Worship of God to be necessarily and for a continuance observed among them but what they had express Warrant and Authority and command of our Lord Christ for Counsel they gave in particular cases that depended upon present emergencies Directions for the regular and due observation of Institutions and the Application of general Rules in particular practice They also taught a due and sanctified use of Civil customes and the proper use of Moral or Natural Symbols But to impose any Religious Rites on the constant practice of the Church in the Worship of God making them necessary to be alwaies observed by that imposition they did not once attempt to do or assume power for it to themselves Yea when upon an important difficulty and to prevent a ruining scandal they were enforced to declare their judgement to the Churches in some points wherein they were to abridge the practice of their Christian liberty for a season they would do it only in things made necessary by the state of things then among the Churches in reference to the great end of edification whereby all practices are to be regulated before the declaration of their judgement for the restriction mentioned Acts 15. So remote were they from assuming unto themselves a Dominion over the Religion Consciences or faith of the Disciples of Christ or requiring any thing in the constant Worship of the Church but what was according to the Will Appointment and Command of their Lord and Master Little countenance therefore is our Author like to obtain unto his sentiments from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament or the Example either of the Jews or Christians mentioned in them The Instances he gives from the Church of the Jewes or that may be given are either Civil Observances as the feast of Purim or Moral conveniencies directed by general Rules as the building of Synagogues or customary signes suited to the nature of things as wearing of Sackcloth or such as have no proof of their being approved As the feast of Dedication and some monethly Fasts taken up in the Captivity from none of which any objection can be taken against the position before laid down Those from the Church of the new Testament had either a perpetual binding institution from the Authority of Christ as the Lords day Sabbath or contain only a direction to use Civil Customes and Observances in an holy and sanctified manner as the Love Feasts and Kiss of Charity or such as were never heard of in the New Testament at all as the observation of Lent and Easter He that out of these instances can draw a warranty for the power of the Civil Magistrate over Religion and the Consciences of men to institnte new duties in Religion when he pleaseth so these do not countenance Vice nor disgrace the Deity which all his Christian Subjects shall be bound in conscience to observe or otherwise make good any of those particulat conclusions that therefore Christ is not the ouly Law giver to his Church or that Divinâ— Revelation is not the adequate rule of Divinâ— Worship or that men may add any thing to the Worship of God to be observed in it constantly and indispensiely by the whole Church will manifest himself to have an Excellency in Argumentation beyond what I have ever yet met withal A removal of the Argument taken from the perfection of the Scripture and its sufficiency to instruct us in the whole Counsel and Will of God concerning his Worship and our Obedience unto him is nextly attempted but with no Engines but what have been discovered to be insufficient to that purpose an hundred times It is alledged That what the Scripture commands in the Worship of God is to be observed that what it forbids is to be avoided Which if really acknowledged and a concernment of the Consciences of men be granted therein is sufficiently destructive of the principal Design of our Author But moreover I say that it commands and foâ—â—bids things by general Rules as well by particular Precepts and Inhibition and that if what is so commanded be dâ—served and what is so forbidden be avoided there is a direct-Rule remaining in for the whole worship of God But this is said here to be of substanâ—â— duties but not of external circumstance and if it be so even of substantial dutâ—â— it perfectly overthrows all that our Authoâ— hath been pleading in the three first Chaâ—ters of his Discourse For external circumstances of what nature those are whâ—â— are disposable by humane Authority anâ— Prudence hath been now often declare and needs not here to be repeated The summ of his Apprehensions in thâ— matter about the perfection and sufficiâ—ency of the Scripture in reference to thâ— Worship of God our Author gives us pag. 189. Anything saith he is lawful thâ—â— is in the Worship of God that is noâ— made unlawful by some prohibition for things become evil not upon the scors of there being not commanded but upon that of their being forbidden And what the Scripture forbids not it allows and what it allows is not unlawful and what is not unlawful may lawfully be done This tale I confess we have been told many and many a time but it hath been as often answered that the whole of It as to any thing of reasoning is captious and sophistical Once more therefore what is commanded in the Worship of God is lawful yea is our duty to observe All particular Instances of this sort that are to have actual place in the Worship of God were easily enumerated and so expresly commanded And why among sundry things that might equally belong thereunto one should be commanded and another left at liberty without any Institution no man can divine Of particular things not to be observed there is not the same reason It is morally impossible that all instances of mens Inventions all that they can find out to introduce into the Worship of God at any time in any Age and please themselves therein should be before hand enumerated and prohibited in their particular instances And if because they are not so forbidden they may lawfully be introduced into Divine Worship and imposed upon the practices of men ten thousand things may be made lawful and be so imposed But the truth is although a particular prohibition be needful to render a thing evil in it self a general prohibition is enough to render any thing unlawful in the Worship of God So we grant that what is not forbidden is lawful but withal say that every thing is forbidden that should be esteemed as any part of Divine Worship that is not commanded and if it were not yet for want of such a command or Divine Institution it can have neither use nor efficacy with respect to the end of all Religious Worship Our Author speaks with his wonted confidence in this matter yea it seems to rise to its highest pitch as also doth his contempt of his Adversaries or whatever is or may be offered by
the Principles here asserted and contended for either express or represent the supremacy of the Kings of this Nation in matters Ecclesiastical as it is stated and determined by themselves in Parliament but rather so as to give great offence and scandal to the Religion here professed and advantage to the Adversaries thereof for after there appeared some ambiguity in those words of the Oath enacted 1 Eliz. of testifying the Queen to be supream Governour as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or Causes as in Temporal and many doubts and scruples ensued thereon as though there were assigned to her a power over the Consciences of her Subjects in spiritual things or that she had a power Her self to order and administer spiritual things In quinto Elizab. it is enacted by way of Explanation that the Oaths aforesaid shall be expounded in such form as is set forth in the Admonition annexed to the Queens Injunctions published in the first year of Her Reign where disclaiming the power of the Ministry of divine offices in the Church or the power of the Priesthood here by our Author affixed to the supream Magistrate her power and Authority is declared to be a Soveraignty over all manner of persons born within this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal so that no foraign power hath or ought to have any superiority over them And so is this supremacy stated in the Articles Anno 1562. namely an Authoâ—ity to Rule all Estates and Degrees committed to the charge of the supream Magistrate by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and to restrain the stubborn or evil-doers Of the things contended for by our Author the Authority of the Priesthood and power over the Consciences of men in matters of Religion there is not one word in our Laws but rather they are both of them rejected and condemned I have yet laid the least part of that Load upon this Principle which if it be farther pressed it must expect to be burdened withal and that from the Common Suffrage of Christians in all Ages But yet that I may not transgress against the design of this short and hasty Discourse I shall proceed no farther in the pursuit of it but take a little Survey of what is here pleaded in its defence Now this is undertaken and pursued in the first Chapter with the two next ensuing where an end is put to this Plea For if I understand any thing of his words and expressions our Author in the beginning of his fourth Chapter cuts down all those Gourds and Wild Vines that he had been planting in the three preceding for he not only grants but disputes also for an obligation on the Consciences of men antecedent and superiour unto all humane Laws and their obligation his words are as followeth pag. 115. It is not because Subjects are in any thing free from the Authority of the Supream Power on earth but because they are subject to a Superiour in Heaven and they are only then excused from the duty of Obedience to their Soveraign when they cannot give it without Rebellion against God So that it is not originally any Right of their own that exempts them from a subjection to the Soveraign Power in all things but it is purely Gods right of Governing his own Creatures that Magistrates then invade when they make Edicts to violate or controll his Laws and those who will take off from the Consciences of men all obligations antecedent to those of Humane Laws instead of making the Power of Princes Supream absolute and uncontrollable they utterly enervate all their Authority and set their Subjects at perfect Liberty from all their Commands I know no men that pretend to Exemption from the Obligation of Humane Laws but only on this Plea that God by his Law requires them to do otherwise and if this be so the Authority of such Laws as to the Consciences of men is superseded by the confession of this Author Allow therefore but the Principles here expressed namely that men have a Superiour Power over them in Heaven whose Laws and the Revelation of whose Will concerning them is the Supream Rule of their duty whence an Obligation is laid upon their Consciences of doing whatever is commanded or not doing what is forbidden by him which is superiour unto and actually supersedes all Humane Commands and Laws that interfere therewith and I see neither use of nor place for that Power of Magistrates over the Consciences of men which is so earnestly contended for And our Author also in his ensuing Discourse in that Chapter placeth all the security of Government in the Respect that the Consciences of men have to the Will and Command of God and which they profess to have which in all these Chapters he pleads to be a Principle of all Confusion But it is the first Chapter which alone we are now taking a view of The only Argument therein insisted on to to make good the Ascription unto the Magistrate of the power over Religion and the Consciences of men before described is the absolute and indispensable necessity of it unto publick Tranquility which is the principal and most important End of Government In the pursuit of this Argument sometimes yea often such expressions are used concerning the Magistrates power as in a tolerable Construction declare it to be what no man denyes nor will contend about But it is necessary that they be interpreted according to the Genius and tenor of the Opinion contended for and accordingly we will consider them This alone I say is that which is here pleaded or is given in as the subject of the ensuing Discourse But after all I think that he who shall set himself seriously to find out how any thing here spoken hath a direct and rational cogency towards the establishment of the conclusion before laid down will find himself engaged in no easie an undertakeing We were told I confess at the entrance so as that we may not complain of a surprizal that we must expect to have Invectives twisted with Arguments and some such thing seems here to be aimed at but if a Logical Chymist come and make a separation of the Elements of this Composition he will find if I mistake not an heap of the drossy Invective and scarce the least appearance of any argument Ore Instead of sober rational arguing crimina rasis Librat in Antithetis great Aggravations of mens miscarriages in the pursuit of the Dictates of their Consciences either real or feigned edged against and fiercely reflected upon those whom he makes his Adversaries and these the same for substance repeated over and over in a great variety of well placed words take up the greatest part of his Plea in this Chapter especially the beginning of it wherein alone the Controversie as by himself stated is concerned But if the Power and Authority over Religion and the Consciences of men here ascribed unto Supream Magistrates be so indispensably necessary to
run into Principles and practices inconsistent with the safety of Humane Society and such as will lead them to Seditions and Tumults And hence if I understand him a matter I am continually jealous about from the loosness of his expressions though I am satisfied I constantly take his words in the words in the sense which is received of them by most intelligent persons he educeth all his reasonings and not from a meer dissent from the Magistrates Injuctions without the entertainment of such Principles or an engagement into such practices I cannot I say find the Arguments that arise from a meer supposition that men in some things relating to the worship of God will or do practise otherwise than the Magistrate commands which are used to prove the inconsistency of such a posture of things with publick Tranquility which yet alone was the Province our Author ought to have managed But there is another supposition added that where Conscience is in any thing left unto its own liberty to choose or refuse in the Worship of God there it will embrace sure enough such wicked debauched and seditious principles as shall dispose men unto commotions rebellions and all such evils as will actually evert all rule order and policy amongst men But now this supposition will not be granted him in reference unto them who profess to take up all their Profession of Religion from the command of God or the Revelation of his Will in the Scripture wherein all such Principles and Practices as those mentioned are utterly condemned and the whole Profession of Christianity being left for 300 years without the Rule Guidance and conduct of Conscience now contended for did not once give the least disturbance unto the Civil Governments of the World Disturbances indeed there were and dreadful Revolutions of Government in those dayes and places when and where the Professors of it lived but no concerns of Religion being then involved in or with the Civil Rights and Interests of men as the Professors of it had no Engagements in them so from those Alterations and Troubles no reflection could be made on their profession And the like Peace the like Innocency of Religion the like freedom from all possibility of such imputations as are now cast upon it occasioned meerly by its intertexture with the Affairs Rights and Laws of the Nations and the Interests of its professours as such therein will ensue when it shall be separated from that Relation wherein it stands to this world and left as the pure naked tendency of the souls of men to another and not before But what sayes our Author If for the present the minds of men happen to be tainted with such furious and boysterous conceptions of Religion as incline them to stubbornness and sedition and make them unmanageable to the laws of Government shall not a Prince be allowed to give check to such unruly and dangerous perswasions I answer That such Principles which being professed and avowed are in their own Nature and just Consequence destructive to publick peace and humane Society are all of them directly opposite to the Light of humane nature that common Reason and consent of Mankind wherein and whereon all Government is founded with the prime Fundamental Laws and dictates of the Scripture and so may and ought to be restrained in the practises of the persons that profess them and with reference unto them the Magistrate beareth not the sword in Vain For humane Society being inseparably consequent unto and and an effect of the Law of our Nature or concreated principles of it which hath subdued the whole race of Mankind in all times and places unto its observance Opinions perswasions principles opposite unto it or destructive of it manifesting themselves by any sufficient evidence or in overt Acts ought to be no more allowed than such as profess an Enmity to the Being and Providence of God himself For mens Inclinations indeed as in themselves considered there is no competent Judge of them amongst the Sons of men but as to all outward Actions that are of the tendency described they are under publick Inspection to be dealt withall according to their Demerit I shall only add that the Mormo here made use of is not now first composed or erected it hath for the substance of it been flourished by the Papists ever since the beginning of the Reformation Neither did they use to please themselves more in or to dance more merrily about any thing than this Calf Let private men have their Consciences exempted from a necessary obedience to the Prescriptions of the Church and they will quickly run into all pernicious fancies and perswasions It is known how this Scare-crow hath been cast to the ground and this Calf stamped to powder by Divines of the Church of England It is no pleasant thing I confess to see this plea revived now with respect to the Magistrates Authority and not the Popes for I fear that when it shall be manifested and that by the consent of all parties that there is no pleadable Argument to botom this pretension for the power of the Magistrate upon some rather then forego it will not be unwilling to recur to the fountain from whence it first sprang and admit the Popes plea as meet to be revived in this case And indeed if we must come at length for the security of publick peace to deprive all private persons of the Liberty of judging what is Right and Wrong in Religion in reference to their own practice or what is their duty towards God about his Worship and what is not there are innumerable advantages attending the design of devolving the absolute determination of these things upon the Pope above that of committing it to each supream Magistrate in his own Dominions For besides the plea of at least better security in his determinations than in that of any Magistrates if not his Infallibility which he hath so long talked of and so sturdily defended as to get it a great reputation in the world the delivering up of the Faith and Consciences of all men unto him will produce a seeming agreement at least of incomparably a larger extent then the remitting of all things of this nature to the pleasure of every supream Magistrate which may probably establish as many different Religions in the World as there are different Nations Kingdoms or Commonwealths That which alone remains seeming to give countenance to the Assertions before laid down is our Authors assignation of the Priesthood by natural Right unto the supream Magistrate which in no alteration of Religion he can be devested of but by vertue of some positive Law of God as it was for a season in the Mosaical Institution and Government But these things seem to be of no force For it never belonged to the Priesthood to govern or to rule the Consciences of men with an absolute uncontrollable power but only in their name and for them to administer the holy things which by
common consent were admitted and received amongst them Besides our Author by his Discourse seems not to be much acquainted with the rise of the office of the Priesthood amongst men as shall be demonstrated if farther occasion be given thereunto However by the way we may observe what is his judgement in this matter The Magistrate we are told hath not his Ecclesiastical Authority from Christ and yet this is such as that the power of the Priesthood is included therein the exercise whereof as he is pleased to transfer to others so he may if he please reserve it to himself p. 32. whence it follows not only that it cannot be given by Christ unto any other for it is part of the Magistrates power which he hath not limited nor confined by any subsequent Law nor can there be 〈◊〉 Coordinate Subject of the same power of several kinds so that all the Interest or Right any man or men have in or unto the exercise of it is but transfer'd to them by the Magistrate and therefore they act therein in his name and by his Authority only and hence the Bishops as such are said to be Ministers of State p. 49. Neither can it be pretended that this was indeed in the power of the Magistrate before the coming of Christ but not since For he hath as we are told all that he ever had unless there be a Restraint put upon Him by some express prohibition of our Saviour p. 41. which will hardly be found in this matter I cannot therefore see how in the exercise of the Christian Priesthood there is on these principles any the least respect unto Jesus Christ or his Authority for men have only the exercise of it transferred to them by the Magistrate by vertue of a power inherent in him antecedent unto any concessions of Christ and therefore in his name and Authority they must act in all the sacred offices of their Functions It is well if men be so far awake as to consider the tendency of these things At length Scripture proofs for the confirmation of these opinions are produced p. 35 36. And the first pleaded is that promise that Kings shall be nursings Fathers unto the Church It is true this is promised and God accomplish it more and more But yet we do not desire such Nurses as beget the Children they nurse The proposing prescribing commanding binding Religion on the Consciences of men is rather the begetting of it than its nursing To take care of the Church and Religion that it receive no detriment by all the wayes and means appointed by God and useful thereunto is the duty of Magistrates but it is so also antecedently to their actings unto this purpose to discern aright which is the Church whereunto this promise is made without which they cannot duly discharge their Trust nor fulfill the Promise it self The very Words by the rules of the Metaphor do imply that the Church and its Religion and the worship of God observed therein is constituted fixed and regulated by God himself antecedently unto the Magistrates duty and power about it They are to Nurse that which is committed to them and not what Themselves have framed or begotten And we contend for no more but a Rule concerning Religion and the Worship of God antecedent unto the Magistrates interposing about it whereby both his Actings in his place and those of Subjects in theirs are to be regulated Mistakes herein have engaged many Soveraign Princes in pursuit of their Trust as Nursing Fathers to the Church to lay out their strength and power for the utter ruine of it as may be evidenced in instances too many of those who in a subserviency to and by the direction of the Papal Interest have endeavoured to extirpate true Religion out of the World Such a Nursing Mother we had sometimes in England who in pursuit of her care burned so many Bishops and other Holy men to Ashes He asks farther what doth the Scripture mean when it stiles our Saviour the King of Kings and maketh Princes his Vicegerents here on earth I confess according to this Gentleman's principles I know not what it means in so doing Kings he tells us have not their Authority in and over Religion and the Consciences of men from him and therefore in the exercise of it cannot be his Vicegerents for none is the Vicegerent of another in the exercise of any power or Authority if he have not received that power and Authority from him Otherwise the words have a proper sense but nothing to our Authors purpose It is his power over them and not theirs over the Consciences of their Subjects that is intended in the words Of no more use in this controversie is the direction of the Apostle that we should pray for Kings that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life for no more is intended therein but that under their peaceable and righteous administration of humane Affairs we may live in that Godliness and honesty which is required of us Wherefore then are these weak attempts made to confirm and prove what is not Those or the most of them whom our Author in this Discourse treats with so much severity do plead that it is the duty of all supream Magistrates to find out receive imbrace promote the Truths of the Gospel with the Worship of God appointed therein confirming protecting and desending them and those that embrace them by their Power and Authority And in the discharge of this duty they are to use the liberty of their own judgements enformed by the wayes that God hath appointed independently on the dictates and determinations of any other persons whatever They affirm also that to this end they are entrusted with supream power over all persons in their respective Dominions who on no pretence can be exempted from the exercise of that power as occasion in their judgements shall require it to be exercised as also that all causes wherein the profession of Religion in their Dominions is concerned which are determinable in foro Civili by coercive Vmpirage or Authority are subject unto their cognizance and power The Soveraign power over the Consciences of men to institute appoint and prescribe Religion and the Worship of God they affirm to belong unto him alone who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith who is the head over all things to the Church The Administration of things meerly Spiritual in the Worship of God is they judge derived immediately from him to the Ministers and Administrators of the Gospel possessed of their Offices by his Command and according to his institution as to the external practice of Religion and Religious Worship as such it is they say in the power of the Magistrate to regulate all the outward civil concernments of it with reference unto the preservation of publick peace and Tranquillity and the prosperity of his subjects And herein also they judge that such respect is to be had to the
on the Minds Consciences or judgements of men to think or judge otherwise of what is imposed on them than as their nature is and doth require only they are obliged unto their Usage Observance and Practice which is to put us into a thousand times worse condition than the Jews if Instances of them should be multiplyed as they may lawfully 〈◊〉 every year seeing it much more quiet◠the mind to be able to resolve its thought◠immediately into the Authority of Go◠under its Yoke than into that of man I◠therefore we are freed from the one by our Christian Liberty we are so much more from the other so as that being made free by Christ we should not be the servants of men in things belonging to his Service and Worship From this discovery here made of the nature of Christian Liberty our Author makes some deductions p. 98 99. concerning the nature of Religious Worship wherein he tells us that the whole substance of Religious Worship is transacted within the mind of man and dwells in the heart and thoughts the soul being its proper Seat and Temple where men may Worship their God as they please without offending their Prince and that External Worship is no part of Religion it self I wish he had more clearly and distinctly expressed his mind in this matter for his Assertions in the sense the words seem to bear are prodigiously false and such as will open a door to Atheism with all Villany and Confusion in the World For who would not think this to be his intention Let men keep their minds and inward thoughts and apprehensious right for God and then they may practise outwardly in Religion what they please one thing one day another another be Papists and Protestants Arians and Homousians yea Mahometans and Christians any thing every thing after the manner of the Country and Laws of the Prince where they are and live the Rule that Ecebolius walked by of old I think there is no man that owns the Scripture but will confess that this is at least if not a direct yet an interpretative rejection of the whole Authority of God And may not this Rule be quickly extended unto Oaths themselves the bonds and Ligaments of humane Society For whereas in their own formal nature they belong to the Worship of God why may not men pretend to keep up their Reverence unto God in the internal part of them or their esteem of Him in their Invocation of His Name but as to the outward part accommodate it unto what by their Interest is required of them so swearing with their Tongues but keeping their Mind at Liberty If the Principles laid down be capable of any other more tolerable sense and such as may be exclusive of these Inferences I shall gladly admit it at present what is here deduced from them seems to be evidently included in them It is true indeed that Natural Moral or Internal Worship consisting in Faith Love Fear Thankfulness Submission Dependance and the like hath its constant Seat and Residence in the Souls and Minds of men but that the wayes whereby these Principles of it are to be outwardly exercised and expressed by Gods Command and Appointment are not also indispensably necessary unto us and parts of his Worship is utterly false That which principally in the Scripture comes under the notion of the Worship of God is the due observance of his outward Institutions which Divines have upon unquestionable grounds contended to be commanded and appointed in general in the second Commandment of the Decalogue whence all particular Institutions in the several seasons of the Church are educed and resolved into the Authority of God therein expressed And that account which we have here given us of outward Worship namely that it is no part of Religion it self but only an Instrument to express the inward Veneration of the mind by some outward action or posture of the body as it is very difficultly to be accommodated unto the sacrifices of old or the present Sacraments of the Church which were and are parts of outward Worship and as I take it of Religion so the being an instrument unto the purpose mentioned doth not exclude any thing from being also a part of Religion and Worship it self if it be commanded by God to be performed in His Service unto His Glory It is pretended that all Outward Worship is only an exteriour signification of Honour but yet all the parts of it in their performance are Acts of Obedience unto God and are the proper Actings of Faith Love and Submission of Soul unto God which if they are not His Worship and parts of Religion I know not what may be so esteemed Let then Outward Worship stand In what Relation it will to Inward Spiritual Honour where God requires it and commands it it is no less necessary and in dispensably to be performed than any part of Inward Worship it self and is a no less important duty of Religion For any thing comes to be a part of Religious Worship outwardly to be performed not from its own nature but from its respect unto the command of God and the End whereunto it is by him designed So the Apostle tells us that with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made un◠Salvation Rom. 10. Confession is but the exteriour signification of the Faith that is i◠our hearts but yet it is no less necessary to Salvation than Faith it self is to Righteousness And those who regulate their Obedience and Religious Worship by the Commands of God knowing that which way ever they are signified by inbred Light or superadded Revelation it is they which give their Obedience its formal nature making it Religious will not allow that place and use of the outward Worship required by God Himself which should exclude it from being Religious or a part of their Religion But upon the whole matter our Author affirms that in all Ages of the World God hath left the Management of His Outward Worship unto the Discretion of Men unless when to determine some particulars hath been usefull to some other purpose pag. 100. The management of Outward Worship may signifie no more but the due performance of it and so I acknowledge that though it be not left unto mens discretion to observe or not observe it yet it is too their Duty and Obedience which are their Discretion and their Wisdom But the management here understood is opposed to Gods own determination of particular Forms that is His especial Institutions and hereof I shall make bold to say that it was never in any Age so left to the Discretion of men To prove this Assertion Sacrifices are singled out as an Instance It is known and granted that these were the most solemn part of the Outward Worship of God for many Ages and that there was a general consent of Mankind unto the use of them so that however the greatest part of the
World apostatized from the true only and proper object of all Religious Worship Worship yet they retained this Mode and Medium of it These Sacrifices we are told p. 101. did not owe their Original unto any Divine Institution but were made choice of by good men as a fit way of imitating the gratefull resentments of their minds The Argument alone as far as I can find fixed on to firm this Assertion is that those who teach the contrary and say that this Mode of Worship was commanded do say so without proof or evidence Our Author for the most part sets off his Assertions at no less rate than as such without whose admittance all Order and Government and almost every thing that is Good amongst mankind would be ruined and destroyed But he hath the unhappiness to found them ordinarily not only on Principles and Oâ—â—nions dubious and uncertain but on suâ—â— Paradoxes as have been by sober and learâ—â—ed men generally decried Such is this 〈◊〉 the Original of Sacrifices here insisted oâ— The Divines of the Church of Rome do gâ—â—nerally contend that Religion and Sacrificâ— are so related that the one cannot be withâ—out the other Hence they teach Goâ— would have required Sacriâ—ices in the Stâ— of Innocency had mankind continued therein And though the Instance be ill laid and not proved yet the general Rule applyed unto the Religion of Sinners is noâ— easily to be evicted For as in Christian Religion we have a Sacrifice that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to its Efficacy alwayes newly offered and living so before the Personal Offering of it in the body of Chirst there was no season or Age without a due Representation of it in Sacrifices Typical and of Mystical signification And although there be no express mention in the Scripture of their Institution for these are ancient things yet there is as good warrant for it as for Offering and burning Incense only with Sacred fire taken from the Altar which was of an Heavenly traduction for a neglect whereof the Priests were consumed with fire from before the Lord that is though an express command be not recorded for their Institution and Observation yet enough may be collected from the Scripture that they were of a Divine Extract and Original And if they were arbitrary Inventions of some men I desire to have a rational account given me of their Catholicism in the World and one Instance more of any thing not Natural or Divine that ever prevailed to such an absolute universal acceptance amongst Mankind It is not so safe I suppose to assign an arbitrary Original unto any thing that hath obtained an universal Consent and Suffrage lest men be thought to set their own houses on fire on purpose to consume their Neighbours Besides no tolerable colour can be given to the Assertion that they were the invention of good men The first notice we have of them is in those of Cain and Abel whereof one was a bad man and of the Evil One and yet must be looked on as the principal Inventor of Sacrifices if this fiction be allowed Some of the Antients indeed thought that Adam Sacrificed the Beasts to God whose Skins his first Garments were made of and if so he was very pregnant and sudden in his invention if he had no direction from God But more than all this bloody Sacrifices were Types of Christ from the Foundation of the World and Socinus himself who and his followers are the principal Assertors of this paradox grants that Christ is called the Lamb of God with respect unto the Sacrifices of old even before the Law As He is termed A Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World not only with respect unto the Efficacy of his Sacrifice but to the Typical Representation of it And he that shall deny that the Patriarchs in their Sacrifices had respect unto the promised Seed will endeavour the shaking of a Pillar of the Churches Creed Now I desire to know how men by their own Invention or Authority could assign such an end unto their Sacrifices if they were not of Divine Prescription if not designed of God thereunto Again the Apostle tells us Abel offered his Sacrifice by Faith Heb. 11. 4. And Faith hath respect unto the Testimony or God revealing commanding and promising to accept our duty Wherever any thing is done in Faith there an Assent is included to this that God is True Joh. 3. 33. And what it doth is thereby distinguished from Will-Worship that is resolved into the Commandments and Doctrines of men which whoso rest on make void the Commandment of God Matth. 15. 3 6. And the Faith of Abel as to its general Nature was the Evidence of things not seen and the Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. which in this matter it could not be if it had neither Divine Command nor Promise to rest upon It is evident therefore that Sacrifices were of a divine Original and the Instance in them to prove that the Outward Worship of God hath in all Ages been left unto the Prudence and Management of men is feeble and such as will give no countenance unto what it is produced in the Justification of And herewith the whole Discourse of our Author on this Subject falls to the ground where I shall at present let it lye though it might in sundry Particulars be easily crumbled into useless Asseverations and some express Contradictions In the close of this Chapter an Application is made of what hath been before argued or rather dictated unto a particular Controversie about significant Ceremonies I am not willing to engage in any Contests of that Nature seeing to the due handling of them a greater length of Discourse would be necessary than I think meet at present to draw forth this Survey unto Only seeing a very few words may serve to manifest the loosness of what is here Discoursed to that purpose I shall venter on the Patience of the Reader witâ— an addition of them We have therefore in the first place a Reflection on the prodigious Impertinency of the clamour against thâ— Institution of significant Ceremonies when iâ— is the only use of Ceremonies as all other outward Expressions of Religion to be Significanâ— I do somewhat admire at the Temper of this Author who cannot express his disserâ—â— from others in Controverted Points of the Meanest and Lowest concernment but with crying out Prodigies Clamours Impertinencies and the like Expressions of Astonishment in himself and Contempt of others He might reserve some of these great Words for more important occasions But yet I joyn with him thus faâ— in what he pleads that Ceremonies instituted in the Worship of God that art not significant are things very insignificant and such as deserve not the least contention about them He truly also in the next words tells us that all outward Worship is a sign of inward Honour It is so both in Civil things and Sacred All our Questionis How these
Worship only and not that which is purely Moral and Natural which in many instances of it hath a great coincidence with the light of Nature as was before discoursed We understand also the Solemn or stated Worship of the Church of God That Worship I say which is solemn and stated for the Church the whole Church at all times and seasons according to the rules of his appointment is that which we enquire after Hence in this matter we have no concernment in the fact of this or that particular person which might be â—â—casionally influenced by necessity as vids eating of the Shewbread was 〈◊〉 which how far it may excuse or just 〈◊〉 the persons that act thereon or reguâ—â— their actions directly I know not nor any way engaged to enquire This is the state of our Question in haâ—â— the mind of the Assertion which is hâ—â— so hideously disguised and represent in its pretended consequences Neitâ—â—â— do I think there is any thing needful fâ—â—ther to be added unto it But yet for 〈◊〉 clearing of it from mistakes somethiâ—â— may be discoursed which relates unto We say then First That there are sundry things be used in about and with those Actioâ— whereby the Worship of God is perforâ—â—ed which yet are not Sacred nor do 〈◊〉 long unto the Worship of God as suâ—â— though that Worship cannot be perform without them The very Breath that 〈◊〉 breathe and the light whereby they sâ— are necessary to them in the Worshipâ—â— God and yet are not made Sacredâ— Religious thereby Constantine said of oâ— that he was a Bishop but without the Churcâ— not a Sacred Officer but one that tooâ— care and had a supervisorship of thirâ— â—ecessarily belonging to the performance of Gods Worship yet no Parts or Adjuncts 〈◊〉 it as such For it was all still without Now all those things in or about the Worship of God that belonged unto Constantines Episcopacy that is the ordering and disposal of things without the Church but about it without Worship but about it we acknowledge to be left unto common prudence guided by the general Rules of Scripture by which the Church is to walk and compose its actings And this wholly supersedes the Discourse of our Author concerning the great variety of circumstances wherewith all humane actions are attended For in one word all such circumstances as necessarily attend humane actions as such neither are Sacred nor can be made so without an express Institution of God and are disposable by humane Authority So that the long contest of our Author on that Head is altogether vain So then Secondly By all the concernments of Religious Worship which any affirm that they must be directed by Divine Revelation or regulated by the Scripture they intend all that is Religious or whatever belongs to the Worship of God as it is Divine Worship and not what belongs unto the actions wherein and when by it is performed as they are actions Thirdly That when any part of Worship is instituted in special and general Rule are given for the practice of it hic â— nunc there the Warranty is sufficient foâ— its practice at its due seasons and for those seasons the nature of the thing it self with what it hath respect unto and the lighâ— of the general Scripture Rules will give them an acceptable determination And these few Observations will abundantly manifest the impertinency of those who think it incumbent on any by vertue of the Principle before laid down to produce express Warranty in words of Scripture for every Circumstance that doth attend and belong unto the Actions whereby the Worship of God is performed which as they require not so no such thing is included in the Principle as duly stated For particular circumstances that have respect to good order decency and external regulation of Divine Worship they are all of them either circumstances of the Actions themselves whereby Divine Worship is performed and exercised and so in general they are natural and necessary which in particular or actu exercito depend on Moral Prudence or Religious Rites themselves added in and to the whole or any parts of Divine Service which alone in this question come under enquiry I know there are usually sundry Exceptions put into this Thesis as before stated and asserted and instances to the contrary are pretended some whereof are touched upon by our Author pag. 181. which are not now particularly and at large to be considered But yet because I am beyond expectation engaged in the Explication of this Principle I shall set it so far forth right and straight unto further examination as to give in such general Observations as being consistent with it and explanatory of it will serve to obviate the most of the exceptions that are laid against it As 1. Where ever in the Scripture we meet with any Religious duty that had a preceding Institution although we find not expresly a consequent Approbation we take it for granted that it was approved and so on the contrary where an Approbation appears and Institution is concealed 2. The Question being only about Religious Duties or things pertaining to or required in or about the Worship of God no exception against the general thesis caâ—â— take place but such as consists in thingâ— directly of that nature Instances in and about things civil and belonging meerly to humane conversation or things natural as signs and memorials one of another are in this matter of no consideration 3. Things extraordinary in their performance and which for ought we know may have been so in their warranty 〈◊〉 rule have no place in our debate Foâ— we are inquiring only after such things as may warrant a suitable practice in usâ— without any further Authority which is the end for which instances against this principle are produced this actions extrâ—ordinary will not do 4. Singular and occasional Actions which may be variously influenced and regulated by present circumstances are nâ— Rule to guide the ordinary stated Worship of the Church Davids eating of thâ— shew-bread wherein yet he was justifieâ— because of his hunger and necessity was not to be drawn into Example of giving the shew-bread promiscuously to the people And sundry instances to the same purpose are given by our Saviour himself 5. There is nothing of any dangerous or had consequence in this whole controversie but what lyes in the imposition on mens practices of the Observation of uncommanded Rites making them necessary unto them in their observation The things themselves are said in their own nature antecedent to their injunction for practice to be indifferent and indifferent as unto practice What hurt would it be to leave them so They cannot say some be omitted for such and such Reasons Are there then Reasons for their observation besides their Injuction and such as on the account whereof they are injoyned Then are they indeed necessary in some degree before their Injunction For all Reason for them must be taken from
Testimonies of the writings given by divine inspiration We have here the full substance of what is pleaded for and might the Advice of this Noble Emperour be admitted we should have a readier way to expedite all our present Differences than as yet seems to be provided for us The great Basil speaks yet more expresly than Constantine the great lib. de confes fid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. It hath the manifest guilt of infidelity and pride to reject any thing that is written or to add or introduce any thing that is not written which is the summ of all that in this matter is contended for To the same purpose he discourseth Epist. 80. ad Eustath where moreover he rejects all pretences of Customs and usages of any sorts of men and will have all differences to be brought for their Determination to the Scripture Christstome in his Homily on Psalm 95. speaks the same sense saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is it that promiseth these things Paul For we are not to say any thing without Testimony nor upon our meer Reasonings For if any thing be spoken without Scripture Testimony the mind of the hearers fluctuates now assenting anon hesitating sometimes rejecting what is spoken as frivolous sometimes receiving it as probable But where the Testimonies of the Divine Voice comes forth from the Scripture it confirmeth the word of the Speaker and the mind of the Hearer It is even so whilest things relating to Religion and the Worship of God are debated and disputed by the reasonings of men or on any other principles besides the express Authority of the Scriptures no certainty or full perswasion of mind can be attained about them Men under such actings are as Lucian in his Menippus says He was between the Disputations of the Philosophers sometimes he nodded one way sometimes another and seemed to give his assent backwards and forwards to express contradiction It is in the Testimony of the Scripture alone about the things of God that the Consciences of those that fear him can acquiesce and find satisfaction The same Author as in many other places so in his 13 Homily on the 2 Epist. to the Corinth expresly sends us to the Scripture to enquire after all things as that which is the exact Canon ballance and Rule of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Latines Tertullian is express to the same purpose In his Book against Hermogenes Adoro said he plenitudinem Scripturum quae mihi factorem manifestat facta again Scriptum esse hoc doceat Hermogenis officina aut timeat rae illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum I Adore the fulness of the Scripture And let Hermogenes prove what he saith to be written or fear the Woe denounced against them who add to or take from the Word And again in his Book de Carne Christi Non recipio quod extra Scriptuream de tuo infers I do not receive what you bring of your own without Scripture So also in his Book de Praescriptionibus Nobis nihil ex nostro arbitrio indulgere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostoles Domini habemus authores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent elegerunt sed acceptam a Christo disciplain ani deliter Nationibus assignaverunt It is â— lawful for us in these things to indâ—â— unto our own choice nor to choose what â— one brings in of his choosing We have Apostles of our Lord for our Exampâ—â— who brought in nothing of their own minâ— or choice But having received the Disciplâ— of Christian Religion from Chrsit tâ—â— faithfully communicated it to the Nation â— Hierome is plain to the same purpose iâ— sundry places So Comment in 23 Mattâ— Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet eaâ—dem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Thâ—â— which hath not Authority from the Scriptureâ— is as easily despised as asserted Comm. iâ— Hagg. cap. 1. Sed alia quae absque authoâ—â—ritate testimoniis scripturarum quasi traditione Apostolica sponte reperiunt atque confingunt percutit gladius Dei But those other things which without Authority or Testimony of the Scriptures they find out or faign of their own accord as of Apostolical Tradition the sword of God smites through It were easie to produce twenty other Testimonies out of the Ancient Writers of the church giving sufficient countenance to the Assertion contended about What account our Author gives of this Principle is now very briefly to be considered First therefore pag. 174 175. he reâ—es it as a pretence wild and humoursome â—ich men must be absurd if they believe â— impudent if they do not seeing it hath â—t the least shaddow or foundation either â—m Scripture or Reason though it be exâ—â—esly asserted either in its own terms or â—onfirmed by direct deductions in and â—om above forty places of Scripture â—nd so much for that part of the asâ—ault The next chargeth it with infinite follies â—nd mischiefs in those which allow it And 't is said that there can never be an end of alterations and disturbances in the Church whilest it is maintained The contrary whereof is true confirmed by Experience and Evidence of the thing it self The admittance of it would put an End to all disturbances For let any man judge whether if there be matters in difference as in all these things there are and ever were the bringing them to an issue and a setled stability be not likelier to be effected by all mean consenting unto one common Rule whereby they may be tryed and examined than that every party should be left at liberty to indulge to their own Affections and Imaginations about them And yet we are told p. 178. that all the pious Villanies that ever have disturbed the Christian World have sheltered themselves in this grand Maxime that Jesus Christ is the only Law-maker to his Church I confess I could heartily desire that such expressions might be forborn For let what pretence men please be given to them and colour put upon them they are full of scandal to Christian Religion The Mixime it self here traduced is as true as any part of the Gospel And it cannot be pretended that it is not the Maxime it self but the abuse of it as all the Principles of the Gospel through the Blindness and Lusts of men have been abused that is reflected on seeing the design of the whole Discourse is to evert the Maxime it self Now whatever Apprehensions our Author may have of his own Abilities I am satisfied that they are no way competent to disprove this Principle of the Gospel as will be evident on the first attempt he shall make to that purpose let him begin the tryal as soon as he pleaseth In the third Section we have an heap of instances raked together to confront the Principle in its proper sense before declared and vindicated in no one whereof it is at all concerned
For the Reason of things in matters Civil and Religious are not the same All political Government in theWorld consists in the exercise of Principles of natural Right and their just Application to Times Ages People Occasions and Occurences Whilest this is done Government is acted regularly to its proper end where this is missed it failes There things God hath left unto the prudence of men and their consent wherein they cannot for the most part faile unless they are absolutely given up unto unbridled lusts and the things wherein they may faile are alwaies convenient or inconvenient good and useful or hurrful and destructive not alwaies yea very seldome directly and in themselves morally Good or Evil. In such things mens ease and pofit not their Consciences are concerned In the Worship of God things are quite otherwise It is not Convenience or Inconvenience Advantage or disadvantage as to the things of this life but meerly Good or Evil in reference to the pleasing of God and to Ternity that is in question Particular Applications to the manners customes usages of places times Countreys which is the proper field of humane Authority Liberty and prudence in Civil things because their due useful and regular Administration dâ—â—pends upon them have here no placâ—â— For the things of the Worship of God bâ—â—ing Spiritual are capable of no variatioâ— from temporal earthly varieties amonâ— men have no respect to Climateâ— Customes Formes of Civil Governmenâ— or any thing of that Nature But conâ—sidering men quite under other notions namely of Sinners and Believers with respect utterly unto other ends namely their living spiritually unto God here and the eternal enjoyment of him hereafter are not subject to such prudential Accommodations or Applications The Worship of God is or ought to be the same at all times in all places and amongst all People in all Nations and the order of it is fixt and determined in all particulars that belong unto it And let not men pretend the contrary untill they can give an instance of any such defect in the Institutions of Christ as that the Worship of God cannot be carryed on nor his Church Ruled and Edified without an addition of something of their own for the supply thereof which therefore should and would be necessary to that end antecedent unto its addition and when they have so done I will subscribe unto whatsoever they shall be pleased to add of that or indeed any other kind â—ustomes of Churches and Rules of Decency which our Author here casts under the Magistrates power are ambiguous terms â—nd in no sense express the Hypothesis he â—ath undertaken the defence of In the proper signification of the words the â—hings intended may fall under those natural Circumstances wherein Religious Actions in the Worship of the Church may have their concern as they are Actions and are disposable by humane Authority But he will not I presume so soon desert his fundamental Principle of the Magistrates appointing things in and parts of Religious Worship no where described or determined in the Word of God which alone we have undertaken to oppose The instances he also gives us about Actions in their own nature and use indifferent as going to Law or taking Physick are not in the least to his purpose And yet if I should say that none of these Actions are indeed indifferent in actu exercito as they speak and in their individual performance but have a Moral good or evil as an inseparable Adjunct attending them arising out of respect to some Rule general or particular of Divine Revelation I know he cannot disâ—prove it and much more is not pleade concerning Religious Worship But this Principle is further charge with mischief equal to its folly which iâ—â—proved by instances in sundry uninstituted Observances both in the Jewish anâ— primitive Christian Churches as also iâ— Protestant Churches abroad I answer that if this Author will consent to Umâ—pire these differences by either the Old or New Testament or by any Protestant Church in the World we shall be nearer an end of them than as far as I can see yet otherwise we are If he will not be bound neither to the Example of the Church of the Jews nor of the Churches of the New-Testament nor of the present Protestant Churches it must he confessed that their names are here made use of only for a pretence and an Advantage Under the Old Testament we find that all that God required of his Church was that they should observe the Law of Moses his Servant which he commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel with his Statutes and Judgements Mal. 4. 4. And when God had given out his Institutions and the whole Order of his Worship it being fixed in the Church accordingly it is added eight or ten times â—n one Chapter that this was done as â—he Lord commanded Moses even so did he Exod. 40. After this God gives them many strict prohibitions from adding any thing to what he had so commanded as Deut. 4. 2. and Chap. 12. 32 Prov. 30. 6. And as he had in the Decalogue rejected any Worship not of his own appointment as such Exod. 20. 4 5. so he made it afterwards the Rule of his acceptation of that People and what they did or his refusal of them and it whether it was by him commanded or no. So in Particular he expresly rejects that which was so added as to dayes and times and places though of the nearest Affinity and Cognation to what was appointed by himself because it was invented by man yea by a King 1 Kings 12. 33. And when in process of time many things of an uncertain original were crept into the observance of the Church and had firmed themselves with the notion of Traditions they were all at once rejected in that word of the blessed Holy One in â—ain do ye Worship me teaching for doctrines that is what is in my Worship to be observed the traditions of men For the Churches of the New Testament the foundation of them is laid iâ— that command of our Saviour Matt 28. 20. go and Teach all Nations teacâ—â—ing them to observe and do all whatsoever command you and so I am with you to thâ— end of the world That they should bâ— taught to do or observe any thing buâ— what he commanded that his presencâ— should accompany them in the teaching oâ— observation of any superadditions of their own we no where find written intimated or exemplified by any practice of theirs Nor however in that juncture of time the like whereunto did never occurt before nor ever shall do again during the expiration and taking down of Mosaical Institutions before they became absolutely unlawful to be observed the Apostles according to the liberty given them by our Lord Jesus Christ and direction of the Holy Ghost did practise some things complyant with both Church-states did they in any one instance impose any thing on the practice of the Churches in the