blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu By the blood of Jezreel understand Ahab's 70 Sons which were slain at Jehu's appointment by the Rulers of Jezreel and all the remainder of Ahab's house whom Jehu slew in Jezreel 2 K. 8.10.1 7 11. Now if a man may fulfil the Law of God and yet fall under the vengeance of God for doing what God commands for corrupt and sinful ends then much more may a man execute the Laws of men and thereby incur displeasure of Almighty God for making use of and prosecuting that Law from evil principles and for sinful and corrupt ends 3. The Law which Informers make use of to persecute these men is capable of such an interpretation as it will not touch these men or their Meetings For 1. If the body of the Act be to be interpreted by the title of the Act as one would think it should the title representing the design and main purport of the Act as the Contents of a Chapter does set out the chief things in the Chapter These men are not at all concerned in this Act. For it 's Intituled An Act to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles For they come not at any seditious Conventicles they abhor such Conventicles as much as these Informers or any other men For they know and teach according to the Scripture That sedition is a work of the flesh which will exclude men from the Kingdom of God as well as envyings and murthers drunkenness and revellings or other such like sins Gal. 5.20 21. And if an Informer shall call an Assembly of men fearing God who meet together for no other end but to pray to God in the Name of Jesus Christ or Preach and Hear the Word of God or other Religious exercises a seditious Conventicle he seemeth to me to be either an ignorant or malicious man 2. If the Law be to be interpreted by the Preface to the Act neither will that concern the Meetings of these men The Preface is this For providing further and more speedy remedies against the growing and dangerous practise of seditious Sectaries and other disloyal persons who under pretence of tender Consciences have or may at their Meetings contrive insurrections as late experience hath shewn This Preface doth not in any of its branches concern these Ministers called Non-conformists They are not seditious Sectaries for they are of the same Faith with the Church of England and Preach peace and labour as much as in them lyes to live peaceably with all men They are no disloyal persons for they honour the King and pray for him both in their Closets Families and Assemblies There are no dangerous practises at their Meetings for when they meet together they pray to God they read the Holy Scriptures they preach sound Doctrine they praise God in singing Psalms they give Alms these are no dangerous practises They are none of those that at their Meetings contrive insurrections as experience shews For no instance that I have heard of hath been of any such contrivance for the long space of time since they were cast out of their livings a good proof of their peaceableness Besides they have Women and Children at their Meetings yea and persons they know not and that is not the manner of them that meet to contrive insurrections Some may say though neither the Title nor the Preface do reach these men and their Meetings yet the Act it self doth for it concerneth those that shall be present at any Assembly or Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and practise of the Church of England To which I answer still this relates to those that are present at Religious exercises under a colour or pretence and so it doth not reach them who meet together for no other end but to worship God and edifie their own Souls but only reaches such as use Religious exercises for a pretence and colour to carry on some evil designs which cannot be proved against these men But the most material passage in this Act which is made use of to suppress the Assemblies of these men is this It is pretended their exercises of Religion are in other manner than according to the Liturgy and the practise of the Church of England And therefore this must now be enquired into which if these Informers did rightly understand and would put on charity and did fear an oath they would be very fearful to persecute these men or cause them to be fined and molested upon a pretence that their meeting is in other manner than according to the Liturgy and the practise of the Church of England Before I answer this I would premise one passage out of Dr. Jer. Taylour late Bishop of Down and Conner about the interpretation of the Laws lib. 3. pag. 31. It 's observable that all Laws do insinitely decline all barsh senses and are ambitious of gentle and benign interpretations If this rule of interpreting Laws be granted and practised I doubt not but the Non-conformists and their Meetings will be exempted from the penalties of this Act. To clear this more particularly Let it be considered whether these mens prayings be in other manner than according to the Liturgy to this end let me tell you in what manner these men pray they pray to the Almighty God that made Heaven and Earth who is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ They pray to this God in the Name of Jesus Christ and make use of no other Mediatour besides our Lord Jesus They pray for things agreeable to the Will of God They pray to God in a known tongue which is understood by those that joyn with them They lift up their hearts as well as their hands to God in the Heavens The glory of God is that which they aim at in all their prayers And are not all these things according to the Liturgy of the Church of England Doth not the Liturgy direct prayer to be made to the true God Are not the Prayers of the Liturgy agreeable to the Will of God Are not the Prayers of the Liturgy offered up to God in the Name of Christ and in a known tongue and for the glory of God Did you find these men praying to Jupiter or any of the Gods of the Heathen Did you hear them blaspheme Jesus Christ as the Jews do in their Synagogues Did you find them praying in an unknown tongue or praying to the Saints or Virgin Mary as the Papists do or did you find them praying for unlawful things you had some colour to inform against them as transgressors of this act What is there then in these mens Prayers that make you judg them to be in other manner than according to the Liturgy which in your apprehension makes them transgressors of the Law It may be you will say They do not use that form of Prayer which is prescribed in the Liturgy but they pray
in other words To which I answer They may be truly said to pray after the same manner though they use not the same words For our Lord Jesus Christ gave his Disciples a form or pattern to direct them how to pray and bid them pray after that manner that he had taught them Matt. 6.9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in Heaven And we find some of their Prayers recorded as Act. 1.24 25. Act 4.23 Yet in neither of these nor any other place do we read that they used that form of Prayer which our Lord Jesus taught them but their Prayers were put up to God in other words Now I would demand of these Informers Did the Apostles transgress the commandment of Christ and pray in other manner than Christ directed when they used not that form of words which are contained in the Lords Prayers but prayed in other words I suppose they will be ashamed to say the Apostles transgressed the command and prayed in other manner than he enjoin'd them If they should be so audacious as to charge the Apostles with the breach of Christ's command for praying in other words they may be refuted from that gracious answer which God gave to their Prayers by filling them all with the Holy Ghost after they had prayed to him Act. 4.31 If they will grant the Apostles did not pray in other manner than Christ directed though they used other words and so were no transgressors of Christ's command Then I reply Why then do these Informers persecute and persecute these Ministers as transgressors of this Act pretending that in their Meetings they pray in other manner than according to the Liturgy when all that is requisite to make a Prayer acceptable to God is found in these mens Prayers as well as in the Prayers in the Liturgy These mens Prayers are offered up to the same God by the same Mediatour by the help of the same Spirit for things agreeable to the Will of God and for the honour and glory of God as well as the Prayers prescribed in the Liturgy But besides what hath been said already there may be one thing more added which will exempt these men from being guilty of exercising any Acts of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England and that is this The Liturgy of the Church of England includes all those portions of the Holy Scripture which are appointed to be read for the first and second Lesion for the Morning and Evening Service throughout the whole year together with what is read for the Epistles and Gospels And whatever Religious exercise is allowed of by these by those portions of Scripture appointed to be read by the Liturgy for the Morning or Evening Service that Religious exercise is not performed in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England And if all those portions of Scripture be part of the Liturgy which I suppose none will deny it will be easie proving that there is nothing done at these Assemblies but what is agreeable to the Scriptures used in the Liturgy I will touch but upon one or two places On July the 18th for the second Lesson at the Evening Service is appointed to be read 1 Tim. 2. and there praying in houses and in every other place is allowed of as well as in Temples so it be done in an holy manner v. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting And June the 30th for the second Lesson is appointed Eph. 6 and there the Apostle alloweth of all manner of Prayer so it be in the Spirit v. 18 Praying always with all Prayers and Supplication in the Spirit So that all manner of Prayer at what time or place soever it be made if it be Prayer in the Spirit is allowed by the Scriptures appointed to be read by the Liturgy and so is not in other manner than according to the Liturgy Many more instances might be given to prove the Religious exercises of these men to be in such manner as agreeth with the Scriptures prescribed to be read by the Liturgy but I shall add no more Now let us consider whether these mens exercises of Religion be in other manner than according to the practise of the Church of England If they had no benefit by the former clause which as before explained is for their advantage though made use of to suppress them yet they have protection from the penalty of the Law as I conceive by this clause The practise of the Church of England To clear this let it be considered 1. What is the Church of England The best way to know this is to consider the Doctrine of the Church of England declared in the 39 Articles and there the Church is thus defined Art 19 The Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christ's Ordinance and in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same And if this be a true description of the Church of England which they that own the Articles I think should not deny then these Non-conformists are a considerable part of the Church of England For they are faithful men men that believe on the Lord Jesus Christ which I suppose is meant by faithful men in their Congregations the Word of God is preached in truth and purity the Sacraments are duly administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all things that of necessity are requisite to the same If these Non-conformists be not a part of the Church of England How and when and by whom were they excommunicated and cast out of the Church If any say they do not comply with the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church I answer 1. In that definition which is given of the Church in the 19th Article there is nothing mentioned of the Discipline or Ceremonies As Mr. Rogers observes in his Exposition of the 39 Articles dedicated to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury His words are these Some and they many of them very godly men add Ecclesiastical Discipline for a note of the Visible Church but because the said Discipline in part is included in the marks here mentioned both we and in effect all well-ordered Churches over-pass it in this place as no taken simply of the Visible Church 2. The Church of England is not founded upon the Ceremonies or the Discipline but it is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone And upon this foundation do these Non-conformist Ministers build as well as the Conformable Clergy and therefore are of the Church of England as well as they And if the Non-conformists be a considerable part of the Church of England how can these Informers swear their Religious exercises are in other manner than according to the practise
Jesus Christ to be put to Death yet he shewed so much justice in his carriage he would not give sentence against him till he had examined him and his accusers and had heard what he could say for himself Luk. 23.13 And Pilat when he had called together the chief Priests and the Rulers and the People said unto them ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the People and behold I having examined him before you have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof you accuse him Neither the hainousness of the Crime objected against Christ as Blaspheming going about to make himself a King Perverting the People c. Nor the greatness or multitude of his accusers the chief Priests Rulers Elders and the People were combined together nor the impetuousness of his adversaries who Thirsted after his Blood and cryed out with one consent Crucify him Crucify him could prevail with Pilat to give sentence against Christ till he had examined him in the presence of his accusers Let it not be said that any Christian Magistrates come short of the justice Pilat shewed or pretended to shew who was the Condemner of Christ That such inconsiderable Persons as these Informers should prevail with them to Condemn men fearing God and give out Warrants to destrain their goods without examining them before their accusers and hearing what they are able to say for themselves 4. As for the pretence of the Informers that these men transgress the Act made to prevent seditious Conventicles I have answered that Plea chap. 3. Plea 5. whither I refer the Reader Where I have proved that the Meetings of these Ministers called Nonconformists are no transgression of that Act according to that Charitable interpretation that may be put upon it And I quoted a Passage out of Dr. Jeremiah Taylour concerning the interpretation of Laws which was this All Laws do infinitely decline all harsh sense and are ambitious of gentle benign interpretations Which if allowed as true in the interpretation of this Law in my judgment the Meeting of these men are not Punishable by that Law because those Meetings that are Punishable by that Law must be in other manner than according to the Liturgy and the practice of the Church of England which though the informers Swear because they do either not understand or not fear an Oath yet they will not be able to prove For they must be able to prove that they are in other manner than according to the holy Scripture which they cannot do because 1. The holy Scriptures which are read for the first and second Lesson are a great part of The Liturgy of the Church of England and therefore what Meetings are not in other manner than is allowed by those Portions of Scripture prescribed to be read by the Liturgy are not in other manner than according to the Liturgy 2. If these informers will contend and Swear That though these meetings be not in other manner than according to the holy Scriptures yet they are in other manner than according to the Liturgy this would set the Liturgy and the Scripture at variance and such a conclusion would be drawn from hence as might make them Punishable for depraving the Liturgy of the Church of England If it be said these meetings are in other Manner than according to the Scripture These Ministers desire no further favour than to argue this case with the Informers in the presence of the Magistrates And if they cannot Justify whatever they do out of the Word of God they will contentedly suffer what these Magistrates shall see meet to inflict upon them And if all Laws do infinitely decline all harsh sences I would appeal to all Sober men whether this be not an harsh sence to interpret a Law made to suppress seditious Conventicles in such a sence as to Punish men for performing Religious Duties And whether this be not an harsh sence to interpret those Meetings that are not in other manner than according to the Holy Scriptures to be in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England Suppose some pretenders to Religion have Plotted Insurrections under a colour of religious exercises such practices and principles I abhor as much as other men I speak not one word in their behalf yet this doth not take off the harshness of the interpretation so to interpret a Law made to prevent sedition and insurrection as to Punish such as meet for no other end but to glorify God and work out their own salvation If a strict Law were made to prevent Drunkenness and because many have made themselves drunk with Wine or Strong drink to interpret this Law so as to Punish a man that hath a weakly Stomach and drinks Wine moderately to help his digestion or to Punish a man that goeth to the Tavern upon weighty Business would be judged a harsh interpretation of the Law to Punish sober men for the use of that which others have abused so here because some have abused private Meetings to interpret a Law against seditious Meetings so as to Punish those that use Meetings in an holy and Religious manner seems to me an harsh interpretation of the Law Obj. 2. It may be some will say we cannot we dare not say to the contrary but many of the Non-conformists are righteous and peaceable men and we are not able to prove their Meetings are in other manner than according to the Holy Scriptures and if we could avoid it we would not molest these men or their Meetings for it is against our Consciences to break them up or to fine them But these Informers are busy men and they may possibly make us lose an hundred pounds if we do not answer their desire in disturbing these Meetings and fining those that are present at them If it were not that we feared the loss of an hundred pounds we would not meddle with these men and their Meetings Answ 1. I have not heard of any Magistrate that hath suffered on this account and if any Informer should arise to that Impudence as to Sue any Magistrate for not molesting these Men or their Meetings I have more charitable thoughts of the Law and of those that Execute them than to think that any Magistrate should be Fined for not punishing those Men against whom nothing of Sedition can be proved nor any thing else but that they meet together to pray to God in the Name of Christ for things agreeable to his Will and to Preach and hear his holy Word 2. To such as are under a Temptation of acting contrary to their Consciences for fear of the loss of an hundred pounds I may say as the Prophet said to Amaziah when he asked him But what shall we do for the hundred Talents And the man of God answered The Lord is able to give thee much more than this 2 Chron. 25.9 An hundred Talents is more than an hundred pounds and if God
of the Church of England If any man will put such a harsh sense upon these words The practise of the Church of England that he will have none understood but the conformable part of the Church of England Yet in this sense it may be pleaded It is not contrary to the practise of the Church of England for men that have been brought up at the University and after their examination of their fitness for the work of the Ministry have been ordained and set apart thereunto with fasting and Prayer to preach sound Doctrine and before and after their Sermons to pray to God in the name of his Son for things agreeable to his Will which is the practise of these men But if it be said it is the practise of the conformable Clergy in England to use the forms of Prayer prescribed by the Liturgy which these men do not I answer It is the practise of the Ministers of the Church of England to pray with other Prayers when in their Pulpits both before and after Sermon than what are prescribed in the Liturgy so that praying in other words and in another method than what is prescribed in the Liturgy either before or after Sermon in Publick Assemblies as the Non-conformists do is not contrary to the practise of the Church of England 2. Neither is praying and preaching without having the Liturgy read to the Assembly contrary to the practise of the Church of England For at Funeral Sermons the reading of the Liturgy is often omitted And it was the usual practise at the chiefest Church in Cambridge and I suppose still is continued where the Vice-Chancellor Masters and Fellows of Colledges and other Students assemble together to have praying and preaching both in the forenoon and afternoon every Sabbath-day without the use of the Liturgy in that Assembly Also when there is Concio ad Clerum which is frequent in Term time there is praying to God and preaching his Word without the use of the Liturgy And yet I suppose no man will say These are none of the Church of England 3. It is no crime to use different words and different methods in preaching so they that preach do preach sound Doctrine And why should it be esteemed such a great crime to use different forms and Methods in Prayer provided that they that pray pray to one and the same God in the name of one and the same Mediator for things agreeable to the Will of God 4. As for the Informers that plead they have Law for what they do if this were a truth which yet I will not grant them I would advise them to consider how contrary their practise is to the Laws of God I might name many instances I will mention but two or three Pro. 25.15 Lay not wait Oh wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous spoil not his resting-place Isa 16.3 4 Hide the out-cast bewray not him that wandreth Let my out-casts dwell with thee Moab be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler If Moab who was a stranger to the Common-wealth of Israel was to shew that humanity towards the Israelites when in a suffering condition as not to bewray him that wandred but to hide them permit them to dwell in safety to be a covert from the face of the spoiler Then what shall we say to them that profess themselves Christians and yet are so far from hiding and being a covert to the servants of God that they lye in wait to betray them and endeavour to spoil them of their goods Zech. 8.12 Let none of you imagine evil in your heart against his neighbour and love no false oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. When you are contriving how you may do evil to these men you are doing that which the Lord hates The greatness of your sin and your contrariety to the Word of God hath been so fully set out in the former Chapter that I shall need to add no more on this head only I shall mention this The Laws by which we shall all be judged at the last day are the Laws of God and therefore we should do nothing here but what we can give a good account of at the day of Judgment Jam. 2.12 So speak ye and so do ye as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty Plea 6. If these men would preach and meet in Churches we would not molest them but we hate this meeting in houses and barns and such like places Ans 1. But why should you be so much offended at preaching in houses and other retired places when as our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles preached not only in the Temple and the Synagogues but in private houses and ships and other places where the people could come conveniently to hear them Jesus Christ preached in an house when there was as many as the house could hold even to the very doors Mark 2.1 2. It was noised that he was in the house And straight-way many were gathered together insomuch as there was no room to receive them no not so much as about the door and he preached the word unto them He preached out of a ship Luk. 5.3 He entred into one of the ships which was Simons and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the Land and be sate down and taught the people out of the ship He preached sometime upon the mountains Matt. 5.1 2 And seeing the multitudes he got up into a mountain and when be was set his Disciples came unto him and he opened his mouth and taught them He did not decline preaching in any place where he had an opportunity to dispense the Word And as Jesus Christ so also his Disciples preached in houses as well as in the Temple and in the Synagogues Act. 5.42 And daily in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ Act. 20.20 I kept back nothing from you but have shewed you and have taught you publickly and from house to house For the space of two years Paul preached in his own house and received all that came to him and no man forbade him Act. 28.30 31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came unto him preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him And sometimes their Meetings and Preachings were very private Gal. 2.2 Joh. 21.19 2. Could these men enjoy publick places to preach in they would choose them rather than private houses not that they place any holiness in them or think the worship of God more acceptable in one place than in another but because of the conveniency of them Act. 17.24 God that made the world and all things therein seeing he is Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands It 's the worship and worshipper that God looks