of them of themselves apt enough to be troublesome and a Question put into their Heads and a power of Judging into their hands is a putting it to their choice whether you shall be troubled by them this week or the next for much longer you cannot escape LVI Every Minister ought to be carefull that he never expound Scriptures in Publick contrary to the known sense of the Catholick Church and particularly How far the Reconciler has praevaricated herein let the Reader judge of the Churches of England and Ireland nor introduce any Doctrine against any of the four first General Councils For these as they are measures of Truth so also of Necessity LIV. In your Sermons and Discourses Of whom speaketh the Prophet this Our Reconciler pleads for a change of Gestures Habits and Expressions and these make up the Subject of his Plea of Religion use Primitive known and accustomed words and affect not new Phantastical or Schismatical terms Let the Sunday Festival be called the Lords day and pretend no fears from the Common use of words amongst Christians For they that make a business of the Words of Common use and Reform Religion by introducing a new Word intend to make a Change but no amendment they spend themselves in trifles like the barren Turf that sends forth no Medicinable herbs but store of Mushrooms and they give a demonstration that they are either impertinent people or else of a querulous nature and that they are ready to disturb the Church if they could find Occasion LXI Let every Preacher in his Parish Does our Reconciler doe this take care to explicate to his People the Mysteries of the Great Festivals as of Christmass Easter Ascention-day Whrt-Sunday Trinity-Sunday the Annuntiation of the Blessed Virgin Mary because these Feasts containing in them the great Fundamentals of our Faith will with most advantage convey the Mysteries to the People fix them in their Memories by the solemnity and circumstance of the day And Adv. 25. he tells them Men are to be permitted to their own Liberty to the Measures of the Laws and Conduct Let the Recon note this Dr. Jeremy Taylor Bishop of Down and Connor of their Governours To this let me add the Doctrine and Advice of that Plous and Learned Prelate to the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons of Ireland Assembled in Parliament May the 8th 1661. In his Epistle Dedicatory he tells them thus Men pretend Conscience against They teach for Doctrine the Commands of men Obedience expresly against St. Pauls Doctrine teaching us to obey for Conscience sake but to disobey for Conscience in a thing Indifferent is never to be found in the Books of our Religion But Obedience is strong Meat and Nothing more easy then to obey will not down with weak Stomacks As if in the World any thing were easier than to obey For we see that the food of Children is Milk and Laws The Breast-Milk of their Nurses and the Commands of their Parents is all that Food and Government by which they are kept from Harm and Hunger and conducted to Life and Wisdom And therefore they that are weak Brethren of all things in the World have the least reason to pretend an excuse for Disobedience For nothing can secure them but the Wisdom of the Laws For they are like Children in Minority they cannot be trusted to their own conduct and therefore must live at the publick Charge and the wisdom of their Superiours is their Guide and their Security But saith he there are among us such tender Stomacks that cannot indure They strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Milk but can very well digest Iron Consciences so tender that a Ceremony is greatly offensive but Rebellion is not A Sarplice drives them away as a Bird affrighted with a Man of Clouts But their Consciences can suffer them to despise Government and speak evill of Dignities and curse all that are not of their Opinion and disturb the peace of Kingdoms and commit Sacriledge and account Schism the Tender Conscience the pretence of the vilest men Character of Saints For tender conscience I shall not need to say that every man can easily pretend it for we have seen the Vilest part of mankind men that have done things so Horrid worse than which the Sun never saw yet pretend tender Consciences against Ecclesiastical Laws But I will suppose that they are really such that they in the simplicity of their hearts follow Absolom and in weakness hide If really weak yet not to be dispensed but instructed their heads in little Conventicles and places of separation for a trifle what would they have done for themselves If you make a Law of Order and in the Sanction put a clause of Favour for tender Consciences do not you invite every Subject to disobedience by Impunity and teach him to make his own excuse Is not such a Law a Law without an Obligation May not every man choose whether he will obey or no And if he pretends to disobey out of Conscience is not he that disobeys equally innocent with the Obedient altogether as just as not having done any thing without leave and yet much more Religious and Consciencious Quicunque vult is but an ill Preface to a Law and 't is a strange Obligation that makes no difference between him that obeys and him that refuses to obey But what course must be taken with tender Consciences shall the Execution of the Law be suspended as to all such Persons that will be all one with the Former for if the Execution be commanded to be suspended then the obligation of the Law by Command is taken away and then 't were better there were no Law made And indeed that is the pretention that 's the secret of the business they suppose the best way to prevent Disobedience Where there are no Laws there 's no Government is to take away all Laws It is a short way indeed There shall then be no disobedience but at the same time there shall be no Government But the Remedy is worse than the Disease and to take away all Wine and Strong Drink to prevent Drunkness would not be half so great a folly To think of removing the Disease by feeding the humour I confess it is a strange Cure to our present distempers I desire him who is of No Church breaks her Orders to gratify a Faction that Opinion besides the calling to mind the late sad effects of Schism to remember that no Church in Christendome ever did it It is neither the way of Peace nor of Government nor yet a proper Remedy for the Cure of a weak Conscience For the matter of Giving Offences Governours are not to be offended whoever be and the Disobedient rather than the Dutiful what Scandal is greater than that which Scandalizes the Laws And who is so carefully to be observed least he be offended as
the Apostle alters his style to them 1 Thes 5. 12 13. after he had admonished the Disciples to have a special regard to those Spiritual Guides and a high value for them He treats them with great respect when he puts them in mind of their Duty Now we beseech you Brethren warn them that are disorderly But the Reconciler goes on with his exceptions and tells us The same Apostle writing to Timothy concerning such who had a Form of Godliness but denied the power of it writes certainly of Persons who did as much deserve the Churches Censures as those he mentioned Rom. 16. 17. This Reconciler always has a reserve of kindness for such as make Divisions and Dissentions in the Church and Timothy says he to whom he writes had power to inflict those Censures and yet he only saith unto him from such turn away The place is 2 Tim. 3. 5. But to this I reply 1. That no doubt Timothy after so long converse with this great Apostle very well understood the several parts of his Duty and the Apostle did not think fit to prescribe him particular Rules of Government having charged him in the General in his former Epistle chap. 5. 21. To proceed according to the merits of every cause that should be brought before him and to do nothing with Partiality 2. He speaks there of a dangerous sort of Impostors which crept into Houses and had cunning enough to lead Captive silly Women and such false Apostles as take sanctuary in great Families the Church-Censures cannot always reach them Timothy had not then the assistance of a Secular arm and perhaps they were not to be restrained without it 3. The Apostle forseaw the Reign of those Impostors would be but short and concluded it would be most prudent to let them alone to expose themselves to contempt and scorn to their own ruin and this is the importance of those words 2 Tim. 3. 9. They shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as perhaps our Reconcilers misadventure may be ere he be few months older But this shall suffice for the vindication of Grotius his little Argument The next Argument was that of Catharinus it was but short indeed and the Reconciler was too short-sighted to discern the force of it 't was taken from the Apostles expostulation who art thou that judgest another mans Servant Cum non sis Pastor aut Dominus ejus as Catharinus very truly and judiciously makes the sense of the Apostle when thou art not his Lord or Bishop and hast no jurisdiction and command over him This Argument saith our Reconciler is extremely frivolous which argues he does not understand it for saith he if this be the import of the Apostles words why dost thou judge another mans Servant who art not his Pastor then his own Master to whom he stands or falls must be his Pastor and therefore he must have a Pastor But the Master there mentioned is so plainly God that it is but lost time to prove it Thus our Reconciler argues But under favour he has insnared himself in a Fallacy which is called Ignoratio Elenchi For the Assertion was this that those Rules were given to private Persons and the reason of that were because there was no Governors then setled among the Christians at Rome and the proof of this was taken from a hint in Catharinus why dost thou judge thy Brother cum non sis Pastor aut Dominus ejus He had no Bishop or Pastor to Govern him in Church-matters and therefore the Apostle refers him to God's Tribunal And now I hope the Argument will be clear to the understanding of our Reconciler for thus it is framed They that were accountable to none but God in matters of Religion They were under no Jurisdiction they who were under no Jurisdiction had no Governors and consequently these directions could not concern them who were not then in Being especially being a Provision for quietness design'd for want of them And here it will not be impertinent to take notice of Aquinas his observation in Prol. That S. Paul wrote fourteen Epistles whereof nine were to instruct the Church of the Gentiles four to direct the Prelates and Governors of the Church and one for the Instruction of the People of Israel For the whole Doctrine concerns the Grace of Christ which falls under a threefold consideration One way as it is in Christ the Head and so it is commended to us in the Epistle to the Hebrews Another way as it is in the Principal Members of the Body Mystical and so it is commended in those Epistles which are directed to the Prelates A third way as it is in the Mystical Body it self which is the Church and so it is commended in those Epistles which were sent to the Gentiles amongst which this to the Romans was one and not directed to the Prelates of the Church as Aquinas well observes And it is further observable That here are Rules given and particularly in the 14th and 15th Chapters which are inconsistent with the Governors Duty For 1. He passeth by the Bishops Office and applies himself to the Disciples and instead of giving order to the first to excommunicate the scandalous offenders He requires the other to avoid them 2. He forbids judging which had been an obstruction of Justice and Discipline if there had been any Officers to execute and perform it 3. As he had done by the Women in another sence so here he injoyns the Men silence to keep their Faith their Opinion and Knowledge to themselves which in Bishops and Pastors was an obstructing of Edification 'T is clear S. Paul sends them a Prohibition against Judging but this we may be sure S. Paul would not have done against such as had Authority to Judge whence it will follow That he sent not this prohibition to Church-Governors and from hence it will follow that there were none such amongst them which was the thing undrtaken to be proved as was hinted by Catharinus The Argument may be put into Form thus Such as have a Jurisdiction and Divine Authority to Judge of Scandals and Offences those Persons the Apostle did not forbid to judge the reason is because the holy Apostle doubtless would not supersede a Divine Authority and obstruct the course of Justice and Reformation But Governors where they were duly setled had a Jurisdiction and Divine Authority to judge of Scandals and Offences Therefore the Apostle did not forbid them to Judge Here are but two things to be made good to clear the Argument from all possible objection 1. That there were among those Christians at Rome many Misdemeanors Scandals and Offences matters fit for Inquisition and Censure 2. That Church-Governors had Authority where they were duly setled to inquire into them and Censure them The first is clearly proved from the Admonition of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences and avoid c.
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
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
he knows not how to disengage himself those gentle Methods are ineffectual Sharpness and Severity are much more useful for some Tempers which therefore the great Apostle does both Threaten and 2 Cor. 13. 2. 10. Tit. 1. 13. Prescribe This Distinction of Persons and Tempers he might have Learn'd from those Fathers whom he so often cites Chrysostom Theodoret Oecumenius who have the same Distinction upon the words of the Apostle Tit. 3. 10. Where he enjoyns the use of Severe Applications when Gentle means will not prevail A Man that is a Sectary after the First and Second Admonition reject Which Words Calixtus doth thus Paraphrase Qui quoestiones agitant Frivolas et inutiles etiamsi Ad Tit. 3. 10. extreme mali non sint et tolerari aliquatenus possint compescendi tamen sunt et severe castigandi ut curiosas atque otiosas istas Questiones missas faciant Neque ipsi si pietatem serio ex animo colant necessariis monitis obtemperare recusabunt Such as set on foot frivolous and unprofitable Questions and such generally have been bandyed up and down by the Dissenters to the Disturbance of the Church tho they be not extreamly Bad and might in some sort be tolerated yet they are to be restrained and Chastised severely that they may lay aside those curious and Idle Questions and if they be heartily devoted to Piety they will not refuse to obey such necessary Admonitions But if any man be so addicted to Contention that nothing will serve his turn but the Overthrow of all Rule and Order that he may set up a Religion and Way of his Own choosing without doubt such a one is to be avoided The Church Doors have hitherto been kept open to the Dissenters if they will not regularly come in to communicate with us and be instructed I know no Reason why our Governours should give them leave to make Ladders to climb up otherwayes to perpetuate our Schisms What the Reconciler adds in Answer to an Objection does serve very well to confirm the Truth which we undertake to Justify The Objection is this When our Lords Disciples told Him that the Pharisees were scandalised at his Doctrine He answered Let them alone they are Blind Leaders of the Blind and thereby seems to intimate that we should not regard the Scandal of such Persons For this we have the Judgment of Amesius the best Logician and School-Man De Consc Lib. 5. C. 11. Num. 12. that ever set Pen to Paper on the behalf of the Dissenters he saies thus Nihil Boni aut Liciti est omittendum propter Scandalum acceptum Hominum Pharisaico Ingenio praeditorum Nothing Good or Lawful is to be omitted for the Scandal that 's taken by men of a Pharisaical temper and he cites that very Text for it Mat. 15. 14. Let them alone c. The Reconciler saies this doth not follow from our Saviours words because the Scandal mentioned there was taken at our Lord 's Preaching true Doctrine and necessary to be taught But I say the Argument does follow from the words of our Saviour because the Scandal of the Dissenters is taken at a Doctrine no less True and Necessary the Doctrine of Obedience which our Saviour did both Teach and Practice and wrought a Miracle on Purpose to enable him to do it and to justifie his Performance of it therefore when we call for Obedience to the Impositions of Things Lawful and Decent in Gods Worship as the Rites and Observances amongst us are proved to be we Preach True Doctrine and necessary to be taught both for Defence of our Governours and their Subjects and for the Rescuing the People from those Superstitions and Wicked Practices which have made them Worship God in Vain and have made the Commandments of God of none effect Now in such Cases the Reconciler confesses it is true That we must not desist from doing of our Duty tho Wicked Persons should be scandalized Now because we are concerned among the Pharisees 't will not be amiss to take Notice of some things wherein the Dissenting Brethren have resembled them And 1. our Saviour upbraids them that they would Strain at a Gnat and Swallow a Camel and have not our Dissenters done so I am ashamed to mention the little things they Boggled at while they Preached up Blood Sacriledge and Rebellion they can strain at a Surplice but swallow Schism and yet if they had St. Johns Eyes they might see Surplices Rev. 4. 4. in Heaven Whereas St. Paul tell 's us he could see no Schismatick Gal. 5. 20 21. there 2ly Our Saviour upbraids them that they were Blind Leaders of the Blind and have not some of our Dissenters declar'd themselves to be such Go with me saith Mr. Case to Heb. 11. 13. and ye shall find Abraham with his Staff in In his Sermon before the Peers March 25. 1646. P. 41. his Hand and his Sandals on his Feet and his Loins girt Please to let me ask him two or three Questions by the way see what he will Answer Reverend Patriarch whether are you going Answer I know not When shall you return Answer I know not How will you Subsist Answer I know not He is in haste as well as we and therefore I 'le ask him but one Question more Abraham Why then do you go at such Uncertainties To this he will Answer I go not upon Vncertainties I have a Call I have a Command and that will secure my Person and bear my Charges By Faith Abraham when he was called Heb. 11. 8 to go into a Place which he should after receive for an Inheritance obeyed and went out not knowing whether he went Christians saith he observe a Call is as good as a Promise and a little after we have not only a Call but a Promise not in General only but in Special The whole Book of the Revelation is nothing else but one great Promise of the Down-fal of Antichrist and Gospel-Reformation and that is the Work Parliament and Kingdom have now in hand in these Three Nations Thus Mr. Case But what they meant by that Gospel-Reformation they could never agree to tell us witness Mr. Daniel Evance in Intituled the Noble Order his Sermon before the Lords Jan. 28. 1645. on 1 Sam. 2. 30. where he tells them thus I Profess my Lords I am neither for Paul nor Apollos nor Cephas nor Christ till I know what Paul and Apollos and Cephas are for and what those that say they are for Christ can say for him But I could wish my Lords that we had the Pattern that every man might consult with the Mount which of the two is Christs Government The Child is Christned for ought I see before it is Born and we have the Names before the Things 3ly Our Saviour charges the Pharisees that they made the Commandment Mat. 15. 4 5 6. of God of none effect by their Tradition And he instances in
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