it is not to be doubted but that a Christian professing people gathered together in the Name of Christ injoying the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments in purity are a Church of Christ and uniform with all the Churches of Christ without any distinction by this or that Name of Singularity or any Ceremonial Appendixes § 12. And whereas it is pretended that a full and free Conformity in Ceremonies would be the only cure of all our Differences and Divisions Let all Ages witness if any will but impartially enquire what hath been the Grand Cause of all the Factions Breaches Divisions and Schisms in the Church yea and Ecclesiastical Persecutions ever since the Primitive Times it will be found to be the Usurpation of this aforesaid Legislative Power of Christ by some or other and still all the excuse that is made for it is that they assume this Power only in matters of Indifferency and what pretence can any make to a Legislative Power in things necessary already determined by Christ to one part there is no place for a Law in such things unless it be to ratifie or to null the Law so that what Legislative Power is exercised of this kinde must be in matters of Indifferency only i. e. which are so in relation to Christ's Law antecedently to man's Law but by the supervening of such a Church-Law it becomes in kinde Ecclesiastically necessary it being enjoyn'd as to practice under Penalties annexed and it 's no new thing with some sort of men to call necessary things indifferent and indifferent necessary and thereby take occasion to justifie their presumptions when they make Laws even abrogatory to the known Laws of Christ And if weak Brethren as they are apt in derision to call them either take any just exceptions against them pleading their Liberties or it may be from a mistaking judgment are apt to call indifferent things necessary and therefore out of tenderness of Conscience refuse to yield acts of Obedience they are so far from having compassion on their tenderness that they exact the said Law-penalty with greater violence and rigour than they do any that doth directly concern the Glory of Christ established by himself § 13. The greatest Plea that I know can be made for matters of this kinde is the power that Oecumenical Councils have taken upon them especially in the Primitive Times even in the Apostle days and in the first second and third Centuries of the Church especially To which I answer First If the Foundation of this Authority lie in Oecumenical Councels let never any of these Church-Statutes be made and imposed on the world but by them and let not every particular National Independent Church take upon her to make Penal Laws and gull the World into a submission to her Authority by her saying she is The Church as if she were the Catholick Church and Mother-Church Secondly I question whether there were ever any true Oecumenical Council at all much may be said against the best that is pleaded for since the Apostles days and it is easie to prove that Assembly at Jerusalem held by the Apostles and Brethren to be none in the sence intended which is that the chief Officers and Representatives of every particular Church in the World meet together with a determinating Power in matters of Doctrine and with a binding Legislative Power in matters of Discipline and Ceremony Now it will appear that that Assembly was not so though there were more reason for its being so than for any other Assembly being so neither ever was there any Assembly so impowred in the world of that nature § 14. That that Assembly Acts 15.28 was no Oecumenical Council is easie to judge for there were but the Representatives of two Churches Jerusalem and Antioch and they of Antioch came to ask counsel and to be resolved in matter of doubt of the Apostles residing most of them at present in Jerusalem 2. The case in question was argued in foro Ecclesiae particularis and the Apostles making the minde of Christ manifest to that Church have the consent of the Brethren to their determination and sent it forth in and with the Authority of the Holy Ghost 3. The Apostles and Church of Jerusalem changed no Indifferencies into Necessities but enquired after and found out the Will of Christ concerning the present Infant-state of the Gospel-church in some matter of things necessary of two sorts some Absolutely and Morally so others expediently so for that time First Absolutely such as Abstinence from Fornication and things offered to Idols Secondly Respectively only and that in the behalf of the believing Jews coming lately from that Pedagogy that they might not be scandalized or grieved at the freedom of the Gentiles and therefore that the Gentiles should then abstain from things strangled and Blood Now no sound Interpeter will say that this Canon was binding to the Church semper ubique but in behalf only of th Jews who could not so easily at present be brought off from the whole of Judaisme and 't is likely by this concession the Apostles got off the Jewish Believers from many Ceremonious Observations which they stood upon besides or at least abated their edge towards them And therefore the Decree was but as to a necessary Expediency for a time which the Apostle Paul fully explicates who was well acquainted with the Minde of Christ and the Judgments of the Apostles Elders and Brethren in these matters § 15. As we have little evidence for an Oecumenical Council exercising a Legislative Jurisdiction in the Church so we have as little ground for such sorts of Officers as are contended for in the Church of which such Councils as they are pleaded for should principally consist which are Patriarchs Metropolitans Archbishops Bishops Priests and there being not such Officers in the Church by Christ's Institution there is no such Power to be exercised in the said way and manner of Legislation neither may they jure proceed so far as to Execution of any Laws established by Christ being not lawfully commissionated with a Gospel-power If this Assertion be proved I doubt not but it will be granted that there is no Legislation to be exercised in the Church the present Assertors whereof challenging this Power only on the behalf of the said Officers I lay down two things by way of proof 1. That there is no such Officers to be found in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour as a Pope a Patriarch a Metropolitan an Archbishop a Diocesan Bishop a Parish-Priest no Dean Prebends Canons c. the Scriptures are altogether strangers to all those Ecclesiastical creatures Christ and his Apostles knew nothing of them but prophetically in the foresight of the rise of the Kingdom of Antichrist In this Point I should deal with two sorts of men the Papists and the Protestants As for the Papists the case hath been fully managed over and over against them that there is no such Supreme Officer in
Catholick unless it be in the visible universal Head and if it be said that a National Church may positively determine in this kind then why not a Provincial as well the one being a subordinate Church as well as the other But if the Decree be onely National as many various interpretations and sences may be put on a place of Scripture as there are Nations which will lay an ample foundation for variety of Sects Schisms Heresies c. Whereas if all National Churches were bound to one Catholick determination there must needs therehence ensue the admirable effect of Uniformity in Doctrine and Practice all Churches believing as the Vniversal Church believes and that as the Head doth Besides if it be of such dangerous consequence for Christians as private persons to put their interpretation on Scripture in laying the foundation of variety of Sects Schisms Heresies c. how much more dangerous for particular Churches because the determination of a Church reacheth further and is more attended unto and more become seduced and leavened with errour thereby if it be erroneous Hence to believe as the Catholick Church believes hath more concern in it than those imagine that endeavour to blast it with the ridicle of the Colliers Faith for it 's not as the National Church believes but as the Catholick Church believes Neither is it an implicit Faith in any things but controversal and dubious matters above ordinary scrutiny and vulgar capacity and therein we had better rest satisfied in Catholick Authority than run the risk of adhering to the Opinion of private persons and Churches which must be done also by an implicite Faith and who is likely to have the most unerring Spirit a Church or particular Person and if a Church the most Catholick is the most unerring § 13. Thirdly From the Necessity of a Catholick determination of Decency and Order That is decent which by the Universality is reputed and judged so for one Countrey doth usually call that decent which others repute undecent And there are no Protestant Prelates but have do and will say That Christ hath left it to the Church to determine all matters of Decency and Order and 't is absurd to say that this or that Church may do it when no such is the Church eminently When 't is said the Church determines Decencies What Church is that Is it a Parish-Church Nay then Parish-Churches should rule Diocesan by a Law Again if Diocesan Churches should have power to determine their Decencies either Provincials must be subject to some one Diocesan which might regulate all the rest or else Diocesan Churches would differ so much in their decencies that there would be no Uniformity in the Provincial Church And if Provincials might determine each one its Decencies and Order it must needs break Vniformity in National Churches But I know where the Protestant Prelate will be he will say presently it 's the National Church that he means when he speaks of the Churches determination of Decency and Order To which I reply that he may with as good ground say that he means a Parish-Church and that by giving this power to a National Church he gives a greater advantage to Schism and lays a greater bar against Vniformity For the more comprehensive the Church is in which the Schism is the greater it is and the more uniform the Schismatical Church is of the more dangerous consequence it is to the Catholick Church In vain do men plead for Vniformity in the Church who in asserting the principles of Vniformity in a National Church do thereby extirpate Vniformity in the Catholick for National Vniformity unless it be Catholick is but Vniformity in a Schism For if every National Church may determine of Decency and Order there will be as great a diversity if not contrariety in several Churches affairs as in the affairs of several States one Nation determining that Ceremony to be decent which another determines to be undecent absurd and disorderly and so Churches will be as divers in their Fashions as English Dutch Spaniard c. And there will be no end of Ceremonies and new-fangled Garbs in the Church if a Nation may of themselves and when they will constitute ordain and appoint them at their pleasure alter and null old Ceremonies and invent new and shall have as great difficulty intricacy and multiplicity of Church-Laws as State-Laws if at every Convocation Decency and Order may be determined § 14. From the necessity of a Catholick composure of Church-Prayers the more private and singular the conception of Church-prayers are the more Schismatical And divers Liturgies in one and the same National Church may not be allowed neither that every Province and Diocess compose their own Liturgy as being a matter of dangerous consequence to the National Church How then comes it to pass that our National Church may compose its own Liturgy distinct from another Is not this of as dangerous consequence to the Catholick Church And is' t not more conducing to the Peace Beauty Uniformity and Honour of the Church to have a Catholick Liturgy Whereas otherwise every Nation will be setting up the price of their own prayers above others whence ariseth heart-burning Divisions and Schisms National in the Catholick Church were it not much better that all Nations should bring their Liturgies and lay them down at the feet of Mother-Church and submit them to her Judgment in the Supreme Head from whose blessed hands she may receive one of such Catholick composure that might produce a perfect Harmony in the affections and petitions of all the Churches in the world in good assurance of a Catholick Amen attending the conclusion of all Besides if a National prayer be more available than a Provincial or Diocesan Why should not a Catholick Church-prayer be most of all available § 15. Fifthly The necessity of a Catholick Canonization of Saints For supposing the Necessity of the Observation of Saints days as the Protestant Prelates zealously assert it is requisite to enquire who or what Church Canonized the Saints which are already honoured with Saintship Titular and Days devoted to their remembrance and who dedicated and consecrated Churches on the same account was it not the Catholick Church by her Catholick Pastors If every Church suppose National should have the like liberty to canonize Saints at their pleasure all the days in the Year yea in an Age would be little enough for All Hollan-tide And if the observation must be Anniversary there would be a necessity of robbing Peter to pay Paul which would be doing evil that good may come of it it being as great a sin to rob Peter of his fishing-nets as to rob Paul of his cloak and parchments Besides this Absurdity would fall in that one Nation would canonize that for a Saint which another would anathematize to the Devil As for Example Michaelmas-day is devoted to St. Michael the Archangel which Feast was instituted by Felix the Third the 48th Oecumenical
sticks And setting aside much of the severity which appeared in that more legal Dispensation which was both Typical and Temporal and much of it in special cases and by special command by God It would be accounted very severe now to put a man to death for prophaning the Name of God though it were by repeated acts of such horrid cursing and swearing as is frequent now-a-days or for prophanation of the Sabbath c. Then setting aside the relation the Judicial Law had to the Levitical and necessary dependance on it which is ceased and considering that our Judicial Laws cannot so much depend upon Evangelical instituted Worship Christ having not so strictly tyed Church and State under a necessity of the same Emergencies as he did the Jewish Oeconomies I conceive likewise the just proportionating of Penalties in this kind ought to be done with great caution and depends much on the Magistrates prudent management of the Helm of Government for the safety and preservation of the Christian State and Penalties cannot be positive and unalterable because cases do so frequently differ in the aggravating circumstances § 25. The Christian civil State ought to be very neighbourly and cherishing to the Ecclesiastical and the civil Magistrate is to improve his Magistratick capacity to the utmost for the interest of Christ's Church and advantage of the Gospel 1. By subordinating as much as is possible all State-interest to the interest of Christ in his Church 2. By giving all possible encouragement to the purer Worshippers of God and to the embracers of the Christian Religion 3. By encouraging the faithful preaching of the Gospel and propagation thereof by able Ministers duely called thereto by the Church and affording them external helps and supports in so doing 4. By maintaining the Churches in the due execution of the Laws of Christ and in the enjoyment of their Ecclesiastical and Civil Liberties defending them from invasions and disturbances in Gods Worship from the rage of professed Enemies from tyrannizing usurping Imposers 5. By being a nursing Father to the Church both as a Christian in an eminent capacity going before others in the exemplary practice of Piety and calling upon all others of all ranks and degrees whatever to discharge their places in the fear of God as Hezekiak and Jehosaphat did 1 Chron. 29.25 26 27 c. 2 Chron. 19.8 9 10. and as a Magistrate defending them by his power as hath been said CHAP. XVIII Of a Christians Duty in case of Humane Laws in matters religiously indifferent § 1. IN the next place it will be necessary to speak something to a Question of no less weight than any of the former for it is said that though it should be granted that no power Civil or Ecclesiastical can Jure convert Indifferencies in Worship into Necessities by a Law yet it 's inquired in case any humane power assume so much to it self as to do it Whether a Christian is not bound to yield active Obedience unto the said Laws and those that affirm it produce these Reasons to enforce it 1. That every one is bound to be subject to their highest powers Rom. 13.1 2. That such Laws are not contrary to the Law of God because God hath nowhere declared himself against one part of the indifferency more than the other but hath left both equally lawful to be practised according to the rules of discretion And why may not the Church or Magistrates discretion binde a Christian to obedience to his command as most expedient the Church or Magistrate being better able to judge of an Expediency than a private Christian 3. Because if in a thing indifferent the least offensive part is to be chosen then surely that part which fulfils the Civil or Ecclesiastick Law for it is a greater offence to offend the Church or Magistrate or both than to offend a particular private Christian or company of Dissenters To the first I answer by way of concession That a Christian is so bound as Rom. 13.1 but 1. That place is to be understood of Civil not Ecclesiastical powers as the Context shews 2. If it be understood of Church-power as that Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you it 's to be understood of such as Christ hath constituted Church-Officers and of obedience to an Executive power committed to them not of a new assumed Legislative power never allowed to them To the second I answer That such Laws are contrary to the Word of God for 1. Essentially they are contrary to the Word of God it being the revealed Will of God in his Word that they should be Indifferencies and remain so not to be made otherwise by any Law for where God hath granted a Liberty or Latitude in the use of any Creatures or Actions there to make or prescribe a religious limitation by a Law is absolutely unlawful and directly contrary to the Word of God It 's express Acts 10.13 14 15. where Peter though an Apostle is charged not to put a religious difference where God hath sanctified things to our indifferent use much less might he prohibit the Church from using any Creatures or Actions made by God indifferently holy therefore when it 's the Will of God that a thing be indifferent it 's contrary to the Will of God to impose it as necessary 2. Such Laws are circumstantially evil and contrary to the Word of God because they hinder the free use of Christian discretion where God would have it used and Ergo hindreth an Ordinance of Christ Besides it necessarily obligeth to evil whenas the expedient good is found by a Christian to be in that part of the Indifferency which is contrary to the humane Law And besides God having left both parts of the Indifferency equally lawful and declared it so in his Word for man to declare one part unlawful or make it so by a Law is to make a Declaration or Law contrary to the Word of God Neither may a Magistrate or Churches judgment binde a Christian to practise any further than it brings light with it for no man must walk by an implicit Faith in the matters that concern the Worship of God and the salvation of his Soul To the third Alleg. That part which fulfils the Civil or Ecclesiastical Law for Will-worship is not the least offending part but the most for the yielding free active obedience to sinful Laws is not onely sin in the person obeying but the highest degree of scandal to the person commanding it being the edification of him in sin whereas the refusal of active obedience in such a case is no offence given but onely a just cross of a perverse Judgment and Will Again if any action be such as will offend justly the least of Christ's members it must needs be contrary to Gods Word and I may not grievingly or sinningly offend any of Gods children that I may gratifie and fulfil the Will of man We must rather chuse that part of the
The Catholick HIERARCHIE OR The Divine Right of a SACRED DOMINION IN CHURCH AND CONSCIENCE Truly Stated Asserted and Pleaded Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates and to be ready to every good work Tit. 3.1 Give none offence to Jews nor Gentiles or to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 LONDON Printed for Sam. Crouch at the Princes Arms in Popes-head-Alley in Cornhil and Tho. Fox at the Angel in Westminster-hall 1681. TO A WORTHY GENTLEMAN SIR WHen the mindes of men are blinded with Interest and Errour or vitiated with Prejudice and Partiality the wonted manner of opposing Truth is fortiter calumniari being not able any longer to defend themselves by subtile Sophistry and cunning Evasions from the convincing evidence and demonstration thereof Hence it must be either stigmatized with terms of Opprobry and Contempt or its right names exposed by a proverbial and malicious abuse to the scorn and derision of the Ignorant and unstable Vulgar most easily by artificial pious Fraud inspired with a fond Opinion and through the enchantment of that Opinion transported into a furious Zeal for or against such things as they never weighed in any balances of right Reason or duely examined the goodness or evil of and hence are carried this way or that way as designing men shall lead them or as the wind of Popularity raises the swelling Surges of boundless Passions and Affections verifying the Saying of the old Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand Opinion more than Truth impression makes On th' Vulgar and as more perswasive takes And truely Sir among good words perverted from the right meaning and abused to Reproach none have been more than those two which the Author of this small Treatise hath dignified his Title-page with A Catholick in our days is become as contemptible as a Puritan formerly or a Phanatick now whenas every good Christian is really a Catholick and doth approve himself so in his Principles and Practice is a Member of the Catholick Church hopes to be saved by the common i. e. the Catholick Faith exerciseth Catholick Holiness in his life and conversation holding a Catholick Communion with all visible Catholicks And this is the Christian that is likeliest to contribute most to the healing the manifold heart and Church-divisions among us And as for Hierarchy it 's well known how our Age hath delivered it up to the infamous usage of scurrilous Tongues and Pens notwithstanding its venerable and never-enough to be admired significancy that the very naming it calls for Reverence and Devotion yea it s very letters and syllables will be a Monument of Renown maugre all the designes of ill-minded men to abandon the Churches glory and to convert all Ecelesiastical Decency and Order into a confused Chaos of phantastical Imaginations or a miscelany of private Humours and Interests And do men know what Hierarchy is that speak so irreverently of it is it not a Sacred Jurisdiction and where is it seated and exercised is it not in the Church and Conscience seats of its dominion so sacred that no Secular Power can aspire unto without the highest usurpation And there is no true Church and sound Conscience in which the Hierarchy doth not exert its power and is not as freely submitted unto with all due homage and obedience And whatever some licentious Protestants may pretend to and raise so much dust of contention about or of whatever Churches of unquoth names and worse natures they profess themselves Members if ever they intend to be saved they must notwithstanding all their religious Huffs at last be found Members of the Catholick Church and be subjected to the Catholick Hierarchy thereof And till this professed subjection become more universal among Christians Religion will still be splitting on the Rocks of Faction Schism and Phanaticism Sir you will finde the principal designe of those few sheets submitted to your judgment is to recommend this Panacaea or Catholick Remedy for the sound healing of of our morbid Church which seems to labour under some Disease not unlike the Microcosmick Scorbet being according to the account of late Physicians a complication of all Distempers or transforming it self Symptomatically into the shapes of all diseases of the Body natural Without doubt our Remedy being prepared and applied S. Artem Spiritualem may contribute towards the recovery of our thrice-honoured but languishing Mother more than all the essential or golden purging Spirit of Cochlear in London can do to the restoring of one Scorbutick body neither is it prepared in every Elaboratory He saith there is one at Westminster can do more towards it than any in England besides He tells me also of one admirable Vertue that it doth wonderfully pacifie the disquieted Archeus of a Body Politick and if it be so I will assure you it 's to be preferred beyond all compare for the plain truth of it is the old Remedies of purging and bleeding do but scurvily agree with it and it 's very apt to Relapses after those rugged Medicines as we finde by sore experience Sir my Friend hath taken some pains out of love to his Country to clear up the nature and demonstrate the necessity of a Catholick Hierarchy though you must not expect to finde that word often mentioned the Vulgar being so apt to start at it as a hard dangerous word pregnant with a Pope Sir I had not obtained leave of my Friend to present these Papers to your view but upon condition that I would apologize on his behalf for the plainness of his Stile saying that he is naturally a stranger to the smooth dresses or high strains of Rhetorick indeed it 's my judgment that the plain truth especially when it acts polemically requires it not but is usually delighted in a garb most like it self and thereby is rendered most acceptable to every good man and solid judgment He likewise humbly desires that you will deliberately read and not suddenly censure any thing as dissonant to truth till you have duely weighed it in it self as in its dependencies and suppositions on which it is built Sir to conclude I humbly crave pardon for the trouble I have given you though I am fully satisfied the subject will not be unpleasant to you whom I know to be an Ecclesiastical Adeptus In respect of your Catholick spirit superlative love to the Church and singular devotion towards the Hierarchy That you may long live and continue in the same minde and practice and many follow your worthy Example is the devout Prayer of SIR Your most humble Servant Catholicus Verus The CONTENTS Chap. 1. OF a Twofold Jurisdiction which a Christian by the Law of Christ is subjected unto Chap. 2. Of a Legislative and Executive Power Chap. 3. Of Christ's immediate Legislative Power Chap. 4. Of Christ's mediate
other Pastors subordinate infallible And it is the greatest reason that he that hath the greatest Charge should have the best understanding to know how to manage it And to what purpose is it for us to seek after further light by going to those that the Church hath further entrusted if they be not holier wiser and juster men than our selves yea than all their inferiour Officers And what is it we aim at most in such Enquiries is it Fallibility or Infallibility Would any one in his best wits be deceived and would the Church deceive any but use the best ways and means for enlightning mens Understandings and reducing them from darkness and errour § 9. Arg. 6. I argue from the nature of the Church in which this Subordination is required That Church must be understood to be the universal visible Church and not any particular Church 1. From the usual acceptation of Church in the like sence when we say The Church with an Emphasis 2. There is no more reason the Church should be understood of one kind of particular Church more than another a Provincial Church or Diocesan may be called the Church by way of eminency as well as the National and if there be more reason because the National is comprehensive of them then much more that the Catholick should be understood by it because it comprehends Nationals and is most comprehensive of all Churches on Earth So that it will unavoidably follow that if there be a Subordination of Pastors in the Church it is in the Catholick Church and the more large the Church is the more extensive is the power of the Pastor and the most comprehensive Church hath a supream Pastor to the Pastors of all other Churches subordinate to it Obj. But the universal Church Visible is not Organical and therefore not capable of an Oecumenical Pastor Answ It is Organical for it 's made up according to our present Phainomena of a Church of visible organized or organical parts comprehending each other and therefore must needs have a visible organical Head principium sensus motus animating all the parts in their respective Subordinations and Relations It 's absurd to say that the hand organized with fingers and joynts the feet with toes and all its parts and so of the other members that these united in one body make not up an organized body and have not one Head common to the totum to communicate respective vigor to each of these members So to say that in the Church there is National Churches organized c. so Provincial c. Diocesan organized and not that the universal Church visible is organized with and influenced by a visible Head is most absurd Again there is the same and greater reason upon the forementioned grounds for the Organization of the Catholick Church than for the organizing of a National Provincial or of any of the inferiour Subordinate Churches for if Order and Uniformity and due administration of Government cannot be maintained in one but by Organization how can they by any other means be obtained in the other And if Order Uniformity c. be not onely comely and beautiful but most necessary to the well-being of a National Church and that the more because it is so comprehensive of other Churches subordinated to it how much more requisite is it to the well-being of the Catholick Church which comprehends National and all others § 10. Arg. 7. That this Catholick Headship is inseparable from a co-ordination of Pastors in the Church may be evinced from these following Necessities 1. A necessity of a Catholick judgment of Schism 2. Of a Catholick interpretation of Scripture it being not of private interpretation 3. Of a Catholick determination of Decencies and Order 4. A Catholick composure of the Prayers of the Church 5. A Catholick Canonization of Saints 6. A Catholick convention or call of Oecumenical Councils § 11. The first Necessity is for a Catholick judgment of Schism for if it be not determined by a Catholick judgment these absurdities will follow 1. National Churches may be Schismatical and no competent judge of them it being not fit that one National Church should judge another they being co-ordinate equally concerned of equal authority latitude and fallibility Neither may a Provincial be judge of National Schism they being subordinate to the National and included in it for they are bound up in the determination of the National and is accountable to it and if it declares against the National as guilty of Schism and upon that account separates from it she shall be judged as Schismatical from the National and so Schism will be committed on Schism and none healed 2. If there be no Catholick determination of Schism there can be no Catholick punishment of Schism from the Catholick Church for the punishment must be preceded by a Law-determination And hence if a National Church be Schismatical from the Catholick it cannot receive any Catholick punishment and it will follow that such a sin may be committed in the Church on which she is not capable to inflict a punishment in any measure proportionate to it 3. If a National Church hath power to judge of the Schism of a Provincial Church and a Provincial Church of the Schism of a Diocesan and a Diocesan of the Schism of a Parochial then by the same reason may the Catholick Church judge of the Schism of a National Church otherwise Schisms will be equally multiplied with National Churches and no redress to be made of them 4. If there be not a Catholick determination of Schism all Churches will not be agreed about Schism so that whilst there is a perpetual controversie in the Church what Schism is and what is not Schism perpetually remains and false judgment still passed upon some Churches these calling that a Schismatical Church which is not so others owning another Church as not Schismatical which is really so All which tends to a necessary and unavoidable confusion for want of a Catholick determination whereas if it may determine by its visible Head all those Controversies would be ended for if the members of the Body complain one of another the whole Body must determine the matter by the Head where there is a concurrence of all parts for the good of the whole § 12. Secondly From the necessity of a Catholick determination of dubious places of Scripture This can be done by none but the Church Catholick on Earth for no Scripture being of private interpretation where shall such an interpretation be found that is not private but in such as is of the Catholick Church where the concurrent judgment and faith of all Churches may be heard 2 Pet. 1.20 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of private Solution i. e. not of particular persons or Churches private Solution but such as is universal and commonly received by all Churches and Christians according to the analogy of faith Now where can this be found and rested in as
Transgressions falling under the cognizance of both States though under divers respects but a Man is not ea ratione to be punished by the Magistrate because censured by the Church nor vice versa 3. Hence we assert That the Civil Magistrate cannot punish any Ecclesiastically virtute Officii neither doth any one meerly upon that account deserve a punishment from the Magistrate because he is apprehended to remain under a Church-censure neither can the Church Appoint or Depute the Magistrate to use his Coercive power to reduce any one to Ecclesiastical obedience § 2. The Question on supposition that the Church will presume to take on her the enacting and executing more Laws than ever Christ did or impowred her to do hath two parts 1. That in execution of Ecclesiastical Justice of Christ's own Institution it is not agreeable to Christ's mind and will that she should use the Magistrates Sword 2. That the Church is not to use it in requiring her own Laws I prove the first as follows § 3. Arg. 1. Christ hath not annexed any Corporal punishments or Pecuniary Mulcts to his Laws which he hath enacted for the due governance of his Church if he hath let the Asserters shew where our Saviours Law is If thy Brother offend tell of it privately if he hear not thee take two or three more and admonish him if he bear not them tell the Church if he bear not the Church let him be as a Heathen and as a Publican unto thee i. e. in respect of Christian Communion and Society and this is called by the Apostle the delivering up unto Satan there being but two sorts of Communions in the world in this fence in the Church and out in the Church is in Christs Kingdom out of the Church is Satans and when he is cast out of the visible Society of the Saints it 's for the humbling of him and bringing him to godly sorrow and Repentance which is called there by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. the destruction of the flesh But here is no farther degree of punishment this being the highest the Church is capable of executing he says not If he comes not in and submits in so many days let the Pastor certifie to the Secular Powers and let them seize his Body and Imprison it or his Estate and Confiscate it This is a new way of bringing Men into Gospel-Repentance for Church-Offences which Christ and his Apostles never practised or prescribed Will the Assertors say that the meaning of delivery of an Offender to Satan is the delivery of him to the Magistrate to be punished this were to cast a great odium on Civil Government as if the Spirit of God did there represent the Magistrate under so contemptible a Character 2. It were to conclude that Church-Members were not under the Magistrates power to punish them for any Offences till they were delivered up by the Church thereunto and therefore that he cannot take immediate cognizance of his Subjects Offences so fat as concerns Moral or Civil Justice but must proceed still according to the Churches appointment and determination 3. That the Church hath a binding or loosing hand on the Magistrates Sword to draw it out or put it up at her pleasure and the Magistrate should be Armor-bearer to the Church § 4. If Christ had annexed any such penalties to his Ecclesiastical Laws he had left his Church very lame in its Polity for in most Ages it hath been Hated Persecuted and Maligned by Civil Powers under whom it hath Militated and the point of the Magistrates Sword hath been turned against her and not the Hilt put into her hand now in such a state how should the poor Church obtain the said Sword to cut off a perishing Member and how should she be able to execute any Censure effectually according to Christ's Law if there be such a penalty annexed which no Church of Christ in some Ages hath been in the least capacity of executing If the Church were in capacity of doing it it must be capacitated from within or from without if from within then Christ hath empowered it with a Magistratical authority and every Church as such may use it and if so she must shew Christ's Commission for it And if she pretend to it it 's a question whether Civil States will allow it she had need have good power and strength to maintain it as the Pope hath And where the challenge of such Right hath been made hath it not always been the occasion of the greatest Civil Broils in Kingdoms and States through Christendom And if it should be made under Heathen States and such Churches should presume to inflict corporal Punishments or pecuniary Mulcts on offending Brethren they must certainly expect the loss of any Liberties they do enjoy and be adjudged for Sedition Treason and Usurpation But if it be said that it 's not from any Intrinsick power that the Church useth this Sword then it will follow that it belongs not to the Church as such neither is her inseparable propriety 2. She must onely borrow it and suppose it will not be lent doth the true execution of Christ's Laws fall to ground and cannot Ecclesiastical Justice be distributed 3. Again if we must borrow the Magistrates Sword upon all occasions of Reformation then she is not sufficiently empowered by Christ to reform her self and Ergo left more imperfect than any State or Society in the world as civil Corporations and Families yea and particular Persons they have power intrinsick sufficient for Self-reformation if Vertue prevail and the greater ruling part be not corrupt The Sword of the Magistrate is no more Essential to the being or reforming a Church than of a Family a man may correct a child or turn away a servant without a Magistrates power or offending it so he keep within the sphere of Domestick Justice So may a Church inflict the greatest Ecclesiastical punishments without the Magistrate or without intrenching upon him so as the true bounds of Ecclesiastical Justice which Christ hath set be observed And this brings me to the second Argument § 5. Arg. 2. If the Church may and ought to inflict Ecclesiastical punistments to the full satisfaction of the Laws of Christ without the use of the Sword of the Civil Magistrate then they may not use the said Sword c. nay it 's the highest Injustice to use it it being severity beyond Summum jus But the Church may inflict punishments to the full satisfaction of Christ's Laws Christ hath put an Ecclesiastical Sword into the hands of the Church to be managed against Offenders distinct from the Civil Sword the just management whereof is as much as he requires from the Church and the undergoing the pains whereof is as much as he requires that Ecclesiastical Offenders should sustain in a Church-way Neither doth the political Laws of his Church demand any such satisfaction from Church-offenders as Fines Whippings Imprisonment though the Offence be such as under the
any authority granted by Christ challenge to himself a Legistative power in religious matters touching Faith or Worship he cannot null or dispense with one of the Laws of Jesus Christ neither may he make any new Laws to binde us to believe any thing more concerning God than is manifestly by his Word revealed or binde us to practice any alteration or addition in the Worship of God more than what Christ himself hath enacted This we have sufficiently proved in handling the Doctrine of Indifferency § 8. Fourthly No civil Magistrate can by any deputation from Christ claim an Executive power of the Political Laws of Christ in his Church for as Christ hath his own proper Laws in his Church his militant Kingdom distinct from other Laws for the right and exact Gospel-management of all his Political affairs therein and is more faithful than Moses in that very respect so he hath set in his Church his own Ministers and Officers distinct from all other sorts of Officers and Ministers in the world As Christ's Ministers are no civil Magistrates as such so no civil Magistrate is a Church-Minister as such Hence as a civil Magistrate hath no power to execute Christ's Political Laws or Institutions in his Church so he hath no power to execute any moral Laws in the Church i. e. he cannot punish a criminal offence by Ecclesiastical censures The moral Law runs through all Societies as the natural fundamental Rule to discern Good and Evil and Political Laws of all sorts should mainly respect it as the Standard and Magna Charta of all Laws and Justice which in respect of it are derivative though every particular Polity hath its own proper way and manner of distribution of moral Justice The civil State by a civil political Administration and Magistracy Families Oeconomically by the Heads thereof the Churches Ecclesiastically by its Pastors and other Officers all endeavouring by their distinct way and manner of Administration to secure the honour and justice of the Moral Law but none of these are to intermix their governments and political way of distribution seeing the God of Order hath fixed each one to his proper station and limit of jurisdiction Hence the civil State can no more punish the breach of moral Laws Ecclesiastically than the Church can punish them civilly and the Church can no more use the Magistrates Sword than the Magistrate can the Churches and vice versa neither can the Church or civil State punish the breaches of the moral Law Oeconomically any more than a Master of a Family as such can punish them Ecclesiastically or Civilly and upon that account may take upon him to be Magistrate or Pastor And though there was a mixture or rather conjunction of these Authorities in the same person in the infancy of Polities yet they have been separated in distinct persons by God himself for many Ages neither do any persons bearing distinct Offices make the Offices the same or necessarily mingle them in the performance of their several Functions § 9. Fifthly It is not in the power of the civil Magistrate or any humane Laws to binde or loose Conscience As Magistrates cannot reach it directly to charge it with either duty or guilt so it 's the greatest piece of Tyranny to attempt it by Penal Laws whereby Christians may be drawn in to ensnare their Consciences in guilt by sinning against God for fear of Man and a Christian is to obey the just Laws of man for Conscience sake i. e. for the Lords sake It is extrinsick to the Laws of men to binde Conscience it 's God that by his authority gives them a mediate Sanction and binds them on Conscience but where God lends not to humane Laws his binding power they are of no more force unto Conscience than Wit hs to binde Sampson It 's not the wit or strength of all Men and Angels that can binde one Conscience under guilt without a Law of God or divine authority to give force to humane their Penal Laws i.e. corporal Punishments or pecuniary Mulcts are very indirect and vain Mediums to enforce Conscience and very sinfully applied by Magistrates or others for that end in matters of Faith or Worship § 10. Sixthly That the supream Magistrate hath not the determination of Causes meenly Ecelesiastical and these are of two sorts either controverted Doctrinals or Causes disciplinary controverted for by Causes are to be understood here things under dispute and they controverted Doctrinals or under debate and they controverted Causes disciplinary and those Ecclesiastical things which are of this nature fall under one of these heads Doctrinal or Disciplinary First In doctrinal Causes controverted the Magistrate is not appointed by Christ as Judge neither is he a competent Judge 1. If he be quatenus a Magistrate then every Magistrate is a competent Judge and then a Heathen Mahometan or Heretical Magistrate and then you 'll say the determination must needs be very sound and good 2. Again how few Christian Magistrates are studied enough in Polemical Divinity being not bred to that learning or having so many recreations and secular concerns to divert them from it so as to be fit to have the ultimate determination of the most difficult and weighty points that learned Scholars in Divinity yea such as are studious and conscientious Christians after long study scrutiny and prayer cannot attain to a right understanding of so as to demonstrate the truth to the full and clear satisfaction of themselves or others Is it fit to make an Assembly of Divines Judges of a great and difficult case in Law There is the same reason for one as for the other 3. What determination a Magistrate makes dogmatically it 's simpliciter but his private Judgment and Opinion though he be a publick person And why should any mans private opinion be he what he will in the world be a binding Rule to the Faith of another in matters of Religion 4. It 's impossible that it should be so for man cannot make a Law to bound Faith in such things as are not founded on the light of Understanding and where they are so founded no man believes because of the Law of man but because of the evidence of Truth What Law can make any man believe that two and three make six but if it be that we must believe that three and three make six we do believe it but not because of the Penal Law but because of the evidence the Truth carries with it Non lex penalis sed veritas est ratio formalis fidei 5. The Faith of a Christian or the Understanding of a Rational man can no more rest in the opinion or determination of a Christian Magistrate without a sufficient light of Truth to convince him than in the opinion and determination of another man for he that tenders the honour of God and loves Truth cannot receive that which he is convinced of or at least suspects in his most serious judgment to be
contrary to the truth of the Word of God 6. The Magistrate cannot be conteded to be such a Judge nor is useful as such unless he may be acknowledged to be infallible A supream Judge in our sence and that which must be here understood is one into whose judgment our Faith hath its last and utmost resolution but we cannot acquiesce in a humane fallible determination And besides what Prerogative hath the Magistrates judgment above another mans and what ease and advantage is it to us if our minds lie open to doubt as much after as before the determination No Christians minde can rest satisfied in a humane fallible opinion of divine things the authority causing Belief must have the same original that the Revelation hath therefore Faith built upon a Testimony must be onely on his own fidelity as one infallible as we believe that Truth also which carries its own Evidence with it axiomatically delivered or evinceth it self from the light of another Truth dianoetically § 11. The second Case consists in Causes disciplinarily debated being Differences arising within one particular Church or between Church and Church or between Pastors and Churches c. All Causes usually handled and determined in Ecclesiastical Courts The Question is Whether the civil Magistrate be the supream Judge or Head and Governour By Causes Ecclesiastick are without doubt meant in the Oath of Supremacy all disciplinary Causes handled in Spiritual Courts the supream Head and Governor whereof was the Pope in whose name and authority those Courts were called and managed and to whom it was lawful for any grieved party to appeal before the reign of King Henry the 8th who by the Oath of Supremacy cut off the Popes Supremacy and established his own Now I thus resolve as followeth § 12. If Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Courts be not jure divino nor held jure divino Episcopacy as it 's setled in the Hierarchy and all its Offices and Appurtenances being onely a humane politick device as hath been abundantly by the Opposers thereof proved and by many of the Asserter and Defenders confessed then I say it 's fitter that man should be supream Head there and if any man the supream civil Magistrate within whose Realm or Dominion their Courts and Causes Ecclesiastical be The nature of this Supremacy is or should be that 1. That all Ecclesiastical Courts be called and kept in the Kings Magisties name 2. That the Sentence denounced should be also grounded on some penal Law of the King for all the Kings Courts should judge by his Laws 3. That any party grieved may appeal to a superiour Court of the Kings or to himself from whom there is no Appeal 4. That the King hath power by himself or Judges to prohibit or supersede the proceedings of the said Court at his pleasure This is the true sence of the Oath of Supremacy which the Bishops notwithstanding all the noise they make against Dissenters from their Church will least subscribe unto whereas most others of the Kings Subjects that refuse to own the divine right of Episcopal government will willingly swear the Kings Supremacy in their Ecclesiastical Courts and Causes in the largest extent And though that sort of ruling men use all endeavours to suggest the disloyalty of the said Dissenters yet I doubt not but most Puritans in England would rather refer themselves to the Kings judgment and stand or fall at his Tribunal than at the Churches and have generally found more relief from under the severities of Excommunication in the Kings Courts than in the Ecclesiastical Supposing that all Ecclesiastical proceedings in Spiritual Courts of Judicature and the whole Fabrick of Church-government as now it stands is a humane Polity as is not denied by the most ingenious I know not why any Puritan or Papist should refuse for to take the Oath of Supremacy for it is no more than to acknowledge the King to be supream Head and Governour in his own Courts which is but Reason Justice and Religion that he should be § 13. But if Ecclesiastical Causes be understood of disciplinary Controversies such as follow upon the execution of Laws and administration of the Institutions of the Lord Jesus in the visible Gospel-churches of such Ecclesiastical Causes it is not the Magistrates part to be the determinating Judge of for 1. To judge and determine a Cause in the Church of Christ is to judge Ecclesiastically and such an act of Judicature is a Church-act which is always preceded by a Church-Officer and no other in foro Ecclesiae and if the agrieved party appeal it must be to an Officer of the same kind it 's not to an Officer of another State 2. He that is supream Judge of a Church-cause on Earth must be an Officer substituted by Christ for none can hold any Place or Office in the Church but by Subrogation from Christ much less the highest Authority but none can shew that Christ hath substituted the Magistrate his Church-Vicar on Earth 3. If the civil Magistrate be supream Head to the Church Ecclesiastically then because he was always so since Christ was on Earth then there was times when Heathen Magistrates in whose jurisdiction the Churches was were his Vicars and Christ himself when on Earth was subject Ecclesiastically though Head of his Church to Heathen Church-Officers for he was no civil Magistrate disclaim'd it nor could be appeal'd unto as such 4. If the civil Magistrate be supream Judge he is the supream Church-Officer for he cannot be denied to be an Officer of that state wherein he doth acts of Judicature as his right And if a Church-Officer then the civil State hath power to chuse and constitute a Church-Officer and that of the highest rank for if he become a Church-Officer his Calling and Constitution must needs be Civil and not Ecclesiastical So that the civil State hath the power of Peter's Keys both to dispose of them and give them to whom she will and the Church cannot be entrusted with them they must still be kept in the Magistrates pocket Hence it will follow that Christ hath not left power enough in the Church for the management of its own political affairs nor wisdom enough for the determining her own Controversies § 14. Seventhly No civil Magistrate can imposse Articles of Faith on any of his Subjects to be owned subscribed or sworn to by a Penal Law for quatenus a Magistrate he is not an universal competent Judge for it 's not necessary that he should be religious understanding found in his principles because he is a Magistrate 1. If he can do it as a Church-Officer we have shewed that Christ hath made no such Officers in his Church 2. If he were Christ never empowered any Church-Officer to use a Magistratical Sword he never put Temporal Crowns on their heads nor Scepters into their hands if any of them out of ambition have got Miters and Crosier Staffs they had them from Antichrist and not from Christ
being besides the Word we have proved to be no parts of it and Ergo additions to his Laws and institutions in the Word which are perfect and entire in themselves for Doctrine and Discipline in divine Service and Worship and these Laws of humane enaction whatever pretences are put upon them being for the same end and use must needs be additional 6. To teach for Doctrines the commands of men is contrary to the Word of Christ but all humane Constitutions of this kind specified besides the Word are but Commands of men taught for Doctrines The Major is true and undeniable from Mat. 14.9 where such Doctrines and Commands are charged by Christ for the intolerable sin of the Pharisees Compare with this place that in the Old Testament quoted and applied to them by our Saviour Isai 29.14 Their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men or which our Saviour the best Interpreter of Scripture saith In vain do they worship me producing this from the Prophet Their fear is taught by the Commandments of men not but that they observed also Moses his Commands but because they set up their Posts with Gods their Laws with Gods Laws and this is that which Christ condemns This Argument is cleared and fully prosecuted by another very lately in a learned Exerc. on Mat. 15.9 and Mark 9.13 And therefore I shall not actum agere As to the Minor it 's evident that such Legislators teach for Doctrine their own Laws for they press them doctrinally on the people and charge it as their duty to walk in the practice of active obedience unto such Laws and condemn all such as refuse such obedience upon any pretence whatsoever as disobedient to Governours and Schismaticks CHAP. XX. Of the Vnited Power Legislative of Church and Civil State § 1. LEst it should be replied to our preceding Discourse That although the civil Magistrate cannot of himself be a competent Compiler or Establisher of Ecclesiastical Laws Canons or Constitutions unless they be first compiled approved and propounded by the Church to the Magistrate to compleat their Sanction and Law-ratification with the impress of his Authority yet the Church and civil Magistrate both together have a compleat Legislative power in Ecclesiastical Affairs The Church is supposed to act by its Representatives in a Convocation Assembly of Divines or Synod or Council lawfully assembled by the call of the Magistrate The Question is Whether after they have agreed on Ecclesiastical Canons and Constitutions the civil Magistrate may give Sanction to them by making them Penal Statutes The Question in brief is Whether Ecclesiastical Laws may become Penal Statutes by Magistratick Sanction § 2. In order to the right resolving of this Question it 's fit to enquire first concerning the nature or subject-matter of the said Canons and Constitutions whether the Composers and Proposers thereof do believe them to consist of such things as Christ hath left indifferent and they would have to be necessiary or do they consist of such things as they have by disquisition found to be necessary by virtue of the Will of Christ for the end of such Assemblies is to confer about the Will of Christ in the great and weightier matters of the Church for the clearing up of what is dark and dubious before Now if the mind of Christ be discovered there needs no more Sanction where the word of a King is there is power Make it but out by the clearest demonstrations that this or that is the mind of Christ there needs none of the Magistrates penalties to be annexed it hath force enough of it self to reach the Conscience which is the end of Christ's Laws and to charge guilt upon it in case of disobedience and that is more than all the Penal Laws of men can do It 's needful to enquire whether the Magistrates Sanction be by way of approbation onely or by way of eminent commendation of the said Laws to his Subject not annexing or executing any Penalty himself but allowing onely some spiritual Penalty annexed by Christ or his Church to be executed by Church-Officers or whether he will annex or cause to be executed any external Penalty by his civil Officers as occasion shall serve The matter being thus stated I proceed in the Negative § 3. 1. We have abundantly evidenced that in the matters of Indifferencies in Religion no power on Earth may make any Laws changing them into things religiously necessary 2. Where did Christ ever joyn Magistrates and Ministers together in joynt Commission in the government of his Church 3. If so why may not Magistrates joyn in the judicial proceedings of the Church and fit as due Judges in all Spiritual Courts and excommunicate and absolve He that hath a share in Legislation may reserve to himself the executive part at his own pleasure 4. If such Church-Laws are invalid without the Magistrates Sanction then he hath a negative voice over the Church to stop any Church-proceedings in Legislation or Execution and indeed it 's happy for some people that it is so else the Clergie that call themselves the Church would make mad work were not the civil State wiser and more moderate and by its power able to put a stop sometimes to their mad Carreers 5. The Decrees of the Apostles Elders and Brethren being only a declaration of the mind of Christ in a difficult case became a Law to the Churches without any such Magistatick ratification or annexation of Penalty 6. Christ never annexed any corporal or estate-Penalties to any of his Laws that he setled his Church with at the first 7. Christ provided so for the due government of his Churches that nothing might be wanting for the administration of Government and Ordinances in the worst of times when most persecuted and opposed by those Magistrates in whose Dominions they did militate The Church of Christ would be but in a very weak and lame condition in most Kingdoms and Ages if the Magistrates countenance and concurrence were an Essential Complement of its due state of Ecclesiastick government and that can never be accounted a right Model of Church-government that cannot be erected without the Kings and Princes of the Earth set their hands to it For if it were so Christ should have few duely govern'd Churches on Earth that sort of men being oftner found pulling down than setting up the Kingdom of Christ Lastly we having already proved that neither Church-Officers nor Civil have any Legislative power in the said matters and therefore being put together they are but as two Cyphers that make not so much as an Vnite for ex nihilo nihil fit and therefore I need not enlarge any further on this matter CHAP. XXI Of Decency and Order in God's Worship and Canonical Obedience § 1. THe great Plea that is made for the Magistrates and Churches Legislative power in Spirituals is that there might be Decency and Order in the Church which is most meet to be especially because
Christ hath advised it and his Advice hath the force of a Command in it 1 Cor. 14.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostles designe in this Chapter is to exort to love and peace as appears from vers 1. and 33. and that he may effect it he reproves several things amiss in the Church of Corinth 1. Their Prophesying in strange Tongues 2. Their speaking so many together 3. The immodest boldness of women to presume to speak in the Church 4. Their Pride being puffed up with their gifts c. For Remedies he adviseth in general 1. That all things be done to edification vers 26.2 That all things be done with decency and order 3. In particular how and what things are to be done so to attain these ends First speaking with Tongues should be with interpretation vers 27 28. Secondly Prophesying should be one by one with submission to the judgments of the Church vers 30 31 32 33. 4. That the women should neither use Tongues nor prophesie but be silent in the Church vers 34. Now lest this reprehension should be a discouragement to them from striving after the best Gifts and improvement of them he would have them to understand that his designe was onely to rectifie Disorders not to suppress or discourage from their Exercise of Gifts that might be to Edification and therefore saith vers 39. Covet to prophesie or be zealous for prophesying as the word is supposing it a very profitable Exercise in the Church and forbid not to speak with Tongues that being an extraordinary Gift among their Primitive Disciples for the propagation of the Gospel but let that be exercised also The things in themselves are materially good but your way of managing them is not good there is so much confusion and unseemliness attends it therefore do the things but be careful that they be done with Decency and Order for the present And now behold here is the Text that the whole Babel of ceremonious trash is built upon by the abusive Interpretations both of Papists and Protestants and therefore let us examine a little whether there be so much in it to give countenance to the endless Inventions and Superstitions of the sons of men in the Worship of God § 2. We shall first open the words that things may be the clearer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H. Stev compositè decenter honestè It 's rendred onely decently in this place it 's used in two other places where it 's rendered honestly Rom. 13.13 1 Thess 4.12 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12.23 is aptly rendered Decor Comeliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the adj is read by H. St. Honestus Decens Mark 15.43 Honourable Joseph of Arimathea is said to be an honourable Counsellour and Acts 13.50 ch 17.20 Trem. honourable but 1 Cor. 7.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I speak for that which is decent or comely c. 1 Cor. 12.24 our comely parts So that the sence of the Text seems to be Let all things be done with such a comeliness as is honourably beseeming the Gospel or that seemly Reverence that becomes the Assemblies of the Saints Tremelius's Interpretation seems much adapted to the Context cum modestiâ in opposition to womens immodest boldness in presuming to speak in publick and in opposition to that pride and confidence that abounded among them in the exercising of their Gifts Let things be done with modesty Wherefore the Decency here meant may signifie these three things in the Worship of God 1. A Comeliness 2. A Reverence 3. Modesty § 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum ordinem fiant the Word is but in the signification here given onely it 's sometimes taken for an Office-Order as an Office of Priesthood Heb. 5.6 5.10 Luke 1.8 Heb. 7.11 but we have nothing to do with the Word in that sence here the acceptation here is of such Order as is opposed to Confusion in which sence it 's used Coloss 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle would have them exercise Gifts administer Sacraments and do all things in the Church in the due place and season that one Ordinance might not hinder the edification of another and nothing might be done confusedly they might speak all one by one and the spirit of the Prophets subject to the Prophets He would not have Church-Assemblies to be tumultuous by many preaching reading or praying audibly together for all may be understood here of prophesying as it 's the custom in some Churches but there should be but one at a time speaking in the Congregation and not that any one might start up as the Quakers do and speak at pleasure to interrupt one another but the spirit of the Prophets should be subject to the Prophets Let every one speak as he is appointed and approved of by the Church-Officers § 4. Hence we may gather that Decency is a necessary external part of God's Worship consisting in a reverend deportment and comely management of the Ordinances of Christ as becomes the Gospel 1. It 's externally opposed to the inward Worship of the heart a great part of that which is called a form of Godliness 2. It 's an external necessary part there are internal Necessaries and external I do not say it 's an essential part of God's Worship but it 's a necessary Accidental it belonging to it in its kind by virtue of a Law of Christ and all things we have shewed commanded by him are necessary therefore this Decency is no Indifferency and determinable by any humane Law 3. Consisting in a reverend Deportment i. e. such an one as is morally requisite as signes to express Holiness awful apprehensions of God Humility Modesty c. for moral Vertue or Grace ought to be visible and manifest in our external gestures and behaviours Hence the behaviour here mentioned is opposed to all irreverent immodest unnatural idolatrous gesture in God's Worship all such as either denote prophaneness of our hearts disrespect of God's Presence or Ordinances or alienation of heart or wandring of spirits § 5. Things done according to Order is according to best understanding of the ordination and appointment of Jesus Christ from that place Coloss 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing in seeing your Order to which the following words seem exegetical and your firmness of the Faith towards Christ if the Conjunction be Copulative making the parts contradistinct its rejoycing to see your stability of Faith in your closing with Christ and your Order i. e. in walking in all his Commandments according to the Rule that he hath given for the whole of a Christian is comprized in Faith and Order and therefore doing things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10.13 according to the measure of the Rule or Canon which God hath measured or distributed to us The word is Canon the same word is Gal. 6.16 Philip. 3.16 and in both places signifies the Rule of the Gospel by which we are
to walk In Gal. 6. he speaks in the verse before of indifferent things Circumcision availeth nothing nor uncircumcision but the new creature and as many as walketh according to this Rule What Rule is that It 's this To put no stress on things indifferent but upon those that Christ hath made necessary to salvation for preserving the life of the new Creature So in Phil. 3.16 so far as we have attained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it 's to be understood of the one Rule of the Gospel or System of Rules in things necessary for our practice by the special appointment of Christ and so far as Christians have attained to the knowledge of this Canon we are to walk Whence I gather that walking according to Order is in the practice of Canonical Obedience to the Rules of the Gospel that is in a due submission to and practice of all the Ordinances of the Gospel without distraction and confusion God being the God of Order and not of Confusion § 6. Decency and Order is either Civil or Religious by Civil I mean such as are of civil use merely or such rites and modes of action as are used in civil affairs Though these may have a moral and therefore religious foundation yet their Objects Intendments and Circumstances being chiefly Civil and the moral foundation from the second Table we call them Civil and distinguish them from religious Decencies And these are such as have their foundation on the first Table and have God for their Object immediately and manifest End being ordained for spiritual intendments and purposes and therefore external Notes of internal seriousness reverence and consideration of God's Presence Honour and Worship according as revealed and required of us in the Canon of his holy Word And though the mode and order of Actions and Gestures may be the same materially that we use in civil Decencies and Order yet the appropriation being to contradistinct Objects and their purport and designe of the said Actions and Modes thereof they are justly reputed of another nature and receive contradistinct Denominations § 7. Religious Decency and Order is either of merely Moral or of instituted Original Moral and therefore called Natural and instituted Worship are usually and aptly opposed for such as are of Moral Original are comprehended in or directly deducible from the precepts of the Moral Law as all reverent and humble gestures of the Creature before the Creator such as standing kneeling prostration c. which for the most part are onely generally propounded so far as they may hold forth a proportionate external indication of the solemnity of our Undertakings neither may they become any more definite by mans Law than God himself hath determied As for Example No man can make a Law to tye us up to any particular gesture in Prayer as to kneeling standing c. because God hath left it indifferent to a Christians election to govern himself by the Rules of Expediency so he have a respect to the general Obligation viz. that it be such as is reverent and becoming our attendance on God in such an Ordinance § 8. Decencies and Order belonging to instituted Worship are separable from merely moral Worship and required by some more special Commandment of Christ in the disciplining of his Church and they differ as the Oeconomy of the Church doth The Levitical Oeconomy made Levitical Decencies and Order necessary in mode and manner of the Jewish Worship then required in those of Offerings Sacrifices Buildings Gestures Vestures Washings all which as shadows vanished and were actually abolished with the whole substance of the Ceremonial Law when the Body approached And therefore to introduce into Gospel-worship Modes proportionate and adapted to Mosaical Services viz. Priests Ephods Altars Sacrifices c. is contrary to the revealed Will of Christ and an implicite denial of his being come in the Flesh § 9. The Levitical Oeconomy with all its Appendixes being abolished the Evangelical takes place which are determined by the Law of Christ as to the more and less substantial parts of Worship And that we may be distinct about Gospel Decencies and Order we must know 1. That all merely moral Decencies are in force under the Gospel and needs no other Law to ratifie them than the Law of Christ which hath always continued the moral Law and its due circumstantial Attendments under all changes of instituted Worship 2. All Levitical Decencies and Order are abolished by Christ's coming when his Ecclesiastical Oeconomy was changed 3. All Evangelical Decencies and Order as womens being covered and keeping silence in publick Assemblies and such as concern the Word and Sacraments are sufficiently determined by Christ by the precepts or practice of himself Apostles and Primitive Church that we need not betake our selves to Rome or any other pretended Law-making Church to fetch new Prescriptions in order to the compleating of the Worship of Christ And whereas present Innovations of our Pretenders are pleaded for from the Primitive practice I say no more but this that when the Evidence of that Practice appears from God's Word we will not scruple the imitation but being imposed upon us by Tradition mostly through Antichristian hands or at best by very fallible and inconsistent History and if in many things true as to matter of fact yet we finde them not justified by Sacred Authority we dare not assent and consent unto them § 10. Now if the Church knows of any more Decencies and Orders needful to be used under the New Testament and those that are of moral intent confirmed by Christ or Evangelical of his last Institution then let her plead and use her Legislative power if she have any jure in establishing the same and if any shall or doth think notwithstadding that it 's needful to establish new decencies of humane invention by Church-Laws we shall still proceed further to evince the contrary § 11. If decency and order be strained to the largest acceptation in the New Testament's sence they cannot be pretended to be any other than Evangelical decency and order comprehending all moral and instituted decency and order which Christ hath appointed to be used in his Gospel-Church else how should it come to be so for that onely is Evangelical which Christ makes so and calls so every mimical Gesture and antick Vesture that any brainsick Church-man or carnal Priests and Prelates or any Convention of them shall devise and christen with the name of Decency and Order is not Evangelical The Rules and Forms of Worship and Discipline which Christ hath left to his Church are comely grave decent and orderly enough without any additaments and amendments proceeding from mens corrupt fancy and interest § 12. And that it 's not lawful for the Church to make Laws to establish more decencies in the Worship of God than Christ hath appointed or allowed we have proved already if they undergo the lowest consideration as matters of Indifferency I shall onely adde a
few words more § 13. First If it be lawful for the Church to annex new decencies and order to the decencies and order appointed by Christ then these must be necessary or unnecessary but it 's not lawful Ergo. 1. It 's not lawful to annex unnecessary for this were to trifle and would infer the greatest absurdities imaginary therefore none will insist upon that 2. Not to annex any thing necessary for they must then judge something necessary which Christ hath not declared so as something belonging to the esse or bene esse of the Church and this were a high affront to Christ and impeachment of his wisdom as not perfect and compleat in his House as likewise it 's implicitely to condemn Christ's Worship and Ordinances as left by him for undecent and disorderly and so naked and unfit to come to publick view till they be anew dressed up and trimed by the Church in her Poppet-play Robes and Attire § 14. Secondly And then she might re-establish any old absolete Jewish decencies so she use them Evangelically upon as good or better ground than she hath brought in Heathenish practices into use in the Church Thirdly Decency and Order in the Church is no Indifferency but necessary in its kind as hath been shewed because commanded and enjoyned by Christ and Ergo if the Church hath power to enact Laws in matters of Indifferency it follows not that she hath power to do the like in matters of Decency and Order because they are not indifferent things but necessary if we understand either Moral or Evangelical decency and order § 15. It is fallacious and false to assert that the Church prescribes onely decencies in the Worship of God for they are the smallest part of her Ceremonies for what are Holy-days Cross in Baptism Musick in Divine Service And besides most or all her Ceremonies respect other Objects and are for other significancy and ends than for decency some being chiefly gratiâ divinâ as all reverential Gestures and Postures viz. bowing at the Name of Jesus bowing to the Altar kneeling at the Sacrament standing up at the Gospel These are signes of divine honour and Latrical and can be no otherwise understood than respecting a Divinity and therefore there can be no pretence to call it civil Worship because in all civil Worship man is the Object and were the same or like actions which for the matter are neither civil or divine but indifferent as to both but a peculiar Adaptation to a singular end or object they receive their distinct denomination therefrom Some are chiefly gratiâ humanâ in order to the due preparing and qualifying us for Spiritual Services Surplices to make us appear more pure an Emblem of Purity and mind us of it Musick to raise the Spirits and others more mixt in their intention tà m gratiâ divinâ quà m humanâ as Saints days wherein God is blessed for Saints whereby God is honoured and the Saint too the Cross in Baptism and the Ring in Matrimony which are Seals of obligation religiously made use of therefore more than significant signes and can be no less than Sacraments There are also divers Responses and Salutations betwixt Ministers and People in all which it 's easie to perceive that there is some weightier matters respected than meer civil decencies and order whatever pretences are made to the contrary § 16. We have before hinted what we apprehend true canonical obedience to be viz. that it 's not a submission to a certain body of Laws made by any Church challenging a Legislative power neither to those feigned Canons of the Apostles but it is obedience to the Canons or Rules of Gospel-communion laid down in the Scriptures those that are acquainted with the true Churches of Christ know no other Canons nor no other canonical Obedience they are obliged unto Now those that call for canonical obedience under that term they tell us that it is obedience to the Laws Rules and Constitutions of the Church but I could never rightly understand any reason for their plea from the Church viz. of the authority pleaded for for if it be a National Church that requires the said obedience we say 1. That that Church cannot pretend to challenge obedience that is not capacitated to make or execute any Law but the National is not Ergo. The Minor appears in that there is no such thing as a National organized Church constituted by Christ under the Gospel for if there were there must be National Officers and Ordinances by the same appointment but Christ hath constituted no National Officers i. e. whose Office-power in the Church is of such extent nor no National Ordinances i. e. such Ordinances that the whole Nation may partake of in one Assembly for communion The same Argument will hold against Diocesan Churches 2. How is any one National Church the Church more than another that hath such a Ruling power if all hath it alike how various will Church-canons be and how little Uniformity in canonical obedience 3. If this obedience belongs to any Church it seems most consonant to right reason that it should belong to the Catholick Church for 1. That may be as organical as a National can be by virtue of any institution of Christ 2. That 's most comprehensive therefore challengeth the preheminence of all others in respect of extent and by way of eminency may most properly be stiled the Church 3. This is the likeliest way to attain a Vniformity for it 's pleaded as the great reason why Christ gives a Legislative Compulsive power to a National Church viz. Vniformitatis gratiâ Now it 's but a partial Uniformity obtained thereby of an Independent nature but if true Uniformity be reached it must be that which is Catholick which can be no otherwise than by Catholick canonical obedience CHAP. XXII Of the Imposition of Ceremonies § 1. NExt to the consideration of decencies and order it may be meet to enquire a little into the lawfulness of imposition 1. of Ceremonies 2. of a form of Prayer Whether a Ceremony uncommanded by God may be used in the Worship of God is not our present Undertaking to discuss for in some cases it may be lawful so it be such as is duely qualified and be used as indifferent and occasionally by the Rules of discretion but our present Enquiry shall be Whether the Church is liable to the imposition of such Ceremonies as Christ hath not made necessary by any Law of his Many Arguments before urged against the Churches Legislative power might be here of equal force I shall onely adde something proper upon this state of the Question to prove that such an imposition is not in the Churches power § 2. Arg. 1. Because the Church by such imposition doth subjugate herself in her Members to a yoke of bondage which Christ hath freed her and them from That Christians are freed from such yokes see Gal. 4.31 ch 5.1 and the Church is not to return to
in words and syllables 7. If Christ had bound us to this Form then we were to use no other neither might the Church prescribe any other neither might particular Christians use their gifts in Prayer nor various Forms of their own or others prescription which would be too grosly absurd for any to assert § 5. But fifthly to infer that Christ by prescribing this Form as imitable by us or by propounding and commending this to us as a Rule or Form did thereby tye us up to other Forms or gave power to the Church to binde us to Forms or that we might binde our selves to other Forms is as great an inconsequence as any in the world for we have shewed there 's more reason to judge that he left it as a Rule than Form If he left it as a Form it 's no ground for other men to make Forms but rather a ground to the contrary it being his Prerogative as our Lord and Master And besides if he hath given us a Form and we are thereby bound to words and sentences we ought not to take up other Forms and multiply thousands of mens prescriptions for the sence of Christ must needs be one of these two when you pray say i. e. use this as the onely Form of Prayer and stick to it for words and sentences and never trouble your selves about any other for if it be taken in the other sence it 's universal Take this as a standing general rule of Prayer to which all sorts of Petitions Deprecations Confessions Thanksgivings are referrable If he had authorized any to compose other teaching Forms he would have said You Apostles and your Successors thou Catholick Church or National Church or particular Congregation do you compose a Form of divine Service and I will set my hand to it § 6. The second part of the Question is Whether a Christian may suffer himself to be bound to a Form of Prayer by humane Authority pretending thereunto The Answer to this Enquiry will be double 1. That whatever Authority Ecclesiastical or Civil doth pretend to such an imposing power a Christian is not to subject himself by active submission 2. That no powers beneath Christ can pretend justly to such Authority The reasons of the first hath been largely enough insisted on before therefore I shall here but touch upon them 1. Because Christ hath not left it indifferent to a Christian to be bound in matters of his Worship where he hath left him at liberty for thereby the use of discretion in conveniencies is lost 2. All those reasons why he may not binde himself to a Form of Prayer do formally prove that he is not to permit himself to be imposed upon in this kind by another 3. None but Christ may prescribe Set-forms of his own Worship and we are not allowed obedientially to submit to any Legislative power in this kind as hath been shewed 4. If a Christian suffer himself in this to be imposed upon he parts with one of the most eminent priviledges that he is capable of viz. that of speaking his minde to God in Prayer and not to be bound to the Dictates and Suggestions of another Who can know our own case in respect of Sins Wants Temptations Mercies c. better than our selves What is more unreasonable than that a Childe though he cannot speak plainly should not be suffered to speak his mind to his Parents as well as he can but must be always prescribed to it in the Servants or elder Brothers words and expressions To deal thus with God's Children is to go about to abandon the Spirit of Adoption which God's Children are led by Rom. 8.2.14 15. which Spirit they have for this end that they cry Abba Father that they may speak the language of the Spirit in Prayer though their utterance be in broken and abrupt Sentences even in sighs and groans which God knows the meaning of Wherefore to put our selves under humane set Forms is to put ourselves into the greatest spiritual Bondage of this nature § 7. Secondly No Power Ecclesiastical or Civil can pretend justly to Authority from Christ to impose on Minister or Christian a set Form of Prayer Argum. 1. If any can pretend to such Authority it must be to impose a set Form of Christs composing or of humane composition But they cannot pretend justly to impose any Prayer of Christs composing because Christ hath neither required nor allowed the imposing the use of that which is called the Lord's Prayer by penal Laws What corporal or pecuniary Mulcts are to be inflicted on a man that doth not use the very words of that Prayer by virtue of any Law of Christ Is he to be Whipped or Fined for it by the Magistrate or Excommunicated by the Church Again they cannot pretend to impose a Form of humane composition for if there be no ground to impose a Form of Prayer of Christ's composition by a penal Law much less to impose one of Mans And for any to undertake either Church or State to prescribe the worship of Christ and to enforce it by punishments where Christ never deputed or allowed such Authority is the greatest presumption and insolency in the world § 8. Argum. 2. He or they that impose a Form of Prayer must do it because it is necessarily or indifferently requisite so to do according to the revealed Will of Christ But none can impose a Form of Prayer for any of these reasons Ergo. 1. None can because a Form of Prayer is necessarity requisite 1. Because Christ hath no where required the Church or Magistrate to impose 2. If a Set-form of Prayer were absolutely necessary it could not be to any person or season dispensed with 3. If the necessity be pleaded for publick Prayers that there should be a set Form there is as little necessity of that can be proved from the Word of God as of private Set-Forms 4. If there be need of a Form for help in some cases in respect of present weakness of Ministers or Christians it 's no reason therefore it should be imposed as necessary to all it 's pleaded for upon the account of Uniformity but if some of his Majesties Subjects wear Spectacles because of the weakness of their Eyes must all do so too for Uniformity sake though their Eyes be never so good We are to strive after perfection and conformity to Christ therein but are not to endeavour to conform to the weaknesses and imperfections of his Members and take our measures thereby though we are to bear with and condescend to them as much as may be without sin § 9. Secondly A Form of Prayer cannot be imposed as indifferently requisite to the worship of Christ because 1. If any thing be indifferently i. e. conveniently requisite to the worship of Christ it is because Christ hath willed it indifferently requisite for all matters of his Worship take their first reason from his Will 2. There is no reason from the
indifferency of any thing to impose it as necessary But in Spiritual concerns the indifferency of any thing is a reason against the imposition of it as necessary because such an imposition takes away the Formal use as an indifferency 3. What Christ hath revealed as indifferently requisite he hath required a Christian to use indifferently by the judgment of discretion for every action concerning Christ's worship is to be performed as Christ hath prescribed the nature of it necessary things to be done necessarily by us but not to be imposed on us and indifferent things indifferently Therefore an Imposition to enforce the use of indifferent things necessarily and necessary indifferently is unlawful as contrary to the Will of Christ 4. We have before proved that neither Church nor State can change an Evangelical Indifferency in the Worship of Christ into a Necessity § 10. Arg. 3. To exercise Dominion over Mens Faith is unlawful but for Church or Magistrate to impose a set Form of Prayer is to exercise Dominion over Mens Faith Ergo. The Major is without question and to exercise such a Dominion is to prescribe what we shall believe and practice or to enforce us to practice in Sacred things without believing The Minor is true because there can be no greater exercise of Dominion over Faith than in imposing on us a Form of Prayer for every Prayer is to be prayed in Faith or else it is sin Now to impose a Form on me being to enforce me to that Prayer that I be not satisfied in is to impose on my Faith i.e. to prescribe what I should believe for practice in Prayer or to enforce me to practice that which I do not believe i. e. to pray that Prayer and that constantly in such a part of Worship which I cannot do believingly § 11. Arg. 4. If one Church may enforce a Form of Prayer by a Penal Law then another may i. e. if a National Church may enforce a Form of Prayer on all her Subordinate Churches and Members then the Vniversal visible Church may on the National which are her Members and if the National can punish the Diocesan or Parochial for Non-conformity in this kind why may not the Catholick punish the National for the same fault i. e. for using a Form of Prayer not sufficiently allowed or prescribed by the Catholick and if the National can interdict an inferiour Church or Excommunicate a particular person for refusal of such Obedience why may not the Catholick deal with the National in the same kind This must needs be conceded but that it will be said we do not know Where to find the Catholick Church and though the Church of Rome calls herself so yet she is not to be believed she bears witness of herself and that witness is not true I only reply We can as easily and more find the Catholick Church as a National for there hath been always a Catholick Church but there never hath been nor will be a National Gospel organized Church in the world And we may as well believe a pretending Church calling herself Catholick as a pretending Church calling herself National when as they are equally to be accounted as no Churches of Christs Ordination as I can easily manifest when time shall serve Well then the National Church lyes liable to the censure of the Church Catholick for using a distinct set Form of publick Prayers established by her self whereby she renders herself a gross Non-Conformist to the Catholick Church and an Independent in respect of all other National her Form of Prayer being not Uniform with theirs If it be said the Church may compose and impose a Form of Prayer we must know what Church that is and not be deluded with a Name Is it the Catholick Church if so why have we not a Catholick set Form of publick Prayers and all National Churches bound to the use of it And why on the contrary doth every National Church make and use Forms of their own And if it be said The National is the Church it 's false for it 's not the Church by way of Eminency it 's not the most Generical Church because it 's not the only Church there are many National and there are many other sort of Churches that will put in for as good a right as the National and if every National under the Name of the Church may do this and have a distinct Form of Prayer what will become of Catholick Vniformity And if the Church as Provincial or Diocesan what will become of National Vniformity And if this power be granted to any or all these subordinate Churches Actum erit de Vniformitate Catholicâ § 12. But the great plea for a Form of Prayer in the Church is Vniformity for this cannot be say some Men without it Answ Uniformity in the Church cannot be by particular National Forms it must be by a Form Catholick 2. Can there be no Vniformity in the Church without a sameness in Words and Sentences in prayer there scarcely being two Scripture-Prayers that are altogether the same in Words and Sentences Doth not Uniformity consist rather in agreement in Principles and the Analogie of Faith submission to and closing with the same King Priest and Prophet conforming to and walking by the same rule of the Gospel an influence and guidance by the same Spirit 3. If Uniformity of the Church lyeth in such Externals why is not a set Form of Preaching established that none shall use any other besides such Homilies 4. If a set Form of some Prayers be necessary to Vniformity why not of all as well of private as publick for if the Church be not close tyed in bond of Vniformity by uniting Families and Individuals it will break to pieces for all a publick Form The first and main Union in the Church is that which knits every purticular Member to the whole by joynts and bonds and that there may be true Uniformity this must be carefully maintained but it 's 〈◊〉 which the great contenders for a pretended Uniformity least 〈◊〉 themselves about § 13. Another great plea for publick Forms of Prayer is the 〈◊〉 ness ignorance and laziness of many Ministers Rep. The 〈…〉 holds for set Forms of publick Sermons the necessity of which for a time was well considered at our first coming out of Antiâ—â—â—â—an darkness and any one that could read but a Chapter Prayer and Homily in the Mother-Tongue did a great deal of service to God and the people But there is not the same reason now the Church is better provided with able Labourers or at least might be if she would 2. It is the ready way to fill the Church with this sort of Cattle those lazy ignorant scandalous Priests for Mother-Church not only to connive at them but to countenance them and maintain them in their pride and sloth and by making their Exercisâ—s for them whilst they be idle debauched and prophane minding nothing but the profits pleasures and Honours of this Life 2. The only way Ignavum fucos pecus a praecipibus arcent is to banish these droans from the Church and not to turn all the Church unto droans and nothing starves them sooner than to leave them to their own stock for Praying and Preaching and it 's best that their Ignorance be bewrayed that they may be ashamed and get better instruction and exercise in Spiritual things which are to be guides to other Mens Souls or if they be not ashamed the people may have a full knowledge of them and be wiser than to entrust their Souls in their hands Therefore it 's good that the Props be taken away and it will soon appear whether such pretended Church-pillars be sound or rotten § 14. What is alleadged about Ministers abuse of parts in publick Prayers or want of sufficiency is no forcing Argument for imposing a Form for the abuse of good things is no argument against the use we may as well say Because some will be Drunk therefore none must drink Wine or Beer 2. Insufficient Ministers are to be removed or further instructed if they be capable and willing as Apollo was 3. Are not Church-Prayers lyable also to abuse when used by sottish Priests in a formal customary slovingly and prophane 〈…〉 and a hundred times more wrong done thereby to the honour of Religion and the poor Souls of the people than by some weak expressions and sentences or words struck out of joynt by the laborious faithful and zealous Ministers that conscientiously endeavour to use and improve the Talents given them to the service of Christ the conversion and edification of the Souls of the people FINIS
not onely to the power of Godliness but to common Honesty and Morality 2. If it had been Political Wisdom or Justice to annex such Penalties to Ecclesiastical Laws of any kind sure Christ in whom are all the Treasures of Wisdom would not have been wanting in annexing Penalties of that kind to his own Laws of the greatest and weightiest concern to his Church 3. We judge of the greatness and weighty concern of any Law usually by the greatness of the Penalty annexed in case of transgression and therefore herein we may apprehend that the Churches own Laws challengeth a preheminency before the Laws of Christ's own composure and would this King of kings make onely Laws of lesser concern and substitute others to make the greater this is absurd to believe 4. It is a great piece of pride in Mother-Church to advance her self so far above the Civil State that the Magistrate should become the Executioner of her Laws for the Law-maker hath always a great priority and dignity above the Executioner If it be replied That the Church onely craves the Magistrates assistance to compleat her Ecclesiastical censures and make them stick closer on upon the backs of Offenders Answ Herein the Church bewrays her own weakness in that she confesseth she is not a compleat Polity neither hath power enough to reform her self or effectually enough to execute her own Laws without being beholding to an Exotick power As if a Master of a Family had not power enough to execute Domestick Laws in correcting a Child or Servant without asking his neighbours leave and calling for his assistance But in case the Church saith as indeed she doth that she goeth to the civil Magistrate by way of Appeal and the said Magistrate hath power at his pleasure to supersede her proceedings This is to set the State above the Church in Ecclesiasticks whereas the civil State is Subordinate to the Ecclesiastick ecclesiastically and the Ecclesiastical to the Civil civilly and both in respect of the exercise of Jurisdiction in each particular Orb parallel or co-ordinate § 9. Lastly such Penalties that cannot answer the natural end and designe of Church-censures may not be annexed or used by the Church but such a Penalty answers not c. The Major is undoubted the Minor thus appears 1. Because the Sword of the Magistrate reacheth but the outward man whereas the end of Church-censures is to reach the Conscience 2. The natural use of Church-censures is the exercise of them in foro Ecclesiae but the Coercive power of the Magistrate may not be exercised in foro Ecclesiae upon any allowable pretence whatsoever CHAP. XVII Of the Limits of Magistratical Power in matters of Religion § 1. THe third Enquiry propounded is concerning the true bounds and limits of the Magistrates power in matters of Religion a great and difficult Question but of very great concern to us that it be rightly resolved I do not expect to be so happy as to give others full satisfaction in it I being not able to do it to my self so far as I would I shall onely go as far as I can and is convenient for this undertaking with all possible brevity and demonstration We spake before in the two former Questions concerning the Magistrates power in matters of Indifferency both Legislative and Executive on the behalf of the Church This Question is of larger extent concerning his whole power in matters of Religion and enquire how far he may and ought to go and how far he may not go i. e. he cannot go without Usurpation § 2. Matters of Religion is a large word and it comprehends not onely Religion it self but all circumstances and attendances thereof which are Indifferencies in themselves neither moraly good or evil but in regard of their tendency and respect they are so Concerning the Magistrates Legislative power in these things we have spoken somewhat already I shall speak no more here of the nature of Religion than to make way for my present Undertaking Religion is usually understood to comprehend all moral Duties and all instituted Worship to which if we adde the aforesaid attending circumstances we use a larger way of expression and call them matters of Religion § 3. The Moral Law is a general standing Rule to all sorts of Actions Persons and Societies of the children of men whereby God himself hath challenged the first right of dominion as of particular men so of all necessary Fabricks of Rule and Government in the world So that all Actions Persons and Societies duely measured and squared thereby are rightly called Religious and the contrary Irreligious Hence particular Domestick Ecclesiastick and Civil Jurisdictions in a Christian Commonwealth are in proper sence called all of them Religious § 4. Religion taken in a stricter and more limited sence is understood of a holy life and conversation of particular Persons and Societies not onely according to the general Rules of moral Obedience but according to the more particular and special appointments and Gospel-institutions of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby he separates unto himself the most choice and peculiar Societies in the world under his proper and more immediate Rule and Government which are called his Church § 5. Therefore 1. The civil Christian Magistrate hath no power in the strict sence in matters of Religion quatenus Magistrate no more than a Heathen hath for though the embracing the Christian Religion doth much capacitate the civil Magistrate as to his inclinations and endeavours for the improvement of his Magistratical power toward the advantage of Religion yet it adds no new power or jurisdiction to him over Churches Families Christians or others for a Heathen Magistrate is as much in his place the supream Head and Governmnour of the Church considered in a civil capacity under his Government as the most Faith-defending Christian or Catholick Prince in the world Neither by his embracing Christianity doth he attain any augmentation of his Magistratical Power Headship or Supremacy A Christian is no more bound as a Subject by the Rules of the Gospel to a Christian Magistrate than to a Heathen or Heretical Magistrate The Rules are indefinite to a Magistrate as such though a Christian Subject will be the better man and Subject and a Christian Magistrate the better man and Magistrate Christianity making every one the better man and better qualified for the performance of the relative Duty of his place that he is set in § 6. Secondly No civil Magistrate can be an Ecclesiastical Head and Governour of the Church as such It 's Christ's Prerogative to be the Supream and to constitute what other Heads and Governours he in his wisdom thinks best But I finde not that he ever made any Magistrate a constitutive Ecclesiastical Head or Governour to his Church virtute Officii for if so in every Christian Dominion the Prince should be the Metropolitan and the true Pastor to that National Church § 7. Thirdly No civil Magistrate can by virtue of