in England proved sufficient to root up Arminianism among us Mr. Mountague when he first sowed the seeds thereof was of Bishop Carleton's own Diocess why did he not prevent his innovations taking root Why could he not keep his own Book against them from being suppressed What was the matter that no Convocation ever decided so important a controversy I find indeed His Majesty Mountague having been much vexed by the Commons about the year 1626 commanding all the Bishops to come before him reprehending such as appeared for not making known to him what was meet to be done about the Five points that made such a noise but Bishop Andrews and Bishop Laud laying their heads together thought it was not safe to adventure the determining of those points to a Convocation till they could get a Convocation more of their own minds wherefore after all expectations nothing came forth but a Proclamation from His Majesty Charging his Divines not to vent their heats by raising any doubts or publishing and maintaining any new inventions or opinions concerning Religion Much like to an Order the Remonstrants by means of Barnevelt procured from the States of Holland on purpose to prevent the calling of a Synod Of late indeed I find Arnold Poelenberg in a Preface to the 2d Volume of Episcopius his Works boasting of the great favour that the Remonstrant opinions and Authors find with our Prelates and with the leading men in both Universities but perhaps he reckons as the Proverb is without his host All experience tells us that Episcopacy without the Assistance of the Civil Magistrate will not put an end to our strifes and contentions and with the assistance of the Civil Magistrate Presbytery may do it But I return to Mr. D. whom I opposed with an Argument drawn from the Synod of Dort I must not forget that he also takes notice of the Synod of Dort and from the civil and respectful language given in it by Bogerman to the Bishop of Landaff concludes That Holland condemns not our Hierarchy And look how many Transmarine Divines he finds dedicating Books to our Bishops or Archbishops and giving them the titles by which they are commonly called among us so many good mediums he conceives he hath found to prove that beyond the seas the office of a Bishop or Archbishop is liked and honoured I only desire him if he can to be as good natured to our English-men and to believe Thomas Cartwright was a Convert because writing to the Archbishop he gives him his Titles and that Mr. Prynne had no design to unbishop Timothy and Titus because he dedicates his book to the right reverend Fathers in God William of Canterbury and Richard of York Primates of all England and Metropolitans And if his heart do not fail him let him
answer him If the second there are many of his Conforming brethren will soon be upon his bones but for ought I see or can find Mr. D. never goes about either to prove the one or the other proposition and therefore I might be excused if I did wholly dismiss him and leave him to some of his friends to reconcile him to his own shadow yet because he swaggers and accounts that he hath by one thrust left the Assembly of Divines and the two Houses of Parliament weltring in their blood I will try quid tanto dignum feret hic promissor hiatu The things laid to the charge of the two Houses and the Assembly chosen by them are manifest untruths and those uttered in an Ordinance and in a preface to a Directory for the publick Worship of God throughout the three kingdoms vid. p. 3. If any manifest untruths are delivered by them let them for me lye down in their own sorrow and shame till they have made reparation to the parties injured But first we must see whether this heavy charge can be made good against them else the penance must be laid on him that brought in the charge The first untruth is That the book of Common prayer had proved an offence to the Reformed Churches abroad Is this an untruth and a manifest untruth too Why are not the Walachian Churches in Zealand Resormed Churches and was not the Liturgy used in the Church of England an offence to them Let Mr. D. read what Apollonius in the name of the whole Classis hath written against it and then tell us his mind let him also read the several Letters written by Calvin and Beza touching our Liturgy and it will be very evident that some things in our English Liturgy were offensive at Geneva and a man would think something in it was offensive to the Protestant Churches in France or else certainly they would have used their interest with the French Churches here in England to receive it from Bishop Laud who laboured with all his might for many years to impose it on them but could not prevail at last Lastly for ought I know the Scotish Churches may properly enough be called Churches abroad and Mr D. will not sure deny but that our Liturgy was offensive to them The second manifest untruth is that the two houses did take away the book of Common-prayer to answer the expectation of other Reformed Churches If there were other Reformed Churches besides those for which the Directory was appointed that expected the two Houses should take away the Common-prayer-book used in England then was there no manifest untruth in the before-mentioned expression Let us see whether there were not The abolishing of the Common-prayer-book was forth Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales Can Mr. D. imagine that no other Churches reformed expected the taking away of the English Liturgy What thinks he of the Reformed Churches of Scotland The Churches of New England those English and Scotish Churches that were planted up and down the Low-Countreys and other places of Traffick Will he nullifie all these Churches or had they not desires as well as expectations that the Liturgy should be removed Did he never read with how great regret that Liturgy was obtruded upon those English that trafficked in foreign Nations If he have not let him vouchsafe to read over the History of Archbishop Laud written by Dr. Heylin and then tell us whether he was not too rash to give so many Nobles Gentlemen and Divines the lye If that History bring him under no sense of his temerity then I entreat him to enquire of the Assembly-men still alive whether they cannot help him to a sight of the Answers of Foreign Churches returned to the Latin Letter of the Assembly of Divines and by most of them he will find that the designed Reformation was not disgusted by them Till he have such an opportunity it will be wort his while to bestow a little time in reading Apo lonius his printed Epistle Mr. D. again falls upon the two Houses p. 14. thither I will follow him where conceiving wrath and fiery indignation against an expression in the Ordinance of the two Houses he makes a Manifesto That there was never nor is yet any one Reformed Church that hath only a Directory and not a book of Common-prayer for the publick worship of God To which Manifesto I say That the Church of Scotland had when the two Houses made that Ordinance no Book of Common-prayer for the publick worship of God but what was in the nature of a Directory and that the Church of Scotland was principally in their eye in the management of their Reformation and I also say that the Dutch Liturgy is but in the nature of a Directory for so I understand those words cap. 11. art 11. in the Harmony of the Belgick Synods Minister preces vel dictante spiritu vel certa sibi proposita formula concipiet It may be Mr. D. will put another construction on them for he seems to have used other Dictionaries than those we have opportunity to consult in England In one of the French Rubricks it is said that upon Sundays in the morning the following form is commonly used he tells us p 17. the meaning is That that form is to be used always and no other Could any Presbyterian have thought of such a meaning or how can any one of them be convinced that commonly and always are all one why he may be convinced by constant and uniform practice so he tells us ibid. But I say constant and uniform practice will never make commonly to be always I have been a member of the Church of England for these Thirty years and my occasions have called me to be in most Counties of the Nation and in all these years I never heard any Minister whether Prelatical or Presbyterian read King James his Statute against Swearing and yet the words of the Law are plain That it shall be read twice every year were I not a wise man if I should say the meaning of the Law is that the Statute shall never be read as constant and uniform practice doth shew Thus have I examined what Mr. D. had to say against the Two Houses and the Assembly and must now try not the words but the power of Ludovicus Capellus a man of great Learning but which in his later days especially he made use of to the disturbance of the Church better had it been for the Christian world that Saumur had never had a professor of Hebrew than a Professor that took so much pains to make the Hebrew Points or Vowels and Accents a late invention of the Tiberian Massarites long after sundry Translations were extant in the World All his Theses will not do so much good as his Arcanum punctationis revelatum and Critica Sacra have done hurt Let us notwithstanding hear what he hath concerning Liturgies Mr. D. himself being Translator A Hundred and fourty
years ago when the separation was made from the Church of Rome and that the Christian people coming out of Babylon did cast off the Popes tyranny the sacred Liturgy was purged of all that Popish superstition and idolatry and all such things as were over-burdensom or which did little or nothing contribute towards the edification of the Church and so were framed and prescribed in several places divers set forms of holy Liturgies by the several Authors of the Reformation that then was and those simple and pure in Germany France England Scotland the Netherlands c. differing as little as possible from the ancient set forms of the Primitive Church which set forms the Reformed have used hitherto with happiness and profit each of them in their several Nations and Districts Till at last of very late there did arise in England a froward scrupulous and over-nice that I say not altogether superstitious generation of men unto whom it hath seemed good for many Reasons but those very light and almost of no moment at all not only to blame but to cashier and to abolish wholly the Liturgy used hitherto in their Church together with the whole Hierarchical Government of their Bishops instead of which Liturgy they have brought in their Directory as they call it Mr. D. tells us pag. 15. That from hence the Reader may observe five things 1. That all reformed Churches have Liturgies but I say That from no words of Capellus any such observation can be collected if Mr. D. think otherwise his Logick is his own let him make use of it 2. That the Liturgy of the Church of England is judged by this great man not only simple and pure and free from all Popish Superstition and Idolatry but also from all such things as were over onerous and troublesom or which did contribute but little to the edification of the Church No such observation can be made from Capellus his words for he only speaks of the Liturgies that were introduced by the first Authors of our Reformation betwixt which and the present Liturgy there may be for ought Mr. Capell saith to the Contrary a vast difference But I believe this great man commended he knew not what and talked at an high rate of confidence concerning Liturgies of the first Reformers which he never saw A Papist will not desire greater advantage against the Praeses in Saumur than to have it granted that in the Liturgies made by the Authors of Reformation in all the places Capell mentioneth nothing was contained onerous or of little edification The Divines of King Henry the 8th were Authors of a Reformation their Liturgy had something in it superstitious idolatrous less profitable So had also the first Liturgy made by our Divines in King Edwards time else we must count it profitable to pray for the dead and to commend our Prayers to be presented by the holy Angels c. And if we speak even of the present Lutherans Liturgies every thing that hath little or nothing of profit in it is not taken away for what is the profit of Latin Cantions or where is the advantage of Exorcisme What good is to be got by the Doctrine of Consubstantiation I might urge other questions which no friend of Capellus would much care for answering 3. If Liturgies ought to recede as little as possible from that of the Primitive Church as he doth intimate undoubtedly the Liturgy of the Church of England is the best and most perfect of them all as coming nearest unto it How the Reader should be able to observe this from any words of Capellus cannot I divine it may be Mr. D. heartily thinks that our Liturgy cometh nearest to the Primitive Liturgies and so is the most perfect because primum in unoquoque genere est mensura reliquorum But Capellus neither did think so nor could think so without egregious contradiction to his own Principle for he had said just before That from the beginning the Formula's were most brief and most simple which without pomp and train and manifold variety consisted of a few Prayers and Lessons out of the Psalms and other Scripture Now certainly if our Liturgy be most simple yet it is not most brief nor doth it consist of but a few Prayers let Mr. D. read all that by the Liturgy is appointed to be read without defalcation and I will undertake he shall be under no temptation to make his Sermons tedious 4. That of all men who call themselves Reformed the Presbyterians are the first that ever left the use of set forms of Prayers Capellus useth not the word Presbyterians and if he had used it it would have been a very blind Mr. D. seems by Presbyterians to mean the major part of those Divines who by vertue of an Ordinance of Parliament did meet to give advice concerning Doctrine Discipline Worship If Capellus say that these were the first that left off the use of set forms of Prayer he was much mistaken set forms of Prayer had been long before laid aside and condemned as unlawful by such as were as little in love with Presbytery as Hierarchy he may know whom I mean if he will enquire who they were that left old England Dr. Heylin hath written the History of Presbyterians under which name he seems to bring all those Protestants who are not Lutherans nor satisfied with the Reformation of the Church of England This History his Son hath dedicated to the Two Houses of Parliament now sitting In the 2d Page of that Book it is said The Zuinglian Reformation was begun in defacing Images decrying the established Fasts and appointed Festivals abolishing set forms of worship denying the old Catholick Doctrine of a Real Presence and consequently all external reverence in the participation of the blessed Sacrament which Luther seriously laboured to preserve in the same estate in which he found them at the present And page 89. speaking of the Palatine Churches he would have us take them for Antilutherans in defacing Images abolishing all distinction of Fasts and Festivals and utterly denying all set forms of publick Worship I know a great deal of this is false maliciously false as is almost every thing in that Book which relates to the foreign Churches and therefore I hope the Bishops or others that have Authority will either call in the Book or some other way discover how much they abhor the design of it in the mean time here is work for Mr. Durell's Pen if he will not be partial and respect persons if he have any zeal left for Zuinglius Calvin Beza let him wipe off the aspersion of Rebellion Schism Aerianism from their faces or else let him know that seeing Dr. Heylins Book came out last his will be thought sufficiently confuted 5. Mr. D. tells us we may observe that the many reasons for which the Presbyterians have rejected the Book of Common Prayer are very light and almost of no moment at all Capell saith not so but
a Surplice no not in their own Churches so little do they find it to contribute to edification that they forbear it where they would not be blamed if they should use it So the Presbyterians are out of his debt A second Ceremony controverted is kneeling at the Sacrament about which I may say Iliacos extra muros peccatur intra I cannot by all that I have read see any unlawfulness in it and I hope the Presbyterians if they should be asked by any whether they had better forbear the Sacrament than receive it kneeling would well bethink themselves what answer to give I find not that ever any of our authorized Liturgies did allow any other gesture yet I have read in a Book called Treasure out of rubbish That some Commissioners of Q. Elizabeth did about the beginning of Her Reign at Coventry and other places appoint not kneeling but standing to be used at the Lords Table The Book was Printed by the Reverend Mr. Simeon Ash since His Majesties return to his Throne and I hear that many conforming Ministers are so compassionate as to deliver the consecrated Elements to those who do not kneel how they can so do non violata fide quam dederunt ecclesiae I understand not they themselves I hope have satisfied their own Consciences and can give a reason of their practice to their Governors though I cannot The Church in the 2d Book of King Edward inserted a Rubrick against Transubstantiation unhappily left out in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles the 1st but through the goodness of our present Soveraign now again put into the last Edition of our Liturgy may it never more be left out but continue to the shame of those who feared not to say we left it out because it seemed too much to favour the Sacramentarians The Church also appoints the Minister to use a kind of a Prayer in delivering the Eucharist whilst he useth that Prayer the Communicant is to kneel meekly but when he hath taken the Bread into his own hands he may then sit and eat it or stand and eat it I wish this could satisfie private Christians but there are Hundreds that cannot so quiet their own minds and yet if you discourse with them they can make Syllogisms and they live peaceable and godly lives Now here the Shoe pincheth the Nonconformist Minister whether he can promise never to give the Sacrament to any one who scrupleth kneeling Had Mr. D. clearly and solidly determined this question or had he strongly proved that the Church could not without dishonour allow more than one gesture in receiving the Sacrament I could easily have forgiven him all the raillery of his book but he thought he could get preferment at an easier rate therefore contents himself in a few lines p. 46 47. to instance in a very â—â—w Reformed Churches that receive the Sacrament kneeling First he instanceth in the Reformed Churches of Bohemia Reformed above two hundred years ago the remnant of it now left saith he receive it kneeling This instance little avaâ—leth our Church because from the beginning it was not so the Ancestors of the Bohemians did at first viz. 1494 use standing but being persecuted on that account were compelled to leave it off as Comenius tells us so that Mr. D. by this only proves the conformity of our Church with the Popish Church in persecuting those who will not kneel at the Sacrament Nor is he more lucky in his other instances of Polonia major and Lithuania for which he refers us to the Consensus Poloniae What a Character Dr. Heylin gives of the Reformation of Poland let him that loveth railing see Hist of Presb. 31 32 33. Indeed the Consent of Poland doth not much hit our humour here in England for in the Cracovian Synod 1573 all Choreae are condemned as dishonest A question being moved VVhether the rites in the use of the Lords Supper ought to be uniform It was concluded That according to the custom of the Primitive Church men should be left to their Christian liberty yet with admonition to the brethren that if any used sitting they should leave that proper to the Arrian Anabaptists In the Petricovian Synod Anno 1578 it is determined That uniformity in the rite of receiving the Lords Supper should not be pressed lest it should happen that there might be occasion to exercise Ecclesiastical Discipline upon any of the common people who are not easily brought to unusual ceremonies whereas the Synod judged it neither agreeable to the will of the Lord nor the custom of the Christian Church more pure to strike Christian men with the rod of Discipline for external rites yet so as the gesture of sitting at the Lords Table is rejected for a reason I shall more speak of by and by 'T is the Synodus Wlodislaviensis congregated 1583 that Mr. D. pitcheth upon in which Synod the matter of sitting at the Lords Table is again debated and there it is determined that sitting is as free as any other gesture which being brought in by way of Parenthesis Mr. D. never Englisheth or taketh notice of for he had called it an unmannerly and irreverent gesture and it was no wisdom to touch a knife that would be sure to cut his fingers but there also it was determined That sitting should not be used at the Lords table in any of the Churches of Poland or Lithuania for this ceremony is not used in Christian Churches and Evangelical Assemblies and is only proper to the unbelieving Arrians placing themselves in a seat or throne equal to Christ Seeing therefore sitting crept into some of their Churches especially by occasion of those who denied the Lord that redeemed us they desire and exhort all their assemblies and brethren in the Lord that they would change sitting into standing or kneeling Mr. D. translates potissimum first and I believe he was the first that so translated that word Not content to make so bold with Priscian he riseth to greater impudence saying that what they observed about the first bringers in of sitting into Poland may be our observation also if what Dr. Owen have said be true as it is very likely That there is not a city a town scarce a village in England but had some of the Miscreant Socinians Whether Dr. Owen hath any words of this import I know not if he have 't is like he referred them to the time in which he did make his book which was many years after that sitting was brought into the English Churches by the two Houses Too many there were in the two Houses no doubt that sought their own things more than the Nations peace but they never had among them any Socinian that ever I did hear of but only one Fry who was also expelled when he discovered his blasphemies Nor do I find that these Hereticks do abound in those places of the Kingdom where I have been but Papists abound extremely so as the
That private Baptism should be performed by the Minister of the Parish or in his absence by any other lawful Minister that can be procured Now any man would think Lay persons are not allowed to Baptize but Dr. Heylin in his introduction to the life of Archbishop Laud page 27. saith That the alteration was greater in sound than sense it being the opinion of many great Clerks That any man in cases of necessity that is extream who can but pronounce the words of Baptism may pass in the account and notion of a lawful Minister A prodigious assertion for a Turk or Jew may pronounce the words of Baptism Is he a lawful Minister of Baptism did ever any that pretended to reverence the authority of the Church thus wrest her words But to return to the rite of Baptism we have got a trick to sprinkle or to let water fall by drops but the Church allows no such rite but most expresly requires pouring even when the Child is at the weakest and seeing in the Baptism of Infants the Administrator is required to dip them if they may well endure it how comes it to pass that in the Baptism of Adult persons who are appointed by fasting and prayers to prepare themselves for the receiving of the Sacrament it is left indifferent to the Ministers either to dip them in the Font or pour water on them though there be a moral certainty that they may endure dipping well enough And what Prayers must these adult persons use to prepare themselves for Baptism must they make them themselves or must they be made by the Bishop or Priest or are there any preparatory Prayers to that purpose made already I wish Mr. D. would answer me these questions Object Well but what say you in the excuse of the Presbyterians who as Dr. Heylin tells us page 293. would not have their Children Baptized by the names of their Ancestors Richard Robert c. but by some name occurring in the Holy Scriptures especially in the Old Testament becouse meerly Hebrew and not prophaned with any mixture of the Greek or Roman Did not Snape and Cartwright in the Book of Discipline agree that the Minister in Baptizing Children should not admit of any such names as had been used in the time of Paganism the names of Idols and the like Did they not also take an bumor of giving such names unto their Children as many of them when they came to age were ashamed of Accepted Deliverance Discipline Praise God Reformation Tribunal Thankful Answ As for the Discipline of Jersy and Guernsey made by Mr. Cartwright and Snape I never saw it but once when I minded not what was in it now I know not where to get it and therefore leave it to Mr. D. to answer for his forefathers and neighbors The Presbyterians have not hired me to be their Advocate I am only for peace and would not have men made worse than they be 'T is doubtless an unjust scrupulosity for any man to question the lawfulness of calling his Child either Robert or Richard or Arthur or VVilliam but if the Question be not what is lawful but what is expedient I say caeteris paribus it is more expedient that Children be named by the names of such persons as were famous in their generations for piety and learning Dr. Rivet tells Baily Tractatu 3. page 33. Quest 8. That they used diligence to bring Parents to give to their Children names borrowed from them whose life was laudable in the Church that they may be stirred up to the imitation of those whose name they bear for such better agree to Christians than either the ambitious or superstitious names of Heathens He also tells us that in his remembrance a vain-glorious fellow whose name was Le Grand would needs name his Child Alexander but the Ministers refused to gratifie his ambition they would not have a mean fellows Child called Alexander the Great but that ever any Presbyterian refused to Baptize a Child because it was to be called Richard may well pass for a Story of Dr. Heylin's which many times are none of the truest As for the reason he gives out of his own head of the Presbyterians chusing Old Testament names because the Old Testament is meerly Hebrew it argueth his great ignorance some of the Presbyterians Children before they come from School know that the Old Testament is not meerly Hebrew Where our English Tongue can afford happy compositions I should think such a composition in a Childs name would not make Baptism contemptible nor the Imposer ridiculous yet I confess I should never advise any man to name his Child Praise God nor The Lord is near for though he may excuse himself by the names of Quod vult Deus A deo-datus usual in St. Austin's time yet it savors of affectation to give such names and it may occasion the taking of the Lords name in vain nor do I find that Presbyterians have delighted themselves in such names Accepted was the name of Dr. Frewen late Archbishop of York was he ever ashamed of it or had he any reason to be ashamed of it or was his Father a Presbyterian Let the Church Books from 1582 be searched and it will be found to the shame of this Historian that Presbyterians have given such names to their Children as other people did and that none of their Children are called by such uncouth names as are mentioned in the Objection My next task is to give in a Catalogue of Mr. D's impertinencies which are indeed many and too many to be insisted on particularly Page 51. He gives us some sayings of some Churches against Sacriledg A thing that hath been done more copiously by Dr. John Hoornbeck in his examination of the Popes Bull sent forth to nullifie the peace of Germany and if Mr. D. please he may read a very smart Discourse against the sin of Sacriledg in Mr. Baxters defence of the VVorcestershire Petition If Ancestors through mistake have given maintenance to Idolatrous uses Magistrates may convert that maintenance to uses truly pious If there be a true superfluity of Church revenues for some one good use Magistrates may out of that superfluity provide for some other good use If the Soveraign power please in cases of true necessity to make use of Church-mens Lands as well as others to maintain the Nation against foreign Invasions c. what is there in such an action blame-worthy These and such like cases excepted I profess I know not the Presbyterian alive or dead that was not against the alienation of Church-Lands Mr. D. tells us he saw some Presbyterian Ministers made nothing of purchasing and detaining Church-Lands and in his Margin nameth Dr. Burges so that it seemeth Dr. Burges is some Presbyterian Ministers But he ought before he so called him to prove that he was so much as one Presbyterian Minister he was not that Dr. Burges of whom we heard before that made the Book against Dr.
Ames his reply to Dr. Morton but he was the Dr. Burges that oversaw that Book in the Press and adorned its Margin to make the reading more pleasant and delightful and he was that Dr. Burges who did write for Baptismal Regeneration a Doctrine distastful to the Presbyterians He took the Covenant indeed but not as I have heard till he was like to be turned out of the Assembly for not taking it It is true that once he made a Speech against the continuance of Deans and Chapters but in that Speech he declared the utter unlawfulness of converting their Lands to any private mans use it seems that he himself afterwards purchased something belonging to the Dean of VVells intending to settle it on his Children how he could satisfie his Conscience so to do I know not perhaps when he saw that that part of the House of Commons which favoured Presbytery was secluded and that Deans and Chapters Lands designed to mend poor Livings must be sold for other uses he resolved to do as Luther saith a Dog which he knew at Erford did when he could defend his Masters dish of meat from other Dogs no longer viz. got as good a share of the prey as he could He hath given his accounts to his Master I am not to judge anothers Servant and therefore I should tremble to write that which Mr. D. hath written viz. That a loathsom sore which brought him to his Grave was sent to punish him for his Sacriledg neither dare I say for all the world that the Disease that befell Bishop Gauden and of which he died besel him for his fierceness against the Bresbyterians and yet it was the very disease unto which he had compared the Presbyterians Sermons and it befell him not long after he had made that odious comparison England hath suffered much by mens undertaking to fetch their Divinity out of the Providences of God which are always righteous but sometimes hidden A greater noise is made in some Books on the account of the Assemblies Annotations in the which or in the first Edition of which it is said Nothing is to be found against Sacriledg and it is easily acknowledged that in the Assemblies Annotations nothing is to be found against Sacriledg for the Assemblies Annotations are not to be found But as for the English Notes made by sundry Divines who were all of them before the Wars Conformists and commonly miscalled the Assemblies Annotations and for the Assembly it self hear an ingenuous but cordial and through-paced Son of the Church in a Discourse entituled Church-Lands not to be sold printed Anno 1648. he quotes with approbation the Note on Rom. 2.22 p. 14. having spoken p. 27. of honest Mr. Geree who avers That to abolish Prelacy and to seize the Lands of the Prelates to any private or civil interest undoubtedly could not want stain nor guilt he adds I am confident by the discourse I have had with the most able of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster that at the least three parts if not all of them are of the same judgment and that they would openly profess as much if they were put to answer the question The same Author quotes with approbation the Note on Gen. 47. and on Mal. 3.8 9. I will not go off from this subject of Sacriledg till I have also observed That some considerable for Learning and of no small authority have not feared to say That Impropriations are sacrilegious I have not much studied the point and therefore interpose not my own judgment but it looks very ugly to take away so much of the tythes and profits of any parish as not to leave a competence for him who hath the cure of souls in that parish yet it hath been observed that no Parishes have so sorry and pitiful an allowance for the Preaching minister as those of which Clergy men are the Impropriators if the Kings Letter since his return hath so kindly operated upon our Cathedralists as to make them more bountiful to the Incumbents it is well but if it have not Mr. D. may do well to consider whether he and his brethren be without fault before he throw stones at the head of others else he may chance to have such an answer as the Bishop of Scotland who having objected Sacriledg to the Presbytery of that Nation is told by Mr. Baily in his Historical Vindication p. 26 27. That the Bishops when they professed their greatest zeal to recover all the Church out of the hand of the Laity were found to be but too ready to dilapidate unto Noblemen and others too much of the Churches Patrimony you your self may remember what bargain you made as I think with the Earl of Seaforth which you know was the first occasion of diminishing your reputation with your great Patron Land of Canterbury I am sure your Colleague Spotswood did sell the whole Abbacy of Kilwinning to the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Guningham to the great prejudice and grief of the University of Glasgow and the Ministers of the bounds who had great interest therein At the Parliament of Lithgow 1606 our good Bishops for their own base ends did consent in the name of the Church though they never consulted her in that business to the greatest dilapidation that ever was heard of in Scotland the Impropriation to Noblemen and Gentlemen of no fewer than sixteen Abbacies every one whereof had incorporate the Rents of a number of Parish-Churches A second impertinence relates to Confirmation which Mr. D. p. 43. saith he finds used in almost all Reformed Churches in some with greater in some with lesser solemnity To what purpose doth he tell us this Would he have the world believe that the Presbyterians are against Confirmation or that they do not earnestly desire it Have not Mr. Hanmer and Mr. Baxter written books to shew the usefulness and necessity of it Do not some of them ground it on Heb. 6.2 and draw thence an argument for Infant-baptism Mr. Tombs knows they do and so do many others of the Antipaedobaptists For my part I bless God that hath put it into the hearts of the Convocation to insert into this last Edition of the Liturgy a question to be propounded to those who are confirmed let conscience be made never to confirm any but those who are well instructed in the Church Catechism and are well reported of for their conversation and I shall think then that nothing is to be blamed in our order for admission to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper But if men will pretend a great reverence to Confirmation and yet suffer the far greatest part of the Nation to communicate unconfirmed and if Bishops will confirm persons grosly ignorant and scandalous in the highest degree and never require Certificates from the Ministers of those Parishes to which they belong God forbid that I should justifie them The only question considerable about Confirmation betwixt those called Presbyterians and their adversaries is
hoods and so I have heard they did at Oxford when they preached Latin Sermons for which they have been scolded at by filly women as Calvin was by the Wife of Frumentius I had almost forgot another Impertinence p. 37. The French Churches require that the Ministers who ought to use Imposition of hands upon those that are to be admitted to the ministry among them should pray standing on that occasion the new received Minister and the Congregation kneeling at the same time This was the constant practice of the Presbyterians as to Ordainers and Ordained in all places where I have been or of which I have heard As for the people they were commonly so numerous at Ordinations that they could not without huge inconvenience kneel I also find that I have passed over something page 32. They have the Ten Commandments in Letters of Gold upon two great Tables where they are able to be at the charge of it and in some places they have also the Creed and the Lords Prayer in the same manner conformable to one of the constitutions of the Church of England to the same purpose Who are meant by they I cannot tell the precedent words were in Princes Chappels in Germany and other parts they have them i. e. Chalices gilt Are there any Princes in Germany or other parts who cannot be at the charge of having the Ten Commandments in Letters of Gold upon two great Tables Or doth Mr. D. mean the French Churches as many as have ability do set up the Commandments in Letters of Gold upon two great Tables If so I doubt he wronged his Conscience But let it be supposed that in all French Churches that are not very poor the Ten Commandments are set up in Letters of Gold what mean those words in some places they have also the Creed and the Lords Prayer in the same manner conformable to one of the constitutions of the Church of England Have the rich French Churches the Lords Prayer and Creed on two Tables and in Letters of Gold If they have not why is it said that they have the Creed and Lords Prayer in the same manner The Churches of France I am certain may be conformable enough to the constitution of the Church of England and yet not have either the Commandments in Two Tables or in Letters of Gold for all the constitution requires is but that the Ten Commandments be set upon the East-end of every Church and Chappel where the people may best see and read the same and other chosen sentences written upon the walls of the said Churches and Chappels in convenient places Here is no mention of two great Tables no mention of Letters of Gold no mention of Creed or Lords Prayer But why did Mr. D. trouble himself to bring in all or any of this Stuff Did Presbyterians ever deny the lawfulness or expedience of having either the Decalogue or Creed or Lords Prayer set upon conspicuous places in the Temple I know an eminent Nonconformist now living who was wont to rejoyce that the Painter had set the Lords Prayer just over against his Pulpit that if it had hapned he had been out he might by his eyes help himself Had the Creed been so placed it had been well for Mr. D. for they say that not long since he was horribly out in repeating the Articles of Faith after Sermon I shall conclude this Catalogue of Impertinencies with Mr. D's stories concerning reformed Churches that â—eep the very same Temples that were used in time of Popery pag. 28. so did the Presbyterians and Mr. Paget hath defended the lawfulness of using such places against the frivolous exceptions of Mr. Ainsworth and now let the world judge whether Mr. D. deserve not to be called and accounted Mr. Impertinent I must come to a third part of my task which will be perhaps necessary but is somewhat more unpleasing than any of the other viz. to muster up some of those Speeches of Mr. Durell which Countreymen call Wiskers you may call them by another name but will not know how to excuse except by the English Proverb that Travellers may by authority Pag. 8. Bellarmine was an eye-witness in his time much against his will of Oecolampadius his being called Bishop of the Church of Basil Oecolampadius on his Tomb in Basil is called Templi hujus verus Episcopus Bellarmine in his fourth Book De notis Eccle. cap. 8. saith That when he was at Basil he read him called on his Tomb the first Bishop of that City which is a Lye but then he also faith that he read this non sine risu if these words do not signifie much against his will where is Mr. D's veracity Pag. 13. All understanding men amongst the French say plainly That if God Almighty were pleased that all France should embrace the Reformed Religion as England hath the Episcopal Government must be established in their Churches Do all understanding men say this and say it plainly I shall manifest the contrary ere I have done and indeed have manifested it already Pag. 16. He dreads not to affirm That Smectymnuus and all Smectymnuans being bound most of them by their Oath to use set forms never use them S. M. T. Y. when Mr. D. Printed this were dead and so not bound by Oath to use set forms as for E. C. M. N. W. S. who were then alive how will it be proved that either they were bound by Oath to use set forms or that they never used them The Smectymnuans if by them he mean the Nonconformists and whom else can he mean were never the most of them by Oath bound to use set forms and yet sometimes some of them have used them yea did use them at that very time when Mr. D. was hammering out this Book Pag. 18. There is not one Minister in all France but hath made unto himself a set form which he useth always and no other What confidence is this hath he received Letters from every Minister in France or spoke with every Minister in France Hath he certain knowledg that every Minister made a form unto himself did never any use a form that he had learned from another did never any make to himself above one form I must needs doubt there is untruth in this till I see the thing proved under the hands of all Ministers in France Pag. 22. In Hungaria and Transilvania Ministers never go abroad without their long Cloak and Cassock just as here Here I am sure Ministers go abroad without long Cloak and Cassock and are by the Canons of the Church allowed so to do Si non caste tamen caute Page 26. speaking of the fratres Bohemi and the Moravians 'tis said that they have days for commemoration of the Blessed Virgin and of the Holy Apostles and other Saints and Martyrs as also one for the commemoration of all the Saints all which days they keep after the same manner that they are kept here in England
according to the Ecclesiastical constitutions and common use of the Church I suppose the Bohemians and Moravians were to have Sermons on Holy days are we bound to have any They are not appointed to fast the Eves of any Saints days but so are we they are not ordered on the Saints days to cease from the works of their callings but so are we and are punishable with severity enough if we do not Page 27. mention being made of the Helvetick confession and of the Holy days commended by it 't is said it was subscribed by the Kirk of Scotland 1566. The Ministers of that Church being then of a different judgment from what their successors have shewed of late years which is a most egregious falshood for the Kirk then discovered her dislike of the festivals appointed or commended in the Confession of Helvetia and so have the Ministers of late years so as they concur in judgment fully as to this matter and I believe in every thing else Page 28. Crosses have not been pulled down from the top of Churches unless in some popular tumults The Latin Apologist hath shewen the falsity of this Page 29. The fratres Bohemi have their solemn dedication of Churches which ceremony is to be performed with them by the Bishop in the same manner as with us here in England The manner of dedication of Churches is not here agreed upon in England nor is there any Law that requires dedications and some places we have that never were dedicated and the ceremonies used in dedication with us are such as are not used in Bohemia Page 30. At Basil and Breme they have their Fonts of stone and use them for the Baptism of Infants by which we see that they are not of the same judgment with the Directorians who find Popery and Superstition in the very placing of them All the Directory saith is that Baptism is to be administred in the face of the Congregation where the people may most conveniently hear and see and not in the places where Fonts in the time of Popery were unfitly and superstitiously placed Are the Fonts at Basil and Breme placed where the people cannot hear and see Are they placed unfitly as in times of Popery if they be I see not how they can justifie themselves if they be not how can we see that the Divines of Basil and Breme are of a different mind about the placing of Fonts from the Directorians Page 31. I know none that did ever so much as move the question in what place and which way the Communion table ought to stand so it be seated where the people may see and hear except the new Scotch and English Presbyterians Either his knowledg is very small or else he did write this against his knowledg and conscience Page 30. In all Reformed Churches men use to enter into the place of publick Worship with their Hats off If this be meant of such times in which the congregation is performing publick Worship the Presbyterians do so and are enjoyned by the Directory so to do but if it be meant of entring at all times and upon all occasions it is known to be an untruth to all that have been in Holland The Divines there would laugh to see any so superstitious as to pull off his Hat every time he hath occasion to go through one of their Temples Ibid. In France the women that are persons of quality unmask themselves and the devoutest sort both of men and women use to kneel and make a short Prayer for Gods blessing on the service they come to perform before they fit down yet the Directory though it pretendeth conformity with them prohibiteth these very things If the French Ladies unmask themselves to shew that they are not ashamed to be seen at Protestant Assemblies what Directorian is he that will blame them But if by so unmasking themselves they design to shew their beauty c. then there is something in the 1 Cor. 11. that they may do well to think of The Directory forbids not private Prayers for Gods blessing unless any come in when the service of God is begun and if the devouter sort of men and women in France are wont to fall on their knees when the congregation is singing c. the Directory pretends not conformity with them they may do well to consider that God is the God of Order and not of Confusion an ejaculation in such cases is as much as can be needful provided it be joyned with shame or trouble for coming so late Page 37. In the Churches of Poland and Lithuania and likewise in them of Transylvania and Hungaria the people useth alway to say the Prayers aloud after the Minister just as we do in the Church of England Such was also the use of the Churches of the Vnity of the fratres Bohemi Our people do not much use to say the Prayers after the Minister that is certain except the Clerk be the people and there are but few Prayers they are enjoyned to repeat after him the Lords prayer is appointed to be said not after but with him What the use of the fratres Bohemi was I do not well know nor hath Mr. D. directed me how I may inform my self But I have met with something in Bishop Amos Comaenius which I commend to the diligent consideration of Mr. D. and all others that are zealous in this matter it is in his Annotations on the Ratio Disciplinae Ordinisq c. Page 100. The Ritual Books the forms of performing the sacred Ministries which they call Agenda are not with us appended to the Catechetical Books so as to come into the hands of the Common people but being put forth by themselves are given only to the Pastors not privately in a corner but in the sight of the Church After the death of the Pastor the same Books are put into the hands of the Seniors Some one wil say what superstition is this Ans Let others have their liberty of judging I do not think things are so to be managed that nothing mystical to be rather adored by the people than proudly to be looked on and afterwards vilely esteemed should be left to the Priests Religion rejoyceth in veils And our chief Master himself was wont to speak some things to his disciples by themselves The Apostle when he commands Bishop Timothy to commit some things to faithful men who are apt to teach others 2 Tim. 2.2 doth he not intimate a certain difference betwixt these things that are given to all and those that are given to the Teachers of others Certainly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he useth signifieth to commit or concredit some thing singular And when we read it written of Christ that having read the sacred Text and laid aside his Book be began his speech so that all fixing their eyes on him admired the words that flowed from his mouth do we think these things happen otherwise to others viz.
own or else to dissolve them I take no notice of the High commendations given of our Liturgy by the noble Princess of Turenne and the Dutchess of la Force her own Mother he that will may see them Page 78 and 186. I only wish that if the English Liturgy be of so great force to edifie people in the Protestant Religion it had been put into the hand of the Noble Marquess of Turenne to prevent his revolt to Popery for it is said that he is grown a Roman Catholick In his Sermon P. 20. He is not ashamed to say that whosoever hath devotion and leisure enough to come to the Church and be present at Divine Service every day morning and evening may hear the whole Bible read every Year the old Testament once and the new no less than thrice and the Book of Psalms no less than twelve times This can only be practised by those who live near to Cathedrals let us imagine that any so living had devotion and leisure enough to come to his mother Church from the first of January to the last of December this man would not hear the whole Bible neither the Old Testament once nor the New Testament thrice The Liturgy saith so yet Mr. D. in a pang of zeal dare say otherwise Whether the Church do well to leave out 188 Chapters of the Old Testament and to appoint 121 of the Apocrypha is not the question we are on a matter of fact and I say Mr. D. hath falsified in that and will have no thanks for his falsification the Church not desiring him to lie for her sake Another tale in P. 23. of his Sermon It is required of the People that they repeat aloud the confession of Sins that they may be more sensibly affected therewith This is just like giving a reason why the Swan sings just before her death whenas we know that she doth not so sing The people are not required to repeat aloud the confession of sins rather they are exhorted to repeat it with a submiss or lowly voice But now we are fallen on this word Loud I would fain know what the meaning of it is In the first Book of Edward the sixth the Priest being in the Quire was appointed to begin the Divine Service with the Lords-Prayer using a loud voice in the late Liturgies he is appointed after the Absolution to begin it with a loud voice in this last with an audible voice the people kneeling and repeating it with him in the Precatiuncles after the Creed the Minister Clarks and People are ordered to say the Lords-Prayer with a loud voice in former and later Books But in K. Edward's first Book the people were not to speak till deliver us from evil at evening prayer t 's appointed that the Minister shall kneel and say the Lords-Prayer the people kneeling and repeating it with him no mention being made of the kind of voice to be used yet after the Creed at evening prayer all are to say the Prayer with a loud voice I never observed any Minister or people to speak louder in repeating the Lords Prayer at one time than at another nor know I what is meant by a loud voice or whether there be any difference betwixt it and an audible voice nor if there be none what 's meant by an audible voice for to whom must the peoples voice be audible to those that sit next to them or to the Minister or to the whole congregation Mr. D. doth converse with great personages and he knows the meaning of these terms P. 265. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth before the making of the Act of Uniformity those that did not love white made a great noise within and without this land and bestirred themselves on all sides that they might be dispensed with for wearing the surplice Among other means used by them to come to their ends they applied themselves to some in the reformed Churches beyond the Seas and perswaded them that if the surplice was imposed huge numbers of Ministers nay many of the Bishops themselves would leave their Ministry Whereupon the Prince Elector Palatine that then was commanded Zanchius to write to the Queen to disswade her Majesty from imposing the use of such Vestments which he did accordingly but the business not succeeding according to their desires and the Nonconformists giving out still that there would be a great dissipation in this Church by the desertion of so many Bishops and Ministers what did Zanchius thereupon c. Such an Harangue of impertinence and falshood have I seldom or never met with and yet we are in the Margin directed to Zanchy's Epistle to Juel as if thence all the materials of it had been fetched In my books Zanchy's Letter to Juel bears date just the very day next to that written to Q. Eliz. so that in twenty four hours time the Nonconformists of England must know that a Letter came from heidelberg to London was received by the Queen and proved not effectual with her and thereupon give out stories of Bishops that would leave their Sees and hope for another Address to be made on their behalf if so they must needs have the Intelligences that move the Primum mobile for their Secretaries and Messengers Zanchy's Letter to Juel I am sure doth not in the least intimate that the English Nonconformists made any applications to some in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas all that can thence be collected is but this that the June before he did write his Letter one called Montius returned out of England and told him besides others that a great difference was stirred up in the English Church about Vestments and therefore desired him that he would by a Letter both admonish the Queen of her Office and also write to those Bishops that were known to him and especially to Juel Upon his and others entreaties and his Princes command Zanchy did write to the Queen a Letter as he was confident not evil which is to be seen and not knowing what the Queen would do he writes also to Juel That he would by his Authority Learning and Prudence endeavour with the Bishops not to leave their Sees rather than wear linnen yet so that they must know that the Queen is inexorable and also when they wear linne make a protestation This Letter 't is like never came to Juel's hands he dying about twelve days after it was written Nor need it trouble us that Juel never saw it seeing there was no Bishop then in any danger to lose his Place for not wearing linnen nor can I think there is any one Minister now so much out of love with white as rather to leave his Ministry than put on a Surplice provided he may but make lawful protestation how and on what accounts he useth it Indeed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of some Nonconformists in the late times was this that they loved white too well for their woollen clothes were white or
himself meet to cope with such an Antagonist whom the Reformed Divines who can understand the language in which his books are written admire to whom Amyrald not long since sent a Letter on purpose to let him know that he had never spoken contemptibly of him Mr. Gaches is sufficiently depredicated by Mr. D. as an Eloquent Preacher and as one of the best men living His Letter to Mr. B. is printed by that let the world make estimation of him or if Mr. Gaches testimonial can be discredited then let the Saints everlasting rest the Treatise against Anabaptism and whatever else he hath written be read and meditated upon seriously there will scarce be found a Divine in whom there was a more happy conjunction of eloquence and judgment of holiness and peaceableness Not to detain you long I shall make a few general animadversion on the Book and so put an end to these papers which are grown too big 1. The Author of the Vindiciae egregiously violates the Act of Indempnity and Oblivion that buried all former miscarriages he rakes them all out of the grave as if he had no belief of the general judgment If any Presbyterians made any application to such as in the late times took upon them supreme authority he scores that up as an argument against Presbytery Could any Presbyterian be so vile as to imitate him how easily might he tell him of a Primate of England and Metropolitan who took up arms in the cause of the two Houses and had a great sum voted him for his good service Of a Conformist who was the prime Author of Jus Divinum regiminis Ecclesiastici Of an Episcopal Divine now enjoying a good Living who did write Politica Sacra Civilia Of sundry dignified men who came into sequestred places and versified in behalf of the Protector The late Wars began when I was a Child and were finished before I was a man but I have made the best enquiry that I could and do find that sundry of the most eminent Nonconformists were alway unsatisfied about the Parliaments War and did not stick as occasion was offered to declare their dissatisfaction I have found also that the Divines most busie to bring about the late unhappy and deplorable changes were such as had been of the most rigid Sect of the Conformists Mr. Edwards in his Gangraena hath named some of them I must not without leave from those who sit at the Stern do so but I profess I know not that Theologue who did either speak or write for putting of the King to death that had not been a Conformist before the Wars The men now in place who lost any thing for refusing the Engagement will be found to be very few some will be sound to come into the places of those who were turned out for not engaging Dr. Heylin himself as hot as he is against those who go by the name of Presbyterians did Anno 1657. put forth his Ecclesia vindicata much of such a strain as Mr. Durell's Vindiciae in the general Preface to that Book he addresseth himself to those who were then in power and pleads for the men of his perswasion by this argument That they lived so peaceably and inoffensively in their several stations as that they could not be reproached with any disaffection to the then present Government in word or deed Had some eminent man called a Presbyterian said so much for those of his perswasion what would Mr. D. have made of it But the Reformed Religion may say All these things are against me Mr. D. makes the Principles of the English Presbyterians to lead to Rebellion Dr. Owen long since equalized the Puritans beyond the seas with the Jesuits in point of disloyalty Dr. Heylin in his History of Presbyterians hath driven the same nail further and deeper nothing is wanting but some hot-headed fellow among the Protestants to lay Treason at the door of the Lutherans and then the cry of the Romanists will be fulfilled But still the English Protestant will be white as snow in vain is it so to think The Parliament of England hath determined the matter of the Militia and declared it unlawful on any account whatsoever to take up Arms against the King Men will acquiesce in this Declaration if not for Conscience-sake yet at least for fear I know no Book put out since his Majesties return that hath asserted the lawfulness of subjects rising against their Soveraign but one set forth as Mr. Rich. Hookers and dedicated with the rest of his Works by Bishop Gauden to the King himself Mr. Isaac Walton would have us think the Book is not his and I wish he had brought better arguments to bring us to that perswasion But I am sure that Bishop Bilson hath left things upon record which may vye with any thing quoted out of Calvin or Beza by Dr. Heylin 2. This Vindex when he meets in the Apologist with that he dares not justifie presently puts it into his Catalogue of Legends yet brings no probable arguments to prove it a Legend The Apologist whoever he was seems to have written his Book under much bodily weakness and hath pleaded for his brethren in Nonconformity rather honestly than fully but as for the things that Mr. D. calls sables I my self know many if not all of them to be true and dare undertake to produce those who will attest them upon oath yet if I could meet with the Apologist handsomely I would severely rebuke him for putting some of them into print for all truths are not to be published at all times I remember I once heard him that is the reputed Author of the Apology say in a Sermon A man can scarce do a worse office to the Church than to render Pastors despicable in the eyes of those whom they are to govern 3. This Vindex when he falls into the mention of any Controversie that should be debated by him takes his heels and runs away from it and drops some question about the which there was never any dispute Twenty and ten instances might be given of this kind I only take notice of one he hath a Chapter utris magis faverit Calvinus c. Whether Calvin most favoured the Schismatical Presbyterians or Prelates If this be to answer the Apologist then let some one that replies put a question Whether Calvin most favoured Arminian Prelates or Presbyterians What hath Schism to do in the Controversie about Nonconformity The greater part of Nonconformists cannot be guilty of Schism except they were guilty of it in their mothers womb or when they sucked or whilst they were School-boys for thus the case stood with them they were by their Parents sent to the University when Bishops were inter non-entia or inter non apparentia By study they came to acquire those gifts that were supposed to qualifie them for the Ministry to the work of the Ministry they were seperated by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery
yet many of them never declared dislike of Episcopacy nor opened their mouths against Ceremonies never took the Covenant nor Engagement were presented to vacant Livings by the true and undoubted Patrons By Gods blessing they added to the Church such as should be saved His Majesties return they defired so as none more yet they must not be suffered to continue in an Ecclesiastical Benefice unless they will submit to a thing scarce ever heard of Reordination It may be their mistake that they do not judge Ordination by Presbyters to be a nullity but what is this to Schism Obj. I may expect you will thus accost me If Mr. D. be so easily mastered why do you not pay a debt of love you owe why do you not write in Latin as once Mr. Nichols did in English A Plea for the Innocent Resp Verily for this reason because I love not to have to do with those who when they are put to silence know not how to be ashamed such a one this Monsieur is for not long ago he met with a Noble Gentleman of this Nation who hearing him say That all the Divines beyond seas condemned the English Nonconformists told him plainly That he knew it was not so and that some in France looked on him as an apostate for complying so far as he had done and when he replied These are only some unwise hot-headed men the honourable person rejoined Nay they are worthy and well tempered Ministers Yet did not Mr. D. change the copy of his countenance Is it possible then that I should bring him to repentance In a word if you account Mr. D. an Author any way considerable you have near you our old friend S. E. let him cull out of the Vindiciae what he esteemeth most strong that do you send to me if I do not by the first return of the Carrier send you a satisfactory answer provided it be directed not against persons but the Cause then account me a very vain-glorious animal In the mean time listen not to those who are given to vain jangling and false-witness bearing but put on charity the bond of perfection so shall an abundant entrance be administred unto you into that Kingdom where there are no perverse disputers to that Kingdom that we may be both brought is the sincere prayer of SIR Your humble servant W. B. LOng time after I had written the Appendix against Dr. Heylin I was informed that something else was come abroad in Latin in the which the Nonconformists were concerned I could not think any thing was said in it that had not been said before and therefore I had once some thoughts never so much as to look into it but being told that the Author of it was Mr. Matthew Scrivener reputed at Cambridge while he there resided a close Student and great Scholar I resolved to cast my eye upon some Pages of it that so if it seemed written with any candor and judgement I might either give an answer to it or tell such Nonconforming friends as I was acquainted with that I found it unanswerable But looking into it at the Stationers shop I soon found it to be made up of little besides scurrility and calumny Monsieur Daillees Book of the Right use of the Fathers which I thought no Protestant had looked on without admiration nor Papist without terror this English Presbyter undertakes to answer endeavours first of all to make it appear that the Book deserved not the Elogiums that some of great name and esteem among us had bestowed upon it and that Mr. Daillee was but a Cham taking delight to lay open the nakedness of the Fathers Then proceeds to give him a general and particular answer I confess I was moved not a little to see a writer that had deserved so well of the Reformed Religion so unworthily dealt with by one pretending to be a Protestant For what one thing hath Mr. J. D. said more or less about the Fathers than what had been said many years before by some of our most eminent Divines in England It must be acknowledged that he hath handled the point more copioufly than any who went before him and the heads of his discourse are exemplified with a most admirable collection of particulars but that he hath brought the Fathers any one peg lower than they had been brought by Juel Humfred Whitaker Rainolds Dr. George Abbot Down c. will never be proved Bishop Cosins hath put together all the reasons that were scattered and dispersed in other mens writings to prove the Non-canonicalness of the Apocryphal Books now it would be no wonder if a Protestant in some writing should obiter take notice that the Bishop in some particular had mistook himself but he that should professedly undertake to answer him would scarce be accounted other than a Papist e. c. The Bishop saith p. 18. All the Canonical Books of the Old Testament were originally written in Hebrew except c. but these other books he means those canonized at Trent were all confessedly first written in the Greek tongue c. I may doubt whether all the controverted books were first written in the Greek tongue I may confidently affirm this is not confessed concerning all the controverted books for who knows not that Ecclesiasticus is generally affirmed to be written first in Hebrew to say nothing of other books and yet not be thought spightful nor Popish but if I should publish a whole book against the Bishop labouring to lessen his reputation and esteem to weaken the authorities by him produced would not any man say that either I was a Papist or that I cared not how much I gratified the Papist so I could but show my teeth against Bishop Cosins yet just such a game it is that Mr. Scrivener plays Obj. But if what he hath said against Daillee be truth if his answers to him be rational is it not meet he should be honoured Will it not be for our credit and reputation to let the Papists know that we will not spare our own how renowned soever where they exceed the bounds of modesty and sobriety Ans If any one through a zeal without knowledg against Popery shall say those things against the Fathers that may discourage those who have leasure and money from buying and reading of them or so weaken their authority as to prejudice the interest of Christianity he doth deserve praise and commendation who shall endeavour to bring the Fathers to their due esteem But neither hath Mr. Daillee wronged the Fathers nor Mr. Scrivener righted them but because Mr. Scrivener heard a Presbyterian in a Sermon put off an objection taken from the authority of the Fathers by referring his hearers to Mr. Daillee therefore he resolves to encounter Mr. Daillee And as spleen seems to be the chief thing that put him on this undertaking so in the managing of it he hath discovered more of petulant spleen than of judgment This censure I had some purpose
Fathers 2. If I find any doctrine pretty unanimously asserted by Fathers though I see no foundation for it in Scripture I shall not think my self concerned to oppose that doctrine till I find something in Scripture that it contradicts But I am also certain that most of the Fathers that I say not all had their errors and some of them so gross that he who should now hold them would scarce be thought meet to be a Church-officer Therefore I am resolved to study Scripture with care and conscience and on that to build my faith In so doing I shall be sure to obey my Saviours precept and I may promise my self the assistance of the Spirit whose office it is to lead me into all truth And if those doctrines that I have good assurance be grounded on Scripture be charged with novelty and singularity then shall I rejoice if I can find the Fathers consenting with me Other good ends I can propound to my self in reading of the Fathers but the main end I aim at is to stop the mouth of gainsayers especially those who glory in Antiquity and make consent of Fathers their rule I will not reject any truth because it is but newly discovered nor yet embrace any error because it is of long continuance or because some great and good man had the ill hap to be the first Author of it Never shall any Socinian have occasion to say of me as I find it by one of that Sect objected to the Reformed Scripturam sacram ex illorum Patrum Conciliorumque mente explicant Ab illis doctrinae capita repetunt Illorum auctoritate confirmant Neque adversus Pontificios tantum sed adversus eos disputantes qui à Patribus se dissentire non inficiantur perpetuum illum Patrum Conciliorumque consensum perpetuo crepant Eosque qui Patribus illis olim Conciliisque contra dixerunt tanquam Haereticos merito damnatos esse censent Neque Patres propterea recipiunt quia cum scriptura consentiunt sed scripturam eo intelligendam modo censent quia Patres ita explicarunt Ideoque prius de unamini Patrum Conciliorumque consensu quam de vero scripturae sensu sunt solliciti Nec desunt qui affirmare non dubitant etsi sacrae literae illorum adversari sententiae manifestè viderentur si tamen Patres Conciliaque secus eas intellexerint malle se Patribus istis Conciliisque adhaerere quam privatum suum uti vocant de scripturis sequi judicium Neque illi è faece sunt sed qui ad summum in Theologia gradum conscenderunt I will judg from Scripture what is truth and unto what degree any truth is necessary but when I have found any opinion to be contrary to Scripture I shall be the more confident that I was not mistaken in accounting the opinion erroneous when I have found it condemned as such by many or all the Fathers that speak of it 3. There are but few against whom the Fathers are so frequently and fiercely quoted that need fear tryal by the Fathers By saying there are but few I intimate there are some in that number I place 1. The Socinians against whom I conceive the whole stream of Antiquity doth run very strongly for though some would have the doctrine of the Tâ—inity as it is commonly delivered in Christian Churches to be no older than the Nicene Council and though it cannot be denied but that divers of the Fathers who flourished before that Council have left in their Writings sundry ill sounding propositions yet if a man interpret their sayings candidly and remember that the signification of some Theological terms is somewhat varied since their times he shall be forced to acknowledg that they all agreed in this That the Father is God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God and all three but one God To demonstrate this consent against a late wretched discourse called Historia enucleata would be an employment well worthy Mr. Scriveners pains if he be so well versed in the ancient Fathers as he makes shew till he or some other will be at that pains the English Reader may help himself sufficiently from Mr. Estwick The greatest doubt seems to be about Origen whom sundry of the Church of Rome make an Arian Bellarmine mentions out of Pratum Spirituale a vision in the 〈…〉 was seen in hell with Arius and Nestoriu◠〈◊〉 de Purg. lib. 2. c. 8. where he also affirms that the fifth Synod condemned him as an Heretick Aquinas in his 1a quaest 34. calls him the fountain of Arianism but without any cause The Heresie of Arius for which he is most infamous in Ecclesiastical History is the denying of Christs Divinity He granted that Christ had a being before he was born of the Virgin Mary but withal said he was created by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as there was a time in which it might have been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was not That Origen ever held any such opinion I am not convinced Certain I am that in the Homilies ascribed to him I have observed most clear passages for the Deity of our Lord Jesus In his Books against Celsus he most strenuously defends his Divinity against that Sophister But are there not other places in his Writings in which he makes Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man and no more than a man Ans So say some of the Ancients as also the wretched Transylvanian Ministers in their Books concerning the original and progress of the Trinity on which account they call him the most learned of the Fathers But when we have given him as many grains of allowance as must in charity be given to one who writ much and in great haste and whose Writings have fallen into false hands and by them been transmitted to us we need not say that he was an Arian or had any favourable thoughts of Arianism The Vision related by Bellarmine will not I suppose move any wise man As for Thomas Aquinas who would 〈◊〉 Origen to be the fountain of Arianism 〈◊〉 on those words John 1. In the beginning was the word he saith Verbum in divinis metaphoricè dicitur I must needs say it is a weak foundation to build so heavy a charge upon That great School-man doth thus put his 34. question Vtrum verbum in divinis sit personale an obscure question I wot he determines it affirmatively but first brings this as an objection against himself Nomina personalia proprie dicuntur in divinis ut pater filius sed verbum metaphorice dicitur in divinis ut Origenes dicit super Joannem A doughty objection no question and worthy to have a place in a sum of Divinity Personal names are used properly in the Mystery of the Trinity the word according to Origen is not used properly but metaphorically ergo it is not a personal name Because the minor could not be denied Origen must be accounted the fountain of Arianism
First the whole perhaps would be granted by Durand who saith that the title of Word properly imports something essential and not personal I think the Scriptures which in speaking of this Mystery I would follow alway appropriate the title of Word to the second person but that he is called the Word properly and not metaphorically only I cannot as yet find in Scripture I believe according to Scripture that the Father begat the Son but that he begat him as affected with an act of understanding not as understanding is common to all the three persons but as he hath it from himself is not I hope a necessary Article of Faith if it be I have not all the faith that is necessary to salvation Nor can I obtain of my self to think that the Son of God is any otherways called the Word than because he resembleth that either Oral or Mental Word that is formed by us men And were it not that the general stream of Interpreters carrieth the resemblance to a Mental Word I should be easily inclined to believe that as a vocal word serves to disclose the mind of a man so Christ is called the Word because he discovereth the Mysterious Will and Counsel of God If Origen did not lay the foundation of Arianism much less can the Photinians whom the Socinians now follow pretend to be his off-spring for they denied Christ to have any being before he was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary differing from the Ebionites only in this that they did not hold him to be begotten by Joseph as well as born of Mary Socinus against Vniebus is so ingenuous as to confess that he and his continually dispute against the Fathers that flourished after the Nicene Council and declares plainly that he did not think any of his party had in their writings asserted that any of the Writers before the Nicene Council now extant were of their mind Yet certainly he knew that the Writings of Origen were extant and therefore was conscious that it was in vain to father his heresies upon him The truth is we need not be afraid lest our young Divines should grow Socinians by reading the Fathers or those who profess themselves to be Socinians the great danger is from Erasmus and Grotius who never professed Socinianism but yet in their Commentaries especially on the Epistles do most unhappily by the various readings which they have as they pretend met with or some plausible expositions of their own endeavour to enervate the places that are brought to prove the Deity of Christ Jesus One I will here take notice of 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh is a place brought to prove the Divinity of Christ and is the more considerable ad hominem because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth occupy the place of the Subject in the proposition Smalcius de Incarnatione Christi Cap. 18. acknowledgeth omnia exemplaria graeca hactenus constanter vocem Dei habent And indeed to this day there is not a Greek Copy to be found of any good esteem that doth not read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What now do these two learned Dutchmen say Erasmus prefers the vulgar Latin which reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and suspects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was added against the Arians But Grotius takes more pains to avoid that reading which is so commonly received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suspectam nobis faciunt hanc lectionem interpretes veteres Latinus Syrius Arabs Ambrosius qui omnes legerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addit Hincmarus opusculo 55. illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic positum à Nestorianis And after strains his wit to find out a good sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the whole Verse If this be allowable to forsake the Greek where the vulgar Latin Syriack and Arabick differ from it how shall we know where to fix our feet And let the Learned judg whether the Syriack and Arabick Translations that we have in the Polyglott did read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they did those who translated them are much to be blamed It is also untruly suggested that Hincmarus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was put in by the Nestorians But if Hincmarus had so said Grotius might if he had so pleased have acquainted his Reader that Chrysostom read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who was older than Nestorius himself And he could also have told us that Cyril and Theodoret made use of this reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Nestorius and therefore sure neither he nor his followers did first frame this reading which is so perfectly destructive to their heresie Another place we bring to prove Christs Deity is Rom. 9.5 Mirum est saith Bellarmine Praef. ad libros de Christo quid non agat Erasmus quò se non vertat quid non moliatur ut hoc telum de manibus nobis extorqueat Erasmus doth indeed take two much pains to make this place useless against the Arians yet which should have asswaged Bellarmines wrath he adds like a good Son of the Church that if she say we must not interpret these words but of the Divinity of Christ she is to be obeyed As for Grotius he first tells us that it is manifest from the Syriack that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was wanting in the ancient Greek Copies There is not a Greek Copy of any note now extant in which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occurs not and yet if the Syriack express it not then it must be thought it was absent from the ancient Greek Copies what will such an opinion as this lead us to Secondly he refers us to Erasmus who hath noted that the words are read without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the ancient Books of Cyprian as also in Hilary and that St. Chrysostom seems to have read so too But Erasmus speaks not of the ancient Books of Cyprian in which or sundry of which the word Deus is to be found and Grotius could not but know that those Copies of Cyprian must needs be corrupted in which Deus is wanting for no Scripture but that in which Christ is called God could serve Cyprians turn in that place as any Reader may discern Hilary left not out the word Deus but his Scribe as Erasmus almost acknowledgeth and Hilary to be sure in his Books de Trinitate citeth this place with the word Deus Chrysostom indeed doth not expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor yet doth he expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he reads just as we read By this we may see how little zeal Grotius had for the Divinity of Christ and what danger they are in who will take his quotations in his Annotations upon trust 2. In this number I must needs place the Papists properly and strictly so called A Papist strictly and properly so called is with me not one who holds the most of those doctrines which the
Colledg-man than Statesman and by this means no course was taken to prevent such Commentaries both in Philosophy and Divinity as came into England from beyond the Seas to the corrupting and poisoning of young students in the University The motion about Pastors resident and learned pag. 51 52 53 is handsomly avoided by the King with an answer that he had consulted with his Bishops about that whom he found ready and willing to second him in it c. yet all that Kings days and ever since the Nation hath groaned under the burden of an unlearned and non-resident Ministry if the Law of the Land admit of very mean and tolerable sufficiency in any Clerks why have not the Bishops petitioned that the Law be altered so as to require greater sufficiency And if the Lay-Patrons are to blame who present very mean men to their Cures are Ecclesiastical-Patrons to be excused who present Clerks every way as mean Now come the Bishop of Londons motions to be considered in number Three 1. That there might be amongst us a praying Ministry he meant a Ministry that might read the Common-Prayer-Book to which very little learning indeed would suffice but I suppose there was then no want of such a Ministry nor is there now so that the motion might have been spared The Second motion was that till a sufficient and learned Minister might be placed in every Congregation godly Homilies might be read and the number of them encreased This motion sure was not liked for unto this day neither is a learned Minister setled in every Congregation nor the number of Homilies encreased His last motion was that Pulpits might not be made Pasquils wherein every humorous fellow or discontented might traduce his superiors This the King graciously accepted and so did the complaining Ministers as I suppose for that the Pulpit should be made a Stage is certainly a very lewd custom but obtains too too much among I know whom Proceed we with Dr. Reynolds to Subscription as to which we find him only desiring that Ministers might be put upon it to subscribe according to the Statutes of the Realm viz. to the Articles of Religion and the Kings supremacy to subscribe otherwise they could not because among other things the Common Prayer-Book enjoined the Reading of some Chapters in which were manifest errors directly repugnant to Scriptures instancing particularly in Ecclesiasticus 48.10 where the words inferr That Elias in person was to come before Christ and if so Christ is not yet come Now let us take notice of what is answered 1. Bishop Bancroft answers That the most of the objections against the Books of Apocrypha were the old cavils of the Jews renewed by St. Jerome in his time who was the first that gave them the name of Apocrypha which opinion upon Ruffinus his challenge he after a sort disclaimed the rather because a general offence was taken at his speeches in that kind This I must needs say was a politick answer for first we are told that not all the objections but some of the objections against these books are the old cavils of the Jews renewed by St. Jerome 2. We are told that St. Jerome was the first that called these Books Apocryphal which opinion after a sort he reclaimed upon Ruffinus his challenge What can any man reply to such an answer should one bring an objection against these books that the Jews never would have brought he would have been told That not all objections against them but only some are Jewish cavils Should one say that Jerome disclaimed not his opinion concerning books Apocryphal he would be told That he did not indeed disclaim his opinion absolutely but yet after a sort he did and how far 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or after a sort may reach no one can tell Nor have we the least reference to any place of Jerome's Works in which this disclaiming of his opinion is recorded whether St. Jerome disclaimed his opinion he who hath not St. Jerome's Works by him may find discussed in Dr. Cosens his Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture I say it cannot be imagined why the Jews should less esteem the Apocryphal books than they deserved they retain the Canonical books of the Old Testament which make more against them than the Apocrypha Nor is St. Jerome the first who called the Apocryphal books by the name of Apocrypha others before him had given them that name or one equivalent as I can make appear Indeed the Ancients of the Church have so blasted some especially of the Apocryphal Writings that I cannot but wonder how they came to be read in our Churches The History of Susanna was accounted a Fable even by Julius Africanus contemporary to Origen and yet our newest Calendar appointeth it to be read as also the story of Bell and Dragon There is a common saying in mens mouths that these books are Canonical not for the confirming of our faith but the regulating of our manners but he who shall make all Apocryphal books a rule for his manners may chance to set more on his Doomsday-book than he will quickly get off again As for him who shall make them a rule of Faith he will undoubtedly become a Heretick Dr. Reynolds his instance the Bishops would not meddle with but the King who was not in conference to be contradicted p. 62. is made 1. To argue and demonstrate That whatsoever Ben Sirach had said Ecclus. 48.10 of Elias Elias had in his own person while he lived performed and accomplished 2. To check Dr. Reynolds for imposing on a man that was dead a sense never meant by him 3. To use a pleasant apostrophe to the Lords VVhat trow ye makes these men so angry with Ecclesiasticus By my soul I think he was a Bishop or else they would never use him so 4. Yet after all to will Dr. Reynolds to note those chapters in the Apocrypha-books that were offensive and bring them to the Lord Archbishop on VVednesday following Had the Relator consulted the Kings honour he had not inserted one of his Jeers managed with an Oath into a Conference concerning Religion nor would he had he regarded his own reputation have called a sarcasm in which was an oath an unnecessary oath a pleasant apostrophe To the place it self I say the Greek copies Ecclus. 48.10 much differ among themselves and as much from the Latin Translation our English Translations also greatly vary but I could never yet meet with any Copy or Translation from which at least an unwary Reader or hearer would not â—ollect that Elias was to come before the day of 〈◊〉 Lord either first or second Junius saith the place argueth the ignorance of the author blind in the promises concerning the Kingdom of Christ Grotius acknowledgeth little less The Syriack and Arabick Translatour carry it clearly for Elias his being to come before the day of the Lord to turn the hearts of the children to the Parents as may be