another keeping sound Doctrine Love and Peace 21. The number and need of the people must determine whether a particular Church shall have one Pastor or more 22. If one for Concord be President to the rest and the Senior Pastors be guides to the younger we are not against it 23. Nor yet if the Magistrate or Churches by consent appoint some of the Graver to be visitors of many Churches and to instruct and keep the younger in peace 24. Nor will we quarrel against the Names of Bishops or Archbishops or their Wealth and Honour while Faith Worship Discipline and Love are preserved 25. If by a National Church they mean either a Christian Kingdom or all the Churches of a Nation as under one Prince or as associated for Concord we deny none such 26. For we hold that all Christians should live in as much Concord as they can and that Synods are useful to that end 27. We must honour our Rulers though they afflict us 28. We hold that we must separate from no Church or Christian farther than they separate from Christ though we must not sin against God for communion with any We take it for a great sin for any party to appropriate the Church only to themselves We own no Church but as part of the Catholick or universal Church and we hold all our Assemblies as in union and communion with All the true Churches on earth and put up our prayers and praises as in conjunction with theirs not owning their failings or our own but their duties And we will be members of no particular Church which alloweth us not occasional Communion with others but take such for Sectaries 29. The welfare of Souls is of so great concernment that we cannot think any Christian should be indifferent to whom as a Pastor he committeth the care and conduct of his Soul any more than what Physician he chuseth for his body And the difference between the ignorant and the wise and wicked and the godly the negligent and the faithful is of grand importance 30. We think that all Christians should prefer a faithful Pastor before an unfaithful or insufficient one and a purer Church before a more corrupt as far as they are free without doing more hurt than good But we will hold occasional communion with more faulty Churches so they compel us not to sin 31. We take not all the faults of the Pastor flock or service to be made ours meerly by our presence Nor do we think that all faults or many and great ones consistent with the necessaries to communion will allow us to separate that is either from a true Church as none or from lawful communion as unlawful For Natural distance is not Moral Separation 32. We take the Magisterial imposing of unnecessary Oaths Professions Subscriptions Practices much more sinful ones as necessary terms of communion and silencing and casting out Christs faithful Servants that obey them not to be the grand and common causes of Schism which have through the pride of a Domineering-Clergy broken most of the Churches on Earth for above 1000 years 33. We hate the spirit of pride and envy in Preachers who cannot endure to see others at least that differ from them preferred before them and if any do but go from them to others or worship God in another place or in other words or circumstances do frighten the people by their loud allarm and cry of Schism as if all were of a different Religion or species of Communion that differ from their book in Word or Ceremonies And by that blinding name of Different Communions alienate the hearts of the ignorant and make them think of the Dutch French and others that only differ from them in accidents as the Papists do of us that are called by them Hereticks 34. We take him not to have the Wisdom and Love of a sound Christian who cannot love and bear with his fellow Christians who differ but in such tollerable things 35. Yet we think not that all should preach and gather Churches that will and that the intollerable must be tolerated and that it must be All or none And the Magistrate is Judg whom he will tolerate but he must judg aright 36. We hold the Parish-Divisions to be of great convenience Not taking all in the Parish for the Church but confining Ministers to their proper bounds 37. And whatever differing Churches the Magistrate tolerateth he must force them to live peaceably and modestly towards others 38. Were every Church reduced to such a number as that all might in season have local personal communion like great Parishes that have Chappels and E. g. every Church of 6000 Souls have six Pastors conjunct or every Corporation or Market-Town of old called Cities with the Neighbour-Villages be one Church and one among these Pastors to be a President Bishop we should think it most like the ancient Government But we can live in peace where we cannot have all which we justly wish for 39. Though some preach not Christ sincerely but in envy and strife to add to our affliction we rejoyce that Christ is preached 40. We hold all that for the power of Kings the obedience of the Subjects and against rebellion which the Scripture speaketh and which the Christian Churches Politicks Lawyers as far as we know them commonly hold and more than divers chief Conformists Bishop Bilsons book of Subjection and Grotius de Imperio Sum. Pat. fulliest speak my thoughts in the greatest part 41. As these are the meer Nonconformists principles so their practice is accordingly They pray for the King and all in authority not for preserment but that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty And they pray and seek for the publick safety and live peaceably towards others 42. They sought reconciliation with the Diocesans before the Kings return and associating upon uniting terms 43. What the Nonconformists in City Countrey Monks Army and the next Parliament did for the Kings restoration is known 44. They offered but Bishop Ushers form of Primitive Government or Episcopacy for reconciliation and concord with the Bishops 45. They gave publick thanks for the Kings Declaration about Ecclesiastical affairs which had healed us had it not been cast away In which he declareth their moderation 46. They never made one motion for Presbytery Lay-Elders Independency Nor against Parish-Churches nor against the Bishops Lordships or place in Parliament or Wealth Though I confess they desired better than they saw fit to ask 47. They did as much with the Bishops as if it had been for their lives by Condescention Reason and Petition to have prevented the foreseen divisions and were the seekers of Peace 48. The Liturgy which they offered had not one word of exception returned by the Bishops nor were their Reply or Petition answered by them to this day 49. They offered their solemnest Protestation or Oaths that it was to avoid sin that they refused Conformity and yet
two Parties of the Episcopal Laity and Clergy in England after drew in the Scots to help the Parliament and many Papists to help the King neither of them being the first Parties but Auxiliaries though in Scotland and Ireland it was otherwise begun 23. These Auxiliaries of the Parliament would not help them but on the terms of the Covenant and so Church-alterations came on and the Parliament thought it was better have no Bishops than such as did prevail against them 24. When Wars and Misery had tired both sides and made them long for reconciliation and this endeavour had called home the King and many Bishops and Doctors had promised to be for Concord upon necessary healing-terms and the Lords Knights and Gentlemen had printed many Protestations for Peace and against Revenge and the King had Commissioned us to treat with the Bishops for Concord and told us They should meet us if we would come as near as we could to them When the Kings Declaration seemed to have almost healed us the Commissioned Bishops stood to it that no abatements were necessary and though we foretold them the impossibility of Common concord without abating some things which did them no good but harm and the advantage which Schism Contention and Popery would unavoidably get which they might easily and cheaply prevent we pleaded we beg'd by a long Petition but all in vain nothing would move them but when we only foretold them of the Divisions that must needs follow when Thousands were forced against their Consciences they took it as if we threatned Sedition and turned our Petitions and Arguments for the common peace and concord as if it had been a crime against both it and us 25. And the Convocation cast away the Kings Declaration and drew up the changes in the Liturgy which added to our burden and drew the Parliament to confirm it all and in the Act of Uniformity much more unpracticable by us is imposed which made our breach what since it is 26. No man now must be in Trust and Office in any City or Corporation who will not declare that there is no obligation on him or any other person from the Covenant not excepting against Popery Schism or Prophaneness though he would confess it unlawfully imposed and taken and renounce all obligation to rebellion or any evil 27. No adult person or Infant must be admitted to Christendom by baptism without the transient Image of a Cross as a dedicating engaging Covenanting-sign and symbol or badg of Christianity 28. No Infant must be Christened without Godfathers who are his Covenant-sureties and undertake his pious education though the Parents can get none that will seriously tell them they intend to perform it The Parents being not allowed to speak one offering or Covenanting-word nor must be urged to be present 29. No person must be admitted to Sacramental Communion who thinketh it a sin to receive it kneeling lest it should be seeming compliance with Popish adoration 30. No persons must be admitted to Communion who have not Confirmation by Episcopal Imposition of hands or are desirous of it though they fear it is made a Popish Sacrament by the addition Upon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we have now laid our hands to certifie them BY THIS SIGN of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them 31. Though they will not tell us what the Church of England is that is Its Essentiating form and Head Lay or Clergy vet every man must be ipso facto excommunicate who faith It is not an Apostolical Church as established by Law 32. Every one is excommunicate ipso facto who saith that the form of Worship established by Law contained in the Book of Common-prayer is corrupt or unlawful or containeth ANY THING in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures 33. All are excommunicate ipso facto who say That any of the 39 Articles are in any part such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe to though it be but that of the Churches power to impose Ceremonies And yet divers Conformists are against the Doctrine about Free-well Heathens damnation c. 34. All are ipso facto excommunicate who say that the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England are superstitious or such as godly men may not with a good conscience approve use and on occasion subscribe See Can. 3 4 5 6. So that not only Ministers but all men and women that differ but of the Lawfulness of any one of their Ceremonies and say so are excommunicate already ipso facto 35. All are ipso facto excommunicate that say that the Government of the Church of England under his Majesty by Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and THE REST that bear Office in the same is repugnant to the word of God So that if one were for Archbishops Bishops and Priests and Deacons and thought but Deans or Archdeacons unscriptural and sinful he is excommunicate yea or Lay-Chancellours decretive power of the Keys for the rest that bear Office must needs include them And yet many Bishops themselves are against them 36. All are excommunicate ipso facto who say that the form and manner of making and Consecrating Bishops Priests or Deacons hath any thing repugnant to the word of God C. 8. 37. They are to be excommunicate that say Ministers refusing to subscribe may truly take the name of another Church not established by Law c. And yet the Church of Rome is said to be a true though faulty Church by many and a faulty Church may be a Church And they say that the Dutch and French Churches here stand but by the Act of King and Council 38. All are to be excommunicated that say that there are within this Realm other Congregations of the Kings born Subjects than such as are allowed by Law who may rightly take the name of true and lawful Churches E. g. If Gloucester that had a Papist Bishop Goodman had chosen themselves a Bishop and called themselves a true Church c. 39. They Command all to keep the Lords day and other Holy-days accordsng to Gods holy Will in hearing the Word of God read and taught in private and publick prayer and yet suspended and ruined many Conformable Ministers for not reading a book for dancing and playing on that day 40. And where many thousands in a Parish cannot come within their Church-doors nor have any Conformist elsewhere in the Parish to teach them they forbid them on great penalties to hear Nonconformists and call them Separatists and Schismaticks unless they forbear like Savages all publick Learning and Worship of God rather than hear and joyn with Nonconformists 41. Yet they Swear the Church-Wardens to present all that come not to Church and punish them for not coming when some Parishes have 40000 some 30000 some 10000 that can have no room and the Church-Wardens cannot know them 42. Yet if they go to other Parishes oft for Communion they must not be admitted but
differ we became not herein Accusers of the Conformists but disavowed it leaving them to their proper judg and medling with no mens mattters but our own 67. And lest it should seem to reflect on them as guilty or exasperate our afflicters we have mostly forborn these 17 or 18 years so much as to open the matters and reasons of our Nonconformity and silently undergone reproach 68. Yea when great Bishops have told our Superiors that we judged nothing but renouncing the Covenant unlawful and have called to us and set Parliament-men to call out What it is that we would have and never would give us leave to tell them we have patiently been silent And when great Bishops have told me that our Rulers took us as not sincere for not giving our reasons and that they would Petition that we might no longer be suffered to keep up a Schism and give no reason for it I have offered them to beg it on my knees if there were any hope to obtain liberty but once to render our reasons of not conforming 69. And when the Act ceased which restrained the Press we still forbore till they gave out That now it was clear that for our baffled cause we had no defence but went on to sin against our consciences which constrained me at last to open somewhat of our case at which yet they are displeased 70. Though multitudes of Books have been written against us charging us with Schism and calling for execution of the Law against us yea perswading King and People as the Plotters do that we are cherishing principles of rebellion we thought it best to imitate Christ and silently to bear all and let our Lives and Works rather than our Apologies answer for us till constrained I published a full account of our Principles of Government and Obedience lest continued silence pass for guilt 71. Their constant last accusation is about the late Wars When-as 1. not one of very many of the present Nonconformists ever medled with them 2. And we offer them thanks to silence only the guilty 3. And many Conformists and one Archbishop were in Arms for the Parliament 4. And we have not requited them till of late with telling them that it was the Conformists here that began the War 72. When some say that they requite us for casting out the Conformists heretofore we offer them a thousand thanks if they will cast out none but those that cast out them I confess I took it for a great mercy to have grosly ignorant drunken Readers and Priests cast out of what opinion soever and better put in But I and others wrote against putting out any worthy and tolerable man for being against the Parliament or for Prelacy 73. Whereas some cheat the ignorant by telling them that We would have every Minister be a Pope in his own Parish 1. A Pope is one that arrogateth the Government over all other Pastors even of the whole world Whereas we would govern no Pastors at all nor any people but our particular flocks 2. And these we would have only to be Volunteers And is not he liker to a Tyrant that will be a Pastor to thousands against their wills than he that will take charge of none but Consenters 3. Specially the Independents who are accused as giving the power to the people and depending on their charity do not like tyrants compel any to obey them 74. Some are taught to make the Presbyterians odious by the rigor of their Discipline and the stool of Repentance which the licentious fear But 1. our judgment is that none but willing Consenters should be Church-members and as such come under Discipline 2. And that none be excommunicate for any sins ordinarily unless after due warning and patience he refuse to repent 3. And God hath made Repentance necessary to comforting-absolution pardon and salvation 4. And it 's a thousand pities that any should be so mad in sin as to think Repentance too dear for pardon 75. Some say that we are for Excommunicating Kings What other men have been is nothing to us We take not our judgments on trust from any party but the Scripture is our Rule and the Primitive Church our pattern Some of us have written against the lawfulness of dishonouring Princes and Rulers by proper excommunications as being against the fifth Command and Rituals give place to Morals And some of the greatest Church-men that have cast us ouâ—â—â—ve been for Rulers Excommunication We are not insensible what Treasons and Domination not only the Pope but the Councils of Bishops even without the Pope as in the case of Ludovicus Pius and others have exercised over Princes and Kingdoms by excommunications and cursed cursing men from Christ 76. We find that when in the contentions between the Popes and the Emperours the Clergy familiarly swore on both sides as interest moved them and as Abbas Urspergensus saith Perjury was the common brand of Priest and people it was far from proving a cure of Schism though it was pretended for that use 77. As the Law forbiddeth us so we profess to intend nothing here written as an accusation of the Government Laws Liturgy or Conformists but only as a description of the reasons of our own Nonconformity But if it should prove true that Cities Corporations Bishops and Priests are guilty but of half the evil against God Truth Conscience the Gospel the Church the souls of men the good of the King and Subjects which we fear we should be guilty of if we did conform I had rather be a slave than that Clergy-man that should encourage them in it 78. And if it should prove that any of them are under such guilt in the end it will prove but an uneffectual defence to accuse the innocent and reprove and so to divert them by keeping them on the defensive part while they are accused of odious sin for not sinning and called intollerable for refusing to concur in wickedness 79. Ever since we were cast out and silenced we have thankfully accepted all motions and overtures for concord We have been several times since the first Treaty called to new Treaties in one Dr. Manton and others offered thankfully to accept leave to preach for nothing in the Parish Churches where the Ministers desire it and when the Common-Prayer is used Another time being called by the Lord Keeper Bridgman we agreed with Bishop Wilkins and Dr. Burton and it was draâ—â— up in an Act of Concord by Judg Hale but voted by the Commons not to be brought in Since then we were invited to treat with Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Stillingfleet who seemed to consent to the terms of the form of an healing Act which we offered them but they found that the Bishops would not consent By all which we have still shewed that we have never ceased to seek for peace 80. We have never shunned to read or hear all that can be said to prove that we need not fear all the guilt of
Lying Perjury false Covenanting against duty and all the other sins with their many and heinous aggravations which we fear being guilty of if we should conform Nor did we ever refuse to give the reason of our fears to the Learned'st man that doth accuse us 81. As is aforesaid we never to this day put up our Petition to any Parliament since we were silenced for relief compassion or to be heard which may seem strange to those that know our long accusations and sufferings 82. So far are we from loving Schism that we take Unity to be essential to the universal and particular Churches and that division is destruction though every difference is not such division And the chief of my studies and labours in the world is How to reconcile and unite divided Christians And having fully proved in a Treatise of the only terms of common concord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will never be attained but on the terms of Primitive simplicity prescribed by Christ and practised by the first Churches it is because our Conformity is inconsistent with such terms of common concord and such as we think but Sectarian schism that we are Nonconformists Let him that is for dividing the child be taken for no true mother of it 83. We are not against all Litanies our Litany hath not less but more than theirs We heartily say From Atheism Infidelity and Popery from prophaneness persecution and oppression from all sedition privy conspiracy and rebellion from false doctrine heresie and schism from an ignorant proud and worldly domineering Clergy from malignant hatred of Gods holy Image and servants and serious worship and from contempt of his word and commandments Good Lord deliver us Jam. 3. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledg among you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts much more silencing persecution glory not and lye not against the truth This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work But the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace 1 Thes 2. 15 16. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us And they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin always For the wrath is come upon them to the utmost I determine not in all this Who is the Schismatick but make a pair of Spectacles for the purblind to discern it But Reader I must earnestly intreat thee as thou lovest thy Soul to remember that as toys and plays and lust and pride and drunkenness and gluttony and ambition and covetousness are the Devils nets by which he taketh the most of the world so he hath a second sort for those that are above these things and that is the delights of wit in the vain unprofitable part of Learning And for those that yet are above this one of his last snares is Religious wrangling turning faith and godliness into opinions sidings formalities and perverse disputings especially with men of corrupt minds that take gain for Godliness and think that Reputation and Money will coin any thing that is for them into Truth and Goodness I conclude therefore That if thou would'st escape that Schism and Dangerous sin which Contenders charge on one another the way is short and plain I. Understand and stand to thy Baptismal-Vow and see that thy Belief Love and Practice of known Christianity according to our Creed Lords-Prayer and Decalogue in Love to God thy Soul and thy Neighbour in Godliness Charity Justice and Sobriety be serious and sincere and then thou art certainly of that Catholick Church which Christ is the Head of and will save II. Love all Christians as such according to the measures of their goodness and remembering thy own weakness pity and bear with the infirmities of the weak and when others wrangle against them and abuse them study thou to do them good III. Look on all particular Churches as members of the universal afore described and chuse the best thou canst for thy ordinary communion and good so it be not to a greater hurt by accident But deny not occasional communion with any though accused by others further than they force thee to sin or than they separate from Christ Thy presence maketh thee not guilty of the tolerable faults which thou canst not amend Take them for Sectaries and Separatists who forbid thee communion with all that are not of their mind and way in tolerable differences IV. Take heed of neglecting any truth or duty or living in any sin which all good Christians even the Contenders are agreed about And in these thou wilt find enough for peace of Conscience and Salvation V. Be sure that thou approve thy self to God and take his Law for thy Rule and his Love and the heavenly Glory for thy portion hope and All and let not the flesh nor worldly interest cheat thee into justly suspected sin nor the Threats or Flatteries or Bribes of men either Drive Allure or Hire thee to be false to thy Conscience thy Saviour and God nor prophanely with Esau to sell thy Birthright for a morsel or hazard thy part in Heaven for a transitory befooling dream and shadow of profit honour or delight FINIS