Laws of God and Man just as they suit his Interest and his Inclination to make the Scriptures a Nose of Wax and the King and Church meer Heads of Wood and since the reason of Obedience is because we think it truth which is Commanded and that they who Command are better able to Judge for us than we our selves as being by God appointed over us for that Design should they be mistaken in what they Command yet the Judge of all the Earth who cannot do wrong would be so far from punishing that he would reward such Obedience because done according to his Command Nor shall the other for Commanding because they did it with a good Design provided when it does appear to them to be of ill consequence they cease to impose it any longer which is the true reason why many things in the service of God have been altered and abolished upon several Occasions THIRDLY It will be objected That by this Rule all the Gallicane German and other Protestant Churches who live under a Government which owns and Commands the Romish Discipline and Church will hereby be made Schismaticks to those several National Churches of which they are Members and that hereby a necessity is laid upon us to return to the Obedience of the Church of Rome for if those Churches may dissent from their National Churches and yet hold the true Faith why may not we why should their Disobedience be Lawful and ours Damnable To this I answer First That the Difference between those Churches and the National Church in which they are does not consist in Matters of Circumstance or Ceremony but in Matters of Faith and though I will neither undertake the Defence of those Churches either in Doctrine or Discipline yet I suppose they separate from the Roman Communion upon the account of the Impositions of that Church in Points of Faith such as are the Popes Supremacy never owned in France even by the Catholiques the Doctrines of Infallibility the real Presence by Transubstantiation Merit of Works and Supererogation Invocation of Saints Purgatory Adoration of Images c. and the Roman Church who imposes these as Articles of Faith is her self Schismatical if not Heretical from the Catholique Apolique Church of all Ages and therefore to depart from her where she departs from Truth is no more Heresie or Schism than it would be to depart from the Law of Moses or the Jewish Communion in Circumcision c. or of Mahomet if those were imposed as Matters of Faith by that or any other Church for the Apostles Rule holds good to the End of the World for all Christians in Matters of Faith and Manners Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 And would the Romish Church Impose no more upon Christians as necessary to Salvation than is contained in those three famous Creeds of the Apostles Nice and St. Athanasius and what is clearly contained in Scripture which have ever been the Standards of the Catholique Faith I think every good Christian over whom they may challenge a Lawful Jurisdiction ought to joyn with them in Communion of Government and even those over whom they can rightly challenge none ought yet to agree with them in the Communion of Faith Nay should they command many Ceremonies in the Service of God more than they do yet those who live in the Jurisdiction of that Church ought to submit to them for the maintaining of Unity Peace and Charity and I doubt not but the Foreign Protestants at least in Charity I hope so if there were no other matters of Difference between them would easily be perswaded to submit to all the Points of Government Ceremony and much more I remember what a Famous French Minister said to this Purpose when he was told that some of the English Nonconformists refused Communion with the Church of England because they were Enjoyned to wear the Surplice and other Vestments I wish says he that the King of France would command me to perform my Function in a Fools Coat so little did he think the outside and dress of Religion to be of the Essence of it and so necessary did he judge Obedience as well as true Faith to the Peace Unity and Happiness of the Church BUT Secondly Many of those Protestants have Licence and Tolleration given them to Celebrate the Worship and Service of God according to their own Way and by that Dispensation they are free from the guilt of Disobedience to the Civil Magistrate and for the Obedience they owe to the Church of Rome I presume they are willing to give it with all their hearts if Rome Exacted no more in matters of Faith than God Almighty requires as necessary to Salvation BUT the Case is clearly different betwixt our Dissenters and the Foreign Protestants for our Differences are or at least are pretended to be about matters of Polity and the Manner of performance of the Offices of Religion and let the Nonconformists prove us but Guilty of destroying one Article of Faith or imposing any thing to be believed or done contrary to the Scriptures and let them dissent from us in Gods Name and till they can do that their Separation will be a horrid Schism and their Nonconformity a manifest Disobedience to the Laws of God and Men. And should the Foreign Churches refuse the Communion of the Church of Rome and disobey the Princes whose Subjects they are commanding them if there were no greater Differences than Matters of Ceremony and Circumstance I doubt not but their Separation and Disobedience would deserve the same Character BUT supposing the Supreme Power of those Countries should absolutely prohibit the Protestants the exercise of their Religion I think they ought to obey and fall to the Old Arms of the Primitive Christians Prayers and Tears and not to the new Methods of Manaces making Parties and endeavouring by force of Arms to obtain that from Authority by Violence and Compulsion which they cannot by Perswasion A Practice shameful to the Protestant Cause and for any thing I can see if they Judg of all by the Example of our Dissenters more likely to perswade all Princes to Extirpate them out of their Dominions for Seditious Schismaticks and Dangerous Rebells than to Tollerate them as Innocent and Religious Christians THIS was the Custom of the Ancient Christians who Conquered more by the Cross than the Persecutors by all their Cruelty who overcame by Suffering and not by Rebelling A remarkable Instance of which we have in the Army of Julian the Apostate who were obedient to him as their Temporal Soveraign so long as he liv'd but after he had jested out his impious Soul with a Vicistî Galilaee and that Jovinianus was chosen Emperor which he refused as being a Christian and thinking the whole Army Pagans they all cried out Et nos sumus Christiani We are all of us also Christians Here were men in Arms a Powerful Number of Veterane and Victorious Legions
keep those Differences alive and are the constant food and nourishment which does not only support but increase and augment them till they grow at last beyond all hopes and possibility of Composure Would all persons indeavour heartily to take the Beam out of their own Eyes they would see clearly to remove the Moats out of their Brothers and would hereby advance a large step towards Reconciliation by coming to a good Understanding and a clear discovery of what it is they differ about Controversies being many times in mere Words rather than in Substance and are rather the Effects of prejudice and misunderstanding one anothers meaning than in the things themselves about which we seem to disagree for Prejudice is an ill Opinion of Persons or Things arising from a false judgment which we entertain concerning them which makes them appear to us of monstrous and deformed Shapes and Colours it is a certain Jaundice of the Mind which stains every thing with the disagreable appearances with which not the things themselves but the Conceptions we have of them are vitiated and our Judgment by that misinformation deceived and abused for when the Mind comes to be infected with prejudice it renders those things ill and unlawful which to a mind cleared from those obstructions and gross humors of the Vnderstanding appear as in reality they are in themselves Innocent Good Lawful and many times expedient and necessary or however at the worst in their own Natures simply indifferent THIS is the Common Lot of all those things in Divine Worship which are not of the Essence but Circumstantials of Religion which are the things that raise the greatest Dissentions and Differences amongst Christians It is at once the occasion of Wonder and of Pity to see Christians who all agree in the Main Eph. 4.5 That there is one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8.6 and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him who all consent in one common End and Design which is Eternal Happiness in Heaven and one hope of this Common Salvation that yet they should disagree and fall out by and about the Way that leads to those Blessed Regions of Light and Immortality When Joseph the Type of our blessed Jesus had given his Brethren changes of Rayment and Provision for their Journey in order to bring them out of the Land of Famine to the Country of Goshen it was not an unnecessary Command which he laid upon them Gen. 45.24 See that ye fall not out by the Way Should they now have fallen out into Disputes and Differences about their Apparel because it was not all of a Size Colour or Fashion or whether they should travel the same way back again and not seek another would not the one have been as ridiculous a dispute as the other dangerous and yet this very Folly there are too many Guilty of who leaving the old Road of Charity because their Brethren will not comply with them in their Novel Dresses of Religion seek out a new Road to Heaven which the foot of Saint or Martyr never trod before Thus shall you see some People start at the very word Ceremony as if it would convey the Plague into their Ears and Damnation into their Souls and yet they themselves can perform no Religious Office of bodily Worship without it and if St. Paul be to be credited God expects we should offer our bodies a living Sacrifice Rom. 12.3 holy and acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service A Ceremony is nothing more than a Solemn way or manner of performing Religious Duties which word some derive â Carendo quia Religio non potest Exerceri Caeremonijs carens because no Religion can be performed without some Ceremonies though others it may be more aptly â Charitate from that Charity which the agreement of People in one way and manner of Worship does naturally produce among them or it may be from the old Latin word Caerus which is the same with Sanctus holy for which reason the Latins call their Holy-days Caeremoniosi Dies and it is no more but a Rite or Custom appropriated to holy Vses Some there are who to render it Odious derive it from the Heathen Goddess Ceres how like Scholars or rather School-boys let the Learned Judge But supposing it were true is it a good Argument the Heathens had Ceremonies therefore the Christians must have none By the same reason the Heathens Worshipped false Gods therefore Christians must not Worship the True for all Worship is Ceremony BUT when once this prejudice is fixed to the Word it is no more but fixing the Word to what People dislike and it presently looks black and ugly and becomes a Mormo a Bugbear to their thoughts and like Children they start and Cry out at the shadow which they make themselves but if they can add the word Popish that it is a Popish Ceremony then it is Impious Vnlawful Superstitious and Damnable and all that can be said to render it Execrable and Abominable when as in truth all that Papists do is not Popery nor Abominable and Unlawful but however by the strength of this prejudice those things which are truly Primitive are made Popish kneeling at the receiving the holy Eucharist bowing at the Name of Jesus and the whole Book of the Liturgy though for the generality express words of Scripture are made Ceremonies and Popish and then how innocent soever if a Tumult can but be made Away with them Crucifie them whereas sober people ought to Consider that there is a Necessity of some Solemn Ways Rites Modes and Methods of Expressing our Devotion and Worship and since these Modes or Ways are Ceremonies and some Ceremonies are not only Lawful but Necessary why not these which have been approved in all Ages of the Church ever since the times of Apostolical Purity rather than any new ones of Private Invention in opposition to Publique Authority which thinks fit to Continue Establish and Command these to be Used in the Church I am not ignorant that here is a strong suspicion of Malice as well as Mistake and it is much to be doubted that there is a Combination of Interest as well as Prejudice in some of the Principal Fomenters of Division who appear so transported against all Ceremonies and that though they know better things yet they mightily indeavour to maintain these Prejudices in the Minds of the Easy Multitude who hang their Faith upon the Oracles of their Lips and in this are absolute Papists believing with an implicit Faith the Infallible Decrees of the Heads of their Church for upon this Depend the Benevolences which their Followers do so freely bestow upon them for this Industrious Flattery that these Prejudices are Marks and Signs of their Christian Liberty and being Escaped from the Yoak of Antichristian Tyranny and Egyptian Darkness into the glorious
he knows more and better what he ought to do than he who has Power to Command him This is the knowledg which St. Paul says puffeth up but Charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 2. And therefore he subjoyns If any man think he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know that is if his knowledg occasions a breach of Charity he does not yet know himself or his Duty to God and Man This is so clear a Case with those of the Separation who break both Charity and Unity by their Disobedience that they must shut the clearest beams of Truth out of their Souls if they do not discover it SECONDLY An obstinate adherence to any private Opinion whereby the Peace of the Church is destroyed especially in things no ways in themselves Essentially necessary to Salvation must of necessity proceed from Pride for why should any person prefer his private Judgment before the Determination of his Superiors before that of the Catholick Church in all Ages but because he thinks himself wiser and more able to discern what is for the Publick Good than all that were before him or that are above him though hereby Solomon will tell him from the Spirit of God that he only purchases the Character of a Fool Prov. 12.15 The way of a Fool is right in his own eyes but he that hearkeneth unto Counsel is wise And therefore the Prophet pronounceth a Woe against such Woe unto those that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight Esa 5.21 Which must be meant of private persons for the Wisdom of Superiors is not so much their own as the Wisdom of all former Ages and for this Reason St. Paul commands Rom. 12.16 Be of the same mind mind not high things prompted by Pride or Ambition but condescend to men of low Estate much more to those of high be not wise in your own conceit And for Encouragement to this kind of Private Wisdom once more hear Wisdom it self speak by the wise man Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit Prov. 26.12 there is more hope of a Fool than of him And it is impossible to give any other Reason why men should not submit to Truth and their Superiors when they may be sensible to a demonstration from Reason Scripture and Experience that their private Opinions are unlawful because dangerous contrary to Charity and Gods Command but because they think such a Submission a Retractation or Compliance with Authority would be a lessening of them as to that Opinion for Wisdom and Sanctity which others attribute to them and that dangerous Flatterer Pride perswades them they are Masters of THIRDLY To indeavour to strengthen themselves by making a Party to secure them in their Disobedience and Obstinacy is the certain and unseparable Symptom of Ambition as well as Pride for if I dislike any thing I may do so to my self but to perswade others to it must have respect to a further Design and declares that I intend not only to own my Disobedience but to justifie and maintain it by Power The best Men in the World may Err privately but it is to be suspected they are the worst who make their Errors Publique to draw Disciples after them by Disobedience a man Equals himself to his Superiors for it is a plain denying their Authority over him by Obstinacy he shews his intention to stand his Ground and make good his Incroachment upon their Power and by his making of a Party he does as it were make secret Levies and inrols a Militia to defend himself from the Power of his Superiors and looks as if he meant to struggle with them not only for Precedence but Dominion I wish these were only Suppositions and that we could not from woful Experience say they are but too true but it was this very way that lately laid the Crown as well as the Mitre in the Dust too lately to give us the least reason to doubt that the same Methods may do it again if not in time prevented either by the vigilance of Authority or by reducing the disorderly and disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just and by informing their Understandings to oblige them voluntarily to abandon those Men and Principles whose Practices will infallibly lead them to these Conclusions or oblige Authority by the utmost Severities of Laws to prevent the Danger and Ruine of the whole Frame of Government both in Church and State AND as Pride and Ambition are but too visible amongst the Principles of Dissention amongst us and the principal Obstacles of our Peace and Vnity so are they no less Obstructions to a Reconciliation with the Roman Church for it is the Ambition of Supremacy over all other Churches and over all Temporal Powers and even over our Faith it self the incommunicable Prerogative of our blessed Jesus Heb. 12.2 the Author and Finisher of our Faith which has render'd all Reunion with them not only dangerous but impossible unless we will resolve by believing as that Church believes to disbelieve not only our Sense and Reason but Scripture and all Antiquity and not only those but God himself who has given us them to assist us in our Faith IT is the Ambition of the Clergy which obliges them to keep the Laity in Ignorance so blind that they are not permitted to inquire or doubt And for the Clergy as before was observed in the point of Interest they are constantly fed with the nourishment of Ambitious Thoughts hopes of Dignities and Promotions The meanest Priest or Recluse may come to be head of his House Superior and after General of his Order a Prior or Abbot and it may be a Bishop the Bishop may advance the Mitre to the Honour of a Cardinals Hat and the Red Hat may turn to the Triple Mitre and all this by being a Zealous Maintainer of the Usurped Power of that Church justifying her Incroachments upon the Crowns of Princes and the Mitres of all other Bishops Primates Metropolitans and Patriarchs owning her Monopoly of the Word Catholique avowing her Canonical and Decreed Errors for Rules of Faith and Manners and divulging her fictitious Collusions for real Miracles though to the hazard of rendring the true ones of Christ and his Apostles suspected upon which the sole confirmation of our Religion depends These are the Stairs by which men ascend to the Papal Dignity which now out-flies the Imperial Eagle as well as the smaller Royal Birds of Majesty Et Caput inter Nubila condit for to oppose any of these is a certain way to be prefer'd to the Torments of the Inquisition to be branded with Heresie and Apostacy and to Expire in Flames and Torments So that I hope by this time it is evident how pernioiously powerful the Principles of Interest and Prejudice Custom and Education Pride and Ambition are in the Minds of Men to hinder them from Embracing Truth and her Beautiful Children Peace and
and Religion LOUD and clamorous are the Complaints and Declamations against the vitiousness and Debauchery of the present Age and not without too evident Truth and Reason Impiety which was formerly used to wait for the twilight dare now walk bare fac't and stare upon the Sun St. Paul says of the modest Debauchees of his Age They that are drunken are drunken in the Night but now licentious men are become so impudent as to scorn to throw the Mantle of Darkness over their vitious Intemperance that they take a Pleasure and a Pride to Riot in the day time and to affront God and Men and even humane Nature it self by their prodigious and Publique Sins and Follies They who did ill formerly hated the light but now Men study to affront it and oblige that pure and innocent Blessing to become not only a Witness but an Assistant to their Brutish and shameless Disorders and would loose their greatest pleasure should they not expose themselves and their deeds of Darkness to the discovery of the Day ALL this is laid upon the Government of the Church which though it be as innocent as the light by which they are boldly acted yet must they conspire in the guilt of these horrid Crimes if we will believe Dissenters who blush not to lay this false Accusation to the Charge of the Government that thereby they may render it Criminal and Odious and themselves and Party Clear and Innocent when as in truth and reality the Guilt of these miscarriages will be found to lie at their own Doors and let them wipe their mouths never so demurely and say they have done no Evil Prov. 30.20 with Solomon's Common Woman let them wash their hands with Pilate and say they are guiltless I doubt not to make it appear to the contrary It is a bold Charge and I know they will start at it as much as the Disciples did when our Saviour told them That one of them should betray him and be as forward as they to Cry out Is it I Who we but what if it prove true and be made good against them I will indeavour it and yet with all the Christian Compassion that I am capable of for I have no design to Expose their Persons to hatred but to bring them to true Repentance by shewing them the Danger of those Ways which with the specious shew of Righteousness and Holiness deceive them into a Contempt of the terrible Authority of the Church and others by their Example into all Sensuality and Impiety THAT Christ left to the Governors of his Church the Power of the Keys is most Evident from his own plain and clear Words For when he was to leave this World he called his Apostles to him and Then said Jesus unto them again Joh. 20.23 Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me even so send I you there is their Mission and Commission for their Function and Government and when he had said this Matth. 18.18 he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost there is their Unction and Ordination their ability to perform the Duty and discharge the trust reposed in them Whos 's soever Sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained There is the Office and the Power which was put into their hands the Expedient by which they were to govern and Rule the Church of God And though the Romanists endeavour to Monopolize even in the literal and worst sence this great Power only to Saint Peter and his Successors as they pretend the Roman Bishops only are yet nothing is more clear than that our Saviour intended them all an Equal share and a Power to derive it to their Successors in all Churches to the End of the World His gracious Promise of being with them extending unto all Times Places and Persons who should succeed any of the Apostles as well as St. Peter The Church being built not only upon him but upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Jesus being himself the Chief and Corner-stone in whom and by whom the whole glorious Fabrique is Vnited and Compleated THIS Power of the Keys of binding and loosing is the Power of Excommunication of Offenders and Absolution of Penitents and is indeed all the Power which Christ left with his Church and the only Jurisdiction which the Governors can exercise in and over it For all Corporal Punishments are properly and peculiarly vested by God himself in the power of the Temporal and Civil Magistrate who carries the Sword and is ordained of God for that very purpose and Design as St. Paul acquaints us Rom. 13. for he beareth not the Sword in vain but is the Minister of God a Revenger to Execute punishment upon him that doeth Evil. AN Instance of this terrible Sentence of Excommunication we have inflicted upon the Incestuous Corinthian and that with a great Formality 1 Cor. 5.5 This is my Determination saith the Apostle In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when yeare gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan as he tells us in another place that he had delivered Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan that they might learn not to Blaspheme By virtue of this dreadful Power it was that the Primitive Governors of the Church even when they had no assistance but all opposition from the Secular Powers yet kept the Flock of Christ in all Obedience Subjection good Order and Discipline Then were Christians Miracles of Charity Piety and Devotion to the wondring Pagans when they were obliged to those Duties by no Humane Laws when there were no fears of Prisons Tortures Confiscations or Banishment unless for being and owning themselves to be Christians but the only fear of Excommunication and being put out of thâ— Fellowship of the Saints here on Earth and denyed Entrance into the Congregation of the Faithful of being debarred from receiving the Holy Eucharist and joyning in the publique Service and Worship of God was more forcible to make them Holy Obedient and Vnanimous than all the Torments devised by Persecution were able â—o make them Prophane or Vitious For why They did believe that unless the Governors of the Church the Successors of the Apostles did remit their Sins on Earth they should not find remission in Heaven they therefore believed it because Christ the Eternal Truth had said it They did believe that unless they were United by Communion to the Holy Catholique Church they could never hope for the Remission of Sins the Resurrection of the Body unto Life Everlasting which is the most ancient Confession of the Christian Faith and which with great probability is supposed to be delivered by the Apostles to the Church as a short sum of Faith necessary to Salvation NOR were they more fearful of this formidable Sentence of Excommunication than desirous of the Absolution of
place but they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Words and misused his Prophets until the Wrath of God arose against them and there was no remedy Then did the overflowing scourges come rolling upon them Fire and Sword and Captivity Desolation and utter Subversion God of his infinite Mercy have compassion upon his People and his dwelling Place and turn the hearts of the Despisers and disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just that we may not despise our selves and Nation into such a Dismal and inevitable Ruin CHAP. IX THUS have I shewn the Necessity that there is in every National Church of Unity in point of Government as well as Faith upon a Religious account Let us now come to Examine what Necessity there is upon a Politique account as we are united together into one Community of Men as well as a Society of Christians WE must consider therefore that Religion was designed to improve even our Interest in this World to the best advantage of Living and that to put on Christianity we are not to put off Humanity or by learning Obedience to God to forget what we owe to our Neighbour or our King The Eternal Prince of Peace as well as Truth came to Preach Peace unto All not to Embroyl the World or unsettle the Thrones of Princes but to Establish them for the Throne is Established by Righteousness Pro. 16.12 That glorious Heir of all things rejected the offer of all the Kingdoms of the Earth and positively affirms That his Kingdom is not of this World and therefore when he took upon him Humane Nature he own'd himself a Subject of the Roman Empire and not only paid the Tribute for himself and Saint Peter but Commands all men to do the same and the great Design of the Gospel which he came to Preach was to make all men better in their feveral Estates and Capacities of Life better men and therefore better Subjects to Princes This was the particular Care of the Church to inspire the Converts to Christianity with these Principles of Duty and Obedience so necessary to the Peace and Happiness of the World So St. Paul commands Ro. 13.1 Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers Thus St. Peter Teaches and Commands 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of Evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for this is the Will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men This being then one main Design of Christian Religion let us see of what Necessity Vnity in point of Government in the Church is in order to it and what influence it has upon the Political Government of a Christian State THE Root of all our Miseries Divisions and Disorders is That men take this for a Principle That they may be Disobedient to Lawful Authority without danger of Damnation and so far has the mischief of this fretting Gangrene spread it self that many People esteem it a part of their Religion to disobey the Civil Power and think it is impossible for them to be saved should they be obedient to its Commands which they think are inconsistent with the Commands of God This Error must proceed either from Malice or Mistake I will be so charitable as to suppose not from the first and therefore looking upon it as the Child of Ignorance I will endeavour to state the Case truly that so the Understanding of Men being informed by Truth they may either be reformed or left without Excuse THE great Design of the infinitely glorious good and Wise Creator being the Happiness of Mankind he therefore proportioned a Method for the obtaining of it and Man being Created with a double Capacity of Injoying Happiness both here and hereafter therefore did that Excellent Wisdom appoint Religion as the Way and Means for attaining both and for the accomplishment of those Noble and Excellent Ends it is furnished with Rules and Precepts which bear a double Respect to this double Capacity one part Conducts us to God and future Happiness in the External fruition of his grorious Presence in Heaven and the other Leads us to the Happiness of this Mortal State by the Politicl Rules of Living Well with a mutual respect not only to our own but the happiness of one another by the lawful and moderate Use and Enjoyment of the inferior Creation which God therefore made that he might shew his Glory his Wisdom his Power and his Goodness to the Sons of Men. So that the sum of all Religion in order to obtain this Happiness both here and hereafter is to believe aright and to Live Well and both these are so Essentially necessary to Salvation that the one will not obtain it without the other for the Devils believe Jam. 2.19 though it makes them tremble To believe aright we must refer our selves to those Divine Truths which God has from Heaven revealed to us concerning himself and our Duty the short sums of which Faith the Church has collected out of the Sacred Writings in the three Famous Creeds of the Apostles St. Athanasius and the Councel of Nice To Live well it is required that a man submits to all those practical Precepts and Rules of Life which God has commanded in his Will revealed in his holy Word by Justice Temperance Prudence Chastity Obedience c. and for the attainment of Happiness by these Rules in this present Life God has not left Men in a wild parity like Brutes but has by the Wisdom of his Providence divided the World into superior and inferior Degrees of Men Subjects and Soveraigns intrusting one to Rule and Govern and commanding the other to Obey and for this he has left many Positive Commands too well known and too numerous to be here repeated THESE Powers thus Ordained of God and armed with his Sword to execute Vengeance on them that do evil are vested with Authority to make such Decrees Laws and Sanctions as in their Wisdom they shall Judg conducive to the Happiness of the People committed to their Charge that so they may be a Terror to evil Works and encouragers of them that are Good And to them prosecuting this great and good Design and to those Laws which do promote it all men are bound to submit not only for wrath Rom. 13.5 but for Conscience sake And it is impossible any man should be saved who lives in a wilful Disobedience and that Power and those Commands and the Reason is because all such Disobedience is a sin against God himself against his Positive Will and Command and I think there is no person who will be so hardy as to maintain in Words however they may do it in Actions that Salvation is to be had or hoped for by such as live in manifest
of Less Extent are to be regulated were intended as a defence and Protection to all providing one injure not another and that Common Peace and Safety be secured No other Subsequent inferiour Law can therefore debar any peaceable Christian that answers the Necessities of Church and State Civil Spiritual and Political in equal Justice and in Foro Conscientiae from this Priviledge Originally due to all And this he fortifies with the Confession of a Presbyterian Divine without a Name who never saw any Argument yet that could clearly Evince why any sort of Men who would profess a peaceable subjection unto the Civil Government might not in all their Civil Rights be protected by it Does not this oblige every Government to an easie Credulity to its own Ruine For the greatest of its Enemies will profess this Subjection till they have power to effect their Ends and by this Rule there is no care to be taken of Mens Principles or Practices if they can but speak Fair and profess they mean no hurt to the Government no matter for what may happen afterward the Governours may sleep securely till their throats are cut by these harmless Professors BUT taking this for a Maxim granted I proceed upon his own Words That no Tolleration of different Religion is to be permitted and that first from the Apostle St. Pauls Rule pag. 49. Hast thou Faith have it to thy self And seeing that Vniversal Vnity among Christians is not to be attained such a Tolleration of things tollerable is not only Lawful but necessary where a Latitude or Liberty is left in such things as are not clearly and positively laid down in Scripture in things of private Practice Which is just giving that Liberty which no man can take away every man being at liberty to believe and do so so long as he keeps it to himself and that it is Tollerable Faith by being to himself and his practice is truly private But why then does the Church of Rome Command us to believe Supremacy Purgatory Transubstantiation c. which are not clearly nor positively laid downin Scripture is this Good Just and Equal dealing with us BUT Secondly I Argue from his own Reason because nothing is more clear than that this Tolleration must of necessity destroy that Original Fundamental Law of Protection due to all from the Government which will not be able to Protect it self since it must Embroyl the Government and indanger its Ruine that being the very thing for which Tolleration is so earnestly desired For a Wise Government pag. 50 51. may tollerate at least in a private way with the Old bounty of giving what they cannot help different Opinions when otherwise the Publique may be intangled or indangered or rather because the Conscience cannot be compelled or Faith forced and more especially if they be such Religions as do not overthrow the Foundations of Truth nor such as disturb or impugn the Government Establisht or if the Professors thereof be such as are not Factious or pertinacious but Honest Simple Tractable Obedient to Superiors having no other End in holding their Opinions in Religion than Gods Glory or satisfaction of their own Conscience and withall are willing to submit to better Judgments when they are convinced to be Erroneous Pag. 52. For we ought to have a Latitude of Charity for those who Dissent if they be not Impostors or turbulent Incendiaries And who are there that will own themselves to be such It looks like Oliver Remonstrating or a Declaration of 41. and by this Rule all Sects Heresies and Rebels if they may be their own Compurgatorâ— must be Tollerated too since they will Profess all that is here desired for Tolleration but by clear Consequence if notwithstanding these Professions they do intangle and indanger the Government then they are not be Tollerated but the Tolleration of all Sects though Charitably supposing them not Hereticks does not only destroy some one Fundamental of Religion but Religion in the Main by making it Morally impossible for any Man to know where he shall find a true Religion and plainly introduces Mahometanism that a Man may be saved in any and will confirm the Atheist and Libertine in their Opinions that there is no such thing more than in Mens melancholy Humors And it is impossible but the Professors of different Religions will be Factious and Disobedient to Superiors as daily Experience assures us and to Tollerate them is to give them leave to be so and to hold their Opinions for the subversion of Government and not satisfaction of Conscience as some who called themselvs Papists as well as other Dissenters have done in former times and for ought we know Design the same again and therefore I conclude with the Advocate p. 55. That where every one has Liberty to hold what he pleases which by this profession cannot be denied him so soon as he believes his Party strong enough to grapple with Authority he will Publish and Preach what he holds confined to no Rule or Order but contemning Law will Rule as a Transcendent and as he quotes the most incomparable Hooker lib. 3. cap. 107. Let them tell us of Obeying the Laws of God as long as they please we dare not believe them who break the Laws of those appointed by God to Rule over them For it is a Distinction without a Difference to seperate and divide the Laws of God from the Laws of Men and unless we observe both we Obey neither pag. 56. In these Cases says our Advocate Christian Governors are not to regard such Pleas for private Liberty as overthrow Publique Order and Peace Nor to regard those Clamours against them and the Laws as Persecuting when they do but oppose and restrain such perillous Exorbitancies as strike at the Foundation of Christianity and open a gap to Atheism Profaneness and Blasphemy here the Magistrate must interpose his Coercive Power for remedy Nor are they in this infringers of the Peoples Liberty but preservers of freedom not Oppressors of others Consciences but dischargers of their own by prohibiting men to vent their raw undigested Fancies to others to start Principles distructive to Government subverting Order violating Laws breaking Oaths and contemning Authority publiquely acting according to private Perswasion not regarding common Order or publique Peace but by a Seditious and Factious Liberty broaching their Opinions to others And there is a great deal of Reason why the Magistrate should use this Power to crush the Cockatrice in the Egg For pag. 58. if the publique Power shall suffer arrogant Ignorance excess of Passion perverseness of Will to come to its full Rudeness and Extent which it can do no way so readily as by Tolleration Tumultuary Numbers and Brutish Power will soon make good private Presumptions and cover the most Impudent Lusts Passions and Ambitions of Men with the Pleas and Outcrys of Christian Liberty And those who hold forth Notions and Conceptions of Reformation or wholly changing Religion and Goverment
from the Advocates own Words that none can justly plead for a Tolleration whose Devilish Principles and furious Practices tend to the Subversion of Government which both by what has been said and by Experience the surest Demonstration in the World both Papists and other Dissenters especially Presbyterians have been proved guilty of Let us now see how he manages the Cause of his own Party for whose sake this Project of a Tolleration was principally intended as is plain by his comparing Luther Calvin Buchanan c. with Mariana Suarez and Bellarmine Whose Doctrines are at least as he says as Dangerous to Monarchy and therefore unfit to be Tollerated the one or the other LET us therefore examine the Plea of Innocency which he descends to defend in particular And as their manner always is pag. 70. he tells us That the Roman Catholique Religion was the first Christian Religion planted in our Countrey from whom we had our very Christianity Suppose it were yet Quantum mutatus ab illo The present Roman Catholique Religion is not the same which they planted But with his good leave his Assertion is contrary Pol. Virgil. Hist Angl. l. 2. not only to great Probability but to the consent of Historians for Polydore Virgil tells us Test is est Gildas Britannos jam inde ab initio arti Evangelii Christianam accepisse Religionem That our Ancestors received the Christian Faith according to the Testimony of Guildas in the very beginning of the Gospel Baronius thinks St. Peter was here Theodoret Bar. An. 58. n. 51. Theod. de curand Graec. affect l. 9. Niceph l. 2. cap. 40. Baron An. 36. n. 5. Bede lib. 1. cap. 25 26. lib. 2. cap. 2. Saint Paul Nicephorus Simon Zelotes Some Joseph of Arimathea and even when Austin the Monk came from Gregory to Convert us as they say to the Christian Faith he found a Church among us as Beda testifies Bertha a Christian Queen and at Bangor a Monastery or rather a Colledg of many hundreds who upon the Question Whether they should admit of Austin put it upon this Issue Si sit humilis admittatâ—â—â— But finding him proud and Imperious they rejected him which they durst never have done had they believed even the bare Primacy of his Master or that they were owing for their Faith and Conversion to the Roman Church I will not enter into a long dispute about Merits Pardons Purgatory Adoration of Images or Transubstantiation which were but actum agere only methinks the Apothecaries Argument deserves to be put upon the File who being pressed to believe the Doctrine of Transubstantiation told the Zealous Agressor pleasantly but truly Sir I will make a Wafer and set a mark upon it that it may not be changed you shall send it to the Pope let him Consecrate it and I will venture you a 100 l. you dare not take it Oh says the other but I dare and would well reply'd the Apothecary then I will venture a 1000 l. that you shall be dead before next Morning which if it were really transubstantiated were impossible that the poison of the Body should be the food of the Soul and Christ be made a Murderer which demonstrative Conclusion so little expected puts the Romanist a little out of Conceit with his Doctrine and struck him as dumb as the other would have done dead for all the Transubstantiation there are very gross Stories and Slanders abroad if some in the Romish Church have â—â—â—tried the Experiment and have received their Death by what was given them as the Body of Christ and the Bread of Life BUT I will observe his Method p. 166. He tells us confidently That there makes for them all that may or can be of any Christian man required Literal Text of Holy Scripture approved Tradition General Councels Ancient Fathers Ecclesiastical Histories Christian Laws Conversion of Nations Divine Miracles Heavenly Visions Vnity Vniversality Antiquity Succession all Monuments all Substance all Accidents of Christianity Here is not a word of Proof and therefore I may take the same Liberty in contradicting it if I please But to answer this There makes against them Literal Text of Holy Scripture â—usanus Ep. 2. ad Bohem. of that Scripture which a Cardinal says is a Nose of Wax of that Scripture which the Pope has Power to inlarge at his pleasure as the Trent Councel has done making the Apochrypha Canonical Of that Scripture which speaks not a single word for the Popes Supremacy Transubstantiation Purgatory Masses for the Dead Invocation of Saints Vows of single Life c. but in a thousand places against them and therefore they are obliged to fly for refuge to their Approved Traditions and set them in the Throne above the Scriptures whose mouths must be stopped by the vulgar Latin and the Vulgar confined from reading them and even these approved Traditions are most of them such as the Universal Church never knew never acknowledged Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Dec. 1. which yet must be received with the same Reverence and Affection as the Scriptures for as Baronius affirms Bar. Ann. 53. Num. 11. Traditio Scripturarum Fundamentum and the Traditions of Men are made the Foundation of Scripture and of Faith And the Canon Law of Pope Gregory XIII Dist 40. Si Papa in Ann. Margin goes higher yet and sets the Pope above them all For men rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Popes mouth than from the holy Scripture And yet all of their own Church do not approve these Approved Traditions for Basil says Basil Reg. contract p. 502. It is necessary and agreable to Reason that all men learn what is their Duty out of Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for the fulfilling all Godliness and lest they should be accustomed to Humane Traditions Iren. l. 3. c. 2. And Irenaeus tells us it was the Custom of Hereticks to call in Tradition to their assistance against Scripture alledging that those Truths as they called them which they held were not delivered by Writing but by word of Mouth AGAINST his General Counsels we oppose the first four and have offered a thousand times to put the Issue upon their Verdict Against Ecclesiastical Histories Ancient Fathers Christian Laws we oppose the frequent Forgeries of all these detected even by themselves and the Index Expurgatorius which Castrates all the Fathers that they may be fit Eunuchs for the Papal Seraglio the Vatican by being disabled to propagate truth For Conversion of Nations we refer them to the Acts of the Apostles for the first Age and for these last to Acosta the Jesuite and Bartholomeus Casas a Bishop in the Indies Acost de Ind. salut procurand their Conversion was such that the miserable People chose to go to Hell with their Ancestors rather than to Heaven with such Christians and if their Relations are true gives occasion to the Romanists to blush rather than boast
evident the best Method to obtain Assent to them As the disagreement of the Church is to suspend our Belief But this can only be about such things as are collaterally of Faith and by coming under the Notion of things Dubious are matter of Opinion and which if a man never knows he may be saved and therefore if he does not believe he cannot be Damned the Church is the Interpreter but not the Judg and indeed every man is a Judg for himself by his Eyes his Ears his Reason and Understanding whether that which the Church Interprets be according to the Scripture the Rule of that Faith by which he is to be saved and which therefore it is necessary that he know before he believe it to Salvation BUT since doubts are of divers Natures Private and Publique let us see how any Person may be determined in both First therefore Where the doubt is only Private about things not determined by Publique Authority derived from Scripture which are of an Indifferent Nature Every Mans full perswasion is his Judg according to the best Evidence the things in doubt admit of from the light of Nature Reason or probability that they are good and Lawful or Evil and Unlawful This full Perswasion St. Paul calls Faith Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin that is what I am not fully perswaded in my own mind of the Lawfulness of I cannot lawfully do This was the Case of the Gentiles who having only the Law of Nature were a Law to themselves their thoughts either Accusing or Excusing them as they acted according to the best of their knowledg and full Perswasion But this Judgment is only Private and has nothing to do with any other Person Hast thou Faith have it to thy self who art thou that Judgest anothe Happy is he that Condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth This is the Error of our Times men will make their Private perswasions Judges of all other men and impose their Private Opinions as matters of Faith necessary to Salvation Against which the whole Scope of that whole 14th Chapter to the Romans is designed BUT there is also another Private Judg whom God has appointed with Reference to things both of Private and Publique Concern and that is Conscience the Rule of Conscience is the Scripture the measure of Conscience is the certainty of Knowledg and the Judgment of Conscience is the determination of the Mind and the Direction of our Practice according to it For thus I and every man Judges I therefore believe the Articles of the Christian Faith that I am to do good to All men to be Obedient to God and my Lawful Superiors to live Righteously soberly and Godly in this present World because I certainly know that these things are by God commanded in Scripture and whatever is not so in plain Words or Consequence is only matter of Opinion and not of Conscience Certainty of Knowledg being of the Essence of Conscience as Probability is of the Essence of Opinion BUT Secondly In regard this very Rule is in things of Publique Doubt and Concern in some things Dubious such as is the Controversie about Government And since the Holy Oracles may seem to admit of Diverse interpretations so that what satisfies one mans Judgment is quite Opposite and contrary to another We must inquire who are to be Judges and Interpreters of the Rule in these Publique Affairs For that there must be some Judg or Judges is plain because God commands Vnity and Obedience but these cannot be obtained without men be determined What and Whom to Obey St. Peter informs us 2 Pet. 1.20 2 Pet. 3.16 That it is not the Duty of Private men For no Scripture is of private Interpretation and shews us the danger Notwithstanding which bold men will venture at it as St. Hierom says of his days Hier. Ep. ad Paulinum Scripturarum Ars est quam passim omnes sibi vendicant hanc Garrula anus hanc delirus Senex hanc Sophista verbosus hanc universi presumunt lacerant docent antequam discant It seems in his time all people read the Scriptures For every prating Old Woman and Doating Old Man every Wrangling wordy Sophister challenges and presumes to tear the Scriptures in pieces and to teach others before they have learnt themselves Whereas these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Peter calls them Unlearned ungrounded People ought first to Learn But of whom There is but this Choice either this Power is in the People or in the Governors of the Church IT cannot be in the People for they are Private Persons and are incapacitated by being so to perform this Publique Office for what no one can do singly neither can all do Collectively what every man wants all must For if every man in the World had but one Eye all the World must want two And the People are to Obey in Learning and therefore not to Rule in Teaching Neither would it be possible to come to any Determination in any thing it being impossible to find all the People of one Nation City Village or Family Nay even one Person of the same mind for any continuance of Time and by consequence all Religion must stagger and totter with continual Changes Uncertainties and Alterations and at last fall to Ruine and Confusion Which Great Truth forced even Calvin himself to drop this Oracle so contrary to the Pretences of his now Followers who would have the Fences of Government which incloses Gods Vineyard thrown down and all laid Common by Tolleration and Liberty of Conscience Cal. Inst lib. 4. p. 10. Sect. 31. Quantarum Rixarum saith he semen futura sit Earum Rerum Confusio si prout cuique libitum sit mutare liceat quae ad communem Statum pertinent Quando nunquam futurum est ut omnibus idem placeat si res velut in medio Positae singulorum arbitrio relictoe fuerint Si penes singulos jus Arbitrium erit Judicandi nihil unquam certi constitui Poterit Quin potius tota vacillabit Religio Of how many and great Quarrels would such Confusion be the Nursery If it shall be Lawful for every man according to his Pleasure to change those things which belong to the Common State of Christianity Since it can never be possible that the same thing should please all so long as indifferent things are left to be determined according to every mans Arbitrary Pleasure And if the Power and Right the Liberty of Judging Arbitrarily be left to the pleasure of All nothing of certainty can ever be Established but rather all Religion will totter and tumble down THE Scripture must be Interpreted and is not of Private Interpretation what remains but that it is of Publique God commands Vnity but in doing so he would command an Impossibility if he had not appointed Means to obtain it to whom then can this Power be delegated to draw all mens private Opinions into one Common Rule
for Practice but to the Governors of the Church which all shall be bound to observe for the obtaining Peace and Vnity I have already proved who are those Governors who by the Appointment of the Holy Ghost are to Rule to feed the Flock of Christ to Watch over mens Souls as they that must give an Account to Rebuke Exhort with all long suffering but not with suffering always for if Seducers will persist in subverting houses and vain talking then by proceeding to stopping their Mouths that so they may study to approve themselves unto God Workmen that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth And the Temporal Power of the Civil Magistrate may assist the Spiritual to bring men to Peace Unity and Obedience to these their Guides and Governors by being a Terror to Evil doers and Encouragement to those who do well which is both the Will and the Word of God I know it will be Objected That these Intepreters of Scripture and Judges of Controversies may Err and be deceived Bishops may Err Counsels have Erred and therefore this leaves us still in an Uncertainty since it is possible that we may be misled by them and how shall we be certain they do not Err or we in following them and wherein is it Lawful to refuse to Obey them To this I answer That the Qualificatîon of such a Guide and Interpreter of Scripture as we are to expect is not such a one as cannot Err but such a one as does not Err for had God left us such a Guide besides his own Word and Will there would have been a state of Perfection attainable in this Life and by consequence an Immortality and no necessity of his Divine assistance to keep us by his mighty Power from falling through Faith unto Eternal Salvation such a Guide must have been a God Omniscient Omnipotent and Omnipresent which is as unreasonable to believe as to expect from any or all Mortal Men. And besides it is a vain and frivolous Objection for those who are under any Lawful Government to run into the most dangerous Errors and manifest breach of Gods Command by Schism and Disobedience to the Laws of Men for fear of imaginary danger of future Errors which if they shall really happen we have a plain and easy remedy against them if we know them to be such and that is in our own persons to protest against them and to refuse to Joyn with those that hold them and if we know them not to be so though we be in Error as who lives that does not Err they will do us no injury for it is obstinacy in Error and not bare Error of ignorant frailty that is damnable but we can have no Plea or Excuse to make to God Almighty for our Error of Separation breach of Vnity Peace Order Communion Division from a Church not yet convicted of any manifest Error either in Doctrine or Practice which is the Case between Dissenters and the Church of England And besides every Error in Circumstantials which does not destroy Faith or a good Life is not a sufficient and warrantable Cause for any private Man to throw off all Subjection to his Superiors for if it were there could be no such thing as a Catholique Church or Communion of Saints there being no particular Men or any Society of Men without Sins and by consequence not without Errors both in Doctrine and Practice BUT Secondly The Governours of the Church neither do nor can Err in point of Faith and Doctrine or Discipline and Government so long as they follow the Rule of the Scriptures in Cases plain and clear as before I shewed the Matters of Faith essentially necessary to Salvation are Nor so long as they Judge of such as are dubious according to their Catholiqueness in the Esteem of all Ages of the Church for no Error was ever Universal And though they may be mistaken yet do they not Err if in Interpretation of the more difficult and obscure places of Scripture they indeavour to Expound the meaning of them by others which are more clear and perspicuous following the received sense of them acknowledged so by the Vniversal Church so long as in those Interpretations there can be nothing repugnant to the Common Faith of Christians or prejudicial to Peace Charity and Practical Piety Neither can they Err as to the point of Discipline and the External Polity of the Church if in indifferent things in their own Natures and not Essentially necessary to Salvation they do not impose them as such if they follow the Direction of the General Rules of the Holy Canon that every thing be done with respect to Decency Order Edification for the avoiding Confusion and obtaining Peace Unity and Christian Love according to the Examples of the best Christians in former Ages in the Church and the Canons of such General Counsels as are not found manifestly Guilty of Partiality and Corruption in the long Train of Errors which the Indeavouring to Erect the Primacy into a Supremacy and the Supremacy into a Monarchy has brought into the Roman Church THIRDLY If the Governors of the Church Impose any thing contrary to Scripture Faith or Holy Life then do they forsake the Rule and it is Lawful and Necessary for every good Christian to forsake them for so is St. Paul's Rule 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me as I am of God And praises them for observing the Commandments delivered to them by God But if they fall from the Faith as did the Gnosticks the Manichees the Arrians and many others we are not then to be Followers of them but Followers of God as Dear Children But if any Private man or many shall think because in some things which are contrary to their apprehension that therefore the Determinations are against Scripture and therefore their Obedience not due it is a mistake for they must be certain otherwise they are bound to be subject for if they be not certain and from the best Grounds and clear Evidences it is but their Opinion which cannot weigh enough in the Scale of Truth to warrant their Disobedience against the Publique Opinion of their Superiors but that such a Disobedience will be a certain Sin for if any or many mens Private Opininion which is private Interpretation may authorize them to renounce their Obedience to their Superiors there can never be any such thing as subjection in the World nor any Government and by good consequence No Vnion no Catholique Church and then no Faith and in short at last no such thing as Religion OTHERS will Object That hereby I seem to introduce Romish Infallibility and make our Bishops Lords of our Faith and that we had better submit to one Pope who is as free from Error as other Bishops To this I Answer That there is nothing more contrary to Sense or Truth than such an Objection For I do not make nor believe them Infallible but the Rule by
Imprimatur Hic Liber cui Titulus The Project of Peace c. June 12. 1678. Guill Sill R. P. D. Henr. Episc Lond. à Sac. Dom. THE Project of Peace OR UNITY of FAITH AND GOVERNMENT The only Expedient to Procure PEACE BOTH Foreign and Domestique AND To PRESERVE these NATIONS From the DANGER OF Popery and Arbitrary Tyranny By the Author of the Countermine Is there no Balm in Gilead No Physician there Si penés singulos Jus Arbitrium erit Judicandi nihil certi constitui poterit quin potius vacillabit tota Religio Cal. Inst London Printed for Jonathan Edwin at the Sign of the Three Roses in Ludgate-street 1678. TO THE DISSENTERS FROM THE Church of ENGLAND OF WHAT NAMES or DISTINCTIONS SOEVER AS it is very Possible that nothing will be less Welcome to you than these Papers so contrary both to your Inclinations and what you believe your Interest So it may be nothing is less customary than Dedications of this Nature But since I neither propose to my self the Hopes of any Patrons Beneficence nor can submit to such unmanly Complyances as are usually the Effects of such Hopes and Expectations I have rather chosen to Address my self to you where even the Hope of a Charitable Reception is scarcely to be hoped for as the Reward of my Charity And where the Flattery of Swelling Hyperboles would prove as false and unsuccessful to me as to Millions who have made large promises to themselves of Recompences and Gratifications for that Gentiler way of Begging And of all the World it would be most Pernicious to You who have been too long accustomed to your own and the dangerous Flatteries of your Party There is nothing that is at all times more Welcome to the World than Peace Pacem te poscimus Omnes But most Men would be Conquerors and oblige the World by giving it upon their own Terms And there are but few who will be content to receive it as Christians upon God's Terms and Conditions Here I have endeavoured to Manifest the true Foundations of a solid and a lasting Peace Which are Faith Vnity Government and Obedience to the Laws of God and Men. A Peace capable of rendring the Vniverse Happy and any particular Society of Men prosperous here and Glorious hereafter in the Peaceful Regions of Joy and Immortality I am not ignorant of your Plea of Zeal and Sufferings But must the Church of England be allowed nothing for hers Has not She by your means been forced to drink the very dregs of your Animosity whilest like the Children of Edom in the day of her Calamity You cryed Down with her Psal 137.8 Down with her even to the ground Did you ever suffer such Persecution from Her as She has suffered from you Whose Zeal therefore or Afflictions must intitle them to the Character of the truer Church Would you Establish the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth So would She only with this Difference that what you would effect by the Rude Method of Force and Violence the Power of the Sword She labours to do by the Power of Perswasion and the Spirit of Meekness as her Treatment of you now She is in Power so far from Retaliation or Revenge does abundantly testifie to the Shame of your former Cruelty and present Obstinacy and endeavours to compass and effect her Ruine Is She therefore Criminal for endeavouring that Lawfully which you would and do and as you perswade the World are bound in Conscience to do Per fas Nefas either Lawfully or Unlawfully it matters not is not the same Obligation of Conscience and far greater and a truer Conscience upon her And if one must be satisfied whose rather Hers which is True and properly Conscience or yours which is only your Private and uncertain Opinion clothed with that Venerable Name Your Way of Establishing this Worship has been notoriously guilty of Rebellion Disorders Confusion and many Evil Works The Civil State of Affairs has been ruin'd and overturn'd Houses have been made Desolate and left without Inhabitant Churches have been robbed defaced abused demolished Holy things set apart and dedicated to the Service of God and so made Holy have been prophaned The Church of England is innocent of any such Crimes The infamous Brand of Rebellion Sedition Tumults Sacriledg or Rapine were never burnt upon her hand She indeavours to prevent this for the Present and the Future by teaching all men their just Duty towards God and towards Man and obliges them to the Performance of it You call this Persecution and Hate her for it This may be Zeal in you but it is not according to the knowledg of God She imposes some Methods and certain Directions in their own Nature confessedly indifferent only in order and with no other Design than for Decency avoiding Confusion and to bring all Christians to maintain the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace You refuse these Means and therefore the Great End of Christian Religion and Religion it self You prefer your own Way and Means before Hers and by Obstructing Peace pretend that her Impositions are inconducive to those Excellent Ends when as in Truth it is not their want of Efficacious aptness but your want of Will and your traversing them by an obstinate Disobedience that frustrates their desired Effects You quarrel her Commands and call them Traditions of Men and Will-Worship when in reality yours is so And it is perfectly because you are not permitted to have your own Wills in the Worship of God that makes you Accuse Her of what you are most horribly guilty of your selves She appoints nothing but what is agreeable to the Will and Word of God and the Primitive Usage of the Church You term those Determinations Antichristian Popish Superstitious As if God Almighty whose Word and Rules She follows where he does not please your Humour or suit your Interest or Designs were Popishly inclined As if the Scriptures in declaring for Episcopacy were Antichristian As if the best and purest Ages of the Church and the whole Succession of Saints and Martyrs were Superstitious Because many of them Bishops and all of them Worshipping God at least as to the Main according to Her Way and Method Whereas it is you that are Popish while you endeavour to Obtrude upon us your own Infallibility It is you who are Antichristian who ruine the Foundation of all Christianity Faith Government a Catholique Church Obedience Charity and Unity It is you who are Superstitious if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a needless Fear of any thing in Religion be Superstition whilest you start at an Innocent Rite as if it were a Goblin And for fear of a Ceremony run from the Church as if it were hanted with Evil Spirits And though you strain as if you were afraid of being Choak't at these Gnats yet you can swallow the Camel of plain and barefac't Disobedience That goes smoothly over your Palate being gilded over
Vnity To these I might add Envy the Canker of the Mind the daughter of Discontent and constant Enemy of Peace Covetousness the Root of all Evil. Envy being the shadow of Honour and real Worth and Sacrilegious Covetousness the Ravenous Harpie that preys upon the small Patrimony of the Church which usually is the great perswasive to prophane and Rapacious Natures to treat her as the Atheistical Dionysius did his Apollo who rob'd him of his golden Robe alledging it was too cold for his Godship in Winter and too heavy in Summer but because these Fall in with Interest and Ambition I will not under different Names repeat the same things over again to nauseat the Judicious and tire the indifferent Reader with reiterated Tautologies CHAP. V. HAVING thus shewn what it is that impedes our Happiness and which therefore must of necessity be removed from the Minds of Men before there can be any Possibility of their Embracing Truth Unity and Charity in the next place we come to manifest the necessity of Vnion the only Expedient which can procure the Common Happiness of Mankind Now to make this appear we must look into the Main End and Design of all Religion here in this Mortal State of Life in order to that future Condition of a Glorious Immortality and that we may the better apprehend what that is we must consider the Commands and Precepts of Religion and at what they aim And because all the Rules of our Holy Profession direct us to it we must believe that God Almighty gave us those Precepts Rules and Directions to promote our own and the Common Happiness of all Mankind even here in this present State of Life to render our short Journey through the troublesom Stage of Time more pleasant and easy till we arrive at the unchangeable Happiness of Eternity This Easiness of Mind this real Happiness of Life is only to be obtain'd by following the precepts of Justice Temperance Sobriety Prudence and the other Noble and God-like Vertues which Religion teaches for the substance of Happiness does not consist in any thing without us though there are good Circumstances but in the Innocency of Mind and purity of Life Nil Conscire sibi nullà pallefcere culpâ in our being good and doing good which is the great Employment for which we came into the World So that there is a necessity of Religion in the World in order to the happy posture of humane affairs which all Mankind desire for themselves with unlimited wishes but are too narrow in their indeavors to promote it in Common unto others That this was the Wise and good Design of the great Creator is most apparent in that even in those obscure Ages of Barbarism and Ignorance Act. 14.16 17. at which the Apostles says God was pleased to wink yet he left not himself without a Witness When in times past he suffered all men to walk in their own ways they were not without some Religion which taught them their Duty in some Measure though imperfect both to the Gods for they supposed many and also to Men. THAT must of Necessity therefore be the truest Religion and most agreeable to the Will of God which approaches nearest to this Great Design and would certainly accomplish the End for which all Religion was intended And therefore the truth of any Religion must be measured according to the Proportion which it holds to promoting Peace Unity and Charity the only ways to obtain happiness in this World as well as Faith whereby we hope to obtain the happiness of a future state And what Religion soever separates these Good Works from Faith is so far vain and destroys that Faith it seems to profess for Faith without Works is dead If therefore any Religion ruines Peace Unity and Charity we must judg it so far false and erroneous let it make never so many Boasts of holding the true Faith of Christ Of all the Religions which ever were in the World the Christian Doctrine may justly challenge the Preheminence as conducting men if they would be managed by it the nearest way to Happiness both Temporal and Eternal and among all the variety of Opinions in the Christian Religion that must therefore of necessity be the best and truest which does most powerfully promote innocency of Life purity of Mind Unity and universal Peace not by external force and violence but by the same Methods which God Almighty made use of to plant and propagate it in the World which was not by Tumults Seditions or Disobedience to the Civil Magistrate but by meekness humility Charity and a Conversation unblameable Which were the Weapons by which the Primitive Christians were taught to put to silence the ignorance of folish Men The Church indeed had a power but it was purely Spiritual and those spiritual Arms were the most powerful to the pulling down and dismantling the strong holds of Sin and therefore even while the Temporal Powers of the Earth did all they could to suppress them yet mightily did the Word of God grow and increase not by opposing Rebelling or imposing Laws upon their Soveraigns but by submitting and suffering demonstrating upon all occasions their Innocence and that they were free from any ill designs upon the Civil Government of the World or the Temporal concerns of Mankind BUT because all and every Profession of Christian Religion every Church would have us beleive this of them and that therefore every one Challenges the name of the true Church of Christ here lies the Difficulty and the niceness of the Point Which is the best and truest And because all desire the Glorious Title therefore they quarrel about it who it is that is the Spouse of Christ Whereas one would Modestly believe that to be without Spot and Wrinkle is not to be appropriated to any particular Church in which there must be Tares and Chaff as well as Wheat but to the Holy Catholick Church I do not mean of Rome for She is but one Member that glorious Company of true Believers the General Assembly of the Church which have been and shall be in all Ages of the World and out of all Nations united unto Christ their Head A Church may be a true and a visible Church of Christ and yet have many Errors and so long as they keep the foundation of Faith though they may build Hay and Stubble upon that Foundation yet I do not see how they can be denyed that Name Thus we see St. Paul writes to the Church of God which is at Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 to them that are Sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints And yet in that very Epistle he Complains of great Errors and Disorders among them Cap. 11. and an Abuse of the very Sacrament of the Lords Supper and so to the Church of the Galatians and yet he tartly calls them foolish Galatians and tells them they were bewitched into this Disobedience against the Truth and that he was
affraid he had bestowed upon them Labour in Vain for that they were relapsing to Jadaism and to the observing of Days and Years according to the Mosaick Law THIS has been a Constant Quarrel amongst Christians this bred those Mortal Divisions betwixt the Eastern and the Western Churches which has almost intirely ruin'd one of them and not advantaged the other as to Truth for whilest both pretended to be the only true Church of Christ by that exclusive Arrogance they were both so far False and this Unlawful claim was the Mother of the Doctrine of Infallibility in the Catholique Church which if it be understood of any particular company of Men and not of the whole Body of the Faithful which are in all Churches have been or shall be guided by the Spirit of God into all truth must be False for whoever is infallible must be without Sin which none can be in this imperfect State For if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us and the Maxim is undoubtedly true Quod predicatur de singulis universalium predicatur etiam de universalibus singularium If all men are Sinners they are fallible if every man is a Sinner then are all men here in this Mortal State So that if men would with Justice and Modesty allow degrees of Truth and that every Church possessed some so long as they retain the foundation of one only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent whom to know is Life eternal if they would strive more for Peace and Purity than for this Supremacy and impossibility of being the only true Church they would certainly have more Truth because more Charity Peace Vnity THERE were Seven Churches in Asia though now nothing but the Names and those scarce Legible in their Ruins to which our blessed Lord commands St. John to write Rev. 1 2 3 Chapters What thou seest write in a Book and send it to the seven Churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea Every Church was a Golden Candlestick and every one had a Star which was the Angel Guardian or Governour of the Church and which Christ held in his right hand These Candlesticks were all of Gold but some more refined and purer Mettal than others the Stars were all bright and shining but some more dim and obscure than others for one star exceeded another star in glory 1 Cor. 15.41 42. even in the Firmament of the Church as well as in Heaven And doubtless if that place be true shall hereafter for so is the Resurection of the Dead From this Instance of the Seven Churches these Deductions seem evidently to follow FIRST That several Nations are several Distinct Coordinate not subordinate Churches for so the Son of God calls these Seven which yet were comprised in the lesser Asia and People of one Language though of distinct and separate Polities which seems to be that which differences Nations and not Languages SECONDLY That distinct and several Coordinate Churches may all be true Churches and Vnited in the Common Bond of the same Faith and Charity who yet may not be of equal Purity two only are here commended for their Purity viz. Smyrna and Philadelphia the other are condemned Ephesus for having forsaken her first Love her Zeal and Devotion Pergamos for the Doctrine of Balaam and for suffering the odious Sect of the Nicolaitans Thyatira for suffering Jezebel a woman to teach contrary to the Express Command of God and therefore to seduce the People by eating things offered to Idols Sardis for having a name to live but being dead Loadicea for being luke-warm neither hot nor cold a Church of Latitudinarians all these are threatned and reproved but not rejected from the name and being of Churches THIRDLY That the holy Catholique Church is composed of several distinct National Churches for we must not think the Son of God could be guilty of an impropriety of Speech he distinguishes them by the places where they were planted and by their degrees of Purity as so many several Churches without giving them any precedency on preheminence one over another he does not direct the Angels of the several Churches to Rome or Alexandria or Jerusalem or Antioch though all then famous Churches for redress of their Errors he does not send them to St. Peter or his Successors the Catholique Apostolique Roman Church as the Pillar and Ground of Truth not a word of the Sancta sedes Apostolica Petri Cathedra Ecclesia Principalis nothing of the Romanorum Fides ad quos perfidia habere non potest accessum which place of St. Cyprian the Romanists boast so much of whilest they indeavour to appropriate the word Catholique only to their Church which is as good sense as that any one man is humane Nature But for the redress of their Errors amendment of their Lives and reformation of their false Doctrines he gives them all this short Direction He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches and that to every one of them distinctly so that what the Spirit of God speaks to the Churches was to be the Rule of Faith Life and Doctrine and what was it which the Spirit spake unto the Churches was ever any Tradition said to be spoken by the Holy Spirit No certainly nothing was ever spoken by the Spirit to the Churches but the Books of the Holy Canon which all Ages have consented to without the least Addition or Diminution as the late Bishop of Durham Dr. Cosins has made appear more distinctly till such time as the Absolutissima Syndus Tridentina as they call the Trent Session for some passages which seem favourable to Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead was pleased to adopt these into the Holy Canon though nothing is more evident than that till then they were Esteemed only Humane Writings and Apocryphal however hereby they have given a Specimen of the Power they pretend over our Faith for by the same Authority they may impose Aesops Fables and the Alchoran as matters of Faith Neither did the ancient Churches when Heresies sprung up resort to Rome for infallible Determinations but to Oecumenical and General Councels not Esteeming their Determinations valid neither unless agreeable to the Holy Scripture which was always accounted the Norma or Rule by which they were to be guided and at which Councels the Pope did assist not as the Head but as a Principal Member and the respect he had given him was as Patriarch of the Imperial City and the Western Churches and not as Monarch of the whole Catholick Church and even some later Councels as that of Basil have undertaken to reform Errors and Abuses and to depose the Pope being found guilty of them LASTLY It may from hence be concluded That Christ himself is the only head of the Catholick Church which is composed
of several distinct Churches who are all Members of that Mystical Body he walks among the Candlesticks he holds the Stars in his right hand The Angel of every distinct National Church is to be the mover of the Orb to guide it by the Light of Divine Truth spoken by the Spirit of the Churches the Temporal Power may be Supreme Head of the Church as they are a Society of Christian Men but neither the one nor the other can justly pretend a Power over the Angel of another Church or the Dominions of another Prince for that is the Prerogative of the Son of God who Unites them in his Right hand and who alone can challenge the Title of that Name of King of Kings and Lord of Lords NOR will this Independency of Churches one upon another which is only in point of Jurisdiction and Limits which was anciently practiced and commanded by the Decrees of Councels give the least disturbance to their Charity and Vnion so long as they maintain the same Universal Doctrine of Faith as to the substance and all acknowledge one Catholique Church and themselves Members of it Nay it is observable that this incroachment of the greater Churches upon the less and indeavouring to aggrandize themselves by imposing upon all other Churches a Soveraignty and Dominion never intended for Christian Religion and striving by force to oblige them to use their Rites and Ceremonies in indifferent Circumstantials and not only so but to receive all their Opinions as matters of Faith were the first occasion of the most remarkable Schisms and Divisions and the loss of Peace and Unity and still continue so to this very day Whereas did they all resolve to content themselves with their own Precincts and not indeavour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and act out of their own Provinces but would permit others to make use of such indifferent Rites as the Governours of the several Churches judge necessary and expedient in their respective Charges and if any Controversies should arise in Point of Doctrine resolve amicably to compose them by hearing what the Spirit saith to the Churches and how the Universal Church has already determined in the same or like Affairs according to the Rule of Scripture would they study more to propagate Peace and Vnity than Dominion and Soveraignty to increase Piety and Purity of Life more than outward agreement of Rites and Ceremonies the ancient Happiness of the Church in her first and Vnambitious Age when the Office of Government was the surest way to Martyrdom would in a great measure be restored to the Members of the Catholique Church and there would be that Vnity which is by God Commanded and by all good Christians not only to be desired but promoted to the uttermost of their Power Were it possible that this true and ancient Temper Modesty and Moderation of Primitive Christianity might obtain in the World the Names of distinction with the occasions of them would be taken away one would not be of Paul another of Apollos another of Cephas one a Romanist another a Calvinist Lutheran Hugonot or a Zuinglian but all would be of Christ but alas what hope so long as the Church of Rome will be Vniversal and will exclude all those who Refuse the tyranique Yoak of both her Declared and Implicit Faith and to be subject to her absolute Dominion not only from the Name of Churches and being Parts of the Church Universal but from the Communion of Saints from all hopes of the Resurrection of the just nay even from her Purgatory too which is very severe if there be such a place as admits of Hope for Sinners after Death and in a word from all possibility of the Life everlasting How disterent is this from the ancient Charity and Doctrine of St. Peter and St. Paul whom they believe the Founders of their Church for they incourage us to hope we may receive the Benefit of the Common Salvation Act. 10.35 for God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him for with him there are no Distinctions neither Greek nor Jew Col. 3.11 to v. 16. Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but all are Christs who have put on as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of Mercy kindness humbleness of Mind meekness long-suffering forbearance one of another and forgiveness one towards another if there be differences as Christ also forgave us and above all things they who have put on Charity which is the bond of Perfection and whose Hearts are ruled by the Peace of God But in regard that this is to be dispair'd of and may well seem forreign to the Design of these Papers let us come to consider what Influence this ought to have upon us as to Vnity amongst our selves which without Excluding our Neighbours from our Charity though they do us from theirs and Heaven is the principal Intention of this Discourse CHAP. VI. HAVING shewn that the Peace and Vnity of the Catholick Church Militant upon Earth depends in a great Measure upon this Justice in preserving the Common Faith of Christ as the bond of Vnion not only among our selves but with that part of the Church which is now Triumphant in Heaven and in order thereunto in allowing every distinct and National Church their particular Bounds and Jurisdiction free from Incroachments and Invasion permitting them a freedom of Using such Rites and Customs in the Celebration of Divine Worship as the Governors of each respective Church shall judge to be nearest the Rule of Scripture the Constant Usage and Determination of the Catholique Church in the best Ages and of the best Men in all most conducive to the Great End of all Religion by promoting the Happiness of Mankind both here and hereafter before we proceed any further it will be requisite to answer what may and will be certainly objected by all Dissenters FOR if an Independency of Churches of Distinct Nations and Polities so long as they agree in matters of Faith may be permitted a distinct Jurisdiction different Rites and manner of Worship to the increase of Charity Peace and Unity why may not the same be likewise practised by several Churches in the same Nation To which I answer That as Vnity in point of Faith is the Bond of Vnion in the Vniversal Church so Obedience to the Supreme Government of any Nation is that which Vnites them into one Polity and distinguishes them from all other People who do not own that Subjection and Obedience And this Vnion of Obedience is also that which preserves and maintains them as well as Constitutes them a distinct Political Body from all other Nations Herein lies their Strength herein their Security their Safety and Happiness For as I may be Lawfully permitted to disobey the King of Spain or France nay and ought to do it in many Cases for the Interest of my Nation but cannot disobey my
the Church to restore them to the Honour of God Almighty after they had offended and by serious and Solemn Repentance were thought â—orthy to be readmitted into Communion And this is the other branch of the Power of the Keys and from hence arose the necessity of Confession for Christ having left a power with his Church to forgive the Penitent it was supposed that this was not to be done at random but the People looking upon the Priests as the Physicians of their Souls and as standing between God and them as Internuncij or Celestial Embassadors as St. Paul terms them when they expected Spiritual Remedies for the Diseases of their Souls they thought it necessary Especially in imminent danger of Death truly to state the Case and Condition of their Souls to these Spiritual Physicians that so they might be Judges of it and accordingly apply suitable Remedies and from hence sprung these excellent Effects FIRST Men avoided the Danger of flattering themselves into a dangerous perswasion of the Goodness and safety of their Condition and by consequence from that security and false Peace which has betrayed Millions into Eternal Misery For as nothing is more natural than for men to love themselves so nothing does more powerfully incline them to Judge favourably and with a dangerous Partiality concerning their Eternal Condition it being with Diseases of the Soul as with those of the Body where no Persons not even the Learned in the Art of Hermes when sick themselves are more incompetent Judges of their own state than those who labour under it who many times Flatter themselves with delirous Fancies of Life and Health even when they are under the Agonies of approaching Death SECONDLY Hereby many haynous sins which men commit in secret were nipt in the Blossom and believing that without Confession there was no Absolution to be expected the very fear of Discovery or of Damnation without it gave strange checks to such Tempers who had not abandoned all Modesty Nor is it to be esteemed a Wonder that Men should receive a more powerful Control from the fear of Humane Knowledg than from the apprehensions of the Omniscient Divinity since it is so well known that all men are more affected by the power of sensible Objects than of Faith and Reason and every mans own experience will convince him that the fear of Shame and Reproach upon Discovery has at least in some part of his Life been more powerful to preserve him from some Sins than all the terrors of a Future state of Misery and the witness of a little Child which might make a Discovery to the World has prevented the Execution of some wicked Designs which the Considerations of the Divine presence in all places would have had no great influence upon THIRDLY Hereby People came to have a true Love and Veneration for their Spiritual Guides a love of Reverence and a love of Tenderness looking upon them as their Spiritual Fathers and honouring them as such Then men did not set an Estimate upon them only proportionate to their abilities of making Extempore Prayers a thing wholly unknown to the first Ages of Christianity or for their gifts of Eloquent Orations in the Pulpit no more than they would do their Physicians for those Talents which though very excellent accomplishments yet were not thought Essential to their Profession nor conducive to the Health of their Patients who are not to be discoursed or courted by the power of Rhethorique into recovery but they look't upon them as those who had the charge of their Souls and that they were set by God to watch over them Heb. 13.17 as they that must give an account and for this Reason it was that they obeyed those that had the Rule over them and submitted themselves THEN was there no quarrelling no Litigious Suits at Law about the Maintenance of the Priesthood one thing and the main one which renders the present Clergy so slenderly possessed of the affections of the People but they thought with the good Apostle That those who sowed unto them Spiritual things ought to reap a share of their Carnal things and after the Maintenance of the Clergy was Established by the Donatives of their Pious Ancestors who gave those Revenues as Free Alms to God Almighty Frank Almoigne Libera perpetua Eleemosyna The Tenure of the Church and for the support of his Servants and Service they thought it no less than Sacriledge to rob God of Tithes and Offerings dedicated to the Use of those who by their Attendance upon his Altar were incapacitated to amass up Riches or even Competencies for a future subsistence as the Secular People were by several Arts and Trades Nay so cautelous and nice were they in this particular that they thought they could not dye with a secure Conscience unless they gave something by way of Compensation for Tithes forgotten to be paid in their lives an Opinion which descended down to the days of our Grandfathers as is apparent by the several Wills of ancient Date I am not ignorant that this will expose me to some Obloquy and that I shall be Censured hereby to aim at an Establishment of the Clergy in Honor Profit and Dominion or it may be I may suffer in my Reputation as going about to introduce Popery by Auricular Confession FOR the First I can make no other Vindication of my Innocence but an unfeigned Protestation with Saint Paul that according to the best of my Understanding I speak the truth in Christ 1 Tim. 2.7 and lie not and that I have no other Design either in particular or general but the Peace of the Church the Glory of God and the Salvation of all Men to which I am perswaded this would extreamly conduce and not a little to the quiet of mens Lives and advantage of their Temporal Affairs by cutting away the root of Unkindnesses about Meum Tuum betwixt the Minister and his Parishioners since we daily see not only that this is the divorce of their Affections but that this petty Sacrilegde is injurious to their Estates for what they do thus by an evil Covetousness unlawfully substract from the Established maintenance of the Clergy is usually to their treble dammage repaid to the rapaciousness of the Vnder Officers of the Law and in conclusion both parties are loosers but the greatest loss is that of Charity and mutual love one towards another AS to the accusation or suspicion of being a Papist I am as far from it and it may be farther than they who shall indeavour to fix that Calumny upon me for I neither believe with the Romish Church that it is a Sacrament and absolutely Essential to Salvation since Children who could never speak and Mutes may be saved without it neither am I for those private and Auricular Confessions or think those Pennances which are enjoyned as the consequence of them can make satisfaction for the Sins I remember very well the Scandal and
Soul with peace of Conscience here the World with happiness and all those who follow it with Eternal Joy unspeakable and full of Glory in Heaven CHAP. XII THUS far I have indeavoured to follow Truth by manifesting that Vnity in Faith and Vnity in Government in a National Church are absolutely necessary both to the salvation of Mens Souls and to the Happiness Peace and Security of any People in their Politique Capacities As there can be nothing in the World more desirable so there is nothing that all good Men ought more sincerely to indeavour to promote Blessed are the Peace-makers says the Eternal Prince of Peace for they shall be called the Children of God who is the God of Peace and the Author of the Gospel of Peace Let us therefore in Order to it in the next place see what Expedients have been propounded to restore this Peace to this Church and Nation IT has been already manifested that Vnity in point of Faith is the Bond of the Catholique Vnion among all distinct Churches which are Members of the Catholique or Universal Church but this Faith must Work by Love Gal. 5.6 It has been also shewn that though this Vnity of Faith which works so by Love as that though distinct Nations and Churches disagree about Ceremonies and Circumstances of Religion yet they may all agree in the substance of Faith yet that it is impossible this should be in the same Nation and that therefore Vniformity of Government in the Church is absolutely necessary to maintain Charity and Vnity And though this might be sufficient to shew the Unreasonableness of Tolleration of different Forms of Divine Worship under the same Magistrate yet since there is such a Cry among all Dissenters both Papists and others for Tolleration and Liberty of Conscience as an Expedient both Politique Religious and Necessary let me be permitted freely to speak my impartial sense concerning it THOUGH all Parties whose private Opinion makes them Dissent from the Establisht Government both in Church and State must of necessity be desirous of a Tolleration yet I find the Papists and the Presbyterians are they who appear most solicitous for it and yet of all others they seem least to deserve it For no man ought in reason to demand that for himself which he would not think it lawful to grant to any other if in his Circumstances Now Experience has given us Demonstration of the violent Tempers of both these and there is not a Possibility of doubting but if either the Papist or Presbyter were in Power they would not allow any Tolleration or Indulgence to other Dissenters but the one would Establish the Scepter of the Pope and the other of Christ as they call their New Government with the most unlimited Soveraignty both over the Faith and Actions of All Princes as well as Peasants and since they would compel all People by the utmost Severities and Rigours of Penal Laws to Carry the Yoak which they would Impose upon them what reason can they have to Expect for themselves what they would deny all others for their Practice has made it evident to the lowest Understanding that they who have so little Charity for their Brethren in the Common Christianity as to damn them without remedy to the bottomless Abyss of Hell for dissenting from them in any one point which they have decreed to be De Fide will look upon it as an Effect of Compassion rather than Cruelty to convert them and save their Souls though with the loss of their Lives Liberties and Estates or if that cannot be effected to confound them to Extirpate and destroy them lest they should lead others by their Doctrines or Example to Damnation WHEREAS in truth and reality nothing but Blasphemy Atheism and such Immoralities as are destructive of Humane Society render men obnoxious to Temporal Punishments Insidelity or not believing aright being Crimes or Defects rather of the Understanding fall no further under humane Cognizance or Penal Laws than by their Consequences and Effects they may or do prejudice those Laws and the Common End of Society and therefore they are reserved for the Punishment of a future state and the Church can proceed no further than to Exclude them from her Communion but not out of the Possession of their Lives or Estates which God Almighty as the Common Father of Mankind thinks fit to permit them to Enjoy making his Sun to shine upon the Just and Unjust with an equal influence and benignity BUT since a Papist has undertaken the Common Cause of all Dissenters The Advocate of Conscience Liberty c. and it may be has said as much for them as the subject will bear and more in behalf of his own Party than any other Dissenters can pretend to for themselves Papists having the specious plea of Prescription as the Religion of our Ancestors the ancient Form of Government in the Church and the Ancient Faith had they permitted it to continue so Intire and Undefiled unmixed with their Apochrypha and Tradiditions I will indeavour to answer what is most material in his Discourse in order to discovering the Weakness of his Plea not concerning my self with the sincerity of his Intention which though appearing for all is only Designed for the benefit of his own Party IN the first place therefore I desire that Notice may be taken how he states the Question in the Prooemium of his Book Note saith he by Persecution Imposition and Restraint we only mean the strict requiring to believe this to be true and that to be false c. and upon refusal to Swear or Conform to incur the Penalties Enacted in such Cases but by these Terms we do not mean any Coercive Let or Hindrance into publique Meetings By Liberty of Conscience we understand only a meer Liberty of Mind in believing or disbelieving this or that Doctrine so far as may refer only to religious matters in a private way of Worship which are not destructive to the Nature and Grounds of Christian Faith nor tending to matters of an External Judicature in abetting any Contrivances or disturbance to common Peace or Civility As to the First of these I would gladly be shewn when or where the Government did ever in this sense persecute in any thing which is purely the subject of Faith without relating to Practice or the Consequences of such Faith or where any person for refusing to Believe or Swear or Conform to any thing which did not insluence the Civil Affairs of State was ever punished was ever any man fined imprisoned or banished because he would not swear to believe any Theological Point as of Free Will Merit of Works c. which had no relation to Political Affairs there cannot be one Precedent found in all the Records of all our Courts of Judicature though we can shew many out of that Legend as he calls Bishop Fox's Martyrology who were put to death without any other Crime than that they
and in order to that to shake even the frame of the Civil Government to which they think themselves no longer bound in subjection than they want a Party strong for Opposition will not easily be perswaded that it is the Sin of Rebellion which carries the face of Reformation easily dispensing with Obedience to Men where they pretend amendment before God pag. 59. WHAT can be said more or more sharply against Tolleration than our Advocate here pleads and to joyn Issue with him upon this Plea if we can prove that these must be the Effects of Tolleration then to use his own words pag. 62. True Christian Tolleration not extending to matters of an Extern Nature Magistrates may use a Coercive hindrance from Publique Meetings without impeaching of it And by his Favour from private too such as he calls private that is in private houses which are as Capacious and Publique as some Churches For adds he Seditious Spirits Cholerique Constitutions and Feavourish Complexions who love to be moving in the troubled Waters of Secular Affairs whose Heads are prone to move their Hearts with specious Novelties quick Excitations and zealous Resolutions which soon after like Salt stream◠descend and fall upon the Lungs provoking them violently to spread their Opinions to others these most truly forfeit their Christian private Liberty to the Publique Discretion and Power who will not or cannot use it but to the publique Detriment pag. 60.61 BUT that such have been the Effects of Difference of Opinions among us is but too visible and if they grew in despight of all the Authority of the Magistrate to that prodigious height as in the times of the late Rebellion to overthrow the whole frame of Government both Civil and Ecclesiastical and if the Principles and Positions as well as Practices of the same persons or their Successors are still the same derived from Calvin Knox Buchanan c. then are they by no means to be tollerated in a Christian Common-wealth But what if yet they had never been Criminal yet if their Principles lead to those Ends must they be therefore tollerated that thereby they may the sooner and without opposition come to those Tragical Conclusions will not the Government be Felo de se and not only so but betray those under its Charge to ruine according to the Maxim Qui non prohibet Jubet and must the Magistrate lay out all his Care to oblige his Enemies those who hate both him and his Government must he put the Sword of Tolleration into the hands of Division to destroy his Friends the Loyal and Obedient who best if not only deserve his Protection and ought to be his chiefest Care DIFFERENT Opinions in the Church have always been the occasion of Quarrels and have always ended in Blood Witness the Report of Socrates of the skirmishes between the Arrians and the Orthodox at Constantinople witness the Outrages of the Donatists in Affrica And so it will be when any Party grows strong and numerous and Tolleration is the best way to make them so and for that End they desire it then the Beast which looks like a Lamb will speak like a Dragon Rev. 13.11 I know our Advocate loves the English Separatists so well and tenderly by his pleading for them that he will easily believe all this of them I could heartily wish they had not given occasion for the whole world to believe their Doctrines guilty of those barbarous Inhumanities and Unchristian Practices which have given a deeper Wound to the Reputation of the Reformed Religion than to their Native Country the Scar of which will be a perpetual Infamy to all Posterity I wish they could vindicate their Principles from the just Reproaches of their former Practices and from a Jealousie that they may occasion us the same Miseries and Mischiefs but alas it is impossible all the pains they can take will but be Aethiopem lateremvé lavare A hope to make a Negro fair Which all the salt Water in the Ocean will never be able to Effect and indeed nothing can cleanse them from but the salt streams of Repentance from their own Eyes and the blood of the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World joyned to Resolutions of future Reformation and Amendment BUT let not our Advocate think that by shewing the Guilt of those who call themselves Protestants as he does pag. 125. where he tells us More Princes have been Deposed by Sectaries in 60 years than by Papists in 600 and that History and Experience testifies that the respective Sects have been most guilty of all kind of disobedience both at home and abroad Let him not think that hereby he has vindicated his own Innocence or not forfeited that Right to Tolleration upon his own Grounds which though he pretend to plead for all he intends only for his own Party as the only Meek and Peaceable People of the Earth I will Judge as charitably of Catholiques as they love to call themselves as they can deserve and believe the honor and honesty of their Quality and Education the humanity of their Natures inclines them to be better Subjects to the Civil State than the Doctrines of their Church but what if they had never attempted any thing against the Government or having attempted have never been successful are they therefore innocent who maintain Principles destructive of the Government Civil and Ecclesiastical I would ask this Gentleman whether he and all the Romish Catholiques in England would not willingly have the Power of the Papacy restored among us if he would answer without Equivocations I am sure it must be in the Affirmative then would I demand Whether this must not make an Alteration in the Government since it is now Established and as he well observes pag. 201. ever was upon a direct opposition to the Papal Supremacy I know they will answer There would be an Alteration but it would not be to the prejudice but to the advantage of the Church and State find me any Overturners of Government who will not say the same and I will allow the Plea but then would I further demand whether he believes the Canons Decretals c. as certainly he does and would perswade us to do pag. 3. and must be a Heretick if he do not if he does what does he think of the well known Canon of Gregory the Seventh Nos sanctorum Predecessorum c. We saith that Pope observing the Statutes of our Predecessors do absolve those that are bound by Fealty and Oath to persons Excommunicated from their Oath and do forbid them to observe or keep their Fealty towards them quousque ipsi ad satisfactionem venerint till they come to make satisfaction He knows the Consequence of the Canon upon more Kings and Emperours than one I will not trouble him with the Hellish Opinions of Mariana Suarez Bellarmine Simanca Philopater Allen or Sanders Some of which for very shame pag. 215. he is forced to disown
Lawfulness of the Popes Power of Excommunicating and deposing Kings and Murdering them too Such as those of Sanders Allen Cresswels Philopator Simanca Rossoeus a Book Canonized by the Pope in Consistory FOR the Bloody days of Queen Mary I will allow her as good and mil'd a Princess as he pleases but I cannot think so well of Winchester and London two of her Bishops by whose Fiery Zeal so many though the Advoate say pag. 238 but a very few went to the Stake in Smithfield and other places for denying the Sacrament of the Altar and that they could not believe it Which was not only for Religion but a pure Theological point the Modus of which the Doctors of the Romish Church neither are or ever will be agreed upon and it is a little harder measure to dye for such a Point than to swear to such a one as he dare avow and verily believes c. I might say much more and take notice of many other passages in his Book but I must not be prolix only the Calumny as he calls it which is reassumed by Dr. Stillingfleet and Dr. Tillotson pag. 257. that there are Jesuites among our Dissenters troubles him much but that it is not without Ground I have heard and I presume so has he from Authentique hands of one Father Brown a Jesuite who boasted on his Death-bed at Ingeston Briggs in Scotland that he had Preached as down-right Popery in the Field Conventicles as ever he had Preached at Rome it self And truly by the Conformity of their Principles and Actious one with another one can scarcely tell whether the Jesuits are Presbyteriz'd or the Presbyters Jesuited they are so very like BY this time I hope it is not to be doubted by any who have not wholly devoted themselves with a blind Zeal and Obedience as well as Implicite Faith to the Roman Religion but that however innocent the Generality of Catholiques may be how Loyal soever and full of Allegiance yet the Principles of their Religion are not so Nor are they obliged to their Doctors for it but to the Native Generosity of their Countrey to the Honour of their Families and it may be more than all to the Doctrine of the Church of England in this Point which by conversing so frequently with they cannot be ignorant of or not apprehend the horrid Usurpations of the Roman Keys upon the the Temporal Sword Crowns and Sceptres of Princes And the Dangers that must necessarily follow from thence Nor shall they need to fear either Punishment or Persecution but for the Practices of these Boutfeus and Incendiaries of the World And whether such a Religion as openly teaches and Avows an Interest contrary and above that of the Prince and which Authorizes those who profess it to raise Seditions Tumults and Rebellions and it may be has funished other Dissenters of Contrary Opinions in other Points with Principles and Arguments Destructive of the Peace Happiness and Quiet of the Publique and of the Government it self deserves a Tolleration Let all impartial men be Judges CHAP. XIV FROM what has been said it is Evident not only that Tolleration of different ways of Worship under the same National Government is utterly impolitique and dangerous to the Foundation of Government and the End of Society but destructive of Christian Charity and the Irreconcilable Enemy of Peace and Vnity being the Spring of Endless and Eternal Quarrels Divisions Schisms Separations if not Heresies and the direct road to wild Enthusiasm Heathenish Ignorance Superstitious Will-worship Licentious Impiety and at last down right Atheism Let us therefore in the Spirit of Meekness and Christian Compassion try whether there be no way to cement these breaches among us by reuniting the minds of Men so far as is necessary for Christians to be Vnanimous For it is morally impossible there should be among all Mankind and absolute Vnion in their Judgments mens Minds will differ as long and as much or more than their Faces do and from this impossibility I argue to the Unnecessariness of such an Vnity But as several Palates do naturally receive several impressions of Gratefulness to different Dishes even to contradiction so that What is one Mans Meat is another Mans Poison what is the delight of one is the Aversion of another and yet all agree in the Common Necessary and Native Principle of Eating So may several Men believe several distinct nay and it may be contrary Opinions in Theological Questions and yet agree in the Common Principles of Christianity allowed by All Faith and Charity so as to continue in Peace Unity and Godly Love And that this is not impossible we see by daily Experience and that there are in every Society of Christian Men some who maintain one Opinion some who maintain and believe another yet notwithstanding they retain Communion one with another From whence proceed those Volumes of Polemical Theology with which not the Schools but the whole World is fill'd I wish I might not say afflicted but from mens differing in Opinion And if I may be permitted to speak freely Possibly the Entertaining the Philosophy of the Schools into too great Authority in Divinity has not contributed the least to the Decay of Religion and the declining of Charity for the Endless Distinctions of Schoolmen have minc'd and crumbled Religion into a Chaos of Epicurean Atoms which perpetually justle one another with a restless Motion and whilst each strives to be entertain'd as a Matter of Faith they run men into greater perplexities and Confusions and whilst they improve in the Theory they too commonly decrease in the Practice spending that time in Curiosity which ought to be devoted to Charity and Action I do not speak this to disparage Humane Learning or the Use of Philosophy but as we say of Fire and Water They are good Servants but ill Masters so we may say of that It is a good Attendant of Divinity while it continues an humble Companion but a dangerous Mistress of our Faith I set as great a value upon these Accomplishments as they can justly challenge but I wish they had kept their proper Sphere and Distance from us and that these feeble Lights of Humane Knowledge had not come to stand in competition with the Sunbeams of Divine Revelation which ought always to be esteemed the glorious Lamp of Christian Religion I know without the helps of Humane Learning it is impossible except by Miracle to to Read or Understand the Holy Oracles which were committed to the Custody of those Languages of Greek and Hebrew I know it is impossible without their assistance to search the Registers of former days or to be acquainted with the Doctrine Practice and Customes of the Ancient Catholique Primitive Church a deficiency in which kind of Learning in our Clergy especially who do but too commonly make all their Applications to Popular Oratory rather than Church History has been the occasion of many mistakes in men otherwise learned and
that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope So were the Scriptures of the New Testament given us a new Rule and a Royal Law of Liberty that we might not Glory in Men 1 Gor. 3.21 22. c. 4.1.6 neither in Paul nor Cephas But that we might esteem them Stewards of the Mysteries of God And not to think of them above what is Written Which place if throughly considered teaches us not to prefer any Man or Men above the Scripture THIS will appear further if we consider the Nature of a Rule for a Rule is the constant certain infallible unchangeable measure according to which I judg of any thing whether it be true or false And if I can but suppose what is offer'd me for a Rule to be false or if I know it is or may be false it can be no Rule because it leaves me in an Uncertainty whether I am Right or Wrong But the Scripture cannot be supposed to be false for admitting that supposition they are no longer Scriptures or the Word of God for every word of God is true Men have been are and will be Fallible Traditions are dubious and uncertain but the Word of God is tried to the uttermost and coming from the Infallible Author of all Truth is the Touchstone of the Truth of Men and their Doctrines and by that we examine by that we judg of mens Faith and actions Isa 8.20 If they speak not according to the Law and the Testimony it is because there is neither Light nor Truth in them THE Mistake seems to be in Confounding the Difference between a Rule and a Guide and they who would advance the Authority of the Church above the Scripture set the Judg above the Law and Confound him with it The Church is indeed the Guide which instructs us but if her Instructions are not according to her Rule of Scripture when we hope for Bread she gives us a Stone and instead of a Fish a Scorpion Mortal Poyson for wholesome Nourishment To Illustrate this Suppose I desire to learn the Mathematicks I therefore apply my self to a Person skilful in that Incomparable Science and intreat him to direct me He shews me Euclid's Elements as the Foundation of Mathematical Knowledg and therefore reads and explains it to me Pray now who is the Rule the Master or the Book Certainly all men who have not forfeited their Reason will say the Book is the Rule the Man the Guide and if he give me any thing for a Demonstration contrary to the Principles therein contained I know by them that he is mistaken because he he has not instructed me according to the Rule The case is the same only the Infallibility of the Scriptures is more certain being founded upon the Infallibility of God They are the Rule the Governors of the Church the Guides appointed by God for that purpose to them therefore men resort for Instruction but if they teach either what is their own or other mens contrary to the Rule they are false Guides and why so But because they give a false Rule betraying that high Trust by God reposed in them to be Eyes to the Blind and Feet to the Lame to conduct them to Eternal Bliss by the Directions of that Rule of which St. Paul says Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God AND even they who contend so earnestly against the Scriptures being the Rule of Faith and Life ought to shew some other End and Design of the Scriptures and a better Rule and not Confute themselves and all their Assertions and Arguments by making this the Rule of Believing whilst they bring Arguments out of it against it self which they would have therefore believed because they are Scripture plainly confessing it to be the Ultimate Rule and that nothing can properly be matter of Faith but what is agreeable to it Which has made the Romish Doctors sweat and toyl so vehemently to Extort Confessions from the Scripture Tert. de Praescript adv Heretic as Tertullian says Caedem Scripturarum faciunt ad materiam suam even Murdering it almost to make it speak to their purpose And since they could not prevail with it to Depose against the Truth they have put it into the Inquisition Imprisoning it in the Vulgar Latin lest if it should get abroad and speak Truth as it would do in despight of all Opposition it would proclaim their Injustice and Violence to the meanest Capacities of the Vulgar among them who would hereby come to detect the Pious Frauds and profitable Follies which are imposed upon them as matter of Faith THE ancient Church believed the Scriptures the Rule of Faith and therefore took care to have them Translated into Syrian Chrys Hom. 1. in Joh. Aegyptian Ethiopian Persian and other innumerable Languages as St. Chrysostom testifies and Theodoret says Theod. de Cur. Graec. affect lib. 5. the Bible was Translated into all Languages used in the World Greek Latin Persian Indian Armenian Scythian Sarmatian And this seems one if not the principal Reason why the Holy Ghost did Miraculously descend in Cloven Tongues upon the Apostles inabling them to speak in several Languages for the Parthians Medes Elamites Dwellers in Mesopotamia Judea Cappadocia Pontus Asia Phrygia Pamphylia in Lybia and Cyrene Crete and Arabia heard them speak the wonderful Works of God If they might have used the Compendious way of Instructing them to believe as the Church believes and had made themselves The rule of Faith and like the Priests of Memphis delivered their Hieroglyphical Faith from one to another there would have been no need of all this or of their Pains who afterwards were so diligent to Translate the Scriptures into all Languages to instruct all Nations and to let them see there was no Cheat or Juggle in Religion by exposing it to the view of the severest Criticks CHAP. XV. I Suppose there are no Dissenters among us except those of the Roman Communion but will willingly accord the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith and Manners And though there may be differences between us and them in some Material points of Doctrine yet the Apple of Strife is about the Government of the Church Some contending for a Parity and Equality as the Presbyterians others for an Absolute Independency of any the least Congregation of Men calling themselves a Church Others for a Democratick Anarchy as the Anabaptists and Quakers and several other Enthusiasts But all point blank against Episcopacy though hitherto they have not been able to satisfie the World for what Offence As for the Independency of Churches I shall only say in short that it opens the way to endless Separations and innumerable Errors and Hesies no man having power to Judg of them besides themselves And slies so far from the Popery of Hierarchy that it runs into a worse Extream and makes every Pastor Supreme
their Disobedience to both those Powers unless the things commanded be manifestly proved to contradict the Faith or be repugnant to good Life which till Dissenters can do they will be obstinate Schismaticks before God and Rebels against their Prince and in a fair way to be Traytors too whilst they break his Laws both Civil and Ecclesiastical however they may flatter themselves with the Title of Saints And so soon as they can prove their Charge against any of the Ceremonies and that they are Unlawful in reality and not only in supposition they shall be gratified by their Abolition or amendment if that will do And if they cannot prove their Accusations would they be so unjust as to have not Justice but Injury done to the Innocent by abrogating those Modes of Worship and Customs in the Church which the whole Church has allowed that Government which God appointed which he has approved by maintaining supporting and defending it to this present day against all the Opposition of Infidels and Hereticks those two Gates of Hell One would think that Rule of Vincentius Lirinensis were satisfactory to men of Reason and Sobriety Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus id quidèm verè est Catholicum That which every where always and by all has been received must needs be a Catholick Truth but such is the Power Rule Authority of Bishops for Guiding the Church and appointing the Modes of Worship And they who will oppose this spring Tide of Universal Testimony will but drown themselves in the Odious name of Schismaticks and Heriticks of whom these have been the Characters Mos semper fuit Hereticorum quorum Doctrinam non possunt confutare illorum vitam in Odium trahere It has always been the Custom of Hereticks to asperse the lives of those whose Doctrines they have not been able to confute Which has been the constant Practice of late years against Episcopacy and Episcopal Men to throw dirt upon the Profession and Persons and then proclaim them Odious when in truth the blackness is in their own Mouths and not either in the Persons whom they calumniate or in the Office Treating the Church as some Impudent Villains do the Modest Woman whom they cannot Debauch Cry out A Whore a Whore and set the Rabble upon her who roll her in the Kennel and cover her with dirt till no body can tell what she is made of and then believe she is what they have made her ugly and what the other would have made her but could not Criminal St. Bernard gives us a second Property Haerent ad singula quae injunguntur Exigunt de quibusque rationem male suspicantur de omnî Precepto nèc unquà m libentèr acquiescunt nisi cum audire contigerit quod fortè libuerit They stick at every thing which is by Authority enjoyned they require a a Reason nay and we may add are not satisfied with Reason for every thing they are Jealously suspicious of every Precept of their Superiors nor do they ever willingly acquiess in their determinations unless it happens that they are agreeable to their own Judgment and as St. Augustine says Nisi quod ipsi faciunt nihil rectum Existimant They think well of nothing or Judge it right but what they do themselves LET St. Cyprian give them a third Mark. Initia Haereticorum c. Vt Praepositum Superbo tumore contemnant Sic de Ecclesia receditur sic Altare prophanum Foràs Collocatur sic contra pacem Christi Ordinationem atque unitatem Dei rebellatur The Original of Hereticks is Contempt of those who are set over them So men separate from the Church So is a prophane Altar erected out of it So men become Rebells against the Peace of Christ Order and Vnity because as in another place he says Episcopus qui unus est Ecclesiae praeest Superbâ quorundam presumptione contemnitur The Bishop who is one and set over the Church is by the proud Presumption of some Men Contemned We may write a Probatum est to these Prophetique Truths I might Pyle up Endless Authorities and swell this Discourse to a Volume but if what I have already said be not sufficient to Convince the greatest Enemies of Episcopacy that it is a Government of Gods appointment in the Church I think all that can be said will be to no purpose and if this will more would be supersluous if they will not believe the Scripture If they will not believe the Church Mat. 18.17 it is our Saviour's Rule Let them be as Heathen men and Publicans CHAP. XVI HAVING now found a Divine and unerring Rule of Faith and Life in the Scripture of Truth and having also found there who are by God appointed to be Governours of the Church viz. Bishops There remains only the great Enquiry after the Judg of Controversies and Differences which is abslutely Necessary in the Church of God to determine Differences which may happen not only about Matters of private Opinion but even the sense of the Scriptures and the Interpretation of the Holy Rule And as these Differences may be of several Kinds and Natures so there are several Judges appointed by God to hear and determine them that so the Church may be preserved in Peace and Charity As to what is matter of Faith Essentially Necessary to Salvation That God is the Sole Judg of himself And therefore it has by him long since been determined and received in the Church and what ever by all must be believed must be easy by all to be known and is therefore plainly set forth in Holy Scripture Nor can any be Judg of this but what cannot Err or deceive us which is only God And to say the Church is the Judg of this and that it cannot Err because the Catholique Church does not Err is to argue Fallaciously à non esse ad impossibile esse For that part of the Catholique Church whilest on Earth consisting of Men of whom some shall be saved and some Reprobated No man having a power to know which of them are those who shall be kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation that they shall not Err and to distinguish them from those who shall not be so preserved and therefore there being a Possibility that those who may be Reprobates from the Faith themselves may yet be of great Authority in the Outward Visible Church it is unreasonable to admit them as Judges of Faith who Erring themselves my lead us into Errors too And therefore God who speaks to us in Scripture is only the Judg of what is matter of Faith and what not and it is to be tryed by that Rule and no Authority has power to impose any thing as matter of Faith Essentially necessary to Salvation but what is there to be found The Harmony of the Universal Church that such things as are offered as matters of Faith are agreeable to Scripture is in things not clear and
pure heart and good Conscience which commands Peace and forbids all Disorder and Disobedience which are destructive of it in the Church of God BUT to make this apparent so as that no Evasion may be found let us consider that Vnity of Faith is not sufficient to maintain Charity in a National Church unless there be also Vnity in point of Government for where men Live together imbodied in one political Society and are therefore daily conversant together it is impossible but they will discourse about the Modes as well as the Essence of Religion and supposing that all People had free Liberty to chuse after what manner they would serve and Worship God no doubt is to be made but every man would prefer his own choice both of Opinion and Practice before that of others and Esteem it most agreable to the Will of God and most conducive to the great Design of all Religion the Eternal Salvation of Mens Souls This undue preference of their own Way as it would naturally incline them to make as many Proselytes as possibly they could a Duty they would judge themselves necessarily and indispensably obliged to perform so would it necessarily put them not only upon defending and maintaining their own Way but of lessening and it may be debasing and vilifying all others in comparison of it Nor would others be less eager in searching out and Exposing their Errors and Defects thereby to Establish themselves and their Way of Worship in the good Opinion of their Followers to which Revenge for affront and indignity offer'd to what they Esteem most Sacred would contribute not a little so that all Religion would come to consist in frivolous and endless Disputes and Differences what kind of Breath what Tones Words Habits Gestures or Postures God Almighty is best pleased with and instead of that Charity which covers a multiude of Faults that would be the best which had the least and was best able to discover the Infirmities of all others and would seem to consist not so much in its own Excellencies or Perfections as by discovering the defects of those who did oppose it Nor would these foolish differences terminate in meer Words and Wrangles but proceed by degrees to the highest Animosities and Extremities of Hatred and such a hatred as inspires Men with the devilish Principles of indeavouring to Extirpate Root and Branch with Fire and Sword all those who differ from them it may be but in the Punctillo's of outward Ceremonies and they who shall appear most Zealous in Executing this blind and furious Rage shall be accounted most godly and Religious Murder shall be called Justice Wrong Violence and Oppression Punishments justly inflicted upon the Wicked Sacriledge shall pass for Piety and the most horrid and slagitious Enormities shall be dedicated to the Glory of God and be reputed acceptable service to him being done or however pretended with the design of propagating the Gospel rooting out Superstition False Doctrine and Heresie O meek and blessed Jesus thou innocent Lamb of God who takest away the Sins of the World is this the Religion which with thy precious blood was planted in the World and watred with the blood of so many of thy holy Saints and Martyrs Assuredly God is not in such terrible Hurricanes Whirlwinds and Earthquakes Tempests or Fires as rend the Mountains 1 Kings 19.11 12. and break the Rocks in pieces as shake and put all the Foundations of the World out of Course and consume all before them No no it is in the small still voice the calm and soft voice of Peace and Meekness that God and true Religion are to be found Alas it is not in this mans pompous breath nor that mans Eloquent Harangue that God is delighted it is not the rude and undecent Religion of him who despises all Ceremonies in the Worship of God who will not bend his knee or uncover his head for fear of he knows not what Idolatry Nor is it the over superstitious and courtly service of him who makes all his Religion groan under the Load of splendid Ceremonies that God is pleased with he has no more satisfaction in these Exterior demeanors than as the Psalmist says Psal 147.10 11. in the strength of an horse or in the legs of a man but the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy And all these outward Demonstrations of our Worship are only valuable according to their inward intention of promoting the main Design for which he intended them which is Peace Unity and Concord among the Sons of Men. NOW this blessed Peace this happy Vnity and this Christian Concord are not to be hoped for in any National Church but by submitting to such common Expedients in the Celebration of the Publique Worship of Almighty God as by putting an End to these Differences may lay asleep all these occasions of Divisions Disputes and vain janglings and may therefore cut off the root and occasion of Quarrels about the How God shall be served And this Power must either be granted to be in the Governors of the Church and Nation or otherways all falls to Confusion For if it be not in the Church then have not any Dissenters that Power over their Churches and therefore they go about an unlawful Action and are bold Usurpers over the Christian Liberty of their Brethren whilest they go about to Establish any Government in their Congregations if it be in the Church then either that Authority is in the Church of England or She is not a true Church Let them prove that and we will fairly and quietly yield them the Cause But if the Church of England be a true Church and a true Church have such a Power then ought all who are in that Community and Nation to be obedient to her Determinations because they are within the Verge of her Jurisdiction and they who are disobedient are guilty of the breach of Vnity and Charity and Enemies to Peace and if the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews be of any Credit they who do not follow Peace with all Men as well as Holyness and much more then with that Church which brought them forth and has nurst them in her tender Arms shall never see God And into what a desperate condition then have they reduced themselves who for want of this Charity Peace and Unity run themselves and their Disciples into the danger of being Excluded notwithstanding all their Holyness from the Glorious presence of God which in plain English is Eternal Damnation AH poor Church of England how justly mayest thou take up the Mournful complaint of God Almighty by his Prophet Isaiah Hear ô Heavens Esay 1.2 and give ear ô Earth I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me O miserable and deceived People How vainly do you Establish your hopes of Eternal Happiness upon principles of Dissention Who are made believe no way so secure to
attain Salvation as Disobedience to the Government of the Church your Mother Who lose all Charity the substance of Religion for the Watry shadow that appears in the smooth but treacherous face of the specious words of Reformation and greater degrees of Purity not considering in the mean time that these are all the best of them but outward Forms of Godliness common to the Good and Bad but that Charity and Obedience in order to Brotherly Vnity are the Power and the Life the Soul and very Essence of all true Religion With these Religion may be false but without the other it can never be true Esay 5.21 Wo unto them says the Prophet that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight And what can be more Evident than that these People must be so to the highest degrees of Folly and Frenzy who expose the Peace and Well-fare of the Church to ruine and Distruction in complaisance to their private ill-grounded Opinions in mere matters of Indifferency who neglect a certain Duty for a Doubtful Supposition and have less Esteem for Charity than a Scruple or a Fancy who by their obstinate Practice so contrary to all Antiquity and so wholly new and therefore Vncertain set themselves in the Throne of Wisdom and Prudence much above all the Learned Pious and glorious Governors of the Church Saints and Martyrs which have been in all Ages since the Son of God laid the Foundation of it with his precious Blood Nay even above the Son of God himself who not only left that Government in his Church as shall be shewn hereafter but by the Miraculous continuance and preservation of that Government has manifested that he does approve it and that he has upheld it by his mighty Power and Wisdom LET Dissenters therefore shew us perspicuously when there was any other Government in the Church than that of Bishops Let them shew us when ever the Church was without a Publique Liturgy since that composed by St. James When ever Christians were without Priests to attend the Altar Heb. 13.10 of which they who serve the Jewish Tabernacle have no right to Eat or that these were of the Peoples chusing and not Ordained by Bishops to their Sacred Function Let them shew us where ever any person was permitted to Entertain the People with a long Extempore Prayer more to the displaying his own Abilities than to edify them more to disparage others who cannot who dare not if they can be so bold with the Dreadful Majesty of Heaven than to bring them into Charity with such Persons whose considerative Modesty stands amazed at the thoughts of the Divine Omnipotence as having been taught by the Holy Spirit Eccles 5.1 2. That God is in Heaven and we on Earth and therefore our words ought to be few and that it is a foolish Presumption to think we can please him by breaking his commands by being rash with our Mouths and hasty with our hearts to utter any thing before God for they who do so consider not that they give the sacrifice of Fools Rom. 3.8 and do Evil which an Apostle tells us we must not at any Rate be guilty of not though we may reasonably hope for a good Effect from evil Actions whose Damnation he there says is just LET them shew us these things either positively commanded of God or prohibited Universally practised by the Church or condemned or otherways let them confess that they are wiser than the Generations of their Fore-fathers in Christ wiser than the Apostles and all the holy Martyrs who with their Blood Sealed and Delivered the Truth of these things down to us And if they will call these Practices Antichristian Superstitious and Unlawful if they will tear off the Ornaments of their Mother nay and Murther her too because she will not consent to betray her self and her trust to their Novel Wisdom if they will more barbaroufly than the Roman Souldiers rend the seamless Coat of Christ to patch up another of their own Inventions we must pity them and pray for them in the Language of our blessed Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23.34 and yet even that Charity does not deprive us of using all Lawful ways and means to defend our selves from their injurious incroachments nor is it meant that our Charity ought to be so defenceless as voluntarily to Expose us to their Injustice and Cruelty And that glorious Law which commands us to love and pray for our Enemies does not oblige us to offer our throats a Sacrifice to their Swords nor are we bound to be so kind to them as to be Cruel to our selves I could heartily wish the sad Effects of the Decay of Christian Charity among us were only the Cloudy apparitions of my own fears and imaginations Airy Combats and Meteors of the Mind But alas we may but too sorrowfully invert the saying of the Royal Prophet Psal 44.7 We have heard with our Ears and our Fathers have told us nay miserable people that we are we have seen with our Eyes these afflicting Truths For no sooner was the Church of England stept out of the Errors and Darkness of Rome but the Devil the great Incendiary of the World envious of our Happiness begun to sow the Tares of Dissention among us I will not repeat the Names of those Authors of our Misery but I desire all Dissenters of what Names soever to consider what have been the Effects of these Differences which for this 80 years they have with such Hereditary Violence and Animosity maintained against the Church of England What is it that has banish't all Charity from the Minds and Lives of Men What is it that has made all those Heats Strifes and Divisions those bitter Railings that Hatred Emulation and at last Separation from the Communion of Saints which is one Article of our Faith between people of different Opinions What is it therefore that has sacrificed Faith to Opinion From what Fountain flow'd all those fearful streams of blood which so lately staind our yet blushing Fields Scaffolds nay our very Temples and Altars From what Coast blew those Whirlwinds of Rebellion and Sedition not privy but publique Conspiracy which threw down all Crowns and Mitres Churches and Palaces every thing Sacred and Civil which occasion'd the ruine of so many Millions of Souls Bodies and Estates This Cloud which was at first no bigger than a Mans hand which afterwards cover'd the face of the Heavens with Storms and Tempests Thunder and Lightning like the dismal Plague of Egypt Fire mingled with Hail was nothing but the dislike which some persons had that their sense was not made the standard of Religion and because contrary to their good liking some Ceremonies were thought fit to be retained in the Church as being of great Antiquity of Excellent Use and necessity which they would have had totally abolished THESE men whose Tempers were warmer
calling him a-away he leaves Titus a Bishop there to set in order what was wanting that was upon their good demeanour to advance them into the Power of Bishops which was wanting at St. Pauls departure and the following words make it plain that this was the thing wanting and which he appointed Titus to do By the Direction he gives about them Vers 10 11. For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God a high Office and a large Jurisdiction for there are many unruly there was the Necessity of Bishops to Rule whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whole Houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy Lucres sake So that Titus was to make Bishops in that Populous Island that so they might have Authority which as Presbyters they had not to stop the mouths of the Seducers And how were these unruly Subverters to be Treated and Governed even by rebuking them sharply Vers 13. and stopping their Mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by silencing them And how could that be done but by the Authority of the Bishop who was to let them and the People know that if they persisted in their disobedience Vers 16. They were abominable and Reprobates and therefore to be cast out of the Church For though they profess to know God yet in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good Work Reprobate Therefore abominable because disobedient Silencing then of Subverters of Houses unruly vain Talkers Deceivers is no new thing in the Church nor Bishops Persecutors for so doing Nor is there any way of stopping their Mouths in the Church but by this Authority of Excommunication and if they submit not to this all their Pretences to Godliness will not excuse them from denying him and being Reprobates because Disobedient What must we then think of those who will not have their Mouths stopped either by the Power of the Church or Civil Magistrate but in the highest degree of Unruly and Mutinous Disorder are Disobedience to both Indeavouring to draw Disciples after them that they may first take away from the Bishop the defence of the Magistrates Sword and then with Ease Extirpate Episcopacy Root and Branch Office and Name Power and Authority THUS you see that the Holy Ghost appointed Bishops in the Primitive Church you see their Office and Authority and that Presbyters were their Lawful Inferiors that they had Power to Ordain to Rebuke to acquit or Condemn to stop the Mouths of the Unruly So that here is both the Name and the Thing the Title and the Office confirmed by clear and evident Testimony of Scripture Now let us see what Obedience is due to them We intreat you Brethren saith St. Paul 1 Thess 5.12 13. and his Modest Intreaty â—â—â—y I hope without offence pass for a Command to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly in Love for their Works-sake and be at Peace among your selves How know these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Rulers For they could not be ignorant of their Persons or Names but know their Office know their Power that so by submission you may maintain Peace BUT the Author to the Hebrews is plain and Positive Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word will carry more than some Envious People will well like of in Bishops and will not only intitle them to Rule but their Honour too as will appear to any who is not a stranger to the Greek Language For it signifies not only a bare Ruler or a Guide but a Captain and a Prince and warrants a Bishops being so in the New Testament as well as a Priest under the Old But to avoid Offence I know there are none of those Reverend Fathers of the Church but will be pleased to derive their Titles from another Fountain of Honour I speak this to shew that God Almighty by his Spirit in Scripture is pleased to Honour them with the high Character of Princes and Governors and that therefore they are not to be Vilified and Despised as sonâ—n Wanton and other Virulent Tongues and Pens too frequently do But to proceed He continues to shew what kind of Obedience this must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 submit your selves without resisting be in Subjection And he adds the Reason For they watch for your Souls as they that must give an Account that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief Does God expect an account of Souls from these spiritual Guides and Rulers Then certainly he cannot in Justice leave them Destitute of Power and Authority to Rule and Guide as means to enable them to give a good Account of their Charge And to suppose the contrary were to suppose an End without a Way And since they have such a Charge all those who are within their respective Jurisdictions are bound to yield Obedience to them as they will answer before the Bar of Divine Justice for the Guilt not only of Destroying their own Souls but those of others whom they teach to Refuse to Obey those who have the Rule over them and are appointed Bishops by the Holy Ghost AND whereas St. Peter calls himself a Presbyter and by ranking himself among them seems to intimate they are all one this does not at all prove that he was not a Bishop too 1 Pet. 1.1 For he calls himself Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ and his Humility in calling himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 5.1 their fellow Presbyter does no more prove that a Bishop and Presbyter are the same than that a Presbyter and Apostle are for though they were his fellow Presbyters yet they were not his fellow Apostles and further it appears that these Presbyters of which he calls himself a Sym-Presbyter were Bishops as well as Priests for Writing to the several Churches scattered through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia and Bithynia and calling the Governors of those Churches Fellow Presbyters argues as much but the second Verse puts it out of doubt for he says they must Episcopize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feed the Flock of Christ as Bishops and therefore this place will never prove that the Authority of a bare Presbyter is equal to that of a Bishop or one who was a Fellow Presbyter of Saint Peter LET us see now what the next Age thought of it I will not run through the whole Church-History but content my self with the Testimony of Ignatius who was the Scholar of Saint John the beloved Apostle and Disciple of our Lord who leaned on Jesus's Bosom and one may well suppose therefore knew his Breast and what Government his Lord appointed in the Church and had Episcopacy been Antichristian would not have failed to tell us so and when he tells us there are many Antichrists he would have told us that this was one if he had believed it to be so and
have instructed his Scholar to put down and not Exalt this Antichrist in the Church of God 1 Jo. 2.18 This Ignatius who was afterwards in the Eleventh year of Trajan Crowned with Martyrdom at Rome being torn in pieces by Wild Beasts as Eusebius gives us an account Euseb Eccl. His l. 3. c. 19. 35. he speaks as plain of the Difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter as Pen can write or Heart can wish In his Epistle to the Magnesians Ig. Ep. ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop saith he is seated in the first place as in the place of God and the Presbyters as the Senate of the Apostles And in another place of the same Epistle They says he who Act without a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to such Christ will say Why do ye call me Lord Lord and do not the works which I Command you Such Persons seem to me not to be of a good Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to be Hypocrites and Dissemblers And in his Epistle to the Trallians he Commands them in the Language of the Author to the Hebrews Ignat. Epist ad Trall To be subject unto this Bishop as unto the Lord for he Watches for your souls And in another place he tells them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is absolutely necessary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That you should do nothing without the Bishop Thus we see the Sons of the Church in the first Century of the Apostles of Christ being yet living thought of Bishops as we do And therefore it is both Undeniable and Undubitable that Episcopal Government was of Divine Institution and that a Bishop and a Presbyter are two different things in the Primitive Church both as to Power and as to Name I might bring a whole Cloud of Witnesses of less Antiquity but if these will not convince if the Testimony of Scripture and so Primitive a man and a Bishop as Ignatius be of no value I can have little hopes of convincing Gainsayers by multitude who have abandoned Reason THUS stood the Affairs of the Church for above 300 Years no man making the least Question or Dispute but that the Government by Episcopacy was of Gods appointment one Bishop still succeeding another as in the Ecclesiastical Historians my be seen in most of the Principal Cities of the World Epiphan l. 3. Tom. 1. Haeres 25. till Aerius being Educated with Eustathius and being his equal in Learning and Age took it as a great disparagement that Eustathius was preferred before him to a Bishoprick for which they were Competitors upon this discontent he not only fell foul upon Eustathius objecting as our Aerians do against him Pride and Covetousness but his Resentments for the Mortal displeasure broak out against the whole Function contemning the prescribed Fasts of the Church and teaching by the same Arguments with ours that a Bishop and a Priest were all one by the Scriptures of equal Power Authority and Jurisdiction which saith Epiphanius is an Assertion stultitiae plena full of Folly But this being but one discontented Priests Opinion was neither much regarded nor long lived the current belief of the Scripture and the constant Usage of the Church which knew no other Government run so strong that he was drowned in it nor did the Heresie ever float again till this last Age of which St. Clement who was contemporary to St. Paul and his fellow Labourer Phil. 4.3 as he calls him seems to prophecy in that Epistle of his to the Corinthians which I think was never suspected to be spurious where he tells us there would come a time when there should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. ad Cor. a contention about the very name of a Bishop BY virtue of this Power it was that the Rulers of the Church ordered and appointed all things which were done which were of an indifferent Nature in Government as about the Observation of Holy Fasts and Festivals the manner of Celebrating the Service and Worship of God the Prayers and Alms of the Church the Postures Gestures and Habits which were to be made use of and all other Rites and Ceremonies following herein the Scripture as the Rule of Faith and Manners and the General Precepts therein contained as Rules of Government which were principally these FIRST That nothing imposed should be repugnant or contrary to any Article or Branch of Faith or a Holy Life or to any Customs of the Church recorded in Holy Writ SECONDLY That all their Commands might have a respect to Decency Order Reverence and Edification THIRDLY That All might have a tendency to Vnity Peace and Concord and that diversity of Customs and Opinions might not breed Schisms and Contentions and I shewed before how when in some of these things there was a difference in several Churches yet still they held Communion one with another maintaining inviolably the same Faith and Government in all THIS was the Condition of the Church both as to Faith and Polity till such time as the great Powers of the Earth the Roman Emperours and other Kings became Christians and took up the Cross of Christ as the Glory of their Crowns The first of which was Constantine the Great These Temporal Powers then took the Church into their Protection made Temporal Laws for the better Management of it and to preserve it from the Injuries of Heathen Idolaters without and Hereticks within and having the Sword in their hand undertook as it was their Duty to punish Evil doers who darst transgress the Laws of the Church with Temporal Punishments as well as those who broak the Laws of the Civil Magistrate and to incourage the Peaceable and Religious From the Bounty of these Princes and that of others of plentiful Fortunes and and by their Example the Church came to be Endowed with Temporalties and an Honourable Constant and Encouraging Maintainance was provided and settled upon those who were to serve at the Altar that so they might be inabled and furnished with all sorts of Learning well knowing that proportionate Rewards are the spurs to Learning and Virtue as the Wisdom of God for our Encouragement to Pursue and Obtain her tells us Prov. 8.18.3.4 Riches and Honour are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness and that length of days are in her right hand and in her left hand Riches and Honour And that according to the Apostolical Command 1 Cor 9.11 14. They which sow Spiritual things should also reap Carnal for so hath the Lord commanded that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel BY this it appears That now there was a double Obligation laid upon all Christians to be Obedient to the Commands of the Church both because they derive their Power from God and because the Temporal Power did now concur to strengthen the Duty by the Obligations of Humane Laws nor can any thing or any pretence of Conscience authorize