it is a great and muchievous evi, and that we are mek Ivable to be deceived, and therefore we balÔTEL, Good Lord, &c.

IIL Fellows Sciüm, which though it be leach gus ded to our Form, because of the terrible cheeks of our unnatural War, which was begun and carried or by thofe, who denyed not any Articles of Faith, but quar relled at the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church yet it was in the Greek Liturgy long before, and though it feem not so illas Herely, yet it is as mitchievous in it's Confequents: For it is a voluntary feparation from the publick worship, and fetting up another way of our

man Law-givers

(w) Qui novas & incognitas religiones inducunt,ex quibus azimi hominum move

antur, honeftiores deportentur, humiliores capite plectantur. Paulus Jur. Conf. V. Sent.recept.

perceiving, that new Religions did tend to the difturbance and deftru-, ction of the State, punished the Authors of them with exile or beheading (m): And there are many Refcripts of the old Chriftian Emperors ftill extant, which do take order for the fuppreffing of Werefy, by Fines, Imprisonment, and banishment of those who did raise,or fpread them: Evident it is, that Herely is one of the great Engines, whereby the Devil hath ever laboured to fubvert the Church, and when the violence of Perfecution from without could not batter it, he endeavoured by the Mines of Derely, in it's own bowels to tear it in pieces, and though he could not overthrow the Church, yet this mischief Dereftes did, that after they grew fo rife, Chriftianity fcarce enlarged it's borders at all, having work enough to defend what it had gotten fo that we may fay the oppofition of Hereticks hindred the univerfal Converfion of the Heathen world; and alass what vain and extravagant fancies did many. of thofe Sects uphold, no Tenent being so monftrous, or abfurd, but it found a Patron, among those whom God had given up to believe Lyes: The Holy Scripturcs were defpifed, and new Revelations fubftituted in their ftead by Montanus: The bleffed Trinity queftioned, and the Divinity of Jefus denyed by the Arrians, Stoical fatality maintained by the Manichees, Baptifm reiterated, and all but their own Party damned by Donatus, which I the rather inftance in, because all these Herefies have been revived in our times,by Quakers, Socinians, Anabaptifts, and others, who have only changed the name of the old Herefies, and may convince us, that our days had need to put into their Litany from Hereix,

evely,Good Lord,&c. But it may, perhaps, be an occa

do

of Scruple to fome, concerning this Petition, that Scripture faith, There must be Herefies, 1 Cor.xi.19. but this doth not make it unlawful to pray against them, for if there be any neceffity as to Dereftes, it is not upon the Account of God's Decree, but mens evil minds, and as St. Chryfoftom faith of offences,Mat. xviii.7. Thefe not come, because God foretold them, but he foretold' them, because they were like to come by mens evil inclinations: So we may fay of Hereftes,it is likely they will be, but there is no neceffity there fhould be any, if men were well-difpofed: And though the abfolute Decrees of Heaven cannot be changed by our Prayers, yet the evil inclinations of men may: Or, at leaft, we may be delivered from the mischievous effects of them: So that thus far at least our Litany may prevail, that either there fhall be no Herefies in our time, or in our Church, or however, that we shall neither be deceived nor difturbed by them: We do not pretend to fuch an Infallibility with the Romanist, as to exempt particular Churches, or Perfons from all danger of Herely (and

it may be therefore they do not pray against it, because they think they cannot fall into it) but we know it is a great and mischievous evil, and that we are men lyable to be deceived, and therefore we humbly say, Good Lord,&c.

III. Follows Schilm, which though it be lately added to our Form, because of the terrible effects of our unnatural War, which was begun and carried on by thofe, who denyed not any Articles of Faith,but quarrelled at the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church; yet it was in the Greek Liturgy long before, and though it feem not fo ill-as erip, yet it is as mischievous in it's Confequents: For it is a voluntary feparation from the publick worship, and fetting up another way of our

OWN

(x) Ts StegiCavras în Tây idjarimonówwv, njiπενες ἀντισμυάντας κἂν δοκῶσιν όρJody Zonar. in 6. Can.Conftant. 1. Schifmatices non fi des diverfa facit, fed communionis difrupta Societas. Aug.qu.in

Matth.

(y) Tò gioua Suur mès diespete, mass is aπολλὲς Dupiar Care, Tonaùs cię disagμòr, Ta's πάντας ἡμᾶς εἰς avabo Clem.Epift. ad Corinth.

own, although we differ not in Fundamentals, but only in Rites and leffer matters (x). I believe that fome men take this for a ver tue, and give the Perfons guilty of it, the Titles of innocent,and confcientious men, yea would have it eftablished by a Law, but St. Paul blames the Corinthians for it, and makes it an evidence, that they were carnal, 1 Cor.iii.3. and St.Clemens not long after writing to the fame Church, tells them, that Their Schifm had made fome fall of, difcouraged others, unfetled many, and caufed grief to all (y). The Fathers alfo and the Councels do reckon it a grievous Sin to separate from the Church,and by the Imperial Laws, the Schifmatick was to be fined Ten pounds of Gold, and the Conventicle feized to the Emperours ufe, which Law St. Auguftine both records and commends, lib.1.adverf.Parmen.prope finem: And if we may judge of Schtfm by it's fruits it will appear highly Criminal, for hereby the Church is defpifed, it's worship neglected, it's Minifters reviled, Chriftians are exafperated one against another,and there is neither Unity nor Peace, yea,we have feen small differences about the leffer matters of Religion profecuted with that violence, that Reformation would not fatistie the tender Confciences of our Separatifts, nor any thing less than an utter Extirpation of the whole Difcipline and Worthip also, so that we may hereafter learn, that the lefs the Subject of the Contention is, the greator is the heat of thofe that do contend, nor do the feperating

Parating men exprefs fo much animofity and zeal againft the most oppofite Enemies, as against those who fcarce deferve to be called Foes; in fhort, Meekness and Tenderness, and fear of Sin are but the falfe Cover to an Evil humour, that hath oft betrayed it felf to be ftubborn and heady, petulant and ungovernable; fo that no Condefcenfions can Court it into gentleness and complyance, and therefore we pray from this Evil, and all it's unhappy Confequents,Good Lord,&c.

The laft place is affigned unto Spiritual Judgments, which are wont to be the laft Evils in the Divine Method of Punishing Sinners, when neither private nor publick Calamities will reform them, when they amend not upon those penalties which are inflicted upon their Eftates, or their Perfons, upon the State or the Church, then alafs God gives them up to Dardness of heart,and Contempt of his word and Commandement, whose effects indeed are not fo vifible as those of temporal Judgments, but are more deplorable by far, and more defperate: The former Calamities may bring us to Repentance, and fo become a Mercy, they may make us fmart here, but be inftrumental to our everlafting Salvation, whereas thefe Spiritual Desertions are the usual Prologue to inevitable Deftruction; and oh that the terror of that Confideration may make us molt devoutly fay, Good Lord,&c. We need not handle them apart, for they always go together. When Men have long perfifted in their Sins, rejecting all the Divine calls. fruItrating all his purposes of Mercy, rendred all the means of Grace ineffectual, when they refolve not to be hindred in their evil courfes by Promises or Threatnings; and the all-feeing Eyes of God difcern there is no hope or poffibility of reclaiming them, then,and not till then, he withdraws his Grace, and hardens their hearts,not by any politive act, but by fufpending his af

fistance,