Part 111. fi.everend 1l/Jr. Richard Baxter 145 , nothing, could be advifed more certain, CO keep the Covenant, and fuch Principle§ alive in Mens heart's, and memories than this perpetual injoyningthe Renunciation of it. Nor may you wonder, if that Lefton link deep into Men's flefh which you wiìl.teachthem with Briars and Thorns, as G,deon taught the Men of . :uecoth. Be- tides, it is the molt impolitick thing that ever could havebeen, for fuch- Contents, as are of that dangerous Confquence to Majefty and the Government to have them oncedifputed, or brought into queftion, to be put into thefe Declarations, Oaths andSubfcriptions, which necelitates the Examinationof them to fo many. it was the wifdom of the Ancient Church, infteadof Contertionabout the Jewifh Ceremo- nies; to take care they might have an honourable burial : And I dare fay if that great LordChancellor had but put off his Cap CO the Covenant, fundbidden it a fair Adieu only, he fhould have done more towards its Extirpation, than by all this ite- rated trouble toMen's Confciences. And if it [hall therefore pleafe the fncceeding Adinfters of our Sta'e, inftead of going to root out the Principles of Innovation whichare got into people, by this moms(which is no means to do it, but the means to rivet them more in us), CO endeavour rather toroot out the Cansfrom us,which makemen willing toentertain filch Principles, and delire Change: I fuppefe their Policy will prove the founder. Theway to eltablilli the Throne of the King is this, to make it appear, that all thofeGrievances, and all thofe Good things which the Peo- ple in the late times expeaed to be removed, or to be obtained, by a Common Wealth, or a Change of the Government, may be more elfedhuaily áccomplifhed by a King in the Aas of his Parliament. I am fenlible how my Threw rifeth upon nie, and that I begin to (hoot wide I take my Aim therefore again, and two things, in earneft, I would expel: from, this Bill, as the fumm of what is neceffary to the endof it, our Eafe, if it be made toferve the turn, The oneis, that Bithop Laud be confined to his Cathedrals: and theother, that Chancellour Hide be totally expelled our Acîs of Parliament. By thefirmt, I mean, that theCeremonies in the ordinary Parini Churches be left to the Liberty of the Minitter, to ufe, or ufe themnot, according to his Çonfcience, and Prudence toward his own Congregation : And by the latter, thatall thefenew de- vifedOaths, Subfcriptions and Declarations together with the Canonical Oath, and the Subfcription in the Canons be fufpended for the time to come. If that be too much I fhali content my felf with a niodefter motion, that whatfoever theft Declarations be, that are required tobe made, fubfcribed or (worn, theymay be impofed only as to the Hatter and End, leaving the Takers but free to the ufe of their own Expreffi- ohs. And this Expedient I gather from my Lord Cook, who hach providently, as it were, againit fuels a feafon, laid in this obfervation : The form of the Subfcription ft down in the Canons, ratified by Xing James, wasnot expref(ed in the la of the 13th of Elizabeth. Inftit. p. 4. c. y4. And Coafequently if the Clergy injoyed this free- domuntil( then, in reference to the particulars therein Contained, what hinders why they might not have the fame reikored, in reference alfo to others? le is true, that it may feem hard to many in the Parliament, to undo any thing themfelves have done : But tho this be no Rule for Chriftians, who are fometimes to repent as well as believe, if they be loth to repent any thing, what if they flail only In- terpret or Explain ? Let us fuppofe then fame Claufe in this Bill, or fame new Aft,: for Explanations. If any Nonconformife cannot come up to the fù11 meaning and intent of theft Injun&ions rightly Explained, let hint remain in ftatu qui, under theBate only of Indulgence, without benefit of Comprehenfion for fo long as thofe, who are not Comprehended, may yet injoy that eafe, as to be indulgedin fome equal mcafure anfwerableto his Majeftie'sDeclaration, whether Comprehenfioo be large or narrow, filch Terms as we obtain are pure Advantage, and fach as we obtain not, are no lofs: But if any does, and can honeftly agree to the whole fenfe the Parlia- ment intends in filchImpolcions, why fhould there be any Obitru&ion for filch a Man, thohe delivers himfelf inhis own words, to be received into theEítablilhed order with others ? Ilniefs men will look onthefe Injunctions only to be contrived for Inginesof Battery, to de(troy the Nonconformift: And not as Inftrumen;sofo- pity, to edifythe Church of God. I will not leave our Congregational Brethren neither, fo long as I have fomething more that may be foldfor them, not ordinarily confidered by any. It is this, that Cho indeed they are not, and cannot feek to be of ourChurches as they are Parochial under the Diocefs or Superintendency of the Bithops ; yet do they not refute, but Reek tobe comprehended within theChurch as National under his Majefty. I will T t t r explaiis`
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