in all these places where the Gospel of Jesus Christ was Received all having the same Faith the same Sacraments and the same Form of Government so as they seemed but one Body and in a perfect Unity one with another that every thing might be done with Decency and in Order Socrates and Euschius have given us whole Catalogues of Bishops successively to their Times and we find them nominated in many Histories and Writings of Old and from their beginning deduced down to our Times This is the Regiment you would have pull'd down this is one Form you oppose a Government of Divine Institution by that of the Holy Ghost conferred on the Apostles and by them on others and so successively in the Church in all Ages and thorow all times by Ordination and Laying on of Hands so that there can hardly be manifested a more plain and evident Truth I am not Ignorant that you admit of the Name of Bishops and of Presbyters but would make them of equal Authority you would indeed be all Bishops or Popes rather Subjection and Obedience are things that have seem'd very scandalous to you But there is nothing more plain than that Bishops had not only the preheminency of Order but of Rule also And as there were in the Jewish Church the High Priest the Inferior Priest and the Levites who were not only different in Order and Superiority but there was a distinction so that the one might do what the other might not do the Levites might not Intrench on the Office of the Priests and the Priests could not enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum So in the Church of Christ the Bishops the Presbyters and the Deacons were distinct in Order and Office the Deacons were subservient to the Presbyters and they to the Bishop to whom the Power of Rule and Ordination was only given and the Presbyters again received theirs of Administring the Sacraments Dispensing the Word c. from them being by them Ordained thereto The Bishops are the Fathers the other the Children they Command not as Lords and Arbitrarily these obey not as Slaves but as Sons they Rule and these obey according to the Word of God and according to that Primitive Institution which made that excellent Harmony all things being done for the Glory of God I know the many long and tedious Cavils and Disputes which some of the most Subtle of you have entred into about this thing and what dust you have raised about this Jurisdiction But it has been all laid and none that have Eyes but can see clearly into the matter that Christ gave Power to his Apostles to Rule and Govern his Church and that the same Power was by them Conferred to others Mar. 16.15 Matt. 10.24 Matt. 28.19 20. and so shall continue to the end of the World according to Christs Commission But if you cannot find in Scripture that you ought to submit to Bishops as your Fathers I hope you will believe Mr. Calvin and for his sake have at least a better Opinion of them who says Calvin Epist ad Card. Sandolet Nullo non anathemate dignos Arbitror qui se Episcopis libentissime non submittunt I think them worthy of a Curse who do not willingly submit themselves to Bishops Open then your Eyes at last and look not so asquint on this Form of Government and more particularly as it is here Establish'd in the Church of England which certainly is the most like and comes nearest to the Primitive Institution of the Apostles and the next Ages of any Church in the World both for the Purity of its Doctrine and the Order of its Government its Ceremonies being both Few and Decent and its Power regulated by Just Laws And as one says Vindication of the Conforming Clergy p. 50. The Church of England is a body of so firm a Constitution and so excellently Temper'd and so well Shap'd and of so clear a Strength and Vigor in all its Limbs that no outward Force is able to Injure it nothing but some inward Corruption and decay in the Vital parts that can possibly bring it to the Ground Indeed you had trip'd up its Heels and lay'd it along but it was but a Foil you see how soon it arose again and in that little Interspace or Interregnum as I may term it what horrid Confusions were amongst us With all your Arts you could not hinder others from invading your Province Instead of Surplices you beheld Scarlet Cloaks Wigs and Swords as Ornaments to those who Preached in your Pulpits nay the very Women invading the Chair and challenging a Liberty though expresly contrary to the Rule of the Apostle You saw what ill Steers-men you were and how the Ship of the Common-wealth thrived under your Government in what danger of Drowning or of being Split upon the Rocks or Perishing in the Quicksands Methinks this little Tryal might Convince you of the Weakness and Imbecillity of the one and the Firmness and excellent Temper of the other Government by which this Land has so long Flourished and which is so fitted not only to Monarchy making that Maxim good as we by Experience saw no Bishop no King but also to the Temper and Constitution of the People of England that there can be no better Government ever thought on which shall be here so well Approved and Received It is not only my Opinion but of many more the most Eminent and Learned of the Nation and those not of small Repute and who have been Able to give sufficient Proof to maintain their good Opinion of the Excellency of our present Form of Church Government and among the rest the Learned Mr. Hooker has these Words Pref. Sect. 1. which he sets down as his full Perswasion Surely the present Form of Church Government which the Laws of this Land have Established is such as no Law of God nor Reason of Man hath hitherto been alledged of force sufficient to prove they do ill who to the uttermost of their power withstand the alteration thereof And contrarywise The other which instead of it we are required to accept is only by Error and Misconceit named the Ordinanee of Jesus Christ no one proof as yet brought forth whereby it may clearly appear to be so in very deed And these two Assertions he hath so fully and unanswerably Maintained in his excellent Book of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity that methinks you should lay your Finger on your Mouths and no longer speak against this Form of Church Government nor remain at this Distance and in this state of Separation till you have found out better Arguments for to Justifie your so doing than those you have yet made known to the World However low and mean Opinion you have of this Form of Church Government as it is now Establish'd in England 't is otherwise respected abroad By others 't is look'd upon with Envy and Admiration The beauty of the Church of England is not so
as to what belongs to our Salvation yet it is no ways derogatory from its fullness and sufficiency to say that we cannot make use of this Rule without the Light of our Reason and also that in Civil things we may with a Christian Liberty do many things that we find not in Scripture by the meer use of Reason alone and that very Lawfully and without Sin so those things be not contradictory to the Word of God If then our Governors have a Power given them that they may Ordain and Constitute divers Ceremonies in the Church though not mentioned and found in Scripture then ought Inferiors to submit to such Laws and Rules and are in Duty bound to observe them when they are injoyned by a Lawful Authority Do but consider with your selves that whilst you so strictly Demand Scripture to be shown for the use of Ceremonies and other things made use of in the Church of England may not others with the like Liberty bid you to show what Example or Command you have in Scripture for your Lay Presbyters your Classes your stone Churches your Tythes your Infant Sprinklings your Singing Psalms your Weekly Sabbath all these things you know have been Objected against you to which you led the Way and opened the Gap by such your unreasonable Demands If Man hath not a Liberty given him to make use of his Reason in Ordering the Affairs of the Church or in altering many things and adding others as may be Convenient to the temper and constitution of Times but must have a Precedent or Command for it expresly in Scripture how did David err when he thought to build a Temple at Jerusalem 2 Sam. 1.2 3 1 King 8.5 2 Chron. 7.6 7.30.23 Which the Prophet approved of Or Solomon for keeping a Feast of seven days for the Dedication of the Altar Or Hezekiah for continuing the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days longer than the time appointed by the Law Or Mordecai for making an Ordinance for the Yearly observation of the Feast of Purim Esth 9.27 The building of Synagogues wearing of Sackcloth and Ashes in sign of Humiliation their Fasts more then were Commanded immediately by God Zach. 8.19 were all of Humane Institution and without doubt Lawful Times alter and what at one Time may be thought Fitting and Harmless at another would be accounted Scandalous and Unfitting as that Osculum Charitatis used in the Times of the Apostles and approved of by them Rom. 16.16 2 Cor. 13.12 would now give Cause of offence and those Agapae or Love Feasts used by the Primitive Christians at first Innocent enough but soon grew to be worthy of Reproof by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. There is Milk for Babes and Meat for stronger Men. There is a difference between the Church in its Infancy and after the growth of so many Years It has been Corrupted and grown four on its Lees and it hath been again Purged and Refined therefore there must of necessity have been several Laws Rules Canons and Institutions framed for its several Dispensations most agreeable to the temper of the Ages and the Times in which they were made And the Orders of the Times of the Apostles themselves are not in all things now to be urged as of absolute necessity I cannot but wonder since that these Ceremonies and Rites of the Church are by you accounted of but as Mint and Cummin nay by some Condemned as Toys Trifles and Follies that you should stand so stifly against them but those of the Church of England thinking not so meanly of them have therefore the more Reason to stand for their Continuance They say there ought to be a bowing of the Knee as well as of the Heart That by outward Actions the Mind is stirred up with greater fervency to Attention and Devotion That Solemnities have been in all Ages both in Religious and Divine matters as well as Civil That these things are necessary and of use as Garments to the Body That without them Religion would appear Naked and Uncomly That they are also Edifying and Significant That they move the Heart and the Affections and that they are of great use and force That they have been Instituted not without great Care and Deliberation by Holy Pious and Learned Men That they have been long Confirmed in the Minds of Men That to alter or abolish them would be Dangerous and Scandalous That they are Harmless and Innocent of themselves That they give not the Offence but that it is taken Unjustly against them That under the Use of them the Land hath long flourished with Peace and Prosperity till our late distracted Times That since God hath again Restored them almost Miraculously when they were thought to be Dead and for ever Extinguished These things Considered and that they appear not such Trifles to them as you account them they have more Reason not to Depart from them and you less to Insist upon their Abolishment But alas 't is not only Ceremony that you would take way but the Root and Branch as you are wont to say of Episcopacy the Bishops it seems are also Popery they must not stand but is not Self all the while at the Bottom Is it not that you may Reign in their stead with your Lay Elders And what is this Episcopacy so much Cry'd out against by you and others of your Dissenting stamp I 'll tell you in the Learned Mr. Chillingworth's Words Episcopacy in the Essentiality of it is an appointment of one Man of eminent Sanctity and Sufficiency to have a Care of all the Churches within a certain Precinct or Diocess furnished with Authority not Absolute or Arbitrary but Regulated by Laws to the intent that all the Churches under him may be provided of Good and Able Pastors or Presbyters This is the Government you are so scandaliz'd at and which you would take away being the Institution of Christ himself who made his Apostles Bishops or Overseers of his Church for Matthias was chosen to an Episcopal Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And St. Act. 1. Cyp. l. 3. Ep. 9 Cyprian calls all the Apostles by the same Name Episcopos And although they had a large Commission from Christ Go Baptize all Nations and seem Indefinite yet we find some of them Bishops by Restraint as St. James at Jerusalem St. Paul took to himself the Care of the Gentiles and St. Peter of the Jews St. John took Charge of Asia the Less where were afterwards seven Churches governed by so many Bishops termed by St. John Angels Rev. 2. And the Apostles themselves appointed others as Titus and Timothy at first Agents only in their stead and afterwards with Apostolical power of their own And if there be any Credit to be given to History and to Antiquity it self we find that Linus was made Bishop of Rome by the Apostles Iren. l. 3. c. 3 Polycarpus of Smyrna Evodius of Antioch and Titus of Creet Erecting Churches
for Conscience sake they would submit should the King and Parliament by their Authority take away those Ceremonies about which you Contend They have learnt better than to Rebel and the Doctrine of of their Church hath imbued them with sounder and better Principles But God forbid that to gratifie those who can show no sound Reason for what they would have no lawful or weighty plea for what they do and can pretend nothing but a stubborn Will and refractory Conscience that the decent Garments of the Church should be curtail'd or taken from her or that she should lose the least shred thereof But have you forgot already how vehemently you pressed Obedience from your Pulpits And these very Texts now shown you were in all your Mouths when you would have set up your own Sanctified Form to bring the People to your Lure and to submit to your Rule If they were then the Commands of God and ought to be obeyed how comes it that they are not so still Or do the Bishops Command worse things than Goodwyn Manton or Nye Is submission to these Lawful to those not Does not the fifth Commandment Honor your Father reach to your King the Father of his Country Icon Bas p. 285. Or to the Bishops the Fathers of the Church The Royal Martyr observes that you had not Loyalty enough to say Amen to those Petitions for his Majesty which are in the Common Prayer and that he believed it was one of the greatest faults some Men could find in it What signifies it to Command if there be no Obedience There ought to be an Harmony betwixt Commanding and Obeying they should go Hand in Hand they are both Arts or rather make up but one Science for one cannot be well without the other King cannot be well without Subjects nor Subjects without one to Command Eras Imperare parere imperio Ars emnium pulcherrima quae duae res a Civibus excludunt seditiones tuentur Concordiam They are Correlatives and make up but one fair Art but 't is these two that maintain Concord Amity and Peace and shut out Seditions and Rebellions For your Kings sake for the sake of the Laws and for your Countries sake Amor Patriae ratione valentior omni Ovid. de Pont. which should be of more Power to perswade you than any Argument I could bring Harken at last to good Counsel and be longer Obstinate do not provoke Clemency it self to Anger and Mercy to Justice Frangendum est Mo. Viat quod nulla Caput Clementia Mollit If nothing will mollifie you may you not expect to be broken Outlying Deer are to be frightned within the Pale for their own security Psal 95.8 5. Harden not your Hearts to day if you will hear his Voice let it be instantly accept of the proffered kindness defer it no longer put it not off till to morrow Prov. 27.1 For you know not what a day may bring forth And now after all this what should I say more to urge and perswade you to Conformity I have already told you the danger we are in by these Distractions caused by your Disunion and the Evil that seems to hang over our Heads threatning us with the stormy cloud of Popery Fire and Fagot seem to be enkindling in our Streets by your dissertion new Plots to embroyl a Nation are incouraged by your Nonconformity and a great Gap is made whereby our present Adversaries are ready to enter and to overturn the Fabrick of our Church by your Breach Behold all this I beseech you with an Eye of Pity and Commiseration and stand no longer on Scruples and Niceties Be not affrighted at Mormoes of your own making yield at last to necessity and involve not all in ruin by your obstinacy Leave all By-respects and Self-interest examine your Consciences and deal nakedly with your own Souls and tell us truly if you do not think an Unity betwixt you and your Brethren would not be an happiness to this Nation You cannot but Know it and Confess it secretly Lay aside then your Terms stand not so stifly upon Capitulations acknowledge that 't is as Lawful for Bishops to Rule as for the Superintendents in the Lutheran Churches or leading Presbyters in Geneva Boggle no longer at Words startle not at Titles Lords Masters Fathers are Scriptural phrases and given to good and holy Men. They are Terms not unfitting and avowable But are these things to be stood upon now Are they of value to Continue the Breach betwixt you Ought there to be this difference about Indifferent things Is it not better to take St. Rom. 14.3 Paul's Counsel to the Romans Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth He tells them this that although there were some private difference among them in indifferent matters yet that they should Continue in their Unity and not make any Separation betwixt each other but labour in the Edification and Instruction of each other v. 1. though one be weak and the other be strong though some have scruples of small weight and others know better things Rom. 15.1 and not by breaking the band of their Unity and Community seek to ruine each other Let not those that Conform despise the weakness of those who do Not nor let those who do not Conform judge the Liberty of those that Do. They that break this Rule want Charity and this ought to be exercised on both sides where Indifferent things are not determined and made otherways by Authority That alters the Case for though they are still the same in their Natures that is Indifferent yet they are not so in their use because enjoyned Those of the Church of England do not despise you for your scruples for they would receive you and they intrude not her Constitutions as the Laws of God but as the Laws of Men not of Divine necessity but of humane Institution for the more orderly Worship of God and that there might be a general Uniformity in the Church Shew therefore by your Conformity since you are thereto Lawfully required that you do not judge your Brother as he doth not despise you but that you will live in Charity and Unity as you ought to do Be not any longer so Scrupulous nay I may say Superstitious Sand. Serm. ad Clerum 4 Sect. 11. for as Bishop Sanderson says The taking away of Indifferency from Indifferent things is in Truth Superstition either by requiring them as Necessary or forbidding them as Vnlawful Let the lesser obligation give way to the greater For if Opinion may make a good thing Evil to him that doubts or thinks it Evil Rom. 14.23 for what is not of Faith is Sin it cannot however make a thing Evil in it self to become either good in it self or so to him that thinks so To disobey the Commands of Authority is of it self a very great
commit a great Mistake and think they only to be our Brethren that are of our own Way our own Profession our own Church-fellowship and Brother-hood and that Christ has restrained our Love to be extended only to the Few who are then the Brethren Christ tells you one another Lev. 19.18 James 2.8 9 who are they Your Neighbour whom you ought to Love as your Self by which we fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture without respect of Persons for that is Sinful Christ tells you this Neighbour is a Samaritan a Separatist one with whom the Jews had no Commerce one of a different Judgment and profession a Sectary a Dissenter in Religion a Nonconformist to the Worship at Jerusalem he that sheweth Mercy and lives in Brotherly Love is this Neighbour But Christ hath sublimed this Royal Law of Love and gone a step beyond Moses that we might not mistake and contract this Virtue that is of so diffusive and expanding a Nature that can cover multitudes of faults and extend it self to all Mankind and stretch its ample Wings over the whole World Christ I say thinks it exceeds not the Love of Publicans to Love only good Samaritans such as relieve your Wants or use you Kindly Matt. 5.46 such as Comply with you such as return you Kindness for Kindness such as walk Friendly with you but he gives us a more general Command that we may make no mistakes Matt. 5.44 Love your Enemies those that openly Profess themselves Dissenters and that speak evil of your way and despitefully use you Though there may be a difference between the Love shown to an Enemy and that towards a Brother that being more general this being more near and particular But to Conclude this love to the Brethren is so extensive that it ought to reach to all who make an open Profession of the Name of Jesus Christ who confess him to be the Son of God and that he is come in the Flesh and who so ever truly Believeth this is born of God is thy Brother and ought to be Beloved 1 Joh. 5.1 for every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Since then 't is so absolutely necessary to keep this Royal Law of Love if we will be true Christians and followers of Christ there can be no greater Argument to perswade to Unity as the means to that End for without Unity we cannot conveniently exercise this Brotherly Love and without Concord and Agreement there can be no true Harmony and whilst there is a Separation and Disagreement Love is apt to wax cold and Envyings Backbitings Hatred and Malice are apt to arise Disputes Cavillings Janglings and Debates are multiplied which being all contrary to the Nature of Love and Peace they are stifled and born down and trampled under Foot And thus the seamless Garment of the Church is torn in pieces and the beauty of Unity spoiled Therefore I beseech you Brethren 1 Cor. 1.10 by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment Divisions and Schisms Rents and Separations have sprung up in the Church from the evil Seed of the wicked Sower which have yielded an ample Crop of Tares Cockle and Darnel But it was not so at the first Christ founded his Church upon the Rock of Unity it was once Intire and Uniform and the Apostles and the Primitive Fathers of the Church built up the Superstructure in Uniformity and with Intireness There were no gaps seen in the Walls there were no blemishes the Stones stood not at a distance from one another but closely united and cemented and there appeared nothing but Beauty and Conformity The Law of Love was exercised there were no Names of Difference and Separation no Names of Scorn and Infamy they were distinguished by the Titles of Fathers Sons and Brethren and there was then in those Happy and Golden days of the Church though troubled by Persecution a true and perfect Concord Harmony and Agreement If there were any differences arose they were ended without Strife and without Division and Separation though some were of Paul and others of Apollos all were of God in the Unity of Faith and in the Bond of Peace Psal 85.10 Then Mercy and Truth did meet together and Righteousness and Peace did kiss each other But the Evil one who envies at the Unity of the Church of Christ who cannot endure to behold its Glory and Conformity who hates the Love of Brethren who makes use of all his Cunning and Malice to cause Divisions and Separations who sowes Envyings who plants Cavillings who raises vain Disputes and frivolous Debates and scatters up and down idle and needless Scruples to disturb the quiet and the peace of the Church who still loves to Fish in troubled Waters seeing the Beauty and Glory of United Christians made use of all his cunning Arts and Skill and set to work all his evil Agents and Instruments to break this Unity to sow Discords and Divisions and to spoil the pleasant Harmony of the People of God All the Persecutions that the Devil stir'd up against the Saints the many Deaths of the Martyrs Afflictions Crosses Disgraces Torments could not so well effect his desires he perceived that the Blood of the Martyrs was the semen Ecclesiae that made the Church to flourish and spring up he therefore flings away the Sword and betakes himself to Poyson wherewith he more easily brought his Evil purposes and designs to pass and soon defaced the Beauty and Comeliness of the Visible Church the Poyson of Pride of Ambition of Luxury and Ease and of false Doctrine By this means he set them at Variance one with another the Children against the Father the Father against the Children the Shepherd against the Sheep and the Sheep against the Shepherd and the Pastors against one another the Flocks are scatter'd upon the Hills and the fair Unity is broken Thus a gap being made how many Evils soon entred at these breaches Presently Heresies sprung up Sects increased Schisms multiplied names of Division and Separations were known then came into the World the spawns of Symonaicks Nicholaitans Cerinthians Marcionists Montanists Porphyrians Manachees Novatians Arrians Eunomians Denatists Photinians Luciferians Jovianists Pelagians Anthropomorphites Nestorians Sabbatians Quaternians Monothelites Millenarians Anabaptists Socinians Antinomians Quakers and many others which multiplied like the Grecian Gods of which Hesiod reckons up Thirty thousand Then every one ran after his own Inventions they frame to themselves Idols of their own every Man will have an Ephod a Church a Congregation by themselves all Government all Obedience to Laws and Constitutions all Submission to Magistrates to Bishops and Fathers of the Church are lay'd aside and every one does what seems good in his own Eyes and thus Confusion Separation
termed Porridg your unseasonable jests and jears against so Religious an exercise composed by the most Learned and Holy Men of this Nation and sealed to with their Blood and Lives And you must utterly disclaim and remove out of the way the very thoughts of that Principle that have been owned by you and is a a very Mountain in the gap of Separation that in the Cause of Religion it is Lawful to take up Arms against your King and Soveraign You must also lay aside that evil Eye which you have against the Riches and Revenues of the Bishops which you would gladly share among your selves and account it no Sacriledge The Bishops Lands stick in your Stomachs because they have slipt from between your Fingers but be not your Eye evil because that of your Ancestors has been good because Pious Princes and Religious Nobles have bestowed so much means on the Church They rob you not 't is not the effect of your Labour nor proceeds from the sweat of your Brows a Poor Clergy would be soon Vile and Contemptible And though it be no fault to have a steady and unchanged Mind and Opinion upon well grounded Principles yet I think all these stumbling blocks of Offences will not be accounted by your selves any found Principles or Foundations to build upon but are Stones and Rocks against which you dash your Feet and which divert you from the path that leads to Peace and Unity therefore be not over stiff in your own Opinions and think it no disgrace or undervaluing to your Cause or Reputation to give way and at last see the great Benefit that will accrue not only to the whole Nation but your Selves by putting to your own Hands to the removing all these forementioned Obstacles I am not Ignorant that against this my Advice you have Objected the tenderness of your Consciences that has enfeebled your Hands and kept you back from performing what is required of you But have a care you delude not your selves in this Point and pretend Conscience when there is something else in the way There is no Sect no Libertine the very Levellers and Ranters themselves but have the same Plea and fly away from their Duties to this starting hole Conscience hath been the general pretence for all those who had no mind to obey 'T is the common Shield and Buckler of Defence but I think there can be no Plea for Conscience when a lawful Authority requires only lawful things such as are not Derogatory to the Honor of God nor hurtful to the common Society of Men. I know also that you will tell me Rom. 14.33.14 that what is not of Faith is Sin and that though there is nothing unclean of it self yet to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean But have a care that your Conscience that is so tender does not strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel stumble at a Straw and leap over a Block I would not have you to do any thing against Conscience but then you must rectifie your Conscience by the Rule of Gods Word otherwise it is no Conscience for there can be no pretence of Conscience in doing Evil or Unlawful things it must be only in indifferent things where it hangs in aequilibrio as it were that it can admit of Doubts and Scruples Known Good and known Evil does not admit of that pretence The Apostle Paul commandeth thee to obey for Conscience sake but you pretend Conscience for Disobedience and Rebellion He commands you to be subject for Conscience sake you pretend to be free for Conscience sake these are Contradictions and are repugnant one to another These are not doubful Cases the Rule is too plain here to admit of Scruples That the way to Peace may be plain you must not through Ignorance Prejudice or Precipitancy call those things Popery and Superstition which are not nor perswade your Followers with so much Imbitterness against them be not so loud against them decry them not only with Noyse and Bawling bring them to the Test and let all things be weigh'd by the Balances of the Sanctuary and then it will be easily seen what is really Popery and Superstition and what so pretended Religion is for the most part taken up upon Trust Custom and Education rather than Choice frame it for us and we follow therein our Parents and our Nurses They call every thing Popery that is not made use of by themselves Every one that pleads for Ceremonies though never so decent is esteemed Popishly affected and generally among the common People of your Perswasion Episcopacy is thought no better of than Popery and Prelates and Ministers of the Church of England than of Cardinals and Priests But my Masters 't is a hard Case that those very Persons who were the chief Instruments of breaking the Tyrannical Yoke of Rome in this Nation and for which many of them were Martyred should be they who fram'd those very Constitutions which you call Popish and for which they lost their Lives by Popish Adversaries And also that they should be esteemed Popish Abettors because of their approving of these Ceremonies who have so strenuously wrot against the Tenets of Rome and who like worthy Champions have stood in the Gap and defended the true Protestant Cause against all gainsayers That these very Persons who have Converted many from the Popish Religion have Establish'd many that were Wavering have Recover'd others that were Lapsed and that have Confirmed several that were Doubting that these I say should be Branded by you with the Ignominious mark of Popery is strange and hardly Parallel'd And lastly that this desired Unity may be brought about you are desired to use so much Charity as not rashly to damn another for every Difference and so much Ingenuity as not to render the Opinions of your Adversaries more black and odious to the World than you in your Consciences know them to be Since the Church of England has Justified her self by some of the unanswerable Writings of her worthy Sons from all Imputations of Heresie and Schism from all novelty and false Doctrine and Answered all Objections whatsoever against her Ceremonies and Discipline There is yet one other Stone of offence which I had almost forgot and which will help to Unity if it be may be roll'd away for many other lesser gravelly adherences will be avoided with it and this is an Opinion That it is unlawful and sinful to do any thing without direction from the Scripture or the Word of God whereby you think by that means to overthrow the Cerimonies of the Church of England But I will say in the Learned Dr. Sandersons own words Sand. ad clerum Ser. 4. p. 62. That if you will understand this only of the Substantials of Gods Worship and of the exercises of Spiritual and Supernatural Graces the assertion is true and sound but if you extend it as you do to all the actions of
common Life whatsoever whether Natural or Civil it is altogether false and indefensible I shall not go about to confute this Opinion 't is not my Business or Intention to enter into Disputes of the Merits of the Cause it has been sufficiently done by more skilful Hands and learned Pens But this Weapon is so made that it may be turned against your own selves it offends as much as defends you and cuts both ways like a two edged Sword for by that Rule you can no more defend the wearing your short Cloaks and little Bands than the other party their Gowns and Rochetts and it will be as difficult to prove from Scripture your Institutions and Formalities as the other their Ceremonies and Customs The Holy Word of God is a perfect and most absolute and sufficient direction as to all things concerning our Salvation and as to that point we need not the help of Traditions but certainly in things indifferent and in things about the common Actions of Life we need not seek any farther than the Light of Reason and the common Rules of Discretion and not expect particular Warrants only from the Scripture for every action of humane Life All that we are to take care of is that our Actions be regulated as near as may be to those Rules laid down in the Holy Scriptures for us to walk by at least that they be no ways contradictory and then it will be sufficient to maintain their Legality whilst they are established by the Law of Nature or that of Reason without seeking to deduce Authority for them out of the Holy Scriptures These are the chief things that at present occur to my Memory which lye in the way that leads to Peace and Unity and which if removed will render the way more plain and eaven These are not things of Indifferency you will not own them nor plead for them and I question not when you have lay'd aside your imbittered Passions and rigid Dispositions against your Adversaries you will be willing to put to your Hands that all these Stones of offence may be done away and which should not have been mentioned but for that end But I would not have you think that I am Partial and that this Call ought not also to be heard on the other side and that I would not incite those also of the Church of England to do their part in every thing that may be justly required of them And here I cannot but justifie them from any aspersion of that Nature in that in all their Writings they have held out to you the right Hand of fellowship they have invited you to come in to them they have Called to Unity they have desired your Fellowship and that there may be no longer this Distance and Separation they have at all times exhibited a willingness to have this breach made up they would receive you into their Churches they would Communicate with you as Brothers they would provide for you as Sons they would take care of you as Fathers if you would own them as such What then makes this breach What is it continues this Separation What makes you so stiff in things of small moment Why should not they yeild Say you why should not you obey Say they One would think the weight of Authority should in this Case cast the ballance but sure you have put something more into the scales than what appears to the World that neither the kindness shown you by your Opposers the Indulgence of Princes nor the commands of Authority are able to move up your heavy scale But I would also have this Call reach to the Ears of those of the Church of England to whom with Reverence and Submission be it spoken that you are also desired to continue to use all means that this Unity may be effected and that you would on your parts endeavour to remove all Obstacles thereto You must then endeavour to forget all that is past you must not remember our late Troubles Wars Confusions Devastations as the effects of an unholy War for Religion you must not tell them any more of their unsanctified and bloody Covenant you must not say they are a stiff-necked Generation and people of a perverse Mind and Heart you must not mention their proud and arrogant Tryers nor fright them with the Hobgoblin Smectymnnus you must now forget all that 's past and continue that kindness and moderation that most of you have still on all occasions shown them that the distance that is yet between you may be overcome and that you may meet as Brothers and be united in Heart and Spirit These Rubs being presupposed to be removed what is it now that you Contend for Things as you your selves say of small moment trifles Ceremonies c. 'T is true they are not Essentials matters of Faith things of absolute necessity to Salvation things of indifferency yet not trifles and of no weight or value If they be as you say why stand you so stiff against them Why all this bustle and do about nothing But you have a refuge Conscience They plead the same for retaining them and also have Antiquity and Authority to back them Common Prayer will not down with you no set Form it stints the Spirit with other small and frivolous objections against some parts of the Liturgie For shame leave off at last those needless Cavils of which some of your selves have been ashamed You know that Forms of Prayer have been in all Ages both in the Greek and Latin Churches and are not only of a primitive Institution in the very Infancy of the Church when there was a double measure of the Spirit poured down upon its Bishops and Pastors but our Lord Jesus Christ himself thought good to leave a Set and prescribed Form of Prayer and also the like Forms were used of old in the Jewish Church and Service they were not left to their own Inventions I will not go about to argue the Case with you but if it be Lawful to Pray in a set Form as I suppose none of you will gainsay it is then expedient because Commanded by Authority But have you not a Christian Liberty left you to exercise your Gifts and to shew your Eloquence and Parts in Prayer Ex tempore before your Sermons And that the Spirit may not be quenched as you say may you not enlarge your selves And is it not an usual practice in our Churches Why then should you scruple so much at our Liturgie Would you have none But all the Gifted and Ungifted left to their own Inventions In your time had you not a Directory What was it but a Form of Worship after your Mode And what Church is there abroad even Geneva it self without some Forms both of Worship and of Prayer That our Book of Common Prayer was taken out of the Mass Book and that it was the Mass in English as many of the ignorant have been Taught to cast the greater Odium
abuse her when you tax her of Popery or Superstition by reason of her Rites and Ceremonies But you too often confound Superstition and Idolatry together sometimes the keeping of Christmas is Superstitious the Cross the Surplice the Common Prayer Book the Holy Days the Vigils Lent all Superstitious and sometimes 't is the Idol Christmas the Idol Common Prayer Book the Idol Saints Days and the like But as you know what Idolatry is the giving an Holy and Religious Worship to any thing that is only due to our Maker the only true God so you may know also that Superstition is not the doing or omitting of any thing more or less than is necessary in matters of Religion by reason of the Obligation laid upon them by Superiors but it is the performing or not performing those things by reason of a necessity that is laid upon them that they are sinful of themselves whereby the Consciences of Men are inslaved and terrified And by this means all things that you Judge to be Unlawful though indifferent in themselves till commanded by Authority you prohibit under the Obligation of Sin thereby imposing on the Consciences of others a necessity of not using them though commanded by Authority as being of themselves vile and sinful and this is truly Superstition But what is it you would have Would you have no Government No Discipline No Form in the Church If any why not this as is already Established Since you are not able to Convince it or Convict it either of Popery or Superstition You would have your own you think that purer and better but you must then stay till you can Convince the Magistrate also you must Convince your King and Governors make them first of your Perswasion exhibit to them your Arguments your Reasons your Perswasions all you have done hitherto is nothing you see Thousands are not of your Mind and they will not believe your Church Government and your Classical Form to be any ways Quadrate with such a Monarchy as this is it may perhaps be fit for a small City a little Commonwealth a Province or so it may be fitted for the Constitution of Geneva or some Cantons of the Switzers but it can never be made to sit well about the Necks of these three Kingdoms neither will you be able to perswade the King to pull down the Bishops to set up arbitrary and boundless Tryers to lay aside the Ancient Liturgie and to bring in its place your Directory to put down Ecclesiastical Courts and set up Commissioners we have had too late tryal of your Way and the Tyranny of your Church Government cannot so soon be forgotten when every the Heads of your Classes were as Absolute as Popes and your Inferior Clergy as Proud as Cardinals But had the King and State a mind to gratifie you and to set up your Form would not there still be as many Dissenters for you are not yet agreed among your selves you have not yet shaped a Form that would please others the Independent Anabaptist Quaker Cry out against it and had rather live under the Rule of the Bishops than under the rigid Government of Presbytery it will be impossible to please you all and you may as soon hope to fit a Garment for the Moon Till you are agreed then of a better Form of Ecclesiastical Government and that you are able to Convince the King and the State and your other Dissenting Brethren that you have a better and one more agreeable to the Constitution of this Nation to the Primitive Institution and Purity without the unlawful Argument of the Sword and Rebellion submit I say in Gods Name and for Conscience sake to this as is set up and be no longer Separatists and Congregate no longer by your selves but be perswaded as you ought to hearken to the Call both of God and Man of the Scriptures that press you to Unity and Amity of your Brethren that invite you to Conformity and Communion and to your Superiors who Command you to Submission and Obedience As to the Doctrine of the Church of England you have not wherewith to find any the least shaddow of Cavilling against it you cannot but Confess its Principles to be found but all your Pique is against its Discipline or Church Regiment which as the Learned and Rational Mr. Hooker Law of Eccl. Poâ— Lib. 3. Sect. 3 Hooker tells you is a thing different from Matters of Faith and Salvation But who is it that ought to lay down the Rules and matters of Church Polity and to frame the Laws and Constitutions of Church Government Are they not Men And such to whose care the Governance of the Church is Committed To Kings the Nursing Fathers and to subordinate Ministers as Bishops c Would you have all Laws already laid down in Scripture And nothing left for the exercise of the Light of Reason in these matters But there is no doubt but these Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity may be made by Man Legally and by the Authority of God Luminis naturalis dictatum repellere non modo stultum est sed impium August Lib. 4 de Trin. Cap. 6. and in which Man may make use of his Reason following therein the Rules of the Law of God and the Law of Nature which in the substance is one with the Moral Law of the Scripture and also though these Humane or Canon Laws be not expresly set down in any part of the Scripture yet they ought upon unerring Principles to be deduced therefrom or at least without Contradiction unto any positive Law or Command in Scripture By this means the Laws of Man may be said to be the Laws of God For he owns the very Laws of the Heathen to be of himself though framed by the Light of Nature only and by him written in their Hearts by which the Gentiles were either Excused or Condemned 2 Rom. 15. Why then fly you from these Laws as such Bug-bears Why do you not in all Humility and Singleness of Heart yield Obedience to them for the Lords sake Where lies the Illegality of them Because you cannot find Lawn Sleeves and Rochets in Scripture therefore must they not be worn And because you do not Read of Gowns Tippets square Caps and Canonical Girdles therefore 't is unlawful for Ministers to wear them When God gave us the Light of the Scripture he did not take from us the Light of Reason this indeed is but a dim Light in respect of the other and ought not be trusted to in matters of Faith Divine and Supernatural things but being in Conjunction with the greater Light of Gods Word we have a clear and perfect Sun-shine to see as far as an Humane condition will permit of into the business both of Doctrine and Mannors and we are thereby inabled to give Rules in matters of Faith and Life For though the Scripture is a perfect and absolute Rule in it self and contains all things within it self