the Church of England for a Constancy but hold the separate Congregations to be Lawful Churches and think themselves obliged in Conscience sometimes to Communicate with them tho' I had rather call such Occasional Dissenters and such as prefer the Worship of Dissenters for a Constancy but hold the Worship of the Church of England to be Lawful and think themselves obliged to testifie their Charity by Communicating sometimes with it who are properly Occasional Conformists I take leave also to inform you That both these sorts of Occasional Conformists do believe the Apostle's Creed and particularly the Holy Catholick Church or as the Nicene Creed has it They believe One Catholick and Apostolick Church They acknowledge the 19th Article of the Church of England That the Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same That neither sort of these Occasional Conformists find any such Article in any Creed as this I believe the High Church-Party of the Church of England And thus believing they thus Reason He that believes the Holy Catholick Church takes himself to be a Member of that Church and consequently believes it his Duty to refuse Communion with no Party of Christians whose Communion does not necessitate him to Sin and no Communion of Christians who are a Visible Church of Christ within the said Description given by the said 19th Article do necessitate him to Sin They make a great difference between the Use of a Ceremony or any indifferent thing about Religion and the Imposition thereof as necessary to Communion in the Ordinances of Christ and again another difference between the Imposition thereof by any particular Church or Division of Christians on those that Communicate with them and the Separation of that Division of Christians by such Ceremony or indifferent Thing from the rest of the Catholick Church The Use therefore of a certain Ceremony is what they do not scruple as wearing a Gown or Surplice Standing at the Creed Kneeling or Standing or Sitting at the Sacrament according to the Usage of that Party of Christians with whom they Communicate Again They don't scruple the like Ceremony tho' they be imposed by the Government on any National Church or Party of Christians so as they be not made Parties to the Imposition or compelled to declare their Approbation thereof by Word or Practise It is their Judgment That all Religion is Natural or Revealed That there is no Revealed Religion nor any part of it which is not found in the Word of God That nothing ought to be imposed amongst Christians as a Term of Communion which has not its Warrant from thence according to the Sense of the Primitive Church and the whole Protestant Church at the first Reformation And they think it absurd to talk of Unrevealed Parts of Revealed Religion It is therefore their Opinion that if any Party of Christians make a Law That whoever communicates with them must use such or such an Unscriptural Posture or Ceremony and must not have Communion with any other Christians who use not the same altho ' true Churches according to the said 19th Article of the Church of England and this under the Penalty of being starved or any other severe Penalty they take that Party of Christians to be such as the Psalmist speaks of Psal 94.21 who frame Mischief by a Law They think that such Party of Christians do thereby set up an unaccountable Schism in the Catholick Church and separate themselves from it by setting up their Posts by God's and their own Thresholds by his and their making a Wall between him and them so that the Schism lies at their Door and not at theirs who in Contradiction to such a Law continue Members of the Catholick Church They are of Opinion that the Roman Catholicks are justly charged with the greatest Schism that ever was in the Christian World because they separate themselves from the Catholick Church by their new Articles of Faith and Notorious Idolatries which they impose as Terms of Communion but they pretending that the things which they impose are necessary and to be comply'd with on Peril of Damnation are not therefore so Self-condemned as that Party would be who should by such a Law concerning things indifferent separate themselves from all the rest of the Catholick Church The Occasional Conformist therefore by his Communicating with the Church of England declares That he takes it to be a sound Part of the Catholick Church and his Communion with it is Communion with the Catholick Church and not with a Party He Communicates with it because he Agrees with it in all the Essentials of Christianity tho' he Approves not of its Impositions And his Communion with other Protestants is Communion with the Catholick Church of which he takes them also to be a sound Part. By the first he declares himself an Enemy to Separation by the second to unnecessary Impositions by both a Catholick Christian And he is the more confirmed in this Practice because of the plain Tendency of the Unscriptural Terms of Communion which the High Church-Party would establish to a Re-union with Popery as is obvious to any Person who shall seriously consider them And for satisfaction therein I would refer you to avoid Repetition to the Preface of a little Discourse entituled Catholocism without Popery where this Matter is particularly Considered And the Notions therein advanc'd have been effectually Justified by the Oracle of your Party the Author of the Case of the Regale Pontisicat a Book written directly against her Majesty's Supremacy and which has received a Second Edition which asserts That the Dissenter will neither take nor give quarter will neither propose nor accept any Terms of Reconciliation Page 255. and cannot for that unless only for that Reason be angry at the High-Party's seeking or offering Reconciliation with others who may be better disposed and that the whole and only difference between that Party and the Church of Rome Page 244. and which hinders Communion is the Extents of the Pope's Supremacy which the Galliean Church have thrown off as well as they But that all the difference between the Popish French Church and the Church of England are so far Reconcilable as not to hinder Communion And proposes in the First Edition a Treaty between our Convocation and the General Assembly of the Galliean Bishops and Clergy and complains in the Margin of the Second Edition pag. 263. That the English Convocation not being suffered to sit while that of France lasted rendered any Treaty betwixt them impracticable And pag. 179. proposes it plainly as a means to this blessed End that a Bill should pass to render all those that go to Meetings uncapable of any Place of Trust or Profit in the Government And that this must be the
Heads and to make it obnoxious to the Romanists for its Invisibility And hence upon the Happy Revolution it was a Question between a very Eminent and Learned Prelate Vox Cleri P. 68. and the Prolocutor of the late Convocation What it was that distinguish'd the Church of England from other Protestant Churches The Bishop rightly affirming That the Church of England is an Equivocal Expression and was not distinguished from other Protestant Churches but by its Hierarchy and Revenues And the Prolocutor asserting That the Church of England was distinguished by its Doctrine as it stands in the Articles Liturgy and Homilies as well as by its Hierarchy And although since His Majestys happy Accession to the Throne His Pious and Princely Care of the Church hath fill'd the Archi-Episcopal and Episcopal Seats with Men of Consummate Piety Learning and Moderation whereby and by giving the Royal Assent to the Act for Indulgence He hath been our Deliverer from Tyranny in the Church as well as in the State yet it cannot be forgotten how during the Prevalency of the High Church Party in the late Reigns not Kneeling at the Sacrament not Baptizing with the Cross Hearing in Congregations which are Churches of Christ within the Definition given by the Articles of the Church were Prosecuted with the greatest Violence and Men cast out of the Church for those Reasons while Men of the most Profligate Lives Swore D n them they were for the Church of England and were admitted to the Sacrament without reserve That great Numbers of the sober Serious Subjects of England were kept out from that which was called the Church for Conscience sake and all the Prophane and Vicious let in that were willing to enter That those things that would make a Man Holy on Earth and prepare for Heaven yet would not let him into the Church and that he might be a beloved Member thereof who was not fit to live on the Earth and made most visible haste to the Devil These and the like considerations made me wonder that no Man had concerned himself to tell us plainly What the Church of England is And since the Cant of that Party is still The Church the Church I will like an Honest Lay-Christian that is not any way infected with Priest-Craft return a short Answer to the Question which may be at least of use to put some Body upon explaining it better The Articles of the Church to which all the Clergy have Subscribed and to most of which since His Majesty's happy Accession to the Throne the Dissenting Ministers have also subscrib'd expresly Teach us That the Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men Article XIX in which the Pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments be duly Ministred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Now whether this Description be meant of the Universal Church or of a single Congregation 't is thence an easie Conclusion That the Church of England is that Part of the Universal Church which is Compos'd of all the Congregations of Faithful Men in England in which the Pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly Ministred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same And if this Description be allowed 't is impossible to exclude the Presbyterian Independant and Antipaedobaptist Churches from being Part of the Church of England Of the Antipaedobaptist may be the greatest doubt because they deny Infants to be capable Subjects of Baptism but nevertheless that Error excludes them not out of this Description for to the Subjects they allow to be capable and of which their whole Communion consists the Sacraments are duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same It is therefore a wonderful thing to hear Men on one side loudly declare in the Presence of God and the Congregation That they Believe the Holy Catholick Church and yet calling their Brethren that go under those several Denominations Phanaticks Hypocrites and other odious Names and Excommunicating them out of the Church And it is no less wonderful on the other side to hear some under those several Denominations accusing those that conform to the Establisht Ceremonies with Antichristianism and denying the Church of England to be a True Church when they themselves have Subscribed to that very Article and Five or Six and Thirty more of their Thirty Nine and are really Part of the same Church And this one Consideration Justifies the Practice of those who condemn the Imposition of unnecessary things by Communicating with the Moderate Dissenters and condemn the Separating Censorious and Schismatical Humour wherever sound amongst the Dissenters by Communicating with the Conformable Part of the Church And indeed it seems to be little considered by the Generality of Protestants how great the Agreement is between all the said Parties They have the same Rules of Faith Manners and Devotion for they own the same Scripture to be of Divine Authority and a perfect Rule of Faith and Life the same Creeds are Profest by them all the same Ten Commandments are acknowledged by them all as the Divine Law and they agree to our Saviours Exposition thereof and to all the Precepts and the Ordinances and Sacraments of the Christian Religion they have the same Object of Worship the same Mediator the Inspiration of the same Holy Spirit they have the same Objects of their Hopes and Fears they fly from the same Wrath and expect the same Glory Again these several Parties do condemn the Twelve new Articles of the Roman Faith all the Idolatries of the Mass Image-Worship Praying to Saints and Angels and for the Dead Monkery 1 Tim. 4.1 2. with all the Doctrines of Demons invented by the Hypocrisy of those Lyars nor do any of them retain any thing substantial in Doctrine or Practice introduc'd by the Apostacy of the Latter Times The Disagreement among them lies only about Imposing and Refusing Circumstances of Worship Observation of Days the Use of Habits and Gestures of Forms and Ceremonies and Unscriptural Forms of Church-Government and about Subscriptions and Oaths and Laws made to enforce Mens own Inventions All which I shall briefly touch when I have in the following Propositions endeavour'd to shew what are the true Terms of Union for the whole Christian World and how all the above-mention'd Parties may enjoy this their Unity in the Church of England When our Saviour condemn'd the Jewish Divorce he grounded his Sentence upon this Foundation From the Beginning it was not so and to discover the true Terms of Christian Unity we must look back to the Rise of Christian Religion CHRISTIANITY came into this World Pure and Free without the Jewish Yoak of beggarly Elements without the Heathen Niceties of painful Rights and Ceremonies It taught to Worship God in Spirit and Truth bound Men to no
City or Mountain prescribed no Postures nor Dresses it threw down all Inclosures and was a Gospel sit to be Preach'd to every Creature Our Saviour taught in Synagogues and in Mountains and in a Coat woven from the top throughout The Apostles wore the Habits of the Places where they dwelt and taught in the Synagogues that were built Both Christ and they used the Septuagint Translation and complied with the Customs and Hours of the Jews And in short the Apostles Rule was to become all Things to all Men 1 Cor. 9.22 and to comply with the innocent Usages of all Places but when those Customs or Usages Gal. 2.3 4 5. Gal. 5.1 2. were added to Christianity or impos'd they always rejected them with Abhorrence Thus were Matters left by the Apostles and the Disciples of the First Age followed their Example and hence the Christians among the Jews complying with their Customs and the Christians among the Gentiles with theirs the Christian World might within one Age be distinguish'd into the Judaizing and Gentilizing Christians Paul Circumcised Timothy among the Jews And Church-History tells us That Fifteen Jerusalem Bishops were Circumcised And the Empire of Habbasia which was Discipled by the Aethiopean Eunuch a Jewish Proselyte continue Circumcision to this Day though as no Religious Rite On the other side the Roman Christians and others among the Heathens used several of their Customs by that General Rule of becoming all Things to all Men. But as in the Apostles Time some used their Liberty for an Occasion to the Flesh and this Charitable Principle occasioned Differences among the Apostles themselves for Paul withstood Peter to the Face at Antioch for withdrawing from the Gentiles to please the Jews so in the following Ages Gal. 2.11 12. when the Power of inward Religion grew more cold the Customs which were taken up as convenient such as keeping Days in compliance with the Jewish and Heathenish Festivals distinguishing the Clergy by Habits as both Jews and Heathens used to do their Priests became at last to be accounted Sacred and the Days were taken for Holy Days and the Clothes for Holy Garments But the greatest Depravation of Christianity came from the Agreement that was between Jews and Gentiles in their setting up of High-Priests The shew of Order and Unity Mark 8.27 Luke 9.18 that appear'd therein was very tempting When our Saviour had told Simon Mat. 16.13 to 24. that he should be call'd Cephas and that the Church should be built on his Confession of Faith it is probable that the Apostles began to think of his being the Chief for the Question was soon after started among them Matth. 18.1 Mark 9.33 Luke 9.46 Ibid. and Mat. 20.25 Luke 22.25 Mark 20.42 Heb. 7.23 24. which of them should be greatest that is to say the Pope And had not our Saviour Positively and Catagorically resolved the Question both on that Occasion and in Answer to the Ambitious Sons of Zebedee Hierarchical Domination in greater and lesser Popes might have been thought Justifiable from the Example of the Jews whose Hierarchy was of Divine Institution But that our Saviour is our only High Priest is most evident That by that Rule of his It shall not be so done amongst you he hath taken away all colour of Domination among his Ministers on Pretence of his Institution seems a reasonable Opinion for the several Evangelists do so expresly agree in that Prohibition that it is impossible to evade it by the common Distinction viz. That our Saviour there forbids Tyranny and Ambition but not Superiority especially since the Evangelist Luke speaks not of the Authority exercised by Tyrants but Benefactors It doth no where appear that the Apostles were the Governors of the Seventy nor is any Difference in Order to be found in Scripture between Bishops and Presbyters for the Difference between the Apostles and the Seventy appears to be this that the Apostles were Persons chosen to be Witnesses of all that Jesus did or taught and of his Resurrection and Ascention they were of the Family of our Saviour and Privy to his whole Conversation in which Respect they neither had nor can have Successors No more than the Evangelists ☜ whom no Man pretends to have had Successors as Evangelists And it seems most reasonable to believe that whereas Dr. Hammond and others hold that the Presbyters mention'd Acts xx were also Bishops So they were Apostles also in the sense of St. Chrysostom Epiphanius Theodoret and others and Luke x. 1. and divers other Places the same word is used concerning them viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived And if we say that Apostles Bishops or Presbyters and Deacons are Officers of Divine Institution to continue in the Church surely we are right for such only do we find in Scripture and of such did the Governors of the Church at Philippi consist Phil. 1.1 Some indeed in Ecclesiastical History are said to have succeeded the Apostles but they succeeded them not as Matthias did Judas for he succeeded him in the Extraordinary Work of the Apostolate and therefore was chosen out of those who had accompanied with the Apostles all the Time that the Lord Jesus went in and out amongst them beginning from the Baptism of John unto the same Day that he was taken up and was added to them to make twelve Witnesses of his Resurrection Acts 2.21 22. but the Nature of the Succession was as Apostles Bishops and Presbyters in their several Sees whereas Apostles in the strict Sense as Apostles were not confin'd to any See but were Ministers of the whole Catholick Church and on whom as St. Paul speaks of himself was the care of all the Churches and unless it can be made appear that the Apostles have such Successors and also such as were Witnesses of what our Saviour did and taught as Matthias was the Apostolate as to so much of it must be Temporary from the Nature of the thing The Arguments for a Superiority of the Order of Bishops drawn from the Precedency of James at Jerusalem who there seems to be Superiour to the Apostles tho' he was none of the Twelve concludes only for a Bishops Power in his own Church where he is fix'd but nothing for the Superiority in Order of Bishops above Presbyters as of revealed Institution If Ignatius who tells us that St. Stephen was a Deacon to St. James had told us also of his Presbyters of a distinct Order no doubt but his Testimony had been concluding but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a Bishop are all one in Antiquity And although at first the Twelve Apostles who had the Infallible Direction of the Holy Ghost did ordain those President Bishops perhaps then but certainly afterwards they were made by Election The Epistles of St. John to the Angels of the Seven Churches of Asia prove not this Distinction of Order nor any thing more than shall
delivered to Pope Julius with the Exposition of the Apostles Creed written by the Latine Doctors The Nicene and Athanasian Creeds were further Explications of this Creed in Opposition to Arrius who struck at the very Foundation even the Godhead of Christ And the Second Councill of Constantinople enlarged the Nicene Creed in the Article that concern'd the Holy Ghost in Opposition to Macedonius who denied the Godhead and Personality of the Holy Ghost and in the Articles concerning the Catholick Church and the Privileges belonging thereunto and when the Roman Church after the Days of Charles the Great had added the Article of the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son in Opposition to the Greek Church the Council of Trent it self hath recommended it to us Council Tredend Ses 3. As that Principle in which all that Profess the Faith of Christ do necessarily agree and the firm and only Foundation against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail Thus out of their own Mouths may we judge those pretended Servants of our Saviour His Blessed Promise hath been perform'd to a Tittle his Church hath been preserved in spight of the Gates of Hell and the Rock hath been like the Foundations of the Earth unshaken by all Assaults of Hell of all that are there already and all that are hastning thither And it is to me a most Important Observation which is made by that Prophet and Apostle of this Latter Age Archbishop Vsher Usher's Sermon June 20. 1624. pag. 27. That whatsoever the Father of Lyes either hath Attempted or shall Attempt yet hath he neither hitherto Effected nor shall ever bring to pass hereafter that this Catholick Doctrine ratified by the common Assent of Christians always and every where should be Abolish'd but that in the thickest Mist rather of the most perplexing Troubles it still obtained Victory both in the Minds and in the open Confession of all Christians no ways overturn'd in the Foundation thereof and that in this Verity that one Church of CHRIST was preserv'd in the midst of the Tempest of the most cruel Winter or in the thickest Darkness of her Wainings And he further adds that if at this Day we should take a Survey of the several Professions of Christianity that have any large spread in any Part of the World as of the Religion of the Roman and of the Reform'd Churches in our Quarters of the Ethiopians and Egyptians in the South of the Grecians and other Christians in the Eastern Parts and should put by the Points wherein they differ one from another and gather into one Body the rest of the Articles wherein they all agree we should find that in those Propositions which without all Controversy are Universally received in the whole Christian World so much Truth is contain'd as being join'd with Holy Obedience may be sufficient to bring a Man to everlasting Salvation neither have we cause to doubt but that as many as do walk according to this Rule neither overthrowing that which they have builded by super inducing any Damnable Heresies thereupon nor otherwise Viciating their holy Faith with a lewd and wicked Conversation Peace shall be upon them and Mercy and upon the Israel of GOD. This is a Consideration of the greatest Weight and discovers the Foundation of Christian Vnity and of the Peace of the Universal Church And even J. W. in his Contest with the Right Reverend and Learned Doctor Stilling fleet Stilling Answ to sev Treatises 68.70 now Lord Bishop of Worcester proves the Vnity of the Roman Church by this Argument All those who Assent unto the Ancient Creeds are Undivided in Matters of Faith But all Roman Catholicks Assent unto the Ancient Creeds Ergo all Roman Catholicks are Undivided in Matters of Faith These says the Doctor are the most Healing Principles that have yet been thought of Fye for shame why should we and they of the Church of Rome quarrel thus long We are well agreed in all Matters of Faith which saith he I shall demonstratively prove from the Argument of J. W. drawn from his two last Propositions All who Assent to the Ancient Creeds are Undivided in Matters of Faith But both Papists and Protestants do Assent unto the Ancient Creeds Ergo They are Undivided in Matters of Faith and though this way of Arguing was only Ad hominem it is great Pity that the Major Proposition of the last Syllogism was not pronounced out of the Infallible Chair But certain it is That the Papists notwithstanding their great Boast of Vnity are much more Divided within themselves than any Protestants from each other for the Rent goes through the main Foundation of their Faith Their Church's INFALLIBILITY For where to place it they can by no means agree but as among that Party which calls it self the Church of England though some are Socinians Note If that Notion be true viz. That the Vaudois and Albigeois are the Two Witnesses 't is Demonstration that Hierarchy and Liturgy are no proper Terms of Union For although they have been pure Churches ever since the Apostles Days they have always been without both some Calvinists c. yet all agree in the Hierarchy and Common-Prayer So there are two things in which all Papists do agree viz. the Hierarchy under the Bishop of Rome and the Sacrifice of the Mass Upon these two Poles the Antichristian World stands firm though almost all others are controverted Fas est ab hoste doceri And therefore why may not the Governours of the Church of England fix upon those Terms of VNION wherein all Christians in the World are agreed which are few and plain and restore them to their Primitive Right of being the Foundation of the Peace and Unity of Christians Terms of Divine Institution will as certainly Unite the Christian World as Terms of Humane Institution have done the Antichristian And since it is not a Matter at present practicable to bring all sorts of Christians together to agree on those Terms it will be the Glory of the Church of England to set an Example which will be follow'd by all the Christian World There are in a Word some Truths which are the First Principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 and these are the Truths which ought to be the Terms of Union But I would not be misunderstood as if I thought no other Truths necessary for a Growing Christian There are the Principles of the Doctrine of CHRIST or as the Original the Word of the beginning of CHRIST which are necessary to Unite a Man to the Christian Church Heb. 6.1 and which are suited to the Unlearned as well as the Learned and ought to admit him into its Communion But there is also a going on to Perfection which becomes all Men that live in that Communion the degrees of which are various and the highest degrees most desirable but yet he that hath but two Talents ought not to be cast out of the Church
things are now set in the clearest Light a better Friend to the Church can never fill the English Throne the terms of Catholick Unity are well understood both by the Clergy and many of the Laity while the Church has stood upon Stilts * Ceremonies it has been sometimes bending towards Rome and at other times towards Enthusiasm but by this means it may be unmoveably fixt upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone And this in short is what I would offer on this Subject that her Majesty may receive the like Authority by Act of Parliament as that so often given to King H. 8. and after to Edw. 6. By this means instead of our being cursed once a Year on Ash-Wednesday the Church may obtain the Benefit of that Godly Discipline which the Rubrick wishes to be Restored The Liturgy of the Church of England may be made a Form to some and at least a Directory agreeable to all the Protestant Churches the Rights Powers and Priviledges of an English Convocation would be better understood and all the Attempts of the Factors of Rome and France would be defeated for ever And therefore to use the Word of the Author of the Reasons for passing the late Bill with a very little Variation they being as I conceive much more for my purpose than his Since the Security of Particulars that is the Innocent the Honest and Peaceable for no body I suppose means to incourage the wicked Seditions or to protect them in their Crimes Such as that High Church-man who has lately Publish'd a Latin Treatise to prove the present Church of England Schismatical At least this is not a Design that will bear the Light since the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation in General by the Encouragement of Industry and Increase of Trade by the Benefit and Comforts of Society by Dutiful and Chearful Submission to those whom God God has set over us in Church and State by a most Cordial and Loyal Obedience to Her Majesty and Grateful Sence of the Blessings we enjoy under Her Just and Prudent Government since the Wisdom and Piety of our Legislators the Sagacity of their Judgments the Weight and Authority of their Deliberations their Unanimity and Firmness in the Pursuit of fit and necessary Measures and the Nobleness of their Resolution in overcoming all Difficulties since the Honour and Felicity of Her Majesties most Auspicious Reign Her Reputation abroad and Interest at home the Praise and Veneration that will be paid Her now and that Renown that will attend Her to all Succeeding Ages for securing to all Posterity that unvaluable Blessing which was Established by Her famous Predecessor Queen Elizabeth of truly Glorious Memory And as Her Majesty was pleased to tell us very lately even Her present Satisfaction and what she has most at Heart And above all since the Interests of Religion and the Glory of God are so nearly concerned in this Business and that Temporal and narrow Aims may be cashiered Brotherly Love revived and the little things that divide us giving place to the more Weighty that ought to unite us We may henceforth only contend for the Faith which was once delivered and that Purity of Manners which is the necessary Effect of it Let us unanimously agree in enabling Her Majesty to give all that Security and Perfection to our most excellent Constitution which it may justly require at our Hands Nor is it the Church only that requires this 't is the State likewise which must stand or fall with Her For the sake then of our most Wise and Constituted Government which all Strangers envy and which we seem to pride our selves so much upon for the sake of our Most Gracious Sovereign than whom never any merited more at our Hands and who so pathetically presses us to perfect Peace and Union among our selves and who declares She hath nothing so much at Heart as the Welfare and Happiness of Her Subjects who manages that Treasure so carefully which we have seen formerly squandered away so profusely on French Intrigues and Whores loads her People with no Deficiencies but even Taxes her self to ease her Subjects and if the most shining Virtue and Goodness placed upon a Throne can affect us if she be as worthy to be trusted as Hen. 8. for the sake of our Countrey for whose Welfare we profess such a mighty Concern and of which we would be thought such Zealous Patriots for our own dear sakes that most powerful Motive with all Mankind and lastly even for God's sake for the Honour and Glory of his Holy Name which ought to weigh with us above all other Considerations Let us not after rejecting a Bill against Immorality be so fond of a Bill which tends only to Establish Ceremonies let us search the Scriptures and not French Presidents for the Means of Vnion least we be judged by our Blessed Saviour for rejecting the Commandments of God that we may keep our own Tradition Let us at last discern the things that belong to our Peace and God forbid that they should at any time this especially be hid from our Eyes And now Sir having offered to your Consideration such Principles as I my self act by and which I conceive are agreeable to the Opinion of most of the English Occasional Conformists and Occasional Dissenters and proposed an Expedient for the Establishment of the Church of England which I conceive far more likely to unite us than the late Bill if it had past and applied the Pathetick Arguments of one of your Party to this Expedient I shall next consider what ever seems to me remain unanswered in your Discourse And first I cannot but admire that you who have pronounc'd that Her Majesty is none of the three Estates of the Realm but the Sovereign Head of that Great Body should in the very same Page allow Her no more than a Councurrence with what Her Parliament should conceive to be reasonable for methinks conceiving what is reasonable should be at least as proper for the Head as the Members I must confess that I concur with you in believing that Her Majesties Allies would not have been offended at the Wisdom of that Bill had it past into a Law because perhaps they could not have discerned it and it would probably have been the more invisible to them because it was so conspicuous to all the Papists and Jacobites in England But as to the Prophetick Part of that Dedication how much the Dissenter would have been pleased to know the extent of his Priviledges or how contented he would be or what Advantage would accreue from such Gentle Methods or in the words of Maimburg to the French King Moyens deux voyes de Grace Maimbourg Epistle Dedicatory to the Life of Gregory the 1st or whether the first words of your Dedication do insinuate that there are some good Men who have no Sense of Religion no concern for
the true Interest of their Native Countrey nor any Duty or Gratitude to Her Majesty I must beg further time for Consideration I must also take time for further Thought or desire further Information what those Truths are which in your Preface you say you do with Deference and Respect to the House of Lords and in a decent and respectful manner endeavour to Establish for as to your two main Pillars other Hands have sufficiently shewed that they are far from being Pillars of Truth I am also with great Submission much surprized to be told Page 6. that the same Arguments were made use of against this Bill which were formerly insisted on for Repealing all the Test-Laws whatsoever for many of the Great and Wise Men in the Kingdom and more especially in Shropshire Herefordshire and thereabouts do well remember that the way to Peace at Home was with much Eloquence declared to be by Repealing those Laws when to Repeal them was manifestly to serve a Popish Interest and with no less Assurance when the late Bill was promoted when the same End would have been served tho' by quite contrary Means so that one at least of those Arguments would have been very acceptable to me who have always thought that the Reasons for Repealing those Laws in a Popish Reign were of the same Size with those that are urged for rendring those Laws more strict and severe in the Reign of a Protestant Queen Concerning this Matter therefore Preface to Peace at Home there are some Mistakes and Misapprehensions I doubt that do still prevail with some Persons and seem to call for a further Explanation of it And perhaps that the same Arguments were used for both these Purposes would be as considerable a Truth if it were made out as any other of the Truths endeavoured to be establish'd by your Discourse But tho' I was against Repealing the Test in a Popish Reign I Publish'd some Reasons for Repealing some part of it in a Protestant Reign which I have added to this Letter No. 1. for your Consideration That the Bill affected only those particular Dissenters who thought fit to Conform for an Office but would not Conform for the Unity of the Church is another of your Truths which needs to be establish'd because on the contrary it seems to affect my Occasional Conformist or rather Occasional Dissenter nay to be principally levell'd at him who conforms meerly for the Unity of the Church and not for an Office who endeavours to preserve the Unity of the Catholick Church from being rent as often as a Whimsey shall take any Sett of Men to be adding their own Inventions to Christianity and then to call themselves the Church to make a parcel of Ceremonies Articles of Communion whereas the 39 Articles of the Church are not so if you believe your Oracle One Truth indeed you have taught us out of the Preamble of the intended Bill against Occasional Conformity viz. That nothing is more contrary to the Profession of the Christian Religion and particularly to the Doctrine of the Church of England than Persecution for Conscience sake only It was therefore it seems to be Enacted to this effect That whosoever being in a Publick Office would not join himself to the High Church Party so as never more to Communicate with any other part of the Christian World altho' he believed the Holy Catholick Churah and endeavoured to shew his Faith by his Works should forfeit his Office and a Fine of 100 l. to the Prosecutor c. Now if the Man did Communicate with other good Christians out of Conscience as is abovesaid would not this be Persecution for Conscience only And pray Sir was not the danger of Establishing the aforesaid Truth the true Reason why that Truth was left out of the Preamble in the Second Edition of that Bill And this Question I ask you with the greater Freedom tho' with great Submission because this Truth being once in the Preamble of that Bill is used by you as an Answer to the Objection That they who think the being present at a Meeting to be so high a Crime can hardly think that Toleration of such Meetings ought to continue which by Reason of the said Truth being in the said Preamble you argue to be an hard not to say unwarrantable and uncharitable Censure on the Representatives of the People I don't say Sir That going to a Meeting is now by the Toleration Act Establish'd or made part of our Constitution thereby But I say that if the Creed be part of our Constitution if the Articles of the Church be another part and the Meeting be within the Description of the said 19th Article going to it is Established both by Law and Gospel But I apply to your Questions which I am willing to take as the chief Points and to expect a good Issue not from the Weakness but Strength of the Reader 's Judgment First Whether it be consistent with the Safety of the Established Government either in Church or State with the Wisdom of the English Nation with the Practice of any Wise Government in the World or with the true Intent and Meaning of the Corporation and Test Acts to admit any Person whatsoever into Publick Offices and Imployments relating to the Government either in Countries or Corporations who are not sincere Members of the National Church and who do not heartily approve of the Laws of the Land and chearfully pay Obedience to them Secondly And whether it is better to have the Administration of Publick Affairs in the Hands of Persons of one and the same Perswasion in Matters of Religion or to have a mixture and confusion of Men of opposite Principles in one and the same Administration or in other words whether it is better to have all the Publick Officers draw together the same way for the Publick Good or to have some drawing one way and some another and thereby tearing the Government between them in pieces That is in short and in effect whether it is fit that the Corporation and Test Acts should be Enforced or Repealed Now that I may keep to the Subject Matter of the Debate I must take leave to divide these Questions into several Heads because they seem to me too perplex'd as they are stated and therefore seeing the Subject Matter is Occasional Conformity or Occasional Nonconformity First Let us consider whether the Occasional Conformist or rather the Occasional Dissenter be not a sincere Member of the National Church who heartily approves of the Laws of the Land and chearfully pays Obedience to them and whether he and the Churchman be of opposite Principles or of one and the same Perswasion in Matters of Religion Secondly Whether if the Occasional Bill had passed it had secured the Government from such who are not sincere Members of the National Church nor heartily approve of the Laws of the Land nor chearfully pay Obedience to them but are of opposite Principles and not
of one and the same Perswasion in Matters of Religion Thirdly Whether the Administration of Publick Astairs may not be in the Hands of Persons who are not of one and the same Perswasion in Matters of Religion nay of Men of opposite Principles without Confusion or tearing the Government in pieces between them and whether they may not notwithstanding draw together the same way for the Publick Good Fourthly Whether it is sit that the Corporation and Test Acts should be enfore'd or Repealed Fifthly Whether upon the whole Matter the Occasional Conformist may not be admitted into Publick Offices and Employments relating to the Government consistently with the Safety of the Established Government both in Church and State with the Wisdom of the English Nation and with the Practice of some wise Governments in the World And as to the first I answer that the Occasional Conformist is a sincere Member of the National Church who heartily approves of the Laws of the Land and chearfully pays Obedience to them and he and the Church-men are not of opposite Principles but of one and the same Perswasion in Matters of Religion If the Church-man whom you suppose the only Person fit for an Office be one that troubles not himself about Religion but believes as the Church believes and does as he sees others do I neither can judge of his Principles nor his Perswasion in Matters of Religion but if he have espoused the Religion of the Church of England with consideration and can give a Reason of the Faith or Hope that is in him he knows that the Religion of this National Church is all to be found in the Bible He is taught by the sixth Article of that Church that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man that it should be believ'd as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation The Reason given by the 8th Article why the three Creeds ought throughly to be received and believed is for that they may be proved by most certain Warrants of Holy Scripture And as to Creeds so as to Councils we are taught by the 21st Article that things Ordained by them as necessary to Salvation have neither Strength nor Authority only as it may be declared that they be taken out of Holy Scripture Now the Occasional Conformists are herein intirely of the same mind they agree intirely in the Creeds the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments as contained in the Decalogue and as explained by our Saviour In the two Sacraments and every Part and Article that any Protestant can have any Colour to call a part of Christianity But I have not Inclination nor can it be expected that I should particularize every Head and Point of Religion wherein they agree but should be glad to be informed by you of any Article of Religion or Point of Doctrine wherein they differ for no Man ever called Rites and Ceremonies of humane Institution Principles or Matters of Religion I must own that they are not fully satisfied in the large Sense of that Passage in the 20th Article That the Church hath Power to decree Rites and Ceremonies nor that as the 34th Article expresses it it is sufficient as to the Ceremonies that nothing be Ordained against God's Word if the Opposition of God's Word be intended a particular express Opposition but they are of opinion that to make any Rites or Ceremonies of Humane Institution necessary to Communion especially as is aforesaid to make them Terms of Separation from the rest of the Catholick Church is against God's Word but they are extricated out of this Difficulty by the last Clause of the 34th Article it being plain by long and pungent Experience that the Ordaining of such Rites and Ceremonies is not among the Things that have been done so edifying or if this should fail yet your said Oracle is express that the 39 Articles are required from no Layman a Licence for which no Occasional Conformist will thank him The Romanists by such Ordinance have indeed edified their Babel and from things not contrary have proceeded to ordain things destructive to Christianity and so in some Measure are all such Ordinances which differ as much from Religion as Christianity does from Priestcraft But to bring this Matter a little closer I hope to make it plain that not only the Occasional Conformist but the Presbyterian and the Independent are of the same Perswasion in Matters of Religion with the Church-man and not of opposite Principles and that nothing but gross Ignorance or a wilful blind Prejudice has kept Men of either Party from being convinc'd of this Truth And to make this evident I take leave to acquaint you with plain Matter of Fact You well know that in the late times the Assembly of Divines at Westminster as also the Kirk of Scotland agreed in a Catechism called the Assemblies shorter Catechism And this Catechism was also agreed to by the Synod of the Independent Divines met at the Savoy Now after the Restauration of King Charles the 2d and particularly some time before the Popish Plot a mighty Zeal appeared against that Catechism in the Men of your Party and if I mistake not this Catechism was publickly burnt at Oxford But it happened that one Mr. Thomas Adams formerly fellow of Brazen-Nose-Colledge in Oxford being convinc'd of the Truth of what I am endeavouring to prove he in the Year 1675 wrote a Discourse Entituled The Main Principles of Christian Religion in 107 short Articles or Aphorisms generally received as being proved from Scripture now further cleared and confirmed by the Consonant Doctrine Recorded in the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England under 4 Heads Of things to be Explained 1. Believed comprehended in the Creed 2. Done in the Ten Commandments 3. Practiced in the Gospel particularly two Sacraments 4. Prayed for in the Lord's Prayer Which Discourse was Licensed Sold well and received a Second Edition in 1677 which I have but alass it was at last discovered that the 107 Articles were the Answers to the 107 Questions of the Assemblies Shorter Catechism and that hated Book was thus disper'd under the Patronage of the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England And if you will please to peruse this Book I suppose you will need no other Proof that the Occasional Conformist Presbyterian Independent and the Church-man are not of opposite Principles but of one and the same Perswasion in Matters of Religion and the Acceptation which that Discourse met with puts me in mind of a like Passage relating to the Sorbon to whom your Oracle above-mention'd desires that the Church of England may be united for when Abbas le Roy Publish'd a Discourse in France without naming the Author being a most Elegant and Pious Oration or Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ for obtaining the Grace of a perfect Conversion the
the word Church till after the end of the Prophecy and this perhaps is also the Reason why the Reformed Christian Church of the latter Days is called the Bride the Lamb's Wife A Bride in opposition to the Whore and the Bride the Lamb's Wife in opposition to the Wife of Anthropos But this by the way only observe that Simon Magus the Father of these Aeons was if you believe Baronius fetch'd down out of the Air by St. Peter's Prayers at Rome Anno 45 about 4 Years before St. Paul wrote the Epistle to the Thessalonians And take notice also that Irenaeus in his 33 d. Chapter of his first Book observes that Ignorance and Impudence False Zeal Fury Envy and Lust were said to be born about the same time with this same blessed couple Now Sir you must excuse me if I have no kindness for any of the Off-spring of these Folk and if I find any thing put upon me as part of Revealed Religion which appears to be begot by Anthropos on Ecclesia and if you or the Men of your Party Write as many Books as would fill the Tower of Babel in behalf of such things I shall still remember such Texts as these to the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this Rule 't is because there is no Light in them 8 Is 20. Thus it is written c. I must always say of the Christianity contained in the Writings of the Sacred Penman as Josephus says of the Writings of Moses Every thing that they wrote is yet extant and we must take it as they left it Joseph Page 92. without any room for Ornament or Variation And it was by this Principle which runs throughout his whole Work that Irenaeus routed all the Hereticks and all their Army of Aeons except this couple who have plagued do plague and will plague the World till the total downfal of Antichrist for as your aforesaid Oracle in his New Association Page 2. Page 17. observes when once we leave the Institutions of God there is no stop and our Imagination is our only Rule Magna est veritas prevalebi◠But 't is high time Sir to stop least after all you should think that I here condemn the Church of England as by Law Establish'd against which I don't say one word the late designed Act not being past For I do declare I take no Church to be a Whore unless she be guilty of Idolatry for that is Spiritual Adultery in Scripture Language I could wish that none but the Great Whore were concerned with Anthropos but some Churches that are not Whores are a little guilty of Jilting now and then and are too apt to Paint and to take some parts of the Attire of an Harlot tho' they are not so and therefore I wish all honest Churches would consider what it is that will be done when it shall be said that the Marriage of the Lamb is come 19 Rev. 7. and his Wife hath made her self ready The Case of the Regale makes the only considerable Matter in Controversie between the Church and Dissenters to be Episcopacy all other Matters being easily accommodated that Episcopacy was the Heir which they said come let us kill him that the Inheritance may be ours Page 248 that he takes Episcopacy to be no indifferent thing but Instituted by Christ and confirmed by the constant Practice of the Vniversal Church of Christ in all Ages Page 254. And yet in the Shape of a Wolf Page 27. He falls very fiercely upon his Brother Wolf of Rome and calls the Pope the Grand Schismatick and why e'en because Catholick Communion is broke by the Church of Rome in the Usurpation of her Bishops over all the rest of his Fellow Bishops and confining the Catholick Church to his own Communion then it seems that is Schism in the Pope which would have been Establishing Peace and Unity and Setling our Constitution upon a sure and lasting Foundation if done by the Occasional Bill Peace at Home Page 12. But if the Pope be in the wrong what is this Episcopacy that is of Divine Right And what is a Diocess and what Texts are there that prove an Equality among Bishops which do not also prove Presbyters to be Bishops St. Peter we just now read was a Fellow Presbyter and would never have Exhorted Presbyters to act the Bishop if he had known that Presbyters and Bishops differed in Order Jure Divino Nor would St. John who Wrote his Gospel about the Year 98 about 65 Years after he had received the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost and after he came out of the boyling Oil have omitted so necessary a Matter nor would he in his 2 d. and 3 d. Epistles just before his Death have misled the Church by calling himself the Presbyter which is the first word in both those Epistles especially in his Third Epistle in which he complains of Diotrephes who lov'd the Preheminence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Prelacy for not receiving him and for casting the Brethren out of the Church He would have been careful to have used the Stile of a Higher Order nay 't is plain he did not think it a Disparagement to the surviving Apostle of Jesus Christ to be styled a Presbyter but hitherto the Church of Christ remained a pure Virgin Hegesippus in Eus l. 3. c. 32. and Anthropos had not prevailed to introduce his Spouse in her stead This Parity appears from divers Places in Irenaeus in the second Century and the well known Place in St. Hierom the Confession of Binius in 1 Can. Apost is remarkable that the Names of Bishop and Presbyter were promiscuously used and not distinguish'd for above 200 Years I will add the words of the Learned Hales in his Discourse of Schism They deceive themselves and others who would perswade us that Bishops by the Institution of Christ have any Superiority above other Men except that which requires Reverence or That a Bishop is Superior by any other Law than Positivo and by the common Consent of Christians Do I then Sir Humphrey say any thing against the Constition of the Church of England not at all Jure Positivo The Priests and People are Governed by the Queen the Laws are made by Queen Lords and Commons there are as many Lord Lieutenants as Counties and Bishops as Diocesses and Archbishops as Provinces there are among the People Dukes Marquesses c. and among the Ministers Deans Arch-Deacons Prebends c. But for God's sake what Texts do you quote for the Jus Divinum either of the Monarchy limitted by our Laws and all the Subordinate Officers in the English Form of Government tho' the best in the World or for the Hierarchy of the Church of England with all its Subordinate Officers as described by Dr. Cousius in his Ecclesiae Anglicanae Politica Reprint that Book and let us have the Scriptures proving the Constitution Jure Divino in the next Edition
All the Christian Acts of Moderation in other Countries he takes to be Acts of Necessity not of Choice He seems to think that there are no Laws in England but those of Uniformity and the Corporation and Test Acts or otherwise he shamefully belies the Dissenters for no Men are more fond of the other Laws of England made for the Security of the Establisht Government 'T is a mighty Discovery that he has made that the Dissenters would Repeal those Laws Surely no Man ever doubted it so far as concerns good Protestants tho' it would be in Effect not a Repealing but rectifying those Laws He has confirmed my Observation that there is a strange Byass on a certain Party of Men towards Popish and French Presidents or surely he would not have troubled the Reader with the Presidents of Portugal Spain Italy Peace and Vnion Pag. 4. and France any more than of Muscovy Turkey Persia or China And for Holland they are a Wiser People than to Exclude those that Communicate with their National Church because they believe their Creed and Communicate also with other Protestants 'T is no wonder if Men that pretend to Infallibility and take the whole Web of Priestcraft to be as Sacred as our Saviours Seamless-Coat should Establish an Inquisition but that Men that pretend to no Infallibility but have rejected 19 Parts in 20 should be setting up an Inquisition to secure the Fag-end of Priestcraft from being torn off from Christianity this is wonderful especially when Constant Conformity Page 10. which as the Party would impose it is Schismatical Separation from the Catholick Church is put on the same Foot with the Oaths of Allegiance and Abjuration I hope that I have shewed that Author another way to Peace and Union than by Bribing Men by Offices to be Separalists there needs no going over of the Church to the Dissenters or the Dissenters to the Church but if both will go over to the Bible it would be well and Christendom in a little while would go over with them Let him take his Swing against all Parties that would undermine our Constitution but the things he and his Party are so fond of are rather our Excrements than our Constitution and if only one thing is to be done at once Page 16. let me Advise the Party to take Care of a Commandment an Article of the Creed or a Petition of the Lords Prayer and put an incapacity on those that trangress let God be first served at least before a Humane Ceremony or an Addition to our Saviours Institutions and as to his Controversy with D'foe I am not at all concerned whether your Offender or your Defender are against Occasional-Conformity upon the same or different Principles I hope the Precedent Sheets give a quite different Account of and defend that Practice from the misrepresentations of them both But least the word Excrement should offend you I think sit to acquaint you that I have it from that great Man eminent Church-man Dr. Henry Moor who among his Remains which I have seen written with his own Hand has this Passage That that which is good indeed should be generally relished by the World is as unlikely as that dead Men in their Graves should call out for Drink but when Goodness is revived in the World that which now goes for Food and Delicacy shall then be left as Dung and Excrement I hope Sir Humphry that Goodness is reviving in the World and I know that Sir Humphry Mackworth has his Heart and Hands engaged in its Resurrection and you know that there are Occasional Consormists who join intirely with you therein I was heartily sorry to find your Name to a Discourse which signifies to me that you take that for Food and Delicacy which I think deserves the other Name But there is another Passage among those Remains in these words There is a Natural kind of Religiousness which is but the Stamp or Character of this or the other Man's disposition some are given naturally to the magnificence of outward Ceremonies others do attend the inward motions of their Mind and think at ever moving of the Water a good Angel at least if not God himself is there But few Men are aware of their own natural Temper of Genius but let every one be assured that wherever Humility Upright-dealing and Charity are wanting both Ceremony and Inspiration are but a ridiculous piece of Gullery Humility assures me that the Oracles of God teach the true Terms of Christian Union to walk humbly with our God Mic. 6.8 is what the Prophet long since pronounc'd to be good and what God required Upright dealing teaches the publickly to my own Principles for which for some Years past I have been almost daily reproach'd and I thank God my Charity extends to the utmost limits of that Promise The Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isaiab 11.9 Oh Sir Humphrey Heb. 2.14 consider of Peace on Earth Luke 2.14 as well as at Home Not what will secure your Party but what will unite the Christian World who all agree that the Scriptures are the Word of God endeavour to render the Church of England a means of this glorious Peace and you will for ever oblige Your most c. No. 2. Woolsey's Letter IT is not concealed from your Holiness what are the various Effects of the new Invention of Printing that thereby Books and Learning are introduced and restored so that they have given rise to innumerable Sects and Schisms which daily break out in the Christian World especially in Germany where Men now begin to call into doubt the present Faith and Pleasure of the Church and to bring under Examination how far the Roman Faith at this day differs from the Primitive and Apostolical Institution From whence which is greatly to be lamented it comes to pass that Lay-men and the Dregs of the People are incited to read the Scriptures in the Vulgar Tongue Which great Mischiefs if they be tolerated not only greater will follow but it will come to pass that the Vulgar will at length be brought to believe that there is no such great need or use of the Clergy for if once there comes into the Minds of Men this Perswasion and Opinion that they can find a way for themselves to God in their own Mother Tongue which will enter Heaven as well as if it were in Latin plainly all Authority of the Mass and the whole Ecclesiastical Order will be ruin'd Pag. 73. A PLEA FOR THE Holy Sacrament being an Attempt to Rescue it from some late Prophanations in Civil Matters IN A LETTER TO A Member of Parliament By a Lay-Hand Licensed March 25 1689. James Fraser A PLEA FOR THE HOLY SACRAMENT March 20. 1688 9. SIR IT hath been one of the most successful Stratagems of the Apostate Prince of Darkness to ruin Mens Souls by those very means