Peace on these Terms how easily and safely might you grant them without any wrong to your Consciences or the Church Yea to its exceeding benefit How lowd do our Miseries cry for such a Cure How long hath it been neglected If there be any more than what is here granted by us that you think necessary for us to yield to on our parts we shall gladly revive your Demands and yield for Peace as far as is possible without forsaking our Consciences And what shall be agreed on we shall promise faithfully to endeavour in our places that the Magistrate may consent to it The inclosing Paper signified a readiness to yield to an Agreement on the primitive Simplicity of Doctrine Discipline and Worship as Dr. Heylin also doth We are agreed and yet never the nearer an Agreement O that you would stand to this in the Particulars We crave no more Q. 1. Did the â—â—imitive Church require Subscription to all in our 39 Articles or to any more than the words of Scripture and the Ancient Creeds in order to Mens Church-Communion and Liberty Were such Volumes as our Homiliâ—s then to be subscribed to Q. 2. Were any required as necessary to their Ministry in the Primitive Times to Subscribe to the Divine Right of Diocesan Prelacy and promise or swear Obedience to such Or to Subscribe to all that is contained in our Book of Ordination Q. 3. Were all most or any Bishops of the first Age of the lowest rank now distinguished from Archbishopâ— the fixed Pastors of many particular Churches or of more Souls than one of our ordinary or greater Parishes Much less of so many as are in a Diocess Let us but have no more Souls or Congregations under the lowest rank of Bishops now than were in the first Age or second either ordinarily and we shall soon agree I think in all the Substance of Government Q. 4. Was our Common Prayer used and necessary to a Pastor's Liberty in the first or second Age Or all that is in it Or will you leave out all that you cannot prove to have been then used and that as necessary as now it is supposed Q. 5. Were the Cross Surplice and Restriction to kneeling in receiving the Eâ—charist enjoyned by Peter or Paul or any in the first Age or second either or many after If you say that some Form of Prayer was used though not ours I answer 1. Prove it used and imposed as necessary to the Exercise of the Ministry and that any was enjoyned to Subscribe to it and use it on pain of Deprivation or Excommunication 2. If the first supposed Book of Prayers was necessary in Specie for continuance we must have it and cast away this thatâ—s pleaded for If it were not then why may you not as well dispense with this and change it seeing you cannot plead it more immutable than the supposed Apostolical or Primitive Prayer Book 3. When Forms of Liturgy came up had they not divers in the same Empire and also changed them in particular Churches as the Controversie between Basil and the Church of Neocaesarea shews c. And why then may not as much be granted now in England at least to procure Unity and Peace in other things after so long uncharitable Alienations and doleful Effects of them in the Church and State N. B. That the foresaid Exceptions against imposing the Subscription of the 39 Articles are urged ad hominem because though the Doctrinal Part of those Articles be such as the generality of the Presbyterians would Subscribe to yet I see not how the Reverend Brethren on the other side can possibly Subscribe them as reconcileable to the Principles published by many of them § 67. Shortly after this when Sir George Booth's Rising failed Major General Monk in Scotland with his Army grew so sensible of the Infolencies of Vane and Lambert and the Fanaticks in England and Ireland who set up and pull'd down Governments as boldly as if they were making a Lord of a Maygame and were grasping all the Power into their own Hands so that he presently secured the Anabaptists of his Army and agreed with the rest to resist these Usurpers who would have England the Scorn of all the World At first when he drew near to England he declared for a Free Commonwealth When he came in Lambert marched against him but his Soldiers forsaking him and Sir Arthur Haselrigge getting Portsmouth and Col. Morley strengthning him and Major General Berry's Regiment which went to block it up revolting to them the Clouds rose every where at once and Lambert could make no resistance but instead of fighting they were fain to treat And while Monk held them Treating his Reputation increased and theirs abated and their Hearts failed them and their Soldiers fell off and General Monk consulted with his Friends what to do Many Countreys sent Letters of Thanks and Encouragement to him Mr. Tho. Bampfield was sent by the Gentlemen of the West and other Countreys did the like so that Monk came on but still declared for a Commonwealth against Monarchy Till at last when he saw all ripened thereto he declared for the King The chief Men as far as I can learn that turned his Resolution to bring in the King were Mr. Clarges and Sir William Morrice his Kinsman and the Petitions and Affections of the City of London principally moved by Mr. Calamy and Mr. Ash two ancient leading able Ministers with Dr. Bates Dr. Manten Dr. Iacomb and other Ministers of London who concurred And these were encouraged by the Earl of Manchester the Lord Hollis the late Earl of Anglesey and many of the then Council of State And the Members of the Old Parliament that had been formerly ejected being recalled did Dissolve themselves and appoint the Calling of a Parliament which might Re-call the King When General Monk first came into England most Men rejected in hope to be delivered from the Usurpation of the Fanaticks Anabaptists Seekers c. And I was myâ—self so much affected with the strange Providence of God that I procured the Ministers to agree upon a Publick Thanksgiving to God And I think all the Victories which that Army obtained were not more wonderful than their Fall was when Pride and Errour had prepared them for it It seemed wonderful to me that an Army that had got so many great and marvellous Victories and thought themselves unconquerable and talkt of nothing but Dominion at home and marching up to the Walls of Rome should all be broken and brought into Subjection and finally Disbanded without one blow stricken or one drop of Blood shed and that by so small a power as Monk's Army in the â—â—â—ginning was So Eminent was the Hand of God in all this Change § 68. Yet were there many prudent pious Men that feared greatly the return of the Prelates an exasperated Party that had been before subdued and as they saw that the Fanaticks would bring all to Confusion under
Presence and with the Advice and Assistance of his aforesaid Presbytery at the four set Times and Seasons appointed by the Church for that purpose 5. We will take care that Confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the Information and with the Advice of the Minister of the Place and as great diligence used for the Instruction and Reformation of notorious and scandalous Offenders as is possible towards which the Rubrick before the Communion hath prescribed very wholesom Rules 6. No Bishop shall Exercise any Arbitrary Power or do or impose any thing upon the Clergy or the People but what is according to the known Laws of the Land 7. We are very glad to find that all with whom we have conferred do in their Judgments approve a Liturgy or set-Set-Form of Publick Worship to be lawful which in our Judgment for the preservation of Unity and Uniformity we conceive to be very necessary And though we do esteem the Liturgy of the Church of England contained in the Book of Common Prayer and by Law established to be the best we have seen and we believe that we have seen all that are extant and used in this part of the World and well know what Reverence most of the Reformed Churches or at least the most Learned Men in those Churches have for it Yet since we find some Exceptions made to many absolete words and other Expressions used therein which upon the Reformation and Improvement of the English Language may-well be altered we will appoint some Learned Divines of different Perswasions to review the same and to make such Alterations as shall be thought most necessary and some such Additional Prayers as shall be thought fit for emergent Occasions and the improvement of Devotion the using of which may be left to the Discretion of the Ministers In the mean time and till this be done we do heartily wish and desire that the Ministers in their several Churches because they dislike some Clauses and Expressions would not totally lay aside the use of the Book of Common Prayer but read those Parts against which there can be no Exception which would be the best Instance of declining those Marks of Distinction which we so much labour and desire to remove 8. Lastly Concerning Ceremoniesâ— which have administred so much Matter of Difference and Contention and which have been introduced by the Wisdom and Authority of the Church for Edification and the Improvement of Piety we shall say no more but that we have the more Esteem of all and Reverence for many of them by having been present in many of those Churches where they are most abolished or discountenanced and where we have observed so great and scandalous Indecency and to our Understanding so much absence of Devotion that we heartily wish that those pious Men who think the Church of England overburthened with Ceremonies had some little Experience and made some Observation in those Churches abroad which are most without them And we cannot but observe That those Pious and Learned Men with whom we have conferred upon this Argument and who are most solicitous for Indulgence of this kind are earnest for the same out of Compassion to the Weakness and Tenderness of the Conscience of their Brethren not that themselves who are very zealous for Order and Decency do in their Judgments believe the Practice of those particular Ceremonies which they except against to be in it self unlawful and it cannot be doubted but that as the Universal Church cannot introduce one Ceremony in the Worship of God that is contrary to God's Word expressed in the Scripture so every National Church with the approbation and consent of the Soveraign Power may and hath always introduced such particular Ceremonies as in that Conjuncture of Time are thought most proper for Edification and the necessary improvement of Piety and Devotion in the People though the necessary Practice thereof cannot be deduced from Scripture and that which before was and in it self is indifferent ceases to be indifferent after it is once established by Law And therefore our present Consideration and Work is to gratifie the private Consciences of those that are grieved with the use of some Ceremonies by indulging to and dispensing with their omitting those Ceremonies not utterly to abolish any which are established by Law if any are practised contrary to Law the same shall cease which would be unjust and of ill Example and to impose upon the Conscience of some and we believe much Superiour in Number and Quality for the Satisfaction of the Conscience of others which is otherwise provided for as it would not be reasonable that Men should expect that we should our self decline or enjoyn others to do so to receive the Blessed Sacrament upon our Knees which in our Conscience is the most humble most devout and most agreeable Posture for the holy Duty because some other Men upon Reasons best if not only known to themselves choose rather to do it Sitting or Standing We shall leave all Decisions and Determinations of that kind if they shall be thought necessary for a perfect and entire Unity and Uniformity throughout the Nation to the Advice of a National Synod which shall be duly called after a little time and a mutual Conversation between Persons of different Perswasions hath mollified those Distempers abated those Sharpnesses and extinguished those Jealousies which make Men unfit for those Consultations and upon such Advice we shall use our best endeavour that such Laws might be established as may best provide for the Peace of the Church and State 1. In the mean time out of Compassion and Compliance towards those who would forbear the Cross in Baptism we are content that no Man shall be compelled to use the same or suffer for not doing it But if any Parent desire to have his Child Christned according to the Form used and the Minister will not use the Sign it shall be lawful for the Parent to procure another â—Minister to do it And if the proper Minister shall refuse to omit that Ceremony of the Cross it shall be lawful for the Parent who would not have his Child so Baptized to procure another Minister to do it who will do it according to his Desire 2. No Man shall be compelled to bow at the Name of Jesus or suffer in any degree for not doing it without reproaching those who out of their Devotion continue that Ancient Ceremony of the Church 3. For the use of the Surplice which hath for so many Ages been thought a most decent Ornament for the Clergy in the Administration of Divine Service and is in truth of a different fashion in the Church of England from what is used in the Church of Rome we are contented that Men be left to their Liberty to do as they shall think sit without suffering in the least degree for the wearing or not wearing it provided that this Liberty do not extend to our own Chappel Cathedral or Collegiate
the Minister of that Place Who shall admit none to the Lord's Supper till they have made a credible Profession of their Faith and promised Obedience to the Will of God according as is expressed in the Consideration of the Rubrick before the Catechism and that all possible Diligence be used for the Instruction and Reformation of scandalous Offenders whom the Ministers shall not suffer to partake of the Lord's Table until they have openly declared themselves to have truly repented and amended their former naughty Lives as is partly expressed in the Rubrick and more fully in the Canons Provided there be place for due Appeals to superior Powers 6. No Bishops c. 7. We are very glad to find that all with whom we have conferred do in their Judgments approve a Liturgy or a set Form of publick Worship to be lawful which in our Judgments for the Preservation of Unity and Uniformity we conceive to be very necessary And although we do esteem the Liturgy of the Church of England contained in the Book of common-Common-Prayer and by Law established to be the best that we have seen and we believe that we have seen all that are extant and used in this part of the World and we know what Reverence most of the reformed Churches or at least the most learned Men in those Churches have for it yet since we find some Exceptions made against several things therein We will appoint an equal Number of learned Divines of both Persuasions to review the same and to make such Alterations as shall be thought most necessary and some additional Forms in Scripture Phrase as near as may be suited unto the Nature of the several Ordinances and that it be left to the Minister's choice to use one or the other at his Discretion In the mean time and till this be done although we do heartily wish and desire that the Ministers in their several Churches because they dislike some Clauses and Expressions would not totally lay aside the use of the Book of Common Prayer but read those Parts against which there can be no Exception which would be the best Instance of declining those Marks of Distinction which we so much labour and desire to remove Yet in compassion to divers of our good Subjects who scruple the use of it as now it is our Will and Pleasure is that none be punished or troubled for not using it until it be reviewed and effectually reformed as aforesaid In the Preface concerning Ceremonies we desire that at least these Words be left out Not that themselves do in their Iudgments believe the Practice of these particular Ceremonies which they except against to be in it self unlawful As concerning Ceremonies our Will and Pleasure is 1. That none shall be required to kneel in the act of receiving the Lord's Supper but left at Liberty therein 2. That the religious Observation of Holyâ—days of human Institution be left indifferent and that none be troubled for not observing of them 3. That no Man shall be compell'd to use the Cross in Baptism or suffer for not using it 4. That no Man shall be compelled to bow at the Name of Jesus 5. For the use of the Surplice we are contented that all Men be left to their Liberty to do as they shall think fit without suffering in the least Degree for wearing or not wearing it And because some Men otherwise pious and learned say they cannot conform unto the Subscription required by the Canons nor take the Oath of Canonical Obedience we are content and it is our Will and Pleasure so they take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy that they shall receive Ordination Institution and Induction and shall be permitted to exercise their Function and to enjoy the Profits of their Livings without the said Subscription or Oath of Canonical Obedience And moreover that no Persons in the Universities shall for the want of such Subscription be hindred in taking their Degrees Lastly That such as have been ordained by Presbyters be not required to renounce their Ordination or to be re-ordained or denied Institution and Induction for want of Ordination by Bishops And moreover that none be judged to forfeit their Presentation or Benefice or be deprived of it for not reading of those of the 39 Articles that contain the controverted Points of Church-Government and Ceremonies § 108. After all this a Day was appointed for his Majesty to peruse the Declaration as it was drawn up by the Lord Chancellor and to allow what he liked and alter the rest upon the hearing of what both sides should say Accordingly he came to the Lord Chancellor's House and with him the Duke of Albermarle and Duke of Ormond as I remember the Earl of Manchester the Earl of Anglesey the Lord Hollis c. and Dr. Sheldon then Bishop of London Dr. Morley then Bishop of Worcester Dr. Hinchman then Bishop of Salisbury Dr. Cosins Bishop of Durham Dr. Gauden after bishop of Exeter and Worcester Dr. Barwick after Dean of Paule Dr. Hacket Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield with divers others among whom Dr. Gunning was most notable On the other part stood Dr. Reignolds Mr. Calamy Mr. Ash Dr. Wallis Dr. Manton Dr. Spurstow my self and who else I remember not The Business of the Day was not to dispute but as the Lord Chancellor read over Declaration each Party was to speak to what they disliked and the King to determine how it should be as liked himself While the Lord Chancellor read over the Preface there was no Interruption only he thought it best himself to blot out those Words about the Declaration in Scotland for the Covenant That we did from the Moment it passed our Hand ask God Forgiveness for our Part in it The great matter which we stopt at was the Word Consent where the Bishop is to confirm by the Consent of the Pastor of that Church and the King would by no means pass the Word Consent either there or in the Point of Ordination or Censures because it gave the Ministers a negative Voice We urged him hard with a Passage in his Father's Book of Meditations where he expresly granteth this Consent of the Presbyters but it would not prevail The most that I insisted on was from the end of our Endeavours that we came not hither for a Personal Agreement only with our Brethren of the other way but to procure such gracious Concessions from his Majesty as would unite all the soberest People of the Land And we knew that on lower Terms it would not be done Though Consent be but a little Word it was necessary to a very desirable end if it were purposed that the Parties and Divisions should rather continue unhealed then we had no more to say there being no Remedy But we were sure that Union would not be attained if no Consent were allowed Ministers in any part of the Government of their Flocks and so they should be only Teachers without any Participation and
Antbony Tuckny Dr. in Divinity Iohn Conant Dr. in Divinity William Spurstow Dr. in Divinity Iohn Wallis Dr. in Divinity Thomas Manton Dr. in Divinity Edmund Calamy Batchelour in Divinity Richard Baxter Clerk Arthur Iackson Clerk Thomas Case Samuel Clark Matthew Newcomen Clerks and to our trusâ—y and well-beloved Dr. Earles Dean of Westminster Peter Heylin Dr. in Divinity Iohn Hacket Dr. in Divinity Iohn Barwick Dr. in Divinity Peter Guâ—â—ing Dr. in Divinity Iohn Pierson Dr. in Divinity Thomas Pierce Dr. in Divinity Anthony Sparrow Dr. in Divinity Herbert Thorndike Batchelour in Divinity Thomas Horton Dr. in Divinity Thomas Iacomb Dr. in Divinity William Bates Iohn Rawlinson Clerk William Cooper Clerk Dr. Iohn Lightfoot Dr. Iohn Collins Dr. Benjamin Woodbridge and William Drake Clerk Greeting Whereas by our Declaration of the Five and twentieth of October last concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs we did amongst other things express an esteem of the Liturgy of the Church of England contained in the Book of Common Prayer and yet since we find some Exceptions made against several things therein we did by our said Declaration declare we would appoint an equal number of Learned Divines of both Perswasions to review the same and to make such Alterations therein as shall be thought most necessary and some additional Forms in the Scripture phrase as near as might be suited to the nature of the several Parts of Worship we therefore in accomplishment of our said Will and Intent and of our continued and constant Care and Study for the Peace and Unity of the Churches within our Dominions and for the removal of all Exceptions and Differences and Occasions of Differences and Exceptions from amongst our good Subjects for or concerning the said Book of Common Prayer or any thing therein contained do by these our Letters Patents require authorize constitute and appoint you the said accepted Archbishop of York Gilbert Bishop of London Iohn Bishop of Durham Iohn Bishop of Rochester Henry Bishop of Chichester Humphrey Bishop of Sarum George Bishop of Worcester Robert Bishop of Lincoln Benjamin Bishop of Peterburgh Bryan Bishop of Chester Richard Bishop of Carlisle Iohn Bishop of Exeter Edward Bishop of Norwich Anthony Tuckney Iohn Conant William Spurstow Iohn Wallis Thomas manton Edmund Calamy Richard Baxter Arthur Iackson Thomas Case Samuel Clark and Matthew Newcomen to advise upon and review the said Book of Common Prayer comparing the same with the most ancient Liturgies which have been used in the Church in the primitive and purest Times And to that end to assemble and meet together from time to time and at such times within the space of four Kalender Months now next ensuing in the Masters Lodgings in the Savoy in the Strand in the County of Middlesex or in such other place or places as to you shall be thought fit and convenient to take into your serious and grave Considerations the several Directions Rules and Forms of Prayer and Things in the said Book of Common Prayer contained and to advise and consult upon and about the same and the several Objections and Exceptions which shall now be raised against the fame And if occasion be to make such reasonable and necessary Alterations Corrections and Amendments therein as by and between you and the said Archbishop Bishops Doctors and Persons hereby required and authorized to meet and advise as aforesaid shall be agreed upon to be needful or expedient for the giving Satisfaction unto tender Consciences and the restoring and continuance of Peace and Unity in the Churches under our Protection and Government But avoiding as much as may be all unnecessary Alterations of the Forms and Liturgy wherewith the People are already acquainted and have so long received in the Church of England And our will and pleasure is that when you the said Archbishop Bishops Doctors and Persons authorized and appointed by these our Letters Patents to meet advise and consult upon about the Premises aforesaid shall have drawn your Consultations to any Resolution and Determination which you shall agree upon as needful or expedient to be done for the altering diminishing â—r enlarging the said Book of Common Prayer or any part thereof that then you forthwith certifie and present unto us in Writing under your several Hands the Matters and Things whereupon you shall so determine for our Approbation And to the end the same or so much thereof as shall be approved by us may be established And forasmuch as the said Archbishop and Bishops having several great Charges to attend which we would not dispense with or that the same should be neglected upon any great occasion whatsoever and some of them being of great Age and Infirmities may not be able constantly to attend the Execution of the Service and Authority hereby given and required by us in the Meetings and Consultations aforesaid We Will therefore and do hereby require and authorize you the said Dr. Earles Peter Heylin Iohn Hacket Iohn Barwick Peter Gunning Iohn Pearson Thomas Pierce and Anthony Sparrow and Herbert Thorndike to supply the place or places of such of the said Archbishop and Bishops other than the said Edward Bishop of Norwich as shall by Age Sickness Infirmity or other occasion be hindred from attending the said Meeting or Consultations That is to say that one of you the said Dr. Earles Peter Heylin Iohn Hacket Iohn Barwick Peter Gunning Iohn Pearson Thomas Pearce Anthony Sparrow and Herbert Thorndike shall from time to time supply the Place of each one of them the said Archbishop and Bishops other than the said Edward Bishop of Norwich which shall happen to be hindred or to be absent from the said Meeting or Consultations and shall and may advise and consult and determine and also certifie and execute all and singular the Power and Authority before mentioned in and about the Premises as fully and absolutely as such Archbishop or Bishops which shall so happen to be absent should or might do by Vertue of these our Letters Patents or any thing therein contained in case he or they were personally present And whereas in regard of the Distance of some the Infirmities of others the multitude of constant Imployments and other incidental Impediments some of you the said Edward Bishop of Norwich Anthony Tuckney Iohn Conant William Spurstow Iohn Wallis Thomas Manton Edmund Calamy Rich. Baxter Arthur Iackson Thomas Case Samuel Clarke and Matthew Newcomen may be hindred from the constant Attendance in the Execution of the Service aforesaid We therefore will and do hereby require and authorize you the said Tho. Horton Thomas Iacomb William Bates Iohn Rawlinson William Cooper Iohn Lightfoot Iohn Collins Benjamin Woodbridge and William Drake to supply the Place or Places of such the Commissioners last above mentioned as shall by the means aforesaid or any other Occasion be hindred from the said Meeting and Consultations that is to say that one of you the said Thomas Horton Thomas Iacomb William Butes Iohn Rawlinson William Cooper Dr.
Motions for Accommodation in these Points of Discipline and Worship in which we were disagreed and your professed Resolutions to draw us together by Mutual Approaches and publishing your Healing Declaration which was received with the Thanks of your House of Commons and the Applause of the People and the special Joy of those that longed for Concord and Tranquility in the Church In which your Majesty declareth so much Satisfaction in the Foundations of Agreement already laid as that you should think your self very unfortunate and suspect that you are defective in the Administration of Government if any Superstructures should shake these Foundations and contract or lessen the blessed Gift of Charity which is a Vital part of Christian Religion And as in the said gracious Declaration your Majesty resolved to appoint an equal number of Learned Divines of both Perswasions to review the Liturgy and to make such Alterations as shall be thought most necessary and some additional Forms in the Scripture Phrase as near as may be suited unto the nature of the several parts of Worship and that it be left to the Minister's choice to use one or other at his Discretion so in Accomplishment thereof your Majesty among others directed your Commission unto us for the review of the several Directions Rules and Forms of Prayer and things in the said Book of Common Prayer contained and if occasion be to make such reasonable and necessary Alterations Corrections and Amendments therein as by and between us shall be agreed upon to be needful or expedient for the giving of Satisfaction to tender Consciences and the restoring and continuance of Peace and Unity in the Churches under your Protection and Government and what we agree upon as needful or expedient to be done for the altering diminishing or enlarging the said Book of Common Prayer or any part thereof forthwith to certifie and present it in Writing to your Majesty In Obedience to this your Majesty's Commission we met with the Right Reverend Bishops who required of us that before any Personal Debates we should bring in Writing all our Exceptions against the Book of Common Prayer and all the Additional Forms which we desired Both which we performed and received from them an Answer to the first and returned them our full Reply The last Week of our time being designed to Personal Conference was at the Will of the Right Reverend Bishops spent in a particular Dispute by three of each part about the sinfulness of one of the Injunctions from which we desired to be free and in some other Conference on the by And though the Account which we are forced to give your Majesty of the Issue of our Consultations is that No Agreements are Subscribed by us to be offered your Majesty according to your Expectation and though it be nono of our intent to cast the least unmeet Reflections upon the Right Reverend Bishops and Learned Brethren who think not meet to yield to any considerable Alterations to the Ends expressed in your Majesty's Commission yet we must say that it is some quiet to our Minds that we have not been guilty of your Majesty's and your Subjects disappointments and that we account not your Majesty's gracious Commission nor our Labour lost having Peace of Conscience in the discharge of our Duties to God and you that we have been the Seekers and Followers of Peace and have earnestly pleaded and humbly petitioned for it and offered for it any price below the offence of God Almighty and the wounding or hazard of our own or of the Peoples souls and that we have in season born our testimony against those Extreams which at last will appear to those that do not now discern it to have proceeded from uncharitable mistake and tended to the division and trouble of the Church that whatever shall become of Charity Unity and Concord our Life our Beauty and our Bands our Conserences tell us we have not deserted them nor left any probable means unattempted which we could discern within our power And we humbly beseech your Majesty to believe that we own no Principles of Faction or Disobedience nor Patronize the Errours or Obstinacy of any It is granted us by all that nothing should be commanded us by Man which is contrary to the Word of God that if it be and we know it we are bound not to perform it God being the Absolute Universal Soveraign that we must use all just means to discern the Will of God and whether the Commands of Man be contrary to it that if the Command be sinful and any through the neglect of sufficient search shall judge it lawful his culpable Errour excuseth not his doing of it from being sin and therefore as a reasonable Creature must needs have a Judgment of discerning that he may rationally obey so is he with the greatest care and diligence to exercise it in the greatest things even the obeying of God and the saving of our Souls and that where a strong probability of great sin and danger lyeth before us we must not rashly run on without search and that to go against Conscience even where it is mistaken is sin and danger to him that erreth And on the other side we are agreed that in things no way against the Laws of God the Commands of our Governours must be obeyed that if they command what God forbids we must patiently submit to Suffering and every Soul must be subject to the higher Powers for Conscience sake and not resist that Publick Judgment Civil or Ecclesiastical belongeth only to publick Persons and not to any private Man that no Man must be causelesly and pragmatically inquisitive into the Reasons of his Superiours Commands nor by Pride and Self-conceitedness exalt his own Understanding above its worth and office but all to be modestly and humbly self-suspicious that none must erroneously pretend God's Law against the just Command of his Superiour nor pretend the doing of his Duty to be sin that he who suspecteth his Superiours Commands to be against God's Laws must use all means for full Information before he lettle in a course of disobeying them and that he who indeed discovereth any thing commanded to be sin though he must not do it must manage his Opinion with very great tenderness and care of the Publick Peace and the Honour of his Governours These are our Principles If we are otherwise represented to your Majesty we are misrepresented If we are accused of contradicting them we humbly crave that we may never be condemned till we are heard It is the desire of our Souls to contribute our Parts and Interests to the utmost for the promoting of Holiness Charity Unity and Obedience to Rulers in all lawful Things But if we should sin against God because we are commanded who shall answer for us or save us from his Justice And we humbly crave that it may he no unjust grievance of our Dissent that thereby we suppose Superiours to err
for I consider'd that my Father's Exercise of Reading the Scripture was better than theirs and would surely be better thought on by all men at the last and I considered what it was for that he and others were thus derided When I heard them speak scornfully of others as Puritans whom I never knew I was at first apt to believe all the Lies and Slanders wherewith they loaded them But when I heard my own Father so reproached and perceived the Drunkards were the forwardest in the reproach I perceived that it was mere Malice For my Father never scrupled Common-Prayer or Ceremonies nor spake against Bishops nor ever so much as prayed but by a Book or Form being not ever acquainted then with any that did otherwise But only for reading Scripture when the rest were Dancing on the Lord's Day and for praying by a Form out of the end of the common-Common-Prayer Book in his House and for reproving Drunkards and Swearers and for talking sometimes a few words of Scripture and the Life to come he was reviled commonly by the Name of Puritan Precision and Hypocrite and so were the Godly Conformable Ministers that lived any where in the Country near us not only by our Neighbours but by the common talk of the Vulgar Rabble of all about us By this Experience I was fully convinc'd that Godly People were the best and those that despised them and lived in Sin and Pleasure were a malignant unhappy sort of People and this kept me out of their Company except now and then when the Love of Sports and Play enticed me § 2. The chiefest help that I had for all my Learning in the Country Schools was with Mr. Iohn Owen School-master at the Free-School at Wroxeter to whom I went next who lived in Sir Richard Newport's House afterward Lord Newport at Eyton and taught School at that ancient Uriconium where the Ruins and old Coin confirm those Histories which make it an ancient City in the Romans Times The present Lord Newport and his Brother were then my School-fellows in a lower Form and Dr. Richard Allestree now Dr. of the Chair in Oxford Canon of Christ's Church and Provost of Eaton-Colledge of whom I remember that when my Master set him up into the lower end of the highest Form where I had long been Chief I took it so ill that I talkt of leaving the School whereupon my Master gravely but very tenderly rebuked my pride and gave me for my Theme Ne sutor ultra crepidam § 3. About that time it pleased God of his wonderful Mercy to open my Eyes with a clearer insight into the Concerns and Case of my own Soul and to touch my heart with a livelier feeling of things◠Spiritual than ever I had sound before And it was by the means and in the order following stirring up my Conscience more against me by robbing an Orchard or two with rude Boys than it was before And being under some more Conviction for my Sin a poor Day-Labourer in the Town he that I before-mentioned that was wont to read in the Church for the old Parson had an old torn Book which he lent my Father which was called Bunny's Resolution being written by Parson's the Jesuit and corrected by Edm. Bunny I had before heard some Sermons and read a good Book or two which made me more love and honour Godliness in the General but I had never felt any other change by them on my heart Whether it were that till now I came not to that maturity of Nature which made me capable of discerning or whether it were that this was God's appointed time or both together I had no lively sight and sense of what I read till now And in the reading of this Book when I was about Fifteen years of Age it pleased God to awaken my Soul and shew me the folly of Sinning and the misery of the Wicked and the unexpressible weight of things Eternal and the necessity of resolving on a Holy Life more than I was ever acquainted with before The same things which I knew before came now in another manner with Light and Sense and Seriousness to my Heart This cast me first into fears of my Condition and those drove me to Sorrow and Confession and Prayer and so to some resolution for another kind of Life And many a-day I went with a throbbing Conscience and saw that I had other Matters to mind and another Work to do in the World than ever I had minded well before Yet whether sincere Conversion began now or before or after I was never able to this day to know for I had before had some Love to the Things and People which were good and a restraint from other Sins except those forementioned and so much from those that I seldom committed most of them and when I did it was with great reluctancy And both now and formerly I knew that Christ was the only Mediator by whom we must have Pardon Justification and Life But even at that time I had little lively sense of the Love of God in Christ to the World or me nor of my special need of him for Parsons and all Papists almost are too short upon this Subject And about that time it pleased God that a poor Pedlar came to the Door that had Ballads and some good Books And my Father bought of him Dr. Sibb's bruised Reed This also I read and found it suited to my state and seasonably sent me which opened more the Love of God to me and gave me a livelier apprehension of the Mystery of Redemption and how much I was beholden to Jesus Christ. All this while neither my Father nor I had any Acquaintance or Familiarity with any that had any Understanding in Matters of Religion nor ever heard any pray ex tempore But my Prayers were the Confession in the Common-Prayer Book and sometime one of Mr. Bradford's Prayers in a Book called his Prayers and Meditations and sometime a Prayer out of another Prayer-Book which we had After this we had a Servant that had a little Piece of Mr. Perkins's Works of Repentance and the right Art of Living and Dying well and the Government of the Tongue And the reading of that did further inform me and confirm me And thus without any means but Books was God pleased to resolve me for himself § 4. When I was ready for the University my Master drew me into another way which kept me thence where were my vehement desires He had a Friend at Ludlow Chaplain to the Council there called Mr. Richard Wickstead whose Place having allowance from the King who maintaineth the House for one to attend him he told my Master that he was purposed to have a Scholar fit for the University and having but one would be better to him than any Tutor in the University could be whereupon my Master perswaded me to accept the offer and told me it would be better than the University to me I believed
necessary Engines for the dividing and persecuting of the Church But judge thou O Lord according to thy righteousness in the day which is comming But the Examples of Corporation and Colledges are brought in who prevent Offences by Subscriptions and Oaths And even so hath Christ whose Spirit would impose nothing on the Churches but things necessary appointed a Vow and Solemn Covenant to be the way of Entrance into his Church And the Apish Spirit which followeth him to counter-work him by the Addition of Humane Churches Sacraments and Ordinances doth also imitate him in making their Oaths and Promises necessary to engage Men to their Service and Institutions as Christ hath made Baptism necessary to engage us to his Service and Institutions And your Arguments for Diocesans are so weak that we wonder not that you think both Oaths Subscriptions Prisons Confiscations and Banishments necessary to enforce them What you add of such Persons as have themselves exacted Conditions of their Communion not warranted by Law we understand not Either the Law warranteth Men to own Christ for their Saviour and to own their own Membership in the particular Church which they demand constant Communion with or it doth not If it do not we have reason to desire more than is warranted by that Law If it do you should have done well to instance what Persons and what Exactions you mean If you speak this of all the Churches of the◠Land that dislike◠your Prelacy it is too gross an untruth to have been uttered in the Light If you speak only of some Persons or Parties that is no reason why others should be deprived of their Liberty and Ministry Nor indeed is it good Arguing that such Oaths and Subscriptions as the Church of old did never know may be imposed by the Laws of Men because some Brethren have lately required such Conditions of their Communion as are imposed by the Laws of God But let us prevail with you to drive this no further than the Persons whoever they be did drive it whom you blame Their utmost Penalty on the Refusers of their Conditions was Non-Communion with them A thing which many of you voluntarily chose Let this be all our Penalty for refusing your Oaths and Subscriptions if we can get no better from you But shall we be Silenced Imprisoned Confiscated Banished for refusing your Oaths and Subscriptions because somebody imposed Things which the Law allowed not in order to their own Communion These are no fit Proportions of Justice § 17. Out of your own Mouths then is your Government condemned What Act of Parliament ratified your Canons What Law imposed Altars Rails and the forcing of Ministers to read the Book for Dancing on the Lord's Days Or what Law did ratifie many Articles of your Visitation Books And did the Laws sufficiently provide for all those poor Ministers that were Silenced or Suspended for not reading the Dancing Book or any such things What the better were all those for the Laws that were Silenced or driven into Forreign Lands But perhaps the Laws will provide for us indeed as you desire Concerning the Liturgy § 18. 1. The Doctrine is sound But the Apocryphal Matter of your Lessons in Tobith Iudith Bell and the Dragon c. is scare agreeable to the Word of God 2. Whether it be fitly suited let our Exceptions and other Papers be heard before your Judgment go for infallible 3. What Mens Prayers you take your Measure or Encouragement from we know not But we are sure that if all the Common Prayers be twice a day read the time for Psalms and Sermons will be short And yet were they free from disorder and desectiveness in Matter we could the better bear with the length though other Prayers and Sermons were partly excluded by them 4. Though we live in the same Countreys we scarce differ any where more than in our very Experiences Our Experience unresistably convinceth us that a continued Prayer doth more to help most of the People and carry on their Desires than turning almost every Petition into a distinct Prayer and making Prefaces and Conclusions to be near half the Prayers And if the way of Prayer recorded in Scripture even in the Jews Church where Infirmity might be pleaded more than now were such as yours we shall say no more in that against it But if it were not be not wise then overmuch 5. We are content that the Liturgy have such Repetitions as the Scriptures have so it may have no other And we are content that all Extemporate Prayer be restrained which is guilty of as much Tautology and vain Repetition as the Liturgy is If this much will satisfie you we are agreed 6. Nor are we against any such Responsals as are fit to the Ends you mention If ours are all such upon impartial Examination let them stand 7. But the Question is 1. Whether the Greek and Latin Churches in the three first Ages or those of later Ages be more imitable 2. And whether the other Reformed Churches have not more imitated the ancientest of those Churches though we have more imitated the latter and more corrupt 3. And whether our first work be to stop the Papists Mouths by pleasing them or coming too near them when we know they that are likest them in all their Corruptions please them best Yet are we not for any unnecessary difference from them or affection of causless singularity As to the Reformed Churches Testimony of our Liturgy shall their very Charity become our Snare If they had liked our Form of Prayers best they would some of them have imitated us And our Martyrs no doubt they honoured as we do not as suffering for the Modes and Ceremonies of that Book as opposite to the Reformed Churches Mode for so they suffered not but as suffering for the Sound Doctrine and True Worship of the Protestants as opposite to Popery and the Mass. § 19. Your Reasons to prove your Impositions not too rigorous are 1. Because they are by Law If we tell you that so is the Spanish Inquisition you 'l say we compare our Law-givers to the Spaniards If we say that your New-mentioned Martyrs were burnt by Law in England you 'l say that we compare them to Papists But all these are Laws And so are those in Reformed Countreys which are against Bishops and Ceremonies Do you therefore think them not too rigorous 2. Your other Reason is that the Rigour is no more then is necessary to make the Imposition effectual You never spake words more agreeable to your hearts as far as by your Practices we can judge of them Either you mean effectual to change Mens Iudgments or effectual to make them go against their Iudgments or effectual to rid them out of the Land or World The first you know they are unfit for If you think otherwise would you that your Judgments should have such kind of helps to have set them right The second way they will be
effectual with none but wicked Men and Hypocrites who dare Sin against their Consciences for fear of Men And is it worth so much ado to bring the Children of the Devil into your Church The third way of Efficacy is but to kill or banish all the Children of God that are not of your Opinion for it is they that dare not Sin against Conscience whatever they suffer And this is but such an Efficacy as the Spanish Inquisition and Queen Mary's Bonfires had to send those to God whom the World is not worthy of You know every Man that is true to his God and his Conscience will never do that which he taketh to be Sin till his Judgment is changed and therefore with such it can be no lower than Blood or Banishment or Imprisonment at least that is the Efficacy which you desire And if no such rigour be too much its pity the French that murthered 30000 or 40000 at their Bartholoâ—â—ew days or as Dr. Peter Moulin saith 100000 within a few Weeks and the Irish that murthered 200000 had not had a better Cause For they took the most effectual way of rigour But when God maketh Inquisition for the Blood of his Servants he will convince Men that such rigour was too much and that their Wrath did not fulfil his Righteousness You shew your Kindness to Men's praying in the Pulple without your Book Make good what you say that such Praying is of no great Antiquity and we will never contradict you more Or if we prove it not the Ancientest way of Praying in the Christian Church we will give you free leave to hang or banish us for not Subscribing to the Common Prayer Book which the Apostles used and which was imposed on the Church for some hundred years But it seems you think that we are beholden to meer Sufferance without Law or Canon for conceived Prayers How long then it will be suffered we know not if we must live by your Patience § 20. It seemeth that our Converse and yours much differ The most that we know or meet with had rather be without the Liturgy and you say That the People generally are well satisfied with it By this time they are of another Mind If it were so we take it for no great honour to it considering what the greater Number are in most places and of what Lives those Persons are of our Parishes and Acquaintance generally or for the most part who are for it Or what those are that are against it and whom for itsâ— sake you desire your effectual rigour may be exercised against The Lord prepare them to undergo it innocently § 21. Doth there need no more to be said for the Ceremonies How little will satisfie some Men's Consciences Lawful Authority hath in other Countreys cast out the same Bishops and Ceremonies which are here received Doth it follow that they are good in one Country and disorderly and undecent in another Or that our Authority only is infallible in judging of them Is not God's Worship perfect without our Ceremonies in its Integrals as well as its Essentials As for Circumstantials when you saw us allow of them you need not plead for them as against us But the Question is whether our Additions be not more then Circumstances § 22. We suppose that you give all to the Cross in Baptism which is necessary to a Humane Sacrament And this we are ready to try be just Dispute When you say that never was Moral Efficacy ascribed to them you seem to give up all your Cause for by denying this ascribed Efficacy you seem to grant them unlawful if it be so And if it be not so let us bear the blame of wronging them The informing and exciting the dull mind of Man in its duty to God is a Moral Effect from Moral Efficacy But the informing and exciting the dull Mind of Man in its Duty to God is an Effect ascribed to our Ceremonies Ergo a Moral Effect from Moral Efficacy is ascribed to our Ceremonies The major cannot be denied by any Man that knoweth what a Moral Effect and Efficacy is that which worketh not per modum Naturae in genere Causae efficientis naturalis only but per modum objecti vel in genere causae finalis upon the Mind of Man doth work morally but so do our Ceremonies Ergo sure the Arminians that deny all proper Physical Operations of God's Spirit as well as his Word and reduce all to Moral Efficacy will not say that Ceremonies have such a Physical Efficacy more than Moral And if not so the good Effects here mentioned can be from no lower Efficacy than Moral And the minor which must be denied is in the words of the Preface to the Common Prayer Book and therefore undeniable The Word of God it self worketh but moraliter proponendo objectum and so do our Ceremonies § 23. There is a great difference between Sacramental Ceremonies and meer Circumstances which the Reformed Churches keep These we confound not and could have wished you would not Our Cross in Baptism is A dedicating sign saith the Canon or transient Image made in token that this Child shall not be ashamed of Christ crucified but manly fight under his Banner against the Flesh the World and the Devil and continue Christ's faithful Servant and Soldier to his Lives end So that 1. It is a Dedicating Sign performed by the Minister and not by the Person himself as a bare Professing Sign is 2. It engageth the Party in a Relation to Christ as his Soldier and Servant 3. And in the Duties of this Relation against all our Enemies as the Sacramentum Militare doth a Soldier to his General and that in plainer and fuller words than are annexed to Baptism 4. And it is no other than the Covenant of Grace or of Christianity it self which this Sacrament of the Cross doth enter us into as Baptism also doth It is not made a part of Baptism nor called a Sacrament but as far as we can judge made essentially a Humane Sacrament adjoyned to Baptism The Reformed Churches which use the Cross we mean the Lutherans yet use it not in this manner § 24. This is but your unproved Assertion That the Fault was not in the Ceremonies but in the Contenders we are ready to prove the contrary but if it had been true how far are you from Paul's mind expressed Rom. 14. 15. and 1 Cor. 8. You will let your weak Brother perish and spare not so you can but charge the Fault on himself and lay Stumbling-blocks before him and then save him by your effectual rigour by Imprisonment or Punishment § 25. Those seem a few to you that seem many to us Had it been but one hundred such as Cartwright Amesius Bradshaw Parker Hildersham Dod Nicolls Langley Paget Hering Baynes Bates Davenport Hooker Wilson Cotton Norton Shephard Cobbet Word c. they had been enough to have grieved the Souls of many Thousand godly
It is the very Nature and Substance of the Office of a Presbyter to have the Power of the Keys for binding and losing retaining or remitting Sin which therefore together or apart as there is occasion they are bound to Exercise And this being the Institution of Jesus Christ cannot be altered by Man In their Ordination according to the established Order in England it is said Whose sins thou dost remit they are remitted whose sins thou dost retain they are retained And they are commanded to Minister the Doctrine Sacraments and Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same as expresly as the Bishops are And as the late Primate of Ireland observeth in his Reduction That they may the better understand what the Lord hath commanded the Exhortation of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus is appointed to be read to them at the time of their Ordination Take â—eed to your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed or rule the Congregation of God which he hath purchased with his blood And it is apparent in this Acts 20. 17 18 28. and 15. 23 25. and 16. 4. 1. Thess. 5. 12 13. 1 Tim 3. 4 5. and 5. 17. Heb. 13. 7 17 24. and other places that it is the Office of a Presbyter to Oversee Rule and Guide the Flock which the Ministerial Rule which consisteth in the Exercise of the Keys or Management and Personal Application of God's Word to the Consciences and Cases of particular Persons for their Salvation and the Order of the Church the Coercive Power belonging to the Magistrate And this was the Practice in the Ancient Church as appeareth undeniably in Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Hierom Chrysostom c. Concil Carthag 4. Can. 22 23 29 32 34 35 36 37. as is confessed by the chiefest Defenders of Episcopacy 2. If all Presentments and Appeals be made to the Bishop and his Consistory alone it will take from us the Parish Discipline which is granted us and cast almost all Discipline out of the Church As is most apparent to them that by experience are acquainted with the quality of our Flocks and with the true Nature of the Pastoral Work Considering 1. How many hundred Churches are in a Diocess 2. How many thousand Persons are in very many Parishes and of those what a number are obstinate in wilful gross Ignorance or Scandal refusing to be instructed or admonished by their Pastors 3. How long and earnestly and tenderly Sinners must be dealth with before they are cut off by Solemn Excommunication 4. How unsatisfactory it must be to the Conscience of a Bishop or Synod to cut off a Man as impenitent upon the bare report of a Minister before by full Admonition they have proved him impenitent themselves especially when too many Ministers are to say nothing of Passion that might cause partial Accusations unable so to manage a Reproof and Exhortation as is necessary to work on the Consciences of the People and to convict Resisters of flat Impenitency 5. What abundance of Work the Bishop will have besides Constant preaching will require time for preparation Visiting the several Churches Confirming all the Souls in so many hundred Parishes which alone is more than any one Man can do aright if he had nothing else to do Ordaining Instituting and Examining the Persons so far as to satisfie a tender Conscience that takes not all on trust from others and is but the Executor of their Judgments These and much more with the care of Church-buildings Lands and his own Affairs and Family and Sicknesses and necessary absence sometimes will make this great additional Work which must be constantly performed for so many hundred Parishes to be impossible 6. Reproofs and Suspension would so exasperate the Scandalous that they would vex the Pastors with numerous Appeals 7. The Pastors will be undone by travelling and waiting and maintaining such a multitude of Witnesses as is necessary for the prosecuting of Presentments and answering so many Appeals 8. The Business will be so odious chargeable and troublesom that Witnesses will not come in 9. The Minister by these Prosecutions and Attendances will be taken off the rest of his Ministerial Work 10. Bishops being but Men will be tempted by this intolerable Burden to be weary of the Work and slubber it over and cast it upon others and to discountenance the most conscionable Ministers that most trouble them with Presentments which when the Offenders perceive they will the more insult and vex us with Appeals So that the Discouragements of Ministers and the utter Incapacity of the Bishops to perform a quarter of this Work will nullifie Discipline as leaving it impossible Experience hath told us this too long And then when our Communion is thus polluted with all that are most incapable through utter Ignorance Scandal and Contempt of Piety 1. Ministers will be deterred from their Administrations to Subjects so uncapable 2. Bishops that are tender Conscienced will be deâ—erred from undertaking so impossible a Work and of so ill Success 3. And Men that have least tenderness of Conscience and Care of Souls and Fear of God's Displeasure will seek for and intrude into both places 4. And the tender conscienced People will be tempted to speak hardly of such undisciplined Churches and of the Officers and to withdraw from them 5. And hereby they will fall under the Displeasure of Superiours and the Scorn of the Vulgar that have no Religion but what is subservient to their Flesh. 6. And so while the most pious are brought under Discountenance and Reproach and the most impious get the Reputation of being most Regular and obedient to their Rulers Piety it self will grow into disesteem and Impiety escape its due disgrace And this hath been the Cause of our Calamities 3. As to the Liturgy it is Matter of great Joy and Thankfulness to us that we have heard your Majesty more than once so resolutely promising That none shall suffer for not using the Common Prayer and Ceremonies but you would secure them from the Penalties in the Act for Uniformity as that which your Declaration at Breda intended and to find here so much of your Majesty's Clemency in your gracious Concessions for a future Emendation But we humbly crave leave to acquaint your Majesty 1. That it grieveth us after all to hear that yet it is given in Charge by the Judges at the Assizes to indict Men upon that Act for not using the Common Prayer 2. That it is not only Some absolete words and other expressions that are offensive 3. That many scruple using some part of the Book as it is lest they be guilty of countenancing the whole who yet would use it when reformed Therefore we humbly crave that your Majesty will here declare That it is your Majesty's pleasure that none be punished or troubled for not using the Book of Common Prayer
was done to my knowledge in Sixteen years of that kind was but this that when the Scots fled from Worcester as all the Country sought in covetousness to catch some of them for their Horses so two idle Rogues of Kedderminster that never communicated with me any more than he did had drawn two or three of their Neighbours with them in the Night as the Scots fled to catch their Horses And I never heard of three that they catcht And I appealed to the Bishop and his Conscience whether he that being urged could name no more but this did ingenuously Accuse the Corporation Magistrates and People to have appeared on all occasion in Arms for Cromwell And when they had no more to say I told them by this we saw what measures to expect from Strangers of his mind when he that is our Neighbour and noted for eminent Civility never sticketh to speak such things even of a People among whom he hath still lived § 159. About the same time about Twenty or Two and twenty furious Fanaticks called Fifth-Monarchy-men one Venner a Wine-Cooper and his Church that he preached unto being transported with Enthusiastick Pride did rise up in Arms and fought in the Streets like Mad-men against all that stood in their way till they were some kill'd and the rest taken judged and executed I wrote a Letter at this time to my Mother-in-law containing nothing but our usual matter even Encouragements to her in her Age and Weakness fetcht from the nearness of her Rest together with the Report of this News and some sharp and vehement words against the Rebels By the means of Sir Iohn Packington or his Soldiers the Post was searched and my Letter intercepted opened and revised and by Sir Iohn sent up to London to the Bishop and the Lord Chancellour so that it was a wonder that having read it they were not ashamed to send it up But joyful would they have been could they but have found a word in it which could possibly have been distorted to an evil sence that Malice might have had its Prey I went to the Lord Chancellour and complained of this usage and that I had not the common liberty of a Subject to converse by Letters with my own Family He disowned it and blamed Mens rashness but excused it from the Distempers of the Times and he and the Bishops confessed they had seen the Letter and there was nothing in it but what was good and pious And two days after came the Lord Windsor Lord Lieutenant of the Country and Governour of Iamaica with Sir Charles Littleton the King's Cup bearer to bring me my Letter again to my Lodgings and the Lord Windsor told me The Lord Chancellour appointed him to do it After some expression of my sense of the Abuse I thanked him for his great Civility and Favour But I saw how far that sort of Men were to be trusted § 160. And here I will interpose a short Account of my Publick Ministry in London Being removed from my ancient Flock in Worcestershire and yet being uncertain whether I might return to them or not I refused to take any other Charge but preached up and down London for nothing according as I was invited When I had done thus above a year I thought a fixed place was better and so I joyned with Dr. Bates at St. Dunstan's in the West in Fleâ—tstreet and preached once a week for which the People allowed me some Maintenance Before this time I scarce ever preached a Sermon in the City but I had News from Westminster that I had preached seditiously or against the Government when I had neither a thought nor a word of any such tendency Sometimes I preached purposely against Faction Schism Sedition and Rebellion and those Sermons also were reported to be Factious and Seditious Some Sermons 〈◊〉 Covent Garden were so much accused that I was fain to print them the Book is called The Formal Hypocrite detected c But when the Sermons were printed I had not a word more against them The Accusations were all general of Sedition and Faction and against the Church but not one Syllable charged in particular § 161. The Congregations being crowded was that which provoked Envy to accuse me And one day the Crowd did drive me from my place It fell out that at Dunstan's Church in the midst of Sermon a little Lime and Dust and perhaps a piece of a Brick or two fell down in the Steeple or Belfray near the Boys which put the whole Congregation into sudden Melancholy so that they thought that â—he Steeple and Church were falling which put them all into so confused a haste to get away that indeed the Noise of the Feet in the Galleries sounded like the falling of the Stories so that the People crowded out of Doors the Women left some of them a Skarf and some a Shoe behind them and some in the Galleries cast themselves down upon those below because they could not get down the Stairs I sate still down in the Pulpit seeing and pitying their vain Distemper and assoon as I could be heard I intreated their Silence and went on The People were no sooner quieted and got in again and the Auditory composed but some that stood upon a Wainscot-Bench near the Communion Table brake the Bench with their weight so that the Noise renewed the Fear again and they were worse disordered than before so that one old Woman was heard at the Church Door asking forgiveness of God for not taking the first warning and promising if God would deliver her this once she would take heed of coming thither again When they were again quieted I went on But the Church having before an ill name as very old and rotten and dangerous this put the Parish upon a Resolution to pull down all the Roof and build it better which they have done with so great Reparation of the Walls and Steeple that it is now like a new Church and much more commodious for the Hearers § 162. While I was here also the daily Clamours of Accusers even wearied me No one ever questioned me nor instanced in any culpable words but in general all was against the Church and Government Upon which and the request of the Countess of Balcaries one of my Hearers a Person of exemplary worth I was fain to publish many of my Sermons verbatim on 2 Cor. 13. 5. in a Book called The Mischiefs of Self-ignorance and Benefits of Self-acquaintance And when the Book was printed without alteration then I heard no more of any Fault § 163. Upon this Reparation of Dunstan's Church I preached out my Quarter at Brides Church in the other end of Fleetstreet where the Common Prayer being used by the Curate before Sermon I occasioned abundance to be at Common Prayer which before avoided it And yet my Accusations still continued § 164. On the Week days Mr. Ashurst with about Twenty more Citizens desired me to preach a Lecture in
are increased We do humbly conceive it therefore a Work worthy of those Wonders of Salvation which God hath wrought for his Majesty now on the Throne and for the whole Kingdom and exceedingly becoming the Ministers of the Gospel of Peace with all holy Moderation and Tenderness to endeavour the removal of every thing out of the Worship of God which may justly offend or grieve the Spirits of sober and godly People The Things themselves that are desired to be removed not being of the Foundation of Religion nor the Essentials of Publick Worship nor the Removal of them any way tending to the prejudice of the Church or State Therefore their Continuance and rigorous Imposition can no ways be able to countervail the laying aside of so many pious and able Ministers and the unconceivable grief that will arise to multitudes of his Majesty's most Loyal and Peaceable Subjects who upon all occasions are ready to serve him with their Prayers Estates and Lives For the preventing of which Evils we humbly desire that these Particulars following may be taken into serious and tender Consideration Concerning Morning and Evening Prayer Rubrick Exception THat Morning and Evening Prayer shall be used in the accustomed place of the Church Chancel or Chappel except it be otherwise determined by the Ordinary of the place and the Chancel shall remain as in times past WE desire that the words of the first Rubrick may be expressed as in the Book established by Authority of Parliament 5 6 Edw. 6. Thus the Morning and Evening Prayer shall be used in such place of the Church Chappel or Chancel and the Minister shall so turn him at the People may best hear and if there be any Controversie therein the matter shall be referred to the Ordinary Rubrick Exception And here is to be noted that the Minister at the time of the Communion and at other times in his Ministration shall use such Ornaments in the Church as were in use by Authority of Parliament in the Second year of the Reign of Edward the Sixth according to the Act of Parliament Forasmuch as this Rubrick seemeth to bring back the Cope Albe c. and other Vestments forbidden by the Common Prayer Book 5 and 6 Edw. 6. and and so our Reasons alledged against Ceremonies under our Eighteenth general Exception we desire it may be wholly left out Rubrick Exception The Lords Prayer after the Absolution ends thus Deliver us from Evil. We desire that these words For thiâ—â— is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen May be always added unto the Lord's Prayer and that this Prayer may not be enjoyned to be so often used in Morning and Evening Service Rubrick Exception And at the end of every Psalm throughout the year and likewise in the end of Benedictus Benedicite Magnificat Nunc Dimitis shall be repeated Glory to the Father c. By this Rubrick and other places in the Common Prayer Books the Glâ—riâ— Patri is appointed to be said six times ordinarily in every Morning and Evening Service frequently eight times in a Morning sometimes ten which we think carries with it at least an appearance of that vain repetition which Christ forbids for the avoiding of which appearance of evil we desire it may be used but once in the Morning and once in the Evening Rubrick Exception In such places where they do sing there shall the Lessons be sung in a plain Tune and likewise the Epistle and Gospel The Lessons and the Epistles and Gospels being for the most part neither Psalms nor Hymns we know no warrant why they should be sung in any place and conceive that the distinct Reading of them with an audible voice tends more to the Edification of the Church Rubrick Exception Or this Canticle Benedicite omnia opera We desire that some Psalm or Scripture Hymn may be appointed instead of that Apocryphal In the Letany Rubrick Exception FRom all Fornication and all other deadly sin IN regard that the wages of sin is death we desire that this Clause may be thus altered From Fornication and all other heinous or grievous sins Rubrick Exception From Battel and Murther and sudden Death Because this Expression of sudden death hath been so often excepted against we desire if it be thought fit it may be thus read From battel and murther and from dying suddenly and unprepared Rubrick Exception That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water all women labouring with child all sick persons and young children and to shew thy pity upon all prisoners and captives We desire the term All may be advised upon as seeming liable to just Exceptions and that it may be considered whether it may not better be put indefinitely those that travel c. rather than universally The Collect on Christmas Day Rubrick Exception ALmighty God which hast given us thy only begotten Son to take â—â—r Nature upon him and this day to be born of a pure Uirgin c. WE desire that in both Collects the word This day may be left out it being according to vulgar acceptation a Contradiction Rubrick  Then shall follow the Collect of the Nativity which shall be said continually unto New-years-day  The Collect for Whitsunday Rubrick  GOd which upon this day c.  Rubrick  The same Collect to be read on Monday and Tuesday in Whitson-week  Rubrick Exception The two Collects for St. John's day and Innocents the Collects for the first day in Lent for the fourth Sunday after Easter for Trinity Sunday for the sixth and twelfth Sunday after Trinity for St. Luke's day and Michaelmas day We desire that these Collects may be further considered and debated as having in them divers things that we judge fit to be altered The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper Rubrick Exception SO many as intend to be partakers of the Holy Communion shall signifie their Names to the Curate over-night or else in the Morning before the beginning of Morning Prayer or immediately after THe time here assigned for notice to be given to the Minister is not sufficient Rubrick Exception And if any of these be a notorious evil liver the Curate having knowledge thereof shall call him and advertize him in any wise not to presume to the Lord's Table We desire the Ministers power both to admit and keep from the Lord's Table may be according to his Majesty's Declaration 25 Octob. 1660. in these words The Minister shall admit none to the Lord's Supper till they have made a credible Profession of their Faith and promised Obedience to the Will of God according as is expressed in the Considerations of the Rubrick before the Catechism and that all possible diligence be used for the Instruction and Reformation of Scandalous Offenders whom the Minister shall not suffer to partake of the Lord's Table until they have openly declared themselves to have truly repented and amended their
lawfully do we may swear to do § 291. 5. The fifth Controversie is about Re-ordination of such as were not Ordained by Diocesans but by the Presbyteries which then were at home or abroad And here they are also of two minds among themselves The one sort say That Ordination without Diocesans is a Nullity and those that are so Ordained are no Ministers but Laymen and therefore their Churches no true Churches in sensu politico And therefore that such must needs be Re-ordained The other sort say That their Ordination was valid before in foro spirituali but not in foro cioili and that the repeating of it is but an afoertaining or a confirming Act as publick Marrying again would be after one is privately married in case the Law would bastardize or disinherit his Children else § 292. 6. The sixth Controversie is about the lawfulness of the Assent and Consent to be declared which is to all contained in the Book of Articles the Book of Ordination and the Book of Common Prayer These comprehend abundance of Particulars some Doctrinal some about the Offices and Discipline of the Church and some about the Matter the Order and Manner and Ceremonies of Worship Here they are also divided among themselves some few of them take the words plainly and properly viz. the willing Conformists and think that indeed there is nothing in these Books which is not to be assented and consented to And indeed all the Convocation must needs be of that mind or the Major part and also the Parliament because they had the Books before them to be perused and did examine the Liturgy and Book of Ordination and make great Alterations in them and therefore if they had thought there had been any thing not to be assented and consented to they would have altered it by correction before they had imposed it on the Church But for all that the other Party is now so numerous that I could yet never speak with any of them but went that way viz. with the Latitudinarians to expound the words all things contained in the Books which they assent and consent to All things which they are to use and their Assent and Consent they limit only to the use q. d. I do dissent that there is nothing in these Books which may not lawfully be used and I do consent to the use of so much as belongeth to me Though yet they think or will not deny but that there may be something that may be ill framed and ill imposed The reason of this Exposition they fetch from the word use which is found after in the Act of Uniformity though it be not in the words of the Delaration And for the Books they say It is lawful to use the common-Common-Prayer and the Ceremonies Cross Surplice Copes and Kneeling at the Sacrament and all that is in that or the other Books to be used and therefore to declared so much § 293. More particularly 1. Concerning the Kalendar imposing the use of so many Apocryphal Lessons they say that they are read but upon Week-days and that not as Scripture but as edifying Lessons as the Homilies are and as many Churches have long used them And that the Church sufficiently avoideth the Scandal by calling them Apocryphâ—◠§ 294. And 2. for the parcelling and ordering of the Prayers and Responses as they are some of them say that it is the best Form and Order and it 's only Fancy and 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 them Others say that they are disorderly indeed but that is not the Sin of the Users when they are imposed but of the Framers and 〈◊〉 § 295. And 3. as for the Doctrine of the Salvation of Baptized Infants in the Rubrick of Baptism and all the rest in that Book and in the Nine and thirty Arâ—â—â—â—â— some of them say that they are all found viz. the willing Conformists but the unwilling Conformists say that these are not things to be used by themâ— and therefore not within the Compass of the declared Assent or Consent in the Act. § 296. And 4. as to the Charitable Applications excepted against in Baptism Confirmation the Lord's Supper Absolution of the Sick and Burial they say they are but such as according to the Judgment of Charity we may use And if there be any fault it is not in the Common Prayer Book which useth but such words as are fit to be used by the Members of the Church but it is in the Canons and Discipline of the Church which suffereth unfit Persons to be Church-Members § 297. And 5. as for the Ceremonies they say 1. That Kneeling is freed from all suspicion of Idolatry by the annexing of the Rubrick out of King Edward the Sixth's Common Prayer Book which though the Convocation refused yet the Parliament annexed and they are the Imposers and it is their sence that we must stand to And as it is lawful to Kneel in accepting a sealed Pardon from the King by his Messenger so is it in accepting a sealed Pardon from God with the Investiture of our Priviledges § 298. And 2. they say that the Surplice is as lawful as a Gown it being not imposed primarily because significant but because decent and secondarily as significant say some Or as others say It is the better and fitter to be imposed because it is significant and that God hath no where forbidden such Ceremonies § 299. And 3. for the Cross in Baptism they say that it is no part of the Sacrament of Baptism but an appendant Ceremony that it is the better for being significant that it is but a transient Image and not a fixed much less a graven Image and is not adored that it is but a professing sign as words are or as standing up or holding up the hand and not any Seal of God's part of the Covenant and though it be called in the Canons a Dedicating Sign it is but as it signifieth the Action of the Person or the Church and not as it signifieth the Action of God receiving the dedicated Person And some say That it cannot be de denied but that according to the old and common use of the word Sacrament as a Military Engagement it is a Sacrament yet it is not pretended to be a Divine but a Humane Sacrament and such are lawful it being in our definition of a Church Sacrament that it is Ordained by Christ himself And though Man may not invent New Sacraments as God's sealing or investing Signs and so pretend that to be Divine which is not yet man may invent New Human Sacraments which go no further than the signifying of their own Minds and Actions And they say That if such mystical Signs as these had been unlawful it is a thing incredible that the Universal Church should use such as far as can be found from the Apostles days even the Milk and Honey and Chrysm and White Garment at Baptism and the Station on the Lord's Days and the oft use of the Cross and
Name of Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Government And so by the Name they seduce Mens minds to think that this is indeed the use of the Keys which God hath put into the Churches Hands 3. Hereby they greatly encourage the Usurpation of the Pope and his Clergy who set up such Courts for probate of Wills and Causes of Matrimony and rule the Church in a Secular manner though many of them confess that directly the Church hath no forcing Power And this they call the Churches Power and Spiritual Government and Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and say that it belongeth not to Kings and that no King can in Conscience restrain them of it but must protect them in it And so they set up Imperium in Imperio and as Bishop Bedle said of Ireland The Pope hath a Kingdom there in the Kingdom greater than the Kings Against which Ludov. Molinaeus hath written at large in two or three Treatises So that when the Papal Power in England was cast down and their Courts subjected to the King and the Oath of Supremacy formed it was under the Name of Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Power that it was acknowledged to be in the King who yet claimeth no proper Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Power so greatly were these Terms abused and so are they still as applied to our Bishops Courts so that the King is said by us to be Chief Governour in all Causes Ecclesiastical because Coercive Power in Church Matters which is proper to the Magistrate was possessed and claimed by the Clergy And in all Popish Kingdoms the Kings are but half Kings through these Usurpations of the Clergy And for us to Exercise the same kind of Power mixt with the Exercise of the Keys and that by the same Name is greatly to countenance the Usurpers § 352. If it be said That the Church claimeth no Coercive Power but as granted them by the King or that it is the Magistrate that annexeth Mulcts and Penalties and not the Church I answer 1. They perswade the Magistrate that he ought to do so 2. Force is not a meer Accident but confessed by them to be the very Life of their Government It is that which bringeth People to their Courts and enforceth all their Precepts and causeth Obedience to them so that it is part of the very Constitution of their Government And as to Fees and Commutation of Penance Pecuniary Mulcts are thus imposed by themselves 3. Their very Courts and Officers are of a Secular Form 4. The Magistrate is but the Executioner of their Sentence He must grant out a Writ and imprison a Man quatenus excommunicate without sitting in Judgment upon the Cause himself and trying the Person according to his Accusation And what a dishonour do these Men put on Magistrates that make them their Executioners to imprison those whom they condemn inuudita causa at a venture be it right or wrong So much of the Nonconformists Charges against the English Prelacy § 353. By this you may see what they Answer to the Reasons of the Conformists As 1. To the willing Conformists who plead a Iur Divinum they say That if all that Gersom Bucer Didoclavius Blondell Salmasius Parker Baines c. have said against Episcopacy it self were certainly confuted yet it is quite another thing that is called Episcopacy by them that plead it Iure Divino If 1. Bishops of single Churches with a Presbytery under them 2. and General Bishops over these Bishops were both proved Iure Divine yet our Diocesans are proved to be contra jus Divinum 2. To the Latitudinarians and involuntary Conformists who plead that no Church-Government as to the form is of Divine Institution they answer 1. This is to condemn themselves and say Because no Form is of God's Institution therefore I will declare that the Episcopal Form is of Divine Institution for this is part of their Subscription or Declaration when they Profess Assent and Confent to all things in the Book of Common Prayer and Ordination And one thing in it is in these words with which the Book beginneth It is evident to all Men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church Bishops Priests and Deacons which Offices were evermore had in such reverend estimation c. So that here they declare that Bishops and Priests are not only distinct Degrees but distinct Orders and Offices and that since the Apostles time as evident by Scripture c. when yet many of the very Papists Schoolmen do deny it And the Collect in the Ordering of Priests runs thus Almighty God giver of all good things who by the holy Spirit hath appointed divers Orders of Ministers in the Church So that in plain English they declare That Episcopacy even as a distinct Order Office and Function for all these words are there is appointed by the Spirit of God because they believe that no Form is so appointed 2. That which Mr. Stillingfleet calleth A Form is none of the Substance of the Government it self nor the Offices in the Church He granteth that 1. Worshipping Assemblies are of Divine appointment 2. That every one of these must have one or more Pastors who have power in their Order to teach them and go before them in Worship and spiritually guide or govern them But 1. Whether a Church shall have one Pastor or more 2. Whether one of them shall be in some things subject to another 3. Whether constant Synods shall be held for concord of Associated Churches 4. Whether in these Synods one shall be Moderator and how long and with what Authority not unreasonable these he thinks are left undetermined And I am of his mind supposing General Rules to guide them by as he doth But the Matter and Manner of Church-Discipline being of God's appointment and the Nature and Ends of a particular Church and the Office of Pastors as well as the Form of the Church Universal it is past doubt that nothing which subverteth any of these is lawful And indeed if properly no Form of Government be instituted by God then no Form of a Church neither for the Form of Government is the Form of a Church considered in sensu politico and not as a meer Community And then the Church of England is not of God's making Quest. Who then made it Either another Church made this Church and then what was that Church and who made its Form and so ad Originem or no Church made it If no Church made the Church of England quo jure or what is its Authority and Honour If the King made it was he a Member of a Church or not If yea 1. There was then a Church-Form before the Church of England And who made that Church usque ad Originem If the King that made it was no Member of a Church then he that is no Member of a Church may institute a Church Form but quo jure and with what
themselves believed it that the love of Kiderminster would make me Conform and they concurred in vending the Report insomuch that one certainly told me that he came then from a worthy Minister to whom the Arch-bishop of York Sterne spake these Words Take it on my Word Mr. Baxter doth Conform and is gone to his Beloved Kiderminster And so both Parties concurred in the false Report though one only raised it § 151. Another Accident fell out also which promoted it For Mr. Crofton having a Tryal as I hear upon the Oxford Act of Confinement at the King's Bench Judge Keeling said You need not be so hasty for I hear that Mr. Crofton is about to Conform And Judge Morton said And I hear that Mr. Baxter hath a Book in the Press against their private Meetings Judge Rainsford said somewhat that he was glad to hear it and Judge Morton again That it was but time for the Quakers in Buckingham-shire he was confident were Acted by the Papists for they spake for Purgatory already This Talk being used in so high a Court of Justice by the Grave and Reverend Judges all Men thought then that they might lawfully believe it and report it So Contagious may the Breath of one Religious Man be as to infect his Party and of that Religious Party as to infect the Land and more than one Land with the belief and report of such ungrounded Lies § 152. At the same time in the end of my Life of Faith I Printed a Revocation of my Book called Political Aphorisms or A Holy Common-wealth which exasperated those who had been for the Parliament's War as much as the former but both together did greatly provoke them Of which I must give the Reader this Advertisement I wrote that Book 1659. by the provocation of Mr. Iames Harrington the Author of Oceana and next by the Endeavours of Sir Hen. Vane for a Common-wealth Not that I had any Enmity to a well ordered Democracy but 1. I knew that Cromwell and the Army were resolved against it and it would not be 2. And I perceived that Harrington's Common-wealth was fitted to Heathenism and Vane's to Fanaticism and neither of them would take Therefore I thought that the improvement of our Legal Form of Government was best for us And by Harrington's Scorn Printed in a half Sheet of Gibberish was then provoked to write that Book But the madness of the several Parties before it could be Printed pull'd down Rich. Cromwell and chang'd the Government so oft in a few Months as brought in the King contrary to the hopes of his closest Adherents and the expectations of almost any in the Land And ever since the King came in that Book of mine was preached against before the King spoken against in the Parliament and wrote against by such as desired my Ruine Morley Bishop of Worcester and many after him branded it with Treason and the King was still told that I would not retract it but was still of the same mind and ready to raise another War and a Person not to be indured New Books every Year came out against it and even Men that had been taken for Sober and Religious when they had a mind of Preferment and to be taken notice of at Court and by the Prelates did fall on Preaching or Writing against me and specially against that Book as the probablest means to accomplish their Ends. When I had endured this ten Years and found no stop but that still they proceeded to make me odious to the King and Kingdom and seeking utter ruine this way I thought it my Duty to remove this stumbling Block out of their way and without recanting any particular Doctrine in it to revoke the Book and to disown it and desire the Reader to take it as non Scriptum and to tell him that I repented of the writing of it And so I did Yet telling him That I retracted none of the Doctrine of the first Part which was to prove the Monarch of God but for the sake of the whole second Part I repented that I wrote it For I was resolved at least to have that much to say against all that after wrote and preach'd and talk'd against it That I have revoked that Book and therefore shall not defend it And the incessant bloody Malice of the Reproachers made me heartily wish on two or three accounts that I had never written it 1. Because it was done just at the fall of the Government and was buried in onr ruines and never that I know of did any great good 2. Because I find it best for Ministers to meddle as little as may be with Matters of Poliâ—y how great soever their Provocations may be and therefore I wish that I had never written on any such Subject 3. And I repented that I meddled against Vane and Harrington which was the second Part in Defence of Monarchy seeing that the Consequents had been no better and that my Reward had been to be silenced imprisoned turned out of all and reproached implacably and incessantly as Criminal and never like to see an end of it He that had wrote for so little and so great displeasure might be tempted as well as I to wish that he had sat still and let GOD and Man alone with Matters of Civil Policy Though I was not convinced of many Errors in that Book so called by some Accusers to recant yet I repented the writing of it as an infelicity and as that which did no good but hurt § 153. But because an Appendix to that Book had given several Reasons of my adhering to the Parliament at first many thought I changed my Judgment about the first part of the Parliament's Cause And the rather because I disclaimed the Army's Rebellious Overthrows of Government as I had always done I knew I could not revoke the Book but the busie pevishness of censorious Professors would fall upon me as a Revolter And I knew that I could not for bear the said Revocation without those ill Effects which I supposed greater And which was worst of all I had no possible Liberty further to explain any Reasons § 154. When my Cure of Church Divisions came out the sober Party of Ministers were reconciled to it especially the Ancienter sort and those that had seen the Eviâ—s of Separation But some of the London Ministers who had kept up Publick Assemblies thought it should have been less sharp and some thought because they were under the Bishop's Severities that it was unseasonable For the Truth is most Men judged by Sense and take that to be good or bad which they feel do them good or hurt at the present And because the People's Alienation from the Prelates and Liturgy and Parish-Churches did seem to make against the Prelates and to make for the Nonconformist's Interest they thought it not Prudence to gratifie the Prelates so far as to gain-say it And so they considered not from whence dividing Principles come
dare not desert it lest we shortly appear before our Judge in the guilt of sacriledge perfidiousness against Christ and the people's Souls But we are forbiden to exercise it unless we will do that which we profess as Men that are passing to our final Doom we would readily do were it not for fear of God's displeasure and our Damnation Deprivation of all Ministerial maintenance with heavy Mulcts on such as have not money to pay and long Imprisonments in the Common Goals with Malefactors and banishment to those that shall survive them and that into remote parts of the World were the penalties appointed for us by your Laws Voluminous reproaches are published against us in which our Superiours and the World are told that we hold that things indifferent are made unlawful by the Commands of lawful Governours and that we are guilty of Doctrines inconsistent with the Peace and Safety of Societies and that we are moved by Pride and Covetousness as if we were proud of Men's Scorn and covetous of sordid Want and Beggery and ambitious of a Gaol and that we are Unpeaceable Disloyal Odious and Intolerable Persons Lest we should seem over-querulous and our Petitions themselves should prove offensive we have been silent under Twelve years sufferings by which divers Learned and holy Divines have been hastened home to Glory hoping that Experience would have effectually spoken for us when we may not Speak for our selves And did we believe that our own pressures were the greatest consequent Evil and that the People's knowledge and piety and the allowed Ministers Number sufficiency and Diligence were such as made our Labours needless and that the History of our Silence and Sufferings would be the future Honour of this Age and the future Comfort of your Souls and theirs that instigate you against us before our Common Judge we would joyfully be silent and accept of a Dismission But being certain of the contrary we do this once adventure humbly to tender to Your Majesty and Your Parliament these following Requests 1. Because God saith That he that hateth his Brother is a Murderer and hath not Eternal Life We humbly crave leave once to Print and Publish the true State and Reasons of our Nonconformity to the World to save Mens Souls from the guilt of unjust Hatred and Calumny And if we err we may be helped to Repentance by a Confutation and the Notoriety of our shame 2. That in the mean time this Honourable House will appoint a Committee to consider of the best means for the Healing our Calamitous Divisions before whom we may have leave at last to speak for our selves 3. That these annexed Professions of our Religion and Loyalty may be received as from Men that better know their own Minds than their Accusers do and who if they durst deliberately Lie should be no Nonconformists 4. That if yet we must suffer as Malefactors we may be punished but as Drunkards and Fornicators are with some Penalty which will consist with our Preaching Christ's Gospel and that shall not reach to the hurt or danger of many Thousand Innocent People's Souls till the Re-building of the Burnt-Churches the lessening of great Parishes where one of very many cannot hear and worship God and till the quality and number of the Conformable Ministers and the knowledge piety and sobriety of the people have truly made our Labours needless and then we shall gladly obey your Silencing Commands And whereas there are commonly reckoned to be in the Parishes without the Walls above Two hundred thousand persons more than can come within the Parish Churches they may not be compelled in a Christian Land to live as Atheists and worse than Infidels and Heathens who in their manner publickly worship God The Profession of our Religion I A. B. Do willingly profess my continued resolved consent to the Covenant of Christianity which I made in my Baptism with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost forsaking the Devil the World and the sinful Lusts of the Flesh And I profess my Belief of the Ancient Christian Creeds called The Apostles The Nicene and The Constantinopolitane and the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity fullier opened in that ascribed to Athanasius And my Consent to The Lord's Prayer as the Summary of Holy Desires and to The Decalogue with Christ's Institutions as the Summary Rule of Christian Practice And to all the Holy Canonical Scriptures as the Word of God And to the Doctrine of the Church of England professed in the 39 Articles of Religion as in sence agreeable to the Word of God And I renounce all Heresies or Errours contrary to any of these And I do hold that the Book of Common Prayer and of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing so disagreeable to the Word of God as maketh it unlawful to live in the Peaceable Communion of the Church that useth it The Profession of our Loyalty and Obedience I do willingly and without Equivocation and Deceit take the Oaths of Allegiance and the King's Supremacy and hold my self obliged to perform them I detest all Doctrines and Practices of Rebellion and Sedition I hold it unlawful for any of His Majesty's Subjects upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King His Person Authority Dignity or Rights or against any Authorized by his Laws or Commissions And that there is no Obligation on me or any other of his Subjects from the Oath Commonly called The Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any change of the present Government of these His Majesty's Kingdoms nor to endeavour any Reformation of the Church by Rebellion Sedition or any other unlawful means The Overplus as a remedy against Suspicion We believe and willingly embrace all that is written in the Holy Scriptures for the power of Kings and the Obedience of their Subjects and the sinfulness of Rebellion and Resistance And concerning the same we consent to as much as is found in any General Council or in the Confession of any Christian Church on Earth not respecting Obedience to the Pope which ever yet came to our knowledg or as is owned by the Consent of the Greater part of Divines Politicians Lawyers or Historians in the Christain World as far as our Reading hath acquainted us therewith II. To the King 's most Excellent Majesty The Humble Petition of some Citizens of London on the behalf of this City and the Adjoyning Parishes Sheweth THat the Calamitous Fire 1666 with our Houses and Goods Burnt down near 90 Churches few of which are yet Re-edifyed And divers Parishes whose Churches yet stand are so great that it is but a small part of the Inhabitants that can there hear whereby great Numbers are left in ignorance and as a prey to Papists and other Seducers and which is worse to Atheism Infidelity and Irreligiousness And if many of their ancient ejected silenced Pastors who for refusing certain Subscriptions Declarations Promises Oaths and Practices are called Nonconformists had not through
alter it and the King's Approbation of these Canons made them sufficiently obligatory unto us Those that were against it said I. That Episcopacy was either contra jus Divinum or at best not Iure Divino and therefore mutable when the King and Parliament pleased 2. Or at least that it was undeniable That Archbishops and Deans and Chapters and Arch-deacons c. were not all Iure Divino nay that the English frame of Diocesans having many hundred Parish Churches under one Bishop in fini gradus was not only against the Word of God but destructive of all the Episcopacy which was known in the Church at least for 200 years 3. They said that it was intolerable to swear to a blind Et caetera for litterally it included all the Officers of the Ecclesiastical Courts that are now in Exercise of the Government Lay-Chancellors that use the Keys for Excommunication and Absolution Surrogates Commissaries Officials and the rest And was it ever known that all the Clergy was sworn to such an Anomalous Rabble 4. They said that for ought they knew this Goverment in whole or in some part might be altered by the King and Parliament by a Law And to tie up our selves by an Oath that we would never obey such a Law nor consent to that which the King might command us this they thought was a Bond of Disobedience next to a Rebellion 5. They said that it was against the Subjects Liberty which alloweth them soberly to Petition the King and Parliament for a Redress of any Grievance And if now a Lay-Chancellor's use of the Keys e. g. were no burden to the People we know not how God may make such Alterations by his Providence as may make that a Grievance which now is none 6. And they said it was against the Priviledges of Parliament that such an Oath should be devised and imposed upon the Subjects without a Law or the Parliaments consent These and other Reasons were pleaded against it And afterward when the Parliament took it into consideration it was Condemned on these and other Accounts The Ministers of the Country met together at Bridgnorth to Debate this Business that they might have no Division and some few were for the Oath but more against it This put me upon deeper Thoughts of the Point of Episcopacy and of the English frame of Church-Government than ever I had before and now I had the opportunity of seeing some Books which I never had before My very dear Friend Mr. William Rowley a Gentleman of Shrewsbury sent me Gersomus Bucerus his Dissertatio de Gubernatione Ecclesiae and Didoclaves Altare Damascenum and shortly after I had Parker de Polit. Eccles◠and Baynes's Diocesanes Trial and I received Bishop Downham and compared his Reasons with Bucers Didoclaves c. And though I found not sufficient Evidence to prove all kind of Episcopacy unlawful yet I was much satisfied that the English Diocesan frame was guilty of the Corruption of Churches and Ministry and of the ruine of the true Church Discipline and substituting an heterogeneal thing in its stead And thus the Et caetera Oath which was imposed on us for the unalterable subjecting of us to Diocesans was a chief means to alienate me and many others from it For now our drowsie mindlesness of that subject was shaken off by their violence and we that thought it best to follow our business and live in quietness and let the Bishops alone were rowzed by the terrours of an Oath to look about us and understand what we did § 23. This Oath also stirred up the differing Parties who before were all one Party even quiet Conformists to speak more bitterly against one another than heretofore And the dissenting Party began to think better of the Cause of Nonconformity and to honour the Nonconformists more than they had done And it fell out that at the same time when we were thus rowzed up in England or a little before the Scots were also awakened in Scotland For when all was quiet there under a more moderate Episcopacy than we had then in England though that Nation had been used to Presbytery a new Common-Prayer Book that is the English one with some few Alterations was framed and imposed on the People of Scotland who having not been used to that way of Worship one Woman in Edenburgh cried out in the Church Popery Popery and threw her Stool at the Priest and others imitated her presently and drove him out of the Church and this little Spark set all Scotland quickly in a Flame Insomuch that other Places taking as much distaste at the Common Prayer and at the Bishops also for its sake and for fear of the Silencing of their Ministers and some Ministers increasing their distaste the Lords presently were divided also insomuch that the King was fain to instruct the Earl of Trequaire as his Commissioner to suppress the Maiecontents But in a short time the number of them so encreased that the King's Commissioners could do no good on them but they got the power of all the Land because the far greatest part of the Nobility with the Ministry were conjoyned Hereupon they all entered into a National Covenant to the same purpose as formerly that Nation had done but they did it without the King's Authority The Oath or Covenant was against Popery and Prelacy and Superstition and to uphold the Gospel and Reformation The Aberdeen Doctors dissented from the Covenant and many Writings past on both sides between the Covenanters and them till at last the ensuing Wars did turn the Debates to another strain § 24. It fell out unhappily that at the same time while the Scots were thus discontented the King had imposed a Tax here called Ship-money as for the strengthning of the Navy which being done without Consent of Parliament made a wonderful murmuring all over the Land especially among the Country Nobility and Gentry for they took it as the overthrow of the Fundamental Laws or Constitution of the Kingdom and of Parliaments and of all Propriety They said that the Subjects Propriety in his Estate and the Being of Parliaments and that no Laws be made nor Moneys taken from the Subjects but by the Parliaments Consent are part of the Constitution of the Republick or Government And they said that the King having long disused Parliaments upon Displeasure against them because they curbed Monopolies and corrected Abuses of Officers c. had no way to lay them by for ever but to invade the Subjects Propriety and to assume the power of laying Taxes and raising Moneys without them and that if thus Parliaments and Propriety were destroyed the Government was dissolved or altered and no Man had any Security of Estate or Liberty or Life but the Pleasure of the King whose Will would be the only Law They said also that those that counselled him to this were Enemies to the Commonwealth and unfitter to counsel him than Parliaments who are his highest Court and Council The
convinced me how unfit we are to write about Christ's Government and Law and Iudgment c. while we understand not the true Nature of Government Laws and Iudgment in the general and that he that is ignorant of Politicks and of the Law of Nature will be ignorant and erroneous in Divinity and the sacred Scriptures § 157. 2. The Second Book which I wrote and the first which I began was that called The Saints everlasting Rest Whilst I was in Health I had not the least thought of writing Books or of serving God in any more publick way than Preaching But when I was weakened with great bleeding and left solitary in my Chamber at Sir Iohn Cook 's in Derbyshire without any Acquaintance but my Servant about me and was sentenced to Death by the Physician I began to contemplate more seriously on the Everlasting Rest which I apprehended my self to be just on the Borders of And that my Thoughts might not too much scatter in my Meditation I began to write something on that Subject intending but the Quantity of a Sermon or two which is the cause that the Beginning is in brevity and Style disproportionable to the rest but being continued long in Weakness where I had no Books nor no better Employment I followed it on till it was enlarged to the bulk in which it is published The first Three Weeks I spent in it was at Mr. Nowel's House at Kirkby-Mallory in Leicestershire a quarter of a Year more at the Seasons which so great Weakness would allow I bestowed on it at Sir Tho Rous's House at Rous-Lench in Worcestershire and I finished it shortly after at Kidderminster The first and last Parts were first done being all that I intended for my own use and the second and third Parts came afterwards in besides my first Intention This Book it pleased God so far to bless to the Profit of many that it encouraged me to be guilty of all those Scripts which after followed The Marginal Citations I put in after I came home to my Books but almost all the Book it self was written when I had no Book but a Bible and a Concordance And I found that the Transcript of the Heart hath the greatest force on the Hearts of others For the Good that I have heard that Multitudes have received by that Writing and the Benefit which I have again received by their Prayers I here humbly return my Thanks to him that compelled me to write it § 159. 3. The Third Book which I published was that which is entituled Plain Scripture Proof for Infants Church-Membership and Baptism being the Arguments used in the Dispute with Mr. Tombes and an Answer to a Sermon of his afterward preached c. This Book God blessed with unexpected Success to stop abundance from turning Anabaptists and reclaming many both in City and Country and some of the Officers of the Irish and English Forces and it gave a considerable Check to their Proceedings Concerning it I shall only tell the Reader 1. That there are towards the latter part of it many enigmatical Reflections upon the Anabaptists for their horried Scandals which the Reader that lived not in those times will hardly understand But the cutting off the King and rebelling against him and the Parliament and the Invading Scotland and the approving of these with the Ranters and other Sects that sprang out of them were the Crimes there intended which were not then to be more plainly spoken of when their Strength and Fury was so high 2. Note that after the writing of that Book I wrote a Postscript against that Doctrine of Dr. Burges and Mr. Tho. Bedford which I supposed to go on the other Extream and therein I answered part of a Treatise of Dr. Sam. Warks's which Mr. Bedford published and it proved to be Mr. Thomas Gataker whom I defended who is Dr. Ward 's Censor But I knew it not till Mr. Gataker after told me But after these Writings I was greatly in doubt whether it be not certain that all the Infants of true Believers are justified and saved if they dye before actual Sin My Reason was because it is the same justifying saving Covenant of Grace which their Parents and they are in And as real Faith and Repentance is that Condition on the Parents part which giveth them their right to actual Remission and Adoption So to be the Children of such is all the Condition which is required in Infants in order to the same Benefits And without asserting this the Advantage of the Anabaptists is greater than every one doth imagine But I never thought with Dr. Ward that all Baptised Children had this Benefit and Qualitative Sanctification also nor with Dr. Burgess and Mr. Bedford that all converted at Age had inherent seminal Grace in Baptism certainly given them nor with Bishop Davenant that all justly baptised had relative Grace of Justification and Adoption But only that all the Infants of true Believers who have right to the Covenant and Baptism in foro Coeli as well as in foro Ecclesiae have also thereby Right to the Pardon of Original Sin and to Adoption and to Heaven which Right is by Baptism to be sealed and delivered to them This I wrote of to Mr. Gataker who returned me a kind and candid Answer but such as did not remove my Scruple and this occasioned him to print Bishop Davenants Disputations with his Answer My Opinion which I most incline to is the same which the Synod of Dort expresseth and that which I conjecture Dr. Davenant meant or I am sure came next to Here note also that Mr. Tombes sollicited me yet after all this to write him down my Proofs of Infants Church-membership out of the circumcised Church which I did at large as from the Creation downward as far as Proof could be expected in Proportion to the other Histories of those Times Instead of sending me an Answer to my Papers he printed some of them with an insufficient Answer in his last Book These Papers with a Reply to him I have since Printed § 159. 4. The Fourth Book which I published is a small one called The right Method for Peace of Conscience and spiritual comfort in thirty two Directions The Occasion of it was this Mrs. Bridgis the Wife of Col. Iohn Bridgis being one of my Flock was often weeping out her Doubts to me about her long and great Uncertainty of her true Sanctification and Salvation I told her that a few hasty Words were not Direction enough for the satisfactory resolving of so great a Case and therefore I would write her down a few of those necessary Directions which she should read and study and get well imprinted in her Mind As soon as I had begun I found 1. that it would not be well done in the Brevity which I expected 2. And that when it was done it would be as useful to many others of my Flock as to her and therefore I bestowed more time
186. 30. The third Sheet was called One Sheet for the Ministry against the Malignants of all sorts containing those Reasons for the present Ministry which shew the greatness of the Sin of those that set against them It was intended then against the Quakers and other Sectarian Enemies to the Ministry but is as useful for these Times and against those that on other pretences hate and silence and suppress them and might tell their Consciences what they do § 187. 31. The fourth Sheet I called A Second Sheet for the Ministry being a Defence of their Office as continued against the Seekers who pretend that the Ministry is ceased and lost And it may serve against the Papists that question our Call for want of a Succession and all their Spawn of Sectaries that are still setting themselves against the Ministry and against the Sacred Scriptures § 188. 32. Mr. William Montford being chosen Bayliff of Kiderminster desired me to write him down a few brief Instructions for the due Execution of his Office of Magistracy that he might so pass it as to have Comfort and not Trouble in the Review which having done considering how many Mayors and Bayliffs and Countrey Justices needed it as well as he I printed it in an open Sheet to stick upon a Wall Entituled Directions for Iustices of Peace especially in Corporations for the Discharge of their Duties to God suited to those Times § 189. 33. Mr. Iohn Dury having spent thirty Years in Endeavours to reconcile the Lutherans and Calvanists was now going over Sea again upon that Work and desired the Judgment of our Association how it should be successfully expedited which at their desire I drew up more largely in Latin and more briefly in English The English Letter he printed as my Letter to Mr. Dury for Pacification § 190. 34. About that time Mr. Ionathan Hanmer of Devonshire wrote a Treatise for Confirmation as the most expedient means to reform our Churches and reconcile all that disagree about the Qualification of Church Members I liked the Design so well having before written for it in my Treatise of Baptism that being requested I put a large Epistle before it and after that when some Brethren desired me to produce more Scripture Proof for it than he had done I wrote a small Treatise called Confirmation and Restauration the necessary means to Reformation and Reconciliation But the times changed before it could be much practised § 191. 35. Sergeant Shephard an honest Lawyer wrote a little Book of Sincerâ—ty and Hypocrisy and in the end of it Mr. Tho. Barlow afterward Bishop of Lincoln wrote without his Name an Appendix in Confutation of a supposed Opinion of mine that Saving Grace differeth not Specie but Gradu from Common Grace To which I replied in a short Discourse called Of Saving Faith c. I had most highly valued the Author whom I wrote against long before for his Six Exercitations in the end of Schibler's Metaphysicks But in his Attempt against me he came quite below himself as I made manifest and he resolved to make no Answer to it In this Tractate the Printer plaid his part so shamefully that the Book is scarcely to be understood § 192. 36. Being greatly apprehensive of the Commonness and Danger of the Sin of Selfishness as the Summ and Root of all positive Evil I preached many Sermons against it and at the Request of some Friends I published them entituled A. Treatise of Self-denial which found better acceptance than most of my other but yet prevented not the ruine of Church and State and Millions of Souls by that Sin § 193. 37. After that I published Five Disputations about Church-Government in order to the Reconciliation of the differing Parties In the first I proved that the English Diocesance Prelacy is intollerable which none hath answered In the Second I have proved the Validity of the Ordination then exercised without Diocesanes in England which no Man hath answered though many have urged Men to be re-ordained In the third I proved that there are dives sorts of Episcopacy lawful and desirable In the fourth and fifth I shew the lawfulness of some Ceremonies and of a Liturgy and what is unlawful here This Book being published when Bishops Liturgy and Ceremonies were most decryed and opposed was of good use to declare my Judgment when the King came in for if I had said as much then I had been judged but a Temporizer But as it was effectual to settle many in a Moderation so it made abundance of Conformists afterwards or was pretended at least to give them Satisfaction Though it never medled with the greatest Parts of Conformity Renouncing Vows Assent and Consent to all things in three Books c. and though it unanswerably confuted our Prelacy and Re-ordination and consequently the Renunciation of the Vow against Prelacy and opposed the Cross in Baptism But Sicvitant Stulti Vitia as my Aphorisms made some Arminians If you discover an Error to an injudicious Man he reeleth into the contrary Error and it is hard to stop him in the middle Verity § 194. 38. At the same time I published another Book against Popery fit for the defensive part and instructing Protestants how to answer any Papist It is entituled A Key for Catholicks to open the jugling of the Iesuits and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand whether the Cause of the Roman or Reformed Churches be of God In this Treatise proving that the Blood of the King is not by Papists to be charged upon Protestants I plainly hazarded my Life against the Powers that then were and grievously incensed Sir H. vane as is before declared And yet Mr. I. N. was so tender of the Papists Interest that having before been offended with me for a Petition against Popery and a Justice of all times spake against it on the Bench and his Displeasure encreased by this Book he took occasion since the King came in to write against me for those very Passages which condemned the King-killers Because comparing the Case with the Doctrine and Practice of the Papists I shewed that the Sectarians and Cromwelians had of the two a more plausible Pretence which I there recited he confuteth those Pretence of theirs as if they had been my own thereby to make the World believe that I wrote for the King's Death in the very Pages where to the hazard of my Life I wrote against it when he himself took the Engagement against the King and the House of Lords and was a Justice under Oliver and more than so signed Orders for the sequestring of others of the King's Party But the great Indignation against this Book and the former is that they were by Epistles directed to Ri. Cromwell as Lord Protector which I did only to provoke him that had Power to use it well when the Parliament had sworn Fidelity to him and that without any Word of Approbation to his Title Yet those that were
Presbyterians and Episcopal Men had but before come to some Agreement they would the more unanimously join against the Fanaticks But since the War the Diocesane Party by Dr. Hammond's means was gone to a greater Distance and grown higher than before and denyed the very being of the Reformed Churches and Ministry and avoided all ways of Agreement with them but by an absolute Submission to their Power as the Papists do by the Protestants and that there is a wonderous difference between the Cause of the one Party and the other For though they are born equally capable of Government or Subjection yet all that the Presbyterians for the most part of them desire is but to have leave to worship God and guide their Flocks in ways of Piety and Concord without being persecuted for it And the Prelatical Mens Cause is that they may be the Governors of all and that no Man have leave to serve God but as they prescribe to him nor to rule his Flock but as ruled by them Yea as soon as a Man doth but side with the Men of that Opinion he presently carryeth it as if by his Opinion he had acquired a right to be the Governor of others But especially I told him that the Number of the Ignorant and Scandalous was so great which the Diocesane Party would restore and set up and the Number of the godly learned able Ministers so great which they would cast out and silence that we look'd on it as the ruine of the Church that we had not any Animosity against them that we desired no Man should be hindred in his Ministry for any thing he had done in the Wars against the Parliament But we desired that the People might have faithful Pastors and not drunken ignorant Readers as he knew in this Country they had had And that every ceremonial Difference might not again be thought a sufficient Reason to cast out hundreds of the ablest Men and put in such insufficient Persons in their steads Persecution and the Ruine of the Ministry and Churches were expected by most if Prelacie got up again and if such leading Men as Dr. Hammond would but before-hand come to Terms of some Moderation and promise to endeavour faithfully to bring things to that pass as now should be thought indifferent it would greatly facilitate Mens Conjunction against the turbulent Sectaries and Souldiers I told him he had long lived here among us and saw the worst of us he saw that our private Meetings were only in due Subordination to the Publick and that they were only spent in such Actions as every Christian might do to repeat a Sermon and Pray and propose his Doubts to his Pastor and sing Psalms and not to any Faction or Sedition and that we had not a Sectary in the Town but were all of a Mind and walked in Humility and Blamelesness and Charity toward all all which he did freely acknowledge and I asked him then whether he thought we were fit to be endured or to be supprest And whether it were not hard that Men who had prevailed in Arms as the Parliaments past had done should beg but for Liberty to live quietly by them or those that were now kept under and not obtain it But we cared little for this as it is our own Interest so that the Souls of Men even Thousands in all Countries might not be injured and undone by an ignorant vitious persecuting Ministry To this he confidently affirmed that he being most throughly acquainted with Dr. Hammond who received Letters from Dr. Morley then with the King could assure me that all Moderation was intended and that any Episcopacy how loâ—â—soever would serve the turn and be accepted And a bare Presidency in Synods such as Bishop Usher in his Reduction did require was all that was intended Yea Bishop Hall's way of Moderation would suffice that there should be no Lord Bishops nor so large Diocesses or great Revenues much less any persecuting Power but that the Essentials of Episcopacy was all that was expected that no godly able Minister should be displaced much less silenced nor unworthy Men any more set up that there should be no Thoughts of Revenge for any thing past but all be equal In Conclusion we agreed that I should make some Proposals to Dr. Hammond containing the Terms of our Agreement and he would bring them to him for he lived but seven Miles from us and procure me an Answer Whereupon I drew up a few Proposals and Sir Ralph Clare shortly brought me back an Answer to them by which I saw that there was no Agreement that way to be made For Dr. Hammond cast all the Alterations or Abatements upon the King and Parliament when as the thing that I desired of him was but to promise his best Endeavours to accomplish it by persuading both the Clergy and the Civil Governors to do their Parts Yet I must say I took the Death of Dr. Hammond who died just when the King came in before he saw him or received his intended Advancement for a very great loss for his Piety and Wisdom would sure have hindred much of the Violence which after followed I wrote him a Reply but never sent it because the Tumults presently interrupted us The Papers on both sides were these following R. Baxter's Proposals sent by Sir R. Clare to Dr. Hammond HAving premised the Terms on which the Episcopal Presbyterian and Independant c. may maintain a Brotherly Agreement in case the Magistrate gives Liberty to them all I shall add some Propositions containing those things that we desire the Brethren of the Episcopal way will grant us as necessary to the Peace of these Churches and the avoiding of Persecution to the hindrance of the Gospel in case the Magistrate should establish their way 1. We desire that private Christians may not be hindered from praying in their Families according to the sense of their Necessities without imposed Forms nor from reading Scripture and good Books catechising and instructing their Families and restraining them from dancing and other Vanities which would withdraw them from holy Exercises on the Lord's Day And that Neighbours be not hindred from meeting at convenient times in each others Houses to edifie themselves by Godly Conference Reading repeating Sermons Prayer singing Psalms so be it they refuse not the oversight of their faithful Pastors in the management hereof nor set up these Meetings in Opposition to the publick Assemblies but in due Subordination to them and be responsible to Governors for all Miscarriages 2. We desire that the ungodly sort of People may not be suffered to make the serious practice of Godliness an open Scorn or to deride the Practice of such holy Duties as by God and our Governors we are allowed to perform 3. That the most able Godly faithful Men be Pastors of the Flocks and the insufficient ungodly negligent scandalous and Heretical be kept and cast out the Welfare of the Church consisting so much in
Liturgy and Ceremonies we most humbly represent unto your Majesty 1. First For Church-Government that although upon just Reasons we do dissent from that Ecclesiastical Hierarchy or Prelacy disclaimed in the Covenant as it was stated and exercised in these Kingdoms yet we do not nor ever did renounce the true Ancient and Primitive Presidency as it was ballanced and managed by a due Commixtion of Presbyters therewith as a fit means to avoid Corruptions Partiality Tyranny and other Evils which may be incident to the Administration of one single Person Which kind of attempered Pesidency if it shall be your Majesty's grave Wisdom and gracious Moderation be in such a manner constituted as that the forementioned and other like Evils may be certainly prevented we shall humbly submit thereunto And in Order to an happy Accommodation in this weighty Business we desire humbly to offer unto your Majesty some of the Particulars which we conceive were amiss in the Episcopal Government as it was practised before the Year 1640. 1. The great Extent of the Bishops Diocess which was much too large for his own personal Inspection wherein he undertook a Pastoral Charge over the Souls of all those within his Bishoprick which must needs be granted to be too heavy a Burthen for any one Man's Shoulders The Pastoral Office being a Work of Personal Ministration and Trust and that of the highest Concernment to the Souls of the People for which they are to give an Account to Christ. 2. That by Reason of this Disability to discharge their Duty and Trust personally the Bishops did depute the Administration of much of their Trust even in matters of spiritual Cognizance to Commissaries Chancellors and Officials whereof some were Secular Persons and could not administer that Power which originally appertaineth to the Pastors of the Church 3. That those Bishops who affirm the Episcopal Office to be a distinct Order by Divine Right from that of the Presbyter did assume the sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction to themselves 4. That some of the Bishops exercised an Arbitrary Power as by sending forth their Books of Articles in their Visitations and therein unwarrantably enquiring into several things and swearing the Church-Wardens to present accordingly So also by many Innovations and Ceremonies imposed upon Ministers and People not required by Law and by suspending Ministers at their Pleasure For reforming of which Evils we humbly crave leave to offer unto your Majesty 1. The late most Reverend Primate of Ireland his Reduction of Episcopacy unto the Form of Synodical Government received in the ancient Church as a Ground-work towards an Accommodation and fraternal Agreement in this Point of Ecclesiastical Government Which we rather do not only in regard of his eminent Piety and singular Ability as in all other Parts of Learning so in that especially of the Antiquities of the Church but also because therein Expedienâ— are offered for healing these Grievances And in order to the same end we further humbly desire that the Suffragans or Corepiscopi mentioned in the Primate's Reduction may be chosen by the respective Synods and by that Election be sufficiently authorized to discharge their Trust. That the Associations may not be so large as to make the Discipline impossible or to take off the Ministers from the rest of their necessary Imployments That no Oaths or Promises of Obedience to the Bishops nor any unnecessary Subscriptions or Engagements be made necessary to Ordination Institution Induction Ministration Communion or Immunities of Ministers they being responsible for any Transgression of the Law And that no Bishops nor any Ecclesiastical Governors may at any time exercise their Government by their own private Will or Pleasure but only by such Rules Canons and Constitutions as shall be hereafter by Act of Parliament ratified and established and that sufficient Provision be made to secure both Ministers and People against the Evils of Arbitrary Government in the Church 2. Concerning the Liturgy 1. We are satisfied in our Judgments concerning the Lawfulness of a Liturgy or Form of publick Worship provided that it be for the matter agreeable unto the Word of God and fitly suited to the Nature of the several Ordinances and the necessity of the Church nether too tedious in the whole nor composed of too short Prayers unmeet Repetitions or Responsals nor too dissonant from the Liturgies of other Reformed Churches nor too rigorously imposed nor the Minister so confined thereunto but that he may also make use of those Gifts for Prayer and Exhortation which Christ hath given him for the Service and Edification of the Church 2. That inasmuch as the Book of Common Prayer hath in it many things that are justly offensive and need amendment hath been long discontinued and very many both Ministers and People Persons of Pious Loyal and Peaceable Minds are therein greatly dissatisfied whereupon if it be again imposed will inevitably follow sad Divisions and widening of the Breaches which your Majesty is now endeavouring to heal We do most humbly offer to your Majesty's Wisdom that for preventing so great Evil and for setling the Church in Unity and Peace some Learned Godly and Moderate Divines of both Perswasions indifferently chosen may be imployed to Compile such a Form as is before described as much as may be in Scripture words or at least to Revise and effectually Reform the old together with an Addition or Insertion of some other varying Forms in Scripture phrase to be used at the Minister's Choice of which Variety and Liberty there be Instances in the Book of Common Prayer 3. Concerning Ceremonies We humbly represent that we hold our selves obliged in every part of Divine Worship to do all things decently in order and to Edification and are willing therein to be determined by Authority in such things as being meerly Circumstantial are common to Humane Actions and Societies and are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian Prudence according to the General Rules of the Word which are always to be observed And as to divers Ceremonies formerly retained in the Church of England We do in all Humility offer unto your Majesty these ensuing Considerations That the Worship of God is in it self perfect without having such Ceremonies affixed thereto That the Lord hath declared himself in the Matters that concern his Worship to be a Iealous God and this Worship of his is certainly then most pure and most agreeable to the Simplicity of the Gospel and to his holy and jealous Eyes when it hath least of Humane Admixtures in things of themselves confessedly unnecessary adjoyned and appropriated thereunto upon which account many faithful Servants of the Lord knowing his Word to be the perfect Rule of Faith and Worship by which they must judge of his Acceptance of their Services and must be themselves judged have been exceeding fearful of varying from his Will and of the danger of displeasing him by Additions or Detractions in such Duties wherein they must
Officers in the Court Freemen in Cities and Corporate Towns Masters and Fellows of Colledges in the Universities c. are required at their Admission into their several respective places to give Oaths for well and truly performing their several respective Duties their liableness to punishment in case of Non-performance accordingly notwithstanding Neither doth it seem reasonable that such Persons as have themselves with great severity prescribed and exacted antecedent Conditions of their Communion not warranted by Law should be exempted from the tye of such Oaths and Subscriptions as the Laws require § 17. 4. We agree that the Bishops and all Ecclesiastical Governours ought to exercise their Government not Arbitrarily but according to Law 5. And for Security against such Arbitrary Government and Innovations the Laws are and from time to time will be sufficient provision Concerning Liturgy § 18. A Liturgy or Form of Publick Worship being not only by them acknowledged lawful but by us also for the preservation of Unity and Uniformity deemed necessary we esteem the Liturgy of the Church of England contained in the Book of Common Prayer and by Law established to be such a one as is by them desired according to the Qualifications here mentioned 〈◊〉 1. For Matter agreeable to the Word of God which we 〈◊〉 all other lawful Ministers within the Church of England have or by the Laws ought to have attested by our Personal Subscription 2. Fitly suited to the Nature of the several Ordinances and the Necessities of the Church 3. Nor too tedious in the whole It 's well known that some Mens Prayers before and after Sermon have been usually not much shorter and sometimes much longer than the whole Church Service 4. Nor the Prayers too short The Wisdom of the Church both in ancient and latter times hath thought it a fitter means for relieving the Infirmities of the meaner sort of People which are the major part of most Congregations to contrive several Petitions into sundry shorter Collects or Prayers than to comprehend them altogether in a continued stile or without interruption 5. Nor the Repetitions unmeet There are Examples of the like Repetition frequent in the Psalms and other parts of Scripture Not to mention the unhandsome Tautologies that oftentimes happen and can scarce be avoided in the Extemporary and undigested Prayers that are made especially by Persons of meaner Gifts 6. Nor the Responsals Which if impartially considered are pious Ejaculations fit to stir up Devotion and good Symbols of Conformity betwixt the Minister and the People and have been of very ancient practise and continuance in the Church 7. Nor too dissonant from the Liturgies of other Reformed Churches The nearer both their Forms and ours come to the Liturgy of the Ancient Greek and Latin Churches the less are they liable to the Objections of the Common Enemy To which Liturgies if the Form used in our Church be more agreeable than those of other Reformed Churches and that it were at all needful to make a Change in either it seemeth to be much more reasonable that their Form should be endeavoured to be brought to a nearer Conformity with ours than ours with theirs Especially the Form of our Liturgy having been so signally approved by sundry of the most Learned Divines of the Reformed Churches abroad as by very many Testimonies in their Writings may appear And some of the Compilers thereof have Sealed the Protestant Religion with their Blood and have been by the most Eminent Persons of those Churches esteemed as Martyrs for the same § 19. As for that which followeth Neither can we think that too rigorously imposed which is imposed by Law and that with no more rigour than is necessary to make the Imposition effectual otherwise it could be of no use but to beget and nourish factions Nor are Ministers denied the use and exercise of their Gifts in praying before and after Sermon Although such praying be but the continuance of a Custom of no great Antiquity and grown into Common use by Sufferance only without any other Foundation in the Laws or Canons and ought therefore to be used by all sober and godly Men with the greatest inoffensiveness and moderation possible § 20. If any thing in the Established Liturgy shall be made appear to be justly offensive to sober Persons we are not at all unwilling that the same should be changed The discontinuance thereof we are sure was not our Fault But we find by experience that the use of it is very much desired where it is not and the People generally are very well satisfied with it where it is used which we believe to be a great Conservatory of the chief Heads of Christian Religion and of Piety Charity and Loyalty in the Hearts of the People We believe that the difuse thereof for sundry late years hath been one of the great Causes of the sad Divisions in the Church and that the restoring the same will be by by God's blessing a special means of making up the Breach There being as we have great cause to believe many Thousands more in the Nation that desire it than dislike it Nevertheless we are not against revising of the Liturgy by such discreet Persons as his Majesty shall think fit to imploy therein Of Ceremonies § 21. We conceived there needs no more to be said for justifying the Imposition of the Ceremonies by Law established then what is contained in the beginning of this Section which giveth a full and satisfactory Answer to all that is alledged or objected in the following Discourse which is for the most part rather Rhetorical than Argumentative Inasmuch as lawful Authority hath already determined the Ceremonies in question to be decent and orderly and to serve to Edification and consequently to be agreeable to the General Rules of the Word We acknowledge the Worship of God to be in it self perfect in regard of Essentials which hindereth not but that it may be capable of being improved to us by addition of Circumstantials in order to Decency and Edification As the Lord hath declared himself Jealous in Matters concerning the Substance of his Worship so hath he left the Church at liberty for Circumstantials to determine concerning Particulars according to Prudence as occasion shall require so as the foresaid General Rules be still observed And therefore the imposing and using indifferent Ceremonies is not varying from the Will of God nor is there made thereby any addition to or detraction from the holy Duties of God's Worship Nor doth the same any way hinder the Communication of God's Grace or Comfort in the performance of such Duties § 22. The Ceremonies were never esteemed Sacraments or imposed as such nor was ever any Moral efficacy ascribed to them nor doth the significancy without which they could not serve to Edification import or infer any such thing § 23. Ceremonies have been retained by most of the Protestant Churches abroad which have rejected Popery and have been approved by the
Milkstreet for which they allowed me 40 l. per Annum which I continued near a year till we were all Silenced And at the same time I preached once every Lord's Day at Blackfryars where Mr. Gibbons a judicious Man was Minister In Milkstreet I took Money because it came not from the Parishioners but Strangers and so was no wrong to the Minister Mr. Vincent a very holy blameless Man But at Blackfryars I never took a Penny because it was the Parishioners who called me who would else be less able and ready to help their worthy Pastor who went to God by a Consumption a little after he was silenced and put out At these two Churches I ended the Course of my Publick Ministry unless God cause an undeserved Resurrection § 165. Here also my Accusations followed me as maliciously and falsly as before and I was fain to clear my self by printing some of my Sermons in a little Book called Now or Never and in part of another called a Saint or a Bruit § 166. Before this I resolved to go to the Archbishop of Canterbury then Bishop of London to ask him for his License to preach in his Diocess Some Brethren blamed me for it as being an owning of Prelatical Usurpation I told them that the King had given him a power to suffer or hinder me and if he had no power at all I might lawfully desire any Man not to hinder me in my Duty much more having power as the Church-Magistrate or Officer of the King And though I was under no necessity I would not refuse a lawful thing when Authority required it The Archibishop received me with very great expression of Respects and offered me his License and would let his Secretary take no Money of me But he offered me the Book to Subscribe in I told him that he knew that the King's Declaration exempted us from Subscription He bid me write what I would I told him that what I resolved to do and I thought meet for him to expect I would do of choice though I might forbear And so in Latin I subscribed my promise not to preach against the Doctrine of the Church or the Ceremonies established by Law in his Diocess while I used his License And I told him how grievous it was to me to be daily haunted with such general Accusations behind my back and asked him why I was never accused of any Particulars And he confessed to me That if they had got any Particulars that would have deserved it I should have heard particularly from him I scarce think that I ever preached a Sermon without a Spy to give them his report of it § 167. But my last Sermon that ever I preached in Publick being at Blackfryars was defamed with this particular Accusation That I told them that the Gospel was now departing from them Insomuch as the Lady Balcarres told me That even the old Queen of Bobemia told her she wondered that I was so impudent as to say the Gospel was going away because that I and such as I were silenced while others were put into our places But all this was the breath of Mis-reporters without any colour of ground from any thing that I had said as may be seen in the printed Sermons § 168. For when the Ministers were all silenced some covetous Booksellers got Copies of the last Sermons of many of them from the Scribes that took them from their Mouths Some of them were taken word by word which I heard my self but some of us were much abused by it and especially my self for they stiled it A Farewel Sermon and mangled so both Matter and Style that I could not own it besides the printing it to the offense of Governours So that afterwards I writ out the Sermon more at large my self on Col. 2. 6 7. with another Discourse and offered them to the Press but could not get them Licensed for Reasons afterwards to me mentioned § 169. On April 23. was his Majesty's Coronation Day the Day being very serene and fair till suddenly in the Afternoon as they were returning from Westminster-hall there was very terrible Thunders when none expected it Which made me remember his Father's Coronation on which being a Boy at School and having leave to play for the Solemnity an Earthquake about two a Clock in the Afternoon did affright the Boys and all the Neighbourhood I intend no Commentary on these but only to relate the Matter of Fact § 170. To return at last to our Treaty with the Bishops If you observe the King's Declaration you will find that though Matters of Government seemed to be determined yet the Liturgy was to be reviewed and reformed and new Forms drawn up in Scripture phrase suiâ—ed to the several parts of Worship that Men might use which of them they pleased as already there were some such variety of Forms in some Offices of that Book This was yet to be done and till this were done we were uncertain of the Issue of all our Treaty but if that were done and all setled by Law our Divisions were at an end Therefore being often with the Lord Chancellour on the forementioned occasions I humbly intreated him to hasten the finishing of that Work that we might rejoyce in our desired Concord At last Dr. Reignolds and Mr. Calamy were authorized to name the Persons on that side to manage the Treaty and a Commission was granted under the Broad Seal to the Persons nominated on both sides I intreated Mr. Calamy and Dr. Reignolds to leave me out for though I much desired the Expedition of the Work I found that the last Debates had made me unacceptable with my Superiours and this would much more increase it and other Men might be fitter who were less distasted But I could not prevail with them unless I would have peremptorily refused it to Excuse me So they named as Commissioners Dr. Tuckney Dr. Conant Dr. Spurstow Dr. Manton Dr. Wallis Mr. Calamy and my self Mr. Iackson Mr. Case Mr. Clark and Mr. Newcomen besides Dr. Reignolds then Bishop of Norwich And for Assistants being the other Party had Assistants Dr. Horton Dr. Iacomb Dr. Bates Mr. Rawlinson Mr. Cooper Dr. Lightfoot Dr. Collins Mr. Woodbridge and Dr. Drake According to the King's Commission we were to meet and manage our Conference in order to the Ends therein expressed The Commission is as followeth CHARLES the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To our trusty and well-beloved the most Reverend Father in God accepted Archbishop of York the Right Reverend Father in God Gilbert Bishop of London Iohn Bishop of Durham Iohn Bishop of Rochester Henry Bishop of Chichester Humphrey Bishop of Sarum George Bishop of Worcester Robert Bishop of Lincoln Benjamin Bishop of Peterburgh Bryan Bishop of Chester Richard Bishop of Carlisle Iohn Bishop of Exeter Edward Bishop of Norwich and to our trusty and well-beloved the Reverend
Worship And further considering the great Age of some Ministers and Infirmities of others and the variety of several Services oft-times concurring upon the same day whereby it may be inexpedient to require every Minister at all times to read the whole It may be left to the discretion of the Minister to omit part of it as occasion shall require which liberty we find to be allowed even in the first Common Prayer Book of Edward 6. 8. That in regard of the many Defects which have been observed in that Version of the Scriptures which is used throughout the Liturgy manifold Instances whereof may be produced as in the Epistle for the first Sunday after Epiphany taken out of Romans 12. 1. Be ye changed in your shape And the Epistle for the Sunday next before Easter taken out of Philippians 2. 5. Found in his apparel as a man as also the Epistle for the fourth Sunday in Lent taken out of the fourth of the Galatians Mount Sinai is Agar in Arabia and bordereth upon the City which is now called Ierusalem The Epistle for St. Matthew's Day taken out of the second Epistle of Corinth and the 4th We go not out of Kind The Gospel for the second Sunday after Epiphany taken out of the second of Iohn When Men be drunk The Gospel for the third Sunday in Lent taken out of the 11th of Luke One House doth fall upon another The Gospel for the Annunciation taken out of the first of Luke This is the sixth Month which was called barren and many other places we therefore desire instead thereof the New Translation allowed by Authority may alone be used 9. That inasmuch as the holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto Salvation to furnish us throughly unto all good Works and contain in them all things necessary either in Doctrine to be believed or in Duty to be practised whereas divers Chapters of the Apocryphal Books appointed to be read are Charged to be in both respects of dubious and uncertain credit It is therefore desired that nothing be read in the Church for Lessons but the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament 10. That the Minister be not required to rehearse any part of the Liturgy at the Communion-Table save only those parts which properly belong to the Lord's Supper and that at such times only when the said holy Supper is administred 11. That as the Word Minister and not Priest or Curate is used in the Absolution and in divers other places it may throughout the whole Book be so used instead of those two Words and that instead of the Word Sunday the Word Lord's-day may be every where used 12. Because singing of Psalms is a considerable part of publick Worship we desire that the Version set forth and allowed to be sung in Churches may be amended or that we may have leave to make use of a purer Version 13. That all obsolete Words in the Common-Prayer and such whose use is changed from their first significancy as Aread used in the Gospel for the Monday and Wednesday before Easter Then opened he their Wits used in the Gospel for Easter Tuesday c. may be altered unto other Words generally received and better understood 14. That no Portions of the Old Testament or of the Acts of the Apostles be called Epistles and read as such 15. That whereas throughout the several Offices the Phrase is such as presumes all Persons within the Communion of the Church to be regenerated converted and in an actual state of Grace which had Ecclesiastical Discipline been truly and vigorously executed in the Exclusion of Scandalous and obstinate Sinners might be better supposed But there having been and still being a confessed want of that as in the Liturgy is acknowledged it cannot be rationally admitted in the utmost Latitude of Charity We desire that this may be reformed 16. That whereas orderly Connection of Prayers and of particular Petitions and Expressions together with a competent length of the Forms used are tending much to Edification and to gain the reverence of People to them There appears to us too great a neglect of both of this Order and of other just Laws of Method Particularly 1. The Collects are generally short many of them consisting but of one or at most two Sentences of Petition and these generally ushered in with a repeated mention of the Name and Attributes of God and presently concluding with the Name and Merits of Christ whence are caused many unnecessary Intercisions and Abruptions which when many Petitions are to be offered at the same time are neither agreeable to Scriptural Examples nor suited to the Gravity and Seriousness of that Holy Duty 2. The Prefaces of many Collects have not any clear and special Respect to the following Petitions and particular Petitions are put together which have not any due Order nor evident Connection one with another nor suitableness with the Occasions upon which they are used but seem to have fallen in rather casually than from an orderly Contrivance It is desired that instead of those various Collects there may be one methodical and intire form of Prayer composed out of many of them 17. That whereas the publick Liturgy of a Church should in reason comprehend the Summ of all such Sins as are ordinarily to be confessed in Prayer by the Church and of such Petitions and Thanksgivings as are ordinarily by the Church to be put up to God and the publick Catechisms or Systems of Doctrine should summarily comprehend all such Doctrines as are necessary to be believed and these explicitly set down The present Liturgy as to all these seems very defective Particularly 1. There is no preparatory Prayer in our Address to God for Assistance or Acceptance yet many Collects in the midst of the Worship have little or nothing else 2. The Confession is very defective not clearly expressing original Sin nor sufficiently enumerating actual Sins with their Aggravations but consisting only of Generals Whereas confession being the Exercise of Repentance ought to be more particular 3. There is also a great Defect as to such Forms of publick Praise and Thanksgiving as are suitable to Gospel-worship 4. The whole Body of the Common-Prayer also consisteth very much of meer Generals as To have our Prayers heard to be kept from all Evil and from all Enemies and all Adversity that we might do God's Will without any mention of the Particulars in which these Generals exist 5. The Catechism is defective as to many necessary Doctrines of our Religion some even of the Essentials of Christianity not mentioned except in the Creed and there not so explicite as ought to be in a Catechism 18. Because this Liturgy containeth the Imposition of divers Ceremonies which from the first Reformation have by sundry learned and pious Men been judged unwarrantable as 1. That Publick Worship may not be celebrated by any Minister that dare not wear a Surpless 2. That none may baptise nor be
last Sermon there upon Christ's words on the Cross Father forgive them for they know not what they do I was accused of it as a heinous Crime as having preached against the burning of the Covenant which I never medled with nor was it done till after the Sermon nor did I know when it was done no mind it nor did I apply the Text to any Matters of those present Times but only in general to perswade the Hearers to the forgiving of Injuries and maintaining Charity in the midst of the greatest Temptations to the contrary and to remember that it was the Tempter's Design by every wrong which they received to get advantage for the weakening of their Love to those that did it which therefore they should with double care maintain This was the true scope of that Sermon which deserved Death or Banishment as all my Pacificatory Endeavours had done § 257. When I came back to London my Book called The Mischiefs of Self-ignorance and Benefits of Self-acquaintance was coming out of the Press And my affection to my People of Kidderminster caused me by a short Epistle to direct it to them and because I could never after tell them publickly being Silenced I told them here the occasion of my removal from them and my silencing for brevity summing up the principal things in my Charge And because I said This was the Cause the Bishop took advantage as if I had said This was the whole Cause when the Conference between him and me was half an hour long and not fit to be wholly inserted in a short Epistle where I intended nothing but the sum But the Bishop took occasion hereupon to gather up all that ever he could say to make me odious and especially out of my Holy Commonwealth and our Conference at the Savoy where he gathered up a scrap of an Assertion which he did not duly understand and made it little less than Heresie and this he published in a Book called A Letter which I truly profess is the fullest of palpable Untruths in Matter of Fact that ever I saw Paper to my remembrance in all my Life The words which he would render me so abhorred for are our denial of Dr. Pierson's and Dr. Gunning's c. Propositions about the innocency of Laws which command Things evil by Accident only where the Bishop never discerned unless he dissemble it the Reasons of our Denial nor the Proposition denied The very words of the Dispute being printed before and I having fully opened the Bishops Mistakes in an Answer to him I shall not here stope the Reader with it again § 258. But this vehement Invective of the Bishop's presently taught all that desired his Favour and the improvement of his very great Interest for their Ends to talk in all Companies at the same rates as he had done and to speak of me as he had spoken and those that thought more was necessary to their hopes presented the Service of their Pens Dr. Boreman of Trinity Colledge wrote a Book without his Name and had no other design in it than to make me odious nor any better occasion for his writing than this There had many years before past divers Papers between Dr. Thomas Hill then Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and me about the Point of Physical efficient Predetermination as necessary to every Action natural and free I had written largely and earnestly against Predetermination and he a little for it In the end of it the Calamities of the Sectarian times and some Sicknesses among my Friends had occasioned me to vent my moan to him as my Friend and therein to speak of the doubtfulness of the Cause of the former War and what reason there was to be diligent in search and prayer about it When Dr. Hill was dead Dr. Boreman came to see these Papers Both the Subjects he must needs know were such as tended rather to my Esteem than to my Disparagement with the Men of these Times Certainly the Arminians will be angry with no Man for being against Predetermination and I think they will pardon him for questioning the Parliaments Wars Yet did this disingenious Dr. make a Book on this occasion to seek Preferment by reproaching me for he knew not what But to make up the matter he writeth that it is reported That I killed a Man in 〈…〉 with my own hands in the Wars Whereas God knoweth that I never hurt 〈◊〉 in my Life no never gave a Man a stroke save one Man when I was a Boy whose Legg I broke with wrestling in jest which almost broke my heart with â—reif though he was quickly cured But the Dr. knowing that this might be soon disproved cautiously gave me some Lenitives to perswade me to bear it patiently telling me that if it be not true I am not the first that have been thus abused but for ought I know he is the first that thus abused me I began to write an Answer to this Book but when I saw that Men did but laugh at it and those that knew the Man despised it and disswaded me from answering such a one I laid it by § 259. When the Bishop's Invective was read many Men were of many minds about the answering of it Those at a distance all cried out upon me to answer it Those at hand did all disswade me and told me that it would be Imprisonment at least to me if I did it with the greatest truth and mildness possible Both Gentlemen and all the City Ministers told me that it would not do half so much good as my Suffering would do hurt and that none believed it but the engaged Party and that to others an Answer was not necessary and to them it was unprofitable for they would never read it And I thought that the Judgment of Men that were upon the place and knew how things went was most to be regarded But yet I wrote a full Answer to his Book except about the words in my Holy Commonwealth which were not to be spoke to and kept it by me that I might use it as there was occasion At that time Mr. Ioseph Glanvile sent me the offer of his Service to write in my Defence He that wrote the Vanity of Dogmatizing and a Treatise for the Praexistence of Souls being a Platonist of free Judgment and of admired Parts and now one of the Royal Society of Philosophers and one that had a too excessive estimation of me as far above my desert as the malicious Party erred on the other side But I disswaded him from bringing himself into Suffering and making himself unserviceable for so low an end Only I gave him and no Man else my own Answer to peruse which he returned with his Approbation of it § 260. But Mr. Edward Bagshaw Son to Mr. Bagshaw the Lawyer that wrote Mr. Bolton's Life without my knowledge wrote a Book in Answer to the Bishops I could have wisht he had let it alone For the Man hath
the Lay-Judge And if he have power as a Presbyter why do the Bishop appropriate it to themselves If one that is no Bishop may exercise it when a Bishop bids him then is it not a thing appropriate to the Bishop's Office Besides these there are Arch-Deacons who by themselves or their Officials hold some kind of Inferiour Court which dealeth in lesser Matters Some Diocesses have one Arch-Deacon some two some few three or four The Bishops should go visit once a year and the Arch-Deacon oftner When they visit they go to some chief Town in the County and call all the Ministers to meet them where they hear a Sermon and Dine together usually They yearly compile a Book of Articles which Churchwardens are sworn to enquire after and to present the Names of the Offenders accordingly to the Bishop's Court. In brief this is the Frame of our Diocesan Government To which I only add That Fees and Money for Commutation of Penance are much of their Officers Maintenance and that such as they Excommunicate in most Cases are by a Writ De Excommunicato Capiendo to be laid in the Jail till upon their Repentance they have made their Peace and are absolved § 313. Having told you what our Government is let me tell you what the Execution of it is The Books of Articles are fitted somewhat to the Canon by those Bishops that are most moderate and cauâ—elous and therefore by the English Canons they may be known some of them usually are against Drunkards and Fornicators but the main bent of them is against those that wear not the Surplice that Baptize without the Cross that omit the Common Prayer that refuse to Baptize any Infant or that deliver the Lord's Supper to any that kneel not in receiving it or that so receive it without kneeling that stand noâ— up at the Gospel that bow not at the Name Iesus though they may sit when the same words are read in the Chapter and are not required to how at the Name Christ God c. Also about the Repair of the Church the Surplice the Books that none piss up to the Church-wall c. with many such things It is a rare thing for the Churchwardens to present any except Nonconformists that use not Ceremonies c. Swearers Drunkards and Whoremongers are seldom presented lest Neighbours be displeased but Puritans have some one or other that is more eager in looking after them When any Scandalous Person is presented he hath no other Spiritual Conviction or Exhoration to Repentance tending to Convert his Soul than at any Civil Court But telling them that he is Sorry and paying his Fees or Commutation Money he comes home But when Conscientious Nonconformists are before them whose Consciences will not let them say that they are Sorry vizâ— for praying or exhorting others in their Houses for giving the Sacrament to them that stand or sit c. they are usually Excommunicated I have been in most parts of England and in Fifty years time I never saw one do Penance or confess his Sin in publick for any Scandalous Crime nor ever heard but of two in the Country where I lived that stood in a White sheet for Adultery except in the space when Bishops were down and then I have heard many that have penitently confessed their Sin and begged the Prayers of the Congregation and been prayed for In a word their Courts are meerly as Civil Courts for Terrour but not at all to convince Men of Sin and bring them to Repentance and Salvation further than such Terrour is â—it to do it And note here That the Discipline of the Church is not to be judged of by the King's Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs which was never executed before it was void in these respects Nor yet by some of our Reformers or Chroniclers who tell you how it was exercised quickly after the Reformation in King Edward's or Queen Elizabeth's days As Hollingshead e. g. who telleth you of many Suffragans and of the Piety and Diligence of their Courts and of Exercises called Prophesying held up at the Arch-Deacons Visitations against the Subverters of which he thundereth But as it is in England at this day and hath been this Sixty or Seventy years by-past § 314. Now concerning this Diocesan Frame of Government the Non-Subscribers called Puritans by many do judge that it is sinful and contrary to the Word of God both in the Constitution and in the Administration of it And they lay upon it these heavy Charges the least of which if proved is of intolerable weight § 315. 1. They say That quantum in se it destroyeth the Pastoral Office which is of Divine Institution and was known in the Primitive Church for it doth deprive the Presbyters of the third essential part of their Office for it is clear in Scripture that Christ appointed no Presbyters that were not subservient to him in all the three parts of his Office as Prophet Priest and King to stand between the People and him in Teaching Worshipping and Governing And though the Actual Exercise of any one part may be Suspended without the Destruction of the Office yet to the Office it self which is nothing but Power and Obiligation to exercise one part is as essential as the other so then they say that That which destroyeth an essential part of the Pastors or Presbyters Office destroyeth the Office as instituted by Christ But the Diocesan state of Government destroyeth c. Ergo The Major will not be denied The Minor hath two parts 1. That governing Power and Obligation over the Flock is essential to the Office of a Pastor or Presbyter as instituted by Christ. Which they prove thus 1. The very Name of Presbyter and Pastor denoteth the Governing Power and was then used in that sence as Dr. Hâ—mmond hath well proved 2. There is no such thing found in all the New Testament as a Presbyter that had not the Power of Governing his Flock as well as Teaching it He that can find it let him Dr. Hammond hath gone over all the Texts in proving it 3. The Church long after knew no such Presbyters as had not the Spiritual Government of the Flock 4. The Papists confess that they have the Power of the Keys in foro interiori to this day which is the Spiritual Government 2. The second part of the Minor That the Diocesan Form denieth this Governing Power to the Presbyters appeareth 1. By their own Confessions â— 2. By the Actual Constitution disabling them and placing the Power elsewhere 3. By the instance of the â—orementioned Particulars and many more They have not the power of judging who shall be taken into their Churhes as Members by Baptism or Confirmed or who shall Communicate or who is to be publickly Admonished Censured Excommunicated Absolved buried as a Brother dying in Christ c. no nor what Chapter to read in the Church nor what Garment to wear nor what words of Prayer
Bishops had their first Ordination of them by Pomeranus and others that were no Bishops And most Protestants hold That Baptism is null which is not performed by a Minister of Christ. Because no one else is Authorized to deliver God's part of the Covenant or to receive the Covenanter or invest him in the Christian State and Privileges VI. We dare not so far strengthen the cause of the Anabaptists as to declare thus far That all the People of England and all Protestant-Churches as were Baptized by such as had not Ordination by Diocesans are to be Re-baptized VII We dare not so far harden the Papists and honour their cause nor tempt the People to Popery as to seem to consent that their Churches Ministry and Baptism is true and the Protestant Ministry Churches and Baptism is false Nor dare we teach them if which God forbid they should get the power of governing us to call us all again to be Re-ordained and Re-baptized Our Liturgy bidding us to take private Baptism as valid if the Child was Baptized by any Lawful Minister intimating that else it is invalid and so that seemeth the Iudgment of the Church of England VIII We dare not tempt any other Sects or Vsurpers to expect that as oft as they can get the upper hand we must be Re-ordained and Re-baptized at their pleasure IX We dare not make a Schism in our Congregations by tempting the Pastors to reject most of the People from the Communion as unbaptized Persons X. We dare not dishonour the King and Parliament so far as to encourage them to confirm these Errors by an Act of Parliament Enacting really Re-ordination And I R. B. must profess That having eight Years ago written a Treatise purposely to prove the validity of the late Ordination by the Synods of Presbyteries in England though I never practised any my self and having openly called for some Coufutation of it I never could procure any to this day And therefore am the more excusable if I err Though I was my self Ordained by a Bishop Note That by Ordination we mean the Solemn Separation of a Person from the number of the Laity to the Sacred Ministry in general and not the designation appointment or determination of him to this or that particular Flock or Church nor yet a meer Ecclesiastical Confirmation of his former Ordination in a doubted Case Nor yet the â—agistrate's License to exercise the Sacred Ministry in his Dominions All which we believe on just Occasion may be frequently given and received And we thereby profess to consent to no more § 72. Besides the foresaid Alterations of their Proposals we offered them this following Emendation of the Liturgy containing in some Points less and in some Points more than their own Proposals for in this Dr. Wilkins was not streight The most necessary Alterations of the Liturgy THat the old Preface be restored instead of the new one The Order for all Priests Deacons and Curates to read the Liturgy once or twice every Day to be put out The Rubrick for the old Ornaments which were in use in the second Year of Edw. VI. put out The Lord's Prayer to be used intirely with the Doxologies Add to the Rubrick before the Communion thus Nor shall any be admitted to the Communion who is grosly ignorant of the Essentials of Christianity or of that Sacrament or who is an Atheist Infidel or Heretick that is denyeth any Essential part of Religion nor any that derideth Christianity or the Holy Scriptures or the strict obeying of God's Commands Read the Fourth Commandment as it is in the Text viz. God blessed the Sabbath Day Add to the Communion Rubrick None shall be forced to Communicate because it is a high Privilege which the Unwilling are unworthy of and so are those who are conscious that they live impenitently in any secret or open hainous sin And because many conscionable Persons through Melancholy or too hard thoughts of themselves have so great fears of unworthy receiving that it were like to drive them to despair or distraction if they are forced to it before they are satisfied Therefore let Popery and Prophaneness be expressed by some fitter means than this In the Prayer before the Consecration Prayer put out That our sinful Bodies may be made clean by his Body and our Souls washed by his precious Blood and put it thus That our sinful Souls and Bodies may be cleansed by his Sacrificed Body and Blood Alterations very desirable also THE Lord's Prayer and Gloria Patri seldomer used Begin with the Prayer for the second Sunday in Advent for Divine Assistance or some other Let none be forced to hear the Decalogue kneeling because the Ignorant who take them for Prayers are scandalized and hardened by it Let none be forced to use Godfathers at their Childrens Baptism who can either Parent be there to perform their Duty Or at least let the Godfathers be but as the ancient Sponsors whose Office was 1. To attest the Parents Fidelity 2. And to promise to bring up the Child in Christian nurtue if the Parents dye or prove deserters Because Ministers subscribe to the 25th Article of the Church's Doctrine which saith Those Five commonly called Sacraments that is Confirmation c. are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles For they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God Therefore in the Collect for Confirmation put out Upon whom after the Example of the Holy Apostles we have now laid our Hands to certifie them by this sign of thy favour and gracious goodness toward them Holidays left indifferent save only that all be restrained from open labour and contempt of them Especially Holy Innocents-Day St. Michael's Day and All-Saints because there is no certainty that they were Holy Innocents And its harsh to keep a Holiday for one Angel And all true Christians being Saints we keep Holidays for our selves The Book of Ordination restored as it was Let there be liberty to use Christ's own Form of Delivery recited by St. Paul 1 Cor. 11. changing only the Person Take Eat this is Christ's Body which c. Let Christian Parents be permitted to offer their own Children to God in Baptism and enter them into the Holy Covenant by using those Words that are now imposed on the Godfathers That where any Minister dare not in Conscience Baptize the Child of proved Atheists Infidels gross Hereticks Fornicators or other such notorious Sinners as the Cannon forbiddeth us to recive to the Communion both Parent being such and the Child in their power and possession that Minister shall not be forced to do it but the Parents shall procure some other to do it For â—â—â—t thou be Baptised put â—ilt thou have this â—â—ld Baptized The Cross and the Surplice left at liberty and kneeling at the Act of Receiving and bowing at the Name â—esus rather than â—hrist God
adhere to The same Sence is exprest also in Can. 10. which describeth Schismaticks Whosoever shall affirm that such Ministers as refuse to subscribe to the Form and manner of God's Worship in the Church of England prescribed in the communion-Communion-Book and their Adherents may truly take unto them the Name of another Church not established by Law and dare presume to publish that this pretended Church hath long groaned under c. And in the 9th Canon where the Authors of Schism are thus described Whosoever shall separate themselves from the Communion of Saints as it is approved by the Apostle's Rules in the Church of England and combine themselves together in a new Brotherhood accounting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Government Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and unmeet for them to join with in Christian Profession Pro. 3. If our manner of Religious Exercises did differ in some meer degrees or Circumstances from that which is allowed by the Liturgy and Practice of the Church it ought not no be taken to be the thing condemned in this Act. Arg. 1. Otherwise the Justices themselves and almost all his Majesty's Subjects either are already obnoxious to the Mulcts Imprisonments and Banishments or may be they know not how soon Arg. 2. And otherwise no Subject must dare to go to Church for fear of incurring Imprisonment or Banishment The reason of both is visible 1. Almost all conformable Ministers do either by some omissions of Prayers or other parts of the Liturgy or by some alterations many times do that which is dissonant from the Liturgy and practise or Canons of the Church I have seldom been present where somewhat was not contrary to them 2 Because most conformable Ministers do now Preach without Licenses which is contrary to the express Canons of the Church 3. Because few of the King's Subjects or none can tell when they go to Church but they may hear one that hath no License or that will do somewhat dissonant from the manner of the Church Pro. 4. Preaching without License bringeth me not within the Penalty of the Act. Arg. 1. Because I have the Archbishop's License Arg. 2. Because a License is not necessary for Family Instruction Arg. 3. Because else most of the Conformists would be as much obnoxious which is not so judged by the Bishops themselves § 124. 3. The Errors of the Mittimus with the explication of the Oxford Act. THis Act containeth 1. The end and Occasion that is the preserving of Church and Kingdom from the Danger of poisonous Principles II. The Description of the dangerous Persons 1. in the Preamble Where they are 1. Nonconformists or such as have not subscribed and declared according to the Act of Uniformity and other subsequent Acts. 2. They or some of them and other Persons not ordained according to the Form of the Church of England who have since the Act of Oblivion preached in Unlawful Assemblies and have settled themselves in Corporations 2. In the Body of the Act where are two parts answering the two aforesaid in the Preamble 1. The first Subject described is Non-subscribers and Non-declarers according to the Act of Uniformity c. That is Non-conformists who also have not taken the Oath which is here prescribed as a preventing Remedy 2. The second Subject is All such Persons as shall Preach in unlawful Meetings contrary to Laws which must needs refer to the second branch of the Preamble and mean only such Nonconformists and unordained Persons as shall so Preach the Word shall signifying that it must be after the passing of this Act. III. The Offence prohibited is being or coming after March 24. 1665. within five Miles of any Corporation or of any place where since the Act of Oblivion they have been Parsons Vicars Lecturers c. Or have preached in an unlawful Assembly contrary to the Laws before they have in open Sessions taken the Oath That is who have done this since the Act of Oblivion before this Act it being the purpose of this Act to put all those who shall again after this Act preach in Conventicles in the same Case with them who since the Act of Oblivion were Parsons Vicars c. That is that none of them shall come within five miles of any place where they were either Incumbents or Conventiclers before this Act since the act of Oblivion IV. The Penalty is 1. 40 l. for what is past which the after taking of the Oath will not save them from 2. And six months Imprisonment also for such of them as shall not Swear and subscribe the Oath and Declaration offered them So that in this Act the Offence it self prohibited is Coming within five miles c. But the qualification of the subject offending is absolutely necessary to it So that the Mittimus for an offence against this Act must signifie That N. N. having not subscribed and declared according to the Acts of Uniformity and other subsequent Acts or being not ordained according to the Form of the Church of England having since the Act of Oblivion preached in an unlawful Assembly and also hath so preached since this Act and hath not taken the Oath here required is proved by Oath to us to have been or come since Mar. 24. 1665. Within five Miles of a Corporation or a place where he was an incumbent or preached in a Conventicle before this Act since the Act of Oblivion and also hath refused before us to swear and subscribe the said Oath c. Now in this Mittimus 1. Here is no mention that R. B. hath not subscribed and declared already according to the Act of Uniformity or is a Non-conformist nor yet that he is not ordained according to the Form of the Church of England 2. Nor is there any mention that he hath preached in an unlawful Assembly since the Act of Oblivion much less since this Act which must be said 3. Nor that ever they had proof of his not taking the Oath before or that ever he was Convict of Preaching before he took it 4. The Offence it self is not here said to be proved by Oath at all viz. Coming or being within five Miles c. But another thing viz. his Preaching in an unlawful Meeting is said to be proved by Oath which this Act doth not enable them to take such proof of As for the Word in the Mittimus where he now dwelleth it cannot be understood as a part of Deposition 1. Because it is expressed but as the Justice's Assertion and not so much as an and or Conjunction put before it to shew that they had Oath made of it as well as of Preaching 2. Because the Word now dwelleth must be taken strictly or laxly if strictly it referreth but to the time of the Writing of the Mittimus which was two days after the Constable's Warrant and no Accuser Witness or other Person was suffered to be present and therefore it must needs
it Of which in that Book he saith so much to the pity rather than satisfaction of the Judicious his Book being otherwise the soundest and most abounding with Light of any one that I have seen But the very necessity of explaining the Three Articles of Baptism and the Three Summaries of Religion the Creed Lord's Prayer and Decalogue hath led all the common Catechisms that go that way of which Vrsine Corrected by Paraeus is the chief into a truer Method than any of our exactest Dichotomizers have hit on not excepting Treleatius Solinius or Amesius which are the best § 147. The Nature of things convinced me That as Physicks are presupposed in Ethicks and that Morality is but the ordering of the Rational Nature and its Actions so that part of Physicks and Metaphysicks which opened the Nature of Man and of God which are the Parties contracting and the great Subjects of Theology and Morality is more neerly pertinent to a Method of Theology and should have a larger place in it than is commonly thought and given to it Yet I knew how Uncouth it would seem to put so much of these Doctrines into a Body of Divinity But the three first Chapters of Genesis assured me That it was the Scripture-Method And when I had drawn up one Scheme of the Creation and sent it the Lord Chief Baron because of our often Communication on such Subjects and being now banished from his Neighbourhood and the County where he lived he received it with so great Approbation and importuned me so by Letters to go on with that work and not to fear being too much on Philosophy as added somewhat to my Inclinations and Resolutions And through the great Mercy of God in my Retirement at Totteridge in a troublesome poor smoaky suffocating Room in the midst of daily pains of the Sciatica and many worse I set upon and finished all the Schemes and half the Elucidations in the end of the Year 1669. and the beginning of 1670. which cost me harder Studies than any thing that ever I had before attempted § 148. In the same time and place I also wrote a large Apology for the Nonconformists Partly to prove it their Duty to Exercise their Ministry as they can when they are Silenced and partly to open the State of the Prelacy the Subscriptions Declarations c. which they refuse for the furious Revilings of Men did so increase and their Provocations and Accusations and Insultings were so many and great that it drove me to this work as it were against my will But when I had done it I saw that the Publication of it would by Imprisonment or Banishment put an end to my other Labours which made me lay it by for I thought that the finishing of my Methodus Theologiae was a far greater work But if that had been done I think I should have published it whatever it had cost me § 149. This Year 1670 my forementioned Cure of Church Divisions came out which had been before cast by which occasioned a storm of Obloquy among almost all the separating Party of Professors and filled the City and Country with matters of Discourse which fell out to be as followeth I had long made use of two Booksellers Mr. Tyton and Mr. Simmons the former lived in London and the later in Kiderminster But the latter removing to London they envyed each other in a meer desire of gain one thinking that the other got more than he was willing should go besides himself Mr. Tyton first refused an equal Co-partnership with the other Whereupon it fell to the others share to Print my Life of Faith and Cure of Church Divisions after my Directions to weak Christians together Which occasioned Mr. Tyton to tell several that came to his Shop that the Book as he heard was against private Meetings at least at the time of Publick and made those Schimaticks that used them Mr. Simmons met with a credible Citizen that gave it him under his Hand that Mr. Tyton said that he might have had the Printing of the Book but would not because it spake against those things which he had seen me Practise c. which were all gross Untruths for the Book was never offered him nor had he never seen a word of it or ever spoken with any one that had seen it and told him what was in it Mr. Tyton being a Member of an Independent Church this sort of People the eaâ—ilier believed this and so it was carried among them from one to one first that I wrote against private Meetings and then that I accused them all of Schism and then that I wrote for Conformity and lastly that I conformed so that before a Line of my Book was known this was grown the common Fame of the City and thence of all the Land and sent as certain into Scotland and Ireland yea they named the Text that I preached my Recantation Sermon on before the King as stirring him up to Cruelty against the Nonconformists So common was the Sin of Back-biting and Slandering among the Separating Party so it were but done at the second hand and they that thought themselves too good to joyn with the Conformists or use their Liturgy or Communion yet never stuck at the common carrying of all these Falshoods because they could say a good Man told it me So that Thousands made no bones of this that would not have defiled themselves with a Ceremony or an imposed Form of Prayer by any means Yea the Streets rang with Reproaches against me for it without any more proof Some said that I took part with the Enemies of Godliness and countenanced their Church-Tyranny and some said that I sought to reconcile my self to them for fear of further Suffering And thus the Christians that were most tenderly afraid of the Liturgy and Ceremonies were so little tender of receiving and vending the most disingenuous Falshoods as if they had been no matter of Scruple So easie is a sinful Zeal and so hardly is true Christian Zeal maintained § 150. At the same time there fell out a Case which tended to promote the Calumny The old Reading Vicar of Kiderminster dyed about the Day of the Date of the Act against Conventicles Sir Ralph Clare his chief Friend and my Applauder but Remover being dead a little before the old Patron Collonel Iohn Bridges Sold the Patronage to Mr. Thomas Foley with a condition that he should present me next if I were capable which he promised as also that he would Present no other but by my consent Because I had done so much before to have continued in that place and had desired to Preach there but as a Curate under the Reading Vicar when I resused a Bishoprick and the Vicaridge was now come to be worth 200 l. per Ann. and this falling void at the same time when the Independents had filled the Land with the Report that I was Writing against them for Conformity hereupon the Bishops
while the aspiring sort of Conformists that looked for Preferment and the Chaplains that lived in fullness and other Malignant Factious Clergymen did Write and Preach to stir up King Parliament and others to Violence and Cruelty against the Liberty and blood of the Nonconformists who lived quietly by them in Labour and Poverty and medled not with them besides their necessary Dissent Some railed at them as the most intolerable Villains in the World espeically S. Parker jocularly confuted and detected by Mr. Marvel a Parliament Man and one Hickeringhill and others came near him in their malignity And Papists taking the advantage set in and did the like One Wrote a Sober Enquiry of the Reasons why the Nonconformable Ministers were still so valued by the People which was their grievous vexation And pretended many Causes I know not whether more malignantly or foolishly which none could believe but Strangers and those that were blinded by the Faction Malignity or False Reports One Dr. Asheton Chaplain to the Duke of Ormond Wrote a Book 1. To perswade those to Subscribe who held it lawful and forbore it only for fear of offending others falsly insinuating that this was the Nonconformists Case when I never knew one Man such among them all to this day 2. To stir up Rulers to Violence to Ruine us perswading them that it is no Persecution And the Man was not afraid to profess to the World That as he was going to meet us at the Bar of God the Reason why so many Subscribed not was Reputation and Interest Pride and Covetousness And that he might not seem Stark Mad with Malice in charging Men with Covetousness that I lost all and lived so poorly upon the Charity of others mostly poor themselves he giveth you 2 proofs of their covetousness 1. That by Non-conformity they got Living for their conformable Sons 2. That they lost notheng by their Non-conformity as Bishop Gunning also vehemently told me words which tell the world that History is no more credible to Posterity than either the Concent of all Parties or the notoreity of fact or the honesty of the Writer can make it so by being known as it's evidence Words which tell you that it 's hard to devise words so false and impudent beseeming the Devil himself were the speaker which Carnal Clergy-men may not be drawn with great confidence to utter For 1. of the 1000 or 2000. Ministers that were Silenced I have not yet heard of thirty in all nor of twenty or twelve yet living that have Conformable Sons in the Ministry And of those I know not of one that Conformed by his father's consent And why should not the father's Conformity be the liker to help his son to a Living than his Non-conformity when the far greatest part of the Presenters of Patrons are Conformists And would not covetousness rather make both father and son Conform that both might have Livings than the son alone And do a thousand or 1600 Ministers that have no Conformable sons in the Ministry refuse Conformity that 20 or 40 of other Minister's sons may have Livings Did I not consider that among Strangers and Malignants any thing may be believed that is bad I should think the Devil a fool for playing his game so unskilfully 2. And that they lose nothing by losing all their Church maintenance now above eleven years together is a thing hardly to be believed by their poor families or neighbours who know that many go in rags and want bread and even in London more than one have lately died of Colds and Diseases contracted by poverty and want of the necessary Comforts of Life And it is a wonder of God's mercy and the honour of charitable People especially in London that it is not so with a very great number of them § 260. This Malignity inviteth me once more to recite my own case I have lost not only the Bishoprick which they offered me by Non-conformity but all Ministerial maintenance these eleven years now near 24. years in 1684. I have these eleven years Preached for nothing I know not to my remembrance that I have received a groat as for Preaching these eleven years but what I have returned unless I may call about the sum of ten pounds which some persons gave me on particular occasions and 35 lb. which three gave gave me in the Jail to defray my Prison-charges by that name or ten pounds per Ann. which Sergeant Fountain gave me till he dyed to whom I never Preached nor was it on that account only four pounds I received for Preaching the Merchant's Lecture and 6 lb. more was offered me as my due and some offered me somewhat after a year's Preaching at Mr. Turner's Church but I sent it every penny back to them and resolved while it is as it is to take no money for my Preaching 1. Because I preach but in other men's Churches to people that maintain other Ministers already 2. Because I want not but have to give when multitudes are in great necessity 3. Because I will be under no temptation by dependence or obligation which may hinder me from dealing plainly with Dissenters and Offenders 4. Because I perceive that when men's purses are sought to it tempteth many to question whether we sincerely seek the good of their Souls On all which Accounts not I think from proud disdain I have so long refused money for preaching And whereas they say how much I receive for my printed books I again at this year 1674. profess that having printed about 70. Books no one Lord Knight or any person to whom as it 's called any of them were Dedicated or inscribed ever offered me a groat save the City of Coventry and the Lady â—ous each a piece of Plate of about 4 lb. value And whereas the fifeenth Book printed is my due from the Bookseller which I use for almost all of them to give my friends which amounteth to many thousands I remember not that every one person noble or ignoble offered me one groat to this day for any book I gave them And I mention all this because I am not capable of confuting the malicious calumniators by distant instances so well as by my own case But yet that the Readers may partly conjecture at the case of many of my Brethren by my own who yet never received a groat from my Inheritance or Patrimony my poor kindred having much more than all Were not malice impudent these Apologies were needless for men that the world seeth are turned out of all Yea we our selves pay constantly to the maintenance of the Conformable Ministers though we have no part our selves And I can truly say that I have offered money to my old acquaintance who live silenced in a very poor and hard condition who have stiffly refused it because they thought it unlawful while they had Bread and Drink to take money while many of their Brethren were in greater need And at the same time
Dr. Tillotson to offer him my Chappel in Oxenden-Street for Publick Worship which he accepted to my great Satisfaction and now there is constant Preaching there Be it by Conformists or Nonconformists I rejoice that Christ is Preached to the people in that Parish whom ten or twenty such Chapels cannot hold § 8. About March 1677. fell out a trifling business which I will mention lest the fable pass for truth when I am dead At a Coffee-House in Fuller's Rents where many Papists and Protestants used to meet together one Mr. Dyet Son to old Sir Richard Dyet Chief Justice in the North and Brother to a deceased dear Friend of mine the some-time Wife of my old dear friend Colonel Sylvanus Tailor one that profest himself no Papist but was their Familiar said openly That I had killed a Man with my own hand in cold blood that it was a Tinker at my door that because he beat his Kettle and disturbed me in my Studies I went down and Pistol'd him One Mr. Peters occasioned this wrath by oft challenging in vain the Papists to dispute with me or answer my Books against them Mr. Peters told Mr. Dyet That this was so shameless a slander that he should answer it Mr. Dyet told him That a hundred Witnesses would testifie that it was true and I was tryed for my Life at Worcester for it To be short Mr. Peters ceased not till he brought Mr. Dyet to come to my Chamber and confest his fault and ask me forgiveness and with him came one Mr. Tasbrook an emiment sober prudent Papist I told him that these usages to such as I and far worse were so ordinary and I had long suffered so much more than words that it must be no difficulty to me to forgive them to any man but especially to one whose Relations had been my dearest Friends and he was one of the first Gentlemen that ever shewed so much ingenuity as so to confess and ask forgiveness he told me He would hereafter confess and un-say it and Vindicate me as openly as he had wronged me I told him to excuse him that perhaps he had that Story from his late Pastor at St. Giles's Dr. Boreman who had Printed it that such a thing was Reported but I never heard before the particulars of the Fable Shortly after at the same Coffee-house Mr. Dyet openly confess'd his Fault and an Ancient Lawyer one Mr. Giffard a Papist Son to old Dr. Giffard the Papist Physician as is said and Brother to the Lady Abergaveny was Angry at it and made Mr. Dyet a weak Man that would make such a Confession Mr. Peters answered him Sir Would you have a Gentleman so disingenuous as not to right one that he hath so wronged Mr. Giffard answered That the thing was True and he would prove it by an Hundred Witnesses Mr. Peters offered him a great Wager that he would never prove it by any but urging him hard he refused the Wager He next offered that they would lay down but five Guinea's to be laid on 't on an Entertainment there by him that lost the Wager He refused that also Whereupon Mr. Peters told him He would cause my friends if I would not my self to call him to justifie it in Westminster-Hall referring the Judgment of Equity to the Company The Papist Gentlemen that were present it 's like considering that the Calumny when opened publickly would be a Slur upon their Party Voted That if Mr. Giffard would not confess his Fault they would disown him out of their Company and so he was constrained to yield but would not come to my Chamber to confess it to me Mr. Peters moderated the business and it was agreed that he should do it there He would do it only before his own Party Mr. Peters said Not so for they might hereafter deny it So it was agreed That also before Mr. Peters and Captain Edmund Hambden he should confess his Fault and ask forgiveness which he did § 9. Near this time my Book called A Key for Catholicks was to be Reprinted In the Preface to the first Impression I had mentioned with Praise the Earl of Lauderdale as then Prisoner by Cromwell in Windsor-Castle from whom I had many Pious and Learned Letters and where he had so much Read over all my Books that he remembred them better as I thought than I did my self Had I now left out that mention of him it would have seem'd an Injurious Recantation of my kindness and to mention him now a Duke as then a Prisoner was unmeet The King used him as his special Counsellour and Favourite The Parliament had set themselves against him He still professed great kindness to me and I had reason to believe it was without dissembling 1. Because he was accounted by all to be rather a too rough Adversary than a Flatteter of one so low as I. 2. Because he spake the same for me behind my back that he did to my face And I had then a New Piece against Transubstantiation to add to my Book which being desirous it should be Read I thought best to joyn it with the other and prefix before both an Epistle to the Duke in which I said not a word of him but Truth And I did it the rather that his Name might draw some Great Ones to Read at least that Epistle if not the short Additional Tractate in which I thought I said enough to open the Shame of Popery But the Indignation that Men had against the Duke made some blame me as keeping up the Reputation of one whom Multitudes thought very ill of Whereas â—owned none of his Faults and did nothing that I could well avoid for the aforesaid Reasons Long after this he professed his Kindness to me and told me I should never want while he was able and humbly intreated me to accept Twenty Guinea's from him which I did § 10. After this one Mr. Hutchinson another of the Disputants with Dr. Stillingfleet and Mr. Wray's Friend one that had revolted to Popery in Cambridge long ago having pious Parents and Relations Wrote two Books for Popery one for Transubstantiation and another in which he made the Church of England Conformists to be Men of no Conscience or Religion but that all Seriousness and Conscience was in the Papist and Puritan and sought to flatter the Puritans as he call'd them into kindness to the Papists as united in Conscience which others had not I Answered these Books and after fell acquainted with Mr. Hutchinson but could never get Reply from him or Dispute § 11. Two old Friends that I had a hand heretofore in turning from Anabaptistry and Separation Mr. Tho. Lamb and William Allen that followed Iohn Goodwin and after became Pastors of an Anabiptist Church though but Tradesmen fell on Writing against Separation more strongly than any of the Conformable Clergy But in Sense of their old Errour run now into the other Extreme especially Mr. Lamb and Wrote against our gathering
Mother the old Lady 〈◊〉 died at my Father's House between Eighty and One Hundred years old And my Mother-in-Law died at Ninety six of a Cancer in 〈…〉 having lived from her youth in the greatest Mortification 〈◊〉 to her Body and 〈…〉 of Prayer and all Devotion of any one that ever I knew In the hatred of all sin strictness of Universal obedience and for Thirty years longing to be with Christ In constant daily acquired infirmity of body got by avoiding all Exercise and long secret prayer in the coldest Seasons and such like but of a constitution naturally strong afraid of recovering when ever she was ill For some days before her death she was so taken with the Ninty first Psalm that she would get those that came near her to read it to her over and over which Psalm also was a great means of Comfort to Old Beza even against his Death § 68. Soon after dyed Iane Matthews aged Seventy six My House-keeper fourteen years though mean of quality very eminent in Kiderminster and the parts about for Wisdom Piety and a holy Sober Righteous Exemplary Life And many of my Old Hearers and Flock at Kiderminster dyed not long before Among whom a mean Freeholder Iames Butcher of Wanmerton hath left few equal to him for all that seemeth to approach perfection in a plain Man O how many holy Souls are gone to Christ out of that one Parish of Kiderminster in a few years and yet the Number seemeth to increase § 69. The Book which I published called The Poor Man's Family Book was so well accepted that I found it a useful work of Charity to give many of them with the Call to the Vnconverted abroad in many Countries where neither I nor such others had leave to Preach and many Hundreds since with good success § 70. The times were so bad for selling Books that I was fain to be my self at the charge of Printing my Methodus Theologiae some friends contributed about Eighty pounds towards it It cost me one way or other about Five hundred pounds About Two hundred and fifty pounds I received from those Non-conformists that bought them The Contrary party set themselves to hinder the sale of it because it was mine tho' else the Doctrine of it being half Philosophical and half Conciliatory would have pleased the Learned part of them But most lay it by as too hard for them as over Scholastical and exact I wrote it and my English Christian Directory to make up one Compleat Body of Theology The Latin one the Theory and the English one the Practical part And the latter is commonly accepted because less difficult § 71. My short piece against Popery called The Certainty of Christianity without Popery proved of use against Infidels as well as Papists But most deceived men will not be at the labour to study any thing that is distinct and exact but take up with the first appearances of things § 72. The Miserable State of Youngmen in London was a great trouble to my mind Especially Rich men's Sons and Servants Merchants and Lawyers Apprentices and Clarks carried away by the flesh to drinking Gluttony Plays Gaming Whoring Robbing their Masters c. I wrote therefore a smal Tractate for such called Compassionate Counsel to Young men Sir Robert Atkins contributed towards the charge of Printing it and I gave of them in City and Country One thousand five hundred besides what the Bookseller sold But few will read it that most need § 73. About this time dyed my dear friend Mr. Thomas Gouge of whose Life you may see a little in Mr. Clark's last book of Lives A wonder of sincere industrie in works of Charity It would make a Volume to recite at large the Charity he used to his poor Parishioners at Sepulchres before he was Ejected and Silenced for Non-conformity His Conjunction with Alderman Ashurst and some such others in a weekly Meeting to take account of the honest poor samilles in the City that were in great want he being the Treasures and Visiter his voluntary Catechizing the Christ's Church boyes when he might not preach The many thousand Bibles Printed in Welsh that he dispersed in Wales The Practice of Piety The Whole Duty of Man My Call and many thousands of his own Writing given freely all over Wales his setting up about Three hundred or Four hundred Schools in Wales to teach Children only to read and the Catechise his industry to beg money for all this besides most of his own Estate laid out on it His Travels over Wales once or twice a year to visite his Schools and see to the Execution This was true Episcopacy of a silenced Minister who yet went constantly to the Parish Churches and was authorized by an old University License to Preach occasionally and yet for so doing was Excommunicate even in Wales while he was doing all this good He served God thus to a healthful age Seventy four or seventy six I never saw him sad but always chearful About a fort-night before he dyed he told me that sometime in the night some small trouble came to his heart he knew not what And without sickness or pain or fear of death they heard him in his sleep give a groan and he was dead O how holy and blessed a Life and how easie a Death § 74. Finding the Success of my Family Dialogue I wrote a second part 1681 and 1682 called The Catechising of Housholds teaching Housholders how to instruct their Families Expounding First the Law of Nature Secondly The Evidence of the Gospel Thirdly the Creed Fourthly the Lord's Prayer Fifthly the Commandments Sixthly the Ministry Seventhly Baptism Eighthly the Lord's Supper It is suited to those that are Past the common little Catechism And I think these two Family-books to be of the greatest Common use of any that I have published If Houshoulders would but do their parts in reading good books to their Houshoulds it might be a great Supply where the Ministry is defective and no Ministry will serve sufficiently without Men's own Endeavours for themselves and families § 75. Having been for retirement in the Countrey from Iuly till August 14. 1682 returning in great weakness I was able only to Preach twice of which the last was in my usual Lecture in New-street and it fell out to be August 24. just that day twenty year that I and near Two thousand more had been by Law forbidden to Preach any more I was sensible of God's wonderful mercy that had kept so many of us Twenty years in so much Liberty and Peace while so many severe Laws were in force against us and so great a number were round about us who wanted neither malice nor power to afflict us And so I took that day my leave of the Pulpit and publick Work in a thankful Congregation And it is like indeed to be my last § 76. But after this when I had ceased Preaching I was being newly risen from Extremity of
enjoy what Success is such a Dispute like to have either with the People or with the Adversary will they not tell us our Church is invisible especially when these few Bishops are dead Except to Sect. 6. 2. Whether in this Worcestershire Association whosoever will enter into it doth not therein oblige himself to acknowledge that Presbyters while there remain alive fourteen or thirteen or twelve Catholick Protestant Bishops may proceed to publick Excommunications and Absolutions in foro Ecclesiastico without asking those Bishops Consent allowance or taking any notice of them See Resolution 12 13 14 15. and the Scope of the whole Book Reply to Sect. 6. To your second Question I answer The Term Excommunication we use not This Term is used to signify sometimes a delivering up to Satan and casting out of the Catholick Church sometimes only a Ministerial Declaration that such a Person should be avoided by the People acquainting them with their Duty and requiring them to perform it sometimes it signifies the Peoples actual Avoidance In the former Sense we have let it alone and that which you call your Excommunicatio Major we meddle not with much less do we usurp a compelling Power for the Execution The other we know to be consistent with the Principles of Episcopal Protestants if not also with Papists yea even when there is a Bishop resident in the Diocess it being but part of our teaching and guiding Office as Presbyters of that Congregation but I have said enough of this in my Explications already 2. But what if there be twelve latent Bishops in England when for my part I I hear not of above two or three have they Power not only to ordain but also to govern other Diocesses which have no Bishops Yea must they needs govern them 1. Woe then to the Churches of England that must live under such Guilt devoid of all Government 2. Woe to the Sinners themselves that must be left without Christ's Remedy 3. Woe to particular Christians that must live in the continual Breach of God's known Law that saith with such go not to eat c. for want of a Bishop to Execute it 4. Woe to the few Bishops that be for it all the Authority be in them then the Duty and Charge of executing it is only on them and then they are bound to Impossibilities one Bishop must Excommunicate all the Offenders in a great part of the Land when he is not sufficient to the hundredth part of the Work Then when all the Bishops in England are dead save one or two they are the sole Pastors of England and all Discipline must be cast away for want of their Sufficiency Then it seems the Death of one Bishop or two or three doth actually devolve their Charge to another and who knoweth which other This is new Canon Not only Protestant Bishops but some Papists confess that when a Bishop is dead the Government remains in the Presbyters till another be chosen sure they that govern the People at least with him whilst he is living as is confessed need not look on it as an alien supereminent transcendent Work when he is dead Bishop Bromhall against Mil. p. 127. gives People a Judgment of Discretion and Pastors a Judgment of Direction and to the chief Pastors a Judgment of Jurisdiction You may go well allow us by a Judgment of Direction to tell the People that they should avoid Communion with an open wicked Man even while a Bishop is over us Selden de Syne c. 8 9 10. and will tell you another Tale of the way of Antiquity in Excommunication and Absolution than you do hear But of this enough in the Books Except to Sect. 7. 3. Doth not he oblige himself also to acknowledge that not only Presbyters incommuni governing but one single one of them may proceed to Excommunicatiand Absolution in foro Ecclesiastico Reply to Sect. 7. Your third Question I answer by a Denial There is no such Obligation The Declaration of the Peoples Duty to avoid such an one is by one so is every Sermon so is your Episcopal Excommunication Doth not one and that a Presbyter declare or publish it But for advising and determining of it we have tyed our selves not to do it alone though for mine own private Opinion I doubt not easily to prove that one single Bishop or Pastor hath the Power of the Keys and may do all that we agree to do Except to Sect. 8. 4. That not only one single Presbyter but one whose Ordination was never by any Bishop to be Presbyter where also Bishops were that might have been sought unto hath that Power also of Excommunication c. Reply to Sect. 8. Your fourth is answered in the rest if his Ordination have only in the Judgment of Episcopal Protestants yea of some Papists an Irregularity but not a Nullity then he hath Power to do so much as we agree on Your Exception is as much against his other Ministrations Except to Sect. 9. I speak only of the Essence of their Association not insisting on what Mr. Baxter declares to the World that in some Cases the People not satisfied with the Bishops or Presbyters Ordination may accept or take a Man of themselves without any Ordination by Bishops or Presbyters to be their Pastor and Presbyter with Power of Excommunication and Absolution in himself alone without the People see p. 83. Reply to Sect. 9. That this may be done in some Cases I have lately disputed it with a learned Man of your Party and convinced him And methinks Nature should teach you if you were unordained but qualified by Gifts cast among the Indians that you should not let them perish for want of that publick constant teaching which is Ministerial or of Sacraments and Discipline only for want of Ordination that the Substance of Duty should not be thrown by for want of that Order which was instituted for its Preservation and not for its Destruction You dare scarce openly and plainly deny that Necessity warrants the Presbyters of the Reformed Churches to ordain And I doubt you allow it them then on no other grounds then what would warrant this that I am now pleading for Except to Sect. 10. And for any Votum or desire of Bishops Protest Bishops if they might have them or access unto them which was so oft the publick avowed Desire of the chiefest Reformers and Protestants beyond Sea much unlike the Spirit of our Presbyterians see what Mr. Baxter gives us to know p. 85. where comparing our present Bishops with a Leader in an Army he faith Nay it is hard trusting that Man again that hath betrayed us and the Church ibid. These have so apparently falsified their Trust that if we were fully resolved for Bishops yet we cannot submit to them for Ordination or Jurisdiction and then he proves it by Canon he thinks that the Presbyters now should not submit to the present Bishops by Canon Concilii Rbegien ut
Reasons of it 2. And what we desired as better Mr. Calamy and others said This was plainly to deny the Conference which we were commissioned for and they would there have broke off had it not been for me who requested them rather to yield and undertake it than give them occasion to charge us with Tergiversation and Refusal of any lawful thing though I easily saw that the Motioner thought thereby to break us as disagreeing when we came to perform the Undertaking While others drew up their Exceptions against the Liturgy they appointed me to draw up the Additional Forms But remembring the Bishops Words What we desired instead I drew up a Liturgy It must needs be very imperfect being done in necessary haste in Eight Days Dr. Reignolds only thought that we should be blamed for offering a whole Liturgy instead of Additional Forms I told him 1. It was but to be added to the old if reformed 2. And they might cut off all that they thought superfluous upon debates even all that the Bishops should except justly against for we did but offer it to them professing we were ready to alter any thing upon their Reasons Hereupon Dr. Reignolds yielded and it was oft read over among us only the Prayer for the King being thought too long Dr. Wallis was appointed to draw up a shorter which he did all the rest standing as I wrote it It was agreed to without one dissenting Vote nor had we one Objection sent us in by any other I was appointed at a meeting with the Bishops at the Savoy at once to deliver them them this Liturgy A Reply to their Answer to our Exceptions and A Petition for Peace and Concord all which they had appointed me to draw up and had examined and consented to We waited for an Answer to all and never had an Answer to any one of them but they kept them and said nothing of them I was especially desirous to have heard their Exceptions against our Liturgy when they thought we would have disagreed among our selves and urged some of them to it and could never get a Word of Answer or Exception which made me wonder as well knowing 1. How very willing some were to have found it faulty 2. And how hard it is in necessitated haste to write such a thing that shall not be liable to many Exceptions Yea when Roger L'Strange after wrote against us he saith little at all against the Liturgy save that we left Men at too much Liberty to which we then said That imposing and restraining was not our work but the Bishops who we supposed upon Debate would have too much done it Now if this full Concord and no Answer or Exceptions from them that extorted this Work from us be agreeable to the Report you make or if you have dealt here like a Minister of Truth I pray you help me to discern it The Book with the rest was printed long ago most of them by some poor Scriviners that being used in transcribing had got a Copy and did it for Gain II. Another Passage is P. 293. No sinful Act being required to make ministerial Conformity unlawful which if there had been they or some others would and ought to have discovered it and then I doubt not it would by Authority have been taken away but that being not done Here I desire you to satisfy me in a few things 1. When even our Publick Reply and foresaid Petition against the old Conformity were never answered to this Day is it ingenuous to take this for a Consutation barely thus to say it is not done should I say it was never yet discovered that Episcopacy is lawful would you not have called me as long as Saravia Bilson Hooker c. are unanswered 2. Do you not know what abundance of old have thought they discovered the sinfulness of Conformity Bradshaw Nicolas Ames Parker Iacob Cartwright c. and what Aloundel Salmasius Gersom Bucer Didoclave c. have written against Prelacy and some of late against our Conformity Cawdry Hickman and others yet unanswered And is this your dry Denyal a rational Confutation 3. Would not your Words make the ignorant believe that we have the Liberty of the Press and may do it if we will and do not the Act of Parliament and the severe Searches of the Press and the Printers Refusal shew how false such an Intimation is It may be some small Pamphlet may with much a do creep out but so cannot any thing that is full and satisfactory Our Cause is a meer Stranger to our Accusers it seems even to such as you because we cannot have leave to print it A few have heretofore when the watch was less strict got somewhat out to little purpose Mr. Hickman's was beyond Sea But nothing that may make us well understood And is it fit work for a Minister to blame Men thus Publickly for not doing Impossibilities 4. It must be supposed that you know these things 1. That the Law forbids us to deprave or speak against the Liturgy upon grievous Penalties 2. That the Canon excommunicateth us ipso facto that is sine Sententia Iudicis if we do but say that there is any thing that a Man may not with a good Conscience conform to 3. And that our present Governors are against it 4. And that for doing it we are sure by Conformists to be called disobedient to Authority and Seditious 5. And that we are so accused by you commonly for Preaching when forbidden which is as much our vowed Duty sure as Writing And do you now tell us that we ought to discover it if there be any sinful Act Commanded Will you warrant us against the Charge of Disobedience or do you drive us on that which if we do you know we are already judged to excommunicated Jailes and Ruine We have long beg'd of Parliament men that we might but once have leave to speak for our selves which we never yet had as to the new Conformity to this Day and yet we might petition for such leave and they tell us these Fifteen Years almost there is no hope it will but ruine you I have offered two of the most eminent Bishops to beg it of them or any on my Knees that we might but once publish the Case and Reasons of our dissent And is it not enough to be Fifteen or Sixteen Years ejected silenced scorned accused as unworthy to be endured and to be silently Patient and never answer for our selves nor have the common Justice of being heard but we must have the additional Abuse to be told that we ought to do it Yea many of the Conformists O with what a Face have published to the World that we take not the things which we refuse for Sins or daâ—e not say so of them when even the far easyer Conformity 1660. We did by Word and Writing declare to be sinful and in our Petâ—â—ion for Peace Printed protested that did we not take it to
or the Law and Canon Answ. It is an hard Task to a Minister of Christ either so to practice or so to speak as shall seem to accuse his Rulers and the Laws but when the saving of our own or other Mens Souls requireth it there is no remedy Our own silence if we ceased Preaching and our practice contrary to the Law in Preaching or Praying which is forbidden do against our wills unavoidably intimate that we suppose great sins to be commanded us And whether we preach or be silent while we Subscribe not Declare not Covenant not and Swear not and Practice not all that is required of us this cannot be hid Though our cautelousness and fear of accusing our Governours or the Conforming Ministers have given some Men occasion to affirm That we take not Conformity for a sin or that no considerable persons among us dare say so we spare the Authors whose published Names are dishonoured by themselves when prefixed to such words as he that will but read our Petition for Peace and our Reply unanswered delivered to the commissioned Bishops 1660. will say did ill beseem a Doctor a Preacher a Christian or a Man We profess from the first to this day that it is a great sin in us to forbear our Ministry or to exercise it in a forbidden manner especially when such doleful Divisions and Calamities follow it if it be not sin that is required of us and if it be not many and heinous sins our peace in suffering will have some less reason to that than we have thought it had Therefore being urged I cannot in Conscience deny a plain Answer to this Question But I despair of satisfying those Men that must have that which Augustine said he hated viz. A short Answer to a long and hard Question and that cannot away with distinction when distinct matters must be spoken to Let such Readers cast this Answer aside as being not suited to their Wits and Dispositions 1. We must distinguish between an Infant or Child in the Parents Family and one that is at Age or gone out of the Family 2. Between a thing that is either Duty or Sin or Indifferent in it self by the Law of God and Mens thinking it to be so or not so 3. And particularly between a Minister justly silenced and People justly prohibited to meet and those that are unjustly silenced and forbidden 4. Between the Prohibition or Command of the Civil Magistrate and of the Bishops 5. Between the Command of Laws or Parents to hear such and such Ministers and their Prohibition not to hear others nor joyn in such Assemblies 6. Between an Act of Formal Obedience to a Command and an Act of Prudence moved by the good or hurt that will follow 7. Between guilt of Divine Revenge and guilt of Humane Punishment I make use of all these distinctions in resolving your Doubt by 〈◊〉 following Propositions I. There is no Power but of God and none above God nor agâ—â—â—â—â— or any of his Laws All Laws are null to Conscience as being no Acts of true Authority thereto that are against the Laws of God in Nature or Scripâ—â—â—e II. Though only Rulers be Judges publickly to decide Controversiâ—â— and punish Offenders every rational Man must judge discerningly of his Duty what God's Law and Man's require else we were not governed as Men but 〈…〉 nor were accountable for our Actions to God any further than whether we obeyed Men And else all under Heathens Mahometans Papists Heretiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 be of the Kings Religion And then if the King and a Usurper strive for the Crown we must not be Judges whose part we must take All which are intolerable Consequents III. Every true Minister of Christ is in his Ordination devoted and consecrated to that Sacred Office during Ability and Life And it is from the Law of Christ that their Authority immediately ariseth as the Lord Mayor's from the King's Charter though Men elect and the Ordainers invest them in it by delivery And as he that crowneth the King cannot depose him or he that marrieth Persons cannot unmarry them no more can any depose a Pastor and dissolve his Obligations to his Office but in case of such Crimes as God's Law deposeth him for and enableth them to do it Of which Bishop Bilson of Obedience speaketh soundly too large to be here recited IV. For a Minister of Christ to forsake his Calling or Work while his Vow and the true â—â—cessity of Souls continue his Obligation and this meerly because he is unjustly forbidden by Man is to be odiously persidious and sacrilegious and a Deserter of his great Lord and Master's Work and a Murderer of the Souls which he neglecteth as verily as Parents murder their Children whom they give not food to And no Murderer hath Eternal Life were it but of the Body or Temporal Life such being as Cain of him that was a Murderer from the beginning and contrary to Christ who came to seek and save the lost V. The unjust forbidding Christ's Ministers to preach his Gospel is a sin so exceeding heinous as that no Christian should either concur in the Guilt or be so scandalous as to seem to do it Had I lived in Germany when many hundred Ministers were ejected and thereby the Churches cast into division and confusion and Protestant Preachers turned against each other about the Form or Book called the Interim while Melanchthon and some good Men partly conformed to save the Churches from ruine and Illyricus and more were Nonconformists I would not for all the Riches of the World appear before God in the Guilt of those three Men that did Compile that Book Iulius Pâ—â—ug Sidonius and Islebius Agricola or of those that for it silenced or banished Christs's Ministers 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine 1. Thess. 2. 15 16. Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins always for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost When they persecute you in one City flee to another Shake off the dust of your feet against them It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgment than for that City Matth 10. 14 15. and 23. 22. VI. God hath set up more Governments in the World than one and each hath its proper works and bounds and one may not destroy the other There is private Self-Government Family-Government Church-Government and Civil-Government each have their proper Ends also though all have one common End the pleasing of God The King in his manner and measure and to his Ends the Publick Good is
Cause against those ravening Wolves and strengthen all thy Servants whom they keep in Prison and Bondage Let not thy Long suffering be an occasion to increase their Tyranny or to discourage thy Children c. The Homilies have many Passages liable to hard Interpretations The use of none of these is Sedition XXIV From 1650. to 1660. I had Controversies by Manuscript with some great Doctors that took up with Dr. Hammond's and Petavius's new singular way of Pleading for Episcopacy which utterly betrayed it They held that in Scripture time all called Presbyters were Diocesan Bishops and that there was no such thing as our Subject Presbyters and yet that every Congregation had a Diocesan Bishop and that it was no Church that had not such a Bishop and that there are no more Churches than there are such Bishops And so when Diocesses were enlarged as ours the Parishes were no Churches for no Bishop had more than one And that Subject Presbyters are since made and are but Curates that have no more power than the Bishop pleaseth to give them Dr. Hammond in his Vindication saith That as far as he knoweth all that owned the same Cause with him against the Presbyterians were come to be of his mind herein And we know not of four Bishops then in England And the Et caetera Oath and Canons of 1640. and the Writers that nullified the Reformed Churches Ordination and Ministry and pleaded for a Forreign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and for our Re-ordination all looking the same way I thought they knew the Judgment of the few remaining Bishops better than I did and sometime called it The Iudgment of the present Church here that is of these Church-men and the English Diocesans but proved that the Laws and Doctrine still owned as the Churches was contrary to them and took the Parishes for true Churches and the Incumbents true Pastors and the Diocesans to be over many Churches and not one alone whereas the Men that I gainsayed overthrew the whole Sacred Ministry among us and all our Churches as of Divine Institution for our Presbyters they say were not in Scripture times Our Parishes are no Churches for want of Bishops our Diocesans are no Successors of such Apostolick Men as were over many Churches ours having but one And they are not like those that they call the Scripture Diocesans for they say these Doctors had but single Assemblies These Men I confuted in my Treatise of Episcopacy and other Books But the Scribe or Printer omitting my Direction to put still The fore-described Prelacy and Church instead of The English Prelacy and Church I was put to number it with the Errata and give the Reader notice of it in the Preface and Title Page and have since vindicated the Church of England hereform XXV I hear the angry Protestant Recusants say It is just with God that he that hath done more than all others to draw Men to the Parish-Churches and hath these Thirty years been Reconciling us to the Papists in Doctrinals and is now called Bellarminus junior for his Arguments for Liturgies and Forms and in his Paraphrase hath so largely and earnestly pleaded for Charity to Papists as not Babylonish or Antichristian should be the first that should suffer by them and that for this very Book that so extraordinarily doth serve their Interest To which I say take heed of mis-expounding Providence that Errour hath cost England dear If I be put to doath by them I shall not repent of any of those Conciliatory Doctrines and Endeavours I have reviewed my Writings and am greatly satisfied that I suffer not for running into either Extream nor for any false Doctrine Rebellion Treason or gross Sin but that I have spent my Labour and Life against both Persecuting and causeless Separating And that I shall leave my Testimony against both to Posterity and for what could I more comfortably suffer It is by decrying their Persecution and Cruelty that I have angred the hurtful Papists and by confuting their gross undoubted Crimes more effectually than you do by the Name of Antichrist Babylon and the Whore And if their Cruelty on me should prove my Charge against them true I shall not be guilty of it Nor will their Sin abrogate God's great Law of Love even to Enemies and if it be possible as much as in you lyeth live peaceably with all men follow peace with all men blessed are the peace-makers c. The disorderly tumultuous Cries and Petitions of such ignorant Zealots for Extreams under the Name of Reformation and crying down all moderate Motions about Episcopacy and Liturgies and rushing fiercely into a War and young Lads and Apprentices and their like pricking forward Parliament Men had so great a part in our Sin and Misery from 1641. till 1660. as I must give warning to Posterity to avoid the like and love Moderation I repent that I no more discouraged ignorant Rashness in 1662. and 1663. but I repent not of any of my Motions for Peace XXVI I am sure that my Writings besides Humane Imperfection have no guilt of what they are accused unless other Men put their sense on my words and call it mine and say I meant the Rulers when I spake of Popish Interdicts Silencings and Persecutions And by that measure no Minister must speak against any Sin till he be sure that the Rulers are neither guilty nor defamed of it lest he be thought to mean them and so our Office is at an end If the Text and the general Corruption of the World lead me to speak against Fornication Perjury Calumny Lying Murder Cruelty or any Vice must I tell Men whom I mean by Name I mean all in the World that are guilty And why must my meaning be any more confined when I with the Text speak against Persecution and unjust Silencing the faithful Ministers of Christ while I say that Rulers may justly Silence all that forfeit their Commission and do more hurt than good XXVII Can any Man that hath read Church-History Fathers and Councils be ignorant how dolefully Satan hath corrupted and torn the Church by the Ambition and Tyranny of many Popes Patriarchs and Metropolitans while the humble fort of Bishops and Pastors have kept up the Life and Power of Christianity Or can any Man that maketh not Christ and his Church a meer Servant to Worldly Interest think that this should not by all true Christians be lamented Let such read Nazianzen's sad Description of the Bishops of his time in striving for the highest Seats and his wish that they were equal And the same wish of Isidore Pelusiota and the sharp Reproof hereof by Chrysostom Great Grotius expoundeth Matth. 24. 29. of the Powers of Heaven shaken thus It is the Christian Laity who after the Apostles times began to be marvellously shaken by the Tyranny of the Prelates who loved Pre-eminence and to Lord it oyer the Clergy by rash Excommunications and a daily increase of Schisms He that will