the Truth Yea the happiness of the Church of England against your false Challenges and your forehead dares challenge them for Authors So hath their Moderation opposed some appendancies that they have both acknowledged and defended the substance with equal vehemence to your opposition neither do they suffer as you traduce them for seeking another Church Government Would God you could follow those men in Moderate and Charitable carriage as you have outrun them in complaints Doctor Crakanthorp In his Defensio Ecclesiae Anglicanae ch 33. Sect. 15. Puritanum qui Haereticus sit tu opinor in Anglia neminem unquam comspexisti You never saw in England I believe any Puritan Heretical in his Judgment Certe eorum ferè nullus cui quisquam inter vos pietate vitae Sanctimoniâ doctrinâ etiam ne tu quidem qui Magister es in tuo Israele paucis eorum conferendus es Certainly scarce any one of them with whom any men of yours can be compared in Holiness of Life in Learning also not you indeed who are a Master in your Israel worthy to be named in comparison with them Doctor Edward Bulkley in his Apology for the Religion Established being an Answer to Wrights Articles Edit 1608. Art. 5. p. 105 106. There is neither Protestant nor such as it pleaseth you to call Puritans so far forth as I know and believe but as they deny the Popes wicked Supremacy which he hath usurped over the Church of God and Soveraign Princes so they do unfeignedly confess and acknowledge the Kings Power and Authority in his Kingdoms and Dominions and in all Causes and over all persons both Ecclesiastical and Temporal or Political They all say with St. Paul that every Soul ought to be subject to the higher Powers whether they be as St. Chrysostom saith Apostle or Evangelist or Prophet whatsoever he be for this subjection doth not overthrow Godliness They all confess that it belongeth to his Royal dignity to see and procure not only Justice to be executed and peace maintained but also that God be truly and sincerely served according to his will revealed in his Word c. Bishop Andrews Respons ad Bellarmini Apologiam Edit 1610. p. 29. Bellarm. In Britanniâ magna multitudo Puritanorum qui Primatum non ad Regem sed ad Senatum Ministrorum pertinere Resp Putida hac calumnia est Presbyterio forte lis est cum Episcopis cum Rege nulla est Vtrobique regi desertur ultro utrinque quod Caesaris est Caesari redditur Doctor Caves Gospel Preached c. p. 98. Many of the Presbyterian perswasion are not only sound and Orthodox in the main Articles of the Reformed Religion but Learned and able Defenders of it zealous Protestors against all the Horrid wickedness of this Day Jan. 30. and active Instruments in bringing home our Banished King. Doctor Burgess Pref. to Vindicat. of our Ceremonies Some peaceable and very worthy Ministers were cast out after the Conference at Hampton Court Whereupon it was intended to bring them in by a kind of necessity or to loosen from them others c. Postscript To Serious and Compassionate Enquiry The modesty and excellent temper of several ancient Non-Conformist of this Nation is a fair Copy for those to Write after that cannot yet be perswaded to come compleatly over to the Church and I will intreat all sober Non-Conformist to remember after the conference at Hampton Court when the Non-conformists could not obtain their desire they were not Transported with heat and passion but ingenuously promised the Bishops that they would nevertheless Reverence them as spiritual Fathers and joyn with them against the common Enemy Hookers Discourse of Justification p. 41 I doubt not but God was merciful to save thousands of our Fathers living in Popish Superstition inasmuch as they sinned ignorantly Item p. 87. That Churches Deceit hath prevailed over none unto death but only such as took a pleasure in unrighteousness They in all ages whose hearts have delighted in the principal Truth and whose Souls have thirsted after Righteousness if they received the mark of Errour the mercy of God even erring and dangerously erring might save them True state of the Primitive Church Epistle to the Reader I verily believe there are thousands of Papists Lutherans and Calvinists both Learned and Religious who would lay down their Lives for the Truth they profess King Charles the first upon the Covenant Sect. 4. Touching the Discipline and Government of the Church c. Things which are of no clear and moral necessity but very disputable and controverted among Learned and Godly men Sect. 7. Yet as things now stand good men shall least offend God or me by keeping their Covenant in honest and lawful ways since I have the charity to think that the cheif end of the Covenant in such mens intentions was to preserve Religion in purity and the Kingdoms in peace Idem to the Prince of Wales Be confident as I am that the most of all sides who have done amiss have done so not out of Malice but mis-information or mis-apprehension I alledge this not to excuse or justifie those persons much less their Solemn League or Covenant but to show his charitable Sentiment of them allowing good men to have been in the number lead away with that Error of the times King Charles the Seconds Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs 1660. pag. 5. When we were in Holland we were attended by many grave and Learned Ministers from home who were looked upon as the most able and principal Assertors of the Presbyterian Opinions with whom we had as much Conference as the multitude of Affairs which were then upon us would permit and to our great Satisfaction and Comfort found them persons full of affection to us of Zeal for the peace of the Church and State and neither Enemies as they have been given out to be to Episcopacy and Liturgy but modestly to desire such alterations in either as without shaking the Foundations might best allay the present distempers which the indisposition of the Times and Tenderness of some Mens Consciences had contracted Pag. 17. Item Because some men otherwise Pious and Learned say they cannot conform unto the Subscription required by the Cannon nor take the Oath of Canonical Obedience c. Appendix to the third part of the Friendly Debate pag. 143. Tells us that Doctor Jackson always reverenced their Excellent Parts and good Labours though he disliked the deformity of their Zeal c. Bishop Saunderson on Rom. 14.3 Sect. 29. I make no doubt neither dare I be so uncharitable as not to think but that many of them i. e. Non-conformists have honest and upright and sincere hearts to God-ward and are unfeignedly Zealous for Gods Truth and for Religion They that are such no doubt feel the Comfort of it in their own Souls and we see the Fruits of it in their Conversations and rejoyce at it Judge Hales Discourse of Religion pag. 21.
Men are much offended to see it otherwise but thus it hath been ever from the beginning Sir Francis Bacon in his Advertisements of the Controversies of the Church of England pag. 183. of his works It is excellently alluded by that Father that noted that Christs Garment was without Seams and yet the Churches Garment was of divers colours and sets down as a Rule In veste varietas sit scissura non sit King James the First 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epistle to the Reader That the variety of Mens Minds is such that tot Capita tot Sensus yea and that even the very Faces that God hath by Nature brought forth in the World do every one of them in some of their particular Lineaments differ from any other Bishop Andrew 's Serm. pag. 519. Contentions there were when St. Paul and his fellow Apostles lived in the Churches under them of their times in the very prime of the Primitive Church then were there contentions this I note that we may not think it strange if there be contentions in our times they shall be no strangers with us in ours they were not with them in theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the difference in point of Church Government Sect. 21. Nor is it any point of Wisdom or Charity where Christians differ as many do in some points there to widen the differences Item Upon the many Jealousies and Scandals rais'd upon the King 'T is strange that so Wise Men as they would be esteemed should not conceive that difference of perswasion in Matters of Religion may easily fall out c. Mr. Hooker of Justification pag. 68. Ye are not now to learn that as of it self it is not hurtful so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensive in doubtful cases to hear the different Judgments of men be it that Cephas hath one interpretation and Apollos another that Paul is of this mind that Barnabas of that if this offend you the fault is yours Carry peaceable Minds and you may have comfort in this variety Dr. Edward Bulkley In his Apology for the Church of England Article 5. pag. 104. Edit 1608. in Answer to Wright 's Articles You vainly and falsely exaggerate Controversies and irreconcilable Jarrs as you tearm them among us in essential points of Faith. I confess there hath been in our Church some Controversie concerning External Ceremonies and Form of Covernment as there hath been heretofore between good men as between Peter and Paul between Paul and Barnabas between Anicetus Bishop of Rome and Polycarpus between Chrysostom and Epiphanius and many others who all were godly men agreeing in unity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God. Mr. Hieron 's Sermons in Bargain of Salt. Now among our selves betwixt us and other Churches there are some differences in Opinion as it cannot be holpen so long as we carry with us our natural imperfections Mr. Chillingworth chap. 1. Sect. 13. Because the contrary belief may be in such points in which Scripture may with great probability be alledged on both sides a sure note of a point not necessary that men of honest and upright hearts true lovers of God and of Truth such as desire above all things to know Gods will and to do it without any fault at all some go one way some another and some suspend their judgments Bishop Bramhals Just Vindication of the Church We see that all the famous and principal Churches of the World the Grecian Roman Protestant Armenian Abyssine have their peculiar differences one with another and each of them among themselves Item p. 19. Though I am far from beleiving when Logomachies are taken away their real dissentions are not half so numerous or their errours half so foul as they are pointed out by their Adversaries yet to hold Communion with them in all things is neither lawful nor possible Bishop Tailors Coll. of discourses in Epist Dedic before Liberty of Proph. No part of this discourse teacheth or encourageth variety of Sects and contradictions but supposeth and finds them already in being and therefore since there are and ever were and ever will be variety of opinions because there is variety of human understandings and uncertainty in things Few men consider since men have such variety of principles such several constitutions educations tempers and distempers hopes interests and weaknesses degrees of light and degrees of understanding impossible all should be of one mind Item p. 401. This variety of opinions in several persons an Argument only of diversities of operations while the Spirit is the same Bishops Reynolds Brotherly Reconciler In that the Apostle saith if in any thing ye be otherwise minded we may from hence learn that in the best ages of the Church there have been and therefore we cannot but expect that there ever will be variety and difference of Judgment among the members thereof first while we know but in part Secondly While there is difficulty in the disquisition of Truth Thirdly Weakness of judgment in men to make that enquiry c. p. 17. Item p. 19. Till all the members of the Church have attained unto their full Stature there cannot be expected such an universal consent of Judgments and harmony of Doctrines even amongst good men themselves as shall not admit of some variety and dissonancy Bishop Saundersons Serm. 8. Ad Aulam Sect. 25. Mens understandings are not all of one size and temper even they that have the largest and clearest understanding yet know but in part and are therefore subject to errours and misapprehensions therefore it cannot be hoped there should be such a consonancy and uniformity of Judgment no not among wise and Godly men but that in many things yea and things sometime of great importance they may and will dissent one from another unto the Worlds end Bishop Wilkins Serm. 13. p. 407 408 'T is a thing most reasonable and fitting in it self speaking of Moderation because of the fallibility of human judgment and that not only from the impotency of our faculties and the prejudices we are liable to from the account of interests but likely from the difficulty and obscurity of things the most Learned and inquisitive men many times differing in their judgments all which put together shew how exceeding difficult and next to impossible it is that men should ever agree in the same apprehensions of things Glanvell's Catholick Charity p. 34. The Learned and the prudent Churches and Councels Confessors and Fathers the former and the latter ages the vertuous and the devout the credulous and the inquisitive they have all differed in the lesser matters of belief and every man differs from almost every other in something p. 37. 'T is a frequent wish with some that all men were once of one mind but then it must be theirs no doubt for they would not judge it reasonable upon other terms They may as well wish that we were all of one age complexion humour and degree of
numberless of Saints above Free from strife which wretched Mortals below Ever contending to their sorrow know Exalt ye Loves praise make it heard on high All our life we strive and last struggling dye Ah Jesu's Spouse Christian call'd of old By Sectarian names now manifold Wedded to Peter and the Vatican Become Calvinist else a Lutheran One Church of the East t'other of the West Divisions have made bad of the best Our Mother 's not of Sons of Peace bereft Praise to our God for seven thousand left Who under Prince of Peace his Banners go To fight out fights and strife the Common Foe Brave Worthies Arm'd with courage from above To win for Truth and overcome with love WILLIAM the Third high in Glory rais'd The Worlds wonder All Europe stands amaz'd Behold Great Britains Scepter in his hand Peace establish'd Triumphant sing O Land Blest with a Prince by Heaven sure design'd For Great Good and Just An Heroick Mind Love ours and thine King of Kings guard his Throne To be de-thron'd by none but thee alone Him with peaceful thoughts God of Peace inspire Him ye ages yet to come be Just admire And call our Great Assembly wise to yield Wise to stand that Truth and Peace win the Field Doom to the bottomless that spright of ire Which Abimelech and Shechem set on fire Judg. 9.23 And made them with infused fury mad Each other to consume by vengeance sad When much incens'd their God his Peace withdrew Tremble pow'rs But he hath his coming too Not in violent Earthquakes blust'ring Winds But small still voice to calm and peaceful minds When he to work for peace the World must know He makes rough places smooth lays mountains low Euphrates rapid torrents mighty pride Must as Shiloa's waters gently glide The Lamb and Wolf must dwell like brothers then The Calf and Fatling lodge at the Lions Den Isa 11.6,7,8,9 The Cow and Savage Bear together feed And a little Child those wild creatures lead The Asp not sting nor Cockatrice annoy Nor those Beasts hurt which used to destroy When thus men calm their passions still their rage We shall enjoy another Golden age Hopes love will tame us with its gentle arts Close our gaping wounds melt our frozen hearts The contentious World grown wise in time Pleads guilty now conscious of her crime And sounds a retreat that her feuds may cease In a thrice-blest Philadelphian Peace Jehovah's Thunderbolts which fly against the proud And Zion cover'd with a dismal cloud Have made mens neck 's more stiff then sturdy Oak Submit to Christ and bear loves easie Yoke Which Badge on Earth Christ true disciples wear And the Crown in Heav'n high exalted there God is love and they that with him dwell Embrac'd by Love in unity excell And with sweet delights at the Fountain still They drink his Love and ever have their fill Conformists Acknowledge that there are Good and Worthy Men among the Dissenters from the Church of England BIshop Jewel in Answer to Mr. Harding The thing is indifferent and may be yielded to saith the one Sect The other that they be the Popes rags and may not be worn Saith Jewel the Godly Learned men at whose persons you so rudely scoffe that refuse to go in your Apparel or otherwise to shew themselves like you have age sufficient and can answer for themselves Notwithstanding thus much I may say in their behalf neither do they commend any manner of Apparel as holy nor condemn any manner of Apparel as unholy That is your proper and peculiar Error Mr. Harding to make so deep account of outward shews They may justly say the same Apparel on your parts hath been fouly abused c. Defence of the Apology part 3. chap. 5. Divis 1. p. 325. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or King James the first Instructions to his Son I do equally Love and Honour the Learned and Grave Men of either of these opinions i. e. for or against Ceremonials which for mine own part I ever held indifferent Again I exhort my Son to be beneficial to the good men of the Ministry praising God that there is a sufficient number of good men of them in this Kingdom i. e. of Scotland and yet are they all known to be against the form of the English Church The Speech of the Bishop of St. Davids Dr. Rudde in the Convocation May 23. 1604 I put a great difference between them that are Schismatical or open disturbers of the state Ecclesiastical established and them that are scrupulous only of some Ceremonies and other circumstances being otherwise Learned Studious Grave and Honest Men and whose labours have been both painful in the Church and profitable to their several Congregations Concerning those Preachers last mentioned I suppose that if upon urging them to the use of Ceremonies and Attire prescribed they should stand out stifly and choose rather to forgo their Livings and exercise of their Ministry and tho I do not justifie their doings therein yet surely there service would be missed at such a time as need shall require them and us to give the right hand of Fellowship one to another and to go Arm in Arm against the common Adversary that so there might be Vis unita fortior c. Also remember that when the Benjamites though for their desert in maintaining of a bad cause were all destroyed saving six hundred and the Men of Israel sware in their fury that none of them would give his daughter to the Benjamites to Wife yet when their hot blood was over they lamented and said there is one Tribe cut off from Israel this day and they used all their wits to the utmost of their Policy to restore that Tribe again In like sort if these our Brethren aforesaid should be deprived of their places for the matters premised I think we should find cause to bend our wits to the uttermost extent of our skill to provide some Cure of Souls for them where they may exercise their Talents verily I know not where to find so many able Preachers within this Realm unprovided for to succeed them Hookers Eccles Pol. Pref. Otherwise i. e. set aside their Errours and Misconceits speaking of the Dissenters right well affected and most Religiously enclined minds Again heartily beseeching you by the meekness of Jesus Christ whom I trust ye love that as ye tender the peace and quietness of the Church If your own Souls hearts and consciences be as I doubt not but they are things most dear and pretious unto you be not blemished with partialities Bishop Halls Apology against the Brownist p. 137 and 138. Sect. 56. Edit 1610 Those men which you say complain so much of their miserable condition under the Prelats impositions have notwithstanding with the same Pens and Tongues not only justified our Church but extolled it You have found no sharper Adversaries in this very accusation for which you maliciously cite them How freely how fully have they evinced
The Catholick Fathers and Bishops made no doubt but our Religion might be proved out of the Scriptures neither were they ever so hardy to take any for an Heretick whose Error could not evidently and apparently be reproved by the self-same Scriptures Bishop Andrews cited in Appendix to the third Part of the Friendly Debate Let but obstinacy and perverseness be wanting it will be no Heresie and if it be Heresie being about a point not of Faith but of Discipline whether Episcopacy be a distinct order from Presbitery it will not be among those things which St. Peter calls Damnable Heresies Bishop Hall 's Resolutions of divers Cases of Conscience Dec. 3. Case 5. Whosoever shall wilfully impugne any of the Articles of the Christian Faith refuse to acknowledge and receive the Sacraments expresly instituted by Christ comes within the verge of Heresie Wilfully I say for meer Error makes not an Heresie If out of simplicity or gross Ignorance a man shall take upon him to maintain a contradiction to a point of Faith being ready to repent upon better light he may not be thus Branded Eviction and Contumacy must improve his Error to be Heretical Bishop Bramhall 's Just Vindication of the Church of England pag. 26. A man may render himself guilty of Heretical pravity 1. By dis believing any Fundamental Article of Faith and necessary part of saving Truth c. 2. By believing any Superstitious Errors or Additions which do vertually and by necessary and evident consequences subvert the Faith and overthrow fundamental Truths 3. By maintaining lesser Errors obstinately after sufficient Conviction c. But because that consequence which seems clear and necessary to one man may seem weak to another and because we cannot penetrate into the hearts of men to judge whether they be obstinate or do implicitely and in the preparation of their Mind believe the Truth its good to be sparing and reserved in Censuring Hereticks for Obstinacy Bishop Tailor 's Collection of Discourses pag. 117. When I reckoned Obstinacy among those things which make a false opinion Criminal there is an obstinacy of the will which is indeed highly guilty of Mis-demeanor and when the School makes pertinacy or obstinacy to be the Formality of Heresie they say not true at all unless it be meant the obstinacy of the Will or Choice The Adequate and perfect formality of Heresie is whatsoever makes the Error voluntary or vitious as is clear in Scripture reckoning Covetousness Pride and Lust and whatsoever is vitious to be its causes but there is also an Obstinacy you may call it but indeed is nothing but a resolution and a confirmation of Understanding which is not in a mans power honestly to alter and it is not all the commands of Humanity that can be Arguments sufficient to make a man leave believing that for which he thinks he hath reason for which he hath such Arguments as heartily convince him Item pag. 417. It is very hard to be discerned because those accidental and Inherent Crimes which make a man an Heretick in Questions not simply Fundamental or of necessary practice are actions so Internal and Spiritual that cognizance can but seldom be taken of them Dr. William 's Truth pag. 32. Because is is a sin so fearful to persist maliciously and obstinately in a known Heresie and because of mine own Ignorance of Mens hearts what their thoughts be how far their knowledge reacheth or how much their Malice prevaileth with them I dare not be so bold as in my thoughts to lay a sin so grievous to any mans Charge Glanvil 's Cath. Charity It s very true that Error many times is occasioned by a corrupt Byas in the Will and Affections but then if our Erring Brother be sincere in other matters we are not to conclude that his understanding is this way corrupted and we can scarce be certain of it in any case Design of Christianity pag. 232. Would we know whether we Embrace all the Fundamentals of Christianity and are guilty of no Damnable and Destructive Errors Examine we our selves are we sincerely willing to obey in all things commanded and heartily endeavour to have a right understanding of the Holy Scripture in order to the bettering of our Souls by the Doctrines c. This obedient temper is the most infallible mark of an Orthodox man such an one though he may err cannot be an Heretick Dr. Hammond of Schism pag. 24. How light and inconsiderable and extrinsecal to the Foundation soever the Error may be supposed to be yet if there be Obstinacy in the continuing in it against light and conviction this certainly is a sin neither light nor inconsiderable nor reconcileable with Christian Practice Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 43. Many are partakers of the Error which are not of the Heresie of the Church of Rome Put a difference saith St. Jude have compassion upon some Shall we lay up all in one Condition Shall we cast them all headlong Shall we plunge them all into that infernal Everlasting Flaming Lake Them that have been partakers of the Errors of Babylon together with them which are in Heresie Them that have been Authours of Heresie with them that by Terror and Violence have been forced to receive it They who have Taught it with them whose simplicity hath by sleight and conveyances of false Teachers been seduced to believe it Them which have been partakers in one with them which have been partakers in many Them which in many with them which in all Item pag. 64. Considering how many Vertuous and just men how many Saints how many Martyrs how many Ancient Fathers of the Church have had their sundry perilous opinions and St. Augustine saith of himself Errare possum Hereticus esse nolo except we put a difference between them that Err and obstinately persist in Error how is it possible that ever any man should hope to be saved Mr. Chillingworth chap. 1. Sect. 13. The intended sence of Scripture is not so fully declared in points not necessary but that they which oppose it may verily believe that they indeed maintain it and have great shew of Reason to induce them to believe so and therefore are not to be Damned as men opposing that which they know to be a Truth delivered in Scripture or have no probable Reasons to believe the contrary but rather in Charity to be acquitted and absolved as men who endeavour to find the Truth but fail of it through Humane Frailty Item chap. 3. Sect. 19. He opposeth not that which he doth know to be true but only that you know to be so and which he might know were he void of prejudice which is a Fault I confess but a fault incident to good and honest men very often That none are to be shut out of the Church and denied Communion for Lesser Sins and Errors BIshop Tailors Ductor Dubitantium In what case is Excommunication to be inflicted I chuse to give it in the words