I Thank you for Obliging me with the sight of my Lord Sarum's four late Discourses to the the Clergy of his Diocess, the last of which your self must needs own the worst tim'd, and the worst linkt of any thing in the World.

For what reason his Lordship was pleas'd to reflect upon the Dissenters as Separatists at this time of day, when by Act of Parliament they enjoy (tho' not Equal Advantages) an Equal Establishment with his own Constitution, I will not pretend to determine: Nor per­haps can he himself give any better Account of his tacking a Discourse against them to the rest, than that the same Spirit of Contenti­on which his Lordship hath before now dis­cover'd, had in that Moment an Unconque­rable Ascendancy over him.

[Page 2]His Lordship, it must be confess'd, writes with one singular Advantage which the poor Noncons must never expect, he hath the Ci­vil Government for his Security, and free Li­berty to vent whatever he pleases; tho' 'tis true, He must have a care how he Misrepre­sents the Foundations of our Government, his fre­quent remembring a Vote of Parliament, and Mr. Johnson's most ingenious Notes on a Pasto­ral Letter, with what the Common Hangman was once employ'd about in his Lordships Service, will be of admirable Use to him in this Case. But in Spiritual Matters he may e'en talk all that is in his Heart, and what­ever else he finds agreeable to his Interest; for being himself a Spiritual Lord, one of the six and twenty Lights of the Nation, and a chief among the Guides of the Church, he may hold himself safe from any Contradiction, e­specially Now he knows the Press is entirely at the devotion of his own Party, and they must very much expose themselves who would get in but one Word against a whole Volume of his Lordships: Tho' methinks an Ecclesiastical Peer of all others should be of too generous [Page 3] a Temper, either to call the more Names be­cause he wears a Protection, or to take any Advantage against his Brother of lower degree, that mildly jogging him by his Lawn Sleeves, may happen to tell him, An't please you, my Good Lord, in this thing I humbly conceive you were not a little overseen.

A great Champion it must be confess'd the Prelatical Church hath in this Salisbury Bishop, and no doubt both He and the Cause he pleads will flourish Eternally, if the Greatness of their Circumstances can but deter all others, as it doth their own Underlings, from question­ing their Pastoral Oracles.

What success Our Prelate will have against his other Antagonists, I will not Divine, but the Dissenters (I make no question) will hold themselves oblig'd to him for the Episcopal Confirmation which his weak Management of his own hath given to their Cause, to the Goodness of which this must be imputed, unless this Right Reverend Author hath incurr'd the same Unhappy Fate from which the great Livy himself was not wholly exempt, that the Last part of his Works should be a sufficient Dis­grace to all the rest.

[Page 4]These four Discourses coming out together in a body, afford us a Notable Specimen of his Lordships Abilities; but the Learned World hath been long acquainted with his many Productions, and hath already given them an Universal Applause; yet I am apt to be­lieve they have not at any time seen a more pregnant Instance of his Cunning and Dexteri­ty than appears in his uniting these last Com­positions into one Volume, where most Invi­diously, and with a strange kind of Impartia­lity the Atheist leads the Van, and the Dis­senter brings up the Rear.

It will be no just Cause of Offence (I hope) to this Noble Prelate or his Party, if in our own Vindication we take the Liberty to requite his Lordships Kindness with a few just and serious Reflections on each Subject of his several Discourses; and I shall choose Sir to begin with that against the Atheists!

First then let us Enquire, What is it hath First Dis­course against Atheism. given the greatest Occasion to the Rise and Progress of Atheism in the English Nation? Is it not that Men have made Religion, and ☞ the Sacred Function of the Ministry, truckle [Page 5] to the Gratification of their Lusts, especially their Avarice, Pride and Sensuality? But a few will be Convinced that there is any solid Foundation for that Belief, which they see made use of to such vile and sinister Ends! Many are mistaken, if the extravagant Gran­deur of Prelates, and other Church Dignitaries, hath not exceedingly contributed to diffuse this horrible Contagion.

It would make a Man sick to hear our Prelate declaim against the Poverty of the In­ferior Preface, p. 11. Clergy, as a Crying Grievance, and a Scorn put upon the Gospel, when those that enjoy some Thousands a Year (among whom I do not say his Lordship is one) shall yet behold their Poor Brethren who Minister in Spiritual Preface, p. 11 things, so slenderly supply'd in Temporals, that no­thing but extream Necessity can induce them to serve in such Cures, who are put to wrestle still with the same Necessity, especially if they have Fa­milies that grow upon them.

Nor is it less ridiculous, and Criminal in our Prelate, to tantalize them with Hopes of Relief by New Methods, whilst the true Cause and Remedy are so obvious, and yet so much [Page 6] slighted, and in effect renounced. Our Law-makers (I am of Opinion) will be so kind, to try how far a more equal partition of the Ecclesiastical Re­venue will go towards the supply of the poor Clergy, before they lay any more Burdens up­on the People on that account.

There will be no want of Atheists so long as Church-men are thus desperately enamour'd of Great Benefices, and so Careless of their Cures; while they heap one Steeple upon another 'till their Heads grow giddy, and they can scarce look low enough to Converse with their Inferior Brethren.

They may Preach up Humility and Mor­tification long enough in their cold, formal, flo­rid Discourses, before they perswade one Athe­ist that themselves are convinc'd of its Ne­cessity, while they Vye in Fullness and Gaiety not with the Gentry only, but with the Nobi­lity too.

How should Atheism but thrive in a Land, where Men can Declare, and Swear, and Preach, ay, and print Dialogues too, for such a kind of Vide Dr. Bur­nets Dialogues Loyalty, as when they are try'd they perfectly leave in the lurch, to be redeemed by those [Page 7] that can find in their Hearts to submit to a suffering State, which they might avoid at the same Easie but Unconscionable rate as these Men do.

It cannot but be a mighty strengthening to the Atheistical Party, that some Men who Preach up Piety, will not endure the strict ex­emplary Practise of it, no not in others, whe­ther of their own or a different Communion, much less in themselves, but make it the subject of scorn and ridicule when they are out of the Pulpit.

Nor doth it want a share in this malignant influence, that there are so many prints and foot­steps yet visible, of those more than Heathen­ish Barbarities which have been all along act­ed upon one sort of Christians upon their Pro­testant Dissenting Brethren.

From all this it is undenyably evident, that the Faith, Humility and Self-denyal of the Non­conformists, in parting with their Livings, and casting themselves entirely upon Providence, their stedfastness in refusing the Oaths and Subscriptions by them judg'd unlawful, their So­briety, and endeavouring to practice what they [Page 8] have preacht to others, hath been a standing (not to say the only) Witness to this Genera­tion, That there is a GOD, and that the Con­victions ☞ of his Being and Government lye at the bottom of some Mens Actions.

Secondly, Concerning his Discourse against Second Dis­course against Socinians. the Socinians, give us leave to observe what have been the fruits of the Church-mens over­valuing the Rational way of Preaching, as if all Points were capable of being comprehend­ed, and explained by it to a demonstration: It had been better in this respect, if our Ra­tional Divines had contented themselves in ma­ny Cases with the direct affirmations of the Scriptures, and paid some more deference to the simple act of believing them; for whilst every thing must be brought down to our Reason, and levell'd to our Capacities, they have conjur'd up the Evil Spirit of Socinianism, ☞ which will exercise all their Skill to get down again.

It hath been the constant way of this Church to let in the worst of Evils upon the Witness oppo­sing the Bill of Exclusion. Nation, (as in the late Reigns Popery, and So­cinianism now in this) and when they have [Page 9] made themselves and others abundance of La­bour, and grievously expos'd the Nation, then if they have helped never so little to extin­guish the Fire, which but for themselves had never flam'd out, nor consum'd so many wor­thy E of Essex, Ld. Russel, Col. Sydney, &c. Patriots, to set up their Crests, and loudly to proclaim their own Atchievments, and that too when their Victories are not so compleat, nor the Enemy's Defeat so absolute as they themselves do represent.

And here, Sir, by the way, I hope you will not forget to enquire in what Communion Athe­ists and Socinians do most abound: And further, I wish all to be caution'd against Arminianism by the prevalency of Socinian Errors; for those who magnifie the Power of Man's Will, and those that exalt his Understanding beyond the mea­sures of Truth and Sobriety, are not very far distant from each other.

Thirdly, As for Popery, we are sorry to see Third Dis­course against Papists. the Church of England so much symbolizing with it, and so hard put to it to defend its self up­on its own bottom; our concern on this ac­count will appear very just, by making use of the Instance before us: Here is a renown'd Prelatical Bishop discoursing vehemently against [Page 10] Infallibility, and at the same time pleading with Might and Main for the power of the Church, in imposing symbolical Ceremonies; but can any thing be more absurd, than that Men who confess themselves fallible, and prove it too both by Word and Deed, to the satisfaction of all the World, should obtrude their Senti­ments and Composures (Forsooth) as if they were as Infallible as his Holiness at Rome pre­tends to be, or our blessed Saviour and his Apo­stles really were? And is not this done to the height of Arrogance, whilst all that will be benefic'd among them, are forced indispensably ‘To Declare, Assent and Consent, to all and every thing contain'd and prescrib'd in and by the Book of Common Prayer:’ And all that have refus'd to comply with their Modes (how much soever against their Consciences) have been Prosecuted with the utmost Seve­rity! How laudable and consistent, when com­par'd with our Prelatical Platform, is the Popish way of first asserting the Infallibility of the Church, and then erecting a Court of Inquisiti­on to defend it?

How will this, or any other Prelate, be able to overthrow our Popish Adversary's Argu­ments [Page 11] for Salt, Oyl and Spittle, when their Ce­remonies stand upon the very same Foundati­on? and will they nill they, our Church-men shall be constrain'd to admit them, whenso­ever their Good Lords and Masters shall think sit to follow the Romish Prelates in the Impo­sition of them.

The Truth on't is, when the Protestant Pre­lates have to do with the Papists, they are for­ced to the Dissenters Arguments against them­selves, by magnifying the sufficiency of the Scrip­ture Rule; but when the same Men encounter the Dissenters, because the Scripture-sufficiency is but an unpromising Topick, and sure enough to fail them, they shift Hands, and wield the same Weapon against us, which they will by no means allow the Papist, (viz, The Power of the Church) this is no very good sign of a good and defensible Cause; but who can blame the Patrons of it, that attends to the Vide p. 286, 287. Straits and Necessitys to which they are some­time reduced, not excepting the Bishop of Sa­rum himself!

And thus by degrees have we trac'd our Pre­late Fourth Dis­course against Dissenters. down to his fourth Discourse, wherein he is pleas'd to charge the Dissenters with the [Page 12] Guilt of a needless Separation, we hope present­ly to make it appear that his Lordship is Guil­ty of a much more needless Clamour; but that we may the better discover the unreasonable­ness of that whole Party, which raises such a dust about Separation, and how unjustly they appropriate to themselves the Title of the Church of England, we shall in few words attempt an impartial stating of this Case.

The Church of England is a thred-bare term, that may signifie many things of a very diffe­rent Nature, which therefore ought not to be huddl'd up under one Name, without some little Explication; and since our Author hath not thought it at all advantageous to his Cause to give us any, for your clearer insight into the present Controversie you may please, Sir, to take the following just distinctions.

First, The Church of England may very pro­perly signifie that part of the Catholick Church of Christ which is resident in England.

In this Sense the Church of England is neither one Sect of Christians nor another among us, but every Man that hath given up himself to God in Christ by Baptism, or hath been warranta­bly devoted by others in his Infancy, and leads [Page 13] a Christian Life, is truly a Member of it: From the Church of England in this sense, we neither do nor can separate, but upon such Grounds as would Separate us from the Body of Christ.

The only Separatist here then is He that is No Christian, and any one with half an Eye may see to whose share the greatest part of Separatists of this sort will fall.

Secondly, The Church of England may signi­fie the Christians of England, as form'd into di­stinct Societies for the Worship of God, and presential Communion with each other therein.

Now that the Dissenters are form'd into such worshipping Bodies, and consequently not of this sort of Separatists, is more visible then many would have it, and therefore 'tis undeniable they are a part of the Church of Eng­land in this Sense also.

The Separatist here then is he only, that though he professeth Christianity, doth not or­dinarily worship God publickly, or with an Assembly united to that End, and of this sort of Separatists the Loose Devotees of the Titular▪ Church of England are all that we know.

Thirdly, The Church of England may signi­fie the Christian Congregations of England as [Page 14] united under the same Civil Government, and submitting to it; and the Separatists from the Church of England in this sense are chiefly the Jaco­bites, the generality of whom are so far from be­longing to the Dissenters, that they arrogate to themselves the sole Honour of being the True Sons of the Church of England.

Yet here indeed it must be confess'd, that though the Dissenters have approv'd themselves the fastest Friends to the Civil Government, they are really separated from some very Con­siderable Advantages, which it hath thought fit to bestow upon the prelatical Party; for, whereas the Dissenting Ministers and People enjoy no more than the bare Protection of the Civil Magistrate in their Religious Wor­ship, from the Rage of malignant Persecutors, the Prelatists have a very considerable part of the profit of the Land assign'd them by Law, for the Maintenance of their Ministry, vast­ly exceeding in proportion what is left to the poor Layity: The Clergy having a Tenth of the profits of the Land, though 'tis probable they are not one Man to a thousand.

All the Separation then that can be found under this Head, among the Dissenting Clergy, [Page 15] is, a Separation from Tithes and Maintenance, from Archbishopricks and Bishopricks, from Deaneries, and Archdeaconeries, from Prebends and Parso­nages, from Masterships and Fellowships, and from other such fat Benefices.

Our Layity too are chargeable with a Separa­tion of this very kind, they being separated from all Civil and Military Offices, whether those of Justices or Mayors, Sheriffs or Recorders, Generals or Admirals, Colonels or Captains, or whatever other honourable or profitable Posts can be thought up­on: The Sacramental Test having secured all such places to the Members of a distinct Com­munion.

This Separation we doubt not but the Con­formists (though they are never like to be guil­ty of it themselves) will have the Charity to pardon to us, because it redounds so very much to their own Advantage.

Fourthly, The Church of England may signi­fie the Christian Congregations of England, thus united under one civil Government, as agree­ing or disagreeing with each other in Doctrine, Church Goverment, or Worship; for there can be no Separation (but that which is local and una­voidable to all) farther than they differ in some one of these.

[Page 16]And here, Sir, you must own (1.) As to Do­ctrine, Doctrine that the dissenting Ministers by their Sub­scriptions plainly shew there is no Separation on their part; and indeed, those that are acquainted with the preaching and writing on both sides, will easily judge who keep closest to the doctrinal Articles.

The Separatists from the Church of England then in this sense are on the one hand the So­cinians and Arminians, by what Names or Titles soever dignifi'd or distinguisht, and on the other hand the poor deluded Quakers, and such like Enthusiasts.

(2.) In the Business of Church Government Church Go­vernment. the Dissenters are not asham'd to own a Sepa­ration, rather do they think they should have great Cause to be asham'd of themselves, and their Churches, if herein they separated not from the prelatical Party.

The Dissenters say there's a great deal of Reason, why the power of Governing a Church should be vested in the same person that hath and exerciseth the power of Teaching, and ad­ministring the Sacraments therein; and who can this be but its proper Pastor? who best knowing the Diseases of the People, is therefore most [Page 17] fit to apply the Remedy: The power of the Keys is certainly essential to the Office of a Go­spel Minister, and whoever ordains him to that Office, must of necessity invest him therewith; and though he should express a contrary In­tention, either that Act or the whole Ordination must be a Nullity.

Every Minister of Jesus Christ hath Authori­ty from him to govern no less than to teach, but through the Influence of the Ceremonious Party, the Laws of the Land have debarr'd the Pastors of single Congregations in their own Communion from the Exercise of this Power, and have made them miserable Vassals to the Hierarchy.

Here then our Separation is from the Prelates as Creatures impos'd upon the Church, and ingros­sing to themselves that power which belongs to the Pastor of every Congregation, and which 'tis na­turally impossible duly to apply while it lodges in so few Hands.

And together with the Prelates, the Dissen­ters acknowledge a Separation from Lay-Chancel­lors, Officials, Surrogates, Proctors, and the whole Gang of Spiritual Court-men, whom they look up­on (as having no Authority from Jesus Christ [Page 18] but) as the Spawn of a monstrous Prelacy, and the most intolerable Grievance that the Nation this day groans under.

And as the Dissenters separate from the sub­jects of this Church-Government (the Prelates, Lay-Chancellors, &c.) so also do they own a Separation from the Exercise of it, as it proceeds from them, and is manag'd by them.

Themselves in the Preface to the Commination ac­knowledge their want of a Godly Discipline, and since they have the Front to own this Defect, and never had the Grace to reform it, in all the time that is run out since Edward the sixth's Reformation to septimo Gulielmi tertij, it would be no less then High Treason against Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, not to disown and separate so far at least from this imperfect Church as to supply this want, by a godly Discipline among our selves.

There is this further Disorder among them which will very much account for our Sepa­ration, that whereas they distrust, and dishonour the Ordinance of Excommunication, by putting all their Confidence in the carnal Sword, the Dis­senters think the Discipline of Christ sufficient to its own End, without such a Supplement as [Page 19] quite enervates the Virtue, and obscures the Lustre of it.

This constrains them to separate from many of the prelatical Canons, particularly from those where­in they Excommunicate Persons for saying, ‘That Vide 4, 5, 7. Canons. there is any thing in the Government of the Hierarchy, or in their Articles, or in the Book of the Common Prayer that is repugnant to the Word of God:’ And above all, the Dis­senters hold themselves bound in Conscience to abo­minate that Canon which ‘ excommunicates all those Vide 9, 10, 11, Canons. that shall say such Assemblies as theirs are true Churches.’

(3.) As for what relates to Worship, let it Worship. be consider'd, that the whole body of the Dis­senters Worship is either found among the Church party, or is generally own'd by them as lawful.

Free Prayer, Reading the Scriptures, and Expounding them, Praising God by singing of Psalms, Celebrating the Sacraments according to Christs Institution, with the Gesture which his own Example hath warranted, (in all which ways the Generality of the Dissenters worship the God of their Fathers) are clearly unexceptionable.

As for the Ceremonies and the new Gestures, and the prescrib'd Forms, as they are still used by the [Page 20] prelatical Party, which are the things in this Worship from which we separate, they are at best questionable, and certainly very far from being essential to Gospel Worship.

The summe of what hath been said on this head is this,

In Doctrine there is no Separation at all on the Dissenters part, rather are they the truest sticklers for the doctrinal Articles.

In Church Government they are so far from Separating from the true Scriptural Episcopacy, that in defence of it, they disclaim that Dioce­sian Prelacy which is inconsistent with it, and hath only made use of its Name to destroy the thing: 'Tis (in a word) no more but a noxions antescrip­tural prelacy from which the Dissenters sepa­rate, together with the pernicious Rabble of its ecclesiastical Dependants, (and if we'll take their own Words for it,) there is nothing among them that deserves the Name or bears the Face of true Christian Discipline.

In Worship our Separation is not from the Object, or Medium, or Matter, or End, which are professedly the same in both Parties: We wor­ship the same God, through the same Medi­ator, in the same Evangelical Duties, in or­der [Page 21] to the same great End (the Glory of God; and our own Salvation) we separate only from certain dubious or sinful Forms and Ceremonies, of humane devising and imposing.

So that here they cannot with the least Truth or Modesty accuse us of any Separation, seeing our worship is the very same with theirs, unless they are disposed to speak improperly, and will mean by their Worship the Ceremonies that clogg it, which upon Occasion they themselves have discarded from being any parts of their Worship.

This mighty Separation (the Noise of which hath for so many years fill'd the Pulpits, and which the Prelate of Salsbury is so fond of buzzing afresh into his Clergies Ears) being thus dwindl'd in­to a Separation from nothing in the World but from humane Forms, from certain devis'd Rites and Modes of no value, from usurpation and Church-Ty­ranny, give me leave, Sir, to enquire how the cause of the Separation (as our Prelate phrases it) does reflect upon the Prelatists themselves.

And First, They are the Authors of that Sepa­ration, Vide Troubles of Francksort. be it more or less, which they condemn in us, it is most notorious that themselves both began and continue it, and theirs it must be more than ours, because it is not in our power to change our Sen­timents [Page 22] about the things impos'd, but it is evidently in their Power to forbear the imposing of them, which they may well afford to do, as being (ac­cording to their own Confession) no matters of Necessity or good Importance.

We do not desire to ravish their Ceremonies &c. from them, (not we truly, e'en let those that are fond of 'em keep 'em all to them­selves, with all our Hearts,) we only wish to enjoy our own Christian Liberty, either in joynt local Communion with them, or in distinct As­semblies, according to our present Posture, with­out being persecuted as the vilest of Men, or (if such a Favour could be granted) without be­ing scandalized with the odious and unjust Titles of Schismaticks or Separatists by any English or Scotch Prelatists, whenever the Testy fit takes 'em.

Secondly, They are Guilty of a Separation peculiar to themselves, of a very high Nature, and of a Mischievous Tendency: Some are so steel'd with Hellish Impudence as to deny Our Ministry and Sacraments; and others there are who refuse to join with us Occasionally, when it might be done without slighting their own Church Order. If any be so wise and charita­ble [Page 23] to desire the Liberty of Testifying their Agreement with the Dissenters in all that is of absolute Necessity to Salvation, by joining with them Occasionally in their publick Wor­ship, 'tis great Odds but he loseth their Fa­vour as much as if he quite relinquisht their ☜ Party; such irreconcileable Enemies are some Men to Union, while they would be thought the great Promoters of it: Certainly the Uni­on of which These are ambitious is plainly, that all Men, yea, even the Ark of God its self should bow to the Dagons of their own setting up.

Thirdly, The Prelatists are full of Schisms and Separations among themselves: Let them never boast either of their Unity or Uniformity, unless instead of all their Jarring Discords there were a more Harmonious Consent in their own Worship.

And here, Sir, I shall take the Liberty of diverting you with two or three Instances of their Good Agreement, which are the more remar­kable, as being peculiar to the prelatical Constitu­tion, and which therefore cannot be recrimi­nated upon the Dissenters, in Defence of whose minuter Differences it may be said, that they are the less to be Condemn'd, for that they [Page 24] were never impos'd as absolutely necessary, nor have the Dissenters ever had the Impudence to pretend to that Unity and Uniformity which these men make so much their Boast, with what Reason or Justice ☞ let the following Instances of their own particular Dissentions determine.

Some bow at the Name of Jesus, while o­thers of the same Communion pay no more Reve­rence to that than to the Name of Christ.

Some bow to the East or Altar, (which you will,) while others that would be thought as good Church-men, condemn that Practice as super­stitious.

Some use the Lords Prayer kneeling, others pay no more respect to that than to any other Prayers.

Some are very clamorous in their Responds, others there are more modest, and a less noisy sort still content themselves with an Amen on­ly at the End.

Some only say over their Prayers, while a more merry sort sing them out; nay, there are not wanting some Jovial Sparks, that Cant out their very Creed.

Some preach in the Surplice, while most pull it over their own Ears before they go into the Pulpit.

[Page 25]Some make Prayers in the Pulpit after the Liturgy's over, others are only pray wee's, that bid Prayer.

Some read the Service in the Desk, while o­thers go with a part of it to the Communion-Ta­ble.

The Communion Table in some Churches is rail'd about, in many 'tis e'en left as open as any other part of the Church.

In some Topping Churches you shall see huge unlighted Candles, (for what use no Body alive can tell, but) the meaner Churches are forc'd to shift without them.

Some are for a Consort of Musick, others on­ly for Organs, some dislike both, and others can get neither.

And here, Sir, by the way, 'tis worth your while to observe, that among the Dissenters, the poor and rich Congregations, the larger and the lesser, wor­ship God in the same innocent unceremonious man­ner; whereas in the prelatical Church the rich Con­gregations worship with abundance of Pomp, while the Poverty of others obliges them to a like simplicity with the Dissenters.

So that a Church of England Courtier is one sort of a Worshipper, a C. of E. Cathedralist of another kind, [Page 26] a C. of E. Citizen yet less theatrical, and a C. of E. Peasant of a sort by himself.

In a word, this Diversity of Worship is so very considerable, and makes these pretended Uni­formity Men look so little like▪ Members of one and the same Church, that I am very confi­dent, a perfect stranger to them all, at one time visiting the Royal Chappel at high Devotion, and by and by looking into Westminster-Ab­bey, and anon tracing to St. Lawrence's in the City, and shortly after travelling to some homely Countrey Church, and strictly observing all their various ways of Worshipping, would be ready to swear, that these men never had an Act of Uniformity read among 'em, but were each of them a much more distinct sort of Wor­shippers, and less of a piece than the Dissenters are with the last mention'd, and honestest sort among themselves.

From all this we may naturally infer, that either the several Formalities instanc'd in, which are so much magnifi'd by one Party, and neglect­ed by another of the same Communion, do ap­pertain to the prelatical Church, or they do not; if they do, those separate from it that use them not, if they do not belong to it, those are Sepa­ratists [Page 27] that use them; this however is certain, ‘as they differ more or less in these things, so far they separate each from other.’

If the Church Guides have only recommended these things without enjoining them, and have left them to be observ'd or omitted, as best a­grees with the Judgments and Consciences of others: Why might not the same Course be ta­ken with all the other Ceremonies? Why is not the Gesture at the Supper, why is not the Cross in Baptism, why are not the Surplice and other Vestments, and many things of the like nature, left in their own Indifferency, to be embrac'd or reject­ed as every one is determin'd in his own Mind?

If so considerable a Diversity may consist with ☜ Uniformity, and is actually found in the prelati­cal Church, why might not this be allow'd, in Order to so great a Benefit to the Church, as the Union of the two great parties would be?

But besides, what hath been already said of their Discord, I dare be so bold to affirm, that abundance who ordinarily join in local Communion with the Prelatists, do mentally and re­ally separate more from them than many others of a distinct Communion.

[Page 28]So do all those, both Ministers and People, that pervert the doctrinal Articles, and hold Opi­nions inconsistent with the most natural and ge­nuine meaning of them.

They are in the same Predicament who lead a Vicious Course of Life; for, as the former have separated from the Truth which the Church doth profess, so have these from that Purity which it declares necessary to Salvation.

A Dissenter that is sound in all the Articles of Faith, and orders his Conversation accordingly, is ☞ incomparably more of the Church of England than the most exquisite Formalist, that hath learnt all his Gates and his Postures, but is neither sound in his Head nor in his Heart.

The one separates only from some little par­ticularities that are against his Conscience, and the other from that which is vital and essential both to a Christian and a Church, and which his own Conscience, and the Scripture, and the Con­sent of all Christians urge upon him as indispen­sably necessary.

Nay, so Obnoxious is the Prelatical Church on the account of Separation, that great Numbers of those who join with them, have as mean an Opinion of their Ceremonies, and in their Judgments [Page 29] and Affections separate as much from them as the Dissenters, having nothing that engages 'em to an Observation of them, but a bare Establish­ment by the Civil Magistrate, whose Authority in this Case has been rejected by many very great Men: But a legal Establishment is a formal Word that enchants abundance, and it's enough for these that somewhere or other they have met with some word that gives 'em a little Liberty in their own Minds to communicate with the Church: And whilst with very hard shifts this sort of Church-men have made themselves judge it barely lawful to abide in that Communion, they are loth to leave the Sun-side of the Bank; little thinking in the mean time, that to join with a Church less pure and edifying, when a better may be had, (tho' with Reproach) is to prefer carnal po­licy before christian Wisdom, Pollution to Purity and Peace with men to Peace with God and our Souls salvation.

But lest it should be objected, that these are but Trimmers, or half Churchemen at best, let me ob­serve to you, Sir, that on the other hand there are very many who have the Honour to be of the high Church (as they themselves phrase it) who do yet very substantially separate from the main body.

[Page 30]Among these we will first rank the Ja­cobites, who have private Assemblies and Mi­nisters (if not Prelates) of their own, and who perhaps can be content to wave the Con­secration of places, as the Dissenters have done before them: Matters are now come to that pass even among high Church-men themselves, that the voice is lo here is the Church in one mans mouth! and lo there in anothers! in the Judg­ment of these Churchmen the far greater number of the prelatical Church have deserted its Princi­ples, and have lost the great Characteristick of a true Church of England Man, (viz.) ‘Passive Obedience Loyalty to a jure divino Succession;’ upon which verry account it is, that the abdica­ted Prelate of Bath and Wells hath scatter'd his Pastoral Letters ‘against holding Communion with that part of the Church which have taken the Oaths to the present Government.’ 'Twould do well if his Brother of Sarum and he cou'd concert this affair, at least we desire that our Prelate (befor he addresses any more discourses against the Dissenters) would free himself and his party from that Guilt of a sinful separation which the Jacobite Sons of the Church are daily reflecting upon them.

[Page 31]But besides these high Church Separatists, there are not wanting a considerable Number of another sort, who would willingly exclude some of those Offices which themselves and their Congregations statedly perform: How glad would many of this strain be to have conceiv'd Prayer before Sermon, and singing of Psalms totally suppress'd? but they know well enough, should not these be parts of their Service, great Numbers would soon desert 'em: Tho' how they can reconcile this kind of Prayer, and Singing, with ☜ ‘their own solemn Promise to use the Liturgy, and no other Form,’ I leave to their own Con­sciences to determine!

Nay, it is further considerable, that where they are agreed to practise alike, 'tis up­on such very different Principles, and so destru­ctive of each other, that from hence 'tis noto­riously evident, how powerful a worldly Interest is to make contrary Principles sweetly conspire to its own support.

Let the several opposite Principles upon which the Hierarchy is built be our Instance, the poor simple vulgar, and many of a better sort that would be thought Champions for the Church, take it for granted, that all the Learned Men on their [Page 32] side do firmly believe our English Episcopacy to be Jure Divino, and in this they think them most unanimous: But (alass!) they little imagine how very differently and inconsistently sometimes their great Doctors, and those that wear Lawn Sleeves all at once, shall argue in its defence.

Give me leave, Sir, to name two or three several Opinions on this very Head:

(1.) SOME Church-men tell us, that a Bishop and Dr. Hammond &c. a Presbiter were all one in the Scripture-times, and that the Bishops afterwards made the Distinct order of Presbiters or Priests, as they are now call'd.

This (I humbly conceive) you will say was a great piece of Boldness, and certainly it can be call'd no less, for any Men to make a New subordinate Office in the Church without Authori­ty from the Great Bishop of our Souls, the Lord JESUS CHRIST.

(2.) OTHERS of the same Church, (and those the most before Laud's time,) us'd to say, that by Divine Institution there were no Bishops over Presbi­ters, but Prebiters to avoid Divisions set up one a­mong themselves above the rest, and gave him the Title of Bishop, by way of eminency.

But this sort of Episcopacy is a little too low and mean for our modern Prelates to content themselves with.

[Page 33](3.) MANY of this high Church think that Dio­cesan Mr. Dodwell, &c. Episcopacy is jure divino, and that an uninterrup­ted Succession of such Bishops is absolutely necessa­ry to the being of a Church, and to the Validity of e­very Ministers Ordination: TO these I might add, no small names among them who differ from Bps. Gunning, Bramhal, &c. their Brethren in this, that they would have the Uni­versal Church govern'd by a Colledge of Bishops (by Letters Missive or in Council) and the Pope as prime Patriarch to be the Principium Unitatis. Are not these very hopeful Churchmen think you? and don't they put us in the ready way to Catholick Unity? Roman Catholick I mean?

(4.) THERE are yet OTHERS of this very Dr. Stilling­fleet, &c. Church who think that there is not any particular form of Church-government of divine Institution, but that in the Communion or Subordination of Churches we can only fol­low the general Rules of Scripture, and the common Principles that belong to the Conservation of Societies. This Sort of all others contributes most effe­ctually ☜ to the destruction of that common conceit, that our Diocesan Episcopacy is of divine Right: And of these some ascribe more to the power of Ma­gistrates in this point, and some more to the Agreement of Churches among themselves:

Yet all these must and do subscribe (but [Page 34] God knows how!) to one and the same Position, ☞ that it is evident to all that have diligently read the Scriptures, and the Antient Fathers, that Bishops, Priests, and Deacons have been three distinct Offices, ever since the Apostles Times.

I would to God the whole Levitical Tribe of this divided Communion, would seriously lay to heart this one thing.

But at present I spare our Prelate any fur­ther Trouble of this kind, and the rather be­cause I am confident by this time you are fully convinc'd, and will with me readily conclude, That this goodly Church of England, (which not­withstanding all its Boasts of Unity and Unifor­mity, do's next to the Popish, abound with the most Schisms and Separations of any in the world) is the least qualify'd, and has the poorest Title of any that ever pretended to be the Standard, and Cen­ter of Union to all other Churches whatsoever.

And in this Faith I subscribe my self