Either saith he it is a part of the Contents or not If not we must not consent to that falshood that it is If it is O far be it from us that believe a God a Judgment a Life to come and the sacred Scriptures to Assent and Consent to that Act with all its penalties silencing and ruining such as Conform not Answ The Act for Uniformity naming the Book of Common-Prayer always names that Book as distinct from it self and as a thing annexed to it and if the Parliament had injoyned the Use of some New Translation of the Bible and prefixed their Act to that Translation and required our Use of the same under penalties our Assent to such an Act could not suppose the Act it self to be a part of the Canonical Books Secondly The design of the Act in these words To the intent that every person may certainly know the Rule to which he is to Conform in Publick Worship and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England c. be it Enacted c. Plainly shews what are the parts to the use of which we are to declare our Assent which particulars are Enumerated more than once but not a word of the Act for Uniformity or the Act 1. Eliz. which in the Contents is mentioned with it whereof Mr. Baxter ought to be minded for under the Contents of the Book the First thing mentioned is The Acts in the Plural for Vniformity of Common-Prayer whence I argue If the Parliament intended that this last Act should be taken as a part of the Common-Prayer Book because it is in the Contents for the same Reason it may be thought they intended that other Act 1. Eliz. to be a part also which were very unreasonable For then we must subscribe our Assent to the use of Two Common-Prayer Books viz the Old and the New 3. That Act of Queen Elizabeth explains what is meant by Open or Common Prayer By Open Prayer in and throughout this Act is meant that Prayer which is for others to come unto or hear either in common Churches or Chappels or Oratories commonly called the Service of the Church and the intent of that Act was that no Minister should refuse to Vse the said common-Common-Prayers and Administer the Sacraments in such Order and Form as they are mentioned in the said Book or willfully or obstinately standing in the same Use any other Rite Ceremony Order Form or manner of Celebrating the Lords Supper c. than is mentioned in the said Book This Act was Printed probably to give Light to the other and to shew that the same thing was formerly required of Ministers And if the Conformists heretofore did not take that Act to be part of the Common-Prayer Book then there is no reason why they should take the New Act to be a part of the New Book 4. The Book of Common-Prayer was compleat before the Act was made it was first presented to the King who approving it offered it to the Parliament who approved of it and afterwards made their Act for Uniformity in the Use thereof And whoever gathered the Contents of the Book did no more intend to have all things named therein to be parts of the Book than they that set forth the Bible with Contents to the Chapters and Psalms intended that we should take those Contents for Canonical Scripture The Contents of Ps 149. says the Prophet exhorteth to praise God for that Power which he hath given to the Church over the Consciences of Men. But that is no part of the Text neither the Acts Prefaces Rubricks c. which come not into Use in the Administration of Prayer Sacraments c. any part of that Book to the Use whereof we give our Assent and Consent This Act doth exclude the Use of any other Forms when it injoyns those prescribed in the Book for publick Worship but it doth not include those previous Acts Prefaces and Instructions which only tend to justify and inforce the Use of the common-Common-Prayer But Mr. Baxters Dilemma may be answered to the advantage of Conformity thus Either the Acts for Uniformity and the Prefaces are parts of the Book to which our Assent is required or not if not then our Assent to them is not required if they be then our Assent will be more facile upon this account First because in that Preface concerning the Service of the Church it is thus said for as much as nothing can be so plainly set forth but doubts may arise in the Vse and Practise of the same to appease all such diversity if any arise and for the resolution of all doubts concerning the manner how to understand do and execute the things contained in this Book the Parties that so doubt or diversly take any thing shall always resort to the Bishop of the Diocess who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in this Book And if the Bishop of the Diocess be in doubt then he may send for Resolution thereof to the Arch-Bishop Here is a way opened to such as think that the Acts and Prefaces are to be Assented to to clear their doubts to their satisfaction the several Bishops within their Diocess have a Power by Law to explain any doubts that may arise concerning the Use and Practise of Uniformity and their determinations are declared to be as Valid as the Law it self Now doubtless if sober Dissenters did consult their Diocesans in such Cases as concern their Practise in the publick Worship they might easily obtain satisfaction Again it is said in the Preface before the Liturgy We are fully perswaded in our Judgments and we here profess it to the World that the Book as it stood before established by Law doth not contain in it any thing contrary to the Word of God or to sound Doctrin or which a Godly Man may not with a good Conscience use and submit unto or which is not fairly defensible against any that shall oppose the same if it be allowed such just and favourable Construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the best Translations of the Holy Scripture it self If these Mitigations be admitted a great many of the Objections made by Mr. Baxter and others would vanish And if they be not admitted Mr. Baxter himself will grant that they cannot safely subscribe this Assent and Consent to all things contained in the Bible according to any Translation But says he if they might but say we Assent to all things contained that are not by humane frailty mistaken they would soon conform herein See the Plea p. 166. Now the Church of England declares here and in the Preface to the Articles 1564. that they prescribe not these Rules as Laws equivalent with the Word of God and as of
the performance of some more necessary duties I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and St. Paul did Circumcise Timothy to avoid greater inconveniencies when doubtless he had rather not have done it And as we may do some things so we may omit some other which are injoyned by Law according to the exigency of circumstances so it be done without bewraying contempt of Authority or giving just occasion of scandal to others Bishop Sanderson p. 19. of Submission to Superiours The last thing that I shall premise is that the Non-Conformists are not yet agreed what that is in our Conformity which they think to be sinful For what some think unlawful others condemn only as inconvenient One sticks at the Sign of the Cross another at Kneeling at the Sacrament a third at the Surplice a fourth can submit to all these but sticks at Reâ—ordination which different judgment of dissenters gives just cause to believe that there is no real sinfulness in either because what some think to be sinful others grant to be lawful These things being premised I come to the business of Ministerial Conformity Mr. Baxter tells us § 7. that the root of the difference is this That the Non-Conformists thought that they should stick to the meer Scripture rules and simplicity and go far from all additions which were found invented or abused by the Papists in Doctrine Worship and Government against which Opinion Mr. Baxter disputes part 3. ch 2. of his Directory And the Conformists thought that they should shew more reverence to the Customes of the Antient Church and retain that which was not forbidden in Scripture which was introduced before the ripeness of the Papacy or before the year 660. and common to them with the Greek which doubtless was the sounder Opinion So that the Foundation of Non-conformity was lay'd on a false principle and they that built thereon frequently raised Sedition and would have as certainly destroyed the Nation as they did one another had they not been prevented For Mr. Baxter observes that some of them were so hot at home that they were put to death not for their Non-conformity but for Murder Treason or Blasphemy as the Histories of those times shew Others as Ainsworth Robinson Johnson c. fled beyond Sea and there gathered Churches and broke by Division among themselves And whereas Mr. Baxter says that the difference among the Exiles at Frankford was that Dr. Cox and Mr. Horne and their party strove for the English Liturgy and the other party for the freer way of praying from the present sense and habit of the speaker It will appear to him that reads the Troubles of Frankford that the Question was not between the English Liturgy and such free Prayers which were not then publickly used For Calvin himself used a Liturgy at Geneva and a short Form before his Sermons and sometimes that which we call Bidding of Prayers as may be seen after his Sermons on Job Printed in English And Mr. Calvin thus relates the matter p. 33. of his Opuscula When the Exiles could not agree about the English Liturgy they did by my Advice and Approbation draw up another Printed in the English Tongue 1556. wherein was a Confession taken out of Daniel the 9th a Prayer for the whole Church the Lords Prayer the Creed c. the rest of this Section carrieth its Confutation with it The 8. § concerns the conformity of Lay-men which falls under that of Ministerial Conformity § 9. Where first of Assent Consent and Subscription nothing is contrary to Gods word c. This as Mr. Baxter observes is required by the 36. Canon not by the Act or the Book it self Now if we consider by what Men this hath been subscribed to ever since those Canons were Confirmed and what Latitude the Church seems to allow us in making this Subscription viz. If we shall allow it such just and favourable construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the best Translation of the Holy Scripture it self which as you have seen Mr. Baxter himself doth grant they that Scruple at this may also refuse to subscribe any Articles Confession of Faith yea even the Apostles Creed This therefore is already answered and so is the next Objection that the Subscriber will use that Form in publick Prayer c. and none other For other occasional Forms for Prayer and Thanksgiving commended to us by authority may be used without violating this Subscription it being Casus omissus the constant practice of the Church shewing that this exception was intended though not expressed and that conceived Prayers before Sermons are not hereby forbidden the general practice doth evince All Law-givers do leave to the Judges and Magistrates a Power to interpret the doubtful Letter of the Law and to mitigate the rigour of its Execution in order to the publick good and dispenseth with the Subjects so be it they observe the chief end of the Law in the omission of some circumstances on reasonable occasions and unavoidable accidents without which Justice would be turned into Wormwood He therefore that presumeth of the Magistrates consent to dispense with the Observation of the lesser parts of the Law on just occasions and in needful cases presumeth no more than he hath reason to do And this Bishop Sanderson groundeth on that Maxim Salus Populi Suprema Lex All that is required by the Act is unfeignedly to Assent and Consent that there is such a measure of Truth and Goodness in the Book of common-Common-Prayer as qualifies it for the publick Worship of God which even they that pretend disorders and defects in it may do in Obedience to Authority for the sake of Peace Order and Charity as well as for the continuing of themselves in the Ministry And doubtless they may approve of the present Liturgy with all its defects which was compiled by the Holy and Learned Martyrs and hath been reviewed and approved by many stout Confessors as well as of their so he calls his new Liturgy more correct Nepenthes which being done in haste hath many Imperfections or the Directory that had nor Creed nor Decalogue both which leave Men to their own extemporary Conceptions And in a short time justled out the Lords Prayer too The title of the Act which is the Key that opens the sense and intention of the Law-givers is an Act for Vniformity of publick Prayers and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies so that if Uniformity be unfeignedly observed the Act is satisfied though the Conformist may wish that some things in the said Book had been amended But some Men are so unhappy as to contrive Nets and Snares to involve themselves and others and raise nice distinctions where the Law distinguisheth not As do they who say Assent implies the Truth and Consent the goodness of the things 2. And whereas the Act says to all things they
it may be allowed to have some exception 2. The Rubrick doth not say a Rule but Rules in the Plural Now though this Rule be defective yet Mr. Baxter grants there is another subjoyned which is more perfect and the practice of the Church guides us in following that Rule which is perfect So that where the first Rule fails the defect is to be supplyed by the second And then the defect never coming into practice our Assent to it is not required being limited to the Use of things only And Mr. Baxter might have as well objected against the Almanack which says February hath 28. days when as it is afterward intimated it hath sometimes 29. days So that this Objection is frivolous and serves only to shew that the Non-Conformists find great want of more substantial reasons against Conformity while they catch at such Shadows as this P. 162. We Assent to approve of and Consent to these words in the Preface We are fully perswaded in our Judgments and we here profess it to the World that the Book as it stood before established by Law doth not contain in it any thing contrary to the Word of God c. Where Mr Baxter omits those Proviso's which in his own Judgment as hath been shewed would make such a Profession lawful viz. If it be allowed such just and favourable Construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the very best Translation of the Holy Scripture it self This is not candidly done But Mr. Baxter is guilty of another wilful mistake in this particular greater than the former when he says we Assent and Consent and approve of these words in the Preface whereas he well knows our Assent to the words there mentioned is not required nor could be intended for it is only a profession of our Superiours that were then in Being what their Judgment and Belief was concerning the Old Common-Prayer Book and if we think charitably of them as we ought to do that they meant as they spake this is all that is required of the Subscribers to Assent unto if the Preface come under the Act for Conformity And therefore to say no worse Mr. Baxter very inconsiderately says p. 164. These things we must approve in the foresaid approbation of all things in the Old Common-Prayer Book 3. Mr. Baxter doth very ill to recount those mistranslations in the Old Book which are amended in the New Book of Common-Prayer whereby our Assent to it is much more facile though under the Proviso's before mentioned as our Superiours thought them defensible So many pious men in the account of all the Non-Conformists did subscribe unto the Old Book as containing nothing contrary to the word of God And when our Assent c. is required only to the New Book as it stands amended there is no fear of our being required to Assent to the Old Book and its Imperfections which yet Mr. Baxter insinuates as if it were included under this Declaration in the Preface and did concern the present Conformists which Mr. Baxter knows to be false and contrary to the end of such alterations as well as to the meaning of that profession in the Preface As to that Translation of Ps 105.28 which in our present Liturgy is They were not obedient to his Word and in the New Translation They rebelled not against his Word which Mr. Baxter says are clear contrary It will not appear to be so if it be considered that in the Translation used in the Liturgy which is according to the Septuagint the Arabick Syriack Ethiopick and many Latine Copies the Psalmist is understood to speak of the Egyptians who notwithstanding the wonders done upon them were not obedient to the Word of God whereas others understanding the Verb to refer to Moses and Aaron or as Junius and Tremelius understand it to the Signs and Wonders which God commanded against the Egyptians Translate it they rebelled not against his Word both which Interpretations are true and agreeable to the History and therefore if Mr. Baxter could have given them a favourable construction as was desired by his Superiours he would not have said they were clearly contrary The same answers may serve to the exception against the Collects of the Old Book which for several days together used the words this day which is now altered in the New Book into this time which is the same with day in a large sense But little reason have they to object against any Words or Phrases used in our Liturgy who are still fond of Singing Psalms according to the Translation of Sternhold and Hopkins far more defective than any in the Liturgy The next Objection is concerning the reading of some part of the Apocrypha concerning which I answer in general that the Church hath sufficiently distinguished in her Articles and Homilies as well as in the Liturgy it self between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books 2. The times when the Apocrypha Lessons are to be read are known by the Calender to be between Sept. 28. to Novemb 24.3 This is to be read only on the Week days not on Sundays 4. It is granted by Mr. Baxter that the sounder Books may be read 5. The 5 Chap. of Tobit and that part of the 46 Chap. of Eccles which speaks of Samuels Prophecying after his death are omitted 6. The Non-Conformists think there is Liberty granted in the Preface to the Second Book of Homilies to change some Lessons But it is still Objected that by reading of these the Scripture is for that time excluded Answ This is ill urged by those Non-Conformists who for many years together omitted the Reading either of Psalms or other Scriptures in their publick as well as private meetings contenting themselves with a Singing Psalm and an Harangue of Extemporary Prayer and Preaching 2. Many ancient Fathers have taken pains to Translate and Expound them and commend them as containing many useful Moral Instructions Ireneus Tertullian and others cite Bel and the Dragon as an Example for Martyrdom Origen defended the History of Susanna So did St. Herom who also propounded the History of Judith as an instance of Love and Courage on behalf of our Country which may serve as an Answer to that other Objection that many of our Divines account them fabulous and to contain many untruths And so we say still if we take in all the Apocrypha Writings but deny it of those that are retained by our Church against which Mr. Baxter excepts 1. That the intrails of a Fish are said to drive away Devils and keep them from returning whereas Christ saith this kind goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer Answ This saying of our Saviour concerning one kind doth not exclude the use of other means joyned with Prayer and Fasting as for ought we know was here done for the ejecting of such evil Spirits as affected the parties possessed with Bodily Diseases and
the beginning Whosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith And the Catholick Faith is this c. And in the end This is the Catholick Faith which except a Man believe faithfully he cannot be saved Answer if our Assent be required only to the Use of this Creed and not to a belief of the Truth of every part of it the controversie will be at an end Secondly The Belief of things as necessary to Salvation is granted by Non-conformists to be not an Assent to the several Phrases and obscure Words but to the general sense contained in them Now the sense of our Church in proposing this Creed may be judged by the Use which she makes of the Apostles Creed not only in the daily Profession of it but in the Office of Baptism as containing all the necessary points of Faith into which we are Baptized And in the Catechism as containing all the Articles of the Christian Faith which doth shew that no more is required as necessary to Salvation than what is contained in the Apostles Creed Thirdly In this Creed some things are propounded as necessary points of Faith which Men of weak judgments may apprehend as that we Worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity Other things are for a clearer explication of that Doctrin and vindication of it from the errors that were then risen in the Church as the Arrians and Nestorians who erred concerning the Divinity of Christ and his two Natures which begin thus For there is one Person of the Father c. After which followeth the necessary Doctrine again So that in all things as is aforesaid the Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity is to be Worshipped He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity So that the Doctrine of the Trinity is that Faith which is proposed as necessary to Salvation I know the exception of many against this Creed is in relation to the Heathen who seem by it to be excluded from Salvation In which respect I suppose it is that Mr. Baxter says p. 191. That some R. Reverend Conformists do profess that those Sentences are untrue and not to be approved and he instanceth somewhere in Mr. Chillingworths refusal to subscribe it But if this be the ground of the Exception I conceive that the generality of the Non-conformists who maintain the same Opinion which is consonant to the Scriptures and to the Assemblies Confession of Faith to which Mr. Baxter also hath declared his Assent in this particular will not oppose For in the Assemblies Confession C. 10. Article 4. concerning effectual calling they say That Men not professing the Christian Religion cannot be saved in any way whatsoever be they never so diligent to frame their Lives according to the Light of Nature and the Law of that Religion they do profess and to assert and maintain that they may is very pernicious and to be detested And I know some Non-conformists have lately blamed some Conformists for seeming to incline to the contrary Opinion Which if this be sense of the Creed our Church doth explode yet some Non-conformists think that by holding the Doctrine of the Athanasian Creed they do not judge the Heathen World and that they dobut not but in every nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him so that this obloquie is silenced But it is most probable that Athanasius intended the Explanatory part of the Creed against the Arrians and other Hereticks in the Church who if they denied the Divinity of Christ and dyed in that error who can think they can be saved seeing they make Christ a meer Creature and overthrow the Doctrine of our Redemption by him But that he should condemn all that have a true though but a weak Faith in the Holy Trinity and cannot comprehend the manner of the Eternal Generation of the Son the Procession of the Holy Ghost and the Co-equality of the Trinity cannot be thought to have been the Mind of Athanasius P. 192. N. 20. The Liturgy saith All Priests and Deacons are to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer privately or openly not being lett by sickness or some other urgent cause c. Answ That the Primitive Christians did meet daily not only for publick Prayers but to receive the Sacrament is believed and that it is our duty to Pray Morning and Evening cannot be denyed and what should hinder but that such as are specially devoted to the Service of God should Pray openly with the people if not reasonably hindred or at least pray privately for them there are many that do their duty herein and if all did it would be better with us because all Men do not perform their Baptismal Vows is it fit that none such should be made we see this duty is performed in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches and in many other places where there is a liberal maintenance provided for the Priests and Deacons where though one only do Officiate yet all those that are present may say the daily Prayers as the Liturgy requires which is another frivolous Objection of Mr. Baxters p. 192. n. 3. The next is a Calumny against the whole Liturgy viz. that the Prayers are disorderly and defective not Formed according to the Order of Matter nor of the Lords Prayer but like an immethodical Sermon which is unsuitable to the High Subjects and Honorable Work of Holy Worship and that the Non-conformists have Offered when it shall be well accepted to give in a Catalogue of the disorders and defects of the Liturgy But all this notwithstanding they think it lawful to Use the Liturgy in Obedience or for Unity or when no better may be Used It is something to go thus far but if they would impartially consider the defects and confusions which were in the Directory as it hath been considered by Doctor Hammond or in Mr. Baxters Eight days exploit for a more correct Nepenthes and shall on the other side read that account which Mr. Comber and others have given of the Methodical order and dependance of the several Prayers and Offices the Grave and Scriptural Phrases and Expressions in the Liturgy he may perceive that this is fitter to guide the Devotion of the Universal Church than those other are for Country Conventicles P. 194. He excepts against the Preface to the Book of Ordination where it is said that It is evident to all Men diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there have been these Orders in Christs Church Bishops Priests and Deacons as several Offices Answ I shall not trouble my Readers with the Arguments of Learned Men for the Order of Bishops in the Church ever since the Apostles days as distinct from Presbyters much less shall I repeat those uncomely Reflections which Mr. Baxter hath made on Diocesan Bishops in both his late Books It may suffice in Answer to this Objection that Mr. Baxter
THE Non-Conformists PLEA FOR PEACE IMPLEADED In Answer to several late Writings of Mr. BAXTER and others pretending to shew Reasons for the sinfulness of Conformity It is the Nature of Sin especially Pride to be unreasonable unpeaceable and a troubler of the Soul the Church and the World Mr. Baxters only Way of Concord p. 152. LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1680. THE INTRODUCTION I Shall not be so troublesome to my Reader as to lead him through all that dark and dirty Labyrinth wherein Mr. Baxter hath lost himself but pass directly to that part of his Late Writings wherein he pretends to do what he had long threatned to give Reasons for the sinfulness of Conformity In the Epistle to the Plea he says many Impositions were layd on them which they durst not do because they fear God and that nothing less than Sin should hinder their Conformity and p. 135. That they gave in Eight particulars to the Commissioners at the Savoy which they took to be flat Sins but had not time fully to discourse one of them by which I guess that kneeling at the Sacrament for that was then discoursed of was one and the chief of those many hainous Sins in Conformity what the other Seven were I cannot find but I believe he hath mentioned them in this Plea though he be ashamed to call them Reasons and says he will not urge the case but barely mention matters of Fact and tell us what it is they dare not do And if we be so hardy as to bear this we may when he can get leave have more P. 119. of the Plea we do not here tell men unless by the by in stating some few questions what it is that we account Good or Evil much less do we here give the Reasons of our Cause he dares not be so bold yet as to venture by it to displease us But this Hypocrisie is so thin that the weakest Eye may look through it for whereas the Right Reverend and Learned Bishop of Ely had told Mr. Baxter as he confesseth in his Preface to the Late Book of Concord that he would petition Authority that they the Non-Conformists might be compelled to give their Reasons He there says To answer the earnest demand of our Reasons by you the Lord Bishop of Ely I have published an Historical Narrative of our Case and Judgment in a Book called the Non-Conformists Plea for Peace And if he may be believed they are not only Mr. Baxters Reasons but of many others for p. 3. it is said We that publish this here give an account of our own Judgment and those that we are best acquainted with how far we hold it lawful or unlawful to gather or to separate from Churches or to differ from what is established by Authority So that plainly that Book was published to answer the Bishop of Ely's demand of their Reasons for the Sinfulness of Conformity But where is that allowance from Authority which he pretends to have so long waited for and begged on his Knees And where is that care not to displease or provoke the Conformists by shewing the many heinous Sins in their Conformity when without leave of God or Man he not only endeavours to displease but to ruine us If any thing may be this is worse than his Hypocrisie it is meer distraction and rage when our common adversaries the Papists are undermining our Foundations and there wants but a blow to throw down the whose Fabrick of the best of Protestant Churches for any one that bears the name of Protestant thus to help on their Design and justify it too by declaring many heinous Sins in the Constitution of it and to cry down with it down with it even to the ground But God be thanked his Malice is as Impotent as his Words for after Eighteen years swelling and labouring parturiunt montes and there appears not so much as a Mouse to affright us all vanisheth like the noise of Armies under ground wherewith his Predecessors amused the Nation their long confinement hath made them so weak or rather their weakness hath caused their so long confinement that Mr. Baxter dares not call them Reasons and I hope the Nation are sufficiently instructed how unreasonable it is to be affrighted and run into confusion upon such empty noises as these I have here considered only the Arguments which concern Ministerial Conformity that of Lay-persons being consequent to it And when the most Learned Non-conforming Ministers have in former and latter times yielded Conformity to our publick Ordinances themselves and by Example and Arguments too for Mr. Baxter says they wrote more against Separation than the Conformists themselves wherein Mr. Baxter also hath done his part And when I have reason to think the greatest part of the Non-Conforming Clergy are of the same mind because I know how great an influence they have on the Consciences of their people with whom they familiarly converse and who especially advise them in what concerns their common Cause yet no person of any Note that I have heard of in all that party who were in places of Trust and publick Imployment did on the late Test refuse to Communicate with the Church of England And lastly when all our United strength is too little to withstand the attempts of our common Adversaries It is a wonder to me with what Confidence and with what Design these circumstances considered he should not only Proclaim Conformity on the Ministers part to be impossible but endeavour also with all his might to withdraw the Laity from our Communion unless it be to expose us all to Confusion again But I hope the Nation have been sufficiently taught by experience not to intrust the Conduct of their precious Souls as well as the Safety of their Lives and Estates to such Giddy and Unstable Men. Especially when they shall consider on what frivolous pretences they still seek to perpetuate the distractions of Church and State and now when we are in greatest danger exert their utmost Art and Strength to divide and destroy us Pudet haec opprobria vobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli The Controversie concerning the sinfulness of Conformity will be reduced to a narrow compass if there be an agreement in these particulars First what are the parts of the Book of Common-Prayer to which we are to declare our Assent and Consent Mr. Baxter contends that all things named as the Contents of the Book are parts of that Book to the use whereof we declare our Assent c. p. 159. of the Plea There is not a word in the Book that was not intended for some use the Preface the Calender and Rubrick have their uses And p. 203. we have reason to doubt whether the Act for Conformity it self be not a part of the Book which we must Subscribe Assent and Consent to because this Act is named among the Contents of the Book
hath been formerly of a contrary perswasion I do not mean only when he was Ordained by a Bishop and did or ought to swear Canonical Obedience to him as his Lawful Governour but in his more mature and serious Age when he had studied the controversie I mean in his Christian Directory p. 127. part 7. Where having proved the particular Orders of Presbyters and Deacons He gives his reasons for a larger Episcopacy as the Margin tells you And N. 4. Thus he says Besides this in the Apostles days there were under Christ in the Vniversal Church many general Officers that had the care of Governing and Overseeing Churches up and down and were fixed by stated relation unto none Such were the Apostles Evangelists and many of their helpers in their days And most Christian Churches think that though the Apostolical extraordinary Gifts Priviledges and Offices cease yet Government being an ordinary part of their work the same Forms of Government which Christ and the Holy Ghost did settle in the first Age were settled for all following Ages though not with the same extraordinary gifts and adjuncts Because 1. We read of the settling of that Form viz. General Officers as well as Particular but we never read of any Abolition Discharge or Cessation of the Institution 2. Because if we affirm a Cessation without proof we seem to accuse God of Mutability as settling one Form of Government for one Age only and no longer 3. And we leave room for audacious Wits accordingly to question other Gospel-Institutions as Pastors Sacraments c. and to say that they were but for an Age. 4. It was General Officers that Christ promised to be with to the end of the World Matth. 28.20 Now this will hold true or not says Mr. Baxter If not then this general Ministry is to be numbred with humane Additions to be next treated of If it do then there is another part of the Form of Government proved to be of Divine Institution I say not another Church but another part of the Government of both Churches Vniversal and Particular because such General Officers are so in the Vniversal as to have a general Oversight of the particular As an Army is Headed only by the General himself and a Regiment by the Colonel and a Troop by the Captain but the General Officers of the Army as the Lieutenants General the Majors General c. are under the Lord General in and over the Army and have a general over-sight of the particular Bodies Regiments and Troops Now if this be the Instituted Form of Christs Church-Government that he himself rule absolutely as General and that he have some General Officers under him not any one having the charge of the whole but in the whole unfixedly or as they voluntarily part their Provinces and that each particular Church have their own proper Pastor one or more then who can say that no Form of Church Government is of Divine appointment or command So far Mr. Baxter with whom I find other Non-conformists to agree in the Notion of Diocesan Bishops which is enough not only to confute this Objection against the Order of Bishops but all that Mr. Baxter hath said in his late Writing against the Constitution of National Churches and the Government of Diocesans with so much partiality and passion And though Mr. Baxter deny it here that having diligently read the Holy Scriptures and Ancient Authors yet Three Orders and Offices are not evident to him yet it is evident he hath proved it solidly enough even from the Scripture alone to which whoever shall joyn the Practice and Testimony of the Primitive Church as a help to explain the sense of the Scripture must needs be perswaded of the Truth of these Three Orders in the Church of Christ and therefore this Objection from the Preface to the Book of Ordination is of no weight In all the fardle of Mr. Baxters impertinencies there is not a more trifling Objection than that which follows against the Bishops inviting the people in the Name of God to come forth and shew what Crime or Impediment they know in the Persons to be Ordained p. 196. For seeing no Person is to be Ordained without a Title to some Cure seeing there are solemn days set apart for Ordination and Prayers ordered to be Used the preceding Week-days for Gods Blessing on that Ordinance seeing every Person is to produce Testimonials under the hands of Three Persons to whom he is known of his Life and Conversation seeing any person may if he please be present at the Ordination and the Bishop may personally enquire into his Ministerial abilities I know not what further caution is necessary than to pronounce a Liberty to the people who generally meet on that occasion in the greatest Congregations and in publick Places to come forth and shew if they know any impediment in the Person to be Ordained upon which I my self have known several Persons to be repulsed in the Face of the Congregation and when the Ordained Person is to continue a Deacon for a year before he is admitted a Presbyter the people have a competent time to inform the Bishop of any Crime that they know by him which may render him an unfit Person without such a call from the Bishop which is but Abundans Cautela P. 197. He objects against these words in the Form of Consecration Receive the Holy Ghost for the Office and Work of a Priest c. The doubt is saith Mr. Baxter whether this be not an abuse of the words which Christ himself or his Apostles used and so not to be Assented to Now Mr. Baxter grants that Christ or his Apostles used these words that our Saviour used them and when is very observable It was after his Resurrection and before his Ascension that our Saviour endowed his Apostles with this Ministerial Power saying unto them Receive the Holy Ghost which could not be meant of any extraordinary Power of Tongues and Miracles which were not given till Christ was first glorified when the Day of Pentecost was fully come The Power therefore conveyed by these words was an Authorizing of them to the ordinary work of the Ministry as the following words do inforce whose Sins ye remit they are remitted and this Power Mr. Baxter grants to belong to every Minister That the Apostles of our Lord did use the same words is probable from that expression of St. Paul Acts 20.28 Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over seers And Mr. Baxter complains that too little notice is taken of the Holy Ghosts setting Pastors over the Flocks which the Scripture mentioneth p. 310. Which is a conveying of that Authority which Christ at his Ascension left to his Church he gave some Apostles some Prophets c. for the work of the Ministry Eph. 4.11 12. v. 13. Till we all come in the Vnity of the Faith c. P. 198. He excepts
Sections and this is the result of all If every Pastor might be a Bishop in his Parish Independent and free from any Superiour to controul him if he may have an arbitrary power if they may be arbitrary in exercise of the power of the Keys without appeal such as he says p. 265. the Jews had where there was a Village of Ten Persons there was a Presbyter that had power of Judging Offenders Then we should be so far says he from using the controversie about the Divine Right of Episcopacy as a distinct Order from Presbyters to any Schisme or injury to the Church as hitherto they have done that we should thankfully contribute our best endeavours to the Concord Peace Safety and Prosperity thereof i. e. they would give the Bishops leave to exercise their Authority in Vtopia having provided that they shall have nothing to do in England But the Magistrates must yield to them also Might we be freed from Swearing Subscribing Declaring and Covenanting unnecessary things which we take not to be true and from some few unnecessary practices which we cannot justify And if they might have power of Ordaining such as they please and of Confirming the Adult not according to the Order of the Church of England for that comes too near to Popery but according to Mr. Baxters or Mr. Hanmers Model that is May the power of altering the Laws in Church and State then and not till then when these necessary terms are granted they will serve the Church so modelled in poverty and raggs But of so great a mercy says he experience hath made our hopes from Men to be very small and the Reason of the thing makes our hopes as small of the happiness of the Church of England till God Unite us on these necessary terms To what great streights do some Men reduce themselves that they cannot live unless they Rob and ruine their neighbours subvert whole Churches and Kingdoms and grasp all Power and Authority over the Bodies and Consciences of their Brethren into their own hands Did ever any Bishop aspire to such Tyranny as this the Pope only excepted is not the King and whole Nation greatly Culpable not to trust themselves with the Ingenuity of this people of whose Loyalty and Charity they have had such experience and is it not pitty that they should be constrained to attempt these things against Law when they so humbly desire to have them established by Law and when the reason of the thing i. e. their resolution to have it so it being their great concern as he calls it makes the hopes of the happiness of the Church of England to be very small which Men so resolved as they are may foretel as Mr. Baxter doth without a Spirit of Prophecy Sect. 2. p. 207. Mr. Baxter proceeds to the second part of Conformity which he calls Re-ordination and says it was either intended as a second Ordination or not If yea it is a thing condemned by the ancient Churches by the Canons called the Apostles c. If not then they take such Mens former Ordination to be Null and consequently all such Churches to be no Churches their Baptizings and Consecration of the Lords Supper c. to be Null Answ Although the Ordination by Presbyters alone especially when it hath been done in opposition to * P. 237. of the five Disputations We Ordain not presente but Spreto Episcopo and Contempt of Bishops hath been ever condemned in the Church and the validity thereof is still questioned yet granting it to be valid a Submission to Episcopal Ordination is no renouncing of that which was performed by Presbyters no more than the submission of the Disciples of John who had been Baptized by him with the Baptism of Repentance to the Baptism of Christ Nor doth the Law any where require them to declare that their former Ordination was Null because then it would have pronounced their Baptizings and other Ministerial Offices to be Null if therefore we did juge as charitably of our Legislators as we ought and Interpret the Laws by the practice we cannot find any such thing as Re-ordination intended For first the word is no where mentioned but the Ordination required is to qualify them for the exercise of their Ministry in the Church of England and to capacitate them for it Thus in the Preface to the Book of Ordination it is said None shall be taken as Ministers of the Church of England but who are so Ordained It denyeth not but they may be Ministers elsewhere and the Act for Vniformity renders them uncapable of any Parsonage Vicaridge c. in the Church of England But the same Act allows of the Ministers Presbyterially Ordained in other Reformed Churches to exercise their Ministry here by His Majesties Authority Yea the same Parliament permits them to meet and exercise many Ministerial duties so that the number above that of their own Families do not exceed Five and Mr. Baxter knows that the most eminent Divines of our Church ever held the Ordination by Presbyters in forraign Churches to be lawful 2. It is Mr. Baxters Opinion that the outward part of Ordination may be repeated Directory l. 3. Q. 21. And that the Ordainer doth but Ministerially invest the person with Power whom the Spirit of God hath qualified for it by the Inward Call now the Inward Call being the Essential part as he accounts and the Ministerial Investiture of the person with power being the outward part P. 311. of the Plea I see no reason why one Ordained by Presbyters may not submit to Episcopal Ordination by his own Argument Yea Mr. Baxter there affirmes That the mutual consent of the people and themselves may suffice to the orderly admittance into the Office especially if the Magistrate consent and the Ordainers should refuse For which see more in his Dispute of Ordination from whence I propose this case suppose a person fitly qualified for Parts and Piety Chosen and Ordained a Minister by an Independent or Anabaptistical people should afterward submit himself to Presbyterial Ordination I doubt not but the Presbyters would think it lawful to Ordain him and I believe they would not admit him into their Churches without such Ordination which may justifie our Superiours in requiring that they who will be admitted Ministers of the Church of England should be Episcopally Ordained For here is nothing repeated but the outward part or Ceremony of Investiture which by Mr. Baxters Confession may be repeated and is no more than the Marriage of such by a Minister who had been Married before by a Justice of Peace Or as he makes another Comparison it is no more than if a person very expert in Physick should practice without a License Upon which he tells you a story of his great success in Physick which he practiced many years gratis and saved the Lives of multitudes p. 78. of the Third part of the way of Concord and yet he there grants that it
in Church and State to prevent the mischievous consequences whereof I have made the ensuing inquiries And First their respect to the Conforming Clergy will appear in the Epistle before the first part of the Plea inscribed to the Conforming Clergy where he thus reproacheth them to their Faces It is now seventeen years since near 2000 Ministers of Christ were by Law forbidden the exercise of their Office unless they did Conform to Subscriptions Covenants Declarations and Practises which we durst not do because we feared God The reason of which Impositions it is God and not we must have an account of from the Convocation c. by which c. I suppose he means the Parliament that made those Laws He tells them of rendring odious them whom they never heard and urging Rulers to execute the Laws against them i. e. to Excommunicate silence confine imprison and undo them He says he is not so uncharitable as to impute all their false reports to Malignity and Diabolism but that it was strangeness i. e. ignorance of their case which wrath and cross interest kept them from hearing He says he had read the Books of Bishop Morley Mr. Stileman Mr. Faukner Mr. Fulwood Mr. Durel Mr. Fowlis Mr. Nanfen Dr. Boreman Parker Tomkins the Friendly Debate Dr. Ashton Mr. Hollingworth Dr. Good Mr. Hinckly the Countermine Mr. Lestrange Mr. Long c. And I think says he Mr. Tombes hath said more like truth for Anabaptistry the late Hungarian for Polygamy Many for drunkeness stealing and lying in cases of necessity than ever he yet read for the lawfulness of all that is there described viz. the terms of conformity He tells them if they will not hear those will whom God will use to the healing of his Churches He means such Reformers as were in 42. and 43. to whom this Patriarch gives the Blessing of Peace-makers and says they shall be called the Children of God as sure as the Incendiaries in the late War viz. Brook Pym c. are by him called glorious Saints in Heaven p. 83. of his Saints rest And thus reminding them of his pastoral Admonition if any of you be an hinderer or slanderer of Gods word c. he hath sufficiently evidenced what reverence he hath for the Conforming Clergy But how he hath discharged that which he professeth to be his duty p. 246. of his Plea part 1. Most of our acquaintance take it for their duty to do their best to keep up the Reputation of the publick conformable Ministry Let the Reader judge by bis deeds rather than his words seeing he continueth Conventicles himself and defends others in the same Practise And for his Admonition to us By their fruits ye shall know them I shall commend to him one Lesson from our Catechism to keep his Tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering The Second thing I observe in his Plea for the innocency of his party is That no Men on Earth have more sound and Loyal Principles of Government and Obedience Answ While they were Governours none exacted Obedience more severely or Ruled more imperiously but take them in the capacity of Subjects and their practices shew what their principles are But let us hear his Plea to the Accusations The first is that they are Presbyterians and Fanaticks 2. That they began the War in 42. and 43. 3. That they destroyed the King 4. That their principles are disloyal 5. That they are Plotting a Rebellion To the first he tells us what a Presbyterian is viz. such as hold Church Government not only without Bishops but also by Presbyteries consisting of two sorts of Elders Preaching and Ruling and over these Classes and over these a National Assembly consisting of the same two sorts That such a Government was intended by the Long Parliament appears by their Ordinances Anno 1643. for imposing the Covenant rooting out Episcopacy bringing all to an Uniformity with the Church of Scotland and January 44. For taking away the Book of Common-Prayer and establishing the Directory And June 5. 46. for setling without farther delay of Presbyterial Government in the Church of England And August 28. for Ordination of Ministers by Classical Presbyteries within their respective bounds which Form of Government to be used in the Church of England and Ireland was agreed by the Lords and Commons in Parliament after advice had with the Assembly of Divines The Assembly drew up an Exhortation for the taking of the Covenant where they declare that the Government by Bishops is evil justly offensive and burdensome to the Kingdom This Assembly was called by the Parliament 12 June 43. consisting of Lords Knights Esquires and some Divines who assented to the Ordinances above mentioned and therefore it will be very hard for Mr. Baxter to perswade us that they were Conformists of which more hereafter I shall account them Presbyterians And if ever a Child was like his Father our present Non-conformist is like the Presbyterian in 43. Sic oculos sic ille manus sic ora gerebat And what if as Mr. Baxter says they do not now exercise their beloved Discipline are those Lions no Lions which the King keeps within the Tower Have they not the same appetite to the Church and Crown Lands the same antipathy to Prelacy the same zeal for the Covenant and Directory Were they not generally Ordained by these Presbyterians non tantum absente sed spreto Episcopo as Mr. Baxter says these then I conclude to be Presbyterians and if Mr. Baxter will add the term Fanaticks I cannot help it they who plead aliquid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some impulses on their spirits moving them from ingulphing with this generation by reason whereof they cannot go back from that more spiritual plain and simple zealous Service of Almighty God in the way they are in and reformation they seek against the established Worship and Discipline See p. 9. of the Answer to Doctor Stilling fleets Sermon I say they who for want of reasons to defend their cause do plead impressions on their spirits do prove themselves to be Fanatick and I have proved them to be Presbyterians The Second Accusation is that we began the War in 41. and 42. To this he pleads 1. The King hath said so much for the Act of Oblivion that it is no sign of Loyalty and Peace to violate it Answ An Act of Pardon implies guilt though it exempt from punishment And Secondly God himself will pardon none but the penitent whatever the King may do 2. You plead that false reporters say that the Papists were the Kings party and the Presbyterians the Parliaments in the beginning of the English War Answ They are false reporters indeed that say the Papists were the Kings Party which were not an hundred part of his party and I wonder not that Mr. Baxter calls it a false report because it shews the Papists to have been more Loyal Subjects than the Presbyterians Yet wanted not a number of Papists