ordinarily in holy things like the High Priest in Israel and the Bishops in the Christian Church Anthenio Comaed lib. 14. p. 661. Aristoph in Plut. pag. 71. They had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their Priests in the great Mysteries Their ordinary Ministers and attenders at their Altars answerable to such also in the Jewish and Christian Churches Nay they had also even their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their Sweepers and keepers of their Temples And all these appropriated to the businesses of their several Functions in holy things So also amongst the Romans Romulus himself Instituted the Colledge of Augures sayes Pomponius Laetus And after him Numa Cap. De Augur and many other Orders of Priests The two Orders of the Salii In Numa and Feciales as Plutarch mentions And the Flamines and others are vulgarly known So also the Druides amongst the Galles mention'd by Pomponius Mela De Orbis Situ lib. 3. and others And the Gymnosophystae amongst the Indians mentioned by Julius Solinus also and others And all these were appropriated also to the businesses of their several offices The like also have been the Orders and Offices in the Christian Church and which are recorded in both Lawes and the Ecclesiastical Histories The Patriarks Metropolitans Arch-Bishops Priests and Deacons and the other inferiour Church-Officers And by the Laws of the Emperours they also were determined to be a distinct Body from the Laity and in their several Stations had the peculiar assignation of the Church businesses to their management and as Churchmen were excluded from the ordinary management of other matters as not being the Proper business of their Function So the Emperours Honorius and Theodosius C. De Episc Et Cler. L. Placet Placet nostrae Clementiae ut nihil commune Clerici cum publicis actionibus vel ad Curiam pertinentibus cujus Corpori non sunt annexi habeant Vid. C. De Episcop Cler. l. nullus Episcopus Et l. Cum Clericis in Judicium Et l. Causa quae fit L. Clericus quoque c. Et De Episcopali Audient l. Episcopale Judicium Et l. Sancimus ut nemo c. Et Novell Constitut 383 c. vid. Capit. Caroli magni Ludovici Pii c. Lib. 6. ut Clerici Judices saecular non adeant Et lib. 5. ut nemo audat c. Et ut Clericus vel Monachus c. Et lib. 7. ut nullus Clericus vel Abbas c. Et de his qui sine jussione Episcopi c. Poloniae lib. 2 circa med infra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Politeiâ Tab. 2. Tab. 2. ◠It pleaseth our Clemency that Clericks should have nothing to do in common with publick Actions and such as belong to the Civil Court to the Body of which they are not annexed And they had also their Ecclesiastical Courts and proper Tribunals before which only ordinarily and first of all they were to be summoned as is to be seen in the several Laws in the Code and Novels of Justinian under the Titles De Episcopis Clericis De Episcopali Audientia ut Clerici apud proprios Episcopos primum Conveniantur and the like And so also in the Ecclesiastical Histories the Canons of Councels and the several parts of the Canon Law down all along the Ages of the Church And the like also in the Theodosian Code and the several later and more particular Lawes of Countries In the Code in the sixteenth Book under the Title De Episcopis Ecclesiis Clericis and in other places And the Lawes of Charlemain Ludovicus Pius Carolus Cabvus and others do every where appoint the same And the like Cromerus recites of Poland Est autem judiciorum Ecclesiasticorum summ a penes Episcopos sayes he Quorum vices gerunt ii quos vocant Vicarios in Spiritualibus Cancellarii Officiales inter quos unus qui est primarius generalis appellatur Caeteri foranei c. That the summe of all Ecclesiastical Judgements is in the Power of the Bishops whose places they do supply whom they call Vicars in Spirituals Chancellors and Officials amongst whom one who is the Chief is called the Vicar General The others are proper to their several Courts And last of all the like recites Doctor Cosin the Dean of the Arches concerning the Constitutions of England And so runs the whole Series generally of the Lawes and practices of all other Countries And it is but natural that businesses of a Calling should be referred to men of a Calling even in the inferiour and more particular vocations in Societies and that those vocations should be distinguish'd and differenc'd according to the different nature and quality of their Affairs The Question Stated whether Church-men may have to do in the Administration of Civil affairs Lib. 1. Cap. 5. §. 6. V. Here then is a great Question arising viz. Whether Church-men may at all intermix in the administration of Temporal affairs in any Society We affirm the Question And but that it may be so in some Cases and for some reasons neither the Law of Nature nor the Divine Law either Mosaical or Evangelical nor the Civil Lawes and Customes of Nations do contradict as we have said already That the same Person may de Jure bear the office of Supream Priest and King And 1. First as to the Light of Nature if the Ecclesiastical Person be considered as a member of Humane Society in the general and so as standing in a Civil as well as an Ecclesiastical capacity it no way contradicts it Nay so farre forth as his intermixing in Civil administrations may make to the good of humane Society and particularly to the Consistency of Religion with Government and the preservation of it and that either by the imployment of eminent abilities in Ecclesiasticks or else by the maintaining any wayes Amity and a Charitative Correspondence betwixt the Ecclesiasticks and Laicks in any Community or by it's promoting the distribution of Justice to both Sorts of Persons in the Courts or the like it prompts to it and pro hic nunc it commands it The Administration of Justice is one of the Principal Pillars of all Common-weals and a charitative Communion betwixt the two States of Laicks and Ecclesiasticks hath been ever endeavoured and wished for by the Lawes and Constitutions and advices of all Princes within their Territories Vt Episcopi Comites Concordes sint In additionibus ad Copit Caroli Magni Additione 4. De Concordia Episcopor et Comit. Comites eorumque ministri Episcopis atque eorum Ministris in omnibus adjutores existant sayes Ludovicus the fourth of France in his Constitutions appointed by him to be published as such by Erchembaldus his Chancellor That his mind and desire was That the Bishops and Noble men should be friendly one to another and that the Noble men and their Retinues should be any
ways assisting to the Bishops and their Retinues Polon lib. 2. Inframed And in the Kingdome of Poland sayes Cromerus Publicum inter Sacrum Militarem sive Equestrem ordinem Controversiarum arbitrium atque transactio penes Regem est That the transaction and determination of publick controversies betwixt the Sacred and Military or Civil Orders De Procuranda Indorum Salute lib. 3. cap. 24. is reserved to the King And it is the saying of Acosta That as a means for the converting the Indians to Christianity Superest tantum Civilem omnem potestatem admoneamus ut in administranda Repub Indorum cum Ecclesiastica germanè conjungatur It remains only that we admonish the whole Civil power that in the Governing the Commonwealth of the Indians it be joyned friendlily with the Ecclesiastical And but that the intermixture of both Laicks in Ecclesiastical affairs which they as Laicks are capable of Administring and of Ecclesiasticks in Temporal may be for the subsequent Reasons a means of promoting these things it will not be doubted of by him that considers how many times Ecclesiasticks are of Eminent abilities in Civil affairs and how a Total or but more ordinary separating in Colloquies and Affairs amongst men in the same Society and those men being consider'd as infirm will beget a consequent separating in affections And lastly how men of a faculty and distinct vocation in the World consider'd as subject to Corruptions are apt to be partial to one another in matters of judicature Many more things might be here said But there is one Exception to be made to all these things and which the Ecclesiasticks are to be caution'd against and that is that while they serve the Law of Nature in the performance of these Offices mention'd to Government and humane Societie they do not in the mean time wrong Religion in the causless and careless neglect of other offices and duties which de facto they may be oblig'd to and which may be belonging to their spiritual Function And this ought to be heeded because the discharge and affairs of that Function are of great moment and worthy the employment of Angels Lib. 1. cap. 4 §. 5 6 7. 2. The Divine Law then is not to be suppos'd to contradict the Law of Nature in those things since the Christian Religion as hath been said is every way a friend to humane Society and the consistency of Religion with Government by which such Society may be maintain'd De imperio Sum. pot Cap. 2. §. 6. That which by some is thought inconvenient in this particular and upon which by Grotius so great a weight is laid that the same person cannot without desultory lightness put on the behaviour of a Magistrate or Civil Officer and of a Clergy-man also such as is described in the New Testament is not so much to be regarded because by a man considering it and the ductileness of Humane Nature to consent to things when accustom'd to them and the divers States of Humane affairs in the several Societies in the World it will be found that a prudent man may sustaine the person of both these at divers times without any such absurdity in manners or however at least as may be a cause of evil paralel to the good he may otherwise do by sustaining both these sorts of offices And as to those New Testament Precepts 2 Tim. 2.4 Of a Minister of Jesus Christ his not entangling himself with the affairs of this Life His giving himself wholly to these things and the like 1 Tim. 4.15 Persons and times are to be distinguish'd and due interpretations are to be added to the Texts As to Persons those that are Novices in the Spiritual Function are to be distinguish'd from those that are not As to Times the Times of Christianity it's being newly a planting and of it's being for a long time establish'd in a Church together with plenty of Ministers and Assistances and less difficulties to be encounter'd with and the like are to be distinguish'd also And as to Interpretations the Rules of Prudence and general Equity are to be adhibited And then no man by any Law or precept whatsoever is bound to apply himself so wholly to the business of any Function but that times and Vacations for the Performance of other due Offices 1 Thes 5.16 17. as occasion requires are allowed We are bid rejoyce evermore and pray without ceasing and the like Yet those Precepts in respect to many other things are in this manner to be Interpreted So that those that ordinarily say That Religion and the Function of the Ministry deserve and require the whole man if they mean Primarily and in respect to the intention of the mind as imploy'd in the Acts of either they say truly But if in this sence we have mention'd they speak only popularly but not Truly Neither do they consider in the mean time that the serving those Offices of Humane Society mention'd is a grand and general precept of Religion 3. Last of all as to the Lawes and Customes of Nations they have very constantly voted for what we have affirm'd also We will begin with the Theocracy of Israel And although it be True that they had their stated distinct Courts both Ecclesiastical and Civil and God did ever distinguish the Office of the Priest and Magistrate and admitted none of the Laity under pain of death to meddle with matters proper to the offices of Church-men either Priests or Levites as is evident from the Case of Corah and his Company Numb 16.8 9 10 31 32. and from Numb 18.7 and Numb 1.51 and other the like Texts yet we shall often find also that in matters of Councel and Judicature and exercise of Government and the like which concerne the Common-good of Humane Society there was an Intermixture of both Laity and Church-men So the supreme Charge of the People was committed jointly to Aaron and Hur a Churchman and Statesman while Moses was absent in the Mount Exod. 24.14 And this was before the Institution of Vrim and Thummim See Exod. 28.30 and the High Priests special way of passing a Divine Judgment by that as also the same intermixture both of the High-Priests and other Priests in Temporal matters was usual after the Loss and Cessation of that way See Ezra 2.63 Nehem. 6.65 at the Captivity of Bà bylon So also the High-priest sate in the great Synedrion or Kings great Councel in Israel Vid. Talmud Bab. in Sanhedrin Ch. 1. And Maimony in Sanhedr C. 1. §. 3 4 5. And Num. 11.16 17. De Repub Hebraeor Cap. 6. De Jure Regni Hebraeor Theorem 2. Their ordinary Number was Seaventy by Gods own Institution The chief Magistrate did Preside And Summus vero Sacerdos sayes Bertram de Jure responsurus erat Septuagesimus secundus That the Chief Priest appointed to give in his vote also was the Seventy Second And propter votorum libertatem non
Can. 4. ibid. Vid. Canon Apost Can. 1.2 Baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. And the like concerning matters of Discipline John 20.23 Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained And the like also concerning Orders See Acts 1.23 24 25 26. And Acts 14.23 And the like also say the several Councels derivatively from the Scriptures concerning these things So the sixt General Councel of Constantinople in the 64 Canon Non oportet Laicum publicè disputare vel docere sed Ordini à Domino tradito cedere aurem iis qui docendi gratiam acceperint apperire Divina ab iis doceri That it doth not behove a Laick to dispute publickly or to teach but to give place to the Order delivered from the Lord and to open the Ear to those who have received the Grace of Teaching and to be taught by them Divine things So also in the Nicaene Councel of three hundred and eighteen Bishops under Constantine in the fourth Canon concerning the Ordination of a Bishop And in the Apostolical Canons in the first and second Canons concerning the Ordination of the other degrees of Ecclesiasticks and the like in all other Ecclesiastical Constitutions generally down all along the Ages of the Church Vid. Clement Roman Apostolic Constitut lib. 2. cap. 20 30 31 c. lib. 3. cap. 10 11 c. Let the Apostolical Constitutions of Clemens Romanus be looked into And the several Titles in the Sextum Clementines and other parts of the Canon Law concerning the Sentence of Excommunication and the other Censures of the Church and the pronouncing of them And these more general Powers and Rights are those which according to the Nature of them and the vote of all these things do only properly and externally belong to the Ecclesiasticks as such as the like also they have in all particulars whatsoever whether the Church be Incorporate into the State or not Incorporate into the State in any Community that are necessary as to them for the support and preservation of their Ecclesiastical Society And this is a grand Right both Natural and Divine belonging ordinarily to them as Governours in such a Society and he that shall deny them such Power must say that God hath denyed them the means to the end that he hath committed the preservation and support of the Church to them as Governours and Ministers of it and yet that he hath denied the power of doing those things which are necessary for such the preservation of it But yet by these means necessarily to be granted to them we are to be suppos'd to mean spiritual and lawful means De potestat Civili Ecclesiast cap. 3. ad fin Vid. De Imperiosum pot cap. 3. §. 6. 14. Supra lib. 1. cap. 3 §. 20. And in no case particularly that of rising in Armes against the present Lawful Magistrate that would be with Peter to take a Sword in an unlawful way sayes Triglaudius and that is not committed to them and that is against Humane Lawes and Divine and the Law of Nature c. sayes Grotius Although elsewhere he permit it even to any single person in case of extream danger to Rise as we have said heretofore Erastus Answered In Thesibus vid. Thes 74. et alibi X. Erastus hath here of late started a Question by his denial of any need of Church Censures their being executed by Clergy-men under a Christian Magistrate But he is to be answered with their being a purely Spiritual punishment and inflicted in a Spiritual way and for Spiritual ends and therefore that in the Nature and Quality of the thing they do properly belong to Spiritual Persons to use as a means for the support of their Spiritual Society and according to the appointment of Christ And this is to be observed farther That notwithstanding his seemingly favourable advice given to Magistrates in this particular yet no Magistrate since the time of his Writing hath followed it And it will be found true by any one that considers throughly of these things and as I have partly hinted already That he that shall so farre adventure to confound Divine Affairs with Humane as to put the business proper to the Function of the Ministry into the hands of the Laity to be managed Authoritatively by them shall do that which shall tend to the taking away the standing Ordinance of the very Ministerial Function it self and even of all Religion also whatsoever in the end especially if he shall make such confusion in this particular of inflicting Penalties which according to the different kinds of Penalties here pointed at is one Right necessarily belonging to the support of any Government or Society whatsoever either Ecclesiastical or Civil The Character of the Ecclesiastical person's Function is Indelible XI Last of all on the part of the Ecclesiastical Persons the Character also of their Offices impress'd upon them in their first Ordination to them is indelible as to any Humane Power It is in the Power of man to suspend degrade or depose them from the actual execution and discharge of their several Offices as all Lawes and Practices of the World except that of the Papal only have constantly affirmed but God only at first invested them with the Habitual Power belonging to their several Offices and he only can take them away from them again These things then being thus stated and describ'd on the Ecclesiastical Persons part I come next to the part of the Civil Magistrate and to the Rights and Powers belonging to him as such and which are here concern'd also The necessity of some supreme amongst men XII On the part of the Civil Magistrate then first of all this is certain that both in relation to all Humane Affairs more generally and in every Ecclesiastical Uniformity more particularly there must of necessity be some supreme amongst men in every Society For what from Nature the Philosophers say notionally and in the general Averro's Metaph 5. Tom. 6. That Ordo nan datur nisi cum relatione ad aliquid primum there is no order of things but with relation to some first The same also from Art say the Polititians practically and in particular concerning Humane Society that the order of Persons to be observed in every Society of men must necessarily terminate in some Supreme in that Society XIII He then is Supreme in every Society The Supreme person defin'd as to his Political Qualification who hath the Supreme Jurisdiction over all others in that Society And Jurisdiction is defin'd by the Civilians to be Potestatem Juris dicendi A power of giving Law to others XIV The Person Vid. F. Si qui Jus dicenti non obtemperaverit L. unica ¶ Is videtur alibi And as to his person and that is the Civil Magistrate Supra lib. 1. ca. 1. §. 11.
DE JVRE VNIFORMITATIS ECCLESIASTICAE OR Three Books OF THE RIGHTS Belonging to an UNIFORMITY in CHURCHES IN WHICH The chief things of the Lawes of Nature and Nations and of the Divine Law concerning the Consistency of the Ecclesiastical Estate with the Civil are unfolded ET EXCUTIT ICTIBUS IGNEM By HUGH DAVIS LL. B. Late Fellow of New-Colledge in Oxford and now Chaplain to the Lord Duke of BUCKINGHAM LONDON Printed by S. Simmons and to be sold by T. Helder at the Angel in Little Brittain and S. Lowndes over against Exeter house in the Strand 1669. To the HIGH and MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES the II. By the Grace of God KING of Great Brittain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. EXCELLENT SOVERAIGN WHile your Great Affairs are prosperously managing both abroad and at home behold here I present this Book as one meanes in its kind toward the settlement of the Peace of your Kingdomes The Rights of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity have been many times debated in the World with Fire and Sword And Your Kingdomes have been of late through the debates concerning them the dire Field of Blood Which Rights because it is of so great moment both to all Divine and Humane Affairs that they should be duely stated and because they have never yet been stated by any I have therefore here adventur'd the stating of them and that according to the evident dictates of the Lawes of Nature and Nations and of the Divine Lawes concerning them and as they make to the preserving and promoting the Publick and standing welfare both of Religion and Government and the Consistency of Religion with Government the Principal and Fundamental matters of all Humane Societies And I have made a search into the frame and fabrick of all Humane Affaires and have unravel'd the transactions of the former and present Ages of the Churches both of the Jewes and Gentiles Christians and Mahometans for the doing of it And I here Dedicate it particularly to the Peace of Your Majesties Kingdomes at least so far forth as a Book may be a means for the procuring the Publick Peace and where it may meet with men either of Reason or Conscience and not of furious Ignorance or temporal Interests Behold Great Prince I Present it at your feet most Humbly craving leave that I may light this Candle at the Sun and draw a Lustre upon this Discourse from Your Majesties Soveraign Patronage Herodotus relates it of Midas In Clio paulo post princip That of all things he chose to offer at Delphos his Regal Chair in which he was wont to sit and give Laws to his Kingdom It is because this Book concerns these great matters of Law and Publick Right that I presume to offer it thus in Duty to Your Majesty What the Church Historian tells the Excellent Emperour Theodosius Sozomen In Praefat. ad Imperatorem Theodosium That it was said of him that he spent the day and night in Councels and Causes in looking after his Religious and Civil and Military Affairs The like is said of Your Majesty that You are at all times ready at Your Councels and Deliberations That You go abroad to Visit Your Garrisons and Navies and that You spend your time in looking after the setling the Church and State the Charge committed to you by God May Religion and your Majesties Government long flourish together in your Dominions that the Divine Blessing may accompany you and there may never be wanting one to Sit upon the Throne of your Fathers so long as the Sun and Moon shall endure YOVR SACRED MAJESTIES Most Humble and most Obedient Subject Hugh Davis TO THE High Court OF PARLIAMENT AND To the rest of the Subjects of the KING of GREAT BRITTAINS Dominions THE Subject-matters of this Book Most Noble and Generous Patriots contain the summe and substance of Humane Affairs and which concerne the Peace and Tranquillity of the Dominions of Princes And they are those also which are now upon the Wheele and more particularly and principally in agitation amongst us like Balls of Fire thrown to and fro in the mid'st of us You have more then once Determin'd concerning them And Your determinations claime this Direction and Submission of them to you And the more peculiar respects which they bear to the occasions of his Majesties Subjects the like Direction of them also to them I have endeavour'd the impartial stating of them according to the dictates of the three sorts of Laws currant amongst men And where our Affairs Domestick have more particularly occurr'd have avoided what I could the intermixing with the Heats and Passions of the Times I do not presume in the least in these things Honourable and Renowned SENATOURS to interpose in your Great and Publick Councels those Soveraigne Balmes of ENGLAND Nor to undertake to instruct many of the able and sufficient minds of others those more Ethereal and Celestial Beings amongst men But only if it may be for Information if for Satisfaction where there is Occasion for the giving of it I have adventur'd the Representing of those great matters which do so highly concerne the Establishment and Preservation of the Peace of Your Country and of all Humane Societies THE PROLEGOMENA TO THE Three Books ENSUING DIverse have written of the diverse sorts of Laws amongst men Of the Laws of Nature and Nations and of the Divine Laws And that both more generally and particularly Diverse also have applyed those Laws diversly And that both in respect to the Civil and Ecclesiastical part of Humane Affairs But none yet hath applyed them to the Rights of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity viz. those of the Prince the Priest and the People belonging to it Nor digested those Rights into any due connexion and order viz. as they make to the preserving and promoting the publick welfare both of Religion and Government and the Consistency of Religion with Government And yet scarce any thing next to the Divine Law it self is of greater moment to Humane Societies Right is the Publick Cement of all Humane Affairs and that which all men contend about and expect even from God himself And Religion and Government and their mutual consistency are the things primarily fundamental to the very being and welfare of all Humane Societies besides what respects they have to another world Wherefore Plato calls In Gorgiā prope fin all preparations both of War and Peace which are made in a City Toys if Justice and Temperance be not preserved in it In Hercule furent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paulò post princip And Amphitryo in Euripides cryes out to Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But dost thou not know how to save thy Friends Either thou art an unskilful God or else thou art not just And Cicero in his Books of Laws Nihil tam aptum est ad jus conditionemque naturae quam Imperium sine quo nec Domus ulla nec Civitas nec Gens
distinction of an Uniformity * The first and capital division also of all Affairs amongst men and the application of them to the general intent of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity D. de rerum divisione qualitat L. 1. Summa rerum divisio sayes Paulus the Civilian in duos Articulos diducitur nam aliae sunt Divini Juris aliae humani That the chief division of Affairs is derived into two parts for some of them are of Divine Right and the others of humane And the Divine Affairs are those which concern Religion The Humane those which concern Civil Government And God and Nature have appointed both these to Consist These three things then and the preservation of the wellfare of them viz. Religion and Government and the Consistency of Religion with Government are the general matter about which an Ecclesiastical Uniformity is conversant About the preservation of the welfare of Religion and it's consistency with Government primarily and directly and about the preservation of the wellfare of Government collaterally and by consequence And because in our following Discourse concerning this kind of Uniformity and the Rights belonging to it we shall have many things to say about these three more general matters which will be common to the whole therefore it is that they are here first of all to be unfolded accordingly and that for our clearer passage to the discussing and determination of other things founded upon them hereafter in their several Topicks and places properly belonging to them So then that which I shall do in the unfolding of them shall be 1. To define them severally 2. To distinguish them Religion defined III. Religion then is here first of all to be defined First of all because it is in our following Discourse the thing first in order which we treat of And to be defined viz. in the general notion of it Religion then is nothing else but the Law of God prescribed to men In respect to God the Law-giver and prescriber of it it is his Law and in respect to men the observers of it it is their Religion or Service and Worship So when the Book of God calls it on his part his Statutes his Word his Way Psal 119.48 105 37 c. and the like and when the Hebrews on man's part call it by the several names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reverence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith and the like all return in their several respects Etymol lib. 18. into the sense of the definition Religion sayes Isidore Dicta est ab eo quòd per eam uni soli Deo religamus animas nostras ad cultum divinum animo serviendi That Religion is called so from hence because by it we bind our souls to the one only God for the performance of Divine worship to him with a mind of serving him And Cicero sayes that it is it De Nat. Deor. Lib. 1. Per quam reverenti famulatu Ceremoniae divini Cultus exercentur By which with a reverend and servant-like deportment the Ceremonies of the Divine Worship are practised And St. Austine defines it to be De Civ Dei Lib. 26. Nihil aliud quà m cultus divinus Nothing else but the divine worship The application of the general notion of Religion to other things besides the worship of a Deity needs not here be mentioned And when the Latines use the term for any great care or respect that a man useth about any thing it is then used Metaphorically and abusively but then only properly and emphatically when it is applyed to the Divine Worship as we have mentioned So the old Roman Civilians ordinarily in their cases and the several texts of the Digests Religion towards God Pomponius calls the worship of some Deity De Justit jure L. Veluti Lib. 11. â—it 17. Lib 47. Tit. 13. c. which is common to all Nations And the several Titles De Religiosis sumptibus funerum de Sepulchro violato and the like will evidence the same thing IV. Religion then being thus defined The first distinction of Religion let us come to our distinguishing it according to the occasions of the body of our discourse hereafter And the first distinction of it is by disparates that it is to be considered either in the General or Special or individual In the General it is such as we have already mention'd the term being taken at large and not bounded by any special restrictions In the Special it is taken for this or that sort or kind of Religion and that whether it be more special as it lies at a farther distance or less as it lies at a lesser distance from the first general according to the rules of Logick Last of all in the Individual it is taken for this or that individual or particular part of the same sort of Religions as it is either exercised or professed by this or that part of the Professors of it And so is Rome one part and Verona or Florence another part of the same Roman Catholick in Italy and the like V. The second distinction of it is The Second distinction of it by the two opposite members of true and false and the effects of these in mens minds and actions are either natural or supernatural And this is most certainly true that any false Religion if it be but apprehended to be true will have per omnia the same natural effects in men together with that which is really true and as having such are any false and erronious sorts of Religion in the world considered by us when they are mentioned hereafter and applyed either separately or mixtly to things VI. The third distinction of Religion is that it is taken simply The Third or relatively simply when it is considered by it self and only in a simple and abstracted Notion and relatively when it is relating to other things And that Religion is to be considered in a relative notion by men very frequently for the guidance of their actions by it there needs no more said to evince it then that it is placed by God in the world together with other things which it may either commodate or incommodate according as it is apprehended of and used or practised by them in relation to those things Vicè cuncta reguntur Alternisque regunt Says Papinius That all things are Governed by vicissitudes of influences upon one another and he that considers not the respects of things in the world which they bear one towards another and acts accordingly will quickly by his actions bring all to Confusion VII In the fourth The Fourth place Religion is either National or not National and secluded National it is called by the usual application of the term when it is the Religion only publickly established by Authority in a Country and then the Church is said also to be incorporate into the State And not National is the contrary Of
from the Poets the other from the Philosophers and the other from the Princes of Cities And all these were still sayd to be from Divine Revelation The Poets were of old looked upon as Inspired from Heaven De furore Poetico in Princip So Plato Testifies concerning those of Greece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they uttered their excellent Poems not at all from any thing of Art but from Divine Inspiration and that they drew Wine and Milk from the fountains and hills of the Muses Vid. etiam in Phaedro circa princip Et de legib Dial. 2. Et de Repub. Dial. 10. Et de legib Dial. 3. as Bees did honey from flowers And were the Interpreters of the Gods and the like in many other places So the Latine Poets also had the same reputation in their times and Countries Est Deus in nobis agitante ealescimus illo c. That there was a God in them and that they grew warm by his motion And the like is to be said of the Philosophical and City Divinity The Philosophers and Senates just as the Sanedrim amongst the Jewes concerning Prophets did not receive any thing in either but what they judged to be from Divine Revelation Suetonius in Tiber. Tertul. Apolog. c. 3. Euseb Hist Ecclesiast lib. 2. cap. 3. The Story is known concerning Jesus Christ in Tiberius his time whom the Senate would not receive into the number of their Gods because he had been worshipped before they had approved of him And as this is said concerning the Religion of the Greeks Vid Ovid de Fast Dii quoque Tristitiam poni per sua festa jubent Et Hora Carm. lib. 1. Ode 16. Non Dyndimaene non adytis quatit Mentem Sacerdotum incola Pythius Non Liber aequè Et Vid. Hospinian de Orig. Festorum c. So the Christian Prescript was derived from the same Authority with that of Moses Matth 23. In Apologia Socratis Acts 5.29 Rev. 22.18 19. Mahomet's Prescript dated also from God and Romans and other Heathens in the general So the like also might be said concerning all the particular parts of it Their Festivals were dated from their Gods The Priests at their Oracles said to be Inspired by their Gods and the like in other things So that thus was the Heathen Religion received totally upon the account of Divine Authority and we may be sure upon none other account at all for else to what purpose was it that these Oracles and several other wayes of Divine Revelation mentioned were held in such repute amongst them for that end viz. That they might thus receive their prescripts of Religion from them VI. The Christian Religion which proceeded from God indeed may well be expected then to proceed upon these only rational grounds The commands of God and men are alwayes oppos'd as to matters of Faith in the New Testament We are bid to call no man Master upon Earth and that which Divine Plato also taught in express termes To obey God rather then men And they are cursed and devoted who adde to the Canon of the New Testament And the like things obvious to consideration might be farther said but they need not be here recited VII And lastly The like we shall find also concerning Mahumet That as we said the Heathens feigned the Divine Original of their Religion and derived many Rites of it from Moses as to the matter of them so hath he also feigned the same Original of his and derived many Rites of it both from the Heathens and Moses and Christ He feigned converses with God and his Angel Gabriel Vide passim in Alcorano and the holy Ghost in the form of a Pigeon dictating into his Ear the Law of his Alcoran He pretended the amendment and restauration of many Doctrines both of Moses and Christ which he said Vide ibid. Azoara 9. since their times had been corrupted He pitch'd upon many things as being Media Licita and indifferent in their own nature and which were controverted amongst Christians and partly practised and partly tolerated by Moses his Law and by the Greeks D. De Petitione haereditatis L. Ancillarum etiam ¶ Sed inquit Vlpianus Non in multorum honestiorum praediis Lupanaria exercentur c. Et vid. Plat. De Rep. De Legib. c. Et Alcoran ib. Azo 9. and the old Civil Law of the Romans such as Polygamy Circumcision choice of meates and other Doctrines and Sacred Rites and Ceremonies And in these he pretended his reduction to the Primitive appointment of God as if many of these things had been altered and corrupted and otherwise constituted by Moses and Christ in their times Thus then the universal consent of Nations and all Divine and Humane Lawes have established it That all Precepts and prescripts of Religion are to be expected only from God and his divine Authority But because the Divine Original of Religion in the general and under it's different Notions is not only to be asserted in relation to the treating of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity and the Rights belonging to it but also that a more special respect is to be had to the true Religion both by all mixtly that they may take heed of violating the consistency of it with Government and also by the chief Magistrate in particular and eminently that he may take care for the settling of it as the National Religion in his Society And because we shall have many occasions hereafter in our following discourse of referring to the distinction of Religion into true and false Therefore we will here proceed a little farther in relation to these things and lay down the general grounds of all Religions and compare them Two only sorts of Precepts of Religion VIII There are then two only sorts of Precepts of which any Religion can consist 1. Natural 2. Positive For this is a compleat distribution of the Divine Laws into these two sorts 1. The Natural it must needs consist of because God the Author of Humane Nature is supposed to approve of the dictates of it And the Law of Nature in the General is implanted in all Creatures for their good and that they might be governed by it And so Vlpian describes it D. De Justit jure L. Hujus ¶ Jus naturale Jus Naturale est quod natura omnia animalia docuit Nam jus istud non solum humano generi proprium est sed omnium animalium quae in terra aut in Mari nascuntur That the Natural Law is that which nature hath taught all living Creatures for that Law is not only proper to mankind but is the Law of all living Creatures which are generated and bred either in the Earth or in the Sea And therefore for man not to be governed by it would be against the whole order of the Creation and it should be planted by God in him in vaine 2. The positive Divine Laws
pass that those who have the Publick Power in their hands are called Gods in Scripture So that what can be desired more in these things And where is the mention of the people in all these either Publick or Private either former or later writings And if the Argument of Authority shall prevail and the common dictate of men shall be thought reason and to proceed from the common light of Humane Nature in them then what are a few opponents in the Christian Church and those only more private persons and taxable upon many accounts to all these And all these both in their former and later writings which I have quoted if what they have so recorded shall be said to be false must be avouched either to have erred or else flatter'd Princes and Colluded with men And then the Publick Faith of the Primitive Times and of the Reformed part of Christendom fails which God forbid or else their Faith is true and rightly derived from Scripture Nay I appeal in this matter to the generality of all Man-kind of Jews Heathens Mahometans as hath been partly mention'd Hic supra §. 4. and §. 11. and Sect. 16. And in the Christian Church to the generality of Fathers Counsels Historians Lawyers Polititians Confessions School-men and whosoever else have been of any Received Authority and so far forth as they have had to do in these things without being swayed by Corruptions Sicut Apostolus dicit Rom. 13. Omnis potestas humana a Deo est Primo secundae Quaest 96 Art 4 and 5. sayes Aquinas That as the Apostle saith Rom. 13. All Humane Power is from God And Princeps dicitur solutus esse a Lege quia nullus in ipsum potest judicium condemnationis ferre That the Prince is said to be free from the Law because none can pronounce the Judgement of Condemnation upon him In secundum sententiar Lib. 2. Distinct 44. Quaest 2. And so Durand Praelatio est secundum debitum Rationis Divinae Ordinationis That Prelacy is according to what ought to be by reason and the appointment of God and the like And so generally all others excepting only the Papal Canonists and Jesuites and the like of that Church who have dedicated themselves to the depression of Princes and the exaltation of the Pontifical Chair and Ecclesiastical Prelacy and who have been the great broachers of those principles on the peoples part of this Question in Christendom and from whom those few others of the Reformed part of Christendom The tendency of the negative part of the question to the good of Religion and Humane Society disputed whom I have mention'd have derived them and men have put them in practise wheresoever they have desired Innovations XVII These things then on both parts of the Question being thus said let us come last of all to dispute the ends of them and for which they are alledged to be held and practised by each of the parties litigant viz. The wellfare of Religion and of humane society Sic supra §. 9. as was above mentioned i. e. of Government also and of the mutual consistency each of these with the other And for these ends then it is that the principles on the peoples part of the question also are said to be intended and consequently appointed by God to be put in practise The common good of Mankind both in respect to Divine and Humane affairs it is true is the great end of all Gods Ordinances and appointments respecting the Publick amongst men And so it ought to be also of all Humane Laws and practises subservient to those Divine Ordinances and respecting the Publick in like manner And but that every Governour in his Society ought to intend the common good of it as abovesaid and as the last end of his Government in this world Cap. 1. Sect. 12. there is no doubt of it And if he do not Act accordingly he is accountable for it both in the Court of Conscience and in the Court of Heaven And when the Question of the Princes being obliged and how far forth to the Laws is disputed That he is obliged to the Divine Laws and to the Laws of Nature and Nations and even to the Civil Laws also by the direction of Natural Equity although not by any external force or Coaction to be brought upon him by men it is agreed upon by all both Lawyers and Divines Ad C. 1. §. fin feudar poss alibi Ad Auth. C. ne fil pro patre Primo secundae Quaest 96. Art 5. Controvers Illust Lib. 1. Cap. 26. Num. 12. De Just Jur. Lib. 1. Quaest 6. Art 7. Variar resolut Lib. 3. Cap. 6. N. 8. In Orat. ad Nicoclem Paulo post princip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. So Baldus Bologinnus Aquinas Vasquez Sotus and others And therefore Covarruvias doth in this sense rightly tax the distinction of ordinary and absolute power in a Prince Potestas absoluta says he de jure non est in principe deinde haec ipsa distinctio potestatis ordinariae absolutae in humanis principibus falssima est That absolute power of right is not in a Prince And therefore this distinction it self of ordinary and absolute Power in a Prince amongst men is most false And Isocrates in his Oration to Nicocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I think truly that it is acknowledged by all that it is agreeable to Princes that they should free their people from Calamities and preserve them in welfare and cause their Common-weales from small to become great And the Poet Hesiod gives an admonition to Kings from the elegant Fable of the Hawk and the Nightingale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But now I will utter a fable to Kings although also they are wise The Hawk so bespake the sweet-singing Nightingal Bearing her aloft in the Clouds being snatch'd up in his Talons But the Nightingale did miserably bemoan her self Being pierced through with his crooked Talons and he with imperious words so spake to her Vnhappy Bird Why dost thou make a noise One much stronger then thee hath thee now in possession Thou goest this way that I carry thee although thou canst sing so well And I will either make my supper on thee if I please or else let thee go But thou O Persa attend to Justice neither love to do Injurie So then this being said let us come to the determination of this business whether it be most for the good of Religion and Humane Society viz. of Government also and the mutual consistency of them That the Negative part of our present Question the Doctrine of the Princes Power it's being from the people and the other propositions attending it be held and taught or the contrary And I shall prove it concerning the contrary viz. that it is most for the common good of Humane Affairs That the derivation of the Princes
more stated solemn service of God the remembrance of God as Creator and governour of the world as in the ancient Judical Sabbath the Creation of the world and Gods resting from it to proceed to governing were assign'd as the reasons of it And it was the Doctrine of St. Paul to the Athenians Acts 17.24 that God that made the world was to be worshipped and as this is the reason of Gods Right of prescribing the Precepts of Religion to man so alike also are the reasons why the matter of such Precepts by being according to Gods will must be necessarily on mans part his Service and Worship For if otherwise the Issue of it will be no less then the removal of God from being either a rewarder or a punisher of men and so consequently from having to do at all authoritatively in Humane Affairs and so in the end all Religion it self towards him will be destroy'd which would be all one as to man as if God's very being it self were removed out of the world For a reward is for something done according to ones will And Paena est noxae vindicta Punishment is vengeance taken upon a fault sayes Vlpian But if Religion by being according to Gods will be not mans service and worship there can be no reward annex'd to it from God nor punishment because he is not wronged if the precepts of it be violated and the impulsive cause of all Divine Worship in man being naturally and primarily Hope and Fear towards a Deity and good and evil to be expected from him being the only objects of these affections and the light of Nature where Divine Revelation is wanting as it is supposed to be in this case dictating no other principles of expectation of good or evil from him but that of reward for serving him or punishment for offending him If Gods having to do authoritatively by such rewards and punishments be removed from amongst men what ground or reason would there be left for the practising of any Religion at all towards him and if not towards him then towards none at all since none else but the Creator hath any right of prescribing it The consent of Nations and the commands of God himself about it III. From these Grounds and Principles in Nature concerning these things then it is that the consent of Nations hath dictated the derivation of all Religion only from God And the Divine Law also hath commanded the same thing In Moses his Prescript of Worship it is the reason prefix'd to the whole System of his Laws which were delivered after the Moral Laws as well as to the two Tables of the Moral Law it's self I am the Lord thy God and by the same Laws the Idolatry of the Nation was forbidden to Israel as well as that the prescribed worship of God was commanded In the Law of Christ he himself contra-distinguish'd the commands of God to the traditions of men Mat. 15.9 and his followers practised the very same Doctrine and that expresly upon the very grounds in Nature which we have mentioned There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Who art thou that judgest another saith St. James And St. Paul lays down that maxime Chap. 4.12 That Without Faith it is impossible to please God and he annexeth the reason of his assertion for he that cometh to God Heb. 11.6 must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him The same thing concerning duties Mat. 10.28 that Christ himself also before him hath prescribed concerning sins Fear not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell The like hath been the Doctrine of the Heathen Sages also upon these very accounts Divine Plato says De Legib. Dial. 10. in princip That those are the two great sorts of destroyers of all Religion in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either who deny the being of the Gods or else do affirm them not to take any care of humane affairs De Natura Deor. Lib. 1. And Cicero Sunt Philosophi fuerunt qui nullam habere censerent humanarum rerum procurationem Deos quorum si vera sententia est quae potest esse Pietas quae Sanctitas quae Religion That there are indeed Philosophers and have been who have thought that the Gods had no care of humane Affairs whose opinion if it be true what Piety can there be what Sanctity what Religion And Stratocles heretofore was laugh'd at when he asked a Law at Athens That whatsoever should please King Demetrius that should be reputed Religious towards the Gods and just amongst men IV. And these Grounds then of the Divine appointment of Religion being thus assigned from Nature The derivation of Religion from God instanced in the Law of Moses Contra Appion passion We shall also find the Universal consent of Nations to it in like manner if we will but take a view of the several prescripts of Religion both True and False that have been in the world So first as to that of Moses the most ancient Law-giver as Josephus in his time and when Gentilism was so rife in the world durst avouch him to be against all the Heathen prescripts He received his two Tables written with the finger of God Exod. 32.15 16. Thargum in Cant. Cap. 1.11 and the Judicial and Ceremonial Laws of Israel from the same hand at Mount Sinai And it is a Tradition amongst the Jews that the Tables were hewn out of the Saphire of the Throne of Gods Glory which they say is mentioned Exod. 24.10 But I need not insist further upon this particular V. Let us proceed next to the Prescript of Heathens So also the Heathen dated theirs and view their Derivation of their Religion from Divine Authority The only creditable and authentick Records of former ages that are left in the World are those generally of the Greeks and Romans In Timaeo circa princip and therefore Plato calls the Greeks alwayes Children because of the defect of the Histories of former Ages amongst them that was even in his time and they being the Elder of those two latter Empires if any are to be believed concerning the derivation of their Religion they are First then as to them and afterwards we will come to the Romans Herodotus says That they derived their Religion from the Aegyptians In Terpsichore In Cratyl Epimoni c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato from them the Phaenicians Assyrians and others Plutarch from Thrace But all agree in this That they received it traditionally from the Institutions of the Gods in those Countries And it is evident that from these and such other Countries they received it because they worshipped the same Gods and in the same Order generally that they did So the two famous Greeks Homer and Plato
proceed from God's Supream Soveraignty over man And that Primarily as he is Creator and by which Soveraignty he is at liberty to command him any thing else also besides the Law of his Nature What the true prescript of Religion is is to be known only from Divine Revelation and that Authoriz'd by Divine Testimony in those Mediis Licitis which I mentioned upon another account just now IX What that Prescript of Divine Precepts is which God hath so appointed to men for their Religion especially as to the Positive sort of them is to be known only from Divine Revelation and that because the perfect and original light of Nature in man is in a great part lost and darkened and till the Pattern of it be shewed him again and that either by special grace or else ordinarily by a Prescript of Religion delivered from Heaven in common to all he doth but as it were more obscurely in many things groap after it And the will of God in Positives is secret only to himself and no Creature hath any such Intuition into the Divine Essence as to know it till revealed and that Revelation of it also from Heaven must be witnessed to by peculiar Divine testimony or else it cannot be known to man to be such and if not so known it cannot rationally be received by him X. Divine Testimony in the general In what Divine Testimony consists and how the Revelation of the true prescript of Religion is to be known from it consists in the exhibiting of supernatural operations which because supernatural are only proper to God and his Supernatural operations proceed severally from his Attributes and that Religion which consists only of the Precepts of the Law of Nature and the Media Licita for it's positive commands and the Revelation of which from Heaven he hath in a peculiar and particular manner witnessed to as such by such supernatural operations it ought to be received by man and he is oblig'd to God as Creator and Governour of the World to observe and practice the precepts of it God hath not revealed from Heaven that he hath committed it to any man or Angel to appoint for Religion what shall seem right to him or he shall think fit But he hath left every particular precept whatsoever to be expected only ultimately from himself XI The Essential Attributes of God are all those infinite perfections which we ascribe to him and to deny the Creatures One discerning the operation of Gods Attributes Distinguished Prima Quaest 3. Art 5. in conclus The opperation of them being any wayes present can be discerned by us only à posteriori and from the effect of them and not otherwise and à priori because we have not such intimate Cognizance of the nature of God as so farre to discern them Neque est definitio Dei neque demonstratio nisi per effectum sayes Aquinas That there is neither any definition nor demonstration of God but by the effect The effects of the Divine Attributes then are discerned either mediatly or immediatly and there are only two of those Attributes the opperations of which we are able so far to distinguish as to discern them immediatly from their effects mentioned and those are the Omnisciency and Omnipotency of God and the effect of them are miracles and ordinarily Prophesie or prediction of things to come or sometimes any the like knowledge and Revelation of secrets equivalent to it and the effects of the other Divine Attributes as such are not discern'd but mediatly i. e. by the Testimony of these two being present to them wheresoever is their operation XII * The Properties of the operation of these Attributes of God and particularly of his omnisciency and Omnipotency and of Tradition in relation to the effects of them The opperation of all these Attributes of God as all other Acts of Creatures which are in time either is in praesenti or hath been in praeterito or else is to be in futuro In praesenti it gives present Testimony to any thing being from God as in present Miracles Prediction or Prophesie in the first utterance of it attested to by such Miracles as to matters of Religion In futuro it is intended to give future testimony by the effect of it concerning any Creature as in prophesie in the event And that which hath been in praterito stands upon Record and the onely conservatrix of the memory of it and deliverer of it down to future ages is tradition Which tradition if it hath these two properties 1. That it be true in the fountain and first spring-head of things 2. That it be continued and un-interrupted in the stream of the relation of them down to us then it is as infallible a conservatrix of former Records though for many ages together as if so many men standing all in a row did deliver those Records from hand to hand immediately one to another XIII These things then being said from hence it is that these three things The operations of Gods Omnisciency and Omnipotency the only primary divine testimonies to matters of Religion and tradition the only instrument for the conveyance of the memory of them and the doctrines of Religion down to future ages and the consent of Nations of God himself about these things viz. Miracles and Prophesie or Prediction ordinarily have been laid down by the consent of all Nations and of God himself as we mentioned just now concerning the Divine Institution of Religion as the great and primary Divine Testimonies to all Religion in the world whatsoever And the third of them viz. Tradition as the instrument for the conveyance of the memory of them down to future ages And having then here also assigned the Reasons just now mentioned for these things from Nature Let us come to the instancing in the consent of Nations and of God himself also as so approving of them and that in the same order and manner as formerly concerning the Divine Institution of Religion in the General * So in Moses his Law XIV First of all then as to the Prescript of Religion deliver'd by God to Moses The primary Divine Testimonies of it as such have been from these things The secondary have been from the other effects of the other Attributes of God And Tradition hath been accordingly made use of in relation to them both as we have mentioned We will instance in all the three particularly 1. Prophesie The Old Testament Prophets are famously known a) Floruit circa Ann. mundi 2460. Moses and b) cir an 2840 Samuel and c) cir an 2900 David and d) cir an 2900 Nathan and e) cir an 2900 Gad f) cir an 3000 Elias and g) cir an 3040 Elizens and h) cir an 3040 Micha and i) cir an 3110 Jonah and k) cir an 3120 Hosea and l Joel and so also the Prophetesses a) Floruit Cir. An
was to come with Armes for the Propagation of his Prescript of Religion And these Miracles also Vid. Alcoran Azoara 3.14.17.30 and the power of working them Christ left to his followers His Disciples being illiterate men spake with Tongues uttered the most assured Precepts of the Law of Nature and such as the profoundest Heathens had before been famed for and the like And their followers in the succeeding ages appealed to all the world to behold the Miracles accompanying them and that continuedly for many Centuries and Ages together 3. And lastly The Tradition of all these things hath been 1. True in the root and Spring-head of them 2. Uninterrupted in the stream and derivation of them also down all along the Ages of the Christian Church There is no way for the proof and evidencing of things amongst men but by the Testimony of witnesses which was the last way prescribed by Moses his Law and is by all Lawes of Countries in the world Vid. F. De fide Instrumentorum De Testibus c. And the Roman Civil Law requires that they be fide digni i. e. that they be Intelligent and honest and so also all other Lawes which is an Argument that if they be so it is as much as can be desired And such witnesses hath the Tradition of these primary Evidences of the Truth of the Christian Religion had attesting to it And that in both it's Capacities of that Tradition mention'd It hath had the Testimonies both of Enemies and Friends 1. Of Enemies Such is that of Josephus concerning Christ About the same time sayes he was Jesus a man of Sapience Antique Judaic Lib. 18. cap. 4. and wisdome if indeed it be lawful to call him a man for he was a doer of wonderful works Supr Sect. 5. Et apud Suâ—tonium Tertullian Euseb ut prius and a teacher of those who would willingly receive the truth and he had very many followers both of the Jewes and Gentiles Such also is that of Pontius Pilate himself as was before mentioned who is said to have sent word to Tiberius of his Miracles Insomuch that Tiberius would have had the Senate of Rome to have enrolled him amongst their Gods Apud Euseb praeparationis Evang. Lib. 5. Cap. 1. Such also is that of Porphyrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That from the time that Jesus began to be worshipped none did partake of any publick help from the Gods And the like acknowledgements there are of Celsus and Julian and other enemies of Christianity Apud Origin Apud Cyrillum c. 2. Of Friends and those every wayes worthy of belief Such were Sergius Paulus and Dionisius the Areopagite and many of the followers of Christ mentioned in the Scripture it self Such were also many of the Primitive Martyrs and the Grand Doctors and Fathers of the Christian Church Adversus haereses Lib. 2. Cap. 51. floruit circa Ann. Christi 180. down all along the Centuries So Irenaeus in his time Si autem Dominum phantasmata hujusmodi fecisse dicunt c. But if they say that the Lord did these things by false appearances says he We will reduce them to the Writings of the Prophets and shew plainly out of them that all things were so foretold by God and that he was the only Son of God Wherefore also in his Name those who are his true Disciples receiving Grace from him do the like things to the benefit of the rest of men even as every one hath received the gift from him For some cast out devils most assuredly and truly others also have the fore knowledge of things to come and Visions and utterings of Prophesies and others by the laying on of hands do cure those who have laboured with infirmities and restore them to health and even at this day also as we have said the dead have arisen and continued among us for many years Contra Celsum Lib. 2. Paulo post princip floruit circa Ann. Christi 220. So also says Origen in his time speaking of Celsus Cum Jesu virtutes extenuaret Magicis illas praestigiis editas olim affirmans quod vero virtutes mira de se ederet Jesus utcunque admittens That when he did extenuate the Miracles of Christ affirming them to be wrought by Art of Magick heretofore but yet however admitting that Jesus did work miracles and many wonderful things concerning himself Ibid. And afterwards Cumque Phlegon in decimo tertio vel decimo quarto ut Arbitror annalium libro vel futurorum quorundam praenotionem detulit Christo cum de Petro confusius pleraque de Christo edisserit plane testificatus pro hujus praedictionibus res occurrisse And that when Phlegon in his thirteenth or as I think fourteenth Book of his Annals attributed to Christ the fore-knowledge of certain things to come when he had discoursed many things more confusedly concerning Peter and Christ and plainly testifying that also things came to pass according to his predictions Adversus Vigilantium in princip floruit circa Ann. Christi 390. And so St. Jerom also in his time affirms the Miracles done at Martyns Tombs and bids Vigilantius Sed responde quomodo in vilissimo pulvere favilla nescio qua tanta sit signorum virtutumque presentia But Answer how can there be so great a presence of signs and wonders in some most contemptible dust Ibid. and I know not what ashes of the dead And after he recites Porphyrie and Eunomius calling them Praestigias Daemonum Ibid. Deceits of Devils and says he to Vigilantius Spiritus iste immundus quo haec te cogit scribere saepe hoc vilissimo tortus est pulvere immo hodieque torquetur That unclean spirit which compells thee to write these things hath been often tormented by this most vile dust nay and even at this day is tormented And the like many other things might be recited out of the Primitive and latter writings of the Christian Church which are every where full of these Testimonies But we intend not here a justification of the Christian Religion at large but only a recital of these things so far forth as belongs to our present occasion So much then for the Christian Religion also its excelling all other in the having had these primary Divine Testimonies annexed to it as such and that also thus in a most peculiar way by God and the Precepts of it consisting eminently and only of the pure Laws of Nature in the mean time and it having none but the Media Licita for its Positives as was said above of the Law of Moses So then the Christian Religion is it the consistency of which with Government men ought to have a special respect to that they do not violate it and which ought by every Chief Magistrate and his Laws of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity to be setled as the National Religion in every
§. 85. in Octavio §. 58. to Julius Caesar Parenti Patriae To the Father of the Country And the Senate and people saluted Octavius by the Name of Pater Patriae The Father of the Country And Magistratus est Medicus Civitatis beneque praeest qui juvat Patriam aut certe laedit non volens sayes Thucydides That the Magistrate is the Physician of the City Lib. 6. and he doth well in his Praeheminence who helps his Country or at least doth not willingly hurt it Et in hoc serviunt Reges Deo sayes St. Augustine Si in Regno suo bona jubeant mala prohibent Lib. 3. super Chrysost non solum quae pertinent ad Societatem Humanam sed quae ad Divinam Religionem That in this Kings do serve God in their places if in their Kingdoms they command good things and forbid evil viz. not only those which belong to Humane Society but also to the Religion of God So then as this is thus the Charge and Right of Princes and particularly to see that Religion be preserved in its consistency with Government so also on the other hand they are obliged both in the Court of Conscience and in the Supream Court of Heaven to see that their Government be kept in Consistency with Religion The Kingly Prophet calls to the Kings and Judges of the Earth Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son least he be angry And Christ in the New Testament Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so the same shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven And that this is thus on both hands the Charge and Right of the Supream Magistrate it is also further evident both from the Law of Nature and the Divine Law and that also of Nations Who by compact and general agreement in relation to these things treat only with the Supream Magistrates of Countries as the persons most properly concerned in them So in all Counsels and Synods Ecclesiastical Oecumenical and others and that even in the Papacy its self Princes are first solicited by admonition to Assent and to send their Divines And their Embassadors come to those Assemblies also for the declaring and securing of their several Masters Rights before the Assemblies themselves be opened and matters passed Authoritatively in them The conclusive explications of the positive part of the Question subjoyn'd VIII This then being the affirmative part in this matter Let us come last of all to subjoyn our further and conclusive explications of it as was mentioned And that briefly The first conclusive and explicatory proposition IX And the first of those is That this Charge then of the Supream Magistrate is Primarily and Principally to be looked after by him And that because it is his Supream Charge in respect to the dignity of the thing and more eminently committed to him by God and the greatest of any that can possibly be put into his hands in this world it containing the sum of all Divine and Humane Affairs In Principe Cap. 4. as is said Habent Principes quae eo pertinent sayes Cicero Varios Actus conciliorum temporum in summa rerum administranda haec gravem curam diligentiamque desiderat quam ipse Princeps sustinet That Princes have divers Acts both of Councels and Times which belong to their Office in the administring the sum of Affairs and this sum of all which the Prince sustains requires a great care and diligence for the management of it The second X. The second Conclusive Explication is that this great Charge of the Magistrates is perpetually and constantly to be looked after as the wakeful Dragon watch'd over the Golden Apples of the Hesperides And that both because God hath appointed Religion and Government and the Consistency of Religion with Government to be kept up and maintained perpetually in the world and so long as mankind shall endure in it and also because these things are perpetually in danger as hath been mentioned And there hath been scarce any more prevalent means then the pretence of Religion by which innovators in all States have arrived at their ends and scarce any Civil War which is the worst of all Wars but what hath either been begun or maintained by it against the Soveraign Prince All Histories are full of examples in this matter And the Soveraign Prince in any society had need beware of the like future attempts as Sea-men of the approach of a Spoute at Sea The third XI To these ends then there is a necessity of the Magistrates using the means for his accomplishing them Media ordinantur ad finem In Gods very having appointed the Magistrate to arrive at the end he hath implyed and included the appointment of his use of the means to that end And those means he is obliged to use both as these things are his charge committed to him by God and also as they are his Right and respect his own welfare particularly and also as they respect the welfare of his Subjects Supra Cap. 1. §. 12. and Cap. 3. §. 17. and the Common Good which hath been said to be the last end of all Humane Society The fourth XII The consistency of Religion in its relative consideration with Government includes the welfare both of Religion and Government simply and separately taken because by its very being rendred inconsistent with Government whether imprudently or maliciously whether being used as a means to serve mens ends or not both it is falsified and Government is at least endangered and always in some degree or other hurt and perhaps somtimes totally ruin'd And in relation to these respects of these things principally we treat of them in our following discourse XIII And lastly the means necessary to be used by the Prince The fifth and last conclusive explication for the preservation of the welfare of these things in any Society are the Laws of an Vniformity in Church matters in some kind or other in such a Society And to prove this and explicate what the Laws and Rights of such an Vniformity are The conclusion of the First Book An earnest wish that Princes may take that special care which they ought to see that their Government consist with the True Religion both generally and particularly will be the great intent of what we shall say hereafter XIV In the interim we shut up this First Book with earnest wishes and prayers That as God hath committed it to Princes to see that Religion consist with Government so he would direct and inspire them to take that special care that it behoves them to see that their Government also consist with the True Religion And that not only negatively that it do not hurt it but positively and eminently that it may eminently help it By this they will create in their Subjects minds a more sacred veneration towards them and render themselves in
liberty defin'd and distinguished In compendio c. loco de libertate Christiana vid. Petri Martyr locos commun c. III. And first of all Christian Liberty is a purchased thing a thing purchased for Christians as a priviledge by the merits of Christ and therefore belonging to them only as Christians And it consists says Zanchy and other Theologists in their common places concerning it in freedom from the curse of the Law and from the burthen and yoke of it both Moral and Ceremonial and from the particular effects and consequences reduceable to these generalls and therefore belongs to Christians partly as such by profession and partly as such by special Grace But it being a thing wholly spiritual and internal it comes not under the reach and cognizance of Humane Laws and so cannot possibly either be diminished or taken away by men nor from men while Christians And therefore the complaints many times thrown about amongst the inconsiderate people by Innovators in the Christian Churches and Common-Weals that Governours go about to rob them of their Christian Liberty when they only limit them by due restraints are in themselves vain and causless neither is it possible that Christian Liberty should immediately and in its self any ways concern the good or evil of Humane Society Liberty of judgment distinguished and defined IV. Liberty of Judgment in matters of Religion comes under a two-fold distinction First it is distinguished according to the two different sorts of objects of the intellectual faculty in man And so it is 1. That of the practical judgement in relation to actions and things to be done 2. That of the speculative in relation to things to be believed and those either matters of Faith or matters of Opinion as those terms are ordinarily understood by Divines Secondly it is to be distinguished either in respect to the Obligation lying upon the intellectual faculty and consequently on the will to assent and consent to things to assent to things speculative to consent to things practical or else in respect to the bare exercise and imployment of it in order to the fixing such assent and consent mentioned And the first of these is ordinarily called Liberty of Conscience the second Liberty of the Judgement of discerning Liberty of Conscience so taken respects principally matters practical and so it consists in conscience it being free from obligation to any thing except the commands of God And that it is so free says the Scripture James 4.12 Rom. 14.1 And those commands of God are either mediate or immediate And liberty of Judgement of discerning respects both matters practical and speculative universally and consists in its being free from any prohibition of its being exercised about those things But still both these sorts of liberty being things internal they also cannot possibly be diminished nor taken away by man neither do they in themselves concern Humane Society V. That this liberty of exercising the Judgment of discerning The liberty of exercising mens judgement of discerning asserted as it is largely taken and in the general about all matters of Religion is and always hath been conceded by God to men it is evident both from the light of Nature and from the Divine Law And the use and enjoyment of it is a grand natural right belonging to men First it is evident from the light of nature in that God and Nature have endued man with such Judgment of discretion for this very end that he might use and exercise it in all things indefinitely And so upon that account he is obliged to do it wheresoever occasion requires And if in all things that concerns him and his welfare then in matters of Religion especially or else such judgment should be bestowed as to those most weighty things upon him in vain It is the saying of Cicero De Nat. Deor. Lib. 3. in princip Cum autem suo cuique judicio sit utendum difficile est factu me id sentire quod tu velis That since every one is appointed to use his own judgment it is a hard thing for me to think just what you would have me to think And Plutarch In Timole onte Oportet non modo ut quod agitur sit honestum sed ut firma constans adsit persuasio It behoves us to look to it that not only what we do be honest but that also there be in us a firm and constant perswasion of the honesty of it And Pliny Quod dubitas ne feceris Lib. 1. Epist 29. Strom. Lib. 1. That which thou doubtest of do not do And Clemens Alexandrinus Veritatis amator Plato veluti a Deo incitatus dixit ego sum ejusmodi ut nulli alii credam nisi rationi quae mihi consideranti optima visa est That the lover of Truth Plato as it were inspired by God said I am of that mind to believe none else but Reason which to me considering seems to be the best Secondly from the Divine Law in that it doth every where advise and command the use of such judgment of discerning in matters of Religion to men and where they properly concern them See 1 Thes 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good And 1 Jo. 4.1 Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God And 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready always to render a reason of that hope that is in you And Mat. 24.4 See that no man seduce you And Luk. 12.57 Why do ye not of your selves judge what is right All which and the like Texts if they do not advise men to make use of their Reason for the choice of their Religion Against Knot 1 Part. Chap 2. §. 116. then I must confess my self says Mr. Chillingworth to understand nothing VI. But yet this liberty of the use The due limitation and restraint of the same and exercise of mens judgement of discerning in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity is appointed to receive as all other things in their several respects they bear to the good of humane affairs its due and just limitations And that in relation both to persons and things The distinction of persons here concerning it is that of men divided into the vulgar and more intelligent And this distinction of them is common to all Societies The distinction of things Hic supra §. 2. Supra Lib. 2. Cap. 1. §. 7. and matters of Religion are partly those here already mentioned and partly heretofore viz. of Doctrines into Doctrines of Belief and Doctrines of manners And those of Belief into Doctrines of Faith and Doctrines of Opinion And both those of Belief and Practise either into Doctrines more or less Fundamental and consequently either more or lesse concerning the Good of men and then no wonder if consequently also either more plainly or more obscurely revealed in Scripture And those also concerning the good of men either so concerning it ordinarily and in themselves or else
by accident and in some particular case and as to some particular persons And that good also either their temporal in this world in a less eminent notion or their eternal in another in a more eminent And according to these distinctions both of persons and things is the use of this liberty in matters of Religion in all Societies to be limited And that as it respects the last end which was mentioned of all Society the common good of Humane Affairs and that is that to persons intelligent and who are sufficient to judge of such things God and Nature have allowed the liberty of the ordinary exercise of their judgement of discerning universally and according to the latitude of its adequate object and in relation to all the sorts of Doctrines mentioned and that for many reasons relating both to the good of Religion and Government and the Consistency of Religion with Government But to the Vulgar and persons insufficient actually Infra Lib. 3. Cap. 13. §. and ordinarily not so as shall be more particularly declar'd hereafter Liberty of outward actions ought to be regulated by Humane Laws VII Liberty of Profession and outward actions as to matters of Religion is a thing clearly different from these two sorts of Liberty already mentioned And because the use of it immediately and in it self cometh under the cognizance of men and in its effects also reacheth to their persons and affairs therefore it ought to be regulated by Humane Lawes And it is to be allowed or not allowed by the Chief Magistrate and so consequently used or not used by private persons in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity according to the present circumstances of things and as it makes or makes not to the Glory of God and good of our Neighbour as a member of all Humane Society i. e. To the welfare of Religion or Government or the Consistency of Religion with Government This liberty of Profession and outward Actions as to matters of Religion is that which hath been used in all Ages to have been falsly cry'd up by corrupt men either for Christian Liberty or liberty of Conscience according as either would serve their turns when they have affected any Innovations or Change of Government either Ecclesiastical or Civil in any Society And liberty of divulging mens Judgements or Opinions in matters of Religion is one maine part of this liberty of outward actions VIII The principal part of the purchased Christian Liberty viz. The freedome from the Guilt of Sin The concession of the use of the means of Grace in any Christian Church necessary to the attaining to the principal part of the purchased Christian Liberty Hic supra §. 1. the Curse of the Law c. cannot be attained to but by a mans being endued from God with special Grace because that is the condition of the Covenant of Grace in the Gospel belonging necessarily as is said to the attaining to it And therefore it is evident that the use of the means of Grace by which such Grace is ordinarily to be attained ought by the Chief Magistrate in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity to be conceded to the people And they have a Right to it both by the Natural and Divine Law By the Natural as the means is necessary to the end in the general and by the Divine as those particular means are appointed by it as necessary to that particular end Faith cometh by hearing saith the New Testament Rom. 10.17 and Hearing by the word of God This Faith meant there is the Fundamental Grace of a Christian his primum vivens and ultimum moriens and by hearing the Word of God is meant the use of any of the means of Grace IX Knowledge in the Doctrines of Christianity The concession of the use of the means of Knowledg in any Christian Church necessary also to the exercise of mens judgment of discerning is also necessary to the exercising a mans Judgement of discerning about them because by Knowledge it is that he distinguisheth of things and the things must be known that are to be judged of And therefore it is evident also from hence that the means of Knowledge in the Christian Religion without which ordinarily such Knowledge cannot be attained to ought in like manner to be conceded to the people by the Chief Governour in any Church and they have a right to them also by the two Laws both the Natural and the Divine by the first of them primarily and more generally and by the second secondarily and more particularly X. The ordinary means of Knowledge and Grace here meant What the ordinary means of Knowledge and Grace are are those things which are appointed by God and Nature for the ordinary obtaining of them And therefore they are commonly called the Ordinances or Appointments of God in the Christian Church in respect to them Such are especially his Publick Ordinances of Prayer reading the Scriptures and singing of Psalms or Hymnes Preaching and the like Such are also the like things to be made use of in private viz. the Bible especially and other good Books in the vulgar Tongue to be read thought on conferr'd about and the like That the Bible ought to be conceded to the Laiâ—y XI That the Bible ought in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity to be conceded to the Laity in common to be made use of by them to these ends mentioned and notwithstanding that to the grosser and more insufficient part of them the use of their judgement of discerning is not actually ordinarily and universally by God and Nature conceded to them as was said but now Hic supra §. 4. It is evident from the Bible it self and the Divine Law of God and Christ contained in it In the Old Testament the use of it was so commanded to the Laity amongst the Jews Deut. 6.6 And these words which I commanded thee this day shall be in their heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them by the way and when thou sittest in thy House and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up c. And in the New Testament the same was commanded also John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye hope to have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me And if this be not so why was the Old Testament written in Hebrew the vulgar Language of the Jewish Nation And why was the New Testament written in the Greek the Language most vulgar also to those Countries in which it was first written and taught Per Europam De veritate Christianae Relig. Lib. 3. §. 15. Asiam Aegyptum quibus in locis Graecus Sermo vigebat sayes Grotius Throughout Europe Asia and Aegypt in which places the Greek Language did then flourish And so also both of the Testaments continue in those places and to those people to whom those Languages and so much of the ancient purity of them as is preserved are common
these been in respect to these things the Scorn and Sport of Impostors VI. The Persons ordinarily guilty then of voluntary Offences The Persons ordinarily guilty of the Faults of Malice and the faults of malice against the publick charge of the Magistrate are the other sort of men viz. wicked and cunning men Demagogues Heresiarks in matters of Religion and Ring-leaders of Sedition in matters Civil And these ordinarily such who are partly Prophane either to lesser or greater degrees of Prophaness and partly Atheists and down-right Contemners of a Deity and so have no sence of Conscience or Duty upon them either towards God or Man The Prophane Persons some of them are such to such a degree that they deserve the name of Practical Atheists And the others are speculative Atheists and that such there are and alwayes have been in all Societies it is abundantly evident The Practises of men and such as we shall here forthwith mention Polit. lib. 5. cap. 4. §. 27. shew it daily And Aristotle sayes Itaque viri boni virtute praestantes Seditionem non faciunt cum multis enim improbis comparati valde pauci fuerint Therefore good men and such as excel in virtue are not those who make a Sedition seeing that it will be found that they are but very few if they may be compar'd with wicked men And Plato in his books of Lawes tax'd the Atheists of old Dial. 10. That they were wont to say scoffingly amongst the Heathens that not the Sun Moon and Stars who were worship'd but that the Earth and Stones were the Gods And Ibid. Quomodo non commotus Deos esse aliquis disserat How can a man dispute against such Persons sayes he but with anger Vid. Suetonium Incaligula c. Juv. Satyr 3. Some of the Roman Emperours in their times laugh'd at Religion And the Acute Satyrist describes the Tenents of such men Sunt qui in fortunae jam casibus omnia ponunt Et nullo credunt mundum rectore moveri Natura volvente vices Lucis Anni Atque ideo intrepidi quaecunque Altaria tangunt There are those now who attribute all to Chance and Fortune And do believe the World to be mov'd by no Guide Nature turning about the Course both of the Dayes and Year And therefore they approach to any Altars without any fear or respect to them VII The things that excite and stir up these Persons also to the Commission of such faults against the Charge of the Magistrate are their several Lusts and Corruptions The Causes exciting them to the Commission of such Faults viz. Those which have Temporal interests and the adored things of this World for their Proper Objects And those vicious Passions and Corruptions are either such as respect the things and Affairs according as they are diversly valued or else the Persons of men The things of this world ordinarily valued by men in the first place are Riches And the wise man gives the reason of it Eccles 10.19 because they answer all things And the particular Lust in men the proper object of which they are is Covetousness The things valued in the second place accordingly are Honours and Reputation esteem a name and the like And they are the proper Objects of the Lusts of Pride and Ambition And these two sorts of Corruptions are the principal of these causes exciting men to the Commission of such faults against the Magistrates charge mention'd At vero fraudes prope modum omnes atque injuriae quae quidem Consilio voluntate susceptae sint ab Ambitione Avaritia proficiscuntur Polit. lib. 2. Cap. 7. §. 5. sayes Aristotle That indeed for the most part all Deceipts and Injuries which are undertaken by Consultation and voluntarily do proceed from Ambition and Avarice And then the things valued in the third and last place are Pleasures and they are the proper Objects of voluptuousness according as it is variously diversified But yet several men have these evil passions more or less severally ruling in them according to their several Tempers Occasions given for the acting of them and the like The second sort of Lusts and such as respect the Persons of Men are Envy Anger Malice Revenge and other such which do use to vomit forth their Rage and Poison against others as is more generally hinted above Lib. 1. Cap. 3. §. 2. in fine The impetuousness and violence of these exciting causes 1 Thes 4.5 Apud Sueton. in Nerone VIII The impetuousness and violence of these corruptions is famously known in the World The Word of God calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the passionateness of Lust And the writings of all men and the Experiences of all Ages have attested the same Occidat modo imperet said Nero's mother of her Son That he should kill her if he would so that he might but be Emperour And hoc est illud minimum Punctulum sayes Seneca of the Earth quod ferro igne dividitur That it is that very little point which is divided by Fire and Sword amongst men And therefore Temporal Interests are by Elegant Causin rightly call'd Holy Court Tom. 4. Trent 1. §. 3. Certain Doctrines in the Christian Religion made use of by these Persons for the Promotion of their several ends The fift Gospel of men in this World IX There are certain Doctrines in the Christian Religion which are indeed of great moment as to the spiritual man but are disputed variously by the several subdivided Professions in the Christian Church and those are the Doctrines of Special Grace Spiritual blindness the enmity of the natural man and the like And these are those which have been principally made use of in all Ages by the several Heresiarks and Ring leaders of Sedition for the promoting of their several ends in the Christian Societies They have as serted and reputed their parties only to have had special Grace and others to have been Carnal men And if those others have not seen any reason for their wayes they have said it hath been because they were spiritually blind and have been ready to apply that of the Apostle to their Case if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost And if those others have made any opposition against them they have said it was from their natural enmity to Godliness And hence it is that the way concerning these Doctrines amongst us now vulgarily called Arminian hath been by some Christian Churches countenanced and asserted or at least not much discountenanced nor contradicted The Church of Rome hath solemnly professed it and the main of it And the Church of England amongst others called reformed hath in the Rubricks of her present Liturgy asserted universal Grace to be bestowed in Baptisme See the Order for the Administration of Publick Baptisme In Rubrica ad fin And hath not in Terminis contradicted the Arminian way in her Publick Canon of Doctrines And
hath suffered the debates concerning it to be ventilated in her Universities And as to these Doctrines and so farre forth as they are concerned here certainly that way of Tenent concerning them is to be looked upon as truth and as intended by the Scripture and accordingly to be chosen by all Churches which tends least to Division and most to the Promotion of the welfare of the Publick Charge of the Magistrate in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity X. In the mean time of all things in the world the Charge of the Magistrate is most likely to be invaded by these Lusts of men Of all things in the World the Charge of the magistrate is most likely to be invaded by them which have been mention'd in any Society and that because the places of Supreme Governours are alwayes accompanied in the most eminent manner with the great Adored Tria's of Riches Honours and Pleasures or at least are so commonly deemed to be and so the places of all other Governours also gradually and proportionably both in Church and State and the making use of the pretences of Religion and the rendering it inconsistent with Government is a most potent means for the wresting of a Governours Power out of his hands And the Heresiarks ordinarily in this Case as in all other are Ecclesiasticks or Churchmen for so sayes the Scripture it self as to matters concerning Religion That from the Prophets is Prophaneness gone forth into all the Land Jer. 23.15 And they are those that make all the stir in the World about these things Such Heresiarks heretofore in the primitive times of the Christian Church were Donatus Arrius Sabellius Servetus Samosatenus and the like mentioned in the Catalogues of Heresies and Ecclesiastical Histories and interdicted by the Code of Justinian Vid. C. Titulis De Hereticis manichaeis De Judaeis c. Et passim alibi and other parts of the new Civil Law The Ring-leaders of Sedition immediatly in matters Civil and whether taking occasion from these matters of Religion or other things ordinarily are Laicks and those aiming at the Supream Magistrates Throne and the things that are so Gay in their Eyes belonging to it And what is it that men will not do for a Kingdome Tullia sayes the Roman Historian Livius Decad. 1. lib. 1. stuck not to be the murtheress of her own Father and to drive her Goar-blood Chariot over his dead Body lying in the way to her Pallace that she might salute her Husband King in his stead And it is recited concerning Julius Caesar Apud Suâ—ton In Julio that he was wont alwayes to have in his mouth these two Verses of Euripides which he himself thus rendred sayes the Historian Nam si violandum est Jus regnandi causa Violandum est aliis rebus pietatem colas For if Right be to be violated for a kingdomes sakes It is to be violated in other things follow after piety Of all Persons in the World the Person of the Magistrate is most likely to be invaded by them also XI Of all Persons in the world also the Person of the supreme Magistrate is most likely to be invaded by the other sort of Corruptions conversant as was said about the Persons of men And so the Persons of all other Governours also gradually and Proportionally both in Church and State and that because Governours of all sorts and especially the supreme are the publick Persons that have to do with all sorts of men the life of the Lawes and the cause of the Execution of them the Formers of the Tempers of times and those that cross the grain of such as like not their Government And then it is no wonder if upon a thousand occasions there be the Spirits of male-contents rising up against them in all Societies The Conclusion drawn from all these things XII Last of all then All these things being so we must come to lay down but this one Conclusion from them And that is That how much reason then is there for the Supreme Magistrate in every Society to take all care possible and to use all due meanes for the securing his Charge from both these sorts of mischiefs which we have mention'd viz. Those which it is subject to both from the faults of Imprudence and faults of Malice and if he do not do it he cannot be said to discharge his Trust either towards God or towards his People either towards God in respect of his duty or towards his People in respect of their welfare and common good of his Society And this Supreme and Publick Charge of his also is the thing ultimately to be preserved by an Ecclesiastical Uniformity CHAP. VI. The more general Description of the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers and which belong to the Cheif Magistrate and Ecclesiastical Ministry as their distinct Rights in an Ecclesiastical Vniformity I. THe First and Capital Distinction of the Persons concern'd in Government II. The Christian Church and Civil State are distinct Societies III. The necessity of difference of Order and Power in Governours IV. The distinction of the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers flowes from the Divine Appointment according to the different quality of the affairs about which they are Conversant V. The Question stated Whether Church-men may have to do in the Administration of Civil Affairs VI. A Caution subjoyn'd VII The necessity of difference of Orders and Degrees of Churchmen and Ecclesiastical Persons in any Church-Society VIII The several Orders and Degrees of Ecclesiastical Persons mention'd in the Christian Scriptures and the Churches Power of varying concerning them IX The Rights and Powers belonging to the Ecclesiastical Persons as such X Erastus answer'd XI The Character of the Ecclesiastical Persons Function is Indelible XII The necessity of some Supreme amongst men XIII The Supreme Person defin'd as to his Political Qualification XIV And as to his Person and that is the Civil Magistrate XV. This Supreme Power is committed to him by God as Creator and Conserver of all things And what is the extent of such Power XVI For the discharge of his Trust in the exercise of such Power there is a necessity of his having an Indirect Power in Spirituals as a branch of such supreme Power conceded to him And the extent of such Indirect Power XVII That this Indirect Power is his Right both by the Law of Nature and Nations and the Divine Law XVIII First by the Law Natural XIX Secondly by the Divine Law XX. Thirdly and lastly by the Law of Nations also XXI The Question Answered Why the Ecclesiastical persons as such should not have Supremacy over all XXII By the Magistrate's Indirect Power in Spirituals he is appointed to be a Foster-father to the Church XXIII The Supreme Magistrate may commit the exercise of this Indirect Power in Spirituals to others The first and Capital Distinction of the Persons concern'd in Government Supra lib. 1. Cap. 3. §. 5. 1. HAving already distinguish'd Government
from the Law of Nature and the Divine Law From the Law of Nature because it is not the intent of the true Religion at any time by the same act of profession more to hurt humane Society then to benefit it self And from the Divine Law See Mat. 10.16 to 23. Mat. 12.15 16. Mat. 14.13 Jo. 10.39 40. Acts 9.25 c. 2. Negatively on the Magistrates part he may not compel them in a direct and alsolute sence to the positive act of uniting with the national profession and that because the concession of such right of compulsion in him includes concession of Sin And they ought not neither to be compell'd by him either where the national Religion is false and so the act of profession of it is sinful in its self or elsewhere it is against Conscience with them and so that act is sinful by accident And therefore the Primitive Councels of the Christian Church enjoyned repentance and other spiritual punishments in the case of Sacrificing to Idols eating in their Temples and the like and that whether through compulsion or otherwise So the Ancyran Councels Can. 8. and Can. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Concil Ancyran apud Carranz Vid. and so others 3. And Lastly and positively in respect to both the Magistrate and the People But yet the Magistrate on his part may compel them on their part in an elective and relative sense i. e. either to change the soyle or suffer present penalties even to Martyrdome and death it self Lib. 1. Cap. 1. §. 8. if he see cause as was above in the beginning of this discourse implyed or else to unite with the National Profession And this is practised and hath ever been in all Societies and is a Right necessary to the support of the welfare of the Magistrates Charge and belongs to him by vertue of his Supream Power over all and both by the Law Natural and Divine by the first primarily and fundamentally and by the second secondarily and by consent And that also because it is the only natural way for securing the Magistrates Charge there being no room for any effect to be expected from Church censures in this Case Quid Ecclesia sayes Beza Nempe ex verbo Dei De Haereticis magistratu puniend Arg. 1. In confirm propros Quaest si infaelix ille corrigi alia ratione non potuerit Satanae eum tradet ut discat non blasphemare Ille contra sese libens ultro ab Ecclesia sejunget Esto igitur in Ecclesia Magistratus Christianus What can the Church do viz. according to the direction of the Word of God if that unhappy person may not be otherwise amended it will deliver him to Satan that he may learn not to blaspheme He on the contrary willingly and of his own accord will separate himself from the Church Let there be therefore in the Church a Christian Magistrate XIV The second The Second Question or Querie is How far forth the Faith once delivered to the Church ought to be contended for Answ 1. The terms of the question suppose it to be the Faith indeed which is contended for for else it is in it self either thankless or sinful to contend for it 2. This Question is to be determined according to the more general determination of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of Religious Contests above stated And that is Lib. 2. Cap. 1. §. 4. so far forth as it doth make to the hurt of any part of the charge of the Magistrate and that either simply or comparatively it ought not to be contended for And the Reasons for this are evident viz. because the Christian Religion is not suppos'd to command any thing as a duty which may render either it hurtful to it self or else to Humane Society 3. And Lastly The affirmitive then is imply'd in this Negative That so far forth as it makes to the benefit of the Magistrates Charge it may and ought to be contended for And these general Rules are to be applyed to all particular cases But yet because all publick contentions are ordinarily dangerous and men do seldom proceed regularly and as they ought to do in these Religious Contests therefore it is that both in their venting and managing of them they do use to be the more narrowly watch'd over by the Laws of all Ecclesiastical Uniformities CHAP. V. How the Canon and Liturgy ought to be Composed in order to their answering to their General Ends. I. A Due care ought to be taken in the composing of the Canon and Liturgy in order to their serving their general ends II. The first Rule to be observed in it as to the matter of them III. The Second IV. The first also to be observed as to the manner of the composing of them and that in order to their being true and lawful V. The Second VI. The case concerning the Princes having power of prohibiting Heretical Synods determined VII The first Rule to be observed in the composing the Canon and Liturgy in relation to the number of Doctrines or sub-alternate kinds of forms which they consist of VIII The Second IX The last Rule to be observed in the Composition of this the Canon and Liturgy I. THe Canon of Doctrines and Liturgy A due care ought to be taken in the composing of the Canon Liturgy in order to their serving to their general ends being of so great moment as hath been mentioned it cannot be thought but that a due and proportionable care ought to be taken in the composing of them And that both as to the matter and manner of their composition And as to both in relation to their serving to their general ends And what those Rules are then that are requisite to be observed in the composition of them accordingly we come here to describe II. And because the third notions of True and Lawful The first Rule to be observed in it as to the matter of them are those under which the national assent is supposed to be given to them Therefore that is the first Rule that is to be observed as to the matter of them That all due care be taken that the Doctrines of the Canon be true and that the forms of the Liturgy be lawful to be us'd And this principally for Religions sake and either as to the procuring or preservation of the welfare of it The Second III. As to the quantity and number of Doctrines that is to be comprehended in the Canon it ought to be regulated according to the occasions of Churches as hath been hinted sometimes heretofore And that because the publick good and the welfare of the charge of the Magistrate being the last and general end of the whole Uniformity it self and of all instruments of it whatsoever it must of necessity follow that the occasions of it are to be served by the Canon in this matter And the occasions of Churches relating to the whole charge of the Magistrate are
the mean time they do not in effect and in the esteem of the people lose it And that in the end it do not come to be positively denyed them In the interim Ceremonies or customary adjuncts of Divine Worship are of diverts sorts in any National Church They are either ordinary or extraordinary they are either more or less pompous and accompanied with outward splendor they are either traditional and meerly customary or else established by written Law and the like And concerning the customary ones those Rules and Responses of the Law are to be observ'd in all Churches both pro con viz. Quod initio vitiosum est F. De Reg. jur Reg. 28. F. de legibus Senatus Consult Lib. 13. eodem L. 32. non potest tracta temporis convalescere That that which was faulty at first cannot by any tract of time get force And Quod vero contra rationem juris receptum est non est producendum ad consequentiam That that which is received against the mind of the Law is not to be brought into consequence And Diuturna consuetudo pro Jure Lege in iis quae non ex scripto descendunt observari solet That a continued custome in those things which are not from written Law is wont to be observed as Right and Law Of what sort soever these ceremonies be then the due Rules belonging to the adjoyning them to the Divine Worship ought also to be observed in such the adjunction of them And those are either more general or more particular the more general are That the quantity and number of them do not exceed Lib. 2. Cap. 9. §. 7. which was reprehended as an extream in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity above That they be not constituted as parts of worship neither by assertion nor in effect That they be grave and according to the weight of those holy things which they accompany That they be suitable to the several and particular applications of them and the like And the more particular Rules are to be varied according to the several either stated or emergent occasions of Churches Finally both the more general and more particular are all of them to be measured by this one most general Rule and that is That they be no ways prejudicial to any part of the Magistrates charge either to Religion or Government or their mutual consistency And these are the Rules which all Churches ought to proceed by and which the Christian Churches profess to proceed by in this business So those late called Reformed in their several Confessions In the latter Helvetian Proinde Judaismum videmur reducere aut restituere Sectione 17. de ritibus Ceremoniis mediis In Helvetica Posteriore si in Ecclesia ad morem veteris Ecclesiae Caeremonias Ritusve multiplicaremus c. We seem then to reduce and bring back Judaism again if in the Church according to the manner of the ancient Church we should multiply Ceremonies or Religious Rites So also the Bohemian Ibid. in Bohemica Omnino autem cum hac cautione servare ea oportet intraque has metas continere ne pro fundamentis quibus salus nitatur aut pro cultu qui a Deo sine ullo discrimine constitutus sit habeantur Neve magis aut arctius quam mandata Dei conscientias hominum obstringant his â—e se efferendo praeferant c. But it behoves us to observe those things in any wise with this caution and to contain them within these bounds viz. That they be not accounted fundamentals upon which salvation depends or for worship which without any difference is constituted by God nor that they do not bind the Consciences of men more and more strictly then the Commands of God and lift themselves up above them And the like the others and the other Christian Churches even that of Rome also in their several ways and under their different notions In the Preface And the present Church of England in its Prefatories to the Liturgy The particular forms of Divine Worship and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein being things in their own nature indifferent and alterable and so acknowledged it is but reasonable that upon weighty and important considerations according to the various exigency of times and occasions such changes and alterations should be made therein as to those that are in place of Authority should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient And again Vid. Of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained Ibid. Some Ceremonies are put away because the great excess and multitude of them hath so increased c. And afterwards and moreover the other which remain be neither dark nor dumb Ceremonies but are so set forth that every man may understand what they do mean and to what use they do serve and the like In the next place then the ends for which these Ceremonies and Circumstances attending the Publick Worship are usually and ought to be appointed are evident both from Scripture and otherwise In the Scripture the direction is given that all things that are done in mens external deportment in the Church be done to edification and decently and in order and the like The meaning of it is to the welfare of the publick charge of the Magistrate in all the parts of it primarily those of Religion and Government simply taken And the same reasons either more generally or particularly are assigned for the constitution of such Ceremonies and external actions to be used up and down in the humane writings of the several Christian Churches So the Roman Rationales Ecclesia utitur caeremoniis non quod in his externis si desit spiritus fiduciam reponi velit sed utitur caeremoniis velut quibusdam visibilibus signis In novo Rationale Lib. 2. Cap. 6. in princip stimulis Religionis non coniemnendis sayes De Rubeis That the Church useth Ceremonies not that it would have any confidence to be put in these external things if the spirit be wanting to them But it useth Ceremonies as certain visible signs and spurs to Religion Ibid. paulo ante which are not to be contemned And a little before Sunt quaedam solemnitates quae adhibentur in sacramentorum administratione qui alio nomine dicuntur Caeremoniae That there are certain solemnities which are made use of in the Administration of the Sacraments which by another name are called Ceremonies And again afterwards Ibid. Ecclesia accendit in Templis Caereos Luminaria ut admoneat Christum veram lucem seu Evangelii splendore omnes tenebras effugâsse in qua luce sit nobis perpetuo tenore inambulandum That the Church lighteth candles in the places of Divine Worship and Luminaries that it may admonish that Christ the true Light by the splendour of his Gospel hath chased away all darkness in which light and splendour we ought perpetually to walk And afterwards also
splendors of the Civil Magistrate 147. above all orders in the Church c. according to the Canonists 38 his stiles and ambition 64 65 Pope Paul the 5th his usual saying concerning Magistrates 65 Popular state when first erected 35 Powers Those belonging to the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government distinguished 122 the persons concern'd in them assign'd Ibid. Praefectus Vigilum his Office amongst the Romans 300 301 Prayer a form of it was approved of by Christ 197 Preaching why so great a latitude of it generally is left open in national Vniformities 207 208 and the case stated concerning it Ib. the Magistrates power of laying a restraint upon it 296 Prelacy from God 38 Prescript of the Christian Religion it hath been most vexed with contests 194 whether a traditional and more Ceremonial Prescript of Religion or else a written and more doctrinal one be least subject to popular contests 203 Printing none amongst the Turks 180 the Magistrates power of laying a restraint upon it 296 and the ill consequence of licentiousness in it Ibid. Prophaneness to be expelled out of humane Societies 88 the greater and lesser degrees of it Ibid. Profession national how far forth the Magistrate may compel men to unite in it stated 228 229. External Profession the onely thing in relation to which all external Vnity as to matters of Religion is to be held amongst men 162 It is the only great stated medium for the holding a charitative communion as to those matters then Ibid. The Magistrates Right as to the injoyning an unity of it in Societies 165 166 Profession in an Ecclesiastical Vniformity distinguished 274 mixture of it why tollerated where otherwise of divulging of opinions are not 293 294 Prophesie one of the primary divine Testimonials to Religion 18 its pretended testimony to the Heathens Religion 20 21 and to Mahomets prescript 22 and how it testified to the truth of the Christian Religion in a more peculiar manner 23 Prophets those of the Old Testament 18 Proselites the proverbial saying concerning them in Israel 170 Protestant Churches their Liturgies 198 Publick Worship the Vnity of the use of it the great secondary medium for the holding a charitative communion amongst men as to matters of Religion 163 The Magistrates Right of injoyning an Vnity of it in Societies 165 166 Punishments their peculiar necessity to the regiment of humane Societies 261 the doctrine of them in respect to an Ecclesiastical Vniformity laid down the several sorts of them distinguished 267 Q Quintus Sectorius his trick for his encouragement of his Souldiers 115 R Rabbinical Age when it began In proleg circa med Records of humane affairs the causes of the defects of them 29 30 31 Reformed Churches their derivation of the Magistrates power from God 55 56 c. Religion its consistency with Government intended by God and Nature 2 Religion defin'd Ibid. and distinguish'd 3 4 It s divine appointment evidenc'd 9 It s Divine Original 9 10 c. And the grounds in nature and consent of Nations about it 10 11 12 c. Two only sorts of Precepts of which it can consist 16 how the true prescript of it is to be known 16 17. It s Divine Original the sense of all Nations present in the world 27 its propagation by Arms warranted by Mahomets Law 50 the distinctions of it applyed to its consistency with Government 67 such its consistency proved 68 69 c. Its healthfulness to Government and Civil Society 85 86 87 c. the damnifying it a publick crime 87 its being used as a politick instrument by the heathen Romans 88 the false application of the immortal notion of it the cause of Religious contests 89 that it is the bond of all humane Society In Proleg in princip about what matters of it is both all peace and contention 160 161 Revolting from profession in an Ecclesiastical Vniformity the mischiefs of it to Churches 275 286. Rewards the peculiar necessity of them to the regiment of humane Societies 261 the doctrine concerning them in respect to an Ecclesiastical Vniformity Ibid. the distinction of them Ibid. the original intents of them 262 and their opposites Ibid. the Rules to be held concerning the dispensing them 263 264 c. the mischiefs of the neglect of observance of them 264 265 Right that of God to his obliging man by Precepts of of religion two-fold 9 10 whose right the preservation of the welfare of religion and Government and the consistency of Religion with Government is 73 74 75 c. Right the publick cement of all humane affairs In Proleg in princip Rights those relating directly to an Ecclesiastical Vniformity the Tripartite division of them 99 and those Rights distinguished Ibid. the primitive Rights of the people 100 the Rights of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity dispersed up and down in the Greek and Roman writers In Proleg circa princ the Rights of Government the distinction and proper extent of them from whence they flow 123 c. the Rights of the Church Governours and Ministers in every Christian Church 132 133 Right Reason the great commendation of it as the ultimate and universal interpretor of all Laws 257 258 Rising in Armes against Princes and particularly in defence of Religion and the matters of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity not justifiable 47 48 49 50 51 its opposition to the common good of Societies 59 60 61 c. The Scotch and English Presbytery their following the principles of the Church-men of Rome in it 65 it 's not being the Right of Ecclesiasticks for the support of their Church Society 133 Romans their Orders of Ecclesiasticks 124 Roman Civil Law the body of it the largest and most compleat body of such Laws now extant In Proleg ad fin the reception of it in the dominions of Princes Ibid. Roman State its most ancient Laws fetcht from Greece In Prolegom circa princip Roman Church its Liturgies 198 Its emission of the doctrine of Rising in Armes against Princes into Christendome 64 Romulus his Law concerning the Senates taking care of Religion 141 Russians their Priests and Bishops of no learning 180 Russe Church its Liturgy 198 S Sanhedrim what things chiefly it took cognizance of in Israel 141 Scipio Africanus his custome of deceiving the multitude 115 Scripture whether it as the Original Divine Canon of Doctrines be not sufficient for the attaining the ends of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity 203 Sedition the Ring-leaders of it the persons ordinarily guilty of the faults of malice against the Magistrates publick charge in an Ecclesiastical Vniformity 117 Senate of Rome their trick for their with-holding the people from Sedition 115 their refusing to enroll Christ amongst their Gods 141 Society the term explicated and applyed 5 by what several ways men came first into Societies 31 Sophi of Persia his dismissing his horse c. kept for Mahomet against his second Coming 24 Sorbon their threatning against the Pope 144 A Subject defin'd 100 Submission to the Ecclesiastical Laws
his more general way and kind also as he stood in his capacity more without the Church And this is that grand Branch of the Magistrates Supreme Power over all here to be asserted and which is one main Pillar of this Discourse XXI The Question The Question answer'd why the Ecclesiastical person as such should not have Supremacy over all or Querie that is here made then by the Roman Canonists and others viz. Why the Ecclesiastical Person for the Churches sake committed more particularly and immediatly to him should not have Supremacy over all and the contrary indirect power in Temporals as a Branch of it and so consequently belonging to him as well as the Temporal Magistrate the like Supremacy and this consequent indirect power in Spirituals which we have mentioned will be after these previous considerations laid down the more plausibly and easily answer'd by us In the interim this Supreme Jurisdiction over all in Church-men is the thing driven at by the Doctrines of two sorts of Persons in the Christian Church viz. The Chair and Conclave of Rome and aspiring Consistories and Synods of Presbytery as they are stated and desired by some And by both these if not professedly yet at least in the issue and effect of things as hath been said already But we come to give only three weighty reasons for the Civil Magistrates Supremacy And those are 1. Because the natural intent of the Civil Magistrates office imports it Which primarily is the conservation of Humane Society specifically taken and as contradistinct to Church Society and the governing men in their primary capacity of men But Humane Society is the foundation of all Church Society and without which that Church Society cannot subsist And the Ecclesiastical Person governs men only in their secondary and additional Capacity of Church-members or Christians where the Christian Religion is professed And therefore the Supremacy from the nature of things inevitably and necessarily belongs to him who governs men in their Supreme and first Capacity Contra parmen lib. 3. Non enim Respublica est in Ecclesia sed Ecclesia in Respublica sayes Optatus Milevitanus The State is not in the Church but the Church in the State And Aristotle Polet lib. 3. cap. 1. n. 5. Atqui ridiculum fuerit absurdum putare ut ii Magistratu careant qui sint Authoritate summa praediti That it would be a ridiculous thing and absurd to think that they should want a Magistracy who are endued with the Supreme Authority Ibid. lib. 3 cap. 4. n. 26. in princip And elsewhere Maximus autem ubique Magistratus aestimatur civitatis administratione quae nihil aliud est quam ipsa Respublica That the Magistrate was accounted every where to be the uppermost in the Administration of the Citie which is nothing else but the Common-weal And so all that proceed by the light of Nature For the Superiority of the Ecclesiastick neither in all Humane Affairs nor consequently in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity was never known nor heard of in the World for ought appears by any extant Monuments of Humane Affairs 'till the claim laid to it by the Popedome and that by vertue of the pretended Divine Law on it's side 2ly The Divine Natural Law of God hath constituted the Civil Magistrate as Supreme over all accordingly also And so it was upon the account of the first Fathers being Fathers that they had by that Law and the voice of God from Heaven as was said above Dominion and Rule over their Children Lib. 1. Chap. 3. §. And it was upon the account of Moses his being Civil Magistrate that he was constituted Supreme over all Israel And so it was also in the succeeding Judges and Kings of Israel And the Prophets called Kings the Nursing Fathers and Queens the Nursing Mothers of the Church Isa 49.23 And cap. 60.13.16 c. And the like accordingly in the New Testament Christ himself the eternal Head of his Church and who is above all Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places Matth 17.24 25 26 27. Matth. 22.16 17 18 19 20 21. Mark 12.14 Rom. 13.4 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Lib. 1. cap. 3. §. 12. 1 Pet. 2.13 paid Tribute to Caesar and taught his Disciples that Lesson And St. Paul layes down the Universal good of mankind as the end of the Civil Magistrate his executing of his Office and exhorts that Prayers and Supplications be made first of all for Kings that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty And St. Peter as was said above calls Kings the Supreme amongst men And in all these and the like instances and places of both Testaments there is a concession of the Supremacy in Humane Societies either express or supposedly made to the Civil Magistrate 3. The third and last Argument for it is from the consequences of the contrary in respect to the Civil Magistrates Office For let but the Ecclesiastical Person be once constituted as Supreme and then presently he will and must of necessity claim an indirect Power in Temporals sufficient for the supporting of that his Supremacy 'T is the very thing which is done by the Roman Pontife◠at this day Vid. De pontif Rom. lib. 5. Cap. 5.6 c. and which is maintain'd by Bellarmine and the other Champions of that Sea and then this indirect power in Temporals being conceded to him it will give him ability of invading the Office of the Civil Magistrate And then the corruptions of men being considered and the Mundane Honours and interests which belongs to the Office of the Magistrate as was mentioned above being propos'd as a Temptation to the Ecclesiastical Person lib. 2. cap. 4. §. 7 8 9. he will be alwayes converting into the Civil Magistrate and injuriously usurping the Temporal Splendors of his office Nay he must of necessity possess them for the support of his Ecclesiastical Supremacy and so in the end the very Office it self of the Civil Magistrate will be quite extinguished and swallowed up by the Supremacy of the Ecclesiasticks In his Defence of the Right of Kings An instance of these things is to be seen also in the Bishop of Rome King James objects to him that at the first he was but the poor parish Priest of his Church in Rome but that now he was grown to a Supremacy over Kings an Universal Pastorship c. And this is also farther to be observed concerning him that although he possesseth all the splendors belonging to the office of the Civil Magistrate He dispenseth the great Offices of State he is serv'd in a more magnificent manner then most Temporal Princes in the World yet scarce any such thing as the Supreme Civil Magistrates Office is own'd to be sustained by his Person but all is absurdly and against the nature of things given out as belonging to him one way or other at least principally as St. Peters Successor But
now on the contrary if the Civil Magistrate hold the Supremacy there is no such danger of the like perpetual injury and of his usurping or extinguishing the Ecclesiastcal Persons Office There being no such worldly splendors belonging to it neither superiour nor equal to those of the Magistraties own Office to be a temptation to him to usurpe it So then this distinct order of Persons and Power which hath been mention'd and which is appointed by God and Nature being preserved and kept up in the World and particularly in the Uniformity of Churches there will follow no such confusion of things nor destruction of the right and natural order of them appointed for the governing of the World and the welfare of mankind in all Ages as hath been mention'd but if the contrary disorder be attempted the contrary confusions and absurdity in things accordingly will necessarily follow By the Magistrates indirect Power in Spirituals he is appointed to be Foster-father to the Church Is 49.23 Prov 8.15 16. Psal 2.12 Dan. 2.31 The Supreme Magistrate may commit the exercise of this Indirect Power in Spirituals to others XXII In the interim by this the Magistrates indirect Power in Spirituals which I have here all along mentioned he is appointed by God to be a Nursing Father to the Church Which he should never forget to be considering that it is by God that Kings Raign and by him that Princes distribute Justice He should kiss the Son least he be angry or else he that hath broken in pieces the Head of Gold the Brasse and the Iron and put a period to the greatest Monarchs in the World can also in a moment put a period to any temporal Princes power whatsoever XXIII Last of all the Supreme Magistrate in any Ecclesiastical Uniformity may commit the exercise of this his Indirect power in Spirituals to the Governours of the Church under him And there is a necessity of his acting by others in this kind as well as in any other because himself is not able to bear the whole burthen alone And the more directly things tend towards the nature of purely spirituals and the more neerly by consequence that they concerne the Church the more fit it is that where the Church is Incorporate into the State they should be put into the hands of Church-men to manage the respects only which have been mentioned Hic Supra §. 5. being kept up to humane Society in the mean time So then to Church-men principally they should be committed in Ordinary The power of inspection over the Church-men being only reserved to the Prince himself and the Liberty of Appeals to him from them in any case happening being granted to the Subject And this is the case of the Church Governours and the Index Ordinarius or Ordinary in England And of the like also in other Churches CHAP. VII The Proposition asserted that Humane Condition in this World being considered there can be no such thing indulged really in any State or Common Society of men as a loose and open Toleration of venting and disseminating of Opinions in matters of Religion without deadly Feuds and Contentions in that Society and the dissolution of it in the end by those Feuds and mens falling together by the Ears and to Warre one with another The dispraise of such and the like Feuds and Contentions And how they make to the hurt of Religion and also of Government and also of the consistency of Religion with Government and how much they are forbidden in Scripture The Conclusion drawn from all these things I. FIrst What is meant by an Opinion in matters of Religion explained II. What is meant by a loose and open toleration of divulging such Opinions explained also III. The things here to be considered of as accompanying Humane Condition in the World assigned IV. The proof of the main Proposition from three Considerations of things V. First from the Aptness of men to entertain opinions in matters of Religion VI. Secondly From the infinite variety of these Opinions amongst them VII Lastly From the Array in which they go forth to the propagating and defending of these their opinions VIII The more particular mischeifs of Opinion-Contests to the affairs of Humane Societies IX First To Religion X. Secondly To Government XI Thirdly To the Consistency of Religion with Government XII And Lastly How much they are forbidden also in Scripture XIII The general Conclusion subjoyn'd to all these things What is meant by an Opinion in matters of Religion explained Supra lib. 2. Cap. 1. §. 4 5 6 7 8. I. THe Causes of mens contesting their Opinions in matters of Religion being above described we come here to describe the effects of their divulging and such their consequent contesting of them in any Society And those we do assign to be deadly Feuds and Warres amongst men and finally by them the ruine and confusion of any such Society First of all then we shall explicate what we mean here by an Opinion it self in matters of Religion And an opinion is taken either properly De Repub Dial. 5. ad finem or improperly And strictly taken in the General sayes Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is a middle thing betwixt ignorance and knowledge And that because of the doubtfulness of the mind in assenting to the particular matter of such an opinion And if we farther distinguish it it is taken either effectively for the weak and doubtful assent of the mind it self to any Proposition and so Est actus Intellectus declinantis in unam partem contradictionis cum formidine alterius Secunda Secundae Quaest 1. Art 4. sayes Aquinas That it is an act of the intellect inclining to one part of the contradiction with a fear of the other its being true also Or else objectively for that sence of the Proposition which is so assented to But we understand not an Opinion here in this proper sence of it but improperly and more largely and that is for any Judgement whatsoever held by men concerning things in matters of Religion And the Truth is The vulgar heads amongst men in Relation to whom principally we mention contesting of opinions up and down in this discourse do seldome entertaine any Judgment in matters of Religion purely probably and opinionatively as the Terme is properly taken But partly from the shortness of their own Eyesight and their want of farther insight into things and Arguments pro and con concerning them and partly from the little experience they have of the uncertainty and difficulty of many matters of Knowledge and Study and how many times men do upon farther search and tryal of both sides recant their first thoughts concerning them and partly from the influence which the present sence they have of things hath upon them especially the Sacred Notion of Religion accompanying it and overbearing them from these and the like causes they judge all things that they have but any notion and