to appear in Herefies, Schifms, and a groffer fort of Superftition, there were not wanting fome, tho' too few, that protested against the more intollerable of them, but too late to ftem the fwelling Tide, which by Custom and Carnal Intereft had ftrengthned it self against them.

3. You may at your leifure further confider, how learnedly you go about to prove a Matter of Right by Matters of Faft. Such and fuch things have been done in the days of Yore, therefore it is lawful and just to do so still. At this rate, indeed, you may. fet up for a Catholick Advocate in any Place of the World, and in any Caufe what foever, right or wrong; for what is there done, that hath not been before done? And for you to fay, it is only their Lawful Injunctions that are to be obey'd, will not at all help the Matter, while 'tis only the Impofers themselves that are allow'd to be the Judges of its Lawfulness. Neither indeed is the bare Lawfulness of a thing, enough to juftifie its Impofition, or the Peoples Obedience, tho' impofed.

2. To apply your Hiftorical Obfervations to the prefent Cafe, you fay, The Church of England lays no greater Weight upon the Ceremonies, than the Ancients did, but declares that they are things in their own nature Indifferent and Alterable; and that it is reafonable, and upon weighty and important Confiderations, according to the various Exigency of Times and Occafions, fuch Changes and Alterations hould be made therein, as to thofe that are in place of Authority fhould from time to time feem either neceffary or expedient. But how the Practice of the Church of England agrees with this her Declaration, is to moft People a Paradox, while they fee the Diffentions, Divifions and Perfecutions, that have been occafion'd by their rigid Impofitions; and yet after more than an hundred Years doleful Experience of it, and the many humble Supplications, Expoftula

tions and Long-fufferings of fuch as have been herewith offended, it is not to this day thought Neceffary or Expedient, to make any Change or Alteration of them, unless it be for the worfe, which gives fome Men occafion to think, that it is the change of Fewer for More, and of Bad for Worfe, that is the Church of England's meaning in it; efpecially when they reflect on the Overtures that were made,and the Plot that was laid for it in Bishop Laud's time, which is too fre in the Memories of the prefent Age, to be yet forgotten.

But before you conclude this Section, Page 36. you would do fomething to obviate that Noifie and Frivolous Objection, as yon call it, That the Church makes thefe Ceremonies Conditions of Communion. To which you have Two things to say.

1. That fome things must be allow'd, or we can have no Communion at all. And here you inftance in the Particular Place, and Hour of our meeting for Divine Service, and fuch Means as are for the preventing of Difor der and Confufion, which are not particularly determined in Seripture: And yet fuch things as thefe are neceffarily made Conditions of Communion.

Tho' there hath been enough already faid, to expofe the Nakedness of this Fallacy, yet, fhould I not give you a particular attendance herein, perhaps you will triumph, and fay, that I durft not appear before any of your beft Arguments. Therefore in anfwer to this firft Branch of your Effay, this one thing only I would demand, Quid hoc ad Iphieli boves? How little a-kin is this to the Queftion? Are the Ceremonies you are contending for as neceffary, even ex natura rei, as Time and Place is for the Publick Acts of Religious Worship, without which 'tis impoffible that it should be at all performed? Or as neceffary, as that without which it cannot be per formed, without Disorder and Confufion? If fo,

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How

How can you call them Indifferent things? Or would you tempt us to think, that it is Indifferent with you, whether God be worshipped or not? Or with what Disorder or Confufion it be done? 'Tis true, Particular Places and Hours of Publick Worship, are not fo pofitively determin'd by the Scriptures, to Us under the Gospel, as once they were to the Jews; but yet, as for Time and Hours, the Morality of the Fourth Commandment, which requires a Whole Day, and One in Seven, to be kept Holy, in the Publick or Private Exercifes of God's Worship, gives a General Rule, and the Circumstances of the People must determine what is most convenient and conducible to that Holy End: And whatsoever Rules are made in this Cafe, not according to the Fancies, or By-ends of the Ruled, nor of the Rulers, but according as the Nature and Circumstances of the Cafe require, they are Rules of God's own making, and not meerly of Man's: And whatsoever Rule is at any time made, without which the Worship of God cannot be performed at all, or not without Disorder and Confufion, let him be punished, for me, according to the merit of his Offence, that tranfgreffes fuch a Rule. Of which fort there are more than enough, who own themselves to be of the Church of England, that care not how prophanely they walk, or talk, or play, or tipple away the Lord's Day, or whether ever they worship God or no, and yet are accepted of you, if but Zealous Enemies to Nonconformists.

2. But that the Burden may not lye too heavy on your dear little Ceremonies, you tell us, That it is not out of an Opinion of any Vertue dfcrib'd to them, but by Accident, (and a very unhappy Accident indeed it hath prov'd to be) as in all Governments, you fay, things that are indifferent in their Nature, being enjoyn'd, become Neceffary in their Ufe. That thus the Matter of Humane Laws is often Indifferent, but the Obfervance

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Obfervance of them not fo; For be that will be of aSociety, must keep the Laws of it: Thus our Ecclefiaftical Rites are declar'd to be Indifferent, but our Obedience to thofe that rule over us, is grounded on an exprefs Command of God, and is an effential part of our Christianity; the wilful neglect of it therefore, would exclude us from Heaven, &c. To which I reply.

1. That here we have a rare Specimen both of your Divinity and of your Cherity.

1. Of your Divinity; and that not only in your measuring the Temple of God by the Kingdoms of the Earth, and Levelling Religion with Worldly Policy, and Confcience with Carnal Intereft, as if Obedience in Matters of Religion were to be fet at the fame degree of Latitude with that of Worldly Governments, and that Mens Confciences ought to be as brawny as their Shoulders: But in laying down this general and unlimited Pofition, That in all Governments (Church Government not excepted) things that are Indifferent in their Nature, being enjoyn'd, become necessary in their use. How long fhall we hear these Vain words? When will you be afham'd of this Refuge of Lies, where you always take Sanctuary, to the Reproach of the Chriftian Religion? Sir, How few are there of Actions, or Things in the World, that are not in their own Nature, fimply confider'd, Indifferent? What an Immensity of Arbitrary Power then have you afcrib'd to your Church-Rulers? Is not this Doctrine as true all the World over, where-ever any Humane or Religious Laws are to be found, as it is in England? Let me ask you feriously, Should all the Superftitious, yea, Idolatrous Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of Roine, or of any other People in the World, that pretend to the Worship of a Deity, be requir'd of you by the Rulers of your Church, as the Conditions of Communion with them,muft you not by your own avow'd Doctrine,think your self bound

to

to obey them? But what you would do in fuch a cafe, I cannot tell. Would you plead that you are not fatisfied in the Lawfulness of their Commands, that it is grofs Superftition or Idolatry that is requir'd of yon? Would they not presently choak you with your own Doctrine,and tell you,as you now tell us, That your Obedience to thofe that Rules over you, is grounded on an exprefs Command of God, and is an Effential part of your Christianity? That the things required of you, are in their own natures Indifferent, and therefore being requir'd, are become neceffary in their use? Will they not from your own mouth tell you, That for you to plead the Priviledge of a Private Judgment, or the Sentiments and Perswasion of your own Confciences, is Difloyally, Schifmatically, Proudly and Puritannically to oppofe your Private against the Publick Judgment and Authority of the Church? Sir, Is not this the Hobbean Divinity that you are here Preaching to us? And if you will be angry with us for not embracing it, we cannot help it. Perhaps you will tell us, that there is no Idolatry nor Superftition in the Things requir'd of us; Will not Rome and Confantinople, and all the Religionists in the World tell you the fame, and will you take it fo upon their own word? Is not every Church Orthodox in Doctrine, and Pure in Worship to it felf? Who are there that will own themfelves Hereticks, or Idolaters? But if the Publick Judgment must determine for one, why not for all. Yet pray do not fay that I am now comparing the Church of England to the groffeft Idolaters in the World, or the ChurchServices to Affes Heads, or Doves Dung, while I am but giving you the true Anatomy of your own Dotrine, and the Inferences which naturally and neceffarily derive from it, and from which I know not how you can fairly deliver your felf.

2. Of your Charity; In that you exclude us from Heaven, and cut us off from the Body of the Church