means to correborate and rectifie your judgements as to matter of Vniformity and obedience to our Superiors therein and to prevent your scandalizing observe this Rule in your hearing and reâ—ding and be very carefull to decline what ever may evidence to others as well as to your selves that ye are willing to be deceived And let me perswade you not to rest in a loose and confused knowledge of your liberty and of the liberty of others as to these things I have somewhere read that a little loose knowledge in natural Philosophy is very apt to make a man an Atheist whereas a deep and through knowledge of the secrets of nature may be a great conviction of a Deity Even so a loose confused knowledge of these things in controversie is apt to make a person very scrupulous if not schismatical whereas a distinct and well grounded knowledge from Scripture Antiquity and the Writings of Learned men will deliver a man not only from scrupling himselfe but from censuring and condemning others about these indifferent things Now that knowledge which delivereth from the committing of such unchristian sins is well worthy of the labour of digging for it as for silver and of the seeking for it as for hidden treasure Which having obtained through Gods blessing upon your endeavours even but such a measure as may keep you from scrupling your selves and being scandalized at the obedience of others I beseech you then be perswaded in the next place as a great means to heal our present divisions about modes of Worship and Government to moderate and proportion your Zeal accordingly And here let me commend unto your practice a most rare Rule of Mr. Paul Baines one that is reckoned in the Petition for Peaee for one of those Worthies that did take Non-Conformity to be a sin Now saith he in his Commentary upon the Ephesians Mr. Hildersham in his 25. Lecture on 51. Psalm hath much there to this purpose Chapter 2. Verse 15. fol. 297. Whatsoever lyeth not in us to reform it shall be our zeal and piety to tolerate and with patience to forbear This excellent Rule he saith holds especially In such things that concern not so much what is essential to our outward communion with God or men as the due carrying on of every businesse in the said communion wherein there may be many superfluities and defects Salvâ tamen Ecclesiâ Yea he adds that in such a Church the best and truest Members may have more cause to rejoyce then to grieve Oh Sirs give me leave to tell you we do too frequently feed one another with that which increaseth our fears dislikes and discontents whereas this holy man tells us That even in such a Church wherein there may be many superfluities and defects the best and truest member may have more cause to rejoyce then to grieve I hope we all desire to be the best and truest members of Christ visible Church let us shew our selves to be such in provoking and encouraging one another to rejoyce more in that effectual reformation of the Doctrine of our Church which Mr. Baxter doth acknowledge as you will find in this following Discourse then in being grieved and discontented at those superstuities and defects which we may suppose are yet in our Worship and Discipline Were but this rule aforesaid well digested in our hearts and reduced to practice by us it would hugely tend to the rectifying of our zeal and the stilling of our discomposed mind I fear many of us are apt to think that what we may judge to be amiss in the modes of Worship c. our zeal and piety is not to tolerate but to endeavour the extirpation thereof But this holy man was of another mind That whatsoever was not in our power to reform it shall be our zeal and piety to tolerate And that we may be all of his mind for the future whatever we have been for the time past and take heed of this dangerous Doctrine viz. That the Church needeth not to stay for the Prince in reforming any abuse but may reform it though the Prince say no. Which Dr. Somes that wrote against it in Anno 1589. calleth one of the execrable fancies of Henry Barrow and John Greenwood I shall give you one of his arguments as a preservative saith he pag. 9. Gods Religion was greatly decayed in King Sauls time the holy Tabernacle was broken Gods Ark was in a private mans house the Israelites had private Chappels in Hills and Groves David and other holy men in those dayes did onely mourn for these corruptions but it being not in their power to reform they waited till after the death of Saul the Reformation being put into Davids hand with the Government This being therefore a great Error that the Church needeth not to stay for the Prince in reforming abuses but may reform them whether the Prince will or no I desire it may be well considered of that for Subjects to swear that they will reform what they judge amiss whether the Prince will or no is a greater Errour then the former and for Subjects to think themselves bound by their Oaths so taken for to endeavour so to do is the greatest Error of all three This I hope I have proved more fully in the following Discourse to which I refer you And therefore beseeching you to lay aside all such disturbing principles of confusion let us consider what this holy Mr. Baines and other good men have said which I have quoted in another place That whatsoever is not in our power to reform it shall be our zeal and piety to tolerate and patiently to forbear It is not in our power to be publick Reformers but if our zeal towards that which is not in our power to reform were turned into a zealous resolution and endeavour of reforming our selves and those that are under our power and charge in our families we should soon see such a publick Reformation as might better deserve the name then what we have seen unto this day Let us not therefore seek the reforming of others so much as our selves let us not mind so much the failings of others as our own Above all let us take heed that our zeal mislead us not even in the performance of a very necessary duty for these times even that of mourning for the sins of others It is doubtlesse a great evidence of our zeal and demonstration of our love to God and the souls of others to mourn for the pride prophanenesse and wickedness of others But yet as we may miscarry in works of great piety and charity as our â—aviour doth instance in those of prayer and giving alms for want of a puâ—e intention in the performance of the same so also may we in this very duty I remember the Prophet Jeremiah that wished his head to be a fountain of tears saith Jer. 13.17 My soul shall mourn in secret for your pride So that except we are called publickly
approbation to the nine and thirty Articles of Religion mentioned in the Statute of the 13. of Queen Elizabeth and of the book of Common parayer c. Act. pag. 85. Secondly who are to subscribe and declare c. The persons from whom this is expected are onely schollars men of more then ordinary parts and abilities such as shall be thought fit to be Governors of others in the schools of the Prophets in both the Universities pag. 82. and all such as are thought fit to be Ministers and Teachers of others in the school of Christ the publick congregation pag. 72 85. These persons are to be light to the blind to be instructers of the ignorant Now our Saviour telleth us That if the blind lead the blind both will fall into the ditch And therefore should any such persons be ignonorant of what they are to subscribe o unwilling to it upon any fal e or erroneous principles it would prove of very dangerous consequence to the Reformed Religion and should not they be all of one mind who are Tutors and Teachers of others it must needs occasion great confusion and division amongst their Disciples and followers Sect. 3. All which being considered Subscription and Uniformity is so far from being a sin as that it is a duty which is required of these persons aforesaid An here by the wa cannot but have some ground of hope that the strict execution or this Act will keep out not onely all Papists and Romish Catholicks the professed Adversaties to the Reformed Religion of the Church of England from poysoning the fountaines of Learning and corrupting the Youth in our Vniversities but also any of their Emissaries from our publick Congregations who have formerly in the disguise of Anabaptists Quakers and others brought to many honest-hearted people into their present distempers for except they can do these things and that after the manner prescribed Assent and Consent unfeignedly and universally they are neither to have preferment or imployment in the places aforesaid And that they cannot do this what I have before quoted from Hardings own expressions doth evidence the same for he saith No good Catholick can allow of the devised Service of the Church of England Sect. 4. Now methinks this very consideration should calm our spirits to take the same into our further thoughts To this purpose I shall proceed to the next particular viz. the third and that is Thirdly the manner how this subscription or declaration is to be made In considering whereof I shall take in what the Act expresseth as the End of this Subscription after this manner p. 72. To the end that Uniformity in the publick Worship of God which is so desired may be speedily effected Therefore this declaration and subscription must be made the manner how you shall find pag. 73. with an unfeigned assent and consent pag. 84 85 to all the Articles to all the Prayers to all the Rites and Ceremonies So that from hence it is evident that this subscription and declaration as I humbly conceive must be with a n assent which is the Act of the judgment and understanding with consent and act of the will and affections and it must be unfeigned and without guile or hâ—pocrisie sincerity must attend both the assent and consent Thirdly there is the universality of this unfeigned assent and consent it must be to all and every thing rescribed in the book of Common prayer pag. 73. to all the nine and thirty Articles c. pag. 83. To evidence their agreement to that Doctrine Worship and Discipline which the Church whereof they are Members doth profess and practice Sect. 5. That we may now come to make a right judgment in this case taking for granted the manner here prescribed is no way contrary but agreeable to Christs Laws as the Scriptures evidently prove the great inquiry will be into the matter of Vniformity and Subscription c. And those are the Nine and thirty Articles of Religion the Book of Common prayer and all the Rites and Ceremonies of the same which generally contain these two particulars worthy of consideration Sect. 6. First as to matters of Faith or Doctrine Secondly as to modes and manner of Worship and Discipline Concerning the first of these the Nine and thirty Articles of Religion are to be subscribed unto and approved of Concerning the second the book of Common prayer with all its Rites and Ceremonies with the form or manner of ordaining Priests and Deacons is to be unfeignedly assented and consented to As to the former of these what I have to say is chiefly to inform those that are in my own station and capacity of the Lay sort that being rightly informed concerning these Nine and thirty Articles they may not be offended at the Subscription and Conformity of such Ministers whom they reverence and esteem Sect. 7. In the first place therefore be pleased to take notice that the Nine and thirty Articles of Religion 13 Eliz. do in the general contain a confession of the Faith of the Church of England as to matter of Doctrine Worship and Discipline That I have not given it a new name I find a person much esteemed for his piety and very modest in his Apology or Plea for the Innocent Mr. Josias Nichols an old Non-conformist I say in his Book so called printed 1602. now sixty years since giveth this term to the Articles of the Church of England The Confession of their Faith Sect. 8. Now as I said before that such as know little or nothing of these Articles and therefore may well be troubled if any of our good Ministers or Lectures should be laid aside as some have done already themselves laid aside Lecturing or preaching the Word of God upon this account as I suppose because that they cannot subscribe these Articles amongst other things I shall give you an account of some of them as I find them quoted by this worthy person whom I have often seen Mr. Josias Nicholls aforesaid saith he pag. 15. Therefore as it becometh the true people and congregation of God the Church of England humbly submitting it selfe to his Law doth meekly and constantly confesse that it is not lawfull for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods written Word Artic. 20. And for this cause they describe the visible Church of Christ to be A congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure Word of God is preached c. Artic. 19. And dutifully and truly affirm that in our doings the Word of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the Word of God Artic. 17. Sect. 9. I beseech you let us pause a little upon these Articles who know no more and let us seriously consider whether our Ministers have any just cause to lay down their Ministry because they must not lay downe subscription to these Articles which teach or professe amongst other things the Church hath no power to ordain
schisms and divisions The Apostle John 1. 4 6 7. layeth down a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mark or character how we may know the spirit of Truth from the spirit of Error the spirit of Truth is a Fountain of love and consequently the spirit of Error is the spring of discord as we have found by woful experience Error in doctrine is by our Saviour compared to Leaven Mat. 16.6 compared with the 12. Verse now as Leaven diffuseth a sowrenesse into the whole mass or lump whereever it cometh so also doth Error diffuse a sowreness and moroseness of spirit whereby he becomes unsociable and apt to divide and separate himself from the rest of his brethren that is leavened with it even as the Pharisees did in our Saviours time whose name with the name of Nabal are symbolical Sect. 13. Now then that obedience to the Act of Uniformity is the way to unity as it is a blessed means for the mortifying of these grand ring-leaders of division and disobedience may be thus evidenc'd as it doth remove the occasions of committing these sins For did all that professe the true Reformed Protestant Religion observe an Uniformity in their publick Worship and in the rites and ceremonies thereto belonging all distinctions of men and parties would soon vanish away there would be no occasion given for the drawing forth those woful fruits of Pride before-named neither in Ministers or People Sect. 14. As the Minister by his obedience to these indifferent things acts and exercises those graces which are diametrically opposite to pride and self conceitedness viz. humility and self-denyal and declareth that he hath got the victory over that to which the reverend Calvin saith the wit of man is nothing more adverse and contrary to viz. subjection Sect. 15. So the People are thereby delivered from the occasion of putting forth those dividing sins before named in whom there is a natural aptitude upon the forbearance of the Ministers in these modes of Worship to atgue Surely those men do see more into the iniquity of the Common prayer the Surplice c. then all the Governours that enjoyn them or the rest of their Brethren that observe them and have therefore a more pure delicate and tender conscience and consequently their Ministry is like to be most soul-saving And thereupon all other Ministers are usually censured for Time-servers and men-pleasers by which means Christian love and charity is destroyed and divisions are contracted and continued That therefore which removeth these occasions as for all to be uniform in their external modes of Worship doth as I have before shewed must needs be the way to unity Sect. 16. Secondly as Pride so Error also is a dividing sin as I have before shewed Now that which taketh away one occasion and a great one too of diffusing and spreading Error must needs be the way to unity now Uniformity in prayer doth this and was therefore by the Church in the primitive times appointed for this end and purpose Because that Hereticks did convey and spread their poysons in their Prayers In the Council of Milva which was in the year 416. it was appointed That none should use any prayers but such as were appointed by a Synod Sect. 17. There is a desultory levity in the minds even of some good men whereby they are subject to offend in their publick Devotions without a great measure of humility and spiritual prudence which all Ministers have not and therefore it was the judgement of the reverend Calvin in his Epist ad Protector in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth that there should be a set form of prayer and Ecclosiastical rites saith he Quoad formulam precum rituum Ecclesiast valde approbo à quo pastori in functione discedere non liceat c. Observe he would have a set Form of prayer and certain rites and ceremonies but were they to be left to the Ministers choice whether he would conform to them yea or no I suppose not he was not of Mr. Baxters mind in his Disputations as to this point nor yet with the Petitioners for peace but saith expresly From which form of Prayer and Ecclesiastical Rites it may not be lawful for the Pastors in their function to depart They were then to be imposed by Law upon them and for what end for these three Reasons first that thereby provision may be made for the simplicity of some secondly that the consent that all the Churches have amongst themselves may more certainly appear and lastly also that the extravagant levity of some that affect novelties may be prevented So that it is very evident that this reverend person did approve of a Uniformity in prayer and other rites as the way to unity as it did conduce to concord and agreement as it prevented dividing sins Sect. 18. I proceed now to the second Branch for the proof of the proposition and that is this That which tends to the honour of our Religion the edification and building up of the Church that must needs be the way to Unity But now if all persons both Ministers and People would be Uniform and there were an universal agreement about these modes of Worship and Discipline the Reformed Protestant Religion which for our Non conformity and divisions amongst our selves by our Adversaries the Papists is very much reviled as you find Harding in his Answer to the Apology of the Church of England flouting them even for the Non-conformists that were amongst them in Queen Elizabeths dayes Sect. 19. I say how would our Religion be honoured nay not onely so but how would it strike a terrour into the hearts of all Romish Catholicks and fill them with despair of ever seeing the Church of England reconciled to the Church of Rome for to see these woful divisions that have been amongst us removed by an universal conformity amongst Protestants in these matters which are and have been the cause of such unchristian discords Now if this would not edifie and build up the Church judge you Besides how amiable then would our assemblies be and how delightful would Gods publick Worship be to such as desire to fear his Name and to reverence his Sanctuary to behold it celebrated orderly and uniformly while all that worship do sit and stand and kneel together as if but one body while all do speak the same things required of them as if but one mouth Sect. 20. This was the practice of the primitive Church long before Popery I remember I have read that the whole Congregation were then so uniform in publick prayer lifting up their voices so all together when they said Amen which affixed to our prayers signifieth a full consent and agreement to what is prayed for I say it was uttered with such uniformity that St. Jerome as I have read compared their sounding of Amen in the Church unto a clap of Thunder and St. Basil to the roaring of the Sea You see therefore that this Uniformity
Sect. 7. I beseech you therefore for the Lords sake do not dispute your selves out of the Exercise of your Ministey do not bring your selves in trouble needlesly and thereby trouble the peace of the Church It is a very strange conclusion in my simple judgment That because there needeth no Law to make that which is neither commanded or fo bidden to be indifferent Five Disput. pag. 437. that therefore it is not lawful to make any thing the Subjects duty by a command that is meerly indifferent but that indifferent things must be left for us to use or not to use at cu own liberty Sect. 8. I beseech you all consider but what is said Five Disput. page 439. to this purpose If God have left us this liberty Men should not take that liberty from us without great cause and without some accidental good that is like to come by depriving us of that liberty and that good must be greater then the accidental evil To all which I do fully agree and offer to consideration whether what I have said all this time that the liberty that God hath left us in private whether we will use a form or no form in Prayer being taken away at sometimes onely in publick for I am of the mind of K. Charles the First of blessed Memory in his Meditation on the Ordinance against the Common prayer though I am for Common prayer before Preaching That yet there is use of a grave modest discreet and humble use of the Ministers gifts even in publick the better to fit and excite their own and the peoples affections I say whether this liberty is not taken away without great cause viz. for the Peace of the Church which was the cause why the liberty of eating Bloud c. was taken away from the Gentile Christians Acts 15. Sect. 9. And that the accidental good which is like to be by Uniformity is greater then the accidental evil which is the depriving us of our liberty so that as Mr. Calvin saith the Pastor in his Function may not lawfully depart from that Form and those Rites appointed which he had liberty to do before Will evidently appear not onely by what I have said of Obedience to the Act of Vniformity as the way to Unity but also by what you may find in the Five Disput. amongst those many reasons which are there given for Obedience in lawful things such as a Form of Prayer the significant gestures of standing at the profession of our Faith and the Surplice c. as you will find in the said Disputations if I have not forgot what I have there read are there granted to be lawful Sect. 10. If I mistake not amongst those reasons beginning at pag. 483. which are all very good ones and I desire may be laid to heart in this juncture of time I find pag. 487. reason 10. That by this disobedience in things lawful the Members of the Church will be involved in contentions and so engaged in bitter uncharitableness and censures and persecutions and reproaches one of another which scandalous courses will nourish Vice dishonour God rejoyce the Enemies grieve the Godly that are peaceable and judicious and wound the Consciences of the contenders We see the beginning of such fires are small but whether they will tend and what will be the end of them we see not Sect. 11. Now if the preventing of every one of these sinful evils be not a greater good then that accidental evil before spoken of That which I further offer I desire may be seriously laid to heart As there is nothing as Mr. Calvin saith to which the Wit of man is so averse as subjection so there is nothing to which humane nature is more subject then those sins before-named in Five Disput as Uncharitablenesse and Censoriousness about small matters we have found it so by woful experience both formerly and to this present day It is easie to observe how such as take their liberty as to matters of Conformity that do not wear the same Canonical habit as it is called that are no Common prayer men how are they esteemed by the generality of professors for such that see more into the evil of these things then other men And on the other side how are those which do conform such as are peaceable and judicious how are they condemned and censured by the same persons for Sursingle-men and superstitious temporizers Sect. 12. There being therefore such probable grounds of hope that by a generall obedience to the Act of Vniformity these evils may be remedied these sins suppressed which dishonour God grieve the judicious godly make the Papists to be confirmed in their ill opinion of us for our dissentions occasion others to fall off to them as we find it to be the case of Grotius mentioned Five Disput Upon all these considerations laid together I humbly conceive I have made it evident to all That obedience to the Act for Vniformity is the way to Unity Wherein I have also proved how great the mistake is in the Petition for Peace That the commanding of these unnecessary Impositions have been the cause of all the dissentions and divisions that have been from the beginning of the Reformation of Religion in King Edwards dayes Sect. 13. I shall speak a word or two in order to the inclining of such as are concerned to observe the Act of Vniformity by shewing the great mistake there is as I humbly conceive in what is urged by the Petitioners for peace pag. 15. who there say on the comrary That if these unnecessary Impositions were removed we should enjoy a blessed unity and peace For if the bare removal of these unnecessary Impositions would procure a blessed unity and peace Give me leave to desire you seriously to consider how cometh it about that in all this time of liberty from these Impositions we have been so wofully divided that were so unanimous before against the rites and ceremonies of the Church Sect. 14. Surely had I known so much before the beginning of those troubles as now I know that there was so great a difference and feud between the Non-conformists and the Separatists as now appeareth unto me by their Writings that I have seen between them in the Bishops dayes I should have foreseen by their principles which I gather most clearly in a book set forth by Mr. Simon Ash written by Mr. John Ball against John Can edit 1642. by which book it appeareth that the one sides principles did tend to Independency and the other to Presbytery I say I think verily I should have foreseen that when the Bishops were down great dissentions and divisions would arise amongst themselves Sect. 15. Mow that it did so fall out that they did fall out extremely when Episcopal Government was laid aside is so well known to all the Christian World that I need not fear I should be the first publisher thereof which animosities and divisions and oppositions of each
Religion from the Idolatries Errors and superstitions of the Church of Rome to be assured that the way or mode for the publick Worship of God be reformed also Concerning which in the satisfying of my self I have observed that two sorts of persons have made their objections First such as have condemned the common and publick Liturgy of the Church as sinful and Idolatrous because taken out of the Mass-book c. Some onely as symbolizing with the service of the Romish Church Of the former sort were the Brownists of old the later the wiser sort of the Non-conformists both formerly and at this present time who do therefore presse a necessity of a further Reformation thereof as appeareth by the Discourse of Plus ultra and by the desires of those persons that were commissioned to advise about the Liturgie c. who thought no Reformation like the laying aside the old one as to themselves and the making a new one in its stead to be left unto the Ministers liberty to chuse which they would use Sect. 2. I shall therefore for the clearing of the lawfulness of our obedience to the use of this Liturgie of the Church present and lay before you the objections against the Liturgie of the Church of England by the English Brownists by which also the Authors of the Temperate Discourse and of Plus ultra may see who they do symbolize withall and how much mistaken I suppose they are who say the cause of the Non-conformists hath been long ago stated at the troubles of Frankfort and hath continued the same Sect. 3. That which is laid to the charge of the English Liturgie is this by those called the Brownists I find in the second part of the Mr. Balls answer pag. 4. The whole form of the Church service is borrowed from the Papists for none can deny that it was culled and picked out of the Popish Dunghill the Mass-book full of all abominations from three Romish channels I say it was raked the Breviary the Ritual and the Mass-book mentioned by the Sober Discourse pag. 21. and Plus ultra pag. 17. with much earnestness affirms that the English Liturgie is Tantum non the Romish Mass Now to vindicate this mode of Gods Worship in the English Church from this charge and so consequently to give us to apprehend that we may lawfully declare conformity to the use thereof be pleased to take notice of Mr. Balls answer pag 6. Sect. 4. That which you alledge against the English Service-book in particular you intend against all set forms of prayer or stinted Liturgies whatsoever c. to pag. 8. and there saith he further It is true the Nonconformists say that it was in a great part picked and culled out of the Mass-book but it followeth not thence that either it is or was esteemed by them a devised or false Worship for many things contained in the Mass-book it self are good and holy A Pearl may be found upon a Dunghill We cannot more credit the man of sin then to say that every thing in the Mass-book is devillish and Antichristian for then it should be Antichristian to pray unto God in the mediation of Christ or read the Scriptures to professe many fundamentall divine Truths necessary to salvation pag. 9. Our Service was picked and culled out of the Mass-book you say and so it might and yet be free from all fault and tincture from all shew and appearance of evil though the Mass-book it selfe was fraught with all manner of abominations For if Antichrist sit in the Temple of God and professe himself the servant of Jesus Christ of necessity some Treasures Riches and Jewels of the Church must be gathered into his Den which being collected purged and refined might serve to adorne the chaste Spouse of Christ Neither in so doing doth the Church honour Antichrist but challenge her own right if she retain ought that belongeth to Antichrist that is her stain and blemish but the recovery of that which Christ the King of his Church hath given as her wealth and ornament must not be imputed a fault Sect. 5. Further saith he pag. 9. If it be wholly taken out of the Mass-book how cometh it to have those things which are so directly contrary to the Mass that both cannot possibly stand together In our Book of Common prayer we pray to God onely in the mediation of Jesus Christ and in a known Language we profess that Christ by one Oblation of himself once for all hath made a full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the whole World that he hath commanded a perpetual remembrance of his Death and Passion in that Ordinance of the Supper and that the Sacrament is to be administred in both kinds the Minister and the People to communicate together Were these things taken out of the Mass-book The Church of Rome joyneth the two first Commandments into one or taketh away the second thereby to cloak their Idolatry in the worshipping of Images but the Common prayer book of the Church of England divideth them into two therein following two of the Fathers at most excepted all Antiquity and setteth down the words of the second Commandment at large The Church of Rome teacheth that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood of Christ is received and eaten carnally that as much is received in one kind as in both and that in the Mass Christ is offered up as a propitiatory unbloudy sacrifice for the sins of quick and dead but the Common prayer book of the Church of England teacheth expresly in the form of administring that Sacrament that spiritually by faith we feed on him in our hearts eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ died and shed his blood for us In the Mass the Priest receiveth alone the people standing by and gazing on him but the Minister and people are appointed with us to communicate together according to the Instition of Christ and the practice of the primitive Church We make the Communion of the Eucharist purposely a Sacrament they a Sacrament and propitiatory Sacrifice They celebrate at an Altar we at a Table according to the example of our Saviour Christ his Apostles and the Primitive Church in the purest times We pray for the living they for the living and dead And if these be not points directly contrary to the Roman Service Rome is much departed from her self Sect. 6. I have been the larger in the transcribing of this most singular vindication of the common prayer book by this judicious learned Mr. John Ball to the end that such good people who as the Author of the Treatise of Liturgies saith can by no means be reconciled to the use of it as being an Idolatrous Service may here see the vast difference between the Mass-book and our common prayer and be brought to love and like thereof And that such Ministers as profess by the said Author that when their people come to them and say
temporum eos abolevit aut non tulit esse restituendos He that will receive and follow the use and the opinion of the universal Church in all times and places unto this Age for a certain Interpreter will easily understand that the several degrees of Presbyters and Bishops in the Ecclesiastical government are and ever were according to Gods Word and therefore where they stand still they must not be abolished and where the iniquity of the times hath abolished or not suffered them they must be set up again Sect. 3. By which and other before quotations it appeareth that their judgment was long ago for Bishops and their Ordination by them and that the several degrees of Presbyters and Bishops in the Ecclesiastical government are according to Gods Word that they were not the same as is so strongly supposed Be perswaded therefore not onely to stand and wonder at the counsel this holy Zanchy giveth but resolve to follow it where the iniquity of the times hath abolished or not suffered that Ecclesiastical government he saith it must be set up again it must not be endeavoured to be undermined or extirpated for this is contrary to a Scripture-Reformation otherwise he would have ascribed their abolition to be from the piety and not the iniquity of the times Sect. 4. I beseech you Sirs therefore take no care for the Reformed Churches as to their Ministry and Ordination but take care of your own and take heed that you give no occasion of scandal or offence to them by suffering your selves to be deprived of the exercise of your Ministerial gifts because that you will not yield to that which may make your Ordination which hath hitherto been by the classes and so done but by halves to be more valid and complete and consonant to the practice of the primitive times Sect. 5. But if what I have said may not satisfie you as to your thoughtfulnesse and great care for the Reformed Churches lest by your being ordained by Bishops they should be unchurched as having no true Ministers because not Episcopally ordained Be pleased to take but a View of the Government and Publick Worship of God in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas Wherein is shewed their Conformity and Agreement with the Church of England as it is established by the Act of Uniformity A Book lately set forth by Mr. John Durel And herein you will find so much said by himself and quoted from the learned Spanhemius late Professour of Divinity at Geneva and of Ludovicus Capellus late Divinity-Reader and Professour of Hebrew at Saumers with others that will not onely give a very satisfactory answer in this case but also to a serious question propounded in the Petition for peace pag. 9. What judgment all the Protestant Churches are likely to pass on your proceedings meaning the Bishops and how your cause and ours meaning the Petitioners for peace and Non-conformity will stand represented to them Sect. 6. And I hope withall will very much prevail upon you to be ordained by Bishops and to conform lest that you should be a further scandal and offence to them and give them a further occasion to be confirmed in the mean opinion that some of the most learned Pastours beyond Sea had of our work of Reformation in taking away Bishops and Liturgy and setting up the Directory in the stead thereof You will find more then what I say implyed in the great commendation that the learned Spanhemius of Geneva giveth of the beauteous face of the Church of England with her Reverence in publick Worship before these late times vide his Epistle before the third part of Dubia Evangelica quoted by Monsieur Durel pag. 66. And more then I will write in English you will find Durell pag. 15. quoted Ex Ludovic Capell Thes Salm. Th. de Liturg. part 7. Thes 6 7. who after a commendation of the Liturgy of the Church of England as free from all Popish saperstition and Idolatry and how happy we might have been c. he saith Dorec tandem nuperrimè exorti sunt in Anglia morosi scrupulosi delicatuli nimium ne superstitiosos planè dicam homines quibus Ecclesiae suae hactenus usurpata Liturgia visa est multis sed levissimis nulliusque penè momenti de causis non improbanda solum verum etiam planè abrogan la penitus unà cum toto Episcoporum Hierarchico regimine abolenda obliteranda c. Sect. 7. Now as by these two quotations you may as I said before easily see how you have stood represented to the Reformed Churches of Geneva and others so also you may apprehend what judgement the Protestant Churches are like to passe upon you for your Non-conformity and for chusing rather not to preach then to receive Ordination from the Bishop whereby that of the Presbytery may be completed and to declare an agreement with them by your subscription Oh Sirs be perswaded after all your doubts fears and scruples to observe the Act for Uniformity and take more care of giving offence to the Reformed Protestant Churches abroad by your Non-conformity then of any offence they will take at you thereat how far they are from it you will find plentifully proved in Mounsieur Durells Book aforesaid to which I refer you Sect. 8. It is confessed that in yielding to this seasonable Counsel there will be some kind of self-denyall and a departing from that sentence and opinion which many have taken up to the contrary Yet being lawful to be done and conducing so much to the Peace of Church and State and giving an opportunity to many persons whom God hath qualified for the work of the Ministry to exercise the same Be perswaded for Christs sake if ever you will shew your selves to be Christs Disciples indeed deny your selves and follow the wholsome Counsel of holy Beza before spoken that leaving all bitterness as long as the truth of the doctrine and purity of conscience was safe Bear one another with patience and obey the Queens most gracious Majesty and all her Prelates with a free heart Beza 12. Epist ue ante Sect. 9. That the Truth of the Doctrine is safe I beseech you seriously to consider what I have already quoted from Mr. Baxter and what now followeth from that Revernd and holy Mr. Robert Bolton in his Saints sure and Perpetual Guide pag. 126. Saith he Certain it is that our Church in that most exquisite and Worthy Confession of Faith contained in the Articles of Religion doth hold and professe all substantiall points of Divinity as soundly as any Church in the world none excepted either in this age nor in the primitive times of the Church Oh therefore subscribe unto these 39. Articles which the Act for Uniformity requireth and that ex animo as Beza counselled in his time the Queen and her Prelates should be obeyed Sect. 10. Especially considering that not onely the truth is safe but that whatsoever is required by this Act
for Uniformity may be lawfully observed with a safe conscience if I be not mistaken This hath been my work and endeavour to prove by the holy Scriptures the practice of the primitive Church the judgement of the most Eminent Divines of the Reformed Churches abroad by the concessions of severall pious Non-conformists which are dead and by what I have alleadged from Mr. Baxter Five Disput. First that an Vniformity in Gods pulick Worship by obedience to a form of prayer Secondly that to conform to the use of the Common prayer of the Church of England with the Rites and Ceremonies of the same Thirdly that to subscribe to the 39. Articles of Religion Fourthly that to receive Ordination from Bishops though ordained before by Presbyters Fifthly to declare against the binding power of the Covenant That all these are lawful and warrantable Sect. 11. Consider therefore I beseech you that the way to keep your consciences safe and sound is to yield obedience to the lawful commands of our Superiors Rom. 13. It is given as the reason why we should obey our Superiors even for conscience sake For If conscience be truly tender it will check and chide us for our disobedience and our hearts will smite us for the same For Take heed therefore as you love your souls of this delusion in pleading conscience for disobedience for the heart being so deceitful we are very apt so to do I have in the integrity of my heart I hope made publick that Christian compassion and charity within me to the end that what I fear are like to be the sad effects of Non-conformity may be prevented And surely except the decree be gone forth against us for that general impenitency that is upon all parties for our new sins since new rare and unexpected mercies received and the continuance in our old ones Sect. 12. I should hope through the great piety wisdom and moderation of our Superiours in pressing more for the substantials of Religion the Power of godliness then the form and by the obedience of Inferiours to their commands in both these black clouds of Gods anger which I am apt to fear do still hang over our heads may be blown over our discords and divisions about these matters of mode in Worship and Government which I believe are both our sin and punishment may be healed and that spirit which I fear in many that at this day lusteth not after envy but bloud again may be subdued by a plentiful effusion of the Spirit of love and peace anb of a sound mind Sect. 13. In order to all this I have in the first place laid before you the consideration of this proposition That obedience to the Act for Uniformity is the way to Unity I have endeavoured to prove it I beseech you once more be perswaded to improve it by your practice I have as I said before shewed what is required may lawfully be done without sin I shall therefore desire you that laying aside all prejudice you would be pleased to grant me these two requests that I find made in Five Disput pag. 271. First that before you let out your displeasure against me for contradicting any of your conceits received opinions and traditions you would humbly impartially and with modest self-suspicion both study and pray over what you shall read written by so weak and worthless an one who can tell but that what I now offer cometh to your view as an answer to your prayers for information in these doubtful matters Secondly the next request of Mr. Baxters which I make is this That you will alwayes keep the faith charity self-denial and tenderness of Christians upon your hearts and the great ends and interest of Christ and Christianity before you and take heed how you venture upon any controverted points or practice that contradicteth the Churches unity peace and holiness Sect. 14. Oh Sirs if you will be pleased to keep that faith charity self-denyal and tenderness of Christians upon your hearts it will keep you from setting your wits on work as you are Scholars in this juncture of time to give a seeming answer to what I have said not as a Disputant having never been so high as a Sophomore in the Schools but as a compassionate Advocate for the Churches unity peace and holiness which last cannot better be promoted then by the continuance of holy men in the Ministry I say this faith charity humility self-denyal and christian tenderness kept close to your hearts at this time will keep you not onely from controverted points which contradict the spirit of Christianity but also from such practices which may contradict the spirit of Christianity also and obstruct the progress of the Church in holiness peace and unity Sect. 15. How much disobedience to the Act for Uniformity together with the deprivation of some Ministers thereby for the same may obstruct the Churches unity and peace may contradict the spirit of Christianity may hinder the propagation of the Protestant Religion may gratifie the hopes and expectations of the Romish Jesuites I wish you may not see when it is too late to repent thereof I conclude therefore with that pathetick cry for audience that came from Jotham when he uttered his parable Judg. 9.7 Hearken unto Me that GOD may hearken unto You. FINIS Courteous Reader These Books following with others are printed for Nath. Brook and are to be sold at his Shop at the Angel in Cornhill Excellent Tracts in Divinity Controversies Sermons Devotious 1. CAtholick History collected and gathered out of Scripture Councils and ancient Fathers in answer to Dr. Vanes Lost Sheep returned home by Edward Chesenhale Esq Octava 2. Bishop Morton on the Sacrament Folio 3. Grand Sacrilege of the Church of Rome in taking away the sacred Cup from the Laity at the Lords Table by Daniel Featly Quarto 4. Quakers Cause at second hearing being a full answer to their Tenets 5. Re-assertion of Grace Vindiciae Evingelii or Vindication of the Gospel a Reply to Mr. Anthony Burges's Vindiciae Legis and to Mr. Rutherford by Rob. Town 6. Anabaptists anatomized and silenced or a Dispute with Mr. Tombs by Mr. I. Cragg where all may receive clear satisfaction 7. A Cabinet-Jewel wherein is Mans misery and Gods mercy set forth in eight Sermons with an Appendix concerning Tithes and expediency of marriage in publicly assemblies by the same Author Mr. J. Cragg 8. A Glimpse of Divine Light being an explication of some passages exhibited to the Commissioners at Whitehall for approbation of publick Preachers against J. Harrison of Land-chappel Lancashire 9. The Zealous Magistrate a Sermon by T. Threscot Quarto 10. New Jerusalem in a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers Quarto in the year 1651. 11. Divinity no enemy to Astrologie a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers in the year 1653. by Dr. Thomas Swadling 12. Britannia Rediviva a Sermon before the Judges August 1648. by J. Shaw Minister of Hull 13. The Princesse Royal