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A40050 Four grand questions proposed, and briefly answered wherein is discoursed, the authority and duty of the magistrate in the matters of religion, the unlawfulness of a toleration and general liberty of conscience, the divine right of Christian liberty in things indifferent, the unlawfulness of repealing the laws against Popery and idolatry. 1689 (1689) Wing F1655; ESTC R20387 25,185 33

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Ordinary and Extraordinary under the Old Testament And we find also the Office and Power of Magistracy ratified and confirmed by the New Testament under the Gospel the Apostle tells us That all Powers are of God and that not only by his providential Allowance and Toleration but by his special Assignation and Appointment therefore said to be ordained of God Rom. 13. 1 2. therefore the Magistrate is said to be the Minister of God ver 4. Hence we find that all that Justice which the Magistrate executeth is called the Justice of God 2 Chron. 19. 6. They are also called Gods Psal 82. 1 6. because they are God's Deputies and Vice-gerents representing his Presence and his Power in the World. Now it cannot reasonably be supposed that God would thus delegate his Power and Authority in the World to Magistrates and so signally dignifie and authorise them but in order to some special Service they are to do for God in the World And 't is most reasonable and morally just that the Magistrate having his Power and Authority from God he should imploy it best for his Service in the World which he cannot do but by promoting and maintaining True Religion Secondly This will further appear from the consideration of the formal Cause of Magistracy to wit The Laws for 't is the Law that giveth Form and Being to the Magistrate and is the life and soul of Government Hence are those Axioms Lex facit Regem Rex nihil potest nisi quod jure potest Now Laws do originally derive all their force from Religion because the Moral Law of God is the Supream Law of all Nations and therefore the Ground and Rule of all Humane Laws which Law of God we see doth in the first place take care for Religion and the Worship of God as the bottom and ground of all Duties of Moral Justice between men Our Saviour tells us That the first and great Commandment of the Law is to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul strength and mind Luk. 10. 27. which doth indeed include and prescribe the most exact way of Religion and Holiness that can be Now this Divine Law being both the Foundation and Directory of all other Laws it must therefore follow That all Humane Laws by which Magistrates ought to Govern should in the first place provide for True Religion and the Worship of God for the Moral Law of God being the Supream Law and Rule of Life for all Mankind is therefore the Rule of all Laws and Government and all Humane Laws that have the true nature of Laws are grounded on it or reducible to it or else theyare but Tyrannical Impositions Hence it is that the political Laws of Nations are said to have a kind of Sacredness in them which is to be understood when they are founded as they ought to be on the Principles of the Law of God their Agreement thereunto giveth Force and Obligation to them for the Obligation of Laws ariseth from the good End they tend unto and are useful for in conjunction with the lawful Authority that imposeth them So that now the Law of God being the Rule of humane Laws whereunto they ought to correspond in all the precepts thereof respectively it follows therefore that the Laws of Magistrates in conformity to the Law of God which we see giveth the preference to first Table-Duties ought also in the first place to provide for the Exercise of True Religion and the Worship of God as the ground of all other Laws that respect Moral Justice amongst men Thirdly From the final Cause or End of Magistracy which is threefold 1. The Glory of GOD. 2. The Good of Societies 3. The Good of the Church First The Glory of God which as it is the chief and ultimate end of Man so of all God's Ordinances and Institutions for the sake and good of Mankind that in and by them the glory of God may be advanced God then being the efficient Cause of Magistracy it therefore follows that his Glory must be the principal End now 't is the proper End and Use of Religion to give glory to God and without the practice of true Religion the Divine Perfections are not actually adored and advanced If then the end of Magistracy be to advance and set up the glory of God in the World he ought to set up and maintain True Religion as the greatest Glory can be brought to God in this World. Secondly The good of Societies is the subordinate End of Magistracy for as the Fundamental Humane Causes of Government is the Necessity of it for the Publick Good so the End of Magistracy in that respect is that the Temporal Good and Tranquillity of Societies may be promoted and preserved Now if there were no higher Causes and Ends of Magistracy than this as we have already and shall further prove there is yet nevertheless it would be the Duty of Magistrates to take care for Religion because 't is very certain that True Religion doth best of all conduce to the Temporal good of Societies This is plain not only from the Scriptures that assure us that Godliness is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. but also from the reason and experience of Mankind Therefore we see that even in those Nations that were void of the knowledge of True Religion yet those that were Legistators and Governours amongst them alwaies with their Laws mixed some Precepts of Religion and Opinion of God some pretending they received their Laws from God himself Whereby we see that they thought that Laws and Government could not stand without something of Religion which tho' their religious Precepts were superstitious and idolatrous in the want of Divine Revelation yet nevertheless it thence appears That the Law of Nature taught them not only the necessity and obligation of Government and Laws but also that the sence of Religion was the most necessary Foundation of it And then it will follow that if any thing of Religion be necessary for the temporal good of Governments that the True Religion is then best of all and most necessary that being the Spring and Fountain of all Virtues from whence is to be drawn not only the best Directions for but the strongest Motives and Engagements unto all those Duties of Moral Justice and Charity amongst men which are so absolutely necessary even to the temporal good of Societies It would be easie to demonstrate that True Religion is certainly the best Foundation of all Political Government and of the Execution of Laws the Obedience of Subjects and of the Exercise of that Justice and Charity between men which only can render the life of man peaceable and 〈◊〉 in this World. If then the End of Magistracy and Civil Go●ernment were only for the temporal good of Societies yet it would follow that 't is the Duty of Magistrates to advance and maintain True Religion because it chiefly conduceth and is so necessary to this End.
FOUR GRAND QUESTIONS PROPOSED And Briefly ANSWERED Wherein is Discoursed The Authority and Duty of the Magistrate in the Matters of RELIGION The Unlawfulness of a Toleration and General Liberty of Conscience The Divine Right of Christian Liberty in Things Indifferent The Unlawfulness of Repealing the Laws against Popery and Idolatry LONDON Printed in the YEAR 1689. The PREFACE IT cannot but be generally understood what an abundance of Heats and Animostties have been raised in the Nation about a Toleration Liberty of Conscience and Repealing the Laws about Religion which have been pleaded for by many whether with greater vehemency or with greater absurdity is hard to say for the Lawfulness of it hath rather been supposed than proved by any For whilst they have been considering how to secure a Toleration and Repeal the Laws that establish Religion they never considered Whether it could be consistent with the Office and Duty of the Christian Magistracy to do either one or the other Tho' such a Toleration and Repealing the Laws doth carry in it nothing less than an Exemption from the Obligation of all Humane Laws in the Matters of Religion which must necessarily suppose no Authority nor Duty incumbent on the Christian Magistracy to take Care for True Religion and the Worship of God which if that could be proved would be indeed the strongest Arguments of all for a Toleration and Repealing the Laws and unless that could be proved whatever Arguments else may be brought for it from other Respects and Considerations they are of no Force if this be taken for granted That 't is against the Duty incumbent on the Government by the Law of God to do it And tho' there are indeed weighty Arguments against such a Toleration and Repealing the Laws drawn from the ill Effects Means Ends of it yet this Argument seems to be most cogent and of greatest force that is drawnfrom the fundamental and principal Cause why 't is Vnlawful namely Being against the Office and Duty of the Christian Magistracy Vpon this Principle therefore I have alwaies been perswaded ●…at not only a general Toleration but Repealing the Laws was ●…orally Vnlawful unless better Laws could be made by the Government to Secure Religion which no man of Sense can think unless such Laws have also a Penalty for What Force or Obligation can Laws have to this End without a Penalty I have therefore in this little Treatise under the following Questions as compendiously as possible proved the Magistrate's Office and Duty about Religion to be Moral and Perpetual and not belonging to the Old Testament Administration only from this as a Principle I have argued the Vnlawfulness of a general Toleration and of such a Liberty of Conscience as is opposed to all Humane Authority and Laws in the matters of Religion yet nevertheless lest any should hence conclude That a Humane Authority can impose Laws on the Church in things of Religion not necessary or commanded by the Word of GOD I have proved the Divine Right of Christian Liberty in things Indifferent especially if the same Indifferences be matter of Doubt or Scandal and That the practice of such a Liberty in Religion in things Indifferent tho' restrained by Laws is no matter of Scandal given nor any Assent to a general Toleration or the Dispensing Power And in the last place I have proved the Vnlawfulness of Repealing the Laws against Popery and Idolatry and Answered the most specious Pretences alledged for it If that which is here briefly discoursed may obtain its designed end to set the Judgments of some men right in those great and weighty points the Author will have his end in exposing the same to publick view which was first composed for his own satisfaction Now to the King-Eternal Immortal Invisible the only Wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen Four Grand QUESTIONS proposed and Briefly Answered VIZ. I. Whether it be the Duty of Magistrates under the Gospel to promote and preserve by Laws the True Christian Religion II. Whether it be lawful for the Christian Magistrate to give a general Toleration of All Religions or what Liberty in Religion he ought to Allow III. Whether it be lawful for Subjects to give their Actual Consent to a general Toleration IV. Whether it be lawful for Subjects to Consent to the Repealing these Laws that Establish and Preserve the True Religion Of These in Order I. Whether it be the Duty of Magistrates under the Gospel to promote and preserve by Laws the True Christian Religion BUt before we proceed it will be necessary to lay down by way of Supposition what we understand by Magistrates and what by the True Christian Religion But here we shall not meddle with the divers Forms of Lawful Government but rest satisfied that our own form of Government is either Best in it self considered or at least Best for us By Magistrates therefore we understand chiefly the Supreme Legislative Power of a Nation or of a Body politick not excluding Subordinate Magistrates also within their respective limits By the True Christian Religion we understand the Protestant Religion in those essential matters of Protestant Faith Worship and Discipline wherein it is truly such Now that the Office of Magistracy is founded both in the Law of Nature the Moral Law and also is of a Divine Institution by the positive Command of God I take for a granted Truth and will be denyed but by few All the Question then before us is About the Extent of the Magistrates Power Some will have it now under the Gospel to respect only Civil Matters and Moral Justice between Men but that he hath no Authority in the Institutions of Reveal'd Religion under the Gospel Hence it would follow that he is not oblig'd to maintain by Laws the Gospel-Institutions But the Affirmative is that which I undertake to make good and that by the following Arguments 1. From the Efficient Cause of Magistracy 2. From the Formal Cause of Magistracy 3. From the Final Cause or End of Magistracy 4. From Scripture-Precept and Precedent 1. That 't is the Duty of Magistrates to promote and preserve by Laws the True Christian Religion will appear from the consideration of the Efficient Cause of Magistracy which is no other than God himself Now God may be said to be the Cause and so the Author of Magistracy in a threefold respect viz. By his Law Natural Moral and Positive 1. By his Law Natural implanted and written in the Heart of Man by which Mankind is enabled to know and understand both the reasonableness necessity and utility of Political Government in order to promote and preserve the good of Societies 2. By his Law Moral thus the Fifth Commandment establisneth the Relation and enjoineth the Duties between political Fathers and Subjects as well as between natural Parents and their Children 3. God is also the Cause of Magistracy by his positive Ordinance and Appointment Thus he appointed Magistrates both