Worship only and not that which is purely Moral and Natural which in many instances of it hath a great coincidence with the light of Nature as was before discoursed We understand also the Solemn or stated Worship of the Church of God That Worship I say which is solemn and stated for the Church the whole Church at all times and seasons according to the rules of his appointment is that which we enquire after Hence in this matter we have no concernment in the fact of this or that particular person which might be â—â—casionally influenced by necessity as vids eating of the Shewbread was 〈◊〉 which how far it may excuse or just 〈◊〉 the persons that act thereon or reguâ—â— their actions directly I know not nor any way engaged to enquire This is the state of our Question in haâ—â— the mind of the Assertion which is hâ—â— so hideously disguised and represent in its pretended consequences Neitâ—â—â— do I think there is any thing needful fâ—â—ther to be added unto it But yet for 〈◊〉 clearing of it from mistakes somethiâ—â— may be discoursed which relates unto We say then First That there are sundry things be used in about and with those Actioâ— whereby the Worship of God is perforâ—â—ed which yet are not Sacred nor do 〈◊〉 long unto the Worship of God as suâ—â— though that Worship cannot be perform without them The very Breath that 〈◊〉 breathe and the light whereby they sâ— are necessary to them in the Worshipâ—â— God and yet are not made Sacredâ— Religious thereby Constantine said of oâ— that he was a Bishop but without the Churcâ— not a Sacred Officer but one that tooâ— care and had a supervisorship of thirâ— â—ecessarily belonging to the performance of Gods Worship yet no Parts or Adjuncts 〈◊〉 it as such For it was all still without Now all those things in or about the Worship of God that belonged unto Constantines Episcopacy that is the ordering and disposal of things without the Church but about it without Worship but about it we acknowledge to be left unto common prudence guided by the general Rules of Scripture by which the Church is to walk and compose its actings And this wholly supersedes the Discourse of our Author concerning the great variety of circumstances wherewith all humane actions are attended For in one word all such circumstances as necessarily attend humane actions as such neither are Sacred nor can be made so without an express Institution of God and are disposable by humane Authority So that the long contest of our Author on that Head is altogether vain So then Secondly By all the concernments of Religious Worship which any affirm that they must be directed by Divine Revelation or regulated by the Scripture they intend all that is Religious or whatever belongs to the Worship of God as it is Divine Worship and not what belongs unto the actions wherein and when by it is performed as they are actions Thirdly That when any part of Worship is instituted in special and general Rule are given for the practice of it hic â— nunc there the Warranty is sufficient foâ— its practice at its due seasons and for those seasons the nature of the thing it self with what it hath respect unto and the lighâ— of the general Scripture Rules will give them an acceptable determination And these few Observations will abundantly manifest the impertinency of those who think it incumbent on any by vertue of the Principle before laid down to produce express Warranty in words of Scripture for every Circumstance that doth attend and belong unto the Actions whereby the Worship of God is performed which as they require not so no such thing is included in the Principle as duly stated For particular circumstances that have respect to good order decency and external regulation of Divine Worship they are all of them either circumstances of the Actions themselves whereby Divine Worship is performed and exercised and so in general they are natural and necessary which in particular or actu exercito depend on Moral Prudence or Religious Rites themselves added in and to the whole or any parts of Divine Service which alone in this question come under enquiry I know there are usually sundry Exceptions put into this Thesis as before stated and asserted and instances to the contrary are pretended some whereof are touched upon by our Author pag. 181. which are not now particularly and at large to be considered But yet because I am beyond expectation engaged in the Explication of this Principle I shall set it so far forth right and straight unto further examination as to give in such general Observations as being consistent with it and explanatory of it will serve to obviate the most of the exceptions that are laid against it As 1. Where ever in the Scripture we meet with any Religious duty that had a preceding Institution although we find not expresly a consequent Approbation we take it for granted that it was approved and so on the contrary where an Approbation appears and Institution is concealed 2. The Question being only about Religious Duties or things pertaining to or required in or about the Worship of God no exception against the general thesis caâ—â— take place but such as consists in thingâ— directly of that nature Instances in and about things civil and belonging meerly to humane conversation or things natural as signs and memorials one of another are in this matter of no consideration 3. Things extraordinary in their performance and which for ought we know may have been so in their warranty 〈◊〉 rule have no place in our debate Foâ— we are inquiring only after such things as may warrant a suitable practice in usâ— without any further Authority which is the end for which instances against this principle are produced this actions extrâ—ordinary will not do 4. Singular and occasional Actions which may be variously influenced and regulated by present circumstances are nâ— Rule to guide the ordinary stated Worship of the Church Davids eating of thâ— shew-bread wherein yet he was justifieâ— because of his hunger and necessity was not to be drawn into Example of giving the shew-bread promiscuously to the people And sundry instances to the same purpose are given by our Saviour himself 5. There is nothing of any dangerous or had consequence in this whole controversie but what lyes in the imposition on mens practices of the Observation of uncommanded Rites making them necessary unto them in their observation The things themselves are said in their own nature antecedent to their injunction for practice to be indifferent and indifferent as unto practice What hurt would it be to leave them so They cannot say some be omitted for such and such Reasons Are there then Reasons for their observation besides their Injuction and such as on the account whereof they are injoyned Then are they indeed necessary in some degree before their Injunction For all Reason for them must be taken from
his proceedings herein are reflected on by persons Sober and Learned who have any respect to modesty or sobriety or any reverence for the things of God as debated among men he would abate somewhat of that self-delight and satisfaction which he seems to take in his Achievement Neither is it in the matter of Dissent alone from the established Forms of Worship that this Author and some others endeavour by their Revilings and Scoffings to expose Non-Conformists to scorn and violence but a semblance at least is made of the like Reflections on their whole Profession of the Gospel and their Worship of God Yea these are the special subjects of those swelling words of contempt those farcastical invidious Representations of what they oppose which they seem to place their confidence of success in But what do they think to effect by this Course of proceedure do they suppose that by crying out canting phrases silly non-sense Metaphors they shall shame the Non-Conformists out of the Profession of the Gospel or make them foregoe the course of their Ministry or alienate one soul from the Truth taught and profest amongst them They know how their Predecessours in the faith thereof have been formerly entertained in the World St. Paul himself falling among the Gentlemen Philosophers of those dayes was termed by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Babler or one that Canted his Doctrine despised as silly and foolish and his Phrase's pretended to be Unintelligible These things move not the Non-Conformists unless it be to a Compassion for them whom they fee to press their Wits and Parts to so wretched an employment If they have any thing to charge on them with respect to Gospel-truths as that they own teach preach or publish any Doctrines or Opinions that are not agreeable thereunto and Doctrine of the Antient and late Reformed Churches let them come forth if they are men of Learning Reading and Ingenuity and in wayes used and approved from the beginning of Christianity for such ends and Purposes endeavour their Confutation and Conviction let them I say with the Skill and Confidence of Men and according to all rules of Method and Art state the matters in difference between themselves and their Adversaries confirm their own judgements with such Reasons and Arguments as they think pleadable in their behalf and oppose the Opinions they condemn with testimonies and reasons suited to their Eversion The course at present steered and engaged in to carpe at phrases expressions manners of the Declaration of mens conceptions collected from or falsly fathered upon particular persons thence intimated to be common to the whole party of Non-Conformists the greatest guilt of some whereof it may be is only their too near approach to the expressions used in the Scripture to the same purpose and the evidence of their being educed from thence is unmanly unbecoming persons of any philosophick generosity much more Christians and Ministers nay some of the things or sayings reflected on and carped at by a late Author are such as those who have used or asserted them dare modestly challenge him in their defence to make good his charge in a personal conference provided it may be Scholastical or Logical not Dramatick or Romantick And surely were it not for their Confidence in that Tame and Patient Humour which this Author so tramples upon p. 15. they could not but fear that some or other by these disingenuous proceedings might be provoked to a Recrimination and to give in a Charge against the cursed Oaths Debaucheries Profaneness various Immoralities and sottish Ignorance that are openly and notoriously known to have taken up their residence among some of those persons whom the Railleries of this and some other Authors are designed to countenance and secure Because we may not concern our selves again in things of this nature let us take an Instance or two of the manner of the dealing of our Author with Non-conformists and those as to their Preaching and Praying which of all things they are principally maligned about For their Preaching he thus sets it out p. 75. Whoever among them can Invent any new Language presently sets up for a Man of new Discoveries and he that lights upon the prettyest non-sense is thought by the Ignorant Rabble to unfold new Gospel Mysteries and thus is the Nation shattered into infinite factions with senseless and phantastick phrases and the most fatal miscarriage of them all lyes in abusing Scripture expressions not only without but in contradiction to their sense so that had we but an Act of Parliament to abridge Preachers the use of fulsome and luscious Metaphors it might perhaps be an effectual cure of all our present Distempers Let not the Reader smile at the Oddness of the proposal for were men obliged to speak sense as well as Truth all the swelling mysteries of Phanaticism would then sink into flat and empty non-sense and they would be ashamed of such jejune and ridioulous stuff as their admired and most profound nations would appear to be Certainly there are few who read these expressions that can retain themselves from smiling at the pittiful phantastick souls that are here characterized or from loathing their way of Preaching here represented But yet if any should by a surprizal indulge themselves herein and one should seriously enquire what it is that stirred those humours in them it may be they could scarce return a rational account of their Commotions For when they have done their utmost to countenance themselves in their scorn and derision they have nothing but the bare Assertions of this Author for the proof of what is here charged on those whom they deride And how if these things are most of them if not all of them absolutely false how if he be not able to prove any of them by any considerable avowed instance How if all the things intended whether they be so or no as here represented depend meerly on the judgement and fancy of this Author and it should prove in the issue that they are no such rules measures or standards of mens rational expressions of their Conceptions but that they may be justly appealed from and how if sundry things so odiously here expressed be proved to have been sober Truths declared in words of Wisdom and Sobriety What if the things condemned as fulsome Metaphors prove to be Scriptural expressions of Gospel Mysteries What if the principal Doctrines of the Gospel about the grace of God the Mediation of Christ of Faith Justification Gospel-obedience Communion with God and Union with Christ are esteemed and stigmatized by some as swelling Mysteries of Fanaticism and the whole work of our Redemption by the blood of Christ as expressed in the Scripture be deemed Metaphorical In brief What if all this Discourse concerning the Preachings of Non-Conformists be as unto the sense of the words here used false and the Crimes in them injuriously charged upon them What if the Metaphors they are charged with are no other but
this is unquestionably of the highest nature if true and such as might justly render the whole Profession of those who are guilty of it suspected And this is again renewed by our Author who to charge home upon the Non-Conformists reports the saying of Flâ—ius Ilyricus a Lutheran who dyed an hundred yeâ—rs ago namely that bona opera sunt pernitiosa ad salutem though I do not remember that any such thing was maintained by Illyricus though it was so by Amsdorsius against Georgius Major But is it not strange how any man can assume to himself and swallow so much confidence as is needful to the mannagement of this charge The Books and Treatises published by men of the perswasion traduced their daily preaching witnessed unto by multitudes of all sorts of people the open avowing of their duty in this matter their principles concerning sin duty holiness vertue righteousness and honesty do all of them proclaim the blackness of this calumny and sink it with those who have taken or are able to take any sober cognizance of these things utterly beneath all Consideration Moral duties they do esteem commend count as necessary in Religion as any men that live under Heaven It is true they say that on a supposition of that performance whereof they are capable without the assistance of the Grace and Spirit of God though they may be good in their own nature and useful to mankind yet they are not available unto the salvation of the souls of men and herein they can prove that they have the concurrent suffrage of all known Churches in the world both those of old and these at present They say moreover that for men to rest upon their performances of these moral duties for their Justification before God is but to set up their own Righteousness through an Ignorance of the Righteousness of God for we are justified freely by his Grace neither yet are they sensible of any opposition to this Assertion For their own discharge of the Work of the Ministry they endeavour to take their rule pattern and instruction from the precepts directions and examples of them who were first commissionated unto that work even the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ recorded in the Scripture that they might be used and improved unto that end By them are they taught to endeavour the declaring unto men all the Counsel of God concerning his Grace their Obedience and Salvation and having the word of Reconciliation committed unto them they do pray their hearers in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God to this end do they declare the unsearchable riches of Christ and comparatively determine to know nothing in this world but Christ and him crufied whereby their preaching becometh principally the word or Doctrine of the Cross which by experience they find to be a stumbling block unto some and foolishness unto others by all means endeavouring to make known what is the riches of the glory of the mysterie of God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself praying withal for their Hearers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their understanding being enlightned they may learn to know what is the hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints and in these things are they not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation By this Dispensation of the Gospel do they endeavour to ingenerate in the hearts and souls of men Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. To prepare them also hereunto they cease not by the preaching of the Law to make known to men the Terror of the Lord to convince them of the nature of sin of their own lost and ruined condition by reason of it through its guilt as both Original in their Natures and Actual in their lives that they may be stirred up to fly from the wrath to come and to lay hold on eternal life and thus as God is pleased to succeed them do they endeavour to lay the great Foundation Jesus Christ in the hearts of their Hearers and to bring them to an interest in him by believing In the farther pursuit of the work committed unto them they endeavour more and more to declare unto and instruct their Hearers in all the Mysteries and saving Truths of the Gospel to the end that by the knowledge of them they may be wrought unto Obedience and brought to Conformity to Christ which is the end of their Declaration and in the pursuit of their duty there is nothing more that they insist upon as far as ever I could observe than an endeavour to convince men that that Faith or Profession that doth not manifest it self which is not justified by works which doth not purifie the heart within that is not fruitful in universal Obedience to all the Commands of God is vain and unprofitable letting them know that though we are saved by Grace yet we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus to good works which he hath ordained for us to walk in them a neglect whereof doth uncontrollably evict men of Hypocrisie and falseness in their Profession that therefore these things in those that are Adult are indispensably necessary to salvation Hence do they esteem it their Duty continually to press upon their Hearers the constant observance and doing of whatsover things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are comely whatsoever things are of good report letting them know that those who are called to a participation of the Grace of the Gospel have more higher stronger obligations upon them to Righteousness Integrity Honesty usefulness amongst men in all moral duties throughout all Relations Conditions and Capacities than any others whatever For any man to pretend to write plead that this they do not but indeed do discountenance Morality and the Duties of it is to take a liberty of saying what he pleases for his own purpose when thousands are ready from the highest experience to contradict him And if this false supposition should prove the soul that animates any Discourses let men never so passionately admire them and expatiate in the commendation of them I know some that will not be their Rivals in their Extasies For the other things which those Books are mostly filled withal setting aside frivolous trifling exceptions about Modes of Carriage and common phrases of speech altogether unworthy the review or perusal of a serious Person they consist of such exceptions against expressions sayings occasional reflections on Texts of Scripture Invectives and impertinent calling over of things past and by-gone as the merit of the Cause under contest is no way concerned in And if any one would engage in so unhandsome an employment as to collect such fond speeches futilous expressions ridiculous expositions of
Goodness miraculously inspire the first Converts of Christianity with all sorts of Vertues but that He doth not still continue to put forth in any actually the Efficacy of his Grace to make them Gracious Holy Believing Obedient to himself and to work in them all suitable actings towards himself and others Then farewell Scripture the Covenant of Grace the Intercession of Christ yea all the Ancient Fathers Counsels Schoolmen and most of the Jesuites themselves Many have been the disputes amongst Christians about the Nature of Grace the Rule of its Dispensation the manner and way of its Operation its Efficacy Concurrence and Co-operation in the Wills of men but that there is no dispensation of it no operation but what was miraculous in the first Converts of the Gospel was I think untill now undiscovered Nor can it be here pretended that although the Vertuous qualities of our minds and their Exercise by which is intended all the Obedience that God requireth of us in Principle and Practice that we may please him and come to the enjoyment of him are not said to be called Graces only on the account mentioned For as in respect of us they are not so termed at all so if the term only be not understood the whole discourse is impertinent and ridiculous For those other Reasons and Accounts that may be taken in will render that given utterly useless unto our Authors intention and indeed are altogether inconsistent with it And he hath given us no reason to suppose that he talks after such a weak and preposterous a rate This then is that which is here asserted the Qualities of our minds and their Exercise wherein the Vertues pleaded about and affirmed to contain the whole Substance of Religion do consist are not wrought in us by the Grace or Spirit of God through the Preaching of the Gospel but are only called Graces as before Now though here be a plain contradiction to what is delivered but two pages before namely that we pray for some or other Vertuous qualities that is doubtless to be wrought in us by the Grace of God yet this present discourse is capable of no other interpretation but that given unto it And indeed it seems to be the design of some men to confine all real Gifts and Graces of the Spirit of God to the first Ages of the Gospel and the miraculous operations in it which is to overthrow the whole Gospel the Church and the Ministry of it as to their use and efficacy leaving Men only the Book of the Bible to Philosophize upon as shall be elsewhere demonstrated Our Author indeed tells us that on the occasion of some mens writings in Theology there hath been a buzz and a noise of the Spirit of God in the World His expressions are exceedingly suited to pour contempt on what he doth not approve not so to express what he doth himself intend But I desire that he and others would speak plain and openly in this matter that neither others may be deceived nor themselves have occasion to complain that they are mis-represented a pretence whereof would probably give them a dispensation to deal very roughly if not despightfully with them with whom they shall have to do Doth he therefore think or believe that there are not now any real Gracious Operations of the Spirit of God upon the hearts and minds of men in the world that the dispensation of the Spirit is ceased as well unto ordinary Ministerial Gifts with its sanctifying renewing assisting Grace as unto Gifts miraculous and extraordinary that there is no work at all of God upon the hearts of Sinners but that which is purely moral and perswasive by the word that what is asserted by some concerning the Efficacy of the Grace of the Spirit and concerning his gifts is no more but a buzz and a noise I wish he would explain himself directly and positively in these things for they are of great importance And the loose expressions which we meet with do give great Offence unto some who are apt to think that as pernicious an Heresie as ever infested the Church of God may be covered and clocked by them But to return In the sense that Moral Vertue is here taken I dare boldly pronounce that there is no Villany in the Religion of those men who distinguish between Vertue and Grace that is there not in their so doing this being the known and avowed Religion of Christianity It is granted that whereever Grace is there is Vertue For Grace will produce and effect all Vertues in the Soul whatever But Vertue on the other side may be where there is no Grace which is sufficient to confirm a distinction between them It was so in fundry of the Heathen of old though now it be pretended that Grace is nothing but an occasional denomination of Vertue not that it is the cause or principle of it But the proofs produced by our Author are exceedingly incompetent unto the end whereunto they are applyed For that place of the Apostle Gal. 5. v. 22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith meekness Temperance Though our Author should be allowed to turn Joy into cheerfulness peace into peaceableness Faith into Faithfulness as he hath done corruptly enough to accommodate it to his purpose yet it will no way reach his end nor satisfie his intention For doth it follow that because the Spirit effects all these Moral vertues in a new and gracious manner and with a direction to a new and special end in Believers either that these things are nothing but meer Moral Vertues not wrought in us by the grace of God the contrary whereof is plainly asserted in calling them fruits of the Spirit or that where-ever there is Moral Vertue though not so wrought by the Spirit that there is Grace also because Vertue and Grace are the same If these are the Expositions of Scripture which we may expect from them who make such out-cries against other mens perverting and corrupting of it the matter is not like to be much mended with us for ought I can see upon their taking of that work into their own hands And indeed his Quotation of this place is pretty odd He doth not in the Print express the words as he useth and as he doth those of another Scripture immediately in a different character as the direct words of the Apostle that no man may charge him with a false Allegation of the Text. Yet he repeats all the words of it which he intends to use to his purpose somewhat altering the expressions But he hath had I fear some unhappiness in his Explanations By Joy he would have Cheerfulness intended But what is meant by cheerfulness is much more uncertain than what is intended by Joy Mirth it may be in Conversation is aimed at or somewhat of that nature But how remote this is from that Spiritual Joy which is recommended unto us in the Scripture
Testimonies of the writings given by divine inspiration We have here the full substance of what is pleaded for and might the Advice of this Noble Emperour be admitted we should have a readier way to expedite all our present Differences than as yet seems to be provided for us The great Basil speaks yet more expresly than Constantine the great lib. de confes fid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. It hath the manifest guilt of infidelity and pride to reject any thing that is written or to add or introduce any thing that is not written which is the summ of all that in this matter is contended for To the same purpose he discourseth Epist. 80. ad Eustath where moreover he rejects all pretences of Customs and usages of any sorts of men and will have all differences to be brought for their Determination to the Scripture Christstome in his Homily on Psalm 95. speaks the same sense saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is it that promiseth these things Paul For we are not to say any thing without Testimony nor upon our meer Reasonings For if any thing be spoken without Scripture Testimony the mind of the hearers fluctuates now assenting anon hesitating sometimes rejecting what is spoken as frivolous sometimes receiving it as probable But where the Testimonies of the Divine Voice comes forth from the Scripture it confirmeth the word of the Speaker and the mind of the Hearer It is even so whilest things relating to Religion and the Worship of God are debated and disputed by the reasonings of men or on any other principles besides the express Authority of the Scriptures no certainty or full perswasion of mind can be attained about them Men under such actings are as Lucian in his Menippus says He was between the Disputations of the Philosophers sometimes he nodded one way sometimes another and seemed to give his assent backwards and forwards to express contradiction It is in the Testimony of the Scripture alone about the things of God that the Consciences of those that fear him can acquiesce and find satisfaction The same Author as in many other places so in his 13 Homily on the 2 Epist. to the Corinth expresly sends us to the Scripture to enquire after all things as that which is the exact Canon ballance and Rule of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Latines Tertullian is express to the same purpose In his Book against Hermogenes Adoro said he plenitudinem Scripturum quae mihi factorem manifestat facta again Scriptum esse hoc doceat Hermogenis officina aut timeat rae illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum I Adore the fulness of the Scripture And let Hermogenes prove what he saith to be written or fear the Woe denounced against them who add to or take from the Word And again in his Book de Carne Christi Non recipio quod extra Scriptuream de tuo infers I do not receive what you bring of your own without Scripture So also in his Book de Praescriptionibus Nobis nihil ex nostro arbitrio indulgere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostoles Domini habemus authores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent elegerunt sed acceptam a Christo disciplain ani deliter Nationibus assignaverunt It is â— lawful for us in these things to indâ—â— unto our own choice nor to choose what â— one brings in of his choosing We have Apostles of our Lord for our Exampâ—â— who brought in nothing of their own minâ— or choice But having received the Disciplâ— of Christian Religion from Chrsit tâ—â— faithfully communicated it to the Nation â— Hierome is plain to the same purpose iâ— sundry places So Comment in 23 Mattâ— Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet eaâ—dem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Thâ—â— which hath not Authority from the Scriptureâ— is as easily despised as asserted Comm. iâ— Hagg. cap. 1. Sed alia quae absque authoâ—â—ritate testimoniis scripturarum quasi traditione Apostolica sponte reperiunt atque confingunt percutit gladius Dei But those other things which without Authority or Testimony of the Scriptures they find out or faign of their own accord as of Apostolical Tradition the sword of God smites through It were easie to produce twenty other Testimonies out of the Ancient Writers of the church giving sufficient countenance to the Assertion contended about What account our Author gives of this Principle is now very briefly to be considered First therefore pag. 174 175. he reâ—es it as a pretence wild and humoursome â—ich men must be absurd if they believe â— impudent if they do not seeing it hath â—t the least shaddow or foundation either â—m Scripture or Reason though it be exâ—â—esly asserted either in its own terms or â—onfirmed by direct deductions in and â—om above forty places of Scripture â—nd so much for that part of the asâ—ault The next chargeth it with infinite follies â—nd mischiefs in those which allow it And 't is said that there can never be an end of alterations and disturbances in the Church whilest it is maintained The contrary whereof is true confirmed by Experience and Evidence of the thing it self The admittance of it would put an End to all disturbances For let any man judge whether if there be matters in difference as in all these things there are and ever were the bringing them to an issue and a setled stability be not likelier to be effected by all mean consenting unto one common Rule whereby they may be tryed and examined than that every party should be left at liberty to indulge to their own Affections and Imaginations about them And yet we are told p. 178. that all the pious Villanies that ever have disturbed the Christian World have sheltered themselves in this grand Maxime that Jesus Christ is the only Law-maker to his Church I confess I could heartily desire that such expressions might be forborn For let what pretence men please be given to them and colour put upon them they are full of scandal to Christian Religion The Mixime it self here traduced is as true as any part of the Gospel And it cannot be pretended that it is not the Maxime it self but the abuse of it as all the Principles of the Gospel through the Blindness and Lusts of men have been abused that is reflected on seeing the design of the whole Discourse is to evert the Maxime it self Now whatever Apprehensions our Author may have of his own Abilities I am satisfied that they are no way competent to disprove this Principle of the Gospel as will be evident on the first attempt he shall make to that purpose let him begin the tryal as soon as he pleaseth In the third Section we have an heap of instances raked together to confront the Principle in its proper sense before declared and vindicated in no one whereof it is at all concerned