Ratiocinium Vernaculum OR A REPLY TO Ataxiae Obstaculum Being A pretended ANSWER To certain QUERIES Dispersed in some parts of Gloucester-shire Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Mark 12. 17. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish men 1 Pet. 2. 15. LONDON Printed for A. B. MDCLXXVIII THE PREFACE IT is now near Seven years since the Ensuing Queries grounded most of them on Holy Writ or on the Writings of Learned and Judicious men of the Church of England were one Morning Cursorily written Vpon the sight of certain Queries that had been delivered to and answer'd by a neighbour Minister and to him only privately sent without the least Design or Intention of their ever being made publick but to Convince him with such others of his Judgement to whom he should think good to communicate them of the unreasonableness especially on Protestant Principles of exercising Force and Compulsion in Religion with the danger of Persecuting any on the account thereof But no answer by him was ever return'd unto their Author who so little concern'd himself in them that they were as much out of his thoughts as if they had never been written by him When about Michaelmas 1676. he was surprised with the news of a weak and unadvised Parson's having taken them up into the Pulpit with him and there made them the Subject of his Mornings Exercise to the Amazement of some and Derision of other of his Parishoners who had never before heard of them and then understood not his Descant on them But the noise hereof soon made them which for some years had been buryed in silence now the Discourse of the Country and they were not only oppugn'd from the Press the Pulpit and the Pens of divers Adversaries but their Author Prosecuted at the Assizes as Criminal though 't will perhaps be difficult shewing as they were written and disposed of by him what Law of God or Man he therein Transgress'd or what Civil or Religious Interest was thereby injur'd since upon the severest Examination and Scrutiny they will be found to have no worse aim or design than to manifest how Irrational it was and how Ineffectual it must needs be to all good purposes as well as inconsistent with the Precepts of the Gospel and Principles of Christianity to Force Religion and how dangerous to Persecute any on the account thereof And herein he is satisfied to have the Concurrent opinion of the most Learned and Judicious Divines of all Parties though the Practices of too many of them have not been answerable thereunto who indeed say and do not Nay may be said some of them to make themselves Transgressors in building again the things which they destroyed And though 't would not be difficult to Compose a Volume in but Transcribing what they have Written to this purpose I shall here content my self with a single Citation yet it being from one who having had the Approbation and Applause of the Famousest Vniversity of Christendom as well as of the Generality of Learned and Judicious Men of the Reformation may pass for more then a single Testimony and this is the Eminently Learned and Acute Mr. Chillingworth who in his Treatise Entituled the Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation thus speakes I have learnt saith he from the Ancient Fathers of the Church that nothing is more against Religion then to Force Religion And of St. Paul The Weapons of the Christian Warfare are not Carnal And great Reason for humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed From without and Atheisme within Besides saith he if this means of bringing men to embrace any Religion were generally used as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have Power and think they have Ttuth Certainly they cannot with Reason deny but that it may be used in every place by those that have Power as well as they and think they have Truth as well as they what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of Truth but perhaps only of the Profession of it in one place and the Oppression of it in an hundred What will follow from it but the preservation peradventure of Unity but peradventure only of Uniformity in particular States and Churches but the Immortalizing the greater and more lamentable Divisions of Christendom and the World And therefore what can follow from it but perhaps in the Judgment of Carnal Policy the Temporal benefit and Tranquillity of Temporal States and Kingdoms but the Infinite Prejudice if not the Desolation of the Kingdom of Christ And therefore it well becomes them who have their Portions in this life who serve no higher State then this of England or Spain or France nor this neither any further than they serve themselves by it Who think of no other Happiness but the Preservation of their own Fortunes and Tranquillity in this world who think of no other means to preserve Estates but Humane Power and Machivèllian Policy and believe no other Creed but this Regi aut Civitati imperium habenti nihil injustum quod utile Such men as these it may well become to maintain by worldly Power and Violence their State-Instrument Religion For if all be vain and false as in their Judgment it is the present whatsoever is better then any because it is already Settled an alteration of it may draw with it change of States and the change of State the Subversion of their Fortune But they that are indeed Servants and Lovers of Christ of Truth of the Church and of Mankind ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as a Common enemy of all these They that know there is a King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whose will and pleasure King◠and Kingdoms stand and fall they know that to no King or State any thing can be profitable which is unjust and that nothing can be more evidently unjust then to force weak men by the Profession of a Religion which they believe not to loose their own Eternal Happiness out of a vain and needless fear least they may possibly disturb their Temporal quietness There being no danger to any State from any mans Opinion unless it be such an Opinion of which Disobedience to Authority or Impiety is taught or Licenc'd which sort I confess may justly be punisht as well as other Faults or unless this Sanguinary Doctrine be joyned with it that it is lawful for him by humane violence to enforce others to it This was the Judgment of this Learned and Judicious Divine of the Church of England concerning Force in Religion and of those Doubtless who Licens'd and Approv'd of this his Learned and Judicious Treatise in which they unanimously declare to find nothing contrary to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England
understand that agreement in those ought to be more effectual to joyn them in one Communion I mean saith he In a common profession of those Articles of Faith wherein all Consent A joynt Worship of God after such a way as all esteem lawful And a Mutual performance of all those works of Charity which Christians owe one to another But whilst every one hath a Confession a Form of Worship a Church and its Authority which must be imposed on all others we may look and with for Peace Moderation and Vnity but are never like to meet with them on these Terms Those whom Experience will not convince of the vanity of endeavouring to bring Christians to Vnity of Communion by Secular Force or Compulsion and of the great Miseries Persecutions and Sufferings such Methods have in all Ages brought upon the Churches and People of God with the little or no advantage that at any time hath thereby accrued to Religion will never be Convinced thereof by the clearest Evidences or Demonstrations of Reason And though it cannot be denyed but that there have been and still are many good and holy men who contend earnestly for Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion yet it must withall be said 't is a preposterous and blind zeal in them to endeavour to promote the Truth of Gospel contrary to the Laws of the Gospel But for the generality of its Advocats nothing is more evident then that it is not for the Interest of Religion but for some Carnal Interest or Secular advantage they receive by it 'T is strange that any not wholly ignorant of the State of Christendom or most Christian States not to speak of the Civil Powers in other parts of the World should think that the Exercise of Secular Force or Compulsion in Religion can be for the Interest of the Truth when the Generality of them are Ignorant of it if not enemies to it But we are told where the Truth is once own'd and profest every Error and Heresy that riseth up against it ought to be Supprest and Extirpated by the Civil Sword Will these men then tell us what Sect or Society not of Christians only but of Jews Turks or Heathens believe not themselves alone possest of the Truth So that this Method of preserving and propagating Religion prevailing as it doth too much through the Power and Influence of the God of this World whose Kingdom of darkness could not otherwise long stand against the light and power of Truth What I say doth or can follow upon it but perhaps the Profession of Truth in one place and the Oppression of it in an hundred Do not they who deny unto such as Dissent from the Religion Establisht here the Exercise of their Religion upon the same ground deny it also to all the Reformed Churches in all Popish Countrys of Europe To talk of Truth and Error here is Ridiculous For as we were but now told If Force in Religion may be justly used in any place by those that have Power and think they have Truth it cannot with reason be denyed but that it may be used in every place by those who have Power as well as they and think they have Truth too as well as they But were the same mind in us thaâ— was in our Lord and Master Christ Jesus the same frame of Spirit that was in his Blessed Apostles we would do to others as we would be done unto and not mete unto any what we would not should be meted unto us again But whilst some men make their Judgments or Opinions the Rule or Standard of Truth and Error forcing others to embrace or renounce that as such which they shall so call or judge whatever it appears to them by the Rule whereby they are commanded to try and prove it what Truth or Peace can from thence be expected or hoped for Well therefore might the Judicious Mr. Chillingworth cry out Let those leave claiming Infallibility that have no Title to it and let those that in their Words disclaim it disclaim it likewise in their them under pretence of Religion nor yet a Liberty for any to Preach or Teach Doctrines Destructive or Prejudicial to the Peace and Quiet of Civil Societies but a Liberty of Worship only under the Magistrates inspection And that such a Liberty is the Natural and Common Right of all Nations and Persons hath been so fully prov'd by many Eminent and Learned men even of the Church of England and particularly by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Jeremy Taylor late Bishop of Downe and Conough in his Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying it would be but Actum agere to say more And it argues great Ignorance or Impudence in those who persist Declaiming against Liberty of Religion without offering at the least answer to what hath been said for it by this and other Learned and Judicious Divines of the Church of England as well as by most of the Ancient and Orthodox Fathers of the Church As for that other Objection against Liberty of Religion that it will cause Disturbance in the State It is not only against Reason but the Experience of all Ages and Places no Instance being to be given that ever Liberty of Religion gave Disturbance to any Civil State But the contrary the denying Christians their just Liberty therein hath been the unhappy occasion of the greatest Troubles Miseries and Desolations that have befallen most of the States and Common-wealths of Christendom But to conclude this Point The Liberty pleaded for is no more in Substance then what by His Majesties late Declaration of Indulgence to Dissenters was Allowed and Approved of by him a much better and Competenter Judge of what is for the Nations Peace and Interest then they who object this Nor was the Parliaments Exception to the Indulgence granted but the manner of granting it which they judg'd might be of ill and dangerous Consequence It is therefore to be hoped they will in due time take it into Consideration and make such provision for the preventing and punishing Seditious Conventicles as wicked and ungodly men may not take occasion from to Molest and Disturb the Assemblies of Peaceable and Pious People for the performance only of the Worship and Service of God in such a way as none can with reason say to be against the Rule and Order of the Gospel much less to be guilty of any Moral Evil or Impiety That the Word of the Lord may have a free Course and his Name be Glorified in the midst of us The Answer to the Answerers Preface IT will I doubt not be equally difficult for this Answerer to shew what Truth he hath Vindicated as what Truth these Queries oppose How far any have been satisfied with his performances is best known unto themselves But how little he hath Complyed with the Gentlemans desire in returning a Candid and Christian Resolution to them is left to the Judgment of every Judicious and Intelligent Reader Had he
all the words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of the Lord was it not by convincing them it was their duty so to do for it reacht no farther then to those who were present And who denies the like Power unto Christian Magistrates Nor needs there any great search in the Annals of time and History of Ages to know that Princes and People never more prosper'd then when Religion was countenanc't Idolatry punisht and the great Causes and occasions of Schism the requiring other Terms and Conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion then God requires were unknown or removed Nor is there ought in the Instances before mentioned That needs any such constructions or evasions as this Answerer speaks of to reconcile them to the liberty in Religion pleaded for For who did ever deny unto Magistrates Power to command and require their People to serve God as God hath exprest and declar'd he will be serv'd or to remove such outward appearances and Monuments of worship as are evidently and apparently false and Idolatrous which in both instances was but the Case of the before-mentioned Kings of Judah But that which is excepted against Is the prohibiting any to worship God in such a way as none can say to be against the mind and will of God or displeasing unto him or the compelling any to worship God in such a way as they Judge sinful or are not satisfied in the lawfulness of And though the State of Religion under the Gospel be far differing from what it was under the Law yet surely Princes are not as he says in a worse condition by the coming of Christ then they were in the Jewish Commonwealth where they had no power to command ought in Religion but what God willed or commanded and so they may do still by all the ways and means appointed by God and useful thereunto But what is it this Answerer hath found in the 49 chap of Isaiah to prove the Magistrates Coercive Power in Religion Gods affectionate answer to his peoples complaint promising never to forget them will not do it neither his promise of delivering them from their Enemies and adding to their numbers nor yet that Kings should be nursing Fathers and Queens nursing Mothers to his Church For Nurses do not use to force and coerce their Children but nourish and cherish them But this place does indeed imply or promise that there should be Soveraign Princes who should nourish and cherish the People of God and take care that no hurt or violence be offer'd unto them or to his Church which is as much as the Metaphor will bear since true Religion cannot be forc't or upheld by Secular power 'T is Antichristianism that is so supported and maintain'd by those who give their power and strength unto the Beast And they carry the Metaphor too farr who would have Princes like Nurses to feed their Children Christ having appointed other Overseers of his flock for that works whom the Magistrate ought indeed to protect and defend in the performance thereof but not to dictate nor prescribe to them therein There may not be wanting expositors who as he says may conceive this Prophesie to have been fulfilled when Emperours and Kings became Christians and enacted Laws to secure the Faith of Christ from all Enemies c. though they have no great Reason for it it being but too well known that Christian Religion hath suffer'd more then ever it gain'd by pretended Christian Magistrates For if Constantine protected the Truth his Successor Constantius with divers others after him persecuted it Yea the generality of Christian Magistrates for above a thousand years together by the instigations of the Bishop of Rome were its great opposers and oppressors and though for several years past God hath blessed this Nation beyond most of the Nations of the Earth with Kings and Queens who have protected and defended the Truths of the Gospel and the people of God from the Tyranny and opprssieon of that great Enemy to both yet in respect of Christendom there is little cause to say that this Prophesie was fulfilled when Kings and Emperours became Christians As there have been Laws enacted by Kings and States in behalf of the Truth so there have been infinitely more enacted against it error too soon and generally prevailing over the Christian world which for a Protestant to Question were to deny his Faith He cannot be thought a Friend to Truth who shall oppose any means conducive unto its promotion But whoever shall consider how few of the Mighty and Noble of the Earth to whom wordly Power and Authority is committed are called unto the knowledge thereof must acknowledge likewise that where one Law bath been enacted in behalf of the Truth hundreds have been enacted to its prejudice It is not therefore in opposition to Truth but for the Truths sake that we plead for its standing upon its own Bottom and prevailing by its own strength and efficacy For as the Truths of the Gospel were at first planted and propagated throughout the world by the Ministry of the Gospel and influence of the Divine Spirit without the aid and assistance of the secular Power so by the same means and methods they are best secured and preserved nor is secular force and power a means by God appointed or in its nature conducive to the promoting of Truth since 't is conviction and not force must induce assent And though some Hereticks may have seem'd to retract their opinions upon the severity of penal Laws against them there is little reason to believe that any of them thereby became real converts for though force may make an Hypocrite it can never make a true Believer If we believe not the Donatists and Independants so nearly related as this Answerer tells us having but his say so without other proof and if we are not Convinc't That Austins changing his mind proves second thoughts to be always best it will not we hope be thought any violation of the Law or light of Nature 't is not unknown how that Pious Father was molested by that petulant Faction no wonder therefore he should approve of what ever delivered him from them But would it not be very pleasant for Magistrates to change their Laws as oft as Doctors change their minds and that every new opinion should be the ground of a new Statute And yet I fully approve of what this Learned and Pious Father That Kings as is commanded them from Heaven serve God in that Office when in their Kingdoms they Command what is good and Prohibit what is evil and that not only in things that belong unto humane Society but also unto Divine Religion So they command but what is known and allowed to be good and in mens power to do and Prohibit no more then what is by the light of Nature or some positive Law of God apparently evil And if there be more passages to the same purpose as this
tells us His design was to ease men of their former burdens and not to lay on more That the duties he required were no other but such as were necessary and withall Just and Reasonable That he that came to take away the insupportable Yoke of Jewish Ceremonies certainly did never intend to gall the necks of his Disciples with another instead of it and if so did not certainly give Power or Authority unto any to Institute in their room such others as they should think good it would be strange says he the Church should require more then Christ himself did and make other conditions of her Communion then our Saviour did of Discipleship Then asks What ground there can be why Christians should not stand upon the same terms now which they did in the times of Christ and his Apostles Whether Religion were not sufficiently guarded and fenced in them Whether there was ever more true and cordial reverence in the worship of God What Charter Christ hath given his Church to bind men up to more then himself hath done And then tells us The grand Commission the Apostles were sent out with was only to Teach what Christ had commanded them not the least intimation of any Power given them to impose or require any thing beyond what himself had spoken to them or they were directed to by the immediate guidance of the spirit of God What Power or Commission therefore any have since received to Institute such Ceremonies in the Worship and Service of God as they shall think good this Answerer or his Adherents may do well to inform us But instead thereof he tells us Nothing is more evident in the New-Testament than that Christ did intrust those whom he appointed in his absence to be the Ministers of his Church with the Government of it He did so and yet he did not Empower or Authorise them to Institute in the Worship and Service of God such Ceremonies as they should think good But says our Politick Answerer This Government could not subsist without the Enacting of Laws for its own and the Churches preservation for that Christ intended c. How does that appear we find nothing in his Gospel of any such intention nor have we reason to believe he intended any should Enact other Laws for the Government of his Church than what himself Enacted since 't were to deny the Scriptures sufficiency unto that end and its being a perfect Rule of our Faith and Obedience in all Gospel Duties and Administrations and in plain term's to tell us that Christ was not faithfull to him that appointed him as was Moses in all his House in that he left not as did Moses a compleat Volume of Laws for its Rule and Government We wish therefore this Answerer would acquaint us with the Instrument by which the Apostles made over their Authority of Enacting Laws for the Government of the Church to their Successors in that it would tend greatly to their conviction who have hitherto been in an error and very much deceived if the Lord Christ be not the sole Lord over and Law-giver to his Church and that the Apostles neither did nor could Delegate a Legislative Power to their Successors being themselves Ministers only of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Power of the Keys committed unto them not being a Power of giving Laws to the Church but a Power of Teaching and Ruling the Church according to the Laws which Christ himself had given and those as he says not to that present Age of Christians but to all Succeeding Ages in which his Church was to continue in the World they being evey way sufficient to continue and preserve upon Earth a visible Church untill his Second coming But so far this Answerer is in the right That there could have been no such Society if there had been no Law for its Vnity But he should withall have consider'd that there neither could nor can be any Law for its Unity but from an Universal Law-giver the obligation of no Law extending farther then the Iuâ—â—â—â—â—tion or Authority of the Legislator So that it is altogether impossible for any but the Lord Christ to Enact Laws for the visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods sacred Worship since the Jurisdiction or Authority of none other can reach or oblige all Christians That our Blessed Saviour was greatly concern'd for the Unity of his Church none sure ever doubted But the words quoted by this Answerer from St. Johns Gospel relate not so much to the external visible Unity of the Church as to the internal mystical Union that is between Christ and his Members Yet he tells us That which he would principally have the Reader observe in them is The care that our Blessed Lord and Master took for that great Essential of Christianity the Vnity of the Church No doubt he did both for the internal and external Unity thereof and that not only in his frequent calling on his Disciples to Unity and to love one another making it a Caracteristical note of their relation unto him By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another But also in commanding them to teach the observation of all things whatsoever he commanded them which would all who would be accounted his Disciples likewise observe and do without setting up their Posts as the Prophet speaks by his Posts Unity would not be wanting among Christians nor yet throughout the Christian world a due uniformity in the external Administration of Gods Sacred worship which variety of Rites and Ceremonies in particular Churches destroys And it may be truly enough said by him That it is impossible for the Gospel to be propagated and upheld by Faith and Charity only as they are lodg'd in mens Hearts unless the Fruits of these Graces were exerted in some things that were visible and obvious to sense and therefore outward worship is required that the inward may be exercised and expressed for to talk of inward worship without any outward expressions thereof is but a Cloak for Atheism But for this Answerer to tell us That the Churches Vnity was the main thing that Christ took care of before his Crucifixion That it is the great Essential of Christianity the very being of Christian Religion depending on it And that the main principle of all Christian Amity and affection is the visible Vnity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship which ought to be Vniform and undevided and then conclude That variety of Rites in one National Church would cause Division of Judgement and of affection Is such an explanation of the Unity of the Church and visible Unity of Christian Communion in the External Administration of Gods Sacred Worship as I think the world was never before blest with For was it the Unity of a National Church only that Christ took such care of and which is the great essential of Christianity or is
be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing So far were the Apostles from commanding the Observation of the abrogated Ceremonies of the Jewish Law which is indeed a contradiction interminis for if they had Apostoâ—ical warrant and command they were not abrogated but we must bear with small slips if we will not Create to our selves endless trouble But 't is at length acknowledg'd That Gods will is to be the Rule of his worship and our Answerer hopes to salve all in saying That it were the most sacrilegious Invasion of Gods Prerogative to make humane Inventions the essentials of his worship But for Rites and Ceremonies the Governours of the Church may it seems Institute such and so many as they shall think good And if so let him tell us why the Church of Rome hath not the same Authority as other Churches to Institute such Ceremonies as she also shall think good and how comes he to censure hers as vain and foolish ridiculous and superstitious while she exercises but the Authority he allows her Instituting no other Ceremonies then she judges conducive to so high and generous an end as the propogation of the Christian Faith and which render Religion amiable by its external Ornaments and Beauty But what may this Answerer mean by the essentialls of worship A dear friend of his tells us The essence of Religious worship consists in nothing else but a gratefull sense and temper of mind towards the Divine goodness and as for all that concerns external worship 't is no part of Religion it self and if this be his Judgement also he may tell us 'T is the most sacrilegious Invasion of Gods Prerogative to make humane Inventions the Essentials of his worship and yet retain a liberty of introducing all the vain and foolish ridiculous superstitious Ceremonies now in use in the Roman Church when ever he shall change his thoughts of them and judge them to render Religion amiable and beautifull But certainly nothing is more evident in Scripture than that the due observance of the outward Institutions in Religion come under the notion of the worship of God So did the Sacrifices of old and so do the present Sacraments of the Church which were and are parts of outward worship and I suppose of Religion too and whatever is made so necessary to be observ'd in the worship of God that without it the worship is not to be perform'd is thereby made an essential of worship for that which is so the matter of a thing that without it the thing cannot be is of the essence of that thing But he tells us All that is pleaded is but that the Church of England may be allowed the same priviledge which all Sects and Parties assume to themselves viz. To determine the circumstances of Religion which is so reasonable that it cannot either in Reason or Justice be denyed Then he tells us There is no Sect but the Authority of their Teachers prevails in those Instances and Rites where there is no word of God to warrant the things that are practis'd by them Instancing in the worship perform'd as he says by Independents asking what Scripture they have to prove their Covenant which the Members of their Churches swear to before they are admitted by their Pastors and Elders Though he finds no mention of any such Covenant sworn to in the declaration of the Faith and Order owned and Practis'd in their Churches wherein as well their Order as common Faith is declar'd Neither of which do they or did they ever that I have heard of impose upon any and yet are able I presume to give an Answer unto every man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them To them therefore I shall refer him for farther satisfaction in the particulars he mentions if he desires it And for the present shall only tell him There is some difference between a confession of Faith and imposing Articles of Faith Yea or Rites and Ceremonies And will he now say In verbo Sacerdotis or upon his Reputation That the Church of England in appointing of her Rites and Ceremonies does no more then appoint circumstances concerning the worship of God common to humane Actions which are to be order'd by the light of nature and Christian Prudence according to the general Rules of the word Or why does he thus impose upon his credulous and unwary Reader But he tells us If the Governours of the Church of England did command such and such things then Dissenters had some reason to separate from its Communion which is but a copy of his countenance he elsewhere telling us That the Governours of the Church have Power to Institute such Ceremonies as they shall think good and that it is the peoples duty to obey Yea he advises them to resign up themselves to the Fathers of the Church rather than attend to 〈◊〉 the Dictates of their own dark minds which takes away not only the liberty of separating but even of examining the commands of their Spiritual guides And having thus reduced them to an implicit Faith he may be bold to tell them There were as many or more Ceremonies made use of in the very Age of the Apostles and then Instituted by them than are now in the Church of England and instance in half a score not one of which were ever Instituted by the Apostles Yet after all his boldness he speaks but faintly in saying If he be mistaken in his conjecture about this matter yet 't is no way injurious to the present Power of the Church of England in appointing symbolical or significative Ceremonies in Gods worship for that the Primitive Christians under the Heathen Emperours were much like the Israelites in their Egyptian Bondage rather concern'd to maintain the life and being of Religion then to be curious about the Apparel and Ornament thereof And would to God there were no pretended Christians in these days more concern'd about the Apparel and Ornament as they term them of Religion then to maintain the life and being thereof And how unhandsomly does he reflect here on the Primitive Christians in saying When Kings and Emperours became Christian then they began to glorifie God with their bodies and to honour him with their substance and Estates c. As if till then they had been unmindful of the Apostles precept of glorifying God in their bodies and in their spirits or what thinks he of those who before that sold their Possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need Did not they as much honour God with their substances and Estates as those who adorn Temples But such gross and carnal thoughts have some of the most High Who dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands as to think him still delighted and pleased with mens Erecting Dedicating and Adorning of Temples in which they generally place more of their Religion than in the performance of the most spiritual and
leave and forsake them 't is no very good sign or token of their Ministerial Gifts and Abilities But it is a presumptuous and too bold comparison he here makes between the Success of Christs Ministry while he exercised it in his own Person upon Earth and that of the Clergy of England For though taking on him the form of a Servant he was made in the likeness of men yet couâ—d he have Converted Millions of sinners as well as have commanded Legions of Angels if it had so pleased him The Cases of Elijah and of Athanasius he instances in are not at all to the present purpose for we do not say that Peoples leaving or forsaking their Pastors is an Argument of their having lost all spiritual Power and Authority But Pastors leaving or forsaking the Spiritual means by Christ appointed for the Rule and Government of his Church and applying to and using of other means than he appointed and commanded them to the subversion and ruine of his Discipline is an Argument of it And here I cannot but take notice of the great Pique our Answerer hath against liberty in Religion in that he would have the Prophets apprehension That the whole Israel of God had forsaken his Covenant to proceed from the general indulgence granted by Ahab to all kinds of Religion as well as Impieties when though there may be reasâ—n enough to believe he indulg'd all kind of Impieties in that it is said He did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger then all the Kings of Israel that were before him there is not the least evidence of his indulging all Kinds of Religions in that though there were 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Ball the Prophet knew not of one true worshipper besides himself which is no great Argument of their being indulged among the all kind of Religions he talks of But to conclude whoever as he says shall seriously consider the depraved Nature of Man how much more prone it is to embrace Vice than Vertue Error than Truth and the Novel rather than the good old way of Religion will not be much startled or wonder that the greatest part of mankind should forsake the Truth and true Religion which have Persecution and outward sufferings usually accompanying them to embrace those Religions which not only indulge them in their Lusts but have the greatest worldly Interests and advantages attending them Query XXV Whether are not they Strangers to the Power and efficacy of the Divine Spirit or distrustfull of Gods Providence to be always with his Church who think Christianity which both began and spread it self over the world for several hundreds of years under Heathen and Persecuting Emperours cannot stand or continue supported by the same Divine Presence and Protection to the Worlds end without the Aid and Assistance of the Civil Magistrate Reply to the Answer to this Query WE do not say nor did we ever think the first Reformers of Religion in this or any other Nation were Strangers to the Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit or distrustful of Gods Promise to be always with his Church Because the whole Reformation was not without the Aid and Assistance of civil Magistrates But bless God rather for their Cooperating in so good a work And yet we shall not scruple to say They had been strangers to the Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit and its operations on the Souls of men had they believed the Reformation could not have been effected without them And to ask what Archbishop Cranmer Hooper Ridly c. could have done to restore Religion to its Purity and Truth had they not been seconded and Assisted by the civil Magistrate would have better become a Turkish Mufti then a Gospel Minister Does he think the Power and Efficacy of Gods Spirit in the mouths of his Preachers not sufficient to convert the most obstinate and to bring into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ How then did not only Peter and Paul with the rest of the Apostles but the Primitive Christians for several Ages after them propagate Christianity and the Truths of the Gospel not only without the assistance but even against the greatest opposition of civil Magistrates And what can be more to the disparagement of the then Englishâ— Clergy and derogatory to the Spirit of God then to say as he does they might as well have attempted to have pull'd the Sun out of its Orb as ever to have Reformed Religion by the Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit without the Aid and Assistance of the civil Magistrate Does he think things were then amongst them as he would have them thought to be amongst us That the Presence of God and Assistance of his Holy Spirit were to be look't upon as miraculous concurrences with the Clergy in the management and Exercise of their Ministerial Office I trust they are not and that he judges both of the one and of the other but by himself But so far I agree with him That as Kingdoms and States so Religion and the Church are to be secured and npheld by the very same means and methods by which they were established And so the Church of England as founded in Prelacy by the Kings and Nobles of England as hath been shown must be secured and upheld by the same means and methods or it will not long so continue but as Christian wherein it was founded by the mouths of Preachers with the Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit it will I trust be so secured and upheld to the worlds end Yet that God will withal vouchsafe her so great a blessing That Kings and Queens may ever be her Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers to protect and defend her from the rage and violence of wicked and unreasonable men since all men have not Faith is my hearty desire But our Clergy man sensible it seems how things are now amongst them is distrustful of Gods continuing his Church with us and therefore would have the Gentleman consider in what Scripture he hath promis'd that either Christianity in general or Protestantism in particular should for ever continue the Establisht Religion of this Kingdom We know indeed of no particular promise concerning the Establisht Religion of this Kingdom but this we know That where two or three are gathered together in Christs name he hath promised to be in the midst of them and that he told his Disciples while they taught the observation of all things which he commanded them he would be with them to the worlds end So that if Christianity continue not with us it is by oâ—r own default in forsaking Christ and disobeying his commands He is pleased to acknowledge here what could not well be denied That Christianity spread it self over the world under Heathen and Persecuting Emperours only by the Power of the Divine Presence and Protection without the Aid of the civil Magistrate But looks upon it as miraculous
says To tolerate unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers who vent their idle fancies to corrupt and withdraw others from the simplicity of the Truth be an Indication of more cruelty than to Tollerate so many Thieves and Murtherers upon publick Roades and Highways This Answerer is by no means to be tollerated having manifested himself so unruly and vain a Talker and Deceiver as he hath done Query XXVII Whether can any think That they who Persecute Christ in his Members despoiling them of their goods and Imprisoning their Persons and that too for their faithful adhering to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign will speed better at the great day of account than those whom Christ himself hath told us shall be then rejected but for not visiting and relieving his poor Members when in want in sickness or any other Adversity Reply to the Answer to this Query INstead of Answering this Query 'T is very judiciously objected It hath many things questionable in it And with as great Judgement and to as little purpose he likewise tell us That none are true Members of Christ besides those that are Vnited to his Church for that Christ is the Head and his Church his Body and as he also judiciously observes no one can be a Member belonging to the Head unless he be some way or other Vnited to the Body But sure our Answerer is the first pretended Christian that ever questioned the soundness of Christs Body the Holy Catholick Church or that a Christians joyning to it might endanger his internal Vnion to Christ who is Hâ—â—d And wherefore doth he here tell us what the Query neither denies nor questions That the Church of England is a sound part of the Catholick Church unless to manifest his Dialectick Art in proving That whoever in any thing withdraw themselves from any part of Christs Body cut themselves off from Christ the Head and therefore they who withdraw Communion from the Church of England though but in the least minute Circumstances or Ceremonies belong not unto Christ. So that it seems with this Learned and Judicious Answerer out of the Ceremonial Pale of the Church of England there is no Salvation and if any are punisht for so cuting themselves off from Christ the Head their punishment is no persecution Quod erat demonstrandum Great wits according to the Proverb have short memories he could not else have so soon forgotten which he but now reprov'd the Independants for viz. Their evaâ—uating one main Article of the Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church For that as he said They restrained it to themselves whereas he so restrains it to the Church of England as that he allows of none withdrawing themselves from her Communion to belong unto Christ the one main Article therefore of his Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church is it seems Faith in the Church of England or rather Faith in whatever Church is uppermost And though out of her there is no Salvation yet for Arguments sake he will suppose That those who separate from her Communion even in her very Ceremonies are notwithstanding such their separation real Members of Christs mystical body yet none of them he says are persecuted for their faithful adhering unto Christ or the undoubted and plain commands of their Heavenly Soveraign nor does the Query say they are But supposing as he supposeth That any should be punisht for assembling together to Pray or partake of the Ordinances of the Gospel which Christ hath Instituted and requires the observation of would not such be persecuted for their faithful adhering unto Christ and to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign But says our Answerer Let the Gentleman produce one Person that ever suffer'd for performing any essential duty of Christian Religion We know not what he may esteem an essential duty of Christian Religion who is one with him who declares the outward worship of God to be no part of Religion But if he will allow Praying Preaching and Administring the Sacraments to be essential duties of the Christian Religion as by all good Christians they have hitherto been esteemed He need not go beyond his own Parish to meet with those who have suffer'd and deeply suffer'd even by his Instigation for the performance of those duties But he tells us 'T is not for the performance of those duties but for the disorderly and Irregular way of performing them that they are punisht Very good By what Rule then does he judge the way of their performance Disorderly and Irregular all order consisting in the due observation of some Rule Now if he will tell us of any Rule they therein transgress which he will abide by he hath said something to the purpose He tells us indeed They are punisht for not doing them in that due manner as is enjoyn'd them by their Superiours yet does not say The injunction of Superiours is the Rule whereby they are to be perform'd Nay he says If the Governours of the Church did command a worship that were Idolatrous or superstitious or did appoint vain foolish and ridiculous Ceremonies they were not therein to be complyed with So that the Injunctions or Commands of Superiours are not by his own confession this Rule But he tells us They are punisht for being disorderly in their Stations and Callings and for being disobedient to Government and Laws If by being disorderly in their Stations and Callings he means as he elsewhere says Their Vsurping the Office of Bishops as well as of the Inferiour Clergy He hath thereon already had the Judgement of as Learned and Judicious a Divine as most the Church of England can boast of And for their being disobedient though he hath advised us to resign up our selves unto the Fathers of the Church He hath not yet told us they are to be obeyed in whatever they shall or may command us So that neither can the commands of Governours nor Laws of Superiours be this Rule nor indeed ought else but the will of God revealed in his word To the Law and to the Testimony was the old Rule and the Divine Institution is still the only Rule to judge of the Orderly and Disorderly performance of all Religious duties â— by and if the manner of their performance be not according unto this Rule it is indeed Disorderly and Irregular and suffering upon that account may be esteemed a punishment rather then a persecution as may likewise their sufferings who are disobedient to the Laws and Governments of men in all civil and secular matters and concerns and theirs also who censure the Actions of Authority Vsurp the Office of the Ministry endanger the peace of the State and violate the Vnity of the Church Nor are there greater violaters of the Churches Unity than they who impose on Christs Disciples other conditions of Church-fellowship and Communion than Christ or his Apostles ever enjoyned or required And so far I agree with
So that it is not the Church of England that approves or allows of Force in Religion or that Carnal weapons are to be used in the Christian warfare but such of her Degenerate and Base Sons only as forsake the Law of their Mother For as he hath well observ'd Humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed Form without and â—thism within which should make it to be abhorr'd and detested by all sincere and good Christians And surely the Church of England who decryes and so highly condemnes blind Obedience in the Duties of Religion can never Approve or Allow of Forceing any therein against their Light and Judgments which is certainly the worst of blind Obediences For since Whatever is not of Faith is sin Whatever a man does against his Faith or Conscience must needs be much more so And as the Church of England neither Approves nor Allows of Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion and much less that any should be therein required to do ought against their Light or Judgments which were to sin against their Consciences So she as little Allows or Approves of Persecuting or any wayes Molesting or Troubling any for the real performance of any truly Christian Exercise of Religien Nor I dare presume to say does any Law of England Allow or Countenance much less Command or Require any such thing though too many have Misconstru'd and Misapply'd the late Act for Preventing and Supressing Seditious Conventicles to the Disturbing and Punishing I may say Ruining of many Peaceable and Pious people for Meeting only really and truly to Worship and serve God For the Act does not say if any person or persons above such a number shall meet to Worship God truly and sincerely in other manner than according to the Liturgy c. They shall incurre the Penalty mention'd But where any Person c. shall be present at any Meeting under Colour or Pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England c. It shall and may be Lawful c. The Act certainly does not prohibit or punish any real and truly Christian Exercise of Religion for if it did it were Ipso Facto null and void as being against the Law of God But if it be objected it appears not whether their Worship be Sincere or Pretended only and the Law prohibites such a number to meet under any colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner then according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England and punishes those that transgress the same 'T is answer'd that all Pretences ought in Charity to be believ'd where no Over-act discovers the Hypocrisie or falsehood of the mind But since there is so little Charity amongst men let it be shown wherein the Exercises of Religion which some have been pleased to punish by vertue or colour rather of that Law were in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England If it be said they ought to be perform'd in the very words of the Liturgy it is more than the Act sayes And the Practice of the Church of England has ever allowed men to pray even in Publick in other words than are prescribed in the Liturgy Our Blessed Saviour teaching his Disciples to pray said unto them After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in Heaven c. And yet we do not find in Scripture where their Prayers are often Recorded that they ever prayed by that Form but in other words agreeing for matter and yet they were accepted There are none therefore I hope will say they disobeyed their Lord and Master by praying in other manner than he taught and commanded them because they prayed not by that Form No more do they transgress the Law against praying in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England who pray not by the words of the Liturgy while they pray in other words agreeing with it for matter What pretence then can any have to Charge the Author of these Queries with Libelling the Church and State since they reflect on neither nor Cinsure or by any undue surmises condemn ought that they approve or allow of Nay is it not unreasonable to account that a Crime in any one which is the duty of every one viz. To endeavour by all lawfull wayes and means that all that would might lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty which they can never do who are forced to Profess what they believe not and in the duties of Religion to practice what they approve not which is to live in a perpetual lye The question here is not whether what is required of any be in it self sinful or unlawful but whether they who judge it so be it through Ignorance or otherwise can without sinning conform to it There is no doubt and question but that many may and do live Godly Holily and Righteously in the Exercise of that Religion which to others would be Damnable for to him who esteemeth a thing unclean to him it is so though in it self it may be pure So he that doubteth is damned if he eat while others perswaded of the lawfulness thereof may safely use their Liberty Pleading therefore against Force in Religion we neither condemn nor censure this or that Religion which teaches not that Sanguinary Doctrine but would that every one should be fully perswaded in his own mind the Religion he Embraceth and Professeth is what God wills and requires of him since whatever is not of Faith is sin and Faithin all things respects the Commands and Authority of God It were indeed heartily to be wisht that all were of a mind as to the due performance of this great and indispensable duty the Worship of God But this is rather to be wished then hoped for while there are men truly fearing God and those whose fear of him is taught by the Precept of men There are saith our Lerrned and Judicious Mr. Chillingworth But two wayes that may be conceived probable to reduce Christians to unity of Communion The one by taking away diversity of Opinions touching matters of Religion the other by shewing that the diversity of Opinions which is among the several Sects of Christians ought to be no hindrance to their unity in Communion Now the former of these saith he is not to be hoped for without a Miracle unless it could be made evident to all men that God hath appointed some visible Judge of Controversies to whose Judgment all men are to submit themselves What then remains but that the other way must be taken and Christians must be taught to set a higher value upon these high points of Faith and Obedience wherein they agree than upon those matters of less moment wherein they differ and
all the sacred writings and mysteries gave him order with what Sacrifices and upon what days and in what places the Rites of Religion were to be perforwed had it not been a violation of his Religion to have us'd other Sacrifices upon other days in other places and with other Rites then he appointed And if among Heathens as he farther observes both publick and private Mysteries were all determined by the Chief Priest that it might be known where the Common People might repair to worship their Gods lest there should be any disorder or confusion in Religion either by neglecting the sacred Rites of their Country or introducing any that were Foreign and Strange Shall not we allow the Lord Jesus our High Priest to determine the sacred mysteries of his Religion with all Rites and Ceremonies thereof that under pretence of Order and Decency there may not be introduced that disorder and confusion in the Christian Religion we see at this day through the neglect of those sacred Rites of his Institution and the introducing such as are Forraign and strange into his worship Let not therefore those that abhor Idols commit Sacrildge And if Heathen Romans as he observes were so careful that none but the Roman Dieties might be worship'd â—nd that after no other manner but that of their own Institution How much more careful and concerned ought Christians to be that none but the Almighty the Holy one of Israel be worship'd and that after no other manner then that of his own Institution and appointment And since as this Answerer observes That wise people were so jealous and careful least any Innovation should be made in their Religion and least its Vniformity and Integrity should be dissolved by the Customs and mixtures of other Countries How much more ought Christs Disciples to be jealous and careful that no innoventions be made or humane Inventions added to Christs Institutions either as to matter or to mannes beyond the orderly observance of such circumstances as necessarily attend such Ordinances as Christ himself hath Instituted least the uniformity and integrity of his worship should be dissolv'd by the Customs and mixtures of other Countries in the establishing of different ways and modes of worship according to the variety of mens Inventions and Fancies And since not only Grotius from St. Anstin observes That the Romans were successful in their Arms because they had a hearty respect and veneration for Religion But the Apostle tell us That Godliness hath the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come surely it can be against no rule or form of Justice or Prudence nor any violation of the Law or light of Nature for Christian Princes to be as zealous for a true Religion as the Heathens were for a false one But as the wise man says He that Answereth a matter before he hear it so he that Answereth a Question before he understands it It shall be â— folly and shame unto him And now we are told of the zeal and care the holy Kings and Governours of the Jewish Nation had of Religion which will never prove That to execute before Judgement is no violation of the Law and light of Nature Nor in the least prejudice any Principle these Queries labour to support When he shall inform us What Davids ordering the turns and courses of the Priests and setting up Musick in the Temple it is to this Query it may be consider'd of or if he would inâ—er from it That civil Magistrates without particular Warrant or Commission from God may order or appoint in the worship and service of God what they please or shall Judge conduâ—ive to the Honour and Glory of God or the â—ecent and Orderly performance of Divine worship 't is a Question we are not at present â—oncern'd in and shall therefore pass it by Asa did not any thing which was by any â—enyed to be his duty nor commanded ought in others which they did not acknowledge â—â—kewise to be theirs And notwitstanding â—ur Answerers asserting the contrary The Covenant which Asa and all Judah and Benjamin and the Strangers with them enter'd into was voluntary in all parties for it is said They did it with all their heart and with all their soul and again v. 14. They sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets And all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their hearts and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them There cannot well be greater evidence to prove any action to have been voluntary For God is not found of those who seek him not in sincerity and with a willing mind who draw nigh unto him with their lips while their hearts are far from him Let none therefore too hastily credit this Answerer in ought he says but like the noble Bereans search the Scriptures whether it be so oâ— no. Jehoshaphat we are told used his Coercive Power in taking away the High places and groves dedicated to Idolatry and what did he therein which all Judah acknowledg'd not to be his duty And who did ever deny it to be in the Magistrates Power to send Teachers to instructâ— the People in the Law of the Lord or Judg'd it a violation of the Law or light of Nature so to do And what did Jehojada in putting Athalia to death and in making a Covenant between him and between all the People and between the King that they should be the Lords People And iâ— breaking down the Altars and Images in the House of Baal and slaying the Priests thereof before the Altar which he had not good Authority to do and which all Judah approv'd not of The Reformations of Hezekiah and Josiah were very eminent but nothing done by either of them or by any of the good Kings of Judah doth in the least oppugne ought in this or in any of these Queries What did Hezekiah in opening the Doors of the Temple that had been long shut up in cleansing the City and Kingdom from Idols in restoring the Priests to their Offices and dues in reviving the Sacrifices which had been long neglected and celebrating the Pass-over with great magnificence more then what every mans Conscience told him was right and necessary to be done And did Josiah in making a Covenant before the Lord to milk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments and his Testimonies and his Statutes with all his heart and with all his soul to perform the words of the Covenant which are written in the Book of the Law of the Lord and causing all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it yea in making all that were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God Do ought which any acknowledg'd not to be both his and their duty and how made he them to do all this was it by secular force and Power or by reading unto them
to be burnt alive at Geneva Query VIII Whether it is not Incongruous and Heterogeniall to punish Corporally man erring Spiritually Reply to the Answer to this Query THe Question is not here Whether any Judge or Justice can take cognizance of mens Thoughts or Consciences nor when wickedness in the heart is manifested by external action whether liable to the Magistrates Power and Inspection none I think ever questioning either of them But whether men erring Spiritually ought Corporally to be punisht Paul 's reckoning Heresies among the works of the flesh and telling the Gorinthians they were Carnal from the Schisms and disorders that were amongst them does not prove it But says this Answerer Certainly any sensual sin may be punisht by the Civil Sword What thinks he then of Hatred Wrath Covetousness Emulations Envyings and the like which are sensual Sins or works of the flesh yet not therefore to be punisht by the Civil Sword But why are they as he tells us Who gather Churches c. more then Spiritually Erronious How comes that which was the great Errand and Duty of the Apostles and their immediate Successors now to become so great a Crime Is it that Men or Children rather are now born Christians or being born in a Christian Commonwealth as it is usually though improperly exprest or in such or such a Parish they do thereby become a Church of Christ No one certainly who understands what either a Christian or a Church of Christ is can think so And wherein do they as he says dispise Government and Trample upon all Laws Did he not but now tell us The Church was a Society and that there can be no Society without Government How then comes the gathering of Churches to be a despising of Government and trampling upon all Laws undoubtedly there is a Law and a Divine Law to for the gathering of Churches if the Gospel be the Law of God as I hope neither this Answerer nor any who own themselves Christians doubt it to be There is little reason sure to say as he does The inticers to Idolatry mention'd in Deutromony might as well have pleaded it was only an error of their minds as any of our Dissenting Ministers for that none certainly can imagine that it could be a sin of Ignorance in them to draw any from the true God to worship Idols it being against the very light of Nature in that as the Apostle tell us That which may be known of God was manifest in them It may therefore for any thing this Answerer hath here said Be both Incongruous and Heterogenial to punish Corporally men erring Spiritually Query IX Whether secular force and compulsion in things of Divine and Supernatural Revelation be not the Arms of Antichrist and not of the true Church Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Answerer might have done well to hae inform'd us How secular force and compulsion in Religion towards some is as he says Anti-Christian and not towards other the difference not being evident at least to all capacities We are not here enquiring after what is so much a violation of the Law of Nations as of the Law of Nature and though our Answerer expresses his dislike of the Spaniards dealings with the Indians graciously acknowledging that propriety is not forfeited by unbelief Yet but now speaking of Dissenters here he said If they disapprove of the Decisions of their Superiours the world is wide enough they may leave the Government and betake themselves to the Communion of purer Churches which is but in other words to say Be of the Religion of your Country or abanden your Properties with the Land of your Nativity But should providence permit the Establishment of a Religion in this Nation he approves not of if he be not resolv'd to approve of whatever shall be the National Religion would he not think himself hardly dealt with to be requir'd to Conform or to abandon his Native Country He may do well therefore to meditate a little on that no less Divine then Moral precept Of doing to others as he would they should do to him The Cannon he mentions is indeeed very pertinent to our purpose So likewise is what he Cites from Tertullian and Lactantius But then without the least colour or shadow of Reason and perhaps only because Grotius says It is not just or lawful to make War upon any because they will not embrace the Christian Religion He would have this to be understood only of Princes raising Wars against Pagan Nations to compel and force them to the Profession of Christianity and imbracing of the Gospel But 't is very well and judiciously observ'd of him That these things nothing concern a Kingdom in which there is a visible and universal profession of the same Religion in that there is indeed no need of compelling or forcing any to profess what all already do profess But yet even in such a Kingdom Magistrates he says may use compulsive methods to secure their People from a totall and manifest Apostacy from the true Faith c. which we would freely allow him if compulsive methods could secure a People from Apostacy and that through ignorance or mistake of the Truth Magistrates did not too often instead thereof compell to error But none sure will say but that Magistrates may and ought to repress such Seducers as threaten the extirpation of their own Government yea and of the true Faith too were it once determined which amongst the many that would be so accounted were the true What he says of the Religious Princes of the Jewish Church hath been already spoken to Query X. Whether any one can be compelled by secular force or compulsion to perform any one Religious duty acceptably since God accepts not of any but what is volâ—ntary and of Faith which cannot be forc't And of what use then is secular Force and compulsion in Religion but to make men sin or suffer Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Query which this Answerer says with others is forged in the Shops of the Socinians and Anabaptists is with the rest grounded on the Rule of Gods word with which he seems to be little acquainted or with the due performance of Religious Duties in saying That it might with as much strength of Reason be urg'd against the Magistrates using compulsive methods towards his Subjects for the performance of the Duties of the 2d Table aâ— those of the first There being some difference beâ—ween forcing men to moral actions and Divine duties since in things moral the action however circumstantiated is in it self positively good or evil But in things of Divine Institution the manner only of the performance makes the action good or evil and therefore it is said He that Sacrificeth an Ox is as if he kild a Man and he that killeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck where the manner of performing the Command is not observ'd as well as the
honour will be best secured Ahabs humiliation which he instances in was a voluntary action he did it not by constraint but was thereunto moved by what the Prophet said unto him and makes not therefore against the drift of this Query And who doubts that if a stop were put to gross Schisms I mean what are truly such and not unduly so call'd and bare fac'd Atheism with other villanies that abound amongst us but it would be acceptable unto God and all good men As likewise the restrâ—ining of Seducers from propagating their contagious errors would this Answerer but vouchsafe a clear and positive Answer to the 6th Query and tell us who is Judge of Truth and Error in disputable Points of Religion and not always leave it to the strongest to determine And to talk of Lawless and licencious Practices being universally pleaded for when the plea is only for a liberty to serve God in Faith without doubting is a strain beyond the ordinary bounds of Truth and Honesty But says our Answerer If men are so perverse and incorrigible as not to be reform'd themselves yet the punishmeâ—ts that are inflicted upon them may prevent the like sin in others They may so in such things as any are convinc't to be sins But what any shall judge to be theirs and others indispensable duties the punishing of some for those things will not deterr others who fear God more then men from doing the like whatever they suffer for it But so something be said and Authorities cited it matters not how applicable to the present Question Query XI Whether Christ's Rule of his Disciples under the Gospel be not by a Spiritual Power and whether to use the Temporal Sword in Religious matters be not to make the Weapons of the Gospel not mighty through God but mighty through the Magistrates Power to Arm the Church with Weapons Christ never gave her and to make her a Military rather then a spiritual Society Reply to the Answer to this Query THough what is mighty through the Magistrates Power is as he says mighty through God as he is the original and Fountain of all Power yet the Apostle tells us The weapons of their Warfare are not Carnal whereby he distinguishes between the Carnal Power of the Civil Magistrate by which the world is Govern'd in all worldly Affairs and Concerns and the Spiritual Power wherewith Christ rules his Subjects under the Gospel which this Answerer seems altogether unacquainted with having possibly never felt the power and efficacy thereof in his own Soul and to talk to such of a Spiritual Power is like talking to blind men of colours But the Magistrate says he is Gods Minister and that to the benefit and welfare of mens souls as well as their worldly and outward Estates But how or in what manner to the benefit and welfare of their Souls he is not at present dispos'd to tell us But would have us to believe the reason why Christ never made use of the Civil Magistrates Power to recommend or obtrude as he phrases it his Doctrine on the world was because the secular Powers were in the days of his flesh in open Enmity and Hostility against him But does he think Christ could not as easily have converted Magistrates as others had he so pleased or does he not know that To him was given all Power both in Heaven and on Earth and that had he thought it necessary or expedient for the Interest of Religion he could as well have commanded the Magistrates Power as any other But he declin'd it as we may reasonably enough suppose to manifest to the world that the Gospel or true Religion was wholly founded upon Spiritual Power was compleat therein and needed not the aid and assistance of secular Force But the Argument against the Magistrates Power in matters of Religion is not so much from Christs not using it as from the nature of Religion which cannot be so forc't it being seated in those faculties to which outward violence can have no access So that the unsuitableness of the means to the end aimed at as well as Christs not serving himself of it for the propagation of Christian Religion with the sufficiency of that Spiritual Power in the gifts he gave unto his Ministers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his Body Is that which renders the Magistrates Authority in matters of Religion not necessary not to say more And whereas this Answerer says That Christ was armed with such miraculous power from Heaven that he did not need any assistance from Empires or States Does he think his Arm shortned or that he now stands in more need of secular assistance then heretofore We argue not against the Churches making use of the Authority of Kings to protect herself against force and violence or the injuries or oppressions of any but against Magistrates imposing on her or on any in matters of faith and worship and yet we say with this Answerer That our Blessed Saviour in erecting his Church never intended to diminish the Power of Magistracy neither hath he it being the same now it ever was Magistrates having the same Power now that ordinarily they ever had nor is there any thing in Christian Religion but what is not only consistent but highly advantagious to Civil States and Societies in that it reacheth conscientious obedience to Authority wheresoever and in whomsoever lodg'd and faithfull dealings between man and man Though the Church be as he says a Military she is still a spiritual Society the weapons of â—hâ—se warfare are not carnal but mighty through the Spirit of God not the Power of the Magistrate to the pulling down of strong bolds and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. If this Answerer can tell us of any other weapons belonging to her we shall own our obligation to him for the discovery Query XII Whether to say the Spiritual Power Christ hath given unto his Church for the right ordering and governing thereof is not sufficient unto that end without the aid and assistance of the secular Power be not to blaspheme Reply to the Answer to this Query WE were promis'd in the last Answer to be shown in this what were the weapons of the Churches warfare but instead thereof are there told the end only of Christs giving Power to his Church which none sure ever doubted to be for the edification not destruction of the souls of his People yet we still say with the Apostle the weapons of the Churches warfare are not carnal That Christ gave gifts and neither Swords nor Guns unto men for the perfecting of Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his Body and that the Spiritual Power he gave unto his Church for the right ordering and Governing thereof is sufficient unto that end And
wherein doth this permit men to renounce the common Christianity c. as this Answerer very impertinently objecteth And 't is left to the Judgement of all rational men whether they who insist upon the sufficiency of the Spiritual Power Christ hath given unto his Church for the right ordering and governing thereof and the Scriptures being the sole rule of every mans Faith and Obedience in all Gospel duties and Administrations or they who allow unto every national or Provincial Church a Power to Decree Articles of Faith and compose Forms of Divine worship to be imposed by civil Magistrates upon Christians are the more likely to lead into the Paths of Heresie and Schism and to destroy the Vnity of the Church and consequently whether these or those do gratifie the old Serpent in his malitious wiles and methods and give leave to his Instruments to accomplish their Hellish designs in destroying Christianity and the Churches Government at one blow I say again let every rational and unprejudiced person considering the nature and essence of Christianity and by what ways and methods it hath been corrupted and destroyed judge Gods name is not indeed blasphemed as he says when his Institutions are made use of to uphold his Truths c. But he hath no where Instituted the civil Sword to force any to the Christian Faith much less to uphold whatever is taught or pretended so to be And if his name be blasphemed when mens minds are alienated from the Christian Religion They will be found guilty thereof who use such means and methods for its propagation as they pretend as beget an aversion in many towards it and those that use them And who is it that would make the profession thereof Arbitrary They who say the Spiritual Power Christ hath given unto his Church for the right ordering and governing thereof is sufficient unto that end cannot reasonably be said so to do And wherefore doth he here talk of every beâ—ted Brain and Sulpherous Male-content being left to serve God or serve him not to believe in Christ or openly to deny and blaspheme him When all we Pray and Plead for is but That the word of the Lord may have a free course and that his name may be glorified in the free exercise of all Religious duties without ever denying it the Magistrates duty to punish Blasphemy and the like evils and impieties But 't were worth knowing from this Learned and Judicious Answerer how far any are obliged to ad here to the Church in which they were Baptized that we may not have too hard thoughts of our first Reformers for forsaking the Church in which they partook of that Sacrament It is as he says One thing to Convert Pagans and Infidels to Christianity and another thing to keep them within the bounds of their duty who already profess it and yet are both effected by the same means and the Magistrate can no more compel unto the one then to the other But when men give up their names to Christ 't is certainly as he says the duty of Church-men to use all lawfull and proper means to prevent their Apostacy from him But who are the incorrigible offenders he speaks of Or what occasion doth this Query administer To ask why the Magistrate may not be requested to save a soul from death c. The Magistrate may certainly be requested to punish sin and wickedness it being the great end for which God committed the Power of the Sword to him But he can no more save a Soul from death and Rescue him out of the snare of the Devil then he can give grace or faith which are the gifts of God alone yet this hinders not but that Magistrates and Ministers ought to use all due and lawful means To reduce men to Christianity and prevent their Apostacy from it There is no more need now then in the primitive Ages of the Church that its Acts and Censures should be seconded by the Sword of the Secular Power our Blessed Saviour who is faithfull having promised to be with his Disciples Teaching what he commanded them to the worlds end And that there is so little of Power and efficacy in in the Acts and Censures of some who would be accounted his Disciples is not that Christ hath withdrawn any of that ordinary Power he gave unto his Ministers for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of his body but their failure in the condition annexed to his promise in not teaching what he commanded but setting up their own inventions and devices in the place of his Institutions were the Censures of the Church as orderly and regularly pronounc't now as heretofore they would have the same effects now as then upon the Souls and Consciences of believers what effect they had upon their Bodies we are rather told then Convinc't of for the Intestuous Corinthian's being deliver'd unto Satan was no more then as hath been already said his being cast out of the Church the Kingdom of God into the World the Kingdom of the Devil nor were the deaths of Ananias and Saphira with the blindness of Ellmas the Sorcerer the effects of any Church Acts or Censures but of that extraordinary Power Christ conferred on his Apostles to manifest his Power and Authority to the unbelieving world and to say it was to supply the defect of the Magistrates Coercive Power in the Church as if the Churches Power were defective without the Magistrates Sword is highly derogatory unto that Spiritual Power and Authority Christ hath given unto the Ministers of his Gospel for the ordering and Governing of his Church unto the worlds end 'T is as one hath well observ'd much of Christs glory to rule his Subjects under the Gospel by a spiritual Power 't is that Power makes a man a Christian 't is that Power in all Gospel Institutions that keeps men in their due obedience unto Christ and 't is that Power carries the sting of the punishment when men are cast out of the Church 'T is indeed that Power does all under the Gospel and to bringin the Temporal Sword is to make the weapons of the Gospel not mighty through God but mighty through the Magistrates Power and wholly to alter the nature of the Gospel and all its Institutions 'T is to Aâ—m the Church with weapons Christ never gave her and to make her a Military rather then a Spiritual Society What he says of Dissenters being pâ—nisht for indangering the Peace of the State by disobeying the Laws of the Church shall be spoken to when he tells us what Laws and what Church he here means Nor can we till then say How the Interest of those Societies are twisted and united But do very well know it to have been one of the greatest Artifices in the mystery of Iniquâ—ty so to twist the civil and some pretended Religious Interests as to preswade the world The Oak cannot subsist without the Ivie but as well Reason as Experience
that error were restrain'd by such ways and means as Truth might not suffer in the stead of it And if this Reverend Person judg'd the Commonwealth in his days did well in making Laws to restrain those who depart from our Church he did not I presume think it did so some years before when it made Laws to restrain those who departed from the then Church so preferring the Relation before the Rule making the right and Equity of the Law to depend on his Judgement or Opinion of Truth and Error in Religion And if it were his Judgement as we are told That People ought to be compell'd to the Publick Assemblies though unsatisfied of the lawfulness of the Service there used it was an Erronious Judgement and of very evil consequence for by the same Rule ought all to be so compelled by those who have Power on their side and believe they have Truth also and what advantage not to speak of the unreasonableness and unjustifiablenes of the thing it self can any Protestant think Truth and true Religion will get thereby It were therefore rather to be wished that all men would observe that no less Divine then Moral precept Of doing unto others as they would be done unto The Query here is not concerning Governours requiring conformity to those things which the Judgements of Inferiours dislike or disapprove of as unmeet or inconvenient but to those things and in the worship of God only as Inferiours Judge sinfull The constraining therefore any against their Wills and Interests to do what they deny not to be honest and just reacheth not the present Question Though nothing can as he says excuse Subjects from yielding obedience to lawful Authority but the unlawfulness of what that Authority doth injoyn yet when any one is perswaded the thing commanded is unlawful though in it self lawful He may not yield obedience to it An innocent or invincibly erring Conscience as the Reverend and Learned Bishop Taylor truly tells us being to be obeyed against the known commandment of our Superiours But a man may lawfully engage upon that action which he Judges to be unmeet and inconvenient only not unlawful though he have some inward averseness and reluctancy in his mind against it and wishes that no such obligation were laid on him But our Answerer does very seasonably recollect himself in telling us it will be here said That the resolution of this case does not come home to our present Dissenters for that they Judge the commands of Authority about those things which we call indifferent to be not only inconvenient but sinfull and for that reason they deny Conformity in practice But where this hath been in part answered as he says we have not yet observ'd and wish it may be as he promises considered in the following Queries Query XVI Whether to punish any for not conforming to such Modes and Forms of Worship as in their Consciences they judge sinfull be not to punish them for not doing what is acknowledged to be their duty not to do Reply to the Answer to this Query THat 't is all mens duty as he says to Obey lawfull Authority either actively or passively none sure doubts but what is that to this Query To say that active obedience is not required by Authority to all its commands is to say Authority commands things to be done which it self judges sinfull and unlawfull which ought not to be supposed So that active obedience is by Authority requir'd to all its commands and nothing can excuse any from such obedience but the unlawfulness or supposed unlawfulness of what is so commanded But it is neither the duty of a Loyal Subject nor humble Christian as he would have it so to mistrust his own Judgement as to neglect the exercise thereof in a due Examination of the lawfullness or unlawfullness of whatever is commanded him But says this Answerer To make some nearer approaches to the Query which is but need 't is not Conscience if that thing be condemned as sinfull which is not some way or other forbid by God in the Sacred Scriptures 'T is not indeed a right Conscience but where a man is perswaded that any thing is forbid by God in Sacred Scriptures though it may not be so 't is Conscience in him not to do it though it be an Erronious Conscience yet such an one as till Convinc'd of its Error he ought not to go against And his saying It may be Humour or Fancy or Passion or Diabolical suggestions or Forestalements and prejudices imbibed by ill education and instruction c. will never prevail with Prudent and Pious men to abandon Conscience or in ought to act against it nor yet to renounce the exercise of their Judgements in yielding blind Obedience unto any which were indeed not to chuse their Religion or Act as men but like Bruits rather bear whatever shall be imposed on them So changing their Religion as oft as chance or providence shall change their Masters which indeed is very far from a Rational or manly choice Whether any can plead Conscience for not conforming to the Establisht worship of the Church of England is no part of this Query which meddles not with particulars And yet if no more as he says can be said in the case Then that he doubts whether he ought to worship God after such a manner or no it may be sufficient to hinder his Comformity notwithstanding we are told It ought not to be of that weight as to keep him from his lawfull Superiours lawfull command For he who doubts of the lawfulness of the worship may doubt likewise whether his Superiours commanding him so to worship be a lawfull command or whether his Superiour have Authority to command him so to worship for where Superiours have no right to command there lyes no obligation of Conscience on Inferiours to obey and then such a command can be no sufficient ground to supersede his doubting especially when he is perswaded he hath a plain Prohibition of Scripture against what he is commanded Neither as is said is it duty or any part of Christian meekness where the doubt is concerning the Superiours Authority for any therein to take his resolution from those claiming that Authority And though it be the sin of Dogmatizing to affirm any thing unlawfull for any to do which some Law of God still in force doth not Prohibit yet while the Question is whether there be not a Law of God now in force prohibiting the matters in doubt and which is that which occasions the doubt it can be no such sin So that 't is not impossible but both that and the disobedience here talkt of may still commence Vertue notwithstanding all that hath been here said to the contrary And yet we deny it not to be every mans duty in doubtfull matters to seek satisfaction from those whom God hath appointed to instruct and teach them but not to yield blind obedience unto any or obey them
against the Dictates of their Consciences And whether this or that particular commanded by Superiours in the Worship and Service of God be agreable with or contrary to the Law of God none may judge for another every mans Reason as the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet hath truly told us proceeding according to the rule of Gods word must therein be his own Judge Query XVII Whether it be not the duty of all Christians to walk together so far as they have attain'd and in other things wait the Revelation of the mind of God to them that differ Reply to the Answer to this Query OUr Answerer acknowledges what none can reasonably deny That every Christian is bound to frame and order the course of his life according to the measures of his knowledge And he is so in an especial manner in all the exercises of Religion in which none ought to be forc't beyond what God hath been pleased to reveal of his mind and will unto them for where any are not convinc't of the lawfulness of an action to do it to them 〈◊〉 is sin though the thing it self may not be unlawfull Nor is every one who is not of his Superiours opinion to be censur'd by this Answerer as willfull in retaining error or opiniotive in dispising those who have more knowledge then himself 'T is not impossible but Superiours may err and God approves not of blind obedience because he will not as the Reverend and Learned Bishop Davenant tells us hold them excused who with a blind zeal follow their Leaders But who are they this Answerer terms weak Christians and Babes in knowledge If such as make Conscience of their ways and actions and out of fear of offending God dare not Conform to what they are not convinc't of the lawfulness of they are so far from being weak they will one day appear to be the wisest Christians Let us not therefore judge one another but judge this rather That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way And though he tells us Babes in knowledge are not fit to be intrusted with their own Conduct and Protection c. there are those Babes to whom God hath revealed those things he hath hid from the Wise and Prudent What he says of Childrens being cccker'd and upheld in their humours is extreamly impertinent here and nothing to this Query But he tells us If men would live up to the plain Principles of their Religion or walk together so far as they have attain'd They could not possibly conceive it their duty totally to forsake their Parochial Churches and think it an arbitrary indifferent matter whether they professed themselves Christians or Infidels What he means by totally to forsake their Parochial Churches I know it there being those who though they cannot communicate with every Parochial Church nor yet with any Parochial Church in every thing are yet ready and willing to communicate with them in all Christian Offices and duties of Religion seperated from those circumstances or Adjuncts of worship of Humane Institution of whose lawfulness they are not satisfied who do not therefore totally forsake them much less think it an Arbitrary indifferent matter whether they profess themselves Christians or Infidels though they believe not all Profession of Christianity to consist in Communicating with Parochiall Churches As for his Scorners and Infidels Chair it might very well have been spared here neither this nor any of these Queries giving the least countenance or incouragement unto such or that any should go unpunisht for the neglect or contempt of Christianity An Inferiours differing in Judgement from his Superiour ought to excite his utmost â—are and diligence to search and find out the Truth But will not warrant his yielding blind obedience to any of his Dictates Be ye 〈◊〉 not the Servants of men is a Divine precept which must take place in the duties of Religion or no where Yet ought not any to Condemn a whole Church or withdraw from its Communion but where there are so great corruptions and defects in it and those too so plain and evident from Scripture as may justifie both his charge and seperation but of them the party seperating must still Judge It is the highest Vsurpation saith the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet to rob men of the Liberty of their Judgements That which we plead for against the Papists is That all men have eyes in their heads as well as the Pope that every one hath a Judicium privatae Discretionis which is the Rule of Practice as to himself and though we freely allow a Ministerial Power under Christ in the Governours af the Church yet that extends not to an obligation upon men to go against the Dictates of their Reason and Conscience Their Power is only directive and declarative and in matters of duty can bind no more then Reason and Evidence brought from Scripture by them doth Though in all Ages Christians of different opinions and perswasions may have Communicated with one another in the Offices of Religion wherein they agreed which is but what this Query calls for yet they never Communicated with one another at least ought not so to have done in those things they judg'd sinfull or superstitious nor forced each other thereunto But the Orthodox the Arians and the Novatians might lawfully enough joyn together in Prayer where their errors were not mixt with their Prayers and made a part of their worship And in that Christ and his Apostles as he says frequented the publick Assemblies both in the Temple and Synagogues it is evident though the worshippers many of them at least were guilty of great corruptions and impieties yet their worship it self was free from them they could not else have Communicated with them in their worship and not have Communicated with them in their corruptions and impieties which were Blasphemous to imagine And though our Blessed Saviour Incouraged all due Reverence and Ohedience to be paid to publick Laws and Governours in commanding the multitude to do whatever the Scribes and Pharisees who sate in Moses seat bid them to observe and do yet it was to be understood when according to Moses Law not that they had Power to ad â—o or diminish fâ—om what God had appointed or were implicity to be obeyed He having elswhere charged his Disciples to Take heed and beware of the leaven i. e. Doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces So that though all due Rererence and Obedience be to be paid to publick Laws and Governours yet is not blind Obedience to be yielded unto either being inconsistent with those Gospel precepts which command us to Prove all things To take heed that no man deceive as and as hath been said That we be not the Servants of men for that every ome must give an account of himself to God When he says That God hath made sufficient discoveries of
it the visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship in a National Church only that is the main Principle of all Christian Amity and affection certainly if variety of Rites in a National Church cause divisions of Judgement and of affection variety of Rites in the Universal or Catholick Church will cause the same also so that it is a visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship throughout the Universal or Catholick Church that is the main principle of all Christian Amity and affection experience telling us what sad Divisions Feuds and Animosities have and do daily arise among Christians from the variety of Rites in the external Administration of Gods worship enjoyned by particular Churches of several Denominations even to the destruction of that external as well as internal Unity which is the great Essential of Christianity and which Christ so earnestly recommended to his Church So that if the Internal Unity of the Church as well as External Unity of Christian Communion in the publick Administration of Gods Sacred Worship be desirable as most certainly they are and ought to be They are no otherwise to be attained then by all Christian Churches Universally adhering to the Rule of the Gospel and enjoyning no other Rites or Ceremonies in the external Administration of the worship of God and requiring no other conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion then that enjoyns and requires Nor hath our Answerer more reason to say That many Assemblies of Christians Independent one 〈◊〉 of another though living under the same civil Government do weaken and will at last destroy Christianity Than others That National and Provincial Churches rejecting at the Popes Supremacy destroy the Unity of the Church and endanger the very being of Christian Religion Nor yet That from such small beginnings and Independent Communions there would have been no more possibility to have spread and propagated Christianity in the world than an Army divided and scatter'd into Parties could be able Encounter with another that was Vnited and observ'd all the Orders of the chief commander since as the Apostle tells us God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and experience hath told us That from such small beginnings and Independent Communions Christianity hath been spread and propagated over the world But if as he intimates An Army divided and scatter'd into Parties is not able to Encounter another that is Vnited and observes all the Orders of the chief Commander How will those National and Provincial Reformed Churches which are but divided and scatter'd Parties of the Christian Army and Independent one 〈◊〉 of another be able to Encounter the Papacy which is United and observes all the Orders of their chief Commander So strangely does prejudice and Partiality blind men as that they see not how they argue against themselves unless they are of that Army whose Principles and Practices they embrace and follow while they would be thought to skirmish with it This Answerer may therefore know if he pleases That though the Church be compared to an Army it is not in being like Officer'd as having a Leiutenant or Vicar-General Major-Generals Colonels c. or such like subordination of Officers depending upon or centering in one and yet th◠is not without her Officers who though at the head but of single Companies observing all the Orders of their Chief Commander are and have been able to Encounter the United Power of Men and Devils making War against the Lamb and his followers But our Answerer having explain'd as he tells us One of the main vitals of Christianity viz. The Vnity of the Church advises his Reader farther to consider That in the days of Christs abiding upon Earth there could not possibly be any Law for the preservation of its Vnity for the reason he mentions and therefore Jesus Christ gave Power and Authority to his Apostles and their Successors to Institute such Ceremonies and Rituals in Religion as they in their own Prudence should judge most agreable to the manners and Customs of the Nations they should convert and which tended to promote true Piety and goodness in their hearts and lives But for this the Reader is desired likewise to consider we have but his bare word he not offering the least proof of any such Power committed by Jesus Christ to his Apostles and their Successors the Commission he gave unto his Apostles being but to teach the observation of such things as he had commanded them so far was he from leaving it to them and much less to the prudence of their Successors to Institute and appoint such Rituals in Religion as they should think good These things therefore are fondly and groundlessly asserted and no less inconsistent with what himself but now said than repugnant to the Gospel For if those Rites which were agreeable to one sort of People would not be so unto others and the Governours of the Church were to appoint as he says such Rituals in Religion as in their prudence they should judge most agreeable to the manners and Customs of those Nations they should convert what becomes of his main principle of all Christian Amity and Affection The visible Vnity of Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship which he but now told us ought to be uniform and undevided 〈◊〉 it is so far from being impossible that in the days of Christs abode upon Earth there should be as he says any Law made for the preservation of the Churches Vnity that it is altogether impossible as hath been demonstrated that any but Jesus Christ or less then an omnipotent Power should be able to Enact any such Law Neither hath our Lord Christ Instituted any Rite or Ceremony in Religion but what will very well suit with the Manners and Customs of all Nations He would never else have commanded his Disciples to teach all Nations to observe all things whatsoever he commanded them Yet so fond is our Answerer of his fancies as to repeat them in telling us That when Christ made void the Law of Ceremonies in the Jewish Church he intended though he gives us no evidence of such his intention to inspire the minds of his Apostles and their Successors with so much soundness and integrity of wisdom and understanding that they should be able by their own Reasons to Enact such Laws and Orders as should preserve the external Vnity of the Church and render Religion so amiable as that it should not be quite naked and destitute of all external Ornament and Beauty In which he expresses but his own vain and carnal thoughts of Religion Christian Religion being certainly most amiable when most suitable to the simplicity of the Gospel the beauty of whose worship consists not in external Rites and Ceremonies in which even where they most exceed it comes far short of the Ceremonies and Ordinances under the Law and yet the
Apostle prefers the Gospel worship far above that for Glory Beauty and Comliness which shews that these things have no respect unto outward Rites and Ceremonies And though he tells us It is not in the least repugnant to the wisdom of Christ towards his Church to invest the Governours of it with Authority to Institute new Ceremonies in his worship c. Yet the contrary is evident in that it speaks him either wanting towards it in not appointing things necessary or not so wise as others to find out such things as conduce to its Edification and Beauty And in Commissioning his Disciples to teach only the observation of such things as he commanded them rejecting the honour given unto him by those whose worship of him is taught them by the precepts of men he sufficiently declares That no other Rites or Ceremonies but what are Divine of Institution are to be enjoyn'd or made necessary to be observ'd by any in the Worship and Service of God If by positive Laws made for the external Regiment of the Church the Bishop cited by him means Laws only for the ordering and disposing of things without the Church though about it we have nothing more to say against it than that it is not the present Question Nor do we argue from Christ's abrogating those Ceremonies that God himself had appointed that no others ought to be introduced into the Church We only ask Whether Jesus Christ who came to take away the Yoke of Jewish Ceremonies appointed by God himself hath given Power and Authority unto any to Institute in their room such others as they shall think good And are perswaded he hath not not because he abrogated those which were appointed by God himself but because no worship is acccptable unto God but what is of Faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God and Faith in all things respects the commands and Authority of God So that the Governours of the Church can have no Authority to Institute or Appoint any thing in the Worship and Service of God either as to matter or manner beyond the orderly observance of such circumstances as necessarily attend such Ordinances as Christ himself hath Instituted but by express command or Commission from God Let this Answerer therefore shew their Authority to Institute new Ceremonies in his Worship and he may be better thought of then otherwise I presume he will be by those who fear God and desire to keep his commandments Nor does it in the least reflect upon the wisdom and goodness of God as he says to give unto Civil Powers Commissions to make such Laws as they please for securing the Peace and civil Rights of their People and none unto the Guides of the Church to make Laws for the preservation of Religion c. But is rather an Argument of his great love and care of his Church not to leave her to the ordering and disposing of men which unavoidably as wofull experience manifests must fill her with Schisms and Divisions but to have himself given her a standing Rule or Law whereby she ought to be Universally Goâ—vern'd and which is every way sufficient would her Guides and Governours faithfully and diligently attend unto it for the preservation of Religion against the Deluges of Heresies and Schisms and to secure Christians in the Paths of Piety and Order of Vnity and Peace which as hath been shewn it is altogether impossible for any other Law or Lawgivers ever to effect Nor was it from the dulness and Indocibleness of the Jews as our Answerer would have it That God gave them Rules for their behaviour in the civil concerns of their lives and the smallest instances of his worship But for that he had chosen them above all the Nations of the Earth to be a peculiar People unto himself in whom he would be glorified therefore Establisht he a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel And that he gave them Rules in the smalest instances of his worship was that he would be worshipt in the way and by the means only of his own appointment But the appearing of Christ saith this Answerer Hath abolisht the darkness of mens minds c. though but now to serve another turn he told us Mens minds were dark and they were therefore blindly to resign up themselves to they knew not whom such is his dexterity in blowing hot and cold with the same breath and men are sometimes to be men and sometimes Bruits as he hath occasion to serve himself of them Yet is Life and Immortality brought to light through the Gospel and Gods Image in a great measure repair'd â—nd restor'd in the soul of man But of what man not of the Carnal or unregenerate but of him that is born again They are the Saints only and faithfull Brethren in Christ who are deliver'd from the Power of Darkness the God of this world still blinding the eyes of those that believe not And they are the Regenerate only who are endeud with the Spirit of Power and Wisdom of knowledge and a sound mind But we do not yet find that even they are empower'd to make Laws for Ceremonies and Rituals in Religion or that such Ceremonial Laws as by some have been made have much conduced to common benefit or conspir'd to the glory of God and mutual good of Christians But on the contrary have introduc'd a Theatrical Pompous Carnal worship among the generality of Christians instead of that spiritual worship which God requires and without which no other worship will ever be acceptable unto him And he that will look back as our Answerer advises To the first Ages of the Church wherein the Offices of Christian Religion were adorn'd with that comly simplicity modest magnificence and awfull Reverence c. He speaks of will not find any other Laws for Rites and Ceremonies in Religion than the Law of the Gospel or Canon of the Holy Scriptures But our Answerer comes now to his Argument à fortiori and tells us That if it were in the Power of the Primitive guides of the Church to enjoyn Christians the abrogated Ceremonies of the Jewish Law for the Propogation of the Christian Faith much more must it be in the Power of their Successors to Institute others and so many in their stead as may conduce to so high and generous an end But the abolisht Ceremonies of Moses were observ'd by Christians and that by â—he express warrant and command of the Apostles 〈◊〉 in their abstaining from blood from things â—rangled and from things offer'd to Idols But 〈◊〉 he not herein mistaken for these were not â—ommanded as Ceremonies but prohibited as â—candals to the new Converted Jews Nor do we find any Warrant or Command either express or implicit of the Apostles for the Observation of Easter Or that they ever enjoyn'd or commanded circumcision but we find them declaring they commanded it not And St. Paul tells the Galatians If they
their duty to follow any farther then they are followers of Christ Christians being obliged to walk together so far only as they have attain'd To require more of any is indeed as the Apostle at large declares in his 14 chapter to the Romans to lay a stumbling-block in the way of their Christian Brethren and infallibly to involve those that so do in that dreadfull wo pronounc't by our Blessed Saviour in the Text cited But has this Answerer the vanity to think his Illogical and undue Inferences false suggestions Impertinent and Ridiculous Reasonings and nonsensical Answers should convince any of guilt yet if he know of any who are fallen from their first works or otherwise wanting in their duty let him not spare to charge and charge them home and if they cannot acquit themselves let not reproach and shame only befall them but whatever severity Law and Justice can inflict upon them 'T is very much That notwithstanding all so Learned and Judicious a Person hath written in the Churches vindication any should yet reply the Ecclesiastical Laws and Constitutions do little or no good and therefore were better for the reasons mention'd to be repeal'd against which besides what he hath already said He adds the saying of a Roman when Rome as he says resembled England by the ill Government of Galba That it is far better to live where nothing is lawful then where all things are lawful which is such a reflection on the Government as those Queries with all their Sedition shall I hope never be found guilty of But what may be the instance of ill Government which is here so severely reflected on it will upon inquiry be found to be no other Than His Majesties late gracious Declaration of Indulgence to Dissenters in Religion the which though it secur'd to the Church all its Rights Priviledges and Emoluments was yet so intolerable to some Church-men in restraining them only from falling upon and ruining their poor peaceable and pious Neighbours that none have more and few I thinkâ— so much reflected on Authority as some of them have thereon done an evident demonstration what Loyal and Faithfull Subjects they would quickly be should Authority deal with them as it hath done with some others for who would not be Loyal to kind and bountiful Masters Wolves and Tygers are so to those who feed and favour them But they only are to be accounted Loyal Subjects who are so for Conscience-sake to severe and froward Governours as well as to the kind and courteous and not as their Benefactors but as Gods Ministers which is a Loyalty few of these Loyalists can boast of But he again tells us The Scripture compares the Church to an Army which it does for terror but not for being alike Officer'd And for an Army says he to be left to its own Liberty and every common Souldier to observe no Order nor live under any Discipline is the ready way to expose it as a prey to the first Invader It is so indeed who is it therefore that would have no common Souldier observe any Order nor live under any Discipline Not they certainly who would have both the Officers and Souldiers of this Army to observe all the Orders of the Chief Commander the Officers in commanding as well as Souldiers in obeying which will be found to be the Order and Discipline that ought to be observ'd But this Answerer tells us The little good that is done by the Laws of this Church and Kingdom proceeds either from the want of their due Execution which is still a reflection on the Government as is his elsewhere saying The vigorous Execution of one Law would do more good than a Million of Proclamations c. or from the indisposition of those Persons who expect Protection from Laws without paying any Reverence or Obedience to them c. 'T was never denyed but that in Civil and Secular Affairs and Concerns Force and Compulsion is and must be us'd or there can be no Rule or Government amongst men But in the Concerns of Religion abstracted from secular Interests and advantages it is otherwise men are therein to be gain'd and Govern'd by perswasion and conviction only Religion cannot be impos'd nor is any thing more absur'd than to endeavour to promote the Truths of the Gospel contrary to the Laws of the Gospel Virga Regum as Rupertus truly tells us Est virga Dominationis virga Discipulorum Christi virga est Dilectionis or as Hieron hath it Rex praeest nolentibus Episcopus volentibus And the Apostle tells us There is a way of bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ But the weapons whereby that Victory is atcheived are not Carnal which is indeed the cause of the little good that is therein done by Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws This Answerer may therefore very well ask What effect Ecclesiastical Laws can have upon Atheists and Infidels all the Ecclesiastical Laws in the world Seconded and Assisted by the Laws of the State not being able to Convince or Convert one Atheist or Infidel Hypocrities or dissembling Professors they may indeed make but can never make one true or sincere Christian Penal Laws therefore concerning Religion have ever respected more the Civil Peace and Interests of Kingdoms and Commonwealths That under pretence of Religion the Rights of Princes and Liberty of the People be not invaded or injur'd then the Truths of the Gospel which are not by those means or Methods to be preserved or propagated So a late great Minister of State speaking of penal Laws against Papists tells them 'T is not against their Opinions of Purgatory or Transubstantiation though errors but against their owning the personal Authority of the Pope within His Majesties Dominions as dangerous to the State that those Laws are provided disclaming therefore of that they should find themselves at great ease And it was the great business of the Chief Ministers of State in Queen Elizabeths Reign to satisfie the world that none ever suffer'd in England for Religion but for Treason or Treasonable practices under colour or pretence of Religion Nor can we believe some late Laws concerning Religion were ever intended to molest or punish any for the performance of any truly Religious duty but of such only as under pretence thereof met to contrive Insurrections and Rebellions and thereby became dangerous to the State and such certainly of all men ought to be the most severely dealt with as well for their Hypocrisie and abuse of Religion as for such their disloyal practices For none sure can imagine His Majesty would ever have indulg'd Dissenters the Exercise of their Religion had it been against that the Laws had provided and not rather against the danger that might from some meetings have accrued to the publick the preservation of the publick peace being the ground both of those Laws and likewise of His Majesties Declaration of indulgence upon the difference of times and
circumstances of Affairs as is evident from the praeamb'es of those Statutes and His Majesties gracious Answer of the 24th of February 1672 to the Petition and Address of the House of Commons as followeth C. R. His Majesty hath received an Address from you which he hath seriously consider'd of and returneth you this Answer That he is much troubled That that Declaration which he put out for ends so necessary to the Quiet of the Kingdom and especially in that conjuncture should have proved the cause of disquiet to the House of Commons and have given occasion to question his Power in Ecclesiasticks which he finds not done in the Reign of any of his Ancestors And he is sure he never had thoughts of using it otherwise than as it has been intrusted in him to the Peace and establishment of the Church of England and to the ease of all his Subjects in general Neither doth he pretend to the right of suspending Laws wherein the Properties Rights or Liberties of his Subjects are concerned nor to alter any thing in the Established Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England The only design of this was to take off the penalties the Statutes inflicted upon Dissenters and which he believes when well consider'd of you Your selves would not wish Executed according to the Rigour and Leter of the Law Neither hath he done this with thought of avoiding or precluding the advice of his Parliament And if any Bill shall be offer'd him which shall appear more proper to attain the aforesaid ends and secure the Peace of the Church and Kingdom when tender'd in due manner to him he will shew how ready he will be to concur in all wayes that shall appear good for the Kingdom How expressive of Royal goodness and Heavenly Benignity and Compassion towards mankind is this gracious Answer which cannot but endare His Majesty unto all sober and Pious Persons of what Judgement or perswasion soever in Religion Nor were the Commons against the Indulgenee but the way and manner of it in that they immediately upon this pesâ—a Bill of ease for Protestant Dissenters which was sent up to the Lords But the differences that after happen'd between the two Houses about Jurisdiction and Priviledge with other greater Affairs of State hath hitherto obstructed its farther progress But to return to our Answerer who tells us That to repeal the Churches Laws would administer too just an occasion to the Papists to triumph in the ruine of it for what Truth or Being saith he could that Church pretend to That had neither Ephod nor Traphim no Order no Law no Liturgy no Bishop no Discipline It seems then in his Judgement all these in the Chnrch of England depend wholly upon the Ecclesiastical Laws although the Primitive Church in and after the Apostles time had both Order Law Discipline Bishops or Overseers without other Laws than what were Divine or of Apostolical Institution Though I am absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order c. saith the Apostle to the Colossians And is not the good word of God a Law to all Believers But this Law it seems is perished from our Priest who yet we hope will not deny the Holy Ghost a Power without the aid of Ecclesiastical Laws of making Bishops or Overseers over the Churches of Christs Institution and such certainly are not without Discipline nor deprived of Law Order or Overseers nor consequently of Truth or Being upon the repeal of Ecclesiastical or the Churches Laws Yea God forbid the Christian Church should depend upon the continuance or alteration of these or those Civil or Ecclesiastical Laws which we see chang'd and alter'd as oft almost as we change our Governours which is indeed a consideration that ought seriously to be thought on by all the lovers of Religion and who have any regard or concern for the Truths of the Gospel and purity of â—hrists Institutions But says this Answerer we have now unanswerable Arguments to justifie our departure from Rome but if all our Laws and constitutions be laid aside and abrogated we should be just like the Israelites when they waged War with the Philistines in the day of Battle there was neither Sword nor Spear found in the hand of any of the People If then our Laws and Constitutions be our only unanswerable Arguments to justifie our departure from Rome and our only Swords and Spears to fight against those Adversaries an abrogation or change of those Laws and Constitutions would indeed disarm and silence us and might as well justifie our return to Rome as now our departure from it But I trust though this be Ratiâ— ultima the best Arms and Argument of our Answerer we have yet other Arms and Arguments to justifie our departure from Rome and fight against those Philistines But he now tells us 'T is none of his bufiness or intention to exasperate any mans Spirit much less to direct his Governours c. Yet he admonishes them to stand up in a zealous vindication of their own Liberty and Power and to provoke them to it upbraides them with Cowardize if they do it not telling them It is there neglect thereof that encourages men in their 〈…〉 Separations Disobedience and 〈…〉 provokes God to deprive them 〈…〉 Power and Authority with which be entrusts them and which they have betrayed and exposed to scorn and insolence of his and their greatest Enemies Yea tells them Histories are not barren of instances how God hath revealed his wrath from Heaven against those Governours and deprived them of the Honour of being his Deputies when their Spirits have been softned with sensuality and ease and they have lived in fear of their Inferiours who ought to live in fear of them Which is such a menace of and reflection on Authority and our Governours as none but this Bold and Insolent Answerer would ever have dar'd to publish He does well therefore to recollect himself and tell us He has proceeded too far on this Argument which indeed speaks him a Person so highly impudent and immeasurably malitions that as himself hath elsewhere said he is fitter to receive a confutation from the penalties of Laws and the Seutence of a Judge than from the Strength of Reason or Argument But he concludes in the words of indeed a truly wise and Learned Statesman That Herefies and Scisms are of all others the greatest scandals yea more than corruption of manners c. which being so all just and lawful means ought certainly to be used not only for their Suppression but prevention in removing the Causes of them of which there is not a greater than the Authority by some ascribed to the 〈◊〉 yea to particular Churches Church 〈…〉 imposing upon Christians in the 〈…〉 â—â—â—nda of the Gospel which is indeed as that Learned and Judicious Statesman says A wound or solution of continuity destructive of the Churches Unity dividing her into as