can introduce new duties never yet heard of in the most important parts of Religion pag. 80. and may impose on them in the practice of Religion and Divine Worship what We please so that in our Judgement it doth not countenance Vice nor disgrace the Deity Pag. 85. and whereas this Power is naturally inherent in us not given or granted unto us by Jesus Christ but belonged to us or our Predecessors before ever he was born nor is expressed in the Scripture but rather supposed and this being such as that We our selves if We would whether We be Man or Woman here France must be excepted by vertue of the Salique Law though the whole project be principally calculated for that Meridian might exercise the special Offices and Duties of Religion in Our own Person especially that of the Priesthood though me are pleased to transfer the Exercise of it unto others and whereas all our Prescriptions Impositions and Injunctions in these things do immediately affect and bind the Consciences of our Subjects because they are Ours whether they be right or wrong true or false so long as in our judgement they neither as was said countenance Vice nor disgrace the Deity We do Enact and Ordain as followeth Here if you please you may intersert the Scheme of Religion given us by our Author in his second Chapter and add unto it that because Sacrifices were a way found out by honest men of old to express their gratitude unto God thereby so great and necessary a part of our Religious duty it be enjoyned that the use of them be again revived seeing there is nothing in them that offends against the bounds prescribed to the power to be expressed and that men in all places do offer up Bulls and Goats Sheep and Fowls to God with as many other Institutions of the like Nature as shall be thought meet Hereunto add Now our express Will and Pleasure is that every man may and do think and judge what he pleaseth concerning the things enjoyned and enacted by Vs for what have We to do with their thoughts and judgements they are under the Empire and Dominion of Conscience which We cannot invade if We would they may if they please judge them inconvenient foolish absurd yea contrary to the Mind Will and Law of God Our only Intention Will and Pleasure is to bind them to the constant Observation and Practice of them and that under the Penalties of Hanging and Damnation I know not any Expression in such an Impious and futilous Edict that may not be warranted out of the Principles of this Discourse the main parts of it being composed out of the Words and Phrases of it and those used to the best of my understanding in the sense fixed to them by our Author Now as was said before I suppose Christian Princes will not be earnest in their Contests who shall first own the Authority intimated and express it in a suitable exercise And if any one of them should put forth his hand unto it he will find that Furiarum Maxima juxta Accubat manibus prohibet contingere mensas There is one who layes an Antecedent Claim to a Sole Interest in this Power and that bottomed on other manner of Pretensions than any as yet have been pleaded in their behalf For the Power and Authority here ascribed unto Princes is none other but that which is claimed by the Pope of Rome with some few Enlargements and appropriated unto him by his Canonists and Courtiers Only here the old Gentleman as he is called by our Author hath the advantage that beside the Precedency of his claim it being entred on Record at least six or seven hundred years before any Proctor or Advocate appeared in the behalf of Princes he hath forestall'd them all in the pretence of Infallibility which doubtless is a matter of singular use in the exercise of the power contended about For some men are so peevish as to think that thus to deal with Religion and the Consciences of men belongs to none but him who is Absolutely yea essentially so that is Infallible For as we have now often said as contrary to their design men in haste oftentimes speak the same things over and over as to all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over persons and causes Ecclesiastical and the Soveraign disposal of all the Civil and Political concernments of Religion which is vested in the Imperial Crown of this Nation and by sundry Acts of Parliament is declared so to be I shall be alwayes ready to plead the Right of our Kings and all Christian Kings whatever against the absurd Pleas and Pretences of the Pope so as to this Controversie between him and such Princes as shall think meet to contend with him about it concerning the power over the Consciences of men before described I shall not interpose my self in the scuffle as being fully satisfied they are contending about that which belongs to neither of them But what Reason is there why this Power should not be extended unto the inward thoughts and apprehensions of men about the Worship of God as well as to the expression of them in pure Spiritual Acts of that Worship The Power asserted I presume will be acknowledged to be from God though I can scarce meet with the Communication and derivation of it from him in this Discourse But whereas it is granted on all hands that the Powers that be are of God and that none can have Authority over an other unless it be originally given him from above I desire to be informed why the other part of the Power mentioned namely over the Thoughts Judgements and Apprehensions of men in the things of the Worship of God should not be invested in the Magistrate also that so he having declared what is to be believed thought and judged in such things all men should be obliged so to believe think and judge for this power God can give and hath given it unto Jesus Christ. I presume it will be said that this was no way needful for the preservation of Peace in Humane Society which is the end for which all this Power is vested in the Magistrate For let men believe think and judge what they please so long as their outward Actings are or may be over-ruled there is no danger of any publick disturbance But this seems to be a mighty uneasie condition for mankind namely to live continually in a contradiction between their Judgements and their Practices which in this case is allowed to be incident unto them Constantly to judge one way best and most according to the mind of God in his Worship and constantly to practise another will it is to be feared prove like the conflicting of vehement vapours with their contrary qualities that at one time or other will produce an Earthquake How then if men weary of this perplexing distorting condition of things in their minds should be provoked to run to excesses and inordinate courses for their freedom
it cannot be effected without the destruction and death of multitudes they also are not to be forborn Now how this ensues from the fore-mentioned Principle I know not For a supream Magistrate finding that the minds of very many of his Subjects are in their judgements and perswasions engaged in a dissent unto the Religion established by Him or somewhat in it or some part of it especially in things of practical worship though he should be perswaded that he hath so far a power over their Consciences as to command them to practise contrary to their judgement yet knowing their minds and Perswasions to be out of his reach and exempted from his Jurisdiction why may he not think it meet and conducing to publick tranquillity and all the ends of his government even the good of the whole Community committed to his charge rather to indulge them in the quiet and peaceable exercise of the Worship of God according to their own light than alwayes to bind them unto that unavoidable disquietment which will ensue upon the conflict in their minds between their judgements and their practices if he should oblige them as is desired Certainly as in truth and reality so according to this Principle he hath power so to do For to fancy him such a power over the Religion and Consciences of his Subjects as that he should be inevitably bound on all occurrences and in all conditions of affairs to impose upon them the necessary observation of one form of Worship is that which would quickly expose him to inextricable troubles And Instances of all sorts might be multiplyed to shew the ridiculous folly of such a Conception Nay it implies a perfect contradiction to what is disputed before For if he be obliged to settle and impose such a form on all it must be because there was a necessity of somewhat antecedent to his imposition whence his obligation to impose it did arise And on such a supposisition it is in vain to enquire after his Liberty or his power in these things seeing by his duty he is absolutely determined and whatever that be which doth so determine him and put an obligation upon him it doth indispensably do the same on his Subjects also which as it is known utterly excludes the Authority pleaded for This Principle therefore indeed asserts his liberty to do what he judgeth meet in these matters but contains nothing in it to oblige him to judge that it may not be meet and most conducing unto all the ends of his Government to indulge unto the Consciences of men peaceable especially if complying with him in all the Fundamentals of the Religion which himself professeth the liberty of Worshiping God according to what they apprehend of his own mind and Will And let an application of this Principle be made to the present state of this Nation wherein there are so great multitudes of persons peaceable and not unuseful unto publick good who dissent from the present establishment of outward Worship and have it not in their power either to change their judgements or to practise contrary unto them and as it is in the power of the supream Magistrate to indulge them in their own way so it will prove to be his Interest as he is the spring and center of of publick Peace and Prosperity Neither doth it appear that in this discourse our Author hath had any regard either to the real principles of the power of the Magistrate as stated in this Nation or to his own which are fictitious but yet such as ought to be obligatory to himself His principal Assertion is that the Supream Magistrate hath power to bind the Consciences of men in matters of Religion that is by Laws and Edicts to that purpose Now the highest and most obligatory way of the Supream Magistrates speaking in England is by Acts of Parliament It is therefore supposed that what is so declared in or about matters of Religion should be obligatory to the Conscience of this Author but yet quite otherwise p. 59. He sets himself to oppose and condemn a publick Law of the Land on no other ground than because it stood in his way and seemed incompliant with his principles For whereas the Law of 2 and 3 Ed. 6. which appointed two weekly dayes for Abstinence from flesh had been amongst other Reasons Prefaced with this That the Kings Subjects having now a more clear Light of the Gospel through the Infinite mercy of God such canting Language was then therein used and thereby the Kings Majesty perceiving that one meat of it self was not more holy than another c. yet considering that due Abstinence was a means to vertue and to subdue mens bodies to their souls and spirits c. And it being after found it should seem by a farther degree of Light that those Expressions meeting with the inveterate Opinions of some newly brought out of Popery had given countenance to them to teach or declare that something of Religion was placed therein thereon by the Law made 5 Elizab. adding another weekly day to be kept with the former for the same purpose the former clause was omitted and mention only made therein of the Civil and Politique Reasons inducing the Legislators thereunto and withall a Penalty of inflicting punishment on those who should affirm and maintain that there was any concernment of Conscience and Religion in that matter This provision hath so distasted our Author that forgetting it seems his own Design he reproaches it with the Title of Jejunium Cecilianum and thinks it so far from obliging his Conscience to acquiess in the Determination therein made that he will not allow it to give Law to his tongue or pen But vexet censura columbas it seems they are the Phanaticks only that are thus to be restrained Moreover on occasion hereof we might manifest how some other Laws of this Land do seem carefully to avoid that imposition on Conscience which against Law and Reason he pleadeth for For Instance in that of 21 Jacob. touching Usury and the Restraint of it unto the summ therein established it was provided that no words in this Act conteined shall be construed or expounded to allow the practise of Vsury in point of Religion and Conscience And why did not the supream Magistrate in that Law determine and bind the Consciences of men by a declaration of their duty in a point of Religion seeing whether way soever the determination had been made neither would immorality have been countenunced nor the Deity disgraced But plainly it is rather declared that he hath not Cogniâ—â—â—ce of such things with reference to the Consciences of men to oblige them or set them at liberty but only power to determine what may be practised in order to publick profit and peace And therefore the Law would neither bind nor set at liberty the Consciences of men in such cases which is a work for the supream Law-giver only Neither as it hath been before observed do
God and shews himself to be God As we formerly said Non-Conformists who are unacquainted with the Mysteries of things of this Nature must needs desire to know whether these be the avowed Principles of the Church of England or whether they are only Inventions to serve a present Turn of the pursuit of some mens designs Are all the old Pleas of the Jus Divinum of Episcopacy of Example and Direction Apostolical of a Parity of reason between the Condition of the Church whilst under extraordinary Officers and whilst under ordinary of the power of the Church to appoint Ceremonies for Decency and Order of the Consistency of Christian Liberty with the necessary practice of indifferent things of the pattern of the Churches of old which whether duly or otherwise we do not now determine have been insisted on in this cause swallowed all up in this Abysse of Magistratical Omnipotency which plainly renders them useless and unprofitable How unhappy hath it been that the Christian World was not sooner blessed with this great Discovery of the only way and means of putting a final end unto all Religious contests That he should not until now appear Qui genus humanum ingenio Superavit omnes Praestrinxit stellas exortus at aetherius sol But every Age produceth not a Columbus Many indeed have been the Disputes of Learned men about the power of Magistrates in and concerning Religion With us it is stated in the recorded Actings of our Soveraign Princes in the Oath of Supremacy and the Acts of Parliament concerning it with other Authentick Writings explanatory thereof Some have denyed him any concern herein our Author is none of them but rather like the Phrenetick Gentleman who when he was accused in former dayes for denying the Corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament replyed in his own defence that he believed him to be present booted and spurred as he rode to Capernaum He hath brought him in booted and spurred yea armed cap-a-pie into the Church of God and given all power into his hands to dispose of the Worship of God according to his own will and pleasure And that not with respect unto outward Order only but with direct obligation upon the Consciences of men But doubtless it is the Wisdom of Soveraign Princes to beware of this sort of Enemies Persons who to promote their own Interest make Ascriptions of such things unto them as they cannot accept of without the utmost hazzard of the displeasure of God Is it meet that to satisfie the desires of any they should invade the Prerogative of God or set themselves down at his right Hand in the Throne of his only begotten Son I confess they are no way concerned in what others for their advantage sake as they suppose will ascribe unto them which they may sufficiently disown by scorn and silence Nor can their sin involve them in any guilt It was not the vain Acclamation of the multitude unto Herod the voice of God and not of man but his own arrogant satisfaction in that blasphemous Assignation of divine glory to him that exposed him to the judgements and vengeance of God When the Princes of Israel found by the Answer of the Reubenites that they had not transgressed against the Law of Gods Worship in adding unto it or altering of it which they knew would have been a provocation not to have been passed over without a recompence of Revenge They replyed unto them Now have you delivered the Children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord and it is to be desired that all the Princes of the Israel of God in the world all Christian Potentates would diligently watch against giving admission unto any such Insinuations as would deliver them into the hand of the Lord. For my own part such is my Ignorance that I know not that any Magistrate from the foundation of the world unless it were Nebuchadnezzar Caiâ—s Caligula Domitian and Persons like to them ever claimed or pretended to exercise the power here assigned unto them The Instances of the Laws and Edicts of Constantine in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God of Theodosius and Gratian Arcadius Martian and other Emperours of the East remaining in the Code and Novels the Capitular of the Western Emperours and Laws of Gothish Kings the Right of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction inherent in the Imperial Crown of this Nation and occasionally exercised in all Ages are of no concernment in this matter For no man denyes but that it is the duty of the Supream Magistrate to protect and further the true Religion and right Worship of God by all wayes and means suited and appointed of God thereunto To encourage the Professors thereof to protect them from wrong and violence to secure them in the performance of their duties is doubtless incumbent on them Whatever under pretence of Religion brings actual disturbance unto the peace of mankind they may coerce and restrain When Religion as established in any Nation by Law doth or may interest the Professors of it or Guides in it in any Priviledges Advantages or Secular Emoluments which are subject and lyable as all humane concerns to doubts controversies and litigious contests in their security and disposal all these things depend meerly and solely on the power of the Magistrate by whose Authority they are originally grantted and by whose Jurisdictive Power both the Persons vested with them and themselves are disposable But for an Absolute Power over the Consciences of men to bind or oblige them formally thereby to do whatever they shall require in the Worship of God so as to make it their sin deserving eternal damnation not so to do without any consideration whether the things are true or false according to the mind of God or otherwise yea though they are apprehended by them who are so obliged to practise them to be contrary to the Will of God that this hath hitherto been claimed by any Magistrate unless such as those before mentioned I am yet to seek And the case is the same with respect unto them who are not satisâ—ied that what is so prescribed unto them will be accepted with God For whereas in all that men do in the Worship of God they ought to be fully perswaded of its acceptableness to God in their own minds seeing whatever is not of faith is sin he that doubteth is in a very little better Capacity to serve God on such injunctions then he who apprehendeth them to be directly contrary to his mind If an Edict were drawn up for the settlement of Religion and Religious Worship in any Christian Nation according to the Principles and Directions before laid down it may be there would be no great strife in the world by whom it should be first owned and espoused For it must be of this Importance Whereas We have an Vniversal and Absolute Power over the Consciences of all our Subjects in things appertaining to the Worship of God so that if We please We
the preservation of publick Tranquility as is pretended a man cannot but wonder how the world hath been in any Age past kept in any tolerable peace and quietness and how it is any where blessed with those ends of Government at this day For it will not be an easie task for our Author or any one else to demonstrate that the Power mentioned hath ever been either claimed or exercised by any Supream Magistrate in Christendom or that it is so at this day The Experience of past and present Ages is therefore abundantly sufficient to defeat this pretence which is sufficiently asserted without the least appearance of proof or Argument to give it countenance or confirmation or they must be very charitable to him or ignorant in themselves who will mistake Invectives for Arguments The remembrance indeed of these Severities I would willingly lay aside especially because the very mention of them seems to express an higher sense of and regret concerning them then I am in the least subject unto or something that looks like a design of Retaliation but as these things are far from my mind so the continual returns that almost in every Page I meet with of high and contemptuous Reproaches will not allow that they be alwayes passed by without any notice or remark It is indeed indispensably necessary that publick Peace and Tranquility be preserved but that there is any thing in point of Government necessary hereunto but that God have all spiritual power over the Consciences of men and Rulers Political power over their Actings wherein publick Peace and Tranquility are concerned the World hath not hitherto esteemed nor do I expect to find it proved by this Author If these things will not preserve the publick peace it will not be kept if one should rise from the dead to perswade men unto their duty The Power of God over the Consciences of men I suppose is acknowledged by all who own any such thing as Conscience or believe there is a God over all That also in the exercise of this Authority he requires of men all that obedience unto Rulers that is any way needfull or expedient unto the preservation of the ends of their Rule is a Truth standing firm on the same Foundation of Universal consent derived from the Law of Creation and his positive Commands to that purpose have an evidence of his Will in this matter not liable to exception or controll This Conscience unto God our Author confesseth as we have observed in his fourth Chapter to be the great preservation and security of Goverment and Governours with respect unto the ends mentioned And if so what becomes of all the pretences of disorder and confusion that will ensue unless this power over mens Consciences be given to the Magistrate and taken as it were out of the hands of God Nor is it to be supposed that men will be more true to their Consciences supposing the Reiglement of them in the hand of men than when they are granted to be in the hand and power of God for both at present are supposed to require the same things Certainly where Conscience respects Authority as it always doth the more Absolute and Soveraign it apprehends the Authority by which it is obliged the greater and more firm will be the impressions of the obligation upon it And in that Capacity of preheminence it must look upon the Authority of God compared with the Authority of man Here then lyes the security of publick peace and tranquility as it is backed by the Authority of the Magistrate to see that all outward Actions are suitable unto what Conscience toward God doth in this matter openly and unquestionably require The pretence indeed is that the placing of this Authority over the Consciences of men in the Supream Ruler doth obviate and take away all grounds and occasions of any such Actings on the Account of Religion as may tend unto publick disturbance For suppose Conscience in things concerning Religion and the Worship of God subject to God alone and the Magistrate require such things to be observed in the one or the other as God hath not required at least in the Judgements and Consciences of them of whom the things prescribed are required and to forbid the things that God requires to be observed and done in this case it is said they cannot or will not comply in Active Obedience with the Commands of the Magistrate But what if it so fall out Doth it thence follow that such persons must needs Rebell and be Seditious and disturb the publick peace of the Society whereof they are Members Wherefore is it that they do not do or observe what is required of them by the Magistrate in Religion or the Worship of God or that they do what he forbids Is it not because of the Authority of God over their minds and Consciences in these things And why should it be supposed that men will answer the Obligations laid by God on their Consciences in one thing and not in another in the things of his Worship and not of obedience unto Civil Power concerning which his Commands are as express and evident as they can be pretended to be in the things which they avow their obligation unto Experience is pretended to the contrary It is said again and again that men under pretence of their Consciences unto God in Religion have raised Wars and Tumults and brought all things into confusion in this Kingdom and Nation especially and what will words avail against the evidence of so open an experience to the contrary But what if this also should prove a false and futilous pretence Fierce and long Wars have been in this Nation of old upon the various Titles of persons pleading their Right unto Supream Government in the Kingdom against one another so also have there been about the Civil Rights and the Priviledges of the Subjects in the Confusions commonly called the Barons Wars The late Troubles Disorders and Wars amongst us must bear the weight of this whole charge But if any one will take the pains to review the publick Writings Declarations Treaties whereby those Tumults and Wars were begun and carried on he will easily discern that Liberty of Conscience in practice or the exemption of it from the power of the Magistrate as to the Rule and Conduct of it now ascribed unto him in the latitude by sober persons defended or pleaded for had neither place in nor influence into the Beginnings of those troubles And when such confusions are begun no man can give assurance or conjecture where they shall end Authority Laws Priviledges and I know not what things wherein private men of whom alone we treat have no pretence of Interest were pleaded in those Affairs He that would judge aright of these things must set aside all other Considerations and give his instance of the Tumults and Seditions that have ensued on the account of menskeeping their Consciences entire for God alone without any
common consent were admitted and received amongst them Besides our Author by his Discourse seems not to be much acquainted with the rise of the office of the Priesthood amongst men as shall be demonstrated if farther occasion be given thereunto However by the way we may observe what is his judgement in this matter The Magistrate we are told hath not his Ecclesiastical Authority from Christ and yet this is such as that the power of the Priesthood is included therein the exercise whereof as he is pleased to transfer to others so he may if he please reserve it to himself p. 32. whence it follows not only that it cannot be given by Christ unto any other for it is part of the Magistrates power which he hath not limited nor confined by any subsequent Law nor can there be 〈◊〉 Coordinate Subject of the same power of several kinds so that all the Interest or Right any man or men have in or unto the exercise of it is but transfer'd to them by the Magistrate and therefore they act therein in his name and by his Authority only and hence the Bishops as such are said to be Ministers of State p. 49. Neither can it be pretended that this was indeed in the power of the Magistrate before the coming of Christ but not since For he hath as we are told all that he ever had unless there be a Restraint put upon Him by some express prohibition of our Saviour p. 41. which will hardly be found in this matter I cannot therefore see how in the exercise of the Christian Priesthood there is on these principles any the least respect unto Jesus Christ or his Authority for men have only the exercise of it transferred to them by the Magistrate by vertue of a power inherent in him antecedent unto any concessions of Christ and therefore in his name and Authority they must act in all the sacred offices of their Functions It is well if men be so far awake as to consider the tendency of these things At length Scripture proofs for the confirmation of these opinions are produced p. 35 36. And the first pleaded is that promise that Kings shall be nursings Fathers unto the Church It is true this is promised and God accomplish it more and more But yet we do not desire such Nurses as beget the Children they nurse The proposing prescribing commanding binding Religion on the Consciences of men is rather the begetting of it than its nursing To take care of the Church and Religion that it receive no detriment by all the wayes and means appointed by God and useful thereunto is the duty of Magistrates but it is so also antecedently to their actings unto this purpose to discern aright which is the Church whereunto this promise is made without which they cannot duly discharge their Trust nor fulfill the Promise it self The very Words by the rules of the Metaphor do imply that the Church and its Religion and the worship of God observed therein is constituted fixed and regulated by God himself antecedently unto the Magistrates duty and power about it They are to Nurse that which is committed to them and not what Themselves have framed or begotten And we contend for no more but a Rule concerning Religion and the Worship of God antecedent unto the Magistrates interposing about it whereby both his Actings in his place and those of Subjects in theirs are to be regulated Mistakes herein have engaged many Soveraign Princes in pursuit of their Trust as Nursing Fathers to the Church to lay out their strength and power for the utter ruine of it as may be evidenced in instances too many of those who in a subserviency to and by the direction of the Papal Interest have endeavoured to extirpate true Religion out of the World Such a Nursing Mother we had sometimes in England who in pursuit of her care burned so many Bishops and other Holy men to Ashes He asks farther what doth the Scripture mean when it stiles our Saviour the King of Kings and maketh Princes his Vicegerents here on earth I confess according to this Gentleman's principles I know not what it means in so doing Kings he tells us have not their Authority in and over Religion and the Consciences of men from him and therefore in the exercise of it cannot be his Vicegerents for none is the Vicegerent of another in the exercise of any power or Authority if he have not received that power and Authority from him Otherwise the words have a proper sense but nothing to our Authors purpose It is his power over them and not theirs over the Consciences of their Subjects that is intended in the words Of no more use in this controversie is the direction of the Apostle that we should pray for Kings that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life for no more is intended therein but that under their peaceable and righteous administration of humane Affairs we may live in that Godliness and honesty which is required of us Wherefore then are these weak attempts made to confirm and prove what is not Those or the most of them whom our Author in this Discourse treats with so much severity do plead that it is the duty of all supream Magistrates to find out receive imbrace promote the Truths of the Gospel with the Worship of God appointed therein confirming protecting and desending them and those that embrace them by their Power and Authority And in the discharge of this duty they are to use the liberty of their own judgements enformed by the wayes that God hath appointed independently on the dictates and determinations of any other persons whatever They affirm also that to this end they are entrusted with supream power over all persons in their respective Dominions who on no pretence can be exempted from the exercise of that power as occasion in their judgements shall require it to be exercised as also that all causes wherein the profession of Religion in their Dominions is concerned which are determinable in foro Civili by coercive Vmpirage or Authority are subject unto their cognizance and power The Soveraign power over the Consciences of men to institute appoint and prescribe Religion and the Worship of God they affirm to belong unto him alone who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith who is the head over all things to the Church The Administration of things meerly Spiritual in the Worship of God is they judge derived immediately from him to the Ministers and Administrators of the Gospel possessed of their Offices by his Command and according to his institution as to the external practice of Religion and Religious Worship as such it is they say in the power of the Magistrate to regulate all the outward civil concernments of it with reference unto the preservation of publick peace and Tranquillity and the prosperity of his subjects And herein also they judge that such respect is to be had to the
on this of our Author as the rudest most imperfect and weakest Scheme of Christian Religion that ever yet I saw so far from comprising an induction of all particulars belonging to it that there is nothing in it that is constitutive of Christian Religion as such at all I wish he had given us a summary of the Credenda of it as he hath done of its Agenda that we might have had a prospect of the body of his Divinity The ten Commandments would in my mind have done twice as well on this present occasion with the addition of the Explication of them given us in the Church Cateehism But I am afraid that very Catechism may ere long be esteemed Phanatical also One I confess I have read of before who was of this Opinion that all Religion consisted in Morality alone But withall he was so Ingenious as to follow the conduct of his Judgement in this matter unto a full Renunciation of the Gospel which is certainly inconsistent with it This was one Martin Sidelius a Seilesian who gave the ensuing account of his Faith unto Faustus Socinus and his Society at Cracovia Caeterum ut sciatis cujus sim religionis quamvis id scripto meo quod habetis ostenderim tamen hic breviter repetam Et primum quidem doctrina de Messia seu Rege illo promisso ad meam religionem nihil pertinet nam Rex elle tantum Judaeis promissus erat sicut bona illa Canaan Sic etiam circumcisio sacrificia reliquae cerimoniae Mosis ad me non pertinent sed tantum populo Judaico promissa data mandata sunt Neque ista fuerunt cultus Dei apud Judaeos sed inserviebant cultui divino ad cultum deducebant Judaeos Verus autem cultus Dei quem meam religionem appello est Decalogus qui est aeterna Dei voluntas qui Decalogus ideo ad me pertinet quia etiam mihi à Deo datus est non quidem per vocems sonantem de coelo sicut populo Judaico at per creationem insita est menti meae quia autem insitus Decalogus per corruptionem naturae humanae pravis consuetudinibus aliqua ex parte obscuratus est ideo ad illustrandum cum adhibeo vocalem Decalogum qui vocalis Decalogus ideo etiam ad me ad omnes populos pertinet quia cum insito nobis Decalogo consentit imo idem ille Decalogus est Haec est mea sententia de Messia seu rege illo promisso haec est mea religio quam coram vobis ingenue profiteor Martin Seidelius Olavensis Silesius That is But that you may know of what Religion I am although it is expressed in that Writing which you have already yet I will here briefly repeat it And first of all the Doctrine of the Messiah or King that was promised doth not belong to my Religion for that King was promised to the Jews only as was the good Land of Câ—nâ—an So in like manner circumcision Sacrifices and the rest of the Ceremonies of Moses belong not to me but were promised given and granted unto the people of the Jews alone Neither were they the Worship of God among the Jews but were only subservient unto Divine Worship and lead the Jews unto it the same Opinion is maintained by our Author concerning all exterior Worship but the true Worship which I call my Religion is the Decalogue which is the Eternal and immutable Will of God And here also he hath the consent and concurrence of our Author which Decalogue doth therefore belong unto me because it is given by God to me also not indeed by a voice sounding from Heaven as he gave it to the people of the Jews but it is implanted in my mind by nature But because this implanted Decalogue by reason of the corruption of humane nature and through depraved Customs is in some measure obscured for the illustration of it I make use of the vocal Decalogue which therefore also belongs unto me and all people because it consenteth with the Decalogue written in our hearts yea is the same Law with it This is my opinion concerning the Messiah or the promised King and this is my Religion which I freely acknowledge before ye So he This is plain dealing He saw clearly that if all Religion and the Worship of God consisted in Morality only there was neither need nor use of Christ nor the Gospel And accordingly having no outward advantage by them discarded them But setting aside his bold renunciation of Christ as promised I see not any material difference between the Religion of this man and that now contended for The poor deluded souls among our selves who leaving the Scripture pretend that they are guided by the Light within them are upon the matter of the same Religion For that light being nothing but the Dictates of Reason and a natural Conscience it extends not it self beyond Morality which some of them understanding we know what thoughts and apprehensions they have had of Christ and of his Gospel and the Worship of God instituted therein For hence it is and not as our Author pretends with a strange incogitancy concerning them and the Gnosticks that they assert the Scripture to be the only Rule of Religious Worship that they are fallen into these fond imaginations And these are the effects which this Principle doth naturally lead unto I confess then that I do not agree with our Author in and about this Scheme of Christian Religion which I shall therefore first briefly put in my exceptions unto and then offer him another in lieu of it First Then this Scheme seems to represent Religion unto us as suited to the state of Innocency and that very imperfectly also For it is composed to answer the former assertions of confining Religion to Moral Vertues which are granted to consist in our conformity unto and expression of the Dictates of Reason and the Law of Nature Again the whole duty of man is said to refer either to his Creator or his Neighbour or himself Had it been said to God absolutely another interpretation might have been put upon the words But being restrained unto him as our Creator all Duties referring to our Redeemer are excluded or not included which certainly have some place in Christian Religion Our Obedience therein is the Obedience of Faith and must answer the special objects of it And we are taught in the Church Catechism to believe in God the Father who made us and all the world and in God the Son who redeemed us and all Mankind and in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifies us and all the Elect people of God Now these distinct acts of Faith have distinct acts of Obedience attending them whereas none here are admitted or at least required but those which fall under the first head It is also very imperfect as a description of natural Religion or the Duties of the Law of Nature For the
on the Minds Consciences or judgements of men to think or judge otherwise of what is imposed on them than as their nature is and doth require only they are obliged unto their Usage Observance and Practice which is to put us into a thousand times worse condition than the Jews if Instances of them should be multiplyed as they may lawfully 〈◊〉 every year seeing it much more quiet◠the mind to be able to resolve its thought◠immediately into the Authority of Go◠under its Yoke than into that of man I◠therefore we are freed from the one by our Christian Liberty we are so much more from the other so as that being made free by Christ we should not be the servants of men in things belonging to his Service and Worship From this discovery here made of the nature of Christian Liberty our Author makes some deductions p. 98 99. concerning the nature of Religious Worship wherein he tells us that the whole substance of Religious Worship is transacted within the mind of man and dwells in the heart and thoughts the soul being its proper Seat and Temple where men may Worship their God as they please without offending their Prince and that External Worship is no part of Religion it self I wish he had more clearly and distinctly expressed his mind in this matter for his Assertions in the sense the words seem to bear are prodigiously false and such as will open a door to Atheism with all Villany and Confusion in the World For who would not think this to be his intention Let men keep their minds and inward thoughts and apprehensious right for God and then they may practise outwardly in Religion what they please one thing one day another another be Papists and Protestants Arians and Homousians yea Mahometans and Christians any thing every thing after the manner of the Country and Laws of the Prince where they are and live the Rule that Ecebolius walked by of old I think there is no man that owns the Scripture but will confess that this is at least if not a direct yet an interpretative rejection of the whole Authority of God And may not this Rule be quickly extended unto Oaths themselves the bonds and Ligaments of humane Society For whereas in their own formal nature they belong to the Worship of God why may not men pretend to keep up their Reverence unto God in the internal part of them or their esteem of Him in their Invocation of His Name but as to the outward part accommodate it unto what by their Interest is required of them so swearing with their Tongues but keeping their Mind at Liberty If the Principles laid down be capable of any other more tolerable sense and such as may be exclusive of these Inferences I shall gladly admit it at present what is here deduced from them seems to be evidently included in them It is true indeed that Natural Moral or Internal Worship consisting in Faith Love Fear Thankfulness Submission Dependance and the like hath its constant Seat and Residence in the Souls and Minds of men but that the wayes whereby these Principles of it are to be outwardly exercised and expressed by Gods Command and Appointment are not also indispensably necessary unto us and parts of his Worship is utterly false That which principally in the Scripture comes under the notion of the Worship of God is the due observance of his outward Institutions which Divines have upon unquestionable grounds contended to be commanded and appointed in general in the second Commandment of the Decalogue whence all particular Institutions in the several seasons of the Church are educed and resolved into the Authority of God therein expressed And that account which we have here given us of outward Worship namely that it is no part of Religion it self but only an Instrument to express the inward Veneration of the mind by some outward action or posture of the body as it is very difficultly to be accommodated unto the sacrifices of old or the present Sacraments of the Church which were and are parts of outward Worship and as I take it of Religion so the being an instrument unto the purpose mentioned doth not exclude any thing from being also a part of Religion and Worship it self if it be commanded by God to be performed in His Service unto His Glory It is pretended that all Outward Worship is only an exteriour signification of Honour but yet all the parts of it in their performance are Acts of Obedience unto God and are the proper Actings of Faith Love and Submission of Soul unto God which if they are not His Worship and parts of Religion I know not what may be so esteemed Let then Outward Worship stand In what Relation it will to Inward Spiritual Honour where God requires it and commands it it is no less necessary and in dispensably to be performed than any part of Inward Worship it self and is a no less important duty of Religion For any thing comes to be a part of Religious Worship outwardly to be performed not from its own nature but from its respect unto the command of God and the End whereunto it is by him designed So the Apostle tells us that with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made un◠Salvation Rom. 10. Confession is but the exteriour signification of the Faith that is i◠our hearts but yet it is no less necessary to Salvation than Faith it self is to Righteousness And those who regulate their Obedience and Religious Worship by the Commands of God knowing that which way ever they are signified by inbred Light or superadded Revelation it is they which give their Obedience its formal nature making it Religious will not allow that place and use of the outward Worship required by God Himself which should exclude it from being Religious or a part of their Religion But upon the whole matter our Author affirms that in all Ages of the World God hath left the Management of His Outward Worship unto the Discretion of Men unless when to determine some particulars hath been usefull to some other purpose pag. 100. The management of Outward Worship may signifie no more but the due performance of it and so I acknowledge that though it be not left unto mens discretion to observe or not observe it yet it is too their Duty and Obedience which are their Discretion and their Wisdom But the management here understood is opposed to Gods own determination of particular Forms that is His especial Institutions and hereof I shall make bold to say that it was never in any Age so left to the Discretion of men To prove this Assertion Sacrifices are singled out as an Instance It is known and granted that these were the most solemn part of the Outward Worship of God for many Ages and that there was a general consent of Mankind unto the use of them so that however the greatest part of the
him Power they say is a liquor that let it be put into what vessel you will it is ready to overflow and as useful as it is as nothing is more to mankind in this world yet when it is not accompanied with a due proportion of Wisdom and Goodness it is troublesome if not pernicious to them concerned in it The power of God is infinite and his Soveraignty absolute but the whole exercise of those glorious dreadful Properties of his nature is regulated by Wisdom and Goodness no less infinite than themselves And as he hath all power over the souls and consciences of men so he exercises it with that Goodness Grace Clemency Patience and Forbearance which I hope we are all sensible of If there be any like him equal unto him in these things I will readily submit the whole of my Religion and conscience unto him without the least hesitation And if God in his Dominion and Rule over the souls and consciences of men do exercise all Patience Benignity Long-suffering and Mercy for it is his compassion that we are not consumed doth he not declare that none is meet to be entrusted with that Power and Rule but they who have those things like himself at least that in what they are or may be concerned in it they express and endeavour to answer his example Indeed Soveraign Princes and Supream Magistrates are Gods Vice-gerents and are called Gods on the earth to represent his Power and Authority unto men in Government within the bounds prefixed by himself unto them which are the most extensive that the nature of things is capable of and in so doing to conform themselves and their actings to him and his as he is the great Monarch the Proto-type of all Rule and the exercise of it in Justice Goodness Clemency and Benignity that so the whole of what they do may tend to the relief comfort refreshment and satisfaction of mankind walking in wayes of peace and innocency in answer unto the ends of their Rule is their Duty their Honour and their Safety And to this end doth God usually and ordinarily furnish them with a due proportion of Wisdom and understanding for they also are of God He gives them an understanding suited and commensurate to their work that what they have to do shall not ordinarily be too hard for them nor shall they be tempted to mistakes and miscarriages from the work they are imployed about which he hath made to be their own But if any of them shall once begin to exceed their bounds to invade his Throne and to take to themselves the Rule of any Province belonging peculiarly and solely to the Kingdom of Heaven therein a conformity unto God in their actings is not to be expected For be they never so amply furnished with all Abilities of mind and soul for the work and those duties which are their own which are proper unto them yet they are not capable of any such stores of Wisdom and Goodness as should fit them for the work of God that which peculiarly belongs to his Authority and Power His Power is infinite his Authority is absolute so are his Wisdom Goodness and Patience Thus he rules Religion the souls and consciences of men And when Princes partake in these things infinite Power infinite Wisdom and infinite Goodness they may assume the same Rule and act like him But to pretend an interest in the one and not in the other will set them in the greatest Opposition to him Those therefore who can prevail with Magistrates to take the power of God over Religion and the souls of meâ— in their observance of it need never feaâ— that when they have so done they will imitate him in his Patience Clemency Meekness Forbearance and Benignity for they are no way capable of these things in a due proportion to that Power which is not their own however they may be eminently furnished for that which is so Thus have we known Princes such as Trajan Adrian Julian of old whilst they kept themselves to their proper Sphere ordering and disposing the affairs of this world and all things belonging to publick Peace Tranquility and Welfare to have been renowned for their Righteousness Moderation and Clemency and thereby made dear to mankind who when they have fallen into the excess of assuming Divine power over the consciences of men and the Worship of God have left behind them such footsteps and remembrances of Rage Cruelty and Blood in the World as make them justly abhorred to all Generations This alone is the seat and posture wherein the Powers of the Earth are delighted with the sighs and groans of innocent persons with the fears and dread of them that are and would be at peace with the punishment of their Obedient Subjects and the binding of those hands of industry which would willingly employ themselves for the publick good and welfare Take this occasion out of the way and there is nothing that should provoke Soveraign Magistrates to any thing that is grievous irksome or troublesome to men peaceable and innocent nothing that should hinder their Subjects from seeing the presence of God with them in their Rule and his Image upon them in their Authority causing them to delight in the thoughts of them and to pray continually for their continuance and prosperity It may be some may be pleased for a season with sâ—â—â—rities against Dissenters such as concerning whom we discourse who falsely suppose their interest to lye therein It may be they may think meet rather to have all debaucheries of life and conversation tollerated than liberty for peaceable men to Worship God according to their light and perswasion of his mind and will as the multitude was pleased of old with the cry of Release Barrabas and let Jesus be crucified Magistrates themselves will at length perceive how little they are beholding to any who importunately suggest unto them fierce and sanguinary connsels in these matters It is a saying of Maximilian the Emperour celebrated in many Authors Nullum said he enormins peccatum dari potest quam in conscientias imperium exercere velle Qui enim conscientiis imperare volunt ii arcem caeli invadunt plerumque terrae possessionem perdunt Magistrates need not fear but that the open wickedness and bloody crimes of men will supply them with objects to be Examples and Testimonies of their Justice and severity And methinks it should not be judged an unequal Petition by them who Rule in the stead and fear of God that those who are innocent in their lives useful in their callings and occasions peaceable in the Land might not be exposed to trouble only because they design and endeavour according to their light which they are invincibly perswaded to be from God himself to take care that they perish not eternally However I know I can mind them of Advice which is ten thousand times more their interest to attend unto than to any that is tendred in