was the Will of GOD that such an Officer as a â—shop over Presbyters should be in the House â— GOD that they might obey him in the LORâ— 3. The Apostle in the following Words giveâ— Warning that after his Departure grievous Wolvâ— shall enter in among them not sparing the Flock aâ— verse 30. of their own selves shall Men arise speaâ—ing perverse things to draw away Disciples after theâ— Yet for all this Danger he giveth no Direction set up a Bishop over other Ministers for presâ—ving the Flock nor any Intimation that it wâ— the Will of GOD to provide such a Remedy aâ—terwards But requireth the Pastors to Watch aâ— commendeth them to GOD and the Word of hâ— Grace which was able to Build them up wheâ— by we may see they are remitted to the word for Dâ—rection in what concerneth his Church and nâ— to invent without the Word a Remedy of theâ— own devising 4. From the same Scripture â— are also instructed that the instituted Pastors â— the Church are to feed and take heed unto all â— Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath maâ— them Overseers And therefore Gospel-Ministeâ— are to have no greater Charge than such as thâ— may perform all the Duties belonging to a Pastoâ— to all the Flock And if any Minister assumâ— greater Charge than he can perform these Duâ— unto then it is not that Charge that the Holy Ghâ— hath committed to him If it be said that the Bishop feedeth the Flock â— his Substituts such as he is pleased to appoint Answ But quo jure by what Right or Authoâ—ty can he substitute another to do that which he â—th assumed for his own Work and personal Perâ—rmance it was a doubt that the learned Sir Franâ— Bacon said he could never be resolved of how a Man that had a Trust committed to him for his perâ—nal Faithfulness could delegate that Trust to another â—d if a Bishop say he never engaged to Feed so â—any then it may be justly replyed he was never â—astor to so many Why then should he presume â—e Title and Name of their Pastor When he â—â—weth it simply impossible for him to Teach â—d Feed them or the twentieth part of them acâ—rding to the Duty of a Pastor It 's also to be observed that as by this and maâ— other Texts the Ministers of the Gospel have â—ual Pastoral Authority de jure so we find in the â—riptures that de facto they are placed in Possessiâ— of this Ministerial-Power and exercise it with â—vine Approbation For Presbyters ordain Miâ—sters as 1 Tim. 4. 14. and are therein approved â— the Apostle Timothy being charged not to neâ—ct the Gift he had thereby received 2. A Comâ—nity of Presbyters exert their Power in Church â—scipline and are required by the Apostle so to â— 1 Cor. 5. 4. and 5. verses This Sentence was â—icted by many not by one assuming the sole Power of Jurisdiction to himself which is câ—sonant to our Saviours Doctrine Matth. 18. 1â— who requireth the offended Brother to tell â— Church not a single Person if Christ had coâ—mitted the Power of Discipline to One than â— Complaint of the offended Brother should hâ— been to that One for to whom should he Coâ—plain but to such as had Power to do him Justiâ— and remove the Offence But we see Christ's â—pointment is not to make Application to One â— to the Church Therefore it 's no Institution Christ that authoritative Church-Power be loâ—ed in one Person So also we find that Presbyters are Constituâ— Members of that famous Juridical Synod at Jeâ—salem Acts 15. the Apostles and Elders came to â—ther to consider the Matter in which Assemâ— there is not one found to Over-rule the Rest â— assuming a negative Voice Though some presâ— had more just Authority in the Church than â— now on Earth can pretend to yet all had fâ— liberty to speak their Judgement and all carâ— by Suffrages and that which was concluded plâ—ed the Apostles and Elders and is published in â— Name of the Apostles and Elders whereby it's parent that in the Apostles time Presbyters â— in the actual exercise of Church-Government â—therwise the Decrees of the Synod had never â— published in their Name We shall not at prâ— multiply Arguments but let these three be duely â—nsidered 1. That the Office of a Prelate canâ—t be found in the Roll of Church-Officers 2. â—rists Discharging his Ministers to be one of â—em Greater than another And 3. The Diâ—e Institution of parity among Ministers Object Timothy and Titus are called Bishops in â— Bibles therefore Bishops are by Divine Instiâ—tion Answ All Gospel Pastors are Bishops accorâ—g to the Word of GOD and therefore tho' â—ey were Bishops which cannot be granted â—t the Episcopal Cause gaineth nothing because â—shops above Presbyters are never found in our â—bles 2. These Postscripts to the 2d Epistle to Tiâ—thy and the Epistle to Titus are not Canonick â—ripture but added several Ages after the Canon Scripture was closed and after the Church beâ—n to degenerat which is irrefragably evinced Mr Pryn in his Unbishoping of Timothy and â—us and is acknowledged both by Papists and â—ers that the most antient Copies have no such â—stscripts and therefore our Bibles have these â—stscripts still at some distance from the rest of â—se Epistles But the Difference is not altogeâ—er so observable now as formerly when these â—stscripts were purposely Printed in very smal â—aracters to make the Difference discernable by all who read them 3 Timothy is expresly â—led an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. 5. and therefore coâ— not be a Bishop neither in Scripture sence aâ— Pastor to a particular Flock whom he might pâ—sonally oversee nor in the Prelatical sence as a â—ocesan Bishop because an Evangelist was noâ—â—mited to any particular bounds as hath been cleâ—ed already And to say that Timothy was Bishâ— of Ephesus is against reason for Timothy was pâ—sent with the Apostle Paul when he commitâ— the Charge of the Flock to the Presbyters in coâ—mon but no mention of Timothy as their Bishopâ— whom the Charge had chiefly belonged if he hâ— been the only Bishop of Ephesus As for Titus he was employed in the like Gâ—pel-Service from one place to another as Timâ— was But it 's said Tit. 15. That he was left in Cretâ— ordain Elders in every City therefore he had Episâ—pal Jurisdiction Answ 1. Timothy and Titus were both exâ—ordinary Officers in the Church as appears â— their constant Travels from place to place thâ— Work being to erect Churches and plant Bishâ— or Presbyters in these Churches but not to Bishops of them themselves their Power beâ— greater than ordinary Bishops or Pastors as is â— served by Chrysostom on Eph. 4 that their Work â— to plant Churches and Bishops or Elders to be theiâ—â—dinary Pastors 2. Seing Titus was to ordain Elâ—ers in every City of Crete then where was his own â—iocess For it cannot be supposed that he did â—rdain himself Bishop of one of these Cities 3.
obtaining peace to her self 2. Tho' this be the strongest Effort and most â—lausible Argument that the Episcopal Cause can â—aim Yet when pondered in the Ballance of the â—anctuary it 's found light because first Christ did â—re know all the Trials Temptations and Events â—at should befall his Church yet he saw it not fit â— prescribe any such Remedy who is faithfull in â—l his House the Government is upon his Shoulâ—rs and the House is his own if any Man acâ—se him for omitting so necessary a Mean as is â—retended for the good of his Church let him â—onsider how he will give an account when he is â—dged by the same Lord of his House for his â—re and faithfulness hath fully appeared already â— setting so many Officers in his House as he â—ought necessary And therefore if an Oecumeâ—k Council were assembled more full than ever yet appeared in the Christian World they couâ— not jure set another Officer in the House of Goâ— to Command and bear Rule over these Officeâ— whom Christ hath entrusted to Feed his Flocâ— though Dr. Stilling fleet now Bishop once sceptiâ— as to any particular Form of Church-Goverâ—ment hath taken much pains in his Irenic to peâ—swade the World that it 's left to Humane Prâ—dence whither the Church be Governed by Bâ—shops over Presbyters or by Ministers in pariâ— of Power And strenuously opposeth the Diviâ— Right of Prelacy yet since he ascended and fiâ—ed in that Orb himself tempora mutantur nos mâ—tamur in illis Presbyters are now so contemptibâ— in his Eye that if his new Labours and Argumenâ— can prevail they shall not so much as be tolleraâ—ed to Labour in their Masters Vineyard Aureus heu fragilem confregit malleus urnaâ— That his Book is so answered that many douâ— his Confidence to give it a Reply but leaving hiâ— from whom better things were expected 3. Consider that if Bishops be set over Presbâ—ters for Preservation of Unity in the Church thâ— some new Order must be set over these Bishops fâ— they may fall out by the Way as well as other Bâ—thren as they often do and these who are set â—ver them may likeways fall into Divisions for iâ— rare to see Promotion make Men more Lowly aâ— Meek Archbishops and Metropolitans haâ— been scandalously divided by their own Pride to â—e height of Excommunicating one another â—nd when all these fail so that Unity is not obtainâ—d whether shall Men go next if not to a principiâ—m unitatis caput Eclesiae to whom all must subâ—ect And thus it was indeed that the Pope ascenâ—ed his Throne and as many have observed and â—e Groaning Church under that Tyrranny yet â—ndeth the Remedy proved worse than the Disâ—ase this manner of Cure to elevate some Miniâ—ers above the Station that Christ had placed â—em in and Robbing other Ministers of their â—e Right Could never have good Fruit nor â—d ever Men ground to expect GODS blessing â—on such an unwarrantable and audacious Preâ—mption Object Presbyters do voluntarly Elect and set â— Bishops to have Authority and Jurisdiction oâ—er themselves and therefore though they be now â—eprived of Jurisdiction they have no Cause to â—omplain for violenti non fit injuria blame themsves Ans 1. If Presbyters chused and made Bishops â—er themselves as we grant is said to be done at â—exandria then Presbyters had all that Power â— Jurisdiction at first intrinsecally in themselves â—r they could not give that to others which was â—t their own and this of it self is yeelding the â—use when it is acknowledged that Presbyters had the Original Ministerial-Power by CHRISâ— Commission 2. It was not in the Power of Presbyters to â—lienate that Power which Christ had conferred â—pon them for id possumus quod Jure possumâ— Christ having bestowed upon them full Pastoâ— Authority by what Warrant could they give tâ— away to another or any part of it For it was gâ—en to be exerted by themselves in their Person Service according to their Masters Directions their Master had thought fit to lodge that Poâ— in the Hands of others he would have bestow it himself but never left it to their Option to Sâ— or Give away his Gifts and so disable themselâ— for the Trust and Service he committed to thâ— besides that it is inaccountable Ungratitude â— Contempt of their Master to throw away â— Commission and let others Dispose of it as tâ— please And whoever have done so we are thereby obliged to the like Practice 3. If this be the deed of Conveyance whereby â—shops over Presbyters have obtain'd a Right â— Title to sole Jurisdiction in the Church then tâ— cannot say they have this Right and Title fâ— Christ It 's a Gift of the Presbyters but not a â— of Christ And a very dishonest Gift Dishonoâ—ble both to the Giver and Receiver Yet there are many Reasons to perswade the inadvertent succumbing of some Presbyâ— â—ve great Occasion for the rising of Prelacy pauâ—tim by Degrees For first Some Ministers being seated in Places of Emiâ—ncy in the World specially Great Cities in conâ—rmity to the Civil Government and Jurisdiction â— these Places the Ministers of these Places had â—o early some Titles of Honour not common to â— other Ministers 2. And if they were eminent â—r Abilities and Prudence or of long standing in â—e Ministry When other Ministers and they â—d meet together for the Affairs of the Church â—mmonly such Men were Chosen to preside for â—e orderly Management of their Judicatories as â—olocutors or Moderators Which cannot be â—nting without Confusion yet he who did Preâ—e had no power of Jurisdiction over the rest it reâ—aining in their Power to choose another for that â—rvice as they should see it expedient But 3. his sometimes falling into the hands of ambitiâ—s Men made interest not only for their conuance but for their farther Promotion usurpâ— upon other Ministers who were more meanly â—ated untill they had wrested Power out of their â—ands and did appropriate all Jurisdiction to â—emselves the other Ministers sinfully succumâ—ng under this Usurpation untill there was no â—trieving of what they had Lost Our 2d Exception is your Liturgy which after â—rious Perusal we cannot approve not that we are against a general Directory for decent Order Gospel-Administrations that each part of Wâ—ship have its due place This we acknowledge be necessary And therefore all the Reformâ— Churches have provided themselves with suâ— Directories But that which we cannot compâ— with is such a Form of Divine Service or Worshâ— as is Composed by a few and peremptorily iâ—posed on others so as that Form of Worship sâ— be used and no other Our Reasons are First no Liturgy or stinted Form of Worshâ— was either Composed Used or Imposed by tâ— Apostles or any Gospel-Ministers in the first â—ges of the Church If any Affirm there were suâ— Forms it 's their part to make them appear whiâ— hath never yet been done but by a manifest Fâ—gery of the Apostle James
a little nearer the propoâ—d Query being required to give it a positive â—esolution And as hitherto so GOD willing in â—hat remains nothing shall be said in Heat or â—itterness but with that Temper and Moderaâ—on which becometh Christians sensible of the â—o by our continued Rent and Divisions only â— the Matters of GOD it 's not in our Power to â—me and go at pleasure But that nothing may â—e wanting on our part for convincing and if â—ossible satisfying all concerned We shall adâ—yn these Considerations following First Concerning fixed Communion with the Parish Châ—ches Secondly Concerning occasional Commâ—nion And Lastly When these of our Perswaâ—on want Ministers of their own For the First We humbly Assert that in tâ— Communion whereof we are Members our Miâ—sters are Elected and Ordained according to Scâ—pture-Patern VVe have the VVord and Sacâ—ments administred in their native Simplicity aâ— Purity according to the Rule of the Gospel Aâ— therefore have no Reason to Desert our own aâ— Joyn in another Communion wherein so maâ— Administrations are exceptionable as hath beâ— already instructed And be not offended if â— Assert farther the Way of our Worship to be nâ— only more agreeable to the Scripture but also bear a greater Semblance to the primitive Churâ— in Her purest Ages though Antiquity be oftâ— pretended as the strength of your Cause It wâ— the Advice of a Great Man of your own Perswaâ—on that you should not go too far back lest you be foâ— pecking toward the Scots Presbytery 2. Seing GOD in his great Mercy hath bâ—stowed on us his Ministers and Ordinances in pâ—rity without the mixture of humane Inventioâ— and hath by his good Hand upon us ever since tâ— Reformation kept us in the Possession of thâ— his great Benefits though not always alike â—berty for publick Administrations we should â— â—e cannot now resile from that degree of Reforâ—ation which GOD hath mercifully brought us â—nto without sinfull Defection on our Part but â—ratefully retain what we have attained unto not â—aring to take the Guilt upon us of deserting pure Ordinances and Joyn with others unless you can â—onvince us that our Exceptions are Groundless â—r give sufficient Reason for such Conviction â—hich We are alwayes ready to Hear But bare â—aying they are Groundless cannot convince us â— it be said that neither your Church-Communiâ—n nor ours is fully Perfect it shall be readily granâ—ed yet we are commanded to hold fast that which â— Good and to stand fast in the Liberty whereâ—ith Christ hath make us free and not be inâ—ngled again with the Yoke of Bondage 3. If there were nothing in Difference between â—e two Communions but things Indifferent which â—ight be done or not done without Sin then we Confess there were no Cause to keep up separate â—ssemblies but one should be made of both But â— is not a Matter of indifferency what Governâ—ent of the Church a Christian is obliged to own â—nd subject to by the Laws of Christ nor can it â—e a Matter indifferent what Worship a Man renâ—reth to GOD whether commanded or not â—any Ignorant People are deluded by telling them â—here is nothing between you and us but a few â—armless indifferent Ceremonies that no man should make a Scruple of And thereby impressing thâ— with an uncharitable Opinion of Dissenters â— Men straining at Gnats But are not so just as â— tell them that Dissenters neither think nor oâ— them Indifferent but Sinfull and Prove them â— be so being obtruded on GOD as Worship witâ—out His Command 4. There is no just Cause to Censure our â— Joyning in publick Worship Communion wâ— you For ye have cast us out of your Communiâ— by the Canons of the Church you Adhere to â— appeareth by Can. 10th and Can. 11th wheâ— it 's said such as maintain other Meetings then â— allowed by the Laws of the Land and call themselvâ— true Churches are to be Excommunicated but so it â— that we freely Confess frequent Meetings not aâ—proved by the Laws of Men though in no Coâ—tempt of the Laws but judged our Selves bouâ— rather to Obey GOD than Men and to hold â— publick Worship to GOD for his Glory and oâ— own Edification So far as we were not impedâ— by our Persecuters And for our being true Chuâ—ches we do also Assert it being Members of tâ— true Catholick Church adhering to Christ tâ— Head his Word and Ordinances And as â— are particular Churches of Pastors and Peopâ— assembling together for the Worship of GOâ— are integrating parts of the whole and Canon â—â— we are actually Rejected because it 's said such â— affirm the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of Engl. â—ay not with good Conscience be used and subscribed unâ— are Excommunicated ipso facto this is hard meaâ—re for hereby we are Excommunicated before â—e be heard and without any Reason to convince â—s that it 's a wicked Errour to Deny the Use or â—ubscription to these Rites and Ceremonies But â—hus we stand Excommunicated and shall not accorâ—ing to the Canon be restored untill we Repent Publickly and Revoke such wicked Errours Though we cannot be convinced that it is an Erâ—our yet we shall not be restored except we come â— as Penitentiares which is no great Encouâ—agement that suffering Penance must be the first â—tep of our Conformity if you keep by your â—ules And how come ye to Invite or Quarrel â—s for not Joyning in your Communion seing you â—nnot receive us before we publickly Repent â—nd we in the mean while declare our selves not â—uilty so that we can neither Repent Privately â—or Publickly for denying the Use or Subscripâ—ion to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church 5. It 's a great Discouragement to be of your Communion that your Ministers enter not their Charge by the Election and Call of the People being â—heir Priviledge by Scripture-Patern to chuse Church-Officers as Acts 6. The which Priviledge â—as allowed and continued for several Centuries â—n the Primitive Times Cyprian presseth it with great Vigour and as we heard from him alreadâ— that a Bishop or Pastor was to be Elected in tâ— sight of the People and by the Suffrages of tâ— whole Fraternity It 's thought unreasonable tâ—â— a Man should be constrained to trust the Health â— his Body to a Physician of whom he has no knoâ—ledge whether he be either Skilfull or Faithfuâ— when he may have others of whose Judgment anâ— Fidelity he approveth How much less should Mâ— be forced to trust the Charge of their Souls â— Men whom they know not approve not nor evâ— consented unto or desired to be their Ministerâ— Yet they must take him who is Appointed whâ—ther they will or not or want if it were to theâ— Lives end they shall have no Liberty to Elect â—nother If any Object that People may erre in their â—lection It 's soon answered that so may one Mâ—erre in his peremptory Determinations as well Hundreds or Thousands many of whom may bâ— judicious Christians Rationally
â—eing he was to Ordain Elders in the plural numâ—er in every City and by the Scripture these Elâ—ers are Bishops then mo Bishops then one was â— be in every City which is contrare to the Episâ—opal Constitution 4. If it be said that Titus â—as Archbishop or Metropolitan Answ This â—cketh nothing but Proof which no where can â—e had For the primitive Gospel-Church knew â—o such thing as either a Diocesan Bishop Archâ—ishop or Metropolitan long after the Death of â—imothy and Titus there being no certain Rule â—or modeling of Diocesses until the Reign of Conâ—antine the Great at which time the Church did â—ollow the Civil Government as to Diocesses this â—ishop Stilling-fleet maketh out in his Irenic page â—76 377. 5. There is nothing to be found in â—e Scriptures to countenance this Assertion that â—itus was Archbishop of Crete all that can be said is â—at he was sent to Crete upon a piece of special serâ—ice for the Church which made him no more Biâ—op there then when he staid some time in other â—laces Aquinas run into the same Mistake as â—o Dalmatia for because Titus went to Dalmatia â—herefore he calls him the Bishop of Dalmatia 6. â—f it be said that the least that Bishops can Gain from Titus being left to Ordain Elders is that â—shops have sole Power of Ordination seing Tâ— alone ordained Answ This is but to begâ— Question for we deny that Titus was a Bishâ— let that first be proved And 2. That he ordaâ—ed as a Bishop And 3. That he ordained aloâ— For his ordaining of Elders makes him no Bishoâ— no more then the Apostle Pauls ordaining maâ— him a Bishop they ordained as Extraordinaâ— Officers in the Church making way for Bishoâ— or Pastors and though Titus was invested wiâ— extraordinary Power above any Bishop or Pastoâ— yet that it self will not prove that he ordained sâ— paratim without Presbyters Because he was Ordain Elders in the same manner that was the â—stablished Way of the Church in conjunction wiâ— Presbyters as the Apostle Paul did lay his hanâ— on Timothy conjunctim with the Presbytry thâ— is joyntly with a Presbytry Object 2. The Epistles to the seven Church of Asia are directed to the Bishops of these Chuâ—ches because each of them is directed to one siâ—gle Person called the Angel of the Church Answ That these Epistles are directed to tâ— Bishops of these Churches in the Scripture seâ— we easily acknowledge but then no advantaâ— to the Episcopal Cause is gained For if these Aâ—gels be Bishops and Bishops the same with Prâ—byters then ye are just where you were not liâ— â—d one step higher than a preaching Presbyter or â—ospel-Pastor 2. Whereas the Angel is spoken unto in the sinâ—lar number you have no advantage by this either â—r you shall find one and the same Angel spoken â— in the plural number As to the Angel of the â—hurch of Smyrna Rev. 2. 10 The Devil shal cast â—me of you into Prison the Speech is directed unâ— the Angel yet the plural number is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—ew that it 's not one single Person only that is deâ—ted by the Name of Angel so also to the Angel â—f the Church of Thyatira but unto you I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ere the Angel is expresly spoken unto in the pluâ—l number So that any Argument from the â—ame Angel utterly faileth you For though an â—gel be named in the singular number yet that by â—e Name Angel is understood a collective Body â— Ministers is evident otherwise let any Man â—nder a Reason why the Angel is spoken to in the â—ural number as mo than one And hereby we â—ve solid ground to think that the Angel is spoâ—n to in the plural number purposly to obviat or â—rrect the Misapprehensions of any who would â—ink that a Bishop over Presbyters is understood â— the Word Angel Object 3 But the Government of the Church â— Bishops having Authority Jurisdiction over â—esbyters is so Antient that we cannot judge it â— any lower Derivation then from the Apostles albeit we have it not by express Scripture Answ 1. If you have such a Government the Church by due consequence from any Scriptuâ— of the New Testament We are ready to yeâ— Subjection albeit ye cannot Prove it by exprâ— Scriptures ye shall not be so hard put to it â— for you only to Affirm and Assert it Apostoliâ— without any Proof cannot convince Mens Judgâ—ments and satisfie their Conscience in a matter so great Importance Your selves being Judge if you have Proof for it make it appear Bishâ— Laud and some other Bishops with him said oâ— publickly if Prelacy were not the Apostolick Gâ—vernment they would forth with throw away thâ— Rotchets But they kept them as long as thâ— could and the Proof went no further upon whiâ— Mr. Pryne did challenge them for breach of Pâ—mise VVhy do ye not stop all our Mouths â—proving your Assertion and so satisfie a great Bâ—dy of Protestants at Home and Abroad Who giâ— Reasons from Scripture contrare to your Asserâ—on And to say it must be Apostolick because its Antiquity is little less then to say we will haâ— it from them whither they will or not their Dâ—ctrine and Practice refuse and yet it must be â—torted from them 2. We have made it appear already that the â—postles did prescribe another Form of Governmenâ— be managed by the Ministers of the Gospel in â— â—ty of Ministerial Power and how to impose uâ—on our own Reason and Belief that by some inâ—isible Prescription they have contradicted all â—is were hard measure should we or can we â—ject what they have Recorded by Inspiration of â—e Holy Ghost and betake our selves to some fanâ—ed Tradition Could this be a safe Way for our â—onsciences Or could we Answer to GOD for â— Your selves being Judges 3. If the Antiquity of Prelacy be at last its only â—ea and strongest Defence Cyprian will soon Anâ—er for us that Antiquity without Verity is but mouldy â—rror and as Sir Francis Bacon termed it a Cypher â—ithout a Figure 2. If this Plea should hold Good then there â— a Door opened for the most Antient Errors â—herewith the Church was infested even in the Aâ—ostles times and such as soon after endangered â—e renting of her Bowels 3. And however Antient Prelacy be found yet may and doth suffice us that it hath no Institution â— the Gospel-Church by Christ or his Apostles â—nd therefore can claim no better than Humane Appointment for which Appointment no Commisâ—n was granted to the Church Object All that is Alledged by you against Eâ—iscopacy is but your own late Sentiments For â—e Antient Fathers who understood the State of â—e Primitive Church better than you do generally bear Testimony that Bishops have been in all Agâ— of the Gospel-Church Answ We are of the same mind with Augâ—stin who being urged with the Authority of â—prian answered That what he spoke according to â— Scriptures he would
desiring soâ— Knowledge of a Ministers Gifts and godly Coâ—versation before they receive him as their Pastoâ— 2. The possibility of their erring in Election caâ—not deprive them of their Priviledge 3. If thâ— should erre yet their Electing maketh not tâ— Man their Minister untill he be Ordained aâ— if the People have erred then the Ministers mâ— forbear Ordination untill a qualified Person â— Chosen And so both Ministers and People preâ—rve their due Rights And where this is not â—bserved it commonly occasioneth an unprofiâ—ble Ministry and Comfortless both to Minister â—nd People 6. We cannot be of that Communion where â—ur Confession of Faith and Catechisms are publickâ— on all Occasions ridiculed and exposed to Conâ—mpt Is it to be imagined that your selves would â—atiently sit and hear the most important Articles â—f your Religion openly vilified And if ye could â—ot bear it your selves why should ye expect it â—f us Who have Cause to Praise GOD for so Orthodox a summary of the Christian Religion â—s is contain'd in these Books Is it reasonable to â—hink that by our Presence and Silence we should â—ppear to approve the condemning the publick â—tandard of our Religion Your selves being â—udges 7. We are so perswaded of tbe soundness of the Doctrine contained in our Confession of Faith â—nd Catechisms Larger and Shorter that whereâ—oever these are contradicted we have just Cause â—o suspect the hearing of unsound Doctrine and are â—equired by the Word of GOD not to hear the Inâ—truction that causeth to erre from the words of Knowâ—edge We know that the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of Engl. are Sound and we Challenge aâ—y Man that dare say we ever speak of them but with a due regard And it were much to be â—sired that all who make Profession of these Aâ—cles would faithfully Adhere to them in their Dâ—ctrine But in the next Place some Alledge that thouâ— we be not free to Joyn as fixed Members of tâ— Established Church nor could we be received such without Subjection to Episcopal Goverment their Discipline and Ceremonies Yâ— why should we be so shy as not to hear their Miâ—sters at any time we being all of one Faith That the Reader may have Satisfaction Consider First that we are not as Scepticks wâ— have either their Religion or manner of Worshâ— to seek as not knowing what Church-Commuâ—on to chuse For we are both in Judgement aâ— Practice established already what manner of Woâ—ship we should Adhere to And therefore need â— expose our selves as unfixed Some of your selâ— have reproved severely these who are of itchâ— Ears and the Rebuke is directed to us of this Diâ—cess We shall advert to what he hath said aâ— beware of that Evil hoping that while we are câ—tent with hearing of our own we shal not be chaâ—ed with that Guilt of itching for others 2. We desire also it may be remembred tâ— some of yours particularly Dr. Stilling fleet nâ— Bishop hath Published his Reflections agaâ— those of our Communion who at sometimes â— â— hear and Joyn in your Worship Because they â—ntinue not making this the Argument that if we â—ink it Lawfull at sometimes why not at other â—mes and that Constant Communion is due where â—ccasional Communion is allowed But another â—f a great Character in the Defence of his Answer â—o the Case of Protestant Dissenters stated and arâ—ed though under the covert of anothers Name â—ath raised the Censure to such a pitch that they â—ppear to be Men of flexible and profligat Conscienâ—es who at sometimes Joyn in Worship with the â—stablished Church not Resolving to Continue â—ow then can you advise us to Occasional Comâ—union If it be not for this Reason that you â—ay take Occasion to Reproach us as Men of no â—rinciples who will turn and return with the Tide â—f Worldly Interest But belike you may have the â—ss Occasion for this Imputation hereafter this â—eing the best Use ye make of it Can any Man â—f sence judge it a rational Method for drawing us â—o your Communion at any time to tell us it must â—e always otherwise we are but Men of a profligat Conscience It would hereby appear that you desire none of us to come near you and discharge us to Joyn in your Worship as we would not be Stigmatized the next day for profligat Persons 3. Whereas it 's said we are of one Faith it 's well this is acknowledged and long may it be so But some Observe that this is rarely Confessed except when you mind to improve it for an Impâ—taâ—ion that being of one Faith we are thereby oâ—liged to Conformity and wilfully Obstinat in â—fusing it As if our being of one Faith engagâ— us to any manner of Worship you require Coâ—manded of GOD or not But it may be inferrâ— with greater Reason since we are of the saâ— Faith therefore you should make the Door Pâ—tent and admit us freely and not to cast the stuâ—bling Blocks of unprofitable Ceremonies in oâ— Way Which your Selves Know and Confess mâ— be laid aside without Sin But such as we cannâ— Comply with without Sin yet you will not paâ— with one of these useless Ceremonies if we shouâ— never come nearer you But in the last Place that which is urged as moâ— plausible when it appears we cannot be fixâ— Members of your Communion and are not pleâ—ed but rather angry at Occasional Communioâ— that at least when People want Ministers of thâ— own as many of them do often want why do nâ— they then go to the Parish Church why do nâ— your Ministers positively declare their Opinioâ— For Answer to this Consider First That it is the Affliction of many Feareâ— of GOD to want the Benefit of publick Gospeâ— Ordinances every Lords Day we say it's theâ— Affliction but cannot so easily grant that it is thâ— Sin when their circumstantiat Case is such thâ— â—t sometimes they must either want or Wound â—heir Conscience by Joyning in Acts of Worship â—hich they cannot find to be approved of GOD They dare not act as joint Worshippers in these â—ery Acts lest they not only partake of other Mens Sins but be active in sinning themselves Such as are in this Case are rather to be pitied than â—ensured Bishop Stilling fleet hath these remarkâ—ble words in his Irenic page 119. 120. Let Men â—urn and wind themselves which Way they will by â—â—e very same Arguments that any will Prove Sepaâ—ation from the Church of Rome lawfull because She â—quired unlawfull Things as Conditions of Her Comâ—union It will be proved Lawfull not to Conform â—o any suspected or unlawfull Practice required by my Church-Governour upon the same Terms If the â—â—ing so required be after Serious and Sober Enquiry â—dged Vnwarrantable by a Man 's own Conscience Grant but this Liberty allowed by this Learned â—ishop to forbear any Suspected or Unlawfull â—ractice though required by a Church-Goverâ—our And then you will be more sparing in Condemning the Practice of sober Christians whose great