oblivion, because the doctrine was not damned, when the person was pardoned) hath introduced that deluge of atheism and profaneness, which we are ready to be drowned with". Let public justice have the convicting of the blasphemies which he hath taught, if the Church be not in case to bear the envy of such a trust. But to account for such a crime by a pecuniary mulct, is to sell our Christianity at the price at which it is defied. Unless infamy follow, and excommunication to bring it on; farewell Christianity, which compoundeth with apostasy. The father of the sect thinks, I believe, that he hath as good right to the communion as the rest of his Majesty's subjects: who, though he should profess penitence for his crime, could not be believed; having given the world warning, that he may be bound to say and to swear, that which he doth not believe". What course but 136 this, to suppress the vanity of committing murder under the name of a duel? For in all commonwealths, where men's memory is not liable to infamy, sin is not out of countenance. In that which is Christian, what can be infamous, if to forfeit communion with the Church be not? As for adultery, what punishment hath this kingdom left for it? Or how shall it be counted a Christian kingdom, having none? Be the trial of it as civil interest shall require. If it pass without excommunication, though the law of the land lay no hold on it, what can clear the kingdom of the expectation of God's vengeance? By consequence hereof they, that are convicted. of simony in civil justice, must remain irregular to the Church: that is, though their ordination can never be void, yet their persons must remain incapable of any trust which their clergy should make them capable of. And why should not the privilege of their clergy cease, and they remain excommunicate for such a crime? [2.] The other law, concerning the clergy, is the con b See above, cc. i., xxii.: and Plea of Weakness &c. Disc. and Answ., sect. v. § 13. The Act of Oblivion, 12 Car. II. c. 11, it need hardly be said, does not except Hobbes. See also Just Weights and Measures, c. iv. § 2, 3. See above, in the note prefixed to the True Principle of Comprehension; and Plea of Weakness &c. Disc. and Answ., sect. vi. § 1. See above, Plea of Weakness and See Epilogue, Bk. I. Of the Pr. of See True Principle of Comprehension, sect. ix. CHAP. XXV. XXV. CHAP. fining of every one to one dioceses; which is but the restoring of that order, which the see of Rome had disordered, on purpose to engage in the disorders of it all 137 that they obliged by such privileges. For the privileges reserved to the crown, nobility, and bishops, whereby the abuse is but displaced, will not be considerable in comparison with the reformation which it hindereth. It seems strange to those, that find themselves interested, that two benefices with cure should be allowed in one diocese, not in several dioceses, though at less distance. But the law cannot be understood to allow all that it forbids noti; because there may be reason, why the public good will not allow the forbidding of that, which is left to the conscience of particular persons. Were all benefices restored to that provision which the cures might require, perhaps privileges of pluralities might be extinguishedk. In the mean time, is it not See Just Weights and Measures, For the canon of the council of or canon. The 1 Α δὲ μὴ κελεύει (ὁ νόμος), ἀπαYopebe," is Aristotle's doctrine, Eth. Nic., V. xi. 1. The crying evil of pluralities at the time this tract was written, may be learned from a melancholy pamphlet entitled Ichabod, or Five Groans of the Church: "prudently foreseeing" (so continues the title-page) "and passionately bewailing her second fall, threaten'd by these five dangerous tho' undiscerned miscarriages that caused her first, viz. 1. Undue Ordination, 2. Loose Profaneness, 3. Unconscionable Symony, 4. Careless Non-residence, 5. Encroaching Pluralities: humbly presented to her Supreme Head and Governor the King's most excellent Majesty, and his Great Council the Parliament" &c. 4to. Camb. 1663. --"This book," says Calamy (Life of Baxter, vol. i. c. xii. p. 307, note), "tho' high eno' for the hierarchy, and the ceremonies, and the several parts of conformity, was yet written with a very grave and serious spirit," and "complains, among other things, that of twelve thousand Church livings or thereabouts, three thousand and more being impropriate, and four thousand one hundred sixty-five being sinecures or non-residents' livings, there were but a poor remainder left for a painful and an honest ministry, for the glory of God, and for the salvation of souls." -See also Sir S. Degge, as in note h, p. 33: and a pamphlet entitled A Seasonable Treatise on the Scholars' Reasonable Addresses, that were delivered in a Petition to Parliament &c. Feb. 1677, being a Collection out of the Civil and Common-law against Pluralities and Non-residences &c. 4to. 1678; and another called A Discourse of Pluralities &c., 4to. Lond. 1680. XXV. enough, that, whatsoever the quality be, the office of priest CHAP. and deacon is relative to their respective bishops? that no man can be answerable to one bishop for a charge, in which he is answerable to another for the same? Which if it hold not in one and the same diocese, the reason of the difference 138 is both sufficient and evident. Always the ground being laid, that the reformation of the Church is to be ruled by the canons of the primitive Church; there can be no more question in this, than is in any thing, where the primitive institution is as visible as the decay and abuse. But this will principally concern archdeacons, and the dignified clergy, which are to bear a part in the bishop's office. For how should they be charged with that, which they are not charged to execute? CHAPTER XXVI. OF FORBEARAnce, due or NOT DUE, IN TWO INSTANCES. I HAVE proposed a conference'. I have determined, that all is to be tried by the agreement of the catholic Church. But if we stay till the parties agree to that, there must be no conference. What have we to overcome this difficulty with? Considering how the necessity of losing all religion presses all parties, and considering how slight the pretences of dis139 satisfaction at the Act of uniformitym are: though I cannot depart from my claim, that the reformation cannot duly be made but by and to that pattern; yet I see it may be laid aside in the trial, not supposing that the will of God is declared by it. But if the advantage be not allowed, which the consent of Christendom from the beginning hath in the judgment of common reason above any opinion of this time, or any party pretending reformation; what course can they hold, that have not reasonable creatures to deal with? For how can they be counted reasonable, that prefer their own reason before the reason of Christendom? Or how shall they distinguish their private spirits from the enthusiasms of fanatics, that insist upon those interpretations and consequences of Scripture, which had any man seen before them, the Church had never been as it hath been? In fine, the case CHAP. being stated, I see no cause to apprehend any obstinacy in XXVI. the parties, to prefer any faction or partiality before reason so manifested, and so concerning the common Christianity. I will insist upon two instances. [1] All the world knows, that one of the abuses, which made the necessity of reformation most appear, was that of 140 private masses; where the eucharist was celebrated and the people did not communicate". It is as well known, that the reformation according to Calvin contents itself with four communions a-year, but no assembly without preaching". The Church of England hath aimed at the communion every Lord's-day and holy-day; at sermons, as frequent as can be had, so as to maintain the reverence due to religion, to preaching, and to the Church. What question can there be in religion, that the eucharist is the principal office of religious assemblies? What pretence of reformation in restoring preaching by silencing the eucharist? It will be said, that there is fear of profaning so religious an office. But where is reformation, if it make not the people fit for it? The papists say, private masses are not commanded; they would have the people communicate, and encourage them to it'. But what do they do to bring them to it? Surely more than they do, that silence the eucharist for the sermon; that are not contented, till so much preaching be commanded, that they know the eucharist must be silenced. Let them think, what abilities are requisite to 141 maintain so frequent preaching, that there shall be no time for the eucharist; let them think of the scandals, that must needs fall out for want of due abilities: and they will find cause, I doubt not, to prefer the whole Church before a late party, and abate the sermon to restore the eucharist; especially, seeing the law of this land must be changed to bear out what others have done, though it is manifest they never gave any reason for it. They will see cause to think, that the best preaching is that, which may fit the people for the eucharist, by understanding the covenant of baptism, See Epilogue, Bk. III. Of the Laws of the Ch., c. xxiv. § 9, sq.; and Just Weights and Measures, cc. xiv. § 8, xv. § 7. See Just Weights and Measures, c. xvi. § 10. P See Serv. of God at Rel. Ass., c. viii. § 44: and Epilogue, Bk. III. Of the Laws of the Ch., c. xxv. § 2. See Epilogue, ibid., c. xxiv. § 9, sq., c. xxv. § 1, sq.; Just Weights and Measures, c. xiv. § 8. See Epilogue, ibid., c. xxiv. § 12, note e. and the importance of daily renewing and restoring it by CHAP. communion in the eucharist. [2.] The other instance shall be the Psalms; that are sung in cathedral-churches, but allowed to be read where there is not company enough to sing them. For it is plain enough, what excuses are made, and what endeavours used, to silence this part of God's service; and to turn the Psalms, which this Church with the whole Church appointeth for devotion, into lessons of instruction only". Hence all the plea against the 142 old translation with points; all the endeavours to crowd in the Psalms in rhyme, instead of the Psalter, and all use which the Church hath always made of it. But did not partiality and faction prevail over that reason, which all Christendom before the Reformation hath always owned; there could be no question of using the Psalter of David for an instrument to tune the devotion of Christian people by; transforming the See Just Weights and Measures, c. xv. § 3; and Epilogue, Bk. III. Of the Laws of the Ch., c. xxii. § 20. t "The only injunction in the Common Prayer-book," that was retained at the review of 1661 respecting singing, is that relating to the place of the anthem in "choirs and places where they sing:" that is, says Jebb (Choral Service of Ch. of England, sect. xxii. p. 162), "in places where by custom they sing all those parts of the service which the rubric directs to be said in parish churches or places unprovided with clerks; to be sung in places where their performance is practicable." Rubrical "recommendations" remain in the present Prayer-book to sing various parts of the service, e. g. the Te Deum, the Apostles' Creed, the Evening Fsalms, the Litany, &c. See Jebb's book just quoted; and Bisse, Rationale on Cathedral Worship or Choir-Service, 2nd ed. Lond. 1721. "See Except. ag. Book of Common Prayer, §. in Cardwell's Conferences, c. vii. p. 305. The objection to organs in churches is as old as the Zurich Letters (see a letter from Bullinger and Gualter to Bps. Grindal and Horne, dated Sept. 6, 1656, in Records to Burnet's Hist. of Reform., vol. iii. Pt. ii. no. 82, and since in the complete Collection of the Zurich Letters): and among other differences that signalized the change of service at the introduction of the new ritual in the reign of Edward VI., the See Thorndike's Latin book, De note s. XXVI. |