Several arguments for concessions and alterations in the common prayer, and in the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England in order to a comprehension / by a minister of the Church of England, as by law established.

The Mischief of our Divisions.

THE First Mischief promoting Atheisme. Arch-Bishop Grindal in his Fair Warning, Part 2. Edit. 1663, expressed his great fear of two things, Atheism and Popery; and both arising out of our needless differences. By these the Enemies of our Religion gain this, that nothing can be established by Law in the Protestant Religion, whose every part is not opposed by some or other of her own Pro∣fessors; so that things continuing loose and confused, the Papists have their Opportunity to urge their way, which is attended with Order and Government: And our Religion continuing thus distracted and divided, some vile Wretches lay hold on the Arguments on one side to confute the other, and so hope at last to destroy all.

Judge Hale's Discourse of Religion p. 49. When Men see so much Heat and Passion, so much Fervour and Contention, such Reproaches and Revilings, such Exasperations of Authority on either Party, such mutual Prosecutions one of another, that more could not possibly be done between Dissenters in those points, which both agree to be Fun∣damental; Atheistical Spirits are apt to conclude, that probably those points that both sides supposed to be of greater moment, are Ejus∣dem Farinae, as those in Contest, which all Men take to be small and inconsiderable.

Mr. Hooker's Ecclesiastical Politie, p. 18. Speaking of Atheistical persons, by our Contentions their Irreligious Humour is much streng∣thened: Also by the hot persuit of lower Controversies among Men professing Religion, and agreeing in the principal Foundation thereof, they conceive hope, that about the higher Principles themselves, time will cause Alteration to grow.

Abner's Plea for Accommodation, p. 41. It will cast a scandal on Religion, it will open the Mouths of the Adversaries of the Truth: The Name of God is blasphem'd among the Gentiles through you, saith the Apostle, Rom. 2.24. The worst sort among them scoff at it, it is meat and drink to them: And the better sort are stagger'd by it, dis∣couraged from coming within the pale of the Church, when they ob∣serve Christians, as Contentious, as Pagans; Believers as quarrel∣some, as Insidels.

Ʋnity of Catholick Christians: The many Divisions and Animosities, which have distracted and separated the parts of Christendom, these have opened the Mouths, and whet the Tongues of its professed Ene∣mies to Reviling and Railings, and Prophane Scoffs against our Blessed Lord and Saviour, and his Holy Religion, and stifled the first thoughts of admitting the most Convincing Truths to a debate among Jews, Turks, or Pagans, and stopt their Ears against the wisest Charmes: To no one cause can we more reasonably impute the small progress which Christianity hath made in the World for a Thousand years past. The same contents have a pernicious influence at home upon the Faith and Manners of those within the Pale of the Church: Men are hereby too soon tempted into some degree of Sceptiscism about ve∣ry material points of Christian Doctrine, in which they observe so many to differ among themselves.

Bishop Hacket on Acts 15.39. Where many Sects spring up, it calls the Truth more into question; and the fewer Proselytes will be gained.

Secondly, By bringing Men to a Lukewarmness and Indifferency in the great things of Religion.

Bishop Whitgift's Letter to the Council, in Fullers Hist. L. 9. That in King Edwards Time, and in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths be∣fore the heat of these Contentions, the Gospel mightily prevailed. But since this Schism and Division the contrary Effects have happened.

Design of Christian. p. 236. It is too visibly apparent to be de∣nied, that those who have such a scalding hot Zeal, [or contend so earnestly] either for, or against things of no certainty, and no ne∣cessity,

are many of them, as their Predecessors the Pharisees were, in the very other Extream, as to not a few of the weightiest matters of Religion.

Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists, Part 4. pag. 17; It ren∣ders the Labours of the Worthiest suspected and despised [by the contrary-minded.] The most useful, profitable, searching Books which the World hath most need of, are not as much as look'd into by many, but rejected, because the Books off, F—s (as they are called;) Yea, more, if a Conformist have the Name of F — some of our Church-P— will not come nigh the door-posts of Wis∣dom.

Mr. Kidder's Sermons, 1 Pet 3.11. We quarrel for Trifles, and neglect our unquestionable Duty to God and Man.

Doctor Burnet, Bishop of Salisbury, Matth. 12.25. p. 5. The ill Effects of this Zeal [or Contentiousness] upon our selves will be, That as this Temper grows upon us, all our inward seriousness will in a great measure abate, and turn meerly to a Form: And, with that, ma∣ny other Sins will creep in upon us; we will bear with many ill things in others, because they are of our Party, whom otherwise we would detest for their ill Lives, and by Conversing much with them, we will contract at least a Familiarity with their Vices, and perhaps imagine. That by our rage and heat we offer up some acceptable Sa∣crifice to God, to compensate for out other Disorders.

Causes of Decay of Piety, p. 251. When bitter Zeal was once fermented, the Orthodoxy or Heresie of Lives became soon Tearms out-dated, and Men were measured only by Opinions: Item p. 301. They are not much discomposed, to see Men of no Religion, 'tis on∣ly the having one different from their own that makes their Indig∣nation.

Mr. Cook's Sermons on Rom. 12.18. p. 24; What a siding is there with this and the other Zealous and Conscientious Sect, even by those that have neither Zeal, nor Conscience, but are Deriders of both, and of strict Holiness in all sorts of Professors.

Appendix to the third part of the Friendly Debate, p. 143; Doctor Jackson tells us the first ground of his dislike to the chief Solicitors of Reformation in our Church, was the deformity of their Zeal; not moving them to redress known Enormities of the Common-wealth, much more material, and much more nearly concerning the Advance∣ment of the Gospel, than those doubtful Controversies of Formality, about which they strove.

Bishop Wilkins on Rom. 14.17, 18; Let a Man but indifferently look round about him, amongst all the kinds of Parties in our times, even those who in his own judgment he esteems the best, and then say; Whether both our Common Peace, and the Power of Religion hath not suffered exceedingly upon the account of our Zeal in lesser matters.

Another Mischief, it destroys Charity.

Doctor Steward's Englands Case, p. 26: In such Divisions as these, Men are extreamly apt to forget all Bonds of Peace, and for possession sometimes of a little supposed Truth, quit indeed their whole state of Charity.

Mr. Kiddder's Sermons, 1 Pet. 3. 11. We do indeed fiercely contend with each other, but it is because we want Charity; We neg∣lect that plain Duty, whilest we are fond of some Opinion of our own, which is often false, and at best but doubtful.

Pref. to Usher's Body of Divinity. Men falling into Sects and Schisms, break the Bond of Love, and fall off from the Communion of Saints, as though it were no Article of their Creed; and being in Love with their own New Tenets, they contend more for them, than any Fundamental Truths, and hate, Malign most bitterly and Uncharitably all those that differ from them in their Opinions, though never so Conscientious and Religious, as though they professed not the same Faith, yea, served not the same God, nor believed in the same Christ.

Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety, p. 284. It is apparent in too many, That they are apt to confine even the Common Offices of

Humanity to their own Sect; and others who do not so, yet shew so great partiality in dispensing them, as discovers that the Name of Christian is not half so charming as that of their own particular Faction.

Mr. Cook's Serm. Rom. 12.18. How dreadful is it to consider what we may plainly observe, that Dissention, Hatred, and Rancour is not so Violent and Irreconcileable betwixt Extream Opposites, who dissent utterly (as Pagans and Christians for Example) as it commonly is betwixt subordinate professors, who agree upon Generals, and in the main Substance, but dissent in Particulars. Those of the Church of Rome this day rather Tolerate, do not so extreamly hate, a Turk, a Jew, a Pagan, as they do a Protestant, and some Protestants to be quit with them, do in affection and kind usage too plainly prefer a Heathen or Mahometan before them.

Judge Hales's Discourses of Relig. p. 37. It often comes to pass that not only the Common Bond of Charity, and of Christian Love is bro∣ken between the Professors of the same Substantials in Christianity, but there is most ordinarily much more Severity, and Persecution and Im∣placableness, and Irreconcileableness, more Endeavours to undermine, and supplant, and disgrace Dissenters, more Scorns, and vilifying, and reproach, and Insolence one towards another in their vicissitudes of Advantage, than there is between Men of the most loose and pro∣phane Lives, and Professors of Christianity; between Orthodox and Hereticks; nay, between Christians, and Turks, or Infidels many times.

Bishop of Salisburies Exhortation to Peace, p. 11. Luther and Zuinglius difference about the Sacrament has raised such an alienation, that in many places the Lutherans are no less, and in some more fierce against the Calvinists, than against Papists.

Bishop Reynold's Brotherly Agreement, p. 8. Through the preva∣lency of Corruption, the Affections of good Men so dissenting are of∣ten Alienated and Estranged one from another.

Glanvil's Catholick Charity, p. 8. Though I see never so much eagerness for an Opinion, or heat for an Indifferent Circumstance,

out the Conscience of Christian Love, I shall never call that forward∣ness for those little things, Zeal or Religion; yea, though those warm Men should sacrifice their Lives to their beloved Trifles, I should not think them Martyrs, but fear rather, that they went from one fire to another, and a worse, as 1 Cor. 13. 3.

Mr. Cook's Sermons on Rom. 12.18. p. 3. Though some di∣vided Parties may in their several wayes exercise many Acts of true and substantial Worship, yet whilest the Members thereof retain in their hearts any unpeaceable Disposition, or bitter Envy (though thay call it Zeal) against another Party, all the Effects of their Reli∣gion must necessarily be null and void; because in our Religion we can find no sort of dispensation for an Uncharitable Temper.

Glanvil's Catholick Char. p. 55, 56. If therefore we are Friends to Christian Love, let us avoid, and oppose this its most fatal Enemy; and consider that we should exercise our Zeal about the necessary, certain things, and our Charity about the rest.

That Divisions are Ruinous of a Church.

Bucer; I see, with what Art Satan doth resist, [i. e. the Reforma∣tion;] While he goeth about to stir up so many pernitious Conten∣tions, as well in Doctrine, as Rites. For surely except we remove so manifest dishonourings of God, whereby the whole Kingdom of God may be renewed. Oh how intolerable Wrath of God shall be kindled against this Rhealm! In another place, With this crafty slight hath that Ancient Enemy driven miserable Germany unto these present Calamities, wherewith they be now oppressed, (in King Edward the VI. dayes) God forbid, Christ Jesus, I say, our only Saviour, forbid, that he prevail against England with this crafty subtilty.

Bishop Andrew's Sermon, p. 913. Let us begin with the motion for Fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans, Luke 9.55. Let us begin with that which was the beginning of all this quarrel, dissent in Reli∣gion between the Samaritan and the Jew. We see the fruit of it here, and what Spirit it makes Men of, mutual and mortal hatred breaking forth upon every occasion. And these two the Samaritans and the Jews made not an end of it, till it made an end of them. In Josephus you shall

see in the days of Claudius (Cumanus then Deputy) the very like quarrel to this here, upon the very same occasion, taken up wholly by the Zelotae, and pursued hard, opened the way to the Jews War, which never ended till the utter rooting out, and desolation of them both.

Injunct. of K. James I. to the Bishops, 1626. One thing there is, which proves a great hinderance of this State, and not continued amongst the people without great offence against God, detriment both to Church and State, and our great disservice in this and all other business: It is the breach of Unity which is grown too great and common amongst all sorts of men: The danger of this goes far; for in all States it has made way for enemies to enter.

Mr. Hookers Answer to Mr. Travers Supplicat. p. 30. There can come nothing of Contention, but the natural waste of the parties con∣tending, till a common Enemy dance in the ashes of them both.

Halls Works, Bishop of Norwich, p. 413. If we desire the grief of our common Mother, the languishing of the Gospel, the extirpation of Religion, the loss of Posterity, the advantage of our Adversaries, which way could these be effected more, than by our Divisions?

Mr. Venues Plea for Peace, p. 25. Falling out among our selves we stand aloof off one from another, suffering our selves to be de∣voured by the common Foe, while we look on: Yea happily we shall be ready to act one against another, and so to save the Enemy a la∣bour; as Moab against Ammon, and Ammon against Moab, and Edom against both, sheathing their Swords each in other; so that Jehosaphat. and his Jews needed not to strike a stroke, 2 Chron. 20.3. Isa. 9.21. Gal. 5.15. It is a Dutch device, and a good one, to this purpose, of two earthen pots swimming on the water, frangimur si collidimur, we are broken all to pieces if we clash one against another. Idem, p. 31. Besides that God doth often punish breaches and divisions in the Church among Christians, by raising up some storm against them, which may teach them better to agree; we being in this too like to Sheep, which on a fair Sun-shine day are scattered each from other up∣on the Mountains; but a storm brings them together: So doth Euse∣hius relate, that the Church enjoyed much peace and freedom imme∣diately

before the Perfection raised against it by Dioclesian; and ma∣king no better use of it than to fall asunder into Divisions and Facti∣ous Contentions, instantly God took a course by way of punishment to cover the Daughter of Zion with a Cloud in his Anger, and to cast down from Heaven to Earth the beauty of Israel, and not to re∣member his footstool in the day of his Anger, setting up the Right-hand of his Churches enemies, and making their adversaries to re∣joyce. Lam. 2.1. Psal. 39.42.

Mr. Ward of Ipswich's Sermons, p. 253. Charity, Charity is the builder of Churches: Strife about trifles hath wasted many famous ones, and placed the Temple of Mahomet where the Golden Candle∣stick was wont to stand. We pity the former Ages contending about leavened and unleavened Bread, Keeping of Easter, Fasting on Sun∣days, the future Ages will do the like by us.

Pygots Abuers Plea for Accommodation in 43. p. 33. Take heed, your private dissentions do not expose you as a prey to the common adversary. I remember the dying Fathers admonition to his Sons: Having call'd them all together, he caused a Faggot to be brought into the Room, and commanded the stoutest of them to break it; they tryed one after another, but none of them could do it, then he bade them undo the band, and take them stick by stick, and so they snapped them asunder like a twined thread: Thus shall it be with you, my Sons, (saith the Old Man) when I am dead, if you continue united and knit together in the bond of Peace and Love, no Enemies shall be able to hurt you; but if you once break the bond, and fall into differences among your selves, you'l presently be broken to pieces, and come to nothing. Item, p. 42. The wild Boar of the Forest, I mean the Turk, had never made such inrodes into Christendom, had it not been for the dissention of Christian Brethren.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ʋpon the Rebellion in Ireland, Ejac. 3. Because we have not more loved thy Truth, and practiced in Charity, thou hast suffered a Spirit of error and bitterness, of mutual and mortal hatred to arise among us.

Bishop Reynolds Broth. Agreement, p. 18. Cites holy Cyprian, who in his time looked upon it as one great cause of that sore Perse∣cution,

which God sent upon the Church: Had Unanimity and Peace, said he, been amongst the Brethren, we had long ago obtained our Petitions from Divine Mercy, neither had we been thus long tossed with those Tempests, which endanger our Faith and Salvation: Imo vero nec venissent Fratribus haec mala, si in unum fraternitas at fuisset animata.

Bishop Hacket on Acts 15.39. p. 8, 9. The passage is well known about Constantine the Great, how he remov'd from his Palace in the East, because every corner of the Imperial City was filled with ad∣verse disputations about Religion; much more you may presume that God will depart from that Church, where the flames of notorious dis∣cords are.

Causes of decay of Christian Piety, p. 304. As to the extirpation of the Eastern Churches, he that shall examine the Records of those Times will have cause to say, their janglings and divisions were not only in a Moral and Divine, but even in a proper natural sence the Instruments of it, the Turk, only coming in at those breaches which themselves have made.

Glanvells Cath. Charity, p. 17. The greatest evils that have, or can happen to the Church, have been the effects of the decay of Cha∣rity, and of those intestine divisions that have grown up in it: From these she hath always suffered more, than from external Persecutions. The flames within have consumed her, when those from without have only sing'd her garments.

Bishop of Salisbury's Exhort, to Peace and Ʋnion, on Matth. 12.25. p. 3. There is nothing that defeats the end of Religion more, and doth more naturally lead to all manner of sin and impieties, which, must end in Temporal as well as Eternal ruine, then our Divisions, Pag. 9. In Divisions either party will be so intent on their little de∣signs, that the whole may perish; and they will bite and devour one another, till they are either consumed one of another, or made an easie Conquest to those that both see and improve all their advantages.

Item, Exhort. p. 10, 11. The. Africans continued quarrelling a∣bout Cecilian and his ordainers, till the Vandals came and destroyed

both the one and the other. Item, p. 11. And can we think without astonishment, that the difference of the Procession of the Holy Ghost could ever have rent the Greek and Latin Churches so violently one from another, that the Latins rather than assist the other, look'd on till they were destroyed by the Ottoman Family, which has ever since been so terrible a Neighbour to the rest of Europe.

Mr. Hesketh on Lam 3.20, 21. p. 25. It were seasonable to have made some reflections upon the unchristian heats and unreasonable dif∣ferences that are among us, things that render us not only sinners, but great fools, and plain contrivers for our own Ruine. For these are evils, that will destroy us alone, and by their own weight sink us into destruction. Divided Societies last not long, the experience of all Ages confirms it for a Truth; and I do not see what reason we have to expect an exemption from the common fate.

Dr. Mores Mystery of Iniquity, p. 554. What harm is it to pre∣sage so well of the Reformation, as that after the decursion of the years of their Childhood, God will ripen them into a more Manly sence of the great and indispensable Duties of the Gospel; that he will not tolerate nor connive any longer at their Childish squabling about Nut-shells, Counters and Cherry-stones; and menace them even with destruction, if they leave not off their animosities and aspe∣rities of mind about toys and trifles, and hold fast to the Royal Law of Love? If ye bite and worry one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. Gal. 5.15.

Mr. Hancocks Sermon on Luke 19.42. If the judgments of God, which we have already groaned under, cannot; sure the dangers that threaten us and our Religion, might help to abate our heats, and suppress our differences: Did not Christianity decay in the Church of Corinth as their Schisms and Factions increased? Pag. 31. Were not the former Conquests of these Nations, the effects of our own Divi∣sions? God grant that saying may never be applyed to us, which was used of our Fore-Fathers, that whilst they severally quarrel'd among themselves, they were all overcome by the common Enemy. Item, They are convinced, that a number of petty Sects and divided Inte∣rests cannot long maintain their ground against the Roman Forces.

Mr. Cooks Sermon on Rom. 12.18. p. 4. Were it not for that se∣curity, the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, (that is the Church) the unhappy contentions about it, the worst of Devils would soon hasten its destruction.

Mr. Jekylls Sermon on 5.29. p. 21. But there is one thing, which if not speedily prevented, will before we are aware let in that which we so much fear, and cry out against; (viz. Popery) and which perhaps too too many of us, more or less, may be accessary to; I mean those unnatural heats and divisions amongst our selves, amidst which, though we are not altogether swerved from the Form, yet we are strangely degenerated from the true Spirit and Power of God∣liness and Christianity. — How sad the effect and consequence of these heart-burnings and animosities, unchristian strifes and debates will be, I am afraid to think of! Item, p. 25. We are distracting our own Devotions, yea and provoking (I had almost said devouring) one another, whilst our Adversaries in the day they look for (which God grant may never come) will make no difference, but swallow us up together.

Principles and Practices, p. 10. of Ep. It is high time to be recon∣ciled to Moderation and Sobriety, to lay aside our uncharitable, and therefore unchristian heats against each other, and to throw water up∣on those flames, that threaten our destruction, (and but for Gods in∣finite Mercy, would have effected it before now) instead of adding more fewel unto it.

Mr. Kidder on 1 Pet. 3.11. p. 29. The several Sects and Quarrels of the Jews among themselves, and the fury of their Zealots, were but a prologue to their miserable destruction.

Bishop Taylors Coll. of Discourses, Ep. before Liberty of Proph. For my own particular, I cannot but expect that God in his Justice should enlarge the bounds of the Turkish Empire, or some other way punish Christians, by reason of their pertinacious disputings about things un∣necessary, undeterminable and unprofitable.

Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety, p. 427. It is the usual Oeconomy of Divine Justice to make our Crimes our Punishment,

and to give us up to those ills, which were at first our own depraved choice: And God knows, we have too much reason to fear this may be our case; that we who have so perversly violated all the bonds of Unity, wantonly wrangled our selves out or all inclinations to Peace, should never be able to resume them. Item, p. 428. This, alass! as it is the fearfullest, so is it the probablest issue of our wild conten∣tions; such as nothing but the miraculous effluxes of Divine Clemen∣cy can avert.

To conclude, as well we may, with this as an undoubted Truth, from Mr. Kidders Sermon on 1 Pet. 3.11. p. 22. These Contentions have done more mischief than all the Persecutions put together; more have fallen, and more dangerously this way, than by the Swords of Tyrants, and avowed Enemies of our Religion.