and afraid of sinning and seriously godly is but to be Hypocrites melancholy or mad And perhaps bend their Preaching the same way 6. When they are Heretical and not to be trusted in point of faith 7. And when they are so Factious and Schismatical as that their Preaching and Conference tendeth to render other good Christians odious and stir up men to hate persecute or separate from them and so to destroy true Love and Concord In any of these cases when the people or part of them are deprived of that Pastoral helps which their necessity requireth and God commandeth they may seek it where they can best have it LXIII In all these cases it is an unsatisfactory Answer to tell them that Religion is kept up in the land and that other persons or Parishes have what they want or that Order and Obedience must be preferred to their supply or that God can save them without a Pastor c. For so God can save the Heathen world without the Gospel Preached if he please And so you might perswade the Poor to famish rather than against Law to beg because if thousands of them dye of Famine yet other people are supplied and have plenty Or you might tell men that they must use no Physician though they dye for it if they have no tolerable one allowed them by the Magistrate because others have Physicians though they dye for want of them What if the Parish Priest could Baptize but one of many or not all Must the rest be content to be unbaptized If not why must they be content without all publick Preaching and Worshipping of God and the Lords Supper and personal helps of Pastors which they need Paul thanketh God that he Baptized none of the Corinthians save some few and saith that God sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel And can any man prove then That if the Parish Minister cannot or will not Baptize his Children he must get another to do it yea a prohibited Minister rather then they should be unbaptized and yet that if the Parish Church cannot receive him or the Pastor cannot or will not do the Office of a Pastor for him he must be without Preaching Worshipping God and Pastoral oversight LXIV Yet here we must declare 1. That in such necessity people must caeteris paribus first seek their supply in that way that is most for peace and most for publick good and least scandalous or dividing and that is most agreable to the Rulers will and honour 2. That for some short season in which his soul is not apparently hazarded as also in the tolerable loss of some measures of Pastoral help a man must submit his own personal advantage to publick interest and may hope that God will make it up As also when it tendeth to his probable greater advantage afterward by putting by some present storm But not statedly to be without Christs instituted ordinances and helps e. g. Parish Order is desireable and is the Rulers will If therefore supply can be had in a neighbour Parish for them that want it in their own and by an allowed Minister rather than a disallowed it should be chosen unless the disparity be so great as to weigh down the contrary inconveniences And if for a time any be constrained to another way they should do it but as an extroardinary necessity for the present time till they can be supplied in the allowed Parochial way and avoid as much as possibly they can all waies though lawful that encourage true Schisms 3. And we must profess that if any Preachers or people shall out of self conceitedness pretend necessity when there is none their pretence is no justification of their disorder or disobedience Magistrates may regulate us in the Circumstances of those duties which the Law of Nature or the Gospel do Command But if on such pretence of regulating Circumstances they will violate or contradict either the Law of Nature or the Gospel and destroy the duty it self or its end we are not bound in such cases to obey them but muâ—â— pariently suffer LXV 19. If the Church Laws do exclude those Christians that have right from the Communion of the Church and their Children from Baptism and do decree that they shall be excommunicate and then laid in Gaols it seemeth to us no Schism in those persons to have no such Communion with that Church which is denyed them by the Laws of the Church Nor yet to join themselves with another Church that will receive them And as we say of the Papists that they unjustly call those men Schismatâ—â—â— whom they first cast out themselves by unjust excommunication so may we of any others Especially when either for that which is a duty or for some small mistake which it is not in the persons power to rectifie no greater than most good Christians are guilty of the Church Law saith that he shall be excommunicate ipso facto by which he is cast out antecedently to any sentence or no place left for his pardon or forbearance by the favour of the Ordinary He that is so cast out is not the wilful Sparatist Nor is he bound to continue without Church Communion and Pastoral oversight LXVI 20. If those that live in a Parish where the Incumbent by utter Insufficiency Heresie Usurpation Malignity or Wickedness is such as men may not lawfully own or commit the Pastoral Conduct and care of their souls to shall desire the Pastoral care of the next Parish-Minister and communion in that Parish-Church and may not be admitted but all other Parish-Ministers are by Canon commanded to refuse them and to turn them home to their own Parish-Priests and Churches so that they must either commit their souls to such uncapable persons and own them as Christ's Ministers or have none at all we dare not charge those persons with Schism if they commit the care of their souls to worthy ordained men though not allowed but prohibited by the Magistrate For the reasons before given Yea if they know that Church-Laws forbid all other Parish-Priests to receive them we see not that they are first bound to offer themselves to such as profess obedience to those Laws Obj. 1. But some take a meer Reader for uncapable that cannot preach or one that cannot pray without Book or a young man that is not able to resolve doubts or cases of conscience but our Canon 57. saith that the Sacraments are equally effectual whether they be administred by a Preacher or no Preacher Ans 1. By an uncapable person we mean such as is utterly unable to perform the Pastoral duties which Christ hath commanded and mens souls greatly need which among others Dr. Hammond in his Annotat hath well described If bare Reading were sufficient Ability every Boy or Artificer were sufficient that can read Bare Reading will encourage no man to take any one for his Physician or Lawyer and soulconduct is a matter of greater importance and needeth
Sect. I. BEcause men will judge of such Causes according to their several Principles and Presuppositions we must take notice of some of the divers Principles of those whose censure we must expect Though not of inconsiderable Sects Sect. II. And 1. Some say that no humane Form of Church Government and of Churches as governed is of God's Institution or as they say Jure Divino but that it is left to humane prudence Sect. III. 2. Some hold only an Universal Church governed by a Pope say some of them or by a General Council while sitting and a Pope in the Intervals say others or by a Pope and Council agreeing while it sits and a Pope in the Intervals say others to be Jure Divino and all particular Church-Forms as subordinate left to the prudence of this Universal Governour as Supreme as Inferiour Officers in Kingdoms are made by the King Sect. IV. 3. Some hold that this Universal Church-Form and also Diocesan and no other are instituted of God Sect. V. 4. Some hold that the Universal Patriarchal Metropolitical or Provincial Diocesan and Parochial are jure divino or instituted by Christ and his Apostles Sect. VI. 5. Some hold that only Diocesan Churches and Metropolitical or Provincial are jure divino and not the universal And of these some take Diocesan Churches for those only that contain many fixed Assemblies and some for such as have one Bishop whether over one Congregation or over multitudes Saith the very learned Dr. Hamond in 1 Tim. 3. The Church of the living God was every such regular Assembly of Christians under a Bishop such as Timothy was an Oeconomus set over them by Christ Such again every larger circuit under the Metropolitane who as Timothy had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordination and Jurisdiction over the whole Province And such all the particular Churches of the whole world considered together under the Supreme Head Christ Jesus dispensing them all by himself and administring them severally not by any one Oeconomus but by the several Bishops as inferiour Heads of Unity to the several Bodies so constituted by the several Apostles in their plantations each of them having an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a several distinct Commission from Christ immediately and subordinate to none but the supreme Donor or Plenipotentiary He here supposeth as he elsewhere sheweth that de facto Episcopal Churches were in Scripture-times but single Congregations but that after it was otherwise And whether then the New Form of Congregations were jure divino when they became but Parts of a Bishops Church we leave to the Readers conjecture as also of the New Form of a Diocesan Church Sect. VII 6. Some hold that National Churches that is Christian Kingdoms as governed by the Soveraign Secular Power are instituted by God and that all Church-Forms else within that Kingdom are jure humano at the pleasure of the King so be it that worshiping-Assemblies be kept up and Bishops and Priests placed as it shall please the King Sect. VIII 7. Some think that Diocesans or Bishops whether over one Congregation or many are instituted by God and some say also Archbishops and that these have power by consent or contract among themselves to make Patriarchal and National Churches And so that these National and Patriarchal Churches are jure divino mediato but jure humano immediato and are rather made by the consent of Bishops than by Kings And so under Heathen Kings the Churches may be National Sect. IX 8. Some think that Parochial Churches consisting of Christians distinguished by the circuit of ground and combinations of these into Synods less and greater Classical National are jure divino and no other lawful Sect. X. 9. Some think that only Parochial Churches ordinarily and single Congregations of any Neighbour Christians when Parish Order cannot be observed are jure divino Sect. XI 10. And some think that only such single Congregations of Christians with their Chosen Pastors without any necessary respect to Parish bounds are properly called Churches of Divine Institution though these Churches may and should hold such associations as correspondence and mutual help require Sect. XII There being so many sorts of Churches in the world as Universal National Patriarchal Provincial or Metropolitical Diocesan Classical Parochial Congregational it is hard to give a just decision of the question From which of these and when it is a sin to separate till it be first known which of these is Divine and which of Humane Institution and which Humane Churches are necessary which lawful and which sinful And it must be known of which the question is And while there is so signal a diversity of Judgment about the several Forms the nature of Schism will be hardlier opened SECT III. What Churches we hold to be instituted by God and what not Sect. I. OUR own Judgment we shall plainly express in this following Order 1. We shall shew what Church we judge to be of God's Institution and what not 2. What about Churches the Magistrates or Pastors may institute by God's Authority or allowance And what they may not institute 3. In what cases it is lawful to gather Churches where Churches are In what cases it is lawful to separate from Churches and in what cases neither of these last is lawful Sect. II. 1. All Christians are agreed that Christ is the Author of the Universal Church considered both as Baptized or Externally covenanting and professing called Visible and as Regeneraâ—e and sincerely Covenanting called Mystical as it is Headed by Christ himself and called his Body and his special Kingdom Sect. III. 2. We doubt not but Christ hath instituted the Office of the sacred Ministry to be under him as the Teacher Ruler and High Priest of the Church in Teaching Guiding and Worshiping And that he hath instituted holy Assemblies and Societies for these things to be exercised in And that a Society of Neighbour Christians associated with such a Pastor or Pastors for personal Communion herein even in such Doctrine Discipline and Woâ—sâ—â—p is a Church-Form of Divine Institution Sect. IV. If they be not Christians by Baptism or visible Profession they be not visible Materials for a Church If they be not Neighbours that is within reach of each other so as to be capable of such Communion they are not matter that hath the necessary extrinsecal disposition If they be not associated explicitely or implicitely by some signification of Consent they may be an accidental Assembly but not a proper Christian Church If they be not associated for this holy Communion they may be a Civil Society but not a Church If they be not associated for Personal Communion at some due seasons but only for Communion at distance by Delegates Messengers or Letters they are not a Particular Church of this species now defined though they may be members of larger associations National Diocesan c. If they are not associate with one or more Pastors they may be a Community of
Church Because the charge is more odious and injurious and tendeth more to destroy Love IX 7. To accuse a Church its Doctrine Ministry Worship or Discipline falsly as guilty of such corruption which maketh it unlawful for any Christians to have communion with it or falsly to pretend such faults for his own and others separation from it is a great sin though not so great as to unchurch it X. 8. To hold that every Error in the Doctrine Worship Discipline Pastors or People of that Church yea though settled and continued and foreknown not forced on us to consent to or practice is sufficient cause to make Communion with the Church unlawful is to hold a principle which would infer separation from all the known Churches in this world XI 9. To draw others to such separation by such false accusations or opinions is worse than to do it silently ones self and the more the worse XII 10. The more such accusations strike at the heart of Christian Love which is the life of holy Societies and of Holiness it self and the more they draw men from Piety and to hate and abuse and wrong each other the greater is the sin XIII 11. When men erroneously and causlesly gather separated Members from true Churches where they should continue into Antichurches or Societies where their business is to make others unjustly odious that differ from them this is to gather Schismatical Societies And if they pretend themselves wiser than the Generality of the true Orthodox Churches in the world and so separate from them they were for this called Hereticks at first But if it be but upon a quarrel with some particular neighbour Church or Pastor it was called a Schism XIV 12. If any proud or passionate or erroneous person do as Diotrephes cast out the brethren undeservedly by unjust suspensions silencings or excommunications it is tyrannical Schism what better name soever cloak it XV. 13. If any should make sinful terms of Communion by Laws or Mandates imposing things forbidden by God on those that will have Communion with them and expelling those that will not so sin this were heinous Schism And the further those Laws extend and the more Ministers or People are cast out by them the greater is the Schism XVI 14. If any should not only excommunicate such persons for not complying with them in sin but also prosecute them with mulcts imprisonments banishments or other prosecution to force them to transgress this were yet more heinously aggravated Schism XVII 15. All those would be deeply guilty of such Schism who by talk writing or preaching justifie it and cry it up and draw others into the guilt and reproach the Innocent as Schismaticks for not offending God XVIII 16. If any should corrupt such a Church or its Doctrine Worship or Discipline in the very Essentials by setting up forbidden Officers and Worship or casting out the Officers Worship or Discipline instituted by Christ and then prosecute others for not communicating with them this would be yet the more heinous Schism XIX 17. If either of the last named sorts would not be content with mens Communion with them but would also silence and prosecute such as will not own justifie and consent to all that they do by subscriptions declarations covenants promises or oaths this would yet be a more aggravated Schism XX. 18. If the men that do this should be mere obtruders and usurpers that have no true Pastoral power over those whom they persecute as the Pope over other Kingdoms and Churches this were yet more aggravated schisme XXI 19. If such Usurpers will claim a dominion or Monarchy over all the world and unchurch degrade and unchristen all that will not be their Subjects or will impose sinful termes of Vnion upon all the Christian World and declare all Hereticks or Schismaticks that receive them not and so cast out most of the Christians on Earth and all the sounder Churches this is one of the most heynous sorts of Schism that the mind of man can think of Which is the grand Schism of the Roman Papacy worse than all their interior Schisms when they had many Popes at once XXII 20. If such shall send agents and emissaries into the Dominions of Christians Princes or States to draw the Subjects to that Schisme and make them believe that Princes are by right the Subjects of the Pope and that men shall be damned if they will not take him for the Bishop or Vice-christ of all the World and keep up a rich and numerous Clergie in Christian Kingdomes for this use and make Decrees to exterminate or burn Christians and to depose temporal Lords that will not obey them and execute their lawes This is to maintain and prosecute a Schisme against Religious and Civill peace by open hostility to Princes and People and to mankind XXIII 21. If because the Roman Emperours and Clergie setled five Patriarchs in the Roman Empire of which the Roman Bishop was the first and by Councils called General of that Empire did make Church Laws to bind the Subjects any therefore will teach that these Patriarchs and the Pope as Principiâ—m unitatis must be Rulers in the dominions of other Princes and that such Councils must govern them by their Decrees and that the Universal Church must be united in any one mortal head whether Personal or Collective such as General Councils and so would bring Christian Princes and people under the Laws and Government of forreigners and brand those as Schismaticks that will not fall in with such an Universal Church Policie This were also a very heinous sort of Schism For the Universal Church never did nor will be united on such termes And therefore to make such terms of its unity is to make an Engine to divide it and tear it all into pieces XXIV 22. If any will confine the Power or Exercise of the Church Keyes into so few hands as shall make the Exercise of Christs Discipline impossible as by laying that work on one which multitudes are too few to do or shall make Churches so great and Pastors so few as that the most of the people must needs be without true Pastoral oversight teaching and publick worship and then will forbid those people to Commit the Care of their souls to any others that will be Pastors indeed and so would compel them to be without Christs ordinances true Church Communion and Pastoral help This would be Schismatical and much worse XXV 23. If any Pastors will deny Baptism which is their investiture in the Christian Church to the Adult that refuse to receive the transient Image of the Crucifix or any thing equal to it as a Dedicating means to consecrate them to God and to signifie their Covenant Engagement to Christ and as a badge and symbol of the Christian Religion it seemeth to us to be Schismaticall when Christ himself instituted Baptism without such a Covenanting Image to be the test and bond of his Churches unity But
they promised it was not thâ—y but the Parents that were bound to perform 3. Or Nonconformists in this point who purposed before hand to be but the Parents Râ—pâ—esentatives and that the promise and obligation should all be devolved from them on the Parents though they knew the Church meant otherwise and that they were not bound to the Churches sense and therefore their standing to hear this is your part was no consent to take it for their part And none of all these do answer the Churches sense in their undertaking And if we are commonly baptized and made Christians in a way of false Vowing or Covenanting of such persons or of â—â—lusâ—â—y Equâ—vocation it is not well 11. We know not where Parents can procure any to undertake this Office as the Church imposeth it that credâ—â—ly signifie themselves able and willing to performâ—â— we could not do it our selves were we never so desirous Perhaps some Rich men might hire others to take their Children into their Care and Education as must be promised but who would do so for the poor yea for all the poor of England And the Nonconformists are not satisfied that it is lawful to engage any in a perfidious covenanting before God when before-hand they have no credible signification of any purpose to perform it Nay when the Parent resolveth to educate his own Child and not to trust him to the Provision or care of others 12. The Minister Covenanting to use the form in the Book of Common Prayer prescribed in administration of the Sacraments and no other Can. 36. No Parent may speak a word in the name of his own Child nor to enter him there into the Covenant of God nor profess that he offereth him to Baptism by virtue of and in confidence in the promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed in their Generations Nor to promise himself what the Godfathers are to promise The words also of the Can. 29. are these No Parent shall be urged to be PRESENT nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his own Child Nor any Godfather or Godmother shall be suffered to make any other answer or speech than by the Book of Common Prayer is prescribed in that behalf 13. It is the Godfathers work also by the Liturgy to take care that the Child be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him in the manner of the Church of England as soon as he can say the Creed Lords Prayer and ten Commandments and be further instructed in the Church Catechism which Godfathers use not at all to perform nor do the Parents use to expect it Nor doth one Child of a multitude understand what the Baptismal Covenant is of many a year after they have learned to say the said Catechism 14. That the Godfathers stand not there as the Representers of the Parents is evident according to the sense of the Church because the Parent himself is not suffered to do it or speak one covenanting word nor must be urged to be present nor are they to speak in the Parents name in any of their undertakings Nor is there the least intimation that the Church taketh the Sponsor for the Parents Representative 15. The Parents are to be admonished not to defer the Baptism of their Children longer than the first or second Sunday unless upon a great and reasonable cause to be approved by the Curate whether they can get understanding credible Godfathers or not These are the Matters of Fact Here note 1. That there is no Controversie between the Conformists and Nonconformists whether Christians Infants should be baptized 2. Nor whether a Conformists baptizing be valid 3. Nor whether the Parents presence be absolutely necessary and another may not speak in his name 4. Nor whether Adopters or any Proprieters may not covenant for the Child 5. Nor whether the old Sponsors be lawful who 1. Witnessed the credibility of the Parent 2. And undertook the Christian Education of the Child if the Parents should either die or apostatize The Nonconformists are against no such Sponsors though they think that their Children have right to Baptism without such 6. Nor do they deny that Baptism in the Parish Churches is valid and lawful as to the Parents and Godfathers if they do but agree on the Nonconformists way that the Sponsors shall but represent the Parents and that they be not bound by the contrary judgment of the Authors of the Liturgy to the contrary But the questions are 1. Whether a Christians Child whose Parents have no way forfeited their credit have not right to Baptism without other Godfathers 2. Whether the Parent should not solemnly enter his own Child into the Covenant of God as well as in times of Circumcision And whether any Parent should be forbidden it viz. to appear and speak as the Representer of the Child or Undertaker for him and Promiser of his Education 3. Whether that Child must profess by another that He Himself Believeth Renounceth Repenteth and Desireth Baptism And it be not rather to be prosessed that he is the seed of a Believing Penitent Parent whose Will is as his Will and is under God's Promise I will he thy God and the God of thy seed 4. Whether a Christian Parent may consent to the persidious undertaking of any Godfathers who give him not the least reason to believe that they intend that provision for the Children which they undertake Or else may let his Child be unbaptized till he can get such a credible Undertaker which is never like to be with most or many 5. Whether the Children of Heathens or Infidels or Atheists have right to Baptism upon the presentation of any Godfather who never adopteth them or taketh them for his own nor giveth any credible notice that he really intendeth to educate those Children as pro forma he seemeth to undertake Or whether such Children are truly said to believe because the Godfather or Minister or Congregation or Diocess or Nation or Catholick Church believe III. The Nonconformists are not of one mind about receiving the Lords Supper Kneeling Many judge it Lawful though neither necessary nor most eligible were they free some judge it also most eligible And some judge it as things stand unlawful Their reasons are 1. In doubtful cases duty lieth on the surest side But this to them is a doubtful case on one side and to imitate Christs institution by such sitting as men use to do at meat is certainly Lawful 2. Because they think this Kneeling violateth the reasons of the second Commandment being used where by whole Countries of Papists round about us and many among us it signifieth Bread-Worship or Idolatry by the same Action at the same season used For they suppose that the second Commandment forbiddeth Images as being External Corporal Idolatry and Symbolizing scandalously with Idolators though the mind intend the worshiping of the true God alone And such they think this kneeling is and that it encourageth the
or be ready and desirous to be confirmed that is In the manner prescribed by the Liturgy This as it concerneth the Conformity of the Lay-receiver is spoken of before But now as it concerneth the Ministers Assent and Consent 2. Some that take this for a very useful passage as it enableth them to hold back some uncapable persons dare not approve it and consent to it as it denieth the Church Communion which Christ giveth commandeth to persons of unblemished uprightness and piety if they will not profess themselves willing to be confirmed by our Bishops in the manner before described though they are willing to own their Baptismal Covenant and few in most places are confirmed XIII The Liturgy saith that No man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in God's mercy and a quiet Conscience To which we must declare Assent Approbation and Consent 2. The sense of these words remaineth dubious whether it speak de necessitate praecepti vâ—l medii Some think that the meaning is that it is the Duty of all that come to the Communion to have a full trust and a quiet Conscience Others think that the meaning is only that all should seek these Others think that tht meaning is that they should not come without them Their reasons are 1. From the plain signification of the words No man should come but with c. which must differ from They that come ought to be such 2. Because the necessit as praecepti may be affirmed of perfect obedience since our use of reason It is every mans duty not to sin at all And it is every mans duty to believe and love God not only sincerely but with a stronger Faith and Love and it s every mans duty to seek after perfection And yet no man will say that we should not come to the Communion but with high degrees of grace or with perfection 3. And the words are not that they should seek it but that they should not come without it 3. The Nonconformists confess that all men ought to have a full Trust and a quiet Conscience But they think that many 1000 good Christians have but a weak Faith or Trust and an unquiet Conscience And that the Eucharist is a Confirming and Comforting Sacrament and that those that have a weak Trust and unquiet Conscience should come for strengthening and comfort and be encouraged to come 4. Therefore seeing no entreaty will prevail with the Imposers after so many years time to explain these and many other such words they think that the usual sense of such words must be the measure of their exposition and therefore they dare not profess Assent and Approbation and Consent till they are better explained to them XIV The Liturgy requireth that the Priest deliver the Communion to the people into their hands All meekly kneeling 2. The 27th Canon saith No Minister shall wittingly administer the same to any but to such as kneel under pain of suspension 3. The Conformists differ among themselves about the sense of the Liturgy herein viz. whether All kneeling include a prohibition to deliver it to any that kneel not some say No that it only bids them give it to such as kneel but not to deny it others though the Canon do Others say yea that it requireth us to give it to no others Their reasons are 1. Because else the precept signified nothing if men were after it left at liberty 2. Because All plainly excludeth others 3. Because the Canon being the decrees of the same Church expoundeth the Liturgy and it is absurd to say that their Rubrick leaveth the Minister at Liberty to do that same thing for which the Canon suspendeth him 4. Because we must also subscribe that we will use no other form of administration but that of the Liturgy which Reasons we judge to be cogent 4. The Nonconformists differ among themselves about kneeling some taking it to be sinfully scandalous on the reasons before given and some taking it for lawful But they commonly hold that it is sinfull cruelty and Schism for them as Ministers to cast any true Christians out of Christ's Church and Communion of Saints and to deny them the body and blood of Christ which he hath commanded his Church to deliver and receive on so small a reason as this not kneeling 1. Considering the three reasons which are before mentioned as the cause of their doubt 2. And that the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. commandeth both Pastors and People to bear with and receive each other notwithstanding such kind of differences 3. And that good mens judgments in such cases are not in their own power 4. And that to tie Communion to such doubtful Circumstances will certainly cause Schism and such doings have long distracted Christ's Churches through the world 5. And Christ hath commanded all his true Disciples to live in loving concord and communion But kneelers and not kneelers are his true Disciples 6. And men must not be cast out of the Churches Communion even for gross and heinous sins unless they add obstinate impenitency Therefore they dare not Assent Approve Consent to or Practice this rejecting of godly Christians for not kneeling in the act of receiving from those priviledges which Christ by his testament hath given them XV. By the Liturgy every Parishioner is to communicate twice a year and by the Canon and statute to be compelled so to do and the Churchwarden to present them that do not And those that do not in a certain time are to be EXCOMMUNICATED and after laid in Gaol during life unless they conform To the Liturgies Imposition we must profess Assent c. 2. Not every Parishioner yea in our experience not one of many hath a full trust in God's Mercy and a quiet Conscience without both which they are not to come 3. Many good Christians have so great a sense of their sins and unworthiness that they dare not communicate till they are fitter And some are so timerous and melancholy that hearing the Liturgy threaten men to be given up to the Devil and eat and drink their own damnation if they eat and drink unworthily it would drive them by fear into distraction should they take it till they have better thoughts of their title and preparations so that their dilemma is sad when they are either to go to Bedlam or to the common Gaol 4. To say that all these doubting and timerous people should be otherwise minded and that this is their errour is true but as impertinent as it is to tell all men that they should never sin or all ignorant carnall ungodly men that they should be wise and godly But to conclude that men should receive the sacrament because they ought to be prepared though they are not prepared is somewhat like telling the sick that they should work and eat as they ought to have done if by intemperance they had not disabled themselves 5. There are many among us who are
a one doth not lie or dissemble 2. Whether a baptized person as such have no right to our special love which we owe to those that we hope are true Believers and sanctified but only to our common love and kindness which belongeth to those also that are the heirs of Hell Some friends that are gone from extream to extream and in remembrance of their ancient Schisms can look but one way with impartial sense and that have made their repentance the passage to a greater errour and sin should better bethink them them what they do They did well to stand still in the way of Schism when they saw here a leg and there a hand and there an arm in their way and who but a mad-man indeed would not But if they have impartially read Church-history and the works of such Fathers as give us historical notices and ever since Constantine made a Bishoprick a bait to a proud and worldly mind even such as Nazianzen Basil Chrysostom Isidore Pelusiota Hilary Pictav and the over-orthodox disputations of Cyril and the Epistles of Theodoret rejoycing at his death and abundance of such like had they seen in the way of Church-pride and tyranny not here a leg and there an arm but here a hundred carkasses and there a thousand here two thousand godly faithful Preachers silenced and many thousand dry Vines planted in their rooms and there whole Kingdoms interdicted and their Churches shut up here Churches and Kingdoms turned into confusions about a word or about the interest of Prolates striving which should be the Chief and have their will and rule the rest and there hundred thousands murdered in the name of Christ for obeying him and bloody wars managed by the Clergy against Christian Emperours and Kings stabbed one after another and most of the Christian world Roman Greek Moscovites Armenians Abassines degenerated into doleful ignorance and dead formality under the Government of great High-Priests and millions of the vulgar bred up in ignorance and senslesness of spiritual and eternal things this should stop them at least from serving the master of such designs as much as a leg or an arm in the way 3. At least we would intreat them to hate that mistake which will pretend to do all this for charity unity and the Churches good and to believe that it is no sign of charity 1. To believe that charity should not be exercised in judging that men professing saving faith do speak the truth and have the faith that they profess 2. Nor to teach all Christs Church that a baptized Church member as such is to be lookt on but as a man in a state of damnation and no man is bound to love him as a true Christian with a special love 3. And that to prove that a man is not to be taken for a true Christian but to be admitted into Church Communion as one that shall have a greater damnation than heathens without a further renovation is a great act of Charity Contrary to the uncharitable narrowness of others These are too great recesses from Anabaptistry but not from real Schism § 3. As for those that will not take the intelligent serious profession of true Faith and Covenant-Consent for a credible sign of the sincerity of the Professor till they can sufficiently disprove it but will be the arbitrary Judges of mens hearts either as pretended heart-searchers or by self-devised or uncertain signs not taking up with this Profession we are no Patrons of such mens presumption and uncharitableness § 4. There are various degrees of Credibility in mens professions some give us so much as is next to certainty some but small hopes But yet till we can disprove them we are to take their professions as credible in some degree And if they prove false it is they that will have the loss § 5. II. The second case about Church Covenants deserveth no longer a discussion He that will put any article unnecessary into any such Covenant sinfully corrupteth the order of the Church As if he would bind the people to be Church Governours or never to depart from that particular Church but by the consent of the Pastor or the flock or any such like And he mistaketh that will make a more explicite contract to be more necessary than it is But it seemeth strange to us that any understanding Christian should deny that consent is absolutely necessary to the being of an adult member both of the universal and each particular Church respectively What bindeth a man to consent is another question but if he be any member of the Church till he profess consent we know not what a Christian or Church member is An explicite covenant is necessary to our relation to the Universal Church for it must be solemnized sacramentally That we express it by writings or words is not of necessity to our membership of a particular Church But consent is necessary And mutual consent expressed satisfactorily is a contract or Covenant If the Pastor say all th◠at consent hold up your hand or stand up or stay here while the rest depart c. these are significations of consent And if it be notified that all that appear at the solemn Assemblies and attend the Pastors Ministry shall be taken for Consenters their presence and attendance is a profession of Consent indeed and so a covenanting But though the most explicit be not necessary ad esse no man can give a reason why it should not be best ad bene esse seeing the most intelligent and plain dealing in the great things of God are most suitable to the work and fittest to attain the end why should we not deal openly and above board § 6. It is certain that to be a Christian maketh no man a member of any mans particular flock or charge And it is certain that none can be such without consent And it is certain that the Pastor is not to take every Atheist Jew Infidel Papist Heretick c. in his Parish for a member of the Universal or of that particular Church Therefore he must know whom to take for such And it is certain that the consent must be mutual so far is the Pastor from being a slave and bound to every mans desires that he is entrusted with the Church Keys himself § 7. A worthy person on this subject maketh these six things sufficient to such Church relation 1. That they be baptized Christians 2. Neighbours bound to mutual love 3. And apt to Neighbourly duty 4. That providence make us such Neighbours 5. Scripture Churches took their name from cohabitation 6. The command of authority that so it shall be Fresh suit pag. 260. Ans By making these six the sufficient proof of Parish Churches our friend unhappily would consequently unchurch them all For if this were all certainly they were none at all For all these which he maketh more than they are are but the dispositio materiae antecedent to any reception of the form 1.
Drunkenness Popery c. and then would command all Ministers on pain of silencing to subscribe that no man is bound to perform that Vow this would not do them any service but involve each Subscriber in the guilt of a multitudes perfidiousness SECT XIII V. The Fifth Part of Conformity 1. THE The Fifth Part of Conformity is the Subscribing of the said Declaration and taking the Oxford Oath as it concerneth Civil Government viz. It is not lawful on any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that traiterous position of taking Arms by his authority against his person or against those that are commissioned by him in pursuance of that Commission 2. Here the Question is not of the first Clause of taking Arms against the King but only of the last against those that are commissioned by him the Ministers being mostly ignorant of Law and not knowing what is called a Commission and what seal maketh it such For as they are satisfied that no true Legal Commission of the King may be resisted so while the unexpounded words have no limitation or exception they dare not think that a Lord Chancellour or Keeper hath power at his pleasure to depose the King by sealing Commissions to any to seize on his Forts Garrisons Magazines Treasure Navies or Guards nor yet to destroy the Kingdoms Cities Laws and Judgments and seize at pleasure on all mens estates or lives And they dare not swear or subscribe that which the generality of Learned men Heathens Papists and Protestants Politicians Lawyers and Divines are commonly against it being too great presuming on their own wits to say or swear that almost all the world are in the wrong even men in their own profession and that yet they are wiser than all these An Oath therefore being to be taken understandingly their not understanding this causeth their refusal and it pleaseth not the Law givers to explain it to them 3. But though this be a very important business we are so unwilling to meddle with matters of our Rulers Power as being less pertinent to our function and the late debates in the House of Lords as some body hath published them have said so much in this case that we think it best to say no more of it SECT XIV VI. The Sixth Part of Conformity or Obedience consequently required of Ministers 1. THE Sixth part of Obedience required of us consequently is that till we can do all aforesaid We must desert our former flocks though they desire us to continue our care of them and that we give over our preaching the Gospel of salvation to any but our families or four more and that no man not ordained by Diocesans administer the Lords Supper c. 2. The question is not whether we should give up the Temples and Tythes and all publick Maintenance when ever it is required of us Though St. Ambrose would not obey the Emperour Valentinian in giving up one Temple which he could spare to the Arrians yet the Nonconformists are of another judgment and think them all in the Magistrates power But it is the Office Relation and Work that they dare not renounce or cease from without a better discharge 3. Yet they judge that where truly there is no necessity of their labours or they should do more hurt than good by Preaching it is their duty when forbidden to forbear But not because any will say we are Judges and it is so when notoriously it is not so 4. But this requireth a larger disquisition than we may here stay to make SECT XV. VII The Seventh Part of required Obedience 1. THE Seventh Part of the Obedience required of us is that we come not within five miles of any City or Corporation which sendeth Burgesses to Parliament or to any other place whatever where we have ever preached since the Act of Oblivion except on the Rode or summoned 2. Many Ministers have their friends houses and all that they have in those forbidden places 3. The greatest places being most populous have most need of Preachers many souls being more precious than few and the publick Teachers that have many thousands needing more help than they that have but little charges 4. Few Ministers are rich enough to be able to sell their houses and goods at loss when perhaps none will take them and to take houses in other Countries 5. A great part of the Land is seated so neer Corporations that it is hard to find a place that is above five miles off them And some Ministers have Preached about in so many places that it is hard to find a place within their reach above five miles from the places which they have preached in And in such places it is rare to find empty houses and Landlords that will let them on terms which they are capable of so hard to them is this confinement 6. They think that men can no more disoblige them from preaching to many in Cities and Corporations than to four or five in Villages seeing the Churches of old were planted most in Cities and Christ saith not forsake all the souls in Cities if they bid you but When you are persecucuted in one City fly to another 7. Though we live not to eat we must eat to live and when Ministers that have nothing are like to beg or famish among strangers in poor Villages and bigger places do more call for help and will allow them bread they think it no sin to eat bread any more than to give bread to others that are in want 8. The former Laws send them when they are in beggery to be kept by the Parishes where they last lived and this Law forbids them to come within five miles of them SECT XVI The Adjuncts and other Matters agreed on which affright the Nonconformists I. AS there are some sins far greater and more terrible to conscience than others so aggravating Adjuncts oft make them such And these here seem very frightful We are not now charging any others with sin nor proving the unlawfulness of what we fear but expressing the Matter of Fact agreed on which doth affright us I. Both sides agree that it is a great aggravation of sin to be done by a Minister of Christ a person consecrated to holy work to preach truth and holiness and serve at the Altar For our Doctrine will be the less regarded and men will be tempted to follow our bad example who are bound to be to them patterns of purity and obedience to God And Christian and Protestant Religion is most injured by Ministers sins II. It is agreed that our Ministorial sins which we do as if they were part of our Office in the publick Assemblies have a special aggravation differing from mens secret personal crimes III. It is agreed that Lying and Perjury are sins of so heinous a nature as that they tend to overthrow humane trust and converse and all Societies and deprive Princes of part of the security due
We are agreed that to commit a sin by passion or sudden surprize is not so wicked as to do it on deliberation Nor is the doing it only so bad as undertaking to justifie it and encourage others to do the like XVIII We are agreed that God is jealous about holy things and that wilful corrupting his Church worship or discipline to the disgrace of religion and encouragement of wickedness is a heinous sin Especially to Approve such things XIX We are agreed that to make a deliberate Covenant that I will sin against God and to subscribe and declare this is a heinous aggravation of the sin e. g. When the high places were kept up in Judea if any had Covenanted to keep them up and purposed to transgress the wilfulness had been the greatness and dangerous signification of such sinning XX. We are agreed that Repentance is Gods condition of forgiveness and that for a man to resolve and Covenant to sin and to profess it openly to all the Church and that oft times and so to renounce Repentance is alas XXI Most sober Christians are agreed that Christians should be united upon the terms which Christ himself hath made in the baptismal Covenant and in their obedience to his Laws and that Papall Usurpations and imposing of things unnecessary as necessary to Union Communion or Ministration hath been the great cause of Schisms through the Christian world for about 1000 years at least And that they who will still obey such dividing Imposers do continue Schisms in the world by encouraging the causes of them XXII We are on both sides agreed that it were heinous hypocrisie and prophaneness if we should make our sacred Ministerial work the pretended reason for our sinning and should swear declare or subscribe that which we take to be false and do that which we take to be sin that we may have leave to preach against sin in others and so offer God a Sacrifice of iniquity and put a beam into our own eye that we may have leave to Preach against the mote that is in our brothers eye XXIII We are afraid of making Separatists and Anabaptists and tempting men to avoid us as scandalous men XXIV We are afraid lest by such wilful sin we should by a carnal interest to defend what we have once done be tempted to impenitence and to persecute the just XXV We are agreed that they that will run into willful heinous sin as they deserve to be forsaken of God so they cannot expect such a blessing on their Ministry as Conscionable upright men may do XXVI It is agreed that the ancient Christian Pasters Preached against the will of Princes for 300 years and after that against the will of Christian Princes Constartius Valens Theodosius Junior Vaientinian c. And not only Apostles said that God was to be obeyed rather than men but such as Timothy who was ordained by man were charged before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and dead at his appearing and Kingdom to preach the Gospel and be instant in season c. XXVII We are agreed that the Children of Christians when they grow up know no more of God of Heaven of Christ without teaching than the Children of Heathens do And therefore that the opening and applying the Gospel is needful in England as well as in America XXVIII It is so far from saving unbelievers or ungodly persons that they are the Children of Christians and in the visible Church that it maketh their case more miserable if not worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah XXIX As of old every single Church had usually many Presbyters and Deasons with the Bishop so it is undeniable that many of our Parishes have work enough for many Ministers and only want of maintenance is pretended for our present paucity with the want of worthy men XXX It is granted us that to alienate consecrated persons from the holy Ministry causlesly is greater Sacriledge than to alienate consecrated Lands Goods or Temples which are but means to the use of the said Ministry We are not here accusing our silencers of this heinous Sacriledge Their Righteous Judge and ours will quickly pass the final sentence But we dare not we will not sacrilegiously silence and alienate our selves lest we forsake our Lord and betray mens souls and be doomed as the slothful servant that hid his talent Mat. 25. and bring down more plagues upon the Land We fear when we read 1 Thes 2. 15 16. the signs that wrath was come to the utmost on the Jews even their forbidding men to preach the Gospel of salvation lest we should contribute to such a dreadful desertion of this Land SECT XVII The Case of the Ministers since they were silenced and their Practice with the Peoples WE humbly crave of those narrow Seers who venture to censure the generality for somewhat which they dislike in some persons that are neerest to themselves that they would truly understand the case and practice of their Brethren before they any further in Sermons and Writings provoke the Magistrate to execute the Laws upon them as Schiâ—maticks Seditious or what accusation is readiest at hand I. That the elder sort of the Nonconformists are ordained by Bishops and most of the rest by such Pastors of Churches of Cities Corporations and other Parishes associate as the times then allowed and that in this Ordination be the Ceremonious part right or wrong they are all by Consent or Covenant devoted to the sacred Ministry and that not for a time as hirelings but for life this is denied by none that we know of II. It is known to all Faithful Ministers and others who converse with the common sort of men that a great part of the people of England are ignorant of the very Essentials of Christianity and a great part dull and worldly neglecters of all serious religiousness and a great part senâ—ual drowned in filthy fleshly sins Besides the ignorance weakness and unwarrantable opinions and passions of many that are more seriously religious than the rest And that it is a hard work to cure one ignorant erroneous vitious soul And each one is precious and not to to be left in sin as desperate considering the everlasting consequents III. It is certain that most great Parishes especially in Cities and great Towns have more souls which call for Ministerial help than Conformists and Nonconformists if they lovingly joyned are able well to afford necessary help to IV. The Ministers that dwell in Cities or Corporations when they were cast out did quietly surrender Temples and Tythes But many of their people claimed the continuance of their Relation and Ministry and many professed that they could not trust their souls to the Pastoral guidance and care of many of those who were placed in the Temples in their stead and charged the neglect of their souls on such as refused V. The Bills of Mortality shew us that the 7 Parishes within the walls of
a Christian Civil Governour of a Christian People that are his Subjects We daily pray that the Kingdoms of the world may all be Christian and we believe that their Kings are the Governours by the sword of all the Clergy as well as others 3. Nor is the question whether Kings may call all their Kingdoms into a holy Covenant with God by lawful means giving them an example first themselves 4. Nor do we contend about an Equivocal Name whether a Christian Kingdom as such may be called a National Church 5. No nor whether a Christian Nation governed by a Heathen or Mahometan King may be called a Christian Church or Kingdom or a Protestant Nation ruled by a Papist King is to be called a Protestant Kingdom or Church for this is but about bare names 6. Nor do we question whether a Christian King may make such accidental disparity between the Pastors as we have before described 7. Nor yet whether the Pastors of one Kingdom may associate and hold Synods for Unity and Counsel and be named a National Church as they are such Associations obliged to Concord §4 But our doubts are these 1. Whether it be in it self specially instituted by God that every Kingdom or Nation of Christians shall have One summam Potestatem essentialiter Ecclesiasticam or one Priest-Head whether a single person or an Aristocracy or a Common Synod as a constitutive part of the National Church 2. Whether this Priest-Head whether High-Priest or Council stand in subordination to the King as part of the same formal Church as a General or a Vicerov that maketh not a distinct Kingdom though he may make a distinct subordinate Society as an Army City c or is he Head of a coordinate different species so as that the same Kingdom shall be two Policies formally viz. a Christian Kingdom or Royal Church and a Priestly Church each being supream in their proper species and both made coordinate by Christ and so they are formally two Churches National About the Jews the Controversie is made by Dissenters e. g. Galaspie Coleman Selden c. exceeding difficult 3. Whether the very Jewish Church Policy be established by Christ for the Christian Church or be repealed 4 Whether the said Ecclesiastical Head must be One as the High Priest or an Aristocracy of many or a Synod of the whole Clergy or whether it be left indifferent which 5. Or whether God hath ordained such a National Church-form only by the general Command of doing all things in Order and Unity and to Edification 6. Which is the Priestly-Head or highest Governour of the Church of England which is a constitutive part as a King in a Kingdom 7. Who is it that chooseth or authorizeth the National Priestly Head that we may know when we have a lawful Chief Pastor and when an Usurper 8. Whether the King or he is to be obeyed in Circumstances or matters Ecclesiastical if they differ and make contrary Laws Without the solution of these questions the name of a National Church will not be understood nor of any practical importance Our own thoughts of them are as followeth § 5. It is certain that the Mosaical Law made for the Jews peculiar republick as such is abrogate not only the Ceremonial part but all All that was not then made for all the world is ceased 1. Because the Common-wealth is ceased for which it was made 2. The Holy Ghost expresly and frequently determineth it so even of that Law that was written in stone as such 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Heb. 7. 12. 19. Gal. 4. 21 o. 3. 24. The natural part and that which was instituted positively long before for perpetuity were both of them God's Laws before Moses's time and as such obliged other Nations and so do still The matter written in stone except some few mutable particulars as the seventh day Sabbath c. is such as we are still obliged to 1. By Nature 2. By Christ But not as it was part of the Jews peculiar Mosaical Law Much less doth it bind all the world to its Policy § 6. If the Jewish Law either as such or as stablished by Christ for his Kingdom did bind all the world to this day then it would bind them to their Civil Policy as much at least as to their Ecclesiastical But few Christians think that it binds them to their Civil Policy For if it did then 1. All Nations that have varied from it to this day have sinned 2. No diversity of Governments could be lawful 3. Then it would perplex men to be sure whether it be the old Mosaical form by Judges or the later Regal form that bindeth 4. Then such a Civil Council or Sanhedrim as was appointed the Jews would be a Divine Establishment and not variable at the will of Kings or People Many other things would follow which Kings would not easily believe § 7. There may be much more said for the continuance of the Jews civil Policy than for their Ecclesiastical For there is much more forbidden of the latter than of the former Though all nations be not bound to their civil policie they may set it up if they please They are not prohibited For Christ hath not made new Laws for civil states as such But he hath made new Church Laws and thereby altered yea prohibited much of the old § 8. We know no more reason why the Jewish form should bind us than that which was before the Jews and particularily Melchezedeks who was a King and Priest God owned both and commandeth us neither at least as in conformity to them § 9. The Holy Ghost saith expresly Heb. 7. 11. 12. That perfection was not by the Levitical Priesthood and that the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change of the Law which is called the Law of a carnal Cammandment verse 16. and that there is a disanulling of the Commandement going before for the weakness and unprofitableness of it for the Law made nothing perfect v. 18 19. the Covenant or Law being not faultless a new one doth succeed it v. 7. 8. 9. 10. The first Tabernacle is not standing which had their ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary Heb. 9 1. 8. 11. He taketh away the first Law and Priesthood that he may establish the second Heb. 10. 8 9 11. 16. 17 c. § 10. Whilest it is agreed on that the essentials of the work or office of the Jewish Priests is ceased as Heb. 7. and 8 9 and 10 shew and their Title by birth and the appropriation to one Tribe c. it followeth that the Jewish Priesthood is ceased But yet we confess that Christ if he had pleased might have setled a High Priest and Council like theirs in every nation for his own work But if the old form bind us not we are left only to enquire what new one is setled by Christ and whether he have done so or not § 11.
prophesied to be Christian Nations never were distinct Christian Kingdoms but parts of the Empire nor had a National Church or Head being but parts of such a Church Nay when Rome got the National Primacy it had not such a Priestly Governing Soveraignty as the Jews High-Priest had § 25. Though there was no Christian King for three hundred years unless he of Edessa or Lucius of England of whom we have little certainty but it 's like that both were subjects to others yet if a Supream Church-Power had been necessary the Apostles would have before erected it which they never did For even Rome pretendeth to be by them made the Ruler of the whole world and not a meer National Head which Constantinople claimed but not as of Apostolical institution § 27. The question whether the Jews had they believed should have continued their High-Priest and Church Policy is vain as to our purpose 1. It being certain to Christ that they would be dissolved by unbelief And 2. he having setled another way and changed theirs 3. And if their Priesthood and Law except as it typified spiritual things had stood yet it would not have bound the Gentile Christians in other Nations § 28. When Emperours became Christians they did not set up the Jewish Policy nor thought themselves bound to it no nor any setled Priestly Supremacy for National Government For Councils were called but on rare accidents by the Emperours themselves and to decide particular cases about Heresies And the Pope had but the first voice in such Councils § 29. But if every Nation must have the Jewish Policy then the whole Empire must then have one High Priest and then the Pope hath a fair pretence to his claim of a Divine Institution as the Church Soveraign of the whole Empire which it 's like was then seven parts in eight of the whole Christian world at least unless Abassia were then generally Christians as now But then his power would change with the Empire and fall when it falleth § 30. III. But if the question be only whether a National Priestly Soveraignty be lawful or whether God's general Rules for Concord Order Edification do bind the Churches prudentially to erect such a form To this they sayas followeth 1. We will first lay hold on certainties and not prefer uncertainties before them We are sure that such a power of Apostles and Pastors as is before mentioned was established and that the junior Pastors were as Sons to the seniors ordained by them Whether the power of Ordaining and Governing Ministers was by Apostolical Establishment appropriated to men of a superiour degree in the sacred Ministry seemeth to us very dark 2. We are past doubt that all particular Churches by Apostolical order had Bishops and that a Church was as Hierom saith Plebs Episcopo adunata and as Ignatius the Unity of every Church was notified by this that to every Church there was one Altar and one Bishop at that time and as Cyprian Ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia 3. And we are satisfied that every Presbyter is Episcopus Gregis whoever claim to be Episcopi Episcoporum which the Carthage Council in Cyprian renounced 4. And we are satisfied that no Church-superiours have authority to destroy the particular Church form Ministry Doctrine Worship or Discipline which were setled by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles And that the priviledges and duties of these single particular Churches being plainest and surest in Scripture they must be continued whatever Canons or Commands of any superiour Priests should be against them 5. Nor can they force any man to sin 6. Nor have any Priests a forcing power by the sword or violence but only the power of the Word and Keys that is of taking in or putting out of the Church where they have power and binding men over on just cause to the judgment of God The power that they have is from Christ and for him and not against him and for the Churches edisication and not destruction and what is pretended contrary to this is none They cannot dispense with the Laws of God but preach and execute them 7. And these things being thus secured though in our doubts we dare not swear or subscribe that National Patriarchal Provincial or Metropolitical Powers are of God's institution yet we resolve to live in all Christian peaceableness and submission when such are over us § 31. And we must profess that when we find how anciently and commonly one Presbyter in each Church was peculiarly called the Bishop without whom there was no ordinary ordinations and against whom in matters of his power none was to resist and also how generally the Churches in the Roman Empire conformed themselves to an imitation of the civil power as to their limits in all the official part being all subject to the Emperour who set up no Ecclesiastical Peer we are not so singular or void of reverence to those Churches as not by such notices to be much the more inclined to the aforesaid submission and peaceableness under such a power nor are we so bold or rash as to reproach it or condemn the Churches and excellent persons that have practised it §32 Nay we have already said that securing the state worship doctrine and true discipline of the inferiour particular Parish Churches there are some of us that much incline to think that Archbishops that is Bishops that have some oversight of many Churches with their Pastors are Lawful successours of the Apostles in the ordinary part of their work And such of us have long ago said that the Episcopal Government of the Bohemian Waldenses described by Commenius and Lascitius is most agreable to our judgment of any that we know excercised Therefore that which we humbly offered for our concord in England at His Majesties Restauration was Archbishop Ushers form of the Primitive Church Government not attempting any diminution of the Power wealth or honour of the Diocesanes or Archbishops but only a restauration of the Presbyters to their proper Office-work and some tolerable discipline to the particular Parish Churches §33 But we must ever much difference so much of Church order and Government as God himself hath instituted and is purely divine and unchangeable from those accidentals which men ordain though according to Gods general Rules For these are often various and mutable and are means to the former and never to be used against them And of these accidentals of Government we say as they that say no such form is fixed by God Concord order decency and edification are alwaies necessary But oft times it may be indifferent whether concord order and decency be expressed by this accidental way or that And that which is most congruous for order decency edification and concord in one Countrey Church or time may be incongruous in another Therefore if the question be but how far the giving one Bishop or Pastor power over others or making disparity of Cities in conformity to