19.42 pag. 24 25. The Mortification of our Lust and Passion living a life of Spiritual Purity and Devotion Self-denial and Meekness Justice and Charity Peaceableness and Patience Sobriety and Chastity and a trusting in the Merits of Christ for pardon of our Sins and acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness these are the substantials of our Religion about which all wise and good men are Agreed however we differ about other Matters Difference of Case between Separation of Protestants from Rome and the Separation of Dissenters pag. 69. As for the Dissenters meth nks it should not be hard to disswade the most of them from breaking the Communion of the Church any longer with which they agree in the Substance of Faith and Worship Mr. Wake 's Sermon on Rom. 15.5 6 7. pag. 16 17. Our differences do not at all concern the Foundations either of Faith or Worship and are therefore such in which good men if they be otherwise diligent and sincere in their enquiry may differ without any prejudice to themselves or any just reflection upon the truth of their common profession To conclude this Head Bish Reynold's Br. Reconcil p. 7. Why should not the many Truths wherein we agree teach us to join in Love which is a Christian Duty rather than the few opinions in which we dis-agree cause breach in affection which at best is but an human Infirmity That the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation IN the Common Prayer at the Visitation of the Sick the Minister by the Churches order saith thus to the Sick I shall rehearse to you the Articles of our Christian Faith that you may know whether you do beleive as a Christian man should or no. And so Bishop Tailor on the Credenda in the Holy Catholick Church The Creed which whosoever beleives is a Catholick and a Christian but he that beleiveth it not is neither In Baptism according to the Church of England The question put to the person to be baptized dost thou beleive in God the Father and so to the end of the Creed And will thou be Baptized into this Faith And in the Church Catechism That in our Vow at Baptism we promised to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And in the beginning of the Reformation it was agreed upon that the Bishops and Preachers ought to instruct the people according to the Scripture the Three Creeds and the four first General Councels The Fathers are cited by the Reverend Bishops in testimony that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation as by Arch-Bishop Laud against Fisher Bishop Taylors Ductor Dub. and Bishop Bramhal especially Tertullian Clemens Romanus Ambrose Augustine c. who made the Creed to be the only standing immoveable and irreformable Rule of Faith the sum of the whole Catholick Faith the Key of the Christian Faith the rule and square of the Apostical Sermons i. e. after the making of it wherein the Apostles have collected into one breviary all the points of the Catholick Faith which are diffused throughout all the Scriptures The Creed is one perfect collection and sum plain short and full that the plainness might help the weakness of the Hearers the shortness their Memory the Fulness their Instruction The General Councel of Ephesus did forbid all men to exact any more of a Christian at his Baptismal profession and again the same Councel That it should be lawful for no man to publish or compose another Faith or Creed then that which was defined by the Nicene Councel and that whosoever should dare to compose or offer any such to any persons willing to be converted from Paganism Judaism or Heresie if they should be Bishops or Clergy-men should be deposed if Lay-men Anathematised i. e. Accursed with Excommunication It was the Universal practice of the Primitive Church Credisne at Baptism On Palm-Sunday the Christian converts from Heathenism as yet under Catechizing petitioned for Baptism and from that day forward had some assigned to expound the Creed unto them whereof they were to make solemn profession at Baptism All the Divines of the Reformed Church confessedly and generally own this Truth that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation Bishop Halls Works p. 637. 'T is not Cassander's Speech only but every wise and honest man's the Creed is the common cognizance of our Faith surely saith he Theodoret when he would allay the bitter contentions of those antient Christians of Antioch writes thus both parts made one and the same confession of their Faith for both maintained the Creed of the Nicene Councel and blames the Romanists that the confession of the same Creed is not sufficient with them for peace Item Resolution of Practical Cases of Conscience Case 5. Dec. 3 d. If there were not some special Truths the belief whereof makes and distinguishes a Christian the authors of the Creed Apostolick besides the other symbols received anciently in the Church were much deceived in their aim Doctor Potters Answer to Charity Mistaken p. 221. How can it be necessary for any Christian to have more in his Creed than the Apostles had in the Church of their time may the Church of after ages make the way to Heaven narrower than our Saviour left it c. The Apostles profess they revealed to the Church the whole Councel of God keeping back nothing needful for our Salvation What Tyranny then is it to impose any new matters on the Faith of Christians especially as the late Popes have done under that high commanding Form Qui non crediderit aut fecerit damnabitur Bishop Tailor Coll. of Discourses p. 524. It is a strange Boldness in the Church of Rome first to add Twelve new Articles to the Apostles Creed and then to add the appendix of Athanasius this is the Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved For I demand can any man say and justifie that the Apostles did deny Communion to any man that believed the Apostles Creed and lived a good Life Let them remember Pope Pelagius who when the Bishops of Istria deserted his Communion in causa trium Capitulorum he gave them an account of his Faith by recitation of the Creed and by attesting the Four General Councels and is confident upon this that de fidei firmitate nulla poterit esse questio vel suspicio generari Bishop Usher In those Propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian World i. e. Articles of the Creed so much Truth is contained as being joyned with an holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto Everlasting Salvation and that as many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be upon them Upon which saith Doctor Chillingworth this is a great and as good as Truth and as necessary for these miserable Times as can be uttered Hookers Eccles Polit. p. 266. We have received from the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ that brief confession of Faith which hath been always a
will be no Heresie and if it be Heresie being about a point not of Faith but of Discipline whether Episcopacy be a distinct order from Presbitery it will not be among those things which St. Peter calls Damnable Heresies Bishop Hall 's Resolutions of divers Cases of Conscience Dec. 3. Case 5. Whosoever shall wilfully impugne any of the Articles of the Christian Faith refuse to acknowledge and receive the Sacraments expresly instituted by Christ comes within the verge of Heresie Wilfully I say for meer Error makes not an Heresie If out of simplicity or gross Ignorance a man shall take upon him to maintain a contradiction to a point of Faith being ready to repent upon better light he may not be thus Branded Eviction and Contumacy must improve his Error to be Heretical Bishop Bramhall 's Just Vindication of the Church of England pag. 26. A man may render himself guilty of Heretical pravity 1. By dis-believing any Fundamental Article of Faith and necessary part of saving Truth c. 2. By believing any Superstitious Errors or Additions which do vertually and by necessary and evident consequences subvert the Faith and overthrow fundamental Truths 3. By maintaining lesser Errors obstinately after sufficient Conviction c. But because that consequence which seems clear and necessary to one man may seem weak to another and because we cannot penetrate into the hearts of men to judge whether they be obstinate or do implicitely and in the preparation of their Mind believe the Truth its good to be sparing and reserved in Censuring Hereticks for Obstinacy Bishop Tailor 's Collection of Discourses pag. 117. When I reckoned Obstinacy among those things which make a false opinion Criminal there is an obstinacy of the will which is indeed highly guilty of Mis-demeanor and when the School makes pertinacy or obstinacy to be the Formality of Heresie they say not true at all unless it be meant the obstinacy of the Will or Choice The Adequate and perfect formality of Heresie is whatsoever makes the Error voluntary or vitious as is clear in Scripture reckoning Covetousness Pride and Lust and whatsoever is vitious to be its causes but there is also an Obstinacy you may call it but indeed is nothing but a resolution and a confirmation of Understanding which is not in a mans power honestly to alter and it is not all the commands of Humanity that can be Arguments sufficient to make a man leave believing that for which he thinks he hath reason for which he hath such Arguments as heartily convince him Item pag. 417. It is very hard to be discerned because those accidental and Inherent Crimes which make a man an Heretick in Questions not simply Fundamental or of necessary practice are actions so Internal and Spiritual that cognizance can but seldom be taken of them Dr. William 's Truth pag. 32. Because is is a sin so fearful to persist maliciously and obstinately in a known Heresie and because of mine own Ignorance of Mens hearts what their thoughts be how far their knowledge reacheth or how much their Malice prevaileth with them I dare not be so bold as in my thoughts to lay a sin so grievous to any mans Charge Glanvil 's Cath. Charity It s very true that Error many times is occasioned by a corrupt Byas in the Will and Affections but then if our Erring Brother be sincere in other matters we are not to conclude that his understanding is this way corrupted and we can scarce be certain of it in any case Design of Christianity pag. 232. Would we know whether we Embrace all the Fundamentals of Christianity and are guilty of no Damnable and Destructive Errors Examine we our selves are we sincerely willing to obey in all things commanded and heartily endeavour to have a right understanding of the Holy Scripture in order to the bettering of our Souls by the Doctrines c. This obedient temper is the most infallible mark of an Orthodox man such an one though he may err cannot be an Heretick Dr. Hammond of Schism pag. 24. How light and inconsiderable and extrinsecal to the Foundation soever the Error may be supposed to be yet if there be Obstinacy in the continuing in it against light and conviction this certainly is a sin neither light nor inconsiderable nor reconcileable with Christian Practice Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 43. Many are partakers of the Error which are not of the Heresie of the Church of Rome Put a difference saith St. Jude have compassion upon some Shall we lay up all in one Condition Shall we cast them all headlong Shall we plunge them all into that infernal Everlasting Flaming Lake Them that have been partakers of the Errors of Babylon together with them which are in Heresie Them that have been Authours of Heresie with them that by Terror and Violence have been forced to receive it They who have Taught it with them whose simplicity hath by sleight and conveyances of false Teachers been seduced to believe it Them which have been partakers in one with them which have been partakers in many Them which in many with them which in all Item pag. 64. Considering how many Vertuous and just men how many Saints how many Martyrs how many Ancient Fathers of the Church have had their sundry perilous opinions and St. Augustine saith of himself Errare possum Hereticus esse nolo except we put a difference between them that Err and obstinately persist in Error how is it possible that ever any man should hope to be saved Mr. Chillingworth chap. 1. Sect. 13. The intended sence of Scripture is not so fully declared in points not necessary but that they which oppose it may verily believe that they indeed maintain it and have great shew of Reason to induce them to believe so and therefore are not to be Damned as men opposing that which they know to be a Truth delivered in Scripture or have no probable Reasons to believe the contrary but rather in Charity to be acquitted and absolved as men who endeavour to find the Truth but fail of it through Humane Frailty Item chap. 3. Sect. 19. He opposeth not that which he doth know to be true but only that you know to be so and which he might know were he void of prejudice which is a Fault I confess but a fault incident to good and honest men very often That none are to be shut out of the Church and denied Communion for Lesser Sins and Errors BIshop Tailors Ductor Dubitantium In what case is Excommunication to be inflicted I chuse to give it in the words of the Fathers because there is in this case Reason and Authority too 1. Unless the offence be evident no man must be excommunicated says Origen agreeably Hooker Eccl. Pol. pag. 408. As for Iniquity and Sin it lieth many times hid and because we be all offenders it becometh us not to encline towards hard and severe sentences touching others unless upon notorious
THE Conformists Sayings OR THE Opinion and Arguments OF Kings Bishops And several Divines lately Assembled in Convocation In Favour of Those who DISSENT from the present CEREMONIES of Publick Worship By a Minister of the Church of England LONDON Printed for the Author 1690. To the Christian READER THE World is so well acquainted with Collections in Learning Morality and Divinity Exemplifying Vertue and Vice c. that there needs no Apology for Works of this sort which may have their use as well as others I chose this way as most Authorative and convincing And as to the Matter and Subject of the Book it cannot but be highly necessary and seasonable to plead in the behalf of Love and Peace when the Church is so miserably divided Worthy men have complained Glanv Cath. Char. That our Divisions have brought things to such a pass that men take it ill to hear of Charity And That a Treatise of Peace would be thought like Snow in Summer Bishop Gauden or Rain in Harvest And a Third Rishop Tailor That one had as good Till the Air or plow the Sands as perswade such Doctrines And a Fourth Doctor Fowler That it hath been the common Fate of Reconcilers to suffer from both Parties But however we fare it is our Duty to mind the contentious World of so important a part of Christs Discipleship which it seems to have forgot and to have unlearnt that Lesson their Master taught them to love one another We are indeed to contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints and yet to seek the Truth and Peace Zech. 8.19 If we be never so certain the thing we contend for is Truth we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow the Truth in Love If ever this Church flourish Moderation must at last be the Temper of her Members Pref. to Bishop Wilkins Sermons saith the Reverend Dean of Canterbury And Though we agree not with our brethren in all their Opinions yet while we hold the same Creed and walk by the same Rule why should we not hope to meet in the same Heaven For sure Heaven is wide enough to hold men of several judgments else few are gone thither already and fewer would follow after in these times of division A man may almost as soon expect that all the Clocks in the City should strike One together as that Men of so many several Sects as are to be found in England should agree in any one alone The Church of England the Protestant Dissenters the Quakers and the Romanists are no more like to meet together in one place and joyn in the same Religious Worship than London Geneva Rome c. to move out of their several places and joyn together into one City For my part I do believe that there will be to the end of the World some for Episcopacy some for Presbitery some for Ana-Baptism and perhaps some for Independent Congregations though against the whole current of Antiquity For besides that Scripture is not so very clear and convincing by necessary consequence against their received Opinions as it is in matters of Faith the difference of Educations and variety of apprehensions which men who here know but in part have about the sense of the same Scriptures doth mightily confirm it In every one there is not the same knowledge saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.7 What Course is then to be taken Must we use force and violence bloud and wounds fire and faggot fines and imprisonments Curses and Excommunications against Dissenters from our Way and Worship We have not so learned Christ I presume this savours of that other manner of Spirit which Christ rebuked in his Disciples who would have consumed the Samaritans with fire from Heaven telling them they knew not what spirit they were of for Christ came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Vpon which words saith a Learned Prelate of our Church Bishop Andrews's Serm. p. 918. Not to destroy that they which cannot save may yet be sure not to destroy any The World hath used to practise the contrary if men cannot save others and their saving of them is no more than to bring them to be of their Sect and Perswasion and perhaps a putting them farther off from salvation than they were before the next Course is to destroy and root out the Generation of them But it was excellently said by as excellent a Person Bishop of St. Asaph's Serm. Nov. 5. 1680. before the House of Lords pag. 8. That they who are most given to hate and destroy others especially those others who differ from them in Religion they are not the Church of God or at least they are so far corrupt in that particular For Christ saith save and destroy not bless and curse not and love your enemies enemies to our Religion as well as others and that with all the Properties of true Charity set down by St. Paul 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. For want of this we have suffered so much from each other and each side felt it smart and found it grievous when it was their turn to suffer as it hath been too too common with us whatever Party hath got uppermost to carry it with a severe hand towards the rest following the Advice given to King Charles the Second in respect of the Dissenters to crush them when he had got them under the Hatches Whereas common Humanity and Christianity teach us mutual favour bowels of mercies kindness meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another c. Col. 3.12 13. And blessed be God who hath endued our Gracious Prince and the Great Council of the Nation with this Christian Spirit to shew mercy to mens Consciences And surely if men will be but so wise as to know and consider so good as to desire and so humble as to yield to the things which make for Peace they cannot be ignorant how much the present Act for Toleration may contribute to our Peace and Prosperity I am sure it hath put a stop to three very considerable Evils To those Fines and Imprisonments which have been the ruine of some Families by disabling the Master of the Family from carrying on his Trade and bringing in Provision for the rest which depended on him We should have thought it hard measure if it had been our own case to have been confined to a Prison instead of a Shop and to have the Act of Forty Pounds for each Moneth levied upon us for one or two Moneths upon the account of our difference from our Brethren and then quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Again It hath put a stop to that great abuse of Excommunication designed by Christ against men of the greatest and most incorrigible wickedness or the most obstinate Heresies and not for any lesser differences in things of no necessity to Salvation Which hath made this holy means of Reformation despised while the
and ordinarily is sufficient for the Salvation of all those who are sincerely careful according to that measure of Light and means which God hath vouchsafed them to actuate their Faith with Piety Charity and good Works Bishop Tailors Collection of Discourse Polem and Moral p. 403. He takes it for granted that one Heaven shall hold men of several Opinions and the Unity of the Faith is not destroyed by that which men call different Religions Item p. 595. Speaking of the Papists they keep the Foundation they build upon God in Jesus Christ they profess the Apostles Creed they retain Faith and Repentance as the supporters of all their hope of Heaven and believe many more Truths than can be proved to be of simple and original necessity to Salvation and therefore all the wisest personages of the adverse party allow to them possibility of Salvation whilst their Errors are not Faults of their Wills but weaknesses and deceptions of their Understandings Item p. 713. Now thus much also your men allow to us those who Live well and Die in a true though but general Repentance of their Sins and Errors even amongst us your best and wisest men pronounce to be in a saveable Condition spoken of the Papists Charity to us Bishop of Salisbury 's Remarks on the Methods for Converting Protestants p. 104. A Church may be a true Church which is a Society of Men among whom are the certain means of Salvation and yet be corrupted with many Errors and thus as long as the Church of Rome acknowledges the Expiation and Satisfaction made by the Death of Christ and applies it to all that truly believe and amend their Lives so long she is a true Church so that those in that Communion who adhere truly to that which is the great Fundamental of the Christian Religion may be saved Mr. Chillingsworth 's Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation In his Answer to the Preface of Charity maintained pag. 14. How of dis-agreeing Protestants both parties may hope for Salvation If they use their best endeavours to believe the Scripture in the true Sense and to live according to it as I hope many of all sides do it is impossible but they should believe aright and if they perform the condition of sincere Obedience why should they not expect that God will perform his promise and give them Salvation Mr. Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 56. As many as hold the Foundation and as it were with a slender Thread although they frame many base and unsuitable things upon it things that cannot abide the Trial of the Fire yet they shall pass the Fiery Trial and be saved Collection of Sermons of Mr. Samuel Ward of Ipswich pag. 18. With God I dare be bold to say there is neither Calvinist nor Lutheran Protestant nor Puritan Conformitan or Inconformitan but Faith and Love in Christ is all in all Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement pag. 15. Where one and the same straight Road is kept a small difference of Paths doth not hinder Travellers from coming to the same Inn at Night Spoken with reference to the different Sects of Christians who may yet in their several ways meet at the same Heaven Glanvel 's Catholick Charity pag. 35 36. It s very true indeed that the way to Heaven is but one and to walk in that is the one thing necessary but then that is not this or that particular Path but the way of an Holy Life which may be practised under very different Forms of Apprehension and Belief The paths may be many in this Royal Road he that goes in the plainest and nearest is in the best condition for pleasure and safety but another that goes about or in a Rugged or uneven path may come to the same Journeys end though with more difficulty and danger Judge Hales Discourse of Religion pag. 33. He that fears the Lord of Heaven and Earth walks humbly before him thankfully lays hold on the Message of Redemption by Christ Jesus strives to express his Thankfulness by the sincerity of his Obedience if he falls in any measure is restless till he hath made his peace by true Repentance c. Such a man whether he be an Episcopal or Presbyterian or Independant or Anabaptist he hath the Life of Religion in him and that Life acts in him and will conform his Soul to the Image of his Saviour and walk along with him to Eternity The Quakers take away their affected singularities the men are as other men Some indeed very sober honest just and plain-hearted-men and sound in most if not all the important Doctrines and Practices of Christianity pag. 17. Bishop Wilkins Sermons pag. 63. If a man be truly Conscientious and sincere in those most substantial Duties of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost it is not his mistake or failing in any other lesser things that shall make him uncapable of the Kingdom of God Again in the same Sermon we are not to think the worse of others for their differences so as to despise them or censure such persons as to their Estates and Conditions as if they were not sincerely Religious nor in favour with God for though they should be Erroneous and mistaken in their judgment in such things yet if their Conversations be more just and righteous than ours if more humble and peaceable they are thereupon to be accounted better than we are both more acceptable of God and approved of men Doctor Sherlock in Religious Assemblies pag. 96. Others are scandalized at the great variety of Religions but if wise seeing there is so much dispute which is the true Religion they would use the greater diligence and honesty to find it out and hope that God would pardon those mistakes which are meerly the Errors of their Understandings when they offer unto him a pious and devout Soul that an honest man who is not byassed by Interest and does not chuse a false Religion upon a Design will be accepted for his Sincerity and Devotion Dr. Patrick 's Parable of the Pilgrim describing the Safe guide to the Heavenly Jerusalem pag. 14. He hath Faith enough to save himself and Charity enough to believe that others may be saved that are not in all points just of his belief Doctor Fowler 's Principles and Practices pag. 108. Be so charitable as to believe well of Dissenters from us who lead good lives are of a modest and peaceable deportment and hold no Opinions that directly oppose the design of the Christian Religion Mr. Dodwell in his Letters about Holy Orders When you have reduced them to this to practice such Duties as are by all Parties owned essentially Obligatory under the State of Christianity as God be praised principles sufficient for most of these are admitted by all considerable parties that violate the peace of Christendom and brought them to a carefulness of their ways and a tenderness of Conscience and Inquisitiveness after their Duty universally if
wickedness 2. None but peccator gravis scandalosus Why should a man proceed to violent remedies when a gentle application will make the cure Therefore the Fathers in the Council of Worms in Can. 2. Decreed Nullus Sacerdotum c. no Priest shall excommunicate any man sound in the Faith for small and light causes but only for some very grievous fault according to the practice of the Fathers St. Leo in the 93. Epist forbade Let not the Communion be easily or lightly denied to any Christian nor at the pleasure of every angry Priest It was a worthy cause of complaint in St. Leo to consider that this evil was done for so little things and therefore if the Church do Excommunicate him whose Actions or Words though faulty yet can consist with the state of a good man and do not destroy the Love of God the Censure was too heavy as to the External and false as to the Internal Communion For the man is not fallen from God but doth communicate with the head and continue to receive of the Spirit of Christ 3. Neither is this sufficient a scandalous sin alone is not enough for Excommunication is the last remedy Omnia prius tentanda When nothing else will do it then is this to be used for his amendment Bishop Usher 's Directions concerning Liturgy and Episcopal Government That none might be excommunicated but by the Bishop himself with the consent of the Pastor in those Parishes the Delinquent dwells and that for heinous and scandalous Crimes joyned with obstinacy and wilful contempt Idem In his Body of Divinity Bishop Pearson on the Creed pag. 350. By great and scandalous offences by incorrigible mis-demeanors we my incur the Censure of the Church of God and while we are shut out thence we stand excluded out of Heaven Item Doctor More 's Mistery of Godliness 14. chap. That none are to be excluded from Communion that profess the belief of the Holy Scripture and the Creed unless they stand guilty for some gross and scandalous sins and do persist therein impenitent and unreclaim'd Item The Judgment of the Church being nothing else but an effective and terrible Declaration of the Judgment of God must not be exterminating and Final for things of little concernment but according to the Mercy which we hope for Again If the Church kills on Earth i. e. Excommunicates and God saves in Heaven its clear she hath not used her power aright Whoever deserves Excommunication deserves Damnation pag. 530. in Collection of Discourse Polemical and Moral In the Commination The persons coming under the Discipline of the Church said to be such as stood convict of Notorious Sin And further the Wrath of God which obstinate sinners through the stubbornness of their Hearts have heaped unto themselves which despised the Goodness Patience and Long-sufferance of God when he called them continually to Repentance c. And the Curses therein are denounced against wilful and open Evil Livers Article 33. of the Church of England That person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off that is Excommunicate c. On which Mr. Rogers Exposition reckons two sorts of men to be rightly Excommunicated whereof the one pervert the sound Doctrine of the Truth as did Hymeneus and Philetus the Resurrection the other sort such as be defiled with notorious wickedness Bishop Jewel 's Defence of the Apol. pag. 140. The Minister we say shutteth up the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven against unbelieving and stubborn persons denouncing unto them Gods Vengeance and Everlasting punishment or else quite shutting them out of the Bosom of the Church by open Excommunication Item pag. 146. That the wicked and wilful and such as would not believe c. Item Reply to Harding pag. 32. Persons Excommunicate upon great and notorious Crimes could not be suffered to communicate with the rest of the Faithful Item pag. 88. The apparent wicked and ungodly were removed from the Congregation Bishop Andrew 's Latter Sermons pag. 32. It hath ever been held good Divinity that the Church from Christ received power to censure and separate wilful offenders Item pag. 55. Speaking of the same power given to Edification and not to Destruction I say not first and principally to Destruction nor of any save only of the wilful and impenitent Sinner Item Bishop Andrew 's Sermons Edit 3. pag. 727. Then is not every Error repugnant to Gods Grace God is able to pardon and not impute Error in Opinion as well as Error in Practice did not the High Priest offer as well for the Errors as the Transgressions of the people This only we are to look to that with St. Peter we be not wilful if there come a clear comperi as ready to relent in the one as to repent of the other Archbishop Laud cited in Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 391. The Church of England is not such a shrew to her children as to deny her Blessing or denounce an Anathema against them if some peaceably dissent in Points remoter from the Foundation Bishop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus The Apostles Creed saith he and the Articles therein contained he that believeth and endeavours to lead a Life conformable to the commands of Christ is not to be blotted out of the Roul of Christians nor expelled from Communion with other Members of any Christian Church whatsoever Item That Church doth too much please it self which rejects others in which neither Tyranny nor Idolatry nor Deadly Heresie is found as men unworthy of Communion with her for some Infirmity of Understanding the Fathers of the Ancient Church did not so Why should men be more rigid than God Why should any Error exclude any man from the Churches communion which will not deprive him of Eternal Salvation Dr. Chill chap. 4. Sect. 40. of his Book Doctor Chillingw chap. 4. Sect. 13. What Man or Church believes the Creed and all the evident consequences of it if also he believe the Scripture sincerely and heartily cannot possibly be in any Error of simple belief offensive unto God nor deserve for any such Error to be deprived of his Life or cut off from the Churches communion and hope of Salvation Sir Francis Bacon In his Advertisement of the controversies of the Church of England and of his works pag. 138. pag. 192. Of the abuse of Excommunication vide c. Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 54. If was a perilous Error that the Galatians held about Justification yet so far was St. Paul from striking their Names out of Christ's Book that he commandeth others to receive them i. e. to have communion with them with singular Humanity use them as Brethren he knew mans imbecility had a feeling of our blindness which are Mortal Men how great it is The Judgment of the Professors of Divinity in the Vniversity of Aberdeen mentioned pag. 707 is not unsuitable to this Subject That the condition of that Church is