a sober Christian hath the least reason to scruple Communion in Will you have a Pastor that shall not speak in the Name of the People to God or will you call his Prayers his own which he puts up by Virtue of his Office according to God's Word Ad 17m. I think they cannot without Sacriledge make such Alienation except where God's Consent can be proved For Example if the Ministers of the Church have full as much means given as is fit for the Ends to which it is given and yet the People will give more and more to the Burden and ensnaring of the Church and the impoverishing or ruin of the Common-wealth here I think God consents not to accept that Gift and therefore it was but an Offer and not plenarily a Gift for want of Acceptance for he accepts not that which he prohibits Here therefore the Magistrate may restore this to its proper use But whether this were any of the Case of these Sacrilegious Alienations too lately made in this Land is a farther Question I apprehend a deep Guilt of Sacriledge upon some Ad 18m. The Particulars here mentioned must be distinctly considered 1. About Fasts and Feasts the Question as referring to the Obligation of the Laws of the Land is of the same Resolution as all other Questions respecting those Laws which being a Case more out of my way I shall not presume to determine without a clearer Call Only I must say that I see little Reason why those Men should think themselves bound in this who yet suppose themselves loose from many other Laws and who obey many of the Laws or Ordinances of the present Powers 2. I much fear that not only the Querist but many more are much ensnared in their Consciences by misunderstanding the Nature and use of Synods It 's one thing for an Assembly of Bishops to have a superior Governing Power directly over all particular Churches and Bishops and another thing for such an Assembly to have a Power of determining of things necessary for the Concord of the several Churches I never yet saw it proved that Synods are over Bishops in a direct Governing Order nor are called for such Ends but properly in ordine ad Unitatem and so oblige only more than single Bishops by Virtue of the General Precept of maintaining Unity and Concord This is the Opinion of the most learned Bishop and famous antiquary that I am acquainted with 3. And then when the end ceases the Obligation is at an End So that this can now be no Law of Unity with us 4. All human Laws die with the Legislator farther than the surviving Rulers shall continue them The Reason is drawn from the Nature of a Law which is to be jussum Majestatis in the Common wealth and every where to be a sign of the Rectors Will de debito vel constituendo vel confirmando Or his Authoritative Determination of what shall be due from us and to us Therefore no Rector no Law and the Law that is though made by the deceased Rector is not his Law but the present Rector's Law formally it being the signifier of his Will And it is his Will for the continuance of it that gives it a new Life In all this I speak of the whole Summa potestas that hath the absolute Legislative Power If therefore the Church Governors be dead that made these Laws and no sufficient Power succeeds them to continue these Laws and make them theirs then they are dead with their Authors 5. The present Pastors of the Church though but Presbyters are the true Guides of it while Bishops are absent and the true Guides conjunctly with the Bishops if they were present according to the Judgment of your own side Whoever is the sole existent governing Powerâ— may govern and must be obeyed in things Lawful Therefore you must for all your unproved Accusation of Schism obey them The Death or Deposition of the Bishops depriveth not the Presbyters of that Power which they had before 6. Former Church Governors have not Power to bind all that shall come after them where they were before free But their Followers are as free as they were 7. The Nature of Church Canons is to determine of Circumstances only for a present time place or occasion and not to be universal standing Laws to all Ages of the Church For if such Determinations had been fit God would have made them himself and they would have been contained in his perfect Word He gives not his Legislative Power to Synods or Bishops 8. Yet if your Conscience will needs persuade you to use those Ceremonies you have no ground to separate from all that will not be of your Opinion 9. For the Cross the Canons require only the Minister to use it and not you and if he do not that 's nothing to you 10. Have you impartially read what is written against the Lawfulness of it by Amesius's fresh Suit Bradshaw Parker and others If you have you may at least see this that it 's no fit matter to place the Churches Unity or Uniformity in and they that will make such Laws for Unity go beyond their Commission Church Governors are to determine the Circumstances pro loco tempore in particular which God hath in Word or Nature made necessary in genere and left to their Determination But when Men will presume beyond this to determine of things not indeed circumstantial or no way necessary in genere nor left to their Determination as to institute new standing Symbols in and with God's Symbols or Sacraments to be engaging Signs to engage us to Christ and to Work Grace on the Soul as the Word and Sacraments do that is by a moral Operation and then will needs make these the Cement of Unity this is it that hath been the Bane of Unity and Cause of Divions 11. Kneeling at the Sacrament is a Novelty introduced many hundred years after Christ and contrary to such Canons and Customs of the Church to which for Antiquiâ—y and Universality you owe much more respect than to the Canons of the late Bishops in England 12. If your General Rule hold that you stand bound by all Canons not repealed by equal Power you have a greater burden on your back than you are aware of which if you bore indeed you would know how little this usurped Legislative Power befriends the Church And among others you are bound not to kneel in the Church on any Lord's Day in Sacrament or Prayer Grotius de Imperio Sumpotest would teach much more Moderation in these Matters than I here perceive Ad Q. 19m. 1. It 's too much Self-conceitedness and Uncharitableness to pass so bold a Censure as your Supposition doth contain of the visible ruling Church being Schismatical and so Heretical Which is the ruling Church I know none in England besides Bishops that pretend to rule any but their own Provinces and but few that pretend Order to Regiment Perhaps when the
and Men cannot be Pastors against their wills and the will of their Diocesans That I contradict my Treatise of Episcopacy in denying this With more like this To which I say I. If the Parish Congregation were but part of a Church you might joyn with it as a part as well as with part of an Independent Church And they that can hear a Lay-man with the Separatists might hear the Ministers thereâ— II. Whether I contradict my self or not is nothing to your Cause and Conscience I undertook not when I wrote that none should wilfully or ignorantly misunderstand me The formal Notion of a National Church is nothing but a Christian Kingdom The Matter is Christian Rulers and Subjects and as ordered Confederate particular Churches England hath been such for many Ages Here from the Reformation they owned the Sovereign Power as the Head of the Political National Church as Christ is of the Universal under him They owned Parish-Churches under Diocesans and true Ministers therein Their Books shew their Judgment their Articles Apology Homelies Liturgy Ordination Canons c. These Books are still owned by the Church But at last a new sort of Bishops rose up that would have made the Parish Churches to be no proper Churches but like Chappels under the Diocesan These called themselves the Church of England when there were but about four or five Bishops left alive who Dr. Hammond said were of his mind Some such domineered afterward and would have set up that way but never prevailed either to retract the Churches Books and Laws nor to get the major part of the Clergy to own them Now all the vain question here is Which of these two Parties shall be called The Church of England Neither of them alone They are two disagreeing parts of it I argued against the last professing not to do it against the first which your Counseller would take no notice of And what 's all this to you If you will not be of the National or Diocesan Church you may be of a Parish Church III. I proved that if all the Bishops and Parliament had said The Parish Ministers are no true Pastors this would not have made them none though they might be guilty of deposing them as far as they could no more than it would make the Nonconforming Ministers and Churches to be none Because we all take the Office as instituted by Christ and Men to be but investing Servants to him having no power to alter it And as in the Marriage the Husband shall have power over the Wife though he that marry them say Nay so shall an ordained Elder be a true Pastor though the Ordainer say Nay IV. I proved that the old Church Books and Doctrine are in force still by Law and the Kingdom and Church are sworn or bound not to endeavour any alteration in the Government of the Church Therefore not to put down the Parish Ministry and Churches Therefore this is the Sence of the Church of England though not of the new Faction that usurped that Name V. Though a Man cannot be a Pastor against his will yet he may be one without his knowledge if by Errour he think he is none For he may consent to all the Office while he thinks it is not all and denieth the Name If a Man think that a Deacon may do all essential to a Pastor and so that he is but a Deacon he is nevertheless a Pastor if he consented to the Work Many thousands are Christians that think they are not and do truly consent to Christianity while they think they do not And why may it not be so also to the Ministry VI. But our Case needeth none of these Reasons For where there is all that is essential to true Pastors and Churches there are true Pastors and Churches But by God's great mercy in many thousand Parishes in England there is all that is essential to true Pastors and Churches Therefore they are such When you will call me to dispute it with any Denier I will fully prove to you That there is great need of Reformation 1. That the Church of England as it is a Christian Kingdom containing Confederate Churches under a Christian King and Laws is that very Form that Christ offered to settle in Iudea and did settle by Constantine 2. That if the Diocesans be good Men and lawfully chosen as they are meer Successours of Timothy and Titus and others that had the oversight of many Churches and Pastors by the Word they are righter than the Opposers 3. That the Incumbents of the Parish-Churches have a valid Ordination by such Bishops and Presbyters righter than the Dividers 4. That many thousands of such Pastors are Men of competent Abilities and many of greater Ministerial Abilities than most of us Nonconformists yea that no known Nation under Heaven hath in so small a compass so many able Ministers as England And that to deny it and separate is great ingratitude towards God 5. That Parish Bounds are a laudable Distribution of Churches the capable Members being Communicants and the rest Catechumens 6. That the ordinary Communicants in multitudes of Parishes are Membrs that have all that is essential to Church-Membership 7. That the Pastors have power from God for all their Work and Mens denial even the Ordainers nullifieth not that Power when they are in general ordained Presbyters 8. That by the Law of the Land they have all Power essential to Pastors They may keep from Communion all that are not Confirmed and there have owned their Baptismal Covenant or are ready and desirous so to do and therefore may try their readiness This is required by the Liturgy And they may deny the Sacrament to all that live in scandalous Sin And they must prosecute such to the Bishops Courts The Law calleth them Rectors Rulers and they own themselves for such And even the Canons that are their worst restraints do own the same and so do the rest of the Church-Books and Laws that they all subscribe to and promise not to alter Ask them whether they take not themselves for true Pastors if you would know whether they consent to be such 9. Though some late Innovators that called themselves The Church of England would as far as they could have nullified in some part the Parish Ministry and Churches and the Canons themselves do sinfully limit the Exercise of their Power the Cause of our Calamities yet this nullifieth not the Office and Churches the Essential Power being setled both by God's Laws and the Churches and the restraint of Exercise nulleth not the Power 10. That to Exclude any from Communion that are Baptized and at Age have owned their Christianity and are not proved by sufficient witnesses to have nullified that Profession by Apostasie Heresie or a wicked or scandalous Life is Church Tyranny and Injustice of which all are guilty that do it or desire it 11. That if this Discipline be neglected by the Ministers sinful Sloth or by the
and the Rule of his Faith and Life And repenting unfeignedly of his Sins he did resolve through the Grace of God sincerely to obey him both in Holiness to God and Righteousness to Men and in special Love to the Saints and in Communion with them against all the Temptations of the Devil the World and his own Flesh and this to the Death If therefore these things were Believed and Consented to by him and if these things do essentiate our Saving Christianity and so be sufficient to make us all one in Christ why should some different Modes and Forms of Speech wherewith these great Substantials may and do consist obtain of Men to think him Heterodox because he uses not their Terms And why should such Distances and Discords be kept up amongst us whilst we all of us own all the forementioned Articles and are always ready on all sides to renounce whatever Opinions shall appear to overthrow or shake such Articles of Faith and Covenanting Terms with God and Christ And I cannot but believe that all Christians seriously bound for Heaven and that are fixed upon these Truths are nearer each to other in their Judgments than different Modes of Speech seem to represent them Of such great Consequence is true Charity and Candour amongst Christians 3. The Reverend Prelates and the Ministers and Members of the Church of England may possibly distaste his plainness with them and think him too severe upon them But 1. they are no Strangers to his professed and exemplified Moderation Who valued their Worth and Learning more than he did Who more endeavoured to keep up Church Communion with them by Pen Discourse and Practise though not exclusively Who more sharply handled and more throughly wrote against and reprehended total Separation from them than himself And what Dissenter from them ever made fairer and more noble Overtures or more judicious Proposals for a large and lasting Comprehension with them than they knew he did And who more fairly warned them of the dismal Consequences and calamitous Effects of so narrowing the Church of England by the strict Acts procured and executed against so many peaceable Ministers who thereby were silenced imprisoned discouraged and undone And how many Souls and Families were ruin'd and scandaliz'd by their imposed Terms another and that a solemn and great Day will shew e're long 2. Our Author never yet endeavoured to unChurch them nor to eclipse their Worthies nor did he ever charge their great Severities on them all He ever would acknowledge and he might truly do it that they had great and excellent Men and many such amongst them both of their Laiâ—y and Clergy 3. He thought what I am satisfied is true that many of them little knew who and what was behind the Curtain nor what designed nor great Services were doing to France and Rome hereby 4. And his great Sufferings from them may well even as other things abate their Censuring if not prevent too keen Relentments of these Historical Accounts of them 5. And to leave these things out was more than Mr. Baxter would allow me or admit of Pardon one who acts by Order not of Choice 4. That such copious and prolix Discourses should be here inserted about Things fitter for oblivion than to be remembred may seem liable to Exceptions and Distast from some viz. such Discourses as respect the Solemn League and Covenant the Oxford Act c. Things now abandon'd and repealed by Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience But 1. those pressing Acts are yet upon Record and so exposed to the view of Men from Age to Age. 2. They represent Dissenters as an intolerable Seed of Men. 3. All Readers will not readily discern what here is said by way of Apology for those of whom such Acts took hold 4. Hereby Dissenters will appear to all succeeding Generations as a People worthy of nothing but National Severities and Restraints Whence 5. their Enemies will be confirmed in their groundless Thoughts and Censures of them 6. This will not lead to that Love and Concord amongst all Protestants which God's Laws and the Publick Interest and Welfare of Church and State require 7. Those things abode so long in force and to such fatal dreadful purpose as that the Effects thereof are felt by many Families and Persons to this day 8. And all this was but to discharge some of no small Figure in their Day from all Obligations to perform what had been solemnly vowed to God Surely such as never took that Covenant could only disclaim all Obligations on themselves to keep it by virtue of any such Vow upon themselves but to discharge those that had taken it from what therein they had vowed to God to do till God himself discharge them or that it be evident from the intrinsick unalterable Evâ—â— of the Matter vowed that no such Vow shall stand is more than I dare undertake to prove at present or to vindicate in the great Day However a Man 's own Latitude of Perswasion cannot as such absolve another nor eo nomine be another's Rule or Law But 9. if these long Discourses be needful pertinent clear and strong as to the state of that Aâ—â—air their length may be born with 10. The Author thought it needful to have this set in the clear open Light to disabule all that had been imposed on by false or partial and defective History in this Matter and to remove or prevent or allay Scandal and Censure for time to come 11. And if such things be also published to make our selves and others still more sensible of what we owe to God and to our most gracious King and his late Soveraign Consort and our then most gracious Queen Mary not to be parallel'd in any History that I know of by any of her Sex for All truly Royal Excellencies and to his Parliaments who have so much obliged us with freeing us from those so uncomfortable Bonds what Fault can be imputed to the Publisher herein Shall Gratitude be thought a Crime though more copious in the Materials of it than may every way consist with the stricter Bounds of Accuracy 12. I am apt to think and not without cogent ground that very many Readers now and hereafter would with the Author have thought me unfaithful to themselves and him had I not transmitted to Posterity what he left and as he left it for their use And I hope therefore that the Reader will not interpret this Publication as the Product of a Recriminating Spirit God himself knows it to be no such Birth Thirdly The Publication 1. The Author wrote it for this End 2. He left it with me to be published after his Death 3. He left it to the Iudgment of another and my self only by a Writing ordered to be given me after his Death as my Directory about the Publication of his other Manuscripts which are many and of moment And if thâ— rest entrusted with me about their being printed one or
the People this Protestation which caused some to be offended with me About that time the Parliament sent down an Order for the demolishing of all Statues and Images of any of the three Persons in the blessed Trinity or of the Virgin Mary which should be found in Churches or on the Crosses in Church-yards My Judgment was for the obeying of this Order thinking it came from just Authority but I medled not in it but left the Churchwarden to do what he thought good The Churchwarden an honest sober quiet Man seeing a Crucifix upon the Cross in the Church-yard set up a Ladder to have reacht it but it proved too short whilst he was gone to seek another a Crew of the drunken riotous Party of the Town poor Journey-men and Servants took the Allarm and run altogether with Weapons to defend the Crucifix and the Church Images of which there were divers left since the time of Popery They Report was among them that I was the Actor and it was me they sought but I was walking almost a mile out of Town or else I suppose I had there ended my days when they mist me and the Churchwarden both they went raving about the Streets to seek us Two Neighbours that dwelt in other Parishes hearing that they sought my Life ran in among them to see whether I were there and they knockt them both down in the Streets and both of them are since dead and I think never perfectly recovered that hurt When they had foamed about half an hour and met with none of us and were newly housed I came in from my walk and hearing the People Cursing at me in their Doors I wondered what the matter was but quickly found how fairly I had scaped The next Lord's Day I dealt plainly with them and laid open to them the quality of that Action and told them Seeing they so required me as to seek my Blood I was willing to leave them and save them from that Guilt But the poor Sots were so amazed and ashamed that they took on sorrily and were loth to part with me § 57. About this time the King's Declarations were read in our Market-place and the Reader a violent Country Gentleman seeing me pass the Streets stopt and said There goeth a Traitor without ever giving a syllable of Reason for it And the Commission of Array was set afoot for the Parliament medled not with the Militia of that Country the Lord Howard their Lieutenant not appearing Then the rage of the Rioters grew greater than before And in preparation to the War they had got the word among them Down with the Round-heads Insomuch that if a Stranger past in many places that had short Hair and a Civil Habit the Rabble presently cried Down with the Round-heads and some they knockt down in the open Streets In this Fury of the Rabble I was advised to withdraw a while from home whereupon I went to Glocester As I past but through a corner of the Suburbs of Worcester they that knew me not cried Down with the Round-heads and I was glad to spur on and be gone But when I came to Gloucester among Strangers also that had never known me I found a civil courteous and religious People as different from Worcester as if they had lived under another Government There I stayed a Month and whilst I was there many Pamphlets came out on both sides preparing for a War For the Parliaments Cause the principal Writing which very much prevailed was Observations written by Mr. Parker a Lawyer But I remember some Principles which I think he misapplieth as also doth Mr. Thomas Hooker Ecclis polit lib. 8. viz. That the King is singulis major but universis minor that he receiveth his Power from the People c. For I doubt not to prove that his Power is so immediately from God as that there is no Recipient between God and him to convey it to him Only as the King by his Charter maketh him a Mayor or Baliff whom the Corporation chuseth so God by his Law as an Instrument conveyeth Power to that Person or Family whom the People consent to and their Consent is but a Conditio sine quâ non and not any Proof that they are the Fountain of Power or that ever the governing Power was in them and therefore for my part I am satisfied that all Politicks err which tell us of a Magestas Realis in the People as distinct from the Majestas Personalis in the Governors And though it be true that quo ad naturalem bonitatem in genere Causae finalis the King be universis minor and therefore no War or Action is good which is against the common Good which is the end of all Government yet as to governing Power which is the thing in question the King is as to the People Universis Major as well as Singulis For if the Parliament have any Legislative Power it cannot be as they are the Body or People as Mr. Tho. Hooker ill supposeth who lib. 1. Polit. Eccles. maketh him a Tyrant that maketh Laws himself without the Body but it is as the Constitution twisteth them into the Government For if once Legislation the chief Act of Government be denied to be any part of Government at all and affirmed to belong to the People as such who are no Governors all Government will hereby be overthrown Besides these Observations no Books more advantaged the Parliament's Cause than a Treatise of Monarchy afterwards published and Mr. Prin's large Book of the Soveraign Power of Parliaments wherein he heapeth up Multitudes of Instances of Parliaments that exercised Soveraign Power At this time also they were every where beginning the Contention between the Commission of Array and the Parliaments Militia In Gloucestershire the Country came in for the Parliament In Worcestershire Herefordshire and Shropshire they were wholly for the King and none to any purpose moved for the Parliament § 58. Whilst I was at Gloucester I saw the first Contentions between the Ministers and Anabaptists that ever I was acquainted with For these were the first Anabaptists that ever I had seen in any Country and I heard but of few more in those parts of England About a dozen young Men or more of considerable Parts had received the Opinion against Infant Baptism and were re-baptized and laboured to draw others after them not far from Gloucester And the Minister of the Place Mr. Winnel being hot and impatient with them hardened them the more He wrote a considerable Book against them at that time But England having then no great Experience of the tendency and consequents of Annabaptistry the People that were not of their Opinion did but pity them and think it was a Conceit that had no great harm in it and blamed Mr. Winnel for his Violence and Asperity towards them But this was the beginning of the Miseries of Gloucester for the Anabaptists somewhat increasing on one side before I came away
Lives in the attempt The three Commanders for the Parliament in Pembrookshire raised an Army against them viz. Major General Langhorn Collonel Powel and Collonel Poyer The Scots raised a great Army under the Command of the Duke of Hamilton The Kentish Men rose under the Command of the Lord Goring and others and the Essex Men under Sir Charles Lucas But God's time was not come and the Spirit of Pride and Schism must be known to the World by its Effects Duke Hamilton's Army was easily routed in Lancashire and he taken and the scattered Parts pursued till they came to nothing Langhorn with the Pembrookshire Men was totally routed by Collonel Horton and all the chief Commanders being taken Prisoners it fell to Collonel Poyer's Lot to be shot to Death The Kentish Men were driven out of Kent into Essex being foiled at Maidstone And in Colchester they endured a long and grievous Siege and yielding at last Sir Charles Lucas and another or two were shot to Death and thus all the Succors of the King were defeated § 91. Never to this time when Cromwell had taught his Agitators to govern and could not easily unteach it them again there arose a Party who adhered to the Principles of their agreement of the People which suited not with his Designs And to make them odious he denominated them Levellers as if they intended to level Men of all Qualities and Estates while he discountenanced them he discontented them and being discontented they endeavoured to discontent the Army and at last appointed a Randezvouz at Burford to make Head against him But Cromwell whose Diligence and Dispatch was a great Cause of his Successes had presently his Brother Desborough and some other Regiments ready to surprise them there in their Quarters before they could get their Numbers together So that about 1500 being scattered and taken and some slain the Levellers War was crusht in the Egg and Thompson one of Captain Pitchford's Corporals aforementioned who became their chief Leader was pursued near Wielingborough in Northamptonshire and there slain while he defended himself § 92. As I have past over many Battles Sieges and great Actions of the Wars as not belonging to my purpose so I have passed over Cromwell's March into Scotland to help the Covenanters when Montross was too strong for them and I shall pass over his Transportation into Ireland and his speedy Conquest of the remaining Forces and Fortresses of that Kingdom his taking the Isles of Man of Iersey Garnsey and Scilly and such other of his Successes and speak only in brief of what he did to the change of the Government and to the exalting of himself and of his Confidents And I will pass over the Londoners Petitions for the King and their Carriage towards the House which looked like a force and exasperated them so that the Speakers of both Houses the Earl of Manchester and Mr. Lenthall did with the greater part of the present Members go forth to Cromwell and make some kind of Confederacy with the Army and took them for their Protectors against the Citizens Also their votings and unvoting in these Cases c. § 93. The King being at the Isle of Wight the Parliament sent him some Propositions to be consented to in order to his Restoration The King granted many of them and some he granted not The Scottish Commissioners thought the Conditions more dishonourable to the King than was consistant with their Covenant and Duty and protested against them for which the Parliament blamed them as hinderers of the desired Peace The chiefest thing which the King stuck at was the utter abolishing of Episcopacy and alienating theirs and the Dean and Chapters Lands Hereupon with the Commissioners certain Divines were sent down to satisfie the King viz. Mr. Steph. Marshall Mr. Rich. Vines Dr. Lazarus Seaman c. who were met by many of the King 's Divines Archbishop Usher Dr. Hammond Dr. Sheldon c. The Debates here being in Writing were published and each Party thought they had the better and the Parliaments Divines came off with great Honour But for my part I confess these two things against them though Persons whom I highly honoured 1. That they seem not to me to have answered satisfactorily to the main Argument fetcht from the Apostles own Government with which Saravia had inclined me to some Episcopacy before though Miracles and Infallibility were Apostolical temporary Priviledges yet Church Government is an ordinary thing to be continued And therefore as the Apostles had Successors as they were Preachers I see not but that they must have Successors as Church Governors And it seemeth unlikely to me that Christ should settle a Form of Government in his Church which was to continue but for one Age and then to be transformed into another Species Could I be sure what was the Government in the Days of the Apostles themselves I should be satisfied what should be the Government now 2. They seem not to me to have taken the Course which should have setled these distracted Churches Instead of disputing against all Episcopacy they should have changed Diocesan Prelacy into such an Episcopacy as the Conscience of the King might have admitted and as was agreeable to that which the Church had in the two or three first Ages I confess Mr. Vines wrote to me as their excuse in this and other Matters of the Assembly that the Parliament tied them up from treating or disputing of any thing at all but what they appointed or proposed to them But I think plain dealing with such Leaders had been best and to have told them this is our Iudgment and in the matters of God and his Church we will serve you according to our Judgment or not at all But indeed if they were not of one Mind among themselves this could not be expected Archbishop Usher there took the rightest course who offered the King his Reduction of Episcopacy to the form of Presbytery And he told me himself that before the King had refused it but at the Isle of Wight he accepted it and as he would not when others would so others would not when he would And when our present King Charles II. came in we tendered it for Union to him and then he would not And thus the true moderate healing terms are always rejected by them that stand on the higher Ground though accepted by them that are lower and cannot have what they will From whence it is easy to perceive whether Prosperity or Adversity the Highest or the Lowest be ordinarily the greater Hinderer of the Churches Unity and Peace I know that if the Divines and Parliament had agreed for a moderate Episcopacy with the King some Presbyterians of Scotland would have been against it and many Independants of England and the Army would have made i◠the matter of odious Accusations and Clamours But all this had been of no great regard to remove foreseeing judicious Men from those healing Counsels which must
from their Houses and more such Penalties which I remember not so short Lived a Commonwealth deserved no long Remembrance Mr. Vines and Dr. Rainbow and many more were hereupon put out of their Headships in the Universities and Mr. Sidrach Sympson and Mr. Io. Sadler and such others put in yea such a Man as Mr. Dell the Chaplain of the Army who I think neither understood himself nor was understood by others any farther than to be one who took Reason Sound Doctrine Order and Concord to be the intollerable Maladies of Church and State because they were the greatest Strangers to his Mind But poor Dr. Edward Reignolds had the hardest Measure for when he refused to take the Engagement his Place was forfeited and afterwards they drew him to take it in hopes to keep his Place which was no less than the Deanarie of Christ's-Church and then turned him out of all and offered his Place to Mr. Ios. Caryll but he refusing it it was conferred on Dr. Owen to whom it was continued from year to year And because the Presbyterians still urged the Covenant against killing the King and pulling down the Parliament and setting up a Commonwealth and taking the Engagement some of the Independent Brethren maintained that its Obligation ceased because it was a League and the Occasion of it ceased And some of the Rump said it was like an Almanack out of date and some of the Souldiers said they never took it and others of them railed at it as a Scottish Snare So that when their Interest would not suffer them to keep so solemn a Vow their Wills would not suffer their Judgments to confess it to be Obligatory at least as to the part which they must violate § 100. For my own part though I kept the Town and Parish of Kiderminster from taking the Covenant and seeing how it might become a Snare to their Consciences yea and most of Worcestershire besides by keeping the Ministers from offering it in any of the Congregations to the People except in Worcester City where I had no great Interest and know not what they did yet I could not judge it seemly for him that believed there is a God to play fast and loose with a dreadful Oath as if the Bonds of National and Personal Vows were as easily shak'd off as Sampson's Cords Therefore I spake and preach'd against the Engagement and dissuaded Men from taking it The first hour that I heard of it being in Company with some Gentlemen of Worcestershire I presently wrote down above twenty Queries against it intending as many more almost against the Obligation as those were about the Sense and Circumstances And one that was present got the Copy of them and shortly after I met with them verbatim in a Book of Mr. Henry Hall's as his own one that was long imprisoned for writing against Cromwell Some Episcopal Divines that were not so scrupulous it seems as we did write for it private Manuscripts which I have seen and plead the irresistability of the Imposers and they found starting holes in the Terms viz. That by the Common-wealth they will mean the present Commonwealth in genere and by Established they will mean only de facto and not de jure and by without a King c. they mean not quatenus but Etsi and that only de facto pro tempore q. d. I will be true to the Government of England though at the present the King and House of Lords are put out of the Exercise of their power These were the Expositions of many Episcopal Men and others that took it But I endeavoured to evince that this is meer jugling and jesting with Matters too great to be jested with And that as they might easily know that the Imposers had another sense so as easily might they know that the words in their own obvious usual sense among men must be taken as the Promise or Engagement of a Subject as such to a Form of Government now pretended to be established And that the Subjects Allegiance or Fidelity to his Rulers can be acknowledged and given in no plainer words And that by such Interpretations and Stretchings of Conscience any Treasonable Oath or Promise may be taken and no Bonds of Society can signifie much with such Interpreters § 101. England and Ireland being thus Conquered by Cromwell by deluding well-meaning Men into his Service and covering his Ambition with the Lord Fairfax's Generalship the Parliament being imprisoned and cast out the King cut off and the Rump established as a new Commonwealth those great and solid Men Pim Hampden c. being long before dead and rid out of his way who else had been like to have prevailed against the Plots of Vane in the Parliament you would think there were nothing now standing in his way to hinder him from laying hands upon the Crown But four Impediments yet stood before him 1. The numerous Cavaliers or Royalists ready for new Enterprizes against him 2. The Scots who resolved to stick to the Covenant and the King 3. The Army which must be untaught all the Principles which he is now permitting them to learn For those Principles which must bring him to the Crown are the worst in the World for him when once he is there 4. The Ministers of England and Scotland and all the sober People who regarded them The first of these he most easily though not without strugling overcame making his advantage by all their Enterprizes The second put him harder to it but he overcame them at last The third proved yet a greater difficulty but he seemed absolutely to overcome it yet leaving still some Life in the root The fourth strove against him more calmly and prudently with invincible Weapons and though they were quiet were never overcome but at last revived the spark of Life which was left in the third and thereby gave a Resurrection to the first and second and so recovered all at last not to the state of their own Interest or to that Condition of Church Affairs which they desired but to that Civil State of Royal Government to which they were engaged and from which the Nation seemed to have fallen These are the true Contents of the following parts that were acted in these Lands The Rump I might mention as another of his Impediments but as they now were doing his work so I conjoyn the Relicts of them which then disturbed him with the Army who were the strength by which they did it § 102. The King being dead his Son was by right immediately King and from that time he dateth his Reign The Scots send Messengers to him to come over to them and take the Crown But they treat with him first for his taking of the Covenant and renouncing the Wars and the Blood that was shed in them by his Fathers Party By which I perceive that the Scots understood the Clause in the Covenant of Defending the King's Person and Authority in the Defence
very young but that could not be helpt because there were no other to be had The Parliament could not make Men Learned nor Godly but only put in the learnedest and ablest that they could have And though it had been to be wisht that they might have had leisure to ripen in the Universities yet many of them did as Ambrose teach and learn at once so successfully as that they much increased in Learning themselves whilst they prosited others and proportionably more than many in the Universities do § 118. To return from this Digression to the Proceedings of Cromwell when he was made Lord Protector he had the Policy not to detect and exasperate the Ministers and others that consented not to his Government having seen what a stir the Engagement had before made but he let Men live quietly without putting any Oaths of Fidelity upon them except his Parliaments for those must not enter the House till they had sworn Fidelity to him The Sectarian Party in his Army and elsewhere he chiefly trusted to and pleased till by the Peoples submission and quietness he thought himself well settled And then he began to undermine them and by degrees to work them out And though he had so often spoken for the Anabaptists now he findeth them so heady and so much against any settled Government and so set upon the promoting of their Way and Party that he doth not only begin to blame their unruliness but also designeth to settle himself in the Peoples Favour by suppressing them In Ireland they were grown so high that the Soldiers were many of them re-baptized as the way to Preferment and those that opposed them they crusht with much uncharitable Fierceness To suppress these he sent thither his Son Henry Cromwell who so discountenanced the Anabaptists as yet to deal civilly by them repressing their Insolencies but not abusing them or dealing hardly with them promoting the Work of the Gospel and setting up good and sober Ministers and dealing civilly with the Royallists and obliging all so that he was generally beloved and well spoken of And Major General Ludlow who headed the Anabaptists in Ireland was fain to draw in his head In England Cromwell connived at his old Friend Harrison while he made himself the Head of the Anabaptists and Fanaticks here till he saw it would be an applauded acceptable thing to the Nation to suppress him and then he doth it easily in a trice and maketh him contemptible who but yesterday thought himself not much below him The same he doth also as easily by Lambert and layeth him by § 119. In these times especially since the Rump reigned sprang up five Sects at least whose Doctrines were almost the same but they sell into several Shapes and Names 1. The Vanists 2. The Seekers 3. The Ranters 4. The Quakers 5. The Behmenists 1. The Vanists for I know not by what other Name to make them known who were Sir Henry Vane's Disciples first sprang up under him in new England when he was Governor there But their Notions were then raw and undigested and their Party quickly confounded by God's Providence as you may see in a little Book of Mr. Tho. Welds of the Rise and Fall of Antinomianism and Familism in New-England where their Opinions and these Providences are recorded by him that was a reverend Minister there One Mrs. Dyer a chief Person of the Sect did first bring forth a Monster which had the Parts of almost all sorts of living Creatures some Parts like Man but most ugly and misplaced and some like Beasts Birds and Fishes having Horns Fins and Claws and at the Birth of it the Bed shook and the Women present fell a Vomiting and were fain to go forth of the Room Mr. Cotton was too favourable to them till this helpt to recover him Mrs. Hutchinson the chief Woman among them and their Teacher to whose Exercises a Congregation of them used to assemble brought forth about 30 mishapen Births or Lumps at once and being banished into another Plantation was killed there by the Indians Sir Henry Vane being Governor and found to be the secret Fautor and Life of their Cause was fain to steal away by Night and take Shipping for England before his Year of Government was at an end But when he came over into England he proved an Instrument of greater Calamity to a People more sinful and more prepared for God's Judgments Being chosen a Parliament man he was very active at first for the bringing of Delinquents to Punishment He was the Principal Man that drove on the Parliament to go too high and act too vehemently against the King Being of very ready Parts and very great Subtilty and unwearied Industry he laboured and not without Success to win others in Parliament City and Country to his Way When the Earl of Strafford was accused he got a Paper out of his Father's Cabinet who was Secretary of State which was the chief Means of his Condemnation To most of our Changes he was that Within the House which Cromwell was without His great Zeal to drive all into War and to the highest and to cherish the Sectaries and especially in the Army made him above all Men to be valued by that Party His Unhappiness lay in this that his Doctrines were so clowdily formed and expressed that few could understand them and therefore he had but few true Disciples The Lord Brook was slain before he had brought him to Maturity Mr. Sterry is thought to be of his Mind as he was his Intimate but he hath not opened himself in writing and was so famous for Obscurity in Preaching being said Sir Benj. Rudiard too high for this World and too low for the other that he thereby proved almost Barren also and Vanity and Sterility were never more happily conjoined Mr. Sprig is the chief of his more open Disciples too well known by a Book of his Sermons This Obscurity by some was imputed to his not understanding himself but by others to design because he could speak plainly when he listed the two Courses in which he had most Success and spake most plainly were His earnest Plea for universal Liberty of Conscience and against the Magistrates intermedling with Religion and his teaching his Followers to revile the Ministry calling them ordinarily Blackcoats Priests and other Names which then savoured of Reproach and those Gentlemen that adhered to the Ministry they said were Priest-ridden When Cromwell had served himself by him as his surest Friend as long as he could and gone as far with him as their way lay together Vane being for a Fanatick Democracie and Cromwell for Monarchy at last there was no Remedy but they must part and when Cromwell cast out the Rump as disdainfully as Men do Excrements he called Vane a Jugler and Martin a Whoremonger to excuse his usage of the rest as is aforesaid When Vane was thus laid by he wrote his Book called The retired Man's Meditations
sporting with them but he thought Secrecy a Vertue and Dissimulation no Vice and Simulation that is in plain English a Lie or Perfidiousness to be a tollerable Fault in a Case of Necessity being of the same Opinion with the Lord Bacon who was not so Precise as Learned That the best Composition and Temperature is to have openness in Fame and Opinion Secrecy in habit Dissimulation in seasonable use and a power to feign if there be no remedy Essay 6. pag. 31. Therefore he kept fair with all saving his open or unreconcileable Enemies He carried it with such Dissimulation that Anabaptists Independants and Antinomians did all think that he was one of them But he never endeavoured to perswade the Presbyterians that he was one of them but only that he would do them Justice and Preserve them and that he honoured their Worth and Piety for he knew that they were not so easily deceived In a word he did as our Prelates have done begin low and rise higher in his Resolutions as his Condition rose and the Promises which he made in his lower Condition he used as the interest of his higher following Condition did require and kept up as much Honesty and Godliness in the main as his Cause and Interest would allow but there they left him And his Name standeth as a monitory Monument or Pillar to Posterity to tell them The instability of Man in strong Temptations if God leave him to himself what great Success and Victories can do to lift up a Mind that once seemed humble what Pride can do to make Man selfish and corrupt the Heart with ill designs what selfishness and ill designs can do to bribe the Conscience and corrupt the Iudgment and make men justifie the greatest Errours and Sins and set against the clearest Truth and Duty what Bloodshed and great Enormities of Life an Erring deluded Judgment may draw Men to and patronize and That when God hath dreadful Judgments to execute an Erroneous Sectary or a proud Self-seeker is oftner his Instrument than an humble Lamb-like innocent Saint § 145. Cromwell being dead his Son Richard by his Will and Testament and the Army was quietly setled in his place while all Men look'd that they should presently have fallen into Confusion and Discord among themselves the Counties Cities and Corporations of England send up their Congratulations to own him as Protector But none of us in Worcestershire save the Independants medled in it He interred his Father with great Pomp and Solemnity He called a Parliament and that without any such Restraints as his Father had used The Members took the Oath of Fidelity or Allegiance to him at the Door of the House before they entred And all Men wondred to see all so quiet in so dangerous a Time Many sober Men that called his Father no better than a Trayterous Hypocrite did begin to think that they owed him Subjection They knew that the King was by Birth their Rightful Sovereign and resolved to do their best while there was hopes to introduce him and defend him But they were astonished at the marvellous Providences of god which had been against that Family all along and they thought that there was no rational probability of his Restoration having seen so many Armies and Risings and Designs overthrown which were raised or undertaken for it They thought that it is not left to our liberty whether we will have a Government or not but that Government is of Divine Appointment and the Family Person or Species is but of a subservient less necessary determination And that if we cannot have him that we would have it followeth not that we may be without That twelve years time from the Death of the last King was longer than the Land could be without a Governour without the Destruction of the Common Good which is the End of Government Therefore that the Subjects seeing they are unable to restore the King must consent to another That the House of Commons having sworn Allegiance to him have actually subjected the Nation to him And though his Father Trayterously made the Change yet the Successor of a Traytor may by the Peoples consent become a Governour whom each Individual must acknowledge by Subjection That the Bishops and Churches both of East and West as all History sheweth have professed their Subjection to Usurpers in a far shorter time and upon lighter Reasons That this Man having never had any hand in the War but supposed to be for the King nor ever seeking for the Government and now seeming to own the Sober Party was like to be used in the healing of the Land c. Such Reasonings as these began to take with the minds of many to subject themselves quietly to this Man though they never did it to his Father as now despairing of the Restitution of the King And I confess such Thoughts were somewhat prevalent with my self But God quickly shewed us the root of our Errour which was our limiting the Almighty as if that were hard to him that was impossible to us So that the Restoration of the King which we thought next impossible was accomplished in a trice And we saw that twelve or eighteen years is not long enough to wait on God The Army set up Richard Cromwell it seemeth upon Tryal resolving to use him as he behaved himself And though they swore Fidelity to him they meant to keep it no longer than he pleased them And when they saw that he began to favour the sober People of the Land to honour Parliaments and to respect the Ministers whom they called Presbyterians they presently resolved to make him know his Masters and that it was they and not he that were called by God to be the chief Protectors of the Interest of the Nation He was not so formidable to them as his Father was and therefore every one boldly spurned at him The Fifth Monarchy Men followed Sir Henry Vane and raised a great and violent clamorous Party against him among the Sectaries in the City Rogers and Feake and such like Firebrands preach them into Fury and blow the Coales But Dr. Owen and his Assistants did the main Work He gathereth a Church at at Lieutenant General Fleetwood's Quarters at Wallingford House consisting of the active Officers of the Army this Church-gathering hath been the Church◠scattering Project In this Assembly it was determined that Richard's Parliament must be dissolved and then he quickly fell himself Though he never abated their Liberties or their Greatness yet did he not sufficiently befriend them Dictum factum almost as quickly done as determined Though Col. Richard Ingolsby and some others would have stuck to the Protector and have ventured to surprise the Leaders of the Faction and the Parliament would have been true to him yet Berry's Regiment of Horse and some others were presently ready to have begun the Fray against him and as he sought not the Government he was resolved it should cost no
Rest and coming in it to answer the Question How in Matth. 25. the reward is adjudged to men on the account of their good works The chief Propositions of that Book did suddenly offer themselves to me in order to that Resolution But I was prepared with much disputing against Antinomianism in the Army At Sir Thomas Rous's House in my weakness I wrote most of that Book and finished it when I came to Kidderminster I directed it to Mr. Vines and Mr. Burgess out of my high esteem of them though my personal acquaintance with them was but small Mr. Vines wrote to me applaudingly of it Mr. Burgess thought his Name engaged him to write against it Two Faults I now find in the Book 1. It is defective and hath some Propositions that need Correction being not cautelously enough expressed 2. I medled too forwardly with Dr. Owen and one or two more that had written some Passages too near to Antinomianism For I was young and a stranger to mens tempers and I thought others could have born a Confutation as easily as I could do my self and I thought that I was bound to do my best publickly to save the World from the hurt of published Errours not understanding how it would provoke men more passionately to insist on what they once have said But I have now learned to contradict Errours and not to meddle with the Persons that maintain them But indeed I was then too raw to be a Writer This Book was over-much valued by some and over-much blamed by others both contrary to my own esteem of it It cost me more than any other that I have written not only by mens offence but especially by putting me upon long and tedious Writings Some that publickly wrote against it I publickly answered And because of the general noise about it I desired those that would have me of their mind to send me their Animadversions which proved so many that took me up too much of my time to answer them But it was a great help to my Understanding For the Animadverters were of several minds and what one approved another confuted being further from each other than any of them from me The first that I craved Animadversions from was Mr. Burgess and with much ad extorted only two or three Letters against Justification by Works as he called it which with my Answers were afterward published when he had proceeded to print against me what he would not give me in writing The next and full Animadversions which I received were from Mr. Iohn Warren an honest acute ingenious man to whom I answered in freer Expressions than to others because he was my Junior and familiar Friend being a School-Boy at Bridgenorth when I was Preacher there and his Father being my Neighbour Next his I had Animadversions from Dr. Iohn Wallis very judicious and moderate to which I began to write a Reply but broke it off in the middle because he little differed from me The next I had was from Mr. Christopher Cartwright of York who defended the King against the Marquess of Worcester he was a man of good reading as to our later Divines and was very well verst in the Common Road very like Mr. Burgess a very good Hebrician and a very honest worthy Person His Animadversions were most against my distinction of Righteousness into Legal and Evangelical according to the two Covenants His Answer was full of Citations out of Amesius Whittaker Davenant c. I wrote him a full Reply and he wrote me a Rejoynder to which my time not allowing me to write a full Confutation I took up all the Points of Difference between him and me and handled them briefly confirming my Reasons for the ease of the Reader and my self The next Animadverter was Mr. George Lawson the ablest Man of them all or of almost any I know in England especially by the Advantage of his Age and very hard Studies and methodical Head but above all by his great skill in Politicks wherein he is most exact and which contributeth not a little to the understanding of Divinity Though he was himself near the Arminians differing from them in the Point of Perseverance as to the Confirmed and some little matters more and so went farther than I did from the Antinomians yet being conversant with Men of another Mind to redeem himself from their Offence he set himself against some Passages of mine which others marvelled that he of all Men should oppose especially about the Object of Faith and Iustification And afterwards he published an excellent Summ of Divinity called Theopolitica in which he insisteth on those two Points to make good what he had said in his M. S. against me though the Reader that knoweth not what past between him and me will not understand how these Passages there fell in and some Divines have told me how excellent a Book it had been if he had not been led aside in those Particulars not knowing how it came to pass the ablest Men being sometimes most hardly drawn to desert any thing which they have once affirmed He hath written also Animadversions on Hobbes and a piece of Ecclesiastical and Civil Policy according to the Method of Politicks an excellent Book were it not that he seemeth to justify the Kings Death and meddle too boldly with the Political Controversies of the times though he be a Conformist Also I have seen some ingenuous Manuscripts of his for the taking of the Engagement to be true to the Commonwealth as established without a King and House of Lords his Opinion being much for submitting to the present Possessor though a Usurper But I thought those Papers easily answerable His Animadversions on my Papers were large in which he frequently took occasion to be copious and distinct in laying down his own Judgment which pleased me very well I returned him a full Answer and received from him a large Reply instead of a Rejoinder to which I summ'd up our Differences and spoke to them briefly and distinctly and not verbatim to the Words of his Book I must thankfully acknowledge that I learnt more from Mr. Lawson than from any Divine that gave me Animadversions or that ever I conversed with For two or three Passages in my first Reply to him he convinced me were Mistakes and I found up and down in him those hints of Truths which had a great deal of Light in them and were very apt for good Improvement Especially his instigating me to the Study of Politicks in which he much lamented the Ignorance of Divines did prove a singular Benefit to me I confess it is long of my own Uncapableness that I have received no more good from others But yet I must be so grateful as to confess that my Understanding hath made a better Improvement for the sudden sensible increase of my Knowledge of Grotius de Satisfactione Christi and of Mr. Lawson's Manuscripts than of any thing else that ever I read and they
the several Articles which I did in a small Book called Christian Concord In which I gave the reasons why the Episcopal Presbyterians and Independants might and should unite on such Terms without any change of any of their Principles But I confess that the new Episcopal Party that follow Grotius too far and deny the very being of all the Ministers and Churches that have not Diocesan Bishops are not capable of Union with the rest upon such Terms And hereby I gave notice to the Gentry and others of the Royalists in England of the great danger they were in of changing their Ecclesiastical Cause by following new Leaders that were for Grotianism But this Admonition did greatly offend the Guilty who now began to get the Reins though the old Episcopal Protestants confessed it to be all true There is nothing bringeth greater hatred and sufferings on a Man than to foreknow the mischief that Men in power are doing and intend and to warn the World of it For while they are resolutely going on with it they will proclain him a Slanderer that revealeth it and use him accordingly and never be ashamed when they have done it and thereby declared all which he foretold to be true § 170. 15. Having in the Postscript of my True Catholick given a short touch against a bitter Book of Mr. Thomas Pierce's against the Puritans and me it pleased him to write another Volume against Mr. Hickman and me just like the Man full of malignant bitterness against Godly men that were not of his Opinion and breathing out blood-thirsty malice in a very Rhetorical fluent style Abundance of Lies also are in it against the old Puritans as well as against me and in particular in charging Hacket's Villany upon Cartwright as a Confederate which I instance in because I have out of old Mr. Ash's Library a Manuscript of Mr. Cartwright's containing his full Vindication against that Calumny which some would fain have fastened on him in his time But Mr. Pierce's principal business was to defend Grotius In answer to which I wrote a little Treatise called The Grotian Religion discovered at the Invitation of Mr. Thomas Pierce In which I cited his own words especially out of his Discussio Apologetici Rivetaini wherein he openeth his Terms of Reconciliation with Rome viz. That it be acknowledged the Mistress Church and the Pope have his Supream Government but not Arbitrary but only according to the Canons To which end he defendeth the Council of Trent it self Pope Pius's Oath and all the Councils which is no other than the French sort of Popery I had not then heard of the Book written in France called Grotius Papizans nor of Sarravius's Epistles in which he witnesseth it from his own mouth But the very words which I cited contain an open Profession of Popery This Book the Printer abused printing every Section so distant to fill up Paper as if they had been several Chapters And in a Preface before it I vindicated the Synod of Dort where the Divines of England were chief Members from the abusive virulent Accusations of one that called himself Tilenus junior Hereupon Pierce wrote a much more railing malicious Volume than the former the liveliest Express of Satan's Image malignity bloody malice and falshood covered in handsome railing Rhetorick that ever I have seen from any that called himself a Protestant And the Preface was answered just in the same manner by one that stiled himself Philo-Tilenus Three such Men as this Tilenus junior Pierce and Gunning I have not heard of besides in England Of the Jesuites Opinion in Doctrinals and of the old Dominican Complexion the ablest Men that their Party hath in all the Land of great diligence in study and reading of excellent Oratory especially Tilenus junior and Pierce of temperate Lives but all their Parts so sharpened with furious persecuting Zeal against those that dislike Arminianism high Prelacy or full Conformity that they are like the Briars and Thorns which are not to be handled but by a fenced hand and breathe out Tereatnings against God's Servants better than themselves and seem unsatisfied with blood and ruines and still cry Give Give bidding as lowd defiance to Christian Charity as ever Arrius or any Heretick did to Faith This Book of mine of the Grotian Religion greatly offended many others but none of them could speak any Sence against it the Citations for Matter of Fact being unanswerable And it was only the Matter of Fact which I undertook viz. To prove that Grotius profest himself a moderate Papist But for his fault in so doing I little medled with it § 171. 16. Mr. Blake having replye to some things in my Apology especially about Right to Sacraments or the just subject of Baptism and the Lord's Supper I wrote five Disputations on those Points proving that it is not the reality of a Dogmatical or Justifying Faith nor yet the Profession of bare Assent called a Dogmatical Faith by many but only the Profession of a Saving Faith which is the Condition of Mens title to Church-Communion Coram Ecclèsiâ and that Hypocrites are but Analogically or Equivocally called Christians and Believers and Saints c. with much more to decide the most troublesome Controversie of that Time which was about the Necessary Qualification and Title of Church-Members and Communicants Many men have been perplexed about that Point and that Book Some think it cometh too near the Independants and some that it is too far from them and many think it very hard that A Credible Profession of True Faith and Repentance should be made the stated Qualification because they think it incredible that all the Jewish Members were such But I have sifted this Point more exactly and diligently in my thoughts than almost any Controversie whatsoever And fain I would have found some other Qualification to take up with 1. Either the Profession of some lower Faith than that which hath the Promise of Salvation 2. Or at least such a Profession of Saving Faith as needeth not to be credible at all c. But the Evidence of Truth hath forced me from all other ways and suffered me to rest no where but here That Profession should be made necessary without any respect at all to Credibility and consequently to the verity of the Faith professed is incredible and a Contradiction and the very word Profession signifieth more And I was forced to observe that those that in Charity would belive another Profession to be the title to Church-Communion do greatly cross their own design of Charity And while they would not be bound to believe men to be what they profess for fear of excluding many whom they cannot believe they do leave themselves and all others as not obliged to love any Church-Member as such with the love which is due to a True Christian but only with such a Love as they owe to the Members of the Devil and so deny them the Kernel of Charity by giving
and the tolerated Churches and that they keep the Peace between these Churches and settle their several priviledges by a Law 2. That the Churches be accounted Tolerable who profess all that is in the Creed Lord's Prayer and Decalogue in Particular and generally all that they shall find to be revealed in the Word of God and hold Communion in Teaching Prayer Praises and the two Sacraments not obstinately preaching any Heresie contrary to the particular Articles which they profess nor seditiously disturbing the Publick Peace And that such Heretical Preaching and such Seditious unpeaceableness or notorious Wickedness of Life do forfeit their Toleration 3. And that those that are further Orthodox in those Particulars which Rulers think fit to impose upon their Subjects have their publick Maintenance and greater Encouragement Yea and this much is become neccessary but upon supposition that Men will still be so self-conceited and uncharitable as not to forbear their unnecessary Impositions Otherwise there would be found but very few who are Tolerable that are not also in their measure to be approved maintained and encouraged And if the Primitive Simplicity in Doctrine Government and Worship might serve turn for the Terms of the Churches Union and Communion all would be well without any more ado supposing that where Christian Magistrates are they keep the Peace and repress the Offenders and exercise all the Coercive Government And hereticks who will subscribe to the Christian Faith must not be punished because they will subscribe to no more but because they are proved to preach or promote Heresie contrary to the Faith which they profess 28. I am farther than ever I was from expecting great matters of Unity Splendor or Prosperity to the Church on Earth or that Saints should dream of a Kingdom of this World or slatter themselves with the Hopes of a Golden Age or reigning over the Ungodly till there be a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness And on the contrary I am more apprehensive that Sufferings must be the Churches most ordinary Lot and Christians indeed must be self-denying Cross-bearers even where there are none but formal nominal Christians to be the Cross-makers And though ordnarily God would have Vicissitudes of Summer and Winter Day and Night that the Church may grow extensively in the Summer of Prosperity and intensively and radicatedly in the Winter of Adversity yet usually their Night is longer than their Day and that Dâ—y its self hath its Storms and Tempests For the Prognosticks are evident in their Causes 1. The Church will be still Imperfect and Sinful and will have those Diseases which need this bitter Remedy 2. Rich Men will be the Rulers of the World and Rich Men will be generally so far from true Godliness that they must come to Heaven as by Human Impossibilities as a Camel through a Needles Eye 3. The Ungodly will ever have an Enmity against the Image of God and he that is born of the Flesh will persecute him that was born after the Spirit and Brotherhood will not keep a Cain from killing an Abel who offereth a more acceptable Sacrifice than himself And the Guilty will still hate the Light and make a Prey to their Pride and Malice of a Conscionable Reprover 4. The Pastors will be still troubling the Church with their Pride and Avarice and Contentions and the worst will be seeking to be the Greatest and they that seek it are likest to attain it 5. He that is highest will be still imposing his Conceits upon those under him and Lording it over God's Heritage and with Diâ—trephes casting out the Brethren and ruling them by constraint and not as Volunteers 6. Those that are truly judicious will still comparatively be few and consequently the Troublers and Dividers will be the Multitude and a judicious Peace-maker and Reconciler will be neglected slighted or hated by both Extreams 7. The Tenour of the Gospel Predictions Precepts Promises and Threatnings are fitted to a People in a suffering State 8. And the Graces of God in a Believer are mostly sured to a State of Suffering 9. Christians must imitate Christ and suffer with him before they reign with him and his Kingdom was not of this World 10. The Observation of God's dealing hitherto with the Church in every Age confirmeth me and his befooling them that have dreamed of glorious Times It was such Dreams that transported the Munster Anabaptists and the Followers of David George in the Low Countries and Campanella and the Illuminati among the Papists and our English Anabaptists and other Fanaticks here both in the Army and the City and Country When they think the Golden Age is come they shew their Dreams in their extravagant Actions And as our Fifth Monarchy Men they are presently upon some unquiet rebellious Attempt to set up Christ in his Kingdom whether he will or not I remember how Abraham Scultetus in Curriculo Vitae suae confesseth the common Vanity of himself and other Protestants in Germany who seeing the Princes in England France Bohemia and many other Countrys to be all at once both Great and Wise and Friends to Reformation did presently expect the Golden Age But within one year either Death or Ruines of War or Back-slidings had exposed all their Expectations to Scorn and laid them lower than before 29. I do not lay so great a Stress upon the external Modes and Formes of Worship as many young Professors do I have suspected my self as perhaps the Reader may do that this is from a cooling and declining from my former Zeal though the truth is I never much complyed with Men of the Mind But I find that Iudgment and Charity are the Causes of it as for as I am able to discover I cannot be so narrow in my Principles of Church-Communion as many are that are so much for a Liturgy or so much against it so much for Ceremonies or so much against them that they can hold Communion with no Church that is not of their Mind and Way If I were among the Greeks the Lutherans the Independants yea the Anabaptists that own no Herisy nor set themselves against Charity and Peace I would hold sometimes occasional Communion with them as Christians if they will give me leave without forcing me to any sinful Subscription or Action Though my most usual Communion should be with that Society which I thought most agreeable to the Word of God if I were free to chuse I cannot be of their Opinion that think God will not accept him that prayeth by the Common-Prayer-Book and that such Forms are a self-invented Worship which God rejecteth Nor yet can I be of their Mind that say the like of extemporary Prayers 30. I am much less regardful of the Approbation of Man and set much lighter by Contempt or Applause than I did long ago I am oft suspicious that this is not only from the increase of Self-denial and Humility but partly from my being glutted and
may read them After this I received from Sir Ralph Clare these ensuing Papers as from some Courtiers which are of the same Strain with Dr. Gunning's which with my brief Answer I adjoin SIR THE Influence and Power you have in the present Pastor of your Church who is much famed abroad and had in a reverend Esteem as well for Piety of Life as for his Learning Moderation and desiring the Peace of the Church gives Encouragement to your old Acquaintance and Associate in that One-glorious Court of England to desire the Favour that this inclosed Paper may be presented to his Christian View and Consideration presuming so great is his Charity that he will not leave any wounded Soul unhealed wherein he is able to bestow his Balm In this he extends not his Charity alone as to a single Person but in me there are many more of your Friends included who would have appeared in Person or met in Conference were is not our Mansions are at too great a distance and the Malignity and Iealousy of Times challenges Retirements rather than Assemblies It is not civil in us to chalk the Method of Answering the Queries yet for Easement Sake and Brevity it will be satisfactory his free Concession of any Proposals in the Affirmative to be true without any Enlargement of Reasons and for those Queries which may and must admit Divisions Distinctions and Discourse on the Case let the reverend Gentleman use his own Form Iudgment and Discretion as believing he will proceed with such Candor and Impartiality as becometh a Man of his Calling and Eminency waving all By-Interests and Relations to any Party or Faction either regnant or eclipst which Act will deservedly heighten the high Esteem he is valued at and your self by this Honour done engage me and many more of your old Friends in me to subscribe our selves Your Servants Theophilus Church A feigned Name April 20. 1655. Certain Queries and Scruples of Conscience offered to some Learned Divines for Resolution and Satisfaction 1. WHETHER may a Christian Magistrate tolerate Liberty of Conscience in Religion and Church Discipline without Scandal 2. Whether may and ought a tender Conscience exercise and use his Liberty and Freedom without Violence inforced by Superiors 3. Whether in Matters of Government Ecclesiastical depending only of Fact the general and perpetual Practice of the Church from Age to Age be not a sufficient Evidence and Warrant of the Right Truth and certainty of the thing 4. Whether the Vocation of Bishops be an Order Lawful in it self 5. Whether the Regiment Ecclesiastical by Bishops hath not continued throughout the Christian Church ever since the Apostles untill Calvin's days No Church Orthodox dissenting 6. Whether was there ever since the Apostle's days so much as one national Church governed by a Presbytery without a Bishop untill Calvin's Days If so where was the Original in what Place by what Persons of what continuance and how was it lost or changed into Episcopacy and upon what Grounds or Motives 7. Whether the present Ministry in the Church of England as it now separated from their lawful Superiors or Bishops be not Schismatical 8. Whether all these Ministers that have taken the Oath of Canonical Obedience to their Bishops and have backsliden and submitted to those Powers that violently deprived the said Bishops of their legal Powers and Iurisdictions by yielding a voluntary Obedience to their Ordinances are not under a high Censure of Perjury and Schism 9. Whether those Ministers now pretended to be made and ordained in the Church of England only by their Fellow Ministers without a Bishop be true Ministers or no or else meer Lay Persons and bold Usurpers of the Sacred Function and Order like Corah and his Complices 10. Whether all those Ministers which are now in actual possession of the late Incumbents Parsonages and Cures of Souls and deprived for their only adhering and assisting their late lawful Prince and their Governour and also their Bishops to whom they owed all Canonical Obedience without and beside any Legal Induction or Admission may not be reputed as Intruders and false Shepherds 11. Whether it had not been an excellent part of Christian Perfection rather to endure passively lost of Liberty Estate and even of Life it self for the maintenance and defence of the Iust and Legal Rights invested in the Church and the Bishops it 's Superintendent Pastors and the Liturgy and Service of the Church than carnally for Self-interest and Ends to comply and submit even against their knowing Consciences to a violent and meer prevailing power and force in the abolishing of Episcopal Power and the daily Prayers and Service used in the Church 12. Whether all such Persons be not guilty of Schism and of Scandal given which Communicate and be present in such Ministers Congregations and Assemblies whether in Church or in private Meetings to hear their Prayers or Sermons or receive their Sacraments according to the now present mode and form more especially in the participation with them in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Or how far may a good Christian Communicate with such without just Scandal given or taken 13. Whether it be lawful and just for any Orthodox Minister or Episcoparian to accept of any Benefice with Cure of Souls as the state of the English Church now standeth visible and ruling without guilt of Schism by compliance to their Form 14. Whether as the Condition of the present Church of England is The Ministers thereof may not legally and so justifiably exercise and use against the late Liturgy of the Church there being no Statute Law prohibiting the same And whether those that continue the Observation of the late Directory be not perturbers of the Peace of the Church especially since the limitation of trial by a pretended Legality and Command for its observance is expired and not reconfirmed 15. Whether the old Iewish Church had not set Forms of Prayer whether St. John the Raptist our Saviour's Praecursor and our blessed Saviour himself taught not their Disciples set Forms of Prayers and whether the Christian Church especially since the time of Peace from the violence of Heathenish Persecution had not nor generally used set Forms of Prayer And whether the Ministers now ex tempore Prayers in the Church be not as well a set Form of Prayers to the Auditors whose Spirits are therein bounded as any set Form of Prayer used in the Church 16. Whether may a Christian without Scandal given appear to be a Godfather or Godmother to a Child in these New Assemblies where the Minister useth his own Dictates and Prayers and not of the ancient Liturgy except the Words of Baptism I Baptize thee A. B. in the Name of the Father c. 17. Whether any Supream Earthly Power or Powers Spiritual or Temporal joint or separate can alienate and convert to secular uses or imployments any Houses Lands Goods or Things once devoted offered and dedicated to God and his Church
Schism and Herefie come to be opened it will not be found to lye where you imagin nor so easily proved as rashly affirmed or intimated 2. Do not be too sensible of Persecution when Liberty of Conscience is so proclaimed though the Restriction be somewhat on your side O the difference of your Persecution and theirs that suffered by you 3. The only conscionable and safe way for the Church and your own Souls is to love long for pray and consult for Peace Close in the unanimous practice of so much as all are agreed in In amicable Meetings endeavour the healing of all breaches Disown the ungodly of all Parties Lay by the new violent Opinions inconsistant with Unity I expect not that this advice should please the prejudiced But that it 's the only safe and comfortable way is the Confident Opinion of Your Brother Richard Baxter All the Disturbance I had in my own Parish was by Sir Ralph Clare's refusing to Communicate with us unless I would give it him kneeling on a distinct Day and not with those that received it fitting To which Demand I gave him this following Answer SIR UPon Consultation with others and my own Conscience I return this Answer to your last motion beseeching you to believe that it had been more pleasing if it would have stood with the pleasing of God and any own Conscience 1. In general it is my resolution to be so far from being the Author of any Divisions in any part of the Church of Christ as that I shall do all that lawfully I can to avoid them 2. I am so far from the Judgment and Practices of the late Prelates of England in point of compelling all to obey or imitate them in gestures and other indifferent things on pain of being deprived of God's greatest Ordinances which are not indifferents beside the ruine of their Estates c. that I would become all things lawful to all Men for their good and as I know that the Kingdom of God standeth not in such things so neither would I shut any out of his visible Kingdom for such things as judging that our Office is to see God's Law obeyed as far as we can procure it and not to be Law-gives to the Church our selves and in Circumstantials to make no more Determinations than are necessary left they prove but Engines to ensnare Mens Consciences and to divide the Church And as I would impose no such things on other Churches if I had power so neither will I do it on this Church of which I have some oversight 3. More particularly I am certain that sitting in the receiving of the Lord's Supper is lawful or else Christ and his Apostles and all his Churches for many hundred years after him did sin which cannot be And I take it to be intolerable arrogancy and unmannerliness to speak easily to call that unreverence and sawciness as many do which Christ and the Apostles and all the Church so long used with one consent He better knew what pleaseth himself than we do The vain pretended difference between the Apostles Gesture and ours is nothing to the matter He that sitteth on the Ground sitteth as well as he that sitteth on a Stool And if any difference were it was their Gesture that seems the more homely and no such difference can be pretended in the Christian Churches many hundred years after And I think it is a naked pretence having no shew of reason to cover it of them that against all this will plead a necessity of kneeling because of our unworthiness For 1. The Churches of so long time were unworthy as well as we 2. We may kneel as low as the Dust and on our bare knees if we please immediately before in praying for a blessing and for the pardon of our sins and as soon as we have done 3. Man must not by his own Conceits make those things necessary to the Church which Christ and his Church for so long thought unnecessary 4. On this pretence we might refuse the Sacrament it self for they are more unworthy to eat the Flesh of Christ and to drink his blood than to sit at his Table 5. The Gospel is Glad Tidings the Effects of it are Faith and Peace and Joy the Benefits are to make us one with Christ and to be his Spouse and Members the work of it is the joyful Commemoration of these Benefits and living in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And the Sacramental Signs are such as suit the Benefits and Duties If therefore Christ have called us by his Example and the Example of all his Church to sit with him at his Table to represent Our Union Communion and joyful redeemed State and our everlasting sitting with him at his Table in his Kingdom it as little beseems us to reject this Mercy and Duty because of our Unworthiness as to be our own Lawgivers And on the like Reasons men might say I will not be united to thee nor be a Member of thy Body or married to thee nor sit with thee on thy Throne Rev. 3. 21. according to thy Promise because it would be too great sawciness in me Gospel Mercies and Gospel Duties and Signs must be all suited and so Christ hath done them and we may not undo them 4. I must profess that upon such Considerations I am not certain that sitting is not of commanded Necessity as I am sure it is lawful nor am I certain that kneeling in the Act of Receiving when done of choice is not a flat sin For I know it is not only against Scripture Example where though Circumstances apparently occasional bind not as an upper Room c. yet that 's nothing to others but also it is against the Canons of Councils yea a General Council at Trull in Constantinople and against so concurrent a Judgment and Practice of the Church for many hundred years that it seems to fight with Vincentius Lerinens Catholick Rule quod semper ubique ab omnibus receptum c. Let them therefore justifie kneeling as lawful that can for I cannot and therefore dare not do that which shall be an owning of it when we may freely do otherwise 5. Yet for all this I so much incline to Thoughts of Peace and Closure with others that I will not say that sitting is of necessity nor that kneeling is unlawful unless where other Circumstances make it so nor condemn any that differ from me herein Yea if I could not otherwise Communicate with the Church in the Sacrament I would take it kneeling myself as being certain that the Sacrament is a Duty and not certain that kneeling is a sin and in that Case I believe it is not 6. As for them that think kneeling a Duty because of the Canons of the late Bishops enjoyning it I have more to say against their Judgment than this Paper will contain Only in a word 1. If it be the Secular Powers establishing those Canons that binds
Sense we have of the extraordinary want of faithful and able Ministers to carry on the Lords Work in this dark Land together with the daily Cryes from many Places of People that are perishing for want of Bread presseth us to renew our former Request to you for Help in this Day of our Necessity and we are somewhat the more emboldned thereto by the Appehension we find you to have of our Condition however for the present you find not how to help us â—our great Plenty together with your Association and nearness of Habitations making your Pastors and People as one besides the Universities are with you which blessed be God are well replenished with many gracious Plants to whom your Unamity will doubtless be a very great Encouragement to settle amongst you whereas our distance from them together with those sad Reports which are cast upon this Land render us hopeless of any considerable Supply that way These things we humbly offer as Motives to you for sparing some that may be helpful to us in this Day of our Extream Necessity And now dear Brethren most thankfully accepting your Love we recommend your Persons Labours and Flocks to the Care and Oversight of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls whose Grace be with yeu Amen Your Brethen unfeignedly loving you in the Lord Sam. Winter Tho. Hook Ol. Huchinson William Markham Iohn Price Elders of the Church of Christ in Dublin whereof Dr. Samuel Winter is Pastor Dublin Ian. 16th 1655. In the Name and by the Appointment of the rest of the Associated Churches in Ireland § 37. About this time Mr. Vines extolling the Judgment and Learning of Dr. Ralph Brownrigg Bishop of Exeter and advising me to chuse him as the fittest Man to treat with for Concord with the Diocesane Party I wrote to him to that End and sent with all some Terms of Concord He returned me a very kind Letter professing his Willingness to prosecute that Work and withal an answer to my Proposals which granted the main Matters which I desired and would have united us all if such terms had been granted when the King came in and setled the Church Government for he granted with Bishop Usher that every Presbyter is and must be a Governor as well as a Teacher of his own Flock and that subordinate Assemblies like Rural Denaries might be set up in every Market Town or in certain Divisions for the Performance hereof But because I found him too tenacious of the titular Honours of the Bishops which though I could have consented to my self yet those times would not permit I wrote to him no more and seeing we were not like that way to attain our Ends which was a present Union with that Party But had I foreseen what since is come to pass I would have prosecuted it farther that I might have had more of his Confessions to testify against unpeaceable Men. The Letter I wrote to him was as follows Most Reverend and much Honoured Sir THat I am utter Stranger to you should make this Address I suppose will be no stranger matter to you than that the Weak should seek for help unto the Strong and that the Laws of Nature and of Grace should tye us to a mutual Communication according to our powers So much of my own time being spent in such Paper Converse with Men whose Faces I never saw hath somewhat hardened me to this Attempt And I know that as far as you excel me in true Wisdom and Humility so far will you excel in Condescension to Inferiours and in Readiness to do good and therefore I have no doubt of your favourable Acceptance of this Address if there be nothing in the Matter or Manner to hinder I shall take leave first to tell you my General Errand with the Ground of it and then my Particular one Nature inclineth us to desire to know and Grace to desire the right Knowledge of God and of his Will from himself only who is the Father of Lights must we have this Light and from him by his appointed Means and Revelations If I learn not of those that God hath taught but expect all immediately from himself I may live in Darkness Where I hear of the greatest Revelation from Heaven thither do I take it for my Duty to Address my self and if there were inspired Prophets now as heretofore I would go to them But seeing God now taketh another way I think I ought to follow him and to be a Learner if possible of those whom he hath any way most eminately illuminated And though my Actions may be more ruled by many than by one where they have more Authority yet my Judgment may be better informed by one that excelleth in Light than by many others While I have made enquiry after these Divine Communications the concurrentâ— Vote of my most learned sober judicious Friends hath directed me first to you as the Man who for clearness and soundness of Iudgment is the Oracle of this our Theological World Though I may Learn of many hundreds yet did I know where so well to profit and were so strong a Iudgment as common as many other excellent Qualifications in learned Men I should have taken up nearer home and not presumed to have invited you to any trouble My first Question therefore is in general Whether you Mind and Leisure will vouchsafe me the Liberty now and then to intrude for the Resolution of some Difficulties not frequently nor contentiously but seldom and as a meet Learner If you are unwilling or not vacant say so and rid your self of this Trouble in a word And though the greatest Matters that I would enquire about are Points of Faith wherein if you have taken notice that I have wronged the Church by any of my crude and hasty Writings your Check would tend to a Reformation and be welcome yet the particular that at present I shall try your willingness in is in Point of Discipline I have long been very sensible of the sad Divisions of the Reformed Churches hereabouts and especially in England and longed to see the day that some wise compassionate Hand would rightly attempt the Cure As ignorent Men know not so much as the Difficulty of things so I have thought that if there were no greater Hinderance in Mens Affections than in their Principles it would be an easie matter speedily to Reconcile the moderate Episcopal and Presbyterian Divines My earnest Request to you is that you will be pleased freely to tell me your Thoughts how far this Accommodation following may tend to a closure 1. In every Parish where there are more Presbyters than one let one be the Chief and his Consent chiefly taken in the Guidance of the Church 2. Let many such Churches be associated call it a Classis or what you will and let the fittest Man be your President as long as he is fit that is during Life unless he deserve a
Scripture revealeth for us to believe which are many I only instance in the Point of Sovereignty is contrary to the Determination of our General Councils That which is contrary to what a General Council pronounceth to be believed is in the Papists sence a Heresie But that the Pope is above a General Council and that a General Council is above the Pope are both determined to be believed by General Councils The first by the Councils at the Laterane and Florence and the second by the Councils at Constance and Basil They are both Heresies therefore because they are both against General Councils and they are both Points of Popery because both determined in General Councils as I have proved in my Key c. If you will peruse a Catalogue in the End of my Book called The Safe Religion or the Thirty two Novelties mentioned in my Key pag. 142 143 144. you will see whether Popery be Error If any other Doctrine contrary 〈◊〉 Christ's do infer an Anathema then everlasting Woe to Papists And here you may see the Safety of the true Catholicks that have rejected Popery Our Religion is all contained in the Holy Scripture we profess to have no other Rule and you charge us not that I know of with believing too much by holding any positive Error but with believing too little because we believe not your supernumerary Articles And therefore you cannot say that we teach any other Doctrine than Christ's though you fancy that we teach not all because we teach not your Traditions But on the contrary we prove that you teach another Doctrine and many such which Christ never delivered to the Church But yet to abate your severe Selâ—condemnation let me excuse you thus far as to say that you do it upon mistake For Gal. 1. saith not Let him be accursed that preacheth another Doctrine but another Gospel While it is the same Gospel in the Essentials that is preached and believed this Anathema belongs not even to you that err till you come to contradict the Essence and make it another Gospel as well as another Doctrine If you have made it your whole business till seventeen Years of Age to pray to God to direct you to follow his Doctrine it 's like that I and many another have made it at least as much of our Business till forty six Years of Age as ever you did and with better Advantage and yet are as confident of the Falseness of your Doctrine as we are that the Earth doth bear us here therefore you are not beforehand with us But what have you found that cheated or frighned you into Popery 1. The variety of Iudgments But you never found the far greater variety among Papists You never read the voluminous Dispute between the Dominicanes and Jesuits to overpass the rest or perhaps you will as others do expect that the very same Opinion be a Heresy in a Calvanist and none in a Dominicane or Iansenist or a Heresy in a Lutheran and none in a Iesuit You will run out of England because of Mens diversity of Complexions and finding a greater Diversity in France expect it should be esteemed none If I prove not before any impartial Judge that the Papists have far more and greater Differences amongst themsâ—â—ves than the reformed Churches called Protestants yea I doubt not I may add than Greeks Calvinists Lutherans and many more such set together then let your Imagination go for Truth Bellarmine himself hath enumerated enough 2. You say the Scripture admits of no private Interpretation But 1. You abuse the Text and your self with a false Interpretation of it in these Words An Interpretation is called private either as to the Subject Person or as to the Interpreter You take the Text to speak of the latter when the Context plainly sheweth you that it speaks of the former The Apostle directing them to understand the Prophesies of the Old Testament gives them this Caution That none of these Scriptures that are spoken of Christ the publick Person must be interpreted as spoken of David or other private Persons only of whom they were mentioned but as Types of Christ It is subjectively a private Interpretation to restrain that Scripture e. g. the Second Psalm to David or other ordinary Men which the Holy Ghost intended of the Messiah But here 's no talk against Private Interpreters but only against a Private Interpretation 2. But suppose it were as you imagin and the publick Judgment of any Case suppose a Publick Interpreter yet every Man must see with his own Eyes and their private Judgment of Discretion must be according to their private that is personal Interpretation Or else your Churches Interpretation must have another publick Interpretation and that another and so endlesly If we can understand your Councils which your Doctors disagree about without another publick Interpretation we may as easily understand the Scripture or at least much of it And therefore that can be none of the Sence which you imagine no Scripture c. 3. Yea suppose all Interpretation must be publick and you may not presume to misunderstand the Commands of Repentance Faith or Love without a publick Commentary do you think this doth not make against you Is not the Interpretation of the Papal Sect a more private Interpretation than that of the whole Church The Greek Arminians Abassines Protestants and so all the far greatest part of the Church interpret those Texts which you wrest for the Papal Soveraignty in a quite other Sense And is not the Interpretation of your Fourth or Third part of the Church that 's partial in the Cause more private than that of all the rest would you have Men care no more for their Souls than to cast them away upon the Delusion of such Reasonings as these 3. You next speak of Interpretations by Apostolical Tradition But are sober People capable of such a Bafflle as to lay their Salvation on a Dream that never had a Being Was there ever such a thing as an Interpretation of the Bible by Apostolical Tradition without which no Scripture must be interpreted Where is that Commentary that the World never knew and yet all must know it that will be saved Written it is not by Fathers Popes or Councils and if unwritten in whose Memory is it and how learnt they it Not in the Peoples nor the generality of Pastors for they that were most learned presume to write their private Interpretations and Commentaries never giving us the publick Commentary and take Liberty to differ about many hundred Texts among themselves and are not these then gross Delusions 4. You say the Church is a City set upon a Hill Christ speaks there of Preachers but let it be of the whole Church In good sadness can you believe that the Universality of Christians which is the true Catholick Church is not more conspicuous than the Papal Faction or any one particular Part Should your Sect be judged more visible than the
and Government in Ecclesiastical Affairs is evident to the World and this little part of the World our own Dominions hath had so late Experience of it that we may very well acquiesce in the Conclusion without enlarging our self in discourse upon it it being a Subject we have had frequent occasion to contemplate upon and to lament abroad as well as at home In our Letter to the Speaker of the H. of Commons from Breda we declared how much we desired the Advancement and Propagation of the Protestant Religion That neither the Unkindness of those of the same Faith towards us nor the Civilities and Obligations from those of a contrary Profession of both which we have had abundant Evidence could in the least degree startle us or make us swerve from it and that nothing can be proposed to manifest our Zeal and Affection for it to which we will not readily consent And we said then That we did hope in due time our self to propose somewhat for the propagation of it that will satisfie the World that we have always made it both our Care and our Study and have enough observed what is most like to bring disadvantage to it And the truth is we do think our self the more competent to propose and with God's assistance to determine many Things now in difference from the time we have spent and the Experience we have had in most of the Reformed Churches abroad in France in the Low Conntreys and in Germany where we have had frequent Conferences with the most Learned Men who have unanimously lamented the great Reproach the Protestant Religion undergoes from the Distempers and too notorious Schisms in Matters of Religion in England And as the most Learned amongst them have always with great Submission and Reverence acknowledged and magnified the Established Government of the Church of England and the great countenance and shelter the Protestant Religion received from it before these unhappy times so many of them have with great ingenuity and sorrow confessed That they were too easily mislead by misinformation and prejudice into some disesteem of it as if it had too much complyed with the Church of Rome whereas they now acknowledge it to be the best fence God hath yet raised against Popery in the World And we are perswaded they do with great Zeal wish it restored to its old Dignity and Veneration When we were in Holland we were attended by many Grave and Learned Ministers from hence who were looked upon as the most able and principal Assertors of the Presbyterian Opinions with whom we had as much Conference as the multitude of Affairs which were then upon us would permit us to have and to our great Satisfaction and Comfort found them Persons full of Affection to us of Zeal for the Peace of the Church and State and neither Enemies as they have been given out to be of Episcopacy or Liturgy but modestly to desire such Alterations in either as without shaking Foundations might best allay the present Distempers which the Indisposition of the Times and the Tenderness of some Mens Consciences had contracted For the better doing whereof we intended upon our first Arrival in this Kingdom to call a Synod of Divines as the most proper Expedient to provide a proper Remedy for all those Differences and Dissatisfactions which had or should arise in Matters of Religion and in the mean time we published in our Declaration from Breda A Liberty to tender Consciences and that no man should be disquieted or called in question for differences of Opinion in Matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as shall upon mature deliberation be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence Whilst we continued in this Temper of Mind and Resolution and have so far complyed with the Perswasion of particular Persons and the Distemper of the Time as to be contented with the Exercise of our Religion in our own Chappel according to the constant Practice and Laws established without enjoyning that Practice and the Observation of those Laws in the Churches of the Kingdom in which we have undergone the Censure of many as if we were without that Zeal for the Church which we ought to have and which by God's Grace we shall always retain we have found our self not so candidly dealt with as we have deserved and that there are unquiet and restless Spirits who without abating any of their own Distempers in recompence of the Moderation they find in us continue their bitterness against the Church and endeavour to raise Jealousies of us and to lessen our Reputation by their Reproaches as if we were not true to the Professions we have made And in order thereunto they have very unseasonably caused to be printed published and dispersed throughout the Kingdom a Declaration heretofore printed in our Name during the time of our being in Scotland of which we shall say no more than that the Circumstances by which we were enforced to Sign that Declaration are enough known to the World That we did from the moment it passed our Hand askt God forgiveness for our part in it which we hope he will never lay to our Charge and that the worthiest and greatest part of that Nation did even then detest and abhor the ill usage of us in that particular when the same Tyranny was exercised there by the power of a few ill Men which at that time had spread it self over this Kingdom and therefore we had no reason to expect that we should at this season when we are doing all we can to wipe out the Memory of all that hath been done amiss by other Men and we thank God have wiped it out of our own remembrance have been our self assaulted with those Reproaches which we will likewise forget Since the printing of this Declaration several Seditious Pamphlets and Queries have been published and scattered abroad to infuse Dislike and Jealousies into the Hearts of the People and of the Army and some who ought rather to have repented their former Mischief they have wrought than to have endeavoured to improve it have had the hardiness to publish That the Doctrine of the Church against which no Man with whom we have conferred hath Excepted ought to be reformed as well as the Discipline This over-passionate and turbulent way of Proceeding and the Impatience we find in many for some speedy Determination in these Matters whereby the Minds of Men may be composed and the Peace of the Church established hath prevailed with us to invert the Method we had proposed to our self and even in order to the better Calling and Composing of a Synod which the present Jealousies will hardly agree upon by the assistance of God's blessed Spirit which we daily invoke and supplicate to give some determination our self to the Matters in difference until such a Synod may be called as may without
till it be effectually reformed by Divines of both Perswasions equally deputed thereunto And that your Majesty would procure that Moderation in the Imposition hereafter which we before desired 4. Concerning Ceremonies Returning our humble Thanks for your Majesty's gracious Concessions of which we are assured you will never have cause to repent we further crave 1. That your Majesty would leave out those words concerning us That we do not in our Iudgments believe the practice of those particular Ceremonies which we except against to be in it self unlawful for we have not so declared our Judgments Indeed we have said that treating in order to a happy uniting of our Brethren through the Land our Work is not to say what is our own Opinion or what will satisfie us but what will satisfie so many as may procure the said Union And we have said that some think some of them unlawful in themselves and others but inconvenient And while the Imposers think them but indifferent we conceived they might reasonably be entreated to let them go for the saving of their Brethrens Consciences and the Churches Peace We are sure that a Christian's Conscience should be tender of adding to or diminishing from the Matter of God's Worship in the smallest Point the Laws of God being herein the only perfect Rule Deut. 12. 32. And that a Synod infallibly guided by the Holy Ghost would lay upon the Churches no greater burden then necessary things Acts 15. 28. And that for things indifferent Christians should not despise or judge each other Rom. 14. much less by silencing the able and faithful Ministers of the Gospel to punish the Flocks even in their Souls for the tolerable Differences and supposed Mistakes of Ministers We doubt not but Peter and Paul went to Heaven without the Ceremonies in question And seeing your Majesty well expresseth it That the Universal Church cannot introduce one Ceremony in the Worship of God that is contrary to God's Word expressed in the Scriptures and Multitudes of Protestants at home and abroad do think that all Mystical Sacramental Rites of Humane Institution are contrary to the perfection of God's Law and to Deut. 12. 32. c. though the Determination of meer Circumstances necessary in genere be not so and therefore dare not use them for fear of the Displeasure of God the Universal Sovereign it must needs be a great Expression of your Majesty's wisdom and tenderness of God's Honour and the Safety of your Peoples Souls to refuse in things unnecessary to drive Men upon apprehended Sin and upon the Wrath of God and the Terrours of a Condemning Conscience 2. We beseech your Majesty to understand that it is not our meaning by the Word abolishing to crave a Prohibition against your own or other Mens Liberty in the things in question but it is a full Liberty that we desire such as should be in unnecessary things and such as will tend to the Concord of your People viz. That there be no Law or Canon for or against them commanding recommending or prohibiting them As now there is none for any particular Gesture in singing of Psalms where Liberty preserveth an uninterrupted Unity For the Particular Ceremonies 1. We humbly crave as to kneeling in the Act of Receiving that your Majesty will declare our Liberty therein that none should be troubled for receiving it standing or sitting And your Majesty's Expressions upon Reasons best known if not only to themselves command us to render some of our Reasons 1. We are sure that Christ and his Apostles sinned not by not receiving it kneeling and many are not sure that by kneeling they should not sin and therefore for the better Security though not for absolute Necessity we crave leave to take the safer side 2. We are sure that kneeling in any Adoration at all in any Worship on any Lord's Day in the Year or any Week-day between Ester and Pentcost was not only disused but forbidden by General Councils as Concil Nicen. 1 Can. 20. and Concil Trull c. and disclaimed by ancient Writers and this as a general and uncontroled Tradition And therefore that kneeling in the Act of receiving is a Novelty contrary to the Decrees and Practice of the Church for many hundred Years after the Apostles And if we part with the venerable Examples of all Antiquity where it agrees with Scripture and that for nothing we shall depart from the Terms which most Moderators think necessary for the Reconciling of the Churches And Novelty is a Dishonour to any part of Religion And if Antiquity be Honourable the most ancient or nearest the Legislation and Fountain must be most honourable And it is not safe to intimate a Charge of Unreverence upon all the Apostles and primitive Christians and the Universal Church for so many hundred Years together of its purest Time 3. Though our meaning be good it is not good to shew a needless Countenance of the Papists Practice of Adoring the Bread as God when it is used by them round about us Saith Bishop Hall in his Life pag. 20. I had a dangerous Conflict with a Sarbonist who took occasion by our kneeling at the Receipt of the Echarist to persuade all the Company of our Acknowledgment of a Transubstantiation 4. Some of us that could rather kneel than be deprived of Communion should yet suffer much before we durst put all others from the Communion that durst not take it kneeling which therefore we crave we might not be put upon it 2. We humbly crave also that the religious Observation of Holy-days of human Institution may be declared to be left indifferent that none be troubled for not observing them 3. We humbly tender your Majesty our Thanks for your gracious Concession of Liberty as to the Cross and Surplice and bowing at the Name Iesus rather than Christ or God But we farther humbly beseech your Majesty 1. That this Liberty in forbearing the Surpliâ—â— might extend to the Colledges and Cathedrals also that it drive not thence all those that Scruple it and make not those Places receptive only of a Party and that the Youth of the Nation may have just Liberty as well as the Elder If they be engaged in the Universities and their Liberties there cut off in their beginning they cannot afterwards be free many hopeful Persons will be else diverted from the Service of the Church 2. That your Majesty will endeavour the repealing of all Laws and Canons by which these Ceremonies are imposed that they might be left at full Liberty 4. We also humbly tender our Thanks to your Majesty for your gracious Concession of the Forbearance of the Subscription required by that Canon But 1. we humbly acquaint your Majesty that we do not dissent from the Doctrine of the Church of England expressed in the Articles and Homilies But it is the controverted Passages about Government Liturgy and Ceremonies and some Byâ—passages and Phrases in the doctrinal Part which are scrupled by
said than never to hear it and also that it was said That this Baker was one that he had elected to be a Bishop This greatly troubled the King and he called for the Book that had the Catalogue of the Bishops which Secretary Nicholas brought and said there was no such Name But the King presently spied the Name and said There it was and charged that he should be enquired after The next day we learned that it was another Baker of the same Name with the Bishop And though we also learned that the Bishop himself was a Good-fellow yet because it was not the same Man I went the next day to Mr. Secretary Morrice and intreated him to certifie the King that it was another Baker that so the Bishop might receive no wrong by it which he promised to do Yet was it given out that we were Lyers and â—anderers that maliciously came to defame the Clergy And shortly after the Bishop put it into the News-Book That some Presbyterians had maliciously defamed him and that it was not he but another of his Name So that though the Fact was never questioned or denied yet was it a heinouser matter in us to say that it was reported to be an elect Bishop when it was as ancient a Priest of the same name than for the Man to preach and pray in his Drunkenness I never heard that he was rebuked for it but we heard enough of it § 147. Upon this Fact when we met and dined one day at the Lord Chamberlains among other talk of this Business I said That if I wished their hurt at one of their Enemies I should wish they were more such that their shame might cast them down Mr. Horton a young Man that was Chaplain to the Lord Chamberlain and then intended to conform answered That we must not wish evil that good may come of it To which I replyed There is no doubt of it far is it from me to say that I wish it but if I were their Enemy I could scarce wish them greater hurt and injury to their Cause than to set up such Men and that those are their Enemies whoever they be that perswade them to cast out learned godly Ministers and set up such in their room as these Yet did this Mr. Horton in his complying weakness to please that Party tell Dr. Bolton That I wished that they were all such And Dr. Bolton told it from Table to Table and published it in the Pulpit And when he was questioned for it alledged Mr. Horton as his Author When I went to Mr. Horton he excused it and said That he thought I hâ—d said so and when I told him of the additional words by which then I disclaimed such a sence he could not remember them and that was all the remedy I had though none of the Brethren present remembred any such words as he reported But when the Lord Chamberlain knew of it he was so much offended that I was fain to intercede for Mr. Horton that it might not prove any hurt to him And by this following Letter he exprest his distast For my esteemed Friend Mr. Baxter These SIR I Have just Cause to intreat your Excuse for so abrupt a breaking from you I confess I was under very great trouble for the folly of my Chaplain and could not forbear to express it to him I am concerned with a very true resentment for so imprudent a Carriage Let me intreat you that it may not reflect upon me but that you will believe that I have so great a value of you and am so tender of your Credit as I cannot easily pass by my Chaplain's indiscretion Yet I shall endeavour to clear you from any untrue Aspersions and shall approve my self Your assured Friend Ed. Manchester § 148. I shall next insert some account of the Business which I had so often with the Lord Chancellour at this time Because it was most done in the inter-space between the passing of the King's Declaration and the Debates about the Liturgy In the time of Cromwell's Government Mr. Iohn Elliot with some Assistant in new-New-England having learnt the Natives Language and Converted many Souls among them not to be baptized and forget their Names as well as Creed as it is among the Spaniards Converts at Mexico Peru c. but to serious Godliness it was found that the great hinderance of the progress of that Work was the Poverty and Barbarousness of the People which made many to live dispersed like wild Beasts in Wildernesses so that having neither Towns nor Food nor Entertainment fit for English Bodies few of them could be got together to be spoken to nor could the English go far or stay long among them Wherefore to build them Houses and draw them together and maintain the Preachers that went among them and pay School-masters to teach their Children and keep their Children at School c. Cromwell caused a Collection to be made in England in every Parish and People did contribute very largely And with the Money beside some left in stock was bought 7 or 800 l. per Annum of Lands and a Corporation chosen to dispose of the Rents for the furthering of the Works among the Indians This Land was almost all bought for the worth of it of one Colonel Beddingfield a Papist an Officer in the King's Army When the King came in Beddingfield seizeth on the Lands again and keepeth them and refuseth either to surrender them or to repay the Money because all that was done in Cromwell's time being now judged void as being without Law that Corporation was now null and so could have no right to Money or Lands And he pretended that he sold it under the worth in expectation of the recovery of it upon the King's return The President of the Corporation was the Lord Steele a Judge a worthy Man The Treasurer was Mr. Henry Ashurst and the Members were such sober godly Men as were best affected to New-Englands Work Mr. Ashurst being the most exemplary Person for eminent Sóbriety Self-denial Piety and Charity that London could glory of as far as publick Observation and Fame and his most intimate Friends Reports could testifie did make this and all other Publick Good which he could do his Business He called the Old Corporation together and desired me to meet them where we all agreed that such as had incurred the King's Displeasure by being Members of any Courts of Justice in Cromwell's days should quietly recede and we should try if we could get the Corporation restored and the rest continued and more fit Men added that the Land might be recovered And because of our other Business I had ready access to the Lord Chancellour they desired me to solicit him about it so Mr. Ashurst and I did follow the Business The Lord Chancelloor at the very first was ready to further us approving of the Work as that which could not be for any Faction or Evil end but honourable to
containeth 1. The Wisdom of the Mind which is the Knowledge of God 2. The Rectitude of the Will which is the Love of God And 3. The Promptitude Obedience and Fortitude of the Executive Power in and for the Service of God and this is the moral Part of God's Image 3. God having the only Aptitude by his three great Properties Infinite POWER WISDOM and GOODNESS and the only Right Iure Creationis and since Redemptionis Regenerationis immediately stood related to Man in the three great Relations contained expressively in the Name God 1. Our absolute proprietary Owner or Lord. 2. Our Supreme Rector 3. Our bountiful Benefactor or Father and End all flowing from his Relation of our most potent wise good CREATOR Man is related to him 1. As his own to be wholly at his dispose 2. As his Subject to be wholly at his Government 3. As his Beneficiary or Child to love him with all the Heart Now God hath given Man to bear his Image in these Relations which is in Unity caled his Dominion over the bruit Creatures And in Trinity containeth 1. That we are their Owners and they our own 2. we are their Governors according to their Capacities 3. We are their Benefactors and they have and had more dependance on us and were made for us as their End as we were immediately for God as our End This part of God's Image is partly not totally lost The moral part is that which the Spirit restoreth The Wisdom of the Mind the Righteousness or Rectitude of the Will and the Holiness and Obedience of the Life If we had a right Scheme of Theology which I never yet saw Unity in Trinity would go through the whole Method It 's easy to follow it a little way and to see how God's three grand Relations of Owner Ruler and Father or End and chief God and the Correspondent Relations in Man and the mutual Expressions go far in the great parts of Theology But when we run it up to the Numerous and small Branches our narrow Minds are lost in the search But the Day is coming when all God's Works of Creation and Providence and all his Truths shall be seen to us uno intuitu as a most entire perfect Frame Pardon my too many words to you on this As for the divine Government by the Saints which you mention I dare not expect such great Matters upon Earth lest I encroach upon the Priviledge of Heaven and tempt my own Affections downwards and forget that our Kingdom is not of this World Certainly if Christianity be the same thing now that it was at first it is much unsuitable to a reigning State on Earth Bearing the Cross Persecution Self-denial c. found something of another Nature The Rich will rule in the World and few rich Men will be Saints He that surveyeth the present State of the Earth and considereth that scarcely a sixth Part is Christian and how small a Part of them are reformed and how small a part of them have much of the Power of Godliness will be ready to think that Christ hath called almost all his Chosen and is ready to forsake the Earth rather than that he intendeth us such blessed Days below as we desire We shall have what we would but not in this World As hard as we think God dealeth with us our King's Dominions are yet for the Power of Godliness the Glory and Paradise of the Earth Success tempted some here into reigning Expectations and thence into sinful Actions and Attempts and hardened them in all but God hath done much already to confute them Through Faith and Patience we must inherit the Promise May I know Christ crucified on Earth and Christ glorified in Heaven I shall be happy Dear Sir the Lord be your Support and Strength I rest Your Weak Fellow-Servant Richard Baxter § 403. That you may the better understand these Letters and many other such Passages you must know that the great Reason why my self and some of my Brethren were made the King's Chaplains in Title was that the People might think that such Men as we were favoured and advanced and consequently that all that were like us should be favoured and so might think their Condition happy And though we our selves made no doubt but that this was the use that was to be made of us and that afterward we should be silenced with rest in time yet we thought that it was not meet to deny their Offer The People at London who were near judged as we did and were not much deceived But those in the Country that were further off understood not how things went above But especially those in France and in new-New-England who were yet more remote were far more deceived by these Appearances and the more ready to bless us in our present State and almost wish it were their own Insomuch that there grew on a sudden in new-New-England a great Inclination to Episcopal Government For many of them saw the Inconveniencies of Separations and how much their way did tend to Divisions and they read my Books and what I said against both the Souldiers and Schismaticks in England and they thought that the Church-Government here would have been such as we were pleased with so that these and many other Motives made them begin to think of a Conformity Till at last Mr. Norton with one Mr. Broadstreet a Magistrate came over and saw how things went and those in New-England heard at last how we were all silenced and cast out And then they began to remember again that there is something beside Schism to be â—eared and that there lyeth as perilous an Extreme on the other side But they have in their Synod past some such moderating Conclusions about Baptism and constant Synods as have ended most of the Differences between them and the moderate Presbyterians § 151. I am next to insert some Businesses of my own which fell in at this same time When I had refused a Bishoprick I did it on such Reasons as offended not the Lord Chancellor and therefore instead of it I presumed to crave his Favour to restore me to preach to my People at Kidderminster again from whence I had been cast out when many hundreds of others were ejected upon the Restoration of all them that had been sequestred It was but a Vicaridge and the Vicar was a poor unlearned ignorant silly Reader that little understood what Christianity and the Articles of his Creed did signifie but once a Quarter he said something which he called a Sermon which made him the Pity or Laughter of the People This Man being unable to preach himself kept always a Curate under him to preach Before the Wars I had Preached there only as a Lecturer and he was bound in a Bond of 500 l. to pay me 60 l. per An. and afterward he was sequestreâ— as is before sufficiently declared my People were so dear to me and I to them that I would
have been with them upon the lowest lawful Terms Some laughed at me for refusing a Bishoprick and petitioning to be a reading Vicar's Curate But I had little Hopes of so good a Condition at least for any considerable time § 152. The Ruler of the Vicar and all the Business there was Sir Ralph Clare an old Man and an old Couâ—tier who carried it towards me all the time I was there with great Civility and Respect and sent me a Purse of Money when I went away but I refused it But his Zeal against all that scrupled Ceremonies or that would not preach for Prelacy and Conformity c. was so much greater than his Respects to me that he was the principal Cause of my Removal though he has not owned it to this Day I suppose he thought that when I was far enough off he could so far rule the Town as to reduce the People to his way But he little knew nor others of that Temper how firm conscientious Men are to the Matters of their everlasting Interest and how little Mens Authority can do against the Authority of God with those that are unfeignedly subject to him Openly he seemed to be for my Return at first that he might not offend the People and the Lord Chancellor seemed very forward in it and all the Difficulty was how to provide some other Place for the old Vicar Mr. Dance that he might be no loser by the Change And it was so contrived that all must seem forward in it except the Vicar the King himself must be engaged in it the Lord Chancellor earnestly presseth it Sir Ralph Clare is willing and very desirous of it and the Vicar is willing if he may but be recompenced with as good a Place from which I received but 90 l. per Annum heretofore Either all desire it or none desire it But the Hindrance was that among all the Livings and Prebendaries of England there was none fit for the poor Vicar A Prebend he must not have because he was insufficient and yet he is still thought sufficient to be the Pastor of near 4000 Souls The Lord Chancellor to make the Business certain will engage himself for a valuable stipend to the Vicar and his own Steward must be commanded to pay it him What could be desired more But the poor Vicar was to answer him that this was no security to him his Lordship might withhold that Stipend at his Pleasure and then where was his Maintenance give him but a legal Title of any thing of equal value and he would resign and the Patron was my sure and intimate Friend But no such thing was to be had and so Mr. Dance must keep his Place § 153. Though I requested not any Preferment of them but this yet even for this I resolved I would never be importunate I only nominated it as the Favour which I desired when there Offers in general invited me to ask more and then I told them that if it were any way inconvenient to them I would not request it of them And at the very first I desired that if they thought it best for the Vicar to keep his Place I was willing to take the Lecture which by his Bond was secured to me and was still my Right or if that were denied me I would be his Curate while the King's Declaration stood in force But none of these could be accepted with Men that were so exceeding willing In the end it appeared that two Knights of the Country Sir Ralph Clare and Sir Iohn Packington who were very great with Dr. Morley newly made Bishop of Worcester had made him believe that my Interest was so great and I could do so much with Ministers and People in that Country that unless I would bind my self to promote their Cause and Party I was not fit to be there And this Bishop being greatest of any Man with the Lord Chancellor must obstruct my Return to my ancient Flock At last Sir Ralph Clare did freely tell me that if I would conform to the Orders and Ceremonies of the Church and preach Conformity to the People and labour to set them right there was no Man in England so fit to be there for no Man could more effectually do it but if I would not there was no Man so unfit for the place for no Man could more hinder it § 154. I desired it as the greatest favour of them that if they intended not my being there they would plainly tell me so that I might trouble them and my self no more about it But that was a favour too great to be expected I had continual encouragement by Promises till I was almost tired in waiting on them At last meeting Sir Ralph Clare in the Bishop's Chamber I desired him before the Bishop to tell me to my face if he had any thing against me which might cause all this ado He told me that I would give the Sacrament to none kneeling and that of Eighteen hundred Communicants there was not past Six hundred that were for me and the rest were rather for the Vicar I answerd That I was very glad that these words fell out to be spoken in the Bishop's hearing To the first Accusation I told him That he himself knew that I invited him to the Sacrament and offered it him kneeling and under my hand in that writing and openly in his hearing in the Pulpit I had promised and told both him and all the rest that I never had nor never would put any Man from the Sacrament on the account of kneeling but leave every one to the Posture which they should choose And that the reason why I never gave it to any kneeling was because all that came would sit or stand and those that were for kneeling only followed him who would not come unless I would administer it to him and his Party on a day by themselves when the rest were not present and I had no mind to be the Author of such a Schism and make as it were two Churches of one But especially the consciousness of notorious Scandal which they knew they must be accountable for did make many kneelers stay away And all this he could not deny And as to the second Charge there was a Witness ready to say as he for the truth is among good and bad I knew but one Man in the Town against me which was a Stranger newly come one Canderton an Attorney Steward to the Lord of Abergeveny a Papist who was Lord of the Mannor and this one Man was the Prosecutor and witnessed how many were against my Return I craved of the Bishop that I might send by the next Post to know their Minds and if that were so I would take it for a favour to be kept from thence When the People heard this at Kidderminster in a days time they gathered the hands of Sixteen hundred of the Eighteen hundred Communicants and the rest were such as were from home And
Rule The Major I suppose will not be denied The Minor is thus proved 1. To prefer this genuflexion in the Reception of the Sacrament before our Brethrens Communion with Christ and his Church in the Sacrament and before their corroboration and consolation thereby and before the preaching of the Gospel by all those Ministers that will be hereupon laid by even when many Thousands among us are in gross ignorance for want of means and consequently before the Salvation of very many and the Worship of God by the Excluded is to prefer Sacrifice before Mercy yea an unnecessary Ceremony before Sacrifice and Mercy But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to prefer this Genuflexion before all these things Ergo it is to prefer Sacrifice before Mercy yea an unnecessary Ceremony before Sacrifice and Mercy 2. If the forbidding of David and his Company to eat the Shew-bread and the Priests in the Temple to break the Sabbath and the Disciples to rub out the Corn would have been the preferring of Sacrifice before Mercy as here prohibited then enjoyning all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to prefer Sacrifice before Mercy in the forbidden sence But the Antecedent is true Matth. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Ergo so is the Consequent V. To use the Power to Destruction which is given to be used to Edification is unjust But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny the Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to use the Power to Destruction which is given to be used to Edification Ergo. To enjoyn all Ministers to deny the Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is unjust The major is proved 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10 Rom. 15. 2. I Cor. 14. 26. Rom. 14. 15 20. For the Minor I shall prove it I. As of the Destruction of the Person 2. Of many others 3. Of the Church it self 1. To use this Power to deprive many Thousands of their Communion with Christ and his Church in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood and Consequently of all the Benefits thereof is to use it to the Destruction of those Mens Souls But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to use this Power to deprive many Thousands of their Communion with Christ and his Church in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood and consequently of all the Benefits thereof Ergo to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to use this Power to the Destruction of those Souls 2. To the Destruction of many others II. To use this Power to deprive many Thousand ignorant ungodly People of the Labours of able faithful Ministers when those People are like to have no competent Preachers of the Gospel in their stead is to use this Power to the Destruction of those many thousand Souls But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all those that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to use this Power to deprive many Thousand c. Ergo it is to use this Power to their Destruction It being supposed that it is not any Injunction in genere but the English Injunction in specie that is spoken of The Minor is proved thus If such an Injunction will Silence a great number of able and faithful Ministers while there are not competent Preachers of the Gospel to supply very many of their Places then to enjoyn all c. is to use the Power to Deprive c. But the Antecedent is certain Ergo c. Two notorious Evidences in Matter of Fact do fully prove the Antecedent 1. That there are a great number of able faithful Ministers whole Consciences do forbid them to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament though they suffer Silencing for it and that the Injunction doth Silence and Imprison them if they do not deny it them 2. That there are very many Congregations in Wales and divers parts of England where are Thousands of ignorant ungodly People that even now have no competent Preachers much less will there be enow when all there Ministers are turned out 3. To the Destruciton of the Church III. 1. To use this Power to deprive the Church of a great number of her pious and exemplary Members that are meet for her Communion is to use it to the Churches Destruction But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel at the Reception of the Sacrament is to use this Power to Deprive the Church of a great number of her Pious and Exemplary Members that are meet for her Communion Ergo To enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to use this Power to Destruction 2. To use this Power to the certain and lamentable Division of the Church is to use it to the Destruction of the Church But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Lord's Supper is to use this Power to the certain and lamentable Division of the Church Ergo To enjoyn all c. is to use this Power to the Destruciton of the Church The Major is undeniable The Minor I prove thus 1. To divide by force or constraint so many Thousands as dare not kneel in Receiving the Lord's Supper from the rest is to use this Power to the actual and lamentable Division of the Church But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny them Communion is to divide them by constraint from the rest Ergo To enjoyn all c. is to use this power to the certain and lamentable Division of the Church 2. To maintain and exercise by this Power a Principle of Church Division is to use this Power to the certain and lamentable Division of the Church But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not receive kneeling is to maintain and exercise a Principle of Church Division that is such as is of its own nature fitted to divide it and will effect it Ergo To enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not Receive kneeling is to use this Power to the certain and lamentable Division of the Church The Minor which only needs proof I prove thus To maintain and exercise this Principle That Things as unnecessary small and doubtful as kneeling in the Reception of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper are to be made necessary to the Communion of the Church is to maintain and exercise a Principle of Church Division But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not Receive kneeling is to maintain and exercise this Principle that Things
fourth sort are the Independents who are for the most part a serious godly People some of them moderate going with Mr. Norton and the new-New-England Synod and little differing from the moderate Presbyterians and as well ordered as any Party that I know But others of them more raw and self-conceited and addicted to Separations and Divisions their Zeal being greater than their Knowledge who have opened the Door to Anabaptists first and then to all the other Sects These Sects are numerous some tolerable and some intolerable and being never incorporated with the rest are not to be reckoned with them Many of them the Behmâ—nists Fifth-Monarchy-men Quakers and some Anabaptists are proper Fanaticks looking too much to Revelations within instead of the Holy Scriptures And thus I have truly told you of all the Sorts among us except the Papists who are sufficiently known and are no more of us than the other Sects are The Atheists and Infidels I name not because as such they have no Pastors § 286. Next it will not be amiss if I briefly give you the Sum of their several Causes and the Reasons of their several Ways I. The Conformists go several Wâ—ys according to their forementioned Differences 1. Those that are high Prelatists say 1. For Episcopacy it is of Divine Institution and perpetual Usage in the Church and necessary to Order among the Clergy and People and of experienced Benefit to this Land and most congruous to Civil Monarchy and therefore not to be altered by any no not by the King and Parliament if they should swear it Therefore the Oath called the Et caetera Oath was formed before the War to Swear all Men to be true to this Prelacy and not to Change it 2. Those that are called Conforming Presbyterians and Latitudinarians both say that our Prelacy is lawful though not necessary and that Mr. Edward Stillingfleet's Irenicon hath well proved That no Form of Church Government is of Divine Institution And therefore when the Magistrate commandeth any he is to be obeyed But since they grew up to Preferment they grow to be hot for the Prelacy § 287. And therefore as to the Covenant they all say 1. That the End of it was Evil viz. To Change the Government of the Church without Law which was setled by Law 2. That the Efficient Cause was Evil or Null viz. That the Imposers had no Authority to do it 3. That the Matter was Evil viz. to extirpate and change the Government of the Church by Rebellion and Combination against the King 4. That the Swearers Act in taking it was sinful for the foresaid Reasons 5. That the King's Prohibition and disowning it did nullifie all the Subjects Obligations if any were upon them by virtue of Numb 30. 6. That the People being all Subjects cannot endeavour the Change of Church Government without the King 7. That King Charles took not that same Covenant but another 8. That he was forced to it 9. That he was virtually pre-engaged to the contrary Matter in that he was Heir of the Crown and bound to take the Coronation Oath 10. That to cast so many Men as the Bishops out of all their Honours and Possessions is Injustice which none can be obliged to do 11. That if it were lawful before to endeavour an Alteration of the Government of the Church yet now it is not when King and Parliament have made a Law against it These are Mr. Fulwood's and Mr. Stileman's Pleas and the Sum of all that I have heard as to that Point § 288. But further as to the Interpretation of the Words of the Declaration hereabouts the Latitudinarians and Conforming Presbyterians and some of the Prelatists say as followeth 1. That the Declaration includeth not the King when it saith There is no obligation on me or any other person which they prove because that Laws are made only for Subjects and therefore are to be interpreted as speaking only of Subjects 2. Because the King is meant in the Counterpart or Object viz the Government of the State which is not to be altered 2. They say that it is only Rebellions or other unlawful Endeavours that are meant by the words to Endeavour 3. They say that by any Alteration is meant only any Essential Alteration and not any Integral or Accidental Alteration of the Government 4. And the leading Independents have taught them also to say that this Covenant was essentially a League between two Nations upon a certain occasion which therefore if ever it did bind is now like an Almanack out of date Et cessat obligatio cessantibus personis materiâ fine 5. They principally argue that all Mens words are to be taken charitative in the most honest and favourable sence that they will bear much more the King 's and Parliaments Therefore Charity permitteth us not to judge them so inhuman irrational irreligious and cruel as to command Men to be perjured and to change the constituted Government by prohibiting King Parliament or People to do any thing which belonged to them in their places These are the Reasons for the lawfulness of declaring against the Obligation of the Covenant § 289. 3. In the same Declaration it is professed That it is not lawful on any pictente whatsoever to take up Arms against the King or any Commissionated by him c. Concerning this they are also divided among themselves One Party say That this is true universally in the proper sence of the words The other say That it is to be understood of such as are legally Commissioned by him only and that if he should Commission two or three Men or more to kill the Parliament or burn the City or to dispossess Men of their Freeholds it were lawful forcibly to resist Or if the Sheriff be to raise the Posse Comitatus in obedience to a Decree of a Court of Justice to put a Man into possession of his House he may do it forcibly though the Defendant be Commissioned by the King to keep it Because they say that the Law is to be taken sano sensu and not as may lay the Law-givers under so heavy an Accusation as the literal unlimited sence would do § 290. 4. The fourth Matter of Difference being the Oath of Canonical Obedience they here also differ among themselves 1. Some of them think that as the Necessity of Monarchy and our Relation to the King doth make the Oath of Allegiance necessary or very meet so the Necessity of Prelacy and our Relation to the Prelates doth make the Oath of Obedience to them justifiable and meet For that which must be done may be promised and sworn 2. Others of them say That it is only to the Bishops as Magistrates or Officers of the King that we swear to them 3. And others say That as we may be subject to any Man in humility so we may promise or swear it to any Man And it being but in licit 〈◊〉 honestis that what we may
such things If it be said that the Magistrate may set up Civil Courts who may judge Circa Sacra I answer but 1. These judge de Sacris and Excommunicate and Absolve 2. They do it under the Name of Church-Discipline and the Power of the Keys 3. And instead of Christ's deposed Discipline § 339. 9. The ninth Charge against our Prelacy is consequential That it bringeth on us a multitude of grievous Calamities and ill Consequences by this abolition of true Discipline and the aforesaid Corruptions As for instance 1. That it giveth up our Cause to the Brownists quantum in se who say that our Churches are no true Churches and our Ministry is no true Ministry For if we have true Churches and Ministers it is either the Parochial the Diocesan or the National But 1. for the Parochial they say that they are no true Churches or Ministers for a true Church in sensu politico is constituted of the Governing part and the Governed part But a Parish Church hath no Governing part as such For the Diocesan is not the Head of it as a Parish Church but as a part of his Diocesan Church Otherwise one Man should be a Thousand Heads and Political persons And the Parson or Vicar though perhaps called Rector is only the Teacher and Priest and denied all Government Egro he is no Pastor as wanting an essential part of that Office nor the Church a true Church And for my part I know not how to confute these Men but by telling them that the Pastor of that Parish-Church must be judged of by God's description and not by the Bishop's which I doubt not is a true and satisfactory Answer And for a Diocesan Church the Brownists say that it is not only no Church of Christ's institution but contrary to it and therefore not to be acknowledged And for the National Church unless you speak equivocally they know no such thing for what is it that is the Constitutive Head of it The King is the Civil Head But the Constitutive Head of a Church must be an Ecclesiastical Head or a Clergy-man or Society of Men It cannot be an Archbishop for neither of the Archbishops pretendeth to it having but a priority of place and not any Government over one another Canterbury over York or in each others Provinces And the Convocation it cannot be because the Canon Anathematizeth them that take it not for the Representative Church of England And if it be but the Representative it cannot be the Constitutive Head For either it representeth the Governing part of the Church which is indeed the Head or the Governed part which is the Body If it represent the latter only then as such it can have no Governing power at all For as Representative it can have no more power than those that are represented But the Governed party as such have no Governing power Ergo neither have their Representers as such If they represent any higher power What is it It must be either in a single Person or a Collective Body which is one Political Person But the former is not at all pretended nor can be If it be said that they represent all the Pastors of England I answer no doubt that is the meaning of the Canon and yet no Man affirmeth that the real Body of all those Pastors in conjunction is one Collective Political Head of this Church For Parish-Ministers are only Heads of their several Parishes if so much but not of all the rest of the Parishes in the Nation any otherwise than of those in other Land 's Wherefore it is most evident that there is no such thing as a Church of England in a Political Formal sence as it hath one Constitutive and Ecclesiastical Head but only in an improper larger sence either as the Pastors of many Churches met in a Synod do make binding Agreements by way of voluntary Concord and Consent as many Kings may do in a voluntary Meeting which doth not constitute a Political Society Or else as they have one accidental Civil Head the King who is Head of all Religious Societies in his Dominions Papists Anabaptists c. But these are none of them Denominations à formâ But hence it may be noted 1. That as Bishop Usher said Synods are not properly a Superiour Governing power over the particular Bishops but only for voluntary Concord 2. That the Bishops must against their wills grant that all Parish-Ministers are de jure Church Governours or else how come their Representatives to be part of the Governing-Church even in Canon-making for common Government as they judge As for the Democratical conceit of them that say that the Parliament hath their Governing power as they are the Peoples Representatives and so have the Members of the Convocation though those represented have no Governing power themselves it is so palpably Self-contradicting that I need not confute it § 340. 2. A second evil Consequence is that by neglect of Discipline or excluding it the Vicious want that remedy which God hath provided to bring them to Repentance and Salvation That God hath appointed Discipline is proved from Lev. 19. 17. Matth. 18. 15 16 17 18. 1. Cor. 5. Tit. 1. 13 2. 15. 3. 10. 1 Tim. 3. 5 15. 5. 19 20 21 22 24. 2 Tim. 3. 5. 4. 2. 2. Thess. 3. 6 14. And as neglect of Preaching so neglect of Discipline tendeth to the hardening of Sinners in their sins And when in the Application of Baptism Confirmation the Lord's Supper Absolution and all Church Consolations to them they are all used by the Church as pardoned Sinners and judged to be such how vicious soever they will the easilier believe they are such indeed and reject all passages in Sermons that would convince them and all that would perswade them of the Necessity of a Change So that no doubt but many Thousands are hindered from Conversion and Salvation for want of Discipline § 341. 3. And it tendeth to propagate the Sin as Impunity from Magistrates or Parents would do which made the Apostle say 1. Cor. 5. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump many will be encouraged to do that which undergoeth no more censure § 342. 4. It keepeth up the Credit of Sin it self and gratifieth Satan while the Church is deprived of the Publick Means appointed by God for putting Sin to open shame and bruising the Serpent's Head by a solemn Condemnation of his Works of Darkness § 343. 5. It depriveth Holiness and Obedience of the honour which God hath appointed for it by this publick differencing Judgment of the Church which being as Tertullian calleth it praejudicium futuri judicij doth represent the Justification and Condemnation of that Day and wonderfully tend to the publick honour of Godliness and Honesty and consequently to the Conversion and Establishment of Mens Souls § 344. 6. It greatly tendeth to the dishonour of the Church by its pollution whenas Christian Societies shall be conspurcated with
I must confess I have great reason to believe the clean contrary if by Light they mean Knowledge that the old Non-conformists had much more insight into these Controversies than Professors have of late For 1. We know that when the Parliament had cast out Bishops Liturgy and Ceremonies the generality both of Ministers and People took it for granted that they were all bad and so had more Light than their Forefathers had before they ever studied the Controversies I have asked many of them that have boasted of this Light whether ever they read what Cartwright Bradshaw Ames Parker Baynes Gersome Bucer Didoclavius Salmasius Blondell Beza c. have said on one side and what Saravia Bilson Whitgift Covell Downham Burges Hooker Paybody Hammond c. have said on the other side and they have confest they never throughly studied any one of them 2. And we see it by experience that one of those Men have written more on these Subjects than any of these can say or understand who boast that they have greater Light How weakly do they talk against Bishops Liturgy and Ceremonies in comparison of these ancient Non-conformists However that which was Truth then is Truth now And we have the same Scripture to be our Rule as they had Therefore let them that say they have more Knowledge bring it forth and try it by the Law and Testimony Isa. 8. 20. § 439. Having lived three years and more in London and finding it neither agree with my health or studies the one being brought very low and the other interrupted and all Publick Service being at an end I betook my self to live in the Country at Action that I might set my self to writing and do what Service I could for Posterity and live as much as possibly I could out of the World Thither I came 1663. Iuly 14. where I followed my Studies privately in quietness and went every Lord's Day to the Publick Assembly when there was any Preaching or Catechizing and spent the rest of the Day with my Family and a few poor Neighbours that came in spending now and then a day in London and the next year 1664. I had the Company of divers godly faithful Friends that Tabled with me in Summer with whom I solaced my self with much content Having almost finished a large Treatise called A Christian Directory or Sum of Practical Divinity that I might know whether it would be Licensed for the Press I tried them with a small Treatise of The Characters of a Sound Christian as differenced from the Weak Christian and the Hypocrite I offered it Mr. Grig the Bishop of London's Chaplain who had been a Non-conformist and profest an extraordinary respect for me But he durst not Licence it Yet after when the Plague began I sent three single Sheets to the Archbishop of Canterbury's Chaplain without any Name that they might have past unknown but accidentally they knew them to be mine and they were Licensed The one was Directions for the Sick The second was Directions for the Conversion of the Ungodly and the third was Instructions for a Holy Life for the use of poor Families that cannot buy greater Books or will not read them § 440. March 26. being the Lord's Day 1665. as I was preaching in a Private House where we received the Lord's Supper a Bullet came in at the Window among us and past by me and narrowly mist the Head of a Sister-in-law of mine that was there and hurt none of us and we could never discover whence it came § 441. In Iune following an ancient Gentlewoman with her Sons and Daughter came four Miles in her Coach to hear me Preach in my Family as out of special Respect to me It fell out that contrary to our custom we let her knock long at the Door and did not open it and so a second time when she had gone away and came again and the third time she came when we had ended she was so earnest to know when she might come again to hear me that I appointed her a time But before she came I had secret intelligence from one that was nigh her that she came with a heart exceeding full of Malice resolving if possible to do me what Mischief she could by Accusation and so that Danger was avoided § 442. Before this divers Forreign Divines had written to me and expected such Correspondence as Literate Persons have with one another But I knew so well what eyes were upon me and how others had been used in some such accounts that I durst not write one Letter to any beyond the Seas By which some were offended as little knowing our Condition here Among others Amyraldus sent one upon the occasion of a word of honest Ludae Molinaeus a Dr. of Physick who had said that he had heard that Amyrald had said somewhat as slighting the Non-conformists in England and me in particular which with what vehemency and great respect he disowneth his Letter following will shew Another was from a Minister in Helvetia who would have had my Advice about setting up the Work of Ministerial Instruction of the Families and Persons of their Charge particularly which I will also add but I sent him an Answer by his Friend by word of mouth only And so I refused the answering of all others Literae D. Amyraldi Ad Reverendum Virum Dom. Dominum Baxterum Fidelem Evangelis Jesu Christi Ministerium Londinum VIrtutum tuarum fama Vir Reverende ad aures meas ante aliquot annos pervenit nec omnino me latuerat quam honorifice de me privatam sentias publice loquaris Verum quia audio scripsisti Anglice tantum modo cognitio autem linguoe vestrae quam ante quadraginta Annos qualemcunque Londini adeptus eram e memoria mea desuetudine obliterata est parum commercii mihi est cum libris vestris nec hactenus contigit ut quidquam quod à te prodixerit oculis usurpaverim Eo de causâ quamvis nonnunquam ceperit me impetus aliquis ad te scribendi ut honorem quo te prosequor testificarer ut significarem quod me publice laudasti ingrato non accidisse Etsi enim tenuitatem meam agnosco non dissimulabo tamen non esse mihi fibram adeo corneam qui◠laudari amen à te potissimum laudato Viro Attamen quotiuscunque id in Animum induxi vel occasio literas ad te mittendi suppeditata non est vel me repressit aliquis metus nequid de me suspicaveris At quod hucusque distuleram Vir Reverende expressit à me indignatio concepta ex lectione literarum Domini Simonii ad me in quibus vidi nescio quem male feriatum hominem etenim eum ne de nomine quidem novi scripsisse ad Molinaeum Amyraldum de te deque Scriptis tuos loqui valde contemptem adeo ut si verum esset quod ille quisquis est dicit justissimam causam haberes cur
gravissime mihi succenseres meque judicares indignum iis laudibus iisque benevolentiae tuoe significationibus quibus me prosequi ac decorare voluisti Illico igitur calamum arripui nulla interposita mora scripsi ad D. Simonium Gallice quoe velim à te legi atque intelligi posse ut qualis sit animus erga te meus liquido cognosceres Tibi vero Vir Reverende hanc Epistolam destino in qua quantâ possum bonâ fide luculentis verbis testor atque pronuntio falsa illa omnia esse emendacii officina profecta quoe vel audivisti vel legisti quasi dicta de te à me secus quam oportuit Non enim te novi nisi de fama quoe de tua pietate atque eruditione eloquentia egregie loquitur nec aliter erga te sum affectus quam ut decet erga virum multis laudibus ornatum proeterea de me optime meritum cui eo nomine multum debeo Noli ergo quaeso Vir Reverende quidquam istiusmodi credere ubicunque id vel occasio feret vel necessitas postulabit ostende hasce literas me à manu ex Animi mei Sententia conscriptas ut post hocce testimonium quid de te judicem nemo dubitare queat Vale Vir Reverende communis ille noster Doctor atque Dominus qui nos redemit sanguine suo cum Ecclesioe Anglicanoe tum tui perculiarem curam suscipere dignetur Quid de rebus vestris existimem◠scire potes ex Epistola quâ Paraphrasmi meam in Psalmos serenissimo vestro Regi dicavi Itaque nihil hic addam nisi quod qui ad te scribit est tibi Vir Reverende Ad omne obsequium paratissimus AMYRALDVS To the Reverend and most Learned Mr. Richard Baxter a Zealous Minister of the Gospel of Christ his most worthy and most honoured Brother in Christ at Kidderminster Recommended to the care of Mr. Dorvile The Grace of our Lord Iesus and the Peace of God be increased among us Most worthy and most honoured Sir THE Occasion of two Cosins of mine going for London invites me to take the liberty to write this Letter to you most honoured Sir and hope you will excuse my boldness in so doing being unknown to you I should have forborn troubling you in your weighty Affairs which besides the great zeal and care for your Parishioners yea for the whole Church of God are made known But I could not pass by so good an Opportunity to acquaint you how much your Name and your Person although with your Body so far from us is esteemed by me an unworthy Servant of Jesus Christ and by many other faithful Brethren in the Lord in this our Town and also in our Neighbour Protestant Confederate Cities of Zuric and Schaffhousen insomuch that we often remember one another the great cause we have to pray the Lord joyntly and constantly with your beloved Parishioners yea with whole England for your health and long life that you may further continue to us all your edifying Doctrines and Admonitions I dare not write to you most godly Sir in what fame you are among us that you may not suspect me of flattery which doubtless you despise as a great vanity But I pray Sir to believe me confidently that after Providence had led me some years agone into England but time would not permit to stay long there but as speedily as possible to learn the English Tongue and am heartily sorry I did not visit you most worthy Sir at Kidderminster that time for to take upon several Points your godly Advice being in ten Months time as long as I stayed in London Oxford and Cambridge I did learn God be thanked so much English that I could understand reading and preaching And by the Advice of the most zealous and worthy Men Mr. Edmund Calamy Mr. Cranford Mr. Nalton of whom I received great Courtesie and Friendship though a Stranger I bought a good number of English Divinity Books of your most solid and selected Divines and among others your Everlasting Rest Item Gildas Salvianus or Reformed Pastor Item True Christianity Item A Sermon of Iudgment c. being at that time recalled to my own Country I had no time to peruse those heavenly Meditations but since have made it my chief work and cannot express the great Advantage I received by them so that I commended the very same Books to others of our Brethren who have endeavoured without delay to get them by means of some of our Merchants here and also the remainder of your Works that we could bring to our notice viz. The Unreasonableness of Infidelity your Confession of Faith The right Method for a setled Peace of Conscience The safe Religion Key for Catholicks The Crucifying of the World Item of Self-denial Item A Treatise of Conversion Call to the Unconverted your Apology against Mr. Blake c. Item your Holy Commonwealth The Catholick Unity your Treatise of Death For which Works we thank God with one accord for the great and heavenly Gifts he hath so largely bestowed upon you for the common good of his Church and wish that by this occasion we might also be partakers of what we want of your Works that are extant Sermons or other Treatises Particularly I must acquaint you with the high esteem we make of those two Chief Pieces the Everlasting Rest and Reformed Pastor in which latter you strike home to the very heart many Ministers and we must needs confess that living among a rude and unlearned People ignorant and self-conceited that according to your Advice in the Reformed Pastor it is most necessary to take in hand with all speed and care the private Instruction and Catechizing But we can find no way to obtain it And being your Admonitions and Perswasions to the Practice thereof are very home and close upon all Ministers that they must make it their chief Business and neglect nothing until they have perswaded and brought their Flock to it I pray you most worthy Sir to resolve this Enquiry to me and others of my Neighbours and fellow Brethren who in reading your Reformed Pastor made the same Scruple of Conscience viz. Whether a Minister that heartily strives for the honour of God and the Edification of his Church doth not discharge his Duty when according to your wholsome and true Doctrine he hath conferred and made known his mind and willingness to the performance of it to his Fellow-Brethren that joyntly with him are Shepherds of the same Flock yea perswaded them of the necessity and usefulness of it yet can get no Assistance by Ministers nor Magistrates We long also heartily to know being you have perswaded the Ministers of the County of Worcester to that most necessary and useful Catechizing and Private Instruction Whether by the present great Change in England both in Churches and Government and chiefly being that we hear that Episcopacy prevaileth the
Prelatical Dignity is not some way retrenched and whether they bear still that irreconcileable hatred against good and godly Presbyterians that they may not be suffered to exercise their Charge and Duty Or if they are wholly deprived of the power and authority to serve their Parishes as to our great Scandal we are informed I had many things more to write to you but dare not trouble you most worthy Sir any further fearing to keep you from your weighty Business Only I crave very humbly your Answer and as much Information of the true present Estate as opportunity will give you leave Whether we have so much cause to fear the Introduction of Popery in England as some by the News amongst us are wholly perswaded In the mean while we will continue to pray the Lord our God and most merciful Father with all our Hearts and Souls to preserve your Person for the General Good and Edification of his whole Catholick Church that your great Light may shine more and more and so I remain Reverend and most worthy Sir Your humble and most Affectionate Servant Iohn Sollicâ—ffer unworthy Servant of Christ. Saingall in Helvetia Reformatâ 16 April 1663. The vigilant Eye of Malice that some had upon me made me understand that though no Law of the Land is against Literate Persons Correspondencies beyond Seas nor have any Divines been hindered from it yet it was like to have proved my ruine if I had but been known to answer one of these Letters though the Matter had been never so much beyond Exceptions So that I neither answered this nor any other save only by word of mouth to the Messenger and that but in small part for much of this in the latter part was Matter not to be touched Our Silencing and Ejection he would quickly know by other means and how much the Judgments of the English Bishops did differ from theirs about the Labours and Persons of such as we § 443. About this time I thought meet to debate the Case with some Learned and Moderate Ejected Ministers of London about Communicating sometimes in the Parish Churches in the Sacraments For they that came to Common Prayer and Sermon came not yet to Sacraments They desired me to bring in my Judgment and Reasons in writing which being debated they were all of my mind in the main That it is lawful and a duty where greater Accidents preponderate not But they all concurred unanimously in this That if we did Communicate at all in the Parish Churches the Sufferings of the Independents and those Presbyterians that could not Communicate there would certainly be very much increased which now were somewhat moderated by concurrence with them I thought the Case very hard on both sides That we that were so much censured by them for going somewhat further than they must yet omit that which else must be our Duty meerly to abate their Sufferings that censure us But I resolved with them to forbear a while rather than any Christian should suffer by occasion of an action of mine seeing God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and no Duty is a Duty at all times § 444. In Iuly 1665. the Lord Ashley sent a Letter to Sir Iohn Trevor That a worthy Friend of his in whose Case the King did greatly concern himself had all his Fortunes cast upon my Resolution of the enclosed Case which was Whether a Protestant Lady of strict Education might marry a Papist in hope of his Conversion he promising not to disturb her in her Religion It came at Six a Clock Afternoon and knowing it was a Case that must be cautelously resolved at the Court I took time till the next Morning that I might give my Answer in Writing The next day the Lord Ashley wrote again with many words to incline me to the Affirmative for the Lady told them she would not consent unless I satisfied her that it was lawful Who the Lord and Lady were I know not at all but have an uncertain Conjecture So I sent the following Resolution The Case was thus expressed Whether one that was bred a strict Protestant and in the most severe ways of that Profession lived many years without giving offence to any well known in her own Country to be such may without offence to God or Man marry a profest Roman Catholick in hopes of taking him off the Errour of his ways he engaging never to disturb her My Lord's Letter was as follows SIR THere is a very good Friend of mine and one his Majesty is very much concerned for that this enclosed Case has the power of his Fortunes None but that worthy Divine Mr. Baxter can satisfie the Lady this has been the way by which the Romanists have gained very much upon us they are more powerful in perswasion than our Sex besides the putting this Case shews some inclination to the Person though not to the Religion Sir If Mr. Baxter be with you pray let me have his Opinion to this Case in writing under it Wherein you may oblige more than you think for Your very affectionate Friend to serve you ASHLEY For his much honoured Friend Sir Iohn Trevor at Acton To this Case I drew up the following Answer and sent it to Sir John Trevor to be by him conveyed to my Lord Ashley SIR THough I cannot be insensible how inconvenient to my self the Answer of this Case may possibly prove by displeasing those who are concerned in it and medling about a Case of Persons utterly unknown to me yet because I take it to be a thing which Fidelity to the Truth and Charity to a Christian Soul requireth I shall speak my Judgment whatever be the Consequents But I must crave the pardon of that Noble Lord who desired my Answer might be Subscribed to the Case because Necessity requireth more words than that Paper will well contain The Question about the Marriage is not An factum valeat but An fieri debeat There is no affirming or denying without these necessary Distinctions 1. Between a Case of Necessity and of no Necessity 2. Between a Case where the Motives are from the Publick Commodity of Church or State and where they are only Personal or Private 3. Between one who is otherwise sober ingenuous and pious and a faithful Lover of the Lady and one that either besides his Opinion is of an ungodly Life or seeketh her only to serve himself upon her Estate 4. Between a Lady well grounded and fixed in Truth and Godliness and one that is weak and but of ordinary setledness Hereupon I answer Prop. 1. In general It cannot be said to be simply and in all Cases unlawful to marry an Infidel or Heathen much less a Papist 2. In particular It is lawful in these following Cases 1. In Case of true Necessity when all just means have been used and yet the Party hath a necessity of Marriage and can have no better If you ask Who is better I answer A suitableness
as he acquaineth with it it being but the answer of his desire and not an Employment which I sought for so it must be remembred 1. That I have purposely avoided the medling with the particular Errours of the Romanists Religion 2. That I speak not a word against any Christian Love to Papists or amicable Correspondence with them as our Neighbours much less am I passing any Sentence on their Souls or Countenancing those who run from them into any contrary Extreme But a Husband and a bosome Friend are Relations which require such a special suitableness as is not to be found in all whom we must love 3. And what I say of the Papist I say also of any debaucht ungodly Protestant For it is not Names and Parties that make Men good or save their Souls A Papist who is holy heavenly of an upright mortified Life and not of a bloody or uncharitable Mind to those that differ from him is in a far happier state as to himself though I think that the Heart and Life of the one and the Iudgment of the other do make them both unsuitable to such a Lady as the Case describeth And though God may possibly convert and make suitable and do wonders hereafter yet it being things likely and not things only possible which reason must expect I must say that the Consequents of such an unsuitable Match are like to be bitterer to her than one that is indifferent and regardless of the Concernments of a Soul can understand 4. Change but the Tables and put the Case to a judicious Papist and he will resolve it as I have done and tell you that a Dispensation may be given but in such Cases 5. If the Case had been Whether such a Lady might give all her Estate to a Papist without her Person I should not think she had half so much reason to be willing Ri. Baxter Action Iuly 21. 1665. § 445. And now after all the Breaches on the Churches the Ejection of the Ministers and Impenitency under all Wars and Plague and danger of Famine began all at once on us War with the Hollanders which yet continueth And the driest Winter Spring and Summer that ever Man alive knew or our Forefathers mention of late Ages so that the Grounds were burnt like the High-ways where the Cattle should have fed The Meadow Grounds where I lived bare but four Loads of Hay which before bare forty The Plague hath seized on the famousest and most excellent City of Christendom and at this time 8000 and near 300 die of all Diseases in a Week It hath scattered and consumed the Inhabitants Multitudes being dead and fled The Calamities and Cries of the diseased and impoverished are not to be conceived by those that are absent from them Every Man is a terrour to his Neighbour and himself for God for our Sins is a Terrour to us all O how is London the place which God hath honoured with his Gospel above all Places of the Earth laid low in Horrours and wasted almost to Desolation by the Wrath of God whom England hath contemned and a God-hating Generation are consumed in their Sins and the Righteous are also taken away as from greater Evil yet to come Strange Comets which filled the Thoughts and Writings of Astronomers did in the Winter and Spring a long time appear before these Calamities Yet under all these Desolations the Wicked are hardened and cast all on the Fanaticks and the true dividing Fanaticks and Sectaries are not yet humbled for former Miscarriages but cast all on the Prelates and Imposers And the ignorant Vulgar are stupid and know not what use to make of any thing they feel But thousands of the sober prudent faithful Servants of the Lord are mourning in secret and waiting for his Salvation in Humility and Hope they are staying themselves on God and expecting what he will do with them From London it is spread through many Counties especially next London where few places especially Corporations are free which makes me oft groan and wish That LONDON AND ALL THE CORPORATIONS OF ENGLAND WOULD REVIEW THE CORPORATION ACT AND THEIR OWN ACTS AND SPEEDILY REPENT Leaving most of my Family at Action compassed about with the Plague at the writing of this through the mercy of my dear God and Father in Christ I am hitherto in Safety and Comfort in the House of my dearly beloved and honoured Friend Mr. Richard Hampden of Hampden in Bucking hamshire the true heir of his famous Father's Sincerity Piety and Devotedness to God whose Person and Family the Lord preserve and honour them that honour him and be their Everlasting Rest and Portion Hampden Septemb. 28. 1665. THE LIFE Of the Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter The Third Part. Novemb. 16. 1670. I began to add the Memorials following § 1. SEing God hath been pleased to add these few Years more to my Pilgrimage I will add some Account of His Providences towards me and his People in this Land in these additional Years When I ended my last Narrative the dreadful Plague was laying waste especially the City of London and thence spread into the neighbouring Parts and into many distant Cities and Corporations of the Land Yet did we hear of no publick Repentance professed by any one City or Corporation for that Profession by which they were all at that time even Constituted whilst that all that had any Office or Trust therein declared That there was no Obligation from the Vow called the Solemn League and Covenant on any Person no not from their Vow against Popery Schism or Prophaneness nor their Vow to Defend the King nor their Promise of Repentance for their Sins And who can but fear that such an universal Sin must be yet more sharply punished when such a Scourge as this had no better effects § 2. The Number that died in London besides all the rest of the Land was about an Hundred Thousand reckoning the Quakers and others that were never put in the Bills of Mortality with those that were in the Bills § 3. The richer sort removing out of the City the greatest â—low fell on the Poor At the first so few of the Religiouser sort were taken away that according to the mode of too many such 〈◊〉 began to be puffed up and boast of the great difference which God did makeâ— But quickly after they all fell alike Yet not many pious Ministers were taken away I remember but Three who were all of my own Acquaintance 1. Mr. Grunman a German a very humble holy able Minister but being a Silenced Non-conformist was so poor that he was not able to remove his Family 2. Mr. Cross a worthy Minister that had long ago lived with the famous Religious Lady Scudamore and being Silenced was entertained by Richard Hambden Esq in his House at London and flying from the Plague into the Country died with his Wife and some Children as soon as he came thither in the House of that
went away to another place And this especially with the great discontents of the people for their manifold payments and of Cities and Corporations for the great decay of Trade and the breaking and impoverishing of many Thousands by the burning of the City together with the lamentable weakness and badness of great Numbers of the Ministers that were put into the Nonconformist's places did turn the hearts of the most of the Common people in all parts against the Bps. and their ways and enclined them to the Nonconformists tho fear restrained men from speaking what they thought especially the richer fort § 59. Here Ralph Wallis a Cobler of Glocester published a book containing the Names and particular histories of a great Number of Conformable Ministers in several Parishes of England that had been notoriously scandalous and named their scandals to the great displeasure of the Clergy And I fear to the great temptation of many of the Nonconformists to be glad of other Mens sin as that which by accident might diminish the interest of the Prelatists § 60. The Lord Mohune a young man gave out some words which caused a Common Scandal in Court and City against the Bp. of Rochester as guilty of most obscure Actions with the said Lord the reproach whereof was long the talk of many sorts of persons who then took liberty to speak freely of the Bishops § 61. About this time Ian. 1668. the news came of the Change in Portugal where by no means of the Queen the King who was a debanched person and Charged by her of insufficiency or frigidity was put out of his Government tho not his Title and his brother by the consent of Nobles was made Regent and marryed the Queen after a Declaration of Nullity or a divorce and the King was sent as a Prisoner into an Island where he yet remaineth Which News had but an ill sound in England as things went at that time § 62. In Ian. 1668. I received a Letter from Dr. Manton that Sir Iohn Barber told him that it was the Lord Keeper's desire to speak with him and me about a Comprehension and Toleration Whereupon coming to London Sir Iohn Barber told me that the Lord keeper spake to him to bring us to him for the aforesaid end and that he had certain proposals to offer us and that many great Courtiers were our friends in the business but that to speak plainly if we would carry it we must make use of such as were for a Toleration of the Papists also And he demanded how we would answer the Common Question What will satisfie you I answered him That other Mens Judgments and Actions about the Toleration of Papists we had nothing to do with at this time though it was no work for us to meddle in But to this question we were not so ignorant whom we had to do with as to expect full satisfaction of our desires as to Church-Affairs But the Answer must be suited to the Sense of his Question And if we knew their Ends what degree of satisfaction they were minded to grant we would tell them what means are necessary to attain them There are degrees of satisfaction as to the Number of Persons to be satisfied and there are divers degrees of satisfying the same Person 1. If they will take in all Orthodox Peaceable Worthy Ministers the Terms must be the larger 2. If they will take in but the greater part somewhat less and harder Terms may do it 3. If but a few yet less may serve for we are not so vain as to pretend that all Nonconformists are in every particular of one mind And as to the Presbyterians now so called whose Case alone we were called to consider 1. If they would satisfie the far greatest part of them in an high degree so as they should think the Churches setled in a good condition the granting of what was desired by them in 1660. would do it which is the setling of Church-Government according to that of A. Bp. Vsher's Model and the granting of the Indulgences mentioned in his Majestie 's Declaration about Eccles. Affairs 2. But if they would not give so high satisfaction the Alterations granted in his Majestie 's Declaration alone would so far satisfie them as to make them very thankful to his Majesty and not only to exercise their Office with Chearfulness but also to rejoice in the Kingdom 's happiness whose Union would by this be much promoted 3. But if this may not be granted at least the taking off all such impositions which make us uncapable of Exercising our Ministry would be a mercy for which we hope we should not be unthankful to God or the King § 63. When we came to the Lord Keeper we resolved to tell him That Sir Iohn Barber told us his Lordship desired to speak with us left it should be after said that we intruded or were the movers of it or left it had been Sir Iohn Barber's Forwardness that had been the Cause He told us why he sent for us to think of a way of our Restoration to which end he had some Proposals to offer to us which were for a Comprehension for the Presbyterians and an Indulgence for the Independents and the rest We askt him Whether it was his Lordship's pleasure that we should offer him our Opinion of the means or only receive what he offered to us He told us That he had somewhat to offer to us but we might also offer our own to him I told him That I did think we could offer such Terms no way injurious to the welfare of any which might take in both Presbyterians and Independents and all found Christians into the Publick Established Ministry He answered That that was a thing that he would not have but only a Toleration for the rest Which being none of our business to debate we desired him to consult such persons about it as were concerned in it And so it was agreed that we should meddle with the Comprehension only And a few Days after he sent us his Proposals § 64. When we saw the Proposals we perceived that the business of the Lord Keeper and his way would make it unfit for us to debate such Cases with himself And therefore we wrote to him requesting that he would nominate Two Learned peaceable Divines to treat with us till we agreed on the fittest Terms and that Dr. Bates might be added to us He nominated Dr. Wilkins who we then found was the Author of the Proposals and of the whole business and his Chaplain Mr. Burton And when we met we tendered them some Proposals of our own and some Alterations which we desired in their Proposals for they presently rejected ours and would hear no more of them so that we were fain to treat upon theirs alone § 65. The Copy of what we offered them is as followeth I. That the Credenda and Agenda in Religion being distinguished no Profession of Assent be required but
the Ministry in general but a designation to a particular Charge and a legal License c. 4. By such as by his Majesty c. because it is not for us to offer our selves to a Diocesans Imposition of Hands in that manner but if you put it in other Words we cannot help it 5. There are three things which the Nonconformists here scruple 1. Renouncing their Ordination 2. Reordination which is like Rebaptization 3. Owning the Diocesan Species of Prelacy for the Presbyterians are against all Prelacy and the Episcopal Nonconformists are against the English Frame as contrary to that in the time of Cyprian c. Therefore because these Words so much seem to express a Re-ordination by Diocesans 1. by the sign of Imposition of Hands 2. By the Authorising Words 3. and put in of purpose to satisfie them that think the Presbyterians no Ministers 4. In a time when this hath been so publickly declared they cannot submit to all this without either a Declaration to the contrary in the Law or a Liberty by the Law given them to profess their own Sense in the three particulars questioned that they renounce not their Ordination nor take this as Re-ordination nor own the Diocesan Prelary as distinct from the old Episcopacy though they will submit to it 6. As by Instituted we intend admittance to a Pastoral Charge or Authority to administer Sacraments we desire that may he plainly inserted seeing he that only preacheth as Probationers may do hath no need of this nor do any scruple to hear him Or if they do while he hath no charge they may turn their back on him while a Man is a Lecturer only to meer Volunteers there is no use for this II. 1. We mention the Vniversity because many were turned out of their Fellowships there for non-subscribing c. 2. We would have the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy made necessary 3. The professed belief of the Scriptures and Creed we take to be needful to Admittance That which was the only ancient Catholick Profession should not be left out of ours 4. The professed Assent to the Doctrine of the Church of England and not only to approve it in tantum seâ—meth needful to satisfie the Suspicious and to shut out Papists and Hereticks from the comprehension 5. Yet the word approve as related to the Worship and Government though restrictively will on many Accounts be scrupled and that is needless 6. So absolutely as joyned to necessary is needful to avoid Ambiguity and just Scruple 7. The word promise requireth fuller certainty than resolve doth and it bindeth us not to alter our Iudgments which is not in our power in such a case 8. The Word continue is a needless and entangling Word and will deprive us of the use of the Indulgence if we should ever change our minds But if as some say it be only the Communion of Faith and Love such as we owe to Neighbour-Churches and not Subjection nor local presence in Worship let that be but expressed and every sober Person will promise it 9. To promise to preserve the Peace and Happiness of the Church is a fuller Word then to do nothing to disturb the peace and yet more clear and plainly relateth to the whole Church III. We put bowing at the Name of Iesus rather than c. to avoid the imputation of Impiety lest we be thought to be against bowing at that Name simply when it is but as comparatively and exclusively to others IV. 1. In case if it be thought fit c. We must suppose it thought fit 2. This whole Vndertaking is proper only to them that take a Cure and not for an occasional or set Lecturer 3. It will answer our Sense if you put it thus Shall read the Liturgy when satisfactorily altered and some considerable part 'till then if it be delayed 4. The profession of the Lawfulness is but a needless temptation as to him that is bound actually to use it 5. And the promise that it shall be constantly used may be hindered by sickness or so many Casualties that its much safer to bind them only by a Law 6. And then the Event only must be expressed that it be used by whose procurement soever so it be done I may think it unlawful to procure another to do that which I cannot do my self and yet some other may procure it In the Second Article I forgot to tell you That we annex the grant of the desired liberty after the Subscription lest else our hopes be frustrate when we have done all The Reasons of the added Articles are apparent in themselves The Sum of all our Reasons is It is confessed that our Phrase will serve the Ends of our Superiours and we are certain that they will satisfie a far greater number than the other will do and to their greater ease and quiet of Conscience that they may not feel themselves still pinched and uneasie and kept under desires of further changes And we are sure that we are much better able our selves to plead down Men's Objections if it be thus worded than as the other way And we would fain have this no patch or palliate Cure but such as may cause the now drooping Dissenters to rejoyce under the Government and to perceive it to be their Interest to defend it against all Attempters of a Change § 71. But because the grand stop in our Treaty was about Re-ordination and Dr. Wilkins still insisted on this That those Consciences must be accommodated who took them for no Ministers who were ordained without Bishops and some Words were 〈◊〉 into their Proposals which seemed to signifie a Reordination though he denied such a signification we were put to give in this following Paper The Reasons why we cannot consent to Reordination I. WE dare not causelesly consent to the use of such Words as imply an untruth viz. That such as were Ordained by Lawful Pastors and the Presidents of their Synods are not lawful Ministers of Christ in an Ecclesiastical Sense II. We dare not consent to the taking of God's Name in vain by using holy Expressions and a Divine Ordinance either as a Scenical Form or to confirm an Error III. We dare not causelesly go against the Iudgment of the Vniversal Church of all Ages who have condemned Reordination as they did Rebaptization The Canons called the Apostles deposing both the Ordainers and the Ordained IV. We dare not so far wrong the Protestant-Churches as to do that which importeth That their Ministry is null and consequently all their Churches null politically taken V. We dare not so far wrong all the People of England and all other Protestant-Churches who have lived under the Ministry of meer Presbyters or such Bishops as were Ordained only by Presbyters as to tempt them to think that all the Sacraments were nullities which they received and so that they are all unchristened or unbaptized even Denmark and those parts of Germany which have some kind of
which was necessary to deal with such an Adversary he was quickly answered by fastening on the weakest parts with new reproach and triumph And the Author was doubly exposed to suffering For whereas he was so neer Conformity as that he had taken the Oxford Oath and read some Common prayer and therefore by connivance was permitted to preach in South-Work to an Hospital where he had 40 l. per Ann. and was now in expectation of Liberty at a better place in Bridewell he was now deprived of that And 〈◊〉 had little relief from the Nonconformists because he Conformed so far as he did And having a numerous family was in great want § 93. The next year came out a far more virulent book called Ecclesiastical Policy written by Sam. Parker a young Man of pregnant parts who had been brought up among the Sectaries and seeing some weaknesses among them and being of an eager Spirit was turned with the Times into the contrary extreme for which he giveth thanks to God And judging of 〈◊〉 called Puritans and Nonconformists by the people that he was bred amongst and being now made Arch-Bishop Sheldon's houshold Chaplain where such work was to be done he writeth the most scornfully and rashly and prophanely and cruelly against the Nonconformists of any man that ever yet assaulted them that I have heard of And in a fluent fervent ingenious style of Natural Rhetorick poureth out floods of Odious reproaches and with incautelous Extremities saith as much to make them hated and to stir up the Parliament to destroy them as he could well speak And all this was to play the old game at once to please the Devil the Prelates and the prophane and so to twist all three into one party than which if prelacy be of God a greater injury could not be done to it being the surest tryed way to engage all the Religious if not the Sober also of the Land against it § 93. Soon after Dr. Iohn Owen first tryed to have engaged me to answer it by telling me and others that I was the fittest Man in England for that work on what account I now enquire not But I had above all men been oft enough searched in the malignant fire and contended with them with so little thanks from the Independents tho they could say little against it that I resolved not to meddle with them any more without a clearer call than this And besides Patrick and that Party by excepting me from those whom they reproached in respect of Doctrine disposition and practice made me the unfittest person to rise up against them Which if I had done they that applauded me before would soon have made me seem as odious almost as the rest For they had some at hand that in evil speaking were such Masters of Language that they never wanted Matter nor Words but could say what they listed as voluminously as they desired § 94. Whereupon Dr. Owen answered it himself selecting the most odious Doctrinal Assertions with some others of Parker's book and laid them so naked in the Judgment of all Readers that ever I met with that they concluded Parker could never answer it Especially because the Answer was delayed about a year By which Dr. Owen's esteem was much advanced with the Nonconformists § 95. But Parker contriv'd to have his Answer ready against the Sessions of the Parliament in Octob. 1670. And shortly after it came out In which he doth with the most voluminous torrent of naturall and malicious Rhetorick speak over the same things which might have been Comprized in a few Sentences viz. The Nonconformists Calvinists Presbyterians Hugonots are the most villanous unsufferable sort of sanctified Fools Knaves and unquiet Rebels that ever were in the World With their naughty Godliness and holy Hypocrisie and Villanies making it necessary to fall upon their Teachers and not to spare them for the Conquering of the rest But yet he putteth more Exceptions here of the Soberer honest peaceable sort whom he loveth but pittyeth for the unhappiness of their Education and in particular speaketh kindly of me than he had done before For when he had before persuaded men to fall upon the Ministers and said What are an hundred men to be valued in Comparison of the safety of the whole When Dr. Owen and others commonly understood him as meaning that there was but a 100 Nonconformable Ministers when 1800 were silenced he found out this shift to abate both the Charge of malignant Cruelty and Untruth and saith that he meant that he hoped the seditious hot headed party that misled the people were but a few Whereby he vindicated fifteen hundred Nonconformable Ministers against those Charges which he and others frequently lay on the Nonconformists by that name But the second part of the Matter of his book was managed with more advantage because of all the Men in England Dr. Owen was the Chief that had Headed the Independents in the Army with the greatest height and Confidence and Applause and afterward had been the greater persuader of Fleetwood Desborough and the rest of the Officers of the Army who were his Gathered Church to Compel Rich. Cromwell to dissolve his Parliament which being done he fell with it and the King was brought in So that Parker had so many of his Parliament and Army Sermons to cite in which he urgeth them to Justice and prophesyeth of the ruine of the Western Kings and telleth them that their work was to take down Civil and Ecclesiastical Tyranny with such like that the Dr. being neither able to repent hitherto or to justify all this must be silent or only plead the Art of Oblivion And so I fear his unfitness for this Work was a general injury to the Nonconformists § 96. And here I think I ought to give Posterity notice that by the Prelatist's malice and unreasonable implacable Violence Independency and Separation got greater advantages against Presbytery and all setled accidental extrinsick order and means of Concord than ever it had in these Kingdoms since the World began For powerful and Godly Preachers though now most silenced had in twenty years liberty brought such numbers to serious Godliness that it was vain for the Devil or his Servants to hope that suffering could make the most forsake it And to the Prelatists they would never turn while they saw them for the sake of their own Wealth and Lordships and a few Forms and Ceremonies silence so many hundred worthy self-denying Ministers that had been Instruments of their Good and to become the Son of the prophane malignant Enmity to the far greatest part of the most serious Religious People in Three Kingdoms And Presbyterians were forced to forbear all Exercise of their way they durst not meet together Synodically unless in a Goal They could not ordinarily be the Pastors of Parish-Churches no not for the private part of the Work being driven five Miles from all their former Charges and Auditors and from every City
I so far defie any Accuser who will question my Loyalty that as I have taken the Oaths of Supremacy and of Allegiance and a special Oath of Fidelity when I was Sworn I know not why as His Majesty's Servant so I am ready to give a much fulle◠signification of my Loyalty than that Oath if I had taken it would be And to own all that is said for the Power of Kings and of the Subject's Obedience and Non-resistance by any or all the Councils and Confessions of any Christian Churches upon Earth whether Greeks or Romans Reformed Episcopal Presbyterian or any that are fit to be owned as Christians that ever came to my notice besides what is contained in the Laws of our own Land And if this will not serve I shall patiently wait in my Appeal to the Un-erring Universal Judgment § 123. 2. In other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy or Practice of the Church of England At which Conventicle Meeting or Assembly there should be Five Persons or more Assembled over and above those of the Houshold Pos. 1. To Preach or Teach in a House not Consecrated for a Temple is not contrary to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England Arg. 1. That which the Scripture expresly alloweth is not contrary to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England But to Preach and Teach even Multitudes in Houses and other places not so Consecrated the Scripture expresly alloweth Ergo. The Major is proved 1. Because the Book of Ordination requireth that all that are Ordained shall promise to Instruct the People out of the Holy Scripture being persuaded that they contain sufficiently all Doctrine required of Necessity to Salvation and to teach no other And with all Faithful Diligence to banish all Doctrines contrary to God's Word And to use both publick and private Monitions and Exhortations as well to the Sick as to the whole as need shall require and occasion shall be given 2 The same Sufficiency of the Scripture is asserted in the 6th Article of the Church And Article 20. bindeth us to hold That it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to God's written Word So Art 21. more 3. The said Scriptures are appointed by the Rubrick to be read as the Word of God himself 4. The Law of the Land declareth That nothing shall be taken for Law which is contrary to the Word of God 5. The First and Second Homily shew the sufficiency of it and necessity to all Men. The Minor is proved 1. from Acts 20. 20. 7 8 28. last 8. 4 25 35. 10. 34. 12. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. Mat. 5. 1 2. Mark 2. 13. 10. 1. Luke 5. 3. 13. 26. 2. From those Texts which command Christ's Ministers to Preach and not forbear Therefore if they be forbidden to Preach in the Temples they must do it elsewhere Iohn 21. 15 16 17. 1 Cor. 9. 16. Acts 4. 18 19 20. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. Luke 9. 62. 3. From the Expository Practice of the Church in all Ages 4. From the Expository Practice of the Universal Church of England who Preached in Houses in the time of their late Restraint by Cromwel Arg. 2. The Church of England bindeth Ministers to Teach both publickly and privately in their Ordination as afore recited 2. In the Liturgy for the Visitation and Communion of the Sick it alloweth private Exhortation Prayer and Sacraments 3. The 13 Canon requireth that the Lord's Day and other Holy-Days be spent in publick and private Prayers And the very Canon 71. which most restraineth us from Preaching and Administring the Sacrament in private Houses doth expresly except Times of necessity when any is so impotent as he cannot go to Church or dangerously sick c. 4. The instructing of our Families and Praying with them is not disallowed by the Church And I my self have a Family and Persons impotent therein who cannot go to Church to Teach Arg. 3. The 76 Can. condemneth every Minister who voluntarily relinquisheth his Ministry and liveth as a Lay-Man Ergo We must forbear no more of the Ministerial Work than is forbidden us Pos. 2. The number of Persons present above Four cannot be meant by this Act as that which maketh the Religious Exercise to be in other manner than allowed by the Liturgy or Practise of the Church Arg. 1. Because the manner of the Exercise and the number of Persons are most expresly distinguished And the restraint of the number is expresly affixed only to them who shall use such unallowed manner of Religious Exercises not medling at all with others The Words at which Conventicle c. do shew the Meeting to be before described by the manner of Exercise Otherwise the Words would be worse than Non-sense 2. Because if the Words be not so interpreted then they must condemn all our Church Meetings for having above four As if they had said where Five are met it is contrary to the Liturgy of the Church which cannot be If it be said That for above Four to meet in a House is not allowed by the Church I Answer 1. That is a Matter which this Act meddleth not with as is proved by the foresaid distinguishing the manner of Exercise from the number of Persons 2. Nor doth the Act speak of private Houses or put any difference between them and Churches but equally restraineth Meetings in Churches which are for disallowed Exercises of Religion 3. Nor is it true in it self that the Church disalloweth the number of Five in private Houses as is proved before But it contrarily requireth that at private Communions there shall be Neighbours got to Communicate and not fewer than three or two And at private Baptisms and other occasions the number is not limited by the Church at all 3. Because the Act is directed only against seditious Sectaries and their Conventicles 4. Because the Words of the Act shew that the Law-makers concur with the sence of the Church of England which is no where so strict against Nonconformity as in the Canons And in these Canons viz. 73 and 11. A Conventicle is purposely and plainly descibed to be such other Meetings Assemblies or Congregations than are by the Laws held and allowed which challenge to themselves the Name of true and lawful Churches Or else secret Meetings of Priests or Ministers to consult upon any matter or course to be taken by them or upon their motion or direction by any other which may any way tend to the impeachment or depriving of the Doctrine of the Church of England or the book of Common-Prayer or of any part of the Government and Discipline of the Church So that where there is no such Consultation of Ministers nor no Assemblies that challenge to themselves the Name of true and Lawful Churches distinct from the allowed Assemblies there are no Conventicles in the sence of the Canons of the Church of England which this Act professeth to
adhere to The same Sence is exprest also in Can. 10. which describeth Schismaticks Whosoever shall affirm that such Ministers as refuse to subscribe to the Form and manner of God's Worship in the Church of England prescribed in the Communion-Book and their Adherents may truly take unto them the Name of another Church not established by Law and dare presume to publish that this pretended Church hath long groaned under c. And in the 9th Canon where the Authors of Schism are thus described Whosoever shall separate themselves from the Communion of Saints as it is approved by the Apostle's Rules in the Church of England and combine themselves together in a new Brotherhood accounting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Government Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and unmeet for them to join with in Christian Profession Pro. 3. If our manner of Religious Exercises did differ in some meer degrees or Circumstances from that which is allowed by the Liturgy and Practice of the Church it ought not no be taken to be the thing condemned in this Act. Arg. 1. Otherwise the Justices themselves and almost all his Majesty's Subjects either are already obnoxious to the Mulcts Imprisonments and Banishments or may be they know not how soon Arg. 2. And otherwise no Subject must dare to go to Church for fear of incurring Imprisonment or Banishment The reason of both is visible 1. Almost all conformable Ministers do either by some omissions of Prayers or other parts of the Liturgy or by some alterations many times do that which is dissonant from the Liturgy and practise or Canons of the Church I have seldom been present where somewhat was not contrary to them 2 Because most conformable Ministers do now Preach without Licenses which is contrary to the express Canons of the Church 3. Because few of the King's Subjects or none can tell when they go to Church but they may hear one that hath no License or that will do somewhat dissonant from the manner of the Church Pro. 4. Preaching without License bringeth me not within the Penalty of the Act. Arg. 1. Because I have the Archbishop's License Arg. 2. Because a License is not necessary for Family Instruction Arg. 3. Because else most of the Conformists would be as much obnoxious which is not so judged by the Bishops themselves § 124. 3. The Errors of the Mittimus with the explication of the Oxford Act. THis Act containeth 1. The end and Occasion that is the preserving of Church and Kingdom from the Danger of poisonous Principles II. The Description of the dangerous Persons 1. in the Preamble Where they are 1. Nonconformists or such as have not subscribed and declared according to the Act of Uniformity and other subsequent Acts. 2. They or some of them and other Persons not ordained according to the Form of the Church of England who have since the Act of Oblivion preached in Unlawful Assemblies and have settled themselves in Corporations 2. In the Body of the Act where are two parts answering the two aforesaid in the Preamble 1. The first Subject described is Non-subscribers and Non-declarers according to the Act of Uniformity c. That is Non-conformists who also have not taken the Oath which is here prescribed as a preventing Remedy 2. The second Subject is All such Persons as shall Preach in unlawful Meetings contrary to Laws which must needs refer to the second branch of the Preamble and mean only such Nonconformists and unordained Persons as shall so Preach the Word shall signifying that it must be after the passing of this Act. III. The Offence prohibited is being or coming after March 24. 1665. within five Miles of any Corporation or of any place where since the Act of Oblivion they have been Parsons Vicars Lecturers c. Or have preached in an unlawful Assembly contrary to the Laws before they have in open Sessions taken the Oath That is who have done this since the Act of Oblivion before this Act it being the purpose of this Act to put all those who shall again after this Act preach in Conventicles in the same Case with them who since the Act of Oblivion were Parsons Vicars c. That is that none of them shall come within five miles of any place where they were either Incumbents or Conventiclers before this Act since the act of Oblivion IV. The Penalty is 1. 40 l. for what is past which the after taking of the Oath will not save them from 2. And six months Imprisonment also for such of them as shall not Swear and subscribe the Oath and Declaration offered them So that in this Act the Offence it self prohibited is Coming within five miles c. But the qualification of the subject offending is absolutely necessary to it So that the Mittimus for an offence against this Act must signifie That N. N. having not subscribed and declared according to the Acts of Uniformity and other subsequent Acts or being not ordained according to the Form of the Church of England having since the Act of Oblivion preached in an unlawful Assembly and also hath so preached since this Act and hath not taken the Oath here required is proved by Oath to us to have been or come since Mar. 24. 1665. Within five Miles of a Corporation or a place where he was an incumbent or preached in a Conventicle before this Act since the Act of Oblivion and also hath refused before us to swear and subscribe the said Oath c. Now in this Mittimus 1. Here is no mention that R. B. hath not subscribed and declared already according to the Act of Uniformity or is a Non-conformist nor yet that he is not ordained according to the Form of the Church of England 2. Nor is there any mention that he hath preached in an unlawful Assembly since the Act of Oblivion much less since this Act which must be said 3. Nor that ever they had proof of his not taking the Oath before or that ever he was Convict of Preaching before he took it 4. The Offence it self is not here said to be proved by Oath at all viz. Coming or being within five Miles c. But another thing viz. his Preaching in an unlawful Meeting is said to be proved by Oath which this Act doth not enable them to take such proof of As for the Word in the Mittimus where he now dwelleth it cannot be understood as a part of Deposition 1. Because it is expressed but as the Justice's Assertion and not so much as an and or Conjunction put before it to shew that they had Oath made of it as well as of Preaching 2. Because the Word now dwelleth must be taken strictly or laxly if strictly it referreth but to the time of the Writing of the Mittimus which was two days after the Constable's Warrant and no Accuser Witness or other Person was suffered to be present and therefore it must needs
when I thought of what he had done formerly I was much afraid lest one that had been so great a breaker would not be made an Instrument in healing But in other Respects I thought him the fittest man in England for this Work partly because he could understand the Case and partly because his Experience of the Humours of Men and of the mischiefs of dividing Principles and Practises had been so very great that if Experience should make any man wise and fit for an healing Work it should be him And that a book which he had lately written a Catechism for Independency offensive to others was my chief Motive to make this Motion to him because he there giveth up two of the worst of the Principles of Popularity acknowledging 1. That the People have not the Power of the Keys 2. That they give not the Power of the Keys or their Office-Power to the Pastors I told him that I had before this driven on an Agreement between the Presbyterians and Independents in another manner but that I plainly saw that while the Lord Chancellor and such others were still talking of Plots and Conspiracies they would be so jealous of our Union that they would give out that we were strengthening our selves by it as Confederacy against the King and it would have tended to the sudden increase of our Suffering He answered me That for his part he thought the Work so necessary that he would trust God and over-look such dangers I told him That the danger being so visible Prudence in the management of the Work was our Duty though not carnal Policy to desert it The great difficulty had always been to find out the Terms on which we must be United if ever it be done This was it which could not be done in the Assembly at Westminster nor in all the Years of our Liberty and Difference ever since And this is a thing which a few Hands may dispatch much better than many I told him therefore that my Opinion was That he and I only should first try whether we could come to Agreement in Principles and that none living might know of our Attempt till it was fininished that if we could not agree the notice of our Failing might not be a hindrance to others nor a reproach to our selves but if we did agree it were easie to make use of the Terms agreed on when ever Prudence should tell us it was conducible to our Ends and to get two or three of a side to Subscribe it first till it were fit to make it publick for the use of more This much we agreed on and our next Question was of the method I told him that as to the positive Terms of Concord I thought that those Essentials of Religion and Communion which are the Terms that all Christians must agree in must be ours and that we had not any new Terms to devise but only some new Means to bring us to consent to Communion upon those Terms To which end I thought it would be a good way to draw up a Writing containing all the Points of Discipline which the two Parties are really agreed in great and small that while the World seeth the extent of their Agreement the few things which they differ in may seem so small among all those and not to be sufficient to hinder their Communion He approved of the Motion and desired him to draw it up which when he put off I desired that each of us might bring in a Draught but he would needs cast it on me alone When I had drawn up abundance of Theses as the Matter of our common Concord and left them with him the next time I came to him he commended the thing but said that they were too many and I could do it in a narrower room I perceived by this that his Thoughts were that many that were among them would not grant all those Points and so it must be wider yet I told him that if he changed the Design we must change the Means If he thought it the better way to draw up only those Points which are necessary to our Agreement then we must do it in as narrow a compass as may be which being determined of I urged him again in vain to do it but he cast it upon me and I brought him speedily a Draught of so many of the things which both Presbyterians and Independents are agreed in as are necessary to their Practical Concord and Communion with respect to the things in which they are or seem disagreed When he had kept them a few Weeks I waited on him again and again and he told me that it was the fairest Offer and the likeliest Means that ever he yet saw and he saw nothing yet but that it might well conduce to the End intended I desired him to give me his Animadversions 1. Of all that he took to be false or unfound in it 2. Of all that he thought the two Parties were not agreed in 3. Of all that he thought inconvenient and unapt to the End intended 4. Of all that he thought unnecessary which he consented to and shortly after sent me this Letter which intimateth his purpose of coming to me because I invited him to take the Country Air with me in a Cold that he had c. § 142. SIR THE continuance of my Cold which yet holds me with the severity of the Weather◠have hitherto hindred me from answering my purpose of coming unto you at Action but yet I hope ere long to obtain the advantage of enjoying your Company there for a Season In the mean time I return you my Thanks for the Communication of your Papers and shall on every occasion manifest that you have no occasion to question whether I were in earnest in what I proposed in reference to the Concord you design For the desire of it is continually upon my Heart and to express that desire on all occasion I esteem one part of that Profession of the Gospel which I am called unto Could I contribute any thing towards the Accomplishment of so holy so necessary a Work I should willingly spend my self and be spent in it For what you design concerning your present Essay I like it very well both upon the Reasons you mention in your Letter as also that all those who may be willing and desirous to promote so hlessed a Work may have Copies by them to prepare their Thoughts in reference to the whole For the present upon the Liberty granted in your Letter if I remember it aright I shall tender you a few Quaeries which if they are useless or needless deal with them accordingly As 1. Are not the Severals proposed or insisted on too many for this first Attempt The general Heads I conceive are not but under them very many Particulars are not only included which is unavoidable but expressed also which may too much dilate the original Consideration of the whole 2. You expresly exclude the Papists
for that way now which most suiteth with the Inclination of the People who most esteem them which is to go far enough from the Conformists or too far but the rest who are less followed by the People are generally more for Peace and Moderation § 163. This Year the Act against Conventicles was renewed and made more severe than ever And as all that ever I spake with of it supposed with an Eye upon my Case they put in divers Clauses As that the fault of the Mittimus should not disable it that all doubtful Clauses in the Act should be interpreted as would most favour the suppression of Conventicles that they that fled or removed their Dwelling into another County should be pursued by Execution to this Sense What a strait is a Man in among People of such Extremes One side pursueth us with implacable Wrath while we are charged with nothing but Preaching Christ's Gospel in the most peaceable manner we can And the other censureth us as Compliers with Persecutors and Enemies to Piety because we desire to live peaceable with all Men and to separate from them no further than they separate from God § 164. Their own Laws against Conventicles hinder us from doing their own Wills They write and clamour against me for not perswading the People to Conformity And when I would draw them but to that Communion which I had within my self the Law disableth me to Communicate a Letter to them seeing no more than four must meet together which way among many hundred or thousand Dissenters would make many Years work of Communicating that one part of my Advice Thus do our Shepherds use the Flocks § 165. At this time Mr. Giles Firmin a worthy Minister that had lived in New-England writing against some Errors of Mr. Hooker Mr. Shepherd Mr. Daniel Rogers and Mr. Perkins gave me also also a gentle reproof for tying Men too strictly to Meditation whereto I wrote a short answer called A Review of the Doctrine of Meditation § 166. A worthy Lady was perverted from the Lord's Day to the Saturday-Sabbath desiring my Judgment and Mr. Francis Bamfield a Minster who hath lain about seven Years in Dorchester-Goal the Brother of Sir Iohn Bamfield deceased being gone to the same Opinion and many following them I wrote by the Perswasion of some Friends a small Tractate also on that Subject to prove the divine appointment of the Lord's Day and the cessation of the Iewish Sabbath § 167. Dr. Manton though he had the greatest Friends and promise of Favour of any of the Presbyterians vvas sent Prisoner to the Gatehouse for Preaching the Gospel in his own House in the Parish vvhere he had been called formerly to the Ministery and for not taking the Oxford-Oath and coming within five Miles of a Corporation where he continued six Months but it proved convenient to his â—ase because those six Months were spent in London in a hot pursuit of such private Preaching by Bands of Soldiers to the terrour of many and the death of some § 168. Madam the King's Sister dyed in France when she returned from visiting His Majesty in England to his very great grief § 169. Sir Iohn Babor talk'd to the Lord Arlington of our late Treaty upon the Lord Keeper's Invitation with Bishop Wilkins whereupon Dr. Manton sent to me as from him to Communicate the Terms and Papers But they were at Acton from whence they had driven me and I had medled enough in such Matters only to my cost So that though he said the King was to see them I could not then answer his desire and I heard no more of it § 170. Upon the Publication of my Book against Divisions and the Rumour of my Conforming the Earl of Lauder dale invited me to speak with him Where he opened to me the purpose of taking off the Oath of Canonical Obedience and all Impositions of Conformity in Scotland save only that it should be necessary to sit in Presbyteries and Synods with the Bishops and Moderators there being already no Liturgy Ceremonies or Subscription save only to the Doctrine of the Church Hereupon he expressed his great Kindness to me and told me he had the King's Consent to speak with me and being going into Scotland he offered me what place in Scotland I would choose either a Church or a Colledge in the University or a Bishoprick And shortly after as he went thither at Barnet he sent for me and I gave him the Answer following in these Papers besides what I gave him by word to the same purpose But when he came thither such Acts against Conventicles were presently made as are very well worthy the Reader 's serious Persual who would know the true Complexion of this Age. § 171. My Lord BEing deeply sensible of your Lordship's Favours and in special of your Liberal Offers for my Entertainment in Scotland I humbly return you my very hearty Thanks But these Considerations forbid me to entertain any hopes or further thoughts of such a remove 1. The Experience of my great Weakness and decay of Strength and particularly of this last Winter's Pain and how much worse I am in Winter than in Summer doth fully persuade me That I shall live but a little while in Scotland and that in a disabled useless Condition rather keeping my Bed than the Pulpit 2. I am engaged in Writing a Book which if I could hope to live to finish is almost all the Service that I expect to do God and his Church more in the World A Latin Methodus Theologiae And I can hardly hope to live so long it requiring yet near a Years labour more Now if I should go spend that one half Year or Year which should finish that Work in Travel and the trouble of such a Removal and then having intended Work undone it would disappoint me of the ends of my Life For I live only for Work and therefore should remove only for Work and not for Wealth and Honour if ever I remove 3. If I were there all that I could hope for were liberty to Preach the Gospel of Salvation and especially in some Vniversity among young Scholars But I hear that you have enough already for this Work that are like to do it better than I can 4. I have a Family and in it a Mother-in-Law of 80 Years of Age of Honourable Extract and great Worth whom I must not neglect and who cannot Travel And it is to such a one as I so great a business to remove a Family and all our Goods and Books so far as deterreth me to think of it having paid so dear for Removals these 8 Years as I have done and being but yesterday settled in a House which I have newly taken and that with great trouble and loss of time And if I should find Scotland disagree with me which I fully conclude of to remove all back again All this concurreth to deprive me of this Benefit of your Lordship's Favour But
are who can take such a State as this to be their Interest Sure I am That Peace-makers shall be Blessed as the Children of God that safe and honest Terms might easily be found out if Men were impartial and willing and that he that shall be our Healer will be our Deliverer and if your Lordship could be Instrumental therein it would be a greater honour to you in the Estimation of the true Friends of the King and Kingdom and Church and a greater Comfort to your Conscience than all worldly Greatness can afford For the Means I am not so vain as to presume to offer you any other Particulars than to tell you that I am persuaded That if there were first a Command from His Majesty to the Bishops of Chester and Norwich on one side and two Peaceable Men on the other freely to Debate and offer such Expedients as they think most proper to heal all our Divisions they would 〈◊〉 agree And when they had made that Preparation if some more such Moderate Divines were joyned to them as Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Tillotson Dr. Outram Dr. Pierson Dr. Whitchcot Dr. More Dr. Worthington Dr. Wallis Dr. Barlow Dr. Tully Mr. Gifford c. on one side and Dr. Conant Dr. Dillingham Dr. Langley and many more that I could Name on the other side they would quickly fill up and Confirm the Concord And such a Preparation being made and shewed His Majesty certainly he would soon see that the Inconveniences of it will be so great as the Mischiefs of our Divisions are and are like to be for the further they go as a Torrent the more they will swell and Violence will not end them when it seemeth to allay them And oh what a Pleasure would it then be to His Majesty to Govern a Concordant People and to feel the Affections and Strength of a Vnited Kingdom and to have Men's Religious Zeal engage them in a Fervency for his Love and Service And what a Joy would it be to the Pastors to be Beloved of their Flocks And what a Joy to all the Honest Subjects to live in such a Kingdom and such a Church And that this Work may not seem over-difficult to you when your Lordship shall Command it I shall briefly tell you what the generality of the Sober Nonconformists hold and what it is that they desire and what it is that they refuse as sinful that when they are understood it may appear how far they are from being intolerable either in the Kingdom or the Church My Lord Pardon this boldness of Your Humble Servant Rich. Baxter Iune 24. 1670. To the Right Honourable the E. of Lauderdale His Majesty's Commissioner for Scotland §172 When the E. of Lauderdale was gone into Scotland Sir Rob. Murrey a worthy Person and one of Gresham-Colledge-Society and the Earl's great Confident sent me the Frame of a Body of Church-Discipline for Scotland and desired my Animadversions on it I had not Power to Transcribe them or make them known but you may Conjecture what they were by my Animadversions Only I may say That the Frame was very handsomely contrived and much Moderation was in it but the main Power of Synods was contrived to be in the King To the Honourable Sir Rob. Murrey this present IN General 1. The External Government of the Church is so called 1. From the Object because it is about the Body and so it belongeth both to the King and to the Pastor who speak to Men as sensible and corporeal 2. Or from the Act of Governning and so it belongeth also to both For to Preach and Admonish and give the Sacrament of Baptism by the Key of Admission and to Excommunicate c. are outward Acts. 3. From the Matter of Punishment when it is the Body immediately or the Goods that are meddled with by Penalty And so the Government belongeth to the King and Magistrates alone But this is much plainlier and fitlier distinguished as Bishop Bilson frequently and Protestants ordinarily do by the Terms of Governing by the Sword and by the Word Or by Co-active and Spiritual and Pastoral Government which is by Authoritative Persuasion or by God's Word applied to the Conscience II. Though there be an External Government in the two first Senses given by Christ as immediately to the Pastors as to the Prince they having the Keys of the Church as immediately committed to them as the Sword is to the Prince yet in the Exercise of their Office in Preaching Sacraments and Discipline they are under the Civil Government of the King who as he may see that Physicians and all others in his Kingdom do their Duties without gross abuse so may he do by Pastors tho' he cannot either assume to himself their Office or prohibit it yet he may govern them that use it and see that they do it according to Christ's Law So that under that Pretence he take not their proper Work into his own hand nor hinder them from the true Exercise III. Though there are many things in the Frame of Canons which I am uncapable of judging of as concerning another Kingdom whose Case and Customs I am not perfectly acquainted with yet I may say these three things of it in general 1. That I am very glad to see no ensnaring Oaths Declarations Professions or Subscriptions in it no not so much as a Subscription to these Canons themselves For peaceable Men can live quietly and obediently under a Government which hath many things in it which they dare not justifie or approve of It is our Work to obey it is the Magistrate's Work and not ours to justifie all his own Commands and Orders before God as having no Errors Therefore it is pity to see Subjects so put upon that which is not their Work upon the terrible Terms as some-where they are 2. I conceive that this Frame will make a Nation happy or miserable as the Men are who shall be chosen for the Work The King having the choice of all the Bishops and Moderators and the Commissioners having the Absolute Power of nullifying all if Wise and Godly Bishops and Moderators be chosen and moderate Commissioners Piety will be much promoted by these Rules of Government But if contrary it will have contrary Effects 3. Therefore supposing a choice of meet Persons though the mixtures of the Magistrates and the Churches power here be such as I cannot justifie who had rather they were distinctly managed yet I should be thankful to God if we might see but as good a Frame of Canons well used in England and should live peaceably submissively and gratefully under such a Government To the Particulars 1. The Name of Bishop appropriated to the Diocesane will stumble some who have learned that every Church hath one Bishop saith Ignatius Et ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia saith Cyprian Therefore they will think that you Un-Church all the Churches of the Land save the Diocesane And I could wish that the Name were fitted to
Sorrow but such as tendeth to raise us to a high Estimation of Christ and to the magnifying of Grace and a sweeter taste of the Love of God and to the firmer Resolution against Sin And that Tears and Grief be not commended inordinately for themselves nor as meer Signs of a Converted Person And that we call Men more to look after Duty than after Signs as such â—â—t Self-love on Work and spare not so you will call them much more to the Love of God and let them know that that Love is their best sign but yet to be exercised on a higher Reason than as a sign of our own Hopes for that Motive alone will not produce true Love to God And as the Antinomians too much exclude Humiliation and signs of Grace so too many of late have made their Religion to consist too much in the seeking of these out of their proper time and place without referring them to that Obedience Love and Joy in which true Religion doth principally consist Reader I do but transcribe these three Counsels for thee from a Multitude of Melancholy Persons sad Experiences § 185. This Year Salisbury-Diocess was more fiercely driven on to Conformity by Dr. Seth Ward their Bishop than any place else or than all the Bishops in England besides did in theirs Many Hundreds were Prosecuted by him with great Industry And among others that learned humble holy Gentleman Mr. Thomas Grove an Ancient Parliament-Man of as great Sincerity and Integrity as almost any Man I ever knew He stood it out a while in a Law-Suit but was overthrown and fain to forsake his Countrey as many Hundreds more are quickly like to do § 186. And his Name remembreth me that Ingenuity obligeth me to Record my Benefactor A Brother's Son of his Mr. Rob. Grove is one of the Bishop of London's Chaplains who is the only Man that Licenseth my Writings for the Press supposing them not to be against Law which else I could not expect And besides him alone I could get no Licenser to do it And because being Silenced Writing is the far greatest part of my remaining Service to God for his Church and without the Press my Writings would be in vain I acknowledge that I owe much to this Man and one Mr. Cook the Arch-bishop's Chaplain heretofore that I live not more in vain § 187. And while I am acknowledging my Benefactors I add that this Year died Serjeant Iohn Fountain the only Person from whom I received an Annual Sum of Money which though through God's Mercy I needed not yet I could not in Civility refuse He gave me 10 l. per Ann. from the time of my Silencing 'till his Death I was a Stranger to him before the King's Return save that when he was Judge before he was one of the Keepers of the Great Seal he did our Countrey great Service against Vice He was a Man of a quick and sound Understanding an upright impartial Mind and Life of too much testiness in his weakness but of a most believing serious Fervency towards God and open zealous owning of true Piety and Holiness without owning the little Partialities of Sects as most Men that ever I came near in Sickness When he lay sick which was almost a Year he sent to the Judges and Lawyers that sent to visit him such Answers as these I thank your Lord or Master for his kindness Present my Service to him and tell him It is a great Work to Die well his time is near all worldly Glory must come down intreat him to keep his Integrity over-come Temptations and please God and prepare to Die He deeply bewailed the great Sins of the Times and the Prognosticks of dreadful things which he thought we were in danger of And though in the Wars he suffered Imprisonment for the King's Cause towards the end he came from them and he greatly feared an inundation of Poverty Enemies Popery and Infidelity § 188. The great Talk this Year was of the King 's Adjourning the Parliament again for about a Year longer and whether we should break the Triple League and desert the Hollanders c. § 189. Before they were Adjourned I secretly directed some Letters to the best of the Conforming Ministers telling them how much it would conduce to their own and the Churches Interest if they that might be heard would become Petitioners for such Abatements in Conformity as might let in the Non-conformists and unite us seeing two things would do it 1. The removal of Oaths and Subscriptions save our Subscription to Christianity the Scriptures and the 39 Articles and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy 2. To give leave to them that cannot use all the Liturgy and Ceremonies to be but Preachers in those Churches where they are used by others submitting to Penalties if ever they be proved to Preach against the Doctrine Government or Worship of the Church or to do any thing against Peace or the Honour of the King and Governours But I could get none to offer such a Petition And when I did but mention our own petitioning the Parliament those that were among them and familiar with them still laught at me for imagining that they were reasonable Creatures or that Reason signified any thing with them in such Matters And thus we were Silenced every way § 190. During the Mayoralty of Sir Samuel Sterling many Jury's Men in London were Fined and Imprisoned by the Judge for not finding certain Quakers guilty of violating the Act against Conventicles They Appealed and sought remedy The Judges remained about a Year in suspense and then by the Lord Chief Justice Vaughan delivered their Resolution against the Judge for the Subject's Freedom from such force of Fines that when he had in a Speech of two or three Hours long spoke vehemently to that purpose never thing since the King's Return was received with greater Joy and Applause by the People and the Judges still taken for the Pillars of Law and Liberty § 191. The Parliament having made the Laws against Nonconformists Preaching and private Religious Meetings c. so grinding and terrible as aforesaid the King who consented to those Laws became the sole Patron of the Nonconformist's Liberties not by any Abatements by Law but by his own Connivance as to the Execution the Magistrates for the most part doing what they perceived to be his Will So that Sir Rich. Ford all the time of his Mayoralty in London though supposed one of their greatest and most knowing Adversaries never disturbed them The Ministers in several Parties were oft encouraged to make their Addresses to the King only to acknowledge his Clemency by which they held their Liberties and to profess their Loyalty Sir Iohn Babor introduced Dr. Manton and some with him Mr. Ennis a Scotch Non-conformist by Sir Rob. Murray introduced Mr. Whittakers Dr. Annesley Mr. Watson and Mr. Vincent's The King as they say themselves told them That though such Acts were made He was against
either His Assistant Mr. Parsons I before named 7. Mr. Watson is so well known in London for his Ability and Piety that I need not describe him however quarrelled with by the debate-maker 8. Mr. Thomas Doolittle born in Kiderminster is a good Schollar a godly man of an upright Life and moderate Principles and a very profitable serious Preacher 9. Mr. Chester is a man of a very sober calm peaceable Spirit sound in Doctrine and Life and a grave and fruitful Preacher 10. Mr. Turner is a man of great Sincerity and extraordinary humility and profitable Labours and Industry 11. Old Mr. Stubbs who joineth with him is one of a Thousand sometimes Minister at Wells and last at Dursley in Gloucestershire an ancient grave Divine wholly given up to the Service of God who hath gone about from place to place Preaching with unwearied Labour since he was silenced and with great Success being a plain moving fervent Preacher for the work of converting impenitent Sinners to God And yet being settled in peaceable Principles by aged Experience he every where expresseth the Spirit of Censoriousness and unjust Separations and Preacheth up the ancient zeal and sincerity with a Spirit suitable thereunto 12. Mr. Whitaker Son to the famous Ieremy Whitaker is a Man of great calmness Moderation peaceableness and Soundness in Doctrine and in Life 13. Some others there are Mr. Grimes Mr. Franklin Mr. Patrick Mr. VVest c. whom I am not acquainted with § 206. Besides these there are many in London that come out of other Countries I will name but some few that I can speak of with most assurance 1. Mr. Iohn Corbet sometimes Preacher in Gloucester and after at Chichester and after at a place in Hampshire 200 l. per Annum which he left to keep the Peace of his Conscience liveth privately and quietly a Man of extraordinary Judgment 〈◊〉 moderation peaceable Principles and blameless Life a solid Preacher well known by his Writings the interest of England the History of Gloucester War Rushworth's Collections which were much of his Composure 2. Mr. Wilson sometime of the Charter-House and since of Peterborough hath such universal Praises follow him from all the Country about Peterborough of his â—are Skill ability Piety diligence and extraordinary success the multitude of People there that he did good to that it made my Heart ake to think that our Sins had brought us under such Prelates as think it a Service acceptable to God to deprive Cities and Countries of such Men and put no better in their places than they have done 3. Mr. Stancliff from Stanmore an Excellent Man of marvellous fullness and accurateness in Prayer and it 's like he is the same in Preaching though I never heard him 4. Mr. Vaughan Minister of Grantham where he was laid in Goal for not Conforming and thence went to Barmudas with his Family and from thence was discouraged by the Quakers and returned to England and liveth in London obscurely and in a very low Condition an able sober Godly Judicious moderate man and of great worth 5. Mr. Silvester from Nottinghamshire Mr. Trueman's Friend a Man of excellent meekness temper â—ound and peaceable Principles godly Life and great ability in the ministerial Work 6. Mr. Hodges living lately with the Lord Hollis a grave ancient Godly moderate Divine who answered the Debate-maker 7. Mr. Richard Fairclough a Man of great sincerity and soundness of Judgment moderate Principles and a godly upright Life and of great quickness of parts and fervency and diligence by which at Mells in Somersetshire he excelled most Men in excellent Labours and success 8. His Brother a very solid judicious grave and worthy Minister of equal moderation and peaceableness 9. Mr. Tobias Ellis a Man of great sincerity and zeal and desire to do good and devotedness to God who falling into the Life of a private Schoolmaster doth follow it with almost unimitable diligence living with very little Sleep less Food great Labour and delight in all by which he hath been saved better than by all physick from a Melancholly Inclination 10. Richard Morton Dr. of Physick whom I should have named as Minister of Kinvar near Kiderminster Son to my old Friend Mr. Robert Morton Son-in-Law to Mr. Whateley of Banbury minister at Bewdley Dr. Norton is a Man of great gravity calmness sound Principles of no Faction an excellent Preacher of an upright Life now practising Physick 11. Mr. Button though not a Clergy-man being never ordained or in the Ministry yet is not to be left out Being put out of his place of Canon of Christ-church in Oxford Orator to the University an Excellent Scholar but of a greater Excellency a most humble Man of a plain sincere Heart and blameless and a great Sufferer who besides a great loss in his Estate was about six Months in Goal for teaching privately two Knights Sons who perswaded him to it Many of his Neighbours of Brentford being imprisoned with him for serving God privately by Ross the Scottish Justice who imprisoned me which they chearfully endured But there are so many more that I must proceed no further § 207. Besides there are many in the Villages round about London and that were thence cast out As 1. Mr. Clarkson from Mortclack a Divine of extraordinary worth for solid Judgment healing moderate Principles acquaintance with the Fathers great Ministerial Abilities and a Godly Upright Life 2. Mr. Samuel Cradock Elder Brother to Dr. Cradock of Greys-Inn who left a place in Somersetshire of about 300 l. per Annum to preserve his Conscience a Man of great Solidity and Piety and Ministerial Ability but extraordinary for meekness Humility Moderation and Peaceableness known by his useful Writings 3. Mr. Pareman put out at Harrow on the Hill an ancient grave sound pious sober aud peaceable Divine 4. Mr. Taverner put out at Vxbridge an ancient grave peaceable Divine of an unblamed Life 5. Dr. Spurstow put out at Hackney an ancient calm reverend Minister one of the Writers of the Book called Smectymnuus 6. Which maketh me remember Dr. Tuckney whom his Widow married an ancient Learned Godly Divine sometime Minister of Boston in Lincolnshire then one of the Assembly and long Regius Professor called Doctor of the Chair in Cambridge which place he performed with so good acceptance as that I need not commend his ability any further Only he was over humble and backward to disputes and to put out himself in great appearances notwithstanding that place of publick Exercise I would further mention Dr. Arthur of Clapham Mr. Gilbert of Brentford Mr. Perkins Mr. Warrham of Henden and many more if I were willing to go beyond my ocquaintance upon reports § 208. And though it cannot be thought that one man that lived so retiredly should know very many yet I could name you excellent men known to me either throughly or in some measure whose Excellencies make their Names very precious to me For Instance 1. Mr. Truman lately
dead 2. Mr. Iohn Warren of Hatfield Broadoke in Essex a man of great Judgment and ministerial Abilities-moderation Piety and Labour The place whence he was cast out hath had no minister since to this day though a great Town and in the Bishop of London's Gift because the means is so small that none will take it And yet he cannot have leave to preach rather than none But he gets now and then one by his Interest to Preach occasionally and he heareth them in publick and then himself instructeth the People in private as far as he can obtain connivance 3. Mr. Peter Ince in Wiltshire a solid grave pious worthy able minister living with Mr. Grove that excellent humble holy Learned Gentleman who himself is now driven out of his his Country for receiving and hearing such in his House 4. Mr. Iohn How mâ—nister of Torrrington in Devonshire sometime Houshold-Preacher to Oliver Cromwell and his Son Richard till the Army pulled him down but not one that medled in his Wars He is a very Learned judicious godly man of no Faction but of Catholick healing Principles and of excellent ministerial Ablities as his excellent Treatise called The Blessedness of the Righteous sheweth 5. Mr. Ford of Exeter is a man of great Ability as his Book called The Sinner's Araignment at his Bar sheweth a Reverend Divine of great esteem for all ministerial worth with the generality of sober men And I hear a high Character of Mr. Clare near him and many more there but I know not those 6. Mr. Hughes of Plymouth a very Reverend Learned Ancient Divine long ago of London an excellent Expositor of Scripture was in his Age laid so long in Prison for silencing was not suffering enough for so excellent a Man that he fell by it into the Scurvy and died soon after His Treatife of the Sabbath is Printed since his Death 7. Mr. Berry in Devonshire an extraordinary humble tender-conscienced serious godly able Minister 8. Mr. Benj. Woodbridge of Newbury who came out of new-New-England to succeed Dr. Twisse a Man of great Judgment Piety Ability and moderate Principles addicted to no Faction but of a Catholick Spirit 9. Mr. Simon King some-time of Coventry since near Peterborough who first Entertain'd me at Coventry in the beginning of the Wars when I was forced to fly from Home a Man of a solid Judgment an honest Heart and Life and addicted to no Extremes and an able Scholar long ago chief School-Master at Bridgnorth Divers others of my own Acquaintance I could describe in Wales in Derby-shire Cheshire York-shire and other Counties but I will end with a few of my old Neighbours that I had forgotten 10. Old Mr. Samuel Hildersham about 80 Years old only Son to the Famous Arthur Hildersham a Conformist formerly but resolved enough against the New Conformity A grave peaceable pious learned Divine cast out of Welsh-Felton in Shrop-shire 11. Mr. Tho. Gilbert of Edgmond in Shropshire an Ancient Divine of extraordinary Acuteness and Conciseness of Stile and a most piercing Head as his small Lat. Tract of the necessity of Christ's Satisfaction sheweth 12. Mr. Samuel Fisher an Ancient Reverend Divine some-time of Withington then of Shrewsbury turned out with Mr. Blake for not taking the Engagement against King and House of Lords then lived in Cheshire and thence cast out and Silenced a very able Preacher and of a goldy Life 13. My old Friend Mr. Will. Cook bred up under Mr. Iohn Ball a Learned Man and of a most godly Life and unwearied Labour Like the first Preachers he can go in poor Clothing live on a little travel on Foot Preach and Pray almost all the Week if he have opportunity in Season and out of Season trampling on this World as dirt and living a mortified laborious Life Being an old Nonconformist and Presbyterian he was greatly offended at the Anabaptists Separatists and Sectaries and Cromwel's Army for Disloyalty to the King whom they Beheaded and this King whom they kept out and therefore joyned with Sir George Booth now Lord Delamere in his Rising to have brought in the King And being then Minister in Chester persuaded the Citizens to deliver up the City to Him For which he was brought to London and long Imprisoned But all this would not procure his Liberty to Preach the Gospel of Christ without the Oaths Subscriptions Declarations Re-ordination and Conformity required 14. To these I may subjoyn my old Friend Mr. Pigot chief School-master of Shrewsbury 15. And my old Friend Mr. Swaine some-time School-master at Bridgnorth and since a godly fervent Preacher in Radnor-shire But I must stop § 209. Let the Reader note That there is not one of all these that was put out for any Scandal but meerly not Subscribing c. and Conforming nor one of them all that ever I heard any Person charge or once suspect of Wantonness Idleness Surfetting Drunkenness or any scandalous Sin And of those of the Prelatists that were Sequestred by the Parliament I knew not one that I remember that was not accused upon Oath of Witnesses of Scandal though doubtless others knew some such Not including the siding in the Wars which each side called scandalous in the other and which yet but a small part of these named by me medled in that ever I could learn § 210. Therefore I conclude That we that know not the Mysteries of God's Judgments saw not what a Mercy it was that God took to Himself before they were Silenced such Excellent Men as Dr. Twiss Dr. Gouge Mr. Iohn Ball Mr. Gataker Mr. Ier. Whitaker Dr. Arrow Smith Dr. Hill Mr. Strong Mr. Herbert Palmer and most of the Assembly with many more such Nor yet that God took away such Men as Bishop Davent Bishop Hall Arch-Bishop Vsher Bishop Morton yea and Dr. Hammond before they were under a Temptation to have a Hand in the casting out of so many excellent worthy Men which yet I am confident by my own personal Knowledge of him that Vsher had he lived would never have done § 211. This Year the King began the War upon the Dutch in March 1671 2. About the 16 or 17 Day was a hot Sea-fight while our Ships Assaulted their Smirna Fleet of Merchants and many on both sides were killed which was most that was done And about the 18 th Day the King Published a Proclamation for War by Sea and Land The French the Elector of Cologne and the Bishop of Munster being with dreadful Preparations to invade them by Land § 212. Now came forth a Declaration giving some fuller Exposition to those that doubted of it of the Transactions of these Twelve Years last viz. His Majesty by Virtue of His Supreme Power in Matters Ecclesiastical suspendeth all Penal Laws thereabout and Declareth That he will grant a convenient number of Publick Meeting-Places to Men of all sorts that Conform not so be it 1. The Persons be by Him approved 2. That they never meet in any Place not
food to the hazard of their Eternal Souls Among many Arguments therefore for Liberty in other Papers from Policy Convenience Reason of State and Reason of Religion I have this one to offer you of a more binding Nature an Argument from Iustice Righteousness and Restitution to the Displaced It is true that the Places they once had are filled and disposed but there are others enough There are many of those who possess theirs do also keep their own and keep more There are many who are Canons Deans Prebeâ—daries that are also Parsons Rectors Vicars who have Benefices and Honours by heaps and by the bushel If it shall please you therefore in this Bill on the Anvil or in another to take Cognizance of Pluralities that for the preventing an Idle Scandalous Covetously overgrown unprofitable Ministery every Man who hath more than one Cure of Souls or one Dignity shall give them up into a publick stock or to a general Distribution you shall do the Church right and the Ejected right you shall give such Drones their Due and God his Due and strew the way by this means for the making your Grace intended in this Bill of signification In the Name of God Sirs let me move you to this if it were only Hac vice for a present needful Conjunction of us at this season We see the jaws of Popery and the Sectary opening upon us if the sober Protestant Interest be not united we perish I know who will be ready to stamp here and throw dust in the Air for it is these Sons of the Horse-Leâ—ch whose voice is still Give Give that will never be contented with a single portion A Dignity therefore with a Living let them be allowed but one Dignity and one Cure of Souls should be all tho they cuâ— themselves with Lanees It is this damn'd hard objection at the bottom the Priests Covetousness and Corruption rather than their Dispute about things indifferent that really hinders the Church's peace and prosperity To Conclude According to what every Man's mind is most upon the Publick Interest or his own such is his value more or less § 263. About this time was a great change of Affairs in Scotland their Parliament concurring with this of England in distasting the present Councils and Proceedings but not so much Proclaiming the danger of Popery as Aggravating the Burdens and Grievances of the People against the great Commissioner the Duke of Lauderdail So that Duke Hamilton became the Head of the Opposition and most of the Nobility and Commons adhered to him and were against D. of Lauderdail And the Parliament went so high that D. Lauderdail was fain to Adjourn them Whereupon D. Hamilton came to England with their Grievances to the King with some of the Nobility But the King tho he gave him fair respect sharply rebuked him and their Proceedings and stuck close to D. Lauderdail against all opposition § 264. At last D. Lauderdail found the way to turn their own Engin against themselves and whereas many of their Grievances had been settled by themselves by Act of Parliament while they were ruled by him he acquainteth the King how heavy and unsufferable they were and so the King by a Letter releaseth them And among their burdens was a great income settled upon D. Hamilton for some service Loss or Loan to the King by his Predecessors which he that had complained of Grievances was now to loss by the King removing the Grievances Whereupon he professed that he had been still ready to remit those Revenues but he could not do it in this way of a Letter against a Law lest by the same way another Letter should take away the rest of his Estate And he got the hands of Lawyers to testify it was against Law and sent it to the King who in displeasure rejected his Narrative and so the Dissention in Scotland increased § 265. At this time April 1674 God hath so much increased my Languishing and laid me so low by an incessant inflation of my head and translation of my great flatulency thither to the Nerves and Members increasing these ten or twelve weeks to greater pains that I have reason to think that my time on Earth will not be long And O how Good hath the Will of God proved hitherto to me And will it not be best at last Experience causeth me to say to his praise Great peace have they that love his Law and nothing shall offend them And tho my flesh and heart do fail God is the Rock of my heart and my portion for ever § 266. At this time came out my Book called The poor Man's Family Book which the remembrance of the great use of Mr. Dents Plain Man's path way to Heaven now laid by occasioned me to write for poor Countrey Families who cannot buy or read many Books § 267. I will not here pass by the Commemoration of one among many of the worthy silenced Ministers of London that such Examples may provoke more to some imitation viz. Mr. Thomas Gouge He is the eldest Son of old Dr. William Gouge Deceased He was Pastor to that great Parish called Sepulâ—hres whence he was ejected with the rest of his brethren at the time when the restored Prelates acted like themselves I never heard any one person of what rank sort or sect soever speak one word to his Dishonour or Name any fault that ever they charged on his Life or Doctrine no not the Prelatists themselves save only that he conformed not to their impositions and that he did so much good with so great Industry God blessed him with a good Estate and he liberally used it in works of Charity When the fire consumed much of it and when he had settled his Children and his wife was taken from him by Death of an hundred and fifty pound a year that he had left he gave an hundred of it to charitable uses His daily work is to do all the good he can with as great diligence and constancy as other Men labour at their Trades He visiteth the poor and seeketh after them He writeth books to stir up the rich to devote at least the tenth part of their Estates to works of Charity He goeth to the rich to perswade and urge them He collecteth moneys of all that he can prevail with and travelleth himself tho between 60 and 70 years old into Wales Winter and Summer and disperseth the money to the poor labouring persecuted Ministers He hath settled himself in the chief Towns of Wales a great number of Schools for Women to teach Children to read having himself undertaken to pay them for many hundred Children He printeth many thousands of his own practical Books and giveth them freely throughout Wales at his own charge And when I do something of the like by mine he undertaketh the Distribution of them He preacheth in Wales himself till they drive him from place to place by persecution when he returneth home he visiteth the
intend only Bishops and King by Church and State 1. It would suppose that King and Parliament do take Bishops and King for two coordinate Heads in governing the Kingdom 2. And that they set the Bishops before the King which is not to be supposed 5. And to put all out of question the Oath is but Conform to former Statutes Oaths Articles of Religion and Canons 1. The Statutes which declare the King to be only Supreme Governour of the Church I need not cite 2. The Oath of Supremacy is well known of all 3. The very first Canon is that the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and all Bishops c. shall faithfully keep and observe all the Laws for the King's Supremacy over the Church of England in causes Ecclesiastical And the 2d Canon is to condemn the dangers of it And the 36. Canon obligeth all Ministers to subscribe that the King's Majesty under God is the only Supreme Governour of this Realm as well in all spiritual and Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal And as the Parliament are called the Representative of the People or Kingdom as distinct from the Head so the 139. Canon excommunicateth all them that affirm that the Sacred Synod of this Nation in the Name of Christ and by the King's Authority Aslembled is not the true Church of England by Representation So that they claim to be but the Representative of the Church as it is the Body distinct from the Head Christ aud the King as their chief Governour 4. And all that are Ordained are likewise to take the Oath of Supremacy I do utterly testify and declare in my Conscience that the King's Highness is the only Supreme Governour of this Realm as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or Causes as Temporal 5. And It is also inserted in the Articles of Religion Art 35. And it is added expositorily Where we attribute to the Queen's Majesty the Chief Government by which title we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended we give not to our Princes the Ministring either of God's Word or of the Sacraments but that only prerogative which we see to have been given always to all Godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself that is that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their Charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastcal or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the Stubborn and evil Doers Here it is to be noted that though no doubt but the Keys of Excommunication and absolution belong to the Pastors and to the Civil Magistrate yet the Law and this Article by the word Government mean only Coercive Government by the Sword and do include the power of the Keys under the title of Ministring the Word and Sacraments Church Guidance being indeed nothing else but the Explication and Application of God's word to Cases and Consciences and administring the Sacraments accordingly So that as in the very Article of Religion Supreme Government appropriated to the King only is contradistinguish'd from Ministring the Word and Sacraments which is not called Government there so are we to understand this Law and Oath And many Learned Men think that Guidance is a fitter name than Government for the Pastor's Office And therefore Grotius de Imper. Sum. Pot. would rather have the Name Canons or Rulers used than Laws as to their Determinations Though no doubt but the name Government may be well applyed to the Pastor's Part so we distinguish as Bilston and other judicious men use to do calling one Government by God's Word upon the Conscience and the other Government by the sword as seconding Precepts with enforcing penalties and Mulcts § 301. While this Test was carrying on in the house of Lords and 500 pounds Voted to be the penalty of the Refusers before it could come to the Commons a difference fell between the Lords and Commons about their priviledges by occasion of two Suits that were brought before the Lords in which two Members of the Commons were parties which occasioned the Commons to send to the Tower Sir Iohn Fagg one of their Members for appearing at the Lords Bar without their consent and four Counsellours Sir Iohn Churchill Sergeant Pemberton Sergeant Pecke and another for pleading there And the Lords Voted it Illegal and that they should be released Sir Iohn Robinson Lieutenant of the Tower obeyed the Commons for which the Lords Voted him a Delinquent And so far went they in daily Voting at each other that the King was fain to Prorogue the Parliament Iune 9. till October 13. there appearing no hope of Reconciling them Which rejoiced many that they rose without doing any further harm § 302. Iune 9. Keting the Informer being commonly detested for prosecuting me was cast in Gaol for Debt and wrote to me to endeavour his Deliverance which I did and in his Letters saith Sir I assure you I do verily believe that God hath bestowed all this affliction on me because I was so vile a wretch as to trouble you And I assure you I never did a thing in my Life that hath so much troubled my self as that did I pray God forgive me And truly I do not think of any that went that way to work that ever God would favour him with his mercy And truly without a great deal of mercy from God I do not think that ever I shall thrive or prosper And I hope you will be pleased to pray to God for me c. § 303. A while before another of the chief Informers of the City and my Accuser Marishall died in the Counter where his Creditors laid him to keep him from doing more harm Yet did not the Bishops change or cease Two more Informers were set on work who first assaulted Mr. Case's Meeting and next got in as hearers into Mr. Read's Meeting where I was Preaching And when they would have gone out to fetch Justices for they were known the doors were lockt to keep them in till I had done and one of them supposed to be sent from Fullum stayed weeping Yet went they straight to the Justices and the week following heard me again as Informers at my Lectures but I have not yet heard of their Accusation § 304. But this week Iune 9. Sir Thamas Davis notwithstanding all his foresaid Warnings and Confessions sent his Warrants to a Justice of the Division where I dwell to distrein on me upon two Judgments for 50 pounds for Preaching my Lecture in New-street Some Conformists are paid to the value of 20 pounds a Sermon for their Preaching and I must pay 20 pounds and 40 pounds a Sermon for Preaching for nothing O what Pastors hath the Church of England who think it worth all their unwearied Labours and all the odium which they contract from the People to keep such as I am from Preaching the Gospel of Christ and to undo us for it as far as they are able though these many years they do not for they cannot
Generality of Magistrates such as he § 326. Part of a M. S. was put into my hand to pâ—ruse by a Bookseller as Written by one that greatly valued my Judgment and would refer his Writings to my Censure but not consent to have them Printed Whereupon I valuing them did judge them worthy to be published but made some Alterations in some phrases liable to Misinterpretation in the Piece called The Right Knowledge of Christ Crucified I conjectured not who the Author was and not long after the Book was Printed and proved to be the foresaid Lord Chief Justice Hale's called Contemplations Moral and Divine published by a Friend of his by which he will Preach when he is dead the Books presently all bought up for his Name and being useful for their Spiritual Rational Serious and Plain Manner of Writing as well as Acceptable for his sake § 327. When I had been kept a whole Year from Preaching in the Chappel which I Built on the 16th of April 1676. I began in another in a Tempestuous time for the necessity of the Parish of St. Martins where about 60000 Souls have no Church to go to nor any Publick Worship of God! How long Lord § 328. About Feb. and March it pleased the King importunately to Command and Urge the Judges and London-Justices to put the Laws against Nonconformists in Execution But the Nation grew backward to it In London they have been oft and long commanded to it and Sir Ioseph Sheldon the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's near Kinsman being Lord Mayor on April 30th the Execution began They required especially to send all the Ministers to the Common Gaols for Six Months on the Oxford-Act for not taking the Oath and dwelling within Five Miles This day Mr. Ioseph Read was sent to the Gaol taken out of the Pulpit Preaching in a Chapel in Bloomsbury in the Parish of St. Giles where it is thought that 20000 or 30000 Souls at least more than can come within the Church have no Publick Worship of God or Teaching He is a Laborious Man whom I Educated and sent to the University and did so much good to the Poor Ignorant People that had no other Teacher that Satan did owe him a Malicious Disturbance He built the Chappel in his own House with the help of Friends in compassion to those People who as they Crowded to hear him so did they follow him to the Justiâ—es and to the Gaol to shew their Affections It being the place where I had used oft to Preach I suppose was somewhat the more Maliced The very day before I had new secret hints of Men's Desires of Reconciliation and Peace and Motions to offer some Proposals towards it as if the Bishops were at last grown Peaceable To which as ever before I yielded and did my part though long Experience made me suspect that some Mischief was near and some Suffering presently to be expected from them The forwardest of the two Justices that sent him to the Gaol was one Parry a Souldier one of them that was accused for slitting Sir Iohn Coventree's Nose about which there was so great a stir in the House of Commons The other was one Robinson But since then so many have been sent to the Goals for the same cause and so many died there that I must forbear particular Instances and Enumerations § 329. After Northampton Blaudford and many other Towns Southwark was Burned between 600 and 1000 Houses the People suspecting that it was done by Design And one taken for attempting again to Burn the rest of Northampton confest that he was hired and that Southwark was so Burnt whom Sir Iohn Munson sent hereupon to Goal Additions of the Years 1675 1676 1677 1678 c. § 1. AT this time Mr. Le Blank of Sedan sent to me his desire that I would publish here his Scatter'd Theses in one Volume which I purposed and Wrote an Epistle to it But some Conformists hearing of it would not have the Publication to be a Nonconformists work and so my Bookseller took 50 Books for his Title to the Copy which I gave him and quit his Interest in it to a Conformist But Le Blank sent an Epistle of his own to prevent the Conformists and died as soon as it was Printed and Published A Work sufficient to end most of the Doctrinal Controversies of this Age if the Readers were but capable receivers of the evidence which he giveth them § 2. In Iune 1676. Mr. Iane the Bishop of London's Chaplain Preaching to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen turned his Sermon against Calvin and Me And my charge was That I had sent as bad men to Heaven as some that be in Hell because in my Book called The Saints Rest I had said that I thought of Heaven with the more pleasure because I should there meet with Peter Paul Austin Chrysostom Ierom Wickliff Luther Zuinglius Calam Beza Bullinger Zanchy Paraeus Piscator Hooper Bradford Latimer Glover Sanders Philpot Reignolds Whitaker Cartwright Brightman Bayne Bradshaw Bolton Ball Hildershâ—n Pemble Twisse Ames Preston Sibbs Brook Pim Hambden Which of these the Man knew to be in Hell I cannot conjecture It 's like those that differed from him in Judgment But till he prove his Revelation I shall not believe him the need which I preceived of taking away from before such Men any thing which they might stumble at had made me blot out the Names of the Lord Brooke Pim and Hambden in all the Impressions of the Book which were many yet were made ever since 1659 and yet this did not satisfie the Man But I must tell the Reader that I did it not as changing my Judgment of the persons well known to the world Of whom Mr. Iohn Hambden was one that Friends and Enemies acknowledged to be most Eminent for Prudence Piety and Peaceable Counsels having the most universal Praise of any Gentleman that I remember of that Age I remember a moderate prudent aged Gentleman far from him but acquainted with him whom I have heard saying That if he might choose what person he would be then in the world he would be Iohn Hambden Yet these Damning Prelatists are the Men that are for our Silencing Imprisonment and Ruin as if we were unworthy to live on the Earth because we will not assent and consent to the Liturgy by which we are to pronounce all Men in England saved except three sorts viz. the Excommunicate Unbaptized and Self-murderers that is of every one of the rest we must say That God of his great Mercy hath taken to himself the Soul of this our dear Brother out of the Miseries of this Life and that we hope to be with him Were it Hobbs himself or any one of the Crowd of Atheists Infidels Papists Adulterers or any Villains now among us for such are not Excommunicate thus we must falsly contrary to all our Preaching Pronounce them all saved or forbidden ever to Preach God's Word And yet I am condemned publickly for
and also how the Plot was laid to Kill the King Thus Oates's Testimony seconded by Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey's Murder and Bedlow and Pranse's Testimonies became to be generally believed Ireland a Jesuit and Two more were Condemned as designing to Kill the King Hill Berry and Green were Condemned for the murder of Godfrey and Executed But Pranse was by a Papist first terrified into a Denyal again of the Plot to Kill the King and took on him to be Distracted But quickly Recanted of this and had no Quiet till he told how he was so Affrighted and Renewed all his Testimony and Confession After this came in one Mr. Dugdale a Papist and confessed the same Plot and especially the Lord Stafford's interest in it And after him more and more Evidence daily was added â—â—â—man the Dutchess of York's Secretary and one of the Papists great Plotters and Disputers being surprized though he made away all his later Papers was hanged by the Old Ones that were remaining and by Oates his Teâ—â—imony But the Parliament kept off all Aspersions from the Duke The Hopes of some and the Fears of others of his Succession prevailed with many § 28. At last the Lord Treasurer Sir Thomas Osborne made Earl of Danby came upon the stage having been before the object of the Parliament and People's jealousy and hard thoughts He being afraid that somewhat would be done against him knowing that Mr. Montague his Kinsman late Ambassadour in France had some Letters of his in his keeping which he thought might endanger him got an order from the King to seize on all Mr. Montagues Letters who suspecting some such usage had conveyed away the chief Letters and telling the Parliament where they were they sent and fetcht them and upon the reading of them were so instigated against the Lord Treasurer they impeached him in the Lords House of High Treason But not long after the King disolved the long Parliament which he had kept up about 17 or 18 years But a new Parliament is promised § 29. Above 40 Scots men of which 3 Preachers were by their Council sentenced to be not only banished but sold as servants called slaves to the American Plantations They were brought by ship to London Divers Citizens offered to pay their ransom The King was petitioned for them I went to the D. of Lauderdale but none of us could prevail for one man At last the Ship-Master was told that by a Statute it was a Capital crime to Transport any of the King's Subjects out of England where now they were without their consent and so he set them on shoar and they all escaped for nothing § 30. A great number of Hungarian Ministers had before been sold for Gally slaves by the Emperour's Agents but were released by the Dutch Admiral 's Request and some of them largely relieved by Collections in London § 31. The long and grievous Parliament that silenced about 2000 Ministers and did many works of such a nature being dissolved as aforesaid on Ian. 25. 1678. A new one was chosen and met on March 6 following And the King refusing their chosen speaker Mr. Segmore raised in them a greater displeasure against the Lord Treasurer thinking him the cause and after some days they chose Serjeant Gregory § 32. The Duke of York a little before removed out of England by the King's Command who yet stands to maintain his Succession § 33. The Parliament first impeached the foresaid Papist Lords for the Plot or Conspiracy the Lord Bellasis Lord Arundel Lord of Powis Lord Scafford and Lord Peter and after them the Lord Treasurer 34. New fires breaking out enrage the People against the Papists A great part of Southwark was before burnt and the Papists strongly suspected the cause Near half the buildings of the Temple were burnt And it was greatly suspected to be done by the Papists One Mr. Bifeild's house in Holbourn and Divers others so fired but quenched as made it very probable to be by their Conspiracy And at last in Fitter-Lane it fell on the house of Mr. Robert Bird a Man employed in Law of great Judgment and Piety who having more wit than many others to search it out found that it was done by a new Servant Maid who confessed it first to him and then to a Justice and after to the Lords that one Nicholas Stubbes a Papist having first made her promise to be a Papist next promised her 5 l. to set fire on her Master's house telling her that many others were to do the like and the Protestant Hereticks to be killed by the middle of Iune and that it was no more sin to do it than to kill a Dog Stubbes was taken and at first vehemently denyed but after confessed all and told them that one Giffard a Priest and his Confessor engaged him in it and Divers others and told them all as aforesaid how the Firing and Plot went on and what hope they had of a French Invasion The House of Commons desired the King to pardon the woman Eliz. Oxley and Stubbes § 35. If the Papists have not Confidence in the French Invasion God leaveth them to utter madness to hasten their ruine They were in full junctness through the Land and the noise of rage was by their design turned against the Nonconformists But their hopes did cast them into such an impatience of delay that they could no longer stay but must presently Reign by rage of blood Had they studied to make themselves odious to the Land they could have found out no more effectual way than by Firing Murder and Plotting to kill the King All London at this day is in such fear of them that they are fain to keep up private Watches in all streets besides the Common ones to save their houses from firing Yea while they find that it increaseth a hatred of them and while many of them are already hanged they still go on which sheweth either their confidence in Foreign Aid or their utter infatuation § 36. Upon Easter day the King dissolved his privy Council and settled it a new consisting of 30 men most of the old ones the Earl of Shaftsbury being President to the great joy of the People then tho since all is changed § 37. On the 27th of April 1679. Tho it was the Lord's Day the Parliament State excited by Stubbes his Confession that the Firing Plot went on and the French were to invade us and the Protestants to be murdered by Iune 28 and they voted that the Duke of York's declaring himself a Papist was the cause of all our dangers by these Plots and sent to the Lords to concur in the same Vote § 38. But the King that week by himself and the Chancellour acquainted them that he should consent to any thing reasonable to secure the Protestant Religion not alienating the Crown from the Line of Succession and Particularly that he would consent that till the Successour should take the Test he should exercise
years importuned me to let him Print it 1. The sharp execution of the Law had then brought Multitudes into Prison and Poverty 2. Nonconformists both Presbyterians and Independents had taken the Corporation Oath and Declaration and Communicated in the Parish Churches for to make them capable of Trust and Office in the City And because it seâ—m'd to tend to their protection and advantage we heard of no noise made against them by the Independents but they admitted them as their Members to their Communion as before I was against their taking the Declaration but not against their Communicating but I medled not with them At last when the Earl of Shaftsbury was broken and gone and the City Power and Common Council subdued to the will of the King the foresaid Communion in publick was more freely blamed by the Independents and Anabaptists and some few hot Scots Men. And the private Church Meetings were so much supprest and the prisons so full that my Conscience began to tell me that I should be guilty of injuring the truth the Church and the Souls and Bodily welfare of my brethren if I should by silence harden them against publick worship Specially the Case of the Countrey moved me wherein a great part of the Kingdom scarce two hundred men in a whole Country can have the liberty of any true Church Worship besides Parochial I remembred the Case of the Old Nonconformists against the Brownists and the Writings of Mr. I. Ball Paget Hildersham Bradshaw Gifford Brightman Ames c. I could not but remember what work the separating party had made in England and Scotland in my days from 1644. till 1660 against Government Religion and Concord I saw what I long foresaw each extreme party growing more extreme and going further still from one another And so great a Change is grown on London that the Terms which we offered the Bishops for Concord 1660 are now abhorred as Antichristian I saw multitudes like to be Imprisoned and Ruined for refusing their Duty as if it were sin and disgracing Religion by fathering these Errours on it The Conformists seeing the Errour of the Separatists derided them all and were confirmed in the Justification of all their Conformity thinking that it was but a just differing from a crazed Company of Fanaticks Those that imprisoned and ruined both them and the rest of the Nonconformists thought they did God service by it against an unruly sort of Men The Common people were made believe that this was the true Complexion of all the Dissenters from whatever the Law Commanded The distance growing wider and great sufferings increasing hard thoughts of those by whom Men suffered all real Love did seem to be almost utterly destroyed and Neighbours dwelt together like unplacable Enemies And worst of all Men were frightened to think that they must rather give over all Church Worship than they must Communicate with the best Ministry in the Parish Churches and so the main body of the Land would live like Atheists who can have no other Church-Worship but the Parochial For the Nonconformists Churches were in almost all Countries so suppressed that no considerable Numbers could enjoy them And by this means the Papists were like to have their Wills The Protestants must be told that Recusancy is all their Duties And going to the Publick Churches a sin And who can for shame drive Papists to sin And if thus they could draw all Protestants to forsake the said Churches they would like a deserted City and Garrison'd Fort be open and ready for their possession And while the Papists and Malignants are studying how to cast out all the Godly Conforming Ministers that the Ductile remainder might be prepared for Popery the separating part of the Independents and Anabaptists and some few hot Scotch Presbyterians go before them and tell all the People that it is unlawful to hear them and to own them as Ministers or Churches and to have Communion with them in the Liturgy or Sacraments Even when the rigour of Prosecutors hath brought it to that pass that they must have such or none as to Church worship Seeing so many in prison for this Error to the dishonour of God and so many more like to be ruin'd by it and the separating party by the temptation of suffering had so far prevailed with the most strict and zealous Christians that a great Number were of their mind and the Non-conformable Ministers whose Judgment was against this separation durst not publish their dislike of it partly because of sharp and bitter Censures of the Separatists and who took them for Apostates or Carnal Temporizers that communicated in publick and partly for fear of Encouraging Persecution against the Separatists and partly for fear of losing all opportunity of teaching them and some that had no hope of any other friends or maintenance or Auditors thought they might be silent On all these accounts I that had no gathered Church nor lived on the Contribution of any such and was going out of the world in pain and Languor did think that I was fittest to bear men's Censures and to take that reproach on my self which my brethren were less fit to bear who might live for farther Service And at the Importunity of the Bookseller I consented to publish the Reasons of my Communicating in the Parish-Churches and against Separation Which when it was coming out a Manuscript of Dr. Owen's who was lately dead containing Twelve Arguments against such joyning with the Liturgie and publick Churches was sent me as that which had satisfyed Multitude I thought that if this were unanswered my labour would be much lost because that party would still say Dr. Owen's Twelve Arguments confuted all Whereupon I hastily answered them but found after that it had been more prudent to have omitted his Name For on that account a swarm of revilers in the City poured out their keenest Censures and three or four wrote against me whom I answered I will not name the men that are known and two of them are yet unknown But they went on several Prineiples some Charged all Communion with the Liturgie with Idolatry Antichristianity and perjury and backsliding One concealed his Judgment and quarrel'd at by-words And another turned my Treatise of Episcopacy against me and said it fully proved the Duty of Separation I was glad that hereby I was called to explain that Treatise lest it should do hurt to mistakers when I am dead and that as in it I had said much against one extream I might leave my Testimony against the other I called all these writings together a Defence of Catholick Communion And that I might be Impartial I adjoyned two piece against Dr. Sherlock that ran quite into the contrary Extreames unchurching almost all Christians as Schismaticks I confess I wrote so sharply against him as must needs be liable to blame with those that know not the man and his former and latter Virulent and ignorant Writings § 81. About this time
in with such an Advantage as the turning of the Papist Bishops would have brought But what is that to prove that they would have Bishops and could not Grotius knew France as well as you whoever you are and he tells us another Story of them Discus Apologet. Rivet That they wilfully cast out the Order of Bishops as far as their Authority could reach what impossibility hath their been these hundred Years for France Belgia Helvetia Geneva with the rest of the Protestant Churches to have had Bishops if they had been willing They had Hermannus of Colen Vergerius of Iustinop came among them Spalatensis would have ordained some in his Passage if no English Bishop could have been got thither how easy had it been to have sent one to receive Episcopal Consecration here and then to have gone home and ordained more It may be you would make us believe the like of the Church of Scotland too that they would fain have Bishops and could not If you alledge 〈◊〉 Inconvenience that necessitates all these Protestant Churches to continue without Bishops even to this Day I say 3. Our Necessity is as great as any of theirs for ought you can manifest to the contrary for 1. Our Rulers are as much against them 2. We cannot exercise publickly our Ministerial Office unless we be ordained according to the Laws of the present Rulers 3. There is a heavy Penalty ordained to all Ordainers that do otherwise 4. We have no Bishop in our Diocess 5. We read Canons that null Bishops Ordination out of their Diocesses 6. We know not of above two Bishops in England nor where to find the rest that are latent and we hear those two will not ordain 7. Divers of them were justly ejected for destroying the Church and we cannot take them for Bishops 8. We are but Subjects and a small part of the Ministry and cannot set up Bishops among our selves if we were of that Judgment as much as others But Nations Commonwealths and Free-cities might if they would The Cloak which you say is too short is indeed much larger than our Case requires If our Nation or any part of it did voluntarily cast off Bishops so did the Protestant Churches and continue to keep them out to this Day But you cannot prove that the Ministers of this Association did cast them off And for your surmise of the Countenance of our Christian Charity I answer we never yet gave you Cause to suppose that we distinguish not between Protestant Bishops and Papists Except to Sect. 5. An Argument a Fortiori all Logick admits of but I never heard a Suspicion of any Firmness in concluding ab Imbecilliori thus Perhaps perhaps I say and as many Moderns would charitably think they may be true Presbyters who were ordained by Presbyters where morally to speak and as to consciential possibility there was an impossibility of procuring Orders from any Bishops but such as would oblige them to betray both Presbyters and Bishops Authority to Papal Usurpation and arrogated Supremacy therefore we also who might have had Ordination by Bishops and those such who have as well as we oft hindred that papal Usurpation yea had renued that Duration by an Oath in Synod a little before these late sad Schisms and this new attempted Ordination and chose to be ordained without them contrary to all the Canons of the Church Universal of all Ages till these last Ages of this Cotroversy We I say also for all that are true Pastors and Presbyters and we will be acknowledged for such in this Agreement and others to be Popish Divines lurking under the Name of Episcopal Divines Lo here a goodly Consequence and a Christian Presbyterian Charity Reply to Sect. 5. 1. Our Argument is not only a pari but a fortiori as is manifested 2. You give us reason here to fear that your self are one of those Persons whom we except against and that it is your own Cause that you strive for and that your Guilt is it that makes you angry for you seem to me to intimate to us that you own not their Opinion that make the Protestant Ministers to be Ministers indeed and consequently their Churches true organized Churches for all the necessity which you pretend they had for you make it but a perhaps and your double that perhaps that we may see you own it not and you say it is as many would think as if it were but their Thought and as if you were none of those many And it is but the Moderns that so think as if you intimated that Antiquity iudged otherwise which doubtless you prefer before the Moderns and you say they would think it intimating that Will prevails against Judgment or Judgment follows not that Will yea it is charitably that they would think it as if Affection misled them and other Passages afterward do yet further reveal your Mind in this though you are loath I perceive to speak out because of the harshness of it to Protestants Ears I therefore again say 1. Those churches were not nor are to this Day under any impossibility of having Bishops if they judged them necessary 2. That you prove not what you say that they in this Country might have had Ordination by a Bishop who were ordained by Presbyters only We leave therefore our Consequence and our Christian Presbyterian Charity to a more equal Judge whether that Man be like to be a Protestant that taketh the Church of Rome for a true Church and all the reformed Churches except the Episcopal for no true Churches and that taketh their Priests for Lawful Ministers and all the Protestant Ministers for none except those that were ordained by Bishops nay that argue as here you do to have us and consequently all so ordained disclaimed by Pastors and People and consequently all our Churches nullified and publick Worship forsaken Are we so blind as not to see that you thus not only prefer the Papists before us as much as a true Ministry before no Ministry and a true Church before no Church but hereby would deliver us up into their Hands If we dispute with them in the hearing of the People and confess that their Church is true and ours is not may not the People easily see that it 's better join with them than with us and would not you your self rather submit to a Mass Priest than to those whom you take for no Ministers at all If you say you would have us submit to neither but to the Episcopal yet 1. It follows nevértheless that the Papists of the two are to be preferred as true Ministers before them that are none 2. And if we dispute with the Papist which is the true Church and set against them only Eleven or Twelve for so many you reckon on English Bishops and if there be any Irish or Scotish with those of the Clergy that adhere to them Quality and Number considered whom the People know not where to find nor can
to cry out these Men are not Protestants at least in this see pag. 49. â—in these are Popish who contend for Succession of Ordinations Reply to Sect. 20. I see nothing to forbid me to say that these few frivolous Exceptions and the Name of Fallacies Sophisms c. is the Summ of your Opposition and how far you manifest your self to be free from Popery I leave to others to judge for I will not till I know you Except to Sect. 21. And here give me leave because there is a Mask of Christian Concord and Charity even to the embracing the Episcopal Party also pretended in this Union let me a little give you a taste of the Spirit of this Charity of theirs whether it be like the true genuine Christian Spirit and Love Besides the Charity he allows to Bishops which I have writ out unto you in my Second Page to which you may add that of pag. 74. The late Bishops even in the Judgment of all moderate Men that ever I spoke with did very many of them deserve to be put down and More reckons four Wren Land c. but come we to the Charity he allows Episcopal Divines as he calls them Reply to Sect. 21. If by a Mask you intimate a dissembling Pretence he that better knows my Heart than you will be Judge between you and me concerning this but I dare not say that my Charity is of as high a Degree as theirs that have more of that Christian Grace But I bewail any Uncharitableness and beg Pardon of God and Man 2. But were found you any Mâ—â—k of Concord in my Book as with any Bishops but the Protestant Bishops and their Followers I never extended it to others Not that I have not Charity to them or wish not Concord with them but that it is impossible till they change their Minds And here I put it to your self and to all of your own way to tell me what you would have wished me and all the Ministers of our Association to have done for Concord with you and whether you will not confess it impossible till one party change their Minds for the preset Rulers will not have Episcopal Ordination nor allow any in the Publick Exercise of the Ministry but those that come in by meer Presbyters in your Esteem Many of the Ministers after earnest study and Prayer cannot be satisfied that Episcopacy is Iure â—ivino or lawful it is not in their power to change their own Judgments Till they do change them and procure Episcopal Ordination you will not take them for any Ministers at all no nor joyn in the Association least you be guilty of acknowledging them Ministers what means then have we left for Concord with such as you Only this Renounce your Ministry all must forbear Preaching and Baptizing and all Ministerial Duties all forsake the Congregations of Christ here and throughout England that are in the same case and then you will be at concord with us but what concord not as fellow Pastors that cannot be when we must first renounce that Office the meaning then of your desired Concord is this give up all your Offices and Churches to us and let us alone to have our way and do all and then we will have Concord with you as our people whilst you obey us Truly we have found you Predecessors step Fathers and hard Task-masters yet the Lord knows my heart that I take it far more easie incomparably and in itself desirable to such as I to be Ruled then to Rule to Obey then to Command so be it we be not commanded to sin against God and run into Hell But when we have all forsaken our Churches and Offices for peace with you is all the work done 1. How shall we do for peace with God and Conscience for over-running his work and starving Souls 2. How shall we bear the cryes of poor People for the Bread of Life 3. What shall God's Worship and our Congregations do Who shall supply our Places are there able faithful Men enough of your Way O that we could see them It is not two or three or ten in a Country that would serve turn If there be enough why did you permit so many drunken sottish Readers and so many hundred wicked Livers which the Church is not well rid of yet See the Centuries of those rejected in the Beginning while Mr. White was Chairman I never owned the casting out of any worthy or tollerable Man for Loyalty yet what Reproaches did he and others undergo for casting out such a pack of Swearers or Drunkards or Adulterers or the like is there no Concord to be had with you but by giving up our poor People to such as these again For my part I love Charity and Peace better than ever I did but Charity hath Eyes or is guided by Eyes I am not a Stranger in England I knew Multitudes of the old Episcopal Clergy that were ignorant or of wickedâ— Lives and the great Hinderances of the Salvation of their People when they should seek to save I knew but here and there one of them that was learned and godly serious Preachers Those Men I love and honour according to their Worth as much as any Men of any party These only did we desire Concord with as Ministers and alas if it be not to be had without forsaking all our Charges and giving up a whole Country to so few of these the Will of the Lord be done for I will never believe that this is his Will till you bring other Reasons for it then yet any of you all have publickly done And I warn all honest Episcopal Divines that they take heed of drawing your Guilt upon them and of concurring with Men of such dangerous Principles as you are your way to Concord must be like the Romanists the greatest Schismaticks on the Face of the Earth who cry up Unity Unity but themselves must be the Centre or it must be only in their Way and on their Terms They will unite with no Christians in all the World that are not of their Party for a Party they are though they will be called the Catholick Church and do not you go this way too far You will have Concord with none as Ministers but those of your own Party all the rest must be no Ministers with you nor their People take them for such Durst you whoever you are for I know you not be bound to answer for us and bear us out before God in Judgment if we should all give up our Places or preach no more durst you be bound upon pain of Damnation to your selves to save all our People from being condemned for it if they should all renounce and forsake us and all the Ministerial Worship of God which we perform and the Churches we guide Alas it is not your telling us that the Holy Saint Ignatius is lately vindicated that will satisfy our Consciences in a Case of this Moment even
that Power which they convey to others first in themselves to convey at least in ordinando pares but are only media applicandi legem ad personam Ad 3 um To your Third Argument I answer Invaders of the Ministerial Office may unjustly take Encouragement hence but no just Encouragement is given them The best things are Occasions of encouraging Men in Sin e. g. God's Mercifulness Christ's Satisfaction the Preaching of Free-Grace c. To your Question if this be sufficient why do we not give them the Right Hand of Fellowship I answer They despise or neglect God's Order and therefore deserve not the Hand of Fellowship If God bid them go and work in his Vineyard but for Order's sake go in at this Door he that will not go in at this Door is a disobedient Servant and not to be owned till he reform But if God himself do nail up this Door there needs no express Dispensation for our not going in at it for nemo tenetur ad impossibile nisi ipse sit Causa culpabilis impossibilitatis Nor is it necessary that it be expressed that we go in at another Door for the Command of going to labour in the Vineyard is not abrogated by the locking up of that Door seeing as it was opened non ut fiat opus directly sed ut sic fiat so it is nailed up non ne fiat sed ne sic fiat and therefore the Command requires us to go in at another If by Law every Physician that Practiceth in London must be approved by the Colledge he deserves to be punisht and not taken for a Physician that will profess and practice it without the Approbation of the Colledge and every wise Patient will fear least he be Conscious of such Unworthiness as that he dares not venture a Tryal or at the best he is a disobedient Subject But if the Colledge of Physicians be dead or dissolved any worthy Man may profess and practice without their Approbation and as the law of Nature binds him to do Good so the Obligation that limited him is ipso facto dissolved cessante materia where you say that this extream necessity is their Case I answer Nothing more untrue They slight and despise Ordination they may be ordained if they would submit themselves to tryal if they be found fit But they will not Their false Imaginations create no necessity but a necessity of laying them by and receiving the Truth which is imposed on them by God or if they will call it a Necessity that is imposed on them by their Error it is but a Necessity of not being ordained while they judge it sinful which yet is none because they are still bound to lay by that Conceit but not a Necessity of being Ministers in the mean time without it Besides that as it is a Necessity of Suspension 〈◊〉 Forbearance and not of Acting so it is themselves that are the culpable Cause 〈◊〉 it and exculpa propria nemini debetur commodum If Vaux think he must blow up the Parliament and Ravailliack that he must stab a King doth this necessitate them Such a Necessity as every wicked Man brings on himself of sinning by a Custom in Sin which aggravates and not excuseth his Fault which is evident when the Case is made plain by God and only their Negligence or sinful Prejudice hindereth them from Recovery out of their Error For the Grant that you desire I say I am loath to yield that Christ hath no known Ministry on Earth that I may keep out Invaders To your Case about Apostacy I answer There are many other Cases that may necessitate an Entrance into the Ministry without Ordination besides universal Apostacy 1. So great an Apostacy as was in the Arrian Prevalency 2. Such unlawful Ingredients as are in the Romish Ordination 3. The Death or the violent Proscription of the Ordainers in one Kingdom For if all that are found to work in the Vineyard to exercise the Ministry must but go to another Land for it Poverty Weakness Magistrates Prohibition may so restrain them that not one of a Hundred could enter when God doth by the Churches Necessity call to it Much less could all the World travail for Ordaination to some Corner of the Earth As for the Churches Officers which you mention that went along in Reformation it 's true of Presbyters they were the Leaders but so few Bishops out of England that the Reformed Churches were forced to go on without their Ordination But to this Day there is a necessity of Preaching without Ordination by legitimate Church Guides in many Parts of the World and I doubt not but it is the great Sin of many that it is neglected I suppose did you consider well but the Sence of the Law Natural and Supernaturally revealed you would not be so inclinable to turn Seeker nor to expect new Miracles Apostles or Revelations upon the Supposition you make and for all your Words if it came to the Practice I do not believe that you have so hard a Heart so unmerciful a Nature as to leave this one Nation much less all the World to that apparent danger of Everlasting Damnation and God's publick Worship to be utterly cast out if I can but prove that the Succession of Legitimate Church Ordination is interrupted Ad 4 um To your Fourth Argument I answer I am as far from believing Imposition of Hands essential to Ordination as any of the rest The Bishop that was last save one in this Diocess was so lame of the Gout that he could not move his Hand to ones Head and though his Chaplain did his best to help him yet I could not well tell whether I might call it Imposition of Hands when I saw it Yet I never heard any on that Ground suspect a nullity in his Ordination Nor do I think that a Bishop loseth all his Power of Ordination if he loss his Hands or the Motion of them 1. Imposition of Hands was an old Custom in a Superiors Act of Benediction or setting a part to Office and conveying Power and not newly instituted by Christ but continued as a well known Sign and therefore not of such Necessity as you imagin 2. The End will shew much the degree of Necessity If it be evident that the End was but the Solemnizing of the Work by a convenient Ceremony then it is not essential to Ordination or Authorizing But c. Ergo 3. God did not lay such a stress on Ceremonies no not under the Ceremonial Law no not on the great initiating Sign and Seal of Circumcision without which Men were entered and continued in his Church for Forty Years in the Wilderness Your Argument is Christ hath revealed to his Church that it is his Mind or Will that his Church's Officers be set apart by Imposition of Hands Ergo It followeth that Imposition of Hands is necessary and essential to their Seperation Answ. Negatur sequela It follows a praecepto only
fittest manner and Season of your coming off Therefore it seems to me your Duty freely lovingly compassionately to communicate your Reasons to your Auditors if they can prove them unsound which I am sure they cannot in the main then yield to them if they cannot then beg their Pardon for misguiding them and beseech them to return not to any Sin against God but to the Love of the Saints and the Unity of the universal Body of Christ and the Communion of Brethren 3. To return to Mr. I. Goodwin's Church again I dare not dissuade you or advise you but I would not do it if I liv'd in another Parish where I could have Lawful Communion yea or if I could live in such a Parish I would not be a Member of a Church gathered out of many Parishes in such a Place as London Co-habitation is in Nature and Scripture Example made the necessary Disposition of the Materials of a Church 4. My Thoughts still are that you should Preach the Gospel in some Congregation most suitable to you But I am very glad that you give me the Reasons of your Trouble for it is a sad kind of Work for you or another to plead against Troubles in the dark which a Man can give no Reason for 1. Your First I need say nothing to If you had ever had a Temptation to thrust in a wrong Motive into a good Cause it neither proves the Cause bad else all our Preaching were too bad or your Heart bad as you see your Sin I hope you see your sufficient Remedy 2. The Second is carnal to resist so great a Truth and Duty lest good People be displeased what are they your God God must be enough for you if ever you will have enough and it must satisfie you that he is pleased if ever you will be satisfied Tell those Christians you will not cease to Love them by Loving more nor cease any due Communion with them by having Communion with more Keep in with them by Love and Correspondency even whether they will or no even when you have left their Separation Do not reproach them when you leave them but enjoy the Good of their Communion still as you have Opportunity God's House hath many Mansions if your Friends think that their Closet is all the House convince them of their Mistake and confine your self to that Closet no longer but yet renounce it not it may be a part though sinfully divided though it be not the whole 3. The way that you are called to is God's High way and though the Churches have many in them that are dead yet have they with them as many living Members as yours and many more if these parts may be Witnesses I would not be a Member of that Church willingly that is composed of none but not able Christians though I most Love the best and delight most in their Fellowship and wish that all were such yet when I see a Church so gathered I easily find it is a wrong Constitution and not according to the Mind of Christ. I will never join with them that will have but one Form in Christ's School I would have the A B C there taught as well as the profoundest Mysteries 'T is no Sign of the Family of God to have no Children what if I said Infants in it but strong Men only Nor of the Hospital of Christ to have none Sick nor of his Net to have no Fish but Good nor of his Field to have no Tares Flesh and Blood hath ticed me oft to Separation for Ease but it s too easy a way to be of God I undergo another kind of Life you are extreamly mistaken if you think that you are put on so much Duty and Self-denial by many Degrees among your Hundred Professors as we must undergo Your Work is Idleness to ours how then is yours the streighter way 4. For Riches and gay Apparel you may help to cure Excess where you find it What! a Physician fly because his Patients are Sick O that we had no sorer Diseases to encounter than fine Cloaths If you were with me I could tell you quickly where to find Forty Families of humble godly Christians that are as bare and Poor as you would Wish and need as much as you can give them or procure them that scarce lose a Day 's Work by Sickness but the Church must maintain them And I could send you to Sixty Families that are as poor and yet so Ignorant as more to need your spiritual Help When they have sat by me to be instructed in my Chamber they sometimes leave the Lice so plentifull that we are stored with them for a competent space of time Never keep in a Separated Church to avoid Riches and fine Cloaths and for fear lest you cannot meet with the Poor I warrant you a Cure of that Melancholy Fear in most places in England 5. The next is the great Block 1. If you gather out the choicest Members that should help the rest and then complain of Parishes when you have marr'd them you do not justly 2. If you will not do your Duty in a Parish because some Ministers do not theirs your excuse is frivolous 3. If I durst have gathered a separated Church here I could have had one large and numerous enough or such as would allow me ease but I think Parish Work the best We here agree on these Four Heads 1. To teach all In which Work in my Parish I could find Work for Ten Ministers if I could maintain them 2. To admit none as adult Members without a personal credible Profession of Faith and Holiness of which I refer you to my Treatise of Confirmation 3. To exercise Discipline with these 4. To hold Communion of Churches by Associations and Assemblies of the Officers And I bless God I find not my Parish such a dead Body as you speak of Among Eight Hundred Families Six Hundred Persons are Church-Members I hope there is not very many of these without such a Profession as giveth us good Hopes of their Sincerity and none whose Profession I am able any way to disprove and this satisfieth me as God's Way and many I hope Scores there be of those that join not with us on divers Accounts that I hope fear God If you have Charity to judge that our Parishes have Christians you may have Charity to judge that they have Life and some fit for Communion How tender is Christ of his weakest Members and shall not I imitate him yea shall I judge them that am so bad my self and pluck them from his Arms that designeth it as his highest Honour to be admired and glorified in the freeness and fulness of his Grace and Love to the Unworthy 6. Your Followers Souls are by you endangered while you leave them in their Sin will it endanger them to tell them of that Danger and help them out What! to lead Men to Holy Love and Unity with the Catholick
you so far as Christ appeareth in them let them have your special Love The Despondencies you mention are unreasonable Will you conclude you cannot suffer before you are called to Suffering Deny the Baits of fleshly Pleasure vain Glory and worldly Gain and live sincerely to God in your Prosperity and I dare say you may boldly expect his confirming sustaining Grace if he call you to Adversity I had almost said that with most Men it requireth greater Grace to overcome the Temptations of Prosperity and to contemn a flattering World for Christ than to die for him At least the one will prove you possessed with his Spirit and an Heir of Promise as well as the other And therefore the Spirit and Promise that enable you now to live to God would enable you to die for him if he required it Look you to your present Work and trust God for Strength for what he calls you to If my Advice be worth your regard it 's this 1. That you do as you have done offer Communion to other Churches but forbear yet a while to join your self as a Member to any 2. That if you like the Proposals I shall send and Mr. Goodwin like them you both with him do signifie so much and I will take some course that they may be the Introduction to a more general Agreement 3. And that at the time when we publish such Agreement you and your Fellow-labourer join in publishing your Reasons for Catholick Communion For I thank him he hath communicated his and yours set together will give much Evidence in the Cause But I must a little while crave your Patience before I send my Papers by reason of a Crowd of pressing Businesses But the Sweetness of the work will draw me from all wilful Delays Your Brother also I perceive is not yet ready for my Proposals I rest Your unworthy Fellow Servant Rich. Baxter To Mr. Lambe Jan. 22. 1658. Numb IV. Letters and Papers between Mr. Baxter and Mr. Allen. Dear Brother I Bless the Lord for the great Consolation I had in the perusal of your Papers All the Motions and Operations of Holy Love are lovely That is the way of God hat is the way of Love and that to be much suspected that quencheth it What is so much predicated through all the Gospel Above all other ways what a mellow sweetness doth the way of Love communicate to all the Duties and Conversings of those that are abounding in this Grace And it is the Manhood and Maturity of Christianity The Infancy of the Law had less of it than the full Age of the Gospel And young Christians usually are like young Fruit austere and unpleasant whom Age and Holy Experience must mellow by the growth of Love produced by the Sun-shine of Heavenly Love I had thought to have presently returned you my Answer to your Reasons about Infant Baptism but when I had read your other Papers I could not find in my Heart least Disputing should in any Measure abate in the Love that God was kindling Yet shortly if I can find the least leisure I shall give you a few Words to them if God will when that which hath a shew of contending will be more seasonable Your Arguments for Communion are very weighty My next Work to these Ends shall be to persuade some godly Ministers that differ from you to a more charitable Iudgment and walking towards them of your Opinion and if I live so long to persuade our Parliament Men against excessive Rigour and Bitterness against them Do you do the like with those of your way If Love reign in us it must command our Tongues to plead its Cause and to endeavour the promoting of it in the World And when Love shall Reign among the Nations the Lord shall Reign in a way of Love And this is the way to those glorious Times that some expect by other Ways And as the abounding of Iniquity and the cooling of Love are coupled by Christ as Cause and Effect so will the abounding of Love and the decay of Iniquity be conjoined The God of Love carry on this blessed Work in our frozen Souls and in all the Churches by keeping us under the Light of his Countenance and the the Sunshine of his most glorious Love I remain Your Brother Rich. Baxter To Mr. William Allen. Jan. 7. 1658. The Case of Separation Quest. 1. WHether Particular Churches be of Divine Institution Answ. Yea that is Christians associated for Personal Communion in Doctrine Worship and Discipline under the same Pastors one or more are a Church of Divine Institution Proved Act. 14. 23. Titus 1. 5. 1 Tim. Phil. 1. 1 2. 1 Thes. 5. 16 17. Heb. 15. 17. 24. and many other Texts Quest. 2. Whether the Parish Assemblies are such Answ. Parish-Assemblies are not of one sort some are not such that is Parish Assemblies which deny the Essentials of Christianity and are Hereticks or deny Church Essentials or that have no Pastors or such as want some Essentials of the Office as visible to Man's Judgment But Parish Assemblies are true particular Churches who profess the Essentials of Christianity and of Churches and have Pastors who visibly want not any thing essential to their Office though otherwise faulty 2. Churches are called true 1. In point of Essence as aforesaid 2. In point of Soundness and Integrity as a sick Man or a maimed Man or a Thief is a true Man in Essence but not in Soundness in Integrity and Honesty The Parish Churches as constituted by our Laws Articles Ordination and Canons are true Churches as to Essence but not without some Wants and Diseases that need a cure 3. Churches may be called True 1. In their Constitutions Or 2. In their Administration Ours in England as afore described are true in their Constitution But in the Administration some are excellent some are laudable some are tolerable and perhaps some have Ministers intolerable as the Parsons differ 4. The Society called the Church of England hath Pastors of several Minds most I hope hold all that is Essential to Christianity Ministry and Communion But some late Innovators and Corruptors seem to deny somewhat Essential to particular Churches and Ministry but these impeach no Mens Ministry but their own against these I wrote in my Treaties of Episcopacy 5. Distinguish between the Office as instituted by Christ and owned by the Church of England and the Exercise of the Office as restrained and hindred by Canons and by Laws the Parish Ministers and Churches are true Ministers and Churches as described by Ordination and the Church Doctrine but many Canons and some Laws dolefully fetter them and hinder the Exercise of their Office on pretence of governing them but neither do nor can destroy the Essence of the Office it self The Ministers have all essential Qualifications and the Consent of the People though not the first Choice and the People are professed Christians 6. A Parish and a Parish-Church are not
Conformists and Nonconformists The Episcopal Conformists are of Two Sorts some lately sprung up that follow Archbishop Laud and Dr. Hammond hold that there are no Political Churches lower than Diocesan because there are no Bishops under them and so that the Parish-Churches are no Churches properly but part of Churches nor the Incumbants true Bishops but Curates under Bishops nor the Foreigners true Ministers or Churches that have no Diocesan Bishops This Party called themselves the Church of England 1658 1659. When we knew but of Four or Five Bishops left alive who Dr. Hammond said with that Party of the Clergy were of his Mind And these seemed uppermost in 1660 and 1661. and were the men whom I disputed with in my Treatise of Episcopacy The other Episcopal Conformists are they that follow the Reformers and hold the Doctrine of the Scripture as only sufficient to Salvation and as explicatory of it the Thirty Nine Articles the Homilies Liturgy Book of Ordination Apology c. These take the Parish-Pastors for true Rectors and the Parish-Churches for true Churches but subordinate to the Diocesans and to be ruled by them But the Laws have imposed on them some Declarations and Subscriptions which they think they may put a good Sense on though by stretching the Words from their usual Signification The Bishops and Deans are chosen by the King indeed and by the Prebends in shew The Incumbant are chosen by Patrons ordained by Diocesans with Presbyters and accepted by Consent of the Communicants of the Parish The Episcopal Government is managed partly by the Bishops and partly by Lay-Civilians and Surrogates The Episcopal Nonconformists are for true Parish-Churches and Ministers reformed without swearing promising declaring or subscribing to any but sure clear necessary things desiring that the Scripture may be their Canons disowning all persecuting Canons taking the capable in each Parish for the Communicant and Church and the rest for Hearers and Catechized Persons desiring that the Magistrate be Judge whom he will maintain approve and tolerate and the Ordainers Judges whom they will ordain and the People be free Consenters to whose Pastoral Care they will trust their Souls desiring that every Presbyter be an Overseer of the Flock and every Church that hath many Elders have one Incumbent President for Unity and Order and that Godly Diocesans may without the Sword or Force have the Oversight of many Ministers and Churches and all these be confederate and under the Government of a Christian King but under no Foreign Jurisdiction though in as much Concord as is possible with all the Christian World And they would have the Keys of Excommunication and Absolution taken out of the Hands of Lay-Men Chancellors or Lay Brethren and the Diocesans to judge in the Synods of the Presbyters in Cases above Parochial Power That this was the Judgment of the Nonconformists that treated for Peace in 1660. and 1661. is to be seen in their printed Proposals in which they desired Archbishop Usher's Model of the Primitive Episcopacy joined with the Synods of Presbyters II. The Presbyterians are for Parish-Churches as aforesaid guided by Elders some teaching and some only ruling and these under Synods of the like Class without Diocesan or Parochial Superiors and all under a National Assembly of the same as the Supreme Church Power III. The Independants are for every Congregation to have all Church Power in it self without any superior Church-Government over them whether Bishops or Synods yet owning Synods for voluntary Concord Of these some are against local Communion with the aforesaid Churches and for avoiding them by Separation some as if they were no Churches and had no true Ministers some for Forms of Prayer some for faulty Communicants some for Episcopal Ordination and some for subscibing and some for all these and many other pretended Reasons But some Independants are for occasional Communion with the other Churches and some also for stated Communion in the Parish-Churches for which you may read Mr. Tomes's the chief of the Anabaptists in a full Treatise and Dr. Thomas Goodwin on the first of the Ephesians earnest against Separation as the old Nonconformists were Now which of all these should you join with I affirm that all these except the Separatists are parts of the Church of England as it is truly essentiated by a Christian Magistracy and confederate Christian particular Churches All are not equally sound and pure but all are parts of the Church of England Liturgies and Ceremonies and Canons and Chancellors are not essential to it as a Church or Christian Kingdom But it is now a Medly less concordant than is desirable but you are not put upon any such Disputes whether you will call the present Church of England Roman as denominated from the King that is the Head or whether you will say that King and Parliament conjunct are that Head and so it is yet Protestant because the Laws are so or whether you will denominate it materially Protestant because the Clergy and Flocks are so your Doubt is only what Congregation to join with I answer That which all your Circumstances set together make it most convenient to the publick good and your own Though I hold not Ministerial Conformity lawful I take Lay-Communion in any of these except the Separatists to be lawful to some Persons whose case maketh it fittest But I judge it unlawful for you to confine your Communion to any one of them so as to refuse occasional Communion with all save them 1. The Parish-Churches have the Advantage of Authority Order and Confederacy and the Protestant Interest is chiefly cast upon them therefore I will not separate from Lay-Communion with them though they need much Reformation 2. You must not go against your Father's Will no nor divide the Family without necessity The same I say of your Husband when you are married 3. The Nonconforming Episcopal and Presbyterians have not such Churches as they desire but only temporarily keep Meetings like to Chappels as Assistants to others till Parishes are reformed 4. I think it a stated sinful Schism to fix as a Member of such a Church and Pastor as is of the Principles of the Writing which you shewed me I. Because they grievously slander the Parish-Churches and Ministers as none and their Worship and Government as far worse than it is II. Because they Renounce local Communion with almost all the Body or Church of Christ on Earth by renouncing it on a Reason common to almost all III. Because they separate from such Churches as Christ and his Apostles joined with and so seem to condemn Christ and his Apostles as Sinners Christ ordinarily joined with the Iews Church in Synagogues and Temple-Offices when the High-Priest bought the Place of Heathens and the Priests Pharisees and Rulers were wicked Persecutors and the Sadduces Hereticks or worse he sent Iudas as an Apostle when he knew him to be a Theif or a Devil The Apostles neither separated nor allowed Separation from
lived at Kidderminster some had defamed me of a covetous getting many hundred pounds by the Booksellers I had till then taken of Mr. Underhill Mr. Tyton and Mr. Symmons for all save the Saints Rest the fifteenth Book which usually I gave away but if any thing for Second Impressions were due I had little in Money from them but in such Books as I wanted at their Rates But when this Report of my great Gain came abroad and took notice of it in print and told the World that I intended to take more hereafter and ever since I took the fifteenth Book for my Friends and self and Eighteen pence more for every Rheam of the other fourteen which I destinated to the Poor With this while I was at Kidderminster I bought Bibles to give to all the poor Families And I got Three hundred or Four hundred pounds which I destinated all to Charitable Uses At last at London it increased to Eight hundred and thirty pounds which delivering to a worthy Friend he put it into the Hands of Sir Robert Viner with an Hundred pounds of my Wives where it lyeth setled on a Charitable Use after my Death as from the first I resolved If it fails I cannot help it I never received more of any Bookseller than the fifteenth Book and this Eighteen pence a Rheam And if for after Impressions I had more of those Fifteenths than I gave away I took about two third parts of the common price of the Bookseller or little more and oft less And sometimes I paid my self for the printing many Hundreds to give away and sometimes I bought them of the Bookseller above my number and and sometimes the Gain was my own necessary Maintenance but I resolved never to lay up a Groat of it for any but the Poor Now Sir my own Condition is this Of my Patrimony or small Inheritance never took a Penny to my self my poor Kindred needing much more I am fifteen or 16 years divested of all Ecclesiastical Maintenance I never had any Church or Lecture that I received Wages from But within these three or four years much against my Disposition I am put to take Money of the Bounty of special particular Friends my Wives Estate being never my Propriety nor much more that half our yearly Expence If then it be any way unfit for me to receive such a Proportion as aforesaid as the Fruit of my own long and hard Labour for my Necessary and Charitable Uses and if they that never took pains for it have more right than I when every Labourer is Master of his own or if I may not take some part with them I know not the reason of any of this Men grudge not at a Cobler or a Tailor or any Day-labourer for living on his Labours And why an ejected Minister of Christ giving freely five parts to a Bookseller may not take the sixth to himself or to the Poor I know not But what is the Thought or Word of Man Dr. Bates now tells me that for his Book called the Divine Harmony he had above an Hundred pounds yet reserving the Power for the future to himself For divers Impressions of the Saints Rest almost twice as big I have not had a Farthing For no Book have I had more than the fifteenth Book to my self and Friends and the Eighteen pence a Rheam for the Poor and Works of Charity which the Devil so hateth that I find it a matter past my power to give my own to any Good Use he so robs me of it or maketh Men call it a Scandalous Thing Verily since I devoted all to God I have found it harder to Give it when I do my best than to get it Though I submit of late to him partly upon Charity and am so far from laying up a Groat that though I hate Debt I am long in Debt c. c. c. SIR Yours R. B. Numb VIII The general defence of my Accused Writings called Seditious and Schismatical 1. MAtter of Right cannot be determined without foreknowing the following Matter of Fact I. There is an Enmity and War through all the Earth between Christ and Satan Christ and his Soldiers strive for Light Love and Mercy or Beneficence Satan fighteth for Darkness against Light and for Harred against Love and for Hurting and Destroying against Mercy and Good Works All Christians in Baptism are Vowed and Listed in this Warfare to Christ against Satan All Ministers are vowed in their Ordination to be Leaders in Christ's Army and to preach the Gospel according to the Holy Scriptures In all Ages and Nations Satan hath wofully prevailed against this Light Love and Mercy by hindering Preachers partly by Persecution and mostly by Corrupting them Till Christ came as the Light of the World the Darkness of Ignorance and Idolatry overspread the Earth Three hundred years all Princes were against the Gospel when Constantine owned it the rest of the Empires of the World long resisted and to this day all that receive it are but a sixth part of the World And in the Christian Empire and Churches the erroneous and corrupt Princes and Bishops took up Satan's Silenceing Work Constantius and Valens and the Arrian Bishops almost extinguished the Orthodox Light The Gothes did the like The Macedonians Nâ—storians Eutychians and the Parties for and against the Council of Ephesus of 〈◊〉 the â—ria Capitula the Monâ—thelites the Adoration and Use of â—mages and the Councils for and against Photius and Ignatius c. left but few Bishops of Note in the Eastern Empire that were not by turns Condemned and Deposed by the contrary side when it was upper most The Pope himself was an hundred years at once renounced by a great part of Italy II. But the corrupt sort of Popes out did all others They Silenced the Christians that reproved their Crimes and murdered say Historians above a Million calling them Hereticks Hunnericus and the Gothish Arrians had before kill'd many and cut the Tongues of some that after spake by miracle but the Pope made more general Desolation In the Wars between many Emperours and Popes Bishops that were for the Emperours were damned as Henrician Hereticks and decreed by Councils to be burnt when dead General Councils decreed to Excommunicate and Depose all Temporal Lords that would not Exterminate as Hereticks all that were against Transubstantiation and such like Divers Popes did so notoriously do Satan's Work that they interdicted the Preaching of the Gospel and all Publick Worship of God to England France and other whole Nations for a Quarrel with the King Robert Grosthead the holy Bishop of Lincoln wrote to Innocent the Fourth That the hindering of the preaching of the Gospel was next the Sin of Lucifer and Antichrist the greatest in the World and not to be obeyed by any Christian whoever commanded it As Reforming Light arose Papal Silenceing and Cruelty increased till Inquisitions Flames Massacres in Spain Low-Countries Bohemia Germany France
fear God to obey Men in doing what they think God forbiddeth and leaving undone what they think he commandeth 3. Or else to punish those that will not do this to utter Disablement Extirpation or Death The two first ways I was sure would never prevail And I knew that the third would cost so dear as that no Ceremonies Forms or unnecessary Oaths or Covenants would finally bear the Charges of it The Blood of the faithful is of hard digestion and Iudas his Conscience hath an awakening Day when his Companions in Guilt will cast him off And God essemeth such Blood precious And when the Jobb is done by it it leaveth an Everlasting Odium on the Doers and Shame upon their Cause And their own Successors disown it and say If we had lived in the days of our Fathers we would not have been Partakers with them in this Blood And they build their Sepulchres whom their Fathers slew and Saint them that were despised as Martin c. And the Moderate must come after to heal all by crying Shame on the Cruelty of their Predecessors as Salvian Clemangis Erasmus Espencaeus Cassander Grotius and such others do and say as Tertullian Solitudinem faciunt pacem vocant But the final Reckoning will pay for all Some say We and other Countries have lived in Peace on the Terms that you call impossible Answ. It 's true of some kind of Peace So they do in Spain Italy Turky Moscovy c. keep Men so ignorant that they shall not know Duty from Sin nor trouble their Heads about God's Law and in Satan's Darkness you may keep Men in his Peace and they will venture their Souls on the Opinion of them that can hurt their Bodies But when Christ battereth this Garrison of Satan he breaks this Peace And I knew that in England many score Thousands would never return to this ignorant Peace XIX As I was sure that there was no hopes of Peace in any but the way of plain Christianity so I found that all the wisest and famoustest Lights of the Church and greatest Peace-makers had still been of the same mind The Primitive Churches for Three hundred years did lay their Unity on this ground and by Degrees Divisions grew up as needless Impositions grew Nazianzen Hillary Vincentius Lerin c. and since Erasmus Ferus Cassender Grotius Acontius Bergius Iunius Usher Hall Daâ—â—enant Chillingworth Hales c. go all this necessary way And when my dearest Friend the Lord Chief Justice Hale was not far from death I wrote to him to leave his Judgment in Writing to the World of the true way to Heal our present Breaches And he left for me to that use three small Tractates before written which I published shewing that all our Divisions and Calamities come by making that to seem part of Religion which is none and that to be necessary which is not so XX. But lest any racked words of mine should be interpreted to be for Sedition or Schism these being the things that my Soul abhorreth I wrote near Twenty Books almost wholly against Schism and Sedition and all the Principles and Reasonings that favour them on all Extreams I was discouraged a while to find that the Stream of Philosophies Politicks Canonists Casuists Papists and Protestants and the greatest Lawyers that I could meet with agreed that the People are the Fountain of Civil Power and give the Soveraign what he hath and many such Notions I feared to contradict such a stream as this But being satisfied I first confuted it in Harrington 1659. and then punctually in Richard Hooker though dedicated by a Bishop to the King and then in many others of all sorts And for Church-Concord no Man living hath written half so much as I. And now after all I am singled out as accused for that which I have written near Twenty Books purposely against and above an Hundred in which this Doctrine of Love Unity and Subjection hath it due part XXI The words which are misinterpreted as Seditious by feigning me to mean worse than I speak leave me and all Writers to the mercy of Mistakers which are most that have ignorance and ill-will I mean no more than I speak If other Men say that my words signifie more they thereby make them theirs and not mine God only is the Judge of secret Thoughts Humane Converse hath made these Rules of Exposition First That words be taken in the usual sence of Men that Treat on the Subject that they handle unless the Speaker otherwise expound them Secondly That the whole Scope and Context must expound particular words Thirdly That an odd strained word is not to be taken contrary to the Author's Declaration of his Judgment in many whole Copious Volumes such as I have written against Disloyalty and Schism XXII Almost all the most approved Writers speak far more sharply without Sedition The words of Nazianzen Eusebius Chrysostom Hillary Salvian and many Fathers the words of Petrarch Clemangis Alvarus Pelagius Erasmus Iansenius Glandav Grotius Iewel Bilson I am ready to cite far more sharply speaking of the Sins of Civil and Church Rulers than ever I did besides such as Gildas Grosthead c. XXIII By such Accusers measures I am condemnable if I say but the Lord's Prayer or the Common Prayer when I am commanded They may say that I accuse the Church when I say that we have left undone the things that we ought to have done and done the things that we ought not to have done and there is no health in us And that I mean Rulers when I say Deliver us from Evil and Forgive our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and turn their Hearts and From our Enemies defend us O Christ Graciously look upon our Afflictions That we thy Servants being hurt by no Persecution may evermore c. That God will defend us in all the Assaults of Our Enemies That the Evils which the Craft or Subtilty of the Devil or Man worketh against us be brought to nought If at the Sacrament a Minister say If any be a hinderer of God's Word Repent or come not to this Holy Table lest the Devil enter into you as he did into Iudas and fill you full of all Iniquities and bring you to Destruction of Body and Soul What Remedy have I if any will say that I mean Rulers by these words as Silencers and Persecutors Yea or when I read all the dreadful Passages against Persecutors in the Gospel There is bound up with our Bibles and Liturgies a Prayer for Families which saith Confound Satan and Antichrist with all Hirelings and Papists whom thou hast already cast off into a reprobate sense that they may not by Sects Schisms Heresies and Errours disquiet thy little Flock And because O Lord we be fall'n into the latter days and dangerous times wherein Ignorance hath got the upper hand and Satan by his Ministers seeks by all means to quench the Light of thy Gospel we beseech thee to maintain thy
cast such abundance of them into sickness and kill'd so many as greatly weakened many Divers of the most forward Gentlemen of the Countrey there lost their Lives And thus we have taught an Enemy how to undoe us if he can but force us to keep our Inland-Soldiers who are not used to that Air about the mouth of the Thames their bodies are no more able to endure it than if it were the mortallest of our Foreign plantations § 53. But the great stir of these Times was about Money The Parliament said that never had the like summs been laid on the subjects of this Land and that the old way of payments by five or six subsidies at a time was such a trisle in Comparison of this as that it would be scarce observable After many vast sums granted by way of Land-Taxes Royal Aid Poll-money c. there was fetled for continuance the Chimney-money and several Excises and the Customs and the Wine-Tax for a limited Time c. But all was so much too little that more was still needed and demanded The Countrey-people cried out We are undone The Tenants at Will did so many of them give up their Farms that the Gentlemen cried out If we have any more Land-Taxes we are undone What the People said of the Parliament and what of the Court and what of the Bishops and what of the Women I shall not write But Losers and sufferers will take leave to talk But the Parliament grew more urgent to have an account of the moneys as not believing that it was possible fairly to expend so much The Persons that were made a Committee for examining Accounts were very eminent for Ability and Impartiality and sincerity Mr. William Pierpoint the Lord Bruerton Col. Thompson and abundance more They laid the great blame on Sir Geo. Carteret Treasurer for the Navy◠He was accused deeply in the House of Commons He excused himself by laying much on the King's Privy-seals The Parliament said that those Moneys were not to have been laid out on private Uses After long time the King and Council called the Lord Bruerton Col. Thomson and some others and sharply rebuked them as injurious Persons and such as sought to discontent the Parliament and make Differences c. And His Majesty undertook the Decision of the Business and acquitted Sir George Carteret and the Parliament grudged but acquiesced § 54. When the Chancellour was banished Sir Orlando Bridgman was made Lord Keeper a Man that by his seeming moderation to the Nonconformists though a zealous Patron of Prelacy got himself a good Name for a time and at first whilst the D. of Buckingham kept up the Cry for Liberty of Conscience he seemed to comply with that Design to the great displeasure of the Ruling Prelates But when he saw that that Game would not go on he turned as zealous the other way and now wholly serveth the Prelatical Interest but is not much valued by either side but taken for an uncertain timerous man High Places great Businesses and Difficulties do so try Mens Abilities and their Morals that many who in a low or middle station obtained and kept up a great Name do quickly lose it and grow despised and reproached Persons when Exaltation and Trial hath made them known Besides that as in prosperous times the Chief State Ministers are praised so in evil and suffering times they bear the blame of what is amiss § 55. About this time the E. of S a Papist having a very fair Wife Daughter to the E. of C. a Papist also with whom lived Mr. Iohnson alias Terret the Disputing Champion for Popery she liked other men so much better than her Husband that she forsook him and kept her self secret from his knowledg But he believing that the Duke of Buckingham kept her secretly was not content to lose his Wife but he would also lose his Life And sending the Duke of Buckingham a Challenge they met and fought the Duke having Capt. Holmes and Ienkins with him and the Earl of Shrewsbury Bernond Howard and another Where Howard kill'd Ienkins and the Duke wounded the Earl of which wounds he dyed And the King pardoned the Duke but strickly prohibited Duels for the future The Duke also and the Marquess of Dorcester had a skuffle at boxing in an open Committee of Parliament § 56. When the D. of Buckhingham came first into this high favour he was looked on as the chief Minister of state instead of the Chancellor and shewed himself openly for Toleration or Liberty for all parties in matters of God's worship And then others also seemed to look that way as thinking that the King was for it Whereupon those that were most against it grew into seeming discontent The Bp. of Winchester Morley was put out of his place of Dean of the Chappel and Bp. Crofts of Hereford who seemed then to be for moderation was put into the place But it was not long till Crofts was either discouraged or as some said upon the Death of a Daughter for grief did leave his place and the Court And the Bp. of Oxford was brought into his place and Dr. Crew the son of that wise and pious Man the Lord Crew was made Clerk of the Closet § 57. At the same time the Ministers of London who had ventured to keep open Meetings in their houses and preached to great Numbers contrary to the Law were by the King's favour connived at So that the people went openly to hear them without fear Some imputed this to the King 's own inclination to liberty of Conscience some to the D. of Buckingham's prevalency some to the Papists Interest who were for liberty of Conscience for their own Interest But others thought that the Papists were really against Liberty of Conscience and did rather desire and design that utmost severities might ruine the Puritans and cause Discontents and Divisions among our selves till we had broken one another all into pieces and turned all into such Confusions as might advantage them to play a more successful Game than ever Toleration was like to be But whatever else was the secret cause It is evident that the great visible cause was the burning of London and the want of Churches for the people to meet in It being at the first a thing too gross to forbid an undone people all publick worshiping of God with too great rigour And if they had been so forbidden poverty had left them so little to lose as would have made them desperately go on Therefore some thought all this was to make Necessity seem a favour § 58. But whatever the cause of the Connivance was it is certain that the Countrey Ministers were so much encouraged by the boldness and liberty of those at London that they did the like in most parts of England and Crowds of the most Religiously inclined people were their hearers And some few got in a travelling way into Pulpits where they were not known and the next day
his doing and to prove it told me all the Story before mentioned that such a Letter he received from Wolverhampton and being treasonable he was fain to acquaint the King with it And when he saw my Meeting mentioned in the Letter he examined him about them and he could not deny but they were very numerous and the King against his Will sent him to the Bishop of London to see it supprest I told him that I came not now to expostulate or express any Offence but to endeavour that we might part in Love And that I had taken that way for his assistance and his People's good which was agreeable to my Judgment and now he was trying that which was according to his Judgment and which would prove the better the end will shew He expostulated with me for not receiving the Sacrament with him and offered me any Service of his which I desired and I told him I desired nothing of him but to do his People good and to guide them faithfully as might tend to their Salvation and his own and so we parted § 118. As I went to Prison I called of Serjeant Fountain my special Friend to take his Advice for I would not be so injurious to Judge Hale And he perused my â—ittimus and in short advised me to seek for a Habeas Corpus yet not in the usual Court the King's-Bench for reasons known to all that know the Judges nor yet in the Exchequer lest his Kindness to me should be an Injury to Judge Hale and so to the Kingdom and the Power of that Court therein is questioned but at the Common-Pleas which he said might grant it though it be not usual § 119. But my greatest doubt was whether the King would not take it ill that I rather sought to the Law than unto him or if I sought any release rather than continued in Prison My Imprisonment was at present no great Suffering to me for I had an honest Jaylor who shewed me all the Kindness he could I had a large room and the liberty of walking in a fair Garden and my Wife was never so chearful a Companion to me as in Prison and was very much against my seeking to be released and she had brought so many Necessaries that we kept House as contentedly and comfortably as at home though in a narrower room aad I had the sight of more of my Friends in a day than I had at home in half a Year And I knew that if I got out against their Will my sufferings would be never the nearer to an end But yet on the other side 1. It was in the extreamest heat of Summer when London was wont to have Epidemical diseases And the hope of my dying in Prison I have reason to think was one great inducement to some of the Instruments to move to what they did 2. And my Chamber being over the Gate which was knockt and opened with noise of Prisoners just under me almost every Night I had little hope of sleeping but by day which would have been likely to have quickly broken my strength which was so little as that I did but live 3. And the number of Visiters by day did put me out of hope of Studying or doing any thing but entertain them 4. And I had neither leave at any time to go out of Doors much less to Church on the Lord's Days nor on that Day to have any come to me nor to Preach to any but my Family Upon all these Considerations the advice of some was that I should Petition the King but to that I was averse 1. Because I was indifferent almost whether I came out or not and I was loth either to seem more afflicted or impatient than I was or to beg for nothing 2. I had avoided the Court and the Converse of all great Men so many years on purpose that I was loth to creep to them now for nothing 3. And I expected but to be put upon some promise which I could not make or to be rejected 4. I had so many great Men at Court who had profest extraordinary Kindness to me tho' I was never beholden to one Man of them all for more than Words that I knew if it were to be done they would do it without my seeking And my Counsellor Serjeant Fountain advised me not to seek to them nor yet refuse their Favour if they offered it but to be wholly passive as to the Court but to seek my Freedom by Law because of my great weakness and the probability of future Peril to my Life And this Counsel I followed § 120. The Earl of Orery I heard did earnesty and speedily speak to the King how much my Imprisonment was to his dis-service The Earl of Manchester could do little but by the Lord Arlington who with the Duke of Buckingham seemed much concerned in it But the Earl of Lauder dale who would have been forwardest had he known the King's mind to be otherwise said nothing And so all my great Friends did me not the least Service but made a talk of it with no Fruit at all And the moderate honest Part of the Episcopal Clergy were much offended and said I was chosen out designedly to make them all odious to the People But Sir Iohn Babor often visiting me assured me That he had spoken to the King about it and when all had done their best he was not willing to be seen to relaxe the Law and discourage Justices in executing it c. but he would not be offended if I sought my Remedy at Law which most thought would come to nothing § 121. Whilst I was thus unresolved which way to take Sir Iohn Babor desiring a Narrative of my Case I gave him one which he shewed the Lord Arlington which I will here insert and I will joyn with it two other Scripts one which I gave as Reasons to prove That the Act against Conventicles forbad not my Preaching Another which I gave all my Counsellors when they were to plead my Cause about the Error of the Mittimus § 122 The Narrative of my Case The Oath cannot be imposed on me by the Act. First Because I never kept any Conventicle or Unlawful Assembly proved 1. By Conventicles and Unlawful Assemblies for Religious Exercises the Laws do mean only the Meetings of Recusants Separatists or such as Communicate not with the Church of England or such Assemblies as are held in opposition to the Church-Assemblies and not such as are held only by the Conformable Members of the Church in meer Subordination to the Church-Assemblies to promote them But all Meetings which I have held are only of this latter sort The former Proposition is thus proved 1. The Canons give the Sense of the Word Conventicles for it is a Church-Term about Church-Matters But the Canons mention but two sorts of Conventicles one of Presbyters when they meet to make Orders or Canons for Church-Discipline the other of People who meet
under the Profession of being a Church distinct from the Church of England and neither of these is my Case 2. The Statute of the 35 of Eliz. expoundeth it accordingly charging none of Unlawful Assembling but such as Separate or Communicate not with the Church 3. There is no other Statute that saith otherwise 4. The Rubrick and Law alloweth Conformable Ministers to keep many Religious Assemblies which are not in the Church being but Subordinate as 1. At the Visitation of the Sick where no numbers of Neighbours are prohibited to be present Sermons at the Spittle Sturbridge-Faire c. 2. At private Baptisms 3. At private Communions where any Family hath an impotent Person that cannot Communicate at Church 4. At the Rogation Perambulations where it was usual to Feast at Houses in their way and there for the Minister to instruct the People and to Pray and sing Psalms 5. The Laborious sort of Conformable Ministers have many of them used to repent their Sermons to all that would Assemble at their Houses Which Repeating was as truly Preaching as if they had Preached the same Sermon in several Pulpits Therefore all Meetings besides Church-Meetings are not Conventicles nor those that are in Subordination to them 5. Even the late Expired Act against Conventicles forbiddeth no Religious Exercises but such as are otherwise than the Liturgy or Practice of the Church and distinguishing expresly between the Exercises and the Numbers doth forbid no number when the Exercises are not otherwise as aforesaid tolerating even unlawful Exercises to the number of Four but not to more The Second Proposition That my Meetings were never Unlawful Conventicles is proved 1. I do constantly joyn with the Church in Common Prayer and go at the beginning 2. I Communicate in the Lord's Supper with the Church of England 3. I am no Nonconformist in the Sense of the Law because I Conform as far as the Law requireth me having been in no Ecclesiastical Promotion May 1. 1662. the Law requireth me not to subscribe declare c. till I take a Cure or Lecture c. 4. I sometimes repeat to the Hearers the Sermon which I heard in the Church 5. I exhort the People to Church-Communion and urge them with sufficient Arguments and Preach ordinarily against Separation and Schism and Sedition and Disloyalty 6. I have commanded my Servant to keep my Doors shut at the time of Publick Worship that none may be in my House that while 7. I go into the Church from my House in the Peoples sight that my Example as well as my Doctrine may persuade them 8. In all this I so far prevail that the Neighbours who hear me do commonly go to Church even to the Common-Prayer and I know not three or two of all the Parish that use to come to me who refuse it which success doth shew what it is I do 9. I have long offered the Pastor of the Parish the Dean of Windsor that if he would but tell me that it is his Judgment that I hinder his Success or the People's Good rather than help it I will remove out of the Parish which he never yet hath done 10. I have the Now-Arch-Bishop's License not reversed nor disabled to Preach in the Diocess of London which I may do by Law if I had a Church And I offered the Dean to give over my Meetings in my House if he would permit me to Preach without Hire sometimes occasionally in his Church which I am not disabled to do By all this it appeareth that any Meetings are not Unlawful Conventicles 11. And riotous they are not for my House being just before the Church Door the same Persons go out of the Church into my House and out of my House into the Church so that if one be riotous both must be so And I perform no Exercise at all contrary to the Doctrine or the Practice of the Church but when the Curate readeth only in the Evening and doth not Preach or Catechize when he hath done one part I do the other which he omitteth 2. The Oath cannot be imposed on me because I am none of the three sorts of Offenders there mentioned The first sort in the Act are such as have not Subscribed Declared and Conformed according to the Act of Uniformity and other Acts I am none of them because the Laws require it not of me being as aforesaid in no Church Promotion on May 1. 1662. The second sort are other Persons not Ordained according to the Order of the Church but I am so Ordained The third sort is School-Teachers which is not my Case though I have also a Liceâ—se to Teach School And that the two Descriptions of the Conventicles in the Preamble are to be the Expositions of the following prohibitous Parts of the Act is plain by the answerable distinction of them And also 1. Because the very Title and plain design of this Act is only to restrain Nonconformists 2. Because the express end and business of it is to preserve People from Seditious and Poisonous Doctrine But the Clergy which are not Nonconformists are not to be supposed to be defamed or suspected by the Laws of Preaching poisonous seditious Doctrine nor can it be imagined that they mean to drive them five Miles from all their Parishes in â—ngland if they should once be at a private Meeting or put the 40 l. Fine on them if they preach one Sermon after such Meeting to their Parishes before they have taken the Oath though no Man offer it them which would follow if it extended to them And I am exempted from the Suspicion of that Preaching 1. By being chosen and Sworn His Majesty's Chaplain in ordinary and Preaching before Him and Publishing my Sermons by His Special Commands and never since accused of ill Doctrine but the sharpest Debates written against Nonconformists do quarrel with them for quarrelling with my Doctrine 2. Some think the words have kept in the Act refer to the time past before the Act and then 't is nothing to me 3. Should I not have been Convict in my presence of some one unlawful Conventicle and of not departing after five Miles from the place for how should I be bound to forsake my Dwelling as an Offender before I knew of my Offence Lastly I told the Justices That I did not refuse the Oath but professed that I understood it not and desired time to learn to understand it if I could which they denyed me and would neither tell me who were my Accusers or Witnesses nor shew me the Words of the Accusation or Depositions nor suffer any Person but us three themselves and me to be at all present or to hear any thing that was said by them or me And though I shall never take Oaths which I cannot possibly understand nor in a Sense which is contrary to the plain importance of the Words till they are so expounded nor shall ever number deliberate Lying or Perjury with things indifferent yet