Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A53661
|
Remarks on a sermon, about corrupting the word of God preach'd by Tho. Gipps Rector of Bury, on a publick occasion, July 11, 1696, wherein the dissenters are fully vindicated against his vnjust accusations / by J.O., Minister of the Gospel at Oswestry.
|
Owen, James, 1654-1706.
|
1697
(1697)
|
Wing O709; ESTC R6175
|
33,441
|
32
|
Man has the Faith to believe it but he is not so happy as to be ablâ— to prove it How far the Scotch-Govenanters bound themselves under a Curse to extirpate Episcopacy pretend not to determine This is plain that the Covenant which they subscribed in 1638 was the same in matter of Religion with the Covenant which was sign'd long before by King James the First (b) Laud's Life P. 364. England and the whole Kingdom of Scotland This is expresly affirmed by K. Charles in his Proclamation against the Seditious Pradices of some in Scotland Dated at White-Halâ— Feb. 27 In these Words That Covenant in our Dear Father's time was condescended unto by him and sâ—â— the Subject at the humble Petition of the Geteral Assembly it self permitted by him to Sign it We say it again That our Covenant was Rejected by them because Commanded by us and this is manifest because for Matters of Religion ours agreed in aâ—â— things with their own Covenant (c) Rush Collect. Par. 2. p. 831. I Justifie not the Irregularities of that Time but they were occasioned by Arch-Bishop â—â—ua's Innovations contrary to Arch-Bishop Spotswood's Advice King Charles I. in the Year 38. Issued out a Proclamation requiring all Persons to Subscribe the Old Covenant in hopes of giving Satisfaction to the Discontented Party by that Condescention and by another Declaration of his Pleasure anent Anulling the Service Book Book of Canons and High Commission discharging the pressing of the Practice of the Five Articles of Perth But the Peoples Jealousies of the unlimited Power of their Bishops were grown then so high that nothing would satisfie 'em but the Abolition of that New Order which had been imposed upon 'em as they conceiv'd contrary to their Old National Covenant by which they Judg'd themselves obliged to maintain the Presbyterian Government However the Scotch-Bishops after some hesitation did upon Octob. 5. 1638. Sign the Old Confession of Faith which had been Subscribed at first by K. James and his Houshold in the Year 1580. and afterwards by Persons of all Ranks in the Year 1581. by Ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Council and Acts of the General Assembly And again was Subscrib'd by all sorts of Persons in the Year 1590. with a General Band annex'd for Maintenance of the true Religion and the Kingâ—s Person But being sensible that this Confession favour'd Presbytery they Sign'd it with these Restrictions viz. That they did not hereby Abjure or Condemn the Episcopal Government and the Five Articles of Perth and that by adhering to the Discipline of the Reformed Kirk of Scotl. they mean not any Immutability of that Presbyterial Government which was Aâ— 1581 (a) Rush Ibid. P. 706. By this it appears That the Presbyterian was the Ancient Government of the Kirk of Scotland to which they were obliged by an Ancient Covernant long before 38 and that Episcopacy was an Innovation upon their First Constitution I mention these things by the by to vindicate the present Establishment of the Church of Scotland as not only agreeable to the Scotch-Inclination but to the Ancient Scotch-Confession and therefore agreeable to their Inclinations because agreeable to their Confession The Rector basely Reflects upon the Act of Settling Presbytery in Scotland though touch'd by the Royal Scepter because it makes Presbytery most agreeable to the Inclination of the Scotch Nation which is just such another Reason saith he as an Adulterer also might give for his Wantonness (b) P. 25. He might more truly have said which is just such another Reason as an honest Man might give for enjoying the Wife of his Youth which had been violently detain'd from him as Michal was from David The Words which he reflects on are His Majesty's own Words in his Letter of Instructions to his Commissioner in Scotland though the Rector would Reproach the Presbyterians he should have spoken with more respect to the King and not so unhandsomly Reflect on His Majesty's Words to whom he owes a greater deference The Act affirms the Presbyterian Church Government to be agreeable to the Word of God and most conducive to the Advancement of true Piety and Godliness But the Rector wisely overlooks these Words which would have spoil'd his wanton Comparison The same Statute Establisheth the Confession of Faith containing the Sum and Substance of the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches and revives the Presbyterian Church Government and Discipline which had been Ratified and Established by the 114 Act Ja. 6. Parl. 12. Anno. 1592. and thereafter receiv'd by the general Consent of the Scotch Nation (c) Hist. of the late Reâ—col in Scotl. P. 252 253. It the Scotch Inclination be agreeable to the Word of God their ancient Confession of Faith and the old Laws of the Kingdom I hope it 's a little more justifiable than the wanton Inclinations of an Adulterer I crave the Reader 's Pardon for this Digression occasion'd by the Rector's Impertinent Reflection upon the Church-Government of Scotland I have done with his first Reason when I have noted the last Words of it And England even a great part of the Vniversities were running to the same excess of Riot I presume he means they were not well affected to Episcopacy Presbytery is excess of Riot with this Gentleman I remember the time when not running into excess of Riot was Crime enough to bring a Man under Suspicion of being a Presbyterian Whether the Vniversities have improved in Morals since they were rid of Presbytery I will not presume to Determine but the Corruption of Manners which too many bring with them thence is no great Demonstration of it But it will not be amiss to take a view of the state of Cambridge in 1638 when and where the first Corruption happened It was far from being Presbyterian or Puritan Six of the Heads of Colledges were fully in the Interests of Archbishop Laud viz. Dr. Consins Mr. of Peterhouse Dr. Laney Mr. of Pembroke-Hall Dr. Martin Mr. of Queens Colledge Dr. Pasch Mr. of Clare-Hall Dr. Beal Mr. of St. John's Dr. Stern Mr. of Jesus These were all High Men for Bishop Laud and were afterwards put out by the Parliament The Six following were more moderate but fully for the King and Church of England viz. Dr. Collins Regius Professor Provost of King's Colledge Dr. Samuel Ward Professor of Divinity and Mr. of Sidney Colledge Dr. Holdsworth Mr. of Emanuel Dr. Brownrig Mr. of Catharine-Hall Dr. Comber Mr. of Trinity Dr. Smith Mr. of Magdalen All these were put out by the Parliament only Dr. Smith died about the beginning of 1643. The Three following were not put out by the Parliament but were far from being look'd upon as Puritans or Presbyterians viz. Dr. Bainbrig Mr. of Christ's Colledge Dr. Love Mr. of Bennet Colledge Dr. Eden a Civilian Mr. of Trinity-Hall Dr. Badgecroft Mr. of Caius Colledge was a Person of little Note but whether he Died in his Place or was put out I
he is to seek for Thus the Subjects of the Charge are as uncertain as the Evidence of it 3. All he pretends to is a sort of Circumstantial Proof as he calls it and upon this sandy foundation he builds his whole Charge which he aggravates with all the little Rhetorick he is Master of He suggests Four Arguments by way of Circumstantial Proof which are as follows Argument I. I must call the Dissenters into Question saith he because the Alteration happened in the Year 1638. Presbytery being then in the Ascendant I say just in that nick of time when all things were in Preparation and tended to the Subversion of Episcopacy Scotland having already made a Conspiracy and bound ' emselves under a Curse to Extirpate it and England even a great part of the Universities ' emselves running into the same Excess of Riot So that here is a Concurrence of the Circumstance of Time and a shrewd one too sufficient to ground a suspicion upon To this I Answer 1. Admit there were a Concurrence of the Circumstance of time Will it follow the Corruption was designed May not two Events happen at the same time that have no relation to one another How would he like it if the Dissenters should charge the Episcopal Party of which he is one with the false Readings I mention'd above and should urge for Proof that the Impression came out in 1691 when the Episcopal Party had the Ascendant none being admitted to any places of Trust without Conformity Would not this way of Arguing look as silly as it would be malicious Would not the Manager of such a ridiculous accusation especially in a Publick Sermon be judg'd sitter for Bedlam than a Pulpit This way of Reasoning if I may Catachrestically call it so is the same with that of the Rector's The above-mention'd Errors of the Press were in 91 when the Episcopal Party were more in the Ascendant than the Presbyterians in 38. Here is a concurrence of the circumstance of time and yet I am apt to think the weakest Dissenter in the Land has more Sense and Honesty than to charge the Episcopal Church with the Errors of the Press 2. But to do him Justice the Rector is so kind to the Dissenters as to Answer his own Argument for ' em His Argument pretends to prove from the circumstance of time that the first alteration of we into ye was design'd But himself acknowledges again and again in other places that the first â—â—ror was an unwilling one so he speaks in the Epistle And in p. 27. he calls it an accideâ—tal slip an unfortunate oversight and a meer error of the Press And in Page 28 he calls it an unhappy mistake So that his First Argument is impertinent himself being Judge But for further satisfaction I will add a few Remarks more 3. He is grievously out in his Chronological History for Presbytery was not in the Ascendant in England in 1638 as he suggests Conformity was then at the highest and urged by Arch-Bishop Lauâ— and his Faction with great severity Many were Suspended Deprived and Excommunicated for not reading the Book of Sports to countenance the Prophanation of the Lord's Day in 1637. I find in a Certificate of the Bishop of Norwick towards the latter end of the Year 37 an Account of about Thirty Ministers Excommunicated and Suspended * Rushw Collect. Part II. p. 462. by which we may guess what was done in other Dioceses In 1638 many more were suspended for not Reading the Common Prayers in their Hoods and Surplices as Dr. Heylin affirms †Life of Land p 365. This and other things saith he kept off the greatest part of the Rigid Calvinists from exercising their Gifts as formerly in great Market-Towns The severities of that time were such that many were driven to Foreign Countries for shelter some to Holland others to New-England whither the Arch-Bishop deâ—gn'd to pursue 'em and to Dragoon 'em into the English Conformity Take the History of Dr. Heylin's own words It was once under Consulation of the Chief Physicians to send a Bishop over to them and back him with some Forces to compâ—l if he were not otherwise able to perswade obedience but the troubles of Scotland strangled this Design § Life of Laud p. 369. The Presbyterians in 38 were deprived not only of the Pulpit but of the Press also and therefore it is a very unlikely Story that they should Corrupt the Word of God in that Year Hear the Historian Nor was the Arch-Bishop less intent upon all Advantages for keeping down the Genevian Party and hindring them from Printing and Publishing any thing which might disturb the Church's Peace or Corrupt her Doctrine To this End he procur'd a Decree to be Pass'd in the Star-Chamber on July 1. 1637. to Regulate Printing and prevent all Abuses of it to the disturbance of the Church The Reader may see the Decree at large in Rushworth and Heylin The latter has this Remark on it (a) Heyl. Ibid. P. 362 363. By means of this Decree the Arch-Bishop had so provided both at home and abroad that neither the Patience of the State should be Exercised with continual Libels nor the Church troubled by unwarrantable and outlandish Doctrines In pursuance of this Decree against Printing or Selling Vnlicens'd Books he hindred the Importation of the Geneva Bibles with Notes from Holland where some of them had been Seiz'd by the care of Boswel the Resident at the Hague In the beginning of 38 he received advertisement of a new Impression of those Bibles in Holland design'd for England if the terror of this Decree did not stop their coming (b) Laud's Life P. 364. Bâ— this it appears what little Credit is to be given to the Rector's Secret History of the Presbyterians corrupting the Word of God in 3â— when he so notoriously contradicts the Publick History of that Time He might as well have said That Episcopacy was in the Ascendant in 1648 as that Presbytery was so in 1638. But saith â—e all things were in Preparation and tended to the Subversion of Episcopacy The Preparations were so Secret that n e but the Rector can make a Discovery oâ— them which he hath not yet done and so we leave 'em among the Chimera's of his own Invention I know nothing in appearance that tended then to the Subversion of Episcopacy in England except â—ines Impr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s Baâ—â—â—â—â—â—res and other Severities against Conscientiouâ— Men under the odious Name of Heâ—â—â—ns might have such a tendency by moving the Compassions of the People who are apt 〈◊〉 take part with the Persecuted But Scotland saith the Rector had already made a Conspiracy and bound themselves under a Curse to Extirpate Episcopacy Did the Scotch-Conspiracy depend upon altering of we into ye in Acts 6.3 in the Cambridge-Edition Or did the Alteration depend on the Scotch-Conspiracy Waâ— there another Conspiracy between the Scotch-Conspirators and the Cambridge-Printer Thâ— Rector Charitable