those that Persecute for Religion are Irreligious 2dly The next Cause of Persecution is the gross but general Mistake which People are under concerning the Nature of the Church Kingdom of Christ for the lamentable Worldliness of mens minds hath put them upon those Carnal Constructions which have made way for all the external Coertion and Violence used by bad and suffer'd by good Men on the score of Religion from the beginning And no wonder if ordinary Persons tumble upon this Construction when the Disciples of Jesus shew'd themselves so ill read in the Mysteries of his Kingdom that after all the Intimacy they had had with him they resrain'd not to ask When shall the Kingdom be restored to Israel They look't abroad had a Worldly Idea in their minds Jew like they waited for external Deliverance from the Power of the Romans rather then an Internal Salvation from the Dominion of Satan and interpreted that to Worldly loss and freedom which did relate to the loss and Redemption of the Soul but Jesus taught them better things yet so as not to deny or flatly discourage and rebuke them that though true might have been more then they could have borâ— therefore he winds off with them upon the Time and the Season of the thing knowing that the Time was at hand that they should be better taught and satisfied of the nature of his Kingdom unto which he referred them When the Spirit of Truth comes it shall lead you into all Truth c. That the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World has been before observed and the Reason is so great that all men of common Sense must allow it upon Christ's Principle for says he then would my Servants fight for me truly implying that because the Kingdoms of this World are evidently set up and maintained by Worldly Force and that he will have no Worldly Force used in the Business of his Kingdom therefore it is not of this World Consequently those that attempt to set up his Kingdom by Worldly Force or make that their Pretence to use it are none of his Servants they are truly but Men of this World such as seek an Earthly and not an Heavenly Kingdom themselves and not Christ Jesus Where by the way let me observe That though the Jews to engage Pilate the more easily to their side impeach't Christ of being an Eâ—â—e my to Casar they were Enemies and He a Friend to Caesar for he came to reform the Lives of Men to make them better Subjects to obey Caesar not for Fear but for Conscience sake so would Caesar's Provinec have been easie and safe But the Jews would have had him Caesar's Enemy one that should have forcibly rescued them from Caesar's Power they waited for a Captain General to begin the Revolt and with an high Hand to over bear and captive Caesar as he had done them and 't is more than probable that his Appearance being to another End they therefore rejected him their Heart being set upon this But to return Christ told his Disciples that he had chosen them out of the World how not to converse or live bodily in it no such matter but he had chosen or singled them from the Nature Spirit Glory Policy and Pomp of this World How Persons so qualified can make a Worldly Church or Kingdom unless they desert Christ's Doctrine is past my Skill to tell So that the Capacity that Christians stand in to Christ is Spiritual and not Worldly or Carnal and therefore not Carnal or Worldly but Spiritual Methods and Weapons only are to be used to inform or reclaim such as are Ignorant or DisobediÌ„ent And if we will give Antient Story credit we shall find that Worldly Weapons were never employed by the Christian Church till the became Worldly and so ceast to be truly Christian But why should I say the Church the most abused word in the World her Leaders have taught her to eâ—â— and that of believing as the Church believes is so far from being true in point of Faith as well as Reason that the Church her self his ever believed as the Clergy that is the Priests believed since that sort of Men have practised Distinction from and Superiority upon the Laity He that will peruse the Ecclesiastical Story delivered us by Eusebius Pamphili Secrates Scholasticns Evagrius Ruffinus Sozomen c. will find but too many and sad Instances of the Truth of this In short Peoples apprehending the Church and Kingdom of Christ to be Visible and Worldly like other Societies and Government have thought it not only to be Lawful but Necessary to use the Arts and Force of this World to support that Church and Kingdom especially since this Interest of Religion hath been embodied with that of the Civil Magistrate for from that time he hath been made Custos utriusque tabulae and such as offend though about Church Matters have been reputed Transgressors against the State and consequently the State interested in punishing the Offence Whereas had Christians remain'd in their primitive Simplicity and Purity in the Self-denying Patient and Suffering Doctrine of Christ Christianity had stood in Holy Living not in Worldly Regiment and its Compulsion would have been Love its Arms Reason and Truth and its utmost Rigour even to obstinate Enemies or Apostates but Renouncing of their Communion and that not till much Forbearance had been used to them To sum up all The Kingdoms of this World stand in outward Bodily and Civil Matters and here the Laws and Power of Men reich and are effectual But the Kingdom and Church of Christ that is chosen out of the World stands not in Bodily Exercise which the Apostle says profits little nor in Times nor Places but in Faith and that Worship which Christ tells us is in Spirit and in Truth to this no Worldly Compulsion can bring or force men 't is only the Power of that King of Righteousness whose Kingdom is in the Minds and Souls of the Just and he rules by the Law of his own free Spirit which like the Wind Bloweth where it listeth And as without this Spirit of Regeneration no man can be made a Member of Christs Church or Kingdom so neither is it in the Power of Man to command or give it and consequently all Worldly force employ'd to make men Members of Christs Church and Kingdom is unnatural and ineffectual I could be very large upon this point for 't is very fruitful and so much the cause of Persecution that if there were never another to be assign'd this were enough for upon due consideration it must needs meet with every mans Judgment and Experience I will here add the sense of memorable Hales of Eaton upon this subject When our Saviour in the Acts after his Resurrection was Discoursing to his Disciples concerning the Kingdom of God they presently brake forth into this Question Wilt thou now restore the Kingdom unto Israel Certainly this Question betrays their
Ignorance their thoughts still ran upon a Kingdom like unto the Kingdoms of the World notwithstanding they had so long and so often heard our Saviour to the contrary Our Saviour therefore shortly takes them up Non est vestrum your Question is nothing to the purpose the Kingdom that I have spoken of is another manner of Kingdom then you conceive Sixteen hundred Years et quod excurrit hath the Gospel been preached unto the World and is this stain spunged out yet I doubt it Whence arise those novel and late Disputes do notis Ecclesiae of the notes and visibility of the Church Is it not from hence they of Rome take the World and the Church to be like Mercury and Sosia in Plautus his Comedies so like one another that one of them must wear a Toy in his Cap that so the Spectators may distinguish them whence comes it that they stand so much upon State and Ceremony in the Church Is it not from hence that they think the Church must come in lâ—ke Agrippa and Bernice in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Luke speaks with a great deal of Pomp and Train and Shew and Vanity and that the Service of God doth necessarily require this noise and tumult of outward State and Ceremony Whence comes it that we are at our Wits ends when we see Persecution and Sword and Fire to rage against the true Professors of the Gospel Is it not because as these brings Ruin and Desolation upon the Kingdoms of the World so we suppose they work no other effect in the Kingdom of Christ all these Conceits and many more of the like Nature spring out of no other Fountain then that old inveterate Error which is so hardly wiped out of our Hearts That the State of the Church and Kingdom of Christ doth hold some proportion some likeness with the state and managing of temporal Kingdoms Wherefore to pluck out of our Hearts opinionem tam insitam tam vetustam a Conceit so antient so deeply rooted in us our Saviour spake most excellently most pertinently and most fully when he tells us that his Church that his Kingdom is not of this World In which Word of his there is contained the true art of discovering and knowing the true Nature and Essence of the Church For as they which make Statues cut and pare away all Suporfluities of the matter upon which they work so our Saviour to shw us the true proportion and feature of the Church prunes away the World and all superfluous Excrescenties and sends her to be seen as he did our first Parents in Paradise stark naked As those Elders in the Aprocryphl Story of Susanna when they would see her Beauty commanded to take off her Mask So he that longs to see the Beauty of the Church must pull off that Mask of the World and outward shew For as Juda in the Book of Genesis when Thamar sat Vail'd by the Way-side knew not his Daughter from an Where So whilst the Church the Daughter and Spouse of Christ sits vail'd with the World and Pomp and Shew it will be an hard matter to discern her from an Harlot But yet further to make the difference betwixt these Kingdoms the more plainly to appear and so better to fix in your Memories I will briefly touch some of these Heads in which they are most notoriously differenced The first Head wherein the Difference is seen are the Persons and Subjects of this Kingdom For as the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World so the Subjects of this Kingdom are Men of another World and not of this Every one of us bears a double Person and accordingly is the Subject of a double Kingdom The Holy Ghost by the Psalmist divides Heaven and Earth betwixt God and Man and tells us as for God He is in Heaven but the Earth has he given to the Children of Men So hath the same Spirit by the Apostle St. Paul divided every one of our Persons into Heaven and Earth into an outward and earthly Man and into an inward and heavenly Man This Earth that is this Body of Clay hath he given to the Sons of Men to the Princes under whose Government we live but Heaven that is the inward and spiritual Man hath he reserved unto himself They can restrain the outward Man and moderate our outward Actions by Edicts and Laws they can tye our Hands and our Tongues Illa se jactat in aula Aeolus Thus far they can go and when they are gone thus far they can go no farther But to rule the inward Man in our Hearts and Souls to set up an Imperial Throne in our Understandings and Wills this part of our Government belongs to God and to Christ These are the Subjects this the Government of his Kingdom Men may be Kings of Earth and Bodies but Christ alone is the King of Spirits and Souls Yet this inward Government hath influence upon our outward Actions For the Authority of Kings over our outward Man is not so absolute but that it suffers a great Restraint it must stretch no farther then the Prince of our inward Man pleases for if secular Princes stretch out the Skirts of their Authority to command ought by which our Souls are prejudiced the King of Souls hath in this case given us a greater Command That we rather Obey God then Men. 3dly A third great Cause of Persecution for Religion is this that men make too many things necessary to be believed to Salvation and Communion Persecution entred with Creed making for it so falls out that those who distinguish the Tree in the bulk cannot with the like ease discern every Branch or Leaf that grows upon it and to run out the necessary Articles of Faith to every good or true thing that the Wit of Man may deduce from the Text and so too as that I ought to have a distinct Idea or Apprehension of every one of them and must run them over in my mind as a Child would â—on a Lesson by Heart and that as the Creed of which I must not miss a tittle upon my Salvation this I think to be a Temptation upon men to fall into Dispute and Controversie and then we are taught by long Experience that he that has most Power will oppress his Opinion that is weaker whence comes Persecution this puts Unity Peace too much upon the Hazard Mary's Choice therefore was not of many things but the one thing necessary as Christ terms it the Lord of the true Divinity and pray what was this one needful thing but Christ Jesus himself and her Faith Love and Obedience in and to him here is no perplext Creed to subscribe no Systhime of Divinity to charge the Head with this One Needful thing was Mary's Choice Blessing may it be ours and I should hope a quick End to Controversies and consequently to Persecutions 4thly Another Cause of Persecution is The Prejudice of Education and that
of Government by all laudable Means to preserve Sincerity for without it there can be no Faith or Truth in Civil Society Nor is this all for its a Maxim worthy of Caesar's Notice NEVER TO THINK HIM TRUE TO CAESAR THAT IS FALSE TO HIS OWN CONSCIENCE besides raped Consciences treasure up Revenge and such Persons are not likely to be longer Friends to Caesar than he hath Preferments to allure them or Power to deter them from being his most implacable Enemies 11thly There is not so ready a Way to Atheism as this of extinguishing the Sense of Conscience for Worldly Ends destroy that Internal Rule of Faith Worship and Practice towards God and the Reason of my Religion will be Civil Injunctions and not Divine Convictions consequently I am to be of as many Religions as the Civil Authority shall impose however untrue or contradictory This Sacred Tye of Conscience thus broken farewel to all Heavenly Obligations in the Soul Scripture Authority and ancient Protestant Principles Christ may at this Rate become what the Jews would have had him and his Apostles be reputed Turners of the World up-side down as their Enemies represented them and the godly Martyrs of all Ages so many Self-Murderers for they might justly be esteem'd Resisters of Worldly Authority so far as that Authority concern it self with the Imposition of Religion because they refused the Conformity commanded even to Death And it may not be unworthy of Caesar's Consideration if from these Proceedings People are tempted to infer there is nothing in Religion but Worldly Aims and Ends because so much Power is abus'd under the Name of Religion to vex and destroy Men for being of another Religion that he hazards the best Hold and Obligation he hath to Obedience which is Conscience For where they are taught to Obey for Interest Duty and Conviction are out of Doors By all Means let Conscience be sacred and Virtue and Integrity though under dissenting Principles cherisht Charity is more powerful than Severity Perswasion than Penal Laws Lastly To the Reproach of this Course with Wise Men it hath never yet obtain'd the End desir'd for instead of compliance the Difference is widened the Sufferers are pitied by Spectators which only helps to increase the Number of Dissenters for whoever is in the Wrong few think the Persecutor in the Right This in all Ages having been the Issue of severe Prosecution of Dissenters for Matters of Religion what a Cruel Troublesom Thankless Succesles Office is it for Caesar to be imployed in May he take better Measures of his Authority and Interest and use his Power to the Encouragement of all the Virtuous and Industrous and Just Punishment of the Lazy and Vicious in all Perswasions so shall the Kingdom Flourish and the Government Prosper Church Power supposeth a Church first It will not be improper therefore to examine first What a Scripture New Testament Church is and next what is the Scripture-Power belonging to such a Church A Scripture-Church as she may be called Visible is a Company or Society of People believing professing and practising according to the Doctrine and Example of Christ Jesus and his Apostles and not according to the Scribes and Pharisees that taught for Doctrine the Traditions of men They are such as are Meek in Heart Lowly in Spirit Chast in Life Virtuous in all Conversation full of Self-denyal Long-suffering and Patient not only forgiving but loving their very Enemies which answers Christ's own Character of himself Religion and Kingdom which is the most apt Distinction that ever can be given of the Nature of his Church and her Authority viz. MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD Which well connects with Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's It was an Answer to a very suspitious Question for it was familiarly bruitd that he was a King and came to possess his Kingdom and was by some called the King of the Jews The Jews being then subjected to the Roman Empire it concern'd Pilate Caesars Deputy to understand his pretentions which upon better information he found to center in this My Kingdom is not of this World else would my Subjects fight for me As if he had said these Reports are a meer perversion of my Peaceable and Self denying Intentions an Infamy invented by malicious Scribes and Pharisees that they might the better prevail with Caesar to Sacrifice me to their hatred and revenge I am Caesar's Friend I seek none of his Kingdoms from him nor will I sow Sedition plot or conspire his Ruin no Let all Men render unto Caesar the Things that are Caesar's that 's my Doctrine for I am come to erect a Kingdom of another Nature then that of this World to wit a Spiritual Kingdom to be set up in the Heart and Conscience is my Throne upon that will I sit and rule the Children of Men in Righteousness and whoever lives Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this World shall be my good and loving Subjects and they will certainly make no ill ones for Caesar since such Virtue is the end of Government and renders his Charge both more easie and safe then before Had I any other Design then this would I suffer my self to be reproached traduced and persecuted by a conquered people were it not more my Nature to suffer then revenge would not their many provocations have drawn from me some Instance of another kind then the Forbearance and Forgiveness I teach certainly were I animated by another principle then the perfection of Meekness and Divine Sweetness I should not have forbidden Peter fighting saying Put up thy Sword or endoctrinated my Followers to bear Wrongs but revenged all Affronts and by Plots and other Stratagems have attempted Ruin to my Enemies and the acquest of worldly Empire and no doubt but they would have fought for me Nay I am not only patiently with Pity to Enemies sensible of their barbarous Carriage towards me for my Good Will to them for their Eternal Happiness I only seek but I fore-see what they further intend against me they design to crucifie me And to do it will rather free a Murderer then save their Saviour They will perform that Cruelty with all the Aggravation and Contempt they can deriding me themselves and exposing me to the derision of others for they will mock my Divine Kingship with a Crown of Thorns and in my Agonies of Soul and Body for a Cordial give me Gaul and Vinegar to drink But notwithstanding all this to satisfie the World that my Religion is above Wrath and Revenge I can forgive them And to secure Caesar and his People from all Fears of Imposition whatever Authority I have and how many Legions of Angels soever I might Command both to my Deliverance and the Enforcement of my Message upon Mankind I resolve to promote neither with worldly Power
Appetite but the Vanity of Conquest excites not a few as if it were matter of Triumph to Drown a Man's Reason and to Degrade him to the Beast Let us hear upon the whole matter the Sentence pronounced against them by the Wise Man Who hath Wo who hath Sorrow who hath Contentions who hath Babling who hath Wounds without Cause who hath Redness of Eyes They that tarry long at the WINE they that go to seek mixt WINE Look not thou upon the WINE when it is Red when it giveth his Colour in the Cup when it moveth it self aright at the last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder Thine Eyes shall behold strange Women and thine Heart shall utter perverse things Here is much of the Mischief of Drunkenness in a little of the Excess and Wantonness of the Drunkard But did ever any Age come near ours when the very Tasting of the several sorts of Wine that are liberally drunk of at many Tables is enough to distemper a Temperate Head But that such Excesses should be while the Backs of the Poor are almost Naked and their Bellies miserably pinch'd with Hunger is almost as great a shame to our pretences to Policy as those I fear we Unwarrantably make to Religion Oh! that we were fit to receive that Heavenly Exhortation of the Apostle Be not Drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but be filled with the Spirit but God knows this is mockt at He goes on speaking to your selves not in Lampoons nor Obscene Songs that excite Lusts but in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making Melody in your Heart to the Lord giving Thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ The Next crying Sin is that of Whoredom and Fornication From one of the Cleanest People under Heaven I fear we are become one of the most-Inchaste at least in about London The French have sufficiently revenged themselves upon us by the loose Manners they have brought amongst us of which this makes a great part but I must needs say to their Credit they keep their Wits in their Debaucheries whilst we by Over doing them in the Imitation of them lose both VVhat is become of that Antient Education of the Kingdom our Integrity Gravity and Manhood which gave our Men so great Reputation in the World is it not turn'd into Swearing and Drinking Fidling and Dancing fine Cloaths a Duel and a Wench their Prophaneness is their Wit and their base Crafts must be called Policy But where is that Retired Breeding which made our Women as famous for their Virtue as they were always held for their Beauty alas there hath been a sort of Industry used to subdue their Native Modesty as if it were an Indecent thing to have it and Arts practised to make them Hardy against their own Blushes and master their shy and bashful Disposition so peculiar to Chastity into an Unconcerned Confidence as if it were their Perfection to be Insensible of any ill and to be Tame at all things Strange that Sobriety should be turn'd into Levity and Lust called Love and Wantonness good Humor to introduce which nothing hath been so Pernitious as the Use of Plays and Romances amongst us where the warm and uneven Passions of our Youth easily transported beyond the Government of their Reason have been mov'd and excited to try that in Earnest which they have seen in Jest But which way soever this Ungodly Latitude came in certain it is that what forty years ago was not fit to be named is now practised without any Scruple Marriage which is Gods Ordinance as lovely to Chaste Minds as lawful is now grown a Dull Thing Old and Clownish kept up only for Issue and that because the Law will have it so A sort of Formality not yet thought fit to be abrogated so that what was once ordained of God for many other Helps and Comforts and permitted by the Holy Apostle to prevent Lust Better Marry than Burn is by the Extravagant Growth of Vice turn'd to quite the Contrary For some Men which is worse some Women too have said They could love their Wives and Husbands if they were not their Wives and Husbands tho that be the true Reason why they ought to love them It is in short to say If they were in that Condition in which they ought not to love them they could love them but being in that Condition in which they ought to love them they declare they cannot love them Yet Alas Christians Children of God what a shame is this Scandal to Society But for God's sake let this Impiety be laid to Heart let not the Marriage Bed be so horribly defiled let not our Virgins be so basely abused It destroyes Honour Fortitude Health it pollutes Houses and makes the Issue of the Nation Spurious It occasions great Unkindnesses Rents Confusions and Divisions in Families between Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters Mistrisses and Servants it spots their Name but above all the poor Children are unhappy that wear an Ignominy they never deserved In fine it teaches Young-men to slight Marriage and Married Men to break their Contracts If Religion were not interested in it yet the Breed of the Nation is Visibly injur'd by it Good Horse-men are more Nice and Careful in their Studs the Policy of the Nation is concern'd in preventing the Mischiefs that follow such Licentious Practices But if we will consider the share that Religion has both in Virginity and in Marriage we shall find many severe Sentences past upon the Violators of them Thou shalt not commit Adultery saith God The Adulterer shall be put to Death saith the same God I will be a swift Witness against the Adulterer saith the Lord. Know ye not that the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate persons nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind And the Holy Apostle gives the Reason The Body is not for Fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the Body Know ye not saith he that your Bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot God forbid Flee Fornication he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body what saith he know ye not your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own for ye are bought with a Price therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's If any Man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy O can men profess to believe these things and lead that wretched Life they live But yet again hear this Man of God But Fornication and all Uncleanness or Covetousness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints neither Filthiness nor foolish Talking nor Jesting
and that is the Voice of God who requires us to Fear him and obey his Righteous Commandments at the Peril of making him our Enemy whom we should make our Common Friend and Protector for upon his Goodness depend our very Natural and Civil Comforts So that it is our Interest To be Good and that is none of the least Arguments for Religion that the Piety and Practice of it is the Peace and Prosperity of Government and consequently that Vice the Enemy of Religion is at the same time the Enemy of Humane Society Who then should be more concern'd for the Preservation of Virtue than Government who in its Abstract and True Sense is not only founded upon Virtue but without the Preservation of Virtue it is impossible to maintain the Best Constitution that can be made And however some particular Men may prosper that are Wicked and several private Good Men Miscarry in the things of this World in which sense things may be said to happen alike to all to the Righteous as to the Wicked yet I dare boldly affirm and challenge any Man to the Truth of the thing that in the many Volumns of the History of the Ages and Kingdoms of the World there is not one Instance to be found where the Hand of God was against a Righteous Nation or where the Hand of God was not against an Unrighteous Nation and where a Just Government perish't or an Unjust Government long prosper'd Kingdoms are rarely as Short lived as Men yet they also have a Time to Die but as Temperance giveth Health to Men so Virtue gives Time to Kingdoms and as Vice brings Men betimes to their Grave so Nations to their Ruin 'T is the Reason given by God himself for the Destruction of those Countries that he gave into the Hands of the Children of Israel They were Full of Uncleanness Adulteries Fornication and other Impieties And though he is Soveraign Lord of the World and may dispose of the Kingdoms therein as pleaseth him for he that gives can take away and he that builds can cast down and Mankind is but a Tenant at Will to receive or surrender at his Lord 's Good Pleasure yet he useth not that Prerogative to Justify his Gift of those Countries to the Jews but at the End of his Prohibition of Unlawful Marriages and Unlawful Lusts he charges them in these words Defile not you your selves in any of these things for in all these the Nations are defiled which I cast out before you And the Land is defiled therefore do I Visit the Iniquity thereof upon it and the Land it self VOMITETH OUT her Inhabitants Ye shall therefore Keep my Statutes and my Judgments and shall not Commit any of these Abominations neither any of your own Nation nor any Stranger that sojourneth among you that the Land Spue not you Out also when ye defile it as it Spued Out the Nations that were before you So Saul's Disobedience was his Destruction and his Sin made Way for David's Title Saul died saith the Sacred Story for his Transgression this made the Philistines Conquerors his own Sins Beat him and Kill'd him Saul died for his Transgression then if he had not sinn'd he had lived he had beaten his Enemies and kept the Kingdom yes the place implies it This then should deter all Men but Kings especially who have so much to lose here and so much to answer for hereafter But what was Saul's Sin It was First not keeping but disobeying the Word of the Lord both as it came by the Mâ—â—th of Samuel God's Prophet and as it spoke the Mind of God to him in his own Conscience for Moses had said before that the word of God was nigh in the Heart and in God's Name commanded the Children of Israel to Obey and Do it In short he refused the Counsel of God and God for his Counsellor For in the Next place he betakes himself to One that had a Familiar Spirit for Advice saith the Story He enquired not of the Lord therefore he Slew him and turned the Kingdom unto David There are too many people troubled with Familiar Spirits it were well if they were less Famiâ—iar with them Had Saul trusted in God he needed not to have been driven to that Straight He that was made King by God's Appointment and endued with a Good Spirit so basely to degenerate as to run to a witch for Counsel To this Darkness and Extremity Iniquity will bring Men. And truly a Wo follows all such persons answerable to that Expression of God by the Prophet Wo unto them that take Counsel and not of me when Saul saith the place was little in his own Eyes God honour'd him he made him Head and King of the Tribes of Israel but when Saul grew Proud God deserted him for his Disobedience destroyed him And what befell the Family of Saul in some After-Ages befell both Kings and People and Worse for their Land was Invaded first by the Aegyptians and then by the Caldeans and Babilonians Their Temple was rifled their Treasures taken and their Kings Princes Nobles Artificers and Mighty Men of Valour yea all save the Poorest of the people were kill'd or carried away Captive by the King of Babilon The Reason rendred is this Because the Kings did that which was Evil in the sight of God and stifned their Necks and hardned their Hearts from turning unto the Lord God of Israel and because the Chief of the Priests and of the People transgressed very much after all the Abominations of the Heathen and when God sent his Messengers to Reprove and Warn them and that out of his Great Compassion they Wickedly Mocked his Messengers Despised his Words and Mis-used his Prophets till his Wrath came upon them I will here End my Instances out of Sacred Story and let us now briefly Consider what the Histories of other places will tell us that we may Observe some Proportion of Agreement in the Providences of God throughout the World The First Empire had Nimrod's Strength and the Wisdom of the Caldeans to establish it and whilst their Prudence and Sobriety lasted they prosper'd No sooner came Voluptuousness then the Empire decayed and was at last by the Base Effeminacies of Sardanapalus in whom that Race ended transfer'd to another Family It was the Policy of an Assyrian King to subdue the Strength of Babylon then under good Discipline not to Invade it with Force but to DEBAUCH it Wherefore he sent in Players Musicians Cooks Harlots c. and by those means introducing Corruption of Manners there was little more to do than to take it Nebuchadnezzar by his Virtue and Industry seen in the Siege of Tyre and in many Great Enterprises recover'd and enlarg'd the Empire and his Discipline those Times consider'd was so Excellent that it was prais'd in Scripture But when he grew Proud and Foolish forgetting that Providence that had shown itself so kind to him he became a
by their dissolute Example debauch'd the People insomuch that men run an Hazard to be Virtuous This made their Destruction Easie to those whom God sent against them which were the Mores occasion'd by the Last of these Kings dishonouring Count Juliano ' s Daughter In the Time of his Calamity in vain did he expect the Aid of those that had been his Flatterers and the Companions of his Vices His Security the Effect of his Luxury was his Ruin For whilst he thought he had no body to Subdue but his own People by Abusing them he Cut off his own Arms and made himself an Easie Prey to his Real Enemies And so he perisht with his Posterity that had been the Cause of the Mischief which befel that Great Kingdom However so it came to pass that the Remainder of the Goths mixing with the Antient Spaniards to that Day distinct recovered the Liberty and Reputation of the Kingdom by an Entire Reformation of Manners and a Virtue in Conversation as Admirable as the Vices by which their Fathers had fallen were Abominable But the present impoverisht State of Spain can tell us they have not continued that Virtuous Conduct of their Ancestors the Increase of their Vices hath decayed their Strength lessened their People and their Commerce But why should we overlook our own Country that whether we consider the Invasion of the Romans Saxons or Normans Neglect of Virtue and Good Discipline and the present Inhabitants giving themselves up to Ease and Pleasure was the Cause if Gildas the Brittain and Andrew Horn may be credited for as the First bitterly Inveighed against the Loosness of the Brittains threatning them with all those Miseries that afterwards followed so the Last tells us that the Brittains having forgotten God and being over-whelm'd with Luxury â—nd Vice it pleased God to give the Land to a poor People of the Northern Parts of Germany called Saxons that were of plain and honest Manners God is Unchangeable in the Course of his Providence as to these things The like Causes produce the like Effects as every Tree doth naturally produce its own Fruits 'T is true God is not Careless of the World he feeds the young Ravens clothes the Lillies takes Care of Sparrows and of us so as not an Hair of our Head falls to the ground without his Providence but if Men despise his Law hate to be Reformed spend their Time and Estate in Luxury and persist to work Wickedness he will visit them in his Wrath and consume them in his sâ—re Displeasure To Conclude Wars Bloodshed Fires Plunders Wastings Ravishments Slavery and the like are the Miseries that follow Immoralities the Common Mischiefs of Irreligion the Neglect of Good Discipline and Government Nothing weakens Kingdoms like Vice it does not only displease Heaven but disable them All we have said proves it but above all the Iniquity and Voluptuousness of the Jews God's Chosen who from being the Most Prudent Pious and Victorious People made themselves a Prey to all their Neighbours Their Vice had prepared them to be the Conquest of the First Pretender and thus from Free-men they became Slaves Is God asleep or does he Change shall not the same Sins have the like Punishment at least shall they not be punisht Can we believe There is a God and not believe that he is the Rewarder as of the Deeds of Private Men so of the Works of Government ought we to think him Careful of the Lesser and Careless of the Greater this were to suppose he minded Sparrows more than Men and that he took more Notice of Private Persons than of States But let not our Superiors deceive themselves neither put the Evil Day afar off they are greatly Accountable to God for these Kingdoms If every poor Soul must Account for the Employment of the small Talent he has received from God can we think that those High Stewards of God the Great Governours of the World that so often Account with all others must never come to a Reckoning themselves yes there is a Final Sessions a General Assize and a Great Term once for all where he will Judge among the Judges who is Righteous in all his ways There Private Men shall answer only for themselves but Rulers for the People as well as themselves The Disparity that is here will be observed there and the Greatness of such Persons as shall be then found Tardy will be so far from Extenuating their Guilt that it will fling Weight in the Scale against them Therefore give me leave I do beseech you to be Earnest in my Humble Address to you why should ye not when none are so much concern'd in the Good Intention of it Thus much for the First Reason of my Supplication My SECOND Reason urging me to this Humble and Earnest Supplication is the BENEFIT of POSTERITY I would think that there are few People so Vicious as to Care to see their Children so and yet to me it seems a plain Case that As we leave the Government they will find it If some Effectual Course be not taken what with Neglect and what with Example Impiety will be entailed upon our Children Certainly it were better the World ended with us than that we should transmit our Vices or sow those Evil Seeds in our Day that will Ripen to their Ruin and fill our Country with Miseries after we are gone thereby Exposing it to the Curse of God and Violence of our Neighbours But it is an Infelicity we ought to bewail that Men are Apt to prefer the Base Pleasure of their Present Extravagancies to all Endeavours after a Future Benefit which besides the Guilt they draw upon themselves our Poor Posterity must be greatly injur'd thereby Upon this Occasion I shall take the Freedom to say something of Education The Truth is we are so much out of Order in the Education of our Youth that I wish I could say that we had only the Sin of Neglect to answer for I fear the Care has rather been to Educate them in a Way of such Vanity as ends in great Inconveniencies here and must needs find Vexation of Spirit hereafter Our Universities have made more Loose than Learned and what Extravagancy is begun there is Usually perfected Abroad or at our own Inns of Court at Home that now and then afford us a few Able Lawyers but the Generality are like the Man of Old who return'd home Seven times Worse than he went out The Genius of this Nation is not Inferior to any in the World 't is Industrious 't is Wise 't is Honest 't is Valiant yet Soft and Merciful And without Partiality we have had Men that have excelled in Every Worthy Qualification But I must needs say it has been more owing to the Goodness of God in the Disposition of our Natures than the Prudence and Care of those who had the Charge of their Education It was the Saying of a Wise Man Train up a Child in the Way he
the Virtues and Reputation of the Antients 4. In the Fourth place Cross not the Genius of your Youth Match their Talents well for if ye do not sâ—te their Studies to their Understandings it will be Drawing up Hill Going against the Grain or Swimming against the Tide that which will be gain'd will be little and with so much Labour and Time too as will not quit Cost It should be greatly the Care of those who have the Charge of Youth to make the Wayes of Learning Easie and Chearful which leadeth me to 5. My Last Observation Let all Honest Arts be used by Masters of Schools to provoke their Youth to Learning without much Fierceness or Beating For that Sort of Education has nothing of the Free and Generous Disposition in it which might be raised and improved in Youth by more Gentle and Reasonable Methods They that are taught to obey only for Base Fear make that Fear and not Reason the Rule of their Obedience and this grows in too many with their Age that they turn meer Mercenaries and worship Violence In short Make Instruction Easie Correction Reasonable Convince them of their Miscarriage with Mildness then Pardon them and finally excite them to Amendment by Smiles and Favour This awakens the Noble Part and excites Youth to effect that which may ingratiate them with their Tutors who if they at any time commit an Error should rather shew themselves affectionately Sorry for them than bitterly Angry Plato being greatly displeased with his Servant and going about to Correct him gave the Wand to one that stood by saying Do thou beat him for I am Angry Chastizement should be used with Reason and Reluctancy a Discreet and Cool Hand may direct the Blow right and hit the Mark when Men of Fury rather ease their Passion than mend their Youth especially if the Correction exceed the Fault for that hardens This very Bruitishness is more Injurious to the Nature of our Youth than usually their Instruction is beneficial Upon the whole Matter I take the Boldness to say That if we would Preserve our Government we must endear it to the People To do this besides the necessity of present Just and Wise things we must Secure the Youth and this is not to be done but by the Amendment of the Way of their Education and that with all Conceivable Speed and Diligence I say the Government is Highly oblig'd it is a sort of Trustee for the Youth of the Kingdom though now Minors yet will have the Government when we are gone Therefore depress Vice and cherish Virtue that through good Education they may become Good which will truly render them Happy in this World and a Good Way fitted for that which is to come If this be done they will owe more to your Memories for their Education than for their Being My THIRD and Last Reason for this Serious Supplication to the Civil Magistrate is so Great that I find Difficulty to express it 'T is the GLORY of that GOD that Made us that hath so often Deliver'd us and doth so plentifully provide for us who sent his Son into the World to Save us and waits every Day to be Good and Gracious to us But he hath so particularly and with that Transcendency set the Marks of his Favour upon you both in your Restoration and Protection as scarce any Age can parallel O! Let a Steady Virtue be the Return of these Mercies and a Pious Care to Retrieve and Encourage Morality the very Basis of our Government be the Humble Token of your Gratitude It is your Office ye do but comply with the Reason of your own Institution God expects it and Good Men beseech it from you There is much in your Power at this time to make this the ISLAND OF PEACE AND LASTING TRANQUILLITY Lose not the Present Opportunity Revive the Laws against these Gross Iniquities terrifie all Evil-Doers Cherish them that do well Provide for the Poor that their Stock may not be Abus'd nor their Cries pierce Heaven against you because of Neglect and God may yet Vouchsafe to spare us Your Sins said God of Old have with-held Good Things from you 't is Righteousness that exalts a Nation but Sin is the Reproach of any people Would ye Prosper then please God and if ye will please him ye must put away the Wicked from amongst you It was both his Complaint and the Cause of his Judgment in Former Ages There are found Wicked Men among my people they lay Wait as he that setteth Snares they set a Trap they catch Men as a Cage is full of Birds so are their Houses full of Deceit Therefore they are become Great and waxen Rich they are waxen Fat they shine They OVERPASS or OVERLOOK the Deeds of the Wicked they Judge not the Cause of the Fatherless yet they prosper These were no Small Folks but Men of Power such as got largely by the Government and employed their Authority to Enrich themselves and not to relieve the Oppressed I must needs say and can with great Truth That Mis-government is the Occasion though the Devil be the Cause of that Mischief and Ruin that attends Nations What Kingdoms hath God destroyed and Cities turn'd into Rubbish because of National Evils too much occasioned by the Remisness of Magistrates the slack Hand that the Rulers of Israel held over that Unhappy people made Way for their Unsubjected Passions and Corrupt Affections to break out into most Vile Impieties but if Men shall be left to their own Licentiousness to Commit Sin with Greediness and with Impunity both despise the Laws of God and Men all I can say is this God who is Jealous of his Glory the Great Avenger of his Law upon Rebellious Nations will with-hold his Mercies and hasten his Judgments upon us Hear the Word of the Lord said the Prophet Hosea ye Children of Israel for the Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land by Swearing and Lying and Killing and Stealing and Committing Adultery they break out and Blood touches Blood therefore shall the Land mourn And by the Prophet Malachi God threatens that people thus I will come near to you and I will be a swift Witness against Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against False Swearers and such as fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts Yea to that Degree was that Magistracy degenerated that they thought it a Vain Thing to serve God to keep his Commandments They called the Proud Happy yea they that workt Wickedness were set up they were Advanced to Places of Honour and Trust and they that tempted God were deliver'd But the Word of the Lord was unto them a Reproach they had no Delight in it They made a Mock at Sin laid Snares for the Innocent and like us made Men Offenders for a Word for a good Word a Word of Reproof or an Harmless Opinion Well but what followed Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall
nothing do but Man's Comment instead of God's Text his Consequences Conclusions in the room of Sacred Revelation I cannot see how any Man can be obliged to receive or believe revealed Truths in any other Language than that of the Revelation itself especially if those that vary the Expression have not the same Spirit to lead them in doing so or that it appears not to me that they have the Guidance of that holy Spirit If the holy Ghost hath left Doubts in Scripture which is yet irreverent to believe I see not how Men can resolve them 't is the Work of that Spirit And since Men are so apt to Err Doubts are better left in Scripture than by us But it is to cross that Order of Prudence and Wisdom among Men who chuse to Conform their Expressions to the things they believe If any honest Man hath related a Story to me of something he hath seen and I am to declare my Faith about it if I believe the Fact I will chuse to deliver it in the Terms of the Relator as being nearest to the Truth Suppose a Father dying makes his Last Will and Testament and as he thinks so plain that there can be no Mistake made by the Executors but what is wilful if they instead of proving this Will and acting according to the plainness of it turn Commentators make more Difficulties than they find and perplex the whole Matter to the Children and Legatees and send them to the Law for their Right will we not esteem such Executors Ill Men and justifie those Persons concern'd in their Refusal of the Paraphrase God hath at sundry times and in divers manners by his Prophets his Beloved Son and his Apostles deliver'd to the World a Declaration of his Will and Testament but some have claim'd and taken to themselves the Keeping Explanation and Use of it so as those that chuse to be concluded by the Letter and Text of this Testament in its most important Points expose themselves to great prejudice for they are excommunicated from all other share in it than the punishment of the Breakers of it which is part of their Anathema who of all others are most guilty of Adding or Diminishing by undertaking to determin for others as well as themselves the Mind and Intention of the holy Ghost in it But if it be true as true it is that few have writ of the Authority of Scripture that do not affirm the very Penmen of it to be not only inspired by the Holy Ghost but so extraordinarily acted by him as that they were wholely asleep to their own Will Desires or Affections like people taken out of themselves and purely Passive as Clay in the hand of the Potter to the Revelation Will and Motion of the Spirit and for this End that nothing deliver'd by them might have the least Possibility of Mistake Error or Imperfection but be a Compleat Testament of the Will of God to men I cannot see which way such Men can excuse themselves from Great Presumption that will notwithstanding have the Wording of Creeds of Communion and reject that Declaration of Faith as insufficient which is deliver'd in the very Terms of the Holy Ghost and deny those Persons to be Members of Christ's Church that in Conscience refuse to subscribe any other Draught than their Lord has given them Two things oppose themselves to this Practice First The Glory of God the Honor of the Scriptures for it naturally draws people from the Regard Due to God the Scriptures begits too much Respect for Men their Traditions This was the Difficulty Christ met with and complained of in his time they had set up so many Rabbies to learn them Religion that the Lord of the True Religion could hardly find a place amongst them And what did they do They taught for Doctrines the Traditions of Men They gave their own and their Predecessors Apprehensions Constructions and Paraphrases upon Scripture for the Mind and Will of God the Rule of the Peoples Faith They were got near at this pass in the Church of Corinth when they cryed out I am for Paul I am for Apollo and I am for Cephas though they had not the same Temptation And that which followed then ever will follow in the like Case and that is DISTRACTION which is the Contrary to that Second thing that opposeth it self to this Practice and that is the Concord of Christians For Peace's sake consider it Lo here and Lo there always follow'd one of this mind and another of that As many Sects as Great Men to make and Head them This was the Case of the Jews and yet I do not hear that they devour'd one another about their Opinions and Commentaries upon Scripture but the Christians have done both Divided and Persecuted too First they have Divided and that mostly upon the score of Opinions about Religion they have not been Contented with the Expressions of the holy Ghost they liked their own better And when they were set up in the Room of Scripture and in the Name of Scripture SUBMISSION was required upon pain of Worldly Punishments This dissatisfied Curiosity this Unwarrantable what shall I say this Wanton Search has cost Christendom dear and poor England of any part of it I design not to grate upon any to revive old Stories or search old Wounds or give the least Just Occasion of Displeasure to those that are in Present Power yet I must needs say that Opinion on one side or t'other has been the cause of much of that Discord Animosity and Confusion that have troubled this Kingdom And it seems to have been the great Stratagem of Satan to prevent the spreading of the Glorious Gospel of Salvation in the World by taking men off from the serious pursuit of Piety and Charity Humility and holy Living Peace and Concord and under pretence of more raised Apprehensions and sublime Knowledge of Religion to put them upon introducing Curious and Doubtful Questions that have given occasion for Contention and Persecution This was no more uncondemned than unfore-seen of the Apostle Paul who exhorted his beloved Son Timothy To avoid those that doted about Questions those Men that would be thought Skilful Inquisitive Searchers after Truth such as love to exercise their Faculties and improve their Talents but let us hear his Judgment of which says he cometh Strife Railing Surmises perverse Disputings of men of Corrupt Minds And the truth is none else love such Disputings they who seek a daily Victory over the World the Flesh and the Devil and press fervently after Fellowship with God and that Consolation that ensues such an Employment of their time have very little to lose upon Contention about Words I could wish I were able to say that Vain Controversie were not our Case But this is not all the Apostle does expressly tell Timothy that if any man consent not to wholsom Words even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and
Ecclesiasticks consider the Civil Magistrates share herein for though the Church-Men are principally guilty that being profest Ministers of a Religion which renounces and condemns Force they incite the Magistrate to use it both to impose their own Belief and suppress that of other mens yet the Civil Magistrate in running upon their Errands and turning Eexecutioner to their Cruelty upon such as dissent from them involves himself in their Guilt That in this Protestant Country Laws have been made to prosecute men for their Difference and Dissent from the National Worship and that those Laws have been executed I presume will not be denyed for not only our own Histories since the Reformation will furnish us with Instances but our own Age abounds with Proofs Thousands have been Excommunicated and Imprisoned whole Familes Undone not a Bed left in the House not a Cow in the Field nor any Corn in the Barn Widows and Orphants Uncommiserated no regard had to Age or Sex and what for only because of their Meeting to Worship God after another yet not a less Peaceable Manner then according to the Way of the Church of England Nor have they only suffered this by Laws intended against them but after an excessive rate by Laws known to have been never design'd against them and only intended against the Papists and in these Cases four times the Vallue has not served their turn we can prove 60 l. taken for 13 l. and not one Penny returned as we made appear before a Committee of the late Parliament which is the Penalty of four Offences for one to say nothing of the gross Abuses that have been committed against our Names and Persons by men of ill Fame and Life that have taken the Advantage of our Tenderness and the present Posture of the Law against us to have their Revengeful and Covetous Ends upon us And though yet unredrest not a Session of Parliament has past these Seventeen Years in which we have not humbly remonstrated our suffering condition we have done our Part which has been patiently to Suffer and modestly to Complain 't is yours now to hear our Groans and if ever you expect Mercy from God deliver us The late Parliament just before its Dissolution was preparing some Relief for us if that Parliament could think of it yea begin it we hope you will finish and secure it To remove all Scruples or Objections that Politically or Ecclesiastically on the part of the State or the Church may be advanced against us in this request I shall divide this Discourse into these two Parts First Caesar's Authority next the Church's Authority about Force in things that relate to Faith and Conscience with my Reasons briefly to both Our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did long since distinguish the Things of Caesar from the Things of God in his plain and notable Answer unto that ensnaring Question of the Jews about paying Tribute to Caesar Render saith he unto Caeâ—ar the things that are Caesar's and to God the Things that are God's that is Divine Worship and all things relating to it belong unto God Civil Obedience to Caesar God can only be the Author of right Acts of Worship in the Mind this is granted by all therefore it is not in the Power of any Man or Men in the World to sway or compel the Mind in Matters of Worship to God Where this is attemped God's Prerogative is invaded and Caesar by which Word I understand the Civil Government hath All. For he doth not only take his own Things but the things appertaining to God also Since if God hath not Conscience he hath nothing My Kingdom says Christ is not of this World nor is the Magistrate's of the other World Therefore he exceeds his Province and Commission when ever he meddles with the Rites of it Let Christ have his Kingdom he is sufficient for it and let Caesar have his 't is his Due Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's Then there are things that belong not to Caesar and we are not to give those to him such are Gods things divine things but those that belong to Caesar and his Earthly Kingdom must be of Duty rendred to him If any should ask me What are the Things properly belonging to Caesar I answer in Scripture Language To love Justice do Judgment relieve the Oppressed right the Fatherless be a Terror unto Evil-doers and a Praise to them that do well for this is the great End of Magistracy But perhaps my Answer shall be reckoned too general and ambiguous and a fresh Question started Who are the Evil-doers to whom the Civil Authority ought to be terrible But this ought in my Judgment to be no Question with men that understand the Nature of Civil Authority for those are the Evil-doers that violate those Laws which are necessary to the Preservation of Civil Society as Thieves Murderers Adulterers Traytors Plotters Drunkards Cheats Vagabonds and the like mischievous and dissolute Persons Men void of Virtue Truth and Sincerity the Foundation of all good Government and only firm Bond of human Society Whoever denies me this must at the same Time say that Virtue is less necessary to Government than Opinion and that the most Vitiated Men professing but Caesar's Religion are the best Subjects to Caesar's Authority consequently that other Men living never so honestly and industriously and having else as good a Claim to Civil Protection and Preferment shall meerly for their Dissent from that Religion a Thing they can't help for Faith is the Gift of God be reputed the worst of Evil-doers which is followed with exposing their Names to Obloquie their Estates to Ruin and their Persons to Goals Exiles and Abundance of other Cruelties What is this but to confound the Things of Caesar with the Things of God Divine Worship with Civil Obedience the Church with the State and perplex human Societies with endless Debates about Religious Differences Nay is not this to erect new Measures to try the Members of Worldly Societies by and give an Accession to another Power then that which is necessary to the Constitution of Civil Government But that which ought to deter wise Rulers from assuming and exercising such an Authority is the Consideration of the pernicious Consequences of doing so For First It makes PROPERTY which is the first and most fixt Part of English Government floating and uncertain for it seems no Conformity to the Church no Property in the State and doubtless the Insecurity of Property can be no Security to the Government Pray think of that 2dly It makes me owe more to the Church then to the State for in this Case the Anchor I ride by is not my Obedience to Laws relating to the Preservation of Civil Society but Conformity to certain Things belonging to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church so that though I may be an honest industrious English man a great Lover of my Country and an
Admirer of the Government I live under yet if I refuse to profess the Religion that either now is or hereafter may be imposed be it never so false that is all one I must neither enjoy the Liberty of my Person nor the quiet Possession of my Estate 3ly This not only alters the Government by sacrificing Mens Properties for that which cannot be called a Sin against Property nor an Offence to the Nature of Civil Government if any Transgression at all but it narrows the Interest and Power of the Governours For proportionably what Number they cut off from their Protection they cut off from themselves and the Government not only rendring a great Body of People Useless but provoaking them to be Dangerous to be sure it clogs the Civil Magistrate in his Administration of Government making that necessary which is not at all necessary to him AS CAESAR It is a Sort of DUUMVIRATESHIP in Power by which the Civil Monarchy is broken for as that was a Plurality of Men so this is a Plurality of Powers and to speak treely the Civil Power is made to act the Lackey to run of all the unpleasant Errands the froward Zeal of the other sends it upon and the best Preferment it receives for its Pains is to be Informer Constable or Goaler to some of the best Livers and therefore the best Subjects in the Kingdom Oh what greater Injustice to Caesar then to make his Government vary by such Modes of Religion and him to hold his Obedience from his People not so much by their Conformity to Him as to the Church 4thly This is so far from resembling the Universal Goodness of God who dispenses his Light Air Showres and comfortable Seasons to all and whom Caesar ought alwaves to imitate and remote from increasing the Trade Populacy and Wealth of this Kingdom that it evidently tends to the utter Ruin of Thousands of Traders Artificers and Husband men and their Families thereby increasing the Charges by increasing the Poor of the Nâ—tion 5thly This must needs be a great Discouragement to Strangers from coming in and setling themselves amongst us when they have Reason to apprehend that they and their Children after them can be no longer secured in the Enjoyment of their Properties then they shall be able to prevail with their Consciences to believe that the Religion which our Laws do now or shall at any time approve and impose is undoubtedly true and the Way of worshipping of God which shall at any time be by our Laws enjoyned is and shall be more agreeable to the Will of God then any other Way in which God is worshipped in the World 6thly That way of Worship we are commanded Conformity to doth not make better Livers that 's a Demonstration nor better Artists for it cannot be thought that going to Church hearing Common-Prayer or believing in the present Episcopacy learns Men to build Ships or Houses to make Clothes Shoes Dials or Watches Buy Sell Trade or Commerce better then any that are of another Perswasion And since these things are Useful if not Requisite in Civil Society is not prohibiting nay ruining such Men because they will not come to hear Common-Prayer c. destructive of Civil Society pray shew me better Subjects If any object Dissenters have not alwayes been so the Answer is ready do not expose them protect them in their Lives Liberties and Estates for in this present Posture they think they can call nothing their own and that all the Comforts they have in this World are hourly liable to Forfeiture for their Faith Hope and Practice concerning the other World Is not this to destroy Nature and Civil Government when People are ruined in their Natural and Civil Capacity not for Things relating to either but what are of a Supernatural Import 7thly This deprives them of Protection that protect the Government Dissenters have a great Share in the Trade which is the Greatness of this Kingdom and they make a large Proportion of the Taxes that maintain the Government And is it reasonable or can it be Christian when they pay Tribute to Caesar to be preserved in an Undisturbed Possâ—ssion of the Rest that the Rest should be continually exposed for the peaceable Exercise of their Consciences to God 8thly Neither is it a Conformity to True and Solid Religion such as is necessary to Eternal Salvation wherein most parties verbally agree but for a Modification of Religion some peculiar Way of Worship and Discipline All confess One God One Christ One Holy Ghost and that it is indispensably requisite to live Soberly Righteously and Godlikely in this present evil World yet is one prosecuting the other for his Conscience seizing Corn driving away Cattel breaking open Doors taking away and spoilng of Goods in some places not leaving a Cow to give poor Orphants Milk nor a Bed to lie on in other Places Houses have been â—…ept so clean that a Stool hath not been left to sit on nor so much as working Tools to labour for Bread To say nothing of the Opprâ—brious Speeches Bloody â—lows and Tedious Imprisonments even to Death it selâ— through Nastiness of Dungeons that many Innocent People have suffered for their peaceable Conscience only 9thly But this Way of proceeding for Maintenance of the National Religion is of an ill Consequence upon this account Heaven is barred from all further Illuminations Let God send what Light he pleases it must not be received by Caesar's People without Caesar's Licence and if it happen that Caesar be not presently convinced it is of God at this rate I must either renounce my Convictions and lose my Soul to please Caesar or profess and persevere in my Perswasion and lose my Life Liberty or Estate to please God This hath frequently occur'd and may again Therefore I would entreat Caesar to consider the sad Consequence of Imposition and remember both that God did never ask Man Leave to introduce Truth or make further Discoveries of his Mind to the World and that it hath been a Woful Snare to those Governments that have been drawn to employ their Power against his Work and People 10thly This Way of Proceedure endeavours to stifle or else to punish Sincerity for Fear or Hopes Frowns or Favour prevail only with base Minds Souls degenerated from true Nobleness Every Spark of Integrity must be extinguisht where Conscience is sacrificed to Worldly Safety and Preferment so that this Net holds no Temporizers Honest Men are all the Fish it catches but one would think they should make but an ill Treat to such as reckon themselves generous Men and what is more Christians too but that which renders the Matter more unjustifiable is the Temptation such Severity puts upon men not hardy enough to suffer for Conscience yet strongly perswaded they have Truth on their Side to desert their Principles and smother their Convictions which in plain Terms is to make of Sincere Men Hypocrites whereas it is one great End
for it is not of the Nature of my Religion and Kingdom And as I neither assume nor practise any such thing my self that am the great Author Promoter and Example of this Holy Way so have I not only never taught my Disciples to live or act otherwise or given them a Power I refuse to use my Self but expresly forbad them and warn'd them in my Instructions of exercising any the least Revenge Imposition or Coertion towards any This is evident in my Sermon preached upon the Mount where I freely publickly and with much Plainness not only prohibited Revenge but injoyned Love to Enemies making it to be a great Token of true Discipleship to suffer Wrongs and conquer Cruelty by Patience and Forgiveness which is certainly a great Way off Imposition or Compulsion upon other Men. Furthermore when I was strongly bent for Jerusalem sent Messengers before to prepare some entertainment for me and my Company in a Village belonging to the Samaritans and the People refused because they apprehended I was going to Jerusalem though some of my Disciples particularly James and John were provok'd to that Degree that they asked me if I were willing that they should command Fire from Heaven to destroy those Samaritans as Elias in another Case had done I turned about and rebuked them saying Ye know not what Manner of Spirit ye are of for am not come into the World to destroy Mens Lives but by my peaceable Doctrine Example and Life to save them At another time one of my Disciples relating to me some Passages of their Travails told me of a certain Man they saw that cast out Devils in my Name and because he was not of their Company nor followed them said he we forbad him as if they had thereby served and pleased me but I presently testified my Dislike of the Ignorance and Narrowness of their Zeal and to inform them better told them they should not have forbid him for he that is not against us is for us My Drift is not Opinion but Piety they that cast out Devils convert Sinners and turn Men to Righteousness are not against me nor the Nature and Religion of my Kingdom therefore ought to be cherisht rather then forbid That I might sufficiently declare and inculcate my Mind in this Matter I did at another Time and upon a different Occasion preach against all Coertion and Persecution for Matters of Faith and Practice towards God in my Parable of the Sower as my Words manifest which were these The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a Man which sowed good Seed in his Field but while Men slept his Enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat and went his Way but when the Blade sprung up and brought forth Fruit there appeared the Tares also so the Servants of the Houshoulder came and said didst thou not sow good Seed in thy Field from whence then hath it Tares he answered an Enemy hath done this the Servants said unto him wilt thou then that we go and gather them up but he said NAY lest while ye gather up the Tares ye root up also the Wheat with them let boâ—h grow together till the Harvest and in the Time of Harvest I will say to the Reapers gather ye together first the Tares and bind them in Bundles to burn them but gather the Wheat into my Barn And that I might not leave so necessary a Truth misapprehended of my dear Followers or liable to any Mis-constructions my Disciples when together desiring an Explanation I interpreted my words thus He that soweth the good Seed is the Son of Man the Field is the World the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the Wicked One the Enemy that sowed them is the Devil the Harvest is the End of the World and the Reapers are the Angels This Patience this Long Suffering and great Forbearance belong to my Kingdom and the Subjects of it my Doctrine speaks it and my Example confirms it and this can have no possible Agreement with Imposition and Persecution for Conâ—cience 'T is true I once whipt out the Prophaners of my Father's Temple but I never whipt any 〈◊〉 I call'd I cry'd to every one that thirsted to come and freely offer'd my Assistance to the Weary and Heavy Laden but I never impos'd my Help or forced any to receive me for I take not my Kingdom by Violence but by Suffering And that I might sufficiently deter my Followers from any such Thing as I profess my self to be their Lord and Master so have I commanded them to love one another in a more especial Manner But if instead thereof any shall grow proud high-minded and beat or abuse their Fellow-Servants in my Religious Family when I come to take an account of my Houshold he shall be cut asunder and appointed his Portion among the Unbelievers Behold the Recompence I appoint to Imposing Lordly Persons such as count others Infidels and to make them such Believers as themselves will exercise Violence towards them and if they prevail not will call for fire from Heaven to devour them and if Heaven refuse them will fall a Beating and Killing and think it may be they do God good Service but their Lot shall be with Unbelievers forever Nay I have so effectually provided against all Mastery that I expresly charged them not to be many Masters for one was their Master I told them that the greatest amongst them was to be Servant to the rest not to impose upon the rest nay that to be great in my Kingdom they must become as gentle and harmless as little Children and such cannot force and punish in Matters of Religion In fine I strictly commanded them to love one another as I have loved them who am ready to lay down my Life for the Ungodly instead of taking away Godly Men's Lives for Opinions and this is the great Maxim of my holy Religion He that would be my Disciple must not crucifie other Men but take up his Cross and follow me who am meek and lowly and such so enduring shall find Eternal Rest to their Souls this is the Power I use and this is the Power I give How much this agrees with the Language Doctrine and Example of Jesus Christ I shall leave them to consider that read and believe Scripture but some affected to present Church Power and desiring their Ruin that conform not to her Worship and Discipline will object That Christ did give his Church Power to bind and loose and bid any Person agrieved tell the Church I grant it but what binding was that with outward Chains and Fetters in nasty Holes and Dungeons nothing less Or was it that his Church had that true Discerning in her and Power with him that what she bound that is condemned or loosed that is remitted should stand so in God's Sight and Christ's Account But tell the Church and what then observe Christ's
Extent in the Punishment of the Offender If the Offender will neither receive private Admonition nor hear the Church then says Christ let him be to thee as an Heathen c. Here 's not one word of Fines Whips Stocks Pillories Goals and the like Instruments of Cruelty to punish the Heretick for the Purport of his Words seem to be no more than this If any Member of the Church refuse thy private Exhortation and the Church's Admonition look upon such a Person to be obstinate perverse no more of you let him take his course thou hast done well and the Church is clear of him Well but say the Church Fighters of our Age Did not St. Paul wish them cut off that troubled the Church in his time Yes But with what Sword think you Such as Christ bid Peter put up or the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Give him leave to explain his own words For though we walk in the Flesh WE DO NOT WAR AFTER THE FLESH for the WEAPONS of our Warfare are NOT CARNAL but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong Holds casting down Imaginations and every high Thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God and bringing every Thought into Obedience to Christ What think you of this Here are Warfares Weapons Oppositions and Conformity and not only no External Force about Matters of Religion used or countenanced but the most express and pathetical Exclusion and Rejection of any such Thing that could be given It was this great Apostle that askt that Question Who art thou that judgest the Servant of another to his own Lord he standeth or falleth but he shall stand for God is able to make him stand Can we think that Imposition or Persecution is able to Answer him this Question in the Day of Judgment Do we with Reason deny it to the Papacy With what Reason then can we assume it to our selves Let us remember who said Not that we have Dominion over your Faith but are HELPERS of your Joy HELPERS then not IMPOSERS nor PERSECUTORS What Joy can there be in that to the Persecuted but if Paul had no such Commission or Power over Conscience I would fain know by what Authority more inferiour Ministers and Christians do claim and use it The Apostle Peter is of the same mind Feed says he the Flock of God not by Constraint c. neither as being Lords over God's Heritage The Heritage of God is free they have but 〈◊〉 Lord in and of their Religion Christ Jesus and they 〈◊〉 Brethren The Apostle Paul says That where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty but where Coertion Fines and Goals are there is no Liberty Is it to be supposed that men in these days are instructed by the Spirit of the Lord to destroy People in this World for their Faith about the other World it can't possibly be such mock at it Again says that Apostle to the Christians of his time You are called to Liberty from what Sin and the Ceremonies of the Law And shall the end of that call be the enthraling Conscience to human Edicts in Religion under the Gospel this would make our Case worse than the Jews for their Worship stood on divine Authority and if to make men free from them Christ came and that those very Ordinances are by the Apostle call'd beggerly Elements is it reasonable that we must be subject to the Injunctions of men in the Worship of God that are not of equal Authority The same Apostle yet informs us For this end says he Christ both dyed and rose again that HE might be Lord both of the Dead and Living But why dost thou judâ—e thy Brother then which nothing can more expresly oppose the Imposition Excommunication and Persecution that are among us 't is as if he had said Christ is Lord of Christians by what Authority dost thou pretend to judge his Servants thou also art but one of them A Brother at most Thou hast no Dominion over his Faith nor hast thou Commission to be Lord over his Conscience 't is Christ's right his purchase he has paid for it For this end he both dyed and rose again that he might be Lord of Dead and Living that he might rescue them from the Jaws of Oppression from those that usurpt their Consciences and made a prey of their Souls But why dost thou judge thy Brother If not Judge then not Persecute Plunder Beat Imprison to Death our Brethren that must needs follow Come let us look at home and view our Actions and see if we are not the Men. In short Let every man be fully Perswaded in his own mind and if any thing be short God will reveal it let us be patient It was not Flesh and Blood that reveal'd Christ to Peter they are Christ's words therefore let us leave off the Consultatiâ—ns and Weapons of Flesh and Blood and trust Christ with his own Kingdom he hath said the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and we cannot think that he would seek to Hell Gates to maintain it and if it is not of this World then not to be maintain'd by that Force and Pollicy which are the Props of the Kingdoms of this World God the Apostle tells us has chosen the weak things of the World to confound the mighty Therefore he has not chosen the Strength and Power of this World to suppress Conscientious People that as to humane force are justly accounted weakest and most destitute in all Ages of defence I will here conclude my Scripture Proofs with this Exhortation or Injunction rather of the Apostle Ye are bought with a Price not to be made the Servants of men The Subject here is not human wherein human Ordinances are to be obeyed that is not the Question but Divine and those that for fear or favour of men desert their Principles and betray their Consciences they renounce their Lord deny him that bought them and tread his Blood the Price under Foot Ye are bought with a Price Christ has purchast you you are not your own but his that bought you therefore be not the Servants of men about God's things or Christ's Kingdom vail to no mans Judgment neither make mans determinations your Rule Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith he has made you free be not entangled again into Bondage for we are not come to that Mountain that we cannot touch to Sinai we are not now to be kept under like School Boys or Minors that Imposition might be useful then which is a bondage now Moses was God's Servant and faithful he saw heard and went upon the Mount for the People but Christians are come to Mount Zion to Jerusalem the Mother of Peace and Freedom Much then depended upon the Integrity of Moses it pleased God then to appear by those ways but now the Law is brought home to every mans Heart and every one shall know