thankfullnesse under the reception of an Extraordinary Blessing and not as an Act of Piety Necessity or Worship And though I shall not at this time at least go so far as some namely to assert that the Consecrated Bread purposely set before Superstitious Kneelers Protestants and the supposed Transubstantiated Bread purposely placed before Idolatrous Kneelers the Papists is the same In Esse Ad. rabili yet two things I shall say First A Papists Idolatrous Kneeling before the Bread supposed to be Transubstantiated is in some respect more Excusable than a Protestants Superstitious Kneeling before the Bread being onely Consecrated for his Creed doth though not Justifie yet in part excuse his gesture Did I beleeve that the Sacramental Bread is no sooner Consecrated than really Transubstantiated into the Body of Christ I should think I should greatly â—â—n if I did not forthwith exhibit Worship thereunto since as the O thodox-Learned generally grant there is Adoration and Worship due to Christ even as Man viz by vertue of the Personal Vnion of his Humane with his Divine Nature Secondly The gesture of Kneeling at the Sacrament c. in the Church of England having Necessity placed in it else why is it imposed and not seft Arbitrary yea and holinesse and worship too as its * The Arch-Bishop of Spalato Dr. Burgesse Dr. Mortoun Paybody c. learned Patrons inform us and so becoming a dangerous piece of Superstition and Will-Worship I am warranted to withdraw and refuse Communion with her therein by a Supersedeas of Mr. Croftons own grant viz in case of Real-Inevitable Necessity with this assurance that God will have mercy and not sacrifice The Sacrament is a Priviledge but Superstition is Sin now I may often warrantably wave a Priviledge but never am I warranted to commit the least Sin and therefore for fear of Poyson I deny my self Food Alas Mr. Croftons Instances in Stinking Fish c. Pudled water c. An Vncleane Vessel c. yeeld not the least satisfaction to me what if there be poyson in the dish though never so well garnished My Dear Friend The case is very hard but what shall I do If I must dye let it be by famine as soon as by poyson If I must be fourty years without a Passeover even as long as the Israelites were in the Wildernesse without theirs The will of the Lord be done I had rather be in the Wildernesse without it than go back to Egypt for it while I know that I am in the way towards Canaan not so getting St. Bernards Maxim Non privatio sed contemptus damnat The want of a Sacrament is my Affliction but the Contempt of it onely under that want is my Sin only my prayer is that God would forgive them Who make the Lords offering to be abhorred Thus Sir I hope you are by this time satisfied in the case namely That Non-Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy and Common-Prayer as also in the Lords Supper under the present method of Administration in those who yet joyn with her in Prayer Praise The Word Preached Parts of True Solemn Divine Worship as you and I do is no breach of duty but a duty the one being no True Divine Worship but Will-Worship the other being though a Substantial Part of Worship yet Adulterated and extreamly Corrupted Worship therefore no SCHISM which was the thing charged Now give me leave before I conclude this to produce my Warrant and Protection in the case from the Church of Englands own Canon and Constitution namely the 9th made in the year 1603. Entituled Authors of Schisms in the Church of England censured the words whereof are these viz Whosoever shall hereafter separate themselves from the Communion of Saints as it is approved by the Apostles Rules in the Church of England and combine themselves together in a new-Brotherhood accounting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Government Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England Prophane and unmeet for them to joyn with in Christian Profession let them be excommunicated Ipso facto c. Now 1. I separate in case of Real-Inevitable Necessity only therefore not contrary to the Apostles Rules 2. Mine is not Positive Separation therefore no Combination in a New-Brotherhood 3. I am not only a Professor of the same Faith which is all the Canon seems to require but a Partaker in the same Ordinances though not in all with those who are Conformable c. and therefore that very Canon which censureth Schismaticks protecteth Me. Now Honoured Sir Though I perswade my self that your request is satisfied in the case touching Non-Communion c. Yet cannot I satisfie my self unless I give a brief touch upon Mr. Croftons other Considerations and before I come to them assoile what is objected from the High Places amongst the Israelites A Recocta crambe with him and an ordinary Allegation with all that are of his perswasion in the case in hand Do men complain saith he as they have cause Page 39. That some Roman Rites were retained when this Church was reformed let them consider many pious Kings of Judah have their reforming-Governments stained with a But the High Places were not taken away but the People went thither to worship yet I find not that any God-fearing Israelites who loathed those Reliques of Idolatry ever barred themselves because thereof from Gods Altar and Worship Ans 1. The Retention of Jewish Ceremonies in the Christian Church is God knows a just cause of Complaint since by reason of them the condition of the Christian Church is become more intollerable than was that of the Jewish Infant Church the Jews being subjected to Divine Impositions the Christians oh sad to Humane Presumptions the Arbitrary Lawes and Lusts of Men witnesse Sr. Augustine Ad Januar. Epist 119. c. 19. Item Epist 118. c. 2. 2. If the Retention of Jewish-Popish Ceremonies in the Church of England at first when Reformation was but Early was a just cause of Complaint how much more grievous must the Reduction of them after Sacred and Solemn Expulsion be the First compared to that of the last 20 years being as the Twilight to a clear Sunshine It St. Augustine complained of the intollerable burthensomness of Ceremonies in his dayes as in the places before mentioned what cause have we to complain c. in our dayes For if the first Introduction of them into the Roman Church was a Reduction of Judaisme how like does the Reduction of them into the English Church look to the Introduction of Romanisme what and not complain 3. Mr. Croftons alleadged case of the Israelites and their High Places c. is alass infinitely wide of Ours and therefore I marvel that a man of such Parts as he is should once plead the thing For 1. Though the High-Places of old were even under Reforming Governments both retained and frequented which I deny not yet what makes this against me who dispute not about the Retention
Jerub-baal OR THE Pleader impleaded BEING An Answer to Mr. Croftons lately published Plea for Communion with the Church under her present Corruptions c. Entituled Reformation not Separation By way of humble Remonstrance thereunto SHEWING That Non-Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy and Common-Prayer in those that yet joyn with her in the substantial Ordinances and instituted Worship of Christ is no Schism and that Such are unjustly called Separatists In a Letter written by T. P. for the private satisfaction of a Friend and by him published for Common benefit In cujus perniciem aliquando convenimus hoc sumus congregati quod et dispersi hoc universi quod et singuli neminem laedentes neminem contristantes Tertul. Apolog. adversus Gent. LONDON Printed in the Yeare 1662. A Letter Written by T. P. for the satisfaction of a Friend in case of Non-Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy and Common-Prayer Honoured Sir SChism being a dissolution and breach of Vnion 't will not be amisse if for the better understanding of the nature of the Schism in question we make some enquiry into that Church-Vnion whereof it is a breach Now from the distinct notions and acceptions of the Church the nature of Church-Vnion will best appear The Church of Christ even that which is Militant for the Triumphant comes not here to be considered is usually distinguished into 1. Catholick 2. Particular The Catholick Church again into 1. Visible 2. Invisible 1. The Catholick Visible Church is the Vniversality of Persons called by the Word into External Fellowship with Christ and Communion amongst themselves professing the true Religion the Faith Doctrine and Worship of Christ throughout the world called Visible in respect of Outward Administration and Profession 2. The Catholick-Invisible Church is the Collective Body of the truly Faithfull the compleat Quorum of the Elect Gods Chosen ones called out of the whole World of Mankind into an intimate Vnion with Christ and Communion one with another not only externally by the Word but effectually and internally by Gods holy Spirit called Invisible no◠quá Men but quá Elect the Man is seen but not the Christian The Lord only knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 The Church-Catholick is under both those considerations called the Mystical Body of Christ viz. 1. By League Outward Profession under the former 2. By true Faith and real Possession under the latter Christ is a Common Head both to the one and to the other 2. A Particular Church is a Society or Societies of Persons called to the participation of and subjected to the Ordinances and instituted worship of Christ under certain external Rules accommodated for Local Joynt-Communion therein in a particular place Such are the English French Dutch Churches and such like including Parochial Distributions and Congregations as the Church Catholick includes them viz. as a totum Integrale or Vniversale so as that nec totum recte de una praedicetur nec una totum sibi vindicare possit saith Junius lib. de Ecclesia though the Papists make a kind of Monopoly of their Romish Church obtruding it for a Catholick yea the only Catholick Church in the World and thus by a cursed Sacriledge impropriate as I may say the Church of Christ This Distinct Notion of the Church ariseth from the diversified Nature of her Members the Constitutive Matter thereof who may be considered either 1. as Professors of the Faith of Christ in obedience to an Externall Call by the Word those constitute the Church Catholick-Visible or 2. as Possessors of Christ by Faith true Believers in Obedience to an Internall Call by the Spirit those constitute the Church Catholick-Invisible or 3. as Partakers of the same Ordinances and instituted worship of Christ in a particular place in Obedience to a Providential Call and in answer to an Opportunity serving thereunto those constitute a Particular Church so that the same Persons may be Members of the Church under that threefold consideration at once Church-Vnion then must be threefold or considerable under a threefold Notion 1. The First is the Vnion of the Members of the Church Catholick-Invisible with Christ and their Communion amongst themselves wherein they are through the Inhabitation and Indwelling of the same Holy Spirit in all and by vertue of a true Faith joyntly incorporated into Christ and concorporated one with another as Fellow-Members of the same Select Fraternity the Son of God having assumed their Persons into a Mystical as well as their Nature into a Personal Vnion with himself Now Sir This Vnion admits of no breach Christ and his Elect Members the true Branches of that true Vine are inseperably conjoined their Persons as well as their Nature are eternally matched and married to Christ the Mystical Vnion of the one is indissoluble as well as the Personall Vnion of the other with him There is no fear of a divorce here neither can the Body be severed from the Head nor any one Member from the Body the Members may quarrel an Israelite with an Israelite thus we read that Paul and Barnabas did contest and contend so fiercely that their Paroxysme of strife ended in Separation Act. 15.39 Yea they may joyn to their breach of Society a breach of Charity in some degree but neither is the one nor the other a dissolution of that Internal Union whereby the truly Faithfull are coupled together one with another and all of them joyntly with their Common Head Christ The Vinculum Vnionis the Conjugal-Vnion-Knot viz true Faith or the spirit of grace in the Faithfull being altogether inviolable The Holy Ghost is the Fountain-Radical of Faith as of all other Graces and therefore of this Communion One Spirit quickening influencing both Head and Members in the Mystical as one Soul conveys life and sense to all the Members of the Natural Body and hence 't is I conceive that Christ and Beleevers are said to be not One Body onely but One Spirit viz in Esse Mystico 1 Cor. 6.17 Now this same Spirit may suspend his influences viz Comfortable and Augmentative not Vital as in the dark and solitary dayes of soule-desertion and Faith may in such a case be much weakened and impaired viz in its Graduals but True Faith being the Seed of God 1 John 3.9 is in Esse vitali as to its Truth and Nature intrinsecally permanent an irreradicable principle Perseverance and indeficiency being its Genuine property as well as Christs purchase Luke 22.32 there is a kind of Immortality in it So that as there is a weaknesse in the strongest Faith so there is truth in the weakest now this Vnion depends not upon the strength but upon the truth of Faith and not upon the Gradual Communications but upon the Radical Inhabitation of the Spirit Such a suspension then is unfitly termed a seperation David lost Comfort but not the Comforter Psal 51.11 12. or if we grant with some that it is a
the second Proposition seems to be firmly grounded on the Authentick Decretal and Resolve of the famous Synod of Jerusalem consisting of Apostles and Elders Men extraordinarily gifted and infallibly guided by the Holy Ghost Act. 15.28 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than those necessary things An Imitable and Regulative Example to all Councels and Convocations in succeeding ages for there the Holy Ghost Himself was President as I may say it seemed good first to the Holy Ghost and then to Vs. 'T was His Own Visum est and Canon All Peace be on them that walk according to this Rule That the Liturgy or Common-Prayer is an Vnnecessary Constitution which is the Assumption none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none of the Necessary things licenced by the Holy Ghost appears to me from a threefold consideration namely Of 1. Christ 2. The Spirit and 3. The Gospel 1. All Necessary Parts of Divine Worship are by Christ who is the Churches Law-maker as well as Peace-maker the great Master of Assemblies undoubtedly instituted and appointed else that might be justly imputed to the Son from which the Holy Ghost acquits the Servant Heb. 3.5 which were blasphemy once to imagine and 'twere not a little strange if when the Man Moses did punctually prescribe all the Tabernacle-Appurtenances even to a Pin and Snuffers the Lord Christ should not also be faithfull over his house in describing and prescribing all the necessary Parts of his Worship and Service as if Scripture-Oeconomicks were defective and incompetent Church-Rules without the Contribution of Men-devised additional-traditional Forms c. But now the Liturgy or Common-Prayer that Constitution is none of Christs either in respect of Composition or much lesse Imposition Ergo c. Most of the Matter though I grant to be Divine yet that will not prove the Constitution the thing in question Divine What need many words For the Lords sake let either Precept or President in either Christ or his Apostles be produced for such a Frame Contexture and Constitution of worship and the question is decided The Lords Prayer is an Instance and President say some 'T is Authentique Common-Prayer indeed and that which I reverence for the Authors sake but not idolize but that it is a Form needs proof however be it a Form be it a Pattern it makes nothing against me for if a Form then Humane Forms are Vnnecessary that is my Quaesitum unless men will tax Christs Own with some defect or Insufficiency Frustra fit per plura c. Religion abhors Superfluities as well as Nature If Christ hath accommodated me with a Divine Form of Prayer one of his Own I may by Authority slight all Humane Forms in the world Again If a Pattern then no President nor Protection to Set-Forms c. 2. Where the Spirit of Prayer is plentifully effused and diffused there Set-Forms of Prayer are unnecessary because whatever Benefit can be imagined to accrew from Forms all that and much more doth accrew from the Spirit Are Forms Helps to the weak cannot they go without them The Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 He being the Christians Auxiliary in as well as the Author of prayer Are Forms Guides to the Blind cannot they see without them The Spirits Office is to guide into all Truth John 13.16 Now this same Spirit is plentifully powred out in Gospel-times being Christs Exaltation-Donative Act. 2.1 2 3 4. Eph. 4.8 By vertue whereof the Christian hath commenced a degree above the Jewish Church This being subjected to a Servile and Infant-state the Legall Constitution That being promoted to a Filial Adult-State the Evangelical Constitution of the Church Ergo c. 3. The Gospel Christs Canon-Law is as a Perfect System of Sound Words and Doctrine so a Sufficient Directory for Worship able to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.15 16. without Humane Contributions Ergo c. I am not ignorant that Errour hath its Advocates 't is pleaded That Set-Forms of Prayer are needfull for maintaining of Vniformity c. Good Lord have those Patrons no better Pleas than what Adulterate-Rome may espouse for defence and insinuation of her Masse-Service and Metropolitical Antichristian Head Are there no Church-Ligaments no Bonds or Badges of Church-Vnity but what would inevitably destroy Church-Purity if not eftsoon Church-Entity Why will men create more Necessities than the Word will warrant and thus occasion more Sins than ever God forbad But enough of that Sir With Your leave I will now conclude that our Liturgy or Common-Prayer is unnecessary therefore unwarrantable not usefull not needfull therefore not lawfull 3. That that which is not commanded in the Worship of God viz. in poynt of Matter or Manner is consequentially forbidden the third Proposition may be in my Judgment undeniably concluded from these three gradual Axiomes which are indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Innate Rational Principles viz. 1. There is a GOD This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very First and Fundamental Article of our Faith a Truth which the Creatures may serve for Catholick Teachers the Vniverse for an Vniversity to school us in Rom. 1.20 Creation-works are a Revelation-Book which reveals a God though not a Christ a Deity though not a Trinity Natural Conscience is a Bosom-Volume wherein we may read the same which should a man become a tractable Disciple to he should never die in this sense Atheist or Infidel Davids Fool may say in his heart Psal 14.1 There is no God but 't is not said he really thought so for this is a Truth which may be read by Natures Common Light yea by that of the Sun Moon and Stars 2. There is Worship due from the Creature to this God This is a main 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.19 one of the prime things which may by Natures Light and Creature-evidence be known of God a Principle depending upon the former That very Light which convinceth men of a God-head convinceth them also of this Worship as a Natural Debt and Tribute due thereunto Both are Common-Creed Thus the Gentiles are not charged with Ignorance of a Godhead nor with neglect of Natural Worship the Thing but with a defect in the Manner of Worship When they knew God they glorified him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AS God Rom. 1.21 3. This God is to be worshipped in a way suitable to his own Will and Nature What more Rational then this What Heathen Socrates ascribed to his Idol-God surely we may and must much more ascribe to Our Only True God namely that he must be worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a way manner and method most pleasing to himself and what Manner or Method of Worship more pleasing to God then that which is agreeable to his Own Will or most suitable to his own Nature Now then to apply Since there can be no true Divine Worship which is not either suitable to Gods Nature
as is Gospel-Worship it being spiritual as God himself is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 or at least agreeable to Gods Will as the Jewish Worship by Sacrifices and Oblations the blood of Buls and Goats c. which had nothing at all to commend it but the Quod libet licet the very Will and Authority of the Law-giver else how irrational had it been God having by way of Indulgency accommodated the Outward Method and Manner of his Worship under the Law more to the Nature of the Jewes then to his Own whereas Evangelical Worship is not only agreeable to his Will but suitable to his Nature Since the agreeablenesse of Worship to Gods Will and the suitablenesse of Worship to his Nature is to be measured by the Manner as well as if not more then by the Matter of it That being the Distinctive Forme thereof And since the true Regular Manner of Divine Worship is only revealed and dictated in and by Scripture-Canon Scripture Light directing to the Manner as Natures Light directs to the Object of Worship else what advantage have We to whom are committed the Oracles of God over the Pur-blind Gentiles who are not taxed for not worshipping of God according to the light they had whereby they were directed to the Object of Worship but for not glorifying of God AS God Rom. 1.21 they failed in the Manner Since I say 't is so I must needs conclude that That Manner or Constitution of Worship which is not Prescribed is ipso facto Probihited which is not Commanded is consequentially at least forbidden Some possibly will Object What Reason that That which is not Commanded should consequently be forbidden more then why that which is not forbidden should be consequently commanded a common Plea in the Case But Dispar est Ratio there is a great disparity a Negative will prove a Sin but every Positive will not prove a Duty thus whatever is not agreeable to the Will of God is a Sin but all that is agreeable to the Will of God is not a Duty this is plain a Moral Duty is the Obligatory Influence of some Positive Law To proceed then That such a Constitution as Liturgy or Common-Prayer is not commanded of God the Assumption is proved aboundantly Where is there ever a Deus dixit a Thus saith the Lord for it in all the Book of God An Ecclesia dixit will not go down with me who cannot put Church-Infallibility into my Creed nor suffer my soul to become Captive to an Implicite-Faith Infallibility is one of Gods own Crown-Royalties He onely is Infallible in point of Knowledge who is Immutable in Being and Existence Where is there ever one Authentick President for it Mr. Crofton I know doth attribute the Essential Form of Prayer to it page 25. which he describes to be A calling upon God in the name of Christ But if he understand not in the Name of Christ the Will of Christ then I say 'T is not a Right Description of Prayer whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentiale Essential Form depends upon the Rule Gods own Prescript it being a Moral Duty no better then what may agree to the Romish Letany But if he do understand therein the Will of Christ I once more call for an instance in some Authentique Precept or President the onely Commentaries upon Gods Will Regulative for such a Constitution which I despaire ever to see I might have told you that it is a Humane Tradition and therefore a sin against the 2. Commandement being contrary to Bishop * Expos on 2. Com. Andrews his Modus Praescriptus Gods own Prescribed Manner of worship But I shall not need to go so far let it be proved that it is a Constitution whereof God is the Author the Word the Rule the Practice Apostolick the Pattern or what can it be other then Cultus ex humane cerebro confictus meer Will-Worship and Superstition which being †Sir France Bacon in his Essayes the reproach of Deity must needs be as well though not as much as Idolatrous Worship displeasing to Him who with his own finger twice wrote Himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Jealous God who therefore may justly say of such Officious Service Who hath required this at your hand O that men would seriously consider what I tremble at the very thoughts of namely the dreadfull doom and sentence gone out against such as either add to or substract from Gods own Volume Deut. 12.32 Rev. 22.18 19. Thus Sir a Conscience fettered with doubts is that which I plead as a ground of Real inevitable necessity in this case of my Non-Communion with the Church of England in her Liturgy and Common-Prayer So that whereas Mr. Crofton pleads for Communion with her in that as well as in other Parts of Solemn Publique Worship as a thing not onely Lawfull but Expedient yea Indispensably necessary I question all viz not onely the Necessity but the Expediency yea the very Lawfulnesse of it it being in mine opinion upon the accounts aforesaid none of the Real or True Worship of God but meer Wil-Worship and Contrivance of Men so that I cannot communicate therein without sin For To him that esteemeth a thing unclean to him it is unclean And he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for what is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.14.23 And what though my Conscience be Erroneous herein yet doth it lay upon me a Negative Obligation in the case Ligat though not Obligat Though an Erroneous Conscience obliegeth me not to do what it commandeth yet it obliegeth me to refrain from what it forbiddeth this is the determination of Learned Casuists in the Case Conscience being the Queen Regent-Faculty of the soul Gods Own Representative therein must not at least in matters of Indifferency be controled For * Ames de Consc lib. 1. cap. 4. Quicquid dictat dictat sub ratione Voluntatis Divinae Better it is that I should not at all communicate than to communicate with a Reluctancy of Conscience for in such a case what is an Indifferency to another may be Iniquity in me Mr. Crofton should rather pity than censure such a One what must all be cut off that are not skilled in his Shibboleth His Invective against Church-Yard-Loyterers Judg. 12.6 Page 24. might well have been spared in a time wherein Vineyard-Labourers are so few 2. The Real-Inevitable Necessity of my Witâ—drawment from or Non-Communion in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper under the present Modes and Methods of Administration in the Church of England is grounded upon the * Constit and Can. Eccles An Dom. 1603. Can. 27. Imposed Gesture the Superstition and Corruptions which attend it which who can be such a stranger in our Israel as to be ignorant of Though I could go neer to approve of the gesture of Kneeling being lest Arbitrary and commended or practised only as an Outward Badge of more than ordinary