and Wolvish Nature and a certain sign that such are none of Christs Sheep These are the bitter expressions which our sweet-natur'd and tender-hearted Answerer hath not met with among his Socinian acquaintance and which his meek and gentle Spirit cannot bear against his Brethren But the Reverend and Pious Dr. More farther tells us That the cruel and bloody Persecution of the true and living Members of the Kingdom of Christ for their faithful adhering to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign who is stiled King of Kings and Lord of Lords is certainly the most signal and capital Antichristianism that any Policy can be corrupted with and the most grossly and visibly opposite both to the nature of Christianity which beareth all things and endureth all things which will not be over severe to the wicked much less cruel to the good And also to the description of Christs Government who is said to redeem the Souls of the needy from deceit and violence and that their blood is precious in his sight he shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather his Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his bosom This is the genuine Spirit of the true Christian Pastors whether of higher or lower degree to be thus tenderly affected towards their Sheep But such as thwack and beat them and violently drive them instead of going before them in a way of Christian example these are not Shepherds but Butchers and will easily drive them to the Shambles and see their throats cut without remorse This being the genuine Spirit as he truly says of the true Christian Pastors to be thus tenderly affected towards their Sheep what shall we judge of those who not only thwack and beat and violently drive them but are so tenderly affected towards their Persecutors they cannot bear their being hardly spoken of And how impertinent are we here told while inquiring only after the nature of those who persecute upon the accouut of Religion of the enacting Laws to punish those that violate and deflowr Religion as if to persecute for Religion and punish the Violaters of Religion were the same thing We diswade not as he insinuates inflicting punishments upon sensual and unrighteous Persons such as violate the Laws of either Table and are far from thinking Christian Justice and Righteousness inconsistent with Clemency and Lenity of Spirit Yet is it neither just nor righteous to Execute before Judgement And as our Blessed Saviour is stiled the Shepherd of Souls and as he says That Title imports that he would have not only his Lambs and Sheep fed but grievous Wolves watch and their mouths stopt too when they devour the flock and teach things which they ought not for filthy Lucre ' s sake It becomes a duty to stop his mouth who endeavours what he can that Christs flock should be devoured teaching notorious untruths and things which he ought not for filthy Lucer's sake Nor will it I doubt advantage him That as Christ is a meek Saviour to returning sinners so he is a terrible Judge to Apostates and evil doers while he continues a Persecutor since against such as himself hath told us His Arrows are ordain'd And though as he says he begins to Execute vengeance in this world by raising up men of undaunted Spirits who make Righteousness the girdle of their Loins and Judgement their Robe and Diadem to succour his Church support his Worship and punish his Enemies yet such will never persecute for Religion nor think those to give ill example unto others or to become Schismatical and disorderly in their Stations who serve God according to the rule and order of the Gospel nor judge any evil Doers for rendring unto him the Homage due from the Creature to the Creator seeing by this no occasion is given to the Enemy to reproach and blaspheme the good ways of God whatever occasion some Cainish or Ishmalitish spirits may thence take so to do But for such as have erred and strayed from the flock of Christ or neglect the Christian duties he requires of them let the Magistrate in Gods name and by the ways and means of his appointment reduce or otherwise punish them no good Christian will certainly ever be displeased thereat But says our Answerer 'T is no indication of any such nature as the Query mentions to punish evil Doers It is not indeed nor does the Query say it is but to persecute on the account of Religion as Cain persecuted Abel Ishmael Isaac c. and as their followers at this day persecute such as are more righteous than themselves is an Indication of such a nature as the Query mentions And now if Magistrates will not do as he would have them He declares them wickedly unjust and all those terrible Epithetes mentioned in the Query to be ascribed to them what then is it he would have them to do To break the Jaw-bone of the wicked and pluck the spoil out of their teeth So would every honest and good man To repay men according to their deeds fury to his Adversaries and recompence to his Enemies and who desires not the same to imploy their Powr for his honour from whom it descends nothing sure is more just Not to permit the Christian Faith to be torn in pieces by a thousand Sects and Factions and Wolves to prey upon Christs flock This above all is indeed their duty and 't were to be wished they would carefully observe it and not suffer much less assist any to impose their thoughts or fancies in the Agenda and Credenda of the Gospel upon others but permit the Scriptures to be the Sole Rule of all mens Faith and Obedience in all Gospel Duties and Administrations Nothing being more evident than that particular Churches or Persons assuming to themselves a Power to Decree Articles of Faith and impose them upon others is that which hath torn the Christian Faith in pieces and divided the Church into Sects and Factions and which gives opportunity unto Wolves to prey upon Christ's flock and to the great Enemy of mankind and his wicked Instruments to sport themselves in her ruine corrupting the worship of God with their additions and bringing scorn and contempt upon all the Offices of Christianity and the whole Ministry thereof Let all men saith the Learned and Judicious Mr. Chillingworth Believe the Scripture and that only and endeavour to believe it in the true sense and require no more of others and they shall find this not only a better but the only means to suppress Heresies and restore Vnity For he that believes the Scripture sincerely and endeavours to believe it in the true sense cannot possibly be an Heretick And if no more than this were required of any man to make him capable of the Churches Communion then all men so qualified though they were different in opinion yet notwithstanding any such difference must be of necessity one in Communion And if as he
So that it is not the Church of England that approves or allows of Force in Religion or that Carnal weapons are to be used in the Christian warfare but such of her Degenerate and Base Sons only as forsake the Law of their Mother For as he hath well observ'd Humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed Form without and â—thism within which should make it to be abhorr'd and detested by all sincere and good Christians And surely the Church of England who decryes and so highly condemnes blind Obedience in the Duties of Religion can never Approve or Allow of Forceing any therein against their Light and Judgments which is certainly the worst of blind Obediences For since Whatever is not of Faith is sin Whatever a man does against his Faith or Conscience must needs be much more so And as the Church of England neither Approves nor Allows of Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion and much less that any should be therein required to do ought against their Light or Judgments which were to sin against their Consciences So she as little Allows or Approves of Persecuting or any wayes Molesting or Troubling any for the real performance of any truly Christian Exercise of Religien Nor I dare presume to say does any Law of England Allow or Countenance much less Command or Require any such thing though too many have Misconstru'd and Misapply'd the late Act for Preventing and Supressing Seditious Conventicles to the Disturbing and Punishing I may say Ruining of many Peaceable and Pious people for Meeting only really and truly to Worship and serve God For the Act does not say if any person or persons above such a number shall meet to Worship God truly and sincerely in other manner than according to the Liturgy c. They shall incurre the Penalty mention'd But where any Person c. shall be present at any Meeting under Colour or Pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England c. It shall and may be Lawful c. The Act certainly does not prohibit or punish any real and truly Christian Exercise of Religion for if it did it were Ipso Facto null and void as being against the Law of God But if it be objected it appears not whether their Worship be Sincere or Pretended only and the Law prohibites such a number to meet under any colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner then according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England and punishes those that transgress the same 'T is answer'd that all Pretences ought in Charity to be believ'd where no Over-act discovers the Hypocrisie or falsehood of the mind But since there is so little Charity amongst men let it be shown wherein the Exercises of Religion which some have been pleased to punish by vertue or colour rather of that Law were in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England If it be said they ought to be perform'd in the very words of the Liturgy it is more than the Act sayes And the Practice of the Church of England has ever allowed men to pray even in Publick in other words than are prescribed in the Liturgy Our Blessed Saviour teaching his Disciples to pray said unto them After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in Heaven c. And yet we do not find in Scripture where their Prayers are often Recorded that they ever prayed by that Form but in other words agreeing for matter and yet they were accepted There are none therefore I hope will say they disobeyed their Lord and Master by praying in other manner than he taught and commanded them because they prayed not by that Form No more do they transgress the Law against praying in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England who pray not by the words of the Liturgy while they pray in other words agreeing with it for matter What pretence then can any have to Charge the Author of these Queries with Libelling the Church and State since they reflect on neither nor Cinsure or by any undue surmises condemn ought that they approve or allow of Nay is it not unreasonable to account that a Crime in any one which is the duty of every one viz. To endeavour by all lawfull wayes and means that all that would might lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty which they can never do who are forced to Profess what they believe not and in the duties of Religion to practice what they approve not which is to live in a perpetual lye The question here is not whether what is required of any be in it self sinful or unlawful but whether they who judge it so be it through Ignorance or otherwise can without sinning conform to it There is no doubt and question but that many may and do live Godly Holily and Righteously in the Exercise of that Religion which to others would be Damnable for to him who esteemeth a thing unclean to him it is so though in it self it may be pure So he that doubteth is damned if he eat while others perswaded of the lawfulness thereof may safely use their Liberty Pleading therefore against Force in Religion we neither condemn nor censure this or that Religion which teaches not that Sanguinary Doctrine but would that every one should be fully perswaded in his own mind the Religion he Embraceth and Professeth is what God wills and requires of him since whatever is not of Faith is sin and Faithin all things respects the Commands and Authority of God It were indeed heartily to be wisht that all were of a mind as to the due performance of this great and indispensable duty the Worship of God But this is rather to be wished then hoped for while there are men truly fearing God and those whose fear of him is taught by the Precept of men There are saith our Lerrned and Judicious Mr. Chillingworth But two wayes that may be conceived probable to reduce Christians to unity of Communion The one by taking away diversity of Opinions touching matters of Religion the other by shewing that the diversity of Opinions which is among the several Sects of Christians ought to be no hindrance to their unity in Communion Now the former of these saith he is not to be hoped for without a Miracle unless it could be made evident to all men that God hath appointed some visible Judge of Controversies to whose Judgment all men are to submit themselves What then remains but that the other way must be taken and Christians must be taught to set a higher value upon these high points of Faith and Obedience wherein they agree than upon those matters of less moment wherein they differ and
all those Acts flow from Conscience It were indeed a very strange thing if it should be so But who tells him that no Coercieve Power must be used against those Criminals whose actions flow from Conscience or who Questions the Magistrates Authority to punish such as blaspheme God or Christ or Religion or that they who speak lyes in the name of God and Preach and Teach them in Hypocrasie may not be punisht for it when prov'd against them But we still say That to Execute before Conviction and Judgement is against all Rules and Forms of Justice both Divine and Humane and such a violation of the Law and light of Nature as no Sober or Judicious Heathen was ever yet guilty off But the whole of this discourse is grounded on this absurdity which the Query gives not the least countenance unto viz. That none ought to be punisht for what they do according to their Consciences which no man sure in his senses ever affirm'd every man being to be proceeded against by the Civil Magistrateâ— according to the Nature and quality of his offence be it never so much according to his Conscience if it be that which ought not to be But he tells us every Christian is to act out of a Principle of Conscience in the duties of the second Table as well as in those of the first which no man sure ever doubted off Nor did any rational man ever say That Conscience was a sufficient plea against the Coercive Power of Kings The Magistrate may certainly Enact Penal Laws against Murther Felony and the like moral evils whatever he may do against Infidelity Schism Heresie or errors in Religion and yet may not force or compel any in the Worship and Service of God to act against their Light and Consciences The Question here is not whether the Magistrate may use his Coercive Power to punish for sin but whether he may compel men to sin as most certainly they do who compel them to worship God in any other way or manner then they are perswaded God will be worship't and requires of them Query XV. Whether to require conformity in Practice where there is difference in Judgement be not to command a man to act against light and Conscience and consequently to sin Reply to the Answer to this Query TO the Question he proposes I answer The Superiour not only may but ought to take care to act according to the Dictates of his Conscience as well as the Inferiour to practice according to his which is yet no answer to this Query For as it is the Magistrates duty to cause as much as in him lyes those under his charge to serve God acceptably so it is not his duty to command them to serve God in such a way or manner as they judge sinfull or not according to Gods Institution and appointment He ought indeed to endeavour their Conviction by all due and just means whom he Judgeth in any kind to err but not to force them to any thing in the Worship and Service of God against their Judgements since as hath been often inculcated whatever is not of faith is sin But if there be any who as he says conceive it their duty to serve God in such ways and methods as are Diametrically contrary to Gods will and subversive to the Magistrates Government let them be Impleaded and punisht after due Conviction and Judgement but not before 'T is not impossible but a Governour may think himself bound in Conscience to command what an Inferiour may be perswaded he ought not to obey The Superiours Conscience being as certain a Rule in commanding as the Inferiours can be to him in disobeying but with our Answerers good leave this is not as he says the case between the King of England and the present Dissenters from the Church His Majesty having sufficiently declared in his late gracious Declaration of Indulgence that it is not against his Conscience to give liberty to Dissenters But how flily would he insinuate here That it is against his Coronation Oath so to do in that he says His Majesty swears That he will defend and preserve to the Clergy all Canonicall Priviledges c. And how this Oath can be performed unless the Clergy have now the like Priviledge as heretofore to Burn Masacre and Destroy the faithfull Servants and Disciples of Jesus Christ and true worshippers of God under pretence of their being Hereticks and Schismaticks may possibly as he says be past his Power to conceive and determine For nothing less it seems will satisfie him Then all the Canonicall Priviledges and Free-Franchises granted to the Clergy by the glorious St. Edward and other Kings and what they were may deserve consideration But as he very well says every Prince owes a strict account to God of his Crown and Government and the Dignity of his place obliges him to promote the happiness of his people which certainly he does not who permits a Generation of men under the pretext of the Power of the Gospel to trample by the Power of the world mankind under their feet even Princes themselves where they are able which if seemly in their eyes is not so I hope in others Whether differnce in Judgement will justifie any man from Inconformity in Practice He advises his Reader to consider the strict account Christ called the Angel of the Church in Thyatira to for suffering that woman Jezabel to teach and seduce his Servants and would be resolved whether the Bishop or Angel might not have excused his own neglects by pleading for Jezabel That her Judgement differ'd from his and to make her practice things quite contrary to her Judgement was that Christ never did in the days of his flesh It was an Invasion of the freedom of mens wills and the Liberty of their Consciences It was a constraining of them to act against their own Light and consequently to sin Risum tenaatis Amici can any forbear laughter at such ridiculous reasonings is not this Answerer able to distinguish between commanding to sin and restraining from sin Had the Angel of the Church in Thyatira been call'd to an account for Jezabels non-conformity such a Plea might have been pertinent but his Crime was not the making her practice things contrary to her Judgement which yet to have done might have been a Crime but the suffering her to Teach and Seduce without controle without contending for the Truth and opposing it to her Errors which would not have been a constraining her to act against her light but the enlighting her sound Doctrine diligently and duly taught being sufficient against Seducers We had not else heard of many Truths of the Gospel at this day there being neither in the days of Jezabel nor long after any Christian Magistrate in the World to protect or defend them What the Reverend Mr. Perkings says of restraining error is nothing to this Query which opposes only the compelling to sin yet we would as much as any
against the Dictates of their Consciences And whether this or that particular commanded by Superiours in the Worship and Service of God be agreable with or contrary to the Law of God none may judge for another every mans Reason as the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet hath truly told us proceeding according to the rule of Gods word must therein be his own Judge Query XVII Whether it be not the duty of all Christians to walk together so far as they have attain'd and in other things wait the Revelation of the mind of God to them that differ Reply to the Answer to this Query OUr Answerer acknowledges what none can reasonably deny That every Christian is bound to frame and order the course of his life according to the measures of his knowledge And he is so in an especial manner in all the exercises of Religion in which none ought to be forc't beyond what God hath been pleased to reveal of his mind and will unto them for where any are not convinc't of the lawfulness of an action to do it to them 〈◊〉 is sin though the thing it self may not be unlawfull Nor is every one who is not of his Superiours opinion to be censur'd by this Answerer as willfull in retaining error or opiniotive in dispising those who have more knowledge then himself 'T is not impossible but Superiours may err and God approves not of blind obedience because he will not as the Reverend and Learned Bishop Davenant tells us hold them excused who with a blind zeal follow their Leaders But who are they this Answerer terms weak Christians and Babes in knowledge If such as make Conscience of their ways and actions and out of fear of offending God dare not Conform to what they are not convinc't of the lawfulness of they are so far from being weak they will one day appear to be the wisest Christians Let us not therefore judge one another but judge this rather That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way And though he tells us Babes in knowledge are not fit to be intrusted with their own Conduct and Protection c. there are those Babes to whom God hath revealed those things he hath hid from the Wise and Prudent What he says of Childrens being cccker'd and upheld in their humours is extreamly impertinent here and nothing to this Query But he tells us If men would live up to the plain Principles of their Religion or walk together so far as they have attain'd They could not possibly conceive it their duty totally to forsake their Parochial Churches and think it an arbitrary indifferent matter whether they professed themselves Christians or Infidels What he means by totally to forsake their Parochial Churches I know it there being those who though they cannot communicate with every Parochial Church nor yet with any Parochial Church in every thing are yet ready and willing to communicate with them in all Christian Offices and duties of Religion seperated from those circumstances or Adjuncts of worship of Humane Institution of whose lawfulness they are not satisfied who do not therefore totally forsake them much less think it an Arbitrary indifferent matter whether they profess themselves Christians or Infidels though they believe not all Profession of Christianity to consist in Communicating with Parochiall Churches As for his Scorners and Infidels Chair it might very well have been spared here neither this nor any of these Queries giving the least countenance or incouragement unto such or that any should go unpunisht for the neglect or contempt of Christianity An Inferiours differing in Judgement from his Superiour ought to excite his utmost â—are and diligence to search and find out the Truth But will not warrant his yielding blind obedience to any of his Dictates Be ye 〈◊〉 not the Servants of men is a Divine precept which must take place in the duties of Religion or no where Yet ought not any to Condemn a whole Church or withdraw from its Communion but where there are so great corruptions and defects in it and those too so plain and evident from Scripture as may justifie both his charge and seperation but of them the party seperating must still Judge It is the highest Vsurpation saith the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet to rob men of the Liberty of their Judgements That which we plead for against the Papists is That all men have eyes in their heads as well as the Pope that every one hath a Judicium privatae Discretionis which is the Rule of Practice as to himself and though we freely allow a Ministerial Power under Christ in the Governours af the Church yet that extends not to an obligation upon men to go against the Dictates of their Reason and Conscience Their Power is only directive and declarative and in matters of duty can bind no more then Reason and Evidence brought from Scripture by them doth Though in all Ages Christians of different opinions and perswasions may have Communicated with one another in the Offices of Religion wherein they agreed which is but what this Query calls for yet they never Communicated with one another at least ought not so to have done in those things they judg'd sinfull or superstitious nor forced each other thereunto But the Orthodox the Arians and the Novatians might lawfully enough joyn together in Prayer where their errors were not mixt with their Prayers and made a part of their worship And in that Christ and his Apostles as he says frequented the publick Assemblies both in the Temple and Synagogues it is evident though the worshippers many of them at least were guilty of great corruptions and impieties yet their worship it self was free from them they could not else have Communicated with them in their worship and not have Communicated with them in their corruptions and impieties which were Blasphemous to imagine And though our Blessed Saviour Incouraged all due Reverence and Ohedience to be paid to publick Laws and Governours in commanding the multitude to do whatever the Scribes and Pharisees who sate in Moses seat bid them to observe and do yet it was to be understood when according to Moses Law not that they had Power to ad â—o or diminish fâ—om what God had appointed or were implicity to be obeyed He having elswhere charged his Disciples to Take heed and beware of the leaven i. e. Doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces So that though all due Rererence and Obedience be to be paid to publick Laws and Governours yet is not blind Obedience to be yielded unto either being inconsistent with those Gospel precepts which command us to Prove all things To take heed that no man deceive as and as hath been said That we be not the Servants of men for that every ome must give an account of himself to God When he says That God hath made sufficient discoveries of
his blessed Will to us in his holy word What us does he mean For we cannot but think it all mens duty with the Psalmist still to pray That God would open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law There being an Illumination of the Spirit of God necessary for the right understanding of those things that are revealed in the word of God which is it seems a revelation this Answerer is yet unacquainted with for though the Gospel be written the saving Truths thereof are hid to those whom the God of this world hath blinded This Query therefore grounded on tâ—e Apostles advice to the Philippians intends only the Revelation there mentioned which we hope is no Enthusiasm By saying In doubts relating to Religion men would do better to resign up themselves to the Fathers of the Church and seek satisfaction from the Prists lips then attend to the Dictates of their own dark minds He plainly enough tells what he would be at and that 't is blind obedience he would bring us to But before we thus resign up our selves both Soul and Body unto any let him tell us who amongst the many pretenders are those Fathers of the Church to whom he would have us thus to resign up ourselves our Blessed Saviour himself having commanded us to Beware of false Prophets and the Holy Apostle not to believe every Spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God By which 't is evident there belongs by Divine Right unto all Christians notwithstanding their dark minds a private discretive and self-directive Judgement by vertue whereof they not only ought to prove all things recommended to them by their Teachers but even to judge of their Teachers themselves between the true and the false between the Messengers of Christ and the Messengers of Antichrist so far is it from the mind of God that any should pin their Faith upon their Teachers sleeves Captivate their Judgements unto theirs and believe and do whatever they shall think meet It were indeed happy if men could receive satisfaction from the Priests lips as those which should keep knowledge But it may be said to too many of them in our days as the Prophet said to them of old Ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant nant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the People according as ye have not kept my ways but have been partial in the Law Query XVIII Whether in these duties whereon Eternity depends it be not the highest absurdity to force any against their own light to be guided by others who are not infallible Reply to the Answer to this Query 'T Is no very pleasing imployment to have to do with those who either do not or will not understand the Questions they take upon them to answer But 't is that we must be content with in this Contest What this Answerer finds in this Query inferring a necessity of Infallibility in all Guides and Governours whether Sacred or Civil we are yet to seek there being as we conceive some difference between being guided in duties of Religion by those that are fallible which we never thought unreasonable and being forced to follow them therein against a mans own light and knowledge which is the thing here question'd It being an implicit Faith and blind obedience only and even the worst of these a mans acting against his own light and Conscience and only in the concerns of Eternity that this Query opposeth And where hath this been as he tells us before answer'd Or to what purpose doth he here tell us It is no higher absurdity in these days of the Gospel for men in matters of Religion to be guided by a Learned and Pious Minister and much more by all the Governours of a National Church then it was under the Mosaick Oeconomy to seek the Law at the Priests mouth who was the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts since we never denyed either but say that blind obedience was never to be yielded unto any much less that any ought to be forc't in any Religious duties against their own light The Priests lips indeed should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth but as hath been before said they departed out of the way they caused many to stumble at the Law and corrupted the Covenant of Levi So that a Judgement of discretion was then as well as now to be exercised by the people and they were not always to hearken unto the words of the Prophets that Prophesied unto them their directions and instructions therefore with this Answerers good leave might sometimes be rejected And since our Blessed Saviour hath himself commanded us to Beware of false Prophets and the Apostle not to believe every Spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God it is undoubtedly the duty of all Christians to examine the Authority and Mission of their Teachers and to Query who are the true and who the false who the Messengers of Christ who of Antichrist that so they may receive the one and reject the other with all their Doctrines and Instructions if upon trial they square not with the Rule by which they are commanded to prove them Yet does not this render as he says the Ministry of the Christian Church much less all Offices and Dignities of the Commonwealth void and useless It only cautions Christians not to esteem of them above what is meet in yielding that blind obedience the Gospel Prohibits and which is unbecoming the nature and being of a Rational Creature to give when therefore God commands the people to obey those that have the Rule over them and to submit to them as they that watch for their Souls It is to be understood so far forth only as they Teach according to the Rule of his word their Authority as we have before told you from the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet Being only directive and declarative and in matters of duty can bind no farther then Reason and Evidence brought from Scripture by them doth But he goes on with his Infallibility and says the Argument holds as much against any Judge or Magistrate in the civil concerns of Humane life as against the Ministry of the Church But he may be therein mistaken for 't is all mens Interest to acquiesce in the Determinations of civil Judicatories in the concerns of Humane life how Erronious or unjust soever they may apprehend them to be for the preservation of a greater good publick peace and quiet but that will never make it reasonable in the concerns of Eternity which admit of no compensation for a man to put out his own eyes to be guided by others who perhaps see no better it may be not so well as himself For we do not say it is absurd for a man to be
Christian duties which God requires of them Query XXIII Whether are they who separate or they who give the cause of separation the Schismaticks Reply to the Answer to this Query WE have here a full and satisfactory Answerâ—r In that it is acknowledg'd That not they who separate but they who give just cause of separation are the Schismaticks But then he tells us St. Paul hath as clearly and fully determin'd this Query as if it had been proposed in his days Though you will find him here as well as elsewhere to handle the word of God deceitfully For St. Paul in that place speaks only of the duty of Servants exhorting those who are under the Yoke to count their Masters though Infidels worthy of all honour and not to depise their believing Masters because they are Brethren but rather do them service because they are Faithful and beloved and these things he directs Timothy to Teach and Exhort and then sâ—bjoyns If any man teach otherwise c. He is proud c. Where observe how instead of Master he foists in Superiour a word of a more extensive signification for though every Master be a Superiour every Superiour is not a Master and yet we do not say that obedience may be withdrawn from Superiours of any kind Christianity laying the greatest obligation immaginable upon its Professors to be obedient to their Superiours But as the Authority of Superiours is not despotical or absolute so neither ought the obedience of Inferiours to be blind or Brutish both the one and the other being regulated by a Supream Power For where Superiours have no Right to command there lyes no obligation on Inferiours to obey So that whether Conformists in commanding or Non-conformists in not obeying are the Schismaticks depends on the formers having right and Authority to require what the latter judges sinful or unlawful to observe which being beyond the present Question we shall not meddle with But he tells us If the Church of England had forsaken the common Faith it had been no Schism to forsake the Church of England and if she did so and so then that command in the Revelation Come out of her my people c. had been applicable to our Dissenters Bâ—t this is still but pretended being against his principle of blind obedience and mens resigning up themselves to the Fathers of the Church without leaving them so much as a Power to Examine what is commanded for where that is there must likewise be allowed a dissent in all things they judge evil or unlawful And though he tells us A good Christian ought as much to dread the imposing upon his Judgement an Assent to known errors and upon his Practice the acting of known Sins as the suffering the very pains of Hell it self he does we doubt but equivocate alallowing none to be known errors or known sins but such as Superiours shall judge so for if he allow Inferiours to judge thereof and act accordingly there is no difference between us But having told us what the Church of England does not he now tells us what many of our Dissenters do And first he says They Question not only the Power of Bishop to Govern the Church but that of Kings to make Laws for the Security of their own Crown and Government as well as the common Christianity If such there are I am sure no sober or Rational man will justifie or excuse them in it That they make the people Judges of their own Pastors c. That they may have reason for how else can they beware of false Prophets and try the spirits as they are commanded or distinguish between the Ministers of Christ and the Ministers of Antichrist But no sober man sure will allow any to withdraw their obedience from those who are lawfully Ordain'd and ought to superintend over them That they forsake their old guides c. This is but the old Popish objection new vampt nor is such forsaking Criminal but where causeless And who are they that renounce in their Assemblies as he says the ancient Creeds which were in all Ages esteemed the Badges of Christianity And wherein lyes the Crime of not reading the Scriptures to the people without expounding them But sure they make it not indifferent to be of any Communion who are so great sufferers because they cannot be so And if as he says they gather Churches not only without but against all Aâ—thority Let him not be thereat troubled since every Plant which our Heavenly Father hath not Planted shall be rootâ—d up Which is due or undue ordination will hardly be determin'd till we have an affirmative Answer to the sixth Query But 't were happy for the Church of God if none who are not gifted and qualified for the work of the Ministry were empower'd to read Sermons in the Pulpit Prophane the Sacraments c. But who are they that as he says Evacuate one main Article of the Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church besides himself and the Papists All others believe their is one Catholick Church but do not believe in one Catholick Church we are taught to believe only in God not in the Church but he it seems hath resign'd up his Faith to the Fathers of the Church believing only as the Church believes No wonder therefore he should talk of a Yearly Monthly and Daily Faith which his Principles lead him to if he chance so oft to change his Fathers or they their Faith Who they are that go out of their Callings and Stations to Usurp the Office of Bishops as well as of the Inferiour Clergy will hardly be determin'd here Yet I shall tell him what a Reverend and Learned Prelate of the Church of England once answer'd to the like objection So long said he as they taught the same Doctrine which the Apostles did they had the same Power and Authority to Preach which they had biding them to keep their competent Jurisdictions Judicial Cognitions and legal Decisions to themselves For that as he truly told them The Son of God first founded and still gathereth his Church by the mouths of Preachers not by the Summons of consistories and he that is sent to Preach may not hold his Tongue and tarry till my Lord the Pope and his Miter'd Fathers can intend to meet and list to consent to the ruine as they think of their Dignities and Liberties But to return to our Answerer How do they as he says break the bonds of Vnity and Line of Apostolical Succession who adhere to the Universal and Uniform Law of the Gospel or do not they rather break both who make their own or other mens wills the Rule of the Churches and found their Ordination on uncertain tradition I know of no Dissenters that obtrude Oaths and Covenants as he says on their Proselites though it be no Crime for Christians to Covenant to serve God as God wil be serv'd Every man hath a Judgement of discretion Which is the
says To tolerate unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers who vent their idle fancies to corrupt and withdraw others from the simplicity of the Truth be an Indication of more cruelty than to Tollerate so many Thieves and Murtherers upon publick Roades and Highways This Answerer is by no means to be tollerated having manifested himself so unruly and vain a Talker and Deceiver as he hath done Query XXVII Whether can any think That they who Persecute Christ in his Members despoiling them of their goods and Imprisoning their Persons and that too for their faithful adhering to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign will speed better at the great day of account than those whom Christ himself hath told us shall be then rejected but for not visiting and relieving his poor Members when in want in sickness or any other Adversity Reply to the Answer to this Query INstead of Answering this Query 'T is very judiciously objected It hath many things questionable in it And with as great Judgement and to as little purpose he likewise tell us That none are true Members of Christ besides those that are Vnited to his Church for that Christ is the Head and his Church his Body and as he also judiciously observes no one can be a Member belonging to the Head unless he be some way or other Vnited to the Body But sure our Answerer is the first pretended Christian that ever questioned the soundness of Christs Body the Holy Catholick Church or that a Christians joyning to it might endanger his internal Vnion to Christ who is Hâ—â—d And wherefore doth he here tell us what the Query neither denies nor questions That the Church of England is a sound part of the Catholick Church unless to manifest his Dialectick Art in proving That whoever in any thing withdraw themselves from any part of Christs Body cut themselves off from Christ the Head and therefore they who withdraw Communion from the Church of England though but in the least minute Circumstances or Ceremonies belong not unto Christ. So that it seems with this Learned and Judicious Answerer out of the Ceremonial Pale of the Church of England there is no Salvation and if any are punisht for so cuting themselves off from Christ the Head their punishment is no persecution Quod erat demonstrandum Great wits according to the Proverb have short memories he could not else have so soon forgotten which he but now reprov'd the Independants for viz. Their evaâ—uating one main Article of the Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church For that as he said They restrained it to themselves whereas he so restrains it to the Church of England as that he allows of none withdrawing themselves from her Communion to belong unto Christ the one main Article therefore of his Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church is it seems Faith in the Church of England or rather Faith in whatever Church is uppermost And though out of her there is no Salvation yet for Arguments sake he will suppose That those who separate from her Communion even in her very Ceremonies are notwithstanding such their separation real Members of Christs mystical body yet none of them he says are persecuted for their faithful adhering unto Christ or the undoubted and plain commands of their Heavenly Soveraign nor does the Query say they are But supposing as he supposeth That any should be punisht for assembling together to Pray or partake of the Ordinances of the Gospel which Christ hath Instituted and requires the observation of would not such be persecuted for their faithful adhering unto Christ and to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign But says our Answerer Let the Gentleman produce one Person that ever suffer'd for performing any essential duty of Christian Religion We know not what he may esteem an essential duty of Christian Religion who is one with him who declares the outward worship of God to be no part of Religion But if he will allow Praying Preaching and Administring the Sacraments to be essential duties of the Christian Religion as by all good Christians they have hitherto been esteemed He need not go beyond his own Parish to meet with those who have suffer'd and deeply suffer'd even by his Instigation for the performance of those duties But he tells us 'T is not for the performance of those duties but for the disorderly and Irregular way of performing them that they are punisht Very good By what Rule then does he judge the way of their performance Disorderly and Irregular all order consisting in the due observation of some Rule Now if he will tell us of any Rule they therein transgress which he will abide by he hath said something to the purpose He tells us indeed They are punisht for not doing them in that due manner as is enjoyn'd them by their Superiours yet does not say The injunction of Superiours is the Rule whereby they are to be perform'd Nay he says If the Governours of the Church did command a worship that were Idolatrous or superstitious or did appoint vain foolish and ridiculous Ceremonies they were not therein to be complyed with So that the Injunctions or Commands of Superiours are not by his own confession this Rule But he tells us They are punisht for being disorderly in their Stations and Callings and for being disobedient to Government and Laws If by being disorderly in their Stations and Callings he means as he elsewhere says Their Vsurping the Office of Bishops as well as of the Inferiour Clergy He hath thereon already had the Judgement of as Learned and Judicious a Divine as most the Church of England can boast of And for their being disobedient though he hath advised us to resign up our selves unto the Fathers of the Church He hath not yet told us they are to be obeyed in whatever they shall or may command us So that neither can the commands of Governours nor Laws of Superiours be this Rule nor indeed ought else but the will of God revealed in his word To the Law and to the Testimony was the old Rule and the Divine Institution is still the only Rule to judge of the Orderly and Disorderly performance of all Religious duties â— by and if the manner of their performance be not according unto this Rule it is indeed Disorderly and Irregular and suffering upon that account may be esteemed a punishment rather then a persecution as may likewise their sufferings who are disobedient to the Laws and Governments of men in all civil and secular matters and concerns and theirs also who censure the Actions of Authority Vsurp the Office of the Ministry endanger the peace of the State and violate the Vnity of the Church Nor are there greater violaters of the Churches Unity than they who impose on Christs Disciples other conditions of Church-fellowship and Communion than Christ or his Apostles ever enjoyned or required And so far I agree with