Pattern of order and unity will be the most confused body in the World every body will become his own Lord and Master and will live and do as he lift but how opposite is this to that command of our Saviour If he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican and to that of the Apostle obey them that have the Rule over you when at this rate no Man has any other Ruler but his own peevish will Our Saviour therefore to prevent this confusion as he had Authority immediatly from God so he gave his Apostles full Commission to send others with the like power of appointing new Bishops to the end of the World as fast as any should dye or the places become void And to this purpose he says as my Father sent me Joh. 20. that is with power of sending you so send I you with power of sending others And lo I am with you alwaies unto the end of the World accordingly we find Paul and Barnabas ordained by the appointment of the Holy Ghost Act. 13.2 3. and they again when they had received this power goe about ordaining Bishops in every Church where they were wanting Acts 14.23 and then Acts 20. the Apostle exhorts the Bishops to feed the Flock of Christ over whom the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops Thus Timothy was ordained by St Paul and he had power to ordain others but he is charged to lay hands suddenly on no Man 1 Tim. 5.22 Titas also was left in Crete to ordain Elders and set in order the things that were wanting So that Christ he first sent forth his Apostles the Apostles they ordained and sent forth Bishops they were to judge of their abilities and so to give them charge of Souls and the People were to hearken to them and obey them as appointed by the Holy Ghost Act. 20. and so other Priests and Officers that follow their orders and directions 2 Cor. 7.15 What method was observed in appointing Bishops and Governours of the Church after the Apostles dayes 'T IS not to be expected that the Names of all the Persons that were called to be Governours in the Church and the places and bounds within which every Man was to exercise his Authority should be set down in Scripture no more then the Names and Places of Kings and Printes and Civil Governours are The common rules of prudence and order are enough to direct in this as well as the other matters so that all things be done decently and in order and to the edification of the Church Now the Rules of decency and order do require that Persons should be appointed peaceably and therefore no Man must thrust himself into any Government till he be duely called and set apart for that Office neither must any one usurp anothers place and disturb him in the quiet discharge of his duty And then that all may be done to edification t is fit the Persons should be able and well qualified to do their Office so there must be Persons who have power to appoint and judgement to examine and discern the fitness of the Men who are to be called to so high a dignity as to be Teachers and Governours of the Church how they are for life and conversation that Magistrates and People can bear witness to and are allowed to except against ill Men. But whether they are sound in Faith and indued with knowledge and understanding rightly to divide the word of God and discharge their duty that was ever the Office of the Bishops to enquire as also to ordain and appoint them for they must lay hands suddenly on no Man 1 Tim. 5.22 but are to commit this Authority to faithfull Men who are able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2.2 again how shall they Preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 no Man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 Now that was after a solemn and orderly manner by Gods appointment he was legally consecrated and set apart for that Office Exod. 28. so were the Apostles so were those sent abroad by the Apostles and so Persons were appointed in all ages of the Church being first examined and tryed and then Ordained and sent forth by the Bishops according to certain Canons and the same order is observed at this day in all Churches that stand established in any setled Government And thô there be a dispute in some places whether Bishops and Priests be of the same order and upon that supposition that every Priest is a Bishop and has Originally in him fullness of all Authority and Power some do take it upon them to ordain thô meer Presbyters yet it is upon that principle and supposition that a Presbyter is equal to a Bishop and has Authority from Christ to ordain others by virtue of his Office and so still they maintain that Men must be examined and appointed by Bishops in a Regular manner before they ought to be allowed to take upon them any Office of Preaching and Governing in the Church And suppose a Bishop and Presbyter were one Order and a Presbyter had equal Authority originally to Ordain as well as Bishops which in the judgment of most Churches they have not yet what an unreasonable thing is it to make use of a power of Ordination which was never owned and allowed for 1500 years in the Church and which does create many doubts and disputes and great confusion in the Church when they may have Ordination from the Bishops which all confess is sound and valid and thereby Men may avoid giving scandal to many Churches and raising Scruples in the minds of People at home which all charity does require good Christians to prevent Now this Succession of Bishops down from the Apostles time to our dayes Luther T. 4. p. 6 7 8. Twenty years after his first appearing against the errors of the Church of Rome The Apostles were called by Christ himself the Apostles afterward called their Disciples as Paul called Timothy and Titus Who afterward called the Bishops the Bishops called their Successors and that Call continued to our times and shall continue to the end of the World and 't is a mediate call because it is by Men yet it is Divine and this is the generall call all over the World after the Apostles neither is it to be changed but highly esteemed by reason of some fanaticall Men which despise it and boast of another better call whereby they say they are moved by the Spirit to teach But such impostors lye they are moved by a Spirit indeed but not by a good but a wicked Spirit Wherefore we must not run into another Man's charge as the Devil does stir up his Ministers to run where they are not called has run as clearly and as evidently as the Succession of our Kings in England since William the Conquerour still one succeeding another as any died or
THE NECESSITY Of Adhering To the Church of ENGLAND As by Law established OR The Duty of a Good Christian And particularly of PARENTS and MASTERS OF FAMILIES UNDER The Present Toleration By William Saywell D. D. Arch-deacon of Ely These are they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Jude 19. CAMBRIDGE Printed by J. Hayes Printer to the University for Edw. Hall Bookseller there 1692. Decemb. 23. 1691. Imprimatur Gabr. Quadring Procan Jo. Beaumont Humf. Gower Joh. Covel THE PREFACE TO All in any Authority ESPECIALLY To Parents and Masters of Families IN THE ARCH-DEACONRY Of ELY I Have in the following Discourse shewed you the true way to Peace and Happiness upon Earth and the certain means of Salvation in the World to come if you will keep your selves and Families in the Communion of the Church of England and practise those Rules and Orders which She has required for your Publick Devotion and duties of Religion And also made it evident what danger your Children and Servants are in of being ruined if you doe not make use of that Power and Authority which God has given you over them to see them duely Instructed in their Catechism and brought up in a Religious conversation and constant attendance at the Prayers and Sacraments of the Church This I have often urged with great earnestness to your Ministers and Church-wardens as they can very well testifie and this if I had opportunity I should deliver to your consideration in your several Parishes and I doubt not but your Ministers often put you in mind of the same but my strength and other occasions not affording me leasure to do that I do send these Books which you may Read and meditate upon at your spare times And for your farther direction besides your Bible and Common-Prayer I recommend to Your and Their serious perusal a Book called The whole Duty of Man where you have Sober and Pious discourses about your particular Duties and also usefull directions about Prayer and other parts of Private Devotion 'T is not only Meat and Drink you are to take care of for your Families as the Beasts do for their young but you are also to provide for their Souls which are the better part and therefore see them educated in the true Faith and Obedience to God and made usefull Instruments to promote the Peace and welfare of their Country Schism and Heresie will make them enemies to both and to you to It will teach them to be stubborn and self-willed Proud and Morose Peevish and ill Natured False and Treacherous and common disturbers of the Church and State all which inconveniences you will avoid if you bring them up in the constant Communion of the Church of England for She only here teaches them the true old Way and the plain Doctrines of the Catholick Church and She is the only particular Church to whom by the Laws of God and Man you are bound to yield submission and this has been fully made out not only against Papists but all other Schismaticks and Dissenters This all Godfathers and Godmothers ought to take into their serious Consideration and where Parents are careless or erroneous they should use their endeavour to see their God-sons and God-daughters brought up in the Profession of that Faith into which they were Baptized the neglect whereof has made the command of the Church herein so much complained off and condemned by the Dissenters for else no Man in his wits can find fault with the Churches care in this matter Since beside the Parents who have a natural Obligation to breed up their Children in the fear of God others are engaged to take care to see that done in Case the Parents dye or neglect it Indeed it is every Christians care in some measure but that it might be more Orderly managed 't is layd upon some few to take it into their more especial Charge and usually left amongst Friends and Relations which in Reason and Nature will be most carefull to see it done To say it is much neglected is no more then may be said of too many Parents also but the custome is very good and Sureties ought to be more carefull to perform the Trust that the Church and Friends lay upon them and to do what they can by themselves or others is all that is expected But it is not onely teaching them their Catechism is sufficient but you ought to see that they lead their Lives according to those Pious Rules and Directions that the Church has taught them and also carefully to restrain them and to correct them for their Vices and Debauchery such as Swearing Lying Drunkenness absenting from the Church and all other kind of Wickedness and the better to prevent all these mischiefs carry them with you at all times to the Church and take account of them what they have Learned and Observed from the Ministers Sermons and Catechizing and be oftentimes on Sundays c. and other Leasure times putting them in mind of their Duty See Deut. 6.7 This the State as well as the Church does now more particularly require of you Deut. 11.18.19 during the Toleration which is not meant to justifie Heresie or Schism or to warrant that they are in a safe condition that separate from the Church no more then Jews or Hereticks who have the like benefit much less to encourage Ignorance and Profaness but only to take off the Temporal Punishment which the Civil State did inflict Now God does often defer his Judgments to wait for our amendment and Parents and Masters do sometimes think it convenient to wink at Offences in their Children and Servants and so thô the State does not at present punish Dissenters yet it does so far disapprove of their Wayes that all the Obligations in Conscience to Conform to the Church still remain both by the Laws of the Church and State also Neither is any Man thought fit to be admitted to any Office or Place of Trust that does not joyn in Communion with the Church of England Besides you must consider thô Punishments may be an outward means yet 't is voluntary Obedience makes good Christians If therefore you will discharge your Duty to God to the Church and State and the Obligation you owe to your Families you must diligently observe these Directions and take more particular Care at this time in the educating of your Children and Servants in the Communion of the Church nay if you expect they should receive any Benefit from any Publick employment in Church or State And I pray God direct you and make you carefull herein and I as I have opportunity shall sometimes come and see and enquire how well your Parish-Churches and Sacraments are frequented by those who would be accounted hearty Friends and true Sons of the Church of England For if they are careless herein how can we expect it from others who would rejoyce at our Destruction and the Papists in the end will
satisfied and you feel a great deal of comfort in the way you take to worship God and have the testimony of your Conscience that you do act sincerely and as you think for the glory or God But how easily may Men flatter and deceive themselves with such pretences Do not Jews and Mahometans all Hereticks and Schismaticks pretend the same And are not many of them fully as Zealous and consident in their way and do they not as much condemn you in their thoughts as you can them Nay those that killed the Apostles thought they did God service So that to rely upon an inward satisfaction Joh. 16.2 the pretence of Conscience without solid reason and foundation in Gods word is the common mistake that deludes the greatest part of Mankind If ever then you hope to appear with comfort before God you must lay aside fancy and perswasion and examine both your Faith and your Lives according to the holy Scriptures If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel in part or in whole or neglect any part of This let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 When our Saviour began to preach this was the Summ of his Doctrine Repent and relieve the Gospel Mar. 1.15 When he sent his Apostles into the world it was with this large Commission Preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.15 16. St Paul afterwards speaking of the Day of Judgment Says God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 Again Christ Jesus shall he revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power The Gospel does not only contain promises but precepts duties as well as rewards And therefore our Saviour when he is asked what a man should do to be saved gives this answer If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Again if ye love me keep my Commandments St James says whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 This contains all articles of our Creed and all other Christian duties we must not think then our Zeal for one duty will excuse our neglect of another we must not so much regard what we have done but supply that we have not done If through errour or mistake any have lived in Schism Heresie Disobedience or breach of any other command he must repent and amend for no confidence and self conceit can justifie us before God while we live in neglect of our Duty Obedience to Governours and love and unity with our fellow Christians necessary Duties of the Gospel AS our Saviour came into the World to reform the errours and vices of corrupt Nature and teach Men the principles of Peace and Vertue so in his Gospel he has given most severe commands of mutual love and obedience to his Bishops and Governours because without it there would be nothing but ignorance and errour quarrels and confusion and as it was in the Jewish Nation when there was no King in Israel every one did what was right in his own eyes so it will be in the Church where there are no Governours or none that are hearkened to or regarded every man will follow the devices of his own heart Therefore when he founded his Church the first thing he does is to appoint Governours with power not only to shut out of his Church but out of Heaven all those that contemn their authority and will not be governed by them Matt. 16.18 19. Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdome of Heaven whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shalt be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And though in this place it be promised to St Peter to shew that each single Bishop had that power in his respective charge whilst he lives in communion with and conformity to the Church yet Matt. 18. it is said whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and when our Saviour actually bestows this power John 20.23 he gives it equally to all the Apostles whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Again he says he that receiveth you receiveth me he that rejecteth you rejecteth me and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me And when he was going into Heaven that he might fully provide for the order and government of his Church he gives his Apostles authority over the whole World to rule and to punish them as well as to teach and comfort them and this power is to last to the end of the World All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth go ye therefore into all the World make Disciples all Nations and lo I am with you alwayes unto the end of the World Matt. 28. The Apostle Hebr. 13. bids Christians remember them that have the Rule over you who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow v. 7. again Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls v. 17. And 't is our Saviours express command if he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican and then he adds to shew whom he means by the Church that 't is the Bishops and Governours of his Church whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Matt. 18.17 18. So that it is beyond all possible doubt that there are Bishops and Governours sent by Christ to continue to the end of the World and there is a Church that must be hearkened unto under peril of being shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven There must be a method and order observed in appointing the Bishops and Governours of the Church that Men may know whom they ought to obey and whose punishments they ought to avoid ALL Men confess in general that Christ has left Bishops and Governours in his Church but they are not all agreed who are those who have this Authority committed to them Now there must be some orderly method for our direction in this as well as other matters or else the Authority will signifie nothing and not attain that end for which it was appointed For if every body be left to follow whom he please then all censures and excommunications will come to nothing assoon as Men are shut out from one Pastor they will run to another if one will not comply with their humour they will go to another that will and so the Christian society which ought to be the
to read through and consider the meaning of the Scriptures so as to be able to satisfie themselves in all doubts and scruples that cunning Hereticks raise to pervert them from the Truth Therefore Christ Jesus left Pastors and Teachers and founded a Church to continue a constant Pillar and Monument to expound to us all difficult and hard places and to condemn and censure false interpretations and stop the mouths of Seducers from spreading abroad damnable Heresies to the ruine of your Souls and then that her Authority might not be despised Matt. 18. The Scripture says if any one refuse to hear the Church let him be unto Thee as an Heathen man and a Publican And for our better encouragement to hearken to her instruction our Lord has promised that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against it Matt. 16. And then to direct the unlearned and unstable he has set Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4.11 12 13 14. for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we may henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive c. So that we do not take off from the fullness and sufficiency of the Scriptures if rightly expounded and understood but for the satisfaction of the unlearned and unstable which are the greatest part of Mankind we must remember that God has kept up a Church and constant succession of Bishops and Ministers in an Orderly way to teach us the true meaning of his Word and to keep up Discipline and Order and so to preserve us from the Heresies and false Interpretations of Schismaticks that lead Men unto errour and destruction While Men therefore keep within the City they are in no danger of being a prey to the wild Beasts but if they run into a Wilderness they may easily be destroyed by them While they keep within the Ship they are secure from drowning but if they forsake that and commit themselves to the unconstant Waves 't is Ten Thousand to One if they do not miscarry So while Men keep within the Communion of the Church and follow the guidance of those Pastors which God has appointed to keep them steady there is no danger of their Salvation but if they forsake the Church and run into Conventicles Psal 91.11 they go out of Gods way and so out of his protection and are exposed to all Heresie and Confusion If their Teachers do not Sin wilfully and lead them into Heresie yet they may mislead them through ignorance and unskilfullness WHO can tell how oft he offendeth nay the Heart above all things is deceitfull therefore 't is an easie matter for Men that follow the guidance of their own understanding and neglect the command of the Church to be deluded by the Devil who often appears as an Angel of Light and yet is still busie to seek whom he may devour Neither can they hope for the blessing of God and depend upon the promise of his direction when they go into by Pathes and pursue their own devices How many plain things may such presumptuous Men overlook how often may they misunderstand some parts of Gods word which want more care and attention Besides who can be sure that they come with all Languages and other helps to reading them or take such pains to read and compare all Texts as not to be ignorant in many duties of great necessity to be observed And if the blind lead the blind they both fall into the ditch And no wonder if People perish for want of vision when they wilfully run away from the instruction of the Church and follow such ignorant guides who had need to be taught the first Principles of humility and understanding Thô therefore by good Words and fair Speeches they may deceive the hearts of the Simple and may gather many excellent expressions out of the Holy Scriptures yet 't is a great rashness and want of Judgment for Men to trust their Souls upon the skill and understanding of such private Seducers who by their ignorance may leave them without that sufficient instruction which is necessary to Salvation Objections and Questions against Conformity answered BUT some will Object that their setting up Conventicles in opposition to the Bishops and Ministers is no more then what the Bishops did in opposition to the Church of Rome and therefore if they are Schismaticks now the Bishops were also by Reforming the Church without the Authority of the Pope and Church of Rome I answer By the Council of Nice and all other general Councils and the constant Order of the Catholick Church all Provincial and National Churches have power to Govern themselves and reform any abuses or errours that have crept into their Communion And our Bishops and Clergy did in an Orderly way lay aside several errours that are maintained by the Church of Rome but still retain the Faith and unity of the Catholick Church and we do also particularly blame the Roman Church for breaking the Order and rejecting the Traditions of the Primitive Fathers and general Councils but do not at all break the Rule of Christian Charity to the Church of Rome or any other Church in the World we leave them to Reform and Govern their own Churches and do but use the same Liberty over our own Members which Christ has given and the Church has ever maintained which we allow them to use over those of their own Communion for they ought to Reform those abuses as we have done Obj. But is there not a plain rent and division made in the Church by this Reformation and those that were united before in One Communion are broken into several parties Answ That there are and must be Heresies and Schisms in the Church we are taught by the Holy Scriptures 1 Cor. 11.19 That they which are approved may be made manifest But we cannot answer for other Men it is sufficient we break Charity with no body we pay all Love and friendship and all that communion that one particular Church ought to pay to another but we do not intermeddle with their private affairs or disturb and embroyl their Communion and if the Church of Rome and other Churches that hold with her would keep the same temper that we have and still do we should quickly see an end of all our Divisions Can. 30. for we differ from none but where they differ from themselves and depart from the Primitive purity of those Ancient and Apostolical Churches from whence they had their beginning And as for that Obedience and Conformity which we require of our own Members it is no other and upon far
we do from these Men. Answ Perhaps their passionate way of speaking their Noise with now and then an affected Sigh and Groan may stir up a present passion in you as a good Actor at a Play does who can make the People cry and laugh when he will I hope therefore you will not say that the Actor is moved by the Spirit and those are all made Godly People that are thus moved and affected as to burst into Tears so that if you Judge of the soundness of your Religion by such outward Passions I fear the Player when he sets about it will make you believe he is the most Sanctified Preacher Setting then aside this which is no argument of the working of the Holy Spirit but an act of the Man and all the efficacy is lost in an hour or Two assoon as you come into Company or are taken up with business and other affairs You must not therefore Judge of your Religion by a sudden passion but by your sound understanding and steady performing all parts of your Duty Obj. But this cannot be a sudden Passion only in me but must be a real work of the Holy Spirit because I find a great change in my Life I am grown more sober read and meditate upon Gods Word and mind Religion more then I did before Answ But that is no Argament that you are in a safe way so long as you continue in Schism for when the Devil did find he could no longer ruine your Soul by open prophaness he now may tempt you to more secret Sins to more Spiritual wickedness which are as heinous in the sight of God and as dangerous to your Salvation Obj. We have satisfied our selves all along upon these accounts Answ But you see they are weak grounds to rely upon for all this while thô you are Zealous for some you may be wanting in many other necessary duties and you are guilty of Schism disobedience to Parents destroy all Discipline and Order in the Church encourage Atheism and Prophaness and endanger the safety both of Church and State meerly upon fancies and humours for I can call it no other because there is not One good thing that you can learn and observe there that you cannot as well have and practice in the communion of the Church Besides you act against the Sense of the Primitive Church and all other Churches in the World Obj. If it be so we are much mistaken and greatly abused by our Ministers Answ It is certainly so and while you follow such blind and erring guides no wonder if you fall into destruction Obj. We have been told by our Preachers and therefore did verily believe that the Ancient Church were Papists and when the Divines of the Church of England did talk to us of following the Doctrine and Government of the Ancient Church we thought it was only with a design to prepare the way to bring us to Popery Answ Now I hope you are satisfied that the Church of England is no wayes inclining to Popery but does endeavour to teach you your Duty according to the Holy Scriptures and further to confirm the Truth and soundness of their interpretation of Gods Word by the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and the generall Councils and tradition of the Catholick Church And this you may see if you read their late Writings they do as heartily maintain against the Church of Rome as they did before against the other Dissenters and Fanaticks Obj. I am very well satisfied now that the Men of the Church of England are far from being Papists but you tell me that all other Reformed Churches do approve of the Church of England and are ready to joyn with her in communion and condemn those for Schismaticks that set up separate Congregations Answ Yes I do so and if you will but advise with your Bishops and Ministers they will easily be able to prove it to your satisfaction You may read much to this purpose in my Evangelical and Catholick unity where you have the opinions of Luther Melancthon Bucer and Calvin in their own words to this purpose Obj. Then therein I perceive our Teachers have greatly abused us also Indeed I find many rational and sober Men of the Church of England and I believe there may be a great deal of Truth in what you say but yet they are of such a persecuting spirit that they will let no body live quietly by them that are not of their perswasion which we think to be a very ill temper not becoming the moderation of the Gospel Answ It is a sad thing that the Church of England which is the most gentle and moderate and does disclaim all cruelty and hard usage upon the account of Religion should now be accounted the greatest Persecutor as I perceive she is at this time People strangely forget themselves and the opinions and practices of their own Party when they lay such an accusation upon the Church of England which does disown any power of temporal punishment Obj. But there were many Statutes that did inflict severe penalties upon Dissenters Answ These are made by the State for the security of the Government for they finding Dissenters generally enemies to the publick Peace and endeavouring changes and alterations by Mutiny and Sedition saw it necessary by Penal Laws to restrain them from growing too numerous and to keep them within the bounds of their duty Obj. But does not the Church of England then allow of Penal Statutes Answ In a moderate way she does to make Men hear and consider but not to undoe them Obj. But surely Men need not to be used like Children they have discretion to mind their duty without being stirred up by punishments Answ They should have so but 't is plain that they have not Rom. 13. and therefore God Almighty has placed Governours and Officers to be a terrour to evil doers and a praise and an honour to them that do well and mind their duty Obj. Yes if punishments were inflicted on evil doers we should like that well but they punish Godly People because they will not go against their Conscience Answ Do you account then all the Idle Lazy people that lye at home and sleep or else sit drinking at Ale-houses in time of Divine Service and will never so much as take pains to understand their Catechism and bring their Children to be instructed in the Grounds of the Christian Religion Godly People Now 't is evident these idle and ignorant People unless they be stirred up by punishment will never give themselves the trouble to understand and do their duty and so will ruine their own and their Childrens Souls Obj. If you did punish only such idle and lazy People that did live like Heathens and require them and their Children to hear and do their duty no sober Man but must approve of such Discipline and will say such People deserve to be punished But you punish Godly People that do read
and meditate upon the holy Scriptures and take pains to know and do their duty thô they do not conform to the Church of England Answ The Laws are made in generall for all that absent themselves from the publick Service for else all idle People would excuse themselves under that pretence of being Dissenters Besides many are Dissenters not out of Conscience but out of Pride Humour and for temporal advantage and so run into Heresie Schism and Destruction It is all the reason in the World that such carnall affections should be restrained and Men obliged to hear and consider the sober Instruction of the Church and the design of all punishments is to that purpose that men might not neglect their duty out of humour and laziness c. Obj. You will not allow then that the Church of England is a persecuting Church Answ No by no means no body can with any colour say that of Her she does advise all Magistrates to use that wholesome Discipline which God has appointed and which all Holy and Religious Magistrates have executed to oblige People to hear and consider For as all Parents are bound to teach and correct their Children if they be disorderly so all Christian Magistrates as they are common Fathers of their Countrey ought to see their Children instructed in the principles of true Religion and have a right to punish their unruly and disorderly Children accordingly there are Laws for that purpose which when executed as they ought to be bring Peace and Holyness to a Nation thô in the executing them there is great prudence and moderation to be used which the Governours are to take into their Consideration Obj. But why do you say the Church of England is the most moderate Church in the World Answ Because she like the true Mother is for correcting and not destroying her disorderly Children Obj. Surely those that now cry up Toleration and talk of liberty of Conscience when and where they had power were not for putting to death and exterminating those that did differ from them Answ Yes you may read lamentable Stories of the cruelty of the Anabaptists in Germany and I need not tell of the cruelties and Murders committed by others who would be representing the Church of England for a persecuting Church I shall not name particulars inquire and you will easily satisfie your selves that the Church of England does but advise such moderate discipline as Fathers ought to exercise over their Children when the Dissenters are generally not satisfied but with blood and destruction Obj. I cannot say but you speak a great deal of reason in the defence of the Church of England and I perceive many good Men think it no harm to joyn with her upon occasion but they think they may also goe and hear a good Sermon in a Meeting Answ But is not that to set up a Schism and plainly to make a fraction in the Church and it is encouraging Children to think meanly of and to despise their own Ministers Parents and Masters for what is it but the very case that St. Paul blames in the Corinthians that one was for Paul another for Apollos another for Cephas for thô a Dissenter may Preach well yet when he does it in opposition to the Church without any call and does draw People into parties it is that Schism which is condemned by the Scripture and will bring all those mischiefs that I have already spoken of and does plainly teach People to despise their Governours Ministers and fellow Christians Obj. But why do you say those Preachers have no call Answ Because most of them have no Ordination and if they had they have no Licence and Authority from the Bishops and Governours and so by the Law of Christ and the constant Rule of the Church they have no power to Preach for how shall they Preach except they be sent If they were Ordained they ought not to thrust themselves into another Mans charge Obj. Thô they have no outward Call from the Church yet they are sent by Jesus Christ Answ How do you prove that Obj. Because we find them endned with excellent gifts and Christ did not bestow such Talents to be hid in a napkin Answ Gifts are no Argument that a Man has a Lawfull call for a Heretick or a Schismatick may have Gifts and use them to divide and destroy the Church Therefore as none must Preach without a call so if any that are called turn Heretick or Schismatick he may be silenced again Titus 1.10 for besides gifts there must be a sober and orderly Conversation sound profession Obedience to the Orders of the Church and if this Method were not observed and Men tied to be Peaceable and Cuiet and subject to their respective Governours the Church would be the most confused Society in the World Obj. I confess Ministers ought to be quiet and peaceable Men and they ought to promote Love and Unity Answ But after this way of running into Conventicles there can be neither Love nor Unity nor holiness in the Church for one Preacher will be setting up in opposition to another and Sects and Divisions will daily increase And you see by experience Schismaticks differ one from another as they do from the Church and then fall a censuring and condemning one another as much as they did the Church and thence proceed Hatred Strife endless Quarrels and Contentions and Heresies Ignorance and Profaness overspread the Nation and all these mischiefs come upon us because Men will not submit to that Order and Government that Christ has set in his Church but after their own lusts heap to themselves Teachers having isching Ears 2 Tim. 4.3 Now the Scripture says Men that thus oppose the Peace and Order of the Church must have their mouths stopped Tit. 1.10 11. But if they are not stopped all good Christians ought to avoid having any thing to do with them Rom. 16. Obj. Then I perceive you would take away the liberty of Conscience granted by the Act of Parliament Answ The Act of Parliament is only to free you from the punishment that might be inflicted upon you by Law on your Body or Estate and is equally extended to Anabaptists Quakers and other Hereticks and almost Persons of all Perswasions whatsoever and to keep them quiet as to the State under their perverse humours and therefore was never meant to lead you to the way of Salvation or to warrant them to be good Christians and my design is rightly to inform your Conscience and perswade you not to use this liberty for a Cloak of maliciousness and to take this opportunity to run from the truth is the way to bring upon your selves everlasting destruction as many do that forsake the Church of England Obj. Do you think then we are in such a dangerous condition Answ It is not for me to pronounce Sentence upon any One as to the other World but according to the Rules of Gods Word and the constant