this for a just temptation to suspect that he has some design upon his Readers For the 5th Excuse p. 96. viz. That the Word of God that dead Letter is a dull formal thing without spirit or life where it is not applied c. I wonder what Dissenter suggested it to his Lordship For 't is a very dull pretence and yet I do not see that the main thing he insists on in his Answer dos vary much from the nature of the Objection For not to insist on his still calling that a human Invention which is undoubtedly of Divine Appointment and by his own Confession has the warrant of Scriptural Example p. 75 If there be any thing to the purpose against the Dissenters practice in his 3d. and 4th Consideration it must be founded on this supposition That 't is a great character of a Spiritual Man to love to hear the Scriptures read without any Exposition or Application but of a Carnal Man to delight more in Scripture read and expounded too then in the Scripture barely read For so he applies that noted passage of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 2.13 And thence He reproaches the Dissenters as notwithstanding all their pretences to a more then ordinary spiritualness and reformation little advanc't above the natural man that neither receives nor relishes the things of God at least not as they ought Answ If any thing cou'd put us out of conceit with Expositions of the Scripture it wou'd be such scurvy and abusive ones as this which his Lp. here offers And I do not believe there is any Dissenter but wou'd delight in the perusal of those excellent words of the Apostle while he nauseates such an insipid gloss on ' em For must it not argue a strange Confusion in a man's Notions of things to suppose those things so opposite and inconsistent that so admirably accord together Dos the Bishop think the style of the Scriptures is as familiar to ordinary Readers now as it was to those to whom the several parts of it were first immediately directed or that there is no difficulty in the ordinary parts of it that renders a brief Interpretation highly useful to the Church And do those love or relish the Word of God less then others who are not contented with the bare reading of it without desiring all the help their Teachers can give 'em for their right understanding and applying it Was it an Argument of a carnal mind in the Queen of Candace's Treasurer that he was not satisfied with reading God's Word by the Prophet Isaiah without desiring Philip to expound it 8. Acts 27 Is it so carnal a practice in Ministers to read Commentators on the Bible or in the People to desire to enjoy this fruit of their studies and labours Is it a carnal temper to be most affected with the Scriptures when we most clearly discern the true sense of 'em but on the contrary a spiritual disposition to delight in 'em most when we understand 'em least Or rather dos not such discourse as this look too like a shrewd design to gratifie the carnal and lazy humour of the Clergy by excusing 'em from the pains they should take in studying the Scriptures in order to the edifying their People by a judicious interpretation of ' em As if our Author wou'd have e'm all transform'd into such as the 49th Canon of the Church of England refers to who tho Benefic't yet being unlicens't to Preach are not to take on them to Expound in their own Cure or elsewhere any Scripture or matter of Doctrine and have no higher priviledge allow'd 'em then that they study to read aptly and plainly without glozing or adding the Homilies already set forth c. And by the way I perceive the Compilers of those Canons were great Strangers to our Author's Notion of Preaching But after he has examin'd the pretences he feigns the Dissenters to make for 't is evident they never brought any for not Reading the Scriptures he ventures to give us what he himself takes to be the true Reason of their supposed Neglect of it which he draws from 2 Tim. 4.3 of which he gives us an admirable Interpretation The Apostles words are For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own Lusts shall heap up to themselves Teachers having itching Ears Now an itching Ear saith the Bp. is one that loves novelty and variety Because therefore our Church gives the People little that is new in her prayers or reading the Scriptures but retains a Form of sound words in the one and the plain word of God in the other Hence it is that some People cannot endure our service but heap up to themselves Teachers that instead of Prayers and Praises of God's immediate Appointment will gratify 'em every meeting with a new Prayer without troubling 'em with such Prayers and Sermons as they think old which are incomparably better Only the itching Ears of the People as the Apostle foretold are pleased with the novelty and variety of the one and disgust the repetition of the other as the Israelites did that of Angels Food 78 Ps 25.21 Num. 5. Answ If we be so fond of Novelty and Variety as the Bp. supposes he has been very studious to gratify our humour in this new Paraphrase of which I dare say no Expositor before him ever dream'd For whereas the Apostle is plainly speaking of such as cou'd not endure sound Doctrine and therefore sought out Teachers that wou'd gratify 'em with some new Doctrines more grateful to their Lusts or Fancys and entertain their itching Ears as the Apostle explains himself in the next verse with Fables instead of Truth The Bp. dos with profound judgment apply it to those that desire to have the Scriptures clearly explain'd to their Understandings and impartially applied to their Consciences As if the Apostle had here quarrell'd with the People for desiring Sermons when he had in the very verse before urg'd Timothy to preach the word To be instant in season and out of season To reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine And if we shou'd grant the Bp. for once tho as I have shew'd him before there is no reason for it that the Apostle by preaching the word understood Reading it yet according to himself Rebuking reproving and exhorting with all long suffering and doctrine must imply an Exposition and Application of what was read So that the Bp. has unhappily expounded and applied this passage of the Apostle in direct opposition to the very scope of it which was to urg Timothy to constant preaching in our and the common sence of the word as the most effectuall means to cure people of that itching desire after such new Doctrines and Fables as wou'd please their wanton fancys or vitious Inclinations Whereas the Bp. imagines that the Apostle here condems the People's fondness for such Sermons as the very fault they were to be cur'd of
way concern'd in their errors I know not And I desire his Lp. to consider what else he can make of the following passages P. 137. Speaking of these external postures of Reverence he saith In cases of necessity we think they may lawfully be omitted But you are taught that in no cases they may be lawfully practis'd You are taught rather to stay at home than to conform in their outward gestures or circumstances You are advis'd rather to abstain all your lives from the Lord's-Supper than receive it kneeling Now if you think God hates 'em so much c. and accounts 'em a polluting his Ordinance c. Answ If his Lp. cannot produce so much as one among the Dissenting Ministers that ever taught their people That such postures of bodily Worship may in no cases be lawfully practis'd then I hope he will own himself guilty here of a very immoral practice And if he can produce any such person I dare undertake that he shall be publickly censur'd by his Brethren for teaching so senseless and ridiculous doctrine But to make this a general charge against us is the most inexcusable aspersion that he cou'd possibly cast upon us and such as we must demand from him that he either prove or ingenuously retract I might say the same concerning our people's being taught rather to stay at home than to conform in their outward gestures if he understand this of scriptural gestures us'd in the Establisht Church For what he adds as to kneeling at the Lord's-Supper he cannot be ignorant that some of the most considerable Writers for the NC's Cause in England have defended the lawfulness of it tho his Lp. cannot do it without contradicting himself There are others indeed that do think it unlawful because they think it not only unsutable to the nature and design of the Institution but a needless symbolizing with the Romish Church in a posture abus'd to the most pernicious Idolatry by which they are the more confirm'd in that Idolatry notwithstanding the publick protestation of the Establisht Church against that abuse I shall therefore only add That if any refuse to receive the Sacrament kneeling his Lp. has the least reason to blame 'em who by the Rubric and Canons is oblig'd to give it to none in the Church but such as kneel For sure 't is a lesser fault to be too rigid and scrupulous as to our own practice than to impose it on others too and to deny them the priviledges of Christian Communion for want of conformity to an unscriptural gesture If the former run into an extreme moderate persons may have some right to reprove 'em but those have none who run much farther into the other Again What excuse can the Bp. have for that passage p. 138 139. But in your Meetings there is no obligation on any one to signifie his concurrence with the Congregation in any ordinary act of worship either by word or gesture and therefore this end of publick Assemblys viz. to signifie our sense and belief of the Being c. of God and to stir up the same in others is utterly defeated by you The Directory dos not require or allow the people so much as to signifie their assent by adding their Amen to the Prayers or Thanksgivings there offer'd But on the contrary you ridicule those that practice it pursuant to the directions and examples in Scripture And as to gestures such as kneeling standing or bowing the body you condemn 'em all as Relicts of Idolatry and Superstition There remains therefore in your Assemblys nothing whereby the people may testifie their belief or assent to what they hear which was one design of the Meeting Thus by turning all bodily Worship out of your Assemblys you have made void this great end of 'em and left no visible distinction whereby any one may signifie whether he assents to the Worship offer'd or dissents from it The whole assembly being to one another meer Spectators and Hearers not Joint-Worshipers Answ His Lp. was I suppose weary of retailing his aspersions and therefore here gives 'em to us by whole-sale For 't is not true that there is no obligation on any in our Meetings to signifie his concurrence with the Congregation in any ordinary act of Worship by gesture For the Directory requires that such as come into the Congregation shou'd reverently compose themselves to joyn with the Congregation in that Ordinance that is then in hand Which implys their joyning in such devout gestures as the nature of that particular Ordinance dos require And their constant attendance on the several parts of publick Worship with their reverent behaviour therein is a publick declaration of their joyning in it 'T is again untrue that the Directory dos not allow the people to signifie their assent to the publick Prayers and Thanksgivings by saying Amen For the very Catechism compos'd by 'em in explication of the Conclusion of the Lord's-Prayer implys the contrary that we shou'd in Testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard say Amen I confess I know not what sort of modesty has made it too usual among us not to repeat our Amen so loudly as is generally done in the Parish-Churches And in this particular I am of the same judgment with the Reverend Author of that Sermon in the morning lectures on 1 Cor. 14. v. 16. who advises the pronouncing it more aiudibly Nor do I know of any Dissenters that ridicule any Conformists for doing so But to charge us as he here dos with condemning kneeling standing or bowing down as Relicts of Idolatry and Superstition is so gross a calumny and so unbecoming a man that pretends to sincerity candour that he is oblig'd in common justice to repair the wrong he has here done us For kneeling and standing are postures so universally us'd by the Dâ—ssenters and so frequently recommended and urg'd in their Printed Discourses and Sermons that they cannot without the most stupid self contradiction condemn 'em as Relicts oâ— Idolatry and Superstition Nor did I ever hear of one person that ever scrupl'd the use of ' em Some may indeed have censur'd Kneeling at the Sacrament bowing towards the East or the Altar c. as such Relicts of Idolatry and Superstition but what 's this to the use of those postures in Religious Worship in general of which the Bp. here speaks For those weak people of whom he tells us p. 141. That they object against kneeling and standing in the Congregation that 't is troublesome to 'em They do indeed offer a very lazy excuse and if the Bp. has met with any such he dos well to shame 'em out of it But I can by no means be of the Bp's opinion that any leave them on this score because they find a way of Worship among the Dissenters easier than theirs Nor do I find that a man can sleep more securely and quietly in the Meetings than in the Parish-Churches I am sure I have oftner
with the faults of so few in which he knows they might recriminate with so much advantage especially when such as reproach 'em were so accessary to those faults by unchristian rigor and cruelty And by the way If by their Constitution he means our frame of Diocesan Episcopacy and Government why dos he suggest our concurrence with Papists to pull it down when he knows well enough if the Papists were in power they would continue and uphold the same Constitution and only change the Persons II. For that part of the Conclusion which is addrest to the Dissenting Ministers of Derry FIrst I do fully concur with him in his Advice Not to treat one another with scurrilous and unseemly Reflections But I hope he will not account those such wherein a Man is justly reprov'd for gross Misrepresentations of other Men's Opinions and Practices when he might easily have inform'd himself better or a trifling Argument not always treated with grimace but sometimes with the slight it deserves Secondly I do also heartily concur with him in his request to 'em That they will not make the difference between us seem greater then really it is And I hope he will find it punctually observ'd in these Remarks in which I have so often disclaim'd the Advantage given me by his own Principles to censure several practices in the Establish't Church as unlawful And therefore I hope I may without offence humbly request his Lp. to take his own Advice And truly if he had done so sooner he had spar'd me the ungrateful labour of these Remarks on his late Discourse which I hope may convince him That the tendency of his whole Book is to make the difference between us seem greater then it is partly by misreporting our Principles and Practices and partly by an unreasonable charge of human Inventions in the worship of God that has no other foundation then either those misreports or that necessary use of Christian Prudence in determining some circumstantial modes of Worship which they make as well as we and must be made in order to the Execution of God's own Commands relating to his Worship Nay it seems to be the main purpose of his Discourse to represent the Worship of Dissenters as so corrupted by human Inventions that 't is become vain and unacceptable to God Which is a Censure that Charity forbids me to pass on the Worship of the Establisht Church tho I think I have prov'd that of the Dissenters much more conformable to Evangelical Precept and Pattern For I doubt not a gracious God makes mercifull allowance for manifold culpable Imperfections where the Worship is in the main agreable to his Word and those that offer it thro weakness discern 'em not But I perceive 't is far easier to give good Advice then to take it And for the particular Requests which his Lp. dos here in so friendly a manner address to the Dissenting Ministers of his Diocess I shall take the liberty to interpose my single Opinion As. 1. I can freely concur with him in recommending that use of the Lord's-Prayer which as he justly observes the Directory approves because I take it to be a very comprehensive summary of the matter of Prayer delivered in the most accurate method and order But then I must add that as this use of it in our publick Assemblies is not with any certainty determined in Scripture so 't is a matter wherein good men may well exercise their mutual forbearance and charity 2. I do as freely concur with him in desiring 'em to endeavour the reforming that Irreverent practice which too many of their Hearers seem to endulge themselves too far in viz. Of Sitting in the time of publick Prayer 'T is contrary to the general practise of their Brethern elsewhere and I think of all the Reformed Churches and what is more considerable very disagreable to the Precepts and Examples propos'd in the Holy Scriptures And I hope his Lp. will think the more open Irreverence and Levity too common in many Parish Churches to need as effectual Reformation 3. I do also concur with him in desiring 'em to adhere more strictly to the Advice of the Directory by more frequent celebration of the Lord's Supper in each particular Congregation For tho I am fully satisfi'd by their Accounts of matter of Fact that their Members do ordinarily Communicate more frequently than those of the Parish Churches and that nâ—ne has the name of a Professor among 'em that lives in the neglect of this duty quite contrary to the Bp's supposition yet I look on the practise of their Brethren in England as in this particular more conformable to the rule of the Scriptures among whom 't is administred much oftner in each Congregation For I think it highly probable that it was in the Apostles time one constant part of the Lords day's Worship I know this is not so practicable among 'em while they take so extraordinary pains with the People every time they administer this Ordinance to ' em But I do not see any absolute necessity of that they may continue their stated particular Visitations without making 'em necessary to every Communion And perhaps there may be too great a difference put between this and other parts of Divine Worship by imagining that the frequent Celebration of it wou'd tend to lessen the Reverence due to it To all that are serious the frequent Renewal of their Vows on the Memorials of a Crucified Saviour is the most likely and effectual means to keep their Souls under the constant awe of ' em But the treating this Subject as it deserves wou'd require a large Discourse I shall therefore only fubjoin That I hope his Lp. will take his own Advice by endeavouring to have the Sacrament more frequently administred in the Parish Churches and especially that he will put his Clergy on imitating the Zeal and Diligence of the Dissenting Ministers in their care to prepare their People for so solemn an Institution and to keep those from it whose open and notorious wickedness tends to infect others by the contagion of their Example and to prostitute the honour of Religion to the contempt of an Atheistical and Prophane Age. 4. For this Advice about Reading the Scriptures I shall so far concur with him that I wish the Rule of the Directory for reading One entire Chapter out of each Testament may be observ'd when the shortness of the days will not leave room for Exposition without excluding that other way of reading parallel Texts that occurs in what we call Preaching But I must beg his Lp's pardon for preferring the Reading One Chapter with a clear Exposition of it from parallel Texts to the bare Reading two or three or more without it notwithstanding his so confidently obtruding upon us his former groundless Conceit as if it were an undoubted Truth That 't is a carnal and sinful humour in the People to be fonder of Sermons and Lectures of human Composure then of
with Answ I must own my self greatly oblig'd to his Lp. for giving me a place among so many excellent Persons for whom I have so great a Veneration But I must beg his pardon if I think him a very unfit person to represent the Principles of others who so seldom dos right to their Judgment when he goes about it For I know none of those Reverend Authors he has nam'd that wou'd take this for either an accurate or just Account of their Sentiments in this matter I am sure neither Mr. Baxter nor Mr. Humphreys wou'd And 't is no way ingenuous in the Bp. to give us this confus'd stuff as Mr. Baxters Principles who has deliver'd his thoughts on this Subject so often and so largely and with so admirable accuracy clearness So that I shall rather choose to refer the Reader to his many excellent Writings relating to this Subject of Church-Goverment then to attempt to give any Abstract of his Judgment from ' em But for my own Principles I know none I have yet avow'd but what are contain'd in the Reflections upon the Bp's Answer to Dean Manby having no where else deliver'd my Sentiments in reference to Church Goverment And for those I appeal to the Reader whether the Bp. have done me any justice in his Representation of ' em And to that purpose I must beg the Readers pardon for transcribing those Two passages in the Reflections which are the only places that relate to this purpose P 17 Particular Churches are the chief integrating parts of the Church-Catholick These Churches consists of one or more Pastors and a Christian Flock associated under his or their oversight for personal Communion in Faith Worship and Holy Living These Churches are oblig'd by the very dictates of the Light of Nature and general Rules of the H. Scripture to endeavour the preservation of all necessary Unity by the amicable consultations of their associated Pastors The judgment of such associated Pastors shou'd be submitted to by the People under their care when 't is not repugnant to the Word of God and contrary to the Interest of Religion But the people do not owe 'em a blind obedience nor have such Pastors any power but for Edification Much less can such Bishops pretend to a higher power whose very office Christ never instituted and whose pretended Relation to their Diocess is not founded on the Peopl's consent to it And if such Bishops shou'd claim the sole power of Church-Government in a Nation c. So p. 57 58. Having there objected against the Bp's Assertion That the supreme Government of our Church has always been in a National Council or Convocation That Dr. Stillingfleet now Bp of Worcester durst not own such an Ecclesiastical Governing Head of the Church of England And that neither the Light of Nature nor general Laws of Scripture wou'd suggest such an Assembly i. e. one so chosen and constituted as the Governing Head of the Church of England I then add A duly elected Synod of Pastors in a Nation to endeavour the nearest unity and Concord of the particular Churches as far as 't is to be expected on Earth by their amicable Consultations we grant to be most desirable and eligible wherever it may be had And the Judgment of such a Synod shou'd be comply'd with in all things not repugnant to the word of God But we cannot say so of an Assembly chiefly compos'd of Men whose Office is not only an Usurpation but such as renders true Church Government impossible and whose Interest and grandure inclines 'em to keep up the Divisions and Corruptions which they have made And so such a Convocations being entrusted by Christ with the National Church Government which Mr. K. is pleased to assert I oppose the judgment of the truly learned Archbp. Vsher which he often profest to Mr. Baxter That Church Councills are not for Government but for Vnity Not as being in order of Government over the several Bishops but that by Consultation they may know their Duty more clearly and by agreement maintain Vnity and to that end they were anciently celebrated Since then this is all I have asserted in this matter How comes the Bp. to say 'T is my avowed Principle That Christ instituted no other Church besides a single Congregation and that all other Churches such as Classical Provincial or National are human Inventions and that every single Congregation is independent and may indeed keep a fair Correspondence with it's neighbouring Congregations but it is not under any common Government with 'em when there is not one of these Propositions in the Reflections nay when I am so far from avowing 'em that there is not one of 'em that I can assent to as here lay'd down by his Lp. And what Authority can he pretend to declare for me what my avowed Principles are If he had any thing to say against the Reflections he shou'd in common justice have quoted my Words and given me leave to speak my own Thoughts as I have done by him in these Remarks At least he shou'd not have obtruded upon me what I never said or thought 'T is none of my Principle That Christ instituted no other Church besides particular Congregations For I believe he instituted both the Catholick Church and such National or Kingdom Churches as that great Light of his Age Mr. Baxter pleads for in his late Discourse on that Subject i. e. a Society constituted of a Christian Sovereign Magistrate and of Christian Subjects worshiping God ordinarily in true particular pastoral Churches over which the foresaid Magistrate excercises a coercive Government by the Sword as Pastors exercise a Ministerial one by the Word I do also judg Classical Provincial and National Synods to be so far from being an human Invention in the common sense of the Word i. e. a sinful or superstitious Invention of Men that I think 'em highly agreable to the Light of Nature and the general Rules of Scripture and have in the Reflections positively asserted that particular Churches are oblig'd to endeavour the preservation of Vnity and Concord by the amicable consultations of their associated Pastors I do not therefore think any particular Church to be so independent as to be under no obligation to enter into such associations but the contrary And to give him the true Account of this matter what I have asserted in those Reflections is but the common Principles wherein both the Presbyterian and Congregational Divines are agreed as he may see if he compare those Passages I have quoted with the Heads of Agreement between 'em since drawn up For in the 6th Head there are these Three particulars lay'd down 1. That in order to concord and in any other weighty and difficult Cases it is needful and according to the mind of Christ that the Ministers of several Churches be consulted and advised with about such matters 2. That such Meetings may consist of smaller or greater Numbers as the matter shall
require 3. That particular Churches their respective Elders and Members ought to have a Reverential regard to their Judgment so given and not dissent therefrom without apparent grounds from the Word of God These are Propositions of the same import with those in the Reflections and they are so far from being inconsistent with any Principle of those call'd Presbyterians that the most eminent of those at London have subscrib'd ' em 'T is true indeed the Presbyterians do assert more then this and the Assembly of Divines in their humble Advice concerning Church Government have some Assertions to which the Congregational Divines do not fully assent But as to these Differences as I have not in the foremention'd Book declar'd my own Judgment so I know no right the Bishop has to declare it for me when he dos not know it I have indeed quoted the Judgment of Archbishop Vsher concerning the Antient Councils which he thought were not for Government but Vnity c. And if he will on this account rank that Venerable Primate among the Congregational Divines they will no doubt think themselves greatly honour'd with his company But for my own Thoughts I shall freely subjoin that I am greatly inclin'd to think That the difference between those that make Synods only Consultative Meetings and those that call 'em Church Judicatories and ascribe a Governing Power to 'em is in a great measure rather verbal then real For those that make 'em Church-Judicatories assign 'em only a Ministerial and Declarative Power and never imagin'd that the People ow'd a blind obedience to their determinations And those that make 'em only Consultative Meetings for preservation of Concord yet assert such a deference due to their Judgment That it shou'd be complied with both by particular Pastors and their Flocks in all things not repugnant to the Word of God Nor do they deny that such Synods may disown such particular Pastors and their Flocks as walk disorderly by rejecting their just and necessary Determinations as no Members of their Association or that they may entirely disclaim Christian Communion with those particular Churches that persist impenitently in maintaining such corruptions in Doctrine and Worship as directly strike at the very Vitals and Essentials of the Christian Religion And I see not what those can justly attribute to such Synods more then this who make 'em Governing Assemblies or Ecclesiastical Judicatories Nor do I know any great difficulty there is in moderate and wise men's joining in all the real use of such Synods in order to the preservation of the Churches peace notwithstanding these different Names or Notions they affix to such Ecclesiastical Assemblies and their Determinations Of which more may occur when I consider what his Lp. objects against the Principles he ascribes to me On the other hand The Bishop has not truly stated the difference between the Presbyterians and Prelatists when he tells us 'T is concerning these particular Districts namely Whether the government over 'em ought to be in a Presbytery with a Bishop as President and Governour by Christ's appointment or in a Colledg of Presbyters absolutely equal Answ Dos not his Lordship know that our Modern Prelates not only pretend to a distinct and superior Office and not meerly a higher degree in the same Office but assume all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to themselves Do they not plainly exclude all Presbyters from any share in it Are not all Church Censures past by the Chancellor solely in the Bishop's name without any concurrence of the Presbyters of the Diocess who have no voice in 'em nor are so much as call'd or requir'd to be present in the Spiritual Court Nay If this be all that our Prelates pretend to viz. To be Presidents in a Diocesan Synod in which the Presbyters of the Diocess share in the Government How came they to reject Archbp. Vsher's model of Episcopacy that allows such a stated Presidency to Bishops when this was offer'd by the Divines call'd Presbyterians at the memorable Savoy Conference as the ground of Accomodation For tho those Divines did not think such a stated Presidency of one Person of immediate Divine Appointment yet they thought it such a prudential human Constitution as they cou'd for peace sake submit to But he knows the Bishops rejected that Offer with scorn nay wou'd not stand to the King's Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs that gave 'em much more of power then Archbp. Vshers model So that his Lp. seems not to understand the Principles of his Brethern and I am beginning to hope is of more moderate Sentiments in this point then those Commissioners at that Treaty were It remains only under this Head that I consider what he has to object against those Principles of mine as they are now truly cited from the Reflections For I hope he dos not think me oblig'd to defend Positions that are none of my own Now it is manifest saith he That these Principles of theirs-are much more different from your Principles then ours are And the difference is much greater and more material For it 's possible on your Principles and ours to preserve Vnity and keep up some value for Excommunication since he who is censur'd in one Church cannot be received in another neither with you nor us Whereas in the Congregational way he that is Excommunicated in one Congregation may remove to another or set up one for himself if he pleases At the worst if he shou'd it wou'd be counted but an irregularity These Principles are destructive to the Peace and Unity of the Church as well as to our common Cause Answ For the Congregational Divines I see no difficulty in clearing their Principles from these invidious consequences he draws from 'em for all of 'em assert that he who is justly Excommunicated in one Church ought to be receiv'd by no other whatever But for my own which I am only here concern'd to defend I wou'd desire his Lp. to review his Arguments and tell me where the force of 'em lyes What Vnity of the Church are those Principles lay'd down in the Reflections destructive of Is it destructive to the Churches Unity to assert That the Light of Nature and general Rules of Scripture oblige the Pastors of the Church to associate for it's preservation by their mutual Consultations And that the Judgment of such associated Pastors shou'd be submitted to whenever 't is not repugnant to the Word of God Nor do I disallow but approve of Associations in those lesser or larger Districts and the regular Subordination of the lesser to the greater What then can he find in my Principles destructive of the Churches Unity unless he imagines it to be so That I assert That the People do not owe a blind Obedience to such Synods and that such associated Pastors have their power for Edification and not Destruction And dare he pretend the contrary Dos not the Church of England declare That all Councills may err and will he assign
way of administring this Ordinance from that he has rather furnisht us with an invincible argument ad hominem to make it good There are two things which the Dissenters object against the way of celebrating this part of Divine Worship in the Establisht Church The one is the use of the Cross as a dedicating sign The other is the making God-fathers and Godmothers Sponsors for the religious Education of those children whose Parents are living to the exclusion of the Parents themselves Now let us examin each of these Practices by the Bp's own Principle Those ways of Worship saith he p. 3 are displeasing to God which are not expresly contain'd in the holy Scriptures or warranted by the examples of holy men therein But neither of these ways of celebrating Baptism can plead any such express command or so much as example in the holy Scriptures none that I know of having so much as pretended to produce either for ' em So that unless the Bp. retract his own Principle he must discard both these practices as sinful human Inventions But as I lay no great stress on an argument founded on so ambiguous a Principle so I shall add That I fear these two things will prove human Inventions according to the juster notion of 'em given in the Remarks on the Introduction For the Cross in Baptism I see not how it can be clear'd from being a New human Sacrament For there wants nothing but Divine Institution to make it as much a Sacrament as Baptism it self For what more can be requir'd to the nature of such a Sacrament of the New Covenant in reference to both the parts of it than to be a visible sign whereby God's promise of the blessings of that Covenant is confirmed to us and we brought under solemn obligation to the dutys of it For if such an external sign be appointed by God for these ends 't is a Divine Sacrament If by Men 't is a Human Sacrament or a part of positive Worship of human Invention Now that the Establâ—sht Church has appointed this visible sign of the Cross for both these purposes I mention'd before is I think sufficiently evident from her own express declaration concerning it For these are her words in the 30th Canon of the Church of England The Holy Ghost by the mouth of the Apostle did honour the name of the Cross so far that under it he comprehended not only Christ crucified but the force effect and merit of his death and passion with all the comforts fruits and promises which we receive or expect thereby And afterwards the Church of England hath retained still the sign of it in Baptism following therein the Primitive and Apostolical Churches and accounting it a lawful outward Ceremony and honourable Badg whereby the Infant is dedicated to the service of him that died on the Cross as by the words of the Common-prayer-book may appear The words in the Service-book to which the Canons refer are also these We receive this child into the Congregation of Christ's Flock and do sign him with the Sign of the Cross in token that he shall not be asham'd to confess the Faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against Sin the World and the Devil and to continue Christ's faithful Souldier and Servant to his lives end Here is the Sign of the Cross set up to represent Christ crucified and all the comforts fruits and promises which we receive or expect as the force effect and merit of his death and passion And sure Baptism can represent no more to be either receiv'd or expected by us 'T is also advanc't as an honourable Badg by which the person Baptiz'd is dedicated to the service of him that died on the Cross and consequently brought under solemn obligation to all the dutys of the New Covenant to confess the Faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against Sin the World and the Devil and to continue Christ's faithful Souldier and Servant to his live's end And what more peculiar dutys of the Covenant of Grace can Baptism oblige us to Nay as those Sacraments of Divine Institution are intended by their signification to excite us to our duty by way of moral causality or influence so the same is ascrib'd to this Ceremony a-among the rest appointed by the Establisht Church that 't is apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by such a notable and spiritual signification whereby he may be edified See Pref. to the Cerem So that Crossing in Baptism is as much a Sacrament as any thing can be that is not divinely instituted i. e. 'T is a Sacrament which men have presum'd to Institute to the like purpose and use as our Blessed Saviour has Instituted Baptism it self Nor do any of those Excuses I have yet met with signifie any thing to take off this charge We are sometimes told That Baptism is perfect without it See the 30th Canon Answ Not to insist on what might be justly said that the Canon enjoyns the use of it in Baptism And that a great part of the Office of Baptism is continued after the crossing is over which seem to imply the quite contrary to what the excuse insinuates I do not see that this signifies any thing to remove our Objection For Baptism is perfect without the Lord's-Supper and yet that 's a distinct Sacrament and so will crossing prove no less a human Sacrament tho it were administred in publick worship at a different time from that of Baptism Only it looks the more presumptuous to joyn it with Baptism as if we wou'd supyly our Lord's defects in that Institution which he has made the initiating symbol and badg of our Christian Profession We are also told That the Minister Baptizes in the name of Christ but Signs with the Sign of the Cross in the name of the Church who by that Rite receives the Infant into the number of her particular members Answ I might content my self with replying That there is no such thing suggested in the Office of Baptism nor in the Canon that relates to the Cross The words us'd by the Minister when he crosses the child rather relate to it's being receiv'd into the universal Church For that 's the Congregation of Christ's Flock nor is there the least syllable in the words following of the person Baptized being sign'd with the sign of the Cross in token of his being received into this National Church But I add 'T is no way true that the Cross is only us'd as a rite by which the Establisht Church admits the Baptiz'd into the number of her members For the 36th Canon expresly asserts it to be an honourable badg whereby the person Baptiz'd is dedicated to the service of him that died on the Cross and refers to the words of the Common-Prayer-Book which are plain to that purpose And therefore the difficulty still remains By what
of enquiring into any scandalous miscarriages among 'em and suiting their admonitions to the case of such Offenders and judging whether there be or be not a credible profession of Repentance made by ' em Nor can there be any danger of their abusing that sacred censure of Excommunication by being too rash in it for that danger is fully obviated by the method propos'd in the foremention'd model of AB Usher which refers the decreeing that sentence to the monthly Synod of the Ministers in that Precinct or part of the Diocess of which the Suffragan or Chorepiscopus is the Moderator In the mean time we cou'd wish that Parish-Ministers were more effectually urg'd to observe the 20th Canon which charges 'em not to admit to the holy Cammunion any of their Cure or Flock which â—e openly known to live in notorious sin without Repentance tho we can expect no very considerable effects of such a temporary suspension when it obliges the Minister to turn Informer against such Offenders in the Spiritual Court where they are sure to be put to great charges by which method he is but like to alienate their hearts from him and frustrate the success of all those admonitions by which he shou'd endeavour to recover 'em to Repentance 7. They wou'd farther humbly desire that some more effectual care may be taken for the tryal of those that are to be admitted into Holy Orders For the 32d Canon enjoyns the Bishop to examin 'em in the presence of those Ministers that shall assist at the Imposition of hands or at least take care that those Ministers shall examin them yet we understand this is too often put off to an Archdeacon or one of his Chaplains and at best but too superficially perform'd And we humbly conceive the Canon it self is very defective in not recommending such particular Tryals as are fit for such Candidates of the Ministerial Function to undergo in order to their giving a sufficient specimen of their proficiency in the study of Divinity and in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures And herein we wou'd humbly recommend to 'em the excellent method propos'd by the Westminster-Assembly in their Propositions relating to Church-Government and Ordination viz. That such Candidates be examin'd touching their skill in The Original Languages by Reading the Hebrew and Greek Testaments and rendring some portion of 'em into Latin They are to be examin'd also what Authors in Divinity they have read and trial shall be made of their knowledge of the grounds of Religion and ability to defend the Orthodox Doctrine in 'em against all unsound and erroneous Opinions especially those of the present Age of their skill and sense in the meaning of such places of Scripture as shall be propos'd to 'em in cases of Conscience and in the chronology of the Scripture and in the Ecclesiastical History They are to expound some difficult place of Scripture they are to frame a discourse in Latin upon some common-place or controversy in Divinity and maintain a Dispute upon it and they are to Preach a practical Sermon before the people those concern'd in their Ordination being present This method is so exactly follow'd among the Dissenters that those they ordain commonly pass twice thro these Tryals both when they are first allow'd to Preach as Candidates and at their Ordination And as 't is the most effectual that can be propos'd for preventing an ignorant and insufficient Ministry so 't is the more requisite that the like care shou'd be taken in the Establisht Church where so many are tempted to croud into the Sacred Office by the lure of secular interest and so many Parents from the prospect of preferment thrust those of their Children upon the service of the Church whom they are at a loss how to dispose otherwise of 8. We cou'd heartily desire some more effectual course were taken for the Reformation of such of the Clergy whose scandalous lives stain the honour of their profession For the infectious examples of such Clergymen are far more powerful to spread the contagion of wickedness and vice among their Flock than their doctrine to propagate piety and holiness And 't is no wonder that either the offerings of the Lord are abhorr'd by the people when they see 'em presented by so unhallow'd hands or that they run without restraint into all excess of Riot when they do but herein follow their spiritual Guides 'T is great pitty therefore that the 42d Canon which threatens such scandalous Clergymen with Ecclesiastical censures is not more faithfully executed And it seems unaccountable why it shou'd not as expresly order the suspension and deposition of such as are found incorrigible as other Canons of the Church of England order their suspension and deposition for no greater faults than Omitting the use of any form of Prayer or any other Rite or Ceremony prescrib'd by the Service-Book or appointing or keeping Fasts either in publick or in private houses without the Bp's leave For this is to lay greater stress on the Churches Injunctions than on God's commands and to punish non-conformity to the former more strictly than disobedience to the latter We shall only add that if the Law of Moses so carefully provided that its Preists shou'd have no blemish or deformity on their bodys sure much greater care shou'd be taken that those who serve at the Christian Altar shou'd not be persons of deformed souls and of a tainted conversation And we are heartily glad that their Majesties by their Royal Commission have begun so necessary a work in this Kingdom as the purging the Church from such scandalous Clergymen as have too long been the blemishes of their holy profession and hope it may extend to all other parts where there is the like necessity for it as there appears to have been in the Diocess of Down and Connor 9. They wou'd also earnestly desire that so gross a corruption as that of Pluralitys and Non-Residence so universally complain'd of may be at last effectually reform'd In order whereto they desire it may be seriously consider'd whether our Canons themselves do not rather confirm than reform these Abuses For by the 36th Canon every Master of Arts that is a publick and sufficient Preacher is capable of Pluralitys The Time which he that enjoys 'em is to reside in each of his Benefices is not determin'd And by the 41 Canon of the Church of England I find no other bounds set to the number of Benefices than that they must not be more than thirty miles asunder And tho every such Bluralist be requir'd to have under him in the Benefices where he dos not reside a lawful and sufficient Preacher yet it is both unreasonable in it self that such a sufficient Preacher shou'd sacrifice his painful labours to pamper the avarice and ease of another And 't is too notorious that such Pluralists for the most part give so despicable and stingy allowance to their poor Curates that it cannot reasonably