The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated and argued by Richard Baxter ; who earnestly beseecheth rulers and clergy not to divide and destroy the land and cast their own souls on the dreadful guilt and punishment of national perjury ...

CHAP. IV. A brief enumeration of the things imposed on us which is the matter of our Nonconformity.

M.

DO you know what it is that we are required to conform to?

L.

I know it is to use the Liturgies, Ceremonies and submit to the Bishops, as your Governours: I know no more.

M.

And yet dare you become our Judge? If you are no more exact and just in matters of Law, your Clients must pay for it? Before I come to handle the particulars, I will set together here the things required of us; and how much of them we refuse, I will tell you when I try them, and give you our Reasons against them.

I. Whereas few of the Nonconforming Ministers were at Age, and Ordained till Diocesans were put down in England, and were Ordained by an Assembly of Senior Pastors, which were then in possession of the Power, and had many years the Approbation of the whole National Assembly of Divines at Westminster, before they were admitted to any Incumbency; none of these may now exercise their Ministry unless they be Re-ordained by Diocesans.

II. No man can be Ordained by them, and admitted to any Cure, that will not take the Oath of Canonical Obedience (as they call it) and in his Ordination Covenant to obey his Ordi∣nary.

III. No man must Preach the Gospel by the authority of his Ordination and Office, till moreover he have got a Licence from the Bishop to Preach: and till he have got that Licence to Preach, he may not take upon him to Expound in his own Cure, OR ELSEWHERE ANY SCRIPTURE OR MATTER OR DOCTRINE, but shall only study to read plainly and aptly without glossing or adding, the Homilies already set forth, or hereafter to be published by lawful Authority. Can. 49.

IV. No man may be Ordained, or be a Licenced Preacher, or Catechize who doth not subscribe these words,

Ex animo, That the Book of Common-Prayer, and of Ordaining of Bi∣shops, Priests and Deacons, containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God, and that it may lawfully be used, and that he himself will use the Form in the said Books prescribed in publick Prayer and administration of the Sacraments, and no other.

V. No man is to be Ordained a Minister, nor have any place or Benefice or Cure, that doth not openly and publickly before the Congregation declare his unfeigned Assent and Consent to the use of all things in the said Book contained and prescribed in these words and no other. [I A. B.

Do here declare my unfeigned Assent and Consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in, and by the Book entitled, The Book of Common-Prayer, and Ordaining.

] And every Lecturer also; the first Lecture and every Month must publickly and openly declare his Assent to, and Approbation of the said Book, and to the use of all the Prayers, Rites and Ceremonies, Forms and Orders therein con∣tained and prescribed.

VI. By this all must Assent and Consent to this Article of Faith or Doctrine. [It is certain by the Word of God that Children which are Baptized, dying before they commit actual Sin, are undoubtedly saved.] Not excepting any, though the Children of Atheists, In∣fidels or Sadducees.

VII. We must Assent and Consent, that at publick Baptism, persons called Godfathers and Godmothers, who take not the Child for their own, do in the name of the Child Covenant with God, without the Parents, who are forbidden to be Godfathers or Godmothers, or to speak one word, nor must be urged to be present; nor may the Godfathers, &c. speak one word but what is written in the book. And they are there not only to pro∣mise for the future, but to profess in the Name of the Child at present [I renounce them all] (the Devil, World and Flesh) and [All this I stedfastly believe] and (to be baptized) [This is my desire] and for obedience [I will.] And these Godfathers also engage as their parts and Duty, to see that [this Infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a solemn Vow, Pro∣mise and Profession he there made by them: And that they call on him to hear Sermons, and chiefly that they provide that he may learn the Crede, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in the vul∣gar Tongue, and all other things that a Christian ought to know and believe to his Soul's health, and that the Child may be vertu∣ously brought up to lead a godly, and Christian life]. All this these three persons must promise as before God and the Church, but the Parent is not only excused from any such promise, but forbid it by the Canon.

VIII. We must Assent and Consent to refuse to baptize the Child of any godly Christian, who bringeth not his Child to be baptized with such undertaking Godfathers; either because he can get none that will seriously promise him to do what they must Vow to do, and so dare not draw them into sacrilegious perfidiousness, or because he thinks it his own part to enter his Child into God's Covenant, and thus to promise for its Educa∣tion.

IX. We must Assent and Consent to sign the Infant with the transient Image of the Cross [In token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his Banner, against Sin, the World, the Devil, and to continue Christs faithful Souldier and Servant to his lives end. Which the Canon farther expounds thus [To dedicate them by that Badge to his Service, whose benefits bestowed on them in Baptism the name of the Cross doth represent] [an honourable Badge whereby the Infant is dedicated to the Service of him who died on the Cross.]

X. VVe must Assent and Consent to Baptize none publickly without this Sign, but to deny Christendom to all that dare not receive it, and their Children.

XI. VVe must Assent and Consent to reject all that dare not re∣ceive it Kneeling from the Sacramental Communion of the Church.

XII. VVe must Assent and Consent to a false Rule to find out Easter-day for ever, in these words; [Easter-day (on which the rest depends) is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon, which happens next after the one and twentieth day of March.] The common Almanacks tell you it is often false.

XIII. VVe must Assent and Consent to use words at the Burial of all, except the Vnbaptized, Excommunicate and self-murtherers which plainly pronounce them saved, viz. [For asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God to take to himself the Soul of our dear Brother here departed.] And [we give thee thanks, for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our Brother out of the miseries of this sinful world.] and [that we may rest in him, as our hope is this our Brother doth.]

XIV. VVe must Assent and Consent to read publick Lessons out of Iudith, Bell and the Dragon, Tobit, and other Apocryphal books, from Sept. 28. till Nov. 24. every day, except some pro∣per Lessons interposed.

XV. VVe must Assent and Consent to all the mistranslations of the Psalms, &c. and not only use them (which we refuse not) but subscribe that none of them are contrary to the word of God.

XVI. We must Assent and Consent to admit none to the holy Communion till [such time as he be Confirmed, or be ready and de∣sirous to be Confirmed] that is, by Bishops in the English method.

XVII. We must Assent and Consent that [such ornaments of the Church, and of the Ministers thereof, at all times of their ministra∣tion shall be retained in use, as were in this Church of England by that authority of Parliament in the Second year of Edward VI.

XVIII. We must Assent and Consent to give an account within fourteen days of every one that we keep from the Sacrament, to the Ordinary. And that the Ordinary proceed against the offending person according to the Canons.

XIX. We must publish all such Excommunications and Abso∣lutions, as are according to the Canons decreed by Lay Chancellors.

XX. This binds us to consent and publish the Excommunication of all that affirm that the Liturgy containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures] And the Oath of canonical Obedi∣ence binds us to such publication, if it be commanded us.

XXI. And we are both these ways bound to publish all Excom∣municate, ipso facto, (if commanded) who affirm any of the Rites and Ceremonies such as may not be approved and used lawfully.

XXII. And all that say any of the Thirty Nine Articles in any part may not be subscribed, though it be but about Traditions or Ceremonies.

XXIII. And we must, if required, publish all, ipso facto, Ex∣communicate who say the Church Government by Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Deans, Archdeacons, and the rest that bear Office, is against God's word.

XXIV. We must, if commanded, publish all Excommunicate who affirm that the Form and Manner of Making and Consecrating Bishops, Priests or Deacons containeth any thing in it that is repug∣nant to the word of God. (Though it assert that the Bishops and Priests are distinct Orders, which even in K. Aelfrick's days the Church of England denyed.)

XXV. We must publish them Excommunicate who affirm that the Nonconformists may truly take the name of another Church, &c.

and that any assemblies of Subjects not allowed by Law, are true and Lawful Churches.

XXVI. No Minister must wittingly administer the Sacrament to any but such as Kneel, nor to any of the foresaid depravers of the Liturgy, Ceremonies, Orders of the Church, &c. Can. 27.

XXVII. None of other Parishes are often to be admitted to Communion.

XXVIII. All Ministers that repent of Conforming must be sus∣pended, excommunicate and deposed at last, Can. 38.

XXIX. We must give the Sacrament to none that go for it from unpreaching Ministers, but must send them home, Can. 57. Nor must Baptize their Children.

XXX. Ministers must not be suffered that wear not the Sur∣plice, Can. 58.

XXXI. No Minister must refuse or delay to Christen any Child that's brought to the Church to him on Sundays or Holydays to be Christened, without exception of Atheists or Infidels Children. Can. 68.

XXXII. No Minister may keep any Fast in publick or at pri∣vate Houses, or be present at any (on what necessity soever) with∣out the Bishops License for it under Hand and Seal, or the Laws appointment.

XXXIII. We must if commanded publish all Excommunicate that affirm that the Sacred Synod is not the true Church of Eng∣land by representation; or that deprave it as a faction, &c.

XXXIV. No man was to be ordained or suffered in the Mini∣stry for twenty years that did not subscribe thus [I do declare that I do hold that there lies no obligation on me, or on any other person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant, to endeavour any change or alteration of Government in Church or State.]

XXXV. All Nonconformists must swear that they will never endeavour any alteration of the Church Government, or else be banished five miles from Corporations and all places where ever they preached since the Act of Oblivion.

XXXVI. All Ministers must subscribe and Nonconformists swear that they abhor the Trayterous position of taking Arms by the Kings Authority against those that are Commissioned by him.

XXXVII. We must assent and consent to the damnatory sentence in the Creed called Athanasius's.

XXXVIII. Every Minister consenteth to say the Morning and Evening Service every day in the year, not being lett by sickness or other urgent cause.

XXXIX. Ministers must concur to force the unwilling Parishi∣oners to the Sacrament, or else to Excommunicate and ruine them.

XL. If we dare not Conform for fear of sin we must forsake our Ministry to which we are Ordained and Vowed, and give over Preaching the Gospel what ever need there be, and must also remove our dwelling from all places aforesaid.

These are the parts of Ministers Conformity.

Lay Mens Conformity is as followeth;

I. They must trust their Souls with the Pastoral oversight of those, and only those as their fixed Pastors, whom Patrons will choose for them, and Bishops institute: Though the Conformists accuse many Patrons of such hainous sins, as speaketh them unfit for so strange a trust, besides those that are Papists, and Bishops say they have not power to keep out the unfit.

II. They are not only hereby deprived of the exercise of Self-Government for the saving of their own Souls, but of due Family Government for the safety of Wife and Children, and Servants, and must not bid them choose better Pastors.

III. They are forced to forbear Communion with all Noncon∣formists, and to separate from all others besides Conformists, though they account this Schismatical separation.

IV. When God commandeth them [If thy Brother trespass against thee tell him his fault between thee and him; if he hear not tell the Church, &c. And with Drunkards, Railers, Fornicators, &c. not to eat.] They are forced to have Communion with Pa∣rishes where no such Discipline is exercised, nor can they per∣form any such duty, and to lose all the benefit of this Christian Order and Discipline, none being so much cast out as Conscion∣able Dissenters.

V. Conscionable care to obey Gods Law is greatly discouraged and made a dangerous thing, while it must be mens utter ruine to deny Conformity, even in a Ceremony, to men, when it's done for fear of sinning against God.

VI. They are to be deprived of Baptism and Christendom for their Children, if they dare not use the foresaid way of God-Fa∣thers, as described.

VII. They are also to be unchristened if thinking our Crossing is used as an unlawful Humane Sacrament, they dare not receive it as a dedicating Badge of Christianity.

VIII. If they think Kneeling at receiving the Sacrament an un∣lawful hardening the Papists, they are denyed Communion.

IX. If any dissent but from Confirmation, Organs, Kneeling at the Rails, taking a Reader or unfit man for their Pastor, they must not be received to Communion by a Conformist in another Parish.

X. All the Land is engaged (Ministers, Vestries, Corporations and Militia) by Oaths or Covenant never to endeavour any altera∣tion of Government in the Church.

XI. They are all engaged to abhor the position as trayterous, of taking Armes by the Kings Authority against any Commission∣ed by him in pursuit of such Commission.

XII. All Corporation Government and Trust is confined to them that declare that there is no obligation on them or any other from the solemn Covenant or Vow, not excepting so much as to oppose Schism, Popery or Prophaneness, to defend the King, or repent of sin, though these be Vowed.

I have now told you what Conformity is, in Ministers and People.