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Four forms of Reformation extant, those of Luther, Calvin, the Church
of England, the Bohemian Brethren.-Luther (or rather Melancthon)
better than Calvin, but the Unity of Bohemia better than either.—
Order of Church-government and of service in the Bohemian Unity.
-Penance. Kneeling at the communion.
Necessity of restoring discipline of penance.-Baptism of infants, and
by sprinkling.
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III. JUST WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
TO ALL CHRISTIAN READERS.
CHAPTER I.
If the Church of Rome be a true Church, reformation is the restoring of
that which hath been. If the pope be antichrist and the papists idola-
ters, the Church of Rome no true Church. If no visible Church, then
no sin of schism. Antichrist may be an idolater, but cannot be the
head of a Church. Though it were idolatry to worship the host, yet to
kneel at the communion would be holy. That which the Church of
Rome professeth is not idolatry, if it be a true Church. They, that
separate from the Church of Rome as idolaters, are thereby schismatics
before God.
75
CHAPTER II.
The supposition of antichrist and idolatry prejudicial to the truth. The
supposition of one visible Church the ground of communion, as well
within the Reformation, as in the whole Church. What the Romish
missionaries get by the charge of heresy, and the pretence of infallibility.
What we get by the charge of idolatry and antichrist. Immoderate
charges vain on both sides. The charge of schism on both sides mode-
rate, as to the Church. The sin of schism, as to God, horrible. The
schism of the Donatists, in charging the Catholics to be apostates.
The sad consequences of that schism.
CHAPTER III.
82
They that hold by one visible Church are to own the consequences of it.
Nothing to be changed but upon that ground. We cannot be the same
Church with that which was, otherwise. Though that which shall be
settled will find advocates. Civil laws of religion to be changed, till
this rule be attained. The beginning and rise of our differences. The
present state of them. What terms of agreement with the presbyterians
we ought to allow. The laws of the primitive Church the standard of
all change. Our present case is not the case of our forefathers. The
acts of Henry VIII. no acts of our forefathers in religion. Imperfection
of laws in religion, no imputation to our forefathers. The pretence of
tender consciences is no rule. It serves papists as well as puritans.. 89
CHAPTER IV.
Their
Erastians can acknowledge no visible Church founded by God.
opinion enableth sovereigns to persecute God's truth by God's law.
Persecuting the truth is the use of a power which no sovereign can
have. If any sovereign may punish for the religion which he pro-
fesseth, then are subjects bound to renounce Christ if the sovereign
command it. No offence, but charity, in declaring the true ground of
reconcilement or punishment. Why it ought to be declared. The
declaring of it no offence to superiors.
CHAPTER V.
. 99
We have the same evidence for the visible unity of the Church as for the
truth of the Scriptures. The Church founded upon the power of the
keys. The unity of the Church visible by the laws of it. The law
which endoweth the Church with consecrated goods. How the unity of
the Church is signified by the Scriptures. How in the Old Testament. 105
CHAPTER VI.
How far the Scriptures are clear to be understood of themselves. Tradition
limiteth the sense of the Scripture. Difference between the tradition of
faith and ritual traditions. The difference between heresy and schism.
The dependence of Churches evidenceth the unity of the whole Church.
The form of this dependence throughout the Roman Empire. No
exception to be made to it for the British Church. Episcopacy, by this
form, inviolable in all opinions; and the Church a standing synod.
The Church visible by disowning heretics and schismatics.
breaches that have come to pass evidence the same.
CHAPTER VII.
The
110
Reformation to be bounded by that wherein the visible Church agreeth.
No change without regard to the rules of the Catholic Church.
Regular authority in the Church of Rome the means of unity; abso-
lute, of schism. How we are visibly one with the only Church of God,
reforming without the Church of Rome.
CHAPTER VIII.
What means God hath provided private Christians to discern the true Church.
The duty of all estates for the re-uniting of schism. The ground and
extent of secular power in Church-matters. How the conscience of
sovereign power is discharged, maintaining the Church.
CHAPTER IX.
121
126
Difficulty in receiving the fanatics into this Church. How their positions
destroy the faith. Absolute predestination to glory destructive to
Christianity. Justifying faith includeth the profession of Christianity.
The nature of faith, according to the Scriptures, sheweth the same. So
doth the state of that question which St. Paul disputeth. The consent
of the Church herein; with the ground of it. The sense of this Church. 130
CHAPTER X.
Why justifying faith is not trust in God through Christ. Of justification
according to the council of Trent. Of justification according to Soci-
nus. Wherein his heresy consisteth. How the misunderstanding of
satisfaction and imputation occasioned it. Upon what grounds he is to
be refuted. The helps of grace granted in consideration of Christ's
obedience. And, therefore, they infer original sin by the fall of Adam.
Wherein the covenant of grace consisteth. That the state of grace
is forfeited by heinous sin. The danger of the contrary position ac-
cording to the ground of it.
CHAPTER XI.
What law of God it is, that may be fulfilled by a Christian. Of doing more
than God's law requireth. Whether our Lord gave a new law, or not.
Of the satisfaction and merit of Christian works. Original sin is not
Adam's sin imputed to his posterity. Wherein original sin consisteth.
What original righteousness signifieth. What good the unregenerate
are able to do by the law of nature.
. 140
150
CHAPTER XII.
Upon what terms that which is possible may become future. The difference
between necessity antecedent and consequent. The difference between
freedom from necessity and from bondage. Freedom from necessity
always requireth indetermination, not always indifference. The object
determineth the will, saving the freedom of it. Whence the certainty
of future contingencies ariseth. How this appears in the Scriptures.
God no cause of sin, according to the Scriptures. Concerning the
middle knowledge of God.
CHAPTER XIII.
. 158
No absolute predestination to glory. Predestination to grace, absolute.
How glory is the end of grace. In what terms the faith of the Church
standeth as concerning this point.
164
CHAPTER XIV.
Duty of a Christian as a Christian, and as a member of the Church.
How Anabaptists deny the faith; how they are to be reconciled with
the Church. Their error in rebaptizing for want of dipping. What
concerns salvation in the sacrament of the eucharist. How the ele-
ments are consecrated into the Body and Blood of Christ, according to
Gregory Nyssen. The consequence hereof in the errors concerning the
eucharist. How the eucharist a sacrifice, and yet no ground for pri-
vate masses. The eucharist, not the sermon, the chief office of God's
service.
170
CHAPTER XV.
The ground that determines the form of our service. The offices of which
the service is to consist. Of the use of the Psalms. Of reading
the Scriptures commonly called Apocrypha. What preaching it is
that the Scripture commendeth. There may be preaching without
sermons, and sermons without preaching. The difference between the
second service in the ancient Church and our communion-service.
The general preface, and the prayers of the Church at the eucharist.
The prayer of oblation instituted by St. Paul; and the matter of it.
The Lord's Prayer at the eucharist. The place for the common
prayers.
. 176
CHAPTER XVI.
Difference in the state of souls departed in grace, before judgment. The
ancient Church never prayed to remove them out of purgatory. To
what purpose they were remembered at the eucharist. The saints
departed pray for the militant Church. Of prayers to the saints de-
parted. No common prayer in the pulpit by gift; but in a set form,
at the communion-table. Apostolical graces subject to order. Of the
graces of the Spirit in St. Paul; and the original of litanies. The
prayers of the eucharist how prescribed by the apostles. Prayers of
the reformed Churches in the pulpit; but by a form. The effect of
the Long-Parliament prayers by the Spirit.
185
CHAPTER XVII.
The Lord's Day observed by the authority of the Church. Therefore other
festivals, and times of fasting, are to be observed. How places and
persons become qualified for God's service. Preaching not convertible
with ministering the sacraments. Times, places, persons, and things,
consecrated to God's service under the Gospel. Ceremonies signifying
by institution, necessary in God's service. What kind of signification
requisite. Not enough for the presbyterians to allow ceremonies.
. 193
CHAPTER XVIII.
Offices which the fathers call sacraments, for their ceremonies. Why the
bishop only confirmeth. The effect of ordination requireth ceremony in
giving it. Why the ordinations of our presbyters are void. The neces-
sity of penance. The observation of Lent, and the use of it. The
necessity of private penance for the cure of secret sin. Of anointing
the sick, according to St. James. Marriage of Christians not to be
ruled by Moses' law. Instituted ceremonies are sacraments with the
fathers. The ceremonies of these offices justify instituted ceremonies. 200
CHAPTER XIX.
Christianity would
What images the
The worship of the Host in the papacy is not idolatry.
sanctify kneeling at the eucharist, though it were.
second commandment forbiddeth. Reverencing of images in churches
is not idolatry. Of honouring images, and of having them in churches.
Mutual forbearance, which St. Paul enjoineth the Romans, not enjoined
elsewhere. Tender consciences are to submit to superiors.
CHAPTER XX.
The declaration of the fifth of Elizabeth enableth recusants to take the oath
of supremacy. What further ambiguity that oath involveth. What
scandal the taking of it in the true sense ministereth. That this oath
ought to be enlarged to all pretences in religion that abridge allegiance.
The extent of secular power in reforming the Church.
CHAPTER XXI.
.
The pretence of infallibility makes the breach unreconcileable. So doth
the pretence of perspicuity in the Scripture. The trial must suppose
the catholic Church. The fanatics further from the truth of Chris-
tianity than the Church of Rome. The consequence of their principle
worse than that of infallibility. The point of truth in the middle be-
tween both. How salvation is concerned in the matter of free-will
and grace. Salvation concerned in the sacraments upon the same
terms. The abuses of the Church of Rome in the five sacraments.
The grace of ordination. The reformation pretended, no less abuse on
the other side. The point of reformation in the mean between both.
The superstitions of the Church of Rome. The superstitions of the
puritans. Why the pope cannot be antichrist. How it is just to re-
form without the see of Rome. .
CHAPTER XXII.
The present state of the question concerning our service. The reformation
pretended, abominable. Such preaching and praying as is usual, a
hindrance of salvation rather than the means to it. What order of ser-
vice the continual communion will require. What form of instruction
this order will require. Of that which goes before the preface in our
communion-service. Of the prefaces, and the prayer of consecration.
Of the prayer of oblation, and the place of it. Of the commemoration
of the dead in particular. Why the communion-service at the com-
munion-table when no eucharist. A secondary proposition according
to present law.
. 209
215
221
. 237
CHAPTER XXIII.
How the law distinguishes moral precepts from positive. How the spiritual sense of the decalogue concerns Christians. The meaning of the first