all times and upon all occasions of Difference and Contest to give clear and palpable Tokens of their Moderation to all Sorts and Conditions of Men. Still it appears that the Objects of Moderation are all sorts of Men and that the Subject Matter upon which it is exercised are Matters of Difference and Contest So he repeats his Notion again pag. 35. and again pag. 37. Now before I go further I desire the Reader to believe me that I approve of very much good Matter well-spoken and well-applied But I fear Prejudice and Partiality weighs too heavy upon his Bowle I do confess iâ— is a very good Notion and Doctrine that we should manage all our Differences with Temper But why should he single out this as the main if not whole of the Text which is but a good Behaviour in a particular Case and but one Instance of a general Duty seems not so clear Besides 't is like it is too narrow a Notion except a Christian have or may have some Matters of Controversy or Difference with all Men and that all Christians may have differing and contrary Opinions and Principles and each one is bound to maintain his own Side with Temper As he doth often repeat his own Sence of Moderation so he doth deliver a common but untrue Notion of Moderation in a Lay and Church-Capacity from p. 36 to p. 41. and then gives his Reasons against such a kind of Moderation as he is pleased to describe to pag. 48. It would be too tedious to examine all the Members and Parts of a moderate Man in a Lay-Capacity but what is most material First doth it become a moderate Man to be so positive as to say after an imaginary oratorical Description of a Lay moderate Man such as I and others never knew This saith the Preacher is no Fiction of mine no Creature of my Fancy but Matter of Fact visible to every Eye p. 37. That it is not difficult to prove such Men act against their Conscience for really a moderate Man in the common Notion if examined is but a softer Phrase for a Knave pag. 48. Upon this Character of a moderate Lay-man drawn pag. 36. I make some Observations and in the general observe That he takes some Parts and Vertues of a very honest Man to make a Knave of As 1. He is one who will frequent the Publick Churches 2. One who will seem devout at Divine Service and who doth to us and our Eye more than seem 3. One who talks much for Union and wishes for it but sees no Evil in Schism Whereas what can move him to wish for Union but the Good of Union and the Evil of Schism And I would fain know what Benefit any Knave can make of Union If he only talkt for Union and did not wish for it and if this might be known it were like a moderate Man in the softer Phrase but if he talks much of Union and wishes for it he talks and wishes like an honest Man 4. Suppose him to be one who thinks he doth God good Service and takes a good Course to promote Peace by frequenting unlawful Meetings and yet is clearly for the Religion established by Law Yet under favour 1. Suppose he may be mistaken in thinking so for all that he may be a very honest Man for honest Men are subject to Mistakes 2. If he mistake in the way to promote Peace for all that he may be very honest 3. If he thinks those Meetings which you call unlawful that is to say Meetings of Orthodox Preachers and Christians consistent with the Religion established by Law he may be a wise discerning honest Man and doth distinguish between the Religion and the mutable Appendages to which he never subscribed or declared being but a Lay-man But then Secondly Some Things are affixed to him which if true depends upon proof against some particular Men if any such there be which doth not affect more than those Individuals We know none that first work hard against the Church of England on the six Days and appear for her on the Sunday 2. Nor any that sees not harm in Schism but you may call that a Schism which is not 3. Nor any who are one with all Parties in designing against the Government 4. Nor that cry God forbid there should be any Alteration in it for there may be Alteration in it as in the natural Body from Youth to riper Age without its destruction or dissolution 5. Nor that look upon Bishops as necessary Evils for they who account them evil do not account them necessary 6. He may be a Son of the Church of England and yet chuse rather if he could that is if he lawfully could to be without the Ceremonies for the Church doth declare That those Ceremonies which remain upon just causes may be altered and changed in the Preface of Ceremonies why some be abolished Thirdly He delivers some Things positively which are dubious and therefore which may be untrue pag. 37. These are moderate Men in one sence i.e. they have a moderate Esteem of and a moderate Love for that Church in whose Communion they live and resolve to die so long as she is up but if she were down they could contentedly enough survive her Ruine and perhaps they might live the longer Now either this Picture of a moderate Lay Church-man is a Creature of his own Fancy or a real Being if a real Being and a true Man he is one of his own Acquaintance or not if not of his Acquaintance he paints him by the Ear by Report and not by the Eye of his own Knowledg Let him either reform him if he can or keep no Acquaintance with him If he be a real Man he speaks the Language of Abhorrers and Addressers who often promise to live and die for the Church as established by Law and they are concerned in the Character drawn one would think with too heavy a hand and Pencil made of too course Bristles for a moderate Man to use Fourthly A Moderate Man such as in some things he sets out in the Colours of a Knave wipes off the Dash and thinks he may with an honest Heart and Face in sincerity towards God Loyalty to the Government and Constancy to his Religion frequent the publick Churches and Conventicles too For first He is of the Judgment that God may be truly and acceptably worship'd under different Modes and Forms therefore he will frequent the publick Churches for which you cannot blame him and it may be go to Assemblies called Conventicles especially when he had the King's Indulgence 2. He believes there is a Communion of Saints not only in Faith and Affection but also in Worship and therefore if he cannot hold Communion with Orthodox Preachers in publick Churches he will make bold to enjoy it where he can which he thinks he may do without Sin because it is his Duty and knows no Reason or Law of God why he may not
Blood All the whole Earth is on Fire the Flame reaches up to Heaven let us labour to withdraw that Hellish Fewel which nourisheth this fearful Combustion Let every one pull away a Stick and not employ himself as an Incendiary As we honour the God of Peace whom we serve as we love the Prince of Peace in whom we believe as we tender the Success of the Gospel of Peace which we preach as we hope for the Comfort of the Spirit of Peace in our own Bosoms let us seek Peace where it is missing and follow it where it flies from us Thus that incomparable Prelate And here I cannot but take notice also of the Right Reverend and Moderate Archbishop Juxon whom King Charles the First selected for his Confessor at his Martyrdom when he honoured him with this Testimony and Name viz. That good Man One who writes his Life gives him this excellent Character That he was a great Benefactor to St. Paul's but greatest to the Church which his Eminence adorned and his Temper secured in those Times wherein Roughness enraged that Humour which Delay and Moderation broke In his Duty this good Man went along with Conscience in Government with Time and Law His Justice was as his Religion clear and uniform the Ornament of his Heart and the Honour of his Action neither was his Justice leavened with Rigor or Severity but sweetned with Clemency and Goodness He was never angry but for the Publick and not then so much at the Person as at the Offence So ambitious was he of that great Glory of Moderation that he kept it up in spite of the Times Malignity So that tho the most thought the worse of Dr. Juxon for the Bishop's sake yet the best thought the better of the Bishop for Dr. Juxon's sake And the pacifick Temper of Arch-Bishop Sheldon is excellently discovered in a Sermon of his preached before his Majesty 1660 and afterwards printed whose Sayings deserve to be written in Letters of Gold That 's the best and most Christian Memory saith he that as Caesar's forgets nothing but Injuries Let us all seriously and sadly look back consider and bemoan one another for what we have mutually done and suffered from each other Let us all be sorry and all mend perfectly forgiving what is past and returning to as great Kindness as ever that so by all good and mutual Offices we may make amends for our former Animosities Shall God saith this excellent Prelate so great so glorious after so high and many Provocations condescend to be at Peace with us And shall we poor Worms be at Enmity among our selves for Trifles to the hazard of the Comforts of this Life and the Hopes of a better Shall we retain the Memory of former Unkindness and make a publick Act of Oblivion which we expect a publick Lie without either Fear of God or Shame of the World Shall we change one War into another the open into a secret one Hostility into Treachery and by pretending Peace only smooth the way to Supplantation This is the most unmanly Thing in the World Bishop Roynolds of Norwich was a great Pattern of this Divine Vertue as may be seen in his incomparable Writings Not to go back so far as Archbishop Cranmer Ridley Hooper and Latimer who loved not their Lives unto Death Bp. Jewel Abbot Bilson Davenant Cooper Vsher Grindal Prideaux Downam Morton Archbishop Sands Bp. Saunderson Bp. Potter Bp. Carlton Bp. Brownrig Mr. Capel Mr. Palmer Mr. Crook Mr. Hudson Mr. Lawson Dr. Preston Mr. Fenner Mr. Bolton Mr. Wheatly Mr. Dent Mr. Dike Dr. Sibbs Mr. Stock Dr. Willet Dr. Stawghton Dr. Tho Taylor Dr. Fâ—atly Dr. Holdsworth Dr. Shute If you would see more of this moderate and true Catholick Temper read the Writings of Mr. Chillingworth Mr. Hales Mr. Jos. Mede Dr. Jer. Taylor late Bishop of Down and Conar Bishop Rust Dr. Hawton Dr. Lightfoot Dr. Worthington Dr. Glanvill the present Bishop of Hereford Bishop of Lincoln Bp of Cork Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Tillotson Dr. Burnet Dr. Fowler the Protestant Reconciler with many more of the Clergy now living Here I might also recommend the excellent temperate Writings of some of the Laity viz. Judg Hales Esq Boyle Sir Charles Woolsly Mr. Polhill Mr. Will. Allein with the Author of the Samaritan and many others The Reverend Dr. Goodman in his excellent Epistle to his Sermon preached before the Lord-Mayor of London lately observes That our Animosities are arisen to that height that we have raked the Kennels of other Countries to find Names to stigmatize one another and tho we have many good Men amongst us yet who would be a Peace-maker when he shall be sure to be boxed on both sides like him that parts a Fray so that the common Friend shall be looked upon as a common Enemy by the angry Parties The Sum of all that has been said of a Moderate Church-man may be comprehended in the Character following Viz. He is one that loves his God and his Religion his King and his Country He shuns the dangerous Extremes and keeps the Mean of Christian Moderation neither causeth Schisms in the Church nor Factions in the State He is neither fond of needless Ritualities nor yet molested with groundless Scruples neither worships Images nor Imaginations but submits to the Customs of the Country tho not to the Iniquities of the Times By his abhorrence of all Sin he declares he thinks none venial and by the Regularity of his Conversation he shews he expects no Indulgence And as he doth not think by good Works to merit Heaven so he endeavours that he may not by bad ones deserve Hell He takes more pains to make good his Baptismal Covenant than to wrangle about the Mode of its Administration as if he were baptized with the Waters of Strife And he is more concerned to prove himself a good Christian than to prove who is Antichrist Nor doth be so contend about the Number of the Elect as to reprobate himself for want of Charity He thinks it very unseasonable to dispute about the Colour of a Garment when our Enemies are endeavouring to cloath us with the Scarlet Tincture of our own Blood He had rather use a set Form of Prayer than have the Service in an unknown Tongue and submit to the reverent Gesture of Kneeling than swallow the Doctrine of Transubstantiation Whether the chief Ecclesiastical Officer be called a Bishop or a Presbyter or the Communion-Board a Table or an Altar he is not so much concerned as to disturb the Peace of the Church about it He is a true Catholick Christian neither Papist nor Separatist and loves all good Men by what Names or Titles soever dignified or distinguished and ne're thinks the worse of an honest Man if Malice gives him an ill Name because he knows Men by their Fruits He doth not baptize his Religion with the Name of a Sect nor espouse the Quarrel of a Party Nor is he guilty of the Corinthian Vanity in crying up a Paul an Apollos or a Cephas but looks upon it as the great Design of Christianity to make Men good and knows where it hath not that effect it matters not much what Church such a Man is of because a bad Man can be saved in none He is one that is sober without Formality chearful without Levity prudent without Stratagem and religious without Affectation can be sociable without revelling angry without swearing and zealous without quarrelling One in whom Nature and Grace Piety and Prudence are so excellently poized that it may be a Question whether his Wisdom or Goodness be most evident because both are covered with a Vail of Humility He thinks he may lawfully hold Communion with any true Church of Christ where the Substance of Religion is sound maintaining neither Heresy in Doctrine nor Idolatry in Worship notwithstanding some different circumstantial Modes of Administration And he believes if Almighty God damn us all for such Things which streight-laced narrow-soul'd Christians damn one another none could be saved And therefore he had rather give an Account to a merciful God for too much Charity than for too great Censoriousness as well knowing he that is guilty of so great a Crime hath lost half the Religion of a Christian and hath exchanged one of the fairest Graces of a Saint for one of the blackest Characters of a Devil In a Word He is one that mends the Times more by his good Example than by his Clamours And when other Men by their secret Conspiracies scandalous Immoralities causless Divisions and venemous Pamphlets are plotting the Ruine of the Kingdom the Language of his Heart and Tongue is God save the King To the Reader before the Fifteen Sermons of Bishop Wilkins 1 King 12.16 Ergo. * Human Laws are general Rules for common Cases Leges ad ea quae ut plui imum accidunt applicari solent in Lege quae ratò See also Grot. de jure Belli l. 1. c. 4. §. 4. Phil. Dec. de Reg. Jur. See Mr. Bold's Plea for Moderation sadly and ingenuously speaking his own Experience p. 14. See Rubrick after the Communion * See Ridley's Injunction before qu ie Item That the Minister in the time of the Communion immediately after the Offertory to monish the Communicants Now is the time if you please to remember the poor Man's Chest.
Leg for a Pulpit c. But I will not irritate but wish we were all Followers of Christ qui fecit quod docuit as Cyprian speaks There are many others that send about their Characters to provoke the Magistrate to a Jealousy of their own Friends and it is time to offer a Vindication if it will be admitted And that I may contain my self within some Bounds of Method I will I. Vindicate the moderate Clergy and Laity from the fanciful Aspersions cast upon them by some II. I will endeavour a true Character of a moderate Conformist III. Vindicate him from the Censures of those that are offended with him Sect. I. I. Having done with Mr. Gould with little more than a Repetition I will consider a Charge against us as formed into a Party under a venerable Nick-name of Grindalizers This Name is imprinted on us by the Author of the Remarks upon the Growth of Nonconformity I know not the Author and can have no pique at him for any private Offence I cannot conceal my Wishes of him whoever he be I had rather he should prove to be a Lay-Person than a Preacher and a Papist than a Protestant He may be taken for an Author of Reading and Credit by such as cannot trace and detect him He handleth those Weapons against our Dissenters which the Papists thrust at the Protestants in the former Generation and which the Leaders in our Militant Church have twisted and wreathed like Bulrushes For instance his Imputations upon Calvin and Beza are the very same which Bishop Bilson doth vindicate in his Answer to the Jesuit True Difference between Christian Subjection and Antichristian Rebellion part 3. p. 509. and other of our Protestant Fathers He produceth those very Stories against the Nonconformists which Parsons the Jesuit Sylvester Petra sancta Barclay Paraenesis ad Scotos lib. 1. c. 3. Philanax Anglicus and that cheating Author called The Image of both Churches dedicated to Charles the First when Prince of Wales printed at Tournay 1623 written as 't is said by Pateson While he exposeth the Nonconformist to open Shame he brings upon the Stage what and the very same Things that the Papists fathered upon the Protestants and Reformed Churches and they are cleared of those Forgeries by our eminent Writers And so the Case of the Nonconformists so far is vindicated by Bishop Bilson Morton's Justification of the Protestants from the Charge of Rebellion in his Full Satisfaction concerning a double Romish Iniquity by Dr. Andr. Rivet Jesuit a vapulans and Du-Moulin Who suffers most by these Slanders a Party of Dissenting Protestants or the Protestant Reformed Churches Now whether this Work be more proper for a Papist or a Protestant not to say a Minister of the Church of England as some say the Author is let the Reader judg by his own Words from pag. 14 to 17. A second thing that promotes the Interest and Increase of Separation is Grindallizing By Grindallizers I mean the Conforming Nonconformists or rather such as are Conformists in their Profession Half-Conformists in their Practice Nonconformists in their Judgment like the old Gnostick Separatists which the Apostle calls double-minded Men or like the Sinner in Eccl. 2.13 that looks two manner of ways or like the Haven in Creet Acts 27.12 that bows and bends to the South and to the North to the Church of England and to the Kirk of Scotland as Interest and Opportunity shall incline These are they which down with all Oaths and Subscriptions required tho what they swallow whole in their Subscriptions they mince and mangle in their Practice they conform to all seemingly but hypocritically mangle the Common-Prayer handle the Surplice gently plow so cunningly with their Ox and Ass together carry it so cunningly that they can scarce be known but per modum opinionis by their open Compliances with the Enemies of the Church by their Gallionism in defending the Orders and Ceremonies of the Church and other Matters of Conformity which require their proportion of Zeal and Resolution by their hearing with patience and unconcernedness the Interest Honour and Peace of the Church run down by swaggering Sectaries by their talking Conformity and Nonconformity with such compassionate and serious Innuendo's as may sufficiently signify their favourable opinion of if not good-will to their Cause by their defending the popular Election of Bishops by ambiguously representing the Separation as if it were no Schism by their writing fraudulent Pleas for the Nonconformists by endeavouring to acquit the Presbyterians and Independents of the King's Murther and in statu quo by their Votes in chusing Parliaments and Convocations by their being a secretis with profest Nonconformists by their self-designing Compliances with them under pretence of Moderation similibus Whereby they contribute as much to the encouragement of Dissenters as the professed Encouragers themselves like King Charles's Presbyterian Murtherers who had the Villany to manage the Contrivance but the Cunning to disappear in the Execution These Half-Conformists are the veriest Church-Moles that by their blind Principles and undermining Practices contribute little less to the Increase and Interest of Nonconformity to the danger and dishonour of the Church than the open Enemy whether Popish or Peevish And of this we have frequent Instances particularly in Arch-bishop Grindal whose Indulgence to that Party gave them the first revival in England by his conniving at the Half-Conformists of York-shire by his complying first with Beza in procuring a French Church setled in London on the Geneva-Principle and afterwards with those who upon their return from Geneva Franckford and other Places where they lived during the Marian Persecution were preferred in the Church where they lived for some time Half-Conformists as Cartwright Minister in Warwick Whittingham Dean of Durham Sampson Dean of Christ-Church afterwards turned out for Nonconformity with great Numbers preferred to Cures in City and Country where they were not wanting to prepare the People for such Innovations as were in after-Times to be brought into the Church and by the profest Nonconformists As soon as Safety and Impunity permitted they broke out into open Schism and still when the Law 's just Severity frighted them they crept within the Pale of the Church seeming to conform that they might have the Law 's Protection to shelter their Contempt of Authority and under the Wing of Episcopaey to breed up their Presbytery When Arch-bishop Whitgift's Zeal and Industry had reduced them to that that in all probability their Ruptures were crumbling to nothing their then Refuge was as Beza advised in his Letter to Cartwright to unite themselves again to the main Body of the Church there to be nurtured into contempt of the Churches Government under the Indulgence of its Governors And of this kind of Half-Conformists are those who at this very day by outward Conformity have Opportunity and by masked Nonconformity want not Will through sneaking Compliance to betray the Church into her Enemies hands and
Halting and sneaking works in the People a Love to their Persons and Ways 4. By their Treachery like Moles undermine the Foundation within the Pale when the other like Wolves and Foxes can but howle and foam without the Mound and Fence of the Church being strong enough against them Whence the Inference is plain that if it be time to use the utmost Severity of the Laws against the Nonconformists some Course must be taken with Grindalizers as really more dangerous as undermining the Foundation within when the others do but foam and howl without But what can be done with us without another Act of Parliament And how can that be without a new Parliament For we conform seemingly and what can be done with such But behold the Spirit of the Man To conclude 1. We protest against his Power of imposing Names 2. We reject his Characters as Slanders 3. We see what we are to look for from them that are of the whole Head the whole Blood Church-men as they call themselves by an eminency and appropriation if all should be of this Author's mind who needs as much Mercy as they to whom he affords but very little Respect or Kindness SECT II. There is another Person of a more excellent Temper a Man of Consideration and Worth Mr. John Evans Rector of St. Ethelbert London I did with some earnestness of desire procure his Sermon before the Lord-Mayor for the Arguments sake to see if I could find such a Man as would solidly and wisely handle and openly commend a great Duty out of fashion and in a Time when they who profess it look very odly and are pointed out to be avoided I found the Reverend Preacher to set about his Work like a Workman and tho he pitched upon too narrow a Notion of Moderation yet the clearness of his Mind and Style the Honesty Openness and Candor of Spirit did much gain upon me After he had spoken of what he takes to be the true Notion of Moderation in his Doctrine he delivers the common Notion of it in his Inference affixing it to Laity and Clergy pag. 36. and takes it off again from the Clergy pag. 41. I declare I am not acquainted with any of the Moderate nor can I of my own knowledge accuse any Minister whatsoever All that I shall say upon this Point is this That if there be any such I am very sorry for them And after he had given this little satisfaction to them who for ought he knew were injured he could not forbear to say or write pag. 48. Give me the Man that is honest and constant to his Principles and to what he professes whatsoever Party or Persuasion he is of he is much more valuable to me than he that plights his Faith to the Church and gives all the Security that can be given for his Conformity to it and then after he hath wound himself into its Communion and Preferments plays Booty and acts like a Nonconformist These are treacherous Friends that like Vipers prey upon the Bowels of their Mother and betray her as Judas did our Lord with a Kiss Of all sorts of Men the Non-conforming Conformists are the least to be valued as most unfit for Society Behold here 's another friendly Testimonial given to moderate Conformists but not for Preferment and Favour we are sure Treacherous Friends Vipers and like Judas do not savour of Moderation in a Preacher upon that Text. It seems the aking Tooth did now begin to trouble him I shall not pour Vinegar into it nor pass it by without some Reflections upon this great Complement 1. He supposes that there is no moderate Construction of our Faith and Security given to the Church for if there be why may not a Man of moderate Principles conform and retain and practise Moderation without violation of his Faith Now some of us knew the way into the Church before he did and we were told of some moderate Interpretation of our Bonds 2. If the Words are capable of a mild sence we are taught that is the sence of the Law A moderate Man will put a moderate charitable Sence upon them and if the Words will bear it he is as honest to the Church that gives her security in a moderate sence as he that takes it in a rigorous 3. How a Conformist that hath wound himself into the Communion and Preferment of the Church can act like a Nonconformist both in her Communion and Preferment is such a way of acting as we never yet learnt nor can well understand except he allow that a Nonconformist can act like a Conformist and then 't is pity he did not share in the Communion and Preferment the one as well as the other 4. Any Man that is honest and constant of any Party and Persuasion not excepting an ignorant superstitious Papist for the more ignorant the more honest or Quaker or any other Sect is more to be valued than a moderate Conformist of whom he speaks But why a moderate Conformist may not be as honest and as constant in his Moderation as any Man that is high and rigorous or any other Sect no other Reason can I suppose be given but because the Rule of Laws of Conformity cannot stand with a moderate Construction And if that were true we moderate Men must keep out of the Communion and Preferments of the Church and be professedly Nonconformists for one of both we must be And if we cannot be exact Conformists in the severest sence and act according to it upon all occasions we must be Nonconformists How much ease would it be to the Minds of our Brethren to be rid of these Vipers that prey upon the Bowels of their Mother But to take a fuller View of that Sermon First he describes Moderation to be such a gracious Habit of Mind as will teach and incline us to observe a due Mean and Temper in our outward Actions and Converse with others so as to give no just Occasion of Offence p. 7. But he takes it in a more particular Sence more largely and more briefly pag. 7. Moderation is a Vertue which teaches and enables a Man upon all occasion of Contest and Controversy with others to maintain and assert his Principles and Opinions whose Truth he is persuaded of with Temper Which he doth more particularly branch out 1. A moderate Man is candid in his Thoughts apt to make the best Construction of Things that will bear it in his Words soft not calling moderate Conformists Vipers treacherous Friends or Judas 's in his Carriage Courteous p. 9.2 In Judicial Causes carries a Chancery in his Breast 3. In Matters relating to Religion he teacheth us to be concerned about Things more or less in proportion to their Nature and Worth 4. In Matters of Injury he passeth by Faults bears with pities c. pag. 10 11 13. Again pag. 15. He thinks Let your Moderation be known to all Men imports as much as that all Christians at
brought under the Power of any 1 Cor. 6.12 When they manifestly prove inexpedient or when any Soul is brought under the Power of any of those Things in themselves lawful in their Use they cease to be so He observes and uses Things lawful when they are enjoined by lawful Authority but when he finds them inexpedient and do not further the Gospel or when Souls are become subject to them he cannot but wish the Things in debate were left out of the Laws or left at Liberty And now he cannot but stand indifferent to Things that are indifferent III. Lastly Lest I should forget my self take the last Sight of a Moderate Christian and you see him to be the happiest Man alive 1st Happy in himself and happy with respect to others He is happy in the best Temper of Mind happy in a clear discerning and Judgment happy in well-governed Passions not hurried inflamed and transported not blinded by Partiality to self He maintains and keeps up the Banks of Sobriety against the Breaches of Intemperance he lies dry when others are under Water He is a Lover of Peace a Moderator of Strifes and by that means there is Peace in his Borders when others are in Wars and Contention yet he is not so tame as to be run down with Insolence or turn his Back upon true Religion and leave it to the Abuses of Atheists Papists Hereticks He is happy in the large and quiet possession of Contentment 2dly He is happy as an Instrument of Good to others by bringing Things out of Disorder into Order by restoring a crazy sickly State into a happy Temper And it were happy if they that use desperate Applications did in time observe their Operation and all the Symptoms one with another Moderation looks on and knows that at last the Father of the Family must call her in and commit it to her to recover it and direct it to preserve its Health Lastly If the moderate Man cannot escape Trouble and Sufferings he is happy in possessing his Soul in Patience and that God will by his Grace help him to keep possession of his Soul and when his Soul is dispossessed the Lord will commend him as a wise Steward that used Moderation in writing down Fifty and Fourscore for an Hundred that was due and give him his Reward This moderate Man is now out of fashion but says Dr. Fuller in his Holy State p. 207. Once in an Age he is in fashion each Extreme courts him to make them Friends and surely he hath a great Advantage to be a Peace-maker betwixt opposite Parties tho at present he is crush'd between them An Appendix demonstrating that Parish-Churches are no Conventicles particularly for reading the second Service in the Desk In answer to a late Pamphelt entitled Parish-Churches turned into Conventicles c. IF the Title of this Epistle to all the Reverend Clergy of the Church of England were proved in the Epistle that Parish-Churches turned into Conventicles and Informers inform and Magistrates proceed upon their Information it would be a great Project to bring the Wealth of the Kingdom into the King's Exchequer to make the Poor of our Parishes Farmers and Freeholders at least and the Informers Fellows to Peers by the Moities for so many Conventicles kept throughout the Kingdom above twenty Years in most of our Parish Churches But we hope that Parish Churches being neither any Man's House nor Barn nor Yard nor Back-side may not come within the Act against Conventicles And except they deny Churches to be the Houses of God they know not how to sue the Owner of them for 20 l. for the House But if it should so happen that this Notion should universally take and gain Assent and make Converts as he saith he hath made pag. 21. and so Rectors and Vicars because they have taken Possession may be adjudged Owners of the Churches by some who wish there might be some Law to undo us we are perswaded that our Magistrates would not interpret the Act as including Parish-Churches seeing it speaks of a House in which a Family doth inhabit or if it be in a House Field or Place where is no Family inhabiting yet we suppose it is a House that hath been or may be inhabited or was built to be a Habitation and we hope that the Parish Churches are presum'd to be no Places for unlawful Assemblies or Conventicles And for some other Reasons it may be thought that the Author might have invented another Title for his Epistle He doth chiefly insist upon one piece of Nonconformity to prove Parish-Churches Conventicles and that is because we do not read the second or the Communion-Service at the North-side of the Holy Table when there is no Communion p. 5. And this Omission is a Sin of that nature and tendency that it doth not only offend against the Common Order of the Church but hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the Conscience of the weak Brethren p. 5. He beseecheth us to consider what Mischiefs we do both to Church and State p. 7 c. A heavy Charge and that 't is high time to provide against so dangerous an Offence He tells us of two sorts of Persons he hath to deal with one plainly confessing that 't is commanded by Authority but say they have their Liberty to read there or not notwithstanding that Command Another sort confidently tell him there is no such Command And I suppose many may be found that are doubtful if not confident and I do profess I am neither convinc'd nor converted by what he saith and shall be judged by the Law it self by and by and make a few Observations and Oppositions 1. He saith The place for reading the second Service is without all doubt a thing indifferent in its own nature To this I oppose that a place inconvenient for saying or reading any part of the Service of God is not a thing indifferent because it is partly what is read to the People for their Edification and partly the Devotion of the People towards God If the Communion-Table be sixed Altar-wise or be not removed from the upper end of the Church in very many Churches the People cannot hear and cannot join in Prayer some have made some such Objection to him which he doth not remove and saith Be it never so inconvenient This may be debated in a regular way and the Inconvenience taken away by legal Authority but for any Parish Curat to judg of the Convenience or Inconvenience of a Law and thereupon to alter the Law after his own Model is no less a piece of Insolence than to take upon him to be King Bishop and Priest in his own Parish Whereby we are instructed that a Minister is to read at the Altar whether the People hear or no and pray or not I know one Doctor that takes leave sometimes of his great Congregation and goes to the upper end of a Great Chancel rather like to his private
Devotion than publick Worship But a great Doctor had some respect to the Edification and Devotion of his People when he set his Man at the Steeple to observe whether he could be heard from the Table over all the Church to make trial of it he interrupted his Devotion as the Story goes for true and called to his Man by name Dost thou hear me now the Servant answers Yes very well then the Minister goes on Certainly this Doctor thought it was necessary the People should hear and be edified hear and joyn and many of us Curats are of the same Mind This was a Reason in Queen Eliz. Injunctions Anno. 1559. and Can. 82. 2. Pag. 7. He saith It is only the Observation or Non-observation of all the Orders Rites and Ceremonies and none other which are appointed in and by the Common-Prayer and Book of Canons which gives it the Denomination of a Church or Conventicle Now if I forget not Preaching and Teaching in any such Assembly as is described by the Act makes a Conventicle and the Preacher finable 20 l. 3. He saith The Plea of Custom is not good in this case because it is against a Positive Law But we say our Positive Statute-Law allows of the Custom of placing the Communion-Table so the Rubrick before the Communion The Table at the Communion-time c. shall stand in the body of the Church or Chancel where Morning and Evening Prayers are appointed to be said A Custom is established by this Law this Custom is as Antient as the Reformation See the Injunctions of Bishop Ridley An. 1550. in the Collect. of Records in Dr. Burnet's History of the Reformation p. 206. 4. Pag. 9. Doth not the Book of Common-Prayer it self restrain all Diocesans from making any Order concerning any Doubt arising about the Use and Practice of any thing in the Book To this we oppose a Clause in that Preface or Chap. concerning the Service of the Church in which are these Words And for as much as nothing can be so plainly set forth but Doubts may arise in the use and practice of the same to appease all Diversity if any arise and for the Resolution of all Doubts concerning the manner how to understand do and execute the things contained in this Book the Parties so doubting shall always resort to the Bishop of the Diocess who by his Discretion shall take order for quieting and appeasing the same so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in this Book This we conceive is established by Law And to shew that this reading of the second Service when there is no Communion is not contrary to Law we will once again publish the Law This Writer takes it all along for granted that the Law requires it and goes upon Petitionem Principii or a false Supposition 1. By the Rubrick before the Communion which must be observed to be one of those Rubricks that enjoyn or direct what is to be done when there is a Communion or before a Communion Rubr. The Table at the Communion-time having a fair white Linnen Cloth upon it shall stand in the Body of the Church or in the Chancel where Morning and Evening Prayer are wont to be said and the Priest standing at the North-side of the Table shall say the Lord's Prayer with the Collect following the People kneeling Then the Priest is to stand at the North-side of the Table when it is so covered c. And it is so only to be covered when there is a Communion for this let us consult Can. 82. We appoint that the same Table from time to time shall be kept and repaired in sufficient and seemly manner and covered in the time of the Divine Service with a Carpet of Silk or other decent Stuff thought meet by the Ordinary of the Place if any Question be made of it and with a fair Linnen Cloth at the time of the Administration as becometh that Table and so stand saving when the holy Communion is to be administred at which time the same shall be placed in so good sort within the Church or Chancel as thereby the Minister may the more conveniently be heard of the Communicants in his Prayer and Administration c And likewise that a convenient Seat be made for the Minister to read Service in What saith he are there no Rubricks to direct the orderly reading of those Prayers where there is no Communion To this we say 1. Upon Sundays and Holy-Days if there be no Communion shall be said all that is appointed at the Communion till the end of the general Prayer for the good Estate of the Catholick Church This part of the Communion-Service being added to the Morning Service in the Pew appointed by the Canon to be made conveniently for the Minister to read the Service in we are sufficiently directed to read this Service where the other is said to which it is added And if any Man doubt of the place his Diocesan may direct him by the Law and if there be no doubt may read it there where he reads the rest But against this he objects the Rubrick before the Offertory Then shall the Priest return to the Lord's Table and begin the Offertory Can any Man be said to return to a place he was not at before To this we say 1. In some places there is no Offertory constant even at Communions the People having sent their Offerings before to buy Bread and Wine 2. When there are Offertories there are Communions and then the Priest returns to the Lords's Table when he comes out of the Pulpit and so we are bound still but to Communion-times Lastly He objects Then shall follow the Sermon What only on Communion-Days c. and shews his respect for Sermons calling the Sermon the Great Diana and ironically and profanely For the dear sake of that Unum Necessarium that Magnum Oportet Sir did you declare at your Ordination if you be a Minister that you trusted you were moved by the Holy-Ghost and called to the Ministry and now when you plead so stiffly for a Rite call a Sermon a Diana But to answer your Argument we say That Rubrick seems rather to direct when we shall go to the Sermon than give us Authority for Preaching We have other Authority to bear us out to make our Preaching Legal than that Rubrick and therefore we have Sermons on other times besides when there is a Communion Lastly we say some of the Rubricks belong to actual Communion as this doth for going to the Altar as you phrase it other Rubricks direct when there is none the Order of the Service You bring up a Rear of Authorities which might have as decently been placed in the Head of Reasonings but we know an inartificial Argument à Testimonio is not so forcible as an artificial But we know no Use of Testimonies and Names without Reason except it be to think to deceive such easy and kind Sirs as
you call us But to the chief of them I say 1. The Presbyterians in their Reply to the Bishops in the Grand Debate tell the Bishops Moreover there is no Rubrick requiring this Service at the Table when there is no Communion pag. 45. And so they were as blind as we 2. Mr. Hooker saith Those Parts of the Liturgy are at the Table of the Lord commonly read he saith not enjoined to be read 3. Arch-Bishop Laud leaves out part of the Rubrick which makes against you and him out of his Page and saith In many Places in his own memory it was read pag. 41. but not so much as naming one Parish-Church in which it was so read Pag. 19. saith he And now it remains that I should produce some unquestionable Authorities to back my Reasons that it may appear to all unbiassed Persons that the Judgment of all the great Worthies of our Church who have either occasionally or on set purpose treated of this Matter is unanimous One would have expected to have seen an Army of Worthies and they all great Worthies to have enforced his Reasons but when we come to look upon them they are but seven in all and how ominous is it that a perfect Number of Seven should be found to perfect his Victory The first of these is the most judicious Hooker nay if most judicious he might have served alone and what saith he Book 5. § 30. That the Prayers being devised at first for the Communion are when there is no Communion at the Table of the Lord for that Cause also commonly read All he saith is that they are commonly read but whether in few Places or many Places they are commonly read he doth not say and doth not name any one Place in either College or Hall Cathedral Church or Chappel in which the Communion-Service was always read And so many Things are done commonly for which there is no Rubrick The second Authority produced is of great Arch-bishop Laud in his Speech in Star-Chamber I 'll quote the Page for him Pag. 41. Indeed that great Man clears himself from the Eleventh Innovation which was reading the second Service at the Communion-Table or Altar by leaving the Matter very dark and doubtful To this first I can truly say that since my own Memory this was in use in very many Places 1. He speaks of what was in the Compass of his own Memory 2. What was in use in very many Places in which he had been and so he speaks of what he saw and therefore sell within his own Memory how doth this prove it was no Innovation If it was customary in many Places it was a Custom that had no Force in many if not most Places in which it was not in use 3. The Arch-bishop confirms this by the Rubricks which I have recited before and takes out of the last Rubrick before the Communion this part of the Rubrick only The Priest standing at the North-side of the Holy Table shall say the Lord's Prayer with that which follows leaving out that other part of the Rubrick The Table at the Communion-time having a fair white Linnen Cloth upon it which shews that that Rubrick doth only refer to the Communion-Time whence he infers the second Service is to be read at the Communion-Table an Inference that no Man that regards not his Grace above Truth and Reason would ever yield to The third Testimony is of the Right-Reverend Bishop of Norwich Dr. Sperrow in his Rationale of the Common-Prayer pag. 239. And because this Finder of new Conventicles doth wish or exhort his Reader to mark the Reason of this famous Triumvirate and then read the second Service hereafter in the Desk if you can I will take the more notice of the Rationale And first the Rationale is neither the Law nor a legal authorised Expositor of the Law And to do the Rationale Right and Respect this Author or the Printer hath made the Passage to be neither Sence nor Reason The Words of the Rationale are Private and solitary Communions of the Priest alone she the Church allows not and therefore when other cannot be had she appoint's only so much of the Service as relates not of necessity to a present this Writer hath it to a private Communion and that to be said at the Holy Table and upon good Reason the Church thereby keeping as it were be◠Ground visibly minding us of what she desires and labours towards our more frequent Access to the Holy Table And in the mean while that part of the Service which she useth may perhaps more fuly be called the Second Service Now weak Understandings cannot see a convincing Reason for reading of the second Service at the Communion-Table in all this 1. Not in those Words When other Communion cannot be had Other than what what 's the Substantive to other Sure not private and solitary which goes before and is not allowed by the Church 2. Or when other Communion cannot be had than in Prayers only without the Sacrament she appoints so much of the Service as relates not to a present Communion How as relates not of necessity to a present Communion and that to be said at the Lord's Table Here the Thing in Controversy is positively said without any Proof the first part of the Rubrick clearly speaking of a Table covered c. which is at no other time than of a present Communion or a Sacrament And upon a good Reason and with reverence to the Author here 's as bad a Reason as can be given Doth the Church mind us of a Duty which she requires not as often as the Communion-Service is said She invites Guests to this Feast only when a Communion is appointed and the Table prepared 3. The Reason is not square to argue from a constant reading of the Service at the Table to a only frequent Access The Access should be as frequent as the Invitation or the Invitation is vain when there is no provision The other four Dr. Heylin Mr. Elborow Mr. Ham. L'Estrange Dr. Comber are too few to drive us all to the North-side of the Table there are more for us of all degrees than ever were against us If all will not do he brings upon us a Reason which hath convinced and converted the Obstinate pag. 21. Let us search all the Forms of Prayer upon special Occasions since the King 's happy Restoration or since the Blessed Reformation and we shall find even when there is no Communion intended that it is said expresly The Priest shall stand at the North-side of the Table 1. To this I answer Grant it to be in all are those Forms and Rubricks enjoined by Act of Parliament If not they are not a Law I question not at all his Majesty's Power to appoint Fasts and Thanksgivings but nothing is to us a Law but what is by Act of Parliament And I believe his Majesty never gave him encouragement to say as he doth pag. 13. ☞ That
the Determination of his Majesty's Will and Pleasure is as binding to him as any Act of Parliament since the Conquest 2. The Rubrick in some of those Forms is only this I am sure The Priest standing at the North side c. shall say and not The Priest shall stand at the North side of the Lord's Table and say Then it were a Law if enjoined by Law 3. Do the Printers receive that in Charge from the King or the Arch-Bishop to print that Rubrick Or do they do it for Custom and Form sake 4. I am sure also that in the Form of Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth's Inauguration Novemb. 17. there is no Rubrick at all before the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments but after the Grace of our Lord Jesus the Lord's Prayer and Commandments follow and other Prayers Therefore it was not so since the Reformation and that Queen's Reign took up a great part of our Time since the Reformation and that Day was as great and solemn a Day as hath been kept to his Majesty's Restauration And whether that Piece of the Rubrick in our late Books came not in with the Innovations I will leave to the Enquiry of others who have a greater Treasure than my poor Collection doth contain And now we may say those that were convinced by this Reason have quietly receded from their Obstinacy and been very easy tender-hearted Converts After all the Triumph he rallies up the prime Churches King's Chappel Cathedrals two Universities and many Orthodox Parish-Churches where the Prayers are so read viz. Dr. Hicks Dr. Sherlock Dr. Dove Mr. Pelling Now whatever their Parish-Churches may be if they be more Orthodox Parish-Churches than ours 't is rare We take it to be no immodest Comparison to say we are sure we are as Orthodox Parish-Ministers as they are And how they can stand at the North side of the Table we cannot understand if their Tables stand Altar-wise as they do or else their Churches are no more Orthodox than ours except standing at the North End of the Table be all one as to stand at the North Side or that their Tables have no Ends but are equilateral and so still their Churches be Heterodox and not Orthodox But if their Tables be of the ordinary fashion they must stand at the North End of the Table and not at the North Side and so they may come nearer to the Table than others do they come no nearer to the Rubrick than their Neighbours And if our Churches are Conventicles which I hope are not proved so to be those Orthodox Churches which he names must come into the Number And to conclude there was greater Reason for reading at the Communion-Table in former Times than now for the Rubrick in the Book of Common-Prayer till of late was this The Collects Epistles and Gospels to be used at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper and Holy Communion throughout the Year before the first Sunday in Advent Book of Common-Prayer c. by Rob. Barker 1634. And this was the Rubrick in King Edward the Sixth's Time but in ours now Collects and Epistles and Gospels to be used throughout the Year And therefore then the Celebration of the Sacrament was supposed or for ought I know the Epistles and Gospels were not to be read till the last Rubrick after the Communion was brought in to read so much as was not necessary for the Communion And this seems to be another Evidence that the Rubrick for standing at the North Side of the Table did relate to the Communion-Time or Celebration of the Sacrament because then even the Collects Epistles and Gospels were to be read at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper throughout the Year and if there be no Communion there is no necessity of standing at the North Side of the Table And till I see better Proof I will conclude parish-Parish-Churches are no Conventicles The Conclusion propounding Examples of Moderation ANd now having a few Pages left I will fill them up with Examples to prove that the wisest Men and best Christians that ever were in the World have always been of this excellent Temper of Moderation A Man might summon a Cloud of Witnesses to set their Hands and Seals to the Poet 's Medio tuâ—issimus ibis And doth not Solomon tell the Meaning when he saith Turn not to the right-hand nor to the left remove thy Foot from Evil The incomparable Lord Bacon of whom the wise King James used to say That he knew the Method of doing Things suavibus modis after a mild and gentle manner And another Pen gives him this Character That he had the clearest Prospect of Things of any Man in his Age being moderate in his Inclination peaceable in his Mind and yielding in his Temper His Religion was rational and sober his Wit acute his Memory faithful his Judgment penetrating his Spirits publick obliging to his Friend and civil to his Enemy constant at publick Prayers and frequent at Sermons and Sacraments And yet he tells the Duke of Buckingham That the true Protestant Religion is seated in the Golden Mean the Enemies to her are the Extremes on either hand Herein agreeing with the Royal Martyr That the true Religion established in the Church of England keeps the middle way between the Pomp of Superstitious Tyranny and the Meanness of Phantastick Anarchy That excellent Prelate who preached Bishop Wilkins's Funeral Sermon tells the World That he the said Bishop Wilkins looked upon it as a Piece of Phanaticalness for a Man to be vehement in little and unnecessary things whether for or against them any further than is commanded by lawful Superiours The Pious and Elegant Bishop Hall was a Man of excellent Temper and Moderation as appears by all his Writings especially in the Book called the Peace-maker saying pag. 136. Our Charity should teach us to mince those Errors and Mistakes which we cannot suppress and where we find Extremes there to strain both Parties what we may to meet in the Mean Thus did saith he the twenty four African Bishops assembled in a Synod walk in a middle way and cut a Thread between the Rigor on the one side and the Indulgence on the other and as wise Moderators are wont to do detract something from either Party that they might promote Peace between both He calls Moderation the Silken Cord that runs through the Pearl-Chain of all Virtue And in the Epistle to his Peace-maker saith to his Reverend Brethren of the Diocess of Norwich That it was ever the desire of his Soul from his first entrance upon his Publick Service of the Church with Noah's Dove to bring an Olive-Branch of Peace to the tossed Ark but if his Wings have been too short and the Wind too high to carry him home with it he must content himself with the Testimony of his faithful Endeavours O let not saith he our Studies Prayers Tears Counsels Sollicitations nor Endeavours be wanting to promote Peace no nor if need were our
as lawfully hold Communion with Orthodox profitable Preachers from whom he hath perhaps tasted the good Word of God and by whom his Heart hath been opened and Christians in undoubted pious Evangelical Exercises as in Trade or Civil Converse in eating and drinking Object But you say they are unlawful Meetings Then the honest moderate Christian thinks with himself 1. I never heard either Treason or Sedition as much as couched in any of their Sermons or Exercises 2. It is not sinful to hold actual Communion with sound and pious Christians antecedent to the temporal Law therefore it is not sinful in it self 3. He cannot think so hardly of his Christian Governours as that they would make a Law to forbid any pious Exercise but only such as are evil in themselves or have tendency to Destruction or harm to the Government 4. He remembers the moderate Judgment of every part of the Legislative Power concerning Dissenters for several Years last past 5. He considers the Law is a Penal Law and is ready to bear that Penalty with Peace and Quietness And if you think them unlawful Assemblies of that sort as are not safe to be tolerated then he that now frequents the publick Churches will then frequent them when those Meetings are disperst or suppressed But then what becomes of your own Doctrine of misplacing Zeal about Circumstances Rites and Appendages of Religion which a moderate Man should not do Pag. 24. If you leave the Moderation of Penalties to Governous it had been beseeming a moderate Divine preaching of Moderation to have forborn to give Magistrates to whom you preach'd Alarms to beware of Men that design against the Government commonly called Moderate Men the softer Phrase for Knaves but in proper Language Knaves and Vipers If you know any such designing Men inform against them they are Strangers to us that are moderate indeed I have staid Iong enough to view this Picture of a Lay-moderate Church-man I will walk into the next Room and view the moderate Church-Clergy Man who as he is drawn by this Hand stands out with his Legs as the more crooked Knave of the two Pag. 40 42. Upon him I observe 1. That this free and open Preacher saith He cannot accuse any Minister upon his own Knowledg so depainted and therefore this is not a Creature of his own Fancy neither but of some other Men's Fancy sure come to his Knowledg it seems by Report or Tradition But if he had not believed it why would he preach and print it To this we have two things to say 1. We deny the Accusation as it stands we disown the Picture it is not ours we know no such Church-men or to speak plainly such a pretended Conformist as is here represented 2. If there be any such it is not just to fasten that upon more than are faulty 3. Yet supposing or granting most of the things to be true and they as material as any we offer to the Judgment of our Censors some Considerations if not to vindicate the accused yet certainly to alleviate the Charge and take the Charge by parts First The Moderate Church-man is one that upon occasion will marry without a Ring We answer 1. This Ceremony doth more concern the Persons to be married than the Minister that marrieth them for the Rubrick saith Then shall they again loose their Hands and the Man shall give unto the Woman a Ring laying the same upon the Book c. And the Priest taking the Ring shall deliver it unto the Man It concerns the Man to bring and provide the Ring and the Woman to receive it because of what is conveyed to her by it 2. What Rubrick or Canon doth enjoyn the Minister to provide one Or what is his punishment if he do not marry with it We know the Wisdom of the Church looks to greater matters in Can. 62. censuring the Minister if he marry without asking Banes Certificate or Consent of Parents or out of the Canonical Hours from which no Men are more free than they who are called Moderate Church-Men 3. Is there no occasion upon which this may either be justified or excused As if 1. The Minister and the Persons be not worth a Ring 2. If the Man cannot buy and the Woman resolve if they may not be married with a Ring of her Husbund's Gift they will be married without 3. Or in case the Ring be forgotten and the place where they are to be married cannot afford one and the time be so near out that they cannot fetch one Shall an Ordinance be denied for want of a Ceremony Or what if the Man must take his Bride in the Humour Or there will be loss to both if they put it off to another day Or lastly suppose the Parties scruple the Ceremony shall we refuse to execute a Law of Nature for want of an Arbitrary Local Ceremony Secondly A moderate Church-man is one who will christen without the Cross So he will and so he may baptize all that are baptized out of the Church The Rubrick lays no Injuction upon any to bring the Child to Church it only saith It is expedient that it be brought and who in this tender Age will bring a Child to Church seeing another Rubrick saith Saving at the dipping of the Child the Child whose Baptism is doubted of must be dipt and it belongs not to him to see that the Child so baptized shall be brought to the Congregation afterwards and by what Rule do they walk that see good cause to baptize in private because of Weather and distance of Place and yet will not omit the Cross in private Now whether a Minister may not upon some occasions and for some great Reasons omit the Cross is submitted to Moderate Thoughts and to a right Judgment And 1. If the Parent who is a Man of Reading and Sense may have read some Arguments against it which neither he nor the Curat can answer Nay suppose he have but a strong Prejudice or Fear upon him what if the Curat say in good civil Language Except you bring your Child to Church or have it crost at home I will not baptize it Why then saith the Parent you shall not baptize my Child What if the child dy unbaptized You say it was the Parents fault for scrupling He saith no for it was against his Conscience and Judgment But which is rather to be omitted by the Minister Baptism which is an Ordinance of Christ or the Cross which is an Ordinance of Man Especially in a Church which as it requires the use of the sign of the Cross so it punisheth with Suspension a Minister that shall refuse to baptize Can. 68. What if a Parent shall take or demand his Child as soon as it is baptized from the Minister By what Law or Reason can he refuse to give him the Child Or if a God-Mother or Midwife be so zealous call it furious against the Cross as to take the Child out of the