Government of men and must certa â—â—â—be the truest Touch stone of Sin and Duty c. He says further this is a hopeful begining of Controversy to decline the Sufficiency and Propriety of Scripture as the Standard of good or evil But will this man assigne a better Yes the IXth Article of the Apostles Creed I Believe the Holy Catholic Church the Communion of Saints c. and concludes a happy Omen when the first Paragraph contains a plain affront both to Scripture and common Sense Sr. the holy Scriptures is the great Law for the Government of men and is certainly the truest Touch stone of Sin and Duty But Sr. whoever he be Scripture ought not to be Interpreted contrary to an Article of Faith that expounds Hâ—â—y Scripture in contradiction or not consonant to an Article of Faith his exposition cannot be true and I am assured so by that Article of Faith it contradicts or agrees not with As for example the Socinians have with so much cunning and plausibility expounded even those texts of Scripture which are express for the Divinity of our Blessed Savior in favour of their Heresy that they have staggar'd and perverted many persons of considerable understanding but when the Article of Faith is consider'd viz. And I Believe in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God God of God very God of very God being of one Substance with the Father c. every Christian is infalliably assured that the Exposition of the Sacred Scripture made by the Sâ—inians are false because it is in contradiction to an Article of Faith So when I saw Mr. H ry had expounded the holy Apostl's Precept I beseech you Bretheren c. 1 Cor. 1.10 that there be no Divisions among you c. and other Texts of Scripture in favor of your Separat Communion to acquit that from the guilt of Schism I was firmly assured that his Expositions were false because they clash'd and agreed not with that IXth Article of Faith I Believe the Haly Catholic Church the Communion of Saints a Separate Communion being altogether inconsistent with that Article of Faith I therfore recomended that Article of Faith as a better and more easie way for him to find out the true nature of Schism than his so unskilful expounding Scripture which the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1 20 is not of any Priâ—aâ—e Interpretation Sr. I know not who nor what you are but I must tell you that to affirm that an Article of Faith is a plain affront to Scripture is the nearest to the language of an Heretic that I have met with In p. 10 he saith I â—ffer to their Consideration the Origination or first Existence of the Catholic Church and that I said it was before the day of Pentecost but he says how long before that day I tell 'em not and then he takes an occasion to let us know that he has read of the Babilonish Captivity I did set down the Text Acts 1.15 The number of the Names together were about an hundred and twenty which was sufficient to denote the time and he owns that he knows my meaning but to exercise his abundant wit he says here is a Discovery worthy of its Author no body can think that I mention'd it as the Discoverer but as necessarily previous to what follow'd But he says had God no Churcheâ— then among the Jews must they be Excommunicated too for what cause pray and then reproachfully answers Not for want of Ceremonies or a Pontiff I hope Then he says the man told us in his Preface the Angels in Heaven were the most Glorious Members of the Church How must we lay these things together were the Angels Originated at the day of Pentecost Had they their first Existence then Or did the Members of the Body Exist before the Body Let the Citizen or any other of his Cabalâ— solve these Riddles and he shall be my great Apollo That God had a Church from the beginning of the World Church not call'd Catholic before the day of Pentecost Psal 2.8 Eph. 2.14 that the Angels in Heaven were from their Existence Members of it being Created for that end anâ— that â—he Church of the Jews was Gods peculiar Church are all infallibly true but untill the Promise was fulfilled Desire of me and I shall give thee the â—â—eathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Untill the middle Wall of the Partition was broken down which was not ' til the Church was changed from Judaism to Christianity the Title Catholic was never nor could properly be attributed to the Church now unless this Gent. will shew that the Church was call'd Catholic before the Day of Pentecost I mentioned all these Riddles and Philosophical questions are of no more worth and value than his great promise to make me his great Apollo In p. 11. he questions not that the Apostles and Disciples were the Church nor the power Christ gave the Apostles to Preach the Gospel to all the World and says that I well observe Christ's Commission and Charge that in every Natian they that believed might be Baptiz'd and made Members of the Church but says he how well they have observed their Commission who refuse to admit of Church Members upon their profession of Faith unless they will also comply with some significant Rites of their own that are alien to Scripture Rules c. and then in his 12 p. he says its plain from this mans Confession that to be a Disciple or Believer would make a man a Member of the Church in Apostolical times c. It is true that Faith is the necessary Qualification of a mans admission to Baptism and that persons are thereby made visible Members of the Church Members of the Church to observe the Peace Vnity in the Church but this is but the Initiation or beginning of Christianity Obedience to Spiritual Rulers and Governors being in this always suppos'd and impâ—y'd to Faith and Baptism must be added a strict Observation of the Order Peace and Unity of that holy Society into which they are admitted by those Qualifications above mention'd and this is most strictly enjoyned by the Holy Jesus the Prince of Peace and God of Order in the words mentioned in the beginning of this paper and divers other Texts in Scripture As for calling them Rites and Ceremonies of their own that are alien to Scripture Rules what ever tends to Order and the Beauty of Uniformity in the Church is in the Power and Wisdom of the Apostles Successors the Bishops to impose thô not express'd in Scripture there are no express terms in Scripture for Infant Baptism nor for Women to pertake at the Eucharist yet allowed and required by the Authority of the Church and submitted unto from the Primitive times by all Christians except Anabaptists who deny the former And this fully answers his following Paragraph which he closeth with much bitterness
A REPLY By T. W. Citizen of Chester To a VINDICATION of Mr. M. H's Brief Enquiry into the true Nature of Schism from the Exceptions of T. W. c. By a Person who conceals his Name THE Prince of Peace Blessed for ever laid this Command upon his Disciples Mark 9. v. 50. Have Peace one with another and that this Command might have the deeper impression in their minds he left it as his Legacy Joh. 14 v. 27. Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you how numerous soever they might in all Succeeding Ages come to be this was to be the Badge and Character by which his Disciples were to be known to the world and to one another now whosoever he bâ— that in any Case violates this Command and sets at naught this Legacy is no longer a Disciple of the Holy Jesus the Prince of Peace unless he repent and return Yet notwithstanding all this there has scarce any Age since the Church of Christ had a being been free from some or other who have pretended to be the Disciples of Christ in an extraordinary manner and yet have had no regard to this holy Command nor any value or esteem for this Sacred Legacy For they are most notoriously Guilty of breaking this Law and contemning this Legacy who revile and oppose that Government of the Church which was instituted by our Blessed Saviour founded in his Apostles and convey'd by them to their Successors and so has continued in a right Succession to this present time of this sort our Dissenters in England are and some or otâ—â—r of them are frequently putting out Pamphlets wherein they endeavour to acquit themselves of this great Crime by Justifying their Separation from the Government of the Church To this purpose Mr. M. H ry Printed a Pamphlet the last year which he called a brief Enquiry into the true Nature of Schism there was not much more of the Nature of Schism than of the Philosophers Stone in it however the not Answering it gave it the more Credit and swell'd his Disciples with Triumph so as some of them boasted in my hearing that it could not be answered by any Clergy-man this made me uneasie and considering how unsuitable it was to any Clergy-man to concern himself with it and withal considering that this might be an Argument to proselite the weak and more unstable people I under took it in hopes that the Catholic truths laid down thô by so mean and weak a hand might put a stop to their boasting and it had these effects First few believed but that it was done by some Clergy-man who prevail'd with me to print it in my name And secondly that Mr. M H ry for all the fulness of Gifts his Disciples boasted to be in him thought as I may reasonably from his calling in aid suppose it was above his Talent to meddle with Now lest the neglect of a Reply should be fatal to them and stagger their blind Proselytes in Chester and parts adjacent they sought and found out a man of great Size to attack me a chosen Vessel one of the First rate who has fired all his Guns at me and shot a great deal of Venom and little else which I hope in this following Paper shall make to appear This great man conceals his Name and perhaps not without good reason In the front of his Book he tells us That man must be a great stranger in England who knows not what unhappy Flâ—mes have been kindled among us about matters of Church Government and Wâ—rship and he must be as great an Enemy that would not contribute his utmost to the extinguishing of them a great deal has been writ on both 〈◊〉 to convince the world where the fault of our Division lies That the Government of the Church by Episcopacy was of Apostolic Institution and Ordination is evident 〈◊〉 Government of the Church by Epiâ—copacy is of â—ivine Institution for that Timothy was made Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of Crete by Apostolical Ordination and Institution is very clear in St. Paul's Epistles to them both That the seven Ciâ—ies in Asia which received the Christian Faith had each City a Bishop in eâ—ident by the Title St. John gives an his Letters to them contain'd in the Second and Third Chapters in the Revelations And that after the Apostles time wherever the Christian Faith was received in the early Ages of Christianity this Government was set over them and that then all Christians own'd and submitted to this Government is sufficiently proved by the concurrent Testimonies of all the Fathers in those Primitive times and from those times this Government received no interruption nor was at any time controverted or questioned except by Aerius Ischyras and one or two more who were condemned for Schismaticks till the last Age and then by this sort of Men by setting up a new mistaken Notion of Parochial and Congregational Episcopacy with Lay Elders to share in the Government of the Church never heard of before To Church Government disputed he adds Worship by which I suppose he means the Worship of God which chiefly consists of the unfeigned belief of the Articles of Faith deliver'd by the Apostles the Offering up Prayers Intercessions The Worship of God in the Church of England as â—ure as in any other Church whatsoever Thanksgiving and Praises unto God Almighty according to his Will declared in the Holy Scripture presented in the name of his Son Christ Jesus with all Reveence and Humility and Gestures expressing the same the word of God read and duly and truly preach'd the holy Sacraments Babtism and the Eucharist rightly and duly administred Now all this is done with as much Reverence and â—ravity Simplicity and Gospel purity in the Church of England as in any Church whatsoever own'd to be so and highly honored and esteem'd for it among all the Reformed Churches except those men of Violence your Brethren of the Kirk of Scotland with whom we have nothing to do only to pray for them They of Rome indeed Dissenters kindled the flames of Division were the only men who first oppos'd the reformed Worship of our Church purified and cleansed from their Innovations and Corruptions as it stands established both by Canon and Statute Laws and these Dissenters have pursued Their Game and in this made themselves Their Partners by continuing and increasing those Flames to this day not without hopes to compleat what the Papist so much endeavoured and still with these men earnestly desire viz. the overturning and suppressing of this reformed Worship So the Flames were kindled by the Papists first and then by these men by their Disputing and Arraigning the Established Worship The Church Government and Worship being thus stated it easily appears that the Dissenters in England are they who kindled the unhappy flames this Gent. talks of among us Now let us see how they may â—e extinguished where the fault lies and who are the
explain by shewing wherein this Communion doth more particularly consist In my p. 5. viz. in the same Articles of Faith The Communion of Saints in Faith I nam'd the Apostles Nicene and Atharasian Creeds which have been received and used in the Catholic Church from the times they were first published and appoint'd by the Authority of the Church the Creeds are Compendiums and brief Comprehensions of the Objects of our Christian Faith and do contain all things necessary to be believ'd every Article being a principle of the Christian Religion which every Christian is bound to profess and is the Test to distinguish between Heretics and sound Christians and now this profession and agreement of Christians in these Articles of Faith may be truly called the Communion of Saints in point of Faith But my Adversary is not very fond of these Creeds and why not in Scripture says he Why every one who truly believes the Scripture believes the Articles of Faith and every one who believe the Articles believe the Scripture He says They are but Human composition They were Composed by those to whom the Care and Authority of the Church was committed and every Article for the benefit of all even the meanest Christians being formed and Collected out of Sacred Scripture are of Divine Authority He says I shut out the Greek and other Eastern Churches This is but his own Conception for they agree with us in all Articles of Faith they do not indeed express the Article of the Holy Ghost in the very same words but they acknowledge that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father by the Son which differs not in sense and they Worship the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity so that in Articles of Faith we and they hold Communion Well! I perceive thô my Adversary relishes not and speaks with but indifferent Respect of the Creeds yet he says however he is so far in Communion with us so in this he will be no Schismatic or rather no Heretic The Communion 〈◊〉 Saints 〈◊〉 the Eucharist Another particular which I mentioned requir'd in this Communion is partaking all at the same Table which thô it be not individually yet Spiritually it is the same and being every where called the Lords Table could be no otherwise meant but that this Gent. will be very witty and take exceptions at every thing The Apostle calls it the Lords Table The Cup of Blessing which we bless 1 Cer. 10.21 v. 16. v. 17. is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ We being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread All true Christians partaking at the Lords Table are one Body in the Apostles Sense the bread not only signifieing the Body of Christ but the Unity of the partakers also and this is the Communion of Saints at the Lords Table Here says he we are with him still I wonder at his confidence he would say sure hâ—re we ought to be with them for they are not with us By comparing our Church with the Primitive Churches I have proved her to be a Church truly Catholic her Jurisdiction as truly Apostolical as they were from whence it follows as I have said that her Orders are to be equally obey'd her Unity and Peace as strictly maintained and what soever was Schism in any of them must be so in her To refuse Communicating with any of them at the Lords Table and to have set up another Table in opposition to any of them must in this Gentlemans judgment have been criminous Schism then of necessity it holds true against our Dissenters they refuse Communion with that Church which most certainly holds true Communion with the Universal Catholic Church and consequently with the Son of God who is the Head thereof and the Principle and proper Object of all Christian Communion Our Dissenters have set up a separate Table in opposition thereto rob'd her of her Members and broke her Unity all this being notoriously the breach of Christian Charity is in this Gent. and Mr. Hery's Sense too Schism which Mr. Hery calls an Arch-Rebel but not so properly as an Infamous Rebellion in Christs Kingdom and thus they are Schismatics in Separating from the Communion of Saints at the Lords Table What he talks here of deriving our Succession from the Church of Rome is already answered A third particular required in this Communion I affirmed to be Communion of Saints in the same Prayers the joyning all in the same holy Prayers and Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks according to St. Paul's express Command To this he says I cannot mean that in those Dutys we must necessaryly use the very same words c. for then I exclude all the World but them of my own perswasion and a great many of them too I exhort therefore saith St. Paul that first of all Supplications Prayers 1. Tim. 2. v 1.2 Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all min for Kings and all that are in Authority c. Here is a sufficient ground from Holy Scripture for Liturgies or Forms of Prayers in the public Worship and Service of God and St. Paul gives his reason for it in his Ep. to the Romans that we might with one mind and one mouth Glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15. v. 6. According to this command Forms of Prayers or Liturgies were Composed early in the Catholic Churches and have been used ever since that there might be an Unity in their Supplications and Prayers and in their Thanksgivings and Praises that nothing should be omitted nor any thing more in our Petitions express'd but what our holy Religion requires that there should be no rudeness or undecency in words in which respects conceived and Extempore prayers are very liable to be faulty and in these they were all obliged to joyn where ever they came together for the public Worship and Service of God Herein they had Communion with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ who was in the midst of them Mat. 28. v. 20. and in whose name they were presented and with one another Uniting all in the same Prayers here is the Communion of Saints in holy Prayers It is true that the Respective Provincial or Diocesan Churches had not every one their set Forms of Prayers or Liturgies in the very same words every Bishop having power to Compose a Form for that Church of which he was Over-seer Yet they were the same for substance so that every Christian was obliged to Communicate not only with the Bishop or his Presbyters under whose Jurisdiction he lived but all Catholics coming to remote Churches did as bound by the Rules of Catholic Unity Communicate with their Fellow-Christians to what Church soever they came That in this the Church of England as in the former particulars holds Communion with the Primitive Catholic Church will appear Pream Quinto
bottom of his 35 p. he says Ignatius charges the Bishop to take Coâ—â—nizance of every Member of his Church not excepting the very Servants and that it was the Custom then in every Congregation to receive the Sacrament every Lords day and that they never received it but from the Hand of the Bishop Hence he concludes that such Bishops must be the Pastors of single Congrezations and adds that this Argument has been copiously mannaged by Blundel Baxter Owen Clarkson and others This Gent. as in all other Quotations leaves me to find this I have met with the passage in St. Ignatius's Ep. to Polycarp Bishop of the Smyrmans where he saith Converse with all man by man as God shall enaâ—â—e thee he saith further Let nothing be done without thy Sentence c. A little farther he saith Let Congregations be gather'd more frequently and take the names of all Persons Let neither Men nor Maid Servants be despised by thee And in the same Ep. he saith Be mindful of the Bishop that God may be mindful of you I could give my Life for those persons who are Subject to the Bishop Presbyters and Deacons Let the Reader consider all the parts together and then Judge how reasonably Congregational Bishops can be hence inferr'd 1. It is evident that Polycarp was not Bishop of one Single Congregation only by these words call the Congregations together c. in the Plural Number 2. His Jurisdiction and Authority over the Congregations is manifest in these words Let nothing be done without thy Sentence 3. The Subjection 〈◊〉 to the Bishop from these Congragations contain'd in this Exhortation to them Be mindful of the Bishop that God may be mindful of you 4. The Distinction of the three Sacred Orders in the Church about which these men have made such a bussle in the world are plainly set down and overthrows all their pretentions to Congregational Bishops for saith he J could give my life for these persons who are Subject to the Bishop Pres yters and Deacons Here is a plurality of Congregations and a plurality of Presbyters and Deacons and but one Bishop From his not reading or concealing the most material parts in this Ep. wherein lye the true Sentiments of St. Ignatius how Triumphantly does he conclude for Congregational Bishops whereas the whole is altogether against it Then he glories in the copious management of this Argument by Blundel Baxter Owen Clarkson and others Alass all these have been judiciously Answered by Bramhal Hammond Morris Stillingfleet Dodwell c. In his 36. p. saith he It is observable in the passage cited out of Irenaeus the Presbyters are said to have their Succession from the Apostles and infers from thence that the Presbyters are the Apostles Successors as well as Bishops and must conseq ently have the same power How frequently in the writings of the Fathers and in Scripture are Bishops called Presbyters as that word signifies Seniority or Dignity and are not they sometimes called Deacons too but as it would be very absur'd to infer from hence an Equality of Bishops and Deacons so would it be unreasonable to conclude concerning Bishop and Presbyter That our Author is mistaken in St. Irenaeus's sense of the word Presbyter appears by the words immediately subjoyned which are these Qui cum Episcopatus Successione Charisma veritatis certum Secundum placitum Patris acceserâ—nt L. 4. C. 43. Who that is the Presbyters above mentioned with the Succession of Episcopacy have received the Infallible Gift of Truth according to the Will of the Father It is plain that no other can be here ment but those of the highest Order in the Church Bishops My Author p. 37. accuseth me that I designed not fair dealing with Mr. H-ry it was a great omission in me I therefore take his thô very sharp Rebuke very kindly Mr. H-ry in his 19 p. Parag. 6. very Orthodoxly saith Separation from Communion with those that we have joyned our selves to without a Cause give me leave to call it Separation for Separation sake without any regard had to any think amiss in the Church we Separate from or any thing better in that we joyn our selves to is Schism Then he proves the truth of this Proposition from his own description of Schism and then concludes When we quite cast off Communion with our Brethren out of Ambition Animosity to their persons affectation of Novelty and Singularity and the like Now our Author lest this truth so plainly set down by Mr. H-ry should carry too sharp an edge upon 'em in p. 37. brings in his Insinuation as he in vain supposeth to guard them from the stroke they must naturally receive from the applying of it to them For says he We all grant that for persons wilfully to with-draw themselves from such particular Churches as are framed according to Scripture Rules and impose no new and needless Terms is to act Schismatically because such wilfull Separation cannot be without the breach of Charity The difficulties which my Author which indeed are none at all would put lyes in Churches framed according to Scripture Rules c. It is Schism in Mr. H-ry's Judgment to Separate from a Church without any regard had to any thing amiss Let it be Examined if in our Church there be any thing amiss Are not all the Arcicles of saving Faith truly taught No just cause of Separation the Holy Sacraments duly Administred the Moral precepts and all the Rules of the Christian Religion plainly and constantly recommended unto us and prest upon us for our Excercise in the whole Course of our lives in the Sermons of our Clergy in all our Churches are not all things pertaining to a Godly Life and Salvation by our Church fully exhibited to us so as that no man can miscarry but by his own fault Here then sure can be nothing amâ—ss Can these men maintain and justifie then the truth of their Doctrine and separate themselves from us without pronounceing themselves Schismatics either their Doctrin is not true or these men are Schismatics in practice by their own shewing All the false and shiftless pretence they have is that the Church of England is not framed according to Scripture Rules and imposeth new and needless terms and therefore Separation from such a Church is no Schism That our Church is truly Apostolical and as truly framed as Jerusalem Antioch Alexandria and all other Primitive Churches according to Scripture Rules according to Christ Jesus's own Institution is fully proved in these papers So that that Objection is clearly Answered and is indeed vain and frivolous Now let his other as vain and frivolous Objection be considered viz. the Imposing new and needless Terms by which is I suppose meant Geremonies I must here crave leave to mention what I have before viz. the Love-â—cast the Holy kiss had no intrinsic vertue in them were no Essentials of Religion see his p. 2. mere Ceremonies and as this Gent. calls our
Ceremonies without any native worth or strength yet were made Terms of Communion in the Apostles days and continued for some time after The Ceremonies in our Church are of the same Nature only have so much worth and strength that they beat the pleasant fruit of Decency and Order they are falsly called New being Customs of great Antiquity in the Church and being enjoyned by the same power derivatively which the Apostles had by my Adversatys good leave cease to be needless It necessarily follows that all persons within the Jurisâ—iction of the English Church have the same Obligation to submit to her Terms of Communion as the Christians had to submit to the Terms o. Communion with the Apostles Seeing then that there 's nothing amiss in our Church i. e. not any thing that can give any just occasion to separate from her Communion Seeing too that She is a Church framed according to Scripture Rules and that her Terms of Communion are neither New nor Needless the Conclusion necessarily follows that whoever they be within her Jurisdiction that Separate from her Communion do Separate for Separation sake and have no other Motives thereunto than those in â—atâ— Vices of the mind mentioned by Mr. Hery viz Ambition Animosity c. to close this These men are Notorious Schismaticks from their own Principles thereby give themselves the Title of Arch-Rebels in Christs Kingdom I will tâ—â— this Question upon the Dissenters and Examin what account they can give or their being a Church framed according to Scripture Rules and whether all they impose as Terms of Communion be by express Rules in Scripture That Church cannot be framed according to Scripture Rules where the Priestly Office is exerciâ—ed without the Divine Mission my Author may as trâ—â—l â— affirm in respect of his â—atural Generation that be is an immediate Son of Adam as what be in his 31 p. affirms of Ordination viz. that their Spiritual Governâ—rs i.e. their Pastors derive their Authority from Christ which by the words subâ—oyned must be immediately from Christ for he says it is mere proper than to speak of deriving it from the Apoâ—lâ—â— c. No Commission was ever known to come immediately from Heaven without some extraordinary Testimony to evince the Truth of it The immediate Mission which these men pretend to requires an extraordinary Testimony or no man in his right Wits can believe or assent to its Authority or esteem it for any thing but mere Delusion or Usurpation The Cretian Church must be allowed to be framed according to Scripture â—â—les I keep to this Gentlemans term in that Church St. Paul appointed Titus to Ordain Elders in every City none in the Scriptural Churches as this Gent Phrases it was to enter upon the Pastoral or Priestly Office without Episcopal Ordination Our blessed Saviour saith Jâ—â— 10.1 Verily I say unto you he that entreth not by the door into the Sheep sold but climbeth some other way the same is a Thies and a Robber Not entring in at the Door signifies entring without that Authority which the Author of our Religion hath Ordained in his Church without this Mission i. e. Episcopal Ordination no man hath Authority to Preach the Gospel administer Sacraments or exercise any thing appropriate to the Priestly Office unless these men can manifest that they have this Mission they are so far from being a Scriptural Church that our blessed Saviour pronounceth them to be Thieves and Robbers By this account of the Frame of their Church supposing but not granting it to be a Church it appears to have no Foundation of a Scriptural Church but on the contrary is Condemned in the Hâ—ly Scripture Let it now be examined whether All they impose as Terms of Communion be by express Rules in Scripture 1. First Then I desire they 'l inform us where did our blessed Saviour or his Apostles appoint the first day of the Week for Celebration of the Public Worship 2. What precept have they in Scripture for choosing a Text as is now used to Preach upon or the erection of a Pulpit 3. What Divine Command have your Brethren for the Form of Public Penance the Stool of Repentance imposed by the Kirk of Scotland and the Presbyterians in England These are I suppose Terms of Communion with you I am not disputing against the Practice of these things but hence it appears how unreasonable and false that Principle you so much contend for is to wit that nothing is to be done about the Worship and Service of God without Rules and express Command in the Holy Scripture But I farther demand of you 4. What Divine Warrant or where in Scripture did your Predecessors find those three significant Ceremonies imposed without the Regal Authority at the taking the Solemn League and Covenant which you at this day justifie First the Takers must be uncovered 2ly they must stand up 3ly The right hand must be lifted up bare all these Ceremonies in this Religious Solemnity signifying the Submission and Assent of the parties to that Rebellious Covenant were Instituted by the Presbyterians In his 37 p. he says We desire the Rules of the Gospel may be carefully looked into and a model of Government and Worship taken from thence such as may be likely to answer the great ends of Church Societies c. Here 's our Government and Worship supposed to be inconsistent with the Rules of the Gospel thence a necessity of Reformation and who can deny so fair an Offer The Model these good men will set up shall be a Model for Church Government and Worship not like our Vnscriptural Church but taken from the Rules of the Gospel But here it s demanded 5. What Rule or Command is there in all the Sacred Scriptures for private and Unauthorized persons such as these men are under pretence of Reformation to supplant a Catholic Church truly Reformed in Government and Worship to primitive purity as I have shewed and established by all the Authority that can be had on Earth from God or Man Conceited men Think ye that those Pious Martyrs who Reformed our Church inspected not the Rules of the Gospel as carefully and Conscienciously as you and are not the â—reat ends of Church Society answered viz. the Christian Faith truly professed and maintained the Holy Sacraments duly administred and such an Unity and Christian Charity observed and practiced according to the Rules of the Gospel in our Church as exactly and amply as in any Church on this side Heaven His next words in p. 38. are That nothing may be imposed but what is either expressly commanded or has a natural and proper tendency to promote that which is so c. This is Answered before He saith farther Then would the Worship and Service of God appear like itself Rational Grave and Majestical becoming reasonable Creatures c. Here are all men to be perswaded that the Worship and Service in their Conventicles is eminently more Rational Grave and
Majestic than in our Churches The truth of this will best appear from their practice None of their Addresses to K. James the second were presented 'till the Composure and Form thereof was deliberated and well weighed by more than One by the whole Classis of a County The Preacher saith Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God c. But they in their Conventicles Address the Majesty of Heaven they rush upon and approach his presence with the rash and Sudden thoughts of one single person with a Prayer newly Coined but whether Sterling true according to Standard being never tryed is uncertain for the people know it not nor the Orator till it be out they shew'd more Fear and Reverence to an earthly King than they dayly do to God Almighty Is this Rational Is this Grave In their Conventicles at the reading the Holy Scriptures among which the Psalms consisting of the highest strains of Devotion they Sit or Loll and are covered is this Grave and Majestic When the Minister as they call him offer up his rash and unconsider'd Prayers to God the People are in confused and irreverend postures as if there were some unconcern'd and trivial thing in hand is this Grave and Majestical He who Administers in their Divine Worship as they call it has no other Habit than what is due to and becomes a Tradesman or any other Layic in the Congregation and indeed therein they are very modest the Minister for the most part having no more claim to Priestly Garments than his Auditors is this Grave and Majestic The truth is these men are so humorsome that what is Rational they condemn as Senceless what is Grave and Majestical they condemn for Superstition and on the contrary what is Rude Irreverend and Foppish they esteem as Rational Grave and Majestical By this time it is very evident that the Dissenters in England do Separate from a Church wherein there is to use Mr. H-ry's words not any thing amiss i. e. not any thing that can give any just occasion to Separate from her and that the Communion for I cannot call it a Church or Society they joyn themselves to is so far from being better that in many Respects which I have mentioned it is so much worse that its an absurdity to compare them The Inference then drawn by Mr. H-ry from his own Proposition is clearly against them Mr. H-ry p. 19. that their Separation from our Church is clearly for Separation sake and is necessarily an Vncharitable Alienation of Affection and is consequently Schismatical Having also considered my Authors Notion of Schism to wit p. 37. for persons wilfully to with-draw themselves from such particular Churches as are framed according to Scripture Rules and impose no new or needless Terms is to act Schismatically because such wilful Separation when no cause is given cannot be without breach of Charity with our fellow-Christians which is the Scripture Notion of Schism Having shewed that our Church is truly framed according to Scripture Rules and that she imposeth neither New nor needless Terms this Inference of his is necessarily against them too viz. That the wilfull with-drawing of these men from such a particular Church as our Church is is to act Schismatically c. If any thing would prevail upon the Oâ—â—â—inacy of these men here is conviction from their own Reasoning 〈…〉 fair dealing with Mr. H-ry at this time will make an Attoneâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—mer Omission and allay my Adversaries bitter thoughts against me In my 〈◊〉 paper p. 7. I instanced the Authoritys of Ienatius Irenâ—us â—â—â—â—ian and A 〈…〉 who were all Bishops and Mattyrs and agree Tâ—â—â— for 〈◊〉 to disâ—â—ey then Bishops and Presbyters appointed set ever them and to Sâ—parate 〈◊〉 them oâ— to set up distinct Conventicles is 〈…〉 Is not by this understood diâ—â—râ—ty or Separation of Comâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 is not this properly Scâ—â—sm Yet for this my assirmation he does in his 45 p. peremptorily charge me and consequently those Pious Maâ—yrs with giving St. Paul the Lye It St. Paul condemn'd the Corinthians for admiring and barely preâ—â—â—â—ing one Minister before another of Schism shall that far greater and blacker Crime the fâ—â—saking and Separating from them â—o which the 〈◊〉 were not then arrived be excluded from Schism Shall a cut in the Arm be truly call'd Schism or Schissure and shall not the lopping off and Separating the Arm from the Body which is the Dissenters Case be accounted so Wherein do I give St. Paul the lye This Gent. is a topping Accuser The rest of his Book contains chiefly Bitter Invectives and Scurrilous Reflections at his bitter reviling of me I wonder not But stand amaz'd at his hardyness and indeed horrid and gross Impiety with so much Venom and Malice to take into Royal Sepulchers and render our Four Protestant Monarchs Infamous see his p. 61. of K. Charles the 2d he saith not to be paralell'd in Story I Q. Elizabeth's Reign our Church was again Reform'd all the Innovations and Superstitions which by a long series of time the Church of Rome had introduced into the Church and Consecrated with the Title of the Did Religion abolished the inestimable Blessing of the truly Ancient Cathoâ—e Religion revived and established this Religious Queen and all those pious Prelates to whom under God the praise of all that Glorious work was due escape noâ— his malice but in one breath blackens and defames them all these are his words in p. 75. That great Princess had sâ—â—â—thing of the Sire in her and there wanted not Prelatic breath to blow the Spark into a Flame The Universal Fame this Great Princess had for Wisdom and Piety the Turbuâ—en Humor and Insolent behaviour of the Dissenters towards Her you have an account of in Bish Barnet's Aâ—râ—dgment c. the 4th Book p. 381. Now notwithstanding that this man saith in his 2d p. that Penal Laws had a quite contrary effect and in his 3d p. that they have not hitherto brought Protestants to an exact Uniformity this Queen in the year 1592 made Penal Laws which being Vigorously Executed contrary to his maxims had the good effects and proper ends for which they were made supprest the Ring-leaders and put an end to their Conventicles and brought so many of them to Conformity that during Her reign afterwards she had no more disturbances from them and this I suppose to be the chief incentive of this Male-contents displeasure against this Great and Matchless Princess In his 56 p. concerning K. James the first he saith For when King 〈…〉 Englands Throne the Prelatic Party dreading least the Paâ—â—tans 〈…〉 great a share in his Favours upon the account of his Edâ—â—tion 〈…〉 the Scottish Nobility and Ministry might have upon hi◠〈…〉 Studies to creat a prejudice against them and fâ—â—ing no 〈…〉 take with him as the extending of his Authority and enlarging 〈◊〉 Pâ—rogative c.
in all that 's neâ—essary thereunto is to impose upon our very Senses and to believe it â—ere to degenerate into Sensless Brutes But alass should the Church condescend to gratifie your Humor strip â—â—e Priest of his Habit the Emblem of Innocency the Colour oâ— the Robes 〈◊〉 St. John's Vision and in which all the Messengers from Heaven appearâ—â— Should she for your sake abandon the Sign of the Cross so anciently used in all Catholic Churches Should she yield to rob her Members of their Ancient Right by Cancelling and Oblitterating the Liturgy which for Matter and Order how useful and necessary for Public Devotion let it self Testifie And instead thereof allow Extemporary Prayers which what crude and indigested matter for the most part they are we have heard and know and which cannot possibly without the Stamp of Authority which they are not capable of or be made appear to be the dictates of the Spirit thô programed before Ten thousand people bear the Title of Public or Common Pâ—ayers Should the prohibit Kneeling and enjoyn us like Crowns and Bâ—â—â—â—s to 〈…〉 we Celebrate the Commemoration of the Death and Pâ—â—â—ion of our blessâ—â— Redegâ—er in the Eâ—charist Should she forbid bowing iâ— my Deâ—â—tion at the saving name of Jâ—â—us paying Coâ—â—â—â—al Adâ—â—â—tion to God 〈◊〉 which the very light of Nature teacheth And should she 〈…〉 which you a â—â—â—â—ingly call Prifles Alas She must betrayâ—â—er Trâ—â—◠〈◊〉 level the Priest-hoâ—d she must Surrender and part with the Government â—â—tabliâ—hed by Divine Institution or you will never be fatisâ—yed this is evident in the whole strain of your Book and is the avowed and Darling Principle of all Dissenters of what perswasion soever were their Divisions more numerous than the points in the Compass yet they will all agree and Center in this viz. the Expulsion of Diocesan Bishops from the Government of the Church not considering that they contend and strive against the Ordinance of God the Care and Charge of all the Churches being intrusted and committed to them and who thrô all Ages from the Apostles as faithful Over-seers of the Church of God have handed down and delivered to us the Holy Scriptures the Articles of Faith â—he holy Sacraments and all that 's Sacred and conducive to Holiness Unity and Charity here and to that future happy Estate of perfect Holiness and Unity Eternal hereafter Ungrateful men is their Extirpation and Destruction a meet reward for conveying to us such inestimable Bleâ—sings Are ye the meek Servants of the meek and Holy Jesus who mâ—rmeâ— and Rebel against them that bear his Authority Can ye be the Disciples of Christ who abjure and declare against his Ambassadors Or can ye be eâ—â—â—â—ed the Subjects of the Prince of Peace who sow the Seeds of Contention and are the Authors of Separation of Division and Confusion in the Church of God No no He hath formded our Religion in Charity and 〈◊〉 in Peace and Obedience and 〈◊〉 one can be his Disciple who is a violâ—â—â—â— of Câ—â—â—â—tian Charity making no Conscience under pretence of Conâ—â—â—ence to disturb the Peace and dissolve the Unity of the Church not only by disobeying the Governors thereof in those things which our Savior having lest indifferent hath left in their Power to impose and Command but by despising them and endeavouring their utter Extirpation As the Tree is known by its Fruit so are you by your Works If any have been Guilty of Schism ever since the Ascention or can be till the Second Advent of our Lord our Dissenters are manifestly so And as the Confute of the Church judicially pronounced against Scandalous Lend and disorderly persons excludes them from the Congregation of Christ's Flock which St. Paul calls deliv ring up unto Satan So these Dissenters 1 Cor. 5. v. 5. 1 Tim. 1. v. 20. by despising and renouncing the Government of the Church by withdrawing and Separating themselves from Communion with her involve and hurry themselves wilfully into the same State and Condition with those who by judicial Sentence are put out of the Congregation of Christ's Flock how deplorable soever it is to be so this is the true state of the Câ—se of all who as our Dissenters are guilty of Criminous Schism they exclude themselves from the Catholic Church The Holy Scriptures abound with Remedies against this but I will presume to mind them only of these prescribed by St. Paul The first is Mind not high things but condescend to men of low Estate be not Wise in your own conceits Now not to submit in things Indifferent Rom. 12. v. 16. which being Commanded by our Lawful Governors are made a Duty is very contrary to this Command of condescending to men of low Estate And they must be Wise in their own Conceits who occasion the breach of Charity and Unity by preserring and obstinately contending for their own private Opinions against the deliberate and United Councils and Decrees of their Superiors in those things wherein the Essentials of Religion are not the least concern'd The next is Follow Peace with all men and Holiness Heb. 12. v. 14. without which no man shall see the Lord Holiness is but pretence and if I may call it so mere Pageantry in Religion in those who do not follow Peace with all men much more in them who will not be at Peace with their Lawful Spiritual Governors for he who hath not Peace as well as Holyness shall never see God And now more full of Charitable desires than hope of the Conviction of these men to Christian Peace and Unity with a Resolution never to give them any more trouble of this kind as I began with our Saviours Command and Blessed Legacy of Peace so I conclude with St. Paul's Exhortation Be of one mind live in Peace 1 Cor. 13 v. 11. and the God of Peace shall be with you FINIS