Society XVIII Last of all then we conclude all with this The Universal consent of nations about it also at this day viz that Religion is appointed by God That our Proposition here thus first asserted Viz That Religion is necessarily appointed by God and none else is the sense of all Nations present in the world as well as that it hath been so of those heretofore And if it be not such a common confession and supposition amongst them then what mean the mutual objections of Errour Superstition will-worship c. to be so vulgar in matters of Religion every where amongst men What mean also the so much adored names of Truth Divine authority the Will of God and the like to be the Helenaes that men contend for Truly these things will sufficiently evince the derivation of Religion only from divine authority to be still held as a common principle amongst men CHAP. III. The second Proposition asserted viz. That Government also is appointed by God The Question concerning the derivation of it from the People and the consequent doctrine of Rising in Armes in case of Male Administration and particularly in defence of Religion and the matters of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity stated and of the tendency of those Doctrines to the hurt of Religion and Humane Society I. THe causes of the want of Records in the world assigned II. The first state of men and the several ways of their coming together into Societies III. Whence the necessity of Laws and Government IV. The wayes by which men have arriv'd at Government V. The first and capital distinction of Government amongst men VI. The distinctions also of consent given to Government VII That the present lawfull Government is from God proved in the general and concerning the Church Government in particular VIII The two Constitutive causes assigned from whence the Civil Power is said to be deriv'd in the controversie concerning it IX The state of the Question concerning the derivation of the Civil Power from the People X. The grand principle of Natural freedom refuted XI The other propositions concerning the power of Magistracy fundamentally in the People and in the state of the Question considered XII The state of the Question on the Peoples part considered also from its effects XIII Last of all the prineiple of Rising in Armes particularly in defence of Religion and the matters of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity refuted XIV The proof of the Affirmative part of the Question that the Magistrates Power is from God And that XV. First from Scripture XVI Secondly from the voice of Nature and Nations XVII The tendency of the negative part of the Question to the good of Religion and Humane Society disputed XVIII That it doth not tend to the good of it proved First from Gods having stated it otherwise in Scripture XIX From the consent of the Civil Laws of Countries XX. From a comparison of things on both parts XXI From another Comparison XXII From another more particular comparison XXIII The General Conclusion I. ALL Effects under the Sun proceed ordinarily from Natural Causes And that is evident from hence The causes of the want of Records in the world because Miracles are but seldome and the difference betwixt Miracles and ordinary Effects is That the one proceeds from a Natural Cause as such and the other from a Supernatural in like manner The natural and ordinary causes of the defects of Records and Histories of former ages amongst men have been many and they either more general or more particular The greater and more general Plato assigns to have been necessarily either from Conflagrations by Fire or Inundations by Water In Timaeo cired princip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There have been and will be many and diverse destructions of men and there is a necessity that the greatest should happen by Fire and Water Which is therefore true because there are none other things in the world which can possibly and ordinarily be the causes of such destructions but the Elements and of them there are none other from which such a general Destruction both of the persons and writings of men can proceed but these two of Fire and Water and both these both Conflagrations and Inundations proceed either from natural causes as such purely or from Gods special appointment co-operating with them As to Gods special appointment such was the General Inundation in the time of Noah mentioned in the History of Moses De legib Dial. 3. in princip and pointed at by Plato and the fame of which was amongst the ancients and hath been found of later dayes remaining in many Countries Such also will be the general Conflagration at the last day Epist of Jude vers 14 15. prophesied of of old by Enoch and so often mentioned in the New Testament as also in the writings of the Sybils and Lucan the Poet and other Heathens And as to the proceeding of such more general desolations from purely natural causes In Timaeo ibid. Plato says that it comes to pass once after some long period and return of years That the Heavens and their Rotations come to such a position in respect to one another as that it is necessary for some vast and more general Conflagration to follow from it And the like may be said of Inundation And from hence the Fable of Phaeton's burning the world by the fall of the Charriot of the Sun and the like And there is no doubt but that considering the vastness of the Heavenly bodies in respect to the Earth either such Conflagrations or Inundations may follow from them The more particular causes of the like Destructions of Records In Timaeo ib. de legib ib. and Desolations of humane affairs Plato sayes also have been many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That such have hapned by a thousand other causes And they have been also of the same sorts as the former Gen. 19.4 Such as the Conflagration of Sodom proceeding from the special appointment of God concerning which some of the Greeks and Romans have said That it sprang from the sulphury vapours of the Earth drawn up by the Sun of which kind of matter the parts of that Country were full Which things may consist well enough although the denial of Gods special appointment as co-operating with those causes in Nature is rightly taxed by Interpreters Vid. Musculum in loc alios Such have been also the divers Wars and Earthquakes c. says Plato And Machiavil learned in all humane affairs except in the neglect of a Deity assigns Disputationum Lib. 2. Cap. 5. for the like causes the change of Religions and Languages the several Famines and Pestilences and especially Floods Apud Orosium Cedrenum c. that have been in the World and that these things are true also the many instances that may be given concerning them will evince Such were Ogyges and Deucalion's Floods mentioned in
vulgarly and popularly permitted they ordinarily fail not to produce those Enormities mention'd and that partly through the Infirmities and partly through the Corruptions of men Both which two Grand causes of all Mischiefs in Humane Affairs will be more particularly treated of anon Infra lib. 2. cap. 5. The Emperor Marcianus therefore gives the very Reasons mention'd of his forbidding these Contentions C. De Summa Trinitate L. nemo Clericus Nemo Clericus vel Militaris vel alterius cujuslibet conditionis De fide Christiana publice turbis Coadunatis Audientibus tractare conetur in posterum ex hoc Tumultûs persidiae occasionem requirens That none neither Clerick nor Military man nor of any other condition whatsoever should endeavour for the future to handle any matters of the Christian Faith with Companies gathered together and hearing of them and from thence seeking occasion of Tumult and Treachery And so the Emperours Leo and Athemius concerning those that were permitted to go forth of their Monasteries L. Qui in Monasteriis C. De Episcop Clericis Caveant autem hi qui ita exibunt ne de Religione vel Doctrina disputent vel conciliabulis praesint vel turba concitata simpliciorum animos seducant c. But let these beware who shall so go forth that they do not dispute concerning Religion or matter of Doctrine or that they do not head private Councels or stir up Companies Lib. 2. cap. 7. ad finem whereby to seduce the minds of the Simple c. And we shall come to describe and evidence more particularly hereafter how much such Religious contests make to the hurt both of Religion and Government and the consistency of Religion with Government IV. In the interim contentions about matters of Religion The lawfulness or unlawfulness of Religious contests stated in the general are taken either in an ill or good sence and so are accordingly either lawfull or unlawful And that either as to the matter contested as was said just now or the manner of contesting it And as to either Lawful when they make either to the confounding of Hereticks or the cleering and advancing of the Faith and Unlawful when the contrary And so the Imperial Lawes determine in this matter But then the respects which such Contentions bear to Government and Religions consistency with it as well as those which they bear to Religion simply taken are to be supposed to be understood in this determination also V. The causes of such ordinarily unlawful contentions then The ordinary causes of unlawful Religious contests assign'd as we have mention'd and which are ordinary and common amongst men and therefore proportionably to be watched over by the Governours of all Societies are these that follow VI. First of all The first ordinary cause of such unlawful popular contentions the false application of the Immortal Notion of Religion to things i. e. when they are taken and voted to be matters of Religion in a more eminent Notion then they deserve and are prosecuted with zeal and violence accordingly And that whether imprudently and out of Ignorance or maliciously and for evil ends it matters not so long as both wayes they are so prosecuted with Zeal and consequently such a cause of Contention And these Contentions about such matters of Religion and as all other are ordinarily very sharp In Confess fidei Aethiop apud Damianum à Goes So Zaga Zabo in his Confession of the Ethiopian Faith recites it concerning the Portugals their branding his Country-men with the names of Jewes and Mahometans because of some differences of theirs about Circumcision and the Sabboth And Cromerus recites the like Poloniae lib. 1. prop fin concerning the Russians hatred of the Romanists Ista ut nihil commune habere velint cum Latinis That it is such as that they will have nothing common with the Latines De omnium Gent. Morib lib. 2. De Tâ—rtaria as they call them And Johannes Boemus Aubanus Teutonicus concerning the Tartars that Papam Christianosque cunctos Canes appellent they call the Pope Annal. Turcic lib. prope fin in supplemento Annal in quarto circa med pag. 134 135 137 138. and all Christians Doggs And the like Leunclavius concerning the Turkish and Persian Mahometans that their differences about their Prophets are the ordinarily assigned causes of their mutual wars That they burn the Books of one another call one another Hereticks and that it is a Maxim pronounc'd by the Turkish Mufti and held popularly amongst the vulgar That it is more acceptable to God for a Turkish Mahometan to kill one Persian then seventy Christians And such as we have mention'd are the Contentions many times in the bowels of the same National Church and about things either indifferent or dubious or else very remote from the Fundamentals of any Religion either True or False and so accounted to be by all but those that kindle the flames about them Such were the differences betwixt the Sects amongst the Jewes some of them mentioned in the New Testament So the Pharisees used peculiar kinds of Apparel R. David Sophon 1.8 and Habits They would not eat till they had washed their hands Matth. 15.2 They washed their Cupps and Potts Brazen Vessels and Tables Mark 7.4 They wore broad Phylacteries and the like And the Sadduces and others differed from them in such things Joseph De bell jud lib. 2. cap. 12. Philo de vitâ Contemplativa Josep ibid. Philo. ibid. So the Essens wore white Garments drank Water bound themselves by an Oath to preserve the names of Angels kept seven Penticosts in the year and the like The like Contentions also have been in the Christian Church nay they have cost Christendome more bloud then the Martyrdomes have done Such were the Contentions in the Primitive times of it's prosperity under Constantine and the following Emperours and mention'd in the Catalogues of Heresies and by Eusebius and others in their Ecclesiastical Histories Such those about the time of observing Easter Euseb lib. 5. Cap. 22.23 Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 14. Euseb ibid. cap. 24. about the manner of Fasting for difference in which Victor the Roman Bishop excommunicated no less then all the Churches of Asia and the like Such are those also amongst the remoter Regions of Christians at this day viz. the Greek Church the Moscovians Russians Jacobites of Syria Palestine and other places concerning the Celebration of the Sacrament with unleavened bread concerning Carved and Massy Images the substance of Angels and the like Such also have been the late Controversies nearer home about many points in Church Government and concerning the modes of service and the like But I need not say any more for the evidencing this matter since it is sufficiently observable from the experience of all Ages concerning the Heresiarks in several Countries and Churches when they have had any Heresie to spread or any ends
to serve in a schisme That they have not thought they have done enough unless besides the grand Heresie of their Sect they have had also certain differences in lesser things cry'd up for greater by which to distinguish their parties and to keep them at a more compleat and farther distance from others So Mahomet as hath been mentioned besides what he hath done in the grand assertion of his Prophetical Office Supra Lib. 1. Cap. 2. §. 7. hath distinguish'd himself also by many other things from the followers of Christ So also the Church of Rome besides what she hath done in the derivation of the fundamental Papal Rights from St. Peter hath distinguished her self from other Christian Churches by other lesser matters and the like And the like other instances might be given The Disciples of Christ in the New Testament have enjoyn'd moderation and meekness and the like in case of difference about such things Phil. 4.5 Gal. 6.1 and forbidden doubtful disputations before the weak Rom. 14.1 But men have prosecuted them with Fire and Sword But yet here is a distinction to be made of Doctrines inconsiderable in themselves and such as are made considerable by accident in any case Such may be the lesser Doctrines in any Church when the Churches Lawful Authority and respect that is to be given to their Government depends upon the defence of them Such may be also the Doctrines contested either in Churches and more particularly by the members of them mutually or by Churches and betwixt them more publickly But in either case however they ought not to be so unlawfully contested as we have said and to the greater prejudice of the common good of humane affairs VII In the second place The second ordinary cause the second ordinary cause of such contentions amongst men is the great variety of opinions that is amongst them especially amongst the vulgar and more illiterate heedless sort of men if they come once to sit in the chair of Judgment And all that variety prosecuted by as various and contradictory sorts of Zeal also And this both variety of opinions and of prosecution of them ever hath been and ever will be when occasion is given for it And the causes of it shall be assigned hereafter In the interim while every single person almost Infra Lib. 2. Cap. 7. §. 6. alibi accompanied with such zeal opines differently from another it is no wonder if the buckler be taken up on all hands and that actual contests arise if opportunity be given for their arising and it be permitted by Authority in any Church to be so But in the mean time as to the Scripture in this matter although some things in it be hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 yet it hath declared as St. Augustine says the Doctrine necessary to Faith and Manners De Doctr. Christi Lib. 2. Cap. 6. so plainly as that by comparing of Scriptures and the diligent use of a mans Reason and of the other means which God hath prescribed in this case for these things are required the natural knowledge of them may be certainly arrived at And any Church also is supposed in its setting forth of any Rule or Canon or Doctrines according to its occasions to declare the sense of Scripture in all things in it as plainly as it can But however all men are not capable of making the due use of these or the like means of information And generally they do and ever will differ in their opinions both concerning these and other things The third ordinary cause VIII Let us come to the third cause of these contentions and that is the mixture of mens private passions with their zeal in such matters of Religion Their passions of Pride and Ambition Anger and Revenge and the like and these are enough like Phaeton's Chariot of the Sun to set all the world on Fire And this mixture happens either at unawares and men not discerning it and so somtimes to the very best of men as the Divine Apostles themselves in their seeming zeal in the Scripture would have called for fire from Heaven as Elias did Or else men entertain it voluntarily and knowingly and so both evil and good men also through humane infirmity and the prevalency of their passions over them frequently do And in either of these cases how much men use to differ mutually in affection as well as in opinion the World sufficiently knoweth The wise man saith that through pride cometh contention Prov. 13.10 And Senec. in Thyest Chorus Ira cum magnis agitata causis Gratiam rupit cecinitque bellum Otium tanto subitum e tumultu Quis Deus fecit When Anger being stirred up by great causes Hath broken off all Amity and sounded the Allarum to War What God is there that hath made a sudden quiet Out of so great a Tumult The fourth and last ordinary cause of such Religious Contests IX The fourth and last cause ordinarily in the world of such Religious contests then is yet greater then any of these And that is the mixture of mens worldly interests with the defence of their opinions viz. of those their opinions whether they be taken up only pretendedly and in order to the promoting of such interests or else have any real being in men and those interests do mix only by the casual concurrence of affairs with the defence of them But yet still in either case what more potent charms to throw men into contentions then those interests so mixed are Is it not mens love to these things that hath power to delude them into a change of their opinions as the wise Author of the History of the Counsel of Trent saith Hist Councel of Trent Lib. 8. That Thus it happeneth as in humane affairs so in Religion also that ones credulity is changed with his interests And is it not it also that hath power to make men eagerly defend them Is it not for these interests especially so mixed that men have drained their veins And is not for these also that they have parted even with Heaven it self All times and Histories and Records of Humane affairs are full of instances in this matter we need not here stand to give them X. From these things then it is evident From hence the necessity of some kind of Unity to be maintain'd in matters of Religion what a necessity there is that in the Government of any Society whatsoever there should be some kind of Unity in matters of Religion maintained amongst men and that both for the removal of these unlawful Religious Contests and the occasions given by them to such Atheism and Prophaneness as hath been mentioned and also for the begetting of such Charity and Peace amongst men as may be healthful to all their Divine and Humane affairs How much tumultuous and popular contests about Religion prejudice all the affairs of men I shall describe hereafter Infra Lib.
to this day for ought any Revelation that there is from Heaven to the contrary And the unwritten traditions whether in the Romish or any other part of the Christian Church for the Licentiating of the Bible and which stand in direct opposition to the plain written Scripture in these things are not rationally to be believed The Publick Ordinances also ought to be celebrated in the vulgar Tongue Poloniae Lib. 1. prop. fin XII And lastly that the Publick Divine Service and the use of the Ordinances of God in the Churches in an Ecclesiastical Uniformity ought also to be in the vulgar Tongue so as Cromerus sayes it is with the Russians and Chytraeus with the Armenians the Waldenses and others it is as evident It is the saying of Padre Paule the Venetian although himself also in Communion with the Church of Rome in his History of the Councel of Trent That In Oratione cum post reditum ex Austria c. Circa Med. De Armeniis Ibid. in Boemia prope fin Lib. 6. Fol 578 he that would know what Language is to be used in the Church needs onely to read the fourteenth Chapter of the first to the Corinthians and it will sufficiently informe him though his mind be never so much prepossessed with a contrary opinion Thus then for these things CHAP. V. A more particular consideration of the two Grand Causes of all Mischiefs in Humane Affairs viz. the Weaknesses and Corruptions of men And more particularly of their Influence on the Publick Charge of the Magistrate the thing to be preserved ultimately by an Ecclesiastical Vniformity I. THE Causes of all Mischiefs to the Publick Charge of the Magistrate distinguish'd II. The Persons ordinarily guilty of the Faults of Imprudence III. Their guilt evidenc'd IV. Their particular faults instanced in in the particulars of the Magistrates V. The frequency of their errors and offences in this kind VI. The persons ordinarily guilty of the Faults of Malice VII The causes exciting them to the commission of such faults VIII The impetuousness and violence of those exciting Causes IX Certain Doctrines in the Christian Religion made use of by these Persons for the promotion of their several ends X. Of all things in the world the Charge of the Magistrate is most likely to be invaded by them XI Of all Persons in the world the Person of the Magistrate is most likely to be invaded by them also XII The Conclusion drawn from all these things I. THe Divines distinguish all sins committed against God The causes of all mischiefs to the Publick charge of the Magistrate distinguish'd into voluntary and involuntary The involuntary are those which are committed imprudently and without knowledg and intention and the voluntary those which are committed knowingly and maliciously The same distinction is here to be given of all faults commited in Humane Affairs as hath been hinted already more then once And more particularly against the publick charge of the Magistrate in an Ecclesiastical uniformity Lib. de virtutibus Juv. Sat. 1. Imprudentia rationis est vitium male vivendi causa sayes Aristotle That Imprudence is a fault of mens reason and a cause of their ill living And that of the Poet may be ordinarily apply'd to every Age Nil erit ulterius quod nostris moribus addat Posteritas eadem capient facientque minores Omne in praecipiti vitium stetit That there will be nothing farther for Posterity to adde To our manners the younger will receive and do the same things Every vice is readily practis'd And although it be true in both these Cases what the Schooles say in Divinity that Veniam dabit ignorantia Culpae That Ignorance in the Person offending is one thing which may excuse from guilt as to the offence it selfe either in tanto or in toto Yet however the outward effects and consequences of both these sorts of offences against the charge of the Magistrate are those things which are to be taken cognizance of and considered principally by Humane Lawes And it followes then that in respect to the mischeifs done by them either sort of offences may be either more or less equally hainous and so as that both of them are to be watched over by the chief Magistrate in any Society Saepe honestas rerum causas Hist lib. 1. Orat. Contra Ctesiphont inadhibias in Judicium perniciosi exitus consequuntur sayes Tacitus That oftentimes pernitious ends do attend honest causes of things unless you consider how to prevent them And Aeschines improbum ingenium magnam potestatem adeptum publicas importat Calamitates That a Mischievous wit having attain'd to great power brings publick calamities upon men II. The faults of Imprudence then are the first in order here to be treated of And the Persons ordinarily guilty of them in any Society are those The Persons ordinarily guilty of the faults of imprudence who in all Writings and Ages have been loaded with so many Epithets designing that guilt of theirs viz. Prophanum Rude Imperitum Ignobile vulgus The Barbarous Rude Vnskilful and Ignoble Common people Their guilt Evidenc'd III. Their being ordinarily subject to this kind of offences is evident from two things 1. From their own aptness to run into such and all other sorts of faults and Errors 2. From their easiness to be lead into them by others 1. Their own aptness proceeds from their Ignorance Heedlesness and unskilfulness in Affairs and the like in all Writings deservedly Attributed unto them 2. They are also Consequently as easily led by others And that 1. By Shewes 2ly By Custome And that also by reason of their Heedlessness Simplicity and Foolishness mention'd Wherefore they are rightly called a body without a Breast P. Aemyl lib. 8. And Nihil est facilius Declam 11. sayes Quintilian quam in quemlibet affectum movere populum That nothing is more easie â—hen any wayes to affect the People And Plebs suapte natura Hist lib. 17. sayes Guicciarâ—â—ne semper novarum rerum cupidicum facile vanis erroribus falsis persuasionibus repleatur ad còncitantis arbitrium ut maris stuctus à ventis impellitur That the Common People being by their own nature desirous of new things seeing they are easily fill'd with vain errors and false persuasions they are driven along at the pleasure of him that stirrs them as the flouds of the Sea by the wind Ad Caesar And the like is that of Salust Multitudo vulgi more magis quam Judicio post alium alius quasi prudentiorem sequitur That the multitude of the Common people by Custome more then by Judgment followes the one after another as if he were in the mean time the wiser Their particular faults instanc'd in in the particulars of the Magistrates Charge IV. We will farther instance a little in their more particular faults respecting the particulars of the Magistrates charge mention'd 1. As to Religion And their
things XVI In the last place then The general Conclusion subjoyn'd to to all these things we have only one general Conclusion to subjoyne here to all these things And that is that if it be so that these are the only great and stated means which we have mentioned for the thus procuring Charity and removal of Contentions then who shall deny the use of them to the Chief Governour in any Society for the effecting these things shall it not be Lawful nay necessary for him as his Duty and as his Government is a Charge committed to him by God Lib. 1. cap. 1. §. 11. as well as upon the account of its being barely his right to hold it as was above first of all distinguish'd to propose and enjoyn such an Unity of Profession and Use of Publick Worship so farre forth as his affairs will permit and that for the promotion of Christian Charity in the true Christian Church or else of Common Charity amongst men if in a false Church of any other Religion Or else however to hold a restraint upon the irregular venting of Opinions to the breach of the Peace Who will deny it We conclude then that the faculty of doing these things is a Fundamental and a very principal part of the Magistrates Indirect Power in Spirituals and a Right belonging to him in every Ecclesiastical Uniformity and in the several particulars of it by the same General and Original Law of Nature which dictates the very being and welfare of Humane Society and upon which all Church Society is founded And as it thus belongs to him in his way Summo Jure where the Church is National so also to the principal Church Governour in his way also where the Church is secluded CHAP. IX Hence the way of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity viz. in outward Profession and Publick Worship hath been alwayes endeavoured and made use of by the Governours of all Societies in their different wayes and that from the dictates of the Lawes of Nature and Nations and the Divine Law approving of it and leading them to it I. THe Practices of men concerning their making use of an Ecclesiastical Vniformity derivative from their correspondent Principles II. The Application of the matters of Religion and of the External Unities which have been mention'd to an Ecclesiastical Uniformity III. Such an Uniformity Distinguish'd IV. It is convenient that there be also an Uniformity in Discipline and Ceremonies held in Churches V. The grounds and reasons of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity VI The two Grand instruments of it VII Divers have been the sorts of Ecclesiastical Uniformity in divers Societies VIII But still some kind or other of it hath been endeavour'd and made use of in all Societies and the Practises of those Societies and the Principles leading them to them assign'd IX The first of those Principles the light of Nature X. The second of those Principles the Divine Law XI The Practises of Societies also assign'd XII First from the Determinations of Councels held in the Christian Church XIII Secondly from the Civil and Ecclesiastical Lawes of Countries XIV Last of all where this Uniformity hath been but in part or in small measures the Governours of Societies still as Controversies have arisen have been forced to come to farther degrees of it The Practises of men concerning their making use of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity derivative from their correspondent principles The Application of the matters of Religion and of the external unities which have been mention'd to an Ecclesiastical Uniformity lib. 1. cap. 1. §. 1. Such an Uniformity Distinguish'd I. THus have been the speculative Principles concerning an Ecclesiastical Uniformity We come here principally to produce the suitable Practices of men and such as have been derivative from the correspondent Principles and immediatly and directly conversant about their making use of it in Societies II. An Uniformity then in the General having been above first of all defin'd to be an Unity of the external forme of things the matters of Religion in relation to which and under the notions of which as such such an Ecclesiastical Uniformity is to be held have been assign'd to be those of Doctrine and Worship and the external unities which such an Uniformity is to consist of have been assigned also to be those of Profession of assent in respect to Doctrines and of the use of Worship in respect to such worship And this is the more general application of these things to such an Uniformity III. An Uniformity then in Churches is either Positive or Negative The Positive is that which is so Denominated from its consisting in the positive Unities mentioned and therefore is most properly called an Uniformity in the subject matters of them and is productive of the positive and most proper sort of Peace and Charity mention'd accordingly The Negative is that which consists in mens not divulging of their Opinions to the breach of the Peace and the hurt of Religion or Government or their mutual Consistency and it is therefore called Negative and is the improper part of this Uniformity and is productive only of the negative and improper sort of Peace and Charity mention'd accordingly also It is convenient that there be also an Uniformity in Discipline and Ceremonies held in Churches IV. It is convenient that in the same National Church and Territories of Princes there be an Uniformity held also of Discipline the Archeus or keeper of all these things mentioned and Ceremonies the customary Adjuncts of the publick worship and both of which are many times so much contested under the notions of Doctrinals and Worship it self An one uniforme partaking of men in these things will if it be but by the influence of custome upon them further compleat and help to promote their charitative Communion And also the more secure the people from being led into Factions about them And that by it's rendering them a Subject not so easily capable of those factious impressions which have been mention'd and this Uniformity in these things is here laid down as an Appendix and Adjunct to the main and Principal Ecclesiastical Uniformity mention'd also V. The grounds and reasons then of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity and those things The grounds and reasons of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity the procuring of which is the cause of Constituting it and which it aimes at as it's End and Effects have been already mention'd and treated of in their several places and that partly separately and partly applicatorily And those ends of it are the greatest that can possibly be aimed at in the Affairs of Humane Societies viz. more generally the preservation of the welfare of the Magistrates Charge above mention'd viz. Religion Lib. 1. cap. 5. §. 7. alibi and Government and the Consistency of Religion with Government and more particularly the procuring of the Publick Peace and Charity and the removal of Contentions in order to these things VI. The two grand Instruments of
Common-weal or to have any House of Prayer In the 42 Constitution Nestorius Eutyches Arrius Macedonius Eunomius and others are deposed And the offence of Anthinus against the Ecclesiastical Canons is made mention of And afterwards he is banish'd from the imperial City or any other Great City that there might be Peace amongst the People and he might not spread his interdicted Opinions and the like If we go on in the 109 Constitution all are stiled Heriticks who are not of the Imperial Catholick and Apostolick Church If we go on still the four Councels but now mentioned are again appointed to be recieved And if we go on further it is argued that if the Civil Lawes which respect mens outward Security are to be observ'd then how much more the Ecclesiastical Canons which respect â—â—e health of their Souls and afterwards the Peoples not having learnt their Liturgies is taxed and the like Finally many more the like Lawes might be recited Let us pass then from these Volumes of Lawes to the Code of Theodosius And that proceeds also in the like manner in these things Let the Titles De his qui super Religione contendunt De Haereticis in the 16 Book and the like in other Books of it be consulted Let us go on from it to the Body of the Canon Law In the several parts of the Decretum in the Sextum Clementines and Extravagants up and down no man will doubt but that the Roman Uniformity and the Customes and Lawes of that Church are enjoyn'd It would be too needlesly tedious to make a particular recital of these matters Last of all the like also are the present Lawes of the other Christian Churches abroad in the world The Canon Law is taught in their Academies and many of it's Decrees and Constitutions tending to these things which we have mention'd See the Laws and Statutes in quarto pag. 9. Ibid. vid. are made use of for the regiment of those Churches The very Statutes of Geneva will have no strange or false Opinions against the Doctrine received to be admitted will not allow of Negligence in coming to Church to the contempt of the Communion of the Faithful See the Discipline of the Kirk Edit Anno 1641. alibi See in his Life By J. H. p. 188. Lond. 63. and the like And the like Church orders are to be found in the Corpus Disciplinae and amongst the Low Country Churches in the Discipline of the Kirk of Scotland and amongst its prescriptions And finally in the very humble Petition and advice presented in the late times of usurpation to Oliver Cromwel in England when he was coming towards his desired sitting down in the Throne In which was proposed a Confession of Faith to be assented to in matters of Religion and to be recommended to the People And thus then all these things will sufficiently evidence how all mankind hath conspired Universally in it's Laws and Constitutions in Societies towards this Ecclesiastical Uniformity and for those intents and ends which we have mention'd Last of all where this Uniformity hath been but in part or in small measure the Governours of Societies still as Controversies have arisen have been forc'd to come to further degrees of it XIV In the last Place then this one thing is further observable that wheresoever this Uniformity hath been either but in the Negative and improper part of it or else but in some small measures of the Positive there still according as Controversies in Religion dangerous to the Publick have arisen Princes have been forc'd to come to further degrees of it It may be at the first foundings of Religions or Churches those Churches have not been capable of any great degrees of it at least not in the way of National Churches as was the Case of the Primo-Primitive and Apostolical Christian Church It may be also otherwise that for Causes concerning Civil and Humane Society which is the foundation of all Religions Diversities of Professions have been for a longer or lesser time to a greater or lesser degree tolerated in some Countries as in Holland Poland and other Territories at this day and through the necessities of their several States But yet â—till and whatsoever Causes there may any where be of the want of the further degrees of this Uniformity all Governours have been forced to take sanctuary at it and those further degrees of it where Religious Controversies have arisen and for the allaying the furious heats of them and the begetting a charitative composure amongst men Vid. Praefationem ad Acta Synodi Dordrect This was the late Case in the calling the Synod of Dort in Holland and as the States themselves acknowledgâ— And the like other Cases also are every where to be found up and down in other Ages and Countries CHAP. X. What are the Extreams in respect to this Ecclesiastical Vniformity And what are the faultinesses in it I. THe Extreames in respect to an Ecclesiastical Uniformity distinguished II. The Extreams of too much loosness assign'd III. The extreams also of too much strictness assign'd IV. The Faultinesse in such an Uniformity assign'd also V. The first of them VI. The Second VII The Third VIII The fourth and last sort of faultiness THis only Natural way then of setling Church Affairs amongst men being thus describ'd The extreams in respect to an Ecclesiastical Uniformity â— Distinguish'd and recommended to Practise let us come next to contradistinguish it to it's extreams and to set down the faultinesse which may possibly be in it in any Society And those extreams as all other in respect to other matters are are those that lye on both sides of it i. e. 1. Those of too much loosness and 2. Of two much Strictness II. First Those of too much loosness are The extreams of too much Looseness Assign'd Lib. 2. cap. 6. §. 2. and §. 4 5 6. c. Ibid. §. 2. 1. The loose open Toleration of venting of Opinions which hath been heretofore mentioned and avouched to be finally destructive both to Religion and Government and the consistency of Religion with Government 2. The way of Governing Church-matters by ballancing of Opinions i. e. by such an underhand ballancing of them as hath been heretofore hinted at also And which because it partakes not neither in the nature nor in the drift and ends of an Ecclesiastical Uniformity so as to deserve to be accounted any part of it therefore we here reckon it as one of these extreams Besides the properties of it are collusion with men in so great matters as those are in which it pretends an open Toleration but privately practiseth a restraint and in like manner also the Princes falsifying his Trust to God by his suffering all common Charity and Peace to be broken and which he is so much bound by the Divine Law to preserve Deuâ— 24.11.16 c. and by his owning no Profession of Christ in his way before men