dissenting Brethren who now ly out of Doors and strong to endure all the Batteries of our Adversaries upon the Doctrines of our famous Bishops and Doctors as upon a Foundation I am certain I have misquoted none of them nor forced them from their Native Sence and Coherence If I have failed in my arguings and kept not to the Line of Reason that must be discovered by sharper Lights than mine is and by thus doing a Conformist may plead for the Non-Conformists and not forsake the Church I have also thought that if the same Methods and Mediums were used for healing our Divisions which were proposed to reconcile or at least to cool the far greater Controversies between the Lutherans and Calvinists by our famous and reverend Bishops Morton Hall Davenant c. we had seen the Kingdom of Christ gone up apace as the Temple did without the Noice of Axes and Hammers I am persuaded the Divisions of the Church ly near the Hearts of some of you and it cannot but be grievous to see into what Hands our Brethren are fallen as given to the Spoil and I know the Christian Saying as I received it from credible Testimony that my Lord of L. and C. answered a busy Extinguisher of Light who told him Dr. G. was preaching He is about his Master's Work let him alone again Preaching and praying are good Works Where there is an Antipathy against Popery there is Moderation to Protestant Dissenters I humbly beseech you Christian Gentlemen Justices of the Peace bear with me a Word or two Do you think if peaceable Non-Conformity be not fit to be indulged nor spared will Non-Conformity and Heresy meeting in the same Person be indured if it be possible to root it up All the Disputations against Non-Conformity now may be strong Arguments against the Toleration of Heresy as our Religion is called by the Papists and they who stretch their Power against Protestants for Non-Conformity do justify the Roman Cruelties and prove their Proceedings to be more rational and you that strive with the Flat or Back of the Sword may be smitten with the Edge if you can endure and you must take it patiently or be self-condemned I beseech you Gentlemen consider who they are that run and ride up and down upon this Work that would take Ministers and Hearers but such whose Sacraments are Healths filled with Wine void of the Spirit whose Devotions are Wounds and Dam-mees Will these ever reform a Church that make the World the worse Must not that Execution of Law be thought unhappy which is effectually the putting one of Contzen the Jesuite's Rules into Execution as above said for changing of Religion and bringing in Popery viz. to Proceed to the Severity of Laws and Punishments against Protestants POST-SCRIPT I Am forced to break off abruptly in the Close of these Sheets about Vnion and must leave what is behind to another Part. In the mean Time that the Vnion I press for may be more easily effected I humbly beseech my Brethren in the Ministry and all others to revive the almost lost Virtue of Moderation Consider what the excellent Dean of Canterbury says in his Preface to Bishop Wilkin's 15 Sermons lately published where in Vindication of that rarely accomplished Bishop whose great Name and excellent Spirit it seems could not escape a smutting from some of our Fire-brands He thus defends both the Vertue of Moderation and that great Example of it to wit And I purposely says the Dean mention his Moderation and likewise adventure to commend him for it notwithstanding that this Vertue so much esteemed and magnified by wise Men in all Ages hath of late been declamed against with so much Zeal and Fierceness and yet with that good Grace and Confidence as if it were not only no Vertue but even the Sum and Abridgment of all Vices I say notwithstanding all this I am still of the old Opinion that Moderation is a Vertue and one of the peculiar Ornaments and Advantages of the excellent Constitution of our Church and must at last be the Temper of her Members especially the Clergy if ever we seriously intend the firm Establishment of this Church and do not industriously design by cherishing Heats and Divisions among our selves to let in Popery at these Breaches But more especially consider our blessed Saviour teacheth us Moderation by his Laws concerning these Matters in Difference by his Apostles by his easy Yoke his Blessings and his Judgments and by a visible Providence over our chief City London which should be an Example to Norwich Bristol Coventry and a Warning to them There was nothing to be done in the Year of the dreadful Plague The Magistrate found other Work the next Year after the dreadful Fire two Years after the Government fell into the Hands of Sr. W. Turner whose unsuspected Affection to the Church made his Wisdom and Moderation the more remarkable and the Blessing of Peace and Contentment of Mind attended And how much happier was his Year and of the Successors of Sir S. Sterling than that troublesome Year to the Nonconformists and certainly as little comfortable as it was honourable to himself Sir Richard Ford was feared but his eminent Prudence procured him Honour and Estimation And what Conspiracies or Seditions were moved as much as to make him thoughtful about them What Cause of Suspicion or Fear did the Dissenters give his honourable Successors till the breaking out of the dreadful Plot and did not the Lord Mayors since that rest confident in the Loyalty and Fidelity of the Dissenters and did not two of them concur in the Vote against the Prosecution of them And since the Presbyterian Sham-plots have made even Hardiness and Impudence to blush at their Confidence what Suspicions have they moved to give any Colour for them How dear was Sir Patience Ward to all good Men as appeared in their publick and private Prayers for him in his dangerous Sickness and did not he leave his Government in a peaceable safe State After several Years Indulgence of the Non-Conformists did they grow trouble some by their Numbers or factious by their Ease And I do heartily wish the R. H. Sir John More now L. Mayor may leave it as he found it and carry a Peace in his Bosom answerable to the Piety and Moderation of his Speech at his Election for which I know many Prayers were made for him by some that never saw him that his Piety may not be outdar'd by some of an imperious Humour to impose upon others an impious notion I do humbly recommend to you Mr. Bold's Sermon against Persecution to which I set my Seal That Men cannot be Conscientious but they must be Factious and take Pleasure or Pride or something else in representing peaceable Religion as a Torch of Rebellion What tender Heart will be able to bear the Stings of Conscience for touching such as fear God with but the Point of the Sword for professing that same
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
Ghost who was promised and sent by Jesus Christ 3. Being in some lower measure at first prepared and fitted for their Work the Holy Ghost is the prime and effectual Mover of them to exercise those Gifts which they have received in the Service of their Master in Heaven Jesus Christ And this that great and solemn Interrogatory which requires a sincere sensible solemn and serious Answer our Ordination doth put out of doubt Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost The ordering of Deacons to take upon you this Office c Answ I trust so 4. Being prepared and moved by the Holy Ghost they offer themselves unto and are called by some in a Church where a Church is constituted to exercise those Abilities received from Christ by the Holy Spirit for the Ends of the Gospel the Salvation of immortal Souls 5. All that the Bishops and Pastors of the Church are required to do or can do as Ordainers is to try their Fitness and Disposition and finding them fit to approve and separate them to the Office of the Ministry to declare them to have Authority to exhort them to Diligence and Faithfulness in their Office and to testify this to the Church 6. No Bishop or Pastors can justly refuse and justify the refusal before Jesus Christ to whom they must give an account of any Person duly qualified with necessary Qualifications for the Ministry for it is a Sin to refuse him whom Christ hath by his Spirit fitted for and excited to his Work by his Spirit 7. As long as their Gifts and Abilities are continued and the Holy Ghost doth continue his gracious Motions and Assistances so long these Ministers must continue in the Exercise and discharge of their Office for there is the same Reason to continue them as there was to admit them they continuing the same 8. Their fitness for the Work of the Ministry consisting in soundness of Knowledg and Faith aptness to teach gift of Utterance declared Resolutions and undertaking to teach and do what Christ hath commanded with Perseverance therein as a Guide and Example to the Flock are sufficient Conditions of admittance into the Ministry of the Gospel To do all things decently and in order and to Edification are necessary by the Law of Christ's Kingdom and not indifferent It may well be questioned whether any Man otherwise fitted for the Ministry should be refused because he refuseth to subscribe vow promise declare to any doubtful controverted Conditions of Admission or Continuance which are commonly invented by controversial contentious and imperious Men who do not only propose their Conceptions to others but make them a Standard and Measure to regulate other Mens Minds and Practices and not only so but think it meet that all shall be punished that disagree and dissent from them For the Confirmation of these things with the Authority of the Church of England Let us observe the Form of ordering Priests and Deacons The Preface saith The Bishop knowing either by himself or by sufficient Testimony any Person to be of vertuous Conversation and without Crime and after Examination and Trial finding him learned in the Latine Tongue and sufficiently instructed in Holy Scripture may admit him Deacon The Bishop saith to the Arch-Deacon Take heed that the Persons whom you present unto us be apt and meet for their Learning and Godly Conversation The Bishop examines them in the presence of all the People Do you trust you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this Office Do you think you are truly called according to the Will of our Lord Jesus Christ Do you unfeignedly believe all the Canonical Scripture of the Old and New Testament Then opening his Office he asks him Will you do this gladly and willingly Will you apply your Diligence to frame and fashion your own Lives and of your Families according to the Doctrine of Christ and be Examples of the Flock of Christ The other Question relates to the Government of this Church as Obedience to the Ordinary and his godly Admonitions which is a local Condition in order to their Admission under our Church-form of Government which is disputed by some of the Parties when any is presented to the Priest-hood The Bishop cautions the Arch-Deacon Take heed that the Persons whom you present unto us be apt and meet for their Learning and godly Conversation to exercise their Ministry duly to the honour of God and the edifying his Church I think them so to be Then shall the Bishop say unto the People Good People these are they whom we purpose God willing to receive this day unto the Holy Office of Priest-hood for after due Examination we find not to the contrary but that they be lawfully called to their Function and Ministry and that they be Persons meet for the same Note from this that Learning and Godly Conversation are the constituting Qualifications of a Man lawfully called to the Function of the Ministry In the Collect afterwards they pray God to replenish them with the Truth of his Doctrine adorn them with Innocency of Life that both by Word and good Example they may faithfully serve him in this Office c. Then follow the Epistle and Gospel after which the Oath of Supremacy is given and after that an Exhortation to remember their high Dignity and weight of their Charge i.e. to be Messengers Watchmen Stewards of the Lord to teach premonish feed provide for the Lord's Family to seek Christ's Sheep that are dispersed abroad and for his Children who are in the midst of this naughty World that they may be saved through Christ for ever Have always printed in your Memories how great a Treasure is committed to your Charge the Sheep of Christ Covetous Non-Residents and negligent Residents is hereby condemned and a personal Inspection required which some of our Brethren call Gossiping others Conventicling bought with his Death the Congregation which you serve is his Spouse and his Body And if it shall happen any Member of that Church take any hurt by your Negligence ye know the Greatness of the Fault and also the horrible Punishment that will ensue See that you never cease your Labour your Care and Diligence until you have done all that lieth in you to bring all under your Charge to Agreement in Faith and Ripeness of Age in Christ that there be no Error in Religion or Viciousness of Life ye ought to pray earnestly for his holy Spirit consider how studious you ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures and framing your Manners and of yours according to the Scriptures and for this Cause ye ought to lay aside all worldly Cares and Studies we have good hope that you have clearly determined by God's Grace to give your selves wholly to this Office whereunto it hath pleased God to call you c. This is enough to prove their Fitness and their Call to the Ministry and such as are