wickedness 2. None but peccator gravis scandalosus Why should a man proceed to violent remedies when a gentle application will make the cure Therefore the Fathers in the Council of Worms in Can. 2. Decreed Nullus Sacerdotum c. no Priest shall excommunicate any man sound in the Faith for small and light causes but only for some very grievous fault according to the practice of the Fathers St. Leo in the 93. Epist forbade Let not the Communion be easily or lightly denied to any Christian nor at the pleasure of every angry Priest It was a worthy cause of complaint in St. Leo to consider that this evil was done for so little things and therefore if the Church do Excommunicate him whose Actions or Words though faulty yet can consist with the state of a good man and do not destroy the Love of God the Censure was too heavy as to the External and false as to the Internal Communion For the man is not fallen from God but doth communicate with the head and continue to receive of the Spirit of Christ 3. Neither is this sufficient a scandalous sin alone is not enough for Excommunication is the last remedy Omnia prius tentanda When nothing else will do it then is this to be used for his amendment Bishop Usher 's Directions concerning Liturgy and Episcopal Government That none might be excommunicated but by the Bishop himself with the consent of the Pastor in those Parishes the Delinquent dwells and that for heinous and scandalous Crimes joyned with obstinacy and wilful contempt Idem In his Body of Divinity Bishop Pearson on the Creed pag. 350. By great and scandalous offences by incorrigible mis-demeanors we my incur the Censure of the Church of God and while we are shut out thence we stand excluded out of Heaven Item Doctor More 's Mistery of Godliness 14. chap. That none are to be excluded from Communion that profess the belief of the Holy Scripture and the Creed unless they stand guilty for some gross and scandalous sins and do persist therein impenitent and unreclaim'd Item The Judgment of the Church being nothing else but an effective and terrible Declaration of the Judgment of God must not be exterminating and Final for things of little concernment but according to the Mercy which we hope for Again If the Church kills on Earth i. e. Excommunicates and God saves in Heaven its clear she hath not used her power aright Whoever deserves Excommunication deserves Damnation pag. 530. in Collection of Discourse Polemical and Moral In the Commination The persons coming under the Discipline of the Church said to be such as stood convict of Notorious Sin And further the Wrath of God which obstinate sinners through the stubbornness of their Hearts have heaped unto themselves which despised the Goodness Patience and Long-sufferance of God when he called them continually to Repentance c. And the Curses therein are denounced against wilful and open Evil Livers Article 33. of the Church of England That person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off that is Excommunicate c. On which Mr. Rogers Exposition reckons two sorts of men to be rightly Excommunicated whereof the one pervert the sound Doctrine of the Truth as did Hymeneus and Philetus the Resurrection the other sort such as be defiled with notorious wickedness Bishop Jewel 's Defence of the Apol. pag. 140. The Minister we say shutteth up the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven against unbelieving and stubborn persons denouncing unto them Gods Vengeance and Everlasting punishment or else quite shutting them out of the Bosom of the Church by open Excommunication Item pag. 146. That the wicked and wilful and such as would not believe c. Item Reply to Harding pag. 32. Persons Excommunicate upon great and notorious Crimes could not be suffered to communicate with the rest of the Faithful Item pag. 88. The apparent wicked and ungodly were removed from the Congregation Bishop Andrew 's Latter Sermons pag. 32. It hath ever been held good Divinity that the Church from Christ received power to censure and separate wilful offenders Item pag. 55. Speaking of the same power given to Edification and not to Destruction I say not first and principally to Destruction nor of any save only of the wilful and impenitent Sinner Item Bishop Andrew 's Sermons Edit 3. pag. 727. Then is not every Error repugnant to Gods Grace God is able to pardon and not impute Error in Opinion as well as Error in Practice did not the High Priest offer as well for the Errors as the Transgressions of the people This only we are to look to that with St. Peter we be not wilful if there come a clear comperi as ready to relent in the one as to repent of the other Archbishop Laud cited in Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 391. The Church of England is not such a shrew to her children as to deny her Blessing or denounce an Anathema against them if some peaceably dissent in Points remoter from the Foundation Bishop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus The Apostles Creed saith he and the Articles therein contained he that believeth and endeavours to lead a Life conformable to the commands of Christ is not to be blotted out of the Roul of Christians nor expelled from Communion with other Members of any Christian Church whatsoever Item That Church doth too much please it self which rejects others in which neither Tyranny nor Idolatry nor Deadly Heresie is found as men unworthy of Communion with her for some Infirmity of Understanding the Fathers of the Ancient Church did not so Why should men be more rigid than God Why should any Error exclude any man from the Churches communion which will not deprive him of Eternal Salvation Dr. Chill chap. 4. Sect. 40. of his Book Doctor Chillingw chap. 4. Sect. 13. What Man or Church believes the Creed and all the evident consequences of it if also he believe the Scripture sincerely and heartily cannot possibly be in any Error of simple belief offensive unto God nor deserve for any such Error to be deprived of his Life or cut off from the Churches communion and hope of Salvation Sir Francis Bacon In his Advertisement of the controversies of the Church of England and of his works pag. 138. pag. 192. Of the abuse of Excommunication vide c. Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 54. If was a perilous Error that the Galatians held about Justification yet so far was St. Paul from striking their Names out of Christ's Book that he commandeth others to receive them i. e. to have communion with them with singular Humanity use them as Brethren he knew mans imbecility had a feeling of our blindness which are Mortal Men how great it is The Judgment of the Professors of Divinity in the Vniversity of Aberdeen mentioned pag. 707 is not unsuitable to this Subject That the condition of that Church is
THE Conformists Sayings OR THE Opinion and Arguments OF Kings Bishops And several Divines lately Assembled in Convocation In Favour of Those who DISSENT from the present CEREMONIES of Publick Worship By a Minister of the Church of England LONDON Printed for the Author 1690. To the Christian READER THE World is so well acquainted with Collections in Learning Morality and Divinity Exemplifying Vertue and Vice c. that there needs no Apology for Works of this sort which may have their use as well as others I chose this way as most Authorative and convincing And as to the Matter and Subject of the Book it cannot but be highly necessary and seasonable to plead in the behalf of Love and Peace when the Church is so miserably divided Worthy men have complained Glanv Cath. Char. That our Divisions have brought things to such a pass that men take it ill to hear of Charity And That a Treatise of Peace would be thought like Snow in Summer Bishop Gauden or Rain in Harvest And a Third Rishop Tailor That one had as good Till the Air or plow the Sands as perswade such Doctrines And a Fourth Doctor Fowler That it hath been the common Fate of Reconcilers to suffer from both Parties But however we fare it is our Duty to mind the contentious World of so important a part of Christs Discipleship which it seems to have forgot and to have unlearnt that Lesson their Master taught them to love one another We are indeed to contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints and yet to seek the Truth and Peace Zech. 8.19 If we be never so certain the thing we contend for is Truth we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow the Truth in Love If ever this Church flourish Moderation must at last be the Temper of her Members Pref. to Bishop Wilkins Sermons saith the Reverend Dean of Canterbury And Though we agree not with our brethren in all their Opinions yet while we hold the same Creed and walk by the same Rule why should we not hope to meet in the same Heaven For sure Heaven is wide enough to hold men of several judgments else few are gone thither already and fewer would follow after in these times of division A man may almost as soon expect that all the Clocks in the City should strike One together as that Men of so many several Sects as are to be found in England should agree in any one alone The Church of England the Protestant Dissenters the Quakers and the Romanists are no more like to meet together in one place and joyn in the same Religious Worship than London Geneva Rome c. to move out of their several places and joyn together into one City For my part I do believe that there will be to the end of the World some for Episcopacy some for Presbitery some for Ana-Baptism and perhaps some for Independent Congregations though against the whole current of Antiquity For besides that Scripture is not so very clear and convincing by necessary consequence against their received Opinions as it is in matters of Faith the difference of Educations and variety of apprehensions which men who here know but in part have about the sense of the same Scriptures doth mightily confirm it In every one there is not the same knowledge saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.7 What Course is then to be taken Must we use force and violence bloud and wounds fire and faggot fines and imprisonments Curses and Excommunications against Dissenters from our Way and Worship We have not so learned Christ I presume this savours of that other manner of Spirit which Christ rebuked in his Disciples who would have consumed the Samaritans with fire from Heaven telling them they knew not what spirit they were of for Christ came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Vpon which words saith a Learned Prelate of our Church Bishop Andrews's Serm. p. 918. Not to destroy that they which cannot save may yet be sure not to destroy any The World hath used to practise the contrary if men cannot save others and their saving of them is no more than to bring them to be of their Sect and Perswasion and perhaps a putting them farther off from salvation than they were before the next Course is to destroy and root out the Generation of them But it was excellently said by as excellent a Person Bishop of St. Asaph's Serm. Nov. 5. 1680. before the House of Lords pag. 8. That they who are most given to hate and destroy others especially those others who differ from them in Religion they are not the Church of God or at least they are so far corrupt in that particular For Christ saith save and destroy not bless and curse not and love your enemies enemies to our Religion as well as others and that with all the Properties of true Charity set down by St. Paul 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. For want of this we have suffered so much from each other and each side felt it smart and found it grievous when it was their turn to suffer as it hath been too too common with us whatever Party hath got uppermost to carry it with a severe hand towards the rest following the Advice given to King Charles the Second in respect of the Dissenters to crush them when he had got them under the Hatches Whereas common Humanity and Christianity teach us mutual favour bowels of mercies kindness meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another c. Col. 3.12 13. And blessed be God who hath endued our Gracious Prince and the Great Council of the Nation with this Christian Spirit to shew mercy to mens Consciences And surely if men will be but so wise as to know and consider so good as to desire and so humble as to yield to the things which make for Peace they cannot be ignorant how much the present Act for Toleration may contribute to our Peace and Prosperity I am sure it hath put a stop to three very considerable Evils To those Fines and Imprisonments which have been the ruine of some Families by disabling the Master of the Family from carrying on his Trade and bringing in Provision for the rest which depended on him We should have thought it hard measure if it had been our own case to have been confined to a Prison instead of a Shop and to have the Act of Forty Pounds for each Moneth levied upon us for one or two Moneths upon the account of our difference from our Brethren and then quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Again It hath put a stop to that great abuse of Excommunication designed by Christ against men of the greatest and most incorrigible wickedness or the most obstinate Heresies and not for any lesser differences in things of no necessity to Salvation Which hath made this holy means of Reformation despised while the
former sort escaped notwithstanding their profaneness and debauchery but the latter though sound in the same Faith with us and much unblameable in their lives have fallen under the heaviest censures of the Church Further this Toleration hath taken away the scurvyness of the Church-Wardens Oath which in a strict sense of the words if no latitude could be allowed or mitigations of it called for a Presentment of Dissenters without any favour or difference between the weak and the wilful Which because of the ill consequence which too often followed Excommunication and Imprisonment many Church-Wardens were more backward and averse unto Their Consciences would not suffer them to work such evil and trouble to their Christian Brethren Fellow Protestants Loving Neighbours for some small difference not destructive of their Salvation And if we do not like every thing that is in the Act of Toleration best as if any unordained men be allowed Preachers or Teachers of any Congregation if I am not misinformed scarce any setled constant Preachers even among the Independents and Anabaptists but what are Ordained by laying on of Hands Fasting and Prayer the guilt will be to themselves and their hearers c. and not to us Mr. Mason hath proved in his excellent Defence of the Ordination of Ministers beyond the Seas that Ordination by Presbyters is valid See more in Iren. 2d part ch 8. Bishop Jewel Downam Alley Pilkington Bridges Bilson Andrews Davenant Prideaux Usher Dr. Field Nowel Saravia c. And in the Conformist Plea for Non-Conformists part 2d p. 36. and 37. and 50. Those that have the internal call of knowledge and piety are not to be reckoned as Laymen but next to Presbyters As Abbot Bucer and Bishop Jewel Bilson Dr. Benefield c. If we can but bear and forbear with one another in love notwithstanding the diversity of our Judgments we may live happily and hope to see good days Men will now be free from the many fears and jealousies which made them sit uneasie under former Princes and not to enjoy themselves so comfortably when they were so often in danger upon their difference in Religion It is not so long since that almost all Sects were jealous one of another the Church of England of the Church of Rome and her designs and of the Dissenters least they for present ease and Toleration in their Religion should have given away the Test the common security of the Protestant Religion And the Dissenters seemed to be afraid of both of the severities which they had felt from the Church of England and its penal Laws and of greater from the Church of Rome if she got uppermost and to have the power in her own hands And all this because our love was grown cold and our spirits hot with such a zeal got among us which like wild-sire threatned to consume us and our Religion both But sure St. Paul was not mistaken when he called love a more excellent way that love which worketh no ill to its Neighbour Job 6.8 9. And O that I might have my request That God would grant me the thing that I long for even that it would please God to take away the occasions of our unChristian divisions and animosities As he hath begun the work that so it may be continued and ended in him creating peace out of that Chaos of confusion into which we have fallen that Christians as brethren may dwell together in Vnity and Christianity again become lovely to those that are without who used to say of the Primitive Christians vide ut Christiani amant see how these Christians love one another And though to be of one mind and of one judgment is rather to be wished then hoped for in our days yet to be of one heart why should it be thought a thing incredible or impossible I am sure Christs Commandments are not grievous and his command is plain and peremptory for it A new commandment give I unto you John 13.34 to love one another It was put to me at my Ordination in these words or to this effect Will you promote Love and Concord among all Christian people but especially those of your Charge My Answer was I will do so by the help of God And I trust I have done so herein And since the most effectual means for love and peace is as full an Vnion as we can attain unto lessening our differences and enlarging our Communion as much as may be And since as Mr. Wake on Rom. 15 5 6 7. p. 31. Never certainly was there a time since our Divisions first began in which we had greater reason to consider of an Union or I hope a fairer opportunity to promise our selves an accomplishment of it saith he Let us all be as careful to improve it as I am perswaded we have all of us not only seem'd to desire but indeed earnestly long'd for it And I hope my Fathers will shew themselves Patres Patriae by their Fatherly care and concern for the Churches good and peace and will not think it too much for so great and good a work as an happy re-Union which as Mr. De L' Angle in his Letter to his Lordship the Bishop of London Will rejoyce Men and Angels and bring down a thousand blessings of Heaven and Earth upon those that shall contribute the most unto it Vnreason of Sep. p. 424. to part with a Ceremony to alter an expression or two in the Common-Prayers and to do somewhat more for peace now that there is a time for such a thing And surely there is no such wide breach and great a difference but that there might be a closing if we did but heartily desire it and each side would yield somewhat for peace sake And as our Church hath yielded to accept of a subscription to the thirty six Articles leaving out those in controversie she shows thereby that she knows how to yield in other things in case it will attain the end and our dissenting Brethren in any considerable number can be perswaded to return into the Communion of our Church God who is the Authour of Peace and Lover of Concord make us all in love with Peace that we may be followers of these burning and shining lights guiding our feet into the way of peace 2 Cor. 13.11 That the God of Love and Peace may be with us For which I shall never cease to intercede at the Throne of Grace as A Friend of Peace R. C. A Copy of Verses made by the Author of the Collections CHerubims and Seraphims the Host of Love And Numbers numberless of Saints above Free from strife which wretched Mortals below Ever contending to their sorrow know Exalt ye Loves praise make it heard on high All our life we strive and last struggling dye Ah Jesu's Spouse Christian call'd of old By Sectarian names now manifold Wedded to Peter and the Vatican Become Calvinist else a Lutheran One Church of the East t' other of the West Divisions have
made bad of the best Our Mother 's not of Sons of Peace bereft Praise to our God for seven thousand left Who under Prince of Peace his Banners go To fight out fights and strife the Common Foe Brave Worthies Arm'd with courage from above To win for Truth and overcome with love WILLIAM the Third high in Glory rais'd The Worlds wonder All Europe stands amaz'd Behold Great Britains Scepter in his hand Peace establish'd Triumphant sing O Land Blest with a Prince by Heaven sure design'd For Great Good and Just An Heroick Mind Love ours and thine King of Kings guard his Throne To be de-thron'd by none but thee alone Him with peaceful thoughts God of Peace inspire Him ye ages yet to come be Just admire And call our Great Assembly wise to yield Wise to stand that Truth and Peace win the Field Doom to the bottomless that spright of ire Which Abimelech and Shechem set on fire Judg. 9.23 And made them with infused fury mad Each other to consume by vengeance sad When much incens'd their God his Peace withdrew Tremble pow'rs But he hath his coming too Not in violent Earthquakes blust'ring Winds But small still voice to calm and peaceful minds When he to work for peace the World must know He makes rough places smooth lays mountains low Euphrates rapid torrents mighty pride Must as Shiloa's waters gently glide The Lamb and Wolf must dwell like brothers then The Calf and Fatling lodge at the Lions Den Isa 11.6 7 8 9. The Cow and Savage Bear together feed And a little Child those wild creatures lead The Asp not sting nor Cockatrice annoy Nor those Beasts hurt which used to destroy When thus men calm their passions still their rage We shall enjoy another Golden age Hopes love will tame us with its gentle arts Close our gaping wounds melt our frozen hearts The contentious World grown wise in time Pleads guilty now conscious of her crime And sounds a retreat that her feuds may cease In a thrice-blest Philadelphian Peace Jehovah's Thunderbolts which fly against the proud And Zion cover'd with a dismal cloud Have made mens neck 's more stiff then sturdy Oak Submit to Christ and bear loves easie Yoke Which Badge on Earth Christ true disciples wear And the Crown in Heav'n high exalted there God is love and they that with him dwell Embrac'd by Love in unity excell And with sweet delights at the Fountain still They drink his Love and ever have their fill Conformists Acknowledge that there are Good and Worthy Men among the Dissenters from the Church of England BIshop Jewel in Answer to Mr. Harding The thing is indifferent and may be yielded to saith the one Sect The other that they be the Popes rags and may not be worn Saith Jewel the Godly Learned men at whose persons you so rudely scoffe that refuse to go in your Apparel or otherwise to shew themselves like you have age sufficient and can answer for themselves Notwithstanding thus much I may say in their behalf neither do they commend any manner of Apparel as holy nor condemn any manner of Apparel as unholy That is your proper and peculiar Error Mr. Harding to make so deep account of outward shews They may justly say the same Apparel on your parts hath been fouly abused c. Defence of the Apology part 3. chap. 5. Divis 1. p. 325. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or King James the first Instructions to his Son I do equally Love and Honour the Learned and Grave Men of either of these opinions i. e. for or against Ceremonials which for mine own part I ever held indifferent Again I exhort my Son to be beneficial to the good men of the Ministry praising God that there is a sufficient number of good men of them in this Kingdom i. e. of Scotland and yet are they all known to be against the form of the English Church The Speech of the Bishop of St. Davids Dr. Rudde in the Convocation May 23. 1604 I put a great difference between them that are Schismatical or open disturbers of the state Ecclesiastical established and them that are scrupulous only of some Ceremonies and other circumstances being otherwise Learned Studious Grave and Honest Men and whose labours have been both painful in the Church and profitable to their several Congregations Concerning those Preachers last mentioned I suppose that if upon urging them to the use of Ceremonies and Attire prescribed they should stand out stifly and choose rather to forgo their Livings and exercise of their Ministry and tho I do not justifie their doings therein yet surely there service would be missed at such a time as need shall require them and us to give the right hand of Fellowship one to another and to go Arm in Arm against the common Adversary that so there might be Vis unita fortior c. Also remember that when the Benjamites though for their desert in maintaining of a bad cause were all destroyed saving six hundred and the Men of Israel sware in their fury that none of them would give his daughter to the Benjamites to Wife yet when their hot blood was over they lamented and said there is one Tribe cut off from Israel this day and they used all their wits to the utmost of their Policy to restore that Tribe again In like sort if these our Brethren aforesaid should be deprived of their places for the matters premised I think we should find cause to bend our wits to the uttermost extent of our skill to provide some Cure of Souls for them where they may exercise their Talents verily I know not where to find so many able Preachers within this Realm unprovided for to succeed them Hookers Eccles Pol. Pref. Otherwise i. e. set aside their Errours and Misconceits speaking of the Dissenters right well affected and most Religiously enclined minds Again heartily beseeching you by the meekness of Jesus Christ whom I trust ye love that as ye tender the peace and quietness of the Church If your own Souls hearts and consciences be as I doubt not but they are things most dear and pretious unto you be not blemished with partialities Bishop Halls Apology against the Brownist p. 137 and 138. Sect. 56. Edit 1610 Those men which you say complain so much of their miserable condition under the Prelats impositions have notwithstanding with the same Pens and Tongues not only justified our Church but extolled it You have found no sharper Adversaries in this very accusation for which you maliciously cite them How freely how fully have they evinced the Truth Yea the happiness of the Church of England against your false Challenges and your forehead dares challenge them for Authors So hath their Moderation opposed some appendancies that they have both acknowledged and defended the substance with equal vehemence to your opposition neither do they suffer as you traduce them for seeking another Church Government Would God you could follow those
you could not perswade them to assent to what you say c. you must be as Charitable in your judgment as you believe God will prove favourable in his Final Sentence Pag. 19. and 22. Love and Truth in two Modest and Peaceable Letters from a quiet Conformable Citizen of London pag. 39. Almighty God hath appointed me to live in an Age in which contention increases and Charity decays And its certain that variety of Opinions and Controversies in Religion declare difficulty to know them truly but my Comfort is that there is so much Religion without Controversie as by the true Practice of what is so my Soul may be saved The Conformists Declare that the several Sects of Protestants are agreed in the Main BIshop Jewels Defence of the Apology pag. 740. We say that we agree among our selves touching the whole judgment and chief substance of Christian Religion and with one Mouth and with one Spirit do worship God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or King James the First his Instructions to his Son We all God be praised do agree in the grounds of Religion Bishop Andrews Sermons Edit 3. pag. 18 19. And without controversie great is the mistery of Godliness c. We see in our days how men languish about some points which they would have thought to be great and great Controversies there be and great Books of Controversies about them yet Blessed be God that hath left us some Misteries clear and without controversie this here a Mistery a great one Religion hath no greater yet manifest and in Confesso with all Christians A way of peace then there shall be in the midst of a World of Controversies in which way of peace even all parts shall agree Bishop William Barlow in his Defence of the Articles of the Protestant Religion against Wright 's Articles Objecting the irreconcileable Jars between the Protestants of the Church of England and the Puritans in the Essential points of Faith Answereth pag. 20. or 21. The Jars between us though unkind yet not in this kind only for Ceremonies External no points Substantial Doctor Crakanthorp in his Defensio Eccl. Anglicanae chap. 33. Sect. 15. Puritanum qui Hereticus sit tu opinor in Angliâ neminem unquam conspexisti cum illis quos tu puritanos vocas non est nobis de fide aut fidei Dogmatelis ulla de Ritibus illi Disciplinâ Ecclesiae nostrae contendunt In fide consensus in Ritibus solum Disciplinâ dissentimus Bishop George Carlton 's Answer to Montagues Appeal first Edit pag. 5. It was then in Qu. Eliz. Reign the open Confession both of the Bishops and of the Puritans that both parts embraced a mutual consent in Doctrine only the difference was in matters of Inconformity Pag. 78. To that passage in Montagues Appeal Pag. 28. Just your Puritan Doctrine He Answers A Puritan Doctrine is a strange thing because it hath been confessed on both sides that protestants and and puritans have held the same Doctrines without variance What is your end in this but to make Divisions where there were none Bishop Hall's Apol. against the Brownists Edit 1610. Sect. 56. pag. 138. So hath their i. e. Nonconformists Moderation opposed some Appendancies that they have both acknowledged and defended the substance with equal vehemence to your opposition Hooker 's Eccles Polity L. 3. Sect. 1. With Rome we do not communicate concerning sundry her gross and grievous abominations yet touching those main parts of Christian Truths wherein they constantly still persist we gladly acknowledge them to be of the Family of Jesus Christ and our hearty prayer to Almighty God is that being conjoyned so far forth with them they may at length if it be his Will so yield and reform themselves that no distraction remain in any thing but that we may all with one heart and voice glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whose Church we are Mr. Hierons Sermons pag. 500. God be praised the Foundation of Religion is on both sides held and taught sincerely Mr. Sprints Cassand Anglicanum Epist to the Reader In the Foundation we all agree Time and Day will try the Hay and Stubble from the Gold and Silver 1 Cor. 3.11 12. c. Mr. Vertues Plea for Peace pag. 44. The differences among us are only in superstructures and less principal Truths whilest in the Main and Fundamental points of our Religion we have God be thanked a firm Concord as may appear by the Harmony of Confessions Doctor Featly his Roma ruens pag. 22. Differences among us in Matters of Faith necessary to Salvation there are not our Controversies are de Fimbriis non de Textu of the Lace and Fringe of Ceremonies Mr. Pygots Sermon 2 Sam. 2.26 pag. 46. When the Gospel of Truth hath been preached amongst us now upwards Fourscore years do we stick at Pilates Question What is Truth John 18.38 Beloved for the substance of our Religion I say with St. Paul If an Angel from Heaven shall preach any other Gospel or discover any other Fundamental Truths to us then what we have received let him be accursed And if this unhappy difference be about Circumstances and Ceremonies God grant that whilst we are so earliest in contention about niceties and shadows we do not lose the Substance Glanvel 's Cath. Charity pag. 2. It 's very strange that Christians should be so at odds whose Religion is Peace and Love and the reasons of whose Differences are so small in proportion to the degree of their Animosities Our God is one and we have the one common Saviour we profess one Gospel and believe the same Creeds we have the same Sacraments and the same Fundamental Ordinances and since we are agreed in these what is there left that is worth the heat of a Dispute Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls Epist Dedic before the Mischief of Separation That there is an Agreement in Doctrine and the substantial parts of Worship is acknowledged in our Case And pag. 13. The people apprehend the differences to be much greater than the Teachers will allow when they are put to declare their Minds and our common Enemies take as much advantages from our differences as if they were really far greater than they are Conformists Plea for the Non conformists Part 3. pag. 75. Indeed the Separation with which the Nonconformists are charged is not as Separation from a Church but as Separation in a Church fundamentally and essentially the same but differing in Mode and Accidents which must needs be the lowest kind of difference For the Conformists and Non-conformists are all one in Christ agreeing in all the parts of Christian Catholick Communion with us Mr. Kidder 's Serm. on 1 Pet. 3.11 The things in which we all agree these things are many and of great weight what we differ about bears no proportion to those things which we are agreed in Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk.
19.42 pag. 24 25. The Mortification of our Lust and Passion living a life of Spiritual Purity and Devotion Self-denial and Meekness Justice and Charity Peaceableness and Patience Sobriety and Chastity and a trusting in the Merits of Christ for pardon of our Sins and acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness these are the substantials of our Religion about which all wise and good men are Agreed however we differ about other Matters Difference of Case between Separation of Protestants from Rome and the Separation of Dissenters pag. 69. As for the Dissenters meth nks it should not be hard to disswade the most of them from breaking the Communion of the Church any longer with which they agree in the Substance of Faith and Worship Mr. Wake 's Sermon on Rom. 15.5 6 7. pag. 16 17. Our differences do not at all concern the Foundations either of Faith or Worship and are therefore such in which good men if they be otherwise diligent and sincere in their enquiry may differ without any prejudice to themselves or any just reflection upon the truth of their common profession To conclude this Head Bish Reynold's Br. Reconcil p. 7. Why should not the many Truths wherein we agree teach us to join in Love which is a Christian Duty rather than the few opinions in which we dis-agree cause breach in affection which at best is but an human Infirmity That the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation IN the Common Prayer at the Visitation of the Sick the Minister by the Churches order saith thus to the Sick I shall rehearse to you the Articles of our Christian Faith that you may know whether you do beleive as a Christian man should or no. And so Bishop Tailor on the Credenda in the Holy Catholick Church The Creed which whosoever beleives is a Catholick and a Christian but he that beleiveth it not is neither In Baptism according to the Church of England The question put to the person to be baptized dost thou beleive in God the Father and so to the end of the Creed And will thou be Baptized into this Faith And in the Church Catechism That in our Vow at Baptism we promised to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And in the beginning of the Reformation it was agreed upon that the Bishops and Preachers ought to instruct the people according to the Scripture the Three Creeds and the four first General Councels The Fathers are cited by the Reverend Bishops in testimony that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation as by Arch-Bishop Laud against Fisher Bishop Taylors Ductor Dub. and Bishop Bramhal especially Tertullian Clemens Romanus Ambrose Augustine c. who made the Creed to be the only standing immoveable and irreformable Rule of Faith the sum of the whole Catholick Faith the Key of the Christian Faith the rule and square of the Apostical Sermons i. e. after the making of it wherein the Apostles have collected into one breviary all the points of the Catholick Faith which are diffused throughout all the Scriptures The Creed is one perfect collection and sum plain short and full that the plainness might help the weakness of the Hearers the shortness their Memory the Fulness their Instruction The General Councel of Ephesus did forbid all men to exact any more of a Christian at his Baptismal profession and again the same Councel That it should be lawful for no man to publish or compose another Faith or Creed then that which was defined by the Nicene Councel and that whosoever should dare to compose or offer any such to any persons willing to be converted from Paganism Judaism or Heresie if they should be Bishops or Clergy-men should be deposed if Lay-men Anathematised i. e. Accursed with Excommunication It was the Universal practice of the Primitive Church Credisne at Baptism On Palm-Sunday the Christian converts from Heathenism as yet under Catechizing petitioned for Baptism and from that day forward had some assigned to expound the Creed unto them whereof they were to make solemn profession at Baptism All the Divines of the Reformed Church confessedly and generally own this Truth that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation Bishop Halls Works p. 637. 'T is not Cassander's Speech only but every wise and honest man's the Creed is the common cognizance of our Faith surely saith he Theodoret when he would allay the bitter contentions of those antient Christians of Antioch writes thus both parts made one and the same confession of their Faith for both maintained the Creed of the Nicene Councel and blames the Romanists that the confession of the same Creed is not sufficient with them for peace Item Resolution of Practical Cases of Conscience Case 5. Dec. 3 d. If there were not some special Truths the belief whereof makes and distinguishes a Christian the authors of the Creed Apostolick besides the other symbols received anciently in the Church were much deceived in their aim Doctor Potters Answer to Charity Mistaken p. 221. How can it be necessary for any Christian to have more in his Creed than the Apostles had in the Church of their time may the Church of after ages make the way to Heaven narrower than our Saviour left it c. The Apostles profess they revealed to the Church the whole Councel of God keeping back nothing needful for our Salvation What Tyranny then is it to impose any new matters on the Faith of Christians especially as the late Popes have done under that high commanding Form Qui non crediderit aut fecerit damnabitur Bishop Tailor Coll. of Discourses p. 524. It is a strange Boldness in the Church of Rome first to add Twelve new Articles to the Apostles Creed and then to add the appendix of Athanasius this is the Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved For I demand can any man say and justifie that the Apostles did deny Communion to any man that believed the Apostles Creed and lived a good Life Let them remember Pope Pelagius who when the Bishops of Istria deserted his Communion in causa trium Capitulorum he gave them an account of his Faith by recitation of the Creed and by attesting the Four General Councels and is confident upon this that de fidei firmitate nulla poterit esse questio vel suspicio generari Bishop Usher In those Propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian World i. e. Articles of the Creed so much Truth is contained as being joyned with an holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto Everlasting Salvation and that as many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be upon them Upon which saith Doctor Chillingworth this is a great and as good as Truth and as necessary for these miserable Times as can be uttered Hookers Eccles Polit. p. 266. We have received from the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ that brief confession of Faith which hath been always a
badge of the Church a mark whereby to discern Christian men from Infidels and Jews Dr. Hammond of Schism p. 58. Calls the Creed the Apostolick badge or mark A tessera or token of the Apostles having planted the Faith in any Church the known summary of that beleif which had been received from the Apostles p. 211. It cannot be affirmed of all the Articles of the Creed that they are thus absolutely necessary i. e. that no man can be imagined to Reform his life so as to be acceptable to God but he to whom every one of those Articles has been intelligibly revealed for as to many plain yet pious Christians it s not certain that can be affirmed Bishop Tailor Coll. of disc p. 536. The Religion of Jesus Christ is the Form of sound Doctrine set down in Scripture separated as to the Question of necessary or not necessary by the symbol of the Apostles Item p. 407. Now if more were necessary than the Articles of the Creed I demand why was it made the characteristick note of a Christian from an Heretick Jew or an Infidel or to what purpose was it composed or if this were intended as sufficient did the Apostles or those Churches which they sounded know any thing else to be necessary Bishop Sparrows Rationale upon the Common Prayer p. 50. In the time of the stay at Jerusalem they agreed upon this Creed as a Rule of Faith according to the Analogy of which they and all others should teach and as a word of distinction by which they should know Friend from Foes for as the Gileadits by the word Shibboleth Judges 12.6 c. So the Apostles and the Church should know who were right believers who false by this word of Faith for all that walked according to this Rule and Professed this Faith she acknowledged for hers and gave them her peace but all others that went contrary to this Rule and Word she accounted enemies Tertull. de praescriptione and lead by false Spirits as 1 John 4.6 Item a Christian evidences to the Church his sound beleif by expresly repeating the Creed and every particular thereof which is and always hath been accounted the mark and character whereby to distinguish a true beleiver from an Heretick or Infidel Judge Hales discourse of Religion p. 4. The Credenda or things to be known or beleived are but few and intelligible briefly delivered in that summary of Christian Religion usually called the Apostles Creed and in brief the Baptismal Covenant as it is contained in the Liturgy and Explanation thereof in the Church Catechism i. e. by the Covenant Mercies and Covenant-duties together with the precepts of the Decalogue contain in effect the summary or brief Epitome of our Christian duty Cars peaceable Moder p. 43. The Creed is a short Abridgment and Epitome of the Apostles Doctrine which they received from Christ our Saviour and delivered to us in the New Testament the Rule of our Faith Touch-stone of Truth the pith and substance of our Christian Religion the very badge and cognizance of a Christian whereby he is not only known from Pagans but also distinguished from Hereticks Bishop Pearson The Creed without controversie is a brief comprehension of the objects of our Christian Faith and is generally taken to contain all things necessary to be beleived in praef to his Exposition on the Apostles Creed Glanvell's Catholick Charity p. 30. The Fundamentals of belief are few and plain for certainly the Divine goodness would not lay our Eternal interest in difficulties and multitudes things hard to be understood and retain'd Item Agreement of Reason and Religion pag. 5. In the Creed are all the Fundamentals of Religion and though our Church require our Assent Ministers he means to more propositions yet those are only Articles of Communion not Doctrines absolutely necessary to Salvation And if we go beyond the Creed for Essentials of Faith who can tell where we shall stop Doctor Tillotson I doubt not but that the belief of the Ancient Creed provided we entertain nothing that is destructive of it together with a good Life will certainly save a Man True state of the Primitive Church Part First That which we commonly call the Apostles Creed if it were not composed by them yet certainly by Primitive and Apostolick men and proposed as the sum of Christian Faith the sum total necessary to Salvation It cannot be supposed that they left out any thing which they thought necessary to Salvation they might as well have omitted half or all Dr. Steward 's Englands Case pag. 20. In our Reformation we still adhering unto the Three Creeds which are the Faith of the Church Catholick Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk. 19.42 pag. 26. To the Honour of the Church of England let it be said whatsoever is imposed on us as necessary to the Salvation of all men is contained in the Apostles Creed This is the Faith of the first and best times of Christianity the Faith into which we are Baptized and the Belief of this Creed hath a direct influence on our Christian practice which is the great business of Religion Bishop Sanderson in his nine Cases of Conscience pag 8. Whosoever well considers may rest satisfied in his judgment and conscience that the Faith professed and taught in the Church of England is a plain and safe way to lead a Christian Believer to Eternal Salvation if he withal lead his life and conversation answerable thereunto Dr. Barrow 's Discourse of the Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy In regard to this Union of Faith among Christians the Body of Christians adhering to it was called the Catholick Church from which all those were esteemed Ipso facto to be cut off and separated who in any point deserted that Faith pag. 9. Conformists not forward in Censuring any as guilty of Heretical and Damnable Errors HOmily of Contention First Part. May help with other Citations to explain the Hereticalness of an Error He that is faulty let him rather amend than defend that which he hath spoken a miss least he fall by contention from a foolish Error into an obstinate Heresie Bishop Jewel's Def. of Apol. pag. 46. For just proof of Heresie three things necessarily be required 1. That it be an Error 2. That it be an Error against the Truth of Gods Word for otherwise every Error maketh not an Heresie 3. That it be stoutly and wilfully maintained otherwise an Error in Gods Truth without wilful maintainance is not an Heresie St. Augustine saith Errare possum Hereticus esse non possum Item p. 67. The Catholick Fathers and Bishops made no doubt but our Religion might be proved out of the Scriptures neither were they ever so hardy to take any for an Heretick whose Error could not evidently and apparently be reproved by the self-same Scriptures Bishop Andrews cited in Appendix to the third Part of the Friendly Debate Let but obstinacy and perverseness be wanting it
will be no Heresie and if it be Heresie being about a point not of Faith but of Discipline whether Episcopacy be a distinct order from Presbitery it will not be among those things which St. Peter calls Damnable Heresies Bishop Hall 's Resolutions of divers Cases of Conscience Dec. 3. Case 5. Whosoever shall wilfully impugne any of the Articles of the Christian Faith refuse to acknowledge and receive the Sacraments expresly instituted by Christ comes within the verge of Heresie Wilfully I say for meer Error makes not an Heresie If out of simplicity or gross Ignorance a man shall take upon him to maintain a contradiction to a point of Faith being ready to repent upon better light he may not be thus Branded Eviction and Contumacy must improve his Error to be Heretical Bishop Bramhall 's Just Vindication of the Church of England pag. 26. A man may render himself guilty of Heretical pravity 1. By dis-believing any Fundamental Article of Faith and necessary part of saving Truth c. 2. By believing any Superstitious Errors or Additions which do vertually and by necessary and evident consequences subvert the Faith and overthrow fundamental Truths 3. By maintaining lesser Errors obstinately after sufficient Conviction c. But because that consequence which seems clear and necessary to one man may seem weak to another and because we cannot penetrate into the hearts of men to judge whether they be obstinate or do implicitely and in the preparation of their Mind believe the Truth its good to be sparing and reserved in Censuring Hereticks for Obstinacy Bishop Tailor 's Collection of Discourses pag. 117. When I reckoned Obstinacy among those things which make a false opinion Criminal there is an obstinacy of the will which is indeed highly guilty of Mis-demeanor and when the School makes pertinacy or obstinacy to be the Formality of Heresie they say not true at all unless it be meant the obstinacy of the Will or Choice The Adequate and perfect formality of Heresie is whatsoever makes the Error voluntary or vitious as is clear in Scripture reckoning Covetousness Pride and Lust and whatsoever is vitious to be its causes but there is also an Obstinacy you may call it but indeed is nothing but a resolution and a confirmation of Understanding which is not in a mans power honestly to alter and it is not all the commands of Humanity that can be Arguments sufficient to make a man leave believing that for which he thinks he hath reason for which he hath such Arguments as heartily convince him Item pag. 417. It is very hard to be discerned because those accidental and Inherent Crimes which make a man an Heretick in Questions not simply Fundamental or of necessary practice are actions so Internal and Spiritual that cognizance can but seldom be taken of them Dr. William 's Truth pag. 32. Because is is a sin so fearful to persist maliciously and obstinately in a known Heresie and because of mine own Ignorance of Mens hearts what their thoughts be how far their knowledge reacheth or how much their Malice prevaileth with them I dare not be so bold as in my thoughts to lay a sin so grievous to any mans Charge Glanvil 's Cath. Charity It s very true that Error many times is occasioned by a corrupt Byas in the Will and Affections but then if our Erring Brother be sincere in other matters we are not to conclude that his understanding is this way corrupted and we can scarce be certain of it in any case Design of Christianity pag. 232. Would we know whether we Embrace all the Fundamentals of Christianity and are guilty of no Damnable and Destructive Errors Examine we our selves are we sincerely willing to obey in all things commanded and heartily endeavour to have a right understanding of the Holy Scripture in order to the bettering of our Souls by the Doctrines c. This obedient temper is the most infallible mark of an Orthodox man such an one though he may err cannot be an Heretick Dr. Hammond of Schism pag. 24. How light and inconsiderable and extrinsecal to the Foundation soever the Error may be supposed to be yet if there be Obstinacy in the continuing in it against light and conviction this certainly is a sin neither light nor inconsiderable nor reconcileable with Christian Practice Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 43. Many are partakers of the Error which are not of the Heresie of the Church of Rome Put a difference saith St. Jude have compassion upon some Shall we lay up all in one Condition Shall we cast them all headlong Shall we plunge them all into that infernal Everlasting Flaming Lake Them that have been partakers of the Errors of Babylon together with them which are in Heresie Them that have been Authours of Heresie with them that by Terror and Violence have been forced to receive it They who have Taught it with them whose simplicity hath by sleight and conveyances of false Teachers been seduced to believe it Them which have been partakers in one with them which have been partakers in many Them which in many with them which in all Item pag. 64. Considering how many Vertuous and just men how many Saints how many Martyrs how many Ancient Fathers of the Church have had their sundry perilous opinions and St. Augustine saith of himself Errare possum Hereticus esse nolo except we put a difference between them that Err and obstinately persist in Error how is it possible that ever any man should hope to be saved Mr. Chillingworth chap. 1. Sect. 13. The intended sence of Scripture is not so fully declared in points not necessary but that they which oppose it may verily believe that they indeed maintain it and have great shew of Reason to induce them to believe so and therefore are not to be Damned as men opposing that which they know to be a Truth delivered in Scripture or have no probable Reasons to believe the contrary but rather in Charity to be acquitted and absolved as men who endeavour to find the Truth but fail of it through Humane Frailty Item chap. 3. Sect. 19. He opposeth not that which he doth know to be true but only that you know to be so and which he might know were he void of prejudice which is a Fault I confess but a fault incident to good and honest men very often That none are to be shut out of the Church and denied Communion for Lesser Sins and Errors BIshop Tailors Ductor Dubitantium In what case is Excommunication to be inflicted I chuse to give it in the words of the Fathers because there is in this case Reason and Authority too 1. Unless the offence be evident no man must be excommunicated says Origen agreeably Hooker Eccl. Pol. pag. 408. As for Iniquity and Sin it lieth many times hid and because we be all offenders it becometh us not to encline towards hard and severe sentences touching others unless upon notorious
worse and incomparably more lamentable that is so swelled and puft up with the splendour of its Golden Edifice upon the Foundation or of its Orthodoxy that neglecting Charity and Equanimity and trampling on the Law of Christ fastidiously rejects and Anathematizeth other Churches Orthodox in the Foundation and willing to maintain place with it than is the condition of those Churches who though they are infirm in Faith inferiour in knowledge do yet hold in the Foundation maintain inviolable Charity and after the Example of Blessed Cyprian do neither judge nor separate from Communion those who think otherwise than themselves Dr. Casaubon 's Necessity of Reformation pag. 142. cited by Dr. Puller 's Moderation c. pag. 436. Were there nothing else objected to Papists but this one thing their uncharitable proscribing and Excommunicating all Christians in all parts of the World as in the Council of Trent imposing her Doctrines which were but disputable before to be de fide with an Anathema to such as thought of them otherwise who are not of their Communion and obliging all that adhere unto them to profess the same I should think that one thing a just ground of Separation or forsaking their Communion Dr. Steward 's Englands Case pag. 26. When Men cast out of the Church Catholick and so damn to Hell all those that hold not their Opinions this St. Augustine oft-times calls Schism in the Donatists I could name you those who are guilty of this but I am sure our dear Mother is not who hath been so mild to those who have most highly opposed her Dr. Hammond's Pract. Catech. Vpon Blessed are the Peace-makers We are not to think our own Opinions in Religion such as are not of Faith of such importance as to deny Communion or Salvation to those who differ from us Item of Schism pag. 165. and pag. 166. That as we exclude no Christian from our Communion that will either Filially and Fraternally embrace it with us being ready to admit any to our Assemblies that acknowledge the Foundation laid by Christ and his Apostles so we as earnestly desire to be admitted to the like Freedom of External Communion with all the Members of all other Christian Churches as often as occasion makes us capable of that Blessing And pag. 5. Tell us the Governours of the Church use to inflict that punishment of Excommunication on the most scandalous Sinner And pag. 15. Calls it that very condition into which the Adulterer and obstinate offender is cast by the Censures of the Church Hammond of the Keys chap. 5. Sect. 18. The more shame for the over-easie denouncers of that censure that inflict it for every trivial commission without consideration whether or no repented of or that use this Sovereign Recipe unadvisedly for any other end than Reforming the Profane Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 366. It is evident that the Divine Moderation of our Church considers the frame of Man and the uncertainty difficulty and imperfection of Humane Knowledge the weakness and variety of Humane Understandings she alloweth much to the force of Prejudice Education and the power and artifice of Seducers Our Church makes a great reserve of Dispensation to persons of Modest Humble Docible and peaceable Spirits and proportions her Censures to the degrees of Malice and the Unchristian Temper which appears in Offenders Dr. Cumber on the Common-Prayer in the Commination Discipline with-held in favour of Dissenters least the imposing it there should make this Holy Means of Reformation despised rather than obeyed Item pag. 369. Dr. Puller Wherefore the Institution of a Christian Man made by Cranmer saith the Bishops are not bound so precisely but they may attemper and forbear the execution of their Jurisdiction when by so doing the cure of the offenders and the tranquility of the Church may be furthered Item pag. 35. According to Equity our Church desires all her Laws may be Interpreted Benignius Leges interpretandae sunt c. She admits of a Mitigation of a rigid Sentence And pag. 11. Disposeth them where the Laws press too hard upon particular persons to relax the Rigour of them Pag. 370. Wherefore those who in Execution of the Church Discipline abuse the most excellent Temper of the Church in the constitution of her Laws under the pretence of Ecclesiastical Authority verily they most of all deserve the Churches Rod and the dire point of her Anathema Let it be considered said Bishop Tailor Ductor Dub. L. 3. pag. 259. How Great a reproach it is to Ecclesiastical Discipline if it be made to Minister to Covetousness and to the needs of Proctors and Advocates Bishop Bramhall pag. 14. Vindicat. of the Church To exclude none from Catholick communion and hope of Salvation either Eastern or Western or Southern or Northern Christians which profess the Faith of the Apostles and Primitive Fathers established in the first General Councils and comprehended in the Apostolick Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and lastly to hold an Actual External Communion with them in votis in our desires and to endeavour it by all lawful means Item pag. 17. There is not the like necessity of communicating in all Externals there is not so great conformity to be expected in ceremonies as in the Essentials of Sacraments Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 2. pag. 223. Ed t. 4. It is a most pernitious sancy to think that divers Nations and Countries differing by Customs Laws and Manners so they hold one and the same Rule of Faith in the Bond of Peace cannot be parts of the Catholick Church Communicant one with another The Communion of Saints standeth not in External Rights Customs and Manners but in believing the same truth tasting of the same grace resting on the same Hope calling on the same God rejoycing in the same Spirit whereby they be sealed sanctified and preserved unto the day of Redemption Causes of Decay of Christian Piety pag. 285. As Christ when he forewarned his Disciples of the ensuing persecution tells them not only they should be killed but they should be put out of the Synagogue so now as if Christians were emulous of every branch of Jewish Cruelty we transcribe that part of the Copy too and either by causeless Excommunicating others or separating our selves we deny the benefit of Publick Communion to each other Item pag. 280. Every Petty difference c. pag. 287. Would we indeed comport with the Example of those happy Times of the Primitive Church we should have prayed for the Conversion of Dissenters not laid Anathema's upon them and prayed for their confusion Item In his whole Duty of Man If one that holds all necessary Christian Truths happen yet to be in some Error we are not for this to despise his Person or forsake his Communion Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement In the case of unavoidable Differences amongst good Men there ought to be mutual Charity c. not to judge despise reject insult over one another not to
pertained only unto a mans friends Christ gave this Godly law of Charity a true and clear interpretation that we ought to love every man both friend and foe adding thereto the Commodity to be the Children of our heavenly Father and this we shall be sure of saith Christ if we love every man without exception Conformists Plea for Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 106. The salutations of the Holy Apostles expressed their largeness and their Catholick love to the Corinthians among whom were great divisions to the Galatians and Colossians among whom were some very Erroneous so did their Benedictions peace be to Brethren and Love c. And Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity Eph. 6.23 and verse 2. Bishop Davenants Letter to Duraeus Whether we will or no it s necessary that we all own Christ as our elder Brother and joyn in strict and Brotherly Communion with all that are his Brethren Moreover all must confesse true and genuine Charity is as necessary to the Salvation of all the Members of the Christan Churches as the true and entire profession of Saving faith Christ having made this love the Cognizance Whereby to discriminate his disciples and those who falsely professe his name he puts this question Whether it be safe Pious or suitable to the duty of Christian Churches not to stretch forth the right hand of Brotherly affection to those Churches which though they differ and in some lesser matters err may notwithstanding be Christs Martyrs and our holy Brethren Mr. Thomas Pierce on St. John the 13.35 Our love must be so extensive that it must reach even to all not only to our fellow-disciples but to all men living upon earth it must reach even to our enemies not onely to those without the pale of the Church who do us little or no hurt even Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks for whom we pray once in a year in our English Liturgy but to our Crueller enemies within the Church P. 414. item 282. Whom our Lord hath enjoyned us not onely to forgive but pray for to love their souls to pray for their repentance and desire they may be sharers of immortality and blisse of which we shall not have the lesse but rather the more for having sharers and tells us on St. John 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples c Love to Christians as Christians is as the badge and Cognizance the testimony and proof of our real discipleship under Christ and the firmest bond to hold us together in peace and love not so much that we are of one Countrey but that we are of one Christ or to expresse it with St. Paul that we have but One Faith One Baptism Doct. Hammonds Pract. Catechism under meekness to continue constant to the doctrine of the Catholick Church and maintain the inward Communion that of Charity with all the true Church of God wheresoever they are and with particular Churches so far as to embrace them with the armes of Christian Charity to joyn even with the erroneous Churches so far as they are not erroneous Separating onely from their Corruptions Idem on first Epist of St. John 3.14 We know that we are regenerate Christians by our Chariry to other men which he that hath not is clearly an unregenerate unchristian person Idem the first Epist St. John 4.7 And evidence of our being from God is Charity to our fellow Christians for that is most strictly commanded and exemplified to us from God and no practice renders us so like to Gods example and so concordant to his precepts as the sincere exercise of this duty Dr. Barrow ' s. Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy P. 36. The genuine meaning of that article Catholick Church may reasonably be deemed this that we professe our adhering to the body of Christians which diffused over the World doth retain the faith taught the Discipline settled the practises appointed by our Lord and Saviour and his Apostles that we maintain general Charity towards all good Christians that we are ready to entertain Communion in holy offices with all such Item on Rom 12.18 pag. 230 231. Serm. 3. pursue peace with all without any exception with men of all Nations Jewes and Greeks and Barbarians of all Sects and Religions persecuteing Jews and Idolatrous Heathens as at that time men of all judgments and perswasions Neither is there any evading our obligation to this duty by pretending of others that they entertain opinions irreconcileably contrary to ours that they adhere to Sects and Parties which we dislike and disavow that they are not so vertuous so Religious so Holy as they should be or at least not in such a mannner as we would have them Bishop Saundersons Sermon 3. Ad Aulam sect 39. Here is that evil partiality we are to take heed of when we restrain the Brotherhood or Neighbour to some one party or society in the Church such as we think good of and exclude the rest as if they had no part or fellowship in this Brotherhood nor consequently any right to that special affection where with we are to love the Brethren which partiailty hath indeed been the very bane of the Churches unity and peace and the chief Cause both of the beginning and of the Continuance of most of the Schisms under which Christendom hath groaned from time to time Englands Black Tribunal p. 222. As I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the Holy Catholick Church as I hold Communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the World that love the same Lord Jesus in sincerity and call on his name agreeing with those Truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God though in charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary Dr. Hewyt's Speech at the Scaffold Dr. Alestrey's Sermon p. 168. Our Saviours addition Matth. 5.44 saith that we must love our Enemies The Christians hath no Canaanites as Deut. 7. but the most profligate Adversaries of his Religion he must love and pray for them although they persecute him which makes appear it doth at least include enemies of Religion for persecutions seldom were upon any other ground And Christ hath proved that the Samaritan he whom the Disciples would consume that Schismatick and rejector of Christ is yet our Neighbour Luke 10. and therefore him also we must love and pray for Item p. 322. Serm. 18. There is no sort of men nor any man whom it is lawful for a Christian not to love and all the reasons urged here by our Saviour do prove that all mankind whether good or bad is the object of a Christians love Mr. Kettlewells measures of Christian Obedience Edit 2. ch 3. l. 7. p. 133 and 134. It is not either distance of Countrey nor contrariety of interest no nor what is most of all presumed to exempt us from the obligations of this duty
diversity of opinions or perswasions in matters of Religion which takes away from any man his right to all that kindness and advantage from us but of whatsoever Countrey Calling or Religion he be he is our Neighbour meant in Luke 10. to whom all the instances of love must be performed for what Religion was ever more odious to any one than the Samaritan was to the Jews John 8.48 Insinuating thereby that any man though so contrary in Religion as those two were to one another is the neighbour whom the Law intends Mr. Glanvell 's Essay upon Preaching pag. 32. Catholick Universal Charity is a Doctrine exceeding sit for these times in which Divisions and mutual Animosities have produced so many fatal and deplorable effects and though the doing this will displease the Bygots and Beautefeus of all sides yet we must go on arm'd with Courage and Patience of the Gospel and be instant in preaching Peace and Love though we are torn in pieces for it Idem Vsefulness of Real Phylosophy to Religion pag. 32. I secure Charity for all the Diversities of Belief and equally offer my Friendship and Converses to the several Sects and Perswasions that stick to the plain principles of the Gospel and a vertuous life overlooking their particular Fondnesses and Follies Bishop Taylor 's Advice to his Clergy p. 29. Let no names of Sects or differing Religion be kept up among you to the disturbance of the publick Peace and private Charity and teach not the people to estimate their Piety by their distance from any Opinion but by their Faith in Christ Obedience and love to all Christian people even though they be deceived Again Rule 47. Let the business of your Sermons be to preach Holy Life Obedience Peace Love among Neighbours Hearty Love to live as the Old Christians did and the New should Dr. Tillotson 's Sermon on Luke 9.55 56. pag. 7. The Gospel designs Universal Love and peace and Good Will and now no difference of Religion no pretence of Zeal for God and Christ can warrant and justifie the contrary Idem Vol. 1. of Sermons pag. 213. When we come to Heaven we shall enter into the Society of the Blessed Angels and of the Spirits of just Men made perfect that is freed from all those passions and infirmities which do now render the conversation even of the best men sometimes troublesome to one another We shall then meet with all those excellent persons those innocent and charitable Souls whom we have seen and heard and read of in this World with all intimate Friends and perhaps with many of our Enemies to whom we shall then be perfectly reconciled notwithstanding all the warm contests and peevish differences which we have had while in this World even about matters of Religion For Heaven is a state of perfect Love and Friendship all Quarrels and Contentions Schisms and Divisions will then be effectually hindered not by Force but by Love and all those Controversies of Religion which are now so hotly agitated will then be finally determined by a perfect knowledge and convincing Light Lloyd Bishop of St. Asaph in Sermon November 5. 1680. pag. 9. We know that Christ gave love for the Character by which his Disciples were to be known Joh. 13.35 and least men should unchristian others that they may hate them and destroy them afterwards Christ enlarged his precept of love and extended it even to Enemies and not onely to ours but to the Enemies of our Religion Mat. 5.43 44. Mr. Cook 's Sermon on Rom. 12.18 pag. 6. The Church of Christ allowes no Enemies at all but like it Charity is Oecumenick and Universal nay like God himself Infinite and Eternal it knows no bounds of Love nor respect of Persons and must never fail surely then Christianity must fail utterly vanish and perish so long as we are at variance among our selves Idem pag. 10. The grand Duties of Humility Peace and Universal Charity are delivered in the Scriptures in the most plain express and entire manner as to all Points and Circumstances of obligation and therefore whatsoever places are erected against those fundamentals of Practice destroy the very essence and being of Christianity Vnity of the Catholick Church pag. 7. Catholick Unity consists in Unity of Belief and in the Unity of Charity having an intimate Fellow-feeling of all the good or evil which befals any joyned in so near a relation as fellow-members beyond the compass of ordinary Humanity whereby we are bound not onely to pray for but by all Offices of Kindness and most intimate Affection to assist and relieve each other in the same Houshold of Faith Item pag. 53. Many of our Church yea the constitution it self hath been often charged and reviled though most unjustly with too favourable an inclination to them of Rome because we are not so hasty and peremptory in unchurching them altogether or damning presently all that have been or are still of their communion as some would have us which is in effect for being more tender of preserving the Principles of true Catholick Unity then in pleasing some private Humours or Prejudices Mr. Pygot 's Abners Plea for Accom pag. 38 39. Now whatsoever Breaches or Divisions happen in other Kingdoms which are without God in the World and Strangers from the Covenant of Grace Psal 122.3 yet let Jerusalem the Church of God be alwayes like a City which is at Unity within it self Methinks Philadelphia the name of one of the Seven Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. is a fitting name for a Church which signifies brotherly Love and every Congregation ought to be in a good Sense the Family of Love Item pag. 43. Consider there is but one Body Eph. 4.4 the whole Church is but one Body and the Members of the same Body do not use to contend one with another Dr. Barrow 's Serm. 8. pag. 316. I close up all with this Corollary that if we must live lovingly and peaceably with all men then much more are we obliged to do so with all Christians Our Spiritual Brethren Members of the same Mystical Body Temples of the same Holy Ghost Servants of the same Lord Subjects of same Prince Professors of the same Truth partakers of the same Hopes Heirs of the same Promise and Candidates of the same Everlasting Happiness That an Agreement of all Christians in any one Sect or Perswasion is never to be Expected BIshop Jewel 's Answer to Mr. Harding 's Preface It were above all things to be desired of God that his Heavenly Truth may pass forth without these contrarieties and Quarrels of judgments and many Godly Wise Men are much offended to see it otherwise but thus it hath been ever from the beginning Sir Francis Bacon in his Advertisements of the Controversies of the Church of England pag. 183. of his works It is excellently alluded by that Father that noted that Christs Garment was without Seams and yet the Churches Garment was of divers colours and sets down as
a Rule In veste varietas sit scissura non sit King James the First 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epistle to the Reader That the variety of Mens Minds is such that tot Capita tot Sensus yea and that even the very Faces that God hath by Nature brought forth in the World do every one of them in some of their particular Lineaments differ from any other Bishop Andrew 's Serm. pag. 519. Contentions there were when St. Paul and his fellow Apostles lived in the Churches under them of their times in the very prime of the Primitive Church then were there contentions this I note that we may not think it strange if there be contentions in our times they shall be no strangers with us in ours they were not with them in theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the difference in point of Church Government Sect. 21. Nor is it any point of Wisdom or Charity where Christians differ as many do in some points there to widen the differences Item Upon the many Jealousies and Scandals rais'd upon the King 'T is strange that so Wise Men as they would be esteemed should not conceive that difference of perswasion in Matters of Religion may easily fall out c. Mr. Hooker of Justification pag. 68. Ye are not now to learn that as of it self it is not hurtful so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensive in doubtful cases to hear the different Judgments of men be it that Cephas hath one interpretation and Apollos another that Paul is of this mind that Barnabas of that if this offend you the fault is yours Carry peaceable Minds and you may have comfort in this variety Dr. Edward Bulkley In his Apology for the Church of England Article 5. pag. 104. Edit 1608. in Answer to Wright 's Articles You vainly and falsely exaggerate Controversies and irreconcilable Jarrs as you tearm them among us in essential points of Faith I confess there hath been in our Church some Controversie concerning External Ceremonies and Form of Covernment as there hath been heretofore between good men as between Peter and Paul between Paul and Barnabas between Anicetus Bishop of Rome and Polycarpus between Chrysostom and Epiphanius and many others who all were godly men agreeing in unity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God Mr. Hieron s Sermons in Bargain of Salt Now among our selves betwixt us and other Churches there are some differences in Opinion as it cannot be holpen so long as we carry with us our natural imperfections Mr. Chilling worth chap. 1. Sect. 13. Because the contrary belief may be in such points in which Scripture may with great probability be alledged on both sides a sure note of a point not necessary that men of honest and upright hearts true lovers of God and of Truth such as desire above all things to know Gods will and to do it without any fault at all some go one way some another and some suspend their judgments Bishop Bramhals Just Vindication of the Church We see that all the famous and principal Churches of the World the Grecian Roman Protestant Armenian Abyssine have their peculiar differences one with another and each of them among themselves Item p. 19. Though I am far from beleiving when Logomachies are taken away their real dissentions are not half so numerous or their errours half so foul as they are pointed out by their Adversaries yet to hold Communion with them in all things is neither lawful nor possible Bishop Tailors Coll. of discourses in Epist Dedic before Liberty of Proph. No part of this discourse teacheth or encourageth variety of Sects and contradictions but supposeth and finds them already in being and therefore since there are and ever were and ever will be variety of opinions because there is variety of human understandings and uncertainty in things Few men consider since men have such variety of principles such several constitutions educations tempers and distempers hopes interests and weaknesses degrees of light and degrees of understanding impossible all should be of one mind Item p. 401. This variety of opinions in several persons an Argument only of diversities of operations while the Spirit is the same Bishops Reynolds Brotherly Reconciler In that the Apostle saith if in any thing ye be otherwise minded we may from hence learn that in the best ages of the Church there have been and therefore we cannot but expect that there ever will be variety and difference of Judgment among the members thereof first while we know but in part Secondly While there is difficulty in the disquisition of Truth Thirdly Weakness of judgment in men to make that enquiry c. p. 17. Item p. 19. Till all the members of the Church have attained unto their full Stature there cannot be expected such an universal consent of Judgments and harmony of Doctrines even amongst good men themselves as shall not admit of some variety and dissonancy Bishop Saundersons Serm. 8. Ad Aulam Sect. 25. Mens understandings are not all of one size and temper even they that have the largest and clearest understanding yet know but in part and are therefore subject to errours and misapprehensions therefore it cannot be hoped there should be such a consonancy and uniformity of Judgment no not among wise and Godly men but that in many things yea and things sometime of great importance they may and will dissent one from another unto the Worlds end Bishop Wilkins Serm. 13. p. 407 408 'T is a thing most reasonable and fitting in it self speaking of Moderation because of the fallibility of human judgment and that not only from the impotency of our faculties and the prejudices we are liable to from the account of interests but likely from the difficulty and obscurity of things the most Learned and inquisitive men many times differing in their judgments all which put together shew how exceeding difficult and next to impossible it is that men should ever agree in the same apprehensions of things Glanvell's Catholick Charity p. 34. The Learned and the prudent Churches and Councels Confessors and Fathers the former and the latter ages the vertuous and the devout the credulous and the inquisitive they have all differed in the lesser matters of belief and every man differs from almost every other in something p. 37. 'T is a frequent wish with some that all men were once of one mind but then it must be theirs no doubt for they would not judge it reasonable upon other terms They may as well wish that we were all of one age complexion humour and degree of understanding 'T is enough that such agreement is not necessary yea I take the other step 't is impossible Our Tempers Capacities Educations Genius's Converses Interests Accidents are strangely divers therefore our apprehensions must needs be different Decay of Piety p. 409 Not that I suppose it possible to extinguish all diversities of opinions among men who from their differing faculties
in the Service already established by Act of Parliament in this Kingdom he intends that all other Protestants behaving themselves peaceably in and towards the Civil Government shall have the free exercise of their Religion in their own way Item to the Prince of Wales The charitable connivance and Christian Toleration often dissipates their strength whom rougher opposition fortifies Dr. Hammond 's Sermons pag. 72. I am confident there were no such way of designing a prosperous flourishing durable Kingdom as to found its Polity upon Gospel Principles and maintain it by the Gospel Spirit id est of Love and Meekness I have Authority to think that was the meaning of the Prophesie of Christs turning Swords into Plough-shares c. Advice to the Church of England Roman Catholicks and Protestant Dissenters tells us pag. 23. Dr. Hammond left it to the Witnesses of his End as his dying Counsel to the Church of England that they displaced no man out of the Universities or present Church but that by Love and an Holy Life they should prevail upon those in possession then to come into their Church Which he had as he tells us from an eminent hand in Oxford a year or two after the Doctors Death Mr. Hales of Erring Christians pag. 26. Edit 2. The Christians were called Christiani from a word signifying benignity and sweetness What reason is there why that should not be one of the chiefest notes of the Church of Christ which did so especially characterize a Christian man except there were a decay of it at this day in the Church Georgius a Factious Bishop of Alexandria is said oblitus professionis suae quae nil nisi justum suadet bene Quite besides his profession whose especial notes were Gentleness and Equity in the sense of the Heathen Ammianus Marcellinus King Charles the Second in a Declaration from Breda was for Liberty to Tender Consciences and sayes that no man shall be disquieted for Differences in Opinion in Matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom pag. 5. and 18. This Declaration his Majesty afterwards May 8. 1661. tearms a Promise solemnly made This Declaration or Promise he tells both Houses July 8 1661. that so oft as he comes to them he mentions his Declaration from Breda that himself as well as they might mind it In his Majesties Declaration of Decemb. 26 1662. He tells us that he remembers the very words of the Promises from Breda that concern'd Liberty of Conscience and the confirmations he hath made of them since upon several Occasions and that he is still firm in Resolution of performing them to the full He tells what hindered But it must not be wondered at since that Parliament to which those promises were made in relation to an Act never thought fit to offer us any to that purpose His Majesty publickly declared his avowed readiness in his Proclamation July 16. 1669. to indulge Tender Consciences Bishop Bramhall 's Just Vindication c. pag. 279. Men may vary in their Judgments and yet preserve Christian Unity and Charity in their Affections one towards another so as Errours be not destructive to Fundamental Articles Bishop Gauden of slight Healing pag. 102. That Lenitive of Equanimity Forbearance and Moderation in respect of Conscientious Dissenters from the publick Consent Customs and Constitutions in the Church which Christian Charity requires and publick peace with safety may bear Idem pag. 93. Scandalous for any to plead that they may have Liberty or Toleration for that which by publique Advice and upon due search is found to be such as is prone to endanger or disorder and infect the whole Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Reconciliation pag. 19. In this case of unavoidable differences among good men there ought to be Mutual Charity Meekness Moderation Tolerance Humanity used Idem pag. 25. Brings in a saying of Mr. Calvin such a man saith he is a sincere Minister of Christ a godly and a moderate Man therefore though he dissent from us I will not cease to love him still Bishop Taylor 's Collection of Discourses pag. 603. To refuse our Charity to those who have the same Faith because they have not all our Opinions and believe not every thing necessary which we over-value is Impious and Schismatical and to this sense is that of St. Paul If I had all Faith and have not Charity I am nothing c. Idem If men please what-ever advantages would be consequent to an Unity of perswasion may be supplied by a charitable compliance and mutual permission of Opinion prescribed us by the Lawes of Christianity Idem Epist before Lib. of Proph. in Collection of Discourses c. I thought it might not misbecome my duty and endeavours to plead for Peace and Charity and Forgiveness and Permissions mutual And in Defence of that Piece in the Second Edition Now I have done all that I can do onely I cannot repent me of speaking Truth or doing Charity I Answer whatsoever is against the Foundation of Faith I or contrary to good Life and the Lawes of Obedience or destructive to humane Societies and the publick and just interests of Bodies Politick is out of the limits of my Question for Toleration Idem I think I have spoken reason in my Book and examined it with all the severity that I have I writ this because I thought it was necessary and seasonable and charitable and agreeable to the great precepts and design of Christianity consonant to the practice of the Apostles and of the best Ages of the Church and of the nature of the thing Bishop Hacket 's Sermon on Acts 5.39 p. 22. An Unanimity of Opinions is not necessary to Friendships saith Aristotle very well Dear Friends may retain the sweetness of love together and yet vary in some conclusion of Judgments a little more may be granted that each may be earnest to win the other to assent Idem pag. 25. But if sundry shapes and appearances of reason will not suffer us all to enjoy the same Knowledge and the same Conscience yet let us Dissent as Brethren and not as Enemies Bishop Saunderson 's Serm. 9. ad Aulam Sect. 23. We see Philosophers Lawyers and Physitians confuting one anothers Opinions in great Volumes and we allow it in them but difference in Opinions is more tolerable in Divinity by how much the things about which we are conversant are of a more sublime mysterious and of an incomprehensible Nature than are those of other Sciences Bishop Wilkins Sermons on Rom. 14. p. 57. There are several Truths which are not of so great consequence as Unity Peace and Charity and therefore in such things there ought to be a mutual forbearance towards one another Idem Sermon 13. It is no difficult matter for men to be fair and kind and moderate towards such as are of the same way and agree with them in the main Idem pag 413. 414. This vertue Moderation will be very advantageous to the peace
great that such an absolute consent amongst pious persons is scarcely to be expected in this World the next thing to be endeavoured after is that they may agree in the belief of the principle Heads of our Religion and as for other things which neither of necessity belong to Holiness of Life nor the comfort of Souls nor the Kingdom of God that men would so believe them as to bear with them who think otherwise concerning them For that this may lawfully be done the thing it self declares and St. Paul pronounceth not onely in many places doth permit but even commands us to bear with Dissenters This is the common opinion of all persons which from the first ages of Christianity to the present times have been of any esteem or honour in the Church Principles and Practices of some Moderate Divines p. 308. Let the Professors of Christianity labour for the true spirit and temper of Christians and it will be as well with the Christian World as if we were all of the same mind I mean let us not Magisterially impose upon one another and be so Charitable as to believe well of Dissenters from us that live good lives Item p. 348. That we may contend with each other about nothing more then who shall express in the midst of our different perswasions most Charity and most Candor Conformist Plea to the Non-Conformist part 3. p. 62. Doth Christian Love and Compassion prompt us to wish our persecuted Brethren in France enjoyed the liberty of the true Religion there And if they should enjoy a freedom there shall we deny a liberty to Protestant Brethren here I can see no ways to avoid a Justification of the barbarous usage of Protestants there by them that prosecute Protestants here Idem part 4. p. 1. Peace Love and Forbearance have a greater place assigned them in Religion than the things in controversie which cause our Divisions And whether it be Meeter for the greater things to suffer by the lesser or the lesser to give place to the greater let common reason judge and common experience come in as an evidence Mr. Kidder 's Serm. of Peace pag. 24. The best men as they may differ from each other but then their Christian charity will dispose them to forbear and forgive and to debate with great calmness and temper which is the way at once to Truth and Peace Mr. Tully 's Serm. of Moderation pag. 2. Those Homiletic or if I may so speak conversable Graces of Meekness Gentleness Forgiveness Forbearance c. are so frequently pressed upon us in the Sacred Writings upon this prospect partly no doubt that they all of them tend mightily to the sweetning of Societies and to the prevention or healing those differences which are apt to embroil us Argument for Toleration and Indulgence in relation to differences in Opinion pag. 2. We must distinguish between points of Faith and Points of Opinion that we ought to bear one with another in respect of differing Opinions as God doth bear with us all he hath left somethings less plain and clear then others as matters both to exercise the reasonable faculties of good and pious men and to afford them subjects of mutual Charity and Forbearance in their different Sentiments and Apprehensions about them Item pag. 25. As for Separations into several and distinct Conventions I see no cause of fearing any greater inconvenience in them to the Church or to the State if mutual Toleration and Indulgence be the received Principle than is in so many several Clubs of Friendship or Companies of Trade However different they may be from one another in other respects in this they will all agree to love one another for that of God they see and to maintain the publick Liberty the common Interest of all and so though they are as many Conventions as you can imagine and the more the less dangerous one will balance another yet they are not Factions Form of Prayer Dec. 22. 1680. By the power of thy Holy Spirit of Peace dispose all our Hearts to such Meekness of Wisdom such calm and deliberate Long-Suffering and Forbearance of one another in Love that so we may live in Peace and the God of Peace may be with us That Force and Capital Punishments are not to be Inflicted on Christians for their difference in Opinions from us GOod Advice to the Church of England c. pag. 22. And to the end that I may do the Reformation Right and the Principles of the Church of England Justice those in Queen Maries Time particularly Latimer Philpot Bradford Rogers very eminent Reformers hardly one person of any Note but did pass Sentence on Persecution as Anti-christian the Apologies afterwards of the same strain as may be seen in Juel Haddon Reynolds c. censuring the Papists for the Persecutions that they raised against the Protestants for matters of pure Religion Bishop Juel 's Defence of the Apol. pag. 484. St. Augustine saith Nullis bonis in Catholica Ecclesia hoc placet si usque ad mortem in quen-quam licet haereticum saeviatur No good man in the Catholick Church likes that any Heretick should be punished with Death As for our parts speaking of our Church we were never yet guilty to one drop of your blood We seek no Aid at Fire and Sword we will rather say with St. Jerom Vtinam filios haereticorum c. Would God we may kill the Children of Hereticks and of all them that be deceived with Spiritual Arrows that is to say with the Testimonies of Scripture And with St. Augustine O si occidas eos gladio bis acuto c. Bishop Andrew's Sermons on Luk. 9.54 55 56. pag. 912. He puts the case whether the Town of Samaria for not receiving Christ upon pretence he was not of their Religion might not be consumed but Christ ruleth the Case for the Town that it ought not to be done It was an Errour this of the two Disciples we see it plain by Nescitis but of it may well be said that Gregory saith of another of theirs O salutaris error c. Blessed Errour it was for by it the World was rid of the like Errour ever after For so long as this verse shall stand in this Gospel it will serve for a resolution to this Question Any of his Disciples may do that which they here would have done This rebuke here of these will reach to all undertakers in the same kind this Non perdere sed salvare saves all our Towns Cities and States from consuming by fire from any of Christs Company Item pag. 919. And where they move him in specie for a destruction by Fire he not content to deny that alone denieth it in genere not to destroy at all neither by Fire nor any other way Here we have a case of Fire will ye have another of the Sword St. Peter St. John 22.49 Shall we smite with the Sword that he denies too Out with your Fire James
You mean that all truly Pious and Conscientious persons ought to be treated with Candor and Respect before severe means be used or that the use of severe means is utterly to be forborn as far as may be that is as far as such forbearance may be reconcileable with the publick Interest which is to be preferred before the private of any person whatsoever I could for my part heartily wish it were so too Kidder 's Serm. 1 Pet. 3.11 pag. 22. We Quarrel first then we hate and when we are strong enough we persecute each other Vnion of the Catholick Church pag. 50. Men may make a noise with the Odious Names of Persecutions yet our Adversaries of both the Extreams have little reason to object that of which they themselves stand so deeply chargeable when in their power Principles and Practices of Moderation c. These persons the Moderate Divines of the Church of England are desirous that Mercy and Indulgence should be shown towards those whose Consciences will not permit them to comply with their Governours in some things disputable judging it a piece too near of kin to that of the cruel Procrustres ever to endeavour to force others to be just of their pitch and size in Opinions and to approve of their Sentiments Mr. Smythies Spirit of Meekness pag. 68. As the Galathians were overtaken in a fault Galat. 6.1 So we must account them likewise who have dissented from us Men that are guilty of Errours of practice they are wilful for they know they are wrong and yet they are to be treated with a Spirit of Meekness that they may be made sensible of their wickedness that they may be reclaimed without punishment by the Execution of Laws if it may be effected Much more then are others to be dealt tenderly with in their Errors of Judgment through weakness and inability of Mind for which they are to be pitied Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 28. Whether men shall forfeit their Goods and Liberties for a Dissent in Religion by any Gospel-Rule or Rules of Christian Equity is a great Question and the Negative past doubt as yet Idem Part 3. pag. 5. The men speaking of Dissenters are given to pray hear Sermons sing Psalms and other pious Exercises and live if not better yet no worse than many that go to Church People think and say surely it is hard to drive honest Mens Cattle seize their goods break open houses for doing well Argument for Toleration and Indulgence in Difference of Opinion Printed 1681 pag. 3. Instead of bearing and Indulging to compel a person to serve the Deity in a way against the light and apprehensions he hath is the greatest Tyranny that can be for it is to compel him to the doing of a thing which on pain of Damnation he holds himself obliged not to do Item pag. 5 6. To be rigid and severe to others in matters of Opinion is not to comport with the Golden Rule of all our Actions prescribed by our Blessed Saviour which is to do as we would be done unto Wouldst thou be compelled thy self to anothers opinion that dost compel others Arguments and Reasons and not Capiasses and Imprisonments Fire and Faggot are proper means to effect it Thus the Ancient Fathers in all their Apologies to the Heathen in defence of themselves and the Christian Religion ever pleaded Mr. Kettlewel 's Measure of Obedience Edit 3. pag. 631. If we are rigorous and severe with our Brethren God will be so with us also and when he comes to judge us we shall find as little allowance at his hands as they have done at ours For he shall have judgment from God without Mercy who to men hath shewed no mercy but if any man hath been merciful to his Brethren God will be much more so to him This will be the best Plea that can be urged to obtain Mercy at Gods Hand Mat. 5.7 Peaceable Sentiments about Confessions and Articles of Faith BIshop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus Unless the Forms of Publick Confessions be restrained to necessary and uncontroverted Doctrines this mischief will ensue that many Learned Pious and peaceable Pastors will be excluded and made unserviceable to the Churches where they live that therefore it doth behove the Rulers of the Church as being conscious of their own and of the infirmities of Mankind to be cautious least while they do require a too rigid and exact Confession they seem to weaken that sweetly necessary Communion which should be among themselves King Charles the Seconds Declaration from Breda That none forfeit his Benefice that subscribes all the Articles of Religion which only concern the Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments Historia quinque Articularis Part 2. chap. 8. Cited by Dr. Puller 's Moder pag. 127. The Articles of this Protestant Church in the Infancy thereof were drawn up in general Terms foreseeing that Posterity would grow up to fill the same meaning that those Holy Men did prudently discover that difference in Judgments would unavoidably happen in the Church and were loth to unchurch any and drive them off from any Ecclesiastical Communion for petty differences which made them Pen the Articles in comprehensive words to take in all who differing in Branches meet in the Root of the same Religion Out of a Letter of the Bishops of Rochester Oxford and St. Davids to the Duke of Buckingham August 2. 1625. Exemplified in Heylin 's History of Archbishop Laud pag. 131. The Church of England when it was reformed from the Superstitious Opinions broached and maintained by the Church of Rome refused their apparent and Dangerous Errors and would not be too busie with every particular School point The Cause why she held this Moderation was because she could not be able to preserve any Unity amongst Christians if men were forced to subscribe to curious particulars disputed in Schools Some of them Montagues Opinions are such as are fit onely for Schools and to be left at more Liberty for Learn'd Men to abound in their own Sence c. Bishop Tailor 's Ductor Dubitant L. 3. chap. 4. R. 28. Sect. 8. No particular Church ought with rigour to require subscription to Articles which are not evidently true and necessary to be professed because in the Division of Hearts that is in the World it is certain that some good men may dissent and then either they shall be afflicted or tempted to Hypocrisie either of which if Ecclesiastical Laws be guilty they are not for Edification they are neither Just nor Pious and therefore oblige not Doctor Stillingfleet 's Vnreasonableness of Separation pag. 9. In the Preface If any Temper can be found out as to the manner of Subscription that may give ease to the scruples of our brethren and secure the peace of the Church and this I suppose may be done by an absolute subscription to all those Articles which concern the Doctrine of the true Christian