The Royal remembrancer, or, A Healing letter with arguments and reasons, to the Presbyterians and nonconformists : seasonably offered, from divers learned and conforming persons, to the view of Mr. Calamy, Mr. Jenkins, and others. 1663 Approx. 14 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A57797 Wing R2150 ESTC R34009 13660199 ocm 13660199 101104 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A57797) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 101104) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1045:26) The Royal remembrancer, or, A Healing letter with arguments and reasons, to the Presbyterians and nonconformists : seasonably offered, from divers learned and conforming persons, to the view of Mr. Calamy, Mr. Jenkins, and others. Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666. 8 p. Printed for Josias Allen, London : 1663. Reproduction of original in the Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Great Britain -- Church history -- 17th century. 2003-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-01 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-02 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2004-02 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Royal Remembrancer , OR , A Healing Letter , WITH , ARGUMENTS and REASONS , to the Presbyterians and Nonconformists ; Seasonably Offered , From divers learned and Conforming Persons , to the view of Mr Calamy , Mr. Ienkins , and others . London , Printed for Josias Allen 1663. A Declaration , and Proposals to the Presbyterians , and Independents , &c. SINCE man became a Traytor to his Creator ; he has not feared to Rebell against his King , his Titular God : Shimei cursed David . Good Princes do too too often meet with Railing , and Blaspheming Subjects ; whereas they ought not to conspire against , or with violence resist , a wicked King , their lawful Soveraign . Flattering Absalom , that unnatural Son , that smooth fac't Traytor , had his wise Achitophel , as the Devils Oracle , to be his companion in his Treacherous Design ; And , was not that Famous Counsellor , and notable Politician , rarely well qualified for a Judge , or for a President ? How cunningly did the Grand Rebel Absalom , by his false pretention unto Justice unjustly steal away the hearts of his Fathers Subjects ? How wisely did he apply himself unto the People ? How did he catch them with a Bait most proper , suitable and convenient ? thus sighting out an Interjection of dissembling affection ( except unto Ambition ) Oh that I were made Iudge in the Land ! that every Man , which hath any Snit , or Cause , might come unto me , and I will do him Iustice : complaining of the present Government , saying , That there was no man deputed of the King to hear mens Controversies ; addressing himself with most familiar language unto the People ; and expressing towards them much Condescension , great Affability , and extraordinary Courtesies . VVhen any man that had a Controversie , came unto the King for Judgement then , Absalom called unto him , and said , Of what City art thou ? And when any man came nigh unto him to do him obeysance , he put forth his hand , and took him , and kissed him : he also who had so wel studied the humour of the People , was not Ignorant concerning their Princes inclination ; and therefore endeavours to frame and fashion himself unto the devout minde of his good old Father ; abusing his Innocency , and Credulity with a specious pretence o● Piety , and Devotion ; saying unto the King , I pray Thee let me go , and pay my Vow , which I have Vowed unto the Lord in Hebron ; for thy Servant vowed a Vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria , saying , If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem , then I wil serve the Lord ; and the King said unto him Go in peace : After the common guize of dissembling Rebels , in this very Treason there was a profession of Equity , and Piety ; Justice , and Devotion ; and mention made of a Religious Vow , as there has been of an holy Covenant . It was therefore no wonder that we read of 200 men , who being called , went with Absalom in their simplicity , and they knew not any thing . May we , because of so glorious a profession , joyned with such a practice , wisely conclude that Abs●lom and his adherents were most just and Devout , then pious King David ? Who as we read in 1 Chron. 18. 14. reigned over all Israel , and executed Iudgement , and Iustice among all his People . Adoni●ah treading in the same presumptuous steps , playes the Traytor also ; strengthning his Rebellion with the confederacy of Abiathar , and Ioab ; the one a pious Priest , the other a valiant and politick Commander , a famous General . Many more Testimonies , in the Holy Bible , may be ppoduced of Faction , Treachery , Treason and Rebellion : Historyes both Sacred and Prophane , afford us many Relations of this Nature ; wherein has been recorded not onely the perversness , and perjury of Infidels , but also of Christians , yea of good and believing Christians ( of all Ranks and degrees ) unto Lawful Authority ; And this indeed is the drift I aim at , that it may not seem wonderful unto us , to see men otherwise very Good , Religious , and Conscientious engaged in Faction , and infected with Schism ; the one pernitious to Civil Societies , the other to Ecclesiastical ; and indeed , what the one is to the State , the other is to the Church : Among these very Corinthians , whom St. Paul affirmed to be Saints , santified in Christ Iesus , to have received the Grace of God , to have been enriched by God in all knowledge , to have been called unto the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord , among those ( I say ) were found Schisms , Strifes , Envyings , Divisions , and Factions : while one boasted to be of Paul , another of Apollo , another of Cephas , and another of Christ as if Christ had been divided : And although I do not peremptorily charge that great Apostle St. Peter as a Schismatick , yet may I as a Temporizer , one who through fear , and cowardize , did separate himself for a time from Communion with the Gentiles , because of the circumsed Iews ; twice through fear did St. Peter offend ; with him at this time did Barnabas , and divers Iews also dissemble , so as to withdraw from converse with the Gentiles , upon which they were justly taxed by St. Paul for not walking uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel : And did not their Separation upon this account almost amount unto a Schism ? And now I wil not wonder at the Temporizing , or Time-serving ; yea , or at the Schism of a Presbyterian Moderator : Little reason has he to wrangle at that Translation , Be fervent in Spirit , applying your selves unto the Time ; I onely affirm , that Good and religious men have sometimes been Rebels , and Schismaticks , through the darkness and ignorance of their Understanding ; and through the obstinacy and perverseness of their own Wils . This Consideration cals for deep Humiliation , and serious Repentance from those amongst us , who have made great profession of Religion ; and , yet contrary to the Command of Christ , requiring subjection to Lawfull Authority , have Rebelled against their Soveraign ; and being too too forgetful of our Churches Peace , Happiness , & Welfare , have separated , rent , and divided themselves from her Communion ; and have bereaved her of many of her dear Children by their most uncharitable practises ; these are they , who have preferred their private Opinions , wild Fancies , and strange Enthusiasms , before the Sound , Orthodox , and Established Doctrine of the Church of England . I profess Ingenously , That I have much Charity for many who have been accounted Presbyterians , Independents , Anabaptists , and Quakers ; and therefore I hartily desire them to beware of Spiritual pride : Consider seriously , how great a blow , how great a fall , Religion has received by your Pride , Hypocrisie , & Ambition : Remember how sad a woe Christ hath pronounced against those , through whom offences come . Consider , That you of all Parties , that ever were in the World , have most of all arrogated unto your selves the names of Holy , Godly , and Religious men : Let nor the Truth and Wayes of God be any longer blasphemed , or evil spoken of for your sakes ; but now give glory unto God ▪ and satisfaction to the Church ; return unto her Communion , and despise her not : be less Censorious , and more Charitable towards others , who are sinners , Knowing that you are also in the Body : be not high-minded therefore but fear . God Almighty so defend me by his Grace as that I may not so sin , as to rejoyce that you have thus sinned ; or to insult over you , that you are , or may be miserable , because you have thus sinned . In Ecclesiastical Matters ( seeing Gods Word commands not expresly any one certain Form of Church-Discipline , to be imposed upon the Churches of Christ , ) he expects your submission unto the Episcopal Discipline as his established Form of Church Government , most agreeable to the Word of God , or at least , not repupnant unto it ; and most commonly , and generally , practised by the most pure , Primitive and Apostolical Churches of Christ ; and lastly , as most agreeable , suitable , and convenient for , and unto the Temper and Constitution of this English Nation : And for the Ceremonies , which if I may so say ) are Pendent upon , and appertaining unto that Form , as they are Cirstances of it , and themselves of an indifferent and Adiaphorus nature ; yet belonging to Order Decency , and Conveniency , they be wisely prudently , and justly , enjoyned by the King , whose Power is exercised about indifferent things . I will herein so freely declare my judgement , as to assert , that though I approve not of a Church gorgeously decked and trimmed with Superstitious Ceremonies ; yet am I not so mad so rude , & so slovenly , as , with many of our Non-conformists , to desire to honor , or embrace , a Church in this World naked of all outward Beauty , Splendor , Ornaments , or Comeliness whatsoever . It must be granted , that visible and external things are many times serviceable , and profitable , for the attainment of things invisible , and internal : The serious observation of the making that Transient and AErial Cross on the fore-head of the Child without any Superstition , may many times become unto us an occasion of true devotion outlasting the aforesaid Action . Our AErial Cross cannot be a Relique , and Monument of Idolatry , because the word Monument is deduced from Remaining ; neither our particular transient Crosses ever worshipped by Papists ; our Cross is not of the same kind with the Popish , deferring therefrom in operations ; their Cross is said to drive away Divels , and to consecrate things unto God which things we ascribe not unto our Cross : Now the diversity of Opperations doth sufficiently distinguish between things Artificial , or the kinds of things Artificial , of which number is the Cross : The Cross is a sign , yet not Sacramental , but humane ; and voluntary ; not of our Covenant with God , but of our Profession towards Men : it doth Historically , not Sacramentally , describe unto us Christs Death : Therefore it is a Slander that we add it to Baptism , as Sacramental , or Essential ; this out of divers good Instances I have chosen out , for the sense of seeing . Now for the Sense of hearing , I shall speak a little concerning Church-Musick ; which ( as I have read ) has been partly erected , partly allowed of , by Athanasius in the East , Ambrose in the West and Augustine in the South : As God loves a chearful Giver , so he loves a chearfull Worshipper ; Musick is Requisite , that Devotion may be refreshed by delectation ; there is a Natural Sympathy between Mans soul and Melody : Of what excellent use are our Bars herein for the furtherance of our Piety ! As long indeed as we are in this World we shall stand in need of divers external helps for our Devotion ; we shall need the Pedagogie of Forms , and Manduction of Ceremonies . I shall not now descend down unto other particulars ; but shall define the Reader to consider , that I only endeavour to vindicate the established , and well known Ceremonies of the Church of England ; not any which have been introduced meerly by the bold Innovation of presumptuous Intruders . In a word , sundry Memorable and most Excellent Testimonies , might be produced , in order to the vindication of the Church of England , yet causelesly many of the Non-conformists , grieved at our established Ceremonies , and did mourn because of our Liturgy ; when others of them did ( as causelesly ) mock at them , and deride them . Oh! that these ungodly mockers would at length arise up out of the seat of the Scornful , and meekly sit down in the School of Repentance . These men who were so curious , nice , and narrow-throated , that they could not swallow down the Commands of their lawful Superiours ; when time was , did both Feast and Fast , and take Oathes too , as fast as Usurpers did command ; and indeed then , what did they leave undone , when commanded by that unlawful power ? yet then they pretended unto as good Consciences ▪ and as great Sanctimony , as evey men could lay claim unto . But their Hypocrisie being so amply discovered , in a notable and ingenious Discourse , in Folio , ( Intituled , A Proposal humbly offered , for the farming of Liberty of Conscience ) It will not be here Requisite to declare their Game any further ; I rather desire their Conversion and that every Soul would be subject to the Higher Powers ; for we ought not onely to pay Tribute to our King , ( as our King ) but we are also all of us , in our several Stations , places , and capacities ; bound by the Law of God , of Nature , and of Nations , to the uttermost of our powers , to defend and protect his Royall Person , and to maintain his Dignity , and Supremacy , against all opposers whatsoever . And very careful ought all his Majesties Subjects to be , to endeavour after , and to keep the peace of the Kingdom , and the Unity of the Church . Thus of old , writ Dyonisius , ( the good Bishop of Alexandria ) to Novatus , an Enemy to the Truth ; Thou should'st have suffered any thing , Rather then to Rend asunder the Church of God. So sayes a late friend to the Non-conformists ; Cast off that Babe ( meaning the Covenant ) whose production , wrought such a wilfull and hardned obstinacy , against the famous Liturgy of our English Church that it made them not only to dispense with their Covenant with God , but also to break Covenant with their lawful Soveraign ; earnestly desiring them to come in , and embrace the Discipline of their Mother Church ; and no longer to remain amongst such , whose Doctrines and Principles were chiefly grounded upon Pernicious Errors . FINIS .