Persons become Members of the Church of Christ are two different Questions and even this which is his own he answers not distinctly for by his first way They become Members only of the Catholick Church visible By his second They become Members also of the Holy Catholick Church the mystical Body of Christ so that without distinguishing what is here and there meant by Church we are not like to be much edified by this Answerer That a visible Profession of Christianity Entitles men to the Priviledges of the Church in the second acceptation of the word may be true which yet with his good leave their Debaucheries and Immoralitys may again deprive them of notwithstanding the Church at Corinths delay in casting out the incestuous person But 't is not every vice or error in a Member of a particular Church that Unchurches them St. Paul therefore might very well own the Church at Corinth for a Church notwithstanding the Debaucheries and Immoralities that were in some of its Members But the tolerating them was certainly a Crime which the Parable of the Tares and Wheat will never justifie for though they were to grow together till Harvest it was not in the Church but in the world for so our Saviour declares the field to be Nor will the parable of the Net and good and bad Fishes contained therein give any more countenance to this fond Assertion that Debaucheries and Immoralities are or may be tolerated in a Christian Church or that Debaucht and Immoral persons are not to be debarr'd the Priviledges thereof If that be as it seems to be this Answerers meaning the Apostle commanding that the Incestuous person be delivered unto Satan i. e. cast out of the Church the Kingdom of God into the world the Kingdom of the Devil Query III. Whether the Parochial Churches within these Nations and the worship therein us'd be according to Christs Institution or the Rule and Order of the Gospel Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Query relating to the former hath respect unto the means whereby Christians become a Church of Christ and aim'd at their Information or satisfaction who doubted whether Co-habitation or mens living together within such or such a Precinct having a Priest or Curate so and so set over them be the formal cause of an Instituted Church of the Gospel And whether such Societies meeting to worship God by certain set or prescribed Forms of Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments be according to Christs Institution or the Rule and Order of the Gospel which this Answerer not thinking good to speak to requiring only the contrary to be showne leaves his Reader therein as much unsatisfied and to seek as before while he troubles himself with enumerating such particulars as are not here questioned nor were ever intrâ—ded by the Query which respected more the manner then matter of worship and formal cause only of an Instituted Church of the Gospel Query IV. Whether it be not the duty of every Christian to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly and not after the Traditions received from the Apostles Reply to the Answer to this Query WE have an affirmative answer here which could not well be denyed us since it is but what the Apostle commands But then he tells us from an excellent Expositor what disorderly walking is by which it seems we are only to withdraw from such as withdraw their Obedience from the Church and like disbanded Souldiers run away from their Colours where by the way disbanded Souldiers are improperly said to run away forsake the Service of their Superiours and Commands of their Bishops c. and with such he tells us we are not to have any familiar or friendly conversation But this withdrawing says he concerns only private Persons and yet private Persons are not totally to withdraw themselves from such disorderly walkers till so and so nay even then we are not interdicted all Society with such a Person So that we are little edified by this Answerer or his excellent Expositor as to our duty of withdrawing which they do not convince us ought to be only from the civil conversation of such as withdraw their obedience from the Church or as forsake the service of their Superiours and commands of their Bishops and not also from the Religious Fellowship and Communion of such Bishops and Brethren as in the Worship and Service of God walk not according to the Rule and Order of the Gospel Query V. Whether it be not the duty of every Christian to chuse the Communion of the purest Church And whether in the choice thereof is he bound to follow his own Judgement after the best information he is able to attain unto or other mens Judgements against his own Reply to the Answer to this Query LIttle of what hath been here said is to the matter in Question though in a peevish and froward manner he tells us If there be a purer Church they may betake themselves to it Whereby he seems to acknowledge That it is every mans duty to chuse the Communion of the purest Church Nor does he say that in the choice thereof a man is bound to follow anothers Judgement against his own and if he be not why are any molested for but doing their duty and though possibly they may be mistaken in their choice yet while they are so by misfortune and not their fault God will pardon it and men ought not to punish it at least while therein they hurt none but themselves Yea but says this Answerer They introduce confusion in all the Parishes of this Kingdom in setting up one Altar against another and removing ancient Land-marks expressly against a Divine Prohibition which is not saith he to embrace the Communion of the purest Church but to cast a mans self out of the Catholick Church But does this Learned and Judicious Answerer really believe That they who Separate from a Parochial or National Church do thereby cast themselves out of the Catholick Church Does he believe the French Protestants cast themselves out of the Catholick Church when they Separated from their Parochial Churches or from the National Church of France Or that the Parliament went expressly against a Divine Prohibition in removing an Ancieut Land-mark when they gave new Bounds to St. Martins Parish by taking Covent-Garden out of it And what do they who in this Nation worship God in Assemblies Separate from the Parochial Congregations more then all the Reformed Churches in all Popish Conntries in Europe both do and have done ever since they had a Being and yet I hope they set not Altar against Altar or if they do let him shew the evil of it His objection against Dissenters being let alone or snffer'd to go on in their way in that it will as he says administer occasion to the Enemies of our Religion to come and take away both our Place our Church and Nation is but the old objection the Chief Priests
tells us His design was to ease men of their former burdens and not to lay on more That the duties he required were no other but such as were necessary and withall Just and Reasonable That he that came to take away the insupportable Yoke of Jewish Ceremonies certainly did never intend to gall the necks of his Disciples with another instead of it and if so did not certainly give Power or Authority unto any to Institute in their room such others as they should think good it would be strange says he the Church should require more then Christ himself did and make other conditions of her Communion then our Saviour did of Discipleship Then asks What ground there can be why Christians should not stand upon the same terms now which they did in the times of Christ and his Apostles Whether Religion were not sufficiently guarded and fenced in them Whether there was ever more true and cordial reverence in the worship of God What Charter Christ hath given his Church to bind men up to more then himself hath done And then tells us The grand Commission the Apostles were sent out with was only to Teach what Christ had commanded them not the least intimation of any Power given them to impose or require any thing beyond what himself had spoken to them or they were directed to by the immediate guidance of the spirit of God What Power or Commission therefore any have since received to Institute such Ceremonies in the Worship and Service of God as they shall think good this Answerer or his Adherents may do well to inform us But instead thereof he tells us Nothing is more evident in the New-Testament than that Christ did intrust those whom he appointed in his absence to be the Ministers of his Church with the Government of it He did so and yet he did not Empower or Authorise them to Institute in the Worship and Service of God such Ceremonies as they should think good But says our Politick Answerer This Government could not subsist without the Enacting of Laws for its own and the Churches preservation for that Christ intended c. How does that appear we find nothing in his Gospel of any such intention nor have we reason to believe he intended any should Enact other Laws for the Government of his Church than what himself Enacted since 't were to deny the Scriptures sufficiency unto that end and its being a perfect Rule of our Faith and Obedience in all Gospel Duties and Administrations and in plain term's to tell us that Christ was not faithfull to him that appointed him as was Moses in all his House in that he left not as did Moses a compleat Volume of Laws for its Rule and Government We wish therefore this Answerer would acquaint us with the Instrument by which the Apostles made over their Authority of Enacting Laws for the Government of the Church to their Successors in that it would tend greatly to their conviction who have hitherto been in an error and very much deceived if the Lord Christ be not the sole Lord over and Law-giver to his Church and that the Apostles neither did nor could Delegate a Legislative Power to their Successors being themselves Ministers only of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Power of the Keys committed unto them not being a Power of giving Laws to the Church but a Power of Teaching and Ruling the Church according to the Laws which Christ himself had given and those as he says not to that present Age of Christians but to all Succeeding Ages in which his Church was to continue in the World they being evey way sufficient to continue and preserve upon Earth a visible Church untill his Second coming But so far this Answerer is in the right That there could have been no such Society if there had been no Law for its Vnity But he should withall have consider'd that there neither could nor can be any Law for its Unity but from an Universal Law-giver the obligation of no Law extending farther then the Iuâ—â—â—â—â—tion or Authority of the Legislator So that it is altogether impossible for any but the Lord Christ to Enact Laws for the visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods sacred Worship since the Jurisdiction or Authority of none other can reach or oblige all Christians That our Blessed Saviour was greatly concern'd for the Unity of his Church none sure ever doubted But the words quoted by this Answerer from St. Johns Gospel relate not so much to the external visible Unity of the Church as to the internal mystical Union that is between Christ and his Members Yet he tells us That which he would principally have the Reader observe in them is The care that our Blessed Lord and Master took for that great Essential of Christianity the Vnity of the Church No doubt he did both for the internal and external Unity thereof and that not only in his frequent calling on his Disciples to Unity and to love one another making it a Caracteristical note of their relation unto him By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another But also in commanding them to teach the observation of all things whatsoever he commanded them which would all who would be accounted his Disciples likewise observe and do without setting up their Posts as the Prophet speaks by his Posts Unity would not be wanting among Christians nor yet throughout the Christian world a due uniformity in the external Administration of Gods Sacred worship which variety of Rites and Ceremonies in particular Churches destroys And it may be truly enough said by him That it is impossible for the Gospel to be propagated and upheld by Faith and Charity only as they are lodg'd in mens Hearts unless the Fruits of these Graces were exerted in some things that were visible and obvious to sense and therefore outward worship is required that the inward may be exercised and expressed for to talk of inward worship without any outward expressions thereof is but a Cloak for Atheism But for this Answerer to tell us That the Churches Vnity was the main thing that Christ took care of before his Crucifixion That it is the great Essential of Christianity the very being of Christian Religion depending on it And that the main principle of all Christian Amity and affection is the visible Vnity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship which ought to be Vniform and undevided and then conclude That variety of Rites in one National Church would cause Division of Judgement and of affection Is such an explanation of the Unity of the Church and visible Unity of Christian Communion in the External Administration of Gods Sacred Worship as I think the world was never before blest with For was it the Unity of a National Church only that Christ took such care of and which is the great essential of Christianity or is
it the visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship in a National Church only that is the main Principle of all Christian Amity and affection certainly if variety of Rites in a National Church cause divisions of Judgement and of affection variety of Rites in the Universal or Catholick Church will cause the same also so that it is a visible Unity of Christian Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship throughout the Universal or Catholick Church that is the main principle of all Christian Amity and affection experience telling us what sad Divisions Feuds and Animosities have and do daily arise among Christians from the variety of Rites in the external Administration of Gods worship enjoyned by particular Churches of several Denominations even to the destruction of that external as well as internal Unity which is the great Essential of Christianity and which Christ so earnestly recommended to his Church So that if the Internal Unity of the Church as well as External Unity of Christian Communion in the publick Administration of Gods Sacred Worship be desirable as most certainly they are and ought to be They are no otherwise to be attained then by all Christian Churches Universally adhering to the Rule of the Gospel and enjoyning no other Rites or Ceremonies in the external Administration of the worship of God and requiring no other conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion then that enjoyns and requires Nor hath our Answerer more reason to say That many Assemblies of Christians Independent one 〈◊〉 of another though living under the same civil Government do weaken and will at last destroy Christianity Than others That National and Provincial Churches rejecting at the Popes Supremacy destroy the Unity of the Church and endanger the very being of Christian Religion Nor yet That from such small beginnings and Independent Communions there would have been no more possibility to have spread and propagated Christianity in the world than an Army divided and scatter'd into Parties could be able Encounter with another that was Vnited and observ'd all the Orders of the chief commander since as the Apostle tells us God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and experience hath told us That from such small beginnings and Independent Communions Christianity hath been spread and propagated over the world But if as he intimates An Army divided and scatter'd into Parties is not able to Encounter another that is Vnited and observes all the Orders of the chief Commander How will those National and Provincial Reformed Churches which are but divided and scatter'd Parties of the Christian Army and Independent one 〈◊〉 of another be able to Encounter the Papacy which is United and observes all the Orders of their chief Commander So strangely does prejudice and Partiality blind men as that they see not how they argue against themselves unless they are of that Army whose Principles and Practices they embrace and follow while they would be thought to skirmish with it This Answerer may therefore know if he pleases That though the Church be compared to an Army it is not in being like Officer'd as having a Leiutenant or Vicar-General Major-Generals Colonels c. or such like subordination of Officers depending upon or centering in one and yet th◠is not without her Officers who though at the head but of single Companies observing all the Orders of their Chief Commander are and have been able to Encounter the United Power of Men and Devils making War against the Lamb and his followers But our Answerer having explain'd as he tells us One of the main vitals of Christianity viz. The Vnity of the Church advises his Reader farther to consider That in the days of Christs abiding upon Earth there could not possibly be any Law for the preservation of its Vnity for the reason he mentions and therefore Jesus Christ gave Power and Authority to his Apostles and their Successors to Institute such Ceremonies and Rituals in Religion as they in their own Prudence should judge most agreable to the manners and Customs of the Nations they should convert and which tended to promote true Piety and goodness in their hearts and lives But for this the Reader is desired likewise to consider we have but his bare word he not offering the least proof of any such Power committed by Jesus Christ to his Apostles and their Successors the Commission he gave unto his Apostles being but to teach the observation of such things as he had commanded them so far was he from leaving it to them and much less to the prudence of their Successors to Institute and appoint such Rituals in Religion as they should think good These things therefore are fondly and groundlessly asserted and no less inconsistent with what himself but now said than repugnant to the Gospel For if those Rites which were agreeable to one sort of People would not be so unto others and the Governours of the Church were to appoint as he says such Rituals in Religion as in their prudence they should judge most agreeable to the manners and Customs of those Nations they should convert what becomes of his main principle of all Christian Amity and Affection The visible Vnity of Communion in the external Administration of Gods Sacred Worship which he but now told us ought to be uniform and undevided 〈◊〉 it is so far from being impossible that in the days of Christs abode upon Earth there should be as he says any Law made for the preservation of the Churches Vnity that it is altogether impossible as hath been demonstrated that any but Jesus Christ or less then an omnipotent Power should be able to Enact any such Law Neither hath our Lord Christ Instituted any Rite or Ceremony in Religion but what will very well suit with the Manners and Customs of all Nations He would never else have commanded his Disciples to teach all Nations to observe all things whatsoever he commanded them Yet so fond is our Answerer of his fancies as to repeat them in telling us That when Christ made void the Law of Ceremonies in the Jewish Church he intended though he gives us no evidence of such his intention to inspire the minds of his Apostles and their Successors with so much soundness and integrity of wisdom and understanding that they should be able by their own Reasons to Enact such Laws and Orders as should preserve the external Vnity of the Church and render Religion so amiable as that it should not be quite naked and destitute of all external Ornament and Beauty In which he expresses but his own vain and carnal thoughts of Religion Christian Religion being certainly most amiable when most suitable to the simplicity of the Gospel the beauty of whose worship consists not in external Rites and Ceremonies in which even where they most exceed it comes far short of the Ceremonies and Ordinances under the Law and yet the
Christian duties which God requires of them Query XXIII Whether are they who separate or they who give the cause of separation the Schismaticks Reply to the Answer to this Query WE have here a full and satisfactory Answerâ—r In that it is acknowledg'd That not they who separate but they who give just cause of separation are the Schismaticks But then he tells us St. Paul hath as clearly and fully determin'd this Query as if it had been proposed in his days Though you will find him here as well as elsewhere to handle the word of God deceitfully For St. Paul in that place speaks only of the duty of Servants exhorting those who are under the Yoke to count their Masters though Infidels worthy of all honour and not to depise their believing Masters because they are Brethren but rather do them service because they are Faithful and beloved and these things he directs Timothy to Teach and Exhort and then sâ—bjoyns If any man teach otherwise c. He is proud c. Where observe how instead of Master he foists in Superiour a word of a more extensive signification for though every Master be a Superiour every Superiour is not a Master and yet we do not say that obedience may be withdrawn from Superiours of any kind Christianity laying the greatest obligation immaginable upon its Professors to be obedient to their Superiours But as the Authority of Superiours is not despotical or absolute so neither ought the obedience of Inferiours to be blind or Brutish both the one and the other being regulated by a Supream Power For where Superiours have no Right to command there lyes no obligation on Inferiours to obey So that whether Conformists in commanding or Non-conformists in not obeying are the Schismaticks depends on the formers having right and Authority to require what the latter judges sinful or unlawful to observe which being beyond the present Question we shall not meddle with But he tells us If the Church of England had forsaken the common Faith it had been no Schism to forsake the Church of England and if she did so and so then that command in the Revelation Come out of her my people c. had been applicable to our Dissenters Bâ—t this is still but pretended being against his principle of blind obedience and mens resigning up themselves to the Fathers of the Church without leaving them so much as a Power to Examine what is commanded for where that is there must likewise be allowed a dissent in all things they judge evil or unlawful And though he tells us A good Christian ought as much to dread the imposing upon his Judgement an Assent to known errors and upon his Practice the acting of known Sins as the suffering the very pains of Hell it self he does we doubt but equivocate alallowing none to be known errors or known sins but such as Superiours shall judge so for if he allow Inferiours to judge thereof and act accordingly there is no difference between us But having told us what the Church of England does not he now tells us what many of our Dissenters do And first he says They Question not only the Power of Bishop to Govern the Church but that of Kings to make Laws for the Security of their own Crown and Government as well as the common Christianity If such there are I am sure no sober or Rational man will justifie or excuse them in it That they make the people Judges of their own Pastors c. That they may have reason for how else can they beware of false Prophets and try the spirits as they are commanded or distinguish between the Ministers of Christ and the Ministers of Antichrist But no sober man sure will allow any to withdraw their obedience from those who are lawfully Ordain'd and ought to superintend over them That they forsake their old guides c. This is but the old Popish objection new vampt nor is such forsaking Criminal but where causeless And who are they that renounce in their Assemblies as he says the ancient Creeds which were in all Ages esteemed the Badges of Christianity And wherein lyes the Crime of not reading the Scriptures to the people without expounding them But sure they make it not indifferent to be of any Communion who are so great sufferers because they cannot be so And if as he says they gather Churches not only without but against all Aâ—thority Let him not be thereat troubled since every Plant which our Heavenly Father hath not Planted shall be rootâ—d up Which is due or undue ordination will hardly be determin'd till we have an affirmative Answer to the sixth Query But 't were happy for the Church of God if none who are not gifted and qualified for the work of the Ministry were empower'd to read Sermons in the Pulpit Prophane the Sacraments c. But who are they that as he says Evacuate one main Article of the Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church besides himself and the Papists All others believe their is one Catholick Church but do not believe in one Catholick Church we are taught to believe only in God not in the Church but he it seems hath resign'd up his Faith to the Fathers of the Church believing only as the Church believes No wonder therefore he should talk of a Yearly Monthly and Daily Faith which his Principles lead him to if he chance so oft to change his Fathers or they their Faith Who they are that go out of their Callings and Stations to Usurp the Office of Bishops as well as of the Inferiour Clergy will hardly be determin'd here Yet I shall tell him what a Reverend and Learned Prelate of the Church of England once answer'd to the like objection So long said he as they taught the same Doctrine which the Apostles did they had the same Power and Authority to Preach which they had biding them to keep their competent Jurisdictions Judicial Cognitions and legal Decisions to themselves For that as he truly told them The Son of God first founded and still gathereth his Church by the mouths of Preachers not by the Summons of consistories and he that is sent to Preach may not hold his Tongue and tarry till my Lord the Pope and his Miter'd Fathers can intend to meet and list to consent to the ruine as they think of their Dignities and Liberties But to return to our Answerer How do they as he says break the bonds of Vnity and Line of Apostolical Succession who adhere to the Universal and Uniform Law of the Gospel or do not they rather break both who make their own or other mens wills the Rule of the Churches and found their Ordination on uncertain tradition I know of no Dissenters that obtrude Oaths and Covenants as he says on their Proselites though it be no Crime for Christians to Covenant to serve God as God wil be serv'd Every man hath a Judgement of discretion Which is the
So that it is not the Church of England that approves or allows of Force in Religion or that Carnal weapons are to be used in the Christian warfare but such of her Degenerate and Base Sons only as forsake the Law of their Mother For as he hath well observ'd Humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed Form without and â—thism within which should make it to be abhorr'd and detested by all sincere and good Christians And surely the Church of England who decryes and so highly condemnes blind Obedience in the Duties of Religion can never Approve or Allow of Forceing any therein against their Light and Judgments which is certainly the worst of blind Obediences For since Whatever is not of Faith is sin Whatever a man does against his Faith or Conscience must needs be much more so And as the Church of England neither Approves nor Allows of Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion and much less that any should be therein required to do ought against their Light or Judgments which were to sin against their Consciences So she as little Allows or Approves of Persecuting or any wayes Molesting or Troubling any for the real performance of any truly Christian Exercise of Religien Nor I dare presume to say does any Law of England Allow or Countenance much less Command or Require any such thing though too many have Misconstru'd and Misapply'd the late Act for Preventing and Supressing Seditious Conventicles to the Disturbing and Punishing I may say Ruining of many Peaceable and Pious people for Meeting only really and truly to Worship and serve God For the Act does not say if any person or persons above such a number shall meet to Worship God truly and sincerely in other manner than according to the Liturgy c. They shall incurre the Penalty mention'd But where any Person c. shall be present at any Meeting under Colour or Pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England c. It shall and may be Lawful c. The Act certainly does not prohibit or punish any real and truly Christian Exercise of Religion for if it did it were Ipso Facto null and void as being against the Law of God But if it be objected it appears not whether their Worship be Sincere or Pretended only and the Law prohibites such a number to meet under any colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion in other manner then according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England and punishes those that transgress the same 'T is answer'd that all Pretences ought in Charity to be believ'd where no Over-act discovers the Hypocrisie or falsehood of the mind But since there is so little Charity amongst men let it be shown wherein the Exercises of Religion which some have been pleased to punish by vertue or colour rather of that Law were in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England If it be said they ought to be perform'd in the very words of the Liturgy it is more than the Act sayes And the Practice of the Church of England has ever allowed men to pray even in Publick in other words than are prescribed in the Liturgy Our Blessed Saviour teaching his Disciples to pray said unto them After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in Heaven c. And yet we do not find in Scripture where their Prayers are often Recorded that they ever prayed by that Form but in other words agreeing for matter and yet they were accepted There are none therefore I hope will say they disobeyed their Lord and Master by praying in other manner than he taught and commanded them because they prayed not by that Form No more do they transgress the Law against praying in other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England who pray not by the words of the Liturgy while they pray in other words agreeing with it for matter What pretence then can any have to Charge the Author of these Queries with Libelling the Church and State since they reflect on neither nor Cinsure or by any undue surmises condemn ought that they approve or allow of Nay is it not unreasonable to account that a Crime in any one which is the duty of every one viz. To endeavour by all lawfull wayes and means that all that would might lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty which they can never do who are forced to Profess what they believe not and in the duties of Religion to practice what they approve not which is to live in a perpetual lye The question here is not whether what is required of any be in it self sinful or unlawful but whether they who judge it so be it through Ignorance or otherwise can without sinning conform to it There is no doubt and question but that many may and do live Godly Holily and Righteously in the Exercise of that Religion which to others would be Damnable for to him who esteemeth a thing unclean to him it is so though in it self it may be pure So he that doubteth is damned if he eat while others perswaded of the lawfulness thereof may safely use their Liberty Pleading therefore against Force in Religion we neither condemn nor censure this or that Religion which teaches not that Sanguinary Doctrine but would that every one should be fully perswaded in his own mind the Religion he Embraceth and Professeth is what God wills and requires of him since whatever is not of Faith is sin and Faithin all things respects the Commands and Authority of God It were indeed heartily to be wisht that all were of a mind as to the due performance of this great and indispensable duty the Worship of God But this is rather to be wished then hoped for while there are men truly fearing God and those whose fear of him is taught by the Precept of men There are saith our Lerrned and Judicious Mr. Chillingworth But two wayes that may be conceived probable to reduce Christians to unity of Communion The one by taking away diversity of Opinions touching matters of Religion the other by shewing that the diversity of Opinions which is among the several Sects of Christians ought to be no hindrance to their unity in Communion Now the former of these saith he is not to be hoped for without a Miracle unless it could be made evident to all men that God hath appointed some visible Judge of Controversies to whose Judgment all men are to submit themselves What then remains but that the other way must be taken and Christians must be taught to set a higher value upon these high points of Faith and Obedience wherein they agree than upon those matters of less moment wherein they differ and
understand that agreement in those ought to be more effectual to joyn them in one Communion I mean saith he In a common profession of those Articles of Faith wherein all Consent A joynt Worship of God after such a way as all esteem lawful And a Mutual performance of all those works of Charity which Christians owe one to another But whilst every one hath a Confession a Form of Worship a Church and its Authority which must be imposed on all others we may look and with for Peace Moderation and Vnity but are never like to meet with them on these Terms Those whom Experience will not convince of the vanity of endeavouring to bring Christians to Vnity of Communion by Secular Force or Compulsion and of the great Miseries Persecutions and Sufferings such Methods have in all Ages brought upon the Churches and People of God with the little or no advantage that at any time hath thereby accrued to Religion will never be Convinced thereof by the clearest Evidences or Demonstrations of Reason And though it cannot be denyed but that there have been and still are many good and holy men who contend earnestly for Secular Force and Compulsion in Religion yet it must withall be said 't is a preposterous and blind zeal in them to endeavour to promote the Truth of Gospel contrary to the Laws of the Gospel But for the generality of its Advocats nothing is more evident then that it is not for the Interest of Religion but for some Carnal Interest or Secular advantage they receive by it 'T is strange that any not wholly ignorant of the State of Christendom or most Christian States not to speak of the Civil Powers in other parts of the World should think that the Exercise of Secular Force or Compulsion in Religion can be for the Interest of the Truth when the Generality of them are Ignorant of it if not enemies to it But we are told where the Truth is once own'd and profest every Error and Heresy that riseth up against it ought to be Supprest and Extirpated by the Civil Sword Will these men then tell us what Sect or Society not of Christians only but of Jews Turks or Heathens believe not themselves alone possest of the Truth So that this Method of preserving and propagating Religion prevailing as it doth too much through the Power and Influence of the God of this World whose Kingdom of darkness could not otherwise long stand against the light and power of Truth What I say doth or can follow upon it but perhaps the Profession of Truth in one place and the Oppression of it in an hundred Do not they who deny unto such as Dissent from the Religion Establisht here the Exercise of their Religion upon the same ground deny it also to all the Reformed Churches in all Popish Countrys of Europe To talk of Truth and Error here is Ridiculous For as we were but now told If Force in Religion may be justly used in any place by those that have Power and think they have Truth it cannot with reason be denyed but that it may be used in every place by those who have Power as well as they and think they have Truth too as well as they But were the same mind in us thaâ— was in our Lord and Master Christ Jesus the same frame of Spirit that was in his Blessed Apostles we would do to others as we would be done unto and not mete unto any what we would not should be meted unto us again But whilst some men make their Judgments or Opinions the Rule or Standard of Truth and Error forcing others to embrace or renounce that as such which they shall so call or judge whatever it appears to them by the Rule whereby they are commanded to try and prove it what Truth or Peace can from thence be expected or hoped for Well therefore might the Judicious Mr. Chillingworth cry out Let those leave claiming Infallibility that have no Title to it and let those that in their Words disclaim it disclaim it likewise in their them under pretence of Religion nor yet a Liberty for any to Preach or Teach Doctrines Destructive or Prejudicial to the Peace and Quiet of Civil Societies but a Liberty of Worship only under the Magistrates inspection And that such a Liberty is the Natural and Common Right of all Nations and Persons hath been so fully prov'd by many Eminent and Learned men even of the Church of England and particularly by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Jeremy Taylor late Bishop of Downe and Conough in his Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying it would be but Actum agere to say more And it argues great Ignorance or Impudence in those who persist Declaiming against Liberty of Religion without offering at the least answer to what hath been said for it by this and other Learned and Judicious Divines of the Church of England as well as by most of the Ancient and Orthodox Fathers of the Church As for that other Objection against Liberty of Religion that it will cause Disturbance in the State It is not only against Reason but the Experience of all Ages and Places no Instance being to be given that ever Liberty of Religion gave Disturbance to any Civil State But the contrary the denying Christians their just Liberty therein hath been the unhappy occasion of the greatest Troubles Miseries and Desolations that have befallen most of the States and Common-wealths of Christendom But to conclude this Point The Liberty pleaded for is no more in Substance then what by His Majesties late Declaration of Indulgence to Dissenters was Allowed and Approved of by him a much better and Competenter Judge of what is for the Nations Peace and Interest then they who object this Nor was the Parliaments Exception to the Indulgence granted but the manner of granting it which they judg'd might be of ill and dangerous Consequence It is therefore to be hoped they will in due time take it into Consideration and make such provision for the preventing and punishing Seditious Conventicles as wicked and ungodly men may not take occasion from to Molest and Disturb the Assemblies of Peaceable and Pious People for the performance only of the Worship and Service of God in such a way as none can with reason say to be against the Rule and Order of the Gospel much less to be guilty of any Moral Evil or Impiety That the Word of the Lord may have a free Course and his Name be Glorified in the midst of us The Answer to the Answerers Preface IT will I doubt not be equally difficult for this Answerer to shew what Truth he hath Vindicated as what Truth these Queries oppose How far any have been satisfied with his performances is best known unto themselves But how little he hath Complyed with the Gentlemans desire in returning a Candid and Christian Resolution to them is left to the Judgment of every Judicious and Intelligent Reader Had he
and Phraisees heretofore made against tolerating our Blessed Saviour himself If say they We let him thus alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our Place and Nation and I heartily wish it may not befall us as it did them That while they let him not a lone the Romans did come and took away both their Place and Nation But what means he in saying A Naional Church is the ground of Vnity and Communion amongst the Professors of Christianity which is a Notion I am sure he never met with in the New-Testament nor in Antiquity nor yet I dare say in any judicious or intelligent Author Nor is it easie to conceive what he intends by it or in what sense a National Church can be said to be the ground of Unity and Communion amongst the Professors of Christianity who are dispersed over all Nations if by it he means only amongst the Professors of Christianity in a Nation it is very impertinent for a Diocesan Church or a Parochial Church is as much the ground of Unity and Communion amongst the Professors of Christianity in a Diocess or in a Parish as a National Church amongst the Professors of Christianity in a Nation But 't is impossible says this Answerer to obtain this Communion unless the members of the Church own this principle viz. That the visible Vnity of the Curch is necessary for the great ends of Christianity c. But what Church and what Unity is here intended If a National Church Wherein consists its Unity It cannot consist in a joynt Assembly for the celebration of the Ordinances of the Gospel or any one of them as was the Case of the Church of the Jews which met at set times in one place for the performance of that worship which was then required If it shall be said its visible Unity consists in a subordination of Officers in this Church centring in one It will be said likewise and with as good reason That if such an Unity of a National Church be necessary for the great ends of Christianity the preserving and promoting of Peace and Unity the same Unity of the Catholick Church visible is no less necessary for the same ends and so much more desirable as the Unity of the whole with the Peace and Piety thereof is more to be desired then the Unity Peace and Piety of a part and where then shall we end but in a Pope This is so obvious to every understanding that none who plead for the one can with any colour or shadow of reason reject the other And if this Profession as this Answerer says Obliges all persons to acquiess in those determinations by which the Church is visibly upheld and maintained It does so no less in respect of the Catholick Church visible then of a National Church and why then doth he not acquiess in the determinations of the Council of Ariminum against the Diety of our Blessed Saviour of the Council of Constance in taking the Cup from the People of the Council of Nice in Decreeing Image-worship of the Council of Lateran in determining Transubstantiation with others exercising the like Authority an acquiescensie therein being that whereby in his Judgement the Church is visibly upheld and maintained for he cannot with any colour of reason pretend greater submission or obedience to be due to the determinations of a National Church in its representative or National Councel then to the determinations of the Catholick Church visible in its representative a general Council Nor possibly will he abide by his own principle of acquiessing in the determinations of a National Church if he call to mind or but to inform himself what a National Church and even this National Church hath determin'd within the memory of some not long since living I mean in Queen Maries Reign or if he should be such a thorow paâ—'t Conformist all of his Coat will not I am very confident be so But thus far I agree with him That to acquiess in the determinations of any Society or of the Governours thereof iâ— a ground of Unity and Peace in that Society but not always of Truth and Piety without which there is little or no advantage in Unity For nihil bonum est in â—unitate nisi unitas sit in bono Unity in error being but Conspiracy against Truth or as Hierome said speaking of the Council of Ariminum Nomine unitatis fidei infidelitas Scripta est But I do fully agree with him The Society is yet un-named which did not always justifie its own Acts and oblige those under its Authority to confirm to its Laws and Constitutions But this is not to our Question which is not concerning the Authority of the Governours or Rulers of a Society or the obedience due unto them from the Members or Subjects of that Society But whether Christians have not a Right and Liberty to chuse their Communion or whether it be not their duty to joyn themselves unto such Congregations in the participation of the Ordinances of the Gospel as they judge to walk according to the rule of the Gospel and wherein they may be best edified in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and of their Salvation in and by him which this Answerer does not deny neither can it reasonably be denyed For I presume none will say It is every mans duty to be of the Communion of that Church where providence hath cast his Nativity or confin'd his abode Because there born or abiding Nor yet that it is any mans duty to continue in that Church wherein he hath been educated if after serious and sober enquiry and Examination any thing therein injoyn'd or requir'd to be profest or done be judg'd unlawful or unwarrantable by a mans own Conscience But that every one who is actually a Member of any Church or Christian Society ought while he so continues to conform to its Laws and Constitutions none sure will deny Nor can any hinder or forbid Churches of whatever denomination to determine the Bounds of their own Communion and that by such Constitutions and Rights as they in their wisdoms shall judge necessary to preserve Order and Vnity and advance the edification of those under their charge and Government This as he very well says is essential to the Church as it is a Society and there can be no Society without Government and no Government if every one be allowed the Priviledge to question and disobey its Laws and constitutions nothing being more rational then that they who are intrusted with the reins of Government should be invested with a Power to decide and determine all Differences and Controversies arising in that Government and whoever will not acquiess therein ought to be banisht the Society But the Paralogisme is very gross and foul to argue That because they who submit not to the Laws and Constitutions of a Society ought to be banisht that Society therefore they who submit not to the
to be burnt alive at Geneva Query VIII Whether it is not Incongruous and Heterogeniall to punish Corporally man erring Spiritually Reply to the Answer to this Query THe Question is not here Whether any Judge or Justice can take cognizance of mens Thoughts or Consciences nor when wickedness in the heart is manifested by external action whether liable to the Magistrates Power and Inspection none I think ever questioning either of them But whether men erring Spiritually ought Corporally to be punisht Paul 's reckoning Heresies among the works of the flesh and telling the Gorinthians they were Carnal from the Schisms and disorders that were amongst them does not prove it But says this Answerer Certainly any sensual sin may be punisht by the Civil Sword What thinks he then of Hatred Wrath Covetousness Emulations Envyings and the like which are sensual Sins or works of the flesh yet not therefore to be punisht by the Civil Sword But why are they as he tells us Who gather Churches c. more then Spiritually Erronious How comes that which was the great Errand and Duty of the Apostles and their immediate Successors now to become so great a Crime Is it that Men or Children rather are now born Christians or being born in a Christian Commonwealth as it is usually though improperly exprest or in such or such a Parish they do thereby become a Church of Christ No one certainly who understands what either a Christian or a Church of Christ is can think so And wherein do they as he says dispise Government and Trample upon all Laws Did he not but now tell us The Church was a Society and that there can be no Society without Government How then comes the gathering of Churches to be a despising of Government and trampling upon all Laws undoubtedly there is a Law and a Divine Law to for the gathering of Churches if the Gospel be the Law of God as I hope neither this Answerer nor any who own themselves Christians doubt it to be There is little reason sure to say as he does The inticers to Idolatry mention'd in Deutromony might as well have pleaded it was only an error of their minds as any of our Dissenting Ministers for that none certainly can imagine that it could be a sin of Ignorance in them to draw any from the true God to worship Idols it being against the very light of Nature in that as the Apostle tell us That which may be known of God was manifest in them It may therefore for any thing this Answerer hath here said Be both Incongruous and Heterogenial to punish Corporally men erring Spiritually Query IX Whether secular force and compulsion in things of Divine and Supernatural Revelation be not the Arms of Antichrist and not of the true Church Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Answerer might have done well to hae inform'd us How secular force and compulsion in Religion towards some is as he says Anti-Christian and not towards other the difference not being evident at least to all capacities We are not here enquiring after what is so much a violation of the Law of Nations as of the Law of Nature and though our Answerer expresses his dislike of the Spaniards dealings with the Indians graciously acknowledging that propriety is not forfeited by unbelief Yet but now speaking of Dissenters here he said If they disapprove of the Decisions of their Superiours the world is wide enough they may leave the Government and betake themselves to the Communion of purer Churches which is but in other words to say Be of the Religion of your Country or abanden your Properties with the Land of your Nativity But should providence permit the Establishment of a Religion in this Nation he approves not of if he be not resolv'd to approve of whatever shall be the National Religion would he not think himself hardly dealt with to be requir'd to Conform or to abandon his Native Country He may do well therefore to meditate a little on that no less Divine then Moral precept Of doing to others as he would they should do to him The Cannon he mentions is indeeed very pertinent to our purpose So likewise is what he Cites from Tertullian and Lactantius But then without the least colour or shadow of Reason and perhaps only because Grotius says It is not just or lawful to make War upon any because they will not embrace the Christian Religion He would have this to be understood only of Princes raising Wars against Pagan Nations to compel and force them to the Profession of Christianity and imbracing of the Gospel But 't is very well and judiciously observ'd of him That these things nothing concern a Kingdom in which there is a visible and universal profession of the same Religion in that there is indeed no need of compelling or forcing any to profess what all already do profess But yet even in such a Kingdom Magistrates he says may use compulsive methods to secure their People from a totall and manifest Apostacy from the true Faith c. which we would freely allow him if compulsive methods could secure a People from Apostacy and that through ignorance or mistake of the Truth Magistrates did not too often instead thereof compell to error But none sure will say but that Magistrates may and ought to repress such Seducers as threaten the extirpation of their own Government yea and of the true Faith too were it once determined which amongst the many that would be so accounted were the true What he says of the Religious Princes of the Jewish Church hath been already spoken to Query X. Whether any one can be compelled by secular force or compulsion to perform any one Religious duty acceptably since God accepts not of any but what is volâ—ntary and of Faith which cannot be forc't And of what use then is secular Force and compulsion in Religion but to make men sin or suffer Reply to the Answer to this Query THis Query which this Answerer says with others is forged in the Shops of the Socinians and Anabaptists is with the rest grounded on the Rule of Gods word with which he seems to be little acquainted or with the due performance of Religious Duties in saying That it might with as much strength of Reason be urg'd against the Magistrates using compulsive methods towards his Subjects for the performance of the Duties of the 2d Table aâ— those of the first There being some difference beâ—ween forcing men to moral actions and Divine duties since in things moral the action however circumstantiated is in it self positively good or evil But in things of Divine Institution the manner only of the performance makes the action good or evil and therefore it is said He that Sacrificeth an Ox is as if he kild a Man and he that killeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck where the manner of performing the Command is not observ'd as well as the
wherein doth this permit men to renounce the common Christianity c. as this Answerer very impertinently objecteth And 't is left to the Judgement of all rational men whether they who insist upon the sufficiency of the Spiritual Power Christ hath given unto his Church for the right ordering and governing thereof and the Scriptures being the sole rule of every mans Faith and Obedience in all Gospel duties and Administrations or they who allow unto every national or Provincial Church a Power to Decree Articles of Faith and compose Forms of Divine worship to be imposed by civil Magistrates upon Christians are the more likely to lead into the Paths of Heresie and Schism and to destroy the Vnity of the Church and consequently whether these or those do gratifie the old Serpent in his malitious wiles and methods and give leave to his Instruments to accomplish their Hellish designs in destroying Christianity and the Churches Government at one blow I say again let every rational and unprejudiced person considering the nature and essence of Christianity and by what ways and methods it hath been corrupted and destroyed judge Gods name is not indeed blasphemed as he says when his Institutions are made use of to uphold his Truths c. But he hath no where Instituted the civil Sword to force any to the Christian Faith much less to uphold whatever is taught or pretended so to be And if his name be blasphemed when mens minds are alienated from the Christian Religion They will be found guilty thereof who use such means and methods for its propagation as they pretend as beget an aversion in many towards it and those that use them And who is it that would make the profession thereof Arbitrary They who say the Spiritual Power Christ hath given unto his Church for the right ordering and governing thereof is sufficient unto that end cannot reasonably be said so to do And wherefore doth he here talk of every beâ—ted Brain and Sulpherous Male-content being left to serve God or serve him not to believe in Christ or openly to deny and blaspheme him When all we Pray and Plead for is but That the word of the Lord may have a free course and that his name may be glorified in the free exercise of all Religious duties without ever denying it the Magistrates duty to punish Blasphemy and the like evils and impieties But 't were worth knowing from this Learned and Judicious Answerer how far any are obliged to ad here to the Church in which they were Baptized that we may not have too hard thoughts of our first Reformers for forsaking the Church in which they partook of that Sacrament It is as he says One thing to Convert Pagans and Infidels to Christianity and another thing to keep them within the bounds of their duty who already profess it and yet are both effected by the same means and the Magistrate can no more compel unto the one then to the other But when men give up their names to Christ 't is certainly as he says the duty of Church-men to use all lawfull and proper means to prevent their Apostacy from him But who are the incorrigible offenders he speaks of Or what occasion doth this Query administer To ask why the Magistrate may not be requested to save a soul from death c. The Magistrate may certainly be requested to punish sin and wickedness it being the great end for which God committed the Power of the Sword to him But he can no more save a Soul from death and Rescue him out of the snare of the Devil then he can give grace or faith which are the gifts of God alone yet this hinders not but that Magistrates and Ministers ought to use all due and lawful means To reduce men to Christianity and prevent their Apostacy from it There is no more need now then in the primitive Ages of the Church that its Acts and Censures should be seconded by the Sword of the Secular Power our Blessed Saviour who is faithfull having promised to be with his Disciples Teaching what he commanded them to the worlds end And that there is so little of Power and efficacy in in the Acts and Censures of some who would be accounted his Disciples is not that Christ hath withdrawn any of that ordinary Power he gave unto his Ministers for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of his body but their failure in the condition annexed to his promise in not teaching what he commanded but setting up their own inventions and devices in the place of his Institutions were the Censures of the Church as orderly and regularly pronounc't now as heretofore they would have the same effects now as then upon the Souls and Consciences of believers what effect they had upon their Bodies we are rather told then Convinc't of for the Intestuous Corinthian's being deliver'd unto Satan was no more then as hath been already said his being cast out of the Church the Kingdom of God into the World the Kingdom of the Devil nor were the deaths of Ananias and Saphira with the blindness of Ellmas the Sorcerer the effects of any Church Acts or Censures but of that extraordinary Power Christ conferred on his Apostles to manifest his Power and Authority to the unbelieving world and to say it was to supply the defect of the Magistrates Coercive Power in the Church as if the Churches Power were defective without the Magistrates Sword is highly derogatory unto that Spiritual Power and Authority Christ hath given unto the Ministers of his Gospel for the ordering and Governing of his Church unto the worlds end 'T is as one hath well observ'd much of Christs glory to rule his Subjects under the Gospel by a spiritual Power 't is that Power makes a man a Christian 't is that Power in all Gospel Institutions that keeps men in their due obedience unto Christ and 't is that Power carries the sting of the punishment when men are cast out of the Church 'T is indeed that Power does all under the Gospel and to bringin the Temporal Sword is to make the weapons of the Gospel not mighty through God but mighty through the Magistrates Power and wholly to alter the nature of the Gospel and all its Institutions 'T is to Aâ—m the Church with weapons Christ never gave her and to make her a Military rather then a Spiritual Society What he says of Dissenters being pâ—nisht for indangering the Peace of the State by disobeying the Laws of the Church shall be spoken to when he tells us what Laws and what Church he here means Nor can we till then say How the Interest of those Societies are twisted and united But do very well know it to have been one of the greatest Artifices in the mystery of Iniquâ—ty so to twist the civil and some pretended Religious Interests as to preswade the world The Oak cannot subsist without the Ivie but as well Reason as Experience
against the Dictates of their Consciences And whether this or that particular commanded by Superiours in the Worship and Service of God be agreable with or contrary to the Law of God none may judge for another every mans Reason as the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet hath truly told us proceeding according to the rule of Gods word must therein be his own Judge Query XVII Whether it be not the duty of all Christians to walk together so far as they have attain'd and in other things wait the Revelation of the mind of God to them that differ Reply to the Answer to this Query OUr Answerer acknowledges what none can reasonably deny That every Christian is bound to frame and order the course of his life according to the measures of his knowledge And he is so in an especial manner in all the exercises of Religion in which none ought to be forc't beyond what God hath been pleased to reveal of his mind and will unto them for where any are not convinc't of the lawfulness of an action to do it to them 〈◊〉 is sin though the thing it self may not be unlawfull Nor is every one who is not of his Superiours opinion to be censur'd by this Answerer as willfull in retaining error or opiniotive in dispising those who have more knowledge then himself 'T is not impossible but Superiours may err and God approves not of blind obedience because he will not as the Reverend and Learned Bishop Davenant tells us hold them excused who with a blind zeal follow their Leaders But who are they this Answerer terms weak Christians and Babes in knowledge If such as make Conscience of their ways and actions and out of fear of offending God dare not Conform to what they are not convinc't of the lawfulness of they are so far from being weak they will one day appear to be the wisest Christians Let us not therefore judge one another but judge this rather That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way And though he tells us Babes in knowledge are not fit to be intrusted with their own Conduct and Protection c. there are those Babes to whom God hath revealed those things he hath hid from the Wise and Prudent What he says of Childrens being cccker'd and upheld in their humours is extreamly impertinent here and nothing to this Query But he tells us If men would live up to the plain Principles of their Religion or walk together so far as they have attain'd They could not possibly conceive it their duty totally to forsake their Parochial Churches and think it an arbitrary indifferent matter whether they professed themselves Christians or Infidels What he means by totally to forsake their Parochial Churches I know it there being those who though they cannot communicate with every Parochial Church nor yet with any Parochial Church in every thing are yet ready and willing to communicate with them in all Christian Offices and duties of Religion seperated from those circumstances or Adjuncts of worship of Humane Institution of whose lawfulness they are not satisfied who do not therefore totally forsake them much less think it an Arbitrary indifferent matter whether they profess themselves Christians or Infidels though they believe not all Profession of Christianity to consist in Communicating with Parochiall Churches As for his Scorners and Infidels Chair it might very well have been spared here neither this nor any of these Queries giving the least countenance or incouragement unto such or that any should go unpunisht for the neglect or contempt of Christianity An Inferiours differing in Judgement from his Superiour ought to excite his utmost â—are and diligence to search and find out the Truth But will not warrant his yielding blind obedience to any of his Dictates Be ye 〈◊〉 not the Servants of men is a Divine precept which must take place in the duties of Religion or no where Yet ought not any to Condemn a whole Church or withdraw from its Communion but where there are so great corruptions and defects in it and those too so plain and evident from Scripture as may justifie both his charge and seperation but of them the party seperating must still Judge It is the highest Vsurpation saith the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet to rob men of the Liberty of their Judgements That which we plead for against the Papists is That all men have eyes in their heads as well as the Pope that every one hath a Judicium privatae Discretionis which is the Rule of Practice as to himself and though we freely allow a Ministerial Power under Christ in the Governours af the Church yet that extends not to an obligation upon men to go against the Dictates of their Reason and Conscience Their Power is only directive and declarative and in matters of duty can bind no more then Reason and Evidence brought from Scripture by them doth Though in all Ages Christians of different opinions and perswasions may have Communicated with one another in the Offices of Religion wherein they agreed which is but what this Query calls for yet they never Communicated with one another at least ought not so to have done in those things they judg'd sinfull or superstitious nor forced each other thereunto But the Orthodox the Arians and the Novatians might lawfully enough joyn together in Prayer where their errors were not mixt with their Prayers and made a part of their worship And in that Christ and his Apostles as he says frequented the publick Assemblies both in the Temple and Synagogues it is evident though the worshippers many of them at least were guilty of great corruptions and impieties yet their worship it self was free from them they could not else have Communicated with them in their worship and not have Communicated with them in their corruptions and impieties which were Blasphemous to imagine And though our Blessed Saviour Incouraged all due Reverence and Ohedience to be paid to publick Laws and Governours in commanding the multitude to do whatever the Scribes and Pharisees who sate in Moses seat bid them to observe and do yet it was to be understood when according to Moses Law not that they had Power to ad â—o or diminish fâ—om what God had appointed or were implicity to be obeyed He having elswhere charged his Disciples to Take heed and beware of the leaven i. e. Doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces So that though all due Rererence and Obedience be to be paid to publick Laws and Governours yet is not blind Obedience to be yielded unto either being inconsistent with those Gospel precepts which command us to Prove all things To take heed that no man deceive as and as hath been said That we be not the Servants of men for that every ome must give an account of himself to God When he says That God hath made sufficient discoveries of
guided by such as are fallible but to be guided by such against their own Light and Reason As for a man to follow one who tells him He will guide him the next way from York to London though he leads him still Northward when he knows the way thither to lye Southward But could I believe my guide Infallible I might renounce my own Reason and disbelieve my very senses to follow him which way soever he lead me but till then shall think it absurd in any to force me so to do which is but the genuine import of this Query But our Answerer tells us A man may act infallibly in his station though he be not himself infallible For he he says does so who acts and proceeds by infallible unerring Rule Yet with his good leave he may herein be again mistaken For though the Rule he acts and proceeds by be streight yet if the Agent be not infallible he may through error or inability draw crooked lines by it and so cannot be said to act infallibly And indeed if what he here says were true instead of our infallible Pope he hath set up Thousands of Infallible Priests who pretend to Act and precede by an Infallible unerring Rule the Infallible and unerring word of God But to proceed by what Logick doth he frame an Argument from this Query against punishing an Atheist Does it say as he would have it that none ought to be punisht who are not Infallibly convic't or any thing to that purpose why then doth he entertain his Readers with these impertinences Yet hath Truth so far prevailed on him that he here acknowledges All Doctrines ought to be tryed and examined by their proper measures and standards c. But what he means by his mean between this and for men to be allowed a Liberty to deal with their Religion and the Truths of God as they do with their Cloathes which they put on and off and change as their fancies prompt them or as the weather or fashion alters we are yet to learn For whether are the more likely to change their Religion they who use their Reason in the choice and continuance thereof or they who therein blindly follow the guidance of their Teachers since the first are as fixt and stedfast therein as the nature of man upon the best and surest foundation is capable off while the latter whose Religion depends on the guidance of his Teacher or Leader is liable to change the one as oft as he happens to change the other Yet we do not say as this Answerer would have us That a man ought only to be guided by his own light But we do say and affirm that in the concerns of Eternity a man ought not to be forc't against his own light to be guided by others who are not Infallible and defie him to prove the contrary The instances of this Age which he says are innumerable of those who so soon as they seperate from their Mother Church know not where to abide and fix c. Are the objections of an elder Mother Church against those who forsake and separate from her But such as are United unto that Church which is the Mother of us all will not be to seek where to abide and fix though separated from all the Mother Churches in the World They are not the rational and diligent enquirers into the Grounds and Reasons of their Religion but the blind followers of their perhaps blind guides that commonly take sanctuary in Popery Query XIX Whether at the great day of account it will excuse false worshippers to say They therein followed the guidance of those who pretended to have Authority to Conduct and Govern them in the duties of Religion And whether if the blind lead the blind they will not both fall into the Ditch Reply to the Answer to this Query WE have not from him the least Answer to this Query which is no more then whether false worshippers will at the great day of account be excus'd in following the guidance of those who pretended to have Authority to Conduct and Govern them in the Duties of Religion But instead thereof are told with many unhandsom and undue reflections That by false worshippers are meant either those who serve God according to the Liturgy of the Church of England or some other Assemblies of Christians if the former the Gentleman that propâ—ses it is extreamly uncharitable if the latter the Query is impertinent But why uncharitable or impertinent is it so improbable or unreasonable to think there should be false worshippers in any of those Assemblies of Christians who serve God either with or without the Liturgy of the Church of England If it be not the Gentleman may neither be uncharitable nor the Query impertinent This Answerer therefore must either have so good an opinion of all Dissenters from the Church of England as well as of those who serve God according to her Liturgy as to esteem it impertinent to doubt of the Truth of their worship or to enquire concerning the future state and condition of such of them as may be therein misled or he will approve himself to be the uncharitable person he speaks of against all Ingenuity and Reason to apply what was indefinitely spoken to the Church of England when it is more applicable unto others And I shall be bold to tell him in his own Language It is as great an untruth as ever came from the Father of Lyes to say that this or any of these Queries obtrude that which is false and slanderous upon any or that they were chiefly designed for the unwary Country-man who is not the Person that imposes upon others in things of Divine and Supernatural Revelation or persecutes any on the account of Religion And now though it be still nothing to the present Question he tells us what false-worship is viz. Mens drawing nigh to God with their lips and putting him far away from their hearts And how does this Query charge this upon the Church of England who is neither said nor intended in it to Teach any so to do and yet there are those of her Communion who Teach Preach and Print that mens Practices even in the duties of Religion whether conformable or not to their apprehensions are the Subject of Laws And that where Truth and Authority draw contrary ways we are to follow Truth with our Soulâ— and Authority with our Bodies So that with these men Divisum Imperium cum Jove Caesar habâ—t But I would gladly know of them or of this Answerer whether what is not of Faith be not Sin Or whether it be not false-worship in any to worship God otherwise then they are perswaded he will or ought to be worshipt or whether following the guidance of these or the like though they pretend Authority to Conduct and Govern them in the duties of Religion will at the last day excuse those who shall be thus misled by them and yet we
Scripture plainly declares viz. That the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and that he is sent by the Father and also by the Son but whether he proceeds from the Son or by the Son the Scripture being silent they ought to have been so too as to that Question and 〈◊〉 they had avoyded the unhappy breach which ensued thereon But is it possible this Answerer should be Ignorant of the sad Persecutions and Divisions which have been amongst Christians upon the account of Rites and Ceremonies imposed as conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion which neither Christ nor his Apostles ever required For not to instance in those between Austin and the Monks of Bangor with others we read of in ancient story what thinks he of the unhappy Breaches and Divisions which have been thereby occasion'd even in this Church ever since the Reformation he that is Ignorant thereof must be something more then I am here willing to express But he tells us the difference between the Eastern and Western Churches about the observation of Easter can by no means be applyed to the present case of the Church of England and those that separate from its Communion Nor have I heard of any that ever so apply'd it and yet for any thing he says to the contrary it may be applicable enough For his presuming does not prove That every National Church hath a more indispencible Power over its own Members if as we have Reason to believe he takes every one for such who is born or Inhabits within that Natâ—on than either the Western Church had over the Eastern or the Eastern over the Western And Secondly There is no such wide difference as he alledgeth between the conditions of Communion required in the Church of England and those that were between the Eastern and Western Churches about the Celebration of Easter For if as he tells us the one was about a trivial inconsiderable business the other being about indifferent things only cannot certainly be thought very considerable But says he every Church hath a Power to Guide and Govern its own Members in all indifferent things pertaining to its Communion which if true yet is not every Member bound to believe all things to be indifferent which their Ecclesiastical Guides or Governours shall call so and if they require other conditions of Communion than their Members shall approve of or Judge lawfull 't will undoubtedly cause differences and divisions amongst them What Rites the Church of England tenders as conditions of Church-Fellowship to those within her Pale we meddle not with our Query being only Whether the requiring other conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion then Christ or his Apostles did have not been the main inlet of all the Distractions Persecutions and Divisions in the Christian world which but for asking we are judg'd Criminal though the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stilling fleet sticks not to affirm That the main Inlet of all the Distractions Confusions and Divisions of the Christian world have been by adding other conditions of Church Communion then Christ hath done And hath this Answerer the confidence or impudence rather to suppose this Reverend Dr. herein chargeth the Church of England with all the Distractions and Divisions that now abound in this Nation or that he causelessly and falsely accuseth a whole Church and Kingdom as the Fountain of all the Distractions and Divisions that abound in it or will he not himself be found to be the false accuser he speaks of The Church of England being no more concern'd in this Assertion or Query then the Church of Scotland or the Church at Geneva or any other Church whatever unless this Answerer will say she requires other conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion than Christ or his Apostles did which neither the Doctor nor the Gentleman have yet said But to conclude he tells us St. James acquaints us with another cause of Wars and Persecutions then the Imposition of a few Rites and Ceremonies in matters of Religion which are from mens Lusts which war in their Members But may not the Imposition of those Rites and Ceremonies proceed from those Lusts they first rebelling against the Law of their minds and then against the Law of their Maker And whether argues the greater Pride the imposing upon mens Judgements or the leaving unto every man that Judgement of discretion God hath given him and requires the exercise of in all the duties of Religion and will not as the Reverend and Pious Bishop Davenant hath told us hold those excused who with a blind zeal follow their Leaders The removing Old Land-marks with Innocent and usefull constitutions is but the old objection of the Papists against the Reformers and of them borrowed by this Answerer to help to fill up his Pamphlet And though he cannot as he tells us forbear mentioning one passage more it 〈◊〉 seems to be but to usher in his following Rime as a grave and gracious Author has it One verse for Sense and one for Rime Is sufficient for one time Yet are we more beholding to him for this than for most of his preceding Answers which have neither Rime nor Reason in them Query XXII Whether Jesus Christ who came to take away the Yoke and Burthen of Jewish Ceremonies appointed by God himself hath given Power and Authority unto any to Institute in their room such others as they shall think good Reply to the Answer to this Query NOthing is more evident in holy writ than that God will be worship't but in the way and by the means of his own appointment and that no Service is acceptable unto him but what is performed in obedience unto his commands it may not therefore be unreasonable or unseasonable to ask Whether Jesus Christ hath given Power or Authority unto any to Institute in the Worship and Service of God such Rites and Ceremonies as they shall think good And to this our Answerer tells us The words cited by him from Mr. Hooker would be a sufficient Answer which we deny not according to his way and method of Answering Queries otherwise they are far enough from it for though many things which God hath Ordained have been changed and that for the better they have been still changed by himself only or by Jesus Christ whom he hath sent And if seven Churches as he saith have declar'd That Ceremonies of humane Institution are Lawfull in the worship of God it does not follow that Christ hath given Power as he affirms to some Persons to Institute in the room of the Jewish Ceremonies such others as they shall think good And as little to the present Question is any thing in the words of the Ingenious Gentleman he commends to his Reader To all which I shall oppose as more pertinent to the matter in Question the words of the but now mentioned Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet who speaking of the Meekness Sweetness and Gentleness of our Blessed Saviour
be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing So far were the Apostles from commanding the Observation of the abrogated Ceremonies of the Jewish Law which is indeed a contradiction interminis for if they had Apostoâ—ical warrant and command they were not abrogated but we must bear with small slips if we will not Create to our selves endless trouble But 't is at length acknowledg'd That Gods will is to be the Rule of his worship and our Answerer hopes to salve all in saying That it were the most sacrilegious Invasion of Gods Prerogative to make humane Inventions the essentials of his worship But for Rites and Ceremonies the Governours of the Church may it seems Institute such and so many as they shall think good And if so let him tell us why the Church of Rome hath not the same Authority as other Churches to Institute such Ceremonies as she also shall think good and how comes he to censure hers as vain and foolish ridiculous and superstitious while she exercises but the Authority he allows her Instituting no other Ceremonies then she judges conducive to so high and generous an end as the propogation of the Christian Faith and which render Religion amiable by its external Ornaments and Beauty But what may this Answerer mean by the essentialls of worship A dear friend of his tells us The essence of Religious worship consists in nothing else but a gratefull sense and temper of mind towards the Divine goodness and as for all that concerns external worship 't is no part of Religion it self and if this be his Judgement also he may tell us 'T is the most sacrilegious Invasion of Gods Prerogative to make humane Inventions the Essentials of his worship and yet retain a liberty of introducing all the vain and foolish ridiculous superstitious Ceremonies now in use in the Roman Church when ever he shall change his thoughts of them and judge them to render Religion amiable and beautifull But certainly nothing is more evident in Scripture than that the due observance of the outward Institutions in Religion come under the notion of the worship of God So did the Sacrifices of old and so do the present Sacraments of the Church which were and are parts of outward worship and I suppose of Religion too and whatever is made so necessary to be observ'd in the worship of God that without it the worship is not to be perform'd is thereby made an essential of worship for that which is so the matter of a thing that without it the thing cannot be is of the essence of that thing But he tells us All that is pleaded is but that the Church of England may be allowed the same priviledge which all Sects and Parties assume to themselves viz. To determine the circumstances of Religion which is so reasonable that it cannot either in Reason or Justice be denyed Then he tells us There is no Sect but the Authority of their Teachers prevails in those Instances and Rites where there is no word of God to warrant the things that are practis'd by them Instancing in the worship perform'd as he says by Independents asking what Scripture they have to prove their Covenant which the Members of their Churches swear to before they are admitted by their Pastors and Elders Though he finds no mention of any such Covenant sworn to in the declaration of the Faith and Order owned and Practis'd in their Churches wherein as well their Order as common Faith is declar'd Neither of which do they or did they ever that I have heard of impose upon any and yet are able I presume to give an Answer unto every man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them To them therefore I shall refer him for farther satisfaction in the particulars he mentions if he desires it And for the present shall only tell him There is some difference between a confession of Faith and imposing Articles of Faith Yea or Rites and Ceremonies And will he now say In verbo Sacerdotis or upon his Reputation That the Church of England in appointing of her Rites and Ceremonies does no more then appoint circumstances concerning the worship of God common to humane Actions which are to be order'd by the light of nature and Christian Prudence according to the general Rules of the word Or why does he thus impose upon his credulous and unwary Reader But he tells us If the Governours of the Church of England did command such and such things then Dissenters had some reason to separate from its Communion which is but a copy of his countenance he elsewhere telling us That the Governours of the Church have Power to Institute such Ceremonies as they shall think good and that it is the peoples duty to obey Yea he advises them to resign up themselves to the Fathers of the Church rather than attend to 〈◊〉 the Dictates of their own dark minds which takes away not only the liberty of separating but even of examining the commands of their Spiritual guides And having thus reduced them to an implicit Faith he may be bold to tell them There were as many or more Ceremonies made use of in the very Age of the Apostles and then Instituted by them than are now in the Church of England and instance in half a score not one of which were ever Instituted by the Apostles Yet after all his boldness he speaks but faintly in saying If he be mistaken in his conjecture about this matter yet 't is no way injurious to the present Power of the Church of England in appointing symbolical or significative Ceremonies in Gods worship for that the Primitive Christians under the Heathen Emperours were much like the Israelites in their Egyptian Bondage rather concern'd to maintain the life and being of Religion then to be curious about the Apparel and Ornament thereof And would to God there were no pretended Christians in these days more concern'd about the Apparel and Ornament as they term them of Religion then to maintain the life and being thereof And how unhandsomly does he reflect here on the Primitive Christians in saying When Kings and Emperours became Christian then they began to glorifie God with their bodies and to honour him with their substance and Estates c. As if till then they had been unmindful of the Apostles precept of glorifying God in their bodies and in their spirits or what thinks he of those who before that sold their Possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need Did not they as much honour God with their substances and Estates as those who adorn Temples But such gross and carnal thoughts have some of the most High Who dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands as to think him still delighted and pleased with mens Erecting Dedicating and Adorning of Temples in which they generally place more of their Religion than in the performance of the most spiritual and
Rule of Practice as to himself and must direct him with whom to joyn and not to joyn in the performance of all Religious duties nor may he therein do ought against his Light But what means he in saying here They will submit to no Law nor admit of any Discipline but what is erected and Executed by themselves a thing never known for Criminals to make choice of their own Punishment For do they not submit to the Laws of the Land in all civil things and concerns and what Law of the Gospel submit they not to in the duties of Religion but to talk here of Criminals making choice of their own Punishment is very extravagant And lastly they will he says have no publick Acts pass among them without the free consent of all as satisfied in Conscience that what is decreed is Gods will And is it for this he elsewhere so boldly avers There is no Congregated Independent Communion in England but the respective Pastor of it assumes to himself more Power and Authority to Govern and Conduct the sworn Members of it in the ways and duties of Religion then the greatest Prelate in our Church does in his Province or Diocess or is this one of the principles of Independent Tyranny But some are said to have need of good memories and our Answerer seems to be of them Yet he would be thought to have reason for what he here says telling us The thing is impossible in nature for if all are satisfied they are not men there being among all men difference in Judgement How unreasonable then is it to require of any such an Assent or Consent as must render them either Beasts or not men But so it seems it is and must be for he tells us In the enacting of all Laws the lesser part is determin'd by the greater which is true in all civil things and concerns which are in a man's choice and at his own disposal and it is for the publick good and benefit it should be so But 't is otherwise in matters of duty and obedience unto God in which every man ought to be satisfied that what is Decreed is the will of God for that none may follow a multitude to do evil nor in the neglect or omission of the least known duty Whether the Church of Eâ—gland or Dissenters are the Schismaticks I shall nowise take upon me to Determine but leave it as he doth to the Rational Reader to judge and only take leave to say That what his eminent Prelate says proves not Dissenters to be Schismaticks If there be any who as he says account the King and Parliament or Clergy of England Hereticks and Schismaticks for maintaing the Essentials of Christianity and doing what they can to hinder and diswade men from offering the most insufferable affronts to Gods Being and Majesty They ought not certainly to be tolerated much less countenanced in a Christian Commonwealth Query XXIV Whether they who in the exercise of Church Discipline never cease calling on the civil Magistrate to assist them with his Secular Force do not therein give an evident sign and token that all true Ministerial and Spiritual Power is dead in them Reply to the Answer to this Query THâ— Question here is not whether these or those give the greater evidence that all true Ministerial and Spiritual Power is dead in them But whether such practices in any be not an evident sign and token of it And had all Orthodox Bishops in all Ages of the Church relied upon the Spiritual means by 〈◊〉 appointed in the Gospel for the suppressing and â—ooting out of Heresies and 〈◊〉 withâ—ut applying themselves to the 〈…〉 for his assistance therein Christian◠〈…〉 had not suffer'd as it afterward◠〈…〉 Hâ—reticks using the same means for 〈…〉 faith And yet we say not But 〈…〉 and ought to call upon the 〈…〉 do his duty in the Protection 〈…〉 by supporting and 〈…〉 in the due exercises thereof 〈…〉 of wâ—â—ked and unreason◠〈…〉 not faith Neither do we 〈…〉 or extinction of the function of Bishops if they use all due and proper means to accomplish and bring about lawfull and charitable ends nor that any end can be more generous and Christian than to secure People in the performance of their duty to God to man and to themselves But we do say that Secular Force and Compulsion are not the proper and due means to effect all these And whatever sense some may have of Moral Honesty and Justice or of Piety and Religion the Civil Magistrate ought not certainly to permit them to express or declare their scorn or contempt of either I will not say with this Answerer That 't is since men have assumed so great a liberty in Religion as not well understanding what he thereby means but agree with him There is less regard had to those externall Rules of right and wrong Vertue and Vice by some persons who make high pretences to Christianity than hath been observ'd in many Pagan Nations but who those Persons are their Professions and Practices will best declare But he tells us 'T is Presumption and not Faith for the Clergy of England as things are now amongst us to expect Gods miraculous concurrence with them in the management and exercise of their Ministerial Office when there are ordinary means at hand c. What may this Answerer mean here by Gods miraculous concurrence with them His continual presence with the assistance of his holy Spirit he hath promised unto them who observe his commands unto the worlds end as the ordinary means to render their Ministry effectual for the Conversion of sinners and the calling of those who are yet Aliens and Strangers to the Covenant of Grace And our Blessed Saviour when he ascended up on High gave Gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. But if this Answerer who is of the Clergy be conscious that things are now so amongst them that the presence of God and assistance of his holy Spirit are to be lookt upon as miraculous concurrences with them in the management and exercise of their Ministeririal Office he is to be excused for having recourse unto other means to render his labours so considerable as to make him see some fruits of the Travel of his Soul though possibly it may prove but bitter fruit in the end The Gentleman I can assure him never thought as he intimates That the Peoples forsaking of any Assemblies was a certain Prognostick that the Ministerial Power was quite extinguisht in all that were so forsaken as knowing there are and may be defects and faults on all sides But this the Gentleman thinks That where-ever any People manifest a desire and thirst after knowledge in the things and ways of God as God be thanked very many within these Nations at this dâ—y do and after trial and experience of the Ministerial Power of any do yet
says To tolerate unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers who vent their idle fancies to corrupt and withdraw others from the simplicity of the Truth be an Indication of more cruelty than to Tollerate so many Thieves and Murtherers upon publick Roades and Highways This Answerer is by no means to be tollerated having manifested himself so unruly and vain a Talker and Deceiver as he hath done Query XXVII Whether can any think That they who Persecute Christ in his Members despoiling them of their goods and Imprisoning their Persons and that too for their faithful adhering to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign will speed better at the great day of account than those whom Christ himself hath told us shall be then rejected but for not visiting and relieving his poor Members when in want in sickness or any other Adversity Reply to the Answer to this Query INstead of Answering this Query 'T is very judiciously objected It hath many things questionable in it And with as great Judgement and to as little purpose he likewise tell us That none are true Members of Christ besides those that are Vnited to his Church for that Christ is the Head and his Church his Body and as he also judiciously observes no one can be a Member belonging to the Head unless he be some way or other Vnited to the Body But sure our Answerer is the first pretended Christian that ever questioned the soundness of Christs Body the Holy Catholick Church or that a Christians joyning to it might endanger his internal Vnion to Christ who is Hâ—â—d And wherefore doth he here tell us what the Query neither denies nor questions That the Church of England is a sound part of the Catholick Church unless to manifest his Dialectick Art in proving That whoever in any thing withdraw themselves from any part of Christs Body cut themselves off from Christ the Head and therefore they who withdraw Communion from the Church of England though but in the least minute Circumstances or Ceremonies belong not unto Christ. So that it seems with this Learned and Judicious Answerer out of the Ceremonial Pale of the Church of England there is no Salvation and if any are punisht for so cuting themselves off from Christ the Head their punishment is no persecution Quod erat demonstrandum Great wits according to the Proverb have short memories he could not else have so soon forgotten which he but now reprov'd the Independants for viz. Their evaâ—uating one main Article of the Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church For that as he said They restrained it to themselves whereas he so restrains it to the Church of England as that he allows of none withdrawing themselves from her Communion to belong unto Christ the one main Article therefore of his Christian Creed Faith in one Catholick Church is it seems Faith in the Church of England or rather Faith in whatever Church is uppermost And though out of her there is no Salvation yet for Arguments sake he will suppose That those who separate from her Communion even in her very Ceremonies are notwithstanding such their separation real Members of Christs mystical body yet none of them he says are persecuted for their faithful adhering unto Christ or the undoubted and plain commands of their Heavenly Soveraign nor does the Query say they are But supposing as he supposeth That any should be punisht for assembling together to Pray or partake of the Ordinances of the Gospel which Christ hath Instituted and requires the observation of would not such be persecuted for their faithful adhering unto Christ and to the plain and undoubted commands of their Heavenly Soveraign But says our Answerer Let the Gentleman produce one Person that ever suffer'd for performing any essential duty of Christian Religion We know not what he may esteem an essential duty of Christian Religion who is one with him who declares the outward worship of God to be no part of Religion But if he will allow Praying Preaching and Administring the Sacraments to be essential duties of the Christian Religion as by all good Christians they have hitherto been esteemed He need not go beyond his own Parish to meet with those who have suffer'd and deeply suffer'd even by his Instigation for the performance of those duties But he tells us 'T is not for the performance of those duties but for the disorderly and Irregular way of performing them that they are punisht Very good By what Rule then does he judge the way of their performance Disorderly and Irregular all order consisting in the due observation of some Rule Now if he will tell us of any Rule they therein transgress which he will abide by he hath said something to the purpose He tells us indeed They are punisht for not doing them in that due manner as is enjoyn'd them by their Superiours yet does not say The injunction of Superiours is the Rule whereby they are to be perform'd Nay he says If the Governours of the Church did command a worship that were Idolatrous or superstitious or did appoint vain foolish and ridiculous Ceremonies they were not therein to be complyed with So that the Injunctions or Commands of Superiours are not by his own confession this Rule But he tells us They are punisht for being disorderly in their Stations and Callings and for being disobedient to Government and Laws If by being disorderly in their Stations and Callings he means as he elsewhere says Their Vsurping the Office of Bishops as well as of the Inferiour Clergy He hath thereon already had the Judgement of as Learned and Judicious a Divine as most the Church of England can boast of And for their being disobedient though he hath advised us to resign up our selves unto the Fathers of the Church He hath not yet told us they are to be obeyed in whatever they shall or may command us So that neither can the commands of Governours nor Laws of Superiours be this Rule nor indeed ought else but the will of God revealed in his word To the Law and to the Testimony was the old Rule and the Divine Institution is still the only Rule to judge of the Orderly and Disorderly performance of all Religious duties â— by and if the manner of their performance be not according unto this Rule it is indeed Disorderly and Irregular and suffering upon that account may be esteemed a punishment rather then a persecution as may likewise their sufferings who are disobedient to the Laws and Governments of men in all civil and secular matters and concerns and theirs also who censure the Actions of Authority Vsurp the Office of the Ministry endanger the peace of the State and violate the Vnity of the Church Nor are there greater violaters of the Churches Unity than they who impose on Christs Disciples other conditions of Church-fellowship and Communion than Christ or his Apostles ever enjoyned or required And so far I agree with
Ratiocinium Vernaculum OR A REPLY TO Ataxiae Obstaculum Being A pretended ANSWER To certain QUERIES Dispersed in some parts of Gloucester-shire Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Mark 12. 17. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish men 1 Pet. 2. 15. LONDON Printed for A. B. MDCLXXVIII THE PREFACE IT is now near Seven years since the Ensuing Queries grounded most of them on Holy Writ or on the Writings of Learned and Judicious men of the Church of England were one Morning Cursorily written Vpon the sight of certain Queries that had been delivered to and answer'd by a neighbour Minister and to him only privately sent without the least Design or Intention of their ever being made publick but to Convince him with such others of his Judgement to whom he should think good to communicate them of the unreasonableness especially on Protestant Principles of exercising Force and Compulsion in Religion with the danger of Persecuting any on the account thereof But no answer by him was ever return'd unto their Author who so little concern'd himself in them that they were as much out of his thoughts as if they had never been written by him When about Michaelmas 1676. he was surprised with the news of a weak and unadvised Parson's having taken them up into the Pulpit with him and there made them the Subject of his Mornings Exercise to the Amazement of some and Derision of other of his Parishoners who had never before heard of them and then understood not his Descant on them But the noise hereof soon made them which for some years had been buryed in silence now the Discourse of the Country and they were not only oppugn'd from the Press the Pulpit and the Pens of divers Adversaries but their Author Prosecuted at the Assizes as Criminal though 't will perhaps be difficult shewing as they were written and disposed of by him what Law of God or Man he therein Transgress'd or what Civil or Religious Interest was thereby injur'd since upon the severest Examination and Scrutiny they will be found to have no worse aim or design than to manifest how Irrational it was and how Ineffectual it must needs be to all good purposes as well as inconsistent with the Precepts of the Gospel and Principles of Christianity to Force Religion and how dangerous to Persecute any on the account thereof And herein he is satisfied to have the Concurrent opinion of the most Learned and Judicious Divines of all Parties though the Practices of too many of them have not been answerable thereunto who indeed say and do not Nay may be said some of them to make themselves Transgressors in building again the things which they destroyed And though 't would not be difficult to Compose a Volume in but Transcribing what they have Written to this purpose I shall here content my self with a single Citation yet it being from one who having had the Approbation and Applause of the Famousest Vniversity of Christendom as well as of the Generality of Learned and Judicious Men of the Reformation may pass for more then a single Testimony and this is the Eminently Learned and Acute Mr. Chillingworth who in his Treatise Entituled the Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation thus speakes I have learnt saith he from the Ancient Fathers of the Church that nothing is more against Religion then to Force Religion And of St. Paul The Weapons of the Christian Warfare are not Carnal And great Reason for humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed From without and Atheisme within Besides saith he if this means of bringing men to embrace any Religion were generally used as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have Power and think they have Ttuth Certainly they cannot with Reason deny but that it may be used in every place by those that have Power as well as they and think they have Truth as well as they what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of Truth but perhaps only of the Profession of it in one place and the Oppression of it in an hundred What will follow from it but the preservation peradventure of Unity but peradventure only of Uniformity in particular States and Churches but the Immortalizing the greater and more lamentable Divisions of Christendom and the World And therefore what can follow from it but perhaps in the Judgment of Carnal Policy the Temporal benefit and Tranquillity of Temporal States and Kingdoms but the Infinite Prejudice if not the Desolation of the Kingdom of Christ And therefore it well becomes them who have their Portions in this life who serve no higher State then this of England or Spain or France nor this neither any further than they serve themselves by it Who think of no other Happiness but the Preservation of their own Fortunes and Tranquillity in this world who think of no other means to preserve Estates but Humane Power and Machivèllian Policy and believe no other Creed but this Regi aut Civitati imperium habenti nihil injustum quod utile Such men as these it may well become to maintain by worldly Power and Violence their State-Instrument Religion For if all be vain and false as in their Judgment it is the present whatsoever is better then any because it is already Settled an alteration of it may draw with it change of States and the change of State the Subversion of their Fortune But they that are indeed Servants and Lovers of Christ of Truth of the Church and of Mankind ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as a Common enemy of all these They that know there is a King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whose will and pleasure King◠and Kingdoms stand and fall they know that to no King or State any thing can be profitable which is unjust and that nothing can be more evidently unjust then to force weak men by the Profession of a Religion which they believe not to loose their own Eternal Happiness out of a vain and needless fear least they may possibly disturb their Temporal quietness There being no danger to any State from any mans Opinion unless it be such an Opinion of which Disobedience to Authority or Impiety is taught or Licenc'd which sort I confess may justly be punisht as well as other Faults or unless this Sanguinary Doctrine be joyned with it that it is lawful for him by humane violence to enforce others to it This was the Judgment of this Learned and Judicious Divine of the Church of England concerning Force in Religion and of those Doubtless who Licens'd and Approv'd of this his Learned and Judicious Treatise in which they unanimously declare to find nothing contrary to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England
this Answerer That the not punishing of these is prejudicial both to Church and State the one being thereby over-run with Factions and Seditions and the other as wofull experience tells us with Schisms Heresies and Contentions But our Answerer grows pleasant and plays with his Reader in telling him Dissenters are persecuted to what the Primitive Christians were persecuted from viz. Their Churches or Publick place of Divine worship for Dissenters are not certainly persecuted to their Churches though some may account it a persecution to be compelled unto his There hath been and may be great difference in the Causes as well as Degrees of Persecution but whoever suffers in any kind for his faithful adhering unto the plain and undoubted Commands of his Heavenly Soveraign the Authorâ— thereof will not be excus'd because others have been more barbarous and cruel than they And yet that even these are not as bad as the worst may be ascribed rather to the good hand and providence of God and moderation of those in Authority restraining them than to their good wills or desires The instance he gives us of a Father's correcting his child and the childs crying out Mâ—ther is very impertinent here Parents may correct their children and Princes their Subjects but as the cause makes the Martyr so 't is that must denominate it either persecution or punishment 'T is Christ alone knows who are his yet thus much we shall presume to say That they who persecute him in his Members will not speed better at the great day of account than they whom himself hath told us shall be then rejected but for not visiting and relieving his poor Members when in want in sickness or in any other adversity Query XXVIII Whether since offences will come it be not every ones concern to be more than ordinary careful he involves not himself in that dreadful woe pronounced against those by whom they come Matt. 18. 7. Reply to the Answer to this Query QUoting the Text might have satisfied this Answerer That by offences here no more is understood then what our Blessed Saviour intended when he pronounc't that dreadful wo against those by whom they come and whether they be the persecutions which discourage Christians from owning of his name attending upon his Ordinances adhering unto his Truth or ought else that administers occasion to another to transgress any Law of God neglect his duty or obstruct him in a course of Piety and good works it certainly concerns every one to be more than ordinarily careful he involves not himself in that dreadfull wo pronounced against those by whom they come The Query indeed cautions all to beware splitting on so dangerous a Rock but chargeth none with running or driving others upon it Evil therefore be to him that evil thinks Mr. Baxter as quoted by him says very well That a Minister should not more fear offending his particular flock than offending the Catholick Church but this will neither justifie nor excuse his offending of either And notwithstanding this Answerer's hope he will not find a National Church of humane Institution to have that Authority over its Members even when it shall be determin'd who are so as a private Minister hath over the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made him Overseer Whether Dissenters take no offence as he says but what they bring upon themselves by their own perverted Judgements c. Let them see too who are therein concern'd and must one day answer for it There is no doubt but it may and often does so happen That one man is the occasion of another mans sin and yet the guilt of him who sins not to be changed upon him whose action occasion'd it which yet hinders not but that many may likewise occasion others to sin for which they must be accountable And yet none sure doubts but that as he says in the enacting of Laws Authority is not so much to consider what will please the humours as advance the benefit of those under its Charge and Protection Nor can we have so hard thoughts of any in Authority as to imagine they should make Laws thwart or contradict those that are Divine Nor yet who takes or gives offences for as every one must give an account of himself to God so let every one look to himself and his own duty And as he tells us the day is coming when all mens Disguises and Vizards shall be pull'd off and their most retired thoughts and actions laid open and manifest to men and Angels 〈◊〉 't were well if all men had a serious and due sense thereof and so liv'd and behav'd themselves in the whole course of their lives as to convince the world they spoke as they thought and believ'd as they profest But who are they this Libellous Answerer accuses of charging the Church of England with offences and denying the Magistrates Power and Supremacy in matters of Religion as by Law declared These Queries being no ways guilty thereof for as they respected so they were directed only to such as himself who against the Doctrine of the Church of England and Principles of the Reformation require an Implicit Faith and worse than blind obedience from the People And `t is beyond his Power and malice to find any thing in them inconsistent with their receiving the Holy Eucharist according to Law who scruple not the lawfulness thereof And who are they this Libeller would have to Question not only the Kings Coercive Authority but the whole Ministry and being of the Church of England and accuse her Government of more Tiranny and Persecution then ever yet was objected against her by the most violent of her Romish Adversaries Not those sure who are against secular Force and Compulsion in Religion which is the utmost import of these Queries for then the charge will reach all those Reverend and Learned Divines of the Church of England before mention'd with most others of Name and Fame in the Christian World who have decry'd the same as Unscriptural and Inconsistent with the Precepts of the Gospel and Principles of Christianity and will indeed argue him to be the Person of that evil and depraved temper of spirit he speaks of Yet I agree with him That men Eminent in their Country and such as have a reputation for Knowledge and Wisdom might do more good by their examples than in this Age the Church can do with its censures or Church-men with their instructions But let him be assured none shall ever have a Reputation for Wisdom and Knowledge who give not unto God the things that are Gods as unto Caesar things that are Caesars Fear to whom Fear aud Honour to whom Honour is due And let him not deceive himself in thinking Men of Wisdom and Knowledge separate from the Church because they separate from some Churchmen of vicious and depraved spirits or to have Enmity against that because they will have no Fellowship or Communion with these it not being