to pay obedience to them upon this pretence that he is to be guided only by his own Reason I appeal to this Author himself whether he would be satisfied with this answer or whether he would not if it lay in his power turn such a refractory Fellow out of his society unless he did conform himself to the Orders and Statutes of it If not it would be impossible for him to maintain the Society if he would expel him he clearly proves that the Principle on which he seems to build his whole Book is not to be allowed to any person that is subject to the Laws of any Society If he shall say that therefore he added those limitations if it take such directions as it ought and may do c. I would fain know in any Society who shall be Judge whether or no every Member of it doth rightly limit his Reason shall the Person himself or the Governour of the Society If the Person himself then the limitations signifie nothing and the Society would soon signifie as little if the Governour must be so far Judge as to punish those Actions that are done contrary to the Statutes and Orders of the place then why should not the Governours of the Church be allowed the same power I cannot see any Reason at all unless we are arrived at that madness to think it indifferent whether the Church be dissolved or up held or whether we have any Religion in our Nation or none at all I would not be one of that number who should dispute against the power and priviledges of Humane Reason for no man loves Reason better then my self nor would I assert any such Priviledge to exempt men from Laws or from the publick exercise of Religion For I think nothing can be more unreasonable and yet I am deceived if I have not proved that this Assertion which is the whole sum of our Authors Book is of that nature But he hath one killing Argument that like a two-edged Sword doth execution both ways with which he strikes all dead that dare oppose him And this it is page 3. They that dispute most against Reason do it because their own Reason perswades them to that belief c. This is just such a mortal Argument as the Papists use to prove that the Church is the onely Rule of Faith For say they whoso denies this and asserts the Scripture to be the Rule of Faith can have no Authority nor Ground for their belief of the Scripture but the Authority of the Church and therefore we ought to believe as the Church teacheth us and not as the Scripture But the Answer is not very hard to be made to the Romanists It is true indeed the reason why we believe the four Gospels and the Epistles to be the Writings of those Divinely-inspired persons whose Names they bear must be this because they have been so received by the Church in all Ages and the reason why we believe those Miracles were done as they are related in Scripture must be from the constant Testimony of the Universal Church and from these Miracles we are sure they were written by persons inspired by God and consequently that they are the Rule by which we are to walk Thus the Authority of the Church onely leads us to the Scriptures as an infallible Rule and leaves us there to be guided by them and not by the Church any further then her Commands are agreeable to the Commands of God contained in the Scriptures Neither is the Answer much different nor much more difficult to our Authors dead-doing Demonstration for though Reason must direct us to a Rule by which we are to act yet when we have once found out such a Rule as our Reason assures us is Infallible we then ought to govern our selves no longer by our bare Reason but by our Reason guided by that Rule and to act those things not that Reason onely doth direct us but such things as our Infallible Rule commands us So that we see Reason is so far from being our onely Guide that it directly leads us to the Scriptures and leaves us to be directed by them by which it confesseth that it self ought to be guided If the Author shall now say that I have mistaken his Notion and that his intention in this Book was onely to bring Men into their right wits and make Men consider the reasonableness of the Religion of the Church of England and consequently conform themselves to it I shall say no more then this to him that I wish he had made this Design more apparent that our Dissenters might not have joyn'd in the mistake of his Book and have construed it to the countenancing all Divisions and that he had not given by the whole contrivance of his Book so just cause of this scandal to them For the Book hath in most parts a double face that like Janus his looks two directly contrary ways at once and therefore we may justly suspect a double mind and some double dealings in the Author but this I must needs say for him that he hath ingeniously contrived it for like an armed Amazonian beauty it casts a pleasing look and seems to smile upon every one that looks on it and yet it bears about it the instruments of death I onely make this my request to him if he writes again that he would shew the World more of his honesty though less of his ingenuity by speaking plain truth but not Oracles that may be interpreted to comply with contradictions and lest he should mistake my Design I will deal plainly and tell him what it is viz. to do the duty of an honest English Gentleman and a good Christian by doing my endeavours according to my small abilities to preserve the Unity of the Church of England into which I was baptized I shall therefore endeavour to free the minds of all impartial Readers from those mistakes that might arise from this Book I am now examining To which end because some may perhaps be drawn into a maze by reading it as the Author was in writing it I shall endeavour to shew them the way out of it by walking along with them step by step and so letting them see the way back again by the same steps as they were at first led into it And now to my Task The Gentleman foreseeing as well he might that many Objections would be raised against him in the first place applies himself to ward them off Pag. 3. 4. Object 1. He thus proposeth That many of the greatest Wits have by following their own Opinions encreased the Catalogue of Heresies To this he answers That these men either followed not their own Reason but their Wills or first hood-winkt their Reason by interest and prejudice or passion c. All this I easily grant is truth but now I appeal to this Author himself whether he doth not believe that the number of those that follow their Wills more then their
to be excused for his contempt of authority because the different Ceremonies which he used in God's Worship did agree and consent in God's Glory For what he saith p. 53. viz. That as well may different thoughts represent the Worship of God and his Son Jesus Christ as different words can represent the same thought I cannot tell what he would have by it But this I know take it in the litteral sence of it it is as extravagant an assertion as one can easily meet withall For different words may signifie the same things because neither the things nor mens notions of things do alter by the various words or languages in which they are expressed But it is impossible it should be so in the Worship of God For the Worship of God being essentially placed in the thoughts different thoughts must make different Worships But perhaps this is to be typically or anagogically interpreted As for that lash he gives the Roman Church p. 53. The old Gentleman of the infallible Chair may well pardon him for it since he makes him amends very speedily after p. 56. by drawing in Henry the Eighth by the head and shoulders first to be lashed for his Adultery and then for deserting his good old friend the Pope The last Object He answers from p. 54. to p. 62. Is that by which some would prove him guilty of the Error of the Greeks by several Texts of Scripture The Error of the Greeks I suppose was this Their following vain and Heathen Philosophy or meer Humane Reason against the Divine Revelation of the Christian Religion by the Miracles and Preaching of Christ and his Apostles For from hence was it that the Doctrine of the Resurrection was derided amongst them that the Apostles Preaching was thought foolishness and the Cross a stumbling-block Now I appeal to any judicious and impartial Reader whether this Author hath not driven on this same or a worse design in no small part of his Book For he hath endeavoured to prove that a man may be excusable though he follows his Humane Reason to the denial of Christianity i. e. in a direct opposition to the Divine Revelation Nay he hath endeavoured to prove that Jews Heathens and Atheists are in an equal possibility of salvation with the unerring Christian. Now I desire this Author to prove that ever the Heathen Greeks had amongst them any question which they did defend more directly contrary to the Christian Religion then His is Which if he cannot do he must acknowledge that he hath out-done them all at the wisdom of enticing words to draw others from Christianity and that he doth not come far short of them at the wisdom of the flesh and the wisdom of the Princes of this World will appear in that he hath so much busied himself to prove that Humane Reason may tolerate Atheism it self and consequently all kind of lusts and wickedness whatsoever Away with you dull Greeks for a company of old fools that could not improve your reason further then to the denial of Christ meer Gregory-grey-beards are you all in comparison of our Author who can tell you presently how to deny the Being of a God by Humane Reason and to excuse your selves when you have done so exquisitely hath he found out a guide to happiness and so gentilely hath he followed the directions of his own Reason The Gentleman in the next place proceeds to establish his Doctrine by positive Arguments And his first Argument is from the safety of it which he endeavours to prove by comparing his guide viz. every mans own Reason with others that stand in competition with it As first with the apprehension of a Vision or Revelation extrinsecally coming into the Soul p. 62. If he means nothing but Enthusiasme hereby I shall onely leave it to be disputed betwixt him and his gratefull friends the Quakers For I know no Christian that will follow or expect new lights since God hath given us the Gospel a positive law to govern our lives and actions and since the Apostle tells us Gal. 1. 8. That if he or an Angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel he ought to be held accursed If he means all revelation in general even that of the Gospel not excepted as what may not a man venture at who is indued with his Humane Reason which hath already taught him to excuse Infidelity and Atheism I desire him to consider that since he himself hath proved in the latter end of his Book that we have Reason enough to believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God What strange kind of blasphemous aspersion he must cast upon the divine Wisdom if he dares to assert that every mans own Reason is a safer rule to walk by then that rule which God hath particularly revealed to us from heaven for that purpose Unless therefore he can think our own Reason more infallible then the Reason of God himself he must conclude if he believes the Gospel to be Gods Word as he professeth to do that it is much safer to follow that law which God hath been pleased to give us then the law of our own Reason For otherwise the Divine Revelation had been altogether vain and useless Secondly The next guide he endeavours to prove less safe then Humane Reason is Authority Pag. 63. By which he hath not explained what he means so that by this Discourse since he hath no ways limited the signification of the word we may justly judge he intended to set up every mans Reason as a safer guide then all Authority His reason is this For if that Anthority prescribe truth we have good fortune and meerly good fortune in our obedience But I pray you Sir Are there not many truths that can be no ways made evident or at least not so evident as is convenient but by the suffrage of Authority as the distinction of persons in the sacred Trinity the Deity of the Son and of the Holy Ghost For if the universal consent of the Church in these points did not clearly prove that those Texts of Scripture which are urged for them were to be so interpreted it would not perhaps be so easie a matter to stop a subtile Socinians mouth by meer Scripture and much less by meer Reason If we take Authority in the other common acceptation of the word for lawful power the Authors assertion is still worse and much more false For in all indifferent things and doubtful matters the Authority of the Magistrate is to prescribe to us not our own Reason only it being much safer for us to follow authority in those cases then to be guided onely by our selves So that Sir you see by this time that in most actions of our lives for most of them do concern indifferent things we have not only good fortune but good reason in our obedience to authority Nay in some cases and those not a few authority is the onely reason of our assent as in all
day in Spain and Italy and the practice of the other Party in New-England where they punish Dissenters from them even with Capital Punishments Which are both so apparent to all the World that they must have Faces of Brass that dare to deny them And though now whilst they are entangled and restrain'd by the Law they are very quiet and tame like the Lion in the net yet let them but loose and they will soon shew their natural inclinations and fall to their old wont of tearing and devouring all others that stand in their way Thirdly That it will be altogether as hard a restraint to most men to be held by Law from acting in Religion contrary to our Authors opinion which he would have universal as it is for them to be kept to an uniformity in Doctrine Discipline and Worship So that this Opinion without Law is but a rope of Sand which can never hold men together in Peace and Unity But this I shall I think demonstrate afterwards The Fourth Objection he would answer is this Pag. 14. That if we guide our selves wholly by our own Reason we shall differ from our selves as well as all others and change our Religion as often as our Habits To which the Author answers p. 15. that He cannot conceive that the fear of this scandal obligeth us to a blind and unalterable observance of those Laws and Opinions to which either the fate of our Birth and Education or other accidents have engaged us Truly nor I neither For hath not every one a Liberty either to act according to the Laws he lives under or else to suffer the penalties appointed by them or else to leave that place and Countrey in which those Laws are in force What need then of any such blind obedience I protest I do not understand it any more then I do conceive how all those Heresies Schisms Factions and Debaucheries to which every man is exposed who guides himself wholly by his own Reason are onely a scandal as this Gentleman calls them and not actual and damnable sins Sure I am they are so accounted by St. Paul and St. Peter in their Epistles but it may be this Author 's Humane Reason doth not lead him to consult the Sacred Scriptures But this he excuses p 18 c. by saying that If after all our industry and humility it be our ill fortune to give away a Truth for a Falshood it will be at the worst but an Errour by chance medley and will find nay even claim mercy from God and deserve pity from Men. In answer to which I shall say no more but this That there is nothing but invincible ignorance that can possibly excuse the breach of a known Law if the matter of it be neither impossible nor sinful and therefore where the Matter is doubtful the Authority should oversway us For in all doubtful Cases the safer part is to be taken and it is much safer to err in obedience to God's Vicegerents then it is to err on the contrary side For if we err in doubtful matters with authority it is but a base Errour at the most and that on the right hand but if we should be mistaken and thereby disobey our lawful Magistrates our Errour is then joined with disobedience to the Ordinance of God as the Apostle calls every Ordinance of Man Rom. 13. 1 2. and if we persist in this Errour and act according to the consequence of it we are too easily before we are aware hurried into those horrid sins of Schism Here sie Sedition and Rebellion It therefore behoveth every one that separateth from our Church seriously to examine his own Soul whether or no he doth believe after he hath used his utmost industry in informing himself both from his own Reason and from the Reason of others especially of his lawful Ministers that the Church of England doth enjoyn him any thing that is sinful in it self and if he cannot find her guilty of any such command then his separation can be no ways excusable This I more particularly refer to the consideration of those persons who but a year or two since joyn'd in her Communion and especially of those who communicated with her upon the late Act of Parliament for the conviction of Romanists and yet did separate themselves immediately from her publick Congregations and continue still in their separation For if it was not sin in them to receive the Sacrament according to her Rites of Administration of it which was the highest act of Communion and Conformity with her could it be sin in them the next day to join with her in her publick Liturgy so that their own practice must convince them that their's is a wilful sin not an Errour by chance-medley But their great Friend our Author will find them out an Expedient to take away that concern from them Alas poor tender-conscienced people Why should they be put to touch their consciences so hard there is danger in it it may make them quite sore since they are so tender already No no onely come but to this excellent Physician and do but see him well and he will give you a Plaister for your tender Consciences that shall without any pain or trouble heal them immediately The Receit you have p 18. of his Book about the end For He there finds you out a way how you may be Papists one seven years and Protestants another and yet your Faith still the very same though I had thought the Romanists Creed had been directly contrary in many things to the Protestants but it is no matter for that this Gentleman hath one Panpharmacon that cures all Diseases whatsoever though never so contrary one to another viz. a pretty-littlebalsamick similitude and this it is There is such an identity in their faith as there is in the eye which changes eyery seven years and if their Faith be but actuated by the same soul of Faith that is Conscience if they keep but their Consciences inviolable they may say with this very Faith as well as with these Eyes I shall see my Redeemer If this Gentleman had pleas'd he might as well have said that they might be Heathens one seven years and Christians another and their Faith still the same For the same Plaister well applied would have heal'd this wound in the conscience as well as the other every jot For do but suppose that their Consciences were but erroneous they might still keep their consciences inviolable under both these contrary Religions i. e. they might be sincere both when they were Christians and when Heathens and yet can any on think that the Christian Faith and the Belief of the Heathens is the same Faith Yes Quoth our Author they are the very same exactly in effect both as to the Heathen and the Christian let him change as often as he will so he keep his conscience but inviolable he shall go as safe to Heaven as those poor ignorant well-meaning Martyrs
matters of Fact the reason of our belief can be nothing else but the authority of the Witnesses and in all matters of history the reason of our belief is not so much the reasonableness or credibility of the thing that is related as the credit and consent of Authors which is nothing else but Authority from whence it is that we can prove the truth of the Scriptures themselves and if so then surely it was very Christianly said of this Gentleman that we have onely good fortune in our obedience to authority for then we have nothing but good fortune for our belief of the Scriptures themselves since the Reason of it is only grounded on Authority But he proceeds p. 64. That if it lead us into errour we have nothing to plead for our excuse for we have nothing to say for our obedience to that Authority Who would have thought it have we nothing to say for our belief of matters of fact and history if we be deceived in them have we no excuse for our selves certainly any body but this Author would allow us a very considerable nay a full excuse of our errour from the testimony of the witnesses else our Magistrates are in a very hard case who are bound to pass sentence even in cases of life and death Secundum allegata probata i. e. according to Evidence which they have from the Witnesses But however he is resolved to prove it from the example of Eve who pleaded the Authority of the Serpent and yet was punished Did she not deserve it since she dared to believe the Serpent rather then God himself Aye but Adam too was accursed because he believed that which was figuratively one with him his Wife as Members of the Church pretend to do the Church rather then that which was most certainly and singly one with him which was his own Reason Pag. 64. What a fine story have we here the Author might if he had pleased have made short work and have told us that Adam was accursed for believing his Wife rather then himself But then the pretty Simile had not so well brought in the Church which this Gentleman was resolved to drag in as Henry the Eighth was drawn in just before by the head and shoulders For if ever any thing came in impertinently this does For was there ever any Member of the Church that believed the Church for no other reason but because it was figuratively one with himself if not to what purpose was this parenthesis of the Church crowded in in this place unless it was to make all his admirers to cast off their obedience to the Church But if any be hereby perswaded to it they must be such as are not able to distinguish between Reason and Impertinency But to let that pass I wonder who told him that Adam was accursed for believing his Wife rather then his own Reason whoever he was a Scotch man would call him a merry Gentleman that is in plain English a down-right Liar For if our Author will believe the authority of Moses in the case Gen. 3. 17. he will find that the reason of his curse is there given to be no other then because he had broken Gods Command and had not obeyed his Authority So that his crime was not that he had believed his Wife rather then his own Reason For that Law was not a Law of Nature or Reason but a meer positive Law of God For had not God particularly forbid it it had been for all any reason to the contrary as lawful for Adam to have eaten of that Tree as of any Tree in all Eden But the cause of his curse was this that he followed his Wifes example and perswasion rather then the express commands and threatnings of God What does all this make against Authority since Adam was accursed for not obeying the Divine Authority Who would ever believe any Authority after so grand a demonstration against it fetched from Adams green Breeches As for what he saith p. 65. of blinding our own eyes c. I onely desire him to tell me whether he doth believe that we must never follow nor assent to Authority If he cannot be so ridiculous to believe it then surely our obedience and assent to Authority where it is necessary as in most cases of our lives I have already proved it is is not a blinding our own eyes and a putting our selves into a greater probability of not finding then of lighting upon the true passage to Heaven as he would there insinuate For I must needs tell him that his Book is nothing else almost but a piece of common Sophistry viz. an universal conclusion from some few particulars and this managed by hiding himself in general and ambiguous terms little similies and sly insinuations exactly fitted to deceive the Vulgar and thereby to destroy all Peace and Unity in the Church by making them have so high an opinion of their own Reasons that is of themselves to which they are naturally proue enough for the Fool is wisest in his own eyes that they shall soon scorn and contemn all Authority whatsoever which he endeavours to insinuate by the advantage of safety on the contrary part p. 65. Now contrariwise saith he they that are guided by their own understanding if they commit themselves wholly to it are as safe on the left hand as on the right as secure of happiness in their Errours as others are in the Truths they happen to fall into Hath he not now discovered most apparently what he means by his Humane Reason Is it not the very same with Ralpho's New-light For as of Vagabonds we say That they are ne'r besides their way What e'r men speak by this New-light Still they are sure to be i' th' right Suppose then that any one should commit himself so wholly to his understanding that he should by the Errors of it be led into Theft Murder Rebellion Schism Heresie Infidelity and Atheism it self would not this man hereby think you be in a very safe condition and would not God Almighty at the great day of Judgment be very well satisfied for the commission of all these crimes with this answer that the man did wholly commit himself to the guidance of his own understanding or rather would not his own conscience tell him that he ought to have been better informed and that he might have been so if he had not been so self-conceited of his own Opinions Did ever any man but this Author make such use of his Humane Reason to countenance all the Villanies in the World For what mischief is there so great that a man may not be led into by committing himself wholly to the guidance of his own understanding if it be not before-hand rightly informed and instructed Now should we not have a blessed World were men as secure in these Errours that might lead them into all these Villanies before mentioned as others are in their Truths But further should a
man chance to prove that in most cases of our lives we are secure if we follow Authority though we may err thereby may though we err contrary to our own Reason and that on the other hand if we err by following our own Reason against Authority we are clearly left without excuse for our presumption How then what would become of the grand security our Author saith every man hath in being guided by his own understanding Would it not thence be clearly proved that Authority is a much safer Guide in those things then every mans own Reason and yet I think what I have undertaken will neither require any extraordinary brains nor pains to demonstrate For is it not as visible as the Sun in our assent to all matters of Fact from the Authority of Witnesses and in our obedience to Authority in all indifferent things for in both these Cases especially in the latter he that errs with Authority may plead the Authority for his excuse but he that errs against it is quite Ieft without any excuse at all For in all things indifferent in their own nature i. e. all such things which before any Humane Commands concerning them are wholly left to every mans own judgment being neither forbidden nor commanded by God if the Authority of our Governours doth intervene and command that this indifferent thing shall be done though we did think it more reasonable to be left undone yet we must be bound in these Cases to obey Authority rarher then our own Reason For otherwise every mans Reason would be his Magistrate and he should be onely bound to do that which is right in his own eyes and nothing else Would not our Authors Doctrine be very well fitted to the peace of all Society and does not he deserve very well from the publick by doing what lies in his power to wheadle into the heads of his unwary Readers which are the greatest number of men amongst us that it is safer for every man to be govern'd by the Laws of his own Reason then by the Laws of the Church and Nation of which he is a Member But now suppose we should err in doing any indifferent things in obedience to our Governours and that it had been really better that it had not been done yet our obedience though contrary to our own Reason should in this case excuse us Whereas whoso errs in following his own Reason contrary to the commands of Authority in indifferent things is altogether left without excuse either before God or Man unless it be before this good-natur'd Author who is resolved to excuse him by half a Jury of Reasons but I may justly except against every one of them for there is none of them that is both honest and true First Reason is this There is no danger of perishing where there is no disobedience but without this every man may often err the command of God being not to find out Truth but to endeavour the finding it for the Command is Search and ye shall find p. 66 Is not this pleasant For what was the end and design of this Command onely that we should turn Seekers and borrow Diogenes his Candle and Lanthorn and go peeking about all our life time that we might in searching have something to busie our selves about or was it given us that we might find out Truth If the latter was the end of the Command then that which binds to the end commands all the lawful means to that end So that he which is to search for Truth is by that Command bid to make use of all those means that God hath afforded him to the finding it out Wherefore who ever faileth by the wilful neglect of any means he had for the finding Truth is therefore inexcusable Now since Authority is the immediate and ready way by which we find out many Truths as all matters of Fact and History on which the Truth of Scripture it self doth depend if any man being to search for any Truths of this sort shall out of his own self-conceit neglect all Authority by which the matter was onely to be known and shall search onely by the Reason of the thing would not any man conclude him to be just as wise and just as excusable as he who being commanded to look for the Hare when the Dogs were at a loss runs to the next house and falls a pulling off the Tiles to look for her in the roof of the house For might not this wise servant pretend as good a Reason to excuse himself as our Authors wise Reason that he here alledgeth For might he not say to his Master Sir your Command was not to find out the Hare but onely to search for it Do we not think now that this man did very well obey his Masters Command and that he ought to be return'd an abundance of thanks for his pains for alas poor Fellow he did as he was bidden he looked for the Hare nay possibly he could give as good a Reason for the manner of his search as any is in all Humane Reason viz. that he that will find what is lost must search as well where it is not as where it is so that he followed but his own Reason in the search and therefore if our Author was his Master he would without doubt rest very well satisfied with him Secondly Our Authors next Reason p. 67. is this Because we lay the blasphemous accusation of injustice upon God if he punish us for an Errour that we could not avoid These are his words But I suppose it should be thus if we say that he punisheth us for an Error we could not avoid for if God Almighty doth really punish us for such Errors then it could be no blasphemy in us to say so neither would it be any accusation of injustice but onely a declaration of the plain Truth But what man ever said so that understood what he said that God will punish us for Errours that we could no ways avoid What then is this Reason to the purpose Oh! very much saith he For are not all Errours such which we fall into after a full search for Truth according to the best means represented to our understanding I grant it But if we do not rightly inform our understanding when it is in our power to do it nay if we shall neglect any of those means that God hath given us for our information then our Errour will not be such as we could not avoid and consequently without any injustice God may and will punish us for it Wherefore he that shall out of wilful pride neglect Authority or Revelation in searching for Truths that are most properly found out by them does not use the best and most proper means that God hath given him to that end and therefore may as justly be punished for his folly though he may think he follows his own Humane Reason in the search as that Servant did deserve to be well
it not be much more easie to prevent by the execution of our Laws any such unlawful Meetings then when they are met to hinder them by Law from speaking Treason or any thing else that they please For is it not easie to wire-draw it in by such consequence as their own people shall easily understand what they mean though no Law can possibly take hold of the expression For instance Suppose in times when Rebellion is prosperous or at least when it is hoped there may be such a time to prepare the people before hand to be Rebels or to continue them in their Rebellion It is but telling the People that they are Gods Dear Ones which he will not nor he cannot forsake but is bound to fight for them against all their Enemies and then if they have but a little success it is but pressing home that peaceable Doctrine of J. O. D. D. that to follow Success is to follow Providence and the People shall be sure to follow you though you lead them to storm Hell it self and to take it by violence and yet what Law can condemn any word of J. O's Doctrine Again Suppose a man hath a mind to preach Treason to his Party it is but taking that Text in the 149 Psalm Let the Saints be joyful in glory c. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged Sword in their hands to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the People to bind their Kings in Chains and their Nobles with links of Iron to execute upon them the judgment written This honour have all his Saints Now the godly people being before-hand well prepared with that constant conceit that they are Gods Saints which they are always taught in all Conventicles they must apply all those words to themselves and consequently conclude as they have done formerly that the power of binding their Kings in Chains and their Nobles in Links of Iron and of executing vengeance upon them c. belongs absolutely to every one of them and therefore that if the Scepter be in the hands of any other person whom they please to call the Wicked or Unregenerate that he is but an Usurper of Dominion over them and that he holds by force that Scepter and Power which is their right and by consequence that as soon as they can do it they ought to bind him in Chains and all his Loyal Nobility in Fetters of Iron and to execute vengeance upon them or if they be a little dull of understanding it is but helping them out by telling them that God created the Heavens and the Earth and all things onely for the sake of the Saints and the Godly Party and they will as readily run into all the rest as an Ass to his Provender nay and it fats them as much And yet it is impossible for any Law to punish a man for any thing that I have supposed him to preach because there is nothing which he need say to the people to perswade them to Treason that the Law can interpret to be treasonable There are several Texts of Scripture that will do the same feat by the help of their Glosses As we know Curse ye Meroz hath most effectually done it already and all those Texts where God is said to blame or punish his People for the breach of any Covenant whatsoever if applied to those persons that ignorantly and superstitiously were drawn in to take that damnable and accursed Covenant in the late Times they shall presently think that the most heavy judgments will suddenly fall upon their heads if they should break the least syllable of that abominable Oath nay the most scrupulous of them shall think themselves bound for fear of the most signal calamities to be inflicted on them by God if they neglect their covenant with him to be vigorous in acting any thing which that rebellious Oath leads them to And yet how easily this may be wheadled into such people without ever coming under the lash of the Law is most visible to any man that hath but common sense Another Text of Scripture which can do them Knights-service if seasonably exercised upon is the whole second Psalm On which not long since as I am inform'd there was a six hours Exercise at a numerous meeting of all sorts of Phanaticks together not far from London The occasion of their meeting was a Solemn Fast appointed by their Leaders to pray God to avert Persecution from them only because the King had set out His last Proclamations to put his Laws in Execution Now if this was not a seasonable Text for their purpose I am mistaken for if we take this for granted as they themselves always do That they are all Gods Saints and his Anointed how could they interpret this Text but to this purpose viz. That now the Kings of the Earth that is our King and the Rulers that is the Governours of our Nation take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed that is against them and their Conventicles He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh them to scorn the Lord shall have them in derision that is according to their gloss on that occasion that though our King and Council do lay their heads together against them and their meetings yet God shall make all their designs vain and a derision nay he shall inflict most heavy punishments upon them For he shall speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure And therefore that our King and our Judges that would execute the Laws upon them do but oppose Christ wherefore they triumph over them in the words of that Psalm Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling that is Serve him by quaking and wrigling in a Conventicle Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish that is Submit your Authority to Christ that is to them that preach Christ in an unlawful Meeting house or else be sure ye shall all perish Now I do not say that they did thus apply this Scripture but I appeal to any man whether the common people being before prejudiced with those Opinions that most of the Phanaticks are hearing these words upon that occasion might not naturally and almost necessarily run themselves into such an interpretation of them and judge whether their Teachers had not such a Design when though they could appoint a Fast to cry down the execution of our national Laws as persecution yet never in the least take notice of any Fast upon the 30 of January Are not these think you Excellent Subjects And are they not very thankfull to the King for his former Indulgence to them Other Doctrines there are which no Civil Law can lay hold on and yet are most pernicious to all Society As that of a good intention For suppose a man tells his people they must look well to