two Parties of the Episcopal Laity and Clergy in England after drew in the Scots to help the Parliament and many Papists to help the King neither of them being the first Parties but Auxiliaries though in Scotland and Ireland it was otherwise begun 23. These Auxiliaries of the Parliament would not help them but on the terms of the Covenant and so Church-alterations came on and the Parliament thought it was better have no Bishops than such as did prevail against them 24. When Wars and Misery had tired both sides and made them long for reconciliation and this endeavour had called home the King and many Bishops and Doctors had promised to be for Concord upon necessary healing-terms and the Lords Knights and Gentlemen had printed many Protestations for Peace and against Revenge and the King had Commissioned us to treat with the Bishops for Concord and told us They should meet us if we would come as near as we could to them When the Kings Declaration seemed to have almost healed us the Commissioned Bishops stood to it that no abatements were necessary and though we foretold them the impossibility of Common concord without abating some things which did them no good but harm and the advantage which Schism Contention and Popery would unavoidably get which they might easily and cheaply prevent we pleaded we beg'd by a long Petition but all in vain nothing would move them but when we only foretold them of the Divisions that must needs follow when Thousands were forced against their Consciences they took it as if we threatned Sedition and turned our Petitions and Arguments for the common peace and concord as if it had been a crime against both it and us 25. And the Convocation cast away the Kings Declaration and drew up the changes in the Liturgy which added to our burden and drew the Parliament to confirm it all and in the Act of Uniformity much more unpracticable by us is imposed which made our breach what since it is 26. No man now must be in Trust and Office in any City or Corporation who will not declare that there is no obligation on him or any other person from the Covenant not excepting against Popery Schism or Prophaneness though he would confess it unlawfully imposed and taken and renounce all obligation to rebellion or any evil 27. No adult person or Infant must be admitted to Christendom by baptism without the transient Image of a Cross as a dedicating engaging Covenanting-sign and symbol or badg of Christianity 28. No Infant must be Christened without Godfathers who are his Covenant-sureties and undertake his pious education though the Parents can get none that will seriously tell them they intend to perform it The Parents being not allowed to speak one offering or Covenanting-word nor must be urged to be present 29. No person must be admitted to Sacramental Communion who thinketh it a sin to receive it kneeling lest it should be seeming compliance with Popish adoration 30. No persons must be admitted to Communion who have not Confirmation by Episcopal Imposition of hands or are desirous of it though they fear it is made a Popish Sacrament by the addition Upon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we have now laid our hands to certifie them BY THIS SIGN of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them 31. Though they will not tell us what the Church of England is that is Its Essentiating form and Head Lay or Clergy vet every man must be ipso facto excommunicate who faith It is not an Apostolical Church as established by Law 32. Every one is excommunicate ipso facto who saith that the form of Worship established by Law contained in the Book of Common-prayer is corrupt or unlawful or containeth ANY THING in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures 33. All are excommunicate ipso facto who say That any of the 39 Articles are in any part such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe to though it be but that of the Churches power to impose Ceremonies And yet divers Conformists are against the Doctrine about Free-well Heathens damnation c. 34. All are ipso facto excommunicate who say that the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England are superstitious or such as godly men may not with a good conscience approve use and on occasion subscribe See Can. 3 4 5 6. So that not only Ministers but all men and women that differ but of the Lawfulness of any one of their Ceremonies and say so are excommunicate already ipso facto 35. All are ipso facto excommunicate that say that the Government of the Church of England under his Majesty by Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and THE REST that bear Office in the same is repugnant to the word of God So that if one were for Archbishops Bishops and Priests and Deacons and thought but Deans or Archdeacons unscriptural and sinful he is excommunicate yea or Lay-Chancellours decretive power of the Keys for the rest that bear Office must needs include them And yet many Bishops themselves are against them 36. All are excommunicate ipso facto who say that the form and manner of making and Consecrating Bishops Priests or Deacons hath any thing repugnant to the word of God C. 8. 37. They are to be excommunicate that say Ministers refusing to subscribe may truly take the name of another Church not established by Law c. And yet the Church of Rome is said to be a true though faulty Church by many and a faulty Church may be a Church And they say that the Dutch and French Churches here stand but by the Act of King and Council 38. All are to be excommunicated that say that there are within this Realm other Congregations of the Kings born Subjects than such as are allowed by Law who may rightly take the name of true and lawful Churches E. g. If Gloucester that had a Papist Bishop Goodman had chosen themselves a Bishop and called themselves a true Church c. 39. They Command all to keep the Lords day and other Holy-days accordsng to Gods holy Will in hearing the Word of God read and taught in private and publick prayer and yet suspended and ruined many Conformable Ministers for not reading a book for dancing and playing on that day 40. And where many thousands in a Parish cannot come within their Church-doors nor have any Conformist elsewhere in the Parish to teach them they forbid them on great penalties to hear Nonconformists and call them Separatists and Schismaticks unless they forbear like Savages all publick Learning and Worship of God rather than hear and joyn with Nonconformists 41. Yet they Swear the Church-Wardens to present all that come not to Church and punish them for not coming when some Parishes have 40000 some 30000 some 10000 that can have no room and the Church-Wardens cannot know them 42. Yet if they go to other Parishes oft for Communion they must not be admitted but
A SEARCH FOR THE English Schismatick By the CASE and CHARACTERS I. Of the Diocesan Canoneers II. Of the Present Meer Nonconformists Not as an Accusation of the former but a Necessary Defence of the later so far as they are wrongfully Accused and Persecuted by them By Richard Baxter One of the Accused LONDON Printed for Nevil Simmons at the Sign of the Three Golden Cocks at the West-end of St. Pau ls Church-Yard 1681. POSTSCRIPT THE strivings of Parliaments since Archbishop Laud's Government against Innovations Popery and Arbitrary over-topping Law and their jealousies of the designs and progress while they themselves were of the Old Church of England do call us to think what the difference was between the Old and New HE that would know what the Old Church of England is let him read I. The 39 Articles II. The Homilies III. The Apology with Jewels defence IV. Nowell's Catechism V. Deus Rex all owned by the Church VI. Hookers Ecclesiastical Polity in 8 Books VII Bishop Bilson of Christian Subjection VIII Bishop Downham de Antichristo IX The great Writers against Popery as Dr. Whitaker Dr. Reynolds Dr. Willet Dr. Sutliff Dr. White Dr. Airy Dr. Humphrey Dr. Fulk Dr. Prideaux Dr. R. Abbot Dr. Crakenthorp Dr. Challoner Dr. Hall Bishop Usher Dr. Davenant Bishop Carlton Chillingworth Bishop Morton c. X. The Writings against Bishop Laud viz. Bishop Hall ' s Epistle to D. L. Archbishop G. Abbots and Bishop R. Abbot ' s judgment of him and his Tryal with what was there charged against him XI The Harmony of Confessions and the Synod of Dort XII King James ' s Works HE that would know what is the New Church of England since Bishop Laud differs from the Old let him read I. Dr. Heylin ' s Writings Dr. Pocklingtons Mr. Dows Sybthorps and Mainwarings II. Heylin ' s Life of B. Laud particularly his description of the designed reconciliation with the Papists III. Mr. Thorndike's Just weights and measures and forbearance of Penalties IV. Archbishop Bramhall ' s book against me explaining the new way in these particulars 1. To abhor Popery 2. That we all come under a Foreign Jurisdiction obeying the Pope as the Western Patriarch and also as the Principium unitatis to the universal Church Governing by the Canons 3. That Dissenters from this be accounted Schismaticks 4. That we yield to what the Greeks have yielded and be of their Religion 5. That Grotius was a Protestant for the Church of England V. Dr. Parkers Preface to that book and Dr. Pierce's defence of Grotius VI. Grotius his Volume and Notes on Cassander specially his Discussio Apologetici Riveliani in which he professeth 1. That Rome is the Mistris-Church 2. Sound in faith 3. That he finds Protestants can never unite but by uniting with Rome 4. He owns the Doctrine of the Councils even that of Trent 5. The Pope to govern by the Canons of the Councils and not arbitrarily 6. Nor must invade the rights of Kings or Bishops 7. That if the curiosities of the School-men and the ill lives of the Clergy be disowned and amended this much is enough to sober men 8. And he saith that the English Bishops were many of his mind tho' the Separatists were not VII The Earl of Clarendon ' s Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet laying the nature of Popery in their injury to Princes VIII Guil. Forbes Bishop of Edenborough his Irenicon IX Mr. Dodwell ' s book against Schism and the same doctrine maintained by others who nullifie Ministry and Churches whose Episcopal Ordination hath not come down from the Apostles uninterrupted X. The Bishops endeavours since 1660 to silence fine imprison banish and drive five miles from all Corporations c. all such as receive not the Impositions Together with the rest of the true History of these last Twenty years The particulars are not now to be recited A SEARCH FOR THE ENGLISH SCHISMATICK OR The True Characters of the several Accused Parties by which they may be discerned CHAP. I. The Parties Accused The Parties questioned are I. The Papists II. The Diocesan-Militants or Canoneers III. The Passive peaceable Conformists IV. The Meer Nonconformists V. The Sectarian Church-Appropriators and Causeless Separatists and Dividers I. THERE is no Sect of Christians which maketh so great use of their pretence to Unity and crying down Heresie Schism and Separation as the Papists do and yet are the greatest Schismaticks and Dividers as thus appeareth 1. They have a self-made humane universal Church feigning the Pope to be the rightful Head of all the Christian World 2. They exclude all from Christs Chuch who are not the Popes Subjects though at the Antipodes where he never came nor sent 3. They presume to make universal Laws for all the World 4. They Curse men from Christ by Excommunications who refuse such subjection and obedience to these Laws 5. They have introduced many new Articles of Faith on pretence of declaring and expounding Faith 6. They have multiplied corrupting additions in the Christian Worship 7. Their regular objective Religion now consisteth in so great a number of the Decrees of Councils as no Christians can well understand while they accuse Gods Laws as unintelligible 8. They can give us no certainty which of these Councils are obligatory to us while they contradict each other 9. They agree not of the Essence of Christianity or necessary truths but resolve all into the uncertainty of sufficient Proposals 10. They damn men as Hereticks that deny not all humane sense believing there is no Bread and Wine when they see and taste them 11. They burn such as Hereticks and are for tormenting Inquisitions to destroy them 12. They bind Temporal Lords to exterminate all such and to swear to do it and this on pain of Excommunication Deposition and Damnation So that a Protestant Kingdom under a true Papist King hath a King that is thus bound to exterminate his Subjects if he be able and professeth to do it on these three penalties his Salvation lying on it 13. They decree the giving of his Dominions to another and absolving his Subjects from their Oaths of Fidelity if he obey not 14. They decree that it's Heresie to hold that a King hath the power of Investing Bishops and that he is not thus subject to the Pope 15. They tolerate their chief Doctors to write that a Heretick is no King at least if Excommunicate and may lawfully be killed 16. Their Canons exempt the Clergy from being Governed and Taxed by Kings 17. They forbid the reading of the Scriptures translated without a License 18. They say that we cannot well believe the Gospel but on the credit of their Church As if we must first know that the Pope and Council are authorized by Christ before we believe in Christ himself 19. They renounce Repentance by pretending to Infallibility 20. They cherish a numerous Clergy and Sects to carry on all this in the World and perswade high and low that to promote
cruelty And reckon the death of K. Edw. 6. for a mercy Insomuch that out of Dr. Heylin and some others a Papist hath gathered in terminis the most odious description of our Reformation called Historical Collections 12. They disagree about the points called Arminian Whitgift the Mawl of the Nonconformists with others drawing up the high Lambeth-Articles for absolute Reprobation c. and others with Laud as hot against them 13. These censure K. James for being against Arminianism and sending men to that end to the Synod of Dort though they were all moderating-men 14. Though we had there six excellent Divines some think we are not obliged by that Synod and some that we are when we had not so many in most General Councils 15. Those that followed Laud being few durst not long commit their Cause to a Convocation And Heylin tells us that the Convocations of England and Ireland were against them and the Convocations are called The Representative-Church 16. These divided from the rest strove who should prevail in Power A. B. Grindall first and A. B. Abbot next being cast out and both reproached by Dr. Heylin Laud's Pen-man as the Heads of one Party in England and B. Usher in Ireland and Bishop Laud is praised as the Leader of the other side Reforming the spoiled Reformation which the Universities and Bishops had spoiled by Calvinism 17. These two Parties differed in their Zeal against the Nonconformists Grindall being for Love and Lenity and Lecture-Exercises to breed up Preachers and Abbot by Heylin made a Mischief to the Church for being popular but Laud's Party being for more severity against them which was exercised accordingly 18. These two Parties also differed in their way and designs towards the Papists A. B. G. Abbot B. Rob. Abbot Hall and others suspecting Laud as Popish and being themselves against Toleration of Popery But B. Laud saith Dr. Heylin attempting by alterations and abatements and reconciling means to open our Church-door so wide that we might again all joyn together as in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign 19. These two Parties differed about Prerogative Laws and Property A. B. Abbot writeth that he was cast down for denying to License Sybthrop's Book for the Kings Power to raise money and the peoples obligation to pay it And his Narrative which you may read in Rushworth intimateth that B. Laud was the chief means of this Imposition on him to License Sybthrop's Book and so of his Sufferings The two greatest Writers for Prelacy and Conformity are Bishop Bilson and Hooker to the reading of whom B. Morley referred me for instruction when he forbid me Preaching in Worcester Diocess and whom we are usually challenged to answer Bishop Bilson saith Chris Subject pag. 520. If a Prince should go about to subject his Kingdom to a Forreign Realm or change the form of the Common Wealth from Impery to Tyranny or neglect the Laws established by common consent of Prince and People to execute his own pleasure In these and other such cases which might be named if the Nobles and Commons joyn together to defend their ancient and accustomed Liberty Regiment and Laws they may not well be counted Rebels See more pag. 381 382. Grotius de jure Belli goeth much farther Ri. Hooker saith That it is no better than Tyranny for any Prince or Potentate of what kind soever to exercise Law-making of himself and not either by express Commission received immediately and personally from God or else by authority derived at first from their consent upon whose persons they impose it Eccl. Pol. l. 1. § 10. p. 21. And that in Kingdoms of this quality as ours the Highest Governour hath indeed universal Dominion but with dependancy on that whole entire body over the several parts whereof he hath dominion So that it standeth for an axiom in this case The King is Singulis Major universis Minor Lib. 8. p. 193. and p. 194. Neither can any man with Reason think but that the first institution of Kings a sufficient consideration wherefore their power should always depend on the from which it did always flow by original influence of power from the body into the King is the cause of Kings dependency in power on the body By dependancy we mean Subordination and Subjection The Axioms of our Regal Government are these Lex facit Regem Rex nihil potest nisi quod jure potest Pag. 218 221 223 224. Against all equity it were that a man should suffer detriment at the hands of men for not observing that which he never did either by himself or others mediately or immediately agree to What Power the King hath he hath it by Law the bounds and limits of it are known The entire Community giveth order c. as for them that exercise power altogether against order though the kind of power which they have may be of God yet is their exercise thereof against God and therefore not of God otherwise than by permission as all injustice is Page 224. Usurpers of Power whereby we do not mean them that by violence have aspired to places of highest authority but them that use more authority than ever they did receive in form and manner above mentioned such Usurpers thereof as in the exercise of their power do more than they have been authorized to do cannot in conscience bind any to obedience Thus Hooker Hollingshead a Minister maketh Parliaments so mighty as to take down the greatest Kings Bishop Jewel defendeth the defensive arms of the French Protestants as Bilson and others do On the other side some held that it is unlawful on any pretence what soever to take Arms against the King or any Commissioned by him in pursuance of that Commission And thus the Clergy were then divided about such things which prognosticated much that followed 20. The Laity Lords and Commons were divided after these two Parties And the Parliaments still adhered to the then major part against Laud's Party and insisted on Grievances viz. 1. Increase and favour of Popery 2. Arminianism 3. About their Property and Liberty Taxing and Imprisoning c. as Rushworth and Heylin shew at large of divers Parliaments 21. By this unhappy breach Parliaments still harping on the same and the King dissolving them and Abbot and Richard Hooker and the most being for the one side and Bishop Laud Neale Howson Corbet Buckeridge and Montague for the other the Court and Parliaments came to the unhappy jealousies and distrusts which at last broke out into a miserable War In which the A. B. of Canterbury Laud was on one side and was put to death the History and Articles are known and the other A. B. Williams of York was on the other side and became a Commander in North-Wales for the Parliament and their Clergy were accordingly divided one part of the Conformists adhering to the King and the other to the Parliament many of which made up the Westminster-Synod 22. This War thus begun between the
Atheists Hobbists and wicked men are members of their Church from year to year continued 67. The Canon 139 excommunicateth all that say that the Synod of this Nation in the name of Christ and by the Kings authority assembled is not the true Church of England by representation By which they seem to make the King no part of the Church nor any of the Laity or else that they represent King and Laity and they intimate that all the Clergy is the Church-real and the Synod the Representative 68. They brought in new Canons and the et coetera Oath in 1640 without the Parliament which were condemned 69. From the beginning of Queen Elizabeth till now they have prosecuted and silenced Protestants that durst not conform even their fellow Exiles in Queen Maries days were silenced and multitudes after in King James's days and even Conformists suspended about the Dancing-book and troubled about Altars Bowing Afternoon-Sermons and Lectures which were forbidden and about 2000 ejected and silenced at once 1662 And multitudes of Families driven to Holland and new-New-England Though we offer them our Oaths that we will gladly conform if by any study we can but see that it will not involve us in the guilt of Lying owing the Perjury of maltitudes unknown to us corrupting the Church and Gods Worship Covenanting deliberately against needful Reformation of the Church-Government by Lay Chancellours and uncapable Diocesans and many other crimes with dreadful aggravations recited in our first Plea for Peace 70. They separate from us and our Congregations as unlawful to be joyned with 71. Though it was the judgment of the ancient Churches exprest in many Canons that he was no Bishop that had not the peoples election or consent they make it Schism not to obey such and allow the people no such power 72. They suppose that God hath entrusted the King to chuse for all his Subjects whom they shall commit the conduct of their Souls to as their Pastors and Bishops though he be not trusted to chuse our Physicians our Wives our Dyet c. And so they would make the King answerable for all ill-chosen Pastors And if a Papist Heretick or a hater of Pastoral holiness should ever be King in how sad a case are the peoples souls 73. Yea they hold that Patrons be they never so ignorant or ungodly must chuse all that shall have the Parochial trust of Souls As to the possession of Temples and Tythes we yield it they say The people must have no other than what the Patrons chuse and impose on them 74. Excommunication of Dissenters seemeth little to them but they by the writ de Excommunicato Capiendo lay them in Jayl till death unless they change their Judgment which it is not in their power to do 75. Though we publish our abhorrence of all Doctrines of Rebellion and disown even so much popularity as their Richard Hooker and most Politicks own many of them go on to charge Nonconformists with suspicions of Rebellion and to provoke the King against them as disloyal 76. They print and preach to provoke Magistrates to execute the foresaid severe Laws to silence and ruine them and accuse them for not doing it 77. They stir up the people to take them for intollerable seditious Schismaticks to the destruction of Christian Love and causing men to hate each other 78. By these means families are distracted Husbands against Wives Parents against Children some casting them out if they do but hear a Nonconformist Preacher while sensuality corrupteth youth and needeth more restraint 79. When the Kings Clemency Licensed our Meetings they grudged at it and neverthelss separated from us though they describe Separation to be Meetings held against authority and thereby shewed that it is somewhat else than the Kings authority that they contend for and something more than our want of License which causeth their fervent opposition 80. Though we beg of them in vain to prevent the Papists advantage by our divisions and though they seem resolved to let Popery it self come in rather than either restore us or tolerate us and abate what we count sin and they call Indifferent yet do they perswade people that we are bringing in Popery if we obey not all their Impositions and talk as if either no Dissenters were tollerable when all men differ and they among themselves in as great matters as from us or All were tolerable both which are abominable And as if he that were unwilling to be destroyed by Prelatists were introducing Popery Should a man chuse rather to be saved by a Papist than hanged by a Prelatist who were more to be suspected of Popery He that made that choice or he that put it upon him 81. Besides the reconciling treaty with the Papists asserted by Dr. Heylin some chief Doctors profess that they would have the Church in the same state as when the Greeks and Latine did divide and grant what the Greeks grant not denying the Pope to be Principium unitatis and pleading for Grotius as a Protestant of our Churches mind who was for the Council of Trent and all the rest desiring no more for our Concord with the Church of Rome but that as by the Mistris Church they may rule â—y the Canons and not absolutely securing the Rights of Kings and Bishops and reforming Scholastick curiositics and the Clergies lives 82. Under all the new Impositions we were never allowed to speak for our selves nor durst once Petition the Parliament that ejected us or any since for relief or audience lest such boldness should more incense our afflicters 83. There is no surer way to destroy their own Church-pomp and grandure and root out Episcopacy more than we desire than to use it for Satan against faithful Ministers and against the Souls of men and against the honour and innocency of Princes and against the property and liberty of Subjects even against God and man and so to make it odious to mankind by making it intollerable Till they that cannot tolerate a differing-word do weary the world by their intollerable pride and cast down themselves and then blame others 84. To this day while they accuse those of Schism that dare not subscribe declare swear and do the things aforesaid and plead against the enduring of them to preach or solemnly worship God they disagree in Doctrines and many great matters among themselves and take not themselves for Schismaticks Of which see our 2d Plea pag. 158 159. 85. Some of them are for Original sin according to the subscribed Articles Bishop Jer. Taylor and others were against it and Bishop Warner hath writ against him 86. Some of them preach for the Imputation of Christs Righteousness Mr. Thorndike Mr. Sherlock and others differ and many of them sharply accuse and preach against each other thereabout yea with high accusations as heretical 87. Some of them preach up Gods Eternal Decrees of Election and Derelection or Reprobation in that sort as others of them preach against