An Apology for the Non-Conformists, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. The Reaſons of the preſent Non-conformiſts, in Particular for their diſſent.
THe Non-conformiſts of the preſent Age, viz. ſuch as cannot conform to the Lyturgy of the Church of England, according to Act of Uniforty made 1662, have all the ſame reaſons for their Non-conformity, that their Predeceſſours had, and ſome new ones peculiar to themſelves, for both all the ſame things in the Lyturgy and Government which were a burthen to their Fathers, are impoſed on them, without the leaſt abatement, amendment, or alteration; and alſo new impoſitions are laid upon them, to make the yoke more intollerable, Theſe are ſuch as follow,
1. That they were denyed all Reformation of the Lyturgy and Government of the Church. It was now ſomewhat above an hundred years that there had been continued deſires of amendment in the Lyturgy and Government, but none could be obtained. King James in the beginning of his Reign made a ſhew of hearing the Non-conformiſts objections in the Conference at Hampton-Court, But the iſſue was only to make a greater pretence to enjoyn Conformity more ſtrictly, as having heard all their Reaſons againſt it, and found nothing worthy conſideration in them. In like manner the preſent Non-conformiſts were dealt with, for as we are told in the Preface to the Act of Uniformity: Firſt ſome Divines both Conformiſts and Non-conformiſts were by Commiſſion appointed to review the Service book, and to make neceſſary amendments in it; next, a Convocation of the Conforming Clergy was called to re-view the book, laſt of all his Majeſty had ſeen and re-viewed what they had done, and the iſſue of all this was, that the Epiſtles and Goſpels ſhould be read in the new Tranſlation, and to amend two or three words, which by the fault of the Printers had crept into the Book and ſpoiled the ſence, and nothing conſiderable, and then the Book paſſed an Act of Parliament, requiring more rigorous Conformity then ever before. The Parliament not once reading the book, but with an implicite faith (as a Member of the Houſe of Commons ſaid) paſſed, and confirm'd (under the higheſt penalties next to death it ſelf,) that which they never ſaw, nor examined. And yet now the Reaſons for Non-conformity were ſtronger then before, There had been ſufficient time to wean the people from the Modes and Ceremonies in diſpute, yea and the body of the people were now ſufficiently weary of them, and the greater number of Learned and pious Miniſters deſired they might be laid aſide above all, they had been laid aſide about ſixteen years, and the people were well content, nor was there any decay of knowledge, or piety amongſt them upon this alteration. Now was there a fair occaſion to have amended any thing amiſs, and for the Biſhops to have there Non-conforming brethren gratified in any reaſonable things, who were now as conſiderable as themſelves for Number, and intereſt with the People, and yet offered to conſent to any reaſonable terms of accomodation; ſurely all this did neither encourage nor oblige the Non-conformiſts to ſubmit to that new Act of Uniformity.
2. But inſtead of amending any thing amiſs, or diſliked in the Liturgy, ſome things were added to make it more offenſive, viz, Sundays are more expreſly reckoned as Church-Feaſts; than in the former book, the new book ſaith thus, a Table of all the Feaſts that are to be obſerved in the Church of England through the year, all Sundays in the year. The former book thus, theſe holy days to be obſerved and no other, all Sundays in the year; The word Holy-day, which was ſomewhat ſuſpicious is now changed to Feaſt-day, and Sundays put in the number of Feaſt-days, without any diſtinction, which makes it more evident that they are accounted but Church Feſtivals. The 29 of September in the old book is appointed a Feſtival to Michael the Arch-Angel, the new book adds, and to all Angels, ſo that this is a Feſtival in the honour of all the Angels as the Firſt of Novemb. is in honour of all the Saints, alſo two new Holy-days are added, never before enjoyned by the former book, viz: St Pauls Converſion, and St Barnabas. Moreover in the book of Conſecration ſeveral paſſages are added, declaring Biſhops to be a diſtinct order from the Presbyters, and the 36th Artic. is appointed to be underſtood of this book, herein they contradict the Law, and the Judgment of all our firſt Reformers in K. Edw. and Q. Eliz. days, and the very book of Conſecration it ſelf.
3. Nevertheleſs all Miniſters are to approve this book, and that by a publick declaration in the Congregation, when they firſt enter upon their Miniſtry in theſe words and no other, I, vid. Act. of unif. Ann. 14 Can. 2.A, B do here declare my unfeigned aſſent, and conſent, to all and every thing contained and preſcribed in, and by the book entituled the book of Common Prayer, and Adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the uſe of the Church of England, together with the Pſalter of Pſalms of David, pointed as they are to be ſung or ſaid in Churches; and the form or manner of making, ordaining, and conſecrating of Biſhops, Prieſt and Deacons. It is ſaid in excuſe of this impoſition, that it is only a conſent to the uſe, not an approbation of the truth, and goodneſs, of all contained in the book, becauſe the words immediate foregoing are, that Miniſters ſhould declare their unfeigned aſſent and conſent to the uſe of all things in that book contained and preſcribed. Be it ſo, and that the words Aſſent and Conſent ſignifie the ſame things after the manner of Lawyers, though ſome doubt it, and thoſe words to the uſe, &c. are not expreſſed in the form of a Declaration, which they ought to have been; yet we muſt obſerve. Firſt, That this was a further alteration of the Caſe of Conformity, to make it more intollerable, Q. Eliz. Act of Uniformity, only required that Miniſters ſhould be bound to read the book of Common Prayer, and no other Liturgies or forms of prayer in publick: The Canons went further, and did require they ſhould ſubſcribe at their Ordination before the Biſhop, that the book of Common Prayer and of Ordination hath nothing in it contrary to the word of God, that it may be lawfully uſed, and that he himſelf will uſe that, and no other; but this new Declaration is to be made publickly before the Congregation on forfeiture of their Miniſtry and place, that ſo there may be no favour ſhewed to any. Alſo it requireth unfeigned Aſſent and Conſent, which cannot mean leſs then an hearty approbation of the uſe of what is enjoyned, which is much more then barely to judge that nothing is contrary to Gods word, and that they may be Lawfully uſed. This Aſſent and Conſent is to be made to all, and every thing contained in, and preſcribed by the book of Common Prayer, &c. and then the particulars are ſpecified, viz: the Prayers, the Adminiſtration of Sacraments, and of other Rites and Ceremonies, and the book of ordering Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons, and the Pſalter or Pſalms of David, as they uſe to be ſaid in the Church of England. Here is nothing omitted of all thoſe things the Non-Conformiſts uſed to object againſt, ſome as unlawfull, and others as inconvenient, and not for edification, yet now they muſt from their hearts allow the uſe of them each one in particular, not omitting the corrupt tranſlation of the Pſlams, contradicted by our own allowed Bibles, which how they could do, who long contended that many of theſe things ought to be reformed, let all that have Conſcience judg. The Non-Conformiſts think no form of words could have been contrived more ſpitefully either to keep them from conforming, or to make them lay waſt their Conſciences, if they did conform, beſides that, they know from the mouths of the compilers, that they did deſign it for theſe ends, that they might either root out every branch of Conformity out of mens judgments, or every Non-Conformiſt out of the Church.
4. The Act requires this Aſſent and Conſent, not only of all that ſhould hereafter enter the Miniſtry, but of all thoſe likewiſe that were already Miniſters, and were either Paſtours or Lecturers in any Congregation, and this Declaration to be made together with the ſubſcription hereafter to be mentioned by a certain day, viz, before the 24th of Auguſt, Anno 1662, whereas it is generally known that the book of Common Prayer came not out of the preſs abroad, till within two or three days of that ſaid 24th of Auguſt, ſo that it was impoſſible that it ſhould be ſeen, much more that it ſhould be conſidered by half the Miniſters in England before that day, and thoſe that were reſolved to keep their Places, did a great part of them ſubſcribe before they had read the book; which practiſe doth manifeſt a further deſign to root out all that made any Conſcience of what they ſaid or ſubſcribed, ſeeing they muſt doe it without conſideration, or looſe their places; however to deviſe and impoſe new Terms of Communion upon men, that are in the quiet poſſeſſion and practice of their miniſtry is very unjuſt and contrary to all peace; and by this practiſe men ſhall never be at quiet, for though they have conform'd to all things enjoyned, they know not how ſoon a prevailing faction will enjoyn them more, nor what that will be, eſpecially the things enjoyned in the Declaration and Subſcription being ſuch as was known before hand, many of the Miniſters in place could not ſubſcribe to, with ſafe Conſciences. It is apparent that their deſign was, not the peace of the Church, but to remove them out of the Church.
5. It is further required, that all ſhould have Epiſcopal Ordination, who ſhould in any ſort exerciſe the Miniſtry, had this concerned only thoſe that ſhould thereafter come to be ordained, it had been more tolerable (though it would have been contrary to Q. Eliz. moderation, and reflecting upon all other reformed Churches,An. Eliz. 13. who have not Epiſcopal Ordination, and yet do receive and permit our Miniſters among them that are Epiſcopally ordained,) but to impoſe upon them that were Miniſters already, and had performed all offices as Miniſters many years, and many of them with good ſucceſs, and who could not, if they would be ordained by Biſhops for near twenty years before, there being alſo no Law or Canon, requiring all the Miniſters of the Church of England to be ordained by a Biſhop as neceſſary to their Miniſtry. I ſay, now to impoſe upon theſe men, that they muſt leave their places or be ordained by the Biſhop, was purpoſely to caſt a ſtumbling block before them not eaſily to be paſſed over, for hereby they muſt acknowledge Preſbyterian Ordination to be unlawfull, contrary to the judgment and practiſe of all Ages and Churches,Vid. Blandel Apol. C. 2. and Maſons vind: of the Ordin. of Ref. Churches. and particularly of our own till this time, and alſo acknowledge themſelves all this while, to have been no Miniſters, and their Baptiſm to be no Baptiſm, unleſs Lay-men may Baptize which is contrary to the Common Prayer book reformed by K. James in that point, who could do this that have not conſigned over their Conſcience to the will of men?
6. The Act further requires that all Miniſters, whether ordained or to be ordained, ſhould before the Ordinary make this following ſubſcription. I. A. B. do declare that it is not Lawfull upon any pretence whatſoever to take arms againſt the King, and that I do abhor that trayterous poſition of taking Arms by his authority againſt his Perſon, or againſt thoſe that are Commiſſioned by him, and than I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is now by Law eſtabliſhed, and I do declare that I do hold, there lies on Obligation upon me, or any other perſon, from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant, to endeavour any change or alteration of Government either in Church or State, and that the ſame was in it ſelf an Ʋnlawfull Oath, and impoſed upon the Subjects of this Realm, againſt the known Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom. The two firſt clauſes of this ſubſcription are meerly civil, concerning Civil Government, and ſome circumſtances of that Government, not the ſubſtance of it, and things greatly controverted amongſt Lawyers and Stateſmen. Now to impoſe ſuch things upon Miniſters of the Goſpel, that belong not to their office to know, much leſs to determine is very unreaſonable, and to impoſe things concerning ſecular affairs, as Conditions or Terms of being ordained Miniſters of the Goſpel, is a great uſurpation on the Authority of Chirſt, as if he muſt not have Miniſters in his Church, unleſs they engage at the ſame time to ſerve the particular ends of a State. Beſides, the firſt caluſe, viz. That it is unlawfull to take up Arms againſt the King upon any pretence whatſoever, is doubtfull in the ſence, viz, whether it reſpect the Law of the Land, or the Law of God, and therefore cannot with good Conſcience be ſubſcribed. And if it be meant of the Law of God, it is againſt the judgment of the beſt Lawyers, as well as of the beſt Divines, it hath no tolerable proof from Scripture. They that abuſe the 13th to the Romans, to that purpoſe, forget or are ignorant, that Nero whom they ſay the Apoſtle meant, was adjudged a publick Enemy of the Senate of Rome, and ſentenced to dye: it is therefore a moſt unreaſonable thing that this ſhould be impoſed to be ſubſcribed by all young men entring into the Miniſtry, which may by the Canons be at the Age of 24 years, (and by practiſe ſeldom exceeds) before they can be fit to judge of ſuch points.
The ſecond clauſe, viz. I abhorre, &c. in its full extent is againſt the known Lawes and practiſe of the Land, in divers inſtances given by others, and practiſed in ſeveral Cauſes, in his now Majeſties Reign; And muſt Miniſters be turned out, and be debarred of the Miniſtry unleſs they will wound, their own and their Countreys Rights and liberties, and that for the moſt part before they underſtand what they doe? Moreover that the true meaning of theſe two clauſes is a ſnare to the people, and dangerous to their Rights and Priviledges (contrary to all the lax interpretations deviſed by ſome) appeareth beyond contradiction, by the ſence that the Houſe of Peers gave of them, both the words, and deſign of impoſing, when they ſo vigorouſly oppoſed its being made a Teſt for all Parliament men in all future Ages. And let it be remembred that theſe were the Law-makers, and moſt of them perſons concerned in making this Law, therefore beſt knew the meaning of thoſe paſſages, and alſo had Authority to declare the ſence of them, and were yet ſitting in that ſame Parliament, that made the law.
The third clauſe in this ſubſcription is, I will conform to the Lyturgy of the Church of England; This was to oblige the young Fellows of Colledges, and Tutors in the Univerſities, before they came to give Aſſent and Conſent, and to be a double cord upon the Miniſtry. But many who could ſilently conform, cannot ſolemnly ſubſcribe a promiſe to conform, whereby they pre-engage themſelves againſt all change of their judgments.
There fourth clauſe is, That I hold that there lies no obligation on me from the Covenant, nor upon any other that took it, to endeavour any alteration in Government in Church or State. There is ſcarce a parallel in all Hiſtory to this, That a man ſhould be compell'd to ſwear for others, that they are not obliged by an Oath that they took; The impoſers might as well have ſaid, we will make you ſwear to any thing we pleaſe, or elſe you ſhall not continue in the Church: But the Non-conformiſts deſire to be ſatisfied, how the King (to paſs by all others) who ſwore to proſecute the ends of the Covenant in a moſt Publick and ſolemn manner, and that before he had ſworn to maintain Epiſcopacy, and agreed to take it upon mature deliberation and advice, and that at Breda when he was under no fear or conſtraint, how he ſhould not be bound to the Reformation he then promiſed, and what man can abſolve him from that Oath, eſpecially an Engliſh Parliament, when that Oath was made to the Stots; it being an unqueſtionable rule, That none can releaſe another from a lawful Oath, but thoſe to whom the Oath was made, and into whoſe power the Jurer hath put himſelf by that Oath, This ought to have been firſt cleared, and not rigorouſly impoſed.
Laſtly, It muſt be ſubſcribed, That the Covenant in it ſelf was an unlawful Oath, which the Non-conformiſts diſſallowing, our Engliſh Prelacy can by no means aſſent to; And that it was impoſed againſt the known Lawes and Liberties of this land, which few Miniſters have law enough to know, and therefore it ought not to be made a condition of the Miniſtry to ſubſcribe it.
The Non-conformiſts find that this Act is wholly contrived to make them diſown and diſparage that Reformation which they had been engaged in for twenty year, and to make themſelves tranſgreſſors, to reproach their Brethren that were dead, to diſparage all the Providences of God in their behalf, and to villifie the ſucceſs of their own Miniſtry, and the growth of Religion and Sobriety in the Nation which they had ſeen, and been inſtruments of, and moreover to engage them againſt all endeavor of Reformation for the future, and all thoſe principles which their pious Predeceſſors had delivered to them, And therefore they think he that can do this is a ſervant of men and not of Chriſt.
They do not juſtifie all proceedings in the endeavours for Reformation, never any ſuch thing was attempted without many infirmities in the beſt, and tranſvers deſigns in ſelfiſh men. There were never more Hereſies, Schiſmes, and Superſtitions in the Church, then were in the Apoſtles dayes, and thoſe that immediately ſucceeded, proportionable to the number of Chriſtians, the Goſpel being then but ſetting up in the world; But the Reformation it ſelf being good and neceſſary, and the effects of it as to Religion manifeſt they cannot revile or renounce, without condemning thoſe principles, which animated them to bring in the King, without regard of their own peerſonal peace, or intereſt: It is ſaid that Reformation wanted Authority, it did ſo, ſuch as ſhould make it National, but ſelves, and Rulers ought to protect them in it, and not to trouble them for it, or force them from it.