season and to do that which otherwise he had no inclination to do For he Circumcised Timothy unwillingly and shaving his head he purified himself according to the Law and went up to the Temple Vt Judaeorum sopiret insaniam that he might appease the Rage of the Jews And what have we been doing these twenty years but serving the time by Clemency and Condescention to gratifie an unsteady Faction whom nothing can oblige And no doubt S. Paul had an eye to the circumcumstance of time and the difficulty as well as the inconveniency of making a peremptory Order for them in this Case when he wrote that Epistle as shall be shewed 2. I am induced to believe this was but a Temporary provision because it was upon the account of Novices in the Faith as all the Antients do unanimously observe 'T was in Favour of such as had newly embraced the Gospel wherefore he would not have the strong Christians who understood the liberty of their Christianity to entangle the weak by intricate disputations which might provoke them unto Apostacy but charitably to bear with them for a time and that as a condescention which argues not a Law and stedfast Constitution but as they call it a Dispensation * Ita Chrysostomus simulaâ—ionem Petri saepius Dispensationem appellavit ad Gal. 2. Theodoret. Theophilact Ad Rom. 14. Whereupon even where he sollicits this Indulgence on their behalfs to prevent a Relapse he blames their Ignorance discovers the soft and tender part and lays open the Sore and gently drops in his Medicinal Wine and Oyl The observation is quick and very material That while he seems to chide the strong in the Faith under pretence of that freedom of Speech to them He turns all his Correption and Reproof upon the weak For in calling them weak he declares them to be valetudinary and when he bids the stronger Christians to receive to help and succour them it argues he thought they stood in need of a Keeper and good Remedies which is a certain Indication of a Distemper and a Mental Craziness so far was the Apostle from encouraging them as this Reconciler doth to continue and become obstinate in their weakness For tho he would have them treated like Babes while they were so Yet he would not have them be Babes always but to be men in understanding and to put away childish things 1 Cor. 3. 1. Heb. 5. 11 12. 3. If these directions given to the Christians at Rome were not temporary the Apostle contradicted his own Doctrine for in setled Churches afterwards He was so far from prescribing forbearance of Meats or the observation Gal. 4. 10 11. Chap. 5. 4. Col. 2. 8 16 21. of Jewish Festivals that he severely condemns them yea as Superstitious and destructive of Salvation as this Reconciler does observe when he finds occasion pag. 80. to forget his own hypothesis 4. That they were but Temporary is the Judgment of the Fathers and the most Learned Modern Writers The Verdict has mentioned Matthisius Estius our Synopsis and Mr. Perkins who saith expresly that Commandment Rom. 14. 22. was given by Paul for those times when men were not fully perswaded of the use of Gods Creatures as meats and drinks c. But to these Cum enim perfectam fidem 〈◊〉 non haberet infirmus se eâ— rum Esu pollcredebat Thâ— Ad Reâ— times it is not given 2. I say the Apostles Directions had reference to some special things forbidden by the Law of Moses 1. For the difference among those Christians ad Rom. 14. grew upon the account of a distinction betwixt things Clean and Vnclean as the Apostle declares expresly Rom. 14. 14 and mens minds being framed to practise according to that Notion they still disputed the Custom when the distinction was taken away not understanding fully the Priviledge of the Gospel 2. The Antients do restrain the matters in debate to the prohibitions of the Law so Theophilact seeing God Theoph. ad Rom. 14. hath bestowed his ineffable Grace upon the Gentils why do'st thou still contend with them about the Law 'T is manifest saith S. Ambrose that all things are clean through the grace of Christ who freeing us from the yoak of the Law hath restored the former Ambros ad Rom. 14. Ca. 48. P. Martyr state of Liberty So that we are now in a capacity to use all creatures as the Saints of old were wont to do But for such as are still in bondage under the Law it is not Lawful for them to eat or to do what the Law forbids Quia indulgentiam datam spernunt Because they despise the priviledge of the Gospel His multitude of quotations is to little purpose in this case rightly stated For 4. I dare be bold to say that not one of the Ancient Fathers ever applied that discourse of the Apostle to the prejudice of Authority in ordaining Rites and matters of Decency in Gods Service Did not all the Fathers he alledges Bow Kneel wear a Surplice sign with the Cross Yes and would have spit in his face that should have offered to dispute so general a practice of the whole Church His quoting their Authority in this case is therefore trifling and designed to impose upon the Reader or else he is deluded himself by a Fanatic Zeal and vain Imagination And if old Father Gregory were alive he would make as sharp an Invective against him for this as he did against Julian upon another account And I have observed particularly Vide Epist 119 that St. Austin when he complains of the multitude and burden of Ceremonies which were crept into some particular Churches yet he never dream'd that St. Paul had condemned any of them by a Spirit of Prophesie in that Epistle to the Romans Nay he saith plainly that the forbidding of meats as unclean was Heretical and so declared and condemned by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. which is directly contrary to the opinion and practice of those weak ones whom the same Apostle favours Rom. 14. and therefore the Rules he lays down in that Chapter can be no more than temporary unless we will be so bold with the great Apostle as to make him forget and contradict himself 4. Let me put the Case home to our Reconciler and his beloved the Dissenters if they claim a title to the Apostles Indulgence Rom. 14. in their refusal or forbearance of those things which are enjoyned by Authority Then they must look upon those things as common and unclean for that is the very case the Apostle speaks to Rom. 14. 14. If they esteem them unclean which signifies nothing but unlawful that must be either according to Moses's Law or according to the Gospel If they go according to Moses Law they run into Judaism and Superstition and tempt God as this Reconciler confesseth p. 75. and in effect deny that Judaism is abolished and hath given place to Christianity if they pretend to
shall not do that which is right in your own eyes That is the common practice of such as have no Coercive Government And this is the attempt of such as would have none Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men Numb 16. 14. We will not come up They think they have lost their own eyes if they may not be allowed to do what they list Such an one was Corah and we are foretold there would spring up a Race of pretended Christians of the same stamp and that their doom was already paradigmatized and set forth in Effigie by his destruction Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain who out Jude Ep. v. 1. of Malice and Envie slew his Brother Abel a figure of the true Church of God and ran greedily after the error of Balaam who Prophesied as ill things as he could Rev. 2. Hemmingius ad Ep. St. Jude and projected worse for the reward of Lucre and applause and perished in the gainsaying of Corah And in the description of Corah and his Company Hemmingius observes first that he was not content with that degree of honour to which he was advanced and then that he did blaspheme the Magistrate and endeavoured to take away all Degrees from among the Ministers of God And to effect this he made use of a specious Argument viz. That it was a very unworthy thing that the holy people of God should be subject to any Head on Earth The Papists he says follow this Example who will not suffer their Priests to be subject to the Civil Magistrate to have any Authority in the Church and Joannes Agricola has the Annot. In Tit. 3. 1. He lived about 1530. like charge against the Bishops of Rome who pull down Magistracy as if it were an injurious encroachment and not an Ordinance of God that upon the ruin of this they may establish their own Tyranny similes his fuerunt Prophetae Phanatici horum temporum And such were the Phanatick Prophets of these times whose folly saith he hath been wonderfully discovered And now the fury of the Anabaptists wish and aim at nothing more than the common destruction of all the Laws and honest Constitutions of the Magistrates And are not we leavened with this horrible Fanaticism To say that Church-Governors have not power to impose any thing for Decency and Order but what is necessary and commanded is in effect to charge the Vniversal Church for 1500 years together more or less with Vsurpation and Tyranny and contradicts the Judgment and Declarations of the most Learned Protestants of any credible Denomination See the Verdict pag. 24 c. There can be no publick Worship of See the Verdict p. 24. p. 35. p. 223. and the two Letters God solemnly performed unless some Rules be observed therein If every man were allowed to have his Psalm his Revelation his Interpretation to use the Apostles own instance if every 1 Cor. 14. 26. one were suffered to pick and choose his own time place gesture there could be no Decency no Order nothing but Confusion And the unlearned Ibid. v. 2 3. yea and the learned too that should come into our Assemblies would certainly say we were mad To prevent this Governors are set up in the Church to determin what is fit to be done and to restrain our vagrant Liberty to the use and Practice of what is so ordained 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order This is an Apostolical Injunction and that is of great Authority and so sacred that no humane Liberty is allowed to dispute much less to affront it for indeed a greater that St. Paul is here these Injunctions touching matters of Decency and Order they are the Commandments of God and the Apostle would have the greatest pretenders to the Spirit to know it 1 Cor. 14. 34. so that we have an Apostolical we have a Divine Command for Governors and that lays a necessity upon them to make such Ordinances and consequently the things Ordeined are neither uncommanded nor unnecessary The evidence of truth is so strong in Pag. 340. this Case that the Dissenters are forced to allow that there be many Cases where somewhat in genere is necessary to be determined They also add that in all Cases truly such the Magistrate Civil or Sacred not only may but must determine and indeed saith the Reconciler no man in his wits can doubt that what is necessary to be determined must be determined and seeing Par in parem non habet potestatem it follows that they cannot be determined by any other but Superiors i. e. they cannot be obligingly determined by others Thus our Reconciler But it is a great mistake to think that Authority in this Case is restrained to things Necessary All things are Lawful for me saith the Apostle but all things are not expedient If he had restrained his or our Liberty to things Necessary he would have argued to that effect All things are Lawful for me but all things are not necessary and he would 1 Cor. 6. 12. 10. 23. have injoyned us to keep to things necessary but he argues otherwise All things are Lawful but all things are not Expedient Wherein he teacheth us to distinguish of things whereof some saith he are expedient and some are inexpedient Which are expedient is not left to every man to judge for then we should run again into Madness and Confusion as was observed even now When we speak of Necessary things Acts 15. 28 29. we had need be wary and speak with distinction otherwise the word has so many significations we may easily be insnared in a Fallacy upon that account The Decree of the Council at Jerusalem runs thus It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things That ye abstain from meats offered to Idols and from Blood and from things Strangled and from Fornication Some men I observe run into a great mistake in making the necessity here mentioned to be Antecedent to the Decree of the Council in respect of the Nature of the things forbidden except Fornication which is of doubtful interpretation too If those observed things were Antecedently necessary then they had some moral goodness in them and were commanded because they were good which is not affirmed of the Ceremonial Law Besides Acts 15. 23. this Decree was sent to the Gentiles and made for their use and observation and these things could not be necessary to them Antecedently to them because the Ceremonial Law of Moses did not oblige or concern them The necessity therefore which those things had I except Fornication in our common sense of the word was Consequent to that Decree of the Council Nor could the necessity there mentioned be absolute or simply such for such necessity has no Law but is a Law to it self but only a Hypothetical Necessity or a necessity
Suffragium Protestantium Wherein Our GOVERNOURS ARE Justifyed In Their Impositions and Proceedings Against Dissenters Meisner also and the Verdict rescued from the Cavils and Seditious Sophistry of the Protestant Reconciler By Dr. LAURENCE WOMOCK Arch-Deacon of Suffolk Col. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc dico Ne quis vobis imponat Oratione speciosa Per falsas Ratiocinationes Sive ex malitia sive ex Inscitia Id Fiat London Printed for Robert Clavel at the Peacock in St. Pauls Church-yard 1683. A Special Verdict Against the PROTESTANT RECONCILER S. Paul foretold that after his departure grievous Wolves should enter in with a design and malice not to spare but to devour the Flock these were Wolves in Sheeps cloathing whose business was to steal to kill and to destroy but these were not all and perhaps not the most pernicious of the Churches Enemies He foretells further that also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them And this Prophecy is fulfilled in our Reconciler For among others he is risen up with his perverse Principles to make and engage a Party Had he intended the satisfaction or information of his Superiors his Duty would have prompted him to have presented his Papers humbly into their hands and with a modest submission to have expected the result of their wise Councils But a Noverint Vniversi was fitter to carry on his popular Design and to caress his dear Vain-glory. He should have come in the Spirit of Elias to turn the hearts of the Fathers unto the Children the Holy Fathers Mind and Principles their Faith and Affections into the Children and the Disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just That what the Fathers have believed and practised â— L. Brug ad â—uc 1. 17. Paul de Palatiâ— in Mal. 4. 6. the Children may also embrace and follow He could have told them that Christ having assured his Disciples that God who hears the Addresses of His Church he streightly commands them also to hear Her upon pain of forfeiting Her which is the same with His Blessing being deservedly for their contumacy in their Disobedience turned out of Her Communion as Publicans and Heathens He might have been pleased to take notice how Christ resolves the case of Conscience about the Tythe of Mint and Cummin and the weightier matters of the Law saying unto such as were concerned to be well informed These things Matth. 23. 23. ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone How Christ observed not only the service solemnly established but such Customs and Festivals as had no divine Institution laying down this for a Rule of Conscience Thus it behoves us to fulfill all Righteousness He might have put them in mind as Matth. 3. 15. Tit. 3. 1. St. Paul exhorts to be subject to Principalities and Powers and to obey their Spiritual Guides in their Conduct and to submit to their Orders in regard that Heb. 13. 7. 17. 1 Cor. 14. the spirit of the very Prophets ought to be subject to the greater authority of the Prophets He knows very well that we ought not to be contentious about the Customs and Practices of the Church when they do not supersede the Commands of God nor interfere with them That the Governors of the Church have a great Authority from our Lord and are intrusted in his stead to set things in Order for Edification and Decency in Gods public Worship and Service And when they have done this with great prudence and deliberation that the subjects are to do their duty without murmuring or disputing and to honour such their Governors very highly for their work-sake If not he could have informed his Readers That Christ hath furnisht those Governors with the power of the Keys to shut the door as well as to open it with a Rod for Discipline Authority to mark and censure to admonish and rebuke sharply to stop their mouths who speak preverse things and to reject them from the Communion of Christ's Church if they will neither obey her commands nor regard her admonitions Are they not entrusted by our Lord to make Orders for Discipline and to take the measures of Decency by their own Judgment and Prudence and when they have estabished all things to God's Glory the Peace and Edification of the Church is it our Duty to follow our Guides or to controul them to confront our Governors or to obey them When a difference arose betwixt the Jews and Gentile Converts 't was thought the most prudent and likely Way to compose it to have recourse to Acts 15. Acts 16. 4. the Apostles and Elders about it and the Holy Ghost did assist them in the Decision and S. Paul himself carried about the Decrees to be kept But our Reconciler takes another course to buoy up a sinking Cause and Faction He Censures all the Governors of Church and State decrys their Impositions and directly quarrels their Authority Yet 't was the Resolution of the Brittish Acta Synod in jol De aequitate Decreti Synodici pag. 139. Divines at the Synod of Dort In adiaphoris Supremus Magistratus vice Dei ostendit quid expedit decet The Supreme Magistrate declares in God's stead what is decent and expedient in things indifferent This the whole Synod assented to and by this Rule they justified their Proceedings against the Remonstrants And if the pretence of Christian Liberty be allowed to retrench the Kings Prerogative in Church-matters 't will soon follow the Pope's Practice in Ordine ad Spiritualia and invade his Authority in Temporals All times have afforded examples of turbulent Spirits who thought their Christian Liberty could not consist without the downfall of the Civil Power That their Religion did exempt them from all the Laws and Ordinances of men and gave them a Priviledge to oppose and banish the very Office of the Magistrate from among Argument Ep. ad Rom. 6. Ad Rom. 13. them This Calvin as well as Bullinger has observed And Gualter tells us that the Jews elated with the conceit of their Ancient Dignity took it in great disdain that the Posterity of Abraham Eâ— ad Rom. 13. and the Elect people of God should be in Subjection to the Romans wherefore they made frequent Insurrections to recover their Ancient Liberty and 〈◊〉 had not quite cast off these Principles of Sedition when they embraced the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel Many also of the 〈◊〉 did with no less impaâ—â—â—â—e bear the Yoak of such as were the Professed Enemies of Christ and 〈◊〉 Gospel And 〈◊〉 these a sort of subtil 〈◊〉 did insinuate themselves and having 〈◊〉 the Grace of God into 〈◊〉 that they might enjoy 〈◊〉 câ—rnal satisfactions with the greater license and impunity as St. Jude ob 〈…〉 they made it their business to â—bolish Government By this means the Christian Religion 〈…〉 among such as were in Authority as the Parent and Breeder of Tumults
maintain their own publick Communion and protested Doctrin for in their Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici pag. 16. they lay down this for a Rule in Divinity That the ordinary examples of the Godly approved in Scripture being against no general precept have the force of a general Rule and are to be followed and p. 22. they say Those examples in Scripture are obligatory whose ground reason scope or end are obligatory and of a Moral Nature and as much concern one Christian as another whether they be the examples under Old or New Testament Now I say that by a parity of Reason the command and practice of the Church for the use of the sign of the Cross in Baptism is obligatory because the ground reason scope or end of it which is the confession of our Faith and Protestation of our Christianity is obligatory and of a moral nature and as much concern one Christian as another one Church as another one time as another Having thus briefly shewed the nature of those impositions which this Reconciler does condemn and given a short account of the temper of those weak Brethren on whose behalf he so earnestly solicites an indulgence I cannot but reflect upon his Preface wherein he does little less than traduce many worthy Persons by alledging their condescentions as if they had been the yielding up of a Right to those Dissenters against that Authority and Government which themselves did constantly assert and manage Indeed their Charity and Compassion carried many of them very far that way They saw us in a storm and our condition to be much like to theirs in the 27th of the Acts 15. 18 19 20. When the Ship was caught the Church assaulted hy a violent Faction and could not bear up into the Wind we let her drive And being exceedinly tossed with a Tempest the next day they lightned the Ship and the third day we cast out with our own hands the takling of the Ship And when neither Sun nor Stars in many days appeared and no small tempest lay on us all hope that we should be saved was then taken away And this upon the matter was the case of the Episcopal and Loyal Party who were Embarqued in the Established Church of England their crafty Adversaries to raise a Storm against them had put a conceit into the light heads of the Rabble that they were bound for Rome too as S. Paul was in another sense Hereupon their Frantick Zeal push'd them with an impetuous fury into Tumults wherein the poor distressed Barque was so tossed She was in danger to be sunk or split and dash'd to pieces In this forlorn condition no wonder their danger should prompt them to cast Anchor upon the unsteady sands or comply with any course or method that might be thought expedient for their present safety Sometimes empty Casks are thrown out by the skilfull Mariner to make diversion for the ungovernable Leviathan when he threatens to overturn their Vessel And if a liberty of Prophesying be not sufficient to divert their rage and make them at a loss and stop their cry then an Irenicum may be thought a pious charm to allay their heats to appease their animosities and to bring them to a more calm composure Perhaps this Reconciler thinks we are in a Storm still and 't is no wonder if he be of that opinion having taken so much pains to raise a blustering wind to blow up his Euroclydon of Fanatick Zeal amongst us But 't is observable in experience that such well-meant attempts at such a season do for the most part give advantage to the watchful Adversary seldom answer their expectation and never take effect to the obtaining that pious end which their worthy and learned Authors aimed at 2. I find that learned and good men may be mistaken and 't is an error of the right hand when Charity leads them to it We are told that Mr. Hales found occasion to bid John Calvin good night and whatever Essays of wit might come to his Friends hands when his Fancy was brisk and sprightful I doubt not when he came to a more mature judgment he took a solemn leave of many of those unhappy hallucinations which had been more to his honour if they had been buried in his ashes I am sure his Tractate of Schism has been confuted no less than three four times over And for some others of a much higher rank than He to my knowledge they retracted those opinions which had given so much encouragement to the Factious Party and bewailed their mistaken charity with great remorse upon all occasions to make amends for the Scandal their well-meant tenderness had given to the Loyal and true Conformist 3. There are none of them I dare be bold to say that ever intended such dismal disapidations of the Church as the Dissenters had Projected dream'd not of the introduction of such confusions as were the necessary product of their pernicious practices and were so far from adhering to them in the prosecution of their wicked Designs that for the most part of them they were sufferers under that 11th Persecution For 4. Their constant Practice in the use of the Liturgy as it witnessed their stedfast affection to the Church Established so it betrayed them to the Spight and Malice of the Faction who were carrying on a design to overthrow it To say they acted herein against their Judgment would bring their sincerity into question and make their Authority of no value and consequenty insignificant as to that purpose this Reconciler produces it for We must conclude therefore that whatever their condescentions were they were intended meerly to gratifie the present weakness of such as they believed to be conscientious but not all to countenance their Non-conformity 5. For Foreign Churches and Universities we very well understand both their Principles and their Practice And we are well assured that the Doctrine and the Discipline the Customs and Observances of the present Church of England are fully justified by them both what esteem they had for us before the late times of Deformation we may learn from the pen of the learned and noble Deodate in his Epistle to the late Assembly wherein he gives us this Encomium That Flourishing England the very eye and excellency of all the Churches Christs own choice purchase and peculiar the Sanctuary of the afflicted the Arcenal of the faint-hearted the Magazine of the needy the Royal Standard of good hope p. 6 7. p. 17. He does acknowledge and solemnly declare it That on the Theatre of the Vniversal Church the Kingdom and Church of England have hitherto excelled and out-shined all the Churches upon Earth in Holiness and Glory Such as well understand the happy constitution of this Church of England cannot but have the like value for Her and they that are of that perswasion can never with a sober judgment and deliberation utter any thing in Derogation to Her Dignity If this Reconciler can
produce any thing from their example to our prejudice tho 't is far more fit that we should be a Pattern and Law to them than they to us let him give us but one instance wherein they destroyed their own Establishment to gratifie a discontented and Dissenting Faction the contrary whereof has been sufficiently proved to be the obstinate resolution of those Churches as well of the Calvinian as of the Lutheran Denomination 6. I say we have the Authority of many other excellent persons of another Judgment to name some few Whitgift Bancroft Andrews Laud Sanderson Hooker Heylin Hammond whose judgments we have greater reason to rely upon because they judged the case with a more deliberate diligence and weighed the importance and consequences of a Change with a better attention and by a clearer and exacter observation discovered more fully the temper and design of this Dissenting Party And upon this account I shall only subjoyn the Resolutions of a Wise and Learned Prince with a great and prudent Statesman King James concludes his Proclamaion of March 5. in the first of his beign in these words We do admonish all men that hereafter they shall not expect nor attempt any further alteration in the Common and Publick Form of Gods Service from this which is now established for that neither will we give way for any to presume that our own Judgment having determined in a matter of this weight shall be swayed to alteration by the frivolous suggestions of any light Spirit Neither are we ignorant of the inconveniencies that do arise in Government by admitting innovation in things once setled by mature deliberation and how necessary it is to use constancy in the upholding the publick determinatins of States for that such is the unquietness and unstedfastness of some dispositions affecting every year new Forms of things as if they should be followed in their unconstancy would make all actions of State ridiculous and contemptible whereas the stedfast maintaining of things by good advice established is the weal of all Common-wealths And his Grace the Lord Arch-Bishop Juxton soon after his Majesties happy Restauration discoursing with me about the Indulgence which was then the common talk of all the Town he was pleased to express himself after this manner That if the yielding of some few small matters of indifferency would win them to joyn cordially with us in the practice of the rest he could very well be content with it But his Grace added you know Mr. W. I have sometimes sat at the Helm and truly I have studied the temper of these men and could never find them so ingenuous Assure your self Mr. W. there is no way to Govern this sort of People but by a straight Rein. For gratifie them in any thing and you but encourage them to ask more Your condescention shall be their Argument that their requiries were just and your conviction that your own practice is unwarrantable nor will they ever rest satisfied till all matters of decency and Order be laid aside to make way for their own as his Grace was pleased to call them new-fangled Innovations After all this methinks so many Authentick Instruments Proclamations and Acts of Parliament should be sufficient to supersede all that has been alledged as of a much inferiour stamp and quality But before we proceed further I shall offer two or three things to the Readers serious Consideration 1. The first is this That the Church on Earth is not in a state of Triumph and though this Reconciler may be a Trimmer in a modern Notion yet if the Bride of the Lamb wants trimming the Dissenters tho they take his advice along with them have no Authority to appoint Her Ornaments nor are they called to be Her Dressers Christ has taken a course to present Her to Himself a Glorious Church not having wrinkle Eph. 5. 27. spot or blemish at the day of Marriage In the interim She is as a heap of Corn not clean winnowed from the chaff as a field of Wheat with a mixture of Tares or Darnel And this the Church is concerned to Tolerate lest She should root up the Wheat for the Tares sake or lest the good grain being separated from the chaff before the time and so left naked Aug. Ep. instead of being carried into the Granary should be cast out to be pick'd up by the fouls of the Air. And according to another of our Lords Parables we suffer the bad Fishes amongst the good till we come to the shore Ne diruptis per Schismata retibus dum quasi malos pisces cavemus in mare perniciosae libertatis exeamus Lest Schism tearing the nets of the Church in pieces we should lanch out into the Sea of a pernicious Liberty But as the Father saith in another of his Epistles tho the Church being set among much chaff and tares tolerates many things tamen quae sunt contra fidem vel bonam vitam non approbat nec tacet nec facit And I dare be bold to say that in these respects this Church of England is as innocent and as eminently watchful as ever any Church was since the days of the Apostle 2. 'T is observable that many well meaning Souls are strangely imposed upon by the plea of a mistaken Charity Charity I know has in many respects the sovereignty of all vertues and ought to have a great command in the â— Cor. 13. last conduct of all our actions but to transform her into a foolish pity would be a huge degrading of her A fond Mother will give the froward child the Apple as often as he whines and whimpers for it but the prudent Father thinks the Rod a more useful instrument to cure him of his frowardness and yet his affection is never the less towards him Correction is a work of mercy as well as alms and many times more seasonable and beneficial St. Jude has given us an excellent Rule And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of Jude Ep. 22 23 the fire Such as cannot be won to do their duties by instruction and good advice with other wholsom instances of gentleness must fall under the correction of a severer discipline and there is some kind that will not be cast out otherwise * See Aretius ad 2 Cor. 13. 2. infra The stubborn Aegyptian will not conform to Moses's Treaty till he sees his Rod turned into a Serpent This is severe you 'll say but 't is no more than what we learn as well from the Practice as the Doctrine of the Apostle For does he not threaten the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13. 2 10. with his Rod And does he not tell them he will not spare but will use sharpness and this he threatens against the Schismaticks no doubt as well as other impenitent sinners that he should find amongst them 2 Cor. 13. 2. And wherefore did he use or threaten this
are reckoned up by Dr. Sclater There is ad 2 Thes 3. 6. Potestas Ministerii at large Authority to Preach the Gospel and administer the Holy Sacraments Mat. 28. 19. 2. there is Potestas Ordinis a power to Ordein Ministers and make Laws for external Government 1 Tim. 5. 22. Tit. 1. 5. 3. there is Potestas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Censurae to administer Censures less or greater according to the quality of Offences Every mans zeal and knowledge where there is no Organical Church setled was licence enough for him to report what had been done at Jerusalem and what was the present Faith and Practice there If they had any Ministers to Preach with Authority amongst them no doubt they had their Holy Orders and a Divine Mission and were put in Office to that purpose but 't is most likely they had none because tho they had knowledge to admonish one another of the Doctrine they had received yet they had no Authority to teach as S. Ambrose has observed Rom. 15. 14. non dixit ut invicem se doceant sed admoneant and if there had been any such spiritual guides doubtless in such a case of difficulty and danger the Apostle would have referred the Christians to their Conduct as he did in other places And yet every man that hath a licence as well as ability to preach the Gospel has not presently the Authority of a Governor Philip was an Evangelist and Preached Christ to the City of Samaria Baptiz'd Converts and wrought Miracles amongst them yet he had no Jurisdiction there The Apostles sent Peter and John from Jerusalem to lay their hands upon them to Confirm them Acts 8. 14. to 17. Secondly saith our Reconciler The Apostle among many others whom he calls his Helpers in Christ approved in Christ labourers in Christ Rom. 16. 3 9 12. who may all rationally be deemed to be Church-Officers and as rationally deemed to be none Presbyters Deacons and Diaconesses makes mention of Andronicus and Junias of note amongst Christ's Apostles i. e. saith our Reconciler among the Preachers of the Gospel the Teachers of the Christian Faith If these be his Church-Governors then there was a woman got into the Chair at Rome before Pope Joan was heard of for Theophilact saith that Junias was the name of a woman and Grotius thinks she was wife to Andronicus But what is all this to a setled Jurisdiction to establisht Laws and Governors appointed to put them in execution which was the thing he was obliged to prove and now to pay him back a little of his own coin of the finer mettal who could imagine this Reconciler would have had the confidence to oppose a deliberate Verdict upon a Melius inquirendum and pretermitting all the solid Grounds of Truth Reason and Authority upon which it is established think to quash it by his own vain Imaginations All the Ancients that write of the Church of Rome do conclude that it was founded by those two great Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and S. Paul being the Apostle of the Incircumcision and above all the rest adorned with the title of a chosen vessel to bear the name and Gospel of Christ among the Gentiles Acts 9. 15. in all reason we should allow him a good share in the establishment of that Church which was the most considerable in his whole Province but 't is evident when he wrote his Epistle he had never been at Rome to do it and tho he sent Phaebe with his Epistle I hope no man will be so ill advised as to think he gave her any Commission to Govern If there had been any such Governors there where should we look for them but among those persons of such excellent note whom S. Paul salutes and yet if the Reconciler will needs have them to be Church-Governors the first of the Catalogue is a Woman Rom. 16. 3. Priscilla so likewise 2 Tim. 4. 19. She is called Prisca and set before Aquila and 't is thought what e're the rest were that her Husband was her Convert Priscillam quidem priori loco ponit cujus ratio certa vix reddi potest Si tamen conjecturis locus est illustrior fortussis fuit uxor magis nota omnibus vel prior ad fidem conversa maritum postea instituit Gualt ad Rom. Homil. 93. in p. 225. 2. in fine He sets down Priscilla in the first place for which no certain Reason can be given but if we may conjecture probably the Wife might be of the more honourable extraction and so more publickly known or being first converted to the Faith her self afterwards instructed her Husband in the same That S. Peter was there to plant a Church and settle Governors so as to make a Coalition of Jew and Gentile into one united body before S. Paul wrote this Epistle if he can prove it solidly the present Church of Rome shall thank him for it but the generality of Protestant Writers are against it Take Gualterus instead of all the rest ad Rom 16. 7 16. Homil. 94. Non parum facit hic locus ad confutandum impudens Papistarum figmentum c. This place saith he makes strongly for the confutation of that impudent Fiction of the Papists who dream of S. Peters coming to Rome in the second year of Claudius and that he first constituted a Church there over which he himself did preside for five and twenty years together Now if they say true in this He must be at Rome when S. Paul wrought this Epistle Why then makes he no mention of him or what reason can be alledged why the name of Peter only should be left out of that long and honourable catalogue of those men who were famous in that Church at that time was it because he was ignorant of his being there But this cannot well be seeing that the Faith of Rome was published in most parts of the World and how could so great an Apostle escape S. Paul's knowledge who was acquainted with so many of far meaner quality or shall we think that he concealed S. Peter's name out of emulation But far be such a thing from the sincerity and uprightness of an Apostle and why should he envy Peter his honour who speaks so honourably of many others far inferior to him Therefore our Romanists will never be able to make good this fancy of theirs For what Answer will they give S. Luke who says that Peter was present at the Council of Jerusalem which as St. Paul witnesseth in his second Chapter to the Galathians was held in the eighteenth year after his Conversion which according to true computation falls on the ninth year of Claudius besides these men are not aware how great mischief they do S. Peter when they talk of his sitting as Bishop of Rome for full five and twenty years who according to Christs command ought to have travelled up and down and preached the Gospel in several places And truly
the progress of the Gospel amongst them in the very infancy of it And wanting Church-Governors with a secular Arm to assist them nothing was able to extinguish their dissentions and bring them to a quiet settlement till the fulness of Apostolical Authority with the power of Miracles should come among them as shall be declared hereafter But our Reconciler tells us 't is the perpetual Duty of the highest Christians to follow after the things which make for Peace and whereby they may edify one another This we can easily grant him but as Theodoret observes the Apostle Ad Rom. 15. 4. does not pray for their peace indefinitely and absolutely but 't is an honest and pious Consent and Concord that he wisheth them according to the example of Jesus Christ Has not God given us Guides and are not we bound to follow peace after their direction and example Have not they a command as well as a power Heb. 13. 7 17. to set things in Order to make Decrees and Ordinances for the establishment of Peace and Unity and are not these the means to promote Edification Did not S. Paul himself carry about such Decrees to be kept of the Churches where he went and were not those Churches established in the Faith thereupon and increased in their numbers as well as in their piety by that means Acts 16. 4 5. These are truths that are evident of themselves and owned by the Learned of all Perswasions the Ordering and Appointment of honest and decent Rites See the Verdict p. according to the word of God makes much for the preservation of Discipline and to strengthen the bond of Peace saith David Rungius and Calvin himself Hereupon we find that the great Apostle made Ordinances of the like nature which are called Traditions and they were about things indifferent of no absolute necessity but only for decency such as the Womans Vail in publick 1 Cor. 11. 2. Assemblies And such as did observe those Ordinances he commends but 2 Thes 3. 6 14. such as did neglect them he does severely censure And tho he was gentle as a Nurse to cherish his children in the Faith yet did he exercise the Authority of a Father too in charging and 1 Thes 2. 7 11. commanding them to observe his Discipline And let this Reconciler or any of the Dissenters whose Cause he Pleads prove that ever the liberty of such Children was allowed either by Christ or his Apostles to overtop or check the Authority of such a Father and I will yield the Cause In the mean while Dr. Womock keeps his Ground viz. That this was only a Temporary provision to keep the Peace among private Christians and hereupon the Reconciler requires him to prove that the things above-mentioned Rom. 14. were only Temporary and that Church-Governors are now at liberty to walk uncharitably towards the weak and to destroy the work of God for meat and drink and we are satisfied Here we are called upon to prove two things and I am afraid the last will prove him to be a Sophister But we shall attempt to prove the first That those things were only Temporary 'T is the express affirmation of Aretius Ad Rom. 15. that these Roman Christians having no Ordinary Governor the Apostle shews private men the way which they should walk in as was observed formerly And Ad Rom. 14. And Beza observes Apostolum non praecipere ut ejusmodl ignorantia foveatur sed duntaxat ut tuleretur tantisper dum isti possint erudiri Ad Rom. 14. 2. When they became stubborn and indocible They were rejected that the provision was but for a time is the express Doctrine of Hemmingius Aliquid ad tempus Fratrum infirmitati largiendum est Something is to be allowed for a time to the infirmity of our Brethren secus de obstinatis pertinacibus judicandum est but we must determine otherwise of the obstinate and stubborn He speaks of weak Christians which he supposes to be in every particular Church in these days but if care were duly taken to Catechise our Youth and to instruct them in the Principles of Acts 13. 46. Christianity touching Authority and Liberty according to the truth of the Gospel as S. Paul calls it this kind of Intellectual Rickets and the weakness that follows it would be perfectly corrected in our Minority and we should never infest the Church with our frowardness upon that account But my task is to prove that the Directions which the Apostle gives to those Christians at Rome had a peculiar reference 1. To that present time 2. To some special things and 3. To that Critical Dispensation 1. To that present time and he that will take the pains to consider the Case can never be perswaded that such cautions and directions as were given to Jews or Gentil-Converts in reference purely to those Federal Rites of the respective Institutions to which they had so lately been accustomed He I say can never be convinced that they do lay any obligation upon such as were bred up in Christianity from their Cradles But that these cautions were calculated for that present time we have reason to believe upon farther evidence 1. The Apostle in his great prudence was wont to make such Temporary 1 Cor. 7. 26. provisions such was his advice about Virgins I suppose saith he this is good for the present distress not that Marriage was a more impure state of Life but to avoid the difficulties and molestations of it Single persons were in a better condition more prompt and easie to grapple with Persecutions which in those days did more frequently afflict the Professors of the Gospel The Apostle has an eye to the like Rom. 12. 11. difficulties among the Romans and therefore he enjoyns them to be fervent in Spirit serving the season For many Copies See Dr. Hammond his note on the place and Dr. Stearne Aphoris de felicitate §. 2. Aphor. 22. read the Text so and therefore Dr. Hammond doth thus Paraphrase the Text Doing those things that in respect of the Circumstances of time and place wherein now you are may most tend to the honour of God and building up of the Church And S. Ambrose descants very well upon the place lest they should unseasonably press matters of Religion in an evil time whereby they might raise up Scandal therefore he subjoyns this caution serving the time The great matters of Faith and Religion Ambros ad Rom. 12. he would have them discoursed of modestly and discreetly in a fit time and in a convenient place and among fit Persons For there are som esaith he even among our selves in times of Peace The Epist for the 2d Sunday after the Epiphany in the old Liturgy read it so who do so abhor the way of Christ that they can no sooner hear but they will Blaspheme it And S. Paul himself made it his practice sometimes to apply himself to the
Reconciler does acknowledge page 74. into favour and attested it by the effusions of his Spirit on us say the Jews And why shall we abandon our Liberty and Privilege say those Gentils seeing God hath done the like to us This was the difference and dispute between them and nothing but the Ministry of a Divine Authority assisted by the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost and agreeing in a Declaration to the same effect and the power of Miracles was able to bring them to Conformity and unite them entirely into one Catholick Communion This I call a Critical dispensation and it can never be the Case of the Christian Church again unless Elias should come a second time as some do vainly dream to make a farther Reformation and then perhaps S. Pauls Rules might be in season again before the World could come to any settlement How far is the Case of Dissenters wide of this were they bred under any other Divine Law than that which we profess and practise Have they any pretence to some other divine Institutions Have they any divine prohibition against any thing the Church observes Do we violate any Ordinance that is known to be prae-establisht by Divine Authority why then do they take up the perverse or peevish practice of those Jews and run upon the same Rock of Judaism and Superstition as if they were called to it by a voice from Heaven when they have not the like pretence for it For either the Law of Moses is in force or it is not If they think it is in force They may scruple at the eating of a black Pudding or touching the Corps of their dearest friend deceased or ploughing with an Oxe and an Asse which conjunction in a Tropical sense they never scruple at If that Law be not in force at all in their opinion why do they plead what S. Paul discourses upon the account of them who believed it was If it concerns us at all it must be either directly or indirectly and by a parity of Reason But 1. not directly because it relates to a Law whereby things were distinguish'd into clean and unclean 2. Not indirectly or by a parity of Reason because the like critical juncture of circumstances is never like to happen Let them therefore set their hearts at rest For those Rules of condescention and forbearance which the Apostle prescribed as a temporary provision to keep those private Christians quiet under that Critical Dispensation can never serve to justifie their Separation upon such groundless doubts empty Scruples and vain Imaginations And now having made it clear to all Rom. 14. 1â— Chapters impartial Readers that the Apostle did not direct this his advice to Governors but prescribed it only as a Temporary provision to keep the peace among private Christians We must expect no Quarter from the Reconciler but to be severely loaden with the reproach of an odious Inference 'T is not enough it seems to prove that the things there mentioned were only Temporary but we are called to a fresh Task to prove that Church-Governors are now at liberty to walk uncharitably towards the weak and to destroy the work of God for meat and drink Do this says he very fairly and we are satisfied This any man would think a fair offer at the first hearing but upon second thoughts we find that by suppressing one of the premisses he hides a sallacy and herein he is either catch'd himself and deceived in his own captious way of reasoning and that betrays his want of Logick or else he designs wittingly to impose upon the weakness or credulity of his Reader and then he shews his want of honesty If we put his Argument into Form for him it must run thus He that says Those Rules above-mentioned were but a Temporary Provision to keep the Peace among private Christians he leaves Church-Governors at liberty to walk uncharitably towards the weak and to destroy the work of God for meat and drink But Dr. Womock says Those Rules above-mentioned were but a Temporary Provision to keep the Peace among private Christians ergo Dr. Womock leaves Church-Governors c. We must give him time to prove the major Proposition and I believe he will take till Dooms-day and then he may have something else to answer for His disturbing the peace of the Church and encouraging an ungovernable Faction in their Schism and Sedition But let us follow him Dr. Womock saith from Catharinus They were Rules to be received till the Apostles had made a perfect determination and truly saith the Reconciler if this were all they were not to be observed at all His Reason follows For in this very Chapter he plainly saith that the things scrupled by the weak were pure and lawful in themselves and that he knew and was perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there was nothing unclean of it self which is as perfect and full a determination of the Case against the weak as words can make Let us take notice 1. that we have here the Key put into our hands by the Apostle himself to open and unlock his meaning and to give us the full account of his design which was to indulge the Jewish Christians who had been bred up under the Mosaical Dispensation wherein days and meats were distinguished into such as were clean or unclean common or holy which cannot concern us who pretend to no such distinction in that Legal sense or of any Divine Authority Having observed thus much 2. I answer That the Apostle did declare his judgment in the Case as to the matters in question de jure but as to the use and practice of them at Rome He did not as yet settle or determine them de facto by his Apostolical Authority But with us the case is otherwise we have a Determination and Settlement against our pretended weak ones both de jure and de facto too For they know there is nothing de jure unclean or unlawful among us and that de Facto Authority hath setled what they dispute against That S. Paul has determined the Case de jure we have his own concession and that elsewhere he did state and settle it de facto he is forced to confess and indeed his concessions are so full when he comes to himself that they are a perfect confutation of his whole Book if a man would give himself the trouble or the leisure to collect them That the Apostle did determine the Case de facto as to other Churches are so full and clear that we have no need of other evidence to prove it The These Epistles were written after that to the Romans Apostle saith he doth in the Epistles to the Galathians and Colossians speak severely against their observation of the Jewish Festivals p. 80. And does he not condemn them for their superstitious abstaining from certain meats and drinks Let no man judge you in meats and drinks and let no man beguile you of your
to Christianity But if he would not have the weak to be of the same Principles and Apprehensions with the strong he must enjoyn the strong to be of the same Principles and Apprehensions with the weak or else he could never expect to see a good effect of his prayers and obtestations But this Reconciler has made himself not the Subject's but the Sovereign's Remembrancer He addresses himself to our Superiors and calls upon them to be dutiful to be subject to and to obey their good people This puts me in mind of the character which Isaiah gives of a false Prophet The Prophet that teacheth Isai 9. 15. Lies he is the tail But why is he the tail because the tail follows the body of the Beast is carried about by it and hangs upon it and so doth the false Prophet upon the Common People and whether the Reconciler does not so let his Neighbours judge But we see plainly he would have the Ancient and the Honourable who are the Head to do so that 's the Reverence he has for them But I humbly conceive our Governors will find many Reasons not to rescind the Laws establish'd not to restrain or abate the force of their Impositions as this Reconciler would have them 1. They should betray the Supream power and Prerogative of Authority 'T is a Rule laid down by a great Divine De facto lex humana obligat Humane Law does bind de Facto with a Non obstante to any danger whatsoever when the transgression of the Law would fall out to the ruine of the Community to the Contempt of Religion or the Christian Faith or to the lessening and despising of Authority or the Legislative Power In such Cases no fear of danger can excuse the transgression of the Law Upon this ground the General does expose the Sentinel to imminent danger of death to preserve the whole Camp or City from destruction The Prince commands a Physician to attend a place that is visited with a raging Pestilence And the Bishop injoyns a Priest in the like case of danger to administer to the Ghostly welfare of such as are under a great Contagion Where according to the judgment of wise men the advantage and benefit does preponderate and outweigh the danger or detriment that may insue there it is the Prerogative of Authority to interpose for the more publick and common safety But in such Cases the obligation does not properly arise from the Humane Law but from the Natural Divine Law which forbids that act which tends to the contempt of the Faith and the despising of Religion or to the ruine of the Community or the undervaluing of Authority and the Legislative Power For such an Act without doubt is intrinsecally evil Authority and the Legislative Power is a Counterpart of Gods Sovereignty a Depositum a sacred Trust for the Government of the World and to keep distinct Communities in Peace and Order As God allows no man to despise it so it ought much less to despise it self And nothing can make it more despicable than to stoop to a Lure of Feathers that is thrown out by a giddy Multitude To this purpose we have the judgment of the Learned and wise King James who in his Proclamation March 5. in the first year of his Reign having given Reasons why he would not be swayed to alteration in the Form of Gods Service by the frivolous suggestion of any light spirit he adds this Neither are we ignorant of the Inconveniencies that do arise in Government by admitting Innovation in things one setled by mature Deliberation and how necessary it is to use Constancy in the upholding the publick Determinations of States for that such is the unquietness and unstedfastness of some Dispositions affecting every year new Forms of things as if they should be followed in their inconstancy would make all actions of State Ridiculous and Contemptible whereas the stedfast maintaining of things by advice established is the weal of all Common-wealths And that resolution of King James was in the matter of Ceremonies which we discourse of And the truth is if the Prince be brought to those Terms that he must strike Sail to the humour of the People and vary his Compass according to every wind of Doctrine that blows from a Republican Coast he must at last leave the fifth Commandment out of the Catechism as the Church of Rome has done the second or give them leave to do by it as the Pharisees did of old to make it of none effect by their Traditions And how much the Prelates of the Church are concerned herein we may learn from Joannes Crocius for I will take in no Authority from the Jesuits or Church of Rome in this Case that the Reconciler may have no occasion to cavil upon that account Minister in omni muneris Parte Auctoritatem divinitùs concessam tueatur viriliter modestè In every part of his Office let the Minister manfully as well as modestly maintain the Divine Authority which is given him He gives us St. Pauls Authority and example for it His Authority is to Titus Bishop of Crete Tit. 2. 15. and for his example he refers us to Gal. 16. 7 c. to 2 Cor. 10 11 12 Tertul. de Baptis c. 17. 13. Chap. Dandi quidem habet jus Summus Sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Diaconi non tamen sine Episcopi authoritate propter Ecclesiae honorem Quo salvo sata Pax est And if Princes and Governors should rescind and Chop and Change and Innovate Laws and Constitutions upon the motion and Impulse of a turbulent People this will countenance their claim of a share * For the Fly upon the Wheel thinks that all the dust is raised by the force of her agitation in the legislative power which is of too dangerous a Consequence to be suffered in a Monarchy I do solemnly therefore aver that in all his Pleas for Christian Liberty S. Paul did never set it up above Authority nor allow it to controul the power of Governors or oppose them in things Indifferent 2. In abating these Impositions our Governors must needs act against their own Judgment and Conscience which is point-blank against St. Pauls Rule Rom. 14. 5. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind Now if our Governors be perswaded in their own mind that the things establish'd among us are Decent as well as Lawful in the performance of Gods publick Worship The Reconciler will tell them their Duty Vid. Protest Reconciler p. 157. as he calls it for he says expresly they are more concerned in those whether advices or injunctions of the Apostle than other men And if in favour of Dissenters as the Reconciler would have it they should abate their Impositions and enter their Protestations they do not esteem them sinful to be practised nor abate them upon that account This would not at all Correct the Judgment of the Dissenters but
secundum quid or as some call it a Necessity of expedience of which necessity or expedience the Apostles and Elders that is the Governors of the Church were the sole and proper Judges But the Reconciler tells us the Dissenters do universally deny that it is necessary to determine any of these scrupled Ceremonies and they have perfect demonstration for the truth of that denyal for Necessarium est quod non potest aliter se habere that only is necessary to be done which cannot be left undone But will the Reconciler say that the things determined and imposed by that Council were necessary in this sense That implies a Physical necessity whereas here was no other necessity than a Moral one which is only when Prudence or the present reason of things does suggest That I be willing to do what I can when I am not able to do what I would In this sense the word Necessity is taken 1 Cor. 7. 37. He that standeth stedfast in his heart having no Necessity but has power over his own will i. e. he has no Moral consideration of force enough to draw him from his purpose The necessity was not absolute 't was not inevitable The thing of it self might have been otherwise and therefore the Reconciler thought fit to mince the matter thus That only is necessary to be determined in order to the performance of an Ibid. p. 340. Action without which the Action cannot be done or N. B. at the least not well done But Divine Service saith he may be celebrated Baptism may be administred the Sacrament may be received yea all these Actions may be performed well tho no determination should be made by our Superiors that all who do Officiate should wear a Surplice all that receive the Sacrament shall kneel and all that are Baptized shall receive the sign of the Cross upon their foreheads Here the Reconciler mistakes the question or begs it The question is concerning these Administrations and performances now our Superiors have made their determination And I say if these Duties be not done according to appointment they are not done decently according to the present Estimation of our Governors and it is their Estimate and Order not our own Will or Fancy that God commands us to obey and follow and the Reason is because according to the common sense and experience of the whole World They whose Prudence and Authority is intrusted by God himself to Rule and Govern in all Human Affairs are not only allowed to be the most competent Judges * The external Worship of God is taken from that which is esteemed the highest reverence among men See Psal 2. 12. 72. 9. Isa 49. 23. of what is Civil and Decent in their respective Countries but the Duties also appointed according to their Order at Gods Command are the more likely to obtain acceptance at Gods hands for their very Office-sake as Gods Vice-gerents And hence it is that as we are required to obey them for the Lords sake so we are encouraged to 1 Pet. 2. 13. hope that he will have respect unto us for theirs †Nam cum Deus proponere vellet exemplum orationis acceptissimae non aliam in medium adduxit quam Mosis Samuelis Orationem Greg. v. Psal 99. 6 Jer. 18. 1. 1 Sam. 12. 23. And then God having prescribed his Vice-gerents a General Rule if he leaves the particulars to their Discretion Who art thou O man that disputeth against God Rom. 9. 20. Certainly 't is our Duty to rely upon their Judgment where God himself is pleased to trust it We have no reason to be offended at the Laws of our Governors when God is not offended at them and we are sure God is not offended at what they do unless they do it against his will What they have done and established in his Church and Worship let us see the Will of God against it and we will all forth with turn Protestant Joyners and Reconcile our selves to the Dissenters upon the account Acts 4. 19 5. 29. of St. Peters Aphorism we must obey God rather than Man But where God has not put a check upon their power we must obey him in his Officers rather than follow our own Fancy or the Suggestions of any private Person or Persons who have no Authority over us and that is to obey God rather than man in a second and lower sense of that Rule For Governors have Authority to institute Rites and Observances for Order and Decency which we are bound to observe upon that account For there is a command to Governors 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order And then there is a command to Subjects to perform what is established according to that Rule Obey your Prelates or those who have the Heb. 13. 7 17. Rule over you And concerning such Rites and Traditions St. Austins Rule is commended in all the Church of God In these things a prudent Christian Davenant ad Col. 2. 8. p. 185. can observe no better Order than this to do as the Church of God does whereever he comes For whatsoever is injoyned that is neither against the Faith nor against good manners is to be used indifferently according to the custom of the place All Ecclesiastical Laws concerning Fasts or Festivals concerning the difference of Habits and the whole external Order which is observed in the performance of all Sacred Offices will come under this Rule Whosoever rejects this kind of Rites and Traditions of men not repugnant to the word of God is a disturber of Publick Order and a Contemner of that Power and Authority which God has setled in his Church Thus the Learned Davenant 2. If a weak Brother scruples and acts unreasonably his weakness may call for our help and as S. Chrysostom saith he ought to have it But what is the help that can be afforded him in this case The disease 't is in his Mind and 't is â—â—t Reconcil 〈◊〉 78. only Want of Knowledg and particularly want of the Knowledge of that Liberty which was purchased to us by Christ Jesus And hence it is that the Apostle requires the strong to bear with such a Weak Brother and to instruct him Tantisper dum de Libertate partâ per Christum edoceatur as Hyperius Bullinger Hemmingius Beza and all the Learned Commentators among the Protestants do unanimously expound it till he has Learned what that Liberty is which was purchased for us by our blessed Saviour Those are to be esteemed little ones saith Amesius qui non sunt sufficienter instituti circa libertatem nostram 1 Cor. 8. 7. who are not sufficiently instructed Case Consc l. 5. c. 11. n. 14. 15. about our Liberty And he adds That all they are not sufficiently instructed to whom a just account of the matter of Fact is rendred For perhaps some are not capable to understand the account that is given them
so distant a Nature and Consideration that it is very reasonable to believe his Design was to amuse and not to instruct and edify his Reader 3. He seems to have a greater Kindness for the Papists than the Lutherans He can afford them the Title of Learned Papists But contemns the Lutherans all along as miserable and foolish Triflers Nay he has brought in St. Paul among the Jesuites formerly and here we shall find him again rankt among the Roman Adversaries so that in time he may possibly set up for a Papist Reconciler and I believe his common place Book is furnished with Materials for such a Work as well as for this which he has put out under another Title 4. In Reference to the several Parties he mentions Dr. Womock would say there has not been sufficient said to convince them of their Errours if others had not said more to the purpose to confute them than this Reconciler 5. If Con-substantiation be a foolish Doctrine yet 't is but a Metaphysical Speculation and so innocent of its own Nature it never brake the Peace in that Communion wherein 't is entertained 6. Tho this Reconciler would fain get into the Chair and pass his Sentence we pretend not to judge such as are not within our own Jurisdiction Let them Stand or Fall to their own respective Masters 't is enough when we have occasion to consider their Tenents to evince their Falsehood if we can and to discover their dangerous Consequence if they have any 7. Our Discourse relates to such as attempt to Subvert that Order and Government under which they have been bred and to which they owe Subjection 'T is true Contenders are ever stiff Judg. 8. 1. cap. 12. 1. 1 Sam. 19. 43. and confident and many times they are most fierce who have the worst Title But we know the Truth cannot lie on both sides nor can the Light of Evidence be equal to their Advantage Yet the Parties will not yield unless they be determin'd by Authority which is a clear Demonstration of the Necessity of Governours without whom now a dayes especially instead of being a Law unto himself every Man wou'd be a Gospel to himself and take what Liberty he list To prevent the Mischief of such Licentiousness we have these Commands upon us Obey them that Heb. 13. 17. Mat. 18. 17. have the Rule over you and he that will not hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen Man and as a Publican And 't is Calvins own Doctrine That Men who are Contentious against the Custom and Practice of the Church in the Ad 1 Cor. 11. 16. use of Decent Rites are not to be treated with Disputations to gratify their itch of contending but to be bridled by Authority otherwise there could be no end of Strife and consequently no bounds set to the Exorbâ—tances of wicked Men For Jam. 3. ver 16. where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work But Authority should have some Rule to proceed by and Who shall give it Dr. Womock he sayes has borrowed a Rule from our Roman Adversaries Why Did Soto ever write against the Church of England He presented his Book de Naturâ and Gratiâ to the Council of Trent whereof he was a Member and it 's like he writes something therein against the Lutherans whose Doctrines this Reconciler contemns as foolish and trifling and so as for as we can see he is as much an Advocate for the Roman Party as their Adversary But What is his Quarrel to the Rule Will no Rule serve his turn but such a one as is without Exception Where shall we find it But let us give Soto's Rule fair Play and let it speak for it self He is supposed to Err through Malice who has been so far admonished that he cannot justly pretend Ignorance or may easily be convinced of it Can there be any thing said more rational If he cannot pretend ignorance or may easily be convinced of it and yet will persist in his errour Then his Fault proceeds not from the weakness of his Understanding but from the Pravity or corrupt Inclination of his Will which the School-Men call Malice For Passion and Surprize can have no place or pretence here where things are done with so much Deliberation and continued in against a Known Law and a just Authority as well as against frequent and publick Admonitions and when stubborness is added to the Opinion and Practice then of a matter of Choice and Knowledge it becomes Heresy But Why did the Reconciler single out Soto to the Combate when Perkins and St. Paul were in the same File on the Front and on the Rear of him and Verdict 100 101. no less concern'd in the Dispute than he Such Transgressions as our Reconciler undertakes to Excuse or Vindicate are hardly consistent with Mr. Perkins definition of weak Ones For these he saith are such as have turned to God and carry in their Hearts a Purpose in all things to please God and if they do amiss 't is out of simple Ignorance or bad Custom and 't will last no longer than till they be better inform'd but if after a sufficient Information they hold and practice bad things 't is then of willful Ignorance and of Malice and in that case He calls them Obstinate And for St. Paul his decretory Sentence is this A man that is an Heretick after Tit. 3. 10 11. the first and second admonition reject Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself This is a General Rule laid down by Apostolical Authority and prescribed to the Governours of the Church who are to take their measures from the Epistles to Timothy and Titus which were wrote on purpose for their Directions and not from the Epistles to the Romans where it does not appear that Church-Governours are concern'd at all much less directed in their Office And because that Rule of St. Paul is of so great importance I shall be the more large in giving the sence of it according to the exposition of the most learned Protestants By a Heretick the Apostle meanes Sectarium Hominem saith Aretius Sectarum Authorem the Author of Sects or a Sectary as Bullinger and Hyperius and others have it Calvin makes no distinction betwixt the Heretick and Schismatick in this place for he saith Ambitiosos omnes praefractos contentiosos qui Libidine impulsi turbant Ecclesiae pacem ac dissidia concitant hoc nomine comprehendit He comprehends under this Title all Ambitious Stubborn and Contentious Men who upon the impulse of their own lust stir up Discord and disturb the Peace of the Church In summa quisquis suâ proterviâ unitatem ecclesiae abrumpit is Haereticus vocatura Paulo Whosoever breaks the Peace of the Church by his frowardness St. Paul calls him an Heretick And yet further to reach such as set up Conventicles among us Quoties eo
much of St. Pauls Rule which the Reconciler would make his Reader believe was onely a Rule borrowed by Dr. Womock from our Roman Adversaries But 2ly This Rule saith the Reconciler condemns all Christ's Apostles and all the Primitive Weak Christians mentioned in Holy Scripture and in Church-History I can proceed no further till I have taken notice of the Reconcilers gross mistake 1st The Rule makes only the Major Proposition Authority must judge of the Matter of fact and so make the Minor without which no Conclusion can be inferred no sentence of Condemnation passed 2ly Here is Ignoratio Elenchi if they be Weak Christians they are not within this Rule which concerns onely such as have forfeited that Title and the Priviledge which belongs to it But let us hear his Reason such as it is For when the Apostles questioned the Power of our Lord as Christ assures us they did in many places does not our Saviours Reproof of this their Unbelief inform us That they had sufficient Reason from what he had already done before their eyes to be convinced of it When they doubted of his Resurrection or rather disbelieved it had they not had sufficient Cause both from Scriptures and their Masters frequent words to lay aside that Doubt When that after our Lords Commission to Go and Preach the Gospel to all Nations and the Descent of the Holy Ghost not only they but the whole Church held it unlawful to Preach the Gospel to any but the Jews or to the Circumcised could they justly pretend Ignorance after so plain an Admonition Were not the Judaizing Christians sufficiently admonished by the Holy Ghosts falling on Cornelius and his Friends and the Discourses at the Synod at Jerusalem That there was no necessity of Circumcising the Gentile Christians or of refusing to Converse with the Uncircumcised And must not only they but Peter also and Barnabas be Stubborn and Malitious for acting contrary to it I shall repeat no more of this Harangue to spare my self as well as the Reader Here we have Fallacy again so many things of different kinds jumbled together that no single Answer can comprehend them And this is a certain sign of Imposture Dolus versatur in Universalibus But I hope we shall give such a general Solution as will satisfy the Judicious 1. We are to consider That the Dispensation of the Gospel was stupendious and all Mystery The Incarnation of the Son of 1 Tim 3. 16. God was a Mystery The Resurrection of Christ from the Dead was a Mystery The calling of the Gentiles was a Mystery which St. Paul sets forth in these words Even the Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but Col. 1. 26 27. See also Ephes 3. 1. 2 3 4 5 6. now is made manifest to the Saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory Of the whole Dispensation the Prophet cries out Who hath Isa 53. 1. believed our report or to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed And again Behold ye among the Heathen and regard Habak 1. 5 and wonder marvellously for I will work a Work in your dayes which ye will not believe tho it be told you 2. We are to consider that Christs Disciples were but poor Ignorant and Unlearned Fishermen They had not bin bred in the Schools of the Prophets nor does it appear that their Apprehensions Luk. 24. 25. were very quick or their Memories very strong or retentive Their old Bottles needed a great Reformation before they were fit for the New Wine of the Gospel the Effusions of the Holy Ghost Christ was fain to open their Understanding after his Resurrection to help them to understand the Scripture and v. 45. Acts 1. 3. v. 8. Acts 2. 17. 18. John 16. 13. John 14. 26. to teach them the concerns of his Kingdom by Conference and to send down the Holy Spirit as well to enlighten them with further measure of Divine Knowledge as to bring former instructions into their Remembrance 3. As long as our Blessed Saviour does not charge them with Malice or Stubborness we have no reason to do it Nay tho they were dull and slow of heart to believe some Articles of great difficulty and not formerly propounded or with very Little Evidence Yet they Stubbornly rejected none but were willing from time to time to comply with such Notices as they clearly received from him and were glad to be convinced of any Errour They did not finally deny his Godhead or his Resurrection or the Dispensation of the Gospel John 20. 20. 28. Acts 11. 18. to the Gentiles nor yet dispute any needful or useful Article 4. There is a great difference betwixt a Church in Fieri and a Church in Facto A Church that is a making and one that is established The Church that travel'd in the wilderness was not under such fair Circumstances as that which was afterwards setled in the Land of Canaan The case of the Dissenters can never be justified by any thing that can be alledged under those circumstances For we are now under a Setled Church with Laws Discipline and Government and all established by mature and good Advice and a just Authority And the point in difference is drawn into so narrow a compass that he who unfeignedly desires to know his Duty if he will take St. Paul for his Tutor and Study to be quiet and to do his own business He may learn it out of half a Text of Scripture I mean Rom. 14. 14. and we Pag. 73. have the Reconcilers own word for it who tells us That in this Very Chapter the Apostles plainly saith that the things Scrupled by the weak were pure and lawful in themselves and that he knew and was perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there was nothing unclean of it self which saith the Reconciler is as perfect and full determination of the case against the Weak as words can make Granting this to be true I demand what is the Reason if they be not Jews that the Dissenters are not satisfyed I say if they be not Jews And let not the Reconciler conclude me Uncharitable for this Supposition For the Doctrine and Practice of this Phanatick Party has been so long corrupted with such a Jewish Leaven that they have layn under that Suspition at least these hundred years insomuch as Hyperius Ad. Tit. 1. 11. wisht so long agoe utinam hodiè nulli sint inter nos praeputiati Judaei I would to God there were no Uncircumcised Jews amongst us at this day 3ly Saith the Reconciler were we hereafter to be judged according to the Tenor of this Rule how sad would be our Doom For have not most Christians had sufficient Admonitions of those Duties they neglect and of those sins they do commit Might they not easily be convinced of these things by
approved of by their Governours But the Sin is Sedition and Schism and strikes at the Government both of Church and State 't is destructive to that Authority and Legislative Power which the Supreme Lord and Lawgiver has ordained to keep the World in Peace and Order and because God is pleased to Govern the World by such a Civil Magistracy in reference to Temporals and by such an Ecclesiastical Ministry in reference to Spirituals therefore the Insurrection that is made against these his Officers he interprets as made against himself Hence it is that those Seditious Schisinaticks who are set forth for a Sign and Example to them Num. 26. 10. Ep. Jude v. 10. that should follow their steps afterwards are said to be gathered together against the Lord and to have provoked Num. 16. 11 30. the Lord. This is a sin of no Ordinary dye of no Ordinary Malice So point blank against Authority and the Ordinance of God for the Seditious Schismatick falls into Apostacy from the Communion of the Church and many times into an hostile Hatred of it that it seems to be like the sin unto Death mentioned by St. John and what mercy soever God may have in store for such a sin the See Dr. Ham Note on 1 Joh. 5. 16. Hebr. 10. 25 to 29. Church seems to have no Warrant to pray for it Therefore the Church with great Prudence and Charity has thought fit to put such sins into her Litany by way of solemn Deprecation From all Sedition Privy Conspiracy and Rebellion From all false Doctrine Heresy and Schisme From Hardness of Heart and Contempt of thy Word and Comandment Good Lord Deliver us But St. Peter tells us that The Jewes Renounced and Crucified our Saviour out of Ignorance c. What a pittiful Reconciler have we here Sure the man would strain his Wit and Conscience to make an Apology for Judas and Pontius Pilate rather then his Dissenters should fall under a just and deserved Condemnation What if St. Peter Wot that they did it Ignorantly will the Reconciler infer from thence that they did it Innocently Has He embraced the Doctrine of Abaitardus Non Peccaverunt qui Christum ignoranter Crucifixerunt They sinned not who Crucified Christ Ignorantly This Proposition was condemned as Haeretical by Innocent the Second There is scarce a sin commited without Ignorance but 't is one thing to sin Ignorantly and another to sin out of Ignorance In that Case Ignorance does attend the sin in this it is the Cause of it For Knowledge to the contrary would have prevented it This Ignorance if it be involuntary both in it Self and in its Cause that is De Conscient l. 3. c. 19. q. 3. Non affectata nec procurata nec tollerata aut neglecta tum actum reddit mere fortuitum involuntarium atque adeo excusat a peccato saith Amesius If it be not affected nor procured nor tolerated or neglected then it renders the action merely fortuitous and involuntary and so excuses a man from sin Will the Reconciler say that the Ignorance of the Jews was of this Nature Then he falls under the same Condemnation with Abaitardus and seems to be of F. Baunius his opinion Nunquam peccatur nisi praevia peccati Cognitione animus illustretur eiusque vitandi desiderio extimi letur That a man can never sin unless his Mind be enlightned with a previous knowledge of the sin and be stirred up with a desire to avoid it This Doctrine has been Censur'd by the Theological Faculty of Paris and Lovain as false against the Common Principles of Christian Theologie and as that which excuseth innumerable of the most heinous sins to the destruction of Souls To make a man guilty of Sin it is not requisite that he has an express or actuall Consideration of the Moral Atrceity Malice or Danger of it or any express doubt or Scruple about it Otherwise it would follow that such as are blinded in their minds Athiests and those that know neither God nor Sin should be in such a state in which they should be free from sin For then without any knowledge or doubt of the Malice of the act they would let loose the Reins of their corrupt and depraved Nature to follow the lust of their own hearts And so the blinding of their minds their Excaecation which the Scripture represents as the greatest punishment of Sin should be no punishment at all but a priviledge and render them as it were impeccable According to the Common Principles of Divinity when the Cause is Voluntary the Effect is also Voluntary that follows from the Position of such a Cause and he that may and ought to to foresee the Malice of the act that is to follow and neglects to advert to it His actual Inconsideration is Voluntary and may as well aggravate the fault as extenuate it As gross and affected Ignorance is never without sin so it can never be altogether involuntary saith Argentina gent. l. 2. d. 40. 41. q. 1. or 4. because a man may prevent such ignorance if he will And if the Ignorance be affected t is a Sin in it self saith Amesius and therefore does not lessen but ubi Supra rather increase the guilt of other sins 2 Pet. 3. 5. Whether the ignorance of the Jews in this Case were alledged as an extenuating or an aggravating Circumstance is disputed among Divines That it was affected in some of them and so an aggravation of their Malice will easily appear from these Considerations 1. Our Saviours own Affirmation John 15. 22 23 24. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin He that hateth me hateth my Father also If I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had sin but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father His Doctrine declared him to be a Teacher sent from God and his Miracles did confirm it But we have more pregnant Evidence against their Elders Luk. 20. 14. When the Husbandmen saw him they reasoned among themselves saying This is the heir come let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours And St. Peter charges them home with a guilt of at least affected Ignorance and Malice Act. 2 22 23. Ye men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selves also know Him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Here he chargeth them that they imbrued their hands in Christs blood and that they did it Wittingly and Willingly And St. Stephen tells them plainly that they had been the Betrayers and Murderers of Him Act. 7. 52. For did they not hire Judas to betray him and Suborn false witness
Horse-Raceing meaning at another Time and Place Again if I say the King forbids that men should keep Grey-Hounds to Ride with Swords and Pistols c. meaning Persons of an Inferiour Rank and Quality and another say the King does not sorbid Men to keep Grey-Hounds or to Ride with Swords and Pistols meaning Persons of a Higher Rank and Quality here 's no Contradiction no giving of the Lye to one another And thus it is between St. Paul and Meisner for St. Paul speaks to private Persons whom he forbids to Usurp Power to give Law or to Judge and Censure where they have no Authority But Meisner speaks to Governours who are invested with Authority and Obliged to keep out Schisms and to preserve good Order within their Jurisdiction 2dly St. Paul speaks of a Church which was Inorganical that wanted a due Settlement of Laws and Governours but Meisner speakes of a Church that was Organized in all its Parts and Members having Rules of Decency and Order and a setled Discipline with Governours and Officers to execute the same And this among such as have a little skill to apply it will be sufficient to justify at least Meisners first and second Arguments without giving the Lye to the Apostle In his second Answer Pag. 156. and 157. the Reconciler would oblige our Governours to betray their own Consciences out of Commiseration and to betray the Dissenters too by a pitiful Gratification for he would have our Governours quitt the stedfast Perswasions of their own Minds in Favour to the Dissenters not to Correct the Errour of their Judgments but to Caresse them in their Superstition At Meisners third Objection Pag. 158 the Reconciler grows very Froward and somewhat Ruder again than becomes him towards such an Adversary but as 't was observed of the Cynick that he checkt the Pride of his great Visitant but with another Pride no less Insolent so may we truly say that this Reconciler checks those things which He 's pleased to call Fooleries in Meisner He Loves to Rhetoricate but is not very good at distinguishing which makes him at a Loss and Blunder in his Answers he was told in the Verdict Pag. 125. that a man has a Lock and Key in his own Bosom and there he may keep his Christian-Liberty safe enough from being plundred and there also he may Lock up his Private Opinion when the Broaching of it may Offend but cannot Edify But what 's this to a Publick Constitution When See 2 Mac. 6. 24. c. Multa sunt quae de se seu natura sua sunt Adiaphora licent quidem sed dedecent quia viro probo indigna quia viro sunt incongrua Christiano the Authority of Prudent and Careful Governours has established Rule and Order if it be in my Power I hold it my Duty to defend them In calling the denial of this Gospel Truth a Work of Darkness Meisner saies no more than Calvin doth whose words are these Necessitate servandae Legis obstringi piorum conscientias silentio sepeliri Libertatis Doctrinam haec erat indigna merces Unitatis Ad Galat. 2. 14. He has no Patience at his own Suspicion of Meisners Sawciness for here he charges him with giving the Lye unto the Fathers especially to St. Chrysostom who sayes that St. Pauls advice to the Romans was not Dissimulation but Condescention pag. 159. and Dispensation Her 's Ignoratio Elenchi the Reconciler snar'd in his own Fallacy for we are discoursing what is fit to be done under the State of Christianity where the Church is daily setled by Authority with Convenient Liturgy and Discipline but the Reconciler carries us back to reflect upon what was rather conniv'd at than Establish'd what was tollerated by Condescention and special Dispensation when the Church was in her Non-Age This is just as if upon an Enquiry what Orders were given out to be observed and what the Custom and Practice was when the Temple was Erected and God's Solemn Worship fetled and performed in Jerusalem I should run back and give him the History of what was Permitted in the Wilderness But it may be a Question whether the Rcconciler does perfectly understand what St. Chrysostom means by Condescention Chrysost ad Gal. 2. apud Massut in Vit. St. Paul Lib. â— Cap. 7. and Dispensation for St Peters dissembling at Antioch He calls a Dispensation as Massutius has observed of him Et duo inquit per Dispensationem agebat Petrus Alterum ne offenderet eos qui erant ex Circumcisione Alterum ut Paulo justam proeberet occasionem increpandi Unde et Paulus Objurgat et Petrus sustinet ut Dum Magister objurgatus obticescit facilius Discipuli mutarent Sententiam Two things saith he St. Peter did by Dispensation One that he might not offend those of the Circumcision The other that he might give St. Paul a just occasion to reprove him Hereupon St. Paul rebukes and St. Peter bears it that while the Master takes his chideing with a meek humble Silence the Disciples may the more easily be brought to change their Opinions By the Reconcilers Doctrine St Pauls Rebuke was a rash Affront for St. Peter was not Blame-Worthy the Dissimulation of his Belief was out of Condescention to the Jews Weakness his practice was a Dispensation and fit for his Successors and all worthy Governours to imitate And it would make good Hierom's Argument Cur damnasset in altero Paulus quod sibi laudi ducit nam gloriatur se Judaeis factum esse Judoeum 1 Cor. 9. 20. But Mr. Calvin Answers Longe aliud Petrum fecisse Neque enim aliter se accommodabat Judaeis Paulus quam salva Libertatis Doctrina Calvin ad Galat 2. 11. But whether Commiseration should out-weigh the peace of the Church and of a good Conscience as the Reconciler would have it whether the Bowels of Compassion towards such as call themselves Weak-brethren be sufficient to supersede all the obligations that lye upon Christian Governours to advance God's Glory in the Settlement of his publick Worship I shall leave them to consider who are so highly concern'd in it If we may believe the Assembly of Divines the Civil Magistrate hath Authority Confession of Faith cap. 23. Num. 3. and 't is his Duty to take Order that Unity and Peace be preserved in the Church that the Truth of God be kept pure and intire that all Blasphemies and Heresies which include Schisms too be suppress'd all Corruption and Abuses in Worship and Discipline prevented or reformed and all the Ordinances of God duly Setled Administred and Observed This is the Magistrates Duty according to the Faith of the Presbyterians who shall acquit them from it It is Mercy sayes Mr. Hales to pardon Serm. on Rom. 14. 1. in Fine wrong done against our selves but to deny the Course of Justice to him that calls for it Peccatum in Deum Vocatur quod imediate in Contumeliam Dei redund at P.
In Ezek. Homil 46. the Jesuites especially those two Miraculous Principles as Montaltius calls them which enables them to work such Wonders I mean the Doctrine of Probability without which his Book would be utterly useless and the Doctrine of Directing the Intention without which he durst never Attempt either to Justifie or Excuse the Practices of his Party 4. Let me intreat him to consider whether he has not taken up the very Methods which St. Paul tell us were Rom. 16. 17. 18. us'd by the False Apostles who caused Divisions and Offences Schisms and Scandals contrary to the Doctrine which had been taught And by good Words and Fair Speeches deceived the Hearts of the Simple In which last words the Apostle gives a double Character of the False Teacher or 〈◊〉 postor First He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is one that 〈◊〉 much in Words but and end performerâ—◠〈◊〉 thing Again he is one whom if you Vide Bezam ad Locum heard him speak you would by ready to say that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more Solicitous for 〈◊〉 and your Interest than for himself The Apostle sayes also that he does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Applaud Commend and Flarier 〈◊〉 and Divine happy things to delude easy and wel meaning Souls with a preâ—â—nce of Piety He calls them Mentium â—â—ductores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hi Summi Artifices sâ—â—â— in Fallendo qui nor 〈◊〉 etiam mentem ipsam a Vero alienare These are excellent Artists in deceiving and skilful to alienate the very mind it self from Truth saith Hyperius They have a double Art Hyperius ad Tit. cap. 1. 9. Mel. Ad. Rom 15. to deceive saith Melanchthon First to apply themselves to the Lusts and Humours of the People and by this means they deceive the Vulgar but they have another Art to impose upon the Wiser sort Quod adserunt Erudite Cogitata quae non abhorrent a judicio Rationis When they craftily suggest such Sentiments as seem not altogether unreasonable In short the Reconciler has put himself upon the Stage to shew his Tricks of Activity to play Hocus Pocus or Handy Dandy with the Church of God 〈◊〉 This Book he has Acted the part of 〈◊〉 a â—â—rrâ— Filius to gratify Dissenters and men of that Lower Levell In the next 't is expected he should entertain if not Caresse our Governours what a Name will he purchase to himself by this Achiâ—â—ment I know no such standing Officer as a Fraevaricater Theologirâ—â— but if he comes off cleverly for ought I know he may gain the Title by a Popular Creation and so I leave him to the Honour of his New Conquests I had some hopes that my task had now been at an end But while the Reconciler was in pursuit of Meisners miserable Tristes and Fooleries as he is pleased to call them it came into his mind to have another fling at Dr. Womock and that he might do it the more cleverly he reserves a part of Meisners discourse and concealing the true Author entitles Dr. Womock to it in his Margent and then falls in upon it as we shall observe presently The Argument of Meisner the Reconciler Prot. Recon p. 335. and Verdict 274. turns into an Objection and it runs thus All change is dangerous in Church and State no man can see what disturbance may follow upon an inconsiderate 〈…〉 such Christian Priviledges and publick Authority ought to be own'd and preserved in viâ—â—â—lable what doubts may arise upon such a change and what confusion may follow it who will take upon him to determine To this the Reconciler returns a fourfold Answer First he saith so call the Ceremonies inoffensive the variation of Here the Reconciler is kind to leave out Authority but 't is a Question whether he would have it preserved inviolable them inconsiderate to say that they are Christian Priviledges is to affirm what never can be prov'd To this I Reply 1. That our Christian Liberty in the Use or Forbearance of such things as were restrained by the Law of Moses is no doubt a part of our Christian Priviledge 2. The Verdict told the Reconciler three lines before Good Order is not kept in tumultuous Alterations and I hope he will allow such to be call'd Inconsiderate I shall now add that whatever alteration is made upon such Motives is no more Considerate then the Mariners â—asting his goods into the Sea in a time of Storm and Tempest 3. That the Ceremonies are Inoffensive is no hard matter to prove 1. Inoffensive in their own Nature and for this we have the Apostles Judgment and Determination and he quotes our Savioâ—r's Authority for it Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self i. e. on lawful therefore Inâ—ffensive 2. They are Inoffensive to the Juriâ—â—â—us and sound Christian This is sufficiently Psalm 119. 165. asserted by the same Apostle Rom. 14. â— One man â—eâ—â—eveth i. e. Novit perâ—â—â—sus est He knows and is perswaded that he may eat and use all Indifferent things without sin See also 1 Cor. 8. 7 11. Psal 119. 165. When we call the Ceremonies Inoffensive we mean that they give no just Occasion of Offence to discreet and sober Persons 4. If the Reconciler will needs understand it of Offence taken so the Law of God is a Scandal and Offensive because it is an Occasion of sin and yet 't is not Evil in it self for all that as the Apostle tells us Rom. 7. 7 to the 14. Scandal properly is Malae rei exemplum aedificans ad delictum 't is the example of an Evill thing which does encourage and build up to Sin Bone â—â—â—â—res Develand Virg. c. 3. saith Tertullian Neminem Scandalizant nisi malam mentem Good things offend none but an Evil mind Here I cannot but take notice how fiereely Mr. Baxter argues against the Prot Recon p. 327. 328. Laws of our Superiours and the Recoâ—ciler applauds him for it though it has at least an equal force against the Laws of God When saith Mr. Baxter they first make their laws they know that some will obey them some will not if then they think that many will incur the gut it of sin unto â—â—â—â—ation by their Disobedience they must have something of greater worth than the souls of those men to encourage them to make those Laws for had there been no such Laws there would have been none of that Transgression and consequently no Damnation for it This is Mr. Baxters Argument In like manner I can argue thus when God first gave the Law or Command Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers for they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation and again Rom. 13. 1 2. when he tells us that Strife Seditions Heresies are the Works of the Flesh and they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and therefore
charges as to Obey them that have the Rule over us and to submit our selves upon peril of Damnation I say when God first made these Laws he knew some would obey and some would not if then he thought that many would incur the Guilt of sin unto Damnation by their Disobedience he must have something of greater worth than the souls of those men to encourage him to make those Laws for had there been no such Laws there would have been none of that Transgression and consequently no Damnation for it This is Parallel to Mr. Baxters way of arguing and our Reconciler is much taken with such weak Popular Reasonings Rom. 9. 20. I could Reply with the Apostle Nay but O man who art thou that disputest with God But I will tell these men that God though he gave his only begotten Son to Redeem Souls yet having set up a Ministry in his Church to guide their feet into the way of Peace He has something of greater worth than such Stubborn and Disobedient Souls as neglect so Luke 19. 27. Prov. 1. 20. to the 32. great Salvation that is his own Glory and the Authority which he has delegated unto his Vicegerents and Stewards and establisht for the more regular Government of the World and it is that Glory of God which Governors do and are obliged to aim at and this Authority which they are concern'd to maintain to that effect The Reconciler goes on The Question who can tell may be answered by another Question which he puts thus Who can tell what doubts may arise and what Confusion may follow upon the refusal to abate these Impositions But in the mean time this he saith is certain That whilest our Schisms and Contentions about these Trifles do continue Religion is Blasphemed the Atheist and Sceptick is gratified the Jew the Gentile the Weak Christian is offended the Protestant Religion is Reproacht and Popery gets great advantage the Church and State are indangered the Peace Unity Charity Edification of the Church is much Obstructed and what mischief equal to all or any of these things can follow from an inconsiderable Variation in a Ceremony or an Expression used in the Liturgy it is not easy to conceive To which 't is Answered 1. That the Mischiefs which will ensue have been mentioned already Reason may suggest the rest and Experience has taught enough of it to very Ideots 2. The Mischiefs which he reckons up in this place are wholly from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dissenters Contention and Schisme not at all from our Governours Impositions which are the Churches Settlement 't is their Disobedience that is Malae rei exemplum as Tertullian calls it the ill example and that 's the Scandal to all the Parties mentioned 3. And that he confesses is about trifles and an inconsiderable Variation in a Ceremony or an Expression used in the Liturgy and are not they excellent Christians that will gratify the Atheist and the Sceptick offend the Jew and the Gentile and the Weak Christian bring a reproach upon the Protestant Religion give advantage to Popery endanger the Peace of Church and State Obstruct Unity Charity Edification and what not by contending with Authority about these things wherein doubtless 't is their Duty to submit and conform 4. His Question Who can tell what doubts may arise and what confusion may follow upon the refusal to abate these Impositions carries the face of a threatning in the Mask or Vizor of a Question I remember one of His Majesties Royal Ancestors had a very witty and significant Motto upon his Coine The Thistle incircled with this inscription Nemo me impune Lacessit Tho the Roses of York and Lancaster and Withred in their Old Stock and have lost their Scent and Prickles yet the English Lyon is not at all disarm'd If he be roused up by Threats and Tumults he may find Courage as well as Power to crush all the force of Schism and Sedition His Second Answer as he calls it is in the words of the Judicious Lord Verulam who saies Surely every Medicine is an Innovation and he that will not apply new Remedies must expect new Evils For time is the greatest Innovator and if time of Course alters things to the worse and Wisdom and Counsel shall not alter them to the better what shall be the end A froward retention of Custom is as turbulent a thing as Innovation And here 's break my Head and give me a Plaister But He that will not apply new Remedies must expect new evils is a little Preposterous the new evils should appear first and then we should think of the Application of new Remedies Here 's a pretty Lepid Knack of fancy out of a great Magazine of Reason But they are not the Diseases of a Crazy Body that we are to Administer to 't is the Distemper of a profane mind Irreverence in Gods Publick Worship and Service which calls for our Care if not our Cure To talk of Innovations upon this account has been cry'd out of as an Abomination And for our parts we are content with such Remedies as we find prescribed in Gods own Dispensatory Bowing Kneeling Prostration or what are allyed to such Institutions and Practices as are Warranted by examples in Holy Scripture These are suggested by the Light of Nature and were in use before the Law Micah 6. 6. They were in use under the Law too Psal 95. 9. Dan. 6. 10. Luk. 22. 41. they were still prescribed under the Gospel Act. 7. 60. c. 9. 40. Eph. 3. 14. Apoc. 4. 6. 7. Chapters and they will keep their force and vertue to the Worlds end Isa 45. 23. Rom. 14. 11. to what purpose therefore should we seek for new Remedies in this case Is Gods mind changed Or has Jesus Christ repeal'd his old and given us New Rules of Decency and Order There 's no ground or Colour for such an Imagination What shall we say then This Reconcilers Phantasie has been wandring in the New Atlantis and the Climate was so hot it brought him into a Calenture and that makes him Thirst so much for the Julip of a New Remedy and his Appetite will not be satisfied till he takes a surfeit of Novelties His Third Answer is this The Change here pleaded for so he professes that he pleads for a Change and no doubt he has had his Fee for his pains or if the Party has not done it his Governours whom he endeavours to take down are indebted to him for it This is his Plea the Change doth signify no more than a change of Habits and Fashions and of some Old Custom which has been found Irrational or Inconvenient and if this be very dreadful to the State all our Laws concerning the alteration of them may be so Or if for the advantage of our Trade or our Estates or for the benefit of the Subject in reference to his temporal Concerns we doubt not to make alterations in those kinds