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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49524	The reformed Presbyterian, humbly offering to the consideration of all pious and peaceable spirits several arguments for obedience to the act for unifromity, as the way to vnity and endeavouring to demonstrate by clear inferences from the sacred scriptures, the writings of some of the ancients, or several old pastors of the reformed churches abroad, and of the most eminent old non-conformists amongst ourselves : as Mr. Josias Nichols, Mr. Paul Baines, and other learned divines : as for Mr. Perkins, Mr. Iohn Randal, and Mr. Rob. Bolton, that there is nothing required by the act for vniformity that is forbidden by the law of God / by Rich. Lytler ...	Lytler, Richard.	1662 (1662)	Wing L3573; ESTC R1525	139,662	290

that are members of our visible Church and I humbly conceive it to be a seasonable Truth to be treated on That obedience to this Act for Uniformity is the way to Unity Sect. 3. The reason in general why it is likely so to be is because that our chief discords dissentions and divisions which we so long have laboured under have been about our modes of Worship and Discipline That they have been so from the very first beginning of the troubles of Frankefort to this very day he is a stranger in our Israel that knoweth it not yet if you will not take it from me be pleased to take it from Mr. Baxter who in the Postcript of his Epistle to the Reader before his Treatise of the Vain Religion of the Formal Hyppocrite having cleared the Doctrine of the Church of England from being any matter of our most unchristian discord he sayes The more is the pity that the very modes of Worship and Discipline should be the matter of such sharp and uncharitable discords Now then if our sharp and uncharitable discords be and have been about the modes of Worship and Discipline then for all to observe one mode or form or rule in publick Worship and Discipline must needs be the way to unity and agreement Sect. 4. This at first view may seem to be Durus sermo a very hard saying who can bear it and I do the more incline to believe it by what I have read which discovers how contrary the apprehensions of some learned men are to this Truth Who have therefore pleaded very much for Non-conformity and a liberty for persons to chuse or refuse what form or mode of Worship they please as the way to peace Now this I say being the general argument against Vniformity with the means conducing thereunto as I find in the Petition for peace and also in Mr. Baxters sive Disputations I shall make bold with all tenderness and meekness and with much respect to those worthy persons to weigh and consider of the truth and strength thereof Sect. 6. The argument I find in the Petition for peace pag. 14. in these or the like words Nothing more affects us then to think of the lamentable divisions that have been caused and are still like to be whilest things unnecessary are imposed and on the contrary how blessed a unity and peace we might enjoy if these occasions of divisions were removed So that here in short lyeth as is said if I mistake not the ground of all these lamentable divisions about modes of Worship even since the Reformation begun in King Edwards dayes to this time That things unnecessary have been imposed And that this is the chief exception against our Superiours commands I find pag. 12 16 17. and others in the said Petition for peace that they are esteemed unnecessary but that I find them not to be charged as absolutely sinful in themselves in all that book is worthy of observation For this being acknowledged in the general by those persons of that moderation and piety which were to review the Book of Common Prayer c. That they are but unnecessary and not sinful Sect. 7. I humbly conceive that it should put a great stand to the thoughts of such who are methinks too forward to consider Whether onely for non-obedience to unnecessary things in their own judgment or in the judgment of some others that have taken up this tradition from the troubles of Frankfort it be lawful for them to lay down their Ministry or to do that which might by Law deprive them of the same Before I proceed further I shall crave leave to ask this modest question Whether or no this argument against obedience to the commands of our Superiours because we judge the things commanded to be unnecessary is not onely a principle of division but of confusion in all Government Sect. 8. I remember that I have somewhere read that Licurgus the Law-giver to the Lacedemonians being moved by one to establish a Democratical Government in the Commonwealth he bid him go home and exercise it first in his own family And surely if we do but seriously consider of it we shall find that were but this objection brought against our commands as we are Parents or Masters in the government of our Families that they are unnecessary what can be expected but disorder disobedience division and confusion Sect. 9. And had the converted Gentiles whom the Governours of the Church Acts 15. enjoyned to abstain from bloud and things strangled as necessary not to salvation but for the setling of the peace which was broken by the Jewish Teachers ver 2. and to propagate the Christian Religion which are the two professed ends of the framing this Act for Vniformity pag. 71. had they but pleaded This is an unnecessary Imposition and so have been non-conformable how had the Christian Religion been interrupted in 〈◊〉 first plantation and the dissentions and divisions occasioned by the Jewish Teachers been propagated and continued I humbly conceive therefore that this argument or objection against the commands of our Superiours That their Impositions are unnecessary is a very unnecessary objection and a principle of confusion and division in Church State or Family But now that a universal agreement in one mode and form of publick Worship and Discipline is the way to peace and unity and therefore no unnecessary Imposition I thus argue Sect. 10. First that which doth deliver us from dividing sins must needs be the way to unity Secondly that which tends to the Honour of Religion the edification and building up of the Church that must needs be the way to unity Now to have one form and to agree universally in the modes of Worship and service of God doth conduce to both these and therefore Uniformity is the way to Unity I shall begin with the first and shew what are these dividing sins naming but the principal ring-leaders amongst them and they are Pride and Error Sect. 11. First Pride that it is a dividing sin and the spring of division if not of disobedience the Wiseman tells us Prov. 13.10 onely by pride cometh contention as if this were the spring of all division and disobedience But besides from this root spring many more dividing sins as self-conceitedness and thinking of our selves more highly then we ought to think a sin forbidden with an unusual preface Rom. 12.3 a sin whereby we are apt to think our selves wiser then seven men that can render a reason Prov. 26.16 and more holy then the rest of our brethren as did the proud Pharisee From whence also floweth the judging censuring condemning and despising of each other which are all dividing sins and exceedingly tend to the tearing of that Badge by which Christ would have all his Disciples to be known even by their love to each other Sect. 12. Secondly as Pride so Error is a dividing sin for though Truth be but one yet Error is the seminary of all

he is said to be in this exercised as Gods Minister to take vengeance on him that doth evil the greater therefore the evil is the more to be suppressed and the greater the good is the more to be inforced Sect. 5. St. Augustine in his 50. Epistle hath a very considerable passage to this purpose Who being in his right wits will say to Christian Kings Take you no care who defendeth or impugneth in your Realms the Church of Christ your master let it not pertain to you who list to be sacrilegious or religious within your Kingdom And upon this account he doth challenge the Donatists Cry thus if you dare Let murthers be punished adulteries c. onely sacriledge which he expounds to be a contempt of God his Truth his Church we will not have punished by Princes Laws And again saith he will the Donatists though they were convinced of a sacrilegious schism say That it belongeth not to the Princes power to correct or pu●ish such things Sect. 6. Observe I beseech you besides the Scripture the judgment of this ancient Father and that it was the opinion of the Donatists who were very great Scismaticks as I find in the Arraignment of schism by Mr. Brinsley they also it appeareth did deny the Christian Magistrate to meddle in matters of Religion I wish this error be not found amongst such as Mr. John Ball wrote against in the answering of John Can or any other besides the great Factors for Rome the Jesuites Sect. 7. I proceed therefore to prove this to be the Magistrates office in the third place by the practice of the first Christian Emperors that submitted to Christs Gospel Constantine commanded matters of Religion as Eusebius in vita Constant lib. 3. cap. 38. lib. 3. cap. 27. he sheweth what a Nursing father he was to the Church of Christ how he called Councils and in many of their Synods did not sit idle but as a Moderator among them and confirmed their decrees with his seal And as Constantine so also did Constantius and after him Justinian who in his Code repeateth not onely th● Laws of former Emperors touching the Christian Faith Baptisme the Church c. but in his Authenticks he maketh many new constitutions in which he disposeth o● matters about Gods Worship as in what places by what persons with what loudness of voice they are to administer The like also did Charles the great the Emperor of the West part 800. years after Christ in his Preface to his Laws Praefat. Caroli in leges Francisc there is this passage Therefore O you Pastors of Christs Church and Teachers of his flock have we directed commissions unt● you that will joyn with you to redress those things which need reformation in our Name and by virtue of our Authority And that this did belong to Christian Kings ever since the plantation of Christian Religion in our Land I find by a Letter of Eluthorius Bishop of Rome unto King Lucius 169. à passione Christi in this Letter he saith That h● is Gods Vicar in his Kingdom according to the saying of the Psalmist Give the King thy judgments O God and thy righteousness to the Kings son The Kings sons be Christian people and folk of his Realm Fox Mon. pag. 96. who if they be divided you ought to gather in concord and peace Sect. 8. And that this belongeth to this day to our Kings to meddle in matters of Religion is evident by several Statute-Laws that Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction is annexed to the Imperial crown of this Realm I may have occasion to name some hereafter and therefore forbear at present Having I hope fully proved by the Light of Nature Scripture the practice of Christian Kings at all times to this day that it belongeth to the Magistrates office to command in matters of Religion though not to make God a new Worship yet to command about the modes thereof Sect. 9. I shall speak but a word of the second part of the Proposition That it belongeth to the Church-governors and Pastors to command about matters of Religion also but so as to be subject to the Higher powers 1 Thes 5.12 13. Heb. 13.17 1 Cor. 11.34 The Apostle Paul having given as it were several Canons for reforming the great abuses that were about the administration of the Lords Supper he saith The rest I will set in order when I come And the like commission he giveth to Titus 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Creet to set in order the things that were wanting as I appointed thee or commanded thee He doth not say as God hath commanded but as I have appointed The practice of the Synod in restraining the Christian Gentiles from their liberty of eating bload doth shew that it belongeth to Church-governours to command about indifferent things and the modes of Worship and Discipline And thus now having proved that which I judge very necessary to reconcile mens minds to obedience if once the conscience be perswaded that it belongeth to the Magistrates Office to command what is the subject matter of this Uniformity I shall in the next place proceed to explain what this Vniformity is which the Act requireth in order to the proof of my Proposition That obedience to the Act of Vniformity is the way to Unity CHAP. IV. The term Uniformity explained and this Proposition proved That obedience to the Act for Uniformity is the way to Unity Section 1. COncerning the term Vniformity I shall not spend much Ink or Paper in a critical or Etymological discourse thereof for to speak de nomine of the Name is to no great purpose further then it makes the thing required more intelligible I must confess I do not find the term in Scripture but yet as Epiphan lib. 3. haeres 73. Nomen substantiae non ponitur nude nec in veteri nec novo Testamento sensus verò ubique est But the sense or essence thereof we may find in many places of Scripture commanded and commended that we should all speak the same things and with one mind and mouth glorifie God And that is the chief thing propounded by this Law pag. 71. viz. An universal agreement in the publick Worship of Almighty God Sect. 2. I have therefore but one thing from the term Vniformity to observe as to its Etymoligy if I mistake not and that is this Uniform doth signifie one form mode or manner in which by a universal agreement the publick Worship of God is to be performed And were this but well considered this Act would be the more readily obeyed it requiring of us no more then what Gods Word commands or allows and his Church hath practised as you shall read hereafter that in the manner of our publick Worship we should be uniform the whole Church to have but one mode and one rule for its rites and ceremonies Now take the term Vniformity in my proposition in this sense for one form mode or worship to be observed by all

the statute 13. in that behalf provided namely to those Articles which concern the confession of the true Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments as that statute expresly commandeth and limitteth Now finding in examining those books contained as he saith pag. 20. in those two Articles they could not subscribe to which are the book of common prayer and of ordaining Bishops Priests and Deacons and many things doubtfull in our consciences we dare not subscribe c. The reason given by him in general is this If we subscribe we break the Canon of holy Scripture I will therefore shew some two or three instances whereby it shall appear that if we had subscribed we had done contrary to this holy Canon of Gods written Word Sect. 18. The instances that he giveth are these following briefly First we should subscribe that it is not contrary to the Word of God to read in the Church under the name of holy Scriptures namely such Books as are not holy Scripture as namely the Apocrypha c. Secondly it is objected against subscription to these Books That it is ascribed to the Imposition of hands at the Confirmation of children and Matrimony to be Signs and Seals of the Covenant which is proper to the Sacraments and that no man can make any Sign of such a Mystical and Sacramental nature to signifie Gods good will unless he have Authority from God We therefore conclude that if we should subscribe we should allow that which is contrary to Gods Word The third instance is this pag. 27. That in the book of Orders there is an Office of Ministry called the Deacon whose description is not to be found in Gods Book namely consisting in helping the Priest c. Seeing that this kind of Ministry hath no resemblance with the Office of the Deacon Acts 6. or 1 Tim. 3. That he should preach and baptize and not be of the Order of Priest-hood as they call it We therefore think that in subscribing hereunto we should offend the holy canon of scripture and allow that which is contrary to the same by our subscription pag. 28. Sect. 19. These are the three great instances or objections against a universal subscription to all the Articles and the main grounds of that Non-conformity then Because I suppose that had there been any more ponderous they would have been produced then though as he saith There were many other doubts which some of us Ministers of Kent delivered to the Reverend Archbishop of Canterbury pag. 28. Now laying aside all humane considerations of the piety and integrity of the persons that then could not subscribe without sin let us seriously weigh these arguments by Scripture and reason that so we may see what there is of truth in them and come to make a right judgement in this case whether these things excepted against are so momentous as they are made Sect. 20. I shall therefore begin with the first argument against an universal subscription In so doing we should subscribe that it is not contrary to the Word of God to read in the Church under the name of holy Scripture such books as are not holy Scripture viz. out of the Apocripha I must confess here was some appearance in those dayes of so doing by the misunderstanding the sense of the Rubrick next after the order for the reading of the Psalms Because of these words the order how the rest of the holy Scripture besides the Psalter is appointed to be read some Chapters by the same Rubrick being appointed to be read out of the Apocripha from thence I conceive is gathered the objection as aforesaid Sect. 21. But who ever shall seriously consider of it will find it to be weak and groundlesse there being scarce any point in difference between us and the Papists so strongly followed as this about Apocripha which by the Church of England is denied to be Canonical Scripture and therefore it cannot be imagined they should appoint it to be read as any part or portion of Gods blessed book This is contrary to the 6. Article to be the rule of Faith Now this must be clearly proved otherwise the objection against subscription signifieth nothing For the reading onely of the Apocripha or any part thereof that is not sinful being no where forbidden nay being read in the publick congregation sometimes for matter of instruction the Authors thereof being accounted wise and holy men in their generations is warrantable and that by the practice of the Primitive Churches for I find quoted by Bishop Jewell that long before Popery these Books of Apocripha were read in the publick Congregations Cyprian in Expositione Symboli saith he Alii libri sunt qui non sunt Canonici St. Hierom in Praefat. Salomoni saith the like sed Ecclesiasti appellantur c. hujus Ordinis est Libellus Tobiae Judith Machabaeorum And these were called Ecclesiasti because that they were allowed to be read in Churches Sect. 22. So that it appeareth the very Books that Mr. Nicholls excepteth against as Tobit and Judith amongst the rest these were allowed to be read in Churches so many hundred years since and it is observable the distinction that Father there maketh would help us out of this very scruple These portions of the Apocripha appointed to be read they are Ecclesiastical but not Canonical Books and therefore as we may lawfully in the publick Congregations read the writings of any wise and good men so may we any portion of the Apocripha especially considering I finde them not enjoyned to be read but upon one Lords day but at such times when very few come to hear them and also to do is no where forbidden in the sacred Scripture And therefore to subscribe that they may be lawfully read and ro promise to read the same is not contrary t Gods Word Sect. 23. I come now to the next place to consider the second great Instance why no universal subscription to all he 39. Articles because that in this book it is ascribed to Imposition of hands at the confirmation of children and Matrimony to be signs and seals of the covenant which is proper to the Sacraments c. pag. 26. Concerning which should there not be a very great mistake it would doubtless be contrary to the Word of God yea to the Doctrine of the Church of England who strongly affirm against the seven Popish Sacraments that Christ hath instituted but two viz. Baptism and the Lords Supper That therefore this mistake may appear I desire the proofs of this Instance may be well weighed pag. 25. Plea In the Rubrick before confirmation it is affirmed That confirmation is administred to them that be baptised that by Imposition of hands and prayer they may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sin Secondly in the latter prayer of consecration it is said That after the example of the holy Apostles they lay their hands upon them to certifie them by this