The Nonconformists Plea for Peace, Section 8
SECT. VIII.
The Matters of Fact, as to what is required of us, by Laws and Canon, to which we muſt conform; And firſt of Lay-men.
I. OF Laymen that will have any Government or Truſt in any City or Corporation, is neceſſarily required the taking of the following Oath and Declaration by a Law.
I Swear that it is not Lawful upon any pretence whatſoever to take Arms againſt the King: And that I Abhor that Trayterous poſition that Arms may be taken by His Authority againſt his Perſon, or againſt thoſe that are Commiſſioned by him] And the Declaration is [That there is NO OBLIGATION upon me or ANY OTHER perſon, from the Oath Commonly called the ſolemn League and Covenant.
1. By this Oath and this Declaration the Government and Truſt of all the Cities and Corporations of England are conſtituted or qualified.
2. Part of this Vow and Covenant is [againſt Popery, ſuperſtition, and profaneneſs and all that is againſt ſound doctrine and Godlyneſs: that we will Repent of our ſins, unfeignedly, and amend our lives, &c,] which the Nonconformiſts take to be Lawful and Neceſſary things.
3. Thouſands of people lived in the Kings Garriſons, or Quarters, and thouſands were then unborn or Children, who never took this Vow or Covenant, nor ever heard or read it, or know what is in it.
4. The Parliament that impoſed it on others took it voluntarily themſelves, as did many thouſand more.
5. Many thouſands took it that never ſaw the faces of each other, nor know in what ſenſe, or with what mind all others took it: The ſenſe being doubtful, all took it not in on ſenſe: And many thought themſelves not bound to take it in the impoſers ſence, where the words might bear another; And ſo, its like, thought the Royal party of the Nobility and Gentry, who took it at their compoſition.
6. It was a Vow to God, as well as a Covenant with men (as the words ſhew.)
7. The Controverſie is not, 1. Whether it was Lawfully Impoſed, 2. Or whether it was Lawfully Taken, 3. Or whether it bind as a League, 4. Nor whether it bind to any unlawful thing (which all renounce) But, 5. Whether as a Vow made to God, it bind to things neceſſary (as againſt Schiſm, Profaneneſs, Popery: to Repent, &c.) to which men were before bound by other obligations. Nor whether they that took it not be bound by it to repent, &c. but whether no one perſon in the three Kingdoms, who took it, be ſo bound: And that ſince the Scots drew his Majeſty to ſeem to own it (which we judge they did unlawfully.)
II. All Parents who will have their Children baptized, muſt ſubmit them to the ſign of the Croſs, as it is after deſcribed. And ſo muſt all that are to be baptized at age ſubmit themſelves to it.
III. All perſons that have Children to be baptized muſt conform as followeth 1. They muſt procure three perſons to be Godfathers and Godmother, who muſt perſonally preſent the Child to be baptized, and muſt promiſe and Vow to God in the Childs name the duties of the Covenant, and muſt in the name of the Child ſay [that he renounceth the Devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world &c, and that he ſtedfaſtly believeth all the articles of faith, that he will he baptized and that he will obediently keep Gods holy will and Commandments, &c.] Not that they believe, conſent &c, but that he (the Child) doth believe, deſire, &c. And it is not a meer promiſe for the future [I will believe and renounce, &c.] but a profeſſion for the preſent time [I do believe ſtedfaſtly and I do renounce] And in the Catechiſm it is ſaid that [Repentance whereby they forſake ſin, and faith whereby they ſtedfaſtly believe &c, are required of perſons to be baptized (and not only that have been baptized) And yet that Infants that cannot do this are to be baptized, becauſe [they promiſe them by their ſureties,] and it is not ſaid becauſe they profeſs to do them at preſent by their ſureties.
2. The Child is baptized upon the undertaking of theſe perſons as ſponſors or Covenanters, whoſe parts and duties are thus expreſſed, [To ſee that this Infant be taught ſo ſoon as he ſhall be able to learn, what a ſolemn Vow, promiſe and profeſſion he hath here made by you; and that he may know theſe things the better, ye ſhall call upon him to hear ſermons, and chiefly ye ſhall provide that he may learn the Creed, the Lords prayer, and the ten Commandements, in the vulgar tongue, and all other things which a Chriſtian ought to know and believe to his ſouls health; and that this Child may be brought up to lead a Godly and a Chriſtian life.]
3. The Conformiſts here are not agreed themſelves, what that ſubjective individual Faith, renu…ciation and deſire are which the Infant at preſent PROFESSETH by his ſureties: It is not that the Infant doth actually believe himſelf for the Catechiſm confeſſeth that he doth not. Nor is there any probability that he doth, unleſs by miracle unknown. And if it be any ones faith elſe that the Infant then Profeſſeth which is Imputatively his own, it is not agreed whoſe faith that is or muſt be; whether the Godfathers, or the Churches, and what Churches; whether that Congregations, or the Dioceſan Churches, or the National Churches, or the Univerſal Church? or whether it muſt be the Parents, Adopters or Owners of the Child.
4. Though the Godfathers be not by words to promiſe their Parts, yet ſtanding purpoſely there as undertakers of it, and hearing the Miniſter expreſly tell them what their PART and DUTY is, their coming and ſtanding in that relation, is a plain ſignification of conſent, and rendereth them obliged Covenanters or Sponſors.
5. Theſe ſponſors are not obliged to profeſs that the Child is theirs by Adoption or any propriety: And ſo far is any ſuch adopting or owning from their purpoſes, that we never in all our lives knew any Godfather or Godmother as ſuch, (not having before taken the Child as theirs on other reaſons) that ever became a ſponſor with ſuch a ſignified intent.
6. In moſt Country Pariſhes that we have known, a great part of the Communicants, ſeem Ignorant themſelves of what is to be undertaken for the baptized, (as we judge by our tryal where we have lived, and the credible report of other Paſtors:) And too many notoriouſly live themſelves in a courſe of life contrary to what is to be undertaken for the Child.
7. In all our lives we never knew one perſon that undertook this Office of Godfather or Godmother who beforehand gave the Parents any credible promiſe or ſignification, that they had any purpoſe at all to perform, what the Church Chargeth on them, and they there undertake as their parts and duties.
8. Nor did we ever know one in all our lives that as a Godfather or Godmother did perform it; viz. [To ſee themſelves that the Child be taught his C…venant as ſoon as he is able to learn, and to provide that he be taught all before recited, his Creed, &c. and all things which a Chriſtian ought to know and believe to his ſouls health; and that he b…vir…uo…ſly brought up to lead a godly and a Chriſtian life: But they leave them to the Parents.
9. No man can compel another to be Godfather or Godmother.
10. All ſuch undertakers that we have known have been of ſome of theſe following ſorts: 1. Either g…orant perſons that knew not, or careleſs that conſidered not what they did: 2. Or perſons that miſt…k the ſenſe of the Church, and thought that they were but the repreſenters of the Parents, and that what they promiſed, it was not th…y▪ but the Parents that were bound to perform: 3. Or Nonconformiſts (in this point) who purpoſed before hand to be but the Parents R…p…eſentatives, and that the promiſe and obligation ſhould all be devolved from them on the Parents, though they knew the Church meant otherwiſe; and that they were not bound to the Churches ſenſe; and therefore their ſtanding to hear [this is your part] was no conſent to take it for their part. And none of all theſe do anſwer the Churches ſenſe in their undertaking: And if we are commonly baptized and made Chriſtians in a way of falſe Vowing or Covenanting of ſuch perſons, or of …luſ…y Equ…vocation, it is not well.
11. We know not where Parents can procure any to undertake this Office as the Church impoſeth it, that cred…ly ſignifie themſelves able and willing to perform…: we could not do it our ſelves were we never ſo deſirous: Perhaps ſome Rich men might hire others to take their Children into their Care and Education, as muſt be promiſed; but who would do ſo for the poor? yea for all the poor of England? And the Nonconformiſts are not ſatisfied that it is lawful to engage any in a perfidious covenanting before God, when before-hand they have no credible ſignification of any purpoſe to perform it. Nay, when the Parent reſolveth to educate his own Child, and not to truſt him to the Proviſion or care of others.
12. The Miniſter Covenanting [to uſe the form in the Book of Common Prayer preſcribed in adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and no other] Can. 36. No Parent may ſpeak a word in the name of his own Child, nor to enter him there into the Covenant of God, nor profeſs that he offereth him to Baptiſm by virtue of, and in confidence in the promiſe [I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed in their Generations;] Nor to promiſe himſelf what the Godfathers are to promiſe: The words alſo of the Can. 29. are theſe; [No Parent ſhall be urged to be PRESENT, nor be admitted to anſwer as Godfather for his own Child: Nor any Godfather or Godmother ſhall be ſuffered to make any other anſwer or ſpeech than by the Book of Common Prayer is preſcribed in that behalf.
13. It is the Godfathers work alſo (by the Liturgy) to take care that the Child be brought to the Biſhop to be confirmed by him (in the manner of the Church of England) as ſoon as he can ſay the Creed, Lords Prayer, and ten Commandments, and be further inſtructed in the Church Catechiſm; which Godfathers uſe not at all to perform; nor do the Parents uſe to expect it: Nor doth one Child of a multitude underſtand what the Baptiſmal Covenant is, of many a year after they have learned to ſay the ſaid Catechiſm.
14. That the Godfathers ſtand not there as the Repreſenters of the Parents is evident (according to the ſenſe of the Church) becauſe the Parent himſelf is not ſuffered to do it, or ſpeak one covenanting word; nor muſt be urged to be preſent; nor are they to ſpeak in the Parents name in any of their undertakings; Nor is there the leaſt intimation that the Church taketh the Sponſor for the Parents Repreſentative.
15. The Parents are to be admoniſhed not to defer the Baptiſm of their Children longer than the firſt or ſecond Sunday, unleſs upon a great and reaſonable cauſe to be approved by the Curate (whether they can get underſtanding, credible Godfathers or not:) Theſe are the Matters of Fact.
Here note 1. That there is no Controverſie between the Conformiſts and Nonconformiſts, whether Chriſtians Infants ſhould be baptized: 2. Nor whether a Conformiſts baptizing be valid: 3. Nor whether the Parents preſence be abſolutely neceſſary, and another may not ſpeak in his name: 4. Nor whether Adopters, or any Proprieters may not covenant for the Child: 5. Nor whether the old Sponſors be lawful, who 1. Witneſſed the credibility of the Parent; 2. And undertook the Chriſtian Education of the Child, if the Parents ſhould either die or apoſtatize: The Nonconformiſts are againſt no ſuch Sponſors, though they think that their Children have right to Baptiſm without ſuch. 6. Nor do they deny that Baptiſm in the Pariſh▪ Churches is valid and lawful as to the Parents and Godfathers, if they do but agree on the Nonconformiſts way, that the Sponſors ſhall but repreſent the Parents, and that they be not bound by the contrary judgment of the Authors of the Liturgy to the contrary. But the queſtions are 1. Whether a Chriſtians Child, whoſe Parents have no way forfeited their credit, have not right to Baptiſm, without other Godfathers. 2. Whether the Parent ſhould not ſolemnly enter his own Child into the Covenant of God (as well as in times of Circumciſion.) And whether any Parent ſhould be forbidden it, viz. to appear and ſpeak as the Repreſenter of the Child, or Undertaker for him, and Promiſer of his Education. 3. Whether that Child muſt profeſs by another, that He Himſelf Believeth, Renounceth, Repenteth and Deſireth Baptiſm: And it be not rather to be proſeſſed that he is the ſeed of a Believing, Penitent Parent, whoſe Will is as his Will, and is under God's Promiſe [I will he thy God, and the God of thy ſeed.] 4. Whether a Chriſtian Parent may conſent to the perſidious undertaking of any Godfathers, who give him not the leaſt reaſon to believe that they intend that proviſion for the Children which they undertake: Or elſe may let his Child be unbaptized till he can get ſuch a credible Undertaker; which is never like to be with moſt, or many. 5. Whether the Children of Heathens, or Infidels, or Atheiſts, have right to Baptiſm upon the preſentation of any Godfather, who never adopteth them, or taketh them for his own, nor giveth any credible notice that he really intendeth to educate thoſe Children as pro forma he ſeemeth to undertake: Or whether ſuch Children are truly ſaid to believe, becauſe the Godfather, or Miniſter, or Congregation, or Dioceſs, or Nation, or Catholick Church believe.
III. The Nonconformiſts are not of one mind about receiving the Lords Supper Kneeling; Many judge it Lawful, though neither neceſſary nor moſt eligible were they free; ſome judge it alſo moſt eligible: And ſome judge it, as things ſtand, unlawful: Their reaſons are.
1. In doubtful caſes duty lieth on the ſureſt ſide: But this to them is a doubtful caſe on one ſide, and to imitate Chriſts inſtitution by ſuch ſitting as men uſe to do at meat, is certainly Lawful.
2. Becauſe they think this Kneeling violateth the reaſons of the ſecond Commandment, being uſed where, by whole Countries of Papiſts round about us, and many among us it ſignifieth Bread-Worſhip or Idolatry by the ſame Action at the ſame ſeaſon uſed. For they ſuppoſe that the ſecond Commandment forbiddeth Images, as being External, Corporal, Idolatry, and Symbolizing ſcandalouſly with Idolators though the mind intend the worſhiping of the true God alone. And ſuch they think this kneeling is, and that it encourageth the Papiſts (as is inſtanced in a ſtory in the Life of Biſhop Hall.)
3. Becauſe they think that the Tradition and Cuſtom of the Catholick Church and the C…nons of the greateſt General Councils not repealed by any other (as Nic. 1. Can. 20. & Can. Trull. &c,) are of ſtronger obligation than the Canons of our Convocation. And thoſe Canons, Cuſtoms and tradition prohibite all Adoration by Gen…flection on any Lords day in the year, and on any week day els between Eaſter and Whitſ…tide; And this cuſtom continued 1000 years as the Tradition of the Univerſal Church; and was never repealed but charged by degrees by contrary practice: They that think not that they are bound by theſe Canons or Cuſtoms at all, yet think that they are enough to nullifie a contrary Canon of a lower power; or ad hominem may excu…e them. Yea the Conſtitutions called the Apoſtles, ſeem to Command all the people to receive the Sacrament ſtanding and to go for it Lib. 2. Cap. 57. Having preſcribed the order of worſhip (that after the old Scriptures read, they ſing a Pſalm and then read the Acts and Epiſtles and the Goſpels, and then that the Presbyters one by one exhort the people firſt and the Biſhop laſt (for in thoſe time every Church that had an Altar had a Biſhop) he concludeth [Poſtea vero fiat ſacrificium, cuncto populo Stante & ſilent…o precant…, & oblatione facta, quiſque ordo ſco… ſim corpus Domini & precioſum ſanguinem ſumat, accedentes ordine cum pudore & reverentia ut ad corpus Regis. I…em mulieres operto capite, ut ordiaem earum decet, acc dant that is [After let the ſacrifice be made, all the people ſtanding and praying in ſilence: And the oblation being mad… let every order apart take the body of Chriſt and his precious bl…od: Coming to it in order with modeſty and reverence as to the body of the King. And let the women approach with covered heads as becometh their order.]
For ſuch reaſons as theſe ſet together, ſome Nonconformiſts, (Lay and Clergy) take this Kne…ling (while Papiſts about us by the ſame geſture adore the Bread) to be unlawful, who yet profeſs as great Reverence to Chriſt and the Euchariſt as any others.
But other Nonconformiſts ſay that they can anſwer all theſe arguments. But that they truly render the ſcruples of the diſſenters tollerable, and the perſons unmeet to be therefore excommunicate.
2. By the Canon and Rubrick, no one of theſe diſſenters muſt be admitted to the holy Communion, Can. 27. Saith [No Miniſter when he celebrateth the Communion ſhall wittingly adminiſter the ſame to any, but to ſuch as kneel, under pain of ſuſpenſion▪] And the Miniſters Covenant to uſe no form of adminiſtring the Sacraments but according to the Liturgie.
V. The Rubrick after Confirmation ſaith [There ſhall none be admitted to the holy Communion, till ſuch time as he be confirmed, or be Ready and Deſirous to be confirmed. So that deſire of Confirmation in the Engliſh way, is made a neceſſary Condition of Communion.
2. The publick owning of the Baptiſmal Covenant, is that which the Nonconformiſts are ſo far from being againſt, that they take it with a ſerious Confirmation thereupon to be the meet way of tranſition from the Infant ſtate of Church-memberſhip, into that of the Adult: and the moſt Congruous means of uniting diſſenters about Church diſcipline, and of preventing Anabaptiſtry that can be found out. But many ſober Chriſtians are unſatisfied with the Engliſh way of Confirmation, 1. Becauſe they find it ſo like to that Confirmation which the Papiſts have made a Sacrament, and which very many beyond-Sea Proteſtants have written againſt: vide Dallaeum de confirmat. 2▪ Becauſe it is made the proper work of a Dioceſan, and wholly denyed to the Parochial Paſtors; And becauſe thoſe Dioceſans know not ordinarily whether the perſons be meet or unmeet to be confirmed, being ſtrangers to them; for how can they know all the perſons, men, women and ſuch Children of ſo many Pariſhes as a Dioceſs doth contain: (ſome Dioceſſes having above a thouſand Pariſhes others many hundred: One above 100 miles in Length, and others, very great)? Its true, that the Miniſter of the Pariſh is bid to Catechiſe them, and to bring or ſend in writing the names of ſuch as he thinks fit for Confirmation. But 1. This is not ordinarily done: but Children in our time have uſed to run together to a biſhop when he came into the Country on that work, without the Miniſters Certificate or Godfathers; and none, that ever we knew of, that came for Confirmation in this manner, was refuſed: And as the Biſhop never ſaw or knew one of the multitude whom he Confirmeth, ſo he taketh not time ſo far to examine them as to give him rational ſatisfaction of their fitneſs: Nor indeed can he poſſibly do it for one of a multitude of ſo large Dioceſſes, when moſt great Pariſhes are too big for a preſent Miniſter who is acquainted with them better than a ſtrange Dioceſan can be: How can a man that hath ſo many other employments as Dioceſans have find leiſure, were he never ſo willing, to examine ſo many hundred thouſands as are in this Dioceſs? or ſo many ſcore thouſands as are in many others? 3. And as the Miniſters rarely certifie according to the Canon, ſo the Biſhop is not tyed to take his conſent, but may thus impoſe confirmed perſons on his Communion, though he know them to be never ſo ignorant or unmeet. 4 And it is Children that are thus to be confirmed, who rarely ever come ſo young to own with any tolerable underſtanding and ſeriouſneſs, their Baptiſmal Covenant. Few of us by experience can ſay, that we did it of many years after that we had learned the Lords Prayer &c. 5. And no other qualification is neceſſary, but that he learn the Creed, Lords-Prayer, Decalogue, and Church Catech…ſm, the bare words of which are learnt by rote by multitudes of Children, who underſtand little or nothing of what they ſay: We do not find, that if perſons ſtay unconfirmed till they are adult, that any Hereſie or wickedneſs of life, is a bar to their confirmation; much leſs are they required to bring any teſtimony, that they live according to their B…ptiſmal Covenant. 6. And as far as we can learn, it is but a very ſmall part of this Kingdom in compariſon of the reſt, that ever were confirmed. 7. Nor know we many Miniſters that ever examined their people generally, whether they were ready and willing to be confirmed.
VI. The Nonconformable Laity are ejected from the Communion of the Church, and their Children (that are diſpoſed of by them) from Baptiſm▪ Chriſtendom and Chriſtian burial, if not from ſalvation, as far as in the Church lyeth; and thoſe that affirm themſelves to be Nonconformiſts are by the Church Laws excommunicated ipſo facto, though they ſhould deſire Communion.
2. That no Miniſter is to admit them to the Sacramental Communion is before ſhewed from Can. 27. And alſo that their Children are not to be baptized, unleſs they will ſubmit them to the dedicating ſign of the Croſs; no nor to be buried with Chriſtian Burial (of which more afterward.)
3. If they have a Miniſter in their own Pariſh that never preacheth, or ſo bad as that they dare not commit the Paſtoral care of their ſouls to him, they muſt not be admitted to Communion, in any other neighbour Pariſhes, Can. 28.
That they are ipſo facto excommunicated, ſhall be anon ſhewed.