reputation and advantages of his Religion by the like design whose Priests always sit with the secular Magistrates their Alcoran or Scripture after the manner of the ancient Councils lying before them as if all were done by an infallible rule and the judgment were Gods But it almost exceeds belief in what veneration and power that Order of men was in this Land for some hundreds of years after this Nation had received the Faith and that not by any precarious favour of Princes or by an ignorant fondness of the People but establisht their honour was by Law by which every Priest was accounted Thani rectitudine dignus as appears by the a Can ult de Werâ—gildis i. e. cap tum aestimatiâ—nibus Vid. S. H. Spelman in epist ad Reg. Jac. ib. Laws of King Ethelstan a respect which I shall neither arrogantly nor unseasonably communicate unto vulgar ears The reason whereof is not only that which our learned Antiquarie gives us in his English Councils Quippe sub his saeculis apud ipsos solum esset literarum clavis c. because the learning of that age was wholly ignorss'd by some of the Clergy the Priest being the Oracle of the People as the Bishops were of the King and Kingdom but there is another and perhaps a stronger reason to be collected out of those words in one of King b Si quis arrogans pro Episcopi justitia eâ—â—ndare noluerit Episcopuâ— Regi notum faciat Rex auâ—ë constringat malâ—facto eÌ„ ut emendat cui soris secerit scil prâ—mum Episcopo deind sibi sic erunt ibi duo gladii gladius gladium juvâ—bâ—t Hâ—veden Annal. par post Hen. 2. p 6â—â— n. 50. Edit Savil. Edwards Laws gladius gladium juvabit from the reciprocate assistances of the temporal and spiritual swords Christians then believing that there was as much credit to be given unto those as to any other words of our Saviour Mat. 18.18 Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven But this honour and power together with the immunities of the Church sub Normannicis Regibus nutare coepit says that c Sir H. S. ib. Author and in the Council of Clarendon under Henry the second they received a grievous wound which hath more or less continued bleeding ever since and t is to be fear'd would have done so till the spirits of all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction had been clean exhausted if Experience which is sometimes the Mistress of wise men as well as of fools had not bound up the wound with a probatum est No Bishop No King I speak not this as if I thought it either convenient or necessary that the Clergy should concern themselves in matters of civil Judicature Pity it were that so active and learned a Gentry as this Nation is wont to produce should betwixt doing nothing and doing ill which would be the certain consequent of that other design degenerate from the worth and lustre of their Ancestors that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or power of self-Government which the Primitive Church did exercise and for which some men of late did so much struggle and contend though it cannot be denied to be lawful yet was it cumbersome and in many cases uneffectual It could not stand with the Reputation of the Church of Christ to make appeals unto the Heathen Emperors as the d Bâ—ls ex Eu seb Synod Antioch in Pâ—â—â—â— n. Council of Antioch was fain to do under the affronts they received from Samosatenus the Heretick after they had deprived him Nor have the Popes themselves been wholly exempt from the like exigents as appears by one instance for all by the supplicatory Epistle of Pope e Voel tom r. p. 213 Bâ—â— ad Aâ— Chr. 419. Boniface to the Emperor Honorius in the case of Schism between the Popes themselves So unuseful if not unsafe will be St. Peters Keys though hanging at the Pope's own girdle if they should lock up Caesar's sword The sober and learned Clergy of this Church must needs know that the Spiritual Jurisdiction stands in need of the temporal power and that the Miter is only safe under the shadow of the Crown Happy then it is for us that Ecclesiastical Dominion can derive it self into the same fountain from whence descends the temporal authority and that like f Ps 85.10 Righteousness and Peace the two Jurisdictions can kiss each other in the Arms of Soveraignty that among us 't is all one to be our King and to be the Defender of the Faith that the Sword is joyn'd to the Word and the Judge to the Priest This Constellation of Power as it is a Prognostick of security and happiness to men of temperate spirits so will it prove a terrible Omen to such as despise Dominion and leave their heady practises to the Censure of just Laws which are the true Standard whereby to measure the crimes of Offenders and not the Opinions of Ignorant and prejudicate men which leads me to the second integrant part of this Law Censura Legis 2. Such hath been the policy of Satan that taking advantage of the ignorance prejudice interest and vices of men he hath sent some sins up and down the world like spies with false names that might not cause men to distrust and avoyd them they were not only carnal but spiritual wickednesses which have wandered about in this disguise compassing the world like him whose emissaries they are not only pravae but Piae fraudes have on all hands cheated men of their pretious souls stellicidia mellis de Lebacunculo venenato as Tertullian speaks the Devil having poysoned the Limbecks from whence men hoped to have suckt most soveraign Elixars and dealt with the world as Praxiteles the Statuary in g Clem. Alexâ—d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 29. Posidippus did with the foolish Heathen made his own Darlings to be worshipt by mens fancies instead of a Deity But as the judgement of God is according to truth in punishing sinners so are the sins of men exactly recorded by Him in his Doomsday-book at the approach of those everlasting burnings Drunkenness will not then be called good fellowshp nor uncleanness a trick of youth nor cheating a trick of wit nor pride decency nor oppression self-preservation nor Rebellion honesty nor faction Godliness nor Sedition standing for the truth nor superstition devotion nor Sacrilege reformation How light soever it may seem to some in these days to reject the just commands of our Lawful Superiours in Church and State yet ab initio non fuit sic and how it came to pass that that which was so gâ—ievous a crime among the Jews Gods own people too should be transform'd into an heroick Virtue among Christians will want some Oedipus to unty the knot The Scripture it self bears witness of the hainousness of this Sin allotting it a place among sins of
the first magnitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins of presumption Qui autem superbierit nolens obedire So the vulgar reads the Text and before that the Septuagint after the * original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore h 22. q. 86.9.3 Aquinas doth rightly define contempt to be nolle subjici legi not to submit ones self to just Law and so i Suar de legib c. 28. n. 13. peccare ex contemptu est peccare ex voluntate non se subjiciendi alteri to be guilty of the sin of contempt is wilfully to refuse to submit our selves to them that have a just and lawful authority over us This sin is first brooded and hatcht in the understanding when that person or his authority to whom we ought to submit is less esteem'd than he or that ought to be next it descends into the inward affections and passions of the mind and there grows and strengthens it self from a desire and contrivance of opportunities to express it and to invite others to the same attempts and lastly it comes out and shews it self to be a fiery flying Serpent ready fledg'd and prepared for action and discovers as much by Overt acts as the Law calls them whereby this pride and malice of the heart becomes discernible to all A Sin it is that of all others carries with it the greatest provocation both with God and Man 't is not always so much the thing that is done as the mind k Tunc non peccati species sed peccantis intentio pensat D. Bern. l. 1. de praecept disp c. 14. v. 27. wherewith it is done that gives unto this sin its true estimate and size When God made Saul King there were some that brought him no presents 1 Sam. 10. the Exchequer 't is like complain'd not for want of them yet the Holy Ghost calls those men sons of Belial as having an eye upon the venome that lay in their hearts they did it not because they despised him We read of one that not long after the commandement for observing the Sabbath was given had gathered sticks upon that day and was therefore by Gods especial appointment ston'd to death Num. 15. the fact was but small but his pride was great he did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too out of presumption and so fell under their l Caninius disquis c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their judicium animarum as the Jews call'd it for he that despis'd Moses Law was to die without Mercy as the Apostle tells us Heb. 10.28 and t is the Sanction of this Law even that man shall die which is our third particular 3. Laws have generally in them a double power directive and coercive the first describes and appoints the duty the second determines the punishment to be suffered if the duty be not perform'd Upon this follows a m Dr. Sanderson praelect 6. double obligation of the Subject by Law the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obedience the second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subjection the former we commonly style active the later passive obedience active obedience is doing the duty passive obedience is submitting to the punishment if we do it not The first Positive Law that ever was made in the world had these two the directive and coercive parts Gen. 2.17 Of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat there 's the directive part for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death there 's the coercive part These two parts of Law have respect to that twofold Power which is in every mans soul the Understanding and the Will the Understanding is the Card and Compass the Will holds the Rudder and steers the course of mens actions that directs this executes Now because the Will is a free power and may choose to do or not doe therefore the coercive part of Law is added to restrain the Will from evil in doing contrary to the rule of Law for if the Will had no freedom in her actions all the Laws of God and men were at best impertinent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as Origen truly speaks and with him two great Fathers of the Church in his n Ch. â—1 Philocalia and St. Cyril of Alexandria of as good authority as any says as much in his sixth Book de Adoratione in Spiritu veritate If this were not true with Reverence to your Lordships be it spoken you would return from your Circuit with sins upon your consciences of the same colour with your Robes I mean sins of bloud Scarlet sins as the o Isa 1.18 Prophet calls them it being utterly unreasonable and therefore unlawful to punish any man for doing that which he had no power to avoyd A consequence so inevitable that some Phanatiques in the close of the late troubles foreseeing the force of it refused to assist in their Councils of War because they would not concur in that mans punishment whose actions as they conceived were no more contingent and free than the motion of a stone tending to the centre of gravity The effect of which pernicious errour was most acutely foreseen by a great States-man of ours for almost an age since as the late Reverend and learned p Part. 1. c. 6. s 12. Author of the Quinque-Articular History will inform you This coercive part of Law belongs to vindicative justice and appoints the punishment due to the breach of each particular Law which is not always to take its measure from the fact materially considered but in conjunction with the will and other faculties of the soul Intentio est quae dat praecipuam formalitatem in actibus moralibus say the q Aquin. 12 a. q 72 1.8 c. 3 a. q. 88.4 1 m. Schoolmen the intention gives the formality to the sin and so creates that difference the r c. quu a. Dist 10. Gloss observes betwixt non parere and contemnere of great importance with Casuists in stating the nature and kinds of offences against Law in foro interiori or in the conscience for in foro exteriori or the publick tribunal there the Law judges of the intention by the fact and not of the fact by the intention The formality of the sin we speak of stands in the nolle obedire in the Text enough to exact the greatest punishment especially from such a Lawgiver who hath absolute Soveraignty over mens lives Ego oâ—cidam ego vivere faciam says God Deut. 32.39 I kill and I make alive that is say * V. Soto de just jur l. 4. q 2. a. 3. Expositors I have the sole original right and authority of taking away mans life and therefore Magistrates cannot take away the lives of Malefactors or expose the lives of their Subjects to the hazard of just wars as having absolute Dominion over mens lives but as conservators of the Peace and publick good And upon this ground it
is that it is injustice in them to make Laws that have punishments annext unto them disproportionate to the offence committed especially in the excess and from hence it is that we account it but Å¿ Quoties poenam mortis imponebat transgressoribus alicujus legis materiam illâ—us legis suisse gravem de se susficientem ad peccatum mortale significat Scot. in 4. d. 1. q 6. Sic Aug l. 2. de Bapt c 6. reasonable to conjecture what is the quality of the crime by the nature of the punishment inflicted upon offenders the crime here is contempt the punishment's death gravis poena sed ad vitandum periculum omnium gravissimum saith the learned and experienced t ad locum Grotius a great punishment but t is inflicted for prevention of the greatest mischief in the world you will believe him if you please to reflect upon the fourth and last integrant part of this Law the Ratio finalis legis the end why God made this Law and secured it from the approches of the foot of pride by so severe a punishment and that was for prevention of Schism exprest here Antonomasticus the evil and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel 4. Schism in the proper notion of it seems to me to be a thing not known to the Heathen world u Serm 11. de verb. Domini S. Augustine indeed and x Lib. cont Gent. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. S. Athanasius tells us of many bloudy quarrels that hapned amongst them concerning their Idolatrous worship but methinks there should be no Schism at least not properly any where there is neither truth nor Church But with Sedition the younger Sister of Schism for Schism seems to be as old as that bloudy quarrel betwixt Cain and Abel the Heathen were so well acquainted that Thucydides gives this true Character of the Monster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that she it is that hath brought forth mischiefs of all shapes and sizes in the World And Schism cannot but be thought so much the more Superiour to Sedition in the production of mischiefs by how much the more fierce all quarrels and contentions are that spring out of different opinions in Religion and further dissentions of this kind have above all others the strongest appetite of propagation Agressours in factions of religion labouring to have their names and opinions serve to that same end as Zisca when he died appointed for his skin who being Leader of the Taberites a faction in Bohemia commanded that a Drum should be made therewith as Dubravius and others tell us that something of Zisca might still be heard to sound in the Ears of his followers and their enemies I shall not burthen your patience by prosecuting the common place of Schism with infinite authorities out of the Fathers setting forth the grievousness of this sin it was the due consideration hereof that made a 22 e q 39.2.3 m. Aquinas to affirm Schism to be the greatest of all sins against our Neighbour and that not only respectu circumstantiarum in respect of the many circumstances and accidents that attend it but likewise respectu speciei in regard of its own nature because it is the most contrary to Charity and the love of our Neighbour for it is contra spirituale bonum multitudinis as he speaks it is against the spiritual good of a multitude so that we may say of Schism as the * 1 Sam. 18.7 Women of Israel sang of David if other sins like Saul kill by thousands Schism like David kills by ten thousands at a time The Apostle in his Epistles calls it Heresy and if noscitur ex sociis be a good Topick you may judge what kind of sin it is by the company amongst which you will find it Gal. 5.19 b D Praescripâ— adv Haret l. 1 c 6. Tertullian says that word comes from a Greek Verb signifying to choose so that he makes Schismaticks and Hereticks to be such as will choose for themselves The true definition is t is a voluntary departure from the government of our lawful Superiours and a refusal to communicate with our fellow-members with a design of drawing followers after us This is that poysoned Arrow which the Romanists would fain dart into the sides of the Church of England and therefore make the formal reason of Schism to consist in a voluntary departure from the Pope as being Christs c Bell. lib. 2. de Ro Pont. c. 12 Vicar here on earth but non haeret lateri lethalis arundo we are yet to be convinc'd that the Pope is Christs Vicar here on Earth though we will not deny him to be St. Peters successour in Rome And as for our voluntary departure from a dependency on that Church we have done no more but asserted that just right we had to govern and by consequence to reform our selves by the 28. Canon of the fourth General Council wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal privileges with Rome were granted unto Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so d O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alex. Arist in Synops Can. 28. Alexius Aristinus truly abbreviates that canon because the seat of the Empire was transferr'd from Rome to Constantinople how much rather do the like equal privileges belong to us who have not only translated the seat but the Empire too I mean of our selves from that City of whose vast Dominion this Island was sometimes a part But I return This is that sin which God designed this Law to prevent as a most intolerable evil for without a power to determine Controversies that should arise amongst a seeking and scrupulous party it is not in the power of man to do it And being therefore that it is Gods manner e Grot. ad loâ— res humanas conservare modis humanae naturae congruentibus to conserve the affairs of men by ways means agreeable to mans nature and being that others besides the State and Church of the Jews are liable to the like distempers and confusions we may reasonably conceive it not unfit to be examined whether this Law may not be revived by Supreme Authority which is my second Disquisition 2. The Respect of the directive part of this Law is all that we inquire after for as for the coercive part thereof we re-inforce it not hoc nunc agit in Ecclesia Excommunicatio quod agebat tunc interfectio Excommunication among Christians saith f Quaest sup D ut lib. 5. c. 38. S. Augustine in many cases commutes for temporal death under the Law and let this be one of them But for the directive part of this Law why it may be revived by Supreme Authority there be these Reasons producible and fit to be soberly weigh'd by all that have a true Christian temper of mind in them 1. First because the same thing was put in practise by the Apostles themselves for prevention of the same evil Acts.
15. for certain men which come down to Antioch from Judaea having taught the Brethren and said except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be sav'd the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider of this matter v. 6. And having made a Decree concerning the point in controversy how religiously it was observed not only by Christians of that Age but for more then 300 years after g In Apolog. c. 9. Tertullian in his Apology h Contr. Cels lib. 8. Origen against Celsus i Eccle. Hist l. 5. c. 1. Eusebius k Catech. 4. Cyril of Jerusalem l Epist 154. ad Public St. Austin and m Ep. 79. ad Nic. Leo will inform such as please to enquire 2. Secondly because the following Councils did never doubt of the like power in themselves as oft as they came together for determining questions of faith or practise I shall only instance in the 6. n Apud Balsam Canon of the third General Council which pronounceth an Anathema on whomsoever should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which o In Synop. Can. conc Ephes c. 4. Aristinus reads by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Balsamon expounds by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should but hesitate or doubt of as well as oppose the Decrees of that Council Now the Council of Ephesus we all know met for determining a dispute about the person of Christ for p Vide Cyril Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nestorius had affirm'd and taught that the blessed Virgin was not the Mother of God but of Christ from whence a duality of persons must needs be inferr'd to be in the Son of God and by consequence that there was not a Trinity but a Quaternity of Persons in the Divine nature The Council did as they needs must determine against Nestorius which determination though undoubtedly true yet because it was a consequence drawn from Scripture by the mediation of humane understanding and the Council did so severely oblige all the Church to receive it it must follow that the Council had a full assurance of her power to define matters in controversy and to oblige the members of the Catholick Church not to reject her determinations under the pain of Anathema The argument is of such weight in the judgment of the great q Bel de Conc. lib. 2.6.4 Cardinal that he sticks not to conclude an Infallibility of the Church from thence I stretch it no further than to infer à majori ad minus that if there were a power in the Church that under so grievous a punishment could exact the reception of her Decrees in points of Faith much more may the same Authority require obedience to her determinations in smaller because practical things 3. A third reason is because it is absolutely necessary that all publick Societies whether Ecclesiastical or Civil be furnished with all necessary means to preserve themselves from those evils which are apparently destructive of all governments which evils are such as doe inevitably produce discord divisions and separations amongst the members of the same community the only Remedy whereof is an Authority and Power in the Governours to hear and to determine all Controversies and to bind the contending parties to acquiesce in their determinations Not as if I thought that a man were bound to believe every thing to be true or best that should be so determined for this great Council of the Jews were not infallible nor needed so to be as appears by that Offering which God appointed to be offered when the Congregation had trespass'd through ignorance Lev. 4.13 But that the members of Church or State may be bound non contra agere not to do that which is contrary to a definitive sentence It is sufficient that in materia probabili the common subject of humane Laws there be a moral certainty in our Superiors of the truth or goodness of what is thus defin'd which is enough to oblige Inferiors to obedience the Casuists rule holding good in this point Sires sit dubia praesumendum est pro Legislatore reason modesty and humility nothing dubiè and that must be demonstratively appearing to the contrary will at least admonish us to think the judgement of the Law-giver the best and truest 4. A fourth Argument is because it is a thing unreasonable to affirm or imply that Government under he Gospel should be left in a worse and inferior condition to the state of it under the Law r 2 Cor. 3.8 St. Paul having advanc'd the ministration of the Spirit above that of the letter that is the Oeconomic of things under the Gospel above that they had under the Law of which things Government cannot be understood to be so inconsiderable a part as to be excluded from having any share in that Evangelical Prelation which yet must inevitably follow if the same diseases remaining in the body politick the Governours thereof should be debarr'd the use of the like Remedies I mean if Christians shall be at least as liable to faction and Schism as any Jews whatever and yet the highest authority amongst them be not allowed sufficient means to prevent and restrain men from Innovations Add hereto how ridiculous a thing it must needs appear to be that men concern'd in Government should frequently meet and consult about making of Laws for such as had arm'd themselves against all force of Authority with this Principle viz. that they were bound to receive no Laws further than should stand with their own good liking and approbation By which means it must come to pass that it would be the task of the Magistrate not so much to contrive Laws that might promote Truth Peace Justice and Virtue amongst men as so to model his Laws as mought best secure both himself and them from contempt Ob. It may perhaps be objected that there is a wide difference betwixt that God imposeth and what men injoyn Sol. To this I answer first That it is to be observed that God doth in this Law bind the Jewes to follow not what he himself but what their lawful Superiors the Priest or Judge should define to whom likewise he had not promised any infallible assistance but on the contrary had left them to the best use of their reason which at best may erre and when actually it did erre yet were the Jews bound to follow and not to dispute the but erroneous determinations of that Council that sate in Moses Chair And secondly That the Law of God doth not exceed the just Law of the Church or State in respect of the obligation though it doth so in respect of its stability the reason is because the obligative force of Law is from the essence or nature of Law and is the necessary effect of Law The Law-giver doth not give to Law its essence but its existence he may choose to make this or that particular Law but
when he hath made a Law that Law hath its force from its own specifical nature for that Law should bind is quid aeternum immutabile it is an eternal and immutable because it is an essential property of Law 5. Lastly The revival of this Law is not opposite to Scripture nor is the Scripture an adequate rule for all such things as are to be done by us in our several places and callings from whence it must needs follow that the multitude must stand in need of direction and determination either from themselves or from others in many particular cases Let no man think much that I have said that the Scripture is no adequate rule for particular actions for if this were not true it must follow as the late s Dr. Sanderson Praelect 4. Sect. 14. Reverend and Learned Bishop of Lincoln observes that such as never had the Scriptures never had any rule for particular actions which is not onely contrary to experience but to that of the Apostle Rom. 2.15 where he tells you that the Heathens who had not that Law which God gave unto the Jews did govern themselves in particular moral actions by that Law which was written in their hearts A principal but not an adequate rule of moral actions we must acknowledge the Scripture to be and therefore as the Law of nature by reason of its generality doth stand in need of a supply which it hath from the determination thereof by particular humane Laws so the Scripture by reason of its generality though not for that reason onely doth stand in need of a supply from particular rules of particular actions For in moral actions these two things are to be considered First The principal rule by which they are to be governed together with the principal end unto which they are to be directed and so the Scripture is a rule of all our moral actions directing us to do all that we do in Charity for edification of our Brethren and for the Glory of God The second thing is that immediate and adequate rule whereby the action we are about to do is to be govern'd and this as it is not necessary that it should so the Scripture doth not prescribe but as in things left unto our own choice we govern our selves by that rule we esteem best or good so as we are members of the Church or State Reason cannot but tell us that in particular actions our understanding as well as our will may stand in subordination to such as have a right and authority to govern us Dissenters will easily be convinc'd by an instance in both These Reverend and Honorable Persons my Lords the Judges have for performance of their duty this rule of doing it from Scripture Deut. 1.16 Hear the causes between your Brethren and judge righteously between every man and his Brother this is the Principal rule of that action their Lordships are now upon but the form manner time place yea the very rule of judging righteously between every man and his brother is not prescrib'd in Scripture but by the Laws of this Land unto which their Lordships hold themselves bound to conform as the adequate and immediate rule of their consciences in administring justice in this Nation The like instance I shall crave leave to give in a matter of exceeding great concernment to us as we are members of this Church and owe obedience unto his Majesties Ecclesiastical Laws It is the command of our dear Saviour our Lord and Master Jesus Christ that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be received often in remembrance of his most pretious death and passion and for the actual application of the benefits thereof unto the worthy Receiver and that this be done with such reverence and preparation as becomes so holy and dreadful a mystery but the gesture time place manner and other circumstances are not prescrib'd by Scripture but left in the power of the Church to determine who hath the standart and rule of decency in her hands nisi fortè tantum Sacramentum minùs deceat ordo quà m confusio unless that Sacrament be the onely thing that is best set out by disorder and confusion as t de Rom. Pont. l. 4. o. â—â— Bellarmine smartly if justly replies upon the Centuriators and the Apostle himself hath confuted with Judgements from Heaven 1 Cor. 11.30 Ob. But here it will be objected That if this be granted Christian liberty would be no more but an empty name and thousands of good Christians must hold themselves bound to submit unto such Laws as are not agreeable to their particular consciences which were to lose the sairest Jewel in the Crown of Reformation Sol. To this I say God forbid but that every good Christian should have a due regard unto such things as lye in common unto the whole profession as Liberty and Conscience do but we must remember that non plus nomini quà m veritati tribuendum that we do not sacrisice truths to titles and things to names Liberty is a word that the whole world in a manner first learnt from Luther as that which dropt from Heaven into his arms though many of his words and actions applauded and imitated both then and since could not be warranted by his very large Commission I mean it not so much of his burning the Corpus Jur is Canonici in the publique Market-place in token that he had set all the world free from Laws which he did thereby as truly as Xerxes bound the Hellespont when he cast a chain therein but rather of his contemning and reviling the Civil Magistracy on whom in his book de potestate seculari he bestows this Character sunt communiter maximè fatui pessimi Nebulones super terram which amongst other worse if there could be worse expressions rendred him obnoxious amongst his enemies to that sharp invective in the Diet at Worms Exlex homo leges ipsas omnes damnat c. and made his friend u Con. Gesn in universal biblioth Gesner doubt what would become of that prodigious liberty faxit Deus says he ne contentione impudentiâ oris obsit Ecclesiae suae Yoaks of unjust servitude may sometimes be broken but Christians must not fling the Pieces of them in the face of supreme authority But as for Christian liberty I shall say in one word that it is best known by its contrary and that is by that Spirit of bondage which was in the unconverted Jews so that Christian liberty is no more but a freedom from the burden of the Ceremonial and the curse and rigor of the Moral Law from the guilt and from the Law of Sin from the fear and from the power of Death This I take to be all that can be found in the Scripture which is the Christians Magna Charta the great conservatress of his Liberty Laws therefore that preserve Order and Decency and keep men from falling into sin the onely vassallage of a Christian can