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 of the Fathers because there is in this case Reason and Authority too 1. Unless the offence be evident no man must be excommunicated says Origen agreeably Hooker Eccl. Pol. pag. 408. As for Iniquity and Sin it lieth many times hid and because we be all offenders it becometh us not to encline towards hard and severe sentences touching others unless upon notorious
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 earliest 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 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 Mode 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.
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. Ed t. 4. It is a most pernitious sancy 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 benefit of Publick Communion to each other Item pag. 280. Every Petty difference c. pag. 287. Would we indeed comport with the Example of those happy Times of the Primitive Church we should have prayed for the Conversion of Dissenters not laid Anathema's upon them and prayed for their confusion Item In his whole Duty of Man If one that holds all necessary Christian Truths happen yet to be in some Error we are not for this to despise his Person or forsake his Communion Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement In the case of unavoidable Differences amongst good Men there ought to be mutual Charity c. not to judge despise reject insult over one another not to
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 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 doctriná 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 Britannia magna multitudo Puritanorum qui I rimatum 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. Some persons truly Conscientious observing the many corruptions that the Romish Church hath brought into the Worship of God are very suspicious of any thing that may look as they think that way though they are otherwise Men of sound and Orthodox Principles and of a truly Righteous and Sober Life Item p. 13. Scrupulous of the Ceremonies otherwise sound in the principles of Faith
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 meth nks 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 poterit esse questio vel suspicio generari Bishop Usher In those Propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian World i. e. Articles of the Creed so much Truth is contained as being joyned with an holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto Everlasting Salvation and that as many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be upon them Upon which saith Doctor Chillingworth this is a great and as good as Truth and as necessary for these miserable Times as can be uttered Hookers Eccles Polit. p. 266. We have received from the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ that brief confession of Faith which hath been always a
wickedness 2. None but peccator gravis scandalosus Why should a man proceed to violent remedies when a gentle application will make the cure Therefore the Fathers in the Council of Worms in Can. 2. Decreed Nullus Sacerdotum c. no Priest shall excommunicate any man sound in the Faith for small and light causes but only for some very grievous fault according to the practice of the Fathers St. Leo in the 93. Epist forbade Let not the Communion be easily or lightly denied to any Christian nor at the pleasure of every angry Priest It was a worthy cause of complaint in St. Leo to consider that this evil was done for so little things and therefore if the Church do Excommunicate him whose Actions or Words though faulty yet can consist with the state of a good man and do not destroy the Love of God the Censure was too heavy as to the External and false as to the Internal Communion For the man is not fallen from God but doth communicate with the head and continue to receive of the Spirit of Christ 3. Neither is this sufficient a scandalous sin alone is not enough for Excommunication is the last remedy Omnia prius tentanda When nothing else will do it then is this to be used for his amendment Bishop Usher 's Directions concerning Liturgy and Episcopal Government That none might be excommunicated but by the Bishop himself with the consent of the Pastor in those Parishes the Delinquent dwells and that for heinous and scandalous Crimes joyned with obstinacy and wilful contempt Idem In his Body of Divinity Bishop Pearson on the Creed pag. 350. By great and scandalous offences by incorrigible mis-demeanors we my incur the Censure of the Church of God and while we are shut out thence we stand excluded out of Heaven Item Doctor More 's Mistery of Godliness 14. chap. That none are to be excluded from Communion that profess the belief of the Holy Scripture and the Creed unless they stand guilty for some gross and scandalous sins and do persist therein impenitent and unreclaim'd Item The Judgment of the Church being nothing else but an effective and terrible Declaration of the Judgment of God must not be exterminating and Final for things of little concernment but according to the Mercy which we hope for Again If the Church kills on Earth i. e. Excommunicates and God saves in Heaven its clear she hath not used her power aright Whoever deserves Excommunication deserves Damnation pag. 530. in Collection of Discourse Polemical and Moral In the Commination The persons coming under the Discipline of the Church said to be such as stood convict of Notorious Sin And further the Wrath of God which obstinate sinners through the stubbornness of their Hearts have heaped unto themselves which despised the Goodness Patience and Long-sufferance of God when he called them continually to Repentance c. And the Curses therein are denounced against wilful and open Evil Livers Article 33. of the Church of England That person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off that is Excommunicate c. On which Mr. Rogers Exposition reckons two sorts of men to be rightly Excommunicated whereof the one pervert the sound Doctrine of the Truth as did Hymeneus and Philetus the Resurrection the other sort such as be defiled with notorious wickedness Bishop Jewel 's Defence of the Apol. pag. 140. The Minister we say shutteth up the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven against unbelieving and stubborn persons denouncing unto them Gods Vengeance and Everlasting punishment or else quite shutting them out of the Bosom of the Church by open Excommunication Item pag. 146. That the wicked and wilful and such as would not believe c. Item Reply to Harding pag. 32. Persons Excommunicate upon great and notorious Crimes could not be suffered to communicate with the rest of the Faithful Item pag. 88. The apparent wicked and ungodly were removed from the Congregation Bishop Andrew 's Latter Sermons pag. 32. It hath ever been held good Divinity that the Church from Christ received power to censure and separate wilful offenders Item pag. 55. Speaking of the same power given to Edification and not to Destruction I say not first and principally to Destruction nor of any save only of the wilful and impenitent Sinner Item Bishop Andrew 's Sermons Edit 3. pag. 727. Then is not every Error repugnant to Gods Grace God is able to pardon and not impute Error in Opinion as well as Error in Practice did not the High Priest offer as well for the Errors as the Transgressions of the people This only we are to look to that with St. Peter we be not wilful if there come a clear comperi as ready to relent in the one as to repent of the other Archbishop Laud cited in Dr. Puller 's Moderation of the Church of England pag. 391. The Church of England is not such a shrew to her children as to deny her Blessing or denounce an Anathema against them if some peaceably dissent in Points remoter from the Foundation Bishop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus The Apostles Creed saith he and the Articles therein contained he that believeth and endeavours to lead a Life conformable to the commands of Christ is not to be blotted out of the Roul of Christians nor expelled from Communion with other Members of any Christian Church whatsoever Item That Church doth too much please it self which rejects others in which neither Tyranny nor Idolatry nor Deadly Heresie is found as men unworthy of Communion with her for some Infirmity of Understanding the Fathers of the Ancient Church did not so Why should men be more rigid than God Why should any Error exclude any man from the Churches communion which will not deprive him of Eternal Salvation Dr. Chill chap. 4. Sect. 40. of his Book Doctor Chillingw chap. 4. Sect. 13. What Man or Church believes the Creed and all the evident consequences of it if also he believe the Scripture sincerely and heartily cannot possibly be in any Error of simple belief offensive unto God nor deserve for any such Error to be deprived of his Life or cut off from the Churches communion and hope of Salvation Sir Francis Bacon In his Advertisement of the controversies of 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
deal with the weaker as Aliens but as Brethren not to proceed presently unto Separation Rejection Anathematization but to restore those that are overtaken with an Error in the spirit of Meekness Dr. Alestry Serm. 9. pag. 170. Censuring the abuse of Excommunication If they be not so happy as to be Orthodox sending them down to Hell directly Dr. Barrow In his Vnity of the Church Speaking of the Roman Churches If Churches do maintain impious Errors if they do prescribe naughty practices if they do reject communion and peace upon reasonable Tearms if they vent unjust and uncharitable censures c. If they damn and persecute all that refuse to be their Subjects in such cases we may Reject such Churches as Heretical or Schismatical or wickedly uncharitable and unjust in their proceedings Dr. More in his Pref. to the Mistery of Godliness pag. 19 The Object of Church discipline ought to contain nothing but the indisputable Truths of our Religion namely the generally acknowledged Articles of the Christian Faith and plain indispensable Duties of Life for these are such as deserve to be held up with all possible care and strictness Other things so gently recommended that no conscientious man may be pinched by them Dr. Stillingfleet 's Preface to Irenicum What possible Reason can be assigned why such things should not be sufficient for communion with a Church which are sufficient for Eternal Salvatition And certainly those things are sufficient for that which are laid down as necessary Duty 's of Christianity by our Lord and Saviour in his Word Dr. Cave 's Gospel preached to the Romans Serm. 4. pag. 89. God be thanked such is the present Moderation of our Churches Ecclesiastical constitutions our penalties are not for Destruction but for correction and amendment we punish none for their bare opinions and readily embrace every Returning Penitent Item pag. 87. We must above all things put on Charity and when we come to reprove rebuke and to inflict Spiritual Censures and Punishments we must distinguish as tenderly as we can between the wilful and the weak the obstinate and the Ignorant the obstinate we must endeavour to save with Fear plucking them out of the Fire with them we must be more sharp and severe in our Admonitions and Threatnings But on the weak we must have Compassion who may be supposed to Err through simplicity or the fervors of Devotion and ought to be treated with a fatherly Tenderness for to be restored if possible conformable unto the Doctrine of St. Paul to Timothy with the Spirit of meekness Stop to the Course of Separation The just Reasons of Excommunication are the same all over the World which is obstinate persisting in great Transgressions of the general Precepts of the Gospel At the end of the Book Vnion of the Catholick Church pag. 10. Every difference in Judgment when no violence is offered to the Catholick Faith and Unity must not break this Communion according to that profession of St. Cyprian judging no man nor excluding him from the Right of Communion if he think otherwise where the dispute was thought of no mean concernment Which St. Augustine often alledgeth against the Donatists and condemns Victor pag. 11th who was hastening to Excommunicate the Asian Churches for their difference in Celebration of Easter True State of the Primitive Church Be charitable to the weak proceed not so severely against them in your Courts of Judicature but Remember what St. Paul says Col. 2. in respect of Ceremonies Let no man judge you c. Will you in respect of such shadows judge Excommunicate Sentence to Everlasting Flames the Soul that holds of the Body of Christ believes all his Holy Gospel accords with you in one Faith one Baptisme c. Will you condemn such an one to Eternal Death God Forbid Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 101. We can represent and inveigh against Schism as the sin against the Holy Ghost A Sin unto Death indeed in some sence because it is so contrary to Charity and Peace and destructive of the Life of Saints which doth much consist in their Communion But were we impartial we should as warmly admonish our own hearts to take heed of Schismatical Passions and excommunicate them from within us as admonish and cast out others that differ from us Idem pag. 20. We are forward to blame the more rigid sort of Separatists for not coming to our Worship and why are we so rigid as to forbear all Christian Communion with them as if Christianity were all lost among them I do declare that I hold Mental Communion with all the Holy Brethren and am prepared for Local and External Communion with them in all Christian Duties and Ordinances Dr. Hammond 's Annotations on the New Testament Rom. 14.17 18. Christianity consists not in such External Matters as Meats but in the practice of Christian Vertues such are Mercifulness and Peaceableness c. not dividing and hating and Excommunicating one another and 14. chap. ver 13. And therefore let this Fault be mended do not any longer Censure and seperate from one anothers Communion for such things as these Doctor Hammond of Schism p. 16. Because the Governours being men may possibly Err and consequently censure and Excommunicate the innocent its possible the person excluded may be innocent he that is Excommunicate unjustly cannot be rendred criminous by that misfortune p. 17. he cites Photius Patriarch of Constantinople the Excommunication of the Jewish Sanhedrim sent out against Christs Disciples brought them so much nearer to their Lord and Master and Alien'd the Jews themselves removed them so much the farther from the Kingdom of Heaven and so doth all unjust Excommunication unite us to the Apostles by this Conformity with and participation of their sufferings Bishop Jewels defence of the Apol. p. 583. Brings in St. Augustine saying Quid obest homini What is a man the worse if the ignorance of a man strike him out of the Book of the Church if ill conscience strike him not out of the Book of Life In this case St. Augustine saith it cometh sometime to pass Vt plurimae sint foris oves intus Lupi That there be many Sheep without the Church and many Wolves within And in your own Law Mr. Harding it is written thus Qui illicite alium Excom c. He that unlawfully Excommunicates another condemneth himself and not another That our Love must be Catholick HOmily of Christian Love and Charity p. 36. Charity is to love every man good and evil friend and foe and whatsoever Cause be given to the Contrary yet nevertheless to bear good will and heart to every man to use our-selves well unto them as well in Words and countenances as in all other Acts and deeds for so Christ himself taught and so also he performed indeed and for as much as the Pharisees with their false glosses had Corrupted this love of our neighbour teaching that this love and Charity
pertained only unto a mans friends Christ gave this Godly law of Charity a true and clear interpretation that we ought to love every man both friend and foe adding thereto the Commodity to be the Children of our heavenly Father and this we shall be sure of saith Christ if we love every man without exception Conformists Plea for Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 106. The salutations of the Holy Apostles expressed their largeness and their Catholick love to the Corinthians among whom were great divisions to the Galatians and Colossians among whom were some very Erroneous so did their Benedictions peace be to Brethren and Love c. And Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity Eph. 6.23 and verse 2. Bishop Davenants Letter to Duraeus Whether we will or no it s necessary that we all own Christ as our elder Brother and joyn in strict and Brotherly Communion with all that are his Brethren Moreover all must confesse true and genuine Charity is as necessary to the Salvation of all the Members of the Christan Churches as the true and entire profession of Saving faith Christ having made this love the Cognizance Whereby to discriminate his disciples and those who falsely professe his name he puts this question Whether it be safe Pious or suitable to the duty of Christian Churches not to stretch forth the right hand of Brotherly affection to those Churches which though they differ and in some lesser matters err may notwithstanding be Christs Martyrs and our holy Brethren Mr. Thomas Pierce on St. John the 13.35 Our love must be so extensive that it must reach even to all not only to our fellow-disciples but to all men living upon earth it must reach even to our enemies not onely to those without the pale of the Church who do us little or no hurt even Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks for whom we pray once in a year in our English Liturgy but to our Crueller enemies within the Church P. 414. item 282. Whom our Lord hath enjoyned us not onely to forgive but pray for to love their souls to pray for their repentance and desire they may be sharers of immortality and blisse of which we shall not have the lesse but rather the more for having sharers and tells us on St. John 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples c Love to Christians as Christians is as the badge and Cognizance the testimony and proof of our real discipleship under Christ and the firmest bond to hold us together in peace and love not so much that we are of one Countrey but that we are of one Christ or to expresse it with St. Paul that we have but One Faith One Baptism Doct. Hammonds Pract. Catechism under meekness to continue constant to the doctrine of the Catholick Church and maintain the inward Communion that of Charity with all the true Church of God wheresoever they are and with particular Churches so far as to embrace them with the armes of Christian Charity to joyn even with the erroneous Churches so far as they are not erroneous Separating onely from their Corruptions Idem on first Epist of St. John 3.14 We know that we are regenerate Christians by our Chariry to other men which he that hath not is clearly an unregenerate unchristian person Idem the first Epist St. John 4.7 And evidence of our being from God is Charity to our fellow Christians for that is most strictly commanded and exemplified to us from God and no practice renders us so like to Gods example and so concordant to his precepts as the sincere exercise of this duty Dr. Barrow ' s. Vnity of the Church annexed to his Treatise against the Popes Supremacy P. 36. The genuine meaning of that article Catholick Church may reasonably be deemed this that we professe our adhering to the body of Christians which diffused over the World doth retain the faith taught the Discipline settled the practises appointed by our Lord and Saviour and his Apostles that we maintain general Charity towards all good Christians that we are ready to entertain Communion in holy offices with all such Item on Rom 12.18 pag. 230 231. Serm. 3. pursue peace with all without any exception with men of all Nations Jewes and Greeks and Barbarians of all Sects and Religions persecuteing Jews and Idolatrous Heathens as at that time men of all judgments and perswasions Neither is there any evading our obligation to this duty by pretending of others that they entertain opinions irreconcileably contrary to ours that they adhere to Sects and Parties which we dislike and disavow that they are not so vertuous so Religious so Holy as they should be or at least not in such a mannner as we would have them Bishop Saundersons Sermon 3. Ad Aulam sect 39. Here is that evil partiality we are to take heed of when we restrain the Brotherhood or Neighbour to some one party or society in the Church such as we think good of and exclude the rest as if they had no part or fellowship in this Brotherhood nor consequently any right to that special affection where with we are to love the Brethren which partiailty hath indeed been the very bane of the Churches unity and peace and the chief Cause both of the beginning and of the Continuance of most of the Schisms under which Christendom hath groaned from time to time Englands Black Tribunal p. 222. As I am a Member of this Church so I am a Member of the Holy Catholick Church as I hold Communion with so I love and honour all Christians in the World that love the same Lord Jesus in sincerity and call on his name agreeing with those Truths that are absolutely necessary and clearly demonstrated in the Word of God though in charity dissenting from some others that are not necessary Dr. Hewyt's Speech at the Scaffold Dr. Alestrey's Sermon p. 168. Our Saviours addition Matth. 5.44 saith that we must love our Enemies The Christians hath no Canaanites as Deut. 7. but the most profligate Adversaries of his Religion he must love and pray for them although they persecute him which makes appear it doth at least include enemies of Religion for persecutions seldom were upon any other ground And Christ hath proved that the Samaritan he whom the Disciples would consume that Schismatick and rejector of Christ is yet our Neighbour Luke 10. and therefore him also we must love and pray for Item p. 322. Serm. 18. There is no sort of men nor any man whom it is lawful for a Christian not to love and all the reasons urged here by our Saviour do prove that all mankind whether good or bad is the object of a Christians love Mr. Kettlewells measures of Christian Obedience Edit 2. ch 3. l. 7. p. 133 and 134. It is not either distance of Countrey nor contrariety of interest no nor what is most of all presumed to exempt us from the obligations of this duty
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. Chilling worth 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 understanding 'T is enough that such agreement is not necessary yea I take the other step 't is impossible Our Tempers Capacities Educations Genius's Converses Interests Accidents are strangely divers therefore our apprehensions must needs be different Decay of Piety p. 409 Not that I suppose it possible to extinguish all diversities of opinions among men who from their differing faculties
Faith and the use of the Sacraments even so Bishop Bramhall required of the Clergy in Ireland and a solemn Promise under their hands or Subscription of peaceable submission as to the rest so as not to oppose or contradict them either in Preaching or Writing upon the same penalty as if they had not subscribed to the 36. I shall mention two or three of those Testimonies referred to in the Preface about Ordination Dr. Chillingsworths Religion of Protestants c. Epist 1. ch 6. Sect. 8. by way of Question whether any one kind of the external Forms of Church Government i. e. by Bishops or Presbyters be so necessary to the being of a Church but that they may be divers in divers places and that a good and peaceable Christian may and ought to submit himself to the Government of the place where he lives whosoever he be Which Question we are told in Iren. part 2. ch 8. p. 394. according to the tenour of the rest to which it is joyned must as to the former part be resolved in the Negative no one Form of Church Government so necessary but they may be divers in divers places and as to the latter in the Affirmative i. e. That a peaceable Christian ought to submit himself to the Government which he lives under Judge Hale's discourse of Religion p. 11. That the Episcopal form of Government constituted in England is a most excellent Form of Ecclesiastical Government and exceeds all others may easily be evinced and that it is the best adapted to the Civil Government in this Kingdom is visible to any intelligent person And yet I do not think that the Essence of Christian Religion consists in this or any other particular Form of Government Though the wise and sober sort of Conformists know and profess this that a man may be a good and excellent Christian under this Episcopal or any other Form of Church Government c. Bishop Carletons Consensus Eccles Cathol contra Trident praelectionibus c. 11. de Ecclesia p. 289. cited out of Conf. Plea for the Non-Corformist part 3. p. 36. It is the custom of the Catholick Church ut Episcopi legitime ordinent sed si quis a Presbytero Ordinatus fuerit ordinatio illa etiam vera est ex ejusdem Ecclesiae Catholicae judicio Idem p. 283. Ordination is not to be repeated although it be disorderly and out of course any more than Baptism in the Catholick Church But further even they who have the internal call consisting of good Learning Knowledge in the Scripture and are of a good exemplary Conversation and moved by the Spirit are not to be reckoned as Laymen but next to Presbyters or Ministers according to the declared judgment of great and eminent Protestants as Conf. Plea for Non-Corformist part 3. p. 37. Arch-Bishop Abbot added this observation to the 9 Section of the 2d ch de Circumcisione Baptismo Quaestiones sex discussae per Georgium Abbatium p. 109. Martin Bucer saith in Epist ad Eph. c. 4. That some of the Lay-men were admitted to read and interpret the Holy Scriptures in the Primitive and purer Church which they sometimes did perform in the presence of the Bishops and nameth Origen and others And saith he if any man add what the truly learned Hieron Zanchius speaks indefinitely When from the practice of the purer Church they who were not in Holy Orders did Preach the Gospel We answer there is a difference to be made between the simple Layman or the common sort to whom power is given in the Roman Church to Baptize and them who are instar Ministrorum Evangelii and who not only excel the common sort of men for their Learning in holy things but are or were called by the special publick and common Decree of the Bishop and them set over the Congregation publickly to interpret Scripture And these and not others the words of Bucer do note or point at c. Istos ego non audeo ad ordinariorum et vulgarium Laicorum conditiones revocare cum ad Presbyteros tam prope accedant I dare not bring down these to the condition of ordinary and vulgar Laymen that come so near to Presbyters or Ministers saith the Learned Abbot of this sort And whether Tertullian speak of such as these that were permitted to Baptize I leave to the Judgment of the Learned Bishop Jewels Serm. on 1 Cor. 4.1 2. fol. 223. In these our days the Ministers of God and Preachers of his Gospel are evil spoken of among all men some say they are unlearned they are Craftsmen Some say they preach they cannot tell what Let us examine and try their Doctrine with the touchstone of Gods Word and then be you Judges if you see that we teach you nothing but the mysteries of God that we disclose to you the will of God esteem us to be the Servants of God the Ministers of Christ c. This is but a taste of what is referred to in Iren. part 2. ch 8. and in Conf. Plea for Non-Conf part 3. Hearty desires and Prayers for Love and Peace BIshop Davenant 's Letter to Duraeus That which all pious persons are with fervent supplications to desire they ought as earnestly to endeavour after Now who doth not dayly solicit God for the peaceable State of the Church who doth not pray that all those things which vex disturb or any way hinder the Edification of the Church should be removed this was the wish of the Royal Psalmist and ought to be the desire of Princes Doctors and all Christians and surely what they sincerely should desire they should as sincerely endeavour after Bishop Hall 's Works pag. 426. Yea let me beg peace as for Life by your filial piety to the Church of God by your love of Gods Truth by the Graces of that one blessed Spirit whereby we are all informed and quickned by the precious Blood of the Son of God shed for our Redemption be enclined to peace and Love and though our brains be different let our hearts be one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the Treaty at Uxbridge Ejac. 1. Oh thou that art the God of reason and of peace c. Soften our hearts by the bloud of our Redeemer and perswade us to accept of peace with thy self and both procure and preserve peace among our selves as Men and Christians Condemn us not to our passions Clear up our understandings to see thy Truth and encline all our hearts to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Give us that Charity which should be among our selves and bestow upon us that peace which onely Christ our great peace-maker can merit Bishop Salisburies Exhortation to Peace and Vnion p. 34. Let us all resolve to spend some portion of our time at least an hour every Week in earnest prayers to him for the peace of his Jerusalem among us and for continuing our Religion still with us It is his cause and we ought chiefly to offer it up to him for his protection and defence and if our sins do not defeat our prayers we may hope that a considerable number of such Intercessions will procure great blessings to us especially we having the assistance of those who have taken Sanctuary among us Mr. Pygots Abners Plea for Accommodation p. 15. Never leave wrestling with the God of peace by uncessant and earnest prayers till he be entreated for the land to settle peace amongst us that the Lyon and the Lamb might lye down together Causes of decay of Christian Piety p. 419. Oh that we might see our impertinent strifes superseded and all moulded into the one Noble emulation who shall fastest unravel his own mischief and promote that peace he hath hitherto disturbed This indeed were worthy to be the united design of all Learned men and were it once so who knows how prosperous it might be Item p. 227. Who knows what a powerful exorcism the United Intercessions of the Christian World might have been had we jointly deprecated our quarrels God might have found a way to have composed them tho we could not Forms of Prayer upon the Fast Day 22d Dec. 1680. In the prayer for Union amongst our Selves Blessed Jesu aur Saviour and our Peace Look down in much Pity and Compassion upon this distressed Church and Nation whose bleeding wounds occasioned by the lamentable divisions that are among us cry aloud for thy speedy help and saving relief stir up we beseech thee every Soul of us carefully as becomes sincere Christians to root out of our hearts all Pride and vain Glory all wrath and bitterness all unjust prejudice and causeless jealousie all Hatred and Malice and desire of Revenge and whatsoever it is that may any way exasperate our minds or hinder us from discerning the things that belong unto our peace That as there is but one body and one Spirit and one Hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith c. So we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one Soul closely united in one Holy bond of Truth and Peace of Faith and Charity and so far as it is possible and an Vnion is attainable with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Licensed according to Order FINIS A Table of the several Heads ACknowledged by Conformists that there are Good and Worthy Men amongst the Dissenters Salvation for such as are faithful in the common duties of Christianity That Protestants are agreed in the main The Creed contains all Truths necessary to Salvation Conformists not forward in censuring men as guilty of Heretical and damnable Errors None to be shut out of the Church and denied Communion for lesser sins or Errors That our Love must be Catholick An Agreement of all Christians in one Perswasion not to be expected Mutual Favour and Forbearance to be practised in our diversity of Judgments Force and capital Severities censured in matters of Religion Of Confessions of Faith and their Articles c.