Your Wisdoms know very well who hath said A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump and that every Plant which the heavenly Father hath not planted must be rooted up and how vain the Worship even of the true God is esteemed by Christ which is taught by the Precepts of Men All which crys aloud that Religion be restored to its primitive Purity that so Men may give unto God the things that are God's and cease to serve him with their own inventions What we shall here propose to these holy Ends is no more than what at present we conceive to be very needful Howbeit we may not prescribe to you but only offer an occasion to your Wisdoms to consider us as Christians not as Enemies For it is evident that those Coercive ways which some encline to and under which we have bin and still are exercised are not like to effect Christian Amity and Unity but rather to make the Breach much wider That then it may please God even the God of Peace to direct your Wisdoms to those wholsome Methods which may be natural to procure and continue a lasting Peace between us in the Truth of the Gospel shall be our Prayer to him for you and in whose fear we humbly make these following Proposals And first I. Concerning the 39 Articles c. As we have already hinted that in our judgment some things in the 39 Articles of the Church do admit of some amendment We shall therefore humbly propose our Doubts in that case that the Fundamentals being secur'd other things may the more easily be reconciled 1. Our first scruple concerns the third Article where it requires Belief that Christ went down into Hell besides his being in the state of the Dead and buried in the Sepulchre Now this Passage is so dubious as that even Mr. Rogers who wrote a Book in defence of the 39 Articles doth confess that the native and undoubted Sence of this Article is not known so that we conceive it ought not to be required as an Article necessary to the Christian Faith 2. In the 8th Article all things contain'd in the three Creeds are required throughly to be believed in some of which is the said clause of Christ's Descension into Hell the meaning whereof is doubtful And some terms in the Creed of Athanasius are so hard to be understood that we think they ought not to be imposed as necessary We humbly conceive the Modesty of Hillary more safe than some os the Zealous Speeches of Athanasius who tells us That whatsoever is used more than the Father Son and Holy Ghost is beyond the compass of Speech the reach of of Sence and the capacity of Understanding And though he had used the Words Three Hypostasis yet he confesses This is to do things unlawful to speak that which ought not to be spoken to attempt things not licensed to put things in peril of the Speech of Men which ought to be kept in the Religiousness of minds And Austin confesses that it ought not to be spoken How the Father Son and Holy Spirit are three A Holy Trinity there is but how it subsisteth God only knoweth And here both the Modesty and Caution of Mr. Calvin also is worth our Consideration who speaking of the Titles or Expressions viz. A Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead saith If the Names have not been without cause invented we ought to take heed that in rejecting them we be not justly blamed of proud Presumptuousness I would to God saith he they where buried indeed so that THIS FAITH WERE AGREED OF ALL MEN That the Father Son and Holy Ghost are ONE GOD and yet that the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost the Son but distinct by certain Properties Instit l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 5. 3. The 13th Article would have it believed that no Works done without Faith in Jesus Christ are pleasant to God c. Which we think is doubtful considering how it is said that the Prayers and Alms of Cornelius were come up for a Memorial before God Act. 10. 1 2 3. yet 't is certain he did not then know Jesus Christ 4. The 18th Article seems doubtful where it teacheth that none can be saved who diligently frame their life according to the Light or Law of Nature c. Whereas if God have given them no other Law or Light to walk by we conceive it more safe for us to leave them to the Lord who will not gather where he hath not strewed than thus to censure them 5. The second Paragraph of the 27th Article may well be omited seeing it is granted by learned Protestants that there is no plain Scripture for Infant Baptism Instead of which Paragraph it may safely be inserted that the Infants of Christians should be devoted to God by Prayer and Blessing which may be justified by the Law of Nature and specially by the Words of Christ Mat. 19. 6. 6. The 36 Article not necessary to be imposed as an Article of the Christian Faith seeing that Book of Consecration of Archbishops Bishops ordering of Priests and Deacons is not of Divine Authority and it must needs be more safe to refer the business of Consecrating or ordaining Christ's Ministers of what rank soever to the Rules given in the holy Scripture And hence we do further conceive it is very needful that those severe Sentences of Excommunication contain'd in the Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical specially these two contain'd in Can. 5. 9. be recalled For seeing they themselves that composed the 39 Articles were but Men though pious Men and therefore as themselves teach Art 21. might possibly err even in things pertaining to God Therefore as they further say things ordained by them have neither Strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of the Word of God Nor ought the Church to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation which is either against or besides the Word of God as they also teach Article 20. Thus much of the 39 Articles II. Concerning the visible Church of Christ 1. As it is rightly acknowledged by Christians generally and particularly by the Church of England Article 19. That the Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things which of necessity are requisite to the same So it may be as truly observed that none be admitted Members of this Visible Church or Mystical Body of Christ till they give evidence that they are faithful at least by their personal Profession of the Faith of Christ and Willingness to walk in newness of Life according to the Principles or general Rules of the Christian Religion contain'd in the holy Scriptures the Rule of Faith 2. And seeing it is the Work of God through which Man with the Heart believeth unto Righteousness from
Spirit of Pride and BLOOD-THIRSTINESS from amongst the Christian People And let all that are called by that Name be ashamed that ever such wrath hath bin found amongst them and let them be humbled before thy Majesty in the remembrance of it O Lord we beseech thee Most Gracious God we confess unto Thee we are not worthy to undertake any thing in behalf of the Peace and Vnity of divided Christians But thou O God that despisest not the base and weak things of this World be intreated to bless our present Enterprise as it is consistent with thy pleasure to the good of thy People universally That they may be one in Truth and Peace according to thy Word which is Truth We beseech thee to bow the Heart of the Mighty the Wise and Honorable in the Christian Nations to study Truth and Peace to condescend to any thing for thy Glory and thy Peoples Happiness and we pray that none who are called by thy Name may any longer be puffed up for one and against another O teach those that love Thee to strive together with one mind for the Truth and Power of Religion according to the Gospel Good Lord be intreated for thy Names sake in behalf of all those that are of pious meaning in these Nations especially that their Hearts being intirely knit together in the great and more necessary parts of thy Worship they may Glorifie thy Name with one consent by a charitable forbearance in things which are not sinful in thy sight We intreat Thee our God make us thy Servants ever to be ready on our parts to evidence by act what here we propose in words and grant thy Spirit to enable us herein to serve Thee and all such as fear Thee and love thy Testimonies And grant that none of thy People may uncharitably censure this our undertaking for Concord amongst thy Servants Grant them Patience to consider what is here offered and where we may seem deficient herein lead others to supply what is wanting that through thy Blessing upon our united Endeavours the Good here intended may be prosperously promoted to thy Praise O Lord to the great increase of Charity and therewith to the true comfort of thy People throughout the whole World Even so Lord God Almighty Even so Amen A Friendly Epistle TO All the Bishops Ministers OF THE Church of England Reverend Sirs MAy it please you in the meekness and gentleness of Christ to lay aside a little those exterior Honours which are conferred upon you and to condescend to Men of low degree and in that Condescention seriously to ponder what is herein with Humility and Sincerity submitted to your Consideration We do seriously account it a part of our Infelicity to see the Distractions and Divisions which are in our Land about things relating to the Worship of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and therewithal it is too evident that the Power of Godliness is much neglected and the Ways of Christianity greatly depraved whereupon many that love the Lord Jesus are so estranged among themselves as to become Adversaries to their own Peace and the Comfort of each other May it then please God to lead us all to the Consideration of these ill Effects and to remove the Causes of them And seeing we may perhaps be under worse Apprehensions concerning one another than there is real cause for let it be calmly considered on both parts that our greatest differences are about Ceremonies And those also of Humane device as we conceive the best of which are not worth the loss of one Soul and therefore in no wise fit to adventure the breach of our Peace and Christian Concord for their sake which may be the cause of perishing to many May it therefore seem well pleasing to you the Bishops of the Church of England with your Brethren of the Ministery to admit of some friendly and free Debate with the Bishops and Teachers of the Baptized Churches in this Nation to try if by any means a way may be found to bring us to Christian Concrd in the Gospel of God To effect this is either impossible or difficult only Not the first sith our differences lie not in the doctrinal part of any Foundation-Article of the Christian Religion so much as in the application or practick part of them For to touch a little the grand points about which we differ viz. Sacred Baptism and the Discipline of the Church of these we spake the same thing for thus you teach That in Baptism there is an inward and spiritual Grace and an outward and visible Sign And that Repentance whereby we forsake Sin And Faith whereby we stedfastly believe the Promises of God made to us in that Sacrament are the things required of all Persons that are to be baptized And hereunto we do most heartily subscribe And touching holy Discipline your Doctrine is That the manner of proceeding in Excommunication is first by gentle Admonition and that once or twice given with the Spirit of meekness if the fault be not notoriously known and next by open reprehension afterwards by publick sentence of the Church to put him from the company of the faithful to deliver him to Satan to denounce him an Heathen and a Publican if no Admonitions will serve and the crimes be very offensive To this Doctrine like wise we do give our full consent Nevertheless it must be granted a very great difficulty as things now stand to reform what is really amiss on your part in the practice relating to those two points of the Christian Religion especially seeing that the worldly interest of so many carnal-minded men seems to depend upon the continuation of the Errors which have befallen you in the practice of these holy Institutes Howbeit this Difficulty is not greater than it was to reform what was as really amiss in that great Ordinance the Lord's Table whether we consider their Error who for many Centuries gave the Communion to Infants or theirs who by their Transubstantiation destroy the very nature of the Sacrament Nor shall we here forget but thankfully remember the great Travel and Sufferings of your Martyrs and the pious Zeal which appeared in many of them when called to reduce that holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper from many corruptions by which it had been prophaned But yet we must needs condole their shortness in not looking with like diligence into the pristine purity of the other Sacrament By which oversight we which survive them are exposed the more to our present Difficulties And hence we may borrow that passage in 1 Chron. 15. 13. Because ye did it not at the first therefore the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order And here we ought to learn that seeing God would not indulge his Servant David in such an oversight when yet his intention was very pious will have his own Methods duly observed in things pertaining to his Service
A Friendly Epistle TO THE Bishops and Ministers OF THE Church of England FOR Plain Truth and sound Peace BETWEEN The Pious Protestants of the Church of ENGLAND AND Those of the Baptised Believers Written with the Advice of divers Pastors and Brethren of the Baptised Congregations By THO. GRANTHAM Follow Peace with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. London Printed in the Year 1680. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe Complaint is both great and just that Christians are so divided amongst themselves that it 's hard for an impartial Christian to find where to fix for his own comfortable Society And this Calamity is much aggravated by the backwardness of each Party to offer any thing to accommodate these Differences each expecting rather that their Opposites should wholly conform to their Sentiments and relinquish their own And what may be thought in that case of this present Overture we cannot certainly divine nor will be too confident that there is nothing of that nature in it But of this we will be confident that the things here desired do carry much of their reasonableness in the very nature of them and have their approbation both from the sacred Word and the Works of those to whom they now address themselves for a Christian Compliance But it will be said What are the Men that make this Overture Our Answer is We are the Servants of the Living God or We are Christians and having seen the Discords and Ruines which have befallen the Christian Nations do heartily desire those Breaches may be made up And as it is not so 't is hoped it will not be deemed any Transgression of the Law of God or man for any Christians to seek for Peace one with another in the Truth notwithstanding their differing Circumstances in respect of worldly Honours or the disparity of their Education seeing they ought all to be cloathed with humility the strong to bear the infirmity of the weak and not to please themselves The Brother of high degree to rejoyce in that he is made low and the Chief to become Servant to the rest When Paul heard of the Divisions which happened in the Church at Corinth how does he blame them for their Carnality as the cause and bestir himself to recover their Unity in the truth which at first they had received 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment Referring them to the Foundation and Rule of all Christian Unity that only Christ was Crucified for them that Christ is not to be divided and that they were baptized in the Name of Christ and that therefore they should not follow any Man but as he follows Christ But it seems this great Apostle did not live to see an end of their Divisions as appears not only from the close of his last Epistle to them 2 Cor. 12. 20 21. but also from the Epistle of Clement who survived him which he wrote upon the occasion of that ungodly Sedition so he calls it which had kindled among them through pride and self-love which he vehemently laboured to extinguish by many Arguments but specially by reducing them to the blessed Example of Christ their Leader and the practise of such as lived after a godly sort His words are these Christ Jesus our Lord the Scepter of the Majesty of God came not in vain boasting of Arrogance and Pride although he could do all things but in humility of mind according as the Holy Spirit had spoken concerning him See beloved Friends what an Example is given unto us for if the Lord was so humble what shall we do who are come under the yoke of his Grace let us stick to these therefore who live godly and peaceably and not to them who hypocritically only seem to desire Peace for somewhere he saith they blessed with their Mouth but with their Heart they cursed for their Heart was not right with Him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Now if the Points in Controversie among the Christians at Corinth were of as great moment as ours as that may be made evident then 't is as rational for us to seek for concord each with other as it was for Paul and Clement to seek to unite them And hence we are the more desirous to make this present Overture for Christian Amity with the pious Protestants in the Church of England for divers Causes And first As it is very evident there hath bin a great departure from the simplicity of the Gospel both in the Form and Power of it since the plantation of it in the World by Christ and his Apostles so also it is certain that many good Men in Ages past as well as in this present Age have still bin labouring and that often-times under great tryals for the Restoration of the Truth to its Purity some in one point and some in another more especially And here the English Protestant hath bin as active as others some in reforming divers things in Doctrine and Practice others in keeping the ground they have gained against the opposers of Reformation Now this Work as it is of God ought to be carried on in the Nations of the World to its perfection Namely till the Truths of the Gospel be delivered from all humane Innovations which have incumbred it to the disturbance of the peace of Christians in all ages since they found opportunity to croud themselves into the Service of God But the great obstruction of this work of Reformation has bin the falling out of the Reformers among themselves And this is the case of the sober Protestant and the Baptised Believer in this Age and Nation the latter not so honouring the first as he ought with respect to what God hath done by him and the former despising the latter by whom God is pleased notwithstanding to bring to light some antient Truths which the former overslip'd or took not due notice of And by this impatience and disrespect in each towards other they prove inimical to the very Work which in the main they both design to promote It is the way of ingenuous Men in reviving decayed Arts to honour their Predecessors though inferior to themselves and to encourage those that succeed to attempt things more excellent Why are not Christians as ingenuous in their endeavours to restore decayed Religion There is nothing in the Authour of our Profession or the Profession it felf but candor and ingenuity Wherefore if we intend the furtherance of the Work of Reformation hitherto carried on through manifold Afflictions let us timely consider our common Interest which is to make one Shoulder to defend what our Ancestors have worthily atcheived as also to joyn our industry for the restoration of every Truth which
which Faith only can proceed that Confession with the Mouth which is to Salvation That therefore it may be firmly agreed that humane force or violence is not the means ordain'd of God to propagate the Church of Christ But that preaching the Gospel and walking holily in Charity towards all Men are the true and proper means to encrease the Church according to the Will and Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations in that behalf III. Concerning Regeneration and Baptism 1. That as Conversion or Regeneration is necessary to the Christian-state of every Sinner so it may be joyntly held and professed that the Baptism of Repentance for Remission of Sins is an Ordinance of Christ and necessary to the Admission of all Men to the Priviledges of his Church and that the things required of all that are to be baptized are Repentance whereby they forsake Sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the Promises of God made to them in that Sacrament 2. That as it is granted on all hands that Immersion in Water agrees best with the Word baptize and was the primitive way of baptizing so this Ordinance may therein be restored to its purity according to its primitive Institution And that to this end there may be Baptisterions or fit Places to baptize in appointed for the Solemn Performance of this Ordinance IV. Concerning Infants or Little-Children 1. That all Infants of Christians be solemnly devoted to Christ by Prayer and Blessing and that the Ministers of Christ be assistant in this Work not forbidding them this Blessing Mat. 19. 13 14. 2. That every Minister of Christ residing in any Country-Village be obliged in Consideration of convenient maintenance to teach all the Children in his precincts to read the Holy Scriptures and to instruct them in the Principles of the Christian Religion Heb. 6. 1 2. and that they may be baptized when they shall profess Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ And that the like care be used in Cities and great Towns in such manner as may be most convenient 5. Concerning laying on of Hands 1. That the fourth Principle of Christ's Doctrine called Laying on of Hands be restored 〈◊〉 its due use and purity in the Church namely thaâ— when any Converts are Baptised then Prayeâ—â— with the Laying on of Hands be speedily made tâ— God for them that they may receive the Promiâ—â— of the Spirit by Faith and that it may retain iâ— ancient Titles given it by the Holy Ghost viz. Laying on of Hands or a Principle of the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Christ 2. To the end this service of God be not neglecteâ— that it may be allowed that all faithful Overseeâ— of particular Congregations may perforâ— this Service upon the newly Baptised speciallâ— in the absence of such a Minister as has a moâ—â— general charge be he called the Angel or Messenger of the Churches And that care be takeâ— that the Christians who have not known thâ— Principle of Christ's Doctrine be deliberately instructed concerning it before they be made comformable to it 6. Concerning publick Prayers and the manner 〈◊〉 singing the Praises of God in the Churches Anâ— of the removal of such Ceremonies as 〈◊〉 not to Edification 1. Seeing the Prayers contain'd in holy Scripâ—ure and especially the Lords Prayer are sufâ—icient to direct the Man of God in that duty of Prayer in the Church that therefore the Book of Common Prayer be not imposed and that â—t may be in the liberty of the Minister to pray â—n the Church according to the ability which God hath given him that so the Spirit of Prayer as well as the Order of it may be preserâ—ed 2. That it be joyntly agreed that singing the Praises of God in Psalms Hymns and Spiritual â—ongs is a holy Ordinance of God and that â—he order and Spirit of that Duty be restored God assisting according to 1 Cor. 14. and other Rules contain'd in the Holy Scripture And that Musical Instruments bowing to the Altar the â—ign of the Cross the Surplice or any other unneâ—essary Ceremony be prudently removed out of â—he Service of God in all Churches 7. Concerning Church-Discipline 1. That the Exercise of Discipline be restored in 〈◊〉 Churches according to the Scriptures and 〈◊〉 Doctrine of the Church of England foreâ—â—cited in this Epistle 2. To the intent that no Sinner be indulged in â—is Iniquity for Money that it may not be pâ—râ—itted that any Officer concern'd in the Execution of Discipline take any manner of Fees oâ— the Offenders or any other Person for them And that such Ministers be entrusted with thâ— Exercise of Discipline as are Men of know Integrity Holiness and self-Denial And thâ—â— holy Discipline be executed in or near the placâ— where the Offences are committed accordinâ— to the Order of the primitive Churches 8. Concerning Ordination and Preaching the Word 1. That the Election and Ordination of Minâ—sters of what Rank soever be restored wherâ—in it shall appear to have been neglected in 〈◊〉 most solemn manner that may be accordiâ—â— to the Scriptures And that such Ministeâ—â— among the Baptized Believers as shall be fouâ—â— to have been so elected and ordained be â—â—lowed to preach the Gospel to edifie the Peâ—ple and to dispense the holy Ordinances 2. That the primitive liberty of prophesyiâ—â— to Edification Exhortation and Comfort be 〈◊〉 stored to the Church i. e. as it shall please 〈◊〉 to give Men the Gift of Teaching Exhortaâ—â—on c. they may be permitted with Prudeâ—â— to edifie the People by the modest Exerciseâ—â— their Gifts in the Churches 9. Concerning the Mâ—intenance of Christ's Ministers and the Relief of poor Christiant 1. That it be agreed that the Relief of the Poor 〈◊〉 that those who preach the Gospel should 〈◊〉 of the Gospel are God's Ordinances and 〈◊〉 be performed with all Faithfulness by all â—hristians according to their Ability But that 〈◊〉 Methods for performance of them are â—â—ythes for the one or Assessment for the other 〈◊〉 only jure humano and that therefore the same â—â—wer Magistratical which gave being to these â—ethods may lawfully alter the same to the â—tter when they please 2. And that therefore it be further agreed and â—â—clared that the way asfign'd in holy Scripture 〈◊〉 the support of Christ's Ministers and the â—â—lief of Poor Christians is by a free Contribuâ—â—on to be constantly upheld in the Churches â—â—cording to every ones Ability and the Moâ—â—y so collected to be entrusted in the Hands 〈◊〉 the Deacons of the Church and by them to 〈◊〉 faithfully distributed as occasion requires â—nd that therefore such as will stand to Christ's â—â—lowance and for his Name-sake minister the â—ospel freely to the Gentiles may be still had in â—eputation and sent forth by the Church 〈◊〉 restore Christianity where it is corrupted 〈◊〉 to plant the Gospel where it is not known 10. Concerning Separation 1. It 's here propounded as greatly necessary to a truâ— Christian state that some