it unlawful to reproach all Churches that we see to be faulty but it is our duty to keep peace with all XXVIII VVe hold mental distant Communion in Faith and Love with many Churches that by imposing sin do deny us local Communion XXIX Though I here tell you once for all that I justifie not all that I can thus bear with yet we can submit by peaceable silence to many abuses in a Church which we dare not subscribe to and approve and use also passive Obedience where active is unlawful XXX VVe are not against God-Fathers and God-Mothers as used of old that is when the Parents are the Covenanters for their Child and their Death or Apostasie is feared for others to promise if they dye or apostatize to take care of the Child or for any Adopters or Owners to do it that take the Child as theirs XXXI VVe are so far from being against true confirmation as it is the taking persons that own their Baptismal Covenant solemnly into the number of adult Members and Communicants that we desire it and have written for it as a chief means of the true Reformation of all our Churches in the Land. XXXII VVe differ not in Faith or meer Doctrine from the Church of England as it 's in the Thirty Nine Articles but only in One new Article put into the new Liturgy of the Salvation of Baptized Infants as undoubtedly certain by the Word of God without any exception if they then dye XXXIII VVe are not against reading the profitable part of the Apocrypha as other Humane VVritings may be read sufficiently distinguished from the word of God. XXXIV VVe are for Corporal VVorship as a due expression of Spiritual And we are against all undecent expressions in Praying or Preaching and all undecent Habits Gestures or Actions XXXV VVe blame not the Liturgy for extending the words of Charity and Hope as far as there is any reasonable ground in Sacraments Absolution and Buryal XXXVI VVe are not for mens invading the Ministry unordained but believe that Senior Pastors or Bishops are ordinarily the regular Judges of the fitness of Candidates for the Ministry XXXVII VVe are not for unlimited Toleration But that the Rulers justly distinguish in Law and License 1. The approved whom they must own and maintain 2. The tolerable whom they must tolerate 3. The intollerable whom they must restrain from doing hurt XXXVIII VVe are for making true Religion as National and extensive as may be and for a National Church 1. As the associated Community of Churches in a Nation is so called 2. And as they are all accidentally united under one Christian Soveraign Though we abhor the casting out all that be not of our opinion and measure and that cannot submit to all that I here enumerate which I and others of my mind can submit to XXXIX VVe are so far from desiring to draw people from the Parish Churches into Conventicles that we would keep up the honour of them to the utmost of our power as knowing how greatly the countenance and maintenance of Rulers conduceth to the furtherance of Religion and that the publick Religion will be the common and National Religion and most will be there And if the Protestant Religion were reduced to Tolerated Conventicles Popery would possess its place and become National and soon withdraw even private Toleration as we see in France XL. VVe are not for Preaching when we are forbidden where there is not a real and evident need of our Labours XLI VVe believe not that the Scots Covenant or any other doth oblige us to Sedition Rebellion Schism or any sin nor doth disoblige us from any Obedience due to any Superior XLII VVe refuse not the Oxford Oath or any such because it is an obligation to obey our Rulers in Lawful things nor because it restraineth us from resisting Authority for we give as much to Humane Soveraignty and confess as much obedience due to them from Subjects 1. As any Text of Scripture speakes 2. Or any General Council save what they give to the Pope and his Vassals 3. Or as any Confessions that we know of of any Christian Churches agree in 4. Or which Lawyers Politicians and Historians Protestants Papists or Heathens agree in as far as we are acquainted XLIII VVe are not against the use of Synods or Councils nor against Princes using their advice for such Laws circa sacra as belong to them to make VVe believe Councils should be used as far as the common good and Communion of the Catholick Church requireth it though no Foreigners have Jurisdiction over us And we hold that if they agree of any thing conducible to the common good though their agreement be not a Law but a Contract yet the general command of keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace obligeth all to hold such concord for the ends sake that have no special reason against it In these Forty three things we oppose not conformity L. And if yet after all this Agreement we must be destroyed by divisions the heavy Curse of God is on us and will surely fall on them that are the causes of it who ever they be CHAP. IV. A brief enumeration of the things imposed on us which is the matter of our Nonconformity M. DO you know what it is that we are required to conform to L. I know it is to use the Liturgies Ceremonies and submit to the Bishops as your Governours I know no more M. And yet dare you become our Judge If you are no more exact and just in matters of Law your Clients must pay for it Before I come to handle the particulars I will set together here the things required of us and how much of them we refuse I will tell you when I try them and give you our Reasons against them I. Whereas few of the Nonconforming Ministers were at Age and Ordained till Diocesans were put down in England and were Ordained by an Assembly of Senior Pastors which were then in possession of the Power and had many years the Approbation of the whole National Assembly of Divines at Westminster before they were admitted to any Incumbency none of these may now exercise their Ministry unless they be Re-ordained by Diocesans II. No man can be Ordained by them and admitted to any Cure that will not take the Oath of Canonical Obedience as they call it and in his Ordination Covenant to obey his Ordinary III. No man must Preach the Gospel by the authority of his Ordination and Office till moreover he have got a Licence from the Bishop to Preach and till he have got that Licence to Preach he may not take upon him to Expound in his own Cure OR ELSEWHERE ANY SCRIPTURE OR MATTER OR DOCTRINE but shall only study to read plainly and aptly without glossing or adding the Homilies already set forth or hereafter to be published by lawful Authority Can. 49. IV. No man may be Ordained or be a Licenced
M. 1. There is no place of doubting of their universal sence For an Indefinite term in re necessaria is equal to an Vniversal And they except the unbaptized from Christian Burial 2. It is Baptized Infants as such that they speak of and that under no other Character nor with the least exception And a quatenus ad omnes valet argumentum 3. The Canon commandeth Ministers to baptize all Infants without exception that are brought to them on any Sundays or Holy-days to be baptized after the Manner of the Church of England 4. I have spoken with the Bishops that brought in and promoted this Article and they own the universal sence supposing the true form of Baptisme and say that as any man hath right to take up an exposed Infant in the streets and take it in so hath any one to bring the Child of a Heathen Infidel Atheist or Sadducee to baptisme 5. If they had meant it only of some baptized Infants and not all they knew the Non-conformists were of the same mind and then they would have told us what sort they mean. L. I. And why may not an Article of Faith be newly declared we have not read the Fathers It may not be unknown to them And I have heard that they are for it M. The most ancient Churches were so much employed in baptizing the adult Converted from Infidelity that we read little or nothing expresly and particularly what they did about Infants in Baptisme They baptized none at age without a serious Profession of true Faith and Repentance and holy Dedication to Christ They used to keep these as Learning Catechumens long before they baptized them save in case of necessity near death Therefore they had their set-times of the year for baptizing two or three times as our Bishops have now for ordaining And after all this strict preparation they pronounced the baptized in a state of Salvation but it was only on supposition that he was a sincere penitent covenanting Believer Even Hildebrand Pope Greg. 7. in his time concludeth that baptisme saveth none that dissemble or have not the Faith and Repentance which they profess which the Papists do ordinarily confess and Protestants much more And as for Infants the Ancients compelled not Christians themselves to baptize them but left them to their own choice Tertullian is for long delay till-they understand saying Cur festinat innocens at as Greg Nazianzene would have them stay at least three years In danger of Death they alway hastened Augustine and many others that had Christian Parents were not baptized till at Age. And they took Christians Infants as Paul did to be not unclean but holy and would receive others brought by such as adopted or owned them as Pro-parents But it was never the judgment of the ancient Churches that all Heathens or Infidels Children have right to Baptisme and Salvation if any will but offer them to Baptism Much less that it is certain by Gods Word that all such are saved 2. Articles of Faith are all contained in the Scripture and that is not new therefore nothing that is new can be an Article of Faith nor can it be said to be newly declared which was there from its beginning L. II. And why call you it arrogant and dividing M. Because it presumptuously condemneth the Reformed Churches and the Christian World determining that to be so certain by Gods Word that none should doubt of it that will be a Minister when the Christian World is of many several opinions about it L. What be those Opinions about it M 1. Some hold that the Covenant being the same pardoning saving Covenant that is made to the faithful and their Seed and their Children expresly called Holy they are all in a state of pardon and salvation before baptisme and baptisme doth but celebrate and invest them in it before the Church and solemnly seal their Covenant right And that this saving right is given only to the seed of the sincerely faithful or at most to those that have such Pro-parents though the Seed of Hypocrites must be received by the Church that know not mens hearts And this I take to be the Truth 2. Some others hold that this right to Salvation belongeth to them that have Grand-fathers and Grand-mothers or remote Ancestors that were truly Godly Christians 3. Some hold that it belongeth to all the Seed of professed Christians how bad soever the Parents be 4. Some hold that it belongeth only to the Children of true Believers that are baptized but not to the unbaptized 5. Some hold that it belongeth to Hypocrites Children that are baptized but not to the unbaptized 6. Some hold that it belongeth to all baptized ones if they have God-fathers that profess Christianity 7. Some hold that it belongeth to all baptized by a true believing Minister for the Faith of the Church 8. Some hold that it belongeth to none that by Baptism are taken into any Congregation guilty of Heresie or Schism 9. Some hold that it belongeth to all that are baptized by a Minister who is ordained by Bishops that have uninterrupted Canonical Succession and not to others 10. Some hold that the Baptisme of a Lay-man or a Woman may be effectual to the Salvation of such 11. Some Conformists hold that all Infants in the World are saved baptized and unbaptized 12. The most of the Papists hold that the baptized are saved both from the pain of Sense and of Loss but the unbaptized are saved from the pain of sense only but not of loss and so have neither Joy nor Sorrow 13. Many wise Men hold that Salvation is certain according to the first Opinion to the Seed of Sincere Believers but that we have no certain notice at all what God will do with all the rest baptized or unbaptized 14. Many think that God hath a certain number of Infants Elect whom he will save and will cast away the rest but that no man can know who they be though the Faithful may have some uncertain hopes for their Children more than others but no Promise 15. Some think that the Common state of Infants in the Life to come is utterly unrevealed and unknown to us I do not say that none of these opinions should be disclaimed But among all which Learned godly men of all Countries hold to say he that is not certain of some one of them as God's word is unmeet to be a Minister is dividing arrogance of men that overvalue themselves L. III. How then can you make good your charge of falsehood May it not be true among many false ones M. I make it good two ways men must say they are certain that are not certain 1. No man can be certain that God's word saith that which it doth not say But God's word doth not say directly or by consequence that all baptized dying Infants are undoubtedly saved He that saith there is such a word let him produce it It is suspicious that these same men
to be cast out as an impenitent wicked man for this when they that will say all 's well that the Bishops do may live quietly in open vice or ungodliness As Dr. Sloughton saith If you strike a Schismatick and Christ find a Saint lye bleeding and you be to answer for it I would not be in your case for all your wealth If you must kill a Fly on the Forehead of a Child of God with a Beetle or a Butchers Axe you shall not use my hand to give the blow If Chrysostom would rather have his hand cut off than give the Sacrament to a wicked man tho' a Prince I will rather have mine cut off than reject a Saint or my Tongue cut out than curse Christs Members lest he say I cursed him in them Chap. XXVIII Point XXV Of Publishing the Excommunications of Canon 9th 10th 11th Of such as call Dissenters a Church M. THese Canons made against Schismaticks and Conventicles do Excommunicate all that say such are true Churches that have groaned under the burden of grievances c. And is this a just cause of Excommunication I wish they had no such burden laid on them to make them groan But suppose them quite mistaken if a weak mistaken Christian may be a true Christian tho' faulty why may not a mistaken Congregation be a true Church tho' faulty I hope no man of Protestant Faith and Charity will take the Errors of such as they describe for worse than the Papists and yet how many have written tho' confusedly to prove the very Church of Rome a true Church tho' sinful Yea I hope few Protestants will say that our Separatists have half so great Ignorance Error and Corruption as the Moscovites Greeks Abassines Copties Iacobites Nestorians Armenians who yet are commonly by us confessed to be true Churches If they be no true Churches it is either because of the greatness of their Errors or because they go against the Law or Will of Governors not the first as the foresaid instances shew not the latter for no man ever yet owned that Principle that it can be no true tho' faulty Church that is gathered against the Rulers wills For many hundred years the Orthodox did it justly and afterward when some did it unjustly the culpability made it not a nullity Else what a case was the Roman Church in that for many hundred years was kept up by Rebellion against their Lawful Emperors and Princes And how oft have a great part of the Greek Churches been guilty of it And do not the Condemners hereby imitate the Separatists in the sin and reviling as they are reviled The Separatists falsly say that you are no true Churches and you requite them with saying falsly the same by them Chap XXIX Point XXVI Of Executing Canon 27. rejecting Nonconformists from Communion L. THis is but the same that we heard before M. Before I speak against publishing Excommunications This Canon commandeth the Minister executively before they are Excommunicated to give the Sacrament to no one that receiveth it not kneeling or that is guilty of any of the foresaid Points of Dissent unless he confess his fault and promise to do so no more So that here the Minister is to be himself the prime Executioner against such Dissenters before the Courts or Ordinaries Excommunicate or meddle with them L. But none subscribe to this Canon M. I told you they Swear Canonical Obedience and the Canon suspendeth them if they do not do it Therefore it is a necessary part of Conformity But of this I spake before about Assent and Consent Chap. XXX Point XXVII Of refusing Communicants from other Parishes Canon 28. L. VVHY may not this be obeyed M. In some cases it may when Persons straggle without cause But there is frequent need that will justifie it as a Duty Parish Bounds are a humane Order for conveniency but the benefit of an able faithful Minister and the choice and use of such where they may be had is of Divine Appointment and a matter of far greater weight The Canon supposeth Ministers that neither can nor may be suffered to Preach or Expound any Doctrine If a Neighbour Parish have an able Teacher must he drive away poor hungry Souls that seek his Consolatory Communion and Help If Parishes that are bound to maintain their own Poor suffer any of them to be in danger of perishing by cold or hunger a Neighbour Parish tho' forbidden by men is bound by God to relieve them in distress Every Christian is related to all the Catholick Church and as he hath need hath right to the Communion of Saints out of his Parish In London where some Churches have excellent men if a Lord or Gentleman live in a Parish where a Patron hath set over them one that Preacheth not sincerely but railingly in strife contention or gross Error why may not such a man go to a Neighbour Church And why must that Neighbour Minister repel him When yet our Antagonists in this case maintain that the Catholick Church being but one every Christian must Communicate in every place where he hath occasion And that a Diocess is the lowest sort of Church of which Parishes are but parcels And consequently a man never separateth from his Church that separateth not from the Diocesan Chap. XXXI Point XXVIII Of Canon 38. Excommunicating Ministers that repent of Subscribing M. IF Subscribing prove a Sin of which I am past doubt this Canon commandeth the Excommunicating Men for repenting of Sin. Whereas Christ's Law of Excommunication is to Excommunicate none but for not repenting of Sin. Are not these two very contrary And do you think that Christ will stand to such an Excommunication or disown them that are thus cast out Some Mens abuse of Excommunication is such as if at last if all their Canons be executed they would tempt Men to doubt whether they live like Christians because they are not Excommunicate and would make it a good argument He is cast out of the Church for Conscience sake ergo it is a good sign that he is a Man of Conscience Or as if they were but fulfilling They shall cast out your names as Evil doers c. L. Why should you put Cases that may never come to pass I do not think you were ever commanded to Publish an Excommunication against any such M. But to Promise and Swear Canonical Obedience is a thing that is required of us all And promising to Sin is Sin and oft worse than a sudden act Yea if a Minister do but omit some Forms or Ceremony by this Canon he must be first Suspended and then Excommunicate and I must publish it if required Chap. XXXII Point XXIX Of the Execution of the 57th Canon L. VVHat is the 57th Canon and its Execution M. It Suspendeth and after a Month Excommunicateth all that go for Baptism for their Children or Communion themselves from their own Parish because the Minister is no Preacher to another Parish
for Church Communion and may be forced to it No nor any that do not desire Christ Grace and Glory before all the Baits of sin 2. Did you think I had pleaded that Men may without punishment do what they list and live in wickedness It 's one thing to restrain them from sin and another to constrain them to sin under the name of Religion 3. Nor did I speak against constraining Atheists and Infidels and Malignant Enemies to hear the Gospel 4. But your force cannot constrain them to believe And 5. You ought not constrain them to Lie and say they believe 6. And you ought not prophanely to Lie in Christ's Name by telling an unwilling Communicant that all his sins are pardoned and that you Seal it to him Do as much good by force as you can but do no mischief L. But hath not the King more power over your Family than you have Sure the highest power is the greatest and containeth all the lower in it The last words are a great mistake Political Power doth not contain Natural Personal and Oeconomical and Ecclesiastical in it but supposeth them all unalterable and pre-existent and only useth them to Political ends that is the safety and good of the Common-wealth And as far as this end requireth the King hath more power of my Wife Children Estate Life than I have That is He may see that I use my Personal and Family Government so as may not hurt the Commonâ—wealth and do more harm than good But that Politick Power doth neither contain nor abrogate the other is evident 1. The King doth not eat and drink for me nor digest my Meat nor rejoice or grieve for me 2. The King doth not sin by my sinning nor shall be judged saved or damned for me 3. The King may not chuse my Wife Diet c. As aforesaid Nor hath he right to lye with your Wife as you have nor to dispose of your Children or Propriety 4. The King that ruleth Priests may not do what the Priest doth administer Sacraments use the Church Keys c. So that all that he can do is to over-rule Personal Family and Church Governors to the common good without destroying them L. It is for the Common good that all be forced to Communion M. Yes if you can first force them to Faith and Holiness else it is for the common Church-confusion Corruption and Mens deceit and damnation and not the common good Chap. XLVI Point III. Of forcing Men to Schism by renouncing Communion with true Churches and Members of Christ. M. III. THe Third unlawful part of Lay-Conformity is that they must be forced from Local Communion with all the Nonconformists that Assemble any where save in the Parish-Churches or Chappels and so under pretence of driving them from Schism they are driven into notorious Schism L. How prove you that it 's their Duty to have any such Communion with Nonconformists Conventicles If you are Scismaticks it 's a Sin to Communicate with you M. 1. I prove Communion with us a Duty Tho' it be not every Man's Duty to be Locally present with us it is every Man's Duty not to avoid it as an unlawful thing but to be willing of it as he hath occasion 2. It is a Duty for all Christians to own Communion with all true Members of the Body of Christ. But Nonconformists and their Assemblies for Worship are true Members of the Body of Christ. Ergo The major is most fully proved by Christ Ioh. 17. 24. and Paul 1 Cor. 12. throughout and Eph. 4. 1 2 3 to the 17. and Rom. 14. and 15. and many other Scriptures The minor I prove All those are true Members of the Body of Christ who have all the Essentials necessary to the Constitution of such Members But so have the Nonconformists and their Church Assemblies as afore described Ergo. The major none but the ignorant of Logick will deny As to the minor They that have true Christian Faith Hope and Love have all that is Essential to personal Members And the Churches that have Pastors and People communicating in that Faith Hope and Love in Doctrine Worship Sacraments and tolerable Discipline are true Churches parts of the Universal Church But such are many Persons and Churches of Nonconformists Ergo. The major all sound and knowing Christians grant For the minor no proof is necessary but our Profession till it be disproved And let the Accusers of the Brethren as they love themselves take this warning before they undertake to disprove it Do it by no Argument that will ten times more condemn your selves and your Church than such Nonconformists 2. The second Argument is this It is a Sin of Schism to refuse Communion with those that Christ receiveth so we own not any of their sin Rom. 15. 6. c. But Christ receiveth into his Communion the foresaid Nonconformists and their Worshipping Assemblies Proved as before 3. It is a Sin to deny the lawfulness of Communion with Christians and their Assemblies for lesser faults than those Persons and Assemblies had whose Communion Christ and his Apostles were for But so must they that will deny the lawfulness of Communion with the said Nonconformists and their Assemblies The major none will deny that take Christ and his Apostles for their Teachers The minor is easily proved The Church of the Jews had Priests unlawfully introduced and corrupt Teachers and Worship and yet Christ disowned not Communion with them in Synagogues and Temple and Houses save only that he Conformed not to their sinful Traditions and Corruptions The Church of the Corinthians had men guilty of Schism and Faction and quarrelling with the Apostle wronging each other sinful Law Suits Scandalous Persons denying the Resurrection grosly abusing the Sacrament and Communion c. The Churches of Galatia Ephesus Smyrna Thyatira Sardis c. had such faults as I need not tell you of Yet no Man is bid or allowed to disown Communion with them You can truly prove no such by those in question Arg. 3. Ad hominem It is lawful to communicate with the Churches of England that have more Faults than the Nonconformists Ergo it is lawful to communicate with them that have fewer We challenge any to prove so many and such Faults by us as I have here before proved by your Church And if for ours Separation from us be a Duty from yours it proves a Duty much more Arg. 4. It is a Schismatical Doctrine which would teach Men by parity of Reason to renounce communion with all Churches and Christians on Earth or near all But such is that which would teach Men to renounce communion with all the Nonconformists and their Worshipping Assemblies The major is unquestionable The minor is proved In that all or near all the Christians on Earth have as great Faults as the Nonconformists and their Assemblieâ— O that God would so bless the World as to make all the Churches of the Armenians Abassians Syrians
XXVII Of refusing others Parishioners from Communion according to Can. 28. Ch. 31. XXVIII Of Can. 38. Excommunicating Ministers for Repenting of their Subscribing Ch. 32. XXIX Of Can. 57. Excommunicating Men for going for Baptism and Communion from Ministers that never Preach to those that do Ch. 33. XXX Of Can. 58. making the Surplice necessary to Ministration Ch. 34. XXXI Of forcing Ministers by Can. 68. to Baptize all Children without exception of Atheists or Insidels Ch. 35. XXXII Of Can. 72. against Fasts and Prayer unlicensed Ch. 36. XXXIII Of Excommunication by the three last Canons Ch. 37. XXXIV Of renouncing all Obligation by the Covenant as on me or Any other to Endeavour any alteration of Church Government Ch. 38. XXXV Of the Oxford Oath never to Endeavor such Alâ—â—â—ioâ— Ch. 39. XXXVI Of Subscribing and Swearing that the Position is Traitorous of taking Arms by the King's Authority against those Commissioned by him in Pursuance of such Commission without Exception A Lord Keeper's Seal to a Commission to Conspirators to seize the King's Forts Magazine and Guards may so depose him Ch. 40. XXXVII Of Assenting and Consenting to the damning Clauses in Athanasius's Creed Ch. 41. XXXVIII Of saying Common-Prayer twice a day every day in the year or dinarily Ch. 42. XXXIX Of forcing unwilling Men to the Sacrament and Accusing and Excommunicating the refusers Ch. 43. XL. Of forsaking our Ministry and ceasing to Preach the Gospel Whether it be not Sacriledge and Cruelty in us and of Banishment 5 miles from all Corporations c. Ch. 44. Of Lay-Conformity I. Whether all men must trust their Souls on the Pastoral Conduct of all such as our Patrons will choose and the Bishops institute Ch. 45. II. Whether Parents have not more right than our Patrons to choose Pastors and Church-Communion for their Children Ch. 46. III. Of forcing Men to Schism by renouncing Communion with true Christians and true Churches Chap. 47. IV. Of binding all the Laity to live without any more benefit of Church-Discipline than is used by the Bishops and their Courts Ch. 48. V. Of discountenancing the fear of Sin and the serious practice of Godliness divers instances Ch. 49. VI. The Laity denied Baptism who refuse the foresaid sort of Godfathers excluding the Parents Ch. 50. VII Baptism denied to them that dare not submit to the dedicating Symbol of Crossing Ch. 51. VIII Of Rejecting not-kneelers from Church Communion Ch. 52. IX Of denying Lay-men Communion in a Neighbour Parish-Church when they dare not Communicate with their own Parishes For the Reasons aforesaid Ch. 53. X. The Laity must Swear never to endeavour any Alteration of Government in the Church without Exception Ch. 54. XI The Laity must swear an Abhorrence of taking Arms against any Commissioned by the King without Exception when they understand not whether every one be the King's Commission that is signed by the Lord Chancellor or Privy Seal though it be against Law and tend to overthrow King and Kingdom Ch. 55. XII Whether all trusted in Corporations may declare that there is no Obligation on them or any other from the Oath call'd The Solemn League and Covenant not so much as to repent of Sin or oppose Profaneness Popery or Schism and defend the King and so that G. Monk's Army and all the rest of the Three Nations that restored the King as obliged to it by that Vow were all deceived and not so obliged and whether all the Subjects must be sure of this Ch. 56. Of Thirty tremendous Circumstances and Principles which all agree in that affright Men from Conformity Ch. 57. The Reasons for Conformity considered Ch. 58. Whether Communion with so faulty a Church be lawful Separation confuted Ch. 59. A Draught in ten Articles of that which the Reconciling Nonconformists desire for healing our Church Divisions In the words which they judge meetest to that use Ch. 60. The Reasons of those ten Articles distinctly render'd Ch. 61. Whether the Extirpation of the Nonconformists be not rather to be attempted than a Vnion with them by these means Handled with reference to a late Treasonable Plot against the King. Ch. 62. Fifty Questions proposed to unjust Silencers ERRATA PAg. 100. l. 31. for I read It p. 103. l. 22. for Corners r. Courts p. 107. l. 38. for is r. is not p. 113. l. 13. for our r. one l. 14. for Clergy r. Churches p. 115. l. Penult r. Stoughton p. 124. l. 13. for our r. one p. 129. l. 15. for it is r. is it p. 131. l. 25. r. well as p. 134. l. 13. r. If it p. 144. l. 23. dele revoked THE True CASE OF THE English Nonconformity In a DIALOGUE between A Silenced MINISTER and a LAWYER CHAP. I. The Introductory Conference Lawyer SIR the danger of the Kings Dominions by our Irreligious Contentions about Religion possesseth the observers with just indignation but all know not on whom to lay the blame some lay it on the Bishops and some on the Nonconformists and some on both I am unwilling to wrong any but when I think of our danger and hear that it is but Ceremonies and things indifferent for which you break the Law and make a Schism in the Church and weaken us by divisions I cannot but think you deeply guilty Minister How long have you so judged L. These twenty years ever since you were put out M. Did you ever by Reading and Conference with those that you censure acquaint your self truly with their Case L. I have seen some of your Books but I have not talkt much of these matters with any of you but I read and hear from the Doctors of the Church what you are and what you hold M. Will you take us to be the just reporters what they are and hold L. No you are Adversaries and partial M. And are not they as much so to us Is not every man fitter to profess his own Faith than his Adversary is And have you done well to judge before you heard and tryed Shall Judges do so on the Bench Have you not all these years continued guilty of false judging and uncharitableness and that against a great number of the innocent And if you every day prayed for forgiveness but as you forgive even an enemy and real injury what have you done all this while in condemning the guiltless L. Why have you not in Writing given the World just satisfaction if you are guiltless What sin have you proved to be in the Conformity required of you I see no such proof M. You know what penalties the Law layeth on any that deprave the Common-Prayer Books and that all are Excommunicate ipso facto that do but affirm any thing to be against Gods Word in any Office of your Church Government in any Word or Ceremony in your Liturgy c. Can. 5. 6 7 8. And you know what follows Excommunication here And you know that till of late years the Press was shut up to us But have
take on them to be necessary interpreters of its great difficulties If such men forbear that expounding which they forbid others till they will do it better the loss will be the less Scripture speaketh plainlier than this 2. But who giveth this exposition To expound the Law by a common obligatory Exposition is proper to the Law-makers He that maketh the words maketh not a Law if he make not the sense Judges make not the sense but decide particular Cases by it as they understand it The Canons are made by the Convocation which he that denyeth to be the Representative Church of England is Excommunicate The Pulpit Preachers nor the particular Bishops are not the Convocation and therefore have not power to expound their Canons by any Common obligatory exposition much less contrary to the express words Which way most of the Clergy went under Bishop Parker Grindal and Abbot is well known And yet now they are so far from being taken for the Expositors of the Churches sense that they are openly scorned as popular fautorer of Puritans and those of their mind called Grindalizers II. But it is the second that is the Trojan horse whose name is Legion I mean that hath many more evils in the belly of it viz. that we must profess that the three Books Articles Liturgy and Ordination are so utterly faultless that there is nothing in them Contrary to the word of God and that we Assent and Consent to all contained and prescribed in and by them L. What have you against this what is there in it that is contrary to God's word M. God's word is perfect and forbids the least faulty errour or defect If we had never seen the Book we know that men made it and that every one that made it had ignorance error and sin and can a perfect faultless volumn be made by such faulty men Operari sequitur esse They renounce all pretensions to Infallibility in the Articles of Religion L. You interpret the words rigorously By nothing contrary they meâ—n nothing so contrary as that one may not use the Books M. If by nothing they mean not nothing and if by contrary they mean not contrary we will better know what they mean before we subscribe else you may make it lawful to subscribe to any thing in the world and say that the Imposers mean better than they speak L. And Assent and Consent is expresly confined to the use M. 1. I shall prove that that is not true 2. That if it were true it no whit amends the matter nor maketh it lawful to us I. It is not true For. 1. The words of the declaration are as expresly universal as man can speak And the foregoing words to the use do speak but deâ—fine and the words of the Declaration de mediis And all Lawyers agree that when the title of a Law expresseth the End that limiteth not the sense of the words of the Law because the Means may be larger than the End. As the Oxford Act of Confinement is in the title to keep Nonconformists from Corporations And yet Lawyers resolve that it extendeth also to Conformists if one of them should but once preach in a Conventicle The Parliament and Prelates thought that the way to secure the Vse was to oblige them to Assent and Consent to all in the Book contained and prescribed 1. Therefore they ty all to declare in that same form of words and to add no other least they should make any exposition that limits them 2. And the word Assent signifieth an Act of the understanding which must have Truth for its object 3. And it is after exprest by the word Approbation whereas a man may use that which he doth not approve of 2. Oaths Covenants and Professions must be taken in the most usual proper sense unless another be exprest to be the Imposers meaning which is not here done and the words are most universal and without exception 3. And to put all out of doubt the Parliament expounded themselves 1. At the making of the Act this was debated and reasons given against the limited expressions which prevailed 2. Since then a new Act against Conventicles being made it was moved in the Lords House that seeing Non-conformists were thus far forbidden private worship they should be so far invited to Conformity as that a Proviso might be added to this Act that the Declaration in the Act of Uniformity should be understood to oblige men but to the Vse of the things required and the Commons rejecting that Proviso it came to a debate or conference between the two Houses where the Commons gave their reasons against that sense and proviso In which the Lords acquiesc't Though I was not present the Parliament-men that were reported this and I never met with man that contradicted it or questioned the truth of it II. But if it were otherwise it were to us never the better For 1. It were an ignorant reproach of the Church of England to say that they have put any thing in their Liturgy which is of no use This will Include every syllable They themselves tell you in their Prefaces what use the very Calender and every other part are of The use of the Articles of Faith and Doctrines is our understanding assent and belief of them in order to Love and Practice The use of the orders in the Rubrick is to oblige us to obedient practice and so of all the rest And to Assent approve and Consent to every thing contained and prescribed practically even to the use of them is more than a bare speculative assent L. Wherein lyeth the sin of such a Declaration M. 1. In general it is incredible as I said before in consideration of the matter and the Authors together The Book of Articles Liturgie and Ordination are a big Volumn and contain great variety of matter and that high and mysterious The Authors were every one of them men of imperfection that had ignorance error and sin And operation exceedeth not power Who dare say that any Sermon or Prayer that ever he maketh hath nothing in it but what he may assent and consent to Much less so great a Book 2. The Articles which must be subscribed as faultless say Art. 15. Christ alone is without sin But all we the rest though baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And Art. 21. General Councils For as much they be an Assembly of men whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God they may err and sometimes have erred even in things pertaining to God And are our Convocation more infallible than General Councils The Church must be exemplary in humility and is it humility to say we Bishops and Priests having written three Books he shall not preach Christ's Gospel that will not declare that there is not a word in them that is
doth the Church make Kneeling in Receiving necessary to Salvation but enjoyne it as a decent Ceremony M. They that make this Kneeling necessary to Church Communion and avoiding Schism and make Church-communion and avoiding Schism necessary to Salvation do make the said Kneeling necessary to Salvation But so do the Canonists here Ergo. How usually do they apply Christ's words to the Sacrament Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you If Communion herein be not necessary how come all the dreadful Sermons and Volumnes to thunder damnation against those that do but stay away through fear of unpreparedness and they must be Excommunicated that Communicate not twice a year with them yea though they communicate elsewhere with Nonconformists L. Wherein lyeth the sinfulness of Conformity here M. I. In subscribing Assenting and Consenting to this II. In practising it against Godly Believers L. I have heard that 1661. at the Savoy they maintained that the Liturgy did not bind you to put away them that do not Kneel and so you might subscribe to it M. This quibble served mens turn that were resolved it should be served The case was this They required us to lay by inconveniencies and name only flat sins which the Liturgy required we gave them in a Catalogue of eight This was the first Denying the Lord's Supper to all that durst not receive it Kneeling They were hereupon divided among themselves Dr. Pierson and Dr. Gunning and Sparrow who were the Disputants in policy finding that they should be hard put to it to justifie such rejections devised this evasion that the Liturgy did only bid them give it Kneeling but did not forbid them giving it to others Dr. Morley and others were against their opinion and so they were divided But they permitted the Disputers to go on it being the last day in the way that served their present turn But the case is clear 1. The Canon forbids them on pain of Suspension to give the Sacrament to any that Kneel not And they all take the Oath of Canonical obedience And though in Licitis honestis be added the terms signifie that they are to take the Canons as Licita honesta And these Canons ipso facto Excommunicate all professed Nonconformists 2. They all subscribe to use the form of administrating Sacraments in the Common-Prayer book and no other 3. The Church therefore expounds its own meaning in the Liturgy by the Canon that give it to them Kneeling signifies give it only to such 4. If any doubt of it let them try and their Suspension according to the Canon will expound it to them L. If the practice be sinful in rejecting such Assenting and Consenting and Subscribing to do it must be sinful M. The sin lyeth in what I before said about refusing Baptism 1. It maketh new terms of Church Communion 2. It contradicteth Christ's appointed terms which require all Christians to receive each other in Love and Concord And Paul expresly decideth such cases Rom. 14 and 15. Receive one another as Christ received us to the Glory of God. Will Christ that receiveth them to pardon grace and endless Glory own these Rejecters and Condemners Or will he not say In as much as ye did it to one the least of these my brethren ye did it to me And who is he that condemneth when it is Christ that justifieth 3. They shall answer for depriving Christ's Members of their right as truely as if they oppressed Widows and Orphans and turned them out of their houses and inheritance 4. They shall answer for Schismatical tearing the Church by their Engines 5. And for usurping a needless and hurtful dominion over mens faith and consciences by their Church Legislation 6. And for using that office which is made for the edifying and comfort of the Faithful to drive conscience and obedience to God out of the world by making doubtful ensnaring impositions and then persecuting and rendring odious all that dare not obey them for fear of sin while they bear with the Rabble that hate serious godliness and encourage them by preferring them in their communion L. But what pretence have any against Kneeling M. 1. It is not a necessary point of Salvation or communion and therefore if they err they are not therefore to be Excommunicate unless you will Excommunicate all that have errour and sin that is your selves and every living man. 2. They have the pretence of real fearing that it is a sin to differ in the Gesture from Christ's administration thinking that a Table gesture was intended by him to signifie his sacrifice-Feast 3. They fear breaking the Second commandment which is against corporal seeming to worship as Idolaters do though the heart mean better and so against symbolizing with Idolaters and against scandalous hardening them in their sin Because Papists are known to kneel to the Bread as unto God and worship it And these Papists live among us and are now hoping to set up their Idolatry Though for my part I think that the publick Doctrine of the Church takes off this argument of Scandal yet it is such as very Learned and holy men think valid as you may see in Mr. Rutherford's Letters and many others 4. And ad hom̄inem I see not what the Excommunicators can say for themselves while they condemn all of Schism that obey not General Councils especially the four first and that differ from the Universal Churches customes And yet the very first Nicene Council and divers after forbid all Kneeling in adoration on any Lord's day in the year and on any weeks day between Easter and Whitsunday And all the Ancients assure us that this was one of the chief ceremonys that the Church then called Universal agreed in And it was never put down by any other General Council but at Rome grew out of custome by degrees and that not till a thousand years after Christ as Dr. Heylin confesseth And shall these same men that cry up the Church and the Laws of Councils Excommunicate those that obey them as Schismaticks and pass for the followers of the Church themselves In a word I dare no more cast godly Christians from Christs Sacrament for fearing least Kneeling in Receiving be a symbolizing with Idolaters contrary to the Second Commandment than I durst turn Widows and Orphans out of their inheritance for not speaking the same language or wearing the same fashions as I do CHAP. XV. Point XII Of Consenting to the false Rule to find out Easter-day in the Liturgy M. THE next Point is materially a trifle but formally so palpable an untruth that we cannot deliberately declare that we Assent to it viz. They tell us in their Calender truly how to find Easter-day and they add another Rule to find it always which is frequently false as every Almanack will tell you viz. that it is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon which happens next after the
the Church of any outward thing that I remember But you must note 1. That it is the English way of Confirmation that we speak of 2. And that it is not the thing it self but the denying men Church-Communion that neither have it nor desire it which we here dissent from L. What mislike you in the English way of Confirmation M. I must first tell you how the case stands in matter of fact 1. When Christ sent forth Preachers he endued them not all with equal Gifts and Power Tho' most had some extraordinary Gifts and Inspiration it was made tho' not proper to the Apostles yet for the most part their priviledged above all others that the Holy Ghost was given to those on whom they laid hands for miraculous acts especially sudden speaking of Tongues not learnt and Prophesying tho' the gift of Sanctification necessary to Salvation was given to all true Believers by whomsoever converted 2. When the Apostles were dead and these miraculous Insprirations grew rare first and then ceased unless in some very rare instance yet the ordinary Pastors continued the Custom after Baptism to lay on their hands as for the giving of the Holy Ghost As they did also the Ceremony of Anointing the Sick which had been used for miraculous Cures 3. The dead Ceremonies of laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost and of Anointing being used without the Power and former Effects somewhat else must be though on to keep up their reputation And as to that now in question first they added more to the Ceremony of it and Anointed the Person with Oyl and made the sign of the Cross on him thereby to signifie his being Anointed with the Holy Ghost and fortified thereby to follow a Crucified Christ thro' Sufferings And when it was seen that the Holy Ghost was not thereby given for Miracles they thought that he was given in a double degree for Corroboration And some thought that he was not given at all in Baptism that did but wash away guilt but by Confirmation after 4. Hereby Confirmation got the name of a Sacrament as Anointing the Sick also did and was used presently after Baptism for the most part and the Ceremonies of it were made more pompous and it was appropriated to the Bishop for the most part or if Presbyters did it they must use no Ointment to Anoint and Cross them with but what the Bishop made by mixture and blest to make it holy And because he could not go himself to the Sick the Presbyters must fetch all their Ointment for this also ready made and hallowed from the Bishop 5. When Infants were Baptized they thus presently Anointed them also and called it their Chrysm and Confirmation till then he was taken but for a half or imperfect Christian that was only Baptized and not Confirmed 6. Popery having turned most of Christ Ordinances into a dead Image used these called Sacraments to keep up a Ceremonious shew of Religion and to keep up the power of Bishops in that formal way 7. When Reformation prevailed the Papists seven Sacraments were examined and only Baptism and the Lords Supper found to be Christs Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace Ordination to be the Ministerial Sacrament of Orders or Consecration to that Office. Matrimony to be a common Domestick Sacrament of Marriage Confirmation and Extream Vnction to be abusive imitations of Antient Miraculous Acts And Pennance to be some expressions of Repentance made more necessary than indeed they were and Arbitrarily imposed by mans invention to keep up the Dominion of Ambitious Priests over the Souls of deluded men Tho' at first only introduced by meer Direction of Ministers to men of troubled Conscience shewing what restitution and reparations of the hurt they had done by sin were necessary and what expression of their Repentance was most fit 8. Hereupon the Reformers cast away the Sacraments of Pennance and Extream Vnction and reduced the four first to their Primitive State and Use and the abused way of Confirmation they cast off but some desired to make an advantage of the name for another end and duty of great moment which had been neglected to the great corruption of the Church And the Church of England attempted to do this reserving as much of the Antient Form as possibly they could The Adult were of old Baptized before Infants and never without a most solemn personal Profession of Faith and Repentance and absolute dedication to Christ. And that this might be done with the greatest weight and resolution they were usually taught as Catechumens till they came to understanding and resolution before they were admitted to Baptism Their Infants some brought to Baptism and some delayed till they came to Age all being left at liberty and neither Adult nor Infant driven to Baptism nor accepted till it was desired But as Prelacy grew up to Dominion all were forced to be Baptized in Infancy and at last such growing up in ignorance were all taken for Christians while few knew what Christianity was or what it was to be Baptized or what was there promised on their part or on Christs And when these came to have Children they were Baptized and bred up as their Parents were and Christianty for the most part turned into meer Name and Ceremony the Persons being mostly ignorant of its Essentials This corruption of the Church seemed to many to come only from Infant Baptism whereupon they turned Anabaptists and taught that men should not be Baptized till they seriously and solemnly professed their own Faith and Repentance But wiser men saw that we must not deny Infants their Church state and right because of mens abuse and their neglect of other Duties Baptism is one thing and Personal Confession and Covenanting is another It is the Omission of these at Age that hath corrupted the Church and not Infant Baptism which entreth them but into a Church state suitable to their infancy They need not repeat Baptism which they had but to manifest actual Faith and Repentance which in Infancy they had not That which should be done is to make their Transition into the Communion of Adult Christians to be a serious solemn work and not a delusory Ceremony That those Baptized in Infancy may learn what they did and what Christianity is as to our Faith Duty Hopes And when they come to true resolution to own the Baptismal Vow and as solemnly renew it themselves as others made it for them The English Reformers therefore did retain the Ceremony of Imposition of Hands and the appropriation of it to the Bishop and the name of Confirmation and stretcht the use of the Sign Imposition of Hands to the utmost that they durst but instead of applying it to Infants they made it the owning of the Baptismal Covenant and appointed Catechizing to go before it and call for a solemn performance of it And were it used as a rational sober owning of the Baptismal Covenant indeed in an understanding
that hath a preaching Minister When if these be Pastors and feed the Flock they had more need to drive such Men to Preaching Ministers than from them L. But the Validity of the Sacrament dependeth not on the worthiness or ability of the Minister M. 1. But the Edification and consequently the Salvation of Souls hath no small dependance on the Ability and Ministration of skilful faithful Pastors as Mens Health and Lives do on skilful Physicians And no man should deny himself the benefit of such that can lawfully have it nor should starve his Soul in Obedience to Canons If Preaching and that soundly and skilfully be as needless as such men pretend why did Christ Preach and send out Preachers and why did Paul so dreadfully charge Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. to Preach the Word and be instant in season and out of season c. And why doth he so urge the Ephesian Elders Act. 20. to imitate him that taught them publickly and from house to house day and night with tears And why do the Prelates make every Priest Covenant in their Ordination to instruct the People out of the Scripture and with all faithful diligence to Minister Doctrine and teach the People with all diligence to observe God's Commandements and to use both publick and private Monitions and Exhortations as well to the sick as the whole within their Cures as need shall require and occasion shall be given Why do they Ordain them all to be faithful Dispensers of the Word of God Is all this done by mere Reading that which a Woman or a Boy of 12 years old can read as well as they Do these Men know what Souls are worth how the Reason and Will of Man are moved How strong Sin is and how blind and bad the Heart of Man L. But it is the Sacraments that they are forbidden to go far from an unpreaching Minister M. 1. Other Canons also forbid them oft to Hear in other Parishes 2. If my Need and God's Law oblige me to choose a better Pastor than that ignorant Reader tho' in another Parish is it not fit and my Duty to Communicate with him that I justly take for my Pastor Moreover I must tell you that when an Ignorant Fellow taketh on him the Sacred Office which he is unfit for and so liveth in the constant Sin of omission and of Prophanation of Holy Things and of betraying Souls I take it to be a Sin to harden and encourage such a bold Presumer in so great Evil and to encourage People that need better to be content with such a Pastor Tho' I determine not whether he have the Essentials of the Ministry and tho' I doubt not but the Sacraments are no nullities to them that take him for a true Minister And yet I must add that there are some Abilities Essential without which no Man is truly a Minister of Christ And this Essential Ability as certainly reacheth to the work of Teaching as to Administring Sacraments He is not worthy the Name of a Minister that denies this I would not strain this Necessity over high But I say that he is no Minister that wants Essential Ability And if the Papists and their Emissaries would make the People believe that all not ordained by Prelates are no Ministers and that such excellent Men as Blondel Chamier Sadeel Dalle and all such abroad are none I think them more excusable who take him for none that cannot Preach and must be forbidden to Expound any Doctrine If it were for want of Tongue and Voice he could not read If it be for want of Knowledge can that Man be by Office a Teacher of Christian Doctrine that knoweth it not and cannot teach it and cannot do that for his Flock that every Parent and Husband should do whom the Children and Wives are commanded to learn of L. A man may read sound Doctrine that understands it not and by reading may teach others M. But he is not capable of the Office of a Teacher of Christianity that understands it not no nor so much as of Christianity it self or adult Baptism A Turk that believeth not the Gospel may read it And you may write it on a Pillar and that may teach Men and yet Pillars and Books are not Pastors L. But what 's all this to your Conformity M. 1. It 's unlawful for me to Swear Obedience to this 2. Or to publish an Excommunication against good Christians for not despising their Souls and the Preaching of the Gospel 3. Or to repel such Persons if they seek to me for any Pastoral Helps and Sacramental Communion Chap. XXXIII Point XXX Of Canon 58. that maketh the Surplice necessary to Ministration M. I Am not determining whether it be any Sin to wear a Surplice nor censuring any man for it But when it is known how many learned and excellent Ministers have been against it I take it for a greater Sin than I will name to eject them from the Ministry for it and I cannot approve of such a Canon But enough of this before Chap. XXXIV Point XXXI Of Christening all Children without Exception according to Canon 68. M. THe words are No Minister shall refuse or delay to Christen any Child according to the Form of the Book of Common-Prayer that is brought to the Church to him upon any Sunday or Holy-Day to be Christened I have said so much of this before that I here only say briefly 1. This supposeth a false or unproved Doctrine that the Infants of all Atheists Infidels Jews Hereticks Blasphemers c. are in the Covenant of Grace so far as to have right to be put by Baptism into present Possession of Pardon and of right to Salvation 2. When none must be delayed that are brought to Church the Minister cannot so much as enquire whether the God-fathers know what Christianity is or are Christians or Jews or Infidels Or whether ever they received the Lord's Supper which the Canon makes necessary 3. Till they have given the Church proof from God's Word that all Infants in the World have right to Baptism it is too great Domination over mens Faith to command Obedience on pain of Suspension Had we given no better proof for the Holiness and Baptism of the Seed of the Faithful than these men bring for the Seed of Infidels most good Christians had turned Anabaptists long ago Chap. XXXV Point XXXII Of Can. 72. Against Fasts and Prayer L. VVHat are the words of that Canon M. No Minister or Ministers shall without License and Direction of the Bishop of the Diocess first obtained and had under his Hand and Seal appoint or keep any Solemn Fasts either publickly or in private Houses other than such as by Law are or by Publick Authority shall be appointed Nor shall be wittingly present at any of them under pain of Suspension for the first Fault of Excommunication for the second and of Deposition from the Ministry for the third Neither shall any Minister not
to work in Bed or go abroad Naked Men that need Marriage must Marry and then liberis operam dare but not to do this before they Marry So Persons that are unfit for the Sacrament must be fit and then receive it but not before they are fit Now if you can force them by a Gaol out of Ignorance unbelief and ungodliness it will be a very charitable work Otherwise you force them upon Sacriledge and Profanation to their Damnation Why else doth the Common-Prayer Book perswade the Blasphemers and hinderers of God's Word and the uncharitable not to come to that Holy Table lest the Devil enter into them as he did into Judas and fill them with all unrighteousness to the destruction of Body and Soul. L. But they that are forced to come will be liker to take preparing Care than if they be let alone M. Look over the foregoing instances Will you make a Law among Heathens that all shall be baptized that this may draw them to believe Or will you Command all Students to Administer the Sacraments that this may draw them to Study and be Ordained c. We disswade you not from forcing all to Hear and Learn But do you think that it is so easie and small a Matter to bring a Man to Repent and Believe and give up his Heart and Life to Christ and prefer Heaven before Earth and a holy Life before a fleshly and worldly Life as that it is but say Do it or thou shalt go to Iail What need a Saviour a sanctifying Spirit a teaching Ministry c. if it be so easily done at a Command Will the fear of a Jail make Men believe the Gospel or Love God Oh how little doth this way savour of any true Knowledge of the State of Man or what Faith or Sanctification is L. Wherein lyeth the Sinfulness of such force M. 1. It seemeth to make a New Gospel-Condition or contradict Christ's Christ saith That none can be his Disciple except he forsake all and follow him This Course saith Thou shalt be saved by Christ if thou hadst rather Communicate than lose all and lie in Jail The Sacrament is an Investing delivering of Pardon and right to Christ and Salvation And none but those that desire them above all the World are capable of these And to give them to the forced and unwilling is contrary to the Gospel 2. It seems to put a Lie on Christ as if he had ever made any such gift 3. It tendeth to deceive poor Souls 4. It forceth them on Sacriledge Hypocrisie Prophanation and Damnation 5. It may distract those Persons with terror who are conscious of their unfitness or those Melancholy Christians that under Temptation tremble for fear of taking their own damnation 6. It polluteth the Church and confoundeth the Infidels Catechumens and Fideles 7. It thereby filleth the Church with such wicked men as prove worse Enemies to the godly than those without 8. In all Elections the Major part of wicked forced Communicants will carry it to chuse Ministers like themselves and carry Church Matters according to their wicked minds 9. Good men seeing this are ready to be frightned out of the Church to Separation as men run out of a ruinous House lest it fall on their Heads or fly from a noisome place with loathing 10. And then the Crowd that thus get Church possession will revile them as Schismaticks and Sectaries and Hypocrites and persecute and destroy them if they can Are not all those sad effects of turning a Church into a Prison and forcing men to seem to take that which Christ professeth he doth not give them And of casting holy things to Dogs and Pearls before Swine and cramming and drenching those with the Body and Blood of Christ who have no right till they desire and beg it and can sell all to buy this precious Pearl We dare not Assent Consent or Swear to such a Course as this nor publish an Excommunication against such men on this account It 's an odd thing to cast men out because they will not come in And I pray you how can Ministers in great Cities and Parishes perform this Canonical Obedience to give in to the Bishop or Chancellor the names of all that Communicated not at Easter when they know not the hundredth part of the Parishioners in some places I do believe that in the two Parishes that I last lived in there are above fourscore thousand Souls And is it like that the Ministers know twenty thousand of these I have been at their Communion even at Easter and Whitsuntide and I never saw five hundred there And if they gave in the names of but twenty or forty thousand Non-communicants tho' it 's like there are nearer two hundred thousand in this Diocess what work would the Bishop and Chancellor have Cannot you easily imagine what their Discipline would be and how they would exhort each Person one by one to Repentance and plead with them for conviction and resolve their doubts Doth not this one thing tell you what the English Diocesan Episcopacy is that giveth one man the Disciplining of many hundred Parishes L. You talk as if you would have a Church of Saints and seem to make Religion too serious a business It is well if we could have a Church of Civil Men and Peaceable Subjects that will use Religion for the Civil Interest as far as will serve the will of Governors and the Common Peace M. I am sure St. Paul wrote to no Church but such as he called Saints and I am sure Christ will save none but Saints An unsanctified Christian and a Church not holy are contradictions in adjecto Christ came not to set up a meer worldly Kingdom and to devise a Religion to serve the Will Ambition or Interest of worldly men nor meerly to promote Civility Wealth and Peace If this be all that you would have go to Aristotle Plato Seneca Plutarch Cicero c. You need not be Christians for this But yet we pretend not to know mens Hearts It is visible Saints that the visible Church consisteth of and with whom we must have visible Communion And it is not left to the will of every Pastor whom he will take for a Saint for then Churches would be of as many sorts or degrees as Ministers strict or loose Opinions are But Christ hath himself made the Articles Essential to Christian Faith and Practice and the Baptismal Covenant and required us to take those into the Church who seriously profess Belief and Consent till they null that Profession by a contrary Profession or Conversation which must be proved against any man before he is rejected For the Church is not a Society to be arbitrarily made or unmade at every Ministers or Bishops will but hath from Christ the fixed Laws of its Constitution and necessary Administration better than our 141 Canons But indeed you have toucht our sore For my part I am past doubt that we should all
Georgians Circassians Greeks Moscovites Papists Lutherans and all other Protestants c. but as knowing sincere faithful obedient c. as those in England that you revile cast out and prosecute L. But Communion in Schism is unlawful But you are accused of Schism and so are your Assemblies M. And the Church of England is as loudly accused of Schism and Heresie by the Papists and too much by the Greeks if the Patriarch Ieremy spake their Sence Art they therefore Schismaticks indeed None forwarder to accuse than the Ignorant or Guilty Judge by what I have said of our Judgment in my Search for the Schismatick We abhor Schism and have laboured to have healed the Wounds of the Church with all our power these 22 years and more And who be they that have resisted it and hate the only healing Balsam 2. It is not true that we must have Communion with no Church that is guilty of Schism tho' we must not be guilty of Schism it self If the Schism be Apostasy that cuts them off from Christ and the Church universal we must not have Christian communion with such that are no Christians But if they are only guilty of Schism from some particular Church and of Schism in the Universal Church and not from it wounding and not dismembring we must not renounce communion with such save only as with any other scandalous Sins so far as impenitence proveth ungodliness The Church of Corinth was much guilty of Schism and so was that of Galatia and yet none were therefore to renounce their Communion Was not Peter guilty of some Schism Gal. 2. I doubt there are few Churches on Earth that are not herein guilty either in East South West or North. And must we renounce communion with them all That is to commit tenfold greater Schism for fear of Schism 3. Read impartially my Search for the Schismatick and if the Prelates thus mentioned be not far more guilty of Schism than we are I despair of ever understanding what Schism is This would be the strongest Argument for separation from them and is so used by many Separatists Chap. XLVII Point IV. Of obliging the Laity to live without any more benefit of Disciplinâ— than is in the Publick Churches M. IV. THe next part of Lay-Conformity is this Christ who instituted Ministry Word and Sacraments hath also instituted a certain determinate Discipline in his Church of great use to the Church and to particular Souls And this is considerable 1. As a Duty 2. As a Benefit And no Man hath authority 1. To disoblige us from a Duty of Christ's imposing 2. Or to deprive us of a Benefit of Christ's giving But Conformity doth both these to the Laity in a great degree L. What mean you by that Discipline I thought our Church had rather too sharp Discipline I hope you mean not the Geneva Discipline or the Scots Presbyteries and Stool of Repentance M. I mean nothing but what as to the Matter the Episcopal Party write for as the Ordinance of Christ The true exercise of the Keys and the previous Acts. That is That God hath made the Church to be as it were the Porch of Heaven a Society gathered out of the Infidel World sanctified to God and prepared for Glory and therefore he would have none in his Church but such as profess Faith Love and Holiness and renounce a fleshly sensual worldly and profane Life And the Pastors bear the Keys of Trust and Government to judge of such that is who are to be taken in and who to be cast out and who to be admonished and cured of scandalous Sins And all the Members are bound to preserve the Purity of themselves and the Society in their places And therefore if a Brother live scandalously contrary to his Profession his Neighbour that hath notice of it is to tell him of his fault and if he hear not and repent not to warn and admonish him before witnesses and if yet he repent not to tell the Church and if yet he repent not and hear not the Church he is to be avoided as one that is none of their Communion But if warning perswasion Prayers and Patience bring him to Repentance the Church is gladly to pronounce his forgiveness by God and to receive him This is the Discipline which Christ hath instituted and the Christian Churches have Professed L. This calling Men to Repentance personally will but disturb and distract the Parishes Men will never endure it And that 's no Duty that will do harm M. They are not fit to be Communicants or Members of a Christian Church that will not endure it It is the Crime of the Church-Governours that they receive yea drive such into the Church as will not endure the Laws of Christ and Church-Duties and then cast by such Duties because Men will not endure them As if you took Scholars into a School that will not endure Government and Correction or Soldiers into an Army that will not endure Command and Discipline and then omit it and leave them to their wills because they will not endure it Or as if you would take Servants that will not be commanded nor endure Labour and then let them be masterless and idle because they will not endure service Who allow'd you to take and keep such in Christ's Church that will not endure either to live obediently or be called to Repentance I confess that to let all Men alone in their sin is the way to some kind of Peace in the Parish But it is not Christ's Peace but the Devils by which he keeps possession of Souls and Countries till Christ break his peace and cast him out such peace will end in endless sorrow L. What Reasons can you give for the necessity of such a sort of Discipline and why it may not be fâ—rborn M. 1. It is Christ's Law and Institution and that is the same reason that we give for our Christianity it self L. But I have read in Erastus Selden Ludov. Moulin and Prin that Christ did but tell his Disciples how they should carry themselves under the Jewish Government and use their Sanedrims or Iudicatures and did not institute any new sort of Church-Discipline M. Christ's taking occasion from the Iewish Judicatures to institute his Discipline doth no more prove that he did not obligatorily institute it than his calling twelve Apostles according to the number of the Tribes and his taking occasion from former practice for Baptism Ministry Elders c. doth prove that he ordained no such things 2. What need Christ command his Disciples to use that Iewish Government which was in use before and they could not avoid 3. Christ knew that the Iewish Government was presently going down and tells his Disciples that they should be judged and scourged as Malefactors in those Synagogues And is it like then that he is calling them to exercise their discipline in those Synagogues 4. If it were so it will hold à fortiore that if Christ
during the Iewish Policy command them to use such a Discipline much more in his own Churches L. What are your other Reasons for it M. 2. The very Nature of Christ's Church required it which is a Society separated from the World under special Laws of Holiness and Love and for special heavenly Ends If therefore it shall be confounded with the World and not separated to Christ it is no Church 3. Christ did it for the Honour of himself and his Kingdom If he be no more for Holiness than the Infidel and Heathen World is what is he better than they or how is he a Saviour or what is the Church better than Infidels 4. It is needful to save Heathens from deceit that would come into the Church and to convince them that their impure Communion is insufficient 5. It is needful to save Christians from damning deceit that they may not think that a dead barren unholy Faith and Name of Christianity will save them without a holy obedient Heart and Life 6. It is needful to keep Christ's Ordinances from falsifying Profanation If a sealed Pardon and Gift of Life shall in the Sacraments be given as commonly to Dogs as Children it is a taking God's Name in vain and profane belying Jesus Christ. 7. It is needful to bring Sinners to Repentance that they may be Pardoned and Saved 8. And it is needful to the comforting absolution of Penitents 9. Accordingly God 's Church in all Ages hath owned it as their Law of Christ's institution to this day L. But some learned Men say This was but because there was at first no Christian Magistrate But when there was such the Discipline fell into their hands M. The first Christian Magistrates finding the Church in Possession of it confirmed it and too much accumulated and added to it but took it not away Of this see a small Book which I wrote of the Magistrates Power in Religion to Dr. Lud. Moulin which may end all this dispute Briefly I ask you Qu. 1. Would you have all Infidels and Pagans baptized and Communicate without any Profession of the Christian Religion first L. God forbid That 's a Contradiction M. Shall any words go for a Profession or what must that Profession be L. It must be a Profession of Christian Faith and Obedience M. Who must try and judge of that Profession whether it be Christianity or not Is it Magistrates or Pastors L. Magistrates have somewhat else to do Else they must study and exercise that work alone for they will have no time for Civil Government if they undertake this M. Did not Christ institute an Office for it and give them this Power of the Keyes And if one half that Office cease as soon as Magistrates were Christians why not the other half and so Magistrates must Preach Baptize and celebrate the Sacrament L. It must be no doubt the Ministerial Office to judge who is fit to be in Church Communion Else they were Slaves if they must be forced to take all uncapable Men to their Charge and Communion against their Consciences and Wills No Physician Tutor or School-Master will be forced to take such Patients Pupils or Scholars as will not be ruled by him and will make make him do what they list against his Will. M. You must confess the use of discipline or else openly disown the Word of God the very Being of the Church and the Judgment of the Universal Church to this day And do you think then that to deprive the Church of this is a lawful part of Conformity L. How prove you that the Laity is deprived of it M. 1. In our Great Parishes the People are few of them known to the Priest or to one another Of the two Parishes of my last abode I do not think but there are Fifty Thousand unknown to the Minister and to each other And how can these admonish the Offenders or the Minister exercise this discipline upon unknown Persons 2. The People know that it is in vain to begin where there can be no progress To what purpose is it to tell the Church when it 's sure to do more harm than good 1. The swarm of the Vicious is so great that they cannot be Prosecuted 2. The Minister himself forbeareth it as unpracticable 3. The accused must be Prosecuted at rates which Men cannot bear 4. And before Bishops that cannot possibly do this work to one of a Thousand any more than one School-master can Try and Correct all the faulty Scholars in a Diocess 5. And Men must be Judges that will never call Sinners to Repentance with Ministerial Evidence and Love and Patience but like Secular Courts bid them Recant or be Excommunicate 6. And the Cause must be decided by Lay-men that profanely usurp the Power of the Keys And how is Christ's discipline here possible Polluted common Churches frighten away the Religious conscionable People L. Do you not before complain of too much exercise of Discipline by Excommunications M. Yes of Discipline against Christ It is not enough for your Churches to be common and unclean without true Discipline but when you should drive out the Dogs and Swine you turn out the Children Witness all the fore-mentioned Canons As I said you first force in all the ignorant ungodly multitude that are unfit then these are the strength and major part Then they cannot come under due Discipline then this grieveth Religious People and they find fault with it And then they must be taken for Schismaticks and condemn'd and ruin'd for finding fault In short what need there disputing Is it not notorious matter of fact that this Discipline is not exercised against one Drunkard Swearer Fornicator c. of a multitude and are not Men then deprived of the use of it And when it 's known that they cannot have it in most or many Parishes how are they bound to live and die without the benefit of it L. Do you think Men are bound to separate from all Churches that have not this Discipline Sure it is not Essential to the Church M. I do not think that Preaching as distinct from reading is essential to a Church but that it may be at least for a time a sorry Church without it as those in Moscovy are But I would not continue in such a Church that is without it if I can have a better It 's one thing what a Man should endure that can have no better without more hurt than good and another thing what Men should chuse in obedience to Christ and for their own and the Churches good that can attain it Do you think it is lawful to omit all Duty that is not essential to the Church surely your many humane Offices your Forms and Ceremonies your Declarations and Subscriptions to them are further from being essential than true Discipline is and yet you think that the omission of these is unsufferable Is mans accidental inventions more necessary than Christs Ordinance and Church
not enjoy it lest he whisper Nonconformity to them but he must be Banished five Miles not only from Corporations but from every place where-ever he Preached these twenty years I know some such who have travelled much abroad who can hardly find a place in that part of England that is not within five Miles of a Corporation or some place where they have Preached And those few places have seldom any untenanted Houses And if rarely such a House be found it 's like enough that the Landlord will have no such Tenant Or if he would it 's ten to one the Minister is not able to take it and pay his Rent besides his undoing in removal and putting off his former House and Goods 12. If any one that feareth sinning by Conformity be never so falsly accused he usually accounteth it his Wisdom to suffer patiently whatever Men will say or do without Self-defence I saw two Warrants against a Lay-man this Week which express'd his Hearing two Ministers as Sworn by two poor Beggarly Women when I can witness that both their Oaths were false and that neither of those Ministers Preach't at the time and place that they Swore they Preached For my House being at the next Door I heard that it was not they that then Preached But I suppose its all one They dare not question it I heard of one that said he woulp Swear Treason against a Nonconformist and being ask'd What he said and whether ever he heard him speak He said No but he heard him whistle Treason And being ask'd How whistling could be Treason He said That he whistled the same Tune that a Ballad was Sung in that they said had Treasonable words in it 13. In the mean time let but Men be utterly void of Conscience and Fear of Sinning and what can hinder them from Saying Covenanting Swearing Doing any thing that is required of them in order to a Benefice or to the Estimation of an obedient Son of the Church And then he can Preach down Nonconformists as intolerable Rogues And thus the Laity that will fear Sin and search the Scriptures and have a Faith of their own must go through all these Discouragements if they be not so unhappily happy as to attain to assurance or belief that all the Impositions in Conformity are lawful Chap. XLIX Point VI. The Laity denied Baptism who refuse the foresaid way of Godfathers as it excludeth the Parents as unlawful M. VI. I Hope you will not say it is lawful to be unchristened or to have their Children unbaptized And you cannot say it is lawful to obey the Canon and Rubrick about Godfathers against ones Conscience L. An erroneous Conscience must be rectified M. Is it meerly at Command Can you do it Or can any do it when they will There is no Man without Error why do not all the Clergy rectifie their own judgment and presently free themselves from Error If you can teach them this Art of rectifying Conscience it 's best do it before they go to the University or before they spend much time and labour in study How many years study and reading might this Art save them Presently rectifie all your erroneous opinions and save the labour L. But when men have sufficient help they are unexcusable if they go on in Error M. Then either no Man living hath sufficient help or else all Men are unexcusable For it 's most certain that all Men go on in a multitude of Errors L. But every Error hindereth not Mens right to Baptism M. And do you think this doth will you try now and prove to me that I may be unexcuseable 1. That Children have right to Baptism meerly upon the presentation of a Neighbour or Stranger that never owned them 2. That it is not the Parents Duty to dedicate them solemnly to Christ and to be the Person as having power of them that must Covenant for them 3. That it is lawful for Neighbours or Strangers to undertake and Vow that for the Child's Education which they are neither able to perform nor ever intended it 4. That it is lawful for Parents either to give up their Children to such Sponsors for to Educate them or to seek or accept such to Vow and Covenant that which the Parents know they never meant to do and which if asked Do you seriously intend to do all this for my Child they will say No Is it lawful thus to Suborn Men and put them on so great a Sin Cure these Errors in me if you can L. I told you before that they may agree to speak as in your Name M. And I told you so many do but that 's nothing to Conformity it being none of the sence of the Church as I proved Was this any of the conditions of Baptism of Christ's making was this necessary when Philip said to the Eunuch If thou believe with all thy heart thou maist be baptized Or when Paul said Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. L. But your Child shall not be unbaptized for this The Church will constrain the Baptizing of it M. Whom will they constrain 1. Not the Minister He is not to Baptize it unless it be brought and desired 2. Not the Godfathers For none can compel any to be a Godfather nor ever do 3. But it is the Parent that is compelled How Those that hold it lawful will do it without Compulsion the Baptizing of their Child being desirable to them But those that think it a Sin will rather be Excommunicate and lie in Jail and so they cannot compel them And the Anabaptists Children are mostly unbaptized for all their Compulsion But the usual way of Nonconformists is to elude the Canon and to agree privately with the Godfathers to be but Witnesses or Seconds and that the Parent himself will be there present and when the Questions are put to the Godfathers will shew his consent by bowing tho' he may not speak But such shifts to avoid the Evil of Conformity is no Justification of Conformity or the Canon nor of any that will deny Baptism for an unnecessary if not an ungodly device of Man and that when themselves seem to make Baptism necessary to Salvation and do clearly make it a means that ascertaineth Salvation to Infants Chap. L. Point VII Of Denying Baptism to them that dare not submit to the use of the English Crossing M. VII VVHat is said against our way of Crossing as a dedicating Sign and Badge of Christianity if not a Humane Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace I have said before and must not repeat And also what it is for Ministers to Assent and Consent to reject all from Baptism that are not submitted to it I am now only to tell you that this Submission is a part of the Lay-conformit for want of which they are punished with the denial of Baptism L. But they that are against it may yet let the Minister use it on their Children
are past doubt that to subject a Nation to a foreign Iurisdiction is to stigmatize it with the most odious Perjury Seeing as the Oath of Supremacy sweareth all expresly against it so the foresaid Corporation Oath Vestery Oath Militia Oath Oxford Oath and Vniformity Subscription have sworn or engaged the Nation never to endeavour any Alteration of Government in Church or State And if a foreign Iurisdiction be no Alteration we know nothing capable of that Name And when we see some of the same men at once endeavour to make us take such Oaths on pain of Ruin and to design to bring all under the Guilt of breaking them when we have done men think it best to take no more of them than is necessary till they see whether they must be kept or broken XXII Plagues Flames Poverty Convulsions that have befaln Corporations of late years makes us the more afraid of the sins which are like to be the Cause And the Earl of Argyle 's Case makes us afraid of stretching Expositions of Oaths And the Londoners have sped so ill by such stretching Expositions as confirmeth us in our Purpose to avoid them XXIII If we wilfully sin on pretence of Liberty to preach the Gospel we cannot expect God's Blessing on our Labours And then what is our preaching worth XXIV We read how joyfully many Martyrs in Queen Mary's days endured the Flames rather than grant the real Presence in the Mass And we that fear far greater sin must rather suffer than commit them XXV As we dare not Conform against Conscience so to lay by our Ministry while we can exercise it we take to be Sacrilege Covenant-breaking with God and Treachery and Cruelty to the Souls of Men. XXVI We are sure if all the Ministers should conform it would be so far from healing the Church that it would widen the Breach For the Dissenting People would be tempted to go the further from us all and think that none of us were to be trusted as many have turn'd further already on some such Accounts XXVII We are Commonly agreed that no men have right from God to Silence all the Ministers in the Land And we are fully satisfyed that Conformity to the things aforesaid being a Sin all the Ministers in England ought to have been Non-Conformists and then the Act of Uniformity had silenced them all XXVIII Lastly the dreadful effects of Canonical and the like Impositions the sufferings of Godly Minsters Congregations Cities Countries and Persons thereupon our doleful divisions especially among Ministers the evil Spirit that possesseth multitudes to cry down Love and call for Vengeance and the prospect of what is going on do affright us from approving consenting to or using the Engines that thus divide us and the Canons that are battering down our Peace and consequently to be guilty of all the Atheism Prophaneness Malignity Popery Persecution and Calamity to this Land which are like to come in at the breach of our Walls which the battery of those Canons and Engines make A Jayl and a Fire or a Gallows is an easier place than a bed where Conscience shall charge such Evils home upon us much more then the Judgments which the True and Righteous Judge of the World will shortly execute on Lyers Malignants or Persecutors of his Flock yea of the least of those that Christ will call Brethren at that day I have oft said if any Church-History of one man be credible St. Martin wrought many Miracles and when the Bishops about him being bad men to get down the Priscillian Gnosticks worse than our Quakers did 1. Seek help of the Magistrate's Sword 2. And bring strict Godly persons under suspicion of being Priscillianists Martin renounced their Communion by resolved separation to his death save that once at the Emperour's desire he Communicated with them on condition the Emperour would spare the lives of some condemned as Priscillianists and even for this was rebuked and chastized by an Angel if his Scholar and Companion Sulpitius Severus a Learned Godly man be to be believed CHAP. LVII Of the Reasons for Conformity L. NOW I will tell you what I hear said against your Non-Conformity and I will give you leave to answer the Objections as we go on Obj. I. It 's commonly said that you are Fanatick persons that build all your dissent on your own private Spirits and pretended Impulses and In spirations M. Have I pleaded with you any such Impulses or Inspirations as the Reasons of our Dissent Is there any such thing in above 100 Books that I have written Did we use any such Argument in our Dispute with the Bishops but the Papists call every mans Faith that is his Own and not taken meerly on trust as the Churches Faith by the Name of a Private Spirit L. Obj. II. They say you make a Schism and Stir for meer tristes and things indifferent viz. Ceremonies and Liturgy confessing that they are not unlawful M. 1. And what if they say that we are Turks or Heathens or have Horns and are Brutes what remedy have we To their honour be it spoken we would not hope to confute them 2. Do you not know that so far are we from this that even under the old easier Impositions we protested to the Bishops in our Petitions for Peace That we would yield to any thing but Sin against God and we endeavoured to prove Conformity sinful And do they well agree with themselves when Dr. Stilling fleet saith that I would represent Conformity such as should make them seem a company of Perjur'd Villains 3. I pray you tell me whether the 52. Points now opened by me be nothing but Liturgy and Ceremonies and whether you take them all to be things indifferent Is it not an odd sort of Accusers that we have that sometimes say we suspect the Nation of common Perjury and the Church of Subverting Corruption and overthrow of Discipline and Excommunicating Christs Faithful Servants and shortly after say We Dissent only about things Indifferent God have mercy on those miserably Souls that take such things for Indifferent 4. Who is it troubles the Land with their things Indifferent Is it we Did we devise them Do we impose them on any and say Vse our things indifferent or we will Silence you or Excommunicate you and lay you in Iayl with Rogues Be such things imposed as Indifferent L. III. They say you hold your Opinions in obstinate wilfulness and have no Reason to give for them and therefore are not to be born with as weak Brethren M. So said the Arians of the Orthodox and the Heathens of the Christians It 's a fine World when ignorant ungodly Lads are heard tell such men as were Dr. Reignolds Iohn Fox Amesius Blondel Dailee Chamier c. We can't allow you so much as the esteem of weak Brethren I do not think but some of their School boys might soon be taught by a Bishop to say thus to their Masters 2. But do all
it is or the Parish Churches to be no Churches or their Communion utterly unlawful Or did it bind us to preferr a desertion of all publick Communion before it No it did not but if it had it had been sinful and to be repented of But 1. We were bound by God's word and no Covenant or Practices bind us to any more than Scripture binds us to to avoid all that is sin 2. And when we have our choice to preferr the best he that doth either turn to Sin or preferr a less good when it is so before a greater goeth back but he that preferreth no Publick Worship before the Parish Worship goeth back indeed and breaketh the Covenant by profaneness and Schism God's word is a clearer and surer Test of our Duty and Controversies than any humane Covenants When Ministers were changed 1647. many places got out some tolerable weak Ministers to get in abler men in great Towns. When the Bishops returned their abler Ministers being dead or ejected they took the old ones again Did these go back from Covenant Reformation or Duty when they could have no better Had not those been the revolters that would rather have had none L. But why go you to the Parish-Churches when you might have better M. 1. All Non-Conformists Preach not better than many of them yea the Liturgy is better words of Prayer than some weak or faulty Non-Conformists oft use 2. A brown loaf and a white one both may be better than a white one alone I found both best and I knew it sin to renounce Communion with any Church for weakness because they are not as good as others 3. That is best at one time and place that is not so at another Praying in it self is better than working and eating sleeping And yet in their proper time your servants working and your eating and sleeping is better than praying at that time One that is a Son a Servant a Wife who is commanded by ahe Master of the Family to hear a tolerable Parish-Minister may then find it better than disorderly and disobediently to hear an abler Man that may by variety of conditions be one mans Duty which is anothers sin But alas I fear that Communion with a Non-Conformist-Church will quickly in England be so rare as will end the controversy which you should preferr and you must have Parish-Church Communion or none As it was before 1638 when there was scarce more than one Non-Conformist that held any Church-Communion but Parochial in each County I think God's Judgments will soon silence this dispute with all that will not renounce all Local-Church Communion I will conclude with another reason of my practice Almost every Church on Earth hath a worse Liturgy as I said and People than ours But I dare not separate from almost every Church on Earth And therefore not from one for a reason that is common to almost all CHAP. LIX A Draught of ten Articles containing that which the Non-Conforming Reconcilers desire to unite us and heal the Church when GOD seeth this Land meet for so great a Mercy L. I Have one thing more to desire of you That you will so far answer the common question What would you have As to tell it us punctually as to those things which you take to be necessary to our agreement It may be hereafter they may be regarded and used tho' not in our days M. Do you mean as to the ends and things desired of us or a form of Words to be the containing means As to the former 1. We desire nothing but the promoting God's Glory Kingdom and Will according to the three first Petitions in the Lord's Prayer for the Information Sanctification and Salvation of the People by the Pure Plentiful and Powerful preâ—ching of the Gospel the True and Spiritual Worshipping of GOD and the due Exercise of Church-Discipline according to Christ's Laws And that herein all Christians may live in Love and Peace and as much Concord as they can And to that end that they may take God's Word which they are all agreed in as the Test of their Concord and as sufficient for all things necessary to Salvation and the only universal Law And that the Churches may not be torn by the imposition of Mens Canonical Engines as necessary to Liberty or Communion in which all never did nor can unite And that such course may be taken for the Choice of Church-Pastors that the Flocks may be guided and fed by Truth and Love and not famished nor opprest by Malignants that hate the serious practice of what they Preach It is not Wealth nor Honour nor any thing but this that we desire but see small hopes of attaining by Men. L. The desires are honest but you all profess just desires in general and de fine But I desire you to leave to the World in writing the ipsissima Verba which you would wish in a healing Law with as little change as may be M. I shall do it premising 1. That such a yielding form must contain but what 's of necessity to our Concord and not all that our well-being requireth 2. That the words must not be too many lest they seem too tedious nor too few lest they be not intelligible 3. That they that will defeat them will pretend but to change the words and thereby cross our sence and necessities but take them tho' men give us no present hopes A Breviate of the Ten Articles desired by such Non-Conformists as treated for Concord 1660. and 1661. for such a Reformation of the parish-Parish-Churches as is needful to our Union I. THat the Profession of the Christian Faith and consent to the Baptismal Covenant by Parents or Pro-parents or Adopters for Infants and by the Adult for themselves be the Terms of Church-Entrace by Baptism II. That the Terms of the Communion and Privileges of the Adult be That they have personally owned and renewed solemnly the said Christian Covenant and are not proved to have nulled that Profession by Apostasie Heresie or an inconsistent wicked Life And that they understandingly desire the said Communion III. For the necessary notification of such understanding consent and desire the Pastors that know them after due Catechizing shall try them and upon Approbation admit them to the Communion of the Adult or upon a just Certificate that they have been so approved and received by any other Orthodox Pastor IV. Such as are proved to violate the Baptismal Covenant by Apostasie Heresie or a wicked Life the Pastor must wisely and compassionately admonish to repent and amend And if after private and open Admonition such remain obstinately impenitent the Pastor shall publickly declare them Persons unfit for Communion with the Church or where so much is not permitted shall at least forbear to give them the Sacrament but shall receive them when they credibly profess Repentance V. No unnecessary Oath Covenant Subscription Profession or Promise shall be made necessary to Communion or Ministry
on Earth bound solemnly to worship the God that made them And do not all the Idolatrous Heathens and the Mahometans offer their God some publick Worship And must not Christians publickly worship Christ Are not holy Assemblies for Doctrine Prayer Praise and Communion Commanded to that end and the Lord's day separated thereto and all forbid to forsake such Assembling Q. 7. Let the Bills of Mortality and the knowing Inhabitants tell you Whether there be not some Hundred Thousands in the great Parishes in and near this City more than can come into their Parish-Churches and hear If they would all but shew their willingness to come in if they could and Twenty Thousand stood at St. Martin's in the Church-Yard and Streets and as many at Stepney and at St. Giles Cripplegate and Ten Thousand at Giles in the Fields and so of the rest and should say We are here desirous to come in and cannot What would you say to them Are they not more miserable that are content to stay at home Q. 8. What would you have all these Thousands do Multitudes of them are hardened already by this seeming necessity into self-excusing and a custom of neglecting all publick Worship And how think you do they spend their time at home Is it not the time for sinful Practices or Idleness at the best And would you have all these Thousands turn Atheists or live more impiously than Mahometans And are not these to pay to the Church that cannot come in it and the Weak that cannot stand and can get no Seats And are not the Church-wardens bound to present all these Thousands that have no Room And shall all these suffer as Recusants while the Rich that can pay for Seats escape If you say they should seek room in other Parish Churches do you know what it is for a man to wander into the City with his Family to seek room he knoweth not where The Tabernacles where Churches stood are small and we see the Church full already where is profitable Preaching and the Seats at least possest and the worse men are the more need they have but the less they feel it and are unlikely to seek help at such a rate who would come in if it were near them Q. 9. Are all these many Thousands that stay at home or worse hunted and prosecuted fined and imprisoned for it as seditious and Enemies to the King or to the Peace as some are that worship God as wisely as they can And do you believe that such a Worship of God as hath nothing in it contrary to the Holy Scripture or contrary to the Practice of the Apostles of Christ is worse than none at all or than meeting at Plays and Taverns and deserveth scorn imprisonment and ruine Q. 10. Suppose it be Ignorance and Errour in such Ministers as take it to be a sin against God yea a heinous sin to take all the Oaths Declarations Subscriptions and Covenants imposed for Conformity while they willingly take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and suppose it be an Errour in those People who think their Souls need better Pastoral Helps than they can have in many Parishes shall this Errour be punished with keeping them from all God's publick Worship unless they will sin against their Consciences or change their Judgments which they cannot change Yea suppose some Communion or Ceremony be indifferent which they mistake for sin will you forbid all men to worship God till they have no Sin or Errour Is there any one such a man on earth Are you such your selves And shall all the World be driven therefore from worshipping God Little do men know how great a part of the daily Thoughts even of Orthodox Learned men are Errours Q. 11. Can there be a more horrid thing in the world than either to condemn or excommunicate all men who dare not do that which after their best search they think to be more heinous Sin than they dare name lest the very naming of it offend and are desirous to have their Reasons heard and to make it necessary to Communion or to their Liberty to worship God that all Men and Women must know even all indifferent things to be indifferent or lawful in God's Worship which men may impose on them Have not all sober Peaceable Divines agreed that things necessary for all to know are few and that Christian Concord can never be expected on any other terms than by agreeing in those few plain necessary things And who knoweth not that indifferent things are numberless as well as small no mortal man knoweth them all And if a poor Christian that feareth the Justice of God do take that Oath that Covenant that Declaration or Subscription yea or that humane Symbolical Badge of Christianity or other Ceremony to be a heinous Sin which others say is a thing indifferent Must all as Atheists be kept from worshipping God till they know all these things to be indifferent Q. 12. Did not the Lord Iesus himself make it his prime Gospel Law That all that profess Repentance and Faith in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost should by Baptism be made visible Christians and all Christians live in Love to one another and Holy Communion and jointly worship God Q. 13. Was it not the Nature of all the Old Heresies to depart from this Universal Christian Love and Unity and that on pretence of some singular Opinion of their own in which they thought they were wiser than others and would have had all to be of their mind and should those that cry down Heresie go the way of Hereticks if they can but get Number and Power to pretend Catholicism Q. 14. Did not the Holy Ghost by St. Paul as plain as the Pen of Man can write determine Rom. 14. and 15. and Eph. 4. 6 7 c. and 1 Cor. 12. that Christians should receive each other into Communion and live in Love and Peace notwithstanding differences about Meats Days and such indifferent things yea or Weaknesses in Faith and Holiness And did not Christ mind the Ceremonious Pharisees That God will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice and that they worshipped God in vain while they preferred their Ceremonies and Traditions to his Word Q. 15. Had it been Reason or Impudency rather in the Pharisees if they had cryed out against Christ and his Apostles for not Conforming to their Traditions You are Schismaticks and disturb the Church's and the Nation 's Peace and cast all into Confusion And was it not Turbulent Arrogancy that made the Iewish Christians so urgent with all the Gentiles to be Circumcised when they were left to their own Ceremonies and no body medled with them or hindred them If men love that Diet let them use it But must none live that cannot love the same Q. 16. Will you give men leave to open all the real Faults they can find in the Diocesan or Parish Churches And if they prove far more than they can prove in