to it Tit. The Arminians Socinians Antinomians and Papists amongst these last the Jesuits are the acutest and most malitious opposers of it Tim. This is more than I understood before Tit. It must needs since you never inquired into it before no not so much as to consult the Article which of it self had been sufficient to have regulated you both in your private opinion and publick Doctrine whereby you have often brought your self under the lash of that severe reprehension of St. Jude to those who foam out their own shâ—â—… Jude 10 13. speaking evil of those things they know not Tim. I am convinced it had been as well to have let these high points alone Tit. As well and much better had you spent your time and exercised your Talent Tim upon the 10 Commandments Preached down Atheism Idolatry Drunkenness Whoredom Swearing and such immoralities and in Preaching up Faith Repentance Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness you would have done God better service and had more thanks from your Reverend Diocesan than for your yelping against Predestination Election stability in grace c. without measure or reason and as you acknowledge your self without understanding 'T is a miserable reproach to our Church to see Buzards soaring at that which is above the Eagles flight Tim. I shall be more carefull for the time to come and lay out more hours dayly in Reading than ever I have done Tit. 'T is well resolved and to that forget not to add daily and serious praying and it may not be amiss to insert into your private devotions those requests of our Church Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and forgive us all our sins negligences and ignorances But 't is time we dismiss this and look to the next Article Article 18. Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ Tim. They also are to be had accursed that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth o that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of nature For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved Tit. What is your judgment touching this Article Tim. My judgment is that our Church is too scanty in her charity to damn the greatest part of the world even many Heathens who have lived admirable good strict and moral lives according to the Religion and light they had and for ought I can see the Patriarchs to boot and all that lived before Christ Tit. Not a word on 't Tim For all that our Church saith in this Article is That the Profession of every Religion cannot save a man live he never so virtuously and that no man ever was or shall be saved but only by the name or Faith of Jesus Christ This doth not condemn the Patriarchs or those before Christ who believed in him to come and whose Faith was every way as beneficial to them as ours believing in him now he is come and the Apostle recounting many of these Heb. 11. saith these all dyed in the Faith. Tim. But then what shall become of the poor Heathens Tit. Our Church determines not but wisely saith whosoever among them or any other sort of Mankind are saved are saved by the name or Faith of Jesus Christ and no other And gives you her reason because the holy Scripture doth set it out so to us saying through his Jesus Christs name whosoever believeth in him shall recieve remission of sins neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men Act. 10. 43. Act. 4. 12. whereby we must be saved So that the charity of our Church in this point is every whit as large as the Scriptures will allow And this is the Faith and Confession of the Reformed Churches d Confess Helv. 2. ar 10. 11. and 2. Co. 11. 13. Baâ—il â—r 4. Bohem. C. 4. 10. Gall. ar 13. 16 17 Belg. ar 17. 20 21. and therefore whether your charity Tim or your ignorance be the greater I will not say but this I say to subscribe to such a number of unintelligible Articles unsight and unseen was no Mathematical demonstration of a wonderfull wisdom in you Tim. But it was a sign of the greater Faith. Tit. Yes a Popish or implicit Faith by virtue of which if the Imposers honesty had not been of a better stamp than your Faith you might have under-written to the Alcoran or Mass-book as well as the Articles Tim. No hold there Tit. Why what should have hindered nay how do you know you did not since you never lookt what it was Tim. But who could divine but I would Tit. That 's somewhat indeed for I believe they don 't often meet with such blind Believers which may make them as you say somewhat the more wary But if the worst had come to the worst you could have come off tut â conscientiâ Tim. How so Tit. As you do with the Articles which you believe have subscribed Tim. How is that Tit. Deny them all or many at least of the most considerable of them Tim. What won't go down must come up and there is an end on 't Tit. Then I hope the next will down glibb for I know nothing in it that is the least choaky Try Article 19. Of the Church Tim. The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Hierusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred So also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies but also in matters of Faith. Tit. Well are not my words true there is nothing sticking here Tim. Yes something that sticks with me a little and doth not go so smoothly off as I expected Tit. What should that be you believe such a thing as a visible Church of Christ don't you Tim. Yes but not this description of it Tit. Wherein is it faulty Tim. The fault is this that our Churches charity in my mind is as much too great in this as it is too little in the former Article Tit. How so prithee Tim. Because by this description of a true visible Church she allowes some of the Fanatick Congregations to be true Churches or at least true members of the visible Church of Christ for in some of these Congregations the Word they say is purely preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Tit. And if it be so why should they not be reckoned among those parts that help to make up the whole Tim. What without the Common Prayer and Ceremonies these true Churches or true Members of the visible Church of
Christ God deliver me from such Churches Tit. Why the Article doth not tell you these are necessary to the constitution of a Church but only the Preaching of the pure Word and right Administration of the Sacraments Tim. Well they are none of our Church I am sure Tit. True no more are the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas yet parts and members of the visible Church of Christ and our Church is no more But I find Tim. you have a greater kindness for Socrates Plato and other Heathen than for these Dissenters for you could be content even now the former might be saved but for the Salvation of these latter Tim. What have I to do with their Salvation Tit. Not much I confess only 't is an old maxim with Divines that Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus So that if you totally exclude them out of the true Church of Christ you do as much as in you lyes to barr them out of Heaven for which they have reason to give you little thanks Tim. I value not their thanks Tit. However let them have your Prayers that since they are no Christians as yet they may be such in time especially on Good Friday when you pray for all Turks Jews Infidels and Hereticks think on them will you Tim. Then or not at all for I know no other part of our Liturgy will comprehend them Tit. Yes If I mistake not there is one place more wherein they may be remembred without much danger of defiling our Prayers with the thoughts of them Tim. Where is that I cannot call it to mind Tit. That 's much when you read it some 3 times a week 't is that in the Litany That it may please thee to have Mercy upon all men So that if you do but allow them to be men not beasts you may venture to let them have a snip in that sentence Tim. You have named all I am sure now wherein they can have any share Tit. Suppose when you read the Confession We have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done We should understand it of the Phanaticks as well as of our selves would there be any harm in it Tim. None in the world for doubtless 't is true of them to a Tittle And if there were any more such instances I should begin to think our Prayers were composed chiefly for them But surely there is no more Tit. Many more Tim. Where Tit. In the Litany as that From all Pride vain Glory and Hypocrisie from envy batred malice and all uncharitableness Tim. Nothing ever more pertinent Tit. Except that From all Sedition privy Conspiracy and Rebellion from all false Doctrine Heresie and Schisme Tim. Better and better Tit. And that it may please thee to bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are decieved That it may please thee to forgive our enemies persecutors and slanderers and to turn their hearts Tim. Incomparable I profess I shall never read these Prayers hence forward but I shall think of the men they are so apt so exceeding apt that it will add to my devotion ever after Where were my Brains that I never noticed this before As I hope to live I believe scarce a Bishop that knew for whose sake those Prayers were inserted till now Tit. Now then I hope you will let these poor Gibeonites share both in your Confessions and Petitions as oft as you may without turning your Zeal to God into passion against them in Prayer and I have so much Charity as to think they will do much for you and with that sincerity and love as becomes fellow members of the visible Church of Christ for such I take them to be nor doth our Church in this Article exclude them which made it stick long so long by the way but by this time I hope 't is pretty well down if not I am sure the next will drive it down Tim. I 'le try Article 20. Of the Authority of the Church The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies and Authority in Controversies of Faith And yet it is not lawfull for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Goâ—s Word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation Tit. I need not ask whether you ever read this before because I know you did not but how do you like â—â— now you have read it Tim. Not at all in troth unless by Church they mean that at Westminster nor can it be true as to us in any other sense for 't is that Great Assembly or General Councel that decrees and appoints all our Rites and Ceremonies and we have no other than what they approve and establish witness the Act before the Common Prayer Tit. But you believe the Church hath a power to decree Rites which is all the Article asserts in that point Tim. Decree Ay she may decree and decree till her heart akes but if she have not the Votes of the House she shall never have the thanks of the House for her pains and without their Votes and Thanks I know what her decrees will come to Tit. To what Tim. To scorn and disdain with them that make those decrees ' slid man if all the Reverend Bishops of the Land should sit together in Council and decree a Ceremony no bigger than the dash over an Adverb which is scarce half a cross it would signifie no more than if you and I should do it Tit. How you and I we have no power at all Tim. En'e as much as their Lordships in this case was not the P but the other day decreeing out of the Church those Rites and Ceremonies or a good part of them that we have and bad it had the Royal stamp the Bishops might have thrown their Caps after them Tit. And is it not fit that they which make other Laws should by Law establish the Government in the Church Tim. Therefore I would have this Article amended and named thus the P. that is King Lords and Commons Assembled c. have power c. Leaving out the Word Church else I will never subscribe it Tit. That 's done already Tim. I care not but I won't own it Tit. But can you withdraw your hand singly from this and yet subscribe and own the rest Tim. Yes very well Tit. That 's a cunning trick indeed 't is next to a mental reservation By virtue of which a man may subscribe any thing all things and yet in truth subscribe nothing So that I have all this while been under a mistake for I thought you had subscribed all the Articles and it seems you have not
Illius Conjux nata nurusque fuit And of the Priests in general one wittily writes Multi vos sanctos multi vos dicere Patres Gaudent vobis nomina tanta placent Ast ego vos sanctos non possum dicere Patres Possum cum natos vos genuisse sciam What think you now of the Prudence of the Church of Rome in forbidding Marriage and allowing and practising Whoredom Is it preferable to the Wisdom and Piety of our Church which alloweth and encourageth Marriage in her Priests to prevent Fornication and Uncleanness And is the former a better means to Godliness and Chastity than the latter Surely you will change your Opinion though not your Condition and believe a Priest confined by Lawful Matrimony may be as good a Member of the Church as a Town-Bull Tim. Yet we do not read that many of the Apostles were married Tit. Nor that they made use of the Romish Remedy allowed to Priests unmarried Tim. God forbid any should think so they were holy Men. Tit. And Men in perpetual Travels to publish the Gospel to all Nations and under sore and continual Persecutions But if not many yet if any of them took upon them the holy and honourable Estate of Matrimony that is sufficient to justifie this Article of our Church encouraging her Clergy to the same But St. Peter himself was saith our Church a married Man In the Exhortation after Marriage And how the Popes come to lay claim to more Prudence Continency and Holiness than was in their pretended Predecessor I am to learn steadfastly believing none of them ever had such Measures of the Spirit of Purity and Infalibility as he was endowed with And I do farther believe that the licentious Practices of the Romish Priests and Jesuits of this kind suitable to their Principles hath been a great means of promoting Debauchery to so high a degree amongst us For if a Priest may keep a Whore why may not a Nobleman or a Gentleman do the like Nay some of our Lay-Hectors do not stick to aver that it is more pleasurable more prudent and as lawful to keep a Courtisan than a Wife And others that are married have by these Doctrines of Demons been so perverted and drawn away to Licentiousness as to rob their Families to maintain their Misses And from whom do they learn such Gospel but from Rome and her Agents with us Yet we must believe these Men under an inviolable Vow of Chastity Tim. In troth I am of your mind therefore I resolve Coelebacy no farther than I find it consistent with true Chastity and Honesty Tit. And while you can keep that Resolution I have nothing to say against it For you may marry or not marry as your Prudence shall direct and as it shall most promote an holy and godly Life saith our Church to whose Wisdom in this I subscribe Tim. So shall I for I think she is in the right Tit. 'T is but newly come on you then for but just now you thought she was in the wrong and the Church of Rome was in the right Tim. But I see my Errour Tit. 'T is well amend it too and I am satisfied but had you persisted in it I would have read the next Article to you my self to let you see what Punishment you deserved But now you may proceed to it as you have to them before ART 33. Tim. That Person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the Vnity of the Church and Excommunicated ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the Faithful as an Heathen and Publican until he be openly reconciled by Penance and received into the Church by a Judge that hath Authority thereunto Tit. Methinks I tremble at the very hearing of this word Excommunication It carrying in it the most severe and utmost punishment the visible Church can inflict upon any Offender Tim. What think you of suspension ab officio beneficio or of deposition Tit. I look upon them as great Punishments and such as the Church may and ought upon just occasion to inflict But this Take him Goaler nay take him Devil all other are Fleabites to this Tim. As severe and sharp as 't is I wish it were more in use than ' t is Tit. Not too brisk with your Bulls 't is dangerous to play with edg tools It hath been too common to the great reproach and injury of our Church when at the command of a passionate Commissary the timorous Priest hath delivered over several to Satan for not answering immediately to their names though in Court at the same time And the fault lying rather in the voice of the Apparitor than any obstinacy in them Tim. A light Offence truly Tit. But an heavy Sentence and not to be taken off neither without paying their Fees as if that were the matter chiefly designed Tim. Had I been the Priest I should have paused a little ere I had pronounced Sentence Tit. And any one else who considers to whom it belongs to Excommunicate who are to be Excommunicated for what causes and the nature and end of Excommunication Tit. Pray for my satisfaction will you speak a little to these particulars for I am taken with them much Tim. I shall and as briefly and fully as I can Ex subito I say 't is to be considered 1. To whom it belongs to Excommunicate and here I find the Commission given to the Disciples of Christ Matth. 18.17 whom no lay Chancellour or Commissary can represent nor any but such as are in holy Orders as Bishops Priests c. And as the Constitution of our Church is I think Bishops only who are in chief Authority can Excommunicate and are the fittest Judges when and where that a Commissary's Sentence is to be passed Though our Chancellours in our ordinary Courts take upon them to be Judges and to direct and command the Priesthood in this case Which to allow is neither better nor worse then to give the Government of our Church into Lay-hands a thing which we decry'd in the Presbyterians 2. For those that are liable to this Censure they must be more than ordinary Criminals this Censure is not to pass upon common and trivial occasions that makes it contemptible And I find there are three sorts of men Excommunicable by Scripture rule First Such as pervert the sound Doctrine of Truth as did Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. Secondly Such as are defiled with notorious wickedness as the incestuous Person at Corinth 1 Cor. 5. 1 5. Thirdly Such as obstinately persist in their Crimes and Offences after a double admonition or treble rather privately by himself after that before two or three and if that fails then openly before the Church and if he will not hear the Church then let him be to thee as an Heathen man or a Publican Matth. 18.15 16 17. Where our Saviour plainly teacheth us that as this must be the last remedy so
Ceremonies are innocent her self being Judge But where I say again are these required Tim. In the Liturgy are they not Tit. Not in that which my Church-Wardens bought for me and they tell me they are sure they bought the newest Edition Tim. I 'le protest you ve stunded me I 'le consider of it Tit. Consider it be ashamed of it for you transgress the Law as much in adding to as in taking from what is contained and prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer For the Act establisheth that and no other the Ceremonies therein contained and no more For your fuller satisfaction read the words of the Act in this point they are these And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no form or order of Common-Prayers administration of Sacraments Rites or Ceremonies mark that shall be openly used in any Church Chappel or other publick place of or in any Colledge or Hall in either of the Vniversities c. other than what is prescribed and appointed to be used in and by the said Book note that also And lest once mentioning of this should not be sufficient you have afterwards when the said Book with the Prayers Rites and Ceremonies prescribed and appointed by it is named these words and no other again repeated What think you now Tim Tim. I think bowing towards the Altar and bowing at the name of Jesus are works of supererogation and not at all meritorious for the Act seems not only not to enjoyn them but to forbid them in as much as they are no where contained in the said Book Tit. Thus you give offence and become a scandal to weak Brethren where you need not nay in things you ought not Tim. I see it and hope I shall avoid it for the future and shall endeavour my brethren of the Clergy about me may do the same Tit. I wish they may But there is that which is far worse than all this Tim. What should that be brother Titus Tit. Thank you Sir for that friendly title I wish we of the Clergy were all true brethren in heart and deed that we might all speak and do the same things as our Rule requires I ampleased I say with this expression of amity and 't will make me the more free in my talk with you as well as serious Tim. The more free the more grateful for you have gained upon me by your plain dealing and strong arguments Go on brother with what you were about to say was worse than the addition of those Ceremonies Tit. 'T is this brother That many of our publick Preachers some ignorantly some I fear designedly oppose and preach down the very Articles of our Church which they have subscribed and which we all are bound to maintain and keep close to which hath been matter of great grief to me to consider Tim. But surely there are none do this Tit. As sure as you are there too many and if I mistake not you for one and that too oft Tim. I am not conscious to my self I do or ever did Tit. I confess I have so much charity as to think so and that your sin is a sin of ignorance because you said but now you never read the Articles Though I must tell you Tim 't is vincible ignorance for that you have not read them is your own fault Tim. No I profess they are so scarce to be got that I know not where to have them and I withal so short of money that I know not how to purchase them Tit. To remove this obstacle and cure your ignorance in some measure here they are I hope you can read as well as preach Tim. Yes yes I am not so ignorant neither pray let me see them Tit. Hold not without Conditions Tim. What are they Tit. Nay teasonable enough First that you will stay so long here as to read them over deliberately and Secondly admit of a short debate as we pass along upon some of them and then tell me whether I do any wrong to you and many others in saying that your Doctrines and theirs do not admirably well agree with them For I meddle only with those that have subscribed yet do not keep to them Tim. All this is highly reasonable and I readily yeild to it Tit. Begin then and read carefully not hastily Article 1. Tim. There is but one living and true God everlasting without body parts or passions of infinite power wisdom and goodness the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Tit. Hold now what think you of this Article Tim. Mighty well sound and good and no body surely but believe and approve it both in part and in whole Tit. I am afraid not how else come you and many others to discourse sometimes against and deride what is contained in it I don't mean the being of a God for tho' some in their works and with David's fool in their hearts say there is no God yet I know you dare not do it in words But that which is next door by they dare and do say Tim. What 's that Tit. That there is no Providence Tim. Admit it wherein doth that cross this Article that hath not a word of Providence in it I don't see but a man may think so and yet safely subscribe this Article Tit. Right 't is what I expected and doubtless there are many of your judgment but what if I prove a Divine Providence governing the world and all that there is and after that prove too that this first Article of our Church plainly asserts it Tim. Then I shall say I never understood it Tit. A worthy satisfaction for your gross wilful ignorance and the great mischief you have thereby done to the Christian Religion and the Church of God established amongst us Tell me what think you of those words of our Saviour Not a Sparrow falls to the ground without your father and the hairs of your head are all numbered I think this bids fair to prove a Mat. 18.29 30. protecting preserving disposing providence and that not only as to the great changes and revolutions in Kingdoms and Nations but even as to smaller matters such as relate to you and me and every man nay to the very beasts and birds And he that shall seriously consider the workings of God now in the world and even in that spot of it which we inhabit and think how the wise and profound Polititians of Rome are baffled in their enterprises and detected in their hellish Plots and Counsels even beyond their expectation or belief must either put out the eye of his Reason or else he must needs see and adore a special hand of Providence acting for us to admiration What prevented the further designed mischief from taking place when London was put in flames if providence did not How came the late
as well as former Popish Plot against King the Kingdom our Religion and Lives to light but by providence In a word Tim think then say what was the safeguard of our present gracious Sovereign in many battles when divers fell on his right hand and left in sundry pursuits and in foreign Countries and what restored him to his Rights Crowns and people without the least opposition and with an universal consent and unheard-of acclamations of joy but wonderful providence Certainly there was as great a Concatenation of providences in his preservation and return as in the fall and rise of Joseph God give his Majesty an heart to remember and improve it or in Job's David's case or any recorded in holy Writ I cannot therefore disapprove the ingenuous return of a Scholar coming for Orders and being asked by his Poser how he proved a providence answered it being quickly after the Kings Restauration redeunte Carolo. And certainly wanted we other instances that 's sufficient and high enough alone Tim. This is something but not enough Tit. Enough surely to any but an Epicurean Tim. An Epicurean what 's that Call me no hard names if you do you 'll move my Choler Tit. I shall be sorry for that but if I should I 'le endeavour to make you amends by laying it again Tim. Tell me then why do you call me Epicurean Tit. Because I take you to be one of Epicurus his Scholars Tim. Epicurus who 's he Slid this is insufferable Epicurus and Epicurean Farewel Sir I 'le have no more of this Tit. Patience man a little and hear who this Epicurus was He was a certain ancient Gentleman Tutor to Mr. Hobbs whom I suppose you well knew Tim. You have abated my heata little by naming that person worthy Mr. Hobbs profound non-such Mr. Hobbs Tit. I knew how to nick you I know you are well acquainted with his works Tim. Huge well I have read them all and delight to read them Tit. More than to read the old doting Fathers the crabbed Schoolmen or any modern Divine not to say the Scriptures themselves Tim. I think he that reads Hobbs reads all that is to be read can be read or is worth the reading But what is all this to Epicuran Tit. You mistake Tim 't is Epicurean and the short is this Mr. Hobbs denies a providence he learned it of Epicurus you deny a providence being taught so of Mr. Hobbs and so you are either an Epicurean or an Hobbist which you please Tim Though I stiled you after the first as being the more ancient and so I thought the more honourable Tim. Well if this be all you mean by Epicurean I shall own it for Mr. Hobbs his sake and am of his opinion and shall be notwithstanding what you have urged Tit. I am sorry for it but if what I have inferred from the words of Christ prevail not what think you of the opinion of a grave Divine and good Christian Tim. I don't know who is it Tit. One that no doubt understood the Articles of our Church very well hear what he saith and you will judge who I mean O sacred Providence who from end to end Herb. on Provid Strongly and sweetly movest shall I write And not of thee through whom my singers bend To hold my Quill shall they not do thee right Of all the Creatures Tim. Hold here 's enough 't is Herbert but little to my conviction Tit. I was afraid so but will you be determin'd by a whole Church Tim. Now you come close could you but find a whole Church owning this Tit. I think 't is no hard matter Tim. What Church and where I pray Tit. The Church of England and in this very Article you have now read and that in these words There is but one living and true God Maker and Preserver of all things Now how will you grant God to be the Preserver of all things to this very moment and not allow of Providence And to assure you this is her meaning the prayers of our Church are answerable to her faith v. Coll. for the 8th Sunday after Trin. Whose never failing Providence c. Tim. Preserver I profess 't is so Preserver and never failling Providence Inever mindedit before This has somewhat in it to your purpose more than I have noted Tit. Something in 't for shame Tim knock under what subscribe such an Article as this and to the use of such a prayer as this and yet deny Providence Must God preserve the world and yet not be at the least concerned in any thing done in the world O non-sense stupidity the very Heathens spoke more like Divines and Christians than you and the rest of your Atheistical gang Hear what one of them saith and he none of the best neither Seneca I mean who calleth God the Keeper and Governour of the whole world a mind a spirit the Lord and Artificer or Creator of all the world he to whom every name agreeth Will you call him fate You will not be out for he it is on whom all things depend Will you call him Providence You wil say right for by his counsel the world is provided and taken care for that it remains steady Custodem Rectoremque universi animum spiritum mundani hujus operis Dominum Artificem cui nomen omne convenit Vis illum fatum vocare Non errabis Hic est ex quo suspensa sunomnia causa causarum Vis illum Providentiam dicere Recte dices Est enim cujus consilio huic mundo providetur ut in inconcussus eat actus suos explicet Sen. Nat. Qu. l. 2. cap. 45. and performeth its operations Thus he And Du-plessis Lord of Morney in his Book of the truness of Christian Religion chap. 13. sheweth that Providence is abundantly owned by Plato Plotinus Hierocles Aristotle Cicero and others And in short none but some of the most sensual and brutish Epicureans ever so much as called this in question Tim. And suppose they do What ill consequence can follow upon it Tit. Many and sad ones tho' perhaps otherwise in your opinion for first you hereby deny God's Mercy Wisdom and Goodness in that you suppose him to take no care at all of or regard to the numberless number of creatures that he hath made Next you abridge him of his Soveraignty and take his Prerogative from him which is this To dispense good and evil as he pleaseth Is there evil in the City and I have not done it saith the Lord Amoâ— Nay you do in effect deny his being and ungod him to suppose him to sit like an old man idle in Heaven and unconcerned at what is done here below Another sad consequence is that all the signs in Heaven Coâ—nets Blazing-stars all heavy and fore Judgments upon Kingdoms in general as War Plague Fire Famine signifie nothing with all personal calamity and afflictions And that all good as well as evil comes
say worse Tim. You would not have me talk contrary to what I believe would you Tit. What is that Tim. I believe every man hath a power and freedom of Will to good Works as well as Evil. Tit. What Naturally and in an unregenerate Estate Tim. Yes Tit. This is contrary to the Tenth Article as Aye and No directly Opposite to Scripture Which saith the Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be so then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God. The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritualy discerned No man can say Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God And without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Repugnant is your belief also to many Prayers of our Church As the Collect for the Second Sunday in Lent. The Fifth Sunday after Easter The Ninth Sunday after Trinity The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity The Nineteenth The Collect on All-Saints Day and many more Now what a rare Believer are you to believe contrary to the Word of God the Articles you have Subscribed and the Prayers you constantly Rom. 8. 7. 8. 1 Cor. 2.14 1 Cor. 12.3 2 Cor. 3. 5. John 15.5 make use of and are obliged to put up to God on those several days in the prescribed Words and no other But what 's the next part of your Belief in this matter Tim. That as I have a Power and freedom of will to Good Works so I must do them in order to my being Justified before God. Tit. This is as Corrupt and Erroneous as the Former and as opposite to the next Article read it Article XII Albeit that Good Works which are the fruits of Faith and follow after justification cannot put away our Sins and endure the severity ef Gods Judgment yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the Fruit. Tit. Here you are Taught That Good Works are pleasing and acceptable to God but so far are they from justifying without Faith that they are the fruits of Faith and follow after Justification Plainly implying That we must have true Faith and be justified before we can do any Works good pleasing or acceptable to God. So that I believe according to our Church that Faith in Christ justifies the Person and Good Works the Faith Or thus I take it that God justifies Judicially Christ Jesus Meritoriously Faith Instrumentally and Good Works Declaratively Tim. So then you will make Good Works of little worth and it matters not whether a man hath them or not Tit. No such matter I believe they are absolutely necessary to Salvation that no man can go to Heaven without them for they are as this Twelfth Article tells you the genuine and necessary fruits of a true and lively Faith and that there can be no such Faith without them And St. James saith as much in the Second Chapter of his Epistle at large I believe that Text of Holy Writ which tells me Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord with an equal Faith that Heb. 12.14 Heb. 11.6 I do that which saith Without Faith 't is impossible to please God. That is that both are necessary to make a good Christian and there is no other I am sure shall ever enter into Heaven And to close this Discourse I believe he that Teaches such Doctrine as this stands further off from Rome comes nearer to the Analogy of Faith the Tenour of the Holy Gospel and the sound Articles of our Church then those Men who Teach or Preach otherwise and I hope by this time you think so too Tim. I am inclinable to such thoughts Tit. And the more you think on 't the more inclinable you will still be if you do not wilfully shut your Eyes against the Light of Gods Word and of the following Articles grounded upon it Article XIII Works done before the grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith in Jesu Christ neither do they make men meet to receive Grace or as the School Authors say deserve Grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of Sin. Tit. What think you of this added to all the rest Tim. It still helps to Confirm what you have said and to convince me of my Errour without any farther Comment Tit. Proceed then to the next viz. Article XIV Voluntary works besides over and above Gods Commandments which they call Works of Supererogation cannot be taught without Arrogancy and Impiety For by them Men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do but that they do more for his sake then of bounden duty is required Where as Christ saith plainly When ye have done all that are Commanded to you say We are unprofitable Servants Tit. I have such Charity for thee Tim. as not to think thee so far Popefied as to oppose this Article Tim. You may for surely we who neither do nor can do all that God Commands have little ground to boast of doing more Tit. Honestly said Tim. I hope to find thee right as to the next too Article XV. Tim. Christ in the truth of our Nature was made like unto us in all things Sin only except from which he was clearly void both in his flesh and in Spirit He came to be a Lamb without spot who by sacrifice of himself once made should take away the Sins of the World and sin as St. John saith was not in him But all we the rest although Baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Tit. I know nothing contained in this Article that you do Oppose or Cavil at and therefore think the best never loving to make quarrels when there is not just and apparent Cause for it Therefore let us view the following one Article XVI Not every deadly Sin willingly committed after Baptism is Sin against the Holy Ghost and unpardonable Wherefore the grant of Repentance is not to be denyed to such as fall into Sin after Baptism After we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from grace given and fall into Sin and by the grace of God we may arise again and amend our lives And therefore they are to be Condemned which say they can no more Sin as long as they live here to deny the place of forgiveness
to such as truly Repent Tit. What think you of this Tim. Sound and good Tit. 'T is so if understood aright but by a Sermon you lately Preached at St. B's Church I presume you mistake one Clause of it vilely either willfully or ignorantly Tim. Which is that Tit. 'T is in these Words after we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from Grace given and fall into Sin. Tim. Mistake the sense of the Article in this 't is not easie nay 't is almost impossible to miss it Tit. Why what is the sense say you Tim. That Believers or such as have received the Spirit of God and his saving Graces may fall away Tit. What totally and finally and perish Everlastingly Tim. Yes totally and finally and be Damned Tit. I judged I should find you as sound in this Point as that Sheep that shaking her self in a frosty Morning falls in pieces That this Article or our Church in it doth not intend a total and final Apostacy is apparent to me by these Two things 1. Because she saith not That such as have received the Holy Ghost c. may fall away but that they may fall into Sin as David Peter and others who Sinned or fell into great and gross Sins after Grace given yet no final Apostates 2. Because she saith in this Article That the grant of Repentance is not to be denyed to such as it is to be granted They which thus Sin after the Reception of the Holy Ghost and Grace given may Repent And by the Grace of God may rise again and amend their Lives as the forementioned Saints and Servants of God David and St. Peter did which no final total Apostate ever did or can do Therefore it cannot be meant of a final Apostacy or falling away from Grace And therefore if you have taught any such Doctrine you have Preached down this Article and many plain Texts of Scripture to boot as They should deceive if it were possible the very Elect. Whom he loveth he loveth to the end The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation He that believeth in him shall not be confounded Whom he did predestinate them he also called whom 1 Pet. 2. 6. Rom. 8. 30. he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also glorified And many more gracious and infallible promises assuring us of the stability and perseverance of true Believers of such as have received the Holy Ghost and Graces thereof Tim. Nay now we are in indeed if we are come to Election and Predestination Tit. Yea and good and proper mediums too to prove no final apostacy or falling away from grace for grant the one and the other follows Election and Predestination are inconsistent with a total and final defection But I hope Tim these are not frightfull terms to you you have heard of them before Tim. Yes but don't well understand them Election and Predestination 't is nonsense Tit. Such sense as you have subscribed to and consequently should believe and maintain against all Arminians and other Opposers Tim. I can't imagin any Article of our Church asserts any such thing so contrary to all reason as nothing can be more Tit. Yes this is such an unreasonable Article and by good luck the very next in course and so full mouth'd for Election and Predestination that you 'ld think some body spoke it through Calvin's Mouth or at least that that wretched stiff Predestinarian guided the hand of him that writ it Look there 't is Tim. nay ne'er start at it but out with it like a man of metal Article 17. Tim. Predestination to life is the Everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to Everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk Religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to Everlasting Felicity As the Godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to Godly Persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the Flesh and their Earthly Members and drawing up their mind to high and Heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their Faith of Eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God So for curious and carnal persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods predestination is a most dangerous downfall whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlesness of most unclean living no less perillous than desperation Furthermore we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the word of God. Tit. Bless me what 's the reason of this sudden paleness in your countenance you look as though you were fainting away Tim. Not so Sir but I am stricken with a strange horror and astonishment to think how our Pulpits ring of Doctrines directly contrary to this Article for though I was so careless as never to read the Articles till now yet I concluded these great Dons had and never questioning their honesty I was confirmed in it by their constant preaching no such Article could possibly be but now I see they are out as much as I I pity them with all my heart Tit. Pity thy self man. Tim. I do so but them more because I declare it mine was a sin of Ignorance I am afraid theirs is otherwise and because being leading men they have drawn me and many more into this error by their authority Tit. I am more than half of your opinion For our Church as fore-seeing how prâ—â—e men would be to dance after Arminius his Pipe hath taken more pains in framing this Article than ordinary on purpose to prevent them and 't is so full so plain and punctual that one would think no mistake can arise but what is willfull Tim. Full and punctual there is all that ever can be thought on against Universal Redemption Free Will Falling away from Grace and the use of those points which are most what their subjects especially on popular occasions Tit. Take the contents of the Article and you will be confirmed in your opinion which are these 1.
yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lords Supper for that they have not any visible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God. The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duly use them And in such onely as worthily receive the same they have a wholsom effect or operation but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation as St. Paul saith Tit. You may read on for I know not but you'r sound in this and I shall not charge you but where I know you are guilty Artic. 26. Of the unworthiness of the Ministers which hinder not the effects of the Sacraments Tim. Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the VVord and Sacraments yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name but in Christs and do minister by his Commission and Authority we may use their Ministry both in hearing the VVord of God and in the receiving of the Sacraments Neither is the effect of Christs Ordinance taken away by their wickedness nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Saeraments ministred unto them which be effectual because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by evil men Nevertheless it appertaineth to the Discipline of the Church that enquiry be made of evil Ministers and they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences and finally being found guilty by just judgement be deposed Tit. your opinion of this Tim Tim. I have a very good opinion of it as of any I have yet read Tit. But if I mistake not there is that in the close of it toucheth your copy-hold Tim. What is that Tit. 'T is this nevertheless it appertaineth to the Discipline of the Church that enquiry be made of evil Ministers and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offneces and finally being found guilty by jâ—st judgment be deposed Can you heartily consent to this Tim. Yes why not Tit. Here is no body present but our selves therefore I will be plain with you and tell you the ground of my Question Were you not long since presented and accused to your Diocesan by the Church-wardens of the Parish where you officiate Tim. Yes there was a Puritanical Fanatical Church-warden did present me like a splenetick Knave as he was Tit. But pray what was your Crime Tim. A small matter onely sitting up too late and playing the Good-fellow a little too much one Saturday night being to administer the Sacrament the next morning and the Rascal told his Lordship 't was a thing frequent with me so to do Tit. And what did the Bishop say to you Tim. He gave me a grave Admonition and told me if that wrought not upon me Suspension should follow Tit. He spake like himself yet if he had done it as well as said it it might have been better for I don't hear that his Fatherly Admonition hath wrought in you the least reformation What you did before I am credibly inform'd you do still nay that you mend as fowr Ale in Summer insomuch that the far greater part of the Parish are so scandalized at you that they resolve never to receive the Sacrament at your hands more Tim. 'T is a sign they are a company of nice squeemish Ideots and know nothing else they would understand that neither my Vices nor my Vertues signifie any thing to them in my Preaching the Word or Administring the Sacrament Tit. Then whether you are holy or wicked sober or disorderly in your Life it must he the same thing to the People Tim. Yes must and is in this Case for doth not this Article say That he that ministers doth the same not in his own name but in Christs and by his Commission and Authority And that the effect of Christs Ordinance is not taken away by his viz. the Ministers wickedness nor the Grace of Gods Gifts diminished from such as by faith do rightly receive the Sacraments ministred unto them Tit. True these are the Words of the Article and they contain a great Truth Should a faithless wicked man receive the Sacrament at the hands of the holiest man living the Holiness of him that administers would nothing avail such an unworthy Receiver so the contrary But our Church never intended this as an encouragement to Profaneness in her Ministers as she plainly declares by the close of the Article and you make a very ill use of it who shall take such liberty from it Besides Tim. give me leave to tell you that though the ill living of some Ministers and their slight and irreverent Administration of the Holy Sacrament cannot obstruct the Grace of God towards a worthy Receiver yet this is a shrewd bar to keep off sober and serious Persons from that Ordinance especially in those Places where they must receive from the hands of such Ministers or not receive it at all For what Person that hath any sense of God and Religion and the weight of that sacred Ordinance upon his mind though he strives what he can to conquer all prejudices of this kind can receive the Elements at the hands of a profligate and irreverent Minister with that satisfaction that he can at the hands of one who by his heavenly Life and exemplary Devotion in the Sacrament shall excite and quicken the Zeal and Devotion of all that are to partake with him No let me discharge my Conscience this once I heartily wish and pray that those Reverend Fathers who have the Discipline of the Church would narrowly inspect the Lives and Manners of such Persons in the Church as you are who by your disorderly Conversations and slight irreverent and slovenly Administration of Holy Ordinances I must tell you without flattery are a dishonour to God a scandal to the Gospel a reproach to the Ministry the causers of Division and Faction the Promoters of Atheism and Prosaneness and the bane of all true Godliness and Religion 'T is you and such as you that open the mouths of our Enemies that turn the glory of our Church into shame and trample her honour in the dust 'T is you and such as you that make many sick and dying sinners go out of the world without Ghostly Counsel and Absolution the notoriousness of your Crimes raising in them a disgust against you both living and dying and who if any of them miscarry must answer for those Souls Tim. I shall not if they send not for me Tit. But who shall answer for the cause of your not being called at such a time Tim. What you would have Ministers live like Angels Tit. Ministers are called Angels in Scripture and what if I should say they ought to live like Angels for Purity and Holiness I am sure our Saviour propounds to us an higher Pattern
when he saith to his Disciples Matth. 5. last Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect Tim. But that is impossible Tit. True as to Equality but not as to Imitation St. Paul was not equal with our blessed Lord for Purity and Holiness but he was an imitator of him as himself testifies saying Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ Nor is it impossible for you to consider seriously the weight and dignity of your Caâ—ling and to take heed thereto as you are exhorted by the Bishop at your Ordination Vid. The Form of Ordering of Priests which if you do as you ought and there promised to do you shall be an able and faithful Minister of the Church of Christ The exhortation runs in these Words YOV have heard Brethren as well in your private Examination as in the Exhortation which was now made to you and in the holy Lessons taken out of the Gospel and the Writings of the Apostles of what Dignity and of how great Importance this Office is whereunto ye are called And now again we exhort you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you have in remembrance into how high a Dignity and to how weighty an Office and Charge ye are called That is to say to be Messengers Watchmen and Stewards of the Lord to teach and to premonish to feed and provide for the Lords Family to seek for Christs Sheep that are dispersed abroad and for his Children who are in the midst of this naughty World that they may be saved through Jesus Christ for ever Have always therefore printed in your remembrance how great a Treasure is committed to your charge For they are the Sheep of Christ which he bought with his Death and for whom he shed his Blood. The Church and Congregation whom you must serve is his Spouse and his Body And if it shall happen the same Church or any Member thereof to take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence ye know the greatness of the fault and also the horrible punishment that will ensue Wherefore consider with your selves the end of your Ministry towards the Children of God towards the Spouse and Body of Christ and see that you never cease your Labour your Care and Diligence until you have done all that lieth in you according to your bounden duty to bring all such as are or shall be committed to your Charge unto that agreement in the Faith and Knowledge of God and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ that there be no place left among you either for Errour in Religion or for Viciousness in Life Forasmuch then as your Office is both of so great excellency and of so great difficulty ye see with how great care and study ye ought to apply your selves as well that ye may shew your selves dutiful and thankful unto that Lord who hath placed you in so high a Dignity as also to beware that neither you your selves offend nor be occasion that others offend Howbeit ye cannot have a mind and will thereto of your selves for that will and ability is given of God alone Therefore ye ought and have need to pray earnestly for his holy Spirit And seeing that you cannot by any other means compass the doing of so weighty a Work pertaining to the Salvation of Man but with Doctrine and Exhortation taken out of the holy Scriptures and with a Life agreeable to the same consider how studious ye ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures and in framing the Manners both of your selves and of them that specially pertain unto you according to the Rule of the same Scriptures And for this self same cause how ye ought to forsake and set aside as much as you may all Worldly Cares and Studies We have good hope that you have well weighed and pondred these things with your selves long before this time and that you have clearly determined by Gods Grace to give your selves wholly to this Office whereunto it hath pleased God to call you So that as much as lieth in you you will apply your selves wholly to this one thing and draw all your Cares and Studies this way and that you will continually pray to God the Father by the mediation of our only Saviour Jesus Christ for the heavenly Assistance of the Holy Ghost that by daily reading and weighing of the Scriptures ye may wax riper and stronger in your Ministry and that ye may so endeavour your selves from time to time to sanctifie the Lives of you and yours and to fashion them after the Rule and Doctrine of Christ that ye may be wholesom and godly Examples and Patterns for the People to follow Tim. I confess this is very serious and weighty and do acknowledge I never perused or pondered it before Tit. Add to this that daily Prayer at the end of the Confession And grant O most merciful Father for his sake that we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy name Is not the Minister concerned in this as well as the People when he saith and grant that we may c Tim. Yes without dâ—ubt and by Gods help hereafter my Practice shall be more conformable to my Prayers Tit. Pray God it may for evil Ministers 't is the phrase usâ—d in this Article are most odious to God and injurious to his Church of all others One such impious Wretch by his ungodly life gives such a wound to Religion and the Cause of God as many of his Brethren though exemplary both in â—ife and Doctrine are not able to heal Besides I trâ—mble to think of thâ— Reward of such a Minister in another world and what he will be able to plead for himself to the great Bishop of Souls the Lord Jesus at his general and final Visitation Rev. 22. 12. I beseech you therefore Tim. remember the weight and excellency of your Calling and the solemn Promises in the face of the Congregation made to God then when you were admitted to it Not forgetting your Obligation by Baptism which is the subject of the following Article you are next to read Tim. I give you my hearty thanks and hope these things will make an impression upon me for good Tit. I shall rejoice to see it Go on ART 27. Tim. Baptism is not only a sign of Profession and mark of difference whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not Christened but it is also a sign of Regeneration or New Birth whereby as by an Instrument they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church the Promises of the Forgiveness of Sin and of our Adoption to be the Sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed Faith is confirmed and Grace increased by vertue of Prayer unto God. The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the Institution of Christ Tit. You see
and Warning by it in good part which you must needs do if God give you an heart to reflect seriously upon your Life and Practice Then 2. Another thing the reading of these Articles brings to mind and I would be satisfied in is this Did not you once instigate your Church warden to present a great part of the Youth of your Parish for not coming to the Sacrament at Easter Tim. I did so and 't is agreeable to the Canon which requires all Men and Women V. Canon 112. of the Age of Sixteen years to receive and to be presented if they neglect it Tit. These are the Words of the Canon I know and I know not well how to reconcile the practice of it to the Doctrine of the Church in this 28 Article For must you and I and all the Ministers in England take it for an unquestionable truth That all in our several Parishes at Sixteen years of age have a lively Faith in Christ the means whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper I am afraid in this corrupt and prophane Age scarce One in Sixteen not to say a greater number at those years have this true and lively Faith. Tim. Well suppose the worst that they have not what then Tit. Then our Church saith they cannot be worthy Receivers nay without this Faith they rather eat to their condemnation And is it not exceeding dangerous then for us by presenting them to fright them to do that for the doing of which without the breach of Charity we may doubt and fear not one in many of them are prepar'd or qualified Tim. Not at all if they have not Faith the Sacrament may work Faith therefore they may be compelled Tit. This is what I looked for it being agreeable to your Doctrine that the Sacrament is a Converting Ordinance Tim. Right I am of that opinion and are not you Tit. I don't know unless you tell me in what sense you mean whether per institutionem or per accidens If you say it may be so by accident as a Clap of Thunder a Fit of Sickness a great Cross or Loss have by Gods sanctifying Grace been made means of mens Conversion and Reformation none will deny it For as God can work without Means so by any means as pleaseth him But if you say 't is so by Institution or that the Sacrament was instituted by Christ for this end I must tell you 't is a very disputable Point Tim. My Judgment is for the latter Tit. You and I Tim. are not Men of such Authority that our particular Persuasion should be much valued yet I have a few things come suddenly to mind that seem to carry somewhat of weight in them to turn the Scale against you 1. I do not remember where 't is said in the Gospel that this Ordinance is a Converting Ordinance or that it was instituted by Christ for this end as is frequently said of the Word or Gospel preached 2. Nor do I remember when or where the Apostles admitted any to this Sacrament before they were by the Preaching of the Word brought to believe in Christ 'T is said of S. Peter's Hearers Acts 2. That they continued instant with the Apostles in Prayer and Breaking of Bread c. but it was after their Conversion not before Now if the Apostles had received it from Christ for St. Paul saith What they received they delivered 1 Cor That the Sacrament was appointed by Christ as a Converting Ordinance it had been as proper for them to have received the unbelieving Jews and Greeks to the Sacrament with them as to the hearing of the Gospel preached by them but I say I am not advised that they did so therefore doubtless they had not received any such Doctrine from Christ nay if they had they were greatly unfaithful that they did not obey it themselves and also leave it upon record in their Writings plainly as a Rule and for the satisfaction of the Church of Christ for ever 3. The Instances of Persons converted by this Ordinance compared with those converted by the Preaching of the Word are so exceeding rare and few as seem to bespeak it not instituted for that end Scarce one in an Age to be found that can say he was converted first at the Sacrament that this was the first means of enlightning his Eyes of convincing him of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment of bringing him off from his former vain Conversation to newness of Heart and Life Can you give one Instance in all your time Did any one ever acknowledge or declare thus much to you Tim. No in truth but doubtless others can Tit. But I say I believe very few for which I know no Reason can be given if it were by Institution an Ordinance of Conversion But 4. In the last place Our Church seems in her Articles which you have subscribed to countenance what I urge rather than your Opinion for she saith a lively Faith in Christ is a necessary means of a worthy Reception and without it we rather eat our own Condemnation Now to be brought to a lively or true Faith in Christ I take this to be Conversion and this she saith is necessary to those who come to this Ordinance which plainly implies they must come Converts thither or else they cannot be worthy Guests at that Feast Moreover he that shall read the Direction of our Church to her Ministers in the Rubrick before the Administration of the Sacrament touching malicious disorderly and uncharitable Persons and seriously contemplates her most strict severe holy pathetical and Christian-like Exhortations to such as purpose to be Communicants will discern and must acknowledge she seems to favour but very little this Doctrine And to speak the truth I see no reason but that those who are of that Opinion may open the door to the Altar as wide as they do those to the Church there being no Warrant in the Gospel to hinder any how wicked soever from the ordinary nay instituted means of their Conversion Tim. Well admit the sense of the Church be as you would have it that the Sacrament was not instituted for a Converting Ordinance what would you be at now Tit. At what I was before viz. That you do not do marvellous well to subscribe the Articles ex animo to be according to the Word of God and then preach contrary to them And secondly That this being granted that the Sacrament was not instituted as a Converting Ordinance to work Faith but rather to confirm it I cannot commend you for compelling all promiscuously to receive it only because they are Sixteen years old before you have any assurance or hope of their being converted or brought to a lively Faith in Christ Jesus which the Article tells you is a very necessary Qualification in all Communicants and that without it they hazard the eating to their own Condemnation Tim. I shall not proceed so strictly according to that
Canon for the future for I see few of my Brethren do Tit. No if all the Ministers in the Church of England were inspired with your zealous Spirit in this respect the Presentments at the Ecclesiastical Courts might for numbers vie with the late Petitioners to His Majesty and we will give you all the Addressers too into the bargain Tim. I believe you may for doubtless they are a vast number Tit. Consider but some Parishes in and about the City of London in which there are so many thousand at that age and upwards that to take a personal and particular account of them and draw up his Presentment would be work enough for the Minister from one Easter to another Tim. I think he would not have much time for his Study or Ministerial Offices Tit. And I think he would have but little thanks for his pains either from his Parishioners or Diocesan for such Proceedings would gender Confusion And I think Visiting the Sick Catechising the Youth and Informing the Ignorant would be a better improving of Time and a greater Service to our Church than drawing up and making such Presentments And when we must be doing let us present the Debauched and Prophane the Scandalous and notorious Offenders against the Moral Law of God rather than the ignorant Offenders against that Law of Man. Tim. Well now you talk of improving Time pray let us improve ours and proceed we have been long enough here already Tit. I would not weary not over-long detain you for I know you sit upon Thorns therefore go on ART 31. Tim. The Offering of Christ once made is that perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for all the Sins of the whole World both Original and Actual and there is none other Satisfaction for Sin but that alone Wherefore the Sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have Remission of Pain or Guilt were blasphemous Fables and dangerous Deceits Tit. This Article destroys the very bulk and life of all the Romish Religion namely the Sacrifice of the Mass 'T is this that promotes the Adoring of the Creature Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead and all those Papal Stratagems whereby his Holinesses Coffers are cramm'd and the Pomp and Grandeur of his whole Body Ecclesiastick is supported and maintained Take away this and their Religion dwindles into nothing the Priests and Jesuits might cobble Shoes Vid. Saul and Samuel p. 22. in reality to get Bread as they sometimes have done here and elsewhere to cover their intended Villanies yea the Pope himself would become as poor as his pretended Predecessor St. Peter Well this gainful and admired Device doth our Church rightly explode as a blasphemous Fable and dangerous Deceit Tim. And doubtless such it is and no better Tit. Then whatever Priest shall subscribe to this Article and afterwards lift up his hands to this Romish Babel without great Repentance is a damned Hypocrite Tim. And cursed beyond the Power of the Popes Absolution or Benediction Tit. I am glad to find you so firm in this and hope you will prove so as to the next which thwarts another Doctrine of the Romanists Tim. What is that Tit. Read it and you will be satisfied ART 32. Tim. Bishops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by Gods Law either to vow the Estate of Single life or to abstain from Marriage Therefore it is lawful for them as for all other Christian Men to marry at their own discretion as they shall judge the same to serve better to Godliness Tit. Now you perceive whereto the Article tends Tim. Yes to reprehend the Doctrine of the Papists which forbids Priests to marry Tit. And I am sure our Church is in the right here having the Scripture on her side Tim. She hath so but she doth not say that Priests by the Word of God are bound to marry or bound not to marry but they may or may not as in prudence or discretion they shall think fit Tit. And as the same shall serve better to Godliness pray put that in too Tim. Admit I do yet I think 't is as great prudence in Priests and as conducive to Godliness not to say more to live unmarried as married Tit. In good time Then here you prefer the Prudence of the Church of Rome to this of our Church You would have done well to have read this Article before you had subscribed it Tim. You will give me leave to speak my thoughts Tit. Most freely good Tim. I know you are a single Person yet but have you vowed perpetual Chastity as the Papists call it Tim. To speak truth I have resolved it Tit. And if you do but believe as the Church of Rome believes in this Point too no doubt but your Resolution or Vow will marvellously promote Godliness Tim. How is that Tit. That nothing can break or violate that Vow but Marriage Tim. I don't understand your meaning Tit. The meaning is a Priest having vowed Chastity may if he will and as oft as he will frequent the publick Stews or keep Concubines or Whores yet be a very chast and honest Man. If a Priest keep an Whore at Board and at Bed and use her constantly as if she were his Wife he is not therefore Irregular but if he marry her or an honester Woman all the World cannot excuse him for though such Whoredom never disables a Priest yet chaste Marriage utterly spoils him Now doth not this tend mightily to Godliness Yea they make Whoredom so small a matter in a Religious Man that they tell us For a Monk or a Friar to lay aside his Habit is a Crime by which he incurs Excommunication but if he lay aside his Habit that he may commit Fornication the more expeditely without the Incumbrances which his Monkish Weeds would give him in the Act they declare him upon that account freed from Censure And so common is this Vice among them that Cassander a moderate Papist saith There is scarce an hundred amongst all their Priests that abstain from Women Popish Coelebacy therefore is a great promoter of Piety is it not Tim. 'T is but some few that are so wicked Tit. 'T is a Leprosie that runs from Head to Foot in the Ecclesiastical Romish Body The very Popes themselves as Holy and Infallible as they are have generally had a Finger in the Pye as it were easie to shew if time would permit but for brevity sake read but a few ancient Sentences written of some of them and then give me your thoughts As that of Pope Paul the Second Anxia testiculos Pauli ne Roma requiras Filia huic nata est haec docet esse marem Of Pope Innocent the Eighth Bis quatuor nocens genuit puellulos Totidem sed nocens genuit puellulas O Roma possis hunc meritò dicere Patrem Of Pope Alexander the Sixth Non spado Alexander fuerat Lucretia nempe
he would have his Disciples and those that succeed them proceed to it with all caution and care endeavouring first by all other means to gain the Offender to Repentance Would to God all our Excommunications were always for such Causes and proceeded with such Cautions and Endeavours It would render both the Sentence more formidable and our Church more honourable Tim. I am fully of your mind for I perceive 't is a thing of weight Tit. 3. That is the next particular the Sentence it self Excommunication carries no less in it than the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5. 5. and 1 Tim. 1. 20. a delivering to Satan Or it is a depriving the Offender of those daily means which Christianity affords and ordinarily Hammonds Annot. on 1 Cor. 5. 5. useth to eject Satan and the power of his Kingdom out of the heart Such are 1. The Prayers of the Church 2. The publick use of the Word and Doctrine of Christianity for he that is under Cerem nec docet nec docetur says the Jews and in the antient Christian Church they that upon Repentance were received in again were first amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearers in the Porch 3. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Now certainly such a Sentence as this which deprives a man of all the Ordinances of God and delivers him over to the Devil is not to be passed against a professing Christian out of pet and humor upon light and trivial occasions but for just Causes and with greatest deliberation and consideration and for right Ends not for revenge or filthy lucre or barely to shew a Dominion and Power But to keep the Church pure by cutting off corrupt Members and to reclaim the obstinate and impenitent by this means when all other proves ineffectual Thus you see Excommunication though an heavy Censure is a Gospel Institution and is appointed for high and excellent ends and is a proper medium to those ends where 't is not abused And I must needs say 't is better used in our Church at this time then it was some Years past Which I hope will make it more valuable than it hath been Many men heretofore being so far from dreading it as a punishment that they sought it as a priviledge as it excluded them from our Church Tim. You have given a full answer to my request and great satisfaction to my mind in this matter which I never before so well considered Tit. I am glad I can gratifie you in any thing Proceed for it grows late Tim. I will. ARTICLE 34. It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly alike for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversity of Countreys Times and mens Manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common Authority ought to be rebuked openly that others may fear to doe the like as he that offendeth against the Common Order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of the weak Brethren Every Particular or National Church hath Authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by mans Authority so that all things be done to edifying Tit. I need not ask your thoughts of this having had your opinion of the 20th Article not much different from this So that you may read the next ARTICLE 35. Tim. The second Book of Homilies the several Titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth contain a godly and wholsome Doctrine and necessary for these times as doth the former Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the 6th and therefore we judg them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understanded of the People The Names of the Homilies 1 OF the right use of the Church 2 Against peril of Idolatry 3 Of repairing and keeping clean of Churches 4 Of good works first of Fasting 5 Against Gluttony and Drunkenness 6 Against excess of Apparel 7 Of Prayer 8 Of the place and time of Prayer 9 That Common Prayer and Sacraments ought to be ministred in a known Tongue 10 Of the reverent estimation of Gods Word 11 Of Alms-doing 12 Of the Nativity of Christ 13 Of the Passion of Christ 14 Of the Resurrection of Christ 15 Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ 16 Of the Gifts of the holy Ghost 17 For the Rogation days 18 Of the state of Matrimony 19 Of Repentance 20 Against Idleness 21 Against Rebellion Tit. These Homilies I suppose you are well acquainted with Tim. Truly no I don't know that ever I saw them I remember that some of our Rubricks sometimes appoint if there be no Sermon an Homily shall be read but understand not what is meant by Homily Tit. It had not been amiss you had informed your understanding better before you subscribed because of the high Commendation the Article gives of them which you consent to examine by your subscription Tim. True the Article saith they contain godly and wholsome Doctrine and do they not Tit. That question comes a little too late from you yet I answer they do The Books of Homilies are I may call them Sermons or Methodical Writings composed on sundry necessary Subjects as you see here by godly and sober men and were of good use in those times saith the Article being read distinctly to the People Tim. But why were they Composed Tit. For the benefit of the Clergy few of whom were able to Preach in those times or doe any more than Read. Tim. How long ago was it or in what times were they Composed Tit. The Article tells you one Book was in Edward the 6ths time the other about 1604. Tim. But why are they in use still what are they better Sermons than are usually Preached in these times Tit. I think not but far short of what many of our Reverend and Learned Clergy Preach weekly Therefore they are rarely enjoyned now but with this Proviso if there be no Sermon Whereby our Church saith no more than this better an Homily than nothing And I think our Governours in the Church shew their wisdom in not requiring the constant use of them For though as 't is said here they contain wholsome Doctrine yet they are not so suitable in these times as in those wherein they were framed Honest B. Lattimer's Sermons contain in them wholsome Doctrines yet if one of them should be read in our Churches it would rather be matter of Ridicle than Edification to most of the Hearers Tim. It is very true for most Persons stand affected to their Sermons as they do to their Garments nothing will please them
but the newest Fashion Tit. And I can assure you that 's no good humor for Truth is the same in any dress though I confess old Truths in a new dress look somewhat better than new Truths in an old one But I admire you never saw the Homilies since the Canon requires every Parish should have them Tim. There you have them Tit. Yes I caused my Church-Wardens to buy them and have diligently perused them and my advice is you doe the same they are worth your reading if it be but for this reason because you have approved them by subscription to this Article Tim. As you say upon that consideration I may doe it when I can light on them but I shall not be at the cost to purchase them my self Tit. As you please for that but I hope you will read the next Article which will be no charge to you Tim. I will. ARTICLE 36. The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and Ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of Edward the 6th and confirmed in the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are Consecrated or Ordered according to the Rites of that Book since the second Year of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time â—r hereafter shall be Consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully Consecrated and Ordered Tit. This Article you and I and every Minister of the Church must heartily own else he must dissallow of his own Orders Therefore we need spend no time here nor much about what follows ARTICLE 37. The Queens Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all Causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any Forreign Jurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government by which Titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended we give not to our Princes the ministring either of Gods Word or of the Sacraments the which thing the Injunctions also lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that onely Prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself that is that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the stubborn and evil doers The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for hainous and grievous Offences It is lawful for Christian men at the Commandment of the Magistrate to wear weapons and serve in the Wars Tit. No man can refuse to subscribe this Article that hath taken the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy as I know you have Tim. Yet if I mistake not this is one of the three Articles the Dissenters would expunge from the thirty nine and I wonder for what cause Tit. Because it makes the King Supream in and over all persons and things Ecclesiastical as well as Civil which most of Dissenters thought was no better than to make him a Pope Yet some of them I think have better considered it since for they have lately taken the Oath of Supremacy and I know not if understood aright how any man can refuse it that is not a Papist Tim. Then this Article may stand now as it is Tit. Yes and with approbation too no doubt for swearing is every whit as bad as subscribing and he that will doe the one cannot reasonably refuse the other Tim. But do they swear as we subscribe ex animo Tit. Who can say that I hope they do being great pretenders to Conscience and sincerity But their Practice will be the best indication of this which I would gladly believe will prove answerable to their Oath and Obligation by it Tim. I wish interest and designs be not at the bottom I suspect them really Tit. 'T is time and Patience must give you satisfaction whether 't is so or not and that 's all the answer can be given at present Tim. You say well and for this reason I shall watch their water And if they don't act and walk according to the Ecclesiastical Laws to which they have now obliged and subjected themselves they shall hear of it on both ears Tit. And I think it is not amiss to remind you that you walk and act according to your Oaths and Obligations least your reprehensions of them be returned with the Devil rebukes Sin. Tim. I hope I shall give them no cause for such Repartees having now a better understanding of things than I had And my knowledg being bettered I trust my practice shall be answerable Tit. Well resolved 't is the best way saith the Apostle by well doing to put to silence ignorant and foolish men Tim. In troth more Knaves than Fools I doubt Tit. Judge Charitably Tim. and as becomes a Christian think the best till you see just ground to alter your opinion And let the consideration of your own infirmities make you bear the more with your Brethrens Tim. Nay for Love and Charity I believe there is not much lost between them for mine would serve me to see them subdued and theirs to see the Church destroyed Tit. I perceive by your eyes your Choler begins to rise in your Stomach and therefore we must leave this and proceed to the next Article and so to a close in a few words Tim. Why have we so near done Tit. Yes there is but two more and they not long neither Tim. I am glad of it for I am almost weary Tit. But I hope you don't repent of your pains Tim. No no I 'le proceed ARTICLE 38. The Riches and Goods of Christians are not common as touching the Right Title and Possession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every man ought of such things as he possesseth liberally to give Alms to the poor according to his ability Tit. You are no Leveller are you Tim Tim. No. Tit. Nor do you believe and hold that Dominion and Right as to Worldly Riches and Possessions is founded in Grace Tim. No more than I do a World in the Moon or that Dr. O. hath a right to the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury Tit. But you believe and teach That all Christians ought to be Charitable and Rich in good Works and I hope you are so your self Tim. Yes I so teach and so do according to my abiâ—ity for I am not ignorant of the Divine Commands to this Duty the many gracious promises made to those that doe it and severe threatnings breathed forth against those that neglect it
Word doth import our own renouncing of Sin the World and the Devil and our Engagement to Christ and Obligation to live according to his Gospel And shall we entertain and encourage Sin in our Lives against all these Professions and Testimonies of our own O what Treachery and Perfidiousness is this to make such a stir against Sin in the Pulpit and yet to give it Countenance by our Practice O'tis this promotes Atheism and Debauchery 't is this that casts Contempt upon our Church reflects great Dishonour upon God and obstructs the Power and Prevalency of the Gospel Methinks if we are sincere Christians to whom the Glory of God is dearer than their Lives it must needs wound us to the Heart to hear the Name and Truth of God reproached for our sakes To see Men point to any of us and say There goes a covetous Priest a scandalous Preacher an open Tipler a frequent Swearer and secrer Whoremonger These are they that preach for Strictness and Holiness that condemn us by their Sermons and themselves by their Conversations Brethren bear with me for my Plainness and Zeal 'T is good saith the Apostle to be zealous in a good thing My Zeal for the Cause of God and Religion which lyes bleeding amongst us constrains me Whose Heart can endure to hear Men cast the Dung of our Iniquities in the Face of the Holy Ghost in the Face of the Gospel which we Preach and in the Face of all that desire to fear the Lord. For if one of us a Leader of a Flock be but once tho he continue not in it ensnared in a scandalous Crime all the pious Ministers and other Godly Christians round about him suffer by it For the Wicked and Ungodly and all our Enemies cry out they are all alike Their being nothing more common with evil Men than for the Faults and Crimes of one Professor especially if a Minister to reproach the whole Party O take heed therefore Brethren in the Name of God of every Word you speak of every Step you tread of every Action you do For you bear the Ark of the Lord you are entrusted with his Honour and dare you let it fall and trample it in the Dirt If you do God can find out ways enough to wipe off all that can be cast upon him but you will not so easily remove the Shame and Sorrow you hereby bring upon your selves Remember therefore that standing Decree of Heaven Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed saith the Lord. And know thus much that all our Preaching and Persuation of others will prove but dreaming and trifling Hipocresy till we be throughly wrought upon to live according to the Word our selves For he that hath not so strong a Belief of the Word of God and the Life to come as will take off his own Heart from the Vanity of this World and set it upon a resolved Diligence for Salvation it cannot be expected that he would be faithful in seeking the Salvation of other Men. Surely he that dares damn himself dares let others alone in the way to Damnation He that will let go his hopes of Heaven rather than leave his wordly and sensual Delights I think will hardly leave these for the good and saving of others In reason we may conceive he will have little pity on others that is willfully cruelly to himself and that he is not to be trusted with other Mens Souls that is unfaithful to his own and will sell it to the Devil for the short Pleasures of Sin. I beseech you therefore Brethren as you tender the wellfare of your own Souls and the Souls of others as you would have the Church of God flourish the Kingdom of Satan lessened and the Gospel of our ever blessed Lord run and be gloryfied in the Conversion of Sinners and in the Lives and Conversations of his Saints take heed to your ways and become exemplary in your Lives that others seeing your good Works may glorify our Father which is in Heaven Nor would I put you only to an outward sober and civil Conversation but also as the means to it to look after an inward Renovation We as well as other Men have vitious and corrupt Natures which must be sanctified and renewed or we can never be saved Prove your selves therefore whether you be in the Faith in Christ by a through Sanctification and serious Repentance or not Take heed you be not void of those Graces of God's Spirits which you offer to others and excite others to pray for and endeavour after That you preach not the Word of Conversion to others and your selves being yet unconverted should prove Castaways And know that a Gospel Conversion or work of true Grace implys not only sober and righteous Actions but sanctified and renewed Affections not only blameless Lives but clean and pure Hearts and you shall be able to judg of the one by the other For if the inner Man be renewed the outward Man will be reformed where the Heart is truly sanctified by God's Spirit there the Life will be conformable to God's Law. And being satisfied about our own Spiritual State that it is safe and good let us in our respective places vigorously endeavour the Renovation and Conversion of others studying and by all means striving to fit our selves for so great a work as these that are sensible of the difficulty of it O what Qualifications are necessary for us who have such a Charge upon us as we have He must not be a Babe in Knowledg that will teach Men all those mysterious things that are necessary to be known in order to Salvation How many Difficulties in Divinity to be opened How many obscure Texts of Scripture to be expounded How many Duties to be done wherein our selves or others may miscarry if in the Manner End Circumstances and Matter they be not well informed How many Sins to be avoided which without understanding and foresight canâ—â—t be done What a number of Satan's Wiles of his sly and subtile Temptations must we open to our Peoples Eyes that they may escape them How many weighty and yet intricate Cases of Conscience must we dayly resolve And can such work and so much work be done without Knowledg and other due Qualifications O what strong holds have we to batter and how many of them what subtile diligent and obstinate resistance must we expect at every Heart we deal with Prejudice hath block'd up our way we can scarce procure a patient hearing but many think ill of what we say while we are speaking We cannot make a Breach in their groundless Hopes and carnal Peace but Men have twenty Shifts and seeming Reasons to make it up again and as many Enemies that are seeming Friends ready to help them We Dispute not with them upon equal Terms but have Children to deal with that cannot understand as we have distracted Men in Spirituals to reason with that will bawl us down with rogueing Nonsence we have Atheistical Persons to encounter that deny Principles wilful and unreasonable People that when they are silenced are never the more convinced and when they can give no Reason will give you their Resolutions I will not believe you nor all the Preachers in the World in this nor change my Mind nor alter my Course say what you will. Like the Man Salvian had to deal with that being resolved to devour a poor Man's Estate and being Lib. 4. de Gubernat p. 133. entreated by Salvian to forbear told him he could not grant his Request for he had made a Vow to take it so that the Preacher ita religiosissimi sceleris ratione was fain to depart Now when I consider all this and much more incumbent upon us Ministers which is no Burden for a Child 's Back I cannot but break out with the Holy Apostle and say What manner of Persons ought we to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness Lord What manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Resolutions and Endeavours for our great indispensable and weighty work Let us therefore with Seriousness and holy Resolutions separate our selves from the World and devote our selves with our Might to God and the good of Souls labouring both by our soundness of Doctrine and holiness of Living to add unto the Flock of Christ the Church of God such as shall be saved And to approve our selves in the sight of all Men to be the Lights of the World the Ambassadors of Christ a Chosen Generation and a Royal Priesthood shewing forth the Practices and Vertues of him who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light. Which that we may all do I conclude with that excellent Prayer of our Church pertinent to this Exhortation That it may please thee O Lord to illuminato all Bishops Priests and Deacons with true knowledg and understanding of thy Word and that both by their Preaching and Living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly And let every one that wisheth well to Zion say Amen ERRATA PAge 4 line 16. for sin read some P. 5. l. 46. f. there is r. therein is P. 7. in the Margent dele Pompin P. 10. l. 33. f. are r. â—s P. 10. l. 44. f. tongues r. thanks P. 13. l. 30. r. the sin of Nature P. 17. l. 19. f. this r. their P. 22. l. 58. f. the men r. these mâ—n P. 24. l. 4. f. new r. now P. 35. l. 26. dele a Commissaries P. 35. l. 42. f. proceeded r. proceeded P. 36. l. last f. examine r. ex animo P. 37. l. 27. f. there r. then P. 38. l. 39. f. last between them r. between us FINIS