E. g. The Time and Place of their Convention must be agreed on by them and the lesser part must yield to the greater or else by diffent no time or place may ever be agreed on So that if the greater part agree on one Translation of the Bible to be used in all the associated Churches or on one Version of the Singing Psalms it will tend much to Edification and agrees with the Scripture Commands of Unity If therefore that which they agree on seem to a particular Church or Pastor no better than another Version or scarce so good yet for Unity if it be not unlawful or like to be more hurtful than the Diversity will be they ought to concur But still be it remembred that the Churches Peace or Unity should be laid by Agreements on nothing unnecessary And therefore all agreements may not be seconded with an avoiding all Dissenters 17. Because in the great Case of taking Members from other Churches or Parishes the Exception from the general Rule of Parish Limits cannot be so enumerated as punctually to resolve each Doubt that may occur let us first lay down what Rules or Exceptions we can agree on at least this general that we will take no such Person into our Churches when it tendeth more to the hurt than the furtherance of the common Good and Christian Cause And therefore that we will first bring the particular case to the Association or at least be there responsible concerning it as we are about other Church Affairs Accordingly when any is actually offended that another hath taken a Member out of his or another's Church or Parish let the Association hear the case on both sides and if they justifie the accused there is an End if not they are to convince him or them that they go against some Rule of Scripture or Nature e. g. against the Honour of Christ and good of the Churches or christian Cause And if neither he nor they can be convinced nor brought to reform after sufficient Admonition it must be considered whether the case be small and tollerable or great and intollerable If the former we must bear with it yet professing our Judgment against it if intollerable we must proceed to disclaim Communion with the guilty and so to exclude them from the Association and common Communion which yet must not be done but in heinous cases And thus the particular cases must be tryed and concluded as they fall out for there is no laying down any Rule beforehand that will fit all cases particularly 18. Those first Associations being composed of such Pastors and Churches as are near and within a capacity of such Communion as aforesaid voluntarily combined should also hold correspondence with Neighbour Associations either by Delegates in some more general Meetings as in each County one or at least by Letters and Messengers which Communion is to be extended even as far as our Natural Capacity extendeth and the Edification or Preservation of the Churches shall require it And thus the Presbyterians and Congregational Men are agreed if they are willing If all will not let those agree that have hearts and not stay for the rest And here you see a Satisfaction to your two Demands My Question was What are the things that the Congregational must have and will insist on the denial whereof doth binder our Unity and Agreement Your Answer was in these words To manage all Church Affairs by the Elders and Brethren within themselves and without dependance unless for Advice on any other Ecclesiastical Power 2. To take in such as are qualified and freely offer themselves to joyn though of other Parishes Yet so as if a particular Church in that Parish which for the Substance is gathered according to the Order of the Gospel and the Party a Member thereof an account is to be given to the Church or the Elders of it of the Cause of his removal that it may be if possible with consent And this is all that hinders our Agreement it seems Alas 1. For the first it is granted you in terminis only in point of Ordination yield but to be Ordained by Teaching Elders which you confess lawful and others think necessary And remember 1. That to depend on other Ecclesiastical Power even for Advice is a great dependance 2. That to depend on them not as a Superiour Power but as a Link upon the Chain for Union and Communion we can never exempt you from nor will you sure desire it There is a fourfold Advice 1. An Authoratative Advice of Governours as Parents Schoolmasters Pastors to their Inferiours who are bound to obey them on a double account ratione materiae authoritatis Thus the Pastors in a Synod advise their Flocks conjunctly 2. The Authoratative Advice of one Officer to another And so as we preach to one another I think as Christ's Ministers we must advise one another 3. An Advice of a Major part among Equals in Order to Union and Concord and this is the Principal to be respected in these Conventions 4. An Advice of a private Person not authorized by Office and this binds but ratione materiae c. 2. To your second you will grant as I hope by the printed Debates that ordinarily Parish-bounds shall be the Rule for Limitation alter Parishes if they be amiss and that you 'l not swerve from this Rule but upon necessary Cause and not when it is to the apparent wrong of the Cause and Interest of Christ and you will yield to be responsible to the Association which you are a Member of concerning the Case when you are questioned And this shall agree us And why should I not add two Propositions for Peace with the Episcopal That way or the Persons are not so contemptible if you consider the Antiquity the great Difficulty their Number and Extent and the Works of many of them as to be refused our Communion though on some Abatements to them Prop. 19. Let therefore these Presbyteries of particular Churches have one to be the stated President as long as he is found fittest and let all the Associations at least where Episcopal worthy Men require it have such fixed Presidents quam diu bene se gesserint as your Assembly at Westminster had by common Consent Bishop Hall and Usher say this will satisfie but it will not without the next Prop. 20. Seeing the Presbyterians and Congregational say That except in case of necessity it 's lawful to forbear Ordination till the President be there and One and to take him with you and the Episcopal say That it 's of necessity therefore let the Case of Necessity and the Title be purposely silenced and left to each Man's Judgment but de facto let your Licet yield for Peace to their Oportet at least for some years trial And agree to Ordain none but in necessity without the President as he shall Ordain none without the Consent of the Association or at least the Elders of the
did before possess as far as I can learn from History Sure I am that when it became a matter of Reputation and Honour to be Godly it abundantly furthered the Successes of the Ministry Yea and I shall add this much more for the sake of Posterity that as much as I have said and written against Licentiousness in Religion and for the Magistrates Power in it and though I think that Land most happy whose Rulers use their Authority for Christ as well as for the Civil Peace yet in Comparison of the rest of the World I shall think that Land happy that hath but bare Liberty to be as good as they are willing to be and if Countenance and Maintenance be but added to Liberty and tollerated Errors and Sects be but forced to keep the Peace and not to oppose the Substantials of Christianity I shall not hereafter much fear such Toleration nor despair that Truth will bear down Adversaries 5. Another Advantage which I found was that Acceptation of my Person which Bishop Morley and Dean Warmstry so vehemently dissuaded them from in vain Though to win Estimation and Love to our selves only be an end that none but proud Men and Hypocrites intend yet it is most certain that the Gratefulness of the Person doth ingratiate the Message and greatly prepareth the People to receive the Truth Had they taken me to be Ignorant Erroneous Scandalous Worldly Self-seeking or such like I could have expected small Success among them 6. Another Advantage which I had was by the Zeal and Diligence of the Godly People of the Place who thirsted after the Salvation of their Neighbours and were in private my Assistants and being dispersed through the Town were ready in almost all Companies to repress seducing Words and to justify Godliness and convince reprove exhort Men according to their needs as also to teach them how to pray and to help them to sanctifie the Lord's Day For those People that had none in their Families who could pray or repeat the Sermons went to their next Neighbour's House who could do it and joined with them so that Some House of the ablest Men in each Street were filled with them that could do nothing or little in their own 7. And the holy humble blameless Lives of the Religious sort was a great Advantage to me The malicious People could not say your Professors here are as proud and covetous as any But the blameless Lives of godly People did shame Opposers and put to Silence the Ignorance of foolish Men and many were won by their good Conversation 8. And our Unity and Concord was a great Advantage to us and our freedom from those Sects and Heresies which many other Places were infected with We had no private Church though we had private Meetings we had not Pastor against Pastor nor Church against Church nor Sect against Sect nor Christian against Christian. There was none that had any odd Opinions of his own or censured his Teacher as erronious nor questioned his Call At Bewdley there was a Church of Anabaptists at Worcester the Independents gathered theirs But we were all of one Mind and Mouth and Way Not a Separatist Anabaptist Antinomian c. in the Town One Journeyman Shoemaker turned Anabaptist but he left the Town upon it and went among them When People saw diversity of Sects and Churches in any Place it greatly hindred their Conversion and they were at a loss and knew not what Party to be of or what Way to go and therefore would be of no Religion at all and perhaps derided them all whom they saw thus disagreed But they had no such Offence or Objection there they could not ask which Church or Party shall I be of for we were all but as one Nay so Modest were the ablest of the People that they never were inclined to a preaching way nor to make Ostentation of their Parts but took warning by the Pride of others and thought they had teaching enough by their Pastors and that it was better for them to bestow their Labour in digesting that than in Preaching themselves 9. And our private Meetings were a marvellous help to the propagating of Godliness among them for thereby Truths that slipt away were recalled and the seriousness of the Peoples minds renewed and good desires cherished and hereby their knowledge was much increased and here the younger sort learned to pray by frequent hearing others And here I had opportunity to know their Case for if any were touched and awakened in publick I should presently see him drop in to our private Meetings Hereby also idle meetings and loss of time was prevented And so far were we from being by this in danger of Schism or Divisions that it was the principal means to prevent them For here I was usually present with them answering their Doubts and silencing Objections and moderating them in all And some Private Meeting 's I found they were exceeding much inclined to and if I had not allowed them such as were lawful and profitable they would have been ready to run to such as were unlawful and hurtful And by encouraging them here in the fit exercise of their parts in Repetition Prayer and asking Questions I kept them from inclining to the disorderly exercise of them as the Sectaries do We had no Meetings in opposition to the Publick Meetings but all in subordination to them and under my over-sight and guidance which proved a way profitable to all 10. Another thing which advantaged us was some publick Disputations which we had with Gainsayers which very much confirmed the People The Quakers would fain have got entertainment and set up a Meeting in the Town and frequently railed at me in the Congregation But when I had once given them leave to meet in the Church for a Dispute and before the People had opened their deceits and shame none would entertain them more nor did they get one Proselyte among us Before that Mr. Iohn Tombes being Lecturer of Bewdley two miles off us who was reputed the most Learned and able Anabaptist in England we kept fair Correspondence for a long time and I studiously avoided all Debates with him about Infant Baptism till at last he forced me to it as I shall shew further anon And after one days Dispute with him of Bewdley my Hearers were more setled and the course of his Infection stopt How mean soever my own Abilities were yet I had still the advantage of a good Cause and thereby easily opened the vanity of all Pretenders Deceivers and Dividers that came among us 11. Another advantage was the great honesty and diligence of my Assistants When I came first to Kidderminster after the Wars I found Mr. Richard Sergeant there received as their Preacherâ— whom they took in a Case of Necessity when they could get no other I found him very honest but of no extraordinary Learning and of no taking utterance so that some that were more for Learing than
that those Men are reproveable who say that nothing but Deceit and Jugling was from the beginning intended For who knoweth other Mens Intents but God Charity requireth us to think that they speak nearer to the Truth who say that while the Diocesan Doctors were at Breda they little dreamt that their way to their highest Grandeur was so fair and therefore that then they would have been glad of the Terms of the Declaration of Breda and that when they came in it was necessary that they should proceed safely and feel whether the Ground were solid under them before they proceeded to their Structure The Land had been but lately engaged against them The Covenant had been taken even by the Lords and Gentlemen of their own Party at their Composition There was the Army that brought them in who were Presbyterians as to the most of the ruling part to be disbanded and how knew they what the Parliament would do Or that there would be none to contest against them in the Convocation How could they know these things beforehand Therefore it was necessary that moderate things should be proposed and promised and no way was so fit as by a Declaration which being no Law is a temporary thing giving place to Laws And it was needful that the Calling of a Synod were delayed till the Presbyterians were partly cast out and a way to keep out the rest secured And if when all these things were done the former Promises were as the Independants called the Covenant like an Almanack out of Date and if Severities were doubled in comparison of what they were before the Wars no Man can wonder that well understood the Persons and the Causes § 144. Presently after this Mr. Crofton writing to prove the Obligation of the solemn National Vow and Covenant not as binding any Man to Rebellion or to any thing unlawful but in his Place and Calling to endeavour Reformation to be against Schism Popery Prelacy and Profaneness and to defend the King he was sent Prisoner to the Tower where when he had laid long at great Charges he sought to get an Habeas Corpus but his Life being threatned he was glad to let that Motion fall and at last to petition for his Liberty which he obtained But going into his own Country of Cheshire he was imprisoned there and when he procured his Liberty he was fain to set up a Grocer's Shop to get a maintenance for his Family While he was in the Tower he went to the Chappel Service and Sermon his Judgment being against separating from the Parish-Churches notwithstanding their Conformity so be it he were not put himself to use the Common-Prayer as a Minister or the Ceremonies And this occasioned some that thought his Course unlawful to write against it to which he somewhat sharply replied and so divers Writings were published on both sides about such Communion § 145. This calleth to my Remembrance how earnest the Brethren of London and the Countries were to have had us draw up among our selves how far we should go when Conformity was imposed that we might not be weakened by differing among our selves which I could never persuade my self to attempt considering as I oft told them 1. That we had no such Design as to unite and strengthen one Party against onother but to keep up the Interest of Religion in the Land 2. That if God permitted some able Men to conform though sinfully he would do good by it to his Church by keeping the Parish-Churches in such a Case that all of us might not be driven to forsake them 3. That the thing desired was utterly impossible 1. Because no Man could tell beforehand what would be imposed on us and therefore none could tell wherein we should be forced to dissent 2. Because the same Act as coming to Common-Prayer or Sacrament in the Churches might become a Duty to some Men and a Sin to others by diversity of their Stations Relations Pastors Churches Occasions Circumstances as I proved How then could all beforehand set a bound how far to go It would be much better to persuade Censorious Brethren to unite in Christian Faith and Love and to keep Charity and Peace with all that agree in the Foundation and not to make a Breach by their Censoriousness and then say others make a Breach by differing from us Nor to be of the same Spirit with Imposers while they are in the Heat of Opposition against them or of sufferings by them The Difference is but in the Expressions of Uncharitableness one Party silenceth imprisoneth and banisheth and the other Party censureth those that differ from them as Temporisers and unfit for their Communion 3. And if any had set down his Terms or Bounds who can dream that all would have agreed to them when Mens Judgments and Interests and Temptations are so various 4. The thing would have seem'd intollerable to our Governors and they would have taken us for Factious that had more desired to strengthen a Party against them than to live in Peace and Concord § 146. About this time there fell out an Accident that gave Occasion to the Malicious to reproach us It was our great Grief that so many faithful Ministers were put out and so many unworthy Persons restored or newly put into the Ministry Every Day almost People talkt to us of one drunk at such a Place and another carried in a Cart or lying in a Ditch at such a place or one taken drunk by the Watch at Night and another abused and made a Scorn in his Drunkenness by the Apprentices in the Streets and of Three that the Day when they had been Ordainedâ— got in their Drink three Wenches to them in the Inn or Tavern which having their married in their manner c. two fled and the third was fain to take his Wench to Wife with abundance such News that fill'd the City We modestly told some of it and they made us odious by it as malicious Slanderers as if a Word had not been true At last the City did ring of one Baker that preached a funeral Sermon drunk at Westminster and fell a railing at the People in the Church in his Sermon with much of the like Because the Rumour was so common we enquired after it till it was attested to us by the Hearers and having such unquestionable Witness some Brethren would by all means tell the King 〈◊〉 it as by the by to move â—im to reform such things When we were next with him Dr. Manton told him of it and there being one Baker elected by the King to an Irish Bishoprick and the common Fame and some of the Hearers saying that it was the same Man I seconded Dr. Manton and told the King That we could not say upon our knowledge that it was true but when the Fame of such things was common as to affect his Subjects be it true or false we thought it better for his Majesty to hear what the People
denied the Means of their Salvation and so perish because a Minister differeth from the State in some lesser things 4. Considering also that there are not competent Men enough to do the Work of the Gospel without them Nay there will be much want when all are employed 5. It is desirable that his Majesty have Power to indulge the Peaceable and abate Penalties as in his Wisdom he shall see most conducible to the Peace of Church and State and not to be too much tied up by an indispensable Establishment These Reasons and many more are considerable for the way of Indulgence 2. The way of Indulgence alone is not sufficient but first the Law should be made more Comprehensive 1. Because indeed the present Impositions and Restrictions of the Law considering also the direful Penalty are such especially the Declaration and Subscription required as the Age that is further from the heels of Truth will so describe and denominate as will make our Posterity wish too late that the good of Souls the welfare of the Church and the Honour of our Nation had been better provided for 2. Because it is exceeding desirable that as much strength and unity as may be may be found in the established Body of the Clergy which will be the glory of the Church the advantage of the Gospel the prevention of many sins of Uncharitablness and the great safety and ease of his Majesty and the Realm When as meer Indulgence if frustrated by Restrictions will be unsatisfactory and not attain its ends but if any thing large and full will drain almost all the established Churches of a more considerable part of the People than I will now mention and will keep much disunion among the Ministers 3. If there be no way but that of Indulgence it will load his Majesty with too much of theâ—â—ffence and murmur of the People If he indulge but few those that expected it 〈◊〉 lay all the blame on him If he indulge all or most that are meet for it he will much offend the Parliament and Prelates who will think the Law is vain But a power of indulging a small Number when the most are embodied by a Comprehension will be serviceable to God and the King and the Common Peace and justly offensive unto none 4. The Indulgence will be hardly attained by so many as need it and are meet for it most being distant many friendless and moneyless and too many misrepresented by their Adversaries as unworthy 5. If the Indulgence be for private Meetings only it will occasion such Jealousies that they preach Sedition c. as will not permit them long to enjoy it in peace These and many more Reasons are against the way of Indulgence alone It is therefore most evident that the way desirable is first a Comprehension of as many fit Persons as may be taken in by Law and then a power in his Majesty to indulge the Remnant so far as conduceth to the Peace and Benefit of Church and State Your second Question is What abatement is desirable for Comprehension I answer Suppose there is no hope of the Terms of Primitive Simplicity and Catholicism but that we speak only of what might now be hoped for 1. It is most needful that the old and new Subscriptions and Professions of Assent and Consent to all things in the Book of Ordination Liturgy and the two Articles concerning them be abated 2. That the Declaration be abated especially as to the disobliging all other Persons in the Three Kingdoms from the endeavouring in their places any lawful Alterations of the Government of the Church And that the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy be the Test of Mens subjection 3. That the Minister be not bound to use the Cross and Surplice and read the Liturgy himself if another by whomsoever be procured to do it So be it he preach not against them 4. That according to Pope Leo III. determination in such a Case the Bishops do by a general Confirmation in which each Man approveable to have his part upon due trial confirm the Ordination formerly made by lawful Pastors without Diocesans without reordaining them 5. That what the Courts will do about Kneeling at the Receiving of the Lord's Supper may be done by others and not the Minister forced to refuse Men meerly on that account 6. It is very desirable that Oaths of Obedience to the Diocesan be forborn as long as Men may be punished for Disobedience 7. It is exceeding desirable that Reformation of Church Government by Suffragans and the Rural Deanries c. be made according to his Majesty's Will expressed in his Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs To your third question Of the Extent and Terms of the Indulgence it being to be left to his Majesty's Wisdom I shall not presume to give you my Answer § 428. Instead of Indulgence and Comprehension on the last day of Iune 1663. the Act against Private Meetings for Religious Exercises past the House of Commons and shortly after was made a Law The Sum of it was That every Person above sixteen years old who is present at any Meeting under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy or Practice of the Church of England where there are five Persons more than that Household shall for the first Offence by a Iustice of Peace be Recorded and sent to Iail three Months till he pay five pound and for the second Offence six Months till he pay ten pound and the third time being convicted by a Iuly shall be banished to same of the American Plantations excepting New-England or Virginia The Calamity of the Act besides the main Matter was 1. That it was made so ambiguous that no man that ever I met with could tell what was a violation of it and what not not knowing what was allowed by the Liturgy or Practise of the Church of England in Families because the Liturgy medleth not with Families and among the diversity of Family Practice no man knoweth what to call the Practice of the Church 2. Because so much Power was given to the Justices of Peace to record a man an Offender without a Jury and if he did it causelesly we are without any remedy seeing he was made a Judge According to the plain words of the Act if a man did but preach and pray or read some licensed Book and sing Psalms he might have more than four present because these are allowed by the practice of the Church in the Church and the Act seemeth to grant an Indulgence for 〈◊〉 and number so be it the quality of the Exercise be allowed by the Church which must be meant publickly because it medleth with no private Exercise But when it cometh to the trial these Pleas with the Justice are vain and life men do but 〈◊〉 it is taken for granted that it is 〈◊〉 Exercise not allowed by the Church of England and to Jail they go §