342 The LIFE of the L 2. That no Miniller be permitted to read or pray, or exercitè theother pans of his Office that darenot wearaSurplice. g. That nonebe admitted in Communion to the Lord's Supper , that dare rot receive it kneeling: and that all Minifters be enjoyned to deny it to fuch. 4. That Minifters be forced to pronounce all baptized Infants to be Regenerate by the Holy Ghoft ( whether they be the Children of Chriftians or not). S. ThatMiniftersbeforced to deliver the Sacrament of the Body and Bloodof Chrift, unto theunfit, both in their Healthand Sicknefs : and that with perfonal application putting it into their hands : and that filch are forced to receive it,though againft their own wills, in the Confcienceof their Impenitency. 6. That Miniftersbe forced to Abfolve the unfit; and that in abfolute Expref- fions. 7. That they are forced to give thanks for all whom they Bury, as Brethren whom God in mercy bath deliveredand taken to bimfelf. 8. That none may be a Preacher Thatdare not Subfcribe that there is nothing in the Common PrayerBook, theBook of Ordination, and the Nine and thirty Ar- ticles, that is contrar}' to the Wordof God : -- Thefe are moft of the things which we judge contrary to theWord of God, which at prefent come to our re. membrance. So wehumbly delire, that wheneveryou would have us give you a full enumeration of fach, we may have leave to confult with the ref, of our Bre thren, and deliver it to you by ourCommon Confent. And we humbly crave that all thefe Points maybe taken into ferions Confideration, and thofe of them which we have not yet debated,we are ready to debate and give in our Arguments, when- ever we are called to it, to prove them all contrary to the Word of God. And may we be fo happy as to have this Propofal granted us,we filet! undoubtedly have Unity and Peace. Ad am, We fuppefeaccording to the Lawsof diftinguifhing, you fpeak in this fecond Propofal of all things fo inexpedient as not tobe contrary to the Word of God. Otherwife the greateft Sins may becommitted by inexpedience, : As,a Phyficianmay murder a Manby giving him inexpedient Medicines; and a General may deftroy his Army by inexpedient ways of Condub and Defence. And the Paftor maybe guilty of the Damnation of his People by Do&rines and Applications inexpedi- ent and unfuitable to their fiate : And a way of worthip may be fo inexpedient as to be finful and loathfom unto God ; filch is the Battology .or thinking to be heard for affeeted Repetitions or Bablings ; Pharifaical Thankfgivin s, that Men are better than indeed they are, with abundance filch like: But fuppofing that you here fpeak of no filch inexpedient things,but fuch as are not contraryto the Word of God, We add, Ad ;m, We are thankful that in fach Matters we mayhave leave to make any Such Propofals as are here mentioned : but we null not be förward to bufre our felves, and trouble othersabout filch little things, without a Special Call: If the Convocation at any time delire an account of our Thoughtsabout fach Matters, we (hall readily roducethem. And for [ acquiefcing in theirJudgments in fach Matters ] what we Three do in that point, is but of frnall confequence : And for others, feeing the Minifters that we (peak for, were many Hundredsof them difplaced or removed before the adviceof the Convocation, and others denied their Votes, becaufe not Ordained by Diocefans,and others not approving theConftitutionof our Convocations durft not meddle in the choice: We cannot tell how far they will think themfelves obli ged by the Determination of this Convocation. But this canbe no matterof pediment to your Satisfa&ion or ours: For weare commonly agreed that we are bound in Confcience to obey the King and all his Magiftrates in all lawful things ; and with Chriftian patience to fuffer what he inflieleth on as for not obeying in things unlawful :And therefore while we acquiefce thus far in theJudgment of thofe who mutt make the Decrees of the Convocation to be civilly obligatory, and the King intendeth to take their Advice before he determine of fach Matters ; It isall one as to the end, as if wedirely did thus far acquiefce in theJudgment of the Convocation, if the Kingapprove it : But if the King and Parliament diffent or difallow the Convocation'sJudgment (as it is pofhble they may have caufe to do) would you have us acquiefce in it, when King and Parliament do not ? And for the laft part of the Propofal, by God's Afffllance , (if you do not fi- lence or difable us) we arerefolved faithfully to teach thePeople , that the Devi- /ion of the Church isworfe than inexpedient ; and the Peace of it not to be diflurbed for the avoiding of any fuch inexpedience, as are not contrary to theWord of God:
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