meet within the City the people assisted in carrying the Materials and setting up the Church in the Suburbs yea saith Socrates the people would have been admitted into their Communion if the Novatians had been willing and we may observe in History the Novatians never ceased till the clamours against them as dangerous and intollerable persons were at end and little or no notice were taken of them Indeed could it be proved that any particular Church under the Gospel whether National Diocesan or Parochial was of the same constitution with the Church of the Jews that all Christians were bound to be Members of it or all that live within their Precinct or at least all that once have been Members are indispensably bound to continue so then it were a damning sin to separate from them But when it is Originally as free for every Christian to choose his Church as to choose the place of his abode and nothing but the convenience of his own edification in the first place and next the edification of the Neighbourhood obligeth him to joyn with and to continue in this or that particular Church it can be no sin of so high a nature though it be blame-worthy for him to withdraw without just reason 3. Say that all Separation is as great a sin as our Author would insinuate what means doth he prescribe to prevent it why he saith all men are bound to do and submit to all things that are lawfull to preserve the peace and to prevent the dividing of the Church True all things that are really Lawfull but not to all that the imposers say are lawfull if men must judge for themselves what is Lawfull absolutely and what not and what is Lawfull or not in their circumstances will not this open a door for Separation as much as any thing his opposites have said he blames them for allowing people to separate upon pretence of their Ministers insufficiency or scandal or interruption on them againist their wills for doubtfull ceremonies for modes of Worship for want of Discipline or right Constitution of the Church and saith which is his most plausible arguments that some of these the Papists might have retorted upon our first Reformers and all such pretences would justifie the Ancient Schismes and make way to endless Separation for the future But he wrongs these Authors which is a common shift almost to all that write on this subject when he intimates that they allow Separation upon any pretence of such causes Is there no difference betwixt pretending and really proving the gross insufficiency errours or scandals of a Minister or gross usurpations over mens Consciences and Liberty do any prudent men allow Separation without good cause full proof all endeavours of amendment patient waiting and mature advice and consideration of all circumstances what then is there no preventing endless Separation but Tyranny over mens Consciences that they shall be compell'd to approve and do whatsoever their Rulers please as the Papists teach yes the Dr's final determination is Page 208. A prudent and due submission in Lawfull things is a medium betwixt Tyranny over Mens Consciences and endless Separation what is here more then any Brownist will grant that understands himself viz. that as Rulers must not Tyrannize over Mens Consciences so the people must not be given to endless Separation and that the way to prevent both is that the Rulers rule with due and prudent Discipline and that the people yield prudent and due submission and that this Government and submission be exercised only in Lawfull things But still must not the people in submitting as well as the Governours in Ruling judge whether things be Lawfull or not whether submission be due and how farr and in what cases it is prudent to yield or to deny it if the people must not judge then you establish a Tyranny over their Consciences that they must approve what ever their Rulers command or Hobbisme that they must do what ever their Rulers command though they beleive it to be sinfull or inconvenient if the people must judge for themselves in the things that concern them then they must judge of the insufficiency of their Minister the Legallity of his call and the like but how then hath the Dr. put a stop to Separation more then they may not men pretend things required to be unlawfull submission not to be due nor prudent and so without end Their Arguments therefore are but Sophismes like those that plead against all certainty of sense or reason because many men are certain i. e. confident when they are mistaken that a man cannot be sure he seeth heareth or feeleth because he hath many times thought he did so in his dream when it was no such thing as there is a certain way of proving that men are awake and use their sences so there is as certain a way to prove by plain Scripture when Ministers are insufficient when impositions are unlawfull when it is necessary to withstand usurpation on the Churches Priviledges c. what ever Sophisters will cavil against it and if men will pretend cause of Separation when there is none or manifestly insufficient or but dubious they may be convicted and if they separate bear their blame but whilst men are subject to mistake to passion and partiallity which will be till our Lord come what shall put a stop to Separation but necessary moderation in Rulers in imposing one reverence in the people in submitting and meekness towards those who notwithstanding all care weakly or peevishly may dissent in things that are tolerable This Learned man hath not shewed us nor the experience of Fifteen Hundred Years the Popish Cruelty could not prevent Separations Episcopal Authority could not prevent them The Donatists and Novatians had their Bishops imposing Uniformity in Ceremonies could not the First Division in the Christian Church rose about the keeping of Easter-day if people offend against the plain Rule of Scripture or the plain Rule of good Government and Order let them be punished according to their Offences but not for things doubtfull in Scripture or burthensome in Government if men offend in lesser matters and cannot be convinced let them be born with till inconvenience be seen to arise from such Clemency and then it is time enough to retract or retrench it if this were not dayly done in Nations and Families no Civil Society could stand how then shall the contrary severity establish the Church Obj The Dr. objects the Reformers taught that where there is soundness in Doctrine and Worship people ought not to separate from a Church for lesser defects real or apparent and that they insisted on the corruption of Doctrine and Worship as the only cause of their Separation from Rome Answ 1. Doctrine and Worship are indeed the chief things in a Church for if God be truly worshipped and his knowledge be truly taught mens lives will be bettered and their Souls saved by it but then it must not
AN APOLOGY FOR THE NON-CONFORMISTS SHEWING Their Reasons both for their not Conforming and for their Preaching PUBLICKLY though forbidden by LAW WITH AN Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Sermon and his Defence of It. So much as concerneth the Non-Conformists PREACHING By John Troughton Minister of the Gospel Gal. 5. v. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheap-side 1681. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Good Reader THE first part of this Discourse was written last Summer occasioned by Dr. Stillingfleet's Sermon but so many Answers to it came forth and there was so much discourse of his Reply long before it appeared that it was laid aside till We might know what further strength the Dr. had to bring into the field which when I had considered I found no reason to alter any thing considerable of what was writ before but only to add something in answer to a few things suggested in the Drs. second Book which therefore I have made a second Part. I must beg pardon for some Repetitions especially in the Historical Parts the Drs. Discourse inforcing me to them I do not meddle with the many Questions about Church Government and Ceremonies which the Dr. and his other Opponents have started my design is only to shew the most plain and the most generally prevailing Reasons of the Non-Conformists for their practice in dissenting from the Liturgy and in exercising their Ministry though ejected and this I do because the Dr. hath endeavoured to represent Vs especially in the latter of these as acting against our own Principles and Consciences as if we knew it was Schism but dare not tell the People so Therefore I have plainly given our Sense of things and shall leave it to the Judgement of the Readers What the Dr. hath said against our practice I have considered being unconcerned with all the rest and if He please at any time hereafter to give us his Arguments directly to this Question which he first proposed viz. Whether the Non-Conformists Preaching to their own People when forcibly cast out or to other People that call them in this time of Confusion and Oppression of the Church be Schisme or Sinful I say if He shall give us his Arguments which He may do in a few sheets they shall be examined with as much impartiallity and Candour as He shall please to write them In the mean time our Adversaries may here see we have some Reason for what We do and our Friends may see that we do not own the Principles of Separation and Confusion Farewel Part First CHAP. I. Of the Nature and end of a Church with the several sorts of Churches THat we may the more distinctly set forth the Persons and causes of our Dissent and Separation from them who appropriate to themselves the name of the Church of England as well as its revenues and preferments it will be needfull by way of preparative briefly to consider what is the nature and end of the Church what the several sorts of Churches be what Communion we must have with them and what Separation from them is Lawfull or Unlawfull First Then for the nature and end of the Church It is a sacred Society or Common-Wealth whereof Jesus Christ is the Head King and Governour vnited unto him first and then to each other for these two great ends viz to Glorifie God in him and that they may be saved from sin and Satan and at last glorified with him I call it a sacred Common-Wealth to distinguish it from all other assemblies civil or military or natural which may and often and signified by the Hebrew Greek and Latin Names of a Church The Church is a society or Common-Wealth i. e. ordered and consisting of governour and governed not an accidentall confused Congregation of men Christ is the head King and Governour of this Society hence it is called his body and his fullness as a People be to their King Eph. 1.24 His Kingdome his People yea his House and Temple Eph. 2.21.22 And he is also cal'd the Head of the Church or King Prince Lawgiver Lord c. As Union is the bond of all society so the Church also is an united policy the Union of societies is voluntary consent and agreement among themselves but whereas men in civil societies may first unite among themselves and then chuse a common Head or Governour and unite with him this society is made up of singular Members of whom each one singly and for himself doth first unite with Christ his Head and Governour by agreement and consent and then secondly doth joyn with all those that have or shall subject themselves to the same Governour order is good for ends and orderly societies do combine for proper ends to be attain'd by such combination and as those ends are good or bad so is that Corporation of men to be adjudged good or evil The Church is United for sacred and holy ends and therefore it is a sacred Common-wealth the proper ends which this combination of Christ and his Church respect are that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ viz immediately and directly in acknowledging him worshipping and honouring him seeking his Love favour and blessing c. In those ways and by those means which he the head and Lawgiver shall prescribe natural and civil societies if combined for honest ends are for the Glory of God remotely in lower things but the Church is immediately concerned in gloryfiing him and that not as a Creatour only but as a Redeemer also by Jesus Christ and as the end of all good society is the good of the community and of every person in it as far as can be attained and not of one part only so the Church is united to Christ and every Member to the Church for their own spiritual good immediately and directly viz that they may be every one everlastingly happy in serving and enjoying him which must be brought about by recovering them out of the misery that they are in by sin which is their Salvation and putting them into the possession of the Kingdom of Heaven which will be their Glorification civil and natural societies are for civil and natural good and advantage but the Church is a spiritual Common-Wealth for spiritual ends only hence it hath its name in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a company of men called out for some special end called whence out of this world not out of the place presently but out of the concerns and designs of this world they are not of this World as I am not of this world John 17.16 And to whom are they called to Jesus Christ as their Head and King to serve him and be subject to him and that not in managing the business and interest of this world but in obeying and honouring him immediately in order to
becomes unfit to live among them the two great parts of the Catholick Church that in Heaven and this on Earth have a Communion in that they are both United to Christ both worship and serve him in those particular ways that are proper for the state they are in and both wait for that compleat Salvation which they shall have at their general meeting besides this we know of no Communion betwixt them viz that either part can be serviceable to each other at present only we that live on earth enjoy the benefit of the Prayers and Examples which they left us who are now in Heaven and of their endeavours to continue the Gospel to us and so we succeed them in the same offices and endeavour to transmit the Knowledge of Christ his Gospel and Ordinances to those that shall succeed us nor can here be any Separation of one of these parts from another without breaking of Christian Religion which is impossible to them that are in Heaven and if any on earth thus separate it is to their own damnation The Catholick Militant Church on Earth hath a Communion in some more particulars for besides their common acknowledgement of Christ and his Gospel and the common love they are to bear to all Christians on earth as their Brethren they are to perform all offices of love which in this their imperfect militant state they are able and may need from one another such as to pray for all to rejoyce in each others welfare to sympathize in each others afflictions to assist by councell charitable relief hospitallity c. and when ever there is occasion to receive each other to their worship as brethren leaving to every one the liberty of their particular rites or opinions and this is so indispensable a duty that no Separation can be lawfull or tolerable in those who separate from the Catholick Church who relinquish the profession of Christ or cast of all love to their Brethren or that will not joyn with them in the worship of God or concern themselves in their common concerns Now for Organized Churches that are associated for the exercise of their Religion and their edification under Government o Pastours and Guides their Communion must be that the Members of every such Church joyn with each other ordinarily and peaceably in the same Acts of Worship and perform all offices of love to each other in some tolerable measure that they be subject to their Governours and that their Governours do conscionably endeavour the edification of the people committed to their charge according to the Laws of Christ which are the general rules of these societies and according to any other particular rules which they shall agree on amongst themselves for their own edification as Circumstances may require and so that both parts Governours and Governed do joyntly promote the edification of the whole Body in Holiness and Peace Separation therefore from these Organized Churches is a Breach of this Political Communion and Order among themselves which is done either by breaking off from the Body to which they belonged as Members which is Separation properly so called or by disturbing the Communion of it or withdrawing from some parts or acts of that Communion though they do not wholly break off from the body such Seperation is in many cases Lawfull in some necessary and a duty and therefore must not be Universally Condemned but the causes of it be inquired into For though all Christians must be Members of Christ and of the Catholick Church under him for the general ends of their Salvation it doth not appear yet that they must be Members of the same Organized Society or that they may not upon just occasions leave those societies they were joyned with and go to others already in being or constitute new ones for their own edification even as in civil government men may not only compose divers Polities or Common-Wealths but may also make new confederacies or divide their Polities into lesser and particular persons may depart from them to others or constitute new ones yea may deny their concurrence with many things done in the society they joyn with and all this without the Crime of Sedition or defection till the causes and ends of such practise prove it so Now to descend to the particular forms of Organized Churches by what hath been said we may easily judge of their Communion and Separation from them And First For the Oecumenicall Church the Political Communion thereof must be that all Christians in the World be subject to the same Governours under Christ and live as Members of the same individual society either as a single Congregation or as of many united into one Separation from this Communion must therefore be either to interrupt the peace and order of this Communion or wholly to forbear joyning with them but such a Catholick unity of the Church under one Government being impracticable and inconsistent with the edification of the Church since it is inlarged and dispersed throughout the world it is needless to dispute about Communion with it or Separation from it All other Churches that exceed the bounds of a single Congregation and must be constituted of many are of the same nature with the Oecumenicall Church though not of the same latitude as to the matter of Communion which must therefore consist in the performance of all offices mutually betwixt Governours and Governed as Members of the same society whether it consists of several Nations as Patriarchial Churches or of the people of one Nation as National Churches or of the people of one Province one Diocess or Classis as Provincial Diocesan or Classical Churches Separation here must be either a disturbing of the peace and order of these Churches or a withdrawing from them as to the political duties due to them such Separation must often be lawfull and warrantable seeing no command of Christs binds men to particular Provinces or Diocesses nor always to continue in the same Finally The Communion of a Parish or Congregation consists in this that Pastours and People mutually perform their respective duties to each other and amongst themselves for their dayly edification Separation from such Congregations is either to interrupt their Government or Concord or to withdraw from them now seeing no man is immutably bound to one Congregation nor any Congregation to one Diocess or any larger combination and all these Churches are subject to corruptions which the Members must oppose and contend against separation from them must not be censured till it be known whether the cause be just or unjust And thus we are come at the last to enquire What are just causes of Separation whereby we may judge also what are not And that we may not speak too generally and confusedly we distinguish betwixt Separation of one Church from another and of particular Members from that Church whereto they did belong As all Churches are bound to Communion among themselves being all Members of the
Catholick Church of Christ though gathered into smaller bodies for their own conveniency and this Communion consisteth in acknowledging each other as Brethren in performing brotherly offices of Love and Kindness and especially in admitting each other to their worship upon occasions so Sepetation betwixt Churches is a Breach of this Communion when one Church disowneth another to be a Church of Christ excludes them from her Ordinances and from all Offices of Christian Love This is just when 't is upon great and just causes such whereupon we refuse Communion with the Papists and Socinians if upon lighter causes it is Unlawfull and a great breach of Charity yet not to be aggravated as an unpardonable sin or as that which deserves more animadversion then those sins which destroy all Religion and Humane Society seeing men may be good Christians in Doctrine and practise good Subjects and good Neighbours though they conceived such a mistaken opinion concerning another Church but this is not the Separation I shall insist on the causes that make this just will make the other just also but all the causes that make Separation from a particular Congregation just will not reach our Comunion with other Churches or concern our Separation from them We shall therefore enquire for what causes Members of a Church may Lawfully separate from it i. e. contend for the reformation of the Church and if they cannot attain it withdraw from and either joyn to other Churches or make new ones themselves And to clear this point let us always Remember that the Church is a Common-Wealth United to Christ as the Head First and but secondarily to each other Faith and Obedience to God in Christ with the Salvation of their own Souls is the end why men become Christians and give up themselves to Christ and next they give up themselves to the Church as a Society that profess to design the same end and to have given up themselves to the same Lord and therefore they hope and intend by the Friendship of this Church to be assisted and furthered towards the attaining of their great ends if therefore the Church prove otherwise i. e. to be no help but an hindrance to their serving of Christ and furthering their Salvation Separation from it is not contrary to their Obligation as Christians they are still Members of Christ yea may and ought to seek another Society wherein they may attain those great ends it is true men are bound to bear with many things amiss in a Church because there will be always some things amiss in one kind or other and also for publick peace least by unseasonable reforming some lesser things amiss or withdrawing from the Church while there is any reasonable hope of amendment they should make things worse yet when they cannot worship Christ aright or can have no tolerable edification in the Church the end of the Church Society is destroyed and Separation from it become necessary and the peace of a Church is subordinate to the great end of a Church viz that Religion may be preserved and promoted among them but when this is not intended but betrayed peace then is no duty but a conspiracy against Christ and the good of his Church Even as in civil Government the end being the good of the whole Society so long as that end is tollerably pursued in the preservation of publick justice and honesty many things must be born with rather then to endanger the whole by unseasonable endeavours to mend lesser things but when the publick good is not minded or those conditions broken upon which men did associate and there is no hope of redress in this case peace and quietness is to betray the Government The causes therefore which make Seperation Lawfull are in generall when men cannot worship Christ aright in the chief parts of his worship or edify their own Souls in the Church whereto they are joyned and when there is no reasonable hope of the redress of these things Particular causes are such as these 1. When a Church is idolatrous for now it forsakes Christ the Head for whose sake and service we became Members of the Church and therefore must now forsake it for him what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 2 Cor. 6.16 Ye are the Temple of the Living God c. ver 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing c. 2. When any known sin is made the condition of Communion i. e. when a man shall not be admitted or continued to be a Member of the Church unless he approve some errour in Doctrine corruption in worship or himself commit some sin in practise or at least consent to it in the Church For also this destroys the end of a Church which is to edify us in Faith and Obedience whereas here something against Faith or Obedience is to be the very entrance into the Church Upon these 2 cases all agree that Separation is Lawfull and necessary and they both hold strongly against the Church of Rome for she is manifestly idolatrous and imposes both False Doctrines Superstitious Worship and wicked practises upon all her Members nor will it serve to say that that Church denies her worship to be idolatrous or the Terms of her Communion to be sinfull but she must clearly prove it from Scripture which is the Law of a Church and that to the capacity of every Christian concerned for if there be any reasonable grounds to suspect the Terms imposed to be Unlawfull a Christian cannot with safe Conscience submit to them till he is satisfied to the contrary and the Church having no Authority from Christ to impose any doubtfull much less sinfull Terms of Communion in this case the Church is guilty of the breach and not those who refuse to joyn with her or withdraw from her 3. When there is no tolerable means of edification in the Church though no evil is imposed upon the Members As when the teachers are Hereticall in the chief points that concern our Salvation or so contentious and such railers at any that differ from them that they cannot be heard with peace and composure For this cause the Dutch both Ministers and People and the then Prince of Orange also forsook their Parishes because their Arminian Preachers spent so much time railing on the Calvinists that they could neither hear them with profit nor bear them with Patience Also when Ministers are grosly ignorant and unable to explain the necessary Doctrines of Salvation to the People or when they do not or will not ordinarily preach to them or endeavour their instruction or when their Lives are greatly contrary to Religion and Godliness or when the People are almost all corrupt in Doctrines or wicked manners and will not be reformed For all these cases are directly contrary to the ends of a Church and we must rather forsake the Church that we may be edified in Faith
Gal. 5.1 To stand fast in the Liberty with which Christ hath made us free and not to be intangled again in the Yoke of Bondage this was Liberty from the Ceremonial Law which being dissolved by Christ the Church might suffer no man to impose on them again consequently the Church was freed from all Rites and Ceremonies but those which Christ had appointed in his Gospel and she must maintain this Liberty now if the Governours of the Church either by themselves alone or with one part of the people will impose Rites and Ceremonies on the Church against the consent of the whole or part of the People without shewing sufficient reason for such imposition or any necessity from present urgent circumstances for such Rites and Customs this is a great usurpation and the people are deprived of the Liberty Christ purchased for them and bequeathed to them as a singular priviledge and therefore it doth greatly obstruct edification the end of a Church Now though every such imposition will not warrant separation presently yet when they are multiplyed and inforced with Rigour it overthroweth the Peace of a Church and so their edification and also tends to enslave the people to their Rulers and to open a Door for all the Rites and Ceremonies that Superstition or Tyranny can invent and therefore this is to be timely withstood enslaving the people destroys the end of Church Government and therefore frees men from a necessary Obligation to that Government To these causes of Separation which are the principal and most weighty we may add that when Parishes are grown so populous that no one place will hold them to hear the word and receive the Sacraments together that they cannot know each other generally much less perform the mutual offices of Fellow Members they may Lawfully divide themselves into more Congregations and if it can be done with general consent it is most for peace but if not men are not bound to hazard their Souls to gratify the Pride of others who had rather Thousands should perish Eternally for want of the necessary means of Instruction then their Dominion be lessened This we see sometimes done by the civil Magistrate viz large Parishes divided and if he will not do it when there is need the want of his concurrence cannot make it a Schism for the people to divide themselves These are the most ordinary and obvious causes of Separation from Churches and which will be most usefull for the ensuing discourse It is true Church Governours are as unwilling the people should have any liberty without them to provide for the edification of their Souls as Secular Powers are jealous of such a claim in their Subjects and they tell us as this Dr doth what confusion it leads to if the people should be judges of their Ministers Doctrines or Lives or of the commands of their Governours if they may in every case and according to their own fancies withdraw from them c. But here they fight with a Shadow no judicious man ever affirmed that the people may according to their fancies prejudices suspitions or light scruples withdraw from their Churches but what then must they withdraw in no case they gave themselves to Christ and not to their Ministers any further then as they dispense the Laws and Ordinances of Christ some inconveniencies will sometimes happen upon just separation it may be always as there is no publick change in any state though from worse to better but it is attended with some inconveniencies for a time especially to particular persons but if it be for the lasting good of the whole those inconveniences must be over-looked It was this Notion of not withdrawing from Churches and Governours almost upon any account that suffred so many errors corruptions and usurpations to grow upon the antient Church till at last they were all formed into the body of Popery for good men in those days complained of multitudes of Ceremonies pride and ignorance of Church Governours and such like growing evils but for fear of being accounted Novations or Donatists and out of an overweaning reverence of the Church they were afraid to make any effectual opposition against them and the same notion set's very fair to produce the same effect again we grant they must be very weighty cases that warrant Separation and such as do directly and necessarily overthrow the edificaion of a Church we grant also that people must wait a convenient time and use all peaceable means for reformation with all due respect and reverence of their Governours but if after all no reformation can be had people must not hazard the Salvation of their own Souls and the honour of Christ to please men and the greatest inconvenience that is like to follow upon such Separations is that it is like to make Church Governours more diligent in feeding the Flock and more cautious of imposing upon them and of ruling them with Rigour it will also make the people more carefull of their practises least they often offend their Brethren by their Scandals and cause them to avoid them for disorderly walking but what if the people having great offences and stumbling blocks laid in the way and great obstructions of their edification and instead of any Redress have Rehoboams Answer that more Burthens shall be added or Pharoahs Compassion that it is want of more severity in Laws and Government that makes people cry out for Indulgence and Relaxation what if in such cases the people sometimes withdraw from a Church either in part or wholly sooner then in strictness they should or then the wisest men who can bear longest would allow yet if this be really done for the edification of their Souls that they may enjoy the Ordinances with more profit and peace and they do not un-church those they withdraw from or refuse to own them as Brethren or to hold Brotherly Communion with them on just occasions certainly this can be accounted but an infirmity incident to the generallity of men for all have not patience or prudence alike nor do all understand the rules of Government and Societies yet all serious Christians have so much sence and prudence as to love their own Souls and to feel when they want Spiritual Food themselves and to pity and love all their true Christian Brethren and if God approved the defection of the Ten-Tribes from Rehoboam and forbad him to endeavour to reduce them by violence though they offended in the manner of their withdrawing he will not certainly condemn those who conscientiously withdraw from those Churhes where they cannot have edification or Christian Liberty though they may fail in some circumstances of their withdrawing And how they will Answer it who would have them reduced by the Sword and giving them over to the Devil when in the mean time they will remove none of their stumbling blocks themselves cast in their way let them seriously consider CHAP. III. The general Reasons of the Non-conformists for their
been all cast out as it was in Scotland the Argument is the same and their People left either desolate or like to be betrayed to Ignorance and Superstition that it were unlawful for these Ministers to Preach to this People in Temporary Assemblies or Congregations till this storm may happily blow over I find no force in the Argument but each Reader must judge for himself CHAP. III. An Answer to the 3d. Argument from the Nature and Sinfulness of Separation THE Dr. spends the whole second part of his Book in Examining as he saith Sect. 1. The Principles of the present Separation and those are of two degrees 1. Of some that hold no Communion with the Church of England lawful 2. Those that hold only occasional Communion with them lawful but not constant and then proceeds to argue against Separation from Churches whose Doctrine and Worship are for substance true and good and to shew many inconveniencies that will arise from such Separation Now though some of the Drs. Answerers have diverted to more general Questions about the Nature of Church Unity Terms of Communion and Causes of Separation and its several degrees and so have given him occasion to follow them yet I judge all this to be wide of our present Question in the sence and apprehension of most Non-Conformists for we are not disputing about much less erecting new Churches The Question only is whether it be Schismatical and Unjustifiable for us to Preach and Exercise all Ministerial Acts to the People in our Circumstances still maintaining all the Peace and Communion we can hoping in Gods due time this Wound of the Church may be healed What further Questions any particular Men have about the Constitution of Churches belongs not to the Cause or Party of the Non-Conformists whose sence he wrongfully ascribes to Mr. A and Mr. B. when they only speak of General Questions about Church Communion and not our particular Case in hand All the Arguments therefore or force of this discourse to our present purpose lieth in this Obj. Separation from Churches granted to be sound in Doctrine and Worship is sinful and in its effects very evil but such Separation he would insinuate is the Non-Conformists Preaching therefore sinful Answ In Answer to this we say 1. That the Non-Conformists do disclaim and are not constrained to own by this their Practise any Principle of Separation 2. We shall shew wherein the great Evil of Separation lieth And 3. That the Dr. hath provided no better Remedy against it then those whom he opposeth 1. The Non-Conformists disclaim Separation for they acknowledge the Parishes of England to be true Churches and the Doctrine and Worship established by Law amongst them to be true and sound they acknowledge themselves Members of those Parishes though wrongfully thrust out and evilly intreated by them They did not Separate themselves nor withdraw from them but first the Ministers were cast out by new devised terms imposed on them and afterwards many of the People were excommunicated and more would have been could the Parish Ministers have had their wills for non-communicating in doubtful if not sinful things They are also ready and desirous to return to a full union with the Parishes when ever the obstacles shall be removed And as they own no separation so their practise doth not constrain them to acknowledge it They hold Communion with the Parishes not only in Faith and Doctrine but also in acts of worship where they think they can lawfully do it and when they are not imployed elsewhere But the Dr. thinks if it be lawful for us to communicate occasionally or sometimes with the Church we are bound to doe it alwayes his reason is because if we be members of the Church and the Church be in such a condition that we can sometimes communicate with it then we must do it upon all occasions or else we separate and become members of a new Church For Answer I say that there are many cases wherein men ought to continue members of a Church i. e. not totally to break off but wait till abuses may be amended and breaches healed and yet it not be their duty to hold constant communion in all or any acts of publick worship This appears by the instance of the ten Tribes after Jeroboams Apostacy they were still members of the Church of Jerusalem and might not gather any other Church there were many amongst them who held Communion with Judah in Doctrine and Charity but yet could not go up to Jerusalem to all or any of the Feasts or Sacrifices which were there cheif Publick Worship And that they sinned not in forbearing appears because the eminent Prophets Elijah Elisha and their Schollars who were so numerous that Obadiah alone saved an hundred from Jezabels cruelty and they had four Seminaries or Colledges wherein they were bred up these I say lived amongst them and kept private meetings with them but neither went themselves nor required the people to go up to Jerusalem as things then stood Hosea blamed the Priests for laying snares and nets upon Mizpah and Tabor Chap. 5.12 to entrap those who out of zeal did go up to Jerusalem and thereby caused them to be put to death but we do not find that this Prophet or Jonas or Amos who were all sent to the ten Tribes and preached to them where they had opportunity did ever press them to go up to all acts of Publick worship at Jerusalem because they were Members of that Church Again the people of Judah who lived nearer to the Temple and had free access to it when it was open those that were upright whether Priests or private persons went not up to it in the time of Idolatrous Kings when the Publick Worship was corrupted yet they continued members of the Church they frequented the Synagogues or more private meetings at home Malac. 3.16 and waited sometimes many years till Publick abuses should be redressed I know it will be said the case is not the same Idolatry was here set up in Publick and so it is not with us I Answer The question is not about the parrelling the case but the truth of this proposition that where occasional communion is lawful constant is necessary for here we see men continue members of a Church yea the Priests and Levites continued officers in it and the Prophets prophesied in it and so held communion occasionally when they could and in those things they could lawfully but they did not communicate in all things nor at all times nor were bound to it But let us go a little farther after the Captivity the Jews being dispersed through all Countreys there continued and set up their Synagogues and house of prayer where ever they could have leave Those Jews were still members of the Church at Jerusalem and yet did not could not the farre greatest part of them go up thither They therefore held communion in some things as the expounding the Law and prayer but
and Holyness elsewhere then foregoe our Edification to keep Peace with the Church The Dr hints at general Inconveniences that will follow if people find Fault with their Governours and withdraw from them and to such inconveniences all things in this world are subject and there ought to be the greater care to prevent them but must People bear always still there is nothing left but the name of a Church and their Communion with that be a hindrance to their Communion with Christ besides nothing would more awe both Pastours and People to their duty then if they knew that the soberest and most carefull Christians of their own Salvation would leave their company if they would not mend their manners and this would be a more Universal Benefit to the Church then the inconvenience of now and then one unseasonably withdrawing out of prejudice or finding too much Fault can do hurt to any Congregation 4. When a Church hath neither the exercise nor power of Government The Catholick Church is a Society under the Government of Christ by his Spirit and every particular Church is a part of the Chatholick gathered into a Politicall Body that it may edify and preserve it self which is done by Government and the exercise of Discipline as well as by preaching the word and administring the Sacraments and indeed the latter will be as ineffectual without the former as a Charge at an Assize or Sessions wherein the Laws are recited would be if there were neither presentment nor punishment of Offenders A Church without Power of Government is no Church but a Company of Neighbours that meet sometimes to hear the Word and receive the Sacraments together which Members of several Congregations may do for power of Government is the form of a Church as of a Civil Polity by which only it differeth from a confused accidental conventing or cohabitation of persons now it is no sin to separate from that which is no Church but a Duty as much as it is for every one to be a Member of some visible Church This case is too common with us where Ministers of Parishes are sometimes Deacons at least for a while who have no Ministerial power at all and if Presbyters yet such as pretend to no more then to preach and administer the Sacraments all power of Government as they say belonging to the Bishop and whatever their private Judgment may be of their power of Government we know they neither do nor dare exercise any solemn admonitions or suspension from the Sacrament much less Excommunication or Absolution when this is the case that the Church hath no power to govern her self hath long lost it and is out of hopes to recover it nothing can oblige men to live Members of it though there may be reasons why we should hear and receive with them occasionally as with Brethren If it be said that the Bishop hath a power of Government over all his Diocess I answer this shuts out all the Parish Ministers from Government and makes them but the Bishops Curates and makes all the Parishes cease to be distinct Churches and to become one general Church under a Bishop who is utterly uncapable to manage the charge of such a Congregation be it only to govern and not to preach as some men would have it and so it is still destructive of the end of a Church viz self-edification and preservation but moreover the Bishop himself is subject to the Metropolitane and all causes in his Diocess admit of an appeal to the Arch-Bishops Court so that neither hath the Bishop supream and full power of Governing his Church and therefore neither is the Diocess a Church but a part of the whole province all under the Government of the Arch-Bishop alone the Bishops being but his Deputies and this still makes the Government more impossible and Separation more necessary 5. A 5th just eause of Separation is when men are certainly and constantly debarred of some Principal Ordinances of Christ necessary to their Edification and Communion with Christ The end of a Church is the joynt practice of all the Laws and Ordinances of Christ in their proper seasons It is possible there may not be occasion for the exercise of some of them as Church Censures for a considerable time and it is possible some Ordinances may be carelesly neglected or for some reasons for a time omitted as the Lords Supper This is no cause of withdrawing at least not properly but if there be constant Bars put that any of these Ordinances shall be excluded the Church as the Sacraments are with many Sectaries or that they shall be made unaccessable by sinfull or unnecessary additions alterations interpolations or any other Corruption so that the most conscientious Christians cannot Communicate in them this after a convenient waiting and seeking for redress will justify Separation for the people may not be contented with one part of the Worship of God and the means of their Salvation this is to betray the Gospel and their own Souls nor have Church Governours power to add any thing either essential or circumstantial to the Ordinances of Christ that may hinder the people from Communicating in them and if they have no such authority to enjoyn such things there is no obligation upon the people either to comply with them in obedience or to bear their usurpation by continuing in Union with them If it be pleaded that the Jews never separated from their Church when they could not Communicate in the Sacrifices at the Temple under Idolatrous Kings or when the Passover or other Ordinances were wholly neglected or little used I answer this is not the case of Christian Churches the Jews were one single though large Congregation instituted by Moses to continue till Christ should come who should have power to new moddle the Church as he should think fit they were all tyed to one Altar and one Temple and might Sacrifice no where else they were also obliged to one Priesthood the House of Aaron and therefore in what-place-soever they were they must hold Communion with this people and Priesthood at this Altar and if publick worship was neglected or corrupted they could in no case separate or gather New Congregations or chuse new Priests or build new Altars but must be content with private helps till things were reformed but Christians though of one Nation or City are not obliged to one Congregation indispensably for then men may not move to other Parishes nor to one place of publick worship nor to one Minister or company of Ministers the Christians Church being tyed to no Countrey as the Jews were nor to any particular people nor kindred nor having any promise to be continued to the end in any one place or amongst any one people it hath therefore power to distribute it self into diverse Congregations and consequently again to withdraw from any one of them when there is need 6. Gross infringement of Christian Liberty we are commanded
the Sacraments and no other The Bishop knew that the Non-Conformists thought the Cross in Baptism prescribed in the Common Prayer Book unlawfull and against the Word of God and that some of them thought the order of Bishops unlawfull also and all of them the order of Deacons as prescribed by that Book and yet here they must subscribe not only that they will use the book and no other form in publick but that it contains nothing contrary to the Word of God This subscription was not only imposed on those that should hereafter be ordained but it is also decreed that no man shall be suffered to Preach or Catechize or be a Lecturer or read any Lecture in Divinity in the Universities Cathedral or Colligiate Churches or in City Market Town Church or Chappel whatsoever within this Realm unless he first subscribed to this Article with two others contained in this Cannon and by means hereof many worthy Ministers were quickly turned out of their Livings though the Lawyers generally declared that it was against the Laws of the Land that any man should be turned out of his Free-hold such as Ministers Livings are without an Act of Parliament and to make all sure they ordained Cannon 55 that Preachers before all Sermons Lectures or Homilies should only invite the people to pray naming a few heads of Prayer which respect the publick only and none concerning the people in particular so that now no other Prayer must be used in publick but those in the Service Book which made the Burthen more intolerable Moreover in this Book of Canons they ordain that Ministers shall admit none to the Lords Supper that will not kneel or that come not to the Prayers or that speak against the Book of Common Prayer or Ceremonies or the book of Consecration of Bishops Can. 27. c. Till they acknowledge their Fault in word or writing if they can That Fathers shall not be God-Fathers to their own Children nor so much as urged to be present at their Baptism In a word all that the Bishops knew that the Non-Conformists were dissatisfied with Can. 29. in the Service Book were established by these Cannons and they rigorously prosecuted upon them from that time viz 1603 to 1640. For the Government of the Church by Bishops and administration of that Government by Lay-Chancellours Commissaries c. in Q. Eliz. time the Governours were contented with a peaceable submission from the Non-Conformists but under K. James the Cannons fore-named enjoyned all Ministers to subscribe that there was nothing in the Book of Consecration of Bishops Priests and Deacons contrary to the Word of God And now B. Billson and B. Andrews pleaded for the Divine Right of Episcopacy and B. Laud imposed an Oath commonly called the Oath Caetera upon the Clergy whereby they should promise not to endeavour to alter the Government of the Church as it was established by Arch-bishops Bishops Deans c. And thus all the moderation that had been used by the former Bishops in pressing things scrupled was turned into the most rigorious imposition of them yea and of additions to them also as if Rohoboam's success should terrify no man from acting according to his answer to the People that he would add to their burthens and change their Whips into Scorpions and this leads to the next reason of the Dissent of those former Non-Conformists Rea. 6. The Tyrannical Imposition of the Lyturgy and all that belonged to it was a great means to increase their dissatisfaction There had been a passage in the Preface of the Common Prayer book that the first Reformers had gone as farr as they could in reforming the Church considering the times they lived in and they hoped those that came after them would as they better might do more And indeed this was the Ground of the submission and patience of the Non-Conformists viz a perswasion that the first Reformers at least the best of them did not intend their moddle as a ne plus ultra and therefore they still hoped that by Patience and peaceable endeavours things might by begrees be brought to a better pass accordingly they presented an admonition to the Parliament Anno 1570. And again a Petition to K. James called the Millinary Petition for ease and redress but alas as that passage of the Reformers is left out of the Preface to the service book so the expungers of it fixed a just contrary mark to themselves which they aim at to this day in all their proceedings viz that there was no necessity of any farther Reformation then what was established by Q. Eliz. and that all must be compelled to approve of that as sufficient and to submit to the Rules of it The better to prosecute this design they have ever laboured to set the Princes against the Non-conformists and themselves have used the Spiritual Sword chiefly against them they did what they could to prejudice that Excellent Princess Q. Eliz. against them so that in her Reign especially when Whitgift was Arch-Bishop the Non-Conformists were turned out of Universities as Dr Sampson Dean of Christs-Church in Oxford Mr Cartwright Margarite Professour at Cambridge and many others many were turned out of Livings some worthy men imprisoned and Mr John Vdall Minister of Kingston upon Thames was sentenced to dye for high Treason against the Queen in Defaming her Government which saith Dr Fuller was somewhat hard being but a remote consequence for all that was alledged against him was that in a Preface to a certain book he had sharply taxed the Remissness of the Bishops Government And now such was the Rigour of Prosecutions against the Non-Conformists and the remisness of Discipline toward the ignorant and scandalous both Ministers and People that it gave occasion to many to separate from and renounce the Church of England as no true Church who were then called Brownists when K. James came to the Crown the Bishops so quickly incensed him against the Dissenters that in the conference at Hampton-Court appointed on purpose to hear their exceptions he would scarce give them leave to speak he sent them away with taunts and threats and often declared that were men never so able and pious yet the Church had better want their labours then have her Orders broken by their Non-Conformity which maxime I am sorry to find Dr Stillingfleet to espouse Under K. Charles the 1st the Bishops had so wholly engaged the civil power in their cause that it was almost the only concern of the Government how to bring all the Non-Conformists in England to submit or to leave the Land and to bring Ireland to the same plat-form with England and to set up Bishops Lyturgies and Ceremonies in Scotland and now Ministers and People were driven many thousands into New-England Holland and other Forreign Parts they were suspended silenced deprived of their Livings imprisoned fined set in the Pillory stigmatized had their ears cut off banished into remote Islands and many
other such pressures were laid upon them which many living yet remember Nor were the Bishops ever ashamed to use their own power and to appear in person against these men in what danger soever Church or State was Conformity must be urged and Non-Conformists suppress'd In the very beginning of Reformation Mr Hooper was imprisoned by B. Cranmer and Ridley for refusing the use of some Ceremonies when he was to be consecrated Bishop and though the King by his Letter under his own hand commanded them to dispense with him yet they would not condescend when a Congregation of Exiles for Religion were setled at Franckford under Q. Mary because they had laid aside the English Liturgy and Ceremonies B. Cox of Ely and his Company coming afterwards to the same City first quarrelled with them and disturbed them in the Church and then incensed the Magistrates against them so that they were forced to leave the City to find other refuge The Mouths of all the Cannons almost are Levelled against the Non-Conformists none almost but they felt the Rigour of the High Commission and Star-Chamber Courts few were suspended sileneeed or fined or excommunicated but for not using the Cross not wearing the Surplice following Sermons abroad for not kneeling at the Sacrament c. Mr. Hildersham was suspended from preaching and benefice 12 years together and fined two thousand pound to the King only for giving the Lords Supper unto two of his Parish without kneeling and the Communicants Mr. Holt and Mr. Ditton were fined each of them 1000 pounds for receiving without kneeling And how Arch-Bishop Laud exceeded all before him in prosecuting the Non-Conformists is fresh in Memory Now the usage of them besides that it might exasperate the Spirits of men and alienate them from the things imposed which is incident to all men it did also add weight to their Reasons against Conformity because they saw that the Bishops pressed their own Laws and Constitutions more then the Laws of Christ That they usurped authority without and against the consent of the Church not only to enjoyn things on their practise but also to impose the approbation of them upon their judgments and consciences which they knew before hand were dissatisfied in those things and also that they were now become declared enemies to further reformation and thought they should rather abate of the First Reformation and go nearer to Rome then stir one Hairs breadth further from her This made Conformity justly more scrupled when after 90 years endeavours for reformation they had Pharoahs Answer and were beaten to their burthens and not ought of the tale of their brick to be diminished And now the case between the Conformists and Non-Conformists is quite altered viz after the making of the Cannons 1603. before the question was whether the things imposed as Liturgy Ceremonies c. might not be born with especially with help of some connivances of moderate Bishops in those things that they most scrupled because it was but the beginning of reformation and the Governours both Civil and Ecclesiastical were not yet weaned from the old Discipline and customs of their Fathers nor were the people likely to bear more purity and to part with all their old customs at once and upon these grounds the Non-Conformists kept the Communion of the Church of England and generally submitted to the practise of most things imposed but now since all things before complained of were turned into Cannons and standing Laws and must not only be practised but approved also under their hands to stand upon record in the Registers of the Bishops Courts and all that would not subscribe must be cast out or kept out of the Ministry and the People likewise were generally weary of the impositions as well as the Ministers and disliked them as too much symbolizing with Rome and therefore all the Church Censures must be bent against them whom the Cannons called Schismaticks for this cause only Now I say the question was whether the first reformation was not compleat Can 27. and we ought not to go any further from Rome in Liturgy Ceremonies Government and Discipline but take up with them as a perfect Church Moddle at least such as had no other imperfections in it then all Constitutions in this world are subject to This alteration of the state of the Question was much increased when the Court and our Princes took up new measures of Marrying with Popish Princes abroad and mixing interest with them whereby they were necessitated to desert the protection and assistance which they had hitherto given to Protestants abroad which the German and French Protestants in their wars quickly felt the effects of but also to remit their zeal against the Papists at home viz to suspend the execution of Laws against them to entertain them at Court to receive them into offices to suffer their Priests and Jesuits to come over in multitudes and quickly to seduce the people and that which was a necessary consequence of all this to discountenance and punish Zealous Ministers and People who found fault with these proceedings as Puritanes overhot indiscreet factious and enemies to the State for this practise of the Court drew the Church along with it as it usually doth and all men that had a mind to rise must plead for the Lawfulness of Protestants Marrying with Papists and allowing them their worship and of conniving at Papists amongst us and at last to study to gratifie and meet the Papists as farr as they could and to bring back more of their Doctrines and Ceremonies till at length it was become an indifferent thing whether a man was a Papist or a Protestant so he were not a Puritane and continued in that Church he was born and baptized in Vid Rushw Col. Part 1. p. 213 The Parliaments Censure of Mr. Mountagues Papers This temper did the Church men fall into immediately upon the publick attempt for the Spanish match and it spread more amongst them till Arch-Bishop Laud being made head of the party had almost made a second sort of Non-Conformists viz Puritane Conformists as they called them i. e. Those that conformed to the Liturgy and Discipline established by Law but could not approve of the new design of moderation toward and Union with the Papists which the Arch-Bishop and all his followers professed and owned And now the case was altered to purpose for it was now Puritanism and Faction to be an Anti-Arminian to be zealous against Popery to preach twice a Sabbath to pray before or after Sermon to keep the Sabbath Holy and in a word to be seriously religious in the people and for the Ministers to preach for it this was Puritanism and our Reformers were thought too nice and strait-laced our Articles and Homilies too strict and fit to be qualified and our Martyrs Fools and Rebels The Non-Conformists now thought they had great reason to stand off from Conformity seeing all their fears were verified before their eyes
that our nearness to Rome would endanger our returning to her again and seeing Conformity it self to Law and Canons would signify little unless a man would go beyond both in obedience to his Superiours to promote the new design This was the case of the old Non-Conformists till the long Parliament stopped the stream upon the whole we may observe the case betwixt our former Non-Conformists and the Church of England was the same in substance as betwixt the Brethren of Bohemiah and the Calixtines the Calvinists and Lutherans in Germany the Bohemian Calextines if the Pope would grant them the Cup in the Sacrament and three or four more reformations of abuses in the Roman Church they thought it reformation enough and that they need go no farther and they would compell the brethren who were for a total desertion of Rome to be of the same mind and practise with them and that by force of Arms. The Lutherans in Germany having only reformed the Doctrine of the Church and the Idolatry of the Mass and cast off the Popes Tyranny and some other corruptions of Rome yet retained Adoration of the Sacrament kneeling to it Surplices Images Holy days and could not be content to do this themselves unless they could perswade and inforce all Protestants to do so likewise Hence they will not own the Calvinists as brethren nor hold any Communion with them nor receed from any thing they had taken up but rather proceed to take in more of the Popish Doctrines as those we call Arminianism and have often treated seriously some of them about reconciliation with the Papists but always frustrated yea detested any endeavours of it with the Calvinists Thus the Conformists of England have contended so much for their Liturgy and Service and Government c. That they would compell all to be content with the same moddle with themselves and would not suffer any to be Ministers or Members of the Church that would desire any further reformation and at last come to this pitch that they would rather take in more of Rome yea reconcile with her upon some terms than abate any thing to their brethren Nor were these the actions of a few particular men but of all the Heads of the Church Arch-Bishops and Bishops generally age after age The worst of their principle and practises were never condemned by the Church but made the way to the highest preferments so that the moderation of a few amongst them will no more excuse the Church of England then a few sober Papists may excuse the Church of Rome CHAP. IV. The Non-conformists instified in their Principles by Scripture Antiquity and the Example of all Reformed Churches THe Non-conformists as they gave the forenamed reasons why they could not approve of or subscribe to the Constitutions of the Church of England so they supposed that this their dissent was not grounded upon meer scruples and weakness of judgement though their Opposites love to impute it to such Causes but they alleadged for themselves the Authority of Scripture and the Examples both of the Primitive and the late Reformed Churches 1. From the Scriptures they pleaded that there was neither command example nor shadow of any Liturgy i. e. prescript form of words wherein all the publick worship of God should be administred either in the Old or New Testament under the Law the externals and circumstances of Gods worship were much more prescribed and limitted than under the Gospel as the place the Tabernacle or Temple time Morning and Evening yet was it never commanded that all the Priests and People should use the same form of words in prayer when and where ever they met There is indeed a form of blessing the people when the Assembly was to be dismissed but that consisted in but a few words nor can it be proved that they used always those very words or that it was so intended in the command Num. 6.22 to the end the same words are often used in Scripture to signifie the same sence or to that purpose not the same Syllables and so it is in all Authors nor is there any form of words prescribed wherein men should confess their sins over the Sacrifices or wherein Circumcision or the Passover should be administred but on the contrary we find David Solomon Jehosaphat Hazekiah Ezra the Levites in Nehemiah's time and others prayed pro re nata according to the occasion as their own hearts directed them And therefore it seems as God did not command so neither did the Jewish Church make and enjoyn any stated Liturgie unless any shall unhappily take the Superstious and ridiculous Liturgy of the present Jews to have been used amongst them from the beginning Certainly there is no footsteps of any such thing in our Saviours time who duly kept to the rules of Gods worship and broke no good orders of the Church The Apostles also as long as they could frequented the Jewish Temple and Synagogues but of any Platforms of Prayer or Service other then the institutions of the Law we find no memorial Now if the Jewish Priesthood were able to discharge their Office without prescript forms of words and that people might be safely committed to their Priests in the exercise of each mans own gifts how much better may it be done and such liberty granted both to Ministers and People under the Gospel where the Spirit of God and the means of knowledge are given much more abundantly Nor are there more evidences of any Liturgy in the New Testament then their was in the old either prescribed by Christ or his Apostles or used by them or commanded to future Churches Nor any rule laid down whereupon Churches might ground their practise of framing and imposing such Lyturgies But we read that when our Lord Jesus ascended into Heaven he gave gifts to men Eph. 4.16 c. viz. Apostles Prophets and Evangelists to lay the foundation of his Church and Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting the Saints for the work of the Ministry till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature in Jesus Christ ver 12 13. from whence it seemeth plain that our Lord Jesus Christ thought it sufficient to appoint a standing Ministry to take care of his Church to the end of the world and to furnish them with the gifts of his Spirit to edifie the people and to keep the unity of the faith with out requiring or authorizing them to make Lyturgies whereby to fetter themselves or others Moreover the Scriptures give neither command example nor countenance to the peoples answering in Publick worship more then Amen only at the close of Publick Prayer It is probable that the Singers in the Temple standing Ward against Ward did sing alternately i. e. one rank one sentence and another rank another as they do in our Cathedrals but this was not the people and they were an Order
first Churches pretend to make new Officers or constitute any Government other then Christ appointed Presbyters and Deacons are the Church Officers which they owned indeed there is frequent mention of Bishops in Antient Authors but Augustine 400 years after Christ saith that a Bishop was but titulus honoris a name of honour given to one Minister above the rest but that they were all alike and his contemporary Hierome olim Ecclesiae Communi Presbyterorum concilio regebantur that Churches were governed by the common consent of the Presbytery and of the practise of his own time he saith quid facit Episcopus excepta ordinatione quod non facit Presbyter nothing but Ordination was appropriated to the Bishop the Presbyters did every thing else as well as he Jerom. Epist ad Evag. divers learned men never yet answered have proved that all antiquity acknowledged Bishops and Presbyters to be but one order of Ministers and our Dr thought it once impossible certainly to state what was the Government of the Primitive Church but this is certain that in Cyprians time Anna Christi 250 the Bishop did nothing in the Government without the consent of his Clergy and approbation of the people and to them Cyprian ascribeth even to the common people the cheif power of choosing and refusing their Bishops Epist 4. and of withdrawing from them that were unworthy so that all that hath been said in the defence or excuse of our prelacy with sole power of government administred by Lay-men is nothing to the purpose when we dispute whether Christ appointed or the Primitive Church had Bishops seeing all sides agree that That Church never had such Bishops and such Discipline or any Bishops at all but what were chosen by the Clergy and people for near a Thousand years 3. Nor do the Reformed Churches retain those things which our Non-conformists scruple They all wholy laid aside both the substance and the Form of the Roman service Their Lyturgie Responses short prayers repetitions Ceremonies and use of the Apocryphal writings also their Government and Discipline except the Lutherans who retain many of their Ceremonies and Holy-dayes with some of their errours in Doctrine The Protestants have generally composed short Lyturgies of their own containing some few forms of Prayer together with a Method of Publick worship and directions for Visitation of the sick c. But they neither put in things that may be serupled nor imposed forms of words on their Ministers as our Lytourgy doth in all Offices Publick and Private The Waldenses our first Reformers and a Noble race of Confessors and Martyrs governed themselves by the Common consent of their Pastours and Elders chosen out of the People Hist Waldens lib. 2. cap. 2. 4. as do all the Reformed Churches at this day except the Lutherans The Bohemians indeed and some Waldenses in Austria thought a Bishop necessary by Divine Institution but that he was to doe nothing in the Church of himself but all by the consent of the Presbyters Commend Exhort and witthe approbation of the people which is Cyprians Bishop not an English Prelate The Lutherans have their Superintendents or Bishops but by humane Constitution and such as deprive not the Ministers of their Office Now seeing Scripture Antiquity and the practise of all Reformed Churches doe so much favour their cause The Non-conformists thought they had a great deal of reason to persist in their desire of further Reformation in the Church of England and in their dissent from those things for which nothing material can be soberly pleaded but the command of the Magistrate So that all the blame of want of Perfect Reformation and of keeping up divisions in our own Church and turning its Ceesures against many of its best members is from age to age laid wholly upon the Kings and Parliaments by those who would yet be taken for the greatest maintainers of reverence of Authority CHAP. V. The Reasons of the present Non-conformists in Particular for their dissent THe Non-conformists of the present Age viz. such as cannot conform to the Lyturgy of the Church of England according to Act of Uniforty made 1662 have all the same reasons for their Non-conformity that their Predecessours had and some new ones peculiar to themselves for both all the same things in the Lyturgy and Government which were a burthen to their Fathers are imposed on them without the least abatement amendment or alteration and also new impositions are laid upon them to make the yoke more intollerable These are such as follow 1. That they were denyed all Reformation of the Lyturgy and Government of the Church It was now somewhat above an hundred years that there had been continued desires of amendment in the Lyturgy and Government but none could be obtained King James in the beginning of his Reign made a shew of hearing the Non-conformists objections in the Conference at Hampton-Court But the issue was only to make a greater pretence to enjoyn Conformity more strictly as having heard all their Reasons against it and found nothing worthy consideration in them In like manner the present Non-conformists were dealt with for as we are told in the Preface to the Act of Uniformity First some Divines both Conformists and Non-conformists were by Commission appointed to review the Service book and to make necessary amendments in it next a Convocation of the Conforming Clergy was called to re-view the book last of all his Majesty had seen and re-viewed what they had done and the issue of all this was that the Epistles and Gospels should be read in the new Translation and to amend two or three words which by the fault of the Printers had crept into the Book and spoiled the sence and nothing considerable and then the Book passed an Act of Parliament requiring more rigorous Conformity then ever before The Parliament not once reading the book but with an implicite faith as a Member of the House of Commons said passed and confirm'd under the highest penalties next to death it self that which they never saw nor examined And yet now the Reasons for Non-conformity were stronger then before There had been sufficient time to wean the people from the Modes and Ceremonies in dispute yea and the body of the people were now sufficiently weary of them and the greater number of Learned and pious Ministers desired they might be laid aside above all they had been laid aside about sixteen years and the people were well content nor was there any decay of knowledge or piety amongst them upon this alteration Now was there a fair occasion to have amended any thing amiss and for the Bishops to have there Non-conforming brethren gratified in any reasonable things who were now as considerable as themselves for Number and interest with the People and yet offered to consent to any reasonable terms of accomodation surely all this did neither encourage nor oblige the Non-conformists to submit to that new Act of Uniformity
approve the Liturgy but they must renounce and disown all their own and their Brethrens former endeavours for Reformation and engage themselves never to endeavour reformation again and whereas formerly they who by the Canons were made uncapable of Livings were neverthless permitted to preach Lectures and might sometimes administer the Sacraments T is now enjoyned that no man shall preach or read any Lecture unless he hath first made the fore-named Declaration and Subscription upon pain of enduring Three Months imprisonment in the Common-Goal and besides that to pay an Hundred Pounds if he presume to administer the Lords Supper toties quoties Also the former Non-Conformists were wont to teach School at least privately for the subsistance of their Families and that they might beof some use But now none must keep a publick or private School without subscribing against endeavours of Reformation and promising to conform to the Liturgy And all these impositions are extended also to the University Collegiate Churches Hospitals that so there should be no retirement for a Non-Conformist as formerly some have had in such places and that by pre-engaging the Youth before they understand what they do there might be no new Non-Conformists to spring up hereafter finally when by these mens they had turned out about Two Thousand Ministers out of Livings and Fellows of Colledges out of the Universities and bolted the door after them that they could never return into either and all this was born with patience The Bishops procured another Act Anno 1665 to drive them out of all Towns where they might have any Society or Comfort unless they would subscribe and swear a Declaration to the same purpose with the former subscription and mostly in the same Language and we add to all this that these Declarations and Subscriptions were at the same time imposed upon the Ministers of Ireland and Scotland though Presbyterial-Government and Discipline was there esttablished by Law and their Constitution by the first Reformation that so there might be no relief no retreat from one Kingdom to another and that the Principles of Non-conformity might be Rooted out of all-together from hence I say it is manifest that nothing would satisfy the Conformists but the Ruine of the Non-Conformists then Living and the extirpation of their Principles out of these Kingdoms for ever And all this being setled by Law there is no place for the moderation of any particular men either Bishops towards the Non-Conformists nor of Non-Conformists themselves that could go a great way towards conformity if they could not do all that was enjoyned therefore the breach is irreconcileable and not to be made up unless God incline King and Parliament to take away these bones of Contention 2. Nothing therefore now remains for the Non-Conformists but that either they set still as private men and dye in silence or else that they exercise their Ministry against the Law and to Congregations distinct from the Parish Churches The Dr would perswade them to do the former and that they sin against their own Principles and Consciences if they do the latter But he must give us leave to declare our own Principles and then were are ready to hear what consequences he can draw from them against our practise The Non-Conformists own these Principles as to the matter in hand 1. That their ejection out of their Livings and Ministry was very unjust both in the thing it self they having not deserved it of the Church or State and in the manner of proceeding they being ejected not for any errour in Doctrine or offence in manners but only Terms were devised which their Opposites knew they could not submit to and imposed on them on purpose to turn them out of their Ministry for refusing them 2. They are satisifed that the turning out of so great a number of pious and diligent Ministers at once was a very great prejudice to the Church of God at home Prophanes Popery Atheism and all that is evil presently breaking in upon her as a floud and a great scandal to the Churches abroad to see their Brethren of the same principles so dealt with by Protestants for no other reason but for holding and endeavouring the same things that all reformed Churches generally do 3. Being unjustly ejected their are satisfied that they have neither forfeited their Ministry and therefore ought not to lay it down nor lost their right to their people and Congregations any more then a Civil Magistrate driven out by an Usurper and excluded by Laws looseth his Native Right to his People and Government 4. The people greatly wanting their Ministry they are satisfied that as they have a right to their Congregations so they ought to make use of it for the peoples good where they desire it and will accept it 5. They also believe that Ministers having not given any just occasion for their ejection the People ought to stick to them and to oppose any that shall come in their room on the account of this Act as Intruders and Usurpers unless special reasons alter the case in some places and as to some persons Thus the Orthodox generally did when turned out by Arian Emperours and Arians sent in their room the Ministers cleaved to their people and the people to them They cause alters not the ease here they did it against Law and that which warranted them will warrant our Non-Conformists with advantage 6. They believe that those Congregations thus deprived of their Ministers may chuse other Non-conformists if they cannot have their own or may chuse others in their room after they are dead and that they ought to do so unless in singular cases because else they loose their undoubted priviledge of choosing their Ministers and lay themselves open to a perpetual usurpation to have their Ministers torn from them and others imposed on them at the pleasure of Superiours and also they do at least tacitly consent to and approve of this ejection of their Ministers subversion of Reformation and establishment of Conformity for ever 7. They believe that the people of England having been generally engaged to and active for reformation with the Non-Conformists and against Conformity less then is now established and having felt the benefit of it are obliged each one in their place to oppose and testify against this rigorous Conformity and not to submit to it and that otherwise they disown their own former works and their Ministers and give themselves and their liberties in Church matters and their Consciences all-together into the hands of Church Usurpers when ever they can prevail with the Civil Magistrate to joyn with them 8. And that therefore the people who are sensible of this great Usurpation and of the great blow given to the Church by it and how just the cause of the Non-Conformists is ought on these accounts to own both them and their ministry as there is occasion though they never were their proper Pastours for the Communion of Saints extendeth to
the rest as any other member of the Congregation if they shall all sin scandalously either in the execution of their Office or in any other ordinary manner then the Congregation that chose themfreely hath as free power to depose them and to place others in their room if the Congregation shall erre either in choosing or deposing of her spiritual Officers then hath the Civil Magistrate alone power and authority to punish them for their fault to compel them to better choice or to defend against them those officers that without just causes they shall depose or deprive The same Doctrine is desended by Dr. Ames Medul Theol p. 1. cap. 35. 5. They hold that insufficient Ministers obtruded upon Churches were not to be acknowledged for Ministers and if their lawful Ministers were without just cause ejected by any Superiour Powers Engl. purit ch 2. pos 8. they did still retain the Right and Honour of being their Pastors They hold that the Congregation having once made choice of their Spiritual Officers unto whom they commit the Regiment of their Souls they ought not without just cause and that which is apparently warrantable by the word of God to discharge deprive or depose them but ought to live in all Canonical Obedience and Subjection unto them agreeable unto the word of God and if by permission of the civil Magistrate they shall by other Ecclesiastical Officers be suspended or deprived for any cause in their apprehension good and justifiable by the word of God then they hold it the bounden duty of the Congregation to be continual Suppliants to God and humble Suitors unto Civil Authority for the restauration of them unto their Administrations which if it cannot be obtained yet this much honour they are to give unto them as to acknowledge them unto the Death their Spiritual Guides and Governours though they be rigorously deprived of their Ministry and Service And Chap. 3. pos 9. They hold that the People of God ought not to acknowledge any such for their Pastors as are not able by Preaching to interpret and apply the word of God unto them aud therefore that no ignorant and Sole-reading Priests are to be reputed the Ministers of Jesus Christ who sendeth none into his Ministry and Service but such as he adorneth in some Measurewith Spiritual gifts and they cannot be perswaded that the faculty of reading in ones Mother Tongue the Scriptures c. which any ordinary Turk or Infidel hath can be called in any Congruity of Speech a Ministerial gift of Christ And posit 12. They hold that it is as great an injury to force a Congregation or Church to maintain as their Pastor with Tythes and such like Donations that Person that either is not able to instruct them or that refuseth in his own Person ordinarily to do it as to force a man to maintain one for his wife that either is not a Woman or that refuseth in her own person to do the dutios of a Wife unto him 6. They hold that the Holy Scriptures are a perfect Rule of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Ceremonies and that to add new Ceremonies of mens own invention was a breach of the second Commandment With this Mr. Parker begins his Book of Ecclesiastical polity that we are to deduce from Scripture all that concerns the Church of Christ Thus the Protestation We deny no Authority to the King in matters Ecclesiastical but only that which Christ Jesus the only head of the Church hath directly and precisely appropriated unto himself Protest pos 22. and hath denied to communicate to any other Creature or Creatures in the world for we hold that Christ alone is the Doctor of the Church in matters of Religion and that the word of Christ which he hath given unto his Church is of absolute perfection containing in it all parts of the true Religion both for substance and Ceremony and a perfect Direction in all Ecclesiastical matters whatsoever unto and from which it is not lawful for any Man or Angel to add or detract Thus Mr. Bradshaw in his Addition to the 12th Argument against Ceremonies argues All Inventions and Devises of man grounded only upon the will of man and not upon any necessity of Nature or Civility set apart to Gods outward Worship are contrary to the second Commandment These Ceremonies are such Ergo See more in the place 7. They held Ceremonies enjoyned by our Lyturgy unlawful The Cross in Baptism was condemned by all Mr. Parker and Mr. Bradshaw in particular wrote against it The Surplice was rejected by most Kneeling at the Lords Supper was disliked by all but yet thought Tolerable and that it might be submitted unto by some of the most Learned The Protestours declare themselves thus We refuse Obedience only to such Canons as require the performance of such Acts and Rites of Religion as are rejected and abandoned of all other Reformed Churches as Superstitious disorders Protest pos 21. such as are special Mysteries of the Romish Antichristian Idolatry such as have been controverted in the Church ever since the last breaking forth of the Light of the Gospel out of the Cloud of Popery in Luthers time such as all Protestant writers and defenders of our Faith beyond the Seas and most of our own Countrey-men have either in general or particular condemned as vain idle and unprofitable such as all the faithful and painful Pastors of this Realm and in a manner all States and Degrees of the same would be content were removed and swept out of the Church and for which few or none are zealous but the Prelates and their Adherents Mr. Bradshaw wrote Twelve Arguments against the Ceremonies with as much vehemency as any have done since 12 Gen. Arg. against Cerem Arg. 1 'T is Will VVorship therefore sinful Arg. 2. 'T is a sinful Compliance with the Papists in derogation from the honour of the Reformed Churches to use them Arg. 5. 'T is Schismatical maintaining differences at home and abroad when the Authors acknowledge the things imposed indifferent and that they might without sin or inconvenience be let alone Arg. 6. That it is Communicating with the Papists in Idolatrous and Superstitious worship especially those Papists that live amongst us and see how much we symbolize with them Arg. 9. Because these Ceremonies are Sacraments of humane institution Arg. 10. Because they that use them do thereby acknowledge homage to an usurped authority in the Church Arg. 12. Because they are the occasion of the damnation of great numbers viz. the Papists who are hardened by them and ignorant Protestants who place all their Religion in them and because the usual excuse for these and all other humane impositions which the Dr. also makes frequent use of is that they are not imposed as things necessary to Salvation but as matters of Order Decency and the like Mr. Bradshaw draws his Eleventh Argument from hence That the Ceremonies are therefore unlawfull because made
help their People and in the mean while Popery Arminianism Atheism and prophaness break in like a torrent now whether there is as much reason that the present Non-Conformists should keep as private as the former did the Reader must judge Obj. But the Dr. saith the old Non-Conformists earnestly opposed the Brownists Answ And so do many of the present Non-Conformists also the Brownists had two dangerous Positions or Principles peculiar to themselves 1. That there was no true Church in England nor indeed in the whole world but that all Churches in respect of their Doctrine Worship Ceremonies Constitution and Order or some of these were Idolatrous and Antichristian and that therefore no man that minded his Salvation ought to continue a member of them or to hold Communion with them as Churches though they might Communicate with particular Members or with the Society as a Company of private men Praying or otherwise Worshipping God together provided nothing was then used or done which they disliked 2. The Brownists taught that the people had the whole power of Government of the Church and that the Ministers were but the Peoples Deputies in Preaching the Word Administring the Sacraments or exercising of Discipline and must be accountable to them These Principles destructive of all Churches the Non-Conformists earnestly opposed especially the first sc separation from all the Reformed Churches as Antichristian For by preventing of this they would prevent the other mischiefs but in maintaining the Churches of England to be true Churches did they the Prelaticall Nationall Church in respect of the Established constitution which themselves had so often called Antichristian It is manifest by their Books and what is forequoted of their opinions that they meant it of the several Parishes or Congregations in England that they were true Churches both in respect of their Constitution and also in respect of their Doctrine and Worship and that there was in them no such intolerable corruptions as that all Christians should fly from them nevertheless when the Ministers in particular Parishes were more then ordinary defective and unprofitable they allowed and encouraged the people to resort to Neighbour Parishes for better means of edification which Mr. Hildersham defends to be Lawful Lect. upon John Page 227. All this is the sence of the present Non-Conformists and I do verily believe there are no more Brownists among the present Non-Conformists Ministers then there were amongst them in those days for some there were then that went further then the rest in Principles of Separation and so it is in all times and all matters of controversie and what considerable difference is there betwixt their allowing people to go to other Parishes or Gentlemens Chappels and our allowing them to go to private Meetings seeing one takes them off from their own Pastor and Church as much as the other The Dr. saith they still kept the same Liturgy and so they held Communion with the National Church nay but many times they did not that for some the Old Puritan Preachers used it not in their Parishes or Chappels others but little of it others would Baptize without the Cross give the Sacrament without kneeling Marry without the Ring c. which made people resort to them who could not have such Liberty at home and so they varified from if not omitted the Liturgy of the Church but can a man be a Member of the National Church of England and hold Communion with it without being a Member of a particular Parish and if they be allowed to continue members of their own Parishes and not to make a Schism who did in cases of necessity and pro tempore mostly Communicate with Neighbour Parishes why may not the same be said now yea it is said and beleived by most of the Non-Conformists that the Parishes are true Churches of Christ and they do not separate from them or break off Membership though pro tempere and for the present necessity they do ordinarily Communicate in private Meetings where the same Doctrine and Worship is used only some circumstances and ceremonies omitted but no contrary or new ones used in their room or in opposition to those in the Parishes and thus much for the Old Non-Conformists from whom I do not conceive those that are now living do considerably differ in judgment or practise but only as time and circumstances do direct them only they that are dead are out of the way and so best spoken of and they that are living crossing the humours or interests of their opposites are always ill spoken of Obj. 2. The Dr. next objects that we contradict the Principles of the Assembly of Divines who did disapprove and gave reasons against the toleration desired by the Congregational Brethren as tending to endless Separation Answ The Toleration desired was that all men should have liberty to joyn with what Congregation and Pastor they pleased without respect to Parish or place of abode or any other civil distribution or settlement of men amongst us Their chief reasons was that Christians being not originally bound to Nations places or any other Civil Distribution but left free to joyn with those Congregations that they should find most convenient and edifying and now Episcopal Government in England being dissolved and no other set up in its room the People were again free and therefore might make what Congregations or Societies they found most for their own edification see Dr. Owen of Schism This the Assembly thought not reasonable that things should be unravelled into their first Principles and that we should begin to lay the Foundation of Churches again seeing our Parishes at least those that have good Ministers have all things necessary to a Church and it is most convenient for Christians Living in a Vicinity and under the same Civil Officers to make the same Congregation for Worship nor did they think the former Relation of Parishes to be dissolved by the dissolution of the Hierarchy who were no essential parts of the Parishes but general Supervisors or Visitors over them of the same mind are the most part of the Non-Conformists still and all the Congregational men went not that way some allowing all those Parishes that had good Ministers and some Christians fit for all acts of Church Communion to be true Churches Mr. Cotten adds way of the Churches of New-England that it is great presumption to say that the Church of England was faulty in its first Constitution and therefore to be pull'd to pieces and new-built seeing all Histories agree that some of the Apostles or Apostolical men were the first Planters of the Gospel in England who did certainly constitute the Churches in a right manner But where is the Consequence to our purpose that because the Assembly and we as well as they maintain that the Parishes of England are true Churches and not to be subverted therefore when Thousands of their Ministers are violently thrust out from them without any cause given and if they had