Body and by being dissevered from the Body how it is possible they should retain Communion with the Head of that Body God only knows to whose infinite Mercy we leave them It is seriously and heartily to be wished that the Duty and Benefits of Communion with the Church were duly considered by all and the many more grievous Mischiefs of Schism than have bin here mentioned and in reference to our Church of England in particular as certainly her Moderation is a great aggravation of the Schisms which are so I suppose it a most true observation and deserves the common consent of all That the only Reason why our Church is not more generally embraced and admired is because the Purity of its Doctrine the Sobriety of its Devotion the Moderation of its Discipline the largeness of its Charity are not impartially and calmly examin'd and more generally understood Wherefore we wish that by God's Grace working love in all the hearts of those who do not understand consider so much they would yet consent to what the Peaceful and Holy Nazianzen declares in one of his Orations of Peace Thus saith he I resolve it is not good to be more indifferent than is meet nor too hot either through levity to be carried about with every one nor by disorder to separate from all when the manifest things of wickedness require our compliance then we are to contest with Fire and Sword rather than partake of their Leven But when only a suspicion of evil seizeth on our minds then Moderation and Condescention are more advisable rather than make a separation from others we relate unto as Members Wherefore let us embrace each other and be sincerely one and imitate our Blessed Mediatour who by his Blood hath reconciled all things and made peace Let us say to our Common Father Behold thy Sons gathered into One. Unto which I must add what the same Father from those Dissentions which were in the Church did conceive namely a great dread lest thereby Antichrist * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should come upon them on suddain taking advantages of their Discord It would be well if modest and quiet Persons could at length be convinced of the happiness of having and holding to a Rule †Pulchrum est tenere mensuram officii S Ambros offic l. 1. c. 10. And what a blessing it is to have every thing for their Spiritual use so readily and so well prepared to their hand and admit which we are in no wise forced here to affirm that sundry Orders might be much better Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same Thing 3 Phil. 13. In Matters of Indifferency the best way of cementing the ¶ Fracturam verò ligamen astringit cum culpam disciplina deprimit sed gravius scissuram sentiat si hanc immoderatiùs ligamenta constringant inter haec solicit a circumspectione providendum ne aut districtio rigida aut pietas sit remissa Greg. Mag. de cura past in part 2. c. 5. Fractions is unite the Parts in the Authority for then the Question is but one namely Whether the Authority shall be obeyed or not * Lib. of Prophec §. 17. Me thinks the Interest of the Christian Religion to free it from so great a scandal the Honour of the Kingdom and their Native Country and the Laws and the private Interest of themselves and their Families where greater Interest and Engagement with a Party and Prejudices do not hinder should prevail at length with more to embrace the Reconciliation of the Church which the best and wisest every-where have done convinced of the Moderation of our Church and the rest remain so divided and shattered among themselves only united by their common prejudice against the Church having had their mouths over and over stopt by solid Arguments and a palpable demonstration of their falsities and incongruities which have bin posted up to the World to their unanswerable conviction or else they have bin laught out of their ridiculous follies by them who have had a laudable art in so doing * Ingenuo culpam defigere ludo Persius Sat. 5. § 4. And indeed since the Church of England suffers so exceedingly between such extreme Adversaries which hath bin a great proof of her great Moderation no wonder if such as desire to maintain the even tenour of uniform Principles partake of the same hard measure with our Church †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. Wherefore for our calmly defending what is real Moderation we may surely expect to be accused as immoderate and to be suspected by either extreme of the number of their opposite Adversaries against which chance perhaps there is no Remedy Wherefore the sincerity of our Purpose and the goodness of our Cause we hope will support us For it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord Blessed be God we have yet the advantage of so excellent a Reformed Church on our side So the worthy Translators of the English Bible in their Epistle to King James comforted themselves If on the one side we shall be traduced by Popish Persons or if on the other side we shall be maligned by self-conceited Brethren who run thâ—ir own ways and give liking unto nothing but what is framed by themselves and hammered on their Anvil we may rest secure supported by the truth and innocency of a good Conscience For my own part I profess my self a lover and admirer of true Moderation and I hope I have observed the due measures of it * Moderatus sum Ipse mihi quantâ—â—â— licâ—it non quod Ipâ—â— de â—oâ—is â—erueâ—inâ— sed quid nostros Homines decedâ— spectavi Suâ—liv pref de Monach. in what I have writ with relation to either extreme And hâ—re I crave leave to repeat the dying words of the right Reverend Bishop Sanderson and to use them solemnly as my own As I do profess that I have lived so I desire and by the Grace of God resolve to die in the Communion of the Catholic Church of Christ and a true Son of the Church of England which as it stands by Law established to be both in Doctrine and Worship agreeable to the Word of God and in the most material Points of both conformable to the Faith and Practice of the Godly Church of Christ in the Primitive and purer times I do firmly believe Led so to do not so much from the force of Custom and Education to which the greatest part of Mankind owe their particular different Persuasions in Religion as upon the clear evidence of Truth and Reason after a serious and unpartial examination of the Grounds as well of Popery as Puritanism according to that measure of understanding and those opportunities which God hath afforded me and herein I am abundantly satisfied that the Schism which the Papists on one hand and V. Bishop Sanderson's
against unsufferable Abuses well consisting with her Moderation and Charity § 3. Our Church leaveth other Churches to the use of their liberty and vindicateth that use mutually § 4. Her especial Moderation and Charity toward the Greek Church § 5. Our Church's Modesty and well-becoming Behaviour toward other Churches and their mutual affection unto Ours p. 411 Chap. XVI Of the Moderation of the Church of England in her Reformation § 1. The Reformation of our Church as it had just grounds and was by just Authority so it was managed with due Moderation the Idea of our Reformation having been impartial § 2. The whole manner of it so far as concerned our Church was with great temper § 3. She separated from the Romish Errors not from their Persons any more than needs must § 4. Our Charity exceeds that of the Church of Rome which denies Salvation to all who are not of her Communion § 5. The Preparation of our Church to submit to the Church Vniversal saves us from Schism § 6. The Reformation of our Church was the more Christian because not fierce but well governed § 7. Albeit the Moderation of our Church seems to have enraged her Adversaries yet because of this Moderation our Church is the better prepared to survive Persecution § 8. The Moderation of our Church in her Reformation was founded on Rules of absolute Justice as in sundry great Instances is made to appear p. 423 Chap. XVII Of the Moderation of our Church in avoiding all undue Compliances with Popery and other sorts of Fanaticism among us § 1. Notwithstanding our Reformation is the most of any opposite to Popery how it hath been the craft of the Roman Agents to raise of it such a suspicion of Popery as hath been artificially made a very unhappy Instrument of the Divisions which are from our Church § 2. How the great Labours of our Bishops and our Clergy remaining the most impregnable defence of the Reformation hath stir'd up the more earnest opposition of the Church of Rome to our Church § 3. The vain and ungrateful jealousies of our Separatists and Enthusiasts are the more unjust because they have appeared really acted by that Interest not in intention but in event § 4. Therefore it is a most seasonable work at this time to cast open those Mâ—squcrades § 5. Some Moderate Cautions here inserted to prevent any unkind Mistakes § 6. Some Objections to such an undertaking here answered § 7. That our Separatists and Enthusiasts generally more or less do conspire in fact albeit not in intent with the Romanists instanced as a Specimen in twenty Particulars § 8. Particularly how the Quakers are one with the Papists how ignorantly soever in sundry Instances § 9. By what steps and degrees these Progresses commonly are made toward Popery by such as separâ—te from Communion with our Church § 10. What hath been said confirmed by other rational Proofs § 11. Some further Reasons why the Clergy and faithful Sons of our Church cannot be thought thus concerned in so much as an Eventual Conspiracy § 12. An easy Divination of the Consequences of these things if a due sense of these Matters be rejected when so fairly and often recommended to the common notice of all with a sincere and affectionate close to such as this Address most doth concern p. 455 Chap. XVIII Of the Moderation of our Church as it may influence Christian Practice and especially our Union § 1. Some proper Inferences from what hath been insisted on at large § 2. Sundry general Rules agreeable to Reason and Christianity by which the Moderation of private Persons may be measured and directed particularly of our Dissenting Brethren § 3. Some proper means to reduce Dissenters into Vnion with the Church with all Moderation proposed § 4. The hearty Profession of the moderate and sincere purposes of the Writer § 5. One or two Caveats entred to prevent mistake and for the Caution of such as will attempt to disprove the main Proposition here designed to be evinced § 6. Some good Wishes to the Adversaries of our Church on both sides such as a fit to conclude a Treatise of the Moderation of our Church p. 507 ERRATA Vitiis nemo sine nascitur optimus ille Qui minimis urgetur Horat. PAge 5. marg r. importabile p. 55. l. 10. for r. p. 128. marg r. Fur p. 294. marg r. quam p. 306. r. carybdin p. 311. r. sacerdotali p. 315. r. apud p. 324. marg r. exprimo p. 325. marg r. Milev and exeq p. 328. l. 22. dele those l. 24. dele were p. 346. l. 8. r. Counsels p. 378. l. 27. r. oppress p. 385. l. 20. r. refuting p. 387. l. 26. r. rightly p. 485. l. 8. r. austerity p. 495. l. 1. r. Pucklington p. 533. l. 16. r. laught THE MODERATION OF THE Church of England CHAP. I Of Moderation in general § 1. The loud demands of late among us for Moderation taken notice of § 2. The specious pretences of several Factions thereunto exposed § 3. The general meaning of Moderation noted § 4. The use of the Greek word for Moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is borrowed from the Law explained § 5. The forensic notion of Moderation applied to Moderation in Religion § 6. What is justly expected of those who causlesly blame our Church with want of Moderation § 7. Moderation considered not only as a vertue of publick but of private persons both toward their Governours first and also toward one another § 8. Some general rules or measures according to natural Justice and Christianity whereby we may judge of the Moderation of the Church with the design of this Treatise declared § 1. WE have of late with both Ears heard the loud demands made for Moderation among us even since the Restitution of our Church to its own admirable and equal temper even since the unspeakable Clemency of our most Gracious King and the extraordinary indulgence of the Laws have really anticipated so much Moderation as reasonably might have dampt some of those vehement out-cries which seem still to offer violence to our senses as well as to the peace of the Kingdom and the Church But that the sound might come more awful to religious Ears on both sides the cry hath been set up in the words of Holy Scripture Let your Moderation be known unto all the Lord is at hand Phil. 4. 5. Moderation therefore being the word in fashion by which all divided parties among us use to sanctify their appeals and make their pretences seem virtuous It is first to be wisht that real Truth and Goodness which are the genuine effects of true Moderation were as common as the noise of either § 2. All agree that Moderation is an excellent vertue as they said of Hercules Who ever dispraised him hence the several Factions make such specious pretences thereunto The sanctimonious Pharisees affected the appearance of mighty moderate Men they could in the very
duty and when they cannot be done without a publick acknowledgment of some great errour or sin before admitted n See the Proclamation of K. Edw. 6. for the authorizing an Uniformity of Common-Prayer Wherefore such Concessions are not properly admitted without great reasons moving thereunto because of the publick honour of Laws in them concerned Lest also the frequent change of publick Laws encourage the mutable vulgar in their common unreasonable levity and desire of Innovation Lest well-setled Order and the common Peace be disturbed and lest good men be discouraged in their regular obedience therefore Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moderation doth not in such like Cases encourage alterations especially when there is no end of gratifying such sick phancies and where it is not agreed between the parties complaining what they would have relieved This would be to expose the dignity of the Church and of Constitutions setled by such long prescription to the scorn of every bold dissenter which can have no other effect but to encourage them in their Schism and heap contempt upon our selves when we prostitute Law and authority to such affronts Vnless our dissenters had the humility and the honesty to confess they had been mistaken and were now resolved to go as far towards the repairing of breaches as their Consciences could allow and did propose a clear Scheme of what they would submit to and on what terms they would again enter into the Communion of the Church then I am confident such candid dealing would find an entertainment beyond what they can justly hope for o Modest Survey of Naked Truth CHAP. III. Of Moderation with respect to the Church of England § 1. What is to be understood by the Church of England § 2. The Moderation of our Church frequently confessed by her Adversaries sometime truly sometime upon design but most often our Church is reproached and opposed for her Moderation by each sort of Adversaries § 3. From the joint opposition made against our Church by her Adversaries on either hand is taken the chief inartificial proof of her Moderation § 1. TReating of the Moderation of the Church of England some will not be ashamed to ask what is meant by the Church of England a V. Reasons for the necess of Reform p. 3. 'T is pretty odd that in a setled Church as ours is such a question should be so confidently made as it is by some who while they ask it may be members of it if they please But because this Treatise is so immediately concerned in this question I shall make the answer more clear from all exceptions if I come thereunto by some steps The Church in general is a select Society that is of such as are called out of the World to the worship of God b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coetus evocatorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex Strom. l. 7. This Society is either that invisible Company of all the faithful throughout the World who are inwardly and really holy known unto God Or is the Society of those who confess Christ before men and by this visible profession of the true Faith have right to the Sacraments and other priviledges of their spiritual Community especially those which are a necessary and publick sign before God and Man that such do confess Christ Jesus For God who is the alone searcher of hearts hath left only this presumption for the rule of mortal men that the visible profession of the Faith should give right to the outward priviledges of the Church without granting which even the true members of the invisible Church could never communicate in any outward Society which all that call themselves Christians are oblig'd to do and therefore the nineteenth Article of our Religion begins thus The visible Church is a Congregation of faithful people c. In every moderate Constitution as I show ours is the Rule obtains Every one is presumed to be good till the contrary appears in a lawful manner Wherefore that visible Company of faithful people who here under the Dominion of our Sovereign Lord the King call themselves Christians and profess the Faith of Christ which he defends They are the Church of England c Hooker 's Eccl. Pol. l. 3. §. 1. For as the main body of the Sea being one yet within divers Precincts hath divers names so the Catholick Church is in like sort divided into a number of distinct Societies every one of which is termed a Church within it self so the name of Church is given betokening severally as the Church of Corinth Ephesus England and the like d Multas quidem Ecclesias tamen unam modò unaquaeque intra seipsam cum universali adeoque cum omnibus ejus partibus servat Catholicam unitatem Forbesi Iren. l. 2. c. 20. But to come to the head of the exception which commonly is this If the Church be a Congregation of faithful people as the Article defines the visible Church How comes the determination of the Convocation the Orders of the Bishops to be lookt upon as the appointments of the Church which are also governed by the will of the King What of all this is the Church of England In answer hereunto let such take notice that the people among us do bear as great a part as they ought in what is constituted in our Church whether they will own it or no For where the consent of the people is not actually required it is either included in the Laws of the Land by which they are governed or in the will of the King to whom beside his own power over the Church in his own Kingdoms which is very great in many Cases they have made over their right e Refertur ad universos quod publicè fit per majorem partem ff de reg ju ad sect refertur whatever it is themselves and frequently by their Ecclesiastical Governours they also consent to what is constituted in the Church For we must remember what our Article expresseth That the Church is a Congregation of faithful people as it there follows according to Gods Ordinance We must also remember that the Church in its beginning did not form it self neither did it ordain or appoint its own Rulers For Christ gave some Apostles Pastors Teachers Eph. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Yea they had their power given them somewhat before the Church was formed Mat. 28. 18 19. to shew that they were not to depend upon the people for their power Whatever voluntary condescensions were made by the heads of Ecclesiastical Communion in the tender beginnings of the Church to oblige them more firmly in their Christian Fellowships yet all rights of Administration of the spiritual power of the Church did always properly belong to the Rulers of the Church within their own limits So S. Ignatius Cyprian f Cum Ecclesia quae Catholica una est connexa cobaerentium sibi invicem sacerdotum glutine
copulata S. Cypr l. 4. Ep. 9. Hierom and others of the Fathers fitly call the Church a Company united to their Pastor For the Administration of the power of the Church cannot belong to the body of this Society considered complexly but to those Officers in it whose care and charge is to have a peculiar over-sight and inspection over the Church and to redress the disorders in it Wherefore the Church is not improperly exprest by the Clergy which may be justly counted the Church representative that as S. Cyprian saith Every act of the Church may be governed by its Rulers g Vt omnis actus Ecclesie per praepositos suos gubernâ—tur S. Cypr. Ep. 27. For when we speak of the Church making Laws we must mean the governing part of the Church * Duâ— dub l. 3. ch 4. p. 589. In the form of Church Policy presented to the Parliament in Scotland 1578. by Andrew Melvill h V. Spots Hist l. 6. p. 289. it was agreed That sometime the Church was taken for them that exercise the spiritual Function in particular Congregations More certain it is that the Form of Christs Church is that outward disposition and order of superiour and inferiour communicating mutually to the conservation of the whole body and the edification and encrease of every member thereof Eph. 4. 15 16. Col. 2. 19. And in those things which concern the outward form and manner of Government in a National Church where the King is supreme in all Causes and over all Persons many matters necessarily and properly belong to the disposition of the supreme Power the people exhibiting their consent by the King upon these and the like good Foundations The third Canon declares the Church of England a true and Apostolical Church and the ninth Canon declares the same the Communion of Saints as it is approved by the Apostles Rules in the Church of England upon which account the Authors of Schisms in the same Canon are censured and the 139th Canon of the Church concerning the Authority of National Synods doth thus declare Whosoever shall affirm that the sacred Synod of this Nation in the name of Christ and by the Kings Authority assembled is not the true Church of England by Representation Let him be Excommunicated and not restored till he repent and publickly revoke that wicked Error § 2. Having now explained what is meant by Moderation and what by the Church of England we may more intelligibly proceed in justifying the Moderation of the Church of England of which some inartificial proofs may be premised The first of which may be the Confession and acknowledgments of our Adversaries on both sides Yea if the scattered Concessions which have been made by our Adversaries at sundry times and upon divers occasions should be gathered together in a bundle there is scarce any judgment or practice or constitution of our Church but hath been acknowledged sometime by some or others of them as reasonable and moderate Yea there is scarce any extravagance among themselves but hath been also confest and decryed by several of their own Communion so great is the force of truth upon the minds of men at some times when they are in a free humour to disclose themselves and it might make a very pleasant and useful Collection to have these well gathered and set together particularly they have in their lucid intervals acknowledged the Moderation of our Church sometime as really convinced thereof Notwithstanding saith one who left our Communion De Cressy 's Exomolog c. 9. the English Church hath been more moderate and wary than publickly to pretend to such a private spirit and by consequence hath left a latitude and liberty for them in her Communion to renounce it as many of the most Learned among them have done Another of them speaks thus of the Church of England k Conference between a Prot. and a Papist 1673. p. 6 7 8. I believe her Moderation hath preserved what may one day yet much help to close the breach betwixt us We observe that she and peradventure she alone has preserved the face of a continued mission and uninterrupted Ordination Then in Doctrines her Moderation is great In those of greatest concern hath exprest her self very warily In Discipline she preserves the Government by Bishops but above all we prize her aversion from Fanaticism and that wild error of the private spirit with which it is impossible to deal from this obsurdity the Church of England desires to keep her self free She holds indeed that Scripture is the Rule of controversy but she holds withal That it is not of private interpretation for she is for Vincentius his method But I see that moderate counsels have been discountenanced on both sides Others of the same denomination have appeared to acknowledge the Moderation of our Church but it is manifest they have done it upon design using that acknowledgment only as an Art either to Proselyte some uncertain ones of our Communion or else to divide us thinking by their publick owning our Moderation thereby to render us more odious to those of another immoderate extreme Yet the generality of both extreme adversaries join together in reproaching us for this Moderation and by their immoderateness in so doing do also justify the Moderation of our Church Thus do the great Bigots of the Church of Rome and the rigid Disciplinarians and other Novellists in their zeal count all merciful Moderation lukewarmness l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Med. 12. Wherefore these apply to us what the Spirit said to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea m Vid. Mr. Henderson 's 1. 2d. Paper Collegium Laodicensium est senatus Moderatorum hominum Brightman in Apocal. c. 3. p. 105. Antitypum est nostra nimirum Anglicana ibid. p. 101. Rev. 3. 16. Because thou art lukewarm and neither hot nor cold I will spue thee out of my mouth reproaching commonly our Moderation by the name of neutrality and want of zeal n Cesset igitur Anglia Medietatem suam quae mera neutralitas est sub titulo prudentiae moderationis palliare potiâ—â— serve resipiâ—ce Parker de Eccl. Pol. l. 1. c. 25. and when some temperate interpretations have been offered the Romanists o Scio enim ejusmodi Modificationes ubi aliquid temperatum offerebatur nihil aliud esse quà m Satanae dolos c. Ep. c. Bellarm ad Archipresb Anglic. they have received them with invidious reflexions lest any of their Company should be won over to us by the Moderation of our Church In the mean while none persue the Church of England upon this account so much as the rigid and severe of either extreme the hot heads among the Romanists with their Anathema's and the other Zelots with their Curse ye Meroz Whereas the learned men of other reformed Churches have not only observed frequently and admired the Moderation of our Constitution as Dr Durel in his View of the Reformed
reserves him not a right of liberty in Religion but only supposeth that he hath a right of trying examining and using his best judgment in order to the satisfaction of his Conscience which right if he duly useth it will certainly fix him in the true Religion whether that Religion be professed by his Prince or Nation or no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prove or try all things Hold fast that which is good saith the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 21. Here is a right to try examine and judge but no right or liberty in Religion This tryal is only in order to the holding fast that which is good i Dr J. Beaumonts Observations upon the Apology 1665. As the Royal Coyn no one can refuse every one may examine and try the same before he receives it So every Christian keeping himself within the bounds of due obedience and submission to his lawful Superiours hath a judgment of Discretion He may apply the rule of Holy Scripture for his own private instruction comfort edification and direction and for the framing of his Life and belief accordingly The Pastors of the Church have more than this a judgment of direction to expound and interpret the Scriptures to others and out of them to instruct the ignorant c. The Chief Pastors have yet a higher judgment of Jurisdiction to prescribe to enjoin to constitute to reform to censure to condemn to bind to loose judicially authoritatively in their respective charges k Bishop Bramhall's Answer to M. Militeira p. 72. Thus the danger of using a private judgment is prevented If it be further Objected 2. That such a permission is vain because of the impossibility in the vulgar to make use of it We Answer That such a meer ineptitude doth not take away ones right l Vt ratus sit actus pauciora requiruntur quà m ut recta sit actio Grotius de Imperio pag. 111. Beside our Gracious God requires of none otherwise than according to that ability which he hath given Wherefore the Moderation of our Church imitates the grace of God herein which requires nothing necessarily but what is so clearly propounded as to leave all inexcusable and therefore those that have skill to look to themselves in the common business of Life may discern as much as is required Those who have not use of their abilities the Idiotae the Moderation of the Church leaves to the mercy of God and the care of their Governours so far as they are capable for as Origen argues when Celsus objected to the Christians that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m Origen c. Celsum l. 1. believe without any reason or examination The contrary thereunto Origen shews at large Yet of the vulgar he saith indeed it is impossible that all people should attain to the reasons of all Doctrines How can he get wisdom who is diligent to give the Kine Fodder c. Eccles 38. 26. Wherefore saith Origen what more compendious way could be contrived to relieve the poor multitude than the plain doctrine of Jesus for this we find by experience that they that before wallowed in Vice thereby now are delivered but why should the Stoicks and Platonists quarrel at Christians for believing when all of them believe those they apply themselves to in the Sect they judge most excellent § 10. So great being the Moderation of our Church because never the less as the temper of men generally now is among us since these licentious times especially have corrupted them the most are very captious of what hath the femblance of priviledge and such also are most apt to neglect their duty It is very great justice and equity that all be convinced of the due submission we also owe to the Church in reference to this matter The sum of which duty I shall lay down in such brief Propositions as are agreeable to an easy reason to infer from the comparing of relations 1. All good Christians who love the Church of God and its Peace will for Truth and Conscience sake hearken to the Church and those set over them on purpose to guide and direct them especially in case of doubt 2. Such will well weigh the moments of reasons which the Church offers and be ready with all due regard to entertain what the Church resolves and readily also approve of those resolutions unless it appear manifestly that such determinations contradict the word of God and the sense of the Universal Church which no good man will unadvisedly conceive much less seek occasions for exception 3. In a doubtful and equal Case such will encline to what is publickly determin'd because of the relation of superiority between the Church and its Members and because of the many great advantages they know the Church hath in its judgment above themselves because also the better any are and the more humble and sincere the more they are prepared to suspect and distrust their own judgments and not to lean unto their own understandings 4. If in any case it should happen that such should differently opine or judge however such will afford a practical submission in many Cases which they may and ought the liberty of their own thoughts remaining which is sufficient if they cannot but dissent Modest and pious persons will upon many occasions have their Faith to themselves and reserve their different apprehensions in a continent silence which is to be wise unto sobriety 5. If before they come to know the judgment of the Church they should go about to divulge their sense in speaking or writing such will do it with submission to the Church and to those to whom is committed the care of censure If there should happen such a lawful and necessary occasion which they cannot avoid to declare their apprehension different from the Church If the dissenter errs and cannot submit with consent he must e'ne bear patiently the inconvenience of his error which if in a less principal matter on this side Heresy and Schism such an infirmity n Aliter sapere quam se res habet humana tentatio est S. Aug. de Bapt. l. 2. and temptation incident to humane nature happen o Qualiter pro hoc ipso falsae opinionis errore in die judicii puniendi sunt nullus potest scire nisi judex Salvianus de gubern Dei c. 11. §. 4. They that would retain their integrity must preserve 1. An entire Charity to others 2. A reverent respect to the Church and as much as is possible an inviolable Communion therewith 3. Such ought to endeavour to comply in other points more diligently 4. Such ought to profess their dissent from the Church with great reluctancy and sorrow 5. They must be very willing to own their error when they are convinced thereof In the mean while they are bound to lay it aside Whereby retaining inviolable Communion with the Church such already being in preparation of mind disposed to renounce their error when they
Artifice of the Romanists hath had great effect on our Sectaries in their obstinate refusing the said Oath of Supremacy whereby they are become the more prepared for the Papacy And that we may see how the Romanists and the Sectaries are united in their first Principles and how both become more obstinate even the more Moderation is used to either Their refusing together the Oath of Allegiance is too undoubted a testimony Yea Of the Moderation of his Majesties Government and the immoderate obstinacy of the governing part of the Romish Clergy The History of Father Walsh concerning the Loyal Formulary in Ireland 1666. will be an eternal Monument which sheweth at large with what art and industry the desire of the more peaceable Romanists was opposed even from the Roman Cardinals and other their Superiours to give his Majesty but the security of their Allegiance in a brief and very moderate Form 2. The Oath against Simony c Injunct Q. Eliz. §. 26. Canon 40. 1603. Nemo gradum sacerdotii venalitate pretii mercetur quantum quisque meretur non quantum dare sufficit aestimetur Cod. Tir. de Episco Cleric doth justify the integrity of our Church and the Laws in that behalf and that all the endeavour possible is used to prevent all guilt of Simony in the Clergy 3. The Oath of Canonical obedience is offered unto all with that most moderate and just clause In all things lawful and honest which Canonical obedience is no other than is sworn in other Reformed Churches as appears by the Form set down by D. D. Durell f Of Reformed Churches p. 10. 4. In the Oath of continual residence in a Vicaridge half the clause is for the Moderating the Oath unless it shall be otherwise dispensed by the Diocesan Many object earnestly against the Oath which the Church-Wardens are oblig'd to take Whereas such are to consider the nature and end of their Office cannot well be procured but by obliging them in that matter 2. Such may consider their Presentments are of matters governed by their Superiours in which they are but to make Presentment according to enquiries before them in making of which they may be directed by the Minister Of other Oaths thus the Homily against Perjury When Judges require Oaths of the people for declaration or opening of the truth or for execution of Justice Also when men make faithful promises with calling to witness of the name of God to keep Covenants honest Promises Statutes Laws and good Customs as Christian Princes do in their Conclusions of Peace and private persons promise their fidelity in Matrimony c. And all men when they do swear to keep common Laws and local Statutes and good Customs for due order When Subjects do swear to be true and faithful to their King and when Judges Magistrates and Officers swear truly to execute their Offices c. All these manner of swearing for causes necessary and honest be lawful By lawful Oaths common Laws are kept inviolate Justice indifferently ministred harmless persons are defended mutual Society amity good order is kept continually in all Communalâ—ies c. Lastly Of the Ceremony in taking Oaths with laying hands on the Bible or Testament and Swearing by the Contents of it and kissing the Book we may hear what Tindal g On 5. S. Matth. p. 208. well saith When thou swearest by the Holy Gospel or Bible the meaning is that God if thou ly shall not fulfil unto thee the promise of mercy therein written but contrariwise to bring upon thee all the Curses Plagues and Threatnings therein threatned to the disobedient and evil-doers And by these Ceremonies the Civil Law tells us an Oath is held more inviolable h Tâ—ctis sacrâ—sanctis Evangeliis L. â—em non novam §. Patâ—â—â—â— de judiâ—iis See our Ancient Statute 51 Hâ—nr 3. CHAP. VIII Of the Moderation of the Church in relation to Ceremonies § 1. In the Ceremonies of our Church which are very few and those of great antiquity simplicity clear signification and use our Church avoids either sort of superstition § 2. They have constantly been declared to be in themselves indifferent and alterable but in that our Church avoids variableness is a further proof of its Moderation § 3. They are professed by the Church to be no part of Religion much less the chief nor to have any supernatural effect belonging to them § 4. Abundant care is taken to give plain and frequent reasons and interpretations of what in this nature is enjoined to prevent mistakes § 5. The Moderation of our Church even in point of Ceremonies compar'd with those who have raised so great a dust in this Controversy § 6. Many innocent Rites and usages our Church never went about to introduce and why § 7. The Obligation of our Church in this matter is very mild § 8. The Moderation of our Church in her appointment of Vestments § 9. The Benedictions of our Church are according to great Piety and Wisdom ordered § 10. The Moderation of our Church in her appointments of Gestures § 11. Of the respect which is held due to places and things distinguished to Gods Service our Church judgeth and practiseth according to an excellent Moderation § 1. AS in the foregoing Chapter I have not thought it necessary to stay the Reader by presenting to his consideration the many proofs of the lawfulness antiquity and advantages of Liturgy in general or by arguing the excellence and usefulness of our publick Forms of Prayer in particular because any such labour hath been sufficiently saved from the copious and unanswerable performances of so many learned and judicious men of our Communion who have largely vindicated and also have given the particular reasons of our Institutions So in this Chapter of the Ceremonies of our Church which are only the Ecclesiastical Institutions for order and decency I hold it for the same reasons mentioned unnecessary by many Arguments to defend the lawful use or establishment of Ecclesiastical Rites since the same have been abundantly proved both from the liberty allowed to the Jewish Church and also from what is warranted by the Apostolical Doctrine and practice and is defended from the practice and judgment of the Primitive Church and other Protestant Churches and cannot without very evil Consequences as are destructive to the interest of Religion be denied any Christian Church All which and much more for the Vindication of our Church hath been fully and judiciously evinced particularly by my Excellent Friend Mr Falkner in his Libertas Ecclesiastica To whose solid defence also of our other Ecclesiastical appointments and becoming gestures in the Service of God and also the Holy-Dayes and Festivals of our Church as agreeable to Holy Scripture and reason I take leave to refer the Reader and I presume it may satisfy my design and sufficiently justify our Church if unto what hath been so amply and irreproveably performed I add the just instances and proof of our
although in matter of their acknowledged liberty that 't is pity their observance is not better placed Even the Quakers themselves in what they in abuse of the Laws call Marriages use Ceremonies of joining hands and standing while they also declare their consent mutually in a Form and in many other practises of opposition as meeting for what they call Marriage in the Afternoon burying their people in a cross manner they are constant and as formal where they are Antipodes to Authority as any Romanists can be in his Crosses and Incensings So that if superstition l Sensi enim dolens gemens multas infir morum perturbationes fieri per quorundam fratrum contentiosam obstinationem superstitiosam timiditatem S. Aug. Ep. 118. be going beyond measures we may conclude that none are so superstitious as those on either hand who oppose the Moderation of our Church And really it is a very great justification of the Moderation of our Church That our present Anti-Ceremonial Dissenters though they have wanted no endeavours to the utmost of their wits and powers hitherto have been able to make no other exceptions against our Church and what is therein constituted than what have been answered already very often and very fully to the conviction of the most learned and the more ingenuous amongst themselves § 6. But so far is the Church of England from multiplying Ceremonies that we know there are many innocent usages m See Sprint's Necess of Conform p. 85. to 101. which have been in the Primitive Church in sundry places and at divers times which our Church of England never went about to introduce either by practice or command as the holy Kiss the use of the Veil the threefold immersion or use of the white garment in Baptism and many others which since our Church passeth by their use we do not mention which sheweth that Order and Edification gives bounds as is meet to the number and use of Ceremonies in our Church which stops that objection in its career Who shall determine their convenient number n Interest of England p. 89. The Church hath received just rules and our Church hath observed the same with just Moderation And hereunto may be added that as our Church hath not rejected all Rites and usages meerly because they were in use in the Roman Church no more than the Reformation of Hezekiah or Josiah rejected all things received or imitated in the corrupt worship of the Ten Tribes So many practices which had pious and useful beginnings in the Church of Rome and afterward were grievously corrupted have not been admitted in our Church partly because she hath not been forward to multiply ritual observances partly that such occasions of corruption may not be invited when by experience it hath been seen how easily there hath come excess Among what had useful beginnings cannot be number'd the old wayes of superstitious purgations by Fire and Water Ordeals and Combates c. which are all abolisht among us o V. Ridley's View c. l. 1. c. 5. §. 5. Reform leg Eccl. de purg c. 21 § 7. Concerning the Ceremonies appointed in our Church it must further be taken notice That the obligation to them is very mild for though the intent of the Church is doubtless to bind all to the preservation of regular order yet as the Institution of a Christian Man hath it p P. 47. Forasmuch as such things be of themselves mean and indifferent men may upon causes reasonable well omit the same so that it be not in case of contempt or scandal p V. Whitgift Answ to Admon p. 29. V. Bishop Sanderson's judgment c. p. 19. And of the Church we have no reason to complain for securing its own Orders against contempt and for providing against scandal to those of her Communion especially since her Rites themselves are such as might deserve every where to be observed But how far particular persons have to do to moderate yet further the great Moderation of the Church we leave it to all sober Consciences and to our Superiours to judge who also must judge of the true interest of the Church how far popular exception ought to influence any change Uniformity certainly is so excellent that the certain purchase of it would be worth somewhat but the truth is our Governours have to do with those that are so unresolved of what they would have that this makes their most cautious deliberation necessary q Bishop Bramhal to M. Militier For as a learned Prelate observes It is a rule in prudence not to remove an ill custom when it is well setled unless it bring great prejudices and then it is better to give one account why we have taken it away than to be always making excuses why we do it not Needless alteration doth diminish the venerable esteem of Religion and lessen the credit of antient truths Break Ice in one place and it will crack in more § 8. It may be as proper in this place as any where to annex the notice of our Churches Moderation in its appointments of Vestments r Canon 24. 25. 58. 74. for Holy Ministrations as being herein neither undecently deficient nor immoderately extravagant The Vestments in use by order among us being very few and those very modest and useful for Ornament distinction and commonefaction free from all superstition and shew of luxury of the same kind of those in use in the Reformed Churches ſ D. D. Durel of Reform Ch. Sect. 2. §. 21 22. Neither are they in the Church of England Consecrated by any solemn Benediction nor to any supernatural effects t Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 5. §. 29. As we think not our selves the holier because we use them so neither should others think us therefore unholy In the Injunctions of Queen Elizabeth 1559. § 30. u Canon 74. 1603. Etiam Episcoporum famuli in omni vestis genere se modestè compositè ornabunt V. Libr. quorundam Canonum 1571. Her Majesty being desirous to have the Prelacy and Clergy of this Realm to be had as well in outward reverence as otherwise regarded for the worthiness of their Ministry that they may receive the honour and estimation due to the special Messengers of God willeth and commandeth them to wear such habits c. Not thereby meaning as 't is added to attribute any special holiness or worthiness to the said Garments but as St Paul saith Let all things be done decently Wherefore in the third Part of the Homily of Idolatry Our Church excepts against that costly and manifold furniture of Vestments in the Church of Rome as fetcht from the Jewish usage Hoopers ingenuous acknowledgment of his error about Vestments see in Dr Durel x Vindiciae S. Eccl. Angl. l. 16. p. 140. a MS. Letter § 9. The Benedictions of our Church are performed with great piety and wisdom Notwithstanding the contempt which many entertain the
all other matters referring to that Sacrament and all the other five Sacraments also in every thing referring to Faith and Doctrine and Rites agree in heart and confession of mouth with all things received in the Roman Church and all the decrees of that Council made or to be made exhibiting all duty to the Pope as the universal Bishop of the Church c. Such gainful and advantageous bargains will they be sure to make for themselves and the keeping up their usurpations before they will allow any concession or mitigate any extreme rigour in their most unwarrantable practises or they will not fail to annex such conditions as shall render their concessions ineffectual § 2. The Doctrine of Transubstantiation which the Church of Rome receives as an Article of Faith absolutely and simply necessary to Salvation and propounds it to be received by all under a terrible Anathema y Conc. Trid. Sess 13. Can. 2. is by our Church plainly denied as contrary both to Holy Scriptures and all testimonies of venerable antiquity and as a doctrine liable to grievous consequences z V. Hist. Transubst à Jo. Dunelmensi which judgment of our Church may appear to them that peruse our Articles 28 29. Order of Communion Rubricks Homilies several Statutes of the Land particularly the late Statute wherein is provided that all that are in office do declare that they do believe that there is not any Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or in the Elements of Bread and Wine at or after the Consecration thereof by any person whatsoever yet such is the accurate Moderation of the Church of England in avoiding one error it runs not into other extremes for in the Office of the Holy Communion in the Church Catechism in the Apology for the Church of England is asserted the real presence a Archbishop Vsher's Serm. 18 Febr. 1620. of Christ in the Sacrament according to Scripture and the judgment b Patres dehortantur à quaestione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâc piâ Moderatione si Rex Eccl. Angl. utuntur quae invidia R. Jac. ad C. Per. of the Church of God but the particular mode and manner thereof any otherwise than that it is spiritual mystical and sacramental the Church of England according to the same Rule and practice of the Catholick Church doth not too curiously pry into or search See Ch. 5. § 6. § 3. As the Church of England doth earnestly and passionately invite and expostulates with those of her Communion to frequent the Holy Sacrament as in the exhortations before the Holy Communion in the Conclusion of the Homily of the place and time of Prayer and in Q. Eliz. Articles for Doctrine and Preaching all Ministers are required to excite the people to often and devout receiving the Holy Communion c V. Librum quorundam Canonum 1571. Jam vero singulis mensibus coenam celebrari maximè nobis placeret Calvin Ep. p. 452. and in Colleges and Collegiate Churches the Holy Communion is required to be administred every Sunday unless there be reasonable cause to the contrary d V. Rubr. 4. after H. C. Canon 23. V. Rubr. 8. after H. C. Canon 21. 1003. Rubr. 8. after H. C. and on the first or second Sunday of every month So also the Church of England doth lay its general Command according to great Moderation in requiring every one thrice at least every year to Communicate e Qui in nataii D. Paschate Pentecosle non Communicant Catholici non credantur Conc. Agath Can. 18. well tempering her Injunction in accommodation to the necessity of the Age between the earnest practice of devotion which was in the Primitive Church f Quando Domini nostri adhuc calebat cruor fervebat recens in credentibus fides S. Hieron ad Demetr Ep. 8. when they commonly Communicated at least every Lords Day and Festival and between the remissness of the Church of Rome g Dolemus tantam Christianorum incuriam ut semel tantùm in anno sumant c. Concil Rhem. 1583. which expresly requires all of her Communion to celebrate but once every Year h In Pentecoste rarior est Communio ideo fortasse Concilium Tridentinum hoc tempore nuptias solennes fieri permisit C. Bellarm. de Matrim Sacram. l. 1. c. 31. and the followers of the Directory who for many years together lamentably neglected the administration and participation of the Eucharist i V. Coena q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. S. Eccl. Angl. Vindic. c. 3. as beside our own memory Mr Prin often testifies and the History of the Times soon after the Reformation tell us of some who from adoring the Elements fell to contemn them wherefore there issued out a Proclamation k Fuller's Eccl. His P. 387. concerning the irreverent talking of the Sacrament § 4. As our Church offers the Holy Eucharist only to those who have given due testimony of their knowledge and Christian belief in having been confirmed by the Bishop l V. Rubr. after Confirm Injunctions of King Edw. 6. Canon 29. So it requires that none be admitted Godfathers or Godmothers at Christening or Confirmation but such as have received the Holy Communion Yet because S. Paul remits every particular Christian to a Self-examination without any order either to Minister or Lay-Elder to exclude any from the Holy Communion upon their Examination therefore the Moderation of our Church is such it doth not depress adult Christians below the order of persons first to be Catechiz'd requiring them to such rigid Examinations as have been sometime used like the auricular Confessions of the Romanists among which Examiners of the adult Professors the being of a party hath been too often the note of preparation for their Church Communion Neither doth our most moderate Church judge any uncapable of the Sacraments whom she judgeth not unworthy of her Communion m Homily of the Sacrament We must take heed saith the Homily lest of the Memory it be made a Sacrifice lest of a Communion it be made a private eating Wherefore as the redemption of our Lord is offered to all that do not wilfully reject so great grace so is the Holy Communion in our Church to all that are not unfit to receive it And such as are the Church is not wanting to admonish and forewarn n V. Exhorta and Admon before the H. C. and takes all due care to provide against their intrusion as the general corruption of mankind now doth admit according to the Rubrick and Canon o Canon 26. concerning Notorious Offenders On which Bishop Andrews his note was Our Law will not suffer the Minister to judge any man a notorious offender but him who is so convinced by some legal sentence § 5. Our Church of England doth not admit any private Masses p Conc. Trid. Sess 22. Can. 8. 39 Artic. 31. Hom. of Sacr. which in
faithfully provided what-ever is necessary or expedient for those who are or ought to be within Her Communion As becomes a good Steward of the Family of Christ there is in her House the Church of the Living God whatsoever is requisite to promote the true Worship of God the Communion of Saints the Kingdom of Christ the Emendation and Edification of all in brotherly Love and Faith and Godliness as appears from the excellent Monuments of the Churches Piety Her Articles Liturgy Canons and whatsoever else belongs to Her Constitution The Church Doors are open we have the Holy Scriptures in our Mother-Tongue frequently read and expounded in Preaching and Chatechism We have the excellent Prayers generally accommodated to all public Occasions and the Holy Sacraments ritely administred and all Spiritual Means necessary to prevent Heresy and Schism Over and above we have Our Prince the professed Defender of our Faith and the assistance of the Ministry of God for all particular occasions public and private which humane fore-sight generally can procure of these things we have a large Confession in the Morning Exercise against * Serm. 9. p. 209. Popery Our dissenting Friends should therefore consider that the Case is quite different from the condition of the Church when it was forced to assemble together in †Homily of Idol 3 part low and poor Conventicles simple Oratories and Caves under-ground called Cryptae for fear of persecution Since these things are so A wild humour possesseth too many who run into dangerous and forbidden Conventicles scandalously insinuating that our Church and Kingdom rather persecute than encourage Christianity But because nothing in this World is so perfect but may have its exceptions framed against it especially when fair Constructions are not allowed therefore for the sake of Peace and in hope by the Church's Condescention and endeavour to remove even all suspicion of what is blame-worthy there have from time to time bin many Concessions made for the utmost satisfaction of all in what hath been thought expedient Our Church being of the mind of Father Nazianzen * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who in his Oration of Peace said Come let us give way that so we may over-come let us grant a little that so we may gain a great deal even Peace Not only in Queen Elizabeth's time some things were changed then being taken into advice many Learned and Moderate Divines * Camdens Hist of Q. Eliz. but even since our Reformation there have bin Concessions made in accommodation to Dissenters Our Church still holding the mean between too much moroseness and too much easiness in admitting Variations †Pref. to the Lit. There are two sorts of Popularity said Calvin to Farellus one when with Ambition and Lust to ingratiate our selves we hawk after the popular Air the other when by Moderation and Equity we endeavour to engage the affection of Men only to render them more docible This latter practice belongs to Our Church which hath wisely accommodated Her self to all to gain * Submittendo nos ad mensuram discentis manum dando gradum nostrum minuendo Quintil. some Our Church being of the temper of those whom Tully calls Courteous and Sweet who gently shew those that err the way which is the true Christian disposition different from what Juvenal * Non monstrare vias eadem nisi Sacra colenti described in the Jews Yea one of the great perfections of the Christian Practice which is an Universal Charity to all even Enemies may be much promoted by our Church's Prayers where we pray for all Men and for Enemies and for Persecutors and Slanderers Yea such is the Charity of Our Church that in it every one is presumed good and orderly and willing to be of Her Communion until it appear lawfully to the contrary § 2. Whereas of the Extreams of the Separation on either hand from Our Church 't is too well known how generally they give out themselves as the only Children of God's Church the only Beloved of God and scarce admit any else to have any portion with their Saints Nevertheless for such matters as they contend Our Church is not busy to send Men presently to Hell * Quod eo consilio invectum ut terrore mortis credulos in obsequium trahant D. An. Sall. Votum pro Pace with an Anathema in their Ear crying out against them Go ye Cursed Yea very moderate she is in her Judgment of the final condition of any without good and sufficient grounds because of the unsearchableness of the Divine Providence in his Government of the World and of particular Men Yet the Moderation of our Church is not of such a Latitude to hold That every Man may be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to the Law and Light of Nature for Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ whereby Men must be saved* 39. Articl 18. Wherefore in giving account of the remission of such Punishments as are declared by the Divine Laws Our Church doth not think fit any should be wiser than those Laws themselves and the Divine Revelation The Church of England said Arch-Bishop Laud is not such a shrew to her Children as to deny her Blessing or denounce an Anathema against them if some peaceably dissent in some particulars remoter from the foundation †Dissentio de minimis de opinionibus non repugnat paci imperfectae quae est in viâ D. Tho. 22. q. 29. a. 3. § 3. Neither is our Church so severe as to judg of all * Maximè cum sciat eos facâ—re quae nesciunt nostros autem negligere quae credunt Salvian de gub Dei Erroneous Persons according to all the Consequences of their Doctrines Which we presume in many Cases are beyond the comprehension and knowledg of the Party so erring Much less is our Church at any time busy to exulcerate the minds of any by attributing to them such Consequences as their Assertions will not bear § 4. In refuting the Objections of an adverse Party Our Church gives an excellent Example to her Sons to abstain from odious Names Most wholsome to this purpose was the Injunction of Queen Elizabeth That the Knot of all Christian Inj. §. 50. 1559. Society which is Charity be not loosed the Queen's Majesty straightly commandeth all her Subjects to forbear all vain Contentions and Disputations in Matters of Religion and not to use in despite or rebuke of any Persons these convitious words Papist or Heretic Schismatic or Sacramentary So King James said He would not have Pulpits made Pasquils * Confer at Hamp Court and in his †Aug. 4. 1623. Letter to the Arch-Bishop requires That no Preacher of any denomination whatsoever presume to fall into indecent railings against the Persons of Papists or Puritans So in our Subscription
of Men. § 1. In that Vniversal Concord which our Church hath maintained with all so far as lawfully and usefully it may § 2. Her protesting against unsufferable Abuses well consisting with her Moderation and Charity § 3. Our Church leaveth other Churches to the use of their liberty and vindicateth that use mutually § 4. Her especial Moderation and Charity toward the Greek Church § 5. Our Church's Modesty and well-becoming Behaviour toward other Churches and their mutual affection unto Ours § 1. THe excellent temper of our Church is abundantly justified in that Universal Concord and Friendship it desires to maintain with all so far as may be done lawfully Our Church separates indeed as far as is possible from all that is vile and impure making her self as is the Church a Society distinct from Jews and Gentiles and by her Censures doth separate from those that are inordinate and in her own defence keeps her self from complying with sinful and unjust conditions of Communion Yet with the whole Church throughout the World and every part thereof to whom her Communion is not displeasing Our Church in desire and endeavour doth maintain all inward and outward agreement she can * Odia restringi favores convenit ampliari Reg. juris in affections and behaviour also so approving her self that it is manifest she unwillingly differs from any and no more than needs must Thus the 30 Canon of our Church Nay so far was it from the purpose of the Church of England to forsake reject the Church of Italy France Spain Germany or any such-like Churches in all things which they held and practised that as the Apologie of the Church of England confesseth it doth with reverence retain those Ceremonies which do neither endamage the Church of God nor offend the minds of sober Men and only departed from them in those points wherein they were fallen both from themselves in their Ancient Integrity and from the Apostolical Churches which were their first Founders Episcopal Divines saith Bishop Bramhall * Vindication p. 30. do not deny those to be true Churches where Salvation may be had § 2. Neither did our Church of England ever yet oppose it self to any lawful Ecclesiastical Authority which yet is inseparably of the Essence of Schism but on the contrary according to a singular Moderation * Ecclesia Britannica quâ est perpetuò in omnes Christianos singulari moderatione Christianâ dilectiene c. De Antiq. lib. Eccl. Brit. Thes 4. and Charity it doth open its Bosom to every genuine Son of the true Catholic Church of what denomination soever For it is one thing for any to frame to themselves a diverse Congregation and Religion separate from and opposite to the Universal Church as anciently did the Donatists and another thing not to communicate with some particular Persons and Places in some unwarrantable usages and that under express protestation from whence was occasion'd the moderate and innocent Title of Protestants †V. Cluverium Calvisii Chron. ad An. 1529. for protesting against the Edict at Worms which was for restoring all things as they were without Reformation By which Protestation all scandal of Schism is taken away and desire of reconciliation is publicly testify'd not as of absolute necessity but for the sake of Catholic Unity by which Protestation a right is vindicated from the usurpation of the Church of Rome who fondly calls her self not only Catholic but the Mother and Mistress of all other Churches by which she makes her self a public invader of common Ecclesiastical Right § 3. In Matters of Ecclesiastical Freedom The Church of England leaves always other Churches to their liberty and vindicates their right to the same * V. D Durell's View of the Reformed Churches As other Reformed Churches leave us to our liberty and vindicate the same Article 34. It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one V. Homily of Fasting or utterly like for at all times they have bin diverse and may be changed according to the diversities of Countries * Distant inter se linguae sed linguarum distantiae non sunt Schismata omnes linguâ ad uâ—am fidem S. Aug. in Joan. Times and Manners Every particular National Church hath Authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites †Pref. of of the Church the Cerem In these our doings we condemn no other Nations nor prescribe any thing but to our own People only According to the practice of S. Cyprian clearing himself to the African Bishops Judging none nor removing any from the right of Communion if they think somewhat diverse from us For which S. Austin * Cujus charitas non solâ—nt illius temporis Christianis sed etiam posteris ad medicinalem notitiam signatur S. Aug. de bapt l. 1. c. 18. commends S. Cyprian And as Tully †Ita dissensi ab illo ut in disjunctione sententiae conjuncti tamen amicitiâ maneremus Orat. pro provinc Consul spake of himself with relation to Caesar I so dissented from him that in the difference of our Opinion however we remained entire in our Friendship Of this mind also was St. Austin in matters of different Observances as to Times of Fasting and Days of Communicating All this saith he is matter of liberty and no practice is more worthy a grave and prudent Christian than to act so as he sees the Church doth unto which it happens he comes and as the Society doth in which he lives * S. Aug. Ep. 118. Ep. 86. And in these Matters of which the Holy Scripture appoints nothing expresly the Custom of the People of God and the Institutes of our Superiors are to be held for a Law Of which if we have a list to dispute and to disprove others for their different Custom there will arise endless Contests M. Amyrald * Galli Anglorum câ—tibuâ— libentissimè intersunt Eucharistiam ex eorum more participant Episcopis sese subjiciunt Angli pariter c. Amyraldi Irenicum p. 351. well observes the friendly moderation of the English and French Protestants when they are in each other Countries they readily join themselves with the Communion of the Churches they are in Yet such is the abundant Moderation of our Church That to Merchants and Strangers of other Churches are permitmitted their several Congregations and Churches And all Aliens of the Reformation have by Act of Uniformity an express provision made for their enjoyment of their own way of worship at the pleasure of his Majesty which is real proof that Conformity doth not prejudice Trade * V. Mod. Pleas for Comprehen answerd p. 210. ¶ Omnibus notum est quà m elementèr patiantur peregrinorum Ecclesias Ceremoniis ritibus uti diversis ab Anglicanâ Ecclesiâ Saravia de div grad Min. c. 24. And this tender care of other Churches Liberty which the Church
of England with great Moderation doth profess other reformed Churches generally return to us Which the 30 Canon refers to where it saith This Resolution and Practice of our Church namely not to forsake and reject other Churches only as they depart from the Apostolical Churches particularly with relation to the use of the Cross in Baptism hath bin allowed and approved by the Censure on the Common-Prayer-Book in King Edw. 6. days and by the Harmony of Confessions of later years And it was King James his advice to his Divines to hold a good correspendence with the Neighbour Reformed Churches but saith the King * V. in Apol. Ep. Lectori Non est mihi ingenium in alienâ Rep. curiosum I am resolved to leave other Churches to their liberty And so also K. Charles I. †His Majesty's third Paper to Mr. Henderson As I am no Judg over the Reformed Churches so neither do I censure them § 4. As a special note of our Churche's Moderation we must not forbear to instance her excellent Behaviour and Charity toward the afflicted Greek Church to whom as she hath opportunity she hath testified a great commiseration a most pious affection and a great esteem See the Homily against the peril of Idolatry wherein our Church doth frequently deplore the thraldom of the noble Empire of Greece to the Turk I must needs profess said Arch-Bishop Laud * § 9. p. 26. Vt videant hi qui facilè de haeresi pronuntiant quà m facilè etiam ipsi errent intelligant non esse tam leviter de haeresi pronuntiandum Alph. à Castro Contr. Haer. l. 3. f. 93. that I wish heartily as well as others that those distressed Men had bin more moderately dealt with tho they think diversly from us than they have bin by the Church of Rome C. Bellarmine having delivered that three of their Councils have declared her guilty of Heresy Let the Church of Rome answer for her self if she can for her trampling upon the poor Greek Church as she lies in the Dust and branding her with Heresy for her Doctrine of Procession as cruelly as her Turkish Masters burn their half Moons on the Bodies of those whom they enslave But our Church is not so uncharitable as to define it a Heresy for any to maintain That the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father by the Son tho we maintain as great a Truth that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son but this makes no breach of Communion among us the difference only arising from inadequation of Languages which notwithstanding we agree in the main of this Article * Animadversions on Naked Truth p. 7. Such lastly is the moderation of our Church toward the Greek Church that some of the Greek Bishops and Priests are allowed among us the celebrating Holy Mysteries according to their own Rites * In unâ fide nihil officit Sanctae Ecclesiae Consuetudo diversa Greg. 1. Ep. 41. § 5. Other Churches have not bin by the Church of England despised if in sundry Instances they have not arrived unto her perfection in purity of Doctrine and order of Discipline With other Churches she doth not contend for Title or understanding of Mysteries nor boasts of the Spirit nor calls her self in distinction from other true Churches the Catholic Church as of old the Arians did Lastly The Guides of our Church never challenged to themselves Infallibility Altho our Church of England hath had the peculiar happiness of a Monarchical Reformation and retains the blessing of Episcopal Government yet such is the Moderation of our Church she imputes the want of the same in other Reformed Churches not so much to any fault of those Churches themselves but rather attributes it to the Injury of the Times * Non culpâ vestrâ abesse Episcopatum sed injuria temporum Ep. Winton Ep. 3. Molinaeo Eos coegerit dura necessitas Saravia Our Church also thankfully commemorates those Acknowledgments which the Reformed Churches have frequently made of our Moderation and happy Constitution And altho we remember when it was commonly objected to us That the Pastors of the Reformed Churches abroad took our Conformity to be a Sin Sure the useful labour of D. Jo. Durell hath for ever silenced that vain reproach Who to the whole World in plain and open Testimonies hath now long since * 1662. illustrated the Conformity of the Reformed Churches abroad to our Church of England In matters of Ceremony subordination of Pastors use of set Forms and Liturgie Holy-Days set Times of Fasting magnificent Churches Organs Surplice Church-Ornaments Cross in Baptism receiving the Communion kneeling c. Who hath also proved by Testimonies the practice of those of the Reformed Churches joining with us in our Publick Worship by the advice of their Pastors either when they come over into England or in such of our Congregations as are in their Countries If it happens that any Member of the Reformed Churches speak against the Reformed Church of England he is censured for it by their Synod The Ministers of the Reformed Churches abroad blame those that refuse to Conform to the Church of England when occasion is offered and hold them for Schismatics and are scandalized at them Those few Reformed Churches which want Subordination of Ministers approve the Episcopacy of the Church of England * Certuâ— est mihi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anglicanam item morem imponendi adolescentibus in memoriam Baptismi aâ—toritatem Episcoporum Presbyteria ex soles Pastoribus compâ—siâ—a mulâ—à que alia ejusmodi satis congruere institutis veâ—ustâ—oris Ecclesiae à quibus in Gallià Belgio recessum negare non possumus Grotius Eâ— ad Boâ—t and wish they had the same and would esteem it a singular felicity All which sheweth the amity and good correspondence and concord that is between our Church of England and other Protestant Churches and also justifies exceedingly the excellent Moderation of our Church Indeed our Church of England deserves better the name of Catholic both for her Catholic Charity and especially for that she maintains her Communion upon the Foundations and Principles of Christian Religion both with the Western and Eastern Churches whom the Church of Rome excommunicates from the society of the Mystical Body of Christ limiting the Church to Rome and such places as depend upon it As the Donatists did of old to Afric separating her self also from the Communion of the Churches of Graecia Russia Armenia and all the Protestant Churches Much greater is her Schism for refusing to be a fellow-Member with other Churches in the Vniversal Church of Christ and challenging to be the Head the Root the Fountain of all other Churches * Bishop Bramhals Works p. 990. ¶ Necessity of Reformation p. 145 Yet because they still keep to the main Fundamentals we do not exclude them from the Catholic Church tho by their hard and rigid Censures and Excommunication of us
and others that do not hold with them they do very much hazard their right and title to the said Catholic Church as much as by any thing CHAP. XVI Of the Moderation of the Church of England in her Reformation § 1. The Reformation of our Church as it had just grounds and was by just Authority so it was managed with due Moderation the Idea of our Reformation having bin impartial § 2. The whole manner of it so far as concerned our Church was with great temper § 3. She separated from the Romish Errors not from their Persons any more than needs must § 4. Our Charity exceeds that of the Church of Rome which denys Salvation to all who are not of her Communion § 5. The Preparation of our Church to submit to the Church Vniversal saves us from Schism § 6. The Reformation of our Church was the more Christian because not fierce but well governed § 7. Albeit the Moderation of our Church seems to have enraged her Adversaries yet because of this Moderation our Church is the better prepared to survive Persecution § 8. The Moderation of our Church in her Reformation was founded on Rules of absolute Justice as in sundry great Instances is made to appear § 1. THe moderate and orderly Reformation of the Church of England Bishop Bramhall well calls the Terror and Eye-sore of Rome * Answer to the Bp. of Chalcedon p. 244. because of 3 Conditions of a lawful Reformation well agreeing thereto viz. Just Grounds Sufficient Authority Due Moderation 1. Just Grounds Under which head I shall not take too large a compass to illustrate the Moderation of our Reformation either from the manifold Usurpations and Corruptions of the Church of Rome at that time nor from the invidious task of looking into the extreme Rigors of any other Models of Reformation Neither is it here necessary to reflect more particularly on Matters of Fact historically relating hereunto which have bin copiously set forth by a multitude of Writers both Ecclesiastical and Civil which abundantly justify this Reformation both in its Causes and Proceedings clearly manifesting how this Church was justified therein from the unjust conditions of Communion which the Church of Rome peremptorily insisted upon 2. That it might have Just Authority the said Reformation was manag'd by the Guides and Governors of the Church and was confirmed by Supream Authority and so in every particular was as legal as any Reformation could or ought to be as doth sufficiently appear from Matter of Fact recounted in the Histories and Monuments thereof Wherein the Princes acted their parts and the Clergie theirs they calling together the Bishops and others of the Clergie to consider of what might seem worthy Reformation and the Clergie did their part for being called together by Regal Power they met in a National Synod of 62 and the Articles were agreed on and were afterward confirmed by Acts of State and Royal Assent * Arch-Bp Laud §. 24. Any Reformation otherwise than Regular is as much against the Principles of our Church as any one can wish and had the Doctrine of our Homilies bin well regarded it might have prevented much mischief consequent on later Reformations Lest any Persons upon colour of destroying Images make any stir or disturbance in the Common-Wealth it must always be remembred that the redress of such public Enormities pertaineth to the Magistrates and such as are in Authority and not to private Persons In the Homilies against wilful Rebellion is set forth at large the sufficient reason of our Church's Reformation viz. the Intolerable Usurpations of the Bishop of Rome To the same purpose * Angli necessitate dirâ cogente secessionem fecerunt Casaub ad C. Per. the Apologie of the Church of England doth express it self more largely than need be repeated We did nothing rashly or insolently for the sake of any worldly pleasure or advantage but upon great advice and deliberation we shook off a Yoke which we had no obligation to endure †Postermò ab illo decessimus cui obstrecti non eramus ejusque jugum ac tyrannidem excussimus Apol. Eccl. Angl. §. 150 159 160 c. The Church of England did but behave her self as became a free Church enjoying the Rights of a Patriarchal See according to the Rules of the Universal Church it reformed it self when it had high need For as King Henry the 8th said in his last Letter to the Pope Better is it in the middle way to return than always to run forth head-long and do ill 3. The Due Moderation of our Reformation will appear if we consider 1. The Idea or Form of our Reformatation was neither taken from Luther nor Calvin as the Romanists love to speak of us * Impia mysteria instituta ad Calâ—ini praescriptum Bulla Pii 5. contra R. Elizab. Calvinicas aliquot deprecationes substituit De Schism Angl. p. 165. In illis Angliae legiâ—us quae alios actus Sacrilegos ut Participationem Calvinianae coenae similes Communicationes in eorum ritibus praecipiunt Suraii Def. l. 6. c. 11. nor from any other but from the Holy Scriptures according to the use of the Primitive Church which were only its measures according to which our Church practis'd the part of the Elective Philosopher and chose what she thought most agreeable among the rest she seemeth to come nearest the Augustan Confession and the Consultation of Herman Arch-Bishop of Colon which was also set forth in English 1548. Among others that have reformed their Churches I have often saith Saravia admired the wisdom of those who restored the true Worship of God to the Church of England who so temper'd themselves that they cannot be reproved for having departed from the Ancient and Primitive Custom of the Church of God and that Moderation they have used that by their Example they have invited others to reform and deterred none * Sarav Desins Praef. * Ea omnia sublata sunt quae nimium onerosa operosa sunt Lud Capel inter Thes Salmur 6. Between those who were loth to bid adieu to their Ceremonies and others whose Reformation had no bounds our Godly Reformers compiled the excellent Model of our Liturgie in so moderate and well-temper'd a Mode as neither part had Alliance of D. off c. 1. just cause to think themselves agrieved †So that the Church of England appears faithfully to have practised the same counsel which P. Gregory the Great gave unto Austin the Monk when he was sent over into England From all Churches chuse whatsoever things are Pious and Religious whatsoever things are Right and being gathered into one bundle commend them to the Minds of the English for their use ¶ B. Greg. Epistol ex registro l. 12. indic 7. For having laid their Ground that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation Artic. 6. They do upon that * Huic Basi Reformationem Britannicam niti
voluerit ut Scripturis primae deinde primorum soeculorum Episcopis Martâ—ribus Scriptoribus Ecclesiastiâ—is secundae deferrentur Dissert cont Blondel c. 14. § 13. Basis establish the Doctrine of the three Creeds †V. Hist of Reform l. 3. p. 218. Twisden Hist Vind. c. 9. and that the Romish Doctrine of Purgatory Pardons worshipping and adoration of Relics Invocation of Saints c. is not warranted by Scripture Artic. 22. and then proceed to settle such other things as are of positive right with so just a Moderation as is hardly elsewhere to be found changing nothing for the general but where the practice of their own Ancestors did justify their doings without at all extending themselves to any thing where they had not Antiquity their Warrant * Quod si me conjectura non fallit totius reformationis pars integerrima est in Angliâ ubi cum studio veritatis viget studium antiquitatis If Casaub Ep ad Salmas Anglicanam intelligo omnium reformatorum reformatissimam Forbes Consid Modâ—st Pref. Can we chuse saith Bishop Hall but observe the blessing of Monarchical Reformation amongst us beyond that popular and tumultuous reformation amongst our Neighbours Our's a Counsel their 's an Vproar Our's beginning from the Head their 's from the Feet Ours proceeding in due Order theirs with Confusion Ours countenancing and encouraging the converted Governors of the Church theirs extremely over-awed with averse Power or totally over-born with foul Sacrilege in a word Ours yeelding what the true and happy condition of a Church required their 's hand-over-head taking what they could get for the present †Of Episcopacy §. 5. p. 21. § 2. The manner of our Reformation was such as might reasonably both justify our Church and leave the Church of Rome most inexcusable in the judgment of the whole Catholic Church of Christ our Church condemning those she left no more than needs must And as Dr. More saith courting the Adverse Party to all lawful accommodations if by any means she may gain some Attempering her self to the occasion of the time * Homily for Rogation W. 3. part as our Church's Phrase is in her Homily †V. Cromwell's Letter to the Bishop of Landaff directing him how to proceed in the Reformation Collect. of Records Hist of Ref. l. 3. p. 183. From whence was manifest our Church's freedom from Prejudice and Passion and the humour of Innovation or the Spirit of Contradiction our Church not dividing but upon necessity and then using all lawful and good means to procure such an agreement only as might consist with the good Consciences of her People Wherefore that the Breach might seem no greater than indeed it is and that all probable pretences of Offence as they call it might be taken away was omitted that Suffrage in the Litany From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestible Enormities good Lord deliver us Which Moderations in our Church and in other Reformed Churches the like * V. D. Durell's view of Ref. Ch. p. 180. have left the Romanists the more inexcusable in their dissent especially since as Camden and others relate in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth for about ten years for at least eighteen years saith the Lord Cook few of the Popish Recusants absented themselves from our Churches till Pope Pius the 5th by his Interdictory Bull would have all Communion with us renounced For as long as Schismaticks are not hardned into obstinacy there is a prudential Latitude allowed by the Church delaying her Censures as long as possibly she can without wronging her Government as was de facto practised in England till the tenth year of Queen Elizabeth †Schism guarded p. 396. And admit that P. Paul 4. in his private Letters to Q. Elizabeth did offer to confirm our Liturgy if she would acknowledg his Primacy and the Reformation derived from him and that the same Proposal was confirmed by his Successor Pius 4. tho it had caused sundry ignorant and peevish complaints it ought to be no imputation to us since our Reformation blessed be God is so good and justifiable Insomuch that the Presbyterian Brethren acknowledged * Grand Debate p. 3. Our first Reformers in great wisdom did at that time so compose the Liturgie as to win upon the Papists What was reformed and composed in such great wisdom then is the same still The Inference therefore which may be made is what Bishop Davenant resolved The Papists are bound to be present at the English Divine Service because nothing occurs therein that can be by themselves reproved And if Papists much more Protestants And we rather suppose it the great Glory and excellent Commendation of our Reformation that it is at once so compleat and also so moderate considering how difficult a thing it is especially in matter of Reforming to pare off the Excess and not to cut to the quick to stay at the right point and not over-do because of the lyableness in such cases in declining one extreame to fall into another †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Basil which usually is the fault of the unwise and the inconsiderate For as the Matters in Religion in which our utmost Zeal is required are unquestionably evident to every Christian Man's notice so the cases in which Moderation is to be exercised are almost infinite and often very intricate Wherefore the use of this Vertue is so universal that as the truest Fortitude is governed by Temperance so where there is most Moderation there is the truest Zeal and which is a better effect than usually is of suddain Calentures by Moderation the Mind is best prepared to find out and determine those Proportions and Measures which are to be observed for the right conduct of our selves and others in our moral and religious Concerns Such Operations suppose also a peculiar power and ability of the understanding and a most excellent prudence Wherefore the wise King said A Man of Vnderstanding is of an excellent Spirit Prov. 17. 27. where the Hebrew phrase is observed to signify also a cool Spirit or temper that being the most excellent disposition to Wisdom Thus in the Life of Pomponius Atticus it was said of him His Moderation gave him great security in troublesome Times procured him Friends kept him considerate and circumspect in all he did that he never over-shot himself with folly passion and precipitancy in Words and Action The like Vertue hath bin the great happiness of our Church of England especially conspicuous in her first Reformation and thus according to an excellent Moderation our Church doth express it self And for this ought we greatly to praise God for that such superstitious and idolatrous Manners as were utterly nought and defaced God's Glory are utterly abolished as they most justly deserved and yet those things that either God was honoured with or his People edified by are decently reteined and in our Church comely practised *
Homily of Place and Time of Prayer 2 Part. And certainly were that Spirit of Charity stirring among them the Romanists which ought to be they would love and honour us for the resemblance of that Primitive Church the beauty of which they so much admire †Mr. Hales Sermon of Erring Christians § 3. It is evident that our Church hath separated from their Errors and not from their Persons * Noli propter hominem diligere vitia nec propter vitium odisse homines S. Aug. Serm. de temp any more than needs must such Errors I mean the belief of which the Church of Rome hath made necessary to Salvation In consideration of which Mr. Hales in his Sermon of dealing with Erring Christians saith He may not pass by that singular Moderation of this Church of ours which she hath most christianly exprest toward her Adversaries of Rome here at home in her Bosom above all the Reformed Churches I have read of and so forth at large In which Communication what if the Protestants call the Romanists sometimes Catholics because they call themselves so for as it is in the answer to the Bishop of Condom These Gentlemen do herein like Princes who alwayes retain the Title to Countries which they have lost several Ages past since our Saviour call'd the Scribes and Pharisees Builders upon the same Reason when he saith The Stone which the Builders refused S. Matth. 21. 42. § 4. Such is the Moderation of those of our Communion we think not our selves oblig'd to deny a possibility of Salvation to such as are sincere and otherwise good of the Church of Rome Notwithstanding they are so uncharitable to deny Heaven to any of us who hold stedfast Communion with the Church of England for which we are accounted no others than damned Hereticks and therefore once a year every Maunday Thursday the Pope curseth all whom he hath denounced Heretics and that his Christianity therein may be the more known the form by which we are Excommunicated is known by the name of The Bull of the Supper of the Lord. Even so Justin Martyr tells us the Jews * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. cum Tryph. used to curse in their Synagogues all Christians Yea the very from of the Bishop's Oath at their Consecration in the Romish Church obligeth them expresly to persecute whom they account Heretics †Haereticos Schismaticos rebelles eidem Domino nostro vel successoribus praedictis proposse persequar c. Were there nothing else objected to Papists but this one thing their uncharitable proscribing and excommunicating all Christians in all parts of the World who are not of their Communion and obliging all that adhere unto them to profess the same I should think that one thing a just ground of separation or forsaking of their Communion ¶ Casaubon's Necess of Reformation p. 142. Nevertheless at the same time we pray most solemnly for all that persecute and slander us yea for all that have * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Dial. cum Tryph. erred and are deceived that they may be led into the way of Truth Yet such is the Moderation of our Church she doth not in the Good Friday prayer join the Papists with Jews Turks Infidels and Heretics but prayeth for the whole Family for whom Christ died for all estates of God's Church every where and that we may be made one Fold under one Shepherd Jesus Christ our Lord. And altho the Romanists say we cannot be saved we Protestants say they may for we know not the possibility of their Repentance or the extents of the Mercies of God but from thence to argue that theirs is the safest Religion is so slight an Argument drawn only from the greater want of Charity in them that I wonder so many of our Protestant Writers of great Name do it so much honour to answer it but only that the slightest Arguments prevail most with those that use most slight Consideration § 5. That which saves us from all danger of Schism is We profess such a preparation of Mind always to believe and do whatever the true Catholic Church of God believes and judgeth requisite to be done by Christian Men As King James answered for the Church of England That she hath not departed from the Faith of the Ancient Church which she honours and embraceth Neither hath she divided so much as from the Faith of the Roman Church so far forth as that agrees with the Primitive Church Thus the moderate and peaceable Bishop Hall * Remains p. 309. Ep. to Mr. Struthers professeth That since for order-sake we acknowledged the Primacy of the Western Church We never departed one inch from the Roman save where she is perfidiously gone from God and her self And I doubt not but all sober Men of the Church of England will profess as Zanchy †Zanch. Confess Art 89. did like a true Reformed Catholic We have not divided from the Church of Rome simply in all things but in those things only in which it hath separated from the Apostolical Church and indeed from it self as it was ancient and pure Neither have we departed with any other purpose than if she will return amended to its Primitive Form we also will return to her that we may have communion with her in her Assemblies which that once it may be with all our hearts we beseech Christ Jesus I Hierom Zanchy aged 70 years with all my Family have this testified to the whole Church of Christ to all Eternity For we left them as one should leave his Fathers House when it is infected with a hearty desire to return again so soon as it is cleansed which Charity is a great proof Schism guarded fol. p. 399. of our Moderation* Unto which I add the Reverend Hooker's words †Eccl. Pol. l. 3. §. 1. With Rome we do not communicate concerning sundry her gross and grievous abominations Yet touching those main parts of Christian Truths wherein they constantly still persist we gladly acknowledg them to be of the Family of Jesus Christ And our hearty Prayer to Almighty God is That being conjoyn'd so far forth with them they may at length if it be his Will so yield and reform themselves that no distraction remain in any thing but that we may all with one heart and voice glorify God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whose Church we are Hear we once more King James †Sâ—ow's Chron. p. 84. Anno 1603. I could wish from my Heart it would please God to make me one of the Members of such a general Christian Vnion in Religion as laying wilfulness aside on both hands we might meet in the midst which is the center and perfection of all things For if they of the Roman Church would leave and be ashamed of such new and gross corruptions of theirs as they themselves cannot maintain nor deny to be worthy Reformation I would for
as is evident from the Preface to the Liturgy concerning Ceremonies Wherein our Church gives account why some Ceremonies were put away namely because so far abused by the Superstition of some and Avarice of others others were retained which our Church judged were not like in time to come to be abused as the others have bin †Preface concerning Ceremonies And as our 30 Canon hath it The abuse of a thing doth not take away the lawful use of it Wherefore the design of our Church in its excellent Reformation was sincerely to remove what did in its own nature tend to corruption and to retain what might be useful when corrected and reformed from the abuse Thus Zanchy did lay down The true way of reforming was not to root out every thing that was found in the Church of Rome but to reject what was fit to be rejected and to preserve what was fit to be preserved 7. The same Justice governing our Moderation sheweth it self to the Church of Rome also not denying what is true of Her that she professeth a true Faith in the form of Baptism and the three Creeds which she receiveth and professeth to own the Holy Scriptures and to hold to the four first general Councils and the ancient Fathers Many things in Order and Government she hath very excellent and likewise in some of their Devotions But how much she hath in her superfluous Additionals built upon good Foundations Gold Silver Hay Stubble and the like is no where better distinguished than in what our Church of England hath rejected and in what she hath retained and how far the peculiar Doctrines and Practices of the Roman Church do contradict the other part of what they retain in common with us and tend to destroy the same hath bin frequently also shewed in such Writings as are approved by our Church A signal instance of this Moderation of our Church of England is * V. Canon 30. 1603. it never denied that a true Church might be found in the Romish Communion however corrupted and unsound which Moderation the learned Mede †Mede Ep. 77. hath noted peculiar to the Church of England namely To maintain that the Roman Church much more the Greek Church erreth not in the Articles we account Fundamental because explicitely they profess them however in their Assumenta they implicitely and by consequent subvert them for which as Bishop Bramhal saith ¶ Answer to Bishop of Chalc. p. 364. our Charity frees us from Schism But a Church that holds the Foundation may grosly and dangerously erre in their Exposition which is the condition of the Church of Rome * Arch-B Laud against Fisher p. 320. Yet we do not declare that we have any new Faith or new Religion but the same only necessarily and well reformed from those superfluous Additions and Luxuriances which might have endangered our Religion if they had not bin corrected which was performed wisely in our Reformation without destroying all root and branch namely by reserving such things as are good and only lopping off such excrescencies as might and ought to be spared and in our censures of them our Church doth wisely distinguish between what was appointed of sincere intention at first and what hath bin since of manifest corruption neither are we altogether ignorant when most of those innovations and corruptions were introduced and generally by what degrees and occasions they encreased tho we may very well judg of errors and corruptions albeit we could not fix the time of their creeping into the Church which to speak more particularly of requires a very mature consideration Yet notwithstanding Casaubon had good reason to say The denying the Church of Rome Necessity of Reformation p. 145. the being of a Church which some Protestants rashly and ignorantly rigidly and uncharitably have done hath been a great hinderance of Reformation and I verily believe the opinion most Papists are kept in that the Religion of Protestants is a new Religion is not of little force to make them averse from it to this day CHAP. XVII Of the Moderation of our Church in avoiding all undue Compliances with Popery and other sorts of Phanaticism among us § 1. Notwithstanding our Reformation is the most of any opposite to Popery how it hath bin the craft of the Roman Agents to raise of it such a suspicion of Popery as hath bin artificially made a very unhappy Instrument of the Divisions which are from our Church § 2. How the great Labours of our Bishops and our Clergie remaining the most impregnable defence of the Reformation hath stir'd up the more earnest opposition of the Church of Rome to our Church § 3. The vain and ungrateful jealousies of our Separatists and Enthusiasts are the more unjust because they have appeared really acted by that Interest not in intention but in event § 4. Therefore it is a most seasonable work at this time to cast open those Masquerades § 5. Some Moderate Cautions here inserted to prevent any unkind Mistakes § 6. Some Objection to such an undertaking here answered § 7. That our Separatists and Enthusiasts generally more or less do conspire in fact albeit not in intent with the Romanists instanced as a Specimen in twenty Particulars § 8. Particularly how the Quakers are one with the Papists how ignorantly soever in sundry Instances § 9. By what steps and degrees these Progresses commonly are made toward Popery by such as separate from Communion with our Church § 10. What hath bin said confirmed by other rational Proofs § 11. Some further Reasons why the Clergie and faithful Sons of our Church cannot be thought thus concerned in so much as an Eventual Conspiracy § 12. An easy Divination of the Consequences of these things if a due sense of these Matters be rejected when so fairly and often recommended to the common notice of all with a sincere and affectionate close to such as this Address most doth concern § 1. NOtwithstanding our Church of England hath bin by the most wise and Learned Men Foreign and Domestic acknowledged the very excellent part of the Reformation yet how often hath she bin reproached with most unjust Censures of undue compliance with Popery It being one of the known Policies of the Romish Factors to cause their Agents among our selves whom they use for the overthrow of our Church to cry out Popery at the same time they most of all serve the Papal Interest themselves Wherefore that the Romanists may use the Separatists with the more unperceivable disguise and success to undermine our Constitution these also have bin inspired to blast with the Name of Popery what is rightly established in our Church Hence is it that the Writings and private Insinuations of Dissenters are full of this Charge in a joint design to disgrace our Communion and to exasperate other Protestants against us Some of those Exceptors running to such an excess of Rigour as to count Churches Bells God-fathers Churching
to have heard any Protestants reprove our Religion It must be confessed we have escaped the Lion's Mouth but have fallen into a Den of Dragons our Enemies are those of our own house § 4. Wherefore according to a most sober Judgment it may be thought a proper means to awaken such to see their Error in the evil Consequences of their Separation if some of the most earnest among them would please sincerely and faithfully to consider now how oft they have bin made use of as meer Tools and Instruments to Purposes the utmost reaches of which they did not know but may now if they will but reflect And it might reasonably be hoped that many would repent of their vain and scandalous Jealousies and may for the time to come refrain such false and foolish Accusations of our Church if they please but impartially to consider how many Sectaries among us which seem with greatest Zeal and least Knowledg to run into the furthest extreme from Popery have not only serv'd the Design of what they appear averse from but indeed have still a very great sympathy with them in their Principles and Practices and do but charge us with what they are most guilty of in Fact themselves § 5. But before we enter upon this undertaking to shew how those who are in separation from our Church do really conspire with the Romanists To prevent any mistake let it be remembred First That we do not deny that most of our Dissenters do openly demonstrate a very zealous and undoubted abhorrence of Popery their real purpose in which is not here questioned but believed * Sunt alii qui etiamsi non spiritu Aegyptiaco dolo moliuntur reditum ad Papismum at incuriae latae culpae reatum tamen incurrunt Alt. Damasc p. 558. For such is our Charity for those who are generally seduced we count it indeed the unhappiness of their Error that many of them do entertain such Principles as are agreeing with Popery but we do not charge upon them the knowledg of or consent to the Consequences of their own Principles but conclude they are sown in their minds not by their own direct choice so much as by the slight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 2ly Among the diversities of Sects thus influenced we acknowledg it most manifest that some are more acted than others by far * hâc in re scilicet unâ multùm dissimiles ad caetera penè gemellî Horat. l. 1. Ep. 10. Nevertheless all that are in separation from our Church in that their very division from us do actually joyn with the Romanists to strengthen their hands and weaken the Interest of our established Reformation more or less And I suppose it may be taken for granted that generally they who raise most clamour against our Church as guilty of Popery they most of all others will appear most actuated by the Roman interest 3ly And since of late especially some of the worst Principles of Popery have appeared among us most manifest from such most notorious practices as are the very proper Consequences of their generally approved Doctrines It may be judged most seasonable even at this time that all sincere Persons be awakened to see whither those Divisions naturally lead in which so many have bin engaged whose interest they serve whom they join with and are acted by how ignorant soever they are thereof Especially since of late there hath bin so much discovery made that the overthrow of the Church of England hath bin all along one of the principal aims of the Conspiracies of our Adversaries and that they have endeavoured to effect the same by what our Separatists call Liberty of Conscience tho God preserve our Liberty and our Conscience from such Snares so artificially laid by the Romanists who have made most use of the Dissatisfactions and Oppositions of our Domestic Dissenters to compass their intended Designs Thus Thuanus tho of the Roman Communion declares in his History of the Gun-Powder Treason here in England * Rejecto libello supplice pro Libertate Conscientiae oblato The first design of their Conspiracy began upon the Papists Petition for Liberty of Conscience being rejected § 6. But because many are huge concern'd to shift off the conviction of this great Truth if any say Oh now is the time for Protestants to be united against the Common Adversary and why is such a distinction kept up between Church-men and Separatists Very true why is there who hath made and continued the difference Wherefore the proper means for consolidation of such an Union among all true Protestants among us which is most earnestly desired by us is for our Separatists to come off from such their Divisions as are still designed for the overthrow of our Church especially since the Presbyterian Brethren well observed That a more firm union and consent of all Grand Debate p. 3. 1661. such as well in Worship as in Doctrine would greatly strengthen the Protestant Interest against all those Dangers and Temptations which our Intestine Divisions and Animosities do expose us unto from the Common Adversary 2. For them also to forsake such Principles and Behaviours as serve the Interest of the Roman Church and peaceably to return into Communion with our most moderate Church which is ready to over-look what is past if it may be secure of their Communion for the time to come But never let it be thought that our Church will ever come into their Schism or that we will go about to sail to Rome by a side-wind of Separation § 7. And now to prove the forementioned Proposition That our Separatists I do not say all alike nor that any sort agree in all these Instances following but more or less do conspire in Fact however not in intent with the Romanists One single proof of the whole might be sufficient namely from their separating and dividing from such a Church as ours is which Division is the main Art and Counsel and Design of the Roman Engineer * Vâ—que facilius Catholici Sectarios opprimere possint variis obductis causis artibus alios ab aliis ut divellant occasiones captandae Jo. Paul Windeck de extirp Haeres Antidoto and from their constant and common business which is by Reproaches much alike to vilify and deprave our Church in all its Constitutions and Offices and especially they jointly labour to vilify our Clergy calling them Ministers of Satan †Clero Anglicano nihil putidius Campianus Jesuita and Baal's Priests c. Which beside that it is a cursed unjust and ingrateful practice so a more acceptable Work our Separatists could never do for the Church of Rome 2. As they serve the Romanists now by their Practices so may they more hereafter by their Opinions for so many Points as they are off from our ¶ See the 8 9 Parag of this Chap. Church so much the
imperious among Men most decretory in their Sentences and most impatient of any disagreeing from them tho in the least minute and particular 3. If any do conceive the Church defective in some particular especially when few will deny but the principal and substantial Things are not wanting Christian Moderation requires all to supply any such supposed Defects as much as they can by such a Christian Charity ¶ Pii placidi homines misericorditèr corripiant quod possunt quod non possunt patientèr ferant cum dilectione gemant atque lugeant donec aut emendet Deus aut in messe eradicet zizania S. Aug. l. 3. contr Parm. c. 1. as thinketh hopeth believeth the best especially of their Governours and renders all Persons suspicious of their own Judgments and docible and humble in disposition and behaviour And while they charge the Church with being in some things deficient in others superfluous they ought to have the more care not to add thereunto their own faults in the same kind as being deficient in their Duty or superfluous in such exceptions as generally are so frivolous 4. It is most agreeable to the Rules of Moderation that those who are so earnest to have still more Moderation allowed them should first acknowledg such Moderation and Indulgence as they have received and also should take care that the same miss not of its desired and promised Effects from them Wherefore what the Bishops told the Presbyterian Brethren was but a very moderate admonition We conceive the most real expression of their thankfulness for his Majesties most Princely Condescention had bin a hearty compliance with his Majesties most earnest and passionate request for the use of the present Liturgie at least so much of it as they acknowledg by these Papers to be lawful Such also should readily and thankfully own whatsoever is good in the establishment which is over them and the real benefits and blessings which all do and may enjoy And since there are such Instances and Proofs of the Moderation of our Church Christian Moderation will also govern any who are concerned in this Matter well to understand and consider such Proofs and acknowledg what is true in them 5. It is but according to Christian Moderation that a special respect and regard be had to a reformed setled Establishment as Ours is which is in possession * In pari causâ possessor potior haberi debet Reg. jur of its Authority 1. Christian Moderation will dispose such well to consider how far they ought to bear against their own Inclination before they offer at the Violation of the Sacred Peace of God's Church 2. Christian Moderation will instruct any one that exemption from Obedience ought to be as clear as the Command to Obey †Infirmae prorsus voluntatis est indicium Statuta Seniorum studiosiùs disquirere haerere ad singula quae injunguntur exigere de quibusque rationem malè suspicari de omni praecepto cujus causa latuerit nec unquam libenter obedire S. Bern. de praec dispens 3. Such ought moderately to consider of the danger they threaten all Government Civil and Ecclesiastical and also the Interest especially of the Reformation who are so industrious to overthrow such an Establishment as ours is upon these kind of Dissatisfactions 6. Christian Moderation doth certainly govern all to use the same measures of practice for themselves and others that is to do as they would be done by * Non debet alteri per alterum iniquae conditio inferri Reg. juris Suppose therefore that any Plat-form the Exceptors against our Church propose was setled according to their own phancy They ought to consider whether they would endure to be reproached resisted disobeyed after such an establishment was made They who have used sundry significant Ceremonies themselves as were used in taking the Covenant should not be so violent against all Ceremony They who are against all Jewish Usages ought to have a care of Judaizing They who are zealous against Popery ought to have a care themselves both lest they run into Popery and lest they be carried thereinto however imprudently and unwarily They who could be forward to appoint Fasting-days and days of Thanksgiving upon accounts not so justifiable ought not to be against all our lawful and appointed Fasts and Festivals They who have made it the chief of their Exception against our Monarchy formerly that it made void Acts of Parliament by Prerogative when it did not should not be so earnest that the same be done for the sake of Papists and themselves They who would not have the miscarriages of some particular Brethren charged on their Party or themselves ought by the same Rule to have a care that they never charge our Church with the Faults of some particular Persons of our Communion making those the Vices of our Constitution which are only the Faults of some Persons which will be in the World so long as there are Men happy is it where there are fewest The same equity also which our Church sheweth unto others she may justly expect to receive Namely To be allowed such just and favourable Construction as in Preface to the Liturgy common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by Authority 7. Christian Moderation will govern any when they have experienced an Evil not to run into the same again They therefore who have seen that the Consequences of their own Principles have proved worse than before they apprehended and that such immoderate Zeal as their own hath bin made use of to other purposes than they were aware and have seen and felt the horrid Effects of Confusion occasion'd from such Exceptions as these which are so busy now against our Church by the Rules of true Moderation ought to acknowledg the same constantly and to have a diligent care lest they split again upon the same Rocks This Christian Moderation will help any for avoiding one extreme from running unto another because they detest In vitium ducit culpae fuga si caret arte Horat. Papal Tyranny they will not therefore reject Episcopacy because of some defect in Discipline they will not therefore run into a culpable Separation because some are careless in their Prayers they will not therefore reject all Forms as unlawful Because of the Imperfection of all Forms of Government therefore they will not conclude Monarchy sinful Because some set up the Doctrine of Merit they will not therefore think good Works needless to Salvation Because too many neglect the Vow they made in their Baptism therefore they will not deny Infant Baptism Because in Popery there are such heaps of Fopperies therefore what was really good among them must not for their sakes be condemned Because what was typical of Christ under the Old Testament is abolished by our Christianity therefore other moral and useful Usages which were among the Jews are
As to those among us who are most moderate it may be wisht they will afford their own Example in what they allow in Discourse and that they would labour as effectually to prevail on those who depend on their Judgments and Example § 3. Whereas many of our Dissenting Brethren profess they desire the Interest of Jesus Christ may be promoted and that sanctity of Life and the pure Worship of God and the Communion of Saints and the Edification of the Church and the Reformed Protestant Religion may be maintained and encreased and in all Debates they appeal to the Holy Scriptures and many of them say they are desirous to rectify Mistakes and to lay aside all prejudice and passion and partiality and profess they desire their Judgments and Practices may be guided in the ways of Truth and Peace Supposing all this if we meet with such as will admit what follows into fair consideration I should think it the most proper means by some such degrees as follow to bring them if it be possible to understand the good Constitution of things among us 1. By letting such by clear Instances see how unmoveably we hold the Faith and Doctrine of Christ delivered in Holy Scripture which together with the whole Church of God the Church of England doth keep inviolably witness unto them faithfully and so constantly appeal to as the only perfect Rule of Faith and Manners V. Ch. 4. 2. Since the best and most useful sort of Moderation is that which governs us as we ought in the real Practice of Vertue and Goodness whereunto tend all the Moderation of the Laws and the Doctrine and Discipline of God's Church yet which is a lamentable thing to consider this is most silently past over and scarce known by the Name at that same time that a huge clamour is rais'd among us for Moderation in Religion in which all that are concerned may know and understand that the great Design and Desire of our Church is to promote holiness of Life Among us all may not only be as holy as they will but that they may be so they are assisted and encouraged most earnestly by the Laws and Constitutions and Offices and Councils of our Church which if they were rightly understood would be known uniformly to tend to no less 3. Such may consider that all the appointed means of Grace and Salvation are by our Church publicly and amply taken care of as duly and effectually as may be 4. In a Church where substantial Piety is so truly procured throughout the whole Constitution it might at least mitigate the great offence taken to consider what is more largely shewed Ch. 8. That our Church never did own her very few Ceremonies any other than accidental and mutable Circumstances for Order and Comeliness-sake but never asserted them any essential or necessary part of God's Worship Such may also consider the Rules of reasonable behaviour and submission to the Church as are moderately laid down Chap. 6. § 10. 5. Because our Dissenters by their dividing from us seem to endanger very much the Interest of the Reformed Religion which they appear so zealous to uphold Let them be pleased to consider the real danger of their being acted by Romish Agents and Incendiaries while they take the second direct course to destroy this reformed Establishment among us as is more particularly considered in Chap. 17. 6. Such may do well to consider truly those easy and proper Consequences which follow the Consideration of the Church being a Society with relation to a Christian Kingdom as ours is from whence sundry special Obligations may be inferred to bind every one who calls himself Christian to maintain the Peace and union of such a Society especially if we look on the Church as a Society formed by God himself and therefore common Christians are not to look upon themselves as Spiritual Governors as if they had any power in themselves to constitute new Bounds or new Extents to its Being or Authority but are to think they have an easier and safer task quietly to accept and obey that which is constituted by lawful Authority in all things not repugnant to the revealed Will of God And since every one's being of the Church doth suppose their duty to communicate in those Sacraments and Holy Offices which are appointed as a public Sign before God and Man that we do confess Christ Jesus and is an evidence of our holding communion with God's Church and that we are obedient to the Laws of this Society and the Government thereof in that fixed part of the Church we live in it follows that we are obliged unto the Peace of this Church by the intent of our Baptismal Vow when we were incorporated as Members of Christ's Body the Church And we are bound to maintain the same Peace of this Society of the Church as we live in a Christian Kingdom where the Religion of the Kingdom is so great a part of its Laws Upon which account Schism renders the safety of Kingdoms very hazardous beside that it looseth the Bands of all Friendship Sacred and Civil and breeds enmity among nearest Relations and Neighbours It tends exceedingly to the dishonour of the Public Laws and opens a gap to the most dissolute making void the exercise and effect of the Discipline of the Church upon the scandalous which otherwise to the prophane World would prove terrible as an Army with Banners It is the only way any can take to destroy all being of a Visible Church to corrupt her Doctrine and destroy her Power and is so great a sin as Martyrdom it self cannot expiate it Such do as much as they can make void the Design of our Blessed Saviour Who died that be might gather into one the Children of God that are scattered abroad 11 S. John 52. the night before our Lord was betrayed when he instituted the Sacrament of Unity How fervently did he pray for the Peace of the Church 17 S. John 11. Holy Father keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as I am one V. 21. That they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me Whereas these Schisms which we have tend to weaken or take away the greatest outward Witness we have of the truth of Holy Scriptures and of our very Christianity namely the Testimony of God's Church from the beginning and do expose our most excellent Religion to the contempt and entertainment of Atheists The sad account for which let them beware of who make it their idle business to defame the Church in her Holy Offices and alienate all whom they can from her Communion Let them pretend what they will in the mean time to intimate Communion with God they indeed take away the Unity of the Church as much as in them lies but in effect they take it away from themselves and they cut themselves off from Communion with the rest of the
THE MODERATION OF THE Church of England Considered As useful for allaying the present distempers which the indisposition of the Time hath contracted BY TIMOTHY PULLER D. D. Pref. to the Book of Com. Pr. It hath been the wisdom of the Church of England ever since the first compiling her publick Liturgy to keep the Mean between the two Extremes In which review we have endeavoured to observe the like Moderation LONDON Printed by J. M. for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXIX NISI DOMINUS ADFUISSET NOBIS 24 Psl 1. Prâ—â— Ieus Simpl MODE BATION Printed for Rich Chiswell in St Pauls Church yard ANIMO ET FIDE The Right honble Francis North Baron of Guilford 1703 TO THE MOST REVEREND Father in GOD WILLIAM By Divine Providence Lord Archbishop OF CANTERBURY Primate of all ENGLAND and Metropolitan and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council May it please your Grace THis Essay for the Vindication of Our Church addresseth in just Gratitude to Your Archiepiscopal See with this assurance that the Moderation of the Church of England oweth it self as much to the wisdom and admirable temper of Your Graces Predecessors as to any one thing whatsoever next to the most Divine and supreme influences which so signally govern'd them and the rest of our first Reformers to follow incomparably the sage advice which Gregory the Great anciently sent to Your Predecessor Austin of Canterbury That of the divers usages of several Churches he should chuse what was most religious and right for the use of the English for said that Bishop of Rome things are not to be loved for the sake of a place but places for the sake of good things according to which determination of that Learned and Pious Father it may be easy now to decide What Church whose Primates which Constitution deserves our love and honour most unless any will prefer that which is extravagantly corrupt before what is most moderately and excellently reformed Your Grace best knows how that Brotherly * Novit Fraternitas tua c. B. Greg. Ep. ex Registro l. 12. Indic 7. c. 3. sort of Communication was generally preserved in the Church by other Patriarchs even with the Bishops of Rome so long as these were Examples of the same Moderation with S. Gregory who with a Primitive Roman Courage protested against the insolency of their stiling themselves Universal which well enough agrees with the Solecism of those who call only themselves Catholicks Before which novel kind of Phantastries 't is well known such as Boniface the Martyr the Apostle of the Germans as Baronius mentions * Ad an 726. n. 58. Tom. 9. mutually desired advice not only from Rome but of the Primates of England And whereas even since the first Reformation there have been Archbishops of Canterbury who have not only with wondrous success govern'd and defended Our Church from both sorts of Adversaries but have testified to the Equity of Her Rubricks with their own Blood when we consider what kind of adverse parties were the Authors of Their Martyrdom even the same who have given the Reformed Church of England Her two most extreme refining Tryals We must acknowledge them in the direct succession with Your Grace to be not only the Glorious Instruments but also the most famous Witnesses and Proofs of the Moderation of our Church who bear the first Names in Her Dipticks and deserve here first with Reverence to be mentioned to Your Grace who also for your inviolable adherence to the Church in spite of sufferings must hereafter be celebrated among Her Confessors There may be some account why in this Argument such an undertaking as this were it more worthy should especially desire Your Patronage not only in humble deference to the Authority Your Grace doth sustain in our Church to the universal joy and serious triumph of all whose affections have not been depraved with Schism and ill nature but in a more immediate reference because to Your special Archiepiscopal Prerogative belongeth the peculiar right and faculty of those dispensations which are a part of the Equity of our Church and her liberal benignity in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath been always honoured as a most venerable part of Her Laws Since therefore unto Your Clemency is so suitably committed in this publick Constitution the Custody of our Churches Indulgence and Benignity The Moderation of the Church with more than usual confidence returns to Your Grace for what her Casuists calls Inculpata Tutela and fears not now to be denied since Clemency is not only the Dignity of Your Title but Your Nature Neither is Your Primacy in our Church more eminent than Your Moderation is exemplary and known unto all Which I presume only to mention to borrow from thence a most Reverend Lustre and Life to the Noble Truth I have defended And so far as I have not improperly now asserted the Cause of the Church in which You preside I am sure not to sink in my trust of being supported by Your Graces good acceptance of the sincere undertaking of May it please Your Grace Your most obliged humble and dutiful Servant TIMO PULLER TO THE READER IF ever the practice of Moderation as well as any discourse thereon were seasonable it may be supposed now when for ought we know the lasting happiness of the Kingdom and the Church may depend immediately upon this rare and desirable temper acknowledged of all most excellent Yet it is a most unaccountable mystery of our present condition that notwithstanding the late surprizing discoveries have had nothing more notorious than that the chief design of the Jesuit Faction among the Romanists hath been the utter subversion of the present established Church of England nevertheless they who call themselves our Protestant Dissenters cannot be induced to come into entire union with our excellent reformed Church but rather chuse to unite with those Romanists in many of their unreasonable Cavils One of the methods which they who are Principals or Accessories in our Divisions for our extirpation have used hath been to engage the outcry in popular appeals concerning Persecution or Moderation This word and thing it self hath indeed much in it which is very Divine and therefore the more likely to be made use of with design by those who have used the most holy things to the most unhallowed purposes But I suppose the Experience which the late Age hath taught us will not so presently be out of print in our minds as to make us remit all our caution against the rigours of both extremes however they bear the same goodly pretences and unite in the same reproach of our Church Wherefore in sincere desire to assist the truth and equity of our Churches cause as well as to awaken if I may be so happy some into a more intimate sense of our common real interest I thought it an act of Justice as well as duty to enter some
kind of Protestation and proof also of the Moderation of our Church That if our Dissenting Brethren will but please to come near and view such fair and open testimonies as I have enumerated some sympathy with so just a temper may help to cool some of those Calentures to asswage and allay some of those unreasonable disorders which have discomposed the minds of many at present adverse to our Peace That while so remarkable a part of our Churches beauty appears from such a lifting up of her Veil so gentle and chearful an aspect may we hope win over some of those into better esteem of our Communion whom any Symmetry can affect whom any Moderation can overcome if they are not already irreconcilable that so the mildness and gentleness of our Church may no longer aggravate their separation with so much the more injustice unthankfulness and disingenuity even as the Moderation of our Church and Government renders the attempts of such Romanists as are concerned in them not only more scandalous and pernicious but most impious horrid and execrable As for others among us who sometime have appeared weary of their contests however unsetled hovering as it were in some motions for Union and frequently are toiling themselves in tedious contemplations of new Plots and Schemes of Government framing to themselves Idea's not very Platonical for peace and settlement I conceive a seasonable conviction among such of the real Moderation of our Church might save some of them their grievous labours for the future for how deficient they generally have been they themselves have shewed and if our Church is very moderate already I need not say they have been very superfluous There are indeed those who are still requiring that the Protestant Profession among us be setled in a due Latitude whereas we sincerely think the very thing desired is already the true temperament of our Church and such also as in no sort encourageth any indifferency or neutrality in Religion nor offers any such Principles to her Sons as allows them Proteus or Vertumnus like to be susceptible of divers shapes and forms in Religion as our Adversaries who do not understand our Church do suspect whereas the more any are fixed according to the right Principles of our Church the truer and firmer Protestants such are we shall manifestly prove and the more any are such the more truly moderate they are and their designs for peace must needs be the most discreet of any and the more to purpose So great a blessing I confess is less to be hoped for so long as the Masters of Factions have got such a mighty Dominion over the minds of their followers and have so far entangled them in their own passions and prejudices neither is it any wonder that noise and passion and hardy confidence iced over with some sanctimonious pretences can engage the affections of the vulgar more than ingenuity and real Moderation and when once this humour obtains of disaffecting what is setled with a lust after Novelties if what some love to call the pattern in the Mount should slide down from Heaven in the midst of them it would not continue long in favour and therefore no wonder if the Church of England is antiquated among such who are for new Modes in Ecclesiastical matters to gratify their sickly phansies and most divided interests While this affection is thus cherisht and thus kept up the mischief on 't is as when we preach such Doctrines as the duty of Communion with the Church and the like they generally are most absent whom the same concerns most so all testimonies which are brought in the cause of Gods Church are seldom taken notice of by such whom they are most proper to convince among the Romanists and the Separatists the Keepers of the peoples understandings not suffering them to peruse what may awaken or enlighten them and the more proper any thing is for that purpose the more industrious are they slily to stifle the reputation of such endeavours However I think it but just to vindicate unto publick authority the same fair interpretations which all private persons would gladly have for what they say or do and where the Church hath given mild interpretations on purpose for the general satisfaction of all it is but reasonable to make recognition of the same and when they are perversly wrested fairly to set them forth and certainly it is our duty to consider publick appointments which oblige us with all respect to their true ends and measures equally represented and it may be thought but a debt of gratitude for us to acknowledge such Liberties and Indulgences as we enjoy and to defend from malignant detractions the just wisdom of the Church in its excellent poise between undue extremes And so long as I have uprightly designed so just a duty the easy foresight of many ignorant or malicious exceptions hath not dasht me out of countenance but excited me and the more because I hope I have not only endeavoured to set forth the Moderation of the Church but to imitate the same In so much that where any thing is spoken to our Adversaries in our own defence I hope it hath not taken example from their own intemperate heats and since the Son of Syrach hath bid us Eccl. 37. 11. Not consult with a coward in matters of war nor with an envious man of unthankfulness nor with an unmerciful man touching kindness we despair to communicate advice of the Churches mildness with those who are of unmerciful tempers themselves therefore the more need we have all as well as we can to confirm one another in the recognition of those Virtues which justify the wisdom of our Church and afford our selves greater satisfaction in our Conformity although some are continually of such disturbed Spirits uneasy to themselves and morose they can seldom allow any time to reflect chearfully and thankfully upon the blessings they enjoy however they may give us leave to delight our selves in the serious contemplation of such proportions and measures as in the frame of our Church are most observable Which cannot but afford a rare and serious pleasure as well as use as it must be very delightful to behold any imitation of the Divine Wisdom which hath made all things in number weight and measure which governs the World and all his Creatures according to unsearchable measures of Righteousness and Equity who dispenseth all things sweetly and easily The more any Civil or Ecclesiastical Governments partake of such proportions it cannot but afford a fine and delicate reflection to find them out and admire them Such is the lovely prospect which we cannot but with delight take on the goodly frame and constitution of our Church of England Suitable to the rare temper of our excellent Monarchy we live under and the most benign disposition of our Laws which give very much to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 27. subjects industry liberty and happiness and yet reserve
5. In her Orders also for dispensing the Holy Scripture to all within her Communion § 6. In governing the reading of the Scripture and communing on the same § 7. In her judgment of the Canonical and Apocryphal Books § 8. The Divine Authority of the Holy Scripture our Church rather doth take for granted than prove too laboriously or uncertainly § 9. All immoderate extravagancies concerning interpretation of Holy Scripture avoided by our Church p. 48 Chap. V. Of the Moderation of the Church in applying the Rule of Faith to it self § 1. Avoiding extremes on either hand in relation to the authority of the Vniversal Church § 2. The Decrees of Councils § 3. The Testimony of the Fathers § 4. Other Traditions § 5. Our Churches own Testimony § 6. The use of Reason § 7. The Testimony of the Spirit § 8. Of the testimony and operation of the Holy Spirit the judgment of our Church according to great Moderation more largely declared p. 77 Chap. VI. The Moderation of the Church in its judgment of Doctrines § 1. Our Church doth wisely distinguish between what is necessary for Salvation and what is not § 2. Her Articles are few § 3. Which are generally exhibited not as Articles of Faith but consent Concerning subscription § 4. Our Articles are propounded so as to avoid unnecessary controversy § 5. The wise Moderation of the Kings of England in their Injunctions to Preachers and Orders taken to preserve Truth Vnity and Charity § 6. The Controversies of the late Age are well moderated by the determinations of our Church § 7. As our Church requires our consent in nothing contrary to sense or reason so it hath also contain'd it self from immoderate curiosity in treating of venerable mysteries § 8. Our Church doth not insist upon such kinds of certainty as others without just cause do exact § 9. Doctrines are so propounded to those in our Churches Communion as not to render useless their own reasons and judgments The reasonableness of which is proved and the Objections answered § 10. The use which we are all allowed of our private judgments is requir'd to be menag'd with a due submission to the Church The duty of which submission is laid down in sundry Propositions p. 114 Chap. VII Of the Moderation of our Church in what relates to the worship of God § 1. Our Prayers are not mingled with controversy § 2. They are framed according to a most grave and serious manner with moderate variety and proper length § 3. In the zeal of Reformation our Church did not cast off what was good in it self § 4. In all our Churches there are the same Rules § 5. Common Prayers for the vulgar required in English To Ministers and Scholars a just and moderate liberty allowed § 6. The obligation of the Church leaves the method of private Devotions to a general liberty § 7. Of the Moderation of the Church in appointing her hours and times of Prayer § 8. In her use and judgment of Sermons § 9. In what is required of people with reference to their Parish Church § 10. The excellent Moderation of the Church in her Orders for the reverent reading of Divine Service and Consecrating the Sacraments in such a voice as may be heard § 11. In her Form and use of Catechizing § 12. The interest of inward and outward worship are both secured according to an excellent Moderation in our Church § 13. The Moderation of the Church in what relates to Oaths p. 166 Chap. VIII Of the Moderation of the Church in relation to Ceremonies § 1. In the Ceremonies of our Church which are very few and those of great antiquity simplicity clear signification and use our Church avoids either sort of superstition § 2. They have constantly been declared to be in themselves indifferent and alterable but in that our Church avoids variableness is a further proof of its Moderation § 3. They are professed by the Church to be no part of Religion much less the chief nor to have any supernatural effect belonging to them § 4. Abundant care is taken to give plain and frequent reasons and interpretations of what in this nature is enjoined to prevent mistakes § 5. The Moderation of our Church even in point of Ceremonies compar'd with those who have raised so great a dust in this Controversy § 6. Many innocent Rites and usages our Church never went about to introduce and why § 7. The Obligation of our Church in this matter is very mild § 8. The Moderation of our Church in her appointment of Vestments § 9. The Benedictions of our Church are according to great Piety and Wisdom ordered § 10. The Moderation of our Church in her appointments of Gestures § 11. Of the respect which is held due to places and things distinguished to Gods Service our Church judgeth and practiseth according to an excellent Moderation p. 201 Chap. IX Of the Moderation of our Church with respect to Holy-Days namely both the Feasts and Fasts of the Church § 1. The Feasts of the Church are few and those for great reason chose with care to avoid the excesses of the Romanists § 2. The further behaviour of the Church in her Feasts most useful and prudent § 3. We celebrate the memory of Saints but of none whose existence or sanctity is uncertain § 4. The excellent ends of our Churches honour to Saints are set down § 5. That they are Festivally Commemorated not out of opinion of worship or merit or absolute necessity thereof to Religion § 6. Our Church runs not into any excess in any Prayer to Saints § 7. Nor with reference to Images § 8. Whether our Church in any of these practices be justly charged of Popery by those who Canonize among themselves those who are of uncertain sanctity § 9. The Moderation of our Church in its honour given to Angels § 10. And to the Blessed Virgin § 11. Our Church hath taken great care that a special honour be had to the Lords Day and that the Lords Day nor any other Festival be abused to Luxury and Impiety § 12. The Moderation of the Church with reference to its Musick and Psalmody § 13. The Moderation of our appointed Fast The Lenten or Paschal Fast how far Religious by the Precept of the Church p. 234 Chap. X. Of the Moderation of the Church in reference to the Holy Sacraments § 1. The Moderation of our Church raiseth no strife about words relating thereunto § 2. Her Moderation in what is asserted of the number of Sacraments § 3. In that her Orders for the Administration of the Sacraments are most suitable to the ends of their appointments § 4. In that our Church doth not make the benefit of the Sacraments to depend upon unrequired conditions In reference to Holy Baptism § 1. Our Church doth make nothing of the essence of Baptism but the use of the invariable Form § 2. The Moderation of our Church toward Infants unbaptized
Her sound and charitable judgment of such as die after Baptism § 3. In some necessary cautions referring to the administration of Baptism § 4. Referring also to the susceptors § 5. In what is required of them who administer that Sacrament In reference to the Holy Supper of our Lord § 1. The same is with us celebrated in both kinds § 2. The Doctrine of Transubstantiation is rejected by our Church not running to the other extreme of denying a real presence of Christ in the Sacrament § 3. The Moderation of our Church in complying with the necessity of the Age but not with the Church of Rome and others who require their people to communicate not so much as thrice a year § 4. Participation of the Holy Supper required after Confirmation but not after the rigid Examinations of some or the auricular Confessions of others Neither is it made a private banquet § 5. In our Church there is not to be a Communication of the Eucharist without Communicants The Moderation of the Church in other Rubricks referring to the Holy Communion p. 272 Chap. XI Of the Moderation of the Church in reference to other Rights and Usages § 1. The Moderation of the Church in its Judgment and use of Confirmation § 2. Concerning Matrimony allowing her Clergy to marry affording opportunity of voluntary celibacy in our Vniversities according to a commendable moderation Vndue degrees of Marriages and some particular Times forbid c. § 3. In reference to Holy Orders 1. The Moderation of the Church in her Consecrating Ministers 2. In taking care to have them be as they ought to be both before and after Ordination with good effect 3. Yet if not so great as is desired why the Church ought not to be accused 4. In retaining such Orders of Ministers in the Church as are Primitive 5. The Moderate Judgment of the Church concerning such as have been ordain'd in the Church of Rome and elsewhere 6. Our Church endeavours to preserve all due regard to what-ever is consecrated to God 7. The Power of the Keys asserted in our Church with due moderation § 4. Of Penance 1. The Moderation of our Church between those who sleight Penance and those who explain it extravagantly 2. The Confession of our Church which is required is suitable to the design of Repentance 3. The Seal of Confession in our Church is as sacred as it ought to be 4. The use of External Penance in our Church according to due Moderation 5. The use of Absolution in our Church maintained according to a just temper § 5. For Visitation of the Sick 1. The worthy care of the Church therein and some Instances of its Moderation referring thereunto 2. Our Churches care for preparing those who are of her Communion for Death without extreme Vnction in use in the Church of Rome 3. Many Instances of the Moderation of the Church referring to the Burial of the Dead p. 289 Chap. XII Of the Moderation of our Church in what concerns the Power of the Church § 1. The Moderation of our Church owns the Power of the Church to be only Spiritual § 2. All other Power which Ecclesiastical Persons receive is readily acknowledged entirely depending on the favour of our Kings § 3. The Interests of the Kingdom and the Church are excellently accommodated in our Constitutions which is not done in other Models § 4. The pious Moderation of our Kings preserving their own rightful Supremacy and leaving to the Church the exercise of their Spiritual Power acknowledged by our Church § 5. The just Right of Kings shamefully invaded by other Sects pretending Divine Right Concerning which Claim the Moderation of our Church observed § 6. The dutiful Moderation of our Church in asserting Monarchy The first Canon 1640. justified § 7. All Interests of Humane Society especially of Subjects Allegiance in our Church abundantly secured which is not done by those in separation from her § 8. The Ordinances of our Church are framed with great Mildness and Moderation § 9. The same compared with the mild Obligation which Cardinal Bellarmine pretends the Church of Rome lays upon those of her Communion § 10. Sundry Instances of our Church's great regard to Equity p. 331 Chap. XIII Of the Moderation of the Church and Kingdom referring to the Administration of Publick Laws towards Offenders § 1. The occasion of that Mistake which is concerning the unlawfulness of Coercion in cases which concern Religion § 2. It may be very well consistent with the Moderation of the Church besides her own Censures to approve and sometimes desire such Coercion § 3. The Vse thereof in many Cases relating to Religion the undeniable Right of the Christian Magistrate § 4. Some of the chief Objections hereunto Answered § 5. Sundry proper Instances of the great Gentleness and most indulgent Care of our Church toward all its Members § 6. The Moderation of the Church and Kingdom not without their requisite and just Bounds § 7. The Recourse which our Church desires may be made to the Secular Arm is not but upon urgent and good Occasion § 8. Our Government defended from unjust Clamours of Persecution of the Romanists on one side and the Separatists on the other § 9. The Kings of England since the Reformation and especially his present Majesty Glorious Examples of this Moderation The effect of this Moderation yet much desired and wanted p. 353 Chap. XIV Of the general Moderation of our Church toward all that differ from her and are in error § 1. Our Church takes universal care to satisfy and reconcile those who differ from her Particularly our Domestick Dissenters to whom sundry Concessions have been made § 2. Our Church is not forward to denounce Curses against those who are not of the same Judgment with her § 3. Our Church doth not judge all according to the Consequences of their Doctrines § 4. In refusing an adverse Party Our Church gives an excellent Example not to use odious Names § 5. Our Church useth great care to preserve and restore peace § 6. The Moderation of the Church gives it a singular advantage to convince Dissenters upon right and proper Principles § 7. The Moderation of our Church doth incomparably qualify Her to arbitrate and reconcile the present differences of the Christian Churches § 8. A Supposition laid down of the most possible means of Reconciling a Protestant and such a Romanist as lays aside Infallibility and that the Church of England hath done her part in what was fit toward any just Reconciliation § 9. An Answer to that common Calumny of the Separatists that our Governours in the Church of England have more peace and reconciliation for Papists than for the most moderate Protestant Dissenters p. 385 Chap. XV. Of the Moderation of the Church toward other Churches and Professions of Men. § 1. In that Vniversal Concord which our Church hath maintained with all so far as lawfully and usefully it may § 2. Her protesting
Gospel Ch. 1. v. 7. But unto them of Philippi also was this grace given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake v. 29. § 3. Thus it is evident that this Exhortation of S. Paul here to Moderation is indeed directed by him absolutely to the patient and suffering sort of Christians Which let those take notice of especially who affect so much to be counted the suffering party which if they are who call themselves so then the Apostle speaks more to them than any Let your Moderation be known unto all d Of this perhaps they may be better satisfied from Mr. Pools Synopsis Criticorum De afflictionibus hîc agitur Zanch. Ver. Er. Bez. c. But it is the cause only makes the Martyr Some may suffer indeed justly as a due reward of their deeds through their own ill will Others according to the will of God 1 S. Pet. 4. 16 19. when they have done nothing amiss S. Luke 23. 41. and this I take to be the real Case of the Church of England Wherefore we seriously wish they would present themselves real examples of the thing it self who make so much noise of the word We may heartily wish they who seem so earnest for Moderation would consider whether it seems not agreeable to that equal temper of mind recommended in the Text for all to be disposed to interpret every thing to the best and to go as far as they can for peace and unity in the Church and compliance with what is enjoin'd I wish such would please to consider and read the words in their true sense with any of those Versions which are given of them Let your equity e Bez. Castell Your gentleness f Trem. Dr. Ham. Your patient mind g Our old English Tr. Erasm Par. Your taking all in good part h Bez Com. Your reasonable Conversation i S. Ambr. Your modesty k Vulg. Lat. S. Hier. Your giving way one to another l Erasmus Your Moderation be known unto all § 4. That we may the more clearly understand the Moderation of our Church we will further inquire into their false notions of Moderation who so vehemently seem to require it in our Church which requiries are made either to private persons or to those in authority 1. When private persons are called upon to let their Moderation be known unto all men They as far as they know their own minds themselves and are not averse to declare it in their writings and other expressions of their meaning undeniable by Moderation would have 1. Either an Indifferency whether they do or do not what is required or 2. They mean an Omission of what is appointed or 3. They understand by it the doing quite contrary When appeal for Moderation is made to Governours by Moderation they would understand either 1. A forbearance of the execution of Laws especially which relate to matters Ecclesiastical or 2. An abolition of them or 3. An utter alteration of Government So that all the burden for Moderation relates to the remission of the obligation and observance of the Laws especially of the Church and their whole sense of Moderation doth contain many odd suppositions particularly that the conditions of our Communion are very unlawful very immoderate and inexpedient Wherefore if in the following discourse we make it appear that the entire constitution of our Church doth exhibite as great Moderation and as equal temper as any Church in the Christian World doth or ever did since the Primitive Times we shall justify our Constitutions from those exceptions mentioned and a thousand times as many more as they can raise For supposing at present which afterward I shall plainly demonstrate that the conditions of our Communion are not unlawful and that the appointments of the Church as they are and what relates thereunto are very moderate then it will plainly and necessarily follow 1. That an indifference in doing or not doing what is required or an omission of what is matter of duty or doing quite contrary must needs be so far from Moderation that it will appear to be a great affront to the authority of a well-setled Kingdom and Church and the more moderate this is the higher will be the aggravation of their crime 2. As to the forbearance of the execution of such Laws I shall only say thus much That if for political considerations Superiours should give way at any time to such a forbearance it may not be unseasonable to consider as among the Jews there were some things permitted or tolerated not for their own goodness but because of the hardness of the hearts of the people So when Constitutions equal in themselves are remitted in consideration only of the weakness of the people the people ought to be instructed of the reason they have to be humbled for their own imperfection that they may not glory in their shame lest they go on to take heart against the Laws and accustom themselves to frowardness 3. As to change or abolition of Laws I only here touch upon what hereafter will be more amply shew'd That the Moderation of our Church is such that she always hath publickly profest That the Rites of the Church and particular forms of worship are in their own nature indifferent and mutable And it is notorious matter of fact among us that the Church hath often made those alterations which occasion hath required and for the same reasons can do the like again 4. As to an utter alteration of the Government which some there are would look at as a prime point of Moderation I should be very injurious to truth if I should not observe That some who begin with but desires of Moderation never leave till they end in the utter subversion and extirpation of what they declare themselves averse from which renders this undertaking more necessary Thus King Charles I. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Med. 11. took notice of some Reformers who by vulgar clamours and assistance did demand not only Toleration of themselves in their vanity novelty and confusion but also abolition of Laws against them and a total extirpation of that Government whose Rights they have a mind to invade Lastly To take their words in the most mild sense not for an absolute change of the entire Government but for such an alteration of the Laws as seems to be meant by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moderation as it is sometimes taken for a correction of the Laws by Equity Most known unto all it may be that the Church of England never refuseth this But in cases of such mitigations and remissions as are called for we must consider there is generally supposed either an unjust sentence or some rigour of the Law or some great inconvenience attending All which the wisdom of Government will not hastily and at every motion determine especially when such alterations are challenged as matter of
Churches hath plentifully instanced but so far forth as they judge the same Moderation found among themselves they seem to mention it with a great joy p Retinemus ex singulis regiminibus exquisitam temperaturam J. A. Comenius de Ord. Eccl. apud Bohem. and count the same worthy of imitation q Atque hîc Commemorare libet ad Exemplum quantâ sapientiâ quantoque temperamento compositae fuerint precationum formulae quibus Gall. Genev. utuntur Amyrald de secess ab Eccl. Rom. p. 225. § 3. Wherefore the most general and inartificial but most plain proof of the Moderation of our Church such a proof as is sufficient to evince the whole enquiry is the consideration of the condition of our Church among her Adversaries that is as the 7. Canon 1640. hath it between the groundless suspicions of the weak and the aspersions of the malicious r Pref. to the Liturgy conc Cerem between those addicted to their old Customs and the new-fangled who would innovate all things the Church of England hath been a patient sufferer And as the true Religion hath always been tryed by real persecution of its extreme Adversaries and thereby hath become more approved and more glorious so by the wonderful Providence of God this temper and Constitution of the Church of England hath had its Essayes in two very refining Tryals 1. Immediately after the Reformation in its persecution from those of the Romish Communion and lately in its second Tryal from other Domestick Adversaries from both which sufficient proofs the Moderation of our Church may be known unto all 'T is a hard condition The Church of England professeth the ancient Catholick Faith and yet the Romanist condemns her of Novelty in her Doctrine She practiseth Church Government as it hath been in use in all Ages and places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting both in and ever since the Apostles times and yet the Separatist condemns her for Anti-Christianism in her Discipline The plain truth is she is betwixt these two Factions as between two Milstones And it is very remarkable that while both these press hard upon the Church of England both of them cry out upon Persecution t Arch-Bishop Laud against Fisher Pref. among whom she is placed as an humble representation of her Blessed Saviour for as he was Crucified amidst Criminals so the Church of England hath most constantly suffered betwixt such Factions and Sects of Men as have run into the utmost extremes from the judgment and practices of the Universal Church of Christ such are the Romanists and other Sectaries and Schismaticks amongst us Thus Manasseh vexed Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and both against Judah Is 9. 21. Thus Herod and Pontius Pilate otherwise at variance became Friends to be but the worse Enemies to our Saviour thus both the Jews and Gentiles opposed the Christian Religion and afterward the later Jews and the Circumcellions joined against the Catholick Christians and since Judaism and Gentilism have been overcome by the light of the Gospel the corruption of the Christian Religion hath arisen from its own Professors which is the corruption of Christianity into Popery and other Sects amongst us for what is best in it self is worst when corrupted and as the Christian Religion is the perfection of other Philosophies so these corruptions of Christianity have in them much of the very dregs of Judaism and the worst imitation of Gentilism And now how earnestly do the several Factions from Rome and the whole gang of Sects among us oppose our Church whose wise Moderation and excellent Constitution do place her amidst such extremes Between the Ignes fatui pretenders to new lights on one hand and the Boutfeaus the male-contented Incendiaries on the other hand Between both these we must be served as the Guests of Procrustes t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Theseo were in his famous Bed the Romanists think us too short and deficient in most of our measures and therefore they would needs have us stretcht if not upon the rack the Sectaries count us redundant in many superfluities and would fain have us cut precisely according to their Models so their mutual testimony rightly applyed may thus far be accepted that indeed we are guilty of neither extreme but really do bear the Test to be in the golden Mean To this purpose the Excellent Hammond begins his Preface to his View of the Directory There is no surer evidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which to discern the great excellency of Moderation in that Book of the Liturgy of the Church of England and so the apportionateness of it to the end to which it was designed than the experience of these so contrary fates which it hath constantly undergone betwixt the Persecutors on both extreme parts the Assertors of the Papacy on the one side and the Consistory on the other The one accusing it of Schism the other of compliance The one of departure from the Church of Rome the other of remaining with it Like the poor Greek Church our Fellow Martyr devoured by the Turk for too much Christian Profession and damn'd by the Pope for too little It being the dictate of natural reason in Aristotle That the middle vertue is most infallibly known by this that it is accused by either extreme as guilty of the other For as S. Greg. Nazianzen in his third Oration of Peace u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Whatsoever is peaceable and moderate doth suffer much of both the extremes and either is despised or resisted of which sort while we are now who blame what is amiss we therefore are placed as in a seat of strife and envy and no wonder if we are bruised in pieces between both Neither is there any more certain Argument of the equal and just Constitution of the Church of England than that the Factions among us are so ready to join with the Romanists in the very same accusations It follows now that we give more particular instances of the real Moderation of the Church CHAP. IV. Of the Moderation of our Church in respect to her Rule of Faith § 1. In holding to her true and just measure as is proved from her Articles and Canons and other Monuments of the Church § 2. In her avoiding the extremes of those who take away from the due perfection of Holy Scripture and of others who seem officiously to add thereunto § 3. In her judgment of the letter and sense of Scripture and in the use of such consequences as are duly drawn from thence § 4. In reference to the Versions and Translations of Holy Scripture several instances of Moderation in our Church § 5. In her Orders also for dispensing the Holy Scripture to all within her Communion § 6. In governing the reading of the Scripture and communing on the same § 7. In her judgment of the Canonical and Apocryphal Books § 8. The Divine Authority
of the Holy Scripture our Church rather doth take for granted than prove too laboriously or uncertainly § 9. All immoderate extravagancies concerning interpretation of Holy Scripture avoided by our Church § 1. WHereas Moderation hath its name and being from the equal measures observed by it the first instance of the Moderation of our Church is most properly to be taken from the right rule and measure in Religion which this Church of ours constantly receives and holds close to by which she is safely preserved from all undue extremes having to her self the same rule and measure of her Moderation which the universal Church of Christ in all Ages hath had such a rule as is beyond all exception and is of undeniable Authority namely the Holy Scriptures which are the same right and just measure by which she measures out to others and desires to be measured by her self in whatever she receives and delivers out as matter of Faith and required practice in the necessary parts of Religion and the worship of God Whereas next to the extreme of them who have no Religion nor no Rule the vanity and extravagance of those is very notorious who set up themselves to be their own Rule which is done in the pretences of infallibility on one hand and enthusiasm on the other between that Rock and this Gulf the Moderation of our Church doth safely conduct its own judgment and practice and all that follow her In the Sixth Article of Religion see how our Church doth own the perfection of Holy Scripture as a Rule Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation and the reason why the Church of England doth require her self to be acknowledged of her own a Canon 3. 1603. as a true and Apostolical Church is because she teacheth and maintains the Doctrine of the Apostles and in the fourth Canon the Church censures all Impugners of the worship of God and whosoever shall affirm her Form containeth any thing in it repugnant to the Scriptures In the 36. Canon Article 2. All who are to subscribe are willingly and ex animo to affirm That the Book of Common-Prayer and of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the word of God and Article 3. That he acknowledgeth all and every of the 39. Articles to be agreeable to the word of God In the 19th Article of Religion The visible Church of Christ is defined a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure word of God is Preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christs Ordinance And in the ordering of Bishops and Priests it is asked Be you perswaded that the Holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all Doctrine required of necessity for eternal Salvation through Faith in Jesu Christ And are you determined with the said Scriptures to instruct the people committed to your Charge and to teach nothing as required of necessity to eternal Salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scriptures The Answer is I am so perswaded and have so determined by Gods grace In the 20th Article of Religion it is declared It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to Gods word written neither to expound one place that it be repugnant to another From all which passages and many more which might be repeated out of the Monuments of our Church it is evident that as our Church is formed in her whole Constitution with an uniform respect to this Rule and hath framed her Articles Liturgy Homilies and Orders thereby so it doth require her self to be acknowledged in those but in subordination to this Rule and measure as before and superiour to it self which doth manifest the exceptions of many of the Separation to be very unreasonable who seem to give such deference to the Holy Scriptures and at the same time renounce Communion with the Church of England which doth so religiously hold to the Sacred Scriptures of which our Church in union with the whole Church of God is a sure Keeper a faithful Witness a zealous Defender and a most sober Interpreter § 2. The Moderation of the Church of England further appears in avoiding the extremes of those who take away from the true perfection of Scripture and of others who seem officiously to add thereunto Of the first sort of those who detract from the true perfection of Scripture are they who frame an additional Canon of their own as the Church of Rome doth who declares that the Apocryphal Writings and Traditions of men are nothing inferiour nor less Canonical than the Sovereign dictates of God as well for the Confirmation of doctrinal points pertaining to Faith as for ordering of Life and Manners and that both the one and the other ought to be embraced with the same affection of Piety and received with the like religious Reverence b Concil Trid. Sess 4. Decr. 1. not making any difference between them Thus as it is in the second part of the Homily of good works Christ reproved the Laws and Traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees because they were set up so high as though they had been equal with Gods Laws and above them They worship Me in vain that teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men For you leave the Commandments of God to keep your own Traditions Yet He meant not thereby to overthrow Mens Commandments for He Himself was obedient to the Princes and their Laws made for good order On the other extreme They of the Separation among us are busy to attribute to the Holy Scriptures such a perfection as God never intended them namely particularly to determine of all actions of Mankind and every matter of order and decency in Religion Between these two see by how even a thred our Church divides the controversy first asserting the real perfection of Scriptures as a Rule to be as much as need to be to be as great a perfection as God hath given it in order to its end namely to guide our belief and practice in things needful to Salvation Article 20. Besides the same namely Gods word written ought not the Church to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation and in the same Article It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to Gods word written Yet the Article begins thus The Church hath power to Decree Rites and Ceremonies and hath Authority in controversies of Faith Wherein according to an accurate Moderation the Church doth behave itself in attributing to the Holy Scriptures their just and full perfection On the other hand our Church doth thankfully accept of that Christian Liberty which God hath left her and indeed which he hath given all particular Christians according to their
for reading the holy Scripture is made agreeable to the mind and purpose of the old Fathers and a great deal more profitable and commodious It is more profitable because there are left out many things whereof some are untrue some uncertain some vain and superstitious and nothing is ordained to be read but the very pure word of God the holy Scriptures or that which is agreeable to the same and that in such a language and order as is most easy and plain for the understanding both of the Readers and the hearers It is also more commodious both for the shortness thereof and for the plainness of the order and that the rules be few and easy Since the Reformation those who love not to be contain'd in any good bounds when they read the Bible chuse to do it out of all Canonical Order or generally snap upon the Chapters fortuitously or affect for their most common reading the most difficult Books and Chapters The wisdom of our Church hath provided that the Old Testament may be read out every Year once f Tale aliquid audio esse nunc in Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ in quâ Psalterium singulis mensibus al solvitur totum utrumque Testamentum unico anno continuatâ lectione percurritur Vtinam reliquae Ecclesiae reformatae c. Spalaâ—ensis l. 7. c. 12. All the Psalms once every Month and the New Testament thrice every Year g V. The Order how the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read Yet with this Moderation some difficult and very mysterious places are excepted Yet so that the Church declares Though the rehearsal of the Genealogies and Pedigrees of the Fathers be not so much to the edification of the plain ignorant people Yet there is nothing so impertinently uttered in all the whole Book of the Bible but may serve to spiritual purpose in some respect to all such as will bestow their labours to search out the meaning h Homily of certain places of Scripture 2d Part. Thus manifest is it that our Church doth really intend edification in her Institutions and can the wit of man i B. Jer. Taylor Pref. to his Collection of Offices conceive a better temper and expedient than this of the Church of England that such Scriptures only and principally should be laid before them in daily Offices which contain in them all the mysteries of our Redemption and all the Rules of good Life That the people of the Church may not complain that the Fountains of our Salvation are stopt from them nor the Rulers of the Church that the mysteriousness of Scripture is abused And further to prevent the inconvenience of the vulgars use of Scripture there was a wholsome Injunction of Queen Elizabeth k 1559 §. 37. fit here to be mentioned That no man should talk or reason of Holy Scripture rashly or contentiously nor maintain any false doctrine or errour but shall commune on the same when occasion is given reverently humbly and in the fear of God for his comfort and better understanding For as it is in the Homily against contention Too many there be which upon Ale-benches and other places delight to set forth certain Questions not so much pertaining to edification as to Vain-glory whence they fall to chiding and contention With reference to which Injunction it was that some Bishops in their Articles of enquiry had this for a Question Whether any were known in their Diocese who profaned the Holy Scripture in Table-talk which was captiously misunderstood by many in their intemperate heats against the Bishops as if they thereby did forbid all sober Conference on any places of Holy Scripture whereas the Injunction of the Queen which ought still to have effect should reasonably interpret their enquiry which certainly was the ground thereof Besides many of those Bishops themselves when Masters of Colledges in the Universities observed and caused to be observed those Statutes which in most Colledges require reading of Scripture at Meals Ordering that Communication which is thereon to be such as in the Queens Injunction was before-mentioned § 7. Our Church according to great wisdom hath received such Books as Canonical of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church l 39. Article 6. Scio tamen Vualdensem tenere quod declarandi approbandi Libros sacros sit in serie Patrum omnium fidelium ab Apostolis succedentium Fr. S. Clara. ad Artic. Confess Angl. 6. rejecting what truly are not of the Canon which the Church of Rome thrusts in of its own head and doth not leave out any which are as many have done in other times and places In relation to those Books whose Title is the Apocrypha the Moderation of our Church expresseth an excellent temper 1. In that in their Title as of uncertain Writings they are distinguisht from Canonical 2. All the Apocryphal Books are not recommended to be read in the Church 3. Nor on all days particularly not on the Lords Day as such 4. Those our Church doth use together with other Canonical Scripture as it plainly and publickly declares in her sixth Article of Religion and as St Hierom saith m S. Hier. Pres ad â—ild V. Eâ—â—phan c. 〈◊〉 for example of life and instruction of manners as Clemens Romanus to the Corinthians and other such Writings were read in the ancient Church n Sunt alii libri qui leguntur quidem sed nonscribuntur in Canone H. de S. Vic. Cap. 6. de scripturis c. but doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine as if they had such authority alone by themselves Our Church indeed doth prefer them before any other Ecclesiastical or private Writings because of the many excellent and sacred instructions in them for which good and religious use which may be made of them by all we do them the honour to bind them up with our Bibles though we make them not of equal authority thereby or of divine inspiration as we do not also either the English Meeter of the Psalms or the Epistle of the Translators of the Bible § 8. The Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures our Church according to great wisdom doth rather take for granted than labour much to prove such an undoubted principle of Religion justly supposing there is no reason either to question that the Church hath surely received those Divine Oracles or surely delivered them and therefore our sixth Article speaks of them as of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church Our Church justly thus supposing immediately therefore applies her self in an Exhortation to a diligent reading the Holy Scriptures Homily 1. and so long as those of her Communion are by any just means convinced of their authority our Church according to a great Moderation leaves it to the Providence of God by what particular arguments of the many which lie before us we may come to this satisfaction Not causing the satisfaction of any to depend upon one sort
of means to the neglect of another Because there are so many Arguments which may sufficiently satisfy any of their Authority because some are convinced by some others by others We are encouraged in our Church to receive the Holy Scriptures as the word of God both from inward and outward motives both of divine and moral consideration But for our greater certainty and safety in a matter of so great concern our Church doth not lay the weight of so great a cause on slight or uncertain Foundations as the infallibility of the Church much less demonstration from the evidence of oral tradition or the testimony only of the Divine Spirit held by some so absolutely necessary to convince every one of the Divine Authority of Scriptures that without such an inward testimony there can be no kind of certainty whatsoever The Moderation of our Church excellently governs her judgment herein neither refusing the just Authority of Gods true Church nor denying any necessary influence of the Holy Spirit of God according to which Moderation guiding our selves we shall have occasion elsewhere to justify the real certainty of our Faith ch 6. § 8. In convincing also those of the Authority of Holy Scripture who do deny the same the wisdom and temper of our Church prudently hath omitted a twofold medium as improper to confute obstinate Adversaries The one is of proving the Divine Authority of the Scriptures by Scriptures themselves which though it be a sufficient proof among them who have received them as divine yet to others it can never stop the objection from returning infinitely if the objector please to be dissatisfied The other method is alledging the Testimony of the Spirit for though the Church of God hath the Holy Spirit yet those that dispute this point may not have the Spirit neither can any ones saying so be a proper Argument to convince another Thirdly Our Church avoids the Circle of proving the Scripture by the Church and the Church by the Scriptures again because our Church doth first acknowledge the Holy Scriptures as superiour to it self o Article 6. 20. as one of the first principles of its Doctrine and against those who deny that principle of the Holy Scriptures veracity it doth dispute no otherwise than by reasons convincing the certainty of Tradition But as Archbishop Laud in his Preface against Fisher takes notice While one Faction cries up the Church above the Scripture and the other the Scripture to the neglect of the Church According to Christs Institution the Scripture where it is plain should guide the Church and the Church where there is doubt should expound the Scripture § 9. Whereas many run into very immoderate extravagancies concerning the interpretation of Holy Scripture our Church contains it self within very wise and just proportions in its judgment and practice concerning this matter 1. Concerning Holy Scripture it doth own what the Ancient Fathers p S. Chrys Hom. 3. in â— Thess S. Aug. in Ps 8. V. Second Part of the Homily of the knowledge of H. Scrip. have testified That what is absolutely necessary unto Salvation of all either for knowledge or practice is so fair and intelligible and plain to be understood of any that there needs no interpreter of the meaning of the sense to them who understand the words 2. For the understanding other places in Holy Scripture which are more obscure our Church doth suppose and acknowledge plentiful means allowed of God both to the Church and by and in the Church to all particular persons as much as is necessary that such places be understood For those which are mysterious and intricate are for the curious and wise to enquire into They are not the repositories of Salvation but instances of labour and occasions of humility and arguments of mutual forbearance and an endearment of reverence and adoration as the Archbishop of Spalato and our Bishop Taylor use to speak Such means for the interpretation of Scripture are the ordinary assistances of the Holy Spirit of God The instructions of the Church the use of our Reason especially in comparing one Scripture with another which excellent means of finding out the sense of Holy Writ our Church her self doth often use and recommends the same to those of her Communion according to the ancient practice of the Church Yet if we speak properly we do not call the Scripture the interpreter of it self nor properly a Judge of matter of Faith q S. Scripturam Judicem qui sentiunt rectè sentiunt sed siguratè â—oquuntur Gro. de Impâ—rio sum pot Though it be the Rule according to which the judgment which is of Doctrines is made and in Analogy with which Interpretations of Scripture also are to be govern'd But because of the danger of the vulgars being misled our Church doth send them frequently to their Pastors and Ministers for publick instruction and private advice and counsel and inferiour Ministers it refers to their Bishop r Exhortation to the Holy Communion Canon 53. The same method our Church directs for resolution of doubts which may arise referring to the Liturgy Preface concerning the Service of the Church Forasmuch as nothing can be so plainly set forth but doubts may arise in the use and practice of the same to appease all such 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 that so doubt shall alway resort to the Bishop of the Diocess who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same And if the Bishop be in doubt he may send for the resolution thereof to the Archbishop 3. Our Church doth not attribute more or less authority to the means of interpreting Scripture or any part thereof than God hath given it for that purpose and here the Moderation of the Church might be illustrated from the manifold extravagancies others have run into in this matter on all sides 1. Some make the Holy Spirit of God the only immediate interpreter of Scripture unto all persons whatsoever that at any time understand any thing thereof Others run into another extreme of slighting the illumination and assistance of the Holy Spirit 2. Some assert the Church of Rome only to have an infallible and absolute Authority herein others deny both the Church Universal and all parts thereof all authority to teach those under her Discipline or interpret any Scripture to them 3. Some have maintained that the publick Magistrate is the only interpreter of Scripture others deny him any kind of authority over or about the Church 4. There are those who make humane reason the only interpreter of Scripture Others reject all use of reason in divine matters Among these and many more extravagancies of men The Moderation of our Church keeps on one hand from the Tyranny of those who make such Authorities the Rule of interpreting Scripture which
encourageth also those other helps which are any ways useful to the better understanding the sense of Holy Scripture as namely the knowledge of Tongues Arts and Sciences and whatever else may improve the industry and sincerity of the enquirer Because as our Homily saith k Hom. of Com. Pr. and Sacraments No man cometh to the knowledge of Tongues otherwise than by diligent and earnest study and elsewhere l Hom. of the peril of Idolatry 2. Part. The Church taking notice how the worshipping of Images came in times of ignorance negligence and barbarity laments the wasts made on learning by the Goths and Vandals and Hunns They burning Libraries so that learning and true Religion went to wrack and decayed incredibly Wherefore the Church of England hath been always a bountiful and careful cherisher and Patron of our Famous Vniversities as They have been and are most dutiful and zealous observers of the Church And because our Church governs it self according to such just measures in the Interpretation and Exposition of Scripture we see she doth neither practise nor encourage the turning of Holy Scripture into Cabala's and Allegory as too many have precariously and groundlesly done according to the humour of their own imaginations our Church observing that Moderation which St Austin commends m De Civ Dei l. 17. c. 3. when he blames some for one extreme that will allow no type or signification in things done and recorded and others who contend all things in Scripture recorded have their Allegorical Interpretation n Mihi multùm errare videntur qui nullas res gestas aliquid aliud praeter id quod eo modo gesta sunt significare arbitrantur it a multùm audere qui prorsus ibi omnia significationibus allegoricis involuta esse contendunt Erasin Eccles l. 3. Nunquam dubia aenigmatum intelligentia ad autoritatem dogmatum proficere S. Hieron in Mat. 13. even the Doctrines of Catholick Faith which in his Epistle to Vincentius he calls a grievous piece of impudence to hold yet as Erasmus in his Ecclesiastes adds It is not fit to doubt of such Types and Allegories which Canonical Scripture have revealed to us § 7. Though the Moderation of the Church shews it self in that it doth not vain-gloriously boast of the Spirit yet it may well consist with her excellent modesty to believe of her self That in the interpretation of Holy Scripture she hath such an assistance of the Spirit of God as is promised to the Church in general The Church of England being a true part thereof subject to and governed by the word of God upon which account in 139. Canon it requires That the sacred Synod of this Nation in the name of Christ and by the Kings Authority assembled be acknowledged the true Church of England by Representation and it may be presumed That where the lawful representative of the Church is gathered together rightly the assistance of Gods Spirit is not wanting wherefore it argues immoderate presumption in them who receive with impious scorn our Confession of our undoubted hope that the Church of England hath the testimony of the Spirit of God in her interpretation of Scripture and yet these depravers of the Scripture o Qui ingenium suum faciunt Ecclesiae sacramenta S. Hier. Ep. 9. shall with glorious assurance affirm to themselves and their Complices the wonderful illapses and impulses of the divine Spirit when at the same time they contradict the Holy Catholick Church p Neque id defendere velim contra consensum antiquitatis spiritum qui Ecclesiae corpus Quod si mecum in rebus aliis caveant ilii jam spiritus ille privatus Ecclesiae Divisor perdet fascini sui efficaciam Grotius ad Riv. art 1. and themselves and when also many pretenders to a double portion of the Spirit have acted as the eldest Sons of Belial Whereas indeed the testimony of the Spirit in the hearts of the faithful themselves for the interpreting Holy Scripture and determining doubtful matters hath been more often urged than understood yea if we could suppose it was not a precarious assertion to be sure it is an improper method to convince Gainsayers yet to those who are out of Communion with the Church it must needs be a most uncertain and insufficient testimony § 8. Many we know there have been and are who pretend to such extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit as were peculiar to the first Ages of the Church thus doth the Church of Rome as did the Donatists of old make such miraculous testimonies the necessary sign of a true Church and somewhat like both these are the Enthusiasts of our late age who would make the priviledges of the Holy Spirit special and singular to their enclosures affirming a particular inspiration of the Spirit absolutely necessary To convey into our minds the sense and interpretation of Holy Scripture To assure all Christians of the certainty of their Salvation To furnish them with words and petitions in Prayer To convince any of the authority of Holy Scriptures and the certainty of Faith Our Church declares q Homily for Whit-sunday 2d Part. It is not the part of a Christian under pretence of the Holy Ghost to bring in his own dreams and phantasies into the Church for such blaspheme and bely the Holy Ghost whereas the proper office of the Holy Ghost is not to institute and bring in new Ordinances contrary to the doctrine before taught the doing of which the Homily declares is the sign of a false Church and of such as are deceivers It is to be acknowledged that the discourses concerning the operation and testimony of the Spirit are liable to many difficulties but The principal conclusions which are rightly made in this matter I suppose may be truly made out to be the sense of our Church declared in her own words 1. For interpretation of Holy Scripture the reason why our Church holds such extraordinary illumination not necessary is because r 2d Homily of Scripture All things necessary for our Salvation are plain to understand that is as the Homilies deliver to such as use the means and so far as their explicite knowledge is required For our Church doth speak of the illumination of the Spirit and interpretation of Scripture as generally joined with the use of means When any apply their minds to the study of the Scripture to hear read and search thus God openeth the dark things of Scripture unto faithful people It cannot be saith St Chrysostom that such should be left without help When our Homily mentions the Holy Ghost inspiring the true meaning of the Scripture it adds to them that with humility and diligence do search therefore which clause is not to be left out as it is by the Author of the Scriptures genuine interpreter p. 5. Those that thus thankfully chearfully and diligently hear read meditate and ruminate on Holy Scripture such have the sweet juice
spiritual effect tast comfort and consolation of them which Doctrine of our Church is most intelligible and sober and different from what some others mystically have discoursed of concerning spiritual gusts which they attribute to unaccountable Communications The ordinary means to which the interpretation of Scripture is generally annexed our Church judgeth the same which Dr Hammond mentions in his Postscript concerning Divine Illuminations Study search Meditation the Collation of places of Scripture or bringing one place together with another ſ Homily 1. the use of reason and learning and skill in original Languages the help of our spiritual guides the Declarations of Gods Church the analogy of received doctrines constant Prayer for Gods blessing the necessary assistance and gracious aids of Gods Spirit Our Church indeed teacheth us that Carnal reason is an enemy to God and to perceiving the things of the Spirit which carnal reason some do expound the Article 9 wisdom some the sensuality some the affection some the desire of the flesh But our Church esteems it a great reproach to humane nature and the Creation of God to call that carnal reason which is our rational perception and use of what is delivered us to understand or a comparing and as we said out of the Homily a bringing together one place with another and drawing easy and plain consequences from Scriptures which we are to search whereas the Scriptures are propounded to the reasons of Men and the belief of them is an act of the greatest reason that can be Indeed in the things revealed when any thing exceeds the comprehension of our reason our Church adviseth us to sequester our reason In such cases saith the Homily t Hom. of Places of Script 2. Part. Reason must give place to Gods holy Spirit From the Doctrine of our Church it is also very plain That no more supernatural and immediate operation of the Holy Spirit is necessary to the interpretation of the Scriptures than what is necessary to make us faithful and good Christians Wherefore our Church lays down the same means for improvement in divine knowledge as it doth for obtaining the Holy Spirit namely u 1 2d. Homily of Scripture The love of God and Godliness the having a care of being drown'd in worldly vanities leaving sin and the world Our forsaking the corrupt judgment of fleshly men x 3d Part of the Homily for Rogation Week Let us endeavour our selves saith our Church diligently to keep the presence of the Holy Spirit Let us renounce all uncleanness for he is the Spirit of purity Let us avoid all hypocrisy for this Holy Spirit will flee from that which is feigned Cast off all malice and evil will for this Spirit will never enter into an evil willing Soul Let us cast away all the whole lump of sin that standeth about us for he will never dwell in that body which is subdued to sin If we do our endeavour we shall never need to fear And the Holy Spirit will suggest to us what is wholsome and confirm us in all things To attain also the spiritual Wisdom of the Scriptures Our way saith the Church is to attend the time and win the time with diligence and apply our selves to the light and grace which is offered us Lastly Let us meekly call upon that bountiful Spirit the Holy Ghost which proceedeth from our Father of mercy and from our Mediator Christ That he would assist us and inspire us with his presence That in him we may be able to hear the goodness of God declared unto us to our Salvation for this cannot be obtained but by the direction of the Spirit of God and therefore it is called spiritual wisdom 2. Our Church doth not judge that the particular immediate Testimony of Gods Spirit is necessary to every Christian for his comfortable assurance of Salvation but supposeth that the best assurance of Salvation is from the sure trust and belief of Gods promises and a certain consciousness of our own sincerity according to what is required of us * Homily of Salvation V. Homily of Almes-deeds 2. Part. V. Homily of falling from God 1. Part. If you would be sure of your Faith try it by your living the true Christian Faith is no dead vain or unfruitful thing Therefore let us by such Vertues as spring out of Faith shew our Election to be sure and stable 3. Our Church doth not judge an immediate gift of the Spirit necessary to every Christian to furnish them with words in Prayer but doth rightly suppose that the Holy Spirit doth effectually assist every sincere devout person using a good form of Prayer because he by whom the Spirit is given to the Church did teach his Disciples and in them all Christians a form of Prayer requiring them to use the same Our Church also hath furnished those of her Communion with general Prayers according to their occasions judging also that such common Prayers Homily of Prayer are most available before God And the means of obtaining the Holy Spirit to be most assisting us in our Prayers our Church declares is for us to humble our selves in his sight and in all our Prayers both publick and private to have our minds fully fixed on him so that our Church supposeth those that are thus humble to pray by the Spirit How far the testimony of the Holy Spirit is necessary to convince us of the certainty of our Faith and of the authority of Holy Scriptures See Chap. 6. § 8. From which few passages already cited in comparison of those very many to the same purpose which abound in the Homilies for Whit-sunday the Homily of good works of Salvation of falling from God of Alms-deeds It is most evident that our Church judgeth rightly concerning the Holy Spirit of God and lays down the best Rules for discerning who have the Holy Spirit for according to the Doctrine of our Church believing and obeying the Gospel and having the Spirit are all one y Homily of Salvation 3. Part. For how can a man have true faith when he liveth ungodly and denieth Christ with his deeds contrariwise he is most inspired with the Holy Ghost who is most changed in his life So then this is to be taken for a most true lesson taught by Christs own mouth z Homily of good works 2. Part. That the works of the moral Commandments of God be the very true works of Faith which lead to the blessed life to come Our Church also doth suppose that those who receive most of the Spirit are such as are most truly vertuous and good such have most of the divine grace to confirm and strengthen them in all goodness as it is in the Office for the Holy Communion If with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive the Holy Sacrament then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us c. a 1. Part of the Sermon for Whitsunday Wherefore if any
say O but how shall I know that the Holy Ghost is within me Some man perchance will say forsooth as the tree is known by the fruit so is also the Holy Ghost The fruits of the Holy Ghost according to the mind of St Paul are these Gal. 5. Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faithfulness Meekness Temperance c. Contrariwise the deeds of the flesh are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Wantonness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulation Wrath Contention Sedition Heresy Envy Murder Drunkenness Gluttony and such like Here now is the Glass wherein thou must behold thy self and discern whether thou hast the Holy Ghost within thee or the spirit of the flesh If thou see thy works be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript rule of Gods word savoury and tasting not of the flesh but the Spirit then assure thy self thou art endued with the Holy Ghost otherwise in thinking well of thy self thou dost but deceive thy self The Holy Ghost doth always declare himself by his fruitful and gracious gifts b 2d Part of the Hom. for Whit-sunday But to conclude ye shall briefly take this short lesson Wherever ye find the spirit of arrogance and pride the spirit of envy hatred contention cruelty c. Assure your selves that there is the spirit of the Devil and not of God albeit they pretend to the world outwardly ever so much Holiness for as the Gospel teacheth us The Spirit of Jesus is a good holy sweet lowly merciful Spirit full of charity and love full of forgiveness and pity not rendring evil for evil extremity for extremity According to which rule If any man live uprightly of him it may be safely pronounced That he hath the Holy Ghost within him if not there is a plain token he doth usurp the name of the Holy Ghost in vain As for the manner and measure of the operations of the Holy Spirit The modesty and Moderation of our Church doth not decree any thing lest as St Austin saith Humane infirmity proceed beyond what is safe Yet our Church gives a right account in sundry places of its Homilies c Second Part of the Homily of Falling from God How the Holy Spirit comes to be withdrawn from men By all these Examples of Holy Scripture we know that as we forsake God so shall he even forsake us When he withdraweth from us his word the right doctrine of Christ his gracious assistance and aid which is ever joined with his Word and leaveth us to our own wit and will and strength He declareth then he beginneth to forsake us d First Part of the Homily of falling from God which is as it follows after any do neglect the same if they be unthankful to him if they order not their lives according to his Example and Doctrine c. From whence we see also that our Church judgeth the promise of the spirit is as the blessings of the Gospel are generally conditional For as God for his part delivered his Son to suffer death for us so again we for our parts should walk in a godly life as becometh his Children so to do e 2. Part of the Homily of Alms-deeds He that is first made good by the Spirit and Grace of God afterward bringeth forth good fruits As for those who affirm a supernatural and immediate illumination necessary without which other ordinary means are insufficient either to give us certainty of the authority or interpretation of Divine Writ 1. They affirm that which no where is declared 2. That which we have little reason to credit from them that affirm so We having neither experience of their extraordinary knowledge or goodness but have found them most mistaken of any in their interpretations of Scripture and also by the notes of having the Spirit delivered in Scripture what is quite different hath appear'd 3. The holding such an opinion tends to lessen the authority of the written word of God and to make the dictates of the humane spirit if not sometime the Diabolical equal with the Holy Canon And those others who lay the stress of the proof of the authority of Scripture and the certainty of Faith and the interpretation of Scripture upon such uncertainties as only the internal testimony of the Spirit as is yet neither proved necessary or real however of which there is no proof unto others verily such labour unprofitably to overthrow Christianity and render all our Faith uncertain 4. Their Doctrine leads to such Enthusiasm as is not consistent with the peace of Kingdoms much less the peace of Gods Church But such is the constant Moderation of our Church though it doth reject and oppose all fanatical and ungrounded pretences to the Spirit Yet our Church most frequently and with all humble reverence owns the necessity of the gracious aids and assistance of the Spirit as the phrase is in our Homilies several times used as without which we can do nothing pleasing to God For in the power and vertue of the Holy Ghost resteth all wisdom and all ability to know God and to please him f 3d Part of the Homily for Rogation Week Therefore we pray that in all things he will mercifully direct and rule our hearts we pray to God to grant us his Spirit that those things which we do may please him g In the Absolution Collect after the H. C. Hom. of falling from God To prevent us in all our doings c. because of the ill condition of those who are not governed by the Spirit of God CHAP. VI. The Moderation of the Church in its judgment of Doctrines § 1. Our Church doth wisely distinguish between what is necessary for Salvation and what is not § 2. Her Articles are few § 3. Which are generally exhibited not as Articles of Faith but consent Concerning subscription § 4. Our Articles are propounded so as to avoid unnecessary controversy § 5. The wise Moderation of the Kings of England in their Injunctions to Preachers and Orders taken to preserve Truth Vnity and Charity § 6. The Controversies of the late Age are well moderated by the determinations of our Church § 7. As our Church requires our consent in nothing contrary to sense or reason so it hath also contain'd it self from immoderate curiosity in treating of venerable mysteries § 8. Our Church doth not insist upon such kinds of certainty as others without just cause do exact § 9. Doctrines are so propounded to those in our Churches Communion as not to render useless their own reasons and judgments The reasonableness of which is proved and the Objections answered § 10. The use which we are all allowed of our private judgments is requir'd to be menag'd with a due submission to the Church The duty of which submission is laid down in sundry Propositions § 1. BEcause all things in Divine Revelation are alike true but not alike necessary for furtherance of Faith and Piety and establishing Union among Christians
and Peace in the Church Our Church hath wisely distinguished between what is necessary absolutely and what only in some circumstances is necessary to Salvation Those things saith the Homily a 2d Part of the Homily of Scriptures that be plain to understand and necessary for Salvation every mans duty is to learn them and as for dark mysteries to be contented to be ignorant in them till such time as it shall please God to open those things unto them b Hom. 1. If it shall require to teach any truth or to do any thing requisite for our Salvation All those things saith St Chrysostom we may learn plentifully of the Scripture And in the 19. Article of the Church The Preaching of the pure word of God and the Administration of the Sacraments are made indispensable notes of the visible Church namely in all things that of necessity are requisite to the same and the 8th Article declares The three Creeds ought throughly to be believed and received for that they may be proved by most certain warrant of Holy Scripture where our Church gives the reason of her Faith and sheweth her earnestness in contending for it But the Moderation of our Church contains her self within the bounds of what is before made necessary The principal and essential points of the Doctrine of Salvation such as are fit to make up the unity of the Faith and constitute a Church are no other among us than what Christ and his Apostles at first made necessary which also the ancient Church received as necessary unto Baptism and for distinction of Heresy which fundamental Maxims of Christian Science are frequently and plainly repeated in Scripture and by our Church were first of all insisted on at the reformation of our Church as we see in the Institution of a Christian Man 1537. in the first Injunctions of our Kings and our Form of Catechism Whereas the Catechisms and Systems which have been set up in opposition to the Catechism and Articles of the Church of England have abounded with many doubtful and unnecessary definitions yet so insisted upon by some as if the Hinges of the Gate of Heaven turn'd upon those Propositions whereby many have agreed with Pope Pius the Fourth who by his Bull set out the Apostles Creed in a larger Edition of about as many more Articles without belief of which is declared no Salvation c Extra quam Nemo salvus esse potest Bulla Pii quarti super formâ Juramenti professionis fidei sub finem Concilii Trid. Unto such a strange Circumference is the body of their unnecessary belief extended whereas the Religion of our Church tends to the Center Which distinction of things necessary from what was not so King James according to the sense of our Church declares of great use to lay a foundation for the publick peace of the Church d Vt de necessariis conveniat omnis opera insumatur in non-necessariis libertati Christianae locus Rex Jacobus ad Card. Perr and of particular mens minds and the furtherance of true Faith and Piety § 2. Those Articles which are delivered by our Church for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and establishing consent touching true Religion 1. They are few especially those of positive Doctrine and the other negative positions were necessary to assert our liberty from the abuses and encroachments of the Romanists in their contrary affirmatives few if we consider either the time or the occasion of their being framed it being just about the meeting at Trent made it necessary for our Church to declare her sense of many Doctrines for the better satisfaction and directions of her Sons and to testify her equal conditions of Communion Especially also if we consider the cruel number of Articles which either the Westminster Divines or the Trent Councellors have imposed on their followers e Bishop â—ramball fol. p. 1018. Indeed the Romanists do call our Religion a negative Religion because in all the Controversies between us and them we maintain the negative that is we go as far as we dare or can with warrant from holy Scriptures and the Primitive Church and leave them in their excesses or those inventions which they themselves have added but in the mean while they forget that we maintain all those Articles and truths which are contained in any of the ancient Creeds of the Church which I hope are more than negative The Church of England saith Archbishop Laud f Archbishop Laud against Fisher 5. 14. comes far short of the Church of Romes severity whos 's Anathema's are not for 39. Articles but for very many more above one hundred in matter of Doctrine and that in many points as far remote from the foundation though to the far greater rack of Mens Consciences they must be all Fundamental if that Church have determined them Whereas the Church of England never declared that every one of her Articles are fundamentals in the Faith For it is one thing to say no one of them is superstitious or erroneous and quite another to say every one of them is fundamental Besides the Church of England prescribes only to her own Children and by those Articles provides but for her peaceable consent in those Doctrines of truth but the Church of Rome severely imposeth on all the World her Doctrine and that under pain of damnation § 3. These Articles of Religion are generally exhibited as Articles of Peace and consent not as Articles of Faith and Communion and as such they are propounded to all the Communicants in our Church g Schisin guarded p. 150. Bishop Lanies Sermons p. 48. in general For the avoiding Diversities of Opinions as the Title of the Articles is Not such a consent as Curcellaeus h Curcellaeus Religionis Christianae Institut C. 15. means where he supposeth some in the dregs of the Age of the Reformation obtrude their Confessions and Catechisms as a secondary rule if not of truth yet of consent such as ought to be urged only to an infallible truth 't is likely he might know many who did so But the consent designed to be established by our Articles is such a consent as may keep the Peace of our Church undisturbed according to the sense of the fifth Canon Where the Prohibition is directed against such as should speak against the 39. Articles as superstitious and erroneous such as may not with a good Conscience be subscribed to Whosoever shall hereafter affirm i Quicunque in posterum affirmabit c. Ecclesiae Anglic. Canon 5. not as the Council of Trent k Si quis contrà senserit Anathema sit Concil Trid. de peccato Originis directs its Anathema against those that shall so much as think diversly Wherefore our Church no where delivers our Articles as necessary to be believed neither by vertue of their own necessity or her own Command as several with Bishop Bramhall have noted For which reason subscription unto them is
not required of any Lay-person whatsoever meerly in order to his Communion with our Church Although the Church of Geneva l A quibus discedere neque Ministris nequeâ—ivibus liceret Beâ—a in vita Calvini urgeth subscription not of the Ministers only but the people m Extet forma quaedam Doctrinae ad quam omnes Episcopi Parochi jure-jurando astringantur ut nemo ad munus Ecclesiasticum admittatur nisi spondeat Calvin ad Angl. Protect There is perfectly another reason why subscription is required of all who receive the priviledge of degrees in our Universities and in Case of factious Appellants n Canon 98. who are inhibited unless they first subscribe and especially of the Ministers of the Church o Discrimen latum est inter verbi Ministros plebeios homines quos Ministri informant Testis enim est historia Ecclesiastica non per plebeios sed potiâ—s per Clericos introductas esse haereses Schismata Forbesius in Irenico l. 2. c. 12. namely because she may be as secure as she can of them to whom she commits so great a trust in the instruction of the people Wherefore of them who are entrusted with the Ministry of the Church it is required that they disavow all obligations and opinions to break the Peace of the Church and that they assent to the use of those things which are for the unity of Christians in this Kingdom among themselves which is no more than the Law of Nature hath granted every Society which the Church hath in all Ages practised and which our Adversaries themselves did use For the p Vi. Disc of Toler Sect. 13. Presbyterians required a subscription to their solemn League and the Independants had their Church Government Therefore in that our Church takes all the security she can by Sponsors at Baptism and by subscription of Ministers is a proof of her wisdom and great care of her own especially among us where the Ministers of the Church have blessed be God another Tenure than in Holland during the precarious pleasure of their Pay-Masters Beneficed men among us having a Freehold and not to be turned out but in a legal way upon great cause deserving Neither is subscription required by our Church of its Ministers unless they can do it willingly and ex animo nor unless they can with freedom of mind assent and consent to the uniform practice of the Church This if they cannot do with a quiet mind they are left free by the Church to enjoy a laical indulgence which is very large and exceeding bountiful As for dissatisfaction or weakness what said King James q Conference at Hampton Court How long will such Brethren be weak Are not 45 years sufficient r Qui decennali disciplinâ nondum usqueâ—o prosecerunt ut tam faciles in Theologiá quaestiones intelligant non possunt apti esse ad sustinendum onus pastorale in Eâ—clesiâ Dei Forbes Iren l. 2. c. 12. to grow strong in Some of them are strong enough if not Head-strong But I wonder there should be such earnest Recusants to subscription of the followers of Calvin among us whenas he to the English Protector writes thus 'T is fit to look after the desultory humour of them who would have too much lawful to themselves The door is to be shut to curious doctrines and one expedite means for that purpose is if there were a summary of doctrine received of all which all may follow in Preaching to the observing of which all Bishops and Parish Priests may be bound by an Oath that no one may be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Office unless he first engage that he will keep inviolate that consent of Doctrine And so for Catechism And as to a Form of Prayer and Ecclesiastical Rites I very much approve that there be a constant Form extant from which it may not be lawful for the Pastors in their Functions to depart in regard of the simplicity and unskillfullness of some and that the consent of the Churches among themselves may more certainly be manifest Lastly to prevent the desultory levity of those who affect Novelties And in his Epistle to Farellus Å¿ Calv. Ep. 87. Calvin writes It always prevail'd in the Church which was decreed in ancient Synods That those who would not be subject to the Laws of Common Discipline should be dismissed from their Function § 4. The very frame of the Articles shews the great Moderation and Wisdom of the Church they being propounded on purpose so as to avoid unnecessary controversy propounded not with a Laodicean indifference or lukewarmness in what we ought to contend for t Parkers Eccles Pol. l. 1. c. 25. as some charge our Church with It is not meant here or elsewhere by Moderation such a Latitude which Bishop Taylor saith u Ductor Dub. l. 3. â— 4. §. 23. hath something of craft but very little of ingenuity which can only serve the ends of peace and external Charity or a fantastick Concord but not the ends of truth and holiness and Christian simplicity It is not meant here as if our Articles were framed like the dubious Oracles of Delphos that the Subscribers might understand them which way they please like a shoe for every foot as if they were to deceive by ambiguous terms x Conference at Hamp C. p. 15. The Judicious Bishop Sanderson y Pax Ecclesiae p. 52. in his directions for the Peace of the Church lays down this as the first That particular Churches would be as tender as may be in giving their definitions and determinations especially where there may be admitted a Latitude of dissenting without prejudice done either to the substance of the Catholick Faith or to the tranquillity of the Church or to the Salvation of the dissenter In which respect the Moderation of the Church of England is much to be commended and to be preferred not only before the Roman Church which with unsufferable tyranny bindeth all her Children upon pain of Damnation to all her determinations even in those points which are no way necessary to Salvation but also before sundry other Reformed Churches who have proceeded further than this Church hath done It is a sufficient proof of the sincerity of our Church if what it hath declared and intended to declare hath a true clear and certain meaning and her Articles do surely conduce to peace if it appear all agree in the true usual literal meaning But in respect of what is not intended to be declared by them z King Charles I. Declaration 1630. published with the Articles If even in these curious points in which the present differences lye most men of all sorts take the Articles of the Church of England for them then may be infer'd what the Right Reverend Bishop of Chester hath said a No necessity of Reformation of the Doctrine of the Church of England 1660. This rather gives a Testimony of
are innumerable arguments which convince us of the certainty of the Divine Testimony in the matters we have received yet such is the Moderation of our Church she doth not require every one in her Communion necessarily to know and receive all the reasons of certainty which are and may be given nor yet to rely on one to the neglect of another but leaves us to be satisfied according to the means and opportunities which we have abundantly offered unto us justly supposing there are so many reasons perswading the truth of what we believe that some are convinced by some others by others as the Providence of God disposeth things 3. Our Church no where makes infallible certainty of assent a necessary condition of Faith it being sufficient to make our Faith certain if our Rule be infallible and that applyed with moral evidence that is such an evidence as we can have of things and actions past as is sufficient to guide and govern our manners and behaviour Some of late have contended with very ill success that an infallible certainty of assent is necessarily wrought by demonstration and what they love to call scientific Evidence in every Believer which doctrine of J. S. is condemned by his Adversaries even of Rome p Animadv P. Talboti Arch. Dubl in Prop. 2. p. 54. as the pith of Manicheism because it lays this burden on the Church or an Oecumenical Council evidently to demonstrate its own infallibility If destroying the first foundation of the Roman infallibility were all we might dispense with that inconvenience as it renders their motives of credibility insufficient which before the doctrine of infallibility is received used to be the only way they had to recommend the Church of Rome to the approbation of Proselytes but to affirm that all certainty of Christian Faith is generally wrought by such demonstration in case that doctrine proves false the consequence is If Christian Faith have no other certainty Christianity it self is left uncertain in its very foundations Others there are who deliver that an infallible certainty of assent wrought only by the immediate extraordinary operation of the Spirit of God is necessarily in every true Believer Now though our Church doth as much as any can do own the necessity of Gods Grace and holy Spirit to prevent assist and follow us especially in what concerns divine matters yet our Church is not so bold with the Holy Spirit of God to affirm that such an inward testimony of the Divine Spirit working together in our Spirits an infallible assent is so necessary to assure us of the certainty of Faith and of the authority of Holy Scriptures and of the truth of other Doctrines in question as without which we could have no such belief as is required to Salvation Which precarious presumption tends to render useless all those sufficient evidences we have of Divine truth by the gracious means which God hath appointed ordinary in his Church and whereas the assertors of this extraordinary spirit exclude all other means of real certainty as insufficient such a Doctrine being false must needs tend also to overthrow all Christian Religion Such is the sad consequence of the Doctrines both of Dr I. O. and Mr I. S. in making though on differing grounds an infallible assent necessary to a true belief They agree together also in the injury they do Christian Religion by traducing our Faith as a probable fallible humane natural Faith which are the very words they q V. Dr I. O. Reason of Faith p. 72. Mr I. S. Faith Vindicated both unite in to expose our belief to contempt which is grounded on such evidences as God hath abundantly afforded us to assure us of the truth of his Divine Testimony Which evidences especially in matters of Faith necessary to Salvation since they are so plain and certain Our Church hath always held needless such an infallible guide as the Romanists would impose upon us And for the same reasons that we do not expect any new Revelations nor any ostentation of new miracles necessary to a true Church or true Faith they being superseded by the ordinary means of Faith which are sufficient for the same reasons we cannot presume to expect much less to make necessary to every true belief such extraordinary illapses of the Divine Spirit which makes those who only think they have it think themselves only infallible And thus we may discern how many are led to Popery by the way of Enthusiasm For it is usual for those into whose head Enthusiasm is flown to reel from one extream to another 4. To preserve us from these uncertainties among the very many reasons which we have from rational and moral evidence whereby the truth of the Divine Testimony is confirmed to us abundantly Our Church owns no one greater since the miraculous gifts than the testimony of Gods Church now and in all Ages since Christ and his Apostles time because of the sundry Evidences also which confirm to us the truth of the Churches testimony All which amount to more than high probability for as r â— Lomini Hiâ—l Consul haeres Blacklo P. 2. c. 4. §. 5. Lominus tells J. S. Probability on one side doth not exclude probability also on the opposite side but the reason of moral evidence and certainty doth exclude any probability on the contrary part and that so manifestly that only grievous ignorance and pertinacy can incline a man thereunto § 9. As the Moderation of our Church allows us to be reasonably satisfied of the certainty of our Faith much more are other doctrines so propounded to those of our Communion as not to render useless their own reasons and judgments Notwithstanding our Church doth sufficiently vindicate her own just power and the authority of what she testifies and determines Article 20. 34. c. and by her Canons requires a just submission All care being also taken by the Church to prevent error and dissentions and wresting the Scriptures Canon 34. 49. 139. Yet all is performed among us with a most excellent and golden mean And in that nothing in our Church is determin'd contrary to truth nor the judgment of the Catholick Church nor right reason the Church of England can the better allow her Sons their right to search examine and discern what they must approve Which Bishop Davenant and Bishop Bramhall and some others understand by their judgment of discretion though the word sounds not so pleasing to some Religious Ears because it seems by the use of the phrase in English to incline private persons to a power of refusing what the Church rightly determines which is not to be allowed For as the suffrage of our Church hath been constantly unanimous with that of the Apostle We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth much more ought private persons to be bounded thereby if the Apostles and the Church are The Moderation of the Church will appear the more remarkable if we
disposition to swallow all Poysons and are liable to the guilt not only of their first solitary error but all which are consequent thereon whereas those who use a sober examination after they are convinced of one error will be more cautious of others and the truth they come to of choice and judgment is also more praise-worthy and more tenible I should swell this head into too great a bulk if I should enumerate the sundry places wherein our Blessed Lord and his Holy Apostles did stir up and provoke the industry of the Christian Disciples to search discern prove try examine what they received lest at any time they were seduced by false Prophets The same admonitions and method have the ancient Fathers of the Church persued Both which would be endless here to recite Indeed all sorts of perswasions of men seem to confess the necessity of first convincing the reason and judgment of what is to be received as truth And therefore the Romanists use so many motives of credibility to induce belief of their Church in which if once the Proselyte is caught they serve him as the Chaldees did King Zedekiah after they had taken him Captive they put out his Eyes c Caeco judicio imperata facere quantumvis ea blasphema sint atque impia Apol. Eccl. Anglic. §. 138. 2 Kings 25. 7. Where indeed the mystery we are sure is certainly declared and delivered by God there we ought to captivate not only our imaginations but our reasons to the obedience of Faith not staying for a connexion of the parts of the Proposition to be believed by Scientific evidence which Mr Sergeant makes his Sure-footing But where we are not assured of the matter of fact of the Divine Revelation nor otherwise understand the reasons for such an assent No one can put off humane nature so far as to believe what they please d Nullus credit aliquid verum esse quia vult credere id esse verum nam non est in potestate hominis sacere aliquid apparer◠intellectui suo verum quando voluerit Picus Mirandula Indeed it is the great honour of our Church that it doth not testify nor require attestation unto any thing but where some good reason why we do so is sufficiently manifest which right as she maintains toward others so she vindicates the same to her self namely of examining what is offered to her under the venerable name of the Catholick Church and if need be of reforming any abuses or errors within the bounds of its own Discipline and so separating the pretious from the vile which power of examining Doctrines being forbid by the Church of Rome to her Sons seems to prevent the first occasion and means of Reformation e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Eutychianis inter Athanasii opera Consulatur integer Tractatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and renders her even incorrigible in her errors and corruptions and remaining so irreconcilable But some do Object That if we allow a right of private judgment it will be a direct means to establish among us an enthusiastic private Spirit which will rely upon its own judgment to the despising all others and if all may use a private judgment why may they not follow it and profess it Then you open a Window to all Divisions and Heresies and render the Church useless and all her Guides We Answer It is one thing to use our Faculties of discerning in a discreet manner which includes all due Reverence to all those instruments which God and the Church have given us for our direction and conduct and another thing to rely on our own prudence to wrest the Scripture to our own sense as the Council of Trent f Nemo prudentiae suae innixus S. Scripturam ad suos sensus contorqueat Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Decr. 2. speaks which the Church of England first of all detests Article 20. Every private person being here required to hear and obey the publick reason of our Church Which being also clear and true can allow the being searcht into and for that purpose she desires but her Sons to open their own Eyes Wherefore the sober use of our own faculties ought not to be called a private Spirit which judgeth according to the general notices of Truth and Good and the common sense of Mankind and the judgment also of the Church such a Spirit is the Candle of the Lord. Not an evil Spirit nor a Spirit of Innovation nor Dissention nor a Spirit of Pride nor Temptation as many of the Church of Rome blazon it As for the growth of Schisms and Heresies from the use of such a private judgment as the Church allows Which Objection was anciently made against the Christian Religion as of old by Celsus to Origen l. 3. Unto which was answered That where any thing was received which was very excellent such differences were common as among the Philosophers and Jews so among Christians but These now who make the Objection generally those of the Romish Communion yet know that though they carry as well as they can an outward shew of unity to their people they have as great divisions as any are And though indeed the corruption of good things is greatest by the abuse of ill men This ill consequence through the Vice of some ought not to take away the common right of all no more than the contentions which arise from the Laws should be thought to render them dangerous to be proclaimed The Christian Religion of it self is sufficient to keep all from error or vice if all men would comply with its wholsome and pacific Decrees as Arnobius g Quòd si omnes omnino salutaribus ejus pacificisque decretis aurem vellent accommodare paulisper non fastu supercilio Luminis suis potius sensibus quà m illius Comminationibus crederent universus jamdudum orbis mitiora in opera conversis usibus ferri tranquillitate mollissimâ degeret in Concordiam salutarem incorruptis foederum sanctionibus conveniret Arnobius l. 1. long since hath delivered And the Church in observance hereof doth procure her own Peace as much as may be in that all are bound not to publish their private sense to the detriment of publick Peace and by her Censures hath a power of repressing publick Dissenters and in case of doubt arising our Church wisely sends the parties so doubting to their Superiours h Preface concerning the Service of the Church And whereas Gods true Religion is but one the profession of which Article 19. and no other Article 18. is absolutely necessary to the being of Gods Church and therein to our Salvation Blessed be God in our Church there is abundant care taken of Gods Holy Religion both by the Laws of the Kingdom and Church for the instruction and government of its members unto edification and peace and every one may be satisfied in his Conscience and Judgment of the Religion he professeth Yet This
know it to be such are in a hopeful and ready way to be reduced Lastly If the dissenter from the Church err not but the Church doth manifestly enjoin unjust conditions of its Communion whoever they are who from the word of God Catholickly interpreted and the use of their own reasons come into the profession of the true Faith and Christian Doctrine If they are divided from that part of the Church which is unjust in its conditions of union they themselves not being the cause of the Division they in very deed notwithstanding are united mean while to the Church Catholick I conclude this Chapter with that in the Answer to the Bishop of Condom Part. 6. p. ◠Error as Vice is for the most part in extreams we owe respect teachableness and submission unto all them whom God sets over us to instruct us this is not contested But this is no reason to change this submission into voluntary blindness which is rather a Spirit of servitude CHAP. VII Of the Moderation of our Church in what relates to the worship of God § 1. Our Prayers are not mingled with controversy § 2. They are framed according to a most grave and serious manner with moderate variety and proper length § 3. In the zeal of Reformation our Church did not cast off what was good in it self § 4. In all our Churches there are the same Rules § 5. Common Prayers for the vulgar required in English To Ministers and Scholars a just and moderate liberty allowed § 6. The obligation of the Church leaves the method of private Devotions to a general liberty § 7. Of the Moderation of the Church in appointing her hours and times of Prayer § 8. In her use and judgment of Sermons § 9. In what is required of people with reference to their Parish Church § 10. The excellent Moderation of the Church in her Orders for the reverent reading of Divine Service and Consecrating the Sacraments in such a voice as may be heard § 11. In her Form and use of Catechizing § 12. The interest of inward and outward worship are both secured according to an excellent Moderation in our Church § 13. The Moderation of the Church in what relates to Oaths § 1. IN treating of the Moderation of our Church in what relates to the Divine Worship I first speak of Prayer because the matter of the Sacraments is handled by it self Ch. 10. In our publick Prayers our Churches Moderation is apparent in that it never intended to intermingle matters of doubtful Controversy but hath sufficiently provided for the simplicity of the plainest and the devotion of the most intelligent Thus our Bishops according to great Moderation also justified our Church in their debate with the Presbyterian Brethren The Church hath been careful to put nothing into the Liturgy but what is either evidently the word of God or what hath been generally received in the Catholick Church neither of which can be called private opinion and if the contrary can be proved we wish it out of the Liturgy Yet because as Bishop Taylor saith they could not Prophesie they put in some things which since have been called into question a Exorti sunt in Angliâ morosi scrupulosi delicatuli nimium ne superstitiosos planè dicam homines quibus Ecclesiae suae hactenus usurpata Liturgia visa est multis abroganda c. Ludo. Capellus de Liturg. by persons whose interest was highly concerned to find fault with something b Quaedam sunt quae rapi possunt ab inquietis in materiam contentionis Bucer de Liturgiâ Anglic. § 2. Our Prayers are framed both according to a grave modest and serious manner every one of them being moderately short and all together not immoderately long and so more accommodate to render Devotion more earnest and intent and properly intermitted by other parts of Divine Service that by a moderate variety the Devotions of Christians may be both entertained and advantaged And to stir up Devotion in Christian people they bear in our Church a moderate part in the publick Prayers and Praises for as Mr Baxter well notes c Christian Direct p. 856. It was the decay of zeal in the people that first shut out the Responses The use of the tongue keepeth awake the mind and stirreth up Gods Graces in his Servants and so much doth the edification of the people give measure to the appointments of our Church that the parts of Divine Service are to be used in the accustomed place of the Church Chappel or Chancel Or in such place as the Bishop of the Diocess or Ecclesiastical Canon 14 Ordinary of the place shall think meet for the largeness or straitness of the same so as the people may most be edifyed § 3. The Moderation of the Church is always to be admired That in the heat of Reformation when the Essays were first had for the refining our Liturgy from Romish corruption and innovation our Church was not so transported with zeal but that it retained what was pious and profitable among the Prayers in use And whereas generally oppositions are most fierce at first and in process of time they become moderate the excellent temper of our Church was such it was most moderate at first which wisdom and mercy of God in tempering the Spirits of the first Reformers can never be enough taken notice of Wherefore the use of some Collects and passages in our Liturgy which before were had in the Romish Communion is so far from being a real argument against our Church that it is a proper proof of our Churches just Reformation that it maintained its freedom from prejudice and passion in the midst of its zeal If some parts of the Prayers themselves and Liturgy have been drawn into matter of debate it is no more than what all words and writings are liable to when they meet with those who are concern'd to be displeas'd But the exceptions against them being such that I speak my Conscience in what I know the most probable means to reconcile any to a just apprehension of our Liturgy and to confirm them in the same is well to consider the feeble weakness of the exceptions which are used against it Which King James noted long since How mighty and vehement informations against the Common Prayer were supported with weak and slender proofs But saith the King d King James's Proclamation for Uniformity 1603. we were nice or rather jealous that the publick Form thereof should be free not only from blame but from suspicion so as neither the common adversary should take advantage nor the troublesome at home cavil between which two sorts of Adversaries the Moderation of the Church hath always been tryed So that all these things considered Archbishop Cranmer e Archbishop Cranmer's Letter had very good reason to declare that he with some others he should chuse would by Gods Grace take upon him to defend not only the Common-Prayers
made between a Preaching and a non-Preaching Minister a Canon 46 67. Preface to the Homilies who though he be not so profoundly learned as others of which learned sort blessed be God we have some good abundance yet if he be blameless in his Life and faithful in his Office and observant of the appointments of the Church by the grace of God there are so many helps ready provided by the wisdom of the Church among us That a not-Preaching Minister may perform a Ministerial Office both for the necessary edification of the people and the just satisfaction of the Church more than many Preaching Ministers of whose discretion and wise order the Church cannot be so well secured Hear we Archbishop Whitgift b Answer to the Admon 1572. I am fully perswaded That he cometh nearer the mind of the Apostle who orderly preacheth once a Month than some who are back-biters at other Mens Tables and run up and down seldom or never studying though they preach twice a day For though no Church doth more promote and encourage the proficiency of her Sons in all useful literature yet the Church thinks it not reason to reject the Ministry of a not-preaching Minister otherwise reasonably qualified Can. 34. where it is necessary especially when as the Church declares the Sacraments are effectually administred by them that have not the gift of Preaching Artic. 26. The care of the Church is also to be taken notice of in requiring those who are beneficed to procure at least a Sermon to the people once a Month c Can. 46 47. And especially there being wholsome Homilies for the other Days the Church hath done her part in providing for the spiritual sustenance of her Children both for their necessity and entertainment and those who can Preach as Blessed be God there are many think it their duty to do the same frequently and constantly § 9. The order of the Church is also That none neglect their own Parish Church and with great reason to avoid unspeakable confusion Yet even in d Stat. 1. R. Eliz. c. 2. 32 Eliz c. 1. Q. Elizabeth's Injunctions 1559. § 33. the Precept is exprest with this indulgence Except it be by the occasion of some extraordinary Sermon in some Parish of the same Town and in the Articles for enquiry in the first Year of her Reign one was Whether you know any that in contempt of their own Parish Church do resort to any other Church So in the Homily e The Homily of the right use of the Church 't is said That to the said House or Temple of God at all times by common order appointed are all people that be Godly indeed bound with all diligence to resort unless by sickness or other most urgent causes they be letted therefrom So willing was always our Church and the Constitution of the Kingdom to allow all reasonable Liberty provided it might not be abused No Man saith the Bishop of London-Derry in his Vindication was ever punisht for instructing his own Family but it may be for holding unlawful Conventicles or for instructing them in Seditious Schismatical or Heretical Principles Nor for going to the next Parish to hear a Sermon thousands did it daily and never suffered for it But it may be for neglecting or deserting his Parish Church f Quisque in suâ Parochiâ sacris coetibus adâ—â— ibi Christi Ceremoniis vacet Sacramentaque omnia percipiat ut qui haec sacere â—â—â—ligal Excommunicetur Eucer de Eccs Angl. Censura c. 3. and gadding up and down after Non-Conformists and strange unknown Forms of serving God § 10. Because as Bucer observed too many did not in the reading or reciting the Divine Service use that devout reverent and intelligible manner as was fit The special care of the Church hath always been very great of this as appears from the admonition to all Ministers Ecclesiastical in the beginning of the second Part of the Homilies and in Queen Elizabeth's Injunctions 1559. and in the several Articles for enquiry by all which all care is taken g Vi. Librum quorundam Canonum 1571. That all Ministers and Readers of publick Prayers Chapters and Homilies shall be charged to read leisurely plainly and distinctly h 39 Article 35. and the Rubrick requires the Minister to read the Lessons standing and turning himself so as he may best be heard of all such as are present Which Precepts contain as much as the general Missal i Liquet omnino requiri ut Ministri Ecclesiarum has preces Psalmos conciones recitent summâ gravitate religione disertè quoque perspicué Bucer de Ordin Eccl. Anglic. c. 1. Canatur legatur drticulatim explanatè reverendo gestu ad aedificationem orantis interea laici Wicelii Meth. concor c. 17. Rubricks which require the Priest to read neither too precipitantly fast nor too morosely slow with a voice mean and grave fit to excite Devotion and which is accommodate to the Hearers But whereas in the Mass the Romanists are enjoin'd a secret and private whispering In our Church it is otherwise Ordered for the common benefit which Order our Homily of the Common-Prayer and Sacraments defends from divers testimonies of Scriptures and Doctors and the Constitution of Justinian k Justin Novel Constit 23. who lived 527 Years after Christ which is this We Command that all Bishops and Priests do celebrate the Holy Oblation and the Prayers in Holy Baptism not speaking low but with a clear or loud voice which may be heard of the people that thereby the minds of the hearers may be stirred up with great Devotion in uttering the Prayers of the Lord God for so that Holy Apostle teacheth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians c. 14. Therefore for these causes it is convenient that among other Prayers those things also which are spoken in the holy Oblation be uttered and spoken of the most religious Priests unto our Lord Jesus Christ our God with the Holy Ghost with a loud voice Which is as our Homily takes notice a plain Decree of Justinian for Praying and Administring of Sacraments in a known tongue contrary to the opinion of them that would have ignorance make devotion To this head of right reading the Divine Service belongs the Order of our Church to use the Divine Service in publick as Order hath prescribed l Non transcuâ—â—â—ndo 〈◊〉 Syncopando Syn. Ling. 14 4. Can. 14. not chopping and changing adding and plucking away m Second Part of the Homily for Whit-sunday as the Homily speaks of the Romanists intermingling their own Traditions Yet though the Church doth not allow her Clergy to mangle her Offices yet where need is remissions are allow'd as in the Office of private Baptism Communion of the sick and the like And if any Liberties left to the prudence and discretion of the Ministers be a proper instance of the Moderation of the Church many might be
Churches Moderation The Ceremonies of our Church are but very few and those of great antiquity simplicity decency and clear signification hardly to be wrested to the prejudice of inward piety wherefore they are neither unprofitable nor burdensome of which they are charged in the Preface to the Directory Our Church avoiding extreams on one hand of the Church of Rome a Concil Trid. Sess 7. Can. 13. whose Ceremonies are so cumbersome for their number b Quia ad aures ipsorum totius sermè orbis justissimae querelae pervenerint de moderandâ corrigendâ onerosâ multitudine quorundam rituum Chemnit Examen ib. p. 34. that they make no end of commanding and forbidding till they come to the other extremity of moroseness of which humour St Austin c S. Aug. Ep. 118. in express words complains Religion which God in his mercy hath made free with few and clear Sacraments is made more burdensome than ever was the Jewish Wherefore our Church is most careful lest by any excess of Ceremonies Religion should be any wise obscured and by outward and sensible things the minds of people should be diverted to the neglect of what is inward and spiritual Therefore our Church in its Preface of Ceremonies why some be abolished complains That the excessive number of Ceremonies was so great and many of them so dark that they did more confound and darken than declare and set forth Christs benefits unto us On the other hand our Church avoids that other kind of superstition of those that consider not the frame of men nor the use and experience of having some Rites for comeliness and edification d V. Pref. to the Liturgy and for exciting Piety and Devotion in the publick worship of God Let me for the sake of those who rather will accept such a truth from Mr Perkins e Reformed Catholick 7. §. of Traditions repeat his words We hold that the Church of God hath power to prescribe Ordinances Rules or Traditions touching time and place of Gods worship and touching order and comliness to be used in the same and in this regard Paul 1 Cor. 11. 2. commendeth the Church of Corinth for keeping his Traditions and Acts 15. 29. the Council at Jerusalem decreed that the Churches of the Gentiles should abstain from blood and from things strangled this Decree is termed a Tradition and this kind of Traditions whether made by general or particular Synods we have a care to maintain and observe these Caveats being remembred f Ritus pauci numero sine sumptu minimè graves Grot. in Cassand Artic. 15. 1. That they prescribe nothing childish or absurd to be done 2. That they be not imposed as any part of Gods worship 3. That they be severed from superstition or opinion of merit Lastly That the Church of God be not burdened with the multitude of them And indeed a worthy instance of the prudent Moderation of the Church of England is that in her reformation from Rome she hath delivered her self from such an Endless g Europae Speculum p. 3. multitude of Superstitions and Ceremonies enough to take up a great part of a mans life to gaze on and peruse a huge sort of which are so childish and unsavoury that as they argue great silliness and rawness in their inventors so can they naturally bring no other than disgrace and contempt to those exercises of Religion wherein they are stirring Yet after the fashion of a modest and prudent Matron though our Church doth not appear tawdry drest with too great a variety of ill placed cost yet doth she endeavour always to appear discreet and comely in her attire On purpose retaining some Rites in respect to the practice of the antient Church and to vindicate her self from the imputation of moroseness and not to side with the other extreme of those who in the exercise of their Religion affect carelessness and neglect of any good Form The Church of England doth retain some Ceremonies in her Offices thereby also to vindicate real Christian Liberty namely the publick liberty of Gods Church one part of which as Bucer in the beginning of the Reformation well noted is for the Church to chuse its own Rites and also to vindicate the Liberty of private Christians who by the Orders of the Church have their choice directed for their own edification and the better order of Divine things For Diversity of Ceremonies in divers Churches do serve to testify the Christian Liberty and doth greatly conduce to teach the true judgment of Ceremonies namely that all men by this diversity may understand That those things which are not delivered in Holy Scripture are not necessary to Salvation but may be altered as the time and circumstance of edification doth require h Sprint's Necessity of Conformity in case of Deprivation p. 115. It a Forbesius in Irenico l. 1. c. 7. Harmon Confess p 194. Which reason of them though it hath been frequently repeated yet hath not sufficiently been taken notice of by those who pretend to be such Assertors of Christian Liberty who fall foul into another servile and unquiet sort of Superstition Yet when we consider the horrid stiff superstition of such Precisians whom the Moderation of the Church of England in point of Ceremonies doth affright We cannot think them so moped but others appear to have run into a greater excess of madness when we behold the exceeding number of Ceremonies and observances which the Roman Rubricks appoint in their Rituals Missals and Pontifical c. We may bless our selves who within the Communion of our Church are freed from such a bondage more grievous than the Jewish especially since their Rites many of which are so ridiculous and trifling i Vi. Pontificale Rom. de Ecclesiae Dedicatione p. 237. Vi. Rituale Rom. in absolvendo excommunicatum jam mortuum c. k Quando primò Clericis barbae tondentur dici debet Pontifice sedente cum mitrâ Antiphona Sicut Ros Hermon c. Pontificale p. 550. are not only approved but required by the Council of Trent under the pain of Anathema l Conc. Trid. Sess 7. Can. 13. and that for surer notice repeated in the first page of their Ritual Wherefore as Plutarch well saith of Religion it hath its place between contempt of divine things on one hand and superstition on the other So the Moderation of our Church is excellently tempered to keep Christians from Enthusiasm in one extreme and from what some call Rituality on the other m D. H. Mori Ethic. c. 5. p. 105. Of our Churches care in this last particular Bishop Taylor thus endeavours to satisfie some Consciences There is reason saith he to celebrate and honour the wisdom and prudence of the Church of England which hath in all her Offices retained but one Ritual or Ceremony that is not of Divine Ordinance or Apostolical practice and that is the Cross in Baptism which
gaudioâ—um numerositas festivitatum Cives decet non exules S. Bern. Ep. 174. Such a number of Festivities is fitter for Citizens than for Exiles and Pilgrims And Clemangius notes that Moses appointed but three great Solemnities whereas at present the Romanists d Quarta pars anni feratiunculis conteritur Wicelius Meth. Conc. §. 19. Essraenis earum numerus Centum gravam 37. Turba festorum dierum de causis non necessariis c. Erasin de amab Concor observe more Festivals than ever the Scribes and Pharisees did neither had they any Feast for the Chair of Moses as the other have for the Chair of S. Peter 'T is true a French Writer with the approbation of some Sorbon Doctors and others of the same Communion have thought that many of their Festivals might be dispenst with by the Popes leave or without it according to the priviledges of the Gallican Church but now as they write under correction of Superiours 't is pretty to see in their pruning the luxuriant number of Feasts what choice some Puritan Romanists offer at in their Schemes of Reformation c J Bapt. Thiers de fest dier Imminutione c. 48. For the Feast of Circumcision they would blot out because it falls on the first of January a day of Gentile superstition The Feast of our Lords being presented in the Temple or of the Purification because C. 51. on that day the Gentiles honoured Mars or Pluto called Februus and the Feast of Epiphany they would have expunged because on those days some chuse King and Queen Yet how do they strain C. 49. at a Gnat and swallow a Camel for these glorious Reformers of the Calendar will by no means have the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven omitted f Assumptionis celebritatem servari par est C. 52. p. 339. And at this day the Romanists keep for a solemnity the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary By which as St Austin speaks of some they love to Canonize their own Apocryphal Errors notwithstanding among the Feast-days to be deleted the fore-mentioned Reformers have the confidence to reckon up All Saints days and the Feast of St Michael and the Holy Angels and of all the Apostles C. 53 54 55. except S. Peter and S. Paul Whereas in the Church of England as also in the Lutheran and other Reformed Churches g D. D. Durell of Ref. Ch. Sect. 2. §. 23 24. Chemnit Exam. par 4. p. 163. after the reformation a moderate number of Festivals were appointed h V. The Act for abrogation of superfluous Holy-days Bishop Spar. Collect. p. 225. King Edw. 6. Inj. 1547. Queen Eliz. Inj. §. 46. Festos dies Protestantes Legum praescripto utcunque tenent eosdem omnes quos antiquitus celebravit Ecclesia satetur Sander de Schism Angl. p. 171. for the same reasons that the most sober Romanists have desired many of theirs might be rescinded § 2. Another consideration which moderates the number of Festivals in our Church is several of them fall in with the Lords day and indeed most of them have Relation to our Blessed Lord and his Apostles so that from the very design of the Festival the hard-handed Artizan may learn the name and meaning of some Article of his Creed as Bishop Taylor speaks i Pref. to Collection of Offices §. 36. and by such anniversary remembrances of his Faith may at once help his memory and devotion both which among the Romanists are much overcharged with the exceeding number of Festivals and also by them the mean man is much hindred from maintaining his Family and paying his dues In the poor Mans Almanack the number of Festivals on one side encreasing the number of debts on the other together confound his devotion and his estate Whereas in our Calendar the Festivals are set down with such choice as Bishop Hall somewhere hath noted that the meaner sort by skill in their Almanack may be taught their Christian Faith k Festorum recurrens meditatio est veluti Catecheseos Christianae inculcatio c. Forbes Irenic l. 1. c. 7. § 3. As we cannot but account it a very scandalous reproach which some of the Romanists have used that l Richworth Dialogue 3. Catholicks have some Saints Protestants none So they may know we celebrate such whom the true Catholick Church always hath celebrated and which are also Celebrated by many of the Reformed Churches m V. Confess Helvet c. 24. Confess Eccl. Bohem. Morav Yea and as we have had our Saints so our Church hath had her Martyrs too which are more than common Saints who have been glorious Witnesses of the Moderation of our Church and of the extreme rigours of our Churches Adversaries on either hand In the Remembrance of whom as Bishop Cozins n Private Dev. p. 92. hath taken notice Such is the wisdom and Moderation of our Church she hath taken one solemn day of the year to magnify God for the generality of his Saints together hereby avoiding the burden and unnecessary number of Festival days Neither is the memory of any Saint among us celebrated of whose sanctity much more of whose existence we are uncertain o Of the Canonization of St. Thomas a Becket V. Consid of present Concernment §. 9. V. C. Baron in Martyrol die 29. Decembr S. Thom. Cantuar. Macte animo macte virtute Anglicanorum nobilissime ac gloriosissime coetus qui tam illustri militiae nomen dedisti ac Sacramento sanguinem spospondisti aemulor sanè vos Dei aemulatione cum vos Martyrii Candidatos ac nobilissimae purpurae Martyres aspicio Quae verba dixit vir gravissimus non solùm de his qui temporibus Elizabethae sed etiam de his qui suo etiam tempore sub Jacobo propter similem causam passi sunt Suarii Def. l. 6. c. 11. De veris Anglicanis Martyribus H. Garnetto c. V. Sander de Schism Angl. ad finem So far is our Church from allowing the Roman way of Apotheosis whose Calendar affords a red Letter for some who have died for the blackest and foulest crimes Nor doth our Church obtrude upon those of her Communion any Apocryphal Legends p Ludov. Viv. l. 2. de Caus corrup ar V. de Fest imminutione c. 50. p. 32â— or Fables of Saints nor receives any false Revelations or Visions for the keeping new Festivals § 4. The ends propounded in our Church why we celebrate the memory of Saints are most just and unexceptionable namely that we may bless God for their gifts and graces which have been eminent in them which we magnify and celebrate that we may more chearfully be enlivened to imitate q Divos ac Divas optimâ— coli imitando vitam illorum Erasm de amab Eccl Concor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrys To. 5. p. 625. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 14. them and breath after the
our Church reformed Scintilla Altaris That to avoid excess of Dedications wherein others are too burthensome she sometimes uniteth two of the Apostles at once in one Festivity as S. Simon and Jude S. Philip and James § 8. The more immoderate is their reproach who brand our reformed Church for being guilty of Popery only because the memory of the just among us is blessed f Coâ—â—mus Martyres cultu dilectionis non servitutis S. Aug. c. Faus l. 22. Notwithstanding those very exceptors are really like the Romanists Canonizing and Sainting one another for being of some particular humour and faction in this for one that they will not keep a Festival or remember an Apostle with honour Indeed in the Church of Rome they have Canonized the worst of men and let any one tell the difference when many of those others Saint each other and affect no other Title but of your Holiness And here let any equal and intelligent Christians judge whether those who hold Communion with the Church of God notwithstanding sundry infirmities and failings ought not and may not more properly according to the stile of Scripture to be called Saints than those who separate from the outward Communion of Gods Church although they usurp the name peculiarly to themselves And here we cannot but observe the Modesty of those in Communion with the Church of England which is true Christian Moderation They never were so forward to rush suddenly as it were into the Holy of Holies in calling themselves and one another absolute Saints but rather while they are in their way and Pilgrimage chuse to be honoured with more modest titles even as Pythagoras in all Ages hath been commended for his Moderation in laying aside the great name of Wife and chose rather to be called a Lover of Wisdom § 9. The same Moderation which our Church useth toward Saints she observeth likewise with respect to the Holy Angels Yea indeed great is the modesty and sober wisdom of our Church in that it is no where excessively curious nor positive in determining of the nature actions knowledge number Orders or special Guardianship of Angels Our Church doth not deny that there is a distinct Order of Angels but no where takes upon her to show how those Orders are disposed But avoiding the extreme of those who are stupidly insensible of the conduct of Holy Angels the Church of England doth glorify God for their Creation for their admirable order and Ministry and affection to us we pray to God we may imitate their readiness and chearfulness in praising and serving him and ministring daily for the good of others yet our Church hath always held the Angels to be in the number of those who worship and not of those who are worshipped and for us to worship those who are themselves worshippers would be such a voluntary humility as is sinful namely to address our selves to such substitutes as God no where hath appointed to receive his peculiar honour g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. c. Cels l. 8. Neque Invocationibus Angelicis sed 〈◊〉 purè manifestè Orationes dirigens ad Dominum qui omnia sâ—it Iren. l. 2. c. 57. which the Synod of Laodicea A. D. 364. calls Idolatry § 10. The like Moderation doth our Church excellently well observe in the honour she gives to the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary so highly favoured of God as to be the Mother of our Lord whom our Church celebrates and always humbly calls her Blessed And as it is in the Institution of a Christian man set forth by the Convocation 1537. We may worthily say she is the most blessed of all other Women h Maria Mater Domini principatum inter Mulieres tenuit S. Aug. Scrm. 136. Hanc ego Christi Matrem veneror sed non illi Divae modò sed Deae nomen tribuens R. Jac. Apol. pro Jur. Honor Reginae judicium diligit Virgo Regia falso non eget honore de B. V. Mariâ S. Bernard Ep. 174. and we no where doubt but she is highly graced in Heaven as she received a most special priviledge upon Earth But our Church doth no where believe that she had an immaculate conception which the Romanists celebrate with an Holy-day on purpose Neither doth our Church believe she was ever raised from the dead and assumed into Heaven which they solemnize with another Festival Neither did Erasmus i Erasm Ecclesiastes l. 2. without cause admire how it came to pass they salute the Mother of Christ with more Religion than they invoke Christ himself or the Holy Spirit calling her the Fountain of all Grace and sundry expressions they use of the like affiance in the authority and merit of the Blessed Virgin to succour help and save Sinners as may be seen in the Rosary and Psalter and specially Litanies to the Virgin Mary k V. Consult Cassandr Art 20. p. 140. Jube Filio c. Cùm vix aliud in toto choro sit alienius à scripturis sanctis quod cum Evangelio Christi atque doctrinâ Apostolicâ perditiùs pugnet Wicelius de abusu Eccl. p. 392. In their form of auricular Confession they are taught thus to begin l Manuale Confessionum Cap. 10. p. 128. I Confess to the Omnipotent God to the Blessed Mary always Virgin c. and when they enter into their Monasteries they vow themselves to God and the Blessed Virgin and in all things they are so superdevout m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Virgin that an Oath by her is accounted most sacred and any of the Festivals may be sooner expunged than that of her Assumption into Heaven and although they prohibite the Bible yet they freely suffer sundry Books of Devotion to the Virgin Mary in the Mother tongue § 11. Our Church hath taken great care that a special honour be had to the Lords Day and that neither the Lords Day nor any other Festival be abused to Luxury or impiety n Haeccine solemnes dies decent quae alios non decent Tertull. Ita Festa moderanda ut neque nimia neque tam flagitiosè profanentur Bucer Censur c. 26. It appears from the Offices in our Liturgy the Rubricks Canons Homilies and Statutes of the Land and Injunctions of our Kings since the Reformation that there hath been a first and special care taken for the Holy Celebration of Sunday or Lords Day wherein we are equal to any Church among the Reformed o Vi. D. Crackenthorp Defens Eccl. Aug. c. 54. The other Festivals being over-ruled that in a Concurrence of Offices they may not disturb its Solemnity the very religious observation of which is earnestly also perswaded in our Homilies and especially in the 13. Canon with which agree the Injunctions of K. Edw. 6. and Q. Eliz. requiring p Coimus in coetum ut Deum quasi manu factâ precationibus ambiamus orantes coimus ad Divinarum literarum commemorationem
Her Moderation in what is asserted of the number of Sacraments § 3. In that her Orders for the Administration of the Sacraments are most suitable to the ends of their appointments § 4. In that our Church doth not make the benefit of the Sacraments to depend upon unrequired conditions In reference to Holy Baptism § 1. Our Church doth make nothing of the essence of Baptism but the use of the invariable Form § 2. The Moderation of our Church toward Infants unbaptized Her sound and charitable judgment of such as die after Baptism § 3. In some necessary cautions referring to the administration of Baptism § 4. Referring also to the susceptors § 5. In what is required of them who administer that Sacrament In reference to the Holy Supper of our Lord § 1. The same is with us celebrated in both kinds § 2. The Doctrine of Transubstantiation is rejected by our Church not running to the other extreme of denying a real presence of Christ in the Sacrament § 3. The Moderation of our Church in complying with the necessity of the Age but not with the Church of Rome and others who require their people to communicate not so much as thrice a year § 4. Participation of the Holy Supper required after Confirmation but not after the rigid Examinations of some or the auricular Confessions of others Neither is it made a private banquet § 5. In our Church there is not to be a Communication of the Eucharist without Communicants The Moderation of the Church in other Rubricks referring to the Holy Communion § 1. OUR Church according to that Moderation in which she excels raiseth no needless strife or controversy about words or names a Saepe a. Eccl. Angl. professa est de verbo nullam litem se moturam modo pristina sides sit restituta Rex Jac. ad C. Perr particularly relating to the Holy Sacraments The name of Sacraments saith the Homily b Homily of Com. Pr. and Sacram. may in general acception be attributed to any thing whereby a holy thing is signified thus as Chilingworth c Chilingw Pref. §. 24. noteth we use the names of Priest and Altar and yet believe neither the corporal presence nor any proper propitiatory Sacrifice Yea so exceeding moderate and prudent was the Church that in the 7. Canon 1640. it abundantly cautions lest those words be used otherwise than in a metaphorical and improper attribution d In Liturgiâ Anglicanâ habemus quidem Sacrificii nomen offerendi verbum etiam hostiae mentionem sed nihil magis adversatur Missatico sacrificio quà m tota haec oratio Rivet Gro. discuss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 220. Notwithstanding all these just and careful explications why should our Church for the use of those words be traduced as relishing of Popery any more than for favouring the Sabbatarian Doctrine because in the 70. Canon in English the word Sabboth Day is used for the Lords day and dies dominicus it is in the Latin Canons in the Homily also of the time and place of Prayer 't is called Sabboth day that is the Sunday the Holy day of rest and in King Henr. 8. Act of abrogation of certain days it is said since the Sabboth day was ordained for mans rest and in Qu. Eliz. Injunctions the same word is as in the rest used in a general accommodation to the improper use of the vulgar which clauses mentioned are known to have been before this word among some others hath been set apart as one of the Shiboleths of a party Whereas rather the Moderation of the Church should be taken notice of which insists not so much on the nicety of the word as on the integrity of its sense § 2. Our Church receives none as proper Sacraments generally necessary to salvation but such as are so Which said expression contains a great deal of Moderation notwithstanding it hath been much cavill'd at by some of rigid principles for our Church doth no where assert the receiving so much as the true Sacraments to be always to every one particularly and absolutely necessary to Salvation Our Church saith Bishop Branthal e To M. Militier receives not the Septenary number of Sacraments being never so much as mentioned in any Scripture or Council or Creed or Father or ancient Author first devised by Peter Lombard 1439. First Decreed by Eugenius the 4th 1528. First confirmed in the Provincial Council of Senes 1547. and after in the Council of Trent The word Sacrament is taken largely and then washing the Disciples feet is called a Sacrament then the sprinkling of ashes on a Christians head is called a Sacrament then there are God knows how many Sacraments more than 7. Or else it is taken for a visible sign instituted by Christ to convey and confirm invisible grace to all such partakers thereof as do not set a bar against themselves according to the analogy between the sign or the thing signified and in this sense the proper and the certain Sacraments of the Christian Church common to all or in the words of the Church generally necessary to Salvation are but two Baptism and the Supper of the Lord more than these S. Ambrose writes not of in his Book de Sacramentis because he did not know them And here it may not be improper to add those memorable words of S. Austin f S. Aug. Ep. ad Januar 118. which were recited in the Articles of Religion 1552. published by King Edw. 6. and are cited also in our Homily of Sacraments Our Lord Jesus Christ hath knit together a Company of new people that is Christians with Sacraments most few in number most easy to be kept most excellent in signification as are Baptism and the Lords Supper beside which two Sacraments of the New Testament our Church appointeth no other way of solemn engagement to Christianity § 3. The Holy Sacraments among us are administred in such order prescribed as is suitable to the end of their appointment Our Church most strictly holding to what is of Divine Institution and adding nothing which is humane to the Sacraments themselves nevertheless the Prayers and Blessings and Exhortations and what is enjoin'd promote the true design of the administration In which the Moderation of our Church holds a just mean between those who deny the Church any use of its Christian Liberty and between the intolerable excesses of the Church of Rome yet so very moderate is our Church in this particular that the Lutheran Churches cannot compare themselves with her for Moderation for they retain Exorcism and other Ceremonies in use with their Sacraments beside their peculiar doctrines and usages referring to the Holy Supper § 4. Our Church doth not make the efficacy of the Sacraments to depend upon the bare administration whether the mind be well prepared or no I dare not say that most Romanists generally mean so by the Opus Operatum in the Council of Trent g Concil
the Church of Rome are multiply'd without Communicants out of which they suck no small advantage q Minuatur ingens turba quotidiè missantium propter saginandum aqualiculum duntaxat Wicelii Meth. Concord c. 5. whereas our Church in great Moderation appoints the Sacraments to be freely administred without any charge for their ministration and also at every Celebration there is required a convenient number of Communicants r 2d Rubr. after H. C. Rubr. before Com. for sick Last Rubr. after H. Com. for the sick as in the Communion for the sick Å¿ 2d Rubr. after the H. C. for the sick Canon 71. 1603. there are always to be three or two at the least except in case of contagion And in case that those who sincerely desire to Communicate are lawfully hindred the Moderation and wisdom of our Church hath prescribed a most pious instruction for the sick person such as may at once most exceedingly satisfy and comfort CHAP. XI Of the Moderation of the Church in reference to other Rites and Usages § 1. The Moderation of the Church in its Judgment and use of Confirmation § 2. Concerning Matrimony allowing her Clergy to marry affording opportunity of voluntary celibacy in our Vniversities according to a commendable moderation Vndue degrees of Marriages and some particular Times forbid c. § 3. In reference to Holy Orders 1. The Moderation of the Church in her Consecrating Ministers 2. In taking care to have them be as they ought to be both before and after Ordination with good effect 3. Yet if not so great as is desired why the Church ought not to be accused 4. In retaining such Orders of Ministers in the Church as are Primitive 5. The Moderate Judgment of the Church concerning such as have been ordain'd in the Church of Rome and elsewhere 6. Our Church endeavours to preserve all due regard to what-ever is consecrated to God 7. The Power of the Keys asserted in our Church with due moderation § 4. Of Penance 1. The Moderation of our Church between those who sleight Penance and those who explain it extravagantly 2. The Confession of our Church which is required is suitable to the design of Repentance 3. The Seal of Confession in our Church is as sacred as it ought to be 4. The use of External Penance in our Church according to due Moderation 5. The use of Absolution in our Church maintained according to a just temper § 5. For Visitation of the Sick 1. The worthy care of the Church therein and some Instances of its Moderation referring thereunto 2. Our Churches care for preparing those who are of her Communion for Death without extreme Vnction in use in the Church of Rome 3. Many Instances of the Moderation of the Church referring to the Burial of the Dead § 1. OUr Church in its judgment and use of Confirmation holds a just Moderation between those who reject the use of it and others who make it a proper * Conc. Tri. Sess 7. Can. 1. de Confir Sacrament It being received as a holy and useful Rite perpetually expedient tho not of necessity to * V. Instit of a Christian Man Salvation With which our Church doth not join Chrism or Unction as in Baptism also we use not Oil there being no mention of either in Scripture or in Primitive Antiquity for such purposes Neither is the baptized Person brought Hic mos fuit ut Christianorum puert-coram Episcopo sisterentur Calvin Inst l. 4. c. 19 § 4. Laudo restitutam in purum usum velim ib. V. Bez. in Hebr. c. 6. to Confirmation till every such a one be of competent years of understanding solemnly to take upon him the obligation entred into in Baptism which being duly performed the Bishop doth impose his Hands on every of them with Prayer and Blessing Which is the order of our Church for the honour and dignity of Episcopacy according to primitive and ancient †Qui in Ecclesiis baptizantur praeposito Ecclesiae offeruntur S. Cypr. ad Jovin practice Altho such is the moderation of our Church that its Presbyters are taken into some society with the Bishop generally in those Ministeries Neither is any in our Professio baptizatorum infantium per susceptores facta in puberibus unà congregatis solemni ritis renovetur VVicelii Meth. Concord c. 4. Canon 60. 61. 1603. Church to be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as they are confirmed or be ready and desirous to be confirmed So wisely moderate is our Church to accept of a true preparation and sincere desire of Confirmation when in some cases it cannot be had either through the lamentable neglect of those who ought to * Si in hoc Eâ—iscoporum negligentia peccatum est hactenus negligentia damnetur nâ—n id quod per se bonum est VVicelii Meth. Concord c. 8. perform it or those who should desire it be performed It was a discipline of the Helvetians to forbid the Bannes of Marriage to such as could not give a good account of their Catechism which soon made all who had a mind to Marriage to be very diligent in learning their Lessons by heart And by a Canon of a * Conc. Bituricens 1584. Council in France None were to be admitted to the Eucharist or †Nec enim alia adversus foediss ignorantiam via restabat nisi Maritalis tori sit is in subsidium Vocaretur Hammondus de Confirm c. 2. §. 11. Matrimony but such who had been Confirmed The same if well lookt into is indeed a Canon also of our ¶ A Book of certain Canons 1571. English Church Especially they shall warn young Folks not only Men but also Women that it is provided by the Laws That none of them may either receive the Holy Communion or be married or undertake for a Child in Baptism except they before have learned the Principles of Christian Religion and can fitly and aptly answer to all the parts of the Catechism Neither is this Rite among us degenerated into a practice of meer Gain and Covetousness as Spalatensis complain'd of the Church of * De Rep. Eccl. l. 5. c. 12. Rome where Confirmation with Chrism is made such a Sacrament as they think confers a greater Grace than the true Sacrament of †V. Chem. Exam. de Confirm p. 69. Baptism But the Moderation of the Church hath restored the Ancient Primitive Rite of Imposition of Hands which for many hundred years hath been extruded from the Romish Confirmation by other superstitious ¶ Libertas Eccles l. 2. c. 4. §. 3. Ceremonies § 2. The Moderation of the Church of England in what relates to Marriage chiefly appears in that it esteems Matrimony honourable in * Dei Ordinationem nulla lex humana nullum votum potest tollere Conf. Aug. all and particularly also in Priests and Ministers of the Church and to make Vows of perpetual Virginity
admonitions of the Church of which her Ordinals most particularly give an account After their Ordination also Of the Exemplary behaviour of the Clergy our Church hath taken all the care that may be see we for instance that excellent Canon No Ecclesiastical Person shall at any Canon 75. time other than for their honest necessities resort to any Taverns or Ale-houses neither shall they board or lodg in any such places Furthermore they shall not give themselves to any base or servile labour or to drinking or riot spending their time idly by day or by night playing at Dice Cards or Tables or any other unlawful Game but at all times convenient they shall hear or read somewhat of Holy Scriptures or shall occupy themselves with some other honest study or exercise always doing the things which appertain to honesty and endeavouring to profit the Church of God having always in mind that they ought to excel all others in purity of Life and should be examples to the People to live well and Christianly under pain of Ecclesiastical Censures to be inflicted with Quomodo inquiritur in excessus defectus Ministrorum Verbi V. de Polit. Eccl. Anglic. c. 6. p. 322. severity according to the quality of their Offences whether it be to suspension deprivation deposition or other greater censures as is the demerit To the same purpose have been sundry Articles and Injunctions and Laws of the Land and Rules of the Church * V. Librum 9. Canonum V. Articulos pro clero Canon 33 34 35. 1603. 39 Article 26. very express At the Ordination of Ministers 't is asked them Whether they will be diligent to frame and fashion themselves and their Families according to the Doctrine of Christ and to make both themselves and them as much as in them lieth wholsom Examples and Spectacles to the Flock of Christ Lastly All Promotions of the Church are distributed so equally that any Son of a Layman in the Kingdom otherwise fitted is capable of the highest Eminence in the Church In her Canons restraint is made of Plurality of Benefices Canon V. Articulos proclero 41. with indulgence only in cases extraordinary requiring * also convenient V. Bishop Sparrows Collections residence and hospitality and every one's discharge of their Functions In case of lawful absence that a just and conscientious supply be provided Always letting the People see that they do not seek their own Profit Promotion or Advantage more than the profit of the V. K. Ed. 6. Injunction Souls they have under their Cure or the Glory of God Of the Effects of these Orders if any enquire Beside the judgments of other Churches that the Clergy may not be the only Judges in this case such may consider what the great Verulam hath witnessed That scarce any Church since the Primitive Times hath yielded in like manner of years a greater number of famous Writers excellent Preachers grave Governours and the most and chiefest of them of holy and good Life And the famous University of Oxford in answer to the Petition of the N. C. 1603. replied To stop the Mouths of those that traduce us for a dumb Idol-Ministry There are at this day more Learneâ— Men in this Kingdom than are to be found in all Europe Which must not be imputed for Vanity since the Apostle when his Ministry was reproached defended his godly boasting Which premised Bishop Hall may be allowed to speak for the Clergy of the Church of England What Christian Church under Heaven saith he in so short a time yielded so many glorious Lights of the Gospel so many able and prevalent Adversaries of Schism and Antichristianism so many eminent Authors of learned Works which shall out-bid time it self Let Envy grind her teeth and eat her heart The memory of these worthy Prelates shall ever be sweet and blessed 3. If all this care of the Church hath not its absolute and entire effect which when it hath not is much lamented according to the sincere desire and intent of the Church As also Nec hac Culpae est Christiani nominis si simulator religionis in vitio sit S. Hier. Ep. 4. that the Laws of Christ have not that effect upon all Christians as they ought Our Church in the mean while must be acquitted while according to the condition of the things she hath used her best care and endeavour and if the practices of Men always cannot her Laws must bear her out * Delictum personae in detrimentum Ecclesia non debet redundare Reg Ju. Wherefore very reasonable was the Injunction of Queen Elizabeth That for defaults which people find in Ecclesiastical Persons They are not to detain their Dues §. 15. 1559 to requite one wrong with another but to call for reformation thereof at their Ordinaries and other Superiors who upon complaint and due proof thereof shall reform the same accordingly Now of thousands who are apt to complain of the Clergy how few take the right course to rectify any thing If any are vitious among us we protest against their practices and are Advocates for none in what is evil but leave them to answer for themselves before proper Judges Being sure it would be a happy World if right Principles in the understanding and a conformable practice could always go together but it is an ordinary practice whose Doctrine they cannot confute their Life endeavour to bring into hatred * Cum Viderint Doctrinam nostram non posse rectè accusari maluâ—runâ— in mores nostros in vehere Apol. Eccl. Angl. § 53. It may be added According to an excellent Moderation are also the Ages appointed of them who are to enter into holy Orders †V. Preface to the Ordinal Canon 33. Artic. proclero § 3. Our Church maintains and preserves those Orders of Ministers in the Church Bishops Priests Deacons 39. Articl 36. which are truly Primitive without the additional Train which the Church of Rome makes necessary even seven kind of Orders suitable to their number of Sacraments and with much the like necessity that the followers of the Geneva Government appoint their Lay-Elders The power of Orders consisteth partly in preaching the Word and other Offices of Public Worship common to Bishops with other Ministers partly in ordaining Priests and Deacons admitting them to particular Cures and other things of that nature proper to them alone The Power of Jurisdiction is either internal in retaining and remitting sins in the Hoc malè habet quosdam immoderatiores reddi jurisdectionem restitui politiam Ecclesiasticam Ph. Melanct. ad Camera Court of Conscience common to them also for the substance of the Authority tho with some difference in the Degree with other * Of Episcopacy and Regal Power Bishop Sanderson p. 33 34. Ministers Or External for the outward Government of the Church in some parts thereof peculiar to them alone The Government of the Church according to these
Man's Conscience * V. Proceedings against the Traytors And yet Suarius ¶ Suarius de poen disp 33. §. 1. determins That in no case for no end though it was to save a whole Commonwealth from a great Evil Temporal or Spiritual may it be lawful to violate Confession Ja. Binet †I S. Casaub ad Frontod p. 140. went higher It was better all Kings should perish than even once the Seal of Confession should be violated The Catholic Apologist goes higher yet Pag. 426. The Sacrament of Confession is of such Reverence among us that we cannot lawfully disclose a secret known by it tho it were to save Christianity it self Nay the Apologie for Garnet * Eud. Jo. Apol. pro Garnetto p. 327. hath a notable fetch to bring in all the Gun-powder Conspirators as Martyrs for saith he It is the common opinion of Catholicks That all who receive the Matter from the Confessor by the consent of the Penitent are bound by Religion of Secrecy But what abuse of Confession is this to hold those Martyrs who confessed a Wickedness they were resolved to commit And their Priests absolved them from a Treason they were then sworn to undertake § 4. The Discipline of our Church doth by no means exclude the use of External Penance And in its judgment is more right than the Church of Rome To inforce both inward and outward Penance our Church hath a special Office of Commination upon solemn occasion to be used And for some scandalous Sins when Notorious solemn Penance is by a special Canon required for the Humiliation and Compunction of the Sinner for the Example of others and for the Edification of the Church * V. Artic proclero The Commutation of which for very good Reasons requiring the Church hath taken care sometime to moderate But the Commutations allowed by our Commutationem a. injunctae poenitentiae nec Cancellarius faciet nec Archidiac nec Officialis nec Commissarius Ea potestas multis gravibus de causis Episcopo soli reservabitur V. Libr. qu. Canonum 1571. Church are sincerely designed for the ends of Charity and Religion and the consideration of Piety but are not taxed in a penitentiary Table as it were to invite Men to sin The De Polit. Eccl. Angl. c. 6. p. 328. godly Discipline of the Primitive Church of open Penance for the Conviction of V. Office of Commination Notorious Offenders the Church of England wisheth may be restored again But The satisfaction that God requires of us saith the Homily of Repentance is that we cease from evil and do good and if we have done any Man wrong to endeavour our selves to make him true amends to the uttermost of our power following in this the example of Zacheus c. Nevertheless the Penances in the Church of Rome which there are called Satisfactions and are counted Deletory of Sin and Meritorious of Pardon our Church doth account no otherwise than Superstitious § 5. The Absolution of the Priest hath its due honour and use in our Church altho it be made no part of any Sacrament of Penance And that the Moderation of our Church may be more perceived observe 1. That our Church ascribeth not the power of Remission of Sin to any but to God only 2. It constantly holds That Faith and true Repentance are the necessary conditions of receiving the benefit of Remission of Sin 3. It asserts what is most true that the Ministers of the Church have a special Power and Commission which other Believers have not authoritatively to declare this Absolution and Remission of Sin for the benefit and consolation of true Penitency which if duly dispensed cannot but have a real effect from the very promise of Christ S. Jo. 20. 23. Vid. S. Chrys Hom. 5. in Esaiam 4. This Penitence our Church makes not a new Sacrament as doth the Church of Rome but a means of returning to the Grace of God bestowed in Baptism They which in act or deed sin after Baptism saith our Homily when they turn to God unfeignedly they are likewise washed by this Sacrifice from their Sins Poenitentia nihil aliud est quam reditus ad promissionem gratiae Baptismi Chemn exam de paenit p. 199. The rare temper and proportion which the Church of England useth in Commensurating the Forms of Absolution to the degrees of Preparation and Necessity is to be observed That at the beginning of Morning and Evening Prayer after a general Confession the Form of Absolution is in general Declarative and by way of Proposition In the Office of Communion it is by way of Intercession In the Visitation of the Sick when it is supposed and enjoyned that the Penitent shall disburthen himself of the clamorous loads on his Conscience the Church prescribes a Medicinal Form by way of delegate Authority Therefore saith the Bishop of Down It is the excellent Temper of the Church so to prescribe her Forms of Absolution as to shew them to be the results of the whole Priestly Office All which Forms V. Bishop Sparrow's Rationale p. 23. in Sence and Vertue are the same 5. For Visitation of the Sick such is the care of our Church that by its Canon When any Person is dangerously Sick Can. 67. 1603. in any Parish the Minister or Curate having knowledg thereof shall resort unto him or her if the Disease be not known or probably suspected to be Infectious to instruct and comfort them in their Distress according to the Order of the Common-Prayer-Book if he be no Preacher or if he be a Preacher then as he shall think most needful and convenient And so in the Rubric it is said The Minister may use that or the like Exhortation From both which passages altho we are not greedy of Liberty yet for good Reasons and the occasional Necessity of accommodating our addresses in that kind to the particular cases of Persons we observe the Moderation of our Church in complying accurately with all the Necessities of her People And further we note from that Canon That altho in Prudence and Kindness and Christian Duty the Minister may and ought in many cases to go of his own accord to visit his Charge especially yet we cannot say that the Church doth bind always her Minister thereunto till he be certified According to the words of St. James Chap. 5 ver 14. Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church c. Yet because in a matter of such concern the Church would not have its Ministers use such a Capricio as to stand upon their Niceties in so serious and momentous a Matter nor the People so forgetful of their own Interest as to neglect their part therein therefore so punctual is our Church and moderate according to Reason the Canon only saith The Minister having knowledg thereof shall resort c. Excellent was the Injunction of King Edward the 6th 1547. and
Q. Elizabeth § 17. 1559. That the damnable vice of Despair may clearly be taken away and firm belief and stedfast hope surely conceived of all their Parishioners being in any danger the Parsons Vicars and Curats shall learn and have in readiness such comfortable places and sentences of Scripture as do set forth the Mercy and Goodness of Almighty God toward all penitent and believing Persons that they may at all times when necessity requires promptly comfort their Flock with the lively Word of God which is the only stay of Man's Conscience Wherefore certainly it ought to be the special study of every Minister of God to provide himself that he may be ready and dexterous to assist such as desire a Spiritual Guide and Counsellor at so needful a time § 2. The Order of the Church for the Visitation of the Sick and preparing those of her Communion for Death is the same with that of the Church ever since the Primitive Times which was Prayer and Absolution and the Holy Viaticum of the Body and Blood of Christ which we retain And I pray C. 8. §. 5. saith Spalatensis what proper and peculiar effect can Extreme Vnction have on any faithful Man for the occasion of passing from this Mortal Life to a glorious Immortality which may not be entirely obtained by Faith and Repentance and the Holy Eucharist and Alms and Prayer especially the public Prayer and Absolution of the Church These and no other the Ancient Fathers and Councils mention as having the common and abiding Promise of God which extreme Unction hath not and as it was used in and about the time that S. James speaks of Anointing the Sick with Oyl in the Name of the Lord was a miraculous Gift of healing the Effect of which was their recovery as it follows and the Lord shall raise him up Different from which also is the practice of the Church of Rome never or rarely aneling any with exorces'd Oyl on the five Organs of their Senses till they are past all hopes of recovery From which practice the People of this Nation was brought off by degrees For in the first Book of King Edward the 6th the Rubric was thus If the sick Person desire to be Anointed then shall the Priest anoint them on the Fore-head or Brest only making the sign of the Cross saying As with this visible Oyl thy Body outwardly is Anointed so God grant that thy Soul c. * V. Alliance of D. Offices p. 182. Unto which Ceremonies of Crism in Baptism and Extreme Vnction as it was then here in Use those repeated words of Calvin may appear particularly to refer and not generally to other Constitutions among us In the English Liturgy saith he I see there hath been many tollerable trifles †In Anglic. Liturgiâ qualem describitis multas video fuisse tolerabiles in eptias-his duobus verbis experimo non fuisse eam puritatem c. Ep. 200. Anglis Francofur Which two words as conscious that they were very brigose and severe if too generally taken therefore he softens them in the next immediate words by an Apology By which saith he I mean there hath not been that Purity which might be wished What he particularly meant I suppose is exprest in another Epistle to the English Protector There are other things saith he ¶ Sunt alia non proinde damnanda fortasse sed tamen ejusmodi ut excusari non possunt viz. Crisma Vnctionis Ceremonia Prot. Angl. Ep. 8â— perhaps not presently to be condemned but yet of that sort as cannot be excused viz Crism in Baptism and the Ceremony of Unction Which only if he referr'd to How often have his severer Followers been mistaken § 3. In reference to the Burial of the Dead the Moderation of the Church is such it concerns it self but as far as Christian Religion doth * Can. 48. 1603. De Donatistis qui Catholicorum corpora sepelâ—ri verabant V. Optat. Mileâ— l. 6. 1. Confirming all Natural and Civil Law herein Providing that Christian Scpulture be Decent Honourable and Religious as Quibus constat quod semel in anno non susceâ—erint Sacramenta confessionis Eccles Scpultura negatur Rit Rom. de Exeq. becomes a Church in which the Resurrection of the Body is asserted Our Church well remembring that the Christian Religion did obtain by no means more than by the care the Primitive Christians had of the Burial of their Dead Wherefore Julian ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juliani Imp. ad Arsaicum Pontif. Ep. 49. who was a great Bigot to Gentilism in an Epistle to his Gentile High Priest recommends the practice of the same things amongst them by which the Christian Religion got so much ground Which was by the gravity of the Christians Deportment by their kindness to Strangers and by their care of Burial And tho indeed the Ecclesiastical Solemnity by the use of the Liturgy is forbid at the Burial of such as die Unbaptized †V. Rubric or Excommunicated or have laid violent Hands on themselves the same is but in pursuance of the chief design of the Burial Office viz. The benefit of the Living * Vt hoc pacto à peccato retrahantur Grot. de jure b. c. 19. that all may avoid whatsoever may deprive them of such an honourable sign of being esteemed to have died in Communion with the Church In our Church Christian Burial is not such a dumb shew as is the practice of a shameful company of People in this Realm who have Excommunicated themselves while they live and therefore it is the less matter tho they keep by themselves when they are Dead In our Burial Office Christian People may be at once Comforted and Admonished And because the whole Church Militant and Triumphant is united in one Society under one Supreme Head Because also at Death the happiness of the best is but incomplete Therefore in our Church we beseech God of his great Goodness shortly to accomplish the number of his Elect and to hasten his Kingdom that we with all those c. may have our perfect Consummation and Bliss c. Here the Moderation of our Church stops and leaves the Romanists in their extremes Altho the Bodies of the Dead are often laid up in our Churches according to the Custom of the Country it is without any Superstition required or allowed The Bodies and Coffins of the Dead are not sprinkled with Holy Water * Parochus antequam Calaver efferatur illud aspergit aq â— benedictâ Rit Ro. de exeq as if it was to keep the evil Spirits from interrupting the Worms We attribute no effect to the Garments we are buried in which those Friars do who persuade People to die and be buried in their Habits for the redemption of their Souls out of Purgatory There are not among us any Masses for the Dead Vigils Trentals adoring the Bones of Saints worshipping their Reliques Which
with the like the Articles of K. Edward 6. call Blind Devotion There is not consecrating and reconciling Church-Yards with so many Ceremonies and opinion of Efficacy and Necessity as in the Church of Rome ¶ V Form of Consecration of Churches Bishop Sparr Collect. 1675. The Bells which sound at Funerals among us are not appointed for any Superstition †Centum gravam 50. or to drive away Spirits from the Grave And because by Death all are made equal therefore all have the same Office for Burial All amongst us are deposited in the same general place of the Earth * Redditur Terrae Corpus ita locatum quasi operimento Matris obdusitur Cic. de leg l. 2. In other Circumstances Respect and Distinction is permitted according to the Custom of the Country and the condition of the Person deceased The Moderation of our Church is the same with that of the Christian Religion as it also leaves all Nations to their proper Usages and doth not oppose any Civil Laws or indifferent Customs of this or of any other Kingdom As it is observable That God himself tho he forbid the People of Israel ¶ Lev. 19. 28. Deut. 14. 1. to cut themselves or make any baldness upon themselves for the Dead or printing any Marks upon themselves which were the practices of that Idolatrous Nation Yet in such ancient Customes they had those which were Innocent referring to the manner of their Burial were permitted the same notwithstanding they had them from the Egyptians and other Heathen Nations Whereunto even also the Burial of our Blessed Lord Jesus was Conformable of which it is Recorded †John 19 4â— They took the Body of Jesus and wound it in Linnen with the Spices as the manner of the Jews is to Bury Among whom as hath been noted * Bishop â—earson on the Creed notes on Expos Art 4. there was a kind of Law that they should use no other Grave-clothes Notwithstanding it is all one ¶ Tabésne Cadavera solvat Aut rogus aut refert Capit omnia tellus Quae genuit coelo tegitur qui non habit urnam to our Bodies whether they are deposited in Linnen or in Woollen with Spices or without in the Earth or in any other Element whether we lie in S. Innocent's Church-yard where the Bodies soon consume or in the Sands of Egypt where they last longer or under the Moles of Adrianus And if the Minds of some seem uneasie in relation to one way of Burial more than another it convinceth us how great Tyrants Custom and Imagination are and perhaps in no Instance can it be confirmed more than in the late alteration referring to Burial Concerning which St. Austin's Comment might be of use †S. Aug. de Doct. Chr. l. 3. V. de civita Dei l. 1. c. 13. The Evangelist saith he doth seem to me not in vain to have said As the manner of the Jews is to Bury for so unless I am deceived he admonisheth in such offices of Piety which are exhibited to the Dead The Custom of every Nation is to be observed Wherefore our Church of England always leaves the Government of the Kingdom to have its Reasons to it self in what it appoints Instructing her Sons also how little soever the Matters are from thence to receive the greater honour of Obedience And because at so solemn a Providence as is the death of our Friends if some well-disposed Persons finding their Minds then more lifted up to the desires of Heaven and become more mortified to the World would take an opportunity of seriously commemorating the Death of our Lord who by Death overcame Death and opened the Gate of Heaven unto all Believers Therefore there is a brief peculiar appointment for the Celebration of the Holy Supper of the Lord at Funerals * Peculiaria quaedam in funeribus c. R. Eliz. V. Bishop Sparows Collections appointed 1560 with a Collect Epistle and Gospel which bears a part of the Reformed Liturgy which here is taken notice of as a proof how refined every part thereof is from Romish Superstition The like Instance of Inoffensive Moderation may be the public Office appointed by Q. Elizabeth for the Commemoration of Benefactors which is used in our Colleges and Vniversities which doth testify what worthy care we have of the memory of the deserving tho deceased and also doth shew how much purged these honourable Offices are from Superstition CHAP. XII Of the Moderation of our Church in what concerns the Power of the Church § 1. The Moderation of our Church owns the Power of the Church to be only Spiritual § 2. All other Power which Ecclesiastical Persons receive is readily acknowledged entirely depending on the favour of our Kings § 3. The Interests of the Kingdom and the Church are excellently accommodated in our Constitutions which is not done in other Models § 4. The pious Moderation of our King 's preserving their own rightful Supremacy and leaving to the Church the exercise of their Spiritual Power acknowledged by our Church § 5. The just Right of Kings shamefully invaded by other Sects pretending Divine Right Concerning which Claim the Moderation of our Church observed § 6. The dutiful Moderation of our Church in asserting Monarchy The first Canon 1640. justified § 7. All Interests of Humane Society especially of Subjects Allegiance in our Church abundantly secured which is not done by those in separation from her § 8. The Ordinances of our Church are framed with great Mildness and Moderation § 9. The same compared with the mild Obligation which Cardinal Bellarmine pretends the Church of Rome lays upon those of her Communion § 10. Sundry Instances of our Church's great regard to Equity § 1. THe Church of England always hath confessed That the Power of the Church is only Spiritual and Ministerial for the Head the Authority the Conversation of the Church is in Heaven Hence it is that the Appointments of the Church are not called Laws but Canons or Rules by which the Moderation of the Church rather leads than compels Yea In matter of Canons the Bishops and Clergy do but propound such Constitutions as they think useful and when they have done send them to his Majesty who perusing and approving them puts Life into them and of dead Propositions makes them Canons so are they the King's Canons not the Clergies * Bishop Hall's Remains p. 430. And the Inflictions Ecclesiastical the Church her self doth not call Punishments but Censures for Temporal Punishments are for Vengeance Spiritual for Discipline ¶ Bishop Lany on 1 Thess 4. 11. The Temporal Judg except he be Supreme in many things cannot pardon the Ecclesiastical Judg cannot but pardon upon Repentance as our Church doth express it self in the Canons if the Offender revoke that his wicked Error To this purpose St. Chrysostom †St. Chrys Homil 4. in Isaiam speaks The King remits the guilt of Bodies
the late History of the Irish Affairs Which most remarkable Story is a strange proof of the dangerous influence on Kingdoms which is to be expected from the propagation of the Roman Faith and is also a great Instance of the Moderation of our Governments and how ineffectual the same is on such § 8. The Rules and Orders of our Church are mildly and moderately framed Our Church being ever most remov'd from the guilt or humour of Domineering over the Consciences of any She teacheth and enforceth the Divine Commands and useth her Liberty in those things which are left undetermin'd and are within her own just Compass The Precepts of the Church which are very few are justly affirmed to bind by virtue of the Command of God yet their Obligation which is declared not to be Universal only to her Sons and that but so long as she judgeth expedient is intended or remitted as just reason of the Case requires No Councils Evangelical are any where made into Laws in our Church or set up as a Fund for Merit and Supererogation but are left free for our further exercise and endeavour after Christian Perfection Which because it cannot be thorowly attained in this imperfect state therefore the Moderation of our Church no where pretends to this perfection either of Knowledg or of Grace So K. James affirmed to the Cardinal He never should boast of this Church as being perfectly without spot or wrinkle § 9. For Illustration sake if we would compare the moderation of our Laws with the Laws of the Roman Church we cannot better do it than by taking into Consideration a Chapter of Card. Bellarmine's * C. Bellarm l. de Pontif. Ro. cap. de comparatione Legum wherein he useth very neat Sleights to elevate the heaviness and number of the Pontifical Laws and to make them fewer and lighter than were the Ordinances among the Jews For saith he the Laws absolutely impos'd upon all Christians by our Church are scarce found any more than four viz. To observe the Feasts of the Church And the Fasts and to Confess once a Year and to Communicate at Easter Indeed the Men of that generation are so wise that until any be a through Proselyte there is all shew of Moderation that may be to entice them into their Communion But first what Bondage was there ever among the Jews comparable to that one Obligation among the Romanists to believe the Church and Pope of Rome infallible with the Consequences of that in practice which are heavier than all the Jewish Observances set together 2ly On the Supposition that there were only those four general Precepts of the Church we may consider how great Burdens any one of them singly do contain 1. In that their Feasts are so excessive in their number and the observation of them have so many Superstitions V. Ch. 9. The same 2. is to be said of their Fasts 3. In that Auricular Confession of all Mortal Sins with all their Circumstances is enjoyn'd as by Divine Right V. Ch. 11. 4. The slightest Precept of the four is the last of Communicating at Easter But considering therewith the round belief of Transubstantiation which all are required to have we may truly say with our Bishop Hall * Remains p. 30. The Pope's little Finger is heavier than Moses 's Loins But perhaps one reason why the Cardinal saith there are so few Precepts of the Church is because he will say that many of the rest are Divine Commands as Extreme Unction c. The rest saith he of which the Tomes of Councils and Books of Canon Law are so full are not Laws but Admonitions only or pious Institutions without obligation to Fault However there are great store of them of a great Bulk But it is strange that so many Canons of Councils and other Laws enforced with Anathema should have no intended obligation to a Fault in case of Transgression Why were such Laws made or why were such Anathemaes annexed Or saith he They are Conditional Laws as of Celibacy in case any enter into sacred Orders which are not to be accounted burdensome because the Law leaves them to their choice as also in case of Vows How many and how strict observances are contained under such conditional Obligations is too well known to be largely insisted on The Purifications the choice of Meats among the Jews had not all of them comparably so many Rites and Orders and Laws as the Pontifical Oeconomy hath But to make the Precepts of the Church show very light and easie indeed The four Laws of the Church saith Bellarmin are rather a determination of the Divine Law than any new Law for by the Divine Law we are bound to dedicate some time to the Worship of God sometimes to Fast to Confess to Communicate True indeed But then the general Rules of Scripture the edification of Christian People the practice of the Primitive Church the ends of Religious Actions themselves ought to give measure to Laws as in the Church of England is practised and not to let their Commands run out into such lavish extremity where God hath left us at so large and safe freedom Lastly he saith The Commands of the Church have a most moderate Obligation for in their Fasts those who are Sick and Aged are accepted And for Festivals their observation also is dispensed with upon a just Cause So that in conclusion the Church of Rome is the most moderate Governour that ever was for there it is the easiest matter to get off from the strictest Precepts that are if you have Money but the Poor cannot be comforted * Nota diligenter quod hujusmodi gratia dispensationes non conceduntur pauperibus quia non sunt ideo non possunt consolari Taxa Cancel Apostol So great is the moderation of the Church of Rome so large are her Indulgences whether for Commission of Sin or for Omission of Duty § 10. Having mentioned the mildness of the Churche's Power It is meet for the further shewing her Moderation to note That our Church in the Government of her Ecclesiastical Courts in their manner of Process Sentence Appeals doth make use of the Law of Equity moderating even the practice of that also with all due Subordination to other Superiour Laws According to Equity our Church desires all its Laws may be interpreted ¶ Benignius leges interpretandae sunt quo voluntas earum conservetur Capienda est occasio quae praebet benignius responsum She admits of a mitigation of a rigid Sentence She doth sometimes dispense with her General Rules upon the exception of a particular Case Just reason requiring she admits a commutation of her Censures When there is sufficient Cause she is ready to abrogate any such Laws as are found inexpedient and inconvenient The reason of her Laws ceasing they are made to cease also And to take cognizance of their desires who ask a relaxation of strict or rigid Law there
is a Court of Faculties constituted on purpose to grant in many Cases not repugnant to the Law of God * Camden Britan. p. 110. a Dispensation of some Canons And if the Ecclesiastical Senate among the Disciplinarians might for the greater good of the Church dispence with a Rigid Law why Altare Damasc p. 85. may not the same be done in a Christian Kingdom by such Authority as the King and the Laws have constituted And we count it a great Moderation in our Establishment that there is amongst us a right of Appeal allowed in case of unjust Censure And the Moderation of our Public Government hath been such that Permissions which have been sometime known upon occasion were never allowed to make void the Laws of the Kingdom or the Church It may be added that in the separation and division of Causes which is made between our Ecclesiastical and Civil Courts as excellent Proportions and Measures are observable so instead of all is that the Rules of Ecclesiastical Practice are with all reserve and subordination to the Laws of the Kingdom For our Church useth no other voluntary Jurisdiction than what is established or confirmed and limited by the Statute or Municipal Law For the execution of which and to correct the Excesses and Defects which shall be found among the Ministers or People and to promote Piety Righteousness and Sobriety of Life and Conversation there are among us frequent Visitations appointed and practised by the Bishops and Arch-Deacons CHAP. XIII Of the Moderation of the Church and Kingdom referring to the Administration of Public Laws towards Offenders § 1. The occasion of that Mistake which is concerning the unlawfulness of Coercion in cases which concern Religion § 2. It may be very well consistent with the Moderation of the Church besides her own Censures to approve and sometimes desire such Coercion § 3. The Vse thereof in many Cases relating to Religion the undeniable Right of the Christian Magistrate § 4. Some of the chief Objections hereunto Answered § 5. Sundry proper Instances of the great Gentleness and most indulgent Care of our Church toward all its Members § 6. The Moderation of the Church and Kingdom not without their requisite and just Bounds § 7. The Recourse which our Church desires may be made to the Secular Arm is not but upon urgent and good Occasion § 8. Our Government defended from unjust Clamours of Persecution of the Romanists on one side and the Separatists on the other § 9. The Kings of England since the Reformation and especially his present Majesty Glorious Examples of this Moderation The effect of this Moderation yet much desired and wanted § 1. AS the nature of Moderation hath been Explained Ch. 1. The most proper Instances thereof are such as shew the Gentleness and Mildness of the Church with reference to such Censures and Punishments as are used and approved by Her Which is most necessary to be observed because the most general but groundless Objection against the Moderation of our Church hath been upon this Occasion Which if we truly consider ariseth either from a mistake in Judgment that all Coercion in matter of Religion is unlawful or else from an Impression which on the Phancy and Affection of easie and soft Dispositions hath been made from the Complaints of several to whom whatever looks like Penalty is commonly irksome and very unpleasing especially if it happens that they are guilty of the same wherefore they seem in haste to fly unto Religion as their Sanctuary against Punishment as if God's Religion and His Church had different Altars among us therefore I doubt not but when the Prejudice against the former Mistake is taken off Religion and the Church will appear to have the same Interest and the Moderation of the Church may be fairly acknowledged § 2. For the distinct understanding what is right in this Case we may first Consider how far toward this Coercion the Church can move of it self 1. We cannot but acknowledg the Church as a Society established by our Lord Christ and which was necessary to the being of a Church had Rulers therein appointed with Authority and Power to effect the necessary Ends of Government Which could not be without a power of Discipline to Rebuke Article 33 and Censure and Exclude from such a Society those who will not observe its just Laws Which proceeding was suitable to the Apostolical Practice and Command with relation to Offenders and agreable to what was practised among the Jews in their Synagogues the common Reasons of which are perpetually the same Namely that such a Community and Fellowship as the Church is be maintained in Unity Peace and Purity since without these no such Society can subsist and that such Offenders may if possible be reduced and amended who are bound to submit to such Censures by virtue of their own first Consent which was the Condition of being admitted to partake of the Privileges of such a Communion But in that general Contempt which is cast on Sacred things through the grievous Corruption of the Age since many are insensible of their Duty and Relation to the Church as Members and also are apt to despise the Church and her Spiritual Discipline Therefore the Church in a Christian Kingdom being in other Circumstances than considered alone by it self receiving thereby Defence in the exercise of its Power so far that many times the Christian Magistrate is pleased to add to the Spiritual Censures of the Church if need be such outward and sensible Punishments as may touch the Bodies or Goods or Temporal Interests of such Delinquents In such a case the Church hath reason to accept of such Defence and to approve also and defend the same civil Animadversions on Offenders since they are very lawful and useful and worthy a Christian Magistrate § 3. He being appointed of God for the punishment of Evil-doers and to execute Wrath on them Since they on whom the Church rightly inflicts her Censures are Evil-doers therefore such also the more they undervalue the Censures of the Church the more justly are they the subjects of the Civil Magistrates Punishment And since Offences which affront the Majesty of Heaven are of the highest Nature the more Religious a Magistrate is the more care he will take to see such Punished And since Christian Magistrates owe that duty to God from whom alone they receive their Power and Soveraignty they are therefore especially to take care of Religion and Common Reason and Experience instructs us This cannot be done unless such Laws are guarded with Sanctions of Punishments that so They may be indeed a Terror to those who will break the Peace and Order of the Church Especially when the Peace of the Church hath so great an Influence on the Peace of the Public State or Kingdom Which when it is Christian the Religion of the Kingdom is the chief part of its Laws This is the use of no other Power than what
cases such Omissions are pursued with more care and strictness because they destroy the very end for which the Power is given the Church to punish which is the preservation of Peace and Vnity § 5. Wherefore now it remains for us to observe the excellent measures of the Moderation of our Church in that Gentleness and Benignity which is shewed in the Administration of her Laws 1. Religion is no where allowed or desired to be more voluntary than among us And no where are any more required by their own choice and free use of their own understandings to take upon them the profession of their Religion 2. None by our Church were ever compelled to the Faith When did ever our Church encourage any Christian King to send his Arms to compel any Pagans or Infidels to the Faith 3. Let it be remembred None in our Church are punished only for their Opinion Even The Liberty of Prophesying saith Opinion may accidentally disturb Sect. 16. Num. 4. the public Peace through the overactiveness of the Person and the confidence of their Belief and the opinion of its appendant necessity and therefore Toleration of differing Persuasions in these cases is to be considered upon Political Grounds and is just to be admitted or denied as the Opinions or Tolerations of them may consist with the public and necessary ends of Government Let it also be remembred that our Church and Laws do allow a Liberty of Conscience and which is more a Liberty of Practice to such a degree as the Laws of the Kingdom and the Church judge safe for the Public Interest 'T is evident that they already allow a large and real Toleration within such bounds as They have judged the Public Peace may be secured which large Liberties all are not sensible of who enjoy them because they compare not the effects of that Spirit of Meekness in our Church with the Cuts of those Rods and Axes too I may say which have been prepared both by the Romish Communion and by other Disciplinarians And by the few things which our Church hath determin'd since there is so great a liberty left for Mutual Toleration It is evident that the Divine Moderation of our Church considers the frame of Man and the uncertainty difficulty and imperfection of Humane Knowledg the weakness and variety of Humane Understandings She alloweth much to the force of Prejudice Education and the power and artifice of Seducers Our Church makes a great reserve of Dispensation to Persons of modest humble docible and peaceful Spirits and proportions its Censures to the degrees of Malice and the Unchristian Temper which appears in Offenders and chiefly designs securing Peace and the true ends of Government and the common interest of her Communion 4. All Christian care is used to inform and instruct the Ignorant and those who are in Error with all Meekness and Patience * Blandâ pietate portandi sunt qui increpari pro suâ infirmitate non possunt Prosper de vitâ Contempl. c. 5. Counsels Debates Persuasions Concessions Indulgences from time to time have been used sufficient to justifie our Church and leave her obstinate Adversaries the more Inexcusable The Infirm and ¶ Veluti pueris absinthia tetra Cum dare conantur priâ—â— or as pocula circum Lucret. l. 4. Weak our Church receives with an Apostolic Care and earnestly provides they be not led into doubtful Disputations It doth not only pray that all such as have Erred and are Deceived may be led into the Way of Truth but requires her Ministers to use all private Conferences and means that may be to reduce the Dissenting Brother Which Method at large is prescribed in the 3 d Canon 1640. for the suppressing the growth of Popery and is also provided for in the 66 Canon 1603. It is not my purpose said King James †Confer at Hampt Court and I dare say it is not the Bishops intent presently and out of hand to enforce these things without Fatherly Admonitions Conferences V. Refor Leg. Eccl. de jud contr har c. 3. and Persuasions Wherefore the Rules of our Church require in the exercise of her Authority great Gravity Temper and Wariness There being no Earthly Providence so likely to secure the Obedience of Children as that of Parents not provoking them and the difference being not great and the danger equal whether that be done by too great severity of Punishments or levity of Commands the one abating the Love the other the Reverence due to the Parents * Dr. Ham. of resolv Controversies Our Church therefore maintains the Reverence due to her by laying greatest stress on the weightest matters of the Law and declares the keeping or omitting of a Ceremony in it self considered is but a small thing setting aside Wilfulness and Contempt ¶ Pref. of Cerem and which might in reason gain Love to our Church her Punishments are as mild as her Commands are reasonable 5. The Punishments for any Errors yea Heresy it self which by our Laws are allowed or by our Church are approved are so moderate as thereby may appear their design is not Destruction but Amendment and Edification As our Church doth earnestly commend Gentleness so it practiseth the same for as our Church saith †Homily of the state of Matrimony Honest Natures will sooner be retained in their Duties by gentle words than by extremity and severity and frowardness is not mended with frowardness but with softness Wherefore the Institution of a Christian Man saith The Bishops are not bound so precisely but they may attemper and forbear the Execution of their Jurisdiction when by so doing the Cure of the Offenders and the Tranquillity of the Church may be furthered Our Church being of the same Judgment with those Fathers of the Church who when the Donatists were intolerable they consented to some lesser Penalty but constantly condemned taking away their Lives * Semper tamen Augustinus excipit supplicium Mortis non quod illos hoc non mereri putaret sed tùm quia hoc decere Ecclesiae Mansuetudinem putaret C. Bellarm. de Laicis Tom. 2. l. 3. c. 21. At other times our Church moderates her Censures in proportion to the Offence for the reducing the Transgressor using a Medicinal Censure before a Precisive a less to prevent a greater Excommunication ¶ Canon 48. 88. 109. 115. This she resorts to as the last Remedy †Monitio omnes ferè Censuras Ecclesiasticas pracedit De Polit. Eccl. Anglic p. 315. and so also that the Church hath her Bosom open to any who return and repent of their wicked Errors and Practices and upon Repentance our Church is more ready to Absolve than otherwise to Bind and delights to give her Sons to God but very unwillingly * Form Senten Excommunic delivers them over to Satan ¶ Sic Episcopi affectus boni est postremò quod sanari non potest cum dolore abscindere
S. Ambros Offic. l. 2. c. 27. Wherefore those who in the execution of the Church-Discipline abuse the most excellent Temper of the Church in the Constitution of her Laws under the pretence of Ecclesiastical Authority verily they most of all deserve the Churches Rod and the dire point of her Anathema Let it be considered said Bishop Taylor †Ductor Dub. l. 3. p. 259. how great a reproach it is to Ecclesiastical Discipline if it be made to minister to Covetousness and to the need of Proctors and Advocates The more shame for the over-easie denouncers of that Censure that inflict it for every trivial commission without consideration whether or no repented of or that use this soveraign Recipe unadvisedly for any other end than reforming of the Prophane ¶ Doctor Hammond of the Keys c. 5. §. 18. Where this Discipline is duly exercised if it hath not that effect as it might and ought much may be imputed to the immoderate refractoriness of the Recusants among us who are so devoted to their Wills that they have rendred our Discipline more useless than it would be Yet sundry abuses referring hereunto our Canons have endeavoured to redress § 6. But there is a Moderation in Moderation it self ¶ Solertèr cavendum ne dum moderatius custoditur virtus humilitatis solvantur jura regiminis S. Greg. M. pastor cur par 2. c. 6. Wherefore it is one great Commendation of the Moderation of the Church of England and her Supreme Governours when the Case hath required their Moderation hath been necessarily and conveniently governed because of the danger thereof otherwise For God used Samuel as a Messenger against Eli for his excess of Indulgence to his Sons 1 Sam. 3. 13. And yet Samuel himself seems scarce free from the very same fault concerning his Sons 1 Sam. 8. 3 15. And this Indulgence occasioned the change of the Civil Government as the former was the loss of the Priesthood * Iram benignitas mitiget benignitatem zelus exacuat ita alterum condiatur ex altero ut nec immoderata ultio plasquam opertâ—t affligat nec iterum frangat rectitudinem Disciplinae remissio Greg. M. l. 4. Epist 55. Moderation is confessed an excellent Vertue and much to be desired but then it is in a subject capable of it wherein there are extremes and excesses to be moderated as certainly there is in all our passions there it is proper Only this Caution Bishop Lany â—n 1 Thess 4. 11. is to be observed in Lenity that it be such as may win Men into the Church not such as may secure and encourage them to stay without Yet Lenity and Gentleness is so good a Vertue that I am loth to cast Water upon it or seem to temper it But for Men of moderate Opinions I am at a loss to know what they should be for Moderation there cannot be but between Extremes Now what extremes are there of Opinions in a settled Church unless the Church be one Extreme and the Schismatick another And then the Man of moderate Opinions is he that is part Church-man and part Schismatick Possibly they may bestow that good word Moderation upon such as care little to observe the Law themselves or to require it of others But if the Law it self be too rigorous in God's Name let it be amended and not left to the arbitrary power of others to do it for that is known to be a remedy ten times worse than the disease * Bishop Ward Nov. 5. 1661. Praestat vivere ubi nihil licet quà m ubi omnia There is no Cruelty so great as that of Laxness of Government nor any Tyranny in the World like the rage of Subjects let loose and the little finger of Licentiousness is harder than the Loins of the severest Laws and strictest Government § 7. Yet our Church hath not recourse to the Secular Arm but upon urgent and good occasion When the Spiritual Power of the Church cannot have all the effect which it ought to keep Men in order for their own good and the common peace of the Kingdom and the Church the supreme political Governour hath right to restrain and animadvert on Hereticks and Schismaticks that the Contagion may not spread as doth a Cancer and that the disorder in the Church may not influence the disturbance of the Kingdom therefore when great Reason moves the Church is glad when the Civil Power will be friend it so far as to defend and protect it in its Office and sometime to render the same effectual to enforce a common and public Order even by the Laws of the Land For * Institu of a Christian-man p. 46. It is out of all doubt that the Bishops and Priests never had any Authority by the Gospel to punish any Man by Corporal Punishments and therefore they were oftentimes moved of necessity to require Christian Princes to interpose their Authority and by the same to reduce the Inobedient to the good Order of the Church § 8. Wherefore it is not improper here to take notice of the wrong notion which the Romanists and other Separatists have entertain'd not only of Moderation but of Persecution As if every Spiritual Censure of the Church or Punishment of the Magistrate for the greatest inconformity and disorder and breach of the Peace of the Church and the Ecclesiastical Orders of the Kingdom was Persecution when indeed it is but defending the Faith and the society of the Faithful that is the Church Which is the noblest Privilege of Christian Princes and the most worthy execution of their Power Yet herein the immoderate Calumnies of our Adversaries appear more grievous that upon any execution of this Power the Offenders instead of accusing themselves and being reconciled to the Lenity of the Church and the Preserver of its Laws They accuse at one blow the whole frame of Government of direful Persecution as if they had erected some terrible Tribunal of Inquisitors which our Church doth most of all abhor and doth declare against punishing even Heretics as such only with Death much less those who are falsely branded with that name which is the cruelty of the Romish Inquisition And the Moderation of our Church hath no other Punishments but what are just and proper to convince such and reduce them and secure their own but indeed if Heretical and Erroneous Persons cause a Schism and Division and make a breach upon the Churche's Peace If the Christian Magistrate restrain or punish such they do but as in the Ancient Church the Christian Emperours have done as when St. Austin * Insectamur vipotestatis secularis Haereticos non quia fidem deseruerunt sed quia illi Catholicos usque ad necem persequuntur St. Aug. Ep. 50. was forc'd to call upon the Imperial Arm for defence of the Church against those kind of Donatists call'd the Circumcelliones 1. The Romanists set up this cry of Persecution and the other Separatists
different Judgments and Interests of the divided World are now a Reconciliation is thought impossible and generally impracticable but because the very speculation of Peace is delightful we make in the Idea this Supposition § 8. Admit which is a case possible some few Families of well-bred and better disposed Persons but of as different Persuasions in the Extreams as any are among us were to settle together in some remote Island and had a singular inclination to compass a Communion with each other in what they might in Spiritual Matters The means to bring this about one would think must be the same which all wise Persons would take to convince another of a different Persuasion namely by moving upon such Principles as both agree in which being improv'd to the utmost they are capable of must be between them the common foundation of a possibility of agreement Suppose then upon this score a Romanist and an extream Dissenter should yet agree in the most Fundamental Articles of Faith contained in the received Creeds and in acknowledging the Holy Scriptures in their Original or admitting the Vulgar Version or the like and if they admit the four first General Councils so much the better Upon this Stock an accommodation must be negotiated amongst them 1. Neither pretending to be Dictators one to the other for that will spoil all but to acquiesce as these Principles and their best Reasons shall govern them to a fair entercourse in common For Union in Practice 2. No unjust condition of Communion must be enjoyned on either hand Nor any thing but what is very necessary and clear as well as they can agreed on according to those first Rules 3. Both must sincerely bear with one another in what they appear to differ and to forbear all occasions of giving mutual distast that may be 4. Sufficient security must be mutually given against such Principles the professing and pursuing of which necessarily destroys all Civil and Spiritual Communion As for Instance That Faith is not to be kept with those whom one part calls Hereticks Or that right of Dominion one over the other is founded in Saint-ship c. 5. For accommodation in Peace-sake if these and the like Principles and Doctrines be publickly and sufficiently renounced then they must mutually take care that the evil Consequence of either shall not be imputed to those particular Persons who do detest them and acknowledg them most impious This being the proper Foundation for Communion together in Doctrine Sacraments and Discipline the consequent business is to convince such as will admit of the Debate That those Doctrines and Practices which are received above and beside what are mutually agreed in do really contradict the clear Contents of the Scripture or the Judgment of the Universal Church and are not of safe influence on the Christian Religion It may do well to be shewn by Instances of Fact and the light of concurrent Tradition when the particular Innovations entred in by what occasions and degrees and the evil Consequences of them all Which will more effectually be performed if it can be demonstrated That most of this is acknowledged by the many of the sincere amongst themselves at quiet Intervals And if they can distinguish between what might be of Original good intent or had at least a plausible pretence and what is of manifest corruption So much of all this as was proper and belonging to the Church of England to perform that She may acquit her self from the Imputations of those who deny her Communion let the whole Church of God judg how carefully and how peaceably She hath done her part But those of the Church of Rome who have appeared desirous of Reconciliation have done it either for civility of Conversation or out of Design or without leave of their Superiors For admit Protestants could open a Door to the Peace of Christendom the Romanists * Num verò spem aliquam ostendunt Pontificii Moderationis leâ—ationis emendationis nihil profecto minùs quin execrandum Anathema dicunt c. Chemn ex Cone Trid. Sess 7. Can. 13. set a Bolt on their side by their Doctrine of Infallibility however they place it whereby they seem to think it unlawful to correct themselves of such Errors as most grievously divide the Church Therefore as the case stands the Learned Thorndike †Forbearance of Penalties Ch. 8. p. 38. professeth himself freely to be without any manner of hope that ever the See of Rome will abate any thing of their Rigour tho the Reformation should content themselves with these terms for I find by the proceeding of former Times that it is their Maxim To stand to that which they have once done And to mark those Popes to posterity that have abated any thing from the rigour of their Predecessors For being arrived at this greatness by this rigour and obstinacy in all pretences right or wrong they will always think themselves obliged in reason of State not to yeeld so much as the Cup in the Eucharist Not considering all this while that this rigour is the cause of Division The Remedy therefore must begin from those Parties which have given cause of the breach if they shall remit of their undue height and rigour and be content with those moderate bounds which God hath set them both for Doctrine and Government and yield themselves but capable of Error there may be a possibility of Vnion and Peace but while they persist to challeng an Infallibility of Judgment and uncontroulableness of Practice they do wilfully block up the way to all Reconciliation and Concord and stand guilty of all that grievous Schism under which the Church of God thus long and miserably suffers * Bp. Halls Remains p. 410. †Casaubon of Reformation p. 147. But This is the grand Mystery of Jesuitism and Politic Popery at this day to look upon all moderate Counsels as pernicious and destructive § 9. The design of Peace is generally applauded by all and indeed it is so excellent an undertaking it seems a great pity that any endeavours for it should at any time be blasted with suspicion misconstruction and ill success And whereas some have Objected against us that we are ready to chuse Pacisication with the Romish rather than with the Protestant Dissenter We Answer 1. in general with respect to both That true Christianity requires us to be Enemies to no one If any will be to us and to Truth the blame must lie at their Door who give the just cause If any require plainly sinful conditions indispensable to hold Communion with them in such a case the Command holds good Come out from among them and be ye separate The reason why in Disputation Reconciliation with the Romanists hath upon such terms mentioned bin spoken of is because They are they who have laid the Obstruction to all Union by their enormous Corruptions and it lies upon them to remove the Obstruction and no
wonder if they be called on so to do And who will not consent to that however hopeless desire if they will lay aside their Corruptions we may be all one Sheepfold under one Shephard Christ Jesus Concerning such Projects of Reconciliation with the Church of Rome which have been made long since by some of the most moderate of their own Communion and some other Learned Men amongst Protestants Of which Cassander's Consultation * Ergo istipii pacifici viri sunt omnes ficti simulati C. Bellarm. Tom. 2. l. 3. c. 19. with Grotius's Annotations also thereon are most common and famous Of these this may safely be said whether and to what degrees their Designs be approved or condemned however they have given abundant Proofs wherein the Church of Rome at present appears the more irreconcileable the more she is opposite to all such terms of Reconciliation which they have discoursed If some other Discourses have bin at any time made by any of our Communion referring to such Reconciliation with some Romanists they may be lookt upon only as such Suppositions as have bin among Learned Men generally discoursed thereby the more clearly to show the unreasonableness of the Romish Rigours But what-ever may be proposed as a meer Speculation the vanity of concluding upon any such Union as likely may appear from the Principles of the Church of Rome which are such if we take away her Corruptions we take away Popery it self Yet it must be acknowledged the Art of the Romanist even in such seeming Concessions is very notorious to gain such Points for themselves as may serve their present turns and may make afterwarward for the confirmation of their own Rigours But whatsoever some few among them promise what should be consented to by them is like an Agreement made by a Minor which is void as the Tutor and Governour shall please for we know not only what the nature of their Gifts are but also how they receive and return Concessions and Indulgences Wherefore such Proposals from any of our Communion are the more needless because the Principles of our Reformation are already so prudent and moderate As to some who have suspected an inclination in those of our Communion to pacification rather with the Romanists than with them We Answer 1. This is the nature of Aemulous Parties to be always thus jealous of any sorts of Communication with their Adversaries but so long as the Romanists and Sectaries have had the same kind of jealousy of the same sorts of Persons it is but a good proof of the real Moderation of our Church and of those of her Communion in opposition to all undue extreams Neither ought it to be interpreted Indifference Neutrality and Lukewarmness but impartial constancy to such Truth as is espoused for her own sake Sometime that jealousy hath bin raised of design to make the indiscreet sort of Men among us the more out of charity with our Church Notwithstanding it will be made out Ch. 17. § 7. that those who conform to the Church of England do not agree with the Papists so really as our Dissenters do Our dissenting Brethren often forget what hath bin performed by our Church in opposition to the Romish Corruptions and Errors and also for the sake of themselves They forget how often their Jealousies have proved groundless and untrue And it would do well for the time to come if the sincere among them would set down in some place by it self such jealousies of theirs and in the next Column over against would remark their own frequent mistakes Such forget also or seem never to have known how our Reformation hath bin approved of by the best Protestants And whereas they seem to pity the first Reformers as Men but half so much enlightned as themselves who look upon the Moderation of our Church but proportionable to the first crepuscular and duskish Light of those Times in this Matter they speak like those who have received some Traditions at second-hand from Cartwright but never compar'd his Writings with Arch-Bishop Whitgift and as they do not seem to consider the full knowledg and consideration which our Reformers had of the Principles and Abuses of Popery and the diligent eye they had also to such other Reformations as before ours had their perfection so they do not consider that our present Establishment was constituted with respect to our Protestants of the greatest aversation from Rome It is much to be feared that those that clamour most of us for pacification with the Romanists so little understand what they would have that because the Romanists hold as Mr. Perkins sheweth Reformed Catholic the same necessary Heads of Religion with us they seem willing and contented we should renounce sundry Articles of our Creed that we may be sure not to agree with them And this is spoken upon good grounds for many of our Protestant Dissenters as they are called do as it is too well known not by Consequence only but in direct terms deny many I may say of these few first Fundamental Verities of Common Christianity as 't is a sad thing to say it may be shewn at large and yet nevertheless what kindness what friendship what Correspondence is practised and encouraged by them daily with these Friends who are less suspected or reviled than the true and firm Protestants of the Church of England And whereas they commonly say That the Church of England and the chief of Her Communion are unwilling to allow any Pacification with or Concessions to Protestant Dissenters as may be reasonable for public Concord We Answer 1. They are utterly mistaken in saying so for beside that the conditions of Communion with our Church are very equal and just We may presume to say also from what our Church hath done and hath declared She is willing to do and from the disposition of Her Communion there is no doubt but our Church would gladly in such things as she might remit of what she judgeth otherwise expedient for the ends of Peace and Universal Concord if she could be assured any reasonable Concessions should have that effect as might suit with the true Honour of God and the real good of the Church Uniformity in Religious and Ecclesiastical Matters sure is so excellent and desirable a gain that certainly an establishment somewhat less perfect with being of the same mind so far as we have attained and with a regular and effectual observation of good Laws is more expetible than an appointment in some Circumstances more perfect without the same uniform order and peace therewith But how unequal is it that they should be the only Arbiters and Judges of Union who not only are great Authors of our Dissention but are at such great disagreements among themselves V. Ch. 18. § 2. Rule 10. and are so imperious and tyrannical in their disobedience as some of them are CHAP. XV. Of the Moderation of the Church toward other Churches and Professions
of Women Burial-Service the Gloria Patri to come under the name of Popery Altho by no Instance was it ever made to appear That our Church agrees with the Romanist in any thing contrary to Scripture and the practice of the Primitive Church As she is truly also most remov'd from Fanaticism neither using nor encouraging any Enthusiastic way of Religion nor allowing any resisting of Authority under any Religious Pretences whatsoever Any one may be convinced that no formed Church in the Christian World is more truly Protestant than is the Church of England nor any which all things compared less compromiseth with Rome If they will but consider in our Articles Liturgy Canons Constitutions Practice Oaths of Supremacy c. how firmly our Church preserves and enforceth the Reformation Yea the Canons of 1640 did excellently take care for the suppressing the growth of Popery Canon 3. 6. and also of Socinianism Canon 4. Which Seeds of Socinianism have bin scattered amongst our Sectaries and have of late had great growth amongst them Yet nevertheless if such Friends as they should slip into greater Heresy so long as they are with them in the Schism there is a special respect due to them rather than to the close adherents of the Church of England who because they run not into the madness of their extremes and are not outragious too in that madness they are forward to clamour against our Church it self as Popish and turn their own silly Surmises into powerful Calumnies Neither do those who reproach our Constitution sufficiently call to mind what hath bin done all along since the Reformation by our Kings of England and the great Councils of the Kingdom and the Orders of the Church and the Industry of our Bishops for the suppression of the growth of Popery § 2. But as a sufficient Evidence that our Church according to its establishment doth in no sort favour Popery They must be very disingenuous and wanting to Truth who will not readily acknowledg that the Labours of our Bishops and our Conformable Clergy remain the most impregnable defence of the Reformation For who I pray have more strenuously and constantly opposed the Innovations and immoderate Extravagancies of the Church of Rome than our Bishops and the Learned Men in firm Communion with our Church even since Queen Mary's days when some were Martyrs and Confessors and whose Writings but theirs who have held firm Communion with our Church remain as the constant Bullwark of our Protestant Reformation Wherefore the Romanists keenest displeasure * Immortale odium nunquam sanabile vulnus Ardet adhuc Combos Tentyra Juven Sat. 15. and jealousie hath bin always against the Church of England because from Her they have always received as forcible repulses as any As nothing doth more stir up the anger of a Zealous Enemy than the equal behaviour of those they malign and a moderate carriage doth sometime provoke their sharpest hatred So certainly nothing hath more stir'd up the jealousy of the Romanists than the excellent temper which is observed in our Churche's Constitution 'T is for the sake of this poor Church alone said our most noble Lord Chancellor †that the March 6. 1678. State hath bin so much disturbed It is her Truth and Peace her Decency and Order which they labour to undermine and pursue with so restless a malice And since they do so it will be necessary for us to distinguish between Popish and other Recusants between them that would destroy the whole Flock and them that only wander from it As for those of our Separatists who have sometimes menaged Debates with the Romanists the cunning Adversary commonly lets them alone for how seldom do we see a Romanist write against or oppose a Nonconformist and be in much earnest against him Not merely because he thinks such inconsiderable but because these are doing their Work for them as fast as they can * Hoc Ithacuâ— velit Magno mercentur Atrida Whereas those Contests which have bin menaged upon the Principles of our Church's Reformation have given the Romanists greatest awe and have always exercised their utmost strength § 3. Wherefore those of the Separation who have bin concerned in these Clamours and Surmises of our Church favouring Popery have acted therein as appears first very falsly and then very imprudently in reproaching so excellent a Reformation and by joining with them in their opposing our Church they strengthen the hands of the Romanists whom they pretend to oppose to the great scandal of the Christian Religion and great mischief to the true Protestant Interest Which caused Bishop Morton in his Epistle to the Nonconformists to tell them Beside their notorious Scandals given to the Church of God it self of their breaking the Hedg of Peace and opening the Gap for the wild Bore out of the Romish Forest to enter in and root out that goodly Vine which many Pauls industrious Bishops many Apollo's faithful Martyrs have planted and watered Even as Josephus * notes the Divisions of the Jews laid †Prol. ad bel Jud. them open to their overthrow And by their several Divisions which they help to propagate among us they join with the Romanists in endeavouring to overthrow and destroy our Constitution While they are crumbling into Factions biting and devouring one another a vigilant Adversary who is intent upon his advantage and opportunities may when he spieth his time over-master them with much more ease and less resistance †Bishop Sanderson's Preface to his Sermons Ad rerum momenta cliens seseque daturus Victori And the more unreasonable and vehement they are in their clamours the more they help the Roman Engineer to confound and overturn Therefore Arch-Bishop Whitgift ¶ Arch-Bp Whitgift Answ to the Admon p. 55. See his Letter to Q. Eliz. Fuller's Hist l. 9. now above a hundred years since said I am persuaded you and they do the Pope great good Service and he would not miss you for any thing For what is his desire but to have this Church of England which he hath cursed utterly defaced and discredited to have it by any means over-thrown if not by Foreign Enemies yet by Domestic Dissention And what apter Instruments could he have for that purpose than you who under pretended Zeal overthrow what others have built under colour of Purity seek to bring in Deformity under cloâ—e of Equality would usurp as great Tyranny and Lofty lordliness over your Parishes as ever the Pope of Rome over the whole Church Which also was the judgment of the University of Oxford 1603. Verily these Men are like Sampson 's Foxes they have their heads severed indeed the one sort looking toward the Papacy the other to the Presbytery but they are tied together by the Tails with Fire-brands between them to the injury of the Church Who would ever have thought said Bishop Bancroft 1588 in a Sermon at St. Pauls that we should ever have lived
Factions how prone are they and sequacious 13. Both the Romanists and Sectaries to serve their turn upon occasion cast off the use of Reason wherein God hath made it a Guide Therefore they both reproach our Faith as a humane probable natural fallible Faith the one because we will not receive Oral Tradition and the like Uncertainties the other because we do not think an immediate extraordinary testimony of the Spirit necessary to assure us of the certainty we have of our Faith of the Truth of Holy Scriptures to afford us also our words in Prayer and the assurance of our Salvation 14. The Superstitions of the Papists are notorious and also of our Sectaries and so many they are not here to be numbred If Superstition be going beyond all measure their humour is to keep no Measure nor order but to heap one superfluous thing upon another and then they think God is pleased because they are Many of them account it a sign of Grace and the favour of God and matter of greatest Conscience not to hear or use Common Prayers nor any decent Rite or Practice required by the Church The Romanists invoke Saints of uncertain Sanctity Many of the Separatists call those of their own Party the only Saints and judg them to have the right to judg the World and in the mean time to rule it if they cannot do that they must censure what is done by others 15. The Romanists and our Enthusiasts are very much the same in their Pharisaical Humour described at large and reprehended by our Saviour Mat. 23. 4. To name only Their binding heavy Burdens and grievous to be born and laying them on Mens shoulders As the Romanists add twelve Articles to their Creed a wondrous number of Ceremonies to their seven Sacraments Not to mention more of their loads of Injunctions their Festivals their Auricular Confession their Vows their Scourgings and Fastings and Penances which they lay upon the Poor when the Imposers do not touch them with one of their fingers or with wetting the least of them they can get themselves an easy Dispensation Doth not the same Pharisaical Spirit possess many who make the Peace of the World and the Church depend upon their peculiar Doctrines Who make all they can think it a sin to come to Common-Prayer to kneel at the Sacrament to be Baptized according to Order of the Church to pray in a Form to wear a Surplice Instead of making broad their Philacteries and enlarging the Fringes of their Garments they have had another sort of Superstition in wearing their Hair in a precise cut somewhat like the tonsures of the Romanists some will not wear a Riband Others not Starch in their Bands nor pull off their Hat 16. The Council of Trent makes the Intention of the Priest necessary to the Sacraments Many of the Separation make the Spiritual Grace of the Minister absolutely necessary for the Peoples receiving benefit from the same 17. Both the Romanists and the Separatists use much the same kind of Arts to blast their Adversaries The Romanists have their Legends and Fables just so our Separatists love to pick up Stories of Bishops and the Clergy and to patch them together in enmity to our Church with these they keep up the humour of the People who entertain them with good things I wish such would remember what in Levit. 19. 16. the command is Thou shalt not go up and down a Tale-bearer among thy People which the Ghaldee Paraphrase interprets Non comedes Placentas in Populo tuo Thou shalt not go up and down among the People pacifying thy Appetite eating of their Delicates and to please them again tell tales of Governors * Apud Anglos est simile genus Hominum quoscirculatores Itali vocant qui irrumpunt in Convivia c. Erasm Eccles l. 3. 18. Most of our * Ineptè nobis tribuis Catharorum nomen cùm Cathari suos habuerint Episcopos quos nos omnes sublatos ex omnibus Ecclesiis optamus Altar Damasc p. 367. Separatists are highly against the Government in the Church by Bishops and in the Covenant the same is ranked with Superstition Heresy and Schism Even so the Jesuits who are the great Exalters of the Pope's Supremacy declare commonly against Bishops as if the source of all Disorders came from Bishops contending for their Jurisdiction which say they makes so many small Popes thus the Jesuits argue †V. C. Palavicini Hist Conc. Trid. l. 1. c. 25. Then it will follow that the Pope cannot dispose of things belonging to their Jurisdictions and then the Pope may be opposed by these Bishops which may be a ready way to overthrow the Papacy So that the Controversy who hath the Jurisdiction which belongs to Bishops in common nay who have such Jurisdiction by Divine Right is driven between the Court of Rome who challeng it to the Pope and other Consistories among us in Division from our Church Wherefore in opposition to Bishops the highest Papalins talk most of the Sovereign Power of the People because they hold the Interest of the Pope to be upheld by their veneration And by the Interest of the Jesuits for many years of late the Popish Faction in England have bin with-held from having any Titular Bishops And most of our Separatists would be glad there were no other thus in their opposition to Bishops they agree 19. Both the Romanists and Separatists extreamly agree in their Principles against the Civil Magistrate According to that of Bishop Lany * Serm. on 1 Thess 4. 11. The Papists and Presbyterians hunt in couples against the King's Power and Supremacy 'T is admirable to see how the Common-Wealths Men in the times of the late Rebellion received their Principles from the Ancient and Modern Writers of the Jesuits and other Papists and still agree with them in most of the Republican Doctrines and Tendencies of them to the like Practices Both the Papists and the others infringe the Authority of the King in Ecclesiastical Matters within his own Dominions Both deny the Right of Kings to call Synods and Ecclesiastical Convocations Both hold that Kings may be put out of all Ecclesiastical Communion Both deny the Supremacy of the King one attributes it to the Pope originally the other to the People And the same Arguments which the Pope useth for his Supremacy over Kings the Disciplinarians use for establishing their Soveraignty the one exempts all the Clergy from the Jurisdiction of the Supreme Magistrate and the other Disciplinarians in Scotland have now a long time endeavoured to have their Ministers exempted from the Punishments of the Civil Governour The pretence of the King's Authority against his Person was hatched under the Roman Territories and was made use of in the Holy League of France * Chr. Loyalty l. 2. c. 1. V. Fowlis of Pop. Treason◠c. The Rules for making a King become a Tyrant and then ceasing to be a King that it may
Bull against Queen Elizabeth they will cry out God hath set them over all Princes and Nations to pluck up and destroy and to scatter to plant and to build They will presently be for binding Kings in Chains and our Nobles in Fetters of Iron that the Saints may rule and that the mountain of his Holiness may be exalted 9. In the mean while they have among them such a political and artificial dependence on their principal Leaders and the administration of their Body is cast into such a method for communication of News and * Tantum vaferrimi veteratores ex solâ correspondentiâ utilitatem ad unioâ—em tuendam sentiunt Hospin de Jesuitis l. 4. intelligence of their Affairs and Interests as we may be sure is contrived and menaged and directed by more subtil Wits than their own being so very like the same method which the Agents of Rome use themselves for the propagation and disposition of their Matters To mention nothing now further of their Agreements with the severest Emissaries of Rome in their pretences to all mortification of Spirit and mildness In their pretences to extraordinary and miraculous Gifts in their many kinds of Superstitions and Pharisaicalness in their clamours also of Persecution in their grievous Anathema's and Curses they use against us too like the Roman Curses by Bell Book and Candle which sheweth what is the Light within them § 9. It might be no difficult thing to shew some of those steps and degrees by which some commonly advance to Popery who separate from Communion with our Church The first step to Division is When what is amiss in Government and Governours in Church or State is set forth to the full advantage of dissatisfaction as may make withal the most lamentable out-cry that may be unto which there shall never be wanting arch and cunning Instruments who by all plausible means shall stir up the humour and Passions and Zeal of the People under such pretences as shall most inflame and excite them Then in the next place are made such immoderate pretences to Purity and profession of Saintship as when poor simple People experience upon trial the same to be false and not to answer their expectation they run and seek from one Sect to another till they come to be Quakers and so as we see in the next preparation to Popery 3. Having thus cast off all Forms as dangerous and unlawful being raised to expect every-where the effects of a Spirit extraordinary they are made so Enthusiastical 't is hard to contain them within ordinary bounds till they arrive at the perfection of Enthusiasm the Light within 4. By the way we must note there is no one Principle which hath bin the Original of all this Enthusiasm and Division more than that Nothing is lawful to be done but for which there is an express Example or Precept in the Scripture Which attributing to the Holy Scriptures that Perfection which is beside the end of them doth tend by consequence to take away the true perfection of them which they have which hath bin considered in the 4th Chapter which hath bin found true for all these sub-divisions of Sects have tended in the conclusion to cast off Holy Scripture as a Rule By the consequences of this Principle is come to pass what Arch-Bishop Whitgift and Hooker and others foretold If Puritanism should prevail it would soon draw in Anabaptism From them we have had Quakers and Seekers and other Sects which divide us and are ready to destroy us and to bring in Popery as it were at the back door I may not dissemble my own fears saith Bishop Sanderson * Pref. to his Serm V. Arch. Bp. Laud's dying Speech if things still go on as they have hitherto proceeded the application that some have made of that passage John 11. 48. The Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation will prove but a true Prophecy and Popery will over-run all at the last 5. But when they are run out of all possibility of pretending any Scripture to justify their Actions they then warrant them by Providence and such a necessity as God hath called them unto by extraordinary Revelations and Impulses which in the next remove comes to be Light within them 6. And when once they are off from our legal Establishments what can stop the Divisions of several Sects from ending in confusion and being made a prey of by designing Men whose business is when the Public is on fire to make out their Spoils And who think we are most cunning and industrious to make the advantage by all this but they whose greatest Business and industrious Design is to have our Church ruined Who make use of our Divisions to cry up also the necessity of an Infallible Judg of Controversy The Infallible private Spirit is a fair preparation thereunto and when they have broken and discredited the Authority of our Church they have that taken away which gives them most hinderance and opposition § 10. What hath bin in so many Instances proved is most agreeable 1. To the Art Industry and Design of the Romanists to make use of the Prejudices and Passions the divided Principles and Interests of Men to serve their purposes which are by any means whatsoever to multiply Proselytes and enlarge their Party Wherefore the Thesis of Bishop Bramhall out of Nilus was worthy such an Assertor That the Papacy as it was challenged and usurped in many places and as it hath bin usurped in our Native Country was either the Procreant or Conservant Cause or both Procreant and Conservant of all the Ecclesiastical Controversies in the Christian World * Bp. Br. Gro. Rel. p. 74. 2. This is no more than what is agreeable to most common experience since the Reformation and hath bin noted with great authority and remark In the Preamble of the Act of Parliament 27. Hen. 8. 1536. The Public Authority of the Kingdom took notice how many of the Pope's Emissaries were practising up and down the Kingdom and persuading the People to acknowledg his pretended Authority In the Homily against Rebellion it is observed That the Bishops of Rome by the Ministry of their disguised Chaplains creep into Houses in Laymens Apparel and raise Rebellion The same Comenius relates was practised by them in the Bohemian Church †Admiscebant se personati quidam qui Papa causam promoturi dissentines mutuas promovebant Histor §. 36. Our English History tells us of sundry seditious Motions soon after and about the time of the Reformation which received their Impressions and Continuance from the influence of Romish Agents as * V. Acts and Monuments p. 1086. 1087 1306. in the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire and Devonshire Commotions and Rebellions which were actuated by Monks Priests and Papists And how the like Game hath bin played ever since especially from the beginning of our Troubles in England Scotland Ireland c. Mr. Fowlis gives sundry proofs in
are known to have done more real and faithful service to the Protestant Cause than all those that have entertained and promoted that rumour have bin able to do I will at present only mention Arch-Bishop Laud whose Labours against Popery and the other Separation were equally vigilant Of whom the Letter of Discovery of the Treason against the King and Kingdom and the Protestant Religion Octob. 1640. thus speaks Yet notwithstanding there remained on the King's part a knot hard to be untied for the Lord Arch-Bishop by his constancy interposed himself as a hard Rock And yet it was a lamentable hard case that at the very same time the Reproaches and Seditions of the People were inflamed against King Charles I. of blessed memory and Arch-Bishop Laud under suspicions of their favouring Popery at the very same time the Jesuits were conspiring the killing of King Charles I. and also Arch-Bishop Laud and the Convulsion of the Kingdom and the Ruin of the Protestant Religion and introducing of Popery as appears by the Discovery to Sir William Boswell at the Hague 1640 and sent over by him to the King and the Arch-Bishop Even thus hath bin the practice of the Romanists to slander Princes also for being Papists and then to assassinate them for being too zealous Protestants * The Lord Chancellors speech March 6. 1678. 4. Whereas our Enthusiastical Friends are ready to object unto us That the Church of England is either Popish or in some degree prepared to be so namely because she hath Bishops a Liturgy and Ceremonies Such might know if they rightly understood things even what they object that these things do most of all oppose Popery and help to secure us from it For 1. Episcopacy asserted in our Church is the greatest opposition to Popery that is for the very formality of Popery is the Pope's Jurisdiction over all other Bishops and Churches which Authority of the Pope is no where so much contradicted as by our Episcopacy To say nothing what our Bishops undeniably and unanswerably have performed against Popery It is very well known what rejoicing that Vote for pulling down Episcopacy brought to the Romish Party how in Rome it self they sang their Io Paeans upon the tidings thereof and said triumphantly The day is ours * Bp. San derson's Preâ—ace §. 17. 2. A Reformed Liturgy as ours is separated from all Popish Soyl and Corruption must needs be it self the greatest security from Popery since the want of it tends to bring in the worst part of Popery which is Enthusiasm and Phanatical pretences to Revelation and an Infallible Spirit as hath bin abundantly experienced 3. Our Ceremonies reformed from all Popish Reasons and Ends of their Institution are useful to defend Christianity from Superstition using People to apprehend that Christian Religion consists neither in their necessary use nor in their being necessarily refused either of which is an equal infringing of Christian Liberty Much more might be added in defence of what is appointed in our Church as the Marks and Bounds of a moderate Reformation and do afford a better Apology and Defence against the Romanists in the Judgment of the General Church than they can have who fix upon false Principles and therefore may the more easily be turned unto the opposite extreme Whereas the true Moderation of our Church gives her establishment against each opposite Errors Yea it is manifest that our Church of England thus reteining Episcopal Government and a well-reformed Liturgy and while it observes Christian Festivals and a moderate outward decency in the Church of God as did the Churches of Christ in the Primitive Times hath a fairer Plea and foundation of Argument to invite and perswade any from Romish Corruption than a Dissenter who will tell such a one That all that is Popery which account of things may presently beat him back and make him conclude that Protestants call that Popery which in the purest and most Primitive Times was practised in all Christian Churches in the World Whereas how easy a thing is it for a Popish Priest to turn himself into a Gifted Brother And what Opinion is there of the Romanists which may not come forth as a New Light So that it was no ill Character of a Schismatic He is a Papist turned wrong side outward § 12. Wherefore an easy Prudence which is a perpetual kind of Divination * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverbialis senarius qui sic apud Ciceronem redditur Benè qui conjiciâ— hunc vatem perhibeto optimum may readily foresee how soon if occasion present those Parties so seemingly opposite will close even more certainly than they themselves are aware of for Men of wrong Principles know not where to find themselves after a while especially in changeable Times because they know not where their Principles will lead them In the mean while such as hold a stedfast Communion with our Church must needs be the most firm Protestants of any because they follow the Moderation of the Church it self For Truth is ever found among the modest who never affect utmost extremes which the Vulgar of which our Dissenters consist so passionately and hastily run into Wherefore among the Considerations touching the true way to suppress Popery in this Kingdom* it was well laid down The best way P. 132. for the suppressing of Popery in this Kingdom is to get our Church to be better understood And indeed if all who call themselves Protestants of what denomination soever understood their own Interest they must needs be for upholding our Church of England For if it be overthrown it must either be by Divisions and certainly the watchful Adversaries of Rome will chiefly make their Game by them whose business is to promote them If our Divisions prevail the Romanists will prevail also * Thorndike Forb of Pen. p. 37. Or 2ly by Toleration by which the same Romanists will obtain but an opportunity openly and as it were by Authority to divide and work their Wills which without a Toleration they only dare attempt secretly Or 3ly by setting one of the Dissenting Parties uppermost But they all have given such proof of their Rigour already that all other Parties will think themselves equally grieved then and the cry for Toleration will continue to be as loud and they can never expect from any Constitution more Moderation than what our present Establishment affords Therefore all that love Moderation and are afraid of Popery ought to be solicitous for the welfare of the Church of England as it is now setled And now I have said thus much and more may be said on this Head if this be not enough to convince any who are sincerely dispassionate I may appeal to all the World of the truth of what hath bin said with no design to reproach any ones Persons or incense any one's Spirit but in the real Spirit of Meekness and most affectionate regard to such who are wrought upon to be
of another mind most heartily wishing and praying That all who are sincere in this Nation would at length be awakened to see from whence our Divisions generally proceed who they are who have nourished and cherished and encreased our Flames and cast their Wild-fires among us By whom our Dissenters have bin acted and menaged and chiefly made to be what they are That thus far may suffice them to have bin gulled to other purposes than they themselves have known that those who are honest-hearted may be truly ashamed and convinced and see their Error and may repent and return into Reconciliation to an excellent Church whom they have forsaken and endeavoured with common Enemies to destroy Oh that at length they may see their folly and their imprudence may make some amends by continuing hereafter more stedfast to our Communion for the sake of no less than the Christian Religion unto which hath bin given so great a scandal and for the honour of our excellent Reformation which because of its Moderation and excellent Temper is really the Terror of the Roman Church and God grant it may long long so continue CHAP. XVIII Of the Moderation of our Church as it may influence Christian Practice and especially our Union § 1. Some proper Inferences from what hath bin insisted on at large § 2. Sundry general Rules agreeable to Reason and Christianity by which the Moderation of private Persons may be measured and directed particularly of our Dissenting Brethren § 3. Some proper means to reduce Dissenters into Vnion with the Church with all Moderation proposed § 4. The hearty Profession of the moderate and sincere purposes of the Writer § 5. One or two Caveats entred to prevent mistake and for the Caution of such as will attempt to disprove the main Proposition here designed to be evinced § 6. Some good Wishes to the Adversaries of our Church on both sides such as are fit to conclude a Treatise of the Moderation of our Church § 1. AS from the very being of Moderation and Equity we are certain that the nature of absolute Good and Evil Just and Unjust doth not depend upon the Arbitrary Power of any but is founded in the nature of Things and Circumstances or else the Assertion of Equity would be very ridiculous so we are sure from what hath bin largely declared especially by comparing other Extremes That our Church of England is far from designing to use or encourage any arbitrary or rigorous way of Administration which is contrary to the measures of natural Justice or Christianity 2. As from the nature of Moderation it hath appeared that Benevolence is the true Fountain of Equity and answers the most general Law of Nature giving the best end and measure to all Actions especially which have any influence on the Public which causeth Laws themselves to bend by all gentleness and benignity to the general design of all public and private Endeavours which ought to be the Glory of God and peace and good-will to Men So we hope from the fore-going Instances it appears also that a benevolous inclination is implanted into the very frame and temper of our Church's Constitution and that from such a Principle it persues the excellent ends mentioned not only according to the Rules of Natural Justice but the most fair and equal Measures of Gentleness also and Benignity Wherefore it concerns us all who live where the Laws of the Kingdom and the Church are framed and interpreted according to this equity to acknowledg so great a Blessing The same Consideration aggravates the unreasonableness of those who persue their own Prejudices contrary to what is appointed even so equitably and moderately And it is heartily to be wished that the Opposers of our Church could give any such testimonies of their Moderation as our Church hath done Let any if they can Romanist or Separatist of any particular denomination whatsoever as they are generally known among us shew as much proof and instance of their Moderation as I have done of our Church § 2. But as in our first Chapter we laid down some general Rules which are agreeable to natural Justice and Goodness and also unto Christianity by which we are directed to judg the more truly of the Moderation * Nihil est tam praeclarum aut tam magnificum quod non Moderatione temperari desideret Valer Max. de animi Moder l. 4. c. 1. of our Church So I conceive there are some such Rules also alike agreeable to the same Principles by which the Moderation of private Persons may very equitably be judged 1. It may be supposed very agreeable to the Rule of Moderation not to expect or require of an Establishment what is utterly impossible in this World namely Absolute Perfection And for any to withhold their Obedience so long as they conceive some things may be better cannot but be concluded very unreasonable Here it is but just to note of our Church 1. That she never pretended of her self nor any I know of for her that she was or is so perfect as to be without spot or * Vltra etiam progreditur eorum morositas fastus quia Ecclesiam non agnoscunt nisi minimis quibusque naevis puram Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 1. wrinkle as the Brethren in their Morning Lecture against Popery deliver There is no Church under Heaven perfectly beautiful that remains for glory †Serm. 25. p. 870. Altho we say our Church hath a most excellent temper it is not necessary we attribute to her what some call Temperamentum ad pondus such a Temperament that no Scruple one way or other can alter her poise 2. I hope from what hath bin shewed it may appear that the possible Imperfections are in no wise so great as sundry would suppose 3. However not in Matters of any principal Moment or Concern to Religion 2. It is but very agreeable to the Rules of Moderation that such as require Moderation so desirously should give very good example of their own Moderation themselves and should also lay aside their own Rigours in unjust and severe Thoughts harsh Words and immoderate Actings and not make those Rules the measure of their Moderation which are just proofs of their Rigour For I suppose the Observation of King Charles I. is a famous Truth I see no Men so prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous Exacters upon others to conform to their illegal Novelties than such whose Pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawful Constitutions * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Med. 16. And even in the Liberty of Prophecying the Libertines themselves are most truly described †Sect. 17. They who were perpetually clamorous that the severity of the Laws should slacken as to their particular and in matter adiaphorous in which if the Church have any Authority she hath power to make such Laws to indulge a leave to them to do as they list Yet were the most
last Will. Walton in his Life the Superstition which the Puritan on the other hand lay to our charge are very justly chargeable on themselves respectively It is the Church of England in its legal Constitution which I defend and not the Assertions and Practices of particular Persons Neither have I undertaken to commend the Church in all her equal Constitutions nor shewn all the Proportions and Instances of her Moderation neither have I illustrated the same from all the extremes and immoderate extravagances of other Professions in Religion which would have bin a boundless and an infinite task But if I have made out this excellent Vertue to be truly conspicuous in our Church If I have fairly wrested out of our Adversary's hands that glorious Calumny in which so many have cheared and vaunted themselves in their fond Hopes strange Demands and very dismantled Confidences That our Church is devoy'd of all true Moderation I am sure I have done reason to our most indulgent Mother to defend her from the imputation of unjust Rigour which our Church justly disdains as in her 8th Canon Whosoever shall affirm that their pretended Schismatical Church hath a long time groaned under the burden of certain Grievances imposed upon them by the Church of England let them be Excommunicate § 5. But whereas some forward to censure will be apt to judg of our justifying the Moderation of the Church as an endeavour to prevent any Reformation or Union such may consider That admit our Superiors should think fit to remit or at any time change any thing in our present Order The so doing doth not necessarily infer that our Constitution is not very moderate as it is For Concessions which are for the future ought not to be an accusation of the Church in what is past But may our sins never bring upon us such a wretched condition of the Church when every one shall judg he hath a right to think and speak in Religion what he pleaseth * In liberâ Repub. unicuique sentire quae velit quae sentiat liberè dicere Tractat. Theologo Pol. Unto this state of things or unto Popery those hasten us whether they know it or no who are in no wise satisfyed with the Moderation of our Church How far our present establishment may be any way moderated to compass a more general and lasting uniformity we hope if ever there should be occasion God will guide our Governors to determin but I am sure as the present Moderation of the Church is most justifiable so I suppose the change may more easily be allow'd when ever the generality of Dissenters shall be agreed and resolv'd of their own Reasons among themselves In the mean while if any will undertake to disprove the Proposition which this Treatise principally doth ovince Namely That the great Moderation of the Church of England doth rightly argue those who are in separation from the same to be the more unjust and guilty in their Schism * Et refellere sine pertâ—nacâ—â refelli sine iracunâ—iá paraâ—i sumus Tuscul 9. l. 2. I hope such will menage their Exceptions with respect to the Rules of Moderation especially as they have bin laid down in the second paragraph of this Chapter Neither I conceive is it enough to excuse their Schism nor to render our Church so immoderate as not to be communicated with for any to give some Instances which according to some Judgments they would have otherwise since it is most impossible to have any constitution of things free from all manner of exception and also against the most perfect things great enmities may be raised for want of equally considering the Principles Rules and Ends for which those things were established Neither is it enough to except against what is faulty in particular Persons when the same is no vice of the public Constitution Sure then it may be judged a very unreasonable manner of sundry sorts of Men answering such Discourses as pinch them namely by catching at some little scattered parts of the Skirts and Margent of the Cause Or when they cannot by unbiassed Reasons have victory in their Contest then they readily fall off to Personal Matters which in no sort tend to the Merits of any Cause and by these methods they hope to buoy up the Party which is the main thing they generally aim at § 6. Such was the Moderation of our Church when she had any hopes to reduce any of the Romish Profession unto our Communion she left out of the Public Litany that Clause From the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestible Enormities Good Lord deliver us Yet it may be very proper now to make the same our Petition here adjoining thereunto another seasonable Prayer of Isaac Casaubon's O Lord Jesu preserve this Church of England and give a sound mind to those Nonconformists who deride the Rites and Ceremonies of it * Faxit Deus ut ad sanâ—orem mentem redeant Amen Lud. Capellus Thes 51. Salmur de moresis in Angliâ And since I have named the Learned Casaubon 't is most suitable here also to add some of his words to King James * Exercit. in Baron Ep. Dâ—d Sir You have a Church in these Kingdoms partly so framed of old and partly by great labours of late so restored that now no Church whatsoever comes nearer than yours to the form of the Primitive flourishing Church having taken just the middle way between those that offended in excess and defect In which Moderation the Church of England hath obtein'd this first of all that those very Persons who envyed her happiness yet by comparing one with the other have bin compelled to praise Her As for any of those who think it their Interest to decry the Moderation of our Church We wish first that the Roman Church would once take advice of her own Cassander * De nimio â—â—origore aliquid remâ—â—â—ant Ecclesiae paci aliquid concedant Consult ad Artic. 7. To remit of their immoderate rigour and hearkning to the Admonitions of Pious Men would set themselves to correct manifest abuses according to the Rule of Divine Scripture and of the Primitive Church from which they have swerved And that those of the other extreme would practise the Counsel which * Vt vos ultra modum rigidos esse nolim ita rursus altos monitos esse cupio ne sibi in suâ inscitiá nimis placeant Ep. 200. Calvin gave the English Brethren at Frank fort As I would not saith he have you beyond measure rigid so again the rest I desire they will be advised not to please themselves too excessively in their own ignorance * Offâ—â—sions suae modum statuere nesciunt nam ubi Dominus clementiam exigit omissâ illâ totos se immoderatae severitati tradunt Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 1. For I suppose that according to the best Reason it may be made out very probable that as the overthrow of Popery may as probably be wrought by the growth of its own rigour and immoderate claims as any way we can imagin †Inde exitium imminere Pontificiâ— imperio A. Sall. votum prâ—pace so if any thing in the mean while endanger the Protestant Reformed Interest it will be the immoderate behaviour of those of the Separation in their Schism against our Church Between both taking auspicious hopes from the Moderation of our Church We trust its Constitution being most Primitive will be also most lasting ¶ Eâ— demùm tuta est potentia quae viribus suis modum imponâ—t Val. Max. de Animi Moder l. 4. c. 1. in the esteem of the Church Universal and in the approbation of wise and good Christians And while our Church continues thus moderate it must needs argue the Separation which is from it to be the more unequal and sinful For the same Moderation which exonerates the Church of England from the guilt of Schism with respect to the Romanists doth aggravate also the Schism of other Separatists and however some dissenting Brethren while they remain drencht in their Tinctures will not be forward to acknowledg the Moderation of our Church yet we are assured that nothing would more tend to bring People in love with happy Peace and blessed Order nothing would contribute more to the quieting Mens Minds to reconcile all Parties and to accommodate the most and greatest differences which are among us than a right and full persuasion of the excellent Temper and Constitution of our Church I cannot close a Treatise of the Moderation of the Church of England more properly than with some of the mild and pathetical Soliloquies of our late Blessed Martyr King Charles I. Most merciful God stir up all Parties pious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 19. 16. Ambitions to overcome each other with Reason Moderation and such self-denial as becomes those who consider that our mutual Divisions are our common Distractions and the Vnion of all is every Man's chiefest Interest Keep Men in a pious Moderation of their Judgments in Matters of Religion Give us wisdom to amend what is amiss within us and there will be less to mend without us Evermore defend and deliver thy Church from the Effects of blind Zeal and over-bold Devotion Glory to God in the highest on Earth Peace Good Will toward Men. FINIS
though it be a significant Ceremony and of no other use yet as it is a compliance with the practice of all ancient Churches so it is very innocent in it self and being one and alone is in no regard troublesome I said she hath only one Ceremony of her own appointment For the Ring in Marriage is the symbol of a civil and religious contract It is a pledge and custom of the Nation not of the Religion And other circumstances of her worship are but determinations of time and place and manner of a duty They serve for other purposes beside signification for order and decency for which there is an Apostolical Precept and a natural reason and an evident necessity or a great convenience n Ductor Dub. l. â— c. 4. R. 20. Neither is any Ceremony used in our Church by any beside the Minister § 2. The constant Moderation of the Church from the beginning of the Reformation o Instit of a Christian man p. 46. hath always faithfully declared its Rites and particular Forms of Worship to be such things as are in their own nature indifferent and mutable that they might be limited or revoked Every particular national Church hath authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies Article of Religion 34. It may be lawful for just causes to alter change or mitigate or recede from Ecclesiastical Decrees saith the Homily of Fasting Much more to the same purpose The Church declares in the 20 Article and in the Preface of the Ceremonies and in the Homilies especially in the beginning of the last Preface added to the Common Prayer-Book 1662. It hath been the wisdom of the Church of England ever since her first compiling of her publick Liturgy to keep the mean between the two extremes of too much stiffness in refusing and too much easiness in admitting variation from it In the same Preface it is added In which review we have endeavoured to observe the like Moderation as we find to have been used in like Cases in former times As this is an unquestionable proof of the Churches Moderation So give me leave to make it a good instance also thereof in that on the other hand she doth wisely avoid the other extreme of variableness being not given to change but upon good reason thereunto moving because of the many inconveniencies that ensue upon frequent unadvised mutations So often as any private persons willingly and purposely recede from the appointments of the Church the 34th Article provides for their open rebuke Neither are we ignorant saith King James in his Proclamation for Uniformity of the inconveniencies that do arise in Government by admitting innovation in things once setled by mature deliberation and how necessary it is to use constancy in the upholding of the publick determinations of States for that such is the unquietness and unstedfastness of some dispositions affecting every year new forms of things as if they should be followed in their inconstancy would make all actions of States ridiculous and contemptible And if authority should upon all wrong apprehensions of parties make new usages nothing in the outward worship of God would continue no not the very Sacraments p Illud autem penituâ— infixum esse oportet nec tutum esse nec ad sovendam concordiam utile temerè desciscere ab iis quae Majorum autoritate tradita sunt quaeque longo saeculorum usu consensuque confirmata nec quicquam omnino novandum est nisi hue aut cogat necessitas aut insignls inviâ—et utilitas Erasmus de amabili Eccl Concordiâ § 3. The Moderation of the Church further appears in that our Rites are no where made any part of Religion or Worship but only used in subserviency to Religion and without them the Religion and worship of God is acknowledged entire This is manifest from what hath been declared before of their indifferent and mutable nature And to prevent all just occasion of exception the Church of England doth publickly declare that her Constitutions concerning indifferent things are made without any opinion of worship by them or absolute necessity of them q Theatricum Ceremoniarum apparatum nimis rigidè magnificè exaggerant Ceremoniarum Magistri exactores quasi sine illis nec veritas nec dignitas nec efficaci a Sacramentorum consistat Chemnitii Examen Can. 13. Sess 7. Conc. Trid. King Edw. 6. Injunctions 1547. yea all are admonisht to consider that God is not appeased by them much less is his grace by them merited or satisfaction made for sins In the 2d year of King Edw. 6. In the Articles of Archbishop Cranmer it is enquired whether the Ministers have declared unto the people the true use of Ceremonies That they be no workers of Salvation but only outward signs and tokens not mystical but of clear signification not Sacramental but naturally and properly fit to put us in remembrance of things of higher perfection Then it was also declared That the Ceremonies are not superstitiously to be abused as thereby to drive away Devils c. or by putting trust and confidence for health and salvation in the same r See Bishop Gauden before Bishop Brownrigs Sermons of the Cerem in our Church Thus our Church is God be thanked far from any such impious Tyranny and Vsurpation over mens Consciences which the Pharisees of old did and the Church of Rome at this day doth exercise equalling if not preferring her Constitutions to the Laws of God having declared her self by solemn protestation enough to satisfie any ingenuous impartial judgment That by requiring obedience to these Ceremonial Constitutions she hath no other purpose than to reduce all her Children to an orderly Conformity in the outward worship of God so far is the Church from seeking to draw any opinion either of divine necessity upon the Constitution or of effectual holiness upon the Ceremony Å¿ Biâ—hop Sandersons judgment in one View p. 99. V. Bishop Morton Ep. to the Non-Conf § 4. So great is the Moderation of our Church that lest any should lose the benefit of her Communion or continue uneasy in their own scruples she hath condescended to expound such Injunctions as could be foreseen to have any objection t Super his aliqua moderatio adhibenda est pro Conscientiarum sedatione etiam multitudini errantium piè condescendendo aliqua declaratio facienda Petr. de Aliaco de reform Eccl. Fascic R. Expet In the end of the Office for the Holy Communion lest Kneeling should by any persons either through ignorance or malice be misconstrued and depraved It is declared that thereby no Adoration is intended or to be done c. as there may be seen more at large To the same purpose is the 5. Rubrick after the Holy Communion To take away all occasion of dissention or superstition In the 30th Canon the lawful use of the Cross in Baptism is copiously and excellently explained u See second Rubrick after publick Baptism
For removing all scruple and for sufficient caution against all Popish Superstition First The Church of England since the abolishing of Popery hath ever held and taught and so doth hold and teach that the sign of the Cross x Nec nos pâ—det Crucifixi sed in parte ubi pudoriâ— signum est signum Crucis habemus S. Aug. in Psal 30. S. Cypr. Ep. 56. used in Baptism is no part of the substance of the Sacrament neither doth add to the vertue or perfection of Baptism 2. That the Infant baptized is by vertue of Baptism y Crucis Ceremonia in baptismace retiâ—etur explicatur in Constitutionibus Londini 1604. â—ot adhibitis cautionibus ut S. Sancti figni reverentia omnino aboleri potius quam confirmari videatur Thuanus Pontificius ad an 1604. before it be signed with the sign of the Cross received into the Congregation of Christs Flock as a perfect member thereof and not by any power ascribed to the sign of the Cross And that no invisible grace or vertue is annexed to the sign All Popish error and superstition being purged from the use of it and reduced in the Church of England to the primary institution of it For which reason also lest any mysterious operation should be thought imputed to the sign of the Cross King James and King Charles I. and now King Charles II. have forborn the use of that sign at the Healing z Alliance of Divine Offices ch 8. though therewith it was used in the Reigns of King Edw. 6. and Queen Elizabeth So great a Moderation and condescension have the Kings of England used as well as the Church for the healing of the minds as well as the bodies of their People In the 18th Canon with great wisdom and Moderation is procured all decent orderly reverent and attentive behaviour in time of Divine Service a Erunt itaque recti moderatique gestus qui possunt servire purae Religioni Christi Buceri Cens c. 5. Canon 111. where for kneeling at Confession Supplication and Prayers standing up at the Belief paying a due lowly Reverence when in time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned b Injunction Queen Elizabeth §. 52. are added the Reasons of the Canon viz. Testifying by these outward Ceremonies and Gestures their inward humility Christian resolution and due acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus c Quae sanè Devotio plus afficitur ergâ— nomen Jesu quia nomen ipsum significat nobis nostram salutem Arch. Spalat l. 7. c. 12. §. 49. de Repub. Eccl. Christ the true and eternal Son of God is the only Saviour of the World in whom alone all the mercies and promises of God to mankind for this Life and the Life to come are fully and wholly comprised c. d Hooker's Eccles Pol. l. 5. â— â—0 Which harmless Ceremonies as no man is constrained to use so we know no reason any of them should withstand Against Infidels Jews and Arrians who derogate from the honour of Jesus Christ such Ceremonies are most profitable In the Canons 1640. with all Moderation possible the Church did declare it self concerning the scituation of the Holy Communion Table lest any should esteem it otherwise than a figurative Altar e See Dr. Cudworth of the true Notion of the Lords Supper as thereon was had a Commemoration of that full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice for the sins of the whole World Wherefore in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth according to the advice of Bucer it was to be so placed that the Minister might more conveniently be heard f Q. Eliz. Injunction fâ—r Tables in the Church â—uceri censura Inter opera Angl. â— 457. And because of Gods Majesty the obeysance which was only recommended had so great an allay of Moderation that the Conclusion of the Canon is very memorable to our purpose In the practice or omission of this Rite we desire that the rule of Charity prescribed by the Apostle may be observed which is That they which use this Rite despise not them who use it not and that they who use it not condemn not those that use it g Hîc igitur nullus alium dijudicet Vescens non insultet abstinentibus abstinentes non condemnent vescentes Erasm de amabili Eccl. Concordiâ p. 18. The same words his Majesty King Charles II. inserted in one of his Royal Proclamations So far was this from being to be counted one of the Ceremonies of the Church as the Naked Truth calls it Of this bodily Reverence of God in his Church the Government is so moderate God grant it be not loose there-while That no man is constrained no man question'd only religiously call'd upon O come let us worship kneel and fall down before God our Maker h Archbishop Lauds Speech in the Star-Chamber § 5. So that in our Church as our worship of God is suitable to solid and rational Devotion so in the appointments of our Church which refer to the Administration of the same our Church appears neither to affect vain gaieties nor outward splendor nor such luxuriant expressions as are suited to feed the humours and boundless fancies of men Retaining what is reverent and becoming yet rejecting what is superstitious in sundry Consecrations Benedictions and Exorcisms which are in use in the Roman Church which mild and wise Moderation of our Church renders their humours more unaccountably foolish and obstinate who are so peremptory in their Non-Conformity to the Orders of our Church Since there is no Church in the World which hath all its Offices and Sacraments so administred conformably to the best Precedents in words understood without any mixture of dangerous or superstitious encroachments and with that gravity decency and solemnity which befits the service of God as Dean Lingard whom for love and honour to his memory I name in a Sermon of his before the King i July 26. 1668. Yet of these men who are so impatient of Ceremonies upon publick Order I cannot but note what hath been often observed k See Friendly Debate p. 221. Of the many Ceremonies ordained in the taking of the Covenant 1646. That many of them use two Ceremonies for one after their own fancies as not only their emphatick looks antick actions odd postures but further they require of their Disciples some things of a Ceremonial nature as special marks of admission into their parties It is Religion with many of them not to give the Title of Saint but to their own people And many think no Prayer acceptable unless it be very long especially before Sermon and that no Sermon neither except it be in the Pulpit As Aristotle observed of the necessity of Laws in every Society so the use of Ceremonies and Order may be further proved at large for that all Factions how different soever do frame to themselves some peculiar modes and figures of practice in which they are so strict