change of Government The power of the Keyes is committed by Christ to the Minister or his own Officers The Bishop commits them to the Chancellour who is a Lay man and yet executes that Charge Who does doubt but if the Government were changed in this point it were lawfull Nay I do not say that a change of the Hierarchy it self of the Arch-bishop and Diocesan Bishop invested with the sole power of Ordination and Juridiction into the Primitive Episcopacy acting along in these things with the Presbyters is in it self unlawfull but that it lyes in the power of a Parliament if they please to do it When I do then thus put in my exception as to the Matter Covenanted even the Alteration of Government precisely considered and rest my self only in shewing how this Oath in the Act of Covenanting was indeed in the Complex consideration in regard to that matter obivously unlawfull as I judge and give my Reason if this shall content the Bishop and serve my turn I may have cause to acknowledge his candour but none of my brethren have any to be offended at me for what I do In the last Clause I find no need of any Exception or Interpretation That which remaines therefore now in regard to this Subscription is only to put my had to my Paper which if I obtain hereby the use of my Ministry and none can convince me of sin in it I am content to do If I obtain it not if shall suffice me to have made the tryal and the matter shall be all one in point of Conformity between God and my soul as if I were clear altogether and had put no name at all to it J H. Thus much then for the Subscription I have offered my Rule and I have proceeded to Practise which I have done in the General and in this Particular I have no more to say of that Of the former the General there are several branches mentioned before and there are some of them wherein I perceive it neeedfull to make yet some further declaration more especially Concerning the Common Prayer Concerning my Second Orders and Concerning the Church Articles And when I have also done this my work is not quite done I have something to leave then if it might be obtained on other hands For the first the Common Prayer There are many particular things little and great in some part or other of the book which I must professe really I cannot give my unfained assent and consent unto and think that any man who is severe at any time upon his Conscience can hardly choose but be startled at I remember some years since a Conformist Minister using the Common Prayer in his house gave me this reason It was required he said of all Ministers and turned me presently to this passage in the Preface before the Prayers And all Priests and Deacons are to say dayly the Morning and Evening prayer either privately or openly not being let by sickness or some other urgent cause From that time I perceived I was no man for the Declaration of Assent and Consent to all and every thing contained in and prescribed by this book and also that by the shift of those words to the use I could not help my self I dare not give my consent to the use of any thing which I never intend to do I do and I shall use at home my own Prayers In the other Preface before Ordination there is a difference of Order or Office asserted between Bishop and Presbyter which was put in also in this new book on purpose when such men as Field Mason Davenant Mead Vsher do hold a difference in Degree only I cannot assent to this because I was otherwise engaged in print before this book was enjoyned and I cannot retract my opinion without conviction In the same place there is this passage but with more words And to the intent that these Orders be reverendly esteemed no man shall be accounted or taken for a Lawfull Priest or be suffered to execute the function except he be called according to this for me or bath had formerly Episcopal Ordination Reader can thy heart consent to this Art thou so assured that the nation lies under no guilt in turning out so many Ministers who were Ordained only by Presbyters as thou darest partake in the deed by thy Consent My heart I am sure will not serve me to do it In the Athanasian Creed I cannot assent to the Proeme and Conclusion by no means and God forbid they should be true The whose Creed and Articles of it I believe but I believe not that every one that don 't is uncapable of Salvation I will mention one more peculiar thing and it is a great matter that sticks with me being against my written judgement I perceive the Liturgy though all its Offices does lay the Notion of the Church upon so narrow a foundation as the Congregationall men do and I think that without some other Hypothesis we cannot defend our selves against Separation It is not upon the Christian profession in general in opposition to other Religions but upon the profession of no less than a true saving faith the child is baptized when the Sureties in the name of it self and not of its Parents do answer actually Credo Abrenuncio Having thus professed faith or repentance it is said to be Regenerate in the Office performed Upon the same profession renewed when the child comes to more years it is Confirmed No man is then admonished or presumed to be allowed to come to the Sacrament but upon an assured faith And none are burried but according to a Church judgement of Charity as Professours they are and must be accounted to go to Heaven I cannot tell well how to relish this for here is no bottom methinks for a National Church I must have such a Notion of the Church Catholick National Parochicall as a Polliceor according to the Catechisme may serve for a persons entrance into it and all the Ordinances of Worship and Discipline be means after to excite him unto grace and his duty as well as to edify him when he is holy unto Salvation This is no place I know for such a discourse Only I am not willing to be Choaked in it by swallowing this Pear of Assent and Consent In the Orders of Deacon I never approve since my self was faulty that a man does Solemnly promise to performe that Office the duties hereof being read to him when he is made Priest also at the same time and immediately casts off that Charge In the Rubricks to the Communion Baptisme and Burial if I consent to every thing prescribed or to the use of every thing there prescribed I must not deliver the Bread and Wine to a man if he scruples to Kneel at the Sacrament I must turn away his child from baptisme if he Scruples God-fathers and if the Child dies before it is Christened though the parents be my dear friends I
would have is that the Parliament would be pleased that a Bill be prepared for Peace and Union which might bear some such Title An Explanatory Act for agreement amongst Protestants and for Ease in the business in Religion In which Bill I would have such an Explanation of these Impositions and such Alleviations in regard to the tenderly considerate and peaceably Scrupulous or soberly not factiously Consciencious who will never be wonne as may do our business In the Act of Uniformity By the Declaration of Assent and Consent to all things and every thing contained in and prescribed by the two book of Common Prayer and of Ordering Priests and Deacons there is no considerate man of the Parliament ever I hope understood that these books are in every minute particular infallible or free from that defect which is incident to all humane Composures but they understand I suppose that they are in the maine contents to be sincerely approved and used I would have it therefore be here sufficient if this Declaration be made to the use of the book in the Ordinary dayly Lords-day service which we can consent to or that we may make it with a license of Exception against any matter or matters out of that Service which the Bishop shall think meet to be dispensed with upon Convincing reason Provided only that the Ordinary constant publick Service of the Liturgy obtains Consent and Practise And for the Ceremonies which are and have been always and on all hands held only for indifferent things I wish they might be left to the Consciences and prudence of Ministers and People every where excepting the Cathedralls to use them or forbear them as they judge it most meet for one anothers edification for so some Bishops I believe if it be left to them will sometimes be apt to determine themselves Provided that if any person will have his child baptized with the signe of the Cross or stands upon any thing else hitherto required by the Service-book if the Minister himself Scruple the performance he shall always have some Assistant or Curate to do it In the same Act By the Subscription before treated As I believe there was no new Ill or strange thing intended by any of them but the rightfull maintenance onely of the Kings authority against Rebellion So do I apprehend that the Interpretation and the Limitations which I do here humbly present with an unfeigned impartiality upon the several Clauses of it may pass their publick approbation or allowance which therefore I would have to be done as a matter of kind satisfaction to most Mens consciences and of grievance to no Body Onely for that part of it which is enjoyned but to the year 1682 it might do better perhaps to be made to cease presently and be no longer imposed And forasmuch as there is an Oath also in the Act of Oxford required of all Non conformist preachers that reside Ãn any Corporate town or come within five Miles of it whereof I have Printed a former Paper and given the Interpretation throughout as I believed it to be the very sense and meaning onely of the Act without limitation or exception which cannot therefore be refused insomuch as I dare and do appeal to a Vote of the two Houses whether I have delivered their minds or no I would here have it onely put to the Question and if it be as I doubt not indeed their sense that they would declare it This will make that Oath streight be generally taken Or else I will propose this rather which is better that it may suffice any man to enjoy the right of this free-born liberty to go where he will in his own Country I mean to escape the penalty of this Act and serve him also instead of the forementioned Subscription to take that Oath in this form of words following I A. B. do swear that I hold it unlawful upon any pretence to take Armes against the King his Government or Laws And that I disclaim that dangerous Position of taking Armes by his Authority against his Person or any Legally commissionated by him in the Legal pursuit of such Commissions And that I will not endeavour any alteration of Government in the Church or State in any way or manner not warranted by the Constitution of this Kingdom that is in a seditious manner or any otherwise then by Act of Parliament It being required moreover in the Act of uniformity which is another of the things also before Mentioned that every Minister who enjoyes any Living shall be ordained by a Bishop and there are several persons of late who in case of necessity for want of Bishops took Presbyterian Orders I would have the Parliament declare it their intent for redeeming their credit with the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas not to make it absolutely necessary for such persons to be reordained to the Office but that it may be enough for them if they receive this second Imposition of hands to the Exercise of their Office in the New charge unto which they are or shall be appointed and that the Bishop may and shall frame his words accordingly This is the only way that I could find out for peace to my own mind as I have told before in this business And whereas there is a Subscription also in the Canons and the Canonical Oath of Obedience imposed on most Ministers by the Bishops mentioned before likewise which have given some of the greatest occasion to Non-conformists heretofore and which yet have never passed into a Law by any Act of Parliament I would here have it enquired by what Authorty one of these is imposed for I know none And for that which is found in the Canons being what is more than needs because included in other injunctions I would have it Exauthorized and that nothing more of this nature might be imposed on us than is made necessary by the Act of the thirteenth of Elizabeth Provided nevertheless if the Bishop be unsatisfyed about any particular Person he shall be ready to offer a due acknowledgment of his reverence to Bishops in a laudible Testimony thereof under his hand and of his fair regard to the main substance of the three Articles contained in that Canonicall Subscription in such expressions as shall best satisfy his own Conscience and be approved as sufficient under the hands of two Episcopal Doctors or allowed by the Bishop And in regard there hath bin great offence taken by consciencious Ministers which is a thing hath not yet bin mentioned at the Bishop or his Courts commanding them to read then sentence of Excommunication against some or other of their Parish for such faults as they think not at all worthy of so great censure or else be exempted from the execution of that charge and that the Bishop or his Court provide some other person that is satisfied about it to do it And I would have none forced to give the Body and Blood of Christ to
THE Healing Paper OR A Catholick Receipt for UNION Between the Moderate Bishop Sober Non-conformist Maugre all the Aversation of the Unpeaceable By a Follower of Peace and Lover of Sincerity For we must needs Dye and are as Water spilt upon the Ground which cannot be gathered up again Neither doth God respect any Person yet doth he devise Means that his Banished be not expelled from him 2 Sam. 14.14 LONDON Printed for B. T. and T. M. 1678. THE Epistle Dedicatory SEeing Dedications are become Customary I will choose me a Patron for this Book as a Papist chooses his Saint He fancies such a one will be Propitious to his Affairs and addresses himself to him in his Prayers but knows not whether he hears him or no. The Person whom I choose to make this Dedication to shall be the Honourable Mr. Speaker of the House of Commons whom I know not nor he me in the least If he did this would be Flattery which now is Adventure and might be but a Blurr which now is Honour I do fancy that Person to be an impartial perspicacious Gentleman and that he will therefore like the Honesty and Innocency of these Sheets I do Fancy that as it is hard to find a Parallel to him in sufficiency for his Province so it is not easy in the circumstances Speakers are to have a Man in the Chair of more Integrity or natural Byass to the Publick Good and so far as I know to the Protestant Cause I do fancy that he will not therefore in good earnest turn off any seasonable well-digested Motion if any be tendred in the House for Moderation in the business of Religion I do think him verily a man Unconcern'd for the Nonconformists but not Malicious to Good People and though Portly not so High as to be Offended at a Mean mans good Conceit of him I am perswaded that in my sphear I cannot put a greater Dignity upon him if he serves our End than by the peculiarity of such a Dedication If he deceives me and proves one that designes any thing Evil and not the best things for the Church of God let him answer it to the Almighty He shall be no longer my Patron on Earth nor Saint in Heaven The Author To the Reader THE Designe of this Paper is to chalk out the Way for the Parliament if they shall kindly please to Open the Door of the Church for us but if they will not to Draw the Latch and come in our selves And it shall yet come to pass that there shall come a People and the Inhabitants of many Cities and go to one another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also The Healing Paper IF I had any longer hope or trust in our Publick Physitians that they would lay to heart the Breaches of the Church and endeavour the Cure of those Wounds which she hath received in the House of her Friends by some Universal Accommodation of Protestants one with another which would be the strength of the Nation against Forreign Enemies and the Security of our Religion at Home I should forbear the Studying out any of these lesser and private Remedies in our case for fear of being guilty of the Healing the Hurt of the Daughter of Gods People slightly which were a fault indeed if I could do it better but when no more can be done God forbid I should cease to offer my last mite to the Work in shewing the way that is yet left us and consequently the duty for ought I know on both sides unto which were are bound how to do it not distrusting the favour of God and many good men in the Action There is a Rule therefore I must lay down between the Nonconformist and the Bishop for my proceeding in this great Design I will suppose them both sensible that an endeavour after Concord as brethren in the same Reformed Religion is an undeniable duty and that a wilful neglect of it cannot be Answered unto God by either Party whosoever of them shall be found in Default The Rule then for Accommodation which I have to offer in the Name of God as equal to both is this That the Nonconformist be ready to do in the sincerity of his Conscience what he can and that out of the like conscience to God the Bishop do bear with him in what he cannot so long as by this means or upon these termes they so agree and unite in the Main as the Establisht Order be kept up in the Land It is but Reasonable the Bishop look to This and it is Necessary that Wee look to our Consciences The Rule is in order to the End and if they will abate to us in the Circumstances or in the Lesser things enjoyned so much as we may preserve our Consciences and abate no more but that the Establishment which being made by King and Parliament requires our Subjection may be preserved in the Substance or in the greater concerns of it I see not but for Peace sake for our Souls sake for the Churches sake the thing should be done The Nonconformist is to consider well the import of such Texts as require Subjection to the Higher Powers and he is out of Conscience to the Fifth Commandement to comply with their Injunctions to the uttermost that may give them satisfaction so far as he can without Sin The Bishop is to consider the import of such Texts as tell us what a dangerous thing it is to give occasion to the Doubtful to do any thing against their Consciences and he is out of Conscience to the Sixth Commandement for fear of destroying him for whom Christ dyed to take heed as he would of his life to put a man upon any more than he is convinced he can safely do When the Nonconformist does what he can the Law of God will bear him out in that which he does not and if he suffers he has peace in his Soul If the Bishop likewise shall Receive a man upon this account as one that cannot require more of him lest he wound his weak Conscience and so sins against Christ I do not doubt but the Law of God will justifie him also in whatsoever he falls short in the execution of the Law of Man I know the Law does indeed make no difference between those that would do what they can and those that do any thing less than all it requires but the great Law of Charity Mercy and Righteousness or of Meeting to others that measure as we would have met to us in the like case does require other things This is a Truth to be made known and propagated to the Nation that all Laws or Injunctions of Men whatsoever which are not consistent with the Law of Nature or Word of God so far I say as they are inconsistent therewith are void null and no Laws Nihil minus sunt q am leges as Cicero De legibus