party that is in power In Japan and China and Heathen Lands they can copiously declaim against the mischiefs of tolerating Christianity The Papists think tormenting Inquisitions and burning Christians and murdering thousands and hundreds of thousands better than to tolerate Protestants The Lutherans cry down the toleration of Calvinists What need I name more As the Papists say that every Sect pleadeth the Scripture so we may say that every powerful party be their cause never so false cry out against tolerating others though in the truth § 6. And doubtless Concord even in perfection is so desirable that it 's easie for a man to set forth the beauty and excellency of it And discord is so bad that it 's easie to declaim against it But for him that Causeth it to do it is self-condemnation And for him that falsly describeth the cause and justifieth the Schismatick and accuseth the innocent to write Books and preach Sermons against Schism and Toleration is but delusion tending to their own shame and others deceit and ruine § 7. And he never was a good Musician Builder Watch-maker nor good at any Art or Science that thought all diversity was discord He that would with zeal and learning write a Book to prove that a Lute or Organs must not be tolerated if each string and key be not of the same sound or that all the parts in a Clock Watch Building c. must be of the same shape and magnitude or all men of one language or complexion c. would scarce get so much credit as most of our Hereticaters do when they call for fire and faggot and Jaylors as more meet and able confuters of error than themselves § 8. The men on whom they cry for vengeance either are really religious or not If not it 's a marvel that they are not of the accusers mind being supposed to follow the upper side It 's possible that some advantage may turn a man that hath no religion out of the Kings high-way into some Sectarian cottage especially in some storms But it 's very rarely that Gain goeth not for Godliness and the way of reputation ease and profit for religion with such as indeed have none at all But if they are seriously religious they take it as from the Law of the Almighty the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to whom all men are less than the vilest worms to us and they take it to be that which they lay their salvation and everlasting hopes on believing that God will bear them out and if they dye for it will reward them with the crown of Glory They believe that they shall be damned in Hell for ever if they break Gods Law and obey man against him And in this case it should not be hard to reasonable men especially Bishops and Teachers to know what means and measures are meetest to be used with such men and when he that must suffer hath flesh that is as unwilling to suffer as other mens it should be considered how far Satan useth the flesh for his interest and how far the Pastors of the Church should take part with it when as St. Paul saith He that doubeth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith § 9. There is no heed to be taken by mens crying out against error or schism to discern who is the erroneous or Schismatick None more cry out against them than the guilty Who condemneth error and schism more than the Papists and who are greater causes and authors of them than the Pope As our common prophane rabble are so great hypocrites that they live quite contrary to their Baptismal Vow and the Religion which they nominally profess and yet commonly crâ—â—ut against hypocrisie and call all men hypocrites that seem to be serious in living as they vowed and profess even so the greatest Schismaticks and Hereticks partly in blindness and partly to avert both men and conscience from accusing themselves do usually first cry down Schismaticks and Hereticks and perhaps preach and write most vehemently against them I take a man to be never the more Orthodox Catholick or of the true Church for crying up the true Church Catholicism and Orthodoxness and crying down the contrary and accusing others § 10. I have long observed with the best judgement I have that usually those Divines that write most for Peace and Reconciliation of hot contenders are men of clearer judgement than others and usually see further into the cause than either of the fierce contending parties Though the Turks in policy give some liberty to Christians as a necessary preservation of their Empire and the Socinians have much pleaded for peace and concord partly by necessity for themselves and partly from common light of reason yet among real Reformed Christians the greatest judgement is found in the greatest Pacificators such as Le Blank Amyrald Phaceus Camero Lud. Crocius Bergius Martinius Calixtus Dallaeus Blondel Vsher Davenant Hall Morton Chillingworth and such others Darkness doth best fit the Spirit of contention § 11. There is nothing in humane actions that is free from inconveniences especially actions of publick consequence And the collecting and aggravating of such inconveniences and making tragical exclamations thereupon without looking to the mischiefs that men imagine must be the remedy or seeing the evils on the other side is the common practice of these Church-Mountebanks How easie is it to say If we be not all of one Religion it will cherish contention bring Ministers into contempt scandalize the weak harden the enemies raise factions shake the peace of Kingdoms and more such like How easie is it to say If men be tolerated to break the Laws and gather Conventicles souls will be poysoned error propagated Christianity disgraced c. When in the mean time 1. Their course tendeth not at all to make men of one Religion 2. Nay they plead for that which is the great divider where do fire and banishment or prisons cause true faith or make men think that their persecutors are in the right Is there any thing in the nature of the thing so to perswade men nay what more inclineth men to think that other mens opinions are false than to feel that their practice is hurtful All will say Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles By their fruit they may be known If it be forcing some to dissemble and destroying the rest that they mean by making men of one religion thus saith Tertullian did the Heathen persecutors Solitudinem faciunt pacem vocant But 1. This will not do France Ireland Belgia and Queen Mary in England cryed it in vain God will still have some that shall be seriously religious and shall fear him more than man and not sell their souls to save their bodies If you have no hope of making men to be of one Religion but by making them to be of no Religion as all are that fear not God more than man your hopes are vain
and English Kings will see what ado Kings had to keep the Bishops and Priests from filthy fornication and utter corruption of their function § 4. 4. Obj. But if Princes meddle with Pastors Preachers and Religion when far more of them are bad than good and erroneous than in the right it must follow that more good will be hindered by them than evil and in most places the best will be persecuted by them and the worst approved and preferred Answ 1. And was it not so and worse under the Popes and their Prelates Let their own historians judge 2. Nay it hath been ill Clergy men that have instigated Princes to do most of the chief to the Church that they have done 3. This tells us the calamitous case of mankind but not at all how to help it 4. This argument should urge Princes to amend but not to neglect their duty for fear of doing it amiss By the like argument in Moscovy they have put down preaching saying Most will preach amiss And others put down all praying save the reading of imposed words saying that most else will pray amiss And so these would restrain Princes from Governing Bishops and Preachers and matters Ecclesiastical saying Else they will do most amiss 5. But it is supposed that Princes have their Councils And as they consult with Lawyers in matters of Law and with Souldiers in matters of War and with Physicions in matters of that profession so they will consult with Divines as they are called in matters of Divinity and Religion § 5. Obj. 5. But Religion is to be perswaded and not forced which will but make hypocrites Ans We cannot force men to know or believe and we ought not to force them to lie But they may be restrained from doing notorious mischief and constrained to hear that they may learn § 6. Obj. 6. But that which you think wrong seemeth right to them and every mans Conscience is his Law and he must obey it and whatsoever is not of faith is sin Ans 1. None but the Atheist or irreligious take all Religion to be uncertain Man is naturally Animal religiosum made to serve God in order to future happiness And Religion were no Religion if a man could have no satisfactory notice of its truth 2. No mans Conscience is his Law no more than it is the Law of the land It is but as his eye in reading it a discerner of the Law And mistake is not discerning 3. No man ought to take evil for good nor to do evil because he thinketh it good but first to use means for information and then to judge better and then to do better 4. Though whatever is not of saith is sin yet whatever is of errour is of sin too and not of faith And we are not for forcing men against their conscience to any thing unnecessary or any thing which they are uncapable of but for restraining them from that mischief which an erring judgement leaveth them to and putting them on necessary duty which they can do should they not be forced to feed their children if their Consciences be against it Or to pay their debts or their taxes tythes and other dues § 7. Obj. 7. On the other side some and more will say that any toleration of diversity in Religion especially of Assemblies is contrary to the unity and harmony which should be among Christians and will cherish heart-burnings and cause differences in the State and foment seditions and rebellious no discord having worse effects than those about religion Answ 1. To tell us that men are dark and selfish and proud and passionate and therefore contentious and that this is the calamity that sin hath brought on all the world is but to tell us what we all must know But what 's that to the Cure All sin and all discord is contrary to our desired concord and is our reproach But shall no sinners therefore be endured Ye suffer fools gladly saith St. Paul seeing you yourselves are wise 2. Will your way of violence make this better or far worse Will men that really have any religion forsake it for fear of any thing that you can do against them It is not Religion if it set not God above man When they suffer by you will they like you or your opinions the better for hurting them or the worse If ever you let them out of prison will they not come out more alienated by exasperation If you force the timerous or hypocrites to dissemble to save the flesh will they not hate you and your doctrine the more as that which soul and body are both oppressed by And will not their sufferings move compassion in the people and your cruelty alienate those that else would never have forsaken you what a shameful thing is it to hear and read mens tragical outcries against necessary toleration which Christianity and humanity plead for while they are the causes of that which they exclaim against and are furiously making it tenfold worse If diversity in Religion be such an evil cause it not by your unnecessary Laws and Canons and making engines to tear the Church in pieces which by the ancient simplicity and commanded mutual forbearance would live in such a measure of Love and Peace as may be here expected Are men liker to hate you or to plot rebellions for being gently used as men or cruelly like slaves or dogs Nay slaves are freemen in comparison of those that are dissenters from the Pope if he get them in his power Though it be but for refusing to deny belief to all mens senses and consequently to Gods natural revelation If you can cure all mens errours do it but begin at home But killing is not curing in the sense of wise Physicions or Patients Your way cureth errour as the man that was angry with the Looking-glass for shewing him his ugly face did cure it by breaking it into twenty pieces and then it shewed him twenty ugly faces for one There are no tolerated sorts among us here that are more accused by all for seditiousness and rebellion when they once got some seeming strength than the Anabaptists and the people called the fifth Monarchy men But have they ever even at Munster made any such horrid slaughters in the world as the great enemies of Toleration have done Did they ever murder 200000 people that lived peaceably at once as the Frish Papists did Or forty thousand if not as some say twice as many as they did at the French Massacre Or so many thousands if not millions say some as were kill'd of the Albigenses and Waldenses in France Piedmont Italy Germany c. Or did they ever use Christians as the Inquisition hath done Or did they ever use Emperors as Henry the fourth and fifth and Frederick were used Or kill two Kings successively as Henry the third and Henry the fourth of France were killed Nay did ever the Novatians yea or the furious Prelatical Donatists make
Subjects that are not of their religion or may compell all to those ways of worshipping God which they shall judge best be they right or wrong 6. That Gods Laws are not obligatory to Kings and Kingdomes 7. That Princes or people may preferr their worldly interest before the interest of Religion Souls and God or may set them in opposition against it 8. That Princes must imprison or otherwise punish such as are excommunicated and not absolved by the Clergy without knowing whether the cause be just or unjust by their own exploration 9. That Princes may break Oaths and Covenants when their interest requireth it 10. That subjects have no liberty or propriety in any thing either life wives children or estates but what is at the meer will of Princes to dispose of as they please 11. That it is lawful for subjects to disobey the authority and commands of the higher powers because Christ hath freed us from subjection to men 12. That all Governing authority is originally in the people and by them given to Rulers on what terms they please 13. That therefore the people may depose any Princes where they see cause or may call them to their bar and judge and punish them having themselves the highest governing power 14. That if Princes injure the people the people may therefore rebel take arms against them and depose them 15. Contrarily that no people may defend their lives houses or posterity nor the chastity of their wives by resisting any Tyrants or against the will of Rulers that have no true authority to destroy them 16. That subjects may break their oaths of allegiance whenever their own worldly ends require it or if the Pope disoblige them 17. That if one King wrong another the wronged King may destroy all the others innocent subjects 18. That no war is lawful 19. That it is lawful to defame and dishonour Princes if they are sinners though the contempt tend to disable them from necessary government 20. That none but sanctified persons have true Governing power or dominion 21. That children are bound to obey their parents subjects their Princes and servants their Masters in nothing but what they think is wisely or justly commanded them though it be good or lawful in it self 22. That Parents may not teach children forms of Catechism or prayer nor command them any duty which the child will but say is against his Conscience nor restrain him from any sin which he pleadeth Conscience for 23. That Christian Parents in want may â—ell their Children for slaves to Idolaters or Infidels for supply 24. That Children may disobey their parents in any matters of Religion if the Pope Bishop or Priest so command them XIX Of Duties to our equals or neighbours as such 1. That no man is bound to love another but for his own sake and so far as he is beneficial to him 2. That we are not bound to do another a greater good to the least hurt to our selves 3. That men are not bound to love and preferr the common good of multitudes of their Countrey or the world before their own commodities or lives 4. That no killing of malefactors is lawful by laws and judgement 5. That it is lawful to kill our enemies for meer private revenge or to prevent some evil to our selves though they are innocent 6. That it is lawful to have many wives at once 7. That it is lawful to put away wives or for wives to depart whenever their fleshly or worldly interest seemeth to require it 8. That it is lawful to commit adultery at least by the husband or wives consent 9. That fornication is no sin or no great sin 10. That it is lawful when our need doth urge us to rob steal defraud or oppress others 11. That restitution or reparation is no duty 12. That it is no sin to deceive another by borrowing when we are unable and unlikely to repay and do conceal this 13. That it is not a duty for them that are able to labour in some lawful useful calling for their own maintenance and the common good 14. That it is lawful to lie for our commodity when it hurts not others 15. That it is lawful by backbiting slandering and false witness to disgrace our enemies or be revenged on them 16. That it is lawful for Judges knowingly or rashly to pass unjust judgement against the innocent or just and for advocates or others to promote it 17. That it is lawful for the poor to covet other mens goods and for men to desire and endeavour to draw from others whatever seemeth desirable or needful to our selves 18. That it is no sin to love the world flesh and life better than God Christ grace and glory 19. That it is no sin to be discontent and impatient in our sufferings nor a duty to deny our fleshly pleasure profit or reputation and life for God and for spiritual and everlasting benefits 20. That it is no duty to love our enemies forgive wrongs and forbear each other in their infirmities and provocations XX. Of Death Judgement Heaven and Hell 1. That the souls of believers go not to Christ and happiness nor the souls of the wicked to misery before the Resurrection of the body at the last judgement 2. That there is no Resurrection of the body at least of the wicked or of Infants 3. That Christ will not come in glory to judge the world 4. That we shall not be judged according to what we have done in the body 5. That the faithful shall not be justified and judged to life everlasting 6. That the wicked shall not be condemned to hell or everlasting punishment with the Devils but without holiness men may see God and be saved 7. That no man can know that he hath certain right to Salvation 8. That there is a fire of Purgatory where those that after shall be saved must make penal satisfaction for some of their sins and from which the Popes pardons and masses and other mens merits may deliver souls 9. That the justified shall not live in Glory with God and Jesus Christ and the Angels and the triumphant Church 10. That there is an aereal life of trial before the final judgement where the justified and wicked souls shall again live under conditions of yet winning or losing their heavenly glory 11. That the Devils and damned shall all be delivered at last and either be saved or have another life of tryal And the Glory of the blessed also will have an end and they must by revolution be tryed in flesh here again 12. That it is not a duty to seek first the Kingdome of God and its righteousness and lay up a treasure in heaven and there have our hearts and conversations and thence to fetch our motives and our chiefest hopes and comforts under all the sufferings of this transitory life and the expectation of our certain change THis or such a Catalogue of dangerous doctrines is not to be
as that they forfeit their Toleration § 47. Those are to be accounted Intolerable who do more hurt than good and whose silencing and suppression will do more good than harm All men are faulty and do some harm And few are so bad as to do no good But that which prevaileth must prevail in the judgement of the Magistrate And yet when the suppression of a hurtful person will do by accident much more hurt to the Church or Commonwealth than the doth as it may fall out he is not to be so hurtfully suppressed § 48. Those therefore are intolerable in the Ministry 1. who through ignorance or disability are utterly insufficient for the necessary acts of the office and so will marr and disgrace the work appointed them and make Religious exercises scorned 2. Those that are hereticks in a strict sense that is that deny any Article of faith or practice necessary to Salvation or preach that which plainly overthroweth it 3. Those that are against or utterly corrupt any necessary part of Church-order or of the publick worship of God so as that God accepteth not worship so corrupted or that it tendethto more hurt than good to the assembly 4. those that will not profess the Essentials of Christianity Ministry and Church Communion 5. Those that live such scandalous and wicked lives as disgrace the Ministry and do more hurt than they do good 6. Those that will not promise and perform necessary diligence in the work of the Ministry which they undertake but idly neglect the flock 7. Those that by malignity and misapplication of truth turn their preaching or discourse to the reproach of serious godliness making people think that it is needless or hypocrisie 8. Those that will not promise and perform subjection to the supream Governours of the Kingdom or Republick 9. Those that will not forbear such reviling of Tolerable dissenters as tendeth plainly to destroy love and peace and to turn publick assemblies into stages of malignant strife 10. Those whose Religion or opinion is for burning destroying or exterminating either all dissenters or the innocent or tolerable while they call them Hereticks or that are for the subjecting of Kings or States or people to foreign Usurpers or for giving such a foreign Usurper power to excommunicate depose or murther Kings or temporal Lords and absolve their subjects from their Oaths of allegiance or force them to destroy or exterminate their innocent or tolerable subjects and that exempt the Clergy from subjection to Kings § 49. The Approved Tolerable and Intolerable thus distinguished and thus used by the Magistrate will best answer the ends and interest of Christianity and the Laws of Christ and will do as much to preserve Love Unity and peace as is on earth to be expected which all other contrary ways will unavoidably violate CHAP. IX Objections answered § 1. 1. SOme object against any restraint in Religion and the countenancing and preferring of one sort before others and say that the Magistrate should equally tolerate all or else he will discontent those that are but tolerated and much more those whom he useth as intolerable But this is so unchristian and unreasonable that I think it needless to say much against it Few men that believe there is a God and a life to come and that religion is mans duty and interest can believe that God hath appointed Government for no higher ends than our bodily peace and safety If men once believed what divers Popes have written that the office of the Priest excelleth the Kings as far as the soul excelleth the body and as the Sun excelleth the Stars it would cause religious people to set as light by Kings as they do by these worldly things which Kings have power over § 2. 2. Obj. But each party think themselves in the right and Kings and Parliaments are fallible and if they trouble those that are in the right they are persecutors if others yet they shall be accounted so Answ Being is before Thinking either the King is in the right or the sufferers If they are in the Right either their cause is evident and such as a willing diligent person may understand or not If it be clear the Prince is a persecutor that troubleth them If it be too hard for him he is unfit to be an active man against them for he cannot do it in faith and therefore sinneth and may be a persecutor for ought he knoweth If he or they be ignorant through wilfulness or negligence it will not excuse them If their cause seem clearly good to them and clearly bad to him one of them must needs be sinfully erroneous and it is the erring party that God is against who will be the final judge § 3. 3. Obj. But it is a thing that Princes and Statesmen are ignorant of they are not bred up in the study of Religion Bishops and Clergy-men are liker to understand such matters and it is their work Ans 1. God hath commanded that Kings and all Rulers study his word As Justices should know the Kings Laws the King and they should know Gods Laws It is as truly their office to Rule by them as it is the Ministers to Teach and Guide by them Government by the Sword and Church Government by the word and Keys are to be exercised according to the same Law of God and both have their use about causes Ecclesiastical in which we swear the King to be supreme as to that part which is to be done by the sword or corporal force 2. This objection long used by Popes and their Prelates hath been sufficiently confuted by themselves Church history putteth us quite past doubt that it went ill with the Church while the Clergy had all the power of Religion It hath been Popes and Prelates and Priests that have worse corrupted Religion and disgraced the Church and embroiled the world in religious quarrels and Schisms than ever Emperors and Kings have done Thirteen hundred years lamentable experience confuteth such thoughts as many have and as I have sometime been tempted to my self how well it would go with the Church if the disposal of all matters of Religion were rather in the hands of the Bishops and Clergy than of Kings and Parliaments Nay rarely are any Magistrates so hot for persecution and religious cruelty as the Bishops and Clergy or those that are stirr'd up by them against dissenters or one another The doleful devastations and Schisms about Nestorianism Eutychinnism and such like were caused more by the Bishops than the Magistrates And though Constantius and Valens did much against truth and peace it was by their Clergies instigation He that will consider the lives of Constantine M. Theodosius Senior and Theodosius Junior Aâ—astasius c. and of Charles Otho the Henries and others since in the West will see how much ado the Emperors had to keep the Prelates from Schisms and confusions And he that readeth but the Laws of the Spanish French
as to Government And that none are of the visible Church that are not the Popes Subjects and that they that refuse such Subjection are Schismaticks or Hereticks or Infidels And that all that own Christ should be compelled by Sword or torment to own the Pope as his Vicar General Sect. III. Campanella de Regno Dei openeth the Mystery of the Fifth Monarchy and alledgeth the texts that are brought for it as intending Christs Reign on Earth by the Pope as his Viceroy And indeed it is an Universal Kingdom or Monarchy which they plead and strive for under the name of the Universal Church But in this they greatly differ whether the Pope have the universal Power of both Swords or but of one that is both Civil and Ecclesiastical and be really the King of all the World And herein they are of three Opinions as to the Subject of this Power and of three Opinions as to the degree Sect. IV. As to the Possessor of this Authority 1. One party say that the summa Potestas is in thâ—â— Pope 2. Another saith it is in the Pope presiding in a General Council or in the Pope and Council agreeing 3. And another party hold that it is in a General Council alone yet so as that the Pope is the Head of the Universal Church as the chief Prelate and Ordidinary Governour though subject to the Legislative and Judicial Power of the Council Sect. V. And as to the Degree of Power 1. Some hold that the Pope is the Monarch of all the Earth having the chief Power of both Swords and that the World is his Kingdom as Gods Vicegerent 2. Others hold that he hath directly only the Ecclesiastical Power but indirectly and in order to Spirituals he hath also the Temporal power of the Sword Or as the most hold that in his own Territories he hath both Powers as to Personal exercise but in other Kingdoms he can himself only execute the Church-power but he may command Kings to execute the power of the Sword for Religion according to his and his Bishops decrees and may force them to it by Anathema's and releasing their Subjects from the Bonds of Fidelity and giving their Kingdoms to others As some say that the King may not be personally Judge in the Courts of Justice but he may make Judges and force them to their duty and depose them if unworthy This differeth little from the former The Monarchy is nevertheless absolute though Kings be the Popes Officers or Lictors 3. But some few hold that the Pope and Bishops have no Power of the Sword at all nor of forcing Kings to use it The Controversie was hotly handled when Popes and Emperors were in Warrs The Volumes written on both sides are published by Goldastus to which William Barkley and some others in France have added more Sect. VI. Rightly therefore doth the Geograph Nubiensis call the Pope A King The Name of a Church maketh not a difference in the thing There be some that think that all Kings should be also Priests and the Popes will grant it so far as to hold that all Bishops should be Magistrates and the Chief Priest be Univerâ—al Kingâ— Cardinal Bertram in Biblioth Patr. saith God had not been wise if he had not set up such a Monarch under him over the World And in 〈◊〉 seu Bulla Sixti quarti Philippo Palatino Rhâ—ni in â—rehero Vol. 2. pag. 162. you may see their Claim in these words Universos Christianos Principes acâ—omnes Christi fideles requirere eisque mandare vice Dei cuius locum quamvis immeriti tenemus in terris To require all Christian Princes and all faithful Christians and to command them in Gods stead whose place on earth we hold though unworthy The Twelfth General Council viz. at the Laterane sub Innoc. 3. and some at Rome under Greg. 7. and many others put this Claim of theirs past doubt Sect. VII Now that the Universal Church will never unite in the Roman Papacy I prove undeniably as followeth 1. Because Christians will never unite in an Agreement to forsake the Scriptures as Gods Word and Law where they will still find that he never instituted such a Roman Monarch The Papists contrary Assertion will never convince the World when the Book it self is open before them They will there find no one man that ruled all the rest no one to whom Appeals were made no one that ever claimed such a power much less that settled any such at Rome or that ever a word was left by Christ to direct the Church to center in the Bishop of Rome Nor that ever the Apostles preached this to the Churches which they must needs have done had it been essential to the Church Catholick or half as necessary as the Papists make it Sect. VIII 2. Because in Scripture Christians will not only find nothing for it but much against it which many Volumes having largely proved Chamier Whitakers White and abundance more it would be vain here to repeat I commend to the English Reader now but Dr. Challoners small Book of the Catholick Church Sect. IX 3. Because were it but as dark and doubtful and uncertain as common Reason and Disputers experience proveth it the universal Church can never unite in a thing which so few can see any certainty in or evident proof of Sect. X. 4. Because the greatlyest reverenced General Councils are against it limiting the Popes power to his Diocese as Nice first doth and declaring him to be National and of humane Institution as being Bishop of the Imperial City and advancing Constantinople from the same Reason as doth the Council of Chalcedon Of which I have largely written against Terret Sect. XI 5. Because the Greek Church hath ever held the Papacy to be of humane Institution Proved briefly 1. Because they ever held the Popes power to stand on the same Foundation with the other Patriarchs But they ever held the other Patriarchs to be of Humane Institution which needs no proofs to men of Reading 2. Because they set up Constantinople first next him and then equal to him and then above him which they had never done had they taken the Papacy to be of Divine Institution For they never pretended any such foundation for the Bishop of Constantinoples power and they were never so desperate as to set up Mans Ordination above Gods 3. Because they took his Power to be limited by the Laws of the Empire and him to be subject to the Emperours All which is known to men that know Church-History Sect. XII 6. Because the common Reason of Mankind will still discern that a humane Monarchy of all the Earth is a dream and Impossibility and that no man is naturally capable of exercising such a power Sect. XIII 7. Because while Baronius Binius Crab Surius and other Histories of the Councils are extant and Platina Anastasius and other Histories of the Popes and while all the old Church-History is extant and all the German
set one Presbyter in degree above the rest Did not all the strife of Emperors for the power of investing Bishops signifie this much against the Popes opposition Both sides granted that the People and Clergy were to be the Choosers of a Bishop And it was the old Canon that no Bishop should remove from Seat to Seat so that only Presbyters and no former Bishops were made Bishops of any particular City or Deacons or Subdeacons sometime at Rome By which it appeareth that the Emperors power of Investiture amounted to a Negative voice in the making of a Bishop The Kings of Israel sent Levites to teach the People and Solomon chose who should be the High-Priest And when the Romans after sold the Office Christ bids the cleansed Lepers Go and shew themselves to the High-Priest and offer c. Sect. XIII The Case of the Reformed Churches nullified by the Papists and whose Ministers Office and Authority is denied by them is as followeth I. The old Bohemians and Waldenses had different degrees of Pastors of which the Superior were called Conseniors and Seniors of one Order who presided among the Elders but took not the Government of the Flocks out of their hands nor ruled without them and were chiefly above others in judging what Elders or Ministers were to be removed from lesser places to greater whose Form of Government most like the Ancients you may see at large in the Descriptions of Lascitius and Commenius II. The Churches called Lutherane Denmark Sueden Saxony c. have for the most part some Episcopacy called Superintendency but their Bishops take not the power of the Keys from the Pastors of the several Parishes And they take not the power of Ordaining to be proper to the Bishops For the Bishops of Denmark were made such by Bugenhagius Pomeranus a Presbyter which they suppose doth null their Successive Power And the English have Diocesane Bishops and Ordination by them and as good a Succession at least of Regular Ordination as Rome hath had III. The Churches called Presbyterian in Holland France Scotland and other Countries have Ordination by a Synod of the Pastors of particular Churches of which some are the chief Pastors of Cities and have Curates or assisting Presbyters and therefore are such Bishops as the Scripture Ignatius Tertullian yea and Cyprian describe so that 1. They think that as in Generation a Man begetteth not an Ape or Dog but a Man and an Horsâ— begetteth an Horse and every thing propagateth its own species And as Physicians make Physicians and Lawyers make Lawyers c. So Pastors make Pastorâ— as far as belongeth to an Ordainer that is preparing and determining the Receiver whom God shall give the Power to and oblige to the duty of that Office 2. But yet in the same Order they think they have a true Episcopacy as to degree first in the foresaid City Pastors that have Curates secondly in the President of the Synod 3. And they think that those Writers Papists and Protestants are in the right who expound the word Presbytery which laid hands on Timothy of a Session of Presbyters and therefore that such have power to Ordain 4. And they think that if after their faithfullest search they should in this be mistaken against their wills God will not therefore disown their Churches Ministry and Worship no more than he will reject the Prayers of private Christians for their Errors and Imperfections IV. Those that at present are called Nonconformists in England who were about 2000 Ejected and Silenced Anno 1662. Aug. 24. 1. Many of them yea most that were above 44 years old were Ordained by Bishops of whom I am one 2. The Generality of the rest lived when by the Rulers that had such possession as they could not resist Diocesane Ordination was forbidden and another set up and we heard not of five Bishops in England that did Ordain and hardly knew how to procure it of these And the Oath of Allegiance might have cost both the Bishop and the Ordained their Lives or Liberties at least in the Times of Usurpation 3. They were Ordained by a Classis or Synod of Ministers of whom some were chief City Pastors that had Curates which saith Grotius de Imper. Sum. Pol. were a sort of Bishops and they had a President 4. Some were not satisfied with this and were secretly Ordained by the deposed Bishops 5. Some desired Confirmation of their Ordination aforesaid by the Synods from such Bishops as owned it and had it from Bishop Usher at least of others I am uncertain 6. The Generality of them that had any Parsonages or Vicarages or any endowed Cures in England from the Year 1646 till the time that the Westminster Assembly was Dissolved had a formal authorizing Instrument of Approbation from the said Assembly or National Synod chosen by the Parliament of which the Catalogue in their Ordinance sheweth us that divers Bishops were by the Parliament chosen Members If any or all refused to be there the Countrey Ministers knew not that but justly took them to be parts of the Synod And though this was not an Ordination by Imposition of Hands they supposed that it was as valid to authorize them as the Acts before-mentioned of some ancient Bishops who ordained absent Men. And the main Body of the late Ejected Ministers very few excepted were thus called confirmed approved and put in having also the Consent or Election usually of the Patron and the People and the then Rulers Sect. XIV And there were many that in those Times were only Ordained Deacons and took the Synods Letters of Approbation for the substance of an Ordination to be Presbyters but wanting the Formality submitted to Diocesane Ordination when the Diocesanes returned of whom Dr. Manton was one Yea divers submitted to be Re-ordained by the Diocesanes that had been Ordained Presbyters before This is the Nonconformists Case except some few Independents that were not for formal Ordination at least so much as the rest yet even of them such as had Benefices in Anno 1646 1647 1648 had the Synods Approbation Sect. XV. To all this I must add That by the Diocesanes Silencing multitudes of those Ministers whom the most Religious accounted the most able holy powerful Preachers in the days of Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles I. besides the 2000 Silenced in the beginning of King Charles II. the People that were most serious in matters of Religion were except a few so alienated from the Diocesanes that most of the stricter Religious Sort would not choose a Minister that was for them and their Ordination and so it would have made a more dangerous Schism than was made Sect. XVI And as to the present state and practice of the Nonconformists premising that I speak only of meer Nonconformists as such and not Men of other Principles and Parties that Conform not as Jews Turks Socinians Papists Familists Quakers c. let it be understood 1. That they take all the Parishes
all 21. What if a thousand honest weak Men mistake and think that the things imposed as necessary to their Sacramental Communion are great Sins and it be not so as our Doubts against Conformity are thought to be Mistakes yea the Anabaptists Error Can he prove that all such are damning Errors for want of Sacraments 22. Gods Oath is also to confirm our Faith And if a Man may be saved that beâ—ieveth Gods 〈◊〉 and knoweth not of his Oath why not he that believeth it and knoweth not of the Sacrament 23. Doth not his Doctrine make the Priests the absolute Lords of all Mens Souls that can deny Salvation to any or all Men by denying them the Sacrament Is this the sense of their having the Power of the Keys 24. Is not this abuse of Tibi dabo Claves and the office of Key-bearing the knack by which Popes have subdued Kings and Kingdoms 25. Is not the Argument which this Man manageth against the Reformed Churches to prove them â—o Churches and to have no Ministery and Sacrament the Achilles of the Papists in which is their chief coâ—fidence but often baffled as by Voetius against Jarâ—nius aforesaid 26. Nay the Papists themselves are far more moderate than this Man for they take a Laymans Baptism yea a Womans to be sufficient to salvation when this Man denieth it of all the most learned and holy Pastors that have not uninterrupted Episcopal Ordination 27. Bishops have too oft conspired to corrupt Gods Sacraments witness the Lateran Council sub Innc. 3. and to interdict Kingdoms and oppress Princes and People and may do so again And have the People no remedy against them 28. A Minister justly ordained and unjustly suspended or silenced by a Bishop hath more authority than Laymen and their Sacraments are not Nullities by the Romanists Confession 29. Is not this Mans Doctrine far grosser than Cyprians and the Africans yea the Dâ—natists that denied the validity of Heretick Baptism 30. A Lay-Chancellor in these mens judgments useth the Keys of Excommunication and Absolution validly and yet are not the Sacraments or Ordination of the Reformed Churches aforesaid valid 31. Surrogate Priests by the Bishops consent validly Excommunicate that are no Bishops 32. No People can be sure by this Mans Rule that they have Sacraments or shall be saved except by faâ—lible presumption not knowing that their Priest hath uninterrupted successive Ordination 33. When your presumptuous Ordination is discovered to be Null must all the People be Re-baptized 34. The Church of England giveth none the Lords Supper till 16 years old Doth it become absolutely necessary to Salvation just at that Age and not before 35. The Burial Office pronounceth all saved that never Communicated so they be Baptized and not Excommunicate nor kill themselves 36. What work would this Man make for Rebaptizers if all the Protestanâ—s of all Nations must be Re-baptized that have not the foresaid Ordination 37. Is it suitable to the description of God and his grace in Scripture to believe that he layeth all mens Salvation upon Sacraments performed by men Ordained as he describeth 38. Are not we Reproached Silenced Ministers as like to be good Protestants as such men as this that say that 1. The Reformed Churches that have not Episcopal Ordination from uninterrupted Succession are no true Churches 2. Have no true Ministers 3. Nor true Sacraments 4. Nor part in the Covenant of Grace 5. Nor hope of Salvation by promise from God 6. That their Ministery and Sacraments is the Sin against the Holy Ghost 7. That the Church of Rome hath this uninter rupted Succession as he tells me 8. That as will hence follow the French Protestant were better turn Papists than be as they are Sect. XXXI There are as many and greater Objections that I should lay before him about his Doctrine of an Universal Church-Policy and that sort of Episcopacy which he rather supposeth than proveth necessary and such other Points But I will no more tire the Reader herein Sect. XXXII All the definition of the Protestant Religion that I can extort from him is Communicating with the Church of England and those that it holds communion with 1. And so did the Papists saith Dr. Heylin in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign till the Pope forbad them 2. The Church of England never renounced Communion with the Reformed Churches which he renounceth 3. A particular Church is no Standard of Religion Nor England more than the rest Sect. XXXIII If he renounce Communion with all these Reformed Churches and with the Romans also what a Separatist is this Man and how narrow is his Communion and into how small a number hath he reduced the Universal Church If neither Papists nor any Churches that have not Ordination from uninterrupted Succession be parts of the Catholick Church it is very little if not invisible Sect. XXXIV He thus teacheth almost all the Christian world instead of Love and Concord to Unchurch Unchristen and Condemn each other The Romans on such accounts already Unchurch all the rest The rest will far more easily prove that Simony Heresie uncalled Popes uncapable ones and manifold Schisms have oft interrupted his described Succession at Rome And so Turks and Heathens have matter given them against us all Already by such kind of Schismatical Principles there are few parts of the Church on Earth that are not by others Unchurched and Unchurch not others But yet it is but few of them that have proceeded to that Anabaptistical height as to nullifie all their Sacraments and to expect that almost all the Christian world should be again baptized Yea this is far more Schismatical than common Anabaptism For the Anabaptists with us Re-baptize not them that were baptized at age by such Ministers as this Writer and such others degrade much less do they damn almost all the Christian world or other Reformed Churches and say They have no part in Gods Covenant of Grace and Promise of Salvation and that they sin against the Holy Ghost as this Man doth CHAP. X. None of these terms will unite a National Church or any Associated Churches nor well any single Church Though by other means a competent Vnion may be kept in some Churches notwithstanding such Schismatical Courses § I. THE same Reasons which prove that none of these terms will ever unite the Universal Church but that all are fitted to promote Divisions will prove also that they tend of themselves to the dividing and distracting of all lesser Church Societies and Communions Though yet we do not deny but de facto a particular Church may easilier agree in an Error or be kept in some Concord under the same Pastor where a Sin or Error prevaileth than the Universal Church on Earth can As the Church of Rome may agree in Popery but all the Christian world will not And as a great part hath agreed in Arianism called Christians and a great part in Nestorianism and to this day in Eutychianism