Sect. 24. concerning that coercive power we speak of in the Civill Magistrate he must first prove that these Kings were invested with that power which they exercised in matters of Religion by a morall Law and which is of perpetuall obligation and ingagement upon other Nations For such a weak man as I will rather incline to think that it was conferr'd upon them by a Law Politique and Judiciall and which no more concerneth or obligeth Kings and Magistrates of other Nations then that Law mentioned in the same place with it and which indeed is part of it Deut. 13. which injoyneth the slaying of the Inhabitants of the Idolatrous City with the edge of the sword and the destroying of it utterly with all that is therein and the cattell thereof with the edge of the sword and the gathering of all the spoil thereof into the midst of the street thereof and the burning of the City with fire and all the spoil thereof every whit and the making it an heap for ever and the not building it again I think A. S. himself doth not conceive Christian Kings or Magistrates ingag'd in conscience to observe all the particulars in this Law 8. And lastly if you consult with those passages in the Law where that power which the Kings of Judah exercised about Idolatry and Idolaters Sect. 25. for they went no further they meddled not with the crushing of Sects or Schismes as we heard you will finde that it was the generality or entire body of the Church or Nation of the Jewes and not their Kings that was invested with it by God See Deut. 13. from the beginning to the end and again Deut. 7.5 and Chap. 12.2 3. with many of like consideration So that what they did in this kinde they did it or were to have done it in the Name and with the consent of the Body of their people But the grand Pillar and supporter of this coercive power in Magistrates is this angry and discontented argument What Would you have all Religions Sects and Schismes tolerated in Christian churches Should Jewes Turks and Papists especially be suffered in their Religions What a confusion must this needs breed both in Church and State Give me leave to demulce and pacifie this argument and then we advance to a new subject I answer by distinguishing 1. If by a toleration Sect. 26. the argument means either an approbation or such a connivence which either takes no knowledge of or however no ways opposeth such Religions Sects or Schismes as are unwarrantable they are not to be tolerated But first orthodox and able Ministers ought in the course of their publick Ministery and otherwise upon occasion in a grave sober and inoffensive manner soundly from the Scriptures to evince the folly vanity and falshood of all such wayes Secondly others also that have an anointing of light and knowledge from God are bound to contribute occasionally the best of their endevours towards the same end Thirdly in case the Minister shall be negligent or forgetfull of his duty in this kind the Magistrate may and ought from time to time to admonish him that he fulfill his Ministery in that point also Fourthly if a person one two or more being members of a particular Church shal be infected with any hereticall or dangerous opinion and after two or three admonitions with means of conviction used to regain him shall continue obstinate he ought to be cast out from amongst them by that Church Fifthly and lastly if it be a whole Church that is so corrupted and infected the rest of the neighbour Churches in case it hath any ought to admonish it and to endevour the reclaiming of it If it be refractory after competent admonition and meanes used for the reducing of it they may and ought to renounce communion with it and so set a mark or brand of heresie and obstinacie in the forehead of it But Secondly Sect. 27. if by a toleration the argument means a non-suppression of such Religions Sects and Schismes by a strong hand as by fining imprisoning disfranchising banishment death or the like my answer is that they ought to be tolerated onely upon this supposition that the professors or maintainers of them be otherwise peaceable in the State and every way subject to the Laws and lawfull power of the civill Magistrate My reasons are First Sect. 28. because God hath anointed and sanctified his word and the Ministery hereof for the casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itselfe against the knowledge of God and for the bringing into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 The Apostle in this place v. 4. affirms that the weapons of his warfare meaning the knowledge which he had of God and of Jesus Christ in the Gospel and his abilities of utterance and preaching were mightie through God for those ends and purposes When God hath appointed a means and that of so much efficacy and power either to prevent an inconvenience or to accomplish any end or effect whatsoever for men to wave this means and to interesse another of their own is both to put an affront upon God and to consult frustration and disappointment to themselves And for my part I am all thoughts made that the true and adequate reason why those Sects and Schismes and wild opinions which are lately started amongst us gather so much strength and head and grow so fast upon us as they doe daily is this that we reject the wisedome and counsell of God for the opposing and suppressing of them and have recourse to our owne arm hoping by disgracing displacing way-laying impoverishing suspending imprisoning and other weapons and ways of the flesh to ease our selves of the burthensomnesse and trouble of them Besides the Scripture mentioned there is a passage of full importance this way Ephes 4.11 12 c. And he gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ untill we all come into the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God c. We see here that Gods designe and desire as well as ours is unitie and perfect agreement amongst the Saints in all matters of faith and knowledge But how or by what means or by whom hath hee projected and purposed the obtaining of this his desire Mark he doth not say that he gave some Kings and some Princes and some Judges and Justices of the Peace some Pursevants and some Jaylors c. to bring us into the unitie of the faith No but he gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers to bring this desirable end of his to passe And if we would make more use of these agents and instruments of God of the Apostles Prophets Evangelists of Pastors and Teacher's and lesse of those other which
are our owne for the quenching of those flames of divisions and dissentions that are amongst us in matters of Religion we might in all likelihood see our desires in this behalfe many years sooner then by any other course we are like to do The word of God especially in the hand of an able Minister among other ends is given by God on purpose for the conviction and stopping of the mouths of gain-sayers Tit. 1.9 11. And therfore this will doe it when a thousand other meanes not having this anointing oyle upon them though never so plausible and promising in the eye of humane wisedome will rather open them yet wider then otherwise 2. It is the expresse order and command of God to Ministers of the Gospel upon whom chiefly it lies by way of office and duty Sect. 29. to instruct and convince gainsayers The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure wil give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth 2 Tim. 2 24.25 and men contrary-minded to the truth to performe these offices unto them with meeknesse and therefore not to threaten them with delivering them over to the Secular powers or to incite the civill Magistrate against them And if it bee not lawfull for the Minister to encourage or put on the civill Magistrate to use any externall violence or compulsion against such certainly it is not lawfull much lesse any point of duty for him to proceed in any such way against them And if such meeknesse be to be used towards those that are professed enemies to Christian Religion in the main of which the Scripture in the margine evidently speaketh much more is it to be shewed towards those who it may be are as cordially affected to this Religion as our selves onely dissenting from us in some apices or iota's of this Religion 3. Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth being as we see a speciall gift of God and no man capable of it by his own industry or seeking it is very unreasonable that the want of it being in it selfe a judgement upon a man from God and withall no wayes prejudiciall or hurtfull unto others Sect. 30. at least not necessarily or unavoidably hurtfull unto any should expose him to further punishment and misery from men I conceive a reasonable man will think it very hard and unreasonable to punish a man for not doing of that which is onely proper and in the power of God to doe Externall compulsion in matters of Religion Sect. 31. is of a proper and direct tendencie to make men twofold more the children of sin and so of wrath then they were before or would be otherwise Now that which directly tends to increase sin and iniquity in a Land cannot bee lawful or from God Suppose the state-State-Religion and manner of worshipping God which the Magistrate practiseth and professeth be agreable to the truth yet if I having no such faith of either but judging in my soule and conscience that both State and Magistrate are polluted in both should make profession of either as the truth I should be a notorious hypocrite and dissembler before God and men wounding my conscience and condemning my selfe in what I allow in this case And yet such a profession as this is that which the compulsive power of the Magistrate seekes to extort from me In which case I must suffer because I will not sin to the ruine and destruction of my soule If it be objected That the intent of the Magistrates compulsion in this case is not to extort a profession from me against my judgement and conscience but to ingage me to rectifie and reforme my judgment according to the truth and so to make profession accordingly I answer First that I stand already ingaged by a farre greater band hereunto viz. my peace with God and the safety of my soule then suffering temporally from the Civill power Nor can it reasonably be here replied to me that many will doe more for feare of a present temporall punishment then of the future losse of their soules because they that will doe this will be ready enough to comply with the Magistrate in his Religion what ever it be without compulsion Secondly if the intent of the temporall compulsion bent against me be my engagement to rectifie my judgement according to the truth then to profess accordingly why is it discharged upon me before it be known whether I have not discharged such my engagements to the uttermost of my power and yet am not able to call that truth which the Magistrate would have me so to call Pro. 29.26 Many saith Solomon seek the face of the Ruler and who would not gladly second the Magistrate in his Religion if he had his judgement and conscience in his own hand or power 5. If the civill Magistrate hath an actuall coercive power to suppresse Schismes Heresies c. because he is truly Christian Sect. 32. which he had not before then truth of Christianity alters the property and tenour of Magistracie and that for the worse in respect of those that are in subjection to it yea and possibly in respect of the best of those that are in such subjection Before he was truly Christian he had saith A. S. and Presbyterians generally no power to punish fine imprison banish crush any of his Subjects for the exercise of their conscience towards God but by vertue of that great mercy vouchsafed unto him by God in giving him part and fellowshship with the Saints in Jesus Christ he is invested with a new power to persecute the Saints and to make them pay dearly for having consciences better it may be then his own at least better then to comply outwardly with what they cannot inwardly digest and approve If this be the case between a Christian and the Civill Magistrate under whom he lives he hath small incouragement to pray for the conversion of such a Magistrate to the truth in case he were for the present Heterodox or Pagan it being farre better for him to live under such a Magistracie which hath no power to mis-use him for his conscience sake then under that which hath yea and is made to beleeve that it ought to use it accordingly 6. That power is very dangerous for a Magistrate to own in the exercise whereof he may very easily and commonly doth run an hazard at least of fighting against God or of plucking up that which God hath planted or of pulling down that which God hath built up But is that power of suppressing Schismes Heresies c. which A. S. Cum multis aliis are very earnest to fasten upon him Ergo The Proposition I conceive is too much every mans sense and consent to be A. S. his dissent The Assumption I demonstrate by this reason Because those practices and opinions in Religion which the Magistrate is
have a free voluntary recourse out of conscience to the brotherly advise of neighbour Churches or a Synod dogmatically to declare Christs minde unto us and in case of refusall to submit to their judgement having no ground in Scripture to refuse the Advising Churches to renounce communion with the offending Church and the particular Church to pronounce excommunication against their offending brother So that the difference is not in ente sed modo not in the thing but the manner rather We say therefore it is your duty to give us our own our liberty as much if not more as we to let you alone whiles both parties avouch that they are unconvinced as yet of a possibility of a neerer agreement We know not of the least clause of a sentence or peece of an example in all the Scriptures for any to constrain mens consciences by outward violence positively to act contrary to their principles conscientiously held or for any to yeeld thereunto We have many passages to the contrary in Scripture The Amorites gently intreated Abraham and his family and were confederate with them Gen. 14.13 So did the Philistines or men of Gerar Gen. 20. And before both the Egiptians Gen. 12.19 So did the men of Gerar deale with Isaac Gen. 26. The Sechemites said they would kindly intreat Jacob and his sons because they were peaceable Gen. 34.20 c. The Egiptians appoint Goshen for the Israelites to dwell peaceably in the midst of Egypt The Chaldeans or Babylonians at length allow the Jewes the libertie of their religion with all accommodations thereunto Nehem. and Ezra throughout Compare 2 Chron. 36. The Romans likewise bare with the Jewes and their Judaisme for many yeares both before and after Christs time How much more therefore should Protestants beare with Protestants who have spent their estates and blood in winning their joint liberty from the common enemy Atheists Papists Neuters Prelats c. Christs rule is to win men by instruction and not to force men with destruction in matters of religion Matth. 10.14 15. v. 27 28. Luke 9.54 1 Cor. 7.23 2 Tim. 2.24 25. 2 Tim. 4.1 2 3 4. with infinite more places Nor doe we find in Scripture persecution to be raised by the Iewish Church against Religion but onely when the divinely instituted ceremonies which had got such esteem in the Iewes hearts were about to be taken downe by the preaching of the libertie of the Gospel and a spirituall worship unknown as yet to the whole world For in the Iewish Church before and in Christ and the Apostles times 1. were the Sadduces Matth. 16.1 who denied the resurrection Angels and Spirits Acts 23.8 2. The Pharisees Matth. 23. who though they confessed those held Fate Free-will and humane Traditions See Ioseph lib. 3. and Chem. in exam Conc. Trident. part p. 20. on 1 Tim. 5.23 1 Tim. 4.3 Coloss 2. 3. The Assideans Chasidim or Good men Rom. 5.7 which Assideans mentioned in the Apocrypha 1 Maccab. 7.13 are translated by Joseph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good men lib. 12. cap. 16. who studied to adde to the Scriptures and professed to be holy above the law 4. The Essenes who held it unlawfull to drink wine forbad marriage and commanded those dogmata therefore Coloss 2. the Apostle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the Esseans words Touch not tast not handle not because the junior Esseans might not touch the Elders or Seniors nor might tast save onely bread salt water and hyssop 5. The Pythagoreans who held that the soule of the last departed rose in the body of the next that was born Herod seâ—ms to be of this opinion Mat. 14.1 2. See the Genevanotes on that place yet we find no publick persecution raised by the Jewish Church against these or of these one against another So in the Church of Corinth were divers odde and some dangerous opinions as doubting of the resurrection to come conceiving it to be past already yet no persecution moved against them So in the Church of Galatia so in the 7. Churches of Asia The Churches force not them that are without by persecution but are rebuked for not excommunicating or neglect of convincing and reproving them that are within For later times if the Turks allow Christians that are peaceable the liberty of their conscience both Greeks English c. and the Spaniards Germans c. permit the Jewes no wonder if the Low-countrey-men permit severall opinions of Protestants among them We are worse then the Indians if we should not deale kindly with orthodox Christians We justly abhor the ten persecutions against the injustice whereof Aristides Justinus Mileto Sardensis Apollinaris Athenagoras Tertullianus and others wrote Apologies in behalfe of Christian religion And we justly abhor the Spanish inquisition the English Marian persecutions and the Bishops high Commission against all which many worthy men have writ learnedly And we have seen the event of endevouring to force conscience in matter of opinion or worship On the one side in England it made many thousands of hypocrits Church-papists time-servers c. And on the other side in Holland and Scotland it justly caused State-insurrections and for the same reason wee also are legally now up in arms to obtaine assurance that we shall have the liberty of conscience and law I speak not this as if on the one hand I did now charge this upon the intentions of the State God forbid His meliora sperâ— But onely I seasonably answer A.S. and prevent what I can anyes turning A. Ssians in their opinions or instigations I hope it shall never be known in the world that ever any persecuted the miscalled Separatists or Independents that are sound in opinion pure in discipline and holy in practice save onely Papists and Prelaticall men These were the first and I hope shall be the last that ever persecuted the Saints of the most high Nor on the other hand do I speak this as to intimate that I aprove a toleration of the broaching of all opinions or any toleration of some practises 1. The least venting of any opinion against fundamentalls as Judaisme denying Christ to be the true Mâ—ssias Arrianisme and Socinianisme opposing the Deity of Jesus Christ Arminianisme that questions the person of the Holy Ghost Papisme holding Justification by works or that Anabaptisme that denies the derivation of Adams originall corruption to us and the power of Christs grace to be conveyed to us without any spirituall power of our free will falsly supposed to be in us or of the like opinions ought to be suppressed by due proportion to that rule That no man or Prophet c. might intice his kindred friend or neighbour to Idolatry on pain of death Deut. 13.1 to 12. much less is the practice of Idolatry or any impiety by proportion to the prohibition of blasphemy on pain of death Levit. 24.11 to be tolerated Yet to prevent Idolatry the sword may be taken
conceived to look like a proof of this his opinion and can finde none save only that poor one of the examples of the Kings of Juda pag. 63 inforc'd after this manner It is the Civill Magistrates part to take away Heresies Superstitions and corruptions in manners after the examples of the Kings of Juda. Wherefore then is it not his duty likewise to take away all Schismes which are the high way to and sometimes from Heresie and consequently to deny Toleration which is a way to both Reader neither you nor I must be offended to have a mole-hill of proof given us for a mountain of conclusion You must know it is the manner of the Presbyterian School to hang great weights upon small wyars For what need Dictators argue But 1. If it be the Magistrates part to take away Superstitions Sect. 17. Heresies c. sure it is his part also to make himself able to discern superstitions and heresies from the true worship and truths of God Hee is to serve God in such a practice with his own understanding and not by the Proctorage of Presbyterie as you tell the Apologists pag. 48. that they must not serve God by a Proctor and if so you must untruss and deliver back again to him that Directive power in matters of Religion which you lately took from him 2. When the Magistrate takes away Superstition Heresie Sect. 18. c. hee had need have better security then a Synod can give him to save him harmless in case he should mistake and smite the truth of God in stead of Heresie and the true worship of God in stead of Superstition Act. 5.24.28.38 39. Gamaliel might have had the full Vote of a Synod or Councell for persecuting the Superstition Schisme and Heresie of the Apostles but this was not security enough to him he was afraid of fighting against God this notwithstanding And for my part when the civill Magistrate shall be far enough out of this danger of fighting against God I have nothing to say against his fighting with Superstition Heresie Schisme corruptions in manners c. Only my prayer for him unto God is that hee would give him a wife and understanding heart to consider and discern whether usurpation over the judgements and consciences of the Saints of God in matters of Religion be not as grand a corruption in manners as a Church or Kingdom is lighly incident unto 3. Because the examples of the Kings of Judah for want of better arguments Sect. 19. are so much importun'd to speak a good word for that executive coercive power in the Civill Magistrate with which A. S. would truk with him for that Directive power before spoken of let us consider with a little more freedome and ingenuity what they contribute thereunto 1. We do not read that any of the good Kings of Judah ever offered any violence to the true Prophets or people of the Lord except it were in passion as 2 Chron. 16.10 where Asa is said to have been wroth with the Seer that admonished him and to have put him in prison Which fact of his I think A. S. himself will be asham'd to present either to Kings or Parliaments for imitation Therefore whatsoever besides may be prov'd from the example of the Kings of Judah in matters of Religion towards the rearing up of a Presbyterie in the perfection of its glory certain it is that nothing can be proved for the persecuting annoying crushing disgracing banishing fining the Apologists whom himself more then once or twice acknowledgeth for very pious godly and learned men 2. Neither did any of these Kings ever compell any man to be of the Jewish Religion nor yet to profess the Jewish Religion against their judgements It was permitted to persons of other Nations to live amongst them without being circumcised yea or without smarting for want of it 3. Nor do we reade Sect. 20. that ever they attempted any thing against any Sectaries or Schismatiques as A.S. would call them which yet abounded in great variety and numbers amongst them We do not finde that ever they finde imprison'd banished put to death either Scribes or Pharisees or Herodians or persons of any other Sect in the profession of the Jewish Religion that lived peaceably in their State Idolatry and Idolaters were it seems the adaequate object of their coercive power in matters of Religion 4. Nor did they Sect. 21. nor were they to inflict any outward punishment upon every kinde of Idolater though of the Jewish both Nation and Religion as first not upon covetous persons who yet are a kinde of Idolater Ephes 5.5 Nor secondly upon those that worshipped the true God of Israel though with some violation of the second Commandement as when they sacrificed in the high places c. But first upon such only who apostatiz'd from the God of Israel to serve strange gods the gods of other Nations And yet secondly not upon such neither simply as such but as attempting to intice and draw away other of the people of God unto the same Idolatries with them Deut. 13.5 8 9. 5. There are two reasons very considerable Sect. 22. why the Kings of Judah might be invested by God with a larger power in matters of Religion then Kings or Magistrates under the Gospel have any ground or warrant to claim from them First they were types of Christ which no King under heaven at this day is Secondly not the people only but the very Land over which they ruled were typicall also the one of the spirituall Church of Christ the other of the heavenly inheritance of that Church both of them holy and consecrate in speciall manner unto God If Kings and Magistrates under the Gospel can plead either these reasons or any other of equall consideration with these I shall not scruple an acknowledgement of an equality of power in them But otherwise to alledge the power of the Kings of Judah in matters of Religion for an investiture of Kings and Magistrates under the Gospel with the like justifies the arguing of the Prelaticall School which pleads the order of the Aaronicall Priesthood to demonstrate the necessity of a Metropoliticall soveraigntie 6. It no where appears that any of the godly Kings of Judah ever had Sect. 23. or exercised any power to suppress banish imprison trample upon crush or grinde the faces of any godly persons among them were they few or many only because they were for a while tender in point of conscience to concurre with the major part of the Priests Scribes or Levites in some things disputable between them and others in the Land Vntill A. S. shall dig such a treasure as this out of the Scriptures hee will never have sufficient wherewith to finish that tower of a Magistraticall coercive power in matters of Religion which he hath bâ—gun to build 7. If A. S. or any other will needs make the Kings of Judah tributaries to his opinion
born in hand by those with whose eys hee sees in such cases are schismaticall erroneous and contrary unto God may very possibly be the ways of God and truths of God such mens judgements of them notwithstanding For first the judgements of these men are not Apostolicall or infallible A. S. himself who makes his demands for Presbyterian soveraignty as high as another yet dares not lay claim to this crown Therefore it 's possible for them to be in a misprision about some Question or controversall point in Religion Secondly frequent experience shews that a minor part yea a party for number inconsiderable of godly persons in a Church or State may have the minde of God and of Christ among them in some particulars before the generality or major part of this Church comes to be inlightened or interessed in it For a proofe whereof ad hominem we need go no further then to that party of godly persons in the Land who stood up in Queen Elizabeths King James his days for Presbyteriall Government when as the far greater part both of Magistrates and Ministers in the Kingdome were in their judgements opposite hereunto and wholly Episcopall So that had that Queen or King or any Parliament under them gone about to suppress that party which yet was then look'd upon as schismaticall factious and erroneous they had according to A.S. his judgement touching the judgement of those men fought against God and sought to pluck up that which he hath planted Yea thirdly and lastly it seldome or never falls out that any truth which hath for a long time been under hatches and unknown to the genâ—rality of Ministers and other learned men in a Church or State hath been at the first and on the sudden discovered by God either unto the generality or major part of them but unto some few only yea and sometimes but unto one for a season by and from whom he is pleased to propagate the light and knowledge of it unto more afterwards If then the Magistrate should rise up to suppress this truth or those that hold it forth unto the world because it hath few friends and many enemies amongst the Masters in his Israel and is generally look'd upon as a schismaticall and erroneous opinion should he not in Gamaliel's sense fight against God The housholder in the Parable forbad the plucking up of the Tares out of his field for fear of plucking up the Wheat with them Matth. 13.29 7. That power which was never attributed to the civill Magistrate Sect. 34. by any Christians but only by those that had very good assurance that it should be used for them and on their side is not like to be a power appertaining to them by divine right or conferr'd upon them by God The reason of this Proposition is because it is no wayes credible that within the compass of so many ages as are by-gone no one man of that conscientious generation of Saints which hath been wont so frequently to deny it self even unto death should acknowledge such a power in the civill Magistrate as did by divine right belong unto him only because such an acknowledgement was like to make against himself Therefore I assume But that coercive power in matters of Religion for the suppressing of errours schismes heresies c. was never attributed to the civill Magistrate by any Christian See for the further proof of the minor Proposition Mr Io. Robinsons Essayes p. 49.50 c. but only by those that were very confident that it would be used for their turns and to effect their desires Ergo A. S. himself is wary and tender above measure in conferring it upon him distinguishing once and again and the third time also upon it as wee heard befâ—re he dares let him have it yea and in the close doth as much in effect as tell him that except hee be Presbyterian right down and will accommodate him and his party with it he ought not to claim it 8. That power which in the exercise of it directly tends to prevent Sect. 35. hinder or suppress the growth and increase of the light of the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ in a Church or State and the Reformation of such things whether in Doctrine or Discipline as are unwarrantable therein is not questionless of any Divine right or Institution If A. S. deny this Proposition at the perill of his modesty and reputation be it So then I assume But such a power in the civill Magistrate as we speak of directly tends to all the mischief and inconvenience mentioned Ergo The evidence of the assumption is this when men are obnoxious to the stroke of the civill power and in danger of suffering deeply from the Magistrate for any thing that they shall hold or practise in Religion contrary unto him it must needs be a great tentation and discouragement upon them from searching and Inquiring into the Scriptures after a more exact knowledge of the good and holy and perfect will of God in things because in case hee should discover any thing contrary to what the Magistrate professeth hee must run the hazard either of with-holding the truth hee so discovers in unrighteousness and so of having both God and his own conscience his enemy or else of having his bones broken by the iron rod of the civill Magistrate for mâ—king profession of any thing contrary to that which he professeth 9. That power which in the use of it plainly and palpably tends to the gratification of Satan Sect. 36. carnall and prophane men is not certainly derived from God To prove this Proposition would be but the lighting up of a torch to see the Sun I assume But that power in matters of Religion to crush schismes heresies c. which is by A. S. and many others pinn'd upon the Magistrates sleeve is a power of this tendencie and importance in the use of it Ergo. This latter Proposition shines clear enough with this light First a very great part if not far the greatest of those that are like to suffer by it are men of good conscience and truly fearing God This is manifest in the Apologists and men of their judgement whom A. S. himself over and over though condemning himself toties quoties acknowledgeth for very pious and godly men Nor is it like that ordinarily men of loose or no conscience should delight to swim against the streams either of greatness or plurality in matters of Religion Now then it cannot but be conceived to be matter of solemn gratification to Satan who is a murtherer â—nd blood enemy to the Saints to see them disgraced crushed troden and trampled upon especially by those whom God hath appointed to be their protectours and most of all that this grievous measure should be measured out unto them for the goodness of their consciences towards God Secondly It is the impatient and importune desire of all ignorant loose luke-warm and carnall professors to have
whether in Church or State may be their own carvers and serve themselves of the estates liberties and lives of those that are under them how and when as oft as they list And why doe you not submit to the decisive judgment of the King in all controversies depending between you and him if that be your doctrine For the third inconvenience so called I shall be your debtour to tell me plainly and distinctly what power more your government giveth to a thousand Churches over one then to a Tinker or the Hangman over a thousand I doe not remember where either your selfe or any of your party have calculated the proportion but I well remember a saying in Charron That every humane proposition hath equall authoritie Tout proposition humane a autant d'autherite quel'autre si la raison n'on fait la d fference Charion de sagâ—sse Plus credendiâ— est assertioni alicujus simplicis non authoâ—izati excellenter in Scripturis eruditi quam declarationi Papae if reason make not the difference and another of Gerson much commended by Protestant Authors though the Author of it Pontificiall The saying of a simple man and no wayes authoriz'd if he be well seen in the Scriptures is rather to be beleeved then the Popes own determination But A. S. what makes you thinke for I can easily guesse what makes you say that the government of the Apologists gives no more power to a thousand Churches over one then to a Tinker or Hangman over a thousand Vbi uando quibus testibus did this government or any son it hath ever make any such comparison or so farre honour either your Tiâ—ker or Hungman as to make them quall in power to a thousand Churches And yet I suppose if a man should say that the dust in the ballance hath as much life in it as the Sunne it would be no disparagement to this excellent and glorious creature because the excellencie of it doth not stand in any degrees or superiority of life above any other creature but in the aboundance of light which it hath and the height of its situation and the service abtenesse of it to the world by means of both In like manner if it be supposed which I think upon what hath been delivered may very reasonably be supposed that the glory and excellencie of Churches doth not stand in any power or authority that one hath over another or many over one but in other farre more rich and holy and honourable endowments relations and qualifications it can be no prejudice or disparagement unto ten thousand of them to say they have no more authority over one then A. S. his Tinker or Hangman hath over them Therefore if A. S. his admired peece of Church-policie hath no greater commendation then to serve for preventing such Inconveniences as this the world needs make no great lamentation over it though it were in the condition of Rachels children Matth. 2.18 when she wept for them and would not be comforted Some other inconveniences there are wherein A. S. findes the Government which he opposeth tardie and thinkes he sets a crown of glory upon the head of his Presbytery in vindicating the innocencie of it in respect of such guilt But alas he washeth off this guilt with blood or with water fouler then it as hath been shewed and condemneth his government in that wherein he mainly alloweth it The guilt is innocencie in respect of the purgation There is one inconvenience formerly opened and insisted upon in this chapter very incident to Presbytery the conscience whereof me thinks should make all the sons of that way rather to cover and compassionate then to complain or cry out of any inconvenience they either see or rather think they see in another Chap. 5. Whether the Apologists and men of their judgement may lawfully and without danger or prejudice to the State be tolerated and whether A. S. his reasons to the contrarie be of sufficient weight to perswade either to the banishment crushing or suppressing of them in any kind HE that hath read the precedent part of this discourse and doth though but with the lowest degree of impartialitie consider what hath been argued between the two wayes Presbytery and Apologisme cannot lightly but mourne over the title of this chapter and think him to be a man of iron entrails that should give occasion to such a Question as is there propounded Suppose the opinion maintained in the latter part of the second Chapter were wav'd and such a coercive power in matters of Religion as A. S. contends for allowed in the Magistrates hand yet that any man should plead for the drawing of this sword against those men who first have such a considerable strength if not of evidence yet of reason for what they practise and professe secondly have a like if not a more considerable strength against that way of government which they cannot submit to Thirdly are by their fiercest adversaries and opposites themselves acknowledged ten times over for very pious godly and learned men Fourthly have been at least the generalitie of them and so continue men of the most affectionate and withall the most effectuall activitie and forwardnesse to promote the great cause of Religion Parliament and Kingdome Fifthly are as deep in or if you will as much out of their estates rateably for the support of this cause as any other sort of men whatsoever Sixthly have many of them such as were meet for such a service adventur'd their persons and lives in the face of the rage and furie of the common enemie continuing still in the same engagements Yea seventhly and lastly have some of them exposed themselves to more danger and harder termes from the adverse party then ordinary in case they should prevaile by a publick vindication of the cause of the Parliament in print from the Scriptures and that before any man of differing judgment from them in Church affairs appeared in the cause upon such termes that any man I say on this side of malignancie should consult the sorrow trouble disgrace suppression ruine of men so holy so harmlesse of such eminent desert in the cause of Religion State Kingdome me thinkes should exceed the line of humanity and be thought some inspiration or suggestion from the great enemy of mankind Neverthelesse if either God Reason the peace or safety of the Kingdome require the sorrows or sufferings of these men I make no question but they will be willing to dispense with all considerations whatsoever that stand up to plead their immunitie and will with Isaac patiently suffer themselves to be bound yea and to be offered up in sacrifice also if need be Onely their humble request and suit is that they may not be sacrificed upon the service of the ignorance vain surmises needlesse jealousies bitter suggestions whether of a few or of many Better a thousand times is it that such distempers as these though found in millions of men
Church-government though of Church-livings there was 5. Nothing is more frequent in and about the City then for members of the same family to address themselves to severall Ministeries from time to time the husband to hear in one place the wife in another the childe in a third for their better spirituall accommodations respectively yea and sometimes to communicate with severall Minist rs without the least breach or touch of discontentment on any side 6. And lastly It can hardly be expected especially in this Kingdom where the godly and understanding party have so long suffered and that in extremity from a peremptory imposed State-government without any relaxation or mitigation and have lately tasted the unexpressible sweetness of ease peace and liberty of conscience that they should without extreme discontent be brought back into another house of bondage where the furnace of peremptory subjection is like to be heat every whit as hot as in the other Excellency of teaching and that abundant light of the knowledge of God which hath shined from the Ministery amongst us into the hearts of many thousands have made the conscience very soft and tender in many And where conscience is tender a little violence is a great torment to it His third Reason Answerd To A. S. his third reason to prove the intolerableness of a Toleration wee answer that the inward parts of it are but vanity and falshood For 1. It supposeth that malignant supposition we spake of viz. that Presbyterie and Apologisme make two differing Religions 2. That there is no State in Christendome where there is one only Religion established that will admit the publike exercise of any other which is manifestly untrue as is notoriously known in France the Low-Countries c. 3. And lastly it supposeth that Apologisme in case it be tolerated must needs become a Schisme in that Religion which is established in the Land Wee conceive that every difference in judgement doth not make a Schisme in that Religion which is professed on both sides we shall then finde abundance of the weed growing in the Presbyterian field it self I my self know differences not a few amongst that party and some not of the lightest consequence Or if his meaning be that the practice of it in case of a Toleration should become a Schisme from the Presbyterian Church or Government wee answer 1. That as yet wee have no Presbyterian Church or Government amongst us and so if the toleration be granted before such a Government be established it is apparently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the reach of such an imputation for ever 2. If it be not a Schisme before and without a toleration I do not apprehend what influence or aspect a Toleration should have upon it to make it one 3. And lastly I conceive him to be an incompetent Judge uncapable of knowing or determining what a Schisme is who acknowledgeth his ignorance or non-knowledge of what a Church is which is a A. S. his Profession or confession which you will pag. 21. And in this also we consess our ignorance that wee know not wherein consisteth its essence or being speaking of a Church I cannot believe that he should perfectly know the nature of darkness that is ignoranant of what belongs to light nor that he should know what death is who is ignorant wherein life consisteth nor that he should know what a schisme or rent means that knows not what belongs to the unity and intireness of the body The rule among the sons of Reason in all such cases as these is this Rectum est index sui obliqui And again that enâ—ia privativa cognoscuntur ex suis positivis c. His fourth Reason Answered Your 4th Reason is rather somewhat else then a Reason a confession of the dimness or weakness of your sight I cannot see say you how a Toleration can well be denyed to other Sects if it be granted to our Brethren But 1. Do you remember how you quip your Brethren as here you call them for a like expression us'd by them pag. 41. If yee see no Scripture for it yet others you tell them may see So here wee tell you that though you cannot see how a Toleration can well be denyed to other Sectâ— if it should be granted unto your Brethren yet others may see how very well it may Bernardus non videt omnia 2. It is much that you should not be able to see such a thing as this who have such command over your eyes as was noted formerly as to see what you will Is it a matter of such profound and difficult speculation to conceive how hee that hath the keeping of a door with lock and key and bolts to it should let in one man that knocks without letting in all comers 3. Whereas you determine it to be a Question inextricable to expound cleerly what sects and what opinions are to be tolerated and what not do you not prevaricate with your own cause and confidence and put the Magistrate to a stand whether he should tolerate your opinion for Presbyterian government or not Nay do you not put him out of all hope of ever coming to a cleer resolution of what is his duty to do in this kind For what patent can you shew from heaven why this opinion of yours should not abide the test and triall of that law which here you impose upon others I believe there are very few either Sects or Opinions amongst us in both which notwithstanding we abound more then is for our comfort that either are liable to more considerable and materiall exceptions or that have been dealt with by an higher hand of opposition and conviction then this of yours And why any one opinion which is in the same or greater condemnation of unsatisfactoriness and ambiguity then others should magnifie it self to rule all others with a rod of iron and to break them in pieces like a Potters vessell equity or reason for my part I know none and I fear A. S. himself is as poor in this commodity as I. 4. If it be so inextricable a Question to expound cleerly what sects and opinions are to be tolerated and what not how will you do to sway your Presbyterian Scepter with judgement and equity How will you know what opinions donare Ecclesiâ to make free denizens of your Church and what to disfranchise By your own rule it is an inextricable Question cleerly to determine what opinions are to be tolerated and what not And if the Question be so difficult above measure to determine what opinions are to be tolerated and what not it must needs be yet of a farre more difficult and weighty consideration to resolve what are fit to be countenanced to be established yea and yet more to be imposed to be inforced upon the judgements and consciences of men and what not toleration being an act of a farre lighter importance then either an establishment or an enforcement 5. And lastly