Sections and this is the result of all If every Pastor might be a Bishop in his Parish Independent and free from any Superiour to controul him if he may have an arbitrary power if they may be arbitrary in exercise of the power of the Keys without appeal such as he says p. 265. the Jews had where there was a Village of Ten Persons there was a Presbyter that had power of Judging Offenders Then we should be so far says he from using the controversie about the Divine Right of Episcopacy as a distinct Order from Presbyters to any Schisme or injury to the Church as hitherto they have done that we should thankfully contribute our best endeavours to the Concord Peace Safety and Prosperity thereof i. e. they would give the Bishops leave to exercise their Authority in Vtopia having provided that they shall have nothing to do in England But the Magistrates must yield to them also Might we be freed from Swearing Subscribing Declaring and Covenanting unnecessary things which we take not to be true and from some few unnecessary practices which we cannot justify And if they might have power of Ordaining such as they please and of Confirming the Adult not according to the Order of the Church of England for that comes too near to Popery but according to Mr. Baxters or Mr. Hanmers Model that is May the power of altering the Laws in Church and State then and not till then when these necessary terms are granted they will serve the Church so modelled in poverty and raggs But of so great a mercy says he experience hath made our hopes from Men to be very small and the Reason of the thing makes our hopes as small of the happiness of the Church of England till God Unite us on these necessary terms To what great streights do some Men reduce themselves that they cannot live unless they Rob and ruine their neighbours subvert whole Churches and Kingdoms and grasp all Power and Authority over the Bodies and Consciences of their Brethren into their own hands Did ever any Bishop aspire to such Tyranny as this the Pope only excepted is not the King and whole Nation greatly Culpable not to trust themselves with the Ingenuity of this people of whose Loyalty and Charity they have had such experience and is it not pitty that they should be constrained to attempt these things against Law when they so humbly desire to have them established by Law and when the reason of the thing i. e. their resolution to have it so it being their great concern as he calls it makes the hopes of the happiness of the Church of England to be very small which Men so resolved as they are may foretel as Mr. Baxter doth without a Spirit of Prophecy Sect. 2. p. 207. Mr. Baxter proceeds to the second part of Conformity which he calls Re-ordination and says it was either intended as a second Ordination or not If yea it is a thing condemned by the ancient Churches by the Canons called the Apostles c. If not then they take such Mens former Ordination to be Null and consequently all such Churches to be no Churches their Baptizings and Consecration of the Lords Supper c. to be Null Answ Although the Ordination by Presbyters alone especially when it hath been done in opposition to * P. 237. of the five Disputations We Ordain not presente but Spreto Episcopo and Contempt of Bishops hath been ever condemned in the Church and the validity thereof is still questioned yet granting it to be valid a Submission to Episcopal Ordination is no renouncing of that which was performed by Presbyters no more than the submission of the Disciples of John who had been Baptized by him with the Baptism of Repentance to the Baptism of Christ Nor doth the Law any where require them to declare that their former Ordination was Null because then it would have pronounced their Baptizings and other Ministerial Offices to be Null if therefore we did juge as charitably of our Legislators as we ought and Interpret the Laws by the practice we cannot find any such thing as Re-ordination intended For first the word is no where mentioned but the Ordination required is to qualify them for the exercise of their Ministry in the Church of England and to capacitate them for it Thus in the Preface to the Book of Ordination it is said None shall be taken as Ministers of the Church of England but who are so Ordained It denyeth not but they may be Ministers elsewhere and the Act for Vniformity renders them uncapable of any Parsonage Vicaridge c. in the Church of England But the same Act allows of the Ministers Presbyterially Ordained in other Reformed Churches to exercise their Ministry here by His Majesties Authority Yea the same Parliament permits them to meet and exercise many Ministerial duties so that the number above that of their own Families do not exceed Five and Mr. Baxter knows that the most eminent Divines of our Church ever held the Ordination by Presbyters in forraign Churches to be lawful 2. It is Mr. Baxters Opinion that the outward part of Ordination may be repeated Directory l. 3. Q. 21. And that the Ordainer doth but Ministerially invest the person with Power whom the Spirit of God hath qualified for it by the Inward Call now the Inward Call being the Essential part as he accounts and the Ministerial Investiture of the person with power being the outward part P. 311. of the Plea I see no reason why one Ordained by Presbyters may not submit to Episcopal Ordination by his own Argument Yea Mr. Baxter there affirmes That the mutual consent of the people and themselves may suffice to the orderly admittance into the Office especially if the Magistrate consent and the Ordainers should refuse For which see more in his Dispute of Ordination from whence I propose this case suppose a person fitly qualified for Parts and Piety Chosen and Ordained a Minister by an Independent or Anabaptistical people should afterward submit himself to Presbyterial Ordination I doubt not but the Presbyters would think it lawful to Ordain him and I believe they would not admit him into their Churches without such Ordination which may justifie our Superiours in requiring that they who will be admitted Ministers of the Church of England should be Episcopally Ordained For here is nothing repeated but the outward part or Ceremony of Investiture which by Mr. Baxters Confession may be repeated and is no more than the Marriage of such by a Minister who had been Married before by a Justice of Peace Or as he makes another Comparison it is no more than if a person very expert in Physick should practice without a License Upon which he tells you a story of his great success in Physick which he practiced many years gratis and saved the Lives of multitudes p. 78. of the Third part of the way of Concord and yet he there grants that it
from these words until he come to the period where he says As I have here described the Judgment of such Non-conformists as I have Conversed with I do desire those that seek our blood and ruine by the false accusation of Rebellious principles to tell me if they can what body or party of Men on Earth have more sound and Loyal principles of Government and Obedience And if any person can extract any such principles within all that period I will say he hath turn'd Mr. Baxter's Whetstone into the Philosophers Stone He says indeed we are all bound if it be possible and as much as in us lyeth to live peaceably and follow peace with all men But how have they followed this principle We have he saith many years beg'd for peace of those that should have been the Preachers and wifest promoters of peace and cannot yet obtain it nor quiet them that call for fire and sword not knowing what spirit they are of This is the Presbyterian way of Petitioning for Peace to rail against their Superiours charging them with persecution fire and sword and asserting that there can be no peace until the Laws for Conformity be all reversed the Bishops Authority and the Kings too in Ecclesiastical affairs taken away the Liturgy exchanged for Mr. Baxters new Directory as he hath at large declared in the first part and such a desolation as this they call peace solitudinem volunt pacem vocant He says the Declaration about Ecclesiastical affairs telleth us that the King would have given the people peace Answ And there were a sort of men whom the King for peace sake desired to read only so much of the Liturgy as was beyond exception and they would not did not these tell the World they would have no peace but victory So true it is as Mr. Baxter says with unpeaceble Clergy-men no Plea no Petition no not of the King himself could prevail but the things that have been are and the Confusions of our age come from the same causes and sorts of men as the Confusions in former ages did for which we need not go to Mr. Baxters Church History the Men and methods of 41. and 42. are well nigh revived They told His Majesty in their second Paper for Peace That if he would grant their desires it would revive their Hearts to daily and earnest Prayers for his Prosperity But what if he deny them Then p. 12. it astonisheth us to foresee what doleful effects our Divisions would produce which we will not so much as mention in particular lest our words should be misunderstood And it is obvious enough to whom they would apply that passage p. 117. of their reply to the Exceptions As Basil said to Valens the Emperour that would have him pray for the Life of his Son If thou wilt receive the true Faith thy Son shall live which when the Emperour refused he said the Will of the Lord be done So we say to you if you will put on Charity and promote peace God will honor you but if you will do contrary the Will of the Lord be done with your honors Amen say I Let them fall into the hands of God who is still exceeding gracious to them and not into the hands of such cruel men who have War in their Hearts while they Petition for Peace And will Mr. Baxter still demand what party of Men on Earth have more Loyal Principles Our English Papists who as Mr. Baxter grants adhered to the King would be offended if I should say they that fought against the King were more Loyal than they who with Lives and Fortunes fought for him dares he compare with the Church of England who lived and died and rose again with their King to the great regret and envy of those Men I will not say only that the Primitive Christians but even the Old Greeks and Romans had better Principles than any you practise by and will rise up in Judgment against such a Generation How vainly do you inquire what Hottoman or Bodin have written Consider the Precepts of our great Lord and the Practice of the Primitive Christians for the first 600. years and how night the true Members of the Church of England followed those Principles and Examples for Twenty years together and how far the Presbyterians Acted contrary to them and then convince the World whether the party you Boast of or these were most Loyal But Mr. Baxter demands Must this Age answer for their Fathers deeds what is all this to the present Non-conformists Answ If they follow the deeds of their Fathers we cannot deny them the reputation of being their Children who without controversie begat and Nurtured them And though I have not the opportunity to ask those Noble Lords and Gentlemen whom Mr. Baxter names concerning the Conformity of their Fathers yet I can give you their Sense and the Opinion of the whole Nation concerning the behaviour of their Children who have as great a mind to begin a second War And take it in the best English Dialect i. e. in the Acts of Parliament And first in the Act against Conventicles 16. Car. 2di N. 2. For providing of further and more speedy remedies against the growing and dangerous practice of Seditious Sectaries and other disloyal persons who under pretence of tender Consciences do at their meetings contrive insurrections as late experience hath shewn c. And in the Oxford Act they say of those that Preach in unlawful Assemblies Conventicles or Meetings under colour or pretence of the Exercise of Religion contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom have settled themselves in divers Corporations of this Kingdom three or more in a place thereby taking opportunity to distill the poysonous principles of Schisms and Rebellion into the hearts of His Majesties Subjects to the great danger of the Church and Kingdom c. Now how little difference there is between such Seditious tumults and meetings the late Rebellion in Scotland doth demonstrate where the chief Masters of those Assemblies Preached an Evangelium Armatum and having in cold Blood barbarously murthered the most Reverend Arch-Bishop drew many Thousands into the Field and would have done the like by the King himself had he been in their power as by their Declarations we may guess I do not accuse their Brethren of England of Rebellion the Parliament says their actions tend to it and that is Tantamount to a Plot. Sedition and tumults open and professed disobedience to the Laws adhering to a Rebellious Covenant refusing the Tests of Obedience which require only the disclaiming of Rebellious Principles and Practices Preaching and Printing what is actually Seditious and tends directly to Rebellion and all this when our Parliament hath declared that there is an horrid Plot on foot for the destroying of the King and established Religion to the latter whereof you are avowed Enemies this may draw at least a suspition on you that you are in the Plot whether
it may be allowed to have some exception 2. The Rubrick doth not say a Rule but Rules in the Plural Now though this Rule be defective yet Mr. Baxter grants there is another subjoyned which is more perfect and the practice of the Church guides us in following that Rule which is perfect So that where the first Rule fails the defect is to be supplyed by the second And then the defect never coming into practice our Assent to it is not required being limited to the Use of things only And Mr. Baxter might have as well objected against the Almanack which says February hath 28. days when as it is afterward intimated it hath sometimes 29. days So that this Objection is frivolous and serves only to shew that the Non-Conformists find great want of more substantial reasons against Conformity while they catch at such Shadows as this P. 162. We Assent to approve of and Consent to these words in the Preface We are fully perswaded in our Judgments and we here profess it to the World that the Book as it stood before established by Law doth not contain in it any thing contrary to the Word of God c. Where Mr Baxter omits those Proviso's which in his own Judgment as hath been shewed would make such a Profession lawful viz. If it be allowed such just and favourable Construction as in common equity ought to be allowed to all humane Writings especially such as are set forth by authority and even to the very best Translation of the Holy Scripture it self This is not candidly done But Mr. Baxter is guilty of another wilful mistake in this particular greater than the former when he says we Assent and Consent and approve of these words in the Preface whereas he well knows our Assent to the words there mentioned is not required nor could be intended for it is only a profession of our Superiours that were then in Being what their Judgment and Belief was concerning the Old Common-Prayer Book and if we think charitably of them as we ought to do that they meant as they spake this is all that is required of the Subscribers to Assent unto if the Preface come under the Act for Conformity And therefore to say no worse Mr. Baxter very inconsiderately says p. 164. These things we must approve in the foresaid approbation of all things in the Old Common-Prayer Book 3. Mr. Baxter doth very ill to recount those mistranslations in the Old Book which are amended in the New Book of Common-Prayer whereby our Assent to it is much more facile though under the Proviso's before mentioned as our Superiours thought them defensible So many pious men in the account of all the Non-Conformists did subscribe unto the Old Book as containing nothing contrary to the word of God And when our Assent c. is required only to the New Book as it stands amended there is no fear of our being required to Assent to the Old Book and its Imperfections which yet Mr. Baxter insinuates as if it were included under this Declaration in the Preface and did concern the present Conformists which Mr. Baxter knows to be false and contrary to the end of such alterations as well as to the meaning of that profession in the Preface As to that Translation of Ps 105.28 which in our present Liturgy is They were not obedient to his Word and in the New Translation They rebelled not against his Word which Mr. Baxter says are clear contrary It will not appear to be so if it be considered that in the Translation used in the Liturgy which is according to the Septuagint the Arabick Syriack Ethiopick and many Latine Copies the Psalmist is understood to speak of the Egyptians who notwithstanding the wonders done upon them were not obedient to the Word of God whereas others understanding the Verb to refer to Moses and Aaron or as Junius and Tremelius understand it to the Signs and Wonders which God commanded against the Egyptians Translate it they rebelled not against his Word both which Interpretations are true and agreeable to the History and therefore if Mr. Baxter could have given them a favourable construction as was desired by his Superiours he would not have said they were clearly contrary The same answers may serve to the exception against the Collects of the Old Book which for several days together used the words this day which is now altered in the New Book into this time which is the same with day in a large sense But little reason have they to object against any Words or Phrases used in our Liturgy who are still fond of Singing Psalms according to the Translation of Sternhold and Hopkins far more defective than any in the Liturgy The next Objection is concerning the reading of some part of the Apocrypha concerning which I answer in general that the Church hath sufficiently distinguished in her Articles and Homilies as well as in the Liturgy it self between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books 2. The times when the Apocrypha Lessons are to be read are known by the Calender to be between Sept. 28. to Novemb 24.3 This is to be read only on the Week days not on Sundays 4. It is granted by Mr. Baxter that the sounder Books may be read 5. The 5 Chap. of Tobit and that part of the 46 Chap. of Eccles which speaks of Samuels Prophecying after his death are omitted 6. The Non-Conformists think there is Liberty granted in the Preface to the Second Book of Homilies to change some Lessons But it is still Objected that by reading of these the Scripture is for that time excluded Answ This is ill urged by those Non-Conformists who for many years together omitted the Reading either of Psalms or other Scriptures in their publick as well as private meetings contenting themselves with a Singing Psalm and an Harangue of Extemporary Prayer and Preaching 2. Many ancient Fathers have taken pains to Translate and Expound them and commend them as containing many useful Moral Instructions Ireneus Tertullian and others cite Bel and the Dragon as an Example for Martyrdom Origen defended the History of Susanna So did St. Herom who also propounded the History of Judith as an instance of Love and Courage on behalf of our Country which may serve as an Answer to that other Objection that many of our Divines account them fabulous and to contain many untruths And so we say still if we take in all the Apocrypha Writings but deny it of those that are retained by our Church against which Mr. Baxter excepts 1. That the intrails of a Fish are said to drive away Devils and keep them from returning whereas Christ saith this kind goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer Answ This saying of our Saviour concerning one kind doth not exclude the use of other means joyned with Prayer and Fasting as for ought we know was here done for the ejecting of such evil Spirits as affected the parties possessed with Bodily Diseases and
Infirmities of which many instances may be given And why should we so limit the goodness and Power of God as to think that if he sent an Holy Angel for the Preservation of a good Man which he often did before the coming of Christ he could not bless any means for the effecting of a good end The next passage excepted against by Mr. Baxter is that where the Angel says that he was the Son of Ananias of the Tribe of Nephthali Whereas the Scripture frequently calls Angels by the name of such Men as they represent Gen. 19.12 The Angels sent down to Sodom are called Men the Angels that appeared at the Ascension are called Men in white Apparel besides these names were assumed as significative of the end wherefore the Angel was sent Azarias signifying the help of God and Ananias the Grace and Favour of God But it is farther Objected that it is not appointed that the Priest shall tell the People that those Lessons are Apocryphal or what that word signifyeth Answ Neither is it denyed them to inform the People as oft as such Lessons are to be read And lastly Mr. Baxter thinks that the chief doubt is whether the Calender appointing those Lessons may be consented to which upon supposition that those Lessons contain nothing contrary to Gods Word or sound Doctrine may undoubtedly be done especially in case of Deprivation Mr. Baxter resolves the case thus p. 191. That the Apocrypha is no part of the Book to which we must Profess Assent Approbation and Consent nor to which by the Canon we must ex animo subscribe that there is nothing in it contrary to the Word of God P. 167. Mr. Baxter resumes the business of Godfathers against which he multiplyeth words rather than objections as 1. That no Parent is permitted to be Godfather to his own Child or to speak at his Baptism or Dedicate him or promise in his name or to undertake any part of his Education All which is frivolous for the Godfathers are to be Sureties for the credibility of the Parent as well as for the Child and so the word Surety implyes that the Parent is the principal and who ever thought the Church intended to exclude the Parents Duty to which the Law of God and Nature bind him and from which nothing but death can excuse him Nor did ever any good Man think that his procuring of Godfathers did supersede his duty towards his Child but that it was his duty more especially to do what they promised in behalf of the Parents And though it be not expressed that the Godfather is the Parents Representative yet the contrary is not implyed as Mr. Baxter says because as he there says the Parents are to procure the Godfathers and how can Mr. Baxter tell whether he bespeaks him to be his Representative or not Calvin advised the Parent to bring his Sureties with him Epist 302. And that they should answer to the Interrogatories which was the practice at Geneva and by Beza approved in the Church of England Quis damnare ausit Epist the 8. to Grindal As to his demand whether it be not enough that the Baptized Infant be the Child of a Believing Parent I answer the Church thinks it sufficient in the case of private Baptism where no more is required yet the Church may require witnesses that the Parent is such a one under which notion they do represent him and for the better Assurance the Church requires that the Godfathers themselves be such as have received the Holy Communion i. e. in the Language of the Primitive Church that they be fideles But he makes another Query whether the Godfathers Act be truly the Child 's in Gods account Answ That Infants may be ingaged in a Covenant with God cannot be denyed They were entred into a Covenant by Circumcision under the Law Deut. 29.11.12 And for this reason our Children may be called Holy as entred to a Covenant with God and receiving the Priviledges of Baptism and fit it is they should be early obliged to the Duties of the Covenant And being not capable to do this of themselves it is requisite that some others should do it on their behalf with that solemnity which becomes so great an Ordinance Buxtorf mentions a Susceptor at the Circumcision of Infants under the Law And many Divines think that Custom was practised from Isa 8.2.3 of which see the Notes of Junius and Tremelius in Locum Mr. Calvin to Knox Epist 285. I confess that Stipulation is necessary for nothing is more preposterous than that those should be ingrafted into Christs Body whom we may not hope to be his Disciples wherefore if none of the Kindred appear that may give his Faith to the Church and take charge of Teaching the Child it is but a Lusorious Action and the Baptism is defiled Tertullian among the Ancients speaks of Sureties for Children at Baptism and of the Three Interrogatories concerning their Belief of the Creed Renouncing the Devil and the Christian-Warfare and some think there is an Intimation of the same in the 1 Pet. 3.21 St. Cyprian St. August and many others mention the same The Reformed Churches have owned this Practise The Bohemian Geneva Dutch French and many able Divines have defended it And it is resolved by them that the words I Believe I Reneounce c. being a Form of words to express the contract do oblige the Infant which was anciently done alio protestante and therefore the question being asked of the Godfather in the Childs behalf dost thou Believe and Renounce and wilt thou be Baptized It is plain that the answer also is in the Childs name and the Catechism says Infants are Baptized because they Promise Faith and Repentance by their Sureties Now if Children may be ingaged and there be no way of doing it but by some others on their behalf seeing this way of Godfathers hath been used by the Churches of God who can doubt but that their Act may truly be accepted of God as the Act of the Child and when we grant that the Parent joyns in the same Act with the Godfathers whom he procures and may bring with him and signify his Consent and receive the Charge which though it bind the Godfathers to do their honest endeavour yet it is more especially incumbent on the Parent I see no reason but we may Assent to this And thus the 9. Object that Ministers must Assent to all this Exclusion of the Parents and Presentation Profession Promise and undertaking of the Godfathers is answered All this Exclusion is none at all the Liturgy says nothing of it the Canon says only he shall not be urged to be present and the Reason is supposed because in time the ancient Use of Godfathers would be laid aside which all Protestant Churches have carefully continued P. 169. Mr. Baxter excepts against the Rubrick which says It is certain by Gods Word that Children which are Baptized dying before they commit