way they are not the only Persons guilty and of all people in the world the Romanists have the least reason to insist on a charge of this nature for though their fault doth not excuse any of our Writers if guilty in the same manner yet it renders them very unmeet to upbraid and reproach and make tragical complaints against others for what they are more enormiously faulty in themselves It is but too obvious that some pains have been taken of late to misrepresent the Protestants all over and to perswade the world into a belief of very odd and strange things both concerning their Persons and Religion yea the very Name by which they are every where known Indeed the word Protestant and its Rise have been so decyphered and represented under such ungrateful Characters by persons of one complexion and of another that some who it might have been expected had had more knowledge and more wit have been almost or rather quite ashamed of that Name which their Ancestors accounted an honour and by which the Religion they pretend to is every where known what thoughts such have of the Religion it self time may discover Who would ever have thought that Englishmen who had a long time or rather all their time been brought up in the Church of England and would fain have made a Figure in their Countries should yet be at a loss by what name to call the Religion they did profess certainly the common name might have past well enough had not some unjust prejudice prevail'd And it 's very probable this prejudice did take its Rise from one or others misrepresenting and giving a wrong account of that Name Those who prefess true and unmixt Christianity have for a great while been distinguished in most parts of the World by the name of Protestants from others who have mingled with a profession of Christianity a great many gross contradictions and inconsistencies And till now of late none who owned the Religion were ashamed of the Name Those who liked not the Romish Communion did not think it a reproach to be called Protestants Though the Name might be first devised by the Adversaries of our Religion and might be used by them at first in scorn and contempt with reference to those who would not imbrace and submit to all the forreign and unscriptural Notions and Practices which received life and authority from Rome yet the antient love to and zeal for Religion only as commanded by divine Authority and as warranted by those Books which are universally acknowledged by all Christians to be writ by men divinely inspired reconciled our Ancestors to that Name by which the Adversaries of their Religion would have redicul'd them out of their Profession And how it is come to pass that people professing the same Religion should now appear shy and boggle at the Name as if some dreadful and hideous matter were wrapt up in the word Protestant I cannot imagine unless either their love to and zeal for their Religion be less than their Ancestor's was or that some false representations have been made to them of the importance and first occasion of this Name What sort of writers have contributed most to create prejudices in mens minds against the name Protestant I will not determine but I do not lay all the fault of misrepresenting in this case on those who do openly profess themselves of the Romish Communion and yet I cannot wholly excuse them because of late they have been at no small study and trouble to perswade people to entertain very wrong Idea's both of the Protestant Name and Religion We are lately told that The Protestant Perswasion has its Name Being and Support not from what it is in it self but from what it is not in defying and protesting against their Neighbours Rep. in behalf of Amicable Accomod pag. 17. Now it may not be altogether improper in order to the setting of some weaker people right in their apprehensions to give a short and true account of the first occasion and rise of this Name Protestant and its general use ever since from Authors of the best credit and repute on each side And that this Account may be the more clear and distinct it will be requisite to observe in general That a great corruption had for many Ages overspread Christianity in the Romish Church Afterwards we may take notice how Princes and People were more directly prepared to renounce and cast off those Corruptions and then it will be proper to relate the particular matter of Fact which occasioned this Name Protestant and when these are dispatched you shall hear what Protestantism is and wherein Protestantism doth really consist The word Protestant is a forreign word derived to us from other people and it has been and is still used with relation to Religion in all Nations where it is mentioned So that every where those who have owned and professed the Protestant Religion have past currently with all sorts of people for Protestants And the Protestant Religion is the true Christian Religion rescued and reformed from those Corruptions and humane Additions the Church of Rome had for many Ages without good warrant intermixed with it The Mystery of Iniquity which began in the Apostles days did by degrees increase to that height in the Roman Church that it almost overwhelmed true Christianity and made Religion appear and be in the world little else than a trick of policy and a meer piece of Pageantry And when the people had been a great while inured to nothing but lifeless Superstitious Formalities and were brought up blindly in a superstitious carnal gay sort of practice which was called Worship the Bishops of that See did by several artifices and tricks first acquire and then improve opportunities to gratifie their own utmost and unreasonable ambition for the Princes and People were in many places so effeminated made so soft and easie and unthinking by their methods they very tamely and patiently gave way to their most unjust incroachments till at last they were not able to help themselves nor oppose the increasing greatness of that See. And when matters were brought to this pass then several points were forced on the whole Western Church the burthen of which the Inhabitants of those parts had never before felt and which those who first gave way to the Usurpations of that See never dream't of Now an universal Supremacy over the whole Church was challenged and a power pretended to make whatever pleas'd a Duty In short the Bishop of that See pretended an Infallibility which must not be call'd in question he assum'd a power to dispose of People's Sins and Souls as he thought fit and perswaded them he could consecrate any thing they would buy to be an effectual means to purge away their guilt Nay at last he claimed a power to dispose of Governments appropriating to himself a Superiority in every Prince's Dominions and both Princes and People were blinded to that degree
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST RISE OF THE Name Protestant And what Protestantism is with a Justification of it and an earnest Exhortation to all Protestants to persist in that Holy Religion By a Professed Enemy to Persecution LORD BISHOP of CORK'S Protestant Peace-Maker Pag. 128. I am and must be in the mind that the Strength of the Protestant Cause both here at Home and throughout Christendom lyes in the Vnion of Protestants and the Glory Purity and Power of Christianity in the World stands or falls with PROTESTANTISM LONDON Printed in the Year 1688. THE EPISTLE TO THE Protestant Reader THE following Papers were for the most part of them writ two Years since and had then been offered to your view if they had not been obstructed by some Persons and for some Considerations of no use to be here mentioned The Author conceived at that time there was occasion to suspect that many who pretended to be Protestants closed with that Profession out of Interest or something a-kin to that rather than from Knowledge and Conscience Many appeared ignorant of the occasion of the Protestant Name and to understand no better what was Protestantism it self These seemed to be so wavering and uneasie under their present Circumstances that little less was necessary to reconcile them to the Roman Religion than to be certainly secured from the terrible effects of Humane Statutes provided to deter Men from such Reconciliation This prompted the Author having some undesired vacation at that time from his usual Imploy to endeavour to contribute something towards the helping of such who were thus unsteady to discern what it was they were about to relinquish and consequently enquire what it is on the other side they must espouse People in matters of Religion ought to be considerate and wary they should not deal with Religion as they do with their Hats and Cloaths when out of the fashion He thinks that Gibbets aad Confiscations and such Engines are no Gospel Appointments to befriend the True Faith. Yea he is of opinion that the Ambition and Sloth of Church-Officers did first introduce Penal Laws to defend and guard Christianity and force People into a Profession of the Truth And that Christianity made greater numbers of real Proselites during Constantine's general Toleration than were made by the Penal Laws under that Emperour's Government or by all the Penal Laws that ever were made since that time He thinks that Penal Laws have not wholly rendred Christianity ineffectual but how much they have impeded its progress he thinks is very hard to comprehend They have certainly very much promoted Hypocrisy and Formality The Author is indeed a Conformist but one that was grieved at the indiscreet and less charitable censures and carriages of many who boasted of the same character He was really troubled to see them who said they were Protestants behave themselves so unbeseemingly towards their fellow Protestants and so industriously weaken and undermine that very Church they made such a clamour about He does not impute what they did intirely to spleen and malice against the Church they pretended to As for many of them he apprehends their Intellectuals were so impotent they had few thoughts of their own by which to govern themselves but were wholly under a forreign conduct which yet they perceived not How many more were influenced by motions too mean and carnal for any good Man voluntarily to resign himself unto For the first sort we may pray as our Saviour did for his Crucifiers Lord forgive them for they knew not what they did But as for the other sort he leaves others to consider what measure of Charity belongs to them who furiously ruine their Religious Neighbours and pull down the Church they seem to own meerly to satisfie their own filthy and most detestable Lusts He manifested some resentment that Protestantism should be treated with so much harshness by those who pretended to the same Religion Which occasioned his having some experience not only of the reproachful language but the ruder effects of the misguided vehemence of some of his own Communion But these things he overlooks and hopes that others whose treatment hath not been very obliging will so forget what is past as not to insist thereon to the prejudice und dammage of the Religion in common amongst us The Prefacer concurring in all these matters with the Author thinks he may with greater confidence apply to all sorts of Protestants in intreating and beseeching them that they will not do any thing now against but for the Truth And more particularly I would desire 1. Those who are indifferent and wavering to consider and think seriously before they change Some it may be would make no scruple to depart from the Protestant Profession were it not they were awed with the dread and terrour of some future danger in this World that may possibly overtake them should they under present Circumstances resign up themselves to a Profession our Laws have made Criminal But true Religion is a matter quite distinct from Humane Laws it is of most necessary and important concern to Men's Souls and their Eternal Salvation And Humane Laws whether for or against it do not alter the Case And therefore both as Christians and as Men you ought to consider and weigh things Where different Religions are propos'd you must examine the Particulars on each side by the Only Rule of Religion and must govern your selves by Evidence The nature and importance of Religion and the unvaluable worth of your own Souls require this There is nothing so foolish and absurd as to be of a Religion you do not understand or to change your Profession you know not why nor wherefore Would you alter to obtain Preferments and Honours Alas how littlt reason have you to expect these things whil'st there are others of more desert and who bring better Testimonials with them than you can For he that changes inconsiderately gives no proof either of his Parts or of his Integrity Do you hope by altering your Religion to escape Troubles and Sufferings This is an ill course to be taken for such a purpose and not likely to succeed because God can find you out and has ways enough to punish you Besides you are assured you shall not be forced to relinquish the Profession or Exercise of your Religion by a Royal Promise A Promise which fully performed will attract greater repute and glory to the Roman Religion than all the Arguments and Devices the most learned and subtil Adherers to that See did ever invent So that you have nothing under which you may shelter your Apostacy nothing to patronize your Revolt And to Apostatise without a Temptation is at once both a Folly and Wickedness that nothing can match on either account 2. Those who pretending to the Church of England have by an extravigant fervency and unneighbourly earnestness done all that was in their power to impoverish macerate and render their follow Protestants uneasie
Name Protestant is a common Title to discriminate all those who renounce and forsake the Romish Communion because of its contradiction to the Holy Scripture from those who do own and are of that Communion But it was not designed to descriminate one sort of people renouncing and protesting against that Communion on the aforesaid Account from others who agree in the same Point And therefore in every Age and Nation other Names have been made use of to discriminate Protestants one from another according to the matter in difference betwixt them True Protestantism then consisteth more especially in two Points First Protesting against and renouncing Popish Corruptions and especially all such Infallibility Supremacy and Authority as the Bishops of Rome have for some Ages laid a claim to It is the renouncing the thing it self which Protestantism chiefly respects its reference to such a particular person is only accidental by reason of his audacious and arrogant challenging that Power But Protestantism would be equally against the Claim if that Bishop should lay it down and any other either in France or in any other Countrey should challenge it or if it should be pretended to be lodged in any other Man or Body of Men. Secondly Protesting for the Sufficiency and Authority of the Scripture That the Holy Scripture is a safe and full Rule for the Instruction of us in all things needful to be known or done in order to Eternal Life and that nothing ought to be admitted as an Article of Christian Faith which cannot by just consequence be proved by this Rule according as the Church of England expresseth her self Article 6. In these two things Protestantism doth consist the denial and renouncing of the Pope's arrogated Supremacy and all those Superstructions which have no foundation but that Authority and the owning and adhering to the Scriptures as the only compleat Rule of Religion This is the great fundamental positive Principle in Protestantism For Protestantism doth not take away an andue boundless Power and Authority from the Pope and conser it on another person It ascribes indeed to the Supream Power in every Nation what belongs to the same according to the constitution of the Government protesting against all forreign and every unjust pretence and claim to the prejudice of the rightful Owner And it asserts the only right of the Scripture to be the Rule that every Supream Power on Earth should observe in restoring and reforming Religion as occasions are offered by reason of the Decays or Corruptions which may have prevailed The Bible I say the Bible only is the Religion of Protestants whatsoever else they Believe besides it and the plain irrefragable indubitable Consequences of it well may they hold it as a matter of Opinion but as matter of Faith and Religion neither can they with coherence to their own grounds Believe it themselves nor require the Belief of it of others without most high and Schismatical Presumption And now seeing Protestantism doth mainly or rather only consist in asserting the Holy Scriptures to be the Rule the only Rule by which all Christians are to govern and manage themselves in all matters of Religion So that no Doctrine is to be owned as an Article of Faith on any account but what hath very plain warant and sound evidence from the Scriptures nor no instance of Religious Worship to be owned or submitted to as necessary nor any thing to be entertained as a part of Religion but what the Scripture doth appoint and warrant It may not be altogether unuseful to inquire briefly whether this Principle be really justifiable or no Or whether those who are called Protestants on this Account be truly in the right touching this matter For if we be right in this Point then the great Fundamental opposite Point of our Adversaries must needs have a slaw in it and cannot be solid and substantial and consequently all the particular Doctrines and Practices which have their whole being and Dependance on that Authority must necessarily expire and give up the Ghost Now much might be offered to evince that Protestants have very good ground to rest assured that they are not mistaken in this matter but I will only offer these few considerations which being well considered and improved may suffice to satisfie any unprejudiced and impâ—â—tial honest meaning person that Protestantism is not a â—â—mersome precarious thing but is really accompanied with the greatest evidence and certainty any Perswasion can justly pretend unto First It is universally acknowledged by all who profess themselves Christians that the Holy Scriptures viz. those Books contained in the Old and New Testament as received by Protestants are the Word of God and were written at the appointment of God for the constant Use and Benefit of his Church and People by Persons Divinely Inspired for that purpose Secondly Supposing but not granting that those Scriptures do not contain the whole Revelation God hath made of his Mind and Will for the constant perpetual and obliging Use of his Church yet it is most evident that these Scriptures are a safe and most certain Rule in Matters of Religion so far as they do extend They are a certain Rule touching those matters of which they do treat and so far as they do treat of them So that there can be no just pretence of a Divine Revelation for any Doctrines or Practices which are inconsistent with or contradictory to what God hath declared in these Scriptures Because the Divine Veracity and Truth which is Essential to the Deity cannot permit that God should contradict himself All that can be pretended with reference to this matter is that God may make more Declarations of his Will and either inlarge the Discoveries He hath made of his Will touching particulars already made known or add Declarations of His Mind concerning Matters which He doth not at all discourse of in the Scriptures But it is not consistent with the Natural Notions of a Deity not with the Revelations God hath made any way of Himself that He should overthrow the Truth of a Former Revelation by a Latter or that Contradictions should be reconcileable in His Will. For any Man to affirm that a Divine Revelation may contradict any thing taught in the Scriptures whil'st he professeth these Scriptures are pure Divine Revelations is not only to involve himself in most obvious and horrid Absurdities but to contract upon himself to burthen and overwhelm himself with the guilt of the most plain and unnatural Blasphemy against God. If any thing that plainly contradicts the Scripture can be a Divine Revelation then a Man may be indispensibly obliged to Believe and not to Believe the same thing to do and not to do the same work And so Man will be brought under such Circumstances that whether he Believe or do not Believe whether he Practice or do not Practice it will be the same thing he will be equally guilty But certainly if our Adversaries can pretend to
Revelations which do contradict the Scriptures they cannot pretend to lay any Obligation on us to comply with them in those Matters which the Scriptures do contradict for we have every jot as good Authority to Believe and Practice in direct contradiction to them as they have to Believe and Act in express contradiction to us though we should condescend to an impossible Supposition viz. That a Divine Revelation may contradict the Scriptures Besides they have no need or occasion to trouble themselves to prevail with us to comply with them in their Points for supposing their Revelations to be as they prerend whether we comply or do not comply the Case is just the same for we are never the better if we do comply with them nor is our guilt and offence one jot the more if we do not comply But if what they call Divine Revelations be not really so and they will notwithstanding Believe or Act or both in contradiction to the Scriptures which are known owned and professed Divine Revelations let them seriously consider what is like to be the fruit of their so doing We have reason therefore to conclude that all those Doctrines and Practices which are inconsistent with and do contradict what is declared in the Holy Scripture have not a Divine Original but have their Rise from the fountain of Falshood and Untruth And therefore we cannot be justly blamed if we protest against and reject such Notions and Practices for we certainly have a good Foundation and just Authority for every part of our Religion which Scripture doth expresly and plainly warrant And they must needs be at a great loss for just Authority as to those Points which expresly contradict the Scripture whatever may become of those Points amongst them touching which they may conceive the Scripture is silent But lastly If the Holy Scriptures we are speaking of do contain the whole and intire Revelation of the Mind and Will of God which he hath designed for the constant and perpetual use of his Church and People and do furnish People with full Instructions and Directions in all Matters of Religion then Protestants have very good warrant to affirm and stedfastly adhere to this Point viz. That the Holy Scriptures are the only Rule we are to govern our selves by in all Matters of Religion And we are safe enough as to this part of our main Principle and cannot with any justice be reproached or blamed by our Adversaries on this Account till they can produce very good and substantial evidence for some other Divine Revelation really distinct from those we are discoursing of But this is a task so hard for them to undertake so impossible for them to perform that there is not one understanding person in that Communion I am perswaded who dares adventure to ingage in it For it will not serve the turn to talk honourably of Tradition in general nor to make a noise about Apostolical Traditions without mentioning particular Traditions and proving them to be Divine Revelations and that they are truly Apostolical and were by Divine Appointment set apart for the perpetual use of the Christian Church The Council of Trent speaks loud of Apostolical Traditions and advances them to the same degree with the Holy Scriptures and appears so resolv'd for these Traditions that she makes them necessary to compleat the Scripture in order unto its being a perfect Rule but alas her courage cool'd in a little time for she dared only to talk extravagantly and in excessive terms of Tradition in General she dared not to name particular Traditions which she would own and undertake to prove truly Apostolical and of Divine and constantly binding Authority to the Church And since she thought it not convenient to descend to particulars I am of opinion particular persons in that Communion will not care to meddle in the matter but rather chuse to refer it to another Council when they can get one because if they should undertake it it must only be for our sakes and those of that Communion cannot but know that nothing less will satisfie such cautious reasonable people as Protestants are in a matter of this nature than such evidence as is very substantial and proportionate to the thing to be proved And could they produce ever so good evidence for any particular they will call a Divine Revelation or Apostolical Tradition it would be of no use to those of their own Church who prefer particular Humane Testimony called by another Name before all sort of proper and suitable evidence And after all their pains though they could produce satisfactory evidence which I affirm to be utterly impossible in this case for some Tradition which would inforce some Point the Scriptures do not inforce yet this would not do them any service however it would weaken our Principle as touching the Perfect on of that Body of Divine Revelations we have For notwithstanding we should in obedience to a Divine Revelation though roughly proved and evidenced concur and joyn with them in some Point we did not imbrace before yet the difference betwixt them and us in that matter would be as great as before there would still remain a formal difference betwixt us touching this very particular because though we should Believe or Practice the same thing yet the formal Reason of Believing or Doing it would be totally different So that if any would attempt to produce substantial evidence for any Revelation distinct from the Scriptures their labour will be wholly useless with reference to their Church unless they can produce a Revelation relating to their Church like that Law the flattering Courtiers of an Eastern Prince told him they could find when they were at a loss for a particular Law to warrant some particular Practice the Prince was inclined unto though they knew of no Law relating to what was propos'd yet there was a Law that the Prince might Command and do what he pleased Such a Revelation our Adversaries must produce Indeed I am apprehensive they Act in that Communion as if they had such a Revelation but all the mischief is they cannot produce valid proof for it or else they must be at the trouble of providing distinct Revelations for the several Points in dispute and distinct Evidence unless they can make a shift to croud three or four of their Notions into a single Tradition and so make shorter work of it In short the Protestants do affirm That Divine Revelation is the only Rule of Christian Religion That the Holy Scriptures are confessedly Divine Revelations That these Holy Scriptures do contain all those Divine Revelations God hath appointed to be of perpetual standing obliging Use to his Church and People We acknowledge that were it possible for our Adversaries to produce solid proof that there is any Divine Revelation distinct from what these Holy Scriptures do contain which God hath appointed to be of constant perpetual binding Use to his Church they might thereby invalidate
our Principle which doth affirm that the Holy Scriptures are the Only Rule by which Christians are to govern themselves in all Matters of Religion But yet we affirm their doing this would not really advantage their Cause because the same Formal difference would remain betwixt them and us after as before for though we should be obliged on their exhibiting such proof for some particular Revelation which should warrant and oblige to own and use some Doctrine or Practice at present in dispute betwixt us yet the agreement which would then seem to be betwixt them and us in that particular would only be material and not formal because we should then own the Doctrine or Practice what is injoyned purely because taught and commanded by a Divine Revelation throughly evidenced And they would own the Doctrine or Practice the Duty injoyned purely because taught and commanded by a meer Humane Authority which they are pleased to name Infallible And it will not be to any purpose for them to undertake a more quick dispatch in this matter by talking of an Infallible Judge for he cannot be Judge and Rule too There must be Divine Revelation which must be the Rule for their Infallible Judge to exercise and imploy his Infallible Judgment about And seeing all their attempts to prove their Infallible Judge by Scripture have been very unfortunate and without success I may take it for granted when once they have agreed together and found out their Infallible Judge their best proof that that Person or Body of Men which ever they shall agree upon is a Judge and an Infallible Judge in Matters of Religion must be some new Revelation or some old Tradition never hitherto known to be a Divine Revelation for we must have better proof than any that has yet been offered on the behalf of any of their Traditions before we can entertain them as Divine Revelations And when they have well proved that Tradition and its Divine Authority which shall fix and settle their Infallible Judge they must still be at the trouble and pains to produce very substantial proof for every other Tradition they will make a part of the Christian Rule For the Authority of their Infallible Judge will not do here because his Infallibility does not reach to make nor declare a Rule but is purely concerned about the true sense and meaning of an acknowledged Rule when Controversies do arise about the importance of any Expressions contained in that Rule But besides all this Protestants have such evidence as doth create certain assurance that the Holy Scriptures are fully Perfect to instruct and direct Believers in all matters of Religion and do contain all those Divine Revelations God hath appointed to be of necessary and perpetual Use unto his Church greater evidence cannot be desired than the express Witness Testimony and Declaration of the unerring Spirit of the Faithful and True God. And this we have most plainly to the unavoidable and full Conviction of every honest piously disposed ingenious and unprejudiced Person who really owns and believes the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God And this you heard before is the professed Belief of all who profess themselves Christians And if such kind of evidence will not serve peoples turns I must acknowledge they are of a temper I do not much care to deal with for I must confess I am no preat admirer of booted blunderbus Apostles nor do I think he makes any real Proselites who only dragoon's Men into a Perswasion I never lik'd murthering Men for Religion nor persecuting Men because their Consciences would not stretch to every body's phancy I think whil'st the Scriptures are acknowledged on all sides to be Divine Revelations the greatest and best evidence we can have in matters of Religion is plain and express Scripture And if in all our Disputes with our Adversaries we did strictly keep within this compass we should guard and maintain our owe Cause the better and wound our Adversaries Cause the more fatally not but that I am very sensible we have Antiquity the Fathers rhe Primitive Writers and the most General Councils on our side either expresly or by way of silence thereby certifying us that no such Points were known or in question in those days But alas by having ordinary recourse to the Fathers c. we mightily gratifie our Adversaries for hereby they get out of the immediate reach of the Sword of the Spirit And all the Testimonies of Antiquity taken together in their own strength will not do rhe thousandth part of that execution against a Heresy as one plain and express Scripture will. Besides how often do we see that when the greatly Read and Learned on both sides do fall together by the Ears over the Fathers they lengthen the Dispute beyond measure and not only bewilder the Hearer or Reader but even themselves too that by the time they are got half through the Dispute they have well night forgot what it was they began to dispute about And having slipt into this digression I may even adventure to hint one digression more relating to the common way of managing Controversies with our Adversaries the Romanists It may be if it be well inquired into it may appear that we do not ordinarily proceed in our Controversial Discourses with them in that free and ingenious manner we ought but do too much limit and straighten our selves According to that little measure of apprehension I have it seems to me most expedient and most proper for us in opposing our Adversaries to maintain Protestantism or the Protestant Doctrines both really and professedly as such and not to pinnion our selves by pretending to maintain them as Taught or Owned by particular Communions The Cause is a common Cause and the Arguments we can truly maintain it with are common Arguments one Party is no more interested in them than another nor do the Matters in dispute amongst our selves concern the Controversies betwixt us and our Common Adversaries Why should we so affect and hug our selves in our private Notions and particular Differences as to please our selves with or at least receive and keep up the unreasonable Remembrance of them Indeed I do acknowledge the candor of our Adversaries in that they have not improved the advantage they might have taken to have made some Tragical Appearances by falling upon us with reference to this very matter of undertaking to maintain Protestant Doctrines meerly as owned by a particular Party for what doth this properly import but that we relinquish the Common Principle and undertake only to maintain our Doctrines not by the Scripture as the General and Only Rule of Christian Religion but by the Scripture as limited and bounded by those discriminating Terms and Instances whereby we are distinguished from all others who take the Scripture to be the Only Rule in all Matters of Religion Now will not this if insisted on make our task the harder and the more confound and perplex our