Prayer perhaps used by the Preacher in the Pulpit of his own composure before he begins his Sermon Go into another Congregation and Prayer is perform'd without either sort of form and perhaps the difference in this is not so great It may be the Conformist uses no preconceived form of his own and the Non-conformist may Both instruct the people out of the same holy book of Gods word But now suppose one of the former sort read the publick prayers gravely with the appearance of great reverence fervency and pious devotion and one of the latter sort that uses them not does however pray for the same things with judgment and with like gravity and affection and they both instruct their hearers fitly and profitably Nothing is more evident than that the worship in these two Assemblies doth much less considerably differ to a pious and judicious mind than if in the latter the prayers were also read but carelesly sleepily or scenically flauntingly and with manifest irreverence and the Sermon like the rest Or than if in the former all the performance were inept rude or very offensively drowsy or sluggish Now let us shew our selves men and manly Christians not swayed by trifles and little things as Children by this or that dress or mode or form of our Religion which may perhaps please some the more for its real indecency But know that if while we continue picquering about forms the life be lost and we come to bear the Character of that Church Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead we may ere long after all the wonders God hath wrought for us expect to hear of our Candlesticks being removed and that our Sun shall go down at Noon-day The true serious Spirit and Power of Religion and Godliness will act no man against his Conscience or his rule understood but will oblige him in all acts of worship as well as of his whole conversation to keep close to Gospel-prescription so far as he can discern it And that he will find requires that in subordination to the divine Glory he seriously design the working out the Salvation of his own Soul and take that course in order thereto put himself under such a Ministry and such a way of using Gods Ordinances as he finds most profitable and conducing to that great end and that doth his Soul most real good If you are religious or of this or that mode or way of Religion to serve a carnal design for your self or your party not to save your Soul you commit the most detestable Sacriledge alienate the most sacred thing in the World Religion from its true end which will not only lose that end but infer an heavy vengeance Yea and 't is too possible to transgress dangerously by preferring that which is less tho' never so confidently thought to be divine before that which is greater or separately from its true end You greatly prevaricate if you are more zealously intent to promote Independency than Christianity Presbytery than Christianity Prelacy than Christianity as any of these are the Interest of a Party and not being considered in subserviency to the Christian Interest nor designed for promoting the Edification and Salvation of your own Soul. But that being your design Living Religion will keep your Eye upon your end and make you steady and constantly true to that and to your Rule without which you can never hope to reach your end Now hereupon such as conform to the publick Establishment and they that dissent from it may differ from each other upon a twofold account Either 1. As judging the contrary way to be simply unlawful Or 2. As judging it to be only less edifying 'T is not the business of this Paper to discuss who herein judge aright and who wrong but supposing their judgment to remain as it is which they themselves however should examine and if it be wrong rectifie I shall say somewhat to each of these cases To the former while your judgment continues as it is 't is true you cannot join in worship with the contrary minded but nothing forbids but you can be kind conversable courteous towards them and your common Christian Profession besides the Rules of Humanity oblige you so to be Yea and even to converse with them as occasion invites more intimately as Christians the visible marks of serious Christianity appearing in them To the latter sort it is acknowledg'd you cannot constantly join in worship with those of the contrary way because you ought ordinarily to worship God in that way which you judge to be best and most agreeable to the divine Rule tho' you are not obliged utterly to abandon any for its imperfections or corruptions that is not corrupt in the very essentials And that you ought most frequently to attend on that which you find to be most edifying to your own Soul. As that should be your more ordinary Diet that best agrees with you And that way therefore you must most constantly adhere to which is most grateful and savoury to you because you cannot so much edifie by what you less relish But your judgment and latitude will well allow you sometimes to frequent the Assemblies with which you hold not constant Communion And if it will allow it will also direct you thereto for a valuable end as that you may signifie you ordinarily decline them not as no Christians or their worship as no worship but as more defective or less edifying and that you may maintain love and both express and beget a disposition to nearer Union And if our Rulers shall judge such intercourses conducing to so desirable an end they may perhaps in due time think it reasonable to put things into that state that Ministers of both sorts may be capable of inviting one another occasionally to the brotherly Offices of mutual assistance in each others congregations For which and all things that tend to make us an happy people we must wait upon him in whose hands their hearts are London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel And Sold by Richard Janeway in Queens-Head-Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1689.
Humble Requests both to Conformists and Dissenters Touching their Temper and Behaviour Towards each other upon the lately passed INDULGENCE 1. THat we do not over-magnifie our Differences or count them greater than they truly are I speak now of the proper Differences which the Rule it self makes to which the one sort Conforms the other Conforms not Remember that there are differences on both parts among themselves incomparably greater than these by which the one sort differs from the other There are differences in Doctrinal Sentiments that are much greater How unconceivably greater is the difference between good men and bad between being a Lover of the blessed God the Lord of Heaven and Earth and an Enemy a real Subject of Christ and of the Devil have we not reason to apprehend there are of both these on each side Let us take heed of having our minds tinctur'd with a wrong notion of this matter as if this Indulgence divided England into two Christendoms or distinguisht rather between Christians and Mahometans as some mens Cyclopick fancies have an unlucky Art to represent things creating ordinary men and things into Monsters and prodigious Shapes at their own pleasure It hath been an usual saying on both sides That they were in comparison but little things we differ'd about or circumstantial things Let us not unsay it or suffer an habit of mind to slide into us that consists not with it Tho' one must not go against a judgment of Conscience in the least thing yet let us not confound the true differences of things but what are really lesser things let them go for such 2. Let us hereupon carefully abstain from judging each others states God-ward upon these differences For hereby we shall both contradict our common rule and our selves When men make Conscience of small and doubtful things on the one hand and the other about which they differ Blessed God! how liâ—tle Conscience is made of the plainest and most important rule not to judge one another for such differences Rom 14.3 13. Why of all the parts of that Holy Book is this Chapter only thought no part of Gods Word or this Precept so variously enforc't in this Chapter and so awfully verse 10 11. But why dost thou judge thy Brother or why dost thou set at nought thy Brother we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ For it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. Is it a light matter to usurp the Throne of Christ the Judgment Seat of God Yet how common hath it been to say Such a one Conforms he hath nothing of God in him Such a one Conforms nor 't is not Conscience but Humour God forgive both Had they blotted Rom. 14. out of their Bible 'T is plain by the whole Series of discourse 't is the judging of mens states and by such small matters of difference that is the thing here forbidden Otherwise that there is a lawful judging of others who knows not some few things contain'd in this Chapter To receive one another i. e. as Christians or as such whom God receivâ—s notwithstanding remaining doubts about such small matters not determining such doubted things in Bar to the doubter Verse 1 2 3. Or not to lay stumbling blocks in each others way Verse 13. Not to do the doubted thing with a mind still unsatisfied verse 5.23 Not to censure either him that does or forbears not admitting an hard thought of him or less favourable than that what such a one does he does to the Lord and what the other forbears he forbears it to the Lord verse 6. These two things I say put in practice had taken away all differences that we are now considering or the inconvenience of them long ago And we shall still need them as much as ever 3. Let us not value our selves upon being on this or that side of the severing Line 'T is Jewish yea Pharisaical to be conceited and boast our selves upon externals and small matters especially if arbitrarily taken up and is it self an argument of a light mind and incomprehensive of true worth Tho' I cannot sincerely be of this or that way but I must think my self in the right and others in the wrong that differ from me yet I ought to consider this is but a small minute thing a point compared with the vast Orb of knowables and of things needful and that ought to be known Perhaps divers that differ from me are men of greater and more comprehensive minds and have been more employ'd about greater matters and many in things of more importance have much more of valuable and useful knowledge than I. Yea and since these are not matters of Salvation we differ about so that any on either side dare considerately say He cannot be saved that is not in these respects of my mind and way he may have more of sanctifying savoury knowledge more of solid goodness more of grace and real sanctity than I. The course of his Thoughts and Studies having been by converse and other accidents led more off from these things and perhaps by a good Principle been more deeply engaged about higher matters for no mans mind is able equally to consider all things fit to be considered and greater things are of themselves more apt to beget holy and good impressions upon our Spirits than the minuter and more circumstantial things tho' relating to Religion can be 4. Let us not despise one another for our differing in these lesser matters This is too common and most natural to that temper that offends against the foregoing caution Little spirited Creatures valuing themselves for small matters must consequently have them in contempt that want what they count their own only excellency He that hath nothing wherein he places worth belonging to him besides a Flaunting Peruque and a Lac't Suit must at all adventures think very meanly of one in a plain Garb. Where we are taught not to judge we are forbidden to despise or set at nought one another upon these little differences 5. Nor let us wonder that we differ Unto this we are too apt i. e. To think it strange especially upon some arguing of the difference that such a man should conform or such a one not conform There is some fault in this but which proceeds from more faulty causes Pride too often and an opinion that we understand so well that a wrong is done us if our judgment be not made a standard and measure to another mans And again ignorance of humane nature or inconsiderateness rather how mysterious it is and how little can be known of it How secret and latent little Springs there are that move this Engine our own mind this way or that and what bars which perhaps he discerns not himself may obstruct and shut up towards us another mans Have we not frequent instances in other common cases how difficult it is to speak to
another mans understanding Speech is too penurious not expressive enough Frequently between men of sense much more time is taken up in explaining each others notions than in proving or disproving them Nature and our present State have in some respects left us open to God only and made us inaccessible to one another Why then should it be strange to me that I cannot convey my thought into anothers mind 'T is unchristian to censure as before Such a one hath not my conscience therefore he hath no conscience at all but it is also unreasonable and rude to say Such a one sees not with mine eyes therefore he is stark blind Besides the real obscurity of the matter is not enough considered I am very confident an impartial and competent judge upon the view of Books later and more ancient upon such Subjects would say there are few Metaphysical questions disputed with more subtlety than the controversies about Conformity and Non-conformity Blessed be God that things necessary to the Salvation of Souls that are of true necessity even to the peace and order of the Christian Church are in comparison so very plain Moreover there is besides bare understanding and judgment and divers from that heavenly gift which in the Scriptures is called grace such a thing as gust and relish belonging to the mind of man and I doubt not with all men if they observe themselves and which is as unaccountable and as various as the Relishes and Disgusts of sense This they only wonder at that either understand not themselves or will consider no body but themselves To bring it down to the present case As to those parts of worship which are of most frequent use in our Assemblies whether Conforming or Non conforming Prayer and Preaching and hearing of Gods Word Our differences about these cannot but in part arise from the diversity of this Principle both on the one hand and the other One sort do more savour prayer by a foreknown form another that which hath more of surprize by a grateful variety of unexpected expressions And it can neither be universally said it is a better judgment or more grace that determines men the one way or the other but somewhat in the temper of their minds distinct from both which I know not how better to express than by mental tast the acts whereof as the objects are suitable or unsuitable are relishing or disrelishing liking or disliking And which hath no more of Mystery in it than that there is such a thing belonging to our natures as complacency or displicency in reference to the objects of the mind And this in the kind of it is as common to men as humane nature but as much diversity'd in individuals as mens other inclinations are that are most fixed and least apt to admit of change Now in the mentioned case men cannot be said to be universally determined either way by their having a better judgment for no sober man can be so little modest as not to acknowledge that there are some of each sentiments that are less judicious than some that are of the contrary sentiment in this thing And to say that to be more determined this way or that is the certain sign or effect of a greater measure of grace and sanctity were as great a violation both of Modesty and Charity I have not met with any that have appear'd to live in more entire communion with God in higher admiration of him in a pleasanter sense of his Love more humble fruitful lives on Earth or in a more joyful expectation of eternal life than some that have been wont with great delight publickly to worship God in the use of our common prayer and others I have known as highly excelling in the same respects that could by no means relish it but have always counted it insipid and nauseous The like may be said of relishing or disrelishing Sermons preached in a digested set of words or with a more flowing freedom of Speech It were endless and odious to vye either better Judgments or more pious inclinations that should universally determine men one way or the other in these matters And we are no more to wonder at these peculiarities in the temper of mens minds than at mens different tasts of Meat and Drinks much less to fall out with them that their minds and notions are not just formed as ours are For we should remember they no more differ from us than we do from them and if we think we have the clearer light 't is like they also think they have clearer And 't is in vain to say Who shall be judge For every man will at length judge of his own notions for himself and cannot help it for no mans judgment or relish of things which influences his Judgment tho' he know it not is at the command of his will much less of another mans Therefore 6. Let us not be offended mutually with one another for our different choice of this or that way wherein we find most of real advantage and edification Our greatest concern in this world and which is common to us all is the bettering of our Spirits and preparing them for a better world Let no man be displeased especially of those who agree in all the substantials of the same holy Religion that another uses the same Liberty in choosing the way most conducing in his experience to his great end that he himself also uses expecting to do it without another mans offence 7. But above all let us with sincere minds more earnestly endeavour the promoting the interest of Religion it self of true reformed Christianity than of this or that party Let us long to see the Religion of Christians become simple primitive agreeable to its lovely Original State and again it self and each in our own Stations contribute thereto all that we are able Labouring that the internal principle of it may live and flourish in our own Souls and be to our utmost diffus'd spread unto other mens And for its externals as the ducture of our Rule will guide us so gradually to bend towards one common course that there may at length cease to be any divided parties at all In the mean time while there are let it be remembred that the difference lies among Christians and Protestants not between such and Pagans Let us therefore carry it accordingly towards each others and consider our Assemblies are all Christian and Protestant Assemblies differing in their administrations for the most part not in the things prayed for or deprecated or taught but in certain modes of expression And differing really and in the substance of things less by meer Conformity or Non-conformity to the publick rule of the Law than many of them that are under it do from one another and than divers that are not under it For instance go into one Congregation i. e. a Conforming one and you have the publick Prayers read in the desk and afterwards a form of