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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25659	An Antidote against Dr. E. Stillingfleet's Unreasonableness of separation being a vindication of the nonconformists from the heavy charges of schism and separation wherein they are loaded by the doctor and two anonymous authors : in two discourses conjoined and seasonably published.		1681 (1681)	Wing A3492; ESTC R16438	10,441	33

of honest Principles and Sentiments in their Doctrine and had the same mind and design to purge the then present Church of its Idolatry Superstitions and gross Errors and to bring in the same pure Doctrine that was professed by Calvin and the Reformed Churches in France and which hath been and is still retained by the Nonconformists in England 2. That the said first Reformers being divided in their Opinions about retaining that which was good and taking away whatsoever was amiss in the Romish Church as to the outward Government the Opinion that the Reformation could not be thoroughly done for matter of Government and externals as it was possible for matter of Doctrine prevailed so far with Bishop Hooper Rogers and others that wisht it had been otherwise as to make them forbear any further urging of a compleat Reformation in hopes that when the people that were instructed in the true saving Doctrine should be more numerous the opposition to a thorough Reformation in all points would be less 3. That this rude draught of Reformation suitable to that time had very bad success because the Conformable Party prevailed to have it a standing law which was neither to be repealed nor altered and which drew along with it Non-Residency Plurality of Livings and entward Pomp and Grandeur as best suiting a worldly interest whilst another Party who were then called Puritans and now Nonconformists retained and still do to our days a desire and longing after a thorough Reformation and they have endeavoured by Conferences Remonstrances and Writings to have it introduced 4. That yet the Conformists were not all of one mind there being still a party among them very peaceable and orthodox and at less distance from the Non-Conformists especially among the Gentry that were no Courtiers and in great Towns Cities and Corporations whilest the other Party made up of Conformists grew corrupt and so far from hearkening to a further Reformation that they made nearer advances towards Rome 5. That Jealousies and apprehensions daily encreasing and fears of inclining to Popery and the Troubles in Scotland intervening in the Years 38 and 39 and the Discontents rising up in England the King was forced to call a Parliament which began in 1640. 6. That that Parliament both Lords and Commons was most if not all composed of such peaceable Orthodox Church of England men I have but now mentioned and all conforming to the Rites Ceremonies of Episcopacy and Hierarchy but yet greatly averse to Popery Tyranny and the Corrupt party of the Church of England that inclined to wards Rome Witness the many Speeches in Parliament they made as of the Lord Faulckland Sir Benjamin Rudyer Digby and others with whom Good and Honest Bishops joyned 7. That the Ground and Rise of the Civil War in 1640 and 43 was in opposition to such as Bishop Land and other bad instruments 8. That the Lords and Commons in 1642 and 43 were all in perfect Conformity to the Church of England so was the Army too that they raised for the General the main Body of the Army the Officers and Captains both by Land and Sea were all conformable to the Church of England and none of them Puritans Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Sectaries or Conventiclers 9. That likewise the Assembly of Divines in Westminister chosen by the Parliament were all Conformists and none of them Silenced Ministers except 8. or 9 and 4 Scots 10. That the first Intentions of the Parliament was so far from subverting the Government of Church and State established by Law and from taking away the House of Lords and Bishops root and branch that it was only to reform the abuses of both and to settle such a Model of Church Government as was recommended by the Pious and learned Bishops Vsher and Hall and which did not much differ from that which our Gracious Soveraign that now is recommended to his parliament in his Declaration 1660. about Ecclesiastical Affairs 11. That the parliament had no thoughts of bringing in the Covenant into England had not the necessity of their Affairs forced them to joyn with the Scots 12. That no man was obliged by it to take away Bishops but only as they are in Conjunction with the English Hierarchy 13. Neither was it the Intention of the Lords and Commons at first to take away Deans and Chapters but to make them more serviceable and useful to take away Pluralities Non-residencies and to settle a more proportionable Maintenance for Ministers 14. That the Change or Subversion of Government the taking away the Lords House and with them the Bishops and excluding the greatest part of the House of Commons and last of all the taking away the King and all the Confusions and Disorders that happened thereupon did arise from a third Party viz. The Army that was neither for the King nor parliament Neither for Conformists nor for Non-Conformists but was an Enemy to them all and sought their absolute ruine and destruction 15. That the Non-Conformists who usually no go by the name of Presbyterians Fanaticks Independents Rebels Sons of Belial c. by the corrupt Church-party that have been always making advances towards Popery were so far from being the first in Arms in opposition to the King our late blessed Martyr and being contrivers of his Death and of taking away Monarchy that on the contrary it was the only party while the others of the King's Friends sate still that appeared before and since 48 in his behalf to the hazard of their Lives witness Mr. love and that in 1660 had a chief hand in restoring our gracious Soveraign Charles the II. to his Throne for which never enough to be valued Benefit and kindness although it was but duty no Party has been more severely persecuted by the Corrupt-party of the Church of England But of this more anon 16. That the Declaration of the King mentioned in the Tenth Consideration was a confirmation of another former Declaration 17. That whereas when the King came over from the Hague there was a great expectation that his Printed Declaration for Ecclesiastical Affairs would be sufficient to compose all differences and heats and unite all Parties by taking away the stumbling block of subscribing to those Ceremonies that were not warranted by the Word of God but just on the contrary the Clamours of the Corrupt Party of the Church of England at length prevail'd for restoring of those Ceremonies All which good Bishop Brownrig foretold a little before his Death in saying That there would continue the same Confusions and Animosities that were before and with them the same spirit of Persecution which the Corrupt Church-Party before 1640 was the cause of 18. That the Zeal and Fervour of the prevailing Corrupt Church-Party in England at this present juncture of time in writing so many Books against the Papists and standing up so stoutly against the Horid Attempt upon the King 's most Sacred Life and introducing of Popery and hearkening to some

AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST Dr E. Stillingfleets Vnreasonableness of SEPARATION Being a Vindication of the NONCONFORMISTS From the heavy Charges of SCHISM and SEPARATION Wherewith they are loaded By the Doctor and Two Anonymous Authors In Two Discourses conjoined and seasonably published LONDON Printed for Richard Janeway in Queens-head-Alley in Paternoster-Row MDCLXXXI To the Reader THOU art here presented with two Discourses conjoined in Vindication of Protestant Dissenters the publishing whereof is become highly necessary by reason of the heavy charges wherewith the Nonconformists are lately loaded by the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls in his Vnreasonableness of Separation and by the Authors of two Answers to a Letter from a Minister to a Person of Quality shewing some reasons for his Nonconformity There hath been already published a modest and peaceable Inquiry into the design and nature of some of those Historical mistakes that are found in the Doctors Preface to the aforenamed Book wherein the innocency of Protestant Dissenters is cleared up and vindicated from the Doctors indecent censuses and these Discourses come after to encounter the body of his Book In the first Discourse we appeal to all our Neighbour Protestants touching our sincerity giving them an Historical Account of the rise and growth of those thing which are the causes of our divisions and then leaving them to judg where the faut lyes and whether these heavy charges of the Doctors are not unmerited The second is principally calculated for the Meridian of the two Anonymous Authors of the aforesaid Answers where human invention is elevated many degrees above Divine Revelation but may indifferently serve for an answer to the Doctors charges of Schisme and Separation It may be here objected Is this a time to dispute about these smaller things when the Church is like to be swallowed up of Popery and the Holy Cloy it self ready to be trod under foot of the Gentiles and our common Enemy will rejoyce to see Protestant against Protestant that they may divide the spoil and so great a Champion of the Protestant Cause assailed To this several things must be said 1. The Doctor himself as a Protestant ought to have considered this and not have given this provocation 2. And as the Doctor and his Party may write for their Way when they will why should others neglect the year of release which falls out but once in an age It is not long since we were under the Hatches and had not leave to give our Reasons against Conformity nor were allowed to be once heard till about Two thousand Ministers were silenced 3. As to the Reverend Doctor he hath done so worthily in this our Israel especially in his so learned Writings against the Papists that he deserves well of all good Protestants but yet seeing the learned Doctor seems to have repented of his former Writings particularly his Irenicum having since the writing of that Book to much applauded and congratulated the happy restitution of the English Prelacy to its wonted luster and grandure far enough from his formerly desired reduction to Primitive Presbyteries I know not but he may find as good reason here for his repenting this his Book against Dissenting Protestants For the end of his Epistle to Irenicum may be recanted but never reconciled to the beginning of his Episile to Archbishop Land's Defence against Fisher What pity so grave and great a man should thus expose himself by a Contest too palpable between Principle and Preferment Now tho' this his Book hath the last word and carries it with the world yet the elder Brother will be accounted the honester with the wise because born of the Free-woman while the after-seed was conceiv'd and brought forth in bondage 4. It may be judged a fit season of asserting the Kingly Power of Christ in setling the government of his own House when men so liberally give away the Lords prerogative Our Pulpits now so ring with a Catholick Jus Civile that there is scarce any Jus Divinum left but of Tythes which I hope they will hold to the last being good Church men A fair Charter hath Christ sealed to his Church with his own blood giving her Officers Ordinances and free Courts within her self all which some unfaithful children with prophane Esau often sell for Morsels of Meat Now could men let Christ alone to govern his own House in his own Way by his own Officers and Ordinances how happy should we be Who can better reprove the Atheism of the world in setting up mans post by Christs than Doctor Stillingfleet hath done in his other Works while he saith that to say a man may be of any Religion according to the laws of men is to take it for granted that there is no such thing as Religion in the World And again that no men do so dangerously undermine the foundation of Civil Government as those who maguifie it to the Contempt of Religion Politicians and Court-Parasites must not dare to form a Religion in the flexible mould of State A Municipal Religion would many fain promote following Reasons of State more than Rules of Conscience like the Heathens who first built Cities and then instituted a Religion sit for the Inbabitants The Roman Inspire flourished while vertue was nourished to shew faith Austin how happy they should be who should have Religion superadded And indeed they had no better Subjects than Christians for none can give onto Caesar the things that are Caesars upon any valuable or holding Account who make no Conscience of giving unto God the things that are Gods How the learned and unprejudiced if it fall into such hands shall find this Defence managed Judicium sit poenes lectorem Now may the most High after all the encroachments on the Scepter of his Son in the World bring back the hearts of this People to himself making them yield to the internal Government of his Spirit and the True Apostolick and ancient external Government of his house that the Glory of the latter House may be greater than the Glory of the former even a Spiritual Glory of the Power of the Lord may appear among us and the work of the Lord may prosper by his own Ordinances in the hands of his own appointed Servants as the beauty of his house and the blessing of his chosen Amen Even so Lord Jesus let thy Kingdom come Jan. 24th 1680 1. An Antidote against Dr. Stillingfleet's Unreasonableness of Separation in a Vindication of the Nonconformists from the Charges of Schism and Separation c. FOR the full and clear understanding of the state of the controversie between Conformist and Nonconformist it will be absolutely necessary especially since we appeal to Protestants abroad to give an historical account of the rise and growth of our Differences from the beginning of the Reformation Know then 1. That the first reformers in the days of King Edward the 6th though of several judgments about the external part of the Government were all