thus the Proclamation concludeth And last of all we doe admonish all men that hereafter they shall not expect or attempt any further alteration in the common and publick form of Gods service from this which is now established such a resolution in respect to Lawes and Statutes made about Civil affairs hath not been known In King Charls his time the like endeavours continued yet Ministers daily silenced and being utterly wearied with expectation Multitudes Ministers and others being hopelesse as their last testimony against those evils separated themselves from the Congregations here in England and went to the utmost ends of the earth and into a Wildernesse some of them and others into other parts beyond the Seas that they might enjoy Ordinances in purity None of all these endeavours moved the State to remove the least thing offensive either in Discipline or Worship nor at all to bear with those that could not submit §. 3. Let it be everlastingly a Caution to Governours that they doe not impose smaller matters and such as themselves judge but Circumstances under such ruining penalties It is a wretched policy and too much practised by States-men where there is want of light or reason to enforce to supply it by the severity of Lawes and penalties And let not Ministers or Churches which should bee as pillars to hold forth and as an Army with banners to contend for Truth Can. 6.4 and Liberty according to Christ I say let not such be wanting in all humility to use indeavours to hinder such settlements It is not for us to say light is growing and knowledge in these matters increaseth every day more and more and therefore such evils Law restraints will fall off of themselves I confesse if any thing doe it one would think the breaking forth of Scripture light should it being the property of that light to burn up and consume Wood Hay 1 Cor. 3.13 Stubble and the like mixtures with or additions to the Doctrine and Worship of God But yet let it be considered where Forms and Ceremonies have once gotten a footing how long they have been able to keep their stations after their evil and offensivenesse by most evident light and demonstration on every side have been discovered to all men It was written by Master Udal Mr. Cartwright and others in an Epistle to the Bishops as followeth Many and most evident have our Declarations been c. never have any one of you taken in hand to say any thing against it but it hath made his eyes to dazle as the clearest Sun-shine whereby hee hath been driven hither and thither groping for evasions and yet could not escape but hath fallen into infinite most monstrous absurdities and blasphemous assertions so forceable is the truth to amaze the gain-sayers thereof yet still you continue in your course is it because you see not what you should do It cannot bee so unlesse you have eyes and see not for the cause hath been by the blessing of God so managed that many Plow-men Artificers and Children doe see it and know it and are able by the Word of God to justifie it and condemn you to bee adversaries to the Gospel c. Doe not perswade your selves therefore that further light and a greater suffrage hereafter will be able to remove what things for the present seem not so allowable its true God can doe any thing But it is evident there hath been light light sealed with sufferings sealed with the estates liberties and lives of as gracious holy learned men as any the World had and that for the space of near a hundred years and yet these abuses and impositions remained in as great vigour and freshnesse to run their race oppresse and destroy for a hundred years more had not a hand from Heaven prevented it the Lord did shake Heaven and earth the sea and dry land that those shaken things might be removed and such things only that cannot bee shaken may remain §. 4. The sharpest edge of such Laws while unreformed verging about from their first pious and righteous intentions if any such were will bee set and in the greatest rigour against the most conscientious and holy Ministers and others Something and some instances that bear a proportion to this observation may bee given from former actings not yet quite out of memory In Edward the sixths reformation Common-Prayers and the leaving of a Prayer-Book as a help to the Minister in officiating c. was for a good purpose Preface to C. P. and great advancement of godlinesse as is professed by the Composers of it As also the Ceremonies to bee observed in officiating according to that Book Of Ceremonies why before the C. Prayer Book they were of a godly intent and purpose formerly devised they are reserved for a decent order in the Church for which they were first devised and because they appertain to edification c. and upon this good meaning that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keep any order or quiet Discipline in the Church It was farre from the thoughts of those good men who afterwards were Martyrs some of them it would ever have been wrought about to become a matter of such high contention and made use of as it was in a few years to eject from the Ministry so many hundreds of the choycest persons that ever had station amongst us Dr. Burges Apol. on K. James This Doctor Burges gives as one reason why he could not yield to subscription though he had formerly subscribed because hee perceived by the Book of Canons published in 1603. the intention of the Leitourgy and Ceremonies was to another purpose than what the Church aimed at in the first imposition 2 The not suffering Ministers to preach without a Licence from the Bishop had a good rise in that age See Injon in 1. Eliz. N. 8 when most places were supplied with Readers and those found able to preach Popish and corrupt in their judgements In processe of time it became a barre only to the most holy and eminent Preachers 3 Three or four men that tender Gods glory Injunct of Eliz. N. 46. and his true religion were to be appointed by the Ordinary as informers to observe that men kept their own Parish Churches and to present such as were negligent into the Spiritual Court this was intended against the Popishly affected but not long after those Informers appointed by the Ordinary were the vilest of men and few Popishly affected but the holiest and most consciencious persons presented and molested by them and the neglect of Common Prayer became the Character of a Puritan so were they described to King James in the Conference at Hampton Court by the Bishop of London 4 In the Articles appointed by Queen Elizabeth Artic. 51. to bee inquired of in the Visitation this is one Item Whether doe you know any man in your Parish secretly or in unlawful Conventicles say or hear Masse
Beames Of Former Light Discovering how Evil it is TO IMPOSE Doubtfull and Disputable Formes or Practises upon Ministers ESPECIALLY Under the Penalty of Ejection for Non-conformity unto the same AS ALSO Something about CATECHIZING LONDON Printed by R.I. for Adoniram Byfield at the three Bibles in Cornhill next door to Popes-head-Alley 1660. The PREFACE CAtechizing which is a plain laying down the Principles of the Oracles of God or of the Doctrine of Christ and is a part of Preaching as saith the late Reverend Assembly It is a part or branch of that great Ordinance by which Faith is wrought the Spirit received and our Souls saved It is such a kinde of instructing or preaching so useful and of such importance as it cannot be omitted if wee desire to edifie our people with more security than a foundation by him that intends an edifice or building The Apostle professeth himself at a stand and that hee could not go on with his people to build them up some stories higher in the Faith and Mysteries of Christ our High Priest because there had been such a woful slowness in learning the fundamentals Heb. 5. Heb. 5. It is in the same place made as necessary to our Infancy in Religion be we old or young as Milk is to children If when Infants wee begin their nourishment with strong meat wee shall either starve them or radicate such distempers as a wearyish sickly frame is likely to be the condition of those persons all their daies I am perswaded the woful distempers of Professors broken out in these latter daies to such a monstrousness and the strange totterings and Apostacy amongst us from the sound Truths of the Gospel hath been hence even the neglect of holding persons in their first institution to plain Fundamental Truths such Heb. 5.12 saith Paul have NEED of Milk and not of strong meat Catechizing is a branch of Preaching as was said Two things there are in it peculiar which eminently commend this course 1 The Subject Matter It is conversant about such Truths as being most necessary to Salvation are so to our hand laid down in Scripture as Milk is in nature which taken in from the breast and with least Cookery and dressing is most wholesome It is our first food and with such truths our instruction must of necessity begin The Church of God in the daies of Adam Enoch Noah c. its first infancy had little other knowledge but of such plain truths Afterwards a further accession of light was brought them by Moses and the Prophets Yet then as David tells us The Ignorant must have of these easie truths for entrance and initiation Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy Word giveth light to the simple There was an Infancy also of the Church after Christ the Apostle in that age of it did for the most part teach the people such fundamentals onely the summe whereof was as Act. 20.21 Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and in so doing hee tells them hee kept back nothing that was profitable to them though hee had higher wisdome 1 Cor. 2.6 which hee spake among them that were perfect and more knowing As a wise Master-builder hee laid the foundation this hee did at his first coming to them afterwards by his Epistles hee builds them up further leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us saith hee go on to perfection and this will wee do if God permit Heb. 6.1.13 2 The Manner which is so to instruct as to require a personal account of what is understood and remembred by them that are taught whereas in preaching there is liberty for the most part left to the hearer whether hee will heed or not but this kind of Instruction is ordinarily so managed as to leave some kinde of greater necessity in the hearer to attend and observe what is said unto him each person for himself It is incredible how little poor Ignorant souls attend the doctrinal part of a Sermon when in the Application their Morals are dealt with their Adultery Drunkennesse Swearing Sabbath-breaking and the like gross sins possibly there is some little attention at least as they are the sins of others which corrupt nature is pleased as well to hear as to speak of A discourse of Navigation to a company of men whose understanding and profession is to till the Earth will bee little heeded or in the least able to draw their minds from what their present thoughts are set upon But if there bee an acquaintance with the lowest Elements of a Profession wee will of our selves with delight attend to the opening of the higher Secrets and Mysteries thereof There is a necessity therefore in a more familiar way to indeavour that each mans soul in particular under our charge bee brought into acquaintance with the Elements and first Principles of Religion otherwise your most constant and frequent hearers will sit at Sermons as those Ezek. 33.31 Ezek. 33. they sit before thee as my people c. Or if they do attend for want of such praecognita or preparative light they profit little by much and frequent hearing They may grow up in an overlie and ungrounded knowledge bee ever learning 2 Tim 37 yet never bee able to come to such solid knowledge of the Truth as will preserve their souls from the lusts that are within or seducers without Now by how much the more excellent and necessary any Ordinance is found to be by so much the more watchful and industrious Satan his instruments have alwaies been to clog it with some Ceremony or additional of their own that they may be swallowed together as the Apocripha with the Bible which if it had gone forth into the world by it self or with some other book it would never have gained such reverence or so sacred an esteem generally with men so kneeling was added to the Lords Supper the Crosse to Baptism a Surplesse to our publick worship a stinted and limited form of words to our prayers the like attempted in this CASE If any man hereupon scrupling these Formes and Ceremonies withdraw from those excellent Ordinances though upon that account only as many in all ages have done yet shall they suffer under the reproach of despising Sacraments and the unquestionable duties of a Christian The Lord having now by very strange turnings of providence called in to place those Honourable Knights and Burgesses the great Reformers in matters of Religion who have by their care and vigilance done more herein than ever was by any Parliament since Popery hath been rejected The Wonderful Counsellor wee hope in mercy will still guide them and all Parliaments hereafter by their example to carry on this work of Reformation with like moderation as hath been hitherto the progess of it It will prove a great burden and become an endless strife and contention in the Churches of Christ If Magistrates or Synods shall impose with
not been so troublesome and discouraging in any age so is this a season wherein the faithful Orthodox Labourers are few very few in comparison The age before this late Reformation was a very wasting age by reason of Episcopal tyranny many that were conscientious diverted their Studies of those that engaged in the Ministry multitudes were hunted out of this Nation into forein parts where half of them lost their last breath and not half of that half remaining are returned amongst us again It is also with us now as in the first reformation the Popish then so the Episcopal dis-affected Ministers now have necessarily been turned out of this imployment so that such is the scarcity of well-affected and able men to carry on this work that many Parishes throughout the Nation lye vacant and are as sheep without a Shepheard especially in the remoter parts And where it is otherwise and places better furnished the number is not sufficient no not in the City of London or the Universities to preserve their people to the intrest of the present work of Christ but are more and more prevailed upon and infected with the old Leaven of Popery and Superstition and the wretched Principles of the Episcopal malignant Party which daily increaseth every where And the reason of such Apostacy I conceive to be this Many superstitious and ill-affected still hold their places and Livings by the intrest of friends or having been wary and kept without the reach of the Ordinance and those more open who have been ejected creep into the empty and vacant places and having no legal maintenance are not nor are the people that receive and maintain them within the reach of any Law as yet established so that it is to be feared such persons upon one account or other are a greater number than the sound and godly and those that ingage thorowly in this work This being so the faithful and well-affected Ministers of the Gospel should not at such a time especially but for very great unworthiness be ejected and put out of their places There is too much ground to fear that some one such imposition as in THIS CASE and rigorously prosecuted upon such as cannot conform will give the Malignant party the day they look for and those that doe conform and keep their places will be so overtopped by Malignants and their followers as they will not bee able to do much in reforming of their people any where The common sort of men in all such changes being ordinarily found very brutishly to stick and hold to old Customs and then most of all and with most zeal when there is an endeavour by wholsome Laws and constitutions to direct and put them on to a more Gospel and Spiritual way of serving the Lord. §. 12. It is thought and said the differences and contest about Church-Government and the like matters that have unhappily faln out amongst those that are well-affected hath been a great advantage and strengthning to the other party And very likely it hath been so and therefore the more heed ought to be lest some new matter of controversie be started that may occasion further differences amongst the godly Our adversaries never have such advantage of the different opinions or practices that are amongst our selves as when for such differences wee drive one another out of the field Though differences are and have bin between Presbyterians and Independents yet each keeps his station and fights in different regiments it may bee against the same common Enemy But by such penalties of ejection and silencing we drive a considerable part of our own out from us when our common enemy is already too strong for the whole The Popish party had no such advantage by any differences amongst those that opposed them in the first reformation as when the brethren so differing came by the severity of Governours to bee distinguished by the sir-names of Conformists and Non-Conformists and the one upon that account cashiered and droven out of the field by the other And I have been very apt to conceive this to be the cause why that first reformation prospered no better we know that in near a hundred years it gained little upon Popery and superstition more than was gotten by the first assault nay it decayed and Popery grew under it so fast as at last wee were almost returned into the same condition that we were reformed from this I say may be the cause There was the like severe impositions and Lawes made as in this case upon occasion of differences amongst themselvs and then advantages were taken thereby and many put out of the Muster-roll for Non-Conformity who were of greatest courage and most faithful resolution against Popery and Superstition the then common enemy The silencing and ejection of Ministers in Q. Elizabeths days reformation being newly begun the enemies to it many the friends and those that faithfully engaged few was looked upon by the godly prudent of that age as very unseasonable yea though their crimes had deserved it because of the scarcity of Preachers at that time There is nothing more frequent in our suffering Brethrens writings that were then published against the Hierarchy than a bemoaning the great losse to the cause and people of God thereby I will mention but one Considering the season saith Mr. Parker though wee were worthy yet should wee least be deprived now when Popery Episcopacy and malignancy wee may adde riseth like the swellings of Jordan yea maketh invasion like an armed man when there are wanting many this is truly our sad case at present On the other side in many Parishes to stand up in the gap against it Doth not the Canon Law it self spare depriving for greater faults when there is PENVRIA sacerdotum quando utilitas eccelesiae exigit Park of the Crosse cap. 5. § 16. CHAP. VIII Schismes and Divisions amongst the people of God occasioned and continued thereby is another fruit See Pa. 101 120 or evil consequence of such penalties §. 1 SUch Impositions and Penalties are a means to fix and hold up the differences that are in mens judgements about the things of Christ and alienate affections in those that differ and so occasion Rents and Schisms amongst the people of God Love is the bond of perfection by it the members are Spiritually united to the body as they are by faith to the Head Christ Jesus Heresie divides from the head Schisme from the members it being a loosening or breach in that bond love hath its seat and foundation in TRUTH 2 John 1. Whom I love in the truth 2. For the truths sake which dwelleth in us and shall bee with us for ever As Saints and especially Churches have their love and compactnesse maintained in being of the same mind and judgment in Truths so Schisms usually begin from differences in that respect Rom. 16.17 §. 2. There are truths known and generally received there are also truths not or not so fully