as to make them agree with us 2. That we do as impartially weigh what those that differ from us do offer for our satisfaction as what we our selves do offer to satisfie them In doing of which we shall in part discharge that duty enjoyned us in Phil. 2.4 Look not every Man on his own things but every Man also on the things of others And by this we shall make it appear that we are willing to agree with those that differ from us as far as possibly we can as far as any reason or ground appears to bear us out in so doing And if we herein begin to those which differ from us it will induce them if there be any candor in them to return the like to us And this is the way to reduce the difference to a narrow compass and to make it as little as may be And when it appears to be but little it will be the easier to satisfie one another about it or however we shall then be the better able peaceably to bear with one another in it But if this be not done it will beget a suspition that we affect to differ and to strive for Victory more than for Truth and Peace and that it is more from a spirit of contradiction than Conscience that we differ 3. When any alter their judgment either upon grounds found out by their own search and studies or offered to them by others so that they come over to them in whole or in part from whom they differed before then beware of representing this as matter of Odium and reproach to them so long as they are not worse in their Morals The contrary that is the doing so hath been an ill practice and such as hath tended greatly to block up the way of a due and Christian compliance with them from whom through mistake they have once professedly differed While it hath been represented as matter of reproach to Men not to stand their ground and to be true to their principles they have once received though found erroneous enough when better considered and looked into it hath proved a great temptation doubtless unto many to neglect an impartial and thorow-examination of the grounds of their Opinion or practice and to be prejudiced against all that is offered by others to convince them of mistake Mens Reputation among their party is a dangerous snare to hold them fast in error and a great impediment to their understanding and discerning the Truth when it is declared to them when it tends to draw them off and to expose them to reproach among their party and a great prejudice and bar against their receiving and owning of it Why do ye not understand my speech Even because ye cannot hear my word said our Saviour to the Jews John 8.43 They had no mind to embrace his Doctrine which would bring them into disgrace with their party the Pharisees and therefore they had no mind so to consider it as to understand it Which made our Saviour say again How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Joh. 5.44 But if Men would but understand and consider that it is truly honourable and praise-worthy in the sight of God and Wise Men to love and own Truth where ever they find it and however disguised by its Adversaries and to be of open and free minds to consider and try all things and when they discover Truth to buy it at any rate though it cost them more than the loss of their Reputation among an erring party they would then neither fright others nor be scared themselves from exchanging error for Truth Schism for Peace and Unity by reproachful nick-names V. Direction Those that would keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace had need to be of publick Spirits and still to seek their own personal and private satisfaction in subordination to a publick good and not in opposition to it to preserve the publick Peace and Unity of the Church and the benefits that depend thereon before the pleasing of themselves in things not absolutely necessary but convenient only If this be not observed there will be no avoiding divisions and separations And the Reason hereof is taken from the different apprehensions capacities and tempers of the several parts and Members of the Church By reason of this those circumstances about the administration of Holy things which will best please some good Men will not so well satisfie others This we find to be true by the different usages of the parts of the Reformed Church in several Nations and by the different perswasions and inclinations of the parts of the Church in one and the same Nation yea in one and the same City Town and Parish as is well known So that if one part of the Church should refuse Communion with the other in the same Ordinances unless they can have them administred upon terms best pleasing to themselves and if the other part of the Church of a different opinion therein should do so too separation follows of course till they can all be of one mind in those disputable things But in all such cases the publick concerns of Religion should sway more with us than what otherwise would be more to our liking The profit of the whole is more to be attended than the pleasing of our selves when the question is not which is good and which is simply bad this or that But only which is better this or that St. Paul walked by this Rule in bearing with yea in chusing some things for publick edification sake when circumstances made them necessary thereunto which out of those circumstances he would not have chosen nor could well bear with Even as I saith he please all Men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 1 Cor. 10.33 Under some circumstances he would forbear things which under others he would not and thus he would eat no meat while the World stands rather than make his Brother to offend He chose to labour with his own hands for his support rather than to take Money from others when he saw the interest of the Christian Religion would be disadvantaged thereby And he Circumcised Timothy purified himself and took on him a Vow after the Jewish mode when so to do tended to publick good though otherwise the doing of such things could not be without some regret to him considering how slightingly he speaks of them at other turns And thus he took up and laid down many things even as the publick interest of Religion lead him to it To them that were under the Law he became as one under the Law and as without Moses's Law to them that were without it and all this he reckoned to be consistent with his being under the Law to Christ To the weak he became as weak that he might gain the weak he was made all things to all
reason why it would not make Prayer in that mode unlawful it doth not make it unlawful in this Men use to plead their Christian Liberty against such humane impositions But the best use of Christian Liberty is still to do those things which all things considered tend most to common good the edification of our selves and others though otherwise and out of those circumstances we were under no obligation to do them And thus did St. Paul make use of it who best understood the use of his Christian Liberty Though I am free from all Men saith he yet have I made my self a Servant unto all that I might gain the more To the Jews I became as a Jew to them that are without Law as without Law and all this 〈◊〉 the Gospel sake 1 Cor. 9.19.23 The interest of the Gospel in the main did govern him as it should do us in the use of his Christian Liberty sometimes one way and sometimes another And therefore we have him sometimes against Circumcision that the truth of the Gospel might be preserved among the Christians Gal. 2.5 and 5.1 And sometimes making use of it for the furtherance of the Gospel Acts 16.3 And he perswaded the Christians to use their Liberty to which they were called not so much to please themselves as to serve one another in Love but by no means to use it as an occasion to the flesh as some would have taught them in casting off the Rule and Government of Heathen Governours Masters and Magistrates under a pretence of being Christ's Freemen Gal. 5.13 1 Tim. 6.1 2 3. 2 Pet. 2.10 Jude 9. Now I have been shewing before that a Liberty of a total dis-use of the Lyturgie in the publick Worship as the case now stands cannot be practicable with that advantage to the general interest of Religion as the use of it may as any Men of reason may easily discern if they be not blinded with prejudice and interest An Argument may much rather be fetched from Christian Liberty for the use of the Lyturgie under the present posture of Circumstances then against it For if God hath not limitted Prayer to one mode only then Christians are at Liberty to use any as occasion shall require for the interest of Religion in the Main and consequently that which for the present the Law requires I have now near done with the second Dividing-Principle and when the whole I have said about it hath been considered I appeal to all who are able to make a judgment in the case whether those that separate from our Protestant Parish-Congregations will ever be able to clear themselves from the guilt of sinful Schism and causless separation and of all the mischievous effects that have and may proceed from it or be occasioned by it And to give yet the greater weight to the general scope of what I have said about the Lawfulness of Communion in our Parish Congregations and of the sinfulness of separating from them notwithstanding all pretences I shall set before you the un-erring example of our Blessed Saviour in his holding local Communion when he was on Earth with such a Church as he did which for ought I can judge was more corrupt both in respect of Persons and things then any of our Parish-Churches are though many of them alas are too bad indeed 1. The High Priest-hood the highest Office in the Church in which Ministry all the Worshippers were concerned was bought and sold for Money or otherwise unduly obtained and frequently translated from one to another contrary to God's appointment of which we have an account from Josephus besides what we have in Luke 3.2 John 11.49.51 and 18.13 2. Provisions for the Temple-Service were in part unduly obtained in the Corban way Mar. 7.11 3. The Holy Temple was profaned being made a House of Merchandize and a Den of Thieves which was otherwise Holy by institution as well as the matter of the Worship it self 4. The Law was corrupted by many false glosses Mat. 5.5 The Commandments of Men were taught for Doctrines Mat. 15.9 6. The Church censures were abused to the Excommunication of the best Men John 9.22.34 7. The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection or that there is Angel or Spirit were not only tolerated but were also a great and prevailing party in that Church 8. The Scribes Pharisees Chief Priests and Rulers were persecuting and oppressive proud covetous and hypocritical and the common People generally so bad as that they preferred Barabbas before Jesus and had their hands in shedding the Blood of our Saviour and they with the other were all of them together a Generation of Vipers a sinful and an adulterous Generation In this lamentable condition was that Church then Yet all this notwithstanding our Saviour did not refrain the publick Worship but held Communion with this Church both in Temple and Synagogue-Worship as you may see in Luke 2.41 42 43. John 2.23 and 7.10 and 10.22 23. Luke 4.16 Mat. 26.17 18. There is no Man ever had so good a mind as he to soundness of Doctrine purity of Worship and Worshippers and to right order and Discipline in the Church And his Wisdome was such as that he knew perfectly what was fittest to be done under such Circumstances of things both in reference to his Father's Glory the furtherance of Religion the advancement of Reformation and the Salvation of Men for which he came into the World and what course would best conduce to these ends and what would not And although as a publick Person he did not spare to reprove the corruptions of the time both in respect of Persons and things and to endeavour a Reformation in a regular way yet he never attempted it by breaking off Communion with that Church in the publick Worship and by erecting separate Communities for Reformation sake which yet certainly he would have done if that had been the better and nearer way to those great ends but now mentioned And if Men had no other ends or designs then our Saviour had me-thinks those that are to learn of him and not to teach him should not lay aside those means and methods which he made choice of to accomplish his ends or ever think to make a better choice then he had done If when those who are ingenuous and truly consciencious have well considered these things and yet after that shall continue separatists from our Parish-Churchs I shall somewhat wonder how or which way they can satisfie themselves in so doing Me-thinks this unquestionable and uncontroulable patern and example of our Saviour of whom we are all to learn and who hath left us an example that we should tread in his steps should of it self alone if there were nothing else to be said in the case put an end to all disputes about this business and satisfie the most scrupulous Christian under Heaven The Jews initiating of Proselytes by Baptism as well as by Circumcision was a humane addition to what God had
certainly and without all doubt to prove the fore-mentioned repetitions abruptions responses and conclamations or the like to be real defects in that mode of Worship and that a better medium is desirable and that another might be more useful yet it will not from thence follow that that would be a sufficient ground or cause of separation from the substance of the Worship it self for these two reasons 1. Because those who count the use of these a disorderly way of praying need not be active in those things unless they will but only passive And if they be but passive they will not by their presence be guilty of the disorder I suppose they do not think their presence at conceived prayers by habit makes them guilty of all the disorders and defects that are found in them or some of them so long as they do not in their minds consent to those disorders and defects but are sorry for them For they are in such cases but involuntary defect as to them and defects of that Nature our best performances are more or less lyable to We may lay aside all duties at this rate if we think we may not endeavour a performance of them till we can do them without all involuntary defects But that in which a mans will is not is not morally the mans act Every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Jam. 1. And no Man is to be counted a consenter to all that is done in his presence though he do not declare his dissent unless he declare his consent to it some other way then meerly by his presence If this were not so a Man would be guilty of all the defects he perceives in the Ministers Praying and Preaching unless he declared his dissent from them in the open Congregation which if practised would tend to open confusion When we consider the corrupt Estate of the Jewish Church in which our Saviour held Communion both in Temple-Worship and Synagogue-Worship at Nazareth where he was brought up I suppose no Man will think that the Administration of the Worship there was free from all defects especially considering that their Lyturgie was of humane composure and yet our Saviour's presence at this Worship and joyning in it did not make him guilty of the defects that cleaved to it The Scribes and Pharisees taught unsound Doctrine as well as sound and yet our Saviour encouraged his Disciples to hear them only cautioning them to beware of the leaven of their Doctrine lest they should receive it or approve of it Which had been a contradiction if their presence in reference to the good had been an approbation of the bad Nor did the private Members of the Church of Corinth by their presence at the disorderly Administration of Holy things complained of by the Apostle in the 11. and 14. Chap. make themselves guilty of that disorder without somewhat else besides their presence That 's my first Reason 2. The repetitions abruptions responses and the reading the Prayers out of a Book are not opposite to or destructive of the matter and ends of Prayer all that can be pretended is that they are less useful less conducing to the ends of Worship The things asked in that way are desirable in themselves the supposed defect lies in the supposed disorderly way of asking them For otherwise the petitioning for things in this way tends to the same end as when the same things are prayed for in a supposed more orderly way though comparatively with some disadvantage A greater degree of usefulness doth not exclude a less but only exceed it A mode or medium of Prayer is not therefore useless because another is more useful especially when a more useful one cannot be made use of and the other declined without a greater inconvenience otherwise They will not say its unlawful to joyn in conceived Prayer with a Minister or private Christian that is less able then another and perhaps far inferiour to some then present A less useful version of the Psalms doth not make it unlawful to sing Psalms by such a version The gesture of kneeling in Prayer is the best and meetest and yet that doth not make the use of another gesture in Prayer unlawful If the Common-Prayer-Book medium of Worship then be in the fore-mentioned respects or any other less useful then another it might be indeed a reason inducing them that think so to make use of another which they judge better if they were at Liberty to do it without drawing on a greater inconvenience such as separation is with all its ill effects But otherwise can any Man think that the less usefulness of a mode but of part of the publick Worship for it is no more to be a sufficient ground of separation when there is a necessity of using the one or practising the other Under such Circumstances doubtless a less useful mode of publick Worship is much more eligible then to run all the hazards and to bring on all the evil effects of a separation for the use of one but comparatively better It is most certain that separation upon account of a less useful mode tends more to the hurt and dammage of the Religious interest in the main then the use of a less useful mode of but part of the publick Worship can with any colour of reason or truth be pretended to do All that can be pretended is that it tends less to the good of Religion but not at all to its hurt as separation doth 3. And lastly as to this They cannot prove Communion in the Worship prescribed by the Lyturgie to be unlawful upon account of its being imposed by Man and commanded by humane Authority Before they can prove this they must prove such Communion to be forbidden of God which as I have been shewing before cannot be done For that Law of God which will bear us out in doing a thing cannot be repealed by the Law of Man commanding the same thing There is no such enmity or inconsistency between God's Laws and those of Men which are but subordinate or not opposite to God's as that any thing should become the less acceptable to God meerly because commanded by his Minister Nay we obey God in obeying the higher powers in such things as are not contrary to his Laws because God hath commanded us to obey them in such things It is not a setting up of Man in God's stead till Man is obeyed against God not when he is obeyed in subordination to him But let us turn the Tables a little and suppose that the Law of the Land did forbid the use of any set Form of Prayer in the Church as sometime the use of the Lyturgie was forbidden and that all Ministers were by Law commanded to pray extempory would such an imposition or command make extemporary Prayer unlawful and only a Form of Prayer then necessary I suppose they will not say it would and if not then for the same