must not allow it Christian burial These are hard Instances in my mind and I could easily make up the number twenty which I believe the indifferent Reader would count reasonable exception I must distinguish therefore as I here carefully do the Ordinary appointed Prayers and Service of the Liturgy from other Matters on the By which I declare no Assent or Consent unto And when I come in or seek to come in to the Church upon the terms of Moderation I do declare my self Ipso facto a Nonconformist still to the Severity of these Impositions bearing indeed thereby only a more distinct fixed and assured testimony against them Nevertheless being sensible of the Scandal which is given to the Nation who see generally no other difference between us but our refusing to read the Common Prayer and do think us very exceeding refractory persons who will not comply in the things we can do I do resolve for one by the grace of God without turning to the left hand in doing any thing which is against my conscience for preferment or to the right in contenting my self with Suffering only and doing nothing to set my self as it were in the Market place and if any Bishop shall give me a call that is fitting into the Vineyard when I seek to them upon the termes of this Paper I shall not refuse them though it be almost the Eleventh hour with me I shall not stick out with them I believe upon the account of reading Common Prayer I will trust in Gods power it he hath work for me to do that he will give me assistance to do it and if they will not let me come in upon these termes to Labour I will trust in his Goodness that he will forgive me when I am found Idle The Nation shall see at whose door the fault Lyes by my experiment For I do professe my self one who can neither stretch my Soul beyond its staple nor yet will give off upon despondence or on the presumption onely that it will not serve me unless I do every thing to a tittle which is the prepossessed judgment of most of my brethren when they have made no tryal and which I would humbly reprove therefore by my Example For the Second Re-ordination I will here make my Remonstrance and Confession I will set things at rights between God and my Soul and between my Soul and the World I am one that was ordained by Presbyters in the late times and re-ordained since by the Bishop I was perswaded into it before I had studied the point and brought my self in distress I was fain to take such a course for relief of my Soul as nothing could have drove me to but that distress it self which I would not lye under again for the World Not that I was any way touched in my Intellectuals by it as some that never knew me have bin apt to talk ever since which I must assure them is a tale and there was no such thing I thank God in the least I have reason yet to say this because I know the temper of my mind being Melancholy and Thoughtful and so apt to be intent on any one thing that hath got into it whether of Notion or Business I do not often and I cannot somtimes recall my self from those thoughts to an attendance on the present company I am in or discourse that is going so freely as others which makes my unheedfulness lyable to the censure of those that are not used to me Besides that being One resolved generally to follow my own conscience in what I write or do whether it please or displease others the Offended who are commonly on both sides may be apt to put some such slur upon me at least while in any thing I go but in a way uncommon As Paul therefore said when Festus had got such a conceit of him so must I. I am not Mad my worthy Brethren who are strangers to me when I differ from you and from those also whom I do know in what I write or act But what I do I trust are deeds of Soberness and I speak forth the words of Truth I acknowledge the Church in her giving Orders does intend the collation of an Office to the Presbyter distinct from the Bishop that is an office without the power of Ordination and consequently if a Presbyter ordains any the Church-men must hold such an ordination to be void because the persons that confer the orders have no power to do it But I must confess my thoughts about Orders are somthing different from others I do not think that the Spiritual power or ministerial authority is conveyed to us by the hands of any but does come Immediately upon us the conditions on our part being put from the institution of Christ I apprehend consequently that whatsoever be the intention of the Church in her giving Orders such a power must be derived from Christ to the person ordained as is intended in his Institution and so long as we find not any distinction which is touched before of Order or Office though we allow one as to Degree and Eminency in the Scripture between Bishop and Presbyter the authority of one in regard to God must be the same with the other and the laying on the hands of the one be of the same validity in Ordination as the imposition of the hands of the other We do read that God hath set in his Church Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers but we find not Bishop and Presbyter enumerated as two of them I enter not into dispute here but I am one that dare not give way to the making void of my Ministry and all my ministerial acts for a dozen years or more before I was Ordained by the Bishop for that were a heynous crime for me I think to do yet will I be content as to the Exercise of my Office now to own my authority from him I was a Minister before in foro Dei Conscientiae I was made a Minister then I will account in foro Ecclesia Anglicanae I acknowledge I did ill in my circumstances to take second orders and yet was I too extream I doubt in my renunciation or in the way of my renunciation again of them If any man thinks that Orders give the spiritual power and makes us Ministers in foro Dei it is apparent that a Man who is a Minister already cannot be so made a Minister again Consequently if I have formerly writ any thing that seems to countenance Re-ordination to the Office which is good earnest my Hypotheses never favoured I do rennounce it all and those second Orders on that account I humbly crave the Churches absolution and benediction But if Orders be onely a Recommendation of us to the grace of God for the work unto which a man is called there is nothing in Re-ordination to scare any and as my second Orders may serve me for the Exercise of my Ministry when my first
does express it That is I will interpret him they can lay no obligation on the Conscience which is the essential property of a right Law as to the observance it is true if the Bishop Dispences and the Non-conformist come short in any thing the Penalty may be Sued if any be so affected It is a Law in foro humano and we must never resist This we muâ—â— venture and can but be in statu quo but it is no Law in foâ—â— Dei or Conscientiae for the Authority of these greater Laws of Nature and Religion does supersede the Execution so that there is no guilt contracted in the Omission And having said this I do not care to profess my self one that am prepared to come into the Church upon these Terms that is I will come in upon Quarter for I can come in no otherwise If the Bishop will give me Quarter for my Conscience and spare me in the things which it were a Killing me to do while I am in Doubt I will yield in the rest We will we must yield I judge upon these Terms To do what we can if they will but do upon this score I say of those Superiour Laws what they ought There are no Texts which require Unity among Christians To be of one mind To speak the same things To have one Heart No Texts that require Love and Fellowship with one another as Brethren the Following of Peace a Tenderness to one anothers Consciences and taking heed of Offending any of Chist's Little Ones and the like matters No Texts that forbid Schism and Divisions in the Church with the Evil Concomitants and Effects thereof in the Nation but they are all Warrants to the Bishop for his Forbearance and Moderation in the Execution of these Laws when his Non-Conformist-Brother cannot obey them without sinning against his Soul God says Thou shalt not do any thing which will destroy thy Brother and wound his Conscience The Law says Thou shalt put him to do thus and not dispense with him Christ says You must do thus You must do these things The Law says You must do that which is otherwise Whom shall the good Bishop now choose to obey the Law of his God or the Statutes of the Realm Not that I will find fault with my Superiours or with their Laws onely as the Apostle sayes of the Law of God it self We know the Law is good if a Man use it Lawfully So must I say upon supposition that these Acts for Conforming be in themselves for the peace of the Church so long as they be Executed upon fit Reasons and such Persons for whom all Laws are indeed to be made The Law is not made for the Righteous or the willing sayes the same Divine Author but the Vnrighteous and Disobedient Yet when they are Administred to all alike without putting any difference between the Willing and the Vnwilling the Ready and the Refractory that which was intended for Good is made Death unto us to speak still in Holy Language by becoming instead of a means for promoting of Peace an occasion for establishing our Divisions I see indeed that most Men with whom the Laws are entrusted do act ordinarily as if all they were concern'd in the hurt that comes by any Law were no more but to impute it to the Law-makers and to account themselves clear before God and Men so long as they are but exact in putting the same in rigorous Execution whereas there is no power given or can be received by any but to the great ends of Gods Glory and the common good of Men for all Power is of God and consequently no such trust is committed to them but in Subordination to the higher Laws of Nature and Gods Word so that if these Laws and Mans Laws do come in any instances of Life to clash as commonly in matters of conscience they do there is prudence to be used in such a discernment between Persons and Persons those that are truly and those that are pretendedly conscencious and between things and things what will profit the Church and what will tend onely to publick offence that both the ends of Government may be kept up and the greater Laws take place According to the authority the Lord hath given us saies the Apostle for Edification and not for Destruction Neither do I once imagin that the Bishop can dispense with me in any Imposition committed to his trust so as that his dispensation should be my warrant for my doing otherwise then the Law requires I should do either in regard to Man if he will prosecute the Law upon me as I have intimated before or in regard to God if it were any Sin or Evil in me to break it But he can bear with me as to his part which is enough for I may then venture others I have also said and it is the superiour authority of God which is the warrant both to him and me upon which we must be justified in my conformity only so far and his requiring no more The Law it is true requires more and it requires him to require more but the greater Law I say of the Ten Commandements of God which is sum'd up in this one Word Love the transcript of the Law Eternal upon Mans heart must over-rule and relaxes the obligation as to both of us in the sight of God And thus when we do what we can for union on both sides and no more than we can on either side When we bear with one another in the things wherein we differ and bear one anothers burdens as we are bound in the common accidents of our Lives we shall Compound I hope for our failings or Non-performance to an Act of Parliament by our fulfilling the Law of Christ Be of the same mind saies the Apostle one towards another Mind not high things but condescend to Men of low estate In fine Our eyes have almost failed us in looking out after every Session of Parliament to do somthing for Union and they do it not It is another course then must be sought The Bishop alone and we must resolve to do the business our selves That which we cannot get done by a relaxation of the Laws may be obtained by little and little by a Relaxation of our stifness on both sides If the concerns of the Church lies near any one of their hearts than his own bare Honour and Worldly interest does he will venture as we do and what we cannot procure by an Act we must force by Example and the Authority of Heaven and the Protestant cause shall be our Broad Seal for what we do Having thus proposed the Rule I must proceed to Practise We have several Impositions therfore to come under consideration and they are the Old or the New For the Old there is in the first place the Common Prayer it self which I must confess for my own part I do commonly hear and in the Ordinary daily service I do not
most Men as soon as they have laid it to Consideration It is this that though I account all Laws in general are to be taken in that Sense only which we believe to be the Meaning of the Law giver because the Law is his Will and it is not the Words but his Meaning is his Will Yet do I judge that in these Articles of the Church which are not Laws nor Articles of Faith but Articles for Concord that is in the Words of the Cannon Articles for the avoiding Diversities of Opinions and for establishing of Consent touching true Religion there is no Man to be staked down to the Authentick Interpretation which I account that as a Man believes to be the Meaning of the Majority of the Convocation that passed the Article but to be allowed or rather he is supposed to be allowed and to take the Freedome of a Doctrinal Interpretation which is any Judicious Explication of such a Thesis or Doctrine as some of the Eminent Doctors of the Church or other Pious and Learned Author or Authors have offered to the Nation or indeed any such as a Man himself shall tender which in the Literal Grammatical Construction of the Article to keep to the King's Declaration before the Articles appears Rational and is satisfactory to his own Conscience and much more if it be allowed by the Bishop My Reason is because it must be conceived that when any Council Synod or Convocation of Divines do meet about an Agreement upon any Articles or Theses concerning Religion they are generally of divers Minds in the debating the Points and every one is to be supposed free in the Delivery of his Judgment until they come to draw up the Article or Doctrine into such Words as they are all to consent to and then if it be Composed so as they can yield to one another in the Words which they agree upon it is to be understood that there is an Universal Allowance tacitly granted from all to one another of abounding in their own Sense and so they came to a Coalition There is the Meaning then of the Majority and a Vniversal Meaning The Vniversal Meaning is above the Meaning of the Major Part. The Meaning of the Majority I believe in some of these Articles to be such as I cannot Subscribe them in their Meaning But forasmuch as I apprehend it the Vniversal Meaning that every one of those that are to pass their Vote in Establishing the Article should have the Liberty of his own Sense so long as he can but agree with the rest in the Words or in the Literal Construction of the Article if I bring an Interpretation of some Doctor or one of my own which may be supposed to be the same with any one of them who so consented to it with difference of Explication from others then must I be supposed to have the Universal Allowance of the Convocation for that Interpretation which I call a Doctrinal Interpretation I will confirm this by the Notoriety of the Practise in the Council of Trent The Doctors differed in most Points but as soon as through the Expertness of one of the Presidents famous for that Knack they were but put into Words as might salve their contrary Opinions they passed their Votes as Unanimous in the Council although they writ after also one against another citing the Council for them on both sides To this purpose are the Words of the King in his Declaration for the Ratification of the Articles to be considered We take Comfort in this that even in those curious Points in which the present Differences lye Men of all sorts take the Articles of the Church of England to be for them The Arminians with Doctor Hammond and the Calvinists with Bishop Vsher do Subscribe them and find out their own different Sense in them I will leave it therefore on the File as the fit Matter of a new Cannon if ever we have another Convocation to be declared that the Articles and Homilies of the Church are imposed and to be Subscribed not in the Authentick nor in the Vsual but in a Doctrinal Interpretation There being a Latitude in all Controverted Points and consequently some Diversity of Opinion to be allowed to Brethren for the abounding in their own Sense in the same Religion or else there can be no sufficient Foundation of Unity amongst any considerable Number of Men of Free Judgments in the World In the mean time if the case be put what a man shall do that scruples or doubts of the truth of any of the Articles whether he may satisfie himself with such an Interpretation before it be Authorized by a Convocation or otherwise I must answer that I apprehend a great deal of reason for it but dare not pass such a determination If I scruple any thing my self I shall declare it and unless I am satisfied in that sense of the point as I believe was the meaning of the Imposers I must fly to my remedy not of an Interpretation but of the liberty for Exception or Limitation and that indeed does my work This Scrupulosity and rigour of my mind for avoiding every thing of a Solemne lie though never so small does make me wish for such a Canon or the allowance of a greater Authority by some Act of Parliament I will therefore now turn me to the Higher Powers for I must beg their Pardon for this Endeavour of mine to make my return to the Vineyard before they have opened the way for us who can alone Legally do it I would hereby kindly provoke them to think at last on some Explanatory Act for Uniting the Protestant and restoring the Ejected who have now been out of our Livings above Fifteen year and no evil we hope hath been found in us besides our preaching sometimes and praying and the keeping of our Consciences And because it is said commonly by the Members of either House that if they knew what we would have or thought we know our selves they would do it I cannot forbear to present them with the Materialls of such a Bill in telling them what we would have from what is said already if they will but bear with the repetition For when the obtainment of such a blessing for the Nation is even near past my hopes yet must it be still in my prayers I may not be wanting to it in my endeavours and it cannot be beyond my Wishes Whereas then there are many jealousies arose about Popery to frame a Preamble as well as a body for such a Bill out of what is before delivered which makes it even necessary to the peace of the Nation that the Protestant interest be united and strengthened by all good and lawfull means and to this end there being this one proper expedient to wit the removing the occasions of Division which several persons do find to themselves in those late injunctions which yet were intended to the same purpose of Concord in the Realm That which we
would have is that the Parliament would be pleased that a Bill be prepared for Peace and Union which might bear some such Title An Explanatory Act for agreement amongst Protestants and for Ease in the business in Religion In which Bill I would have such an Explanation of these Impositions and such Alleviations in regard to the tenderly considerate and peaceably Scrupulous or soberly not factiously Consciencious who will never be wonne as may do our business In the Act of Uniformity By the Declaration of Assent and Consent to all things and every thing contained in and prescribed by the two book of Common Prayer and of Ordering Priests and Deacons there is no considerate man of the Parliament ever I hope understood that these books are in every minute particular infallible or free from that defect which is incident to all humane Composures but they understand I suppose that they are in the maine contents to be sincerely approved and used I would have it therefore be here sufficient if this Declaration be made to the use of the book in the Ordinary dayly Lords-day service which we can consent to or that we may make it with a license of Exception against any matter or matters out of that Service which the Bishop shall think meet to be dispensed with upon Convincing reason Provided only that the Ordinary constant publick Service of the Liturgy obtains Consent and Practise And for the Ceremonies which are and have been always and on all hands held only for indifferent things I wish they might be left to the Consciences and prudence of Ministers and People every where excepting the Cathedralls to use them or forbear them as they judge it most meet for one anothers edification for so some Bishops I believe if it be left to them will sometimes be apt to determine themselves Provided that if any person will have his child baptized with the signe of the Cross or stands upon any thing else hitherto required by the Service-book if the Minister himself Scruple the performance he shall always have some Assistant or Curate to do it In the same Act By the Subscription before treated As I believe there was no new Ill or strange thing intended by any of them but the rightfull maintenance onely of the Kings authority against Rebellion So do I apprehend that the Interpretation and the Limitations which I do here humbly present with an unfeigned impartiality upon the several Clauses of it may pass their publick approbation or allowance which therefore I would have to be done as a matter of kind satisfaction to most Mens consciences and of grievance to no Body Onely for that part of it which is enjoyned but to the year 1682 it might do better perhaps to be made to cease presently and be no longer imposed And forasmuch as there is an Oath also in the Act of Oxford required of all Non conformist preachers that reside Ãn any Corporate town or come within five Miles of it whereof I have Printed a former Paper and given the Interpretation throughout as I believed it to be the very sense and meaning onely of the Act without limitation or exception which cannot therefore be refused insomuch as I dare and do appeal to a Vote of the two Houses whether I have delivered their minds or no I would here have it onely put to the Question and if it be as I doubt not indeed their sense that they would declare it This will make that Oath streight be generally taken Or else I will propose this rather which is better that it may suffice any man to enjoy the right of this free-born liberty to go where he will in his own Country I mean to escape the penalty of this Act and serve him also instead of the forementioned Subscription to take that Oath in this form of words following I A. B. do swear that I hold it unlawful upon any pretence to take Armes against the King his Government or Laws And that I disclaim that dangerous Position of taking Armes by his Authority against his Person or any Legally commissionated by him in the Legal pursuit of such Commissions And that I will not endeavour any alteration of Government in the Church or State in any way or manner not warranted by the Constitution of this Kingdom that is in a seditious manner or any otherwise then by Act of Parliament It being required moreover in the Act of uniformity which is another of the things also before Mentioned that every Minister who enjoyes any Living shall be ordained by a Bishop and there are several persons of late who in case of necessity for want of Bishops took Presbyterian Orders I would have the Parliament declare it their intent for redeeming their credit with the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas not to make it absolutely necessary for such persons to be reordained to the Office but that it may be enough for them if they receive this second Imposition of hands to the Exercise of their Office in the New charge unto which they are or shall be appointed and that the Bishop may and shall frame his words accordingly This is the only way that I could find out for peace to my own mind as I have told before in this business And whereas there is a Subscription also in the Canons and the Canonical Oath of Obedience imposed on most Ministers by the Bishops mentioned before likewise which have given some of the greatest occasion to Non-conformists heretofore and which yet have never passed into a Law by any Act of Parliament I would here have it enquired by what Authorty one of these is imposed for I know none And for that which is found in the Canons being what is more than needs because included in other injunctions I would have it Exauthorized and that nothing more of this nature might be imposed on us than is made necessary by the Act of the thirteenth of Elizabeth Provided nevertheless if the Bishop be unsatisfyed about any particular Person he shall be ready to offer a due acknowledgment of his reverence to Bishops in a laudible Testimony thereof under his hand and of his fair regard to the main substance of the three Articles contained in that Canonicall Subscription in such expressions as shall best satisfy his own Conscience and be approved as sufficient under the hands of two Episcopal Doctors or allowed by the Bishop And in regard there hath bin great offence taken by consciencious Ministers which is a thing hath not yet bin mentioned at the Bishop or his Courts commanding them to read then sentence of Excommunication against some or other of their Parish for such faults as they think not at all worthy of so great censure or else be exempted from the execution of that charge and that the Bishop or his Court provide some other person that is satisfied about it to do it And I would have none forced to give the Body and Blood of Christ to
any but to whom they can in point of Conscience In the last place To the intent that a free search after Truth may be encouraged and many other Scruples avoided upon that account I would have them Authorize this one thing which I have offered as more peculiar in this Paper which is That though an Authentick Interpretation which is the Sense and Meaning only of the Law-giver be that Interpretation which is to be regarded as the Substance of all Laws seeing no Law as no Scripture is of Private Interpretation yet in all matters of Words merely and Phrases an Interpretation that is Vsual and in all Articles or Theses for Concord which I distinguish from Laws about Religion and the Homilies of the Church a Doctrinal Interpretation be sufficient for an Assent or Subscription to them These are the Things and there is no less than these and I think no more than these which are necessary to reconcile the Moderate Conformist and Non-conformist which is one Part of my Designe and Accommodation If they will pull out Nine Thorns out of our Feet and leave a Tenth we cannot go along with them Be it resolved therefore by the Grace of God and both Houses that if any Person be willing to conform to the present Establishment of the Church of England and her Service appointed upon these any of these and every one of these Explanations Alleviations Declarations Lenitives or Cautions he shall be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Preferment and enjoy the use of his Ministry without Molestation All Statutes Canons or Laws to the contrary notwithstanding To pass now to the other part of this Bill or Designe which is Indulgence In the way Because the very Superintendency of Bishops and that Subjection to them which is required by the Constitution of the Realm is or may be an Hindrance to many sober Ministers and other Protestants of coming into the Church who are ready to consent to the Doctrine but not to the Discipline or Government of it I would have them declare That so long as any Person or Party do acknowledge the King's Supremacy as Head of the Church in this Nation and obey their Ordinary in licitis honestis upon the account of his Authority committed to the Bishops and their Officers as Substitutes of his for the Exercise of that External Objective Regiment Circa Sacra which is granted by all our Divines to the Higher Powers in every Nation it is much as is or can be required in Law to the owning Episcopal Jurisdiction and shall serve them to all Intents and Purposes no less than a professed Belief and Acknowledgment of the immediate Divine Right of it That is Although there be some that cannot acknowledge our Diocesan Prelates to be Christ's Officers distinct from the Elders in Scripture yet so long as they can live peaceable Lives in Obedience to them as Ecclesiastical Magistrates under his Majesty for the keeping the several Congregations in their Precincts to that Gospel-Order which themselves allow and for Supervising their Constitutions in things indifferent that nothing be done but in Subordination to the Peace of the Kingdome which is a Notion wherein the Judicious of every Party may acquiesce it is enough for their Reception into National Church-Union And this is so far from Derogating from the Bishops Office and Dignity that it were a way to be chose in Policy to advance it while it makes his Authority significant to the Presbyterian and Independent as well as to the Minister that hath a Living and rears him an Inspection over the Gathered as over the Parochial Congregation And forasmuch then as there are moreover some Ministers of a good Life that cannot according to their Judgments allow of our Parochial Churches nor the Book of Liturgy but do choose to Worship God and Jesus Christ in the way of their gathered or separate Congregations and crave the Protection and Clemency of the King upon their Allegiance as other Subjects enjoy the Conscience being obnoxious to God only and not capable to be constrained by the Rigour of Laws or by the extreamest Execution of them If the Parliament-Men would know further what we would have I would have these Men all forborn and let alone thinking this Advantage the Church-Men have over such to be enough that they have the State-Countenance and these are uncapable in their way of all Publick Emolument till they come into them And to the intent the Forborn may be wrought upon by the proper Motives of their own Good and at their own Time I would have as the other designed Part I say of such a Bill such a Universal Act of Grace be granted that all and every Christian-Subject throughout his Majesty's Realms that profess themselves of the Reformed Religion be pardoned all Faults and Penalties whatsoever incurred upon the account of any forepassed Non-conformity and that they shall not during so many Years to come as shall be Voted be vexed or persecuted any more for their Consciences in the matter of Religion Provided they commit not any heinous Crime worthy of Punishment but carry themselves Innocently and Peaceably both with Submission to all due Order in their own Churches and without Disturbance to the Civil or Ecclésiastical Government now setled in the Nation There are these two Ingredients that are necessary to the Happiness of the Kingdom Vnion and Liberty Union is for strengthning the Church for God Liberty is for strengthning the Land for the King There is Trade to be encouraged and Wars to be Managed and Liberty of Conscience serves these ends against our Civil Enemies in helping us to more hands as Vnion serves us against Popery and the Enemies of our Religion And what indeed should we do with our Brethren that differ from us in opinion Shall we smite them No but set Bread and Water before them Persecution will make them more zealous and combine them but liberty must brake them or win them They must have time And if the naming what time may not be waved and I may speak who spake the rest I would set it during this Kings Reign that so every Man may pray for his Life and he may have the Title more augustly of Carolus Clemens when he dyes And for the making our Union of better signification to the Concern'd and more effectual prevention of that Scandall which is raised on the Clergy through the Covetousness of some A fault that we Ministers are taxed with generally even when we seek but things just and these therefore must take the more heed who heap up to themselves all the Preferments they can get which are neither agreeable to their Labour or their want nor to the duty of that tremendous calling unto which they are called but by this means many other Ministers are deprived even of necessary maintenance for their families and an occasion is administred to themselves of pride an undecent immeasurable Exaltation above their rank and birth to the