ought to receive and obey the Truth and to believe no more than what Christ hath commanded to be believed and to worship God according to the Will of Christ Shall we say the Protestants in France do not hold the Faith nor worship God according to the Gospel then what are they who say so If they profess and believe the Truth they ought to be permitted that 's plain for the Truth 's sake and for the Lord's sake Doth Christian Love and Compassion prompt us to wish our persecuted Brethren in France enjoyed the Liberty of the true Religion there and if they should enjoy a Freedom there shall we deny a Liberty to Protestant Brethren here I can see no way to avoid a Justification of the barbarous Usage of Protestants there by them that prosecute Protestants here for far lesser Differences from our Establishments than theirs from the Papists Suppose an Embassador was sent to treat with the French King at this time of Prosecution of our Native Protestants for a Cessation of that cruel Persecution how readily might an Answer be made Why may not I suppress Hereticks when in England you suppress Protestants 4. A Diversity of Order and Manner of Discipline and Worship may be as well permitted without breach of Church-Unity in the same Nation as in divers Nations without breach of Christian and Catholick Unity If different Forms of Belief are allowed the matter being divine and the one more large and explicit than others why may not different Modes and Order of Discipline and Worship be allowed and permitted Our Worship is according to our Faith as we believe so we worship Notwithstanding our use of three Forms of Profession of our Faith we agree in one Faith so in different Forms of Worship we agree in one Evangelical Worship And our Reformers might with as great Reason have pitched upon one of the three Creeds and for Uniformity sake required Assent to that and the use of that and no other as our Modern Fathers pitch upon one Form of Worship and require our Assent and Use of that and no other For Uniformity in Faith is more necessary than Uniformity in Orders and Rites We use the Creed called the Apostles Athanasian and Nicen Creed Bishop Jewel hath written a larger Form in his Apology for the Church of England agreeing in Words with neither and in his Reply to Harding reckons up eight Forms composed by several Authors and Fathers Apol. 2d part 1. c. Divis 1. Diversity of Creeds fol. 38. Harding cavilling against his Declaration of our Faith as many in our days exclaim a-against Dissenters said In our Fathers days Christian People lived in perfect Vnity c. before Luther 's New Gospel But let us learn from our Reverend Father Jewel that Unity of Faith may agree with Diversity of Forms of Faith and by Consequence with Diversity of Forms of Worship Object But the Administration of God's Worship ought to be uniform in one Nation and variety of Rites in one National Church would Cause Division of Judgment and by Consequence Division of Affection and to tolerate divers ways of Administrations would be to tolerate matter of perpetual Discord and Schism Answ Besides what the learned and acute Sir Thomas Overbury answers to a part of the matter of this Objection pag. 106. and the Commissioners in the Savoy Account of Proceedings p. 8 9. I 'll return my Answer in two things 1. Without Controversy our Lord Jesus took care for the Preservation of Unity such a Unity as is necessary among his Disciples and yet took no such Course as these Men build all Unity upon 2. The Church of Corinth was doubtless a particular Church and according to the Sense of the Reverend Bishop Bilson quoted before there was no Form of Liturgy prescribed p. 619 620. To be short Multitudes of learned and able Men living in one Kingdom have diversity of Apprehensions and Notions of things as well as in divers Nations and except Uniformity of Words might produce an inward Uniformity of Conceptions it hath not that Influence upon Unity as some Men think by their too violent urging of it 3. I am for Uniformity according to General Rules not excluding Prudence which must judg what 's necessary what 's expedient what 's edifying or what not for to exclude Prudence is to limit Divine Providence to particular Rules Divine Providence proceeds from Soveraignty Prudence observes it and Conscience must obey it Saving the Dominion of Providence and the Exercise of Ministerial Prudence let 's be as uniform as we can This prudential Latitude is allowed to every Curate in the choice of Homilies in dividing them leaving a part for the After-noon and changing of Lessons reading one for another as shall be most for Edification in the Admonition to all Ecclesiastical Ministers before the second part of the Homily To conclude this Question I desire the violent and active and the violent and oppressive Disputants of these times to answer Whether they think that our Protestant-Dissenting-Brethren that preach the Faith and labour to convert and build up precious Souls are unworthy to enjoy Liberty to preach the Gospel or to enjoy their Estates or to live in any part of the World If not what ground have they for their ill Opinion What Christian Charity have they How do they conspire with Bloody Inquisitors and French Persecutors yea Irish Rebels and Inhuman Rooters out of Heresy But if not worthy to live among us retaining their Liberty of Conscience and Religion Whither shall they go Where are they like to sind more natural Affection than among their Native Country-men and Acquaintance Where shall they be more wel-come among the Papists among Infidels where Satan bears so much Rule or among Protestants abroad Alas where who can entertain them Would you banish them to Scotland Ireland there are too many already Whither would you have them go for they are bid begon if they 'll not conform by some where they may do good there 's work enough for them where ever they are Why may they not do good here among us To be short they who turn them out of their Hearts and Charity upon the same reason banish them out of the Land if not out of the World And what if they should say as their Ejectors do We had better live or be in any Land or Nation even among the Papists or Insidels than live among such as these Would it not sound worse than all that yet they have said And what a Division or Schism at the very root would that be if it grew to it Which it hath not done and I wish never may But we may see that Violence is a Wedg to make the most ghastly Schism that ever was seen in a Christian Church But rather than be guilty of so unpeaceable and uncharitable a Thought or Carriage capable of such a Construction which all Christians should as ill endure to lodg within them as the
Formality and Force of an Act yet it is the first Matter and Original of an Act out of which an Act doth arise 3. This Vote was not of private Concernment in which Interest makes Men partial but it was of Concernment to the Church and Kingdom But many of the first movers in the Prosecution and of the Instruments in it act from a private Spirit and a particular Interest and find neither Concurrence from any that are at liberty and act as Freemen nor Approbation from the Standers-by except the few that know not what they do and care not what others do any more than Gallio Lastly the inferiour sort are Informers and Inferiour Officers Constables and Church-wardens c. of these there is not one of many but what abide severe Threatnings and heavy Fines considering their Estates before they distrain This way is contrary to the very common Sense of Christians and ordinary Men. But the Informers are a select Company whom the long Suffering of God permits for a time of whom I will say but little in this place They are of no good Reputation for their Knowledg in the Country they do not know the Names or Persons of some of them that are molested by them they go by report of their under-Servants or Complices they are unknown to them that suffer by them until they suffer They come two or three Counties off to set up this new Trade whether they are Papists or nominal Protestants who can tell They never come to Church not to their own Parish-Churches but lie in wait and ambush Their Estate is invisible their Country unknown to many their Morals are as bad as the very Dregs of the Age. These are they that direct and rule many of the Magistrates and live upon the spoil of better Christians and Subjects than themselves And who go away with honest Mens Goods honestly gotten but they To whom I have a great deal to say in the latter Part if I can hold my Pen without trembling while I write of them The Substance of what I intend to discourse upon is contained in these three Heads I. I will shew the Cause of the Sufferings of the Nonconformists II. Argue for a Cessation of this forcible Course against them III. Apply the whole to the Instruments of their Sufferings whether they be Magistrates Ministers Informers or others I. The only Cause of their Sufferings is their Nonconformity Of this I have spoken as fully as I thought needful at that time both in the First Plea opening the hardness of their Case in the Second Plea First Plea from p. 14 c. Second Plea p. 10 11. I must reassume this Head anew for a further Information of the World and Amplification of the thing in reference to their Suflerings and lay both before the Conscience of the Christian Reader who may propose this Case of Conscience as rising from it Whether the Nonconforming Christians and Protestants ought to suffer as they do and what they do meerly for Nonconformity For the opening of this Point once again I will consider Nonconformity as above-said 1. Privatively and passively as not doing what the Law requires 2. Positively and actively as doing what the Law forbids 1. Take Nonconformity in the first Sense and what is it but not subscribing or refuting to subscribe to what is required and not declaring what is required to be declared in the Act of Uniformity and by consequence not doing as is required in the Act or the Common-Prayer here lies their Nonconformity and hence the Name is taken 2. They do not refuse all and every Condition therein required of them It is not possible that I should particularly relate what Particular-Men do scruple and stick at some can do more than others can but they who can do most cannot do all required They are by some counted worse than Papists looked upon as a fort of ignorant erroneous obstinate unreasonable Men seditious and schismatical that obey neither King nor Bishops nor Church and are ignorantly and scornfully called These Men and these kind of People as if they were a strange odd sort of People wilfully bent upon their own Way Delusions and Fancies as if they carried the Sparks of Rebellion and the Seeds of Heresies and false Doctrine in their Hearts and kindled them in their Conventicles But know that they are as obedient regular Subjects as any in the King's Dominions save in one Defect or Omission which is Subscribing Swearing Declaring according to a particular late Act of Uniformity and Corporation And to them that wonder at them that censure condemn and afflict them I give this short Distinction and Account of them 1. The Preachers and Teachers are Men brought up in Learning in Schools and Universities or in University Learning if not in the Universities The older sort have for the most part taken Degrees in the Universities were in former times ordained by Bishops and had conformed to all or the principal things required by the old Act of Uniformity The middle-aged among them have had the like Learned Education and are Ministers either ordained by Bishops or by Presbyters or elected and chosen by particular Congregations and set apart for that Work by Fasting and Prayer if not also by Imposition of Hands The younger sort have Education in Learning in Schools Tongues Arts and Sciences the same that are taught in our Universities though they are taught out of the Universities in a more private way and have not the Titles of Graduates in Arts and Divinity In a word they are tho in different Degrees and Proportion some more and some less learned pious painful self-denying able and successful Ministers and orderly and peaceable Subjects according to all other Laws as any of us are Their Hearers are like other Men bred up in Trades and Callings as other Men are as is commonly and universally known In short let them that think strangely of them as these Men and these kind of Men receive this impartial Character of them ☜ The Nonconformists are Christians believing all the Articles of the Christian Faith that observe whatsoever Christ commanded his Apostles to observe and teach that observe all the Ordinances of the Gospel according to the general Rules of the Gospel-Worship Government and Discipline according to the best of their Understandings and Prudence that obey every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake that are subject to Principalities and Powers that obey Magistrates that live by the Law of Love and Rightcousness that have their Conversation according to the Gospel as other Christians or as the best of other Christians do and that submit observe and obey all Laws of the Kingdom as other Subjects do save the aforesaid Act of Uniformity and Subscriptions and Oaths of late Years imposed and never before And this Character of them contains matter of Answer to the many Questions Accusations and Censures raised upon them They are reported to be factious fanatical unlearned
unordained rebellious and unreasonable Men disloyal disobedient against the King and all Government Decency and Order as if they were for all Sects and sorts of Religion allowing all Men to do what seemeth good to them But in this short Description of them you may find an Answer to vulgar and popular Objections against them and more fully spoken of in the two former Pleas. In the Second Plea p. 10 11 12. I have said that the Difference between the Nonconformist commonly but unduly and unsitly called Presbyterian and the Conformist is to be seen and gathered from the King 's own Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs which they would have submitted to if it had been turned into an Act of Parliament and the Act of Uniformity I shall now further enlarge upon that Notion and shew you what the King declared and what they would have accepted because many that think and speak hardly of them do not know how things stood at that time and what that Declaration is In the Year 1660 after that General Monk made Duke of Albemarle afterwards by the King declared himself for a Free-Parliament and by the Counsel and Assistance of the City of London restored the Members of the old Parliament that were shut out by some of the Army before ever they could bring about their Designs against the King's Life and there was a wise and good Council of State chosen many of the Royal Nobility and Gentry and some Divines put out a Declaration in which are these words And we do further declare that we intend by our quiet and peaceable Behaviour to testify our Submission to the present Power as it now resides in the Council of State in Expectation of the future Parliament upon whose Wisdom and Determinations we trust God will give such a Blessing as may produce a perfect Settlement both in Church and State This was subscribed by the Marquess of Dorchester and twenty Earls and Lords several Noble-Men about thirty two Baronets and Knights and between eighty and an hundred Gentlemen among whom is Mr. Roger L'Estrange then a Christian professing Reconciliation promising with the rest To speak one Language to be of one Name not Whig and Tory that all mention of Factions and Parties and all Rancor may be thrown in and buried like Rubbish under the Foundation These are the words of it but as Dr. Collings of Cambridg said once Then was then and now is now one Irish Bishop subscribed it and four Doctors of Divinity and the first of them was Dr. Morley the yet-living Lord Bishop of Winchester How gladly did all honest Men receive this Declaration as tending to a firm Reconciliation and afterwards to a lasting Union and universal Peace not so much as a name of Faction or Difference to be kept in memory neither did any suspect the meaning of burying all Factions and Animosities like Rubbish under the Foundation to be as now some Mens Actions and Writings explain it that Factions and Animosities do lie under the Foundation which is at this day shaken being so underlaid Faction and Animosity will not lie buried but rise and walk In April 1660 That hoped-for Parliament met and to the Speakers of both Houses His Majesties Letter from Breda April 14. 1660 pag. 6. His Majesty sent his Letter and Declaration from his Court at Breda in his Letter I read these Words relating to Religion And nothing can be proposed to shew our Zeal and Affection for it to which we will not readily consent and we hope in due time our Self to propose somewhat to you for the Propagation of it In his Declaration sent therewith are these words We do declare a Liberty to tender Consciences and that no Man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in matter of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom In October 25 1660 His Majesty was pleased to send out his Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs in which he was pleased to remember and repeat the fore-cited words of his Letter whereby it is clear that that which he had long in his Mind to propose for the Propagation of Religion was the Contents of this Declaration Adding in the next Sentence Pag. 4. And the truth is We do think our Self the more competent to propose and with God's Assistance to determine many things now in difference from the time we have spent and the Experience we have had in most of the Reformed Churches abroad And besides what is quoted out of it in the Second Plea pag. 65. he hath these words We must for the honour of all those of either Perswasion with whom we have conferred declare that the Professions and Desires of all for the advancement of Piety and true Godliness are the same their Professions of Zeal for the Peace of the Church the same of Affection and Duty to us the same They all approve of Episcopacy they all approve of a set Form of Liturgy and they all disprove and dislike the Sin of Sacriledg and the Alienation of the Revenue of the Church and if upon these excellent Foundations in submission to which there is such an Harmony of Affections any Superstructures should be raised to the shaking those Foundations and to the contracting and lessening the blessed Gift of Charity which is the vital part of Christian Religion we shall think our selves very unfortunate Pag. 8. We have not the least doubt but that the Present Bishops will think the present Concessions now made by us to allay the present Distempers very just and reasonable and will very cheerfully conform themselves thereto Thus the King declares his Confidence of the Bishops Compliance with his Proposal and Declaration which is thus contracted 1. Our purpose is to promote the Power of Godliness to encourage the Exercise of Religion both publick and private that the Lord's day be applied to holy Exercises that insufficient negligent and scandalous Ministers be not permitted in the Church to prefer none to be Bishops but Men of Learning Vertue and Piety that they be frequent Preachers c. 2. Because the Diocesses are too large we will appoint Suffragan Bishops for the due performance of the Work 3. No Bishops shall ordain or exercise any Jurisdiction without Advice of the Presbyters no Chancellour or Commissary shall decree any Excommunication or Absolution nor shall the Deacons exercise any Jurisdiction without the Advice and Assistance of six Ministers 4. That Cathedral Preferments shall be given to the most learned and pious Presbyters of the Diocess and that an equal number to those of the Chapter of the ablest Presbyters of the Diocess annually chosen by the major Vote of the Presbyters shall be always advising and assisting with those of the Chapter in all Ordinations and every the part of Jurisdiction and Censures 5. That Confirmation be solemnly performed by the Information and Consent of the Minister of the place who shall admit none to the Lord's Supper
till they make a credible Profession of their Faith Care be taken to instruct and reform the scandalous whom the Minister shall not receive to the Lord's Supper till they have openly declared their Repentance The rural Dean with three or four Ministers of the Deanary chosen by Ministers of the Deanary shall meet once a Month to receive Complaints and Presentments to compose Differences reform things amiss by Admonitions and to present such things to the Bishop as cannot be reformed by their pastoral Perswasions to see that all the younger sort be carefully instructed before they be confirmed 6. No Bishop shall exercise any Arbitrary Power 7. Since we find some Exceptions made against several things in the Liturgy we will appoint an equal number of Divines of both Perswasions to review the same and to make such Alterations as shall be thought most necessary and some additional Form and it shall be left to the Minister to chuse one or other In the mean time we desire that Ministers would read those parts against which there lies no Exceptions yet in compassion to them that scruple it our Will and Pleasure is that none be punished or troubled for not using it until it be effectually reformed as aforesaid 8. We gratify those who are grieved with the use of some Ceremonies by indulging to and dispensing with their omitting those Ceremonies and leave all Decisions about them to the Advice of a National Synod None shall be denied the Lord's Supper for not kneeling none compelled to use the Cross it shall be lawful to him that desires to use the Cross to have such Ministers as will use it and if the proper Minister refuse to omit it the Parent shall get another Minister that will to baptize his Child None compell'd to bow at the Name of Jesus The Surplice left to liberty except the Royal Chappel Cathedral Churches or Colledges in Universities Those that cannot subscribe the Canon and take the Oath of Canonical Obedience shall only take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy that none forfeit his Benefice that subscribes all the Articles of Religion which only concern the Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments He repeated again his Declaration of Liberty of Conscience before cited And conclude and in this place to explain what we mentioned before That we hoped in due time to propose somewhat for the Propagation of the Protestant Religion that will satisfy the World that we have always made it both our Care and our Study and have observed enough what is most like to bring Disadvantage to it We do conjure all our loving Subjects to acquiess and submit to this our Declaration concerning those Differences which have so much disquieted the Nation at home and given so much Offence to the Protestant Churches abroad c. The Parliament which restored the King then sitting thanked him for this Declaration the Divines of London called the Presbyterian did also thank him for it and I never was acquainted with any conforming Divine that did not approve of it more than of the exact Conformity afterwards required and I cannot but think if a Scrutiny were to be made but more Ministers of Learning Plety and Experience that are not biassed with Preferments would judg it a far better Expedient for our Peace and the Propagation of the Protestant Religion as his Majesty speaks than our tried Strictress and Rigor yea I doubt not but many of our considerable dignified Clergy are or would be of the same mind After this the King gave a Commission according to his Declaration to an equal number of Divines to review and reform the Common-Prayer The Presbyterian Divines as they were called presented their Exceptions to the Bishops and Commissioners who returned them an Answer not favouring of fatherly Condescention nor giving hopes of a desirable Closure not as much as to leave the use of a Ceremony at liberty and free and by the stile it seems to be written by one or more of the Doctors and not by the Bishops themselves To this the other Commissioners replied which was not thought worth their notice so much as to give them another gentle Rebuke When the four Months allowed for the Debates and Confultation were expired the Commissioners who were slighted present a Petition and due Account of the matter to the King and say thus And tho the Account which we are forced to give to your Majesty of the Issue of our Consultation is that no Agreements are subscribed by us to be offerered to your Majesty according to your Expectation and tho it be none of our intent to cast the least unmeet Reflection upon the Right Reverend Bishops and learned Brethren who think not meet to yield to any considerable Alterations to the Ends expressed in your Majesties Commission yet we must say it is some quiet to our Minds that we have not been guily of your Majesties and Subjects Disappointments and that we account not your Majesties Gracious Commission and our Labour lost having Peace of Conscience in discharge of our Duty to God and you that we have been the Seekers and Followers of Peace and have earnestly pleaded and humbly petitioned for it And we humbly beseech your Majesty to believe that we own no Principles of Faction or Disobedience nor patronize the Errors and Obstinacy of any It is the desire of our Souls to contribute our Parts and Interest to the uttermost for the promoting of Holiness Charity Unity and Obedience to Rulers in all lawful things but if we should sin against God because we are commanded who shall answer for us or save us from his Justice And we know that conscientious Men will not consent to the practising of things in their Judgment unlawful when those may yield who count the matter indifferent We must not believe that when your Majesty took our Consent to a Liturgy to be a Foundation that would infer our Concord you meant not we should have no Concord but by consenting to this Liturgy without any considerable Alteration We most humbly beseech your Majesty that the benefit of the said Declaration may be continued to your People and in particular that none be punished or troubled for not using the Common-Prayer till it be effectually reformed and the Addition made as these express They presented to the Bishops and the other Commissioners the Reformation of the Liturgy and a most humble grave pathetical Petition called the Petition for Peace towards the end the address themselves to them in these Words Grant us but the Freedom which Christ and his Apostles lost unto the Churches use necessary things as necessary and unnecessary things as unnecessary and charitably bear with the Infirmities of the weak and tolerate the tolerable while they live peaceably and then you will know when you have done and for the Intolerable we beg not your Toleration c. I am sensible I have been long upon this historical Retrospect of