sincerity of Devotion to make use of this Remedy to put an end to our Distractions And yet I find some have been tampering with it who will be very strait laced in Ceremonies to gratifie the superstitious and widen the moral part to humour the voluptuous Thus if mens Lusts will not bend to the strait Rule of the Word they can gently bow the Rule to their corruptions and crooked propensities And the Author of the former part seeing well that Men are grown too Pursey to be crambt up with the Religious observation of the Lords-day has prudenâ—…ly accommodated the day to their latitude They that have no great mind to keep a Christian Holy day shall need but to call it a Iudaical Sabbath and they are well fortified against all the checks of their Consciences I know the Reader will pitty him that must contend with two such Adversaries Hercules himself would not engage a couple but though they be Two they have but one single weapon We want not some who can reconcile the levity of the Stage and Theatre to the gravity and severity of the Christian Doctrine that can teach men by their writings or practice how they may retain these vanities and never throw off their Baptismal Livery and it is upon good Advice for should they lose such numbers from the party it would make a filthy Hole in it and the weeding out such Tares would make a thin Field of Corn and therefore some plead that they ought to grow together till the Harvest 4. We are now come to the great and infallible Remedy which the Pope trusts more to then his great Infallibility But there are considerable diversities about the form of this Medicine in the Dispensatories some as Mr. Necessity Bays express it by a tedious Periphrasis Axes Halters Racks Fire Faggot with an Et catera which has more in 't then all the rest but the Romanists who are concise men and love short work and to express multum in parvo have Epitomiz'd all in that one word the Holy Inquisition so called by the same Catachresis by which we call our former Antagonist the Compassionate Enquirer If you enquire a Reason of this various reading know that it arises from the different Copies of the Dispensatories The Pharmocopaeia of London calls it one thing that of Rome Another the Titles differ but the Medicine is the same only Rome according to her old overdoing and undoing Humour has added a few drops of the Spirits of Vitriol And yet the last Edition of ours at the Old Bayly re-assumes its former Title and calls it downright The Inquisition of Spain This Medicine is truly Soveraign it has the Probatum of thousands who being dead yet speak its answerableness to its primitive design to silence all disputes and stop the mouth of all gain-sayers when all is done there 's no Argument convinces so effectually as Stone-dead The wild-Irish themselves will believe their Enemy to be dead when his Head lies sever'd a Yard from his body But the Question will be still whether it will down with English-men for though they have good Beef Stomacks they want that of the Ostrich to digest Axes and Halters There 's no Question but it will go down well enough with them that give it but it needs the assistance of much Rhetorick to perswade them into a willingness of mind who are to take this wallowish potion If we could agree who should be persecuted there are enow could be content to be the persecutors and this is one of the greatest Quarrels That the Genius of this Nation as our Enquirer informs us is so couragious and withal so compassionate I am very glad to hear the one part so tender hearted that they will not inflict the other so tender Conscienced that they will endure what shall be so inâ—…icted rather then prostitute them to the lust and tyranny of men but then I must conclude that some of our Church-men are either no English-men or no Christians whose tender mercies have been Cruelties and whose compassions like Draco's Laws written in blood And I rejoyce to meet with these concluding words The exercise of so much cruelty upon the Account of Religion in Q Maries days hath made that profession detestable to this day and it looked so ill in the Romanists that we shall never be perswaded to practise it our selves Had we but now an exact Definition of Cruelty we should soon be satisfied whether the Enquirer would not perswade Another to it if not be perswaded to it himself None of the Romanists Expedients then will work this blessed Cure they are either Impracticable or come too late or are worse then the Disease or one mischief or another There are therefore three others which he will mention Universal Toleration Comprehension and Instruction and Consideration 1. The first is Universal Toleration But here the Doctors Man whom he sent a simpling was horribly mistaken And like Elisha's Servant whom he sent to gather good wholesome Pot-hearbs has imprudently pickt up your poysonous Colequintida An oversight that might have lost the Patient his Life Universal Toleration I have observed English Spirits to bear some secret Antipathy to these Universals They like not either Universal Bishop nor Universal Monarch nor Universal Grace nor Universal Admission nor this Universal Toleration But what if he had omitted This Universal in the Receipt There may be a Toleration of what is Tolerable whatever disturbs not the publick Peace whatever contradicts not the Scriptures the Creeds whatever crosses not the great ends of Religion whatever is peaceable holy humble just modest righteous though perhaps not Ceremonious This Corrected Toleration has been given with Admirable success in the primitive and purer times It fills up both pages in the Apologies of Iustin Martyr Athenagoraâ—… and Tertullian who pleaded for a Toleration of their Innocent profession It is the main ingredient in that famous Mass of Pillulae sine quibus esse nolo nay of Pillulae sine quibus esse nequeo The Scripture said the Enquirer just before has made it our Duty to consider one anothers weakness and practice mutual forbearance and what forbearance is without Toleration I do not understand Had the Imposing Spirit obtained in the Infancy of the Church they had saved the Heathens a labour and destroyed each other He might safely therefore in his Irenicon have used from a Scruple to a drachm of this Toleration 'T is the Herb Gratia Dei the great fraenum cholerae which Addulces the blood begets good Spirits restrains surley Humours and sweetens the Tempers of one Christian towards another 'T is not the opening 〈◊〉 Pantheon but not shutting up the Temple of the one true God not a licenciousness to blaspheme but a liberty to glorifie our Redeemer that we plead for 't is a priviledge that every one has a claim to That the Lives and Souls of them that have not wronged their Country may be secure in it If the
those of the first Magnitude If indeed all men were soundly cudgell'd into one eâ—…n way of profession and practise they whose design it is to sleep out their dayes in ease might enjoy themselves and their Acquists over Conscience with more soft and delicate touches of carnal contentment dreaming all the while that the world is their own yet still the minds of men would sit as uneasy under â—…h Rigours as he that pinches his body with too straight a 〈◊〉 onely to recommend himself to acceptation by the new and obteining fashion And as we observe an uneasy suit soon becomes an old suite so they that sit pinch't under a straight laced Religious forme do but grumble and make sowâ—… faceâ—… waiting the good hour when they may fairly and honestly diseâ—… themselves of an ungrateful cumber What Advantage this Inquirer may promise to himself from 〈◊〉 a way of writing I cannot Divine The best use I conceivâ—… 〈◊〉 made of it is to support the evil Consciences of the 〈◊〉 of their fury aâ—… such tolerable rates that they may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 souls in pieces for persecution for Religion â—…s an 〈◊〉 so abhorrent to the common sight of Mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thougâ—… for a while perhaps it may contract a Lethargick dâ—…ness yet will awake and mutter and grumble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ade a pandar to Coveteousness or malice a 〈◊〉 horse to base Revenge or to held a Candle to the Devil And when it shall begin to lowre and scold it 's no little gain that will make a sop for that barking Cerberus no small see will bribe it to hold its tongâ—…e But now in comes one of these plausible Declamations rending the principles of the Dissenters so silly their grounds so weak their lives so wicked their practises so ridiculous and yet of such treasonable and schismatical Tendencies which â—…uskes the clamour of Conscience and like the jogging of the Cradle rocks the pievish thing asleep again assoon as it begins to whimper Really Sir I cannot but exceedingly pitty and pray for a sort of persons of your own Quality who to their more refined Extract having added all the ornaments of posiâ—…e literature and those more graceful accomplishments fetcht 〈◊〉 by Travel and a frâ—… converse in the world besides that Honour which they have bravely won in the Field and creditably worn at home have yet their judgments so far imposed upon their spirits so imbitter'd by prejudices formed from misrepresentations as to become the instruments of other mens passions in executing those severities which their calmer thoughts and more sedate Advisements must needs Regret And though a true generosâ—… English Temper valiant but not cruel may confidently claime the Magnanimous Lyon Cui satis est prostrâ—…ss as the Embleme of Courage mixt with Clemency for his Crest yet some few of mâ—…re Rigid inclinations will depopulate and lay wast many a mile about them who when they behold an odd kind of Peace as the happy fruits of their cruelties applaud themselves for persons of deep judgment and great success â—…yling Desolation Universal quiet If you ask me why I have not underwritten my Name besides that you know it well enough without my subscription you may be pleas'd to Remember what you once told me That Though Truth needs no Maske she may want a helmet and seeing she desires no better do not grudge her the Covert of Darkness Innocency knows no guilt that should Dye her face with shame yet she apprehends danger which may make her Pale with fear Truth seeks no Corners as to the justice of her cause and yet she may seek a corner as to the injustice of her judge I am not conscious to my self of any evil Design but they who will call Preaching Prating will hardly scruple to call my Ears Hornes and I am not to be judge in the Case I am Confident you commiserate â—…ur hard fate and the unequal Termes our â—…ffing Antagonists impose upon us They chalenge us to a paper duel in the most provoking Language such as would set an edge upon the most obtuse coward If Modesty an ambition for peace or love of retiredness tempt us to decline the Combate we are then Posted up for Cowardise but if we awaken so much spirit as to take up the gauntlet and return the mildest Answere then Trusty R. gets it in the wind and immediately summons his Hamlets raises the whole posse Ecclesiae and Spiritual Militia upon us and strangles the helpless Infant in the Cradle A wary Answere may sometimes steal of the forme before it 's started then comes in Mr. Warden M. the common Hunt whistles out the whole pack of his infallible beagles pursues runs down catches the poor fugitive and then you know to seize a book is the most effectual way to Confute it If one in a thousand has the happy success to escape this Inquisition then the New Smectymnuan Divines or Convocation of the Coffee-house will reply upon it that they will if it was pend with becoming seriousness and gravity they have one Reply This is nothing but whining or Raving if the style be brisk't with a dash or so of facetiousness they have one word ready to Confute it This is Drollery Burlesque buffoonry A blank Imprimatur lay ready every week against poor Robin the doughty second of the Friendly debate and Ecclesiastical Polity creeps abroad and to all bis blasphemies obscaenities scurrilities ribaldries the priviledge underwrites This may be printed If Mr. Sh. goes big with some of his illegitimate Socinian foolcries A Chaplain waits at the door to midwife the brat into the World But if a piece comes out with little zeale for ceremonies though in vindication of the old Doctrine of the Ancient Church of England it expects nothing but Lydford Law first to be condemn'd and afterwards perhaps to be tryed Against all which I see no other remedy but silent complaints or it may be this short Rejoinder Tolle Legem fiat disputatio But I have already given you too much trouble what remains must be mine own to study to be Master of a calm serene submissive frame of heart which may enable me to suffer like a Christian for doing like a Christian And if after all I cannot escape the lash of virulent Tongues and violent hands yet at Least I may not fall under the severer stings of my own Conscience I shall not need to beg of you to give this Paper a Leasurely and impartial perusal 't is so Agreable to your own Nature and that strict Law which your own Wisdome has impos'd upon you Not to pass a final judgment upon any thing before you have duely weighed all things that as I cannot suspect you will decline your constant and fixed Method in my single Case so I can hardly prevail with my self to ask that as a favour which you in justice must needs grant I shall only beg the pardon of this interruption given to your important concernes and if
this over-charged slander may not recoil and hurt the Enquirer But though he be very uncharitable I shall endeavour to give the most charitable construction of his words that they will bear And therefore observe That though he be engaged not to render evil for evil yet he never promised not to render evil for good § 2. If being a Clergy-man says he and continuing in the Church he shall debauch his Office and undermine the Church which he should uphold such an man also may then debauch his life too and yet have a very charitable construction among the generality of Dissenters What must Enemies expect from this Man who has no mercy an his Friends There are many Holy and Learned persons now within the Bosom of the Church who having considered the terms of enjoying the more publick exercise of their Ministry have overcome the difficulties of Subscription and do yet retain their former Orthodoxy and sobriety of Conversation These perâ—…ons knowing what Conscience is do exercise great tenderness towards it in their Brethren who cannot get over their rubs and obstacles and these if I mistake not are the Glory of the Church of England for purity of Doctrine and piety of Conversation for all true Learning and useful knowledge Against these persons The Enquirer has a desperate stitch as those that undermine the Church which they should uphold that is if they condescend never so little to a tender Conscience in one of those little institutions which themselves cal indifferent the whole Church must presently fall about their Ears but if the Church were built upon Christ the Rock and not upon the Wool-packs of Ceremonies such condescension would never undermine it These are taxed also with debauching their Office And indeed if the Office of Ministers be to become Informers If Preaching the Gospel be nothing but to make a Pâ—…ther about Ceremonies I hope they will debauch it still but that any of these do debaucâ—… their Lives and are thereupon more acceptable to Dissenters is a loâ—…d falshood only to let us understand how wel he has learned Christ. § 3. If a man says he be of the most Holy Conversation but Zealous for the Interest of the Church this man shall have worsâ—… Quarter from the fiery Zealots of other parties then one of a more loose life and meaner abilities Let no man reply If a man be of a loose Convâ—…rsation and but Zealous of the Grandeur and for the Ceremonies of the Church this man shall have fairer quarter and more encouraging preferments from the fiery Bigots of Conformity then one of a severe life and greater ministerial Abilitits To interpret this mystâ—…ry we must inform our selves what is the Churchâ—…s true Interest as it is a Church It s very easie to mistake in stating the True interest of any Society and if we mistake there its impossible we should be regular in the means of pursuing it An errour in the first concoction is never rectified in the second The true Interest of every true Church of Christ is to promote Holiness and Conformity to his Commands engaging thereby his presence and protection and a Spirit of Love and Peace amongst its members though under some variety of apprehension in Adiaphorous matters The mistake is to advance a Churches secular Grandeur external splendour and worldly pomp which every true Christian in his Baptism has renounced toâ—…ether with all the works of the Devil and the lusts of the flesh If ever a Church shall be so far mistaken as to judge worldly Glory its true interest I know not why it may not also mistake the works of the Devil and the lusts of the flesh to be its true Intereâ—…t also A Conforming Minister who despising that false understands and pursues this true Interest is truly dear to all the Non-conformists but for those who are so deluded as to think it lies in destroying and ruining all that are not satisfied with their Canons and Constitutions however aliene and forreign to the temper of the Gospel they confess they are no great admirers of them whatever appearance of Holiness they may make If the Interest of a Faction shall lie in sending poâ—… Christians to the Alms-house of New-gate and the Hospital of Bedlam and will give no Quarter to the most Holy and Religious if they fail in two or three Niceties I must needs say I see no reason why such should adorn themselves with the plumes of Gravity and Devotion to render their Inhumanity more plausible 2. But he has somewhat further to say then all this If impertinent and fantastical talking of Religion endless scrupulosities censorious and rash judging our Superiours Melancholy sighing going from Sermon to Sermon without allowing our selves time to meditate on what we hear or to instruct our Families be the main Points of Religion then the Non-conformists are Holy Men. And now I hope the Reader is abundantly satisfied that the Enquirer has otherwise Learned Christ than to render Evil for Evil that he dares not furnish Atheism and Prophaness with an Apologie That he makes a Conscience of affording a spectacle to evil Men That he dares not for a World dress Religion in a Phantastical Habit. that Boys may laugh at it This is his Constantines Robe which he casts over scandalous Commissions Serious Discourses about the concerns of the World to come about our own death and the day of Judgment is Phantastical talking Tenderness of Conscience Holy fear of sinning against God is endless scrupulosity Modest refusal to practise every thing commanded though Reason Judgement Scripture Reclaim is Censuring and Rash Iudgment of Superiours Godly sorrw must be melancholly sighing attending upon Gods Word Preached shall be running from Sermon to Sermon And a downright falshood added to close up the whole That they neither allow themselves time to meditate of what they have heard nor to instruct their Families And yet if they shall dare to practise this last with a few of their weaker Neighbours that drop in to hear a Sermon repeated they shall be lyable to the Law and punished as Seditious Conventiclers and railed at as Schismatiâ—…ks When all is said and done Machiavils old Rule is a Sacred Maxime with these sort of Men Fortiter calumniare aliquid adharebit Throw Dirt enough and some ont ' will stick Wild-fire flies further than the Water that should Quench it A Reproach will run where a just Vindication will not creep Had the Providence of God allotted the Non-conformists their abode any where but amongst those whose Interest it is to render them Odious they might have pass'd for good Christians It would be difficult to hire Men to be Instruments of Cruelty if they were not first perswaded that they are Ministers of Iustice and the only way to perswade that is to represent Dissenters as the off-scowring of all things not fit to live a day The best way to take away the life is to render it abominable None can handsomly
whilst the World was filly enough to be imposed upon by those little Artifices we had scarce a New Shrine Altar place of Pilgrimage erected but upon pretence of some rising from the Dead or an Angel from Heaven or a Letter from the Virgin Mary or some such Pious Frauds and Religious Cheats which the Priests had at their Fingers ends Let us now consider the Enquirers Discourse upon this Principle That all absolutely necessaries are so determined we readily grant says he and that all those Rites prescribed by our Saviour are necessary to be obserued we will yield them but that nothing is lawful but what is to be found so prescribed we utterly deny And so do we Let that end the Controversie When Rethoricians have flanted it out in fine Language and Ruffled a little in Phrase apposite words and expressions they have satisfied their Office and are not obliged by the Rules of their Art either to state the Question or speak to it Something may be practised which is not prescribed that we grant but from something to every thing is too great a Leap for Bucephalus From practising to prescribing is another large stride from Circumstances to Ceremonies is a third from Civil things to Sacred is one more from Indifferent to Necessary Conditions of Church Communion may go for another and from the common Accidents that attend the Worshippers as Men to Parts of worship are Inferences which we can neither make to lead or drive 2. We come now to a second Judaical Principle That all Princes and Law-givers are bound to conform the Municipal Laws of their several Dominions to the Institutions of Moses This indeed has a strong taint of Jewish Leaven in 't which they who plead so Zealously for the Ius Divinum of Tythes and Holiness of Places because Moses once put off his Shooes may do well to advise upon the Non-conformists for ought I know are little concern'd in 't We grant that there is no necessity that the Temporal Sanction even of the Moral Law it self should be the same under the Gospel that it was under the Administration of Moses That the Violaters of the Lords days Holy Rest should be stoned as the infringer of the Sabhath was of old the Adulterers should be punish'd with Death or a Blasphemer endure the same now which then was exacted Law-givers do consider the tempers and dispositions of their Subjects in these matters we are no further concerned herein then to pray that they who moderate the Affairs of the Empires of this World may be directed with Wisdom from above may order all things in a subserviency to his Glory by whom they Reign and the publick peace welfare and prosperity 3. A Third Instance is in Excommunication Which says he they hold must be by a Synod or Presbytery and the Prince as well as the People must be subject to the Sentence Here are several Questions that invite our serious debate as 1. What is the proper Seat of the power of Excommunication 2. Who are the proper Objects of this Power 3. Whether to fix the power of Excommunication be a Judaical Principle And 4. Whether a Prince may come under the Edge of that Sword Any one of which would require more room then I have allotted my self to turn in What I shall say is this 1. That the Synod or Presbytery are the Seat of Excommunication carries as fair proof at least as the Chancellor who is a Lay-man or at best a Deacon of no Scripture Institution can show for himself by Divine Right 2. That all scandalous persons are lyable to that Censure is true in the general but that it may not be executed upon a Supreme Magistrate arises from peculiar Maximes of Government upon which the safety of a Kingdom depends I know not that this is a Principle of the N. C. for my part I disown it 3. That this was a Jewish Principle to excommunicate their Kings I do not certainly know nor date positively determine That they received any such standing Law from God I do not find That a High-Priest did once actually separate a King upon the score of his Leprosie we read and that others perhaps would not do as much if a Prince pleased not their Humours we have no security I should shrowdly suspect their Inclinations this way whoever they were that inseâ—…ed this Doctrine into our Bibles which we find in the Contents of the 149. Psalm The Prophet exhorteth to Praise God for that Power he hath given to the Church to Rule the Consciences of Men Which they refer to v. 5. and the following Let the Saints be joyful in Glory let them sing aloud upon their Beds Let the high Praises of God be in their Mouth and a two edged Sword in their Hand To execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the People To bind their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron If this be the Power God has given the Church over the Consciences of Men the Non-conformists did not insert it and wish it may be expunged the Bible 4. He must by no means omit their Superstitions about the Lords day which must be called a Sabbath too though such Name is no where given it either in the New Testament or any Anâ—… Writer that he knows of Here are two Branches the first de Nâ—…mine the second de Re. 1. De Nomine whether the Lords-day may be called a Sabbath especially with the usual Epithete The Christian Sabbath That it must be so called as he falsifies the N. C. assert not That it may be so called they are willing to enter a sober discourse with him when he is at leisure A Sabbath in general signifies no more then a Day of Rest. And he that owns the day may be called the Lords-day must needs own it to be a resting day and by consequence a Sabbath day and the greatest fault herein is that it 's good in English but stark naught in Hebrew Nay there 's somewhat more will follow This day of which we speak is called the Lords-day Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords-day And the reason of the Appellation is this because the Lord Iesus has a special interest and propriety in that day As the great standing Ordinance of the Gospel is called the Lords-Supper 1 Cor. 11. because it was instituted by Him and was to be devoted to Communion with him so this day is called the Lords-day because it was determin'd by him and ought to be dedicated to him in his Service and Worship that we may approve our selves eminently the Lords Servants upon that day which is eminently the Lords-day And if so it will challenge the Title not only of a day of Rest but Holy Rest And if Men were not swarming full of Crotchets and Idle Whimseys and Superstitious Dotages they would never scruple to call that a Holy Sabbath day which they must confess a Holy resting day But how came
to it then will be a stony heart The whole argument stands thus If a tender Conscience be a good Conscience then the contrary to it must be a brawny or hard Conscience now assume But a brawny or hard Conscience cannot be contrary to a tender Conscience ergo c. He that has nothing else to do with his time let him abuse it in answering such Syllogisms Ay! but says he this would be too contumelious to reproach all men but themselves with very admirable As if the noâ—…ions of words or things were to be taken from mens rash applications of them to themselves or others A tender Conscience would be a good Conscience though the Enquirer had the confidence to Monopolize all Tenderness to himself And a brawny Conscience will be an evil one though he should be so contumelious as to asperse all others but himself with it This way of Arguing is a shooe that will fit any mans foot serve any mans occasions as will as the owners A Tender Conscience cannot be an ignorant mind for it would be too presumptuous and Arrogant for those that reproach it to account themselves the only wise men on earth And then the contrary to it must be an inlightned mind and it would be too contumelious to reproach all the world for Fools but their own precious selves Use is the grand Master of words He that will speak as others spâ—…ak must either understand as they do or be content to be misunderstood A Tender Conscience amongst us of the Populace is Conscience under that Office of warning us of the danger of sin it Advises us to take the safer side in things dubious and rather avoid the smoak for fear of the Fire then with Empedocles rush into the smoak and find our ruine But the best of our Entertainment is yet behind for he will now read a very Learned Lecture to this Tender Conscience which in my weak judgment is monstrously absurd seeing he supposes his Auditors to be all Fools Men of ignorant minds or sickly understandings The business lyes here how a Tender Conscience must be qualified that it may enjoy it's Priviledges § 1. He that pleads for compassion upon the account of his weakness that is his Tenderness must be so ingenious as to submit himself to Instruction And if the Enquirer must be the Instructer He deserves to wear a Fools Coat for his pains for I would gladly learn that as the first Lecture what is the Nice and Critical difference between a Tender and a Compassionate Enquirer There are two points they say of wisdom the first that we be able to advise our selves the second that being Conscious of our own inability we be willing to submit to the advise of others wiser then our selves But this tender Conscience being such a widgeon it cannot be expected he should be guilty of such ingenuity § 2. He that pretends to tenderness of Conscience must make good his claim by being uniformly consciencious The plain meaning whereof is this That he that pretends to be a Fool must â—…qually maintain the Humour and carry on the Allegory of folly all the days of his life otherwise as he wisely observes it will be but Pharisaism To prove which deep Point he instances in David whose Heart smote him when he cut of the Skirt of Sauls garment but it would never have been called Tenderness of Conscience in David if at another time he should have attempted the life of Saul And what he says is very true if we take Tenderness of Conscience in it's true and proper acceptation but nothing more Ridiculous nay more dangerous should we according to his New Notion take a Tender Conscience for a weak understanding I ask Did Davids heart smite him when he cut of Sauls garment Yes But was it out of Tenderness of Conscience that it smote him why yes The Enquirâ—…r has just now told you so are you deaf Ay! But is a Tender Conscience nothing but an ignorant or uninstructed mind a sickly melancholy or superstitious understanding why should you be so importunate It can be nothing else The Enquirer has defined it so in plain English Why then this is in plain English the Doctrine under which his Auditors must be prepared for their priviledges That David being a Tender hearted that is a Tender headed Person through the Tenderness that is the slenderness of his crazed intellectuals coming under the distinct Consideration of Reflecting upon his own action in a melancholy and superstitious qualme rebuked himself for cutting of the Skirt of Sauls garment But by his good favour this is too severe a Censure of that Holy Act of David whose Tender Conscience after some surprizal being recovered and awakened severâ—…ly schooled him that he durst make so near an approach to the Destroying by the touching of the Lords Annointed But such glosses he might find in some old pair of Bandeleers Priscae vestigia fraudis Thus the Jews out of ignorance crucified Christ. 3. Act. 17. But when Conscience was well informed and sprinkled with that Blood which they had once shed when Grace had applied that to their Hearts which they rashly imprecated upon their Heads they were pricked in their Consciences and cried out Men and Brethren what shall we do It was ignorance that lead to that murder but a Conscience made Tender and reflecting upon their own act which caused them to repent of and turn from their sin The Rule indeed is a most excellent one in it self though wickedly applied in this particular He that claims the Priviledges of a Tender Conscience must make good his claim by being uniformly Consciencious For he that is Tender of eating a black-pudding and yet not tender of the blood of the Saints he that scruples the Omission of a Ceremony though his weak Brother perish by it yet never scruples to bear false witness nor to murder the reputation of another he that is tender of the Ceremonial Law of Man and yet makes no bonds of the Moral Law of God must not be allowed to plead this Priviledge Though any one may be allowed the priviledge of our Authors tender Conscience which is only this That if he holds any Land in Capite he shall be begg'd for a Fool. § 3. He that is truly Tender if he cannot do all that is Commanded yet will do all he can He that cannot bow at the Name of Iesus yet perhaps can stand up at the Creed But what now if this instance of his Tenderness be impertinent I question whether bowing at the naming of Iesus be Commanded However Dissenters are excused by this Reason from conforming to what they can unless it be matter of their ambition to be admitted in the Colledg of all Fools To do all we can to no purpose is small encouragement to the attempt we are denied Communion with the Church in all Ordinances unless we come up to all the Terms of Communion Now since it 's our apparent duty
those Errours in time and not only of those Errours but of Gross Popery like by such means in time to Creep in amongst them as they found by late experience it dangerously begun I say not that the Articles of the Church encline to Popery nay they detest it but this I say that if they did encline to Arminianism they must to Popery If they do not why are they with allowance so misconstrued if they do then the secession of the Non-conformists is thereby justified Having therefore made this Objection for the Dissenters he will give them their Answer and prove the unreasonableness of this suggestion That the Church of England approaches too near the Superstitions of Rome 1. It s certain says he there hath been little or no Alteration made either in the Doctrine Discipline or Liturgy since the first Reformation Little or none Does he mean for the better or the worse To say there has liâ—…le or none been made for the better is a Commendation so cold that silence had been more an Honour than such praise The Reformation was begun as the times would bear A fair Copy was set for posterity to imitate never dreaming that their Rudiments should have been our utmost perfection That their first step should have been our Hercules Pillars and a Ne plus ultra to all future endeavours To say there has been little or no Alterâ—… made for the worse is a more modest way of Defamation but â—…enters have many things to say to this § 1 That there have been consâ—…ble Alterations made in the Articles themselves if not as they remain in Scriptis yet as they are publickly interpreted for we subscribe not to a heap of Letters and Syllables but to the sense and meaning of certain propositions as they are owned by the Church What the Church owns say they we can no otherwise understand then by those Writings which appear every day Licensed and approved by those of greatest Authority in the Church Now if we may judge of the meaning of the Articles by those Writings They are as much Altered as if Negatives had been changed into Affirmatives or Affirmatives into Negatives In former times they were generally subscribed because the most scrupulous were generally informed by those of most eminent place in the Church that the meaning was found but now say they we are informed otherwise we see our mistake the words have a different and contrary meaning and therefore we must be excused in subscription 2. They will say That what the Enquirer calls little or nothing is a very great something for it concerns us not so much what is put into the Liturgy or Rituals as what is made a Condition of Communion whiâ—…h the Church Now in the beginning of the Reformation though many things were in use yet few imposed as the necessary Terms of enjoying a station in that Society Things supposed indifferent were used as in different In the 13th of Q. Eliz. subscription is only required to Doctrinals and such Subscribers though not ordained by Prelates were admitted to officiate as Ministers of the Church of England But now subscription is peremptorily required to all and every thing contain'd in the Book of Commonprayer The Book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons wherein are considerable Doctrinal Additions and Alterations such as the different Orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons supposed to be distinct jure divino A Doctrine which A. B. Cranmer understood not as is evident from his M. S. exemplified in Dr. St. his Irenicum In the beginning of the Reformation Ceremonies were retained to win upon the people who were then generally Papists and doted upon old usages and not as the necessary conditions of Communion They were retained not to shut out of Dores the Protestants which is their present use but to invite in the Romanists which was their Original end but there 's nothing more common then for Institutions to degenerate and be perverted from the first Reasons of their usage and yet still to plead the Credit of their Originals Thus Indulgences and Remission of sins were first granted to all that would engage in the Holy War to recover the Sepulchre of Christ out of the hands of the Saracens but in process of time they were dispensed to them who would massacre the Waldenses and Albigenses and such as could not obey the Tyranny of the Romish saction Thus was the Inquisition first set up to discover the Hypocritical Moors in Spain but the edge of it since turned against the Protestants And thus were the Ceremonies perverted at first made a Key to let in the Papists and now made a Lock to shut out Protestants What a glorious work must it then be to abolish those Engines that seeing they are become weak to do Good they may be rendred as impotent to do mischief Imitating herein the Apostle who once circumcised Timothy to gain the weak Iews yet stoutly refused to Circumcise Titus least he should stumble the weak Gentiles 3. The Ceremonies its true crept into the Church pretty early yet they laid no weight no stress upon them It was decreed by the Councel of Sardica that none should be made a Bishop 〈◊〉 â—…e that had passed the Inferiour Orders and continued in them for some time and yet we see they insisted not upon such a Canon when it might prejudice the Church and exclude useful persons from the Ministry and therefore Nectarius was chosen Patriarch of Constantinople not only being a Lay-man but unbaptized As our Enquirer commends and admires the Churches Wisdom in forming her Doctrinal Articles that men of various perswasions might subscribe them so her tenderness and wisdom had been no less admirable had she recommended Ceremonies with such an Indifferency that they who were passionately sond of them might be humoured and they that protest they scruple them in Conscience towards God might fairly let them alone for it can be no dishonour to a Church to be as Lax in Ceremonies of humane constitution as in Doctrines of Divine Revelation 4. Dissenters say from good grounds that that which makes all an insupportable burden viz. That we must subscribe according to the clause of the 20th Article that The Church has power to decree Rites and Ceremonies is added since the Beginning of the Reformation And this they think heavier than all the Ceremoniâ—…s put together many could practice a thing supposing it indifferent in it self and having a real tendency to a greater good who can by no means subscribe that the Church has such a power to take away my liberty I have taken notice that in the Ancient Bibles of this Church the Contents of Psalm 149. ran thus The Prophet exhorteth to praise God for his Love to his Church and for his benefits But in the latter days we had got high ranting Language The Prophet exhorteth to praise God for his Love to his Church and for that power that he hath given to his Church over the
Consciences of Men This is no little Addition 5. They will tell him that the number of Non-conformists was considerable from the very Infancy of the Reformation though it could not be expected that their names should be inserted in the Church Calender amongst the Confessors and that Non-conformity has run a line parallel with the National Reformation to this day But says our Enquirer The main quarrel is that we are not Always Reforming No that 's not the main nor any Quarrel that Dissenters have with them Let but Reformation be made in what is necessary and as often as is necessary and I know none disposed to Quarrel It were better never to be sick than to have a Remedy yet upon supposition of a Disease in my mind there 's nothing like an approved Medicine It 's more desirable not to make Shipwrack than to escape by a â—…lank yet when a wrack is made he deserves to sink that despises a subsidiary Plank If it were possible for Churches not to contract corruption I know no need because no use of Reformation Some Men hate Reformation as the Bear hates the Stake They pretend that the Reformation of the Church will discompose the State But the best way to preserve the Iron is to scowr away the Rust A dirty Face may be Wash'd and yet the skin never rub'd off and the House swept and never thrown out of the Windows They plead again That no Reformation can be made but what will notably diminish the Revenues Grandeur and Credit of the Church And this Objection has more real weight in it than all the rest This is the Capital grievance Hinc illae Lachrymae But does it not argue ae Saleable and Mercenary Soul that would Barter away Purity for Pluralities The most severe Reformation would leave too much if any thing for such an Objector what ever have been the specious Pretences this has been the real obstruction of an effectual Reformation Kings and Parliaments have always been inclinable towards a Redress of Exorbitances but the Covetousness and Pride of Churchmen have ever impeded their Pious endeavours A Parliament in Queen Eliz. Reign as we read in Dr. â—…llers Ch. History was bringing in a Bill against Pluralities and A. B. Whitguift sends a Letter to her Majesty signifying they were all undone Horse and Foot 〈◊〉 it passed Observe how he deplores the miserable state of the Church The woful and distressed estate whereinto we are like to fall forceth us with grief of heart in most Humble manner to â—…ave your Majesties most Soveraign Protection Why what â—…s the â—…ter were they making a Law against Preaching No! or against Common-Prayer By no means what ailes then the distressed Man why We therefore not as Directors but as Humble Remembrancers beseech your Highnesses favourable beholding of our present state and what it will be in time if the Bill against Pluralities should take place No question it must be utter extirpation of the Christian Religion Thus in another Letter to the same Queen he complains with Lamentations that would soften a heart of Marble That they have brought in a Bill giving liberty to marry at all times of the year without restraint well but if men be obnoxious to the evil all times of the year why should they not use the Remedy that God has appointed all times of the year The Apostle who tells us It s better to marry then burn did not except any time of the year But why may not a Parliament make a Law as well as the Ecclesiastical Court give a License that it shall be Lawful to marry at any time of the year Ay but the Parliament will make the Law for nothing whereas those other will have Money for their Liceâ—…ses But he proceeds It s Contrary to the old Canons continually observed by us Why but is it not Contrary to the old Canons to take Money for a License Yes but It tendeth to the slander of the Church as having hitherto maintained an Errour And now you have the bottom of the Bag All Reformation must touch the Clergy either in their Credits or Profits and it were better never to put a hand to that work then to touch either of those with a little finger 2. His second Answer is All is not to be esteemed Popery that is held by the Church of Rome we are not to depart further from her then she has departed from the Truth and those things wherein they Agree are such and no other as were generally received by All Christiaen Churches and by the Roman before it lay under any iâ—… character Many things might be returned but I shall say little only 1. As all is not to be accounted Popery which is held by the Church of Rome so neither is all to be accounted Schism which hot men in their passions and prejudices will call so Let that be now accounted Popery which in the beginning of the Reformation by the most eminent Divines of this Nation was so accounted and he will hear no more I presume of that Argument 2. I would be satisfied whether Rome departed from the Truth Simplicity and Complexion of the Evangelical Worship when she loaded the Church with such multitudes of unnecessary Ceremonies and Superstitions If not why did the Church of England depart from her in Any if so why did she not depart in All 3. Why should we be so tender of departing from an Abominable Strumpet were it not more Christian to say we will depart from the Reformed Churches abroad no further then they have departed from the Truth and then the Argument will be ingenuously strong rather to part with Ceremonies that we may Syncretize with Protestants then retain them that we may hold fair Quarter with Papists 4. It cannot be made appear that those things wherein the Agreement yet abides were generally received by all Christian Churches Kneeling at the Sacrament was not received in the Church till Rome came under an ill and most odious Character Many Centuries after the Apostles knew it not and when it was first entertain'd it was accommodated to the grand Idol of Transubstantiation But our Enquirer has a mind to be Resolved in a few Questions for his own private satisfaction 1. Qu. If there be such a dangerous affinity between the Church of England and the Romish how came it to pass that the blessed Instruments of our Reformation A. B. Cranmer and others laid down their lives in Testimony to this against that I meddle nor with his dangerous Affinities nor Câ—…nsanguinities nor whether they come within the Prohibited Degrees or no what I am concern'd in is his argument which may receive this short Answer They laid down their lives in testimony against those Errours wherein they differ'd and not against those wherein they might be agreed They might possibly agree in many and yet differ in so many as might cost them their Lives There was difference enough to justifie their opposition and yet