renounced the Bishop of Rome without any reasonable Cause But let us see wherein our Brethren are to be blamed or do any thing but what our King and Governours may allow the Primitive Bishops of our Reformation being Judges The Religion of our Brethren is Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve It is the Religion of Christ and not of Anti-christ I reckon it cannot stand with the Prince's Duty to reverse this heavenly Decrce Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God c. with establishing two Religions in one Realm the first authorized by Christ Bishop Bilson of Subjection Part 1. p. 21. Edit 4o. and bequeathed in his Testament to the Church the next invented of Antichrist and flatly repugnant to the Prophetical and Apostolical Scriptures Our Brethren endeavour to keep strictly to the Scripture and Christ as Law-giver Then as the Minister must dispence the Word of Truth be therewith offended and grieved who list so the Magistrate may draw the Sword of Justice to compel and punish such as be blindly led Part 1. pag. 33. and maliciously bent to resist sound Doctrine Who then should be punished Preachers or they or those Officers that trouble them Object But the Magistrate is to be obeyed in all lawful things and every particular Church hath power to ordain Ceremonies so they be not contrary to God's Word Answ No Man disputes the Magistrate's Power in commanding things good and necessary the Doubt is concerning things which are indifferent as some suppose but not indifferent as the Dissenters suppose Of things indifferent hear the Judgment of the same learned Bishop We may not for things indifferent trouble the weak Minds of our Brethren yet this Rule bindeth no Magistrate to remit the Punishment of Error and Infidelity Ibid. Pag. 33. because God hath charged to suffer no kind of Evil unrevenged and this is the greatest whose Voice they must hear whose Will they must obey though they were sure thereby to scandalize never so many both Aliens and Subjects If they are things truly indifferent then Governours may forbear to command them whereas many do rationally scruple the Observation of them and cannot without Sin observe them Condescention and Selfdeial would rid Mens Consciences out of this Strait between the Magistrate's Command and the Dictates of Conscience Object But by their Preaching and separate Meetings they break the Communion of the Church and are guilty of Schism and to tolerate them is to tolerate a Schism Answ This is the great Clamor of the Accusers but let us see wherein Communion of Saints and Churches doth consist and then we shall see what Schism I cannot quote a more learned Doctor of this Church Ibid. Part 2. p. 223 224. or of greater Authority than the same Reverend Bishop Bilson he shall decide this Case It is a most pernicious Fancy to think the Communion of Christ's Church depends upon the Pope's Person or Regiment let them that imagine one Vniversal Soveraign Power over the Church in our days whether one or many observe this Doctrine and that divers Nations and Countries differing by Customs Laws and Manners so they hold one and the same Rule of Faith in the Bond of Peace cannot be parts of the Catholick Church Communicant one with another and perfectly united in Spirit and Truth each to other and fy on your Follies that rack your Creed and rob Christ of his Honour and the Church of all her Comfort and Security whilst you make the Unity of Christ's Members to consist in Obedience to the Bishop of Rome and not in Coherence with the Son of God! The Communion of Saints and near dependance of the Godly each on other and all of their Head standeth not in external Rites Customs and Manners as you would fashion out a Church observing the Pope's Canons but in believing the same Truth tasting of the same Grace resting on the same Hope calling on the same God rejoycing in the same Spirit whereby they be sealed sanctified and preserved against the day of Redemption The Communion of the Catholick Church is not broken by diversity and variety of Rites Customs Laws and Fashions which many Places and Countries have different each from other except they be repugnant to Faith and Good-manners as St. Augustine ad Januarium Irenaeus c. Eusebius l. 5. c. 23. Socrates l. 5. c. 22. Simple Verity is the Band of Unity Jewel Defence p. 460. Praelection de Ecclesiâ Bishop Carlton makes the Unity of the Church to consist in one Head Christ one Body one Spirit one Faith or one Rule of Faith And if Unity consists in Uniformity in the same Form of Prayer Liturgy and Ceremonies there was no such thing as Unity there were as great Schisms in the Apostles days as among our Brethren according to the Judgment of the same learned Bishop Bilson Ibid. fourth part p. 619 620 c. Some of their own might be so vain-glorions as in making their Prayers at the Lord's Table which was then done by Heart and not after any prescribed Order or Form to shew the Gift of Tongues In the publick Service of the Church the Ministers and Elders which were many both Travellers and there Dwellers had every Man his Psalm his Instruction his Tongue Revelation or Interpretation as the Spirit of Grace thought most expedient And other Order in the Divine Service in the Apostolick or Primitive Church we read for certain of none besides the Action of the Lord's Supper which the Apostles and so no doubt all their Churches always used in the end of their publick Meetings but with no set Prayers save only the Lord's Prayer as Gregory confesseth The rest of their Prayers Blessings and Thanks-givings were in every place made by the Gift of the Holy Ghost inspiring such as were set to teach and govern the Church And you have long since their time framed a Liturgy in James's Name Pag. 620. Yet for so much as the Church of Christ did not acknowledg it your main Foundation is a Dream of your own that the Church of Gorinth had a prescribed number and order of Prayers pronounced by some one Chaplain Pag. 621 ☜ that said his Lesson within-book or might not go one Line beside his Missale for any good Where the Christians under the Apostles had in their Assemblies first prophecying i. e. declaring of God's Will and revealing of his Word at which the Insidels and new Converts unbaptized might be present and next Prayers and Psalms to celebrate the Goodness and Kindness of God and to prepare their Minds for the Lord's Table to which all the Faithful came with one Consent of Heart and Voice giving Thanks to God for their Redemption c. And this was done by the mouths of such Pastors and Ministers as it pleased the Holy Ghost to direct and inspire for that Function and Action The People hearing understanding Pag. 622. and
confirming their Prayers and Thanks with saying Amen and other Divine Service than this they had none Pag. 636. We do not think that Basil or Chrysostom would take upon them to make a new Form of Church-Service if St. James the Apostle had done it before them From this Testimony it is clear that if Uniformity in one Form of Worship or Common-Prayer and Ceremonies be necessary for Church-Union then there was no Church-Union or Catholick-Communion in the Apostolical-Churches because there was no Form or Order of Divine Service set and prescribed But there was the most Christian and Catholick Communion in that Diversity therefore Catholick Union and Communion without one prescribed and set Form And hence the Dissenting Brethren have the Countenance of an ancient venerable Bishop of Winchester for them and to convince their Troublers for using a Worship different from the Liturgy of the Church of England Prophe-ying praying praising God are parts of God's Worship tho in differing Words and Method they are the same Divine Worship And who act nearest the Primitive Pattern of the Apostles and purest times they who worship God in Christ by the Spirit or they who will not suffer them Object But the Apostles and Teachers had the Guidance of the Spirit Answ They had but that Assistance which they had for performing the Worship of God was not extraordinary or peculiar to their Times because Gospel-Worship was to be performed in all After-ages of the Church Qâ—o in loco scil Jo. 20. ostendiâ— eum solum â—osse baptizare temissionem peccatorum dare qui habeat Spiâ—itum Sanctum Cyprian ad magnum and by Consequence the Assistance of the Spirit was to continue to all Ministers in succeeding Ages without whose Assistance we can do nothing And the Holy Spirit doth continue to give Gifts and Graces to his Ministers and People and if one Form were absolutely necessary for all Ages it is a wonder that the Apostles did not leave us one Form is but a mode and to be used or not used as is most for Edisication and they that use it not should not condemn them that use it and they who use it should not as I conceive judg them as Schismaticks that use it not but joyn one with another Object But it is a Disorder in the same Church and Government and not to be born it looks like a different Religion Answ The Romanists have often charged the Church of England with permitting different Religionsin the Nation But let the same learned Bishop answer for me In England the People Pag. 15. both strange and liege worship God the Father in Spirit and Truth according to the Gospel of his Son agreeing together in the Substance of one Faith and the right Order of Christ's Sacraments Only Strangers are suffered in their Churches to use their own Tongue and retain their own Ceremonies as be neither against Faith nor adverse to good Manners and therefore by St. Augustine's Judgment may go for indifferent and may be born in Christian Vnity without Offence or Confusion Oh! if this Doctrine were believed in our days the People of God might be said to rest at Noon And he was not singular In Doctrinâ Fidei Orthodoxae Professione discordia inter nos nulla saith the learned Crakenthorp of the Puritans Hac integrâ in Ritibus Defensione Eccles Angl. contra Spalat c. 43. p. 254. Disciplinsi discrimen ferendum utrique scimus Difference in Ceremonies and Discipline was tolerable in their Opinion but now intolerable The Champions of the Church of England in former days against the Papists were moderate when we know there was a different way of Discipline and Decency secretly practised If Doctrine be the direction of Practice to be moderate in Doctrine but severe in Practice and Execution is to put out the Candle and kindle a Fire to preach Charity but to shew no Mercy To draw towards a Conclusion Let us but truly judg of the elder Nonconformists with righteous Judgment 1. Before his Majestie 's wonderful Restauration in all Countries and Places where they lived and preached who did rebuke reprove exhort and fulfil all parts of Minsters more than they Who maintained Protestant Doctrines preached for Conviction Conversion Holiness and Righteouness more than they Who vindicated all Ordinances from some that pretended to live above them Others that denied the necessity and use of them and from the Profanation of sacred Things And who did more forwardly assist and concur to settle the Government upon ancient Foundations and in the Inheritor of the Royal Throne Who were more hated by impious Sects or that laboured more to convince and reduce them than they 2. At that time and since how highly were they placed in the King 's good Opinion as is fully expressed in his Royal Declaration 3. They did shew a Forwardness and Zeal to settle the Church denying their own private Opinions to lay down solid Foundations for a Comprehensive Church 4. When they quietly submitted to the Law of their Ejectment did they did any of them sow Sedition or ill Principles of Faction was their Exhortation of deceit or guile to incense their loving Auditors or oblige and conjure them to any thing inconsistent with the Gospel or unlike Men as going from the Pulpit to God's Tribunal to give him an Account of their Doctrine Faith manner of Life see any of their broken Notes and Farewell-Sermons printed much to their Disadvantage Testify against them who can 5. Except they had renounced their sacred Calling and silenced themselves who could have imployed their Labours with more inoffensiveness to Authority more Toil to themselves and more Profit to precious Souls and less Opposition to the publick than they did as will appear in Instances An honourable Member Sir H. C. Anno 1670 71 in full Parliament took notice of it that there were no Conventicles yes they took pains to preach when others were at rest in great Privacies and Solitudes And let 's be just who hath made any Observation of People and Assairs that will not say for one Schismatick we had had many had it not been for their great Industry and who for all that are Schismaticks but they See Mr. Allen Say to Archippus p. 23. scil your not p eaching will occasion Separation indeed c. It is not Thanks-worthy to keep poor weak Souls in the Faith and Truth except they turn Lay-men and all come up even to the Rails i. e. to the heighth 6. God and the King made their Assemblies so numerous and publick God by a tremendous course of Judgments yet remembring Mercy The King after 12 Years Experience of fruitless Severity sent out his Declaration of Indulgence Some of themselves have published the Providence of God but it is not worth the noting and they that are resolved on their way will not be hindred by making Observation even of the Works of God When God sent a dreadful Plague
and the Angel stood over London with his drawn Sword as our Jerusalem then the King and Court and Parliament removed to Oxford and when many Churches were empty God stirred up many of the Nonconformists to go and preach up and down then they had the use of Churches and numerous Assemblies and gained many Souls to God by them and drew the Hearts of a desolate People to themselves which could never since be alienated from them And when the Popish Faction opposed by the Loyal Persons got an Act to remove them from Corporations they were then most imployed in the Capital City in spight of their Adversaries and God protected them and the Plague proved their Sanctuary from that Law Next Year the City was burnt and the Inhabitants of the principal Parts of it were driven into Corners and the Nonconformists had the advantage Who that knew them would not entertain them as Comforters in a distracted ruined Condition Then the Conformists were driven out of Churches too and some felt the loss of Livings to teach them Compassion towards their ejected Brethren and the common Enemy of them both shewed the World what he would do with us as well as them And I am confident if now the Nonconformists could be rooted out the Church-men shall not stand long after them no tho they should which God forbid comply with them Popish Mercy is like raging Fire takes all before it and even turning shall not save us and they who are so officious to serve their Interest now may not come off so well with their Reward as Adonibezek did Many suffered great Losses lived in great danger and distraction by that Corporation-Act but the Enactors could never accomplish their full design by it the very Souldiers that were imployed to keep out People and to guard the Meeting-places were not pleased with their Office and shewed Civility to the Ministers in some places Their Sufferings went against the common sense of Men but so captions were some Men so zealous rather so jealous to justify their Resolutions that strange Stories were carried and dispersed of seditious Doctrines Preachers were presented as Incendiaries to incense the Magistrate against them that it was dangerous for the Preachers to quote some Texts of Scriptures and just cause there is why such unchristian Spirits should be afraid of Scriptures 7. After all this Distraction and Trouble His Majesty sent out his Declaration of Indulgence and they became licensed Preachers It is true the Parliament at their next meeting declared againstit as contrary to the Laws and his Majesty called it in but it proved and proves profitable to the Nonconformists several ways 1. The very Parliament that was against the Declaration continued rather favourable towards the Nonconformists than sharp the Laws continued but the Execution cooled and abated 2. Such as built Tabernacles and the most convenient Places they could held them and their Congregations stuck to them and both without Molestation until now that their old Friend awakes as one out of sleep lest they should sow good Seed in the Field 3. Though that Declaration of Indulgence Nor could at that time as is to be seen in what follows of the Sufferings of the Nonconformists and the Licences granted them cannot protect them from the Arrests of Mens Passions nor from the violent Hands of such as are like Saul's against them yet they do clearly vindicate them from the odious Slander of seditious and evil Men. For can it be thought that the King would have so little regard to Truth Faith Peace to his own Safety and the Preservation of his Subjects from the infection of wicked and cursed Principles as to grant Licences to seditious Preachers to Doctors of Rebellion or Underminers of Church and State they are most the saine Men who were licensed by the King if the King was deceived in them if they are dangerous and evil Men testify against them and no greater Favour is desired for them but Truth and Justice Let them that clamor against them and asperse them do it and preserve their Honour and Reverence of the King immaculate if they can Christianum esse Nonconformistam esse aut est Crimen aut non est so Crimen est cur non interficis confitentem si Crimen non est quid persequeris innocentem Cyp. contra Demetrianum Tract 1. And so much for that by way of Apology now follows the second Query 2. Whether it be not hard to silence suppress and punish the Orthodox Nonconformists for endeavouring the everlasting Salvation of precious Souls by their Preaching and other Religious Exercises I cannot call to mind more than three things that can be urged against them or to justify their Sufferings 1. They transgress the Laws and Orders of the Church made by the Bishops Rulers and Fathers of the Church 2. They transgress against the Statutes of the Land and why should they be priviledged or spared if they transgrest 3. They are Men uncalled to preach the Gospel and it is fit such Men should be restrained To the first It may be answered waving the Disputes about Church-Rulers and the Restriction of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction that the present Terms of Ministerial Liberty were not the Result and Decrees of all the Bishops of the Church after Consultation and free debate supposing all the Power to be lodged in them but we know that our Ecclesiastical Laws are made by our Convocation and enacted and established by the Civil Power whether there was any Debate or Disputation about these Impositions is not altogether unknown We read that in the Council at Jerusalem met to consider a Case as plain and easy as any of our Matters can be supposed to be that they came not to a Determination till after much disputing there was nothing but open dealing The Apostle of the Circumcision did not protest against the Apostle of the Uncircumcision as unfit to be there no tart Reprehensions or Magisterial Checks were given but what concerned the whole Church was debated by the whole Church the Apostles and Elders and the Church Acts 15.6 7 22. and nothing resolved but after Consideration and Disputation they give the Churches of Antioch an account of their Consultation and lay upon them none but necessary things without either Penalty or Sanction but this from which if you keep your selves ye shall do well I cannot think that the Reverend Mr. Baxter doth reflect upon all or most of the Bishops Ver. 29. by his frequent mention of Ithacius and Idacius but well knows our Impositions to be the Will and Pleasure of but a small number of them and if it be so we may question the Right which a few Bishops had to make Laws for the whole Church till we see their Patent 2. But they transgress other Temporal Laws made by lawful Authority 1. A lawful Authority is made up of several Estates in this Kingdom whereof one is chosen by the free Votes of the
same Fault as saith the Scripture Nah. 1.9 as the learned Mr. Beveredge in his Notes upon those Canons hath observed Is it likely these should be Canons of the Apostles contrary to 1 Cor. 5.11 Or if they be genuine and ancient how disagreeing is the modern Usage of the Nonconformists who are convicted of no such Crimes according to the ancient Canons but yet who are for their Nonconformity punished in several Courts and several times and ways Deposition is judged Punishment sufficient saith Zonaras so Aristenus for to subject to a double punishment omnino inhumanum est is altogether inhuman Other Canons command a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon to be deposed that beat offending Believers or Infidels that have done wrong Can. 27. If a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon obtain his Dignity with Money let him be deposed and he that ortained him Can. 29. If a Bishop have made use of Secular Princes to obtain a Church let him be deposed and excommunicated If a Presbyter contemning his own Bishop shall separate from him and set up an Altar without Cause or blameless either in respect of Religion or Justice let him be deposed Can. 31. But this is not the Case of our Nonconformists Duarenus reckons the deposing and ejecting Crimes to be 1. Simoniacal Ambition 2. Incontinency 3. Perjury 4. Manslaughter 5. Treason 6. Or besides these Crimes any legal Infamy But Panormitan admonisheth that they were not to observe the Severity of the ancient Canons because the Men of this Age are not like those ancient Men or Men of ancient Times Duaren de sacris Eccles-Ministris c. l. 8. c. 6. There are other Causes which touch not our Brethren but other Men much nearer 2. In what they do they proceed upon Principles common to all Christians and Protestant Churches in taking the Word of God for their Rule as a divine and perfect Rule The Christian Faith as they of the Church of Rome had explained it was a Submission to the Church The Reforming finding that this was the Spring of all their Errors and that which gave them Colour and Authority did on the other hand set up the Strength of their whole Cause on an explicit believing the Truth of Scriptures because of the Authority of God who had revealed them saith the Reverend Dr. Burnet History of the Refor Book 3. p. 286. It were easy to be copious on this Argument They who began the Reformation laboured in translating and publishing the Scriptures and would have all their Doctrines tried by them The Reverend Bilson bids the Papists Prove your Religion and Service which you stoutly and falsely term Catholick to be commanded by Christ or else Women and Children be they never so silly will collect by the manifest Words of our Saviour that their Promise in Baptism doth straitly bind them from believing your Errors and admitting your Masses until you shew good and effectual Warrant out of the Word of God that you do what Christ did and teach what he taught without adding or altering any jot For this is the Duty that Baptism requireth of us to believe no Teacher but one which is Christ to follow no Stranger to regard and obey no Lord or Law-maker in the Church but only the Son whom the Father appointed to be Master and Leader Subject part 1. foreing to Religion p. 18. and Ruler of the Gentiles This being a Principle common to all the Protestant Reformers they who hold it and no other repugnant to it or inconsistent with it Jewel's Apolog. c. 16. Divis 1 2. C. 17. Divis 1 2. every true Protestant must needs hold they ought not to be punished for walking after it And suppose any particular Man or Denomination of Men err in their Superstructures and Consequences yet whether that Error be not a tolerable Error and not a punishable Crime which is consistent with Piety and Charity may be left to the Judgment of every charitable Christian 3. According to this Rule and Principle they frame their Worship and model their Government and Discipline and they that keep to that though by different Schemes having their Flaws and Failings they cannot err a damnable Error and if not damnable it is want of Charity that will judg it intolerable And there are those General Rules and Directions which direct us as by a Patern they direct us to our End God's Glory and mutual Edification the outward manner Decency and Order and altho in particular Decencies and Rules of Order there may be a Diversity yet all agree about Order and the greatest Disagreement is in some Points of Decency which are but Accidents which are no Parts of Divine Worship as the Reverend Bishop Abbot writes The Means by Christ the Spring and Pranciple the holy Spirit the Matter Word and Sacraments Traditions p. 844 in Defence of Mr. Perkins and do properly and immediately respect Men. It is a hard Case to punish all Men that are not of the same Complexion or that cannot see alike clearly tho they walk with us in the same way of Faith and Holiness and Peace The Church of Christ never bred that Notion that Church-Unity and Communion doth consist in Accidents no more than Humane Nature in Complexion Shape Stature or of Children in Cloaths of the same Colour Fashion Length c. 4. And once again they are punished for Nonconformity and besides what hath been said elsewhere in particular besides the Consideration of the wicked Design Sedition Rebellion and Schism and the odious Pretence take the Law in the Strictest Sense of it and any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England seems to be forbidden by it It seems to be unsafe for any to punish upon this Law and it is hard to be punished by it it signifies something but certainly what is very dubious For in the Liturgy i. e. Book of Common-Prayer there are two things only 1. Rules Directions and Orders called Rubricks 2. The Parts of the Worship and Ceremonies ordered prescribed and directed by them It seems the meaning of the Law is That no other Exercise of Religion shall be lawful without the Common-Prayer both Matter and Rites according to the Rubrick but then the Words of the Act agree not because the Practice of the Church in many Places is different from the manner of the Liturgy as others have proved by Instances The Practice of all Cathedrals may not be alike for ought I know The Practice of the Cathedral and Parish-Churches are not the same as all Men know nor of one Parish like another while so many go beyond the Rule the Practice of some Churches and Colledge-Chappels and some Chappels differ from others some reading all Psalms and Canticles and Chapters on Wednesdays and Fridays and others reading only some Prayers and the Litany * And this is according to the manner of the Church of England in Q Eliz. days Vid. Injunct
Devil himself or expose our Brethren to Temptations and Sufferings let us all most earnestly pray for Peace and Union and lay aside all Thoughts and Passions which are the beginnings of Schism And so I come to the last Query Query 3. Whether we ought not to unite as abovesaid and so to unite and become one by the removal or abating the things which divide and break us so that we may hold mutual and actual Communion in the same Exercise of Religion without fear of offending our Superiours or any other That we ought to unite is the Cry and Voice of all in whom Christianity doth but faintly breath and the Spirit of God hath any effect or Interest but the Quomodo is most difficult in this as in many other Operations I have betrayed my self and discovered my poor Opinion in the very Question by removing and abating the things which divide and break us But it appears clear to my Apprehension that no other way or means will ever do If the Dissenters should be miraculously convinced or charmed into a Consent then that which was a Cause of dissent is become as no Cause and while their Understandings stand at this distance and they be but sincere and obedient and honest to their own Thoughts and Judgments they can never come over to us and to use force without Reason is the way to drive them from God when we pretend to drive them to Church Would we have them act against the settled Dictates of their Conscience and is Force the way to convince the Conscience And really what hath been offered to inform their Understandings hath been ineffectual to that End Is it likely such Writtings that convey neither Love nor distinctive Reasonings will ever perswade Men better studied in their own Case than they that unite against them Is it likely that a display of Words and sounding the Trumpets not to call the Congregation together to unite in Love and Peace but to alarm People to arm themselves and to watch as against Seditious Persons will ever incourage them to come in and unite with us We must argue from better Topicks than Sarcasms Flouts Mockery Emulation Wrath and Reviling these Deeds of the Flesh will never allure Men to walk with us in one Spirit There are large Encomiums of Unity and Peace and every part of the Encomium or praise of it contains an Argument in perswado us to it And two mighty Arguments should at this time prevail with us * Since this was written I find the Right Reverend Bishop of Cork â—â—se these two Arguments in terminis p. 29. of the first excellent Sermon Necessity and Self-preservation we see our apparent Dangers by being scattered abroad like an Army in a Rout or Disorder or Tumult while our Potent Enemies are united against us We cry out upon Dissenters as factious but were it not for a Factious Spirit among our selves they had never been thus broken and separated from us Our Life our Delights our Happiness doth consist in or spring from Union after this our Desires do run or fly they move at no slower rate Our Death Sorrows Griefs and Unhappiness doth follow our Separation from the things wherein Life Delight and Happiness consist A divided State is an unhappy State Charity is the Bond of Perfectness when Charity dies then the Church is like a Princely Family broke up dispersed and divided They who do not love cannot unite but make a Breach and Separation The uncharitable Man is the factious Man To impute Factiousness to one Party who would unite but cannot and to excuse another who may unite but will not is to judg with too apparent a Partiality for an equal Judg. Had the upper side but the very same Reasons and Arguments which now the oppressed use and urge for themselves they would be of Authority and very considerable if not unanswerable whereas now they are look'd upon as weak and scorned as ridiculous Favour and Authority gives Force and Weight to the Reasons of them that enjoy the benefit of the Favour and when Persons are exposed to Contempt their strongest argnings are despised as weak and their loudest Complaints are not heard but rebuked as causeless and themselves branded as a Faction tho they are Catholick and Loyal in their Faith and Principles And this is plain the Nonconformists have found it so their Arguings Representations Complaints which have been but few Motions Supplications Apologies have been despised because they are despised and low in the World and a worldly Interest keeps them down I have sometimes thought that if Authority had been against the use of the Cross and commanded Mr. Parker to write his Book against it then he had been dignified with the Epithets that Mr. Hooker hath been adorned with of the Judicious Parker and the Profound Parker and the Excellent Parker whereas being on the decried side he hath been often laughed at The greatest number of Men consider more the Condition of the Person than the thing spoken or written by him and give him the greatest Honour by whom they may receive a Favour From this Partiality a Faction grows up and thrives exceedingly when it is fatned by the Richness of the Soil and influenced from some that sit above and hence it comes even from Partiality and Faction that the imputation of Faction is constantly thrown upon Dissenters because they do not what they cannot do with a good Conscience according to their Light But if all of us would set up God's Glory the Edification of his Church Truth Peace and Union in the middle as a Center and all of us that are scattered and divided in the Circumference run up to it by the Lines of Scripture-Rules then God would be more glorified than he is Vid. Cypr. de simplicitate Clericorum Unitas servatur in Origine the Church more edified and we more happy in Peace and Union than we are or if we were all affected to glorisy God to edify the Church and to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Rond of Peace as long as we agreed and met in God as in a Center and the Lines of Holy Scripture tho we did not all run in on Line in one Way but different Ways Our Diversity would be without Schism and all our Divisions would be like the dispersing of a numerous Family without Alienation of Affection like the Distribution of the Patriarchs into their several Tribes inhabiting the Land of Canaan all of the same Blood the same Religion in the same Covenant with God Towards this Union we must confider I. Wherein it consists II. Remove the Causes of Division as much as possibly we can The Causes of Division are 1. Inward 2. Outward and apply our selves to the Means of Union III. Wherein the nature of Schism doth properly consist I. The Persons united are Christ and his Church under the Denomination of his Members his Body and his Spouse compared to several kinds