and perswading all the Families House by House they saw the Body of Town and Parish in love with serious Religion they told me they had been undone if I had followed their Counsel William Allen who with Mr. Lamb were Pastors of an Anabaptist Arminian Church first separated from the Parish-Churches and next from the Independents was turned from Independency much by seeing being our Kidderminster Factor that Parish-Churches may be made as holy as separated ones and the People not left by lazy Separatists to the Devil So that this Experience made him and his Companion more against Independency than I am 11. They abuse the People in indulging them in works that they were never called to nor are capable of nor can give any comfortable account of to God that is To be the Judges of Persons admitted to Communion and of Mens Repentance and Fitness for the Sacrament c. whenas God hath put this Power called The Church Keys into the Pastors and Rulers hands the not over-forced Men but Voluntiers Baptism is the true Churches Entrance and the Baptizer is the Judge of the Capacity of the Baptized no more but Consent to particular Church Relation and Duty is necessary to Membership of Neighbour Christians in particular Churches And nothing but proved nullifying the Baptismal Covenant by Heresie or Sin impenitently maintained or contained in doth forfeit their visible right to Communion And if the People must judge of all these they must have their Callings to examine every Person and they must grow wiser and abler then many of their Leaders are 12. Their Churches have among them no probable way of Concord but they are as a heap of Sand that upon every Commotion fall in pieces The Experience of it in Holland broke them to nothing And it so affected the Sober in New-England that in 1660. or 1661. Mr. Ash and I were fain to disswade Mr. Norton and Mr. Broadstreet whom they sent hither as Commissioners from inclining to our English Episcopacy foretelling them what was doing and we have seen so deeply were they afraid of being received by that Peoples uncurable Separation from their ablest Pastors whenever any earnest erroneous Teachers would seduce them Their Building wanteth Cement 13. God hath so wonderfully by his Providences disowned the way of Schism and Separation on how good pretences soever that I should be too like Pharaoh in hardness if I should despise his warnings For Instance 1. In the Apostles days all are condemned that separated from the setled Churches even when those Churches had many heinous Scandals and St. Paul saith That all they in Asia were turned from him The Authority and Miracles of the Apostles did not serve to keep Men from Separation and raising Schisms 2. Even when the Church lay under Heathen Persecutors for 294 years yet Swarms of Condemned Sects arose to so great a number as that the naming and confuting them filleth great Volumes to the great Reproach of the Christian Churches and Scandal of the Heathens 3. As soon as Constantine delivered the Churches from the Flames of cruel Persecution and set up Christians in Power and Wealth separating Sects grew greater than before each Party crying up their several Bishops and Teachers and grew worse by Divisions till thereby they tempted the Papal Clergy to unite Men carnally by force 4. At Luther's Reformation Swarms of Separatists arose in Germany Holland Poland c. to the great dishonour of the Protestant Cause 5. Here in England it hath been ill in Queen Elizabeth's time by the Familists and Separatists and far worse since It was such as Quarterman and Lilburn and other Separatists that drew Tumults and Crowds down to Westminster to draw the Parliament to go beyond their own Judgment and thereby divided the Parliament-men and drove away the King which was the beginning of our odious War It was the Separating Party that all over the Land set up Anti-Churches in the Towns that had able godly Ministers when they had nothing imposed on them to excuse it neither Bishops Liturgies nor Ceremonies So that Churches became like Cockpits or Fencing-Schools to draw asunder the Body of Christ. It was the Separating Party that got under Cromwell into the Army and became the common Scorners of a godly able Ministry by the Names of the Priest-byters the Driviners the Westminster-sinners the Dissembly-men as Malignant Drunkards did and worse It was these that thought Success had made them Rulers of the Land that caused the disbanding of all the Soldiers that disliked their Spirit and Way and then pull'd down first eleven and then the major part of the Parliament imprisoning and turning out Men of eminent Piety and Worth and making a Parliament of the minor part and their killing the King and afterward with scorn turning out that minor part that had done their work and to whom they had oft profest themselves Servants It was these Men that set up a Usurper that made a thing called a Parliament all of his and his Armies nomination If this should ever be imitated whom may we thank It was these Men that set up the Military Government of Major-Generals It was they that set up and pull'd down so many feigned Supream Powers in a few years as made themselves the Scorn of the World and by a dreadful warning of Divine Justice all their victorious Army and Power dropt in pieces like Sand as they would have used the Church and was dissolved without one Battle or drop of Blood save the after-Blood of their Leaders that were hang'd drawn and quarter'd by Parliament Sentence It is these Men and these doings that have hardened thousands against Reformation and turned all that was done for it O what did it cost and what raised hopes had many of the Success into Reproach quieted the Consciences of those that have thought they served God by silencing hating and persecuting those that they thought had been of this guilty Sect. In a word the spirit and way of causeless Separation whether by violent Prelatists Pursuits and Excommunications or by self-conceited Sectaries was never owned or blest by God If any say truly or falsly You have had a hand in some such thing your self I answer If I had I will hate it and write against it so much the more To thrust ones self into a way so disowned by God by such a course of fearful warnings is to run with Pharaoh into the Red-Sea especially when Impenitence so fixeth the guilt on them that cannot endure to hear of it as may make us fear that the worst 〈◊〉 behind and Sin and Judgments yet continue The Sum of what is said to you on the other side is that the Church of England and the Parish Churches have no true Ministry and therefore are no true Churches That they confess there is no Church without a Bishop and no Bishop below the Diocesan and so no Church below the Diocesan Church That those are no Scripture Bishops and Churches
without grand Sacriledge and Prophaneness although by Corruption of Persons and Times they have been either superstitiously abused or too prophanely employed but rather to reduce them to their primitive Use and Donation 18. Whether the ancient Fasting Days of the Week and Festivals of the Church setled both by Provincial Synods in the Year 1562. and 1640. and confirmed by the then Regal Power and also by several Statutes and Laws ought not by all persons in Conscience to be still observed until they be abrogated by the like Powers again or how far the Liberty of Conscience therein may be used in observing or not observing them the like for the usage of the Cross in Baptism and the humble posture of Kneeling at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 19. Which way of security and peace of Conscience may a quiet Christian order and dispose himself his Wife Children and Family in his Duty and Service towards God and enjoy the right use and benefit of the Sacraments and other holy Duties as long as that part of the Catholick Church wherein he lives is under persecution and the visible Ruling Church therein is faln Schismatical if not in many particulare Heretical April 20th 1655. May 14th 1655. An Answer to the foregoing Questions sent to Sir R. Clare Ad Quest. 1m. EIther that Conscience owneth the right Religion and Discipline only or the right with some tolerable accidental Errours or a wrong Religion and Discipline in the Substance The first the Magistrate must not only tolerate but promote The second he must tolerate rather than do worse by suppressing it The third he must suppress by all lawful means and tolerate when he cannot help it without a greater Evil. I suppose no Judicious Man will expect an exact Solution of so Comprehensive a Question in few words And I find not that a large Discussion is now expected from me There are four or five Sheets of my Manuscripts in some hands abroad on this Point which may do more towards a satisfactory Solution than these few words Ad 2m. Either the tender Conscience is in the right or in the wrong If in the wrong the Magistrates Liberty will not make a Sin to be no Sin but the Party is bound by God to rectifie his Judgment and thereby his Practice If in the right it is a strange Question Whether a Man may obey God that hath the Magistrates leave till he be enforced by Mens violence Doth any doubt of it Ad 3m. Matter of Government depending only on Fact is a Contradiction Seeing Government consisteth in a Right and the Exercise of it I am not able therefore to understand this Question Yet if this may afford any help toward the Solution I affirm That the general and perpetual practice of the Church from Age to Age of a thing not forbidden by the Word of God will warrant our imitation I say of a thing not forbidden because it hath been the general and perpetual practice of the Church to Sin by vain Thoughts Words imperfect Duties c. wherein our imitation is not warrantable The general and perpetual practice includeth the Apostles and that Age. But what is meant by Evidencing the Right of a thing that dependeth only of Fact or by Evidencing the Truth and Certainty of a Fact by general and perpetual practice which is to prove idem per idem I will not presume that I understand Ad 4m. I know not what Bishops you mean A Congregational Bishop overseeing the People is undoubtedly lawful so is a Congregational Bishop being President of a Presbytery which is over that Congregation Where many Congregational Officers are associated I do not think that a President for a time or during his fitness standing and fixed is unlawful The like I may say of a President of many of those Associations again associated as in a Province or Diocess And I believe it were a very easie work for wise godly moderate men to agree about his Power And I would not seem so censorious as to proclaim that England wanteth such further than the actual want of such Agreement or just endeavours thereto doth proclaim it I am satisfied also that the Apostles themselves have de jure Successors in all that part of their work which is to be perpetuated or continued till now though not in their extraordinary Endowments and Priviledges But if the sence of your Question be Whether one Man may be the standing chief Governour of many particular Churches with their Officers having either sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction as some would have or a Negative Voice in both as others it would seem great arrogancy in me to be the confident Determiner of such a Question which so wise learned godly sober Men have said so much of on both sides already Ad 5m. 1. He that knows how short Church History is in these Matters for the first Age after the Apostles at least and hath read impartially what Gersom Bucerus Parker Blondellus Salmasius Altare Damascen have said on one side and Saravia Downham Dr. Hammond c. on the other would sure never expect that I should presume to pass any confident Sentence in the Point And it 's like he would be somewhat moderate himself 2. I say as before I know not what you mean by Bishops I am confident that the Church was not of many Hundred years after Christ governed as ours was lately in England by a Diocesan Bishop and a Chancellor excluding almost all the Presbyters 3. Why do you say Since the Apostles days when you before spoke of the General and perpetual practice of the Church Ad 6m. The word National Church admits of divers sences As it was usually understood in England I think there was none for divers hundred years after Christ either governed by Bishops or without them They that will look after the most encouraging Presidents must look higher than National Churches Ad 7m. The Question seems not to mean any particular truly-schismatical Party of Ministers but the generality that live not under the Bishops and so I answer negatively waiting for the Accusers proof Ad 8m. 1. I know not what the Oath of Canonical Obedience is therefore cannot give a full Answer I know multitudes of Ministers ordained by Bishops that never took any such Oath 2. The Powers that violently took down the Bishops were the Secular Powers None else could use violence And it were a strange Oath for a Man to swear that he would never obey the Secular Powers if they took down the Bishops when the Holy Ghost would have us obey Heathen Persecutors 3. If it were so great a Sin to obey those Powers I conceive it must be so to the Laity as well as the Ministry And I knew but few of the Episcopal Gentry or others called to it that did refuse to take the Engagement to be true and faithful to that Power when the Presbyters here accused durst not take it
Servants that you would joyn with us at the Throne of Grace in prosecution of this Design and follow it bard with God and Men and let us be minded of you in those your Addresses to God not only as Christians as you do others but in special at Peace-makers that we may prosper in this Work and the Lord would call in the Spirit of Division and command down those Winds and Waves that have threatned the ruine of his distressed Church and we hope the Lord will help us to be mindful also of you Truly it is sweeter treating with God than with Men. Yet both must be done And as we desire to resist all Temptations to Despondency so we hope that the Lord will enable you to break over discouraging Oppositions with such fixed victorious Resolution as becomes Men that are engaged in so sweet a Work and honoured to be Leaders under so faithful omnipotent and victorious a General You love not the Work of Piety in general ever the worse for opposition now would you surcease as discouraged though you had me with more Let it be also in particular for Unity and Reformation We shall next give you our Answer to your three Questions 1. As we did purposely leave the first Question unresolved so we are loth to put the Question to any one Association much less to all lest we either agree not or agree in Points that may hinder the Work when we foresee the certain disagreement of others 2. To your second we say It s true that we take our Parishes for true Political Churches and we take it as probable and so to be judged by us and others that all those that constantly submit to the Ordinances and Ministerial Offices are true visible Members and take themselves for such except they do otherwise discover their dissent But because where Professions are but implicit or 〈◊〉 express we have but a probability and not a full certainty that all such Persons do take themselves indeed for Members and because when we call them to acquaint us expresly whether they take themselves for Members or not they deny it or refuse to profess it and so disclaim it we now first discern that they are no Members either not intending to be such all this while or voluntarily departing now We have more assurance of the Truth of our particular visible Churches than we have of each Man's membership particularly For some do plainly profess themselves Members and most others do that which amounts to a more obscure Profession and which makes them guilty of Hypocrisie if they intend not what they seem to profess But yet when they contradict the seeming darker Profession by an open disclaiming it then they undeceive us and cease that dissembling And Multitudes do openly profess in many places long ago that it is their liberty to hear all Men but they take us for no Churches or at least they take not themselves as Members Besides when they disclaim our Power over them they will not come near us to be questioned or give any account of their ways but tell us We have no more to do with them than others have whose Charge they are not under Moreover when they have cast out themselves they are not capable of the same Casting out by us as those that are in for it cannot be wholly ab eodem termino Yet we do not as you say resolve to exercise our Discipline on those only that testifie Consent but only agree on no more leaving the rest to be done as above and beyond this Agreement But that 's your third Question to which we say That we do not Prop. 18. limit our Publick Censures to those only that express Consent as excluding all others or resolving not to do it on any others but only resolving here to do it Indeed our Iudgment is that so far as a scandalous Christian bath Communion with us so far be may be cast out not breaking Natural and Civil Bonds If some have the Communion of particular Church-Members with us and others have but the Communion of Christians in Neighbourhood and ordinary Converse wherein we have occasion to manifest familiarity we may and ought to Cast the former on just cause out of Church-Communion and the later out of familiar Society or Communion in any Ordinance that intimates Familiarity but out of that Church we cannot cast him when he is not in it Yet for many Reasons we judged it â—â—meet to put this last into our Agreement 2. You do mistake our Reg. 10. of Prop. 19. in supposing that the Profession of Consent there mentioned doth carry in the front of it a plain refusal of our Discipline For if he profess Consent we must take him as a Member and use him accordingly and by that Profession be manifesteth Consent to our Guidance and Discipline in general and the thing that he refuseth is only Actual Obedience to a particular Act of Discipline and that after the discovery of Consent which any corrupt Member may do As for the two Points before mentioned by you wherein you went not so far as we this much we briefly say 1. Our 19th Prop. Reg. 9. speaks of no Ignorance but what was before expressed viz. of Fundamentals and that only where we have just ground of Suspicion of it 2. We dare not disswade your mutual Assistance in Pastoral Offices to particular Congregations where there is no offence taken at it But if the Congregational Brethren should take it as a making your many Churches to be but one particular Church or a giving the Paster of one Church a true Pastoral Power and consequently Charge and Duty over other Churches which you know Mr. Burroughs in his Iraenic makes their great Offence then for Unity and Peace sake we could wish you did forbear it Brethren Our hearty prayer is that the Lord would guide quicken encourage and succeed you in this blessed Work But the more excellent it is the more Opposition expect from Men and Devils and your own Corruption But the dearer it costeth you and the more unreservedly you devote your selves and resign all you have to God for the faithful performance of it the more Comfort may you expect from God and the sweeter will be your reviews of it at a dying hour Brethren imitate your Lord Do the Work of him that sent you while it is day for the night cometh when none can work Farewel Your Brethren and fellow Servants Rich. Baxter Iarvis Bryan in the Name and at the Appointment of the rest Kiderminster Octob. 1653. Brethren BEcause you Directed your Letter to me by Name I am bold to tell you my private Resolution of your first Question I will do by the Children of Refusers as by Strangers except I know that they refuse through meer licentiousness I dare not refuse to Baptize the Child of a Stranger as such but I will first speak with one of the Parents and be more fully satisfied of their Knowledge
from their Churches Answ. No but consent to improve the common Truths and perform our Duties even to such as differ from us in this Object 3. There is not one of an hundred of them that will consent to these Terms Answ. If they will not who can help it when we have tried them we have done our Duty and left them without Excuse Object 4. Shall we confess a Schismatical Church for a true Church Answ. Every Schism nulleth not the Church or Ministry that is guilty of it else most of the Churches in the World were nulled If they reject the Essentials of a Church they are none Object 5. Baptism is Essential to a Church The Apostle Heb. 6. 1. putteth it among the Principles Answ. 1. It is only the thing signified by Baptism that is Essential 2. The Apostle calls it a Principle because it is one of the first things taught but not because it is Essential to a Church 3. The Anabaptists have Baptism in their Churches though not of Infants Object 6. To make a League with Schsmaticks is to be guilty of their Schism Answ. True If by that League you own approve or consent to their Schism But not by agreeing with them to perform Common Duties Object 7. They are undermining the Church and Ministry and shall we seek peace with such Answ. 1. Those that we speak of are not such 2. If they were yet it is our Duty to hinder them by agreeing to moderate Ways and Common Duties Object 8. They are guilty of their Infants Damnation as much as in them lyeth by not believing their part in the Covenant nor dedicating them to God Answ. They virtually consent for their Infants in that they would actually do it if they knew the Promise Object 9. They are under God's visible Displeasure Ergo c. Answ. So far as God disowneth them we must do so but no further Object 10. We shall be reproached as complying with them Answ. Slanderous Tongues cannot excuse us from plain Duties Object 11. Those whom we should Excommunicate we may not have Communion with But the Anabaptists should be Excommunicated Ergo c. Answ. I deny the Minor taken of such Anabaptists as we have now in question Object 12. It is a scandalous Sin unrepented of Answ. 1. So is many a greater Errour which Men must not be Excommunicated for 2. It is virtually repented of seeing if they knew the Evil of it they would repent Object 13. You would have a looser Discipline than the Prelates or Papists for they would not Communicate with Anabaptists Answ. 1. I only avoid dividing rigour and cruelty 2. They have Multitudes in their Communion that know not what Baptism is nor to what use nor who Christ is whether God or Man nor many other Fundamentals Ergo Their Discipline is far looser than I desire but too partial also The Anabaptists object We are bound to propagate the Truth and if you will have Communion with us you must be baptized Answ. 1. You are bound to propagate first the greatest Truths that Salvation lyeth on and to do nothing that may hinder this by promoting your own Opinions 2. If you reject Communion with all but Anabaptists you reject all the Church through most Ages of the World And no Church no Christ and no Christ no Christians nor any Salvation 3. Blame us not if we be not easily brought to your Opinion if we had but these Reasons 1. You confess no thanks to you that Infants were once Church-Members by God's appointment and have never yet proved that he cast them out again And we must have good proof of that before we can be satisfied with your way 2. We cannot be hasty to believe an Evil and we know that it is a sad Penal Evil for Infants to be put out of the Church And Ergo we will have proof of it before we believe it 3. It must be no easie matter with us to believe that the Head and Shepherd of the Church hath de facto had a Church of a false Constitution as to the very Materials and Enterance from the beginning to this day except a few within this twenty years that troubled it in a Corner of the World and that now in the end of the World we must expect a right Constitution as if Christ had slept or regarded not his Church or been the Head of a Body which he disowned We cannot hastily believe such things I say again No Church no Christ for No Body no Head And if no Christ then there is no Christ now Take heed therefore how you unâ—Church or difown the whole Church of Christ in the very frame for so many Ages An Offer of Christian fraternal Communion to the Brethren that are against or doubtful about Baptizing Infants of Believers IT is our exceeding Joy that we have all one God one Saviour one Spirit one Faith and one Baptismal Covenant one Rule of Faith and Life one End and Hope and are Members of one Catholick Church and agree about God's Worship in the most and greatest parts And it is our Grief and the Matter of our great Humiliation that we can come no nearer and that by the Remnants of our Differences the Wicked are so hardened the Weak offended our Charity hindered our holy Communion and mutual Edification disturbed our Minds discomposed and the Gospel the Catholick Church and our Saviour dishonoured Lamenting this with the rest of our Unhappiness while we are in the Flesh and absent from the Lord the Centre of Perfect Unity and Concord and knowing it to be our Duty to walk by the same Rule and mind the same things so far as we have attained and being taught of God to love one another and observing how frequently and urgently Brotherly Love and Forbearance and the Unity and Concord of Christians is prest in the holy Scriptures and Uncharitableness and Divisions condemned that as far as may be we may promote our Common Ends of Christianity and with one Mind and Mouth may glorifie God We whose Names are under-written do make this following Offer of Communion 1. To all those that joyn with us in the foregoing Profession of the Christian Faith and have been Baptized since their Infant-Baptism as thinking it unlawful or insufficient we offer free Communion in our particular Churches with leave to Enter your dissent from our Infant-Baptism into the Church-Register or Records so be it you will thence-forth walk in that Love and Holiness and that Obedience to the faithful Overseers of the Flock and that Concord and Brotherly Communion with the Church as is required in the holy Scriptures according to your power and will resist Uncharitableness Discord and Divisions and joyn with us in our Common Work for the Common Ends. 2. To all those that joyn with us in the foregoing Profession of Faith though they have been baptized since their Infant-Baptism or think that Baptism unlawful and dare not hold Local Communion with us in
passion or prejudice give us such a further assistance towards a perfect Union of Affections as well as Submission to Authority as is necessary And we are the rather induced to take this upon us by finding upon the full Conference we have had with the Learned Men of several Perswasions that the Mischiefs under which both the Church and State do at present suffer do not result from any formed Doctrine or Conclusion which either Party maintains or avows but from the Passion and Appetite and Interest of particular Persons who contract greater Prejudice to each other from those Affections than would naturally arise from their Opinions and those Distempers must be in some degree allayed before the Meeting in a Synod can be attended with better Success than their Meeting in other places and their Discourses in Pulpits have hitherto been and till all thoughts of Victory are laid aside the humble and necessary Thoughts for the vindication of Truth cannot be enough entertained We must for the Honour of all those of either Perswasion with whom we have conferred declare That the Professions and Desires of all for the Advancement of Piety and true Godliness are the same their Professions of Zeal for the Peace of the Church the same of Affection and Duty to us the same They all approve Episcopacy They all approve a Set-From of Liturgy And they disapprove and dislike the Sin of Sacriledge and the Alienation of the Revenue of the Church And if upon these excellent Foundations in Submission to which there is such a Harmony of Affections any Super-structures should be raised to the shaking those Foundations and to the contracting and lessening the blessed Gift of Charity which is a Vital part of Christian Religion we shall think our self very unfortunate and even suspect that we are defective in that Administration of Government with which God hath intrusted us We need not profess the high Affection and Esteem we have for the Church of England as it is established by Law the Reverence to which hath supported us with Gods Blessing against many Temptations Nor do we think that Reverence in the least degree diminished by our Condescensions not peremptorily to insist upon some Particulars of Ceremony which however introduced by the Piety and Devotion and Order of former Times may not be so agreeable to the present but may even lessen that Piety and Devotion for the improvement whereof they might happily be first introduced and consequently may well be dispensed with And we hope this Charitable compliance of ours will dispose the Minds of all Men to a chearful Submission to that Authority the preservation whereof is so necessary for the Unity and Peace of the Church and that they will acknowledge the Support of the Episcopal Authority to be the best Support of Religion by being the best means to contain the Minds of Men within the Rules of Government And they who would restrain the Exercise of that holy Function within the Rules which were observed in the Primitive Times must remember and consider that the Ecclesiastical Power being in those blessed Times always subordinate and subject to the Civil it was likewise proportioned to such an Extent of Jurisdiction as was agreeable to that And as the Sanctity and Simplicity and Resignation of that Age did then refer many things to the Bishops which the Policy of succeeding Ages would not admit at least did otherwise provide for so it can be no Reproach to Primitive Episcopacy if where there have been great Alterations in the Civil Government from what was then there have been likewise some Difference and Alteration in the Ecclesiastical the Essence and Foundation being still preserved And upon this Ground without out taking upon us to Censure the Government of the Church in other Countries where the Government of the State is different from what it is here or enlarging our self upon the Reasons why whilst there was an Imagination of Erecting a Democratical Government here in the State they should not be willing to continue an Aristocratical Government in the Church it shall suffice to say That since by the wonderful Blessing of God the Hearts of this whole Nation are returned to an Obedience to Monarchique Government in the State it must be very reasonable to Support that Government in the Church which is established by Law and which with the Monarchy hath flourished through so many Ages and which is in truth as ancient in this Island as the Christian Monarchy thereof and which hath always in some respects or degrees been enlarged or restrained as hath been thought most conducing to the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom and therefore we have not the least doubt but the present Bishops will think the present Concessions now made by us to allay the present Distempers very just and reasonable and will very chearfully Conform themselves thereunto 1. We do in the first place declare That as the present Bishops are known to be Men of Great and Exemplary Piety in their Lives which they have manifested in their notorious and unexampled Sufferings during these late Distempers and of great and known Sufficiency of Learning so we shall take special Care by the Assistance of God to prefer no Men to that Office and Charge but Men of Learning Vertue and Piety who may be themselves the best Examples to those who are to be Governed by them and we shall expect and provide the best we can that the Bishops be frequent Preachers and that they do very often preach themselves in some Church of their Diocess except they be hindered by Sickness or other bodily Infirmities or some other justifiable occasion which shall not be thought justifiable if it be frequent 2. If any Diocess shall be thought of too large an Extent we will appoint Suffragan Bishops for their Assistance 3. No Bishop shall Ordain or Exercise any part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the Censures of the Church without the Advice of the Presbyters and no Chancellour shall exercise any Act of Spiritual Jurisdiction 4. As the Dean and Chapters are the most proper Council and Assistants of the Bishop both in Ordination and for the other Offices mentioned before so we shall take care that those Preferments be given to the most Learned and Pious Presbyters of the Diocess that thereby they may be always at hand and ready to advise and assist the Bishop And moreover That some other of the most Learned Pious and Discreet Presbyters of the same Diocess as namely the Rural Deans or others or so many of either as shall be thought fit and are nearest be called by the Bishop to be present and assistant together with those of the Chapter at all Ordinations and at all other Solemn and Important Actions in the Exercise of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction especially wherein any of the Ministers are concerned And our Will is that the great Work of Ordination be constantly and solemnly performed by the Bishop in the
be as dear to us as any other and that if I were a Member of Mr. Tombeis Church if he would permit me I would live obediently under his Ministry allowing me the Liberty of my Conscience I hope God is working for our Unity and Peace I have been long preaching of the Unity of the Catholick Church containing all true Christians as Members and the last Week save one Mr. Tombes came to the Re-baptized Church at Bewdley and preacht on the same Subbject and so excellently well as I hear for Unity among all true Christians to the same purpose with your Husband's Arguments that I much rejoiced to hear of it though I hear some of his People were offended And now that this should be seconded with your Husband 's peaceable Arguments puts me in some Hopes of a little more healing I have strong Hopes that if I were in London I should persuade such as your Husband and Mr. Iohn Goodwin and many an honest Presbyterian Minister as great a distance as seems to be between them all to come yet together and live in Holy Communion But be sure God will drive us together before he hath done with us Living Members will smart by distance and be impatient till the Wound be closed what a Damp is upon the Spirits of those Christians that can separate interpretatively from a thousand parts to one of the Church of Christ. The Papists would desire no better sport nor the Infidels neither than to reduce the Church of Christ to the Antipaede Baptists or the baptized at Age and so to deny him to have had any visible Church in the World that we can prove for so many Years Would they have held Communion with the Catholick Church for a thousand Years together or would they not if they had lived in those times If they would then why not with us also that are of the same Judgment Was it a Duty then and is it unlawful now or are they Respecters of Persons If they would not in all those Ages have held Communion with the visible Church what would they have done but separated from the Body and so from the Head and cast off Christ in all his Members and taken him to be a Head without a Body which is no head and so no Christ what would they have done but denied his Power and Love and Truth and consequently his Redemption and his Office Hath he come at the end of Four Thousand Years since the Creation to redeem the World that lay so long in Darkness and hath he made such wonderful Preparations for his Church by his Life and Miracles and Blood and Spirit c. and promised that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and that his Kingdom shall be an Everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion endureth from Generation to Generation and yet after all this shall he have a Church even as the Seekers say but for an Age or two For doubtless tho' where Heathens were the Neighbours of the Church many were baptised at Age yet no Man can name or prove a Society or I think a Person against infant Baptism for One Thousand Two Hundred Years at least if not One Thousand Four Hundred And for many Ages no other ordinarily baptized but Infants If Christ had no Church then where was his Wisdom his Love and his Power What was become of the Glory of his Redemption and his Catholick Church that was to continue to the End That Man that can believe that Christ had no Church for so long time or any one Age since his Ascension must turn an Infidel and deny him to be Christ if he be a rational Man Did all the Gospel Precepts of Love and Holy Communion cease as soon as Infant Baptism prevailed doubtless though it be be his Ordinance Christ never laid so great a stress on the outward Washing as Dividers do Whenever Baptism is mentioned in Scripture it means The Engagement of the Person to Jesus Christ by solemn Covenant which Washing is appointed to Solemnize and 1 Cor. 12. 13. doth plainly mean That one Holy Spirit which is usually given to the Baptized either in or near their outward Baptism doth inwardly animate all the Body and unite them and assimilate them and prove them Members Constantine the Great was the Glory of the Church in his Generation maintaining Holiness and Peace when the Pastors were some Corrupters and some Dividers and would have broken all in Pieces but for him He ordinarily Preached or made Holy Prayers and Speeches in Meetings and yet was never baptized all this while till near Death and none ever scrupuled his Communion I would know of the Dividers why they should think Baptism more necessary to be believed than the other Sacrament the Supper of the Lord Yet it is certain that all the ancient Church did purposely conceal the Lord's Supper from the Knowledge of the Catechumens by which it appears they judged not the Belief of it essential to a Church Member Yet I know the great thing meant by the Word Baptism in Scripture is essential to the Church-Membership of the Adult that is the giving up our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost in Covenant but the Sign is only necessary as a Duty but not as a means without which the thing cannot be had This is voluminously proved against the Papists with whom the contrary minded do comply Circumcision in the Wilderness was separated from Church-Membership and Communion And is the outward part of Baptism more necessary under the Gospel which setteth less by Externals and where God that is a Spirit will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and where neither Circumcision nor Un-Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature and Faith that worketh by Love But our main Argument against them is That no true Definition can be given of Baptism that will not agree with Infant-Baptism if it were granted to be unlawful were it proved an unmeet Age it will never prove the Baptism null But I do but go besides your Expectation I suppose in all this which is occasioned by your Husbands Paper and the main Cause I shall therefore come at last to your Case But will Mr. Lambe regard the Judgment of one that differeth from him as I do You know according to my Judgment what I must advise him to but though still it is my Judgment that Infants of Believers should be solemnly given up to Christ by Baptism yet I shall deal as impartially as I can and put my self in Mr. L's Case and supposing I were of his Opinion against Infant-Baptism I shall answer your particular Questions To the two first I answer 1. We have a sure Word to fly to for Direction and many great and evident Principles as here the Nature of the Catholick Church c. to give us Light in the darker Points that depend upon them and in such a Case it is dangerous gathering our Informations about Truth or Duty or
the same all are not of the Church that are in the Parish there are three sorts of the Parish 1. Communicants and those are the Church 2. Meer Hearers and Catechical Persons and these are Candidates 3. Aliens Atheists Infidels and Papists Hereticks Men of no Church or other Churches Parish-Churches as combined parts of a Christian Kingdom or National Church thus distinguished from Aliens Auditors and not only tolerated but orderly combined maintained encouraged are the most regular Churches agreeable to Scripture Reason and Antiquity Quest. 3. Suppose the Parish-Churches should be no true Churches is it destructive to particular Churches to join with the Parish-Assemblies Answ. No who can dream that Families and Neighbours and occasional Meetings may not Worship God or that such Worship destroys Churches Did Corâ—lius's Meeting Acts 18. or those Acts 12. 12. or these that Acts 20. prayed at an Oratory nor the Water destroy the Church 2. Occasion Communicants are not bound to try the Call of the Ministers where they come and have no Vote but to take them according to visible Profession and Possession and if the Ministers should prove uncalled the Loss would be to themselves and not to the Faithful that are blameless and have right to the Childrens Bread though a Iudas or a Pharisee distribute it But the Separatists Object that pretended Churches which are not true are worse than occasional Assemblies that pretend it not Answ. 1. whether they are worse or better is nothing to this Question of destroying Churches 2. The liker they are to true Churches the liker they are to be better than those that are unlike them 3. The Officiating of a true Minister may make that a true temporary Church which is not a constant setled Church 4. It is far liker that many separating Congregations will prove no true lawful Churches for want of true Ministers and other Causes and yet it will not follow that all that join with them destroy true Churches for some under Government may do it blamelesly and they that do it sinfully may yet own true Churches every Sin destroys not other Churches 5. It is a Duty for Members of a Church to get what good they can by all Christians whether they be regular Churches or not Quest. 4. Suppose the Parish-Assemblies to be particular Churches are the Corruptions in them so great as that we must separate from them or would it not be Schism so to do Answ. There are many sorts of Separation It is Schism to call them no true Churches of Christ or such as it is not lawful to hold Communion with and to separate on that account and this I have oft proved in Print so fully that I must not now repeat it But there are many Occasions which may warrant and necessitate a meer local Separation as I have fully proved in many Treatises as if any Sin be imposed and Communion denied to those that will not Sin those Men do not separate but are driven out by Separatists or Tyrants and must not give over all Church Worship of God because Tyrants forbid it them Many other Instances of lawful local Separation I have published which I cannot find any have confuted no nor denyed Quest. 5. Whether there are not in congregational Churches such things which are not plainly instituted in Scripture Answ. Congregational is a sorry Word as here used in distinction from Parish-Churches Parish-Churches are Congregational they consist of Pastors and Christian Communicants joined for Personal Communion and Independents and Separatists much differ many Independants are against Separation the old Nonconformists both Presbyterians and Independants were judged the Parish-Churches that had tolerable Ministers to be true Churches and Independents greatly differ among themselves some are sound in the Faith and some are unfound some are for Infant Church-Membership and Covenant Grace and some against it some are for self-made Covenants and Terms of Church-entrance and Communion and for the Peoples Power of the Keys and against Ordination and many other Errors which others do renounce And remember it is one thing to be Independants by Agreement as Neighbour Churches and another thing to be dependant as Subjects on governing Churches And it is one thing to be Independant on equal Neighbour Churches and another thing to be independant on a superior Ministry The Churches of Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus and the rest were independant on each other as to Government but they were dependant on the Apostles and Evangelists Paul Barnabas Luke Mark Silas Timothy Titus and Apollos c. as to Oversight and dependant on other Churches as Fellow-members of the same Universal Body as the Members of our Bodies are 3. I know no Churches to happy as to have nothing that is not particularly yea or generally instituted in Scripture yea and that obtruded on the People O! when will God make them wiser some Independant Ministers and Churches have Catholick Charitable Uniting Principles But the separating part who are they that have so many and great Defects and Faults as I have in my former Writing enumerated and need not here again recite but advise you impartially to review them Quest. 6. Whether every Person who doth join with such a Church doth not become as guilty of the Sin of such a Church as those do that join with the Church of England Answ. This Question intimateth that you know not what the Church of England is It is nothing but a Christian Kingdom consisting of a Christian supreme Power and combined Christians and Churches governed by that Power it is not Liturgies nor Ceremonies that essentiate the Church of England Orthodox Godly Presbyterians and Independants who deny not a Christian Kingdom of Christian Churches though differing in many thing are all parts of the true Church of England But I suppose you mean the Conformists which are but a part 2. One is guilty of the Faults of the Conformists by their bare Presence and Communion who do not consent to those Faults and if bare Presence signified Consent we must avoid Communion with all Churches on Earth for who are Sinless And all must avoid us and how shall we avoid our selves who sin in all we do 3. But when People causelesly separate and unchurch other Churches far â—ounder than their own and falsely accuse them yea and almost all Christ's Churches these Fifteen Hsndred Years as those now called Separatists usually do I think your ordinary joining with such when you may have sounder Communion is a sinful Encouragement of them in their Schism justly leaveth you under the Imputation of Schism and requireth great Humiliation and Reformation being greater than some great private Sins as publick Cases are more important than private but I am loath to say all that I judge true against the present separating Way lest I be mistaken as if I would render them odious or be against the necessary Toleration of the Week I have truly told the World near Forty Years ago that I am past
Spirit among others is a great rejoicing to me And I hope I may tell you that it is in vain as I am sure I may tell you it is no small Sin any more to resist and strive against him If the Hand of our dear and tender Lord be setting you in joint again shrink not on account of present pain much less should you fear the Reproach of being in Communion with the Body but impartially hearken unto him and yield but lay by all Tumults of Spirits and Passions and get out of the Noise of vulgar Clamours for the Voice of Peace is a still Voice and in Calmness must be attended unto And when you are restored if you find not the Sweetness and Advantages of Peace if you are indeed restored in Mind as well as Practice the Lord hath not spoken in this by me I can hardly think that he that hath raised these Thoughts within you and begun these Convictions will let them die In order to the Ends desired and hoped for I shall offer you so much of my present Thoughts as your described Case requires And 1. though I desire not to dispute the Case of Infant Baptism with you now yet I may say we believe you live in a constant Sin against the Lord in neglecting denying and opposing it and that if you will by one erroneous Supposition draw on a Chain of hurtful Consequences you are the Cause of your own Disorders At a fitter Season I should desire you but to answer me this one Argument All that should be sacramentally or solemnly inticed into the Holy Covenant with God as his People should be Baptized or at least be taken as true Members of the Church and their Entrance just but the Infants of believing Parents should be sacramentally and solemnly entred into Covenant with God or his People Ergo c. The Minor we give you the abundant Proof of Law and Promise for before Christ. It was Abraham's Duty and Priviledge according to the Tenour of the Promise which was made with him before the Law to enter his Children sacramentally and solemnly into the holy Covenant It was all the Churches Duty after both Jews and Proselytes both the uncircumcised Females and the circumcised Males and all the uncircumcised Church in the Wilderness Deut. 29 c. Tell me now how I should answer it before the Lord if I tell Parents that they are absolved from this Duty of solemn entring their Children into the Covenant and are divested of the blessed Priviledge especially when you here tell me well that you know of none but his Body that Christ is the Saviour of and that the Church is this Body Ergo you know of no Salvation for Infants if they be not of the Church Ergo Exclussion would be a heavy Case shall I say that Christ hath recalled this Law and Grant but how should I prove it I shew you the Law and Grant do you shew me the Repeal and we have done Christ never speaks a word to repeal it nor any of his Apostles Entring our Children into the holy Covenant is not a Ceremony If God say to a Father why didst thou not dedicate this Child to me and solemnly enter him into Covenant with me what can he say The Precept Promise and long Practice were plain was the Repeal also plain Yes if it be a Repeal for Christ to take such Children into his Arms and bless them and tell us of such is his Kingdom and to be offended with those that would have kept them from him and to command that all Disciples be Baptized He knew well enough when he instituted Baptism and exercised it first upon the adult that the Iews did so too with their Proselites And Ergo when he did in that no more than they did that yet admitted the Infants of Church-Members his baptizing the Adult could no more signify his Denial of Infants to be baptized than the Iews baptizing the Adult could signify it who at that time baptized Infants also nor could the Disciples interpret Christ's Doctrine and Will to be contrary to the Iews when his Practice was no more than theirs And when he never uttered a Syllable to intimate a Repeal of that great Mercy and Duty of entring Infants solemnly into the Covenant which by God's Appointment had continued so long And the Covenant was I will be thy God and thou shalt be my People But all this falls in besides my first intent and therefore I rather expect your Pardon than your regard of it at the present though time may shew you Light in that which now seems Darkness 2. But if our Infant Baptism were irregular how will you prove it a Nullity never by any sound Argument every Irregularity is not a Nullity Whether you take the Word as signifying Faedus Sacramentale a Sacramental Covenant as Scripture commonly doth more notably intending the Covenant than the outward Act or Sacramentum Faederale a Federal Sacrament or Action most notably signifying the Sign or Act it 's all one to our purpose for Infants are capable of both the Covenant and the outward Sign and of all that is essential to Baptism That they are capable of being entred into Covenant 1. Nature tells us we commonly enter them under Princes as their Subjects and into private Contracts with Landlords for Possessions 2. The ancient Law Promise and Practice of the Church before Christ tells us for then it was actually done by God's Command And that they are capable of the outward Sign is undeniable Prove it a Nullity if you can though it were a Sin 3. But if both were granted the Sin and Nullity I come now to give you my Reasons why it warrants you not to deny Communion with the Churches that were thus Baptized in Infancy And 1. I beseech you note that Baptism is as necessary if not much more to the Admission of Men into the universal visible Church as such or into a particular Church Ergo If Men may be admitted into the universal visible Church without adult Baptism then he may be admitted into a particular Church without it But yet here grant that he may be a Member of the universal Church without it Ergo Baptism is indeed appointed to be our regular entrance by way of Sacramental Covenant and Investiture into the Church Universal and not into a particular Church necessarily though it may be into both yet it is but indirectly into the particular Church The Eunuch and all that were baptized first in any place by the Apostles were baptized only into the Church universal and afterward setled in Order under Pastors in particular Churches Baptism as such as it was called our Christening doth only list Men under Christ as Christians and if it do any more as to the thing in Question it is accidentally and not always nor necessarily We are not directly sure baptized to our Pastors and so not to that Particular Church nothing then is more plain
vain If they do then they prove the Duty if not the Necessity of Infant Baptism 3. Ceremonies have not so much laid on them under the Gospel as under the Law Mercy before Sacrifice is the Gospel Canon Ad 2 m 2. That Command Matth. 28. commandeth the baptizing of Disciples I doubt not but it commandeth thereby the baptizing of Infants who are Disciples and made Disciples while proselyted Parents enter them into the Covenant of God according to his express unrepealed Law and Promise 2. But suppose it did not command Infant-Baptism nay suppose it had consequentially forbidden it it proves no more than that it is a sin not a nullity 3. But suppose it had made it a Nullity how are you guilty of other mens omission of Baptism by holding Communion with them when you may at your Enterance declare your dissent from them in that point Your Argument would lead you to avoid Communion with all Churches in the World even the re-baptized that held not all that you take to be the Institutions of Christ because you are bound to hold them But when you have leave to do your own Duty if you will shun all that you think do not theirs you will abhor Catholicism Ad 3 m 1. As to Iohn 3. 5. doubtless that Text speaks of more than the visible Church even the Mystical and the Triumphant And therefore if you will from thence exclude Infants from Baptism and the visible Church you must needs shut them all out of Heaven but Christo dissentiente you shall have none of Christ's consent 2. It is both Water as the sign and the holy Covenant and Cleansing of the Soul as the thing signified that are convincingly meant in the Text. But how one only as a sign and the other as the thing signified and therefore not as equally necessary in point of means though equally commanded Alas how easily understand we such Speeches among Men. If a General say to the Rebels I will spare none of you that will not come and list himself under me every Body will understand that becoming a Soldier and the Military Engagement or Sacrament as the Oath was anciently called is the thing here signified to be absolutely necessary and the Listing or Colours but as a sign for Order and in Cases of Necessity dispensable and regarded but in order unto the thing signified Your Arguments from personal Inconveniencies are none Ad 1 m 1. Do not you startle to hear the Catholick Church called the World and a retirement into its Communion called a Returning to the World I have read Come out from among them that is the World but not Come out of the Catholick Church 2. And do you not startle to hear them call their way Strictness and the other Loosness If they mean a sinful strictness so every Vice or many may have a strictness Malice hath a strictness and Covetousness and Oppression hath a strictness and Superstition hath a strictness But if they mean it of a holy strictness are not they the strictest that are likest to Christ and most conformable to his Will and most accurate in their Obedience And is not Love the new and great Commandment Are not your People loose that are so far from holy Love and Catholick Communion God is Love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God They are strict then in opposing God and the Unity or sweet Communion of the Members of the Lord. Is it an honour to be strict Sinners and Destroyers of the Church and Holy Love Let some take heed least they be too strict to come into Heaven among so many Millions of Souls that never owned any but Infant Baptism which is I think since Christ many hundred to one that is there that never were against Infant Baptism whether do you think Christ or the Phaâ—isees were the stricter when they condemned him for eating with Publicans and Sinners and his Disciples for breaking the ears of Corn and him for Sabbath-breaking c. Sure he more accurately observed his Father's will even the blessed Rule of Love and Mercy though they were more superstitious and strict was it the weak or the strong Christians Rom. 14. 15. that were the stricter about meats and drinks and days The weak superstitiously but the strong did more strictly adhere to the Law of Christ. Do you think that Man that shall say Christ died but for half the Saints themselves to be ever the better for that strict Opinion If you are for such forbidden strictness of Practice why do you not answer it in your Opinions about Grace c. 2. You have cause to be much humbled before the Lord for bringing your People into this Snare and Misconceit and ergo should not be guilty of continuing them in it nor make the fruit of your Sin an Argument to go on Impenitently 3. So great a Truth and Duty as Christian Catholick Love and Communion is not to be bawked for fear of danger Tell you of it plainly and trust God with the Issue It 's doubt those that will turn Quakers that is Infidels or near rather than be reduced to Catholick Love and Communion are never like to come to good if you keep them where they are It 's a fearful thing that any Man should think the better of his Spiritual state because he flieth furthest from the Catholick Love and Communion of Saints that is from the Church from Christ from God from Heaven Ad 2 m Your Communion with differing Saints is not a sinning against your Opinion about Baptism nor a leaving your station You may own your way and yet own Catholick Communion Dear Brother I think the Lord of Love and Peace is laying hands on you and will have you away out of your dangerous Schisms into the Paths of Love and Peace It is Uncharitableness and Separation that hath made the Rebaptized so odious throughout the World Love breedeth Love as Heat breedeth Heat The Christian Charity that appeareth in your Lives I sensibly feel draws out my own Heart in love to you All God's Saints will love you if you will but turn into the way of Love I hear that the Rebaptized in Ireland that grew to the reputation of Turbulent in their height begin now to be thought more peaceable and tolerable than some others there that being lately in the Saddle possessed their Prosperity and unquietness O! if days of Persecution come it will cut your hearts to think how you have refused Communion with your Brethren in days of Peace If we all lay our Heads and Hearts and Hands together for God's Church and Cause it will be too little My motion to you is That you will joyn with us for a Brotherly Agreement between the Men of your mind and ours The Articles shall be but these three 1. That all that can being satisfied in Conscience with their being Rebaptized shall continue loving Communion in the Church 2. That those that cannot be brought
by sheet and thereupon I trusted to the promised Care of the Booksellers but I found upon review the Errata to be more numerous and gross by far than ever I expected But if the Candid Reader will correct the Errata as they are render'd corrigible to his view I shall think my self greatly obliged to him But if the Reader 's first Historical Salute displease him as being much beneath his expected Entertainment one hours reading I hope he will find to be the utmost Exercise of his Patience from the meanness of the Matter at his Entrance into the Book II. As to the Author 's ordering and digesting of his own Memoirs a Rhapsody it now appears and as to method and equality of Stile somewhat below what curious Readers might expect yea and from what it had been had it but passed the Author's stricter Thoughts and View Yet we shall find the History greatly useful though not exactly uniform nor is it so confused as to be incapable of easie References and Reductions to such proper Order as may best please the Reader if the Design be clear and worthy viz. to set in open Light the degenerate Age he lived in the magnalia of Grace and Providence as to himself his Self-censurings on all occasions Caution and Conduct unto others and tracing all Events to their genuine Sources and Originals the judicious Reader will improve such things There were several Papers loosely laid which could not easily be found when needed And the defectiveness of my very much declining Memory made me forget and the more because of haste and business where I had laid them after I had found them And some few Papers mention'd and important here are not yet found though search'd after which yet hereafter may be brought to light amongst some others intended for the Publick View if God permit The Reverend Author wrote them at several times as his other Work and Studies and frequent Infirmities would admit of And he was more intent upon the Matter than the Method and finding his Evening Shadows growing long as the Presage of his own approaching and expected Change he was willing through the importunity of his Friends to hasten the compleating of his Works before he died And he had rather that the Work was done somewhat imperfectly than not at all It is true indeed that he hath left us nothing of the last Seven years of his Life save his Apology for his accused Paraphrase and Notes on the New Testament for which he was so fiercely prosecuted imprisoned traduced and fined And though some pressed me to draw up the Supplemental History of his Life yet the wisest that I could consult advised me to the contrary and I did take their counsel to be right and good for I well knew my self very unable to do that uniformly with the rest and I was not inclined to obtrude upon the World what was not Mr. Baxters Precarious Reputation I affect not That Fame cannot be rightfully my own which is not deserved by me And if this Preface and my subjoyned Sermon be but candidly received or moderately censured and any way tributary to the Reader 's benefit I shall rejoyce therein and not expect his undeserved Commendation III. I am well aware and think it worth my while to take notice of several Things which may awaken Prejudice Censure or Displeasure and occasion if not cause Objections and Offence as to the Treatise and my self which I would obviate and prevent at least allay if possible I neither love to kindle Flames nor to enrage them nor to contribute the least breath or fewel to them I am for Faithfulness and Truth in the softest stile and way consistent with the Ends and Interest thereof Flattering Titles and needless Pungencies I distast What was the Author's is not mine To publish is not always to assent And if Modesty and Self-diffidence do make me refrain from Censures and Corrections and Expunctions can that be esteemed culpable Especially when it is vel sole Meridiano clarius to both my self and every Man how much my Knowledge Parts Judgment Holiness and Advantages to know what he Reports and Censures come short of what his were Most of the Persons if not well nigh all censured by him were altogether unknown to me Nor do I find them all or many mentioned by him as utterly ungodly or undone But as far as Miscarriages or Neglects upon the Publick Stage did minister to Suspicion and to the prejudice thereof affect the Publick Interest so far they are remarked by him with resentment If justly the Equity will justifie the Censure and evidently shew how much the Interest of Church and State lay nearer to and more upon his Heart than private Friendship or Concerns But if unjustly it is the undoubted right and duty of those that can to clear the Censured from all their undue Imputations and Aspersions and could I do it for them my Obligations to and value for this quondam excellent Historian and Divine should not prevent my utmost cordial Engagements in that matter namely to wipe of all Aspersions from the Innocent or to abate and lessen them as far as they are capable duly of Allays But let me meet the Reader with these cautionary offers I. Perhaps it may be thought unmeet by some that a Divine should turn Historian Answ. 1. Why not as well as Grotius Du Plessis Lassitius c. yea and King Iames the First meddle with writing about Sacred Things 2. Mr. Baxter was neither ignorant of nor unconcerned in nor unfit for such a Work as this who knew him better than he knew himself or did more intirely search into Affairs or lay under greater Advantages for pious and just Informations 3. He had no Advantages nor heart for Gain or Honour by this his Undertaking It is known he hath refused Preferment even by King Charles the Second but sought for none 4. Writing of Histories rather refer to Abilities than to Office Men may not govern Kingdoms Cities nor Societies till called thereto by solemn Designation be they never so throughly qualified nor can they administer in Publick Worship till called thereto by Solemn Ordination or as Probationers in order to that Office But Men may write for God and Common Good if they be able so to do For their Abilities Opportunities and Capacity for Publick Service are a Call sufficiently and safely to be depended on 5. The Author's Modesty Humility and well known Self-denial and evident Remoteness from all Pragmaticalness and Affectation may well prevent Suspicion of his Exorbitancy in this his Enterprize And 6. his great Ability and Concern to serve the Publick Interest when as all possible help was needful requisite and grateful may well implead such bold Retorts upon his Undertaking Who stays for a particular Commission to extinguish Flames or to give needful Informations of instant Dangers or of necessary Conduct when great Calamities or Miscarriages cannot otherwise be prevented 2. It is
another kind of Militia I had than theirs I found that many honest Men of weak judgments and little acquaintance with such Matters had been seduced into a disputing vein and made it too much of their Religion to talk for this Opinion and for that sometimes for State Democracy and sometime for Church Democracy sometimes against Forms of Prayer and sometimes against Infant Baptism which yet some of them did maintain sometimes against Set-times of Prayer and against the typing of our selves to any Duty before the Spirit move us and sometimes about Free-grace and Free-will and all the Points of Antinomianism and Arminianism So that I was almost always when I had opportunity disputing with one or other of them sometimes for our Civil Government and sometimes for Church Order and Government sometimes for Infant Baptism and oft against Antinomianism and the contrary Extream But their most frequent and vehement Disputes were for Liberty of Conscience as they called it that is that the Civil Magistrate had nothing to do to determine of any thing in Matters of Religion by constraint or restraint but every Man might not only hold but preach and do in Matters of Religion what he pleased That the Civil Magistrate hath nothing to do but with Civil Things to keep the Peace and Protect the Churches Liberties c. I found that one half almost of the Religious Party among them were such as were either Orthodox or but very lightly touched with their mistakes and almost another half were honest men that stept further into the contending way than they could well get out again but with competent help might be recovered But a few fiery self-conceited men among them kindled the rest and made all the noise and bustle and carried about the Army as they pleased For the greatest part of the common Soldiers especially of the Foot were ignorant men of little Religion abundance of them such as had been taken Prisoners or turned out of Garrisons under the King and had been Soldiers in his Army And these would do any thing to please their Officers and were ready Instrument for the Seducers especially in their great Work which was to cry down the Covenant to vilifie all Parish Ministers but especially the Scots and Presbyterians For the most of the Soldiers that I spoke with never took the Covenant because it tied them to defend the King's Person and to extirpate Heresie and Schism Because I perceived that it was a few Men that bore the Bell that did all the hurt among them I acquainted my self with those Men and would be oft disputing with them in the hearing of the rest and I found that they were men that had been in London hatcht up among the old Separatists and had made it all the matter of their Study and Religion to rail against Ministers and Parish Churches and Presbyterians and had little other knowledge nor little discourse of any thing about the Heart or Heaven but were fierce with Pride and Self-conceitedness and had gotten a very great conquest over their Charity both to the Episcopal and Presbyterians Whereas many of those honest Soldiers which were tainted but with some doubts about Liberty of Conscience or Independency were men that would Discourse of the Points of Sanctification and Christian Experience very savourily But we so far prevailed in opening the folly of these Revilers and Self-conceited men as that some of them became the laughing-stock of the Soldiers before I left them and when they preached for great Preachers they were their weakness exposed them to contempt A great part of the mischief they did among the Soldiers was by Pamphlets which they aboundantly dispersed such as R. Overtons Martin Mar-Priest and more of his and some of I. Lilburn's who was one of them and divers against the King and against the Ministry and for Liberty of Conscience c. And Soldiers being usually disperst in their Quarters they had such Books to read when they had none to contradict them But there was yet a more dangerous Party than all these among them only in Major Bethel's Troop of our Regiment who took the direct Jesuitical way They first most vehemently declaimed against the Doctrine of Election and for the power of Free-will and all other Points which are controverted between the Jesuits and Dominicans the Arminians and Calvinists Then they as fiercely cried down our present Translation of the Scriptures and debased their Authority though they did not deny them to be Divine And they cried down all our Ministry Episcopal Presbyterian and Independent and all our Churches And they vilified almost all our ordinary Worship especially singing of Psalms and constant Family Worship They allowed of no Argument from Scripture but what was brought in its express words They were vehement against both the King and all Government but Popular and against Magistrates medling in Matters of Religion And all their disputing was with as much fierceness as if they had been ready to draw their Swords upon those against whom they disputed They trusted more to Policy Scorn and Power than to Argument They would bitterly scorn me among their Hearers to prejudice them before they entred into dispute They avoided me as much as possible but when we did come to it they drowned all Reason in fierceness and vehemency and multitude of words They greatly strove for Places of Command and when any Place was due by order to another that was not of their mind they would be sure to work him out and be ready to mutiny if they had not their will I thought they were principled by the Jesuits and acted all for their Interest and in their way but the secret Spring was out of sight These were the same men that afterward were called Levellers and rose up against Cromwell and were surprized at Burford having deceived and drawn to them many more And Thompson the General of the Levellers that was slain then was no greater a Man than one of the Corporals of this Troop the Cornet and others being much worse than he And thus I have given you a taste of my Imployment in the Army § 78. As soon as I came to the Army they marched speedily down into the West because the King had no Army left but the Lord Goring's there and they would not suffer the Fugitives of Naseby-fight to come thither to strengthen them They came quickly down to Somerton when Goring was at Langport which lying upon the River Massey was sent to keep him in on the farther side while Fairfax attended him on this side with his Army One day they faced each other and did nothing The next day they came to their Ground again Betwixt the two Armies was a narrow Lane which went between some Meadows in a bottom and a small Brook crossing the Lane with a narrow Bridge Goring planted two or three small Pieces at the Head of the Lane to keep the Passage and there placed his best Horse so
of the true Religion and the Liberties of the Kingdom otherwise than we did For as they extended the word true Religion further than we did including the Form of Church Government in Scotland so they seem to understand it Conjunctione inseparabili and to prefer the Defence of Religion before the Defence of the King whereas we understood it Conjunctione seperabili and though in meer estimation we preferred Religion before King or Kingdom yet in regard of the Duty of Defence we thought the King must be restored and defended though legally he would have brought in worse than Prelacy Though we did not think that he might do it illegally and therefore that he could not govern Arbitrarily nor take away the Peoples fore-prized Propriety or Liberty nor change the Form of the Government of the Commonwealth But those that thought otherwise said That there is no power but from God and therefore none against him or above him and therefore none against or above his Laws which how true soever seemeth not at all to decide our Case For though it follow never so much that such Acts against God are not Acts of Authority yet the same Person that hath not Authority to do this may have Authority in other matters and may be our rightful Governour and therefore must be obeyed in all things lawful though not in this and his Person defended And therefore how they could refuse to receive the King till he consented to take the Covenant I know not unless the taking of the Covenant had been a Condition on which he was to receive his Crown by the Laws or Fundamental Constitution of the Kingdom which none pretendeth Nor know I by what power they can add any thing to the Coronation Oath or Covenant which by his Ancestors was to be taken without his own Consent But in their Zeal for the Church the Scots did cause the King when he was come over to them not only mutat is mutandis to take the Covenant but also to publish a Declaration to the World that he did it voluntarily and heartily and that he lamented the Sins of his Father's House acknowledging the Guilt of the Blood of the late Wars c. In all which it seemed to me and many others that they miscarried divers ways 1. In imposing Laws upon their King for which they had no Authority 2. In forcing him to dishonour the Memory of his Father by such Consessions 3. In tempting him to speak and publish that which they might easily know was contrary to his heart and so to take God's Name in vain 4. And in giving Cromwell occasion to charge them all with dissimulation § 103. What Transactions there were between the King and the Scots for the Expediting of his Coronation and what Preparations were made for an Army to defend him and what Differences among the Parties hereabouts I shall not describe there being enow of them that were upon the place who can do it better But to return to England as soon as they understood what the Scots had done the Sectaries in England reproached them as Fools and Hypocrites that by such a Pageantry mockt themselves and would make the People believe that the King was turned Presbyterian and was a Cordial Covenanter when they had forced him to say and do that which they might well know he did abhor And they presently resolve to invade the Scots to keep them from invading England and not to stay till they came in upon this Land as heretofore So that Cromwell is in Scotland with his Army before they were well setled in their Affairs This much increased the alienation of the Peoples hearts from the Cromwellians for though they might suppose that the Scots intended to bring the King into England yet few believed that he might begin with them by an Invasion it being too much to have resisted them at home § 104. When the Soldiers were going against the King and Scots I wrote Letters to some of them to tell them of their Sin and desired them at last to begin to know themselves it being those same men that have so much boasted of Love to all the Godly and pleaded for tender dealing with them and condemned those that persecuted them or restrained their Liberty who are now ready to imbrue their Swords in the Blood of such as they acknowledge to be Godly and all because they dare not be perjured or disloyal as they are Some of them were startled at these Letters and O blindness thought me an uncharitable Censurer that would say that they could kill the Godly even when they were on their march to do it For how bad soever they spake of the Cavaliers and not without too much desert as to their Morals they confessed that abundance of the Scots were godly Men. And afterward those that I wrote to better understood me § 105. At the same time the Rump or Commonwealth who so much abhorred Persecution and were for Liberty of Conscience made an Order that all Ministers should keep their days of Humiliation to fast and pray for their Success in Scotland and that we should keep their Days of Thanksgiving for their Victories and this upon pain of Sequestration so that we all expected to be turned out but they did not execute it upon any save one in our parts For my part instead of praying and preaching for them when any of the Committee or Soldiers were my hearers I laboured to help them to understand what a Crime it was to force men to pray for the Success of those that were violating their Covenant and Loyalty and going in such a Cause to kill their Brethren And what it was to force Men to give God thanks for all their Bloodshed and to make God's Ministers and Ordinances vile and serviceable to such Crimes by forcing Men to run to God on such Errands of Blood and Ruine And what it is to be such Hypocrites as to persecute and cast out those that preach the Gospel while they pretend the advancement of the Gospel and the liberty of tender Consciences And what a means it was to debauch all Consciences and leave neither tenderness nor honesty in the World when the Guides of the Flocks and Preachers of the Gospel shall be noted to swallow down such heinous Sins My own Hearers were all satisfied with my Doctrine but the Committee Men look sowre but let me alone And the Soldiers said I was so like to Love that I would not be right till I was shorter by the Head Yet none of them ever medled with me farther than by the Tongue nor was I ever by any of them in those times forbidden or hindered to preach one Sermon except only one Assize-Sermon which the High Sheriff had desired me to preach and afterward sent me word to â—orbear as from the Committee saying That by Mr. Moor's means the Independent Preacher at the Colledge the Committee told him that they desired me to forbear and not
or to turn to something else which though there be some reason for it I feel cometh from a want of Zeal for the Truth and from an impatient Temper of Mind I am ready to think that People should quickly understand all in a few words and if they cannot lazily to despair of them and leave them to themselves And I the more know that it is sinful in me because it is partly so in other things even about the Faults of my Servants or other Inferiours if three or four times warning do no good on them I am much tempted to despair of them and turn them away and leave them to themselves I mention all these Distempers that my Faults may be a warning to others to take heed as they call on my self for Repentance and Watchfulness O Lord for the Merits and Sacrifice and Intercession of Christ be merciful to me a Sinner and forgive my known and unknown Sins THE LIFE OF THE REVEREND Mr. Richard Baxter LIB I. PART II. § 1. IN the Time of the late unhappy Wars in these Kingdoms the Controversies about Church Government were in most Mens mouths and made the greatest Noise being hotly agitated by States-men and Divines by Words and Writings which made it necessary to me to set my self to the most serious study of those Points The result of which was this confident and setled Judgment that of the four contending Parties the Erastian Episcopal Presbyterian and Independant each one had some Truths in peculiar which the other overlookt or took little notice of and each one had their proper Mistakes which gave advantage to their Adversaries though all of them had so much truth in common among them as would have made these Kingdoms happy if it had been unanimously and soberly reduced to practice by prudent and charitable Men. § 2. 1. The Erastians I thought were thus far in the right in asserting more fully than others the Magistrates Power in Matters of Religion that all Coercive Power by Mulcts or Force is only in their hands which is the full sence of our Oath of Supremacy and that no such Power belongeth to the Pastors or People of the Church and that thus as Dr. Ludov. Molinaeâ—â— pleadeth there should not be any Imperium in Imperio or any Coercive Power challenged by Pope Prelate Presbytery or any but by the Magistrate alone that the Pastoral Power is only Perswasive or exercised on Volunteers yet not private such as belongeth to every Man to perswade that hath a perswading Facultyâ— but Publick and Authoritative by Divine appointment And not only to perswade by Sermons or general Speeches but by particular oversight of their particular Flocks much like the Authority of Plato or Zenâ— in his School or a Master in any Academy of Volunteers or of a Physician in his Hospital supposing these were Officers of God's Institution who could as the ground of their perswasitantâ— produce his Commission or Command for what they said and did But though the Diocesans and the Presbyterians of Scotland who had Laws to enable them opposed this Doctrine or the Party at least yet I perceived that indeed it was but on the ground of their Civil Advantages as the Magistrate had impowered by them by his Laws which the Erastians did not contradict except some few of the higher 〈◊〉 sort who pleaded as the Papists for somewhat more which yet they could not themselves tell what to make of But the generality of each Party indeed owned this Doctrine and I could speak with no sober Judicious Prelatist Presbyterian or Independant but confessed that no Secular or Forcing Power belonged to any Pastors of the Church as such and unless the Magistrates authorized them as his Officers they could not touch mens Bodies or Estates but the Conscience alone which can be of none but of Assenters § 3. 2. The Episcopal Party seemed to have reason on their side in 〈◊〉 that in the Primitive Church there were some Apostles Evangelists and others who were general unfixed Officers of the Church not tyed to any particular Chaâ—ge and had some Superiority some of them â—â—over-fixed Bishops or Pastors And though the extraordinary Parts of the Apostles Office ceased with them I saw no proof of the Cessation of any ordinary part of their Office such as Church Government is confessed to be All the doubt that I saw in this was Whether the Apostles themselves were constituted Governours of other Pastors or only over-ruled them by the Eminency of their Gifts and Priviledge of Infallibility For it seemed to me unmeet to affirm without proof that Christ setled a Form of Government in his Church to endure only for one Age and changed it for a New one when that Age was ended And as to fixed Bishops of particular Churches that were Superiours in degree to Presbyters though I saw nothing at all in Scripture for them which was any whit cogent yet I saw that the Reception of them in all the Churches was so timely even in the days of one of the Apostles in some Churches and so general that I thought it a most improbable thing that if it had been contrary to the Apostles mind we should never read that they themselves or any one of their Disciples that conversed with them no nor any Christian or Heretick in the World should once speak or write a word against it till long after it was generally setled in the Curches This therefore I resolved never to oppose § 4. 3. And as for the Presbyterians I found that the Office of Preaching Presbyters was allowed by all that deserve the Name of Christians and that this Office did participate subserviently to Christ of the Prophetical or Teaching the Priestly or worshipping and the Governing Power and that both Scripture Antiquity and the perswasive Nature of Church Government clearly shew that all Presbyters were Church Governours as well as Church Teachers and that to deny this was to destroy the Office and to endeavour to destroy the Churches And I saw in Scripture Antiquity and Reason that the Association of Pastors and Churches for Agreement and their Synods in Cases of Necessity are a plain duty and that their ordinary stated Synods are usually very convenient And I saw that in England the Persons which were called Presbyterians were emiment for Learning Sobriety and Piety and the Pastors so called were they that went through the Work of the Ministry in diligent serious preaching to the People and edifying Mens Souls and keeping up Religion in the Land § 5. 4. And for the Independants I saw that most of them were Zealous and very many Learned discreet and godly Men and fit to be very serviceable in the Church And I found in the search of Scripture and Antiquity that in the beginning a Governed Church and a stated worshipping Church were all one and not two several things And that though there might be other byâ—Meetings in places like our Chappels or private Houses
or Charity in the several Officers or Churches and he will be passable in one Church who in another is intollerable and so the Churches will be heterogeneous and confused And there is in all this a little if not more than a little spiritual Pride of the Weaker sort of Professors affecting to be visibly set at a greater Distance from the colder Professors of Chistianity than God would have them that so they may be more observable and conspicuous for their Holyness in the World And there is too much uncharitableness in it when God hath given sincere Professors the Kernel of his Mercies even Grace and Glory and yet they will grudge to cold Hypocritical Professors so small a thing as the outward Shell and visible Communion and external Ordinances Yea though such are kept in the Church for the Sakes and Service of the Sincere 4. And I disliked also the lamentable tendency of this their way to Divisions and Sub-divisions and the nourishing of Heresies and Sects 5. But above all I disliked that most of them made the People by majority of Votes to be Church-Governors in Excommunications Absolutions c. which Christ hath made an Act of Office and so they governed their Governors and themselves 6. Also that they too much exploded Synods refusing them as stated and admitting them but upon some extraordinary Occasions 7. Also their over-rigidness against the Admission of Christians of other Churches to their Communion 8. And their making a Minister to be as no Minister to any but his own Flock and to act to others but as a private Man with divers others such Irregularities and dividing Opinions Many of which the moderation of the New England Synod hath of late corrected and disowned and so done very much to heal these Breaches § 15. 5 And for the Anabaptists I knew that they injuriously excluded the Infants of the Faithful from solemn entrance into the Covenant and Church of God and as sinfully made their Opinion a Ground of their Separations from the Churches and Communion of their Brethren and that among them grew up the Weeds of many Errors and Divisions Sub-divisions Reproach of Ministers Faction and Pride and scandalous Practices were fomented in their way § 16. The case standing thus with all these Parties I thought it my Duty 1. To labour to bring them all to a concordant Practice of so much as they all agreed in 2. To set all that together which was True and Good among them all and to promote that so far as I was able and to reject the rest 3. And especially in order to these to labour the reviving of Christian Charity which Faction and Disputes had lamentably extinguish'd But how to accomplish this was beyond the Prospect of my Hope § 17. Besides the Hinderances which are contained in Mens Principles I found three others which were exceeding Powerful One is in Mens Company and another in their seeming Interests and the chiefest of all in the Disposition and Quality of their Minds § 18. 1. Some that were most conversant with sober peaceable experienced Men and were under the Care of peaceable Ministers I found very much inclined to Charity and Peace But multitudes of them conversed most with ignorant proud unexperienced Passionate Uncharitable Persons who made it a part of their Zeal and Ingenuity to break a Jest in Reproach and Scorn of them that differed from them and who were ordinarily Backbiters and bold unrighteous Censurers of others before they well understood them or ever heard them give a Reason of their Judgments or Practices or speak for themselves And the hearing and conversing with such Persons as these doth powerfully dispose Men to the same Disease and to sin impenitently after their Example Especially when Men are incorporated into a Sect or uncharitable Party and have captivated themselves to a human Servitude in Religion and given up themselves to the Will of Men the Stream will bear down the plainest Evidence and carry them to the foulest Errors § 19. 2. And as it is carnal Interest that ruleth the carnal World so I found that 1. Among Selfish Men there were as many Interests and Ends as Persons and every one had an Interest of his own which governed him and set him at a very great Enmity to the most necessary means of Peace 2. And that ever Man that had once given up himself to a Party and drowned himself in a Faction did make the Interest of that Faction or Party to be his own And the Interest of Christianity Catholicism and Charity is contrary to the Interest of Sects as such And it is the Nature of a Sectary that he preferreth the Interest of his Opinion Sect or Party before the Interest of Christianity Catholicism and Charity and will sacrifice the latter to the Service of the former § 20. 3. But the Grand Impediment I found in the temper of Mens Minds and there I perceived a manifold difference Among all these Parties I found that some were naturally of mild and calm and gentle Dispositions and some of sower froward passionate peevish or furious Natures Some were young and raw and unexperienced and those were like a young Fruit four and harsh addicted to pride of their own Opinions to Self-conceitedness Turbulency Censoriousness and Temerity and to engage themselves for a Cause and Party before they understood the matter and were led about by those Teachers and Books that had once won their highest Esteem judging of Sermons and Persons by their Fervency more than by the soundness of the Matter and the Cause And some I found on the other side to be ancient and experienced Christians that had tried the Spirits and seen what was of God and what of Man and noted the Events of both in the World and these were like ripe Fruit Mellow and sweet first pure then peaceable gentle easy to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality without Hypocrisy who being Makers of Peace did sow the Fruits of Righteousness in peace Iames 3. 17 18. I began by experience to understand the meaning of those words of St. Paul 1 Tim 3. 6 Not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride be fall into the condemnation of the Devil Novices that is young raw unexperienced Christians are much apter to be proud and censorious and factious than old experienced judicious Christians § 21. But the Difference between the Godly and the Ungodly the Spiritual and the Carnal worshippers of God was here the most considerable of all An humble holy upright Soul is sensible of the interest of Christ and Souls and a gracious Person is ever a charitable Person and loveth his Neighbour as himself and therefore judgeth of him as he would be judged of himself and speaketh of him as he would be spoken of himself and useth him as he would be used himself And it is as much against his charitable inclination to disagree or separate from his Brethren much more to
Schism and Herefie come to be opened it will not be found to lye where you imagin nor so easily proved as rashly affirmed or intimated 2. Do not be too sensible of Persecution when Liberty of Conscience is so proclaimed though the Restriction be somewhat on your side O the difference of your Persecution and theirs that suffered by you 3. The only conscionable and safe way for the Church and your own Souls is to love long for pray and consult for Peace Close in the unanimous practice of so much as all are agreed in In amicable Meetings endeavour the healing of all breaches Disown the ungodly of all Parties Lay by the new violent Opinions inconsistant with Unity I expect not that this advice should please the prejudiced But that it 's the only safe and comfortable way is the Confident Opinion of Your Brother Richard Baxter All the Disturbance I had in my own Parish was by Sir Ralph Clare's refusing to Communicate with us unless I would give it him kneeling on a distinct Day and not with those that received it fitting To which Demand I gave him this following Answer SIR UPon Consultation with others and my own Conscience I return this Answer to your last motion beseeching you to believe that it had been more pleasing if it would have stood with the pleasing of God and any own Conscience 1. In general it is my resolution to be so far from being the Author of any Divisions in any part of the Church of Christ as that I shall do all that lawfully I can to avoid them 2. I am so far from the Judgment and Practices of the late Prelates of England in point of compelling all to obey or imitate them in gestures and other indifferent things on pain of being deprived of God's greatest Ordinances which are not indifferents beside the ruine of their Estates c. that I would become all things lawful to all Men for their good and as I know that the Kingdom of God standeth not in such things so neither would I shut any out of his visible Kingdom for such things as judging that our Office is to see God's Law obeyed as far as we can procure it and not to be Law-gives to the Church our selves and in Circumstantials to make no more Determinations than are necessary left they prove but Engines to ensnare Mens Consciences and to divide the Church And as I would impose no such things on other Churches if I had power so neither will I do it on this Church of which I have some oversight 3. More particularly I am certain that sitting in the receiving of the Lord's Supper is lawful or else Christ and his Apostles and all his Churches for many hundred years after him did sin which cannot be And I take it to be intolerable arrogancy and unmannerliness to speak easily to call that unreverence and sawciness as many do which Christ and the Apostles and all the Church so long used with one consent He better knew what pleaseth himself than we do The vain pretended difference between the Apostles Gesture and ours is nothing to the matter He that sitteth on the Ground sitteth as well as he that sitteth on a Stool And if any difference were it was their Gesture that seems the more homely and no such difference can be pretended in the Christian Churches many hundred years after And I think it is a naked pretence having no shew of reason to cover it of them that against all this will plead a necessity of kneeling because of our unworthiness For 1. The Churches of so long time were unworthy as well as we 2. We may kneel as low as the Dust and on our bare knees if we please immediately before in praying for a blessing and for the pardon of our sins and as soon as we have done 3. Man must not by his own Conceits make those things necessary to the Church which Christ and his Church for so long thought unnecessary 4. On this pretence we might refuse the Sacrament it self for they are more unworthy to eat the Flesh of Christ and to drink his blood than to sit at his Table 5. The Gospel is Glad Tidings the Effects of it are Faith and Peace and Joy the Benefits are to make us one with Christ and to be his Spouse and Members the work of it is the joyful Commemoration of these Benefits and living in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And the Sacramental Signs are such as suit the Benefits and Duties If therefore Christ have called us by his Example and the Example of all his Church to sit with him at his Table to represent Our Union Communion and joyful redeemed State and our everlasting sitting with him at his Table in his Kingdom it as little beseems us to reject this Mercy and Duty because of our Unworthiness as to be our own Lawgivers And on the like Reasons men might say I will not be united to thee nor be a Member of thy Body or married to thee nor sit with thee on thy Throne Rev. 3. 21. according to thy Promise because it would be too great sawciness in me Gospel Mercies and Gospel Duties and Signs must be all suited and so Christ hath done them and we may not undo them 4. I must profess that upon such Considerations I am not certain that sitting is not of commanded Necessity as I am sure it is lawful nor am I certain that kneeling in the Act of Receiving when done of choice is not a flat sin For I know it is not only against Scripture Example where though Circumstances apparently occasional bind not as an upper Room c. yet that 's nothing to others but also it is against the Canons of Councils yea a General Council at Trull in Constantinople and against so concurrent a Judgment and Practice of the Church for many hundred years that it seems to fight with Vincentius Lerinens Catholick Rule quod semper ubique ab omnibus receptum c. Let them therefore justifie kneeling as lawful that can for I cannot and therefore dare not do that which shall be an owning of it when we may freely do otherwise 5. Yet for all this I so much incline to Thoughts of Peace and Closure with others that I will not say that sitting is of necessity nor that kneeling is unlawful unless where other Circumstances make it so nor condemn any that differ from me herein Yea if I could not otherwise Communicate with the Church in the Sacrament I would take it kneeling myself as being certain that the Sacrament is a Duty and not certain that kneeling is a sin and in that Case I believe it is not 6. As for them that think kneeling a Duty because of the Canons of the late Bishops enjoyning it I have more to say against their Judgment than this Paper will contain Only in a word 1. If it be the Secular Powers establishing those Canons that binds
us because we understand it not If indeed they consented a Word speaking or the writing of their Names is no great Cost or Labour to discover it If they think it too much we might better think our yearly Labour too much for them Relation is the ground of the Duties which they bind to I cannot enter these Relations but by consent nor know them without the Expression of that Consent No Man can be a Member of my Charge in despight of me nor can I make any Man such against his Will I can never marry a Woman that will say you shall do the Office of a Husband to me but I will not tell you whether I take you for my Husband nor promise to be your Wife c. I will not have a Scholar in my School or a Pupil that will say Hither will I come and you shall teach me but I will not tell you whether I will be your Scholar or take you for my Teacher Nor will I have a Patient that will make me give him what Physick he desires and will not say he will take me for his Physician 3. Besides the Office of a Pastor is not only to preach and administer the Sacrament but also to admonish rebuke and exercise some Discipline for the Good of the Church And he that will not profess his consent to these doth not by his partial submitting to the rest shew his consent that I be his Pastor I will be a Pastor to none that will not be under Discipline That were to be a half Pastor and indulge Men in an unruliness and contempt of the Ordinance of Christ If I take more on me than is just or necessary I will gladly hear of it and recant 4. Either they do indeed take us for their Pastors or not If not we do them no Wrong to take them for none of our Charge And then why do they say that their coming to Church proveth it But if they do take us for their Pastors then they owe us more Obedience than the speaking of a Word comes to and when we require them to profess themselves Members of the Church and of our Charge they are bound to obey us unless they can prove it a Sin But if they say we will not obey them in the speaking of such a Word though indeed they did call us their Pastors this were but to contradict themselves and to deny the thing when they give us the Name I desire no such Charge much less such as will give us neither Name nor Thing and yet expect their Wills of us Sir Pardon the Plainness and accept the true Account of my Thoughts from Your Servant Richard Baxter Feb. 2. 1655. § 34 About the same time that we were thus associating in Worcestershire it pleased God stir up the Ministers of Cumberland and Westmorland to the same Course who though they knew not what we had done yet fell upon the same way and agreed on Articles to the same purpose and of the same Sense and Importance as ours were of which Mr. Richard Gilpin one of them a worthy faithful Minister sent me word when he saw our Articles in Print and they also printed theirs to save the writing of many Copies and to excite others to the same way and they found the same readiness to Union among the Brethren as we had done Their Agreement you may find printed our Letters were as followeth Dear Brethren WE salute you in the Lord It was no small reviving to us to behold your Order and mutual Condescentions expressed in your Book of Concord to promote the Reformation of your People in ways of Peace We unfeignedly rejoice on your behalf and thought our selves bound to signifie how grateful and helpful your Endeavours are to us The Scorners of this Age have a long time bent their Tongue as a Bow and dipt their Arrows in Gall and sent forth bitter Accusations and Slanders against all the Ministers of the Gospel calling them Disturbers implacable c. as if the very Esse of a Minister were to contradict and to be averse from Peace Surely your earnest prosecution of Concord will be a standing Confutation of that Charge at least so far as to cut off the Note of Universality from it But that which most affects us is that you are not willing to look upon the gasping Condition of the Church here as idle Spectators or as â—eer Witnesses of her Funeral without trying any Remedy at all and that you do not apprehend your selves to have done all your Duty when you have bewailed her Trouble and complained of her Adversaries Cruelty Sion indeed hath been thrown down to the Ground and hath been covered with a Cloud in the Day of the Lord's Anger and her Adversaries are round about In this Distress she hath spread forth her Hands and hath looked upon her Lovers for Help and that so long that she is ready to say that her Strength and her Hope is perished from the Lord. Now her Sons while they have been consulting how to relieve her have fallen out about the Cure and because they have not been admitted to administer the Physick according to their Minds have neglected to administer any at all because they could not be suffered to do what they would they have forgotten that it was their Duty to do what they might Some have thrown all aside but preaching as it were in a pettish Discontent some have satisfied themselves with administring Cordials without purging the noxious Humours because they thought this necessary and safe though in an unpresbyte and Church Others it may be have seen a necessity of making farther Progress and have been groaping after it but have been discouraged at the sight of the thwarting and inconsistent Principles the Animosities and want of Condescention of different Parties Others it may be have in their Thoughts overcome this Difficulty and yet have stuck at one that is less they have been afraid to be the first Propounders of their conceived Remedy fearing the Entertainment and Success that their charitable Endeavours might find being more willing to follow than to lead in such a doubtful and unbeaten Path. This Design which you have resolved on will we hope convince Men that though we cannot as yet expect that the Lord's House should be so finished that all shall cry Grace Grace unto it Yet that the Building need not wholly to crase you are the first that have in this publick way broken the Ice and who knows how powerful your Example may be to call Men off from their Contentions and Strivings one against another by a brotherly Combination to carry on the work of Christ as far as they can with one Shoulder Whatsoever Advantage others may reap by your Endeavours we are sure the Advantage that we have by them is double 1. We before we had heard of your Book had undertaken a Work of the like nature Several of us meeting together to consults about
is a Peace of Actual Communion in the Worship of God as Members of the same particular Church Thus we owe not to every Christian though sincere in the main 3. There is a Peace which is among the Members of all particular Political Churches in the World as related to each other and obliged to hold Communion as far as is necessary for the Common Good 4. There is a Peace which is common to all professed Christians Members of the Universal Church though perhaps of no particular Political Church 5. There is a Peace to be kept with sober Heathens or Infidels 6. And there is a Peace to be kept with Enemies both of us and the Gospel as far as we can I shall give you my Thoughts about the present Question in these following Propositions Premising that 1. It is not the Peace of bosom Friendship that the Question intendeth and Ergo we need not stand on that 2. Nor is it the Peace that is due to Enemies or that is due to Infidels and those without but it is the other sorts due to the several sorts of Christians Prop. 1. We may not have that Peace which is proper to Christians much less that which is proper to Christians in Church-Order with any that deny the Essentials of Christianity Prop. 2. As for those Anabaptists that in zeal for their Opinion do endeavour the Extirpation of the Ministry or of those of them that are against their Opinions or any other way do attempt that which would tend to the ruine or great damage of the Church we may not have that Peace and Communion with them as with inâ—ffensive Brethren but must admonish them as scandalous and gross Sinners and avoid them if after due admonition they desist not and repent not Prop. 3. Those that deny the Divine Institution or present Existence of Ministry or Worship and Ordinances or governed Churches are uncapable of being Members of any true Political Church and Ergo we cannot have such Church-Communion with them and because their Doctrine is of heinous Consequence as tending to the destruction of all Church-Order Worship and Communion we must reject them if they shall teach it after due Admonition Prop. 4. As for them that think it unlawful to have Communion with us unless we will renounce our Infant Baptism and be rebaptized we cannot have Communion with them in that Case though we would because they refuse it with us Prop. 5. We cannot lawfully disown the Truth of God nor own their Errours for Communion with them nor may we yield for any such Ends to be rebaptized Prop. 6. We may not lawfully be Members of a Church of Anabaptists separated on that Account from others nor of any other unlawfully separated Church nor ordinarily Communicate with them in their way of Separation though we might be admitted to it without any other disowning the Truth or owning their Mistakes Except it were in a case of Necessity as if such a Church were removed among Infidels or gross Hereticks where we could have no better Communion in worshipping God Prop. 7. If any one that Erreth but in the bare Point of Infant Baptism or other Errours that subvert not the Christian Faith shall yet take it to be his duty to propagate those Errours it will be the duty of every Orthodox Minister when he hath a Call and findeth it Necessary to defend the Truth of such Errours and to endeavour the establishing of the Minds of the People and not to let them go on without Controll or Contradiction lest he be guilty of betraying the Truth and Peace of the Church and the Souls of the People who are usually sorely endangered hereby The like must be done by Private Christians privately or according to their Places and Capacities So much for the Negative The Affirmatives follow Prop. 1. The Common Love which is due to all Men and the Common Peace which must be endeavoured with all must be held or endeavoured as to them that deny the Essentials of Christianity But as is before said this is not it that the Question doth intend Prop. 2. It is our Duty to do the best we can to reclaim any Erroneous or Ungodly Person from his Errour or Impiety that so they may be capable of that further Love and Peace and Communion with us which in their present state they are uncapable of Prop. 3. Those that believe not some Points that are necessary to the Constitution or Communion of Political Churches if yet they believe in Christ and worship God so far as they know his Will and live uprightly may be true Christians and so to be esteemed even when they make themselves uncapable of being Members of any Political Church Prop. 4. Some Anabaptists and others that make themselves uncapable of being Members of the same particular Churches with us or of local Communion in God's Worship may yet be acknowledged to be Christian Societies or truly particular Political Churches though in tantum corrupt and sinfully separated I mean this of all those that differ not from us in any Article of our Creed or Fundamental of Christian Religion nor yet in any Fundamental of Church Policy As e. g. those that only re-baptize and deny Infant Baptism or also hold some of the less dangerous Points of 〈◊〉 or Pâ—lagianism but withal hold all the Fundamentals necessary to Salvation and Church Policy or Communion Prop. 5. If any Person disclaim his Infant Baptism and be Re-baptized and then having so satisfied his Conscience shall continue his Communion with the Church where he was a Member and not separate from them and shall profess his willingness to embrace the Truth at soon as he can discern the Evidence of 〈◊〉 and shall live 〈◊〉 and inoffensively under the Oversight of the Church-Guides 〈◊〉 may not Exclude such a one from 〈◊〉 Communion but must continue him a Member of that particular Church and live with him in that love and peace as is due to such Prop. 6. If such an one should also mistake it to be his Duty publickly to enter his Dissent to the Doctrine of Infant Baptism and so to acquiesce and live quietly under the oversight of the Ministry and in the Communion of that Church he ought not to be rejected Prop. 7. It is our Duty to invite those called Anabaptists now among us to loving familiar Conferences of purpose 1. To narrow our Differences as far as is possible by a true stating of them that they seem not greater than they are 2. And to endeavour if possible yet to come nearer by rectifying of Mistakes 3. And to consult how to improve the Principles that we are all agreed in to the Common Good and to manage our remaining Differences in the most peaceable manner and to the least disturbance or hurt of the Church Here come in two more Questions to be resolved 1. How should such an Attempt be managed 2. What hope is there of Success For the first I shall
briefly give in my Thoughts in some Directions Direct 1. Let the Attempt be made with none that deny the Principles of Christianity or Church-Communion but with those only that Err and have such Errours as are tolerable 2. Let only the most Sober and Judicious be the Agents in this Attempt who do manifest some esteem for the Honour of God and the Common Good and a willingness to prefer these before any private Interests of their own or any others 3. Let prudent hands draw up all those Points wherein we are agreed leaving the Difference no wider than it is and let these be all subscribed to by each Party 4. Let all these Points wherein we are agreed be published in our several Congregations that the People may not by our disagreement in other things be staggered in these nor make that their pretence for any ungodly Principles or Practices but may be the more ashamed of them when they see they are condemned by us all 5. Let us next agree to make these Common Truths the common and ordinary Matter of our Preaching and endeavour with our first and greatest diligence to promote them and to perswade all our hearers to do the like 6. Let each Party openly disown all those that reject the great and common Truths though they may agree with us in those Particulars wherein we oppose each other And if they be intolerable Errours which they Err in let us renounce their Communion 7. Let us next draw up the State of our Difference as clearly and in as narrow room as is possible 8. Let us agree upon some necessary Rules for the most harmless managing of these Differences that the Common Truths and the Souls of Men may be as little hazarded by them as may be and the known and necessary Duties of Christian Love and Communion as little hindered E. g. The moderate Anabaptists that take not their Opinions to be a sufficient ground for Separation from our Churches may agree on such Terms as these following 1. Let there be no withdrawing from the Ministry and Church of that Place upon the meer ground of Baptism If the Minister be an Anabaptist let not us withdraw from him on that ground and if he be a Paedobaptist let not them withdraw from us 2. If the Pastor be for or against Infant Baptism and think he have a Call to deliver his Judgment let not the private Member think he is still bound to contradict him or withdraw but having once publickly entered his diffent to that Doctrine and protested that his Presence and Patience doth not signifie an Owning of it if his Conscience urge him to go so far let him afterward acquiesce and walk respectfully lovingly and obediently to the Pastors in all lawful things 3. Those that are so moderate as to take Infants for Church Members though not to be Baptized let them openly make profession of it 4. Those that do not take them for Members if yet they have any more hope of them than of Heathen Children or think it a Duty in any sort to dedicate them to God let them bring them to the Congregation and there in general prosess their hopes and the grounds of them and either dedicate them to God or profess their willingness to do it to the utmost of their Interest and Capacity and desire God to accept them and bless them 5. Let those that are for Infant Baptism profess that a Personal Faith and Repentance is of Necessity to the Salvation of all that live to years of Discretion and Baptism without it will not serve the turn 6. Let all that are Baptized in Infancy publickly own and renew that Covenant when they come to years of Discretion before they are admitted to the Lord's Supper Thus far in Consistency with the Principles of the Moderate we may yield to each other and so hold Communion in the same Congregations and the practice of this doth belong most to the People But for those that joyn Separation to Anabaptism yet if they be any thing moderate though they go much further from us than the rest we may agree on these following Terms with them to manage our Differences to the least wrong to the Church and Common Truths R. 1. Let us promise to go no further from each others Communion than after serious Consideration our Consciences shall tell us it is our Duty to do 2. Let us declare that though one part be confident that Infant Baptism is a Duty and the other that it is a Sin yet we judge that they that Err here while they sincerely desire to know the Truth may be saved notwithstanding that Errour What it will prove to the Children if the Parent accept not the Covenant for them and devote them not to God will be a hard dispute which I shall not now presume to meddle in 3. Let it be declared that we take each other for Christians and Churches of Christ. 4. Let it be declared that we take the rightly called Ministry of each Church for true Ministers 5. If any of each others Flock shall reproach or disown their Ministers and the Churches they are of meerly because of their Judgment about Infant Baptism let the contrary part having opportunity reprove them sharply and help to humble them and bring them to the Confession of their Sin and to Reformation that so proud unruly ungodly People may not take shelter under either Party by the means of any factiousness or partiality of ours 6. Let us never intrude into each others Charge without the Pastors Consent 7. Let us agree that we will not preach for or against Infant Baptism when our Consciences tell us that the Peoples ignorance of greater Truths or their Ungodliness doth require us to deal with them on more weighty Points 8. Let us preach as seldom for or against Infant Baptism as Conscience will permit and particularly let that which herein we account the Truth have but its due proportion of our Time compared with the multitude and greatness of other Truths 9. Let these Points also have but an answerable proportion of our Zeal that we make not People believe that they are greater Matters than they are 10. Let us not endeavour to reproach one another when we think we are bound to speak for our Opinions that we make not each other uncapable of doing the People good 2. As to the second Question What hope of Success I shall not presume to determine it Let every Man conjecture as he seeth Cause for my own part I am not quite out of hope of some measure of Success with some few particular Persons but my hopes are very low as to the generality Object 1. It is not our Duty to attempt a Work where there is no hope of Success Answ. The Case is not so desperate as to excuse us from the Duty A possibility with the least probability may serve to oblige us Object 2. What! shall we consent to the Exclusion of Infants
Weakness or other Impediments cannot alway come so far as the common Meeting of the Church And consequently we shall agree that the Number of a particular Church exceed not so many as are ordinarily capable of personal local Communion in God's Worship which is a chief end of their Conjunction 6. We are agreed that these particular political Churches should consist of two parts Officers and their Flock the ruling part and the ruled part and all the great Controversies that have troubled us about the Peoples Power of Government shall be thus agreed confess but this that Pastors are the Overseers Teachers Guides or Rulers of their Flocks and are over the People in the Lord and that the People are bound to obey those that rule over them that watch for their Souls and let all the rest be silenced 7. We are agreed that it is meet that in every particular Church there be usual Meetings of the Officers and Delegates if the Church see cause or other persons that shall desire to be present for the hearing and trying causes before they are brought to the open Assembly And therefore where they can be had there should be many Officers in a Church 8. Whereas there be three Opinions about assisting Elders 1. That they should be Men of the same Office with the Pastors Ordained and Authorized to Administer Sacraments and Preach when it is necessary though they may divide their Work in the Execution 2. That they should be a distinct Office unordained and not authorized to Preach or Administer Sacraments 3. That they should be unordained and no Officers but the meer Trustees of the People deputed by them to do that only which private Members may do let this Controversie be wholly laid aside and all left to their liberty in this matter 9. These particular Churches shall have power to govern within themselves being once Constituted Excommunication it self not excepted Only their Constitution and Ordination of their Pastors must be agreed on as followeth 10. It is the Judgment of the Presbyterians that Ordination by Overseers or Pastors is of Necessity to the Being of an Overseer or Pastor where it may be had and that some Ruling Officer is an Essential part of a Political Church though not of a meer Community and that Imposition of Hands is a fit Ceremony and to be used as of Divine Appointment though not Essential to Ordination It is the Judgment of the Congregational that Ordination by such Teaching Elders is lawful if not of necessity and that Imposition of Hands is lawful In all this therefore let the licet stoop to the oportet Agree that you will not de facto establish any Pastor or Teacher over a particular Church without Ordination by teaching Elders leaving the point of necessity undetermined except in case of necessity when such Ordination cannot be had And also that you will submit to Imposition of Hands as a thing lawful Only for those that think Imposition to be unlawful agreeing in other things an Ordination without Imposition as an extraordinary Indulgence to a tender Connscience may be tollerated 11. As a local personal Communion of individual Christians is necessary in particular Churches to a Concatination or Union and Communion of these Churches by Officers Delegates as the Joints and Ligaments is a great Duty and desirable Mercy which I hope we are all agreed to value seek and maintain 12. For this end it is agreed by us that there shall be known times and places of meeting agreed on which all the Pastors shall frequent as oft as they well can not forbidding any of our People that are desirous to be with us 13. None shall be taken into these Associations but approved Men for Godliness and Ability and that by consent of the associated Ministers and none refused that are fit for our Communion 14. The Works of these Assemblies shall not be to make Laws to the Churches or any of their Brethren to bind them ex authoritate Imperantis as if they were to exercise a proper Legislative Power Nor yet by Agreement to determine of any unnecessary things and make those to be Duties which are not so in themselves much less to lay the Union of the Churches on such unnecessary determinations nor yet to exercise any coercive Power by bodily Penalties or Mulcts and least of all to bind Men to sin against God But it shall be to agree upon the unanimous Discharge of our Duties which God hath imposed to maintain Love and Concord and remove all Offences and Strangeness and other Occasions of Division to encourage and strengthen one another by Exhortation and Prayer to know who are cast out of the several Churches that we may concur in avoiding those that are to be avoided to discern to whom our Communion should extend to increase the Reputation of God's Work in our Hands both to those within our Communion and those without it by our Concord and Unanimity and so to further the Success of our Labours to help the younger Ministers by some profitable Exercises and to help one another by common Advice especially in cases of great difficulty In general it shall be for Union and Communion of Churches and Pastors and for the Benefits that come by both Being all agreed on this much if any think that such Synods are also for Direct Government of particular Pastors and Churches as a higher governing Order or Power such shall keep that Opinion to themselves and not impose it on others as necessary to our Agreement or Communion Or if those that hold Synods to have a direct ruling Power over particular Pastors and Churches and those that hold them to have only an agreeing Power in order to Communion Or any of these shall think that they are bound in Conscience to declare their Principles in associating and assembling they shall all have Liberty to declare and register it so they will after go peaceably on in their Association though we desire rather that the Principles were silenced 15. But as we are agreed that it belongeth to these Conventions to discern and judge what particular Churches Ministers or other Persons are fit or unfit for their common Communion when the Cognizance of it is necessary and this extended Communion is a thing to be valued and sought so consequently in order to such Ends it is the Duty of particular Churches Pastors or other Persons to render an account of their Doctrines and Practices to these Assemblies when upon considerable Accusations or other just Cause it is desired 16. If these Assemblies in order to Unity or the Progress of Religion shall agree in the Determination of some Circumstance not expresly determined in Scripture supposing that the Determination is needful and agreeable to the general Rules of Scripture every Church and Pastor ought to stand to this Agreement for the sake of Concord if they do not judge it to be a Sin that is agreed to though they see not the necessity
some Errors of that Church or the like to consult of it that we may not also injuriously exclude him from our common Communion 6. In such cases of Error or Male-administratition to admonish Neighbour Ministers and Churches as also in case of any Abuse of their Pastors or choice of unsound heretical or ungodly Pastors or cherishing Seducers or ungodly Persons in their Churches or neglecting Discipline or faling to looseness or in case of Scandals among them or of Offences and Divisions among themselves or between them and some neighbour-Neighbour-church or many the like cases the Advice and Admonitions of the Neighbour associated Pastors should be directed to them for their Recovery which cases single Ministers cannot so well be informed of nor perform their Duty with so much Advantage as the Association may 7. To concur in some Admonitions to the intractable and incorrigible of our several Parishes that they that will not hear their own Teachers through any Prejudice may be prevailed with by many and to strengthen our Hands and the Reputation of our Doctrine and common Duties with the People by our Unity and Concord 8. To help one another but especially the younger sort of Ministers to whom it may be as an Academy by Conference Disputations and other profitable Exercises and preaching they that ordinarily preach have need sometimes to hear and to have a Communication from their Brothrens Gifts as well as the People have from them 9. Those Ministers that scruple censuring any Offender without the consent of other Ministers may here take their consent and young Ministers that are unskilful in managing such Works may take Advice 10. We may here agree upon the fittest manner and season and persons and places in our helping the Congregations that are ignorant ill-provided or unprovided of Ministers or dangerously corrupted and may advise any Neighbour Churches that send to us to help them to a fit Minister or in the like cases 11. Because it is impossible to enumerate punctually the cases in which it is lawful to take Members to a particular Church out of another Church or Parish all Churches and Pastors shall give an account of any such Action to these Associations if any be offended with them Where it shall be enquired whether the Action be dishonourable to God and injurious to the publick Good of the Churches if it be not the Offence is removed If they find it be the Parties offending are to be admonished and if they give not Satisfaction it is to be enquired whether there be any thing in the Principles and manner of the Action that makes it an intollerable Offence to the Churches If there be then after sufficient Admonition and waiting the Guilty if impenitent are to be cast out of our common Communion or the Churches to resolve to have no Christian Communion with them But if there be no such heinous intollerable Ingredient we must be content only to admonish them and disown the Sin and continue Communion with them In like manner if any Scandal be raised of any Brother of the Association or if any have an Accusation against him we must hear them and he must be responsible and give account of his Ways though not as to his Governors yet as to his Brethren to remove Offence and to keep clear the way of holy Communion 12. It will be most regular and avoid the hurt of the Churches if Ordination of Ministers be either performed by these Assemblies on the Ministers to be ordained be here tried and approved and the Ordination to be performed in the Church to which he is ordained by such as they appoint or by the teaching Elders of that Church it self after their Approbation of the Person In these Twelve Particulars you may see what use there is of these Misterial Associations and Assemblies without medling with a superior governing Power and how great Reason there is that all sober godly peaceable Ministers should join in them even for communion of Pastors and Churches and the promoting of our common Work and Welfare 9. Let these Associations chuse their Presidents or Moderators and any fit Name by which they will call him and determine whether he shall be pro tempore or how long or fixed as long as he liveth and is the fittest according to the Judgment of the Ministers For this is not a case in which Men can be forced from their Liberty And if any will so far make use of his Advice as to be guided by him as none can deny him that Liberty of his own Mind so he must not seek to bind all others to the same Subjection but those that bring themselves to it by the same Estimation have their Liberty as he 10. Though it be not of necessity yet would it be of great conveniency and use if the Magistrate would be with us or appoint some Substitute to represent him in all our Assemblies that he may be a Witness of our Proceedings and see that we do no wrong to the Commonwealth and avoid all Suspicions that may be occasioned by Rumors But principally that he may see how far it is meet for him in any case to second us by his Power For as in many cases the Power of the Magistrate ought to be used to second the Ministry as to restrain Men from publishing demnable Heresies from disturbing the Churches Peace c. so we think it a vile abuse of Magistrates to require them to be the meer Executioners of our Sentences and to punish Men only because we have Excommunicated them before he know the justness of the cause As the Church or Ministers are Judges when the Question is whether such a Man is to be avoided rejected or excommunicated for Heresie or any Sin so the Magistrate only is Judge when the Question is whether he be to be corporally punished for Heresie or any Sin and therefore he must know the cause 11. As those Neighbour-Ministers that live at convenient Distance for such Communion should hold such Associations as aforesaid so the Communion of Christians and Pastors in special being to be extended as far as natural and moral capacity will permit it is meet that there be for more extensive Communion some more general Assemblies of the Ministers to be held by the Delegates of these Associations for matters that are of more general Concernment yea and that by Messengers and Letters we hold such correspondency with the Churches of Christ abroad as is necessary to promote the common Cause and the Love and Communion of the Saints 12. If these Associations should attempt any thing unjust and injurious to the Commonwealth or a corrupt Majority should grow in time to countenance either Heresy or Ungodliness or they should by Contentions among themselves disturb the Peace of the Churches and divide them and fall a railing at or excommunicating personately one another it is here the Magistrates Duty to interpose and reprehend and correct them and displace the unworthy and
yield to us for Concord that seeing both together we might see what probability of success we had And the King promised that it should be so § 95. Hereupon we departed and appointed to meet from day to day at Sion Colledge and to consult there openly with any of our Brethren that would please to join with us that none might say they were excluded Some City Ministers came among us and some came not and Divers country Ministers who were in the City came also to us as Dr. Worth since a Bishop in Ireland Mr. Fulwood since Archdeacon of Totnes c. But Mr. Matth. Newcomen was most constant in assisting us § 96. In these Debates we found the great inconvenience of too many Actors though there cannot be too many Consenters to what is well done For that which seemed the most convenient Expression to one seemed inconvenient to another and that we that all agreed in Matter had much ado to agree in Words But after about two or three Weeks time we drew up the following Paper of Proposals which with Archbishop Usher's Form of Government called his Reduction c. we should offer to the King Mr. Calamy drew up most with Dr. Reynolds Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Worth drew up that which is against the Ceremonies I only prevailed with them to premise the four first Particulars for the countenancing Godliness the Ministry Personal Profession and the Lord's Day They were backward because they were not the Points in Controversy but yielded at last on the Reasons offered them About Discipline we designedly adhered to Bishop Usher's Model without a Word of alteration that so they might have less to say against our Offers as being our own and that the World might see that it was Episcopacy it self which they refused and that they contended against the Archbishop as well as against us and that we pleaded not at all with them for Presbytery unless a Moderate Episcopacy be Presbytery Yet was there a Faction that called this Offer of Bishop Usher's Episcopacy by the Name of the Presbyterians impudent Expectations I also prevailed with our Brethren to offer an Abstract of our larger Papers lest the reading of the larger should seem tedious to the King which Abstract verbatim as followeth at their Desire I drew up and have here after adjoined The first Address and Proposals of the Ministers May it please Your most excellent Majesty WE your Majesty's most Loyal Subjects cannot but acknowledge it as a very great Mercy of God that immediately after your so wonderful and peaceable Restoration unto your Throne and Government for which we â—less his Name he hath stirred up your Royal Heart as to a zealous Testimony against all Prophaneness in the People so to endeavour an happy composing of the Differences and healing of the sad Breaches which are in the Church And we shall according to our bounden Duty become humble Suitors at the Throne of Grace that the God of Peace who hath put such a thing as this into your Majesty's Heart will by his heavenly Wisdom and holy Spirit to assist you therein and bring your Resolutions unto so perfect an Effect and Issue that all the good People of these Kingdoms may have abundant Cause to rise up and bless you and to bless God who hath delighted in you to make you his Instrument in so happy a Work That as your glorious Progenitor Henry VII was happy in uniting the Houses of York and Lancaster and your Grandfather King Iames of blessed Memory in uniting the Kingdoms of England and Scotland so this Honour may be reserved for your Majesty as a Radiant Jewel in your Crown that by your Princely Wisdom and Christian Moderation the Hearts of all your People may be united and the unhappy Differences and Misunderstandings amongst Brethren in matters Ecclesiastial so composed that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the midst of your Dominions In an humble Conformity to this your Majesty's Christian Design we taking it for granted that there is a firm Agreement between our Brethren and us in the Doctrinal Truths of the reformed Religion and in the substantial parts of Divine Worship and that the Differences are only in some various Conceptions about the ancient Form of Church-Government and some particulars about Liturgy and Ceremonies do in all humble Obedience to your Majesty represent That in as much as the ultimate end of Church-Government and Ministry is that Holiness of Life and Salvation of Souls may be Effectually promoted we humbly desire in the first place that we may be secured of those things in Practice of which we seem to be agreed in Principles 1. That those of our Flocks who are serious and diligent about the matters of their Salvation may not by Words of Scorn or any abusive Usages be suffered to be reproachfully handled but have Liberty and Encouragement in those Christian Duties of exhorting and provoking one another unto Love and good Works of building up one another in their most holy Faith and by all religious and peaceable means of furthering one another in the ways of eternal Life they being not therein opposite to Church-Assemblies nor refusing the guidance and due Inspection of their Pastors and being responsible for what they do or say 2. That each Congregation may have a learned orthodox and godly Pastor residing amongst them to the end that the People might be publickly instructed and edified by preaching every Lord's Day by Catechising and frequent Administration of the Lord's Supper and of Baptism and other Ministerial Acts as the Occacasions and the Necessity of the People may require both in Health and Sickness and that effectual Provision of Law be made that such as are Insufficient Negligent or Scandalous may not be admitted to or permitted in so Sacred a Function and Imployment 3. That none may be admitted to the Lord's Supper till they competently understand the Principles of Christian Religion and do personally and publickly own their baptismal Covenant by a credible Profession of Faith and Obedience not contradicting the same by a contrary Profession or by a Scandalous Life And that unto such only Confirmation if continued in the Church may be administred And that the Approbation of the Pastors to whom the catechising and instructing of those under their Charge do appertain may be produced before any Person receive Confirmation which Course we humbly conceive will much conduce to the quieting of those sad Disputes and Divisions which have greatly troubled the Church of God amongst us touching Church-Members and Communicants 4. That an effectual Course be taken for the Sanctification of the Lord's Day appropriating the same to holy Exercises both in publick and private without unnecessary Divertisements it being certain and by long Experience found that the Observation thereof is a special means of preserving and promoting the Power of God liness and obviating Prophaneness Then for the Matters in Difference viz. Church-Government
Christians and enough for any one of the Reformed Churches had they possessed them to have gloried in and many far meaner are yet the glory of the Ancient Churches and called and reverenced as Fathers But we doubt this same Spirit will make you think that many Hundred more are but a few to be Silenced e're long And then your Clemency will comfort the poor People that have ignorant or deboist Readers instead of Ministers for too many such we have known that it was their Pastors faults that obstinately refused to Conform when they had promised it that is that repented of the Sin of their Subscription when they discerned it And had they never been ignorant enough to Subscribe they had never entered And the many hundreds which you thus keep from the Ministry you make nothing of § 26. Whether Diocesanes be a lawful Authority as claiming Spiritual Government and how far Men may own them even in lawful things are Controversies to be elsewhere managed We justify no Man's leaving his Ministry upon the Refusal of any thing but what he judged unlawful yea and what was really so § 27. Whether any Offence were given though not enough to warrant Separation let our Argumentations on both sides declare The said Declaration of the Churches Sense is not the smallest part of the Scandal Calling a humane Sacrament indifferent or no Sacrament proveth it not to be as it is called That the Nonconformists were the Cause of Separation who did most against it is easily said and as easily proved as the Arrians proved that the Orthodox were the cause of the Schism of the Luciferans who separated from the Church for receiving the Arrians too easily to Communion § 28. Church Matters in this much differ from Civil Matters and its one thing to change a Church Custom when it dangerously prevaileth to corrupt Mens Understandings and another thing when there is no such Danger So Hezekiah thought when he destroyed the Brazen Serpent and Paul who before circumcised Timothy when he said If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Could Men have foreseen that the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome in the imperial Churches would have been sublimated to such a challenged Supremacy over all the Christian World we suppose the Ancients would have held it their Duty to have removed the Primacy to some other Seat § 29. According to your Councils will you be judged of God The Not-abating of the Impositions is the casting off of many hundreds of your Brethren out of the Ministry and of many thousand Christians out of your Communion But the abating of the Impositions will so offend you as to silence or excommunicate none of you at all For e. g. we think it a Sin to Subscribe or swear canonical Obedience or use the transient Image of the Cross in Baptism and therefore these must cast us out But you think it no Sin to forbear them if the Magistrate abate them and therefore none of you will be cast out by the Abatement But it seemeth that your Charity judgeth the bare displeasing of your Apetite to the Ceremonies is a greater evil than the silencing and excommunicating all us your poor Brethren though our Imprisoment follow Nay this is not all For your Displeasure will be only that another Man subscribeth not crosseth not c. while you may do it your selves as much as you please Whether the casting out of so many Ministers and Christians for such things do more subserve the main ends of publick Government than the forbearance would do if you know not we leave you to God's Conviction As also whether these things be well imposed and Mens Obedience to Authority and the Peace of the Church and its Uniformity or Unity be well and justly laid upon them Such Concessions indeed might bear you out far Concerning particular Ceremonies § 30. Why then is it not as meet that one Gesture be used by all in singing Psalms or hearing Sermons Why doth the Ministers stand in Prayer even in the Sacrament Prayer while the People kneel We speak against none of your Liberty in using either kneeling or Holy-days and perhaps some of us mean to use both our selves but only beseech you that they may be no more imposed than the ancient Church imposed them and we desire no more and if you reverence Antiquity why will you not imitate it in point of Imposition as well as in the thing it self But yet that Antiquity was against Kneeling on the Lord's Day at the Sacrament and that they had but few of our Holy-days for many hundred Years we suppose you are not ignorant § 31. It 's well you have no more to say against Liberty to forbear the other three Ceremonies the more unexcusablde will you be when you silence and excommunicate those that use them not § 32. And its strange that meaner understandings than yours cannot see why Men should forbear that which is not to be valued with the Churches Peace A Lye or a false Subscription is not to be valued with the Churches Peace And is it therefore a Wonder to you that Men should scruple them It is fitter Matter for the Wonder of good Men that after so long Experience those that will needs be the Lords and Governors in spiritual Matters should so resolvedly lay the Churches Peace upon such things as these where they know beforehand that Men of no Conscience will all be peaceable and thousands of godly People are unsatisfied and that they will needs take all for Disturbers of the Peace who jump not with their Humour in every Ceremony how willing soever to be ruled by the Laws of God § 33. We are glad that you justify not Innovation and Arbitrariness and yet desire not such a Cure as some do by getting Laws which may do their Work § 34. If your want of Charity were not extraordinary it could not work effectually to the afflicting of your Brethren and the Church when we tell you what will end your Differences you know our Minds so much better than our selves that you will not believe us But you will be confident that we will come on with new Demands This is your way of Conciliation when you were to bring in your utmost Concessions in order to our Unity and it was promised by his Majesty that you should meet us half way you bring in nothing and persuade his Majesty also that he should not believe us in what we offer that it would be satisfactory if it were granted You say that it will give Dissatisfaction to the greater Part of his Majesty's Subjects We are more charitable than to believe that a quarter of his Majesty's Subjects are so uncharitable as to be dissatisfied if their Brethren be not silenced and excommunicated for not swearing subscribing or using a Ceremony while they may do it as much as they list themselves And whereas you say that there is no assurance given that it will content all Dissenters
Churches or to any Colledge in either of our Universities where we would have the several Statutes and Customs observed which have been formerly And because some Men otherwise Pious and Learned say they cannot conform to the Subscription required by the Canon at the time of their Institution and Admission into Benefices we are content so they take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy that they shall receive Institution and Induction and shall be permitted to exercise their Function and to enjoy the Profits of their Livings without any other Subscription until it shall be otherwise determined by a Synod called and confirmed by our Authority In a word we do again renew what we have formerly said in our Declaration from Breda for the Liberty of tender Consciences that no Man shall be disquieted or called in question for Difference of Opinions in Matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and if any have been disturbed in that kind since our Arrival here it hath not proceeded from any Direction of ours To conclude and in this place to explain what we mentioned before and said in our Letter to the House of Commons from Breda that we hoped in due time our self to propose somewhat for the propagation of the Protestant Religion that will satisfie the World that we have always made it both our Care and our study and have enough observed what is most like to bring disadvantage to it we do conjure all our Loving Subjects to acquiesce in and submit to this our Declaration concerning those differences which have so much disquieted the Nation at home and given such Offence to the Protestant Churches abroad and brought such reproach upon the Protestant Religion in general from the Enemies thereof as if upon obscure Notions of Faith and Fancy it did admit the Practice of Christian Duties and Obedience to be discountenanced and suspended and introduce a License in Opinions and Manners to the prejudice of the Christian Faith And let us all endeavour and emulate each other in those Endeavours to countenance and advance the Protestant Religion abroad which will be best done by supporting the Dignity and Reverence due to the best Reformed Protestant Church at home and which being once freed from the Calamities and Reproaches it hath undergone from these late ill times will be the best shelter for those abroad which will by that Countenance both be the better protected against their Enemies and be the more easily induced to compose the Differences amongst themselves which give their Enemies more advantage against them And we hope and expect that all Men will henceforward forbear to vent any such Doctrine in the Pulpit or to endeavour to work in such manner upon the Affections of the People as may dispose them to an ill Opinion of us and the Government and to disturb the Peace of the Kingdom which if all Men will in their several Vocations endeavour to preserve with the same Affection and Zeal we our self will do all our Good Subjects will by God's Blessing upon us enjoy as great a measure of Felicity as this Nation hath ever done and which we shall constantly labour to procure for them as the greatest blessing God can bestow upon us in this World Note That the two Papers which the King's Declaration publisheth his Offence against were 1. A Declaration which the Scots drew the King to publish when they Crowned him in Scotland disclaiming his Father's Wars and Actions in Language so little tender of his Father's Honour that it was no wonder that the King was hardly drawn to it then nor that Cromwell derided their Doings as Hypocritical nor that the King was angry with those rash People whoever they were who now reprinted it 2. A Book of Dr. Cornelius Burges who though he was for a moderate Episcopacy had written to prove the Necessity of a Reformatation in Doctrine Discipline and Worship whereas in all our Treaty we had never medled with the Doctrine of the Church Because though the most part of the Bishops were taken to be Arminians as they are called yet the Articles of Religion we took to be sound and moderate however Men do variously interpret them § 106. When we had received this Copy of the Declaration we saw that it would not serve to heal our Differences Therefore we told the Lord Chancellour with whom we were to do all our Business still before it came as from us to the King that our Endeavours as to Concord would all be frustrate if much were not altered in the Declaration I pass over all our Conferences with him both now and at other times In conclusion we were to draw up our Thoughts of it in writing which the Brethren imposed on me to do My judgment was That all the Fruit of this our Treaty besides a little Reprival from intended Ejection would be but the Satisfying our Consciences and Posterity that we had done our Duty and that it was not our Fault that we came not to the desired Concord or Coalition and therefore seeing we had no considerable higher hopes we should speak as plainly as Honesty and Conscience did require us But when Mr. Calamy and Dr. Reignolds had read my Paper they were troubled at the plainness of it and thought it would never be endured and therefore desired some Alteration especially that I might leave out 1. The Prediction of the Evils which would follow our Non-Agreement which the Court would interpret as a Threatning 2. The mentioning the Aggravations of Covenant-breaking and Perjury ◠I gave them my Reasons for passing it as it was To bring this to pass more effectually they told the Earl of Manchester with whom as our sure Friend we still consulted and whom the Court used to Communicate to us what they desired And he called the Earl of Anglesey and the Lord Hollis to the Consultation as our Friends And these three Lords with Mr. Calamy and Dr. Reignolds perused all the Writing and all with earnestness perswaded me to the said Alterations I confess I thought those two Points material which they excepted against and would not have had them left out and thereby made them think me too plain and unpleasing as never used to the Language or Converse of a Court But it was not my unskilfulness in a more pleasing Language but my Reason and Conscience upon foresight of the Issue which was the Cause But when they told me that it would not so much as be received and that I must go with it my self for no body else would I yielded to such an Alteration as here followeth It was only in the Preface that the Alteration was desired I shall therefore that you may see what it was give it you as first drawn up and afterwards alter'd Our Petition to the King upon our Sight of the First Draught of his Declaration May it please your Majesty SO great was the Comfort created in our Minds by your Majesty's oft-expressed
that those Men are reproveable who say that nothing but Deceit and Jugling was from the beginning intended For who knoweth other Mens Intents but God Charity requireth us to think that they speak nearer to the Truth who say that while the Diocesan Doctors were at Breda they little dreamt that their way to their highest Grandeur was so fair and therefore that then they would have been glad of the Terms of the Declaration of Breda and that when they came in it was necessary that they should proceed safely and feel whether the Ground were solid under them before they proceeded to their Structure The Land had been but lately engaged against them The Covenant had been taken even by the Lords and Gentlemen of their own Party at their Composition There was the Army that brought them in who were Presbyterians as to the most of the ruling part to be disbanded and how knew they what the Parliament would do Or that there would be none to contest against them in the Convocation How could they know these things beforehand Therefore it was necessary that moderate things should be proposed and promised and no way was so fit as by a Declaration which being no Law is a temporary thing giving place to Laws And it was needful that the Calling of a Synod were delayed till the Presbyterians were partly cast out and a way to keep out the rest secured And if when all these things were done the former Promises were as the Independants called the Covenant like an Almanack out of Date and if Severities were doubled in comparison of what they were before the Wars no Man can wonder that well understood the Persons and the Causes § 144. Presently after this Mr. Crofton writing to prove the Obligation of the solemn National Vow and Covenant not as binding any Man to Rebellion or to any thing unlawful but in his Place and Calling to endeavour Reformation to be against Schism Popery Prelacy and Profaneness and to defend the King he was sent Prisoner to the Tower where when he had laid long at great Charges he sought to get an Habeas Corpus but his Life being threatned he was glad to let that Motion fall and at last to petition for his Liberty which he obtained But going into his own Country of Cheshire he was imprisoned there and when he procured his Liberty he was fain to set up a Grocer's Shop to get a maintenance for his Family While he was in the Tower he went to the Chappel Service and Sermon his Judgment being against separating from the Parish-Churches notwithstanding their Conformity so be it he were not put himself to use the Common-Prayer as a Minister or the Ceremonies And this occasioned some that thought his Course unlawful to write against it to which he somewhat sharply replied and so divers Writings were published on both sides about such Communion § 145. This calleth to my Remembrance how earnest the Brethren of London and the Countries were to have had us draw up among our selves how far we should go when Conformity was imposed that we might not be weakened by differing among our selves which I could never persuade my self to attempt considering as I oft told them 1. That we had no such Design as to unite and strengthen one Party against onother but to keep up the Interest of Religion in the Land 2. That if God permitted some able Men to conform though sinfully he would do good by it to his Church by keeping the Parish-Churches in such a Case that all of us might not be driven to forsake them 3. That the thing desired was utterly impossible 1. Because no Man could tell beforehand what would be imposed on us and therefore none could tell wherein we should be forced to dissent 2. Because the same Act as coming to Common-Prayer or Sacrament in the Churches might become a Duty to some Men and a Sin to others by diversity of their Stations Relations Pastors Churches Occasions Circumstances as I proved How then could all beforehand set a bound how far to go It would be much better to persuade Censorious Brethren to unite in Christian Faith and Love and to keep Charity and Peace with all that agree in the Foundation and not to make a Breach by their Censoriousness and then say others make a Breach by differing from us Nor to be of the same Spirit with Imposers while they are in the Heat of Opposition against them or of sufferings by them The Difference is but in the Expressions of Uncharitableness one Party silenceth imprisoneth and banisheth and the other Party censureth those that differ from them as Temporisers and unfit for their Communion 3. And if any had set down his Terms or Bounds who can dream that all would have agreed to them when Mens Judgments and Interests and Temptations are so various 4. The thing would have seem'd intollerable to our Governors and they would have taken us for Factious that had more desired to strengthen a Party against them than to live in Peace and Concord § 146. About this time there fell out an Accident that gave Occasion to the Malicious to reproach us It was our great Grief that so many faithful Ministers were put out and so many unworthy Persons restored or newly put into the Ministry Every Day almost People talkt to us of one drunk at such a Place and another carried in a Cart or lying in a Ditch at such a place or one taken drunk by the Watch at Night and another abused and made a Scorn in his Drunkenness by the Apprentices in the Streets and of Three that the Day when they had been Ordainedâ— got in their Drink three Wenches to them in the Inn or Tavern which having their married in their manner c. two fled and the third was fain to take his Wench to Wife with abundance such News that fill'd the City We modestly told some of it and they made us odious by it as malicious Slanderers as if a Word had not been true At last the City did ring of one Baker that preached a funeral Sermon drunk at Westminster and fell a railing at the People in the Church in his Sermon with much of the like Because the Rumour was so common we enquired after it till it was attested to us by the Hearers and having such unquestionable Witness some Brethren would by all means tell the King 〈◊〉 it as by the by to move â—im to reform such things When we were next with him Dr. Manton told him of it and there being one Baker elected by the King to an Irish Bishoprick and the common Fame and some of the Hearers saying that it was the same Man I seconded Dr. Manton and told the King That we could not say upon our knowledge that it was true but when the Fame of such things was common as to affect his Subjects be it true or false we thought it better for his Majesty to hear what the People
Action I was commonly censured by them as one that had granted them too much and wronged my Brethren by entring into this Treaty oâ—t of too earnest a desire of Concord with them Thus were Men on both extreams offended with me and I found what Enmity Charity and Peace are like to meet with in the 〈◊〉 But when these Papers were printed the Independents confess that we had dealt faithfully and satisfactorily And indifferent men said that Reason had once whelmed the Cause of the Dioâ—esans and that we had offered them so much a test them utterly without Excuse And the moderate Episcopal Men said the same But the engaged Prelatist were vehemently displeased that these Papers should 〈◊〉 câ—me abroad Though many of them here published were never before printed because none had Copies of them but my self § 264. Bishop Morley told me when he Silenced me that our Papers would be answered 〈◊〉 long But no Man to this day that ever we could hear of hath answered them which were unanswered Either our Reasons for Peace or our Litugy or our large Reply or our Answers to Dr. Pierson's Argument c. only Roger L'Estrange the writer of the News Book hath raised out a great many words against some of them And a nameless Author thought to be Dr. Wommock hath answered one part of one Subject in our Reply which is about excluding all Prayers from the Pulpit besides Common Prayer and in very plausible Language he saith as much as can be said for so bad a Cause viz. for the prohibiting all Extemporary Prayer in the Church And when he cometh to the chief strength of our Reasons he passeth it by and faith that in answering so much as he did the Answer to the rest may be gathered And to all the rest of the Subjects he faith nothing much less to all our other Papers § 265. Also another nameless Author commonly said to be Sir Henry Yelverton wrote a Book for Bishop Morley against me But neither he nor Boreman nor Wommâ—â—k ever saw me for ought I know and I am sure he is as strange to the Cause as to me For he taketh it out of Bishop Morley's Book and supposing what he hath written to be true he findeth some words of Censorious Application to make a Book of § 266. And about the same time Sir Robert Holt a Knight of Warwickshire near Brâ—â—â—â—châ—m spake in the Parliament House against Mr. Calamy and me by name as preaching or praying seditiously but not one syllable named that we said And another time he named me for my Holy Commonwealth § 267. And about that time Bishop Morley having preferred a young Man named Mr. S Orator of the University of Oxford a fluent witty Satyrist and one that was sometime motioned to me to be my Curate at Kidderminster this Man being Houshold Chaplain to the Lord Chancellour was appointed to preach before the King where the Crowd had high Expectations of some vehement Satyr But when he had preached a quarter of an hour he was utterly at a loss and so unable to recollect himself that he could go no further but cryed The Lord be merciful to our Infirmities and so came down But about a Month after they were resolved yet that Mr. S should preach the same Sermon before the King and not lose his expected Applause And preach it he did little more than half an hour with no admiration at all of the Hearers And for his Encouragement the Sermon was printed And when it was printed many desired to see what words they were that he was stopped at the first time And they found in the printed Copy all that he had said first and one of the next Passages which he was to have delivered was against me for my Holy Common-wealth § 268. And so vehement was the Endeavour in Court City and Country to make me contemptible and odious as if the Authours had thought that the Safety either of Church or State did lye upon it and all would have been safe if I were but vilified and hated Insomuch that Durell the French Minister that turned to them and wrote for them had a senseless snatch at me in his Book and Mr. Stoope the Pastor of the French Church was banished or forbidden this Land as Fame said for carrying over our Debates into France So that any Stranger that had but heard and seen all this would have asked What Monster of Villany is this Man and what is the Wickedness that he is guilty of Yet was I never questioned to this day before a Magistrate Nor do my Adversaries charge me with any personal wrong to them nor did they ever Accuse me of any Heresie nor much contemn my Judgment nor ever accuse my Life but for preaching where another had been Sequestred that was an insufficient Reader and for preaching to the Soldiers of the Parliament though none of them knew my Business there nor the Service that I did them These are all the Crimes besides my Writings that I ever knew they charged my Life with But Envy and Carnal Interest was so destitute of a Mask that they every where openly confessed the Cause for which they endeavoured my Defamation and Destruction especially the Bishops that set all on work 1. As one Cause was their own over-valuing of my Parts which they made account I would employ against them 2. Another was that they thought the Reputation of my blameless Life would add to my ability to deserve them 3. Another was that they thought my Interest in the People to be far greater than indeed it was 4. But the principal of all was my Conference before the King and at the Savoy in both which it fell out that Bishop Morley and I were the bassest Talkers except Dr. Gunning and that it was my lot to contradict him who was not so able either to bear or seem to bear it as I thought at least his Honour would have instructed him to be 5. And my refusing a Bishoprick increased the indignation And Colonel Birth that first came to offer it me told me that they would ruine us if we refused it Yet did I purposely forbear ever mentioning it on all occasions 6. And it was not the least Cause that my being for Primitive Episcopacy and not for Presbytery and being not so far from them in some other Points of Doctrine and Worship as many Nonconformists are they thought I was the abler to undermine them 7. And another Cause was that they judged of the rest of my Talk and Life by my Conference at the Savoy not knowing that I took that to be my present Duty which Fidelity to the King and Church commanded me faithfully to do whoever was displeased by it and that when that time was over I took it to be my Duty to live as peaceably as any Subject in the Land and not to use mâ— Tongue or Pen against the Government which the King was pleased to appoint
August 24. 1662. and then they must be all cast out This fatal Day called to remembrance the French Massacre when on the same Day 30000 or 40000 Protestants perished by Religious Roman Zeal and Charity I had no place but only that I preached twice a Week by Request in other Men's Congregations at Milkstreet and Blackfriars and the last Sermon that ever I preached in Publick was on May 25. The Reasons why I gave over sooner than most others was 1. Because Lawyers did interpret a doubtful Clause in the Act as ending the Liberty of Lecturers at that time 2. Because I would let Authority soon know that I intended to obey them in all that was lawful 3. Because I would let all Ministers in England understand in time whether I intended to Conform or not For had I stayed to the last day some would have Conformed the sooner upon a Supposition that I intended it These with other Reasons moved me to cease three Months before Bartholomew-day which many censured me for a while but after better saw the Reasons of it § 279. When Bartholomew-day came about One thousand eight hundred or Two thousand Ministers were Silenced and Cast out And the Affections of most Men thereupon were such as made me fear it was a Prognostick of our further Sufferings For when Pastors and People should have been humbled for their Sins and lamented their former Negligence and Unfruitfulness most of them were filled with Disdain and Indignation against the Prelates and were ready with Confidence to say God will not long suffer so wicked and cruel a Generation of Men It will be but a little while till God will pull them down And thus Men were puft up by other Mens sinfulness and kept from a kindly humbling of themselves § 280. And now came in the great Inundation of Calamities which in many Streams overwhelmed Thousands of godly Christians together with their Pastors As for Example 1. Hundreds of able Ministers with their Wives and Children had neither House nor Bread For their former Maintenance served them but for the time and few of them laid up any thing for the future For many of them had not past 30 or 40 l. per Annum apiece and most but about 60 or 80 l. per Annum and very few above 100 l. and few had any considerable Estates of their own 2. The Peoples Poverty was so great that they were not able much to relieve their Ministers 3. The Jealousie of the State and the Malice of their Enemies were so great that People that were willing durst not be known to give to their ejected Pastors least it should be said that they maintained Schism or were making Collections for some Plot or Insurrection 4. The Hearts of the People were grieved for the loss of their Pastors 5. Many places had such set over them in their steads as they could not with Conscience or Comfort commit the Conduct of their Souls to And they were forced to own all these and all others that were thrust upon them against their Wills and to own also the undisciplined Churches by receiving the Sacrament in their several Parishes whether they would or not 6. Those that did not this were to be Excommunicated and then to have a Writ sued out against them de Excommunicatio capiendo to lay them in the Jail and seize on their Estates 7. The People were hereupon unavoidably divided among themselves For some would have nothing to do with these imposed Pastors but would in private attend their former Pastors only Others would do both and take all that they thought good of both Some would only hear the Publick Sermons Others would also go to Common Prayer where the Minister was tolerable Some would joyn in the Sacrament with them where the Minister was honest and others would not And this Division they long foresaw but could not possibly prevent 8. And the Ministers themselves were thus also divided who before seemed all one for some would go to Church to Common Prayer to Sacraments and others would not Some of them thought that it was their Duty to preach publickly in the Streets or Fields while the People desired it and not to cease their Work through fear of Men till they lay in Jails or were all banished Others thought that a continued Endeavour to benefit their People privately would be more serviceable to the Church than one or two Sermons and a Jail at such a time when the Multitudes of Sufferers and the odious Titles put upon them obscured and clog'd the benefit of Sufferings And some thought that the Covenant bound all to separate from Common Prayer and Prelates and Parish Communion And others thought that it rather bound them to this Communion and Worship in case they could have no better and that to teach from House to House in private and bring the People to attend in publick was the most righteous and edifying way where the imposed Minister was tolerable 9. Hereupon those Ministers that would not cease preaching were thrust into Prisons and Censured some of them the rest that did not do as they 10. The rest that preached only secretly to a few were lookt on as discontented and disaffected to the Government and on every rumour of a new Plot or Conspiracy taken up and many of them laid in Prison 11. The Prelatists and they were hereby set at a further distance and Charity more destroyed and Reconciliation made more hopeless and almost any thing believed that was said against a Nonconformist 12. The Conforming Part of the Old Ministry was also divided from the rest and Censures set them further at a distance But yet where serious Godliness appeared it kept up some Charity and Respect and united them in the main All these Calamities brought another 13. That the People were tempted to murmur at their Superiours and call them cruel Persecutors and secretly rejoyce if any hurt befel them and many forgot that they are to Honour their Governours even when they suffer by them and not only to forbear evil Thoughts and Words against them but to endeavour to keep up their Honour with their Subjects 14. By all these Sins these Murmurings and these Violations of the Interest of the Church and Cause of Christ the Land was prepared for that fâ—rther Inundation of Calamities by War and Plague and Scarcity which hath since brought it near to Desolation § 281. It fell out one day in Mr. Calamy's Church at Aldermanbury that the Preacher failed and the People desired Mr. Calamy to preach Which he did upon confidence that the Act did not extend to such an Occasional Sermon some Lawyers had told him so But for this he was sent to Newgate Jail where he continued in the Keeper's Lodgings many daily flocking to visit him till the Lord Bâ—â—dgman as is said had given it as his Judgment That his Sermon was not within that Penalty of the Act. And O what insulting there was by
those Vices which are the shame of Infidels and Heathens and those of our Communion are in their Lives no better than the Unbelieving World All Men will think that that is the best Society which hath the best People and will judge rather by Mens Lives than their Opinions § 345. 7. And hereby it greatly dishonoureth Christianity it self and when the Church is as full of Vices as the Mahomiran Societies are or the Heathen it is a publick perswading the World that our Religion is as false or bad as theirs § 346. 8. And hereby God himself and our blessed Redeemer are greatly dishonoured in the World As his Saints are his honour so when the Communion of Atheists and Prophane Persons and Oppressors and Deceivers and Fornicators and Drunkards is called by us The Communion of Saints it tendeth to make the Church a Scorn and to the great dishonour of the Head of such a Body and the Author of the Christian Faith § 347. 9. And it lamentably conduceth to the hardening of the Heathens and Infidels of the World and hindering their Conversion to the Christian Faith It would make a Believer's heart to bleed if any thing in all the World will do it to think that five parts in six of the World are still Heathens Mahometans and Infidels and that the wicked Lives of Christians with Popperies Ignorance and Divisions is the great Impediment to their Conversion To read and hear Travellers and Merchants tell that the Banians and other Heathens in Indostan Cambaia and many other Lands and the Mahometans adjoyning to the Greeks and the Abassines c. do commonly fly from Christianity as the Separatists among us do from Prelacy and say God will not save us if we be Christians for Christians are Drunkards and proud and Deceivers c. And that the Mahometans and many Heathens have more both of Devotion and Honesty than the common fort of Christians have that live among them O wretched Christians that are not content to damn themselves but thus lay stumbling blocks before the World It were better for these men that they had never been born But if all these notorious ones were disowned by the Churches it would quit our Profession much from the dishonour and shew poor Infidels that our Religion is good though their Lives be bad § 348. 10. Lastly it galleth the Consciences of the Ministers in their administrations of the Sacraments to the openly ungodly and grosly ignorant It hindereth the Comfort of the Church in its Communion It filleth the Heads of poor Christians with Scruples and their Hearts with Fears and is the great cause of unavoidable Separations among us and consequently of all the Censures on one side and wrathful Penalties on the other and uncharitableness on both sides which follow thereupon If the Pastors will not differ between the precious and the vile by necessary regular Discipline tender Christians will be tempted to difference by irregular Separations and to think as Cyprian saith That it belongeth to the People to forsake a sinful Pastor They will separate further than they ought and will take our Churches as Sinks of Pollution and fly from the noisomness of them and come out from among us for fear of partaking in our Plagues as men run out of a ruinous House lest it fall upon their Heads And then they will fall into Sects among themselves and fall under the hot displeasure of the Bishops and then they will be reproached and vexed as Schismaticks while they reproach our Churches as Hypocritical and Prophane that call such Societies the Communion of Saints This hath been and this is and this will be the Cause of Separations Sects Persecutions Malice and Ruins in the Christian World And it will never be cured till some tolerable Discipline cure the Churches § 349. 10. The tenth and last Charge against our Frame of Prelacy is That by is use of Civil or Coercive Power it at once breaketh the Command of Christ and greatly injureth the Civil Government Both which are thus proved by the Nonconformists § 350. 1. It violateth all these Laws of Christ Luke 22. 24 25. And there was a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest And he said unto them the Kings of the Gentles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve That is it is a Ministerial Dignity and not a Magistratical which you are called to that which is allowed to Kings here is denied to Ministers even Apostles But it is not Tyranny or Abuse of Power but Secular Magistratical Power it self which is all owed to Kings Ergo it is this which is forbidden Ministers This is the very sence of the Text which is given by Protestant Episcopal Divines themselves when they reject the Presbyterians sence who say that it forbiddeth Ecclesiastical Superiority and Power of one Minister over another as well as Coercive Therefore the old Rhymer said against the Prelates Christus dixit quodam loco Vos non sic nec dixit joco Dixit suis Ergo isti Cujus sunt non certo Christi So 1. Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly Not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind Neither as being Lords over God's heritage but being ensamples to the Flock But our Bishops take the oversight of those that are not among them and whom they feed not and they rule them by constraint and not as voluntary Subjects not by Ensample for one of an hundred never seeth or knoweth them but as Lords by Secular Force Dr. Hammond taketh the word Constraint here Actively not Passively not as forbidding them to Bishops against their own Wills but to Rule the People by constraint against the Peoples wills It would be tedious to recite all those Texts which command the People to imitate the Apostles as they imitated Christ who never used Magistratical force nor did any of his Apostles and say that the Weapons of our warfare are not carnals and that he that warreth entangleth not himself with the Affairs of this Life and that the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle c. § 351. 2. And that this Coercive Church Government is an heinous Injury to Christian Magistrates even where it seemeth to be subordinate to them appeareth thus 1. Though they do mostly confess that they can exercise no Power of Coercion of themselves but by the Magistrates consent yet do they take it to be the Magistrates duty to consent to it as if he were not else a tender Nursing Father to the Church and so they lay his Conscience in Prison till he trust them with his Sword or serve them by it 2. They call their Magistratical Government by the
is dangerous for Men to go against the concurrent Judgments of Casuists yea of their own Casuists in the Case of Vows And they know not how to save Subscription from the enmity of the determinations of Dr. Sanderson and all other ordinary Casuists And these are the general Reasons of their fear § 361. But I shall hear tell you what they grant about the obligation of the Covenant 1. They assert that it can bind no Man to any thing that is sinful 2. No nor to any thing that may hereafter be sinful nor from any thing that may be a Duty when it cometh to be such though it were neither Sin nor Duty at the making of the Vow 3. That it bindeth no Man therefore against Obedience to the King though the thing be in it self indifferent and was not commanded by the King when they vowed For if a Man might prevent the Commands of Prince or Parents by his own Vows he might free himself from his Obedience The Command of God to obey Kings and Rulers is antecedent to our Vows and above our Vows and cannot be evacuated or avoided by them Therefore if there be any indifferent thing in the Covenant I will obey the King if he command or forbid it contrary to the Covenant 4. That we take our selves bound by the Covenant to nothing but what is our Duty if there were not such Covenant Not that a Vow doth not bind a Man to things before indifferent We confess it doth But because this Vow included and intended nothing meerly indifferent For it is the Judgment of Protestants and so both of the Framers and the Takers of it that the use of a Vow is not to make new Dutus to our selves which God never made but to bind us to that which God had made our Duty before Else it is a taking of the Name of God in vain All the doubt therefore is but whether it be a secondary Obligation to that which God had before obliged us to So that there is no one Action materially whose doing or not doing we take to depend upon the Covenant's obligation primarily or alone nor do we imagine any thing to be our Duty which would not be so if the Covenant had never had a being 5. That if the Covenanters did then suppose that they were bound to defend and obey the Parliament in that War and to bring a contrary Party to punishment yet now there can be no place for any such Imagination because the Parliament is not in being the War and Difference of Parties is ended Cessante materia câ—ssat obligatio cessantibus personis rerum statu It is now past doubt that we are bound to obey the King and that there is none to stand in competition for our Obedience so that as a League with those persons it ceaseth with the persons 6. That if we had been allowed but to Subscribe That there is no Obligation to endeavour unlawfully or by any unlawful means We had not scrupled so disclaiming any Obligation as on our selves or any other Subjects Thus far there is no Controversie among us about the Covenant § 362. I come now to the Non-Subscribers particular Scruples which are such as these 1. They say That all Men confessing that an Oath or Vow is obligatory they must see good proof that this particular Vow is not so before they can exempt it from the common force of Vows But such proof they have never seen from Mr. Fullwood Mr. Sâ—â—â—man Dr. Gauden or any that hath attempted it and on whom it is incumbent but rather admire that Men of so great Judgment and Tenderness of Conscience should ever be satisfied with such halting Arguments which they had long ago more fully confuted if the Law had not forbidden them They herein argue as the Bishops in another Case Uncertainties must give place to Certainties caeteris paribus But they are certain in general that Vows are obligatory if materially lawful and they are uncertain that this Vow it materially unlawful and so not obligatory Ergo they dare not say that no Man is obliged by it § 363. 2. They say That all the World confesseth that a Vow obligeth 〈◊〉 necessariâ to that which is antecedently a Duty but they propound it to consideration whether all these things following which are in the Covenant are certainly no Duties antecedently 1. To endeavour in our several Places and Callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion 2. The Reformation of Worship Discipline and Church-Government according to the Word of God in England 3. To bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion 4. To endeavour the extirpation of not Episcopacy but Prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellours Commissaries c. that is the fore described Frame Whether that Frame be so blameless as to be allowable I leave to their Judgments who have weighed what is before said 5. The Extirpation of Popery 6. To endeavour the Extirpation of Superstition 7. And of Heresie 8. And of Prophaneness 9. And of whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness 10. To endeavour with our Estates and Lives to defend the King's Majesty's Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms and not to diminish his Majesty's just Power and Greatness 11. To be humbled for our own sins and the sins of the Kingdoms 12. To amend our Lives and each one to go before another in the Example of a real Reformation If all these be not Duties let the question be Whether any one of them be a Duty And then Whether that which is antecedently a Duty by Divine Obligation be not further so by Self-obligation when it is vowed with an Oath Or whether a Vow bind not to a Duty But this is but by the by about the sence of the Imposers of Subscription exprest in the Corporation Act. But it is only the 〈◊〉 of Church Government which the present Controversie is about And if all that was said against our Prelacy on the first Controversie prove it a Duty to endeavour an alteration of the Church-Government then the Controversie is at an end § 364. 3. They say That all Men confess that an Oath and Vow is obligatory in a lawful matter though it were not antecedently necessary But whether in their Places and Callings to endeavour an alteration of the Church-Government be not lawful is the question Here 1. let it be observed what the matter of the Vow is 2. Who be the Persons whose Obligations are in question 1. The matter of the Vow was not to extirpate Episcopacy in general nor the Primitive Episcopacy in particular but only the fore described English Diocesan Prelacy in Specie which I prove beyond all denial 1. Because that which was not in being in England could not be extirpated out of England But it was
gravissime mihi succenseres meque judicares indignum iis laudibus iisque benevolentiae tuoe significationibus quibus me prosequi ac decorare voluisti Illico igitur calamum arripui nulla interposita mora scripsi ad D. Simonium Gallice quoe velim à te legi atque intelligi posse ut qualis sit animus erga te meus liquido cognosceres Tibi vero Vir Reverende hanc Epistolam destino in qua quantâ possum bonâ fide luculentis verbis testor atque pronuntio falsa illa omnia esse emendacii officina profecta quoe vel audivisti vel legisti quasi dicta de te à me secus quam oportuit Non enim te novi nisi de fama quoe de tua pietate atque eruditione eloquentia egregie loquitur nec aliter erga te sum affectus quam ut decet erga virum multis laudibus ornatum proeterea de me optime meritum cui eo nomine multum debeo Noli ergo quaeso Vir Reverende quidquam istiusmodi credere ubicunque id vel occasio feret vel necessitas postulabit ostende hasce literas me à manu ex Animi mei Sententia conscriptas ut post hocce testimonium quid de te judicem nemo dubitare queat Vale Vir Reverende communis ille noster Doctor atque Dominus qui nos redemit sanguine suo cum Ecclesioe Anglicanoe tum tui perculiarem curam suscipere dignetur Quid de rebus vestris existimem◠scire potes ex Epistola quâ Paraphrasmi meam in Psalmos serenissimo vestro Regi dicavi Itaque nihil hic addam nisi quod qui ad te scribit est tibi Vir Reverende Ad omne obsequium paratissimus AMYRALDVS To the Reverend and most Learned Mr. Richard Baxter a Zealous Minister of the Gospel of Christ his most worthy and most honoured Brother in Christ at Kidderminster Recommended to the care of Mr. Dorvile The Grace of our Lord Iesus and the Peace of God be increased among us Most worthy and most honoured Sir THE Occasion of two Cosins of mine going for London invites me to take the liberty to write this Letter to you most honoured Sir and hope you will excuse my boldness in so doing being unknown to you I should have forborn troubling you in your weighty Affairs which besides the great zeal and care for your Parishioners yea for the whole Church of God are made known But I could not pass by so good an Opportunity to acquaint you how much your Name and your Person although with your Body so far from us is esteemed by me an unworthy Servant of Jesus Christ and by many other faithful Brethren in the Lord in this our Town and also in our Neighbour Protestant Confederate Cities of Zuric and Schaffhousen insomuch that we often remember one another the great cause we have to pray the Lord joyntly and constantly with your beloved Parishioners yea with whole England for your health and long life that you may further continue to us all your edifying Doctrines and Admonitions I dare not write to you most godly Sir in what fame you are among us that you may not suspect me of flattery which doubtless you despise as a great vanity But I pray Sir to believe me confidently that after Providence had led me some years agone into England but time would not permit to stay long there but as speedily as possible to learn the English Tongue and am heartily sorry I did not visit you most worthy Sir at Kidderminster that time for to take upon several Points your godly Advice being in ten Months time as long as I stayed in London Oxford and Cambridge I did learn God be thanked so much English that I could understand reading and preaching And by the Advice of the most zealous and worthy Men Mr. Edmund Calamy Mr. Cranford Mr. Nalton of whom I received great Courtesie and Friendship though a Stranger I bought a good number of English Divinity Books of your most solid and selected Divines and among others your Everlasting Rest Item Gildas Salvianus or Reformed Pastor Item True Christianity Item A Sermon of Iudgment c. being at that time recalled to my own Country I had no time to peruse those heavenly Meditations but since have made it my chief work and cannot express the great Advantage I received by them so that I commended the very same Books to others of our Brethren who have endeavoured without delay to get them by means of some of our Merchants here and also the remainder of your Works that we could bring to our notice viz. The Unreasonableness of Infidelity your Confession of Faith The right Method for a setled Peace of Conscience The safe Religion Key for Catholicks The Crucifying of the World Item of Self-denial Item A Treatise of Conversion Call to the Unconverted your Apology against Mr. Blake c. Item your Holy Commonwealth The Catholick Unity your Treatise of Death For which Works we thank God with one accord for the great and heavenly Gifts he hath so largely bestowed upon you for the common good of his Church and wish that by this occasion we might also be partakers of what we want of your Works that are extant Sermons or other Treatises Particularly I must acquaint you with the high esteem we make of those two Chief Pieces the Everlasting Rest and Reformed Pastor in which latter you strike home to the very heart many Ministers and we must needs confess that living among a rude and unlearned People ignorant and self-conceited that according to your Advice in the Reformed Pastor it is most necessary to take in hand with all speed and care the private Instruction and Catechizing But we can find no way to obtain it And being your Admonitions and Perswasions to the Practice thereof are very home and close upon all Ministers that they must make it their chief Business and neglect nothing until they have perswaded and brought their Flock to it I pray you most worthy Sir to resolve this Enquiry to me and others of my Neighbours and fellow Brethren who in reading your Reformed Pastor made the same Scruple of Conscience viz. Whether a Minister that heartily strives for the honour of God and the Edification of his Church doth not discharge his Duty when according to your wholsome and true Doctrine he hath conferred and made known his mind and willingness to the performance of it to his Fellow-Brethren that joyntly with him are Shepherds of the same Flock yea perswaded them of the necessity and usefulness of it yet can get no Assistance by Ministers nor Magistrates We long also heartily to know being you have perswaded the Ministers of the County of Worcester to that most necessary and useful Catechizing and Private Instruction Whether by the present great Change in England both in Churches and Government and chiefly being that we hear that Episcopacy prevaileth the
Prelatical Dignity is not some way retrenched and whether they bear still that irreconcileable hatred against good and godly Presbyterians that they may not be suffered to exercise their Charge and Duty Or if they are wholly deprived of the power and authority to serve their Parishes as to our great Scandal we are informed I had many things more to write to you but dare not trouble you most worthy Sir any further fearing to keep you from your weighty Business Only I crave very humbly your Answer and as much Information of the true present Estate as opportunity will give you leave Whether we have so much cause to fear the Introduction of Popery in England as some by the News amongst us are wholly perswaded In the mean while we will continue to pray the Lord our God and most merciful Father with all our Hearts and Souls to preserve your Person for the General Good and Edification of his whole Catholick Church that your great Light may shine more and more and so I remain Reverend and most worthy Sir Your humble and most Affectionate Servant Iohn Sollicâ—ffer unworthy Servant of Christ. Saingall in Helvetia Reformatâ 16 April 1663. The vigilant Eye of Malice that some had upon me made me understand that though no Law of the Land is against Literate Persons Correspondencies beyond Seas nor have any Divines been hindered from it yet it was like to have proved my ruine if I had but been known to answer one of these Letters though the Matter had been never so much beyond Exceptions So that I neither answered this nor any other save only by word of mouth to the Messenger and that but in small part for much of this in the latter part was Matter not to be touched Our Silencing and Ejection he would quickly know by other means and how much the Judgments of the English Bishops did differ from theirs about the Labours and Persons of such as we § 443. About this time I thought meet to debate the Case with some Learned and Moderate Ejected Ministers of London about Communicating sometimes in the Parish Churches in the Sacraments For they that came to Common Prayer and Sermon came not yet to Sacraments They desired me to bring in my Judgment and Reasons in writing which being debated they were all of my mind in the main That it is lawful and a duty where greater Accidents preponderate not But they all concurred unanimously in this That if we did Communicate at all in the Parish Churches the Sufferings of the Independents and those Presbyterians that could not Communicate there would certainly be very much increased which now were somewhat moderated by concurrence with them I thought the Case very hard on both sides That we that were so much censured by them for going somewhat further than they must yet omit that which else must be our Duty meerly to abate their Sufferings that censure us But I resolved with them to forbear a while rather than any Christian should suffer by occasion of an action of mine seeing God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and no Duty is a Duty at all times § 444. In Iuly 1665. the Lord Ashley sent a Letter to Sir Iohn Trevor That a worthy Friend of his in whose Case the King did greatly concern himself had all his Fortunes cast upon my Resolution of the enclosed Case which was Whether a Protestant Lady of strict Education might marry a Papist in hope of his Conversion he promising not to disturb her in her Religion It came at Six a Clock Afternoon and knowing it was a Case that must be cautelously resolved at the Court I took time till the next Morning that I might give my Answer in Writing The next day the Lord Ashley wrote again with many words to incline me to the Affirmative for the Lady told them she would not consent unless I satisfied her that it was lawful Who the Lord and Lady were I know not at all but have an uncertain Conjecture So I sent the following Resolution The Case was thus expressed Whether one that was bred a strict Protestant and in the most severe ways of that Profession lived many years without giving offence to any well known in her own Country to be such may without offence to God or Man marry a profest Roman Catholick in hopes of taking him off the Errour of his ways he engaging never to disturb her My Lord's Letter was as follows SIR THere is a very good Friend of mine and one his Majesty is very much concerned for that this enclosed Case has the power of his Fortunes None but that worthy Divine Mr. Baxter can satisfie the Lady this has been the way by which the Romanists have gained very much upon us they are more powerful in perswasion than our Sex besides the putting this Case shews some inclination to the Person though not to the Religion Sir If Mr. Baxter be with you pray let me have his Opinion to this Case in writing under it Wherein you may oblige more than you think for Your very affectionate Friend to serve you ASHLEY For his much honoured Friend Sir Iohn Trevor at Acton To this Case I drew up the following Answer and sent it to Sir John Trevor to be by him conveyed to my Lord Ashley SIR THough I cannot be insensible how inconvenient to my self the Answer of this Case may possibly prove by displeasing those who are concerned in it and medling about a Case of Persons utterly unknown to me yet because I take it to be a thing which Fidelity to the Truth and Charity to a Christian Soul requireth I shall speak my Judgment whatever be the Consequents But I must crave the pardon of that Noble Lord who desired my Answer might be Subscribed to the Case because Necessity requireth more words than that Paper will well contain The Question about the Marriage is not An factum valeat but An fieri debeat There is no affirming or denying without these necessary Distinctions 1. Between a Case of Necessity and of no Necessity 2. Between a Case where the Motives are from the Publick Commodity of Church or State and where they are only Personal or Private 3. Between one who is otherwise sober ingenuous and pious and a faithful Lover of the Lady and one that either besides his Opinion is of an ungodly Life or seeketh her only to serve himself upon her Estate 4. Between a Lady well grounded and fixed in Truth and Godliness and one that is weak and but of ordinary setledness Hereupon I answer Prop. 1. In general It cannot be said to be simply and in all Cases unlawful to marry an Infidel or Heathen much less a Papist 2. In particular It is lawful in these following Cases 1. In Case of true Necessity when all just means have been used and yet the Party hath a necessity of Marriage and can have no better If you ask Who is better I answer A suitableness
in things of greatest moment to the Party 's good determineth that An impious hypocritical Protestant is worse than a sober godly Papist for such I doubt not but some be But he that is sound both in Judgment and in Life is better than either 2. In case it be very likely to prove some great Commodity to Church or State For so I doubt not but a Protestant Lady might marry a Papist Prince or other Person on whom the Publick Good doth eminently depend so be it 1. That she be stable and of good Understanding her self 2. And like to keep such Interest in him as may conduce to his own and the Publick Good 3. And in case she may not be as well disposed of to the Good of the Publick other ways When all these concur the probability of Publick Utility is so great that the Person I think may trust God to make up Personal Incommodities and preserve the Soul who aimeth at his Glory and keepeth in his way But small inconsiderable Probabilities are not enough to move one to hazard their Soul in so perillous a way 3. Besides these two Cases of real Necessity and Publick Utility I remember no Case at the present in which it is lawful for such a Protestant Lady to marry a Papist At least in the ordinary Case of Persons in this Land I take it to be undoubtedly sinful what hopes soever may be imagined of his Conversion My Reasons are these 1. A Husband is especially to be a Meet-helper in Matters of the greatest moment And this help is to be daily given in counselling in the things that concern Salvation instructing in the Scriptures exciting Grace subduing Sin and helping the Wife in the constant course of a Holy Life and in her preparation for Death and the Life to come And a humble Soul that is conscious of its own weakness will find the need of all this Help which how it can be expected from one who only promiseth not to disturb her in her Religion I cannot understand I should as soon advise her to take a Physician in her Sickness who only promimiseth not to meddle with her Health as a Husband who only promiseth not to meddle with her in Matters of Religion 2. A Husband who is no helper in Religion must needs be a hinderer For the very Diversions of the Mind from holy Things by constant talk of other Matters will be a very great Impediment And as not to go forward is to go backward so not to help is to hinder in one of so near relation How hard it is to keep up the Love of God and a Delight in Holiness and heavenly Desires and a fruitful Life even under the greatest Helps in the World much more among Hinderances and especially such as are in our Bosom and continually with us I need not tell a humble and self-knowing Christian. And of what Importance these things are I shall not declare till I am speaking to an Infidel or Impious Person 3. And as for the Conversion of another Marriage is none of the means that God hath commanded for that end that ever I could find Preaching or Conference with judicious Persons are the means of such Conversion And if it be a hopeful thing it may be tried and accomplished first There are enow of us who are ready to meet any Man of the Papal way and to evince the Errours of their Sect by the allowance of Authority If Reason or Scripture or the Church or Sense it self may be believed we shall quickly lay that before them that hath evidence enough to convince them But if none of this can do it before hand how can a Wife hope to do it she ought not to think a Husband so fond and weak as in the Matters of his Salvation to be led by his Affections to a Woman against his Reason his Party and his Education Or if she can do more than a Learned Man can do let her do it first and marry him after I had rather give my Money or my House and Land in Charity than to give my self in Charity meerly in hope to do good to another It is a Love of Friendship and Complacence and not a love of meer Benevolence which belongeth to this Relation Moreover Errour and Sin are deep rooted things and it is God only that can change such hearts and Women are weak and Men are the Rulers and therefore to marry if it were a vicious ungodly Protestant meerly in hope to change him is a Course which I think not meet here to name or aggravate as it deserveth 4. Yea she may justly fear rather to be changed by him For he hath the advantage in Authority Parts and Interest And we are naturally more prone to Evil than to Good It 's easier to infect twenty Men than to cure one And if he speak not to her against her Religion enow more will 5. Or if she be so happy as to escape Perversion there is little hope of her escaping a sad calamitous Life Partly by guilt and partly by her grief for a Husband's Soul and partly by Family-disorders and sins and also by daily temptations disappointments and want of those helps and comforts in the way to Heaven which her Weakness needeth and her Relation should afford So that if her Soul scape she must look that her great Affliction should be the means And yet we cannot so confidently expect from God that he sanctifie to us a self-chosen Affliction as another 6. Supposing him to be one that loveth her Person truly and not only her Estate for else she must expect to stand by as a contemned thing yet his Religion will not allow him otherwise to love her than as a Child of the Devil in a state of Damnation may be loved For their Religion teacheth them That none can be saved but the Subjects of the Pope If it be objected It seemeth it is no sin in that you can allow it in a Case of Necessity or for the notable benefit of the Church or State I answer It is no sin in those Cases but out of them it is It is no sin but my duty to lay down my Life for my King or Country but it followeth not that I may therefore do it without sufficient Cause So it is in this Case Having plainly given you my judgment in the proposed Case I leave it to that Noble Lord who sent for it to use it or conceal it or burn it as he please For it being not the Lady that sent to desire my Resolution but he my Answer is not hers but his that sent for it But I humbly crave that if she be at all acquainted with my Answer or any one else it may not be by report but by shewing it her entire as I have written it And as I doubt not but his Honour will find it self engaged to preserve me from the displeasure of such
as that the Bishop of the lowest degree instead of ruling one Church with the Presbyters ruleth many hundred Churches by Lay-Chancellors who use the Keys of Excommunication and Absolution c. And they take it for an Act of Rebellion against God if they should Swear never to do the Duty which he commandeth and so great a Duty as Church-Reformation in so great a Matter If it were but never to pray or never to amend a fault in themselves they durst not Swear it 12. This Oath seemeth to be the same in Sence with the Et caetora Oath in the Canons of 1640. That we will never consent to an alteration of the Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans c. And one Parliament voted down that and laid a heavy charge upon it which no Parliament since hath taken off 13. As the National Vow and Covenant seemeth a great Snare to hinder the Union of the Church among us in that it layeth our Union on an exclusion of Prelacy and so excludeth all those learned worthy Men from our Union who cannot consent to that Exclusion so the laying of the Kingdoms and Churches Union upon the English Prelacy and Church-Government so as to exclude all that cannot consent to it doth seem as sure an Engine of Division We think that if our Union be centered but in Christ the King of all and in the King as his Officer and our Soveraign under him it may be easie and sure But if we must all unite in the English Frame of Prelacy we must never Unite § 15. Those that take the Oath do as those that Subscribe resolve that they will understand it in a lawful Sense be it true or false and so to take it in that Sense To which end they say that nullum iniquum est in Lege praesumendum and that all publick Impositions must be taken in the best Sense that the Words will bear And by force and stretching what words may not be well interpreted But the Nonconformists go on other grounds and think that about Oaths Men must deal plainly and sincerely and neither stretch their Consciences nor the Words nor interpret universal Terms particularly but according to the true meaning of the Law-givers as far as they can understand it and where they cannot according to the proper and usual signification of the Words And the Parliament themselves tell us That this is the true Rule of interpreting their Words Beyond which therefore we dare not stretch them § 16. And therefore 14. They dare not take the Oath because if it be not to be taken in the proper or ordinary Sense of the Words then they are sure that they cannot understand it for it doth not please the Parliament to expound it And Oaths must be taken in Truth Judgment and Righteousness and not ignoranatly when we know that we understand them not § 17. The Lawyers even the honestest are commonly for a more stretching Exposition And those that speak out say That an illegal Commission is none at all But we our selves go further than this would leads us for we judge That even an illegally commissioned Person is not to be resisted by Arms except in such Cases as the Law of Nature or the King himself by his Laws or by a contrary Commission alloweth us to resist him But if Commissions should be contradictory to each other or to the Law we know not what to Swear in such a case § 18. But because much of the Case may be seen in these following Questions which upon the coming out of that Act I put to an able worthy and sincere Friend with his Answers to them I will here Insert them viz. Serjeant Fountain Queries upon the Oxford Oath We presuppose it commonly resolved by Casuists in Theology from the Law of Nature and Scripture 1. That Perjury is a Sin and so great a Sin as tendeth to the ruin of the Peace of Kingdoms the Life of Kings and the Safety of Mens Souls and to make Men unfit for Humane Society Trust or Converse till it be repented of 2. That he that Sweareth contrary to his Iudgment is Perjured though the thing prove true 3. That we must take an Oath in the Imposer's Sense as near as we can know it if he be our Lawful Governour 4. That an Oath is to be taken sensu strictiore and in the Sense of the Rulers Imposing it if that be known if not by the Words interpreted according to the common use of Men of that Profession about that subject And Vniversals are not to be interpreted as Particulars nor must we limit them and distinguish without very good proof 5. That where the Sense is doubtful we are first to ask which is the probable Sense before we ask which is is the best and charitablest Sense and must not take them in the best Sense when another is more probable to be the true Sense Because it is the Truth and not the Goodness which the Vnderstanding first considereth Otherwise any Oath almost imaginable might be taken there being few Words so bad which are not so ambiguous as to bear a good Sense by a forced Interpretation And Subjects must not cheat their Rulers by seeming to do what they do not 6. But when both Senses are equally doubtful we ought in Charity to take the best 7. If after all Means faithfully used to know our Rulers Sense our own Vnderstandings much more incline to think one to be their meaning than the other we must not go against our Vnderstandings 8. That we are to suppose our Rulers fallible and that it 's possible their decrees may be contrary to the Law of God but not to suspect them without plain cause These things supposed we humbly crave the Resolution of these Questions about the present Oath and the Law Qu. 1. Whether upon any pretence whatsoever refer not to any Commissionated by him as well as to the King himself 2. Whether not lawful extendeth only to the Law of the Land or also to the Law of God in Nature 3. Whether I Swear that it is not lawful do not express my peremptory certain Determination and be not more than I Swear that in my Opinion it is not lawful 4. What is the Traytorous Position here meant for here is only a Subject without a Praedicate which is no Position at all and is capable of various Praedicates 5. If the King by Act of Parliament commit the Trust of his Navy Garrison or Militia to one durante vita and should Commissionate another by force to eject him whether both have not the King's Authority or which 6. If the Sheriff raise the Posse Commitatus to suppress a Riot or to execute the Decrees of the Courts of Justice and fight with any Commissioned to resist him and shall keep up that Power while the Commissioned Persons keep up theirs which of them is to be judged by the Subjects to have the King's Authority 7. If a Parliament or a
you had been unsatisfied in that which went before And you know what Mr. Nye is wont to say against drawing a Hose over our Differences though for my part I know no other way where we agree not in particulars but to take up with an Agreement in Generals But where indeed we do agree in Particulars I know no Reason why we should hide it to make our Difference to seem greater than it is 2. The Reasons why I make no larger a Profession necessary than the Creed and Scriptures are because if we depart from this old sufficient Catholick Rule we narrow the Church and depart from the old Catholicism And we shall never know where to rest From the same Reasons as you will take in Four Councils another will take in Six and another Eight and the Papists will say Why not the rest as well as these 3. Because we should Sin against the Churches 1200 Years Experience which hath been torn by this Conceit That our Rule or Profession must be altered to obviate every new Heresie As if you could ever make a Creed or Law which no Offender shall mis-interpret nor hypocritically profess By this means the Devil may drive us to make a new Creed every Year by Sowing the Tares of a new Heresie every Year Hilary hath said so much against this not sparing even the Nicene Creed it self that I need say no more than he hath done upon that Argument of Experience but only that if 30 or 40 Years Experience so much moved him against new Creed-making what should 1200 Years do by us 4. And the Means will be certainly Fruitless seeing that Hereticks are usually Men of wide Consciences and if their Interest require it they will Equivocate as Men do now with Oaths and Subscriptions and take any Words in their own Sense 5. And the Means is needless seeing there is another and fitter Remedy against Heresie provided and that is not making a new Rule or Law but judging Hereticks by the Law of God already made Either they are Hereticks only in Heart or in Tongue also and Expression If in Heart only we have nothing to do to Judge them Heart-Infidels are and will be in the Churches If they be proved to be Hereticks in Tongue then it is either before they are taken into the Communion of the Church or after If before you are to use them as in case of proved Wickedness that is call them to publick Repentance before they be admitted If it be after they must be admonished and Rejected after the first and second contemned Admonition And is not this enough And is not this the certain regular way Is it not confusion to put Law for Iudgment and say there wants a new Law or Rule when there wants but a due Iudgment by the Rule in being 6. Lastly We shall never have done with the Papists if we let go the Scripture-Sufficiency And it is a double Crime in us to do it who Dispute with them so vehemently for it And we harden and justifie Church-Tyranny and Impositions when we will do the like our selves If there be nothing against Socinianism in the Scripture it is no Heresie If there be as sure there is enough and plain enough Judge them by that Rule and make not new ones But if any will not hold to this truly Catholick Course I shall next like your Motion very well to take up with the Creed as Expounded in the 4 First Councils called General which I can readily subscribe my self but it 's better let them all alone and not to be so found of one onely Engine which hath torn the Church for about 1200 Years I mean departing from the Ancient Rule and making new Creeds and Forms of Communion To your Third Qu. 1. I suppose you observe that what I say about Separation is not under the third Head of the Concord of Neighbour Churches but under the second Head of the Concord of Members in the same particular Churches and were you not heretofore at Agreement in your own Churches And is it not the Duty and Interest of your own Churches to keep Unity and that the Members separate not unjustly whether you agree with other Churches or not 2. Either what I say about Separation is that which we are all now Uniting agreed in or not If it be iâ— honoureth our Brethren to profess it and can be no Reproach or Offence to them to declare it If any have sinned against their own present Judgment I hope they are not so Impenitent as to desire us to forbear agreeing with their own Iudgments because it is against their former sins And here is no Word said Historically to upbraid any with these Sins at all But if we are not all agreed thus far against Separation I desire you to name the Terms which we agree not in and then we shall see whether we may leave them out or whether it render our Concord desperate and impossible of which anon To your Fourth Qu. The Iealousies and Errors of these Times do make it necessary to our Peace to make some Profession of our Judgment about Magistracy and I think there is nothing questionable in this I am sure there is nothing but what many of the Congregational-Party do allow but if you come to Particulars I shall consider of them again The particular Exceptions which you Obliterate not your selves are but these 1. To Qu. Prop. 9. Whether I mean prescribed Forms and Homilies and Habits by the Terms what Words to use in Preaching and Prayer c. Answ. That which I say as plain as I can is 1. That a determination of such Circumstances is not a sinful Addition to God's Word nor will allow the People therefore to avoid the Churches Communion 2. That it belongs to the Pastor's Office to determine them what Words he shall Preach and Pray in c. Therefore you have no cause to ask my meaning about imposing upon him but only whether he may so far impose upon the Flock as to use his own Words in Preaching Prayer c. 3. That yet if the Pastor determine these Circumstances destructively the People have their Remedy And is not this enough Why must I tell you whether you may read a Sermon or Homily of your own Writing or another Man 's unto the People Or if you do whether they must separate Or else if you read a Prayer c. Either you determine these things to the Churches hurt or not If not why should they blame you or Separate If you do they have their Remedy But whether you do or not I now decide not If we meddle with all such Particulars we shall never agree more than those must be left to liberty You think our Particulars are too many already and would you have more And if the Controversies of the Times will tempt any to Expound our General Terms of Agreement amiss we must not go from Generals for that To the Tenth Prop. You say
are who can take such a State as this to be their Interest Sure I am That Peace-makers shall be Blessed as the Children of God that safe and honest Terms might easily be found out if Men were impartial and willing and that he that shall be our Healer will be our Deliverer and if your Lordship could be Instrumental therein it would be a greater honour to you in the Estimation of the true Friends of the King and Kingdom and Church and a greater Comfort to your Conscience than all worldly Greatness can afford For the Means I am not so vain as to presume to offer you any other Particulars than to tell you that I am persuaded That if there were first a Command from His Majesty to the Bishops of Chester and Norwich on one side and two Peaceable Men on the other freely to Debate and offer such Expedients as they think most proper to heal all our Divisions they would 〈◊〉 agree And when they had made that Preparation if some more such Moderate Divines were joyned to them as Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Tillotson Dr. Outram Dr. Pierson Dr. Whitchcot Dr. More Dr. Worthington Dr. Wallis Dr. Barlow Dr. Tully Mr. Gifford c. on one side and Dr. Conant Dr. Dillingham Dr. Langley and many more that I could Name on the other side they would quickly fill up and Confirm the Concord And such a Preparation being made and shewed His Majesty certainly he would soon see that the Inconveniences of it will be so great as the Mischiefs of our Divisions are and are like to be for the further they go as a Torrent the more they will swell and Violence will not end them when it seemeth to allay them And oh what a Pleasure would it then be to His Majesty to Govern a Concordant People and to feel the Affections and Strength of a Vnited Kingdom and to have Men's Religious Zeal engage them in a Fervency for his Love and Service And what a Joy would it be to the Pastors to be Beloved of their Flocks And what a Joy to all the Honest Subjects to live in such a Kingdom and such a Church And that this Work may not seem over-difficult to you when your Lordship shall Command it I shall briefly tell you what the generality of the Sober Nonconformists hold and what it is that they desire and what it is that they refuse as sinful that when they are understood it may appear how far they are from being intolerable either in the Kingdom or the Church My Lord Pardon this boldness of Your Humble Servant Rich. Baxter Iune 24. 1670. To the Right Honourable the E. of Lauderdale His Majesty's Commissioner for Scotland §172 When the E. of Lauderdale was gone into Scotland Sir Rob. Murrey a worthy Person and one of Gresham-Colledge-Society and the Earl's great Confident sent me the Frame of a Body of Church-Discipline for Scotland and desired my Animadversions on it I had not Power to Transcribe them or make them known but you may Conjecture what they were by my Animadversions Only I may say That the Frame was very handsomely contrived and much Moderation was in it but the main Power of Synods was contrived to be in the King To the Honourable Sir Rob. Murrey this present IN General 1. The External Government of the Church is so called 1. From the Object because it is about the Body and so it belongeth both to the King and to the Pastor who speak to Men as sensible and corporeal 2. Or from the Act of Governning and so it belongeth also to both For to Preach and Admonish and give the Sacrament of Baptism by the Key of Admission and to Excommunicate c. are outward Acts. 3. From the Matter of Punishment when it is the Body immediately or the Goods that are meddled with by Penalty And so the Government belongeth to the King and Magistrates alone But this is much plainlier and fitlier distinguished as Bishop Bilson frequently and Protestants ordinarily do by the Terms of Governing by the Sword and by the Word Or by Co-active and Spiritual and Pastoral Government which is by Authoritative Persuasion or by God's Word applied to the Conscience II. Though there be an External Government in the two first Senses given by Christ as immediately to the Pastors as to the Prince they having the Keys of the Church as immediately committed to them as the Sword is to the Prince yet in the Exercise of their Office in Preaching Sacraments and Discipline they are under the Civil Government of the King who as he may see that Physicians and all others in his Kingdom do their Duties without gross abuse so may he do by Pastors tho' he cannot either assume to himself their Office or prohibit it yet he may govern them that use it and see that they do it according to Christ's Law So that under that Pretence he take not their proper Work into his own hand nor hinder them from the true Exercise III. Though there are many things in the Frame of Canons which I am uncapable of judging of as concerning another Kingdom whose Case and Customs I am not perfectly acquainted with yet I may say these three things of it in general 1. That I am very glad to see no ensnaring Oaths Declarations Professions or Subscriptions in it no not so much as a Subscription to these Canons themselves For peaceable Men can live quietly and obediently under a Government which hath many things in it which they dare not justifie or approve of It is our Work to obey it is the Magistrate's Work and not ours to justifie all his own Commands and Orders before God as having no Errors Therefore it is pity to see Subjects so put upon that which is not their Work upon the terrible Terms as some-where they are 2. I conceive that this Frame will make a Nation happy or miserable as the Men are who shall be chosen for the Work The King having the choice of all the Bishops and Moderators and the Commissioners having the Absolute Power of nullifying all if Wise and Godly Bishops and Moderators be chosen and moderate Commissioners Piety will be much promoted by these Rules of Government But if contrary it will have contrary Effects 3. Therefore supposing a choice of meet Persons though the mixtures of the Magistrates and the Churches power here be such as I cannot justifie who had rather they were distinctly managed yet I should be thankful to God if we might see but as good a Frame of Canons well used in England and should live peaceably submissively and gratefully under such a Government To the Particulars 1. The Name of Bishop appropriated to the Diocesane will stumble some who have learned that every Church hath one Bishop saith Ignatius Et ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia saith Cyprian Therefore they will think that you Un-Church all the Churches of the Land save the Diocesane And I could wish that the Name were fitted to
of London had procured it me so without my knowledg or endeavour I sought none so long 1. Because I was unwilling to be or seem any Cause of that way of Liberty if a better might have been had and therefore would not meddle in it 2. I Lived ten Miles from London and thought not just to come and set up a Congregation there till the Ministers had fully settled theirs who had born the burden there in the times of the raging Plague and Fire and other Calamities lest I should draw away any of their Auditors and hinder their Maintenance 3. I perceived that no one that ever I heard of till mine could get a License unless he would be intituled in it a Presbyterian Independent Anabaptist or of some Sect. The 19th of Novemb. my Baptism-Day was the first Day after ten Years Silence that I preached in a tolerated Publick Assembly though not yet tolerated in any Consecrated Church but only against Law in my own House § 227. Some Merchants set up a Tuesday's Lecture in London to be kept by six Ministers at Pinner's-Hall allowing them 20 s. a piece each Sermon of whom they chose me to be one But when I had Preached there but four Sermons I found the Independents so quarrelsome with what I said that all the City did ring of their back-bitings and false Accusations So that had I but preached for Unity and against Division or unnecessary with-drawing from each other or against unwarrantable narrowing of Christ's Church it was cryed abroad that I preached against the Independents especially if I did but say That Man's Will had a Natural Liberty though a Moral Thraldom to Vice and that Men might have Christ and Life if they were truly willing though Grace must make them willing and that Men have power to do better than they do It was cryed abroad among all the Party that I Preached up Arminianism and Free-Will and Man's Power and O! what an odious Crime was this § 228. Ianuary 24. 1672 3. I began a Friday-Lecture at Mr. Turner's Church in New-street near Fetter-Lane with great Convenience and God's encouraging Blessing but I never took a penny of Money for it of any one And on the Lord's Days I had no Congregation to preach to but occasionally to any that desire me being unwilling to set up a Church and become the Pastor of any or take Maintenance in this distracted and unsettled way unless further Changes shall manifest it to be my Duty Nor did I ever yet give the Sacrament to any one Person but to my old Flock at Kiderminster I see it offendeth the Conformists and hath many other Present Inconveniencies while we have any hope of Restoration and Concord from the Parliament § 229. About this time Cornet-Castle in Iersey was by Lightning strangely torn to pieces and blown up which was attended with many notable Accidents an account whereof was published 230. The Parliament met again in February and voted down the King's Declaration as illegal And the King promised them that it should not be brought into President And thereupon they consulted of a Bill for the ease of Nonconformists or Dissenters and many of them highly professed their resolution to carry it on But when they had granted the Tax they turned it off and left it undone destroying our shelter of the King's Declaration and so leaving us to the Storm of all their severe Laws which some Country Justices rigorously executed but the most forbore § 231. On February 20. I took my House in Bloomsbury in in London and removed thither after Easter with my Family God having mercifully given me three years great Peace among quiet Neighbours at Totteridge and much more Health or Ease than I expected and some opportunity to serve him § 132. The Parliament sat again and talked as if they would have united us by abatement of some of their Impositions But when they had voted down the King's Declaration of Toleration as Illegal and he had promised them that it should never be drawn into a Precedent and that they had granted a large Tax they frustrated the hopes they had raised in some Credulous Men and left all as they found it § 133. Many impudent railing lying Books were published against the Nonconformists about this time Sam. Parker Printed one against Mr. Marvell and therein tells the World what wicked intolerable Persons we are to keep up Divisions in the Church about things which we our selves confess to be lawful and that at Worcester-House before the King as he was told we professed that there was nothing in the Liturgy which we took to be unlawful but that we pleaded only for tenderness or forbearance towards others Whereas 1. There was no mention of any such thing as Worcester-House or before the King 2. Our Business before the King at Worcester-House was to have the King's Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs read and both Parties to say what they had against it and then the King to tell what he would have pass in the draught And the Lord Chancellor Hide had by mistake put something of that which Pâ—rker mentioneth in the first Draught which was privately shewed us by him and we had told him that he mistook us we had never said any such thing We had indeed said that the Work which we were called to was not to tell how much we our selves thought to be Lawful or Unlawful in the Government Worship and Ceremonies but what was the necessary means of uniting all his Majesty's Protestant Subjects who yet were not of the same Apprehension about each Ceremony among themselves Whereupon the Lord Chancellor had blotted out that passage which said They were glad to find us approving of the Liturgy c. and only put in of a Liturgy as is yet to be seen in the Declaration Published and in the first Draught of it which I have a Copy of And it was after at the Savoy where the Liturgy was treated of where 1. We gave in those Exceptions against many things in the Liturgy which were Printed And among others against divers Untruths as when divers Weeks after Christ's Nativity-day Eastâ— Whitsunday it was to be said in the Collects that On that Day Christ was born rose the Holy-Ghost came down c. 2. We disputed many days against an Imposition of the Liturgy as Sinful 3. Being demanded by Bishop Cousins in the Chair by a Writing as from some great one as he spake that we should give in an Enumeration of what we took to be flat Sins in the Liturgy as distinct from meer Inconveniences I brought in ten Particulars the next Morning of which my Brethren put out two meerly for fear of angering them and the other eight we presented to them and never had a word of Answer but an angry rebuke for offering to charge a whole Church with Sin as they spake yet doth this Man tell the World that we professed our selves to take it to be all
their Lawful Pastors to prevent all ill Effects 6. And for the Minister himself to repeat his Sermon or Catechize or Instruct his People that will come to him And is this the intolerable Evil worthy to be avoided at the rate of all our Calamities Are all our Divisions better than the enduring of this If any Limitations necessary had been omitted I might have expected to have found them named which I do not But 1. No Man's denial can make us ignorant of it that too great a Part of the People in most places know not what Baptism Christianity or the Catechism are and many hundred thousands cannot Read 2. And that few Ministers so personally instruct them as their need requireth nor can do for so many or by their Instruction they have not cured them 3. That to go to their Neighbours on the Lord's Day to hear again the Sermon which they had forgotten and to Praise God and hear the Scripture or a good Book that is Licens'd read hath done great good to many Souls 4. That otherwise such Ignorant Persons as we speak of except at Church-time cannot spend the Lord's Day to any Edification of themselves or Families 5. Men are not hinder'd from Feasting Drinking Playing together frequently and in greater Numbers Why then by Bishops from reading the Scripture or a Licens'd Book or Sermon 6. That God hath Commanded Provoke one another to Love and to good works And exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 10. 24. and 3. 13. And Cornelius had his Friends with him in his House for God's Servics Acts 10. and Acts 12. 12. In Mary's House many were gathered together praying And we find not that even the Iews were ever forbidden it by the Pharisees themselves And he that seeth his Brother have bodily need and shutteth up the Bowels of his Compassion from him how dwelleth the Love of God in him And the need of Souls is more common and to be Compassionated Rules may Regulate Charity in both cases but may forbid it or the necessary Exercises of it in neither He shall Perish as guilty of Murder that lets the Poor Die for want of his Relief tho he be forbidden to relieve them unless when the hurt would be greater than the good Love and Mercy are too great duties for a Bishop to null or dispense with We put no private Man on Ministerial Actions but in his own place to shew mercy to Souls To say that on this pretence Schismatical Meetings will be held is no more to the people than to say that all Errours and Wickedness may be kept up by Pretences of Reason Truth Piety Scripture Honesty c. But we must not therefore say Away with Reason Truth c. But I hope God's Servants will Die rather than desert their Master's Work 4. Prop. 1. The greatest part of it once a Quarter of Reading the Liturgy by Lectures Strict i Why not all as well as the greatest part Why not always as well as once a Quarter Answ. 1. I know that here and there a word may be scrupled as the reading of Bell and the Dragon or such like which silently past by maketh no disturbance And I think the Scrupling of such a word deserveth not that all the Peoples Souls be Punished for it with the loss of all their Teachers Labours 2. I never hear one Conformist that saith it all And why may not one be forborn as well as another 3. All the Liturgy for the day will be work too long and great that weak Men that have no Curates cannot Read all and Preach or Catechize also If you say that Preaching and Catechizing then may be omitted I answer They are God's Ordinances and needful to Men's Souls And seeing Prayer and Preaching are both Duties proportion is to be observed that neither may be shut out If you account the Liturgy better than Preaching yet every parcel of it intirely is not sure of so great worth as to cast out Preaching for it Rich parsons that have Curates may between them do both but so cannot poor Countrey Ministers that are alone and are sickly And as to the Always 1. The Canon limiteth some but to once in half a year which is less 2. The Conformable City-Preachers that have Curates very rarely Read it 3. Else what should Men do with Curates if they must always Read themselves 4. A weak Man may do both once a Quarter that is not able to do it every day 4. Prop. 2. It is supposed it will be done Strict k Yes once a Quarter for you would have no Man obliged to do it oftner nor all of it then neither Answ. Read and believe as you can The words were If in the Congregation where he is Incumbent the greatest part of it appointed for that time be sometimes as once a Quarter used by himself and every Lord's-day ordinarily unless Sickness c. either by himself or by his Curate or Assistant Is every Lord's-day but once a Quarter Or can it be every day done and no one obliged to do it 4. Prop. 3. Let not Christian Parents be forbidden to dedicate their Children publickly c. Strict l Christian Parents are not forbidden to present their Children to be Baptized But the Church in favour to the Infants appoints others in case the Parents should die or neglect their duty to have a Paternal care of them in order to their Education for the performance of their Baptismal Covenant That which follows is not worth the Animadverting being nothing else but an Uncharitable and Scandalous Insinuation Ans. 1. Read and believe what is forbidden Then shall the Priest speak to the Godfathers and Godmothers on this wise Dearly Beloved This Infant must also faithfully promise by you that are his Sureties That he will renounce the Devil c. I demand therefore Dost thou in the name of this Child renounce c. The Godfathers and Godmothers must say I renounce them all Dost thou believe c. Answ. All this I stedfastly believe Quest. Wilt thou be Baptized in this Faith Answ. That is my desire Q. Wilt thou obediently keep c. Answ. I will They are after to Name the Child After the Priest shall say to the Godfathers and Godmothers For asmuch as this Child hath promised by you that are his Sureties to renounce to believe in God and to serve him It is your parts and duties to see that this Infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a Solemn Vow Promise and Profession he hath here made by you c. See the rest So that here All the Covenanting Action on the Infant 's part is made the proper work of his Sureties called Godfathers and Godmothers without one word of the Parents doing it or any part of it And then cometh the Canon and farther saith Can. 29. No Parent shall be urged to be present nor be
it exposeth the Magistrate to the reproach or Contempt of the Subjects and so shaketh the very frame of the Kingdom or Government The Magistrate's honour for the good of the Kingdom is more necessary than his Dishonour and shame can be to the Order of that particular Church 2. And a suspending of the Pastor's Act of delivering him the Sacrament with an humble admonition may better attain the Lawful end 3. Christ himself hath oft taught us this Exposition of his Law When he did eat with Publicans and sinners he preferred their repentance before the positive Order of not being familiar with such as being never intended in such a Case When the Disciples pluck't the Ears of Corn and himself cured the sick on the Sabbath day he proveth that the positive Law of Rest was intended to give place to the Moral Law of Necessity and Charity and proveth it by the instance of David and the Officiating Priests and twice sendeth the contrary minded Pharisees to learn what that meaneth I will have mercy a Natural Duty and not at that time sacrifice a positive institution And they that will pretend a positive Law of Order for a Congregation to the dishonouring of Kings and Iudges and Magistrates and making them contemptible and so unable to govern do Pharisaically set up Positives against natural moral Duties By which means Popes and Patriarchs and other Prelates have wronged Princes and troubled the world too much already Do you no better justifie the Common slander how much the Non-conformists are against the honour of Magistrates in comparison of the Church of England I know some Non-conformists think as you but others do not See the old Non-conformists judgment against excommunicating Kings in a Latin Treat De vera Genuina Christ. Relig. Authore Ministro Anglo An. 1618. pag. 280. 4. Moreover the execution of the sentence of Excommunication on Princes and Rulers will less consist with the honour that is due to them than the sentence it self For to avoid them that they may be ashamed to turn away from not to be familiar with them to keep them out of the Church at all God's special Church-worship are things that we cannot do without neglect of much of our duty to them We must attend them and obey them with honour I know a General Council hath forbidden Bishops to carry themselves with Lowliness at the tables and in the presence of Princes and great men And I know that some think that Excommunicate Princes have forfeited their honour and it is lawful to dishonour them yea and all wicked Princes who deserve Excommunication and I know Mr. Hooker in his Eccles. Polit. saith that it is supposed that a Prince that is the Head of a Christian Church be himself a Christian But all these are Errours tending to the subversion of Order and Government And the Higher Powers whom God's Spirit commandeth us to honour and be subject to were Nero and the Roman Senate and other Enemies of Christianity even Idolatrous Heathens And if these must be honoured much more a Christian King or Judge who were he a private man might deserve an Excommunication At least I hope that the Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo shall not be issued out against the King or his Judges though the Canon 65. command that every six months in Cathedrals and Parish-Churches the Excommunications be declared of those that obstinately refuse to frequent the Divine Service established by publick Authority and those especially of the better sort and Condition who for notorious contumacy or other notable Crimes stand Excommunicate c. Though the Better sort are singled out especially for the sentence and shame yet if it should be Judges and Sheriff who shall Judge and apprehend them Prop. id Not silence suspend c. Arbitrary but by a known Law Strict No Bishops do or can do so Neither is there any Law or Canon to that purpose that I know of Answ. I am loth to Name Iustances lest it provoke Mr. Potter is dead Dr. Willes of Kingsion now Chaplain to the King they say I am sure hath complained much of his suspension at Shadwell I remember Bishop Reighnolds was so sensible of the necessity of this Provision that at the Savoy Treaty he was most earnest to have it inserted and insisted on It may be it is Minister's ignorance in the Law that maketh them when suspended not know where to seek for a remedy unless in vain or to their undoing Postscript If Sacraments were left free c. It would take in the Independents c. Strict If Independents may be taken in by us now why did not you take them in when you were in power but preach and write so much as you did against Toleration of them But you that would have us dispense to all things now would your selves dispense with nothing then Answ. It 's pity that matters of publick fact should be so much unknown and that when such inference follow 1. I was never in power Nay my Lot never fell out to be of any side that was Vppermost in Church matters nor in State-Usurped power but I always was of the under side 2. It was the Toleration of all Sects unlimitedly that I wrote and preacht against and not that I remember of meer Independents 3. Those that did oppose the Toleration of Independents of my acquaintance did not deny them the liberty of Independency but opposed separation or their Gathering other Churches out of Parish-Churches that had faithful Ministers If they would have taken Parish-Churches on Independent Principles without separation neither I nor my aquaintance did oppose them no nor their Endeavours to reform such Churches 4. The Case greatly differed For an Independent to refuse Parish-Churches when no Ceremony no Liturgie no Oath or Subscription is required of him which he scrupleth is not like his refusing Oaths Subscriptions Liturgie Ceremonies c. 5. But in a Word Grant us but as much and take us but in as we granted to and took in the Independents and we are content Make this agreement and all is ended we desire no more of you We never denyed the Independents the liberty of preaching Lectures as often as they would Nor yet the liberty of taking Parish-Churches They commonly had Presentations and the publick Maintenance And no Subscription Declaration Liturgie or Ceremony was imposed on them Again I say I ask you no more Liberty than was given the Independents by their brethren called Presbyterians Let your Grant now agree but with your intimations 6. And how then say you we would dispence with nothing For my part and those of my mind we never imposed nor endeavoured to impose any thing on any man as necessary to Ordination Ministry or Communion but The owning of the Scripture Generally and the Creeds Lord's Prayer and Decalogue and Sacraments particularly with that measure of understanding them and ability to teach them which is necessary to a Minister and fidelity therein
one Mind in every word circumstance ceremony and mode of Worship and Discipline upon Christian conscientious terms Either they must absolutely believe as the Rulers bid them or not If yea then most Turks Heathens Papists are in the right that be of the Religion of their Rulers If not some bounds and Rules must shew them the difference how far Obedience is to be given And the Subjects must be the Discerners whether the Case falls under those Qualificationt or not As e. g. whether it be Sin against God And when all the Men and Women in a Kingdom have a Multitude of Words circumstances and ceremonies and modes to try by such Rules they will never be of one Mind about them who would be of one Mind in a few plain things And then you come and make their Disobedience to be one of the greatest Crimes deserving Excommunication Imprisonment and ruin so that you make such a National Church to be a trap for Men's undoing and Damnation 5. As for what you say of the Foreign Churches their Country-men say that it is not all one to impose the necessary Discharge of Men's plain undeniable Duty and to impose the Humane Work which you can describe But I am a stranger to them and am bound to receive nothing against another till I hear both Parties speak nor am I concerned in the Case as not being bound to justifie them any more than you If it be as you say no wonder if they have the distractions and calamities and Divisions which render them the objects of compassion The Serpent that beguiled Eve hath long ago tempted almost all the Churches from the Ancient Christian Simplicity in Doctrine Discipline and Worship which is the only way of common Concord 6. But yet besides the Catholick Church we hold particular Churches being Christian Assemblies to be of Christ's Institution And it is impossible there to worship God without the determination of many Circumstances and Modes Some Translation some Metre of Psalms some Tune some Time and Place some Pastor some Utensils must be chosen And he that will herein depart from the Common chosen Circumstance departeth therein himself from their Communion But yet such may serve God acceptably in another Assembly and may live in Christian Love and Peace though they Sing not in the same Tune or Gesture or use nor every Ceremony alike And this is nothing to the making of new Symbols Oaths Subscriptions or other things not necessary in genere and that by the Officers of National Humane Church and this not only to be done and quietly born but approved Your Way is the most proper Engine to tear in pieces all the Churches in the World or reduce them to a Spanish Humane Obedience For if a particular Parish-Church did not so much as tye Men to a Ceremony but mere Determinations which must some way be made If the Priest stood at the Church door and said You shall not enter unless you will Subscribe or Say or Swear that we are infallible in all that we do or that there is no Sin no Fault nothing contrary to God's Will and Word nothing but what you Assent and Consent to in all our Translations of Scripture in all our Versions Tunes Words Gestures Circumstances I would never enter into that Church though I will gladly and peaceably joyn with them if they will let me alone without such Obligations to justifie all they do One would think this should have been past Controversie before this day among the Prudent Pastors of the Churches Strict Still supposing that neither they nor we require any thing that may not be submitted to without sin Answ. Upon that Supposition we have no Controversie with you Then what need any of this adoe But who shall be the Judge If you must and that absolutely then it is all one to us whether it be sin or no sin for to us it will be none if we do as you bid us But then why do Protestants condemn Papists who do as they are bidden And why do our Articles condemn them that say All Men may be saved in the Religion they are bred in when they all do as they are bidden even they that defie Christ. But if you hold not to this what shall we do Are we our selves the discerning Judges Then we protest before God and Men that we take the things that we deny Conformity to to be sins and very heinous sins and very far from things indifferent If you say that we must obey you till we are past doubt and certain that 't is sin I Answer 1. It 's too few things that Man's Understanding reacheth to a certainty in What if I verily think that I see reason to take that which a Bishop or Church Commanded to be Blasphemy Perjury Treason Murder Heresie c. but I am not certain and past doubt Must I then do it Then a Man that can be but sufficiently ignorant or doubtful may stick at no Commanded Wickedness Some other Rule therefore than this must be found out If you say That we have no reason to take any thing commanded for sin and you think you confute all our Objections I Answer 1. So all Imposers think or most And so we are as confident that our Reason is good and that we see the gross Errors of your Answers And all this is but to say that no Man is to be Tolerated in your Church that is not in every thing in the Right and that in your Judgments Suppose you were Infallible so are not all the Subjects And if their Reason be bad and yours good all that is no more than to say That They Err or are Mistaken And if no Man shall be Tolerated with you that Erreth and that in as great a Matter as a Circumstance or Ceremony no two Men in the World must hold Communion on such Terms I am confident I study as hard as you I am confident I am as impartial and willing to know the Truth I have far less than you to tempt me to the contrary And yet I verily think Conformity to me would be a heinous Sin Nay I am past doubt of it if that will serve Give us but leave to publish our Reasons freely and you shall see whether we have any Reason But if yet I be mistaken Shall your National-Church have never a Member Tolerated that is as ignorant and bad as I Hold to that and try the Issue whether your Church will be as numerous as you are Strict And Churches abroad both have been and will be our Compurgators and I wish the Presbyterians of England and Scotland would be content to stand to the Judgment of all the Tresbyterian Churches abroad whether they may not without sin conform to all that by our Church is required of them Nay whether they can refuse to Conform without sin Ans. Content I and all of my mind profess that we will accept your offer But we wish as sincerely that you
Stomach and extream Acrimony of Blood by some Fault of the Liver About the Year 1658. finding the Inflation much in the Membranes of the Reins I suspected the Stone and thought that one of my extream Leanness might possibly feel it I felt both my Kidnies plainly indurate like Stone But never having had a Nephritick Fit nor Stone came from me in my Life and knowing that if that which I felt was Stone the Greatness prohibited all Medicine that tended to a Cure I thought therefore that it was best for me to be ignorant what it was And so far was I from melancholy that I soon forgot that I had felt it even for about Fifteen Years But my Inflations beginning usually in my Reins and all my Back daily torn and greatly pained by it 1673. it turned to terrible Suffocations of my Brain and Lungs So that if I slept I was suddenly and painfully awakened The Abatement of Urine and constant Pain which Nature almost yielded to as Victorious renewed my Suspicion of the Stone And my Old Exploration And feeling my Lean Back both the Kidneys were greatlier indurate than before and the Membrane so sore to touch as if nothing but Stone were within them The Physicians said That the Stone cannot be felt with the Hand I desired Four of the Chief of them to feel them They all concluded that it is the Kidneys which they felt and that they are hard like Stone or Bone but what it is they could not tell but they thought if both the Kidneys had Stones so big as seemed to such feeling it was impossible but I should be much worse by Vomiting and Torment and not able to Preach and go about I told them besides what Skenkius and many Observators say That I could tell them of many of late times whose Reins and Gall were full of Stone great ones in the Reins and many small ones in the Gall who had some of them never suspected the Stone and some but little But while One or Two of the Physicians as they use did say It could not be lest they should as they thought discourage me I became the Common Talk of the City especially the Women as if I had been a melancholy Humourist that conceited my Reins were petrified when it was no such matter but meer Conceit And so while I lay Night and Day in Pain my supposed Melancholy which I thank God all my Life hath been extraordinary free from became for a Year the Pity or Derision of the Town But the Discovery of my Case was a great mercy to my Body and my Soul For 1. Thereupon seeing that all Physicians had been deceived and perceiving that all my Flatulency and Pains came from the Reins by Stagnation Regurgitation and Acrimony I cast off all other Medicine and Diet and Twice a Week kept clean my Intestines by an Electuary of Cassia Terebinth Cypr. and Rhab. c. or Pills of Rhab. and Terebinth Scio. Using also Syrup of Mallows in all my Drink and God hath given me much more Abatements and Intermissions of Pain this Year and half than in my former overwhelming Pains I could expect 2. And whether it be a Schyrrus or Stones which I doubt not of I leave to them to tell others who shall dissect my Corps But sure I am that I have wonderful Cause of Thankfulness to God for the Ease which I have had these Forty Years Being fully satisfied that by ill Diet Old Cheese Raw Drinks and Salt Meats whatever it is I contracted it before Twenty Years of Age and since Twenty One or Twenty Two have had just the same Symptoms as now at Sixty saving the different strength of Nature to resist And that I should in Forty Years have few hours without pain to call me to redeem my Time and yet not one Nephritick Torment nor Acrimony of Urine save One Day of Bloody Urine nor intolerable kind of Pain What greater Bodily Mercy could I have had How merciful how suitable hath this Providence been My Pains now in Reins Bowels and Stomach c. are almost constant but with merciful Alleviations upon the foresaid means § 312. As I have written this to mind Physicians to search deeper when they use to take up with the General Hiding Names of Hypochondriacks and Scorbuticks and to caution Students so I now proceed to that which occasioned it I had tried Cow's Milk Goats Milk Breast Milk and lastly Asses Milk and none of them agreed with me But having Thirty Years ago read in many great Practitioners That for Bloody Vrine and meer Debility of the Reins Sheeps Milk doth Wonders see Gordonius Forestus Schoubo c. I had long a desire to try it and never had Opportunity But as I was saying this to my Friend a Child answered That their next Neighbour a Quaker did still milk their Sheep a Quarter of a Year after the usual time or near Whereupon I procured it for six Weeks to the greatest increase of my Ease Strength and Flesh of any thing that ever I had tried 2. And at the same time being driven from Home and having an Old License of the Bishop's yet in Force by the Countenance of that and the great industry of Mr. Berisford I had Leave and Invitation for Ten Lord's Days to Preach in the Parish-Churches round about The first Parish that I Preach'd in after Thirteen Years Ejection and Prohibition was Rickmersworth and after that at Sarrat at Kings Langley at Chessam at Chalford and at Amersham and that often Twice a Day Those heard that had not come to Church of Seven Years and Two or Three Thousand heard where scarce an Hundred were wont to come and with so much Attention and Willingness as gave me very great Hopes that I never spake to them in vain And thus Soul and Body had these special Mercies § 313. But the Censures of Men pursued me as before The Envious Sort of the Prelatists accused me as if I had intruded into the Parish-Churches too boldly and without Authority The Quarrelsome Sectaries or Separatists did in London speak against me for drawing People to the parish-Parish-Churches and the Liturgy and many gave out That I did Conform And all my Days nothing hath been charged on me so much as my Crimes as my costliest and greatest Duties But the pleasing of God and saving Souls will pay for all § 314. The Countries about Rickmersworth abounding with Quakers because Mr. W. Pen their Captain dwelleth there I was desirous that the Poor People should Once hear what was to be said for their Recovery Which coming to Mr. Pen's Ears he was forward to a Meeting where we continued speaking to Two Rooms full of People Fasting from Ten a Clock till-Five One Lord and Two Knights and Four Conformable Ministers besides others being present some all the Time and some part The Success gave me Cause to believe that it was not labour lost An Account of the Conference may be published ere
Mother the old Lady 〈◊〉 died at my Father's House between Eighty and One Hundred years old And my Mother-in-Law died at Ninety six of a Cancer in 〈…〉 having lived from her youth in the greatest Mortification 〈◊〉 to her Body and 〈…〉 of Prayer and all Devotion of any one that ever I knew In the hatred of all sin strictness of Universal obedience and for Thirty years longing to be with Christ In constant daily acquired infirmity of body got by avoiding all Exercise and long secret prayer in the coldest Seasons and such like but of a constitution naturally strong afraid of recovering when ever she was ill For some days before her death she was so taken with the Ninty first Psalm that she would get those that came near her to read it to her over and over which Psalm also was a great means of Comfort to Old Beza even against his Death § 68. Soon after dyed Iane Matthews aged Seventy six My House-keeper fourteen years though mean of quality very eminent in Kiderminster and the parts about for Wisdom Piety and a holy Sober Righteous Exemplary Life And many of my Old Hearers and Flock at Kiderminster dyed not long before Among whom a mean Freeholder Iames Butcher of Wanmerton hath left few equal to him for all that seemeth to approach perfection in a plain Man O how many holy Souls are gone to Christ out of that one Parish of Kiderminster in a few years and yet the Number seemeth to increase § 69. The Book which I published called The Poor Man's Family Book was so well accepted that I found it a useful work of Charity to give many of them with the Call to the Vnconverted abroad in many Countries where neither I nor such others had leave to Preach and many Hundreds since with good success § 70. The times were so bad for selling Books that I was fain to be my self at the charge of Printing my Methodus Theologiae some friends contributed about Eighty pounds towards it It cost me one way or other about Five hundred pounds About Two hundred and fifty pounds I received from those Non-conformists that bought them The Contrary party set themselves to hinder the sale of it because it was mine tho' else the Doctrine of it being half Philosophical and half Conciliatory would have pleased the Learned part of them But most lay it by as too hard for them as over Scholastical and exact I wrote it and my English Christian Directory to make up one Compleat Body of Theology The Latin one the Theory and the English one the Practical part And the latter is commonly accepted because less difficult § 71. My short piece against Popery called The Certainty of Christianity without Popery proved of use against Infidels as well as Papists But most deceived men will not be at the labour to study any thing that is distinct and exact but take up with the first appearances of things § 72. The Miserable State of Youngmen in London was a great trouble to my mind Especially Rich men's Sons and Servants Merchants and Lawyers Apprentices and Clarks carried away by the flesh to drinking Gluttony Plays Gaming Whoring Robbing their Masters c. I wrote therefore a smal Tractate for such called Compassionate Counsel to Young men Sir Robert Atkins contributed towards the charge of Printing it and I gave of them in City and Country One thousand five hundred besides what the Bookseller sold But few will read it that most need § 73. About this time dyed my dear friend Mr. Thomas Gouge of whose Life you may see a little in Mr. Clark's last book of Lives A wonder of sincere industrie in works of Charity It would make a Volume to recite at large the Charity he used to his poor Parishioners at Sepulchres before he was Ejected and Silenced for Non-conformity His Conjunction with Alderman Ashurst and some such others in a weekly Meeting to take account of the honest poor samilles in the City that were in great want he being the Treasures and Visiter his voluntary Catechizing the Christ's Church boyes when he might not preach The many thousand Bibles Printed in Welsh that he dispersed in Wales The Practice of Piety The Whole Duty of Man My Call and many thousands of his own Writing given freely all over Wales his setting up about Three hundred or Four hundred Schools in Wales to teach Children only to read and the Catechise his industry to beg money for all this besides most of his own Estate laid out on it His Travels over Wales once or twice a year to visite his Schools and see to the Execution This was true Episcopacy of a silenced Minister who yet went constantly to the Parish Churches and was authorized by an old University License to Preach occasionally and yet for so doing was Excommunicate even in Wales while he was doing all this good He served God thus to a healthful age Seventy four or seventy six I never saw him sad but always chearful About a fort-night before he dyed he told me that sometime in the night some small trouble came to his heart he knew not what And without sickness or pain or fear of death they heard him in his sleep give a groan and he was dead O how holy and blessed a Life and how easie a Death § 74. Finding the Success of my Family Dialogue I wrote a second part 1681 and 1682 called The Catechising of Housholds teaching Housholders how to instruct their Families Expounding First the Law of Nature Secondly The Evidence of the Gospel Thirdly the Creed Fourthly the Lord's Prayer Fifthly the Commandments Sixthly the Ministry Seventhly Baptism Eighthly the Lord's Supper It is suited to those that are Past the common little Catechism And I think these two Family-books to be of the greatest Common use of any that I have published If Houshoulders would but do their parts in reading good books to their Houshoulds it might be a great Supply where the Ministry is defective and no Ministry will serve sufficiently without Men's own Endeavours for themselves and families § 75. Having been for retirement in the Countrey from Iuly till August 14. 1682 returning in great weakness I was able only to Preach twice of which the last was in my usual Lecture in New-street and it fell out to be August 24. just that day twenty year that I and near Two thousand more had been by Law forbidden to Preach any more I was sensible of God's wonderful mercy that had kept so many of us Twenty years in so much Liberty and Peace while so many severe Laws were in force against us and so great a number were round about us who wanted neither malice nor power to afflict us And so I took that day my leave of the Pulpit and publick Work in a thankful Congregation And it is like indeed to be my last § 76. But after this when I had ceased Preaching I was being newly risen from Extremity of
years importuned me to let him Print it 1. The sharp execution of the Law had then brought Multitudes into Prison and Poverty 2. Nonconformists both Presbyterians and Independents had taken the Corporation Oath and Declaration and Communicated in the Parish Churches for to make them capable of Trust and Office in the City And because it seâ—m'd to tend to their protection and advantage we heard of no noise made against them by the Independents but they admitted them as their Members to their Communion as before I was against their taking the Declaration but not against their Communicating but I medled not with them At last when the Earl of Shaftsbury was broken and gone and the City Power and Common Council subdued to the will of the King the foresaid Communion in publick was more freely blamed by the Independents and Anabaptists and some few hot Scots Men. And the private Church Meetings were so much supprest and the prisons so full that my Conscience began to tell me that I should be guilty of injuring the truth the Church and the Souls and Bodily welfare of my brethren if I should by silence harden them against publick worship Specially the Case of the Countrey moved me wherein a great part of the Kingdom scarce two hundred men in a whole Country can have the liberty of any true Church Worship besides Parochial I remembred the Case of the Old Nonconformists against the Brownists and the Writings of Mr. I. Ball Paget Hildersham Bradshaw Gifford Brightman Ames c. I could not but remember what work the separating party had made in England and Scotland in my days from 1644. till 1660 against Government Religion and Concord I saw what I long foresaw each extreme party growing more extreme and going further still from one another And so great a Change is grown on London that the Terms which we offered the Bishops for Concord 1660 are now abhorred as Antichristian I saw multitudes like to be Imprisoned and Ruined for refusing their Duty as if it were sin and disgracing Religion by fathering these Errours on it The Conformists seeing the Errour of the Separatists derided them all and were confirmed in the Justification of all their Conformity thinking that it was but a just differing from a crazed Company of Fanaticks Those that imprisoned and ruined both them and the rest of the Nonconformists thought they did God service by it against an unruly sort of Men The Common people were made believe that this was the true Complexion of all the Dissenters from whatever the Law Commanded The distance growing wider and great sufferings increasing hard thoughts of those by whom Men suffered all real Love did seem to be almost utterly destroyed and Neighbours dwelt together like unplacable Enemies And worst of all Men were frightened to think that they must rather give over all Church Worship than they must Communicate with the best Ministry in the Parish Churches and so the main body of the Land would live like Atheists who can have no other Church-Worship but the Parochial For the Nonconformists Churches were in almost all Countries so suppressed that no considerable Numbers could enjoy them And by this means the Papists were like to have their Wills The Protestants must be told that Recusancy is all their Duties And going to the Publick Churches a sin And who can for shame drive Papists to sin And if thus they could draw all Protestants to forsake the said Churches they would like a deserted City and Garrison'd Fort be open and ready for their possession And while the Papists and Malignants are studying how to cast out all the Godly Conforming Ministers that the Ductile remainder might be prepared for Popery the separating part of the Independents and Anabaptists and some few hot Scotch Presbyterians go before them and tell all the People that it is unlawful to hear them and to own them as Ministers or Churches and to have Communion with them in the Liturgy or Sacraments Even when the rigour of Prosecutors hath brought it to that pass that they must have such or none as to Church worship Seeing so many in prison for this Error to the dishonour of God and so many more like to be ruin'd by it and the separating party by the temptation of suffering had so far prevailed with the most strict and zealous Christians that a great Number were of their mind and the Non-conformable Ministers whose Judgment was against this separation durst not publish their dislike of it partly because of sharp and bitter Censures of the Separatists and who took them for Apostates or Carnal Temporizers that communicated in publick and partly for fear of Encouraging Persecution against the Separatists and partly for fear of losing all opportunity of teaching them and some that had no hope of any other friends or maintenance or Auditors thought they might be silent On all these accounts I that had no gathered Church nor lived on the Contribution of any such and was going out of the world in pain and Languor did think that I was fittest to bear men's Censures and to take that reproach on my self which my brethren were less fit to bear who might live for farther Service And at the Importunity of the Bookseller I consented to publish the Reasons of my Communicating in the Parish-Churches and against Separation Which when it was coming out a Manuscript of Dr. Owen's who was lately dead containing Twelve Arguments against such joyning with the Liturgie and publick Churches was sent me as that which had satisfyed Multitude I thought that if this were unanswered my labour would be much lost because that party would still say Dr. Owen's Twelve Arguments confuted all Whereupon I hastily answered them but found after that it had been more prudent to have omitted his Name For on that account a swarm of revilers in the City poured out their keenest Censures and three or four wrote against me whom I answered I will not name the men that are known and two of them are yet unknown But they went on several Prineiples some Charged all Communion with the Liturgie with Idolatry Antichristianity and perjury and backsliding One concealed his Judgment and quarrel'd at by-words And another turned my Treatise of Episcopacy against me and said it fully proved the Duty of Separation I was glad that hereby I was called to explain that Treatise lest it should do hurt to mistakers when I am dead and that as in it I had said much against one extream I might leave my Testimony against the other I called all these writings together a Defence of Catholick Communion And that I might be Impartial I adjoyned two piece against Dr. Sherlock that ran quite into the contrary Extreames unchurching almost all Christians as Schismaticks I confess I wrote so sharply against him as must needs be liable to blame with those that know not the man and his former and latter Virulent and ignorant Writings § 81. About this time
enjoy what Success is such a Dispute like to have either with the People or with the Adversary will they not tell us our Church is invisible especially when these few Bishops are dead Except to Sect. 6. 2. Whether in this Worcestershire Association whosoever will enter into it doth not therein oblige himself to acknowledge that Presbyters while there remain alive fourteen or thirteen or twelve Catholick Protestant Bishops may proceed to publick Excommunications and Absolutions in foro Ecclesiastico without asking those Bishops Consent allowance or taking any notice of them See Resolution 12 13 14 15. and the Scope of the whole Book Reply to Sect. 6. To your second Question I answer The Term Excommunication we use not This Term is used to signify sometimes a delivering up to Satan and casting out of the Catholick Church sometimes only a Ministerial Declaration that such a Person should be avoided by the People acquainting them with their Duty and requiring them to perform it sometimes it signifies the Peoples actual Avoidance In the former Sense we have let it alone and that which you call your Excommunicatio Major we meddle not with much less do we usurp a compelling Power for the Execution The other we know to be consistent with the Principles of Episcopal Protestants if not also with Papists yea even when there is a Bishop resident in the Diocess it being but part of our teaching and guiding Office as Presbyters of that Congregation but I have said enough of this in my Explications already 2. But what if there be twelve latent Bishops in England when for my part I I hear not of above two or three have they Power not only to ordain but also to govern other Diocesses which have no Bishops Yea must they needs govern them 1. Woe then to the Churches of England that must live under such Guilt devoid of all Government 2. Woe to the Sinners themselves that must be left without Christ's Remedy 3. Woe to particular Christians that must live in the continual Breach of God's known Law that saith with such go not to eat c. for want of a Bishop to Execute it 4. Woe to the few Bishops that be for it all the Authority be in them then the Duty and Charge of executing it is only on them and then they are bound to Impossibilities one Bishop must Excommunicate all the Offenders in a great part of the Land when he is not sufficient to the hundredth part of the Work Then when all the Bishops in England are dead save one or two they are the sole Pastors of England and all Discipline must be cast away for want of their Sufficiency Then it seems the Death of one Bishop or two or three doth actually devolve their Charge to another and who knoweth which other This is new Canon Not only Protestant Bishops but some Papists confess that when a Bishop is dead the Government remains in the Presbyters till another be chosen sure they that govern the People at least with him whilst he is living as is confessed need not look on it as an alien supereminent transcendent Work when he is dead Bishop Bromhall against Mil. p. 127. gives People a Judgment of Discretion and Pastors a Judgment of Direction and to the chief Pastors a Judgment of Jurisdiction You may go well allow us by a Judgment of Direction to tell the People that they should avoid Communion with an open wicked Man even while a Bishop is over us Selden de Syne c. 8 9 10. and will tell you another Tale of the way of Antiquity in Excommunication and Absolution than you do hear But of this enough in the Books Except to Sect. 7. 3. Doth not he oblige himself also to acknowledge that not only Presbyters incommuni governing but one single one of them may proceed to Excommunicatiand Absolution in foro Ecclesiastico Reply to Sect. 7. Your third Question I answer by a Denial There is no such Obligation The Declaration of the Peoples Duty to avoid such an one is by one so is every Sermon so is your Episcopal Excommunication Doth not one and that a Presbyter declare or publish it But for advising and determining of it we have tyed our selves not to do it alone though for mine own private Opinion I doubt not easily to prove that one single Bishop or Pastor hath the Power of the Keys and may do all that we agree to do Except to Sect. 8. 4. That not only one single Presbyter but one whose Ordination was never by any Bishop to be Presbyter where also Bishops were that might have been sought unto hath that Power also of Excommunication c. Reply to Sect. 8. Your fourth is answered in the rest if his Ordination have only in the Judgment of Episcopal Protestants yea of some Papists an Irregularity but not a Nullity then he hath Power to do so much as we agree on Your Exception is as much against his other Ministrations Except to Sect. 9. I speak only of the Essence of their Association not insisting on what Mr. Baxter declares to the World that in some Cases the People not satisfied with the Bishops or Presbyters Ordination may accept or take a Man of themselves without any Ordination by Bishops or Presbyters to be their Pastor and Presbyter with Power of Excommunication and Absolution in himself alone without the People see p. 83. Reply to Sect. 9. That this may be done in some Cases I have lately disputed it with a learned Man of your Party and convinced him And methinks Nature should teach you if you were unordained but qualified by Gifts cast among the Indians that you should not let them perish for want of that publick constant teaching which is Ministerial or of Sacraments and Discipline only for want of Ordination that the Substance of Duty should not be thrown by for want of that Order which was instituted for its Preservation and not for its Destruction You dare scarce openly and plainly deny that Necessity warrants the Presbyters of the Reformed Churches to ordain And I doubt you allow it them then on no other grounds then what would warrant this that I am now pleading for Except to Sect. 10. And for any Votum or desire of Bishops Protest Bishops if they might have them or access unto them which was so oft the publick avowed Desire of the chiefest Reformers and Protestants beyond Sea much unlike the Spirit of our Presbyterians see what Mr. Baxter gives us to know p. 85. where comparing our present Bishops with a Leader in an Army he faith Nay it is hard trusting that Man again that hath betrayed us and the Church ibid. These have so apparently falsified their Trust that if we were fully resolved for Bishops yet we cannot submit to them for Ordination or Jurisdiction and then he proves it by Canon he thinks that the Presbyters now should not submit to the present Bishops by Canon Concilii Rbegien ut
Ordainer to do it where it will be needful to consider what is of Necessity to the Constitution of such Authority and what destroys it Before all which it would be necessary to know what the Ordainer's Work is and to what and how far his Power extends But this I am not now to meddle in That a Divine Ordination is of Necessity to the Ligitimation of our Calling in foro Dei I grant as also in foro Conscientiae Ministrantis That authoritative Ordination of Men is necessary Ordinis Gratiâ when it may be obtained and where God's Providence doth not make it naturally or morally impossible I also grant That Imposition of Hands with solemn Prayer is the most convenient manner and necessary for the Ordainer to use Necessitate Praecepti Medii ad bene esse Ordinationis I also grant That the Power of Ordaining is ordinarily only in the Hands of Christ's Ecclesiastical Ministers I acknowledge whether Bishops or Presbyters we now question not and that it is not divolved to any others but in Case of Necessity The Things then that I deny are that Imposition of Hands or present Prayer or the Presence of the Ordainer are of Necessity to our Office That the true just Authority of an Ecclesiastical Ordainer is of Necessity to the being of our Office And consequently that an uninterrupted Succession of Just Authoritative Ecclesiastical Ordination from the Apostles is of absolute necessity to the being of our Calling Nay that any Authoritative Human Ordination at all besides the Peoples meer Consent is of such absolute indispensable Necessity ad esse Officii all this I deny And my Opinion is that in Case of a failing of all Ecclesiastical Authoritative Ordination the Magistrates Ordination may suffice ad esse Officii And in case both fail the Peoples meer Acceptance Consent or Election may suffice supposing the Person meetly qualified And whether you will call this act of the People a Constitution or Ordination or not I am indifferent Certainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oft signifies the Constituting which is not an Act of Government or superior Authority But no Term hath so much need of Explication as the Word Office or Ministry which is the Terminus of Ordination An Office is a stated Power or Authority or Faculty with Duty of doing certain Works to certain Ends. The Ministerial Office of a Presbyter is to be differenced ab objecto a fine The Authority and the Duty in a lawful Officer go together Such a one only is in sensu primario proprio an Officer But he that is a Usurper or hath no lawful Call may yet both 1. Have all the Duty of that Office lying upon him and by his own Intrusion oblige himself to the Performance and yet want the true Authority for performing it seeing he came in without God's Call and there is no Power but of God 2. And he may have the Name of an Officer though given him but analogically or in sensu secundario ecclesiastico 3. And the Church may owe him that Respect and Observance due to a lawful Officer the Reason is because it is one thing to know who is a truly lawful Officer as in Matter of Membership I am bound to use many as true Christians even all that have the Profession of such who yet are not such So am I bound to take all those for lawful Officers that have the external Tokens of such seeing we cannot know any further though they be not such indeed 4. And all that Man 's Ministerial Actions are valid to the Church that doth her Duty in observing him and yet they are all null or unlawful and flat Sins to the Performer The Reason of the later is both because no Mna can lawfully do that which he hath no Authority given him for and because nemini ex proprio crimine debetur beneficium and Ergo his Usurpation cannot secure him The Reason of the former is because Duty and Benefit go together and therefore the Church that performeth but her Duty in taking those to be truly called Pastors that seem so to be having those Tokens which she is bound to judge by as probable must needs have the Benefit of his Ministry in their way of Duty for God requireth no Duty in vain As also because nemini debetur pâ—na ex aliena culpa qua talis est Now whether we shall dispute de necessitate ordinationis ad officium verum legitimum proprie primario sic dictum in foro Dei Or only as ad Officium analogicum secundario minus proprie in foro tantum ecclesiae sic dictum is to be considered How far your Sense will concur I know not but in respect of both these do I hold my former Negations Yet further before I either answer your Arguments or determine of the Sense of our Question it is very necessary that the end of our Enquiry be understood which in order must go before the means I take it for granted that you do not dispute this question as necessary to be determined in order to our Association before you can join with the present Ministry Or yet as necessary to the Determination of that further Question whether those are true Ministers that are not Ordained by Bishops and those true Organized Churches that have only such Ministers for if I thought this were your end 〈◊〉 would dispute many other Questions first before we came to this and try first whether you could prove that the Presbyterian Churches cannot produce a Succession of true Ordination on the same Grounds as the Episcopal for the main But I suppose your Ends are some other and in special those mentioned in your Paper I conjecture that I shall nearest approach your Sense if I state the Question thus Whether an Ordination by Ecclesiastical Men having just Authority thereto be in all Times and Cases since the Apostles of absolute Necessity to the very being of the Ministerial Office both coram Deo coram Ecclesiâ and consequently an uninterrupted Succession of such Ordination be of the same Necessity For if I should put the Question about Imposition of Hands or de modo aliquo ordinandi I know not but I might miss of your Sense on one Side and on the other if I should extend it to all Ordination whether by Magistrates or others Ad 1 um Your First Argument I suppose should be formed thus That which the English Bishops thought necessary to prove against the Papists that is necessary to be proved against them But the English Bishops thought it necessary against the Papists to prove the Non-interruption of their Succession in just Ordination Ergo Resp. 1. Concedo totum It was necessary to prove it against the Papists arguing ad Hominem because it is the way of fuller Conviction and Satisfaction when a Man can confute an Adversary on his own Grounds It will much shorten the Dispute when we shew them that though we should
separare se debet nec se ad sacrilegi sacerdotis Sacraficia miscere 4. If the Case may be so plain who the Person is that God would have as that there is no room for a Controversy about it then it may possibly be determined by the meer Light of the Law without a Judge But the Case may be so plain Ergo The Antecedent is proved thus When these things following visibly concur then the case is so plain 1. When the Person is visibly qualified with Abilities and Piety and a Righteous Conversation to Men. 2. When he hath a Will to it 3. When he hath Opportunity as having Liberty from secular Power Proximity a known Language Vacancy from other Engagements and Employments of more necessity c. 4. When the Peoples Hearts are moved towards him 5. And when there is no Competitor or none who equalleth him or not so many but that all may be chosen when these concur there is no controversy who should be the Man if you say there may be many such and who knows then which to choose I Answer 1. Congregations should have many Pastors ordinarily 2. Providence answereth that Objection for me It is exceeding hard to find half enough that are competent God hath not given his Church more than they need but contrarily there is need of many more than he hath given It is therefore all Mens Duties that have Ability and Opportunity to be Preachers if they be not taken up with Employments of greater use to the Church as Secular Rulers often are but they must seek an orderly admission where it is possible and not be their own Judges of their fitness where there are other Judges of God's appointment Christ bids us to pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth Labourers into the Harvest because the Harvest is great and the Labourers few It is visibly true in a great measure to this day what we must pray for that we must endeavour that the Labourers may in Number be proportioned to the Work and we are like to have use for that Prayer still 3. It is not always that there are too many so apparently fit And therefore at least when it is not so the determination of the Individual Person is easie 4. As the Bishops Determination of one among many is valid so is the Determination of others in case of Necessity The Law of Nature and well ordered Common-wealths doth require that every Ignorant Man that thinks himself Skilful should not play the Physician least he kill Men nor the School-master least he delude and corrupt them And therefore that there should be some able Men appointed to try and judge who are fit before they are admitted I think God's Law of Nature requireth this as evidently as the written Law requireth that none be Ministers without Ecclesiastical Ordination or Approbation and in case there be many of equal fitness all must be admitted except they be too many which is not seen there neither for Nature multiplieth not the most noble Parts as it doth the the Fingers or the Hairs c. And if there be too many the Judges must Determine who shall be the Man Yet the same Law of God in nature doth as evidently teach that if either the Tryers and Judges be all dead or gone or enviously resolve to approve of none but such as are Ignorant or Wicked that would Poyson and Kill the People it is Lawful and the indispensible Duty of such as are able to offer themselves for Practise to the People without the Judges Consent rather then the Pestilence should sweep them away for want of a Remedy And there hath scarce yet been sound such an Enemy to Mankind that would forbid such Men to save Mens Lives for want of Approbation Or if there were many at once in an Infected City that were thus able they would rather let all Practise that have opportunity or let the People go to whom they please then to forbid all under pretence of the difficulty of discerning the fittest As scarce any thing is more Inhumane against Nature then to prefer a Commission or other Formality or point of Order before Mens Lives and Common Good which is finis Reipublicae so it is yet more Inhumane as well as Unchristian and against the evident Law of Nature and the main scope of Christ's Merciful Doctrine and Example who often neglected Formalities to save Mens Lives and Souls though to the Displeasure of tâ—t is Pharises for a Man to prefer a Formality or point of Order before the Saving â—as Mens Souls and the publick Good and Safety of the Church but of this before 5. If in case of the want of a lawful Magistrate or of such as they may lawfully use for Judgments the People may determine of an individual Person whom God shall Authorize though Scripture Name no Individual of this Age then they may do so also in regard of the Ministry But the former is true Ergo 1. Else we should have no Magistrates in the World scarce but by violent instrusion which is worse than popular Election 2. 1 Cor. 6. 1 2 3 4 5. Paul would have the Corinthians to choose some of the Church of the Saints to judge between man and man concerning the things of this Life whereabout they were wont to go to Law before Heathen Judges This is plainly to the Office of a Magistrate at least quoad partem Iudicialem tho not quoad violentam executionem They were to choose a wise Man that should be able to judge between his Brethren verse 5. The consequence is grounded on this that the Scripture meddles no more with the Individuals for Magistracy then for Ministry nor gives ordinarily the power of choosing Soveraigns to the People in the Common-wealth then the Power of Ordaining Ministers to the People of a particular Church and the People may determine of one as well though not so easily as of the other but I spoke somewhat of this also before to another Point I have transgressed the limits of the part of a Respondent on this point 1. Because I know it is Light and not Formality of Proceeding that you expect though it be formality before Light and Safety that you plead for 2. Because I know that the whole stress of your Cause lyeth on this Point and I doubt not to say that if I answer you well in this one Argument which you make your Second I easily carry the whole Cause To what you add concerning Authority I confess that it is not the same thing with Fitness c. but I say it may be conveyed sine vicariis Episcopis 2. I deny that any Church-Guides are in point of Government vicarii Christi They are nearest it as Nuncii and so may Beseech and Require in Christ's Name and Stead but they are no more his vicarii then the Magistrate is of the Soveraign They are not Pro-reges nor do they represent his Person They have not
that it 's necessary Necessitate praecepti and if you will Necessitate medii if you speak not of absolute Necessity ad esse Ordinationis but a lower Necessity as of a mutable means and ad bene esse Do you think this is good arguing The Holy Ghost hath revealed it to be the Will of Christ that a Bishop must be blameless and having faithful Children and be not soon angry Tit. 1. 6 7. One that ruleth well his own House having his Children in subjection with all Gravity 1 Tim. 3. 4 5 6. Ergo It is essential to a Bishop to have faithful Children to be blameless not to be soon angry c. O what an Interruption then is made in the Succession or is this good arguing It is the Will of Christ that a Christian should not speak an Idle Word Ergo He that speaks an idle Word is not a Christian Next you suppose your self questioned How you know that it was Christ's Mind and Will that Imposition of Hands should be used in the Ordination of Ministers and you confess 1. That you have neither express nor implicite Command for it 2. But conclude that Christ's Mind may be otherwise known I confess I like this Passage worse than all the rest of your Writing 1. I can find both implicite and in a large sense explicite Commands for it in the Word of God 1 Tim. 5. 22. Heb. 6. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 14. at least an implicite that is unquestionably plain 2. If you had confessed as readily only this that there was no Word of God implicite or explicite to prove the Essentiality of Imposition of Hands to Ordination then I should have believed you But you will needs do more and do much to destroy the very Duty of Imposition while you are pleading it so essential so unhappy are extream Courses and so sure a way is overdoing to undoing Yet with me you give up the Cause of the supposed Essentiality in disclaiming Scripture Precept implicite 3. I perceive it is your Judgment that there are Duties essential to Ordination and consequently without which in your Judgment there is no Ministry and no Church which have no Command in Scripture no not so much as implicite And consequently that Scripture is not God's only Word for revealing supernaturally or his sufficient Law for obliging to Duties of universal standing necessity but he hath another Word called Tradition which revealeth one part of his Mind as the Scripture doth the other and another Law obliging as aforesaid This is the great Master Difference between the Reformed Churches and the Romanists of which so much is said by Whittaker Chamier Baronius and Multitudes more that it 's meerly vain for me to meddle with it For I take it for granted that you would not venture to disclaim the Reformed Churches in this Point till you had well read the chief of their Writers That were to venture your Peace and Safety to save you a Labour At least I hope you have read Chillingworth Yet I must tell you that some moderate Papists confess that the written Word containeth all things of absolute necessity to Salvation but I doubt you do not so for I think you will say that ordinarily there is no Salvation without the Church and Ministry and no Ministry without Ordination and no Ordination without Imposition of Hands and no Imposition of Hands by any Scripture Command so much as implicite Yea it seems you take not up this Course on any strongly-apparent Necessity when such Cases as this will put you on it and you are so willing to make the Scripture silent where it speaks plainly that you may prove a necessity of another Word I do confess the necessity of Tradition to deliver us safe the Scripture it self the Cabinet with the Treasure and the certainty of Tradition in seconding Scripture by handing down to us the Articles of our Câ—eed and Substance of Christianity in and against which the Church 〈…〉 in sensu composito because so erring unchurcheth it But this will not 〈…〉 necessity of another Law besides the written Law for it is opus subordinaâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 not the part of a Law nor belongs to it's sufficiency to publish pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 conserve it self But it belongs to it's Sufficiency to contain all the standing matter of Duty in Specie where the Species is permanently due and in genere only with Directions for determining of the Species when the said Species is of uncertain unconstant mutable Dueness He that faith a Duty of so great and standing necessity is not so much as implicitely commanded in Scripture doth plainly say that besides the Scripture which is insufficient God hath either another more perfect Law for Supernaturals or else another part to add to the Scripture to make it perfect Your Addition mollifieth the Matter in Terms but I doubt scarce in Sense for when you say that the Texts where Imposition of Hands is spoken of commented upon by the universal Practice of the Church from the first Age till this wild exorbitant last Century seems a clear Evidence what the Will of Christ is c. I very much like the Words and Sense which they in propriety express viz. That in a Matter of Fact where Scripture is obscure the Practice of the first second or third Centuries may be an excellent Commentary that is a help to understand them much more the Practice of the universal Church in all Ages But I must tell you that it is not the Work of a Commentary on the Laws expresly to add such Precepts about matters of such very great Concernment as is the very being of the Republick which are neither expresly or implicitly in the Law it self I must judge therefore that you make the Churches Practice a real Law though you thought meet to give it but the Title of a Comment And I scarce approve of your comparative Terms of the Centuries as bad as this is What! hath this Century which hath been the only reforming Age been worse than that before it whose Corruptions it reformed and worse than that of which Bellarmine saith Hoc seculo nullum extitit indoctius vel infoelicius quo qui Mathematicae aut Philosophiae operam dabat Magus vulgo putabatur and that of which Espencaeus saith that Graecè nosce suspectum fuerit Hebraicum propè Haereticum What worse than the four or five foregoing Centuries wherein Murderers Traytors common Whoremongers Sodomites Hereticks were the pretended Heads of the Church and grosly ignorant superstitious and wicked ones were the conspicuous part of the Body Will you appeal from this Century to those Did you not even now confess that it is admirably worth our Consideration that when God stirred up the drowzy World to depart from Rome's Superstitions and Idolatries he bowed the Hearts of some of the Church-Officers to go along with them Rome then was idolatrous We departed from it God stirred Men up and bowed their Hearts thereto I confess you
may say as much for the proving of the Universal Churches Practice in this Point as in most it being of constant and solemn use and none that I know of that ever opposed it But if you hold this universal Practice to be the other part of God's Law and do lay any thing much on it in other Points especially in Doctrinals I would advise you to get better Proof of the Universality than others use to bring who go that way As the Romish Church is not the the Universal nor the Romish and Greek together so the Opinion of four or five or more Fathers is no Evidence of the Judgment of the universal Church Till they are better agreed with themselves and one another it is hard taking a view of the Judgment of the Church universal in them in controverted Points Till Origen Tertullian c. cease to be accounted Hereticks till Firmilianus Cyprian and the Council of Carthage be better agreed with Stephen Bishop of Rome till Ruffinus cease to be a Heretick to Hierom and many the like Discords it 's hard seeing the Face of the Church universal in this Glass I was but even now reading in Hierom where he tells Austin that there were quaedam Haeretica in his Writings against him when yet to the impartial Reader the angry Man that morosus Senex had the unsounder Cause As long as the Writings of Clem. Alexandr Origen â—atianus pretended Dyonisius Lactantius with so many more do tot erroribus scatere as long as many Councils have so erred and Council is a great Council and someâ—things are imposed by them under the terrible Pennalty of Anathematizing which Rome it self doth take unlawful to be observed these are not perfect Indices of the Mind of Christ or the universal Church Read Baronius himself Tom. 3. what abundance of Errors in History he chargeth upon Epiphanius and others I suppose you to have read Daille and the Lord Digby on this yet think not that I would detract from the due Estimation of the Fathers or Councils or from the necessity of Tradition to the use which I have expressed in the Preface to the Second part of my Book of Rest. But I know not well in the matter of Not-kneeling and Not-fasting on the Lord's Day Not-reading the Books of Heathens c. how a Man should obey both the former Councils and the present Church of Rome it self yea or how in matter of giving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to Insants and other things the present Church and the former do agree And I would know whether it was not the Practice of that which you call the universal Church then which the following Ages did alter and contradict But all this part of the Answer is but occasional as to your Amplifications and not to the matter under debate I further answer you therefore that the universal Practice of the Church doth prove no more but that it was done and therefore by them judged a Duty to be done and so not to be omitted while they could use it all which I grant you I am not one that would have Ordination used without Imposition but in case of necessity But it follows not from all this that it is essential to Ordination suppose a Church institute a new Ceremony that every Bishop ordained shall have a Helmet on to signify that he must fight valiantly as a Captain under Christ and the Ordainer must lay his Hands on this If I can prove that it hath been the universal Practice of the Church in nudum apertum caput manus imponere doth it follow that this is essential and the contrary null If you ask what necessity there can be of Ordination sine manum Impositione I answer very great and ordinary viz. ut absentes ordinentur for want of which the Church hath suffered and may suffer very much When a Man is in remote Parts of the World and perhaps too scrupelous of playing the Bishop without Ordination if he must travel over Land and Sea for Ordination his Life may be gone or most of it spent while he is seeking Authority to use it for his Master If a few only of the Ordainers were left in a Country or in many Nations and those imprisoned or forced to hide themselves they might by an Instrument under their Hands Ordain when they could not at all or to one of a hundred by Imposition of Hands But yet all this is but the least necessary part of my Answer to your Argument To your Consequence therefore I answer by denying it If the Succession be interrupted what necessity is there that the next must come in without Imposition of Hands what shew of such a Consequence May not the illegitimate Ordainer imponere manus Or may he not himself enter by Imposition of Hands and yet be illegitimate and his Calling null If you think not only Imposition to be essential but also that nothing else is essential or that all are true Ministers that are ordained by a lawful Bishop per manum impositionem then do you egriously tibi ipsi imponere Suppose a lawful Bishop should ordain a Man into an unlawful Office as to be the universal Bishop or should ordain a known Heathen to be a Bishop by Imposition of Hands were not this null Yea and many a lower case as in case of Symony c. if Councils be of any Authority Here then the Succession is interrupted and yet this Man may Ordain others by Imposition of Hands Suppose in the case of Pope Ione the Succession interrupted for want of a capable Sex and yet she might Ordain by Imposition of Hands Lastly I answer This Argument can pretend to prove no more than the former That Ordination is essential to the Call of the Ministry Ergo So far as that is disproved so far is this And indeed it had been stronger arguing a Necessitate Ordinationis ad necessitatem impositionis manuum than e contra because all Arguing should be a Notiore But sure the Necessity of Imposition of Hands is minus notum then the necessity of Ordination Many a Thousand will yield that Ordination is essential I believe that will not yield it of that Imposition Having done with all that I find in this Paper I add this cross Argument for the enervating of all or if you will of your Second which is all If your Arguments do tend as well to prove the absolute Necessity of an uninterrupted Succession quoad modum as to every Mode and Circumstance in Ordination which the Apostles have required as due without express Dispensation for Omission as of legitimate Ecclesiastical Ordination it self then they are unsound At verum prius Ergo The Antecedent is proved thus The full Strength of all your Arguments is here Christ or his Apostles or the Church since have mentioned no other way of Conveying Ministerial Power but by Ordination and Imposition of Hands Ergo There is no other way and this is necessary
Sin from dark and doubtful Providences which are not our Rule but only some Effects of the Will of God that as to Events are clear but as to Truth and Duty can tell us nothing or very little but in full Subordination to our Rule from which they must receive their Light And of all Providences few are darker than Motions and Troubles from our own Thoughts so many and secret and powerful Causes are there within us and about us of Misapprehensions and misled Passions that its very dangerous boldly to Judge of the Mind of God by our own disturbed Minds when it is our Duty to judge our own Minds by God's and God's Mind by his Word his particular Providences being mostly but to help the Word in working in a Subordination to it 2. I cannot be sure that know him not but I suspect by the Narrative that this is Mr. L.'s Case 1. His Heart being upright in what he had before done God in Mercy gave into his Mind that Light concerning Catholicism and Brotherly Love and other Truths contained in his Papers which tended to his Satisfaction and Recovery 2. Upon the sight of this much Truth it must needs raise some Trouble in his Mind that he had acted contrarily before and yet the Words of the contrary Minded holding him in suspence and unresolved about his future Practice at least increased his Trouble an unresolved Mind in great Matters being a Burden to it self 3. And the terrible Threats and hard Prognosticks of these Dissenters and their Censures of him might yet sink deeper For it is the way of some to fall upon our Passions instead of our Judgments and stir up Fears in us instead of convincing us As the Papists win abundance by telling them that no others can be saved as if we should be frightened to the Party that will be most uncharitable when Charity is the Christians Badge So I doubt too many do that we have now to speak of 4. The Apprehension of his Peoples Discontent and some bad Consequents to them and himself that he Apprehended would follow his Return did yet make the disturbance more 5. The long and serious Study of the Matter with much Intention might yet go farther 6. And by all these means I conjecture he is somewhat surprized with Melancholy 7. And then if that prove so its very hard to gather the Mind of God from his Disturbances for they will follow the Impresses on his own disturbed Mind But all these are but my distant Conjectures from what you write But to come nearer 3. Whether he have contracted any Melancholy or no this is my Judgment of the Causes of his Changes 1. God caused his Light and Convictions in much Mercy that 's evident by the Conformity of his Assertions here to the Word of God and the Principles of Christianity 2. Satan envyed him and others the Mercy that was given in and therefore I verily think he is the cause of his Horrors and Troubles when he thinks of returning to Unity with others and wholly withdrawing himself from the Schism My Reasons are 1. Because I know that the Work is of God and Ergo who but Satan should be against it 2. Because that Troubling and Terrifying and Disturbing the Passions is usually his Work especially when it is against God's Light God worketh by Light and drawing the Heart to Truth and Goodness But Satan usually worketh by stirring in the Passions to muddy the Judgment 3. Common Experience tells us That it is his ordinary way where once he hath got Power to give quiet in Sin and to trouble and terrify upon Thoughts of Recovery Quest. But how should he have such Power with a Servant of God This leadeth me more particularly to answer your first Question God frequently giveth him such Power over his own Servants 1. When the Service we are upon is a recovering Work which implyeth our former Guilt It was no small Sin though ignorantly committed by an honest Heart for Mr. L. to separate and draw so many with him and put so much Credit and Countenance upon a Cause that hath made such sad and miserable work among the Saints O! What Churches might we have had by this time in England if the Enemy had not made use of our dividing Friends to his Advantage and to do his Work Now you must not marvel if the Accuser and Executioner have some Power given him to be a Vexation to a Godly Man after such Guilt And indeed so few look back that fall into Divisions that Mr. L. should not grudge at a little Perplexity that meets him in the way of so great a Mercy An ingenuous Mind would not come out of so great a Sin whithout some moderate Trouble for it and for it it is meritoriously and should be intentionally 2. Especially if Melancholy give him advantage Satan that commonly worketh by that means and Instrument may do Wonders 3. And I shall tell you of some other ends in the conclusion that I conjecture at To your Second Question I say it seems to me as is said a hard thing yea impossible to judge of his Cause by these his Passions But it 's most probable by far that this Distress of Spirit is for his former Sin in separating to say nothing of Re-baptizing and that it is also a gracious Providence for some further Good that yet he knows not of To the Third Question I answer I know not the State of Mr. Goodwin's Church and Ergo can say nothing to it whether he should return thither But my Judgment is 1. That he should in Prudence a little forbear deserting his separated Church for the ends in the Conclusion mentioned 2. That when he removeth he should preach the Gospel on the Terms in the end 3. That if he must be a private Member he should rather go to Mr. Goodwin's Church than another if it be rightly constituted because he thence removed But if it be disorderly gathered out of many Parishes without Necessity were I in his case I would rather join with another Church and that in the Parish where he lives if there be a Church that is fit to be joined with if not I would remove my Dwelling to the Parish that I would join with Cohabitation is the Aptitude requisite to Church-Membership To Your Question Why his Conscience feels not this Duty I know not unless providence mean as I shall speak anon But I marvel if he feels not the Sin of his Separation To your Fourth I answer Having drawn so many into a Schism it is his great unquestionable Duty to do all that he can to get them out of it and if he cannot to leave them and partake no longer in their Sins yea and do more than this for his Recovery and theirs To your Fifth Question It is answered in the former he ought openly to disown the Sin of Separation To the Sixth If he be Melancholy let him forbear Studies if not he should
Church of Christ such danger will be but by Accident as every necessary Duty hath its Danger A loving melting Lamentation for that Violation of Charity which your own and their Division hath been guilty of is like to profit humble Souls that love the Truth and if they are such as will not indure the Doctrine of Love and Unity what are they better than our Parishes 7. None will be sad for the Return of a Brother to Unity or Love but those that grieve for your Felicity not knowing what they do You would not forbear a Return to God from any gross Sin for fear of grieving Men Is not Schism a gross Sin Are they not great that are directly against Love and Unity the Soul and Life of the Church of Christ and were you no whit partial you would think that Twenty Hearts made glad at your Recovery for one that 's made sad should at least here leave the Ballance even A Publish'd Exhortation from you such as it seems you intended to draw your Party to Unity and Communion with all true Christians and dissuade them hereafter from Censoriousness opposition to the Ministry and Separation upon the Account of so difficult a Point and so far from the Heart of the new Man might do more good than your overseeing that Church an Hundred Years it is not a Trifle to hold an Opinion that would warrant a Man to have denied or separated from the universal visible Church for so many Hundred Years even for almost all the time of its Existence since Christ. I forbear sending you the Form of Concord mentioned till you are readier for it and shall desire it as judging it useful and then God willing I shall send it The Lord I hope will clear up to you his Mind concerning the way in which he would have you walk and in the way of Duty give you the Peace which you desire and expect I rest Your unworthy Brother Rich. Baxter To Mr. Lambe Sept. 29. 1658. London the 15th of Ianuary 1658. Dear Sir THESE are to return you many Thanks for your two Letters which have been a very great Comfort to me in my Affliction and Warfare that I am now ingaged in Sir I thought good to be silent a while and not to trouble you with any more Letters till I had some new thing to say to you Now what I have to say is reducible to Three Heads 1. I would inform you what God hath done for me since my last 2. What I have done I hope in his Strength and that I may not doubt to say 't is for him in the Point of Union And 3. The present Frame of my Spirit and State 1. For God's dealing with me Sir after waiting on the Lord in his way sighing for Light and panting after him for refreshing as the Heart panteth after the Water Brook My Light hath broke forth as the Morning It hath rose in obscurity and my Darkness became as the Noon Day I see by Experience that though I am dark God is Light and though I am poor he is Rich and I believe there is nothing I want but Heaven is full of it The right Notion of God's Universal Church and the Unity he would have amongst the Members and indeed the necessity thereof upon the Penalty of infinite Dammage to the most excellent Body of Christ is that God hath blest me with the Sght of and shewn me as in a Glass the Condition of all our Congregations that refuse Communion with other Churches of Christ standing off from the main body of the Church militant as Christ's Part of that Body as Antichristian and so refusing to give or take Influences for their Comfort and Succour It healeth the whole but dreadfully endangereth those small Parts so divided Just as it would endanger a Troop or Company that should stand off from the main Body of a great Army that hath a potent Enemy engaged in the Field against them By this Light I perceive our Case namely that we are as you say guilty of Schism The Light in this Matter being clear to me I now begin to be satisfied that the Lord hath visited me from an high in Mercy and that all my inward Oppositions and outward too from my Friends are of Satan to stop me in a blessed Work I praise God I am now help'd to bear the Reproaches of my dear Friends that pour Contempt upon me daily as a most dreadful Apostate a Iudas one that it had been good for never to have been born one that though I were as the Signet on God's Right Hand I should be pluck'd from thence others wishing they had followed me to my Grave when they went with me to Baptism But it stirreth me not much for though their Zeal for God and his Truth and their Love to Christ and Holiness and Ability to suffer for Christ be more than mine yet my Conscience telleth me they are in an Error and that I am sincere in all I do not swayed by carnal Considerations in which I am so manifest to their Consciences that they are more troubled with me for that things sake Oh Sir I admire how a Man without the Brest-plate of Righteousness holdeth up his Head in such a Day But withal I experience the Worth and Excellency thereof By the Grace of God my Righteousness I will hold fast and my Heart shall not reprove me all my Days My conscience telleth me which is my great Comfort that I have not wickedly departed from my God that I would not break the least of his Laws willingly to gain a Thousand Worlds That the Love I bear to my Saviour and his most excellent Body the Church is the chief thing that inspireth me in all I do Now 2. Touching what I have done towards Union since I wrote last it is as followeth 1. I have been at Mr. G.'s Congregation from whom I departed to acknowledge my Sin in separating from them upon such silly Grounds and have offered my self to break bread with them if they pleased But withal told the whole Church that for two Reasons I could not come so close to them as heretofore 1. because of my Relation to the poor People I now serve being not yet well lodged in some safe Place And 2. because of some Scruples in my Mind whether Independency did not infer Schism in the Church Universal As that Independency upon the narrow foot I mean that which divideth Communion with Saints as Saints doth so my refusing Communion with them made me guilty of Schism in respest of that particular I do not doubt it and our Anabaptists are their natural Offspring But how to determine my Duty in respect of Mr. Goodwin's Church from whom I separated and with whom I was for many Years joined I know not considering their Principles are larger for Communion than others 2. Amongst our selves I have privately urged to my Friends enlarging considerably 3. I have my self with my Family frequented
in Scripture than that Baptism was appointed for our Entrance upon our State of Disciples in general And Ergo if a Man may be a visible Disciple without it where it seemeth most necessary then much more may he be admitted into a particular Church afterward without it when at least it is no more necessary and indeed much less and not at all save only as universal Church-Member this is pre-requisite to particular The Ministers of Christ Baptized 2000 without asking the Consent of any particular Church 2. They that are under both a Precept making the use of instituted Ordinances their Duty and a Promise of Acceptance in the Performance must perform these Duties with belief of their Acceptance But such are these that you account unbaptized Ergo That they are under a Command is plain All the Precepts for Christian Communion and not forsaking the assembling of our selves and obeying those that rule over us c. are made to the whole visible Church that hath Opportunity for such Communion you will not think that our Sin as you take it can except us from an Obligation to Duty But all the Question is whether such Duty will be accepted if performed by the unbaptized as you now suppose them and this you grant professing your self that you are out of doubt that we are very well accepted of God and you think that it is accounted for Baptism to us And if you yield both that we are bound to the Duty and shall have Acceptance in particular Church Communion what is it then besides the regularity that you deny Do you not grant the Cause in Hand And we have many Promises of Acceptance of Believers in their sincere Endeavours and all things are pure to the Pure And if involuntary unavoidable Mistakes shall hinder our Acceptance when we are sincere then we can never be sure that we are accepted 3. It is but visibility that is requisite in a Church or Member to make them capable of our Communion If it be a Communion of Christians as Christians or Saints as Saints that particular Churches are to hold withal that consent and are Members of their Churches then Christianity or visible Sanctity in such Consenters is all that is of Necessity to such Communion But the Antecedent is plain As it is as Christians that we must inwardly love one another so it is as Christians that we must manifest that Love in holy Communion Communion is the Demonstration of Love and all Men must know us to be Christ's Disciples by our loving one another and therefore if any Man be but a visible Christian it 's plain that he 's capable of your Communion if he cohabits and consent else it were not formalitur a Communion of Saints or Christians but of something else Now you confess that Men are visible Christians that are to you unbaptized 4. There is no such thing as a universal visible Church that is not to use Eucharistical Communion nor any parts of it that have opportunity Your similitude of Corporations in a Republick holds in some things but hath this dissimilitude that all Christ's Republick should consist of such Corporations except a Person that is a Merchant Traveller Embassador or by some extraordinary Necessity is denied Opportunity which Rarities are not here of Consideration And whereas in Republicks it may be as commodious for rural Villages to be not incorporate as for Cities to be incorporate and their Priviledges in their Nation may be as great and they are not obliged to incorporate none of this is so in our Case But every visible Christian not hindered by Necessity is bound to incorporate and charged not to forsake the Assemblies but all to join and speak the same things and Glorify God with one Mouth c. And he that is not a visible Christian hath no visible Right to our Christian Communion And he that is a visible Christian and depriveth himself of this Communion sinneth and wrongeth his own Soul and as it were out-laws himself and is not as you suppose in your Comparison of the not-incorporate But though in some Cases such may be saved as deny instituted Communion and Worship or neglect it yet they do so far put themselves into the State of those without 5. Your Opinion sets up a new kind of Church or Christian Assemblies and Communion of such as may only hear and Pray and not have Eucharistical Communion and be under Church-Guidance Shew us any such in Scripture if you can 6. Heathens or Infidels are called to a natural Worship of God Ergo visible Christians are called to more 7. Faith it self hath its Office formally by Institution though its aptitude thereto be in the Nature of the thing And if the Gospel it self be supernatural and our Christianity and Faith an instituted thing as well as Sacrament and Governors and so the universal visible Church an Institution as well as a particular then certainly want of Baptism will no more keep a visible Christian out of the particular instituted Church than out of the universal because as to the Point of Institution there is no such Reason as can make a Difference 8. The great and excellent part of Church Communion is that which you call natural Worship as performed by Believers in the loving God in Christ and admiring and magnifying his Love in the Riches of the Grace of Redemption and seeking with all Saints to comprehend it hearing his Counsels and Commands praying for his Grace and Glory and praising and magnifying him in Faith and Hope and Love with our Eye upon the second Coming of our Lord. And that which you call Instituted Order and Worship is but the means to this and without this but a Shell It is subservient to it And therefore 1. They that are capable of the greater are capable of the less Heathens are bound to meer natural Worship and their Hearing and Praying is another thing and Obligation and Capacity differ 2. They that must do the work must do it in God's way and by his means The great internal Worship is as the Soul and the external as the Body which are to be distinguished but not separated Must one sort of Christians have the Soul of holy Communion without the Body and carry the Knife naked while you deny them the Sheath 9. If a Member of the Universal visible Church as such is pro tempore to be admitted to Communion in all Ordinances with any particular Church where they come then these that you acknowledge such visible Members must by you be so admitted and so are capable of Communion in instituted Ordinances but the Antecedent is true beyond Dispute None of the Apostles were Members of particular Churches but were as Itinerants to do their work in many Countries so was it with abundance of Itinerant Preachers of those times called their Companions and Fellow Labourers and Helpers as Barnabas Luke Mark Silus Timothy Titus Epaphroditus Apollos c. When Paul came
shall we find them and make them in our Brethren Christ gathereth and will you scatter he reconcileth and uniteth and will you divide he justifieth and will you be he that shall condemn Even them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and all for want of delaying Baptism till your time when in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth nothing nor uncircumcision but the New Creature and Faith that worketh by Love Have you mark'd how Unity and Love is inculcated in the New Testament and that as Omnipotency is most eminently engraven upon the Creation and Wisdom on the Laws of God so Goodness is most eminently engraven on the Redeemer and that in this Glass the Father in his Love and Goodness must be known and hereby the Impress and Image of Love must be made upon our Souls They that are least for Love and holy Unity are least like God and least for him and most like his Enemy and ours 18. Christ is both King Prophet and Priest and no one is sincerely related unto him in any of these respects but is related to him in all And Ergo all Christians are to be under his Church-Government and Protection in his Family as well as under his Teaching If they are by your own confession Fellow Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God do not disfranchise them nor deny them their Priviledges 19. Will not your Principles lead to narrowness of holy Charity in Communication of worldly Goods and destroy Christian Communion in this Those that were in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer not through levelling but charitable Community had all things as common sure you will refuse this when you refuse Communion in Sacrament you will on the same ground think that those few only of your Opinion are to partake of this Special Communication For the Reason is the same 20. Contrary to the Spirit and Scope of the Gospel you lay greater stress upon the very timing of a holy Ceremony than under the Law was laid upon the being of the Ceremony it self Women had Communion without Circumcision The Males in the Wilderness did hold all holy Communion even in the Passover without Circumcision To all this let me add these few Questions to you 1. Do you think in the most humble frame of your Soul that you have no failing as great as you suppose the mis-timing of our Baptism to be and would you be rejected for it 2. Is this norrowness of special loving Communion answerable to the Principles of Universal Redemption and Grace wherein I suspect you go beyond me 3. Have you well considered that God's Unity is the first of his Attributes next his Being The Lord our God is one God And so the Unity of the Church is next the very Essence of it so to be regarded and maintained The Unity cannot be destroyed without destroying the Essence and therefore many Truths and Duties must be put behind the Churches Unity when accidentally the use of them is made inconsistent with it 4. It hath been the common frame of the Church since the Apostles days till of late to consist of a mixture one half baptized at Age being converted at Age from Infidelity and their Baptism before neglected and the other half that were born of Christian Parents baptized in Infancy And both sorts lived in Peace and Love and no Church History that ever I read doth give us any the least intimation that ever these two Sorts disagreed hereupon or accused one anothers way or made it any occasion of a Division And will you advance Knowledge and Holiness in the end of the World by advancing Uncharitableness and Division 5. Bethink you with sobriety as before the Lord if you had lived in the Church in the second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth and tenth Century or lower in all which though many were baptized at Age being not Christians by any Infant Covenant yet no Writer that ever I saw doth tell us of one Church or one Pastor no nor of one Man that was a Catholick Christian no nor of one Heretick that I remember that was against the lawfulness of Infant Baptism I say if you had then lived would you have separated from all the Churches on Earth What! from the Universal Church in your Communion or would you have had all these Ages have laid by all instituted Church Order and Worship The consequences of this would rise so high that I will not name them to you Only I would further ask you 6. If you think their Baptism a Nullity and consequently the instituted Churches Ministry Order Sacraments Nullities that were used in all those Ages the seventh eighth ninth tenth c. when almost none but such as were baptized in Infancy were Church Members how far then do you differ from the Seekers that tell us All these were lost in the Apostacy 2. And how easily will a Papist trample you in the dirt and laugh you to scorn when he puts you to prove Successive Church and Ordinances and Ministry 3. And what advantage give you the Infidels and our own Remnants of Infidelity to deny the Head by so far denying the Body 7. Would you have a Unity and do you ever expect such a thing or not If not If you do on what terms do you expect it You can never with the least Encouragement of Reason expect that all should deny Infant Baptism and come to you These late years have given you as much advantage as you can well expect and yet you see the most of the Godly dare not come to you If therefore you will neither come to them in Judgment nor yet close in Communion with Christians of different Judgment what do you but give up Unity as desperate and fix in your divided State 8. And will you give the Papist Disputants so much Encouragement as to confess to them that among us there is not any hopes of Unity or loving Christian Church Communion I have been longer than I intended upon these Reasonings but it is because I would not neglect you but some one of them at least may stick upon you of which success your lives declaring you so honestly impartially and happily disposed to Love and Peace I make no doubt And now to your Objections which should have been my whole Task but that I would make sure the Issue And 1. to your first Argument I answer 1. It is against you and overthrows your Cause for as ordinarily Women were admitted to the Passover without Circumcision but not without the Covenant and as in extraordinary Cases offered as of all Israel 40 years in the Wilderness the Males also were admitted uncircumcised so much more may it be now in case of Baptism 2. Either the Ordinances and Examples of the Jews about Circumcision afford us Arguments for regulating our Baptism and Communion or not If not then you urge them in
think so by your Words do they not imply it 2. If you think our Nonconformity our Duty what meaneth your Address to us as such and your Counsels aforementioned and how cometh our Silence and forsaking the Preaching of the Gospel to be our Duty during the need of so many Thousand Souls As for unwarrantable Separation and Accusation of the Parish-Churches and Liturgy we are many of us as truly though not as far from them as you If what I have written displease you it will but tell you that I prefer Truth and Conscence and the Churches Good before my very dear and much valued Friends Opinion or Will and the Welfare and Peace of his own Soul before the pleasing of him I am past doubt that you do in Sincerity seek the same thing that I and others do that is the healing of a divided People and the Cure of those Distempers which have drawn many to sinful Separations Three sorts of Schism we disclaim as well as you 1. Making Factions and Parties in a Church to the Hindrance of Love Peace and Concord 2. Separating from a Church on the Account that its Communion is unlawful when it is not so 3. Much more separating from a Church as no Church and a Ministry as none when it is not so In none of these respects do we separate or divide from the Church or Churches that we should hold Communion with 1. We separate from the Catholick Church 2. Nor from the Church of England as accidentally headed by the King 3. Nor as a number of Churches associated for Concord 4. Nor as a meer Community part of the Church Universal 5. We separate not from the Parish-Churches that have true Pastors either as no Churches or as holding Communion with them in ordinary publick Worship to be simply or commonly sinful 6. Nor would we make any Division in the Churches by unjust contention but that there are Separatists that do so and deserve all your reproof and need all your Admonitions we doubt not But by overdoing the ordinary way of undoing I doubt you have lost your labour and much worse Not but that all of us have great cause to thank you if truly you do detect any guilt of ours as well as others but if you have done much to increase the Schism and made your self guilty of it you have crost your own end notwithstanding your good meaning 1. We are not for building up any Walls of Separation some Masters of Schism are 2. We think that no Humane Churches have power to abrogate the Priviledges or Duties of the Churches of Christ's own institution Some Schismaticks think otherwise 3. We hold that Christians should live in holy Love and Peace when tolerable Differences of Opinion placeth them in divers Congregations but some Schismaticks think otherwise and make such a peevish unreasonable noise against all that do not meet with them and subject themselves to them as that their Clamour is the scandal to the Infidels Atheists and Papists making them believe that we are mad or all in pieces when we differ but in little things and so they reproach the Frailty of Humane Nature and the common Imperfection of Believers with calumniating Censures and Accusations as if they were a greater evil than they are 4. We hold that Love and Tenderness and Self-denial should pardon honest Christians for choosing such Pastours as are really most serviceable to their Salvation and their own Experience find to be so rather than unsuitable Men to say no worse that are thrust on them against their wills and that other Ministers should be glad if they will live peaceably under others and profit by them though they choose not them but some turbulent Self-seekers are of another mind and way 5. We think as is said that the Parishes are or should be true Churches and we hold Communion with them as such but some Conformists un-Church them and make them but parts of a Church and hold no Communion with them otherwise 6. We go upon certain and plain grounds in determining what Schism is as the three sorts e. g. aforesaid but so do not many Schismaticks that yet cry down Schism 1. Some of them make it Schism not to obey the Pope as Universal Monarch 2. Some make it Schism not to be subject to a true Universal Council as the Collective Head of the Church when there neither was is or ever will be such a thing in the World much less the rightful Head of the Church 3. Some with Bishop Bromhall and his Advocates and others would have the Pope to be Principium Unitatis and Patriarch of the West and so it shall be Schism not thus to submit to him 4. Some as Mr. Thorndike would have these Councils and Canons to rule us for Concord which were till the time of Charles the Great 5. Some are for Concord on the reception of the four first Councils some of six some of eight Grotius of all well expounded 6. Some hold that its Schism to disobey the King's Church-Orders and to refuse any Bishop or Minister that the King or a Patron choose for us 7. Some hold that it's Schism to obey the King in the circa sacra as aforesaid in choice of Pastours Time Place Translation Meetre c. if the Bishops or Bishop be against it and command the contrary and that these must rather be obeyed 8. Shme hold that it's Schism to separate from a Parish Church as no Church others think it none 9. If the Archbishop command one thing and the Bishop another and the Parish Pastor another and a Parent another as when to Communicate and in what Gesture Habit c. they are not agreed what Disobedience here is the Schism 10. Some take it for Schism if a prohibited Minister speak to God in Prayee or to the People in teaching them in any words but what Bishop or Bishops write them down or if he obey not a Bishop never truly chosen by the Clergy or the People even in every commanded Form and Ceremony 11. Some think it Schism if we hold Communion with those whom a Laâ—-Chancellour Excommunicateth or if we deny our Communion to those that he absolveth yea if we publish not his Sentence as in the Bishop's name that perhaps never knew of it 12. Some say it is Schism if we preach in another Man's Parish be there never so great need without his consent 13. Some say it is Schism if we preach without the Bishops licence though we have the King 's or at least be Ordained even by the Bishops 14. Some say that if we be licenced it 's Schism to preach to above four in an unlicensed place 15. Some say if Person and Place be licenced it is Schism to preach without the Common Prayer 16. Some say that if the Bishop command us rebus sic slantibus to preach or meet only at midnight or twenty miles off or but once a month or if they forbid all God's
the Ruler of all Persons all Families all Pastors and Churches all Physicians School-masters c. that is to see all these do their own duty but not to take their Work from them upon himself not to take all Men from Self-government of their Tongues Passions Actions not to take on him the part of Parents Pastors c. And no Prince's Laws will acquit a Man before God from his Duty in any of these Relations while he is in them VI. God hath much conjoyned Interest and Duty No Man is so much concerned whether I be saved or damned as I am my self And therefore my own Choice and Self-government is first and chiefly to be used for the saving of my own Soul without which no Man else can save me Therefore I am more concerned than any Magistrate is to the Counsel and Conduct of what Pastor I commit my Soul and I have the nearest and first power in the Choice There is great Controversie in the World Whether Subjects have a Propriety in their Estates which is not at the will of Princes And it is commonly affirmed That Propriety is anticedent to Regiment which is but to order it for common good and not to destroy it But I had rather quit my Claim to Propriety in all my Worldly Estate than of my Salvation or the necessary means thereto If the Law commanded me but to use a Physician that I thought unskilful in my Disease and his Medicines pernicious I would choose a better if I could though the King and Laws forbad me and I would refuse the obtruded Physician and his Medicine so I would do if they commanded me to marry an utterly unsuitable Wife And I should judge that as these matters are more my Interest than theirs so they belong to my Self-governing power and not to their Civil Government And next my self while I am young my Parents being naturally indued with stronger love to me than Magistrates are the Choice in such Cases more belongeth to their power than to the Magistrates VII Accordingly it was for Seven hundred if not a Thousand years the currant Judgment of the Christian Churches that a Bishop must be set over a particular Church by the Election or Consent of all the Clergy and all the People and that he was no justly called Bishop that came not in by the common consent of the Flock This is not only proved in the ancientest Writers even Clemens ad Corinth and others commonly but by many Canons and even the Popes Decretals for many hundred years and the contrary is an undoubted Innovation VIII It is certain that neither Civil nor Ecclesiastical Rulers have their Power for destruction but for edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. and 13. 10. Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4. Even Parents that give life and being to their Children are justly destroyed if they destroy them It is no singularity of Mr. Humphrey that hath lately written That Laws against the Common Good bind not in Conscience to Obedience It is the Judgment of the greatest Casuists Greg. Sayrus Fragosus c. in whom you may see many others The terminus entereth the definition of relations It is not Authority Ius regendi which is not for the Ends of Government the Common Good The Magistrate may order the preaching of the Gospel and other means of Salvation but not forbid them and destroy them If he do this it is not by Authority received from God as Bishop Bilson afore-cited often sheweth and Bishop Andrews in Torturâ Torti I have more power from God to use needful means of my own Salvation than any Man hath to forbid me the using of them IX It is not another Man's saying That much preaching or praying is not needful to me that will make or prove it so or ex use me from it And there is so vast a difference between a found skilful and experienced sively Teacher and one that is ignorant heretical a meer artist dead or dull that readeth a Cento as a Boy saith his Lesson that no Man can make it my Duty to commit the Pastoral Care of my Soul to the latter when the former may be had without a greater hurt than the benefit will compensate Nor will other Mens Crosses Opinions or Appetite herein suffice to satisfie me against my Sense Reason and my own and other Mens Experience X. Yet a tolerable lâ—ss must be born rather than publick Order violated And seeing our Laws and Church-Canons allow any Man when he will to change his Bishop or Pastor or Congregation if he will but change his Dwelling the losses of this must rather be born than any greater real detriment to our Souls or to the Publick Good But Wives Children and some others cannot remove their Habitations XI An Infant or Child in minority in his Parents House as he is not to be supposed to understand the Laws so caeteris paribus he seemeth to me to be more obliged to hear the Teacher that his Parents choose for him than one that is chosen by the Magistrates As in his Diet and the choice of a Physician when he is sick so here The Magistrate is an Officer of Power Wisdom and Love but principally of Power The Pastor is an Officer of Power Wisdom and Love but eminenty of Wisdom The Parent is an Officer of Power Wisdom and Love but eminently of Love And the works of Love to his Children eminently belong to his Care and Government XII Yet when Children have the true use of Reason to discern what God and Man command them they must obey neither Parents not Princes against God XIII In the circa sacra or Circumstantials of Religion so much as should be commonly agreed on by all or most Churches for the Common Good the Prince by the Counsel of the Pastors is the Judge of and is to be obeyed before the Bishops unless he leave it only to the Pastors own Consent and then their Consent in Synods must be much regarded of which Grotius de Imperio Sum. Potest hath written excellently notwithstanding Bishop Brumhalls discommendation But in the Circumstances that are not to be universally agreed on but belong to the Pastoral Office to vary pro re natâ the present officiating Pastor is the Judge and to be followed XIV Rules are to be obeyed in all lawful things belonging to their Office to command but all lawful things belong not to their Office Whether I shall eat once or twice a day or once in two days what Meat I shall eat and how much what Hoâ—se I shall ride on what Wife I shall marry what Physician or Teacher I shall trust and what Medicine I shall take c. belongeth more to my self as is said XV. Intolerable Ministers justly forbidden to preach are bound to obey and the People forbidden to hear them should forbear But it no more follows that the Case is the same to all others than that a true Man may be hang'd because a Thief may If we
Rector of his Parish Church shall as such have power to Preach to them without any further License and to judge according to God's Word to whom and how to perform the proper Work of his Office on what Text and Subject to Preach in what Words and Order to Teach and Pray But if Canons also be made a Rule they shall not oblige him against the Word of God And if for Uniformity or some Mens disability he be tyed to use the Words of prescribed Forms called a Liturgy he shall not be so servilely tyed to them as to be punishable for every Omission of any Collect Sentence or Word while at least the greatest part of the Service appointed for the Day is there read and the Substance and Necessary Part of the Offices be there performed no though he omit the Cross in Baptism and the Surplice and deny not Communion to those that dare not receive it kneeling And if any worthy Minister scruple to use the Liturgy but will be present and not Preach against it he shall be capable notwithstanding of preaching as a Lecturer or Assistant if the Incumbent Pastor do Consent VII No Oath Subscription Covenant Profession or Promise shall be made Necessary to Ministers or Candidates for the Ministry besides the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy and Subscribing to the Sacred Canonical Scriptures and to the ancient Creeds or at the most to the Articles of the Church excepting to them that scruple the Twentieth Thirty fourth and Thirty sixth as they speak only of Ceremonies Traditions and Bishops and the necessary Renunciation of Heresie Popery Rebellion and Usurpation and the Promise of Ministerial Fidelity according to the Word of God Or at least none but what the Reformed Churches are commonly agreed in And let none be capable of Benefices and Church-Dignities or Government in the Universities or Free-Schools who hath not taken the said Oaths Subscriptions and Renunciations VIII Let none have any Benefice with Cure of Souls who is not Ordained to the Sacred Ministry by such Bishops or Pastors as the Law shall thereto appoint for the time to come But those that already are otherwise Ordained by other Pastors shall not be disabled or required to be Ordained again And let no Pastor by Patrons or others be imposed on any Parish Church without the consent of the greater number of the stated Communicants And at his Entrance let some Neighbour Ministers in that Congregation declare him their Pastor as so Consented to and Ordained and preach to them the Duty of the Pastor and Flock and pray for his Success IX If any Pastor be accused of Tyranny Injury or Mal-administration he shall be responsible to the next Synod of Neighbour Pastors or to the Diocesan and his Synod or to the Magistrate or whomsoever the Law shall appoint and if guilty and unreformed after a first and second Admonition shall be punished as his Offence deserveth but only in a Course of Justice according to the Laws and not Arbitrarily Nor so as to be forbidden his Ministerial Labours till he be proved to do more hurt than good And if the supposed Injury to any who is denied Communion be doubtful or but to one or few let not for their sake the Church be deprived of their Pastor but let the Person if proved injured have power to forbear all his Payments and Tythes to the Pastor and to Communicate elsewhere X. Because Patrons who choose Pastors for all the Churches are of so different Minds and Dispositions that there is no certainty that none shall be by them Presented and by Bishops Instituted and Inducted to whom godly Persons may justly scruple to commit the Pastoral Conduct of their Souls whose Safety is more to them then all the World And because there may be some things left in the Liliurgy Church Government and Orders which after their best search may be judged sinful by such godly and peaceable Christians as yet consent to the Word of God and all that the Apostles and their Churches practised And Humanity and Christianity abhor Persecution and Human Darkness and great Difference of Apprehensions is such as leaveth us in Despair of Variety and Concord in doubtful and unnecessary Things Let such Persons be allowed to assemble for Communion and the Worship of God under such Pastors and in such Order as they judge best Provided 1. That their Pastors and Teachers do take all the foresaid Oaths Professions and Subscriptions before some Court of Judicature or Justices at Sessions or the Diocesan as shall be by Law appointed who thereupon shall give them a Testimonial thereof or a written License of Toleration 2. That they be responsible for their Doctrine and Ministration and punishable according to the Laws if they preach or practice any thing inconsistent with their foresaid Profession of Faith and Obedience or of Christian Love and Peace 3. That their Communicants pay all Dues to the Parish Ministers and Churches where they live And if such People as live where the Incumbent is judged by them unfit for the Trust and Conduct of their Souls shall hold Communion with a Neighbour Parish Church they shall not be punishable for it They paying their Parish Dues at home Nor shall private Persons be forbidden peaceably to pray or edifie each other in their Houses XI Christian Priviledges and Church Communion being unvaluable Benefits and just Excommunication a dreadful Punishment no unwilling Person hath right to the said Benefits Therefore none shall be driven by Penalties to say that he is a Christian or to be Baptized or to have Communion in the Lord's Supper Nor shall any be Fined Imprisoned or Corporally and Positively punished by the Sword meerly as a Non-Communicant or Excommunicate and Reconciled but as the Magistrate shall judge the Crimes of themselves deserve But if Non-Communicants be denied all Publick Trust in Churches Universities or Civil Government it is more properly the Securing of he Kingdom Church and Souls then a punishing of them But all Parishioners at Age shall be obliged to forbear reproaching Religion and profaning the Lord's Day and shall hear publick Preaching in some allowed or tolerated Church and shall not refuse to be Catechized or to confer for their Instruction with the Parish Minister and shall pay him all his Tythes and Church Dues XII The Church Power above Parish Churches Diocefan Synodical Chancellors Officials Commissaries c. we presume not to meddle with But were it reduced to the Primitive State or to Archbishop Usher's Model of the Primitive Government yea or but to the King's Description in his Declaration 1660. about Ecclesiastical Affairs and if also the Bishops were chosen as of old for Six hundred years and more it would be a Reformation of great Benefit to the Kingdom and the Churches of Christ therein But if we have but Parish Reformation Religion will be preserved without any wrong or hurt to either the Diocesans or the Tolerated And if Diocesans be good Men
only to the Holy Canonical Scriptures in general and to the Creeds and 36 Articles in particular And no Oath Promise or Consent he required save only the renewing of the Covenant which in Baptism we made to God and a promise of Fidelity in our Ministry and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to the King And for all lesser matters let it suffice that the Laws may restrain us from preaching against any Established Doctrine or against Episcopacy Liturgy or Ceremonies and from all Male-Administrations or Church-Tyranny or Injustice about the Sacraments and that we be punishable according to the quality of the Offence II. The Fire having now caused a Necessity of many more publick Assemblies for God's Worship besides those in the yet standing Parish-Churches we humbly conceive that it would much conduce to the re-edifying of the Churches and City and the contenting of many and the drawing off the people from more private Meetings if a competent Number of the Ruin'd Cnurches be allowed to such sober Protestants as will repair them with the same liberty and Security for possession as the French and Dutch in London have their Churches the people chusing their Pastors and maintaining them Or if his Majesty's Bounty allow them any Stipend that none have that Stipend whom his Majesty approveth not And that the Pastors be not suffered to introdâ—ce there any Heresie or Idolatry but shall preach the Doctrine of the sacred Scriptures not opposing the Doctrines or Orders of the Church and shall worship God according to the Liturgy or the Assembly's Directory or the Reformed Liturgy offered by the Commissioners 1660. as they desire III. That all such be capable of Benefices who subscribe and swear as is aforesaid and being of Competent Abilities shall be lawfully Ordained or if already ordained are confirmed by the late Act or shall be confirmed by any Commissioned by his Majesty they being obliged some time to read the Liturgy and sometimes to administer the Sacrament according to it abating the Ceremonies And to be often present when it is read which shall be ordinarily or constantly done and the Sacrament administred as oft as is required by Law by himself or some other allowed Minister And that those who will only subscribe and swear as is abovesaid being ordained also as aforesaid but cannot so far conform to the Liturgy may be allowed to preach and Catechize publickly as Lecturers or Assistants to some others and to have such further Liberty about the Sacraments as by just Regulations shall be made safe to Religion and the publick peace There is another way which would satisfie almost all by allowing each party such a Minister whose Ordination and Ministration they do make no scruple at which would prevent all private Churches and perhaps all Face of Schism among us which is if in every Parish where any party dissenteth from the Established way the Dissenters be left at liberty either to communicate with any Neighbour-Parish or to chuse an Assistant for the Incumbent which Assistant shall be maintained by themselves unless the Incumbent will voluntarily contribute And shall officiaâ—e one half of the Day as the Incumbent doth the other having leave to do it according to the foresaid Directory or the Additional Liturgy offered 1660. or at least to have the use of the Church at such Hours as the Incumbent doth not there officiate The people receiving the Communion from each according to their several Iudgments And though so great a Rupture as ours is cannot be cured without some inconveniences which may be here objected yet such Laws may be made for the Regulation of this Liberty as may restrain all Faction Contention and Mutual Contempt or Injuries and even the Naming themselves Members of distinct Churches as might be shewed § 66. The Copy of the Lord Keeper's or Dr. Wilkins's Proposals In order to Comprehension it is Humbly Offered 1. That such persons as in the late times of disorder have been ordained by Presbyters shall be admitted to the Exercise of the Ministerial Function by the Imposition of the Hands of the Bishop with this or the like Form of Words Take thou Authority to Preach the Word of God and to Minister the Sacraments in any Congregation of the Church oâ— England where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto An Expedient much of this Nature was practised and allowed of in the Case of the Catharists and Melesians Vid. 8th Canon Concil Nic. â—ynodical Epistle of the same to the Churches of Egypt Gelasius Cyzicenus Hist. Con. Nic. 2d part 2. That all persons to be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity or the Employment of a School-master after the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy shall instead of all former Subscriptions be required to subscribe this or the like Form of Words I A. B. do hereby profess and declare That I do approve the Doctrines Worship and Government Established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to Salvation and that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Doctrine contrary to that which is so Established And I do hereby promise That I will continue in the Communion of the Church of England and will not do any thing to disturb the Peace thereof 3. That the Gesture of Kneeling at the Sacrament and the use of the Cross in Baptism and bowing at the Name of Iesus may be left indifferent or may be taken away as shall be thought most expedient 4. That in Case it be thought fit to review and alter the Liturgy and Canons for the satisfaction of Dissenters that then every person to be admitted to preach shall upon his Institution or Admission to preach upon some Lord's Day within a time to be limited publickly and solemnly read the said Liturgy and openly declare his Assent to the Lawfulness of the use of it and shall promise That it shall be constantly used at the time and place accustomed In order to Indulgence of such Protestants as cannot be comprehended under the publick Establishment it is Humbly offered 1. That such Protestants may have liberty for the Exercise of thâ—r Religion in publick and at 〈◊〉 Charges to build or procure places for their publick Worship either within or near Tâ—â—s as shall be thought most Expedient 2. That the Names of all such persons who are to have this Liberty be Registred together with the Congregations to which they belong and the Names of their Teachers 3. That every one admitted to this liberty be disabled to bear any publick Office but shall fine for Officers of Burden 4. And that upon shewing a Certificate of their being listed among those who are indulged they shall be freed from such legal penalties as are to be inflicted on those who do not frequent their parish-Parish-Churches 5. And such persons so indulged shall not for their meeting in Conventicles be punished by Confiscation of Estates 6. Provided that they be
obliged to pay all publick Duties to the Parish where they inhabit under penalty 7. This Indulgence to Continue for three years That the Liturgy may be altered by omitting c. BY using the reading Psalms in the New Translation By appointing some other Lessons out of the Canonical Scripture instead of those taken out of the Apocrypha By not 〈◊〉 God-fathers and God-mothers when either of the parents are ready to answer for the Châ—ld By omitting that clause in the Prayer at Baptism By spiritual Regeneration By changing that Question wilt thou be baptised into Wilt thou haue this Child baptised By omitting those words in the Thanksgiving after publick and private baptism To regenerate this Infant by thy holy Spirit and to receive him for thy Child by adoption And the first Rubrick after baptism It is certain by God's word c. By changing those words in the Exhortation after baptism Regenerate and Graffed into the body into Received into the Church of Christ. By not requiring reiteration of any part of the service about baptism in publick when it is evident that the Child hath been lawfully baptized in private By omitting that Clause in the Collect after Imposition of hands in confirmation After the Example of thy holy Apostles and to certify them by this sign of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them And by changing that other passage in the prayer before Confirmation who hast vouchsafed to regenerate c. into who hast vouchsafed to receive these thy servants into thy Church by baptism By omitting that clause in the Office of Matrimony with my body I thee worship And that in the Collect who hast conseâ—rated c. By allowing Ministers some liberty in the visitation of the â—ick to use such other prayers as they shall judge expedient By changing that clause in the prayer at burial For asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take to himself c. into For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this World the Soul c. And that clause In a sure and certain hope c. into in a full assurance of the resurrection by our Lord Iesus Christ who is able to change our vile c. By omitting that Clause We give thee hearty thanks for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful World And that other As our hopes is that our brother doth By changing that Clause in the Common service our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body c. into our sinful Souls and Bodies may be cleansed by his precious body and blood By not enjoyning the reading of the Commination That the Liturgy may be abbreviated as to the length of it Especially as to morning-service By omitting all the Responsal prayers from O Lord open thou our c. to the Litany and the Litany and all the prayers from Son of God we beseech thee c. to we humbly beseech thee O Father c. By not enjoyning the use of the Lords Prayer above once viz. Immediately after the absolution except after the Minister's Prayer before Sermon By using the Gloria Patri only once viz. after the Reading Psalms By omitting the venite exultemus unless it be thought fit to put any or all of the first seven among the sentences at the beginning By omitting the Communion service such times as are not Communion Days excepting the 10 Commandments which may be read after the Creed And injoyning the prayer Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep these Laws only once at the End By omitting the Collects Epistles and Gospels except only on particular holidays By inserting the prayers for the Parliament into the Litany immediately after the prayer for the Royal Family in this or the like form That it may please thèe to direct and prosper all the Consultations of the High Court of Parliament to the Advantage of thy Glory the good of the Church the safety honour and welfare of our Sovereign and his Kingdoms By omitting the two hymns in the Consecration of Bishops and the Ordinatiâ—n of Priests That after the first Question in the Catechism What is your Name This may follow When was this Name given you And after that What was promised for you in Baptism Answer Three things were promised for me c. In the Question before the Commandments it may be altered You said it was promised for you c. To the 14 Qu. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained The Answer may be Two only Baptism and the Lord's Supper § 67. Upon Consultation we altered their paper in some things and added some more for we were held to those proposals only leaving the point for Toleration to be debated with our Brethren of the Congregational way And I privately acquainted Dr. Owen with the substance of the business and consulted him that they might not say we neglected them And we offered them the following form which was not what we desired but more than Dr. Wilkins after Bp. of Chester would grant us still professing himself willing of more but that more would not pass with the Parliament and so would frustrate all our Attempts § 68. The paper offered by us 1. Those who have been ordained only by meer Presbyters or the Presidents of their Synods shall be instituted and authorized to exercise their Ministry and admitted to Bènefices therein in such manner and by such persons as by his Majesty shall be thereto appointed by this form and words alone Take c. Provided that those who desire it have leave to give in their professions that they renounce not their Ordination nor take it for a nuâ—â—â—ty and that they take this as the Magistrates License and Confirmation and that they be not constrained to use any words themselves which are not consistent with this profession 2. All persons to be admitted by Ordination Institution License or otherwise into any Ecclesiastical function and dignity or to any preferment in either Vnivesity or to the Employment of a Schoolmaster shall first take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and instead of all other Oaths Subscriptions and Declarations except the Ancient Vniversity Oath shall be required only to subscribe to this form of Words J. A. B. Do hereby profess and Declare my unfeigned assent to the truth of all the holy Canonical â—criptures and to the Articles of the Creed and to the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the 36 Articles or to the Doctrinal part of the 39 Articles of the Church of England or excepting only the 3 Articles of Ceremonies and Prelacy And I do hold that the Doctrine Worship and Government there established doth contain all things absolutely necessary to salvation And I will not knowingly by my self or any other endeavour to bring in any Doctrine contrary to this aforesaid so established And it is my true Resolution to hold Communion with
the enclosed wishing I knew how to requite your Love and answer that Favour I found with you in your large Letter which is not in vain to us-ward but of much use the Lord requite your Labour of Love I only redouble my Request for an Interest in your Prayers that God would deliver my dear Husband from all his Fears and guide him by his Light our God will hear who keepeth Covenant and Mercy for ever with those that fear him I rest SIR Your Sister and Lover in our Lord Jesus B. L. Sept. 20. 1658. For Mr. Rich. Baxter Minister at Kidderminster Dear Brother AS sure as Love is a Fruit of the Spirit the Character of a Saint yea the more excellent way and as terminated on him whom we love in the Saints is the most high and noble Grace as being the Beginning and End the Spring of all other Holy Affections and Actions and the enjoyning Act that 's next our End so far is that State to you a growing State in which you increase in Holy Love and so sure was that a declining State in which your Charity was streightned and diminished and as sure is that Doctrine of Christ that leadeth to an universal Love of Saints and that against Christ which is against it It is not the least Grief of my own Soul that in the eager Defence of that which still I judge to be the Truth I have done any thing prejudicial to my own or Brethrens Charity Upon perusal I now find that many of my Speeches in my Book of Infant Baptism have been too provoking of which I heartily repent though I dare not of the Doctrine The Frame of our Affections doth much advantage or disadvantage our Judgments and Experience is a help to both This I perceive you have found as well as I All Holy Truths must be entertained with mixt Affections with Sorrow for any thing that we have done against them and with Love and Joy and Gratitude to the bountiful Revealer of them These that you here enumerate as revealed to you are very weighty because of such a practical Nature and publick use and Ergo you must be true to them and use them accordingly they are such as leave no room for Doubting as bearing their Testimony so legible in their Forehead This being concluded that they are certain Truths it may much help you to judge of your following Troubles I shall reduce all that I have to say for Resolution to these Propositions 1. The Word of God and not the Troubles of your own Spirit is the standing Rule by which you must judge of Duty and Sin You cannot know either by your Troubles immediately but as they awaken or help you to understand that Word 2. It is Ergo most certain that none of your Troubles should in the least measure move you from the certain Truths which by the Light of this Word hath been made known to you All the Troubles in the World will not alter Scripture and make Truth to be no Truth You must not once offer to try Scripture Truths by your Feelings but your Feelings by these Truths 3. You must therefore first see whether you obey the Truth revealed to you which plainly requireth you first to manifest Repentance for so much breach of Truth or Unity or Chrity as you have seen your self Guilty of 2. And to be Guilty of the same no more Now whether you live in that Sin or out of it I leave to you to judge And no doubt but it is your Duty to do your utmost to draw all those out of it whom you have encouraged in it and as many more as you can There are but these two Questions then before you What is the Cause of your Trouble and how you should dispose of your self for the future And to the first I answer in this fourth Proposition Though we know in general that Sin is the deserving Cause and God's Wisdom and Love the disposing Cause yet it is not easy to find out the particular Sins nor the particular Design of Love but the former is the more easy by the help of Scripture which sheweth us our Sin more fully than God's future intended Works 5. But as it is certain that no Providence is to be interpreted against a Precept so as far as I can conjecture at this distance your Trouble is most likely to arise from these connexed Causes 1. From some Melancholy that hath got Advantage of your Head by the Thoughtfulness Perplexity and the first actual Disquietments 2. From Satans Temptations working on this Advantage but of the first I am no competent Judge because distant But I strongly suspect it by long Experience in Multitudes of that Distemper who few of them will believe that they have it themselves But of the second I am more confident Satan cannot trouble us when he will but 1. When Sin hath procured him a Permission and 2. When some Melancholy or Disquietments have given him an Advantage I have met with few Persons that ever fell into any Calamity by Sin but Satan did very much trouble them when they attempted the means of their Recovery The Disquietments and Horrors that seize upon most ungodly Persons when they are about coming home by Christ may be from God principally but from Satan as the Instrument of his Wrath and as permitted to try them Whenever any escape any notable Snare of Satan in State or Fact usually Satan roareth and rageth to hinder them if posible till the escape is made and then God meeteth them with further Eight and Love Pharaoh follows them into the Red Sea and God receives them and puts a Song of Praise into their Mouths on the dry Land But this first Question is not such as you need much to stick at You may easily see for what Sin its like you should have this Affliction or if you could not after a faithful Search get rid of all and sweep as clean as possibly you can and then you will remove that Sin with the rest The resolving of the next Question is your principal Business which is to know now where your Duty lyeth for the time to come For when once you are setled in the way of Duty Peace will return and the dark Face of your now disconsolate Soul be cleared up unless any deep Melancholy or unusual Providence should continue your Trouble and indeed it is not very easy to see the way of your Duty to the end but part of it is very easy 1. That you should obey the Light that God hath manifested to you and help to communicate Catholick Principles and Affections to all your People to the utmost of your Power this is certain and do all that you are able to cure uncharitable dividing Principles or Dispositions 2. That you may not live in a Practice contrary to your Doctrine is as plain and Ergo may not be guilty of continuing a divided Church though you may prudently observe the
fittest manner and Season of your coming off Therefore it seems to me your Duty freely lovingly compassionately to communicate your Reasons to your Auditors if they can prove them unsound which I am sure they cannot in the main then yield to them if they cannot then beg their Pardon for misguiding them and beseech them to return not to any Sin against God but to the Love of the Saints and the Unity of the universal Body of Christ and the Communion of Brethren 3. To return to Mr. I. Goodwin's Church again I dare not dissuade you or advise you but I would not do it if I liv'd in another Parish where I could have Lawful Communion yea or if I could live in such a Parish I would not be a Member of a Church gathered out of many Parishes in such a Place as London Co-habitation is in Nature and Scripture Example made the necessary Disposition of the Materials of a Church 4. My Thoughts still are that you should Preach the Gospel in some Congregation most suitable to you But I am very glad that you give me the Reasons of your Trouble for it is a sad kind of Work for you or another to plead against Troubles in the dark which a Man can give no Reason for 1. Your First I need say nothing to If you had ever had a Temptation to thrust in a wrong Motive into a good Cause it neither proves the Cause bad else all our Preaching were too bad or your Heart bad as you see your Sin I hope you see your sufficient Remedy 2. The Second is carnal to resist so great a Truth and Duty lest good People be displeased what are they your God God must be enough for you if ever you will have enough and it must satisfie you that he is pleased if ever you will be satisfied Tell those Christians you will not cease to Love them by Loving more nor cease any due Communion with them by having Communion with more Keep in with them by Love and Correspondency even whether they will or no even when you have left their Separation Do not reproach them when you leave them but enjoy the Good of their Communion still as you have Opportunity God's House hath many Mansions if your Friends think that their Closet is all the House convince them of their Mistake and confine your self to that Closet no longer but yet renounce it not it may be a part though sinfully divided though it be not the whole 3. The way that you are called to is God's High way and though the Churches have many in them that are dead yet have they with them as many living Members as yours and many more if these parts may be Witnesses I would not be a Member of that Church willingly that is composed of none but not able Christians though I most Love the best and delight most in their Fellowship and wish that all were such yet when I see a Church so gathered I easily find it is a wrong Constitution and not according to the Mind of Christ. I will never join with them that will have but one Form in Christ's School I would have the A B C there taught as well as the profoundest Mysteries 'T is no Sign of the Family of God to have no Children what if I said Infants in it but strong Men only Nor of the Hospital of Christ to have none Sick nor of his Net to have no Fish but Good nor of his Field to have no Tares Flesh and Blood hath ticed me oft to Separation for Ease but it s too easy a way to be of God I undergo another kind of Life you are extreamly mistaken if you think that you are put on so much Duty and Self-denial by many Degrees among your Hundred Professors as we must undergo Your Work is Idleness to ours how then is yours the streighter way 4. For Riches and gay Apparel you may help to cure Excess where you find it What! a Physician fly because his Patients are Sick O that we had no sorer Diseases to encounter than fine Cloaths If you were with me I could tell you quickly where to find Forty Families of humble godly Christians that are as bare and Poor as you would Wish and need as much as you can give them or procure them that scarce lose a Day 's Work by Sickness but the Church must maintain them And I could send you to Sixty Families that are as poor and yet so Ignorant as more to need your spiritual Help When they have sat by me to be instructed in my Chamber they sometimes leave the Lice so plentifull that we are stored with them for a competent space of time Never keep in a Separated Church to avoid Riches and fine Cloaths and for fear lest you cannot meet with the Poor I warrant you a Cure of that Melancholy Fear in most places in England 5. The next is the great Block 1. If you gather out the choicest Members that should help the rest and then complain of Parishes when you have marr'd them you do not justly 2. If you will not do your Duty in a Parish because some Ministers do not theirs your excuse is frivolous 3. If I durst have gathered a separated Church here I could have had one large and numerous enough or such as would allow me ease but I think Parish Work the best We here agree on these Four Heads 1. To teach all In which Work in my Parish I could find Work for Ten Ministers if I could maintain them 2. To admit none as adult Members without a personal credible Profession of Faith and Holiness of which I refer you to my Treatise of Confirmation 3. To exercise Discipline with these 4. To hold Communion of Churches by Associations and Assemblies of the Officers And I bless God I find not my Parish such a dead Body as you speak of Among Eight Hundred Families Six Hundred Persons are Church-Members I hope there is not very many of these without such a Profession as giveth us good Hopes of their Sincerity and none whose Profession I am able any way to disprove and this satisfieth me as God's Way and many I hope Scores there be of those that join not with us on divers Accounts that I hope fear God If you have Charity to judge that our Parishes have Christians you may have Charity to judge that they have Life and some fit for Communion How tender is Christ of his weakest Members and shall not I imitate him yea shall I judge them that am so bad my self and pluck them from his Arms that designeth it as his highest Honour to be admired and glorified in the freeness and fulness of his Grace and Love to the Unworthy 6. Your Followers Souls are by you endangered while you leave them in their Sin will it endanger them to tell them of that Danger and help them out What! to lead Men to Holy Love and Unity with the Catholick