394 The LIFE of the B.1. The Oath of Canonical Obedience. Go A. B. Pro quod præfbabo Veram tar Canonicam Obedientiam Ep f opo L.ondinenfi li ejufgue Succefforibus in amnibus liçitit e bonefbit. § ;oz. H. TheNonconformifts, who take not thisDeclaration, Oath, Subfcríp. don, &c. are ofdivers forts, fome being further diftant from Conformity than o- tilers ; fome thinking that (orne of the forementioned things are lawful, and tome that noneof them are lawful : and all have not the fame Reafons for their diffent. But all are agreed that it is not.lawfal to do all that is required, and therefore they are all call out of theExercife of theSacred Minittry, and forbidden to preach the Word ofGod. § ;03. The Reafons commonly given by them are either, a. Again the Impo- frngof the things forementioned ; or, 2. Againft the Ufng of them being impoled. Thofe of the former fort were giveninto the King and Bifhops before the Palling of the Adl of Uniformity, and are laiddown in the beginning of this Book ; and the Opportunity_being now paff, theNonconformifls now meddle not with that part of the Calife, it havingTeemedgood to their Superiours to go againft their Reafons. But this is worthy the noting by the way, that all that I can fpeakwith ofthe Conforming Party, do now ju(tifie only the Ufingand Obeying , and not the Impofrngofthee things with the Penalty by which they are Impeled: Fromwhence it is evident, that moftof their own Party donow juftide our Coufe which wemain- tained at the Savoy, which was againft this;Impoftion ( whilft it might have been prevented), and for which filch an intemperate Fury bath purfued the to this very day. z. But it is the Reafons againft our full Obedience to the Impofirion of this Conformity, which I amnow to rehearfe : but I muff defire the Reader to remem- ber, that mybare Recital is no fign of myApprobation of all that I recite,thoughI be one of thofe that dare not Conform. '§ 304. And fìrß there are divers general Reafons which 'keepfomeof them more than others from Conformity, and drive them further, even from joyning with them in Liturgy oc Sacrament. r. Someof them look upon the Principles andLives ofmany of thole who fall in with the eflablifht Church, as furnilhing them with a fufficient Plea againft Con- formity : For, fay they, it's eafie to obferve how the Prophane and Vitious and Debaucht and Scandalous ( which makes upbut too great a part of the Nation }, fall in with that Party in the Church that are for Prelacy and Liturgy,frc. and for oppre(Iingthofe who differ in their Sentimentsfrom them about thefe Matters.Now how fay they, can we fafely joys in with that Body of Men, that harbours fo many open Enemies to all Religion, as the prophane part of the Nation compre- hends ? But fomewho are more confiderare, reply, That this is no other than what is the ufual Attendant of a National E(tablilhment ; it being a common thing for all thole in a State, who are reallyof no Religion, in appearance to fall inwith that Modeof Religion that is favour'd by the Law , and molt encouraged by the Prince. § 3 o s. z. The fame Perlons fay, That by Conforming they fhall own and fbrengtb enUJurperr; whohave made a NewOffice which Chrift never made, and to the great wrongof Chrift, and the peril of theChurch, have made themfelves Lords of God's Heritage : And as he that obeyeth the Pope's Law, is guilty of his U- furpation , fo is he that obeyeth thePrelates Laws,though the Matter commanded were lawful in it fell. But the moderator Nonconformills are not for thisReafon; becaufe,fay they,it is but Counfel as it cometh from the Convocation ; and it is the King and Parliament that make a Law of it, whomwe mull obey in lawful things. And they fay fur- ther, Thatwe mutt not forbear a -Duty, for fear of Encouraging Men's Ufurpa- clons. § ;o6. Theyfay alto, 3.That thefe Impofitions are doneby the Prelates in meet deign to root out godly Miniffers and Chriflians : And that whenthey feared that the old Conformity would not fern turn, they have added lach newMateri- als of fer purpofe, which keep out a Thoufand at leaf that would have yielded the
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