Two letters containing a further justification of the Church of England against the dissenters the first by one of the reverend commissioners for the review of the liturgy, at the Savoy, 1661 ; the second by Dr. Laurence Womock, Archdeacon of Suffolk, author of the Verdict upon melius inquirendum.

The Dissenters Sixth Section.

THey say, the World is pester'd wit•• Disputes about Worship, about Re¦ligion; and therefore since all cannot be i•• the right, they are willing to go the safe•• way, and Worship God according to h•• word: If the things disputed be lawful •• be done let 'em be so; they are sure it'•• lawful to let 'em alone; and they thin•• there's no great hazard in keeping •• Scripture Rule, nor can believe that Chri•• will send any to Hell, because they did n•• worship God in an external Mode, mor•• neat and spruce than God Commanded.

Answer.

The World is pester'd with Disputes a∣bout Religion: Hereupon some men resolve they'le trouble themselves with none at all. Wo be to them by whom this scandal is gi∣ven! I pray, from whence come these Wars and Fightings amongst us? The Re∣formation silenced them, and setled Ʋni∣formity to establish Peace. Some men are of restless Spirits and can never study to be quiet, making it their business to disturbe the repose of Christendom. And all the Disputes for these 40. years, (and we may say, ever since the Reformation,) whe∣ther menaged by Pen or otherwise, have been commenced and carried on (against this Church of England) by the Jesuits and Dissenters. And upon what account this is done (as to our Dissenting Brethren) Mr. Baxter has told us long ago in these words, [Every one must needs reduce all others to his opinion as if his Judgment were the infallible Standard of Verity; and so we have proved too proud and un∣charitable, while we would be Orthodox overmuch.] And a little after he gives good Advice, (if he had been stedfast e∣nough to follow it,) I advise my Brethren, to prepare their weapons, against the Pa∣pists, and Socinians, and Antinomians.

above all other Sects: and to associate spee∣dily, and carry on all thetr work in Ʋnity, if ever they will succeed.

2. 'Tis sure all cannot be in the right; 'tis fit therefore, we should take some pains to learn the safest way. But self-conceit and the private Spirit are the worst Guides in the World. He that is wise in his own eyes is very apt to put darkness for light, and light for darkness (Isai. 5.20.) The Holy Ghost has observ'd this to our hands, and adviseth us therefore not to lean to our own understanding: For (as that devout man said) He that is his own Scholar has a Fool to his Master. The neerer the Fountain the clearer the Stream. God calls upon us to tread the good Old way; sends us to the Law and the Testimony.† But as he gave the word, so he gave the Preachers too. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge; and they should seek the Law at his mouth.‖ In difficult matters God did refer earnest and cordial Inquirers to the sentence of such as were in Authority, Deut. 1.7 Our Saviour did not slight that Order, wherein that Dispensation was on foot, but lik'd it so well (as he did many other of those Institutions) that he tran∣scribed it into his Gospel, and adopted it into the practice of his Church. They sit in Moses Chair, &c. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and submit your selves.

Heb. 13.7, 17. And if a Dic Ecclesiae be of so great Authority (in our Saviours ac∣count) to decide our civil differences, much more those of a Spiritual and Reli∣gious nature (as Schism and Heresie) which belong more properly to her Cogni∣zance.

3. Whereas they say there's no great ha∣zard, I say there's none at all, in wor∣shipping God according to his word, and keeping to Scripture-rule; provided we rightly understand it. For Luther ob∣serves, there are two sorts of Prophets (hinted at by Moses) that should rise up against sound Doctrine. One should come in the name of the Lord, and bring the word of God and holy Scripture with them. Such should be the Jews in Christ's time, who alledged the Scripture against the Gospel, for the Righteousness of the Law; and such should be Hereticks after them, &c. Men will wrest the Scriptures to serve their own Hypothesis.

Is any thing more clear than the Scrip∣ture-rule for Governors, that they set all things in order (where it is not done to their hands) and then to see, that (in the worship and service of God) all things be done decently according to that Order? And that these are the Commandments of God. And the Scripture-rule for such as are under Authority is as plain as words

can make it, (Heb. 13.7, 17.) and yet if there were no such Scripture-rule, common Reason would infer the Duty. Where some are impowered to give Orders, o∣thers are under an obligation to observe them: Else Authority is Nugatory and ri∣d••culous, as has been observed former∣ly.

4. If the things disputed be lawful to be done, we are not of these Dissenters opinion, that 'tis lawful to let 'em alone: but we believe the contrary. For if they do not dogmatize themselves and their fol∣lowers into superstition (which is highly probable,) yet by their pretermission, and neglect of what is injoyned them, they break the Law, despise Authority, and give scandal to the Church; and whether Hell may not••ly at the bottom of such diso∣bedience, I leave it between God and them∣selves to judge. Does not God require and delight in Verity? And can there be Ʋ∣nity without Obedience? Does he not re∣quire us to avoid Offences, and follow Peace, especially with his Church? Is not Schism a work of the Flesh as well as Mur∣der, or Adultery? Is not a wilful and groundless separation from the Mystica•• Body of Christ, a separation from Commu∣nion with him? And is there no peril in breaking our selves off from this Vine? Do they think they can climbe up to Hea∣ven

by a Ladder of their own, when they place the foot of it upon ground of their own devising? No, No. Graviter pec∣cant, saith the Learned Zanchy, They sin grievously, who for these indifferent Ce∣remonies disturb the Churches, and damn all other Magistrates and Rulers, because they use their liberty in these things: Is this the Piety which is boasted of? Is this the Charity which we ow to the Churches of God? If they want Piety and Charit who contend with other Churches about Ceremonies, how little of those Christian-virtues have they to pretend to, who quar∣rel with their own; because she will not prostrate her self to gratify their humors?

5. If Christ will send none to Hell for performing his worship and service rudely and slovenly, with a stiff and peremptory sawciness (which I am sure is no where allowed) certainly he will not send to Hell such as worship him in the beauty of holi∣ness, with a due Reverence and Solemnity, which he hath commanded.

Notes

• In his A∣pologeti∣cal Preface to his con∣futation of Dr. L. Moulin.
• Jer. 6.16.
• †

  Isa. 8.20.
• ‖

  Mal. 2.7.
• Matt. 23.2.
• Matt. 18.17.
• Dr. Pri∣deux Sect. 22. de Author. Ec∣clesiae in Rebus Fi∣dei. cap. 3. p. 354.
• Annot. in Deut. cap. 248.
• 1 Cor. 14.37.
• Gal. 5.20.
• Lib. de Redempt.