Catechism That Children do perform Faith and Repentance by their sureties is also as great a stumbling to our Faith and we cannot get over it How the Adult should believe and repent for Minors or Infants Believe and Repent by Proxie I omit many others § 2. They plead that they are not satisfied in the use of any Mystical Ceremonies in Gods Worship and particularly they judge the use of the Cross in Baptism to be sinful A Sacrament of Divine Institution according to the definition of the Church in her Catechism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof where we have 1. The matter of a Sacrament An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace 2. The Author of a Divine Sacrament Christ himself 3. The End of it to be a means to convey the thing signified and a pledge to assure us of it Hence it 's evident that it 's simply impossible that any Church should institute a Divine Sacrament because they cannot give it a Causality to those Graces it is instituted to signifie Nevertheless it 's possible for Men to institute Humane Sacraments which shall have the Matter of a Sacrament That is an outward Visible Sign of an inward Spiritual Grace and they may pretend to ascribe an effect to it also to stir up to excite or encrease Grace and Devotion And yet because it wants the right efficient Cause it 's no lawful Sacrament though it be an Humane Sacrament Such an institution say they is the Sign of the Cross. An outward Visible Sign of an inward Spiritual Grace Ordained by Men as a means to effect whatever Man can work by his Ordinance Here is the matter without Divine Signature which is the thing they condemn it for 3. They plead that since Communion with the Church is suspended and denyed but upon such Terms as take away Christian Liberty in part and by consequence leave all the rest at Mercy they dare not accept of Communion upon those Terms There are some things which God has in the general left free and indifferent to do or not do yet at some times and in some Cases it may be my great sin if I should do some of them as when it would wound the Conscience and destroy the Soul of a weak Christian If now I shall engage my self to the Church that I will never omit such an indifferent thing and the Soul of that weak Christian should call to me to omit it I have tyed my Hands by engagement I cannot help him though it would save his or a thousand Souls out of Hell because I have given away my freedom to the Church 4. They plead that they ought not to hazard their Souls in one Congregation if they may more hopefully secure them in another for that their Souls are their greatest concernment in this World and the next Now say they there 's no Question but Men Preach such as they Print with pubiick allowance and therefore they ought to provide better for their Souls elsewhere Especially they say That the Doctrine of Justification is Articulus stantis vel cadentis Ecclesiae an Article with which the Church falls or stands This Article say they in the Parish where we live is quite demolish'd by the Doctrine of Iustification by Works we are bound therefore to provide for our safety and depart and when we are once out we will advise upon another Church not which is tolerable but which is most eligible and in all things nearest the Word 5. They plead that there 's no obligation upon them to own the Churches Power to impose new Terms of Communion unless the Church can prove her Power from Christ it 's not for them to disprove it it lies upon her to prove it and to prove it substantially too or else it will be hard to prove it their duty to own it 6. They say the World is pestered with Disputes about Worship about Religion and therefore since all cannot be in the right they are willing to go the safest way and Worship God according to his Word If the things disputed be lawful to be done let 'em be so they are sure its lawful to let 'em alone and they think there 's no great hazard in keeping to Scripture Rule nor can believe that Christ will send any to Hell because they did not Worship God in an External Mode more neat and spruce then God commanded 7. They pretend that the things imposed are parts of Worship which none can Create but God nor will God accept of any but such as are of his own Creating and whether they be Integral or Essential Parts they do not know but in the Worship of God they find them standing upon even ground with those that are certainly Divine or at least as high as Man can list them 8. They do not find that God ever commanded the things imposed either in general in special or their singulars If God has commanded a Duty to be done the Church must find a place to do it in but though the Church must find a place for the Duty a time for the Duty she may not find new Duty for the time and place 9. They are the more cautious of all Ceremonies because the old Church of England in her Homilies Serm. 3. Of Good Works tell us That such hath been the corrupt inclination of Man superstitiously given to make New Honcuring of God of his own Head and then to have more Affection and Devotion to keep that then to search out Gods Holy Commandments and do them 10. They say they have read over all the Books that have been written in justification of those things and they find their Arguments so weak their Reasons so futilous that setting aside Rhetotick and Railing there 's nothing in them but what had been either answered by others or is contradicted by themselves which hardnes them in their Errour who are gone astray into the right way 11. They say it 's their duty to endeavour a Reformation according to the Word which if others will not they cannot help it and hope they will not be angry with the willing PART II. CHAP. I. The several ways for prevention of Church-Divisions mentioned by the Enquirer considered The Papal Methods 1. Keeping the People in Ignorance 2. An infallible Iudge 3. Accommodating Religion to the Lusts of Men. Three other ways mentioned by the Enquirer 1. Teleration 2. Comprehension 3. Instruction AS that Person will highly merit of this present Age whose discerning eye shall discover and his charity propound to the world such rational expedients as may amicably compose our present differences upon terms comporting with the Consciencious principles of the contending parties so our fears of the success are justly greatned by the frequent disappointment of our hopes Confident Pretenders posting up their Bills in
men can with any Colourable pretext affirm of their Dictates Canons Decretals or Constitutions And that amongst many other Reasons because they were not indited in heat or passion were not Contrived to advance one party or to depress and crush another but were the Result of infinite wisdom impartially respecting Truth fuithfully acquaniting us with the mind and will ofGod without Adhering to any faction § 2. That there can be no concern of any Church or Officer in the Church or member of theChurch but the Scripture speaks fully to it As 1. If a Church will approve her self to be the pillar of Truth and expose to all her Members the Doctrine of the Gospel the Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable for Instruction or 2. has she occasion to Convince the Cavilling world and stop the Months of gainsayers The Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It Lays down the Truth and thereby discovers errour heresy false doctrine all Corruption in worship and manner It gives us what is straight and thereby enables us to judge what is Crooked or 3. Are there any Tares sprung up in the field of the Church sowen by the Enemy whilst Men Slept and men will sleep it is profitable also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Correction rectifying and redintegration of whatever is warped and declined from its Original It supplies and fills up the wide chasmes of defectives and pares of all excrescences and prunes of superfluities or 4. Must Christians be trained up under Gospel discipline and order that they may grow up in knowledge in every grace in mutual Love it 's useful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No paedagogy no Constitution no discipline to be compared with it § 3. That it is a Rule which must direct All the builders in Gods house in whatsoever Quality under whatsoever character they appear It 's profitable for the Man of God And indeed it only becomes The Man of sin he that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lawless person who has a curbe for every mans Conscience but will not endure a snaffle upon his own to despise this Rule and cry up another § 4. The Absolute profection and compleatness of this Rule is also Asserted It 's able to make the Man of God perfect throwly furnish to all good works Notwithstanding this Perfection of the Scripture as a Rule it is always supposed that every one in his private or more publick capacity be Able to use and Apply the Rule As the square or Rule of the Architect however exact in it self yet presupposes him to have eyes to see and brains to Apply it to his work so the Scripture as a Law teaches Duty and whatever of well-pleasing obedience we can perform to God yet supposes us at least to be RationalCreatures that can apply that Law to our own particular Actions Whence these two things must necessarily follow 1. That it was not only Needless but Impossible that the Scripture should enumerate or determine upon the particular Natural Circumstances of general time place person when where who should worship God every day hour and minute to the End of the world for so the whole world would not have afforded sufficient stowage for Rubricks nor have been able to contain the volumns that must have been written for as the End and use of a Rule is not to each the Artificer when he shall begin to work but how he may do it like a Workman whenever he begins so neither was the Scripture design'd for a clock to tell us at what hour of the day we should commence the publick service of God but that when ever we begin or end we manage all according to this Rule 2. That when the Scripture has prescribed us all the parts of worship instituted the Administrators of worship given â—…les how to separate them to that Office and laid down general rules for the Regulating those Natural circumstances which could not particularly be determin'd as that they be done to Edification decently and in order And has withal commanded us to attend to this Rule and no other it has then Discharged the Office of a Rule and as a Rule is Compleat and perfect 2 Besides our Retrospect to our Rule we must also look forward to the End and Design of all Riligion and when that is once well fixt we shall have Another great Advantage to judge what worship is Better and what is worse Now the great End of all Religion and specially of Religious worship is the glorifying of God the pleasing of God And therefore whatever shall pretend to that Glorious Title and Dignity of being an Act of Religion a part of Religion and yet has no real Tendency to the Advancement of his Glory which it can never have without a due regard to the Rule ought to be Expunged out of the Catalogue of Lawful Acts or parts of worship And is so much the more abominable both to God and Man To God because it offers him a Sacrifice not subservient to his Praise and to Man because it deludes him with a pretence of recommending his person and service to God and yet leaves and exposes both to Gods abhorrence From what hath been said I might plead my self Competently qualified to gratify the Importunity of the Enquirer and answer the Question whether A Better frame of things might not possibly have been found out If whatsoever Agrees with the Rule is good then what is discrepant from the Rule is Evil If what makes a nearer approach to the Rule is better then what departs further of is worse but I look upon these kind of Questions as a vapouring party sent out to draw the unwary within the Clutches of an Ambuscado Whatever Constitution shall impeach the only true Rule of shortness and deficiency is less good then that which implies no such shortness or deficiency But there are some Constitutions on the world which impeach the only true Rule of shortness and deficiency and Therefore they are less good then those which impeach not the Rule of such Deficiency whatever Constitutions are made supposed useful for decency which are not Comprehended under the Rule do impeach that Rule of Deficiency but there are some Constitutions made supposed useful for decency which are not comprehended under the Rule and therefore there are some Constitutions which impeach the Rule of Deâ—…ncy Whatever is Comprehended under a Rule must at least be necessary by way of Disjunction but there are some Constitutions in the World which are not Necessary so much as by way of Disjunction therefore they are not Comprehended under the Rule There is not the smallest or most minute Circumstance which can cleave to any Religious Act or wherewith we can Lawfully cloath Gods Worship but it is by the Command of Christ made necessary at least disjunctively But there are some Constitutions which are not made necessary disjunctively and therefore they are such as wherewith we cannot Lawfully cloath Religion
you smile sometimes at my simplicity let that be the sharpest correction your affection will suffer you to give to Honour'd Sir Your much obliged Servant and most unworthy Friend G. W. The Introduction Considered and the Enquirer's expected Advantagâ—…s from his Comparison between the Religion of the former and present Times seasonably disappointed ARhetorical Introduction is nothing but a Politick Shooing-horn to draw on an incredible discourse more smoothly over the Readers tender Belief in case he should prove too high in the Instep Or you may please to call it a Lâ—…sser Wedge prudently applyed to a knotty piece to make way for a greater For with such grave Maxims wise men arm themselves To drive that Widge not which is best in it self but which will go The Learned Verulam observes That they are not those stincks which the Nostrils streight abhor and expel which are most pernicious but such Air as have some similitude with mans Body and so insinuate themselves and betray the Spirits Thus downright Railing Discourses are in part their own Antidotes and we stop our Noses at those fulsom eructations of some writers who have been câ—…rtainly fed a long time with Carrion whereas these more plausible Peâ—…s recommended to our gusto by the Vehicle of supple phrase and glib expressions and with all Aromatizâ—…d with a whiff of pretended Charity creep into the affections and so witâ—… ease betray the judgement for Perit judicium cum reâ—… transit in affectum When a Controversy once gets fâ—…ir Quarter iâ—… the â—…ffections it will soon undermine and blow up the understanding so hard it is to perswade that it can be Poyson which is sweet or destructive to Nature which accommodates it self to the Critical Humours of the Palate It has pleased the Enquirer upon Mature advice no doubt to usher in the main Body of his Discourse with a Patherical comparison between the ancient state of Christianity and the prâ—… and â—…e very affectionately laments the Change wherein he imitates the vain humour of our young travellers who at their return unmeasurably praedicate the glories of forreign Countreys but can find nothing but mean and contempâ—…le to bâ—…stow on their Native Soil Whether it be that they would be thought to know something more than those home-bred Snâ—…ls which never travell'd beyond the sight or smell of their own Chimneys or that they presume to shelter themselves under that Pretection which all great Travellers are supposed to carry in their Pockâ—…ts Yet this is certain that far-feâ—…cht and dearâ—…ht will recommend a very trite and ordinary â—…ory to the Acceptation and Admiration of the Many The Poets are never more transported into pleasing extasie then when they are gotten into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Golden Age and then the Rivers shall flow with pure Nectar and Milk The Trees distil Life Honey and the prodigal Earth without cultivation gladly exhaust her Spirits and spin out her Bowels to pay Tribute to the satisfaction of Mankind with a great many more Pedantick good-morrows But when once that Iron Age appeared with its Harder-face Pandora's Box was then open'd and whole Legions of Furies invaded the world But above all Navigation and Trade those two implacable enemies to all Religion were invented and I cannot sufficiently admire that amongst all the Reasons muster'd up against thâ—…se Schismatical Evils This Primitive one That they came in with the Iron Age escaped our Enquirer's Industry As all good Christians are ready to give the Primitive times their due praises and as willing to lament the Degeneracy and Apostacy of the present â—…o they look upon it as a piece of Incivility no modest person would be guilty of to spend all his Frankincense in embalminâ—… the memory of the Ages Dead and gone whilst the present lieâ—… like a rotten â—…arease stinking above-ground without the courtesie of a 〈◊〉 shrowd to cover its nakedness A vanity to say nothing more â—…vere noted by Wisdom it self Eccles. 7. 10. Say not tâ—… what is the cause that the former dayes were better than these for thou dost not Enquire wisely concerning this Had this Genteleman concern'd himself to appear a wise and impartial as well as a Compassionate Enquirer he had never been guilty of that folly to pelt witty Sentences and Apothegms at his Readers head as Boys do Snow-balls which with equal ease and execution may be retorted For thus might a vulgar Ingeny form a Panegyrick of the singular Piety and exemplary Holiness of those Primitive Christians That they imployed their Affections in keeping the old Commandments and never strained their Inventions to find out new ones They made no more Duties nor Sins than God had made and left the way to Heaven no narrower th Gate no straighter than they found it They judged him a good man that squared his Convâ—…rsation a pious man that modelled his Devotions by that of â—…he Word though he knew no other Rubrick They contented themselves with Gospel simplicity and dursâ—… not be wise above what was written least they should prove learned fools They understood what a Spirit of Bearing with and forbearing of one another signified And the Fathers of the Church approved themselves to deserve that venerable Character who never dasht out their childrens brains because their Heads were not all of one Block That little wit which there is in these popular Trappings is only this To single out the most eminent Instances of Refined Sanctity in the Primitive times and from thence to take the general measures of their Devotion and then again to cull out the most Infamous Examples of prodigious Villanies in the present Age and from thence to give us the Idaea of our Modern Piety that is to make a mis-shapen Parallel between the Flower of those and the Bran of these days He that would make a right Judgement of the Wealth of a Nation must not visit the Hospitals only He that would take a just Prospect of a Nations Fiety must not inform his Pencil from the Records of New gate or the Executions of Tiburn Or if he would be satisfied in the sweetness of a City I would not advise him to hang his Nose over the Vaults and Common-shores Or if he would take the exact Height of the Nations Glory let him not take instructions from some depopulated Village If we consider the best of the worst man or the worst of the best man If we only view the Mole or Wart upon the fairest face and some single feature in the most deformed we may easily betray our selves in this false judgement that Thersites was a great Beauty and Absalom a Gorgon Thus if we will denominate the lapsed Ages from some eminent Rarities of Virtue or the present from some notorious Examples of Impiety we shall never distinguish between the Common-wealth of Plato and the Dregs of Romulus Suppose we that some Tribunitial Orator to exercise the gallantry of his Pen in a Theme so common and copious
than Gibbets Halters Fire and baggot viz. the pouring out the Spirit of Light and Love I think I may refer it to almost any one to judge whether he be not most ridiculously absurd that shall so severely Animadvert upon our present Divisions when he may at such casie and cheap rates heal them all and yet will not By some Mens Words you would think they hated Divisions implacably but by their actings you would think they lov'd them as desperately Let the Primitive Rule of Reformation of which the Reverend Dr. Pierce has minded the forgetful Age be severely attended to To set what is crooked straight by what was from the Beginning Let all the Churches Conform to it and Reform by it and then will Discord be as great a stranger amongst Christians as Peace is said to be at this day Lay but the weight and stress of Unity upon Necessaries in the rest exercise Charity and then as we never had Peace about the Institutions of Men so we shall never have Wars about the confessed Institutions of Christ. The Christian Religion numbers it amongst its peculiar Glories and choicest Singularities that it teaches us to maintain Brotherly Love under differing Apprehensions and variety of Practises in those lesser matters which neither weaken Holiness nor cross the Design of the Gospel As God in the first Creation formed Men of differing Sâ—…es various Statures and multiform Shapes and Complexions and yet none quarrel upon that account none is so Apish to enact the Fox shall cut off his Train because the other has none None will impose his own Height as the just Standard of all others that he that is a Hairs-breadth taller shall be adjudged a Monster and he that is as much lower shall wear the reproach of a Dwarf So in the New Creation it 's none of Christ's design to reduce all Sincere Believers to an uniformity in every Punctilio in judgment and practise but to perform a Nobler and more Glorious Work than this namely to infuse such a Spirit of Love and from thence such Healing Counsels to inspire into all his Disciples such Moderation such Condescention that notwithstanding these diversties they may all love as Brethren and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace and if in any thing any one be otherwise minded to wait till the God of Peace from the Word of Peace should Reveal it unto him Nor indeed is it any credit to the Religion of our Saviour to be represented to the World as if it taught so narrow and restrained a Charity that would only embrace those that were Cast in the Mold with our own particular perswasions or to hang on a String only with those who jump in with our own Points to a Tag An Excellency if it be one to be found more eminently amongst the Lyons in the Towâ—…r the Turks in their Mosques or perhaps of old in the African Conventicle much Reviled and as much 〈◊〉 who Monopoliz'd Salvation to them that were Ex parte 〈◊〉 But that which is the most pleasant in this Period is To see what a world of Truth our Compassionate Enquirer has Massacred for the sake of one poor sorry Climax There are now says he Almost as many Opinions as Men as many Parties as Opinions and as many Religions as either That Almost may I confess do him some service it has in its days help'd many a lame Dog over the Stile But surely there may be great diversities of Opinions amongst them that are of the same Religion He might as well conclude that the Spaniard and the French are of Two Religions because the one buttons his Doublet upwards the other downwards I have been much taken with a Decree that I sound in B. Iewâ—…l made by Pope Innocent III. and might have become a far better Man Quoniam in plerisque partibus intra 〈◊〉 Civitatem Diocesim permissi sunt populi diversarum linguarum habentes sub und 〈◊〉 varioâ—… Riâ—…s Mores Distinctè praecipimus ut Pontifices hujusmodi Civitatum providâ—…ant viros idoneos qui secundum diversitates Pâ—…ituum Linguarum divina illis officia Celebrent Sacramenta Administrent Forasmuch as in most places in the same City and Diocâ—…ss there are people of divers Languages mingled together whâ—… under one â—…and the same Faith doreta in differing Ceremonies and Customs we do therefore expresly charge and command the Bishops of the said Cities and Diocesses to provide able Pâ—…rsons who may Celebrate amongst them the Divine Offices and Administer to them the Sacraments according to their differing Languages and Ceremonies Differing Riâ—…es and Observations whilst left indifferent will not make differing Religions what they may do when imposed as the necessary Terms of Communion I shall not Determine Nay that there are as many Parties as Opinions will need not only some Grains but whole Bushels of Salt to keep it sweet Do we not see those of the same Party indulge each other in their private conceptions and none more than they who most Triumph in a pretended Unity and Uniformity who can agree in few things amonst themselves and yet can sweetly accord to extirpate all but themselves 5. Time was says our Enquirer when Men Sacrificed their Lives in Testimony to their Faith as frankly as since they have done to their Passion Revenge and Ambition And Time is says another when Men will Sacrifice the Lives of their Brethren and thâ—… Peace of the Church to the same waspish Deities and their own Consciences to boot to another Idol known of old by the Name of Mammon Such Elegant Orations have we penn'd about Time was and Time is that I suspect they were indited from Frier Bacon's Brazen Head-piece But more Anger still Then was Charity counted as Essential a part of Religion as Censoriousness is now wich too many This is witty enough in all reason And one would not stick to break a Jest now and then though it broke anothers Head or perhaps his own with the Splinters But Men are bad enough and need not be worse than they are Censoriousness is a Crime too Odious to be Desended and yet too Notorious to be Denyed to Cover a fault will make it Two but to justify it will make it Many But yet that any should make this Censoriousness a part much more an Essential part of their Religion is an Hyperbole too daring for my weak Faith to meddle with I have been considering into what place of Religion they can possibly crowd it whether into their Creed or Ten Commandments The Papists have rob'd the people of just one half of a Sacrament and then to give them their due to make them ample satisfaction they have created five entire Sacraments de Nevo They have craftily also purloyned the whole Second Commandment but then because the Laity have an â—…nkling that there were once Ten of them lest they should miss one out of the Decalogue they have very discreetly split
may have something to do to keep Man humble upon this Hypothesis But whether of these Two Principles makes the nearer Approach to the Church of England I mean that Doctrine which is express'd in the thirty nine Articles let the 10. Art judge The Condition of Man is such after the Fall that he cannot turn nor prepare himself by his own Natural Strength to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will Our Enquirer will tell us by and by p. 9. That there has been little or no alteration made in the Doctrine of this Church since the beginning of the Reformation And therefore I conclude that there has been no alteration made from an Anti-Arminian to an Arminian sense for that cannot be called little or no alteration Now that this 10 Art in the beginning of the Reformation in Edw. VI. Reign had an Anti-Arminian sense will be out of Question to him that remembers what Addition there was then made to it The Grace of Christ or the H. Ghost by him given doth take away the Stony Heart and giveth an Heart of Flesh and although those that have no will to good things he maketh them to will and those that would evil things he maketh them not to will yet nevertheless he forceth not the will Articles Printed by I. Day Anno 1553. Cum Privilegio If this then be the sense of the Article let him go practise at home and turn his Brains how to keep Man Humble and yet neither make him Stock nor Stone and when he has found out the Mystery send word to the Synod who I am assured never asserted higher than this amounts to But if this be not the sense of the Article at present though it was once so then it must follow that the Church has more than a little alter'd her Doctrine since the Reformation And then a worse thing than all this will follow for p 8. He allows That if this Church did approach too near Popery it would serve to justifie a Secession from it But says another if it approaches too near Arminianism it approaches too near Popery and therefore our Enquirer will warrant any Mans Secession from the Church without the least imputation of Schisme What a close connexion there is between those two errours we shall hear e're long and thither we refer the Reader when we have told him that the Church of England is certainly free from any Tincture of Arminianism and so far free from any spot of Popery only it concern'd the Enquirer to understand the consequences of his own scandalous Reflections I have done with his first Answer 2. I come now to his second The Artiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Church do with such adâ—… prudence and wariness handle thesâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paerticular respect was had to these Men and care taken that they might Abundare sensu suo I cannot imagine what greater Reproach he could throw upon these famous Articles and their worthy Compilers then to suggest that they were calculated for all Meridians and Latitudes As if the Church did imitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Delphian Apollo whose Oracles wore Two Faces under one Heed and were penn'd like those Amphilogies that cheated Croesus and Pyrrâ—… into their distruction Or as if like Ianus they looked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backwards and forwards and like the untouch'd Needle stood indifferently to be interpreted through the two and thirty Points of the Compass The Papists do never more maliciously reproach the Scriptures than when they call it a Lesbian Rule a Nose of Wax a Leaden Dagger a Pair of Scamans Trowzes a Movable Dyal you may make it what a Clock you please And yet they never arriv'd at that height of Blasphemy as to say it was Industriously so penn'd by the Amannenses of the Holy Ghost I dare not entertain so little Charity for an Assembly of Holy and Learned Men convened upon so solemn an occasion that they would play Legerde main and contrive us a Systeme of Divinity which should be 〈◊〉 pacis non veritatis The Conventicle of Trent indeed acted like themselves that is a pack of Juglers who when they were gravelled and knew not how to hush the noise and impâ—…rtunate Clamour of the bickering Factions the Craftiâ—…r Lâ—…ng Mâ—…n found out a Temper as they call'd it to skin over that Wouâ—…d which they could not heal and durst not search And what was the success of these Carnal Policies only this Both parties retained their differing opinions believed just as they did befâ—…re and when they fâ—…und how they had been cajouled the Conâ—… versiâ—…s which for a while had been smothered under the Ashes of a Blind Subscription broke out into a more violent flame The craft of this Politick Juncto that impartial Hâ—…storian Pietro Polaâ—… has opened to the World Hist. Conne of Trent p. 216. In the â—…ear 1546. says she In the end of the Session Dominicus a Soto principal of the Dominicans wrote Three Books of Nature and Grace wherein all his old Opinions were found Then comes Andreas Vega a great Man amongst the Franciscans and he â—…ites no less than Fifteen Books upon the 16 Points of the Decree that passed that Session and expounded all according to his own Opinions And yet their opinions were directly contrary to one another though both supposed to agree with the Decree of the Council So Righteous it is with God that they who design not their Confessions for an Instrument of Truth which is Gods End should not find them an Instrement of Peace which is all their End They that will separate Truth from Peace shall certainly miss both of Pâ—…ace and Truth The Title prefix'd to the Book of Articles does abundantly secure us of their Honesty The Catholick Doctrine believed and professed in the Church of England Now how shall we at all believe if we know not what to belâ—…eve And if the Trumpet gives an uncertain Sound 't is all one as if it were not Sounded That which is every thing and every where is nothing and no where That which has no determinate Sense has no Sense and that 's very near akin to Non-sense The Iews indeed have a Tradition that the Manna was what every Mans appetite could relish and such a Religion would these Men invent as should be most flexible where it ought not to bend and where it should yield there to be inâ—…exible Strange it is that Religion of all things in the World should be unfix'd and like Delos or O-Brazile float up and dâ—…n in various and uncertain Conjectures What Aristotle â—…'d to say of oâ—… of his Books That is was Editus non Editus and what was the just reproach of the Rhemists Testament that it câ—…e forth as some reporâ—… of a great Princes Sword with
this over-charged slander may not recoil and hurt the Enquirer But though he be very uncharitable I shall endeavour to give the most charitable construction of his words that they will bear And therefore observe That though he be engaged not to render evil for evil yet he never promised not to render evil for good § 2. If being a Clergy-man says he and continuing in the Church he shall debauch his Office and undermine the Church which he should uphold such an man also may then debauch his life too and yet have a very charitable construction among the generality of Dissenters What must Enemies expect from this Man who has no mercy an his Friends There are many Holy and Learned persons now within the Bosom of the Church who having considered the terms of enjoying the more publick exercise of their Ministry have overcome the difficulties of Subscription and do yet retain their former Orthodoxy and sobriety of Conversation These perâ—…ons knowing what Conscience is do exercise great tenderness towards it in their Brethren who cannot get over their rubs and obstacles and these if I mistake not are the Glory of the Church of England for purity of Doctrine and piety of Conversation for all true Learning and useful knowledge Against these persons The Enquirer has a desperate stitch as those that undermine the Church which they should uphold that is if they condescend never so little to a tender Conscience in one of those little institutions which themselves cal indifferent the whole Church must presently fall about their Ears but if the Church were built upon Christ the Rock and not upon the Wool-packs of Ceremonies such condescension would never undermine it These are taxed also with debauching their Office And indeed if the Office of Ministers be to become Informers If Preaching the Gospel be nothing but to make a Pâ—…ther about Ceremonies I hope they will debauch it still but that any of these do debaucâ—… their Lives and are thereupon more acceptable to Dissenters is a loâ—…d falshood only to let us understand how wel he has learned Christ. § 3. If a man says he be of the most Holy Conversation but Zealous for the Interest of the Church this man shall have worsâ—… Quarter from the fiery Zealots of other parties then one of a more loose life and meaner abilities Let no man reply If a man be of a loose Convâ—…rsation and but Zealous of the Grandeur and for the Ceremonies of the Church this man shall have fairer quarter and more encouraging preferments from the fiery Bigots of Conformity then one of a severe life and greater ministerial Abilitits To interpret this mystâ—…ry we must inform our selves what is the Churchâ—…s true Interest as it is a Church It s very easie to mistake in stating the True interest of any Society and if we mistake there its impossible we should be regular in the means of pursuing it An errour in the first concoction is never rectified in the second The true Interest of every true Church of Christ is to promote Holiness and Conformity to his Commands engaging thereby his presence and protection and a Spirit of Love and Peace amongst its members though under some variety of apprehension in Adiaphorous matters The mistake is to advance a Churches secular Grandeur external splendour and worldly pomp which every true Christian in his Baptism has renounced toâ—…ether with all the works of the Devil and the lusts of the flesh If ever a Church shall be so far mistaken as to judge worldly Glory its true interest I know not why it may not also mistake the works of the Devil and the lusts of the flesh to be its true Intereâ—…t also A Conforming Minister who despising that false understands and pursues this true Interest is truly dear to all the Non-conformists but for those who are so deluded as to think it lies in destroying and ruining all that are not satisfied with their Canons and Constitutions however aliene and forreign to the temper of the Gospel they confess they are no great admirers of them whatever appearance of Holiness they may make If the Interest of a Faction shall lie in sending poâ—… Christians to the Alms-house of New-gate and the Hospital of Bedlam and will give no Quarter to the most Holy and Religious if they fail in two or three Niceties I must needs say I see no reason why such should adorn themselves with the plumes of Gravity and Devotion to render their Inhumanity more plausible 2. But he has somewhat further to say then all this If impertinent and fantastical talking of Religion endless scrupulosities censorious and rash judging our Superiours Melancholy sighing going from Sermon to Sermon without allowing our selves time to meditate on what we hear or to instruct our Families be the main Points of Religion then the Non-conformists are Holy Men. And now I hope the Reader is abundantly satisfied that the Enquirer has otherwise Learned Christ than to render Evil for Evil that he dares not furnish Atheism and Prophaness with an Apologie That he makes a Conscience of affording a spectacle to evil Men That he dares not for a World dress Religion in a Phantastical Habit. that Boys may laugh at it This is his Constantines Robe which he casts over scandalous Commissions Serious Discourses about the concerns of the World to come about our own death and the day of Judgment is Phantastical talking Tenderness of Conscience Holy fear of sinning against God is endless scrupulosity Modest refusal to practise every thing commanded though Reason Judgement Scripture Reclaim is Censuring and Rash Iudgment of Superiours Godly sorrw must be melancholly sighing attending upon Gods Word Preached shall be running from Sermon to Sermon And a downright falshood added to close up the whole That they neither allow themselves time to meditate of what they have heard nor to instruct their Families And yet if they shall dare to practise this last with a few of their weaker Neighbours that drop in to hear a Sermon repeated they shall be lyable to the Law and punished as Seditious Conventiclers and railed at as Schismatiâ—…ks When all is said and done Machiavils old Rule is a Sacred Maxime with these sort of Men Fortiter calumniare aliquid adharebit Throw Dirt enough and some ont ' will stick Wild-fire flies further than the Water that should Quench it A Reproach will run where a just Vindication will not creep Had the Providence of God allotted the Non-conformists their abode any where but amongst those whose Interest it is to render them Odious they might have pass'd for good Christians It would be difficult to hire Men to be Instruments of Cruelty if they were not first perswaded that they are Ministers of Iustice and the only way to perswade that is to represent Dissenters as the off-scowring of all things not fit to live a day The best way to take away the life is to render it abominable None can handsomly
spared their blood they could well have spared his Ceremonies But was this Austin so great a Saint that he must be quoted for the famous Reformer of Judaisme or were those Martyrs of Bangor such wicked Jews that the Non-conformists should be their Spawn No This Austin made our Ancestors only Romanists he found them Christians before and perhaps of a better and more generous race of Religion then that he engrafted upon the old Stock Then it seems that Christians however Iudaizing in one instance may be of a Nobler temperature then an old doting Ceremony-monger that for a meer Caprice would mingle their Blood with their Sacrifices But how does the Example come home to the purpose Austin was mad upon his Ceremonies The Britains were tenacious of their Easter wherein are Dissenters concern'd in their quarrels who neither dogmatize with the Quartodecimanes or Quinto-decimanes Let the one plead Traditions from Papias and St Iohn with the Eastern the other pretend the Pope and St. Peter with the Western Christians we can be contend they should scuffle it out about Goats-Wool or Moon-shine in the Water Our Enquirer nevertheless will give us an Anatomy of Non-conformity and lay open their principles to view that it shall appear that a vein of Iudaismâ—… runs through the whole Body of Dissenters 1. The first Vein is Their great Hypothesis is That nothing is lawful in the Service of God but what is expresly prescribed in the Scripture Which proposition needs many limitations before the Dissenters will Father it and when it is so limited they will challenge him to prove that there 's the least Capillary of Judaism in it And 1. If by Nothing he understand no meer Circumstance as of general time place he may know what they have told the World a thousand times they hold many such things lawful which are not prescribed particularly in the Scripture but if by Nothing he will understand no Ceremony being an outward and visible sign of inward and invisible Grace they do assert that no such thing is lawful in Worship but what is prescribed in the Scripture 2. If by in the Service of God he mean only an action accompanying Gods Worship not of Religious Application but such as is common to civil and ordinary affairs they deny it any principle of theirs that nothing may be done in time of Worship by the Worshippers that is not commanded by the Scriptures But if by in the Service of God be meant so in it that it is part of it they own it to be their avowed Judgement that nothing is lawful in the Service of God as a part of worship which is not commanded by God himself 3. If by expresly commanded be intended what is literally and Syllabi cally so they disown it as any Hypothesis of theirs But if by expresly commanded be intended what is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by just consequence derived thence they are ready to justifie it without fear of Judaizing That nothing no outward visible sign of inward and invisible Grace is lawful in the Service of God as a part of that Service which is not expresly or by just and clear consequence prescribed in the Scripture not excluding whatever help from the Light of Nature to give us a fuller prospect into the Mind of God in his Word Nor ought this to be stigmatized as a principle peculiar to the Iews but common to them with all other true Worshippers of God from the beginning of the World To impose a part of Worship is not only an Imposition upon Man but upon God The Imposer does not only compel Man to offer but God to Accept what is offered for seeing the End of All Worship is Acceptation with him whom we Worship this End must influence our whole Worship And this is supposed by the Church of England who prays or invites to pray for true Repentance and the Holy Spirit that those things may please him which we do at this present Now it 's neither our own Fancies nor the Will of Men but the Word of God that is a Competent Declaration of what will please our Creatour Dissenters plead further That the same God that Iealous God who Commanded the Iews not to add to Gods Commands commanded it upon Reasons common to all Mankind It was well urged against the Iews by the Learned Author of Orig Sacr. p. 214. That the meaning of that strict Prohibition Deut. 12. 32. was no other then that Men should not of their own Heads offer to find out new ways of Worship as Jeroboâ—…m did but that Gods Revelation of his own Will in all its different degres was to be the Adequate Rule of the way and â—…rts of his own Worship And I would fain know of the Jews whether their own severe and strict prohibition of things not at all forbidden in the Law of God came not near the adding to Gods Law Again God having given no rule to direct us in excogitating and imposing new Worship it 's impossible but we should mistake or if we should hit now and then upon some happy contrivance we must thank his blind Goddess fortune rather then the fruitfulness of our own Understandings And this loose principle would make the World a Pantheon or encumber it with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would multiply Religions according to the multitudes of the Churches as they of old multiplied their Idols according to the number of their Cities They do also still believe from Heb. 3. That Christ was faithful to him that appointed him the Lord of the Church in making all necessary provisions for the encreasing confirming and perfecting their Graces for their Comfort Edification and all spiritual necessities without any new Additional Contrivances for those ends Nay they say yet further that as these new ways and parts of Worship do impeach Christs faithfulness in discharge of his trust so they do invade his Regal Office too in making new Laws to bind the Conscience An usurpation which no Earthly Prince would endure For when a Prince has Establisht his Laws though he supposes that the Inferiour Magistrates must have time and place to execute them in which are left at liberty according as emergency in particular cases shall invite to determine them yet he allows them to make no new Laws upon pretence of necessity to execute the old ones nor to institute new Observances under colour of more effectual managing old Customs And it seems reasonable that the People should not practise what Ministers may not Preach nor the Church impose what it cannot command in Christs Name but it can only use Christs Name to urge whatsoever he has commanded them nay the Enquirer when perhaps he did not think of after mischief told us p. 4. That we incur St. Pauls Anathema which he denounces against him whosoever he be nay â—…f an Angel from Heaven that shall Preach any other Doctrine then what hath been received And if the Church has
therein and the Society it self so far as it is a Church of Christs institution only he loves his own Soul with a more intense love and accordingly makes the best provision for it he can and would rejoyce that others would accept of the same advantages ought not to be called a Schismatick but if they who pretend to a power to stamp what significations they please upon words will call him so the best is no Nick-names will prejudice him in the sight of that God who searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins As Heresie is opposed to the Faith so Schism is opposed to Love and Heresie and Schism are distinguisht by those things to which each of them is opposed 3. It 's faulty for its ambiguity because he tells us not what the Christian Church is from whence the departure must be made to denominate it Schismâ—…ical If he means a particular Congregation united under its proper Pastor according to the Laws of Christ it will prove it Schismatical to depart from a Church of Non-conformists If he understands a National Church he should do well to prove that such a Church is of Christs institution but I shall wave these and many more till he has discanted upon the particulars of his own Definition § 1. I call it says he a departure or separation from the Society of the Church to distinguish it from other sins which though they are breaches of the Laws of our Religion and consequently of the Church yet are not a renunciation of the Society There may be such a person who for his wickedness deserves to be â—…ast out of the Church as being a scandal and dishonour to it yet neither separating himself nor being cast out of the Society remains still a Member of it This is indeed too true And hence it is that many Churches are so over-run with scandalous Debauchez that there 's very little difference between the impaled Garden and the wide Wilderness And perhaps was there more of this Authorative separation there would be less of that prudential separation If rotten and gangreened Members were cut off the sound would not have that necessity to provide for their own security If the Contagion were not so Epidemical there were less need to seek out for better and more wholesome Airs when an Impudent Blasphemer who out-faces the Sun the Notoriety of whose Crime needs no Dilator shall yet quietly maintain his station in a Church whilst others for not coming up to a Ceremony shall be rejected though otherwise holy and inoffensive men may make Models and Idea's of Schism to save their Credits long enough before they will be much regarded § 2. I call it says he a voluntary separation to distinguish 〈◊〉 from punishment or Schism from Excommunication Yes but he ought to have called it Voluntary upon a higher account in opposition to such departure as is made with regret and reluctancy for when a sincere Christian has used all due means to inform himself of the Truth of such a principle or the lawfulness of such a practice as may be made the Conditions of Communion with that Society when he has asked advice of God in his word when he has pray'd with David that God would open his Eyes when he has conferred with the most judicious and impartial Christians when he has humbly and modestly represented to the Pastors and Governours of that Church the suspected Condition or the innovation crept into the Church and yet can neither procure Reformation of the abuse not toleration of his particular non-complyance nor yet find satisfaction of the lawfulness of such practice he may without guilt withdraw himself from that Society nor ought this to be charged upon him as a departure having in it any thing of sinful voluntariness when a Merchant throws his Lading over-board to preserve Life I grant that he may be said willingly to throw it away because his precious life preponderates and turns the Scale of the will yet none will condemn that poor Merchant of too little affection to his Merchandise Thus when a Christian can find no rest no satisfaction to his Conscience from those suspected Conditions which in the constant exercise of his Communion do recur and shall reâ—…ede from that Society joyning himself to another where with full satisfaction of spirit he may pursue his own Edification such a one ought not to be charged with a voluntary departure nor shall it be charged upon him as such in the judgement of him that shall judge the World § 3. I call it says he a departure from a particular Church or from a part of the visible Church to distinguish it from Apostacy which is a casting of the whole Religion the name and profession of Christianity But here his definition is very Crazie and ill joynted for it ought to be defined a departure from a particular Church of Christ to distinguish it from such a Constitution as is either no particular Church of Christs institution or none so far as the separation is made from it such a one as is not united under Christs Officers nor conjoyned by Christs Ligaments Christ has taken special care that there may be no Schism in the Body 1 Cor. 12-25 And for this end he has commanded a spirit of mutual forbearance and condescension he has mingled and temper'd the body together with such exact geometrical proportion that each of the parts may care for the other for this end also he has instituted some extraordinary Officers whose work and Office was to cease with the present exigency and occasion and the ordinary whose Office and Employment as the Reasons of them were to be perpetuaI Now if any Society of Men calling themselves a Church and in the main respects being really so retaining the great Doctrines of Christianity and such Ordinances whereby Salvation is attainable shall yet put it self under other Officers then Christ has appointed and practise other Ordinances then he has instituted and make Communion with her impracticable without submitting to such Officers such Ordinances separation from that Society can be no separation from a particular Church of Christ Because though they may be such a Church in the main yet so far as the separation is made they are not so And they deny Communion with them so far as they are a Church of Christ because of non-submission to them so far as they are noâ—… a Church of Christ. § 4. I add says he those words whereof he was once a Member because Schism imports division and making two of that which was but one before So that if an Act was made to divide some of our greater Parishes which are much larger then some of the Primitive Diocesses into Two under their distinct Pastors this must be a Schism according to this famous definition for here is 1. A voluntary departure 2. From a particular Church 3. whereof once they were all Members and wherein 4. they might all have continued without
Confessed Truth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interdum licet yet 't is as true prâ—…scribere falsum â—…unquam licet Though I may conceal a Truth sometimes I may never assert a falshood I may forbear to say there are Antipodes yet may I not say or subscribe or swear there are none and yet these are none of the essentials of our Religion Negative precepts bind us semper and ad semper that is there can be no case put wherein no time assign'd when it may be Lawful to deny or renounce the smallest Truth or violate the least of Gods commands by my practise 2. Though I may conceal my judgment or suspend my practise in some of these lesser matters yet when a sweet concurrence of inviting Circumstances shall call for my asserting that truth or practâ—…sing that duty I am then to assert the one and practise the other In some cases I may wave an Explicite Profession or open practise when such forbearance shall be compensated with a greater Good when a little Time shall pay the Truth and Gods Glory Interest and make amends for the lucrum Cessans and damnum emergens the Spiritual loss sustained or Spiritual advantage delayed 3. Though I may conceal or suspend as aforesaid yet I ought not to give away my Christian liberty nor commit any Act or Acts that may deâ—… my future claim or be pleaded in Bar to my right 4. When â—…he Consciences of Christians are notoriously hazarded by my silence or forbearance when I am in danger of betraying my Brother to Errour or hardening Another in his I have need of much wisdom and prudence how to speak and act but speak and Act I ought for it 's a most monstrous cheat to urge the Manner of a duty against the Duty it self As that because I ought to Act prudently that therefore I ought to sit still 5. I am much dissatisfied how it should follow from hence what he makes his conclusion That we may change any Rite or Ceremony that we have a great kindness for for one more grateful to others Nay if Any Ceremony I have in my worship not Commanded by Christ may do him a kindness I have no such kindness for it as to disoblige him nor shall he need to send me back one of his beloved ones in Exchange I shall never feel the want of it But now the Reader must be entreated to use his eyes The Assertion was that it is Lawful to Conceal my opinion when the main Doctrine of Christianity is not in dispute rathet then disturb the peace of the Church from whence he would wisely infer therefore we may practise Ceremonies which I am either fully satisfied are sinful or not fully satisfied that they are Lawful for this is the upshot That we may comply with the Laws in being so they be not palpably Contrary to the Scriptures or Common Reason It very amazing to me that I cannot conceal what I think true unless I must assert what I judge false nor bite in my sentiments about Anothers unlawful practise but I must practise with him I may suppress my judgment that such a thing is sinful and yet not dare to deliver my judgment that it is Lawful He that Commanded me not to judge my brother did not command me to Imitate him It must not be overlook't what an Emphasis he lays upon this word Palpably we may comply with the Laws so they be not Palpably contrary to the Scriptures And p. 11. It must be An Apparent breach of the divine law that gives just cause of separation And p. 118. Conditions of Communion that are not Expresly sinful and such wherein there is not a Plain necessity and Certainty of sin in Compliance are justified Sinful Terms will not justify separation unless they be Apparently Expresly so Nor will a sinful Command warrant my non-obedience unless it be Palpably such It must be some gross impiety which like the Egyptian darkness may be felt Thus if I be prohibited to partake of the Lords Supper oftner then once in three four or seven years I must pocket up the wrong because here 's no palpable apparent express violation of the law of God The Law says indeed As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup but has not determin'd how often As one of your Roman Casuists determines that we are not bound actually to love God above once in three years And Another thinks once in a Mans life will serve the turn provided we do not down-right Hate him because 〈◊〉 Command of Loving God is an affirmative praecept which binds indeed semper but not ad semper And if all the Rabble Rout of Popish Ceremonies were Commanded and five times as many more yet these will not justify non-obedience because forsooth they are not expresly forbidden by Name nor palpably contrary to any one Text of Scripture And to conclude the Reader shall now know at a word the Lowest price of Peace That we part with all that which is no essential point of our Religion for Charity which is This is the Lowest penny take it or Leave it try the world and mend your selves where you can But 1. It 's palpably ridiculous to oppose Charity to any point or part of Religion As if charity which is Commanded by the principles of our Religion should cross those principles Charity Commands a Religious person to stoop to all in his private concerns but requires not that Any Principle of Religion should stoop to it 2. It 's weakly supposed that it 's the Concern of Charity that we be of one uniform practise in the Minutes of Religion when her highest and noblest exercise is to Embrace those that differ from us in sinless practises For I cannot yet understand what Interest Evangelical Love has to reduce us to an uniformity in Rites and Ceremonies And do know that Protestants who differ in the lesser points of Religion as to principle and practise do yet maintain a more entire and cordial love amongst themselves then the Papists who are cudgelled by the Iron rod of the Inquisition into a precise Indentity in their little fopperies Did we never hear of two friends that could really love each other with the most endeared affections though their cloaths were not made by the same Taylor nor trim'd up with the same Ceremonies of Ribbonds and Lace Let the worshippers of Mahomet quarrel about their Green and Red Turbants yet Christian Kingdoms can hold firm peace and Inviolate Amity without Abolishing their respective Country Customs The Irish in one of our Kings Reigns could not be perswaded nor forced to leave their odd way of Plowing and threshing out their grain and yet that prudent Prince never sent Taâ—… amongst them with his Iron â—…ail to thresh them into a Compliance with more Decent and useful manners 3. This Distinction of the points of Religion into Accidental or Circumstantial Integral and essential or however else they please to Marshal it had need be
sends us this offer That since there is no Grand Master of Religion concerned in the Controversies between us nor any violation of the Laws of God in our Complying with the Laws of this Society and since Mahomet must either go to the Mountain or the Mountain must come to Mahomet i. e. one side or other must yeeld we will be perswaded to think it reasonable that the subject should submit to the Governour and opinion give place to ancient Custom and Novelty to the Laws in being This is his friendly Motion and one so Modest that we would be perswaded to think it reasonable If he had given us Reasonable arguments to be perswaded which that he has not I think is Evident from what has been already said with these further Considerations § 1. That his motion is grounded on a false suggestion That there 's no grand matter of Religion concern'd in the Controversie nor any Law of God violated by our Complyance for the Perfection of the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith worship and Church-Government is a Grand matter of Religion and greatly concern'd in this Dispute The soveraignty of Christ over his Church His compleat discharge of all his Offices His Kingly Office in Making Laws his Prophetical in revealing the whole mind of God is no small matter of Religion and greatly concern'd also in this dispute which Law-giver by his Express Law and Royal Edict has Commanded all his true Ministers 28. Math. 19. 20. To Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Traâ—…hing them to Observe whatsoever he has Commanded them Adding a gracious promise of his special asssisting presence in this work That he would be with them always unto the end of the world we think that the Terms of enjoying all the Ordinances of Christ is but Observing whatsoever Christ has Commanded which Law is apparently exprâ—…sly palpably violated to use his own expressions when any thing else or less or more is made the Condition of our admittance into the Kingdom of Christ. § 2. I know no Reason why any party should be the Immoveable Mountain that is too stiff in the hams to Come to Christ I have ever judged Christ him self to be that Mountain to which Mahomet and all Pretenders ought to move It was Noted as a piece of arrogant Moroseness in Austin the Monk that he would stir no more then a Mountain to meet the British Christians half way in an Amicable Association But if the Church will needs be the 〈◊〉 yet let her remember that Christ is set upon that Holy hill and if she will not Move in Deference to his Authority He that touches the Mountains and they smoak and makes the Hills to tremble can by his Almighty power send such an Earth-quake in her bowels as may cause her to yeeld to Reason § 3. Though Opinion and Custom may fight it out for me yet let the proudest Ancient Custom bow down to the institutions of Christ. It has ever been as a Common so a successful Peliey to clap hoary Periwigs upon juvenile innovations to conciliate some Reverence to their Antique Looks Errour has often a more wrinkled face then Truth but Truth alway's Carries the Graver aspect They that Imp their pin-feather'd inventions wich plumes borrowed from Time's wings do not Teach them to fly but flutter Antiquity is like Romulus his Assylum where all pursued Corruptions take sanctuary 'T is the grand Borrough and safe Retreat of superstition when fetretted out of her Lurking-holes of Counterseit Reason He can say very little for his opinion that cannot plead Antiquity Custom and such like Mormo's Thus the Aquarian Hereticks pleaded Custom to use water mingled with wine in the Eucharist whose folly Cyprian thus Censures Victi ratione opponunt consuetudinem quasi Consuetudo Major esset veritate Being beaten at the weapon of Reason they fetch out the old Rusty sword of Custom As if such aBilbao sword durst try its edge against the tryed scimitar of Truth such a roat does Tertullian give these childish pretences Consuetudo ab aliqua ignorantiâ vel simplicitate initiam sortita in usum per successionem Corroboratur it a adversus veritatem vindicatur sed Dominus Noster Jesus Christus veritatem se non Consueâ—…udinem cognominavit Haereses non tam Novitas quam veritas revineit quodcunque adversus veritatem sapit erit haeresis etiam vetus consuetudo A Custom of Base and dunghil Extract yet gaining some Repute by Long usage and prescribing for it's gentility time out of mind grows sawcy and Malapert against Truth it self But our Lord Iesus Christ called himself by the Title of Truth not of Custom The clearest conviction of Heresy is not by the leaden Lesbian Rule of Practise but by the Golden Rule of the Scriptures Errour is Errour still and will be so of plebeian Breâ—…d and Ignoble parentage though it has purchased a coat of Armes scrapes acquaintance with some Ancient families and would make it out that it came in with the Conquerour The Gibeonites Acted very subtlely when they came to Ioâ—…na with Old sacks upon their Asses and wine-bottles old and reut and bound up and â—…ld shooes and clonted upon their feet and all their provision dry and mouldy as if they had come from far when all this while they were but their Next Neighbours It 's a pretty sight doubtless to see the State which the great Czar of Muscovy uses upon publick Festivals and Entertainments The great Chamber all beset with grave Personages Adorned with Ermines and Gold from head to foot dazling the weak eyes of vulgar spectators and yet perhaps you shall find some of these Knezzes next day in their Blue Aprons who shall think it no Empeachment of their late Glories to sell you a penny worth of Pepper such a Masque we have presented to us of old Customs all gorgeously attired like the Antediluvian Patriarchs and when we come to examine them they are little better then to use our Authors expressions The Dictates of Ambition the Artifices of gain and a colluvies of almost all the superstitions errours and Corruptions of former Ages § 4. Since there must be a yeelding in order to peace then surely they have all the Right and Reason on their sides to have the Honour of the Condescension Who Consess that the Matters in difference are Indifferent in themselves such as where in no grand Matter of Religion is concerned rather then they who ate bound up by immoveable persuasions that they are sinful 2. They who are most Remote from the primitive simplicity and not they who have no higher Ambition then to perform all things which and as Christ has Commanded 3. They who have made the Additions which Cause the Divisions and not they who only take up their Religion as near as they can as they found it delivered and recommended to them by the unerring word of God 4. They who have enough
they used in their Travels and other occasions the services and assistances of Holy women who chearfully administred to their Necessities and are thence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how childish is it to conclude an order or Institution from so slippery a thing as an Etymology The Angels are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministring Spirits 1. Heb. 14. â—…ill any from hence infer that they read the Liturgy Magistrates are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. Râ—…m 4. 6. And â—…et itâ—… no part of their Oâ—… tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. 〈◊〉 was by some Ecclesiastical Writers dignified with the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence some conclude he was a Liturgy-maker And thus our willing Enquirer to serve a turn must needs have those Good women that did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by all means to have been ordained to the Office of She-Deacons These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Bellarmine notes signify no more in their general import then Quâ—…libet publicâ—… munere sungi to perform any publick service for the Common benefit whether sacred or Civil But when they are applyed to any Religious work or service then by accident they have a sacred signification â—…tampt upon them And therefore the same Cardinal from those words 13. Act. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As they ministred to the Lord Has sound out a Masse compleatly rigged out for service Others will discover from thence a Liturgy though the duller sort of people ean espy no more then the worship of God which may very well consist without either 1. In a word The Duty 's of saluting with an Holy Kiss The ordering of all our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Feasts of love to Gods Glory The ministring in our respective places to the necessities of the Saints are as much in force as ever unless Holiness be grown out of fashion so that this one Observation will hardly put the Question beyond all Dispute let him try a second 3 If it be true as he says that the Christian Religion â—…as to throw down all Inclosures to unite the world under one Head and make of all Nations one people and therefore must be left with freedom as to Circumstantials Then it seems they design some depopulating inclosures and to disunite the world again who set up such distinguishing Ceremonies as divide those of the same Nation the same Religion both at home and abroad 4 His confidence that It is evident that it is unreasonable to expect that every Ceremony made use of by Christians should be found prescribed in the Scripture or proved thence does not at all move me I am accustomed to encounter feeble proofs seconded with gigantick confidences I think it 's reasonable that they who pretend to Imitate Christ should follow his example in this also 5. John 30. I can of my self do nothing as I hear I judge And that they who act under his Authority should produce his Commission or at least not expect so ready a Compliance with those Ceremonies which they confess not to be proved from Scripture In the mean time from Circumstances in the promises to Ceremonies in the conclusion from some Circumstances to all from Natural to Moral is a leap too great for any one to take that valued the breaking of his Neck more then the Breaking of his East His fine story of Pacuviâ—…s is lamentably impertinent for the Question there was who should be the Senator allowing the Senate approving the Order but quarrelling the persons but Dissenters greatest Dispute is about the Office whether jurâ—… 〈◊〉 or no They Question not whether Cross or Cream suit best with Baptism but whether any such Ceremonies ought to be used with it or Added to it They do not set op two or three new devices as Candidates for preferment but plead that all of that Kind be removed And if all the scuffle were which of them should be used which repudiated the Non-conformists would not bet a penny on either of their Heads CHAP. V. A thorough Examination of that Principle whereon the Enquirer lays too great stress That God lays very little stress upon Circumstantials in Religion THe Historian observes of the Ligurians a kind of Banditti that skulk't here and there and always plaid least in sight that major erat aliquanto labor Invenire quam vincere They were an enemy harder to be found out then being once discovered to be rowted upon which account this Enquirer may pass for an Antagonist more troublesome then formidable and yet therefore formidable because troublesome He Professes himself as ready to lay down his life for the preservation of unity as in testimony against flat Idolatry and next to if not before them he seems willing to dye a thousand deaths rather then ever state a Question God lays very little stress upon Circumstantials That may be true And God lays very great stress upon Circumstantials That may be as true also But when He lays very little and when very great stress upon them let others blow the coal for him he will save his breath for better purposes The Question would receive a very quick dispatch if we his poor Plebeian Readers were worthy to know what he intends by Circumstantials but seeing we are none of his great Cronies and Confidents that may be admitted into his Cabinet-Consels we must be content with the Andabatarian Feneers to Cuff it out blindfolds If he were under any Obligation to use such Mediums and Instances as were proportionable to his conclusion we might conjecture that by Circumstantials he means some Divine instiutions But seeing he has imposed upon himself no such severe discipline I know none has that power over him as to compel him to their Laws of Discourse and Disputation God lays very little stress upon Circumstantials undetermined by himself but there imposers lay the main stress And God lays very great stress upon Circumstantials by himself once determined but there I thank you our Enquirer lays very little And there is Reason enough and to spare why God should lay great weight upon the smallest matters which he has commanded but not half enough why Men should lay such a stress upon their Pleasures as to venture the Churches Peace upon them unless it could be made out that they had Authority from God to do it warrantably an Infallible Spirit to do it exactly and infinite Charity to guide that Authority without which to entrust any Creature with such a Power over Circumstantials were but to put a sword into it's hand that would kill some wound many and at last Destroy himself It is indeed a Noble Design which he pursues viz. To Beget in Men better Notions of God and better Measures of Religion for hetherto Men have sancied God to be very rigid and severe about small sins but our Enquirer will ease the minds of Men of their
2. That he brake the jaâ—… of the wicked and plucke the spoile out of his Teeth Mastersâ—… of Restraint they are not to estrain Religion but irreligion and the insatiable thirst of thoe which nothing will Quench but the blood of their Brothern 〈◊〉 that which was earned with the sweat of their faces 5 Nor will it be a foolish Charity 〈◊〉 blind obedience to permit our selves to thâ—… 〈◊〉 of our 〈◊〉 in those little things 〈◊〉 speak of To permit and resign up our selves to the conduct of others in Religious matters absolutely is blind obedience whether a sober Enquirer will call them little or no. Though the things may be small the blindness of our obedience may be as great as if the things were greater Blindness consists not in the Object but in the Faculty but. 1. The things wodiscourse of if we discourse ad idem are no little but the great things of the Gospel Great I say if we either consider the greatness and danger of those Principles which they proceed upon or the greatness and dangerousness of those Consequences which they draw along with them a â—…ttle spark may kindle if neglected a great flame They suppose either that Christ had not all power committed to him in heaven and in carth or that he has given it away by some Dormant warrant and clandestine Commission or that he never exercised his Power to settle the Regiment of his Church or that his Edicts may be Rescinded and cassated by humane will And they draw along with them a train of Fatal consequences as that 't is possible the condition of Christs Church may be irremediably more servile then ever was that of the Jewish if Religion should fall into bad mens hands But no sin is little to him that knows what blood it cost to expiate it what sorrow it costs the true penitent to mourn for it and what pains it cost the true Christian to resist it 2. If the things be so little in the judgment of Imposers we hope we shall tast of their compassion in indulging such little things It shall be no little praise we should return to the great God no little returns of duty and exemplary obedience we should make to his Vicegerent that should permit us the indisserent use of indifferent things and suppose them so yet the faith of indifferent things is no indifferent thing But I observe That when our Enquirer would have Dissenters punisht for the Neglect of these things then they are not little then they become the greatest weightiest most important things in the world then Churches Government Religion cannot subsist without them as accidents cannot subsist without their substances so neither substances exist without their accidents but when he comes to drole us into compliance then they are little triffles the minutes punctilios of Religion 3. If to resign up our selves in matters of immediate worship without a warrant from God to any but God be not blind obedience 't is because we are blind and cannot see what blind obedience is We freely commit our selves to the Political conduct in all things temporal a ministerial Conduct we own in our Pastors and Teahers a Soveraign Conduct we would gladly reserve for Christ. We would willingly go any whether but to Hell do any thing but sin lose any thing but the peace of our Consciences and part with any thing but what is none of ours to dispose of rather then seem to tergiversate from the Commands of our Governours And as we confess the Magistrate stands upon higher grounds then we so we must and without displeasing our Superiours way say That Christ stands upon higher ground then he And when we shall come to stand before his Tribunal there to receive according to our works we shall all stand upon even ground as to any difference that external advantages in this present world shall then make 6 We have Reason to perswade our selves that we may as easily lye under prejudices as they and that we may be as much transported with Considerations of ease and liberty as they may probably be suspected to be with Ambition Ans It 's the duty of all to watch against those temptations to which welye most open from without and to watch over those corruptions to which we are most obnoxious from within we dare not think it probable that our Magistrates are transported with Ambition And we profess that we are not transported with any base lust or pittiful considerations to suspend active obedience till we discover such transport by its proper fruits But if we must still be represented by our sometimes Brethren but now Persecutors as misguided by prejudices we are sorry for it but cannot help it and must place these secret Aspersions in the number of those burdens which by frequent use grow familiar and less pinching and such as seeing they are not to be avoided wisdom dictates they ought to be contemned And yet we shall pray that our Magistrates like the highest Boughs of the goodliest trees being most fruitful may bow down themselves with abundance of precious fruits and drop some of it into the laps of their despised but loyal subjects 7 There are no less different capacities of mind then Constitutions of Body and as great difference in mens outward Circumstances as in either of the former The Magistrate will certainly thence judge that there ought to be as great a diversity and latitude in his Impositions He that has a larger swallow let him have a larger cann Let the best stomack have the largest trencher and since one stomack will bear what would oppress another why should one mans Conscience be compelled to digest what anothers can easily put over Either we must practise whilst we think not the same things which is a sordid piece of unworthy Hypocrisy and no credit to uniformity to congregate such Heterogeneous materials or else tormented because our Constitutions capacities consciences circumstances are not of one size which is not our fault for we had not the mingling of our temperatures nor the putting together of our frames or else which we hope they who are wiser then us all will judge most eligible that every one retaining his different sentiments which impede not Christianity or disturb the peace may be indulged in a practise peaceably managed suitable to those innocent variations And since our Enquirer has quoted an old story I shall only repeat his words and leave the Reader to his own thoughs for the application Those that would have the Laws fitted to their humour without respect to other Men do but imitate the Barbarous Custom of the Infamous Procrustes who is said to have either Rackt all those Persons that fell into his hands and stretcht them out to his own size if they were too short or cut them of to his own proportions if they were too long And really if any of the Dissenters be of that Imperious and Tyrannical temper I know not why
or the Worship of God We are Commanded by Christ to Baptise now though it was not possible that it should be determined how often in what places at what houres with what Number of persons the Ordinance should be administred in Every Age and Country from its first institution to the End of the World yet its ' determin'd that they to whom of right it belongs to baptise at one hour or other in one place or other and so time and place are Determined by way of disjunction but there are some things which 't is not necessary to do the one or the other to the Compleat fulfilling and decent performance of the precept and therefore are not commanded by way of disjunction It would therefore be no such difficult labour to find out a better way for all the difficulty would lye in reforming Abuses removing Corruptions and reducing Christs Ordinances to their primitive institutions Hoc enim adversus omnes haereses valet Id esse verum quodcunque Prius id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius This is saith Tertullian the great Mawle of all heresies and I will add against all Corruptions that whatsoever was first is True whatsoever was introduced afterwards is a Corruption But though perhaps the Dissenters may possibly find out what is Better yet they will never Agree amongst themselves which is an old Politick put-off for Reformation The Levity of which Objection is easily discovered for § 1. We are all Agreed that the Scriptures are the only Rule of worship and they that are thus far Agreed are in a fair way towards perfect unity so far as 't is attainable in this state of Imperfection for though they may miss in the Application through the weakness of their judgment yet being secure that their Rule is good and sincerely endeavouring to come up to it and reform by it they cannot be fatally wide nor mortally differ All that are Agreed in their rule have this singular Advantage that they can debate their differences amicably upon common principles whereas they who differ in the Rule must needs differ in all the Rest they that divide in the Center must needs divide infinitely in their motions towards the Circumference and they that differ in the foundation must necessarily disagree in the superstructures § 2. All that Agree in the Rule have prepared minds immediately to Cassier whatever they shall once discover to be repugnant to that Rule and will easily part with any mistake as it shall be made out to them whereas they who set up false Rules of worship and yet suppose them to be true are as tenacious of whatever they find suitable to those erroneous Measures they have taken as if they were the most sacred Concerns of Religion § 3. They that own the same perfect and infallible Rule are thereby kept within such bounds of sound judgment warrantable obedience and Christian Moderation that they can maintain Communion with each other and both of them with the same one God one Lord one Spirit in the Ordinances of the Gospel though still differing in lesser matters whereas they who set up new Rules of worship exclude all others from their Communion but such as submit to their Novel Canons and Constitutions imposed as the Terms of that Communion § 4. They who embrace the word of God for their Rule do keep alive the fire of Evangelical Love towards each other notwithstanding the little diversities that are found amongst them when they who advance their own Pleasures for the Rule and Reason of obedience are engaged in a Zealous persecution of all those who comply not with their Concepts as is Evident in the Church of Rome at this day It will be delightful no doubt to the Reader to be Refresht with the Enquirers Rhetorick who has been tyred with my duller discourse and therefore I shall gratify him with his Reasonings It 's Reasonable says he we should be able to Agree upon and produce a better Model least in stead of having a New Church we have 〈◊〉 Church at All yes highly reasonable it is For Let him that reads now endeavour to understand the strength of his four Arguments 1. Such a Society as a Church can never be conserved without some Rites or other 2. Neither any Society can continue nor any publick Worship be performed if all Ceremonies and Circumstances such as of time place persons and the like be left indefinite and undetermined 3. If there must be some determination of Circumstantials it must be made either by God or man 4. If there must be some Determination of Circumstances or no Society and God hath made no such Determination what remains but that Men must And then who fitter then our Governours And what these four Learned arguments contribute to the proving his assertion That Dissenters will never be able to find or agree upon a better Constitution I hope the Learned do perceive for my own part such is my dulness I cannot discern it but let us Examine the Assertions as they lye in order 1 It can never be thought by wise men that such a Society as a Church can be Consâ—…rved without some Rites or other Rites Ceremonies Circumstances are the Terms under which all the collusion Lurks when he would flatter us into the humour to yeeld him a point or two then he speaks of nothing but Circumstances when he would Amuse us with an obscure Term then we hear of Nothing but Rites and when he would kill us with a Mortal Conclusion then out comes Ceremonies but I answer § 1. If a Church cannot be conserved without some Rites then let the Imposed Terms of Communion be only of such Rites without which the Church cannot be conserved and we will contend no longer If any Rite be so necessary to the being of a Church that its Constitution must moulder away into dust without it we are content that Rule be made a Term of Communion § 2. From hence then it will evidently appear that mystical Ceremonies such as the cross in Baptism the Surplice ought not to be imposed as the Terms of Communion because that without such Rites of humane appointment the Society of the Church may be conserved I would fain know how the Church was Conserved in the Early purer times of Christ and his Apostles They had not recourse to the Ladies Closet open'd They understood nothing of the Modern curious Arts of Conserving candying and preserving Religion in Ceremonious Syrrups and yet Religion kept sweet and Good They were some of his Holinesses Ladies of Honour that first taught the World out of a miraculous good will and tender pitty to the Church to conserve the two Sacraments of Christs institution in five more of their own invention because our Saviour had not prescribed enow to Conserve the Church from Dissolution § 3. This seems to be a little too high preferment for humane Ceremonies to make them Conserving Causes of the Church At Rome they have