Full text of "Presbyterian meetings where there is a parish-church are no schisms, and they that go thither are no schismaticks: being an answer to Mr. Abraham Jeacock, curate in Birmingham"

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Index in I. Part.

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gtntor&m necefistas
gent or um n amino,
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511 Gyges ^ 50S
519 gjltppus Spartanu* 14

512 gjmnafljce 1 o

MORALIVM

multermald 219

mutt er is d 1 ait Unfits 27)

•multerx hone ft a opera 417
mulrerts ornatus 278

multeris PergamenA f acinus

multerisjermo 279

mutter:* ^trum expert A bculus

192
multeri tmperare marttus $/
deb eat 279

mult ere s conjultattonsbus de
hello & pace adhibit a 414
mult ere s qua due end a I

multerum amtct qus z~/6

multerum exitij can fa 112
multerum habitus tn luttu

463
multerum tmpert a 358

de Multerum laudattontbus
lex Rom an a 419

I multerum laus 384

\ multerum lasts propria 179
multerum Itb err as 484

multerum 9/rtus 419

I mulrttudo 540

[ multttudo cotinsia exprejja 8 o
\ multitudshis tn ordtnem cea-
c!a exprcfito 80

ft mtindictei commendatfo 178
mundus an$nscus 85

mundus communis 31 \

[ munds gubernatio 91

I mundi medium 534

f; mundt partes 104

mundt qmtiquc numero cur

537

mundt Jit hs 535

mundum %num ejjh numero
533

P L V T A R C « t,%

mundorum infinitas
mundorum numerus
mundosplures ejje %no
murena
murus cur facer
muja/hm opus
mttjica

53<
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mujicA argument a %'ndepeten

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muJicA %Jus 280

muficcs defnttso 105

mujices dtuerjus 9/us ibid.

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w uficespra u& ejfeftus 1 8

mujices %ts 10 J

mujices \Jits 411

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mutattontb, 9/ adjisefcendunt

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my c en a

mylephaton
my ro
myrontdes

my}

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510

117
491
433
34C

460
483

mjrtus Venerijacra
my fonts rejjonfum

Narrandaqu&Jint 305
narrandt fyartetat 8d

narratto comparattone inter*

mtxta ibtd.

narratto exemplo adhtbtto tbt.
narratto per Jon a 78

narratto rhetortca lit

narratto fmilttudtne autla%6
narrations* quant it as. 7 $f

Index in

narrattont occajtone quAprA-
beant 7 8

narrattones Jtngularu ret ge-
ft a e tr cumft ant t arum 7 8

narrattonum %/h* 167

naftca 101.358

n at dies 341

natales tfluftres

nataUum effeclu* .

natal* um (plendor

nattenum dtfcrtmtna

naturaabfy dtfctpltna

natttra quo tup lex

naturA conuerfto

naturA defeclus an corrtgatttr
arte 2

naturA &fortunA differentia

215
natur&futtlis indicia

naturA human a curftts

naturA rant as

naturA requtjita

naturAfeparatto

nauplius

naufieaa

nauttcA leges

Nebulisfabula

necefittas altisferuiendt $nde

necefiita* monendt 244

necejfartum 95

necejfartorum & (iiperuaca-
44*

460

318

*47
209
2*5

543
503

44
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neorum dtjcrtmen

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necya

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neicotemts Naucratites

n tie us Codrt F.

nemtjts 201 319.516

nemejis quid Jit $j

381

285
54

I. Part.

nephaltumjacrorum rittts 166
neoptolemsss 49 7

neptunus 8485.104.194.249
neptunt epithet a 87

»«•* 162.213

neronis peregrinatto 555

neruorum on go 18 J

»<r^ 498

#<?/?0r 42.96 104. III. 112.114.

181
neftoris ($ Vljfiis comparatto

101
Ntcander 40 1

ntcander^atcs 553

ntcdnor 329

»«* 3I7-342.374

ntctonis mors 3 45

n tco crates 437

ntcomachui 419

ntcomedes 353

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ntfusrex Megaridis 49 8

#///-/ natura 1 69

no btltt at is lucrum 155

Nomtnis tmponendi tempus

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nomtna^etera 469

nomtfmaferrtum 398

nomtfinaprtfcum 469

vop&rnde dittus us

nonarumortgo 461

nonius 368

nouttatis amicorum adfccla-

tto 109
nox acuta

Numa Pomptltus 4j8«455-473

numantia $6}

Presbyterian Meetings

Where there is a

Parifh-Church,

ARE NO

SCHISMS;

And they that go thither are no

SCHISMATICKS.

Being an ANSWER to

Mr. Abraham Jeacoch

Curate in 'Birmingham.

- ■'■■ ' •>< •• ". M'! I / ' l ■» i ■ ... ■ .

By Cfamaja; -felauon*

LONDON,

Printed, and Sold by the Bookfellers
in the City and Country, 1701.

d )

Presbyterian Meetings where there it
a (pariflb-Cburch, are no Schifais 5
And they that go thither are no
Schifmaticks.

T was the fad Complaint of God's Church in the Bah^
hnifh Captivity, that (he was not only miferable, but
all the Spectators, Perfons of other Nations, took ng
Notice of it, had no CorapaiTion upon her, hence (lie
expostulates with thcm,L/Jw. i . \1. Is it nothing to you,
all you that pafs by ? beheld, and fee if there be any Surrow like
to my Sorrow which ps done unto me. And may not ljwny of
the Protectant and Reformed Churches of Chrifl: breath forth
the fame Complaints now ? What ihall we fry to the Pro-
teftant Churches in France ? how many, and how great, and
of how long continuance have they been? Thepublkk places for
their Religious Aflemblies are pulled down, Families have
been driven into other Kingdoms, fome imprifoned, dear Re*
iations feparated one from another, Husbands and Wives,
Parents and Children, are hereby deprived of that mutual
Afliftance, Comfort and Incouragement they might have ad-
miniftred one to another : fome of their Children have bceix
; put into Monafleries to be trained up in that poifbneus and
I Soul-damning Religion : others condemned to the Qallies :
others Baftinadoed : others broken upon the Wheel. And
what fliall we fay to the PfoteiUnts in Tranjyhama, where-
no fewer than Three Hundred Mhufters were (hipped, to
be fold as Slaves, but ranfomed by de gutter, the Dutch.
Admiral, and many of whom came then into England* VVUt
(hall we fay to the Proteltant \h Hungary, \\\ Qtrmany;;^:?

B * _ Pro--

(4)

Proteftents were numerous, Religion once flouriflied, and yet
by a long .Series of Troubles, Preflures, and Perfections of
Popifh Princes, both Proteftants and Religion is wonderfully
decayed. Their Troubles have been fo numerous, great, and
of fo long duration, and without Appearance of Mitigation^
that many Proteftants have chofe rather to defert their Native
Country, acquit their Pofleifions, and live under the great
Turk with' the free Liberty and Exercifc of their Religion^
than to live in their own Countries in the Enjoyment of their
Poffeilions with Perfecution for Religion fake.

But thefe things are nothing to very many of you ( O ye )
in England, who never fympathize with them, who mourn
not with them that mourn ! who weep not with thofe that
weep ! who never pray for tht Peace of God's Jerufalem in
thofe Popifli Kingdoms ! The Apoftle is very exprefs and
pofitive, i Cor. i2. 26. Whether one Member fuffer, all
the Members fuffer with it \ or if one Mc?nber be honoured, all
the reft rejoice with it. Heb. 13. 13. Remember them that
are in Bonis, as being bound vfith them ; and them that fuffer
Adverfity, as being your f elves alfo in the Body. But where
have been your Days of Fading and Supplications to God for
them ? yea, where have been your Family Prayers to God,
that he would fweeten the Spirits of their Enemies towards
them ; that he would turn their Hearts, and of Foes make
them Friends i You vogue your felves Members of the Uni-
verfal Church of Chriil, but by your not fympathizing with
them in their Miferies, you evidence your felves to be dead
Members. You do not lympathize, and therefore you have
no Scnk nor Life in you. But many of thofe whom you have
branded for S'ckifmatickst and have cut off themfelves from
Communion with Chrift, and Benefit of Salvation by him :
thefe have had a Senfiblenefs of their Sufferings, fympathized
with them, have had their Fublkk Falls and Supplications
to God for them ; and fome now have a Fellow-feeling of
their Temporal and Spiritual Afflictions for Righteoufnefs
fake in their private Fads. And if their Non- Conformity
to the Ceremonies and Humane Modes ofWorQiip in the
Church of England, have not made us unfenfible of, nor nn-
compaflionatc to the Sufferings of the Perfecuted for Religion
fake ; how come we to be cut off from Communion with

Chrift, and Benefit of Salvation . by him, by preaching in a
place dtilinct from the Parilh Church?, when Spiritual Sympathy
is an Evidence of Spiritual Senfe, and Spiritual Senfe is an
Evidence of Spiritual Life, and Spiritual Life the Effect and
Evidence of our Union and Communion with Chrifh

And Satans Malice and Man's Wickednefs are as reftlels now
as ever. They ceafe not to diflurb the Church of Clirift, not
only in PopHh, but in Protcftant Kingdoms. Witnefs allthofe
Troubles which befel thofe which were called Purita?is, be-
fore the Civil Wars in England: how many Minifters fu-
fpended, and how many Families were forced to go into
Holland and Virginia, becaufe they could not conform to
Ceremonies and Modes of Worfhip in the Church ofE?i:Jand;
and whom they could not conquer in the Bifliop's Court,
they overthrew and ruined in the Star Chamber and high
Commiffion Court. Such was the rampant Tyranny and
Cruelty of them, that they caufed the Rnine of them.

And when God was pleafed to reftore the Royal Family
to the Englijh Throne again, the Act of Uniformity routed
two thoufand five hundred Minifters, Lecturers, ScboolJ
Matters, out of their Minifterial Imployments and Education
of Children, their Families ihopoverilhed, and expofed to
Ruine : And when the rejected Minifters refuted in their
Parifhes and Corporations where they were fettled, and
taking all Opportunities to preach to their former Auditors,
whoiearned more to prize them by the want of them.than in
the Injoyment of them ; and publick Places growing thin of
Auditors, the live Mile Act came forth, which baniftied them
five miles from the places of their Abode, five miles from every
Corporation, though no City. And that they might not
preach/and People difcouraged from he aring of them/a Penalty
of Twenty Pounds was enacted, and to be laid upon the
Houfe where they preached, Twenty Pounds upon the Mi-
nuter, five JkHlings upon every Auditor ; and if there were
any Hearers infolent, the Penalty was to be levied on o-
thers, provided it not exceeded five Pounds.

And to cover the foulnefs, unrcafonahlenefs, and cruelty
of thefe Acts, and make them more plaufible among the
common People, they caft upon the Qijfenters in England,
Scotland and Ireland, molt odious Names, They branded

C 6 )

religious AtTemblies for feditious Conventicles : Praying and
Preaching, to be Plotting : Confcientioufhefs in matters of
Religion, to be Stubbornnefs: Faith to be Faction; and Reli-
gion to be Rebellion : And Incouragement afligned to make
perfons to turn Informers ; ont third part of the Penalties
to be given to the Poor, another third to the Informers.
And may not the Dif enters in thefe three Kingdoms, cry
out with the 'jewijh Church in the Babyhnian Captivity,
Lam. 12. Is it nothing to )ou, O ye I Is the loisof our Mini-
(iry nothing to you! lofs of thole Capacities of doing good in
our Pariihes, where God had bleft our Miniil eriai Labours
to thelnfiructing of the Ignorant, to the convincing of fome,
to the Converfion of others, and the Edification of others.
Are thefe things nothing ? Is the lofs of our Maintenance,
the Impoverishing of our Families, nothing to you, O ye |
was our Banilhment, thofe malicious and falfe Accufations
we were branded wkh, nothing to you, O ye ! who fully
aad niaiicioufiy accufe us zsSchifmatfcks. Were we once
Members of Chriils Mystical Body, and are we now Brands
in the burning, by your impofmg Ceremonies and humane
Modes of Worihip, and is this nothing to you, O ye !

When the Corporation Ai\ came forth, your Town of
firminghfiTn was as ix\Ajfyhm$ Place of Refuge to nine of us,
*jid cv o more who lived near your Town ; and the ancient
Pre&tfbrs then alive,, gave a kind Reception : they joyfully
entertained their Peribns which une'ellrvedly were an Eye-
fore to fome • and gladly embraced their Labours, v\hcii
were blafphemoufly branded by others. .And as God pro -
mifed Abraham, Gen. 12. 3. he would hlifs them that
bLjf-.d him, ffndcurfi th:m that car fed him \ and even (oGod
bad] been pleated to make Imprefllons of his Difpleafure up-
on fome of thofe who were Enemies to them ajtfd your Meet-
ings, especially thofe Informers who thought to enrich them-
felves with their Penalties, and to be blefs'd with their Spoiles:
.and God hath made great ImprefTions of his Love towards
your Town : he hath bhfled your Town more within this
Twenty Years and lc&, than in an Hundred before. vVitnefs
thai numerous Increafe of Buildings, Multitudes of People,
the Advancement of Trade : fo that you do not only ex*
<xed your former feltts. but you exceed the Corporations and

C7)

Cities round about you : yea, when fome of them have de-
cayed in their Principal Trades, you are mightily advanced
in yours, &c.

And you are not only bled in Temporals,but in Spirituals,
your Gleanings are more than the Vintage of others, and I
hope God hath btefled very many of you with Grace in your
Souls. Some of you have owned to me, they never had
any Inclination to Religion till they went to the Presbyterian
Meetings. Another, whole Father was an Eir?my both to
their Perfons and Meetings, who had not fo much as a Bible
in his Houfe, yet he can fay as fome of Philiftia, lyre, and
^Ethiopia fliould fay of Zwn, this Man was bdm thcre^ Pfal.
87.4,5. By all which it is evident, God hath heard the
Prayers of his ejected, defpifed, baniflied and blafphemcd
Minulcrs, for your Town both in Temporals and Spirituals ;
and that he hath blefs'd their Miniirerial Endeavours with
Succefs, that fuch a Generation of Youth are fprung up in
the room of the old Stock of ProfefTors, who have tailed of
the Sweetnefs and Bkflednefs of the Word andWays of God,
and thaukfully acknowledge God's Goodneis, that they have
enjoyed their Labours. And it is an undoubted Truth,
that mod Perfons fpeed the better for the Cohabitation of
-the Righteous. Lab an could fay, Gen. 30. 27. That he had
learned by Experience, that the Lord had blefed him for
Jacobs fake ; and therefore he prayed him, that he would
tarry with him. An Idohtrous Ey^ptian oblerved, That the
Lord ivas with Jo fifth, and that the Lord -made all that he did
to pro (per in his Hands, and Jofcph found Grace in his Sight.
AU the Paflengers in the Ship fped the better for Paul s
fake, Acls 27. 23, 24. There food by me this Night the
Angd 0f Qoc(^ wJJOfe j am, and whom I fr<ve, faying, par
not Paul, you muf be brought befre Ctefir, and lo God hath
given thee all them that fail with thee. If Paid had not
been with them, every Man of than had been drowned.
The Ark of God abode but three Months in Obed Edo?n$
Houfe, and the Lord bleded him and all his Houfliold, 2 Saw.
6. 11. And if wicked Men fpeed the better for the Cohabi-
tation of God's People amongft them, furcly he will not
fiiffer KindnciTes fhewn to them to be unrewarded. Wat<r
.is a common thing, cold Water is a poor Cordial, a Cup of

(8)

cold Water is a very fmall meafure, of little value, yet God
accepts of this, and promifeth a Reward for it, when it is
given to a Difciple in the Name of a Difciple, Mat. I o. 42.
And if the Nonconformift Minifters had been Schifmaticks,
and had cut off themfelves from Communion with Chrift and
Benefit of Salvation by him, God would never have heard their
Prayers, nor fo rewarded thofe civil Kindneffes they received
from you.

What remains for you to do, but to be thankful, and that
God's Honour and Intereft be dear to you. Call to Mind
the Truths you have heard, and love them. Remember the
Prayers put up to God for your Town, and blefs God for
the gracious Return of them. He hath done great things
Tor yofy fee that you do your Duty to him. Stand and
plead for the Purity and Simplicity of his Ordinances. God
hath revealed what is moft agreeable to him ; what moft
becomes hisHolinefs. He hath manifefted his Sovereignty in his
inftituted WorQiip. He will be worfhipped in his own w3y,
and not according to the Inventions and Modes of Men. Be
not afraid of thofe Ecclefiaftical Scare-Crows and Bug-Bears,
Schifm and Schifmaticks. It is not the Separation,, but the
Caufe that makes the Schifmatick.

And as for you who are our Enemies, and dance after this
Pipe, and call us Schifmaticks, and no fooner come out of
the Church Door from your Prayers, but call us damned
Schifiilaticks,and fpeak the Language of the Curare. Coufider
that prodigious Inconfi.lancy you are guilty of, Jam. 3. 9, 10.
With jour Tongues ye blefs God, even the Father, and there-
with you curfe Men, which are made after the Similitude of
God. Out of the fame0 Mouth proceedeth Bleffing and Ciirfing.
Doth a Fountain] 'end forth at the fame place fvoeet Water and
bitter ? Doth the Fig Tree bear Olive Berries ? or a Fine Figs ?
So can no Fountain yeild both fait Water and frejb. And
what (hall we fay to thofe Men and Women among!!: you,
who had rather hear a Jefui}, a Pepifh Priefty than hear a
Presbyterian Minijler. Oh excellent Ornaments of this
glorious Church of England [ h<ive you fuch anApprobation of
thofe croaking Frogs that come from the Bottomlefs Pit, and
fuch Enemies to thofe who are Ambafladors of Chrift as well
ss your Minifters.

Confider,

t 9 }

Confider, If God hath a tender Care of his People, as he
hath of the Apple of his Eye, Zach. 2. 8. and accounts tiie
perfecting of his People, whether in their Names, Liber?
ties or Properties, a perfecuting of himfelf, A&s 9. 4. you
will find us then to be no Schifmaticks, but living Members
of Chrifh And if thofs who relieve not the Neceffities of
Chrift's indigene Members (hall be damned, what will be
the Portion of thofe who have unjuftly perfecuted them in
their Reputatiohs,Liberties and Pofleffions ? Mat. 25.41 42.
&c. Oh ! how dreadful will it be for you at the D-y of
Judgment, to fee Chrift honoured in them, and by them, in
whom you have perfecuted him, and to be admired in thofe
whom you have branded as Schifmaticks, ZThcf. 1. io. He
{bail come to be glorified in his Saints, and admired in the?n
that belive. If we-thall be found Beikvers in him, and our
Sufferings are ibr the Vindication of the Purity, and Simpli-
city^ _and Perfection of his Ordinances: What will become
of you? Will you, dare you uUtifie thefe things then ? 'iliac
Day is the Day of God's Righteous Judgment, when all
Vizards and Masks (hall be pulled off from the Purity of
Divine Ordinances, ana the impofed Myilical Ceremonies and
humane Modes of WorQiip* When all Masks fliail be taken off
from Conformifts and No neon form ills, and every thing and
Perfon (hall appear in their natural Colours, and God, the
Righteous Judge, (hall give a Reward to things and Per ions as
he hath revealed in his Word. Take heed you be not deceived
at that Day. Hath God any whu*e commanded thefe Cere-
monies in his Word ? Did Jefus Chrii't or his Apofties ever
make ufe of them ? Hath God any where in his Holy Word
given power to the Authority of a Nation to injoin them ?
Hath God any where in his Word given Power to the Au-
thority of a Kingdom to filence, banim, imprifon Mini icn;,
mine Families, and impofe fevere Panalties upon them that
cannot in Confcience ufe them. ' If none of thefe dungs are
commanded, countenanced, nor mentioned in Scripture, how
will you be able to ftand at God's Barr at the Lli Day, when
God (hall ask you, who bath required thefe things at your
Hands? God will judge you not according to t -c Law of
•the Land, but according to his Word, Rom. 2. 16. *nd if
you judge us before you hear us, you do toiftrary to the

Lav/

C io)

L^w of Nature and of Nations. Nicodemus ask'd the Jews,
Doth our Law condemn any Man before it hear him, and know
rrhat he doth ? And Jufttis told the Chief Priefls and Elders
of the Jews, when they defired to have Judgment agaiuft Paul,
That it was not the manner of the Romans to deliver any Man
to die before he that is accufed hath his Accufers Pace to Face,
and have* licenfe to anfiver for himfelf concerning the Crime
laid againft him. Bat you accuie and condemn us before
you hear what we have to plead for our felves. It will not
help yon at the Day of Judgment, to fay, we believed our
Guides, our Prelates, our Preachers, who were fet over us.
It is not what they fay, but what God faith in Ills Word,
jfa 8. 2o. To the Law, and to the TeJIimony, if they fpeak
not according to this Word, they have no light in them. What if
your GuiJes be blind in this cafe ? as the Scribes and Pharifees
in their Traditions and Commands; then both you and they
fall into the Ditch, Math. 15. 14, Our Saviour would not
have the 'Jews to reft on the Tedimony of John Baptift
concerning him, $ohn 51.31. and though the Works which he
did bore Witnefs of him. Ver. 36 . and though the Father bore
Witnfs of him. Ver. 3 7. yet he fends them to the Serif ture,
Ver. 39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye have Eternal
Life, and they are they which teftifie of me* What if your
Guides (ball draw forth falfe Inferences from found Premifes,
.and falfe Conchtfions from found Proportions, this will not
excufc you. i bus the Devil tempted Chrift to Preemption,
By a wrong Application of Scripture, Mat. 4. 5,6. Thus
,the Gnojticks and Alexandrian Ueret 1 'c ks turned the Grace of
God into WantonncG, Jud. 11. 4. thus the Scribes and
Pharfies of old, yea, Papijls, and fome Licentious Anti-
mmians, have drawn falle Conditions from found Premiies:
and this will not exenfe you ; you are to imitate the Noble
Bareans, who tryed the Apoflles Doctrine by the holy Scrip-
tures, /iff: 17. ii. If you drink in all the Inferences, Con-
(Clufignsand Doctrines of your Guides, without trying them
by the Word ; and thefe create Prejudices in your Minds
agamllBS, only from their fay fo, and call us Schifmaticks,
Schifinatfcal Whelps, and damned Schifmaticks, after the
Language of your Curate, and have no Scripture Ground
for it \ you are like thofe*£encers of old, called Anabatx

who

(II )

who fenced with their Eyes (hut, and run counter to the
exprefs Command of the Ap&ftle, who befoughr thfcrti to
mark thofe who caufe Divijions and Offences, which ar-: not
according tQ the Doclrine which ye have learned, and avoid
them, Rom. «6. 17 Do you tin a thefe things which are the
Caufe of Contention in the Db&rtfle of the Apoitle, if not,
confider, 2 John 10. u. If t her. come any Man unto you,
and bring not this Doclrine, receive h.m not into your Houfey
neither bid him God fpeed : for he that biddah him God
ffced is Partaker of his Evil Deeds : yon nave Sins
enough of your own, derive in upon your ielves the Guile
of all that Contention and P' ' in the Town, by own-
ing, pleading for, and jtffttfying of it.

And as for you, who, GaMo-Uke, matter none of thefe
things, fight Dog, fight Bear, i-urit/ of Divine Ordinance?,
mixture of Ceremonies, and Humane Modes of Worihip,
are all alike to you, remember God's V- on', 1 Sam, 1. 30.
I will honour them that honour me, and they that defpife me
(hall be lightly efteetned. i here is no Neutrality m God's
Caufe. if God be God, follow him: if Baal be God,
follow him : Goci will be ferved according to his own
Will, and his own Will only, and not according to the
Fancies and Inventions of Men. Adhere then to his re-
vealed Will and inftitutedWorfhiponly. Contraries cannot a*
gree together : there is no halting betwixt two Opinions.
Remnnrcr that bitter Cnrfe denounced againft Merozjfud. 5.
2%:&trfe ye Mcroz,f\d\d the Angel of the Lord) Cnrfe y 9
bitterly the Inhabitants thereof \ bechufe they came not to tho
Help of the Lord againft the mighty. Remember that Dil-
grace put on the Nooks of Icjlma, which hath flood upon
Record againffc them for thefe Two Thoufand Years,
Kch 3. 5. tut their Nobles put not their Necks to the
Works of the Lord. It is a (infill thing to have no Zeal
for God, nor for his Truths and Ordinances. Are you
ilhamed to own them i Remember, Mark2. 38. Whofoevcr
fhill be afham-d of me, and of my Words, in this adult erouM
Generation, of Jjim jball the Son of Man be afiamed
whm he cor/ieth in the Glory of his Fath>r with his Holt
Angels*

In a Word, you that are inflamed with Love and Zeal
for the mere Inventions of $ten in the Worlhip of God,
con/icier, you are more God's than your own '. you owe
more to him than to your fclves : he hath made you Rational
ures, capable to know him and his Will : He hath
g n vm aji infallible Word that you might know him :
IJ a:li given you Wills to choofe, Affections to lcve, and
Tougaes to (peak: acquaint you felves more with God's
Word, for the enlightning of your Underftandings, for
the rectifying of your Judgments: Improve your Wills to
choofe his Truths, his Institutions only : Improve your
ArE ctions to iove them : Improve your Tongues to plead
for them, for rhey will (land, hitherto they have prevailed,
2nd they will finally prevail againft all the Oppofitions that
Earth and Hell, Men and Devils , can make againfr
them.

You who are the Inhabitants of Birmingham, and
loving Friends to the the Curate thereof, have had a Book
Dedicated to yon concerning Church Communion, wherein
the Author tells you, with forrow/ul Reiie&ions upon
the deplorajle Divihons among us ; and indeed they are to
be lamented by Chrilians of all Perflations, as being con-
trary to that God that .iiade us, who is a God of Peace;
contrary tojefus Chri 1 our Redeemer, who is a Prince of
peace ; contrary to the Holy Spirit of God, who is the
Spirit of Peace ; contrary to our Religion, which is a
Peaceable Religion ; contrary to the Scriptures, which com-
njand Peace, and are an Inurnment to work Pe^ce both in
Heart and Life ; contrary to the Fruits of the Spirit, which
are Peace, and make Peace. But our Savionr tells us, that
Ofi'/iccs will co?ne, and Wo to them by whom they come.
And who are they who cauie thc(e deplorable Divifions ?
even they who do not imitate God, nor Chrhl, that are
not led by the Spirit, Kor take the Word of God for their
Rule, and teach the Commands of Men for the Doctrines of
God : and thofe who reproach Chriitians for Schifmaticks,
and fpeak falfe things concerning thofe who are as humble,
felf-denying, and fcrious in the Work of Salvation as your
felves.

This

C 13)

This your Curate tells you in the. third Page of his
Preface, that a Challenge was fent him* by a DhTenting
Minifter to make good what he had (aid againfr Diflt nters.

Which is a notorious , he himfelf made the Challenge,

Qoliah like, in the Pulpit, and afterward in a private Houfe.
And the Perfon whom he faith brought the Challenge,
hath twice denied it, and faith, he told him in my W ,
That if he pleas'd to appoint time and place, I would have
a Conference with him concerning his Inference.

In Page 4. he faith, various Artifices were ufed to evade
It, which is as notorious as the other : I made none, 1 de-
figned none. One of his Admirers told a Friend of mine,
that there would be a great Crowd of People Cher , and none
might come in but fuch as had tickets, and that I would
give him a ticket for himfelf and iix more, and fever.:.
this Report, would diflwade me from going, fcfpe&ing ic
might fall out to me, as with Mr. Henrv, when he difpuced
with the Bilhop of but I told them, I Wc's not afraid,
I thought the Place the belt in all the Town, for C uietnefs
and Freedom, from Tumult and Interruption, which fell
out acordingly, be it fpoke to the Credit of the Rector of
Birmingham, and I folemnly declare, 1 fcttew nothing of any
Artifices either by my felf or others to evace it.

There were Ibme indeed defired fome Mm tilers to be by,
who were better able to judge of Arguments .than Lay-
Perfons, and have two on his fide, and two on the other
fide j but when the two deligned on the Opponents fide
had engaged themfelves for Journeys, at that time the Bufineis-
fell. But there was no Delign or Artifice to evade it, what-
ever his artificial Imagination may fogged: to him.

As for denying the Difcourfe to be taken in Writing, was
on this very ground to me, there was none there that
could write Characters, and fo we (hould lofe time. The
other reafon was given by others. But for his faying perhaps
we had fome other wife reafon for it -y neither my (elf, nor
thole who went with me, had another, never mentioned any
other, whatever his Pride and Conceitednefs might, luggcit
to him. It is a malicious and fcornful Imagination.

In the fifth Page he tells, that by four Syllogifins, he
brought the Diflenting Minifter to acknowledge, either

C 14 D

we are guilty ofSchifm, or the Church of England held
fictfbj terms of Communion, this is like his elder Brethren
before down right—— they are all like to one another,
and like their Father, pule with Impudence, and blufh like
blue Dogs. He had but one Syllogifm, and when both his
Proportions were denied, he never attempted to prove ei-
ther of them, either by Scripture, or any other Medium.
I never made the leaft fludow of Acknowledgement, we
were guilty of Sehifm, there was not the leaft caufe for it,
he left his Difpute, and went to Quel t ions and Anfwers,and
the tilings which he queftioned were proved to be iinful
to us.

What he alerts in the bottom of the Fifth Page, and be-
ginning of the Sixth, are down right Contradictions, and of
two Contraries, one only can be true. In the bottom of
the Fifth Page, he tells you, that the Difftnting Minifter
had fuch Sueceis, that his Party would be very glad to have it
buried in Oblivion. In the B ginning of the Sixth Page,
that the Diflfcrteing Party reported it, that the Author
of theft Difccourfes was reduced to thofe great Straights in
the Conference, that he had not a Word to fay for himfclf,
and "that he defer ted the Holy Scriptures: it is evident he
hud but very little to lay for himfelf, when he never went
aiout to prove his Propofhions ;'a*)d when he faith he had
three more, which is a Falihood, and the Scriptures he pro-
duced were but two. Let the Reader obferve the Difcourfe.

In the Seventh Page he tells you, that the Recital of the
Conference, both for Matter and Method of it, is fo great
a piece of tfalihood, that he is verily perfwaded, that it can-
not be paraltelfd. If his foregoing -—had choaked him, he
had never lived to have wrote this. He hath a wide Throat

to fwallow down fo many Is it fo indeed ? Are you the

only infallible Man ? Is there nothing true but what you
fay ? Are you the only Man that hath an unerring Fidelity
Off Memory and Confcience ? if you arc fo certain of the
FaiGiood of the matter and Method of it, when you wrote
it half a year after ; may not I be as confident of the truth
both of the Matter and .Method, who wrote it three or four
Days after: but I pray you, Sir, Is it a greater Lie, than
that I fan you a Challenge ? Is it a greater Lie, than -that

¥O0

c 15 ;

you did. not make the Challenge publickly in the Pulpit, and
privately in an Houfe ? Is it a greater Lie, than that you
had four SyHegifo^wteivyou had but one ? Is it a greater
Lie, than that you did not charge the Difllnting Minifter
three or four times over, to be a -great Liar, and then the
greateft Liar in all the World, and guilty of abominable
Villanies? What a greater Liar and a more abominable
Villain than the Pope} A greater Liar, and a more abomi-
nable Villain than the French King? What a greater Liar
and a more abominable Villain than the debauched A.heijl ?
Am I not much obliged to your Charity, thus to advance
me above all Liars, and to equalize with the abominable.
Villanies.

In the fame Page, he tells you, notwirManding the unpa-
ralleled Falfliood both of the Matter and Method of the
Difcourfe, that the Diflenting Minifter fcrupled not to
lay his Eternal Welfare to pawn for the Credit of it.
This is another Brat of the lame Father, and like his elder
Brethren. He faid I be-lied him, I asked him wherein, he
anfwered, in faying what he did not fay ; it was demanded m
what Particular, but he would not difcovcr it ; but he wen:
. up to a perfon whom he believed to be honeft, who was at
the Conference, and would fpeak the truth, and when he
enquired of him, whether he ftiould fay, my Diffinition of
Schifm was fuch a ftrange Diffinition of Schifm he never
heard of. The perfon toid him he did fpeak it, and with
a fcornfni Countenance. This is the thing he faid I be-lied
him in ; this perfon heard him, and beheld his fcornful Coun-
tenance, I heard him, and took Notice of his fcornful manner
of delivering of it: and my Certainty of his fo faying, pro-
duced this Expreflion, if I were to die, I -would take -my Sal-
vation on it. I am certain I heard him fpeak it, but I ne*
ver heard God Almighty to call me by Name, and tell me
that I (hould be faved. And doth not your Sagacity and
Extenfive Knowledge know, that in Courts of Judicature,
when Witne-fles are fworn to fpeak the truth and nothing
but the truth, they pawn their Salvation. Our Saviour
tells us, in the Mouth of two or three Witnejfcs every thing
frail be eftahliftcd. I am one, the Perfon he asked is ano-
ther, and there are two more^ who told me the Day afrer,

V012

( iO

you had clothed me in your Honourable Livery, that they
did remember this Expreflion of yours. And now who is
guilty of unparalleled Falihood ? Where doth it lie ? Sin
is (h meful, but to have a Whore's Forehead is abominable,
fyer 3.3 and to declare it as a Sodomite, is to imitate
j -'.ov Day Devils , I fa 3. 9. Konpudet hac approbria tibi
did poth'JT. et mn potuijfe refelli \ I pray you remember and
apply thole Scriptures to your felf, which you prefcribe to
'tDt^pfal. [5, 1,2. Rev. 22. 15. Phy/ician heal your felf
and take the Beam out of your own Eye, before you take the
Mote out of mine.

The Diflentmg Minifter had never written the Heads of
the Conference, but at the Requeft of an Ancient Noncon-
form^, who is now at his Reft, who had many came to his
Houfe to enquire concerning the Conference, for the Curate's
Friends had vogued up and down the Town, thatl was not
^ble to anflver him one Word of twenty, and not worthy
to carry his Books after him. And the Curate the next
Day baptiz'd a Child in Digbath, and being asked of the
Effects of the Conference, anfwered, that it was not his
v.vy to exalt himfelf nor expofe others. And for my own
Vindication and Satisfaction of others, I committed the
nafced Conference in writing, and let who will read, be
jucge of the Conference. And the feven firft Pages of his
Preface to his Church Communion. How true is that of £0/0-
rr.on ! rov. 18. lj.He that is firft in his own Caufeyfee?neth
julljut his Neighbour comet h and fear chcth him--- Befiues the
I ure Recital of the Heads of the Conference, I haveaddded
fomaiiing by way of Illustration 2nd Confirmation of the
Ahfwers to the Queffions,

The Inference deiiv< red in the Pulpit from his Sermon,
Eph 4. 4. which allied fo much Heat and Difcofd, and
yet continues in the Town betwixt Chriftians of different
Per wa(ioi£, was this.

Every Meeting where there is a Parifh-Church, was a
Schifm; and all perfonsthat went thither were Schifmaticks;
they Deprive themlelves of Communion with Chrift, and
Benefits of Salvation by him, and fuch are all Presbyterians,
Independents, Papi(isy Quakers, and Anabaptifs^ which is
delivered in other Terms in page 77, 78, of his Church

famrrujw'm And

And when the Company agreed on were come, the
Conformifl was to prove the firft, That the Presbyterian Meet-
ings -where there was a Parijh-Church -was Schifm, &c, for
which he brought this Argument.

A voluntary Separation from the Church ofChrifl, is Schifm ;
but we are guilty of a voluntary Separation from the Church
ofChrift^ and therefore we are guilty of Schifm.

Both thefe Proportions were denied. He repeated them
the fecond time, and they were denied again. And there
was no Attempt made to prove either of them, either by
Scripture, or any other medium. I add, The reafon why
the firft Propofition or major part was denied, was,

if, If Separation be of the Eflence and Formal Nature of
Sin, then there can be no Schifm without a Separation,
which is falfe; for in the Church cf Cormth there Were
Schifms, I Cor. 1.11,12. There are Contentions among ft you,
every one of you faith, I am of Paul, and I cf Appollcs, and 1
of Cephas, and lof Chrijl, and yet there was no Separation,
1 Cor. 4. 2o, when ye come therefore into one place, and
there are fuch Divifions amongft fome of the Church of
England Minifters. Witnefs thofe Arminians and Anti-
Predeflinators, fuch as deny Perfeverance in Grace. If this
Conforming hath not forgotten, can tell who afjerted it, and
brought that Te*t for it, J oh. 10. 28, 29. No A'an fhall
pluck them out, of my Father s Hands'. It is true faith he, no
Man fhall do it, but Sin may do it : and fome pious Perfons
his Auditors were concerned an it, and fpoke to me about it;
witnefs thofe two Socinians whom the Convocation depofed ;
fo that this glorious Church of England wants not her
Divifions, and Schifms about fuch Doctrines are greater than
about Ceremonies.

■ 2. There may be a Separation without a Schifm, for in
many cafes we are obliged .in Duty to. depart, when I
cannot Hay in Communion with a Church without Com-
munication in Sin. Thus the Priefts and Levites left their
Suburbs and Poffeffions in the Land of ifrael, becaufe they
'could not worfhip* God in, and by, and through the Goidea
Calves of Jeroboam, zChron. 11. 13, 14* The Separatioa
of the Church of England, and other Proteflaut Gtorctef
beyond the Seas, Was their Duty, becaufe tbey mold cot hold
c - Cun-

C 18)

Communion with the Church of Rome 1 witliont Communica-
tion with her in Sin. Thus the Puritans before the Wars,
'2nd Di£ enters in thele three Kingdoms, have feparated
from the Impofitions of the Church of England, left they
mould fm in holding Communion with*her in them.

3. Voluntary Separation from the Clmrch of Chrift, is Afoftx-
cy. For a Perfon cannot fall from the Univerfal Church of
Chrift, but he falls from Chrift : he cannot fall from the
Body, bat he muft fall from the Head. Every Schifm is not
a Separation from the Univerfal Body of Chrift, but Separa-
tion from the Univerfal Body of Chrift, is Schifm with a
Vengeance. A Voluntary Separation from the Church of
Chrift, is a falling from the Doctrines of Chrift, from the
Scriptures of Chrift, from the Inftitutions of Chrift, his
inftituted Worfhip, from believing and refting upon him
alone for Salvation. This is the Schifms of the Church of
Rome, which we call Apoftacy : and I hope this Conformift
will not judge us slfoftates, tho' he Joins us with the Pafifts
in his Inference ; for furh Schimatifing Apoflates there is no
Salvation, Heb. 10. 39. jf any Man draw back, my Souljhafl
&.<<ve no pleafure in him. But the Presbyterians are not guilty
of this Separation j though they draw back from the Cere-
monies and Humane Modes of Worlhip, yet they draw not
back from the Ordinances and Inftitutions of Chrift, what-
ever this infallible and Peremptory judge faith.

• 4. Presbyterians do not ft/ar ate from the Church of Chrift.

This Conformift tells yon,' Page 31. That Ceremonies

and Modes of Worlhip different in particular Churches do

not break that Union and Communion which is with the

Univerfal Church : and then no Ceremonies nor Humane

Modes of Worfhip cannot break our Communion with the

Univerfal Church, end by confequence cannot break our

hinion with Chrift, for he never made them Terms of

&nd Communion with himfelf, of one with another.

E £e 32. he tells you, the Body is one, and aU theChriftians

ere- Members of that one Body.

•.Now the Members may throw off the rotten and de61ecl
Rags upon it, and yet remain firmly united to the Body.
The Presbyterians reject the Ceremonies of yonr Church,
but yet they are not cue elf from the Univerfal Church, nor

from

C 19)

from Chrift himfelf ; yea, they embrace the Efrentials of your"
Church as well as you: and your Ceremonies are but the
ftain'd and rotten Rags of Popery, and if we rejedt thefe, yet
we reject not the ECTentials, and the Argument is falfe, a male
vompaBis adeo bene divifa.

5. We do not feparate from the Church of England any
further than [he ftp urates from Chrift. Impofing Condition
of Communion with Jefus Chrift nor his Apoftles injoynecl,
Neither Chrift nor his Apoftles injoyned this Cannon, no
Surplice, no Service, no Crois, no Baptifm, no Kneeling, no
Sacrament. The Univerfal Church of Chrift muft be guided
by the Scriptures, if a. 8. 2c. To the Law and to the Teftimo-
nies, and we defire to be ruled by the pofitive Law of God's
Word in the Worfhip of God.

6. This Separation you charge us with is not voluntary hut
conf rained. Takeaway your Impolkions, and we are one with
you. We had rather have kept in our places, received
Comfortable Provifions for our Families, and enjoyed the
Affections and good Opinions of the Country round about
us, than to be ejected out of Pulpits, baniftied, branded with
Reproaches, and impoverished : but if we could not injoy
thefe things without finning againft our Confciences, we
choofe rather to fuffer than to fin. Whatfoever is not of
Faith is Sin. And there muft be a Dirine Revelation for a
Divine Faith. And if you will turn us out becaofe we can-
not give a Divine for Humane Inftiturions, then cur Sepa-
ration was conftrained and not voluntary.

Chriftian Reader, here thou feeft fome reafons amongft o-
thers, why his Syllogifm was denied, and he never attempted
to prove it when denied ; and then uflth my Diffinition of
Schifm which I gave him.

Schifm is a Difference of Opinion accompanied with an
uncharitable Alienation of Affection- on-: towards anoth-r.
To which he replied, with a Scornful Countenance in a fcorn-
ful manner, this is the ftrangeft Diffinition of Schifm that ever
I heard of. And becaufe I recited this in the Narrative of
the Difcourfe, he chargeth me with belying him, and that;
I was a Lyar feveral times over •, and ss if thefe Were
not furncienr, then with an Hyperbole, I was the greaceit
Lyar in all the World, aud.guikv of apomioable Villany.

But let a little be fpoken for the proving of it, St. Auftin.
filth. Earn Diftintlionem approbem qua dicitury Schifnm eft
recens Congregations ex aliqua fcntentiarum diverfat dijftntio
contra circon.um gramatieum, lib. 2. cap. 7. I approve of that
Distinction betwixt Schifm arid Ilerefie, which faith, Schifm
is a new. Difference of a Congregation from Difference of
Opinion. This Learned and Renowned Father doth not
fay it is a Separation from the Church of Chrift, as this
Conforming, doth, but a Diffention of a Congregation from
Diverfiry of Opinions.

2. We find Schifin is called a Difference of Opinions,
or their Difference of Opinions was called a Schifm, Job 1.
Some f aid Chrifi was the Prophet, ver. 40. others f aid-he was
the Chrift. ver. 41. but others [aid, Jk all Chrift come out of
Galilee, ver. 42. Here was a Difference of Opinions, and this
is called a Schifm. ver. 43. there -was therefore a Divifton or
IScllifin kmmgft them. Cap. 9. \6. the Phari fees faid, that

w*s not of God, becaufe he kept not the Sabbath. Others
(aid, a S 'inner crAd not Jo fuch Miracles, and there was a
Schifin among!} them- Cap. 10. 20. Some f aid he had a
Devil, why hear ye him. Others j aid, they were not the Words
vf him that hath a Devil ; can a Devil open the Eyes of
the Blind ? ver. 2i. And this Diverfity of Opinion .was a
Schifin, ver. 19.

3. Schifm muff be a Diverfity of Opinion, becaufe Unity
of Judgment is the Cure. Contraria contrary's fementur.
There were Strifes, Envyings, and SchilTns in the Church of
Corinth. 1 Cor. 1 . 1 1 . 0?ie was of Paid, and another of
Apf olios, Sec. And the Apoftle to cure them of this Divjfjon,
exhorts them to be of one Judgment, ver. 10. Be per-
feclly joyned together in the fame Mind and in the fame
judgment. There was to be no Divifions among!} them,
becaufe Chrifi is not divided, Chrift is one 11

fen, one in his Mediatourfhip, one in his Holy Scriptures,
one in the Invitation of his Worfhip : and therefore we
may lay as the A pottle, ver. 13. Is Chrift divided ? v
once krved without fignificant Ceremonies? and are we now
Schiimaticks becaufe we do not ferve him after the Invents
ons and Commands of Men ? There is a Diverfity of Oj
betwixt Presbyt" Conforming Minifters. a:;~

/ mir

c ii )

mud this be healed? mu(t it not le reconciled by the Holy-
Scripture?, according to Chrifl's Mind revealed therein, and
is accompanied with Uncbaritablenefs of AffecYion. Where
there is a Prevalency of Uncharitablenefs of Affection, there
is a Prevalency of Difference of Opinion, who fpake worfeof
ChrifKs Doclrine> of his Miracles, ©fbisPerfon, and attempted
worfe things againft Chrift than the Scribes and Pharifees *\\ho
differed in their Opinion from his Perfon, Doffrine, and
piracies more than the Scribes and Pharifscs. Let the
three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, yea, Icr
all the Proteftant Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, be
Judge, yea, let God himfelf be Judge, whether the Conforming
or Nonconforming Party hath been, and (till is, the molt
uncharitable and cruel. Jam. 3. 14, 15, 16. if you have
bitter Strife and Envying in your Hearts glory not, he not
again/1 the Truth *. this ^ Wifdom is not from above, but is
Earthly yScnfual, and Devilijh. ver. 17. but the Wifdom
that is from above, is frfi Pure, Peaceably Gentle ', Unfit ti
be intreatedyfull of Mercy y and ^ood Fruity.

After he had fcorned my Diffiniticn, he fteps into hfc
Study, and fetched a Paper, wherein he had \vriu£n ti. Opi-
nion of the Fathers concerning Schifm.o Th?s h thai he faiih
in Page 6. That ex-abtindanti from the Writing $
five Fathers, be jbewed Dijfcnters w t n 3 uilty of Schijhi A a J
if he did lb,

1. Why did not he print them, that others mi^ht ;
feen 'em,' read them, judged of thenl as weff as liimfelf

2. They lived not m our Times, and could nor know
refent Cafe and Contrpverfle.

3. They did not lay, every Religion-. Meeting, w
there was a Parilh-Cbuali, was a Schifm. tuai
Schifm was a' Separation from the Church. But I flie

in the Confutation of his Syllogiiine, that Separ;.: ,.
of the Edence and Formal Nature of Schifm.

4. Mafclus, who was one of his Atithors, w*as none ..
Primitive Fathers.

And whilft I was wondring he had but one Argument td
defend liich a Challenge and inch an Inference : an..i wh

\tas denied, he never attempted to tthke it good ; and

u<. n--.-.,r..n •. r ..,,*- o..a -u~ r-:iz.,:,.\.s., r

without denying any part thereof, he rifeth from his Sea
and fpeaks with great earned, Mr. £ — I cannot fix you>
when he himfelf was unfixt : he was gone from his own
Argument, he had fnaked Hands with his Primitive Fathers,
he had nothing to fix on, crys out, I cannot fix you, I can*
not fix you, when he was unfixt himfelf, he had fpent all his
Ammunition in the firft Syllogifm, the other three, which
made fo*.i\ he boafteth of, vanifh and run away, even as
the Philiftines, when they law their Champion, their Goliah,
dead, fled, i Sam. 17. 51. it was with him as with Hunters,
who having loft their firft Game know not where to have
another, till they beat the Hedges and Bufhes again. So this
Conform, beats and makes a buttle, at laft he raifeth that old
Pufs,and changeth his part of a Defendant into Queftions ancj
Anftvers, and faith, what fay yon to Ceremonies ? the Pri-
mitive Chriftians ufed Ceremonies, the trine Afperfion is
Baptifm, wafhing of Hands, the Crofs in Baptifm, the Holy
Jiifs, &(. To all which it was aniwered.

1. They were never commanded by ChriO: nor by his
Apoftles.

2. They were not fuch Bones of Contentions amongfl:
them, as our Ceremonies have been Bones of Contention to
us. We may add,

3. They were cafe out as old Leaven, becaufe they
were abufed, the Holy Kifs to Lafcivioufnefs, their Lover
Fcafls to Inn iterance and Drunkennefs, and why flipttld
not ours be buried with Abhorrence of them, becaufe of
the Milcliiefs coming from them, for more than thefe hundred
and fifty years ?

4. Thel? Opinions and Obfervaticns they took up, Was
not upon the Command of Church Governours, but partly
voluntary, partly from Example. Difrinft Societies had
their diifinft Places for Divine Worfhip, and Perfons of
the fame Perfwafion met in .the fame Place, Socrat. lib. 5.
tap. 22. Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 19. and the Obfervation of thele
things were not impofed on others. Frivolum enim et qui-
dimwirito, &c. they judged it a frivolous and vain thing,
that thofe who agreed in the chief Heads and Principles of
Religion.fhould be Separated from them, for Nonconformities
in all Opinions and Rite?, Eut in the Church of E?i$land

Cm)

ro "Surplice, no Service, no Croft, no Baptifm, no Kneeling,
no Sacrament. Chrifti&is in thofe Ages did not brand thofe
Meetings for Schifms, nor the People for Schifinatick, and
their Condition damnable, as this Conforming doth all the
Diffienters of all Perfwafions in England. <

After I had denied the Ceremonies in general, as he pro-
pounded them, he continues to be crofs, and what they
would not do in general, he (ingles out one of them to try
its flrength in particular.

Qu. What fay you to the Sign of the Crofs, is it finful ?

Anf. It is finful to me.

i. You make it as neceffiry as Baptifm ; for though
Baptifm be an Ordinance of God, yet I cannot have ic
baptized without it : and though the Child be baptized in
private, by reafon of Weaknefs, &c. yet it is to be brought
to the Church afterwards, and to be figned with the Sign of
the Crofs.

2. It is contrary to your Commiffion. Chrift in his Com-
miffion to his Apottles, to teach aR Nations yto obferve all
things whatfoever that he commanded them, Mat. 28. 20.
If Jefus Chrilt had commanded his Difciples to baptize none
but they fliould fign them with the Sgn of the Crofs, it
would have been mentioned fomewhere in the New Tefh-
ment. But it is no where mentioned in the New Tei lament,
and therefore not in their Commiffion. If it had been in
their CommiiTion, they would have pradtifed it when they
had baptized. But when we read of their Baptizing, we
never read of their finning them with the Sign of the
Crofs Philip baptized the Eunuch, but did not fign him
with the Sign of the Crofs. Some were baptized by Paul,
fome by Peter, as Cornelius's Houfe, and yet not figned with
the Crofs. We read of three Thouland added to the
Church and baptized, but not a Word of figning with
the Sign of the Crofs, Atf.w. 45,^. cap, 2. and there-
fore it was not in their Commiffion. If it had been in
their Commiffion, they had been unfaithful, and finned in
omitting it ; and not being in their Commiffion, they were
faithful, and did no Sin in not doing it. The A pottles no
doubt, thought their baptizing did as ftrongly and effectu-
ally oblige them to believe in a crucified Chriit, and not to

C>4.;3

tye aftamcd to own and make Profeflkm of a crucified Chrifr,
** the Sign of the Crofs. And can we think thefe zealous
Pleaders for this Ceremony, underftand the Myftery and
end of this Sacrament more and better than the Apoftles?
Can we think them more faithful than the Apoftles?

Qu. Is it Sin ? If it be a Sin, it is forbidden 5 but it is
not forbidden, and therefore it is not a Sin.

Anf. What God hath not commanded in the Duties of his
inftituted WorQiip he hath forbidden ; but God hath not
commanded the Sign of the Crofs in Baptifm, and therefore
he batli forbidden it. The matter was proved, Jer. 7. 31.
They have built the high Places ofTophet, which is in the
Valley of the Sons of Hinnom, to burn their Sons and their
Daughters in the Fire, which thing I commanded them not,
neither came it into my Heart ,

Conform. God had forbidden it.

llonconform. God had forbidden it.

1 . As an Act of Idolatry.

2. As an Act of Murder, Thcujhalt not kill

They were not to offer their Children to Moloch as the
Heathens did, Moloch, or Milcom, or Malcham arc the fame
Idol, and it is fuppofed to be that which we call Saturn,
the Idol God of the Ammonites. And the Eafrern people

-J their Children in the Fire to this Idol, and tli
Argument to convince them of the hcirioufnefs of the Wor-
(hip would have been, that he had forbidden it. That
they had broken a politivc Law and exprefs Command of
God. But that the Jews offered their Children in Fire to
God as a piece of Worfiaip, in Imitation of Abraham*, who
offered up his Son Ifaac to God ; and therefore to c
them that it wa3 no piece of Worfhip done to him, neither
did he accept it from them, he faith, he never commanded
tty neither came it into his Heart. God forbids, Sin and com-
mands Duty, and whatever he hath not commanded in his
in'tiiiKed Worfllip, he hath forbidden. It is infrituted
WoVPnip. God trill be firved this wav, and n° other way.
His Wifdom ind Sovereignty, his Will and Goodncfs are
glorified in his inftituted Worfhip.

We may add, Chat Nature it lelf could not but abhor and
abominate fuch a thing, a their Children in Fire

as a piece of Worfhip, unlefs it was to Serve and Worfhip
the molt Sovereign Being and Supream Good. .Can we
think that Parents are more cruel to their tender Babes
than Lyons, Tygers, Bears, to their young ? Can we think
thofe Bowels of Conipaflion and 'Tendernefs which roul and
melt over their Children in their Sickneffes, Pains and Tor-
tures, are turned into Bowels of Brafs, and become more
cruel than Sea Monfters ? That they (hould offer their
Children in Fire, if ic were not done as an Aft of Worfhip
to God, and though the Heathens did not know the true
God, the Sovereign Jehovah, yet they offered them to
him, in, by, and through fuch an Idol reprefenting him.
And I am of Opinion, that the cuilom of thofe Nations of
offering their Children to Moloch ,was derived from Abrahams
offering ifaac to God ; and feeing it was fo detefbMe a
Thing to Nature, God, to convince them, and drive them
from it, God tells them, he never commanded it, nor
came it 'into his Mind. We have another place like it. Jer.
19.5. They have alfo builded the high places of Baal to burn
their Sons for burnt Offerings unto Baal, which thing I com-
* manded not, nor fpeak it, neither came it into my Mind.
Baal was a common Name given to Idols, and fignifies a
% Lord or Patron, as Moloch or Milcom comes from a Word
Which fignifies a King. ■ This Baal was the God of the
Zidonians, and brought in -by Ahab t\\ t wicked King fof
ifrael in Favour of his Wife Iz,abel/a. 1 Reg, 16. 31. and
they offered their Children in the Fire to this Baal. Now
this was but an Image to reprefent God to them, who
was a Sovereign Lord and Benefactor to them. They
did not offer to an Image as an Image, or Idol, but to God
represented in this Idol. And God to convince them .it
was no Worfhip done to him, neither did he accept of it,
tells them, he never- commanded it, neither came it into
his M}nd. We mud conclude, that God's Sayings are moll:
pertinent and proper to the ends they arc ufeel, and he ufeth
this Exprefiion, he did not command iti, to imply they did
ic as a Piece of Worfhip to him ; and. his noc accepting,
implies it was forbidden by him, became it was not
commanded.

C *6 )

Another Inftenre to prove what God hath not commanded
in the Duties of his Wcrlhip, is forbidden, was that Inftance
oftfadad and Ab:hu,htv\t. 10. i. They ofercd ftrange Fire
before the Lord, which he co>mnandedmt.
Confirm. God had forbidden it.

Nonconform. .Prove it : produce the Place : and after the
Concordance was fetched, then Lev. 6. 12. He (hall lay the
burnt Offering in order upon it, and he [hall offer thereon the
Fat of the Peace Offerings. To which the Nonconformift replied,
it was true, they Vvere to be confumed by the Fire upon the
Altar, and that Fire was not Ordinary but Extraordi-
nary Fire: not Domeftick but Celeftial Fire, and this
was never to go forth, but to be kept alive by the Prieftt
and Levitcs, Lev. 9. 24. And there came Fire forth from be-
fore the Lord, and confurned the burnt Ofering and Fat upon
the Altar, which when all the People J 'aw, they jhouted, and
fell on their Facer. And this Fire never to go forth. Lev.
6. 13. The Fire jhall ever be burning on the Altar , it fhaft
n:ver go forth. And of this Fire Sadab and Abihit fflould
have taken, but they took other Fire, which is called ftrange
Fire, i. e. fueh Fire as God commanded not, and not being
commanded, it was forbidden, and being forbidden, it W2s
rthrir Sin to take it* and becaufe they finned, they fuffered.
•If God had commanded it, it had not been forbidden; if
' It had not been forbidden, they had not finned in
^taking ky and offering Inccnfe with it: but their dying was
: an Evidence of their Sin, and their Sin was an Evidence it
was forbidden : and if they had not tinned in taking it, they
had not Itrffered in offering Incenfe with it: but their dying
was an Evidence of rheir Sin, and their Sin wasan Evidence
it was forbidden \ and it was forbidden, becaufe God had
not commanded it.

And this Conformift owneth, Page 125, 1Z6. it was im-
plicitly forbidden. Nadab and Abihu were devoured by
Fire, not merely becaafe they offered Fire not commanded,
•but they offered Fire which was implicitly forbidden. In
the bottom of Page 126. they were to take Fire from off
■the A\m to bum Iiicenle with, and conftquently all other
Fire was fbrbiccen.

I would

C*7 J

I would inteat the Reader to mark how the Author of this..
ehurch Communion contradicts himfelf. Nadab and Abihu,
faith he, were devoured, not merely becaufe they offered
not commanded Fire, but implicitly forbidden 5 and could
it be implicitly forbidden, if not, by being not commanded ?
And take notice what blafphenious Afperfions he caft upon
God : he owned before, it was forbidden, becaufe it was
not commanded, yet page 127, he tells you, that not to be.
commanded and to be forbidden mult be the fame thing,
which is abford to a very great degree, lb that God, infinitely
Wife, is guilty of a very great Abfurdity, in forbidding
what he not commanded, in the Duties of his inftituted
Worlhip. I have read of Alfhoncut King of Arragon, that
he faid, if he had been with God when he made the World,
he would have advifed him to have the World better.
And if this Perfon had ken with God when he inftituted
his Worlhip, he would have advifed him to have ufed
other Expreffions than to be guilty of an Abfurdity to a
very great degree, in making his not commanding in the
Duties of his Worlhip, to be a forbidding, though he him-
felf owned it before.

He tells you Page 127. there is nothing in the World
can be unlawful, but what is forbidden by fome Law
directly, or by ncctiTary Confequence. Did he not own it
was implicitly forbidden, and confequently all other Fire
was forbidden. Page 126. And is not God's im'Htuted
Worlhip a pofitivc Law, that he will be worfhipped, and
worlhipped in fuch a manner only. And befides we have a
pofitive Law, neither to add to, nor diminifli from God's
Commands, Jcjh.%. Obfsrve to do according to all the Law*
which Mofes -my Ser-van: commanded thee. Thou fljalt not
turn from it> either to the Right Hand or to the Left. Deut.
12. 32. Whatfoenjcr thing I command you, obferve to
do it. Thou fhalt not add thereto, nor dtminifb ought from it\
cap. 4. 1,2. Now therefore hearken to the Statute;, and ta
the Judgments which I teach you to do them, ye jhall riot add
to the Words which I command you, neither fb ail ye diminijh
ought from it ; and he gives the realbn in the dole of the
Verie, that yc may keep the Commandments of the Lord your
God, What can be more plain and full, than that all Additions

to.

OS)

t^ and Dimunitions from God's Word, are equally forbid-
den. Was it noc the great Sin of the Jews before the times of
our Saviour, that they prade their Additions to, and dimi-
nifhings from God's Word? Did not this open the Flood-gates
to ail thofe Corruptions in Doctrines and Worfliip ? Did
not this beget the Hears, Con tells, and Animofities amongft
Chriftiaris after the firft three hundred years of our Saviour?
Did not this prove the way to the Apoftacy the Church of
Rome? And have not the Additions of Humane Inventions
been the caufe of all that Divifion in England, fince the Re-
formation ? when if Kingdoms had ituck clofe to God's
Word/A-khout adding to,or diminifhing from it, thejews had
never been guilty of mch Corruptions, the Primitive Chri-
ftians had never been guilty of Difcords, Rome had never
apofbtivied, and England, &c. had been free from fuch Di-
vifions. Do you not turn afide from God's pofitive Law,
thou Ihaic not add ? and do you not fin in fo doing ? and
can you think to profper ? yen may profper for a while :
but remember God's Word will not lie,. A time will come
when thou fhall know whofe Word fhall ft and Qfd^-or yours y
Jcr. 44. l8. and how terrible are the Threatnings of God
againir thofe that {hail either add to, or diminifh from Gods
Wor !, Ret'. 2i. 1S/.19. if ' any Man f kail add to thefe things,
God jhall add to him the Plagues written in this Book : and
if any Man fhall takeaway from the Book of this Prophecy^
Godjlall take aw a) his fart cut vf the Book of Lfey &c. Do
you not add to the Scripture, when you make Additions
to the inftituted Worfliip of God ? Do you not add to them,
when you fay the Scriptures give Power and Authority to
the Civil Magiftrate and Church Governonrs, to let up Cere-
monies of Myf:.;al Signification, and Modes of Worfhip,
lor Order, Decency, and Edification, when he hath not
given : vet,} Mofcs when he was to make a Ta-

bernacle, was not to make any tiling more, or other wife,
. appointed. He was not to make one
-:e Curtain longer, not one broader,
-_ nor of any other Colour, not a Fringe
Loop more than what -God appointed,
. - - : 5 Letth - ■" • : tot a Sanfhmryi that I may
, • .' thai. I ' fkn

C*sO

Pattern of the Tabernacle, and the Pattern of all the Inftrument*
thereof ,^tven fo jball ye make it. And when Salmon was
to build the Temple, lie was not left to his own Wifdom,
nor the Contrivers of the Builders, but he had a Pattern of
all by the Spirit- of God. There was to be no Porch, no-
Room, no Parlour, no Chamber, no Treafury more, nor
lefs, nor otherwife than God had appointed ana revealed*
I Chron. 1 8. n, 12. Then David gave to Solomon hi. Soni
the Pattern of the Porch, and of the Houfes thereof and cf
theTreafures thereof and of the upper Chamber thereof and
of the inward Parlours thereof and of the Place of the
Merc) Seat, and the Pattern of all he had by the Spirit, &c.
Can your Convocations fay, God hath given you a Pattern of
your Surplices, of your Croflings, Cringings and Bowings at
the Naming of Jefus? Hath he given you a Pattern for your
kneeling at the Sacrament • Hath he not given you a Pat-
tern to fit at his Table, not only the Paetern of his Difciples,
but the Pattern of himfelf? Do you not add to the Scriptures
when you add thefe Modes of WorQiip ? Do you pretend
Order, Decency, and Edification ? Do you not add to the
Scriptures ? Are the Scriptures Diforderly, Undecenr, and
Unedifying in their Rules and Directions? Are'they Dil-
orderly, llndecent and Unedifying in their Commands and
Injunctions ? Are the Scriptures deficient in their Directions,
and Injunctions, for Order, Decency and Edification? Are
the Scriptures and pure Ordinances of God, inefficient for
Edification ? Do you not then add to the Scriptures and
Ordinances of God by your Impositions? Do you not accufe
the Scriptures and Ordinances of Decficiency, for Order De-
cency, and Edification, when you add ana injoln your own
Inventions under fuch ftricl: Conditions ? Do you nor accufe
the Scriptures of infufficiency, want of Efficacy to Edification,
when you add your own Inventions? Do you not accufe Jefus
Chri<> - W ifdom, of Love and Mercy to his Church,

iC ftiould give them a Word and Ordinances deficient in
Rules, and Directions for Order and Decency, by fetting up
and adding to them your own Inventions for Order and
Decency i Do you not accufe Jefus Chrift of want of V,
of Love, and Care to his People, to give them his Word
and Ordinances that arc iafufl £dificati.o

C 30)

your own Inventions to them for Edification ? flave your
Ceremonies more Efficacy than the Scriptures and Ordinances
of God ? Have you more Power to blefs your own Inven-
tions to Edification, than Chrift hath Power to blefs his own
Word and In/Htutions ? Or will God blefs your Inventions
more than his own Invitations ? If not, Are you not guilty
of adding to God's Word, by adding your Inventions to
them ? When God (hall call you to an Account for your
Inventions, will he fay of you, as Mofes of thofe that were
imployed m making the Tabernacle, Exoci. 29. 42, 43.
According to ail that the Lord commanded Mofes, fo the Children
eflfrael made all the Work,ind Mofes looked upon all the Work,
and behold they had done it as the Lord commanded, even fo
had they done it. And Solomon built the Temple according
to the Fafhion of it, i. e. according to the Pattern, 1 Reg. 6.
38. If the Children had varied in making the Tabernacle, and
adding more things than God had commanded; and if Solomon
had added more to the Temple than he had in the Pattern,
he had iinned, and therefore God's Pattern was a Pofitive
Law to them, and God's Inftitution of his Worlhip a Pofitive
Law to us, by which every thing is forbidden, which is not
commanded. And we find elfewhere, God ufeth this ne-
gative Argument as a denying of it. if they xoent andferved
other God's and worjhipped themy either the Suny or the Moon,
cr any of the Hoft of Heaven, wh'.ch I have not commanded,
this is called a working Wickednefs and tranfgRflmg his Co-
venant, Dent. 17. I, 2,, 3. And what then are your Sur-
piices, Signings with the Crofs in Baptifm, kneeling at the
Sacrament, &c. which God never commanded ?

In the next place, this Conform} ft leaves the fingle Argu-
ment of the Sign of the Crofs, and brings up in a full Body the
Train Band of Ceremonies, fnppofing that if one alone would
not be fufficient, yet being Joyned together, they would be
fufficient to maintain their Ground againft Oppofition.

Que. May we not uCc fignificaut Ceremonies in the
W or {hip of God ?

Anf. No : and the reafon. If Ceremonies of God's
own Inftitution abolimed by Chriii, were not to be impofed
upon \yy; iiied by Chri.nans in the Worfnipping and Serving
of God, much ids than Humane Ceremonies of Myltical Sigt

ninfatio:*,

Signification, are now to be impofed upon and ufed by
Christians, but the Ceremonies of Myftical Signification of
God's own Inftitution, abolifhed by Chrift, were not to be
impofed on Chriftians, nor ufed by Chriftians in God's
WorQiip. Therefore .Significant Ceremonies of Humane
Inftitucions ought not to be impofed upon, nor ufed by
Chriftians h{ God's Worfhip and Places, for the major Propo-
rtions were produced from feveral Verfes in the fecond of

Ol i 5.

Nonconfor?^, Ic was fpoken of the Platomck Philofophy

to Angels. / .

Anf. Praying to Angels was no Ceremony ordained by

God. /

2. Pr/ying to Angels is down right Idolatry.

3. Paying to Angels is mentioned, ver. 18. which
Text Was not mentioned by the Dijfenting Minifter ; let us
inlarge on this Argument, which he (lightly moved. The
falfe Teachers of the Jews preached up the Mofaical Rites
zn$ Ceremonies, as Circumcifion,Obferrations of Days, and
Meats &c. which bred much Difturbance to the Chriftians ;
a'nd the Apoftle tells us, they gave no fuch command, A&s
15. 24. The Apoftle asketh the Galatians, who had be-
witched them to fall of from Obedience to the Gofpel, to the
ObfervatUn of the Law, Gal. 3. I. and exhorts them, to ft and
faft in the Liberty of the Gofpel, and not to be entangled again
in the Yoke of Bondage, Gal. 5. 1. And the Apoille ex-
horts the Cohjftans, to beware of Traditions and Rudiments of
the World, which are not after Chrift, Col. 2. 8. Now we
cannot think any Ceremonies of Myftical Signification, to be
more fit and apt to (ignifie a thing, and none more efficacious,
none more pleaung'to God, none more likely to have a
Divine Benediction upon the ufe of them, than thofe of God's
Appointment. But thofe very Ceremonies of God's Ap-
pointment, are now abrogated in the Times of the Gofpel
by Jefus Chrift: and hence to expreis the Unferviceablenefs
and . Ufclefnefs of them, they are called, worldly Rudiments,
and empty Shadows. Gal. 2. 8, 17, beggarly Elements. Gal
4. 9. H$w turn) oh again to the weak and beggarly Ehments^
whereuntoyi defire to be in Bondage again; they are unprofitable ,
Hcb. 1- *3. tUy t*rijh in &* *fm£ °f T^mt Cob 2, 22.

there*

(30

therefore they Were not to meddle with them. ver. M. and
the ufing of them was Will JVorfbip, notroithfxanding the great
Humility and fretended IV^fdom in ufmg of them. ver. 23.
thefe things are ingraved by the infallible Spirit upm the ab-
rogated Ceremonies which were once- of Diving Inftitution.
And if God would have been Worfhipped by Significant
Ceremonies, furely he would have appointed them : and
•without Controverfie, the Apoftles would have preached
them. But the Apoftles mention none of our Ceremonies,
none of cur Modes of Worlhip, and therefore they are not
appointed of God : and being not appointed of God, they
are no better than the. abrogated Ceremonies of the rfews.
They are empty Shadows, beggarly Elements, Unprofitable,
per if lo in the ufng of than, Will-Worjhip. Your Surplices,
Bowing at the naming ofjeius- your Signing with the Crofs,
and Kneeling at the Sacrament, periih in the ufing of them.
Never was any bettered by them ; therefore touch not, taf.e
not, handle not.

Conform. Hath net the Authority of a Nation Power to
Ordain Ceremonies in God's Worfhip ?

Nonconform. They have no more Power than what God
hath given them in his Word. But I know no place in
Scripture where God hath given that Power. If you know
any, produce it.

Conform. 1 Pet. i. 13. Submit your felv:s to every Ordi-
nance of Man.

Konccnfor. This is meant of the Civil Magitlrate, not of
Ceremonies.

2. There was no Civil Mdgifrratc at this time in the
Church.

3. I have fiicwed before, that Mofes might not make a
Fringe, a Loop, nor a Curtain, more, nor longer, nor broader,
&c. for the TV ernacle, than what he had a Pattern for.
Neither might Solomon build a Room, more or otherwife,in
the Temple, than he had a Pattern for. And feeing Jefus
Chriir hath left no Pattern for Signi6cant Ceremonies, or
Humane Modes of Wo r (hip, then he hath give:: them no
Power to appoint them.

Conform. Is it Sin tc God's

Worfhip i

Sonccn

c ii

Nonconfor. It is Sin. For the Proof whereof, this Ar-
gument was given. Whatfoever is a Derogation to the
Sufficiency of the Scriptures,to the Perfection of Divine Or-
dinances, to the Fidelity of Chrift in his Prophetical Office,
and the Fulnefs of his Kingly Office, is a Sin. But an Hu-
mane Inftitution of Religious Ceremonies omitted by Chrift
and his Apoftles, is a Derogation to the Efficiency of the
Scriptures, the Perfection of Ordinances, to the Fidelity of
Chrift in his Prophetical Office, and the All-fulnefs of his
Kingly Office; and therefore an Humane Inftitution of
Significant Ceremonies, omitted by ChrUt and his Apoftles,
is Sin.

The Confwmift made np Objection againft the Argument,
but turns to his old way of Quefticns and Anfwers.
$*/. Will you allow no other Modes of Worfhip ?
Anf* No other Modes of Worihip but what are Natural
with the Circumftances of Time and Place.

Thefe are the Heads of the Conference, wherein the Im"
partial Reader may fee,tbat Falfehood and Impudence may lye
under a demure Countenance, and judge of the Truth of h?
four Syllogifms he brought, of the Truth of my confefling
Dijfenters guilty of Schifm, of his foil anfwering all the
Objections then made againft their Communion, and his plain
{hewing from Holy Scriptures, that we were guilty oiSchifm^
when he had but two Scriptures, and both thofe impertinent,
for his ex abundant i from the Writings of the Primitive Fa-
thers, when they knew not our^ prefent Cafe, and fo could
fay nothing to it. And what was produced was impertinent.
They (aid Separation from the Church was Schifm^ but they
did not fay Presbyterian Meetings, where there was a Parifh
Church, was Schifm. They did not fay that Separation frc#i
a Particular Church upon the Account of unlawful Conditions
of Communion, was a Separation from the Univerfal Church
of Chrift. He had done well to have produced them, feeing
he boalteth fo much of his Acquaintance with the Primitive
Fathers. But he knows very well they were impertinent to
his Inference, and therefore conceals them, only makes a
fiourilh with them, that he may be admired for his Skill in
Antiquity. Our Saviour fends us to the Scriptures, and no;
to the Primitive Fathers : and thefe Fathers are to be rryed

D by

C 34 D

by the Scriptures, not the Scriptures by the Fathers. And as
for the Matter and Me'thodjt is the very fame,and he had done
well to have produced Inftanccs where there was a Falfhood.
And if the Matter and Method was an imparallelPd FalGiood,
then there was no fueji Conference. But he arrogates fo much
infallibility to himfelf, that the Reader tnaft jurare in Verba
Magittrii you mull believe and fwear it is tey becaufe he faith
i: is io. Salve Domhie papa. We leave them both to the
great Judge of Heaven and Earth.

Chriftian Reader, thou haft had the Narrative of the
Conference, and thou may ft fee how he proves Presbyterians
guilty ofSchifm by his confirmed Syllogifm, and his Quefti-
oils, and Reply to their Anfwers. And for a farther De-
monftration of theFalfenefsofhis Inference, and black Charge
drawn up againft Diff.nters ; and for a further Vindication
of them from Schifm, cor.lider a few Arguments following.

Thoje Meetings which have the Char after cf the Church, are
no Schifms, and Meeters there are no Schifmaticks. But
Presbyterian Meetings where there is a Parijl-Chnrch, have the
Character of the true Church, and then fore they are no
Schifms, &c. and the major Proportion is falfe Evidence, and
needs no Proof. The minor Proportion is that which needs
Proof in this Cafe, againft his Inference and Charge. Which
I prove by this Argument.

Where the Word of God is purely preached, and the Sa-
craments rightly adminiftred, there is the Character of the
true Church of Chrift. But in the Presbyterian Meetings,
where there is a Parifn Church , God's Word is purely
preached, the Sacraments rightly adminiftred, and therefore
rhey have the Character of the true Church. The pure
breaching of God's Wrord, and right Adminiftration of Sa-
craments, have been owned by Proteftant Minifters beyond
the Seas, by thofe learned Men who have wrote Sy items
of Divinity, and Polymical Controverfies againft Papifts.
And our Englijh Prelates in the Days of Queen Mary, and
Queen Elizabeth, defended the Church of England againft
the Charges of the Romijh Church, that it was Sckifmatical
2nd Heretical, 6\c. by this Argument.

The Presbyterian Minifters preach the Truths and Doctrines
of God's Holy Word; not the <~ommandrnint$ of Men, as the

Scribes and Pharifees of old ; nor their prejudicate Opinion*
and falfc Notions for Matters of Divine Authority, as this
falfe Accufer of the Brethren chargeth them with, p. 135*
They look upon themfelves as God's Mefiengers, and they
receive and deliver God's Meflage. Hag. 1. 13. Then fftie
Haggai the Lord's Mejfcnger, in the Lord's Mejfage to the
People. Ezekiel was commanded to receive the Word of the
Lord, from the Lord's Mouth, Ezek. 3. 17. Son of Man,
I have made thee a Watch-Man to the Houfe of if r a el, there-
fore hear the Words from my Mouth, and give them Warning
from me. They are God*s Ambafladors, 2nd fhey mufr de-
liver his EmbaiTie, and not their own, 2 Cor. 5. 20. And as
we can have none greater than God, fo we can have none
wifer than he. He knows what is mod agreeable to his V* hi,
what Word and Embafly is mod conducing to our ;.
Good and future Happinefs. There is none of greater Pow-
er, and more Sovereign Authority than God ; and therefore
his Word, and his Word only, and not the Commandments of
Men, are to be preached by them: Hence the Scriptures are to
be Standard to meafure, and the Touch- (lone to try ail
Doctrines by. Ij ~a. 8. 2o. To the Law and to the Teftimony.t if
they fpake not according to thefey there is no Light in th.tn.
Though they pretend to greater Knowledge, higher Spccu*
lations about Idea's, than others ; yet if they fpeak not accord-
ing to God s Wordy there is no Light in them. That Light
they feem, or pretend to have, is but an Ignis fatuvjy Fools
Fire, it will and doth mi (lead them. And they that lay
afide the Scriptures, and like Scribes and Pharifees, teach for
Doctrines the Commandments cf Men, will be like the Scribes
and Pharifees, blind leaders of the blind, and both fail into tht
fame Ditch.

In Presbyterian Meetings are preached up the Per-
fection of the Scriptures, in Oppolition to unwritten Tradi-
tions. The Authority of the Canonical Books of the Scriptures,
in Oppofition to the Incroachmuns of the Jpocrpha. A
diftinct Knowledge of the Dodtrine of Salvation according to
every Perfons Capacity, iti Oppolition of Implicit Faith, or
believing as the Church believeth. The reasonable ferving
of God, in Oppofition to a blind Devotion. They preach,
up the Worshipping of God in Spirit and in Truth, ia

C 36 )

Oppofition to a pompous Train of Ceremonies. The Effica-
cious and Edifying life of Religious Exercifes,in Oppofition to
the Pepijh Opus operatum, or refting in the Work done. They
preach np the Power and Practice of Godlinefs, in Oppofition
to a fplendid Formality. They preach up J uftifi cation by
the Righteoufnefs of jefus Ciirift, only imputed to Believers,
in Oppofition to Juftification by inherent Righteoufnefs. and
Works of Piety and Charity. They preach up Jefus Chrift,
the only and alone Mediator of Interceffion, as well as of Re-
demption, in Oppofition to the Popifh Interceffion by the
Virgin Mary and Canonized Saints. They preach up the
irrefifteble Power and Efficacy of God's Grace in the Work
of Converfion, in Oppofition to the Power and Freedom of
Men's Will. They tfflfert the Spirit of God fpeaking in the
Scriptures, is the fele Judge ofali Controverts, in Oppofition
to Popifh Councils and Papal Authority. They affert the Read-
ing, Studying, and Knowledge of the Scriptures, in Oppofition
to the Popifh Concealment of them from the Laity, and prohi-
biting them to read them.. And as they preach thofe Doctrines
which are againft the Idolatry , Herefie, and Tyranny of the
Church of Pome, fo they preach thofe Doctrines which are
contrary to Immoralities and Prophanenefs. In a Word, I do
not hear, nor ever heard, that any Presbyterian was a Socmian,
an Arminian, Anti-prcdeflinarian : I never heard'any of them
to deny Elections and Perfeverance.

And as the Holy Scriptures are purely preached, fb the
two Sacraments are rightly adminiiired. In the Presbyte-
rian Meetings, before the Ordinance of Baptifm is adminiftred,
there is Tome previous Explication of the Nature and Ends of
Baptifm. Some Exhortation to the People to make good their
Baptifmal Covenant to God. And the Parent having profefled
his believing the Articles of the ChrifHan Religion, and his
Defire that the Child fhould be baptized into this, and promi-
fmg to train up his Child, and to be a Pattern to it of an holy
Converfation, the Child is baptized in the Name of the Father^
Son, and Holy Ghoft ; without the Ceremony of Signing
it with the Sign of the Crofs. And thus did John, St. Pater,
and Philip , and Paul.

And as for the Adminiftration of the LordVSupper, we
follow after the Example of Jeiiis Clirift, who is the King of

C 37)

his Church, and did inftitute it, who bed underftood the Na-
ture and Ends of it, what Geftures and Circumftances would
beft become the Celebration of it. His own Example here-
in, we think fufficient both to warrant and require our Imlj
tat ion. We cannot think, without blafpheming him, thst
our Wife and Merciful Lord would give it in any way that
might countenance the lead: Irreverence, or Indecency, or
Diibrder, in the Celebration of it. We have all imaginable
Heafon to believe he was as tender of God's Honour, as zea-
lous for Glory, as careful that his Church might not Sin, nor
be guilty oflrreverence in this Ordinance, as a Synod can be,
and he would give neither Example nor Encouragement to
any Irreverence or unbecoming Gefture: and hence we are
bound to believe, that that Gefture he gave it in, was the moil:
fuitable and moft becoming ; a Gefture ro evidence our Son-
fhip, our Go-heirfliip with Chrift,a Refemblance of our fitting
with him on the Throne in Heaven.

This Conform]} faith.p. 117. That it vs not certain that our
Blejfed Saviour and his Apoftles did receive it fitting, or lying
down upon Beds, but in a Pofture of Adoration. But he doth
not tefi you what was this Pofture of Adoration. He was not
there to fee it. This is his old Petitio principif, he charges
others with. But thofe that were with Chrilt, were Eye-
WitnefTes of the Aclion, and infallible recording it, tell us it
was adminiftred in the fame Gefture as the Paflbver was- and
we (hall find our Saviour fat down with the Twelve, and did
eat the Paflbver with them. Here the Gefture is exprefled*
Sitting, not Kneeling. Mat. 26. 20. Now when the Evening
Was come, he fat down with the Twelve ; and as they were
eating (obferve it without changing the Gefture) he inftitu-
ted this Ordinance, and with his own Hands adminiftred L\
ver. 26, 27, 28. As they were eating and drinking, that is the
Pafibver, Jefus took Bread, and blejfed it, and brake it, and
'gave it to his Difciples, and fa id, Take eat, this is my Body :
And he took the Cup, and gave Thanks, ani gave it to thimx
faying, drink ye all of it, for this my Blood of the Kav Tefta-
merit which is fked for many, for the Ramffon of Sins. And
St. Mark 14. 22, 23, 24. They fate and did eat, ( that is the
Pafibver ) Jefus took Bread, blejfed it, and brake it, and gxv:

it to them, faying, 1 ake cat, this is my Body, &c. And St.

t ..l. c:o, u« :. .,i_! 1 ... 1 _ *.i • c 1* :- ju- r:,.,-,~

C 3B)

re as he celebrated the Paffbver, which was fitting, not
kneeling. T-hefe were Eye-Witnefles, faithful Hiftorians.

f any other had been more fui table and more becoming
rjliJ Ordinance, Cbrtft would have ufed it, the Evangeliils
would have recorded it for our Imitation, but the Evangelifts
mention none but this. And we may conclude, none other
Was ufed in the Adminiftration but this, and therefore moft
fuitable ; pone more becoming than this.

It is obfcrrable, that theft three Evangelidsdo particularly
mention die Gefture in which he adminiirred this Ordi-
nance. They all fpeak expreily, that it was fittmguiot kneeling.
The Paflb*er was the very fame Ordinance, of the fame
Divine Inftitution, Signification and Myltery, and equally
facred, though of different Form, as the Lord's Supper. And
our Saviour and his Apcutlesdid eat them in the fame Gefture.
They did cat them Citun^. And are you wifer than Chrift?
Are you of greater Power than Chrill ? Dare you fay, that

£ is Irreverence,too much Boldnefs and Familiarity, too
little Decency and Humility? How dare you blafpheme the
•Wifdom of Chriff, and his Care and Zeal fiir God's Glory ?
How dare you provoke him, in denying them this Ordinance,
vho in the Judgment of Chanty, have as good Right to it
as your ftlves, becaufe they defire to receive it in the fame
Gefture Chrill gave it i ■ What will you fay ? What can you
lay for your fcFves ; when the Children (hall acrufc you for
denying them Bread from their Father's Table, beeanfe they
would have it fitting, and you ?x the fame time give it CO
Dogs, becanfe they receive it kneeling ?

If a jefuit, or Pof'fh Priest, or Council, call us Sck'f-
mtttich, and ILnticks^ I wonder nor, becaufe we preach
thoD Doctrines which are direcliy contrary to the Church
ofRo:xc But far a Son of the Church ^tvglani^ to brand
lis for $chiftoKticks7 for preaching in a Meeting where there
is a Parifh Church, tkofe Doctrines which the owns and
defends agafflft the Romifh Church, muft be a piece of rampant
Prick and impudent Cenforioufucfs. Are tftcft Doctrines
good in your Farifii Churches? and are they not good in a
Presbyterian Meeting? Truths are the fame, they never
change. That which was once a Character of the true
Church, is the fame ft ill ; and how come they to be Schif'71*-

C»)

This Conform, tells you, it Is the Meeting Place. But how
doth he prove it ? he faith fo. Our Saviour tells us, that
Solomons Temple did fanctifie the Gold. But I never heard,
nor read that the Parifh Church did fanctifie the Do&rines
delivered there, and that Presbyterian Meetings did ftrip them
of their Natural Character, and metamorphofe them into.
Schifm. If they did, WJiat became of all the Sermons our
Bleffed Saviour and his j^poftles preached out of the Temple
and Synagogues ? Were they Schismatic al ?

2. If the Meetings of God's People of old to worfhip him
in Places diftintt from their PariGi Churches, were not ac-
counted Schifm, then Presbyterian Meetings now a days,
where there is a PariQi Church, are not Schifms. But the
Meetings of God's People of old in places diftintt from Pa-
rim Churches were not accounted Schifms, and therefore
Presbyterian Meetings are not Schifms. We find that God's
People did meet together, and never charged with Schifm.
Mai. 3. 16. Then they who feared the Lord, fpake often
one to another, &c. Here you have the defcription of the Per-
fons meeting, by their gracious Qualification. They were
fuch as had an Holy Fear of God. They had the Fear of
Children, and not of Slaves. A Fear accompanied with ftrong
Love, and not with Dread and Terror. The Time when
they met together, when Sinners were bold they (kt their
Mouths againft God ; they blafpbemedhim; as an hard Mailer,
they caft Reproach and Contempt on his Service, as van
and unprofitable, ver. 13. Tour Words have been flout againfi
me, faith the Lord} and yet ye fay, what have we fpoken
fo ?mich againfl thee. ver. 14. Te faid, it is in vain to ferve
God, and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances,
and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hofls.
They charge the Providence of God with Injuftice. ver. 15.
They called the Proud happy, yea, they that work Wickednefs are
fet tip an high, and they that tempt God are delivered. At this
- time the truly pious met together, not'iii the Temple, nor in
their Synagogues^ the fe were too open, and too Publick,
the Hypocrilie and 'Wickednefs of the times would not bear
it, it muft be in private. They met together to vindicate
God's Honour, the Excellency of his Ways, and the Ad-
vantage and Profit of ferving of him. They met together to

D 4. mourn

C 40)

njpurn for the Sins of the Times and Places they lived in, yid
forthe mutual Corofort, Strengthning, and Incouragement
of one another in the Ways of God, againft all the Difcou-
ragements they met with. The Temple and Synagogues
would not endure thefe things. We do not read, that any
of the Pr lefts and Lvyites were with them. And if there
were any with them, they were fuch as feared God, and
then we may fuppofe they preached. And we do not read,
they ufed any of the religious Ceremonies of the Jews : and
yet we do not read, the Scribes, or Pharifees, or the prophane
Perfinj branded them Schifmaticks . Their Meetings were
not few, but many : they were not feidom, but often ; and
•there was no Law made againft them : no Penalty of twenty
pounds upon the Houfe where they mef.no Penalty of twenty
pounds upon the Preacher, nor five Shillings upon every Hearer
as wicked ; Perfons did not brand them for Schifmaticks -^u^l
God did not look uponthem as cut off from Communion with
them, for their Meeting fake. Yea, he manifefts quite contrary.
1-. God heard them, the Lord hearkened and heard it,
i. c. He took fpecial Notice, and gave diligent Attention
to what they faid.

2. God records their Sayings. A Book of Remembrance
•was written before him, for them that feared the Lordy and
thought on his Name.

3. He claims them for his own. Ver. 17. They foall be
mint, faith the Lcrd.

4. His high Valuation of them, they are his Jewels. In the
Day that I make up my 'jewels.

5. His tender Love and Care of them. I will fpare them
as a Man fpareth his Son that ferveth him.

6. The great Difcrimination God will make betwixt them
and others. They owned God and his Ways, and God will
own them. They vindicated his Services and Providences
from the Reproaches and Blafphcmies caff on them, and God
will v' hera. ver. 18. Then [hall ye return and difcern
between the Righteous and the Wicked, between them thatferve
him, and them that ferve him noii Thus did the Puritans
before the Wars. Thus the Presbyterians have done fince
the Aft of Uniformity came form, and feme do fo at this
Day. And d"lC c^e & coming, when God will vindicate

C4i )

their Religions Afleiitblres from Rebellion: their Preaching
and Praying from Plotting : their Faith from Faction : and
their Meetings, where there is a Parifh Church, from Schifm.
Look we to John Baptift ; he preached and baptized, but
not in the Temple, nor in the Synagogues,but in Bethabarah^
J oh. 1.28. In the Wildernefs of $udea> Mat.%. 1. This
Bethabarah and this Wildernefs did belong to thofe places
where there were Synagogues, and within the Bounds of
their Civil Liberties, and great Multitudes went forth to
John. ver. 5. Then went out to him Jerufalem and all Jnde^and
the Region round about Jorden, and were baptized of him in
Jorden, confeffng their Sins. Many of the Pharifees and
Sadducees came to his Baptifm,and he baptized them; yet when
' the Convocation or Ecclefiaftical Senate fene to know who
' he was, and why he baptized, yet they never branded him
for Schijm, nor thofe Multitudes for Schifmaticks. They
never paft the Sentence of Damnation upon them, as this
Conformift doth on the Presbyterians. The P^ulers of the
Jews never charged thofe Religious Affemblies to be (editions
Conventicles : and his Praying and Preaching to be Plotting.
Again. After our Saviour was received into Heaven, the
Apodles returned to Jerufalem, but not into the Temple,
but into an Houfe, and were in an Upper Room, and con-
tinued in Supplication for fome Days with ic Women, and
with Mary the Mother ofjefus and his Brethren, Aft. 1. 13,
14. In this Upper Room Peter ipake to tbc Company, that
they fhould caft Lots who fhould fucceed Judas in his Apodle-
fhip, and prayed that God would determine, and G od anfwer-
ed their Prayer, ver. 15. adfinem. Were they Schif ■ icks}
When Peter was imprifoned, the Saints met togeth . 1 aa
Houfe, and this Houfe was in Jerufalem^ where tL. imple
was, and they prayed. They met often, and they prayed
often. Acls 12. 5. Prayer Was made wit ho
Church for him unto God. And they prayed i: •

for him. ver. 1 2. 18. . ill he fay this was Schifm^ \

Perfons aflembled to pray Schifmaticks 2 Ghoft

calls them the Church, >ugh it was no.
What will this Perfon lay : Paul and Barn:. 1

from preaching to the he Synagogi

in Antioch, Acls 13, 43 y 4<S, And n

C 4* )

Corinth, he lift the Synagogue, and preached in the Houfe of
$ne Jefafor one year, Acts 1 8. 7, 8, 9, 11. When he was in
Ephefas, he preached three Months in the Synagogue: but when
they were hardned, and believed ?;oty but fpaks evil c
way , he left the Synagogue, ftparated the Difciples from
them, and di [pitted in the School of Tyr annus for the fpace of
tws years j Acts 19. 8, 9, 10. And have not many of rhe
■Conformijis done the feme in their Pulpits ngainft the Jfew
byterians, and their way of Worfhipping God, as the Jmvs
againft the things fpoken by Paul : he was no Schifmatick,
and why thou id we ? His Meetings was no Schifmy and why
fhould the Presbyterian Meetings be Sthijmt they preach
the things concerning the Kingdom of God, even a:> Paul
did. And when he was Prifoner in Rome, he dwelt two
whole years in his own hired Houfe, preaching the Kingdom
of God, and' teaching thofe things which concern the Lord
Jefus, with all Confidence. The Jews did not brand him for a
Schiftnatick , and the Romans who were Heathens, did not
forbid hi in. But this Son of the Church of England, with
feveral others of his Brethren, are worfe to the Presbyterian
Meetings, than Jews, and the very Heathens were at this
time to Paid and his Meeting.

Let one Inftance more be brought, viz,, that of our bkflTed
S3viour, who was Holy, Harmlefs, V?idefiled, and Separate
from Sinners, Heb. 7. 26. who came from the BofotYi of the
Father, and beft knew the Counfel and Will of Qod, Job.
I 2. 49. Who Was faithful in doing that Work God fent him
into the W&Hd to do, Hrb. 3. 2. In whom God proclaims
iiimfelf, by an audible Voice from Heaven, to be well pie a fed,
/Mat. 13. 17. 17. 4, >. S^ was the Innoctncy of
Savkmr, that he challenged! the mot! maliciousof his Enemies
,to convince him of vS in, }oh. 8. 46. Yea, the Devil himfelf
could rind nothing in our Saviour to fix a Temptation upon,
]ch. 14. 30. Yet Jcfai Chriit did not conform to the Hu-
mane Ceremonies and invented Modes of Worfhip amongfr
:the Jews. He did not put the Garments of the Scribes and
Pharifees when he preached in the Temple. We do not
'read he pat on a Surplice, or any Garment like j:o it, when
he preached in the Synagogue, nor when he celebrated the
■Paflbver, tdminiftftred the Sacrament of the Lord'&Sa

When

(43)

When he injoyned his Difciples to baptize, he did not in-
Joyn them to baptise with the Sign of the Crofs, in token
they fhould not be amamed to make Confeflion of him:
atici to refute fuch as would not be figned with the Sign of
the Crofs.

Our Saviour did not only preach in the Temple and Syna-
gogues, but in Places feparate from them, he was with }ohn
id the Wiklernefs. Mat. 3. 13. Then cometh ]efus from Ga-
lilee to Jordan to be baptized of him : and when John forbade
him, fay in* , I have need to be baptized of thee , and com eft
thou to me. Jefus faith, fitjfer it to be fo now. for thus it be-
cometh us to fulfil all Right eoufnefs, then he fuffered him^
ver. 14, 15. This Act of our Saviour and John, though
id a Wildernefs, was an Aft. of Righteouihefs, not a Schlfn.
It would be too tedious and needlefs, to recite all the Places
where our Saviour preached in the times of his Miniitry.
There is no queftion but thofe Cities where our Saviour
preached had Synagogues in them. And thofe Defer ts,
Mountains , and Sea-fides where our Saviour preached
belonged to the Civil Boundaries and Limits of thofe Cities
and Provinces which had Synagogues in them. That Excel-
lent Sermon our Saviour preached^ Mat. 5, 6, 7. was 10
a Mountain, and this Mountain was in the Province of
Galilee, where were many Synagogues . Mat. 4. 23, 24.
And the Sermon concerning the Sower, was on the Sea of
Galilee, Mark 37. S. with cap. 4. 1. In Capernaum there
was a Synagogue, and our Saviour preached there. Mark
I. 2i. And they vent into Capernaum, and (Iraight way on
the Sabbath day he entered into the Synagogue and taught*
And at another time he was in an Houfe in Capernaum,
and he preached to them in the Houfe, Mark 2. 1, 2. And he
entered into Capernaum afteY fome Days, and it was noifed
that he was in the Houfe, and ftraight way many were ga-
thered together, infomuch that there was no room to re-
ceive them, no not about the Door, and he preached the
Word to them. And by the Inference this Conformift
makes, our Saviour muft be a Schifmatick, and the ApolHes
Sshifwaticks, for they preached in Meetings where there
were Synagogues.

QhjcB. Our Sa'icur preached in the Temple an J 5y-"
nagogue. Anfw.

(44)

Anfw. So would the Presbyterians have preached in their
Churches (Hii, if they might- The Scribes and Pharifees and
Political Rulers of the jews, never made any Law againft
John Baptift, againft our Saviour and his ApofMes, as the
Prelaticai Party of the Kingdom againft Presbyterians* And
our Saviour preached more againft the Traditions of the
Scribes Mid Pharifees, and this to the very Faces of them,
and in the Audience of the People, and told them they Wor-
Jbipped God in win, teaching for Doctrines the Commandments
if Men-, and yet they never brauded him for a Schifmattcky
and that he had cut himfelf off from Communion with God,
and E it of Eternal Happinef-.

2. If K -aching in an Houfe, on a Mountain, &c. where
there had been a Synagogue, had been a Sin of Schifmy
Cbrifl would never have done it. His doing it was an Evi-
dence it :ras no Sckifm, and that he did not cut himfelf
off frc HHiioo with the Church of God amongft

the ]ews* And how comes it paffc then, that Presbyterian
Meetings, where there is a Parifh Church, becaufe they
will not Worship God in vain, according to the Com-
mandments of Men, (liould be Schifm, and cut themfelves
off from the Universal Church of Chrift, which ufeth none
of thefe Englijb Ceremonies ? he gives you his infallible
Judgment in a naked Inference, he iaith jt is fo.

If the Presbyterians had preached in Mountains, in Woods,
in Commons, and by Rivers Gdes,snd People had Hocked to
them fromCkies, Towns, Villages, in great Multitudes to hear
them, as to John Baptift and our Saviour, what mighty
Harrangues would ihisCcnfcrmif have broke forth into ?
How would he have made feis Organ roar as loud, if not
louder, than the Canons, yea, with greater Fulminacions
and louder Anathema's ( if poffible ) than Antuchrift himfelf,
againft the Reformed Proteftant Churches? What would
this Perfbn have faid and done, if he had been one of the
Scribes and Pharifees in the times of our Saviour? cer-
tainly be would nave been as zealous for their Traditions,
and the Commandments of Men as they ; as great an Enemy
to Chrift as they: he would no [more believed Chrift to
be the promiild Mejpab than they. And taught the Dcclrines
of God's Holy Word, no more than they. For even now,

when

i4$i

when by the Benefit of Education, and Reading and Studying
Books, he is convinced the Holy Scriptures are able to
make us wife to Salvation, and need no Direction in Re?
ligion and God's Wormip more than they give us, and con-
vinced that Chrift is the protnifed Mtjfiah, and they that be*
lieve in him, and reft on him alone ,' :ion, are real

Members of Chrift: yet he doom, hem :.i . ins them
more for Nonconformity to the meer Inventions of M- - in
God's Wor (hip, than the Scribes and Phari fees did c. Sa-
viour and his Difciples. For what is he now in Ccnfo i:y
to the Church of England, he would have been the fame a-
mongfr. Scribes and Pharifees. Caelum non ariimtm nutatit
qui trans mare currunt.

3. Thofe Meetings are m Schifius, and Meeters there
are no Schifmaticks, where and to whom, God is picjied
to be gracioufly prefent. But God hath promifed to be gra-
cioufly prefent, when two or three are met togciier in his
Name. Mat. 18. 2o. For -where two or three are gathered to-
get her in my Name, there am I in the midft of them. The
Promife is made to a few as well as to a Multitude. It is
large and unlimited as to the Place. Wherefoever God hath
not tyed himfelf, to the Pariih Church, or Synagogue only,
nor to the Temple only, but any where, in an Houfe, in a
Barn, on a Mountain, on a Rivers fide, the Condition in his
Name ; not in putting on the Surplice, not in bowing at
the naming of Jefus, &c. not in Worihipping God accord-
ing to Humane Modes of Worlhip : thefe cannot be done
in God's Name, becaufe God never commanded them.

But the Meetings of Presbyterians, where there is a Parifh
Church, are in God's Name. If the Meeting of John, in
the Wildernefs ; if our Saviours Preaching in an Houfe,
on a Mountain, on the Sea-fide; if the Apoftles preaching
in Houfes, &c. were in the Name of Chrift, then Presby-
terian Meetings are in Chrift 's Name. Now John Baptilr,
our Saviour, and the Apoitles did not perform the Duty of
Praying and Preaching in their own Name : they were fet
apart and fent by God to preach. So the Presbyterian
Minifters are called by God, fet apart to the Work of the
Miniftry, by Faftiog. Praying, and Laying on of the Hands
of the Presby tenr. They meet together in his Name, to

Worfliip

C 40

Worfhip him according to his inftituted Worfhip, to gloriSe
him, hi hearing his Word, in praying to him, and praifing
of him, in adminiilring the Sacraments of the Gofpel. You
do tilings in Pa rift-Churches in Chriit's Name : and they are
done in Presbyterian Meetings in ChrhTs, Name. And
have Paritli-Churches a Title to God's Promife of his gracious
Prefence ? And why not Presbyterian Meetings ? And we
come to God in Chrift's Name, believing in Chrift, and red-
ing upon Chrift alone for a gracious Acceptance with God,
and Bleffing from him. This is the only way prekribed by
God himfelf. H^.7.25. Chnfl Is able to fxve to the uttermoft,
ail that come to God by him. This is that new and living
way, wherein we may come with Boldnefs to the Throne of
Gr«*ce, Heb. 10. 19, 20, 21. He is our prevailing Advocate
in the Court of Heaven, 1 John 2. 1. And he hath pro-
mifed in ] oh. 14. 13, 14. IVio at ever ye (hall ask in my Name,
that will 1 do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son :
ifyejhaS.ifk any thing in my Name I will do it. And we
clelire to do alt this in Sincerity, not in Appearance only 5
in the obferving Ceremonious Modes and Formalities of
Worfhip, but with the inward, as well as with the outward
Man, for God feeketh filch to ferve him. }olm 4. 23. But
the Hour Cometh, and novo is, when the true Worjhif'pers Jhall
Worfhip the Fathrr in Spirit and in Truth, for the Father
feeketh fuch to Worjhip him. Not fnch as Worfhip him in
their Surplices only, Worfnip him at the bowing at the
mmiug of Jefus only, not fiich as Worfhip him only ia and
by their Kneeling at the Sacrament. And we have the pro-
mife of his Prefence: Not of his glorious Prefence; for
thus he is in Heaven only: nor of his general Prefence ;
for thus he is in all Places: but of his gracious Prefence
to Weft as In all places where 1 record my Name, I will
come ■ .:q :hee and blefs thee, Exod. 2o. 24. To take fpecial
Dc! • in them, to record what they fay, for the Vindica*
tio of his Services and his Providences, and our mutual
Er uragement in God's ways, Mai. 3. 16. And to blefs
tlv Labours of his Minifters, and crown them with Succefs.
T .as beblefledjcfo* Baptift iiuheWiidcrnefs ofjud.-a. They
] it the Synagogue, the Temple, and went to hear John
f-id be baptized" by him. Thus he bkffed the Miniftry of

jefus

(47 )

Jefias Chrift on the Mountain, &c. and of the Apoftles out
of the Temple and Synagogue. And many thoufands expe-
rience,. God hath been gracioufly prefent in Predyterian
Meetings in England, Scotland, and Ireland, almoft for
thefe forty Years, fince the Act of Uniformity came forth ;
and therefore this Conformities Inference is very falfe and
contrary.

i. To the Common Senfe and Experience of the Faithful.

2. To the Rules of Charity, charging all our Services
done in Obedience to God's Command, and in ChriiVs
Name, and to God's Glory, to be mere Hypocriiie, and we
a pack of Hypocrites, and cheat both God and Men. We
are ingaged to you for your Excellent Conformable
Charity.

3. It is a blafphemous Reflection upon God, and make*
him an Incourager of Sin and Sinners 5 for God is true in all
his Sayings, faithful in all his Promifes: his gracious Ac-
ceptance of Believers in Chrift is unqueftionable. God is
well pleafed with Chrift, and with the Perfons and Perfor-
mances of them that are in Chrift : and if Fnsbytcrians be

in Chrift, then their Perfons and Performances are accepted.
of God, and he prefent with them : and if we are Schif
ma,tick$, and cut off from Communion with Chrift, as he
ia/th, then God is gracioufly prefent with Sinners, counte-
nanced! and encourageth them.

4. If Praying and Preaching in a Meeting where there is
a Parifh-Church be Schifm, God would never have honoured
it with the Effufions of his Holf Spirit, nor given extra-
ordinary Gifts to the Schifmatickr there Ailembled, for
God and Sin are irreconcileable. You may (boner reconcile.
Fire and Water, Heaven and Hell, than reconcile God and
Sin, God would ceafe to be God, when he iliall once be
reconciled to Sui : and therefore, feeing he hath poured forth
abundance of his Spirit upon thofe who were affembied
in an Houfe, where there was a Parifh-Church, it is evident
fuch Meetings are not Schifm, and they who meet there are
no Sckifmaticks. The Apoftles after ChriiVs Afcentioa-
were in rferufalem, and this by the Appointment of Chriih

■Afts 1. 4. He commanded them that they flioald 21 ot de-
Part from Jen/aim, but leaves i; to their choice where,

(48)

he neither commanded them to go into the Temple, nor
forbad them to enter into a private Houfe : and they were
not in the Temple, but in an Houfe. Afts 2. 12. And when
the Day of ' Penticofl, i. e. the Fiftieth Day. As God delivered
the Law in the Wildernefs fifty Days after the firfl Paflbver
celebrated in Egypt ; fo fifty Days after the crucifying of
Jefus Chrift, God did plentifully pour down on the Apoftles
kthe Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit, to qualifie them
for the Work of the Min'rfhy. When this Penticojl was fully
come, they were all with one accord in one place, andfuddenly
there came a found from Heaven, as of a mighty rujhing Wind,
and it filled all the Houfe where they were, and Cloven
Tongues as of Fire, appeared and fate upon each of them,
ver. 3. And they fpake the Wonderful things of God, and
a great fart of their Hearers Was amazed, ver. II, 12.
And it is to be obferved, that this. Effufion of the Spirit
was an accomplishment of a great Prophefie long before
promifed. ver. 16. This is that which was fpoken by the
Prophet Joel. ver. 17. It (hall come, that in the lafl Days,
faith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flejh, and
your Sons and your Daughters fkall Prophtfie, &c. Now if
this Meeting in this Houfe in Jerufalem, where the Temple
was, had betnzSchifm, and the Meeters Schifmaticks, God
would never have honoured it with the fulfilling of fo great
a Prophefie: and God doing this in an Houfe, and not in the
Temple, doth evidence God did not efteem their Meeting in
the Houfe a Schijm.

And we read in another Place, while Peter was preaching
in Cornelie%s\ Houfe, the Spirit fell on the Gentiles that
heard him, to the Aftonifhment of the believing Jews.
Aft s 10. 44, 45. And while Piter yet fpake thefe Words,
the Holy Ghofl fell en all them which heard the Word, and
they of the Circumcifim which believed, were aftonijhed^ and
as many as came With Peter, becaufe that on the Gentiles
alfo Was poured out of -the Gift of the Holy Ghofl, for they
heard them fpake with Tongues, and magnifie God< And
will you think this Meeting a Schfm ? Will you believe
thofe believing Jews which were here, and thofe Difciples
v/hich came with St. Peter, and thofe Gentiles on whom the
Holy Ghoft was poured, were Schifmaticks ? Did not God

give

C 49 )

give a Command to Cornelim to fend to Joppa ? And did
not God give a Command ( by a Vtfion of a Vtffel defending
from Heaven ) to Peter to go, and that he (hould not call
.thefe Gentiles common or unclean, feeing God hath cleanfed
them, ver. 15, 19, 20. And will you call thefe Schifmaticks?
And they were baptized, ver. 47, 48. This Conformifv tells
us, in feveral Pages of his Church Communion, that thofe
who by Baptifm are incorporated into the Body of Chriir,
and live according to the Rules of that Society, are intituled
to the Pardon of Sin, p. 53. They are intituled to the
Aftiftance of the Spirit, 55, 56. Are intituled to Eternal
Life, p. 57, 58. And thefe Perfons were baptized, and re-
ceived the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, and will you fay, thefe
were Schifmaticks, and cut off from Communion with Chriir,
and Benefit of Salvation by him 5 And becaufe it was done
in an Houfe, and in the Houfe of a Gentile, natwirhftanding
this Spiritual Honour conferred on them.

Object. There was no Synagogue, no Parifh Church
there ?

Anf. Who told you fo ? When was you there ? There
were believing Jews there, and they have their Synagogues
where they live. Witnefs the many mentions of them in
the Acts. Witnefs, all thofe Synagogues where they live in
Europe and Aft a.

Object. It is not fo in Presbyterian Meetings, they b&*€
no fuch Effufions of the Spirit upon ?

'' Anf. No, nor your Pariih Churches, who have fuch Ad-
ditions of Significant Ceremonies. And Presbyterian Meetings
have not fuch Effufions of the Spirit, as to Meafure and
Degree, nor as to Gifts, but Meeters there have had the
Spirit, as to Conviction, Conversion, to Edification, to Sal-
vation. The Spirit of God is as free now as heretofore.
Where hath he told you, he hath tied him to the Rtfifli
only ? When did you ask all the Presbyterian Afifemblies in
England, Scotland, and Ireland^ whether they had the Spirit
of Grace and Supplication, of joy and Confolation, given
to them ? We believe there are as many can teiririe this
to be true of the Presbyterian Meetings, as can of your
Parifn Churches, where you have fuch ■ decent an J pleafafit
Modes of Warfhip, We are in po&ifitfl till yocuaft lis

E outi

out, and if you will caffc us out, you mufr inquire and go
when you will. And if you think your (elves in the right
and true way of Worfhipping of God, and your felves
Members of the llniverfal Church, becaufe you have the
Spirit of God working Grace, Peace, and Joy, by his Or-
dinances in fome of your Hearers; Will you damn us for our
Meetings where there is a PariQi Church, when we injoy
*h: fame Operations of the Holy Spirit of God with your
felves ?

5. Thofe Meetings are no Schlfms where God is pleafed
to begin and carry on the Work of Salvation. This is
felf Evidence, and needs no Proof: God needethnot Sin to
begin and carry on Salvation. But G od is pleafed to make
life of Presbyterian Meetings to begin and carry on the
Work of Salvation, and therefore thefe Meetings are Schifms.
God hath appointed a Miniftry in his Church for the Salvation
of his People, Eph. 4. 1 i.He gavefome Paflors, andTeachers.
ver. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of
the Minifiry\ for the edyfying of the Body ofChriJt He hath
given us his Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wife
to Salvation. 2 Tim. 3. 15. And he hath appointed the Mi-
niftry as a means of Illumination and Converfion. Acls 26.
17, 18. / will fend thee to the Gentiles to turn them from
Varknefs to Light, from the Power of Satan to God, It is a
. means of our new Birth, jam. 1. i3. Of his own will he h*th
begotten us again by the Word of Truth. I Pet. I. 23. Being
born again not of corruptible but incorruptible, the Word of
God which liveth and a bidet h for ever, it is the Inflrument^
to work in us all faving Graces. Rom. 10. Faith comes by
hearing, and hearing of the Word preached, a means to work
Repentance, Love, Hope, Patience, and the whole Work of
Sanclif cation upon the Soul. John 17. 17. Father fantlifie
them through thy Truth. Thy Word ir Truth, the ?xeans of our
Edification and Salvation. Acts 2o. 32. And now, Brethren,
1 commend you to God and the Word of his Grace, which is able
to build you up, and give an Inheritance amongf them that
are fanclified.

And God hath blefled the Miniftry of the Word to thefe
Ends, though not preached in the Pariflj Church, and with-
out the lift of Ceremonies, John feptift did not preach in

a Synagogue, nor in the Temple, neither did he life the Cere-
monies of the Scribes and Pharifees, yet God blefled his
Miniflxy, and made it more fuccefsful to Salvation than the
preaching of the Priefts and Pharifees t though in the Temple
and Synagogue. Mat, il. 12. And from the Days of John the
Baptifl until now, the Kingdom of Heaven fufereth Violence ,
and the Violent take it by Force, Hence they left the Temple
and the Synagogues, their Parifh Churches, and go by Multi-
tudes into the Wildernefs, Mat, 3. 1, 5, 6, 7. Our Saviour
preached in Houfes, on the Sea fide, on a Mountain, in the
Wildernefs, as well as in the Synagogue or Temple, and
God bleflTed his Miniftry as much, if not more in thefe
Places, to the Conviction and Converfion of his Auditors,
than 111 the Temple and Synagogue ; and therefore *c the
end of his Sermon on the Mount, it is recorded, that the
People were aftonilhed at his Doftrine, For he taught as
me having Authority, and not as the Scribes and Pharifees,
Mat. 7. 28, 29. And we read that many of the Samaritans
believed in hiu»; John 4. 40, 41, 42. Nou> toe believe, not be*
caufe of thy Saying: for we have heard him our felves,and know
that he is indeed the very ChrisJ, the Saviour of the World,

And we read, that God blefled his Word preached
by the Apoftles, to the Converfion of many Thoufands,
though not in the Temple, nor in the Synagogue In the
Day of Pentecofi many were converted by St. Peter s Sermon,
Ails 2.41, Then they that gladly received his Word, were
baptized : and the fame Day there was added to them about,
three thoufand Souls, in AtJs 5, 41. And daily in the Temple.
and in every Houfe, they ceafed not to teach and preach
J*fut ChrisJ. And in thofe Days the Numbers of Difciples
were multiplied. Philip preached in Samaria, and God
blefled his Miniftry. Acls 8. 12. When they believed Philip
teaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God> and
the Name of J ejus Chrift, they were baptized, both Men and
Women. And when Paul and Barnabas turned from the
Jews, and preached to the G entiles, they were glad, and as
many as were ordained to Eternal Life, believed. Alls 13.
4. 48. There was a Synagogue of the Jews in this place,
ver. 14. 42. In Ep hefts there was a Synagogue, and Paul
preached three months there, and when thtyfpake evil of that
E 2 ___ way

[>}

Way before the Multitude ( as many Conformifts do concerning
Presbyterians ) Paul feparated the Difciples, took them from
the Synagogue, and difputed two years in the School o/Tyran-
nus, Ads 19. 8, 9. And great was the Confluence of tire
People to hear. ver. 10. So that all they that dwelt in Afia
heard the Word of the Lord Jefus, both Jews and Gentiles,
and many were converted : more converted at the School of
Tyr annus than in the Synagogue, ver. 18. Many that believed
time and confeffed, and flawed their Deeds, ver. 2o. fo
mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed. And feeing
this great Converfion was wrought where was a Syna-
gogue, the PariQi Church of the Jews, but not by preaching
in the Synagogue, but in the Schol of Tynannus ; Was this
Meeting a Schifm, and thefe Meeters and Converts Schif
rnaticks ?

And as God hath blefled the Miniftry of yo^w8aptift,ofour
Saviour, and of his Apoftles, to the Converfion and Salva-
tion of their Hearers, though in places dinftinct from the
Synagogues and Temple : fo lie hath bleff • a Presbyterian
Meeting where there was a PariQi Church, to the Conviction ,
and Converfion, and Edification of many thoufands, who
hiving fuch Experiences of God's Prefence in, and Bleffing
upon his Ordinances there adminiltred, that the blackeft
. Reproaches cad upon them, that the Penalties enacted againft
the Houfe where the meeting was, and againil the Preacher,
and againft every Hearer, could not affright them j and your
late Bug-bear ofcaliing it a Schifm, and cutting ones (elf off
from Communion with Chrift, and Benefit of Salvation by
.him, cloth not terrific them: Their Spiritual Experiences
are more to them, than the Thunderbolt of this Inference.

Is it not blafphejiious to fay, that Chrift vouchkfes his
gracious Prefence to wicked Aflefnblies? that lie fliould vouch-
. life a Spiritual and Holy Communion to a company of
Drunkards in Ale-Houfes or lavcrns, to a company of
Whores and Wharemongevs in Stews and Brothel Houfes, or
to Idolatrous Stflcmblies * Doth God bJefs thefe Schools
of the Devil? Doth he blefs their fulfill Conferences, 2nd
Abomination, to the Conviction, Converfion, and Salva-
. tion of Sinners? And though Presbyterlm Meetings are not
guilty of thefe ^Dominations ; yet by this Cunfonnift s

Inference,

C S3 )

Inference, they are guilty of Schifm, and this Sin muft be r
a Sin of a Scralet Dye. Counterfeited Piety is double
Iniquity. And for Chrift to blefs thefe Meetings and
Scliifmatical Adminiftrations of Divine Ordinances, and make
them effe&ual to work Grace, and to carry it on to Salva-
tion, is to make Righteoufnefs to have Fellowship with Utf-
righteoufnefs, and Light to have Communion with Darknefs,
and Chrift to have Concord with Belial. But Contraries
have no Agreement : and feeing God hath aftually vouch-
fafed his Prefence in, and Blefling upon thefe Meetings,
and made them fuccefsful to the working of Grace where
it is wanting, and to.1 increafe Grace where it is begun, till
it be crowned with Glory, doth undeniably evidence than '
thefe Presbyterian Meetings are no Schifms, and they who '
go thither are no Schifmaticks, and inftead of cutting off
themfelves from Communion with Chrifl, and Benerit of
Salvation by him, he makes them effectual means of having
Communion with him, and receiving Salvation by him. They
have Grace here, and Glory hereafter. Contra fenfum
fidelum non efl difputandmn.

6. We (hall ufe his own Argument, p. 53. Thofe Perfbris
which are incorporated into the Myftical Body of Gtirifl
by Baptifm, and live according to the Laws God hath -given
to that Society, are no Schifmaticks, do not exclude them-
felves from Communion with Chrift, nor Benefit of Salva-
tion by him. But Presbyterians who meet in a place diftinft ■
from the Parim Church, are by Baptifm incorporated into
the Myftical Body of Chrift, and live according to the Laws
God hath given to that Society, and therefore they arc no
Schifmaticks.

The major Propofition is felf Evidence: A Perlbu nmiot
be a Member of Chrift and no Member at the fame time;
he cannot, have Communion with Chrift and be cut off from
Communion with him at the fame time : he cannot live ac-
cording to the Laws of that Society, and break them at the
fame time, I know nothing he can object ^^d^n'l,c the
minor. But,

ObjeB. They come not to the Parim Church, and Worfhip
not God according to the Rules of that Society.

C *4)

Anf If thofe who were incorporated into the Myftical
Body ofChrift by the Sacrament of Circumcifion, were no
Schifmaticks, beeaufe they did not come unto the Temple,
nor unto the Synagogue, nor Worfhip God according to
the then Humane Modes of Worfhip, then Presbyterians are
no Schifmaticks, beeaufe they come not to the Parifh Church,
and Worfhip not God according to Humane Inventions.
But the former is true, and therefore the latter.

I. tfohn Baptift was circumcifed, and the Multitude of
his Auditors were circumcifed, and hereby incorporated
into the Body of Chrift. But John did not baptize in the
Temple, nor in the Synagogue : his Auditors came to him in
the Wildernefs, and were baptized by him in the Wildernefs.
Our Saviour was circumcifed and baptized by John in the
Wildernefs : and the Difciples were with Chrift in. Houfes,
in the Wildernefs, on the Sea-fide, on the Mountain. And
after our Saviour's Afcention, they were in Houfes, then in
Synagogues, A&s 5. 41* ^n mery Houfe they ceafed not to
teach and preach Jefus Chrift. And St. Paul faith, that
he taught them publickly, and from Houfe to" Houfe,
Acls 20. 20. They left their publick place?, and went into
private Houfes, j0s 18. 7,8. anto the School o/Tyrannus,
Acls 19. 8,9,10. And they were no Schifmaticks for thefc
things, and why fhould Presbyterian Meetings be more
Schifmatiral than thofe. of Jcfe Baptift, our Saviour, and the
Apoftles ?

2. Ceremonies and Humane Modes of Worfhip, are no
Rules for Worshipping of God. Jefas Cbrift, the King and
Law-giver of his Church, never made then) a rule. He never
gave Authority to Political or Ecclefiaftical Power, to make
Ceremonies and Humane Modes of WorQiip, to be Rules
for his People. John Baptift, our Saviour, and the Apoftles,
never ufed the Ceremonies and Modes of Worfhip prefcribed
by the }ew* : and why (hould we be Schifmaticks, beeaufe
we obferve not the Commands of Men ?

3. It isneitherPlace,nor Humane fignificant Ceremonies,but
Sincerity that God requires. ]ohn 4. II. Believe me, that
the Hour cometh, when neither in this Mountain, nor yet at

Jcrufilem, fhMp worfhip the Father (and if not m?erufale?n,
why not in a Presbyterian Meeting, where there is a Pariih

C 5-5- )

Church ) ver. 23. hut the Hour comet hy and now is, When
the true Worjbippers jball Worjhip the Father in Spirit and
in Truth, for the Father feeketh fuch ( not Ceremonious
and Modifti Wormippers ) to Worjhip him. And will you
condemn all Presbyterians as Hyporcites ? Are they all rotten
in their Hearing, rotten in their Praying, rotten in their
Celebration of the Lord's Supper ? Are they all Hypocrites
and Schifmaticks, who defire to Worlhip God according to
the Purity and Simplicity of his Inftitutions ? And are they
the true Worfliippers of God, who fet up Significant Cere-
monies and Humane Modes of Worlhip, and debar thole
from the Lord's Supper,who dare not fymbolize with Idolatrous
Papifts ? Do you not know, or will you not know* that the
more there is of Man's Inventions in God's Worlhip, the more
Formality and Hypocrifie in God's Worfhip. What was
the reafon the Scribes and Pharifees were fuch Hypocrites,
but they cryed the Commands of Men inftead of the Do-
clrines of God ? What made fuch way to the yfpojlacy of the
once famous Church of Rome, but their leaving the Doctrines
of God's Word, and Simplicity of his Inftitutions, and added
their own Inventions? Thefe things made both the Scribes
and Pharifees of old, and the Church of Ro?ne, fuch Schif-
maticks ; and therefore they who by Baptifm are incor-
porated into the Myftical Body of Chrift, and live according
to the Rules of God for that Society, are no Schifmaticks.

7. They who by Baptifm are incorporated into the Myfti-
cal Body of Chrift, and live according to that Society, are
intituled to the Pardon of Sin, the Affiftance of the Spirit,
and Eternal Life, are no Schifmaticks, nor deprived of
Communion with Chrift, nor Benefit of Salvation by him.
But Presbyterians are by Baptifm incorporated into the
Myftical Body of Chrift, and are intituled to the Pardon
of Sin, the Affiftance of the Spirit, and Eternal Life ; and
therefore their Meetings are not Scblfm% nor the Perfons
^chifmaticks.

The Subject of the major Proportion he afferts,/>. 53, 54,
55,56, 57, 58. and the predicate of the Proportion is ait
infallible Confequence, they are no ^chifmaticks% they are not
deprived of Communion with Chrift, nor Benefit of Salva-
tion by him, It is impoflible for a Perfon at the fame time

E 4 °^

C jO

to have a Title to the Pardon of Sin, and be cut off from
Communion with Chrift, who is the alone Propitiation for
our Sins. Rom. 3. 21). He was delivered for eur Sins, and rofe
again for cur justification. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 2 Cor. 5. ult.
He was made Sin for wy who knew no Sin, that we might
be made the Right coufnefs of God through him. It is im-
poffible to have a Tide to the Affiftance of God's Spirit,
and Eternal Life?and yet to be cut off from Communion, with
Chriit, and Benefit of Salvation. All the Promifes of God to
his People are infallible, they are Integriting Parts of his Co-
venant, they are confirmed with his Oath, fealed with the
plood of Chril, ?nd as fure to be performed, as if they
were performed already. I Cor. 1. 2,0. For all the Prrmifos
of God in him arc Tea, and in Amen, unto the Glory of God
by ns.

That Vre:byterians who meet in Affemblies where there is
aPariih Church, are by Baptifm incorporated into the MyfU-
pa} Body of Chril, and walk according to the Rules God
Jiath given to that Society. The Objections made againft
their not going to the Parifll Church, and not worCnipping
God according to the Commands of Men, were anfwueJ.
. It remains to be proved, that they are intituled to rhe
pardon of Sin, the AtliTar.ce of his Spirit, and Eternal Life :
*ve have {hewed before, they have a Promilfe of his gracious
prelei'ce. Mat. iS. 20. When two cr three are gathtred
together in my Karne} I will be in the mid,} cf them : and
hereby they are intituled to the bkffed Efte&s of his gracious
Prcfence. Exod. 20. 24. In places where J record rny Name,
I will fptne uyito thee and bUfs thee. Lie will b'efs them
with true Faith in Chri.t. This is the genuine and laving
Effect of Gpd's Word preached and heard. Ro?n. 10. iy.
Faith copies by Hearing and hearing of the IVcrd preached.
Thofe who were . fear te red upon the Perftcution of Stephen,
preached the Gofpel, and the Hand of the Lord was with
them, and a great Number believed and turned to the Lord.
^0s 13. 48. And the Gentiles heard this, and as many that
were ordained to eternal Life, believed. Ephef 1. 13. hi
whom ye alfo trujied , after that ye had heard the V/ord of
Truth, the Gofpel of your Salvation. And theft Presbyterian
Meeters by believing in Clirift do receive him. John 1. 1 *.
To fbtftf that do receive Julrn^ he gave power to become the

Sons of God, evento'them that believe on his Name. They
have Right and Title to the Perfon of Chrift. Cant. 2. 16.
/ am my beloved's , and my beloved k mine : they have Right
and Title to all of Chrift. I Cor. I. 30. Ye ( 1. e. that is
Believers,) are in Chrlfi Jefus, who of God is made unto us
( i. e. Believers ) Wifdom, Right coufnefs, SanBification and
Redemption. They who by Faith have an Intereft in
Chrift, have Right and Title to the Pardon of Sin. ABs
*?« 38, 39. Be it known unto you, Brethren, that through
this Man is preached unto you the Forgivenefs of Sin, and by
him all that believe, ,are jufiified from all things, by -which
they could not be jufiified by the Law of Mofes. By their In*
tcreft in Chrift they hav.e a Right and Title to the Holy
Spirit, which is called the Spirit of Chrift, becaufe he h
the Purchafe of the Blood of Chrift, and Chrift hath
promifed the Spirit. John 14. 16. I will fray the Father,
and. he jhall give yqu another Comforter, that he mai abide
-With )ou for ever, ver. 26. But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghofi, whom the Tether will \ end in my Name — - And
by their believing in Clifift, they h re Right to Eternal
Life, John 3. 16. God fo loved th. World, that he gave his
enly begotten Son, that whofosver believcth in him Jhoi-dd not
jerijb,but have everlafiing Life. ver. iS.He that bclieveth
on him is not condemned, vtr. ^6. he that believeth en the
Sen hath everlafiing L'fe. And can you think theft Perfor.s
cut oft' from Communion with Chrift, and Benefit of Sal -
varies becaufe they refufe to come to, the Pariih ChurcJ),
noon the account of invented Modes of Worfhip?

8. IfPanfh Churches and Ceremonies of MyfticalSi^nifi-
cation, and Humane Infritution, omicted by Chrift and his
Applies, are no i3ond of Union and Communion with Chrift,
and one with another, then Pm£jtf?mr» Meetings where there is
a Parifli Church is no Schifiv, and they that go thither are no
Schifmaticks'. but Parifti Churches and Ceremonies ofMyftical
Signification, and Humane Inftiunion omitted by Chrift,
are no Bonds of our Union with Chrift, and one with a-
11 other ; and therefore Presbyterian Meetings, where there
is a Par 10) Church, are no Schifms, &c. ^

Parifti Churches were built for Conveniency, that Perfons
that live within t)ie Bounds of the fame Pariih might meet
m WnriVm CZtiA _ and ro flicker them from Diifrefs nf

C 58)

Weather, but not for Bonds of Union and Communion
with Chrift, and one with another. - The Author of Church
Communion tells you from the ApofHe, in Efhef. 4. 4. that
There is one Body. And the fame Apoftle tells you elfe where,
that this Body hath many Members. And the fame Apoftle
tells us, that the fame Body hath Joynts and Bonds by which
they are knit together, by which Nourishment is conveyed, .
to Increafe with the Increafe of God. The Head is Spiri-
tual, the Body and Members are Spiritual, the Joynts, Bonds,
Nourifliment, and Growth, Spiritual : and are your Parifli
Churches and your Ceremonies Spiritual ? Our Head is
in Heaven, and our Bonds of Union mud be from Heaven,
and mount up to Heaven, and bring Spiritual Nourifhment
from Heaven : And do your Steeples and Churches mount
above the Sun, and pierce the Empyrean Heavens ? Do your
Ceremonies mount up thither ? Certainly your Surplices
and Signs of the Crofs are of a prodigious length ; if they
do not thus, how come they to be Bonds and Joynts to unite
us to Chriit ? and if they do not unite us to Chrift, how
come we to be cut off from Communion with Chrift, and
Benefit of Salvation by him, becaufe we refufe your Parifli
Churches, upon the Account of Ceremonies, and we worfliip
God according to his Inftitutions, in places diitinct from your
Parifli Churches ?

The Bond of our Union with Chrift, on his parr,his Holy
Spirit. God hath promifed his Spirit to his People, as a
Covenant Bit (Ting, and as ai infallible Evidence that they are
in Covenant wkhGod. Ezek. 36.27. / will pit my Spirit with-
in you, and caufe you to walk in my Statutes , ami ye JhaO
hep my judgmtits. And cur Saviour faith, That God will
ghfe his Spirit to them that ask him, Luk. 1 1. 13. And a-
roongft other Offices of the Spirit, this is one, to com-
municate the Work of Redemption by Chrift to his Mem-
bers. John 16. 15. He fl: all take of mine, andjhew it unto
you. q: d: A? I am his Son by an Eternal Generation, have the
lame Eflence, Glory and Power, and Divine Perfections that
my Father hath, and he hath depofited in me as Mediator,
the whole Treafure of his Grace; fo the Holy Spirit (hall
take of mine, and fhall (hew it unto you. q: d: as the
Father works, and fomunicates himfelf by me, even fo do

(«0

I work, and communicate my Fnlnels by the Holy Ghoft.
By his Spirit he communicates his Spiritual Life to his People,
John 3. 5. By this he conveys Sanctifying - Graces to his
People. 1 Cor. 6. u. hence called the Spirit of Sanctification.
1 Pet. 1, 2. By this he gives Strength to mortifie the Deeds
of the Body. Rom. 8. 13. Helps our Infirmities in Duties.
Rom, 8. 26. and he flail abide with them for ever. John 14.
16. I will pray the Father, and he flail' give you another
Comforter., and he flail abide -with you for ever.

And as the Spirit is a Bond of our Union with Chrift on
God's part,fo Faith is the Bond of our Union with Chrift on
our part. By Faith we receive Jefus Chrift as our Re-
deemer, John 1. 12. To them that do receive him, he gave
power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on
him. This makes that Spiritual Contraft betwixt Chrilfc
aHd a Believer. Chrift takes the Believer for his, and the Be-
liever takes Chrift for his. Cant: 2. 16. I am my beloveds,
and my beloved is mine. By this jefus Chrift hath a Spiri-
tual Habitation in us. Eph. 3. 17. That Chrift may dwell in
your Hearts by Taith. Chrift, and all of Chrift, his Perfon,
his Offices, and all his Fulnefs, is a Believer's. 1 Ccr. 1. 21.
It pleafeth God^y the fooliflnefs of preaching, tofave them that
believe, Ver. 30. And 'Jefus Chrisl is made to them that
believe Wifdom, and Right coufnefs, and Sanclification, and He-
demption.

. Again, the Spirit of God is the Spiritual Bond of Union
of the Members one with another. Eph, 4. 4. There is ona
Body, and one Spirit. The Believers before the Law, had
not one Holy Spirit; and the Believers under the Law\, had
not another Spirit; and the Believers under the Gofpel, a
nother Spirit ; but Believers before the Law, under the
Law, and in the times, have the fame Spirit as a Bond of
Union with Chrift, and of one Member with another.
And though there are Diverfity of Gifts, Diverfity of Ad-
^ miniftrations, and Diverfity of Operations, yet it is bnt one
and felf fame Spirit, 1 Cor, il. Natural Philofophy tells usf..
' that Anhna eft tot a in toto, & tot a in qualibet partis. The
Soul is totally in the whole, and totally in every part. So
in this Myftical Body of Chrift, the lame inlightning, in-
liveningXanftifyingjComforting Spirit is in every real Member

C:*0

of Chrift's Myftieal Body, though not in the fame mea-
fure and degree, and by this Spirit they are united one to
another. • The fame Holy Spirit that dwells in Believers
that go to the Parifli Church, dwells in Believers that go
to the Presbyterian Meeting, or any other Meeting, where
there i^. a Parilh Charch.

And Love is another Bond by which the real and living
Members of Cbrilr. are united one to another. Their God
is a God of Love : their Head and Redeemer is a God of
Love : their SancYifier and Bond of Union is a God of Love:
and certainly the Body and true Members cannot but have
Love to God, their Head, their Sandiner, and one to ano-
ther. And if the Members of the Natural Body have 2 mu-
tual Love one for another, (hall not the Members fcf Chrift's
Myftieal Body love one another ? This Love is the genuine
Product of Faith. True Faith in Chrift produceth true LoVe
to the Members of Chrift : hence it is (aid to work by Love.
Gal. 5. 6. But Faith which worketh by Love 5 and by this
they are united one to another. CoL 2. 2. that t^eir
Hearts might he comforted, being knit together in L0V€m
Hence tney Jyrn/athize one with another. 1 Cor. 12/26.
if one himber f*fftr} all the Members fufer with a^ or 0?ie
Member be honoured, aU the Members r^ Joyce with it

And if thefe are cur Bonds of Union with Chrift and
one with anoih r, then your Parifh Churches and
iicanc CtTen cf Worfliip

not Bones of our Union wich Chrift, and one with another.
The Bonds of our 1 Union with Chrift, and one

with another, are from God : Thefe Significant Ceremonies
"lodes of Worihip are from Men. The Bonds of
our Union with Chrift, and cue with another, fliail never be
totally and finally taken away, the Spirit (hall abide with
than for ever. John 14. 16. Their Faith jball n$t fintll
M:t/-2. %%. And the'r Love [hail abide for ever: and therefore
it is laid to be greater than Faith, and Hope. 1 Cor. 13. 13.
Prophifies jball fail, Tongues Jhall ceafe, Knowledge Jball
vanijh away, but Charity ( that is Love ) nc.
ver. 18. Bu: your Ceremonies and Modes of Worfhip
have kited, they hate been taken away, and may be taken
away : as they came from Ro?ne% fo they will fall when Rome

falls* if not before, and what then will become of your
Union with Chrtit ? &c,

9. They who have1 all the Effentials neceflary to the Confti-
tution of the true Members of Chrift, are not Schifmaticks, and
their Aflemblies no Schifms : But the Presbyterians and their
Aflemblies have all the Effentials neceflary to the Con(litutioi>
of the true Members of Chrift, and therefore they are not
Schifmaticksy fcnd their Religious Meetings no Schifms.
The major needs no Proof: and for the minor it is evident,
the Eflentials neceflary to the conftitution of true Members
of Chrift . They have Paftors and Teachers ; they have the
Word purely preached ; the Sacraments rightly aduiiniftred,
according to the Inftitution and Example of Chrift; they have
in his Promifes ; they receive Chrift, and reft on him alone
for Salvation, as lie is tendred to them in his Holy Word,
they have in God's Word, and live according to thebeftof
their Knowledge, according to God's Words ; and if any of
them fall into Sin, as who (ins not, yet we muft make a
difference betwixt Sins of Weaknefs and Sins of Wiifulnefs :
we muft make a difference betwixt the purfutng and over-
taking of a Sin, and being overtaken by a Sin : and He will
allow the fame judgment of Charity for Presbyterian
Meeters, as he would have us allow for the Pariih Church
Meeters. But as for the ElTentials neceflary to conftitute a
Perfonal Church Memberfhip, they have, and their Prorefllon
of thefe things are Proofs fufficient, and here, by the Grace
of God, we will keep our felves, till you call -us out by
flronger Arguments^ than bare fay lo.

And you that are Accufers and Condemners of Presbyte-
rians, look to your felves, and take warning, left while you
finite a Schifmatick, God finds a Saint, and Chrift: Jefos
finds a living Member bleeding; and whilil you accu us
of Schifm, you your felves prove to be Schifmzticks. I have
ken and heard a Perfon to cry Stop Thief flop Thief, that
he might divert the multitude from fuIpecYmg and feiziog
him, when he himfelf was the Robber.

10. If not the Separation, but. the Caufe makes the
Schifmatick, then the Presbyterians are not guilty of Schifm,
But not the Separation but die Caufe makes the Schifmatick.
The 'Argument is builded upon, an old Canon, Caufa nm

Sefaratio facit Schifmaticum. This Canon hath been
owned and allowed by pious and learned Men. He is not
therefore immediately to be judged a Schifrnatick who
feparates from a Society ; but either the Piety of the Se-
paration acquits him from Schifmyov the Sinfulness of the Se-
paration makes him a Schifrnatick ; and therefore thofe who
by their (infill Depravations and corrupt Impofitions, gi ve
juft ground of Separation to others, they are the Schifm at icksy
not they who feparate. We read, }ohn 10. 19,20, 21.
There was a great Schifm amongft the ]eros concerning our
Saviour. Some faid he had a Devil ', and was mad : others
faid, thefe are not the Words of one that hath a Devil : Can
the Devils open the Eyes of one born blind ? Who were the
Schifmaticks ? furely not they who juftitied Chrift, they
\vere in the Truth : and they who blafphemed Chrift,
were the Schifmatich ; for they (pake and aflerted things
contrary to Truth. Hence the Devil was a $chifmaticky
for he feil from that Truth of Holinefs and Obedience to
God he was crated in. Adam was a Schifrnatick ; for he
divided hirufelf from God, by not continuing inthatftate
he was created in, but fell from the commands of God.
Thus Corah, Dathan, and Abiram were Schifmaticksy be-
caufe they fell off from that Order and Government God
had fet up amongfl: the ]eccs. Thus ]erohoam was the
Schifmaticky who ieparated himfelf from thofe Ordinances
and Worlhip God had fet up amongft the }cn>sy and fet up a
devifed Worlhip of his own, and not thofe Priefts, Levites,
that were in all ifrad, and left their Suburbs and PdfletTions,
whom Jeroboam and his Sons had caft off from executing
the Prieft's Office to the Lord, becaufe they would not con-
form to his invented Modes of Worfhipping God. lCh\
II. 13, 14. The Pharifees and Scribes boafted themfelves
to be the true Church of God ; and yet Chrift and his
Apoilles were not Schifmatieks becaufe they departed from
them, and worfhipped God feparately from them, but the
Scribes and Pharifees were the Scbifirtatickf. The Church
of Rome boafteth her felf to be the true Church of Chrift,
and dooms and damns all the Proteftant Reformed Churches
for Heretic ks, when (he her felf is the grandeft Schifrna-
tick and HsretUk, in faring up and maintaining thofe

Doctrines

(6* )

Doctrines and Modes of Worlhip, which God hath not
delivered, nor commanded jn his Holy Word.

And who, and what is the Caufe of this lamentable
Divifion in thefe three Kingdoms, betwixt Conformifts and
Non-conformifts ; let God the the Righteous Judge of Hea-
ven and Earth be judge : let the Holy Scriptures, the in-
fallible Rule God hath given us both for Doctrines and
Worlhip, and by which we muft be Judged at the laft,
be judge: let all the Proteftant Reformed Churches beyond
the Seas, beiudge : let all thofe Books that have been written
by Non-conformifts , from the beginning of the Reformation
to this prefent year, be judge, to which I refer him : and
when he hath vanquifht them, I have more to convince
him and others, that Presbyterians are not the Caufe of the
Separation, though we diflent from thera5 but the Caufe lies
elfewhere ; and where it lies, I (houid have (hewed, but
Cytithiits aurem wlllt, let it fuffice to have caft my little
Mite intotheTreafure, to vindicate our felves from Sehifm,
though we go not to the Pariih Churches, becaiife Modes of
Worfliip are injoyned us, which God never injoyned.

And what now remains, O you,both Fathers and Sons of the
Church of England^ Convocation and Clergy, but that you
be prevailed with, not to account Ceremonies of i'o fmall
Importance, that wc need not ftaod Co much upon them.
You may aflure your felves, it is nothing but Sin, and Sin
only, not Pride, not Faction, not Stubbornnefs. that retrains
us from conforming to them. We have a Natural Love to
our Perfons, to our Reputation*, to our Pofterity and
Familes. We would not expoic our Peribc ruent

and Imprifonment, we would not expofe our Reputations
to Reproaches, our Families to Want, out of itubbonr
Humours to Conformity. Nature forbids us thefe things,
and how much more Religion and Grace \but -we muft
/aerifies all rather than fin. And though you think it no
Sin in you, yet we think we fin in conforming to the Im-
politions in your Church. And if we k<t not with your
Eyes, and judge not with your judgments, pity us, but
not deftroy us \ it is Weaknefs not Witfulnefi in us.
You muft help your Neighbour's Afs when he is fallen un-
der his Burden, Oh J pity your Fellow Chridians, your

FcIJc ft

(*4)

Fellow Minifters, and lay no more nor other Burdens upon
us in the Duties of God's Worihip, than God the Father ,
our great Creator, than God the Son, our gracious Re-
deemer, ail J common Saviour, than God the Holy Ghoft,
our Sanftifier, than the Holy Scriptures, our common,
fufficient, and unaherabie Rule both in Doctrine and Worship , j
have laid upon us.

The 'jews of old were commanded not to fow their
Fields with divers forts of Corn ; they were not to plough
-with the Ox and Afs yoked together ; and they were not
to wear a linfey woolfey Garment ; nor lift a Tool upon
the Altar to make any Ingravings upon it. We are com-
manded not to make to our felves the Likenefs of any
thing ; and all to this end, to prevent a fictious Worihip
of God : we are commanded to obferve to do whatever
God commands us to do, and this without Addition or
Dimunition. Dcttt. 12. 32. And this under the mo (t dread-
ful Penalties, Rev. 22. 17, 18. fear of {inning againft thefe
Commands of God, reftrain us from Conformity,

A Church is fo far true or Hypocritical, as it mixeth or
not mixeth Humane Inventions with God's Holy inftituted
Worihip. This was that which caufed our Saviour to thunder
out fomany Woes again!! the Scribes and Pharifees,\yec2\\iz they
mixed the Inventions of Men with the Doctrines and pure
Worihip of God. And the Magdeburg tells us, Cent. 2. cap.
6,81. Vera enim Ecclefia tit Dotlrinam fur am retinet , it a
i:iam fimflicitatem Ccremoniarum fervat, &c. For the true
Church, as it retains pure Doctrines, fo it alio keeps Sim-
plicity of Ceremonies ; for it knows, that God is worship-
ped in vain by the Traditions of Men, and that lincere
Religion is corrupted with them. But an Hypocritical
Church, as it departs from pure Doctrine, fo for the moll
part, it changeth Ceremonies of Divine. Inftitution, and
argumenteth its own, and heaps up the Traditions of Men,
afcribir.g a Singular Worihip to them. This was the fine
Pavement to the dpoftacy of the Churda of E.o?ne-

And as touch:., g our controverted Ceremonies in par-
ticular, it is very v. ell known, that there is no med of them ;
they came from Rome, they never did good, and never
will do good j ihey have done abundance of hurt lince

the

the firfi: Reformation : How many pious and painful Minifters
have, been filenced, their Families impoverifhed ? many in
the Days of Queen Elizabeth, more in the Days of King
James the Firfl:, many in the Days of King Charles the Firfl:,
and three thoufand five hundred in the fecond year of King
Charles the II. by the Aft of Uniformity: and by this we
have been under variety of Perfecution, for thefe forty
years ; perfecuted in our Names, in our Liberties, in our
Injoyments ; and yet our moft defperate Enemies could never
accufe us juftly of Treafon againfl: our Princes, nor of
Scandal againfl: the Church. And furely our Innocency
may plead for us : our adhering to the Purity of Divine
Inftitutions, may plead for us.

Confider, we befeech you, that all the Methods that have
been devifed, all the Severities that have been ufed, could
never attain their End. But the more we were hardly ufed,
the more Pity we found by fobcr and judicious Perfons :
and I have obferved this Caufe hath increafed, by how much
it was the more opprefled. And if it be of God, as With-
out Controverfie it is, you will never be able to root it out:
You may be found to 3-«o<u*xhv, but not ixity*». Why (hould
you think to do and prevail more againfl: this Caufe, than
all the foregoing Generations have done. You may do more,
you may hang us, and burn us for Schifmaticks, as the
Papifis did Prbteftants for Hereticks in the Days of Queen
Mary, and if you do, the Dregs will be referved for you, as
for the Scribes and Pharifees ; they never finally profpered
who were engaged againfl: this caufe : and if you jufline
the feverities of proceeding Generations, by new Cruelties,
you may come to pay the greateit pare of the Reckoning,
as the Scribes, Pharifees, and bloody Jews did, Mat. 23.
34,35,36. iThef. Z. 15, 16.

But we hope better things of you, and things that ac-
company Love and Peace ; though we thus fpeak, it cannot
but be obvious, that there hath been more Sedatenefs of
Spirit, Love, and Peace in the Kingdom, fince it pleafed

F God

(66)

God to put it into the Heart of our late gracious King and
Parliament to give us Liberty, than there was before,
fince the Aft of Uniformity came fortli : and Trade hath
been more vigorous- But of late, there is a new Firmcnt
made of the Diviiions of the Kingdoms, and Difenten of
all Perfwafions have been branded for Schifinathks, ranked
with Papijts, the worft of Chriftians, and debar'd from
Salvation by Jefus Chrift, becaufe they refufe Communion
with their Parifti Church, upon the Account of Gere*
monies.

And becaufe Salvation of Sculs is put into your K
and you are to ufe all good, and lawful, and winning means',
that they may be faved : The Salvation of one Soul is of
more worth and higher Concernment than all the fignifieant
Ceremonies of the Church of England. May then the
Petition of Peace prevail with you, may the Peace of thefe
Kingdoms prevail with you, may the uniting to God's
Church in thefe Kingdoms prevail with you, imy the
Salvation of Souls, and the Glory of God, prevail with you,
to unite your Wifdom and Prudence, your Learning and
Piety, your Love to, and Zeal for God, in addreiling her
prefent Majefty, Our Gracious Queen, and the great Council
of the Kingdom, to take away thefe things that have been
Bones of Contention in thefe Kingdoms for above thefe hun-
dred and nfty year?, and are ftiil, and will be, fo long as the
Gofpel continues iri thefe Kingdoms, and reftore thofe
old Non-cG7iformiJ}S) which are a very few, to their old places,
and fecure the Liberties of the young Non-conformifts, till
fotiie good Patrons fhall prefent them to Parim Churches,
or be taken in to be Afliftonts to Parochial Minifters.
Then thefe ditlempered and feverifh Ferments upon the
Minds and Spirits of Conform! ft s would be cooled and fweet-
]y allayed : Then thefe b tonus would be turned into blefled
Crimes: Then the building up of God's Church id thefe
Kingdoms, would be like the building of SoIomo?is Temple,
wirhout the noife of Axes and Hammers: Then all Her!
MajeCty*s Subjects would live in Love, and peace, and cor-
dial

(*7)

dial Friendfhip one with another, and all Opportunities taken
from Papifis to promote their Intereft by our Divisions : Then
Her Majefty and Council of the Kingdom would "com pleat that
great Work our late gracious King and fecond Parliament be-
gun : Then Her prefent Majefty would do more for thefe King-
doms than all Her Predecefibrs had done before: Then
the Queen and Her great Council would imitate the
noble Romans, who built a Temple of Concord jufi: in the
fame place where the Seditious Outrages of the two Gracchi,
Teberim and Caius, had been a&ed. Augufx. de Civit. Dei, lib.
3. cap. 25. How would Her Majefty then merit that glo-
rious Title of being a Nttrjing-M other to God's Church,
and Her great Council Repairers of our Breaches, and
Healers of our Divifions ? Then both Her Majetly and great
Council would intitle themlelves to that defirable Privilege,
and glorious Title, Mat. 5. 9. Bhjjed are the Peace- Making
fcr theyjhall be called the Children of God.

I thought to have cad Anchor here, and launched
no farther at prefent, in-:o this more troubiefome , than
necefiary Torrent ; but cor.fidering the Text and Inferences,
makes me proceed a little further. He tells you, there is
me Body, and this is the ChrifHan Chnrc.li, confining of two
farts., of perfms to rule and govern, and pcrfons to be ruled and
governed, according to the Laws of our bleffed Saviour, the
Lord Jefm Chrift, p. 67. and p. 68. produced], 1 Thef.
2. 13. where Paul faith, For this caufe thank we God with-
out cea/ing, becaufe when ye received the Word of God, which
ye heard of m, ye received it not as the Word of hUn, but
the Word of God. And thefe ruled are to obey it all things
which they deliver according to the Word of God. But
compare his Inferences.

I. He tells US, p. 67. That loth Rulers and ruled, are to
act according to the Laws of 'our bleffed Saviour. And in his
fecond Inference he tells you, That Govcrnours of the Church
ought to be obeyed, whenever they injoin Ceremonies or Mod:s of
Worjhip^ for Order, Dec my, and Signification.

F 2 1. Where

(«)

t; Where hath Jefus Chrilt appointed Ceremonies or
Modes of Worftiip , befides his inftituted WorQiip. He
Was with his Difciples forty Days, f peaking of the things
fert /titling to the Kingdom of God, Afrs J. 3. And when he
afcended into Heaven, he gave Commandment to them to
teach all Nations to obferve all things whatfoever I have
commanded you, Mat. 28. 19, 20. Where have the Apoftles
commanded fignificant Ceremonies and Modes of Worihip?
Where is the Surplice, the bowing at the Naming of Jefus,
Crofs in Baptifm, kneeling at the LordVSupper injoyned ?
Where hath he given Power to the Governours of the
Church, to injoyn thefe things ? Are not the Governours
and governed under a Command, repeated again and again,
Neither to add to, nor diminifh from God's Word, Deut.
4. 2. 1 2. 32. and this under moil: dreadful Cominations,
Rev* 22. 18, 19. Is not this a manifeii Contradiction.
They are to rule and obey according to drift's Laws, and
they may injoyn, and mud ufe fignificant Ceremonies, which
neither Chr ift nor his Apoftles fo much as mention.

2. As for Order, what he alleges is nothing, either to
fignificant Ceremonies, or Modes of Worihip, or Order, men-
tiorred- -i-G#v~i4. 4°- IS m Oppofttion to Confufion, for
many fpake at the fame time in the fame AfTembly. As when
an AfTembly is met in Birmingham Parifh- Church. One
Peribn fhould preach in one Chancel, another in the other
Chancel, a third in the Pulpit, a fourth at the Font, and all
this at the fame time. Would not this be a Confufion and
Diforder, And this is contrary to God, w. 33. and there-
fore they were to preach One by One, and not two toge-
ther, ver. 30. 31. What is this to fignificant Ceremonies
and Modes of Worihip ? Nothing to his Purpofe, a ridi-
culous Itnpertinency.

3. And his Decency is like his Order : It was an undecent
thing for many to preach at the fame time in the fame
Aff.mbly. It is a Confufion, and all Confufion is unde-
cwnt. It is a Diforder, and all Difprder is undecent. But

what

C 69 )

what is aft this to fignificant Ceremonies ? God's Worfhip was
performed in England with as much Order and Decency ,before "
the Aft of Uniformity came, as ever it was.fince. Your
fignificant Ceremonies ftrip the Ordinances of God of their
Purity and Simplicity. Is it not an audacious Derogation
from the Wifdom, and Faithfulnefs of Chrift, to add your
Ceremonies and Modes of Worfliip to the Ordinances of
Chrift, for Order and Decency ? Did God create the World
in a wonderful Order and Decency i And will he not in-
ftitute his Worfhip in that Order and Decency that is mod
pleafing to him ? Would our Saviour celebrate the Paflbver
in a decent and well ordered Room, and would he leave
his Ordinances fo diforderly and undecent, that they muft
be flovenly without your Ceremonies and Modes of Worfliip.
Mark 14. 1 5. Luke 22. 12. Shall the lifting up of a Tool upon
the Altar of jlone U make Ingravings upon it, pollute it,
Exod. 2o. 25. And (hall your Ceremonies and Modes of
Worfliip make Ordinances of Divine Inftitution to be decent?
And if many prophefying at the fame time be an undecent
thing, and diforderly, Is not the Clerks and Peoples reading
Verfe for Verfe with the Minifter, as undecent ? Do they not
ufurp the Office of the Minifter ? And if they are
decent, why do they not repeat Verfe for Verfe in both
the LefTons? And if the wearing of the Surplice be decent:
in the Desk, why is it not decent in the Pulpit? And if
it be not decent in the Pulpit, how comes it to be decent
in the Desk? And if it be decent in the Minifter in read-
ing the Morning and Evening Service, why are not
the Clerk and all the People injoyned to wear Surplice?,
feeing they bare a fliare with the Minifter in reading Verfe
1 for Verfe 5 and befides this, it minds them of their Purity
when they appear before God to worfliip him. We never
read, that Chrift and his Apoftles changed their Garments,
never put on Surplices, when they read and preached. We
never read the People read Verfe for Verfe when they read
the Word of God. We never read Chrift gave fucli Laws
forPaftors and People to aft by. But it is the Governours
that injoyn thefe things, p. 70,

F 3 4> He

(70)

4. He mention?, they are injoyned for Edification. This
is as a ridiculous Impertinency to the place as the other.
For that place in i Cor. 14. in reference to their fpeaking
with flrange Tongues, which all Hearers did not underftand,
and therefore could not be edified without Interpretation,
yea, they would fay, they were mad, ver. 23. or drmik, as
AS* 2. 13, 15. And therefore there mud be an Interpreter,
that they might be edified, ver. 27, 28. But if there was
no Interpreter, the Perfon was to be filent, ver- 28. And
befides, this prophefying in ftrange Tongues without Inter-
pretation, did not only hinder their Edification, but was
a Confufion, by many fpeaking in the fame AfFembly at the
fame time • and therefore they were to (peak one by one.
ver.. 34. Ye may all Prophefie one by onea that all may
learn, 2>vA all may be comforted. But what is all this to
figniricant Ceremonies ? Here is not one Word concerning
the Surplice, not one Word concerning Bowing at the
raining ofjefife' flbt-ont Word concerning the Sign of the
Crofs, not one Word concerning Kneeling at the Sacrament.
.So tkat the place aliedged is very impertinent concerning
Ceremonies for Decency, Order, and Edification. And yet,
how often are they mentioned in his Bock. And I
know by what Law of Chrifr, Minifters have Power to
injoyn their People to receive the Sacrament Kneeling, when
it is a (ymbolizing with Idolaters, and contrary to the
Pattern of otir Saviour. By this fame Rule, the Go-
vjgrnours of the Church may injpiu Men, Vv'oiiK
Children to wear Surplices, and the Popijb Ceremonies to
be ufed in Baptrfm ; for, faith he, whenever they injoin
Ceremonies or Modes of Worfbip, for Decency, Order, and
Edification, they ought to be obeyed.

2. His Fifth Inference tells you, p. 77- who feparate
from the Church of England, are guilty cfSchifm : and he
makes every Meeting, where there is a Pariih Church, to
be a Schifo, they who go thither to be Schifmathks, and
filch are oil Presbyterians, &c. The Word %i'f**> which
fignifies Schifm, is properly die cleaving of a folid Body.

C7i)

As the dividing of the Body of a Tree by Maul and Wedges,
is a cleaving afunder the united parts of the Tree, from %^ay
yjZopiu, findo, fo that an Union is implied : There can be
no Divifion where there is no Union. Now let us confider,
as Chrift's Myftical Body is united,

i. That this Unity is originally from Chrift, and ter-
minated in him, and afterwards in thofe things that are
his, his Truths, his Ways, his Commands. Hence our
Saviour in his Mediatory Prayer, begs of God, that his
Church may be one. John 1 7. 21. That they may be one, as
thou art in me, and I in thee. In him we are fa id to be
fitly framed together, and grow up into an Holy Temple,
Eph. 2. 21, 22.

2. This Unity is neceffiry, becaufe all other things in
Religion are reduced to one. iAnd if all things agree in
Unity, every thing in Religion tends to this, and therefore
the feveral Unities are ufed as a notable Argument to this
Purpofe. Eph. 4. 3. Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the
Spirit in the Bond of Peace. And why ? ver. 4, 5, 6. There
is one Body, one Spirit, one Hope, one Lord, one Faith, one
Baptifm, one Cod and Father of all. Bun here is not a
Word of one Ceremony of Man's Invention, much lcls
of the three" Ceremonies, the Crofs in Baptifm, and kneeling
at the Lord's Supper ; and therefore they are no Ingredients
of Unity with Chrift, they are not terminated in him, his
Truths, his Ways, his Commands. They are no Ingredients
in the Unity of the Univerfal, nor of the Unity, of any Parti-
cular Church. There hath been Unity, and fail may be
Unity without them : and there are Divifions in Judgment
and Opinious where they are, and therefore a Separation
from thefe is no Schifm. And an Exclufion from the Ordi-
nances of Chrift:, becaufe Perfons cannot ule them as parts
of Divine Worth ip is Schifm, . not in the Party excluded,
but in the Party excluding. They are not nectffary things
to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace ; but
the impofmg of them with that Strictness and Severity, that
•F 4 I cannot*

I cannot enjoy the Ordinances of God unlefs I ufe them'
as no Surplice, no Service, no Crofs, no Baptifm, no kneeling,
no Sacrament, breaks the Bond of Peace,, the Unity of the
Spirit ; they are no part of that One, to which all other
things in Religion are reduced to,

3. All true Believers are united to Chrift, and in Chrift
to the Father. Hence they that are joyned or glued to
the Lord are one Spirit. 1 Cor. 6. 17. It implies that
intimate Union the Believer hath with the Lord. They are
made Partakers of the Divine Nature. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Many
are the Refeniblances by which this Union is fhadowed out to
lis, as of an Head, and Body ; of aFoundation,and Building ; of
an Husband and. Wife ; of the Sciens and Stock. This Union
I fpeak of is fupernatural: For Jefus Chrift, though Man, .
was conceived in a fupernatural way by the Holy Ghoft : fo
all thofe who are Myftically united to Jefus Chrift, are in a
fupernatural way changed by the Holy Ghoft, and thereby
joined to Chrift.

4. This Union with Chrift is infeparable. All Natural Uni-
on* may be diflbhred ; as that of Husband and Wife, of Pa-
renrs and Children ; yea, the Union of the Sou] and Body
for a time : But this Spiritual and Myftical Union with
Chrift and God is ererlafting. And upon this Union with
: and God is Perfeverance fixed immoveably. Hence
our Life is fa id to be hid with Chrift in God, Col. 3. And
v?e arc kept by the mighty Power of God through Faith unto
Salvation, .1 Pet. 1. 5. Thefe things being premifed, let
us confider this Inference : That every Meeting where
there is a Pariih Church is a Schilm, and they that go thi-
ther are Schifmaticks, cut themfelves off from Communion
with Chrift, and Benefit of Salvation by him. Whence it

win folk ,

1. Thai; Conformity to the impofed Ceremonies and
Modes of Worfliip in the Church of England, have greater
Power to unite us to die Univerfai Church of Chrift, than
the Eflentials of Religion have, 2. That

,C73)

- 2. That all things in Religion reduceable to One, are not
fo neceflury to the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace,
as Parochial Churches and life of Ceremonies.

3. That there is a final and total falling away from Union
with Chrifi, and with God the Father. We may be a Child
of God, an Heir of Gr^ce and Glory to day, and Children
of the Devi], and Heirs of Hell to Morrow, by Nonconfor-
mity.

4. That Nonconformity to the Church of England in
point of Ceremonies and Modes of Worftiip hath a greater
Efficacy to damn us, than Conformity to the Effentials of Re-
ligion have Power to fave us. r . «

5.1f there be no falling away finally from Union with Chrifi,
and with the Father in him, then all Presbyterians , Indepen-
dents, §}uakers> and Anabaptifts, are a company of Hypo-
crites : For if they hold not Communion with the Parifh-
Church, becaufe of Ceremonies, they have no Salvation by
Chrifr.

6. 'Tis near Kin and Agreeablenefs to the P.apifts. They
damn all frot eft ants for Hereticks, and he damns all Difen-
ters for Schifmaticks, though never fo found in their Faith,
though never fo holy in their Conversion,

7. 'Tis great Hypocrifie and double-Dealing. When a
Diflenter is buried, he prays, " That God would accomplifli
u his Eiedl, and haften his Kingdom, that we with this our
" Brother, or Siller, and all others departed in the true
" Faith of thy Holy Name, may have our Perfe&ion and
" Blifs both in Body and in Soul in thy Everlafting Glory.
And in the Co Heft he pray?, t%. That God would raife us
" from the Death cf Sin to the Life of Righteoufhefs ; that
l% when we (hall depart this Life we may reft in him, as our
" Hope is this our Brother doth. Before he peremptorily
and infallibly ' nclufc, they are cut off from Benefit of
Salvation by Chriil: • yet here he tells God, before all the

Company,

C 75 )

Compary, fee hopes he refteth in Chrift. and prays they
may have perfect Happinefs in Heaven with this deceafed
Brother, or Sifter. One of thefe contraries are a notorious
Falfliood.

8. How greatly he abufes the Holy Scriptures, when he
tells us, that there is one Body -, and refufing to come to the
Parifh-Church, upon the account of Ceremonies, is a cutting
us off from the Univerfal Church, the Body of Chrift, and
from Chrift himfelf. When the Parilh-Church and fignifi-
cant Ceremonies are no Parts of the Body, no Evidences of
our being Members of that Body, can never make us Mem-
bers of that Body, and this Body was in Being when there
was no Parim-Churches, nor fignificant Ceremonies. Theft
Parifh- Churches and Ceremonies give neither Being nor Well-
being to this Body.

How great a Fallacy is it to draw falfe Inferences from
"found Truths. This is the Devil's Logick. Thus he temp,
ted Chrift to caft himfelf Head-long from the Pinade of the
lemple, becaufe God had promifed to give his Angels charge
to bear up hit People, that they dajh not their Foot against a
Stone, ]Pfai. 91. 2. Matt. 4. 5, 6. So the Libertines ar-
gued, that if where Sin abounded, Grace did much more a-
bound. Therefore they would continue and abound in Sin,
that Grace might be fofnuct the more glorious in theFtriiiels
end Freenefs of it, Rom. 5. 2,0. with chap. 6, 1. Thus the
Gno^icks and hUnenirian Hereticks turned the Grace of God
into V/antonn:fS) Jud. ver. 4. Menendriani omncm tupidinem
libenter, Auguft. c!e Hasref. &c They willingly embraced
all manner of Lafcivioufr.efs, as the Fruit of God's Grace to
Mankind And thus Che Scribes and Pharifees of old brought
in their Injunctions and Commandments' by falfe Inferences
from the Word of God ; as their Warning of Cups, Tables,
&c. from the ceremonial Warnings when defiled by a dead
Body, &c. What God intended for Spiritual Inftruction
and Purification, they turned into a Ceremony. The
Doftrine of their Corban, from that Pofition, Amandi Pa-
rentes

rentes, fed fraponendtit Creator. We muft love our Parents,
but we muft prefer God before them. We muft offer Gifts
to God, though our Parents ftarve. Their blowing of a
Trumpet before they gave Alms, and Praying ftanding in the
Temple^ and in the Market -Place, it was to give goqd Ex-
amples : Yet thefe Practices and Commands of theirs were
no genuine, natural, direct, and immediate Inferences, but
were drawn, and forced, and indirect Inferences; and there-
fore our Saviour laies thefe Baftards of their Brain at their
Door, though they fathered them, as fome others do, on the
Doctrines of God's Word.

And I (hould have thought, that an Inference of Unity
in Judgment in WorQiip, according to the revealed Mind
and Will of God, who is the Head, the Sovereign King and
Law-giver of his Church, had been better : and feeing that
true Believers are one Body, I fhould have thought an In-
ference of Love, and Mercy, and Sympathy, had been more
genuine than an imperious, tyrannical, commanding Unifor-
mity, and AflTent and Confent to every Punctilio, and minute
Particular. So that no Diflent or Liberty (hall be allowed
to any Man, though never fo pious and peaceable ; and if
they cannot comply with every Mode of Worfhip, to be
branded for Schifmaticks, and damn'd as Apoftates and He-
ticks, is molt —

He tells you, there is one Body 5 now, how definitive is
it, when one part of the Body {hail confpire againft the Wel-
fare of the other ? Let Grace do that in this Myftical Bo-
dy, which Nature doth in the Natural. The ApolHe tells
us, there is one Hope of our Calling, Eph. 4. 4. there is one
Heaven • why then mould we fail out, and be fo different
in the Way, and reproach one another, when we mull be
received into the fame Place of Glory ? There is but one
Way of God's appointing- and why ihould we make more
than God hath made ?

The

C 7O

The Apoftte, Epk 4. 5. tells us, there is one Faith, i. e.
one Syftetn of Doctrine to be believed ; though there may be
many Particulars, yet they make up one intire Truth;
why then (hould we make Additions of Ceremonies and
Modes of Worfhip, feeing the Word doth not injoin them,
God hath not given Authority to any Government to im-
pofe them ? And feeing this one Faith doth forbid all Addi-
tions and Diminutions ', Deut. 12. 32. Rev. 22. 18, 19.
There is one God and Father of all, Eph. 4. 6. And feeing
there is one God, we ought to be at Unity. God being one
cannot be divided. Chrift is one, and cannot be divided.
They cannot command Things to be believed and done con-
trary to themfelves. Let all thefe Unities make us ferious
in endeavouring after Unity. Let it Ihew us, that there
(hall be Unity amongft the Devils, and we not at Unity a-
mongfr our felves.

FINIS.

f>Z1

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Full text of "Presbyterian meetings where there is a parish-church are no schisms, and they that go thither are no schismaticks: being an answer to Mr. Abraham Jeacock, curate in Birmingham"

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