The Grand Debate Between Bishops and Presbyterian Divines, Document 2 · Reply 7 – Section 7
Reply. We call thoſe Opinions which are not determined Certainties, and though the greater number ſhould hold them as Opinions, they are not therefore the Doctrines of the Church, and therefore might be called Private Opinions; but indeed we uſed not the Word (that we can find:) the thing we deſired, was, that the materials of the Liturgie may conſiſt of nothing doubtfull, or queſtioned among pious learned and orthodox Perſons.] We ſaid alſo (that the limiting Church Communion to things of doubtfull diſputation, hath been in all Ages the ground of Schiſme and Separation (which is not to ſay, that the Liturgy it ſelf, is a Superſtitious uſage, or a directs cauſe of Schiſme,) And we cited the words of a Learned man (Mr. Hales) not as making every word our own, but as a Teſtimony ad hominem, becauſe he was ſo highly valued by your ſelves (as we ſuppoſe) and therefore we thought his words might be more regarded by you than our own. 2. Where you ſay [that the Church hath been carefull to put nothing in the Liturgy, but that which is either evidently the word of God, or that which had been generally received in the Catholick Church.] We reply, 1. We ſuppoſe there is little or nothing now controverted between us, which you will ſay is evidently the Word of God, either the Forms or Ceremonies, or any of the reſt. 2. If by [in the Church] you mean [not by the Church] but [by any part in the Church] how ſhall we know that they did well. And if by [the generality] you mean not All, but the Greater part, you undertake the proof of that which is not eaſie to be proved. It being ſo hard to judge of the majority of Perſons in the Catholick Church in any notable differences. We do take it for granted, that you limit not the Catholick Church, as the Papiſts do, to the Confines of the Roman Empire, but indeed we can only wiſh, that your Aſſertion were true, while we muſt ſhew it to be untrue, if you ſpeak of the Primitive Church, or of an univerſality of time, as well as place, (if not its more againſt you, that the Primitive Catholick Church was againſt you.) The very thing in queſtion that containeth the reſt [that its needfull to the peace of the Church, that all the Churches under one Prince ſhould uſe one form of Liturgy] was not received by the Catholick Church, nor by the generality in it: when it is ſo well known that they uſed diverſity of Liturgies and Cuſtomes in the Roman Empire. The generality in the Catholick Church received not the Lords Supper Kneeling, at leaſt on any Lords dayes, when it was forbidden by divers generall Councills, and when this prohibition was generally received as an Apoſtolical tradition: We have not heard it prov'd, that the Surplice or Croſs, as uſed with us, wree received by the Univerſal Church; It is a private Opinion not received by the Catholick Church, that [it is requiſite that no man ſhould come to the Holy Communion, but with a full truſt in Gods mercy, and with a quiet Conſcience,] though it be every mans duty to be perfect pro ſtatu viatoris, yet it is not requiſite that no man come till he be perfect. He that hath but a weak Faith (though not a full truſt) muſt come to have it ſtrenthned: And he that hath an unquiet Conſcience, muſt come to receive that mercy which may quiet it. It is a private Opinion, and not generally received in the Catholick Church [that one of the People] may make the Publick Confeſſion at the Sacrament, in the name of all thoſe that are minded to receive the Holy Communion] It is a private and not generally received diſtinction, that the body of Chriſt makes clean our bodies, and his blood waſheth our ſouls.] It is a doubtful opinion, to ſpeak eaſily, that when the Lords Supper is delivered with a Prayer not made in the Receivers name, but thus directed to him by the Miniſter [the Body of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, &c. preſerve thy Body and Soul,] it is ſo intollerable a thing for the Receiver not to kneel, in hearing the Prayer, that he muſt elſe be thruſt from the Communion of the Church, and yet that no Miniſter ſhall kneel, that indeed doth pray: But he may pray ſtanding, and the Hearers be caſt out for ſtanding at the ſame words. It is not a generally received, but a private opinion, [that every Pariſhioner (though impenitent, and conſcious of his utter unfitneſs, and though he be in deſpair, and think he ſhall take his own damnation) muſt be forced to receive thrice a year: when yet even thoſe that have not [a full truſt in Gods mercy] or [have not a quiet Conſcience] were before pronounced ſo uncapable, as that none ſuch ſhould come to the Communion.] Abundance more ſuch Inſtances may be given to ſhew how far from truth the Aſſertion is, that [the Church hath been careful to put nothing into the Liturgie, but that which is either evidently the Word of God, or which hath been generally received in the Catholick Church] unleſs you ſpeak of ſome unhappie unſuccesful Carefulneſs. But we thankfully accept of your following words, [and if the contrary can be proved we wiſh it out of the Liturgie] which we entreat you to perform, and impartially receive our proofs. But then we muſt alſo entreat you; 1. That the Primitive Churches Judgment and practice may be preferred before the preſent declined, much corrupted State. And 2. If Gods Law rather than the ſinful practiſes of men breaking that Law may be the Churches Rule for Worſhip: For you call us to ſubſcribe to Art. 19. that [as the Church of Jeruſalem, Alexandria, and Antioch hath erred, ſo alſo the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living, and manner of Ceremonies, but alſo in matters of Faith: and ſaith Rogers, in Art. 20. they are out of the way, which think that either one man, as the Pope, or any certain Calling of men, as the Clergie, hath power to decree, and appoint Rites or Ceremonies, though of themſelves good, unto the whole Church of God, diſperſed over the univerſal world,] and indeed if you would have all that Corruption brought into our Liturgie, and Diſcipline, and Doctrine, which the Papiſts, Greeks, and others, that undoubtedly make up the far greater number of the now univerſal Church do uſe: you would deſerve no more thanks of God, or man, than he that would have all Kings, and Nobles, and Gentry, levelled with the poor Commons, becauſe the latter are the greater number, or than he that would have the healthful conformed to the ſick, when an epidemical diſeaſe hath made them the Majority, or than he that would teach us to follow a multitude to do evil, and to break more than the leaſt Commands, becauſe the greater number break them; we pray you therefore to take it for no juſtication of any uncertain or faulty paſſage in our Liturgie, though the greater number now are guilty of it. 3. And we muſt beſeech you, if the Churches Judgment or Practice muſt be urged, that you would do us the juſtice, as to imitate the ancient Churches in your ſenſe of the quality, and the mode and meaſure of uſing, and impoſing things, as well as in the materials uſed, and impoſed Conſider not only [whether you finde ſuch things received by the ancient Churches,] but alſo conſider how they were received, eſteemed, and uſed,] whether as neceſſary or indifferent, as points of Faith, or doubtful Opinions, whether forced on others, or left to their free choice: If you finde that the generality of the ancient Churches received the White Garment after Baptiſm, and the taſting of Milk and Honie as Ceremonies freely, though generally uſed, you ſhould not therefore force men to uſe them: If you finde that the Doctrine of the Millennium, or of Angels corporeity was generally received as an Opinion, it will not warrant you to receive either of them as a certain neceſſary truth. If you finde that the General Councels forbad Kneeling in any Adoration on the Lords daies, but without force againſt Diſſenters, you may not go denie the Sacrament to all that kneel, nor yet forbid them to kneel in praying. So if you find ſome little parcels of our Liturgie, or ſome of our Ceremonies uſed as things indifferent, left to choice, forced upon none, but one Church differing from another in ſuch uſages or obſervances, this will not warrant you to uſe the ſame things as neceſſarie to order, unitie, or peace, and to be forced upon all; uſe them no otherwiſe than the Churches uſed them.
[We heartily deſire, that according to this Propoſal, great care may be taken to ſuppreſs theſe private Conceptions of Prayers before and after Sermon, Sect. 2.leſt private opinions be made the matter of Prayer in publick, as hath, and will be, if private perſons take liberty to make publick Prayers.]