AN ANSWER TO THE Dissenters Pleas FOR SEPARATION OR AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE LONDON CASES WHEREIN The Substance of those Books is digested into one Short and Plain Discourse CAMBRIDGE Printed at the University Press for Alexander Bosvile at the Sign of the Dial over against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet-street 1700. Imprimatur GUL. DAWES Procan HUMF GOWER SS Theol. pro D na Margareta Prof. GUL. SAYWELL Coll. Jes Praefect JA. JOHNSON Coll. Sid. S. Magist THE PREFACE THAT Collection of Cases and other Discourses which was lately written by the most Eminent of the Conforming Clergy to recover Dissenters to the Communion of the Church of England has met with such an Universal Approbation that I need not speak any thing in commendation of it Therefore I shall wave all discourse of that nature and only give a short account of this Abridgment The Collection it self being large and dear it was thought convenient to reduce it to a less Bulk and smaller Price that those Persons who have not either Money to buy or Time to peruse so big a Volume may reap the benefit of it upon easier terms This I presume will justify my Design if I have not fail'd in the prosecution of it I have us'd my best endeavours to avoid obscurity and all those other faults which are often charg'd upon Abridgments and I hope I may venture to say I have omitted nothing that is material tho' the Number of these sheets is not the Sixth part of those that contain the Original For the Learned Authours of the Collection do frequently glance and sometimes Discourse largely upon the same Subject so that by avoiding Repetitions and blending all the Substance together I have much lessen'd the Expence of Money and Time This and some other advantages arise from the Digestion into Chapters which cou'd not have been gain'd if I had made a distinct Abridgment of every single Discourse I hope I have fairly Represented the Sense of my Authours but if I have mistaken or injur'd it in any particular I am sorry for it and do heartily beg Pardon of Them and the Reader The 11 th and 12 th Chapters I am sure are exact for they have receiv'd the A. Bp. of York's own Corrections for which I am obliged to return his Grace my humblest Thanks Other parts I have submitted to the Censure of other worthy Persons to whose Judgment I shall ever pay the greatest Deference but I have reason to suspect my self for what I have receiv'd no Assistance in and therefore I desire the Reader to Correct me when he finds occasion I have follow'd not only my own Opinion but the Directions of several very judicious Persons in the omission of A. Bishop Tillotson's Discourse of Frequent Communion which is wholly foreign to the Design of the Collection The Quotations in the London Edit 1698. which I follow are very badly Printed and therefore if any mistakes of that Nature have crept into this Book I hope they will not be charg'd upon me Many of them appear'd false at first View and many I knew not what to make of but some of them I have ventur'd to Correct God Almighty grant that this weak endeavour may be of some Service at least towards the Cure of those Divisions which have endanger'd the Ruin of the Best Church in the World St. John's Coll. in Cambridge Octob. 2d 1699. Tho. Bennet A Catalogue of those Books the Substance of which is contain'd in this Abridgment 1. ARchbishop Tennison's Argument for Union taken from the true Interest of those Dissenters in England who profess and call themselves Protestants 2. Archbishop Sharp's Discourse concerning Conscience In two parts 3. Bishop Grove's Persuasive to Communion with the Church of England 4. Bishop Patrick's Discourse of Profiting by Sermons 5. Bishop Fowler 's Resolution of this Case of Conscience whether the Church of England's Symbolizing so far as it doth with the Church of Rome makes it unlawful to hold Communion with the Church of England 6. His Defence of the Resolution c. 7. Bishop Williams's Case of Lay-Communion with the Church of England 8. His Case of Indifferent things used in the Worship of God 9. His Vindication of the Case of Indifferent things c. 10. Dr. Hooper's Church of England free from the Imputation of Popery 11. Dr. Sherlock's Resolution of some Cases of Conscience which respect Church-Communion 12. His Letter to Anonymus in Answer to his Three Letters to Dr. Sherlock about Church-Communion 13. Dr. Hicks's Case of Infant-Baptism 14. Dr. Freeman's Case of Mixt-Communion 15. Dr. Hascard's Discourse about Edification 16. Dr. Calamy's Discourse about a Scrupulous Conscience 17. His Considerations about the Case of Scandal or giving offence to Weak Brethren 18. Dr. Scott's Cases of Conscience resolv'd concerning the Lawfulness of joining with Forms of Prayer in Public Worship In two parts 19. Dr. Claget's Answer to the Dissenters Objections against the Common Prayers c. 20. Dr. Resbury's Case of the Cross in Baptism 21. Dr. Cave's Serious Exhortation with some Important Advices relating to the late Cases about Conformity 22. Mr. Evans's Case of Kneeling at the Holy Sacrament The CONTENTS THe Introduction containing an Argument for Union taken from the true Interest of those Dissenters in England who profess and call themselves Protestants pag. 1 CHAP. I. Of the Necessity of living in constant Communion with the Church of England pag. 15 CHAP. II. The use of Indifferent things in the Worship of God no objection against our Communion pag. 31 CHAP. III. Of the Lawfulness and Expediency of Forms of Prayer pag. 48 CHAP. IV. Objections against our Morning and Evening Service and Litany Answer'd pag. 90 CHAP. V. Of Infant-Baptism pag. 103 CHAP. VI. Objections against our Form of Baptism and particularly that of the Sign of the Cross Answer'd pag. 126 CHAP. VII Objections against our Communion-Office and particularly that of Kneeling at the Sacrament Answer'd pag. 135 CHAP. VIII The Objection of our Symbolizing or Agreeing with the Church of Rome Answer'd pag. 171 CHAP. IX The Objection of Mixt-Communion Answer'd pag. 194 CHAP. X. The Pretences of Purer Ordinances and Better Edification among the Dissenters Answer'd pag. 210 CHAP. XI The Pretence of it's being against one's Conscience to join with the Church of England Answer'd pag. 228 CHAP. XII The Pretence of a doubting Conscience Answer'd pag. 249 CHAP. XIII The Pretence of a scrupulous Conscience Answer'd pag. 277 CHAP. XIV The Pretence of Scandal or giving Offence to Weak Brethren Answer'd pag. 292 The Conclusion containing an earnest Persuasive to Communion with the Establish'd Church of England pag. 309 THE INTRODUCTION Containing An ARGUMENT for UNION Taken from the true Interest of those Dissenters in ENGLAND who Profess and call themselves PROTESTANTS 'T IS plain that the ready way to overthrow a Church is first to divide it and that our Dissentions are Divisions properly so call'd How mortal these breaches may at last prove any
man may easily foretell and therefore 't is the business of every good man to dissuade from them One way of doing this is to shew Dissenters calmly and plainly that their ends are not likely to be obtain'd and that by the means they use they will bring upon themselves those very evils which they fear and hope to remove This Argument I design to handle by way of Introduction to the following Discourse and in the Management of it I intend to shew First what those ends are which are propos'd by the Wiser and better Dissenters and Secondly that the ends which they propose can never be procur'd by the dissettlement of the Church of England The Dissenters ends are two First the establishing of themselves either as a National Church or as several distinct Churches Secondly and chiefly the farther advancement of the Reform'd Religion by the removal of Popery and making the Protestant Religion more pure and perfect than it is or can be under the present constitution of the Church of England First then as for the establishing of themselves as a National Church 't is impossible that all of them shou'd be United For what Communion can the Presbyterians have with Arians Socinians Anabaptists Fifth-Monarchy-Men Sensual Millenaries Behmenists Familists Seekers Antinomians Ranters Sabbatarians Quakers Muggletonians Sweet-Singers Such a medly of Religions cannot frame amongst them any common Scheme in which their assents can be United Nor can any Prevalent Party hope to establish themselves as a National Church because they want Episcopacy which hath obtain'd in England since it's first Conversion and is so agreeable to the Scheme of the Monarchy and will not easily be exchang'd for a newer model by the general consent of the English who are naturally tenacious of their ancient Customs Again all the Parties amongst us have of late declar'd for mutual forbearance and therefore they cannot be consistent with themselves if they frame such a National Constitution by which any man who dissents from it shall be otherwise dealt with than by personal conference which also he must have liberty not to admit if he be persuaded it is not fit or safe for him Now such a Body without any other Nerves for its Strength and Motion for the encouragement of those who are Members of it and the discouragement of those who refuse its Communion will not long hold together nor hath it means in it sufficient for the ends to which it is design'd And indeed by this means the Spiritual Power of Excommunication will be rendred of none effect For what Punishment what Shame what Check will it be to cross and perverse men if being shut out of the National Church they may with open arms and with an applause due to real Converts be receiv'd into this or the other particular Congregation as it best suits with their good liking Some persons Think that since they gathered Churches out of Churches there are not many true and proper Presbyterians in England and if this be true Independency is the prevalent side but I know not how a National Church can be made up of separate Independent Churches For each Independent Congregation is a Church by its self and has besides the general Covenant of Baptism a particular Church-Covenant and therefore 't is difficult to imagine how all of them can be United into one intire Society But be it suppos'd that the Presbyterians are the most Numerous and prevalent Party yet experience shews how hard a work it is for all of them to form themselves into a Church of England In the late times of public disquiet tho' they had great power and fair opportunities and seem'd nigh the gaining of their point yet they widely miss'd of it There were in the Assembly of Divines some for an Independent others for an Erastian Interest (a) Vid. Whitlock's Memoirs p. 116. 189. Harm Consent p. 20. There were a Party in the Nation who were then call'd Dissenting Brethren who hated the Directory and Printed a Remonstrance against Presbytery and reproach'd the Presbyterians in the same Phrases which they had us'd against the Church-Liturgy (b) Testim to the Truth of J. C. p. 31. Some Presbyterians did openly confess that their hopes were not answer'd and that instead of a Reformation they had a Deformation in Religion Those Independents who adher'd to that part of the House which joyn'd with the Army prevail'd for a season but they also were disturbed by the Lilburnists Levellers and Agitators (c) Myst of Godlin Anno 1649. Wynstanl in Sts. Paradise c. 5. p. 54 c. Whitlock's Memoirs p. 430. Salmon's Rout. in Pref. p. 10 11 c. Hist of Indep part 2. p. 153. View of the late Troubles p. 366. Then Wynstanly publish'd the Principles of Quakerism and Enthusiasm brake forth Joseph Salmon a Member of the Army publish'd his Blasphemies and defended his Immoralities and Printed a Book in which he set forth himself as the Christ of God Cromwel favour'd Enthusiasm and together with Six Souldiers Preach'd and Pray'd at Whitehall and confess'd to a person of condition from whom I receiv'd it as did others yet living that he Pray'd according to extraordinary impulse and that not feeling such impulse which he call'd supernatural he did forbear to Pray oftentimes for several days together At last he and his House of Commons were publicly (d) Whitlock's Memoirs p. 592 606 624. Burroughs's Trumpet of the Lord. p. 2. disturb'd by Quakers bespatter'd in their books his Preachers interrupted by them in his own Chappel before his face and himself conspir'd against by those who call'd themselves the free and well affected People of England Other Memorials might be produc'd relating to the hopeful Rise mighty progress and equal declension of the Presbyterian Party but in short the longer the Church of England was dissetled the greater daily grew the Confusion so that those very distractions prepar'd the Way for the Restitution of the King and the Church Now if Dissenters cou'd not settle themselves when they had such fair opportunities much less can they do it now because First the platform of Discipline so much applauded and contended for in the Reigns of Q. Elizabeth and K. James has been partly tried and lost some of that Reverence which several had for it Secondly there is not now such an Union amongst Dissenters as appear'd at the beginning of the late Troubles Thirdly those who then favour'd the Discipline do now incline to Independency and plead for Toleration Fourthly the sincere Zeal and Power of many Pious Men of Quality who favour'd the Discipline in the simplicity of their hearts could not then settle it much less will it now succeed since these Men have seen such Revolutions and discover'd the Vile interests of many under pretence of Pure Religion These have seen their errour and will not be a second time engaged Lastly by reason of the gross Hypocrisies numberless Parties and Opinions Irreligious
p. 1. c. p. 57. prove it and so do's the (c) Jerubbaal or the Pleader impleaded p. 18. 27. Authour of Jerubbaal and if I shou'd proceed to particulars I might fill a Volume with (d) Concerning her Doctrin See the Opinion of the Presbyt in Corbet's Discourse §. 21. p. 43. Baxter's 5 Disp Pref p. 6. of the Independents in the Peace Offering p. 12. See also Baxter's Def. of his Cure part 1. p. 64. part 2. p. 3. Wadsworth's Separ yet no Schism p. 60 62. Throughton's Apology c. 3. p. 106. and of the Brownists in their Apol. p. 7. Anno 1604. See also Bayly's Dissuasive c. 2. p. 20 33. Stillingfleet's Unreasonableness of Separ part 1. §. 9. p. 31. for Opinions concerning her Worship See Hildersham's Lect. 26. on Joh. p. 121. Contin of Morn Exercise Serm. 4. p. 91. Throughton's Apology p. 104. Peace Offering p. 17. for Opinions concerning the Truth sufficiency and ability of her Ministry See Bradshaw's Unreasonableness of Separ p. 16 27 37. Grave and Mod. Confut. p. 28. Apologet. Narrat p. 6. Cotton's Infant Baptism p. 181. for the defence of the Ordination of our Ministry See Jus Divi. Minist Evangel part 2. p. 12 16 17 25 c. Jus Div. regim Eccles p. 264 c. Cawdry's Independency a great Schism p. 116. and his defence of it p. 35 37. Testimonies 'T is true they own her to be a true Church upon different Grounds because some of the Dissenting Writers are for a National and others for a Congregational Church but they (e) Jus div Min. Evangel p. 12 c. Brinsly's Church-Remedy p. 41 42. Cawdry's Independency a great Schism p. 60 89 132 172. Tombes's Theodulia §. 15 16. pref c. 9. §. 3. Crofton's Reformation not Separation p. 10. and Bethshemesh Clouded p. 101 c. Church Refor p. 42. Corbet's account of the Principles c p. 26. Throughton's Apology p. 103. Baxter's defence of his Cure part 2. p. 178. Cotton's way clear'd p. 8. his Letter p. 3. Hooker's Survey pref part 1. p. 47. Goodwin on the Ephes p. 447 448 449. all agree in this that the Church of England is a true Church tho' they say she is a corrupted one Nay our (f) Grave and Mod. Confut. p. 6. Goodwin's Sion Coll. visited Bradshaw's Unreasonableness of the Separation p. 97. Brethren do not only grant her to be a true Church but also declare her to be one of the most valuable if not the very best in the world But I shall say no more of this matter only I refer the Reader to Mr. Baxter's Cure of Ch. divis dir 56. p. 263. That the Establish'd Church is also a sound as well as a true part of the Catholic Church might easily appear by an examination of it but I shall not enter upon so large a work because it is not necessary for I conceive that our Dissenters will be not only willing but forward to acknowledge it when I shall have answer'd those objections which they are pleas'd to make against our Communion and shewn that those Pleas which they raise from them are by no means sufficient to make Separation lawful I proceed therefore to the several Pleas and design to examine them in their natural order CHAP. II. The use of indifferent things in the Worship of God no objection against our Communion THE First Objection against our Communion is drawn from the use of indifferent things Our Adversaries say that indifferent things may not lawfully be us'd in the worship of God and that our Communion is therefore unlawful because we require men to use such indifferent things Now that this objection may be fully answer'd I shall do four things viz. First I shall shew what is meant by indifferent things Secondly I shall shew that indifferent things may be lawfully us'd in divine Worship Thirdly I shall consider how we may know what things are indifferent in the worship of God Fourthly I shall shew how we are to determine our selves in the use of indifferent things with respect to the worship of God I. Then I shall shew what is meant by indifferent things All actions are either duties or sins or indifferent that is such as are neither duties nor sins Duties or sins are so either in their own nature or by Divine Law That which is commanded is a duty that which is forbidden is a sin but that which is neither commanded nor forbidden is indifferent because 't is neither duty nor sin and we may either chuse or refuse it without sin For where no law is there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 Duty is duty because 't is commanded and sin is sin because 't is forbidden and indifferent is indifferent because 't is neither commanded nor forbidden So that we may as well know by the silence of the Law what is indifferent as we may know by its Authority what is a duty or a sin For where there is no Law for or against the matter is indifferent As for instance suppose there should be a dispute concerning daies set apart for the service of God how must this be determin'd but by the Law of Nature or Revelation Now if neither the Law of Nature nor the Law of Revelation say any thing of the observation of such daies then we are at liberty to observe or not to observe them II. Indifferent things may be us'd in the Divine worship as appears 1. From the consideration of the Gospel-rules of worship which except what relate to the two Sacraments are taken from the Nature of the thing and were the same in all Ages viz. such as respect Order Decency and Edification 1 Cor. 14.26 40. So that we are no otherwise bound than all the world ever was and therefore since others have always determin'd the outward circumstances of worship we have also the same liberty The Rules themselves are general and the Apostles rarely descend to particulars but whenever they do they shew how far Custom Charity and the reason of the thing ought to govern us as in the case of a Man's being uncover'd in God's worship 1 Cor. 11.4 7. for they thought it impossible or not worth their while to tie all Nations to the same Modes since God may be honour'd by one as well as the other If it be said that when things are determin'd in general the particulars are therein Virtually determin'd and so are not indifferent I answer that then nothing is indifferent since there are general rules about every thing As for example all Meats are now lawful to Christians but yet there are general rules by which we are determin'd in the use of them such as our own constitution c. but those rules do not make the Meats to be other than indifferent So there are general rules for God's worship but yet the particulars are indifferent and prudence is to regulate them The general rules of Order Decency and Edification depend upon variable