Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Part 3 · Section 1 · Letter 8
To the Right Honourable the Earl of Orery.
My Lord,
I Have here drawn up those Terms on which I think Ministers may be restored to the Churches Service, and much union and quietness be procured: But I must tell you, 1. That upon second Thoughts I forbore to distribute them, as I intimated to you, into several Ranks; but only offer what may tend to a Concord of the most, though not of every man. 2. That I have done this only on the suppositions that we were fain to go upon in our Consultation with Dr. …, viz. That no change in the Frame of Church-Government will be consented to: Otherwise I should have done as we did in 1660, offered you Arch-bishop Vsher's Reduction of the Government to the primitive state of Episcopacy; and have only desired that the Lay-Chancellours have not the Power of the Keys, and that, if not in every Parish, at least in every Rural Deanry, or Market-Town, with the adjacent Villages, the Ministers might have the Pastoral power of the Keys so far as is necessary to guide their own Administrations, and not one Bishop, or Lay-Chancellour's Court to have more to do than Multitudes can well do, and thereby cause almost all true Discipline to be omitted. 3. I have forborn to enumerate the Particulars, which we cannot subscribe, or swear to, or practise, because they are many, and I fear the naming of them, will be displeasing to others, as seeming to accuse them, while we do but say, what a Sin such Conformity would be in our selves: But if it should be useful, and desired, I am ready to do it. But I now only say, that the matters are far from being things doubtful, or indifferent, or little Sins in our Apprehensions; of which we are ready to render a Reason. But I think that this bare Proposal of the Remedies, is the best, and shortest, and least offensive way: In which I crave your Observation of these two Particulars. 1. That it is the matter granted, if it be even in our own Words, that will best do the Cure: For while other men word it, that know not our Scruples or Reasons, they miss our Sence usually, and make it ineffectual. 2. That the Reason why I crave that Ministers may have impunity, who use the greatest part of the Liturgy for the Day; is, 1. To shorten the Accommodation, that we may not be put to delay our Concord till the Liturgy be altered, to the Satisfaction of Dissenters; which we have cause to think, will not be done at all. Now this will silently and quietly heal us; and if a Man omit some one Collect or Sentence without debate or noise, it will not be noted, nor be a matter of offence. 2. And he is unworthy to be a Minister that is not to be trusted so much, as with the using or not using of a few Sentences, or words in all his Ministration. 3. And almost every Minister that I hear all the Year, of the most Conformable, do every day omit some part or other, and yet are not Silenc'd, nor taken notice of as offenders at all: And may not, as much for our Concord be granted to Dissenters in the present case. He that thinks that these Concessions will be more injurious to the Church, and the Souls of Men, than our Uncharitableness and Divisions have been these Eleven Years, and are yet like to be, is not qualified to be at all an Healer.
In Conclusion, I must again intreat you that this Offer may be taken but as the Answer of your desire, for your private use, and that no Copy be given of it, nor the Author made known, unless we have encouragement from our Governours to consult about such a work; and if so, that more than I may be consulted, and nothing laid on me alone. I am confident, were but Dr. Stillingfleet, Dr. Tillotson, or any such moderate Men appointed to consult with two or three of us, on the safe and needful terms of Concord, we should agree in a Week's time, supposing them vacant for the Business.
I Rest, Your humble Servant, Richard Baxter. Decem. 15. 1673.
The means of uniting the Protestant Ministers in England, and healing our lamentable Divisions; supposing Church-Government may not be altered.
1. About Engagements. Let no other Covenant, Promise, Oath, Declaration, or subscription be necessary to Ministers for Ordination, Institution, Induction, Ministration, or Possession of their maintenance, (nor to Scholars at the Universities, except the ancient University Oath) or to School-masters, besides the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and the subscribing the Doctrine and Sacraments of the Church of England, as expressed in the thirty nine Articles, accordingly to the 13th of Queen Elizabeth, and the common Subscription, approving the Doctrine of the Homilies, and this following Declaration against Rebellion, and Sedition.
I. A. B. do hold that it is not Lawful for His Majesty's Subjects upon any Pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King, his Person, or Authority, or against any Authorized by his Legal Commission: And that there lyeth no Obligation on me, or any other of his Subjects, from the Oath commonly called, the solemn League and Covenant, to endeaveavour any Change of the present Government of these his Majesty's Kingdoms; nor to endeavour any Reformation of Church or State, by Rebellion, Sedition, or any other unlawful means.
II. Because the Churches are all supposed to have Incumbents, and the present Non-conformists being devoted to the sacred Ministry, do holn it high Sacriledge to alienate themselves therefrom (to pass by their outward wants;) till by Presentations to vacant Churches they are better provided, let them have liberty to be School-masters, or assistants to Incumbents, or to Preach Lectures in their Churches, so it be by their Consent, whether they be Lectures already endowed with some Maintenance, or such as the People are willing to maintain: And let not the Incumbents be discouraged by the Bishops from receiving them: And let such places, as, being convenient, are already possessed by them for God's Publick Worship be continued to that use, as Chappels, till they can be thus received into Benefices or Lectures.
III. Because the Piety of Families must keep up very much of the Interest of Religion in the World, and Multitudes (especially in the Country) that cannot read, can do little or nothing of it in their own Families, and may be greatly helped by joyning with their more understanding, pious Neighbours; let it not be forbidden to any who attend the publick Assemblies at any other hours, to join with their Neighbours (being of the same Parish) who read the Holy Scriptures, and Licensed pious Books, and repeat the publick Sermons, and Pray, and Praise God by singing Psalms, and refuse not the Inspection of their lawful Pastors herein: Nor let it not be unlawful for any stablished Minister to receive his People in such Work, or for the Catechising, and personal instructing of such as shall desire it.
IV. Concerning the Liturgy and publick Communion. 1. Let no Man be punished for omitting the use of the Liturgy, if in the Congregation where he is incumbent, the greatest part of it appointed for that time be sometimes (as once a quarter, or half a Year, as the Canon requireth) used by himself, and every Lord's Day ordinarily (unless when sickness or other Necessity hindreth) either by himself, or by his Curate or Assistant: And let none be forced to read the Apocrypha publickly for Lessons.
2. Let no meer Lecturer be forced to read the the Liturgy himself, or to procure another to read it, seeing it is the Incumbent's Charge, and it is supposed it will be done. Or if this may not be granted, let the Lecturer be only obliged once half a Year, (which is the time limited in the Canon) to read the Greatest part of it appointed for that time.
3. Let not Christian Parents be forbidden to dedicate their Children publickly to God, by entering them into the Christian Covenant, professing, and undertaking on their Behalf, that which belongeth to Parents in that Case. And let not the Parents be forced to get such Godfathers, and Godmothers, as are Atheists, Infidels, Hereticks, or grosly ignorant what Baptism and Christianity is, or as, for their wicked Lives are themselves justly kept from the Communion, nor such as they know have no intention to do what they are to undertake. And if any Christian Parent can get no better to undertake that Office (many now scrupling it, and none can be forced to it,) let not his Child be denied Baptism, if he be ready to do the Office of a Parent himself.
4. Seeing some Ministers think that the use of the transient Image of the Cross, as a Sacramental, or dedicating Sign, In the Baptismal Covenant, and a Symbol of the Christian Profession, is a breach of the second Commandment: …et not such be forced to use it; nor to refuse to baptize the Children of such Persons without it, who are of the same Mind.
5. Let no Minister be forced against his Judgment to baptize any Child, both whose Parents avoid, or are justly denied the Communion of the Church; unless s…me Person who communicateth with the Church do take the Child as his own, und undertake to Educate it according to the Christian Covenant.
6. Let none be forced to receive the Sacrament, who through Infidelity, Heresie, or Prophaneness, is unwilling, till the hinderance be removed: Nor any who by Consciousness, or fear of their unfitness, are like to be driven by so receiving it, into distraction or desperation.
7. Let no Minister be forced to deliver the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood, to any who is unbaptized; or who being baptized in Infancy, did never yet personally to the Church, or Minister, own his Baptismal Covenant by an understanding Profession of the Christian Faith, and promise of Obedience to God the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghost; and who also will not yet make such a profession and promise to the Church, or Minister, or else bring a valid Certificate that he hath formerly done it to the Bishop, or some approved Pastor, under whom he lived: Nor to any, who, upon accusation, fame, or just suspicion of Atheism, Infidelity, Heresie, intolerable Ignorance, or gross, and heinous Sin, doth refuse to come speak with the Minister for his satisfaction, and his Justification, or better Information; or who by Proof, or Confession is found guilty of any of the aforsaid scandalous Evils, until he have professed serious Repentance to the said Minister, if the crime be notorious; and if he refuse, till he have moreover amended his former wicked Life.
8. Let no Minister be forced to publish an Excommunication, or Absolution of any against his Conscience, upon the decree or Sentence of a Lay-Chancellour, or any other: But let them, that desire it, cause such to do it whose Conscience is not against it.
9. When there are Presentments or Appeals to the Chancellour's Court, or Bishop's, let not sickly, weak Ministers, or those whose Parishes cannot be so long neglected, be put to travel long Journeys, or neglect their Studies, and Ministerial Work, by oft or long Attendances, in bringing Witnesses against those to whom they only refused on the foresaid Reasons to deliver the Sacrament.
10. Seeing Ministers who live among them, are supposed to be best acquainted with the Penitence, or impenitence of their People, let it be left to their Prudence, whom they wil absolve in Sickness, and privately give the Sacrament to, and let the Sick chuse such Confessors, as they think best for themselves: And let those few words at Burial which import the Justification, and Salvation of the Deceased, be left to the Minister's Discretion, who hath known the Person's Life and Death.
11. Let no Minister be forced to deny Christian Communion to those Persons otherwise found and Godly, who think it unlawful to kneel in taking the Sacramental Bread and Wine, though it may be upon causeless Scruples.
12. Let Ministers have leave to open the meaning of the Catechism, and not only to hear the Words themselves (And it is much to be wished that the Catechism were amended.) And let him have leave at Baptism and the Eucharist to interpose some few quickning words of Exhortanion, lest form alone do cast them into a customary dullness.
13. Let the use of the Surplice be left indifferent in the Parish-Churches, or at least if the Curate frequently use it, let it suffice.
14. If any live under a Minister …hat is very ignorant, or scandalous, or very unsuitable to the People, or to his Work, let them not be punished for going often to hear and Communicate where they can better profit, in any Neighbour Church of the same Diocess: So be it, they pay the Incumbent his Dues.
V. Let not those who are ordained by Presbyters be put to renounce their Ordination, or be re-ordained; but only upon proof of their fitness for the Ministry, receive by word, or a written Instrument, a Legal Authority to exercise their Ministry in any Congregation in his Majesty's Dominions, where they shall be Lawfully called.
VI. We desire that no Excommunicate Person, as such, may be imprisoned, and ruined in his Estate, but only such whose Crimes, in themselves considered, deserve it.
VII. As we desire all this Liberty to our selves, … it is our judgment … Desire, that Christian Lenity be used to all truly Conscientious Dissenters, and also the Tolerable may be Tolerated, under Laws of Peace and Safety: But who shall be judged Tolerable, and what shall be the Laws or Terms of their Toleration, we presume not uncalled to make our selves Counsellours or Judges.
But for avoiding the inconveniences, which the foresaid Concessions to our selves may seem to threaten to the Church, we hope it will suffice, if there be a Law made for the Regulation of the Bishops, the Ministers and the Flocks: That People or Ministers uncivilly revile not one another: That no Licens'd Ministers shall Preach against any of the Doctrine of the Church; nor against Episcopacy, Liturgy, or the Established Ceremonies: That all Magistrates be excepted from all open personal Rebukes, or disgraceful Censures, or Excommunications, because (Caeteris Par…ous) positive Instituted Orders give place to Natural morals, such as the Fifth Commandment containeth: That all negligent or scandalous Ministers be Punished according to the Measure of their Fault: And the omission of Preaching, Liturgy or Sacraments, shall be Punish'd (not presently with forbidding them to do any thing, because they do not enough, but) with the Sequestration of their Church-maintenance, viz. That they lose a month's Profit of their Benefice for a month's Omission, and so on proportionably. And that those whose Insufficiency, Heresy or Crimes, are such as that their Ministry doth more hurt than good, be totally cast out: And that the Bishops may not Silence, Suspend, Deprive or Excommunicate any Minister Arbitrarily, but by a known Law, and in case of Injustice, we may have sufficient remedy by Appeals. And that no former Law or Canon, which is contrary to any of this, be therein in force.
1. If Sacraments were but left free to be administred, and received by none but Volunteers. 2. And Liberty granted the Ministers to Preach in those Churches where the Common-Prayer is read by others, I think it would take in all, or almost all the Independents also. (3. Supposing the Door left open according to the first Article) These three would unite us almost all. But I have mentioned the rest, because the first of these will not be granted.