seems valuable but hath no strength for if the want of an immediate consultation with God destroys Authority or at least weakens it what will become of other Kings under the Law who had not such a priviledg intimately to converse with God or at least in so high a degree To say all It may as well be concluded that the Pastors of the Church are not oblig'd to follow the practice of the Apostles in all actions some of which Miraculous others suited to the exigency of the time the one of which cannot the other may not be imitated because none in these days can pretend to the like Inspiration as deny that Princes may not follow the examples of good Kings under the Law because later things cannot be so much Secretaries of the Almighty as they were in that Oeconomy Thus they have endeavour'd to invalidate the examples of the Jewish Kings persuading them that the constitution of the Mosaical Law and the practice of Moses and the Sanedrim or the practice of David and Solomon to oblige no more to Imitation than the lives of Numa Lycurgus or other Lawgivers in Plutarch or the constitution of Heathenish Priests by the Roman Senate This is true if it is understood of those Rites and Laws which were purely Judaical but otherwise in those which were not only Typical It is further urg'd as the first and second Oeconomy differ in many things and so do the Governors in the several Dispensations for says he all the Jewish Religion was in External Rights Civil and Religious Acts so interwoven that it was not easie to say whether the Church were more like a Commonwealth or the Common-wealth a Church Then concludes that the Magistrates buisiness was only to compel outward actions but the Christian Magistrate hath no such task Christianity consisting in inward acts of the mind This terrifying Objection may find a check from this consideration viz. That it is false when it says that all the influence good Kings had on the People was only to promote outward acts for that was not only conversant a-about the Ceremonial but Instrumental in promoting the Moral Law which certainly respects the powers of the Mind as much if not more than the outward Act. Besides in the ceremonial Acts of Law and offering of Sacrifice there was imply'd an Act of Faith as well in other persons as Abraham otherwise their Altars would have been no better than Shambles and their Priests than Slaughtermen Hence it appears that Kings pressing the outward act might be said to be instrumental in promoting Faith or inward Piety in which sense it may be said good Kings as of Josiah They made the People to serve the Lord their God 2 Chron. 34.33 But I must meet with an Objection which may be urged thus granting that there was acts of Faith requir'd in acts of Sacrifice yet those being inward acts of the mind Kings could not command or compel them 'T is true no earthly King can lay claim to such Spiritual dominion However Christianity being not such an invisible Religion but that it exerts it self in several visible acts as confession of Faith Communion c. which certainly will challenge the Magistrates care in case his aid is wanted neither will this appear as impertinent to his Office so long as he hath reason to suspect that those whom the Church cannot reduce by her Methods cannot be as good Subjects as others when they are declar'd not to be so good Christians Schism and Heresie though they do not by necessary consequence imply Rebellion and Schism and Rebellion not always terms convertible yet they are such as a Prince may suspect and seem as Vapors under the Earth which do not always cause Earth-Quakes but when they are confind to a natural Prison and cannot break forth for as the one doth not always put the Earth in such Convulsions yet excite fear so the other may have such influence on a Princes mind which though it cannot shake him for that supposes weakness yet may create a prudential Caution Consideration III. Of the authority of Reason as it stands in competition with the Church and of Schism and Heresie according to the new account of it and whether reformation or separation from Communion of the Church can be as sufently and legally justifi'd without an appeal to the constant Doctrine of the Catholick Church as with it TAking it for granted that Reason is not the last Object Faith and its principles the Elements into which it is resolv'd as the Reasoner phrases it it being not able to make a distinct discovery of the nature of God and unfit Judg of rules of his Worshop I refer the Reader to another Discourse N. F. It therefore at present seems only necessary that I assert Ecclesiastical Authority with its due right above private Judgment of single persons who so far become the Proselytes of humane Reason in that sense which a late Author asserted it as they appeal to nothing but the evidence of their own Reason conducted by its own natural Method only having the information by reading the Scriptures and fortifying their Opinions with mere natural Arguments without any respect to the consent or authority of the Church Many such Proselytes have appear'd in this late Age and cloakt their Foxish principles with Sheeps clothing of Piety and Tenderness yet still seem to have a reverence for the Church and its Authority as appears in late Pamphlets which nearly lookt into is but as an Ecclesiastical Compliment if it is not a Solaecism to say so for rational Authority is not Authority properly call'd for whilst men cause other mens Opinions to be tryed by the tests of their own judgments they cancel the authority of other men and make their own as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This consideration minds men of a Stratagem or Plot to subvert the authority of the Church and establishing their own which is not by any way more plausible done to an unwary Multitude than by partial citations of Authors without considering the Coherence Circumstance or Scope of the Author which they cite If I design'd to be large in this discourse I might shew how some undermine the authority of the Church by sinister and malicious application of Ecclesiastical Story as the Author of a late Pamphlet by the success of Constantine would prejudice all Princes against the authority of Councils and a partial citation of Gregory Nazianzen afterward to be consider'd but I shall not spend time in canvasing that Story and its application nor shew the weakness of Reason in its several particulars only shall take a prospect of Religion abus'd by some late partial Citations by which the Church is threatned Holy Fathers made to speak contrary to their scope and Religion expos'd to each cavilling Adversary Thus Jerome hath been represented by some an enemy to Episcopacy as asserted by the Church of England Thus the Church of England whilst some of the Roman Church
in particulars and a good mean to preserve the true Faith Though Christ did not immediately draw up his Doctrine in such Articles it is past doubt he directed the Church to do it and that perhaps that he might create reverence to the Pastors of the Church that they should not be only as Library-keepers but Authors too in that sense that a Publisher of an Epitome may be call'd so whilst they compose the contents of Scripture in a short abridgment by Divine Direction It is observ'd that Christ did some things to create a Reverence to his Evangelists and Apostles by committing the charge of the publishing of the Gospel in writing when he himself could as easily have done it as wrote on the ground with his finger and shall not his Apostles Successors be esteemed worthy to interpret these holy Writings To deny them this Authority and only allow them such a mere Ministerial office and that to be only understood as if they were only Mercuries with a hand stretcht out with a Scrol for the People to read it seems rash And to confine them only to be judg of Circumstantials is to minorize their Authority and makes them but Registers to keep the Divine Books 'T is true this is honour enough to be but Door-keepers and Saint Paul said the Jews might glory because the Oracles of God were committed unto them which may not be restrained to the bare letter of the Law according to each mans apprehension but in doubtful cases Appeals were to be made to the Sanedrim which hath no small affinity with the proceedings of Councils though some disputes set them at further distance besides I do not remember that Christ taxes in general the Jewish Doctors for Exposition of the Law but when they either clearly perverted the sense and meaning of the Law or plainly altered it by sinister Interpretations making the word of God of none effect For if all Illustrations of the Law by Jewish Doctors must be laid aside though we know and avoid the fabulous Interpretation of the Thalmudist many parts of the Old Testament would not be so plainly understood even those which relate to the coming of Christ and the manner of his Kingdom If it is said that the Jewish Doctors often err'd so their Authority suspicious if not invalid the same will be granted I presume of Councils and Church when their Assertions if it may be supposed are manifest contradictions to plain Scripture This Bellarmine confesseth when he says Councils may not be opposed Nisi manifestissime constet intollerabilem errorem Committi lib. 2. de Concil But more of this in its proper place In this only I shall take notice that the authority of the Church hath been rendered odious to weak minds whilst some part of it I do not mean the Catholick run into extreams in Creeds as some men in habits or cloaths sometimes the humour of the Age is such that men affect to appear in the large size of Primitive Ages others desirous to appear as small as Nature will admit one time as Gyants another time as Pygmies This vanity hath crept into the Church some will only own the Apostls Creed others not content with those which the Church hath received but must make it larger by Phylacteries of Decretals The Roman Church will have each Article of the Creed as Astronomers say of the Planets each must have its Assecla or Page attend it They will scarce believe that they ca satisfie the first Article of believing in case it is not represented by Images neither will they believe the Communion of the Catholick Church except Rome may pass for it and the Resurrection and day of Judgment not to be explained without Purgatory some run in another extream tream they will admire nothing so much as the Eunuchs Creed to be imposed on as matters of Christian belief However they magnisie the Creed of the Apostles at the same time decrying others allowed by the Church of England which gives just occasion of suspicion that those very persons who own the Apostles Creed in words if prest by the general interpretation of the whole Church would boggle at that as much as at the Athanasian Creed for though they commend it as it justly deserves it for its plainness of matter and the phrase so esteemed by the Fathers yet it is certain there are doubts in some Articles which are not agreed on so as to be past dispute for instance the Communion of Saints the belief on the Catholick Church and the manner of Christ's descending into Hell not yet agreed on by all parts of the Catholick Church besides those who will have nothing in other accompts of Religion but in Scripture phrase must be content with other Language in this That word Catholick hath lately been as much controverted as the threadbear word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word was so hard to Luther that he went about to translate it into the German Language and alter the phrase for which boldness he was justly charged by Tanner the Jesuite for I am of nazianzens mind not to have a word changed for as he says One drop of Poyson may corrupt a great mass I would not have this which is said of the Creed as to be said in derogation from its reverence due to it above other Creeds which are but Comments on it yet there are two questions I hope may be started without violence done to it How it appears to be a sum of Fundamentals This is well Answered by some late Authors That the Apostles wrote the whole sum of what is to be believed for if they had omitted any part of it they might have as well omitted all Then it must be inquired how far this Creed as Apostlical depends on the Churches testimony or authority on this latter question the present Controversie depends therefore it must be considered what it is to be called Apostolical Apostolical is that which is agreeable to the Apostles practice and doctrine So the title Apostolical is fastned to some Churches and several persons whose piety had hath alliance to that of the Apostles but when it is given to any Doctrine as the rule of Faith Ubique semper ab omnibus obtains in this sense the Apostles Creed cannot be called Apostolical as to all its parts for all were not received at the same time as it is observed that St. Austin Origen and Tertullian commenting on the Creed make no mention of the Articles of the descent into Hell though 't is confest Saint Austin owns it as Catholick in other places 'T is true Rufsinus an ancient Doctor makes mention of that Article but says the Roman Church did not receive it at that time but since generally received I speak not this out of any irreverence or light esteem to the Creed as an Author I heard of who wrote a scurrilous and malicious piece against the Creed meerly in opposition to another opinion That which I infer
as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Weapon which hurts not or Thunder discharg'd without a Bolt To evade this power they alledg the plantation of the Gospel not by force of the Magistrate but by winning persuasion and to make this appear cite Christ's words John 18. v. 36. If my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight This doth not conclude against the authority of Kings in Ecclesiastical Cases for the design of that in this place was to take off the opinion which the Jews had of his coming that his Kingdom was not Spiritual but Temporal This Interpretation is given by St. Augustin Audite ergo Judaei gentes audi circumcisio Audi praeputium audite omnia regna terrena non impedio dominationem vestram in hoc mundo regnum meum non est de hoc mundo August in loc To this purpose are many Deductions from places of Scripture which I shall not largely consider by shewing how distorted by Faction beyond the intent of them which I shall only name and briefly discover the crookedness of the perverse Interpretations amongst which none seems to be prest more than that Let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind Rom. 14.5 In this place the design of the Apostle is not to deliver up each man to his own private Interpretation or extravagant Phancy as to command an attention to that which was deliver'd by him and the rest of the Apostles which is the greatest Authority For to suppose each man to rely on his own intrepretation is to imagine him to contradict that which he advises in another place That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Rom. 15.6 For it seems to me to be a Paradox not intelligible that men may be said to be at unity with as many different opinions of Christ which may extend to Fundamentals as there are Persons So long as their Faith is terminated in Christ as Aliquo tertio in which they agree By the same reason they may conclude that there is a Unity of opinion in Philisophy concerning all Creatures whether Animate or in Inanimate because all agree in this general notion of Substance or Animality and that it is sufficient to know them in Gross without more distinct knowledg of them So that Metaphysicks and natural Philosophy would be esteem'd as useless in Reason as some Creeds or Decrees of Councils in Religion But I pass further I cannot omit an Objection of a great Agent for Libertinism suggested to the Parliament in 59. shewing the impossibility of the powers interposing in Matters of Religion in some cases for says he the Magistrate must be obey'd for Conscience sake how therefore can a man be oblig'd to obey him when some duty is commanded which his Conscience contradict To this 't is enough to say that the fallacy lyes in the word Conscience which in that place must not signifie each man's persuasion or apprehension of the Duty for if it were so some men would not be obliged to obey their Prine and their fancies exempt them from subjection Thus far have endeavour'd to assert the right of Princes in matters Ecclesiastical but I shall not undertake to define particularly in what their power consists or bound it by limits 'T is enough to my design if I can but stop the mouths of a factious Multitude by breaking and diverting the force of their Current by shewing that these places of Scripture conclude nothing against Princes power to be exercised in suppressing Schism and Heresie Neither shall I be so Dogmatically bold as some late Smyctimnians who as Magisterially as others out of a consistory declare their opinion of the power of the Supream Magistrate as if the title of our King had been distasted by them because once deriv'd from Rome Proclaims him only Churchwarden of the Church Neither shall I wildly follow their Metaphor nor criticise the Name with which Princes are called by them for then I must consider the Church as it was once represented by the Ark so by a Chest with three Keyes the King to have one the Clergy another the People or Elders another Each have their particular Suffrages so when all agreed it was to be opened which if it were so it is to be fear'd it would be always shut Neither shall I take notice of another who ordains the Laity Clergy and the King himself according to him must be a Clergy Man else he can have no right or power in the Church But I cease to go further in this extravagant Tract and shall rather propose these Considerations Seeing it is certain or at present may be suppos'd that a Council and determination of the whole Church is the most expedite means of ending Controversies Is it not reasonable that the Magistrate should press the use of them Add to this that Councils are call'd by Princes power as is confessed by all true Protestants now is it not reasonable that the Decrees of Councils in order to be put in practice should be as much the Princes care as the Council was when it was call'd to Ordain them This consider'd will make the Christian not to esteem this Method of searching Truth as a piece of forc'd Servitude for it is no more force to Reason than Children suffer when they are sent to School Let not any think themselves injur'd by this Instance as Pedantick for the Doctrine of the Gospel as well as the Law may be styl'd a Pedagogy in that sense But here I may expect a check from a late and not Assertor of Libertinism who blames Constantine at least pities him as if he had an oversight for using this means to settle the Church because it occasion'd several bloody Persecutions This is a weak Battery against the Church and only deserves to be confuted by the Poet. Exitus acta probat careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putat Success is a very bad test of the prudence us'd in the means for the one is not to be measur'd by the other especially by men who are not able to pass Judgment on the success which is more intelligible and palpable always than the means Thus the Author is mistaken for the success of that Council cannot be said to be bad because Divine Providence made use of those Persecutions for the more undoubted setling of Faith seal'd with so many Martyrs blood Let this also be consider'd that the same would prevail against the Gospel it self as well as Councils and Christ himself blam'd by this Observer as much as Constantine because his coming occasion'd strife as he says Mat. 10.34 I came not to send Peace but a Sword as condemn other pious means Another way of asserting Libertinism is by invalidating the examples of good Kings Josia Asa c. who had more conference with God and so their Law more obligatory to the People but succeeding Kings have no such warrant to do the same This Objection
urgeth it with Citations out of the Fathers which speak the danger of separation from the Catholick Church they apply it to their own as if to be Roman and Catholick were all one Thus a late Author would persuade the Unwary that the most Puritan Protestants Mr. Perkins and many others do agree with Papists in several points controverted which they were as far from as we can imagine they thought the Romish Religion distant from the true The Fathers themselves are cited against themselves which minds me of some opposers of the authority of the Church who make them as a Patronage to their factious Presumptions Thus Lactantius is cited the words are these Lib de Orig. Error Cap. 8. having in the former Chapter remov'd the superstitious Rites and custome of some ancient Fathers who instituted them in Paganism he infers this Quare opportet in eâ re maximè in qua vitae ratio versatur sibi quemque confidere suoque judicio ac propriis sensibus niti ad investigandam perpendendam veritatem quam credentem alienis erroribus decipi tanquam ipsum rationis expertem Now how injuriously this is affixed as a Preface to authorize a factious Discourse as it often is against the authority of the Church may appear from the scope and design of the Holy Father in that Chapter viz. to oppose Heathenish Traditions Dreams and South sayings which began before Christianity had footing in the word But let it be applyed in opposition to the defintions and impositions of the Church all that can be concluded from the Words in this he condemns those who in a stupid observation of the Traditions of their Fathers More pecudum ducuntur as he phrases it an unreasonable implicit Faith which the Church of England doth not commend to her Sons but rather opposes its Assertors To say all this Holy Author though an accute Disputant and of a peircing wit yet is so far from disdaining Authority that none more frequent than he in Citations of Heathen Authors of Poets themselves to prove the weightiest matters of Religion when he disputed with Infidels as he was necessitated to do as he says Lib. de falsa Relig. Cap. 5. Sed omittamus sanè testimonia prophetarum ne minus idonea probatio vidcatur esse ab his quibus omnino non creditur He though a Father of the Church himself lib. de justitia c. 4. cites St. Cyprian arguing against Demetrius by Reason only because he was not capable of being confuted by any other Method as appears by the account given in the same Chapter Nam cum ageret contra hominem veritatis ignarum dilatis paulisper divinis lectionibus formare hunc a principio tanquam rudem debuit This gives me occasion of considering what esteem Reason was in matters of Religion being esteem'd only fit to dispose Infidels for Belief and to instruct Novices but in this Age it is so exalted that it is thought worthy of the highest place of Judicature to judg of all Controversies in so much that the Smyctimnian Divines in their late Papers declare it to be as the Eye and Religion as the Light or the Object Sic res ingeniosa est esse Christianum in another sense than formerly and that which the Author of Smyrk says of Wit in a Jeer may be retorted on them for whilst they make Reason an intrepreter of Scripture we may ask them too if their reason is an extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost To conclude this part of the Consideration that those who interpret Scripture thus may not boast themselves Lactantius his Disciples but rather Proselytes of the authority of Humane Reason and by this method of making their Reason the only Standard to measure Controversies seem to appropriate the Preface us'd in General Councils at least one and corrupting Visum est nobis Spiritui Sancto by changing the terms to every particular person who is adjusted with equal authority to say Visum est mihi Spiritui Sancto which boldness exceeds Poetical License which seeing extraordinary acts of Providence attributed it to the Gods whilst they said Sic visum est superis This being premis'd I pass to the other part of this consideration viz. of Schism and Heresie according to the new account of it and how Reformation is not so justifiable without Appeals to the constant Doctrine of the Church This Assertion must expect to find as furious a return as Water doth when cast on hot Iron Whilst I affirm that Schism and Heresie are two of the greatest evils of the Church and affirm as I think I safely may that some have abus'd Religion almost as much by their extenuation of these horrid sins giving a soft account of them suitable to the humour of the Libertine as the Schismatick and Heretick by practice for such Theory makes way for practice whilst they teach men that Schism and Heresie are only terms of Art which the Church hath us'd to impose on the Christian Schollars what Doctrine it pleases and that 't is the terrors of the two Greek words which have not so dreadful a signification as they say affrights the poor Christian like thundring and lightning to run to his Litany to pray for deliverance This slight of subtile men will miss its aim if it is consider'd that the Church is not only as a Lexicon or Dictionary to tell the English of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hath power to inflict its Censures when unjustifiable separations are attempted This unity of the Church is as much to be endeavour'd by the Pastors of it as the being of the Church is and that is so necessary that I may say of the Catholick Church in matters of Belief unum verum sunt idem Unity and Truth are undistinguished Now as it is certain that without the Catholick Church there is no Salvation for it is more than a Parenthesis in our Creed so is the Unity necessary in order to it Wherefore all Churches who at any time endeavour'd a regular Reformation made Appeals to some beside their own private interpretation of Holy Scripture which might be esteem'd unreasonable For if it may be imagin'd that each man may make interpretation of the Scriptures it is very difficult if not impossible for men especially those who will have communion with none but those of whom they are assur'd are of the same opinion with them in all things to maintain so perfect charity with a single person much less with the whole Church For suppose two different interpretations of some part of Holy Scripture viz. This is my Body and one takes the Body of Christ in the Eucharist to be only figuratively and the other corporally and both agree in this that the Consecrated Bread is rightly call'd the Body of Christ and the worthy Communicants receive it Thus supposing that these words appear in different senses to different persons how shall one convince the
from what is said is only this All Doctrines if they are not immediately received by the whole Church not rashly to be rejected This also I could infer that seeing it is not certain the Apostles wrote it themselves but in several Ages it had its Ratification at least the compellation of Apostolical from the Church its plain that the authority of the Church which makes it above other Creeds and to be the sum total of all that is to be believed makes it depend on that authority of the Church which gave it its compellation which I hope though borrowed from the authority of the Church which since the Apostles time hath been abused will be no greater a prejudice to discerning minds than the title of the King though first derived from the Pope can minorize the honour due to him This which is said perhaps may be retorted by an instance in Books of canonical Scripture by saying we may as well conclude that the Gospel owes its name of Gospel to the Church and the Law its name of the Law as conclude that the Creed as to its denomination or being Apostolical depends only upon the Church which calls it so This Objection may find an Answer from this consideration that although the Church is Ministerial in both holding out a Light to declare unto us that the Gospel is the Gospel and the Law the Law as much as it doth evidence that the Creed is the Creed yet there is this difference the Books of the Law and Gospel its probable had their compellation or name written by the same Authors that wrote them but the Creed owes its title to the restimony of the Church so far as it is call'd the Apostles Creed By this limitation I hope I have prevented another cavil which might conclude I make the Doctrine of the Creed to depend on the Church when I only speak of the compellation as being borrowed from the Church which compellation is the only hinge on which the present Controversie turns for take away the name the Apostles Creed and it can be no more said to be the sum of all Religion than other Doctrines or Theses generally received by the Church If it is further urged that all Titles of the canonical Books bear not without doubt the Authors names as several Psalms and the Epistle to the Hebrews because it is not certainly known who were their Authors This may be granted yet the case is not the same with the Creed and some parts of the canonical Scripture for the latter it may be safely said that the Church gave no new Titles to those Books but delivered them as they found them waitten or were assured of their Titles by infallible Traditions but the same cannot so certainly be said of the Apostles Creed From all that is said it is easie to observe how some men are ready to own the Authority of the Church when serviceable to their designs and disowns it when it thwarts private Opinions It may be granted that the Apostles Creed is Regula fidei Tutissima as a Rule though but a foot in length may discover the crookedness of the greatest quantity and is useful in thousands of cases so the Creed may measure and discover though not so accurately the many Volumious errors in Religion but not in direct terms but by consequence To illustrate it by Instances Christ sums up all the Commandments in one word Love which modo implicito concludes against all Vice otherwise it could not be an abridgment of the whole Law this must be granted but it is rashness to say that this Command alone is able to check all Vices and conclude against each particular Sin It is also said of Manna a fit Emblem of the Creed always to be kept in the Ark of the Church that eminently contains all savours to gratifie the Tast and Smelling and the Opall and Iris have a lovely commixture of all colours Now as a man who would pass an accurate Judgment of a sweet body would not appeal to Manna which hath it mixt with others but to some particular object of the same kind and he who would pass judgment on Colours Yellow or Blue c. will not compare them with that in the Rainbow but some other Object of the same complexion or tincture the same may be said of the Articles of Faith which are severally comprehended in the Creed yet are not to be an exact measure of their numerous Errors implicitly condemned by it It hath been doubted by some whether the principles of Chymists Salt Sulphur c. are really in the Bodies or whether they were as matter fitly prepared and by Extraction made such I shall not presume to determine any thing in this but only apply it to the present case by saying there are the Semina or Principia in the Creed but particular Articles which confute particular Errors though they have their Foundation from it yet their whole Superstruction cannot be said to be taken from it It is impossible it should be done therefore weakness to attempt it for it argues as much weakness in those men who undertake to assert the Creed the sum of all to be believed and to confute all Errors as some when urged by some of the Roman Church to shew how the Sacraments were contained in the Creed have answered out of Aquinas 2.2 q. 1. a. 8. Eos Articulos continueri includi in Articulo fidei quo Credimus unam sanctam Ecclesiam Sanctorum Communionem Remissionem peccatorum that they are contained in the Articles where we profess a Belief in the Catholick Church Communion of Saints remission of Sins And being urged particularly to shew how Baptism was included there run for Sanctuary to the Athanasian Creed This seems to be a far fetcht and an unnatural deduction for though it may be concluded that the Sacraments are necessarily implyed in the Remission of Sins as he gives his reason Ibidem nam per Sacramenta peccata remittuntur it will conclude the necessity but says nothing of the nature wherefore that great Doctor with all the subtilties of his School-companions could never extract any thing thence of the nature of them so if Transubstantiation could not find any other confutation than from those Articles it would be to little purpose to dispute against it Thus one of our Church who being urged by a Papist how he shewed in the Creed that Doctrine of the Devils forbidding Marriage was exprest in the Creed answers that neither meats nor marrying of any persons could be unlawful because a Christian believes in God in his Creed to be maker of all thinks good so not to be forborn and all his Institutions holy therefore not to be abstained from by any persons This seems to me as vain an Attempt and as far fetcht a way of Arguing as those men use who will undertake to shew there is nothing New but demonstrate all new Philosophy to be taken out of Aristotle I
of late times the odious face of the Church if it may deserve that compellation of the Church prevents me in saying more This which is premised will make way for this conclusion That the exacting of necessary Oaths Subscription c. and other means of Comformity are no otherwise an intrenching on Liberty than the exigency of Christian Society requires and the Savage may as well complain of Policy which reduced them from their wilde and natural extravagancy as the Libertine of a Test or tryal of his conscience so far as it concerns the Magigistrate This perhaps may appear too Magisterially said if I do not give the Reader the plea for Liberty and suggest this as a conclusion Before these considerations are closed I cannot but add this That some who disdain all Auxiliaries and Aid from the authority of the Fathers and Councils seem to press them into service of the Church when they find any clause that may aid them in their wild and arbitrary Model of Ecclesiastical Government Thus I find Saint Chrisostome among the Ancients cited as an enemy to the Method which seems to force Religion and Grotius amongst the latter which practice seems like that of Interested Politicians who will let Statutes lye as an old Armory fit for service but not to be used till occasion furbishes them and gives the rusty Iron an edge That this may not seem gratis dictum Let the former Author be considered whose Paternal Indulgence and Instruction to the Priests speaks favourably of weak Christians his words are these Lib. 2. de Sacerdot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Grotius his favourable words extend only to the not propagating of Christian Religion by force not contradicting the use of the Civil Power in settlement or well composing a Church already planted This I presume will be granted that the Church of England hath endeavoured to reduce refractory men by all imaginable means and when that takes not effect the Civil power begg'd to assist them which contradicts the sense of the Holy Father who only designs to shew that Clerical power proceeds not in the method of a Temporal Prince and another citation of Salvian is to this purpose whilst he says they are to be tenderly handled Qui bono animo Errant or as a late Author says Ill Believers For speaking of the Arrians he makes this Plea for them Non Odio sed affectu dei honorare se Dominum amare credentes This plea cannot be made in this Age for it may well be supposed that the Arrians of whom he speaks had not the same opportunity of being confirmed in Religion the Question debated being only confirmed by one Council but that in dispute now by many So that Refractory Patrons of factious Zealots may be askt Tertullian's Question Interea perperam Evangelizabatur tot millia millium perperam tincta tot opera fidei perperam administrata tot virtutes tot Charismata perperam operata tot Sacerdotia perperam functa tot denique Martyria perperam Coronata To say all time which blots out other characters makes Religion more legible and Martyrs blood as a Rubrick to each clause of the Divine Law so plain that Man may rnn the course of his Temporal life and read his title to Heaven But if this unhappy Age gives instances of those which cannot and desire to be tollerated in their ignorance their only plea must be their weakness which in matters of Religion can have no other way of process than Sub forma pauperis if I may borrow the Lawyers term as men of weak apprehension and the defect of their narrow Faith must be supplyed or relieved from Heaven not Earth from God who alone knows how to rate the poverty of Spirit according to its true value not Man And such a Toleration if its term may be allowed as it concerns God himself must have its compleat Ratification not only from the Princes and Churches Clemency but God's highest and last Judicature To conclude all it seems a more pertinent way for such to address themselves to the Divine rather than humane Judicature and endeavour that God may incline his ear to their Prayers and increase their Faith rather than attempt to supple and bend the Magistrate to complyance by fervent petitions FINIS Errata REad St. Malo Page 5. r. launching out into p. 8. r. Arguments are like p. 10. r. all error p. 19. r. the design of Christ in this place p. 21. animate or inanimate p. 23. r. before I pass p. 24. r. except some of which that were miraculous p. 32. because latter Kings p. 33. minds me p. 41. footing in the World p. 45. r. three times p. 63. Articles of the Creed such p. 70. r. threadbare word p. 72. r. defining p. 98. Perspectives ibid. and disown p. 80. r. exprest and condemn'd p. 85. for God under Law and Gospel never since r. God never since Adams Innocency was only worshiped but by one Votary p. 92. r. probabili p. 97. r. complain'd p. 100. p. 112. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉