there is something that will admit of a farther Consideration Whereupon I considered it and have added Supposing it be a publick Profession of Christianity which is made Because though the People are not bound to try the Persons before-hand that are so to be received to Communion yet they may ordinarily expect that when they are admitted their Profession be publick or made known to the Church which I imply'd before And now Sir I pray give me leave to speak some-what freely to the Cause it self assuring you I shall patiently if not thankfully receive as free Language from you or others I shall 1. mention what it is that we have to do and 2. what Reasons we have for doing it One Business is to heal Church-Divisions and Heart-Divisions therefore you must give us leave to say much against Divisions or Separations which are unjust because this is our end and all the rest is but the means and if you would have us leave out that it is all one as to say Let us agree to have no Agreement or Vnity or we will be healed so we may continue to be unhealed or do but excuse us from Concord and we will agree with you The Reason why we would bear with other Differences is because we cannot bear with the absence of Vnity Love and Peace else we may let all go to Divisions without any more ado And the great things which hinder the Presbyterians and Moderate Episcopal â—â—en from closing with you are principally these 1. Because they think that your way tends to destroy the Kingdom of Christ by dividing it while all Excommunicate Persons or Hereticks or humorous Persons may at any time gather a Church of such as Separate from the Church which they belonged to though it be on the account of Ungodliness or Impatience of Discipline c. and then may stand on equal Terms with you especially when you are not for the constant Correspondency of Churches in Synods by which they may strengthen themselves against them 2. They think while you seem to be for a stricter Discipline than others that your way or usual Practice tendeth to extirpate Godliness out of the Land by taking a very few that can talk more than the rest and making them the Church and shutting out more that are as worthy and by neglecting the Souls of all the Parish else except as to some publick Preaching against which also you prejudice them by unjust Rejections and then think that you may warrantably account them unworthy because you know no worthiness by them when you estrange your selves from them and drive them away from you They think that Parish-Reformation tendeth to the making Godliness universal and that your Separation tendeth to dwindle it to nothing I know that some of you have spoken for endeavouring the good of all but pardon my plainnes I knew scarce any of you that did not by an unjust espousing of your few do the People a double Injury one by denying them their Church-Rights without any regular Church Justice and the other by lazily omitting most that should have been done for their Salvation In our Countrey almost all the rest of the Ministers agreed to deal seriously and orderly with all the Families of their Parishes which some did to their wonderful benefit except your Party and the highly Episcopal and they stood off The doubt was when I came to Kiderminster Whether it were better to take 20 Professors for the Church and leave a Reader to head and gratifie the rest Or to attempt the just Reformation of the Parish The Professors would have been best pleased with the first and I was for the latter which after full tryal hath done that which hath satisfied all the Professors So that professed Piety and Family-Worship in a way of Humility and Unity was so common that the few that differ among some Thousands are mostly ashamed of their Difference on the account of Singularity and would seem to be Godly with the rest The last Week I had with me an honest Scotchman and one of my Acton Neighbours and I asked him how their Nation came to be so unanimous in the approbation of Godliness without any Sect. And he told me that usually they had twelve Elders in a Parish and every one took their Division and observed the manners of the People and if any Family prayed not c. They admonished them and told the Pastor and that the Pastor then went to them though many Miles off and taught them to Pray and led them in it and set them upon other means as we teach Children to read And that once a Week they had a meeting of the Elders to consult about the good of the Parish and once a Week a meeting of the People to pray and confer and receive resolution of Doubts before the Pastor and every Lord's Day after Sermon they stayed to discourse of the things Preached of that Objections might be answered and those urged to their duties that had nothing to say against it This and more the Scotchman averred to me My Acton Neighbour told me that there is now but one Person a Woman in all this Town and Parish that was here admitted to the Sacrament and that the rest were partly by this course and other reasons distasted and their dislike encreased and partly neglected and left to themselves That of rich Families Mr. Rous Major Skippous Collonel Sely and Mr. Humphreys were admitted while the rest were refused or neglected And that one surviving Person who was admitted it but a Sojourner here Whereas upon a little Tryal I am able to say that there are comparatively few openly scandalous Persons in the Town that there are many who I have reason to believe do seriously fear God and are fit for Church-Communion That almost the whole Town and Parish even those that seemed most averse are desirous and deligent to hear even in private and seem to be desirous of Family-helps and desire good Books to read in their Families And I hear not of one Person or hardly any if one that speak against the strictest Godliness but commonly rather take part with those that are judged to fear God Even the very Inns and Ale-houses themselves do signifie no Opposition or ill-will In a word the willingness seemeth so great and common that if I were their Pastor and had time to go to them in private and try and promote their Knowledge which comes not at once I see no reason to doubt but Godliness might become the common Complexion of the Parish I speak this to shew you if Experience signifie any thing with you that your separating way tendeth to Laziness and the grievous hinderance of that Godliness which you seem to be more zealous for than others and that the way of Reforming Parish-Churches is not so hopeless as you make your selves believe it is Some one wrote lately Exceptions to Mr. Eliot upon his Proposals in which he asketh him
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
not impossible that some will judge him too impudent and unworthy in branding Persons with such ungrateful Characters as do so evidently expose the Memory of the Dead and Living or their Posterity and intimate to disgrace But 1. Matters of Fact notoriously known are speaking things themselves and their Approbation or Dislike from others should be as Publick as the Things themselves Matters of Publick Evidence and Influence are as the Test of Publick Sentiments and of the prevailing temper of those Communities wherein such things were done And can Civilities of Conversation or Interest or Personal Respects and Tenderness be an Equivalent with God to what is expected by him from Bodies Politick or from his faithful Servants in them 2. The Author blames himself as freely and as publickly confesseth and blames his own Miscarriages as he doth any other 3. He spares no Man nor Party which he saw culpable and verily thought reproveable on just grounds Nor is he sparing of fit Commendations nor of moderating his Reprehensions where he saw the Case would bear it 4. He was far from Partiality and addictedness to any Party Good and Evil Truth and Falshood Faithfulness and Persidiousness Wisdom and Folly Considerateness and Temerity c. they were respectively commended or dispraised wherever they were found 5. Though Oliver Cromwell once Protector Dr. Owen and others seem to be sharply censur'd by him in the thoughts of those that valued them yet let the assigned Reasons be considered by the Reader and let him fairly try his own strength in either disproving the Matters of Fact and so impeach the Truth of the History or in justifying what was done and so implead the Criminal Charge or in allaying the Censure by weighing well how much of their reported or arraigned Miscarriages may and ought to be ascribed to meer Infirmity or Mistake or by preponderating their censured Crimes with other worthy Deeds and Characters justly challenging Commendations For as to Oliver Cromwell what Apprehensions and Inducements governed him and what hold they took upon his Conscience and how far he acted in faithfulness thereto as in designed reference to God's Glory to the Advancement of Religion to the Reformation of a debauched Age and to the Preservation of these Kingdoms from Popery Slavery and Arbitrariness the general Fear and Plea of these Kingdoms at that time whether without or with good ground let others judge is not for me here to determine I have heard much of his Personal and Family Strictness and Devotion Of his Appeals to God for the Sincerity of his Designs and Heart from some who have heard him make them as they have credibly told me Of his Encouragement of â—â—â—ious Godliness and of the great Discouragement which Irreligion and Prophâ—neness and Debauchery ever met with from him These Things were good and great But from what Principles they came and by what right from God and Man they were his Rectoral Province and to what ultimate End he really did direct them these Things require deeper Thoughts than mine in order to a sober Judgment on them It is more than I can do to vindicate his Right to Govern and to behead our King and to keep out another but I am alway glad of any thing which may allay the Guilt of Men though I had rather find no Guilt nor any appearance or suspicion of it that shall need Charity or Industry to extenuate or allay it God grant these Kingdoms greater Care and Wisdom for time to come and cause us to sit peaceably orderly obediently submissively and thankfully under the gracious Government of King William our present rightful and lawful Soveraign in so great Mercy to these Kingdoms whom may the most high God long preserve conduct and greatly prosper 6. As to the Relatives and under Agents of Oliver Cromwell I offer these things 1. The Author would not charge them with what they never did 2. Their Disadvantages through the Exigencies Influences and Temptations of their Day ought to be well considered lest otherwise Men be intemperate and excessive in their censorious Reflections on them Things now appear perhaps in a far clearer Light than heretofore 3. Instant Necessities may admit of greater Pleas and Men at a greater distance may not so sitly judge of present Duty or Expediency And 4. there is undoubtedly such a thing as interpretative Faithfulness and Sincerity which so far cheers Mens hearts and spirits resolution and appeals to God although the Principles which bear Men up herein may be and frequently are erroneous and but meer Mistakes 5. We know not all that men can say when calmly heard and fairly dealt with for their own censured Actions by way of Apology or Defence 6. We must consider our own selves as in this World and Body and as liable to equivalent if not the same Dangers and Temptations The sence and provident reach of that Divine Advice Gal. 6. 1. is vastly great and greatly useful and would prevent rigid Constructions if well attended to 7. Oliver Cromwell's Progeny those that are yet alive are chargeable no further with his Crimes than they are approved by them and this I never heard them charged with since 60. I know them not but I have been told that they are serious peaceable useful commendable Persons and make a lovely Figure in their respective though more private Stations 8. As to Dr. Owen 1. It is too well known to need my proof how great his Worth and Learning was How soft and peaceable his Spirit for many of his last years if credible Fame bely him not And perrar'o in melius mendax fama He was indeed both a burning and a shining Light 2. As to the Wallingford-House Affair and the Doctor 's Hand therein our Reverend Author considered him and others as to what he thought culpable and of pernicious Consequence and scandalous Report and Influence as to both the present and succeeding Ages He had no Personal Prejudice against him or others But as both Church and State were so disorderly endangered and affected by what was there consulted and done so Mr. Baxter did so much resent the thing as to think it fit to be recorded and accented with fit aggravations as a Remonstrance to the Crime and as a Warning to the Christian World And he is not the only Person who hath believed noticed and blamed that Matter But that the Doctor is in his great Master's joys is what our Author hath reported his very firm perswasion of in print 9. As to our Brethren the Independants 't is true that no mean Ferment appears to have been upon the Author's Spirit But 1. is he sharper upon them then on the Presbyterians Anabaptists Prelates where he thought or found them culpable 2. What Party did our Author wholly side with 3 What bosom Friend did he ever spare wherein he sound him reprehensible 4. He was so intent upon Orthodox Doctrines Catholick Union Christian Concord and Behaviour and Peaceable Usefulness and
eleven Weeks and at the same time the Army being come up from the West lay in siege at Oxford By this time Col. Whalley though Cromwell's Kinsman and Commander of the Trusted Regiment grew odious among the Sectarian Commanders at the Head-quarters for my sake and he was called a Presbyterian though neither he nor I were of that Judgment in several Points And Major Sallowey not omitting to use his industry in the matter to that end when he had brought the City to a necessity of present yielding two days or three before it yielded Col. Rainsboroug was sent from Oxford which was yielded with some Regiments of Foot to Command in Chief partly that he might have the honour of taking the City and partly that he might be Governour there and not Whalley when the City was Surrendred And so when it was yielded Rainsborough was Governour to head and gratifie the Sectaries and settle the City and Country in their way But the Committee of the County were for Whalley and lived in distaste with Rainsborough and the Sectaries prospered there no further than Worcester City it self a Place which deserved such a Judgment but all the Country was free from their Infection § 80. All this while as I had friendly Converse with the sober part so I was still employed with the rest as before in Preaching Conference and Disputing against their Confounding Errours And in all Places where we went the Sectarian Soldiers much infected the Countreys by their Pamphlets and Converse and the People admiring the conquering Army were ready to receive whatsoever they commended to them And it was the way of the Faction to speak what they spake as the Sense of the Army and to make the People believe that whatever Opinion they vented which one of forty in the Army owned not it was the Army's Opinion When we quarter'd at Agmondesham in Buckinghamshire some Sectaries of Chesham had set up a Publick Meeting as for Conference to propagate their Opinions through all the Country and this in the Church by the encouragement of an ignorant Sectarian Lecturer one Bramble whom they had got in while Dr. Crook the Pastor and Mr. Richardson his Curate durst not contradict them When this Publick Talking day came Bethel's Troopers then Capt. Pitchford's with other Sectarian Soldiers must be there to confirm the Chesham Men and make Men believe that the Army was for them And I thought it my Duty to be there also and took divers sober Officers with me to let them see that more of the Army were against them than for them I took the Reading Pew and Pitchford's Cornet and Troopers took the Gallery And there I found a crowded Congregation of poor well-meaning People that came in the Simplicity of their Hearts to be deceived There did the Leader of the Chesham Men begin and afterward Pitchford's Soldiers set in and I alone disputed against them from Morning until almost Night for I knew their trick that if I had but gone out first they would have prated what boasting words they listed when I was gone and made the People believe that they had baffled me or got the best therefore I stayed it out till they first rose and went away The abundance of Nonsense which they uttered that day may partly be seen in Mr. Edward's Gangraena for when I had wrote a Letter of it to a Friend in London that and another were put into Mr. Edward's Book without my Name But some of the sober People of Agmondesham gave me abundance of thanks for that Days work which they said would never be there forgotten And I heard that the Sectaries were so discouraged that they never met there any more I am sure I had much thanks from Dr. Crook and Mr. Richardson who being obnoxious to their displeasure for being for the King durst not open their mouths themselves And after the Conference I talkt with the Lecturer Mr. Bramble or Bramley and found him little wiser than the rest § 81. The great Impediments of the Success of my Endeavours I found were only two 1. The discountenance of Cromwell and the chief Officers of his Mind which kept me a stranger from their Meetings and Councils 2. My incapacity of Speaking to many because Soldiers Quarters are scattered far from one another and I could be but in one Place at once So that one Troop at a time ordinarily and some few more extraordinarily was all that I could speak too The most of the Service I did beyond Whalley's Regiment was by the help of Capt. Lawrence with some of the General 's Regiment and sometimes I had Converse with Major Harrison and some others But I found that if the Army had but had Ministers enough that would have done but such a little as I did all their Plot might have been broken and King Parliament and Religion might have been preserved Therefore I sent abroad to get some more Ministers among them but I could get none Saltmarsh and Dell were the two great Preachers at the Head Quarters only honest and judicious Mr. Edward Bowles kept still with the General At last I got Mr. Cook of Roxhall to come to assist me and the soberer part of the Officers and Soldiers of Whalley's Regiment were willing to pay him out of their own pay And a Month or two he stayed and assisted me but was quickly weary and left them again He was a very worthy humble laborious Man unwearid in preaching but weary when he had not opportunity to preach and weary of the Spirits he had to deal with § 82. All this while though I came not near Cromwell his Designs were visible and I saw him continually acting his part The Lord General suffered him to govern and do all and to choose almost all the Officers of the Army He first made Ireton Commissary General and when any Troop or Company was to be disposed of or any considerable Officer's place was void he was sure to put a Sectary in the place and when the brunt of the War was over he lookt not so much at their Valour as their Opinions So that by degrees he had headed the greatest part of the Army with Anabaptists Antinomians Seekers or Separatists at best and all these he tied together by the point of Liberty of Conscience which was the Common Interest in which they did unite Yet all the sober Party were carried on by his Profession that he only promoted the Universal Interest of the Godly without any distinction or partiality at all But still when a place fell void it was Twenty to one a Sectary had it and if a Godly Man of any other Mind or temper had a mind to leave the Army he would secretly or openly further it Yet did he not openly profess what Opinion he was of himself But the most that he said for any was for Anabaptism and Antinomianism which he usually seemed to own And Harrison who was then great with him was for the
in the reason of it That the Jews Children are called Innocents that were two years old and that they are said to confess Christ by dying and so must have a Holy-day when they confessed him but objectively as Sacrifices did that hence we take occasion to pray for the killing of Vices in us that our Lives may express our Faith is partly uncertainty at the best and partly incoherence The Collect for the Epiphany hath no Petition but one for the fruition of the glorious Godhead after this Life The Collect for the first Sunday after the Epiphany is no more pertinent to that day than to another and is only for the Generals the hearing of our Prayers the knowing our duty and doing it That for the second Sunday after Epiphany is no more pertinent and is only for audience and peace That on the third Sunday after the Epiphany is no more pertinent and hath nothing but in General that God will look upon our Infirmities and help us in all dangers and necessities The same is to be said of that for the fourth Sunday after Epiphany which is only for health of body and soul to pass and overcome Sufferings The Collect for the keeping of the Church in the true Religion is no more pertinent to the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany that to another day The Collect on Septuagesima Sunday is that we that are justly punished for our offences may be mercifully delivered when perhaps the Church is under no special Punishment nor is there any reason for the order of this Prayer That on the Sunday called Sexagesima hath no reason of its location or order there and hath no Petition but that so oft repeated one to be defended against all adversity The Petition for Charity on Quinquagesima Sunday hath no reason for disorder nor for appropriation to that day but should be part of every days Requests The same is to be said of the Collect on the first day of Lent which also unhandsomly saith that God hateth nothing that he hath made which is true only in a formal sence quâ talis For he hateth all the works of iniquity Psal. 5. 5. The General Petitions on the second Sunday in Lent to keep our bodies from adversity and our souls from evil thoughts have no reason for their order The same is true of that on the third Sunday in Lent which hath no Petition but that God will look upon our desires and stretch forth his right hand to be our defence against Enemies There is no more reason for that order of that on the fourth Sunday in Lent which is only a Petition for relief to us that are worthily punished when perhaps we are under no special Punishment but in Prosperity The same Ataxie is in that on the fifth Sunday in Lent which asketh nothing but to be governed and preserved evermore That on the Sunday before Easter and divers days after giveth no reason of Christ's Incarnation and Death but that all mankind should follow the example of his humility and yet must be used rather then that on the second Sunday after Easter which in fewer words conjoyneth both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Ensample of Godly Life The first Collect on Good-fryday hath no Petition but that God will graciously behold this his Family inconveniently also expressed the Pronoun this seeming plainly to mean that particular Congregation which is not to be called God's Family but part of it The following Collects for the day are good but have no order as to their location Even the Collect on Easter-day is disorderly and dry having no Request annexed to the mention of Christ's Resurrection but that by God's help we may bring the good desires he hath given us to good effect which also is repeated the next day and also on the first Sunday after Easter That on the second Sunday after Easter is fitter for Good-friday but indeed must be a daily Petition That on the third Sunday after Easter hath no reason of its order or placing there The same is true of that for the fourth Sunday after Easter and that on the fifth Sunday which are but Generals to think and do good That on Whitsunday and divers days after useth the words as upon this day of which before and petitioneth for no gift of the Spirit but a right judgment and rejoycing That on Trinity Sunday asketh nothing at all but through the stedfastness of our Faith to be defended evermore from all adversity A Petition so frequently repeated even alone as if we would perswade the Enemies of the Church that we are a worldly carnal People and principally seek the things that perish when indeed it is a sin to pray to be evermore defended from all adversity when God hath told us that through many tribulations we must enter into his kingdom and that he that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution and that God chasteneth every son whom he receiveth and that he that will be Christ's Disciple must deny himself and forsake all and take up his Cross and follow him accounting the afflictions of this present time unworthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed That on the first Sunday after Trinity is as the rest having no special respect to the day or order of Requests and containeth only the General Request so oft repeated of Grace to keep God's Commandments and please him No more reason is there for the order of the Petition for fear and love on the second Sunday after Trinity Nor of that on the third Sunday which only asketh audience and that God by his mighty aid will defend us without any instancing from what No more reason is there for the order of the Requests on the fourth Sunday after Trinity the fifth the sixth the seventh the eighth which only prays God whose Providence is never deceived to put away from 〈◊〉 all hurtful things and give us these things that be profitable all mee Generals in which no particular repentance or desires are expressed So also on the ninth Sunday that hath the like Generals and on the tenth Sunday which asketh nothing but that we may obtain our petitions and ask that which pleaseth God and that on the eleventh Sunday that we running to the Promises may be partakers of the heavenly Treasure and that on the twelfth which asketh for that which we dare not presume to ask and that on the thirteenth that we may so run to the promises as to attain them which is all the Petition and that on the fourteenth and that on the fifteenth keep us ever by thy help and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation and that on the sixteenth the seventeenh the eighteenth where the infections of the Devil is an inconvenient phrase the nineteenth the twentieth the one and twentieth the two and twentieth which again prays that the Church may be free from all adversities the three and twentieth which is nothing
pursued me to this very day 2. But it is the Reasons against our full Obedience to the Imposition of this Conformity which I am now to rehearse but I must desire the Reader to remember that my bare Recital is no sign of my Approbation of all that I recite though I be one of those that dare not Conform § 304. And first there are divers general Reasons which keep some of them more than others from Conformity and drive them further even from joyning with them in Liturgy or Sacrament 1. Some of them look upon the Principles and Lives of many of those who fall in with the establisht Church as furnishing them with a sufficient Plea against Conformity For say they it 's easie to observe how the Prophane and Vitious and Debaucht and Scandalous which makes up but too great a part of the Nation fall in with that Party in the Church that are for Prelacy and Liturgy c. and for oppressing those who differ in their Sentiments from them about these Matters Now how say they can we safely joyn in with that Body of Men that harbours so many open Enemies to all Religion as the prophane part of the Nation comprehends But some who are more considerate reply That this is no other than what is the usual Attendant of a National Establishment it being a common thing for all those in a State who are really of no Religion in appearance to fall in with that Mode of Religion that is favour'd by the Law and most encouraged by the Prince § 305. 2. The same Persons say That by Conforming they shall own and strengthen Usurpers who have made a New Office which Christ never made and to the great wrong of Christ and the peril of the Church have made themselves Lords of God's Heritage And as he that obeyeth the Pope's Law is guilty of his Usurpation so is he that obeyeth the Prelates Laws though the Matter commanded were lawful in it self But the moderater Nonconformists are not for this Reason because say they it is but Counsel as it cometh from the Convocation and it is the King and Parliament that make a Law of it whom we must obey in lawful things And they say further That we must not forbear a Duty for fear of Encouraging Men's Usurpations § 306. They say also 3. That these Impositions are done by the Prelates in meer design to root out godly Ministers and Christians And that when they feared that the old Conformity would not serve turn they have added such new Materials of set purpose which keep out a Thousand at least that would have yielded to the Old Conformity And what they aim at further when they have thus driven out all the able faithful Ministers God knoweth But if we set in with them and use the very means which they have â—â—bricated for this very end to destroy the Interest of Godliness though the Act commanded were indifferent we are made guilty of their Sin But the moderate Nonconformists say That such Reasons as these are good Seconds where the Matter is first proved evil but 1. That Mens Designs are lateâ—t in their hearts and the strongest Conjectures will not serve instead of Proof 2. If that it were known to any one of us not by the Evidence of the thing but by some other Discovery that a lawful thing is Commanded with a pernicious design that will not excuse us from our Obedience unless it be probable that the Church is like to be saved from ruine by our forbearance to obey And we may do the thing commanded without any participation of the Guilt of Mens private malicious Intentions § 307. 4. Also they say That we have Covenanted to endeavour a Reformation and had begun it and therefore shall be Covenant-breakers and Backsliders if we yield to any thing which was to be reformed But here the more moderate have many Distinctions between things unlawful and things only inconvenient and between those that have opportunity to do better and those that have not and between seldom Communion and most ordinary And they say that things unlawful must not be done whether we have covenanted against them or not But for things only inexpedient or evil by a superable Accident they become our Duties and no Covenant disobligeth us from our Duty and that the Covenant never was intended to oblige us to prefer no Worship before that which is defective but only to prefer that which is better before it And that it may be a duty to Communicate sometime with a very faulty Church in order to our Catholick Communion with the whole so be it our ordinary particular Communion be in the purest Church and Order caeteris paribus that we can have § 308. 5. And another Reason given is That the Aggravation of the Sin of these Imposers is very great that they have been Persecutors heretofore and seen and felt God's Judgments for it and have been convinced and intreated to return to Charity and yet they have with renewed Malice set themselves to the debauching of the Consciences of the Kingdom and to the extirpation of Natural Honesty and have branded all their Party with the Mark of Perjury Perfidiousness and Persecution while they brand the Consciencious with the Name of Puritans And therefore they are a Generation ready for perdition and certainly near some heavy Curse And for us to joyn with them that are in the way to Wrath is the way to be partakers of their Plagues But the moderate say to this 1. That the Extenuation as well as the Aggravation of their Sin must be considered And that it must be remembred that among the Nonconformists there is a Party of Sectaries that Rebelled against all the Governours that were over them and cut off the King's Head when they had conquered those that are now against them in the Field and sequestred their Estates And that such great Provocation may not only sublimate Malice where it findeth it but greatly exasperate even temperate Men. 2. That it 's true that we must partake with no Men in their Sin as ever we would escape their Plagues but when that which is the Imposers Sin is become the Subjects Duty God will not plague us with them for doing our Duties 3. That it is dangerous to presume to foreteâ— on whom God will bring his Judgments in this Life and to preâ—ume that we are safe and they are near perdition while all things come alike to all and the differencing Day of Judgment is not yet come Therefore it is dangerous on such Prophesies or Presumptions or Fears to go out of the way of any Duty or to avoid any lawful Communion with the Church § 309. 6. Again it is said That these Impositions being the Engines of Division in the Church as Mr. Hales himself affirmeth we shall be partakers of the Schisms if we use them But the moderate say That indeed if we partake in the Imposition we partake in the
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
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-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
supposing such Excellent persons to be Saved But Errours and Sins contradict themselves and Factious Damners that for Preferment Condemn good Men are ordinarily self-condemned § 3. This maketh me remember how this last year one Dr. Mason a great Preacher against Puritanes Preached against me publickly in London saying That when a Justice was sending me to prison and offered me to stay till Monday if I would promise not to Preach on Sunday I answered I shall not Equivocally meaning I shall not promise when he thought I meant I shall not Preach O these say the Malignants are your holy Men And was such a putid Falshood fit for a Pulpit from such Men that never spake one word to my face in their Lives The whole truth is this The foresaid Tho. Ross with Philips being appointed to send me to prison for Preaching at Braâ—nford shut the Chamber doors and would neither shew or tell me who was my Accuser or Witness nor let any one living be present but themselves And it being Saturday I askt them to stay at home to set my House in order till Monday Ross asked me Whether I would promise not to Preach on Sunday I answered No I shall not The Man not understanding me said Weâ—t you Promise not to Preach I replyed No Sir I tell you I will not promise any such thing If you hinder me I cannot help it but I will not otherwise forbear Never did I think of Equivocation This was my present Answer and I went strait to Prison upon it Yet did this Ross vent this false Story behind my back and among Courtiers and Prelatists it past for currant and was worthy Dr. Mason's Pulpit-impudency Such were the Men that we were persecuted by and had to do with Dr. Mason died quickly after § 4. Being denied forcibly the use of the Chappel which I had built I was forced to let it stand empty and pay Thirty pounds per Annum for the Ground-Rent my self and glad to Preach for nothing near it at a Chappel built by another formerly in Swallow-street because it was among the same poor people that had no Preaching the parish having 60000 Souls in it more than the Church can hold when I had Preached there a while the foresaid Justice Parry one of them that was accused for slitting Sir Iohn Coventree's Nose with one Sabâ—es signed a Warrant to apprehend me and on Nov. 9. 1676. six Constables foâ—â— Beadles and many Messengers were set at the Chappel-doors to 〈◊〉 it I forbare that day and after told the Duke of Lauderdaile of it and asked him What it was that occasioned their wrath against me He desireâ— me to go and speak with the Bishop of London Compton I did and he spake very fairly and with peaceable words But presently he having spoken also with some others it was contrived that a noise was raised as against the Bishop at the Court that he was Treating of a Peace with the Presbyterians But after a while I went to him again and told him it was supposed That Justice Parry was either set on work by him or at least a word from him would take him off I desired him therefore to speak to him or provide that the Constables might be removed from my Chappel-doors and their Warrant called in And I offered him to resign my Chappel in Oxenden-street to a Conformist so be it he would procure my continued Liberty in Swallow-street for the sake of the pâ—or multitude that had no Church to go to He did as good as promise me telling me That he did not doubt to do it and so I departed expecting Quietness the next Lord's day But instead of that the Constables Warrant was continued though some of them begg'd to be excused and against their wills they continued guarding the Door for above Four and twenty Lord's-days after And I came near the Bishop no more when I had so tried what their Kindnesses and Promises signifie § 5. It pleased God to take away by torment of the Stone that excellent faithful Minister Mr. Tho. Wadsworth in Southwark and just when I was thus kept out at Swallow-Street his Flock invited me to Southwark where though I refused to be their Pastor I Preached many Months in peace there being no Justice willing to disturb us This was in 1677. § 6. When Dr. Lamplugh now Bishop of Exeter was Pastor at St. 〈◊〉 old Mr. Sangar the Minister thence put out thought it his duty to abide in the Parish with those of his ancient flock that desired him and to visit such as desired him in sickness because many that were against our Preaching pretended that we might find work enough in private Visitings and helps An old Friend of Mr. Sangar's being sick near St. Iames's Market-house sent to him to visit her By that time he had a while Prayed by her Dr. Lampleugh came in and when he had done came fiercely to him saying Sir What business have you here Mr. Sangar answered To visit and Pray with my sick Friend that sent for me The Doctor fiercely laid hold of his breast and thrust him toward the Door saying Get you out of the Room Sir to the great trouble of the Woman that lay sick in Bed by them having buried her Husband but a little before Had this been done to any other than to so Ancient Grave Reverend Peaceable Moderate and Calm a Man as Mr. Sangar who had been lawfully called before this Doctor to be Pastor of the Parish and then Preached no where but to a few in his own small House it had been more excusable Mr. Sangar oft profest to me the truth of what I say which I mention to silence those our Accusers that would have us give over Preaching that we may do such private Work Wheras 1. I must be a year speaking that to people one by one which publickly I may tell them all in one day And he that heareth my Exhortation but once a year and heareth Seducers Swearers Cursers and Railers every day may wish at last he had better friends than these pretenders to Peace and Obedience that accuse us 2. And such Instances shew that we are envyed as much in our private duty as in our publick And did we speak only in private our Persecutors would then vent their Suspicions of our Doctrin without any Confutation and would say We are they that creep into Houses to lead the silly Women captive O what a World is this Where Atheists Infidels and the most Beastly Sinners are Members of the Church of England When did we hear of any of them Excomunicate and God's faithfullest Servants represented even by the envious Prelates and publick-Priests as the intolerable Criminal persons of the Land for Praying and Preaching when they forbid them and the necessity of Thousands binds them to it besides their Ordination Vow § 7. When Dr. William Lloyd became Pastor of St. Martin's in the Fields upon Lamplugh's Preferment I was encouraged by
the Wants of distant Persons and Charity would have gathered but this It is their Supporters Judgment and their own that not the Loyterer but the Labourer is worthy of his Meat at least and that to cease Preaching till Mens necessity cease is a heinous Sin and a Man may forbear rewarding and encouraging heinous Sins without the Guilt that you seem to suspect Quest. 24. Why do you think that the Ministers do not do their best in private as well as in publick to those that will receive them◠Read Ios. Allen's Life enquire better in London whether Mr. Sangar Mr. Caughton Mr. Reed Mr. Doelittle Mr. Turner Dr. Anesly Mr. Vincent and such others do not labour as well in Private as in Publick for my part I am not now able must I therefore do nothing is it a Sin to speak to Two Thousand at once and a Duty to speak to them one by one doing that a whole Year which I can do in an Hour You say p. 205. you speak not to all alike but to all in their several measure you speak And you 'll say all Parishes be not so great nor all Ministers so bad as some in publick nor so unable c. I answer 1. Nor do we behave our selves in all places alike Not only I but other more eminent Ministers of London many go to the Parish-Churches especially in the Country and countenance honest publick Ministers to the utmost and communicate ordinarily with them And many Ministers in the Country do as you advise in living in great Love and Communion with the Parish-Ministers save that they cease not Preaching as you would have them and they gather not distinct Congregations but must the same course be taken in London where the Fire hath burnt the Churches and half and more of the People have no Churches to go to through the greatness of the Parishes Should such a famous City be Paganised by the Persuasions of Godly Men as for the promoting of Unity and Godliness If you say that most Ministers settle where the Churches are not full and not in the great Parishes I answer 1. That is because they are driven out of the great Parishes by force 2. And People cannot come out of the great Parishes to them where they are or else to the publick Churches the better when their Absence maketh room Pag. 182. You say If those formerly or more lately who desired some Alteration in the external Form of Administration used in our Church had not run so high as to assert things unlawful which by all their Mediums they could never prove to be so c. Quest. 25. Why then did not their Charity or yours shew the weakness of what we took for Proofs nor ever answer our three last large Writings given in to them Quest. 26. You truly contradict many Writings of the unanswerable Conformists who say that at Worcester House or in that Treaty we professed all that we opposed to be lawful and only inconvenient which of you shall the ignorant believe Quest. 27. Know you not how much is added since Will you join with them that build up a double Wall of Separation and will by no intreaty take down one Stone of it and then cry Schism and Separation Quest. 28. Did you ever see or hear our Reasons to prove that 〈◊〉 which we took for such If not how can you judge so peremptorily of them 〈◊〉 of of the eight Points that at the Savoy we undertook to prove great Sins and of 〈…〉 that I take for heinous Sins should I commit them which are now in my Thoughts I will only beg the Charity of your Arguments to prove 〈…〉 of these very few following least by the number I discourage you Quest. 1. How prove you it lawful to Assent and Consent to a doubled 〈◊〉 that Infants baptized and dying before actual Sin are saved not excepting any Infanfant of Pagan Turk or Atheist or Insidel Were you certain of this by Gods Word heretofore Are you certain now O then help us to certainty by your Proofs May not a Man be baptized that is not certain that the Gospel is true if he believe it so far as to venture Life and Soul and all upon it Quest. 2. How prove you that I may assent and consent that no Parent shall be Godfather for his Child nor enter him at all into God's Covenant by speaking one Word of Promise or undertaking nor saith the Canon may he be urged to be present but that the only covenanting Undertakers or Promisers shall be our God-fathers and Godmothers who perfideously promise what not one of thousands that adopt not the Child ever make any Man believe that they have any intention to perform and tempt Anabaptists to take us all to be unbaptized as not being covenanted for by any that had Authority to do it by God's Law Quest. 3. How prove you it lawful to Assent and Consent to deny Christendom to all Infants whose Parents will not have them dedicated to God by the Transient Image of the Cross or will not have such God-fathers the sole undertaking Covenanters but will openly enter their own Children into that Covenant them◠selves especially when the Liturgy saith 1. That these Infants are certainly and undoubtedly saved if baptized 2. And denyeth them Christian Burial if they dye unbaptized Prove that a Minister may Assent and Consent to deny them Christendom and certain Salvation because of this Judgment of Godly Parents Quest. 4. Prove it lawful to deny Christian Communion to all Christians that dare not receive Kneeling or that are Excommunicate for not paying the Fees of the Court or all that a lay-Chancellor using the Power of the Keys doth Excommunicate and to assent and consent so to do to the first at least Quest. 5. How prove you it lawful to assent and consent to deny Christian Communion to all that are not Confirmed by the Bishop or willing to be so though he were never so willing to own his Baptismal Covenant and do all that a Christian Man should do When the Reformed Churches have written so much against the necessity of such Confirmation Quest. 6. How to prove you it lawful to assent and consent that all the Atheists Infidels Hereticks and Wicked Men yea every individual Person in England except the Unbaptised Excommunicate and Self-murderers shall at their Burial be Ministerially pronounced Saved viz. That God of his Mercy hath taken unto himself the Soul of this our dear Brother out of the Miseries c. as you read And when we are stifled in a Goale our selves as Schismaticks unless a Man usually excommunicate us they will pronounce us saved Quest. 7. How prove you it lawful deliberately to publish your Assent and Consent to that little gross Falshood the Rule to find out easter-Easter-day I will trouble you with none of the many greater things If you say that you mean not to justify all these and such like 1. Will not common Reason
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