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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	faith_n	infallible_a	8,239	5	9.9784	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26946	The judgment of non-conformists of the interest of reason in matters of religion in which it is proved against make-bates, that both conformists, and non-conformists, and all parties of true Protestants are herein really agreed, though unskilful speakers differ in words.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1676 (1676)	Wing B1293; ESTC R1374	14,946	24

THE JUDGMENT OF Non-conformists OF THE INTEREST OF REASON IN MATTERS OF RELIGION IN WHICH It is proved against Make-bates that both Conformists and Non-conformists and all Parties of true Protestants are herein really agreed though unskilful Speakers differ in Words LONDON Printed in the Year 1676. AMong the other Church-troubling Controversies of these times we find it is one and not the least How far Mans Reason hath to do in matters of Religion And deep accusations we find brought against each other on this account some suspecting others of Socinianisme as over-magnifying Reason and others insimulating such as they seem to differ from as guilty of making Religion seem unreasonable and some who go over the Hedge where it is low do lay this charge of unreasonableness in special on the Non-conformists We who do verily believe that this scandalous Contention ariseth from Mens unskilfulness in the Art of framing and expressing the notions of that same matter which they commonly hold and that really not only Conformists and Non-conformists but also all Protestant Parties are herein of one mind though some think otherwise who neither understand their Brethren nor are understood themselves do therefore take it as Peacemakers to be our duty to give our Reasons of this our Judgement that if it may be the Preachers of Truth and Peace may not tempt the People into unchristian disaffection by perswading them that we so widely differ when really we are all or generally agreed Qu. Whether understanding Charity can see any real difference between Conformists and Non-conformists or any other Partiss of true Protestants about the interest and use of Reason in Religion that is about Gods Doctrine of Faith and his Laws for Mens Desires and their Practice Neg. For the due handling of this it is requisite that we first explain our words and then truly state the Question and then prove the Negative and lastly add some applicatory Consectaries I. By understanding Charity we mean a Person indued with Understanding and Charity so far as he useth them in this Judgement By a Real difference we mean not real misunderstanding of one another or real contending about words but a difference in Judgement about the very matter of Doctrine it self when intelligibly opened and each Party is understood By Religion we mean only that which is truly Divine and not about what Man may superadd though on the by we may speak somewhat of that and as the Church hath ever summed it up in the Sacramental Covenant and explained the parts of it according to the three summaries the Creed Lords Prayer and Christian Decalogue so do we here mean 1. The Articles of Faith 2. The matter of Holy Love or Desire 3. And of Practice By Conformists and Non-conformists we mean qua tales whether this be any part of the Controversies which denominate them And ex abundante even Qui tales whether they that are Meerly Non-conformists differ from the Conformists herein the question not extending to Quakers Seekers Papists Antinomians or any such Sect which are more than Meer Non-conformists By Protestants we mean those that make Christianity as delivered in the Scriptures their Religion protesting against the Corruptions and Additions of Popery who are now commonly known by that Name and distinguished unhappily by their By-opinions into Lutherans Calvinists and other Names 1. We deny not that all Protestants differ greatly from the Socinians who reject the Doctrine of the Trinity though found in Scripture because they think that it is against Reason though in that they err 2. We deny not that Protestants herein differ from Enthusiasts or true Fanaticks who pretend Revelations which Reason cannot prove to be what they pretend them to be and are contrary to true Reason and Scripture it self and who think that the secret impulses of their diseased Phantasies and Passions are such motions of Gods Spirit as Reason must give place to 3. We deny not but Protestants differ from the great Fanaticisme of Popery which both buildeth Faith and exerciseth Religion upon the most stupendious Fiction of Miracles against Reason and Common sense that ever to our knowledge was entertained by any Sect or Heresie in the World viz. 1. In their holding that a Pope and his Council called General are the Infallible Judges of the Churches Faith from whose Authority it must be received though the Pope should be himself an ignorant Lad or a Heretick and most of the Bishops in Council should not before understand the matter which they vote for As if God by Miracles taught the ignorant and erroneous to vote contrary to their former Opinions or above their understanding and their miraculous Enthusiasm and Infallibility were the Foundation of the Common Faith As if God would enable a Pope and Council that understood not Greek or Hebrew Infallibly to Translate the Bible out of Greek and Hebrew into their Native Tongues 2. And they pretend that all the Priests in their Church perhaps many score thousands can work Miracles at their pleasure and do so in every Mass which they Celebrate even to the making Bread to be no Bread and Wine to be no Wine nor any sensible Substance and all the Sences of the World that see tast touch them to be utterly deceived which is farr greater Miracle-working than ever Christ or his Apostles wrought And to the Belief of this and this renunciation of all common Sense all Christians on pain of damnation must submit and Princes must exterminate those that will not or else their Dominions must be given to another by the Pope We say not that Protestants do either exalt Reason as the Socinians or renounce it as either of these two Sects of true Fanaticks By Judging we mean 1. Discerning our selves 2. Proving to others By Reason We mean I Ex parte objecti such evidence of Truth which humane Reason may discern This is three-fold I. Evidence of the Thing it self which is either 1. Sensible Evidence as the very thing is objected to the Senses and so as Sensate represented to the Intellect 2. Evidence immediately intelligible by which the thing it self is objected to the Intuition of the Mind so some say with Ockam that the Intellect knoweth its own Acts and Spirits see Spirits II. Evidence of the Medium from whence by Reason we may inferr the Verity of the Thing And this is 1. Of an ordinary Natural Medium as a Natural Cause is known by the Effects and the Effects by the Cause e. g. There is a Sun ergo there is Motion Light and Heat or There is Motion Light and Heat ergo there is Fire 2. Or of a Supernatural Medium such as is Divine Revelation by Vision Inspiration miraculous Attestation III. There is Evidence of Consequence that the Conclusion certainly followeth the Premises Of Reason in these Senses we may have occasion to speak II. Ex parte subjecti vel Agentis And so Reason is taken 1. For the reasoning Faculty 2. For the mental

certain truths and Texts by such as are more rare and more obscure and of smaller moment Much more their scandalous abuses who perswade Men that we can be no surer of the truth of Christianity it self than we are of every Lection Translation or Exposition when they are doubtful various or contrary And who tempt Men to Infidelity by obtruding their own Forgeries and Contradictions to be believed as the Word of God and of equal Verity with the essentials of our Faith VI. We all reject their errour who make every Circumstance of Religion unlawful which hath not a particular Command in Scripture as if Reason might not regulate such by the General Command As if Reason might not without express particular Precept choose a Text Method Words and Notes for remembrance in Preaching or might not Translate the Scriptures or turn the Psalms into Metre and put Tunes on each and many such things VII We all reject the Fanatick or Enhusiastical Opinion of them that pretend a necessity of immediate inspiration instead of Scriptures to teach Men inwardly Doctrines which they never outwardly heard or more than is before revealed in the Word And who thus equal their Revelations to those of the Apostles or feign this Immediate Light or Revelation to be the chief Rule to all Men of their Religion As if objectively there wereas many Religions in the World as there are Men of different degrees of Light within that is as there are Men. And that pretend that none are farther bound to believe the Gospel than they either see Miracles themselves to confirm it or else have this immediate Inspiration before described to attest it VIII We all agree in rejecting the fore-described Papal Fanatiticisme which maketh the Pope and Council though ne're so ignorant or erroneous to be secured of the gift of Infallibility as if it were by Miracle in judging of that which their Reasons are unmeet for and they do not understand especially their foresaid feigned World of Miracles by the sottishest Priests in Transubstantiation And especially their persecuting all that are not as unreasonable renouncers of common Sense and Reason and deposing Temporal Lords that will not exterminate them And their requiring all Christians to resolve their Faith into the Authority of this Fanatick Church as being bound to take that and only that for the Articles of their Faith and Word of God which they assert to be so and as needing no other Proof than the Pope and his Councils assertion And on whose Authority then doth the Pope and Council themselves believe it IX All Protestants disclaim that inhumane atheistical assertion that in Religion Inferiours must believe all that their Superiours assert and do all that they shall command and avoid all that they shall forbid them without using their own Reason to discern judicio privato whether it be agreeable or contrary to the Laws of God As if all Subjects must be of the Soveraigns Religion be it Heathen Mahometan Jewish or Christian Popish Socinian or what ever Or as if Man were above God from whom he receiveth all his power and might Command Men to blaspheme him or sin against him or forbid all to confess and worship him and God must ask Men leave whether he shall be God or be obeyed or worshipped And as if it were in the Rulers power whether any of the Subjects shall be Religious or be saved or as if Subjects were not reasonable Creatures or could obey without the use of Reason discerning whom and how far to obey If they have not a judicium discretionis how shall they know their King whom they must obey honour and protect from an Usurper or Traytor whom they must disown and oppose X. And we hope all true Protestants are agrreed against that impious Opinion that if an Inferiour be uncertain or doubtful whether the matter be Lawful or Sinful he must do it if his Governour Command it and forbear it if his Governour forbid it because an uncertainty must give place to a certainty and we are certain that the Ruler is to be obeyed but not that the thing forbidden is duty nor that the thing commanded is sin 1. For we suppose all agreed that it must go with a caeteris paribus 2. And that we are certain that no Ruler can oblige us to sin and therefore we are not certain that he is to be obeyed where we fear upon good reason that it is sin which he Commandeth For if I am justly fearful that it is sin that is Commanded I must be fearful that it is sin to obey by sinning And to be certain that I should obey and fearful that I sin in obeying are contradictory 3. And we doubt not but all Protestants are agreed that if all the Subjects or any can but be ignorant enough as to be uncertain whether there be a God a Christ or a Life to come or that it is a duty to relieve the Poor c. it will not therefore by any Mans prohibition cease to be all their duty to love or obey God or worship him or to relieve the Poor Or if Men be so sottish as to be uncertain whether Blasphemies Idolatry Persecution Murder Adultery Perjury c. be sins we all agree that no Mans Command can make it the duty of those uncertain Persons to commit them nor make them to be no sin whatever any Man of violence may say to the contrary in passion We conclude upon this Induction that till some omitted instance be produced this Enumeration of our Agreements will prove that not only Conformists and Non-conformists but all true Protestants are agreed really of the Interest and use of Reason in matters of Faith or of Religion Consectaries I. HEnce we see then that Divines have great cause to take heed of setting Christians together by the Ears by feigned differences where there are none and so destroying Love and Concord and tempting the ignorant to hate and falsly accuse their Brethren to the trouble of the Church and the hazard of their Salvation And therefore that while Men have not attained a through acquaintance with the matter and in discussing ambiguities of Speech and distinguishing Verbal Controversies from real if they forbear not their Censures and publique Controversies till they attain a more ripe distinct understanding they may greatly serve Satan while they think that they are serving Christ And how little the Church is beholden to those Men that either through factious worldly designs or ignorant Zeal against error have made the World believe by Pulpit invectives and voluminous Controversies that Christians differ really when it is but verbally experience might have satisfied us long ere this II. Those that have been guilty of such feigning of difficulties and wronging the Church should make repairation by open repentance and all Christians should study the difference between matter and expressive art and words and be desirous and skilful for the narrowing of differences as others are in widening them We are not in Love with the Spirit and Practise of Incendiaries Love-killers or Dividers We find too many contending in this case as if they thought the difference real but not any Party against another many Conformists as well as Non-conformists being jealous of giving too much to humane Reason But we suppose we have fully proved a real Concord among us all though unskilful word-warriours discern it not If any will be a dissenter he must be a stragler from all the Protestant Churches His Majesty in his Declaration of Ecclesiastical Affairs expressed his displeasure of such as pretended that the Church-doctrine needed reformation as if in Doctrine we were not agreed Seeing we all Subscribe the same Scripture and Articles of Religion and all agree in the twenty eight Conclusions and ten Rejections before express'd if any yet proceed in their Accusations we desire them for our Conviction to state the Case in which they suppose the difference is and prove their Charge and to remember what it is to strive about words and what have been and yet are the effects and that the Wisdome from above is first pure then peaceable and without partiallity and hypocrisie and that the Fruit of Righteousness is sown in peace and that blessed are the peacemakers for theirs is the Kingdom of God We whose Names are Subscribed not undertaking that no Individual Person is otherwise minded do our selves believe the real Concord of Protestants as it is here expressed Th. Manton W. Bates Tho. Case Gabriel Sangar Rich. Baxter Math. Pemberton Mat. Silvester Henry Hurst Roger Morice Edw. Lawrence Benjam Agas James Bedford Sam. Fairclough John Turner Joseph Read ERRATA PAge 5. line last for distance read difference P. 5. l. penult for theirs r. Men. P. 6. l. penult for neer r. neerer P. 6. l. 23. for Impulses r. Impresses l. 13. r. Impress P. 11. l. 26. for to r. of P. 12. l. 5. for be r. was FINIS