Fowler 's Principles and Practices pag. 108. Be so charitable as to believe well of Dissenters from us who lead good lives are of a modest and peaceable deportment and hold no Opinions that directly oppose the design of the Christian Religion Mr. Dodwell in his Letters about Holy Orders When you have reduced them to this to practice such Duties as are by all Parties owned essentially Obligatory under the State of Christianity as God be praised principles sufficient for most of these are admitted by all considerable parties that violate the peace of Christendom and brought them to a carefulness of their ways and a tenderness of Conscience and Inquisitiveness after their Duty universally if you could not perswade them to assent to what you say c. you must be as Charitable in your judgment as you believe God will prove favourable in his Final Sentence Pag. 19. and 22. Love and Truth in two Modest and Peaceable Letters from a quiet Conformable Citizen of London pag. 39. Almighty God hath appointed me to live in an Age in which contention increases and Charity decays And its certain that variety of Opinions and Controversies in Religion declare difficulty to know them truly but my Comfort is that there is so much Religion without Controversie as by the true Practice of what is so my Soul may be saved The Conformists Declare that the several Sects of Protestants are agreed in the Main BIshop Jewels Defence of the Apology pag. 740. We say that we agree among our selves touching the whole judgment and chief substance of Christian Religion and with one Mouth and with one Spirit do worship God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or King James the First his Instructions to his Son We all God be praised do agree in the grounds of Religion Bishop Andrews Sermons Edit 3. pag. 18 19. And without controversie great is the mistery of Godliness c. We see in our days how men languish about some points which they would have thought to be great and great Controversies there be and great Books of Controversies about them yet Blessed be God that hath left us some Misteries clear and without controversie this here a Mistery a great one Religion hath no greater yet manifest and in Confesso with all Christians A way of peace then there shall be in the midst of a World of Controversies in which way of peace even all parts shall agree Bishop William Barlow in his Defence of the Articles of the Protestant Religion against Wright 's Articles Objecting the irreconcileable Jars between the Protestants of the Church of England and the Puritans in the Essential points of Faith Answereth pag. 20. or 21. The Jars between us though unkind yet not in this kind only for Ceremonies External no points Substantial Doctor Crakanthorp in his Defensio Eccl. Anglicanae chap. 33. Sect. 15. Puritanum qui Hereticus sit tu opinor in Angliâ neminem unquam conspexisti cum illis quos tu puritanos vocas non est nobis de fide aut fidei Dogmatelis ulla de Ritibus illi Disciplinâ Ecclesiae nostrae contendunt In fide consensus in Ritibus solum Disciplinâ dissentimus Bishop George Carlton 's Answer to Montagues Appeal first Edit pag. 5. It was then in Qu. Eliz. Reign the open Confession both of the Bishops and of the Puritans that both parts embraced a mutual consent in Doctrine only the difference was in matters of Inconformity Pag. 78. To that passage in Montagues Appeal Pag. 28. Just your Puritan Doctrine He Answers A Puritan Doctrine is a strange thing because it hath been confessed on both sides that protestants and and puritans have held the same Doctrines without variance What is your end in this but to make Divisions where there were none Bishop Hall's Apol. against the Brownists Edit 1610. Sect. 56. pag. 138. So hath their i. e. Nonconformists Moderation opposed some Appendancies that they have both acknowledged and defended the substance with equal vehemence to your opposition Hooker 's Eccles Polity L. 3. Sect. 1. With Rome we do not communicate concerning sundry her gross and grievous abominations yet touching those main parts of Christian Truths wherein they constantly still persist we gladly acknowledge them to be of the Family of Jesus Christ and our hearty prayer to Almighty God is that being conjoyned so far forth with them they may at length if it be his Will so yield and reform themselves that no distraction remain in any thing but that we may all with one heart and voice glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whose Church we are Mr. Hierons Sermons pag. 500. God be praised the Foundation of Religion is on both sides held and taught sincerely Mr. Sprints Cassand Anglicanum Epist to the Reader In the Foundation we all agree Time and Day will try the Hay and Stubble from the Gold and Silver 1 Cor. 3 11 12. c. Mr. Vertues Plea for Peace pag. 44. The differences among us are only in superstructures and less principal Truths whilest in the Main and Fundamental points of our Religion we have God be thanked a firm Concord as may appear by the Harmony of Confessions Doctor Featly his Roma ruens pag. 22. Differences among us in Matters of Faith necessary to Salvation there are not our Controversies are de Fimbriis non de Textu of the Lace and Fringe of Ceremonies Mr. Pygots Sermon 2 Sam. 2.26 pag. 46. When the Gospel of Truth hath been preached amongst us now upwards Fourscore years do we stick at Pilates Question What is Truth John 18.38 Beloved for the substance of our Religion I say with St. Paul If an Angel from Heaven shall preach any other Gospel or discover any other Fundamental Truths to us then what we have received let him be accursed And if this unhappy difference be about Circumstances and Ceremonies God grant that whilst we are so earnest in contention about niceties and shadows we do not lose the Substance Glanvel 's Cath. Charity pag. 2. It 's very strange that Christians should be so at odds whose Religion is Peace and Love and the reasons of whose Differences are so small in proportion to the degree of their Animosities Our God is one and we have the one common Saviour we profess one Gospel and believe the same Creeds we have the same Sacraments and the same Fundamental Ordinances and since we are agreed in these what is there left that is worth the heat of a Dispute Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls Epist Dedic before the Mischief of Separation That there is an Agreement in Doctrine and the substantial parts of Worship is acknowledged in our Case And pag. 13. The people apprehend the differences to be much greater than the Teachers will allow when they are put to declare their Minds and our common Enemies take as much advantages from our differences as if they were really far greater
Error 2. That it be an Error against the Truth of Gods Word for otherwise every Error maketh not an Heresie 3. That it be stoutly and wilfully maintained otherwise an Error in Gods Truth without wilful maintainance is not an Heresie St. Augustine saith Errare possum Hereticus esse non possum Item p. 67. 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
Catech. on Blessed Peace-makers There must be no affixing Holiness to Opinions or thinking them the best men that are most of our perswasion Salvation for such as are Faithful in the Common Duties of Christianity BIshop Andrew 's Sermons Ed. 3. Such a way shall there always be do all the Controversie Writers what they can a fair way agreed upon on all sides questioned by none in which whoso orders his steps aright may see the Salvation of our God Page 105. Bishop Saunderson in Serm. 9. Ad aulam Sect. 21. It may be a greater comfort to every well meaning Soul that the simple belief of those certain Truths wherein all parties are in a manner agreed may be and ordinarily is sufficient for the Salvation of all those who are sincerely careful according to that measure of Light and means which God hath vouchsafed them to actuate their Faith with Piety Charity and good Works Bishop Tailors Collection of Discourse Polem and Moral p. 403. He takes it for granted that one Heaven shall hold men of several Opinions and the Unity of the Faith is not destroyed by that which men call different Religions Item p. 595. Speaking of the Papists they keep the Foundation they build upon God in Jesus Christ they profess the Apostles Creed they retain Faith and Repentance as the supporters of all their hope of Heaven and believe many more Truths than can be proved to be of simple and original necessity to Salvation and therefore all the wisest personages of the adverse party allow to them possibility of Salvation whilst their Errors are not Faults of their Wills but weaknesses and deceptions of their Understandings Item p. 713. Now thus much also your men allow to us those who Live well and Die in a true though but general Repentance of their Sins and Errors even amongst us your best and wisest men pronounce to be in a saveable Condition spoken of the Papists Charity to us Bishop of Salisbury 's Remarks on the Methods for Converting Protestants p. 104. A Church may be a true Church which is a Society of Men among whom are the certain means of Salvation and yet be corrupted with many Errors and thus as long as the Church of Rome acknowledges the Expiation and Satisfaction made by the Death of Christ and applies it to all that truly believe and amend their Lives so long she is a true Church so that those in that Communion who adhere truly to that which is the great Fundamental of the Christian Religion may be saved Mr. Chillingsworth 's Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation In his Answer to the Preface of Charity maintained pag. 14. How of dis-agreeing Protestants both parties may hope for Salvation If they use their best endeavours to believe the Scripture in the true Sense and to live according to it as I hope many of all sides do it is impossible but they should believe aright and if they perform the condition of sincere Obedience why should they not expect that God will perform his promise and give them Salvation Mr. Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 56. As many as hold the Foundation and as it were with a slender Thread although they frame many base and unsuitable things upon it things that cannot abide the Trial of the Fire yet they shall pass the Fiery Trial and be saved Collection of Sermons of Mr. Samuel Ward of Ipswich pag. 18. With God I dare be bold to say there is neither Calvinist nor Lutheran Protestant nor Puritan Conformitan or Inconformitan but Faith and Love in Christ is all in all Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement pag. 15. Where one and the same straight Road is kept a small difference of Paths doth not hinder Travellers from coming to the same Inn at Night Spoken with reference to the different Sects of Christians who may yet in their several ways meet at the same Heaven Glanvel 's Catholick Charity pag. 35 36. It s very true indeed that the way to Heaven is but one and to walk in that is the one thing necessary but then that is not this or that particular Path but the way of an Holy Life which may be practised under very different Forms of Apprehension and Belief The paths may be many in this Royal Road he that goes in the plainest and nearest is in the best condition for pleasure and safety but another that goes about or in a Rugged or uneven path may come to the same Journeys end though with more difficulty and danger Judge Hales Discourse of Religion pag. 33. He that fears the Lord of Heaven and Earth walks humbly before him thankfully lays hold on the Message of Redemption by Christ Jesus strives to express his Thankfulness by the sincerity of his Obedience if he falls in any measure is restless till he hath made his peace by true Repentance c. Such a man whether he be an Episcopal or Presbyterian or Independant or Anabaptist he hath the Life of Religion in him and that Life acts in him and will conform his Soul to the Image of his Saviour and walk along with him to Eternity The Quakers take away their affected singularities the men are as other men Some indeed very sober honest just and plain-hearted-men and sound in most if not all the important Doctrines and Practices of Christianity pag. 17. Bishop Wilkins Sermons pag. 63. If a man be truly Conscientious and sincere in those most substantial Duties of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost it is not his mistake or failing in any other lesser things that shall make him uncapable of the Kingdom of God Again in the same Sermon we are not to think the worse of others for their differences so as to despise them or censure such persons as to their Estates and Conditions as if they were not sincerely Religious nor in favour with God for though they should be Erroneous and mistaken in their judgment in such things yet if their Conversations be more just and righteous than ours if more humble and peaceable they are thereupon to be accounted better than we are both more acceptable of God and approved of men Doctor Sherlock in Religious Assemblies pag. 96. Others are scandalized at the great variety of Religions but if wise seeing there is so much dispute which is the true Religion they would use the greater diligence and honesty to find it out and hope that God would pardon those mistakes which are meerly the Errors of their Understandings when they offer unto him a pious and devout Soul that an honest man who is not byassed by Interest and does not chuse a false Religion upon a Design will be accepted for his Sincerity and Devotion Dr. Patrick 's Parable of the Pilgrim describing the Safe guide to the Heavenly Jerusalem pag. 14. He hath Faith enough to save himself and Charity enough to believe that others may be saved that are not in all points just of his belief Doctor
than they are Conformists Plea for the Non conformists Part 3. pag. 75. Indeed the Separation with which the Nonconformists are charged is not as Separation from a Church but as Separation in a Church fundamentally and essentially the same but differing in Modes and Accidents which must needs be the lowest kind of difference For the Conformists and Non-conformists are all one in Christ agreeing in all the parts of Christian Catholick Communion with us Mr. Kidder 's Serm. on 1 Pet. 3.11 The things in which we all agree these things are many and of great weight what we differ about bears no proportion to those things which we are agreed in Mr. Hancock 's Sermon on Luk. 19.42 pag. 24 25. The Mortification of our Lust and Passion living a life of Spiritual Purity and Devotion Self-denial and Meekness Justice and Charity Peaceableness and Patience Sobriety and Chastity and a trusting in the Merits of Christ for pardon of our Sins and acceptance of our imperfect Righteousness these are the substantials of our Religion about which all wise and good men are Agreed however we differ about other Matters Difference of Case between Separation of Protestants from Rome and the Separation of Dissenters pag. 69. As for the Dissenters methinks it should not be hard to disswade the most of them from breaking the Communion of the Church any longer with which they agree in the Substance of Faith and Worship Mr. Wake 's Sermon on Rom. 15.5 6 7. pag. 16 17. Our differences do not at all concern the Foundations either of Faith or Worship and are therefore such in which good men if they be otherwise diligent and sincere in their enquiry may differ without any prejudice to themselves or any just reflection upon the truth of their common profession To conclude this Head Bish Reynold's Br. Reconcil p. 7. Why should not the many Truths wherein we agree teach us to join in Love which is a Christian Duty rather than the few opinions in which we dis-agree cause breach in affection which at best is but an human Infirmity That the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation IN the Common Prayer at the Visitation of the Sick the Minister by the Churches order saith thus to the Sick I shall rehearse to you the Articles of our Christian Faith that you may know whether you do beleive as a Christian man should or no. And so Bishop Tailor on the Credenda in the Holy Catholick Church The Creed which whosoever beleives is a Catholick and a Christian but he that beleiveth it not is neither In Baptism according to the Church of England The question put to the person to be baptized dost thou beleive in God the Father and so to the end of the Creed And will thou be Baptized into this Faith And in the Church Catechism That in our Vow at Baptism we promised to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And in the beginning of the Reformation it was agreed upon that the Bishops and Preachers ought to instruct the people according to the Scripture the Three Creeds and the four first General Councels The Fathers are cited by the Reverend Bishops in testimony that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation as by Arch-Bishop Laud against Fisher Bishop Taylors Ductor Dub. and Bishop Bramhal especially Tertullian Clemens Romanus Ambrose Augustine c. who made the Creed to be the only standing immoveable and irreformable Rule of Faith the sum of the whole Catholick Faith the Key of the Christian Faith the rule and square of the Apostical Sermons i. e. after the making of it wherein the Apostles have collected into one breviary all the points of the Catholick Faith which are diffused throughout all the Scriptures The Creed is one perfect collection and sum plain short and full that the plainness might help the weakness of the Hearers the shortness their Memory the Fulness their Instruction The General Councel of Ephesus did forbid all men to exact any more of a Christian at his Baptismal profession and again the same Councel That it should be lawful for no man to publish or compose another Faith or Creed then that which was defined by the Nicene Councel and that whosoever should dare to compose or offer any such to any persons willing to be converted from Paganism Judaism or Heresie if they should be Bishops or Clergy-men should be deposed if Lay-men Anathematised i. e. Accursed with Excommunication It was the Universal practice of the Primitive Church Credisne at Baptism On Palm-Sunday the Christian converts from Heathenism as yet under Catechizing petitioned for Baptism and from that day forward had some assigned to expound the Creed unto them whereof they were to make solemn profession at Baptism All the Divines of the Reformed Church confessedly and generally own this Truth that the Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation Bishop Halls Works p. 637. 'T is not Cassander's Speech only but every wise and honest man's the Creed is the common cognizance of our Faith surely saith he Theodoret when he would allay the bitter contentions of those antient Christians of Antioch writes thus both parts made one and the same confession of their Faith for both maintained the Creed of the Nicene Councel and blames the Romanists that the confession of the same Creed is not sufficient with them for peace Item Resolution of Practical Cases of Conscience Case 5. Dec. 3 d. If there were not some special Truths the belief whereof makes and distinguishes a Christian the authors of the Creed Apostolick besides the other symbols received anciently in the Church were much deceived in their aim Doctor Potters Answer to Charity Mistaken p. 221. How can it be necessary for any Christian to have more in his Creed than the Apostles had in the Church of their time may the Church of after ages make the way to Heaven narrower than our Saviour left it c. The Apostles profess they revealed to the Church the whole Councel of God keeping back nothing needful for our Salvation What Tyranny then is it to impose any new matters on the Faith of Christians especially as the late Popes have done under that high commanding Form Qui non crediderit aut fecerit damnabitur Bishop Tailor Coll. of Discourses p. 524. It is a strange Boldness in the Church of Rome first to add Twelve new Articles to the Apostles Creed and then to add the appendix of Athanasius this is the Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved For I demand can any man say and justifie that the Apostles did deny Communion to any man that believed the Apostles Creed and lived a good Life Let them remember Pope Pelagius who when the Bishops of Istria deserted his Communion in causa trium Capitulorum he gave them an account of his Faith by recitation of the Creed and by attesting the Four General Councels and is confident upon this that de fidei firmitate nulla
the Church of England and of his works pag. 138. pag. 192. Of the abuse of Excommunication vide c. Hooker 's Discourse of Justification pag. 54. If was a perilous Error that the Galatians held about Justification yet so far was St. Paul from striking their Names out of Christ's Book that he commandeth others to receive them i. e. to have communion with them with singular Humanity use them as Brethren he knew mans imbecility had a feeling of our blindness which are Mortal Men how great it is The Judgment of the Professors of Divinity in the Vniversity of Aberdeen mentioned pag. 707 is not unsuitable to this Subject That the condition of that Church is worse and incomparably more lamentable that is so swelled and puft up with the splendour of its Golden Edifice upon the Foundation or of its Orthodoxy that neglecting Charity and Equanimity and trampling on the Law of Christ fastidiously rejects and Anathematizeth other Churches Orthodox in the Foundation and willing to maintain place with it than is the condition of those Churches who though they are infirm in Faith inferiour in knowledge do yet hold in the Foundation maintain inviolable Charity and after the Example of Blessed Cyprian do neither judge nor separate from Communion those who think otherwise than themselves Dr. Casaubon 's Necessity of Reformation pag. 142. cited by Dr. Puller 's Moderation c. pag. 436. Were there nothing else objected to Papists but this one thing their uncharitable proscribing and Excommunicating all Christians in all parts of the World as in the Council of Trent imposing her Doctrines which were but disputable before to be de fide with an Anathema to such as thought of them otherwise who are not of their Communion and obliging all that adhere unto them to profess the same I should think that one thing a just ground of Separation or forsaking their Communion Dr. Steward 's Englands Case pag. 26. When Men cast out of the Church Catholick and so damn to Hell all those that hold not their Opinions this St. Augustine oft-times calls Schism in the Donatists I could name you those who are guilty of this but I am sure our dear Mother is not who hath been so mild to those who have most highly opposed her Dr. Hammond's Pract. Catech. Vpon Blessed are the Peace-makers We are not to think our own Opinions in Religion such as are not of Faith of such importance as to deny Communion or Salvation to those who differ from us Item of Schism pag. 165. and pag. 166. That as we exclude no Christian from our Communion that will either Filially and Fraternally embrace it with us being ready to admit any to our Assemblies that acknowledge the Foundation laid by Christ and his Apostles so we as earnestly desire to be admitted to the like Freedom of External Communion with all the Members of all other Christian Churches as often as occasion makes us capable of that Blessing And pag. 5. Tell us the Governours of the Church use to inflict that punishment of Excommunication on the most scandalous Sinner And pag. 15. Calls it that very condition into which the Adulterer and obstinate offender is cast by the Censures of the Church Hammond of the Keys chap. 5. Sect. 18. The more shame for the over-easie denouncers of that censure that inflict it for every trivial commission without consideration whether or no repented of or that use this Sovereign Recipe unadvisedly for any other end than Reforming the Profane Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 366. It is evident that the Divine Moderation of our Church considers the frame of Man and the uncertainty difficulty and imperfection of Humane Knowledge the weakness and variety of Humane Understandings she alloweth much to the force of Prejudice Education and the power and artifice of Seducers Our Church makes a great reserve of Dispensation to persons of Modest Humble Docible and peaceable Spirits and proportions her Censures to the degrees of Malice and the Unchristian Temper which appears in Offenders Dr. Cumber on the Common-Prayer in the Commination Discipline with-held in favour of Dissenters least the imposing it there should make this Holy Means of Reformation despised rather than obeyed Item pag. 369. Dr. Puller Wherefore the Institution of a Christian Man made by Cranmer saith the Bishops are not bound so precisely but they may attemper and forbear the execution of their Jurisdiction when by so doing the cure of the offenders and the tranquility of the Church may be furthered Item pag. 35. According to Equity our Church desires all her Laws may be Interpreted Benignius Leges interpretandae sunt c. She admits of a Mitigation of a rigid Sentence And pag. 11. Disposeth them where the Laws press too hard upon particular persons to relax the Rigour of them Pag. 370. Wherefore those who in Execution of the Church Discipline abuse the most excellent Temper of the Church in the constitution of her Laws under the pretence of Ecclesiastical Authority verily they most of all deserve the Churches Rod and the dire point of her Anathema Let it be considered said Bishop Tailor Ductor Dub. L. 3. pag. 259. How Great a reproach it is to Ecclesiastical Discipline if it be made to Minister to Covetousness and to the needs of Proctors and Advocates Bishop Bramhall pag. 14. Vindicat. of the Church To exclude none from Catholick communion and hope of Salvation either Eastern or Western or Southern or Northern Christians which profess the Faith of the Apostles and Primitive Fathers established in the first General Councils and comprehended in the Apostolick Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and lastly to hold an Actual External Communion with them in votis in our desires and to endeavour it by all lawful means Item pag. 17. There is not the like necessity of communicating in all Externals there is not so great conformity to be expected in ceremonies as in the Essentials of Sacraments Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 2. pag. 223. Edit 4. It is a most pernitious fancy to think 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 The Communion of Saints standeth not in External Rights Customs and Manners 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 unto the day of Redemption Causes of Decay of Christian Piety pag. 285. As Christ when he forewarned his Disciples of the ensuing persecution tells them not only they should be killed but they should be put out of the Synagogue so now as if Christians were emulous of every branch of Jewish Cruelty we transcribe that part of the Copy too and either by causeless Excommunicating others or separating our selves we deny the
AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST BIGOTRY IN RELIGION OR A DISCOURSE proving from the Testimony of Kings Nobles Judges Bishops Deans Doctors c. That Wise and Good Men may differ one from another both in Doctrine and Discipline and maintain Christian Charity amongst themselves By a true Berean LONDON Printed in the Year 1694. AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST BIGOTRY IN RELIGION READER IT is a Matter of great Lamentation to consider of the Decay of true Primitive Christianity and that instead of it is sprung up Bigotism on the one side and Scepticism on the other Never was there more need to call for Engines and Buckets to quench the Flames of Contention now kindled amongst us upon the account of different Modes of Worship and Controverted Points of Doctrine My Design is not to Applaud or Condemn any one party of Christians among us but to perswade them all to be Humble and Charitable and to believe that they have finite Understandings and fallible Apprehensions and ought not to be peremptory for or against little things nor too positive in any thing but those great things wherein Christians are all agreed I would gladly know why another Man may not differ from me with the same Sincerity that I differ from him and why he may not as well call me a Knave or Fool for not being of his mind as I call him so for his not being of mine I may well ask the old Question Which way went the Spirit of God from him to me that I should smite my Fellow-servant with my Hand Tongue or Pen I hope the Sentiments of these great Men in the following pages will make the World more Modest for the future I am sure we have seen little good produced by all our Clamorous Reflections one upon another God help us Every Party amongst us Contends so eagerly for our several Forms that we have almost lost the Power and our Bigotry for Circumstantials hath almost swallowed up our true Zeal for the substantial part of Religion There is Truth enough among all Parties to Save Men and Malice enough to Dam Angels I think true Religion consists in our Love to God and one another I am sure our Great Lord and Master has told us so and I will venture my Salvation upon his Authority for whoever wants those Qualifications is as far from Eternal Blessedness as a Jew or a Mahometan notwithstanding his Bigotry for his particular Mode of Worship We have abundance of Protestant Popery now in England and think our selves as infallible in our several Churches as they do in theirs and make no scruple to cast all such into our fiery Furnaces who will not Bow down to the Images of our Imaginations did not our Laws tye our Hands behind us We have seen several Forms uppermost in England at one time or other but wise men are Indifferent about indifferent things and submit them to the Wisdom of their Superiors So long as God's Word is truly preached Sacraments rightly administred Peace and good Order preserved they trouble not themselves about Vesture Gesture Time and Place If there were a General Council called to resolve this Question viz. which among all the several Parties now in Christendom are most in the right I am perswaded they would be voted the wisest men and the best Christians who are of no Sect or Party but choose out of all that which is most agreeable to Truth and Reason and tends most to promote the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men. They are certainly in the surest way to Heaven who most abound with sincere Piety and Catholick Charity and can hold Communion with any true Church of Christ which is sound in the Substantials of Religion notwithstanding some different Modes of Administration so long as nothing is required which they judge to be sinful Give me the true Evangelical Catholick that does not confine Salvation to his own particular Communion nor call every man a Heretick that is not of his private Perswasion God Almighty never required of men an exact uniformity in Ecclesiastical Ceremonies nor Systimatical Opinions but he has made our Salvation and Damnation depend upon our Faith and Holiness and they are very consistent with divers ways of Worship and with variety of Apprehensions in divine matters The most wise and sagacious men among all Parties have exclaimed against Bigotry in Religion especially when their thoughts have run pure from dregs of secular Interest But if once they have been biassed by the fears of Displeasing a popular Congregation or by the hopes of obtaining some Ecclesiastical Promotion they have then discover'd a mighty Zeal for the silver Shrines of Diana I can truly say with the Reverend Dr. Tennison present Bishop of Lincoln that I heartily thank God I have found in Conversation so much of good Temper and real Piety in many Men upon whom Rashness had fixed Names of Infamy Epist to his Spittle Sermon 1681. Mr. Baxter gives this Character of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Kidderminster in Worster-shire whereof he was Minister viz. the things which I loved in you I will freely praise which were a special measure of Humility a plain Simplicity in Religion a Freedom from the Common Errors of the Times a readiness to receive the Truth a Catholick Temper without addictedness to any Sect an exemption from Schism and Separating ways a hatred and disowning of the Usurpations and Rebellions against the Civil Government an open bearing of Testimony in all these Cases together with Seriousness in Religion and a sober righteous charitable and godly Conversation Dr. Owen has told the World that they meaning the Independants never entertained a Thought uncharitable to such a Prodigy of Insolence as to exclude any sort of Christians from an Interest in the Love of God or Grace of Christ or Hopes of Salvation because they do not or will not comply with those ways and Terms of Church-Communion which they approve of How far saith the same Dr. Errors in Judgment or miscariages in sacred Worship which any sort of Professors have superadded unto Divine Truth may be of so pernicious a Nature as to hinder them from an Interest in the Covenant and to prejudice their Eternal Salvation God only knows But the Notion says he we have concerning the Nature and Will of God in Scripture do perswade us to believe that where men do in sincerity improve the Ablities and means of Kowledge of Divine Truth wherewith they are intrusted endeavouring withall to Answer their Light and Convictions with a suitable Obedience there are but few Errours of Mind of so malignant a Nature as absolutely to exclude such Persons from an Interest in Eternal Mercy And we look upon the Church of England or the Generality of the Nation Professing the Christian Religion measuring them by the Doctrine that has been preached to them and received by them since the Reformation to be as Sound and Healthful a part of the Catholick Church as any in the World
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 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