Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A36107
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A Discourse of toleration with some observations upon the late act of Parliament.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing D1610; ESTC R15512
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10,989
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12
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who delighted in the Writings of this Pious and Judicious Father should by degrees be drawn in to approve of the Origenian Hypothesis concerning this Point surely so small an Error in such a nice question would not render him unworthy of that Kindness which we willingly bestow on those who openly maintain Tenents of a far more mischievous Nature I might likewise instance in such as adhere to the Opinions of the Eastern Church since our Divines are generally very favourable to these Dr. Stilling fleet now Bishop of Worcester in his Vindication of his Answer to the King's Papers pleads in their behalf p. 23. Is it not says he a very hard case these should be excluded the Catholick Church and consequently from Salvation for not rightly understanding the subtilties of the distinction betwixt Nature and Person as whether Subsistence can be separated from individual Nature or whether an Hypostatical Vnion doth imply that the individual Nature doth lose its own Subsistence I appeal to the Conscience of any good Christian whether he thinks that Christ and his Apostles did ever make the knowledge of these things necessary to Salvation which the subtillest of their School-men are never able to explain to the Capacities of the far greatest part of mankind Now if any of this Opinion amongst us should urge this Argument for a Toleration I cannot think it would lose much of its strength Add to this that it looks a little severe when we have given so general a Liberty to tie Men up so strictly in the most nice and difficult point concerning which Dr Falknâ—r owns that the Athanasian Creed gives some explications which are not so necessary to be understood and believed by the meanest Capacities Lib. Ecc. c. 4. § 4. p. 146. Moreover by this Act most of the Dissenters are obliged to subscribe to they know not what For to understand throughly the Doctrine of our Church in this point they must be versed not only in our Articles Common-Prayer Book and Book of Homilies but even in the first four General Councils since we profess to believe what ever they have determin'd And Ibelieve there are but few even of their Teachers will pretend to be mightily acquainted with them As for the Papists though they are not included in this Toleration yet I cannot plead so much on their behalf because both their Doctrines and Practices are prejudicial to the publick Peace However I cannot but wish that we had rather excluded them the benefit of the Toleration upon the account of such of their Principles as undermine the very Foundation of Government such as these That the Pope has power to depose Heretical Kings or that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks Then upon account of their believing Transubstantiation which is a meer religious Doctrine and the believing of which one way or the other injures no Man's private Right nor any ways disturbs the publick Peace But if we must have something about this absurd Doctrine let it be this That every Person who is tolerated shall declare that no one ought to be punished for holding either side of the question And I verily believe if the Papists were secure of enjoying the freedom of their Religion here disclaiming only such Doctrines as are inconsistent with the Government they would not be so violently bent to King James's Interest as to hazard the utter ruine of themselves and Families for his sake I pray God to encline our Minds to mild and moderate Councils For as the Bishop of Rochester says in the conclusion of his second Letter to the Lord Dorset To calm Mens Minds for the future to settle Affairs in a secure and lasting Peace most certainly a gentle generous charitable Temper is the best FINIS