Ratiocinium Vernaculum OR A REPLY TO Ataxiae Obstaculum Being A pretended ANSWER To certain QUERIES Dispersed in some parts of Gloucester-shire Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Mark 12. 17. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish men 1 Pet. 2. 15. LONDON Printed for A. B. MDCLXXVIII THE PREFACE IT is now near Seven years since the Ensuing Queries grounded most of them on Holy Writ or on the Writings of Learned and Judicious men of the Church of England were one Morning Cursorily written Vpon the sight of certain Queries that had been delivered to and answer'd by a neighbour Minister and to him only privately sent without the least Design or Intention of their ever being made publick but to Convince him with such others of his Judgement to whom he should think good to communicate them of the unreasonableness especially on Protestant Principles of exercising Force and Compulsion in Religion with the danger of Persecuting any on the account thereof But no answer by him was ever return'd unto their Author who so little concern'd himself in them that they were as much out of his thoughts as if they had never been written by him When about Michaelmas 1676. he was surprised with the news of a weak and unadvised Parson's having taken them up into the Pulpit with him and there made them the Subject of his Mornings Exercise to the Amazement of some and Derision of other of his Parishoners who had never before heard of them and then understood not his Descant on them But the noise hereof soon made them which for some years had been buryed in silence now the Discourse of the Country and they were not only oppugn'd from the Press the Pulpit and the Pens of divers Adversaries but their Author Prosecuted at the Assizes as Criminal though 't will perhaps be difficult shewing as they were written and disposed of by him what Law of God or Man he therein Transgress'd or what Civil or Religious Interest was thereby injur'd since upon the severest Examination and Scrutiny they will be found to have no worse aim or design than to manifest how Irrational it was and how Ineffectual it must needs be to all good purposes as well as inconsistent with the Precepts of the Gospel and Principles of Christianity to Force Religion and how dangerous to Persecute any on the account thereof And herein he is satisfied to have the Concurrent opinion of the most Learned and Judicious Divines of all Parties though the Practices of too many of them have not been answerable thereunto who indeed say and do not Nay may be said some of them to make themselves Transgressors in building again the things which they destroyed And though 't would not be difficult to Compose a Volume in but Transcribing what they have Written to this purpose I shall here content my self with a single Citation yet it being from one who having had the Approbation and Applause of the Famousest Vniversity of Christendom as well as of the Generality of Learned and Judicious Men of the Reformation may pass for more then a single Testimony and this is the Eminently Learned and Acute Mr. Chillingworth who in his Treatise Entituled the Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation thus speakes I have learnt saith he from the Ancient Fathers of the Church that nothing is more against Religion then to Force Religion And of St. Paul The Weapons of the Christian Warfare are not Carnal And great Reason for humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed From without and Atheisme within Besides saith he if this means of bringing men to embrace any Religion were generally used as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have Power and think they have Ttuth Certainly they cannot with Reason deny but that it may be used in every place by those that have Power as well as they and think they have Truth as well as they what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of Truth but perhaps only of the Profession of it in one place and the Oppression of it in an hundred What will follow from it but the preservation peradventure of Unity but peradventure only of Uniformity in particular States and Churches but the Immortalizing the greater and more lamentable Divisions of Christendom and the World And therefore what can follow from it but perhaps in the Judgment of Carnal Policy the Temporal benefit and Tranquillity of Temporal States and Kingdoms but the Infinite Prejudice if not the Desolation of the Kingdom of Christ And therefore it well becomes them who have their Portions in this life who serve no higher State then this of England or Spain or France nor this neither any further than they serve themselves by it Who think of no other Happiness but the Preservation of their own Fortunes and Tranquillity in this world who think of no other means to preserve Estates but Humane Power and Machivèllian Policy and believe no other Creed but this Regi aut Civitati imperium habenti nihil injustum quod utile Such men as these it may well become to maintain by worldly Power and Violence their State-Instrument Religion For if all be vain and false as in their Judgment it is the present whatsoever is better then any because it is already Settled an alteration of it may draw with it change of States and the change of State the Subversion of their Fortune But they that are indeed Servants and Lovers of Christ of Truth of the Church and of Mankind ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as a Common enemy of all these They that know there is a King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whose will and pleasure King◠and Kingdoms stand and fall they know that to no King or State any thing can be profitable which is unjust and that nothing can be more evidently unjust then to force weak men by the Profession of a Religion which they believe not to loose their own Eternal Happiness out of a vain and needless fear least they may possibly disturb their Temporal quietness There being no danger to any State from any mans Opinion unless it be such an Opinion of which Disobedience to Authority or Impiety is taught or Licenc'd which sort I confess may justly be punisht as well as other Faults or unless this Sanguinary Doctrine be joyned with it that it is lawful for him by humane violence to enforce others to it This was the Judgment of this Learned and Judicious Divine of the Church of England concerning Force in Religion and of those Doubtless who Licens'd and Approv'd of this his Learned and Judicious Treatise in which they unanimously declare to find nothing contrary to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England
Laws and constitutions of the Church ought to be banisht the Commonwealth 'T is sufficient to the ends of Government they be banisht that Society only whose Laws and Constitutions they submit not unto and so this Answerer says well Non opus est habere civem qui parere nescit neither Church nor Commonwealth have need of those persons who know not how to obey But till there be a due distinction made between the Church and State between civil and religious Societies and that liberty in Religion allowed unto all men which the Law of Nature and positive Law of God allows and requires the exercise of we can never hope to see Religion flourish nor Peace and Quiet in Christendome Query VI. Whether is there any visible living Judge in Doubts and Controversies of Religion to whose determinations any man is bound to yield his assent and obedience against the Dictates of his own Conscience guided according to the best of his light and knowledge by the rule of Gods word Reply to the Answer to this Query A Clear and positive Answer to this Query would go far towards the ending our greatest differences and Disputes in Religion For either there is or there is not such a Judge as is here inquired after if such an one there be let him be produc'd and his determinations in all Controversial points be made known that they may be submitted to or if there be no such Judge why are any molested and troubled for going according to their own Judgements and Consciences when it is their duty so to do what is said of a Churches being a Society and that every Society may agree upon the means by which all differences arising in it may be determin'd that may probably violatate the Peace and Vnity thereof is not to the present Question which is only concerning such a Judge in Doubts and Controversies of Religion to whose determinations every one is bound to yield his Assent and obedience against his own Judgement We have already acknowledg'd That they who submit not to the Laws and Constitutions of a Church ought to be cast out of that Church which is a sufficient means and the only means of preserving the Peace and Unity thereof And if the Church of England assumes no other Power or Priviledge there is no ground of quarrel or exceptions against her for that But whereas he says She does not like the Papists own any Judge of Controversies in Religion If he means Infallible Judge like the Papists none says She does Or if his meaning be That She owns no such Judge of Controversies as to oblige any to acquiess in her Determinations against their own Judgements as it seems to be by his saying She requires none of her Members to yield obedience to her Determinations against the Dictates of their Consciences why does he molest and trouble any for not yielding such obedience And if all she demands as he says be but That obedience be given to those Laws which are undoubtedly Divine An acquiescence yielded to some disputable points c. which are not against a mans Conscience and a conformity to some indifferent Rites c. which all judge to be indifferent no rational man can sure except against any of this nor deny the Governours of the Church of England to be as much Umpires and Judges in these matters as the Pastors and Elders in any of the Separated Congregations It is as he very well says A vain thing for men to plead that they make Conscience their guide unless they take Scripture for their rule Nor can any plead Conscience for disobeying Lawful Authority in things innocent and indifferent where they judge the things commanded to be so but what some may count indifferent others may judge sinful The Scripture commanding obedience and to be Subject for Conscience-sake does sufficiently manifest that none ought to obey or comply in any thing against Conscience since none against Conscience can be Subject for Conscience-sake It cannot be denyed but that horrid Impieties and Immoralities have been acted under pretence of Conscience though they can never be justified upon the account of Conscience and where any plead Conscience against all sense of duty it is but just with God to leave them to a reprobate state of mind but some mens abandoning or abusing Conscience will never justifie others dispising and deriding of it Whether Dissenters endeavour after the best Information they are able to attain unto and in other things do their duties is no part of this Query But if they do not they are too blame and will have the more to answer for another day and cannot with that satisfaction bear their present sufferings which otherwise they might do As for the grounds of their Seperation Whether sufficient to justifie it or excuse them of Schism will be more seasonably argued when this Answerer or his Adherents shall tell us of such a Judge as in the Query is inquired after to determine who is in the right and who in the wrong who keeps to and who swerves from the rule of the Gospel Query VII Whether to inflict Corporal punishments upon any as transgressors in those matters which no man or Society of men whatever have Authority to pronounce a Judicial difinitive Sentence in so as to make it any mans duty to yield his Assent or obedience thereunto Be not to Execute before Judgement And whether to do so be not against all Rules and Forms of Justice both Divine and humane and such a violation of the Law and light of Nature as no sober or judicious Heathen was ever yet guilty of Reply to the Answer to this Query HAd not this officious person taken on him the answering Questions before he understood them he might have spar'd his pains in all he hath here said having only beaten the Air and fought with his own Shadow 'T is not therefore the Gentlemans being meanly read as he says but the Clergy-mans not understanding what he reads that obtrudes upon the World the errors and absurdities we here meet with the Query not being so impertinent as his ignorance apprehends it nothing being more evidently unjust then that any should suffer as transgressors in those matters wherein in none are authorised to pass a judicial definitive Sentence whether they have therein transgressed or not in which case to punish is to Execute before Judgement and that we say is such a violation of the Law and light of Nature as no sober or judicious Heathen was ever yet guilty of Have we not then to do with an Ingenious and Pleasant person who having spent above twenty pages to no purpose being wholly from the Question hath at last the face or folly rather to tell us He hopes now it appears to be no violation of the Law or light of Nature to inflict punishments in matters of Religion when every Child that could but read English would have told him That not to inflict punishments in
So that it is not the Church of England that approves or allows of Force in Religion or that Carnal weapons are to be used in the Christian warfare but such of her Degenerate and Base Sons only as forsake the Law of their Mother For as he hath well observ'd Humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed Form without and â—thism within which should make it to be abhorr'd and detested by all sincere and good Christians And surely the Church of England who decryes and so highly condemnes blind Obedience in the Duties of Religion can never Approve or Allow of Forceing any therein against their Light and Judgments which is certainly the worst of blind Obediences For since Whatever is not of Faith is sin Whatever a man does against his Faith or Conscience must needs be much more so And as the Church of England neither Approves nor Allows of Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion and much less that any should be therein required to do ought against their Light or Judgments which were to sin against their Consciences So she as little Allows or Approves of Persecuting or any wayes Molesting or Troubling any for the real performance of any truly Christian Exercise of Religien Nor I dare presume to say does any Law of England Allow or Countenance much less Command or Require any such thing though too many have Misconstru'd and Misapply'd the late Act for Preventing and Supressing Seditious Conventicles to the Disturbing and Punishing I may say Ruining of many Peaceable and Pious people for Meeting only really and truly to Worship and serve God For the Act does not say if any person or persons above such a number shall meet to Worship God truly and sincerely in other manner than according to the Liturgy c. They shall incurre the Penalty mention'd But where any Person c. shall be present at any Meeting under Colour or Pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England c. It shall and may be Lawful c. The Act certainly does not prohibit or punish any real and truly Christian Exercise of Religion for if it did it were Ipso Facto null and void as being against the Law of God But if it be objected it appears not whether their Worship be Sincere or Pretended only and the Law prohibites such a number to meet under any colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner then according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England and punishes those that transgress the same 'T is answer'd that all Pretences ought in Charity to be believ'd where no Over-act discovers the Hypocrisie or falsehood of the mind But since there is so little Charity amongst men let it be shown wherein the Exercises of Religion which some have been pleased to punish by vertue or colour rather of that Law were in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England If it be said they ought to be perform'd in the very words of the Liturgy it is more than the Act sayes And the Practice of the Church of England has ever allowed men to pray even in Publick in other words than are prescribed in the Liturgy Our Blessed Saviour teaching his Disciples to pray said unto them After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in Heaven c. And yet we do not find in Scripture where their Prayers are often Recorded that they ever prayed by that Form but in other words agreeing for matter and yet they were accepted There are none therefore I hope will say they disobeyed their Lord and Master by praying in other manner than he taught and commanded them because they prayed not by that Form No more do they transgress the Law against praying in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England who pray not by the words of the Liturgy while they pray in other words agreeing with it for matter What pretence then can any have to Charge the Author of these Queries with Libelling the Church and State since they reflect on neither nor Cinsure or by any undue surmises condemn ought that they approve or allow of Nay is it not unreasonable to account that a Crime in any one which is the duty of every one viz. To endeavour by all lawfull wayes and means that all that would might lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty which they can never do who are forced to Profess what they believe not and in the duties of Religion to practice what they approve not which is to live in a perpetual lye The question here is not whether what is required of any be in it self sinful or unlawful but whether they who judge it so be it through Ignorance or otherwise can without sinning conform to it There is no doubt and question but that many may and do live Godly Holily and Righteously in the Exercise of that Religion which to others would be Damnable for to him who esteemeth a thing unclean to him it is so though in it self it may be pure So he that doubteth is damned if he eat while others perswaded of the lawfulness thereof may safely use their Liberty Pleading therefore against Force in Religion we neither condemn nor censure this or that Religion which teaches not that Sanguinary Doctrine but would that every one should be fully perswaded in his own mind the Religion he Embraceth and Professeth is what God wills and requires of him since whatever is not of Faith is sin and Faithin all things respects the Commands and Authority of God It were indeed heartily to be wisht that all were of a mind as to the due performance of this great and indispensable duty the Worship of God But this is rather to be wished then hoped for while there are men truly fearing God and those whose fear of him is taught by the Precept of men There are saith our Lerrned and Judicious Mr. Chillingworth But two wayes that may be conceived probable to reduce Christians to unity of Communion The one by taking away diversity of Opinions touching matters of Religion the other by shewing that the diversity of Opinions which is among the several Sects of Christians ought to be no hindrance to their unity in Communion Now the former of these saith he is not to be hoped for without a Miracle unless it could be made evident to all men that God hath appointed some visible Judge of Controversies to whose Judgment all men are to submit themselves What then remains but that the other way must be taken and Christians must be taught to set a higher value upon these high points of Faith and Obedience wherein they agree than upon those matters of less moment wherein they differ and
understand that agreement in those ought to be more effectual to joyn them in one Communion I mean saith he In a common profession of those Articles of Faith wherein all Consent A joynt Worship of God after such a way as all esteem lawful And a Mutual performance of all those works of Charity which Christians owe one to another But whilst every one hath a Confession a Form of Worship a Church and its Authority which must be imposed on all others we may look and with for Peace Moderation and Vnity but are never like to meet with them on these Terms Those whom Experience will not convince of the vanity of endeavouring to bring Christians to Vnity of Communion by Secular Force or Compulsion and of the great Miseries Persecutions and Sufferings such Methods have in all Ages brought upon the Churches and People of God with the little or no advantage that at any time hath thereby accrued to Religion will never be Convinced thereof by the clearest Evidences or Demonstrations of Reason And though it cannot be denyed but that there have been and still are many good and holy men who contend earnestly for Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion yet it must withall be said 't is a preposterous and blind zeal in them to endeavour to promote the Truth of Gospel contrary to the Laws of the Gospel But for the generality of its Advocats nothing is more evident then that it is not for the Interest of Religion but for some Carnal Interest or Secular advantage they receive by it 'T is strange that any not wholly ignorant of the State of Christendom or most Christian States not to speak of the Civil Powers in other parts of the World should think that the Exercise of Secular Force or Compulsion in Religion can be for the Interest of the Truth when the Generality of them are Ignorant of it if not enemies to it But we are told where the Truth is once own'd and profest every Error and Heresy that riseth up against it ought to be Supprest and Extirpated by the Civil Sword Will these men then tell us what Sect or Society not of Christians only but of Jews Turks or Heathens believe not themselves alone possest of the Truth So that this Method of preserving and propagating Religion prevailing as it doth too much through the Power and Influence of the God of this World whose Kingdom of darkness could not otherwise long stand against the light and power of Truth What I say doth or can follow upon it but perhaps the Profession of Truth in one place and the Oppression of it in an hundred Do not they who deny unto such as Dissent from the Religion Establisht here the Exercise of their Religion upon the same ground deny it also to all the Reformed Churches in all Popish Countrys of Europe To talk of Truth and Error here is Ridiculous For as we were but now told If Force in Religion may be justly used in any place by those that have Power and think they have Truth it cannot with reason be denyed but that it may be used in every place by those who have Power as well as they and think they have Truth too as well as they But were the same mind in us thaâ— was in our Lord and Master Christ Jesus the same frame of Spirit that was in his Blessed Apostles we would do to others as we would be done unto and not mete unto any what we would not should be meted unto us again But whilst some men make their Judgments or Opinions the Rule or Standard of Truth and Error forcing others to embrace or renounce that as such which they shall so call or judge whatever it appears to them by the Rule whereby they are commanded to try and prove it what Truth or Peace can from thence be expected or hoped for Well therefore might the Judicious Mr. Chillingworth cry out Let those leave claiming Infallibility that have no Title to it and let those that in their Words disclaim it disclaim it likewise in their them under pretence of Religion nor yet a Liberty for any to Preach or Teach Doctrines Destructive or Prejudicial to the Peace and Quiet of Civil Societies but a Liberty of Worship only under the Magistrates inspection And that such a Liberty is the Natural and Common Right of all Nations and Persons hath been so fully prov'd by many Eminent and Learned men even of the Church of England and particularly by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Jeremy Taylor late Bishop of Downe and Conough in his Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying it would be but Actum agere to say more And it argues great Ignorance or Impudence in those who persist Declaiming against Liberty of Religion without offering at the least answer to what hath been said for it by this and other Learned and Judicious Divines of the Church of England as well as by most of the Ancient and Orthodox Fathers of the Church As for that other Objection against Liberty of Religion that it will cause Disturbance in the State It is not only against Reason but the Experience of all Ages and Places no Instance being to be given that ever Liberty of Religion gave Disturbance to any Civil State But the contrary the denying Christians their just Liberty therein hath been the unhappy occasion of the greatest Troubles Miseries and Desolations that have befallen most of the States and Common-wealths of Christendom But to conclude this Point The Liberty pleaded for is no more in Substance then what by His Majesties late Declaration of Indulgence to Dissenters was Allowed and Approved of by him a much better and Competenter Judge of what is for the Nations Peace and Interest then they who object this Nor was the Parliaments Exception to the Indulgence granted but the manner of granting it which they judg'd might be of ill and dangerous Consequence It is therefore to be hoped they will in due time take it into Consideration and make such provision for the preventing and punishing Seditious Conventicles as wicked and ungodly men may not take occasion from to Molest and Disturb the Assemblies of Peaceable and Pious People for the performance only of the Worship and Service of God in such a way as none can with reason say to be against the Rule and Order of the Gospel much less to be guilty of any Moral Evil or Impiety That the Word of the Lord may have a free Course and his Name be Glorified in the midst of us The Answer to the Answerers Preface IT will I doubt not be equally difficult for this Answerer to shew what Truth he hath Vindicated as what Truth these Queries oppose How far any have been satisfied with his performances is best known unto themselves But how little he hath Complyed with the Gentlemans desire in returning a Candid and Christian Resolution to them is left to the Judgment of every Judicious and Intelligent Reader Had he
not himself told us he had Review'd what he had written the gross oversights he hath been guilty of might have been imputed to his too hasty Pen which he now gives us to understand are the effects of something else Had he convinc'd us of any mistakes or Aberrations we might have been guilty of we should have thank'd him for the Discovery But as yet we cannot own the least Obligation to him on that account The Queries he acknowledgeth here afford variety of matter for the Exercise of any Learned Pen they had not else been worthy his Consideration and yet in his Title Page they were to be avoided as Foolish and Unlearned Questions But more of this anon His Reader I am perswaded is no less to seek for those old Truths Vindicated with old Arguments which he promises him Than for those new Notions and Discoveries he bids him not to expect from him It were indeed as he says somewhat strange that Dissenters should use the same methods to unsettle and pervert people in the unerrable esteem they ought to have of the Church and their Superiours which the Popish Emissaries do with those Persons they intend to Proselyte to their Abominable Religion But it is not at all strange he should tell us so without giving us one Instance thereof 'T is observable he says The very first Stratagem the Devil used to ruine Mankind was to propose a Query to our first Parents But had he been as well acquainted with our Blessed Saviour and his Actions as he appears to have been Conversant with the Devil and his doings He might likewise have observ'd it was by a Query also that he Confounded and silenc'd his malilitious and ensnaring Adversaries who wanted his skill or cunning to answer from the Question or to tell him There were very great mistakes or it had many things questionable in it And it was by Queries also that he Convinc'd the Scribes and Pharisees those blind guides of their Errors And when ever this Answerer instead of his Circumlocutions shall vouchsafe a Categorical answer to these Queries they may possibly convince him also of what perhaps he would not be convinc'd of least he should see no fruit of the Travel of his Soul the unreasonableness of using Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion without the least danger of shaking either his Faith Hope or Peace unless resolv'd to act against his Conscience which if not sear'd might indeed give him disquiet If Queries and scruples in matters of Religion were as he affirms certain signs either of a weak and Childish or of a Cavilling and Froward Judgment we had never certainly been commanded to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling Nor had the Beraeans been comemnded for searching the Scriptures after the Preaching even of Paul himself whether those things were so But we cannot deny he may have reason to say some men are Novices in knowledge ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth And for such as hold it in unrighteousness it must one day be accounted for But with what forehead can this Answerer here charge us with studying to be Sceptical and with divulging these Queries to deceive the Hearts of the simple and overthrow the Faith of weak Christians Or with what Conscience can he say They are propounded with Superciliousness Insolence and Violence c. When in the Judgment of all unbyassed Persons they could not well have been propounded with greater Candor Sobriety and Meekness But what will not a kown and Infamous and Impudent Libeller dare to say even against Conscience and the clearest Evidences of Sense and Reason Though we are given to understand That which was chiefly design'd in the Answer as he calls it to these Queries Was first to remove those false pretences of Conscience men make in matters of Religion and then to endeavour the defence of the Magistrates power therein We are yet as far to seek wherein he hath remov'd the one as what cause hath by these Queries been given him to endeavour the defence of the other Nothing is more certain than that it would greatly contribute to the Happiness of this Nation To break off our sins by Righteousness and laying aside all petty Differences and Animosities to unite our selves against the common enemy of Protestanism But this is not to be expected from those who while they declaim against Popery uphold and support it in their Principles and Practices 'T is very strange he tells us the Jesuited Priests should have the luck for so many years to escape the lash of all the Penal Laws and not one of them be made an example of Justice But 't is yet more strange an Impudent Libeller should be Licens'd to reflect thus upon the Government The Papists he sayes of late years are very zealous for Liberty of Consciscience And who that has a Conscience is not so But this let me assure him is no Popish Tenent nor are they the more to be trusted for it than he for his declaiming against Popery The Vigorous Execution of one Law would he sayes do more good than a Million of Proclamations But their Force is Rescinded their Course Obstructed and their Penalties Pardoned And by whom all this 'T is not therefore these Queries but this Answerer that Reflects on the Government Libells the State and speaks evil of things he understands not As God willing shall be further Evidenc'd in what follows ERRATA PAge 1. l. 5. r. Answerer p. 2 l. 19. r. Answerer l. 23. r. word p. 3. l. 17. r. man p. 5. l. 29. r. Immortalities p. 6. l. 19. r. unto Satan p. 7. l. 16. r. intended by p. 10. l. 17. r. Gongregations p. 13. l. 5. for or r. a l. 10. dele to l. 19. for in r. is l. 23. r. unitate l. 26. r. unitatis l. 26 and 27. r. Scripta p. 21. r. It will I p. 24. l. 25. r. Seneca p. 25. l. 10. r. Mysteries p. 26. l. 9. r. In Nations l. ult dele a a. p. 27. l. 10. dele it p. 29. l. 13. for theer r. his l. 19. r. acknowledged p. 31. l. 21. r. work p. 34. l. 5. r. unto l. 27 r. hear p. 35. l. 11. r. Imperatoriae p. 53. l. 14. r. the Saints p. 62. l. 25. r. Ames p. 72. l. 1. r. teneatis p. 85. l. 18. r. be forced in p. 87. l. 26. r. by an l. ult for our r. one p. 88. l. 2. r. proceed p. 89. l. 16. r. blinder p. 90. l. 12. r. impro p 91. l. 6. r. on the p. 97. l. 1. r. hath p. 100. l. 2â— r. first Ref. l. 25. r. it l. 27. r. for as p. 105. 1. for Just. r. Jurisdiction p. 108. l. 6. dele at l. 28. r. on each other p. 109 l. 6. r. alike a Leiutenant l. 6 7. r. Vicar General l. 9. r. yet she is p. 112. l. 7. r. are of p. 114. l. 30. r. eudued p. 116.
matters of Religion but to Execute before Judgement was the violation of the Law and light of Nature mention'd in the Querie And though this might serve for a sufficient Reply to so pertinent and judicious an Answer yet least he should conceit himself to have said something material though not to the present Question we will examine all he here says as we have done his preceding answers though little or nothing to the Questions before him as every intelligent and discerning Reader sees None sure ever denyed judicious Heathens to have been guilty of inflicting Coporal punishments upon Christians yet did none of them ever do it before they judg'd Christianity it self Criminal and so did not Execute before Judgement though it were an erronious and an unrighteous Judgement And if as he says it were heretofore the Devils policy to serve himself of those who were most Eminent for intellectual and moral accomplishments in persecuting Christs Disciples to beget in undiscerning minds the greater prejudice against them he seems now to have lost much of his ancient subtilty rarely imploying in that base work but the most vicious and flagitious livers It will I doubt not puzzle this Answerer to prove what he affirms viz. That they who are serious and reserv'd and stictest in their lives and Conversations are the greatest opposers of Gods Truths and the Churches Peace the contrary being evident and the very assertion a contradiction of it self Liberty of Conscience and the Magistates Power in Religion have of late indeed been the Subject of many mens thoughts and discourses But none sure do affirm that the Magistrate is not to use all due and proper means to bring men to the knowledge of God and of the service he requries of them But that secular force is a means conducive thereunto many indeed do deny the liberty of Conscience therefore pleaded for by those who are concern'd for the Honour of Religion and Power of Godliness is not as he says That men may serve or not serve God at their pleasure But that all men may be allowed the liberty of serving God as by the rule of his word they judge he would be served while under pretence thereof they become not guilty of any ral evil or impiety And that none be forc'd to conform to such ways and modes of worship as they judge sinful or may not be fully perswaded of the lawfulness of since whatever is not of Faith is Sin But as the best of things are not exempt from the worst of abuses so 't is not impossible but as some plead for Liberty of Conscience that they may render unto God an acceptable service others again may plead for liberty also to be excused the preformance of those duties God requires of them To distinguish therefore between these ought to be the Magistrates great care and concern But for this Answerer to say Because ' its the Magistrates duty to let men alone in the duty they ow to God their Creator and Redeemer i.e. in the preformance of those religious duties God requires of them and none can deny to be truly such therefore God may be either serv'd or Blasphem'd own'd or disown'd by them is such a conclusion as none I think but himself would have made for no sober man sure ever doubted it the Magistrates duty to see as much as in him lyes that God be own'd and duly serv'd by all under him and all moral evils and impieties restrain'd and punisht Nor can any pretence of Conscience excuse much less justifie as he says Blasphemy or exempt any guilty thereof or of the like moral evils from the Magistrates revenging Power which were indeed for him to bear the Sword in vain And now our Answerer craves his Reader 's patience by speaking as he says something largely to this Query when he should have crav'd his pardon rather for mistaking the Question and entertaining him with so impertinent and tedious a Combate with his own shadow But so bewitching is the pleasure of Conquest that sensible of his advantage on his man of Straw he never thinks he has sufficiently beaten him To begin therefore He craves leave to tell the Gentleman the Clergyman is none of the wisest to think that Doomsday's Judgement is the Judgement here spoken of But to do him right on all occasions he is very much in the right in saying 'T is no anticipation of Gods Judgement at Doomsday to inflict Corporal or pecuniary Penalties upon those that offend against the known and plain rules of duty in matters of Religion and therefore he need not have askt to have it shown why it should be so more in Religion then in civil concerns A Magistrate saith he for pronouncing a Sentence of Condemnation upon a Felon or a Murtherer may be said to Execute before Judgement as well as a Justice of Peace for granting a Warrant to leavy 12d upon an Atheist or Papist for not repairing upon the Lords day to his Parish Church And why then will this Gentleman this ignorant Gentleman say that the Execution of such a mild or perhaps a severer Law is a violation of the very Law and light of Nature It is indeed a Question fit to be askt and had been a folly never to have been answer'd had he said any such thing But with this learned and judicious Answerers good leave the Gentleman will take leave to say That should a Magistrate pronounce Sentence of Condemnation and Execute a Felon or a Murtherer before he were Convict and Judg'd a Felon or a Murtherer it would be such a violation of the Law and light of Nature as no sober or Judicious Heathen was ever yet guilty of The like may be said of levying 12d upon any for not coming to Church before he be Convict of not coming and his not coming Judg'd a Crime That all Nations whether Jewish Heathen or Christian have as he says assum'd to themselves the power of protecting the Honour of those Dieties they have made the object of their worship and punisht those offenders that have either neglected their duty or affronted the Majesty of those Gods which they have pretended to serve is so evident and notorious and agreeable to the Law and light of Nature that 't is time lost to prove it our Answerer therefore might have spar'd his pains in this particular and not have given himself the trouble of proving what none sure ever deny'd or doubted But he tells us of Grotius his observation out of Sneca viz. That those who violate Religion have various kinds of punishments inflicted on them but there is no Nation but inflicts some No certainly it being so far from a violation of the Law and light of Nature that nothing is more consonant thereunto And who I pray are greater violators of Religion then they who subvert or alter its Divine or Original Institutions When Numa Pompilius as he observes Instituted a Pontifex Maximus or Chief Priest and committed to him
all the words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of the Lord was it not by convincing them it was their duty so to do for it reacht no farther then to those who were present And who denies the like Power unto Christian Magistrates Nor needs there any great search in the Annals of time and History of Ages to know that Princes and People never more prosper'd then when Religion was countenanc't Idolatry punisht and the great Causes and occasions of Schism the requiring other Terms and Conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion then God requires were unknown or removed Nor is there ought in the Instances before mentioned That needs any such constructions or evasions as this Answerer speaks of to reconcile them to the liberty in Religion pleaded for For who did ever deny unto Magistrates Power to command and require their People to serve God as God hath exprest and declar'd he will be serv'd or to remove such outward appearances and Monuments of worship as are evidently and apparently false and Idolatrous which in both instances was but the Case of the before-mentioned Kings of Judah But that which is excepted against Is the prohibiting any to worship God in such a way as none can say to be against the mind and will of God or displeasing unto him or the compelling any to worship God in such a way as they Judge sinful or are not satisfied in the lawfulness of And though the State of Religion under the Gospel be far differing from what it was under the Law yet surely Princes are not as he says in a worse condition by the coming of Christ then they were in the Jewish Commonwealth where they had no power to command ought in Religion but what God willed or commanded and so they may do still by all the ways and means appointed by God and useful thereunto But what is it this Answerer hath found in the 49 chap of Isaiah to prove the Magistrates Coercive Power in Religion Gods affectionate answer to his peoples complaint promising never to forget them will not do it neither his promise of delivering them from their Enemies and adding to their numbers nor yet that Kings should be nursing Fathers and Queens nursing Mothers to his Church For Nurses do not use to force and coerce their Children but nourish and cherish them But this place does indeed imply or promise that there should be Soveraign Princes who should nourish and cherish the People of God and take care that no hurt or violence be offer'd unto them or to his Church which is as much as the Metaphor will bear since true Religion cannot be forc't or upheld by Secular power 'T is Antichristianism that is so supported and maintain'd by those who give their power and strength unto the Beast And they carry the Metaphor too farr who would have Princes like Nurses to feed their Children Christ having appointed other Overseers of his flock for that works whom the Magistrate ought indeed to protect and defend in the performance thereof but not to dictate nor prescribe to them therein There may not be wanting expositors who as he says may conceive this Prophesie to have been fulfilled when Emperours and Kings became Christians and enacted Laws to secure the Faith of Christ from all Enemies c. though they have no great Reason for it it being but too well known that Christian Religion hath suffer'd more then ever it gain'd by pretended Christian Magistrates For if Constantine protected the Truth his Successor Constantius with divers others after him persecuted it Yea the generality of Christian Magistrates for above a thousand years together by the instigations of the Bishop of Rome were its great opposers and oppressors and though for several years past God hath blessed this Nation beyond most of the Nations of the Earth with Kings and Queens who have protected and defended the Truths of the Gospel and the people of God from the Tyranny and opprssieon of that great Enemy to both yet in respect of Christendom there is little cause to say that this Prophesie was fulfilled when Kings and Emperours became Christians As there have been Laws enacted by Kings and States in behalf of the Truth so there have been infinitely more enacted against it error too soon and generally prevailing over the Christian world which for a Protestant to Question were to deny his Faith He cannot be thought a Friend to Truth who shall oppose any means conducive unto its promotion But whoever shall consider how few of the Mighty and Noble of the Earth to whom wordly Power and Authority is committed are called unto the knowledge thereof must acknowledge likewise that where one Law bath been enacted in behalf of the Truth hundreds have been enacted to its prejudice It is not therefore in opposition to Truth but for the Truths sake that we plead for its standing upon its own Bottom and prevailing by its own strength and efficacy For as the Truths of the Gospel were at first planted and propagated throughout the world by the Ministry of the Gospel and influence of the Divine Spirit without the aid and assistance of the secular Power so by the same means and methods they are best secured and preserved nor is secular force and power a means by God appointed or in its nature conducive to the promoting of Truth since 't is conviction and not force must induce assent And though some Hereticks may have seem'd to retract their opinions upon the severity of penal Laws against them there is little reason to believe that any of them thereby became real converts for though force may make an Hypocrite it can never make a true Believer If we believe not the Donatists and Independants so nearly related as this Answerer tells us having but his say so without other proof and if we are not Convinc't That Austins changing his mind proves second thoughts to be always best it will not we hope be thought any violation of the Law or light of Nature 't is not unknown how that Pious Father was molested by that petulant Faction no wonder therefore he should approve of what ever delivered him from them But would it not be very pleasant for Magistrates to change their Laws as oft as Doctors change their minds and that every new opinion should be the ground of a new Statute And yet I fully approve of what this Learned and Pious Father That Kings as is commanded them from Heaven serve God in that Office when in their Kingdoms they Command what is good and Prohibit what is evil and that not only in things that belong unto humane Society but also unto Divine Religion So they command but what is known and allowed to be good and in mens power to do and Prohibit no more then what is by the light of Nature or some positive Law of God apparently evil And if there be more passages to the same purpose as this
to be burnt alive at Geneva Query VIII Whether it is not Incongruous and Heterogeniall to punish Corporally man erring Spiritually Reply to the Answer to this Query THe Question is not here Whether any Judge or Justice can take cognizance of mens Thoughts or Consciences nor when wickedness in the heart is manifested by external action whether liable to the Magistrates Power and Inspection none I think ever questioning either of them But whether men erring Spiritually ought Corporally to be punisht Paul 's reckoning Heresies among the works of the flesh and telling the Gorinthians they were Carnal from the Schisms and disorders that were amongst them does not prove it But says this Answerer Certainly any sensual sin may be punisht by the Civil Sword What thinks he then of Hatred Wrath Covetousness Emulations Envyings and the like which are sensual Sins or works of the flesh yet not therefore to be punisht by the Civil Sword But why are they as he tells us Who gather Churches c. more then Spiritually Erronious How comes that which was the great Errand and Duty of the Apostles and their immediate Successors now to become so great a Crime Is it that Men or Children rather are now born Christians or being born in a Christian Commonwealth as it is usually though improperly exprest or in such or such a Parish they do thereby become a Church of Christ No one certainly who understands what either a Christian or a Church of Christ is can think so And wherein do they as he says dispise Government and Trample upon all Laws Did he not but now tell us The Church was a Society and that there can be no Society without Government How then comes the gathering of Churches to be a despising of Government and trampling upon all Laws undoubtedly there is a Law and a Divine Law to for the gathering of Churches if the Gospel be the Law of God as I hope neither this Answerer nor any who own themselves Christians doubt it to be There is little reason sure to say as he does The inticers to Idolatry mention'd in Deutromony might as well have pleaded it was only an error of their minds as any of our Dissenting Ministers for that none certainly can imagine that it could be a sin of Ignorance in them to draw any from the true God to worship Idols it being against the very light of Nature in that as the Apostle tell us That which may be known of God was manifest in them It may therefore for any thing this Answerer hath here said Be both Incongruous and Heterogenial to punish Corporally men erring Spiritually Query IX Whether secular force and compulsion in things of Divine and Supernatural Revelation be not the Arms of Antichrist and not of the true Church Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Answerer might have done well to hae inform'd us How secular force and compulsion in Religion towards some is as he says Anti-Christian and not towards other the difference not being evident at least to all capacities We are not here enquiring after what is so much a violation of the Law of Nations as of the Law of Nature and though our Answerer expresses his dislike of the Spaniards dealings with the Indians graciously acknowledging that propriety is not forfeited by unbelief Yet but now speaking of Dissenters here he said If they disapprove of the Decisions of their Superiours the world is wide enough they may leave the Government and betake themselves to the Communion of purer Churches which is but in other words to say Be of the Religion of your Country or abanden your Properties with the Land of your Nativity But should providence permit the Establishment of a Religion in this Nation he approves not of if he be not resolv'd to approve of whatever shall be the National Religion would he not think himself hardly dealt with to be requir'd to Conform or to abandon his Native Country He may do well therefore to meditate a little on that no less Divine then Moral precept Of doing to others as he would they should do to him The Cannon he mentions is indeeed very pertinent to our purpose So likewise is what he Cites from Tertullian and Lactantius But then without the least colour or shadow of Reason and perhaps only because Grotius says It is not just or lawful to make War upon any because they will not embrace the Christian Religion He would have this to be understood only of Princes raising Wars against Pagan Nations to compel and force them to the Profession of Christianity and imbracing of the Gospel But 't is very well and judiciously observ'd of him That these things nothing concern a Kingdom in which there is a visible and universal profession of the same Religion in that there is indeed no need of compelling or forcing any to profess what all already do profess But yet even in such a Kingdom Magistrates he says may use compulsive methods to secure their People from a totall and manifest Apostacy from the true Faith c. which we would freely allow him if compulsive methods could secure a People from Apostacy and that through ignorance or mistake of the Truth Magistrates did not too often instead thereof compell to error But none sure will say but that Magistrates may and ought to repress such Seducers as threaten the extirpation of their own Government yea and of the true Faith too were it once determined which amongst the many that would be so accounted were the true What he says of the Religious Princes of the Jewish Church hath been already spoken to Query X. Whether any one can be compelled by secular force or compulsion to perform any one Religious duty acceptably since God accepts not of any but what is volâ—ntary and of Faith which cannot be forc't And of what use then is secular Force and compulsion in Religion but to make men sin or suffer Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Query which this Answerer says with others is forged in the Shops of the Socinians and Anabaptists is with the rest grounded on the Rule of Gods word with which he seems to be little acquainted or with the due performance of Religious Duties in saying That it might with as much strength of Reason be urg'd against the Magistrates using compulsive methods towards his Subjects for the performance of the Duties of the 2d Table aâ— those of the first There being some difference beâ—ween forcing men to moral actions and Divine duties since in things moral the action however circumstantiated is in it self positively good or evil But in things of Divine Institution the manner only of the performance makes the action good or evil and therefore it is said He that Sacrificeth an Ox is as if he kild a Man and he that killeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck where the manner of performing the Command is not observ'd as well as the
matter The like may be said of all such Gospel Duties the goodness whereof depends wholly upon the Institution and therein the manner as well as the matter must be punctually observ'd nay the manner of performing these duties determines the matter of them for if they be performed in their due manner the action is good if not the action it self is sinfull This Answerer therefore runs himself into this error by not distinguishing between things in their own Nature good or evil and those things whose goodness depends wholly upon Institution and consequently on their due performance Authority therefore may oblige men to be Loyal and Peaceable Honest and Just which are moral vertues and punish them if they be Rebellious and Seditious Injurious and Theives which are moral evils Yet cannot force any in the sight of God to an acceptable performance of the one nor abstinence from the other because God accepts only of the Heart or an hearty obedience which cannot be so forc't It hath been already acknowledg'd in the case of the Kings of Israel and Judah That Magistrates may command their People to serve God as God hath commanded and they are convinc't and satisfied he will be served but no otherwise since whatever is not of Faith is sin which the Magistrate may not compel to yet may he prohibit the doing of any thing which may either dishonour or destroy Government Every King is as he says both the Minister of God and the Ruler of his People and oblig'd to the duties he mentions as hath been already acknowledg'd Nor are as he says our Governours so much to consider our willingness to serve God as our benefit and their duty But it is neither their duty to force any to worship God after any other way or manner then they are perswaded God will be worship't or that will be acceptable unto him since as hath been said what is not Faith is sin which the Magistrate by forcing to becomes guilty of Nor is it for their Peoples benefit to be forc't to any thing in Religion beyond their Convictions all such performances being in themselves sinfull And for this Answerer to say It will perhaps be found as great an Act of Justice and Charity to force some to go to Church as 't is to force some Boys to go to School speaks him very unfit to be an Instructer and Teacher of others who is himself so unacquainted with the nature and essence of Religion And whereas he says The Magistrate will find the benefit by exercising his Coercive Power in matters of Religion for 't is of that alone we are here speaking in securing the honour of his own Laws and Authority the contrary is most evident for wherever his Authority interposeth it self where the Authority of God is immediately concern'd as it is in all the Actions and duties of Religion and shall by Religious and Pious Persons be Judg'd to interfer therewith it will certainly be contemn'd and disobeyed as were the Decrees of Nebuchadnezzar and Darius Recorded in the third and sixth chapters of Daniel and as was the Authority of the Chief Priests and of the Rulers of the Jews when they forbad Peter and John to speak or teach in the name of Jesus Nor is it likely to be more beneficial to the persons on whom such methods are used for being no means of Gods appointment unto any such ends as well as in its own nature thereunto improper his blessing cannot be expected to go along with it And to say 'T is better for men to come within the possibility of being perswaded to Religion and reduced to sober apprehensions of it then to continue in their Schisms and voluntary neglect of all Piety is very wide from this Question which neither countenances Schism nor discountenances Piety but would not that any should be forced to serve God in any other way or manner then God will be served or they Judge acceptable unto him nor are all to be charged with Schism and a voluntary neglect of Piety who frequent not the Publick worship wherever they live much less to be out of a possibility of being perswaded to Religion and void of all sober apprehensions of it which yet compulsion is so far from perswading or reducing any unto that its efficacy lyes the other way it breeds rather an aversion and abhorrency towards it and towards those that use it But says our Answerer suppose the worst viz. That compelling men to Church do not produce any inward change in their minds yet certainly 't is a means conducive to so blessed an end But who I would know tells him so 'T is no means I am sure of Christs appointment nor did he himself ever use it salvation indeed he offer'd which who so refus'd at his Peril those that had ears to hear let them hear being the usual conclusion of his Sermons He sent likewise his Disciples to Preach the Kingdom of God but not to force or compel any to hear them But suppose says the Pious and Learned Bishop Davenant some should be so obstinate they will not receive this Gospel shall they then exercise no temporal Power none at all says he They are commanded to shake off the dust from their feet as a Testimony against them but they are not commanded to compel them by any external force or violence I would gladly know of this Answerer should providence permit the Re-establishment of Popery in this Nation whether the compelling him to Church would be a means conducive to his Conversion if it will can he doubt but they who would esteem it a blessed work should not be as zealous for it then as he is now Perhaps he may say the case is not the same for he is in the right while all others on either hand of him are in the wrong which is not impossible though very improbable yet whilst others think themselves as much in the right as he the case will be the same and he may reasonably enough expect the same measure he metes will be measur'd to him again That Hypocrasie the sin against which our Blessed Saviour denounced so many woes should be preferred as by him it is for the honour of Religion is what I have not before met with such Preachers therefore may well plead for compelling to their Churches who are not otherwise likely to have many hearers Nor do I understand the Logick of all mens being advantag'd by forceable methods because some may be externally reform'd while others again are thereby apparently injur'd And to what purpose does he here talk of mens being restrained from acting their abominable Lusts which we no less wish then he nor does this Query infer the contrary though he would have it thought to countenance impiety and a scornful contempt of the Church and Iustitutions of Christ when it aims only at the promoting of Piety in a due observation of Christ's Institutions by which the Nations as well as Gods
honour will be best secured Ahabs humiliation which he instances in was a voluntary action he did it not by constraint but was thereunto moved by what the Prophet said unto him and makes not therefore against the drift of this Query And who doubts that if a stop were put to gross Schisms I mean what are truly such and not unduly so call'd and bare fac'd Atheism with other villanies that abound amongst us but it would be acceptable unto God and all good men As likewise the restrâ—ining of Seducers from propagating their contagious errors would this Answerer but vouchsafe a clear and positive Answer to the 6th Query and tell us who is Judge of Truth and Error in disputable Points of Religion and not always leave it to the strongest to determine And to talk of Lawless and licencious Practices being universally pleaded for when the plea is only for a liberty to serve God in Faith without doubting is a strain beyond the ordinary bounds of Truth and Honesty But says our Answerer If men are so perverse and incorrigible as not to be reform'd themselves yet the punishmeâ—ts that are inflicted upon them may prevent the like sin in others They may so in such things as any are convinc't to be sins But what any shall judge to be theirs and others indispensable duties the punishing of some for those things will not deterr others who fear God more then men from doing the like whatever they suffer for it But so something be said and Authorities cited it matters not how applicable to the present Question Query XI Whether Christ's Rule of his Disciples under the Gospel be not by a Spiritual Power and whether to use the Temporal Sword in Religious matters be not to make the Weapons of the Gospel not mighty through God but mighty through the Magistrates Power to Arm the Church with Weapons Christ never gave her and to make her a Military rather then a spiritual Society Reply to the Answer to this Query THough what is mighty through the Magistrates Power is as he says mighty through God as he is the original and Fountain of all Power yet the Apostle tells us The weapons of their Warfare are not Carnal whereby he distinguishes between the Carnal Power of the Civil Magistrate by which the world is Govern'd in all worldly Affairs and Concerns and the Spiritual Power wherewith Christ rules his Subjects under the Gospel which this Answerer seems altogether unacquainted with having possibly never felt the power and efficacy thereof in his own Soul and to talk to such of a Spiritual Power is like talking to blind men of colours But the Magistrate says he is Gods Minister and that to the benefit and welfare of mens souls as well as their worldly and outward Estates But how or in what manner to the benefit and welfare of their Souls he is not at present dispos'd to tell us But would have us to believe the reason why Christ never made use of the Civil Magistrates Power to recommend or obtrude as he phrases it his Doctrine on the world was because the secular Powers were in the days of his flesh in open Enmity and Hostility against him But does he think Christ could not as easily have converted Magistrates as others had he so pleased or does he not know that To him was given all Power both in Heaven and on Earth and that had he thought it necessary or expedient for the Interest of Religion he could as well have commanded the Magistrates Power as any other But he declin'd it as we may reasonably enough suppose to manifest to the world that the Gospel or true Religion was wholly founded upon Spiritual Power was compleat therein and needed not the aid and assistance of secular Force But the Argument against the Magistrates Power in matters of Religion is not so much from Christs not using it as from the nature of Religion which cannot be so forc't it being seated in those faculties to which outward violence can have no access So that the unsuitableness of the means to the end aimed at as well as Christs not serving himself of it for the propagation of Christian Religion with the sufficiency of that Spiritual Power in the gifts he gave unto his Ministers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his Body Is that which renders the Magistrates Authority in matters of Religion not necessary not to say more And whereas this Answerer says That Christ was armed with such miraculous power from Heaven that he did not need any assistance from Empires or States Does he think his Arm shortned or that he now stands in more need of secular assistance then heretofore We argue not against the Churches making use of the Authority of Kings to protect herself against force and violence or the injuries or oppressions of any but against Magistrates imposing on her or on any in matters of faith and worship and yet we say with this Answerer That our Blessed Saviour in erecting his Church never intended to diminish the Power of Magistracy neither hath he it being the same now it ever was Magistrates having the same Power now that ordinarily they ever had nor is there any thing in Christian Religion but what is not only consistent but highly advantagious to Civil States and Societies in that it reacheth conscientious obedience to Authority wheresoever and in whomsoever lodg'd and faithfull dealings between man and man Though the Church be as he says a Military she is still a spiritual Society the weapons of â—hâ—se warfare are not carnal but mighty through the Spirit of God not the Power of the Magistrate to the pulling down of strong bolds and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. If this Answerer can tell us of any other weapons belonging to her we shall own our obligation to him for the discovery Query XII Whether to say the Spiritual Power Christ hath given unto his Church for the right ordering and governing thereof is not sufficient unto that end without the aid and assistance of the secular Power be not to blaspheme Reply to the Answer to this Query WE were promis'd in the last Answer to be shown in this what were the weapons of the Churches warfare but instead thereof are there told the end only of Christs giving Power to his Church which none sure ever doubted to be for the edification not destruction of the souls of his People yet we still say with the Apostle the weapons of the Churches warfare are not carnal That Christ gave gifts and neither Swords nor Guns unto men for the perfecting of Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his Body and that the Spiritual Power he gave unto his Church for the right ordering and Governing thereof is sufficient unto that end And
that error were restrain'd by such ways and means as Truth might not suffer in the stead of it And if this Reverend Person judg'd the Commonwealth in his days did well in making Laws to restrain those who depart from our Church he did not I presume think it did so some years before when it made Laws to restrain those who departed from the then Church so preferring the Relation before the Rule making the right and Equity of the Law to depend on his Judgement or Opinion of Truth and Error in Religion And if it were his Judgement as we are told That People ought to be compell'd to the Publick Assemblies though unsatisfied of the lawfulness of the Service there used it was an Erronious Judgement and of very evil consequence for by the same Rule ought all to be so compelled by those who have Power on their side and believe they have Truth also and what advantage not to speak of the unreasonableness and unjustifiablenes of the thing it self can any Protestant think Truth and true Religion will get thereby It were therefore rather to be wished that all men would observe that no less Divine then Moral precept Of doing unto others as they would be done unto The Query here is not concerning Governours requiring conformity to those things which the Judgements of Inferiours dislike or disapprove of as unmeet or inconvenient but to those things and in the worship of God only as Inferiours Judge sinfull The constraining therefore any against their Wills and Interests to do what they deny not to be honest and just reacheth not the present Question Though nothing can as he says excuse Subjects from yielding obedience to lawful Authority but the unlawfulness of what that Authority doth injoyn yet when any one is perswaded the thing commanded is unlawful though in it self lawful He may not yield obedience to it An innocent or invincibly erring Conscience as the Reverend and Learned Bishop Taylor truly tells us being to be obeyed against the known commandment of our Superiours But a man may lawfully engage upon that action which he Judges to be unmeet and inconvenient only not unlawful though he have some inward averseness and reluctancy in his mind against it and wishes that no such obligation were laid on him But our Answerer does very seasonably recollect himself in telling us it will be here said That the resolution of this case does not come home to our present Dissenters for that they Judge the commands of Authority about those things which we call indifferent to be not only inconvenient but sinfull and for that reason they deny Conformity in practice But where this hath been in part answered as he says we have not yet observ'd and wish it may be as he promises considered in the following Queries Query XVI Whether to punish any for not conforming to such Modes and Forms of Worship as in their Consciences they judge sinfull be not to punish them for not doing what is acknowledged to be their duty not to do Reply to the Answer to this Query THat 't is all mens duty as he says to Obey lawfull Authority either actively or passively none sure doubts but what is that to this Query To say that active obedience is not required by Authority to all its commands is to say Authority commands things to be done which it self judges sinfull and unlawfull which ought not to be supposed So that active obedience is by Authority requir'd to all its commands and nothing can excuse any from such obedience but the unlawfulness or supposed unlawfulness of what is so commanded But it is neither the duty of a Loyal Subject nor humble Christian as he would have it so to mistrust his own Judgement as to neglect the exercise thereof in a due Examination of the lawfullness or unlawfullness of whatever is commanded him But says this Answerer To make some nearer approaches to the Query which is but need 't is not Conscience if that thing be condemned as sinfull which is not some way or other forbid by God in the Sacred Scriptures 'T is not indeed a right Conscience but where a man is perswaded that any thing is forbid by God in Sacred Scriptures though it may not be so 't is Conscience in him not to do it though it be an Erronious Conscience yet such an one as till Convinc'd of its Error he ought not to go against And his saying It may be Humour or Fancy or Passion or Diabolical suggestions or Forestalements and prejudices imbibed by ill education and instruction c. will never prevail with Prudent and Pious men to abandon Conscience or in ought to act against it nor yet to renounce the exercise of their Judgements in yielding blind Obedience unto any which were indeed not to chuse their Religion or Act as men but like Bruits rather bear whatever shall be imposed on them So changing their Religion as oft as chance or providence shall change their Masters which indeed is very far from a Rational or manly choice Whether any can plead Conscience for not conforming to the Establisht worship of the Church of England is no part of this Query which meddles not with particulars And yet if no more as he says can be said in the case Then that he doubts whether he ought to worship God after such a manner or no it may be sufficient to hinder his Comformity notwithstanding we are told It ought not to be of that weight as to keep him from his lawfull Superiours lawfull command For he who doubts of the lawfulness of the worship may doubt likewise whether his Superiours commanding him so to worship be a lawfull command or whether his Superiour have Authority to command him so to worship for where Superiours have no right to command there lyes no obligation of Conscience on Inferiours to obey and then such a command can be no sufficient ground to supersede his doubting especially when he is perswaded he hath a plain Prohibition of Scripture against what he is commanded Neither as is said is it duty or any part of Christian meekness where the doubt is concerning the Superiours Authority for any therein to take his resolution from those claiming that Authority And though it be the sin of Dogmatizing to affirm any thing unlawfull for any to do which some Law of God still in force doth not Prohibit yet while the Question is whether there be not a Law of God now in force prohibiting the matters in doubt and which is that which occasions the doubt it can be no such sin So that 't is not impossible but both that and the disobedience here talkt of may still commence Vertue notwithstanding all that hath been here said to the contrary And yet we deny it not to be every mans duty in doubtfull matters to seek satisfaction from those whom God hath appointed to instruct and teach them but not to yield blind obedience unto any or obey them
against the Dictates of their Consciences And whether this or that particular commanded by Superiours in the Worship and Service of God be agreable with or contrary to the Law of God none may judge for another every mans Reason as the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet hath truly told us proceeding according to the rule of Gods word must therein be his own Judge Query XVII Whether it be not the duty of all Christians to walk together so far as they have attain'd and in other things wait the Revelation of the mind of God to them that differ Reply to the Answer to this Query OUr Answerer acknowledges what none can reasonably deny That every Christian is bound to frame and order the course of his life according to the measures of his knowledge And he is so in an especial manner in all the exercises of Religion in which none ought to be forc't beyond what God hath been pleased to reveal of his mind and will unto them for where any are not convinc't of the lawfulness of an action to do it to them 〈◊〉 is sin though the thing it self may not be unlawfull Nor is every one who is not of his Superiours opinion to be censur'd by this Answerer as willfull in retaining error or opiniotive in dispising those who have more knowledge then himself 'T is not impossible but Superiours may err and God approves not of blind obedience because he will not as the Reverend and Learned Bishop Davenant tells us hold them excused who with a blind zeal follow their Leaders But who are they this Answerer terms weak Christians and Babes in knowledge If such as make Conscience of their ways and actions and out of fear of offending God dare not Conform to what they are not convinc't of the lawfulness of they are so far from being weak they will one day appear to be the wisest Christians Let us not therefore judge one another but judge this rather That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way And though he tells us Babes in knowledge are not fit to be intrusted with their own Conduct and Protection c. there are those Babes to whom God hath revealed those things he hath hid from the Wise and Prudent What he says of Childrens being cccker'd and upheld in their humours is extreamly impertinent here and nothing to this Query But he tells us If men would live up to the plain Principles of their Religion or walk together so far as they have attain'd They could not possibly conceive it their duty totally to forsake their Parochial Churches and think it an arbitrary indifferent matter whether they professed themselves Christians or Infidels What he means by totally to forsake their Parochial Churches I know it there being those who though they cannot communicate with every Parochial Church nor yet with any Parochial Church in every thing are yet ready and willing to communicate with them in all Christian Offices and duties of Religion seperated from those circumstances or Adjuncts of worship of Humane Institution of whose lawfulness they are not satisfied who do not therefore totally forsake them much less think it an Arbitrary indifferent matter whether they profess themselves Christians or Infidels though they believe not all Profession of Christianity to consist in Communicating with Parochiall Churches As for his Scorners and Infidels Chair it might very well have been spared here neither this nor any of these Queries giving the least countenance or incouragement unto such or that any should go unpunisht for the neglect or contempt of Christianity An Inferiours differing in Judgement from his Superiour ought to excite his utmost â—are and diligence to search and find out the Truth But will not warrant his yielding blind obedience to any of his Dictates Be ye 〈◊〉 not the Servants of men is a Divine precept which must take place in the duties of Religion or no where Yet ought not any to Condemn a whole Church or withdraw from its Communion but where there are so great corruptions and defects in it and those too so plain and evident from Scripture as may justifie both his charge and seperation but of them the party seperating must still Judge It is the highest Vsurpation saith the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet to rob men of the Liberty of their Judgements That which we plead for against the Papists is That all men have eyes in their heads as well as the Pope that every one hath a Judicium privatae Discretionis which is the Rule of Practice as to himself and though we freely allow a Ministerial Power under Christ in the Governours af the Church yet that extends not to an obligation upon men to go against the Dictates of their Reason and Conscience Their Power is only directive and declarative and in matters of duty can bind no more then Reason and Evidence brought from Scripture by them doth Though in all Ages Christians of different opinions and perswasions may have Communicated with one another in the Offices of Religion wherein they agreed which is but what this Query calls for yet they never Communicated with one another at least ought not so to have done in those things they judg'd sinfull or superstitious nor forced each other thereunto But the Orthodox the Arians and the Novatians might lawfully enough joyn together in Prayer where their errors were not mixt with their Prayers and made a part of their worship And in that Christ and his Apostles as he says frequented the publick Assemblies both in the Temple and Synagogues it is evident though the worshippers many of them at least were guilty of great corruptions and impieties yet their worship it self was free from them they could not else have Communicated with them in their worship and not have Communicated with them in their corruptions and impieties which were Blasphemous to imagine And though our Blessed Saviour Incouraged all due Reverence and Ohedience to be paid to publick Laws and Governours in commanding the multitude to do whatever the Scribes and Pharisees who sate in Moses seat bid them to observe and do yet it was to be understood when according to Moses Law not that they had Power to ad â—o or diminish fâ—om what God had appointed or were implicity to be obeyed He having elswhere charged his Disciples to Take heed and beware of the leaven i. e. Doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces So that though all due Rererence and Obedience be to be paid to publick Laws and Governours yet is not blind Obedience to be yielded unto either being inconsistent with those Gospel precepts which command us to Prove all things To take heed that no man deceive as and as hath been said That we be not the Servants of men for that every ome must give an account of himself to God When he says That God hath made sufficient discoveries of
guided by such as are fallible but to be guided by such against their own Light and Reason As for a man to follow one who tells him He will guide him the next way from York to London though he leads him still Northward when he knows the way thither to lye Southward But could I believe my guide Infallible I might renounce my own Reason and disbelieve my very senses to follow him which way soever he lead me but till then shall think it absurd in any to force me so to do which is but the genuine import of this Query But our Answerer tells us A man may act infallibly in his station though he be not himself infallible For he he says does so who acts and proceeds by infallible unerring Rule Yet with his good leave he may herein be again mistaken For though the Rule he acts and proceeds by be streight yet if the Agent be not infallible he may through error or inability draw crooked lines by it and so cannot be said to act infallibly And indeed if what he here says were true instead of our infallible Pope he hath set up Thousands of Infallible Priests who pretend to Act and precede by an Infallible unerring Rule the Infallible and unerring word of God But to proceed by what Logick doth he frame an Argument from this Query against punishing an Atheist Does it say as he would have it that none ought to be punisht who are not Infallibly convic't or any thing to that purpose why then doth he entertain his Readers with these impertinences Yet hath Truth so far prevailed on him that he here acknowledges All Doctrines ought to be tryed and examined by their proper measures and standards c. But what he means by his mean between this and for men to be allowed a Liberty to deal with their Religion and the Truths of God as they do with their Cloathes which they put on and off and change as their fancies prompt them or as the weather or fashion alters we are yet to learn For whether are the more likely to change their Religion they who use their Reason in the choice and continuance thereof or they who therein blindly follow the guidance of their Teachers since the first are as fixt and stedfast therein as the nature of man upon the best and surest foundation is capable off while the latter whose Religion depends on the guidance of his Teacher or Leader is liable to change the one as oft as he happens to change the other Yet we do not say as this Answerer would have us That a man ought only to be guided by his own light But we do say and affirm that in the concerns of Eternity a man ought not to be forc't against his own light to be guided by others who are not Infallible and defie him to prove the contrary The instances of this Age which he says are innumerable of those who so soon as they seperate from their Mother Church know not where to abide and fix c. Are the objections of an elder Mother Church against those who forsake and separate from her But such as are United unto that Church which is the Mother of us all will not be to seek where to abide and fix though separated from all the Mother Churches in the World They are not the rational and diligent enquirers into the Grounds and Reasons of their Religion but the blind followers of their perhaps blind guides that commonly take sanctuary in Popery Query XIX Whether at the great day of account it will excuse false worshippers to say They therein followed the guidance of those who pretended to have Authority to Conduct and Govern them in the duties of Religion And whether if the blind lead the blind they will not both fall into the Ditch Reply to the Answer to this Query WE have not from him the least Answer to this Query which is no more then whether false worshippers will at the great day of account be excus'd in following the guidance of those who pretended to have Authority to Conduct and Govern them in the Duties of Religion But instead thereof are told with many unhandsom and undue reflections That by false worshippers are meant either those who serve God according to the Liturgy of the Church of England or some other Assemblies of Christians if the former the Gentleman that propâ—ses it is extreamly uncharitable if the latter the Query is impertinent But why uncharitable or impertinent is it so improbable or unreasonable to think there should be false worshippers in any of those Assemblies of Christians who serve God either with or without the Liturgy of the Church of England If it be not the Gentleman may neither be uncharitable nor the Query impertinent This Answerer therefore must either have so good an opinion of all Dissenters from the Church of England as well as of those who serve God according to her Liturgy as to esteem it impertinent to doubt of the Truth of their worship or to enquire concerning the future state and condition of such of them as may be therein misled or he will approve himself to be the uncharitable person he speaks of against all Ingenuity and Reason to apply what was indefinitely spoken to the Church of England when it is more applicable unto others And I shall be bold to tell him in his own Language It is as great an untruth as ever came from the Father of Lyes to say that this or any of these Queries obtrude that which is false and slanderous upon any or that they were chiefly designed for the unwary Country-man who is not the Person that imposes upon others in things of Divine and Supernatural Revelation or persecutes any on the account of Religion And now though it be still nothing to the present Question he tells us what false-worship is viz. Mens drawing nigh to God with their lips and putting him far away from their hearts And how does this Query charge this upon the Church of England who is neither said nor intended in it to Teach any so to do and yet there are those of her Communion who Teach Preach and Print that mens Practices even in the duties of Religion whether conformable or not to their apprehensions are the Subject of Laws And that where Truth and Authority draw contrary ways we are to follow Truth with our Soulâ— and Authority with our Bodies So that with these men Divisum Imperium cum Jove Caesar habâ—t But I would gladly know of them or of this Answerer whether what is not of Faith be not Sin Or whether it be not false-worship in any to worship God otherwise then they are perswaded he will or ought to be worshipt or whether following the guidance of these or the like though they pretend Authority to Conduct and Govern them in the duties of Religion will at the last day excuse those who shall be thus misled by them and yet we
tells us His design was to ease men of their former burdens and not to lay on more That the duties he required were no other but such as were necessary and withall Just and Reasonable That he that came to take away the insupportable Yoke of Jewish Ceremonies certainly did never intend to gall the necks of his Disciples with another instead of it and if so did not certainly give Power or Authority unto any to Institute in their room such others as they should think good it would be strange says he the Church should require more then Christ himself did and make other conditions of her Communion then our Saviour did of Discipleship Then asks What ground there can be why Christians should not stand upon the same terms now which they did in the times of Christ and his Apostles Whether Religion were not sufficiently guarded and fenced in them Whether there was ever more true and cordial reverence in the worship of God What Charter Christ hath given his Church to bind men up to more then himself hath done And then tells us The grand Commission the Apostles were sent out with was only to Teach what Christ had commanded them not the least intimation of any Power given them to impose or require any thing beyond what himself had spoken to them or they were directed to by the immediate guidance of the spirit of God What Power or Commission therefore any have since received to Institute such Ceremonies in the Worship and Service of God as they shall think good this Answerer or his Adherents may do well to inform us But instead thereof he tells us Nothing is more evident in the New-Testament than that Christ did intrust those whom he appointed in his absence to be the Ministers of his Church with the Government of it He did so and yet he did not Empower or Authorise them to Institute in the Worship and Service of God such Ceremonies as they should think good But says our Politick Answerer This Government could not subsist without the Enacting of Laws for its own and the Churches preservation for that Christ intended c. How does that appear we find nothing in his Gospel of any such intention nor have we reason to believe he intended any should Enact other Laws for the Government of his Church than what himself Enacted since 't were to deny the Scriptures sufficiency unto that end and its being a perfect Rule of our Faith and Obedience in all Gospel Duties and Administrations and in plain term's to tell us that Christ was not faithfull to him that appointed him as was Moses in all his House in that he left not as did Moses a compleat Volume of Laws for its Rule and Government We wish therefore this Answerer would acquaint us with the Instrument by which the Apostles made over their Authority of Enacting Laws for the Government of the Church to their Successors in that it would tend greatly to their conviction who have hitherto been in an error and very much deceived if the Lord Christ be not the sole Lord over and Law-giver to his Church and that the Apostles neither did nor could Delegate a Legislative Power to their Successors being themselves Ministers only of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Power of the Keys committed unto them not being a Power of giving Laws to the Church but a Power of Teaching and Ruling the Church according to the Laws which Christ himself had given and those as he says not to that present Age of Christians but to all Succeeding Ages in which his Church was to continue in the World they being evey way sufficient to continue and preserve upon Earth a visible Church untill his Second coming But so far this Answerer is in the right That there could have been no such Society if there had been no Law for its Vnity But he should withall have consider'd that there neither could nor can be any Law for its Unity but from an Universal Law-giver the obligation of no Law extending farther then the Iuâ—â—â—â—â—tion or Authority of the Legislator So that it is altogether impossible for any but the Lord Christ to Enact Laws for the visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods sacred Worship since the Jurisdiction or Authority of none other can reach or oblige all Christians That our Blessed Saviour was greatly concern'd for the Unity of his Church none sure ever doubted But the words quoted by this Answerer from St. Johns Gospel relate not so much to the external visible Unity of the Church as to the internal mystical Union that is between Christ and his Members Yet he tells us That which he would principally have the Reader observe in them is The care that our Blessed Lord and Master took for that great Essential of Christianity the Vnity of the Church No doubt he did both for the internal and external Unity thereof and that not only in his frequent calling on his Disciples to Unity and to love one another making it a Caracteristical note of their relation unto him By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another But also in commanding them to teach the observation of all things whatsoever he commanded them which would all who would be accounted his Disciples likewise observe and do without setting up their Posts as the Prophet speaks by his Posts Unity would not be wanting among Christians nor yet throughout the Christian world a due uniformity in the external Administration of Gods Sacred worship which variety of Rites and Ceremonies in particular Churches destroys And it may be truly enough said by him That it is impossible for the Gospel to be propagated and upheld by Faith and Charity only as they are lodg'd in mens Hearts unless the Fruits of these Graces were exerted in some things that were visible and obvious to sense and therefore outward worship is required that the inward may be exercised and expressed for to talk of inward worship without any outward expressions thereof is but a Cloak for Atheism But for this Answerer to tell us That the Churches Vnity was the main thing that Christ took care of before his Crucifixion That it is the great Essential of Christianity the very being of Christian Religion depending on it And that the main principle of all Christian Amity and affection is the visible Vnity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship which ought to be Vniform and undevided and then conclude That variety of Rites in one National Church would cause Division of Judgement and of affection Is such an explanation of the Unity of the Church and visible Unity of Christian Communion in the External Administration of Gods Sacred Worship as I think the world was never before blest with For was it the Unity of a National Church only that Christ took such care of and which is the great essential of Christianity or is
it the visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship in a National Church only that is the main Principle of all Christian Amity and affection certainly if variety of Rites in a National Church cause divisions of Judgement and of affection variety of Rites in the Universal or Catholick Church will cause the same also so that it is a visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship throughout the Universal or Catholick Church that is the main principle of all Christian Amity and affection experience telling us what sad Divisions Feuds and Animosities have and do daily arise among Christians from the variety of Rites in the external Administration of Gods worship enjoyned by particular Churches of several Denominations even to the destruction of that external as well as internal Unity which is the great Essential of Christianity and which Christ so earnestly recommended to his Church So that if the Internal Unity of the Church as well as External Unity of Christian Communion in the publick Administration of Gods Sacred Worship be desirable as most certainly they are and ought to be They are no otherwise to be attained then by all Christian Churches Universally adhering to the Rule of the Gospel and enjoyning no other Rites or Ceremonies in the external Administration of the worship of God and requiring no other conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion then that enjoyns and requires Nor hath our Answerer more reason to say That many Assemblies of Christians Independent one 〈◊〉 of another though living under the same civil Government do weaken and will at last destroy Christianity Than others That National and Provincial Churches rejecting at the Popes Supremacy destroy the Unity of the Church and endanger the very being of Christian Religion Nor yet That from such small beginnings and Independent Communions there would have been no more possibility to have spread and propagated Christianity in the world than an Army divided and scatter'd into Parties could be able Encounter with another that was Vnited and observ'd all the Orders of the chief commander since as the Apostle tells us God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and experience hath told us That from such small beginnings and Independent Communions Christianity hath been spread and propagated over the world But if as he intimates An Army divided and scatter'd into Parties is not able to Encounter another that is Vnited and observes all the Orders of the chief Commander How will those National and Provincial Reformed Churches which are but divided and scatter'd Parties of the Christian Army and Independent one 〈◊〉 of another be able to Encounter the Papacy which is United and observes all the Orders of their chief Commander So strangely does prejudice and Partiality blind men as that they see not how they argue against themselves unless they are of that Army whose Principles and Practices they embrace and follow while they would be thought to skirmish with it This Answerer may therefore know if he pleases That though the Church be compared to an Army it is not in being like Officer'd as having a Leiutenant or Vicar-General Major-Generals Colonels c. or such like subordination of Officers depending upon or centering in one and yet th◠is not without her Officers who though at the head but of single Companies observing all the Orders of their Chief Commander are and have been able to Encounter the United Power of Men and Devils making War against the Lamb and his followers But our Answerer having explain'd as he tells us One of the main vitals of Christianity viz. The Vnity of the Church advises his Reader farther to consider That in the days of Christs abiding upon Earth there could not possibly be any Law for the preservation of its Vnity for the reason he mentions and therefore Jesus Christ gave Power and Authority to his Apostles and their Successors to Institute such Ceremonies and Rituals in Religion as they in their own Prudence should judge most agreable to the manners and Customs of the Nations they should convert and which tended to promote true Piety and goodness in their hearts and lives But for this the Reader is desired likewise to consider we have but his bare word he not offering the least proof of any such Power committed by Jesus Christ to his Apostles and their Successors the Commission he gave unto his Apostles being but to teach the observation of such things as he had commanded them so far was he from leaving it to them and much less to the prudence of their Successors to Institute and appoint such Rituals in Religion as they should think good These things therefore are fondly and groundlessly asserted and no less inconsistent with what himself but now said than repugnant to the Gospel For if those Rites which were agreeable to one sort of People would not be so unto others and the Governours of the Church were to appoint as he says such Rituals in Religion as in their prudence they should judge most agreeable to the manners and Customs of those Nations they should convert what becomes of his main principle of all Christian Amity and Affection The visible Vnity of Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship which he but now told us ought to be uniform and undevided 〈◊〉 it is so far from being impossible that in the days of Christs abode upon Earth there should be as he says any Law made for the preservation of the Churches Vnity that it is altogether impossible as hath been demonstrated that any but Jesus Christ or less then an omnipotent Power should be able to Enact any such Law Neither hath our Lord Christ Instituted any Rite or Ceremony in Religion but what will very well suit with the Manners and Customs of all Nations He would never else have commanded his Disciples to teach all Nations to observe all things whatsoever he commanded them Yet so fond is our Answerer of his fancies as to repeat them in telling us That when Christ made void the Law of Ceremonies in the Jewish Church he intended though he gives us no evidence of such his intention to inspire the minds of his Apostles and their Successors with so much soundness and integrity of wisdom and understanding that they should be able by their own Reasons to Enact such Laws and Orders as should preserve the external Vnity of the Church and render Religion so amiable as that it should not be quite naked and destitute of all external Ornament and Beauty In which he expresses but his own vain and carnal thoughts of Religion Christian Religion being certainly most amiable when most suitable to the simplicity of the Gospel the beauty of whose worship consists not in external Rites and Ceremonies in which even where they most exceed it comes far short of the Ceremonies and Ordinances under the Law and yet the
Apostle prefers the Gospel worship far above that for Glory Beauty and Comliness which shews that these things have no respect unto outward Rites and Ceremonies And though he tells us It is not in the least repugnant to the wisdom of Christ towards his Church to invest the Governours of it with Authority to Institute new Ceremonies in his worship c. Yet the contrary is evident in that it speaks him either wanting towards it in not appointing things necessary or not so wise as others to find out such things as conduce to its Edification and Beauty And in Commissioning his Disciples to teach only the observation of such things as he commanded them rejecting the honour given unto him by those whose worship of him is taught them by the precepts of men he sufficiently declares That no other Rites or Ceremonies but what are Divine of Institution are to be enjoyn'd or made necessary to be observ'd by any in the Worship and Service of God If by positive Laws made for the external Regiment of the Church the Bishop cited by him means Laws only for the ordering and disposing of things without the Church though about it we have nothing more to say against it than that it is not the present Question Nor do we argue from Christ's abrogating those Ceremonies that God himself had appointed that no others ought to be introduced into the Church We only ask Whether Jesus Christ who came to take away the Yoke of Jewish Ceremonies appointed by God himself hath given Power and Authority unto any to Institute in their room such others as they shall think good And are perswaded he hath not not because he abrogated those which were appointed by God himself but because no worship is acccptable unto God but what is of Faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God and Faith in all things respects the commands and Authority of God So that the Governours of the Church can have no Authority to Institute or Appoint any thing in the Worship and Service of God either as to matter or manner beyond the orderly observance of such circumstances as necessarily attend such Ordinances as Christ himself hath Instituted but by express command or Commission from God Let this Answerer therefore shew their Authority to Institute new Ceremonies in his Worship and he may be better thought of then otherwise I presume he will be by those who fear God and desire to keep his commandments Nor does it in the least reflect upon the wisdom and goodness of God as he says to give unto Civil Powers Commissions to make such Laws as they please for securing the Peace and civil Rights of their People and none unto the Guides of the Church to make Laws for the preservation of Religion c. But is rather an Argument of his great love and care of his Church not to leave her to the ordering and disposing of men which unavoidably as wofull experience manifests must fill her with Schisms and Divisions but to have himself given her a standing Rule or Law whereby she ought to be Universally Goâ—vern'd and which is every way sufficient would her Guides and Governours faithfully and diligently attend unto it for the preservation of Religion against the Deluges of Heresies and Schisms and to secure Christians in the Paths of Piety and Order of Vnity and Peace which as hath been shewn it is altogether impossible for any other Law or Lawgivers ever to effect Nor was it from the dulness and Indocibleness of the Jews as our Answerer would have it That God gave them Rules for their behaviour in the civil concerns of their lives and the smallest instances of his worship But for that he had chosen them above all the Nations of the Earth to be a peculiar People unto himself in whom he would be glorified therefore Establisht he a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel And that he gave them Rules in the smalest instances of his worship was that he would be worshipt in the way and by the means only of his own appointment But the appearing of Christ saith this Answerer Hath abolisht the darkness of mens minds c. though but now to serve another turn he told us Mens minds were dark and they were therefore blindly to resign up themselves to they knew not whom such is his dexterity in blowing hot and cold with the same breath and men are sometimes to be men and sometimes Bruits as he hath occasion to serve himself of them Yet is Life and Immortality brought to light through the Gospel and Gods Image in a great measure repair'd â—nd restor'd in the soul of man But of what man not of the Carnal or unregenerate but of him that is born again They are the Saints only and faithfull Brethren in Christ who are deliver'd from the Power of Darkness the God of this world still blinding the eyes of those that believe not And they are the Regenerate only who are endeud with the Spirit of Power and Wisdom of knowledge and a sound mind But we do not yet find that even they are empower'd to make Laws for Ceremonies and Rituals in Religion or that such Ceremonial Laws as by some have been made have much conduced to common benefit or conspir'd to the glory of God and mutual good of Christians But on the contrary have introduc'd a Theatrical Pompous Carnal worship among the generality of Christians instead of that spiritual worship which God requires and without which no other worship will ever be acceptable unto him And he that will look back as our Answerer advises To the first Ages of the Church wherein the Offices of Christian Religion were adorn'd with that comly simplicity modest magnificence and awfull Reverence c. He speaks of will not find any other Laws for Rites and Ceremonies in Religion than the Law of the Gospel or Canon of the Holy Scriptures But our Answerer comes now to his Argument à fortiori and tells us That if it were in the Power of the Primitive guides of the Church to enjoyn Christians the abrogated Ceremonies of the Jewish Law for the Propogation of the Christian Faith much more must it be in the Power of their Successors to Institute others and so many in their stead as may conduce to so high and generous an end But the abolisht Ceremonies of Moses were observ'd by Christians and that by â—he express warrant and command of the Apostles 〈◊〉 in their abstaining from blood from things â—rangled and from things offer'd to Idols But 〈◊〉 he not herein mistaken for these were not â—ommanded as Ceremonies but prohibited as â—candals to the new Converted Jews Nor do we find any Warrant or Command either express or implicit of the Apostles for the Observation of Easter Or that they ever enjoyn'd or commanded circumcision but we find them declaring they commanded it not And St. Paul tells the Galatians If they
be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing So far were the Apostles from commanding the Observation of the abrogated Ceremonies of the Jewish Law which is indeed a contradiction interminis for if they had Apostoâ—ical warrant and command they were not abrogated but we must bear with small slips if we will not Create to our selves endless trouble But 't is at length acknowledg'd That Gods will is to be the Rule of his worship and our Answerer hopes to salve all in saying That it were the most sacrilegious Invasion of Gods Prerogative to make humane Inventions the essentials of his worship But for Rites and Ceremonies the Governours of the Church may it seems Institute such and so many as they shall think good And if so let him tell us why the Church of Rome hath not the same Authority as other Churches to Institute such Ceremonies as she also shall think good and how comes he to censure hers as vain and foolish ridiculous and superstitious while she exercises but the Authority he allows her Instituting no other Ceremonies then she judges conducive to so high and generous an end as the propogation of the Christian Faith and which render Religion amiable by its external Ornaments and Beauty But what may this Answerer mean by the essentialls of worship A dear friend of his tells us The essence of Religious worship consists in nothing else but a gratefull sense and temper of mind towards the Divine goodness and as for all that concerns external worship 't is no part of Religion it self and if this be his Judgement also he may tell us 'T is the most sacrilegious Invasion of Gods Prerogative to make humane Inventions the Essentials of his worship and yet retain a liberty of introducing all the vain and foolish ridiculous superstitious Ceremonies now in use in the Roman Church when ever he shall change his thoughts of them and judge them to render Religion amiable and beautifull But certainly nothing is more evident in Scripture than that the due observance of the outward Institutions in Religion come under the notion of the worship of God So did the Sacrifices of old and so do the present Sacraments of the Church which were and are parts of outward worship and I suppose of Religion too and whatever is made so necessary to be observ'd in the worship of God that without it the worship is not to be perform'd is thereby made an essential of worship for that which is so the matter of a thing that without it the thing cannot be is of the essence of that thing But he tells us All that is pleaded is but that the Church of England may be allowed the same priviledge which all Sects and Parties assume to themselves viz. To determine the circumstances of Religion which is so reasonable that it cannot either in Reason or Justice be denyed Then he tells us There is no Sect but the Authority of their Teachers prevails in those Instances and Rites where there is no word of God to warrant the things that are practis'd by them Instancing in the worship perform'd as he says by Independents asking what Scripture they have to prove their Covenant which the Members of their Churches swear to before they are admitted by their Pastors and Elders Though he finds no mention of any such Covenant sworn to in the declaration of the Faith and Order owned and Practis'd in their Churches wherein as well their Order as common Faith is declar'd Neither of which do they or did they ever that I have heard of impose upon any and yet are able I presume to give an Answer unto every man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them To them therefore I shall refer him for farther satisfaction in the particulars he mentions if he desires it And for the present shall only tell him There is some difference between a confession of Faith and imposing Articles of Faith Yea or Rites and Ceremonies And will he now say In verbo Sacerdotis or upon his Reputation That the Church of England in appointing of her Rites and Ceremonies does no more then appoint circumstances concerning the worship of God common to humane Actions which are to be order'd by the light of nature and Christian Prudence according to the general Rules of the word Or why does he thus impose upon his credulous and unwary Reader But he tells us If the Governours of the Church of England did command such and such things then Dissenters had some reason to separate from its Communion which is but a copy of his countenance he elsewhere telling us That the Governours of the Church have Power to Institute such Ceremonies as they shall think good and that it is the peoples duty to obey Yea he advises them to resign up themselves to the Fathers of the Church rather than attend to 〈◊〉 the Dictates of their own dark minds which takes away not only the liberty of separating but even of examining the commands of their Spiritual guides And having thus reduced them to an implicit Faith he may be bold to tell them There were as many or more Ceremonies made use of in the very Age of the Apostles and then Instituted by them than are now in the Church of England and instance in half a score not one of which were ever Instituted by the Apostles Yet after all his boldness he speaks but faintly in saying If he be mistaken in his conjecture about this matter yet 't is no way injurious to the present Power of the Church of England in appointing symbolical or significative Ceremonies in Gods worship for that the Primitive Christians under the Heathen Emperours were much like the Israelites in their Egyptian Bondage rather concern'd to maintain the life and being of Religion then to be curious about the Apparel and Ornament thereof And would to God there were no pretended Christians in these days more concern'd about the Apparel and Ornament as they term them of Religion then to maintain the life and being thereof And how unhandsomly does he reflect here on the Primitive Christians in saying When Kings and Emperours became Christian then they began to glorifie God with their bodies and to honour him with their substance and Estates c. As if till then they had been unmindful of the Apostles precept of glorifying God in their bodies and in their spirits or what thinks he of those who before that sold their Possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need Did not they as much honour God with their substances and Estates as those who adorn Temples But such gross and carnal thoughts have some of the most High Who dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands as to think him still delighted and pleased with mens Erecting Dedicating and Adorning of Temples in which they generally place more of their Religion than in the performance of the most spiritual and
leave and forsake them 't is no very good sign or token of their Ministerial Gifts and Abilities But it is a presumptuous and too bold comparison he here makes between the Success of Christs Ministry while he exercised it in his own Person upon Earth and that of the Clergy of England For though taking on him the form of a Servant he was made in the likeness of men yet couâ—d he have Converted Millions of sinners as well as have commanded Legions of Angels if it had so pleased him The Cases of Elijah and of Athanasius he instances in are not at all to the present purpose for we do not say that Peoples leaving or forsaking their Pastors is an Argument of their having lost all spiritual Power and Authority But Pastors leaving or forsaking the Spiritual means by Christ appointed for the Rule and Government of his Church and applying to and using of other means than he appointed and commanded them to the subversion and ruine of his Discipline is an Argument of it And here I cannot but take notice of the great Pique our Answerer hath against liberty in Religion in that he would have the Prophets apprehension That the whole Israel of God had forsaken his Covenant to proceed from the general indulgence granted by Ahab to all kinds of Religion as well as Impieties when though there may be reasâ—n enough to believe he indulg'd all kind of Impieties in that it is said He did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger then all the Kings of Israel that were before him there is not the least evidence of his indulging all Kinds of Religions in that though there were 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Ball the Prophet knew not of one true worshipper besides himself which is no great Argument of their being indulged among the all kind of Religions he talks of But to conclude whoever as he says shall seriously consider the depraved Nature of Man how much more prone it is to embrace Vice than Vertue Error than Truth and the Novel rather than the good old way of Religion will not be much startled or wonder that the greatest part of mankind should forsake the Truth and true Religion which have Persecution and outward sufferings usually accompanying them to embrace those Religions which not only indulge them in their Lusts but have the greatest worldly Interests and advantages attending them Query XXV Whether are not they Strangers to the Power and efficacy of the Divine Spirit or distrustfull of Gods Providence to be always with his Church who think Christianity which both began and spread it self over the world for several hundreds of years under Heathen and Persecuting Emperours cannot stand or continue supported by the same Divine Presence and Protection to the Worlds end without the Aid and Assistance of the Civil Magistrate Reply to the Answer to this Query WE do not say nor did we ever think the first Reformers of Religion in this or any other Nation were Strangers to the Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit or distrustful of Gods Promise to be always with his Church Because the whole Reformation was not without the Aid and Assistance of civil Magistrates But bless God rather for their Cooperating in so good a work And yet we shall not scruple to say They had been strangers to the Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit and its operations on the Souls of men had they believed the Reformation could not have been effected without them And to ask what Archbishop Cranmer Hooper Ridly c. could have done to restore Religion to its Purity and Truth had they not been seconded and Assisted by the civil Magistrate would have better become a Turkish Mufti then a Gospel Minister Does he think the Power and Efficacy of Gods Spirit in the mouths of his Preachers not sufficient to convert the most obstinate and to bring into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ How then did not only Peter and Paul with the rest of the Apostles but the Primitive Christians for several Ages after them propagate Christianity and the Truths of the Gospel not only without the assistance but even against the greatest opposition of civil Magistrates And what can be more to the disparagement of the then Englishâ— Clergy and derogatory to the Spirit of God then to say as he does they might as well have attempted to have pull'd the Sun out of its Orb as ever to have Reformed Religion by the Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit without the Aid and Assistance of the civil Magistrate Does he think things were then amongst them as he would have them thought to be amongst us That the Presence of God and Assistance of his Holy Spirit were to be look't upon as miraculous concurrences with the Clergy in the management and Exercise of their Ministerial Office I trust they are not and that he judges both of the one and of the other but by himself But so far I agree with him That as Kingdoms and States so Religion and the Church are to be secured and npheld by the very same means and methods by which they were established And so the Church of England as founded in Prelacy by the Kings and Nobles of England as hath been shown must be secured and upheld by the same means and methods or it will not long so continue but as Christian wherein it was founded by the mouths of Preachers with the Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit it will I trust be so secured and upheld to the worlds end Yet that God will withal vouchsafe her so great a blessing That Kings and Queens may ever be her Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers to protect and defend her from the rage and violence of wicked and unreasonable men since all men have not Faith is my hearty desire But our Clergy man sensible it seems how things are now amongst them is distrustful of Gods continuing his Church with us and therefore would have the Gentleman consider in what Scripture he hath promis'd that either Christianity in general or Protestantism in particular should for ever continue the Establisht Religion of this Kingdom We know indeed of no particular promise concerning the Establisht Religion of this Kingdom but this we know That where two or three are gathered together in Christs name he hath promised to be in the midst of them and that he told his Disciples while they taught the observation of all things which he commanded them he would be with them to the worlds end So that if Christianity continue not with us it is by oâ—r own default in forsaking Christ and disobeying his commands He is pleased to acknowledge here what could not well be denied That Christianity spread it self over the world under Heathen and Persecuting Emperours only by the Power of the Divine Presence and Protection without the Aid of the civil Magistrate But looks upon it as miraculous
and not to be depended on and would not because some have been fed from Heaven without the help of ordinary and common sustenance that others therefore should refuse their daily bread No certainly no wise or sober man will ever do that but rather thankfully accept of the Magistrates favour and assistance if he will have that to be the Churches daily bread though I should have thought the Divine presence and Influences of the Holy Spirit might rather have been so esteemed and to substitute in the place thereof the Magistrates Coercive and Compulsive Power savours more of Mahumetism than of Christianity So little reverence hath he for our Blessed Saviour as to tell us with a seeming contempt of him That true Religion flourisht before ever he came in the flesh though he acknowledges it was by the Divine Protection without the Aid of the civil Magistrate But so soon as the Israelites were settl'd in the Land of Promise The true Religion he says no longer thriv'd and prosper'd among them then it was encouraged and protected against all false and Forraign Religions by the civil Magistrate God having then as he would have us to believe withdrawn his Divine and Spiritual Assistances from it committing the sole care and concerns thereof to the civil Magistrate What then became of Religion when those Magistrates neglected their duty both towards it and towards God was there then no true Religion in Israel or does he think it did not then thrive or prosper in the hearts of any which is the proper Seat of Religion The Apostle tells us Godliness is great gain but gain with some is the only godliness and they think Religion never thrives or prospers but in the outward Prosperity of its Professors though the contrary be evident and so David tells us Before I was afflicted saith he I went astray but now have I kept thy word and again It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes Yet will it not be denyed but that the example and countenance of Superiours hath a great influence on the behaviour and conversation of Inferiours according to the old saying Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis yet Religion does not stand and fall with them for even in Ahabâ— Reign there were 7000 who bowed not the knee to Baal who yet were neither Schismaticks nor to be censur'd as disobedient to Superiours because they were not of the then establisht national Religion But to conclude our Answerer tells us in plain terms Although Christianity were planted by miracles i.e. By the Power of the Divine Presence and its Protection only without the aid of the civil Magistrate yet its preservation can be effected by no other means than Laws forgetting what he but now told us That as Kingdoms and States so Religion and the Church are to be secured and upheld by the very same means and methods by which they were aâ—quired But Mahumâ—â—atism prevailing hath it seems alter'd his mind and now he judges the Sword of the Spirit unable to preserve Christianity without the aid of the Civil Sword and that Christs promised Presence with his Church to the worlds end together with the Gifts he gave unto men for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his body are not of themselves sufficient for the preservation of Christianity Yea he sticks not to tell us That these have slept for these fifteen hundred years judging it seems others as things are now amongst us such as himself and consequently that Christ continu'd not his Gifts unto men for the ends before-mention'd nor yet his Presence for the preservation of his Church above one hundred and fifty years so leaving her for an hundred and odd years without either Civil or Spiritual means for her Preservation it being 300 years after Christ before she had the Aid or Protection of the Civil Magistrate such an excellent Advocate for Christ and his Church hath this Learned and Judicious Answerer approv'd himself Query XXVI Whether to Persecute upon the account of Religion be not an Indication of a Cainish Ishmalitish and Wolfish Nature and a certain sign that such are none of Christs Sheep Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Answerer is sure the first that ever quarrel'd at the severities of any expressions against such as persecuted on the accouut of Religion there being certainly no viler miscreants on the Earth than they who molest or trouble any for rendring only unto God the Homage due from the Creature to the Creator And though he knows of none of the Socinian writers that press as he says this Argument with that bitterness as is expressed in the Query Yet he may soon find some among the Orthodox who have prest it in the same words and from whom indeed the Query was but borrowed The Reverend Learned and Pious Dr. Henry More of Cambridge having declared Liberty of Religion to be the common and Natural right of alâ— Nations and Persons tells us how Grotious gives several instances thereof in his De jure belli Pacis where he cites one of the Canons of the Council of Toledo Praecipit Sancta Synodus c. The Holy Synod Decrees that none hereafter shall by Force he compelled to the Faith for God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will be hardneth Also Tertullian lex nova non se vindicat ultore gladio The Gospel supports not it self by the punishing Sword He Cites also the constitutions of Clemens Athanasius and Chrysostom to the same purpose who expressly exclude Force and Compulsion in bringing over to Christianity And certainly they who are brought over to it ought not therefore to be treated with less of Reason and Moderation That also saith our Reverend and Learned Doctor is remarkable which Bishop Jewel notes out of Chrysostom in the 19th Homily on St. Matthew Nunquid ovis lupum persequitur aliquando c. Does the Sheep ever persecute the Wolf no but the Wolf the Sheep so Cain persecuted Abel not Abel Cain so Ishmael persecuted Isaac not Isaac Ishmael so the Jews persecuted Christ not Christ the Jews Hereticks persecute Christians not Christians Hereticks by their fruits therefore ye shall know them whereby he plainly implies that Persecution for Conscience sake is A very Vnchristian or Antichrstian Symptom And smartly again in the same Homily Quem vides in sangnine persecutionis gaudeâ—â—tem lupus est He that is a Persecutor is no Sheep of Christs but a Wolf And lastly for it were an infinite business saith he to prosecute this common place that is a shrewd intimation of the Apostle be that was after the flesh persecuted him that was after the Spirit so great an Antipathy is there between the carnal and truly Regenerate Christian which should make any man afraid to feel any persecuting motions arise in his breast as being Indications of a Cainish Ishmaelitish
and Wolvish Nature and a certain sign that such are none of Christs Sheep These are the bitter expressions which our sweet-natur'd and tender-hearted Answerer hath not met with among his Socinian acquaintance and which his meek and gentle Spirit cannot bear against his Brethren But the Reverend and Pious Dr. More farther tells us That the cruel and bloody Persecution of the true and living Members of the Kingdom of Christ for their faithful adhering to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign who is stiled King of Kings and Lord of Lords is certainly the most signal and capital Antichristianism that any Policy can be corrupted with and the most grossly and visibly opposite both to the nature of Christianity which beareth all things and endureth all things which will not be over severe to the wicked much less cruel to the good And also to the description of Christs Government who is said to redeem the Souls of the needy from deceit and violence and that their blood is precious in his sight he shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather his Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his bosom This is the genuine Spirit of the true Christian Pastors whether of higher or lower degree to be thus tenderly affected towards their Sheep But such as thwack and beat them and violently drive them instead of going before them in a way of Christian example these are not Shepherds but Butchers and will easily drive them to the Shambles and see their throats cut without remorse This being the genuine Spirit as he truly says of the true Christian Pastors to be thus tenderly affected towards their Sheep what shall we judge of those who not only thwack and beat and violently drive them but are so tenderly affected towards their Persecutors they cannot bear their being hardly spoken of And how impertinent are we here told while inquiring only after the nature of those who persecute upon the accouut of Religion of the enacting Laws to punish those that violate and deflowr Religion as if to persecute for Religion and punish the Violaters of Religion were the same thing We diswade not as he insinuates inflicting punishments upon sensual and unrighteous Persons such as violate the Laws of either Table and are far from thinking Christian Justice and Righteousness inconsistent with Clemency and Lenity of Spirit Yet is it neither just nor righteous to Execute before Judgement And as our Blessed Saviour is stiled the Shepherd of Souls and as he says That Title imports that he would have not only his Lambs and Sheep fed but grievous Wolves watch and their mouths stopt too when they devour the flock and teach things which they ought not for filthy Lucre ' s sake It becomes a duty to stop his mouth who endeavours what he can that Christs flock should be devoured teaching notorious untruths and things which he ought not for filthy Lucer's sake Nor will it I doubt advantage him That as Christ is a meek Saviour to returning sinners so he is a terrible Judge to Apostates and evil doers while he continues a Persecutor since against such as himself hath told us His Arrows are ordain'd And though as he says he begins to Execute vengeance in this world by raising up men of undaunted Spirits who make Righteousness the girdle of their Loins and Judgement their Robe and Diadem to succour his Church support his Worship and punish his Enemies yet such will never persecute for Religion nor think those to give ill example unto others or to become Schismatical and disorderly in their Stations who serve God according to the rule and order of the Gospel nor judge any evil Doers for rendring unto him the Homage due from the Creature to the Creator seeing by this no occasion is given to the Enemy to reproach and blaspheme the good ways of God whatever occasion some Cainish or Ishmalitish spirits may thence take so to do But for such as have erred and strayed from the flock of Christ or neglect the Christian duties he requires of them let the Magistrate in Gods name and by the ways and means of his appointment reduce or otherwise punish them no good Christian will certainly ever be displeased thereat But says our Answerer 'T is no indication of any such nature as the Query mentions to punish evil Doers It is not indeed nor does the Query say it is but to persecute on the account of Religion as Cain persecuted Abel Ishmael Isaac c. and as their followers at this day persecute such as are more righteous than themselves is an Indication of such a nature as the Query mentions And now if Magistrates will not do as he would have them He declares them wickedly unjust and all those terrible Epithetes mentioned in the Query to be ascribed to them what then is it he would have them to do To break the Jaw-bone of the wicked and pluck the spoil out of their teeth So would every honest and good man To repay men according to their deeds fury to his Adversaries and recompence to his Enemies and who desires not the same to imploy their Powr for his honour from whom it descends nothing sure is more just Not to permit the Christian Faith to be torn in pieces by a thousand Sects and Factions and Wolves to prey upon Christs flock This above all is indeed their duty and 't were to be wished they would carefully observe it and not suffer much less assist any to impose their thoughts or fancies in the Agenda and Credenda of the Gospel upon others but permit the Scriptures to be the Sole Rule of all mens Faith and Obedience in all Gospel Duties and Administrations Nothing being more evident than that particular Churches or Persons assuming to themselves a Power to Decree Articles of Faith and impose them upon others is that which hath torn the Christian Faith in pieces and divided the Church into Sects and Factions and which gives opportunity unto Wolves to prey upon Christ's flock and to the great Enemy of mankind and his wicked Instruments to sport themselves in her ruine corrupting the worship of God with their additions and bringing scorn and contempt upon all the Offices of Christianity and the whole Ministry thereof Let all men saith the Learned and Judicious Mr. Chillingworth Believe the Scripture and that only and endeavour to believe it in the true sense and require no more of others and they shall find this not only a better but the only means to suppress Heresies and restore Vnity For he that believes the Scripture sincerely and endeavours to believe it in the true sense cannot possibly be an Heretick And if no more than this were required of any man to make him capable of the Churches Communion then all men so qualified though they were different in opinion yet notwithstanding any such difference must be of necessity one in Communion And if as he
this Answerer That the not punishing of these is prejudicial both to Church and State the one being thereby over-run with Factions and Seditions and the other as wofull experience tells us with Schisms Heresies and Contentions But our Answerer grows pleasant and plays with his Reader in telling him Dissenters are persecuted to what the Primitive Christians were persecuted from viz. Their Churches or Publick place of Divine worship for Dissenters are not certainly persecuted to their Churches though some may account it a persecution to be compelled unto his There hath been and may be great difference in the Causes as well as Degrees of Persecution but whoever suffers in any kind for his faithful adhering unto the plain and undoubted Commands of his Heavenly Soveraign the Authorâ— thereof will not be excus'd because others have been more barbarous and cruel than they And yet that even these are not as bad as the worst may be ascribed rather to the good hand and providence of God and moderation of those in Authority restraining them than to their good wills or desires The instance he gives us of a Father's correcting his child and the childs crying out Mâ—ther is very impertinent here Parents may correct their children and Princes their Subjects but as the cause makes the Martyr so 't is that must denominate it either persecution or punishment 'T is Christ alone knows who are his yet thus much we shall presume to say That they who persecute him in his Members will not speed better at the great day of account than they whom himself hath told us shall be then rejected but for not visiting and relieving his poor Members when in want in sickness or in any other adversity Query XXVIII Whether since offences will come it be not every ones concern to be more than ordinary careful he involves not himself in that dreadful woe pronounced against those by whom they come Matt. 18. 7. Reply to the Answer to this Query QUoting the Text might have satisfied this Answerer That by offences here no more is understood then what our Blessed Saviour intended when he pronounc't that dreadful wo against those by whom they come and whether they be the persecutions which discourage Christians from owning of his name attending upon his Ordinances adhering unto his Truth or ought else that administers occasion to another to transgress any Law of God neglect his duty or obstruct him in a course of Piety and good works it certainly concerns every one to be more than ordinarily careful he involves not himself in that dreadfull wo pronounced against those by whom they come The Query indeed cautions all to beware splitting on so dangerous a Rock but chargeth none with running or driving others upon it Evil therefore be to him that evil thinks Mr. Baxter as quoted by him says very well That a Minister should not more fear offending his particular flock than offending the Catholick Church but this will neither justifie nor excuse his offending of either And notwithstanding this Answerer's hope he will not find a National Church of humane Institution to have that Authority over its Members even when it shall be determin'd who are so as a private Minister hath over the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made him Overseer Whether Dissenters take no offence as he says but what they bring upon themselves by their own perverted Judgements c. Let them see too who are therein concern'd and must one day answer for it There is no doubt but it may and often does so happen That one man is the occasion of another mans sin and yet the guilt of him who sins not to be changed upon him whose action occasion'd it which yet hinders not but that many may likewise occasion others to sin for which they must be accountable And yet none sure doubts but that as he says in the enacting of Laws Authority is not so much to consider what will please the humours as advance the benefit of those under its Charge and Protection Nor can we have so hard thoughts of any in Authority as to imagine they should make Laws thwart or contradict those that are Divine Nor yet who takes or gives offences for as every one must give an account of himself to God so let every one look to himself and his own duty And as he tells us the day is coming when all mens Disguises and Vizards shall be pull'd off and their most retired thoughts and actions laid open and manifest to men and Angels 〈◊〉 't were well if all men had a serious and due sense thereof and so liv'd and behav'd themselves in the whole course of their lives as to convince the world they spoke as they thought and believ'd as they profest But who are they this Libellous Answerer accuses of charging the Church of England with offences and denying the Magistrates Power and Supremacy in matters of Religion as by Law declared These Queries being no ways guilty thereof for as they respected so they were directed only to such as himself who against the Doctrine of the Church of England and Principles of the Reformation require an Implicit Faith and worse than blind obedience from the People And `t is beyond his Power and malice to find any thing in them inconsistent with their receiving the Holy Eucharist according to Law who scruple not the lawfulness thereof And who are they this Libeller would have to Question not only the Kings Coercive Authority but the whole Ministry and being of the Church of England and accuse her Government of more Tiranny and Persecution then ever yet was objected against her by the most violent of her Romish Adversaries Not those sure who are against secular Force and Compulsion in Religion which is the utmost import of these Queries for then the charge will reach all those Reverend and Learned Divines of the Church of England before mention'd with most others of Name and Fame in the Christian World who have decry'd the same as Unscriptural and Inconsistent with the Precepts of the Gospel and Principles of Christianity and will indeed argue him to be the Person of that evil and depraved temper of spirit he speaks of Yet I agree with him That men Eminent in their Country and such as have a reputation for Knowledge and Wisdom might do more good by their examples than in this Age the Church can do with its censures or Church-men with their instructions But let him be assured none shall ever have a Reputation for Wisdom and Knowledge who give not unto God the things that are Gods as unto Caesar things that are Caesars Fear to whom Fear aud Honour to whom Honour is due And let him not deceive himself in thinking Men of Wisdom and Knowledge separate from the Church because they separate from some Churchmen of vicious and depraved spirits or to have Enmity against that because they will have no Fellowship or Communion with these it not being
circumstances of Affairs as is evident from the praeamb'es of those Statutes and His Majesties gracious Answer of the 24th of February 1672 to the Petition and Address of the House of Commons as followeth C. R. His Majesty hath received an Address from you which he hath seriously consider'd of and returneth you this Answer That he is much troubled That that Declaration which he put out for ends so necessary to the Quiet of the Kingdom and especially in that conjuncture should have proved the cause of disquiet to the House of Commons and have given occasion to question his Power in Ecclesiasticks which he finds not done in the Reign of any of his Ancestors And he is sure he never had thoughts of using it otherwise than as it has been intrusted in him to the Peace and establishment of the Church of England and to the ease of all his Subjects in general Neither doth he pretend to the right of suspending Laws wherein the Properties Rights or Liberties of his Subjects are concerned nor to alter any thing in the Established Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England The only design of this was to take off the penalties the Statutes inflicted upon Dissenters and which he believes when well consider'd of you Your selves would not wish Executed according to the Rigour and Leter of the Law Neither hath he done this with thought of avoiding or precluding the advice of his Parliament And if any Bill shall be offer'd him which shall appear more proper to attain the aforesaid ends and secure the Peace of the Church and Kingdom when tender'd in due manner to him he will shew how ready he will be to concur in all wayes that shall appear good for the Kingdom How expressive of Royal goodness and Heavenly Benignity and Compassion towards mankind is this gracious Answer which cannot but endare His Majesty unto all sober and Pious Persons of what Judgement or perswasion soever in Religion Nor were the Commons against the Indulgenee but the way and manner of it in that they immediately upon this pesâ—a Bill of ease for Protestant Dissenters which was sent up to the Lords But the differences that after happen'd between the two Houses about Jurisdiction and Priviledge with other greater Affairs of State hath hitherto obstructed its farther progress But to return to our Answerer who tells us That to repeal the Churches Laws would administer too just an occasion to the Papists to triumph in the ruine of it for what Truth or Being saith he could that Church pretend to That had neither Ephod nor Traphim no Order no Law no Liturgy no Bishop no Discipline It seems then in his Judgement all these in the Chnrch of England depend wholly upon the Ecclesiastical Laws although the Primitive Church in and after the Apostles time had both Order Law Discipline Bishops or Overseers without other Laws than what were Divine or of Apostolical Institution Though I am absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order c. saith the Apostle to the Colossians And is not the good word of God a Law to all Believers But this Law it seems is perished from our Priest who yet we hope will not deny the Holy Ghost a Power without the aid of Ecclesiastical Laws of making Bishops or Overseers over the Churches of Christs Institution and such certainly are not without Discipline nor deprived of Law Order or Overseers nor consequently of Truth or Being upon the repeal of Ecclesiastical or the Churches Laws Yea God forbid the Christian Church should depend upon the continuance or alteration of these or those Civil or Ecclesiastical Laws which we see chang'd and alter'd as oft almost as we change our Governours which is indeed a consideration that ought seriously to be thought on by all the lovers of Religion and who have any regard or concern for the Truths of the Gospel and purity of â—hrists Institutions But says this Answerer we have now unanswerable Arguments to justifie our departure from Rome but if all our Laws and constitutions be laid aside and abrogated we should be just like the Israelites when they waged War with the Philistines in the day of Battle there was neither Sword nor Spear found in the hand of any of the People If then our Laws and Constitutions be our only unanswerable Arguments to justifie our departure from Rome and our only Swords and Spears to fight against those Adversaries an abrogation or change of those Laws and Constitutions would indeed disarm and silence us and might as well justifie our return to Rome as now our departure from it But I trust though this be Ratiâ— ultima the best Arms and Argument of our Answerer we have yet other Arms and Arguments to justifie our departure from Rome and fight against those Philistines But he now tells us 'T is none of his bufiness or intention to exasperate any mans Spirit much less to direct his Governours c. Yet he admonishes them to stand up in a zealous vindication of their own Liberty and Power and to provoke them to it upbraides them with Cowardize if they do it not telling them It is there neglect thereof that encourages men in their 〈…〉 Separations Disobedience and 〈…〉 provokes God to deprive them 〈…〉 Power and Authority with which be entrusts them and which they have betrayed and exposed to scorn and insolence of his and their greatest Enemies Yea tells them Histories are not barren of instances how God hath revealed his wrath from Heaven against those Governours and deprived them of the Honour of being his Deputies when their Spirits have been softned with sensuality and ease and they have lived in fear of their Inferiours who ought to live in fear of them Which is such a menace of and reflection on Authority and our Governours as none but this Bold and Insolent Answerer would ever have dar'd to publish He does well therefore to recollect himself and tell us He has proceeded too far on this Argument which indeed speaks him a Person so highly impudent and immeasurably malitions that as himself hath elsewhere said he is fitter to receive a confutation from the penalties of Laws and the Seutence of a Judge than from the Strength of Reason or Argument But he concludes in the words of indeed a truly wise and Learned Statesman That Herefies and Scisms are of all others the greatest scandals yea more than corruption of manners c. which being so all just and lawful means ought certainly to be used not only for their Suppression but prevention in removing the Causes of them of which there is not a greater than the Authority by some ascribed to the 〈◊〉 yea to particular Churches Church 〈…〉 imposing upon Christians in the 〈…〉 â—â—â—nda of the Gospel which is indeed as that Learned and Judicious Statesman says A wound or solution of continuity destructive of the Churches Unity dividing her into as