them shiâ— pass upon them at the last day But theâ— things may elsewhere be farther pursue In the mean time the Reader may take thiâ— Case as it is determined by the Learned Pâ—â—late before mentioned in his Dialogue abouâ— Subjection and Obedience against the Pâ—pists whose words are as follow Par. 3 pag. 297. Philand If the Prince establish any Religion whatever it be you must by youâ— oath obey it Theoph. We must not rebelâ— and take arms against the Prince but will Reverence and Humility serve God before the Prince and that is nothing against our Oath Philand Then is not the Prince Supream Theoph Why so Philand Your selves are superiour when you serve whom you list Theoph. As thought to serve God according to his will were to serve whom we list and not whom Princes and all others ought to serve Philand But you will be Judges when God is well served and when not Theoph. If you can excuse us before God when you mistead us we will serve him as you shall appoint us otherwise if every man shall answer for himself good reason he be Master of his own Conscience in that which toucheth him so near and no man shall excuse him for Philand This is to make every man Supream Judge of Religion Theoph. The poorest wretch that is may be Supreme Governour of his own heart Princes rule the publick and external actions of their Countreyes but not the Consciences of men This in his dayes was the Doctrine of the Church of England and as was observed before no Person who then lived in it knew better what was so The sole enquiry remaining is whether the Magistrate having established such a Religion as is Idolatrous or Superstitious may justly and lawfully punish and destroy his Subjects for their non-complyance therewithall This is that which if I understand him our Author would give countenance unto contrary to the common sense of all Christians yea of common sense it self For wherereas he interweaves his Discourse with suppositions that men may mistake in Religion and abuse it all such Interpositions are purely sophistical seeing the Case proposed to Resolution which ought in the whole to be precisely attended unto is about the refusal to observe and practise a Religion Idolatrous or Superstitious Of the like nature is that Argument which alone he makes use of here and elsewhere to justifie his Principles namely the necessity of Government and how much better the worst Government is and the most depraved in its administration than Anarchy or Confusion For as this by all mankind is unquestioned so I do not think there is any one among them who can tell how to use this concession to our Authors purpose Doth it follow that because Magistrates cannot justly nor Righteously prescribe an Idolatrous Religion and compel their Subjects to the Profession and Obedience of it and because the Subjects cannot nor ought to yield Obedience therein because of the antecedent and superiour power of God over them that therefore Anarchy or Confusion must be preferred before such an Administration of Government Let the Magistrate command what he will in Religion yet whilest he attends unto the ends of all Civil Government that Government must needs be every way better than none and is by private Christians to be born with and submitted unto untill God in his Providence shall provide relief The primitive Christians lived some Ages in the condition described refusing to observe the Religion required by Law and exercising themselves in the Worship of God which was strictly forbidden And yet neither Anarchy nor Confusion nor any disturbance of publick Tranquility did ensue thereon So did the Protestants here in England in the dayes of Queen Mary and sometime before The Argument which he endeavours in these Discourses to give an Answer unto is only of this importance If the supream Magistrate may command what Religion he pleaseth and enact the observation of it under destructive penalties whereas the greatest part of Magistrates in the World will and do prescribe such Religions and wayes of Divine Worship as are Idolatrous or Superstitious which their Subjects are indispensibly bound in Conscience not to comply withall then is the Magistrate justified in the punishing of men for their serving of God as they ought and they may suffer as evil doers in what they suffer as Christians This all the World over will justifie them that are uppermost and have power in their hands on no other ground but because they are so and have so in this Oppressions and destructions of them thâ— being under them in Civil respects dâ— dissent from them in things Religious Noâ— whether this be according to the mind 〈◊〉 God or no is left unto the judgement 〈◊〉 all indifferent men We have I confesâ—â— I know not how many expressions inteâ—posed in this Discourse as was observed about sedition troubling of publick peace men being turbulent against prescribe Rules of Worship whereof if he pretend that every peaceable dissenter and dissent from what is publickly established in Religious Worship are guilty he is a pleasaâ—â—â— man in a disputation and if he do any thing he determines his case proposed oâ— the part of complyance with Idolatroâ— and Superstitious Worship If he do not so the mention of them in this place it very importune and unseasonable All men acknowledge that such miscarriages and practices may be justly coerced and punished But what is this to a bare refusal to comply in any Idolatrous Worship and peacable Practice of what God doth require as that which he will accept and own But our Author proceeds to find out many pretences on the account whereof Persons whom he acknowledgeth to be innocent and guiltless may be punished And though their Apprehensions in Religion be not as he saith so much their crime as their infelicity yet there is no remedy but it must expose them to the publick Rods and Axes pag. 219. I have heard of some wise and Righteous Princes who have affirmed that they had rather let twenty nocent persons go free than punish or destroy one that is innocent This seems to render them more like him whose Vice-gerents they are than to seek out colourable reasons for the punishment of them whom they know to be innocent which course is here suggested unto them Such advice might be welcome to him whom men called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clay mingled and leavened with blood others no doubt will abhor it and detest it But what spirit of meekness and mercy our Author is acted by he discovereth in the close of this Chapter pag. 223. for saith he it is easily imaginable how an honest and well-meaning man may through meer ignorance fall into such errours which though God will pardon yet governours must punish His integrity may expiate the crime but cannot prevent the mischief of his errour Nay so easie is it for men to deserve to be punished for their Consciences that there is no Nation
Causes and probable Reasons are to be considered and examined about them and how all rational determinations are guided and influenced by unforeseen emergencies and occasions will not be over-forward to pronounce absolutely and peremptorily about the disposal of important affairs But as the same Author informs us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Young men suppose that they know all things and are vehement in their Asseverations from which frame proceed all those Dogmatical Assertions of what is Politick and Impolitick in Princes of what will establish or ruine Governments with the contempt of the Conceptions of others about things conducing to publick peace and tranquility which so frequently occur in our Author This makes him smile at as serious Consultations for the furtherance of the welfare and prosperity of this Nation as it may be in any age or juncture of time have been upon the Wheel Preface p. 48. These Considerations made it seem to me that in an ordinary course he hath time enough before him to improve the notions he hath here blessed the World with a discovery of if upon second thoughts he be equally enamoured of them unto what now he seems to be I could indeed have desired that he had given us a more clear account of that Religion which in his judgement he doth most approve His commendation of the Church of England sufficiently manifesteth his interest to lye therein and that in pursuit of his own principles he doth outwardly observe the Institutions and prescriptions of it But the Scheme he hath given us of Religion or Religious duties wherein there is mention neither of Sin nor a Redeemer without which no man can entertain any one true notion of Christian Religion would rather bespeak him a Philosopher than a Christian. It is not unlikely but that he will pretend he was treating of Religion as Religion in general without an Application of it to this or that in particular but to speak of Religion as it is among men in this world or ever was since the fall of Adam without a supposition of sin and the way of a relief from the Event of it mentioned is to talk of Chimaera's things that neither are ever were or will be On the other hand the profit and advantage of his Design falls clearly on the Papal Interest For whereas it is framed and contrived for the advantage security and unquestionableness of absolute Complyers with the present Possessors of Power it is evident that in the States of Europe the advantage lyes incomparably on that hand But these things are not our Concernment The design which he manageth in his Discourse the subject matter of it the manner how he treats those with whom he hath to do and deports himself therein are by himself exposed to the judgement of all and are here to be taken into some Examination Now because we have in his Preface a perfect Representation of the things last mentioned throughout the whole I shall in the first place take a general view and Prospect of it And here I must have regard to the Judgement of others I confess for my own part I do not find my self at all concerned in those Invectives tart and upbraiding Expressions those sharp and twinging Satyrs against his Adversaries which he avoweth or rather boasteth himself to have used If this unparalleld heap of Revilings Scoffings despightful Reproaches Sarcasms Scornful contemptuous Expressions false Criminations with frequent Intimations of Sanguinary affections towards them do please his Fancy and express his Morality to his own Satisfaction I shall never complain that he hath used his Liberty and do presume that he judgeth it not meet that it should be restrained It is far from my purpose to return him any Answer in the like manner to these things to do it opus est Mangone perito Qui Smithfieldenst polleat Eloquio Yet some Instances of Prodigious excesses in this Kind will in our Process be reflected on And it may be the Repetition of them may make an appearance unto some less considerate Readers of a little Harshness in some passages of this return But as nothing of that nature in the least is intended nothing that might provoke the Author in his own spirit were he capable of any hot impressions nothing to disadvantage him in his Reputation or esteem so what is spoken being duly weighed will be found to have nothing sharp or unpleasant in it but what is unavoidably infused into it from the discourse it self in its approach unto it to make a representation of it It is of more Concernment to consider with what frame and temper of Spirit he manageth his whole Cause and Debate and this is such as that a man who knows nothing of him but what he learns from this Discourse would suppose that he hath been some great Commander In Campis Gurgustidoniis Vbi Bombamachides Cluninstaridys archides Erat Imperator Summus Neptuni nepos Associate unto him who with his breath blew away and scattered all the Legions of his Enemies as the wind doth leaves in Autumn Such Confidence in himself and his own strength such contempt of all his Adversaries as persons Silly Ignorant Illiterate such boastings of his Atchievments with such a face and appearance of scorning all that shall rise up against him such expressions animi gladiatorii doth he march withall as no man sure will be willing to stand in his way unless he think himself to have lived at least quietly long enough Only some things there are which I cannot but admire in his undertaking and management of it as first that such a Man of Arms and Art as he is should harness himself with so much preparation and enter the Lists with so much pomp and glory to combat such pittiful poor baffled Ignoramus's as he hath chosen to contend withall especially conâ—idering that he knew he had them bound hand and foot and cast under his strokes at his pleasure Methinks it had more become him to have sought out some Giant in Reason and Learning that might have given him at least par animo periculum as Alexander said in his conflict with Porus a danger big enough to exercise his Courage though through mistake it should in the issue have proved but a Wind-mill Again I know not whence it is nor by what Rules of Errantry it may be warranted that being to conflict such pittiful trifles he should before he come near to touch them thunder out such terrible words and load them with so many reproaches and contemptuous Revilings as if he designed to scare them out of the Lists that there might be no tryal of his strength nor exercise of his skill But leaving him to his own choice and liberty in these matters I am yet perswaded that if he knew how little his Adversaries esteem themselves concerned in or worsted by his Revilings how small advantage he hath brought unto the cause managed by him with what severity of Censures that I say not Indignation
common consent were admitted and received amongst them Besides our Author by his Discourse seems not to be much acquainted with the rise of the office of the Priesthood amongst men as shall be demonstrated if farther occasion be given thereunto However by the way we may observe what is his judgement in this matter The Magistrate we are told hath not his Ecclesiastical Authority from Christ and yet this is such as that the power of the Priesthood is included therein the exercise whereof as he is pleased to transfer to others so he may if he please reserve it to himself p. 32. whence it follows not only that it cannot be given by Christ unto any other for it is part of the Magistrates power which he hath not limited nor confined by any subsequent Law nor can there be 〈◊〉 Coordinate Subject of the same power of several kinds so that all the Interest or Right any man or men have in or unto the exercise of it is but transfer'd to them by the Magistrate and therefore they act therein in his name and by his Authority only and hence the Bishops as such are said to be Ministers of State p. 49. Neither can it be pretended that this was indeed in the power of the Magistrate before the coming of Christ but not since For he hath as we are told all that he ever had unless there be a Restraint put upon Him by some express prohibition of our Saviour p. 41. which will hardly be found in this matter I cannot therefore see how in the exercise of the Christian Priesthood there is on these principles any the least respect unto Jesus Christ or his Authority for men have only the exercise of it transferred to them by the Magistrate by vertue of a power inherent in him antecedent unto any concessions of Christ and therefore in his name and Authority they must act in all the sacred offices of their Functions It is well if men be so far awake as to consider the tendency of these things At length Scripture proofs for the confirmation of these opinions are produced p. 35 36. And the first pleaded is that promise that Kings shall be nursings Fathers unto the Church It is true this is promised and God accomplish it more and more But yet we do not desire such Nurses as beget the Children they nurse The proposing prescribing commanding binding Religion on the Consciences of men is rather the begetting of it than its nursing To take care of the Church and Religion that it receive no detriment by all the wayes and means appointed by God and useful thereunto is the duty of Magistrates but it is so also antecedently to their actings unto this purpose to discern aright which is the Church whereunto this promise is made without which they cannot duly discharge their Trust nor fulfill the Promise it self The very Words by the rules of the Metaphor do imply that the Church and its Religion and the worship of God observed therein is constituted fixed and regulated by God himself antecedently unto the Magistrates duty and power about it They are to Nurse that which is committed to them and not what Themselves have framed or begotten And we contend for no more but a Rule concerning Religion and the Worship of God antecedent unto the Magistrates interposing about it whereby both his Actings in his place and those of Subjects in theirs are to be regulated Mistakes herein have engaged many Soveraign Princes in pursuit of their Trust as Nursing Fathers to the Church to lay out their strength and power for the utter ruine of it as may be evidenced in instances too many of those who in a subserviency to and by the direction of the Papal Interest have endeavoured to extirpate true Religion out of the World Such a Nursing Mother we had sometimes in England who in pursuit of her care burned so many Bishops and other Holy men to Ashes He asks farther what doth the Scripture mean when it stiles our Saviour the King of Kings and maketh Princes his Vicegerents here on earth I confess according to this Gentleman's principles I know not what it means in so doing Kings he tells us have not their Authority in and over Religion and the Consciences of men from him and therefore in the exercise of it cannot be his Vicegerents for none is the Vicegerent of another in the exercise of any power or Authority if he have not received that power and Authority from him Otherwise the words have a proper sense but nothing to our Authors purpose It is his power over them and not theirs over the Consciences of their Subjects that is intended in the words Of no more use in this controversie is the direction of the Apostle that we should pray for Kings that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life for no more is intended therein but that under their peaceable and righteous administration of humane Affairs we may live in that Godliness and honesty which is required of us Wherefore then are these weak attempts made to confirm and prove what is not Those or the most of them whom our Author in this Discourse treats with so much severity do plead that it is the duty of all supream Magistrates to find out receive imbrace promote the Truths of the Gospel with the Worship of God appointed therein confirming protecting and desending them and those that embrace them by their Power and Authority And in the discharge of this duty they are to use the liberty of their own judgements enformed by the wayes that God hath appointed independently on the dictates and determinations of any other persons whatever They affirm also that to this end they are entrusted with supream power over all persons in their respective Dominions who on no pretence can be exempted from the exercise of that power as occasion in their judgements shall require it to be exercised as also that all causes wherein the profession of Religion in their Dominions is concerned which are determinable in foro Civili by coercive Vmpirage or Authority are subject unto their cognizance and power The Soveraign power over the Consciences of men to institute appoint and prescribe Religion and the Worship of God they affirm to belong unto him alone who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith who is the head over all things to the Church The Administration of things meerly Spiritual in the Worship of God is they judge derived immediately from him to the Ministers and Administrators of the Gospel possessed of their Offices by his Command and according to his institution as to the external practice of Religion and Religious Worship as such it is they say in the power of the Magistrate to regulate all the outward civil concernments of it with reference unto the preservation of publick peace and Tranquillity and the prosperity of his subjects And herein also they judge that such respect is to be had to the
shamefully baffled yet again revived by the pride and ignorance of a few peevish ignorant and malepert Preachers brainsick people all which gentle and peaceable expressions are crowded together in the compass of a few lines is that which hath chased him into this heat and briskness If this be not to deal with gain-sayers in a spirit of meekness if herein there be not an observation of the rules of speaking evil of no man despising no man of not saying Racha to our Brother or calling of him Fool if here be not a discovery how remote he is from self-conceit elation of mind and the like Immoralities we must make enquiry after such things elsewhere for in this whole ensuing Treatise we shall scarce meet with any thing more tending to our satisfaction For the Plea it self made use of those whom he so tramples on do highly honor the Reformation of the Church of England and bless God for it continually as that which hath had a signal tendency unto his glory and usefulness to the souls of men That as to the outward Rites of Worship and Discipline contested about it was in all things conformed unto the great Rule of them our Author doth not pretend nor can he procure it in those things whatever he sayes any countenance from the best and purest times of Christianity That it was every way perfect in its first Edition I suppose will not be affirmed nor considering the posture of affairs at the time of its framing both in other Nations and in our own was it like it should so be We may rather admire that so much was then done according to the Will of God than that there was no more Whatever is wanting in it the fault is not to be cast on the first Reformers who went as far as well in those dayes could be expected from them Whether others who have succeeded in their place and room have since discharged their duty in perfecting what was so happily begun is sub judice and there will abide after this Author and I have done writing That as to the things mentioned it never had an absolute quiet possession or admittance in this Nation that a constant and no inconsiderable Suffrage hath from first to last been given in against it cannot be denyed and for any savage worrying or rifling of it at present no man is so barbarous as to give the least countenance to any such thing That which is intended in these exclamations is only a desire that those who cannot comply with it as now established in the matters of Discipline and Worship before mentioned may not meerly for that cause be worried and destroyed as many have already been Again the chief glory of the English Reformation consisted in the purity of its Doctrine then first restored to the Nation This as it is expressed in the Articles of Religion and in the publickly authorized Writings of the Bishops and chief Divines of the Church of England is as was said the glory of the English Reformation And it is somewhat strange to me that whilst one writes against Original Sin another preaches up Justification by Works and scoffs at the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ to them that believe yea whilst some can openly dispute against the Doctrine of the Trinity the Deity of Christ and the Holy Ghost whilst Instances may be collected of some mens impeaching all the Articles almost throughout there should be no Reflection in the least on these things only those who dissent from some outward Methods of Worship must be made the Object of all this wrath and indignation Quis tulerit Gracehos de seditione querentes Some mens guilt in this Nature might rather mind them of pulling out the be am out of their own eyes than to act with such fury to pull out the Eyes of others for the Motes which they think they espy in them But hence is occasion given to pour out such a storm of fury conveyed by words of as great reproach and Scorn as the invention of any man I think could suggest as is not lightly to be met withal Might our Author be prevailed with to mind the old rule Mitte malè loqui dic rem ipsam these things might certainly be debated with less scandal less mutual offences and provocations Anothor account of the Reasons of his intemperance in these reproaches supplying him with an opportunity to encrease them in number and weight he gives us pag. 6. 7. of his Preface which because it may well be esteemed a summary representation of his way and manner of arguing in his whole Discourse I shall transcribe I know sayes he but one single Instance in which zeal or a high indignation is just and warrantable and that is when it vents it self against the Arrogance of haughty peevish and sullen Religionists that under higher pretences of godliness supplant all principles of Civility and good Nature that strip Religion of its outside to make it a covering for spight and malice that adorn their peevishness with a mark of piety and shrowd their ill nature under the demure pretences of godly zeal and stroke and applaud themselves as the only Darlings and Favourites of Heaven and with a scornfull pride disdained all the residue of mankind as a rout of worthless and unregenerate Reprobates Thus the only hot fit of zeal we find our Saviour in was kindled by an indignation against the pride and insolence of the Jews when he whipped the Buyers and Sellers out of the outward Court of the Temple for though they bore a blind and superstitious reverence towards that part of it that was peculiar to their own worship yet as for the outward Court the place where the Gentiles and Proselytes worshipped that was so unelean and unhallowed that they thought it could not be profaned by being turned into an Exchange of Vsury Now this insolent contempt of the Gentiles and impudent conceit of their own holiness provoked the mild Spirit of our blessed Saviour to such an height of impatience and indignation as made him with a seeming fury and transport of Passion whip the Tradesmen thence and overthrew their Tables What Truth Candor or Conscience hath been attended unto in the insolent Reproaches here heaped up against his Adversaries is left to the Judgement of God and all impartial men yea let judgement be made and sentence be past according to the wayes course of life conversation usefulness amongst men readiness to serve the common concerns of mankind in exercising lovingkindness in the earth of those who are thus injuriously traduced compared with any in the approbation and commendation of whom they are covered with these reproaches and there lives not that person who may not be admitted to pronounce concerning the equity and righteousness or iniquity of these intemperances However it is nothing with them with whom he hath to do to be judged by mans day they stand at the judgement seat of Christ and have
it cannot be effected without the destruction and death of multitudes they also are not to be forborn Now how this ensues from the fore-mentioned Principle I know not For a supream Magistrate finding that the minds of very many of his Subjects are in their judgements and perswasions engaged in a dissent unto the Religion established by Him or somewhat in it or some part of it especially in things of practical worship though he should be perswaded that he hath so far a power over their Consciences as to command them to practise contrary to their judgement yet knowing their minds and Perswasions to be out of his reach and exempted from his Jurisdiction why may he not think it meet and conducing to publick tranquillity and all the ends of his government even the good of the whole Community committed to his charge rather to indulge them in the quiet and peaceable exercise of the Worship of God according to their own light than alwayes to bind them unto that unavoidable disquietment which will ensue upon the conflict in their minds between their judgements and their practices if he should oblige them as is desired Certainly as in truth and reality so according to this Principle he hath power so to do For to fancy him such a power over the Religion and Consciences of his Subjects as that he should be inevitably bound on all occurrences and in all conditions of affairs to impose upon them the necessary observation of one form of Worship is that which would quickly expose him to inextricable troubles And Instances of all sorts might be multiplyed to shew the ridiculous folly of such a Conception Nay it implies a perfect contradiction to what is disputed before For if he be obliged to settle and impose such a form on all it must be because there was a necessity of somewhat antecedent to his imposition whence his obligation to impose it did arise And on such a supposisition it is in vain to enquire after his Liberty or his power in these things seeing by his duty he is absolutely determined and whatever that be which doth so determine him and put an obligation upon him it doth indispensably do the same on his Subjects also which as it is known utterly excludes the Authority pleaded for This Principle therefore indeed asserts his liberty to do what he judgeth meet in these matters but contains nothing in it to oblige him to judge that it may not be meet and most conducing unto all the ends of his Government to indulge unto the Consciences of men peaceable especially if complying with him in all the Fundamentals of the Religion which himself professeth the liberty of Worshiping God according to what they apprehend of his own mind and Will And let an application of this Principle be made to the present state of this Nation wherein there are so great multitudes of persons peaceable and not unuseful unto publick good who dissent from the present establishment of outward Worship and have it not in their power either to change their judgements or to practise contrary unto them and as it is in the power of the supream Magistrate to indulge them in their own way so it will prove to be his Interest as he is the spring and center of of publick Peace and Prosperity Neither doth it appear that in this discourse our Author hath had any regard either to the real principles of the power of the Magistrate as stated in this Nation or to his own which are fictitious but yet such as ought to be obligatory to himself His principal Assertion is that the Supream Magistrate hath power to bind the Consciences of men in matters of Religion that is by Laws and Edicts to that purpose Now the highest and most obligatory way of the Supream Magistrates speaking in England is by Acts of Parliament It is therefore supposed that what is so declared in or about matters of Religion should be obligatory to the Conscience of this Author but yet quite otherwise p. 59. He sets himself to oppose and condemn a publick Law of the Land on no other ground than because it stood in his way and seemed incompliant with his principles For whereas the Law of 2 and 3 Ed. 6. which appointed two weekly dayes for Abstinence from flesh had been amongst other Reasons Prefaced with this That the Kings Subjects having now a more clear Light of the Gospel through the Infinite mercy of God such canting Language was then therein used and thereby the Kings Majesty perceiving that one meat of it self was not more holy than another c. yet considering that due Abstinence was a means to vertue and to subdue mens bodies to their souls and spirits c. And it being after found it should seem by a farther degree of Light that those Expressions meeting with the inveterate Opinions of some newly brought out of Popery had given countenance to them to teach or declare that something of Religion was placed therein thereon by the Law made 5 Elizab. adding another weekly day to be kept with the former for the same purpose the former clause was omitted and mention only made therein of the Civil and Politique Reasons inducing the Legislators thereunto and withall a Penalty of inflicting punishment on those who should affirm and maintain that there was any concernment of Conscience and Religion in that matter This provision hath so distasted our Author that forgetting it seems his own Design he reproaches it with the Title of Jejunium Cecilianum and thinks it so far from obliging his Conscience to acquiess in the Determination therein made that he will not allow it to give Law to his tongue or pen But vexet censura columbas it seems they are the Phanaticks only that are thus to be restrained Moreover on occasion hereof we might manifest how some other Laws of this Land do seem carefully to avoid that imposition on Conscience which against Law and Reason he pleadeth for For Instance in that of 21 Jacob. touching Usury and the Restraint of it unto the summ therein established it was provided that no words in this Act conteined shall be construed or expounded to allow the practise of Vsury in point of Religion and Conscience And why did not the supream Magistrate in that Law determine and bind the Consciences of men by a declaration of their duty in a point of Religion seeing whether way soever the determination had been made neither would immorality have been countenunced nor the Deity disgraced But plainly it is rather declared that he hath not Cogniâ—â—â—ce of such things with reference to the Consciences of men to oblige them or set them at liberty but only power to determine what may be practised in order to publick profit and peace And therefore the Law would neither bind nor set at liberty the Consciences of men in such cases which is a work for the supream Law-giver only Neither as it hath been before observed do
stand to reason the matter nor greatly cared for any testimonies of the Scripture but said it was at the Kings discretion to abrogate that which was in use and appoint new He said the King might forbid Priests Marriage the King might bar the people from the Cup in the Lords Supper the King might determine this or that in his Kingdom And why forsooth the King had Supream Power This Sacriledge hath taken hold on us whilst Princes think they cannot reign except they abolish all the Authority of the Church and be themselves supream Judges as well in Doctrine as in all Spiritual Regiment To which he subjoyns This was the sense which Calvin affirmed to be sacrilegious and blasphemous for Princes to profess themselves to be Supream Judges of Doctrine and Discipline and indeed it is the blasphemy which all godly hearts reject and abomine in the Bishop of Rome Neither did King Henry take any such thing on him for ought that we can learn but this was Gardiners Stratagem to convey the reproach and shame of the Six Articles from himself and his fellows that were the Authors of them and to cast it on the Kings Supream Power Had Calvin been told that Supream was first received to declare the Prince to be Superiour to the Prelates which exempted themselves from the Kings Authority by their Church Liberties and Immunities as well as to the Lay men of this Realm and not to be subject to the Pope the Word would never have offended him Thus far he and if these Controversies be any farther disputed it is probable the next defence of what is here pleaded will be in the express words of the Principal Prelates of this Realm since the Reformation until their Authority be peremptorily rejected Upon my first design to take a brief Survey of this Discourse I had not the least intention to undertake the examination of any particular Assertions or Reasonings that might fall under Controversie but meerly to examine the general Principles whereon it doth proceed But passing through these things Currente calamo I find my self engaged beyond my thoughts and resolutions I shall therefore here put an end to the consideration of this Chapter although I see sundry things as yet remaining in it that might immediately be discussed with case and advantage as shall be manifest if we are called again to a review of them I have neither desire nor design Serram reciprocare or to engage in any Controversial Discourses with this Author And I presume himself will not take it amiss that I do at present examine those Principles whose Novelty justifies a Disquisition into them and whose Tendency as applyed by him is pernicious and destructive to so many quiet and peaceable persons who dissent from him And yet I will not deny but that I have that Valuation and esteem for that sparkling of Wit Eloquence and sundry other Abilities of mind which appear in his Writing that if he would lay aside the manner of his treating those from whom he dissents with Revilings contemptuous Reproaches personal Reflections Sarcasms and Satyrical expressions and would candidly and perspicuously state any matter in difference I should think that what he hath to offer may deserve the consideration of them who have leisure for such a purpose If he be otherwise minded and resolve to proceed in the way and after the manner here engaged in as I shall in the close of this Discourse absolutely give him my Salve aeternumque vale so I hope he will never meet with any one who shall be willing to deal with him at his own weapons A Survey of the Second Chapter THE Summary of this Chapter must needs give the Reader a great expectation and the Chapter it self no less of satisfaction if what is in the one briefly proposed be in the other as firmly established For amongst other things a Scheme of Religion is promised reducing all its branches either to Moral Vertues or Instruments of Morality which being spoken of Christian Religion is as far as I know an undertaking new and peculiar unto this Author in whose mannagement all that read him must needs weigh and consider how dextrously he hath acquitted himself For as all men grant that Morality hath a great place in Religion so that all Religion is nothing but Morality many are now to learn The Villany of those Mens Religion that are wont to distinguish between Grace and Vertue that is Moral Vertue is nextly traduced and inveighed against I had rather I confess that he had affixed the term of Villany to the men themselves whom he intended to reflect on than to their Religion because as yet it seems to me that it will fall on Christianity and no other Real or pretended Religion that is or ever was in the world For if the Prosessors of it have in all Ages according to its avowed Principles never before contradicted made a distinction between Moral Vertues since these terms were known in the Church and Evangelical Graces if they do so at this day what Religion else can be here branded with this Infamous and horrible reproach I know not A farther enquiry into the Chapter it self may possibly give us farther satisfaction wherein we shall deal as impartially as we are able with a diligent watchfulness against all prejudicate Affections that we may discover what there is of Sense and Truth in the Discourse being ready to receive what ever shall be manifested to have an interest in them The Civil Magistrate we are also here informed amongst many other things that he may do may command any thing in the Worship of God that doth not tend to debauch Mens practices or to disgrace the Deity And that all subordinate Duties both of Morality and Religious Worship such as elsewhere we are told the Sacraments are are equally subject to the determination of Humane Authority These things and sundry others represented in this Summary being new yea some of them as far as I know unheard of amongst Christians untill within a few years last past any Reader may justifie himself in the expectation of full and demonstrative Arguments to be produced in their proof and confirmation What the issue will be some discovery may be made by the ensuing enquiry as was said into the body of the Chapter it self The design of this Chapter in general is to confirm the power of the Magistrate over Religion and the Consciences of men ascribed unto him in the former and to add unto it some enlargements not therein insisted on The Argument used to this purpose is taken from the power of the Magistrate over the Consciences of men in matters of morality or with respect unto moral Vertue whence it is supposed the conclusion is so evident unto his power over their Consciences in matters of Religious Worship that it strikes our Author with wonder and amazement that it should not be received an acknowledged Wherefore to further the conviction of all men in
this matter h◠proceeds to discourse of Moral Vertue o◠Grace and of Religious Worship with hi◠wonted reflections upon and reproache of Non-conformists for their ignorance about and villanous misrepresentation of these things which seem more to be aimed at◠than the Argument it self I must here with again that our Author had more perspicuously stated the things which he proposeth to debate for the subject of his Disputation But I find an excess of Art is as troublesome sometimes as the greatest defect therein From thence I presume it is that things are so handled in this Discourse that an ordinary man can seldom discern satisfactorily what it is that directly and determinately he doth intend beyond reviling of Non-conformists For in this Proposition which is the best and most intelligible that I can reduce the present Discourse unto the Supream Civil Magistrate hath power over the Consciences of men in morality or with respect unto moral vertue excepting only the subject of it there is not one term in it that may not have various significations and those such as have countenance given unto them in the ensuing Disputation it self But contenti sumus hoc Catone and make the best we can of what lyes before us I do suppose that in the medium made use of in this Argument there is or I am sure there may be a Controversie of much more importance than that principally under consideration It therefore shall be stated and cleared in the first place and then the concernment of the Argument it self in what is discoursed thereupon shall be manifested It is about Moral Vertue and Grace their coincidence or distinction that we are in the first place to enquire For without a due stating of the conception of these things nothing of this Argument nor what belongs unto it can be rightly understood We shall therefore be necessitated to premise a brief Explanation of these terms themselves to remove as far as may be all ambiguity from our Discourse First then the very name of Vertue in the sense wherein it is commonly used and received comes from the Schools of Philosophy and not from the Scripture In the Old Testament we have Vprightness Integrity Righteousness doing Good and eschewing Evil Fearing Trusting Obeying Believing in God Holiness and the like but the name of Vertue doth not occur therein It is true we have translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vertuous Woman and once or twice the same word vertuously Ruth 3. 11. Prov. 12. 4. Chap◠31. 10 39. But that word signifies as 〈◊〉 used strenuous industrious diligent and hath no such signification as that we now express by vertue Nor is it any where rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the LXX although it may have some respect unto it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and peculiarly denote the exercise of industrious strength such as men use in Battail For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vis robur potentia or exercitus also But in the common acceptation of it and as it is used by Philosophers there is no word in the Hebrew nor Syriack properly to express it The Rabbins do it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies properly a measure For studying the Philosophy of Aristotle and translating his Ethicks into Hebrew which was done by Rabbi Meir and finding his vertue placed in mediocrity they applyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to express it So they call Aristotles Ethicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Book of Measures that is of vertues And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are boni mores Such a stranger is this very word unto the Old Testament In the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occurs four times but it should not seem any where to be taken in the sense now generally admitted In some of the places it rather denotes the excellency and praises that do attend Vertue than Vertue it self So we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praises 1 Pet. 2. 9. as the Syriack doth also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praises and the same Translation Phil. 4. 9. renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If there be any vertue by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works glorious or praise worthy 2 Pet. 1. 9. It is a peculiar gracious disposition operation of mind distinguished from Faith Temperance Patience Brotherly kindness Godliness Charity c. and so cannot have the common sense of the word there put upon it The word Moral is yet far more exotick to the Church and Scripture We are beholding for it if there be any advantage in its use meerly to the Schools of the Philosophers especially of Aristotle His Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly called his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Moralia his Morals hath begotten this name for our use The whole is expressed in Isocrates to Demonicus by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vertue of manners If then the signification of the words be respected as usually taken it is vertue in mens manners that is intended The Schoolmen brought this expression with all its concerns as they did the rest of Aristotles Philosophy into the Church and Divinity And I cannot but think it had been well if they had never done it as all will grant they might have omitted some other things without the least disadvantage to Learning or Religion However this expression of Moral Vertue having absolutely possest it self of the Fancies and Discourses of all and it may be of the Understanding of some though with very little satisfaction when all things are considered I shall not endeavour to dispossess it or eliminate it from the Confines of Christian Theologie Only I am sure had we been left unto the Scripture expressions of Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ of the fear of God of Holiness Righteousness living unto God walking with God and before him we might have been free from many vain wordy perplexities and the whole wrangle of this Chapter in particular had been utterly prevented For let but the Scripture express what it is to be Religious and there will be no contesting about the difference or no difference between Grace and Moral Vertue It is said that some judge those who have Moral Vertue to want Grace not to be Gracious But say that men are born of God and do not commit sin that they walk before God and are upright that they cleave unto God with full purpose of heart that they are sanctified in Christ Jesus and the like and no man will say that they have not Grace or are not Gracious if they receive your Testimony But having as was said made its entrance amongst us we must deal with it as well as we can and satisfie our selves about its common Acceptation and Use. Generally moral Vertues are esteemed to be the Duties of the second Table For although those who handle these matters more accurately do not so straiten or confine them yet it is certain that in vulgar
on this of our Author as the rudest most imperfect and weakest Scheme of Christian Religion that ever yet I saw so far from comprising an induction of all particulars belonging to it that there is nothing in it that is constitutive of Christian Religion as such at all I wish he had given us a summary of the Credenda of it as he hath done of its Agenda that we might have had a prospect of the body of his Divinity The ten Commandments would in my mind have done twice as well on this present occasion with the addition of the Explication of them given us in the Church Cateehism But I am afraid that very Catechism may ere long be esteemed Phanatical also One I confess I have read of before who was of this Opinion that all Religion consisted in Morality alone But withall he was so Ingenious as to follow the conduct of his Judgement in this matter unto a full Renunciation of the Gospel which is certainly inconsistent with it This was one Martin Sidelius a Seilesian who gave the ensuing account of his Faith unto Faustus Socinus and his Society at Cracovia Caeterum ut sciatis cujus sim religionis quamvis id scripto meo quod habetis ostenderim tamen hic breviter repetam Et primum quidem doctrina de Messia seu Rege illo promisso ad meam religionem nihil pertinet nam Rex elle tantum Judaeis promissus erat sicut bona illa Canaan Sic etiam circumcisio sacrificia reliquae cerimoniae Mosis ad me non pertinent sed tantum populo Judaico promissa data mandata sunt Neque ista fuerunt cultus Dei apud Judaeos sed inserviebant cultui divino ad cultum deducebant Judaeos Verus autem cultus Dei quem meam religionem appello est Decalogus qui est aeterna Dei voluntas qui Decalogus ideo ad me pertinet quia etiam mihi à Deo datus est non quidem per vocems sonantem de coelo sicut populo Judaico at per creationem insita est menti meae quia autem insitus Decalogus per corruptionem naturae humanae pravis consuetudinibus aliqua ex parte obscuratus est ideo ad illustrandum cum adhibeo vocalem Decalogum qui vocalis Decalogus ideo etiam ad me ad omnes populos pertinet quia cum insito nobis Decalogo consentit imo idem ille Decalogus est Haec est mea sententia de Messia seu rege illo promisso haec est mea religio quam coram vobis ingenue profiteor Martin Seidelius Olavensis Silesius That is But that you may know of what Religion I am although it is expressed in that Writing which you have already yet I will here briefly repeat it And first of all the Doctrine of the Messiah or King that was promised doth not belong to my Religion for that King was promised to the Jews only as was the good Land of Câ—nâ—an So in like manner circumcision Sacrifices and the rest of the Ceremonies of Moses belong not to me but were promised given and granted unto the people of the Jews alone Neither were they the Worship of God among the Jews but were only subservient unto Divine Worship and lead the Jews unto it the same Opinion is maintained by our Author concerning all exterior Worship but the true Worship which I call my Religion is the Decalogue which is the Eternal and immutable Will of God And here also he hath the consent and concurrence of our Author which Decalogue doth therefore belong unto me because it is given by God to me also not indeed by a voice sounding from Heaven as he gave it to the people of the Jews but it is implanted in my mind by nature But because this implanted Decalogue by reason of the corruption of humane nature and through depraved Customs is in some measure obscured for the illustration of it I make use of the vocal Decalogue which therefore also belongs unto me and all people because it consenteth with the Decalogue written in our hearts yea is the same Law with it This is my opinion concerning the Messiah or the promised King and this is my Religion which I freely acknowledge before ye So he This is plain dealing He saw clearly that if all Religion and the Worship of God consisted in Morality only there was neither need nor use of Christ nor the Gospel And accordingly having no outward advantage by them discarded them But setting aside his bold renunciation of Christ as promised I see not any material difference between the Religion of this man and that now contended for The poor deluded souls among our selves who leaving the Scripture pretend that they are guided by the Light within them are upon the matter of the same Religion For that light being nothing but the Dictates of Reason and a natural Conscience it extends not it self beyond Morality which some of them understanding we know what thoughts and apprehensions they have had of Christ and of his Gospel and the Worship of God instituted therein For hence it is and not as our Author pretends with a strange incogitancy concerning them and the Gnosticks that they assert the Scripture to be the only Rule of Religious Worship that they are fallen into these fond imaginations And these are the effects which this Principle doth naturally lead unto I confess then that I do not agree with our Author in and about this Scheme of Christian Religion which I shall therefore first briefly put in my exceptions unto and then offer him another in lieu of it First Then this Scheme seems to represent Religion unto us as suited to the state of Innocency and that very imperfectly also For it is composed to answer the former assertions of confining Religion to Moral Vertues which are granted to consist in our conformity unto and expression of the Dictates of Reason and the Law of Nature Again the whole duty of man is said to refer either to his Creator or his Neighbour or himself Had it been said to God absolutely another interpretation might have been put upon the words But being restrained unto him as our Creator all Duties referring to our Redeemer are excluded or not included which certainly have some place in Christian Religion Our Obedience therein is the Obedience of Faith and must answer the special objects of it And we are taught in the Church Catechism to believe in God the Father who made us and all the world and in God the Son who redeemed us and all Mankind and in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifies us and all the Elect people of God Now these distinct acts of Faith have distinct acts of Obedience attending them whereas none here are admitted or at least required but those which fall under the first head It is also very imperfect as a description of natural Religion or the Duties of the Law of Nature For the
Goodness miraculously inspire the first Converts of Christianity with all sorts of Vertues but that He doth not still continue to put forth in any actually the Efficacy of his Grace to make them Gracious Holy Believing Obedient to himself and to work in them all suitable actings towards himself and others Then farewell Scripture the Covenant of Grace the Intercession of Christ yea all the Ancient Fathers Counsels Schoolmen and most of the Jesuites themselves Many have been the disputes amongst Christians about the Nature of Grace the Rule of its Dispensation the manner and way of its Operation its Efficacy Concurrence and Co-operation in the Wills of men but that there is no dispensation of it no operation but what was miraculous in the first Converts of the Gospel was I think untill now undiscovered Nor can it be here pretended that although the Vertuous qualities of our minds and their Exercise by which is intended all the Obedience that God requireth of us in Principle and Practice that we may please him and come to the enjoyment of him are not said to be called Graces only on the account mentioned For as in respect of us they are not so termed at all so if the term only be not understood the whole discourse is impertinent and ridiculous For those other Reasons and Accounts that may be taken in will render that given utterly useless unto our Authors intention and indeed are altogether inconsistent with it And he hath given us no reason to suppose that he talks after such a weak and preposterous a rate This then is that which is here asserted the Qualities of our minds and their Exercise wherein the Vertues pleaded about and affirmed to contain the whole Substance of Religion do consist are not wrought in us by the Grace or Spirit of God through the Preaching of the Gospel but are only called Graces as before Now though here be a plain contradiction to what is delivered but two pages before namely that we pray for some or other Vertuous qualities that is doubtless to be wrought in us by the Grace of God yet this present discourse is capable of no other interpretation but that given unto it And indeed it seems to be the design of some men to confine all real Gifts and Graces of the Spirit of God to the first Ages of the Gospel and the miraculous operations in it which is to overthrow the whole Gospel the Church and the Ministry of it as to their use and efficacy leaving Men only the Book of the Bible to Philosophize upon as shall be elsewhere demonstrated Our Author indeed tells us that on the occasion of some mens writings in Theology there hath been a buzz and a noise of the Spirit of God in the World His expressions are exceedingly suited to pour contempt on what he doth not approve not so to express what he doth himself intend But I desire that he and others would speak plain and openly in this matter that neither others may be deceived nor themselves have occasion to complain that they are mis-represented a pretence whereof would probably give them a dispensation to deal very roughly if not despightfully with them with whom they shall have to do Doth he therefore think or believe that there are not now any real Gracious Operations of the Spirit of God upon the hearts and minds of men in the world that the dispensation of the Spirit is ceased as well unto ordinary Ministerial Gifts with its sanctifying renewing assisting Grace as unto Gifts miraculous and extraordinary that there is no work at all of God upon the hearts of Sinners but that which is purely moral and perswasive by the word that what is asserted by some concerning the Efficacy of the Grace of the Spirit and concerning his gifts is no more but a buzz and a noise I wish he would explain himself directly and positively in these things for they are of great importance And the loose expressions which we meet with do give great Offence unto some who are apt to think that as pernicious an Heresie as ever infested the Church of God may be covered and clocked by them But to return In the sense that Moral Vertue is here taken I dare boldly pronounce that there is no Villany in the Religion of those men who distinguish between Vertue and Grace that is there not in their so doing this being the known and avowed Religion of Christianity It is granted that whereever Grace is there is Vertue For Grace will produce and effect all Vertues in the Soul whatever But Vertue on the other side may be where there is no Grace which is sufficient to confirm a distinction between them It was so in fundry of the Heathen of old though now it be pretended that Grace is nothing but an occasional denomination of Vertue not that it is the cause or principle of it But the proofs produced by our Author are exceedingly incompetent unto the end whereunto they are applyed For that place of the Apostle Gal. 5. v. 22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith meekness Temperance Though our Author should be allowed to turn Joy into cheerfulness peace into peaceableness Faith into Faithfulness as he hath done corruptly enough to accommodate it to his purpose yet it will no way reach his end nor satisfie his intention For doth it follow that because the Spirit effects all these Moral vertues in a new and gracious manner and with a direction to a new and special end in Believers either that these things are nothing but meer Moral Vertues not wrought in us by the grace of God the contrary whereof is plainly asserted in calling them fruits of the Spirit or that where-ever there is Moral Vertue though not so wrought by the Spirit that there is Grace also because Vertue and Grace are the same If these are the Expositions of Scripture which we may expect from them who make such out-cries against other mens perverting and corrupting of it the matter is not like to be much mended with us for ought I can see upon their taking of that work into their own hands And indeed his Quotation of this place is pretty odd He doth not in the Print express the words as he useth and as he doth those of another Scripture immediately in a different character as the direct words of the Apostle that no man may charge him with a false Allegation of the Text. Yet he repeats all the words of it which he intends to use to his purpose somewhat altering the expressions But he hath had I fear some unhappiness in his Explanations By Joy he would have Cheerfulness intended But what is meant by cheerfulness is much more uncertain than what is intended by Joy Mirth it may be in Conversation is aimed at or somewhat of that nature But how remote this is from that Spiritual Joy which is recommended unto us in the Scripture
House to his Son or Neighbour whereby what is just and lawfull in it self is accommodated to the use of political Society He determines also how Persons guilty of death shall be executed and by whom and in what manner whence it must needs follow that he hath power to assign new particulars of the Divine Law to declare new bounds or hedges of right and wrong which the Law of God neither doth nor can limit or hath power over the Consciences of men with respect to Moral Vertues which was to be demonstrated Let us lay aside these swelling expressions and we shall find that all that can be ascribed unto the Civil Magistrate in this matter is no more than to preserve Property and Peace by that Rule and power over the outward Actions of men which is necessary thereunto Having made some enquiry into the termes of Moral Vertue and the Magistrates power it remains only that we consider what respect this case hath unto the Consciences of men with reference unto them And I desire to know whether all mankind be not obliged in Conscience to the Observation of all Moral Vertue antecedently to the command or Authority of the Magistrate who doth only inspect their observation of them as to the concerns of publick peace and tranquility Certainly if all Moral Vertue consists in living suitable to the dictates of Reason as we are told and in a sense rightly if the Rule of them all and every one which gives them their formal Nature be the Law of our Creation which all mankind enter the World under an indispensable obligation unto it cannot be denyed but that there is such an antecedent obligation on the Consciences of Men as that inquired after But the things mentioned are granted by our Author nor can by any be denyed without offering the highest outrage to Scripture Reason and the common consent of Mankind Now if this Obligation be thus on all Men unto all Vertue as Vertue and this absolutely from the Authority of God over them and their Consciences how comes an inferiour Authority to interpose it self between that of God and their Consciences so immediately to oblige them It is granted that when the Magistrate commandeth and requireth the exercise of any Moral Duty in a way suited unto publick good and tranquility he is to be obeyed for Conscience sake because he who is the Lord of Conscience doth require Men to be obedient unto him whereon they are obliged in Conscience so to be But if the things required of them be in themselves Moral Duties as they are such their Consciences are obliged to observe and exercise them from the command of God and other obligation unto them as such they neither have nor can have But the direction and command for the exercise of them in these and those circumstances for the ends of publick Good whereunto they are directed belongs unto the Magistrate who is to be obeyed For as in things meerly Civil and which have nothing originally of morality in them but secondarily only as they tend to the preservation and welfare of humane Society which is a thing Morally good the Magistrate is to be obeyed for Conscience sake and the things themselves as far as they partake of Morality come directly under the command of God which affects the Conscience so in things that have an inherent and inseparable Morality and so respect God in the first place when they come to have a civil Sanction in reference to their exercise unto publick political Good that Sanction is to be obeyed out of Conscience but the antecedent obligation that was upon the Conscience unto a due exercise of those Duties when made necessary by circumstances is not superseded nor any new one added thereunto I know what is said but I find not as yet what is proved from these things concerning the uncontroleable and absolute power of the supream Magistrate over Religion and the consciences of men Some things are added indeed here up and down about circumstances of Divine Worship and the power of ordering them by the Magistrate which though there may be some different conceptions about yet they no way reach the cause under debate But as they are expressed by our Author I know not of any one Writer in and of the Church of England that hitherto hath so stated them as they are by him For he tells us pag. 85. That all Rituals Ceremonies Postures and Manners of performing the outward expressions of Devotion that are not chargeable with countenancing Vice or disgracing the Deity are capable of being adopted into the Ministeries of Divine Service and are not exempted from being Subject to the determinations of humane power Whether they are so or no the Magistrate I presume is to judge or all this flourish of words and concessions of power vanish into smoak His command of them binds the Consciences of men to observe them according to the principle under consideration Hence it must be absolutely in the power of every supream Magistrate to impose on the Christian Subjects a greater number of Ceremonious observances in the Worship of God and those of greater weight than ever were laid upon the Jews For who knows not that under the names of Rituals Ceremonies Postures manners of Performing all Divine Service what a butrdensome heap of things are imposed in the Roman Church whereunto as far as I know a thousand more may be added not chargeable in themselves with either of the crimes which alone are allowed to be put in in Barr or Plea against them And whether this be the Liberty whereunto Jesus Christ hath vindicated his Disciples and Church is left unto the judgement of sober men Outward Religious Worship we know is to be performed by natural actions these have their circumstances and those oft-times because of the publick concernments of the exercise of Religion of great importance These may be ordered by the power and according to the Wisdome of those in Authority But that they should make so many things as this assertion allows them to make to belong unto and to be Parts of the Worship of God whereof not one is enjoyned or required by him and the Consciences of men be thereby obliged unto their observance I do not believe nor is it here at all proved To close this Discourse about the power of obliging the consciences of men I think our Author grants that Conscience is immediately obliged to the Observation of all things that are Good in themselves from the Law of our Creation Such things as either the nature of God or our own require from us our Consciences surely are obliged immediately by the Authority of God to observe Nor can we have any dispensation for the non-performance of our Duty from the interposition of the commands and Authority of any of the sons of Men. For this would be openly and directly to set up men against God and to advance them or their Authority above him or his
on the Minds Consciences or judgements of men to think or judge otherwise of what is imposed on them than as their nature is and doth require only they are obliged unto their Usage Observance and Practice which is to put us into a thousand times worse condition than the Jews if Instances of them should be multiplyed as they may lawfully 〈◊〉 every year seeing it much more quiet◠the mind to be able to resolve its thought◠immediately into the Authority of Go◠under its Yoke than into that of man I◠therefore we are freed from the one by our Christian Liberty we are so much more from the other so as that being made free by Christ we should not be the servants of men in things belonging to his Service and Worship From this discovery here made of the nature of Christian Liberty our Author makes some deductions p. 98 99. concerning the nature of Religious Worship wherein he tells us that the whole substance of Religious Worship is transacted within the mind of man and dwells in the heart and thoughts the soul being its proper Seat and Temple where men may Worship their God as they please without offending their Prince and that External Worship is no part of Religion it self I wish he had more clearly and distinctly expressed his mind in this matter for his Assertions in the sense the words seem to bear are prodigiously false and such as will open a door to Atheism with all Villany and Confusion in the World For who would not think this to be his intention Let men keep their minds and inward thoughts and apprehensious right for God and then they may practise outwardly in Religion what they please one thing one day another another be Papists and Protestants Arians and Homousians yea Mahometans and Christians any thing every thing after the manner of the Country and Laws of the Prince where they are and live the Rule that Ecebolius walked by of old I think there is no man that owns the Scripture but will confess that this is at least if not a direct yet an interpretative rejection of the whole Authority of God And may not this Rule be quickly extended unto Oaths themselves the bonds and Ligaments of humane Society For whereas in their own formal nature they belong to the Worship of God why may not men pretend to keep up their Reverence unto God in the internal part of them or their esteem of Him in their Invocation of His Name but as to the outward part accommodate it unto what by their Interest is required of them so swearing with their Tongues but keeping their Mind at Liberty If the Principles laid down be capable of any other more tolerable sense and such as may be exclusive of these Inferences I shall gladly admit it at present what is here deduced from them seems to be evidently included in them It is true indeed that Natural Moral or Internal Worship consisting in Faith Love Fear Thankfulness Submission Dependance and the like hath its constant Seat and Residence in the Souls and Minds of men but that the wayes whereby these Principles of it are to be outwardly exercised and expressed by Gods Command and Appointment are not also indispensably necessary unto us and parts of his Worship is utterly false That which principally in the Scripture comes under the notion of the Worship of God is the due observance of his outward Institutions which Divines have upon unquestionable grounds contended to be commanded and appointed in general in the second Commandment of the Decalogue whence all particular Institutions in the several seasons of the Church are educed and resolved into the Authority of God therein expressed And that account which we have here given us of outward Worship namely that it is no part of Religion it self but only an Instrument to express the inward Veneration of the mind by some outward action or posture of the body as it is very difficultly to be accommodated unto the sacrifices of old or the present Sacraments of the Church which were and are parts of outward Worship and as I take it of Religion so the being an instrument unto the purpose mentioned doth not exclude any thing from being also a part of Religion and Worship it self if it be commanded by God to be performed in His Service unto His Glory It is pretended that all Outward Worship is only an exteriour signification of Honour but yet all the parts of it in their performance are Acts of Obedience unto God and are the proper Actings of Faith Love and Submission of Soul unto God which if they are not His Worship and parts of Religion I know not what may be so esteemed Let then Outward Worship stand In what Relation it will to Inward Spiritual Honour where God requires it and commands it it is no less necessary and in dispensably to be performed than any part of Inward Worship it self and is a no less important duty of Religion For any thing comes to be a part of Religious Worship outwardly to be performed not from its own nature but from its respect unto the command of God and the End whereunto it is by him designed So the Apostle tells us that with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made un◠Salvation Rom. 10. Confession is but the exteriour signification of the Faith that is i◠our hearts but yet it is no less necessary to Salvation than Faith it self is to Righteousness And those who regulate their Obedience and Religious Worship by the Commands of God knowing that which way ever they are signified by inbred Light or superadded Revelation it is they which give their Obedience its formal nature making it Religious will not allow that place and use of the outward Worship required by God Himself which should exclude it from being Religious or a part of their Religion But upon the whole matter our Author affirms that in all Ages of the World God hath left the Management of His Outward Worship unto the Discretion of Men unless when to determine some particulars hath been usefull to some other purpose pag. 100. The management of Outward Worship may signifie no more but the due performance of it and so I acknowledge that though it be not left unto mens discretion to observe or not observe it yet it is too their Duty and Obedience which are their Discretion and their Wisdom But the management here understood is opposed to Gods own determination of particular Forms that is His especial Institutions and hereof I shall make bold to say that it was never in any Age so left to the Discretion of men To prove this Assertion Sacrifices are singled out as an Instance It is known and granted that these were the most solemn part of the Outward Worship of God for many Ages and that there was a general consent of Mankind unto the use of them so that however the greatest part of the
World apostatized from the true only and proper object of all Religious Worship Worship yet they retained this Mode and Medium of it These Sacrifices we are told p. 101. did not owe their Original unto any Divine Institution but were made choice of by good men as a fit way of imitating the gratefull resentments of their minds The Argument alone as far as I can find fixed on to firm this Assertion is that those who teach the contrary and say that this Mode of Worship was commanded do say so without proof or evidence Our Author for the most part sets off his Assertions at no less rate than as such without whose admittance all Order and Government and almost every thing that is Good amongst mankind would be ruined and destroyed But he hath the unhappiness to found them ordinarily not only on Principles and Oâ—â—nions dubious and uncertain but on suâ—â— Paradoxes as have been by sober and learâ—â—ed men generally decried Such is this 〈◊〉 the Original of Sacrifices here insisted oâ— The Divines of the Church of Rome do gâ—â—nerally contend that Religion and Sacrificâ— are so related that the one cannot be withâ—out the other Hence they teach Goâ— would have required Sacriâ—ices in the Stâ— of Innocency had mankind continued therein And though the Instance be ill laid and not proved yet the general Rule applyed unto the Religion of Sinners is noâ— easily to be evicted For as in Christian Religion we have a Sacrifice that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to its Efficacy alwayes newly offered and living so before the Personal Offering of it in the body of Chirst there was no season or Age without a due Representation of it in Sacrifices Typical and of Mystical signification And although there be no express mention in the Scripture of their Institution for these are ancient things yet there is as good warrant for it as for Offering and burning Incense only with Sacred fire taken from the Altar which was of an Heavenly traduction for a neglect whereof the Priests were consumed with fire from before the Lord that is though an express command be not recorded for their Institution and Observation yet enough may be collected from the Scripture that they were of a Divine Extract and Original And if they were arbitrary Inventions of some men I desire to have a rational account given me of their Catholicism in the World and one Instance more of any thing not Natural or Divine that ever prevailed to such an absolute universal acceptance amongst Mankind It is not so safe I suppose to assign an arbitrary Original unto any thing that hath obtained an universal Consent and Suffrage lest men be thought to set their own houses on fire on purpose to consume their Neighbours Besides no tolerable colour can be given to the Assertion that they were the invention of good men The first notice we have of them is in those of Cain and Abel whereof one was a bad man and of the Evil One and yet must be looked on as the principal Inventor of Sacrifices if this fiction be allowed Some of the Antients indeed thought that Adam Sacrificed the Beasts to God whose Skins his first Garments were made of and if so he was very pregnant and sudden in his invention if he had no direction from God But more than all this bloody Sacrifices were Types of Christ from the Foundation of the World and Socinus himself who and his followers are the principal Assertors of this paradox grants that Christ is called the Lamb of God with respect unto the Sacrifices of old even before the Law As He is termed A Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World not only with respect unto the Efficacy of his Sacrifice but to the Typical Representation of it And he that shall deny that the Patriarchs in their Sacrifices had respect unto the promised Seed will endeavour the shaking of a Pillar of the Churches Creed Now I desire to know how men by their own Invention or Authority could assign such an end unto their Sacrifices if they were not of Divine Prescription if not designed of God thereunto Again the Apostle tells us Abel offered his Sacrifice by Faith Heb. 11. 4. And Faith hath respect unto the Testimony or God revealing commanding and promising to accept our duty Wherever any thing is done in Faith there an Assent is included to this that God is True Joh. 3. 33. And what it doth is thereby distinguished from Will-Worship that is resolved into the Commandments and Doctrines of men which whoso rest on make void the Commandment of God Matth. 15. 3 6. And the Faith of Abel as to its general Nature was the Evidence of things not seen and the Substance of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. which in this matter it could not be if it had neither Divine Command nor Promise to rest upon It is evident therefore that Sacrifices were of a divine Original and the Instance in them to prove that the Outward Worship of God hath in all Ages been left unto the Prudence and Management of men is feeble and such as will give no countenance unto what it is produced in the Justification of And herewith the whole Discourse of our Author on this Subject falls to the ground where I shall at present let it lye though it might in sundry Particulars be easily crumbled into useless Asseverations and some express Contradictions In the close of this Chapter an Application is made of what hath been before argued or rather dictated unto a particular Controversie about significant Ceremonies I am not willing to engage in any Contests of that Nature seeing to the due handling of them a greater length of Discourse would be necessary than I think meet at present to draw forth this Survey unto Only seeing a very few words may serve to manifest the loosness of what is here Discoursed to that purpose I shall venter on the Patience of the Reader witâ— an addition of them We have therefore in the first place a Reflection on the prodigious Impertinency of the clamour against thâ— Institution of significant Ceremonies when iâ— is the only use of Ceremonies as all other outward Expressions of Religion to be Significanâ— I do somewhat admire at the Temper of this Author who cannot express his disserâ—â— from others in Controverted Points of the Meanest and Lowest concernment but with crying out Prodigies Clamours Impertinencies and the like Expressions of Astonishment in himself and Contempt of others He might reserve some of these great Words for more important occasions But yet I joyn with him thus faâ— in what he pleads that Ceremonies instituted in the Worship of God that art not significant are things very insignificant and such as deserve not the least contention about them He truly also in the next words tells us that all outward Worship is a sign of inward Honour It is so both in Civil things and Sacred All our Questionis How these
of Worship and Obedience so far forth as it is from hâ—m and concerneth those things than any thing that comes from him by express vocal Revelation And this casts out of consideration a vain exception wherewith some men please themselves as though the men of this Opinion denyed the Admittance of what is from God and by the Light of Nature discovered to be his mind and will Let them once prove any thing in contest between them and their Adversaries to be required prescribed exacted or made necessary by the Light of Nature as the Will of God revealed therein and I will assure them that as to my concern there shall be an end of all difference about it But yet thâ—â— I may adde a little farther light into the sense of the Non-Conformists in this matter I say 1. That this inbred Light of Reason guides unto nothing at all in or about the Worship of God but what is more fully clearly and directly taught and declared in the Scripture And this may easily be evinced as from the untoward mixture of darkness and Corruption that is befallen our primigenial iâ—bred Principles of Light and Wisdom by the entrance of sin so also from the end of the Scripture it self which was to restore that knowledge of God and his mind which was lost by sin and which might be as useful to man in his lapsed condition as the other was in his pure and uncorrupted estate At present therefore I shall leave this Assertion in expectation of some instance in matters great or small to the contrary before I suppose it be obnoxious to question or dispute 2. As there can be no Opposition nor contradiction between the Light of Nature and inspired Vocal or Scriptural Revelation because they are both from God So if in any instance there should appear any such thing unto us neither Faith nor Reason can rest in that which is pretended to be natural Light but must betake themselves for their resolution unto express Revelation And the reason hereof is evident because nothing is natural light but what is common to all men and where it is denyed it is frustrated as to its ruling Efficacy Again it is mixed as we said before and it is not every mans work to separate the Chaffe from the Wheat or what God hath implanted in the mind of man when he made him upright and what is since soaked into the Principles of his Nature from his own inventions But this case may possibly very rarely fall out and so shall not much be insisted on 3. Our enquiry in our present contest is solely about Instituted Worship which we believe to depend on supernatural Revelation the light of Nature can no way relieve or guide us in it or about it because it refers universally to things above and beyond that light but only with reference unto those Moral Natural Circumstances which appertain unto those actings or actions of men whereby it is performed which we willingly submit unto its guidance and direction Again Vocal Revelation hath come under two considerations First As it was occasional Secondly As it became stated First As it was occasional For a long time God was pleased to guide his Church in many concerns of his Worship by fresh occasional Revelations even from the giving of the first promise unto Adam unto the solemn giving of the Law by Moses For although men had in process of time many stated Revelations that were preserved by Tradition among them as the first Promise the Institution of Sacrifices and the like yet as to sundry emergencies of his Worship and parts of it God guided them by new Occasional Revelations Now those Revelations being not recorded in the Scripture as being only for present or emergent use we have no way to know them but by what those to whom God was pleased so to reveal himself did practise and which on good testimony found acceptance with him Whatever they so did they had especial Warranty from God for which is the case of the great Institution of Sacrifices it self It is a sufficient Argument that they were Divinely instituted because they were graciously accepted Secondly Vocal Revelation as the Rule of Worship became stated and invariable in and by the giving and writing of the Law From thence with the allowances before mentioned we confine it to the Scripture and so unto all succeeding generations I confess many of our company who kept to us hitherto in granting Divine Revelation to be the sole Principle and Rule of Religious Worship now leave us and betake themselves to paths of their own The Postmisnicall Jews after many attempts made that way by their Predecessors both before and after the Conversation of our Lord Christ in the flesh at length took up a resolution that all obligatory Divine Revelation was not contained in the Scripture but was partly preserved by Orall Tradition For although they added a multitude of Observances unto what were prescribed unto their Fathers by Moses yet they would never plainly forego that Principle nor do to this day that Divine Revelation is the Rule of Divine Worship Wherefore to secure their Principle and practice and to reconcile them together which are indeed at an unspeakable variance they have fancied their Oral Law which they assert to be of no less certain and Divine Original than the Law that is written On this pretence they plead that they keep themselves unto the fore-mentioned Principle under the Superstition of a multitude of self-invented observances The Papists also here leave us but still with a semblance of adhering to that Principle which carryes so great and uncontrollable an evidence with it as that there are very few as was said who have hitherto risen up in a direct and open opposition unto it For whereas they have advanced a double Principle for the Rule of Religious Worship besides the Scripture namely Tradition and the present Determinations of their Church from thence educed they assert the first to be Divine or Apostolical which is all one and the latter to be accompanyed with Infallibility which is the formal Reason of our adherence and submission unto Divine Revelations So that they still adhere in general unto the fore-mentioned Principle however they have debauched it by their advancement of those other Guides But herein also we must do them right that they do not absolutely turn loose those two rude creatures of their own Traditions and present Church determinations upon the whole face of Religion to act therein at their pleasure but they secure them from whatever is determined in the written word affirming them to take place only in those things that are not contrary to the Word or not condemned in it For in such they conâ—ess they ought not nor can take place Which I doubt whether our Author will allow of or no in reference to the power by him asserted By Religious Worship in the Thesis above we understand as was said before instituted
Testimonies of the writings given by divine inspiration We have here the full substance of what is pleaded for and might the Advice of this Noble Emperour be admitted we should have a readier way to expedite all our present Differences than as yet seems to be provided for us The great Basil speaks yet more expresly than Constantine the great lib. de confes fid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. It hath the manifest guilt of infidelity and pride to reject any thing that is written or to add or introduce any thing that is not written which is the summ of all that in this matter is contended for To the same purpose he discourseth Epist. 80. ad Eustath where moreover he rejects all pretences of Customs and usages of any sorts of men and will have all differences to be brought for their Determination to the Scripture Christstome in his Homily on Psalm 95. speaks the same sense saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is it that promiseth these things Paul For we are not to say any thing without Testimony nor upon our meer Reasonings For if any thing be spoken without Scripture Testimony the mind of the hearers fluctuates now assenting anon hesitating sometimes rejecting what is spoken as frivolous sometimes receiving it as probable But where the Testimonies of the Divine Voice comes forth from the Scripture it confirmeth the word of the Speaker and the mind of the Hearer It is even so whilest things relating to Religion and the Worship of God are debated and disputed by the reasonings of men or on any other principles besides the express Authority of the Scriptures no certainty or full perswasion of mind can be attained about them Men under such actings are as Lucian in his Menippus says He was between the Disputations of the Philosophers sometimes he nodded one way sometimes another and seemed to give his assent backwards and forwards to express contradiction It is in the Testimony of the Scripture alone about the things of God that the Consciences of those that fear him can acquiesce and find satisfaction The same Author as in many other places so in his 13 Homily on the 2 Epist. to the Corinth expresly sends us to the Scripture to enquire after all things as that which is the exact Canon ballance and Rule of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Latines Tertullian is express to the same purpose In his Book against Hermogenes Adoro said he plenitudinem Scripturum quae mihi factorem manifestat facta again Scriptum esse hoc doceat Hermogenis officina aut timeat rae illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum I Adore the fulness of the Scripture And let Hermogenes prove what he saith to be written or fear the Woe denounced against them who add to or take from the Word And again in his Book de Carne Christi Non recipio quod extra Scriptuream de tuo infers I do not receive what you bring of your own without Scripture So also in his Book de Praescriptionibus Nobis nihil ex nostro arbitrio indulgere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostoles Domini habemus authores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent elegerunt sed acceptam a Christo disciplain ani deliter Nationibus assignaverunt It is â— lawful for us in these things to indâ—â— unto our own choice nor to choose what â— one brings in of his choosing We have Apostles of our Lord for our Exampâ—â— who brought in nothing of their own minâ— or choice But having received the Disciplâ— of Christian Religion from Chrsit tâ—â— faithfully communicated it to the Nation â— Hierome is plain to the same purpose iâ— sundry places So Comment in 23 Mattâ— Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet eaâ—dem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Thâ—â— which hath not Authority from the Scriptureâ— is as easily despised as asserted Comm. iâ— Hagg. cap. 1. Sed alia quae absque authoâ—â—ritate testimoniis scripturarum quasi traditione Apostolica sponte reperiunt atque confingunt percutit gladius Dei But those other things which without Authority or Testimony of the Scriptures they find out or faign of their own accord as of Apostolical Tradition the sword of God smites through It were easie to produce twenty other Testimonies out of the Ancient Writers of the church giving sufficient countenance to the Assertion contended about What account our Author gives of this Principle is now very briefly to be considered First therefore pag. 174 175. he reâ—es it as a pretence wild and humoursome â—ich men must be absurd if they believe â— impudent if they do not seeing it hath â—t the least shaddow or foundation either â—m Scripture or Reason though it be exâ—â—esly asserted either in its own terms or â—onfirmed by direct deductions in and â—om above forty places of Scripture â—nd so much for that part of the asâ—ault The next chargeth it with infinite follies â—nd mischiefs in those which allow it And 't is said that there can never be an end of alterations and disturbances in the Church whilest it is maintained The contrary whereof is true confirmed by Experience and Evidence of the thing it self The admittance of it would put an End to all disturbances For let any man judge whether if there be matters in difference as in all these things there are and ever were the bringing them to an issue and a setled stability be not likelier to be effected by all mean consenting unto one common Rule whereby they may be tryed and examined than that every party should be left at liberty to indulge to their own Affections and Imaginations about them And yet we are told p. 178. that all the pious Villanies that ever have disturbed the Christian World have sheltered themselves in this grand Maxime that Jesus Christ is the only Law-maker to his Church I confess I could heartily desire that such expressions might be forborn For let what pretence men please be given to them and colour put upon them they are full of scandal to Christian Religion The Mixime it self here traduced is as true as any part of the Gospel And it cannot be pretended that it is not the Maxime it self but the abuse of it as all the Principles of the Gospel through the Blindness and Lusts of men have been abused that is reflected on seeing the design of the whole Discourse is to evert the Maxime it self Now whatever Apprehensions our Author may have of his own Abilities I am satisfied that they are no way competent to disprove this Principle of the Gospel as will be evident on the first attempt he shall make to that purpose let him begin the tryal as soon as he pleaseth In the third Section we have an heap of instances raked together to confront the Principle in its proper sense before declared and vindicated in no one whereof it is at all concerned
Worship of God to be necessarily and for a continuance observed among them but what they had express Warrant and Authority and command of our Lord Christ for Counsel they gave in particular cases that depended upon present emergencies Directions for the regular and due observation of Institutions and the Application of general Rules in particular practice They also taught a due and sanctified use of Civil customes and the proper use of Moral or Natural Symbols But to impose any Religious Rites on the constant practice of the Church in the Worship of God making them necessary to be alwaies observed by that imposition they did not once attempt to do or assume power for it to themselves Yea when upon an important difficulty and to prevent a ruining scandal they were enforced to declare their judgement to the Churches in some points wherein they were to abridge the practice of their Christian liberty for a season they would do it only in things made necessary by the state of things then among the Churches in reference to the great end of edification whereby all practices are to be regulated before the declaration of their judgement for the restriction mentioned Acts 15. So remote were they from assuming unto themselves a Dominion over the Religion Consciences or faith of the Disciples of Christ or requiring any thing in the constant Worship of the Church but what was according to the Will Appointment and Command of their Lord and Master Little countenance therefore is our Author like to obtain unto his sentiments from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament or the Example either of the Jews or Christians mentioned in them The Instances he gives from the Church of the Jewes or that may be given are either Civil Observances as the feast of Purim or Moral conveniencies directed by general Rules as the building of Synagogues or customary signes suited to the nature of things as wearing of Sackcloth or such as have no proof of their being approved As the feast of Dedication and some monethly Fasts taken up in the Captivity from none of which any objection can be taken against the position before laid down Those from the Church of the new Testament had either a perpetual binding institution from the Authority of Christ as the Lords day Sabbath or contain only a direction to use Civil Customes and Observances in an holy and sanctified manner as the Love Feasts and Kiss of Charity or such as were never heard of in the New Testament at all as the observation of Lent and Easter He that out of these instances can draw a warranty for the power of the Civil Magistrate over Religion and the Consciences of men to institnte new duties in Religion when he pleaseth so these do not countenance Vice nor disgrace the Deity which all his Christian Subjects shall be bound in conscience to observe or otherwise make good any of those particulat conclusions that therefore Christ is not the ouly Law giver to his Church or that Divinâ— Revelation is not the adequate rule of Divinâ— Worship or that men may add any thing to the Worship of God to be observed in it constantly and indispensiely by the whole Church will manifest himself to have an Excellency in Argumentation beyond what I have ever yet met withal A removal of the Argument taken from the perfection of the Scripture and its sufficiency to instruct us in the whole Counsel and Will of God concerning his Worship and our Obedience unto him is nextly attempted but with no Engines but what have been discovered to be insufficient to that purpose an hundred times It is alledged That what the Scripture commands in the Worship of God is to be observed that what it forbids is to be avoided Which if really acknowledged and a concernment of the Consciences of men be granted therein is sufficiently destructive of the principal Design of our Author But moreover I say that it commands and foâ—â—bids things by general Rules as well by particular Precepts and Inhibition and that if what is so commanded be dâ—served and what is so forbidden be avoided there is a direct-Rule remaining in for the whole worship of God But this is said here to be of substanâ—â— duties but not of external circumstance and if it be so even of substantial dutâ—â— it perfectly overthrows all that our Authoâ— hath been pleading in the three first Chaâ—ters of his Discourse For external circumstances of what nature those are whâ—â— are disposable by humane Authority anâ— Prudence hath been now often declare and needs not here to be repeated The summ of his Apprehensions in thâ— matter about the perfection and sufficiâ—ency of the Scripture in reference to thâ— Worship of God our Author gives us pag. 189. Anything saith he is lawful thâ—â— is in the Worship of God that is noâ— made unlawful by some prohibition for things become evil not upon the scors of there being not commanded but upon that of their being forbidden And what the Scripture forbids not it allows and what it allows is not unlawful and what is not unlawful may lawfully be done This tale I confess we have been told many and many a time but it hath been as often answered that the whole of It as to any thing of reasoning is captious and sophistical Once more therefore what is commanded in the Worship of God is lawful yea is our duty to observe All particular Instances of this sort that are to have actual place in the Worship of God were easily enumerated and so expresly commanded And why among sundry things that might equally belong thereunto one should be commanded and another left at liberty without any Institution no man can divine Of particular things not to be observed there is not the same reason It is morally impossible that all instances of mens Inventions all that they can find out to introduce into the Worship of God at any time in any Age and please themselves therein should be before hand enumerated and prohibited in their particular instances And if because they are not so forbidden they may lawfully be introduced into Divine Worship and imposed upon the practices of men ten thousand things may be made lawful and be so imposed But the truth is although a particular prohibition be needful to render a thing evil in it self a general prohibition is enough to render any thing unlawful in the Worship of God So we grant that what is not forbidden is lawful but withal say that every thing is forbidden that should be esteemed as any part of Divine Worship that is not commanded and if it were not yet for want of such a command or Divine Institution it can have neither use nor efficacy with respect to the end of all Religious Worship Our Author speaks with his wonted confidence in this matter yea it seems to rise to its highest pitch as also doth his contempt of his Adversaries or whatever is or may be offered by
them in the justification of this principle Infinite certainty on his own part pag. 193. baffled and intolerable impertinencies weak and puny Arguments Cavils of a few hot-headed and brainsick people with other opprobrious expressions of the like nature filling up a great part of his leaves are what he can afford unto those whom he opposeth But yet I am not for all this bluster well satisfied much less infinitely certain that he doth in any competent measure understand aright the Controversie about which he treats with all this wrath and confidence For the summ of all that here he pleads is no more but this that the Circumstances of Actions in particular are various and as they are not so they cannot be determined by the Word of God and therefore must be ordered by humane Prudence and Authority which if he suppose that any men deny I shall the less wonder at his severe Reflections upon them though I shall never judge them necessary or excusable in any case whatever Pag. 198. He imposeth it on others that lye under the power of this perswasion That they are obliged in conscience to act contrary to whatever their Superiours command them in the Worship of God which further sufficiehtly evidenceth that either be understands not the Controversie under debate or that he believes not himself in what he saith which because the harsher imputation I shall avoid the owning of in the least surmise Section 6. From the Concession that the Magistrate may take care that the Laws of Christ be executed that is command and require his Subjects to observe the commands of Christ in that way and by such means as those commands from the nature of the things themselves and according to the Rule of the Gospel may be commanded and required he infers that he hath himself power of making Laws in Relâ—â—gion But why so And how doth thiâ— follow Why saith he It is apparently imâ—plyed because whoever hath a power to see the Laws be executed cannot be without a powâ—â— to command their execution Very good but the conclusion should have been he cannot be without a power to make Laws is the matter about which he looks to the execution which would be good Doctrine for Justices of the Peace to follow But what is here laid down is nothing but repeating of the same thing in words a little varied as if it had been said He that hath power to see the Laws executed or a power to command their execution he hath power to see the Laws executed or a power to command their execution which is very true And this we acknowledge the Magistrate hath in the way before declared But that because he may do this he may also make Laws of his own in Religion it doth not at all follow from hence whether it be true or no. But this is further confirmed from the nature of the Laws of Christ which have only declared the substance and morality of Religious Worship and therefore must needs have left the ordering of its circumstances to the power and wisdom of lawful Authority The Laws of Christ which are intended are those which he hath given concerning the Worship of God That these have determined the morality of Religious Worship I know not how he can well allow who makes the Law of Nature to be the measure of Morality and all Moral Religious Worship And for the substance of Religious Worship I wish it were well declared what is intended by it For my part I think that whatever is commanded by Christ the Observation of it is of the substance of Religious Worship else I am sure the Sacraments are not so Now do but give men leave as rational creatures to observe those commands of Christ in such a way and manner as the nature of them requires them to be observed as he hath himself in general Rules prescribed as the concurrent actions of many in society make necessary and all this Controversie will be at an end When a duty as to the kind of it is commanded in particular or instituted by Christ in the Worship of God he hath given general Rules to guide us in the individual performance of it as to the circumstances that the actions whereby it is performed will be attended withal For the disposal of those circumstances according to those Rules prudence is to take place and to be used For men who are obliged to act as men in all other things are not to be looked on as Brutes in what is required of them in the Worship of God But to institute Mystical Rites and fixed forms of Sacred Administrations whereof nothing in the like kind doth necessarily attend the acting of instituted Worship it not to determine circumstances but to ordain new parts of Divine Worship and such Injunctions are here confessed by our Author pag. 191. to be new and distinct commands by themselves and to enjoyn something that the Scripture no where commands which when he produceeth a Warranty for he will have made a great progress towards the determining of the present Controversie Page 192. He answers an Objection consisting of two branches as by him proposed whereof the first is that it cannot stand with the love and wisdom of God not to take order himself for all things that immediately concern his own Worship and Kingdom Now though I doubt not at all but that God hath so done yet I do not remember at present that I have read any imposing the necessity hereof upon him in answer to his Love and Wisdom I confess Valerianus Magnus a famous Writer of the Church of Rome tells us that never any one did so foolishly institute or order a Commonwealth as Jesus Christ must be thought to have done if he have not left one Supream Judge to determine the faith and Consciences of men in matters of Religion and Divine Worship And our Author seems not to be remote from that kind of reasoning who without an assignment of a power to that purpose contendeth that all things among men will run into confusion of so little concernment do the Scriptures and the Authority of God in them to some seem to be We do indeed thankfully acknowledge that God out of his Love and Wisdom hath ordered all things belonging to his Worship and Spiritual Kingdom in the world And we do suppose we need no other Argument to evince this Assertion but to challenge all men who are otherwise minded to give an instance of any defect in his Institutions to that purpose And this we are the more confirmed in because those things which men think good to add unto them they dare not contend that they are parts of his Worship or that they are added to supply any defect therein Neither did ever any man yet say that there is a defect in the divine Institutions of Worship which must be supplyed by a Ministers wearing Surplice All then that is intended in this consideration though not urged as is
mean time I say such persons as these in themselves and for their own concerns do think it their duty not absolutely to take up in what hath been attained amongst us much less in what many are degenerated into but to endeavour the Reduction of their practice in the Worship of God to what was first appointed by Jesus Christ as being perswaded that he requires it of them and being convinced that in the unspeakable variety that is in humane constitutions Rest unto their Souls and Consciences is not otherwise to be obtained And if at the same time they endeavour not to reduce the Manner and Course of their Conversation to the same Rule and Example by which they would have their Worship of God regulated they are hypocrites Short enough no doubt they come in both of perfection but both they profess to aim equally at And herein alone can their Consciences find rest and peace In the doctrine of faith consented on in the first Reformation and declared in the allowed Writings of the Church of England they agree with others and wish with all their hearts they had more to agree withall Only they cannot come up to the practice of some things in the Worship of God which being confessedly of humane prescription their Obedience in them would lye in a perfect contradiction to their principal design before mentioned For those things being chosen out from a great multitude of things of the same nature invented by those whose Authority was rejected in the first Reformation or Reduction of Religion from its Catholick Apostacy they suppose cannot justly be imposed on them they are sure cannot be honestly received by them whilest they design to reduce themselves unto the primitive Rules and Examples of Obedience In this design they profess themselves ready to be ruled by and to yield subjection unto any Truth or Direction that can or may be given them from the Word of God or any Principles lawfully from thence educed How their conviction is at present attempted let the Book under consideration and some late unparallel'd and illegal Acts of Violence conformable to the spirit of it be a Testimony But in the management of their design they proceed on no other Principles than those of the Libetty of judgement of diâ—eretion or discerning they call it for the determining of themselves and their own practices in what they believe and prosess about Religion and the liberty of their Consciences from all humane impositions than were owned pleaded and contended for by the first Reformers and the most learned defenders of the Church of England in their disputations against the Papists those they will stand to and abide by yea than what are warranted by the Principles of our nature and constitution for no man practiseth any thing nor can practise it but according to his own will and choice Now in these things in their Principle or in their management of it it may be they are mistaken it may be they are in an errour or under many mistakes and errours But from their integrity they know themselves innocent even in their mistakes And it is in the nature of men to think strange of sedate violences that befall them without their demerit and of suffering by Law without any Guilt Their design of reducing themselves in Worship and Conversation to the primitive pattern they openly avow nor dare any directly condemn that design nor can they be convinced of insincerity in what they profess And shall they they be destroyed if they miss it in some matters of smaller concernment which whatever some may boast of is not hitherto tolerably proved Shall now their dissent in Religious Observances on this occasion and those and that about things mostly and chiefly if not only that appear neither name nor thing in the Scripture be judged a crime not to be expiated but by their ruine Are immoralities or vicious debaucheries rather to be tolerated or exempted from punishment than such a dissent What place of Scripture in the Old or New Testament which of the ancient Fathers of the Church do speak at this rate Opinions inconsistent with publick Tranquility with the general Rules of Moral Duties in all Relations and Conditians practices of any tendency in themselves to political disturbances are by none pleaded for Meer dissent it self with different Observances in the Outward Worship of God is by some pretended indeed to be a Civil disturbance It hath alwayes been so by some even by those whose own established wayes have been Superstitious and Idolatrous But wise men begin to smile when they hear private interest pleaded as publick good and the affections which it begets as the common Reason of things And these pretences have been by all parties at one time or another refuted and discarded Let the merit of the cause be stated and considered which is truly as above proposed and no other set aside Prejudices Animosities Advantages from things past and by-gone in political disorders and tumults wherein it hath no concern and it will quickly appear how little it is how much if possible less than nothing that is or can be pleaded for the countenancing of external severity in this case Doth it suite the Spirit of the Gospel or his commands to destroy good Wheat for standing as is supposed a little out of order who would not have men pluck up the tares but to let them stand quietly in the field untill Harvest Doth it answer his mind to destroy his Disciples who profess to love and obey him from the Earth who blamed his Disciples of old for desiring to destroy the Samaritans his Enemies with fire from Heaven We are told that he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the promise and a work becoming him it was And if men are sincere Disciples of Christ though they may fall into some mistakes and errours the outward persecuting of them on that account will be found to be of the works of the flesh It is certain that for those in particular who take upon them in any place or degree to be Ministers of the Gospel there are commands for meekness patience and forbearance given unto them And it is one of the greatest duties incumbent on them to express the Lord Jesus Christ in the frame of his mind and Spirit unto men and that eminently in his meekness and lowliness which he calls us all in an especial manner to learn of him A peculiar conformity also to the Gospel to the holy Law of Love self-denyal and condescention is required of them that they may not in their spirits wayes and actings make a false representation of him and that which they profess I know not therefore whence it is come to pass that this sort of men do principally if not only stir up Magistrates and Rulers to Laws Seventies Penalties Coercions Imprisonments and the like outward means of fierce and carnal power against those who in any thing dissent