The English Nonconformity Under King Charles II and James II, Chapter 24 – Chapter 25
Chap. XXIV. Point XXI. Of Publishing Excommunications according to the Fifth Canon, about the Articles.
L.
WHat is the Fifth Canon, and its Excommunication?
M.
[Whosoever shall affirm that Any of the 39 Articles agreed on—1562. are in any part Superstitious or Erroneous, or such as he may not with a good Conscience subscribe unto, let him be Excommunicated ipso facto, and not restored but only by the Arch-Bishop after his Repentance and publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors.
L.
I hope you that agree with the Church in Doctrine, have nothing against Publishing such an Excommunication.
M.
I Subscribe to the Doctrinal Articles as true, because I judge of them by what I take to be the Author's meaning: But 1. The words in the obvious sence, are divers of them liable to Exceptions. 2. And some of them about Traditions, Ceremonies, &c. are of small moment and dubious. 3. And every word that is true, is not an Article of the Creed, nor necessary to Church Communion; so that all Men must be cast out of the Church that dissent from it. And this Excommunication extends to Lay-Men (who are not bound to know as much as Ministers.
L.
What is therein the Articles that any good Man can scruple?
M.
Article 3. Learned Men doubt of Christ's going down into Hell.
Art. 4. That Christ's Body in Heaven hath Flesh and Bones, is contrary to two General Councils, that of Nice?. and that before it at Const. which it confuteth: And in this they agree.
Art. 8. That Athanasius's Creed ought to be omnino recipiendum & credendum, wholly received and believed: when the Damning part is scrupled by many Conformists.
Art. 9. Bishop Ieremy Taylor was against that of Original Sin.
Art. 10 Many, called Arminians, are against that [No Power to do good Works.]
Art. 11. Many Conformists are against the word [We are accounted Righteous before God only for the merit of Christ] because a subordinate Righteousness is mentioned many Score or Hundred times in Scripture.
Art. 12. Many think that good Works spring not necessarily from Faith, but freely.
Art. 13. Many think that merit of Congruity may be held, and that Men by natural or antecedent Works, may be made meet to receive Grace; which Dr. Hammond in his Annotations seemeth much to insist on, under the Name of Probity.
Art. 14. The said Dr. Hammond, and many other, write for good Works over and above God's Commandments, as only counselled by God, and voluntarily done, which this Article calleth Arrogancy and Impiety; And many follow Dr. Hammond, and yet subscribe this.
Art. 15. Is denied by them, that think Infants sinless when Baptized.
Art. 16. Many deny falling from Grace given.
Art. 17. Dr. Hammond, and his Followers, seem to deny the absolute Election here described.
Art. 18. Many good Men think some are saved that live up to the Light of Nature; and yet this Article curseth them that say so.
Art. 19. The Description of the Visible Church greatly disagreeth from that now given by many great Church-men, not at all mentioning the Bishops or their Government in it. And some deny that the Church of Rome hath Erred De Fide.
Art. 20. The Churches Power to decree Ceremonies, as not limited here, is doubted of by good Christians. And they see not how that is not made necessary to Salvation (contrary to this Article) which is made necessary to avoid Excommunication as for wicked Errour.
Art. 21. Too many deny what is said here against gathering Councils witout the Will of Princes, and that Councils may … in things pertaining to God, &c.
Art. 23. Seems defective about calling Ministers to them that are for uninterrupted Canonical Succession, &c.
Art. 25. Contrary to this Article, some great Church-men think that Confirmation, at least, is a Gospel Sacrament, and that it hath a visible sign ordained by God.
I will proceed no further herein. By this it is evident, that many Subscribers are great Nonconformists, and if they speak their Minds, are Excommunicated ipso facto.
L.
You make our Articles of Religion a doubtful thing; what certainty then is there of the Protestant Religion?
M.
The Protestant Religion is the Holy Scriptures, older than our Form, called the 39 Articles; which are a laudable sound account how we understand the Scriptures, but not of such perfection, that all Men must be Excommunicate that say any word in them is faulty.
Chap. XXV. Point XXII. Of Publishing the Sixth Canons Excommunications.
L.
WHat is the Sixth Canons Excommuication?
M.
Whosoever shall affirm, that the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Law Established, are wicked, Antichristian, or Superstitious, or such as being commanded by lawful Authority, Men who are Zealously and Godly affected, may not with any good Conscience approve them, use them, or, as occasion requireth, subscribe unto them; Let him be Excommunicate ipso facto, and not restored till he repent, and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors.
L.
I confess it sounds harshly to lay so great stress on every Ceremony of the Church, as to Excommunicate every one that Calleth any one of them unlawful. What could be said more of the Ten Commandements, or the Creed? If it be a wicked Errour to mistake about a Ceremony, or to account a Cope or a Pair of Organs unlawful, the Lord have Mercy on us, what a Case are we all in by wicked Errours! What shall my poor Country Neighbours and Tenants do that few of them understand one half the Creed?
M.
Yet 1. The Articles and our Ordination-Vow oblige us to believe and teach that nothing is necessary to Salvation, but what is contained in the Scripture, or certainly proved by it. And that General Councils, and all Men are fallible: And sure they are very near to Infallibility, who are so Infallible about every Rite and Ceremony, that they dare bind all the Land to justifie, or notblame them, on pain of ipso facto Excommunication.
2. Yet Grotius, and Bishop Taylor, that justifie some Lying, are Men that deserve Praise, with them (and in truth): And Oh! how many Thousands live quietly in their Communion, who err in greater Matters than a Ceremony?
3. And judge by what I have said of the Symbolical Crossing in Baptism, Godfathers, &c. whether it be a wicked Errour deserving Excommunication and Ruine, to charge any one of their Rites with Sin.
4. Was it not enough to cast us out of Ministry and Maintenance for blaming a Ceremony, but they must cast us out of the Church? what is Pharisaical if this be not?