doth belong to the Magistrate and Church-governour to command and appoint in matters of Religion pag. 8 CHAP. IV. The term Uniformity explained and this Proposition proved That obedience to the Act for Uniformity is the way to Unity pag. 12 CHAP. V. That indifferent things may lawfully be commanded and that to obey such commands is not onely lawfull but profitable for the Peace of the Church To refuse obedience to indifferent things as sinfull is Negative superstition with several considerations about the regulating of our zeal about things indifferent in themselves pag. 22 CHAP. VI. That to declare against the binding power of the Covenant according to the Declaration appointed by the Act for Uniformity is lawfull both by the Law of God and of the Land Wherein the judgement of reverend Mr. Perkins in six cases as to the not-binding power of on Oath is applied to the case in hand pag. 33 CHAP. VII That to declare That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take up arms against the King and that we do abhor that trayterous Position of taking arms by his Authority against his Person c. is very warrantable by the Law of God and of the Land pag. 48 CHAP. VIII That Uniformity in publick Worship by obedience to an Imposed Form is lawful pag. 54 CHAP. IX The Vindication of the Common prayer of the Church of England be Mr John Ball from the aspersions of the Old Prownists and the Authors of the Temperate Discourse and Plus Ultra The lawfulnesse also of Conformity to it with its Rites proved by Bishop Jewell Martin Bucer and others pag. 60 CHAP. X That to subscribe to the 39. Articles of Religion and to declare an unfeigned assent and consent c. is not contrary to any command of Christ but lawful and warrantable notwithstanding all the objections made of old by Mr. Josias Nichols against subscription which are in this Chapter laid down and modestly removed Pag. 91 CHAP. XI That to subscribe to the use of those Ceremonies which have significancy in them as the Surplice and Crosse in Baptism is lawfull and warrantable proved by the judgement of Forreign and our own Modern Divines both Conformists and Non-conformists Pag. 106 CHAP. XII The general argument against Subscription to the Book of making Bishops Priests and Deacons because the Deacon we are to approve his description is not to be found in the Book of God answered The weakness of which argument is evidenced from the example of Christ and his Apostles also the great evil of urging this argument at large that nothing is warrantable but what is expresly commanded Pag. 110 CHAP. XIII The Order of Deacon excepted against by Mr. Nichols as exercised in the Church of England justified by Mr. John Balls argument for Lecturers Together with several directions from Mr. John Randal what is to be done in this present case of Conformity as to perswading of the Conscience Pag. 124 CHAP. XIV Contains the course that a Minister is to take as to Conformity Though scandal be taken by weak Brethren in which Chapter the Doctrine of scandal is considered and what is alleadged by the Author of the Temperate Discourse is answered and the Magistrate freed from what is charged upon him under this consideration Pag. 132 CHAP. XV. That to receive Ordination from the Bishop though ordained before by Presbyters is lawful Pag. 140 CHAP. XVI That for our Ministers to receive Ordination by Bishops though ordained before by Presbyters will not conclude the Reformed Churches that have no Episcopal Ordination to have no true ministers and consequently to be no true Churches Pag. 151 Bucer Scripta Anglicana pag. 455. I give thanks to God who hath given you grace to reform these Ceremonies in such a purity And of the Common Prayer thus he there writes I have found nothing in it which is not taken out of the Word of God or at least which is contrary to it being rightly interpreted Mr. John Ball 's Answer to Mr. Can part 2. pag. 9. If the Common Prayer be wholly taken out of the Mass-book how cometh it to have those things which are so directly contrary to the Mass that both cannot possibly stand together Peter Martyr's Epistle from Oxford Nov. 4. 1550. to Bishop Hooper pag. 8. How be it I will not grant that these diversities of Vestures have their beginnings of the Pope for so much as I read in the Ecclesiastical History Euseb lib. 3. cap. 31. How that John the Apostle wore at Ephesus where he dwelled a Bishops apparel terming it Petalum seu lamina pontificalis As touching S. Cyprian the holy Martyr Pontius the Deacon writeth that a little before he should be beheaded he gave unto him that was appointed to behead him his vesture called Bâ—rrus after he had put it off and to the Deacons he gave his other Vesture called Dalmatica c. Chrysostom maketh mention of the white Vesture of the Ministers of the Church in Mat. cap. 26. homil 83. ad â—oâ—ul Antioch homil 60. c. But be it so let them be the invention of the Pope as you would have it yet notwithstanding for the respect of the Papistical invention in them I cannot be perswaded so much impiety to be therein that whatsoever it toucheth it doth by and by so corrupt that it cannot be lawfull for good and godly men to use godlily pag. 7. We read how that wine was consecrated unto Bacchus bread unto Ceres water unto Neptune oyle unto Minerva song unto the Muses and unto Apollo and many other things Tertullian rehearseth in his book intituled De Corona Militis Christiani yet for all that we stick not to use all these things freely as well in holy as in prophane uses although at one time or other before they had been consecrated to Idols and to Devils Perkins on Conscience of Oaths pag. 527. If at the first it were lawful and afterward by some means become either impossible or unlawfull it binds not conscience for when it becomes impossible we may safely think that God from heaven frees a man from his oath CHAP. I. Introductory and by way of Preface pressing the necessity of searching into the nature of the things commanded before suffering for the same Section 1. INquiries after Truth in matters controverted are not more difficult in their prosecution then pleasant and delightful in the satisfaction they afford For though it be a true assertion of Democritus that Veritas in puteo latet c. and cannot be drawn out but with much labour yet no dainties are so relishing and delicious to the taste as truth obtained is to our Intellectnals Sect. 2. But more especially ought we to desire to know the truth in matters doubtful which refer to our practice and especially such as refer to the purity of Gods Worship who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth And though this is to be done at all times yet
and decent But the placing of holiness in them and the abusing of the people by them this was the evil in them that Bishop Jewell doth condemn but no the use of them This Reverend Prelate you may observe speaketh confidently of the Non-conformists of his time that as they did not commend Ministers garments as holy so they did not condemn them as unholy or sinful And were the Non-conformists of these times but of the same mind that they did not condemn a Cassock or a Surplice as unholy and that it were no sin to wear such vestures when commanded the case would soon be resolv'd that to wear a Cassock Surplice Gown Canonical Coat c. were lawful for distinction sake and decency in Gods Worship Sect. 23. And thus now having shewed though somewhat at large the true scope of the place brought by Plus ultra to prove his argument by in pag. 30. and that it proveth no such thing for which he doth produce it I shall onely shew how much he is mistaken in the reason that he giveth why the Church of England ought to reject conformity to the Church of Rome in matters of Worship and Discipline that have renounced communion with her in all material points of Doctrine pag. 27. Saith he the reason why we reject communion with the Church of Rome is for that the Popes Supremacy Infallibility Transubstantiation Merit of good works Invocation of Saints Purgatory Latin-Service Worshippiag of Images half communion and such like which are the Pillars of the Romiâ—h Fabrick cannot be proved and made good out of the Word of God And is not this reason of like force against the ceremonies of the Church yet in use amongst us Is there a scriptum est for one of them c. Sect. 24 To which give me leave to say the reason is not of like force for the things before named which are the Pillars of Popery Gods Word is expresly against them and the Scriptures of truth shew the Doctrine to be faelse and so ne to be the Doctrine of devils And if you could bring as clear Scriptures against using a form of prayer wearing garments for distinction and decency in Gods Worship as may be brought againâ—t Lain-Service Worshipping of Images Merit of good works c. Then there were some shew of reason in yours And as for your argument that there is not a scriptum est for one of them I shall give you a very ancient answer that was given to your very objection by the Reverend Martin Bucer to Joannes à Lasâ—o who argued against vestures and other ceremonies as holding conformity with the Charch of Rome therein and as having no scrip um est for them saith the said Bâ—â—â—er in his Epistle pag. 6. If therefore you will not admit such liberty and use of vesture to this pure and holy Church because they have no commandement of the Lord nor no example for it I do not see how you can grant to any Church that it may celebrate the Lords Supper in the morning c. for we have received for these things no commandement of the Lord nor any example yea rather the Lord gave a contrary example Sect. 25. Behold here you that have made a challenge in pag. 13. in the name of all the Non-conformists that if any learned men of our Adversaries be able to bring one sufficient sentence out of the holy Scripture or any one example of any Bishop or Minister in the time of King Edward the sixth that doe directly or ex professo plead for the wearing of Caps and Surplices c. the Zuinglian Gospellers will be then content to yeeld and subscribe Here is the authority of a great learned and pious man in the time of King Edward the sixth defending the lawfulness of these vestures you so much argue against and also condemning your very argument pag. 10. Saith he Many things which the Antichrists have made marks of their impiety may be tokens of the Kingdom of Christ as the signs of Bread and Wine the water of Baptisme the Laying on of hands Preachings Churches Holy dayes and many other things All these places of Scripture are of a great scope The earth and the fulness thereof is of the Lord not of the Devil not of Antichrist not of the wicked This colourable craft of Sathan saith he must be taken heed of by the which he bringeth to pass oftentimes that either we reckon those things which are no sins and those that be sins indeed we seem not to regard them in our selves c. Sect. 26. If the Authority of this holy man in King Edwards dayes satisfie not your conscience that these things may be continued and prevail not with you to prevail with all other Non-conformists in whose name you made the challenge and also have promised to yield and subscribe I shall in answer to your challenge produce the Authority of Bishop Jewell whom you so much quote ex professo commending the present Liturgy in the frame of it And this you will find written in pag. 162. of the Defence of the Apology occasioned by the reproachful speeches of Dr. Harding against it calling the Liturgy in Queen Elizabeth's dayes as you do now A devised Service c. but saith Bishop Jewell to him appealing to his own conscience You know that we serve God according to his holy Word and the order of his primitive Church we administer the holy Sacraments in pure and reverent sort though I suppose the signe of the Crosse was used in one and Kneeling at the other We baptise in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost we receive the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud from the holy Table we make our humble confession and prayers together we pray with one heart and one voice c. And of all these things what one is contrary to the Catholick Faith Oh Mr. Harding is it not written The man that lieth destroyeth his own soul and Christ saith the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven in this life or in the life to come Sect. 27. If Bishop Jewell did not plead for the present Liturgy in the frame of it his zeal burning so hot that he accounteth Hardings calumnies of the Common prayer to be as a blasphemy against the Holy Ghost I leave to the consideration of all judicious Christians and consequently whether the Authors of the challenge are not bound to conform and subscribe especially considering what the said Bishop Jewell saith of the said Communion book or Common prayer book pag. 198. The holy Communion book and Order of the holy Administration standeth and by Gods mercy shall stand still without any change Observe I pray whatever you have said of the Liturgy of the Church that it is Tantum non the Masse-book yet if you had searched into Jewell as you ought for truth you would have found the Jesuite frequently depravi g the book of common prayer and that
Imprimatur Ex Aed Sabaud Julii 14. 1662. Geo. Stradling Rev. in Christo Pat. Gilb. Episc Lond. Ã Sac. Domest THE Reformed Presbyterian Humbly offering to the Consideration of all Pious and Peaceable Spirits several Arguments for Obedience to the Act for UNIFORMITY As the way to VNITY AND Endeavouring to Demonstrate by clear Inferences from the sacred Scriptures the writings of some of the Ancients of several Old Pastors of the Reformed Churches abroad and of the most eminent Old Non-Conformists amongst our selves As Mr. Josias Nichols Mr. Paul Baines Mr. Hildersham Mr. Iohn Ball with Mr. Rich. Baxter and other Learned Divines As Mr. Perkins Mr. Iohn Randal and Mr. Rob. Bolton That there is nothing required by the Act for Vniformity that is forbidden by the Law of God By RICH. LYTLER Citizen of London Bez. 12. Epist ad quosdam Angl. Eccles Frat. Non videntur ista tanti momenti ut propter ea vel Pastoribus deserendum potius sit Ministerium quam ut vestes illas assumant vel Gregibus omittendum publicum pabulum potius quam ita Vestitos Pastores audiant Ibid. De geniculatione in Coena de Cantu Ecclesiae Crucis consignatione puerorum Baptizandorum interrogatione non est Magnopere Laborandum London Printed by J. G. for Nath. Brook at the Angel in Cornhil MDCLXII To the Reverend The Non-conforming Ministers of the City of London The Authour of this following Discourse offereth these his mean Endeavours for Peace Unity and Obedience to the Act for Uniformity Reverend and much honoured in the Lord BEing through the Divine Providence upon the coming forth of the Act for Uniformity at a publick Lecture and observing by the discourse of that Reverend and Worthy Person that then preached that the said Lecture was not like long to continue and also how much in his Prayer he deprecated that black Cloud that he supposed to hang over the City which threatned it with the removal of the Gospel and also how earnestly he prayed that God would teach the Ministers of the Word in this Hour of temptation so to act that they might neither through their cowardize betray the Truth or through their rashness and precipitancy betray their own Liberties I found my self not only affected with very much grief and sorrow to observe what dismal apprehensions were upon the mind of this Preacher who I supposed did not speak his own sense altogether with very much pity and compassion towards the Soules of those that were like to suffer by the deprivation of such Ministers whom they so highly prized but also with some kind of godly jealousie over my self lest that I should be mistaken who did not apprehend at present there was any such ground for Ministers to lay aside their Ministry upon the occasion of this Act of Uniformity Upon this occasion therefore I resolved that I would once again in the first place take my self very seriously to task and make a diligent search into the grounds of my own satisfaction to the end that if I found them but weak worldly or wicked I might disclaim them In this Work of self-reflection I found in the general that as to what I now apprehend as to the externals about Modes of Government Worship and the like that they are no new Impressions made upon me but that ever since the horrid murther of our late gracious Soveraign King Charles the First finding my self much mistaken and mis-led by having so good an Opinion of the judgement of good men in the Controversies of these times that I did not so much examine as I ought what was declared from the Pulpit or the Presse I have ever since more carefully followed the counsell of my Saviour To take heed what I hear and so not only to beware of men but according to the Rule given by some of your selves upon a very serious occasion to take heed and beware of the examples of good men the best of Saints having failed even in Ecclesiastical affaires and therefore it was neither safe prudent or consciencious to imitate and follow the examples of holy men in Ecclesiastical matters nor receive any thing from the Tradition of our Fore-fathers without examination and bringing it to the Test And in particular though I had upon the coming out of several Discourses about these matters seriously perused and scanned the same as what was written about the binding power of the Covenant The sober and temperate Discourse of Liturgies Plus Ultra and the Petition for Peace yet I returned to a serious review of the said Books before-named conteining in them as I suppose the Marrow of all that hath been written from the troubles of Frankfort to this day on those Controversies Now having taken this pains and finding my self rather more confirmed in the satisfaction of my mind as to all the particulars required by the Act for Uniformity and so having removed those jealousies that were upon me lest I should be mistaken It came into my mind and I hope suggested by the Spirit of Truth and Love that surely this poor dimme light which God hath set up within me was not to be put under a Bushel But that probably it might be a means to communicate some light to others if I held it forth in this dark hour of temptation Not but that I knew very well the Church needeth no such Advocates as I there having been so much published upon this Subject by persons of great reputation for Learning and Piety of the Clergy But considering that I did not know that ever any in my capacity of the Laity had yet appeared I was after many serious thoughts inclined to believe that a word in season from one that cannot be imagined to speak for obedience to these things so much scrupled from any other design than the Publick good and Peace having no Ecclesiastical Promotions to get or lose might have a better reception than what hath been said by others of the Clergy who may be supposed to speak for their own by-ends and interest Worthy Sirs I am not unsensible how that without very much Charity which I humbly beg of you it may be taken for a very great piece of arrogancy that in this attempt I should presume thus to speak to my Teachers But iâ— I mistake not I find it was to the members of the Church Coloss this was enjoyned that they should say to Archippus Take heed unto the Ministry which thou hast received that thou fulfil it And therefore I humbly conceive that I have some kind of warrant for this charitable work to say unto you most Reverend Fathers whom I much honour for your work-sake Take heed unto the Ministry that you have received that you fulfil it That you leave nothing undone whereby you may expose your selves to be deprived of the exercise thereof I do verily believe I should act the Devils part as S. Peter did if I should say Sirs pity your selves Let none of those evils
especialty when we are supposed to be brought unto such an hour of temptation that we must either betray the truth through cowardise in our own apprehensions or in the apprehensions of others betray our liberties sacred and civil by a rash and precipitant suffering Sect. 3. Now this I suppose being the case of many both Ministers and People at this time there being but small hopes notwithstanding our former Civil wars and late Petition for peace but that now by the Act for Uniformity established we must either conform thereunto or suffer the penalties of the same The present duty that now lieth upon us is by all the helps we can to make a serious search into the nature of those things which are the subject matter of that Conformity enjoyned and to satisfie the conscience in this particular Whether by obedience thereunto we become not children of disobedience unto Christ who is the everlasting Father and supreme Law-giver of his Church Sect. 4. For this being a certain truth That we are never called to suffer as Christians by yielding passive obedience but when we cannot without sin yield active obedience and that no Minister I suppose is to lay down his Ministry but in as clear a case as he can lay down his Life it doth very much concern us to be perswaded in our consciences by that which hath absolutely the commanding and obliging power thereof viz. the Word of God Whether or no by yielding obedience to this Act of U ifo mity we are not Violaters of the Law of God For where no law is violated there is no transgression sin being the transgression of the law Sect. 5 And doubtless though there be as the Authors of the Pe ition for peace do intimate p. 4. an appearance of very great love to Christ in refusing conformity to things indifferent because that they judge it to be an Usurpation of his Kingly power and an accusation of his Law as unsufficient and because that they dare not be guilty of adding to or diminution of his worship or of worshipping him after any other Law then that by which they shall be judged or such as is meerly subordinate to that supposing them to be mistaken in thinking things to be so displeasing to God Sect. 6. Though this may be commendable in such cases and about such matters wherein persons are left to their own liberty and are not under the commands of their Superiours Yet when by so doing upon a mistake through their disobedience they shall violate a positive and clear Gospel precept and in suffering upon this account shall condemn the generation of the just even the practice of the primitive Christians in the Apostles dayes who did conform to indifferent things of no necessity to salvation Acts 15. and of the tender-conscienc'd Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes when they shall thereby also deprive the Church of God of their labours in the Ministry and be also matter of grief of heart to many solid and judicious Christians and thereby administer matter of horrour and great scruple of conscience in weak Christians who thence conclude that surely there must needs be many conscience-wasting sins in the use of the Common Prayer Rites and Ceremonies of the Church c. that men will suffer so much for their Non-conformity Sect. 7. I humbly conceive that a mistake in this case is of very dangerous consequence and to avoid these miserable and sinful evils is a duty incumbent and that it would argue a very great fear of displeasing of Christ and a sollicitous care of obeying him to make a diligent search into Gods Word and into the Writings of pious and learned men Before such who especially are Teachers of others shall expose themselves to the deprivation of their Ministry and thereby many good souls that delight therein to the loss thereof Sect. 8. I say they ought to be clearly and fully perswaded they are not onely Truths but Truths of so high a nature as may bear proportion with what they do expose themselves to suffer for the same I do verily believe it would be a great sin and highly displeasing to Christ if now in this juncture of time meerly to please men or avoid suffering we should do any thing whereby we might violate any Law of Christ the King of his Church If Daniel when there was a Law made forbidding him to offer unto God his daily sacrifice of prayer for 30. dayes Dan. 6.7 his conformity to this Law would have been as manifest a breach of Gods Law as for the three children to have fallen down and worship'd the golden Image at the command of the King Sect. 10. But to refuse such commands as are doubtful and disputable whether sinful or no it is not the judgment of those Worthies named in the Petition for peace pag. 18. who have taken this Non-conformity to be a sin but it must appear upon a well-grounded conviction of the conscience from Gods Word truly applyed which doth either in express terms or by a just consequence make this or that to be a sin which is now the matter of obedience by this Act otherwise we shall suffer but for our own fancies or opinions or upon a tradition received from our Forefathers And though I do believe what I have read professed in the name of many who are yet unsatisfied in the Petition for peace that you have by reading and prayer sought for satisfaction yet considering what I find asserted in the book aforesaid pag. 14. That men have not their Understandings at command who can tell what a word in season may do now especially from so unlikely and so unlook'd-for as well as from so unworthy a one as I my self Sect. 11. It is an old saying That sometimes a looker on may see more then a gamster And therefore though unconcerned in this last Act for Uniformity being in none of those capacities which call me to the observance of the same Yet sympathising with those that are scruplers and desiring that they may not thereby be exposed to those sufferings which may be the fruit of their Non-obedience and that all the ill effects thereof may be prevented Sect. 12. I have presumed to be a Remembrancer to such persons as I was sometimes to the Army to mind them of such things which I shall present from the Writings of such Non-conformists and other Divines as are now above all Interest and being dead yet speak as also from the judgment of the reverend Mr. Richard Baxter yet living By which I hope it will appear That there is not that matter of sin and danger which I do observe some do conclude and take for granted there is in yielding obedience unto the Act for Uniformity CHAP. II. Concerning subjection and obedience in general our averseness to it and the way to heal it Section 1. NOw for as much as the subject matter of Obedience to this Act for Uniformity to some appeareth so sinful that
the Holy Ghost who is the spirit of purity piety and peace would not have been pleased with this decree or canon But the Scriptures tell us that this seemed good to the Holy Ghost Acts 15. and therefore no sin in them to command it And certainly had not this decree been yielded unto by the Gentiles ver 23. who testifyed their conformity to it by their rejoycing at the consolation when it was read ver 31. this very decree had occasioned as hot contentions and as great scandal to the Gentiles as was before amongst the Jews Sect. 10. But these good hearts being peaceably minded did not say see here these Jews which are the chief in Church-government they have a mind to promote the interest of their own Country-men and whereas we intended to be purely the Disciples of Christ they will have us to please the Jews be Disciples of Moses also Our old superstitious Pagan Priests never put such a restraint upon us as this surely if we observe this Canon we shall soon find them introducing more and the pure Worship of Christ to which we Gentiles were converted will by degrees be altogether corrupted with Jewish ceremonies But we find instead of such perverse disputings That such was their Primitive Peace Vnity and Charity that they did rejoyce at this decree and chearfully observe it Sect. 11. And if God would give to us but the same humble and peaceable and charitable minds these discords and differences about modes of Worship and Discipline would hugely be healed by obedience to this Act for Vniformity And thus now having upon the occasion of this passage in this Book aforesaid viz. from the discourse of the wholsome counsel of Mr. John Randall endeavoured to remove this great stumbling block out of the way to conformity viz. the supposed scandal that might be given to weak Christians thereby I shall proceed to what followeth in Mr. Randalls counsel as a Remedy further in this case saith he pag. 148. But what if a man be not perswaded of these things Sect. 12. It is too too evident that notwithstanding all that hath been written from the beginning of the said controversies to this day it hath not had that desired effect but many have and may be still unsatisfyed not because their arguments for their satisfaction are weak but because they are probably weak in their apprehensions of them the light may shine but the darkness not comprehend it But what is to be done in this case if a man be not perswaded Must he separate from the Church no saith he this would be great uncharitableness But in this case he hath three rules of direction First he must labour to be better informed he must not be tenacious of his own opinion nor yet rest too much upon the judgement of other Non-conformists though holy and good men But he must labour and take pains to be better inform'd Secondly he must resolve to bear with a great deal rather then make a rent for schism is a great sin Thirdly Suffer thy self to be over-born in things indifferent by the authority of the Church till thou beest able to prove it simply unlawful or to prove that there is a greater scandal in the use of it then in disobeying the voice of the Church and of the Christian Magistrate If both Ministers and People would but practice this Rule the one not lay down their Ministry the other not censure and judge them for conforming till they be able to prove these two things aforesaid some Lectures in the City had not so suddenly been laid downe neither would many good Christians be in so great a fear as yet they are left for these modes of Worship and Discipline and their Conformity thereunto they should proceed further Consider therefore I beseech you what this reverend person saith further I know saith he that it is a sin to disobey the christian Magistrate except that I know that God commands the contrary Now in these indifferent things I do but fear I do not know that God commands the contrary but my conscience is doubtfull of it and saith he should I run into a known sin because that I would avoid a sin onely feared Sect. 13. I beseech you all therefore in the bowels of Christ Jesus who shall read these passages seriously to consider of them for were these counsels of this holy man but believed and practised we who now are in very great straits some for fear of the loss of their Ministers others perhaps doubtful lest that in this hour of temptation they should either betray the Truth as they suppose or their Ministry and Liberties may be delivered out of all their fears and dangers and be preserved from sinning and suffering also Sect. 14. Now because that there lyeth a strong objection against all this though it were supposed that some Ministers could declare to conform to the use of the common prayer the 39. Articles of Religion with a full assent and consent unfeignedly and universally yet they cannot according to the Act receive Ordination by the Bishop having been ordained by Presbyters lest they should sin against their own souls I shall according to my proposed method proceed to discourse of this fourth Proposition which followeth CHAP. XV. That to receive Ordination from the Bishop though ordained before by Presbyters is lawful Section 1. FOr the proof of this proposition I shall lay down this argument in the first place that which maketh the ordination of a Presbyter to be more complete and conformable to the canon of Scripture and the practice of the primitive Church that must needs be very lawful and warrantable But to receive Ordination from Bishops though ordained before by Presbyters maketh the Ordination of a Presbyter to be more conformable to the canon of Scripture c. Sect. 2. For the proof of this I find that the right way of Ordination according to the Scripture and the practice of the primitive Church is affirmed by the Ministers that answered Bishop Hall 1641. was to be by the Bishop and Presbyters joynt act They say pag. 25. that by comparing these two places of Scripture 1 Tim 4 14. 2 Tim. 1.6 That Ordination of Ministers must be a joynt Act neither of the Bishop alone or of the Presbyter alone but of Bishop and Presbyter together Sect. 3. And that this was the practice of the Primitive Church I find affirmed by the said Ministers pag. 37. To be not onely a matter of Ecclesiastical custome but of Ecclesiastical constitution which bind the Bishop and Presbytery also Consil 4. Carthag Can. 22. First in all his Ordinations to consul with his Clergy Secondly in his Ordination to take the concurrent assistance of his Presbyters Cum Ordinatur Presbyter Episcopo eum benedicente manum super ejus tenente etiam omnes Presbyteri qui presentes sunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi caput illius teneant In which Canon we have the unanimous Vote