another thing Yea every man will be apt to think he findeth that there which his own corrupt mind brings thither It will bring confusion into Families as well as Churches whilst every Child and Servant will by this principle be tempted to reject the Instructions of his Master or Father who would teach him a Catechisin or form of Prayer for which the Scripture affords him no particular direction 6ly And hereby all possibility of Union among Christians must perish till this opinion perish for if we must unite only in that which Scripture doth particularly direct us to we must not unite at all If we must all in singing Psalms agree in no Metre or tune in the Church but one that Scripture hath prescribed us we must not sing at all If we must pray in publick only in Words prescribed by Scripture to be used in publick we must not pray at all in publick If we must receive the Sacrament only when it is consecrated in Words prescribed by Scripture we must not receive at all 7ly Hereby Christian love will be quenched when every man must account his Brother a Transgressor against the perfect Rule of Scripture that cannot shew a Text of Scripture for the hour the place of worship the bells the hour-glasses the pulpit the utensils which are used in the Service of God Hereby those pious Men Calvin Cartwright Sibs Perkins Hildersham who used a form of Prayer yea almost all the Christians in the World must be condemned 8ly This Doctrine will rack and perplex the Conscience of all Christians by forcing them to think that they are guilty of sin by every Tune Metre Word Gesture Time Place or any other Circumstance of worship which they use without a Scripture warrant On this account some dare not pray in their Families some dare not think what they shall pray some dare not teach their Children to pray some dare not hear a studyed Sermon or read a printed Book To conclude this Tenet will affright poor people from Scripture and Religion and make us our doctrine and worship ridiculous in the sight of all the World Lastly I add that they who do assert this Tenet do many things repugnant to it As v. g. They introduce Lay Elders unordained of whom there is no mention in the Scriptures or in the Church of the first Ages They sing in stinted Metre Hymns of their own devising for which no Precept or Example can be produced from the Book of God Besides where hath our Lord or his Apostles enjoyned a Direrectory for publick worship and that which they imposed what Authority could it pretend to but that of man They when they take an Oath do not refuse to lay their hands upon and kiss the Holy Scriptures Now all agree that Oaths are solemn Acts of Divine Worship for they are Invocations of God and thereby we acknowledge his Omniscience and that he knows the uprightness of our intentions and that his Justice will avenge it self on the false Swearer and that his Power is able to inflict upon him the severest Judgments and that he by his promise stands bound to help and to reward all those who do believe and act according to the Holy Scriptures Here therefore is an outward Ceremony of Humane Institution joyned with many acts of religious worship Again when they enjoyned the solemn League and Covenant they ordered that the whole Congregation should take it 1. uncovered 2 standing 3. with their right hand lift up and bare Now let any man of reason say if it be unlawful to submit to our three Ceremonies of kneeling crossing and wearing a white Garment in Gods Service why it is less unlawful to use three other Ceremonies in that more solemn act of worship viz. the taking of an Oath or if men may appoint these Ceremonies to be used in taking of an Oath what hinders but in other acts of worship they may do the like CHAP. IV. The CONTENTS Obj. 3. It is unlawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship which they endeavour to prove by 12 Arguments To this Argument we answer 1. By shewing what outward worship in the general is viz. The Acknowledgment of some Excellency in the Person worshipped by actions proper to express our Sense or Apprehension of that Excellency Whence 't is concluded that our Ceremonies can be no parts of worship because not in themselves or by their imposition intended to express our Sense of any Divine Excellency The Arguments to the contrary are briefly but fully answered § 1. Obj. 4. To impose our Ceremonies without license from Christ is to invade his Kingly Office he being the sole Law-giver to his Church and derogate from his Prophetick Office which is the only Teacher of his Church and the Appointer of all means whereby we should be taught Answ 1. That it falsly is supposed that the Rulers of our Church have ordained any Ceremonies to teach Spiritual Duties by their Mystical Signification or to be Authentick means of Spiritual Teaching 2 That it can be no derogation from Christs Prophetick or his Kingly Office to stir up our minds by things apt to stir them up to the performance of their duty or to express and signify our duty by things apt to express and signify it 3ly That it is not true that Christ in Scripture hath set down all things by which we may be admonished of our duty 4. That this Argument concludes with equal strength against the imposition of all Ceremonies even time and place 5ly That the Injunction made by Rulers for Decency and Order if they do truly answer these ends are made by virtual Commission from Christ and therefore can be no Entrenchment on his Legislative Power Mr. Baxters Objection answered § 22. CHAP. IV. § 1 IT is not lawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship Obj. 3 but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship Repl. to Dr. Ham. p. 85. therefore it is not lawful to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship The Minor is proved by Mr. Jeans thus Because our Ceremonies are external worship and therefore parts of Gods worship That our Ceremonies are external worship he proves by these Arguments Arg. 1 1. Those external Ceremonies whose proper use is the honouring of God are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Arg. 2 2. All external Ceremonies in their Nature formally elicited from Religion are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Or thus All meer and immediate actions of Religion are parts of Divine worship but our Ceremonies are meer and immediate acts of Religion Another argues in the like manner thus Arg. 3 1. As the means that God hath appointed to teach obedience be acts of Divine Service so the means that man deviseth for that end and purpose must needs be worship also Arg. 4 2. Those signs
by executing of them only should rebuke the Scorner which the Wiseman forbids Prov. 9.8 Here then our Saviors Rule seems to take place Give not that which is Holy unto Dogs Matt. 7.6 lest they turn again and rent you Such persons ought therefore only to be excluded from the Sacrament according to the Counsel and Direction of the Church of England but not entirely and without exception excommunicated from the Church Prim. Christian Part 3. p. 377. To this effect it is observed by Dr. Cave that the Primitive Church Relaxed the severity of their Discipline when great multitudes were concerned or such persons as were like to draw great numbers after them in this case saith He they thought it prudent and reasonable to deal with persons by somewhat milder and gentler methods lest by holding them to terms of Rigor and Austerity they should provoke them to fly off either to Heathenism or to Heresy This Course St. Cyprian and his Brethren took for as the concord of his Collegues and the benefit of uniting the Fraternity and healing the wound in the Church required they 1 Necessitati temporum succubuisse p. 52. §. 3. yeelded to the necessity of the times and admitted the lapsed to Communion upon tolerable hopes of their true repentance 2 Ad gentiles se vias saecularia opera convertat vel ad Hereticos Schismaticos rejectus ab Eccle. transeat ibid. §. 10. v §. 3 9. lest being excluded from the Church they out of desperation should fly back to the Worldy or joyn with Hereticks or Schismaticks And in like manner saith he did our Brother 3 Cornelius yield to the necessity of the times Cornelius necessitati succubuit ibid. §. 6. Admitting to Communion plebis maximam partem maximum Fratrûm numerum a great part of the common people or the Brethren which separated with him upon the satisfaction and repentance of Trophimus alone with whom as they first separated they returned Moreover to this accords the judgment of St. Austin who declareth that 4 Neque enim potest esse Salutaris à multis correptio nisi cum ille corripitur qui non habet sociam multitudinem cum autem idem morbus plurimos occupaverit nihil aliud bonis restat quà m dolor gemitus Contr. Epist Parmen l. 3. p. 61. B. Correption cannot be salutary when the offendor hath many partners and that when the same disease hath seiz'd on many there remains no other Remedy for Good men to use but Prayers and Sighs and Sorrow And again that when 5 Et revera si contagio peccandi multitudinem invaserit Divinae Disciplinae severa misericordia necessaria est nam Consilia separationis inania sunt perniciosa atque Sacrilega quia impia superba fiunt plus perturbant infirmos bonos quam corrigunt animosos malos ibid. lit D. the Contagion of sin hath ceased the whole multitude the severe mercy of Divine Discipline is necessary for then all Councils of separation are vain pernicious wicked and Sacrilegious because they will more disturb the pious that are weak then correct the wicked that are sturdy And to confirm the judgment of St Austin the 6 Synop Pur. Theol. disp 48 §. 30. Authors of the Dutch Synopsis have observed that the Prophets and pious Priests among the Jews did never in a general declension of the people recur to these severer Methods And * Neque enim duris remediis locus est ubi tota Ecclesia in morbo cubat Grot. 2 Cor. 12.6 Grotius and Estius observe from these words of St Paul to the Corinthians that he was in a Readiness to revenge all disobedience when their obedience was fulfilled that there was no place for severe Remedies when the disease had infected the whole Church And that the Apostle was forced to yield to this necessity Esth in locum because the Offendors in the Church of Corinth being many Compan to the Temple part 4. p. 548.549 they could not easily be excommunicated I conclude therefore with the judicious Dr. Cumber that till men be so humble as to be willing to suffer shame and undergo severities in this world that their Souls may be saved in the next we may advise them to private and particular acts of mortification and repentance but it will be in vain to impose them on this untractable generation since by imposing them in these circumstances the Church would make this holy means of Reformation rather despised then obeyed Prop. 8 Altho it is the Christians duty to withdraw from and to avoid the scandalous Professor and the disorderly Walker yet is this only then a duty when we can serve no Higher ends of piety or mercy in holding correspondence with them For he that doth command us to withdraw from him that walks disorderly doth leave it still our duty to admonish him as ae Brother and therefore still to maintain that correspondence with him which is necessary to that admonition 2 Thess 3.14 15. and to all other good endeavors to reclaim and gain our Brother And therefore tho our Lord knew well the obligation of this duty and the great scandal which the Scribes and Pharisees would take at his free converse with Publicans and Sinners he doth not only justify the fact as being done in order to their reformation and conversion but also represents it as an higher duty and more incumbent on him then the avoiding the familiarity of wicked men and bids those Pharisees who reckoned it their duty to renounce all familiarity with such men learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not Sacrifice And tho St. Paul permits not his Corinthians to have any fellowship with Unbelievers Matt. 9.13 or go unto their Idol Temples or their feasts yet he allows the coming of the unbeliever into their Assemblies 1 Cor. 14.23 as being that which might be instrumental to his conviction and conversion And v. 24 25. which is more observable St. Jude speaking of those impure Dreamers who defiled the Flesh c. saith thus v. 8. These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you they therefore did intrude into these feasts and consequently joyned with them at the Table of the Lord of which these feasts were an Appendix and yet St. Jude prescribes no separation of the Saints from these Assemblies on that account Lastly tho Eli's Sons were Sons of Belial Sam. 1.2 12. and knew not the Lord Altho they caused the People to abhor the offering of the Lord v. 17. and therefore to neglect to come to Shilo with them v. 24. yet are they also said to make the Lords People to transgress viz. By this neglect it therefore was the Peoples duty still to attend upon these Ordinances of the Lord tho this could not be done under these circumstances without Communion with these Sons of Belial and Ministring
before we venture upon that which is by most judicious persons in this Age and was by all the Primitive Fathers of the Church pronounced Schismatical as were all Altars set up in opposition to the Bishop of the Diocese wherein they were all Churches separating from and independent on his Government This therefore cannot prudently be done by us nor can we when we find it done by others safely join in Communion with them without plain evidence and full conviction of our freedom from that guilt And surely he must have a very good opinion of himself who confidently dares to say he hath plain evidence that what all Christians of former Ages and the most able and judicious persons of the present Age pronounce a Schism is indeed the duty of all good and pious Christians Now to confirm this motive let me request you to weigh these following Questions well Q. 1 If Schism in the general be of a dreadful and pernicious nature Whether the disturbance of the Churches Peace by erecting opposite Communions to the perpetuating Schism through all succeeding generations will not much aggravate the guilt of it and render it more dreadful to every peaceable and pious Christian consider therefore I beseech you that this if any is your Schism Q. 2 Who would not think it safer to yield to any imposition how heavy or how inconvenient soever provided that it were not plainly sinful than run the hazard of contracting such a pernicious guilt to chuse to hazard our exclusion from the body the Communion of Christs Church the priviledges of her Ordinances rather than yield unto a Constitution not directly sinful is certainly a great imprudence For seeing in matters of practice the dangerousness as well as the falsehood of an Assertion is very fitly and conscientiously to be considered especially when the danger is of offending God and ruining our souls Can it be prudent to venture upon that which if performed without good ground will certainly expose us to that danger where there appeareth no such evident conviction for the doing of it as can make amends for the danger of venturing on it Q. 3 Is it not reasonable to conceive that the wisdom of Christ should lay down Rules for the government and preservation of his body proportionably plain unto the moment of them and give us a full evidence in matters absolutely needful to be done or lest undone If then you only have some probabilities and plausible pretences for setting up or joining with these separate Communions or against joining in Communion with us but have no evident conviction of the necessity of the one or the unlawfulness of the other may you not rationally conclude that neither of them can be needful to be done in order to your everlasting welfare when then our actions tend so much unto the prejudice of our own souls and to the damage of the Church of Christ as doth our present Schism 't is Argument sufficient that God never intended to oblige us to it that he hath given us no clear conviction of that obligation Q. 4 Lastly Would any Prudent Legislator think it convenient for the publick that his greatest and most important commands should be neglected as often as there might appear some little probable evidence for some lesser duty that were inconsistent with them would he not think you be much better pleased with him that in such a case should stick to the greater duty and neglect the less than with him who should extreamly prejudice the publick by his adherence to his scruples about little matters And if so can it reflect dishonour upon God to presume him also pleased with that which we have reason to believe would please a good and prudent Governour in regard of its good influence on the publick for which he is especially concerned § 7 To these convincing Arguments collected from that Author I add these following conderations First That St Paul seems clearly to insinuate that a wilful departure from ordinary practice in such cases as these are doth argue a contentious disposition for when he treats of the dispute arising in the Church of Corinth whether their Women should be veiled or covered in the Church or not he argues for their being veiled from decency and the design of Nature in giving hair unto them for a covering and thus concludes his Argument if any man have a mind to be contentious so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import it is sufficient to let him know that he contending for the appearance of Women in the Church unveiled contends against the custom of the Church 1 Cor. 11.16 for we at Jerusalem and all the other Churches of God have no such custom and if by this he will not be concluded he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of contention Why therefore may it not be said to you if you are minded to contend for sitting at the Sacrament for Baptizing without the sign of the Cross and without God-Fathers and God-Mothers for Praying without a stinted Liturgy in publick and without a Surplice and for separating on the account of all or any of these things imposed we have no such custom neither the Churches of God And if by this you will not be concluded in these matters how will you scape the charge of being lovers of Contention And sutable to this determination of St Paul was both the practice and advice of the most Holy Fathers of the Church St Austin truly saith Ep. 86. ad Casulanum presb That in those matters concerning which the Scripture hath delivered nothing certain the customs of the people of God and the Statutes of our Ancestors are to be received as a Law Epist 118. And again All matters of this kind may freely be observed nor can a grave and prudent Christian observe a better discipline Ad quam fortè Ecclesiam veneris ejus morem serva si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Ibid. than in these maters to act according to that custom which is observed by the Church to which he cometh And thus St. Ambrose did himself practise advising others to whatsoever Church they came to observe its customs if they would neither give nor take offence § 8 Secondly Consider that the same Apostle commands all Christians to give no offence to Jew or Gentile or the Church of God that is 1 Cor. 10.32 as one well descants on the place whatsoever without prejudice to Christian piety you can perform or leave undone be careful for the avoiding of offence to Jew or Gentile and much more to the Church of God to do or to abstain from doing Now do not you my Friends conceive your selves obliged to abstain from doing of the things enjoyned though lawful in themselves because they minister unto the scandal of weak Brethren why therefore should you not much more conceive your selves obliged to do them on the like supposition that you may not transgress
lawful to Communicate with us in Prayer and hearing of the word and in Receiving of the Sacrament upon occasion stand bound in Conscience so to do as oft as by the Magistrate you are required so to do and it can only be pretence of Conscience which doth induce you to forbear such Communion with us at these times for seeing negative precepts do bind always and at all times so that no man at any time may do what is forbidden by God It follows that there can be no prohibition against doing that at other times which we can sometimes do and which cannot be more or less lawful or unlawful for being done at one time than another as clearly seems to be the case with reference to your occasional Communion It therefore is to be suspected that men only pretend Conscience against that Communion with us at all times which they at sometimes can maintain And yet I wish there were no instances of men of your perswasions who when they are presented or when they find it necessary to qualifie them for an Office or to give a vote in which they may do service to their party will attend upon the publick worship used in our Churches and will receive the Sacrament according to the order of the Church of England who before never did and afterwards neglect to do so Now whilst men do thus vary in their practice according as their interest and as their circumstances vary they tempt men shrewdly to suspect that they act rather out of interest than Conscience in these matters and that they notwithstanding all their pretence to Conscience have either none at all or a bad Conscience for if they thought Communion with us in those Ordinances unlawful by doing it in the forementioned circumstances they only must be doing evil that good may come and making Conscience and Religion stoop to interest which is the proper character of Hypocrites but if they did conceive it lawful their Separation and refusal of it cannot be excused from Schism or from transgression of the injunctions of St. Paul If it be possible as much as in you lies live peaceably with all men follow after the things which make for peace give no offence unto the Church of God obey Superiors and submit your selves Ah my Dear Brethren by doing of these things you have given greater scandal unto others than your submission to the Constitutions of the Church of England could have done and therefore if you do indeed abstain from our Commuon for fear of giving scandal to weak Brethren do you more carefully abstain from matters of this nature which carry with them such a plain semblance of Hypocrisie that no pretence can hide no Charity excuse it Under this head I cannot pass by your violence in Petitioning His Sacred Majesty against His Royal Proclamation to the contrary for be it granted that the Law did authorize or give permission to you to Petition sure I am it laid upon you no necessity to do so and so this might have been forborn in compliance with the pleasure of his Majesty And if you do Reply That then you may by Proclamations be abridged of that liberty the Law affords you Consider I beseech you what it is that you expect and call for from Superiors viz. That for your sakes and out of pity to your weakness they would abate the exercise of their own power and with what equity and justice can you expect they should do this if you at their request will abate nothing of that liberty and power which the Law allows you § 17 2. If you cannot conform let me intreat you Religiously to abstain from censuring reproaching or speaking evil of your Governours in Church or State For this undoubtedly you may do and it doth very much concern you so to do For they who being Christians do reproach and do speak evil of their Civil Governours do that which the Wiseman would not permit the Jew to think of for his command runs thus Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King in thy heart or Entertain not any light vain contemptuous or dishonourable thoughts of him Assemb Annot. wish thou no evil to his Person Crown or Dignity in thy most secret retirements They do what all good men should tremble to commit for of such men St. Peter gives this Character Presumptuous are they 2 Pet. 2.10 self-willed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they do not tremble when they speak evil of Dignities Such persons dare to offer that to Gods Vicegerents to those who bear his Name or Character on Earth which Michael the Archangel durst not offer to the vilest and the worst of Creatures Jude 8 9. for he contending with the Devil durst not bring against him a railing accusation and yet it well deserves to be observed that if this sin was capable of pardon or excuse in any case or circumstances it must have been so in the reproaching of the then present Governours they being by consent of all Historians the greatest monsters of mankind and the most bloody Persecutors of the Christian Faith Moreover they who offend in the like kind against their Ecclesiastical Superiors do that which blessed Paul when he had ignorantly done to a corrupt High-Priest acknowledged as a crime condemned in the Law of God I wist not saith he that he was the High-Priest Acts 23.5 for it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people they do that which the Conscience of a Jew could not let pass without just indignation and reproof for when St. Paul had said God shall smite thee thou whited wall v. 3 4. they presently cry out Revilest thou Gods High-Priest There lies indeed no obligation on us to call evil good or flatter our Superiors in their sins or judge well of them against the clearest evidence of Sense or Reason but then we are obliged not to cherish evil thoughts or harbour groundless jealousies of our Superiors much less must we express our inward apprehensions of them by opprobrious language or disrespectful carriage towards them And yet 't is but too evident that both the Writings and Discourses of Dissenters are too often stuft with these malevolent reflections in which they take the liberty of speaking evil of the Rulers of the people and of blaspheming Dignities and representing the Reverend Bishops as Popish Antichristian and Ithacian Prelates § 18 Lastly Let me conjure you by that affection which you bear unto the Name and Doctrine of our common Lord and Saviour and to the credit of the Protestant Religion to abstain carefully from all Seditious and Rebellious Principles and Practices and to do all you can to clear your selves from all suspicion of maintaining or approving of them For to deal plainly with you this is one great fault among you that you have many of you vented and more of you have practised sutably to those Opinions which are Seditious and Rebellious and these Opinions
have been asserted and been made publick not only in the times of the late Civil Wars but also since the happy Restoration of His Sacred Majesty whom God preserve For this great scandal you have hereby ministred both to Religion in the general and to the Protestant Religion in particular I verily believe you by just judgment of Almighty God do suffer and will smart severely Wherefore my counsel to you is 1. No longer to defend to countenance or to extenuate those wicked principles and execrable practices which followed from them but humbly to confess and take the shame due to your party for them and patiently bear the indignation of the Lord because you have thus sin'd against him Be pleased I pray you in order to this end to ponder seriously these words of your admired Mr. Defence of the principles of love p. 14 15 16. Baxter who speaks thus unto you I beseech you let us review the effects of the late War is it possible for any sober Christian in the world to take them to be blameless or to be little sins What both the violating the person and the life of the King and the change of the fundamental Government or constitution c. Was all this lawful and to do all this as for God with dreadful appeals to him Dare any man not blinded and hardned justifie all this If none of all this was Rebellion or Treason or Murther is there any such crime think you possible to be committed Are Papists insulting over us in our shame are thousands hardned by these and such like dealings into a scorn of all Religion are our Rulers by all this exasperated to the severities which we feel are we made by it the by-word and hissing of the Nations and the shame and pity of all our friends and yet is all this to be justified or silenced and none of it at all to be openly repented of I openly profess to you that I believe till this be done we are never like to be healed or restored and that it is heinous gross impenitence that keepeth Ministers and people under their distress and I take it for the sad prognostick of our future woe and lengthened affliction to hear so little open profession of repentance even for unquestionable heinous crimes for the saving of those who are undone by these scandals and for the reparation of the honour of Religion which is most notoriously injured Your Commissioners at the Savoy give this account of their faith to his Majesty whom God preserve viz. that in things no way against the Law of God the commands of our Governours must be obeyed but if they command what God forbids we must patiently submit to suffering and every soul must be subject to the higher powers for conscience sake and not resist these are our principles And these must be your principles or you can never reasonably expect the favour or protection of the Government For what their Subjects do at present or may hereafter think forbidden by God in these divided times and contrariety of various sects the Higher Powers cannot know and therefore if they cannot be secured of this I mean by the ordinary way of security given by oaths subscriptions declarations that when their subjects think God hath forbidden what the higher powers do command they patiently will submit to suffering and not resist they cannot be secured of the peace and quiet of their Kingdom I therefore cannot but conceive you are obliged in Conscience as you desire to avoid the truly odious name of Rebel and the just imputation of seditious persons and to wipe off in some good measure the horrid scandal which lies upon your party for your former practices That you are bound in justice as you desire to repair the credit of the Protestant Religion which hath so deeply suffered by the past Rebellions of men of your perswasions and give security unto that Government from which both you and yours expect security That you are bound in policy and prudence as you desire to abate the just suspicions which the Government at present hath and will have of you till you secure them of the contrary and to wipe off the manifold reproaches which are cast upon you as you desire to remove the Prejudices all loyal subjects have against you from their experience of your seditious principles and practices I say I cannot but conceive you highly stand obliged on all these accounts to publish your sincere repentance for and your abhorrence of what men of your perswasion have already done to make now solemn declarations and protestations of your present loyal principles to shew your readiness to give all satisfaction to the Government which can be reasonably desired from you that you do not at present hold nor ever will maintain rebellious principles to remonstrate that if you cannot yet obey in all things the commands of your Superiours you in no cases will resist the Government but patiently will suffer under it and lastly that you will permit no person to be of your communion who will not make this declaration heartily and sincerely Bishop of Winton's Sermon before the King Nov. 5.67 p. 38. For as a Reverend Prelate of our Church doth truly say The best and safest way for Prince State and People is to protect cherish and allow of that Religion and that only which allows of no rising up against or resisting soveraign power no not in its own defence nor upon any other account whatsoever which most Christian and most Orthodox profession if those of the Romish and those of other perswasions that live among us but are not of us would make as frankly and as ingenuously and as sincerely as we do though it would not presently reconcile all other differences betwixt us and them yet it would perhaps be enough to make us live peaceably and charitably and securely together without fear or jealousie of one another which would be a good step towards an accommodation of all other controversies betwixt us in time also Now to conclude this Preface with the Prayer of our own Church Blessed Jesu our Saviour and our Peace who didst shed thy precious Blood upon the Cross that thou mightest abolish and destroy all enmity among men and reconcile them in one body unto God look down in much pity and compassion upon this distressed Church and Nation whose bleeding wounds occasioned by the lamentable Divisions that are among us cry aloud for thy speedy help and saving relief stir up we beseech thee every Soul of us carefully as becometh sincere Christians to root out of our hearts all pride and vain-glory all wrath and bitterness all unjust prejudice and causless jealousie all hatred and malice and desire of revenge and whatsoever it is that may exasperate our minds or hinder us from discerning the things which belong unto our Peace and by the power of thy Holy Spirit of Peace dispose all our hearts to such meekness of wisdom
the Law Matt. 23.23 viz. Judgment and Mercy Mark 12.33 That to love God with all our hearts and our Neighbour as our selves is more than all Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices That to pray hear read the Word receive the Sacrament to fast are but the means which God hath in his Word ordained for the encrease of Justice Equity Mercy Love Peace Humility and Temperance and such like Christian Graces and therefore these must be the things in which God is concerned mostly that we should yield obedience That when the Scripture reckoneth the Graces of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 it tells us they are Love Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Righteousness and Temperance not prayer fasting hearing receiving of the Sacrament c. And lastly 't is observable that we are call'd to imitate our heavenly Father in acts of Love and Mercy our Lord and Saviour in Meekness and Humility Bowels of Mercy Compassion and Self-denyal but not in prayer and fasting and in such like duties Since therefore God is more concerned for matters of this Nature than for his outward worship his Word must be more perfect in prescribing of these duties than any circumstances of his worship if then it be unlawful for us to submit to any Ceremonies commanded by man which respect his worship because Gods Word must be a perfect Rule not only of all parts but of all modes of Worship it must be more unlawful to submit to any humane constitutions touching Equity and Justice Mercy and Compassion Love Charity and Peace because Gods Word must be supposed in these more weighty and substantial matters to be a Rule more perfect And therefore all the Laws and Statutes respecting matters of this Nature which cannot be collected from the Words of Scripture must by this doctrine be cashiered as vain Inventions and Christians must stand obliged to refuse obedience to them For instance I am commanded to worship God in publick but whether I must do it in a Church or in the Field in black or white or any other garb by stinted Words or by Expressions of my own immediate Invention in this or that or a 3d posture is not expressed in Holy Scripture If therefore in these cases I must not yield obedience to any power that will command me to worship God in white to pray in stinted Words to do it kneeling or the like because that Scripture which is a Rule of Worship hath not determined of these things must I not do the like in other cases of an higher Nature and because Scripture hath commanded that I should be charitable and give Alms but hath not said what portion I shall give nor when nor in what place or to what persons nor in what manner whether by my self or by the Overseers of the Poor am I not bound as much to shew my disobedience to those Laws which rate me to the Poor and which give power to Officers to strein on my refusal to pay that rate If I must not joyn with an Assembly that doth use a stinted Form of Words that riseth up at the rehearsal of the Creed or with a Pastor that doth officiate in white because these things are not commanded in the perfect Rule of Worship how dare I to commence a sute of Law to arrest a person for a debt or to indite him for a trespass without Scripture warrant these things being no where commanded in that perfect Rule of Equity and Justice The Scripture having said There is utterly a fault among you that you go to Law one with another 1 Cor. 6.7 Luk. 6.35 Matt. 5.40 lend hoping for nothing again if any man take away thy Cloak let him have thy Coat also but never said If any man officiate in white or by a Form of Words do not joyn with him is it not matter of just admiration that they who never scruple to act contrary unto the letter of the Scripture in the former cases should be so very scrupulous in things no where forbidden in the Word 3ly This dangerous opinion will force men to be troublesome in all the Churches of the World and to refuse communion even with those Assemblies they are joyned with nay had they lived in the Jewish Church or any other Age of Christendom they must have been continual Separatists For where I pray you could they have found a Precept for all the Jewish Practises and Observations which I have mentioned in the foregoing Arguments If they had lived in the next Age to the Apostles with Polycarp and Ignatius who did converse with the Apostles where would the Scripture have afforded any warrant for observation of the Feast of Easter which both the Churches of the East and West observed in the days of Polycarp L. 5. c. 24. as is recorded by Eusebius or any Precept for bowing to the East Resp ad quest 118. which Pseudo-Justin mentions as a thing practised in his days or for the Observation of the days on which their Glorious Martyrs died Apud Euseb l. 4. c. 15. which yet the Church of Smyrna mentions as a thing practised by the Christians not long after the death of the Apostles or for the Water mixed with the Sacramental Wine of which both Justin and St. Cyprian speak Apol. 2. Cypr. Ep. 63. Just M. ibid. or for the portions of the Sacramental Bread sent to the Sick and absent to signify they were partakers of the same Sacrifice and belonged to the same Altar or for their standing in their publick worship from Easter unto Whitsunday Resp ad quest â—15 Can. 19. and every Lords-day to testify their belief of our Lords Resurrection which yet by the Great Nicene Council was required to be observed by all Christian People and which they did accordingly observe Tertullian gives us a Catalogue of many observations which the Church used in his days and which she vindicated not from the Scriptures De Coron Milit. c. 3 4. but from the Patronage of Custom and Tradition I will begin saith he with Baptism where coming to the Water we testify before the President or Bishop that we renounce the Devil his Pomps and his Angels then are we thrice dipt answering something more than Christ commanded in his Gospel The Sacrament of the Eucharist which our Lord instituted after Supper we partake of in our Meetings before the day arise we think it wickedness to fast or to pray knâ—eling on the Lords day we kneel not from Easter to Whitsunday whensoever we go forth or come in or whatsoever we are conversant about we sign our Foreheads with the sign of the Cross and if you do require a Law of Scripture for these Observations you will find none Tradition will be alledged as the Author and custom the Confirmer of them For these are observations which we defend not from Scripture but from the title of Tradition and the Patronage of Custom This was the Practice of the first Ages of the Church
many other Instances of a like nature it appears that tho it may be doubted whether our Ceremonies be indeed apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the Remembrance of his duty to God yet cannot it be rationally doubted but what is apt to do so may be both practised and imposed without any derogation from the Kingly or Prophetick Office of our Lord. Answ 3 3ly Hath Christ set down in Scripture all things that may any way conduce to excite good affections in us or give occasion to any pious Meditations or hath he not if he hath not then is not the assertion true on which the Argument is grounded viz. That Christ in Scripture hath set down all things by which we lawfully may be admonished of our duty If he hath then 't is not possible that any man should have a good affection or pious meditation stir'd up within him by any other means or object then such as is expresly contained in the Word of God Than which assertion nothing can be be more false Who knows not that memorable Story of the Cook who from consideration of the heat of his own Fire was moved to reflect on the excessive torments of Hell-Fire and thereby to abstain from that iniquity which would expose him to them Should a Dissenter in his discourse with one of this calling or in his writings advise him to make this reflection would he usurp upon Christs Regal or Prophetick Office Answ 4 4ly Tho this Objection speaks only of Mystical significant Ceremonies yet doth it with equal strength conclude against all Ceremonies and against the Appointment of time and place for publick worship for if this be a good Argument Christ is the only Lawgiver to his Church and therefore the Rulers of the Church may make no Laws concerning Ceremonies of Mystical Signification why is not this as good Christ is the only Lawgiver to his Church and therefore they may make no Laws touching the time and place of publick worship And if Christ hath committed to his Church no Authority of appointing new things but only a Ministry to observe and do such things which Christ hath appointed then either Christ hath appointed time and place or she hath no Authority to appoint them To this Dr. Ames answers that time and place are no new things But I hope to appoint new time and place is to appoint new things and to make Laws determining a time and place not determined before is to make a new Law about them Again if this Argument be good Christ is the only Lawgiver to his Church and therefore the Rulers of the Church may make no Laws concerning Ceremonies c. why is not this as good Christ is the only Lawgiver to his Church and therefore the Civil Magistrate may make no Laws concerning the Payment of Tythes or allowance of maintenance to Ministers or of making charitable Provisions for the Poor or touching any other Christian duty But must leave every man to his Freedom in these matters as Christ did Answ 5 5ly 1 Cor. 14.40 10 31 32. Christ having by his Apostles given Commandments which only primarily concern the Rulers of the Church viz. That all things in the Church be done decently and orderly to the Glory of God Rom. 14.19 and so as to give none Offence that Christians should follow after the things which make for Peace and whereby they may edify one the other I say this being so all the Injunctions made by the Rulers of the Church pursuant to the ends of Decency and Order the Glory of God the avoiding Scandal the preservation of Peace Unity Edification and for prevention of the Contrary are done by virtual Commission from this one Law-giver and therefore can be no Entrenchment on his Legislative Power And if Superiours should mistake in Judging that such things did really conduce unto the decency and orderly performance of Gods Service or to the other ends forementioned when indeed they do not so yet would not their imposing of them for these ends be any usurpation upon Christs Legislative Power any more than a Law made by Civil Rulers which proveth inexpedient or burthensome to the people tho by the Makers of it it was intended for their good usurps upon the Legislative Power of the God of Heaven For as it is judiciously said by Mr. Disp 5. Chap. 2. §. 29. Baxter if just Authority shall injuriously he should have said mistakingly determine of such things it may be the Subjects duty to obey because these are not matters alien to their Power and without their line but only this is an imprudent overdoing in a work that belongeth to them When St. James saith that there is one Lawgiver he most plainly speaks of such a Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy or pass the Sentence of Absolution and Condemnation upon others whence he infers that they who take upon them to censure and condemn their Brethren usurp his Prerogative but he speaks not about the Laws of Decency and Order and therefore cannot be supposed to condemn them And whereas Mr. Answ to the Commissioners p. 65. Baxter doth plausibly object against the Imposition of our Ceremonies that they are equally useful to the Church Universal in all Ages as to any Particular Church or Age and therefore should be the Matter of an Universal Law if of any and so should be the Work of the Universal Law-giver if of any I answer This if granted will only prove that there is no such positive decency Expedience or Edification in these Ceremonies as is conceived by our Rulers that should render them fit to be imposed but doth not prove that they usurp upon Christs Legislative Power by imposing of them to these ends But 2ly This way of Arguing will necessarily condemn the Church of Christ throughout all Ages she having always used and by her Canons and Constitutions imposed such Ceremonies as were equally useful in all Ages and all Churches as in any as v.g. standing upon the Lords-day at Prayer receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper fasting and all the Ceremonies anciently annexed to baptism to omit many others of like Nature before mentioned Now saith he in another place I dare not think or assert that for truth which will condemn all the Christian Churches in the World throughout most Ages of it Disp 5. Chap. 2. from §. 7. to the 24. 3ly The same Judicious Person gives us many instances of matters relating to the Service of God which Christ hath not determined by Law as v. g. What utensils to employ about the Publick Worship of God whether we shall receive the Lords Supper at a Table of Wood or Stone whether we shall sing in Rythm or Metre or in Prose what Order shall be observed in Reading of the Scripture or how much of it shall be read at a time what Method we shall use in Preaching what Words in Prayer or what Gesture with
many other things of a like Nature which he most truly saith are all left to humane Determination ibid. §. 27.28 and to humane Prudence And yet according to his Argument seing no reason can be given why the Determination of most of them would not be equally useful in all Ages and all Churches they must be the matter of an Universal Law if of any and so of an Universal Law-giver and so cannot be left to humane Prudence or Determination Again when the same Person Argues against the Imposition of our Ceremonies thus Disp 5. Chap. 4. §. 3. If these things are needful now why not throughout all Ages and all Churches if therefore Christ did neither by himself nor his Apostles institute and impose these Rites then either the imposing of them is needless and consequently noxious or else you must say that Christ hath omitted a needful part of his Law which implyes that he was either ignorant what to do or neglective of his Affairs This Argument again condemns all the Churches of Christ throughout all Ages since the Apostles times who have always used some Ceremonies which neither Christ nor his Apostles thought fit to institute And 2ly It also renders it unlawful for humane Prudence to determine any of those things which saith he Christ and his Apostles have left undetermined they being mostly such as are or may be equally useful in all Ages of the Church and such of which it may be said whensoever they are determined by humane Prudence if they are needful now why not always c. CHAP. V. The CONTENTS Obj. 5. Those Ceremonies which God himself appointed to teach his Church by their signification may not now be used much less may those which man hath devised § 1. Answ 1. That as St. Paul submitted to some Jewish Rites unlawfully required by the Jewish Christians that he might gain the Jew and Minister to their Salvation so may the Christian submit to Ceremonies unfitly imposed by Superiors for like good ends Answ the 2d This Argument offers nothing against signs Natural and Customary such as are kneeling at the Sacrament the Cross in Baptism standing up at the Creed But only against signs arbitrary from the imposing of which the Excellent Bishop Taylor doth excuse our Church § 2. Obj. 6. The use of the Ceremonies is superstitious and therefore cannot be submitted to Answ By stating the true Notion of Superstition and shewing 1. That Superstition is a species of false Worship and therefore where no Worship is exhibited by the act done or intended by the Doer or Imposer of it as in the case of our Ceremonies there can be no Superstition in that Act. 2ly That Superstitious Worship undue as to the manner of it can only be performed by offering that as acceptable and pleasing to God or as an Exercise of Religion or an Acknowledgment of some of Gods Perfections which is not so 3ly All Superstition consisting Fundamentally in this mistake and formally in the ensuing Practice It follows that the Forbearance of an Act upon the like mistake viz. That we conceive it well-pleasing to God and tending to his Honor to forbear it when indeed it is not so is Superstition § 3. Hence our Dissenters must be Superstitious provided that the Rites that they refuse Submission to be lawful in themselves 1. Because they do and must esteem this their refusal as an Act of special Honour done to God 2ly Because they must esteem themselves by this forbearance Preservers of Gods Worship pure and spiritual 3ly Because they must esteem themselves under a necessity of displeasing God by joyning in Communion with us § 4. § 5. What is the true Import of Edification § 6. Obj. 7. We must not submit to the Institution or Introduction of New Sacraments And therefore not to the Institution of the Ceremonies of the Church of England they having the Nature of Sacraments § 7. Answ 1. That the Ceremonies of the Church of England are not appointed to be signs of Spiritual Grace or to confirm Grace to us 2ly That the designing of these Ceremonies to express signify or bring into our minds Spiritual Duties cannot make them Sacraments With reasons why the Representation of some Spiritual Duty by a mystical Rite cannot as properly pertain to the Nature of a Sacrament as the sealing some Spiritual Promise doth § 8. Many things required in Sacraments which are all wanting in our Ceremonies § 9. Mr. Baxters Arguments to prove the Cross as used in our Church a Sacrament are answered § 10. CHAP. V. BUt say Dissenters Obj. 5 If those Ceremonies which God himself ordained to teach his Church by their signification may not now be used § 1 much less may those which man hath devised now God hath abrogated his own not only those that were appointed to prefigure Christ but such also as served by their signification to teach moral duties and so as now without great sin none of them can be continued in the Church no not for signification and therefore to bring in others of like Nature is to Judaize To confirm this Argument they add that if men may impose such Ceremonies because of their significancy they may reduce into the Church of Christ all the whole Mass of Jewish Ceremonies as v. g. 1. Those of moral signification as the not eating of Blood to teach us to avoid cruelty towards the life of man and beast the not eating of unclean beasts to denote our abhorrence of the impurities and immoralities which by that abstinence the Jews were taught to refrain from the not touching any thing unclean to mind us of avoiding all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit to omit infinite instances of like Nature 2ly By the like reason many Jewish Rites which were Types and Shadows of things to come may be reduced into the Church upon other accounts as v. g. Circumcision to mind us of the Circumcision of the Heart the Paschal Lamb to signify our Gratitude for passing from Darkness unto Light or from our Spiritual Thraldom unto sin into the Liberty of the Sons of God all Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and all whereby they owned God to be the Author of Life and Death and all their temporal Mercies and did Acknowledge that they deserved to die for sin and all the Jewish Garments importing Spiritual Duties to be performed by their Priests with many things of a like Nature And indeed saith Bishop Taylor If the Church might add things Duct Dub. l. 3. c. 4. R. 20. § 7. or rituals of Signification then the Walls might be covered with the Figures of Doves Sheep Lambs Serpents Birds and the Communion Table with Wine Herbs Tapers Pidgeons Raisins Hony Milk and Lambs and whatsoever else the wit of man can invent But the manner of teaching these truths by Symbolical things actions is too low too suspicious too dangerous to be mingled with Divine Lyturgies Christ may as he please consign his own good things
with respect unto the manner And therefore it is well observed by Dr. Stillingfleet That many Superstitions condemned in Scripture chiefly consist in the forbearance of things lawful Serm. of Superst p. 37. on supposition that the forbearance of them was well pleasing to God The Superstition condemned Coloss 2.22 lay in supposing God to be pleased with their Forbearance of things lawful with their not touching tasting handling them and therefore was a negative Superstition And so it was in the dispute between Christ and the Pharisees about healing on the Sabbath day they thought it unlawful and therefore did abstain Christ thought it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day and therefore did it here was no positive observance on the Pharisees part yet here was Superstition in them and therefore the true Notion of Superstition doth extend to the Forbearance of things in themselves lawful as displeasing to God § 4 Now to apply these things that the Forbearance of the Ceremonies required by the Church of England on supposition that they are lawful in themselves and yet are by Dissenters abstained from as unlawful must be superstitious will be exceeding evident 1. Because they do and must according to their Principles esteem this their refusal to submit unto them when imposed as an act of special honor to God it being a declaration of their minds that they think God dishonoured by such acts and therefore dare not comply with them it can be only fear of sinning against God which can engage them with the hazard of their Estates and Ease c. thus to refuse obedience to the Commands of their Superiours They then must look on this refusal as a product of the fear of God and as an act of true obedience to him in opposition to the unjust Commands of men or an obeying God more than man and consequently they must esteem themselves more holy acceptable and well pleasing to God on the account of this Forbearance than Conformists are 2ly Because they do and must esteem Gods Worship corrupted by the use of these our Rites as to the Purity and the Spirituality of it and so they do esteem themselves by this Forbearance Preservers of his Worship pure and spiritual and free from that Idolatry and Superstition with which they charge it upon these accounts 3ly Because they do and must according to their principles rather refuse to joyn in the external Communion of our Church and rather bound to set up separate Communions than to comply with these our Rites now surely nothing but a necessity of displeasing God by joyning in Communion with us can warrant their refusal of it nothing but a necessity by God imposed on them of setting up such separate Communions in Order to the acceptable Worship of God can justify their Separation if therefore they mistake in Judging that such necessity is laid upon them as they must do if it be lawful to submit unto these Rites and hold Communion with us notwithstanding the necessity which lyes upon them to submit unto them they must be superstitious in that Practice which follows from this grand mistake § 5 In answer to the Close of this Objection it is said That these things edify by their Signification and therefore must be good and profitable and so not like unto vain Words and Actions To this it is replyed by Dissenters that many things of a like Nature when they are used by devout and thinking men may edify by their Signification and yet the imposition of them upon that account would scarce exempt them from the appearance of vanity As v. g. Should a Church Governor command his Subjects to appear in Armor in the Church to signify their Spiritual Warfare or to put on an Helmet to signify that they would manfully fight under Christs Banner or to drink Milk in token of their desire to feed on the sincere Milk of the Word or to use Vinegar and Gall in token of their Resolution to undergo the greatest Hardships for the Sake of Christ or to put on a pair of Spectacles to signify we are dim sighted in the things of Christ tho the Signification of these things might tend to edify the things required could hardly be excused from vanity 2ly They add that Edification in the Scripture Sense is quite another thing from this obscure way of teaching by Signification To edify our Brother in the Scripture Sense is to build him up and to confirm him and help him forward in the Christian Faith 1 Tim. 1.4 Jud. 20. The things by which the Church is said to receive Edification are of a better Nature viz. Walking in the Fear of God and in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost Act. 9 31. The Preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 14.3 4 5. Christian admonition and discourse Administring Grace unto the Hearer Eph. 4.29 The Graces of the Holy Spirit descending on Christs Members Eph. 4.16 Of the Edification of any indifferent and humane Ceremony the Scripture speaketh not one Word We are then said in Scripture to edify our Brother when we forbear indifferent and unnecessary things which through his weakness do cooperate towards his ruine Rom. 14.19 20. We do it by our Charity towards him in these things for Charity edifyeth 1 Cor. 8.1 By our Promotion of unity and so by the removal of such unnecessary things as do obstruct it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edifie your selves into one 1 Thes 5.11 Answ But were this granted that some one or more of our Ceremonies seemed to you unprofitable and unserviceable to the use of Edifying what is that to you who only are concerned to know whether what your Superiors Command may lawfully be done by you and who Transgress your bounds when you presume to judge whether the things imposed be in their own Natures profitable edifying or convenient to be imposed for if they be as you conceive the fault supposed in the imposing of them is not yours but theirs whereas the fault in not submitting to them if lawful will most certainly be yours 2ly Whatsoever they are in themselves yet your submission to them in obedience to the lawful Commands of your Superiors for preservation of the Churches Peace for the prevention of Schism and all its dreadful consequents for the obtaining freedom to joyn in the Communion of the Church will doubtless highly tend to your Edification and your Profit as being a Submission to them for such Pious Christian ends as Christianity most stirictly doth oblige us to aim at and pursue and which are in themselves sufficient to sanctifie an action otherwise unprofitable and render it a Christian Duty Lastly to Kneel at the receiving of the Sacrament to express our Reverence and Humility to sign a Child with the Cross in token to the Congregation that he is listed among Christs Members or wear a Surplice for decency or distinction cannot be proved to be vain by any of the Instances forementioned Obj. 7 We cannot say Dissenters
the Magistrate to cut off all that Liberty we have in matters of this Nature and to oblige us not to do what ever we are left at Liberty by God to do 6ly Because this pretended Liberty is the occasion of lamentable Mischiefs to the Church of God whereas the good which can accrue unto her Members by it is but little 7ly Because such a pretended Liberty is contrary to the Practice of Church Governors laid down in Scripture and to the Rules prescribed for their Government § 3. Corollaries 1. Hence it is evident that Christian Liberty cannot be violated by these impositions because Conscience is bound to yield obedience to them when they are imposed Nor 2. By requiring Persons to do that of which their Conscience being erroneous doubts or which it doth condemn A direct Answer is returned 1. To that Passage of St. Paul ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 2ly To that of Coloss 2.20 If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World wherefore are ye subject to Ordinances § 4. Obj. 2. Our Ceremonies have been abused to Superstition and Idolatry and therefore being not of necessary use should be abolished and cannot be submitted to without disobedience to many Precepts of the Old and New Testament requiring the abolition of things so abused § 5. Answ 1. That these Commands were given only to the Jewish Nation and where no Natural Analogy or moral reason can be shewed for their perpetual Obligation cannot be binding to the Christian and that the contrary Tenet will be very mischievous to Christian Kingdoms and People Ans 2. That it cannot rationally be supposed that God by any of the Texts alledged forbids the doing of a lawful action meerly because it hath been is or may by others be abused to Superstition or Idolatry provided we do not continue to be ensnared by it nor is there any ground of fear that we should be so 1. Because this Interpretation of them would rob us of our Churches and our Bells and many other things which the Dissenters do allow of 2ly Because then many things which both Jews and Christians practised would be unlawful 3ly Because neither the Jews nor our Lord Jesus nor his Disciples did scruple such material Conformity with Heathens in indifferent matters as our Dissenters do condemn Ans 3. That Superstition and Idolatry can cleave no longer to such Actions than the mistake of mens opinions of them doth remain Ans 4. That tho it be not necessary to impose our Ceremonies yet when they are imposed by Authority they become necessary in their use and so are not to be accounted things unnecessary in respect of us § 6. A direct Answer is given to the Text objected 1. By shewing that the things in which the Jewish Nation are forbid to do after the manner of the Canaanites or the Aegyptians are either Idolatrous Actions or Ceremonies or Actions tending to Idolatry or contrary to the Service of God As in Exod. 23.24 Lev. 18.3 Deut. 12.4 Not to Name their Gods Exod. 23.13 is not to Worship enter into covenant with or to swear by them 3. The import of that Phrase thou shalt call me no more Baal Hos 2.16 4. The reason why God commanded his own People to destroy the Altars and the Images of Heathens and not to take unto themselves the Silver Gold and other Furniture belonging to them was the prevention of their erecting of them and preserving them to give Idolatrous Worship to them or make them Instruments of Idolatry As Exod. 34.13 Deut. 7.25 Esa 30.22 5. Why the Jews were forbid to round the Corners of their Heads or mar the Corners of their Beards Lev. 19.27 28. 6ly 2 Cor. 6.17 Touch not the unclean thing And Jude 23. Hate even the Garments spotted with the Flesh are impertinently produced against the using of our Ceremonies 7ly The eating of things sacrificed to Idols condemned Revel 2.14.20 was only eating of them in the Idol Temples and at the Feasts of Idols so as to be Partakers of the Table of Devils or to commit Idolatry by the Participation of them § 7. Answer to the Examples objected as 1. To that of Jacob causing his Family to give him the Ear-Rings which were in their Ears 2ly Of Daniel who would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings Meat Dan. 1.8 3ly Of Mordecai refusing to bow to Haman 4ly Of Hezekiah who brake the Brazen Serpent when it was abused to Idolatry § 8. Obj. 3. We must abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thess 5.22 Now the Ceremonies at least have an appearance of evil in them Answ 1. The Words may be well rendred thus abstain from every sort or kind of evil or thus from every appearance that is evil A. 2. The Apostle only adviseth us to abstain from that which after tryal seemeth evil to our selves and not from that which only doth appear to others to be evil The absurdity and mischief of the Exposition of these Words obtruded on us by Dissenters And the Argument retorted § 9. CHAP. VI. § 1 I Have now finished my Answer to those Arguments whereby Dissenters to endeavour to prove the Rites required by the Church of England as the Conditions of Communion to be sinful in themselves and by the Word of God forbidden I proceed therefore in the last place to answer those Pretences which do and must proceed on this Concession That the things required are in themselves indifferent and not forbidden by the Word of God and yet they who grant this contend that they are rendred sinful or such as they cannot with a good Conscience do by reason of some circumstances which attend the Rites imposed the imposition of them or their Practice of them And 1. The imposition of these things indifferent is represented by them as a Violation of their Christian Liberty in which they are commanded to stand fast and consequently are obliged not to betray by their Submission to these Impositions 2ly The Rites imposed say they tho lawful in themselves have been abused by others to Superstition and Idolatry now things indifferent and unnecessary having been thus abused become unlawful to be used 3ly We are required say they to abstain not only from all kinds but also from all appearances of Evil now the imposed Rites have in them an appearance of Evil at the least 1 Thess 5.22 and therefore are to be avoided 4ly We say they are commanded to forbear the Practice even of things indifferent when by the doing of them we minister occasion of Scandal to the Weak now by the Practice of the imposed Rites we shall be sure to minister occasion of Scandal to our Weak dissenting Brethren and therefore we conceive our selves obliged in Conscience to forbear the Practice of them Lastly We must not say they be partakers of the sins of others now by imposing of these Rites as the Conditions of Communion
things but only whether what they do Command tho it should exceed the power given them by God may without sin be done and if they find it may they cannot without sin refuse obedience no not in case of accidental Scandal Obj. 4 If determination of Superiors were sufficient to take away the sin of Scandal then they do very ill that they do not so far as is possble determin all things indifferent that so no danger may be left of giving of offence by the use of them Then the Church of Rome is to be praised in that she hath determined so many indifferents then Paul with the other Apostles might have spared a great deal of Labour in admonishing the Churches how they should avoid offences about some indifferent things a far shorter way had been either to determin the matter fully or else to have given order that the Churches should among themselves determin it at home Answ 1. We do not say that the determination of Superiors will always take away the sin of Scandal but that it certainly will do it when upon that determination an equal Scandal follows on the other hand 2ly It will not follow hence that they do ill in not determining all things indifferent that so no danger may be left of giving of offence by the use of them Because the remedy may be much worse than the Disease as being 1. To bring a Yoke of bondage on the necks of Christians which they could hardly bear for if the Council at Jerusalem thought fit to stile their Imposition of a few necessary things a Burthen how well might the determination of all things indifferent deserve that appellation And 2ly As tending to distract Mens devotions by their attendance to such a multitude of Ceremonies as must be then imposed and as are actually imposed by the Church of Rome 3ly As tending to Minister occasion to endless divisions in the Church and scruples in the minds of her weak Members for if three Ceremonies determined by the Church are so much scrupled if by occasion of their Imposition such Divisions and Separations have so long continued as we by sad experience see what might be then expected should all indifferent circumstances be determined by her and for these reasons it by no means will follow that the Church of Rome is to be praised in that she hath determined so many matters of this Nature Nor 3ly Will it follow that the Apostles might have spared a great deal of Labour in admonishing the Churches how they should avoid offence about some things indifferent even by determining them fully or by giving order that the Churches should among themselves determin them for this which he here stiles a shorter way might have been far more dangerous by Ministring to great contentions in the Church and causing the weak Jews to flie off from the profession of the Gospel or from Communion with their fellow Christians and so that course would not have hindred the perishing of the weak Brother but rather would have tended to the promotion of his ruin Obj. 5 But say that the Arch-Bishop of Corinth for now I suppose such a one had called his Congregation and with consent of his Clergy had determined that Men might and for testifying of Liberty should at a certain time eat of such and such meats which Men formerly doubted of would not yet the Apostle have given the same direction he did Would not good Christians still have had care of their Brothers Consciences Can the determination of a Superior be a sufficient Plea at the Bar of Gods Judgment seat for a Man that by virtue or force thereof alone hath done any action that his Conscience telleth him will Scandalize his Brother I Answer 1. That no Mans Conscience can tell him certainly that he will but only that he may Scandalize his Brother by conforming to the Commands of his Superiors and it may also tell him that he is in danger to Scandalize them more by not conforming and in this Case the Plea holds good the Scandal being equal on both sides I durst not disobey Superiors against a plain Command and to the manifest dividing and disturbing of the Church to avoid the Scandal of a weak Brother arising not from my action but his ignorance And 2ly Hence I return an Answer to the Questions contained in the Objection to the first viz. Would not St. Paul in case of the determination of the Arch-Bishop of Corinth that all Meats should indifferently be eaten have given the same direction as he did Answ Had he so done there would have been no obligation on the Corinthians to obey their Arch-Bishop in opposition to St. Paul because the power Apostolical was much Superior to that of Bishops and Arch-Bishops they must have therefore in this case obeyed St. Paul by virtue of the general Command to obey Superiors but whether in this case St. Paul would have delivered the same direction is uncertain but this is certain and a sufficient Answer to the Question that St. Paul would have considered where the Scandal would have been greatest both with respect unto the number of Persons offended and the destructive Nature and consequences of the offence and would accordingly have given his directions and and so accordingly do we To the second Question Would not good Christians still had care of their Brothers Consciences Answer They would have shewed their care both of their Brothers Conscience and their own by giving him by their example no occasion to disobey those that Ruled over them in Lawful matters to the dividing and the disturbing of the Churches Peace To the third Question Can the determination of Superiors be a sufficient Plea at the Bar of Gods judgment seat for doing any action that his Conscience telleth him will Scandalize his Brother I Answer Why not if doing of his Duty will be a Plea sufficient But on the other hand can the pretence of Scandalizing a weak Brother be a sufficient Plea for disobedience to Gods Vice-Gerents in a Lawful matter and for dividing and disturbing of the Churches Peace and thereby ministring a greater Scandal both to Superiors and to all peaceable Conformists Obj. 6 I would fain know whether those Superiors do not give a great Scandal which take upon them to impose unnecessary Rites which they know many good Men will be Scandalized by Answ Good Mr. Doctor it concerns you more to know and practise your own Duty then to be censuring and curiously searching into the actions of Superiors for which not you but they must Answer if they do offend Obj. 7 It seems then in case the Magistrate Command it we may wound the weak Conscience of our Brother and destroy with our indifferences the work of God and him for whom Christ died Answ True we may do that which hath an accidental tendency to these unhappy ends As v. g. suppose the Nonconformists are grieved at our Preaching and submission to Superiors and our continuance
from the Sacrament and so by joyning with us in this Ordinance when they can joyn with others who do keep up Discipline they should approve of our neglect of Discipline and by partaking with such Persons become partakers with them in their sin Answ Admit that Discipline is too much wanting in our Church and that Sufficient care is seldom taken for the exclusion of unworthy Persons from that Holy Ordinance how is it I beseech you that you by your participation of this Ordinance among us become partakers of this guilt Do you by thus receiving either command rejoyce in or take pleasure in this supposed neglect No your obiection shews it is your trouble do you consent to this neglect by joyning with us in this ordinance If so then our Lord Christ and his Apostles must be supposed to have consented to all neglects and all miscarriages in the whole Publick Worship of the Jews because they joyned with them in that Worship Then must the Regular Members of the Church of Corinth have approved the disorders of that Church touching the Sacrament and the abuse of their Spiritual Gifts by Communicating with those who were then guilty of them and so they must have been obliged to Separate on that account whereas the Apostle never doth exhort them so to do but only doth advise the parties guilty to amend these disorders and to do all things decently and orderly Then also are we guilty of all the imperfections both in Prayer or preaching of which that Minister is guilty with whom we joyn in the performance of those duties Lastly do we contract this guilt by the neglecting of our duty in reforming these defects Alas if there be reason to complain of such defects it must belong unto the Governors of Church and State and not to private Persons to reform them CHAP. IX The CONTENTS The posture of Kneeling at the receiving of the Sacrament is lawful and convenient and Separation because it is imposed is Schismatical § 1. To the Objection from Christs example it is Answered 1. That it concludes as much against Sitting as Kneeling 2ly That we are not obliged to imitate it 3ly That Christ himself consented to a like change of the Paschal Gesture ibid. to the Objection that Kneeling before a Creature is Idolatrous it is Answered 1. That the foundation of it is false it being not the sight of the Elements which doth induce us to Kneel 2ly That then the Dissenters are Idolaters 3ly That then the Jews must be Idolaters in Worshipping God before the Ark or Mercy seat 4ly That in this action no Worship being tendred to a Creature there can be no Idolatry § 2. the difference betwixt us and the Church of Rome consists in this that we only make the Creature the occasion they the object of Worship the Custom of our Church in bowing at our entrance into the Church or Chancel and at the Name of Jesus cleared from all appearance of Idolatry ibid. To the Objection that we must not Communicate in this Ordinance with Wicked Men it is Answer'd 1. ad hominem that it is to be feared that they do Communicate with Schismaticks with those that speak evil of dignities and Rebels who have not publickly repented of that sin 2ly That this Argument will drive them as well from other Ordinances as the Sacrament 3ly That private persons may unblameably Communicate in such Assemblies the Precept to exclude them being not directed to them but to the Rulers of the Church 4ly That private persons only are obliged to withdraw from such Persons in familiar and unnecessary converse not in Publick Duties § 3. The great objection from the neglect of Discipline proposed in these Propositions 1. That the excluding notorious wicked Persons from the Communion of the Church is the express Ordinance of Christ 2ly That the exercise of this Discipline doth highly tend to the glory of God and to the credit of Christianity 3ly That it is necessary to preserve the Members of Christs Body from the danger of pollution 4ly That probably this is requisite to preserve the Church Gods Temple and to continue the assistance of his Holy Spirit with her 5ly That the neglect of this great Duty tends much unto the detriment of the Church by exposing her to Gods judgments § 4. To which objection it is Answered 1. That in case Church Officers do not perform their Duty with respect to this great Ordinance yet is it not the Peoples Duty to separate on that account 2ly That altho Excommunication be the Duty of Church Officers yet is it not a Duty necessary to be exercised at all times on all offenders in all circumstances 3ly That tho it be the Christians Duty to withdraw from and to avoid the Scandalous Offender yet is this only then a Duty when we can serve no higher ends of Piety and Mercy in holding correspondence with them 4ly That it may be doubted whether all Scandalous professors deserve immediately to be excluded from Communion with us § 5. 5ly That our Church Officers cannot be truly said to own or to approve of this supposed neglect of discipline and that if the Rules of Discipline prescribed by them were duly practised this Objection would vanish § 6. That the continuance of Gods presence by his Spirit with his Church cannot be proved entirely to depend upon the separation of wicked Persons and Scandalous Offenders from her § 7. The Objection against these words used in confirmation that this is done to certifie them by this sign of Gods favour and gracious goodness to them Answered § 8. Other Ceremonies defended from the ensuing Propositions 1. That the laudable Customs of the Catholick Church which are of present observation are fit to be observed by all Christians whence is justified 1. The Custom of delivering the Sacramental Elements into the hands of the Communicants and speakto them severally 2ly The retaining of God-Fathers and God-Mothers 3ly The Answering of the sureties in Baptism 4ly The use of the Ring in Matrimony § 9. Prop. 2. That it concerneth not Inferiors to know the reason why Superiors do Command one thing rather than another but only whether what they do Command be not forbidden § 10. Prop. 3. That bodily Worship is required both in the Old and the New Testament which is sufficient to justifie 1. Kneeling at Prayer 2. Bowing at the Name of Jesus 3. Vncovering our heads in the House of God And 4ly Standing up at the Gospel the reason of that Custom § 11. The Churches Festivals considered and the Lawfulness of some of them proved from Propositions laid down by Mr. Baxter § 12. Three other Arguments for the expediency of them 1. From the consideration of the end for which they have been instituted by the Wisdom of the Church 2. From the benefit which may redound unto us by the observation of them 3. From the continued Custom of The whole Church of Christ § 13. Five Arguments of Mr. Baxter
of divine service the Lord Jesus Christ shall be mentioned due and lowly Reverence shall be done by all persons present as it hath been accustomed testifying by these outward Ceremonies and Gestures their inward Humility Christian Resolution and due Acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus Christ the true and Eternal Son of God is the only Savior of the world in whom alone all the Mercies Graces and Promises of God to mankind for this life and the life to come are fully and wholly comprised And 3ly When we Kneel at the Reception of the Blessed Sacrament Rubrick after the Communion we do not pay that outward act of Worship to the Elements of Bread and Wine but to that Savior whom they represent for the Church of England hath declared that thereby no adoration is intended or ought to be done unto the Sacramental Bread and Wine there bodily received So that from the express declarations of the Church of England it appears that none of these things are by her made the objects of Religious Worship but only the occasions of tendring that Worship which we owe to God and therefore there is no appearance of Idolatry in the performance of these things Obj. 3 We are commanded to Separate from every Brother that walks disorderly 2 Thessal 3.6 § 3 And are forbidden to keep Company with any man who being call'd a Brother is a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Rayler or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one we must not Eat 1 Cor. 5.11 And if we may not Eat with Such a Person at our own Table may we Eat with him at the Holy Table of the Lord Now through the want of Discipline such Persons are admitted amongst you saith the Dissenter and therfore we dare nor joyn with you in that Ordinance Answ 1 I pray God this objection doth not make you meet together as the Apostle saith of the Corinthian Schismaticks 1 Cor. 11.17 not for the better but the worse For I much fear there may be found in those Assemblys which you resort to as more pure besides a crew of Schismaticks with whom according to the Discipline observed in the purest Ages of the Church the Christian ought not to communicate many who rail against Superiors and speak evil of Dignities and many who have once been open Rebels and have not publickly repented of those crimes and if you can communicate with them why not with such as usually do meet at our Communion Tables The wisdom which is from above is impartial Answ 2 Consider I beseech you that this argument will drive you as well from our Assemblies and from our Prayers as from our Communion Table for you may as well Argue thus him that I may not keep company with at home I may not keep company with at Church him that I must not joyn with in my Civil Converse I must not hold Communion with in Sacred him that I may not Eat with I may not Pray with as you do Argue thus him that I may not Eat with at my own I may not Eat with at the Table of the Lord. This is apparent from the occasion of the objected Precept viz. The Incestuous Person who was to be taken from among them v. 2. To be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the Flesh v. 5. To be purged out from the new lump v. 7. To be put away from among them v. 13. If therefore after admonition they continue obstinate and Refractory Offenders they are to be excluded from all Christs ordinances and to be esteemed as Publicans and Heathens Matt. 18.17 Accordingly they by the discipline observed in the purest Ages of the Church were actually excluded from Communion with her in all her Offices if then we may not joyn with them in one we may not joyn with them in other Ordinances till they have satisfyed the Church they being by this precept equally to be excluded from them all Scripture may also be as plausibly produced for the declining of Communion with them in publick Prayer and family devotions in hearing of a Sermon and the like as in receiving of the Sacrament for doth not David make it the Character of good and blessed men that they stand not in the Congregation of Sinners Doth he not say Psal 1.1 Psal 101.4 I will not know a wicked Person Answ 3 That even wicked Persons who are not Scandalously and Notoriously such but make profession of Obedience to the laws of Christ and are not by the Church cast out for acting contrary to their profession may be unblameably communicated with seems undenyable from the Example of our Saviour by whom Judas was certainly admitted to that Passover which spiritually did signify and represent Christ to them 1 Cor. 10.3 And by which rite they owned themselves the servants of the God of Israel v. 18. Whence none might eat thereof who were not Circumcised Exod. 12.48 That he was also present at the supper of our Lord I have fully proved already If then a person so unworthy and so regardless of the Law of Moses that he had actually resolved to take a reward to betray Innocent-blood If a Thief Psal 15.5 and a Covetous person was by our Lord admitted to the Passover If one who by our Lord was known to be in heart a Murtherer and a Betrayer of his Master was yet admitted by him to his Sacrament you see that sinners must be first notorious before they ought to be excluded and when they are so our Rubrick and our Canons give every Minister Authority to with-hold the Communion from them and therefore Authorise them to exercise the Discipline required in this case Hence also we may learn that to communicate with those whom we know to be wicked in this duty derives upon us no Communion in their Guilt for otherwise our Lord and his Disciples would not have joyned in Communion with that wicked one Answ 4 This precept is not directed to particular persons but to the Church of Corinth in the General as you may learn from v. 4. And therefore hence it only follows that it is the duty of Church Governors to exclude such persons from Communion with her but not that private persons should refrain Communion with the Church because they judge that they neglect their duty And therefore we do never read that Christ or his Apostles refused Communion with the Jewish Church or did neglect to go unto the Temple or the Synagogue because the Scribes and Pharisees neglected to perform their duty and our Apostle here doth never call the members of the Church of Corinth to separate from them who caused disorders in the Celebration of this Sacrament but only calls upon them to reform those disorderly proceedings And I beseech you to consider what a Gap would be laid open to perpetual Schisms if private persons were permitted to judge when their Superiors did neglect their duty in any part of publick worship
and were permitted to separate from them and joyn in opposite Communions as oft as they imagined that others better did acquit themselves in Prayer or Preaching or in Administration of the Sacraments or any other duty which belongs unto the Ministerial Office Answ 5 Lastly this Text only engages Private Christians to separate from persons Guilty of such crimes as to familiar converse in things unnecessary but never to decline their presence so as to neglect the doing or receiving good to their own souls or bodies For 1. Divines agree in this that Christ and his Apostles do not in this or other places prescribe such separation as is injurious to any or takes off any duties which by the law of nature we do owe unto them or our Relation to them calls for A Wife must not by virtue of this Precept separate from her ungodly Husband no tho he be an unbeliever let her not leave him saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 7.15 A child must not deny subjection to a wicked Parent nor a Servant to an evil Master but must be subject with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the Froward 1 Pet. 2.18 If then this Precept will not oblige us to perform what is injurious to anothers temporals it cannot lay upon us an obligation to do that which is prejudicial to our own Spiritual concerns Much less what prejudicieth the concernments of the Church our Spiritual Mother and makes us disobedient to our Spiritual Fathers 2ly This Precept doth not bind in case of signal damage for I am not obliged to renounce his Company by whom my Trade is carried on my goods go off because I judge him wicked or Profane or to refuse a Customer because he is no Saint for then no Trade could lawfully be managed and there would be no living in the world I do not mean saith Paul to for bid your keeping Company as your occasions serve with the Fornicators Covetous Idolaters of the world for then you must go out of the world v. 9.10 If then as far as the concernments of our worldly callings warrant us we may enjoy their Company much more when this is necessary to the concernments of our Souls or our Spiritual Callings 3ly When I am called as a Guest where accidentally I meet with such a one I am not then obliged to depart and leave the Company because I find him there for this can be no evidence of my familiarity with him Much less am I obliged to depart on his account when I am graciously invited to this heavenly banquet and call'd to feast upon the Supper of the Lamb. And 4ly Our Lord did notwithstanding this duty of avoiding the Company of wicked men familiarly converse with Publicans and Sinners in order to their reformation and spiritual advantage Matt. 9 13. and justified his so doing by this Rule I will have mercy and not Sacrifice why therefore may not we by the same Reason justifie our converse with them in order to our own Spiritual Good But because this Objection of the want of Discipline is the great Scruple of Dissenters and some even among our selves seem to speak slighter of it than they ought to do I will endeavor in some few Propositions to shew how much it doth concern all Churches to endeavor to keep up their Discipline by the exclusion of notorious evil livers from the Church and how far the neglect thereof can be imputed to our Church and whether any separation from her can be justified on this account And therfore I assert That the Secluding of profane and wicked Persons who after admonition by the Church Prop. 1. continue such from the Communion of that Church of which they formerly were Members is the express Ordinance of Christ For 1. Matt. 18.15 16 17. Our Lord himself commanded that if by private admonition we cannot gain our Brother we should tell the Church and if he did neglect to hear the Church he should by Christians be esteemed as a Publican and Heathen adding that whatsoever ye the Church Governours shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Whence it appears that as it is the Duty of the private Christian who cannot gain his Brother by the private admonitions prescribed by Christ to complain of him to the Church so is it the Duty of the Church to admonish and reprove and call him to repentance and if he will not hearken unto her voice to bind him here on Earth and that the Brother thus bound is afterwards to be looked upon as to Communion in sacris as a Heathen and a Publican And altho no express could be produced from Christ to this effect yet even the constitution of Church Government must necessarily infer it for Government in Church or State there cannot be without a power of punishing unruly Members now the Government of the Church being Spiritual her punishments can be only such even seclusion of her Members from spiritual things moreover there can be no Peace and Order under any Government without a Power of secluding by some means or other such Persons from that Government as obstinately persist in the disturbance of it and violation of its fundamental Laws On Luc. 6.22 And therefore as Grotius truly saith Christ having once constituted a Church and that to be a holy and undefiled Temple to himself must be supposed to command all those things without which this his Temple could not be kept pure But it is plain that a Power of censuring Offenders against this Pure and Holy Institution and of ejecting those who by their wicked conversations do defile this Temple is necessary for the preservation of the Church in purity And indeed I cannot understand how the Church should be a Society without Union or how she can have Union without some Rules of Government and Order or what those Rules can signifie without a Power to punish nor what Power of punishing the Church as such can have except it be by debarring of her Members from some or all of their Church Priviledges nor do I understand how it should be the Duty of Christians to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly if the Church Officers have not a power to pronounce such persons fit to be withdrawn from especially seeing not hearing of the Church must go before his being deem'd or treated as a Publican and Heathen Nor Lastly can I understand St. Pauls discourse unless he Argue thus Vide sclater in locum The whole body of the Christian Assemblies ought to be a new Lump and purged from old Leaven or from such Persons as notoriously commit such Crimes as manifestly are repugnant to the profession of Christianity and inconsistent with true piety he therefore who being call'd a Brother that is making profession of Christianity is guilty of such Wickedness should be cast out of the Society of Christians for as when the Paschal Lamb was offered among the Jews no Leaven was
to be found among the People of Israel So Christ our Paschal Lamb being now Offered no Leaven of Malice and Wickedness and consequently no such wicked Persons ought to be left in the Church of the true Israelites but wholly purged out of it That the exercise of this Discipline doth highly tend to the Glory of God Prop. 2. and to the credit of Christianity And surely this cannot be doubted by them who know that this alone is that by which the Church can be preserved pure and like unto that God who will have no Communion with the works of Darkness with whom no Person can have fellowship who walks not in the light as he is in the light 1 Joh. 1.7 That this alone can make the light of Christians to shine forth so as to Glorifie their Father which is in Heaven Matt. 5.16 and cause them to shew forth the virtues of him that hath called them from darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 and that this only can render us able to commend Christianity to others from the prevailing topick of the Strict and Holy lives of the allowed professors of it by which it chiefly was promoted in the first and purest Ages of the Church In nobis Christus patitur opprobrium l 4. p. 140. v. p. 139. 141. That the Name and Doctrine of our Lord is Blasphemed among Heathens Atheists Scepticks and profane Persons by the ungodly lives of its Professors as Salvian sadly doth complain and by finding many who are owned as Christians and permitted to partake of the highest Ordinances and Priviledges of Christians who lead lives worse than Heathens and who were constantly rejected from the Communion of Christians in the best Ages of the Church When if at any time it was Objected by the Heathens that such persons bore the Name of Christians her Answer was they went out from us but they are not of us nor owned or †Just M. p. 70.253.306.308 vid. Tertull ad Scap. cap. 4. allowed of by us but are excluded by the Churches censures or by their voluntary separations which may deserve to be considered The exercise of this Discipline is necessary to perserve the Members of Christs Body from the danger of pollution Prop. 3. This cannot easily be questioned 1. By him who well considers that enquiry of St. Paul Know you not that a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.7 purge therefore the Old Leaven from you that you may be a new lump 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the neglected evil may defile the whole Body of the Church say Oecumenius and Theophylact. 2. By him who knows how properly is the shame and punishment inflicted upon others for confess'd or palpable enormities to restrain us from the like practices and how exceeding apt Men are to run into those vices without fear which by experience they find connived at by Superiors As then the Man who was defiled by Leprosie or by an Issue Numb 5.2 3. or dead Body was by Gods command to be removed out of the Camp of Israel that they defiled not the Camp in the midst of which God dwelt so on the same account should the Spiritual Leper when the marks evidently do appear upon him be excluded from the Christian Camp that he desile not that Church in which God dwelleth now as in his Temple It seemeth probable that the exercise of this Discipline is that which will alone preserve the Church Gods Temple Prop. 4. and consequently will continue his presence with her Assemblies by the influences of his Holy Spirit on them in greater efficacy and measure And that on these considerations 1. That every Christian Church or Assembly is in the Scripture represented as Gods Temple the place in which he dwelleth as he of Old dwelt in Jerusalem for by inspection of the places where this Phrase Gods Temple is used in the New Testament it seemeth evident that it is not so much each private Christian as the Assemblies and Churches of them which are stiled Gods Temple So the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians in the general Know you not that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God doth dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you 1 Cor. 3.16 and v. 17. The Temple of God is Holy which Temple you are So also 2 Cor. 6.16 What Communion hath the Temple of God with Idols For you are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell and walk among them and they shall be to me a People and I will be their God Which words are manifestly taken from Lev. 26.11.12 and therefore they must speak of Gods presence with his Christian Churches the Israel of God in such a manner as he was present with the Jewish Church by placing of his Tabernacle among them and giving demonstrations of his gracious presence with them Accordingly we find this promise made with respect unto the Gospel times I will set my Sanctuary in the midst of them for ever my Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my People Ezek. 37.26 27. Thus also the Apostle speaks to the Church of Ephesus saying You are fellow Citizens of the the Saints and of the Household of God and are built upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief Corner Stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord in whom also you are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes 2.19 20 21 22. Hence Lastly the Members of Christs Body or the Community of Christians seems to be stiled Christs house Heb. 3.6 his Spiritual house 1 Pet. 2.5 2ly That the condition of Gods continuing to dwell in or to abide with this his Temple as it was this of Old that the Lords People should be Holy that is be free from Ceremonial pollution and from such sins as were committed wilfully and with an High hand against the Law of Moses and so deserved cutting off that they should be to him an Holy Nation Exod. 19.6 a Holy People Deut. 7.6 an Elect peculiar People Deut. 14.2.26.18 So it seems plainly now under the New Testament to be the same For Christians under the New Testament are in like manner called the Elect of God 1 Pet. 1.2 Col. 3.22 a chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a Holy Nation and Peculiar People ibid. And they are in like manner called to come out from the Sons of Belial the Children of Darkness and Unrighteousness with whom they can have no Communion and to be separate that the Lord God may dwell among them 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. and consequently the continuance of Gods Spirit with his Church and his assistance in the Dispensation of its Ordinances seems likewise to depend on their continuance to be such a People and therefore on the execution of the censures of the
tho Accidentally and by Performing their own duty occasion to the Sin of Eli's Sons What therefore I may do for the procuring the Spiritual Good of others from whom I am commanded to withdraw may be more certainly performed for the procuring of my own Spiritual Good by my participation of the Ordinances of Christ from Persons authorized by him and his Vicegerents to administer them what may be done in order to their welfare who are unworthy of Communion with us that may much more be done in order to the Churches Good for the promotion of her Peace and Unity and the prevention of those Schisms by which she is so much endangered and if those words I will have mercy and not sacrifice will warrant our Communion with wicked persons with whom we are forbid to eat when it may be a means of their conversion why then may it not warrant our Communion with them in Sacred things when this Communion is a means of our salvation and of the Churches Peace which is one of the chiefest ends of Discipline If Christians were not call'd to separate on the account of those impure Gnosticks who did feast among them and eat at the Lords Table with them why should they separate from the same Ordinances on the account of some profane Professors who are mix'd with our Assemblies And lastly If the People did transgress who came not up to Shilo to offer their accustomed oblations there tho they to whom they were to be presented and by whom they were to be offered were Sons of Belial and they alone did sanctifie and offer the Peace-offerings of which the People were afterwards to eat I fear they also will transgress who upon less pretences will not come unto our Shilo's the places of our publick Worship It may be doubted whether all those men whose presence with us in our Church Assemblies doth so much offend Dissenters Prop. 9. deserve immediately to be secluded from Communion with us seeing they seem not to have been both privately and publickly admonish'd by the Church for how can it be said they will not hear the Church when they have never been admonished by her to reform or threatned with her censures if they will not do it they therefore cannot be esteemed contumacious or such as will not hear the Church and so they are not presently to be excluded by Excommunication from Communion with her Mr. Baxter having cited Principles of love p. 87.88.89 Matt. 18.15 16. Tit. 3.10 Saith thus Note here that no sin will warrant you to cast out the sinner unless it be seconded with impenitency it is not simply as a Drunkard or a Fornicator that any one is to be rejected but as an Impenitent Drunkard or Fornicator Note 2ly That it is not all impenitency which will warrant their rejection but only impenitency after the Churches admonition Note 3ly That no private person may expect that any Offender be cast out either because his sin is known to him or because he is commonly famed to to be guilty till the thing be proved by sufficient witnesses Note 4ly That the admonition given him must be proved as well as the fault which he committed Yea lastly If all The town do know him to be guilty and witness prove that he hath been privately admonished he may not be rejected till he be heard speak for himself and till he refuse also the publick admonition This is Christs order whose wisdom mercy and authority are such as may well cause us to take his way as best Now were this doctrine true without exception it would 1. Answer the Objection by shewing that Dissenters do unreasonably separate for the Non-execution of the Churches Censures upon them who at the present are not the proper objects of them And 2. It would in a great measure cast the blame of this neglect of Discipline on the Complainants for if they know of any such why do they not first privately admonish them and if they cannot by so doing gain their Brother why do they not then tell it to the Church But if they do not know of any such nor ever told the Church of any such that she might know and knowing might admonish them and if they should refuse to Hear her might proceed to censure them why do they then complain But to confess the truth ingenuously this Doctrin contradicts the general practice of the Church of Christ whilst Discipline remained among them more especially the practice of the most Primitive and Purest Ages of the Church when all Notorious Offenders of what degree soever were without farther admonition immediately censured and separated from the faithful See Dr. Cave 's prim christian part 3. cap. 5. p. 367. till by long and strict penances of fasting and mortification by which they evidenced their sorrow for and their reformation of their crimes they were thought fit to be again admitted to the peace of God and of his Church This doctrine therefore must admit of some restriction to make it consonant to truth 1. Therefore if the crime be such as is consistent with Christianity and doth not prove the Author of it to be Carnal this admonition must precede the censures of the Church because in such a case 't is not so much the fact it self as the ensuing contumacy which deserves her censure 2ly If the crime committed be private and brings no infamy to the Church and the offender shew good signs of penitence the crime being not committed before many it seems not reasonable that it should be punished before many unless where such a publick censure may do good to many in which case that of the Apostle seemeth to take place them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear 3ly 1 Tim. 5.20 If it be an act of injustice to some private person for which full satisfaction may be made and admonition may prevail upon him so to do which seems to be the case in which our Lord requires a threefold admonition adding that if our admonition do prevail our Brother is Gained and so the Church hath no occasion to proceed to censures Or 4ly If it be an offence of judgment and not of practice against judgment in which case the Apostles words are plain for a first and second admonition I say in all these cases this previous admonition seemeth reasonable But 2ly If the Crimes committed be of an heinous nature Tit. 3.10 and Christians cannot well be ignorant that they are so as in the cases of Apostasy Murther Incest Adultery c. Or if they be so publickly committed as to give scandal to the Church and the Crime be notorious or confessed then without farther admonition I suppose the Criminal should be excluded from the Communion of the Church till by repentance and mortification they have made satisfaction to the Church and have made reparation for the Scandal of their sin These Propositions do fully Answer this Objection even upon
supposition that the Neglect is such as is suggested and that the Church of England may be charged with it I now proceed by way of farther Answer to it to consider of that Charge and therefore say Prop. 10 That our Church Officers cannot be truly said to own or to approve of this supposed neglect of Discipline in suffering the notoriously prophane and Scandalous Offender to remain uncensured by the Church For 1. The Rulers of the Church do openly acknowledg and declare even in their Publick Lyturgy Preface to Commin That the putting those to open Penance who stood convicted of notorious crimes is both a Primitive and Godly Discipline and that the restoring of the said Discipline is much to be wished 2ly They call upon all sinners with the greatest seriousness and affection to repent of those iniquities which render them obnoxious to her censures which call would they give ear unto they would be fit for her Communion and so exempted from the severity of her Discipline this call we find both in the Commination Read upon Ash-Wednesday and in the exhortation Read at the giving notice of a Sacrament where she thus speaks If any of you be a Blasphemer of God a Hinderer or Slanderer of his Word an Adulterer or be in malice or envy or in any other grievous crime repent you of your sins or else come not to that Holy Table 3ly They make all Persons whom they admit unto the Priestly Office solemnly to promise to give faithful diligence always so to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded And 4ly Can. 26. They require every Minister in no wise to admit to the receiving of the Holy Communion any of his Cure or Flock which he openly knows to live in sin notorious without repentance and they moreover Authorise them Rubr. before the Commun To advertise all open and notorious evil livers and all who have done any wrong to their Neighbours by word or deed so that the Congregation be thereby offended to call them and to advertise them that by no means they presume to come to the Lords Table till they have openly declared themselves to have truly repented and amended their former naughty life that the Congregation may be thereby satisfied and say that he shall not suffer them to be partakers of the Lords Table betwixt whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign until he know them to be reconciled Since then it is apparent from these considerations that our Church daily calls upon these persons to repent both in the Publick Preaching of the Word and in the Office stiled Commination and in her Homily upon repentance And 2ly that she doth Authorise all her Parochial Ministers to call and advertise such Persons as they know privately to be unworthy not to presume to come unto the Holy Sacrament and doth require them when they give notice of a Sacrament to read an exhortation to that effect seeing she also grants them power to put back any Scandalous Offenders from the Sacrament whose faults are so notorious as to give offence to the Congregation and doth allow both them and the Church-Wardens or rather charge them to prosecute such Men in order to their Amendment or Excommunication seeing at their admission to their Sacred Function she doth strictly charge them to give faithful diligence so to minister the Discipline of Christ as he hath commanded Since Lastly Private Persons in her Communion may avoid familiar conversing with them and withdraw from their company and so avoid being polluted by the corruption of their manners I say seeing these things are so I see not but the Objections made against the Discipline of our Church might be removed if the things allowed and required by the Rules of it were duly practised § 7 Hitherto I have discoursed in Answer to this Objection as if the Scriptures and Reasons produced to confirm it were all true and well applyed whereas indeed the grounds of this Objection are uncertain and infirm for to omit the uncertainty of the exposition of 1 Cor. 5.13 you shall take away the evil from you and not the evil Person which sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth rather signifie and the uncertainty of Dr. Hammonds exposition of Rev. 2.20 I say Tently Prop. 10. That the continuance of Gods presence by his Spirit with his Church and her Assemblies cannot be proved to depend entirely upon the Separation of wicked Persons and scandalous offenders from her The Place produced to this Effect from 2 Cor. 6.16 17. only concerns the Christians Separation from Communion with Heathens in their Idolatrous Worship or their Idol feasts this is the touching the unclean thing there spoken of as I have fully proved in the foregoing Chapters it therefore is impertinently alledged to prove that God requires us to separate from the Communion of wicked Persons in celebrating of his Publick worship that so we may enjoy the presence of his Spirit with us Moreover God may destroy the person who defiles this Temple as he threatens 1. Cor. 3.17 and yet may not withdraw his Spirit from them that do assemble with such Persons purely to serve God and to enjoy Communion with him in his Publick Ordinances And indeed were this so that the presence of a known wicked Person would cause the Holy Spirit to depart from the Assemblies of pious Persons then Christ and his Disciples had not the presence of the holy Spirit with them when they assembled with Judas to eat the passover and to receive the holy Sacrament 2ly Then seeing Covetous malitious Persons since secret Hypocrites and Atheists are as odious to God as Persons otherwise notoriously wicked and profane they also must pollute the Church and cause the holy Spirit to depart from her Assemblies and if so the Church can never be assured of his presence with her Then 3ly much less would the holy Spirit be present at those Publick offices designed to conveigh this Spirit when they were celebrated by wicked Priests and so we could have no assurance of his gracious influence upon us at the preaching of the Word the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism and of the Supper of the Lord because we can have no assurance of the sincerity of him who doth officiate For if the presence of wicked Persons who do only joyn with the Officiator will cause the holy Spirit to depart from that Assembly much more the wickedness of the Officiator And 4ly then we must have cause to fear that this good Spirit hath wholly left the Church of Christ and doth no longer move upon the waters of the Sanctuary there being in these latter Ages of the Church such a neglect of Discipline as that scarce any one of her Assemblies can be supposed free from some mixture of profane and even notorious wicked Persons which yet seems plainly to contradict Christ's promise to be with his Church unto the end
therefore certain that God will give his Grace and Spiritual aid to all who do sincerely promise and engage to live according to their Baptismal Vow and this Sign being apt to signifie that aid and favor and used throughout so many Ages to that end I see not why the Bishop may not certifie the confirmed person of this truth by such a Sign And 2. It being only an indicatory Sign or Adumbration of this grace not an exhibitory Sign cannot be properly a Sacrament Having thus Answered the Objections against those Ceremonies which have been scrupled most and with most color and pretence of Reason by Dissenters it will be easy to Answer or to shew the vanity of their remaining scruples by attending to these following Propositions That the laudable Customs of the Catholick Church which are of present observation Prop. 1. Bishop Taylor Duct Dubit l. 3. c. 4. R. 15. §. 1. are fit to be observed by all Christians This we learn from St. Paul who reproves the Contentiousness of those who against the usages of Christians and of the Places where they lived would wear long hair with this We have no such Custom 1 Cor. 11.16.14 36. and pleads for order from the practice of all Churches of the Saints And also from the evidence of Reason for in such cases where there is no law the manners of Christians introduce a Law so far that we cannot recede from it without some probable cause i. e. we cannot do it without scandal and indeed it is an act of love to conform to the Customs of Christians with whom we do converse who either will think you blame their Customs or despise their persons if you comply not And that you look upon them as a company of ignorant persons who know not what they should do or as wicked persons who inconsiderately will do what they should not Besides it is a piece of Singularity to thwart and Cavil at and to refuse complyance with the Customs of the Churches where we are which have in them no apparent evil now Singularity is only laudable in matters that are excellent and pious never in matters of indifferency And therefore This is sufficient reason for the Custom of our Church in delivering the Sacramental Elements into the hand of the Communicant and Speaking to them severally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ap. 2. p. 97. E. For Justin Martyr declareth that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bishop having given thanks those who were called Deacons did distribute to every one that was present Bread and Wine mixt with Water and Tertullian informs us that they receiv'd the Eucharist non de aliorum manibus quà m presidentium De Cor. mil. c. 3. from the hands of no other persons than those who presided in the Church Moreover it was the Custom of the Priest to say to every on of them The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ c. August Resp ad Ores q. 49. Ambros de sacram l. 4. c. 5. And of the People severally to say Amen when they received it this was said every where saith Austin and so the Custom of distributing to all and of receiving severally by all must be the constant custom of the Church of Christ 2ly This is sufficient Reason for the retaining of God-Fathers and God-Mothers Compan part 3 p. 400. for in the Primitive Church the use of them was so early saith the Learned Dr. Comber that 't is not easie to fix the time of their beginning the most Ancient Fathers who speak of Baptism do mention them under the name of Offerers of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Justin Martir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Susceptores as Donysius Areop of Sponsores as Tertullian of Fideijussores or Suretys as St. Austin 2ly p. 399. This Custom was derived from the Jews as also was that of Infant Baptism for it is certain that the Rector of the house of judgment was to take care to Baptize the Infants of Proselytes and accordingly was to be called their Father And there was one appointed to hold the Child in Circumcision called the Master of the Covenant and by the Modern Jews who still retain this custom the Surety And very learned men believe this custom to be as ancient among the Jews as the times of Isaiah it being highly probable that those Witnesses mentioned chap. 8.2 at the naming of his Son were of the same nature with those we call God-Fathers God-Mothers And 3ly Tho one of the Reasons which made them the more necessary in the first Ages of the Church viz. those persecutions which cut off the Parents and so left the poor Infants uncapable of Christian education without the help of Sureties hath long since ceased yet are they still continued for Good ends As 1. 'To convenant in behalf of those Infants who cannot enter into covenant by themselves 2ly For the Security of the Church that the Children may be brought to Confirmation and own their covenant hereafter whence they are called Sureties 3ly That every Christian may have a Monitor who was present and concerned in his Vow whence they are stiled Witnesses And 4ly Whereas some object that the use of Sureties is made a necessary condition in our Lyturgy of administring Baptism to Infants because it is said This Infant must also faithfully for his part promise by you that are his Sureties The contrary to this is evident because no Sureties are required at the administration of private Baptism where our Baptismal Office declareth the child to be lawfully and sufficiently Baptized and so those words can only intimate that this which is in it self a thing expedient must be practised according to the Order and Constitution of the Church And 5ly Whereas it farther is objected that by these Sponsors the Parents are excluded and the Child is not admitted to Baptism in the Parents right Answer To this it is judiciously Answered by the Excellent Dr. Still Vnrens of Sâ—pâ— p. 381. That the Church by requiring Sponsors doth not exclude any title to Baptism which the child hath by the right of his Parents for the Sponsors may be supposed to appear in a threefold Capacity 1. As representing the Parents in offering up the Child to Baptism and so whatever right the Parents have that is challenged when the Child is brought to be Baptized 2ly As Representing the Child in the Answers that are made in Baptism And 3ly In their own Capacity when they promise to take care of the Good Education of the Child in the Principles of the Christian faith 3ly Ibid p. 404. This is sufficient Reason for the Answering of the Sureties in Baptism For as it is judiciously observed by Dr. Comber ' the Baptismal covenant was always made by Question and Answer which is taken notice of by many of the Ancients and seems to have been the Method in the Apostles days because St. Peter calls Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
may redound unto us from the Observation of these Festivals unto the ends for which they are appointed by the Church now she appointeth them to be employed in hearing of God's Word read and taught in publick Prayers Can. 13. Injunct Q Eliz. 1559. N. 20. in acknowledging our offences to God and amendment of the same in being reconciled to our Neighbours where there hath been displeasure in oft receiving the Communion in visiting the Poor and Sick and using all sober and Godly conversation Which Christian fruits of Piety were they more plentifully brought forth they would sufficiently recommend those times and seasons which gave occasion to them And surely the benefit of such Holy Exercises is so great that the use of particular times appointed for that purpose ought not to be rejected though some men do abuse them to far other ends And if Dissenters have thought fit to appoint weekly Lectures for some of these good ends Why may not our Church Governours appoint these Anniversaries for the promotion of them all Especially if we consider that they are so exceeding profitable unto the weaker sort of Christians who are instructed by them in many Articles of Christian Faith and caused to reflect on many signal Mercies which they might entirely forget did not these Days return to strengthen and rub up their Memories The common sort of those who seem to be Believers want these Remembrances saith Origen Contra Celsum l. 8. p. 393. That such things may not slip out of their Minds and so these Festivals must needs be useful to them for this end And since the Wisdom of the Church prescribeth Daies to be observed for the Commemoration of the chief things that either were performed by or hapned to our Saviour if the plain Man saith Bishop Hall would but ply well his Almanack that alone would teach him so much Gospel as to shew him the History of his Saviour Remains Serm. on 1 Joh. 15. for there upon the Feast of the Annuntiation might he see his Saviours conception declared by an Angel upon the Feast of 〈◊〉 Nativity he might understand that he was boâ—â— of the Virgin Mary and at last after infinâ—â— and beneficial Miracles he would see him câ—â—â—cified on Good Friday rising from the dead 〈◊〉 Easter and ascending to Heaven on Holy Thuâ—â—day and might be well instructed in these thiâ—â—â— by coming to the Church which hath excellenâ—â—â— fitted these Solemnities with Services which 〈◊〉 explain their meaning and the use we are to mâ—â—â— of them If then we are to follow after the thiâ—â— whereby we may edifie one another Rom. 14.19 we must â—â—â—tinue the Observation of these Festivals 3ly That 't is expedient to observe these 〈◊〉 is evident from the continued custom of the wâ—â—â—â— Church of Christ it being laudable and deâ—â—â—â— to observe the Customs of the whole Church 〈◊〉 Christ and to conform to her Example 〈◊〉 in things no where forbidden by the Word of 〈◊〉 and being reasonable to judge she had good 〈◊〉 to do what was so universally performed whoâ—â— St. 1 Cor. 14.33 11.16 Paul doth admonish his Corinthians to do as 〈◊〉 all Churches of the Saints was done and doth pronounce him a Contentious Person who 〈◊〉 thwart her customs Now all these Festivals of Christ's Nativity his Passion Resurrection cension and of the Advent of the Holy Ghost are by * Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis conciliis 〈…〉 atque statuta retineri slucti quod Domini passio Resurrectio 〈…〉 in Caelum adventus de Caelo Spiritsis Sancti anniversaria soleâ—â—â—â—e celbrantur st quid aliud cale occurrerit quod servatur ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia Epist 1.18 Cap. 1. vid. Epist 119. Cap. 1. St. Austin reckoned among those things which were observed ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia by the whole Universal Church and which he therefore doth conjecture that the Observation of them derived it self from the Apostles or the Decrees of General Councils Since therefore it is evident unto all learned men that all the Holy-days prescribed by the Church of England from the Fourth Century at least were universally observed by the Church of Christ it must be fit and laudable to conform to her Example by observing of them as she did Now to return an answer to the Objections of Mr. Disp 5. of Cer. cap. 2. §. 46. Baxter against the Holy-days foremention'd of which the First is Object 1 Object 1. § 14 That the occasion of these Holy-days was existent in the Apostles days if therefore God would have had such days observed he could as easily and fitly have done it by his Apostles in Scripture as he did other the like things Answer 1. This Argument confutes his former grant that the Festivals of the Holy Martyrs and Apostles might lawfully be observed For of the Protomartyr St. Stephen and of James the Brother of John Kill'd by the Sword Act. 12.2 the Scripture maketh mention and yet saith nothing of the observation of their Festivals nor doth the Beloved Disciple tho He survived the rest of Christs Apostles mention in his Epistles or his Revelations any thing touching the observation of them which notwithstanding Mr. Baxter and which is more considerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Universal Church of God even from the second Century approved of observing Martyrum Natalitia the Birth days of the Martyrs that is the days when they were crowned with Martyrdom with Great Solemnity witness the * Epistle of the Church of Smyrna touching the Martyrdom of Polycarp 2ly By this Argument no places may be set apart for Celebration of Gods publick Worship no Churches and no Tabernacles may be erected for that end no time appointed for that Worship No Synods may convene no Presbyterian Classes may assemble to determine any matter or make any Rules for the due Government of Christians no forms of Prayer excepting the Lords Prayer may be used in Publck no words in Celebration of the Lords Supper or the Sacrament of Baptism to omit many other things of a like nature but what by the Apostles were prescribed in Scripture for if God would have had such things done the occasion of them was existent in the Apostles days and he could as easily and fitly by his Apostles have given command concerning them as touching other the like things 3ly This Argument condemneth the Decrees of the great Nicene Council for praying standing on the Lords day the occasion of it being as old as our Lords Resurrection and it condemneth the whole Church of Christ in the exercise of her Discipline concerning Penitents her Stationary days and almost all her other rites the occasions of which were as well existent in the Apostles days as in succeeding Ages and
together in our Petitions and with one mouth to glorifie God to secure the publick Service from dark extravagant erroneous Petitions too oft put up by the contenders for and practisers of this Extemporary Devotion If therefore care ought to be taken that our publick Sacrifice should be as near as can be without blemish and that we do not offer unto God the lame and the blind Mal. 1.13 14. I think this cannot be done better than by prescribing of a well composed form of prayer to be dayly offered up unto God as our Morning and our Evening Sacrifice Lastly Whereas it is objected That in set Forms of prayer we restrain and confine the Spirit and in conceived prayers the Spirit is free unlimited and unconstrained I Answer That by restraining of the Spirit the Objectors mean the restraining of their own Spirits or of the blessed Spirit If by restraining of the Spirit they mean restraining the spirit of the Minister I ask 1. Why his Spirit may not be restrained by the wisdom of his Superiors as well as the spirit of the people by his conceived prayer And tell me Is not their spirit restrained when the whole Congregation is confined to the form of this one mans composing or unto words which on a sudden he doth utter 2. Did not Christ restrain the Spirit of his own Disciples when he taught them to pray the Lords Prayer if he had only said pray thus after this manner and given only a Directory for the matter of prayer this was a restraint but if he said pray this or pray these words as I shall prove he did he then prescribed both the matter and words too and therefore did restrain the Spirit of his Disciples as truly as any other form could do 3. The Spirit of the Minister must in some cases be restrained and that by precept Apostolical for otherwise what means St Paul by saying 1 Cor. 14.32 the Spirit of the Prophets must be subject to the Prophets what greater restraint than subjection for if subjected then they must be ruled if ruled then limited or prescribed unto and as much under restraint as the Spirit of the superior Prophets shall judge convenient In fine when the Assembly of Divines appointed the matter of prayers to all particular Ministers was that appointment by the Spirit or no if no then for ought appears the Directory not being made by Gods Spirit may be an enemy to it But if this appointment were by the Spirit then the determination and limitation of the Spirit in either sense is by the Spirit himself and such indeed is every pious and prudent constitution of the Church in matters spiritual such was that of St Paul to the Corinthians when he prescribed orders for publick Prophesying and Interpretation and speaking with Tongues All these are Answers to this Objection transcribed from the excellent Bishop Taylors Discourse concerning Prayer ex tempore And it seems reasonable to suppose with him that after all these Answers this Objection should trouble us no more If by the Spirit they mean the Holy Spirit I enquire 1. By what Argument shall any man make it so much as probable that the Holy Ghost is injured if every private Ministers Spirit shall be guided and so by necessary consequence limited by the Authority of the Church What prohibition what Law what Reason or Revelation is against it what inconvenience in the nature of the thing for can any man be so weak as to imagine a despite is done to the Spirit of Grace when men pray by such well composed Forms as the whole Church approves of and doth not in opposition to them use his private Gift 2. Is not the Holy Spirit as much restrained by premeditated prayers since the design of that premeditation is only to consider after what form or manner they should pray for what and in what words so that the Holy Spirits assistance is restrained to their conceptions and meditations men therefore must be bound to pray they know not what or else according to this Objection must lay restraints upon the Holy Spirit 3. Doth not the Directory that thing which is here called restraining of the Spirit Doth it not appoint every thing but the words and after this is it not a goodly Palladium which is contended for and a princely liberty they leave unto the Spirit to be free only in supplying the place of a Vocabulary or a Copia Verborum for as for the matter it is all there described and appointed and to these determinate senses the Spirit must assist or not at all only for the words he shall take his choice Now I enquire which is the most considerable of the two Sense or Language matter or words if the former is it not a greater injury to the Spirit to restrain his matter than to appoint his words so that in the greater of the two the Spirit is restrained when his matter is appointed and to make him amends for not trusting him with the matter without our directions and limitations we trust him to say what he pleaseth so it be to our sense 4. Is it not as much a restraint of the Spirit to sing a Psalm in Metre by appointment as to use a Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving by appointment yet this is done daily by Dissenters without any scruple made which seems to argue great partiality or want of judgment There being then no Scripture precept no evidence of reason against Forms of prayer we may hence rationally conclude that they are lawful For had it been the will of God that publick prayers should be performed by Christians in an extemporary manner and not by forms we may rationally conceive the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of supplication would somewhere have admonished us to pray ex tempore and to beware of Book-prayers and the use of Forms as well as of neglecting this duty altogether or performing it in a careless and undue manner and this the rather because Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving were used in the Jewish Church and because the modesty of many good Christians and the inabilities of many more would naturally prompt them to the use of so ready a help to Devotion as pious and useful Forms of prayer are but so far are we from finding any command in Scripture to pray upon suddain invention that we find no preference given to this way in Scripture above the use of Forms but rather the contrary for when our Saviour taught his Disciples to pray he enjoined them the use of a form As for all other vices by which this duty is corrupted or rendred less acceptable to God the Holy Ghost hath fully cautioned us against them Matt. 6.7 v. 5. Matt. 15.8 Luke 18.10 1 Cor. 14. James 1.6 1 Tim. 2.8 John 9.31 putting in caveats against Battology or much speaking against performing of this duty for ostentation against honouring God with our lips when our hearts are far from
him against vain-glorious and Pharisaical addresses against prayers used in an unknown tongue or not put up in Faith or put up in wrath against the prayer of him who lifts not up pure hands or who continues in his sin but the whole Scripture affords us not one caution against Forms of prayer either in publick or in private and therefore we may rationally suppose that they are not displeasing to him or unacceptable at the throne of Grace Argum. 2 Moreover our blessed Lord hath both commanded and approved a Form of prayer and therefore it unquestionably must be lawful His command to use a Form is evident 1. From those positive words Luke 11.2 when you pray say Our Father c. and though St Matthew varies the words of the command informing us that our Lord said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pray so yet may that please be very well consistent with the other and may import that those words should be used in our prayers for in the form of the Aaronical Benediction the command runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on this wise shall ye bless Numb 6.23 whereas the blessing was pronounced in the very form of words prescribed there And when God put the words into the mouth of Balaam which he was to speak he saith unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Prophets Numb 23.5 Thus saith the Lord thus shall you say unto the house of Israel always imports these words shall you say or the Lord saith 2. The request of Christs Disciples was that He would teach them to pray as John had taught his Disciples Vid. Leight in Matt. 6.9 Now it being ordinary for the Jewish Doctors to compose Forms of prayer for their Scholars it is not to be doubted but that St John did so and consequently that our Lord did so for his Disciples And Thirdly This is farther evident from the words of the Lords Prayer they being not directed to man but God for 't is not said pray to your Father in Heaven that his Name may be hallowed but Our Father hallowed be thy Name And as such did the Antient Church of Christ receive and use it Christ saith Tertullian De Orat. c. 1. Novam orandi formulam determinavit appointed a new form of prayer and this we Christians do begin with In the Apostolick constitutions it is required to be used thrice a day and Austin saith l. 7. c. 25. Ep. 59. ad Paul Qu. 5. that almost the whole Church concluded the Communion Service with it So that if our Dissenters be not men of greater abilities than the Apostles were at least before Christs Resurrection and than the greatest Worthies of the Church after the Resurrection they cannot look upon it as a thing below them to observe this Form of Prayer Again our Lord approved of a Form of prayer by his using the Hymn called the Hallel with his Disciples at the Passover Matt. 26.30 by his presence at the Forms used in the Jewish Service V. 44. and by his thrice repeating the same words even when He used the greatest fervency in prayer Now hence do naturally flow such Corollaries as evidently shew the falsehood of the reasonings of the Dissenters against the lawfulness of Forms as v. g. 1. Hence it follows that such Forms cannot be unlawful worship forbidden by the Second Commandment unless our Lord did both prescribe and by his practice did approve unlawful worship 2. Hence it must follow that the using of a Form can be no hindrance to our Devotion attention fervency in prayer unless our Lord can be supposed to have prescribed that which was thus prejudicial to his Service 3. Hence it will also follow that the using of a Form cannot be prejudicial to the duty of using our own Gifts for had our Lord intended it to be the duty of all Ministers of the Gospel to use their own abilities in publick prayer in opposition to a Form sure He himself would not have given them such a Form to be used in their publick addresses to God De Orat. Dom. p. 141. wherein saith Cyprian we say Our Father because publica nobis est communis oratio it is our Common Prayer 4. Hence it is evident that praying by a Form is well consistent with praying by the Spirit for otherwise our use of the Lords Prayer would be repugnant to prayer by the Spirit Moreover the Saints of the Old Testament and Christ himself and his Disciples prayed as I have shewed by Forms and yet dare any say they prayed not by the Spirit yea all the Churches of Christ from the third Century and the devoutest persons of all the following ages have ever used Forms in publick and dare we say that none of all these Churches or persons ever prayed in publick by the Spirit yea do not France Geneva Holland and almost all Reformed Churches pray by Forms and when the Minister conceives a Prayer is not that prayer a Form unto the people who are confined to pray according to the words he utters as much as by the words prescribed by the Common Prayer and yet dares any one affirm that all these pray without the Spirit of God Argum. 3 But Thirdly Forms of prayer have constantly been used even by the confession of those who plead against them throughout the universal Church of Christ from the Third Century that is above 1300 years and are retained and approved by almost all Reformed Churches and therefore to condemn them as unlawful forbidden by the Second Commandment or by plain precept in the New Testament as impediments to attention and fervency in prayer and to the exercise of the Gifts vouchsafed to the Ministers of Christ to fit them for the work and lastly as false and unacceptable worship is to cast all these reproaches on the whole Church of Christ for so long time at least and to charge all her eminent and pious Clergy as persons guilty through their whole lives of tendring to God a false forbidden worship and being always guilty in their publick service of him of all the crimes forementioned which Nam hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est Ep. 118. p. 558. D. as St Austin truly saith is such a charge as will pronounce the Authors of it guilty of the most insolent madness The confessions of Dissenters to this effect may be seen in Smectymnuus * Answ to the Remonstr p. 7. p. 11. Thes Salm. part 3. loc com 47. N. 49. and the grand debate and the Assertion of Capellus that the use of publick forms obtained in the Vniversal Church through the whole world for above 1300 years will be made good from these considerations 1. That even Pliny †Epist l. 10. ep 97. apud Euseb l. 7. c. 30. p. 281. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth inform us that the Christians in his time did sing an Hymn to Christ as God That Dionysius
here in same latitude 3ly If any large expressions were used in our Liturgy concerning wicked men they might be justifyed by our Lords Parable which calls the man who had not on his wedding garment friend Matt. 22.12 because by coming to the wedding supper he professed himself a Friend by his saying to the Traytor Judas Matt. 26.50 friend wherefore art thou come when he professed friendship to him by a Kiss by St. Paul's saying to the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 12.27 that they were the body of Christ and members in particular and to the Galatians Gal. 3.26 27 28. ye are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus for as many as are baptised into Christ have put on Christ you are all one in Christ Jesus and many other like expressions Object 2 2ly It is objected that the Apostle Paul setting out a meet Form of Congregational Praises and by proportion of Prayers also sheweth that it is the will of the God of Order that for orders sake one should be as the mouth of the Congregation to speak for them and from them to the Lord and the rest give their assent by yielding their Amen to what is spoken by him but the Common-Prayer Book proceeding much in another Form ordereth all the people syllabically to repeat many petitions after the Minister as if they did not acknowledge him to be their mouth to God Thus also do the Presbyterian Commissioners except P. 4. desiring that the repetitions and responsals of the Clerk and People may be omitted the Minister being appointed for the people in all publick services appertaining to God and the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament intimating the peoples part in publick prayers to be only with silence and reverence to attend thereunto and to declare their consent in the close by saying Amen Answ 1 That the Apostle sheweth that it is the will of God that one should so be the mouth of the Congregation in her Prayers and Praises as that the rest should only say Amen cannot be proved for in the place referred to viz. 1 Cor. 14.16 the Apostle only intimates that at least the Idiot should say Amen not that he may never say more 2ly He speaketh there not of the ordinary service to be continued always in the Church but of extraordinary Prayers and Blessings performed by the gift of tongues to which indeed it was impossible the people who were not inspired as the speaker was should do more than say Amen as in prescribed Forms they may 3ly that this was not the only Form for Congregational Praises is evident because they had their Tehillim or Psalms of Praises which they sang together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5.19 saith Paul sibi invicem canentes saith Pliny singing one to and with another Answ 2 Though in those parts of Liturgy which are imployed in benediction consecration or administration of the Sacraments or in the exercise of the power of the Keys it is reasonable that the people should not bear a share because all these are acts appropriated to the Ministerial Office yet do I see no reason why they who are to join with the Minister in Prayer and who are a spiritual Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 9. to offer such spiritual Sacrifices to God should bear no share in uttering any part thereof to signifie the joint consent and union of their Spirits with him in that duty but rather much to plead in favour of the custom of our Church 1. From examples of such Responsals and Petitions occasionally used in the Jewish Church for as the Psalmist in the general doth call upon all men to exalt Gods name together so Psal 34.3 though the Levites were appointed to sing in the Publick Service yet did the people also praise the Lord and say For his mercy endureth for ever 2 Chron. 7.3 Moreover De vita Mosis l. 3. Philo Judaeus doth inform us that the Song of Miriam was uttered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with alternate melodies and the words in the Seventy plead fairly for the same for thus they run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 15.21 and Miriam began unto them saying Let us sing and of the Essenes he saith Euseb Hist Eccles l. 2. c. 17. p. 57. vid. Philon de vit contempl non procul à fine That the President of them standing up sung an Hymn composed in praise of God and after him did others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their orders in convenient manner and when they come unto the close of the Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then all both Men and Women sing together So of Judith it is said Judith 16.1 That she began her Confession to all Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the people sang after her the same Song 2. Because this practice hath obtained from the purest Ages of the Church this custom being introduced saith Socrates L. 6. c. 8. by the great Ignatius did universally obtain on which account Eusebius concludeth of the Essenes Ibid. that they must be Christians because they sang by turns answering one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 3. p. 107. And Gregory Nazianzen saith That Julian the Apostate in imitation of the Christians did appoint among the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Form of Prayer to be said in parts Moreover in the Constitutions stiled Apostolical we find this injunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. c. 57. l. 8. c. 5. that one should sing the Psalms of David and that the people should sing after the ends of the verses that they should all answer and with thy Spirit that they should servently pray for those that are baptized thus Lord have mercy upon them Cap. 8. Save them O God and lift them up by thy mercy that when the Priest hath said Cap. 12. lift up your hearts they should Answer We lift them up unto the Lord when he saith Let us give thanks unto the Lord they should Answer Adding that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. 63. ad Cler. Neocaes It is meet and right so to do that they should all say Holy Holy Holy Lord God of hosts Heaven and Earth is full of thy Glory that when the Bishop said Holy things to holy persons they should all Answer There is one Holy one Lord one Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father blessed for evermore Amen St. Basil tells us That in his time they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sing alternately and then permitting one to begin the melody 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest sing after him Athanasius Apol. de suga p. 717. that he commanded the Deacon to read the Psalm and the people to Answer For his mercy endureth for ever Sozomen saith that they who were skilful l. 5. c. 19. were Praecentors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the multitude answered by consent And lastly Chrysostom
the Paschal Hymn was part of their usual devotions 3. Whereas Dissenters say there is great difference betwixt a Psalm of praises 〈◊〉 ◠15. and our ordinary Prayers and that more liberty may be taken in Psalms and be an Ornament 1. This is said without proof no reason being given why I may not say four times Glory be to the Father as well as Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness 2. Some of the instances here given are of perfect Prayers as those from Psalm 119. and our Divines acknowledge that thanksgiving is a part of Prayer and 3. in the Prayer of Daniel we have the same thing four times repeated in three Verses O our God hear the prayer of thy servant ch 9.17 O my God encline thine ear and hear v. 18. O Lord hear v. 19. whence this Conclusion will arise that the Repetitions used in our Churches Liturgy cannot be charged as vain Repetitions without reflecting upon the practice of our Lord and of the Royal Psalmist Wherefore the thing reproved by our Lord under the name of vain repetition and much speaking is not all length of Prayer or repetition of the same words from such a fervency of spirit as quickens and inflames devotion but it is a lengthening out the time with tautologies out of a vain Opinion that we shall be heard for our much speaking our frequent using the same words and crying out from Morning unto Noon O Baal hear us 1 Kings 18.26 or for the multiplicity of words the time and labour which we spend in Prayer though it be only the labour of the lip The scruples which concern our Liturgy in general being thus dispatch'd I proceed to the consideration of the Objections made against the several Portions of it and of those more especially which do concern the daily or the weekly service of our Church against which it is thus objected viz. Object 1 That whereas Christians are obliged to pray in Faith § 4 and utter words of truth in their addresses to God there be many passages in our Liturgy which cannot be put up to him in faith and truth as v. g. In the Te Deum it is said O Lord in thee have I trusted in the close of the Litany Dr. Chambers Let thy mercy O Lord be shew'd upon us like as we put our trust in thee In the form of the solemnization of Matrimony of Visitation of the sick of Churching of Women and in the Commination is appointed to be said O Lord save thy servant who putteth his trust in thee Now say Dissenters putting trust in the Lord is one discriminating Character of Gods truly holy people Psal 34.8 Psal 121.1 Nah. 1.7 in which number no man of understanding can conceive that all Married Persons all Women delivered from Childbirth all sick persons yea all that join in our Congregational Worship are to be rank'd who yet are plainly and with personal particularity of times avouched to be persons trusting in the Lord no Charity say they will justify these professions made with respect to particular persons many of which persist in such ignorance and wickedness as testifyeth to their faces that they neither truly know nor trust in the Lord their God Answer It is confessed even by those Dissenters who do thus object that in publick Prayers made in a mixt Congregation Dr. Chambers it sufficeth that the words though uttered in general forms be suted to the state of some particulars in such Congregations and indeed otherwise there could be no publick professions of our sence of our sin and misery our shame and sorrow for them our repentance for our past sins no professions of our good desires no promises of amendment or of a thankful remembrance of Gods mercies if he be pleased to vouchsafe them to us no publick thanks return'd for spiritual mercies for regenerating and sanctifying Grace and no expressions of our hope our faith our trust in God Whereas we find expressions of this nature frequent in the Holy Scriptures As for instance 1. By way of Confession and acknowledgment our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them Esa 59.12 We acknowledge O Lord our wickedness and the iniquity of our Fathers Jer. 14.20 2. By way of promise of amendment and that they will return no more to folly Return we beseech thee O Lord God of Hosts look down from heaven behold and visit this Vine Ps 80.14 So will not we go back from thee quicken us and we will call upon thy Name v. 18. thus doth the Prophet Hoseah counsel all Israel to say take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render thee the calves of our lips Hos 14.2 We will not say any more to the works of our hands you are our Gods v. 3. Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name Ps 79.9 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever we will shew forth thy praise to all Generations Vers 13. 3. By way of profession of their waiting upon him for mercy Psal 123.2 Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us where note that this is one of those Psalms of degrees which were sung before the people upon some Ascent or Desk Vid. Hamm. in Psal 120. and it is a profession that they all thus diligently waited upon God therefore will we wait upon thee for thou hast done all these things saith Jeremiah in the name of all Israel Jer. 14.22 by profession of their stedfastness in Gods service notwithstanding all the Calamities they suffered thus the Psalmist having complained that God had cast them off caused their Enemies to triumph over them given them to be eaten up that he had given them up for a reproach and spoil unto the Heathens and scattered them among them c. Psal 44.9.16 He saith all this is come upon us yet have not we forgotten thee nor have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant our heart is not turned back neither are our steps declined out of thy way v. 17 18. if then according to these instances the Jews in general might make profession of their diligent waiting upon God of their stedfastness in his service under all Calamities and of the undeclining streightness of their steps if they might generally promise that they would not go back from God that they would call upon his name to the performance of which duty a promise of salvation is annexed Rom. 10.13 Act. 2.21 that they will render him the calves of their lips and will shew forth his praise though these things actually were done these promises performed only by some why may not we profess in general our trust in God though some who do present themselves before
truly it is no wonder if they who believe the greatest part of mankind condemned from all Eternity by absolute decrees cannot heartily pray for the conversion of all men since this is to desire God to reverse what he hath absolutely determined Wherefore to Answer their Objection Object That the Psalmist prays in direct contradiction to this general Prayer of our Liturgy that God would not be merciful to them that offend of malicious wickedness Psal 59.4 Answer I Answer 1. That Examples out of the Old Testament are no Rule for us under the New Witness that saying of our Lord you have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour Matt. 5.43 44. and shalt hate thine Enemies but I say unto you love your Enemies bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you c. 2. Theodoret upon the place saith that the Psalmist doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foretel not pray and so the Septuagint agreeably enough unto the Hebrew translate the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wilt not be merciful to them that offend of malicious wickedness And the phrase thus interpreted hath no appearance of contradiction to our Liturgy Object 4 Some Petitions in the Common Prayer seem to exceed the bounds of Christian Charity § 7 Dr. Chambers as when we are directed to pray that it may please God to succor help and comfort all that are in danger necessity or tribulation whereas many notorious malefactors are in danger necessity and tribulation For whom it were more necessary to pray in Christian Charity that the Lord would turn their laughter into mourning and their joy into heaviness and one way or other cause their wickedness to come to an end rather than that he would be pleased to succor help and comfort them Again we are say they directed to pray That it may please God to preserve all that travail by land or by water all Women labouring with Child all sick persons and young Children and to shew his pity upon all prisoners and captives Whereas it is evident that there be many travailing by Land and Water as Robbers and Pirates for whose preservation no Christian Charity binds us to pray but rather for the suppression and overthrow of them and all their wicked machinations and there be many bloody Harlots labouring of Child for whose repentance and restraint from their murtherous intentions Christian Charity doth call us to pray rather than for their preservation in common with the honest Matrons in that condition and there are many Prisoners for heinous crimes and who continue hardned and impenitent in them for whom we cannot in any other sense pray in Christian Charity that God would shew pity on them than that he would smite their souls with terror and make them sensible of their wickedness and give them penitently to accept the punishment of their iniquity which if it doth lye within the compass of this Petition of the Liturgy it seems to be too obscurely seeing the Petition in express words doth equally respect and wrap up together all Prisoners whether for vice or virtue and is offered up indefinitely for mercy to be extended to them all which Petition therefore seems to be dark and confused at the best if Charity can make and take that excuse for it Answ 1 In our Petition that it may please God to succour help and comfort all that are in danger necessity and tribulation we follow the example of the whole Eastern Church which in the Liturgy of St Basil prayeth thus Be mindful O God of all that are in any affliction necessity or tribulation And in the Liturgy of St. James For all afflicted and miserable Christians who need the mercy and the help of God And what I pray you is more proper than to make this request unto that God who knoweth every mans desires and necessities whose tender mercies are over all his works who is kind even to the wicked and unthankful Luke 6.35 and is long suffering towards them not being willing they should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 Sure I am the Holy Ghost in Scripture sheweth no such niceness but doth in general stile this gracious God that God who comforteth those that are cast down who raiseth up the poor out of the dust 1 Cor. 7.6 and lifteth up the needy out of the Dunghil Psal 113.7 Psal 145.14 Who upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all that are cast down Why therefore may not we without exception pray unto him so to do Answ 2 When we desire that it may please God to preserve all that travail by Land or by Water c. we also use the Prayer of the whole Christian Church even from the purest Ages of it for in the Liturgies of St. Mark St. Clemens St. Basil Ambrose Chrysostom they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all that travail by land or by water They also prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all afflicted with sickness maladies and diseases for the aged weak infirm and sick so the Liturgy of St. James Chrysostom and Ambrose For young Children in the Liturgy of St. Basil For Prisoners and Captives in the Liturgy of Basil Clemens Chrysostom and in the Constitutions Apostolical And whereas this Objector condemns all Antiquity together with our Church as if they and we prayed for Thieves and Pirates because the words run generally for all that travail c. This is a false Comment on a good Text For do not all men by Travellers understand honest Travellers Dr. Comber or who can properly call a Thief a Traveller Though therefore it is evident that we mean here no other but just and honest persons Yet Secondly should we desire God to preserve a Thief a Pirate c. the meaning would be not to prosper them in their Robberies but to prevent them to keep them from executing their wicked purposes to convert them and so preserve them from the death which mans Law appoints for them on Earth and from that Damnation which God himself threatneth to them in Hell-fire And what harm were it if we did in plain words ask or secretly intend all this To conclude This Petition is suitable to the example of the Psalmist Psal 79.11 who prays thus Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to dye And to the injunction of St. Paul to remember those that are in bonds as bound with them and those that are in adversity as being also in the body Hebr. 13.3 And whether wicked Women who travail with a Bastard-Child are not in a condition most unfit to dye and therefore for whose preservation we have cause to pray I leave it even to Dissenters after mature consideration to determine § 8 But say they we must pray with underderstanding now there be many phrases in the Common Prayer Book which we understand not
all persons to obey those that have the rule over them Heb. 13.17 and submit themselves Rom. 13.1.5 1 Pet. 2.13 and to be subject to the higher powers as to the ordinance of God and that for Conscience sake and the Lords sake He that can satisfie his Conscience in his refusal so to do must shew some Law of God as evidently forbidding his obedience to what Superious do enjoin P. 197. as do these Scriptures command obedience to them in all lawful things I having therefore in this Treatise answered all your pretences for such a prohibition of the Holy Scripture forbidding your submission to the Rites and Constitutions of the Church of England enjoined by Superiors have made it manifest that you can never satisfie your Consciences in your refusal to submit unto them nor can you or your Leaders return a satisfactory Answer to the Questions propounded by that Author to you in these words P. 58. Do they prefer mercy before Sacrifice or comply with the forementioned injunctions of Obedience to their Superiors who will not submit to Rites or Circumstances or to the use of things no where forbidden in the word to prevent Schism and all the dreadful consequences of it but rather will give cause to their Superiors to judge them scandalous Resisters of Authority and pertinacious Disturbers of the Churches Peace 59. Do not they scandalize offend and contribute unto the Ruine of Christs little stock who do involve them in a wretched Schism on the account of things which they may lawfully submit to Do not they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men who forbid them to enter when they may Do not they impose heavy burthens also who say to their Disciples Hear not the Common Prayer Receive not the Sacrament Kneeling suffer not your Children to be signed with the Cross Communicate not with that Minister who wears a Surplice or with that Church which imposeth any Ceremonies or any Constitutions but concerning the time and place of performing Publick Worship If nothing doth so scandalize Christs followers as to find their Teachers at discord and divided can they act as becometh his Disciples who are not willing to procure Vnity and Concord and to avoid this scandal by their submission to things indifferent in their own nature and not forbiden in the law of God § 2 Thirdly He pleads for this submission from that great rule of equity which calls upon you to do to others as you would be dealt with putting the Question to you thus p. 187. Do not you expect obedience from your Children and Servants in like cases Should you command them to come at ten of the Clock into your Parlour to Family Devotions requiring them to come dressed and to kneel at their Devotions would you permit them to refuse to come at the time and to the place appointed because all times and places are indifferent to God or in the garb appointed by you because God regards not habits or to refuse to kneel because they may pray standing Would you not rather judge them contemners of your lawful authority and needlesly and sinfully scrupulous in those matters And must not you by the same Rule be guilty of contemning the lawful Authority of your Civil and Spiritual Fathers and of the Masters of Christs Family by your refusal to submit unto their Constitutions in matters of like nature upon the like accounts or can those Principles derive from him who is the God of order not of confusion 1 Cor. 15.33 which would so evidently should they obtain fill Families as well as Kingdoms and Churches with confusion and destroy their order § 3 Fourthly He argues ad hominem thus If notwithstanding the evidence produced p. 289. that Baptism by immersion is sutable both to the institution of our Lord and his Apostles and was by them ordained to represent our Burial with Christ and so our dying unto Sin Rom. 6.4 Coloss 2.12 and our conformity to his resurrection by newness of life as the Apostle clearly doth explain the meaning of that Rite I say if notwithstanding this Dissenters do agree to sprinkle the baptized Infant why may they not as well submit to the significant ceremonies imposed by our Church for since it is as lawful to add unto Christs institutions a significant ceremony as to diminish a significant ceremony which he or his Apostles instituted and use another in its stead which they did never institute what reason can they have to do the latter and yet refuse submission to the former and why should not the peace and union of the Church be as prevailing with them to perform the one as is their mercy to the Infants body to neglect the other And § 4 Fifthly The said Author shews that our divisions do highly prejudice the Christian Faith Chap. 1. that they gratify the Infidel and Sceptick and scandalize the weak and doubting Christian that they minister to the advantage of the Papist and to the prejudice of the true Protestant Religion that they are highly prejudicial to the State that they have a pernicious influence upon our selves by promoting strife enmity carnality and all the evils consequent upon them by obstructing the love peace unity order and edification of the Church and the benefit of our Prayers by hindring the efficacy of the means of Grace by depriving us of all the blessings of love and peace and by endangering our eternal peace And hence he strongly doth infer That if Dissenters do not think it better that all these evils should ensue than that they should comply or bear with those few ceremonies P. 22. and scrupled expressions of our Liturgy then must they in these matters submit to the commands of their Superiours And p. 29. he puts this serious Question to Dissenters Whether those ceremonies and those expressions in our Liturgy which they at present scruple be so plainly evil and so unquestionably forbidden that for preventing all these dreadful evils they may not be complyed with adding That if they be not so clearly and indispensably evil that these great ends of the promoting the salvation of mens Souls and the preventing of the forementioned evils which do inevitably ensue upon them cannot hallow them they cannot be excused from being accessary to those evils which ensue upon their separating from and their dividing of the Church on these accounts Now that Dissenters cannot rationally judge these things to be thus clearly and indispensably evil or think it better that all these mischiefs should ensue than that they should submit unto them he seems convincingly to prove from these considerations 1. Chap. 6. §. 1. from p. 167. to p. 170. That the duties of promoting Christian love peace unity and the edification of the Church and the preventing of Division Schism and the disturbance of the Civil Government are moral and essential duties which will admit no dispensation so that it is the duty
of all Christians to contend earnestly and strive together with one Soul for the promotion of these duties and the prevention of the contrary evils 2ly p. 176. That the preserving of what is most essential unto the welfare of the Church and to the interests of piety is more to be regarded than the omission of what is only circumstantial to them and that precepts which concern only Rituals p. 46. are to give place to those which do concern the welfare of mens bodies and much more to those which do respect the welfare of our Brothers Soul so that when both cannot together be observed we must neglect or violate the former to observe the latter Agreeably to which assertion Divines do generally lay down this as a certain rule concerning positive commands requiring things which it is not intrinsecally evil to omit viz. That all such things cease to be duties when they are inconsistent with others of a greater consequence there being greater reason and obligation when we cannot do both to do the latter with the omission of the former And this that Author doth confirm 1. From the example of God himself who suffered his own ceremonial institutions to be neglected upon accounts of lesser moment p. 171. viz. circumcision for the convenience of his peoples travels in the wilderness the celebration of the Passover in the 14th day of the first month when they were in a journey about their temporal concerns 2ly From the example and declarations of our Saviour who taught that in all such cases p. 171 172. God would have mercy and not sacrifice approved the action of David and his Servants in eating the Shew-bread which was by Gods prescription to be eaten only by Aaron and his Sons and who commanded the impotent man to take up his Bed and walk upon the Sabbath-day whence he seems evidently to infer 1. p. 173. That if God was pleased to suffer his own institutions in matters ceremonial to be neglected when that neglect was needful to promote some higher end if to preserve the life of man and beast he would permit men to do that which otherwise would have been deemed a breach of his own institution and a prophanation of his day it is not to be doubted but he will permit us to do those things which in their natures may be inconvenient when it is necessary to submit unto them for the promotion of the great ends of love peace unity and the advantage of poor Souls if our respect unto our Brothers life and health will warrant our neglect of many outward duties then surely our respect unto the Churches peace and unity and to the good of Souls may warrant our submission to those things for these good ends which God hath never plainly made it our duty to omit and our Superiours whom he most plainly doth command us to obey in lawful matters do enjoin 2ly p. 175. That if the duties mentioned be of an higher nature than any outward circumstance of worship it cannot be so much our duty to endeavour that Gods worship should be performed without those rites or circumstances as that these higher duties should be practised or to contend for the omission of them with loss or hazard of these more weighty matters if in these moral duties consists the life and substance of Religion and the essentials of true Piety whereas the matters which our Dissenters do contend for relate not to the being of Religion but as they think only unto the purer exercise of some religious duties certain it is they ought not so to contend for the omission of these external circumstances as to impair that charity and peace that unity and edification wherein the substance of Religion and the welfare of the Church consists which seems to be the very Argument St Paul insists on when he saith Rom. 14.17 19. the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace wherefore let us follow after the things which make for peace i. e. Let us not by doing or omitting of these things obstruct the Churches peace or hinder the promotion of those things in which Gods Kingdom more especially consists 3ly p. 176. He asks Whether Dissenters can with good conscience say that Gods glory is as much concerned in the administration of his worship rather in some other way than in that mode which now obtaineth in the Church of England as it is certainly concerned in the performance of those moral duties and in the honour and success of Christian Faith the salvation of Souls the welfare of the State and of the Protestant Religion and whether by joining with us in our publick Ordinances such mischiefs would ensue if not 't is certainly their duty rather to comply with the commands of their Superiors p. 177. though they conceive them burthensome and inconvenient than to administer by their refusal so to do occasion to the greater dishonour of their God and all these dreadful evils both to Church and State which do ensue on that refusal § 5 Sixthly This Author strongly seems to argue for this submission in prosecution of the ends forementioned from the example of St Paul who though he were free from all men 1 Cor. 9.19 20. yet made himself servant to all that he might gain the more to the Jew p. 145. becoming as a Jew that he might gain the Jew c. For sure saith he it well becometh our Dissenters to imitate this great example of St. Paul by conforming their wills as servants do unto the will of their Superiors and doing all that lawfully they can to please and testify their due subjection to them without respect to their liberty to do in order to their being serviceable to the Church in the promotion of the Gospel and the salvation of Souls as the Apostle did when he submitted to the circumcision of Timothy when he undertook a legal purification of himself and offered sacrifice against which actions it is easie to produce more plausible exceptions than they can bring against our Ceremonies especially if we consider that the Apostle did comply Acts 21.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 28.17 not only with the Law of Moses for this end but also with the traditions imposed by the Elders and so did yield unto the very thing which they are so afraid to do § 6 Seventhly This Author proves That Schism is a most pernicious evil Chap. 2. §. 1. this he makes good from Scripture from the concurring suffrage of all the Fathers of the Church from the mischievous and dreadful consequences of it and from the opposition that it bears to the great duties of Charity and Peace of Union and Edification Now certainly it highly must concern us in reason and in Conscience where our mistakes are like to prove of such a fatal consequence to our immortal souls and to expose us to such dreadful evils to be very wary