Vnreasonableness of Separation pag. 9. In the Preface If any Temper can be found out as to the manner of Subscription that may give ease to the scruples of our brethren and secure the peace of the Church and this I suppose may be done by an absolute subscription to all those Articles which concern the Doctrine of the true Christian Faith and the use of the Sacraments even so Bishop Bramhall required of the Clergy in Ireland and a solemn Promise under their hands or Subscription of peaceable submission as to the rest so as not to oppose or contradict them either in Preaching or Writing upon the same penalty as if they had not subscribed to the 36. I shall mention two or three of those Testimonies referred to in the Preface about Ordination Dr. Chillingsworths Religion of Protestants c. Epist 1. ch 6. Sect. 8. by way of Question whether any one kind of the external Forms of Church Government i. e. by Bishops or Presbyters be so necessary to the being of a Church but that they may be divers in divers places and that a good and peaceable Christian may and ought to submit himself to the Government of the place where he lives whosoever he be Which Question we are told in Iren. part 2. ch 8. p. 394. according to the tenour of the rest to which it is joyned must as to the former part be resolved in the Negative no one Form of Church Government so necessary but they may be divers in divers places and as to the latter in the Affirmative i. e. That a peaceable Christian ought to submit himself to the Government which he lives under Judge Hale's discourse of Religion p. 11. That the Episcopal form of Government constituted in England is a most excellent Form of Ecclesiastical Government and exceeds all others may easily be evinced and that it is the best adapted to the Civil Government in this Kingdom is visible to any intelligent person And yet I do not think that the Essence of Christian Religion consists in this or any other particular Form of Government Though the wise and sober sort of Conformists know and profess this that a man may be a good and excellent Christian under this Episcopal or any other Form of Church Government c. Bishop Carletons Consensus Eccles Cathol contra Trident praelectionibus c. 11. de Ecclesia p. 289. cited out of Conf. Plea for the Non-Corformist part 3. p. 36. It is the custom of the Catholick Church ut Episcopi legitime ordinent sed si quis a Presbytero Ordinatus fuerit ordinatio illa etiam vera est ex ejusdem Ecclesiae Catholicae judicio Idem p. 283. Ordination is not to be repeated although it be disorderly and out of course any more than Baptism in the Catholick Church But further even they who have the internal call consisting of good Learning Knowledge in the Scripture and are of a good exemplary Conversation and moved by the Spirit are not to be reckoned as Laymen but next to Presbyters or Ministers according to the declared judgment of great and eminent Protestants as Conf. Plea for Non-Corformist part 3. p. 37. Arch-Bishop Abbot added this observation to the 9 Section of the 2d ch de Circumcisione Baptismo Quaestiones sex discussae per Georgium Abbatium p. 109. Martin Bucer saith in Epist ad Eph. c. 4. That some of the Lay-men were admitted to read and interpret the Holy Scriptures in the Primitive and purer Church which they sometimes did perform in the presence of the Bishops and nameth Origen and others And saith he if any man add what the truly learned Hieron Zanchius speaks indefinitely When from the practice of the purer Church they who were not in Holy Orders did Preach the Gospel We answer there is a difference to be made between the simple Layman or the common sort to whom power is given in the Roman Church to Baptize and them who are instar Ministrorum Evangelii and who not only excel the common sort of men for their Learning in holy things but are or were called by the special publick and common Decree of the Bishop and them set over the Congregation publickly to interpret Scripture And these and not others the words of Bucer do note or point at c. Istos ego non audeo ad ordinariorum et vulgarium Laicorum conditiones revocare cum ad Presbyteros tam prope accedant I dare not bring down these to the condition of ordinary and vulgar Laymen that come so near to Presbyters or Ministers saith the Learned Abbot of this sort And whether Tertullian speak of such as these that were permitted to Baptize I leave to the Judgment of the Learned Bishop Jewels Serm. on 1 Cor. 4.1,2 fol. 223. In these our days the Ministers of God and Preachers of his Gospel are evil spoken of among all men some say they are unlearned they are Craftsmen Some say they preach they cannot tell what Let us examine and try their Doctrine with the touchstone of Gods Word and then be you Judges if you see that we teach you nothing but the mysteries of God that we disclose to you the will of God esteem us to be the Servants of God the Ministers of Christ c. This is but a taste of what is referred to in Iren. part 2. ch 8. and in Conf. Plea for Non-Conf part 3. Hearty desires and Prayers for Love and Peace BIshop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus That which all pious persons are with fervent supplications to desire they ought as earnestly to endeavour after Now who doth not dayly solicit God for the peaceable State of the Church who doth not pray that all those things which vex disturb or any way hinder the Edification of the Church should be removed this was the wish of the Royal Psalmist and ought to be the desire of Princes Doctors and all Christians and surely what they sincerely should desire they should as sincerely endeavour after Bishop Hall 's Works pag. 426. Yea let me beg peace as for Life by your filial piety to the Church of God by your love of Gods Truth by the Graces of that one blessed Spirit whereby we are all informed and quickned by the precious Blood of the Son of God shed for our Redemption be enclined to peace and Love and though our brains be different let our hearts be one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the Treaty at Uxbridge Ejac. 1. Oh thou that art the God of reason and of peace c. Soften our hearts by the bloud of our Redeemer and perswade us to accept of peace with thy self and both procure and preserve peace among our selves as Men and Christians Condemn us not to our passions Clear up our understandings to see thy Truth and encline all our hearts to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Give us that Charity which should be among our selves and bestow upon us that peace which onely Christ our great peace-maker can merit Bishop Salisburies Exhortation to Peace and Vnion p. 34. Let us all resolve to spend some portion of our tlme at least an hour every Week in earnest prayers to him for the peace of his Jerusalem among us and for continuing our Religion still with us It is his cause and we ought chiefly to offer it up to him for his protection and defence and if our sins do not defeat our prayers we may hope that a considerable number of such Intercessions will procure great blessings to us especially we having the assistance of those who have taken Sanctuary among us Mr. Pygots Abners Plea for Accommodation p. 15. Never leave wrestling with the God of peace by uncessant and earnest prayers till he be entreated for the land to settle peace amongst us that the Lyon and the Lamb might lye down together Causes of decay of Christian Piety p. 419. Oh that we might see our impertinent strifes superseded and all moulded into the one Noble emulation who shall fastest unravel his own mischief and promote that peace he hath hitherto disturbed This indeed were worthy to be the united design of all Learned men and were it once so who knows how prosperous it might be Item p. 227. Who knows what a powerful exorcism the United Intercessions of the Christian World might have been had we jointly deprecated our quarrels God might have found a way to have composed them tho we could not Forms of Prayer upon the Fast Day 22 d. Dec. 1680. In the prayer for Union amongst our Selves Blessed Jesu aur Saviour and our Peace Look down in much Pity and Compassion upon this distressed Church and Nation whose bleeding wounds occasioned by the lamentable divisions that are among us cry aloud for thy speedy help and saving relief stir up we beseech thee every Soul of us carefully as becomes sincere Christians to root out of our hearts all Pride and vain Glory all wrath and bitterness all unjust prejudice and causeless jealousie all Hatred and Malice and desire of Revenge and whatsoever it is that may any way exasperate our minds or hinder us from discerning the things that belong unto our peace That as there is but one body and one Spirit and one Hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith c. So we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one Soul closely united in one Holy bond of Truth and Peace of Faith and Charity and so far as it is possible and an Vnion is attainable with one mind and one mouth glorifie God. Licensed according to Order FINIS A Table of the several Heads ACknowledged by Conformists that there are Good and Worthy Men amongst the Dissenters Salvation for such as are faithful in the common duties of Christianity That Protestants are agreed in the main The Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation Conformists not forward in censuring men as guilty of Heretical and damnable Errors None to be shut out of the Church and denied Communion for lesser sins or Errors That our Love must be Catholick An Agreement of all Christians in one Perswasion not to be expected Mutual Favour and Forbearance to be practised in our diversity of Judgments Force and capital Severities censured in matters of Religion Of Confessions of Faith and their Articles c.
whole Duty of Man If one that holds all necessary Christian Truths happen yet to be in some Error we are not for this to despise his Person or forsake his Communion Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement In the case of unavoidable Differences amongst good Men there ought to be mutual Charity c. not to judge despise reject insult over one another not to deal with the weaker as Aliens but as Brethren not to proceed presently unto Separation Rejection Anathematization but to restore those that are overtaken with an Error in the spirit of Meekness Dr. Alestry Serm. 9. pag. 170. Censuring the abuse of Excommunication If they be not so happy as to be Orthodox sending them down to Hell directly Dr. Barrow In his Vnity of the Church Speaking of the Roman Churches If Churches do maintain impious Errors if they do prescribe naughty practices if they do reject communion and peace upon reasonable Tearms if they vent unjust and uncharitable censures c. If they damn and persecute all that refuse to be their Subjects in such cases we may Reject such Churches as Heretical or Schismatical or wickedly uncharitable and unjust in their proceedings Dr. More in his Pref. to the Mistery of Godliness pag. 19. The Object of Church discipline ought to contain nothing but the indisputable Truths of our Religion namely the generally acknowledged Articles of the Christian Faith and plain indispensable Duties of Life for these are such as deserve to be held up with all possible care and strictness Other things so gently recommended that no conscientious man may be pinched by them Dr. Stillingfleet 's Preface to Irenicum What possible Reason can be assigned why such things should not be sufficient for communion with a Church which are sufficient for Eternal Salvatition And certainly those things are sufficient for that which are laid down as necessary Duty 's of Christianity by our Lord and Saviour in his Word Dr. Cave 's Gospel preached to the Romans Serm. 4. pag. 89. God be thanked such is the present Moderation of our Churches Ecclesiastical constitutions our penalties are not for Destruction but for correction and amendment we punish none for their bare opinions and readily embrace every Returning Penitent Item pag. 87. We must above all things put on Charity and when we come to reprove rebuke and to inflict Spiritual Censures and Punishments we must distinguish as tenderly as we can between the wilful and the weak the obstinate and the Ignorant the obstinate we must endeavour to save with Fear plucking them out of the Fire with them we must be more sharp and severe in our Admonitions and Threatnings But on the weak we must have Compassion who may be supposed to Err through simplicity or the fervors of Devotion and ought to be treated with a fatherly Tenderness for to be restored if possible conformable unto the Doctrine of St. Paul to Timothy with the Spirit of meekness Stop to the Course of Separation The just Reasons of Excommunication are the same all over the World which is obstinate persisting in great Transgressions of the general Precepts of the Gospel At the end of the Book Vnion of the Catholick Church pag. 10. Every difference in Judgment when no violence is offered to the Catholick Faith and Unity must not break this Communion according to that profession of St. Cyprian judging no man nor excluding him from the Right of Communion if he think otherwise where the dispute was thought of no mean concernment Which St. Augustine often alledgeth against the Donatists and condemns Victor pag. 11 th who was hastening to Excommunicate the Asian Churches for their difference in Celebration of Easter True State of the Primitive Church Be charitable to the weak proceed not so severely against them in your Courts of Judicature but Remember what St. Paul says Col. 2. in respect of Ceremonies Let no man judge you c. Will you in respect of such shadows judge Excommunicate Sentence to Everlasting Flames the Soul that holds of the Body of Christ believes all his Holy Gospel accords with you in one Faith one Baptisme c. Will you condemn such an one to Eternal Death God Forbid Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 101. We can represent and inveigh against Schism as the sin against the Holy Ghost A Sin unto Death indeed in some sence because it is so contrary to Charity and Peace and destructive of the Life of Saints which doth much consist in their Communion But were we impartial we should as warmly admonish our own hearts to take heed of Schismatical Passions and excommunicate them from within us as admonish and cast out others that differ from us Idem pag. 20. We are forward to blame the more rigid sort of Separatists for not coming to our Worship and why are we so rigid as to forbear all Christian Communion with them as if Christianity were all lost among them I do declare that I hold Mental Communion with all the Holy Brethren and am prepared for Local and External Communion with them in all Christian Duties and Ordinances Dr. Hammond 's Annotations on the New Testament Rom. 14.17,18 Christianity consists not in such External Matters as Meats but in the practice of Christian Vertues such are Mercifulness and Peaceableness c. not dividing and hating and Excommunicating one another and 14. chap. ver 13. And therefore let this Fault be mended do not any longer Censure and seperate from one anothers Communion for such things as these Doctor Hammond of Schism p. 16. Because the Governours being men may possibly Err and consequently censure and Excommunicate the innocent its possible the person excluded may be innocent he that is Excommunicate unjustly cannot be rendred criminous by that misfortune p. 17. he cites Photius Patriarch of Constantinople the Excommunication of the Jewish Sanhedrim sent out against Christs Disciples brought them so much nearer to their Lord and Master and Alien'd the Jews themselves removed them so much the farther from the Kingdom of Heaven and so doth all unjust Excommunication unite us to the Apostles by this Conformity with and participation of their sufferings Bishop Jewels defence of the Apol. p. 583. Brings in St. Augustine saying Quid obest homini What is a man the worse if the ignorance of a man strike him out of the Book of the Church if ill conscience strike him not out of the Book of Life In this case St. Augustine saith it cometh sometime to pass Vt plurimae sint foris oves intus Lupi That there be many Sheep without the Church and many Wolves within And in your own Law Mr Harding it is written thus Qui illicite alium Excom c. He that unlawfully Excommunicates another condemneth himself and not another That our Love must be Catholick HOmily of Christian Love and Charity p. 36. Charity is to love every man good and evil friend and foe and whatsoever Cause be given to the Contrary yet
therefore in such things there ought to be a mutual forbearance towards one another Idem Sermon 13. It is no difficult matter for men to be fair and kind and moderate towards such as are of the same way and agree with them in the main Idem pag 413. 414. This vertue Moderation will be very advantageous to the peace and welfare of human society in the general which doth very much depend upon the mutual condescension and forbearance of men towards one another with things about which they differ In the Preface to Dr. Worthingtons Scripture-Catechism describing the Author deceased among other there were no vertues he was observed to be more an example of then a Dove-like innocency simplicity Meekness Humility and peaceableness candor and ingenuity the most Christian because the greatest and most universal Charity in which those that dissented in matters of Religion which is rare in these days had not onely a real but a great interest Dr. Alestries Sermons If you would discover what the temper of the Gospel is you may see it in its Prophecy and Picture in the Prophet Isaiah 11.6,7.65,25 The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid c. Whatever mischief these have in themselves there is nothing of devouring or of hurt to one another in this state they lye down and dwell together Again Sermon 18. p. 36. In the name of God what did Christ mean when he prescribed this Precept when he disputed prest it thus upon us Math. 5.44 Or what do Christians mean when they do break and tear this precept and themselves Though I be far from any hopes to reconcile our parties as by Gods help I shall ever be from making any yet I will offer an expedient to make them not so noxious namely if they will keep the difference of their judgments from breaking out into their affections and actions Dr. Barrow Vol. 3. Sermon 7. p. 250 251. It concerns us therefore if we would live peaceably in such disputable matters reserving all due reverence to the judgments of the most the best and wisest persons to be contented in a modest privacy to enjoy the results of a serious and impartial disquisition patiently enduring others to dissent from us and not attempting by needless fruitless and endless contentions to gain others to our perswasions especially since the Truth contended for may not be worth the passion employed about it Idem Serm. 8th against Evil-speaking p. 67. 'T is very unjust when as we do need the candid judgment and forbearance and pardon of others for many things faulty and offensive that we commit to refuse the like to others Glanvells Catholick Charity p. 29. Seeing then that Charity is necessary and agreement in opinions is neither necessary nor possible we ought to comply with our main duty notwithstanding our lesser difference If this were considered unity of affection might be preserved amidst diversity of opinions And p. 20. Then will the Church be glorious indeed when Christians shall make differences in opinions and dispensable practises the objects of their mutual forbearance Idem p. 59. If any should now ask me whether this Doctrine of Universal Love does not tend to universal Toleration I should answer that thus far it doth that all private persons should Tolerate each other and bear with their brothers infirmities that every man should allow another that Liberty which he desires himself in what the Laws of God and Man have left him free and permit him his own opinion without censure or displeasure But as to the publick I do by no means think it modest for us to determine what the Government should do Doctor Mores Mystery of Iniquity and Answer touching Liberty in Religion p. 542. I say then for all Protestants Churches whose Religion is the Bible it is little detriment or indecorum for them to use so well a limited indulgence as I have above described to their weak but sincere nurslings who are so thorough formed Christians as cordially to believe all the essential parts of our Religion but are onely puzled in some opinions and scrupulosities that are preter-essentials It is no more unseemly to permit somthing to them peculiarly than for a tender Mother to indulge something to a Child that breeds teeth or is any otherways weak or sickly or a Master of a Family to permit if not provide some proper accommodations for those of his Family a part whose infirmities or constitutions make them less fit to dine or sup at his common Table Idem Mistery of Godliness Preface p. 19. A mutual Agreement in bearing with one another dissents in the non fundamentals of Religion is really a greater ornament of Christianity than the most exact Uniformity imaginable it being an eminent exercise of Charity the flower of all Christian Graces and the best way I think at a long run to make the Church as uniform as can justly be desired The Author of the Whole Duty of Man. The lesser differences in opinion must be born with on both sides and must not in the least abate our brotherly Charity to each other Bishop of St. Asaph's Sermon on 5 th November before the House of of Lords As our Holy Religion excells all other in this admirable temper of love so by this we may usually judge who they are that excell among Christian Churches when there happens any difference between them Bishop of Salisbury's History of the Rights of Princes pag. 257 258. It is observable the best of Clergy-men have been the most gentle to those that differed from them But the unworthy who will not trouble themselves with the laborious methods of conquering errors are always apt to extream and cruel courses since they know they must prevail with these or none at all Doctor Caves Gospel Preached to the Romans pag. 84 The precepts which our Lord gives and most earnestly recommends in order to the general benefit of mankind are those of Meekness Mercy Forbearance Long-suffering brotherly Kindness and Charity Doctor Stillingfleets Irenicum Preface There were after this Decree at Jerusalem Acts 15.29 great diversities of practice and diversities of Observations among Christians but the Holy Ghost never thought them fit to be made matters of Law to which all parties should conform all that the Apostles required as to these was mutual forbearance and condescentions towards each other in them And in Pref. to Vnreasonableness of Separation he pleads for favour for them and forbearance Mr. De l' Angle In the Name of God my Lord in his Letter to the Bishop of London do all that possibly you can to bring them back to their duty by sweetness and Charity which is onely able to do great things on these occasions for men who have always something of pride do commonly oppose every thing thot seems to them to act by bare Authority only they scarce ever fail to yield themselves up to forbearance and condescention I shall also here