wealth because the Law is the publick conscience which â—eems to be inconsistent with if noâ— point blank contradictory unto what the Apostle exhorts to Rom. 14. v. 5 Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind or conscience to wit of the warrantablenesse of what he doth and to what he asserts v. 23. whatsoever is not done in faith or from this full perswasion of its warrantableness is sin He doth not surely write this to Christians â—n Outopia or in the â—ancied new world in the Moon â—ut to those who were realy present memoers of the Roman Common-wealth or Subjects of that Impire neither can it with any shew of reason be supposed especially by him who in the strain of his Book as to this mattâ—r makes very little or rather no difference at all betwixt a Heathen and Christian Magistrat for whether the Magistrat be Pagan Mahometan Iewish Christian Popish or Pâ—otestant Heretical or Orthodox Seems to â—e all onâ— to him and his followers in this debate that if the Roman Emperour had been Christian he would have written otherwayes or that his becoming such would enervat yea quite evacuat the strength and obligation of what he writs for â—e delivers it as an eternal and un-alterable veritie Rule who will and be the Civil Laws what they may be and while in the 13. chapter of that same epistle he telleth Christians v. 5. That they must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake he seems very clearly to distinguish betwixt the Law and Command of the Civil Power which Mr. Hobbs calleth the publick conscience and the conscience of privat Christian Subjects and to presâ—e upon them subjection to the higher powers for their own conscience sake and so to leave to them some exercise and judgement of that their Conscience concerning the matter of their obedience and subjection otherwayes the obedience and subjection could not well be said to be for Conscience sake or out of Conscience for he raight shortly have said obey the dictats of the publick conscience aâ— the laws of the superiour powers there being no place for the exercise of the conscience of privat subjects in the matter There is one divine such as he is who in his Eccleâ—iastick polity more lately delivers the same doctrine wherein he not only plainly Hobbizeth but also palpably playeth the plagiâ—y borrowing not to say stealing much of what he sayes to this purpose through his Book from Mr Hobbs tho in some few things he oppoâ—eth him and delivers his sentiments in a finer dresse of language it may be that none may think that he is beholden to the other for that which he would surprize the world with as his own new and profoundly witty invention vainly as it were crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them for me share betwixt them this glorying in their own shame that shall not be rolled away He sayes that in matters of Religion and divine worship subjects are to be ruled by authority and the publick conscience and that in these matters privat men have not power over their own actions nor are to be directed by their own judgements but by the commands à nd determinations of the publick conscience only with these sory restrictions If the things commanded do not either countenance vice or disâ—race the Deitie or if the things be not absolutely and essentially evil whose nature no case can alter no circumstance can extenuat and no end can sanctifie Mr. Hobbs hath only this limitation if the things be not against the law of nature in effect both come near to the same if not to the very same amount and by both an obligation is pleaded to ly on the Consciences of all privat Christian subjects to give up themselves to the conduct and regulation of the publick conscience or of the Laws of the Common-wealth as to many at least of the positive commands of God doing contrary to which will not fall within the compasse of these very narrow limitations which either supposeth without any warrand or proofe that the publick conscience is always infallible as to these and it is worthie noticeing what the learned Monseur Claude hath to this purpose in his deâ—ence of the Reformation where he saith In effect an absolute obedience and intire resigning of ones self to the conduct of â—nother in these matters that regard the faith and the conscience is a duty that we can lawfully tender to none but to God who is the first truth the first principle of all justice to which none can pretend without usurâ—ing the just right of God As is also what saith Amesius page 6. of his Cases That the conscience is immediately subject to God and to his will and cannot subject it self to any creature without Idolatry Or it is the short cut and compendious way to debauch mens consciences and to drive all conscience out of the world being obviously lyable to these following beside others great and gross absurdities 1. That privat Christian Subjects are not at all to trouble themselves or to be at the pains to search the Scriptures in order to the information of their consciences and bringing themselves to be fully perswaded in their mind or conscience which they are expresly commanded to do Iohn 5. 39. and Rom. 14. 5. Of the warrantableness of what they do or are enjoyned to do in Religion and in the worship of God If it be not against the law of nature which may be easily discerned for sayes Mr. Hobbs it is born with every man and engraven on every mans heart He is in all such things to acquiesce without debate or demure in the determination of the publick conscience and if he shall endeavour to have his conscience informed the more he doth to he but puts his own conscience the more upon the rack and to the torture if he must notwithstanding the clearest information and best grounded perswasion of his own judgement and conscience stand to and acquiesce in the resolve of the publick conscience as he must do according to this doctrine if he sin not as hath not hitherto been doubted by any man of conscience in counteracting his own light and well-informed conscience at leaâ— he cannot but be more disquerted that he was according to the command of God at so much pains in the â—utit of seeking to have his conscience so well informed which God never made a just ground of disquiet to the minds of his people and his acquiescence in the determination of the publick conscience or of the law of the land must be as to many or most if not all divine positives in Religion and the worship of God for saith Mr. Hobbs page 249. They to whom God hath not spoken immediately are to receive commands from the Soveraign and consequently in every Common-wealth they who have no supernatural revelation to the contrary ought to obey the Laws of their own Soveraign in the external acts and
profession of Religion which drawes dreadfully deep as wilâ—â—ther appear from some of his instances If sayes he page 271. it be asked what if we be commanded by our lawful prince to say with our tongue we believe not in Christ he may as well add we believe not that there is such a person as Christ must we obey such a command Profession with the tongue sayeth he is no more then any other gesture whereby we signifie our obedience and wherein a Christian holding firmly in his heart the faith of Christ hath the same liberty that Elisha allowed to Naaman the Syrian a great and grosse mistake the Prophet allowed no such thing but without giving any particular answer to his demand since by what Mr. Hobbs confesseth he could not but know that what he desired if indeed he desired it some learned men asserting that the words contain a reflection upon a past unlawful practice and a begging forgivenesse of it and not a desire of a permission of any such practice for the future was a sin and unlawful to be done only bids him go in peace wishing him well and Gods blessing to him though not as to that particular â—ere sayeth he Naaman believed in his heart but by bowing before the Idol Rimmon he denyed the true God in effect as if he had done it with his lips how dare he then be so bold as to affirm that the Prophet allowed and approved of his practice What then shall we say to that of our Saviour whoever denyeth me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven To this sayeth he We may say that whatsoever a Subject as Naaman was is compelled to in obedience to his Soveraign and doth it not according to his own mind but in Order to the Laws of his Countrey that Action is not his but his Soveraigns nor is it be that in this case denyes Christ but his Governour and the Law of his Countrey O! what a wide door is opened here for grofâ—est distimulation and jugllng in the matters of God and for the most palpable inconsistancy betwixt the heart of 〈◊〉 and his actions The one manifestly contradicting and â—elying the other which ought especially in such cases fâ—thfully to correspond and exactly to agree What security I pray could men have upon earth one from another in their Oaths Covenants â—cts and Coâ—acts in their mutual Bâ—rgainings and dealings if such a cursed latitude were allowed them to say promise and sweat one thing and resolve another in their hearts and shaâ— that be allowed in matters wherein the honour of God is so much and so nearly concerned which is so abominable in the concerns of Men all which comparatively are but trifles Might not all Christian Martyrs of old and Protestant ones of late by such obedience to their respective lawful Soveraigns in the several parts of the Christian World have escaped delivered themselves from being burnt alive from other bloody violent and cruel deaths and exquisite torments and shall they not according to this detestable Doctrine be looked at as a company of silly fools who needlessely threw away their lives which they might thus have very easiely preserved â—or none of them we know of were ever by their Popish lawful Soveraigns injoyned to say with their tongue that they believed not in Christ which yet sayeth he they might and should have done keeping their mind to themselves and to God and much more those things which they were commanded Further page 239 240 241. He refers to the decision of the Soveraign all sorts of Doctrine in effect and more particularly and expresly whether the Subjects shall profess That life eternal and happiness shall be on the earth only Whether the Soul of man is a living Creature independent on the Body or doth subsist separatly from the Body Whether any meer man is Immortal otherwayes then by the Resurrection of the last day whether wicked men shall be tormented eternally so as not to be destroyed to die and be annihitated at length to all which himself seemeth to be 〈◊〉 as his own opinions O! wicked and wretched O! atheistical detestable and damnable opinions whether I say the Subject shall professe these things or not he refers to the decision of the Soveraign by which we may very easily judge in how many and in how very momentuous things in Christian Religion he 〈◊〉 subjects as to their outward profession and carriage to â—stand to and acquiesâ—e in the decision and determination of the lawful Soveraign in a Kingdom or Common-wealth or of the publick Conscience or Law of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which whether it be not to deny all Conscience 〈◊〉 Subjects and private persons in such matters as so nearly concern the eternal Salvation of their Immortal Souls is obvious at first 〈◊〉 It puts me in mind of what is reported of a great man smelling strong of this Conscience-destroying-doctrine who expostulating with some Countrey men living under him for their nor doing somewhat required of them by him for which nonpâ—rformance when they pleaded Conscience he in a great â—uffe not without some execration replyed What have the like of you to do with a Conscience Which was plainly on the matter to say with Hobbs that they and such as they should have no Conscience but what is ductile and governable by the Conscience of lawful Rulers and Superiours and that their commands and prohibitions make things just and adjust which is â—ayeth Mr. Liâ—h in his Body of Divinity page 378 to make Subjects beasts and the Magistrat God 2ly All priâ—at persons living in a Kingdom or Common-wealth must hence furth according to these Doctors allown and not in the feast regard in many things and those not of little moment in Religion and the worship of God their own Consciences as his Deputies and have recourse to the publick Conscience or the Law of the Land as the uniâ—ersal Depute set over all the Consciences of privat persons living therein nay to it as taking Gods own room to make Laws directly immediately and of themselves obligatory of all their Consciences and to enjoyn obedience to them as so oblidging them and must contrary to the Scripture no more notice the accusings or excusings of their own Consciences but those only of the publick Conscience 3ly The indispensibly requisite qualification of the obedience of Children to their Parents Ephes. 6. v. 1. viz. In the Lord whereby the Apostle doth undenyably lay it on the Children to consider and judge by their judgement of private discretion whether the commands and injunctions of their Parents be agreeable to the mind of the Lord and such in obedience whereto they may expect the Lords approbation must be casheered and abandoned for certainly there lyeth no greater obligation on Subjects to obey the commands of the Soveraign power of the Kingdom or Common-wealth then lyeth on Children to obey their Parents who were Soveraigns in Families before ever there were
any Kingdoms or Common wealths erected as himself every where asserts 4ly That if the Apostles of our Lord should have been forbidden by the lawful Soveraigns of the Kingdoms and Common-wealths of the World to preach the Gospel and Baptize they should in obedience to them have forborne which Mr. Hobbs plainly without a blush insinuates when he sayes page 311. Our Saviour gave his Apostles power to preach and baptize in all parts of the world supposing that they were not forbidden by their own lawful Soveraigns Had they not their Commission from their Master in most ample form without any the least either direct or indirect intimation of such an exceptation or â—mitation Math. 28. 19. 20. Go ye therefore sayes he to them and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you That is of whatsoever nature they be whether they be clear by the Law of Nature or be divine positives whoever forbid or command you â—o the contrary and Mark 16 v. 15. Go ye saith he to them into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature which accordingy they did v. 20. And they went forth and preached every where not only where they were not forbidden did they not preach the Gospel at Ierusalem notwithstanding they were severaly not without threatnings forbidden by their own Soveraigns the Council and tell them plainly that they ought to obey God rather then men wherein they could not obey both alleadging that they could not but speak the things that they had heard and seen without any such regard as might imped them in their work to the strait threatnings and prohibition to speak at all or to preach in the name of Iesus and least any should say or think that this was more then they had warrand for we are told after the inhibition to preach and after their imprisonment for contravâ—ning from which they were miraculously set free that the Angel of the Lord who had opened their Prison Doors charged them thus Go and stand and speak in the Temple to the people whatâ—oever the Rulers think oâ— it and notwithstanding they have inâ—bited and imprisoned you all the words of this life of all which the divine Historian gives us an account in the 4. and 5. Chapters of the Acts of the Apostles And why I pray doth he not as well make the supposition of their not being forbidden by any lawful Soveraign as by their own since he will not neither doth deny that lawful Soveraign Powers may prohibit strangers within their own Dominions to preach or practice against the Law oâ— publick Conscience and chasâ—ise them for controvention and disobedience excepting alwayes the persons of Ambassadors and â—eraulds sent from other Civil Soveraigns which use to be accounted in a manner Sacred and Inviolabe as well as their own native Subjects and if so had the Apostles been forbidden to preach and baptize by the Soveraign power of every Kingdom and Common-wealth whether they came as they could not readily nor reasonably expect but they would all the Kingdoms and Common-wealths of the world being then Pagan excepting that of the Iewes where would they or could they have preached and baptized and what would have become of the Gospel and of a Gospel Church Did not Paul and Silas after the Magistrats of the City of Philippi had it seems with their own hands debasing themselves in their â—ury below the dignity of their Office rent off their cloaths laid many stripes on them and casten them into prison for their preaching and teaching customs as was alleadged by their accusers Which were not lawful to be received or observed by them being Romans did they not I say go in and exhort or preach to the brethren in the house of Lydia that after they were by the Magistrats desired to depart out of the City as we may see Acts 16. 5ly That private persons living in Kingdoms or Common-wealths do not sin and shall be keeped harmlesse in obeying the Laws and Commands of their lawful Soveraigns though cross the dictats of their own Conscience and it may be cross to the positive Commands of God The first of these new Teachers Mr. Hobbs tells us as we shew before in the first absurdity in the caâ—e of denying Christ before men most dreadfully threatened by him with denying them before his Father that whatever a Subject as Naaman was is compelled eo in obedience to his Soveraign and doth it not in order to his own mind but in order to the Laws of his own countrey that action is not his but his Soveraigns nor is it he that in this case denyeth Christ but his Soveraign and the Law of his Countrey and page 309. The Civil Soveraign may make Laws â—uitable to his Doctrine for he will have him to be the only Soveraign teacher of the people that are under him Iure divino which quite â—ulls the divine right of all the Ministers of the Gospel Which may oblidâ—e men to such actions as they would not otherwayes do and which he ought not to command and when they are commanded they are Laws and the external actions that are done in obedience to them without the inward approbation are the actions of the Soveraign and not of the Subject who in that 〈◊〉 but the Instrument without any motion of his own at all because God hath commanded to obey them Alas the poor Subject is here by him not only robbed of his judgement of privat discret on and Conscience as to his own acts which is hard enough but in a manner of a humane rational Soul if not also of a sensitive one and so degraded and detruded below the very beasts that perish For he makes him a meer instrument without any motion at all only he somewhat recovers him from his brutâ— yea infra-brutal state by making him capable to obey Commands though against his Conscience The other Hobbist Doctor who will not be outstriped by his Master according to his manner dictateth very Magisterialy That if there be any sin in the command of the Soveraign Power he that imposed it shall answer it and not I. whose whole duty is to obey the Command of Authority will warrand â—y obedience my obedience will hallow at least excuse my action and so secure me from sin if not from errour very easie soâ—t and smooth Doctrine indeed for private Persons and Subjects If its teachers could assure us of its certain and inâ—allible truth and of its consonancie and agreeablenesse with the Scriptures of truth But Subjects must not cast their Souls at hâ—p-hazard on the bare and unproved asserts of these Gentlemen who give us no great proof of either their truth or tendernesse in other great concerns of Religion Especially since the divinely inspired Apostle reacheth us quite other Doctrine while he tells us more generally 2. Cor. 5. v. 10. That
their Religion in that being much darkened and insensibly prejudicat as to their Light when they come up the length or near the length of that light Conscience speaketh and giveth its Testimony accordingly and they have thence a sort of peace but it is not the peace of a truely good Conscience 4. A natural man or a hypocrite may come a great length in respect of the external duties of Religion and may have a kind of a good Conscience in that respect as he may pray and have some moral sincerity in it and â—o as he would â—ain have a hearing and would some way have his heart praying â—ay he may have a kind of delight in approaching to God as it s said of those hypocrits Isa. 58. 2. He would â—ain know what is Duty and what is Sin and he doth not deliberatly thwart with his light in this respect Paul sayeth of himself before his Conversion that as touching the righteousness of the Law he was blameless and Rom. 10. 1. He beaâ—eth the Iews record That they had a zeal of God but not according to knowledge and what I pray was this but Conscience un-informed in and ignorant of the righteousness of God from which ignorance of Christs righteousness and of the way of coming to him it came to pass that they went about to establish their own righteousness So then the natural man or hypocrite when he hath come the length of some honest meaning is disposed to think that he hath done very well and that he hath a good Conscience yet though he may have a good Conscience in some respect or in these respects mentioned and the like yet to have it simply and positively from solid and good grounds giving him a good Testimony is impossible and the reason is because he hath not the Word going along with his Conscience in reference to his whole carriage and in referrence to the principles motives ends and designs of his actions testifying for him and therefore I say he hath not the Testimony of a truely good Conscience For the next Question Wherein is this Conscience defective and what is the difference betwixt it and a believers good Conscience Or how may it be known as differing from an honest Gospel Conscience Answer 1. In respect of its rise there is a defect in the Judgment for if the eye be blind if the understanding be dark the Conscience must be so too They have saith the Apostle of the Iews a zeal of God but not according to knowledge and being ignorant of the righteousness of God they go about to establish their own righteousness However zealous they were of God or others such may be yet they are ignorant in three thingâ— 1. In the extent and spiritual meaning of the Law supposing for instance that a man keepeth the Sixth Command when he is not guilty of any gross act of Murther and the Seventh when he doth not actually commit Adultery or Fornication not knowing or considering that a look arising from the flame of lust within is a breach of that Command and so proportionably in other Commands Even as the Pharisees conformed the Law in the meaning thereof to their own practice and not their practice to the meaning of the Law 2. They are ignorant of the way of Gods righteousness and of that which giveth the Conscience solid ground to speak peace many if they have an honest meaning in their praying reading of the Scripture waiting on publick Ordinances if they put their bodies to some sort of pennance or be ready to give if it were the half of their estates to have their souls safe and if they have a sort of seriousness in all this think that all is well with them and that they have a very good Conscience if this peice of ignorance were well discerned never one soul out of Christ would have peace because none out of Christ have solid grounds of peace for none have their hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience but these that are in him 3. They are ignorant of their particular case they know not what sins they are guilty of nor what Conscience sayeth of them they think it speaketh better things to them then indeed it doth some guess at it some mis-interpret it and some repeâ—l it whereas if they were soberly reflecting on and impartially looking to their manner of proceeding in every thing they would see that they mistake their Conscience exceedingly This then is the first defect viz. a defect in the Judgment The 2d Is a defect as to singleness and sincerity in the natural mans best condition such are never single when at their very best even when they are most serious in Prayer they are but going about to establish their own righteousness when they fast and give alms and the like it is that they may have some ground for a good opinion of themselves or that others may have a good opinion of them being always acted from selfy motives and for self-ends A 3d. defect Is the want of unbyassed Affections these being partial and byassed will put the man to reason and dispute for the silencing of his Conscience and this eye not being single the whole body is full of darkness Affections being inclined or sweyed to this or that side they will seek to â—way Conscience to that side they incline to This is it that maketh some to follow after and to haunt the company of those who are erroneous in their judgment notwithstanding that they have good reason to the contrary laid before them from the Word of God which they reject and that without challenge being quite byasâ—ed and prejudged in their affections thus many natural men lay this for a conclusion that so much only is Holiness and that no more is needful and what is more is but superfluous niceness and so they prejudge their Conscience by that 4. It is defective in this that it maintaineth not its peace nor answereth its challenges from Christs blood it is not sprinkled with clean but with foul Water to say so it may be it putteth the man to take on some resolution or to come under some vow as to somewhat that it may be is no commanded duty of Religion not hath any valuable influence upon it or he will as it were sprinkle his Conscience with his tears thus many will grant that they have sinned but withall they think and will be ready to say that they have a good heart or a good meaning or that such and such a man well esteemed of hath such a sin and is as guilty as they are or that many have had such siâ—s who yet have gone to Heaven on such and others the like pitiful grounds they found their peace and by such silly shifts they seek to quiet their Conscience yea sometimes from the consideration of the possibility of pardon many conclude confidently that they are actually pardoned We shall forbear to say any thing further at this time God