of Latitudinarian Principles yet they having hitherto lived in a Conformity to the Church as established we hope they will not give up any thing that is substantial with the Circumstantials for Decency and Order or if they do so it will be as pardonable in us of the Country to forsake them as for some of those eminent Divines that were joyned in Commission with them And I am fully perswaded that on making such Alterations as are said to be prepared by the Commissioners the Church will run the hazard of offending a greater number of more considerable persons than they are likely to gratifie thereby Object But such Alterations being made such as shall thenceforward continue to be Dissenters will be more inexcusable Ans This is not very probable because they will still say you have only taken off the lesser Offences but have continued the weighter Matters on their Consciences still viz. such as in their Consciences they account to be Sinful and their Conformity to them to be Damnable And if after such Alterations be established by Law and any Penalty be annexed for the Sanction of that Law the Legislators will be reflected on as Persecutors and their Laws as so many tearing Engines though I must needs say there never yet were such severe Penalties enacted against any sort of Dissenters though known to be Men of Atheistical and Antimonarchical Principles as against some Reverend Fathers and Members of the Church who are known to be Men of Religious and Peaceable Principles yet they quietly submit with a Deus providebit I may well presume that no Man living in Communion with our Church is convinc'd that there is any thing Sinful in that Communion now these being the greater and the better part I say with Dr. Beveredge in his Sermon to the Convocation p. 25. Neque ratio neque perpetua Ecclesiae consuetudo patitur ut pars toti praeferatur Neither reason nor the perpetual Custom of the Church doth permit that a part should be preferred before the whole And then nothing can justify the Dissenters from Schism in their Separation from us for as to things that are by them judged Inexpedient it is fit that the greater and better Part should judge of Expediency for the rest and not they for themselves or their Betters And if such Opinionative and Ungovernable People were for a while by strict Discipline taught the Duty of Self-denial as to things in their nature indifferent and how necessary Obedience to Superiours is in such cases which even they themselves do practice and in which sort of things only our Governours have Authority we might hope for an Uniformity and not otherwise And to this end it is very observable what Dr. Beveredge says in his Sermon p. 26. Antiquas novis mutare Legibus To change old Laws for new is alway dangerous unless such a Necessity constrain as is otherwise insuperable There was never any Church which hath not inserted into her Laws many things not contrary but beside those things which are in the Holy Scripture and having made such Laws do establish them by the Sanctions of Ecclesiastical Punishments p. 23 When therefore that Learned Doctor says p. 27. Vtrum Ecclesiae noslra c. whether our Church be obliged by a Necessity to change any thing that is by her Laws established is not his part to determine but Prudentis est and immediately adds This only I dare to affirm That if it be necessary to reduce wandring Sheep into Christ's Flock if to take off Scruples from the minds of weak Brethren if to allay Hatred appease Anger and as much as may be to suppress all Dissentions concerning Religion if to recall Ecclesiastical Discipline to its Primitive Vigour if to Defend and Establish the best Church in the World against the Assaults of Men and Devils if these things says he seem necessary to any Man it will also seem necessary to that Man to admit such Changes as he is perswaded will conduce to such ends so as the Change be made in such things only which our Church hath constituted by her sole Authority not in such as the Vniversal Church by her common Laws hath Established Here then we say that to alter the Episcopal Government to take the Power of Ordination from Bishops and place it in the hands of Presbyters to take away a Well-ordered Liturgy and bring in Extemporary Prayers for Publick Worship to give every Minister a Jurisdiction and Power of Excommunication and many other things without which some grave Dissenters will not be comprehended is more than the Learned Doctor will grant for of such things he speaks his mind impartially Has sub quovis praetextu vel extremis digitis attingere c. To endeavour the removal of these under any pretence whatsoever or to touch them with one of our Fingers is contrary to the Religious Care of all the Churches of God and of our own And to Abrogate or Reject that which hath been every-where and at all times observed is not to change an Ecclesiastical Rite only but the Church itself and to make it differ from all other Churches of God But what then is the Doctor 's Judgment concerning such Constitutions as are in the Power of a particular Church Ans This the Doctor determined p. 23. ut supra and again p. 26. A Change hath neither been wont nor ought to be made by any Church at any time unless some great Necessity do constrain thereto But of a change of what fort of Laws doth the Doctor speak That he tells us in the same Page Neque enim quispiam c. There is not any Man so skilful as by any Art to foresee how many and great dangers are like to arise by the change of incommodious Laws wherefore to change old Laws for new is alway dangerous unless such a necessity urge it as cannot otherwise be overcome and such as is so manifest to all that whoever seeth the Change may also see Summam ejus rationem necessitatem the greatest Reason and necessity for the Change even of those incommodious Laws To this I shall need to add no more than that apt Allusion of this Learned Doctor concerning the Obligation of Ecclesiastical Laws p. 19. As in this Kingdom there are many Corporations and inferiour Societies which have a Power granted them of constituting Laws for themselves and their Members with this caution That nothing be done or constituted by them which is contrary to the Statutes of the Realm the Common Law or any ancient Custom which beyond the memory of Man hath been introduced and received by the whole Kingdom and thereby hath obtained the force of a Law Now though this be in p. 20. applied to the Universal Church yet in p. 21. the Doctor applies it to particular Churches In quacunque provincia sitae sunt In whatever Province a Church is planted the Bishops and Pastors of that Province may as oft as occasion requires
and some others have framed their superstructure on viz. 1. That the Alterations intended by it are not prejudicial 2. That they are useful tending to the well-being of the Church 3. That it is a fit juncture for putting the design in execution The Author gives several Instances of several Alterations made as in the Third of Edward the Sixth when the Common-Prayer-book was composed and altered the 1st of Eliz. And a Proclamation for Authorizing an Uniformity of the Book of Common-Prayer and at the Return of Charles the Second the Liturgy was reviewed and altered by his Commission ae the Savoy but our Author takes no notice of the Penalties to be inflicted on such as should not conform to it and on such as should defame it by several Acts of Parliament nor how little effect it had for the healing the Divisions and Schism which some Dissenters had then made nor how much King James the First was displeased with those Dissenters that pretended to make good their Objections against it which they were not able to perform in the Conference at Hampton-Court whereof the Author speaks p. 3. Yet this I say of this Author that he speaks much more modestly than the Author of A Glance on the Ecclesiastical Commission who would precipitate the matter and have an Act of Parliament for a Comprehension first and then an Act to Authorize the Commission But our Author pretends only to prepare things thereby to save Time and Labour in kindness to the Convocation whatever the Pretence be the Consequence may be very prejudicial to the Members of the Convocation if any difference should happen for this Discourse and several Letters being dispersed into the Countries where they have their Residence to prepossess the Minds of Dissenters that they have occasioned the obstruction of the intended Union and as those Letters import deserve to be treated as Enemies That Mobile which are already too full of Rankor against them and have already in a considerable City burnt a Bishop instead of a Pope will be ready to affront them and throw them into the next fire as they were when there was rejoycing for the Bishops deliverance out of the Tower And therefore it had been more prudent if they had with patience expected the determination of the Convocation and forborn those ill-boding Reflections which tend to create an Odium against such Members though it be well known they have no power to offer any thing being limited by the King's Proposals Nor hath the Author consulted better for his own Party when speaking of the Personal Qualifications of the Commissioners p. 8. he tells the Country how they have been traduced as assuming Men who will think themselves bound in Honour to defend what they shall have done as Men that have tenderness enough to part with any thing but their Church-preferments As Men who have a Latitude to conform to a Church de facto which hath Power on its side And pag. 9. Men who conceal their own inclinations till it is time to shew them Men likely to do the Church of England a good turn when opportunity serves and which perhaps they imagine now they have which Characters agree well with those who are known to be Latitudinarians indeed and have Monopolized Church-preferments Yet our Author says they have no temptation now to shew that they are Men of Latitude it seems then they had heretofore Page 10. our Author mentioneth another Objection viz. That as it may happen our Church may be changed altered and transformed by nine Men which are the number of the Quorum in the Commission Now although I dare not say there was any partiality used in naming the Commissioners yet when I consider that many of those that were named did not appear and some very considerable persons that did appear perceiving that some such things as might in their judgment prove prejudicial to the Church were proposed did dissent and withdraw it was not altogether unlikely that Nine of those who remained might prepare such things as the Convocation would not approve of as the Event will shew And as for those great and excellent Men who as our Author says are not named in the Commission it had been a more commendable Office and Duty to have pleaded on their behalf knowing them to be Men of great Prudence and Fortitude as well as of Integrity and Affection to the Church and that they are never like to disturb the Peace of the State to intercede that some favour might be shewn to them as well as to Dissenters Seeing if any they are the Men who suffer for sake of their Consciences especially seeing our Author says The Commissioners design nothing so unreasonable as to fear that the Alterations would not pass in a free Convocation if those Reverend and Judicious Prelates were present But it is our great unhappiness that though there have been several Convocations called yet had not an opportunity of meeting till these Right Reverend Fathers and others were excluded and made uncapable what hinderance this may be to the performance of what they promised as our Author relates That they wanted no due tenderness to Dissenters but were willing to come to such a temper as should be thought fit when that matter should be considered in Parliament and Convocation I cannot divine but acquiesce in the judgment of our Author That if nothing unreasonable were designed it might then have passed and a firm Establishment ensued for doubtless the calm Tempers of those Reverend Fathers would mightily have influenced their Sons Page 13. mention is made of the Commission the Preface whereof is the same with what hath been before mentioned out of the Preface to the Liturgy concerning the Alteration of Rites and Ceremonies c. upon weighty and important Considerations and the end of it is to take away all occasions of differences for the future as well as reconciling all Their Majesties Subjects at present A Blessing this to be seriously endeavoured by all persons but rather to be hoped for than expected for though not only all our Rites and Ceremonies all things tending to Decency and Order should be taken away yet there will be some that will find occasions of difference still for we are told in the late Healing Attempt That it is impossible for the Dissenters to unite if it be still affirmed That the Bishops and Presbyters are not of the same Order That the Power of Ordination is the sole Prerogative of the Bishops i. e. If the Ordinanation by Presbyters be not as authentick as that by Bishops or that the Ordination by Presbyters is void and that the Ordaining them again by Bishops is not Re-ordination and he tells us plainly That it is not the taking away of our Ceremonies and other Impositions that will satisfie the Dissenters but if a Comprehension may not be had on those other terms there can be none at all And a greater Dissenter than he says of Episcopacy That
VOX CLERI OR THE Sense of the Clergy Concerning the Making of ALTERATIONS IN THE ESTABLISHED LITVRGY WITH REMARKS on the Discourse concerning the Ecclesiastical COMMISSION and several Letters for ALTERATIONS To which is Added An Historical ACCOUNT OF THE Whole PROCEEDINGS OF THE Present Convocation My Son fear thou the LORD and the King and meddle not with them that are given to Change Prov. xxiv xxi Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat August ad Januarium Epist 118. Cap. 5. Licensed and Entred according to Order London Printed and are to be sold by R. Taylor near Stationers-hall 1690. THE AUTHOR'S PROTESTATION TO cure the Prejudices with which too many are already prepossessed and to prevent the growth and mischievous effects which they may produce I have thought it necessary for the security of my self and Brethren to declare what our Perswasions are as to the Present Government both in Church and State And first we have by our Oaths promised to bear Faith and true Allegiance to the King and Queens Majesties And the whole Clergy have renewed their Allegiance to their Majesties and their adherence to the Church as Established in their late Address of Thanks c. in these words Whereby we doubt not but the Interest of the Protestant Religion in all other Protestant Churches which is dear to us will be better secured c. So that whoever do represent them as enemies either to the Church or State or any Protestant Churches do falsly and maliciously reproach them or interpret that to be their sin which is their bounden duty and care and if these be our faults I hope there is no sort of people who joyn with us in living in obedience to the Laws of the Land and in the Communion of the Church will entertain those Prejudices and hard thoughts of us which some that are enemies to both have from the Press and from their Pulpits scandalously suggested against us to draw an Odium on the Consultations of the whole Clergy in Convocation and to incense the people against them as enemies to peace and reconciliation I only crave this kindness from those that are influenced with these reports 1. To consider what our Adversaries report of us And 2ly what may be the reason of such reports The Author of the second Letter reflected on in the following Discourse relating to the Convocation hath these expressions concerning such as are not for Alterations Pag. 6. I expect no less than that they become abhorred of the whole Nation and as the common enemies of its peace be treated accordingly in every Parish where we live among them P. 5. That we have maintained Trifles with unreasonable Rigor And P. 6. we have already lost our reputation with the people by insisting too rigorously on those things P. 9. That there is an obligation upon us of coming to a change not to be resisted without guilt P. 20. That we are a base and false sort of men that can promise in adversity and forget all when that is over P. 22. That we shall lose the people of the Land and give our Adversaries advantage over us to our utter ruin P. 15. That the People are overthrown by Excommunications for a penny or two-penny cause That we shall totally extinguish all Convocations for the future and therefore he desires them to consider whether the Church of England is now met together only to be Felo's de se and not to mention all his vile insinuations that in P. 25. contains as much spite and venom as he could hold without breaking such saith he as are most perversely bent against reason and conscience to do all the wickedness they can to gratifie a peevish humour With these things he asperseth the whole Clergy in general cloathing them as the Persecutors of old did the Christians in Bears and Lions Skins and so exposed them to be devoured by such creatures But this Author comes to Particulars And P. 25. says of the suspended Bishops whom he acknowledgeth as their greatest enemies must that they are excellent men yet says if they should not consent to Alterations The resentment of the State will be heavy on them as enemies to them and us so as they will be immediately crush'd and fall to nothing And more particularly he thus reflects on our worthy Prolocutor as a man worthy of the death of the greatest Criminal For thus he saith of him We have no reason to thank him for his Speech or his Motto the last of which I suppose pleased him best because it carried a double stab with it the one against the Church the other against his greatest Benefactor to promote him in it Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum But 2ly What is the cause of all this bitter zeal and inveterate malice it is only because he fancieth they will not consent to such Alterations as shall be proposed to them but first it may well be supposed that neither he nor they do yet know what Alterations will be for none have been as yet proposed to them and therefore to hang and draw before any crime be alledged against them is a most barbarous practice especially for one that is of the same Communion with them and upon those whom he acknowledgeth to be such excellent men his Fathers and his Brethren But thus did his Predecessors heretofore destroy the Church by such malicious insinuations from groundless fears and jealousies as the Jews did Crucifie our Saviour Venient Romani They will bring in Popery But when the Church hath defeated that Engine and made it wholly useless by rooting up the very foundations of Popery such men must have recourse to other inventions And the noise of Persecution is raised against them that they have been and would be again if they had power as great Persecutors as the Heathen Emperors were but this clamor the present Bishop of Salisbury with some others have silenced proving undeniably that the Church of England had neither the temper nor the power to be of a Persecuting spirit And now the Cry is That she is of a peevish and obstinate humour that against Reason and Conscience hinders peace and reconciliation and in sum saith our Author That she is afraid of losing her Church power and Church-promotions though all the Nation knows with what general unanimity and Christian resolution the Clergy hazarded all their Promotions by refusing to publish the late Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience and suspending the Penal Laws which now their enemies plead for in compliance with the present juncture of Affairs and is as evident as any matter of fact can be and little less evident is it who they are that gape for the Preferments which other men have signally deserved and are legally possessed of if this be not enough wholly to cure the prejudices which have been insinuated into the Minds of over-credulous and inconsiderate Men yet I hope that which follows
hold their Synods or Sacred Assemblies to deliberate and consult of things belonging to the Church constituted in that Province And p. 22. All such Churches by their Synods have power to make Laws as they shall judge expedient for the better Administration of the Publick Worship of God and of his Word and Sacraments within their Province otherwise it could not well be that any Provincial or National Church should long subsist or be at peace And p. 23. Moreover it belongs to all the Churches of God to establish by Ecclesiastical Penalties such Canons by them made lest any thing contrary to them should be without Impunity committed Object But our Divisions had almost betrayed us to Popery and Slavery for prevention of which danger for the future it is adviseable as much as may be to inlarge the Terms of our Communion Ans But who betrayed us to those Divisions were they not such as causelesly separated from us and were more ready to joyn with the common Enemy of the Protestant Religion though they call'd themselves true Protestants than with the Church of England Whereof he that wrote the Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet's Sermon of Separation gave an Account and even dared the Opponents to call him to the proof of it viz. That Dr. Owen c. were entertain'd as Pensioners to the late King and by him encouraged to continue our Divisions by which the Papists got great advantages against us And whereto tended the flattering and fulsom Addresses of the Sectaries to the late King to stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes and to obey him without Reserve but to continue those Divisions and foment those Seeds of Discord which were grown up and ripen'd almost for the Harvest to cut us all down and utterly destroy us And what if some leading Presbyterians be by our Alterations let into the Church and advanced to such Preferments as they hope for to be Bishops Deans Arch-deacons c. what security have we that they will not promote Divisions in the Church more dangerous than the Schism they made by Separation from us as some Bishops and others that had been sour'd with that Leaven being preferred in the Reign of Charles the Second did attempt A secret Enemy within the Walls of a well Fortified City is more dangerous than an open Foe in the Field I have read in the Life of Judge Hales written by the present Bishop of Sarum p. 71. That there was a Bill for Comprehension contrived by Bishop Wilkins Sir Orlando Bridgman and that Judge which though it contained more reasonable Terms than what are now proposed as I have been informed for the Admission of some Dissenters into our Communion yet it was opposed by the Clergy because they thought a Faction within the Church would prove to be more hurtful than a Schism without it And when one Party was let in upon Terms not perhaps unreasonable another Party upon other Terms less reasonable would solicite their Admission And it was objected That as some might come in so others that were in our Communion might take Offence by the Alterations and desert it and seeing our frequent Changes in some things they might suppose that there is nothing certain among us and from the many Disputes about our Liturgy proceed to question our Articles and at last fall off to the Church of Rome which they saw more constant to their Principles For which and other reasons the Bill was cast out by the Votes of the House of Commons with whom the same Considerations may still prevail And now let the Men that are given to Change produce those weighty and important Reasons required in the Preface to the Common-Prayer or that great Necessity which Dr. Beveredge requires for the Alteration even of incommodious Laws Is it necessary that an honest Man should voluntarily resign his Freehold to a litigious Person who neither desires nor deserves it and perhaps would improve the possession of it to his ruine Is it necessary that a Parent should yeild to a disobedient Child upon his own unreasonable terms Is it necessary that a good Man should accuse bear false witness against and condemn and execute himself and be a Felo de se Is it necessary that the Citizens should suffer a breach to be made in their Wall to give advantage to an Enemy when they are ready to open their Gates to let in any that offers a reasonable assurance that he is a Friend Is there any necessity to Reform that Church which is conseft to be the best Reformed Church in the World that Church to whose Pattern all the rest do desire and only want power and opportunity to conform their own Is it necessary we should do more for those who wilfully departed from us and as our Saviour intimates Not being content to be with us were against us than we have done for those forreign Protestants Men of great Learning and tender Consciences who voluntarily offer themselves to our Communion without insisting on any Terms with us Is it necessary that a Church in which all things necessary to Salvation may be freely enjoyed should accuse herself of want of Christian Charity and of imposing such sinful Terms for admitting others into her Communion as were purposely designed to keep them out and afterward voluntarily cast off those things and thereby confess themselves guilty of so great Uncharitableness Is it necessary that a Church which hath Authority to judge for itself what is decent and orderly should subject herself to the Judgment of her Members to determine for her or themselves what is decent and expedient and what is not especially when the Exception from Obedience to the Church in such things ought to be as evident and unquestionable as the Command to obey them in such Matters is Is it necessary that we should give greater Offence to the Papists from coming into our Communion now in this juncture of time by our Variableness and Defect of the Solemnity of Publick Worship which hitherto they have objected against us Is it necessary we should part with any thing to them whom we have reason to suspect that they will not leave craving till they have all When all these things are proved to be necessary then shall we be ready to make Alterations in our Ceremonies and other Circumstances if the Dissenters will be content to let us injoy what is substantial and necessary to the well-being of our Church In the mean time we shall account our selves Happy in the number of those English-men that know when they are well REFLECTIONS ON A DISCOURSE CONCERNING The Ecclesiastical Commission SIR I Have also conferred with my Brethren concerning a Book intituled A Discourse concerning the Ecclesiastical Commission 1689. Of which we shall not say so much as the Author doth of a former Commission for the like affair viz. That he never entertain'd a good Opinion of it We only remark that this Author hath laid the foundation which he
it is that thorny hedge which he had made his business to pull down and would endeavour it by going on both sides as long as he lived And what dislike some have not only of the pretended defects in our Liturgy but to any Liturgy for publick Worship is too well known by some very late Writings of the Dissenters And Mr. Baxter affirms That of the Forty sinful Terms for a Communion with us if Thirty-nine were taken away and only that Rubrick concerning the Salvation of Infants dying shortly after their Baptism were continued yet they could not conform Now to what purpose should we begin when we cannot see where to end Is it not better to endure some inconveniencies as in all Constitutions some will be than to expose our selves to certain mischiefs And what can we expect when the Six hundred Alterations in 1661 had no competent effect but were rejected with scorn I wonder how this Author can object to you as if you proceeded on the same false grounds as those Papists Heath and Fecknam did in Primo Eliz. in opposing the Act for Uniformity viz. That those changes were departures from the Standard of the Catholick Church That Points once defined were not to be brought again into question That the Church should be constant to it self For he cannot but know that they opposed the Act for Uniformity Primo Eliz. as excluding the false Doctrines and Superstitions of Rome whereas we plead for the Preservation of Uniformity in Doctrine Worship and Government which are all opposed by some sort of Dissenters I shall leave the indifferent Reader to judge of the Inference which he makes p. 18. That if the Commissioners in 1661 saw reason for making Additions and Alterations to the number of Six hundred That there is equal if not greater reason for some further improvements I think he might rather conclude as he doth immediately after That if they had foreseen what is since come to pass viz. how few of the Dissenters came in upon those Condescentions they would not have done all that they did And perhaps on these Concessions in favour of Dissenters the Papists had those hopes cherished in them of which our Author there speaks of Liberty of Conscience the removal of the Sanguinary and then of other Penal Laws and of Forty Chappels to be opened for them in and about London for they know the Charity of the Church of England is not confined to one Sect as that of the Sectaries is What he says p. 19. That the Conformists have given their Assent and Consent to the Book of Common-Prayer whereof the Preface is a part which says That in Churches Circumstantials may from time to time admit of Alteration is true but not the whole truth for it is added Vpon great and important Reasons which the Author omits and if he speaks it not as being in a good Mood but as his setled Judgment that our Church as it is the best constituted Church in the World then certainly they that cannot conform to our Church must on the same reason dissent from all the other Reformed Churches Page 20. he says He is in part of the Opinion that the Prayers cannot be altered for the better by any meer humane composition But he will not grant it of every Collect and what those Collects are we may have occasion to consider hereafter it is enough that our constant daily Prayers are beyond exception His great business as he calls it will be but a great burthen to the Dissenters as well as himself viz. Adding some Offices to the Liturgy and preparing new ones which are wanting Seeing we have had so many complaints of the length and tediousness of them formerly one thing the Author can scarce pardon himself for when writing of those who he says so angrily though causelesly spake against that Work i. e. of making Alterations he adds They must pardon me if so near after the mentioning of them I take notice of the French Papists who have reviled both the Commission and the persons named in it Herein he scems to joyn all such as are not for Alterations with the Papists and whether they must pardon him for this if the People deal with them as Papists let him consider and pardon himself if he can yet I think the Papists would very willingly have us make more Alterations than most Protestants think sit to make It is a pretty insinuation which he makes p. 21. That the Conformists will naturally be glad if the House in which they resolve to live and dye have all the strength and beauty added to it which can be given it by Commission Convocation and Parliament Ans The strength and beauty which it now hath is by all those means confirmed to them and willingly they would live and hope they may happily dye in it But if the Dissenters will make breaches in that House and take possession thereof deface its Beauty and undermine its Strength and force them to leave it I cannot see how they can naturally be glad of the behaviour of such ill-natur'd Men and that there are some such besides those whom I have mentioned already the Author speaks of some in Northamptonshire and I know such in other Counties who oblige their Communicants and have vowed themselves never to return to the Communion of the Church of England and if the present generation be so bad the next is not like if these Men have their desire to be better In p. 22. the Author considers That now is a fit juncture of time for Alterations And his first ground is the Expediency for things which may be done yet are not to be done at a time when they are not expedient And thus he shews the Expediency The Passions of Men at this time are in a vehement fermentation and he that would allay the Feaver may stay too long if he forbears to prescribe till the bloud is quiet But must the Mother be bleeded if the Children be distempered Must the Passions of Men disturb the Peace of the Church and no Man endeavour to suppress them If a sick Man be distempered and ungovernable the Physician is his friend though he cause him to be confin'd or bound for a time 2. He says the Church hath at this time powerful Enemies Therefore I think she ought to stand on her guard and keep strict watch least they that are so make too near approaches And none are more dangerous than those that are or have been of the same House And though the Church had of late as implacable Enemies as ever and they in great Power yet by the blessing of God she hath out-lived them Obj. 3. Their Majesties have declared their desires of it Ans The Commission says Vpon weighty and important Reasons and that the Alterations prepared by the Commissioners may be approved by the Convocation and Parliament Cannot you wait for that time 2. Their Majesties desire may be best known by their living in
Verb plural may have respect to divers precedent Nouns some whereof speak de rebus signis others de personis Now the Aegyptians for the conviction of whom God executed the Plagues before spoken of were not obedient to his word and so both Translations agree These and other Resolutions are so clear that I wonder how any Country-Minister much less one of the City should at this time of the day be ignorant of them but none so blind as he that will not see for it looks like a design in the Author to foment Prejudices and Mistakes in the Minds of young Men to keep up a Schism against the Church And so doth his next Plea p. 14. against the use of the Athanasian Creed whilst he restrains the Damnatory Sentences to one Article of the Creed which is to be referred to the whole for so says the Preface This is the Catholick Faith c. Moreover I think it not necessary to Salvation that every Man should believe that Article of the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father to the Son seeing there are several Articles in the Creed called the Apostles as we receive it now which in the most Primitive Times were not extant in that Creed for which consult Vossius Armagh and Dr. Pearson the late Bishop of Chester and therefore I cannot conceive that those Greek Churches were Hereticks and in a state of Damnation that held not the Filioque And to this purpose the Letter makes his second Quere Whether this be a fundamental Article of the Faith which except a Man believes he cannot be saved Seeing as he grants it is not made necessary by Athanasius himself nor was originally either in the Nicene truly so called or Athanasian Creed Nor is it so thought by our Church says the Letter which receiving the four first General Councils agrees with that of Ephesus which is the third which made a peremptory Decree against all Additions to be made thereafter to the Creed Concil Ephes Part 3. Art 6. Which shews that some Additions had been formerly made From whence says he it follows that nothing else was then accounted necessary to be believed but what was contained in the Nicene And so the Damnatory Sentences not appearing to be the Addition of Athanasius nor respecting any particular Article but what is fundamental and necessary to Salvation in the whole the young Man notwithstanding any thing that the Letter saith may Subscribe the Athanasian Creed with the Damnatory Sentences which are applicable only to such as obstinately deny the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith contained in that Creed And I desire the Author of this Objection to consider what occasion it hath given to the Antitrinitarians to proclaim their Blasphemies against the Blessed Trinity and consequently against the Christian Religion for a late Writer says That Athanasius was drunk when he wrote that Creed That it is setled by a Tyrannical Dominion and is a Superstition or Polity rather than true Religion That the Follies and Contradictions charged on the Doctrine of Transubstantiation are neither for Number Consequence or Greatness comparable to those implied in the Athanasian Creed And that the Trinity hath the same foundation with Transubstantiation and we must admit both or neither This Opinion of the Socinians hath been so confuted by our late Divines that I shall not repeat their Arguments so apt are our Adversaries of all sorts to improve the Objections of Dissenters into very dangerous and destructive Errors Page 15. This Country-Minister hath a very modest Request in behalf of himself and the Dissenters viz. That Presbytery may be restored to its ancient Priviledge and permitted to share in all Acts belonging to their Station What Acts those are he sufficiently intimates but doth not enumerate they must share in the Jurisdiction and Administration of Discipline in the issuing forth of Excommunications and in the power of Conferring Orders and this forsooth for the honour of the Bishops to take off whatever they may suffer by Misgovernment and I suppose they would quickly draw too much of that Odium upon themselves Wherefore as he doth so shall I leave these things to the mature consideration of the Convocation and how likely it is that the Church would not be the worse for these Alterations But concerning this he raiseth two Objections the first is Where are they that would come in upon these Concessions and Alterations And 2dly if they do come in what advantage this will be to the Church To the first he says 't is but to try and I say whatever the Church can grant and not be the worse for it hath been already tried and scornfully rejected though the Concessions were more than the Convocation can now with prudence and safety grant them for these will not stifle their clamours against the Church who have publickly declared that they expect greater things But in justice and integrity says the Letter these things ought to be granted for it was promised by their Bishops viz. that they wanted not due tenderness towards Dissenters but were willing to come to such a temper as should be thought fit when that matter should be considered and setled in Parliament and Convocation But as he says they promised it when it was not in their power and now the more is the pity it is not in their power to perform it but they promised no more than was fit to be granted i. e. upon great and important Reasons nor more than what should be thought fit by a Parliament and Convocation to which it is still referred 2dly He inquires what benefit this will be to the Church To which I answer None at all if as he says when kept out they are Enemies and when let in they will be no Friends but when they have more power and opportunity they may do more mischief S. M. E. C. T. Y. M. N. W. S. were in the Church in 1641 and did it more hurt than those that were kept out and there are still such among us as are not of us whose Names would make up as terrible a word as that of Smectymnuus but I forbear to call Names His third General is That there are such things in our Church as may be altered for the better Ans Thus some Men have attempted to mend the Magnificat but finding they could not do that they resolved to lay it aside And many an unskilful Architect hath under taken to repair a good old Fabrick and make it better but by pulling down Beam after Beam and after a lesser Stone a greater till the whole Fabrick hath been like to fall and then what perhaps was designed at first he perswades the Owners that there is a necessity wholly to destroy the old and erect a new one upon better foundations And thus the Country-Minister thinks he hath cleared the Point and may come in for a share in the imployment and benefit And first he ingageth to make easie and
very shame the Convocation thought it necessary to make them But our Author finding all his arguings to be lost as in p 28. he betakes himself to a sham-plot against those that are not for Alterations as if because they said or rather he for them That they were not seasonable they had said the Parliament was illegal the Government precarious and the Laws no Laws it becomes not a Country-Minister to be a Minister of Satan in falsly accusing his Brethren who have all owned the present Authority and Laws and he that blames the want of Connexion in our Collects should have been more cautious then first to raise an Objection of his own and then infer from it such impertinent conclusions as may be mischievous to others But what think you says he if this Government sink I think our causless dissentions will be one of the greatest causes Who sunk the Government under the Royal Martyr Who had well nigh sunk it a second time under the late King to whom such multitude of Dissenters addressed Thanks for Suspending the Laws and promised to obey him without reserve we have had experience enough who they were that could after all their Pleas for Liberty part with their Consciences to save their Lives though with the loss of their Religion Laws and Liberty so as their Brethren might perish a little before them When therefore he would perswade us that we may have a new Law for the intended Establishment I think no Man will be perswaded to run such a risque for having many good Laws already for our Established Worship we may conclude that as to certainty the old are better Having thus treated the Members of the Convocation he takes his Farewel of them leaving them to their Couch and Consideration intimating that they are all become mighty Politicians or Tools for them that are so Who have been made and used as Tools by the late unhappy Politicians is as evident as any matter of fact can be and I wish I could leave this Country-Minister well in his Wits to consider whether he be not used as a Tool to destroy the Established Church by some who think themselves mighty Politicians Some REMARKS on a LETTER from a Member of the Convocation NO sooner had I finished my Remarks on the Letter of the Country Minister to a Member of the Convocation but I were encounter'd with another from a Member of the Convocation to his Friend in which I feared my Opinion would have been oppugned not only by a greater Authority but by sharper Arguments than any I had yet met with But having viewed his Weapons I found that they were flourished and glittered with a Rhetorical style yet they wanted that Logical strength that might enforce them This encouraged me to take my Pen in hand again and to enter the List against this Master of the Assembly for I considered that though his Weapons were keen yet the Arm that wielded them was but weak and it was no great danger to wrest them out of his hands and imploy them against himself His great flourish was A Necessity an absolute Necessity of yielding to many Alterations in our Established Worship This I thought might prove durum telum for Necessity hath no Law especially when it is Absolute then like the Absolute power it bears down all before it This lookt somewhat formidably for I considered that Necessity had destroyed many great and good Men. It was said of that great Hero the Earl of Strafford Illum non tulit Lex verum necessitas non habens Legem And of a greater than he we have a Law viz. of the Jews making and by that Law Oportet mori to dye and dye he did because it was expedient also for the People But that there was an Absolute necessity that Judas should betray his Master I can no more believe than that there is a Necessity That he who is a Member of the Church of Christ and hath familiarly eaten of her Bread and born the Bag too should lift up his heels and kick at her I considered therefore what kind of Necessity this might be for our Opponent grants there is no necessity in respect of the Church her self that she should make Alterations Because saith he p. 1. nothing is more dangerous to Religion than frequently to make Alterations 2. Because an unsteadiness though in Circumstantials only which are always alterable may become an Argument against the whole the Multitude not being able to judge what is Circumstantial and what is Essential in our Worship what is in the Power of the Church to alter and what is not and are apt to call every Alteration though in things indifferent and by variation of times made totally insignificant to be a change of Religion it self and so concluding that we have no firm bottom become Apostates from us to Popery or Atheism And therefore he thinks the Church of England may be justified that it hath not been forward on every demand of the Dissenters to unhinge those of her Communion but hath to the utmost resisted all Alterations hoping by other less dangerous Methods to heal the Divisions that are among us By this I perceived the Absolute necessity would not much affect the Church yet I considered farther whether there were an Absolute necessity from any Precept that did oblige the Church to make Alterations in the external Parts or Rites of Worship and I found she had a Power by Precept to see that all things be done decently and according to her Order and Appointment and another Precept That the People should Obey those that had the Rule over them And accordingly the most Primitive Church of which we read Acts 2.45 Continued daily with one accord in the Temple and in the Apostle's Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayer Nor would St. Paul endure any Contention about Circumstantials contrary to the Custom of the Church 1 Cor. 11.16 Nor can I see this Absolute necessity in the things that are to be altered because they are confessed to be in their own nature indifferent and when they fall under a Precept of those whose proper work it is to injoyn them we cannot without Disobedience to our lawful Governors reject them Neither can this Necessity affect the Persons for whose sake the Alterations are desired because if there be nothing sinful in our Communion it is sinful to separate from it besides the Dissenters would take it ill of any Man that should say they cannot be saved in that way of Worship which they have chosen for themselves and then there is no Absolute necessity for the Church to alter her Constitutions to gain them to her Communion In a Church where Salvation is to be had we ought to abide notwithstanding some inconvenient circumstances whose Amendment is desirable Though there were great Disputes in the Primitive Church about the Place of Worship Circumcision and Meats and Days yet was there no Separation And
Jane had the Majority of Voices yet great endeavours were used to prefer the Dean whose Party having argued much for it but saw themselves overcome did at last yeild to the Election of Dr. Jane the Votes for him being double to the others The first thing that was done in the Convocation after the chusing the Prolocutor was Decemb. 4th when the Commission from the King was read there being present twelve Bishops the Commission was as follows WIlliam and Mary by the Grace of GOD King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland Defenders of the Faith c. To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting Whereas in and by one Act of Parliament made at Westminster in the 25th Year of the Reign of King Henry the 8th Reciting That whereas the King 's Humble and Obedient Subjects the Clergy of this Realm of England had not only acknowledged according to the Truth that the Convocation of the same Clergy were always had been and ought to be Assembled only by the King 's Writ but also submitting themselves to the King's Majesty had promised in Verbo Sacerdotis that they would never from thenceforth presume to Attempt Alledge Claim or put in Ure or Enact Promulge or Execute any new Canons Constitutions Ordinances Provincial or others or by whatsoever other Name they should be called in the Convocation unless the said King's most Royal Assent and License might to them be had to Make Promulge and Execute the same and that the said King did give his Royal Assent and Authority in that behalf It was therefore Enacted by the Authority of the said Parliament according to the said Submission and Petition of the said Clergy among other things That they nor any of them from thenceforth should Enact Promulge or Execute any such Canons Constitutions or Ordinances Provincial by whatsoever Name they might be called in their Convocations in time coming which always should be Assembled by Authority of the King 's Writ unless the same Clergy might have the King 's most Royal Assent and License to Make Promulge and Execute such Canons Constitutions and Ordinances Provincial or Synodal upon Pain of every one of the said Clergy doing contrary to the said Act and being thereof Convict to suffer Imprisonment and make Fines at the King 's Will. And further by the said Act it is Provided That no Canons Constitutions or Ordinances should be Made or put in Execution within this Realm by Authority of the Convocations of the Clergy which should be contrariant or repugnant to the King's Prerogative Royal or the Customs Laws or Statutes of this Realm any thing contained in the said Act to the contrary thereof notwithstanding And lastly It is also Provided by the said Act That such Canons Constitutions Ordinances and Synodals Provincial which then were already made and which then were not contrariant or repugnant to the Laws Statutes and Customs of this Realm nor to the Damage or Hurt of the King's Prerogative Royal should then still be Used and Executed as they were before the making of the said Act until such time as they should be Viewed Searched or otherwise Ordered and Determin'd by the Persons mentioned in the said Act or the most part of them according to the Tenor Form and Effect of the said Act as by the said Act among divers other things more fully and at large it doth and may appear And whereas the particular Forms of Divine Worship and Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein being Things of their own Nature Indifferent and Alterable and so acknowledged it is but reasonable that upon weighty and important Considerations according to the various Exigency of Times and Occasions such Changes and Alterations should be made therein as to those that are in Place and Authority should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient And whereas the Book of Canons is fit to be Reviewed and made more suitable to the State of the Church And whereas there are divers Defects and Abuses in the Ecclesiastical Courts and Jurisdictions and particularly there is not sufficient Provision made for the removing of Scandalous Ministers and for the Reformation of Manners either in Ministers or People And whereas it is most fit that there should be a strict Method prescribed for the Examination of such Persons as desire to be admitted into Holy Orders both as to their Learning and Manners Know ye That We for divers urgent and weighty Causes and Considerations Us thereunto moving of Our especial Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion have by Vertue of Our Prerogative Royal and Supream Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical Given and Granted and by these Presents do give and grant full free and lawful Liberty License Power and Authority into the Right Reverend Father in GOD Henry Lord Bishop of London President of this Present Convocation for the Province of Canterbury upon the Suspension of the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury during this present Parliament now Assembled and in his Absence to such other Bishops as shall be appointed President thereof and to the rest of the Bishops of the same Province and to all Deans of Cathedral Churches Arch-Deacons Chapters and Colledges and the whole Clergy of every several Diocess within the said Province That they the said Lord Bishop of London or other President of the said Convocation and the rest of the Bishops and other the said Clergy of this present Convocation within the said Province of Canterbury or the greatest number of them whereof the President of the said Convocation to be always one shall and may from time to time during this present Parliament Confer Treat Debate Consider Consult and Agree of and upon such Points Matters Causes and Things as We from time to time shall Propose or cause to be proposed by the said Lord Bishop of London or other President of the said Convocation comercing Alterations and Amendments of the Liturgy and Canons and Orders Ordinances and Constitutions for the Reformation of Ecclesiastical Courts for the Removing of Scandalous Ministers for the Reformation of Manners either in Ministers or People and for the Examination of such Persons as desire to be admitted into Holy Orders and all such other Points Causes and Matters as We shall think Necessary and Expedient for advancing the Honour and Service of Almighty GOD the Good and Quiet of the Church and the better Government thereof And we do also by these Presents Give and Grant unto the said Lord Bishop of London or other President of the said Covocation and to the rest of the Bishops of the said Province of Canterbury and unto all Deans of Cathedral Churches Arch-Deacons Chapters and Colledges and the whole Clergy of every several Diocess within the said Province full free and lawful Liberty License Power and Authority That they the said Lord Bishop of London or other President of the said Convocation and the rest of the said Bishops and other the Clergy of the same