Hell c. No doubt his Soul was in Hell before his Body was in the Grave and yet his Burial is put first by our Saviour and his Soul-sufferings afterwards as being onely a higher and farther degree of Misery So in the Creed it is said or in the Article Christ was Dead Buried and descended into Hell or suffered in his Soul Hellish Torments as the sense of Gods Wrath the loss of Gods sight and presence for a time due for our Sins Not that his Death was before his Sufferings in his Soul but these are mentioned last as being the greatest far greater than the Death of the Body and the highest degree of Christs Passion and Humiliation And to Conclude otherwise as that Christ could not or did not suffer in his Soul these Hellish Torments before his Death or Burial because mentioned after both is all one as if you should infer that never any went to Hell before they were Buried because it is said in that fore-mentioned Text That the Rich man Died was Buried and when he was in Hell c. which were a gross Error and contrary to Scripture Nay then it will follow that the Soul cannot go to Hell so long as the Body remains unburied an inference so absurd that a man of any Reason or Religion will neither make nor own it What say you Tim. are we over this stile Tim. Pretty well Thanks to you for the good lift you gave me but there is another yet behind as hard to clamber as the former at which I doubt we shall both stick Tit. Never fear it man I 'le heave with both hands but I 'le have you over now we are come thus far What is it Tim. Seeing these words He Descended into Hell are so dubious and have caused such a Controversie why are they not wholly left out of our Articles and Creed Tit. I see you were more afraid than hurt for your frightful Objection is dwindled into a little Question this Bar is so low you may almost go over without help were you not so very weak However that I may not leave you behind know first that every thing that is a Controversie is not an Heresie either in matter of Doctrine or Faith and therefore not presently to be Expunged out of our Creed And since it hath been received by the Church in all Ages since the Fourth Century as Bellarm. tells us and being rightly understood contains in it a truth according to godliness yea necessary to be believed unto Salvation as the Sufferings of Christ in his Soul and continuing in the state of the Dead for a time I say it being so antient and rightly understood so necessary we may not leave it out but retain it to the Edification of our Faith and Consolation of our Souls Secondly If because there hath been some difference or dispute about the meaning of this Phrase in our Creed or Articles we should presently abandon it by the same Rule we must expunge many Texts of Scripture out of our Bible as those that concern the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation Free-will Falling away from Grace c. Controverted by Learned men on both sides and of different Perswasions This is no Rule for putting out of the Articles of our Faith therefore barely because Controversies have risen about the meaning and sense of it But I have been too prolix already therefore let us dismiss this Point Tim. No I am so well satisfied that I must entreat you to give me the Sum of what you said as brief as you can for my Memory is very short and I would fain retain somewhat if Possible Tit. The short then is this There are I say these two different senses of these words He Descended into Hell Which is the Opinion of some of the Antients and all the Papists Some thereby understand literally a Local Descension into the Place or State of the Damned to conquer the Devils and so set free those Souls that were kept in Hell till Christs Descension Others understand no more than a further degree of Humiliation then his Death and Burial Namely the continuing under the Power of Death for a time or of the Sufferings in his Soul on the Cross whereon our Blessed Saviour was humbled usque ad Inferni tremenda tormenta or endured for a time those Torments Quae reprobi in aeternum sensuri sunt Which the wicked shall Eternally suffer in Hell As the loss of the sense of Gods favour This is the Opinion of some Fathers and most of our Modern Reformed fines the Malediction or Wrath of God in his Soul which is Hell or that Fire which shall never be quenched In which Christ himself for a time was scorched for our Sins And therefore may truly enough be said To Descend into Hell These Brother Tim. are the two senses which of these now do you apprehend the most agreeable to Scripture and the Analogy of Faith Tim. The latter clearly Tit. Then we have done with this your satisfaction being all I aim at in this Discourse Tim. No there is one little Question more comes into my mind though I question whether you can Answer it Tit. It may be not for you know the Proverb Tim. But let 's hear it Tim. Why did not our Bishops when by His Majesties Command at his first Return they inspected the Common-Prayer and Corrected some things in it put some gloss upon these words in the Creed that we might not have been in the Dark as to their sense of them which now we are Tit. It had been very easie for them to have done it and why 't was omitted I can give no reason unless it was either because we should not know their Opinion or because it may be they were divided in their Opinions about it Or else that they would not assume the Honour of doing all that was needful to be done of this Nature but leave some things to their Successors among which this may be one And in the next Edition or next Generation God grant the Liturgy and Bishops to stand till then you may expect it Tim. 'T is well Reply'd I will inquire no further Let us proceed Article IV. Christ did truly rise again from Death and took again his body with Flesh Bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of Mans Nature wherewith he Ascended into Heaven and there sitteth until he return to Judge all men at the Last Day Tit. The principal intents of this Article are the Resurrection Ascension of our Saviour with his Coming to Judgment in either of which I confess I cannot charge you nor I hope any one else Tim. No I am sure they cannot the People to whom I have Preached now Two Sundays together can bear me Witness I am found here for I have handled these main Doctrines amongst them though I never knew they were part of the Articles of the Church before Tit. That 's not material to you whether you
The Fourth Part of Naked Truth OR THE COMPLAINT OF THE CHURCH To some of Her SONS For breach of HER ARTICLES In a Friendly Dialogue between TITVS and TIMOTHY both Ministers of the Church of England By a Legal Son and sincere Conformist to the Church of England as established by Law Non recipit mendacium veritas nec patitur religio impietatem D. Hillar Non temerè dico sed ut affectus sum ac ut sentio non arbitror Sacerdotes multos esse qui salvi fiant sed multò plures qui pereant Chrys Hom. 3. in Act. Apost Neque enim aliorum salutem sedulò unquam curabit qui suam negligit Calvin LONDON Printed for Richard Janeway in Queens-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1682. Naked Truth THE FOURTH PART Titus REverend Tim well met I have thought long for a little serious discourse with thee and now opportunity favours me Come here a convenient Arbour let 's sit down and enjoy one another one quarter of an hour Tim. Enjoy one another prithee I can't enjoy my self Tit. Bless me What dost mean Tim. I mean I can't I won't talk Tit. I confess you have some ill symptoms upon you are you not well Sir Tim. No not so well as I would be Tit. Why who or what would you be Tim. I would be a Bishop Dean Archdeacon or a fat Pastor at least Tit. I commend thee Tim as mad as thou art I see thou wilt wish no harm to thy self And though I never reckoned thy Stars so lucky as to exalt thee to a Bishoprick or Deanary yet were it not that thy threadbear Cassock and superannuated Beaver suit it not I should have thought a lusty Parsonage or plentifully endowed Vicaridge had been thy lot long ere this Tim. No in truth no such plumbs will fall in my dish Tit. Where lies thy misfortune Tim. In my Conformity which is too scanty yet I know not any punctilio required wherein I have fail'd Tit. Fail'd no thou art so perfectly innocent in this matter that if thou wilt call me before the Bishop I will witness for thee Tim. Witness what will you witness Tit. That which if any thing will do you a kindness and help you to your desired preferment Tim. What 's that Tit. In short I can testifie verbo Sacerdotis that thou art so far from being defective that thou art redundant out-doest the Act for Conformity it self in Practice and many of the 39. Articles in Doctrine Tim. Good Mr. Titus you make my heart leap within me I should begin to be proud of my self if you would but explain your meaning Tit. Nay not too proud Tim neither for you are not the only man doth this there are many too many such Conformists besides you Tim. Good still The more the merrier Tit. True but the fewer the better cheer Tim. Well but your meaning You say I and some others out-do the very Act of Conformity in Practice and many of the 39. Articles in Doctrine Your meaning now Tit. That is in plain English you use those Ceremonies which the Act for Uniformity enjoyns not and preach such Doctrines as the Articles of our Church the standing Rule next the Scriptures for our preaching allow not This do you and many more of our brethren in the Church Tim. 'T is easily said but how do you prove it Tit. The thing proves it self only by having recourse to the Act and to the Articles and comparing what you do and say with these touchstones But before we meddle with proof let me ask thee a question or two Tim and prithee answer me seriously come here 's no body hears but thee and I. First didst thou ever peruse the Act of Uniformity Tim. Never in all my life what need I I know my duty without reading the Act. Tit. Huge well no doubt Next did you ever for you never yet were possessed of a Benefice though you often possess the Pulpit for half an hour or so did you I say ever seriously read and consider the Articles of our Church Tim. No neither Tit. But you have subscribed them have you not Tim. Yes Tit. And not read them Tim. No. Tit. A hopeful youth I wish you were single subscribe you know not what and this makes you preach you know not what rise a note beyond Ela and to out do all your sober brethren preach down the Doctrines of the Church you ought to maintain and destroy with your tongue what you have subscribed to preserve with your hand This makes our enemies on both sides laugh in their sleeves to see so many profound Drs. sin for ignorance sake and some for interest sake rend in peices our very foundations preach and write contrary to each other as if the only contest were not who shall be the honestest and most conscientious but the greatest Church-man For go to this Congregation and there Dr. Socinus preaches to that and there the Reverend Arminius holds forth to a third and there the much admired Calvin is reading a Geneva Lecture yet all of the Church of England and all subscribers to her Articles This is fine indeed don't you think so Tim. I shall think nothing till you come to prove something Tit. Well remembred First then I am to prove that you and many more of your Cue use some Ceremonies which the Act of Uniformity doth not enjoyn and consequently do more than you need or shall have thanks for from our Lawmakers Tim. Ay that prove that Tit. Thus then Tim That Act requires the use of no more Ceremonies than are contained and prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer The Act for Uniform Caroli 2d 14. if therefore you use any Ceremonies not contained and prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer you use more than the Act requires Tim. What are those Ceremonies contained and prescribed in the Liturgy or Common-Prayer-Book Tit. The Surplice the Cross in Baptism and kneeling at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Tim. Goodman Ninny and do I use any more than these Tit. Yes Goodman Confidence and more besides you too Tim. Which be they Tit. What think you of bowing at the name of Jesus and bowing to or towards the Altar Are not these as much and as great Ceremonies as either of the former Tim. Granted and as innocent too Tit. That 's not the case but are they enjoyned For if saying this or that is an innocent Ceremony will justifie the making and use of it we may quickly have as many as the Church of Rome her self and then what 's become of our Reformation for all her Ceremonies are innocent her self being Judge But where I say again are these required Tim. In the Liturgy are they not Tit. Not in that which my Church-Wardens bought for me and they tell me they are sure they bought the newest Edition Tim. I 'le protest you 've stunded me I le consider of it Tit. Consider it be ashamed of it for you transgress the Law as
and natural Inferences from your Doctrine and if you would speak out you must own it As a Divine of our Church once did when being exhorted by a Person of Quality to give God thanks for his good Providence in raising him to such a Preserment replied to this purpose Providence saith he thank my Money and my Friends for without these I had gone without it for all Providence Are not these trusty Lads to their Subscriptions of the Articles Tim. Enough of this Sir I have done Let us go on to the next Artic. 2. The Son which is the Word of the Father begotten from everlasting of the Father the very and Eternal God of one substance with the Father took mans nature in the Womb of the blessed Virgin of her substance so that two whole and perfect Natures that is to say the Godhead and Manhood were joyned together in one person never to be divided whereof is one Christ very God and very man who truly suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a sacrifice not only for Original guilt but also for actual sins of men Tit. This is another Article you and I have subscribed to and profess to own and have promised to maintain Tim. And good reason for I see nothing in it but what is sound and Orthodox and he deserves not the name of a Christian that says otherwise Tit. I am of your mind yet I fear you have cracked some part of it in your elaborate discourses ex tempore To try you I will only crave your Opinion of one little branch of it What think you of Original Sin Tim. I take it to be only a privation of Original Righteousness Tit. Now I know whereabouts you are You are one of those subtil Gentlemen who subscribe the Articles of the Church of England and when you have done preach the Doctrines of the Church of Rome and Canons of the Council of Trent This is very pretty a Popish Priest may do as much Council of Trent Sess 3. Can. 6. But we will debate farther on this in its proper place under Artic. 9. which speaks as plain English in this point as ever Article did Go on therefore to the next Artic. 3. Tim. As Christ died for us and was buried so also it is to be believed that he went down into Hell Tit. Here is something in this Article will take up a little more of our time than ordinary because it is a matter of weight and what I know you and I much differ in Tim. What can that be 't is all mighty plain to me Tit. No doubt since you never read it before but when you have considered it as oft and throughly as I have done perhaps you may hesitate as well as I in what sense we are to take the latter part of it viz. So also it is to be believed that he went down into Hell Pray what is your sense of it and how do you teach people to understand it Tim. That Christ did personally and locally go down into Hell that is into the place or state of the damned to suffer there to conquer and overcome the Devils in their place of residency and to free those Souls that were detained in Hell till Christ's descension thither Tit. I know some of the Ancients and all the Papists are of this opinion yet I confess 't is not clear to me nor do I find any reason to think our Church intends this sense in her Article And if you will have patience with me I shall give you my Reasons for it Tim. I will exercise what patience I can but pray be brief Tit. As brief as the weight of the matter will give me leave To explain the Terms of the Article a little He went down or descended To descend is properly to to go down by bodily motion from an higher place to a lower But in a borrowed sense or speech it signifies a change of state from better to worse from greater to meaner as Isa 47.1 Come down or descend and sit in the dust O virgin daughter of Babylon into Hell The word here Englished Hell in the Hebrew is Sheol in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this I find is taken four ways in Scripture For the grave or place of the dead 1 King 2.6 For the power of death or state of the dead appointed to all men good and bad as Psal 89.48 For extreme humiliation or abasement or such sorrow and pains as may be compared to hellish sufferings 1 Sam. 2.6 Psal 18.5 and for the place and state of the damned Luke 16.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when he was in Hell Now in which of these senses do you take it Tim. In the last as without doubt our Church intends it Tit. That is not in any or all the three first viz. the grave the power of death or extreme abasement and hellish sufferings but in the last namely that Christ descended into the place of the damned suffered in the same flames wherein the rich man cries out he was tormented and wherein the Devils themselves and damned Spirits have suffered do and shall suffer for ever Tim. Yes I believe so and shall never believe otherwise Tit. Perhaps you may when you have heard what I have to ofter to the contrary which now follows 1. It is not clearly recorded as all other parts of our Belief are in Holy Scripture that Christ did locally and personally descend into the place and state of the damned For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken in this sense occurs but once in all the New Testament viz. Luk. 16.23 which is not spoken of Jesus but of Dives Nor doth the word there signifie the place of the damned from the force or propriety of it but from the circumstances which are there noted For Dives is not simply said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in inferno seu Gebenna but in torments and flames Moreover the Evangelists who have professedly delivered to us the whole History of our Saviour from his Incarnation to his Ascension have not made the least mention of his descention into Hell in this sense Tim. Surely you are mistaken Tit. Discover where And I cannot conceive they would have omitted it had Christ done it or had it been necessary to salvation to believe it Particularly St. Luke writes nothing of it in his Gospel in his Preface to which he tells Theophilus That he would write to him in order of all those things where of he had perfect understanding Luk. 1.3 And St. Paul rehearsing certain chief Heads which he had preached to his Corinthians mentions the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ but not his local descension to the state and place of the damned which had been a fit place and opportunity to have inserted it yet affirms he had preached what would suffice to salvation if they were not wanting to themselves 1 Cor. 15.1 to 5. Tim.
there promised to do you shall be an able and faithful Minister of the Church of Christ The exhortation runs in these Words YOV have heard Brethren as well in your private Examination as in the Exhortation which was now made to you and in the holy Lessons taken out of the Gospel and the Writings of the Apostles of what Dignity and of how great Importance this Office is whereunto ye are called And now again we exhort you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you have in remembrance into how high a Dignity and to how weighty an Office and Charge ye are called That is to say to be Messengers Watchmen and Stewards of the Lord to teach and to premonish to feed and provide for the Lords Family to seek for Christs Sheep that are dispersed abroad and for his Children who are in the midst of this naughty World that they may be saved through Jesus Christ for ever Have always therefore printed in your remembrance how great a Treasure is committed to your charge For they are the Sheep of Christ which he bought with his Death and for whom he shed his Blood The Church and Congregation whom you must serve is his Spouse and his Body And if it shall happen the same Church òr any Member thereof to take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence ye know the greatness of the fault and also the horrible punishment that will ensue Wherefore consider with your selves the end of your Ministry towards the Children of God towards the Spouse and Body of Christ and see that you never cease your Labour your Care and Diligence until you have done all that lieth in you according to your bounden duty to bring all such as are or shall be committed to your Charge unto that agreement in the Faith and Knowledge of God and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ that there be no place left among you either for Errour in Religion or for Viciousness in Life Forasmuch then as your Office is both of so great excellency and of so great difficulty ye see with how great care and study ye ought to apply your selves as well that ye may shew your selves dutiful and thankful unto that Lord who hath placed you in so high a Dignity as also to beware that neither you your selves offend nor be occasion that others offend Howbeit ye cannot have a mind and will thereto of your selves for that will and ability is given of God alone Therefore ye ought and have need to pray carnestly for his holy Spirit And seeing that you cannot by any other means compass the doing of so weighty a Work pertaining to the Salvation of Man but with Doctrine and Exhortation taken out of the holy Scriptures and with a Life agreeable to the same consider how studious ye ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures and in framing the Manners both of your selves and of them that specially pertain unto you according to the Rule of the same Scriptures And for this self same cause how ye ought to forsake and set aside as much as you may all Worldly Cares and Studies We have good hope that you have well weighed and pondred these things with your selves long before this time and that you have clearly determined by Gods Grace to give your selves wholly to this Office whereunto it hath pleased God to call you So that as much as lieth in you you will apply your selves wholly to this one thing and draw all your Cares and Studies this way and that you will continually pray to God the Father by the mediation of our only Saviour Jesus Christ for the heavenly Assistance of the Holy Ghost that by daily reading and weighing of the Scriptures ye may wax riper and stronger in your Ministry and that ye may so endeavour your selves from time to time to sanctifie the Lives of you and yours and to fashion them after the Rule and Doctrine of Christ that ye may be wholesom and godly Examples and Patterns for the People to follow Tim. I confess this is very serious and weighty and do acknowledge I never perused or pondered it before Tit. Add to this that daily Prayer at the end of the Confession And grant O most merciful Father for his sake that we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy name Is not the Minister concerned in this as well as the People when he saith and grant that we may c Tim. Yes without doubt and by Gods help hereafter my Practice shall be more conformable to my Prayers Tit. Pray God it may for evil Ministers 't is the phrase used in this Article are most odious to God and injurious to his Church of all others One such impious Wretch by his ungodly life gives such a wound to Religion and the Cause of God as many of his Brethren though exemplary both in life and Doctrine are not able to heal Besides I tremble to think of the Reward of such a Minister in another world and what he will be able to plead for himself to the great Bishop of Souls the Lord Jesus at his general and final Visitation Rev. 22.12 I beseech you therefore Tim. remember the weight and excellency of your Calling and the solemn Promises in the face of the Congregation made to God then when you were admitted to it Not forgetting your Obligation by Baptism which is the subject of the following Article you are next to read Tim. I give you my hearty thanks and hope these things will make an impression upon me for good Tit. I shall rejoice to see it Go on ART 27. Tim. Baptism is not only a sign of Profession and mark of difference whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not Christened but it is also a sign of Regeneration or New Birth whereby as by an Instrument they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church the Promises of the Forgiveness of Sin and of our Adoption to be the Sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed Faith is confirmed and Grace increased by vertue of Prayer unto God The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the Institution of Christ Tit. You see here what high and noble priviledges are signified and sealed to us by our Baptism Regeneration Adoption and Remission To which our Church explaining this Article in her Catechism adds Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven What Obligations to an holy Life can there be greater or stronger than these Tim. None surely Tit. Add hereto the Covenant on our part to renounce the Devil and all his Works to believe the Articles of the Christian Faith and obediently to keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of our Lives Which Covenant unless we perform and keep we have no right to or benefit by the
aforesaid Priviledges Nay our Baptism will prove but an aggravation of our Condemnation in the day of Judgment and an unbaptized Heathen would not change estates at that day with such a baptized Christian Moreover we who are made Ministers do most solemnly devote and dedicate our selves to God to holy services and gaining of souls as the Deputies of Christ in the day that we enter into holy Orders And if none of all these bonds will hold us certainly we are the worst of men and deserve the highest Censures the Church can inflict upon us And our Church will never be glorious till all such Apostates be either throughly reformed or totally ejected out of her Tim. I hope I do forsake all the Works of the Devil Tit. Except Drunkenness and Swearing Tim. Truly 't is very seldom In a passion perhaps an Oath may slip and when I meet with good Company I am loath to part and apt to be merry but 't is rare And bating these I think I have no fellowship with the Works of darkness Tit. But there is another Vice I know not whether you will allow it a Work of the Devil or not you are almost incurably infected with for 't is Chronical Tim. What 's that Tit. That which I think in a Minister as bad as either of the former Tim. I can't imagine what you mean Tit. I mean Sloth horrible Sloth and Idleness spending little or no time in fitting and improving your self for the difficult and weighty Duties of your Office And this Vice exposeth you to the rest and all other whatever Besides this makes you so profoundly ignorant that you are not able in any tolerable manner to defend our Religion against Papists and Sectaries and your weak defence of the Truth confirms them in their Errour and makes them cast off all thoughts of reconciliation to our Church Doubtless therefore Idleness in a Minister is a great sin a woful shame and the Mother of many sins And till I see you reform this I shall have small hopes of you as to the rest But this is all I shall hint to you from this Article which puts you in mind of your Priviledges and Obligations by your Baptism Now proceed ART 28. Tim. The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the Love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christs Death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and with Faith receive the same the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ and likewise the Cup of blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ Transubstantiation or the change of the Substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by Holy Writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to many Superstitions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual manner And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not by Christs Ordinance reserved carried about lifted up or worshipped Tit. You may read the two following for they both relate to this ART 29. Tim. The wicked and such as be void of a lively Faith although they do carnally and visibly press with their Teeth as S. Augustin saith the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ yet in no wise are they Partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the Sign or Sacrament of so great a thing ART 30. The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs Ordinance and Commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike Tit. What is your sentiment of these three Coherent Articles and what do you observe from them Tim. I think they contain very sound Doctrine and I observe our Church throws out Transubstantiation and Half Communion Tit. Nothing else Tim. No What Observations do you make from them Tit. Such as I think reprehend both your Practice and Doctrine Tim. Pray what are they Tit. First this Twenty ninth Article which with the rest you have subscribed ex animo to be agreeable to the Word of God declares That wicked persons Vid. Canon 36. void of lively Faith receiving the Sacrament in no wise partake of Christ but rather to their own condemnation And doth not your Conscience tell you you have been oft such a Receiver Tim. I bless God not in the least Tit. I am sorry for it For whoever continues in any known sinful Courses open or secret is a wicked Person Now to omit secret Impieties not observable by Man yet are not by any Coverts to be hid from the notice of God your Swearing and Drunkenness and Ideleness are publick sinful Courses and continuing in these as you do hitherto I cannot learn by this Article how you can be a worthy Communicant at this Sacred Ordinance nay I wonder you do not tremble to think of that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment to himself Tim. But before I come to the Sacrament I repent of these miscarriages Tit. What Repentance without Reformation This is new Divinity Repent of Sin and not forsake Sin The Scriptures teach us other manner of Repentance than this Repent and turn Ezek. 18. and Let the wicked forsake his way Esa 55. And our Liturgy will tell you in her Confession That true Repentance consists in sorrowing for Sin sorsaking Sin and living soberly righteonsly and godly for the time to come Besides had you this lively Faith in Christ which our Church saith is necessary to make us worthy Receivers I must tell you it would purifie your heart and reform your life 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope c. Believe it therefore that Faith and Repentance that consists with the allowed and daily practice of such soul irregularities in the Life will never render you a worthy Receiver at Christs Table on Earth or procure you admittance into his Kingdom in Heaven Often read this Article and take this Reprehension and Warning by it in good part which you must needs do if God give you 〈◊〉 heart to reflect seriously upon your Life and Practice Then 〈◊〉 Another thing the reading of these Articles brings to mind and I would 〈…〉 is this Did not you once instigate your Church warden to present a great part of the Youth of your Parish for not coming to the Sacrament at Easter Tim. I did so V. Canon 112. and 't is agreeable to the Canon which requires all Men and Women of the Age of Sixteen years to receive and to be presented if they neglect it Tit. These are the Words of the Canon I know and I
to it by a lawful Magistrate Now touching the former some are too forward and as to the latter some too backward And all that I shall say here having spoken somewhat to you of this nature already is this I heartily wish that as some Dissenters from our Church may justly be charged for Swearing too little so that they could not as justly charge many of our Church with Swearing too much Tim. I wish so too the Lord grant it Tit. Sure I am that because of Oaths such as this Article forbids c. our Land mourns I pray God therefore that all Christians Ministers especially may learn of the Prophet David to set a watch upon the door of their Lips that they may not in this kind above all at any time offend with their Tongues Tim. Amen Tit. Now you have heard this short account of the Articles of our Church which you have subscribed give me your serious thoughts of them Tim. In brief and sincerely as I subscribed them I am convinced they are sound and good That those Ministers who deviate from them in Doctrine or Practice as I and many more have done God forgive both me and them are greatly to blame and justly deserve to be censur'd for it by the Governours of our Church And that such as hold them firm and inviolable Preaching and Living according to them are not only in regard of their subscription the most Conscientious Person but must needs be also the Truest Friends to our Church and strongest Foes to Rome and all other our Churches Enemies Tit. God be thanked for this Conviction and while you are in this good mind with my Prayers to God that you may continue so I bid you Farewel A Friendly and Cordial Exercitation to my Brethren in the Ministry Whose Lives are unbecoming their Function Reverend Brethren I Call God and his Holy Angels to Witness I have had many sad and serious thoughts for the Misery and Destractions of our Church And can truly say the former discourse is the effect and result of such thinking and how would my heart rejoyce and my sadness be turned into singing might I conduce any thing by what I Preach or Write to her Settlement and Union But who can hope this till all her Sons shall speak and do the same things Preaching according to her Articles and acting and living answerable to her Prescriptions which are Sober Righteous and Godly Nothing gives a greater blow and bane to Religion than the discords and loose lives of her Professors and much more of her Ministers If Pride and Covetousness if Envy and Malice if Slander and Censoriousness if Division and Uncharitableness if Debauchery and Loosness look ill and are of ill Consequence in other men much more in Ministers We are not called the Salt of the Earth to corrupt others Lights to walk in Darkness Stewards to be Unfaithful and Angels to like like Devils We cannot Sin at so easy a rate as other men for as our evil examples do more hurt than others solour doom will be more dreadful when we come to give up our account to our Lord Jesus the Bishop of our Souls and of the Souls committed to our frust whom he hath redeemed by his Precious Bloud It is noted among King Alphonsus sayings that a great man cannot commit a small Sin I may say much more that a learned man and a Teacher of others cannot commit a small Sin or at least that Sin is great in him which is smaller in another For we Sin against more knowledg and against more light and means of knowledg there must needs therefore be more wilfulness in our Sins If we Sin 't is because we will Sin Yea our Sins must needs have more Hypoorisy in them than other men's by how much the more we have spoke against them O what an hainous thing is it in us to study how to disgrace Sin to the utmost by setting forth the Author Nature and danger of Sin thereby to make it as frightful and odious to our People as we can and when we have done to live in it and secretly cherish that which we openly disgrace To cry it down in others and keep it up in our selves in our own Hearts and Lives To call it publickly all to naught beastly Drunkenness hellish Swearing damned Covetousness Body and Soul destroying Whoredom c. and yet make it our Bedfellow and Companion what vile Hypocrisy is this is not this to bind heavy Burthens for others and not to touch them our selves with a finger what can you say to this in the day of Judgment Did you think still of Sin as you spake or did you not If you did not why did you dissemble if you did why would you keep and commit it if Sin be evil why do you live in it if it be not why do you disswade men from it if it be really dangerous how dare you venture on it if it be not why do you tell men so if God 's threatnings be true why do ye not fear them if they be false why do you trouble Men needlesly with them and put them into such frights without cause Do you know the Judgment of God that they that commit such things are wanthy of Death and will you do them O my Brethren yet lot not any of us who bear the Name of Christs Ambassadors bear the Badge of a miserable dissembling Pharisee They say but do not Our Sins have more persidiousness in them than other Mens We have more engaged our selves against Sin Besides all our common Engagements as Christians we have many more as Ministers How oft and how earnestly for God's sake Religions sake and their own Souls sake have we called others from it how oft have we declared the Terrors of the Lord against it All these did imply that we renounced it our selves Every Sermon that we preach against it every private Exhortation and Admonition every Confession of it in the Congregation is a renewed engagement upon us to forsake it Every Child that we Baptize and receive into Covenant with Christ every Administration of the Holy Supper of our Lord wherein we call upon Men to repent and forsake Sin to renew their Covenant with God and lead a new Life according to his Word doth import our own renouncing of Sin the World and the Devil and our Engagement to Christ and Obligation to live according to his Gospel And shall we entertain and encourage Sin in our Lives against all these Professions and Testimonies of our own O what Treachery and Perfidiousness is this to make such a stir against Sin in the Pulpit and yet to give it Countenance by our Practice O 't is this promotes Atheism and Debauchery 't is this that casts Contempt upon our Church reflects great Dishonour upon God and obstructs the Power and Prevalency of the Gospel Methinks if we are sincere Christians to whom the Glory of God is dearer than their Lives it must
in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so our last Translation in the Margin Though it be rendered for that all have sinned yet must it be understood in him or sinned in Adam else it is not true that all upon whom death hath passed have sinned as namely Infants newly born Therefore 't is not said all are sinners but all have sinned which imports an imputation of Adams act unto his Posterity So that without question you and I are as guilty of this sin as if we had been present and joyned with Adam in it And the offering of another Adam to thee and me in the Church shews that the dispensation of God is not rigorous for we may share in his obedience as well as in the others disobedience It is as agreeable to the Wisdom and Justice of God by the sin of the First Adam to entail death upon all his Children as to the Wisdom and Grace of God by the Obedience and Righteousness of the Second Adam to confer Life upon his Children Have I said any thing towards your Conviction Tim. Yes a great deal but to little purpose for I don't understand this putative sin and putative Righteousness of the First and Second Adam Tit. Take heed Tim. of making a mock of these serious matters I could tell where you learned that word putative for a need But as merry as you and your Companions make your selves with it know that if imputative Righteousness don't justifie you you are in a worse condition than the Scribes and Pharisees whose Righteousness Legal I am afraid exceeded yours and yet insufficient to carry them to Heaven Matth. 5.20 And St. Paul who was as to the Law blameless doth yet desire not to be found in his own Righteousness but that which is by Faith through Christ Jesus the Righteousness putative as you in derision term it which is in God by Faith Phil. 3.9 But of this in a more proper place I only demand this of you Tim. that though you plaid the fool in subscribing this Article before you Read it yet that you would not play the Knave in disowning it now you have Subscribed it making a mock of it for you must needs understand it if you understand English for never any thing said more plainly that there is Original sin in all remaining in the best of men and that Adams sin is so far ours as we deserve Hell and Damnation for it And assure your self unless after this warning I hear you are Reformed as to this matter I shall acquaint the Bishop what a Subscriber and maintainer you are of the Articles of our Church who I doubt not will call you to an account For I stedfastly believe his Lordship holds it a less sin to be defective in the Ceremonies than in the Articles and will sooner Suspend for the latter than the former But I hope you will give me no cause especially when you have Read the next Article X. The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such That he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will Tit. The following Article Concords so well with this that 't is pitty to part them if you will therefore Read that too before we proceed farther Tim. I shall Article XI We are accounted Righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own works or deservings Wherefore that we are Justified by Faith only is a most wholsome Doctrine and very full of comfort as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification Tit. As to these two Articles I need not ask your Opinion for I know you to be as rotten in these as an Egg nine days sat on Free Will and the necessity and efficacy of Works to Justifie without putative Righteousness is so much your tone in the Pulpit that the very Bells in the Steeple have learned the Tune And when you are approaching the Church the least jar out of it puts you into such an Arminian chafe that the Bells are presently forsooth Calvinistical Bells the Ringers Calvinistical Rogues wishing the Ropes in their hands fast about their Necks An admirable Devotion at your first entrance into Gods House Tim. And there are more of this Opinion besides my self Tit. What Opinion That the Ninth Tenth and Eleventh Chapters to the Romans were foisted into that Epistle by Calvin or at least he had an hand in Composing our Articles Tim. No neither but for Free Will and Justification without putative Righteousness that Christ came chiefly to be an Example to us and not to Justifie us by the imputation of his Righteousness this is the Opinion I know many are of besides me Tit. Aye too many but for you and I and those men you mean who have consented and Subscribed to these Articles to talk at this rate I must tell you is a fault not to be born with whatever others say that are free we that are obliged by Promises and Subscriptions should be honest and true to them Tim. Honest and True Yes so I ought but I have learned better since my Subscription and I hope you will give a man leave to improve his Reason and Understanding Tit. Yes by all means but suppose you were called to Subscribe these very Articles word for word again now your Reason is so mightily improved what would you do Tim. A needless question for that 's not likely Tit. Why not Put case the Patron of a Good that is a great Living or about two hundred or three hundred pounds per annum should out of his Generosity freely offer you the Presentation to it would you refuse his kindness rather than Subscratch for it Tim. I am afraid I should scarce withstand the force of so taking a temptation Tit. And you would Read them openly in the Parish Church the people being present and openly declare your approbation of them and full consent to them as the Law requires rather than lose such a Benefice Tim. I believe I should I wish some body would try me Tit. And Preach and Prate against them or contrary to them when you had done ha Tim. Not directly Tit. Directly or indirectly directly you would be a Knave for your pains not to say worse Tim. You would not have me talk contrary to what I believe would you Tit. What is that Tim. I believe every man hath a power and freedom of Will to good Works as well as Evil. Tit. What Naturally and in an unregenerate Estate Tim. Yes Tit. This is contrary to the Tenth Article as Aye and No directly Opposite to Scripture Which saith the Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to
as 1. The Cause efficient to be the everlasting purpose of God 2. The Cause formal Gods infinite goodness mercy and free grace 3. The Cause material the blood of Christ 4. The Cause final or end why both God the Father hath loved and Christ for his Elect hath suffered is the glory of God and the salvation of men so that I cannot see how any man who is at enmity with this Article can hold any good friendship with these Texts of Scripture or with those that arise to prove the next point which is this 6. They who are Elected unto salvation if they come unto years of discretion are called both outwardly by the word and inwardly by the spirit of God These things are most evident and clear in the Scriptures where is set down both the calling of the Predestinate their obedience to the word being called Rom. 8.30 Gal. 1.15 1 Thess 2.12 2 Tim. 1.9 Eph. 1.13 their adoption by the Spirit to be the chidren of God and their holiness of life and conversation whom he did Predestinate them he also called God separated me from my mothers womb Called me by his grace Walk worthy of God who hath Called you to his Kingdom and glory He hath saved us and called us with an holy calling according to his own purpose and grace c. In whom also ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 16. the same spirit bearing witness with your spirits that we are the children of God Eph. 2.10 And for their being chosen and called to holiness of life and good works the Apostle plainly enough asserts saying we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them And the Grace of God hath appeared Tit. 2.11.12 c. teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and Godly in this present world yea saith the next Proposition 7. The Predestinate are both justified by faith sanctified by the Spirit and shall be glorified in the life to come All these blessed effects of Predestination doth the Scripture fully assert for know saith the Apostle a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.16 Moreover whom he predestinated c. them he also glorified If children then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ And as we have born the image of the earthly Rom. 8.30 v. 17. 1 Cor. 15.49 so shall we bear the image of the heavenly Now are not all these consequents of Predestination viz. Justification Sanctification and Glorification fully enough expressed in these Texts Tim. Very fully in my opinion Tit. Therefore very well doth our Church say in the next part of this Article That 8. The consideration of Predestination is to the godly most comfortable but to curious and carnal persons very dangerous To the former the Meditation of it must needs be exceeding sweet pleasant and comfortable because it greatly confirms their faith in Christ and encreases their love towards God Rom. 8.18 v. 31 32 33 34. I account the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us If God be for us who can be against us He that spared not his own Son how shall he not with him freely give us all things Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth ye are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.13 14. until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory And again grieve not the holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 Here is a deep and large Well of Consolation to the godly yet not affording the lest drop to carnal and wicked men Tim. But doth not this Doctrine lead towards Desperation Tit. by no means for no man either from the word of God or this Article of our Church can gather that he is a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction but contrariwise by many and great arguments may perswade himself that God wills not his destruction as by the next proposition plainly appears viz. 9. That the general promises of God set forth in holy Scripture are to be embraced of us Math. 11.38.39 Joh. 3.16.17 1 Tim. 2.4 such are Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden and I will give you rest God gave his onely beloved Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish c. Who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth These and many more such general Promises of grace and favour to mankind are heartily to be embraced of us as encouragements to faith repentance and an holy life So that whoever embraceth these promises and as our Church in the close of this Article saith 10. Will in his actions be directed by the revealed will of God hath no ground to despaire or to exclude himself out of the number of Gods Predestinate or chosen ones Thus you see the drift of this Article comprehending most fully and clearly that great doctrine of Predestination with all its coherent doctrines which is so much cryed down in our day and which is the wonder and shame of all by some sons of our Church who have subscribed it Tim. I must confess I have been one of those led by the example of the greater ones rather than by the depth of my own knowledge But surely these men have something to say for themselves is not our Church single in this point Tit. Admit she were yet there are two weighty reasons why they should not desert or oppose her in this First Because she hath the Scripture on her side And Secondly Because they have listed themselves her faithfull votaries by subscription Tim. That is true these are plaguy strong tyes Tit. But withall I say she is not single in this point for the Churches in Helvetia Basil and France believe and hold the same as their publick confessions bear witness yea all the reformed Church Tim. Who then are the enemies to it Tit. The Arminians Socinians Antinomians and Papists amongst these last the Jesuits are the acutest and most malitious opposers of it Tim. This is more than I understood before Tit. It must needs since you never inquired into it before no not so much as to consult the Article which of it self had been sufficient to have regulated you both in your private opinion and publick Doctrine whereby you have often brought your self under the lash of that severe reprehension of St. Jude Jude 10 13. to those who foam out their own shame speaking evil of those things they know not Tim. I
unto God Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture Tit. Now what did you think of this at the time of subscription Tim. How could I think any thing of what I never saw read nor heard but now I think 't is sound and good and I own and assent to it though it is like in our time there may be no occasion to make use of it Tit. Then we 'll dismiss it to our Successors and come to the next Article 22. Of Purgatory Tim. The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons Worshipping and Adoration as well of Images as of Reliques and also Invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the Word of God Tit. Here I hope your heart shall follow your hand Tim. Ay Sir and more hearts if I had them for all this I stedfastly believe though I am afraid this Faith is going out of fashion Tit. I hope not as long as the Defendor of it lives there is no fear and if Prayers will add to his days he is like to live as long as any that ever sat on his Throne and therefore I hope our Fears will dye before he dyes Tim. Pray God they may and be buried too never to rise more in our Generation or in the Generations after us Tit. Amen Amen And I am joyful to find you so hearty a Protestant I wish they be all such that wear our Livery But what 's the next Article Article 23. Of ministring in the Congregation Tim. It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the Office of Publick preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this work by men who have publick authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard Tit. I suppose we need not stay long here neither Tim. No for I know none but Quakers Lay-elders and such holders forth as the Apostle describes That creep into Houses and lead captive silly women c. but can digest this Article well enough I am sure there is never an Orthodox Divine nay scarce a right Presbyterian but will subscribe to it Tit. Presbyterian yes for Ordination by laying on of hands is a Doctrine they stiffly maintain both in their Sermons and Writings yea and many of them have admitted of Episcopal Ordination rather than run before they were sent Tim. I know they have but for all the rest of the Dissenters they had as lieve Old Ketch should goll them as a Bishop Tit. Why then are the Presbyterians decryed as the great bane and pest in Church and State when at least in respect to others they are men of some orders Tim. O Sir because they are the leading faction Tit. Leading do you call them I am sure they lead the smallest number of any Dissenters this day in the Nation yet unhappy men that they are all that do any ways oppose or undermine the Government either in Church or State are cryed down under that new frightfull and abominable title Presbyterians for my part though I know they are not in infallible yet I cannot but pity them Tim. But I can't what pity a crew of Knaves and Villains Tit. Take heed Tim. for they come nearest the Church of England of any other Dissenters and upon a small abatement could joyn with her which the rest of the Dissenters would not and are they the worse Knaves and Villains for this Tim. Yes much the worse but pray say no more of them for I abhor the very name and cannot hear it repeated with Patience Tit. I would not provoke you too much but I would gladly hear your reasons Tim. That I can't do without thinking of them at least and the very thoughts of them put me into such an heat as utterly confounds my reason Tit. We use to say break my head and shew me a reason but it seems they must be content to be called Knaves Villains and what not without reason Tim. Yes for this once they must and shall and that for this reason because I can't stay now to give my reasons Tit. Are they so very long then Tim. Yes much longer I see than the next Article which I am just going to read Tit. Well Tim. I perceive 't is an hard matter to force reason from you proceed as you will Article 24. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the people understandeth Tim. It is a thing plainly repugnant to the VVord of God and the custom of the Primitive Church to have publick Prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a Tongue not understood of the People Tit. There is nothing you can dislike in this Tim. No 't is very Orthodox and according to the Apostles direction 1 Cor. 14.6 to 19. Tit. So I percieve you have some Scripture at command Tim. Yes but this Text I cannot but remember For at one of the conferences appointed by the right Reverend Father in God the B. of L. where the subject was against Praying c. in an unknown tongue the Dr. that Preached in our division cited this place so often that I shall never forget it Tit. You give a good account how you came to have it so ready at hand proceed to the next Article 25. Of the Sacraments Tim. Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and Gods good will towards us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and Extreme Vnction are not to be accounted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lords Supper for that they have not any visible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duly use them And in such onely as worthily receive the same they have a wholsom effect or operation but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation as St. Paul saith Tit. You may read on for I know not but you'r sound in this and I shall not charge you but where I know you are guilty Artic. 26. Of the unworthiness of the Ministers which hinder
Minister from one Easter to another Tim. I think he would not have much time for his Study or Ministerial Offices Tit. And I think he would have but little thanks for his pains either from his Parishioners or Diocesan for such Proceedings would gender Confusion And I think Visiting the Sick Catechising the Youth and Informing the Ignorant would be a better improving of Time and a greater Service to our Church than drawing up and making such Presentments And when we must be doing let us present the Debauched and Prophane the Scandalous and notorious Offenders against the Moral Law of God rather than the ignorant Offenders against that Law of Man Tim. Well now you talk of improving Time pray let us improve ours and proceed we have been long enough here already Tit. I would not weary nor over-long detain you for I know you sit upon Thorns therefore go on ART 31. Tim. The Offering of Christ once made is that perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for all the Sins of the whole World both Original and Actual and there is none other Satisfaction for Sin but that alone Wherefore the Sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have Remission of Pain or Guilt were blasphemous Fables and dangerous Deceits Tit. This Article destroys the very bulk and life of all the Romish Religion namely the Sacrifice of the Mass 'T is this that promotes the Adoring of the Creature Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead and all those Papal Stratagems whereby his Holinesses Coffers are cramm'd and the Pomp and Grandeur of his whole Body Ecclesiastick is supported and maintained Take away this and their Religion dwindles into nothing Vid. Saul and Samuel p. 22. the Priests and Jesuits might cobble Shoes in reality to get Bread as they sometimes have done here and elsewhere to cover their intended Villanies yea the Pope himself would become as poor as his pretended Predecessor St. Peter Well this gainful and admired Device doth our Church rightly explode as a blasphemous Fable and dangerous Deceit Tim. And doubtless such it is and no better Tit. Then whatever Priest shall subscribe to this Article and afterwards lift up his hands to this Romish Babel without great Repentance is a damned Hypocrite Tim. And cursed beyond the Power of the Popes Absolution or Benediction Tit. I am glad to find you so firm in this and hope you will prove so as to the next which thwarts another Doctrine of the Romanists Tim. What is that Tit. Read it and you will be satisfied ART 32. Tim. Bishops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by Gods Law either to vow the Estate of Single life or to abstain from Marriage Therefore it is lawful for them as for all other Christian Men to marry at their own discretion as they shall judge the same to serve better to Godliness Tit. Now you perceive whereto the Article tends Tim. Yes to reprehend the Doctrine of the Papists which forbids Priests to marry Tit. And I am sure our Church is in the right here having the Scripture on her side Tim. She hath so but she doth not say that Priests by the Word of God are bound to marry or bound not to marry but they may or may not as in prudence or discretion they shall think fit Tit. And as the same shall serve better to Godliness pray put that in too Tim. Admit I do yet I think 't is as great prudence in Priests and as conducive to Godliness not to say more to live unmarried as married Tit. In good time Then here you prefer the Prudence of the Church of Rome to this of our Church You would have done well to have read this Article before you had subscribed it Tim. You will give me leave to speak my thoughts Tit. Most freely good Tim. I know you are a single Person yet but have you vow â—…petual Chastity as the Papists call it Tim. 〈…〉 truth I have resolved it Tit. And if you do but believe as the Church of Rome believes in this Point too no doubt but your Resolution or Vow will marvellously promote Godliness Tim. How is that Tit. That nothing can break or violate that Vow but Marriage Tim. I don't understand your meaning Tit. The meaning is a Priest having vowed Chastity may if he will and as oft as he will frequent the publick Stews or keep Concubines or Whores yet be a very chast and honest Man If a Priest keep an Whore at Board and at Bed and use her constantly as if she were his Wife he is not therefore Irregular but if he marry her or an honester Woman all the World cannot excuse him for though such Whoredom never disables a Priest yet chaste Marriage utterly spoils him Now doth not this tend mightily to Godliness Yea they make Whoredom so small a matter in a Religious Man that they tell us For a Monk or a Friar to lay aside his Habit is a Crime by which he incurs Excommunication but if he lay aside his Habit that he may commit Fornication the more expeditely without the Incumbrances which his Monkish Weeds would give him in the Act they declare him upon that account freed from Censure And so common is this Vice among them that Cassander a moderate Papist saith There is scarce an hundred amongst all their Priests that abstain from Women Popish Coelebacy therefore is a great promoter of Piety is it not Tim. 'T is but some few that are so wicked Tit. 'T is a Leprosie that runs from Head to Foot in the Ecclesiastical Romish Body The very Popes themselves as Holy and Infallible as they are have generally had a Finger in the Pye as it were easie to shew if time would permit but for brevity sake read but a few ancient Sentences written of some of them and then give me your thoughts As that of Pope Paul the Second Anxia testiculos Pauli ne Roma requirasa Filia huic nata est haec docet esse marem Of Pope Innocent the Eighth Bis quatuor nocens genuit puellulos Totidem sed nocens genuit puellulas O Roma possis hunc meritò dicere Patrem Of Pope Alexander the Sixth Non spado Alexander fuer at Lucretia nempe Illius Conjux nata nurusque fuit And of the Priests in general one wittily writes Multi vos sanctos multi vos dicere Patres Gaudent vobis nomina tanta placent Ast ego vos sanctos non possum dicere Patres Possum cum natos vos genuisse sciam What think you now of the Prudence of the Church of Rome in forbidding Marriage and allowing and practising Whoredom Is it preferable to the Wisdom and Piety of our Church which alloweth and encourageth Marriage in her Priests to prevent Fornication and Uncleanness And is the former a better means to Godliness and Chastity than the latter Surely you will change your Opinion though not
Or it is a depriving the Offender of those daily means which Christianity affords and ordinarily useth to eject Satan and the power of his Kingdom out of the heart Such are 1. The Prayers of the Church 2. The publick use of the Word and Doctrine of Christianity for he that is under Cerem nec decet nec dccetur says the Jews and in the antient Christian Church they that upon Repentance were received in again were first amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearers in the Porch 3. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Now certainly such a Sentence as this which deprives a man of all the Ordinances of God and delivers him over to the Devil is not to be passed against a professing Christian out of pet and humor upon light and trivial occasions but for just Causes and with greatest deliberation and consideration and for right Ends not for revenge or filthy lucre or barely to shew a Dominion and Power But to keep the Church pure by cutting off corrupt Members and to reclaim the obstinate and impenitent by this means when all other proves ineffectual Thus you see Excommunication though an heavy Censure is a Gospel Institution and is appointed for high and excellent ends and is a proper medium to those ends where 't is not abused And I must needs say 't is better used in our Church at this time then it was some Years past Which I hope will make it more valuable than it hath been Many men heretofore being so far from dreading it as a punishment that they sought it as a priviledge as it excluded them from our Church Tim. You have given a full answer to my request and great satisfaction to my mind in this matter which I never before so well considered Tit. I am glad I can gratifie you in any thing Proceed for it grows late Tim. I will ARTICLE 34. It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly alike for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversity of Countreys Times and mens Manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common Authority ought to be rebuked openly that others may fear to doe the like as he that offendeth against the Common Order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of the weak Brethren Every Particular or National Church hath Authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by mans Authority so that all things be done to edifying Tit. I need not ask your thoughts of this having had your opinion of the 20th Article not much different from this So that you may read the next ARTICLE 35. Tim. The second Book of Homilies the several Titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth contain a godly and wholsome Doctrine and necessary for these times as doth the former Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the 6th and therefore we judg them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understanded of the People The Names of the Homilies 1 OF the right use of the Church 2 Against peril of Idolatry 3 Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches 4 Of good works first of Fasting 5 Against Gluttony and Drunkenness 6 Against excess of Apparel 7 Of Prayer 8 Of the place and time of Prayer 9 That Common Prayer and Sacraments ought to be ministred in a known Tongue 10 Of the reverent estimation of Gods Word 11 Of Alms-doing 12 Of the Nativity of Christ 13 Of the Passion of Christ 14 Of the Resurrection of Christ 15 Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ 16 Of the Gifts of the holy Ghost 17 For the Rogation days 18 Of the state of Matrimony 19 Of Repentance 20 Against Idleness 21 Against Rebellion Tit. These Homilies I suppose you are well acquainted with Tim. Truly no I don't know that ever I saw them I remember that some of our Rubricks sometimes appoint if there be no Sermon an Homily shall be read but understand not what is meant by Homily Tit. It had not been amiss you had informed your understanding better before you subscribed because of the high Commendation the Article gives of them which you consent to examine by your subscription Tim. True the Article faith they contain godly and wholsome Doctrine and do they not Tit. That question comes a little too late from you yet I answer they do The Books of Homilies are I may call them Sermons or Methodical Writings composed on sundry necessary Subjects as you see here by godly and sober men and were of good use in those times saith the Article being read distinctly to the People Tim. But why were they Composed Tit. For the benefit of the Clergy few of whom were able to Preach in those times or doe any more than Read Tim. How long ago was it or in what times were they Composed Tit. The Article tells you one Book was in Edward the 6ths time the other about 1604. Tim. But why are they in use still what are they better Sermons than are usually Preached in these times Tit. I think not but far short of what many of our Reverend and Learned Clergy Preach weekly Therefore they are rarely enjoyned now but with this Proviso if there be no Sermon Whereby our Church saith no more than this better an Homily than nothing And I think our Governours in the Church shew their wisdom in not requiring the constant use of them For though as 't is said here they contain wholsome Doctrine yet they are not so suitable in these times as in those wherein they were framed Honest B. Lattimer's Sermons contain in them wholsome Doctrines yet if one of them should be read in our Churches it would rather be matter of Ridicle than Edification to most of the Hearers Tim. It is very true for most Persons stand affected to their Sermons as they do to their Garments nothing will please them but the newest Fashion Tit. And I can assure you that 's no good humor for Truth is the same in any dress though I confess old Truths in a new dress look somewhat better than new Truths in an old one But I admire you never saw the Homilies since the Canon requires every Parish should have them Tim. There you have them Tit. Yes I caused my Church-Wardens to buy them and have diligently perused them and my advice is you doe the same they are worth your reading if it be but for this reason because you have approved them by subscription to this Article Tim. As you say upon that consideration I may doe it when I can light on them