allowed by the Magistrate Again Thes 263 saith he If Magistrates forbid Ministers to preach or exercise the rest of their Office in their Dominions they are to be obeyed For which he instances in David Solomon and other Kings taking down and setting up Priests and ordering the Officers of the House of God And what he says in his Plea p. 218. That where there is no necessity of their preaching Nonconformists should forbear it condemns the practice of most Nonconformists in England 5. 'T is a little regardable that many of these Antichurches are kept up by those very persons who blew the Trumpets of Rebellion in XLIII and were the most active Pulpiteers in setting forward the late Civil War and after that the Regicide which will be made evident in the ninth Section following And that these Meetings are all kept up by those who look upon themselves as bound by Oath the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour all the days of their lives the extirpation of Church-government by Bishops Deans c. i.e. to endeavour the Overthrow of that Government in the Church which is by Law establisht and so to act over again the Tragedies of Civil War when opportunity and power shall give them leave SECT III. Of Bishops THe Pleader comes next to Bishops and tells us p. 6. 13 14 15. That in Scripture times a Bishop had but one fixed Society one Church or worshipping Assembly under him and that the greatest defenders of Prelacy have affirmed that Churches Provincial Patriarchal National c. are but of Humane Institution Answ So have the greatest defenders of Nonconformity affirmed Churches Congregational Classical and all others as well as Diocesan Provincial c. to be of Humane Institution onely The ordering of such distinction of Churches are left saith Mr. Tombs Theodul p. 21. to divine Providence and humane Prudence Among those great defenders of Prelacy he mentions none but Dr. Hammond Dr. Ham. Annot. on Acts 11.6 which Mr. B. mistakes for Acts 11.30 and that most falsly and injuriously thus That though this Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath been extended to a second Order in the Church and is now onely in use for them under the name of Presbyters yet in Scripture-time it belonged principally if not onely to Bishops there being no Evidence that any of that second Order were then instituted though soon after there were such instituted in all Churches From which words the Pleader infers two things 1. That the Office of a Presbyter that was no Bishop was not in being in Scripture-times 2. That no Bishop had more than one worshipping Assembly at once To the first Answ The Doctor in the next page renders this reason for it That while there was no multitude of Christians there were found none among them that were fit to be constituted Presbyters in our use of the word and therefore contented themselves with a Bishop onely and a Deacon or Deacons to assist him there being saith he then so small store out of which to take more and so small need of ordaining more Intimating that when the number of Christians encreased and there was need of ordaining more that Order should be set up in the Church as it was soon after So that his first conclusion from the Doctor 's words is very falsly inferr'd The other thing that he infers from them is That a Bishop had but one Church or one Worshipping Assembly at once Answ Of which there is not one syllable in the Doctor 's words and how far it is from his meaning and opinion will appear to any that will but turn over his Annotations to the page preliminary to Titus where from Eusebius he affirms Titus to have been Bishop of the Churches of Crete and from St. Chrysostom that Titus had committed to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an intire Island So his Annotations on Tim. 1.3.15 and other places shew how grosly he miscites the Doctor and how falsly he asserts from him That Episcopal Churches in Scripture-times were but single Congregations And 't is strange that Mr. Baxter should say that he knows no proof ever produced of Gods instituting Churches Provincial Patriarchal c. since he himself hath produced such full and solid proof of it and that but lately as in his Christian Directions part 7. p. 127. And N. 4. having proved the particular Orders of Presbyters and Deacons he tells us That besides those in the universal Church in the Apostles days there were many general Officers under Christ that had the care of governing and overseeing Churches up and down and were fixed by stated Relation to none Which shews that beside the fixed Pastors and Deacons of every Church Congregational or Parochial there was in the Apostles times a larger Episcopacy in Gods Church and more general Officers and Overseers to preside and visit the Churches like Colonels and chief Commanders in an Army Officers different from the Captains and stated Officers of every single Company Thus Mr. Baxter and yet now he never saw proof produced of Churches Provincial Patriarchal c. divine institution It hath been proved ex abundanti by Bishop Hall and others particularly Dr. Stillingfleet's Vnreasonableness of Separation that Episcopacy is founded on no other than Scripture Reason Apostolick practice and Antiquity To which I adde but this That the Apostles and Disciples were distinct Orders of Church-Officers as is evident from that of Judas's forfeiting his Bishoprick and Matthias according to the prediction of the Psalm taking it up who being by lot declared to be his Successour was accordingly advanced from the lower Order of Discipleship to that higher one of being an Apostle According to which the Ancients used to compare the Episcopal Office to that of the Apostles and the Presbyters Office to that of the Seventy as Officers employed by and under Bishops And this name Apostle being at last thought too sacred as being fit onely for such as had seen the Lord and were according to the import of the word immediately sent by him therefore in the early times of Primitive Christianity this name Apostle was laid aside and that of Bishop used in its stead implying the same duty and dignity though not of person yet of place as that of Apostle So that what the Apostles were in Christ's own time that are Bishops ever since and what Rank the Seventy had in the Church in Christ's time the same and no other our Ministers have now As for that trite one of the names of Bishop and Presbyter being applied to the same persons it doth no more argue every Presbyter to be a Bishop than the King 's being a Gentleman argues every Gentleman to be a King For admit the names were used in common to both yet where do we finde that the powers are exercised in common also That the Presbyter as well as Bishop has 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of ordaining inflicting Church-censures Conc. Nic. c. 5. Conc.
KEDARMINSTER-Stuff A new PIECE of Print OR A REMNANT OF Mr. BAXTER'S PIÆ FRAVDES UNRAVELLED BEING AN APPENDIX TO Nonconformists Plea for Peace IMPLEADED By J. B. Worcestershire If I should zealously press my Judgment on others and seek to make a Party for it and disturb the Peace of the Church and separate from my Brethren I should fear lest I should prove a Fire-brand in Hell for being such a Fire-brand in the Church I charge you therefore if God should give me up to any factious Church-rending course that you forsake me and follow me not a step See Baxter 's Saints Rest Epist Dedic to the People of Kedarminster p. 8 9. LONDON Printed for Randal Taylor neer Stationers-hall 1681. A REMNANT OF Mr. BAXTER'S PIÆ FRAVDES UNRAVELLED SECT I. Mr. Baxter's Title-page THere 's a Book of late extant called Nonconformists Plea for Peace 'T is called a Plea though it be indeed meer Magisterial dictating above what any Metropolitan would arrogate or pretend to and is apparently more like a Plot than a Plea meerly to disturb the Churches Peace and embroil the Nation 'T is called a Plea for Peace though it be indeed for Schism and no more a Plea for Peace than the Author 's fighting against the King was a making Peace with him See who will how well 't is fitted to alienate the minds of Ministers and People to seduce the Weak and to confirm the Factious to exasperate Governours and possess the minds of men with hateful and rebellious thoughts against their Government to disturb the Peace of Church and State and to lay the Grounds of a lasting Separation and he shall find that 't is more likely to set three Kingdoms in a Flame than to settle Peace in one it being certain that such Paper-lights as these Pleas for Peace did help to inflame the Kingdom with the late Civil War 'T is well known they were such Outcries against Bishops and Ceremonies that first brought in plea the Kings Prerogative 't was pretence to Reformation and the purity of Religion to tenderness of Conscience and the power of Godliness that brought men first to unjust Sequestering and wresting away Estates then to plundering and cutting of Throats and at last to the banishment and murder of Princes In a word to that which in times of the late Usurpation robb'd us of our Laws Government and Peace tore and worried our Church and State making it a prey to Tyranny and Sacriledge which stain'd the Protestant Religion with Royal Bloudshed and cover'd Fields with the Carcasses of many thousand Christians I say that which did this was pretence to Reformation and purity of Religion the Bloud-thirsty Zeal of those Puritans who as Bishop Bancroft foretold would never give over their Cry for Reformation till they had ruined us Church and State and whatever specious titles and pretences this Plea for Peace may have 't is certain its duct and tendency is no better what 's most material in it hath had its disquisition by the judicious Impleader I have now to do but with some of the Rubbish and Impertinencies of it which that worthy Author has past by as less worthy of his notice SECT II. Of their Separate Congregations THE Pleader begins with Churches His first undertaking is to shew what Churches are of Divine Institution and what not where he endeavours by dark Definition and nice Division to make the Church like the Multitude many Heads the forking it into Dichotomies meerly to amuse the people representing to them the Notion of a Church as some unintelligible thing to make their Schism the harder to be discerned He tells us p. 8. He doubts not but that a Society of Neighbour-Christians associated with a Pastor for personal Communion in Doctrine Discipline and Worship such as their Meetings are is of Divine Institution His 16th and 17th Sections are to the same purpose which I have found his Followers to take for proof that their Congregations are true Churches and of Divine Institution But I doubt not there are thousands of good Christians in England that will as soon believe these Assemblers Heads to be truly Steeples as those Assemblies to be true Churches especially as now managed 1. To the great contempt of those more publick Assemblies that have the stamp of Authority both from God and man and which are of that which is the onely Church National that ever was reformed from Popery by a Law and not out of Huddles and Tumults as Geneva and most of the Reformed Churches beyond Sea were which Reformed Church or Churches in England as the first Reformers planted with their Sweat so their Successours watered with their Bloud and particularly those Martyrs Cranmer Ridley and others that were the first Compilers of the Common-prayer 2. Their Antichurches are kept up to the begetting of those Schisms and Divisions which the best of Christians in Primitive times have accounted as bad as Heresie as Chrysost Epist ad Eph. Edit secund p. 823. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To divide the Church says he is no less evil or sinful than to fall into Heresie And Aug. Ep. contra Parmen l. 2. 2. Vix crimen aliquod c. There is scarce any thing so bad as Schism not Idolatry said Dyonis ap Euseb l. 6. Not Sacriledge said Optatus l. 1. 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the original of Evils said Ignatius Ep. ad Smyr Mr. Baxter says Plea p. 3. Indeed could they find out the Schismatick he hopes he would be condemned of all But what Quaker Papist or Schismatick whoever could not say as much And if they knew indeed what Schism is says he p. 3. they would avoid it As though all those most learned and best of men in their Ages Ignatius Cyprian Augustine and others that wrote so much against Schism knew not what Schism is but wrote against they knew not what or as though so great a Polygraphus as Mr. Baxter after so many years dabling in their Writings could not find out the definition of Schism But 3. God never instituted Churches to be kept up in disobedience to those Christian Magistrates which he commands us to obey upon pain of damnation i. e. eternal damnation as Mr. Baxter expounds it H. Commonwealth p. 352. telling us further Thes 319. That disobedience to our Rulers is in Ministers says he double treason and wickedness 4. In his same H. Commonwealth Thes 240. he teacheth That 't is necessary to the Churches peace that no private Congregations may be gathered or Antichurches erected without approbation and toleration from the Magistrate Where he means plain enough all Congregations separate or distinct from the Parish-Churches as theirs now are Adding in the same page That if private Assemblies be permitted unlimitedly then 1. it will be impossible to restrain Heresie Infidelity or Impiety yea 2. they may meet saith Mr. Baxter to plot against the Magistrate And no Assemblies whatever says he meaning beside those of the Parish-Church are to be
Ant. c. 6. c. The Councils of Nice and Antioch expressing a manifest distinction between Bishops and Presbyters do declare the Disciplinary proceedings of Church-censures to be under the Bishops ordering and not the Presbyters But in this I am prevented by that late excellent Treatise The Vnreasonableness of Separation onely let me observe Mr. Baxter's Argument against Episcopacy Plea p. 17. Having worded it thus That Bishops cannot morally beget the Species of Presbyters he argues If Ecclesiastical Generation imitate Natural then Bishops would beget but their like men beget men Physicians make Physicians and so says he Bishops may beget Bishops Answ As though Bishops should be consecrated in their Mothers womb and Presbyters be ordained such before they were born and as though they could not be Bishops or Presbyters jure divino unless they were born such This is I think the true import and force of his Argument not much unlike to that of his Scotch-brother who reading in Genesis the History of the Creation concludes thus Here 's not a word of Bishops of all that God made therefore Bishops are not Jure divino The unchurching of Tim. and Tit. p. 1 2 3. Ejusdem Farinae is that of Brother Prynn who concludes Timothy to be no Bishop 1. Because St. Paul and St. Luke who were acquainted with him never called him Bishop 2. Because he was St. Paul's Associate and Fellow-traveller 3. Because St. Paul calls him a Minister of God 4. Because he was a young man And I doubt not but Mr. Baxter's late Book against Episcopacy will appear altogether as futile and doubty when it has had its due disquisition SECT IV. Mr. Baxter's Character of Bishops FRom Arguments the Pleader proceeds to down-right reviling and railing Accusations stiling the Bishops Plea 2 part p. 153. 160. Proud Diotrepheses and that it is the lordly proud and impatient spirits of the Pastors of the Church that are the great disturbers and dividers of it maliciously hinting 2 Plea p. 174 175. That there are some of our Bishops that scarce believe that there is a God or a Life to come And in his Book of Concord p. 122. he calls them The Military Instruments of the Devil Concerning the latter of these I shall onely say to the Pleader as Michael said to the Devil The Lord rebuke thee Jude 9. though the Apostle in the foregoing verse calls them Filthy dreamers that despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities he calls them Raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame v. 13. murmurers and complainers whose mouths speak swelling words v. 16. even they who separate themselves v. 19. As to the former part of his Railery 't is strange that he should call Bishops proud Diotrepheses since according to that charge of St. John against Diotrephes which he alludes to Joh. 9. none can be called such but they who refuse the Authority of Bishops prating against them maliciouslly which was that St. John blamed Diotrephes for in his loving to have the preheminence But who are more likely the proud Diotrephes's they who teach and practise Obedience to their Rulers according to Gods Word or they who magisterially set up their own Domination Judgment and Will as the Rule of Order Unity and Peace though in sinful opposition to their Rulers Princely prescribing to all Christian Churches the true and onely terms of Concord as the Pleader in his Plea's and other Books hath done Who but a Pope or Scotch Archegus could have dictated concerning the killing and deposing of Kings as Mr. Baxter has done in his H. Commonw Thes 358. compared with 368. If the King says he raise War against the Parliament upon their declaration of the dangers of the Commonwealth in that case the people may not onely resist him i. e. fight against and kill him if they can but also saith he he ceases to be King Nay let him strain the very Papal Tyranny to what pitch of Insolence and Imposition he pleases there are Presbyterian Claims and Presidents will equal it Witness that of their Brethren in Scotland in and since King James's time whose Discipline they would have had in England they vindicated to themselves and their Consistory a soveraign universal and independent power in all things spiritual They had not onely the Directive but Legislative Power also and all temporal things in ordine ad Spiritualia came within the verge of their Scepter all Soveraign power had onely the Executive power of doing as they commanded and was bound to preserve by its Power and Arms their sacred Priviledges and Soveraignty Whatever Laws enacted by King and Parliament they conceived to be against the Laws of Christ i. e. Presbytery in chief the Presbyterian Ministers had power to repeal and to discharge the Subjects from obeying They might decree Laws of their own not onely contrary to but destructive of the Laws of the Land The King was bound to keep their Laws and put them in execution and if neither he nor his Council would do it the Nobles and Commons nay every individual person was bound to do it at their direction as may be seen in Presbytery displayed A. Bishop Bromhall and others This is that Presbytery which was in Scotland and which Nonconformists would have had in England What 's there in Episcopal Jurisdiction to this Presbyterian Insolence their power of citing before their Judicatory the King and his Family of excommunicating him in case of non-appearance their subjecting his earthly Scepter to theirs which they called the Scepter of Christ in a word his being forc'd to do whatever these Presbyterian Ministers enjoyned was that which King James had the smart experience of and therefore in the Conference at Hampton-Court p. 79. saith the King A Scotish Presbytery as well agrees with Monarchy as God and the Devil then Jack and Tom and Will and Dick shall meet and at their pleasure censure me and my Council and all my Proceedings then Tom shall stand up and say It shall be thus Dick shall reply and say It shall be thus And therefore says the King to Dr. Reignolds till you find I grow pussie and lazie I pray you good Doctor let Presbytery alone for if that be once up in England I am sure it will keep me in breath The Patriarchal Presbyters among them were honoured and attended more like Kings or Princes than Presbyters or Prelates In a word such was the Domination and Lordly pride of the Nonconforming Brethren of Scotland that 't is certain no Bishop or Archbishop in England Scotland or Ireland hath used more Authority or Lorded it more arrogantly than these Presbyterian pretenders to parity Consult who will Mr. Baxter's Writings and he shall finde that England had never such an Aristarchus the whole world had never such a Metropolitan except the Pope for Magisterial prescribing insolent despising and censuring even all the Christian Churches in the world whose practices agree not with his capricious humour is
doth ill become such holy judicious c. 2. This is no more than what the Pharisees of old the Anabaptists and Quakers of late have opinioned of themselves The Order of Jesuits in the Church of Rome have stiled themselves the Saintly Brotherhood and 't is certain that many Quakers excel them in their affected Gravity many Anabaptists in Piety the Prelates in Learning and preaching and some Jesuits in all four But 3. Who will regard this Thrasonism this boasting humour since 't is that which the Holy Ghost hath so plainly foretold and condemn'd That in the latter days perilous times should come when men should be lovers of themselves boasters proud false accusers fierce despisers of them that are good traytors heady high-minded From such turn away 2 Tim. 3.2 4. As for their Character of Holiness he gives them observe who will their Carriage and Conversation and he shall find but few things in them excelling Conformists except their looking disdainfully walking and talking demurely as those of their predecessors in the 23 Mat. 14.9 Mat. 11.26 Act. 5. boasting and conceiting of themselves above others avoiding the company of such as they think worse than themselves of being of the strictest Sect or profession in Religion their straining at a Gnat as the Pleader doth about Christmas-day when such camels as Perjury Sacriledge and Disobedience to Magistrates will down well enough their starcht Conversation supercilious and contemptuous Carriage towards all that are not of their Opinion in Religion insomuch that one that never saw their faces before may discern them for the most part from any sort of people in England except Quakers onely 5. As for the commendation he gives of their Ability or Learning however they now arrogate the reputation of it it is not long since Learning was judged by some of them to unqualifie men for approbation to the Ministry Parts and Abilities were reputed Qualities no way Ministerial While Friends and Faction well-meaning and little understanding have been Accomplishments beyond Study and University when humane Learning as one observes hath been scoft at as vain Philosophy and the enticing words of man and under the notion of the foolishness of preaching the simplicity of the Gospel c. Ignorance hath got the stamp of Jus Divinum and natural Weakness has past for supernatural Grace But 6. There 's none questions the Pleaders abilities he 's able to divide the Church into Species semper divisibiles into nothing and as a Nonconformist said of him to distinguish himself into a Fart How many Nonconformists in England beside himself could in the twenty years study he speaks of finde out so many feeble Exceptions as he hath done whereby to amuse and ensnare the Rabble in the opinion of the sinfulness of Conformity And there are among them no doubt men of great Learning and Abilities as he says but allowing for the disproportion of number between them and Conformists and 't is certain there will be found among them more Grossum-caputs by far than the Church of England will own I know one of them that because he was generally reputed one of the ablest I shall here make this mention of In a considerable Company disputing with his Parish-Minister fiercely against Ceremonies and particularly kneeling being sufficiently baffled rose from his seat and with eyes and hands lift up gave God thanks that he was none of the Disputers of this world which was judged by his Party a sufficient Confutation of the Adversary and Denomination of an able man And taking their Abilities by such measures as these they are all acknowledged as the Pleader calls them able men But admit they were indeed men of better learning preaching and living as they are not 't is certain no Heresie or Schism in the Church no Sedition or Rebellion in the State could be carried on but by such men who by a demure conversation and tolerable parts are able to inflame the people with unreasonable Zeal to sanctifie politick Villany and put a varnish of Religion on the blackest designes Schismaticks had always this to say for themselves The Donatists and Novatians were purer than others and therefore separated from the ordinary Christian-Assemblies Arrius who denied the Divinity of Christ was looked upon as a man of good learning and life but were these men ever the less Schismaticks for their great Learning and plausible Conversations no but much worse As for their Preaching he so commends there are no doubt many among them of great Dexterity and Skill otherwise how could they keep up their Separation But 1. Are there not such among Conformists 2. Are there not many of the Nonconformists much followed who have nothing whereon to fix that Character but twang and tautology noise hum and haw schreeching and bawling like Baal's Priests as though God were no neerer them than the visible Heavens And here let not the Pleader think that I speak of all of them or that I undervalue much less deride serious and affectionate preaching for I have as great a veneration for it as himself and were there a real distinction between affectionate preaching which Nonconformists so affect and rational convincing preaching which Conformists so excel in I had rather hear one Sermon of the former kind than two of the latter As for his stiling Nonconformists the glory of the Churches of the King and Kingdom and such Ministers as no Prince in the world is equally blest with I say but this Then they are much mended since it was used to be disputed whether the Jesuits or Puritans were like to prove more pernicious and dangerous to the Commonwealth where both or either of them lived Vid. Watson's Quodlibet 2 Art 1. And since the Lord Keeper Puckering proposed the same thing to the Parliament delivering to them Queen Elizabeth's Command That they hearken not to the sollicitations of those called Puritans who said she do nothing but disturb the Peace and good Repose of Church and Common-wealth And concerning the same persons Dr. John Burgess in his Rejoynder p. 629. observes That as under the Name of Christ and pretence of advancing his Kingdom Antichrist was set up so under the name of Antichrist and pretence of onely opposing him the Kingdom of Christ may be pulled down and in part already is says he and men scarcely feel or fear it And 't is observed out of Bishop Bancroft The Apol. for Bishops voting in Parliament p. 73. that he long since foretold That the Puritans would never give over their clamour for Reformation till they had utterly ruined the whole Kingdom and Church if they were not timely supprest Adding that of Livy Vrgentibus Rempubl fatis Dei hominum salutares admonitiones spernuntur And though the Nonconformists are as I really believe irreconcilable haters of Popery yet if Bishop Whitgift or Dr. Oates be to be believed 't is certain they contribute their endeavours to the bringing in of Popery though they are not
were not the immediate fore-runner and much of the cause of the late Civil War Q. 8. Whether all those convulsive State-troubles we are in all those Fears and Jealousies of Popery that the Nation groans under be not truly and rightly ascribed to those Abettors of Nonconformist-principles who banished the D. of Y. thither where he was seduced to the Church of Rome Q. 9. Whether that tenderness of Conscience and purity of Religion which Nonconformists so pretend to can consist with that schismatical disturbance of the Churches Peace that despising Dominion and speaking evil of Dignities that vilifying of Ministers and disobeying of Magistrates which Nonconformists are so notoriously guilty of and which are as contrary to the Word of God as Mr. Tombs's Anabaptistry the Hungarian's Polygamy lying stealing drunkenness c. Q. 10. Whether these Nonconformity-scruples can in the judgment of right Reason or Religion countervail one of those many evils of those divisions of Church and State which they occasion Such are 1. That want of Christian love and tenderness of affection which Christ so much enforceth upon his Church and People much unchristian censoriousness and rash judging one another that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that bitter envying and strife which St. James so condemns as carnal sensual devilish Jam. 3.14 15. By all which God is certainly offended Christian Charity much violated the Churches Peace disturbed its Enemies most gratified Christianity it self reproached Irreligion and Ungodliness encouraged Constantine observed That the separation of the Donatists made those that least zeal'd Religion to deride and scoff at it Optatus notes Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 10. That whilst the Donatists made a breach in the Church about matters of Discipline and contended that their Separation was lawful and the Orthodox Church decry'd it as unlawful the common people were at a stand about the practice of Religion inter vestrum licet nostrum non licet nutant remigrant animae populorum And one way in particular whereby it is very apt to promote Profaneness and Irreligion is by rendering Church-censures and particularly Excommunication ineffectual on Offenders What care they for being excluded the Society of Christians as long as so many reputed religious do upon the very account of Religion voluntarily exclude themselves 2. The endangering the Safety and Interest of the Kingdom Church-divisions have brought most dreadful Ruines on Kingdoms and Countries He that reads the History of the Turks and Eastern Empire shall find that the Christians State-divisions which were founded on their Church-divisions lay'd the foundation whereon the Turks erected their Dominions in those places which was the rooting out of their publick Christian Profession And Josephus relates That the Divisions of Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation Prol. de Bel. Jud. exposed them to the desolation brought upon them by the Romans Such is the evil of Church-divisions that Dion Alex. said That to suffer Martyrdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. rather than to divide the Church by Schisms is not less glorious than to be a Martyr for refusing to offer Sacrifice to Idols 3. A third evil of the present Church-divisions is the declining of the regular and publick exercise of their Ministerial Functions which the ancient Christians shew'd such dislike of that if any Bishop Presbyter or Deacon being ordained did not undertake his Ministration Con. Ant. c. 17. he was to be separated from all Christian Society and to be condemned with the same severity as he who undertook the place and minded it not which regular and publick Ministration no Nonconformist can in Reason or Religion pretend to so long as it is in such manifest contempt of lawful Authority as the Holy Scriptures condemn for heinous sin much less can they pretend to it that have wholly laid aside their Ministration or Exercise of their Ministry as is the case of many Nonconformists that I could name Were the Pleader employed in this matter I doubt not he would produce an Induction of a hundred such particulars shewing the great evil and sinfulness the pernicious duct and tendency of the present Separation Yet this beloved Separation must be kept up though on no other grounds than that on which the late Civil War was raised viz. pretence to Reformation and purity of Religion like the Papists Oath of Secrecy for carrying on the present Plot which though every word of it almost be Blasphemy or Treason Bolron's Narrative yet is called a good and pious Designe Whereas if they had the liberty of reforming what were the Reformation but meer Tinkery mending one hole and making two as it was with them in Queen Elizabeth's time there were four Classes that had set up themselves in this Kingdom who addrest themselves to the Lord Burleigh for alteration of the Liturgy Dr. Ham. view of the Direct p. 2. they had granted them the liberty of reforming and making a new one somewhat according to the Geneva form but this the second Classis disliked and altered in 600 particulars That again had the fate to be quarrel'd at by the third Classis and almost as many faults found with it as the first and the third was in like manner quarrell'd at by the fourth So that at last the dissenting of those Brethren like the division of Tongues at Babel kept the Tower from advancing any higher I would now conclude with my humble request to Mr. Baxter That he would forbear any further vilifying of Ministers railing at Bishops and scribling against Ceremonies c. as that which hath contributed very far to the great danger we are in of ruine both to Church and Kingdom But I know 't is as good forbid his Beard to grow I shall end therefore as I began with reminding him of his own words in Saints Rest Epist Dedic to the People of Kedarminster p. 8 9. If I should zealously press my Judgment on others and seek to make a Party for it as he hath done and disturb the Peace of the Church and separate from my Brethren as he doth I should fear lest I should prove a Fire-brand in Hell which God forbid for being such a Fire-brand in the Church as he is I charge you therefore if God should give me up to any factious Church rending course as he hath that you follow me not a step as you do Amen Amen FINIS ADVERTISEMENT ☞ Some seasonable Advice to all Protestant People of England heartily recommended by a Lover of his Country Printed for Randal Taylor 1681.