Licensed as is aforesaid presume to appoint or hold any Meetings for Sermons c. nor attempt by Fasting and Prayer to cast out any Devil c. L. All this was done to prevent Abuses M. It fell out well that they did not forbid Christianity or reading Scripture in a known Tongue to prevent abusing it And next that they forbad not Law and the use of Reason which is most of all abused But do not you thâ—â—k that they make very unworthy Men Ministers or that they change or maim the Pastoral Office when no Minister no not the wisest may be trusted to fast and pray with his Neighbours Should a Master of a Family be forbidden this in his House the Iews forbad it not to Cornelius What jealousies have such a Clergy of one another And of Preaching Fasting and Praying What if some Neighbours have some great Temptations some great Guilt some great Danger by a Plague or the like or some great Affliction some Friends near Deathâ— or some important Business of great moment as Marriage Travel Navigation c. Must the Bishop know all their secrets that their Pastor at home must know Or is he a capable Judge for many Hundred Parishes when they must Fast or Pray Or did you ever know any go to him for such a License Are not those unworthy Ministers that be not fit to be trusted to Fast and Pray with their People while the Law is open to punish all abuses of it And are not those over-subject to Prelacy that will Swear Obedience in this any more than against Preaching the Gospel Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it concerning the Law of his God. Chap. XXXVI Point XXXIII Of the Excommunication of the three last Canons M. THe quality of the rest of the Canons resolve me that it is unlawful for me if commanded to publish an Excommunication against any upon the three last L. What â—e the three last M. The 139th is Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Sacred Synod of this Nation in the Name of Christ and by the King's Authority assembled is not the true Church of England by Representation let him be Excommunicate and not restored till he repent and publickly revoke this his wicked Error L. What fault can you find with this M. 1. No Man can tell what is the Church representative till they know which is the Church real And this they tell us not either as to Matter or Form. 1. Whether the Church real be only the Clergy or also the Laity Whether the King and Parliament Nobles Gentry and Commons be all Represented in the Convocation If yea by what Law or Power And may we say that King and Parliament do what these do What need they then after to confirm their Canons And they that hold the Church Laws bind in Conscience as such before King and Parliament confirm them will bring King and Parliament under their Obedience if not Excommunication But if they pretend not to represent the King and Laity they falsly exclude them from being part of the Church 2. They are utterly disagreed de Forma what the Church of England is either it hath an Ecclesiastical constitutive Soveraign Power or not If not it is not an Ecclesiastick Body Politick And of late their disputing Doctors plainly confess that it hath no such specifying Summa Potestas and so is formally no Political governed Church The King's Government of it by the Sword which none deny they say is but an Accident of it and not Essential to the Church And so in sum it is but a meer Community or a voluntary Confederacy of many Churches that make no unifying Politie And that is to be a Church only in a loose and not proper sence as the Assembly at Nimegen was a Kingdom 3. I doubt not but Thousands of Lâ—y-Men and many Dissenting Ministers are true Parts of the Church of England And therefore that the Convocation represented our part only of that Church 4. If they be but a Community they can make no Laws but only Contracts Laws are only the Acts and Instruments of Rulers Therefore we owe no Obedience to them as being no Commands of Rulers till the Civil Power make them Laws save as particular Pastors may make them Laws to their several Flocks 5. If they make them obligatory Church-Laws as the Acts of the Convocation then it seems the Representative Church governeth the Real and the Presbyters in Convocation exercise a Legislative Power which is the highest that Bishops can pretend to 6. These being left thus in uncertainty in the dark how comes that Man to deserve Excommunication or be wickedly erroneous that herein declareth his dissent I dare not publish such an Excommunication if commanded L. What is the 140th Canon M. Whosoever shall affirm that no manner of Person either of the Clergy or Laity not being then particularly assembled in the said sacred Synod are to be subject to tâ—e Decrees thereof in Causes Ecclesiastical made and ratifyed by the King's Majesty's Supream Authority as not having given their Voice to them Let him be Excommunicated and not restored c. Here craftily in a Parenthesis they put in the King's Authority and if they mean only his Obligation on us no one of us denieth it But because their disputing Doctors take that but as an Accident we may say that the Papists themselves are oft put to say that General Councils bind not the absent till they receive them And the French long received not the Council of Trent nor many Churches other Councils L. What is the last Canon M. The 141st for so many Church-Commandments we have God's Ten being but a little part of our Religion is Whoever shall affirm that the Sacred Synod assembled as aforesaid was a Company of such Persons as did conspire together against Godly and Religious Professors of the Gospel and that therefore both they and their Proceedings in making Canons and Constitutions in Causes Ecclesiastical by the King's Authority Let them be Excommunicated and not restored c. Here again we doubt not of the King 's obligatory Power But what the Persons and their Works were I think a Point that Christians may differ about and not deserve Excommunication It seems they could foresee what Men would judge of them and no wonder tho' they had not the Gift of Prophecy I am none of their Judge but leave God's Work to himself But I must say that this Book of Canons doth no whit increase my esteem of Council of Prelacy of Humane Canons or Clergies Laws nor of the particular Bishops and Clergy that made them And that I will neither publish such Excommunications nor promise or swear to do it Tho' I know that stretching pretences satisfie some Men like theirs that own the name of Sacred to that Synod because Sacrum quod sanctum simul execrabile signat A professed and relative Sanctity may be granted them Chap.
that the Form and Manner of Making and Consecrating Bishops Priests or Deacons containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the word of God. Though it assert that the Bishops and Priests are distinct Orders which even in K. Aelfrick's days the Church of England denyed XXV We must publish them Excommunicate who affirm that the Nonconformists may truly take the name of another Church c. and that any assemblies of Subjects not allowed by Law are true and Lawful Churches XXVI No Minister must wittingly administer the Sacrament to any but such as Kneel nor to any of the foresaid depravers of the Liturgy Ceremonies Orders of the Church c. Can. 27. XXVII None of other Parishes are often to be admitted to Communion XXVIII All Ministers that repent of Conforming must be suspended excommunicate and deposed at last Can. 38. XXIX We must give the Sacrament to none that go for it from unpreaching Ministers but must send them home Can. 57. Nor must Baptize their Children XXX Ministers must not be suffered that wear not the Surplice Can. 58. XXXI No Minister must refuse or delay to Christen any Child that 's brought to the Church to him on Sundays or Holydays to be Christened without exception of Atheists or Infidels Children Can. 68. XXXII No Minister may keep any Fast in publick or at private Houses or be present at any on what necessity soever without the Bishops License for it under Hand and Seal or the Laws appointment XXXIII We must if commanded publish all Excommunicate that affirm that the Sacred Synod is not the true Church of England by representation or that deprave it as a faction c. XXXIV No man was to be ordained or suffered in the Ministry for twenty years that did not subscribe thus I do declare that I do hold that there lies no obligation on me or on any other person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any change or alteration of Government in Church or State. XXXV All Nonconformists must swear that they will never endeavour any alteration of the Church Government or else be banished five miles from Corporations and all places where ever they preached since the Act of Oblivion XXXVI All Ministers must subscribe and Nonconformists swear that they abhor the Trayterous position of taking Arms by the Kings Authority against those that are Commissioned by him XXXVII We must assent and consent to the damnatory sentence in the Creed called Athanasius's XXXVIII Every Minister consenteth to say the Morning and Evening Service every day in the year not being lett by sickness or other urgent cause XXXIX Ministers must concur to force the unwilling Parishioners to the Sacrament or else to Excommunicate and ruine them XL. If we dare not Conform for fear of sin we must forsake our Ministry to which we are Ordained and Vowed and give over Preaching the Gospel what ever need there be and must also remove our dwelling from all places aforesaid These are the parts of Ministers Conformity Lay Mens Conformity is as followeth I. They must trust their Souls with the Pastoral oversight of those and only those as their fixed Pastors whom Patrons will choose for them and Bishops institute Though the Conformists accuse many Patrons of such hainous sins as speaketh them unfit for so strange a trust besides those that are Papists and Bishops say they have not power to keep out the unfit II. They are not only hereby deprived of the exercise of Self-Government for the saving of their own Souls but of due Family Government for the safety of Wife and Children and Servants and must not bid them choose better Pastors III. They are forced to forbear Communion with all Nonconformists and to separate from all others besides Conformists though they account this Schismatical separation IV. When God commandeth them If thy Brother trespass against thee tell him his fault between thee and him if he hear not tell the Church c. And with Drunkards Railers Fornicators c. not to eat They are forced to have Communion with Parishes where no such Discipline is exercised nor can they perform any such duty and to lose all the benefit of this Christian Order and Discipline none being so much cast out as Conscionable Dissenters V. Conscionable care to obey Gods Law is greatly discouraged and made a dangerous thing while it must be mens utter ruine to deny Conformity even in a Ceremony to men when it 's done for fear of sinning against God. VI. They are to be deprived of Baptism and Christendom for their Children if they dare not use the foresaid way of God-Fathers as described VII They are also to be unchristened if thinking our Crossing is used as an unlawful Humane Sacrament they dare not receive it as a dedicating Badge of Christianity VIII If they think Kneeling at receiving the Sacrament an unlawful hardening the Papists they are denyed Communion IX If any dissent but from Confirmation Organs Kneeling at the Rails taking a Reader or unfit man for their Pastor they must not be received to Communion by a Conformist in another Parish X. All the Land is engaged Ministers Vestries Corporations and Militia by Oaths or Covenant never to endeavour any alteration of Government in the Church XI They are all engaged to abhor the position as trayterous of taking Armes by the Kings Authority against any Commissioned by him in pursuit of such Commission XII All Corporation Government and Trust is confined to them that declare that there is no obligation on them or any other from the solemn Covenant or Vow not excepting so much as to oppose Schism Popery or Prophaneness to defend the King or repent of sin though these be Vowed I have now told you what Conformity is in Ministers and People CHAP. V. I. Of Re-Ordination L. YOV have named a great number But I doubt whether all these are imposed and in many of them I see no harm M. I told you that if any one of them imposed be sinful Nonconformity is a duty which all the Ministers in England were bound to L. What sin can you find in Re-Ordination M. I must first state the Controversie before I argue it 1. The word Ordination may signifie either the first Dedication and Ordination to the Ministerial Office as such by which a man is separated from the Laity to Gods Ministry Or else a Mission on some particular Ministerial work as Paul and Barnabas were sent abroad Acts 11. Or a Minister may be sent to America c. Or else a fixed appointment to some one particular Church or Flock which is done here by Presentation Institution and Induction It is neither of the two last that we speak against They may be often done But it s only the first 2. The word Ordination may signifie 1. That Moral action by which a man is made a Minister of Christ which is his solemn Contract with Christ exprest by his Consent and by
such being Engines of Division and Persecution what promises are necessary is further to be opened nor is Re-ordination or Re-baptizing to be forced on the truly Ordained and Baptized VI. The just Ordainers must needs be the discerning Iudges whom they shall Ordain to the Ministry as such And the Magistrate is Iudge whom he shall approve and maintain as publick Teachers and whom to tolerate as tolerable And every man is a discerning Iudge to whom he shall trust the Pastoral care of his own-Soul as he doth what Physician he shall use for his Life to which Self-love and Self-government do Authorize and Oblige him and no erring judgment of Superiors can disoblige him much less every Patrons Choice VII Truly Ordained and Called Ministers must Preach to their Flocks though they have no other Licence and are by Office Authorized to choose their Subject due Method and Word And if a Form of Liturgy in Prayers Praise Psalms be imposed by Agreement or Authority that all the Church be not left at utter uncertainty what worship they meet to offer to God till it be pass'd out of the Minister's mouth let it be agreeable to Scripture-direction in Matter Method and Words blameless orderly and without just cause of suspicion or offence and let it not be made a snare for Contention and Division by the rigorous urging of needless things nor worthy men be silenced and cast out that cannot Declare Assent and Consent to all things contained in it and prescribed by it by fallible men nor for every omission or abbreviation through scruple or necessitated hast or for not officiating in a Surplice And let the Canons 6. 7. 8. 9. and others that unjustly fetter the Ministers and Flock be Altered or Repealed VIII Let no Minister be Silenced Suspended or Ejected for not publishing Excommunications pass'd by Bishops or Lay-Men against any of his Flock best known to the present Pastor whom be judgeth not guilty or for scrupleing a Ceremony especially upon such Canons as the 6. 7. 8. c. that Excommunicate ipso facto every man not excepting Parliament-ment Lords Iudges or Iustices Parents or Wives or Children that do but affirm That any thing is unlawful or repugnant to the word of God in the Liturgy or Ceremonies or Ordination or in the Government of the Church by Arch-Bishops Bishops Arch-Deacons and the Rest that bear Office therein seeing Wise and Godly Ministers judge such things too light to deserve an Excommunication and dare not so dishonour those Superiors whom God hath commanded us to honour yea and think all Excommunicating ipso facto sine sententia Judicis to be sinful and contrary to the use of Excommunication which supposeth Impenitence And let no Minister or People be forced to publish or execute any Excommunication Arbitrarily Decreed or against their Consciences And let none be forbidden to Preach the Gospel who do not more hurt than good while Iustice may be done by other Penalties IX As Christianity Baptism and Sacramental Communion are gifts from God of unspeabahle value so none at age but willing Consenters to the Covenant of God can have any right to them Therefore no unwilling person should be forced to Baptism or the Lord's Supper and so to profane Gods holy Ordinance and corrupt the Church But in each Parish the meer Auditors or Catechized must be distinguished from the Communicants as meer Catechising and Teaching is from Pastoral Oversight and Church-Conduct X. The Kingdom consisteth of Ministers and People Approvable Tolerable and Intolerable though the publick Temples and Maintenance be at the Dispose of the Sovereign Power and Magistrates yet are not all Laymen that can but Buy or Inherit a Patronage Advowson or Presentation either Authorized by God or Qualifyed with sufficient Wisdom and Piety to choose such as Pastors to whom though Ordained by a Bishop all men are bound to commit the Pastoral care and conduct of their Souls as is aforesaid Therefore to this Relation the Peoples Choice or Consent is necessary And because Parish Churches are by fixed Neighbourhood the most convenient Order the Rulers should either make those the Publick Teachers whom the People can take for their Pastors or the People after take those for their Pastors who are truly Capable whom the Rulers first choose for the Publick Teachers But in case they cannot so agree each man must be Tolerated to choose and join with some other Parochial or more private Minister for his Pastor so be it 1. They fess the essentials of Christianity and Church Communion 2. And live peaceably and loyally in their Preaching and Practice 3. And pay the publick Teachers and Magistrates their dues renouncing Heresie and Popery and all Foreign Iurisdiction and Treason The TEST or Profession of the Maintain'd Ministers supposing the amendments of Discipline I Do sincerly as before God Profess that I believe the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the True word of God and supposing the Light and Law of Nature the Divine sufficient Rule of Faith and Holy Living according to which we shall be Iudged which no humane Laws or Power can Abrogate or Suspend being all but subordinate thereto And I will Preach nothing as necessary to Salvation which cannot be proved or warranted thereby And more particularly I believe all the Articles of the Creed called the Apostles as a summary of our Faith and Consent to the Lord's Prayer as the summary of our Desires and to the Decalogue as expounded by Christ as the summary of our obedient practice and I resolvedly Consent to the Gospel-Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost which these summaries explain and which is celebrated in Baptism and the Lord's Supper And I do own and honour the Church of England that is This Christian Reformed Kingdom containing the Approved Pastors and their Flocks both the Publickly Maintained and the Duly Licensed and United under one Christian Reformed Sovereign and Renouncing all Foreign Jurisdiction And I do honour with thankfulness to God the Reformation and Concord of this Church in Doctrine Worship and Discipline and will labour to preserve its Unity and Peace renouncing all Treasons Seditions Popery Foreign Iurisdiction Heresy Schism and Profaneness And I do promise to Exercise my Ministry with diligence for the edification of the Church and the saving of mens Souls The Ministers being of three sorts 1. The Maintained or Promoted 2. The Licensed to Preach as Candidates or Lecturers without the publick maintenance or Helpers to Incumbents who desire them or occasionally such as sound Protestants continuing Non-conformists should be 3. The Tolerated that have only a Grant of Protection and Peace without either Mainterance or Approving Licence I leave it to Superiours how much of the aforesaid Profession shall be required of the two latter This would much reduce the Kingdom to a Holy and Happy Unity and Peace which yet containeth nothing that Protestants have any just cause to reject And we are not