renounced the Bishop of Rome without any reasonable Cause But let us see wherein our Brethren are to be blamed or do any thing but what our King and Governours may allow the Primitive Bishops of our Reformation being Judges The Religion of our Brethren is Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve It is the Religion of Christ and not of Anti-christ I reckon it cannot stand with the Prince's Duty to reverse this heavenly Decrce Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God c. with establishing two Religions in one Realm the first authorized by Christ Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 1. p. 21. Edit 4o. and bequeathed in his Testament to the Church the next invented of Antichrist and flatly repugnant to the Prophetical and Apostolical Scriptures Our Brethren endeavour to keep strictly to the Scripture and Christ as Law-giver Then as the Minister must dispence the Word of Truth be therewith offended and grieved who list so the Magistrate may draw the Sword of Justice to compel and punish such as be blindly led Part 1. pag. 33. and maliciously bent to resist sound Doctrine Who then should be punished Preachers or they or those Officers that trouble them Object But the Magistrate is to be obeyed in all lawful things and every particular Church hath power to ordain Ceremonies so they be not contrary to God's Word Answ No Man disputes the Magistrate's Power in commanding things good and necessary the Doubt is concerning things which are indifferent as some suppose but not indifferent as the Dissenters suppose Of things indifferent hear the Judgment of the same learned Bishop We may not for things indifferent trouble the weak Minds of our Brethren yet this Rule bindeth no Magistrate to remit the Punishment of Error and Infidelity Ibid. Pag. 33. because God hath charged to suffer no kind of Evil unrevenged and this is the greatest whose Voice they must hear whose Will they must obey though they were sure thereby to scandalize never so many both Aliens and Subjects If they are things truly indifferent then Governours may forbear to command them whereas many do rationally scruple the Observation of them and cannot without Sin observe them Condescention and Selfdeial would rid Mens Consciences out of this Strait between the Magistrate's Command and the Dictates of Conscience Object But by their Preaching and separate Meetings they break the Communion of the Church and are guilty of Schism and to tolerate them is to tolerate a Schism Answ This is the great Clamor of the Accusers but let us see wherein Communion of Saints and Churches doth consist and then we shall see what Schism I cannot quote a more learned Doctor of this Church Ibid. Part 2. p. 223 224. or of greater Authority than the same Reverend Bishop Bilson he shall decide this Case It is a most pernicious Fancy to think the Communion of Christ's Church depends upon the Pope's Person or Regiment let them that imagine one Vniversal Soveraign Power over the Church in our days whether one or many observe this Doctrine and that divers Nations and Countries differing by Customs Laws and Manners so they hold one and the same Rule of Faith in the Bond of Peace cannot be parts of the Catholick Church Communicant one with another and perfectly united in Spirit and Truth each to other and fy on your Follies that rack your Creed and rob Christ of his Honour and the Church of all her Comfort and Security whilst you make the Unity of Christ's Members to consist in Obedience to the Bishop of Rome and not in Coherence with the Son of God! The Communion of Saints and near dependance of the Godly each on other and all of their Head standeth not in external Rites Customs and Manners as you would fashion out a Church observing the Pope's Canons but in believing the same Truth tasting of the same Grace resting on the same Hope calling on the same God rejoycing in the same Spirit whereby they be sealed sanctified and preserved against the day of Redemption The Communion of the Catholick Church is not broken by diversity and variety of Rites Customs Laws and Fashions which many Places and Countries have different each from other except they be repugnant to Faith and Good-manners as St. Augustine ad Januarium Irenaeus c. Eusebius l. 5. c. 23. Socrates l. 5. c. 22. Simple Verity is the Band of Unity Jewel Defence p. 460. Praelection de Ecclesiâ Bishop Carlton makes the Unity of the Church to consist in one Head Christ one Body one Spirit one Faith or one Rule of Faith And if Unity consists in Uniformity in the same Form of Prayer Liturgy and Ceremonies there was no such thing as Unity there were as great Schisms in the Apostles days as among our Brethren according to the Judgment of the same learned Bishop Bilson Ibid. fourth part p. 619 620 c. Some of their own might be so vain-glorions as in making their Prayers at the Lord's Table which was then done by Heart and not after any prescribed Order or Form to shew the Gift of Tongues In the publick Service of the Church the Ministers and Elders which were many both Travellers and there Dwellers had every Man his Psalm his Instruction his Tongue Revelation or Interpretation as the Spirit of Grace thought most expedient And other Order in the Divine Service in the Apostolick or Primitive Church we read for certain of none besides the Action of the Lord's Supper which the Apostles and so no doubt all their Churches always used in the end of their publick Meetings but with no set Prayers save only the Lord's Prayer as Gregory confesseth The rest of their Prayers Blessings and Thanks-givings were in every place made by the Gift of the Holy Ghost inspiring such as were set to teach and govern the Church And you have long since their time framed a Liturgy in James's Name Pag. 620. Yet for so much as the Church of Christ did not acknowledg it your main Foundation is a Dream of your own that the Church of Gorinth had a prescribed number and order of Prayers pronounced by some one Chaplain Pag. 621 ☜ that said his Lesson within-book or might not go one Line beside his Missale for any good Where the Christians under the Apostles had in their Assemblies first prophecying i. e. declaring of God's Will and revealing of his Word at which the Insidels and new Converts unbaptized might be present and next Prayers and Psalms to celebrate the Goodness and Kindness of God and to prepare their Minds for the Lord's Table to which all the Faithful came with one Consent of Heart and Voice giving Thanks to God for their Redemption c. And this was done by the mouths of such Pastors and Ministers as it pleased the Holy Ghost to direct and inspire for that Function and Action The People hearing understanding Pag. 622. and
substantial Piety by which they hope to be saved themselves Duresce duresce Peace upon Israel The Conformist's fourth Plea for the Non-Conformists containing chiesly Relations of the Sufferings of many Non-Conformists in several Parts of England will be shortly published The Case and Cure of Persons excommunicated according to the present Law of England With some friendly Advice to persons pursued in inferior Ecclesiastical Courts by malicious promoters both in order to their avoiding Excommunication or delivering themselves from prisons if imprisoned because they have stood excommunicated four by Days Mr. Jekyl's Sermon intituled Religion makes the best Loyalty which was prepared for that great Assembly of Protestant Lords Gentlemen and Citizens that was to meet at St. Michael's Corn-hill on 21 April last to give God thanks for the Preservation of his Majestie 's Person the Protestant Religion and Protestant Subjects from the Popish Plot and many Sham-plots c. is now published Sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard THE Conformist's Third Plea FOR THE NON-CONFORMISTS WE may think a Suspension of Severity and a powerful Interposition between the Threatning and the Execution would be proper and seasonable of great Service and Advantage but the infinitely wise God Saviour and King of his Church whose Thoughts are deep and unsearchable may think it sufficient that they that love him have his Promise that all things shall work together for good to them Let them that are instructed to know his Will do it and that know his Promises believe him and that have renounced the World freely part with their small share in it But to me the state of things appears dark confused and disconsolate and being engaged further than I thought at first the same Motives that prevailed with me before prevail'd with me to go on not from a private or factious Discontent but to prevent as much as I can the horrid Sins of some and the greivous Sufferings of others and to discharge mine own Duty which will bring the greatest Peace to my now grieved broken and afflicted Spirit But to come to some special matter give me favour to run over these four things I. To represent the State of our Times II. The Sufferings of the Protestant Dissenters III. For what IV. By whom they suffer I. We are a most sinful and sinfully divided Generation so broken that none but God can keep us from falling to pieces like a Pot-sheard broken like a broken earthen Vessel in which there is no pleasure Our Reason cannot propose nor consult Expedients to make us whole and happy because Interests worldly Policy and a contemptible Art or private Cunning to get or save the things that perish in their use and by their Abuse undo and ruine the Owners doth stir up Sedition in our Passions against our Reasons The Gospel hath been so generally despised that it hath not begotten in us a Faith and Love that unites to Christ and to one another We have not Faith enough to purify our Hearts to overcome the World to act as for a Crown of Glory and a Kingdom that cannot be moved If we believed a World to come how little should we strive for this If we had Love enough to cover a multitude of Sins to forgive one another to love as Brethren and our Neighbour as our selves we should not be so jealous and suspicious nor contentious nor selfish as we are One great thing is wanting which is the Wisdom from above described by St. James Chap. 3.17 Which is first pure then peaceable gentle easy to be entreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality without Hypocrisy There is a great Reproach cast upon the Church and the greatest of all cast upon the Dissenters as Dividers but it is an ignorant or malicious Reproach for there is nothing whole but the Church and Body of Christ They are united to Christ the Prince of Peace by one Spirit Faith and Love and to one another by the same Bonds and Principle Schism and Faction are from the Flesh and Devil No sooner do Joseph and his Brethren know one another to be Brethren but they fall upon one anothers Necks and kiss and weep and repent of all their Unkindnesses and express the dearest Love Paul and Barnabas dissent and part but both agree to promote the Kingdom of Christ They that are not and will not be reconciled to God are the great Dividers and Breakers of the Peace they are made up of Lusts of the Flesh which divide and draw several ways for their Satisfaction Whence come Wars and Fightings come they not hence even of your Lusts which war in your Members There is Dissention in the Mind and in the Passions between the Law in the Mind and Heart and the Lusts of the Mind and Flesh till the Conscience comes to be past feeling and the Sinner falls under a reprobate Mind and then what Confusion follows when they call Good Evil and Evil Good put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness what open Defiance is bid to God and Christ what dissenting from and Nonconformity to the sacred Baptismal Covenant the holy Rules of a Gospel-Conversation There is a Law of Faith of Love of Repentance and the Penalty is heavy upon them that do not obey it there is a Law of Righteousness of following Peace and Holiness without which no Man can see the Lord Who transgress these Laws and multitudes more Yea who is the Man that is guilty of all And what Sin so great now a days and in all times as Nonconformity Who rob by the High-ways who kill and steal who curse and damn who have Wo who have Sorrow who have Contentions who have Bablings who have Wounds without cause Who have Redness of Eyes Nonconformists Who make the greatest Trouble to Justices and Magistrates Nonconformists Who fill Prisons and breake them Who take leave of the World at Tyburn and other Places Nonconformists Who draw Swords send Challenges fight Duels and murder one another first with Wine and Drink and then kill their dear Companions Nonconformists and Dissenters But now there is a Distinction to be made some Dissenters are tolerable and some intolerable the drunken Nonconformist is tolerable he hath not only taken the Oaths but swears the other is a sober Nonconformist and taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy will not acquit him and he is intolerable The Nonconformists that assemble to worship God are intolerable and thousands that worship him not at all are too commonly let alone But are not Malefactors punished yes they are but their Crimes are against Civil Peace or Righteousness and not immediately for Irreligion But the Nonconformist Dissenters from arbitrary and variable Impositions are punished heavily and smartly for religious assembling and no other Cause as is proved in the second Plea and is cleared hereafter And upon this the Kingdom is extreamly divided and troubled There is a mighty Party in the Land that
same Fault as saith the Scripture Nah. 1.9 as the learned Mr. Beveredge in his Notes upon those Canons hath observed Is it likely these should be Canons of the Apostles contrary to 1 Cor. 5.11 Or if they be genuine and ancient how disagreeing is the modern Usage of the Nonconformists who are convicted of no such Crimes according to the ancient Canons but yet who are for their Nonconformity punished in several Courts and several times and ways Deposition is judged Punishment sufficient saith Zonaras so Aristenus for to subject to a double punishment omnino inhumanum est is altogether inhuman Other Canons command a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon to be deposed that beat offending Believers or Infidels that have done wrong Can. 27. If a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon obtain his Dignity with Money let him be deposed and he that ortained him Can. 29. If a Bishop have made use of Secular Princes to obtain a Church let him be deposed and excommunicated If a Presbyter contemning his own Bishop shall separate from him and set up an Altar without Cause or blameless either in respect of Religion or Justice let him be deposed Can. 31. But this is not the Case of our Nonconformists Duarenus reckons the deposing and ejecting Crimes to be 1. Simoniacal Ambition 2. Incontinency 3. Perjury 4. Manslaughter 5. Treason 6. Or besides these Crimes any legal Infamy But Panormitan admonisheth that they were not to observe the Severity of the ancient Canons because the Men of this Age are not like those ancient Men or Men of ancient Times Duaren de sacris Eccles-Ministris c. l. 8. c. 6. There are other Causes which touch not our Brethren but other Men much nearer 2. In what they do they proceed upon Principles common to all Christians and Protestant Churches in taking the Word of God for their Rule as a divine and perfect Rule The Christian Faith as they of the Church of Rome had explained it was a Submission to the Church The Reforming finding that this was the Spring of all their Errors and that which gave them Colour and Authority did on the other hand set up the Strength of their whole Cause on an explicit believing the Truth of Scriptures because of the Authority of God who had revealed them saith the Reverend Dr. Burnet History of the Refor Book 3. p. 286. It were easy to be copious on this Argument They who began the Reformation laboured in translating and publishing the Scriptures and would have all their Doctrines tried by them The Reverend Bilson bids the Papists Prove your Religion and Service which you stoutly and falsely term Catholick to be commanded by Christ or else Women and Children be they never so silly will collect by the manifest Words of our Saviour that their Promise in Baptism doth straitly bind them from believing your Errors and admitting your Masses until you shew good and effectual Warrant out of the Word of God that you do what Christ did and teach what he taught without adding or altering any jot For this is the Duty that Baptism requireth of us to believe no Teacher but one which is Christ to follow no Stranger to regard and obey no Lord or Law-maker in the Church but only the Son whom the Father appointed to be Master and Leader Subject part 1. foreing to Religion p. 18. and Ruler of the Gentiles This being a Principle common to all the Protestant Reformers they who hold it and no other repugnant to it or inconsistent with it Jewel's Apolog. c. 16. Divis 1 2. C. 17. Divis 1 2. every true Protestant must needs hold they ought not to be punished for walking after it And suppose any particular Man or Denomination of Men err in their Superstructures and Consequences yet whether that Error be not a tolerable Error and not a punishable Crime which is consistent with Piety and Charity may be left to the Judgment of every charitable Christian 3. According to this Rule and Principle they frame their Worship and model their Government and Discipline and they that keep to that though by different Schemes having their Flaws and Failings they cannot err a damnable Error and if not damnable it is want of Charity that will judg it intolerable And there are those General Rules and Directions which direct us as by a Patern they direct us to our End God's Glory and mutual Edification the outward manner Decency and Order and altho in particular Decencies and Rules of Order there may be a Diversity yet all agree about Order and the greatest Disagreement is in some Points of Decency which are but Accidents which are no Parts of Divine Worship as the Reverend Bishop Abbot writes The Means by Christ the Spring and Pranciple the holy Spirit the Matter Word and Sacraments Traditions p. 844 in Defence of Mr. Perkins and do properly and immediately respect Men. It is a hard Case to punish all Men that are not of the same Complexion or that cannot see alike clearly tho they walk with us in the same way of Faith and Holiness and Peace The Church of Christ never bred that Notion that Church-Unity and Communion doth consist in Accidents no more than Humane Nature in Complexion Shape Stature or of Children in Cloaths of the same Colour Fashion Length c. 4. And once again they are punished for Nonconformity and besides what hath been said elsewhere in particular besides the Consideration of the wicked Design Sedition Rebellion and Schism and the odious Pretence take the Law in the Strictest Sense of it and any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England seems to be forbidden by it It seems to be unsafe for any to punish upon this Law and it is hard to be punished by it it signifies something but certainly what is very dubious For in the Liturgy i. e. Book of Common-Prayer there are two things only 1. Rules Directions and Orders called Rubricks 2. The Parts of the Worship and Ceremonies ordered prescribed and directed by them It seems the meaning of the Law is That no other Exercise of Religion shall be lawful without the Common-Prayer both Matter and Rites according to the Rubrick but then the Words of the Act agree not because the Practice of the Church in many Places is different from the manner of the Liturgy as others have proved by Instances The Practice of all Cathedrals may not be alike for ought I know The Practice of the Cathedral and Parish-Churches are not the same as all Men know nor of one Parish like another while so many go beyond the Rule the Practice of some Churches and Colledge-Chappels and some Chappels differ from others some reading all Psalms and Canticles and Chapters on Wednesdays and Fridays and others reading only some Prayers and the Litany * And this is according to the manner of the Church of England in Q Eliz. days Vid. Injunct
ought to receive and obey the Truth and to believe no more than what Christ hath commanded to be believed and to worship God according to the Will of Christ Shall we say the Protestants in France do not hold the Faith nor worship God according to the Gospel then what are they who say so If they profess and believe the Truth they ought to be permitted that 's plain for the Truth 's sake and for the Lord's sake Doth Christian Love and Compassion prompt us to wish our persecuted Brethren in France enjoyed the Liberty of the true Religion there and if they should enjoy a Freedom there shall we deny a Liberty to Protestant Brethren here I can see no way to avoid a Justification of the barbarous Usage of Protestants there by them that prosecute Protestants here for far lesser Differences from our Establishments than theirs from the Papists Suppose an Embassador was sent to treat with the French King at this time of Prosecution of our Native Protestants for a Cessation of that cruel Persecution how readily might an Answer be made Why may not I suppress Hereticks when in England you suppress Protestants 4. A Diversity of Order and Manner of Discipline and Worship may be as well permitted without breach of Church-Unity in the same Nation as in divers Nations without breach of Christian and Catholick Unity If different Forms of Belief are allowed the matter being divine and the one more large and explicit than others why may not different Modes and Order of Discipline and Worship be allowed and permitted Our Worship is according to our Faith as we believe so we worship Notwithstanding our use of three Forms of Profession of our Faith we agree in one Faith so in different Forms of Worship we agree in one Evangelical Worship And our Reformers might with as great Reason have pitched upon one of the three Creeds and for Uniformity sake required Assent to that and the use of that and no other as our Modern Fathers pitch upon one Form of Worship and require our Assent and Use of that and no other For Uniformity in Faith is more necessary than Uniformity in Orders and Rites We use the Creed called the Apostles Athanasian and Nicen Creed Bishop Jewel hath written a larger Form in his Apology for the Church of England agreeing in Words with neither and in his Reply to Harding reckons up eight Forms composed by several Authors and Fathers Apol. 2d part 1. c. Divis 1. Diversity of Creeds fol. 38. Harding cavilling against his Declaration of our Faith as many in our days exclaim a-against Dissenters said In our Fathers days Christian People lived in perfect Vnity c. before Luther 's New Gospel But let us learn from our Reverend Father Jewel that Unity of Faith may agree with Diversity of Forms of Faith and by Consequence with Diversity of Forms of Worship Object But the Administration of God's Worship ought to be uniform in one Nation and variety of Rites in one National Church would Cause Division of Judgment and by Consequence Division of Affection and to tolerate divers ways of Administrations would be to tolerate matter of perpetual Discord and Schism Answ Besides what the learned and acute Sir Thomas Overbury answers to a part of the matter of this Objection pag. 106. and the Commissioners in the Savoy Account of Proceedings p. 8 9. I 'll return my Answer in two things 1. Without Controversy our Lord Jesus took care for the Preservation of Unity such a Unity as is necessary among his Disciples and yet took no such Course as these Men build all Unity upon 2. The Church of Corinth was doubtless a particular Church and according to the Sense of the Reverend Bishop Bilson quoted before there was no Form of Liturgy prescribed p. 619 620. To be short Multitudes of learned and able Men living in one Kingdom have diversity of Apprehensions and Notions of things as well as in divers Nations and except Uniformity of Words might produce an inward Uniformity of Conceptions it hath not that Influence upon Unity as some Men think by their too violent urging of it 3. I am for Uniformity according to General Rules not excluding Prudence which must judg what 's necessary what 's expedient what 's edifying or what not for to exclude Prudence is to limit Divine Providence to particular Rules Divine Providence proceeds from Soveraignty Prudence observes it and Conscience must obey it Saving the Dominion of Providence and the Exercise of Ministerial Prudence let 's be as uniform as we can This prudential Latitude is allowed to every Curate in the choice of Homilies in dividing them leaving a part for the After-noon and changing of Lessons reading one for another as shall be most for Edification in the Admonition to all Ecclesiastical Ministers before the second part of the Homily To conclude this Question I desire the violent and active and the violent and oppressive Disputants of these times to answer Whether they think that our Protestant-Dissenting-Brethren that preach the Faith and labour to convert and build up precious Souls are unworthy to enjoy Liberty to preach the Gospel or to enjoy their Estates or to live in any part of the World If not what ground have they for their ill Opinion What Christian Charity have they How do they conspire with Bloody Inquisitors and French Persecutors yea Irish Rebels and Inhuman Rooters out of Heresy But if not worthy to live among us retaining their Liberty of Conscience and Religion Whither shall they go Where are they like to sind more natural Affection than among their Native Country-men and Acquaintance Where shall they be more wel-come among the Papists among Infidels where Satan bears so much Rule or among Protestants abroad Alas where who can entertain them Would you banish them to Scotland Ireland there are too many already Whither would you have them go for they are bid begon if they 'll not conform by some where they may do good there 's work enough for them where ever they are Why may they not do good here among us To be short they who turn them out of their Hearts and Charity upon the same reason banish them out of the Land if not out of the World And what if they should say as their Ejectors do We had better live or be in any Land or Nation even among the Papists or Insidels than live among such as these Would it not sound worse than all that yet they have said And what a Division or Schism at the very root would that be if it grew to it Which it hath not done and I wish never may But we may see that Violence is a Wedg to make the most ghastly Schism that ever was seen in a Christian Church But rather than be guilty of so unpeaceable and uncharitable a Thought or Carriage capable of such a Construction which all Christians should as ill endure to lodg within them as the
Sacrament using his own Words and so it be delivered in four Forms who will doubt but he holds Communion sufficient to the Ends of the holy Sacrament And the Uniformity lies in Blessing and giving Thanks in taking Bread breaking it giving and taking it as a Token of the Body of Christ to the appointed End and so also the Cup as a Token of his Blood drinking it to the appointed End Uniformity of Words is not necessary to Church-Communion neither in Articles of Faith nor in Preaching nor in Prayer nor in Sacraments and yet Church-Communion is as necessary a Duty as associating of Churches and Assemblies it being truly the End of such Association and Assembling And yet no Man of sense will deny the great Advantages of Consent Agreement Similitude and Uniformity in all our Administrations as near as we can frame our Minds thereunto which will never come nearer than according to general Rules without Debates and Disputes as many if not more and of as great an Influence upon Peace as can arise from the Application and Construction of General Rules II. Let us remove and take away the Causes of Disunion and Division as much as possibly we can And first Those that are within us which may be reduced to Flesh and Self For whereas there is among you Envying Strife and Divisions are ye not carnal and walk as Men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 4. Self is the Schismatick within us till we are converted from it we are separate from Christ and by Consequence are disunited from his Body and do not consent to the Terms of his Covenant and Salvation Self-conceit Pride and Loftiness Self-will Self-seeking and Self-love are the Springs of our bitter Waters of Strife and Separation that run into divers Channels or rather break the Banks and over-flow the Church 2. The outward Causes are besides the Co-operation of the World and Devil the rigorous exacting and enforcing of particular Conditions of Church-Liberty and Communion with such Forfeitures and Penalties as hinder the Progress of the Word of Life and the Salvation of Souls All our Wars have been before the Gates of the City since many have been turned out we say they shall not come in except they will subscribe to Terms and they say they cannot except they are taken away Both Sides must sound a Parlee and our Governours have the greatest and most imitable prevailing Example of the King of his Church Homily of Fasting â—â—st part p. 172 173. Edit Lond. 1673. and his Apostles Hear our Homily God's Church ought not neither may it be so tied to that or any other Order now made or hereafter to be made and devised by the Authority of Man but that it may lawfully for just Causes alter change or mittigate those Ecclesiastical Decrees and Orders yea recede wholly from them and break them when they tend either to Superstition or to Impiety when they draw People from God rather than work any Edisication in them and not in these Cases alone as you shall hear afterwards This Authority Christ used for the Order and Decree made by the Elders for washing oft-times tending to Superstition our Saviour changed into the Sacrament of Regeneration This Authority To mittigate Laws and Decrees Ecclesiastical the Apostles practised Acts 15. signifying they would not lay any other Burden upon them but these Necessaries Thus ye have heard that Christian Subjects are bound to obey even in Conscience sincere Laws which are not repugnant to the Laws God Ye have heard that Christ's Church is not so bound to observe any Order Law or Decree made by Man To prescribe a Form in Religion but that the Church hath full Power and Authority from God to change and alter the same when need shall require c. Was there ever greater need than now Love of Union Peace and Growth of Godliness Sence of imminent Danger and that Danger no less than Destruction hath moved the Right Reverend Bishop of Cork to print those pressing Divine Sermons and take his Testimony as carrying greater Authority than of private Men's of the necessity of Union speaking of the Protestants in Ireland We must unite or be destroyed First Serm. p. 29. And how far is Ireland from England Can the Protestant Church in Ireland be destroyed and England be safe Yea how much further is the Destruction from England than from Ireland may not England be destroyed first It is most likely for if England be destroyed Ireland cannot escape if Ireland be destroyed England will be endangered but may better withstand it than Ireland can The same discerning and sensible Bishop cannot conceive any Possibility of an Union of all honest-minded Men of different Persuasions amongst us that call themselves Protestants but by the coming of such several Dissenters into the establish'd Church Hence the Inference is not far to be fetched Second Serm. p. 61. That this Union can never be but by taking away the Bars and the Chains that keep the Dissenters from entering in Upon what Terms saith that Right Reverend and Excellent Person must we of the Establish'd Church come over to you that dissent or you come over to us We declare we cannot without Schism and then adds a most generous Expression of a large and catholick Spirit But are ready to sacrifice all we can otherwise to the Publick Peace and Safety Pag. 29 O that all were thus frank in their biddings for Peace and Union But Right Reverend Father Dissenting-Protestants and Independents will never press you so far as to come to them that is to be Presbyterians and Independents If you will do what you may without Schism and they do what ever can be done with a good Conscience the deadly Wound is in a hopeful way of cure Find out first what Unity is necessary for this imperfect State 2. Observe what Rules Christ gave by his Spirit and the Holy Apostles practised for Unity against Schism for Truth and Faith against Heresy for Government against Confusion for Order against Disorder for Decency against Indecency for Worship against Idolatry and Irreligion for Discipline against decay of Piety and for the soundness of its Members in a word for Admission into Communion and Priviledges for Edification Peace and Comfort And what more can be necessary for Unity and Peace of Christians in one Nation than what was sufficient for Christians in all Nations And then there will be neither Schism on one hand nor Dissent on the other That one Rule of the Apostle as far as we have attained let us walk by the same Rule would unite and heal us and do us more Service than all the Volumns of Canons besides And who can walk by the same Rule further than he hath attained The Means to be used for Union are 1. A sincere Observation of and consciencious Consent unto the Terms of our Christianity and
Houses for distress some are cautious how they go so far The dissenting Subject keeps up close and upon his Market-day keeps his Shop shut as if he were broken or hid his head from Serjeants yea from worse Men than common Bailisss The Informer keeps the Street and hath whom he pleaseth at his command The Parish Officer is in a threefold Difficulty or Strait 1. The Justice of Peace fines him and threatens worse to him if he doth not make distress 2. It goes against his Nature and his Love to his Neighbour Friend Kinsman it goes against his Conscience to distrain the Goods and spoil the Trade and beggar innocent Children he cannot do it but if he do not he shall rue it himself he is sined and he is further threatned The Informer is now pro tempore his superior Officer he must execute his Warrants 3. He is in another Difficulty If he break into his Neighbour's House he is told he cannot justify it by Law by some sage Counsellors the owner of the House and Goods may sue him for breaking into his House He is told he hath but one Remedy when he is sued the Justice will stand by him and the Favour of the Court and Partiality of a Jury will be his Defender But really is not this an hard case that a Man must ruine others or be ruined and do these Actions look as if they did really rejoyce that they are ruled by Law when without Law or against Law he proceeds in hopes of Favour And what is all this for but to get Money for the chief Ruler the noble Informer the Shame and Scourge of his Country Gentlemen and Magistrates that have Wisdom to foresee and sense of what they see are disquieted in their Minds the Envious in hope of encreasing their own Trade are more modest than to approve it and they who are Scorners of Religion make merry at it And this is a true but imperfect face of the times and I divulge no Secrets II. The Sufferings of the Nonconformists have been coursely and darkly opened in the two former Pleas and will be more particularly set forth in what follows Their former Sufferings come upon them again and that with the Addition of more Weight and Violence many have by an indecent Art done what they can to shut up both his Majesties Eyes and Heart I call it indecent because we owe a greater Reverence to the King they have thanked him for his ruling by Law and declared their Adherence to the Church of England as established by Law As soon as they have done this they crave leave to execute the Laws upon Dissenters as if they would take the King at his Word and while the Gracious Declaration was fresh that there might be no room for wonted Mercy and Indulgence except he should recede from his Royal Word almost as soon as sent abroad They seem to oblige the Bishops and the Church by declaring for it as establish'd and thereby tied their Tongues and Pens from supplicating for their Protestant Brethren for if they do they will be interpreted to act contrary to themselves and their own Establishment and no doubt but many a fair Story is told them of I know not what invisible Machinations against them They must look on while a Course is taken which will reflect upon them and their Government as much if not more than a tolerated Nonconformity The more discreet and moderate sort of Magistrates are look'd upon as savouring of Parliamentary Notions either are left out of the Commissions of Lieuetenancy and Peace or act not at all or act by way of Mitigation of Rigor the most declaredly opposite to the Parliaments to Protestant Dissenters seem to act alone therefore the Law falls with multiplied Aggravations upon Preachers and People What was argued by way of Consequence in the second Plea proves now to be true as if it had been a Prophecy The Dissenters are fined for so many Meetings past That there are Fines upon the Officers of one little Market-Town for neglecting to break their Neighbours amounting to 200 l. and the Fines upon one Preacher and his Hearers come to about 1000 l. if they may be exactly levied What is the Case of Populous Places They suffer spiritually bodily really and relatively A Man cannot marry his Daughter to a Dissenting Protestant but he is like one that throws away her Portion a Man cannot put a Child apprentice to a Dissenting Protestant but he is in danger of losing his Money and his Son of losing his Trade by his Master 's not being able to follow it nor to hold many of them are in as bad a case as the Papists if the Laws were fully executed upon them for some Protestants are returned into the Exchequer and their Estates under Composition and the Parts that are left to them are liable to other Laws against them But if the Executioners of the Laws stop at the Composition there would be something left certain to them But the remaning two Parts are subject to these Laws the Oxford and five Mile Act and this against Conventicles and to the Ecclesiastical Courts besides they are obnoxious to Excommunications Significavits Writs de Excommunicatio capiendo to Banishment and Abjuration and Felony if they abjure not Some question whether that Act of Q. E. 35. be in force but several are brought in danger of it as if it were besides to all manner of Taxes and Payments They are more hardly used than Papists Some have paid 20 l. and 5 s. over and over But now their whole Estates will not satisfy the Demands of Informers and Warrants The only way that Men of Estates have is to become Tenants and Servants to secure them by making them over in Trust The Miseries of their Souls are not yet reckoned by me to prevent which they have ventured long by hearing such Ministers as they conceived most profitable But now for endeavouring to flee from the Wrath to come they are fallen under the Vengeance of cruel and merciless Informers and to save their Souls have brought Ruine upon their Estates III. And what is all this for It is for Nonconformity which may be considered two ways 1. Privatively not conforming 2. Positively being Nonconformists to the Laws of Uniformity preaching and holding Religious Exercises this is the Preachers Crime the Crime of the People is hearing or joyning with them in such Exercises of Religion as are without controversy necessary and profitable This and only this is the cause of all those many and great Sufferings of every kind which they have endured and under which no man can comfortably stand without Faith Self-denial Contentment and the Conscience of well-doing and the hope of Eternal Life the great Recompence of Reward And this being the Cause and the sole Cause of their Sufferings it is such as calls for Pity and great Tenderness and is no just Cause of their many Molestations and bitter Sufferings as I
intend to shew in my following Discourse as God shall help me IV. By whom and from whom and through whose means they are now again exposed to Sufferings I cannot shew the Spring of the Motion but any Man may see the Hands that strike and tell us what time of day it is I do very much doubt whether the most engaged Instruments do know whose Work they carry on this is my Charity but if they do I dare say what they cannot hear without either great displeasure horror or repentance But they are 1. Such as cannot take it ill to be called Addressers and Abhorrers but they as far as I can look about me and see particularly that have thanked the King for declaring his Resolutions of ruling by Law which if any of the Nonconformists had expressed a doubt or fear of had been a far greater Offence than their Nonconformity They have declared for the Protestant Religion as established by Law and yet punish them that profess the same and no other 2. And by Consequence they are such as have declared a dislike of the Proceedings of our late Parliaments and in that particular of endeavouring the uniting of Protestant Dissenters in which alone I am concerned to take notice of them and act directly contrary to the Vote of the House of Commons which resolved That it is the Opinion of this House Lunae 10 die Jan. 1680. that the Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters upon the penal Laws is at this time grievous to the Subject a weakning to the Protestant Interest an Encouragement of Popery and dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom And by the Rule of Opposition they must in their Opinions turn this Vote backward as if they thought that the Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters upon the present Laws is not grievous to the Subject is not a weakening of the Protestant Interest is not an encouragement of Popery nor dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom Certainly they must be supposed to hold this as contrary to the general and unanimous Judgment of the far greater Number for as Nemine Contradicente doth not contain every particular Man's Vote so it doth no less than imply a Consent or that to declare a Dissent is to no purpose there is no Division of the House upon it only if they do not hold this contrary to the House they must act both irrationally and desperately in this sense Altho the House of Commons declared their Opinion to be so yet I a Justice or I an inferiour Officer will prosecute the Protestant Dissenters or execute the Penal Laws upon them tho it be a weakening of the Protestant Interest altho it be an Encouragement to Popery and dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom Or if this Consequence from these Proceedings be too harsh and censorious I will mollify it as much as it is capable of a mollified Construction Let this be the Opinion of the Prosecutors now The Execution of the Penal Laws is not grievous to the Subject that is it is grievous but to some and not to all it is not grievous to the Subject because it is not grievous to them and then we shall have a Discrimination of Subjects to this sense They only who execute the Laws or approve of it are the only Subjects of the King or that the Dissenters can suffer Punishments and the Punishments not be grievous to them Or that the Dissenters are not Subjects but Rebels a sort of quiet Rebels certainly may we never see any other than such unarmed quiet Rebels Again they must think that the Execution of the Laws upon them is no weakning of the Protestant Interest that is to say they are no Protestants And now the meaning is plain that there are no Protestants amongst us but those that are of the Church-Government established by Law and are of it or submit to it or that read or joyn in the Liturgy or do all that the Law requires that is the Act of Uniformity and then a Question will arise Where was the Protestant Religion before 1662 or before the last Long-Parliament Or where is it like to be when these Protestants no-Protestant-Dissenters are cut off where it was before Luther If only the Conformists are the Protestants then what sort of them If only one sort of them then the Catholick Church of England may be not much bigger than some great Conventicle or great Parish They who make this Separation of Protestants are Separatists and Disciples the National Tutors and Instructors in such wholsome and profitable Doctrine both in Divinity and Politicks If Confirmity tota in toto c. makes the Protestant and be convertible with him it makes as good a Definition of a Protestant as of a Man by Accidents A Man is a rational Creature that wears curled Locks long Hair Hose and Shoos c. or of a Philosopher he is a Scholar that wears a Beard c. But to go on they may be thought to be of Opinion that to punish Dissenters is no Encouragement to Popery for when they have rooted them up then they will root up Popery as if they could not come at those great Oaks before they have cut up the Brush-wood Or lastly they do not think it dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom to suppress Dissenters 1. Because they know that the Dissenters when undone will not molest or disturb the Peace of the Kingdom Or else 2. Because they intend to make them so poor that they shall not be able to disturb the Peace Or 3. Because it is the only way of Peace But here again a Questionist sets upon me as I go peaceably on in my Discourse If the Dissenters are not dangerous to the Peace of Kingdom why are they disturb'd and their Meetings broken up as seditious Meetings 2. If they are dangerous and their Meetings feditious then whether are they more dangerous when they are pleased quiet and in Peace or when they are provoked When they enjoy Trades Liberty and Estates or when they are imprisoned and undone To conclude this Head If our zealous Prosecutors think as the House of Commons did in their foresaid Vote then why will they act contrary to that general Opinion or if they are of a contrary Opinion as I have said then follows 3. A third Branch of the Description of the Prosecutors They are such as do not yea cannot understand the State of the Kingdom and Religion so well as the House of Commons did 1. No one Man of them can understand the true State of the Kingdom as a Grand Assembly of our Representatives did 2. Nor all of them for when the Representatives of the Kingdom met they had such Informations given in and brought before them and saw what was invisible to others there was a Collection of Observations and the Eyes of most of the Kingdom moved in that great Body and their Debates and Reasonings were mature and full And tho a Vote have not the