That the Moderate Nonconformists are condemned by Mr. Advertisement. THE REASONABLENESS OF CONFORMITY то тНЕ CHURCH OF ENGLAND, Represented to the DISSENTING MINISTERS, C. T HE Defign of the following Papers is fo juftifiable, how mean foever they be in themfelves, that I need not ufe many Words to engage you to receive them with all Candour and Goodness. I am one, who fincerely defire a greater Union amongst English Proteftants than we I are yet arrived at: And tho' the method in which I now propose to do somewhat towards this, be perhaps not the most agreeable to your Wifhes; Yet it must be acceptable to you, as You profess your felves willing to attend to any offers that are made this way, and ready to con form, if your Objections can be fairly removed. Now the Reafons, on which your whole Caufe is built, I find collected by Mr. Calamy in his tenth Chapter of the Life of Mr. Baxter: And they are thought to be there represented with the utmost force, and after the moft convincing manner poffible. The beft method therefore I can think of to perfue my Design in, will be this: I. To answer the Objections there advanc'd against the Terms of Ministerial Conformity in our Church. II. To fhew, that the Arguments there propofed, in defence of your Selves, are not fufficient to juftify your Separation, even fuppofing thefe Terms of Minifteri al Conformity to be unreasonable. III. To III. To Confider what is there offer'd for the Vindication of the Diffenting Laity. Only I defire it may be remembred that I confine my felf to the prefent Times; and speak to thofe of You who continue to feparate from the Church, for the Reasons there represented. I. I fhall confider those Terms of Minifterial Conformity, which are there reprefented as Unreasonable. Now, of the five Terms there produ ced, there are but three which are at present the Terms of Minifterial Confor mity in the Church of England: And they are these. I. They that will minister in our Church must be ordain'd by Bishops. II. They must declare their unfeigned Affent, and Confent, to all and every thing contain'd, and prefcrib'd, in, and by, the Book of Common-Prayer, and adminiftration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England: together with the Pfalter; and the Form and manner of making, ordaining, and confecrating of Bishops, . Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. They must likewife make an equivalent Subfcription. III. They muft take the Oath of Canonical Obedience, and Swear Subjection to their Ordinary according to the Canons of the Church. I. They that will Minifter in this Church must be ordain'd by Bishops. The Church of England is indeed an Epifcopal Church. We think we can demonstrate that in the Primitive times the adminiftration of Ecclefiaftical Affairs was in the Hands of Bishops, who had Presbyters fubject to them; that as the Apostles maintain'd a fuperiority over the Presbyters of the Churches they conftituted, fo upon occafion of their abfence, they settled others in this Superiority; that as these thus fucceeding the Apoftles had the power of Ordination committed to them, fo their Succeffours in the following Ages - claim'd this Power as their Right, and look'd upon Ordination to be their Office in the regular Courfe of Things. No wonder then that we require all that come into the Ministry, to come in at this Door, which we think open'd for that purpose by the Apostles. Nor do I find that any of the Objections You here urge |