Schism p. 32. The only Steps by which we can mutually move to Peace I with all submission conceive to be these 1. That we all would seriously study Self-denial and that with a peculiar Eye and regard to Accommodation one perhaps of Popularity another of a particular Humor another of somewhat else All of whatsoever good Conscience tells us is less valuable than common Vnion p. 33. But notwithstanding what I have said of the Excellency both of the Common-Prayers and of Cathedral Performances I do conceive the Alteration of an Expression or here and there of a whole Prayer or two by Law or dispensing with some Ceremonies in loco I do not conceive such Relaxation as this would break the Harmony and Beauty of our Worship or disturb the Vnion and Peace of our Church There are some Collects and perhaps some Rubricks too which with all duty and submission I humbly conceive might be altered for the better pag. 118 119. This honourable Embassador of Peace speaks home and from his heart and shall for ever sit high in the esteem of all the Sons of Peace Here are Proposals conditional indeed with the consent of Authority as they should be that will certainly be imbraced by Dissenters But now if the Church should condescend if I may call that a Condescension which is done for Christ as far as it can without Schism and the Dissenters as far as they can with a good Conscience What shall be done if they cannot come up to a full and perfect closure Shall the Dissenter have no benefit by his Consent to the great things and the greatest number of things in which they agree already shall he be not only excluded but punished altho he continue peaceable in his Dissent In such a case here is an apparent Necessity of mutual Forbearance in Love and of the Bond of Peace to keep in the Vnity of the Spirit And here I cannot without a great respect to another Conformist of Worth and Quality as I am informed repeat the Words which are like a healing Plaister to a heart bruised between our grating Differences The way to make National Religion most National is by comprehending all the Differences that can be reconciled with true Religion while they that dissent in some things receive one another with a good peaceable holy and publick Temper of Mind as the great Argument and Inducement of which we should all pray for the Acceptance of the holy Service of all that call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle distinguishes Christians but immediately unites them again both theirs and ours they and we whatever smaller Distinctions make the They and the We are both one in our Lord Jesus Christ We ought to pray for the common Benefit of all so united though not bound up in the same common Form with us for a gracious Audience and Reception of their and our Worship of God that so the Spirit of Love and Vnion in the main may convey all our Services into one before God where indeed if they are as he requires they meet stript of all their outward Circumstances Form and Ceremony Faith and Obedience being alone able to mount thither with them And Services so raised can by no means be spared for small Differences in a National Religious Interest for the Angels of all such behold the Face of our Father in Heaven Thus that excellent Person The whole Duty of Nations p. 61. who writes himself a Minister of the Catholick Church as it is National in England The same Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation breaths forth in peaceable Discourses of true Protestant Christian Gentlemen of excellent Learning and hearty Concernment for their and our Religion taking several ways The Learned Sir Thomas Overbury hath proposed many Questions of great Weight and discoursed upon them piously and smartly Sir John Mallet hath drawn up the Contents that might be Heads of useful and necessary Discourses for Gentleness towards Protestant Dissenters tho he himself and Family come duely to Church-Service and Sacraments Letter to the Author of the Guide to the English Juries printed after it and use some of the Common-Prayers in his Family The Author of the Appendix to Mr. Hunt's Argument hath discovered a good Will to Peace and Accommodation But most fully and of set-purpose a very learned and true Christian Gentleman that holds constant Communion with the Church of England hath turned aside answering the Title of his Book like a good Samaritan to help up a bleeding Church and powr a Composition of choice Preparations to heal her Wounds But alas have not and do not our Sins separate between us and our God Oh! how are they increased that make that Separation O! how hot are they against a Separation that is both curable and tolerable in comparison of theirs If their Assemblies if their Exercises were called seditious and Twenty Pounds upon the Houses of their Assemblies and but 5 s. upon every one that communicates in their Sins it would be more pleasing to God and more for the Establishment and Prosperity of the Kingdom than their Prosecutions of Dissenters in point of Ceremony many of these consult keep their Meetings sedulously concur unanimously and lay Spies in wait to apprehend the Preachers of the Word of Salvation These breath out Threatnings and what they will do But if this chanee to fall into any of their Hands I will present one warning more and a notable Example to them William Lantgrave of Hasse Casp Peucer Historia Carcerum Part 2. pag. 773. made Intercession with Augustus the Elector of Saxony for Dr. Peucer Prisoner a long time for his dissent in the Vbiquitarian Controversy The Elector promised his release if Anne his Duchess would be willing and desired him to try her first she replied according to her Obstinacy If she lived he should not be released Which Answer of hers the Lantgrave and other wise Men did thus interpret That the Dutchess should shortly dy that Peucer by her Death might be released and so it proved according to their Interpretation she died saith Dr. Peucer in that very moment in which I dreamed in my Sleep of a great and noble Funeral and a Bell ringing and as the Bell-rope brake that Verse of the Psalm came into my Mind Our Soul is escaped as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler the Snare is broken and we are escaped And among what Prodigies she died is known to all I am confident if the Persecutors of our peaceable and religious Nonconformists were studious to prepare for Death they would forbear this Work and as it is dreadful for any of them to dy in their Sins unrepented of and to dy in this Sin so let them take heed that some of the greatest of them do not fall by an apparent Hand of God I do profess if I had any Friend engaged in this horrid Work I would perswade him if possible to forbear
Devil himself or expose our Brethren to Temptations and Sufferings let us all most earnestly pray for Peace and Union and lay aside all Thoughts and Passions which are the beginnings of Schism And so I come to the last Query Query 3. Whether we ought not to unite as abovesaid and so to unite and become one by the removal or abating the things which divide and break us so that we may hold mutual and actual Communion in the same Exercise of Religion without fear of offending our Superiours or any other That we ought to unite is the Cry and Voice of all in whom Christianity doth but faintly breath and the Spirit of God hath any effect or Interest but the Quomodo is most difficult in this as in many other Operations I have betrayed my self and discovered my poor Opinion in the very Question by removing and abating the things which divide and break us But it appears clear to my Apprehension that no other way or means will ever do If the Dissenters should be miraculously convinced or charmed into a Consent then that which was a Cause of dissent is become as no Cause and while their Understandings stand at this distance and they be but sincere and obedient and honest to their own Thoughts and Judgments they can never come over to us and to use force without Reason is the way to drive them from God when we pretend to drive them to Church Would we have them act against the settled Dictates of their Conscience and is Force the way to convince the Conscience And really what hath been offered to inform their Understandings hath been ineffectual to that End Is it likely such Writtings that convey neither Love nor distinctive Reasonings will ever perswade Men better studied in their own Case than they that unite against them Is it likely that a display of Words and sounding the Trumpets not to call the Congregation together to unite in Love and Peace but to alarm People to arm themselves and to watch as against Seditious Persons will ever incourage them to come in and unite with us We must argue from better Topicks than Sarcasms Flouts Mockery Emulation Wrath and Reviling these Deeds of the Flesh will never allure Men to walk with us in one Spirit There are large Encomiums of Unity and Peace and every part of the Encomium or praise of it contains an Argument in perswado us to it And two mighty Arguments should at this time prevail with us * Since this was written I find the Right Reverend Bishop of Cork â—â—se these two Arguments in terminis p. 29. of the first excellent Sermon Necessity and Self-preservation we see our apparent Dangers by being scattered abroad like an Army in a Rout or Disorder or Tumult while our Potent Enemies are united against us We cry out upon Dissenters as factious but were it not for a Factious Spirit among our selves they had never been thus broken and separated from us Our Life our Delights our Happiness doth consist in or spring from Union after this our Desires do run or fly they move at no slower rate Our Death Sorrows Griefs and Unhappiness doth follow our Separation from the things wherein Life Delight and Happiness consist A divided State is an unhappy State Charity is the Bond of Perfectness when Charity dies then the Church is like a Princely Family broke up dispersed and divided They who do not love cannot unite but make a Breach and Separation The uncharitable Man is the factious Man To impute Factiousness to one Party who would unite but cannot and to excuse another who may unite but will not is to judg with too apparent a Partiality for an equal Judg. Had the upper side but the very same Reasons and Arguments which now the oppressed use and urge for themselves they would be of Authority and very considerable if not unanswerable whereas now they are look'd upon as weak and scorned as ridiculous Favour and Authority gives Force and Weight to the Reasons of them that enjoy the benefit of the Favour and when Persons are exposed to Contempt their strongest argnings are despised as weak and their loudest Complaints are not heard but rebuked as causeless and themselves branded as a Faction tho they are Catholick and Loyal in their Faith and Principles And this is plain the Nonconformists have found it so their Arguings Representations Complaints which have been but few Motions Supplications Apologies have been despised because they are despised and low in the World and a worldly Interest keeps them down I have sometimes thought that if Authority had been against the use of the Cross and commanded Mr. Parker to write his Book against it then he had been dignified with the Epithets that Mr. Hooker hath been adorned with of the Judicious Parker and the Profound Parker and the Excellent Parker whereas being on the decried side he hath been often laughed at The greatest number of Men consider more the Condition of the Person than the thing spoken or written by him and give him the greatest Honour by whom they may receive a Favour From this Partiality a Faction grows up and thrives exceedingly when it is fatned by the Richness of the Soil and influenced from some that sit above and hence it comes even from Partiality and Faction that the imputation of Faction is constantly thrown upon Dissenters because they do not what they cannot do with a good Conscience according to their Light But if all of us would set up God's Glory the Edification of his Church Truth Peace and Union in the middle as a Center and all of us that are scattered and divided in the Circumference run up to it by the Lines of Scripture-Rules then God would be more glorified than he is Vid. Cypr. de simplicitate Clericorum Unitas servatur in Origine the Church more edified and we more happy in Peace and Union than we are or if we were all affected to glorisy God to edify the Church and to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Rond of Peace as long as we agreed and met in God as in a Center and the Lines of Holy Scripture tho we did not all run in on Line in one Way but different Ways Our Diversity would be without Schism and all our Divisions would be like the dispersing of a numerous Family without Alienation of Affection like the Distribution of the Patriarchs into their several Tribes inhabiting the Land of Canaan all of the same Blood the same Religion in the same Covenant with God Towards this Union we must confider I. Wherein it consists II. Remove the Causes of Division as much as possibly we can The Causes of Division are 1. Inward 2. Outward and apply our selves to the Means of Union III. Wherein the nature of Schism doth properly consist I. The Persons united are Christ and his Church under the Denomination of his Members his Body and his Spouse compared to several kinds
Sacrament using his own Words and so it be delivered in four Forms who will doubt but he holds Communion sufficient to the Ends of the holy Sacrament And the Uniformity lies in Blessing and giving Thanks in taking Bread breaking it giving and taking it as a Token of the Body of Christ to the appointed End and so also the Cup as a Token of his Blood drinking it to the appointed End Uniformity of Words is not necessary to Church-Communion neither in Articles of Faith nor in Preaching nor in Prayer nor in Sacraments and yet Church-Communion is as necessary a Duty as associating of Churches and Assemblies it being truly the End of such Association and Assembling And yet no Man of sense will deny the great Advantages of Consent Agreement Similitude and Uniformity in all our Administrations as near as we can frame our Minds thereunto which will never come nearer than according to general Rules without Debates and Disputes as many if not more and of as great an Influence upon Peace as can arise from the Application and Construction of General Rules II. Let us remove and take away the Causes of Disunion and Division as much as possibly we can And first Those that are within us which may be reduced to Flesh and Self For whereas there is among you Envying Strife and Divisions are ye not carnal and walk as Men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 4. Self is the Schismatick within us till we are converted from it we are separate from Christ and by Consequence are disunited from his Body and do not consent to the Terms of his Covenant and Salvation Self-conceit Pride and Loftiness Self-will Self-seeking and Self-love are the Springs of our bitter Waters of Strife and Separation that run into divers Channels or rather break the Banks and over-flow the Church 2. The outward Causes are besides the Co-operation of the World and Devil the rigorous exacting and enforcing of particular Conditions of Church-Liberty and Communion with such Forfeitures and Penalties as hinder the Progress of the Word of Life and the Salvation of Souls All our Wars have been before the Gates of the City since many have been turned out we say they shall not come in except they will subscribe to Terms and they say they cannot except they are taken away Both Sides must sound a Parlee and our Governours have the greatest and most imitable prevailing Example of the King of his Church Homily of Fasting â—â—st part p. 172 173. Edit Lond. 1673. and his Apostles Hear our Homily God's Church ought not neither may it be so tied to that or any other Order now made or hereafter to be made and devised by the Authority of Man but that it may lawfully for just Causes alter change or mittigate those Ecclesiastical Decrees and Orders yea recede wholly from them and break them when they tend either to Superstition or to Impiety when they draw People from God rather than work any Edisication in them and not in these Cases alone as you shall hear afterwards This Authority Christ used for the Order and Decree made by the Elders for washing oft-times tending to Superstition our Saviour changed into the Sacrament of Regeneration This Authority To mittigate Laws and Decrees Ecclesiastical the Apostles practised Acts 15. signifying they would not lay any other Burden upon them but these Necessaries Thus ye have heard that Christian Subjects are bound to obey even in Conscience sincere Laws which are not repugnant to the Laws God Ye have heard that Christ's Church is not so bound to observe any Order Law or Decree made by Man To prescribe a Form in Religion but that the Church hath full Power and Authority from God to change and alter the same when need shall require c. Was there ever greater need than now Love of Union Peace and Growth of Godliness Sence of imminent Danger and that Danger no less than Destruction hath moved the Right Reverend Bishop of Cork to print those pressing Divine Sermons and take his Testimony as carrying greater Authority than of private Men's of the necessity of Union speaking of the Protestants in Ireland We must unite or be destroyed First Serm. p. 29. And how far is Ireland from England Can the Protestant Church in Ireland be destroyed and England be safe Yea how much further is the Destruction from England than from Ireland may not England be destroyed first It is most likely for if England be destroyed Ireland cannot escape if Ireland be destroyed England will be endangered but may better withstand it than Ireland can The same discerning and sensible Bishop cannot conceive any Possibility of an Union of all honest-minded Men of different Persuasions amongst us that call themselves Protestants but by the coming of such several Dissenters into the establish'd Church Hence the Inference is not far to be fetched Second Serm. p. 61. That this Union can never be but by taking away the Bars and the Chains that keep the Dissenters from entering in Upon what Terms saith that Right Reverend and Excellent Person must we of the Establish'd Church come over to you that dissent or you come over to us We declare we cannot without Schism and then adds a most generous Expression of a large and catholick Spirit But are ready to sacrifice all we can otherwise to the Publick Peace and Safety Pag. 29 O that all were thus frank in their biddings for Peace and Union But Right Reverend Father Dissenting-Protestants and Independents will never press you so far as to come to them that is to be Presbyterians and Independents If you will do what you may without Schism and they do what ever can be done with a good Conscience the deadly Wound is in a hopeful way of cure Find out first what Unity is necessary for this imperfect State 2. Observe what Rules Christ gave by his Spirit and the Holy Apostles practised for Unity against Schism for Truth and Faith against Heresy for Government against Confusion for Order against Disorder for Decency against Indecency for Worship against Idolatry and Irreligion for Discipline against decay of Piety and for the soundness of its Members in a word for Admission into Communion and Priviledges for Edification Peace and Comfort And what more can be necessary for Unity and Peace of Christians in one Nation than what was sufficient for Christians in all Nations And then there will be neither Schism on one hand nor Dissent on the other That one Rule of the Apostle as far as we have attained let us walk by the same Rule would unite and heal us and do us more Service than all the Volumns of Canons besides And who can walk by the same Rule further than he hath attained The Means to be used for Union are 1. A sincere Observation of and consciencious Consent unto the Terms of our Christianity and
of them in one day The want of Maintenance is very great in all Parts of the Kingdom but the want of Ministers of sound convincing plain edifying faithful Ministers is exceeding great and far greater I cannot but pity and speak of what I know by good report such hath been the hunger and want of Spiritual Bread in large Places that poor Souls that go constantly to Common-Prayer have crouded into the Prayers and charitable Preaching or Exhortations of a Nonconformist O how painfully have I seen poor Souls travel on foot several Miles to hear a profitable Sermon from some Conformist Nonconformity and Conformity is a Mystery to poor Souls they can wave the Distinction for their Profit and Edification Good Preaching is as scarce as Gold in many poor Countries and more precious Poor Souls are never the better for some Ministers and a great deal the worse for others some have not and care not for the Study of the great Gift of Preaching to Gonversion and Salvation some may do better than they do but will not tho they may and many others that can and would may not O what 's the State of millions of precious Souls in the mean time I know London and other great Places have plenty of that as of other Rarities but if the Scarcity of Countries were but known and laid to heart methinks we should not stand so strictly upon Terms and I am certain should send out all we can find into the Harvest rather than silence and keep out one or what is much worse than send the Servants of God his Stewards to dig and beg to set the veriest Catch-Poles upon Earth the Lions the absurd and unreasonable Men that have not so much Faith as Devils have to watch for them to arrest them first leisurely to undo them and afterwards to apprehend them and cast them into Prison To stop the Mouths of able and faithful Preachers and to imprison them for their Labours is to let Hell loose in a Nation and to stop the way to Heaven against many Souls O Jerusalem Jerusalem O England England Behold I send you Prophets and wise Men and Scribes some of them you shall persecute from City to City A Breach in a human mutable Conformity will be found more tolerable than a Breach upon a Protestant Church upon a Kingdom 's Peace and Prosperity Latimer followed Ridley to the Stake but now if Latimer go first it shall not be long before Ridley follow To prevent the apprchendea Desolation and Land-Flood where the Channel is too strait and narrow let all that have the Royalty of the River open the Channel wider that the Ship may have room to turn her in and the Violence of the Stream abate by enlarging the Banks and let there be an Harbour and a Fort built for the shatter'd Ships And let me be excused for my good Will if not thanked for my Invention I see other wise Contrivances laid by and some amended let mine be so too I do humbly conceive that the Reverend Mr. Baxter hath given great Evidences of a vare Head and Spirit in the second Part of the Way of Concord and deserves great Thanks Mr. Corbet hath written like a wise and excellent Man Reverend Mr. Humphrey's Peaceable Design is much observed and respected and his Defects supplied by the most worthy Gentleman the Samaritan and Exceptions made against him with Amendments but with great respect by the Excellent and Good Bishop of Cork In comparison of these Men I am but as a poor Fellow that plies his Bucket to quench the Fire while the more skilful ply their invented Engines or as one that brings Earth in a Basket or a Barrow while others draw the Lines and lay the Plat-form Here I conceive two things must come into Consideration 1. What 's to be done 2. What are the Terms of Admittance and Continuance in the holy Ministry to be allowed and established by Law 1. In the first there are two things comprehended 1. Substance and Worship 2. Ceremony and Form The Debates are principally for and against Forms and Ceremonies For both I make bold to say 1. There is great Reason why a singular regard ought to be bad and given to the King's Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs for the Wisdom Moderation and Comprehensiveness of it and because if ever such a thing may come to be offered we may hope for the Royal Approbation of what may be offered out of it of which he seem'd so fond when he promised it 2. It is clear that Cathedrals must not be touched neither Revenues nor Ceremonies let them enjoy both and allow unto others a Liberty in another kind while they may enjoy theirs without mutual and uncharitable Censures and Contentions 3. It is clear there must be a Liturgy and very many even to Dr. Sherlock mention some Alterations in the several Parts of it as desirable and advisable without any positive Arrogance in a Matter of this Nature I do offer my Observation Some that expect much Profit by Preaching do think first and second Service too long and tiresome Others that care less for Preaching are very busy in the Interlocutory Parts of the Service grow careless and too often prate and stare about and whisper in the Lessons and sleep under our Sermons both are too long for them also And in some Congregations there are I believe as many if not more Service-Books than Bibles which under Correction is too little honour for the Bible All that I will suggest in this last Case is 1. That the second Service or Communion-Service may be then only read when there is a Communion or when there is no Sermon Except the reading the Commandments be frequently enjoined or that it may be left at liberty to reade either first or second or what parts of both may best suit with particular Occasions and Assemblies 2. That only one of the three Creeds be used at one time in the same Scrvice 3. The so oftenrepetition of the Lord's Prayer in the same Service may he limited All cannot most do not keep Curats the work of Reading the ordinary first and second Service besides incidental Offices as Baptisms Churchings c. make it very expensive to most Mens strength and spirits and wearisom to the People and the constant necessary work of Preaching and Catechising is hardly endured by the young and healthful but impossible to be performed by the infirm and aged It is true indeed if a Man's Conscience will bear it and the People have no more need a Minister may be both short and seldom in the Pulpit but then it is with two great Hazzards First of losing his Auditory or of his Auditories great loss to their Souls If we did consider the Copiousness of our Work the frequent Repetitions Ingeminations and Enforcements of many great and necessary Arguments the Succession and Growth of young Ones and all these of several Capacities if Preaching be at all necessary
to them and if he cannot exercife his Ministry after he is called unto it what doth it profit him to be a Minister or what is the Church the better for his Office If one acknowledged to be a Minister of the Universal Church may not administer in a particular Church then is it not because that particular Church requires some Conditions which are not so large as the Rules and Conditions of the Universal Church This may put us to search whether different Rules stricter Laws prescribed as Conditions of Entrance and Continuance in the Ministry and Church-Communion be not the Cause or Occasion of Schisms in particular Churches These Catholick Rules and Conditions are to be taken and received from the Apostles who went into all the World to gather and to found Christian Churches They gave us Laws enow to govern any particular Church who were sent into all the World And no Decrees of General Councils are of equal Observation with the Scriptures not only because of their Sanctity but because of their Universality and the very Errors and Mistakes of them in some Particulars are tolerable that do what they can to find out and follow the Will of God in Scripture And this Diversity can be no Inconvenience to any Church because of the plain Injunctions and Commands of keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace of loving and forbearing one another in Love But to return What shall we say Are they but Lay-men or but quasi Lay-men that were once ordained by Diocesans or what it others can prove by the Holy Scriptures and the Catholick Rules of Faith that they are called of God and make proof of their Gifts which make there serviceable to the Souls of poor Sinners and only scruple some late implicating perplexing Terms what shall they do in this case They would enter into the Service according to the uncontroverted general Rules of Christ the Soveraign Law-giver of his Church but that will not serve the turn they must do more They have received Gifts from the Spirit of the same nature with other Ministers they 'l submit their Gifts to the Trial to free them from the Fanaticism imputed to them These Gifts are for some use they are their Talents and they must give an account of them to the Giver of them at his appearing Whither can any of them go and not be serviceable Is there any City Town Parish or noble Family in England in which there is not need or where such as they may not be exceeding profitable but in some Places there is a crying need O how few few Labourers are there in very large Fields yea as offensive as the presence of the Brethren are in many places there is not an useless Man among them nor one place hardly where is not need if not extream need What shall they do conform to the Church as Lay-men only What if the Bottle be so full that its ready to burst what if the Fire of Zeal true Zeal kindle must they not speak with their Tongue What if the Breast be full and they who were begorten in Christ Jesus by their Ministry cry cry to them O give us of the sincere Milk of the Word shall they say No my Breast is full but I must not draw it out What if they have Bread enough and can divide it and see a Company of poor Souls ready to starve and pine for Want and yet they must not give them a piece of Bread City Ministers are most quarelsome and contentious with them but if from their high Places they saw and knew but what I know instead of charging them with Separation and Schism they would beg of Authority that they would send them into many places of the Land which are more like a Wilderness than the Garden of the Lord but instead of doing this some have written to prepare a prejudiced People to entertain them with Stones or beseech them to depart out of their Coasts and not to open their Doors to entertain them or their Ears to hear them Oh! how are many of the Servants of God true Subjects able Preacers at this day forced to hide and many are as shy and close to entertain them as if they were Traitors and the Hue and Cry were out against them But what if these Men cannot think themselves discharged of their Work when their Hire is stopt they cannot but pity those that have no Shepherds or not enow they cannot stop their Ears against the Cry of the poor what if Conscience cry Wo to me if I preach not the Gospel O there are too many that never heard that Preaching in their Bosom Some have pleaded that Wo concerned none but the Apostle what shall they do between two Woes Wo from Christ if I preach not and Wo from Men if I preach Object They must obey the Laws obey Authority Answ So they must and as far they can they do Object But they say they must obey God rather than Men. Answ So did the Apostles who taught Obedience to Governours Neither may any godly Prince take it as any Dishonour to his Estate to see God obeyed before him Defence of the Apology part 1. p. 20. of my Edit for he is not God but the Minister of God saith our Venerable Father Bishop Jewel Object But our King and Magistrates and Laws are not such as They were neither are our Conventiclers Apostles Answ True I cast no Reflections upon the King but acknowledge his Life and Protestancy to be singular Mercies and Priviledges But if the first Christian Churches were planted and the Faith preached where the Rulers were Unbelievers disaffected to it and Persecuters of it then Preachers that preach the Doctrine of the Apostles and live according to the Gospel may humbly expect if not lay some Claim to a Priviledge of preaching and worshipping God as near as they can discern according to his mind The Case of the Brethren is so clear in it self The Canon Law calls their divers Orders Religion but to Christians and Protestants there is but one Religion that some in Power have no other colour for proceeding against them than as Men that exercise another Religion as I can produce which clearly intimates that it is unreasonable to proceed to Confiscations and Banishment against Men that profess the same Religion And whereas Godliness and Honesty may claim Protection they represent them as wicked and dishonest in the highest Degree that is seditious and withdrawing the King's Subjects from their Allegiance c. But this is the old Language Apolog. c. 2. Divis 7. p. 21. as the most Reverend Bishop Jewel writes as objected against them that we be fallen from the Catholick Church and by a wicked Schism have shaken the whole World and troubled the common Peace and universal Quiet of the Church and that as Dathan and Abiram conspired in times past against Moses and Aaron even so we this day have
renounced the Bishop of Rome without any reasonable Cause But let us see wherein our Brethren are to be blamed or do any thing but what our King and Governours may allow the Primitive Bishops of our Reformation being Judges The Religion of our Brethren is Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve It is the Religion of Christ and not of Anti-christ I reckon it cannot stand with the Prince's Duty to reverse this heavenly Decrce Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God c. with establishing two Religions in one Realm the first authorized by Christ Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 1. p. 21. Edit 4o. and bequeathed in his Testament to the Church the next invented of Antichrist and flatly repugnant to the Prophetical and Apostolical Scriptures Our Brethren endeavour to keep strictly to the Scripture and Christ as Law-giver Then as the Minister must dispence the Word of Truth be therewith offended and grieved who list so the Magistrate may draw the Sword of Justice to compel and punish such as be blindly led Part 1. pag. 33. and maliciously bent to resist sound Doctrine Who then should be punished Preachers or they or those Officers that trouble them Object But the Magistrate is to be obeyed in all lawful things and every particular Church hath power to ordain Ceremonies so they be not contrary to God's Word Answ No Man disputes the Magistrate's Power in commanding things good and necessary the Doubt is concerning things which are indifferent as some suppose but not indifferent as the Dissenters suppose Of things indifferent hear the Judgment of the same learned Bishop We may not for things indifferent trouble the weak Minds of our Brethren yet this Rule bindeth no Magistrate to remit the Punishment of Error and Infidelity Ibid. Pag. 33. because God hath charged to suffer no kind of Evil unrevenged and this is the greatest whose Voice they must hear whose Will they must obey though they were sure thereby to scandalize never so many both Aliens and Subjects If they are things truly indifferent then Governours may forbear to command them whereas many do rationally scruple the Observation of them and cannot without Sin observe them Condescention and Selfdeial would rid Mens Consciences out of this Strait between the Magistrate's Command and the Dictates of Conscience Object But by their Preaching and separate Meetings they break the Communion of the Church and are guilty of Schism and to tolerate them is to tolerate a Schism Answ This is the great Clamor of the Accusers but let us see wherein Communion of Saints and Churches doth consist and then we shall see what Schism I cannot quote a more learned Doctor of this Church Ibid. Part 2. p. 223 224. or of greater Authority than the same Reverend Bishop Bilson he shall decide this Case It is a most pernicious Fancy to think the Communion of Christ's Church depends upon the Pope's Person or Regiment let them that imagine one Vniversal Soveraign Power over the Church in our days whether one or many observe this Doctrine and that divers Nations and Countries differing by Customs Laws and Manners so they hold one and the same Rule of Faith in the Bond of Peace cannot be parts of the Catholick Church Communicant one with another and perfectly united in Spirit and Truth each to other and fy on your Follies that rack your Creed and rob Christ of his Honour and the Church of all her Comfort and Security whilst you make the Unity of Christ's Members to consist in Obedience to the Bishop of Rome and not in Coherence with the Son of God! The Communion of Saints and near dependance of the Godly each on other and all of their Head standeth not in external Rites Customs and Manners as you would fashion out a Church observing the Pope's Canons but in believing the same Truth tasting of the same Grace resting on the same Hope calling on the same God rejoycing in the same Spirit whereby they be sealed sanctified and preserved against the day of Redemption The Communion of the Catholick Church is not broken by diversity and variety of Rites Customs Laws and Fashions which many Places and Countries have different each from other except they be repugnant to Faith and Good-manners as St. Augustine ad Januarium Irenaeus c. Eusebius l. 5. c. 23. Socrates l. 5. c. 22. Simple Verity is the Band of Unity Jewel Defence p. 460. Praelection de Ecclesiâ Bishop Carlton makes the Unity of the Church to consist in one Head Christ one Body one Spirit one Faith or one Rule of Faith And if Unity consists in Uniformity in the same Form of Prayer Liturgy and Ceremonies there was no such thing as Unity there were as great Schisms in the Apostles days as among our Brethren according to the Judgment of the same learned Bishop Bilson Ibid. fourth part p. 619 620 c. Some of their own might be so vain-glorions as in making their Prayers at the Lord's Table which was then done by Heart and not after any prescribed Order or Form to shew the Gift of Tongues In the publick Service of the Church the Ministers and Elders which were many both Travellers and there Dwellers had every Man his Psalm his Instruction his Tongue Revelation or Interpretation as the Spirit of Grace thought most expedient And other Order in the Divine Service in the Apostolick or Primitive Church we read for certain of none besides the Action of the Lord's Supper which the Apostles and so no doubt all their Churches always used in the end of their publick Meetings but with no set Prayers save only the Lord's Prayer as Gregory confesseth The rest of their Prayers Blessings and Thanks-givings were in every place made by the Gift of the Holy Ghost inspiring such as were set to teach and govern the Church And you have long since their time framed a Liturgy in James's Name Pag. 620. Yet for so much as the Church of Christ did not acknowledg it your main Foundation is a Dream of your own that the Church of Gorinth had a prescribed number and order of Prayers pronounced by some one Chaplain Pag. 621 ☜ that said his Lesson within-book or might not go one Line beside his Missale for any good Where the Christians under the Apostles had in their Assemblies first prophecying i. e. declaring of God's Will and revealing of his Word at which the Insidels and new Converts unbaptized might be present and next Prayers and Psalms to celebrate the Goodness and Kindness of God and to prepare their Minds for the Lord's Table to which all the Faithful came with one Consent of Heart and Voice giving Thanks to God for their Redemption c. And this was done by the mouths of such Pastors and Ministers as it pleased the Holy Ghost to direct and inspire for that Function and Action The People hearing understanding Pag. 622. and
of Union as natural and political Every Christian is united to Christ by the Spirit of Christ's working Faith and Faith perceiving or seeing Christ to be what he is and what he is made of God to us doth attract Love to him which is intire sincere fervent By Faith and Love the renewed gracious Soul doth confederate with and consent and submit to Jesus Christ according to the Articles of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace Every Member of Christ is a part of the whole and there is the same Spirit in all they are all Members of Christ and Members one of another and that Spirit Faith and Love which unites to Christ doth unite them one to another This Union is from active operating Principles and Graces which are quickened and strengthened by the Spirit of Christ making use commonly of outward Means and Ordinances to that End And these Graces or the New Man so quickened and assisted exercise that Power towards Christ and one another and this mutual Exercise of Grace is our Communion with Christ and his with us and of one towards another according to our various Conditions in mutual Care Sympathy Compassion and Joy 1 Cor. 12.25 26. This Communion with Christ and one another in this Life is but imperfect we understand but in part and our Faith serves and helps us but in an imperfect State and by Consequence our Love is weak and other Graces are at best but in a growing Condition Our Administrations and Communnion in Ordinances have great Imperfections according to the weakness of our Perceptions Light and Judgment and other Graces And suppose our Love were strong and intire to one another yet in this bad Light we are subject to many great Errors and Mistakes And our Union and Agreement lies 1. In one general End God's Glory 2. In one Common Principle of Operation or Efficient Cause the Spirit of Jesus Christ 3. In one way and means of Conveyance and Acceptation Jesus Christ as our Mediator and Advocate 4. In one General Rule the Holy Scriptures and the Institutions of Jesus Christ the Law-giver where there are these Ones there is Catholick Unity There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your Calling One Lord one Faith one Baptism One God and Father of all which is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4.4 5 6 c. The ancient true Bonds of Unity are one Faith one Baptism and not one Ceremony one Polity saith the Lord Bacon Vbi supra p. 4. our Disagrement is in the latter we agree in the first and principal From this Union proceeds Communion for the Church the Body of Christ consisting of living Members quickened by the renewing sanctifying Spirit and exercising the Graces received have Communion with God through and by the Spirit and with one another as Children of the same Heavenly Father and Subjects of the same Heavenly King and Members of the same Family And this Communion is held maintained exercised and increased by Laws and Ordinances in the Observation of which there is a conveyance of many and great Priviledges and Benefits This Union and Communion is either inward or outward inward in being joined to the Lord and to one another in being of one Mind and Heart Outward and that 's twofold 1. In spiritual things 2. In outward and carnal things 1. In spiritual things So the first Church continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayers Acts 2.42 And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking of Bread from House to House did eat their Meat with Gladness and Singleness of Heart praising God c. Vers 46 47. And let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another Heb. 10.24 25. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all Wisdom admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs c. Col. 3.16 Exhorting one another Heb. 3.13 Comforting one another 1 Thess 4.18 Edifying one another Chap. 5.11 Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 Confessing their Faults one to another and praying one for another c. James 5.16 2. In outward and carnal things Acts 2.44 45. c. 4.32 34 35. c. 5.4 Heb. 13.16 1 Tim. 6.17 18 c. This kind of Communion is beside the Subject now in hand It is said there can be no Union without Communion be it so Is not that Communion both of Churches Pastors and Persons a sufficient Communion to free any Churches or Persons from the Guilt of Schism which is answerable and proportionable to the Union of the Body of Christ and agreeable to the Institutions and Ordinances of Christ His Ordinances are sufficient Means and Instances of Communion without any Additions of Forms and Ceremonies we have his Law and Form of Admission into his Family and Church Baptism And being baptized by one Spirit into one Body we have his Word which is sufficient to make us wise unto Salvation and to make the Man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good Work we have a Form and Pattern of Prayer and Directions and Matter for all manner of Prayer we have a Sacrament for Communion and Confirmation we have what Christ thought sufficient Means of Communion in all and every Nation that should receive the Gospel and by Consequence for the universal and every particular Church And it is observed what the Spirit of Christ did to preserve Unity and prevent Schism He gave diversities of Gifts for divers Administrations and Operations The Church is compared to a Body consisting of different Members in Subordination for Service and Usefulness some to do the Office of an Eye others of an Ear some of a Hand others of a Foot some honourable and some dishonourable that there should be no Schism in the Body 1 Cor. 12. He inspired holy Men and they spake as inspired by him but not the same form of Words without a great variety not the same Form of Prayer in the same Words and Syllables no not the same Form of Words to a word in the Institution of the Lord's Supper St. Mark leaves out Drink ye all of it Mark 14.23 and for Remission of Sins ver 24. St. Luke adds to This is my Body given for you Do this in Remembrance of me Chap. 22.19 20. to the Cup which is shed for you and not as the other two Evangelists And St. Paul delivers to the Corinthians what he received from the Lord and adds to St. Matth. and Mark and varies from St. Luke This is my Body which is broken for you and keeps the words of St. Luke In Remembrance of me but adding As oft as ye do it in Remembrance of me after the Cup 1 Cor. 11.23 24. If either of these Holy Apostles gave the