Ministers can perform and it is a work that I never yet knew one Prelatist well perform to my remembrance and few of them meddle with it at all any farther than to read Common Prayer some time to a dying Man if any one of a Multitude desire it 2. Many of them had Pastoral Charges in Cities and Corporations from the obligation of which they take not themselves to be well released by the bare prohibition of Man while then Peoples needs and desires continue and where their places are supplyed with Men so ignorant and vicious as to be un-meet for such a charge of Souls And it must be more than the Will of Man that must warrant them to fly and forsake their Flocks to which they had a lawful Call and to leave their Souls to those notorious Perils as in very many places they must do 3. And in the rest of the Land where can a Minister labour with advantage but with those that know him and are known of him and have formerly profited by him and will afford him Entertainment 4. If it be lawful to desert the Souls of all Cities and Corporations and all other Parishes where-ever we preach'd it will follow that it is lawful to desert all the rest and so sacrilegiously to desert our office 5. Christ saith When they persecute you in one City fly to another Therefore we are not obliged to desert them all as soon as we are commanded 6. The Preaching of Christ's Apostles and of all his Ministers for 300 Years was against the will of the Princes and Rulers of the Countries where they preached And yet they planted Churches and ordained Elders principally in all the Cities where they came and would rather suffer Imprisonment and Death than to desert them any further than by flying from one to another § 9. 2. But natural necessity also constrained many For many had Wives and many Children to maintain and had not one Penny of yearly Revenue nor any thing but the Gifts of charitable People to maintain them And if they had a poor Cottage to live in and no Money to pay their Rent nor to buy Fire Food or Cloathing they had much less enough to take another House and pay for the removal of their Goods far off and the Charges of a new Settlement and there to dwell among Strangers far from those whose Charity relieved them was but to turn their Families to famish which is more inhumane than to see a Brother have need and to shut up the Bowels of our compassion from him which yet is contrary to the Love of God § 10. And indeed in many Countries it was hard to find many places which were not within five Miles of some Corporation or of some place where we had Preached before for some Ministers preached in a great number of Parishes at several times And if such a place were found was it like that there would be Houses enough found untenanted to receive so many Ministers Or if there were perhaps the Landlords would be so much for Prelacy as to refuse such Tenants or so timorous as to be afraid lest by receiving such they should bring themselves under Suspicion of favouring Non-conformists and so be ruined or so covetous as knowing their advantage to ask more for their Houses than poor Ministers that had hardly any thing left to subsist on could be able to give Besides that almost all Country Houses are annexed to the Farms or Land belonging to them And Ministers are ill Farmers especially when they have no Money to Stock their Land § 11. Yea they allowed them not to be kept as common Beggars on the Alms of the Parish but when by the Law every Beggar is to be brought to the place of his Birth or last abode and there to be kept on Alms No Minister must come within five Miles of the Parish where he ever exercised his Ministry nor any that were born in Cities and Corporations must come within five Miles of them for relief § 12. In this strait those Ministers that had any Maintenance of their own did find out some Dwellings in obscure Villages or in some few Market-Towns which were no Corporations And those that had nothing did leave their Wives and Children and hid themselves abroad and sometimes came secretly to them by night But God bringing Good out of Men's Evil many resolved to preach the more freely in Cities and Corporations till they went to Prison Partly because they were then in the way of their Calling in which they could suffer with the greater peace and partly because they might so do some good before they suffered and partly because the People much desired it and also were readier to relieve one that laboured for them than one that did nothing but hide himself and partly because when they lay in Prison for preaching the Gospel both they and their Wives and Children were like to find more pity and relief than if they should forsake their People and their Work Seeing therefore the Question came to this Whether Beggary and Famine to themselves and Families with the deserting of their Callings and the People's Souls was to be chosen or the faithful performance of their Work with a Prison after and the People's Compassion They thought the latter the more eligible § 13. And yet when they had so chosen their Straits were great for the Country was so impoverished that those of the People who were willing to relieve the Ministers were not able And most that were able were partly their Adversaries and partly worldly-minded and strait-handed and unwilling And alas it is not now and then a Shilling or a Crown given very rarely which will pay House-Rent and maintain a Family Those Ministers that were unmarryed did easilier bear their Poverty but it pierceth a Man's Heart to have Children crying and Sickness come upon them for want of wholsom Food or by drinking Water and to have nothing to relieve them And Women are usually less patient of Suffering than Men and their Impatience would be more to a Husband than his own wants I heard but lately of a good Man that was fain to Spin as Women do to get something towards his Family's relief which could be but little and being Melancholy and Diseased it was but part of the Day that he was able to do that Another Mr. Chadwick in Somerset for a long time had little but brown Rye Bread and Water for himself his Wife and many Children and when his Wife was ready to lye in was to be turned out of Door for not paying his House-Rent But yet God did mercifully provide some Supplies that few of them either perished or were exposed to sordid unseemly Beggary But some few were tempted against their former Judgments to Conform § 14. The Oath imposed on them was this I A B De Swear That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King And that I do abhor
prosecute them or cast them out as it is against the nature of the body to dismember it self by cutting off any of the parts And it is easie to bring such Persons to Agreement at least to live in Charitable Communion But on the other side the Carnal Selfish and Unsanctified of what Party or Opinion soever have a Nature that is quite against holy Concord and Peace They want that love which is the natural Balsom for the Churches wounds They are every one Selfish and ruled by Self-Interest and have as many Ends and Centres of their Desires and Actions as they are individual Men. They are easily deceived and led into Errour especially in Practicals and against Spiritual Truths for want of Divine Illumination and Experience of the Things of God and a Nature suitable thereto Their Designs are Carnal Ambitious Covetous as Worldly Felicity is their Idol and their End God is not taken for their highest Governour his Laws must give place to the Desires of their Flesh Their very Religion is but Pride and Worldliness or subject to it They have a secret Enmity against a holy spiritual Life and therefore against the People that are holy They love not them that are serious in their own Religion and that go beyond their dead Formality This Enmity provoked by Self-interest or Reproof doth easily make them Persecutors of the Godly if they have but power And their carnal worldly hearts incline them to the carnal worldly side in any Controversies about Religion and to corrupt it and make it a carnal thing These Hypocrites in the Church do betray its Purity and Peace and â—ell Christ's Interest and the Gospel for as small a price as Iudas sold his Lord for And though in a time when God's Providence setteth his own Cause on the higher ground and giveth it the advantage of holy Governours these Men may possibly be serviceable to its welfare as finding it to serve their carnal Ends yet ordinarily they will â—ell the Peace of the Church for Preferment and are either imposing persecuting Dividers or discontented humourous Dividers and hardly brought to the necessary terms of a just and holy and durable Peace of whom I have more largely written in my Book called Catholick Unity These and many more Impediments do rise up against all conciliatory endeavours § 22. But I found not all these alike in all the disagreeing Parties though some of both Sorts in every Party The Erastian Party is most composed of Lawyers and other Secular Persons who better understand the Nature of Civil Covernment than the Nature Form and Ends of the Church and of those Offices appointed by Christ for Men's Spiritual Edification and Salvation The Diocesan Party with us consisted of some grave learned godly Bishops and some sober godly People of their mind and withal of almost all the carnal Politicians Temporizers Prophane and Haters of Godliness in the Land and all the Rabble of the ignorant ungodly Vulgar Whether this came to pafs from any thing in the Nature of their Diocesan Government or from their accommodating the ungodly Sort by the formal way of their Publick Worship or from their heading and pleasing them by running down the stricter sort of People whom they hated or all these together and also because the worst and most do always fall in with the Party that is uppermost I leave to the Judgment of the considerate Reader The Presbyterian Party consisted of grave orthodox godly Ministers together with the hopefullest of the Students and young Ministers and the soberest godly ancient Christians who were equally averse to Persecution and to Schism and of those young ones who were educated and ruled by these As also in those places where they most prevailed of the soberest sort of the well-meaning Vulgar who liked a godly Life though they had no great knowledge of it And this Party was most desirous of Peace The Independant Party had many very godly Ministers and People but with them many young injudicious Persons inclined much to Novelties and Separations and abounding more in Zeal than Knowledge usually doing more for Subdivisions than the few sober Persons among them could do for unity and Peace too much mistaking the Terms of Church Communion and the difference between the Regenerate invisible and the Congregate or visible Church The Anabaptists Party consisted of some but fewer sober peaceable Persons and orthodox in other Points but withal of abundance of young transported Zealots and a medley of Opinionists who all hasted directly to Enthusiasm and Subdivisions and by the Temptation of Prosperity and Success in Arms and the Policy of some Commanders were led into Rebellions and hot Endeavours against the Ministry and other Ioandalous Crimes and brought forth the horrid Sects of Ranters Seekers and Quakers in the Land § 23. But the greatest Advantage which I found for Concord and Pacification was among a great number of Ministers and People who had addicted themselves to no Sect or Party at all though the Vulgar called them by the Name of Presbyterians And the truth is as far as I could discover this was the Case of the greatest number of the godly Ministers and People throughout England For though Presbytery generally took in Scotland yet it was but a stranger here And it found some Ministers that lived in conformity to the Bishops Liturgies and Ceremonies however they wisht for Reformation and the most that quickly after were ordained were but young Students in the Universities at the time of the change of Church Government and had never well studied the Point on either side And though most of the Ministers then in England saw nothing in the Presbyterian way of practice which they could not cheerfully concur in yet it was but few that had resolved on their Principles And when I came to try it I found that most that ever I could meet with were against the Ius Divinum of Lay Elders and for the moderate Primitive Episcopacy and for a narrow Congregational or Parochial Extent of ordinary Churches and for an accommodation of all Parties in order to Concord as well as my self I am sure as soon as I proposed it to them I found most inclined to this way and therefore I suppose it was their Judgment before Yea multitudes whom I had no converse with I understood to be of this mind so that this moderate Number I am loth to call them a Party because they were for Catholicism against Parties being no way pre-engaged made the Work of Concord much more hopeful than else it would have been or than I thought it to be when I first attempted it § 24. Things being in this Case I stood still some years as a looker on and contented my self to wish and pray for Peace and only drop now and then a word for it in my practical Writings which hath since been none of my smallest troubles The Reasons were 1. Because I was taken up in Practicals and in such
and Reasons of Dissent and enquire of their Lives and on the same Terms I admit Dissenters also to the Lord's Supper viz. if there be no Charge against their Lives and they come to me before hand and satisfie me of their fitness Still letting them know it is a dangerous case to live from under Order and Discipline and that I do this to them but for a time till they can be satisfied as I would do for a Stranger Your Brother Ri. Baxter To our Reverend and Beloved Brethren the Associated Ministers in the County of Cumberland § 35. Upon the Publication of our Agreement the Ministers in most Counties began to take the Business into consideration and though some few of the ancient Presbyterians were against it and thought it would bring the Presbyterian Government into Contempt or hinder the Execution of it when it had been agreed on by so grave a Synod at Wâ—stminster and established by the Parliament and therefore they rather desired a strict Execution of the Ordinance of Parliament and an Agreement on those Terms yet the most of the godly faithful Ministers as far as I could learn were for it For as we hindered no Man from following his own Judgment in his own Congregation so we Evinced beyond denial that it would be but a partial dividing Agreement to agree on the Terms of Presbyterians Episcopal or any one Party because it would unavoidably shut out the other Parties which was the principal thing which we endeavoured to avoid it being not with Presbyterians only but with all Orthodox faithful Pastors and People that we are bound to hold Communion and to live in Christian Concord so far as we have attained Phil. 3. 15 16. § 36. Hereupon many Counties began to Associate as Wiltshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Hampshire Essex and others And some of them printed the Articles of their Agreement In a word a great desire of Concord began to possess all good People in the Land and our Breaches seem'd ready to heal And though some thought that so many Associations and Forms of Agreement did but tend to more Division by shewing our diversity of Apprehensions the contrary proved true by Experience For we all agreed on the same Course even to unite in the practice of so much of Discipline as the Episcopal Presbyterians and Independants are agreed in and as crosseth none of their Principles And they that thought the Expression of the Churches desires in various words of Prayer in Publick was better than a stinted Form for all Churches necessarily to use should not think that the Expression of our Consent to the same things is a dividing way because it is done in various Expressions for this Liberty greatly helped Unity for many a one would have scrupled some particular words in such an imposed Form of Concord who yet would accord in the Substance of the Work The Essex Agreement was printed to the same purpose with ours The Wiltshire Ministers were so strictly held to it by the Independant Party that they could get them but to these following preparatory Articles WE whose Names are Subscribed Ministers of the Gospel in the County of Wilts being humbly sensible of our many Failings in the Work of the Ministry by the Lord Christ committed to us and of the great need wherein we stand of the mutual help of our Brethren for Advice Encouragement and Strengthning herein And sadly bawailing the Corruptions of the People in our several Congregations the want of Christian Reformation Love and Unity and the Power of Godliness the breaking in of destroying Errours and the prevailing of Ignorance and Profaneness among them have consented and resolved through God's Grace and in Expectation of his Blessing on our weak Endeavours as fellow Servants to the same Lord Jesus Christ the Great Shepherd of Souls to acquaint our selves one with another and to joyn together and assist each other to the uttermost in the promoting of Gospel Truth Peace Love and the Power of Godliness in our selves and all those that have the Name of Christ upon them in the places wherein we live For the Effecting whereof we desire and purpose if God permit to meet together at Sarum on the 26th of Octob. 1653. for the end hereafter specified First In some publick Place on the same day where any others whose hearts are inclined thereunto may joyn with us by Fasting and Prayer to seek unto God for pardon of our former Failings and for Direction and Strength of his Spirit for the future Work of the Ministry which lyeth upon us in the instructing and ordering of our several Congregations according to the Word of God Secondly After the said Publick Duty discharged to come together more privately in some convenient place And there First Jointly and Solemnly as in the presence of God to testifie our sincere purpose of heart for the time to come in dependence upon the Lord's Strength to take heed unto our selves and to our Doctrine and to continue therein that in doing this we may both save our selves and them that hear us Secondly To testifie to each other our Conscionable readiness as Servants and fellow Labourers to afford and receive Assistance to and from each other in the Work of the Lord committed to us as any occasion shall be offered to us in this kind and accordingly to advise together thereupon Thirdly To Promise and Engage to one another according to our Duty in all Humility Tenderness and Brotherly Love Yet faithfully to admonish one another of any Miscarriage or Neglect which we shall know or be daily informed of which in any of us bringeth Reproach upon the Name of God and his Ways upon the Gospel and the Administration of the same And we shall all of us likewise seriously promise humbly and thankfully to accept of such Admonition from any Brother as a Fruit of Christian Love and Fidelity and without Anger Clamour or Recrimination either to clear our selves to the Brother which Admonisheth us being free from the Crime objected or else endeavour Reformation in what we have offended Fourthly At the same Publick Meeting to appoint some other fit time to meet together in the same manner further to carry on the Work of mutual Brotherly Advice concerning such Courses as conduce to God's Glory the Good of the People and the Discharge of our Duty in the place wherein God hath set us And in this our Meeting we fully resolve through the help of our God First Not to meddle in word or deed with any Matter of Civil Government further than to stir up one another if any just occasion be offered conscionably to maintain and exercise all Christian Obedience to Magistrates as an Ordinance of God Secondly Not to soment any Breaches amongst Brethren but to study to the uttermost of our power that all who accord in the Fundamentals of Gospel Truth and Holiness may be brought to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace And for
observing or laying to Heart the strict Commands of the Lord herein as if there had been no such Passages in our Bibles But blessed be the Lord that beginneth mightily to awaken the Hearts of his Servants and cause them to observe the Truths which they overlook'd and at last to lay to heart the Duty so much neglected We now hear from many Countries of this Nation the Voice of the Spirit of Peace our Brethren begin to get together and consult of the means of reparing our Breaches and in many Places are associated and though the Work be but beginning and mightily resisted by the Enemies of Holyness and Peace yet are we in great Hopes that these Beginnings do promise more and that God hath not awakened us to this Work in vain And now by the Tidings of your Concord we have received an increase of these our Hopes and Consolations Go on dear Brethren as One in the Centre of Unity and prevail in the Strength of the great Reconciler This is the way that will prevail at last and however it be thought of by others will certainly be comfortable to ourselves in the review when dividing ways will be all disgraced and look with another Face than now they do He that is for Vanity and Love is likest to have his Approbation who is one and who is Love Our Hearts are with you and our Prayers shall be for you that you may abundantly reap the Fruits of Concord in the Conviction of Gain-sayers and the farther Confirmation and Edification of your own Your Motion for a Correspondency we gladly entertain and shall rejoice in the Assistance of your Advice and Prayers and willingly to that end communicate our Affairs We are now upon a joint Agreement to bring all the ancient Persons in our Parishes who will not do it in the Congregation to our Houses on certain Days every Week by turns to be catechised or instructed as shall be most to their Edification A Work that requireth so much unwearied Diligence Self-denial and holy Skill and wherein we are like to meet with so much Resistance and yet doth appear to us of great necessity and use that we earnestly crave your Prayers for such Qualifications and Successes The State of your Affairs we partly understand by the Information of Coll. Bridges We heartily pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth more Labourers among you and could we contribute any thing to so good a Work we should willingly do it But able Ministers fit for the Work with you are too few and many of them so weak of Body that they are unfit for Travel and most of them so engaged to their Godly People and the People so impatient of a Motion for their remove that the Work will be very hard but we hope to be faithful in our Endeavours whatever be the Success Brethren we crave your Prayers to God that we may be faithful and Successful in his Work as also that Brotherly Correspondency which you motion might abide and we remain Your Brethren in the Faith of Christ Rich. Baxter Teacher of the Church at Kiderminster Jarvis Bryan Teacher of the Church at Old Swinford Henry Oasland Teacher of the Church at Bewdeley Andr. Tristram Teacher of the Church at Clent Tho. Baldwin Minister at Wolverly In the Name of the associated Ministers meeting at Kiderminster August 12. 1655. To the Reverend our much honoured Brother Dr. Winter Pastor of the Church at Dublin to be communicated by him to the associated Churches in Ireland These They wrote us also a Second Letter which I here subjoin Reverend and much valued Brethren YOUR Affectionate Letter in Answer to ours by that Honourable Person we have received and do desire that these Lines may testify our Thankfulness to you for your loving and free Acceptation of our Desires of a Brotherly Correspondency Those Pantings of yours for the Peace and Union of the Saints we doubt not will be to your Comfort at the great Day of your Account God is not unjust to forget your Work and Labour of Love Go on therefore dear Brethren in his Strength whose work it is and of whose Power and Presence you have had so great Experience We trust as our Hearts are with you so our Prayers shall not be wanting for you at the Throne of Grace We thank you for your Ioy at our Association and Success and that we still breath after that happy Work Surely if after our long Experiences of those woful Desolations that Divisions and Dissentions have involved the Saints in our Hearts should not be enlarged after Union and Peace that must repair our Breaches we should have Cause to suspect our Union with and Love to our Head We are not ignorant how much the Self-love and Pride of some and the misguided Zeal of others of approved Sincerity have advanced the Design of the grand Enemy by over eager and unbrotherly Bitterness even in matters circumstantial Neither are we altogether ignorant how subtilly that old Serpent and Deceiver hath laboured by a pretext of Love to swallow up Truth it being for a while the only Cry Love Love yet not the least hint of Truth which had most need of their Charity being miserably torn and mangled To which our Charity leads us to attribute the Praise of many of our Brethren as being unwilling to buy Love with the Loss of Truth It is the Apostles Advice that the Truth should be spoken in Love and that we should contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints But Thanks be to the Lord God of Truth that hath preserved his Darling from the Devourer making the way of Love exceeding aimable because of Truth so that we trust it will not lie untrodden by the Lord's People through circumstantial Differences whilst all hold the Form of wholesom Words considering one another and walking together in what they are agreed and waiting upon the Lord for the revealing of that wherein they differ perfection being reserved for another World That there are any Beginnings and that by you we hear of more we earnestly desire our Hearts may be duly and thankfully affected therewith praying the God of truth and Peace to uphold his Truth and to shower down plentifully the Spirit of Love and Peace that at the Lord is One so his People may be One. Your present Work we are in some measure sensible of its Necessity and Weightiness Wherefore our Prayers shall be for you that the Lord whose Servants ye are and whose work it is would be with you to counsel encourage strengthen and prosper you in it as we crave your daily Prayers for these Infant Churches that our God may vouchsafe his Spirit and Presence to us whose lot is cast in this Wilderness having many Enemies to conflict withal from within as well as without your Advice and brotherly Assistance we request as we shall have Occasion and Opportunity to communicate our Affairs to you Lastly the deep
there to meet the Divines of the other party according to promise with their Proposals also containing the lowest Terms which they could yield to for Peace we saw not a Man of them nor any Papers from them of that Nature no not to this Day But it was not fit for us to expostulate or complain § 98. But his Majesty very graciously renewed his Professions I must not call them Promises that he would bring us together and see that the Bishops should come down and yield on their Parts and when he heard our Papers read he seemed well pleased with them and told us he was glad that we were for a Liturgy and yielded to the Essence of Episcopacy and therefore he doubted not of our Agreement with much more which we thought meet to recite in our following Addresses by way of Gratitude and for other Reasons easy to be conjectured 99. Yet was not Bishop Usher's Model the same in all Points that we could wish But it was the best that we could have the least hope I say not to obtain but acceptably to make them any Offers of For had we proposed any thing below Bishops and Archbishops we should but have suddenly furnished them with plausible Reasons for the rejecting of all further Attempts of Concord or any other Favour from them 100. Before this time by the King 's Return many hundred worthy Ministers were displaced and cast out of their Charges because they were in Sequestrations where others had by the Parliament been cast out Our earnest Desires had been that all such should be cast out as were in any Benefice belonging formerly to a Man that was not grosly insufficient or debaucht but that all that succeeded such as these Scandalous ones should hold their Places but these Wishes being vain and all the old ones restored the King promised that the Places where any of the old ones were dead should be confirmed to the Possessors But many got the Broad Seal for them and the matter was not great for we were all of us to be endured but a little longer However we agreed to offer these five Requests to the King which he received Agreed to be verbally requested of the King 1. That with all convenient speed we may see his Majesty's Conclusions upon the Proposals of the mutual Condescentions before they pass into Resolves and if it be thought meet our Brethens Proposals also 2. That his Majesty will be publickly declare his Pleasure for the Suspension of Proceedings upon the Act of Uniformity against Nonconformists in Case of Liturgy and Ceremonies till our hoped for Agreement 3. That his Majesty will be pleased to publish his Pleasure at least to those that are concerned in the Execution that till the said expected Settlement no Oath of Canonical Obedience nor Subscription to the Liturgy Discipline Ceremonies c. nor Renunciation of their Ordination by meer Presbyters or confessing it to be sinful be imposed on or required of any as necessary to their Ordination Institution Induction or Confirmation by the Seales 4. That His Majesty will Cause the revoking of the Broad Seal that is granted to all those Persons that by it are put into Places where others have Possession to which none before could claim a right that is such as they call dead Places 5. That his Majesty will be pleased to provide some Remedy against the Return or Settlement of notoriously insufficient or scandalous Ministers into the Places from which they were cast out or into any other § 101. While we waited for the promised Condescentions of the Episcopal Divines there came nothing to us but a Paper of bitter Oppositions by way of Confutation of our for mer Proposals We were not insensible of the unworthiness of this dealing and the Brethren at first desired me to write an Answer to it But afterward they considered that this would but provoke them and turn a Treaty for Concord into a sharp Disputation which would increase the Discord and so what I had written was never seen by any Man lest it should hinder Peace The Bishop's Answer to the first Proposals of the London Ministers who attempted the Work of Reconcilement which was brought them afterward instead of their Concessions before expected and promised When we looked to see how much they would abate of their former Impositions for the attaining of Vnity and Peace we received nothing but this Contradiction Concerning the Preamble § 1. WE first observe that they take it for granted that there is a firm Agreement between them and us in the Doctrinal Truths of the reformed Religion and in the Substantial Parts of Divine Worship and that the Differences are only in some various Conceptions about the Ancient Forms of Church-Government and some Particulars about Liturgy and Ceremonies Which maketh all that follows the less considerable and less reasonable to be stood upon to the hazard of the Disturbance and Peace of the Church § 2. They seem to intimate as if we did discountenance the Practice of those things which in Principles we allow which we utterly deny In sundry Particulars therein proposed we do not perceive what farther Security can be given than is already provided for by the established Laws of this Realm whereunto such Persons as shall at any time find themselves agrieved may have recourse for Remedy § 3. 1. We heartily desire as well as they that all Animosities be laid aside Words of Scorn Reproach and Provocation might be mutually forborn and that to Men of different Persuasions such a Liberty may be left of performing Christian Duties according to their own way within their own private Families as that yet Uniformity in the publick Worship may be preserved and that a Gap be not thereby opened to Sectaries for private Conventicles for the evil Consequents whereof none can be sufficiently responsible unto the State § 4. 2. We likewise desire that every Congregation may have an able and Godly Minister to Preach Catechise administer the Sacraments and perform other Ministerial Offices as need shall require But what they mean by residing and how far they will extend that Word and what effectual Provision of Law can be made more than is already done concerning the Things here mentioned we know not § 5. 3. Confirmation which for sundry Ends we think necessary to be continued in the Church if rightly and solemnly performed will alone be sufficient as to the point of Instruction And for notorious and scandalous Offenders provision is made in the Rubrick before the Communion which Rules had they been carefully observed the Troubles of the Church by the Disputes and Divisions here mentioned had been prevented § 6. 4. There cannot be taken a more effectual Course in this behalf than the Execution of the Laws already made for the due Observation of the Lord's Day which in this particular are very much stricter than the Laws of any Foreign reformed Churches whatsoever Concerning Church-Government § ◠They do not
Judgment of the most Learned even of those Churches that have not retained them Every National Church being supposed to be the best and most proper Judge what is fittest for themselves to appoint in order to Decency and Edification without prescribing to other Churches § 24. That the Ceremonies have been Matter of Contention in this or any other Church was not either from the Nature of the Thing enjoyned or the enjoyning of the same by lawful Authority but partly from the weakness of some Men's Judgments unable to search into the Reason of Things and partly from the unsubduedness of some Mens Spirits more apt to contend than willing to submit their private Opinions to the Publick Judgment of the Church § 25. Of those that were obnoxious to the Law very few in comparison have been deprived and none of them for ought we know but such as after admonition and long forbearance finally refused to do what not only the Laws required to be done but themselves also formerly had solemnly and as they prosessed willingly promised to do § 26. We do not see with what Conscience any Man could leave the Exercise of his Ministry in his peculiar Charge for not submitting to lawful Authority in the using of such things as were in his own Judgment no more than inexpedient only And it is certainly a great mistake at the least to call the submitting to Authority in such things a bringing the Conscience under the power of them § 27. The Separation that hath been made from the Church was from the tâ—king a Scandal where none was given The Church having fully declared her sence touching the Ceremonies imposed as Things not in their Nature necessary but indifferent But was chiefly occasioned by the Practice and defended from the Principles of those that refused Conformity to the Law the just Rule and Measure of the Churches Unity § 28. The Nature of Things being declared to be mutable sheweth that they may therefore be changed as they that are in Authority shall see it expedient but it is no proof at all that it is therefore expedient that it should be actually changed Yet it 's a sufficient Caution against the Opinion or Objection rather of their being held by the Imposers either necessary or Substantials of Worship Besides this Argument if it were of any force would infer an expediency of the often changing even of good Laws whereas the Change of Laws although liable to some Inconveniencies without great and evident necessity hath been by Wise men ever accounted a thing not only Imprudent but of evil and sometimes pernicious Consequence § 29. We fully agree with them in the acknowledgment of the King's Supremacy but we leave it to his Majesty's Prudence and Goodness to consider whether for the avoiding of the offence of some of his weak Subjects he be any way obliged to Repeal the Established Laws the Repealing whereof would be probably dissatisfactory to many more and those so far as we are able to judge no less considerable a part of his Subjects Nor do we conceive his Majesty by the Apostle's either Doctrine or Example obliged to any farther Condescention to particular Persons than may be subservient to the general and main Ends of Publick Government The Lord hath entrusted Governours to provide not only thà t Things necessary in God's Worship be duly performed but also that things advisedly enjoyned though not otherways necessary should be orderly and duly observed The too great neglect whereof would so cut the Sinews of Authority that it would become first infirm and then contemptible As we are no way against such tender and religious Compassion in Things of this Nature as his Majesty's Piety and Wisdom shall think fit to extend so we cannot think that the Satisfaction of some private Persons is to be laid in the Balance against the Publick Peace and Uniformity of the Church Concerning particular Ceremonies § 30. It being most convenient that in the Act of receiving the Lord's Supper one and the same Gesture should be uniformly used by all the Members of this Church and Kneeling having been formerly enjoined and used therein as a Gesture of greatest Reverence and Devotion and so most agreeable to that Holy Service And Holy-days of human Institution having been observed by the People of God in the Old-Testament and by our blessed Saviour himself in the Gospel and by all the Churches of Christ in Primitive and following times as apt means to preserve the Memorials of the chief Mysteries of the Christian Religion And such Holy-days being also fit times for the honest Recreation of Servants Labourers and the meaner sort of People For these Reasons and the great Satisfaction of far the greatest part of the People we humbly desire as a thing in our Judgment very expedient that they may both be still continued in the Church § 31. As for the other Three Ceremonies viz. the Surplice Cross after Baptism and bowing at the Name of Jesus although we find not here any sufficient Reason alledged why they should be utterly abolished Nevertheless how far forth in regard of tender Consciences a Liberty may be thought fit to be indulged to any his Majesty according to his great Wisdom and Goodness is best able to judge § 32. But why they that confess that in the Judgment of all the things here mentioned are not to be valued with the Peace of the Church should yet after they are established by Law disturb the Peace of the Church about them we understand not § 33. We heartily desire that no Innovations should be brought into the Church or Ceremonies which have no foundation in the Laws of the Land imposed to the disturbance of the Peace thereof But that all Men would use that Liberty that is allowed them in things indifferent according to the Rules of Christian Prudence Charity and Moderation § 34. We are so far from believing that his Majesty's Condescending to these Demands will take away not only Differences but the Roots and Causes of them that we are confident it will prove the Seminary of new Differences both by giving dissatisfaction to those that are well pleased with what is already established who are much the greater part of his Majesty's Subjects and by encouraging unquiet Spirits when these things shall be granted to make further Demands There being no assurance by them given what will content all Dissenters than which nothing is more necessary for the setling of a firm Peace in the Church A Defence of our Proposals to his Majesty for Agreement in Matters of Religion Concerning the Preamble § 1. WE are not insensible of the great Danger of the Church through the Doctrinal Errours of many of those with whom we are at difference also about the Points of Government and Worship now before us But yet we chose to say of the Party that we are agreed in Doctrinals because they subscribe the same Holy Scriptures and Articles of Religion and Books
those whose Liberty is desired Not that we are against subscribing the proper Rule of our Religion or any meet Confession of Faith Nor do we scruple the Oath of Supremacy or Allegiance Nor would we have the Door left open for Papists or Hereticks to come in 2. We take the boldness to say that since we have had the Promises of your gracious indulgence herein and upon divers Addresses to your Majesty and the Lord Chancellor had comfortable Encouragement to expect our Liberty yet cannot Ministers procure Institution without renouncing their Ordination by Presbyters or being re-ordained nor without Subscription and the Oath of Canonical Obedience 3. We must observe with Fear and Grief that your Majesty's Indulgence and Concessions of Liberty in this Declaration extendeth not either to the abatement of Re-ordination or of subscriptional Ordination or of the Oath of Obedience to the Bishops We therefore humbly and earnestly crave that your Majesty will declare your Pleasure 1. That Ordination and Institution and Induction may be conferred without the said Subscription or Oath And 2. That none be urged to be reordained or denied Institution for want of Ordination by Prelates that was ordained by Presbyters 3. And that none be judged to have forfeited his Presentation or Benefice nor be deprived of it for not reading those Articles of the 39 that contain the controverted Points of Government and Ceremonies Lastly We humbly crave that your Majesty will not only grant us this Liberty till the next Synod but will indeavour that the Synod be impartially chosen and that your Majesty will be pleased to endeavour the Procurement of such Laws as shall be ne-necessary for our security till the Synod and for the Ratification of moderate and healing Conclusions afterwards and that nothing by meer Canon be imposed on us without such Statute Laws of Parliament These Favours which will be injurious to none if your People may obtain of your Majesty it will revive their Hearts to daily and earnest Prayer for your Prosperity and to rejoice in the thankful Acknowledgment of that gracious Providence of Heaven that hath blessed us in your Restoration and put it into your Heart to heal our Breaches and to have compassion on the faithful People in your Dominions who do not petition you for Liberty to be Schismatical Factious Seditious or abusive to any but only for leave to obey the Lord who created and redeemed them according to that Law by which they must all be shortly judged to everlasting Joy or Misery And it will excite them to and unite them in the cheerful Service of your Majesty with their Estates and Lives and to transmit your deserved Praises to Posterity A little before this the Bishops Party had appointed at our Request a Meeting with some of us to try how near we could come in preparation to what was to be resolved on Accordingly Dr. Morley Dr. Hinchman and Dr. Cosins met Dr. Reignolds Mr Calamy and my self and after a few roving Discourses we parted without bringing them to any particular Concessions for Abatement only their general talk was from the beginning as if they would do any thing for Peace which was fit to be done and they being at that time newly elect but not consecrated to their several Bishopricks we called them my Lords which Dr. Morley once returned with such a Passage as this we may call you also I suppose by the same Title by which I perceived they had some Purposes to try that way with us § 107. This Petition being delivered to the Lord Chancellor was so ungrateful that we were never called to present it to the King But instead of that it was offered us that we should make such Alterations in the Declaration as were necessary to attain its Ends But with these Cautions that we put in nothing but what we judged of flat necessity And 2. That we altered not the Preface or Language of it For it was to be the King's Declaration and what he spake as expressing his own Sense was nothing to us but if we thought he imposed any thing intollerable upon us we had leave to express our Desires for the altering of it Whereupon we agreed to offer this following Paper of Alterations letting all the rest of the Declaration alone But withal by Word to tell those we offered it to which was the Lord Chancellor That this was not the Model of Church-Government which we at first offered nor which we thought most expedient for the healing of the Church But seeing that cannot be obtained we shall humbly submit and thankfully acknowledge his Majesty's Condescention if we may obtain what now we offer and shall faithfully endeavour to improve it to the Churches Peace to the utmost of our Power Having declared this with more we delivered in the following Paper The Alterations of the Declaration which we offered 1. WE do in the first place declare that our Purpose and Resolution is and shall be to promote the Power of Godliness to encourage the Exercises of Religion both publick and private and to take care that the Lord's Day be appropriated to holy Exercises without unnecessary Divertisements and that insufficient negligent non-resident and scandalous Ministers be not permitted in the Church And as the present Bishops are known to be Men of great and exemplary Piety c. 2. Because the Diocesses especially some of them are thought to be of too large Extent we will appoint such a Number of suffragan Bishops in every Diocess as shall be sufficient for the due Performance of their Work 3. No Bishops shall ordain or exercise any part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the Censures of the Church without the Advice and Consent of the Presbyters and no Chancellors Commissaries Archdeacons or Officials shall exercise any Act of Spiritual Jurisdiction 4. To the end that the Deans and Chapters may be the better fitted to afford Counsel and Assistance to the Bishops both in Ordination and in the other Ordinances mentioned before we will take care that those Preferments be given to the most learned and pious Presbyters of the Diocess And moreover that at least an equal Number of the most learned pious and discreet Presbyters of the same Diocess annually chosen by the major Vote of all the Presbyters of that Diocess shall be assistant and consenting together with those of the Chapter at all Ordinations and all other Acts of spiritual Jurisdiction Nor shall any Suffragan Bishops ordain or exercise any act of spiritual Jurrisdiction but with the Consent and Assistance of a sufficient Number of the most Judicious and pious Presbyters annually chosen by the major Vote of all the Presbyters in his Precincts And our will is that the great Work of Ordination be constantly and solemnly performed at the four set times and Seasons appointed by the Church for that purpose 5. We will take care that Confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the Information and with the Consent of
the King and Land And he told me That Beddingfield could have no right to that which he had sold and that the right was in the King who would readily grant it to the good use intended and that we should have his best assistance to recover it And indeed I found him real to us in this Business from first to last yet did Beddingfield by the friendship of the Attorney General and some others so delay the Business as bringing it to a Suit in Chancery he kept Mr. Ashurst in a Twelve-months trouble before he could recover the Land but when it came to Judgment the Lord Chancellour spake very much against him and granted a Decree for the New Corporation For I had procured of him before the King 's Grant of a New Corporation and Mr. Ashurst and my self had the naming of the Members And we desired Mr. Robert Boyle a worthy Person of Learning and a Publick Spirit and Brother to the Earl of Cork to be President now called Governour and I got Mr. Ashurst to be Treasurer again and some of the old Members and many other godly able Citizens made up the rest Only we left the Nomination of some Lords to his Majesty as not presuming to nominate such And the Lord Chancellour Lord Chamberlain and six or seven more were added But it was Mr. Boyle and Mr. Ashurst with the Citizens that did the Work But especially the care and trouble of all was on Mr. Ashurst And thus that Business was happily restored § 149. And as a fruit of this his Majesty's Favour Mr. Elliot sent the King first the New Testament and then the whole Bible translated and printed in the Indian's Language Such a Work and Fruit of a Plantation as was never before presented to a King And he sent word that next he would print my Call to the Unconveried and then The Practice of Piety But Mr. Boyle sent him word it would be better taken here if the Practic of Piety were printed before any thing of mine At the present the Revenues of the Land goeth most to the maintaining of the Press Upon the occasion of this Work I had these Letters of Thanks from the Court and Governour in New-England and from Mr. Norton and Mr. Elliot Reverend and much honoured Sir THat we who are personally unknown to you do in this manner apply our selves is rendred not only excusable but unless we will be ingrateful necessary by Obligations from your self with whom the interest of poor Strangers in a remote Wilderness hath been so regarded as to shew them kindness and that we believe upon the best account i.e. for the Lord's sake We have understood from those that were employed by us with what loving and cordial readiness you did upon request put forth your self to further our Concernments in our late Applications to his Majesty for which act of favour and love we cannot but return our unfeigned thankful Acknowledgments and the rather because we know no Argument that could move your Thoughts in it but that of the poor Prophets Widow viz. That your Charity did look upon your Servants as Fearers of the Lord Love unto whom we perswade our selves was the Root that bare this Fruit of Love and Kindness to us and that at such a time as this We trust the faithful God will not forget your Work and Labour of Love which you have shewed towards his Name in ministring to the help of some part of his unworthy People who are Exiles in this Wilderness we hope for his Names sake Sir You shall further oblige this poor People and do that will not be unpleasing to him who is our Lord and yours by the continuance of your Love and Improvement of your Interests and Opportunities in our behalf What advantage God hath put into your hands and reserved your weak Body unto by access unto Persons of Honour and Trust or otherways we hope it will be no grief of heart unto you another day if you shall improve part thereof this way â— All that we desire is Liberty to serve God according to the Scriptures Liberty unto Errour and Sin or to set up another Rule besides the Scriptures we neither wish to be allowed to our selves nor would we willingly allow it unto others If in any thing we should mistake the meaning of the Scriptures as we hope it is not in any Fundamental Matter that we do so having therein the Concurrence of all the godly Orthodox of the Reformed Protestant Religion so on the other hand in Matters of an inferiour and more difficult Nature wherein godly Christians may differ and should bear difference without disturbance we are willing and desirous to live and learn by any orderly means that God hath appointed for our Learning and Instruction and glad shall we be of the opportunity to learn in peace The Liberty aforesaid we have by the favour of God now for many years enjoyed and the same advantaged and encouraged by the Constitution of our Civil Government according to Concessions and Priviledges granted and established to us by the gracious Letters Patents of King Charles the First the continuance of which Priviledges concerning which his Majesty's late gracious Letter to us hath given us very great encouragement is our earnest and just desire for nothing that is unjust or not honest both in the sight of the Lord and also of Men do we seek or would allow our selves in We hope we shall continue as faithful Subjects to his Majesty according to our Duty and be every way as beneficial to the Interest of our Nation under an Elective Government as under an Imposed But sundry particular Persons for private respects are as we hear earnestly soliciting to bring Changes upon us and do put in many high Complaints against us in special that the Generation of the Quakers are our bitter and restless Enemies complaining of Persecution but are themselves most troublesome and implacable Per secâ—â—â—â—â— of us who desire but to keep our own Vineyard in peace Our hope is in God who hath hitherto helped us and who is able to keep open for us a great and effectual Door of Liberty to serve him and opportunity to advance his Name in this Wilderness although there be many Adversaries among which he can raise up for us some Friends as he hath done your self And as a Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for Adversity so may you in this time of our threatned Adversity still perform the part of a Friend as opportunity serves we shall be further much ingaged to ThanKfulness unto God and you who are SIR Your Friends and Brethren in the Faith of Christ Jo. Endecott Governour With the Consent and by Order of the General Court Boston in New-England this 7th of August 1661. To the Reverend and much Honoured Mr. Richard Baxter one of his Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary Reverend and dear Sir THough you are unknown to me by Face yet not
the first is true Resp 1. Neg. Major Because 1. The Subject is changed You were to have spoken of the first Act commanded and you speak of the first Act commanding in the first Member You should have said Else the first Act may be commanded sub Poenâ injustâ and yet be in it self lawful which is true 2. Because in the second Member where you should have spoken only of the commanded Circumstances of the Act you now speak of all its Circumstances whether commanded or not 3. We undertook not to give you all our Reasons The Minor may be false upon many other Reasons And were your Major reduced in the Points excepted against we should deny the Minor as to both Members And we should add our Reasons 1. That Command which commandeth an Act in it self lawful and only such may yet be sinful privatively by omission of some thing necessary some Mode or Circumstance 2. It may sinfully restrain though it sinfully command not 3. It may be sinful in Modis commanding that universally or indefenitely or particularly or singularly that should be otherwise though in the Circumstances properly so called of the Act nothing were Commanded that is sinful 4. It may through culpable Ignorance be applied to undue Subjects who are not Circumstances as if a People that have the Plague be commanded to keep Assemblies for Worship the Lawgiver being culpably ignorant that they had the Plague Many more Reason may be given Oppon We make good our Major by shewing that the Subject is not changed thus If whensoever the first Act is commanded sub Poenâ injustâ and no other Act is commanded whereby any unjust Penalty is enjoined which were your Words the first Act commanding must command an unjust Punishment which were ours then we have not changed the Subject But the Antecedent is true therefore the Consequent § 234. Thus Reader thou hast every Word that was brought by them in this Disputation to prove the justness of all those Impositions on pain of Excommunication which infers Imprisonment c. which have divided this miserable bleeding Church and will admit of no Remedy nor patiently endure him that shall propose it or beg for Peace and Charity at their Hands § 235. The other Arguments which I offered and they were not accepted or read were these following In which you must note that all these Arguments were but proposed thus briefly and not followed up because it was expected that they should have called us to that And that this Writing was but begun and many more Scripture Texts and Arguments omitted for want of time and by the Interruption of our Disputation And concerning the foregoing Reply to Dr. Gunning about the Sense of Rom. 14. Note that as I was purposing to have added a multitude of Testimonies more to those of Dr. Hammond and Grotius the ending of our Disputation did prevent me and ever since then I cast by all such Thoughts as these foreseeing that now when they would not endure the means of Peace my Duty would henceforth lye on the other side to plead other Men into true and moderate Thoughts of things indifferent and Obedience so far as the Unity and Peace of the Church required it and the matters imposed were not sinful to the Doers though they might be sinful to the Imposers I knew that henceforth I should be as much exercised in moderating those for whom I had now pleaded and must bear some censure also from many of them Quest. Whether it be just or lawful to enjoin all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament on the Lord's Days Neg. Because you will needs cast all the Opponent's Work on us by arguing that we have brought no sufficient Reasons for the contrary appealing to all Men acquainted with the just Method of Disputation whether you that have the affirmative do not hereby fly all just and equal Dispute and shew a Diffidence of your Cause we that have the negative shall more justly by the same method cast back your proper Work upon you If it be just or lawful to enjoin all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament on the Lord's Days then some cogent Argument may be drawn from the Nature of the thing or supernatural Revelation to justify it But no Argument can be drawn for ought that ever was yet by the Right Reverend Fathers or Reverend Brethren produced or manifested to us or we can tell where to find or how to invent from the Nature of the thing or from supernatural Revelation to justify it Ergo it is not just c. If any such Argument can be produced let it be produced or you forsake your Cause Note that this was written before they yielded to be Opponents I. Our first Argument drawn from general Councils and the Practice of the Universal Church we handled already and are ready to bring in fuller Proof II. And our second Argument from Rom. 14 and 15. where the Case is purposely and largely decided that things of such Moment must not be made the matter of Censures Rejections or Contempt III. To impose on the Church things antecedently unnecessary upon so great a Penalty as Exclusion froth Communion is a sinful thing But to enjoin all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament for Fear of Idolatry or Scandal is to impose on the Church things antecedently unnecessary upon so great a Penalty as Exclusion froth the Communion Ergo to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is a sinful thing The Major is proved thus That which is contrary to the express Determination of the Holy Ghost Acts 15. is a sinful thing But to Impose on the Church Things antecedently unnecessary upon so great a Penalty as Exclusion from Communion is contrary to the express Determination of the Holy Ghost Acts 15. 28. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things Ergo it is a sinful thing IV. To cross that great Rule of Charity I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice is a Sin But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to cross that great Rule of Charity c. Ergo it is a Sin The Major is certain Christ himself urging it twice upon the Ceremonious hypocritical Pharisess Matth. 9. 13. 12. 7. The Minor is thus proved To prefer Sacrifice before Mercy yea an unnecessary Ceremony before Sacrifice and Mercy is a crossing of that Rule But to enjoyn all Ministers to deny Communion to all that dare not kneel in the Reception of the Sacrament is to prefer Sacrifice before Mercy yea an unnecessary Ceremony before Sacrifice and Mercy Ergo it is a crossing of that
that Christ should have no one Witness that would ever scruple or contradict them either among the Orthodox or the Hereticks as far as any Records of Antiquity do make known § 300. 7. The seventh Controversie is about their own practice in Administrations and Church Discipline And 1. that they must Ministerially deny the Sacrament of Baptism to all Children whose Parents will not have them use the Cross they say that it is the Church that refuseth them by Law and not they who are by the Law disabled from receiving them 2. The same they say of their refusing to give the Lord's Supper to any that will not kneel in the Reception of it They say that it is better to Administer the Sacraments to some than to none at all which they must do if they refuse not them that kneel not 3. And for the giving of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper to the unworthy for all are forced to use them they say that the Infants of all in the Church have right to Baptism at least for their Ancestor's sake and for the Godfathers and Godmothers or the Churches sake And for the Lord's Supper they have power to put away all that are proved impenitent in notorious Scandal § 301. Having told you what the Conformists say for themselves as faithfully as will stand with brevity before I proceed I think it best to set down here the words 1. Of the Covenant 2. Of the Subscription and Declaration 3. Of the Oath of Canonical Obedience before your Eyes that while the Subject of the Controversie is before you the Controversie it self may be the better understood And I suppose the Reader to have all the Books before him to which we are required to Assen◠〈…〉 The Solemn League and Covenant WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens â—â—â—gesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commous of all 〈◊〉 in the Kingdoms of Scotland â—England and Ireland by the Pâ—â—vidence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our Eyes the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ the Honour and Happiness of the King's Majesty and his Posterity and the true Publick Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private Condition is included And calling to mind the trâ—atherous and bloody Piots Conspiracies Attempts and Practises of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and Professors thereof in places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their Rage Power and Presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable Estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed Estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous Estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick Cestimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter Ruine and Destruction according to the Commendable Practice of these kingdoms in former times and the Example of God's People in other Nations after mature Deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a Mutual and Solemn League and Covenant Wherein we all Subscribe and each one of us for himself with our Hands lifted up to the most high God â—o swear 1. THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our several Places and Callings the Preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our Common Enemies The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church Government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us 2. That we shall in like manner without respect of Persons endeavour the Extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commistaties Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierachy Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues And that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms 3. We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Uocations endeavour with our Estates and Lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the King's Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms That the world may bear witness with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just Power and Greatness 4. We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hindring the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his People or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any faction or Parties amongst the People contrary to this League and Covenant That they may be brought to publick Trial and receive Condign Punishment as the degree of their Offences shall require or deserve or the Supream Iudicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall â—udge convenient 5. And whereas the happiness of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denied in former times to our Progenitors is by the good Providence of God granted unto us and hath been latlely concluded and setled by both Parliaments We shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Union to all Posterity and that Iustice may be done upon the wilful Opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article 6. We shall also according to our Places and Callings in this common Cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof And shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever Combination Perswasion or Terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Union and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this Cause which so much concerneth the Glory of God the Good of the Kingdoms and Honour of the King But shall all the days of our
gravissime mihi succenseres meque judicares indignum iis laudibus iisque benevolentiae tuoe significationibus quibus me prosequi ac decorare voluisti Illico igitur calamum arripui nulla interposita mora scripsi ad D. Simonium Gallice quoe velim à te legi atque intelligi posse ut qualis sit animus erga te meus liquido cognosceres Tibi vero Vir Reverende hanc Epistolam destino in qua quantâ possum bonâ fide luculentis verbis testor atque pronuntio falsa illa omnia esse emendacii officina profecta quoe vel audivisti vel legisti quasi dicta de te à me secus quam oportuit Non enim te novi nisi de fama quoe de tua pietate atque eruditione eloquentia egregie loquitur nec aliter erga te sum affectus quam ut decet erga virum multis laudibus ornatum proeterea de me optime meritum cui eo nomine multum debeo Noli ergo quaeso Vir Reverende quidquam istiusmodi credere ubicunque id vel occasio feret vel necessitas postulabit ostende hasce literas me à manu ex Animi mei Sententia conscriptas ut post hocce testimonium quid de te judicem nemo dubitare queat Vale Vir Reverende communis ille noster Doctor atque Dominus qui nos redemit sanguine suo cum Ecclesioe Anglicanoe tum tui perculiarem curam suscipere dignetur Quid de rebus vestris existimem◠scire potes ex Epistola quâ Paraphrasmi meam in Psalmos serenissimo vestro Regi dicavi Itaque nihil hic addam nisi quod qui ad te scribit est tibi Vir Reverende Ad omne obsequium paratissimus AMYRALDVS To the Reverend and most Learned Mr. Richard Baxter a Zealous Minister of the Gospel of Christ his most worthy and most honoured Brother in Christ at Kidderminster Recommended to the care of Mr. Dorvile The Grace of our Lord Iesus and the Peace of God be increased among us Most worthy and most honoured Sir THE Occasion of two Cosins of mine going for London invites me to take the liberty to write this Letter to you most honoured Sir and hope you will excuse my boldness in so doing being unknown to you I should have forborn troubling you in your weighty Affairs which besides the great zeal and care for your Parishioners yea for the whole Church of God are made known But I could not pass by so good an Opportunity to acquaint you how much your Name and your Person although with your Body so far from us is esteemed by me an unworthy Servant of Jesus Christ and by many other faithful Brethren in the Lord in this our Town and also in our Neighbour Protestant Confederate Cities of Zuric and Schaffhousen insomuch that we often remember one another the great cause we have to pray the Lord joyntly and constantly with your beloved Parishioners yea with whole England for your health and long life that you may further continue to us all your edifying Doctrines and Admonitions I dare not write to you most godly Sir in what fame you are among us that you may not suspect me of flattery which doubtless you despise as a great vanity But I pray Sir to believe me confidently that after Providence had led me some years agone into England but time would not permit to stay long there but as speedily as possible to learn the English Tongue and am heartily sorry I did not visit you most worthy Sir at Kidderminster that time for to take upon several Points your godly Advice being in ten Months time as long as I stayed in London Oxford and Cambridge I did learn God be thanked so much English that I could understand reading and preaching And by the Advice of the most zealous and worthy Men Mr. Edmund Calamy Mr. Cranford Mr. Nalton of whom I received great Courtesie and Friendship though a Stranger I bought a good number of English Divinity Books of your most solid and selected Divines and among others your Everlasting Rest Item Gildas Salvianus or Reformed Pastor Item True Christianity Item A Sermon of Iudgment c. being at that time recalled to my own Country I had no time to peruse those heavenly Meditations but since have made it my chief work and cannot express the great Advantage I received by them so that I commended the very same Books to others of our Brethren who have endeavoured without delay to get them by means of some of our Merchants here and also the remainder of your Works that we could bring to our notice viz. The Unreasonableness of Infidelity your Confession of Faith The right Method for a setled Peace of Conscience The safe Religion Key for Catholicks The Crucifying of the World Item of Self-denial Item A Treatise of Conversion Call to the Unconverted your Apology against Mr. Blake c. Item your Holy Commonwealth The Catholick Unity your Treatise of Death For which Works we thank God with one accord for the great and heavenly Gifts he hath so largely bestowed upon you for the common good of his Church and wish that by this occasion we might also be partakers of what we want of your Works that are extant Sermons or other Treatises Particularly I must acquaint you with the high esteem we make of those two Chief Pieces the Everlasting Rest and Reformed Pastor in which latter you strike home to the very heart many Ministers and we must needs confess that living among a rude and unlearned People ignorant and self-conceited that according to your Advice in the Reformed Pastor it is most necessary to take in hand with all speed and care the private Instruction and Catechizing But we can find no way to obtain it And being your Admonitions and Perswasions to the Practice thereof are very home and close upon all Ministers that they must make it their chief Business and neglect nothing until they have perswaded and brought their Flock to it I pray you most worthy Sir to resolve this Enquiry to me and others of my Neighbours and fellow Brethren who in reading your Reformed Pastor made the same Scruple of Conscience viz. Whether a Minister that heartily strives for the honour of God and the Edification of his Church doth not discharge his Duty when according to your wholsome and true Doctrine he hath conferred and made known his mind and willingness to the performance of it to his Fellow-Brethren that joyntly with him are Shepherds of the same Flock yea perswaded them of the necessity and usefulness of it yet can get no Assistance by Ministers nor Magistrates We long also heartily to know being you have perswaded the Ministers of the County of Worcester to that most necessary and useful Catechizing and Private Instruction Whether by the present great Change in England both in Churches and Government and chiefly being that we hear that Episcopacy prevaileth the
only to the Holy Canonical Scriptures in general and to the Creeds and 36 Articles in particular And no Oath Promise or Consent he required save only the renewing of the Covenant which in Baptism we made to God and a promise of Fidelity in our Ministry and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to the King And for all lesser matters let it suffice that the Laws may restrain us from preaching against any Established Doctrine or against Episcopacy Liturgy or Ceremonies and from all Male-Administrations or Church-Tyranny or Injustice about the Sacraments and that we be punishable according to the quality of the Offence II. The Fire having now caused a Necessity of many more publick Assemblies for God's Worship besides those in the yet standing Parish-Churches we humbly conceive that it would much conduce to the re-edifying of the Churches and City and the contenting of many and the drawing off the people from more private Meetings if a competent Number of the Ruin'd Cnurches be allowed to such sober Protestants as will repair them with the same liberty and Security for possession as the French and Dutch in London have their Churches the people chusing their Pastors and maintaining them Or if his Majesty's Bounty allow them any Stipend that none have that Stipend whom his Majesty approveth not And that the Pastors be not suffered to introdâ—ce there any Heresie or Idolatry but shall preach the Doctrine of the sacred Scriptures not opposing the Doctrines or Orders of the Church and shall worship God according to the Liturgy or the Assembly's Directory or the Reformed Liturgy offered by the Commissioners 1660. as they desire III. That all such be capable of Benefices who subscribe and swear as is aforesaid and being of Competent Abilities shall be lawfully Ordained or if already ordained are confirmed by the late Act or shall be confirmed by any Commissioned by his Majesty they being obliged some time to read the Liturgy and sometimes to administer the Sacrament according to it abating the Ceremonies And to be often present when it is read which shall be ordinarily or constantly done and the Sacrament administred as oft as is required by Law by himself or some other allowed Minister And that those who will only subscribe and swear as is abovesaid being ordained also as aforesaid but cannot so far conform to the Liturgy may be allowed to preach and Catechize publickly as Lecturers or Assistants to some others and to have such further Liberty about the Sacraments as by just Regulations shall be made safe to Religion and the publick peace There is another way which would satisfie almost all by allowing each party such a Minister whose Ordination and Ministration they do make no scruple at which would prevent all private Churches and perhaps all Face of Schism among us which is if in every Parish where any party dissenteth from the Established way the Dissenters be left at liberty either to communicate with any Neighbour-Parish or to chuse an Assistant for the Incumbent which Assistant shall be maintained by themselves unless the Incumbent will voluntarily contribute And shall officiaâ—e one half of the Day as the Incumbent doth the other having leave to do it according to the foresaid Directory or the Additional Liturgy offered 1660. or at least to have the use of the Church at such Hours as the Incumbent doth not there officiate The people receiving the Communion from each according to their several Iudgments And though so great a Rupture as ours is cannot be cured without some inconveniences which may be here objected yet such Laws may be made for the Regulation of this Liberty as may restrain all Faction Contention and Mutual Contempt or Injuries and even the Naming themselves Members of distinct Churches as might be shewed § 66. The Copy of the Lord Keeper's or Dr. Wilkins's Proposals In order to Comprehension it is Humbly Offered 1. That such persons as in the late times of disorder have been ordained by Presbyters shall be admitted to the Exercise of the Ministerial Function by the Imposition of the Hands of the Bishop with this or the like Form of Words Take thou Authority to Preach the Word of God and to Minister the Sacraments in any Congregation of the Church oâ— England where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto An Expedient much of this Nature was practised and allowed of in the Case of the Catharists and Melesians Vid. 8th Canon Concil Nic. â—ynodical Epistle of the same to the Churches of Egypt Gelasius Cyzicenus Hist. Con. Nic. 2d part 2. That all persons to be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity or the Employment of a School-master after the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy shall instead of all former Subscriptions be required to subscribe this or the like Form of Words I A. B. do hereby profess and declare That I do approve the Doctrines Worship and Government Established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to Salvation and that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Doctrine contrary to that which is so Established And I do hereby promise That I will continue in the Communion of the Church of England and will not do any thing to disturb the Peace thereof 3. That the Gesture of Kneeling at the Sacrament and the use of the Cross in Baptism and bowing at the Name of Iesus may be left indifferent or may be taken away as shall be thought most expedient 4. That in Case it be thought fit to review and alter the Liturgy and Canons for the satisfaction of Dissenters that then every person to be admitted to preach shall upon his Institution or Admission to preach upon some Lord's Day within a time to be limited publickly and solemnly read the said Liturgy and openly declare his Assent to the Lawfulness of the use of it and shall promise That it shall be constantly used at the time and place accustomed In order to Indulgence of such Protestants as cannot be comprehended under the publick Establishment it is Humbly offered 1. That such Protestants may have liberty for the Exercise of thâ—r Religion in publick and at 〈◊〉 Charges to build or procure places for their publick Worship either within or near Tâ—â—s as shall be thought most Expedient 2. That the Names of all such persons who are to have this Liberty be Registred together with the Congregations to which they belong and the Names of their Teachers 3. That every one admitted to this liberty be disabled to bear any publick Office but shall fine for Officers of Burden 4. And that upon shewing a Certificate of their being listed among those who are indulged they shall be freed from such legal penalties as are to be inflicted on those who do not frequent their Parish-Churches 5. And such persons so indulged shall not for their meeting in Conventicles be punished by Confiscation of Estates 6. Provided that they be
because they set not as light by Heaven as others and will go further in Religion than dead Formality and Imagery § 102. But I must return and say something of my own affairs Whilst I lived at Acton as long as the Act against Conventicles was in force though I Preached to my Family few came to hear me of the Town partly because they thought it would endanger me and partly for fear of suffering themselves but especially because they were an ignorant poor People and had no Appetite to such things But when the Act was expired there came so many that I wanted room and when once they had come and heard they afterward came constantly Insomuch that in a little time there was a great number of them that seemed very seriously affected with the things they heard and almost all the Town and Parish besides abundance from Brainford and the Neighbour Parishes came And And I know not of three in the Parish that were Adversaries to us or our Endeavours or wisht us Ill. § 103. Experience here convinced me that the Independent separating rigour is not the way to do the People good After Dr. Featly Mr. Nye and Mr. Elford two able Independents had been the setled Ministers at Acton and when I was there there remained but two Women in all the Town and Parish whom they had admitted to the Sacrament whereof One was a Lady that by alienation from them turned Quaker and was their great Patroness and returned from them while I was there and heard me with rest This rigour made the People think hardly of them and I found that the uncharitable conceit that the Parishes are worse than they are doth tend to make them as bad as they are thought I am sure there were many that spake to me like serious Christians of the poorer sort and few that were scandalous and many I could comfortably have Communicated with And when Threatnings increased they continued still to hear with diligence so that my Rooms would not contain them And had I continued there longer I should have hoped by those beginnings that experience might convince Men that Parish-Churches may consist of capable materials § 104. The Parson of the Parish was Dr. Rive Dean of Windsor Dean of Wolverhampton Parson of Haseley and of Acton Chaplain in ordinary to the King c. His Curate was a weak dull young Man that spent most of his time in Ale-houses and read a few dry Sentences to the People but once a day But yet because he preached true Doctrine and I had no better to hear I constantly heard him when he preached and went to the beginning of the Common Prayer and my House faceing the Church-Door within hearing of it those that heard me before went with me to the Church scarce three that I know of in the Parish refusing and when I preached after the publick Exercise they went out of the Church into my House It pleased the Dr. And Parson that I came to Church and brought others with me But he was not able to bear the fight of Peoples crowding into my House though they heard him also so that though he spake me fair and we lived in seeming Love and Peace while he was there yet he could not long endure it And when I had brought the People to Church to hear him he would fall upon them with groundless Reproaches as if he had done it purposely to drive them away and yet thought that my preaching to them because it was in a House did all the mischief though he never accused me of any thing that I spake For I preached nothing but Christianity and Submission to our Superiours Faith Repentance Hope Love Humility Self-denial Meekness Patience and Obedience § 105. But he was the more offended because I came not to the Sacrament with him Though I communicated in the other parish-Churches at London and elsewhere I was loth to offend him by giving him the Reason which was that he being commonly reputed a Swearer a Curser a Railer c. in those tender times it would have been so great an offence to the Congregational Brethren if I had Communicated with him and perhaps have hastened their sufferings who durst not do the same that I thought it would do more harm than good § 106. The last year of my abode at Acton I had the happiness of a Neighbour whom I cannot easily praise above his worth Which was Sir Mat. Hale Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer whom all the Judges and Lawyers of England admired for his skill in Law and for his Justice and Scholars honoured for his Learning and I highly valued for his sincerity mortification self-denyal humility conscientiousness and his close fidelity in friendship When he came first to Town I came not near him lest being a silenced and suspected person with his Superiors I should draw him also under suspicion and do him wrong Till I had notice round about of his desire of my Acquaintance And I scarce ever conversed so profitably with any other person in my Life § 107. He was a Man of no quick utterance but often hesitant but spake with great reason He was most precisely just insomuch as I believe he would have lost all that he had in the World rather than do an unjust Act Patient in hearing the tediousest speech which any Man had to make for himself The pillar of Justice the Refuge of the subject who feared Oppression and one of the greatest Honours of his Majestie 's Government For with some more upright Judges he upheld the honour of the English Nation that it fell not into the reproach of Arbitrariness Cruelty and utter Confusion Every Man that had a just cause was almost past fear if they could but bring it to the Court or Assize where he was Judge for the other Judges seldom contradicted him He was the great Instrument for rebuilding London For when an Act was made for deciding all Controversies that hindered it it was he that was the constant Judge who for nothing followed the work and by his Prudence and Justice removed a multitude of great Impediments His great advantage for innocency was that he was no Lover of Riches or of Grandeur His Garb was too plain He studiously avoided all unnecessary familiarity with great persons and all that manner of Living which signifyeth Wealth and Greatness He kept no greater a family than my self I lived in a small house which for a pleasant back-side he had a mind of But caused a stranger that he might not be suspected to be the Man to know of me whether I were willing to part with it before he would meddle with it In that house he liveth contentedly without any pomp and without costly or troublesome retinue or visitors but not without Charity to the poor He continueth the study of Physicks and Mathematicks still as his great delight He hath himself written four Volumes in Folio three of which I have
peaceable Reformation among us than to break down This Partition-Wall for there is nothing provokes more than this doth to deny such Churches to be true Churches of Christ. For do but think with your selves and I will give you a familiar Example You come to a Man whom you think to be a godly Man you tell him He hath these and these Sins in him and they are great ones It is as much as he can hear though you tell him he is a Saint and acknowledge him so but if you come to him and say besides this You are a Limb of the Devil and you have no Grace in you this provoketh all in a Man when there is any Ground in himself to think so or in another to judge him so so it is here Come to Church and say You have these Defects among you and these things to be reformed But if you will come and say Your Churches and your Ministers are Antichristian and come from Babylon there is nothing provoketh more Therefore if there be a Truth in it as I believe there is Men should be Zealous to express it For this is the great Partition Wall that hindreth of twain making one Then again This is that which I consider and it is a great Consideration also I know that Jesus Christ hath given his People Light in Matters of this Nature by degrees Thousands of good Souls that have been bred up and born in our Assemblies and enjoy the Ordinances of God and have done it comfortably cannot suddenly take in other Principles You must wait on Christ to do it In this Case Men are not to be wrought off by Falshoods God hath no need of them no rather till Men do take in Light you should give them all that is comfortable in the Condition they are in we should acknowledge every good thing in every Man in every Church in every thing and that is a way to work upon Men and to prevail with them as it is Philem. v. 6. That the Communication of thy Faith may become effectual acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Iesus It is that which buildeth Men up by acknowledgment of every good thing that is in them Lastly The last Inconvenience is this It doth deprive Men of all those Gifts that are found amongst our Ministers and in this Kingdom that they cannot hold any Communion or fellowship with them So that I profess my self as Zealous in this Point as in any other I know And for my part this I say and I say it with much Integrity I never yet took up Religion by Parties in the Lump I have found by tryal of things that there is some truth on all Sides I have found Holiness where you would little think it and so likewise Truth And I have learned this Principle which I hope I shall never lay down till I am swallowed up of Imortality and that is that which I said before To acknowledge every good thing and hold Communion with it in Men in Churches or Whatsoever else I learn this from Paul I learn this from Jesus Christ himself He filleth All in All He is in the Hearts of his People and filleth them in his Ordinances to this Day And where Jesus Christ filleth why should we deny an Acknowledgment and a right Hand of Fellowship and Communion My Brethren this Rule that I have now mentioned which I profess I have lived by and shall do while I live I know I shall never please Men in it Why It is plain for this is the Nature and Condition of all Mankind if a Man dissents from others in one thing he loseth himself in all the rest And therefore it a Man do take what is good of all sides he is apt to lose them all But he pleaseth Christ by it and so I will for this particular Thus far Dr. T. Goodwin prefaced and commended by Thankful Owen and Iames Barron worthy and peaceable Men deceased The Transcriber craveth judicious Resolutions of these two Questions 1. Whether it be lawful to be a fixed Member of a grosly Schismatical Church that is guilty of such separating from slandering almost all others as is here reproved when Communion with better may be had Quest. 2. How far others are bound to reprove and Testify against such dividing Principles Ministers and Churches especially after and under doleful Experience of their sinful calamitous Effects Dear Brother I Have felt that in my own Soul and seen that upon my Brethren for these two or three Years last past which persuadeth me that God is about the healing of our Wounds having communicated more healing Principles and Affections and poured out more of the Spirit of Catholick Love and Peace than I have perceived heretofore Love is arisen and shineth upon the Children of the Day and your congealed Stiffness begins to vanish and a Christian Tenderness to succeed The Prince of Peace erects his Banner and the Sons of Peace flock in apace It is a shame to be the last but a misery to be none God will bring his divided distracted Servants nearer together and it is Pity he should be put to bear down any resisting Saints among the Instruments of Satan and that any of their Carcasses should be found on the Ground when he conquereth the Enemies of Peace The Lord is about revealing to his Servants the Error of their Consoriousness Harshness Uncharitableness and Divisions and how grievously they have wronged him and themselves by departing so far from Christian Love and Unity He will let them see how much of the Cause was secret and undiscerned Pride and Self-conceitedness and want of Holy Christian Love while little was pretended or discerned but Strictness and Obedience He will shew them more fully wherein the true Nature of Grace and Holy Obedience doth consist and teach them by the Impress of his Spirit what he so emphatically commanded them by his Word to go learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice It 's pity we should not understand the meaning of Words so plain but it 's Sin and Shame as well as Pity that we have studied them no better after such a Memorandum and Command as this But many of God's Servants have in the Points of Unity and Peace been like those miserable Souls that are described to have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Hearts and understand not these blessed Precepts of Love and Unity though none more plain and frequent and urgent for the time was not come that they should be recovered and healed though this Defection be not in the Essence of Christianity but the Degrees nor for Perpetuity but a Time yet it 's sad that such a Spirit of deadness should so far prevail that Men inquisitive after Truth and zealous of Holiness should least understand the plainest nearest frequent Precepts and so little feel their Obligations to such weighty Duties that the Lord is pleased to stir upon their
and that they were allowed to make odious any thing that was amiss and because it was faulty if any Man had rebuked them for belying it and making it far more faulty than it was instead of confessing their Sin they called their Reprover a Pleader for Antichrist or Baal every Error in the Mode of the Common Worship they had no fitter Name for than Idolatry Popery Antichristianism Superstition Will-worship c. when in the mean time many of their own Prayers were full of Carnal Passion Selfishness Faction Disorder vain Repitions unfound and loathsom Expressions and their Doctrine full of Errors and Confussion and these Beams in their own Eyes were matter of no Offence to them They would not communicate with that Church where ignorant Persons or Swearers were tollerated though they themselves never did their Part to have them cast out but look'd the Ministers should do all without them but without any scruple they would communicate with them that had broke their Vow and Covenant with God and Man and rebelled against both King Parliament and all kind of Government that was set up even by themselves and did all the fore-recited Evils I know these same Accusations are laid by some in Ignorance or Malice against many that are guilty of no such things and therefore some will be offended at me and say I imitate such Reproachers But shall none be reproved because some are slandered Shall Rebells be justified because some innocent Men are called Rebels Shall Hypocrites be free from Conviction and Condemnation because wicked Men call the Godly Hypocrites Woe to the Man that hath not a faithful Reprover but a Thousand Woes will be to him that hateth reproof And woe to them that had rather Sin were credited and kept in Honour than their Party dishonoured and Woe to the Land where the Reputation of Men doth keep Sin in Reputation Scripture it self will not spare a Noah a Lot a David a Hezekiab a Iosiah a Peter but will open and shame their Sin to all Generations And yet alas the Hearts of many who I hope are truly Religious in other Points will rise against him that shall yet tell them of the Misdoings of those of their Opinion and call them to Repentance The poor Church of Christ the sober sound religious Part are like Christ that was crucified between two Malefactors the prophane and formal Persecutors on one hand and the Fanatick dividing Sectary on the other hand have in all Ages been grinding the spiritual Seed as the Corn is ground between the Milstones And though their Sins have ruined themselves and us and silenced so many hundred Ministers and scattered the Flocks and made us the Hatred and the Scorn of the ungodly World and a by Word and Desolation in the Earth yet there are few of them that lament their Sin but justify themselves and their Misdoings and the penitent Malefactor is yet unknown to us And seeing Posterity must know what they have done to the Shame of our Land and of our sacred Profession let them know this much more also to their own Shame that all the Calamities which have befallen us by our Divisions were long foreseen by seeing Men and they were told and warned of it year after year They were told that a House divided against it self could not stand and told that it would bring them to the Halter and to Shame and turn a hopeful Reformation into a Scorn and make the Land of their Nativity a Place of Calamity and Woe and all this Warning signified nothing to them but these Ductile Professors bldinly followed a few selfconceited Teachers to this Misery and no warning or means could ever stop them Five dissenting Ministers in the Synod begun all this and carried it far on Mr. Philip Nye Mr. Tho. Goodwin Mr. Sydrach Sympson and Mr. William Bridge to whom that good Man Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs joined himself in Name but as he never practised their Church-gathering way so at last he was contented to have united on the Terms which were offered them and wrote his excellent Book of Heart Divisions After this they encreased and Mr. Burroughs being dead Dr. Iohn Owen arose not of the same Spirit to fill up his place by whom and Mr. Phillip Nye's Policie the Flames were encreased our Wounds kept open and carried on all as if there had been none but they considerable in the World and having an Army and City Agents fit to second them effectually hindred all remedy till they had dash'd all into pieces as a broken Glass O! what may not Pride do and what Miscarriages will not false Principles and Faction hide One would think that if their Opinions had been certainly true and their Church-Orders good yet the Interest of Christ and the Souls of Men and of greater Truths should have been so regarded by the Dividers in England as that the Safety of all these should have been preferred and not all ruined rather than their way should want its carnal Arm and Liberty and that they should not tear the Garment of Christ all to pieces rather than it should want their Lace § 148. And it must be acknowledged also impartially that some of the Presbyterian Ministers frightned the Sectaries into this Fury by the unpeaceableness and impatiency of their Minds They ran from Libertinism into the other Extream and were so little sensible of their own Infirmity that they would not have those tollerated who were not only tollerable but worthy Instruments and Members in the Churches The Reconcilers that were ruled by prudent Charity always called out to both the Parties that the Churches must be united upon the Terms of primitive Simplicity and that we must have Unity in things necessary and Liberty in things unnecessary and Charity in all But they could never be heard but were taken for Adversaries to the Government of the Church as they are by the Prelates at this Day Nay when in Worcestershire we did but agree to practice so much as all Parties were agreed in they said we did but thereby set up another Party We told them of Archbishop Usher's Terms in his Sermon before the King on Eph. 4. 3. but they would not hear The Lord Bacon in his Third Essay and his Considerations Mr. Hales in his Treatise of Schism and all men of sound Experience and Wisdom have long told the World that we must be united in things Necessary which all Christians agree in or which the Primitive Churches did unite in or not at all But nothing shorter than the Assemblies Confession of Faith and Catechisms and and Presbytery would serve turn with some Their Principles were that no others should be tolerated which set the Independants on contriving how to grasp the Sword They were still crying out on the Magistrate that he was irreligious for suffering Sects and because he did not bring Men to Conformity And now they cannot be tollerated themselves to preach nor scarce to dwell in the Land
The Uniting of the Churches upon the Primitive Terms and the tollerating not of all but of tollerable Differences is the way to Peace which almost all Men approve of except those who are uppermost and think they have the Reins in their own hands And because the side which is uppermost are they that have their Wills therefore the Churches had never a settled Peace this Thousand years at least the true way of Settlement and Peace being usually displeasing to them that must give Peace to others But this way hath the mark of being the best in that it is the only way which every Sect acknowledge for the second and next the best and is it which all except the predominant Party liketh But Wisdom is justified of her Children § 149. To consummate the Confusion by confirming and increasing the Division the Independants at last when they had refused with sufficient pervicacy to associate with the Presbyterians and the Reconcilers too did resolve to shew their proper strength and to call a General Assembly of all their Churches The Savoy was their Meeting-place There they drew up a Confession of their Faith and the Orders of their Church Government In the former they thought it not enough expresly to contradict St. Iames and to say unlimitedly That we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ only and not by any Works but they contradicted St. Paul also who faith That Faith is imputed for Righteousness And not only so but they expresly asserted that we have no other righteousness but that of Christ. A Doctrine abhorred by all the Reformed and Christian Churches and which would be an utter shame to the Protestant Name if what such Men held and did were indeed imputable to the sober Protestants I asked some honest Men that joyned with them Whether they subscribed this Confession and they said No. I asked them why they did not contradict it and they said that the meaning of it was no more than that we have no other Righteousness but Christ's to be justified by So that the Independant's Confessions are like such Oaths and Declarations as speak one thing and mean another Also in their Propositions of Church Order they widened the breach and made things much worse and more unreconcileable than ever they were before So much could two Men do with many honest tractable young Men and had more Zeal for separating Strictness than Iudgment to understand the Word of God or the Interest of the Churches of the Land and of themselves § 150. But it hath pleased God by others that were sometime of their way to do more to heal this Breach than they did to make it wider I mean the Synod of New-England who have published such healing Propositions about stated Synods and Infants Church Membership as hath much prepared for a Union between them and all other moderate Men And some One hath strenuously defended those Propositions against the opposition of Mr. Davenport a dissenting Brother I take this to be more for healing than the Savoy Propositions can be effectual to divide because the New-England men have not blemished their Reputation nor lost the Authority and Honour of their Judgments by any such Actions as the leading Savoyers have done § 151. When the Army had brought themselves and the Nation into utter Confusion and had set up and pull'd down Richard Cromwell and then had set up the Rump again and pull'd them down again and set up a Council of State of themselves and their Faction and made Lambert their Head next under Fleetwood whom they could use almost as they would at last the Nation would endure them no longer nor sit still while the world stood laughing them to scorn as acting over the Minster Tragedy Sir George Booth and Sir Thomas Middleton raised Forces in Cheshire and North-Wales but the Cavaliers that should have joyned with them failed them almost all over the Land a few rose in some places but were quickly ruined and came to nothing Lambert quickly routed those in Cheshire Sir Arthur Haselrigge with Col. Morley get into Portsmouth which is possessed as for the Rump Monk declareth against them in Scotland purgeth his Army of the Anabaptists and marcheth into England The Rump Party with Haselrigge divided the Army at home and so disabled them to oppose Monk who marcheth on and all are afraid of him and while he declareth himself against Monarchy for a Commonwealth he tieth the hands of his Enemies by a lie and uniteth with the City of London and bringeth on again the old ejected Members of the Parliament and so bringeth in the King Sir William Morrice his Kinsman and Mr. Clarges were his great Advisers The Earl of Manchester Mr. Calamy and other Presbyterians encouraged and perswaded him to bring in the King At first he joyned with the Rump against the Citizens and pull'd down the City Gates to master them but at last Sir Thomas Allen then Lord Mayor by the perswasion of Dr. Iacomb and some other Presbyterian Ministers and Citizens as he hath oft told me himself invited Monk into the City and drew him to agree and joyn with them against the Rump as they then called the Relicts of the Parliament And this in truth was the Act that turned the Scales and brought in the King whether the same men expected to be used as they have since been themselves I know not If they did their Self-denial was very great who were content to be silenced and laid in Gaols so they might but bring in the King After this the old Excluded Members of the Parliament meet with Monk He calleth them to sit and that the King might come in both by him and by them He agreeth with them to sit but a few days and then dissolve themselves and call another Parliament They consented and prepared for the King's Restoration and appointed a Council of State and Dissolved themselves Another Parliament is chosen which calleth in the King the Council of State having made further preparations for it For when the Question was Whether they should call in the King upon Treaty and Covenant which some thought best for him and the Nation the Council resolved absolutely to trust him Mr. A. especially perswading them so to do And when the King came in Col. Birch and Mr. Prin were appointed to Disband the Army the several Regiments receiving their Pay in several places and none of them daring to disobey No not Monk's own Regiments who brought in the King Thus did God do a more wonderful Work in the Dissolving of this Army than any of their greatest Victories was which set them up That an Army that had conquered three such Kingdoms and brought so many Armies to destruction cut off the King pull'd down the Parliament and set up and pull'd down others at their pleasure that had conquered so many Cities and Castles that were so united by Principles and Interest and Guilt and so deeply engaged as much
obliged to pay all publick Duties to the Parish where they inhabit under penalty 7. This Indulgence to Continue for three years That the Liturgy may be altered by omitting c. BY using the reading Psalms in the New Translation By appointing some other Lessons out of the Canonical Scripture instead of those taken out of the Apocrypha By not 〈◊〉 God-fathers and God-mothers when either of the parents are ready to answer for the Châ—ld By omitting that clause in the Prayer at Baptism By spiritual Regeneration By changing that Question wilt thou be baptised into Wilt thou haue this Child baptised By omitting those words in the Thanksgiving after publick and private baptism To regenerate this Infant by thy holy Spirit and to receive him for thy Child by adoption And the first Rubrick after baptism It is certain by God's word c. By changing those words in the Exhortation after baptism Regenerate and Graffed into the body into Received into the Church of Christ. By not requiring reiteration of any part of the service about baptism in publick when it is evident that the Child hath been lawfully baptized in private By omitting that Clause in the Collect after Imposition of hands in confirmation After the Example of thy holy Apostles and to certify them by this sign of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them And by changing that other passage in the prayer before Confirmation who hast vouchsafed to regenerate c. into who hast vouchsafed to receive these thy servants into thy Church by baptism By omitting that clause in the Office of Matrimony with my body I thee worship And that in the Collect who hast conseâ—rated c. By allowing Ministers some liberty in the visitation of the â—ick to use such other prayers as they shall judge expedient By changing that clause in the prayer at burial For asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take to himself c. into For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this World the Soul c. And that clause In a sure and certain hope c. into in a full assurance of the resurrection by our Lord Iesus Christ who is able to change our vile c. By omitting that Clause We give thee hearty thanks for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful World And that other As our hopes is that our brother doth By changing that Clause in the Common service our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body c. into our sinful Souls and Bodies may be cleansed by his precious body and blood By not enjoyning the reading of the Commination That the Liturgy may be abbreviated as to the length of it Especially as to morning-service By omitting all the Responsal prayers from O Lord open thou our c. to the Litany and the Litany and all the prayers from Son of God we beseech thee c. to we humbly beseech thee O Father c. By not enjoyning the use of the Lords Prayer above once viz. Immediately after the absolution except after the Minister's Prayer before Sermon By using the Gloria Patri only once viz. after the Reading Psalms By omitting the venite exultemus unless it be thought fit to put any or all of the first seven among the sentences at the beginning By omitting the Communion service such times as are not Communion Days excepting the 10 Commandments which may be read after the Creed And injoyning the prayer Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep these Laws only once at the End By omitting the Collects Epistles and Gospels except only on particular holidays By inserting the prayers for the Parliament into the Litany immediately after the prayer for the Royal Family in this or the like form That it may please thèe to direct and prosper all the Consultations of the High Court of Parliament to the Advantage of thy Glory the good of the Church the safety honour and welfare of our Sovereign and his Kingdoms By omitting the two hymns in the Consecration of Bishops and the Ordinatiâ—n of Priests That after the first Question in the Catechism What is your Name This may follow When was this Name given you And after that What was promised for you in Baptism Answer Three things were promised for me c. In the Question before the Commandments it may be altered You said it was promised for you c. To the 14 Qu. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained The Answer may be Two only Baptism and the Lord's Supper § 67. Upon Consultation we altered their paper in some things and added some more for we were held to those proposals only leaving the point for Toleration to be debated with our Brethren of the Congregational way And I privately acquainted Dr. Owen with the substance of the business and consulted him that they might not say we neglected them And we offered them the following form which was not what we desired but more than Dr. Wilkins after Bp. of Chester would grant us still professing himself willing of more but that more would not pass with the Parliament and so would frustrate all our Attempts § 68. The paper offered by us 1. Those who have been ordained only by meer Presbyters or the Presidents of their Synods shall be instituted and authorized to exercise their Ministry and admitted to Bènefices therein in such manner and by such persons as by his Majesty shall be thereto appointed by this form and words alone Take c. Provided that those who desire it have leave to give in their professions that they renounce not their Ordination nor take it for a nuâ—â—â—ty and that they take this as the Magistrates License and Confirmation and that they be not constrained to use any words themselves which are not consistent with this profession 2. All persons to be admitted by Ordination Institution License or otherwise into any Ecclesiastical function and dignity or to any preferment in either Vnivesity or to the Employment of a Schoolmaster shall first take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and instead of all other Oaths Subscriptions and Declarations except the Ancient Vniversity Oath shall be required only to subscribe to this form of Words J. A. B. Do hereby profess and Declare my unfeigned assent to the truth of all the holy Canonical â—criptures and to the Articles of the Creed and to the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the 36 Articles or to the Doctrinal part of the 39 Articles of the Church of England or excepting only the 3 Articles of Ceremonies and Prelacy And I do hold that the Doctrine Worship and Government there established doth contain all things absolutely necessary to salvation And I will not knowingly by my self or any other endeavour to bring in any Doctrine contrary to this aforesaid so established And it is my true Resolution to hold Communion with
the Churches of England and faithfully to preserve the peace and happiness thereof And all those who are qualified with abilities according to the Law and take the Oaths and Declarations abovesaid shall be allowed to preach Lectures and Occasional Sermons and to Catechize and to be presented and admitted to any Benefice or to any Ecclesiastical or Academical promotions or to the teaching of Schools 3. Every person admitted to any Benefice with cure of Souls shall be obliged himself on some Lord's day within a time prefixed to read the Liturgy appointed for that day when it is satisfactorily altered and the greatest part of it in the mean time and to be often present at the reading of it and sometimes to administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper according to the said Liturgies And it shall by himself or some other allowed Minister be constantly used in his Church and the Sacraments frequently administred as is required by the Law 4. The 4th was against the Ceremonies without alteration in their own words save about bowing at the Name â—esus as after 5. No Bishop Chancellor or other Ecclesiastical Officers shall have power to silence any allowed Minister or suspend him 〈◊〉 officio vel beneficio arbitrarily or for any cause without a known Law And in case of any such arbitary or injurious silencing and suspension there shall be allowed an appeal to some of his Majestie 's Courts of Iustice so as it may be prosecuted in a competent time and at a tolerable expence being both Bishops and Presbyters and all Ecclesiastical persons are under the Government of the King and punishable by him for gross and injurious male-administrations 6. Though we judge it the Duty of Ministers to Catechize instruct exhort direct and comfort the people personally as well as publickly upon just occasion yet lest a pretended necessity of Examinations before the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper or an unwarrantable strictness should introduce Church-Tyranny and wrong the faithful by keeping them from the Communion let all those be admitted to the Communion who since their Infant baptism have at years of discretion manifested to the Bishop or the Ministers of the Parish Church where they live a tolerable understanding of the Essential points of Faith and Godliness that is of the Baptismal Covenant and of the nature and use of the Lord's Supper and have personally owned before them or the Church the Covenant which by others they made in Baptism professing their Resolution to keep the same in a Faithful Godly Righteous Charitable and Temporal Life and are not since this profession revolted to Atheism Insidelity or Heresy that is the denying of some Essential Article of faith and live not impenitently in any gross and scandalous sin And therefore in the Register of each Parish let all their Names be written who have either before their Confirmation or at any other time thus understandingly owned their Baptismal Covenant and a Certificate thereof from the Minister of the place shall serve without any further examination for their admission to Communion in that or any other Parish Church where they shall after live till by the aforesaid revolts they have merited their suspension 7. Because in many families there are none who can read or pray â—or call to remembrance what they have heard to edify themselves and spend the Lords day in holy Exercises and many of these live so far from the Church that they go more seldom than the rest and therefore have great need of the assistance of their Neighbours it is not to be taken for a Conventicle or unlawful meeting when Neighbours shall peaceably joyn together in reading the Scripture or any good books or repeating publick Sermons and praying and â—ging â—salms to God whilst they do it under the inspection of the Minister and not in opposition to the publick Assemblies Nor yet that meeting where the Minister shall privately Catechize his Neighbours or pray with them when they are in sickness danger or distress tho persons of several Families shall be present 8. Whereas the Canon and Rubrick forbid the adâ—ission of notorious scandalous sinners to the Lords table be it enacted that those who are proved to deride or scorn at Christianity or the holy Scriptures or the Life of Reward and Punishment or the serious practice of a Godly Life and strict obedience to Gods Commands shall be numbered with the Scandalous sinners mentioned in the Canon and Rubrick and not admitted before repentance to the holy Communion § 69. The following paper will give you the reasons of all our alterations of their form of Words But I must add this that we thought not the form of Subscription sufficient to keep out a Papist from the established Ministery much less from a Toleration which we medled not with And here and in other alterations I bore the blame and they told me that no Man would put in such doubts but I. And I will here tell Posterity this Truth as a Mystery yet only to the blind which must not now be spoken that I believe that I have been guilty of hindering our own Liberties in all Treaties that ever I was employ'd in For I remember not one in which there was not some crevice or contrivance or terms offered for such a Toleration as would have let in the moderate Papists with us And if we would but have opened the Door to let the Papists in that their Toleration might have been charged upon us as being for our sakes and by our request or procuâ—ement we might in all likelihood have had our part But though for my own part I am not for Cruelty against Papists any more than others even when they are most cruel to us but could allow them a certain degree of liberty on Terms that shall secure the common Peace and the People's Souls yet I shall never be one of them that by any renewed pressures or severities shall be forced to petition for the Papists liberty if they must have it let them Petition for it themselves No craft of Iesuits or Prelates shall thunder me cudgel me or cheat me into the Opinion that it is now necessary for our own Ministry Liberty or Lives that we I say we Nonconformists be the famed Introducers of the Papists Toleration that so neither Papists nor Prelatists may bear the odium of it but may lay it all on us God do what he will with us his way is best but I think that this is not his way § 70. Upon these Alterations I was put to give in my Reasons of them which were as followeth The Reasons of our Alterations of your Proposals 1. I Put in Presidents c. to avoid Dispute whether such were meer Presbyters or as some think Bishops 2. I leave out time of disorder because it will else exclude all that were Ordained by Presbyters since the King came in 3. I put in Instituted and Authorized to intimate that it is not an Ordination to