The Lawfulness of Hearing Public Ministers of the Church of England, Title page – To the reader
THE LAVVFULNES OF Hearing the Publick Miniſters OF THE Church of England. PROVED, By Mr. PHILIP NYE, AND Mr. JOHN ROBINSON, Two Eminent Congregational Divines.
Together with the Judgment of Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, and other INDEPENDENTS, as well Ancient as Modern, concerning Forms of Prayer, Pariſh-Churches, and Communion with them: And the Judgment of other Nonconformiſts about Kneeling at the Sacrament.
Publiſhed, as well to ſatisfy thoſe that yet ſcruple Communion with the Church, as to vindicate thoſe that have complied, from the uncharitable Cenſures of thoſe that vilify them, as Temporizers; or that they have done ſo to qualify themſelves for an Office, to ſerve a Turn, or to ſave themſelves from the Penal Laws.
LONDON: Printed for Jonathan Robinſon, at the Golden Lion, in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1683.
TO THE READER.
THe deſign of theſe Sheets, is, to ſatisfy the Conſciences of thoſe Diſſenters that hold Communion with the Church of England unlawful; beſeeching them ſeriouſly to conſider what is here ſaid (in order to the Church's Peace, and to prevent their deſigned ruin) by Learned and Holy Men that are of the Separation, commonly called Independents. I have quoted none of the Preſbyterian Perſwaſion (only in the buſineſs of kneeling at the Sacrament) becauſe it would be an endleſs work, they generally (both Ancient and Modern) having aſſerted the lawfulneſs of (at leaſt) Lay-Communion with the Church of England. And beſides, I perceive their Arguments will not prevail with Independents who deny a National Church: I know there are many that are convinced it is lawful to Hear Sermons, but not the Liturgy as an impoſed Form. They may find here, what the Reverend and Learned Dr. Owen ſays concerning Forms of Prayer, in the latter end of theſe Sheets. And whereas they complain the Church-Prayers are empty Forms; I wiſh they would come and fill them with Spirit and Zeal. But the greateſt Scruple that hinders them, is kneeling at the Sacrament; and that which pinches them moſt, is, that this Geſture is ſaid to be Adoration given to the Elements; but they ſhould conſider what the Church ſays concerning that Geſture, which me thinks ſhould remove that Scruple, and ſatisfy every reaſonable Man in that particular, which for their ſatisfaction I here quote at large, Viz.
Whereas it is ordained in this Office, for the Adminiſtration of the Lord's Supper, that the Communicants ſhould receive the ſame Kneeling; (which Order is well meant, for a ſignification of our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the Benefits of Chriſt therein given to all worthy Receivers, and for the avoiding of ſuch prophanation, and diſorder in the Holy Communion, as might otherwiſe enſue); Yet, leſt the ſame Kneeling ſhould by any Perſons, either out of ignorance and infirmity, or out of malice and obſtinacy, be miſconſtrued and depraved; It is here declared, that thereby no adoration is intended, or ought to be done, either unto the Sacramental Bread and Wine there bodily received, or unto any Corporal Preſence of Chriſt's natural Fleſh and Blood. For the Sacramental Bread and Wine remains ſtill in their very natural ſubſtances, and therefore may not be adored, (for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Chriſtians) and the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Chriſt are in Heaven, and not here; it being againſt the truth of Chriſt's natural Body, to be at one time in more places than one.
This Caution (which wholly denies Tranſubſtantiation) together with that Prayer about the Gunpowder-Treaſon, being now incorporated in our Liturgie, do (as Dr. Goodwin told a Reverend Doctor of the Church of England, now living) make it impoſſible there ſhould be any Reconciliation with the Church of Rome.
The Reverend and Learned Mr. Perkins (an old Puritan) ſays to this effect, That that Adoration uſed in the Sacrament, is not terminated in the Elements, but a token of Godly Reverence to Chriſt himſelf ſitting in Glory, &c.
Mr. Cartwright ſays alſo, That a Man muſt not refuſe to receive the Sacrament kneeling, when he cannot have it otherwiſe.
Mr. Fenner ſpeaks to the ſame purpoſe.
And the Learned Mr. Vines ſays, That Geſtures at Receiving, are Moveables, and not of the Free-hold of this Ordinance.
In ſhort, whether Men are ſatisfied in whole or in part, I wiſh they would conſider ſeriouſly what that excellent Man, Mr. Jer. Burroughs (a Congregational Divine) ſays, in his Irenicon, pag. 182. viz. That one great dividing Practice hath been this, That becauſe Men cannot join in all things with others, they will join in nothing.