the Principles here asserted and contended for either express or represent the supremacy of the Kings of this Nation in matters Ecclesiastical as it is stated and determined by themselves in Parliament but rather so as to give great offence and scandal to the Religion here professed and advantage to the Adversaries thereof for after there appeared some ambiguity in those words of the Oath enacted 1 Eliz. of testifying the Queen to be supream Governour as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or Causes as in Temporal and many doubts and scruples ensued thereon as though there were assigned to her a power over the Consciences of her Subjects in spiritual things or that she had a power Her self to order and administer spiritual things In quinto Elizab. it is enacted by way of Explanation that the Oaths aforesaid shall be expounded in such form as is set forth in the Admonition annexed to the Queens Injunctions published in the first year of Her Reign where disclaiming the power of the Ministry of divine offices in the Church or the power of the Priesthood here by our Author affixed to the supream Magistrate her power and Authority is declared to be a Soveraignty over all manner of persons born within this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal so that no foraign power hath or ought to have any superiority over them And so is this supremacy stated in the Articles Anno 1562. namely an Authoâ—ity to Rule all Estates and Degrees committed to the charge of the supream Magistrate by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and to restrain the stubborn or evil-doers Of the things contended for by our Author the Authority of the Priesthood and power over the Consciences of men in matters of Religion there is not one word in our Laws but rather they are both of them rejected and condemned I have yet laid the least part of that Load upon this Principle which if it be farther pressed it must expect to be burdened withal and that from the Common Suffrage of Christians in all Ages But yet that I may not transgress against the design of this short and hasty Discourse I shall proceed no farther in the pursuit of it but take a little Survey of what is here pleaded in its defence Now this is undertaken and pursued in the first Chapter with the two next ensuing where an end is put to this Plea For if I understand any thing of his words and expressions our Author in the beginning of his fourth Chapter cuts down all those Gourds and Wild Vines that he had been planting in the three preceding for he not only grants but disputes also for an obligation on the Consciences of men antecedent and superiour unto all humane Laws and their obligation his words are as followeth pag. 115. It is not because Subjects are in any thing free from the Authority of the Supream Power on earth but because they are subject to a Superiour in Heaven and they are only then excused from the duty of Obedience to their Soveraign when they cannot give it without Rebellion against God So that it is not originally any Right of their own that exempts them from a subjection to the Soveraign Power in all things but it is purely Gods right of Governing his own Creatures that Magistrates then invade when they make Edicts to violate or controll his Laws and those who will take off from the Consciences of men all obligations antecedent to those of Humane Laws instead of making the Power of Princes Supream absolute and uncontrollable they utterly enervate all their Authority and set their Subjects at perfect Liberty from all their Commands I know no men that pretend to Exemption from the Obligation of Humane Laws but only on this Plea that God by his Law requires them to do otherwise and if this be so the Authority of such Laws as to the Consciences of men is superseded by the confession of this Author Allow therefore but the Principles here expressed namely that men have a Superiour Power over them in Heaven whose Laws and the Revelation of whose Will concerning them is the Supream Rule of their duty whence an Obligation is laid upon their Consciences of doing whatever is commanded or not doing what is forbidden by him which is superiour unto and actually supersedes all Humane Commands and Laws that interfere therewith and I see neither use of nor place for that Power of Magistrates over the Consciences of men which is so earnestly contended for And our Author also in his ensuing Discourse in that Chapter placeth all the security of Government in the Respect that the Consciences of men have to the Will and Command of God and which they profess to have which in all these Chapters he pleads to be a Principle of all Confusion But it is the first Chapter which alone we are now taking a view of The only Argument therein insisted on to to make good the Ascription unto the Magistrate of the power over Religion and the Consciences of men before described is the absolute and indispensable necessity of it unto publick Tranquility which is the principal and most important End of Government In the pursuit of this Argument sometimes yea often such expressions are used concerning the Magistrates power as in a tolerable Construction declare it to be what no man denyes nor will contend about But it is necessary that they be interpreted according to the Genius and tenor of the Opinion contended for and accordingly we will consider them This alone I say is that which is here pleaded or is given in as the subject of the ensuing Discourse But after all I think that he who shall set himself seriously to find out how any thing here spoken hath a direct and rational cogency towards the establishment of the conclusion before laid down will find himself engaged in no easie an undertakeing We were told I confess at the entrance so as that we may not complain of a surprizal that we must expect to have Invectives twisted with Arguments and some such thing seems here to be aimed at but if a Logical Chymist come and make a separation of the Elements of this Composition he will find if I mistake not an heap of the drossy Invective and scarce the least appearance of any argument Ore Instead of sober rational arguing crimina rasis Librat in Antithetis great Aggravations of mens miscarriages in the pursuit of the Dictates of their Consciences either real or feigned edged against and fiercely reflected upon those whom he makes his Adversaries and these the same for substance repeated over and over in a great variety of well placed words take up the greatest part of his Plea in this Chapter especially the beginning of it wherein alone the Controversie as by himself stated is concerned But if the Power and Authority over Religion and the Consciences of men here ascribed unto Supream Magistrates be so indispensably necessary to
of the Divine Attributes which I suppose they are not whose Rules and formes are alterable upon accidents and occasions And we are taught also pag. 68. that the practice of Vertue consists in living suitable to the dictates of Reason and Nature which are Rules not variable and Changeable There must be some new distinction to reconcile these things which I cannot at present think of That which I would enquire from hence is whether the Magistrates have power over the Consciences of men in reference unto those things in Morality whose Rules of good and evil are of an Eternal obligation That he hath not is evidently implyed in this place And I shall not enter into the confusion of the ensuing Discourse where the latter sort of Rules for Vertue the other member of the distinction are turned into various Methods of executing Laws about outward acts of Vertue or Vice and the Vertues themselves into outward expressions and significations of Duty for I have at present no contest with this Author about his manner of writing nor do intend to have It is enough that here at once all the principal and most important Vertues are vindicated to their own unalterable Rules as such and the Consciences of Men in reference unto them put under another jurisdiction And what then becomes of this Argument That the Magistrate must have power over the Consciences of Men in matters of Divine Worship because he hath so in things Moral which are of greater importance when what is so of importance is exempted from his power Hence it sufficiently appears that the Authority of the Magistrate over men with reference unto Moral Vertue and Duty doth not respect Vertue as Vertue but hath some other consideration Now what this is is evident unto all How Moral Vertues do belong unto Religion and are parts of it hath been before declared But God who hath ordered all things in weight and measure hath fore-designed them also to another end and purpose For preparing mankind for Political Society in the world among themselves for a time as well as for Religious Obedience unto himself he inlayed his nature and composition with principles suited to both those ends and appointed them to be acted with different respects unto them Hence Moral Vertues notwithstanding their peculiar tendency unto him are appointed to be the instrument and ligament of humane Society also As the Law of Moses had in it a typical end use and signification with respect to Christ and the Gospel and a political use as the instrument of the Government of the Nation of the Jews Now the Power of the Magistrate in respect of Moral Vertues is in their latter use namely as they relate to humane policy which is concerned in the outward actings of them This therefore is granted and we shall enquire farther whether any more be proved namely that the Magistrate hath power over the outward actings of Vertue and Vice so far as humane Society or publick Tranquility is concerned in them and on that account Secondly It may be enquired what is the Power and Authority over Moral Vertues which is here ascribed unto the Civil Magistrate and over the Consciences of men with respect unto them Is it such as to make that to be Vertue which was not Vertue before or which was Vice and oblige men in Conscience to practise it as Vertue This would go a great way indeed and answer somewhat of what is or as it is said may be done in the Worship of God when that is made a part of it which was not so before But what name shall these new Vertues be called by A new Vertue both as to its Acts and Objects will as much fly the imaginations of men as a sixth sense doth It may be our Author will satisfie us as to this enquiry for he tells us pag. 80. That he hath power to make that a particular of the Divine Law that God hath not made so I wish he had declared himself how and wherein for I am afraid this expression as here it lyes is offensive The Divine Law is Divine and so is every particular of itâ— and how a man can make a thing Divine that is not so of it self nor by Divine Institution is hard to find out It may be that only the subject matter of the Law and not the Law it self formally is intended and to make a thing a particular of the Divine Law is no more but to make the Divine Law require that in particular of a man which it did not require of him before But this Particular referrs to the Nature Essence and Being of the thing or to the acting and occasion of it in particular And if it be taken in the latter sense here is no more ascribed unto the Magistrate than is common with him to every man in the World For every one that puts himself into new circumstances or new Relations doth so make that unto him to be a particular of the Divine Law which was not so before for he is bound and obliged unto the actual performance of many Duties which as so circumstantiated he was not boâ—â—â— unto before But somewhat else seems to be intendâ—â— from the ensuing discourse they are fully empowred to declare new instances of Vertue and Vice and to introduce new duties in thâ— most important parts of Religion And yâ—â— I am still at the same loss For by his declaring new Instances of Vertue and Vice suppose he intends an Authoritative declaration such as that they have no other foundation nor need none to make them what they are They are new Instances of Vertue and Vice because so declared And this suits unto the introducing of new Duties in the most important parts of Religion made Duties by that introduction I wish I could yet learn what these new Instances of Vertue and Vice are or mean Whether they are new as Vertues and Vices or as Instances For the first would I could see a new practice of old Virtues but to tell you the truth I care not for any of the new Vertues that I have lately observed in the World nor do I hope ever to see any better new ones If it be the Instances that are new I wish again I knew what were more in them than the actual and occasional exercise of old Duties Pag. 79 80. conduce most to extricate us out of these ambiguities There we are informed that the Laws of every Nation do distinguish and settle mens rights and properties and that distinctly with respect whereunto Justice that prime Natural Vertue is in particular Instances to be exercised And pag. 84. It is further declared that in the administration of Justice there may be great difference in the constitution of penalties and execution of men This it seems is that which is aimed at the Magistrate by his Laws determines whteher Titius have set his hedge upon Caius's ground and whether Sempronius hath rightly conveyed his Land or
House to his Son or Neighbour whereby what is just and lawfull in it self is accommodated to the use of political Society He determines also how Persons guilty of death shall be executed and by whom and in what manner whence it must needs follow that he hath power to assign new particulars of the Divine Law to declare new bounds or hedges of right and wrong which the Law of God neither doth nor can limit or hath power over the Consciences of men with respect to Moral Vertues which was to be demonstrated Let us lay aside these swelling expressions and we shall find that all that can be ascribed unto the Civil Magistrate in this matter is no more than to preserve Property and Peace by that Rule and power over the outward Actions of men which is necessary thereunto Having made some enquiry into the termes of Moral Vertue and the Magistrates power it remains only that we consider what respect this case hath unto the Consciences of men with reference unto them And I desire to know whether all mankind be not obliged in Conscience to the Observation of all Moral Vertue antecedently to the command or Authority of the Magistrate who doth only inspect their observation of them as to the concerns of publick peace and tranquility Certainly if all Moral Vertue consists in living suitable to the dictates of Reason as we are told and in a sense rightly if the Rule of them all and every one which gives them their formal Nature be the Law of our Creation which all mankind enter the World under an indispensable obligation unto it cannot be denyed but that there is such an antecedent obligation on the Consciences of Men as that inquired after But the things mentioned are granted by our Author nor can by any be denyed without offering the highest outrage to Scripture Reason and the common consent of Mankind Now if this Obligation be thus on all Men unto all Vertue as Vertue and this absolutely from the Authority of God over them and their Consciences how comes an inferiour Authority to interpose it self between that of God and their Consciences so immediately to oblige them It is granted that when the Magistrate commandeth and requireth the exercise of any Moral Duty in a way suited unto publick good and tranquility he is to be obeyed for Conscience sake because he who is the Lord of Conscience doth require Men to be obedient unto him whereon they are obliged in Conscience so to be But if the things required of them be in themselves Moral Duties as they are such their Consciences are obliged to observe and exercise them from the command of God and other obligation unto them as such they neither have nor can have But the direction and command for the exercise of them in these and those circumstances for the ends of publick Good whereunto they are directed belongs unto the Magistrate who is to be obeyed For as in things meerly Civil and which have nothing originally of morality in them but secondarily only as they tend to the preservation and welfare of humane Society which is a thing Morally good the Magistrate is to be obeyed for Conscience sake and the things themselves as far as they partake of Morality come directly under the command of God which affects the Conscience so in things that have an inherent and inseparable Morality and so respect God in the first place when they come to have a civil Sanction in reference to their exercise unto publick political Good that Sanction is to be obeyed out of Conscience but the antecedent obligation that was upon the Conscience unto a due exercise of those Duties when made necessary by circumstances is not superseded nor any new one added thereunto I know what is said but I find not as yet what is proved from these things concerning the uncontroleable and absolute power of the supream Magistrate over Religion and the consciences of men Some things are added indeed here up and down about circumstances of Divine Worship and the power of ordering them by the Magistrate which though there may be some different conceptions about yet they no way reach the cause under debate But as they are expressed by our Author I know not of any one Writer in and of the Church of England that hitherto hath so stated them as they are by him For he tells us pag. 85. That all Rituals Ceremonies Postures and Manners of performing the outward expressions of Devotion that are not chargeable with countenancing Vice or disgracing the Deity are capable of being adopted into the Ministeries of Divine Service and are not exempted from being Subject to the determinations of humane power Whether they are so or no the Magistrate I presume is to judge or all this flourish of words and concessions of power vanish into smoak His command of them binds the Consciences of men to observe them according to the principle under consideration Hence it must be absolutely in the power of every supream Magistrate to impose on the Christian Subjects a greater number of Ceremonious observances in the Worship of God and those of greater weight than ever were laid upon the Jews For who knows not that under the names of Rituals Ceremonies Postures manners of Performing all Divine Service what a butrdensome heap of things are imposed in the Roman Church whereunto as far as I know a thousand more may be added not chargeable in themselves with either of the crimes which alone are allowed to be put in in Barr or Plea against them And whether this be the Liberty whereunto Jesus Christ hath vindicated his Disciples and Church is left unto the judgement of sober men Outward Religious Worship we know is to be performed by natural actions these have their circumstances and those oft-times because of the publick concernments of the exercise of Religion of great importance These may be ordered by the power and according to the Wisdome of those in Authority But that they should make so many things as this assertion allows them to make to belong unto and to be Parts of the Worship of God whereof not one is enjoyned or required by him and the Consciences of men be thereby obliged unto their observance I do not believe nor is it here at all proved To close this Discourse about the power of obliging the consciences of men I think our Author grants that Conscience is immediately obliged to the Observation of all things that are Good in themselves from the Law of our Creation Such things as either the nature of God or our own require from us our Consciences surely are obliged immediately by the Authority of God to observe Nor can we have any dispensation for the non-performance of our Duty from the interposition of the commands and Authority of any of the sons of Men. For this would be openly and directly to set up men against God and to advance them or their Authority above him or his
confusion in all government But what is this to the present enquiry whether Conscience lay an Obligation on men as regulated by the word of God and respecting Him to practise according to its dictates It is true enough that if any of its practices do not please or satisfy the Magistrate their Authors must for ought I know stand to what will follow or ensue on them to their prejudice but this frees them not from the Obligation that is upon them in Conscience unto what is their duty This is that which must be here proved if any thing be intended unto the purpose of this Author namely that notwithstanding the judgment of Conscience concerning any duty by the interposition of the Authority of the Magistrate to the contrary there is no Obligation ensues for the performance of that duty This is the Answer that ought plainly to be returned and not a suggestion that outward Actions must fall under the Cognizance of the Magistrate which none ever doubted of and which is nothing to the present purpose unless he would have them to fall under the Magistrates Cognizance as that his will should be the supream Rule of them which I think he cannot prove But what sense the Magistrate will have of the outward Actions wherein the discharge of mans duty doth consist is of another consideration This therefore is the state of the present case applied unto Religious Worship Suppose the Magistrate command such things in Religion as a man in his Conscience guided by the Word and respecting God doth look upon as Vnlawful and such as are Evil and Sin unto him if he should perform them and forbid such things in the Worship of God as he esteems himself obliged in Conscience to observe as commands of Christ If he may practise the things so commanded and omit the things so forbidden I fear he will find himself within doors continually at confession saying with trouble enough I have done those things which I ought not to have done and I have left undone those things which I ought to have done and there is no health in me unless this Author can prove that the Commands of God respect only the minds of men but not their outward actions which are left unto the Authority of the Magistrate alone If no more be here intended but that whatever Conscience may require of any it will not secure them but that when they come to act outwardly according to it the Civil Magistrate may and will consider their Actions and allow them or forbid them according to his own judgement it were surely a madness to deny it as great as to say the Sun shineth not at noon day If Conscience to God be confined to Thoughts and Opinions and Speculations about the general Notions and Notices of things about True and False and unto a liberty of judging and determining upon them what they are whether they are so or no 〈◊〉 the whole nature and being of Conscience and that to the Reason sense and experience of every man is utterly overthrown If Conscience be allowed to make its judgement of what is good or evil what is Duty or sin and no obligation be allowed to ensue from thence unto a suitable practice a wide door is opened unto Atheism and thereby the subversion of all Religion and Government in the world This therefore is the summ of what is asserted in this matter Conscience according to that Apprehension which it hath of the will of God about His worship whereunto we confine our discourse obligeth men to act or forbear accordingly if their Apprehensions are right and true just and equal what the Scripture the great Rule of Conscience doth declare and require I hope none upon second thoughts will deny but that such things are attended with a right unto a Liberty to be practised whilst the Lord Jesus Christ is esteemed the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and is thought to have power to command the observance of his own Institutions Suppose these Apprehensions to be such as may in some things be they more or less be judged not to correspond exactly with the great Rule of Conscience yet supposing them also to contain nothing inconsistent with or of a disturbing nature to civil Society and publick Tranquillity nothing that gives countenance to any Vice or Evil or is opposite to the principal Truths and main Duties of Religion wherein the minds of men in a Nation do coalesce nor carry any politick entangleâ—ments along with them and add thereunto the peaceableness of the persons possesâ— with those Apprehensions and the impossibility they are under to devest themselves of them and I say Natural Right Justice Equity Religion Conscience God himself in all and His Voice in the hearts of all unprejudiced persons do require that neither the persons themselves on the account of their Consciences have violence offered unto them nor their practices in pursuit of their Apprehensions be restrained by severe prohibitions and penalties But whereas the Magistrate is allowed to judge and dispose of all outward Actions in reference to publick tranquility if any shall assert Principles as of Conscience tending or obliging unto the practice of Vice Immorality or Sin or to the disturbance of publick society such principles being all notoriously judged by Scripture Nature the common consent of Mankind and inconsistent with the fundamental principles of Humane Polity may be in all instances of their discovery and practice coerced and restrained But plainly as to the commands of Conscience they are of the same extent with the commands of God If these respect only the inward man or the mind Conscience doth no more if they respect outward Actions Conscience doth so also From the Liberty of Conscience a Proceed is made to Christian Liberty which is said to be a Duty or priviledg founded upon the chimaerical Liberty of Conscience before granted But these things stand not in the Relation imagined Liberty of Conscience is of natural Right Christian Liberty is a Gospel-priviledge though both may be pleaded in bar of unwarrantable Impositions on Conscience But these things are so described by our Author as to be confounded For the Christian Liberty described in this Paragraph is either restrained to matters of pure Speculation wherein the mind of man is left entirely free to judge of the Truth and falsehood of things or as it regards things that fall under Laws and Impositions wherein men are left intirely free to judge of them as they are objects of meer Opinion Now how this differs from the Liberty of Conscience granted before I know not And that there is some mistake in this description of Christian Liberty need no other Consideration to evince but this namely that Christian Liberty as our Author tells us is a Priviledge but this is not so being that which is equally common unto all mankind This Liberty is necessary unto Humane Nature nor can it be divested of it and so it is not
here pretended is that God in his Goodness Love and Care towards his Church hath determined all things that are needful iâ— or to his Worship and about what is not needful men if they please may contend but it will be to no great purpose The other part of the Objection which he proposeth to himself is laid down by him in these words If Jesus Christ hath not determined all particular Rites and Circumstances of Religion he hath discharged his Office with less wisdom and fidelity than Moses who ordered every thing appertaining to the Worship of God even as far as the pint or nails of the Tabernacle And hereunto in particular he returns in answer not one word but only ranks it amongst idle and impertinent reasonings And I dare say he wants not reasons for his silence whether they be pertinent or no I know not For setting aside the advantage that it is possible he aimed to make in the manner and terms of the proposal of this Objection to his Sentiments and it will appear that he hath not much to offer for its removal We dispute not about the Rites and Circumstances of Religion which are termes ambiguous and as hath been declared may be variously interpreted no more than we do about the nails of the Tabernacle wherein there were none at all But it is about the Worship of God and what is necessary thereunto The ordering hereof that is of the House of God and all things belonging thereunto was committed to Jesus Christ as a Son over his own house Heb. 3. 3 4 5. In the discharge of his trust herein he was faithful as was Moses who received that testimony from God that he was faithful in all his house upon his ordering all things in the Worship of God as he commanded him without adding any thing of his own thereunto or leaving any thing uninstituted or undetermined which was to be of use therein From the faithfulness of Christ therefore in and over the house of God as it is compared with the faithfulness of Moses it may be concluded I think that he ordered all things for the Worship of God in the Churches of the New Testament as far as Moses did in and for the Church of the old and more is not contended for And it will be made appear that his Commission in this matter was as extensive as that of Moses at the least or he could not in that trust and the discharge of it have that preheminence above him which in thâ— place is ascribed unto him Section 7. An account is given of thâ— great variety of circumstances which do aâ—tend all humane actions whence it is in possible that they should be all determine by Divine Prescription The same we saâ— also but add withal that if men woulâ— leave these circumstance free under tâ—â— conduct of common prudence in the inâ—stituted Worship of God as they are comâ—pelled so to do in the performance of Moâ—ral Duties and as he himself hath leâ—â— them free it would be as convenient foâ— the Reasons and Consciences of men an attempt to the contrary Thus we havâ— an instance given us by our Author in thâ— Moral Duty of Charity which is commandâ—ed us of God himself but the times seaâ—sons manner objects measures of it are leâ—â— free to be determined by humane pruâ—dence upon emergencies and occasions It may be now enquired whether thâ— Magistrate or any other can determine those circumstances by a Law and whether they are not as by God so by alâ— wise men left free under the conduct of their Reason and Conscience who are obliged to the duty it self by the command of God And why may not the same Rule and Order be observed with respect to the circumstances that attend the performance of the duties of instituted Worship Besides there are general circumstances that are capable of a determination such are time and place as naturally considered without such Adjuncts as might give them a moral consideration or render them good or evil these the Magistrate may determine But for particular circumstances attending individual actions they will hardly be regulated by a standing Law But none of these things have the least interest in our debate To add things necessarily to be observed in the Worship of God no way naturally related unto the actions wherewith prescribed Worship is to be performed and then to call them circumstances thereof erects a notion of things which nothing but interest can digest and concoct His eighth Section is unanswerable It contains such a strenuous reviling of the Puritans and contemptuous reproaches of their Writings with such Encomiâ—ms of their Adversaries as there is no dealing with it And so I leave it And so likewise I do his ninth wherein as he saith he upbraids the men of his contest with their shameful overthrows and dares them to look those enemies in the face that have so lamentably cowed them by so many absolute triumphs and victories Which kind of juvenile exultations on feigned suppositions will I suppose in due time receive an allay from his own more advised thoughts and considerations The instance wherewith he countenaunceth himself in his triumphant Acclamations unto the victory of his party is the Book of Mr. Hooker and its being unanswered Concerning which I shall only say that as I wish the same moderation ingenuity and learning unto all that engage in the same cause with him in these dayes so if this Author will mind us of any one Argument in his longsome Discourse not already frequently answered and that in Print long ago that it shall have its due consideration But this kind of Discourses it may be on second thoughts will be esteemed not so comely And I can mind him of those who boast as highly of some Champions of their own against all Protestants as he can do of any Patron of those Opinions which he contendeth for But it doth not alwayes fall out that those who have the most outward advantages and greatest leisure have the best cause and abilities to mannage it The next Sections treat concerning Superstition Will-worship and Popery which as he faith having been charged by some on the Church unduly he retorts the crime of them upon the Authors of that charge I love not to strive nor will I contend about words that may have various significations fixed on them It is about things that we differ That which is evil is so however you call it and whether you can give it any special name or no. That which is good will still be so call it what and how men please The giving of a bad or odious name to any thing doth not make it self to be bad or odious The managing therefore of those Appellations either as to their charge or recharge I am no way concerned in When it is proved that men believe teach or practise otherwise than in duty to God they ought to do then they do evil and when they obey his
his but is antecedent to his coming or any power given unto Him or granted by Him pag. 40. Magistrates have a power to make that a particular of the Divine Law which God had not made so p. 80. and to introduce new duties in the most important parts of Religion So that there is a publick conscience which men are in things of a publick concern relating to the Worship of God to attend unto and not to their own And if there be any sin in the command he that imposed it shall answer for it and not I whose whole duty it is to obey p. 308. Hence the command of Authority will warrant obedience and obedience will hallow my actions and excuse me from sin ibid. Hence it follows that whatever the Magistrate commands in Religion his Authority doth so immediately affect the Consciences of men that they are bound to observe it on the pain of the greatest sin and punishment And he may appoint and command whatever he pleaseth in Religion that doth not either countenance Vice or disgrace the Deity p. 85. And many other expressions are there of the general Assertion before laid down This therefore seems to me and to the most impartial Considerations of this Discourse that I could bring unto it to be the Doctrine or Opinion proposed and advanced for the quieting and composing of the great tumults described in its entrance namely That the supream Magistrate in every Nation hath power to order and appoint what Religion his Subjects shall profess and observe or what he pleaseth in Religion as to the worship of God required in it provided that he enjoyneth nothing that countenanceth Vice or disgraceth the Deity and thereby binds their Consciences to profess and observe that which is by him so appointed and nothing else are they to observe making it their duty in Conscience so to do and the highest Crime or Sin to do any thing to the contrary and that whatever the precise Truth in these matters be or whatever be the apprehensions of their own Consciences concerning them Now if our Author can produce any Law Usage or Custome of this Kingdom any Statute or Act of Parliament any authentick Record any Acts or Declarations of our Kings any publickly authorised writing before or since the Reformation declaring asserting or otherwise approving the Power and Authority described to belong unto to be claimed or exercised by the Kings of this Nation I will faithfully promise him never to write one word against it although I am sure I shall never be of that mind And if I mistake not in a transient Reflection on these Principles compared with those which the Church of England hath formerly pleaded against them who opposed her Constitutions they are utterly by them cast out of all consideration and this one notion is advanced in the room of all the Foundations which for so many years her Defenders as wife and as Learned as this Author have been building upon But this is not my concernment to examine I shall leave it unto them whose it is and whose it will be made appear to be if we are again necessitated to engage in this dispute For the present be it granted that it is the duty and in the power of every supream Magistrate to Order and Determine what Religion what Way what Modes in Religion shall be allowed publickly owned and countenanced and by publick revenue maintained in his Dominions That is this is allowed with respect to all pretensions of other Soveraigns or of his own Subjects with respect unto God it is his Truth alone the Religion by him revealed and the Worship by him appointed that he can so allow or establish The Rule that holds in private persons with respect to the publick Magistrate holds in him with respect unto God Illud possumus quod jure possumus It is also agreed that no men no individual Person no Order or Society of men are either in their persons or any of their outward concerns exempted or may be so on the account of Religion from His Power and Jurisdiction nor any Causes that are lyable unto a legal political disposal and determination It is also freely acknowledged that whatever such a Magistrate doth determiâ—â— about the Observances of Religion under what penalties soever His Subjects are bound to observe what He doth so command and appoint unless by general or especial Rules their Consciences are obliged to a Dissent or contrary Observation by the Authority of God and His Word In this case they are to keep their Souls entire in their spiritual subjection unto God and quietly and peaceably to bear the troubles and inconveniencies which on the account thereof may befall them without the least withdrawing of their Obedience from the Magistrate And in this state of things as there is no Necessity or appearance of it that any man should be brought into such a condition as wherein Sin on the one hand or the other cannot be avoided so that state of things will probably occurr in the world as it hath done in all Ages hitherto that men may be necessitated to Sin or Suffer To winde up the state of this Controversie we say that antecedent to the Consideration of the power of the Magistrate and all the Influence that it hath upon men or their Consciences there is a superiour determination of what is true what false in Religion what right and what wrong in the Worship of God wherein the Guidance of the Consciences of men doth principally depend and whereinto it is ultimately resolved This gives an Obligation or Liberty unto them antecedent unto the imposition of the Magistrate of whose command and our actual Obedience unto them in these things it is the Rule and Measure And I think there is no Principle no common presumption of Nature nor dictate of Reason more evident known or confessed than this that whatever God commands Us in his Worship or otherwise that we are to do and whatever he forbids us that we are not to do be the things themselves in our eye great or small Neither is there any difference in these things with respect unto the Way or manner of the declaration of the Will of God Whether it be by innate common light or by Revelation all is one The Authority and Will of God in all is to be observed Yea a Command of God made known by Revelation the way which is most contended about may suspend as to any particular Instance the greatest command that we are obliged unto by the Law of Nature in reference unto one another as it did in the precept given to Abraham for the Sacrificing of his Son And we shall find our Author himself setting up the Supremacy of Conscience in opposition unto and competition with that of the Magistrate though with no great self-consistency ascribing the preheminence and prevalency in obligation unto that of Conscience and that in the principal and most important duties of Religion and
humane life Such are all those moral Vertues which have in their Nature a resemblance of the divine perfections wherein he placeth the Substance of Religion With respect unto these he so setteth up the Throne of Conscience as to affirm that if any thing be commanded by the Magistrate against them to disobey Him is no Sin but a Duty and we shall find the Case to be the same in matters of meer Revelation For what God commands that he commands by what way soever that commnad be made known to us And there is no consideration that can adde any thing to the obligatory power and efficacy of infinite Authority So that where the Will of God is the formal Reason of our Obedience it is all one how or by what means it is discovered unto us Whatever we are instructed in by innate Reason or by 〈◊〉 the Reason why we are 〈◊〉 by it is neither the one nor the other but the Authority of God in both But we must return unto the Consideration of the Sentiments of our Author in this matter as before laid down The Authority ascribed to the Civil Magistrate being as hath been expressed it will be very hard for any one to distinguish between it and the Soveraignty that the Lord Christ himself hath in and over his Church yea if there be any Advantage on either side or a comparative preheminence it will be found to be cast upon that of the Magistrate Is the Lord Christ the Lord of the Souls and Consciences of men Hath he dominion over them to rule them in the things of the Worship of God It is so with the Magistrate also He hath an universal power over the Consciences of his Subjects Doth the Lord Christ require his Disciples to do and observe in the Worship of God what ever he commanded them So also may the Magistrate the Rule and Conduct of Conscience in these matters belonging unto him provided that he command nothing that may countenance Vice or disgrace the Deity which with Reverence be it spoken our Lord Jesus Christ himself not only on the Account of the Perâ—ection and rectitude of his own Nature but also of his Commission from the Father could not do Is the Authority of Christ the formal Reason making Obedience necessary to his Commands and Precepts So is the Authority of the Magistrate in reference unto what he requires Do men therefore sin if they neglect the observance of the commands of Christ in the Worship of God because of his immediate Authority so to command them binding their Consciences So do men sin if they omit or neglect to do what the Magistrate requires in the Worship of God because of his Authority without any farther respect Hath the Lord Christ instituted two Sacraments in the Worship of God that is outward visible signs or Symbols of inward invisible or spiritual Grace the Magistrate if he please may institute and appoint twenty under the names of significant Ceremonies that is outward visible signs of inward spiritual grace which alone is the significancy contended about Hath the Magistrate this his Authority in and over Religion and the consciences of men from Jesus Christ no more then Christ hath his Authority from the Magistrate for he holds it by the Law of Nature antecedent to the promise and coming of Christ Might Christ in his own Person administer the Holy Things of the Church of God not in the Church of the Jews for he sprang of the Tribe of Judah concerning which nothing was spoken as to the Priesthood only he might in that of the Gospel but hath judged meet to commit the Actual Administration of them to others So is it with the Magistrate also Thus far then Christ and the Magistrate seem to stand on even or equal terms But there are two things remaining that absolutely turn the scale and cast the advantage on the Magistrates side For First Men may do and practise many things in the Worship of God which the Lord Christ hath no where nor by any means required yea to think that his Word or the Revelation of his Mind and Will therein is the sole and adequate Rule of Religious Worship is reported as an Opinion foolish absurd impious and destructive of all Government If this be not supposed not only the whole Design of our Author in this Book is defeated but our whole Controversie also is composed and at an end But on the other hand no man must do or practise any thing in that way but what is prescribed appointed and commanded by the Magistrate upon pain of Sin Schism Rebellion and all that follows thereon To leave this unasserted is all that the Non-Conformists would desire in order unto peace Comprehension and Indulgence would ensue thereon Here I think the Magistrate hath the advantage But that which follows will make it yet more evident for Secondly Suppose the Magistrate require any thing to be done and observed in the Worship of God and the Lord Christ require the quite contrary in a mans own apprehension so that he is as well satisfied in his apprehension of his mind as he can be of any thing that is proposed to his faith and Conscience in the Word of God in this case he is to obey Magistrate and not Christ as far as I can learn unless all Confusion and Disorder be admitted an entrance into the world Yea but this seems directly contrary to that Rule of the Apostles which hath such an evidence and power of rational conviction attending it that they refer it to the judgement of their Adversaries and those persons of as perverse corrupt minds and prejudicate engagements against them and their cause as ever lived in the world namely Whether it be meet to obey God or man judge ye But we are told that this holds only in greater matters the Logick by the way of which distinction is as strange as its Divinity For if the formal Reason of the difference intimated arise from the comparison between the Authority of God and man it holds equally as to all things small or great that they may be oppositely concerned in Besides who shall judge what is small or what is great in things of this Nature Cave ne titubes Grant but the least judgement to private men themselves in this matter and the whole Fabrick tumbles If the Magistrate be Judge of what is great and of what is little we are still where we were without hopes of delivery And this to me is a notable instance of the preheminence of the Magistrate above Christ in this matter Some of the Old Irish have a Proverbial Speech amongst them That if christ had not been Christ when he was Christ Patrick had been Christ but it seems now that takeing it for granted that he was Christ yet we have another that is so also that is Lord over the Souls and Consciences of men and what can be said more of him who sits in the Temple of
and Rest such as our Author excellently displayes in all their hideous colours and appearances and which are really pernicious to Humane Policy and Society Were it not much better that all these inconveniencies had been prevented in the first Instance by taking care that the Faith Thoughts Perswasions and Judgements of all Subjects about the things of God should be absolutely bound up unto the declared conceptions of their Rulers in these matters Let it not be pretended that this is impossible and contrary to the natural liberty of the minds of men as rational creatures guiding and determining themselves according to their own reason of things and understandings For do but fix the declared Will of the Ruler in the room and place of Divine Revelation which is no hard matter to do which some actually do universally and our Author as to a great share and proportion and the obligation sought after to prevent all Inconvencies in Government falls as full and directly upon the minds thoughts and judgements of men as upon any of their outward Actions And this for the substance of it is now pleaded for seeing it is pretended that in all things dubious where men cannot satisfie themselves that it is the Will of God that they should do a thing or no the Declaration of the Magistrate determines not only their Practice but their Judgement also and gives them that full perswasion of their minds which is indispensably required unto their acting in such things and that faith which frees them from sin For he that doubteth is damned if he eat But it will be said that there will be no need hereof For let men think and judge what they please whilst they are convinced and satisfied that it is their duty not to practise any thing outwardly in Religion but what is prescribed by their Rulers it is not possible that any publick evil should ensue upon their mental conceptions only We observed before that the condition described is exceedingly uneasie which I suppose will not be denyed by men who have seriously considered what it is either to judge or practise any thing that lyes before them with reference unto the judgment of God And that which should tye men up to rest perpetually in such a restless state is as it seems a meer conviction of their duty They ought to be and are supposed to be convinced that it is their duty to maintain the liberty of their minds and judgements but to submit in their outward practice universally to the Laws of men that are over them And this sense and conviction of duty is a sufficient security unto publick tranquility in all that contrariety and opposition of Sentiments unto Established Religion and Forms of Worship that may be imagined But if this be so why will not the same conviction and sense of duty restrain them who do peaceably exercise the Worship of God according to the Light and Dictates of their Consciences from any actings whatever that may tend to the disturbance of the Publick Peace Duty nakedly considered is even as such the greatest obligation on the minds of men and the great security of others in their Actings ariseth from theâ—c◠〈◊〉 more it is influenced and advantaged by outward considerations the less it is assaulted and opposed by things grievous and perplexing in the way of the Discharge of it the more efficacious will be its operations on the minds of men and the firmer will be the security unto others that thence ariseth Now these Advantages lye absolutely on the part of them who practise or are allowed so to do according to their own Light and Perswasion in the Worship of God wherein they are at rest and full satisfaction of mind and not on theirs who all their dayes are bound up to a perverse distorted posture of mind and soul in judging one thing to be best and most pleasing unto God and practising of the contrary Such an one is the man that of all others Rulers have need I think to be most jealous of For what security can be had of him who hath inured himself unto a continual contradiction between his Faith and his practice For my part I should either expect no other measure from him in any other thing nor ever judge that his profession and wayes of Actings are any sufficient Indications of his mind which takes away all security from mankind or fear that his Convictions of Light and Knowledge as he apprehends would at one time or other precipitate him into attempts of Irregularity and violence for his own relief Hic nigâ—r est hunc tu Romane caveto It will be said perhaps that we need not look farther for the Disturbance of publick peace from them who practise outwardly any thing in the Worship of God but what is prescribed established and enjoyned seeing that every such practice is such a disturbance it self I say this pretence is miserably ridiculous and contemptible and contrary to the common experience of mankind If this were so the whole World for 300 years lived in one continual disturbance and tumult upon the account of Christian Religion whose Professors constantly practised and performed that in the Worship of God which was so far from being established or approved by Publick Authority that it was proscribed and condemned under penalties of all sorts pecuniary corporal and sanguinary or capital But we see no such matter ensued nor the least disquietment unto the World but what was given unto it by the rage of bloody persecutors that introduced the first Convulsions into the Roman Empire which were never well quieted but ended in its dissolution The experience also of the present and next preceding Ages casts this frivolous exception out of consideration And as such a practice even against Legal Prohibitions though it be by the transgression of a penal Law is yet in it self and just consequence remote enough from any disturbance of Government unless we should suppose that every Non-observance of a penal Statute invalidates the Government of a Nation which were to fix it upon such a Foundation as will not afford it the steddiness of a Weathercok so being allowed by way of exemption it contains no invasion upon or intrusion into the rights of others but being accompanied with the Abridgement of the priviledges of none or the neglect of any duty required to the good of the Common-Wealth it is as consistent with and may be as conducing to publick good and Tranquility as any order of Religious things in the World as shall be elsewhere demonstrated It remains therefore that the only answer to this consideration is that men who plead for Indulgence and Liberty of Conscience in the Worship God according to his Word and the Light which He hath given them therein have indeed no conscience at all and so are not to be believed as to what they profess against sinister and evil Practises This Flaile I know no fence against but this only that they
the preservation of publick Tranquility as is pretended a man cannot but wonder how the world hath been in any Age past kept in any tolerable peace and quietness and how it is any where blessed with those ends of Government at this day For it will not be an easie task for our Author or any one else to demonstrate that the Power mentioned hath ever been either claimed or exercised by any Supream Magistrate in Christendom or that it is so at this day The Experience of past and present Ages is therefore abundantly sufficient to defeat this pretence which is sufficiently asserted without the least appearance of proof or Argument to give it countenance or confirmation or they must be very charitable to him or ignorant in themselves who will mistake Invectives for Arguments The remembrance indeed of these Severities I would willingly lay aside especially because the very mention of them seems to express an higher sense of and regret concerning them then I am in the least subject unto or something that looks like a design of Retaliation but as these things are far from my mind so the continual returns that almost in every Page I meet with of high and contemptuous Reproaches will not allow that they be alwayes passed by without any notice or remark It is indeed indispensably necessary that publick Peace and Tranquility be preserved but that there is any thing in point of Government necessary hereunto but that God have all spiritual power over the Consciences of men and Rulers Political power over their Actings wherein publick Peace and Tranquility are concerned the World hath not hitherto esteemed nor do I expect to find it proved by this Author If these things will not preserve the publick peace it will not be kept if one should rise from the dead to perswade men unto their duty The Power of God over the Consciences of men I suppose is acknowledged by all who own any such thing as Conscience or believe there is a God over all That also in the exercise of this Authority he requires of men all that obedience unto Rulers that is any way needfull or expedient unto the preservation of the ends of their Rule is a Truth standing firm on the same Foundation of Universal consent derived from the Law of Creation and his positive Commands to that purpose have an evidence of his Will in this matter not liable to exception or controll This Conscience unto God our Author confesseth as we have observed in his fourth Chapter to be the great preservation and security of Goverment and Governours with respect unto the ends mentioned And if so what becomes of all the pretences of disorder and confusion that will ensue unless this power over mens Consciences be given to the Magistrate and taken as it were out of the hands of God Nor is it to be supposed that men will be more true to their Consciences supposing the Reiglement of them in the hand of men than when they are granted to be in the hand and power of God for both at present are supposed to require the same things Certainly where Conscience respects Authority as it always doth the more Absolute and Soveraign it apprehends the Authority by which it is obliged the greater and more firm will be the impressions of the obligation upon it And in that Capacity of preheminence it must look upon the Authority of God compared with the Authority of man Here then lyes the security of publick peace and tranquility as it is backed by the Authority of the Magistrate to see that all outward Actions are suitable unto what Conscience toward God doth in this matter openly and unquestionably require The pretence indeed is that the placing of this Authority over the Consciences of men in the Supream Ruler doth obviate and take away all grounds and occasions of any such Actings on the Account of Religion as may tend unto publick disturbance For suppose Conscience in things concerning Religion and the Worship of God subject to God alone and the Magistrate require such things to be observed in the one or the other as God hath not required at least in the Judgements and Consciences of them of whom the things prescribed are required and to forbid the things that God requires to be observed and done in this case it is said they cannot or will not comply in Active Obedience with the Commands of the Magistrate But what if it so fall out Doth it thence follow that such persons must needs Rebell and be Seditious and disturb the publick peace of the Society whereof they are Members Wherefore is it that they do not do or observe what is required of them by the Magistrate in Religion or the Worship of God or that they do what he forbids Is it not because of the Authority of God over their minds and Consciences in these things And why should it be supposed that men will answer the Obligations laid by God on their Consciences in one thing and not in another in the things of his Worship and not of obedience unto Civil Power concerning which his Commands are as express and evident as they can be pretended to be in the things which they avow their obligation unto Experience is pretended to the contrary It is said again and again that men under pretence of their Consciences unto God in Religion have raised Wars and Tumults and brought all things into confusion in this Kingdom and Nation especially and what will words avail against the evidence of so open an experience to the contrary But what if this also should prove a false and futilous pretence Fierce and long Wars have been in this Nation of old upon the various Titles of persons pleading their Right unto Supream Government in the Kingdom against one another so also have there been about the Civil Rights and the Priviledges of the Subjects in the Confusions commonly called the Barons Wars The late Troubles Disorders and Wars amongst us must bear the weight of this whole charge But if any one will take the pains to review the publick Writings Declarations Treaties whereby those Tumults and Wars were begun and carried on he will easily discern that Liberty of Conscience in practice or the exemption of it from the power of the Magistrate as to the Rule and Conduct of it now ascribed unto him in the latitude by sober persons defended or pleaded for had neither place in nor influence into the Beginnings of those troubles And when such confusions are begun no man can give assurance or conjecture where they shall end Authority Laws Priviledges and I know not what things wherein private men of whom alone we treat have no pretence of Interest were pleaded in those Affairs He that would judge aright of these things must set aside all other Considerations and give his instance of the Tumults and Seditions that have ensued on the account of menskeeping their Consciences entire for God alone without any
just Plea or false pretence of Authority and the interest of men in the Civil concerns of Nations However it cannot be pretended that Liberty of Conscience gave the least occasion unto any disorders in those dayes For indeed there was none but only that of Opinion and Judgement which our Author placeth out of the Magistrates cognizance and dispose and supposeth it is as a thing wherein the publick peace neither is nor can be concerned It is well if it prove so but this Liberty of Judgement constantly prest with a practice contrary to its own determinations will I fear prove the most dangerous posture of the minds of men in reference to publick tranquillity that they can be well disposed into However we may take a little nearer view of the certain Remedy provided for all these evils by our Author and satisfie our selves in some Enquiries about it Shall then according to this Expedient the Supream Magistrate govern rule and oblige unto obedience the consciences of his Subjects universally in all things in Religion and the Worship of God so that appoint what he please forbid what he please Subjects are bound in Concience to observe them and yield obedience accordingly His answer as far as I can gather his meaning is that he may and must do so in all things taking care that what he commands shall neither countenance Vice nor disgrace the Deity and then the Subjects are obliged according to the Enquiry But yet there seems another limitation to be given to this power p. 37. where he affirms that the Lord Christ hath given severe Injunctions to secure the obedience of men to all lawful Superiours except where they run directly cross to the interest of the Gospel and elsewhere he seems to give the same priviledge of Exemption where a Religion is introduced that is Idolatrous or Superstitious I would then a little farther enquire who shall judge whether the things commanded in Religion and the Worship of God be Idolatrous or Superstitious Whether they cross directly the Interest of the Gospel Whether they countenance Vice and disgrace the Deity or no. To say that the Magistrate is to judge and determine hereof is the highest foppery imaginable For no Magistrate unless he be distracted will enjoyn such a Religion to observance as he judgeth himself to fall under the qualifications mentioned and when he hath done declare that so they do and yet require obedience unto them Besides if this Judgement be solely committed unto him indeed in the issue there neither is nor can be any Question for a Judgement to be passed upon in this matter For his Injunction doth quite render useless all disquisitions to that purpose The judgement and determination hereof therefore is necessary to be left unto the Subjects from whom obedience is required So it lyes in the letter of the Proposal they must obey in all things but such and therefore surely must judge what is such and what is not Now who shall fix bounds to what they will judge to fall under one or other of these limitations if they determine according to the best light they have that the Religious Observances enjoyned by the Magistrate do directly cross the Interest of the Gospel they are absolved by our Author from any obligation in Conscience to their observation And so we are just as before and this great Engine for publick Tranquility vanisheth into Air and Smoak Thus this Author himself in way of objection supposeth a case of a Magistrate enjoyning as was said a Religion Superstitious and Idolatrous this he acknowledgeeth to be an Inconvenience yet such as is far beneath the Mischiefs the ensue upon the Exemption of the Consciences of men in Religion from the power of the the Magistrate which I confess I cannot but admire at and can give Reasons why I do so admire it which also may be given in due season But what then is to be done in this Case he answers It is to be born True but how Is it to be so born as to practise and observe the things so enjoyned though Superstitious and Idolatrous though his words are dubious yet I suppose he will not plainly say so not can he unless he will teach men to cast off all respect unto the Authority of God and open such a door to Atheism as his rhetorical Prefatory Invective will not be able to shut The bearing then intended must be by patient suffering in a refusal to practise what is so commanded and observing the contrary Commands of God But why in this Case ought they to suffer quietly for refusing a compliance with what is commanded and for their observance of the contrary Precepts of the Gospel Why they must do so because of the command of God obliging their Consciences unto Obedience to the Magistrate in all things wherein the publick peace is concerned and so that is absolutely secured Is it not evident to him that hath but half an eye that we are come about again where we were before Let this be applyed to all the concernments of Religion and Religious Worship and there will arise with respect unto them the same security which in this case is deemed sufficient and all that Humane Affairs are capable of For if in greater matters men may refuse to act according to the Magistrates Command out of a sense of the Authority of God obliging them to the contrary and yet their Civil Peaceableness and Obedience be absolutely secured from the respect of their Consciences to the Command of God requiring it why should it not be admitted that they may and will have the same respect to that Command when they dissent from the Magistrates Constitution in lesser things on the same account of the Authority of God requiring the contrary of them Shall we suppose that they will cast off the Authority of God requiring their Obedience on the account of their dissatisfaction in lesser things of the Magistrates appointment when they will not do so for all the violences that may be offered unto them in things of greater and higher importance The Principle therefore asserted is as useless as it is false and partakes sufficiently of both those properties to render it inconsiderable and contemptible And he that can reconcile these things among themselves or make them useful to the Authors design will atchieve what I dare not aspire unto I know not any thing that remains in this first Chapter deserving our farther consideration What seems to be of real importance or to have any aspect towards the cause in hand may undergoe some brief Remarques and so leave us at liberty to a farther progress In general a supposition is laid down and it is so vehemently asserted as is evident that it is accompanied with a desire that it should be taken for granted namely that if the Consciences of men be not regulated in the choice and practice of Religion by the Authority of the Magistrate over them they will undoubtedly
Things evidently deduced and necessarily following the first Principles and Dictates of Nature are of the same kind with themselves and have the Authority of God no less enstamped on them than the other and in respect unto them Conscience cannot by Vertue of inferiour commands plead an exemption Things of meer Revelation do remain and concerning them I desire to know whether we are not bound to observe and do whatever God in his revealed Will commands us to observe and do and to abstain from whatever he forbids and this indispensably If this be denyed I will prove it with the same Arguments whereby I can prove that there is a God and that we are his Creatures made to serve him For the Reason of these things is inseparable from the very Being of God Let this be granted and ascribe what ye will or please or can to the Supream Magistrate and you shall not from me have the least contradiction A Survey of the Third Chapter THe third Chapter entertains us with a Magnificent Grant of Liberty of Conscience The very first Paragraph asserts a Liberty of Conscience in Mankind over all their Actions whether Moral or Strictly Religious But lest this should prove a Bedlam Concession that might mischief the whole design in hand it is delivered to the power of a Keeper who yet upon examination is no less wild and extravagant than it self is esteemed absolutely to be This is That they have it as far as concerns their judgements but not their practice That is They have Liberty of Conscience over their Actions but not their practices or over their Practices but not over their pratices For upon Tryal their Actions and Practices will prove to be the same And I do not as yet well understand what is this Liberty of Conscience over mens Actions Is it to do or not to do as their Consciences dictate to them This is absolutely denied and opposed in the chap. it self Is it to judge of their Actions as done whether they be good or evil This Conscience is at no liberty in For it is determined to a judgment in that kind Naturally and Necessarily and must be so whilest it hath the Light of Nature and Word of God to regard So far as a Rule is capable of giving a measure and Determination to things to be regulated by it That is its moral actings are morally determined What then this Liberty of Conscience over mens actions should be where they can neither Act freely according to their Consciences what they are to do nor abstain from what they are not to do nor are at liberty to judge what they have done to be good or bad I cannot divine Let us search after an Explication of these things in the Paragraph it self whose Contents are represented in the words mentioned Here we are told that this Liberty consists in mens thinking of things according to their own perswasion and therein asserting the freedom of their judgements I would be loth to think that this Liberty of mens Consciences over all their moral Actions should at first dash dwindle into a Liberty in Speculations That men may Think what they will opine as they please in and about things that are not to be brought into practice but yet as far as I can perceive I must think so or matters will come to a worse issue But these things must be a little farther examined and that very briefly Here is mention of Liberty of Conscience but what Conscience is or what that Liberty is is not declared For Conscience it is called sometimes the Mind sometimes the Vnderstanding sometimes Opinion sometimes described by the Liberty of Thinking sometimes termed an Imperious Faculty which things without much discourse and more words than I can now afford to use are not reconcilable amongst themselves Besides Liberty is no properâ—Affection of the Mind or Understanding Though I acknowledge the mind and its Actings to be naturally free from outward Compulsion or Coaction yet it is capable of such a Determination from the things proposed unto it and the manner of their proposal as to make necessary the Elicitation of its Acts. It cannot but judge that two and three make five It is the will that is the proper seat of Liberty and what some suppose to be the ultimate determination of the practical understanding is indeed an Act of the Will It is so if you speak of Liberty naturally and morally and not of state and condition which are here confounded But suppose what you will to be Conscience it is Moral Actions or Duties that are here supposed to be the Object of its actings Now what are or can be the thoughts or actings of the Mind of Man about moral Actions but about their Vertue or their Vice their moral good or evil nor is a conclusion of what is a mans own duty in reference to the practice of them possibly to be separated from them That then which is here asserted is That a man may think judge or conceive such or such a thing to be his Duty and yet have thereby no Obligation put upon him to perform it for Conscience we are informed hath nothing to do beyond the inward thoughts of mens minds To state this matter a little more clearly let us take Conscience in the most usual Acceptation of it and that which answers the experience of every man that ever looks into the Affairs and Concerns within and so it is The practical judgment that men make of themselves and of their Actions or what they are to do and what they are not to do what they have done or what they have omitted with reference unto the Judgement of God at present declared in their own hearts and in his word and to be fully executed at the last day For we speak of Conscience as it is amongst Christians who acknowledge the Word of God and that for a double end First as the Rule of Conscience it self Secondly as the Declaration of the Will of God as to his Approbation or Rejecting of what we do or omit Suppose then that a man make a judgment in his Conscience regulated by the Word of God and with respect unto the judgement of God concerning him that such and such a thing is a duty and whose performance is required of him I desire to know whether any obligation be upon him from thence to act accordingly It is answered that the Territory of Conscience is confined unto mens thoughts judgements and perswasions and these are free yea no doubt but for outward actions there is no remedy but they must be subject to the Cognizance of humane Laws pag. 9. Who ever doubted of it He that would have men so have Liberty from outward Actions as not to have those Actions cognoscible by the civil power as to the end of publick Tranquility but to have their whole station firmed absolutely in the world upon the plea of Conscience would no doubt lay a foundation for
a Priviledge that includes a specialty in it Every man cannot but think what he thinks and judge what he judgeth and that when he doth so whether he will or no for every thing when it is and as it is is necessary In the use of what means they please to guide direct and determine their thoughts their Liberty doth consist This is equal in all and natural unto all Now this inward freedom of our Judgements is it seems our Christian Liberty consistent with any impositions upon men in the exercise of the Worship of God with an Obligation on Conscience unto their use and practice A Liberty indeed of no value but a meer Aggravation of bondage And these things are further discoursed Sect. 3. pag. 95. wherein we are told That this prerogative of our Christian Liberty is not so much any new favour granted in the Gospel as the Restauration of the mind of man to its natural priviledge by exempting us from the yoke of the Ceremonial Lam whereby things in themselves indifferent were tyed upon the Conscience with as indispensable an obligation as the Rule of Essential Goodness and Equitys during the whole period of Mosaick Dispensation which being corrected by the Gospel those indifferent things that have been made necessary by a Divine positive command returned to their own nature to be used or omitted only as occasion should direct It is true that a good part of our Christian Liberty consists in our deliverance from the yoke of Mosaical Institutions but that this is not so much a new favour granted in the Gospel as the Restauration of the mind of man to its natural priviledge is an insertion that runs parallel with many others in this discourse This Priviledge as all others of the Gospel are is spiritual and its outward concerns and exercise are of no value where the mind is not spiritually made free by Christ. And it is uncertain what is meant by the Restauration of the mind to its natural priviledge If the priviledge of the mind in its condition of natural purity is intended as it was before the entrance of sin it is false If any priviledge the mind of man in its corrupt depraved condition is capable of be designed it is no less untrue In things of this nature the mind in that condition is in bondage and not capable of any Liberty for it is a thing ridiculous to confound the meer natural Liberty of our wills which is an affection inseparable from that faculty with a moral or spiritual Liberty of mind relating unto God and his Worship But this whole Paragraph runs upon no small mistake namely that the yoke of Mosaical Institutions consisted in their Imposition on the minds and judgments of men with an opinion of the antecedent necessity of them For although the words recited things in themselves indifferent were tyed upon the Conscience with as indispensable an obligation as the rules of essential goodness and equity may be restrained to their use exercise and observation yet the Conclusion of it that whatever our Superiours impose upon us whether in matters of Religious Worship or any other Duties of morality there neither is nor can be any intrenchment upon our Christian Liberty provided it be not imposed with an Opinion of Antecedent necessity of the thing it self with the whole scope of the Argument insisted on makes it evident to be the sense intended But this is wide enough from the mark the Jews were never obliged to judge the whole Systeme of their Legal institutions to be any way necessary antecedent unto their Institution and Appointment nor were they obliged to judge their intrincsik nature changed by their institution only they knew they were obliged to their constant and indispensable practice as parts of the Worship of God instituted and commanded by him who hath the supream Authority over their Souls and Consciences There was indeed a bondage frame of Spirit upon them in all things especially in their whole Worship of God as the Apostle Paul several times declares But this is a thing of another Nature though our delivery from it be also a part of Christian Liberty This was no part of their inward no more than their outward bondage that they should think believe judge or esteem the things themselves enjoyned them to be absolutely of any other nature than they were Had they been obliged unto any such judgement of things they had been obliged to deceive themselves or to be deceived But by the absolute Authority of God they were indispensibly bound in Conscience to the actual observance and continual use of such a number of Ceremonies Carnal Ordinances and outward Observances as being things in themselves low and mean called by the Apostle Beggerly Elements and enjoyned with so great strictness and under so severe penalties many of them of Excision or Extermination from among the people as became an intolerable and insupportable yoke unto them Neither doth the Apostle Peter dispute about a judgement of their nature but the necessity of their Observation when he calls them a yoke which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear Acts 15. 10. And when St. Paul gives a charge to Believers to stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them fres it is with respect unto the outward Observation of Mosaical Rites as by him instituted and not as to any inward judgment of their minds concerning their Nature antecedent unto that institution His whole disputation on that subject respects only mens practice with regard unto an Authoritative Obligation thereunto which he pleaded to be now expired and removed And if this Christian Liberty which he built and proceeded upon be of force to free not our minds from the judgement that they had before of things in themselves but our persons from the necessary practice and observance of things instituted of God however antecedently indifferent in themselves I think it is at least of equal efficacy to exempt us from the necessary practice of things imposed on us in the Worship of God by men For setting aside the Inequality of the Imposing Authority which casts the Advantage on the other side for these Legal Institutions were imposed on the Church by God himself those now intended are such matters as our Superiours of themselves impose on us in Religious Worship the case is absolutely the same for as God did not give the Law of Commandment's contained in Ordinances unto the Jews from the Goodness of things required therein antecedent to His Command which should make them necessary to be practised by them for their Good but did it of His own Soveraign Arbitrary Will and Pleasure so He obliged not the people themselves unto any other judgement of them but that they were necessarily to be observed and setting aside the consideration of his Command they were things in their own nature altogether indifferent so is it in the present case It is pleaded that there is no Imposition
instituted Ceremonies come to be significant and what it is they signifie and whether it be lawful to assign a significancy to them in the Worship of God when indeed they have none of the kind intended To free us from any danger herein he informs us p. 108. That all the Magistrates power of instituting significant Ceremonies amounts to no more than a power of determining what shall or what shall not be visible signs of honour and this can be no Vsurpation upon the Consciences of men This is new Language and such as we have not formerly been used unto in the Church of England namely That of the Magistrates Instituting Significant Ceremonies It was of old the Churches appointing Ceremonies for decency and Order But all the Terms of that Assertion are now metamorphosed The Church into the Magistrates Appointing which respects exercise into Institution which respects the nature of the thing and hath a singular use and sense in this matter or let them pass for the same and Order and decency into Ceremonies significant These things were indeed implyed before but not so fully and plainly expressed or avowed But the honour here intended in this matter is the honour which is given to God in his Worship This is the honour of Faith Love Fear Obedience spiritual and holy in Jesus Christ. To say that the Magistrate hath power to institute visible signs of this honour to be observed in the outward Worship of God is upon the matter to say that he hath power to institute new Sacraments for so such things would be And to say what neither is nor can be proved nor is here either Logically or any way regularly attempted so to be The Compiring of the Ceremonies and their signification with words and their signification will not relieve our Author in this matter Some things are naturally significant of one another so Effects are of Causes so is Smoke of Fire and such were the Signes of the Weather mentioned by our Saviour Matth. 16. 2 3. Thus I suppose Ceremonies are not significant they do not Naturally signifie the things whereunto they are applyed for if they did there would be no need of their institution And they are here said to be instituted by the Magistrate Again there are Customary Signes some it may be Catholick many Topical that have prevailed by Custome and Usage to signifie such things as they have no absolute Natural Coherence with or Relation unto such are putting off the Hat in sign of Reverence with others innumerable And both these sorts of Signs may have some use about the Service and Worship of God as might be manifested in Instances But the Signes we enquire after are voluntary arbitrary and instituted as our Author confesseth for we do not treat of appointing some Ceremonies for order and decency which our Canons take notice of but of instituting Ceremonies for Signification such as neither naturally nor meerly by Custome and Usage come to be significant but only by Vertue of their Institution Now concerning these one Rule may be observed namely that they cannot be of one kind and signifie things of another by vertue of any command and consent of men unless they have an absolute Authority both over the sign and thing signified and can change their Natures or Create a new Relation between them To take therefore things Natural that are Outward and Visible and appoint them to be Signs not Natural nor Civil nor Customary but Mystical of things Spiritual Supernatural Inward and Invisible and as such to have them observed in the Church or Worship of God is a thing which is not as yet proved to be Lawfull signifie thus naturally they never can seeing there is no natural Relation between them Civilly or by Consent they do not so for they are things Sacred which they are supposed to signifie and are so far from signifying by consent that those who plead for their Signification do not agree wherein it doth consist They must therefore signifie so Mystically and Spiritually and Signa cum ad res Divinas pertinent sunt Sacramenta sayes Austin these things are Sacraments And when men can give Mystical and Spiritual Efficacy to any of their own Institutions when they can make a Relation between such Signes and the things signified by them when they can make that teaching and instructing in spiritual things and the Worship of God which he hath not made so nor appointed blessed or consecrated to that end when they can bind Gods Promises of Assistance and Acceptance to their own Inventions when they can advance what they will into the same rank and Series of things in the Worship of God with the Sacrifices of old or other parts of instituted Worship introduced into the Church by Gods Command and attended with his promise of gracious Acceptance then and not before may they institute the significant Ceremonies here contended for Words it is true are Signs of things and those of a mixed Nature partly Natural partly by Consent But they are not of one kind and signiâ—ie things of another for say the Schoolmen where words are Signs of Sacred things they are Signs of them as Things but not as Sacred A Survey of the Fourth Chapter IN the fourth Chapter we have no concern The Hypothesis whose Confutation he hath undertaken as it is in it self false so it is rather suited to promote what he aims at than what he opposeth And the principles which himself proceedeth on do seem to some to border on if not to be borrowed from his and those which are here confuted And thence it is that the foundations which he layes down in the entrance of this discourse are as destructive of his own pretensions as of those against which they are by himself improved For it is granted and asserted by him that there are Actions and Duties in and about which the Consciences of men are not to be obliged by humane Authority but have an antecedent Obligation on them from the Authority of God himself So that disobedience unto the contrary commands of humane Authority is no sin but an indispensible Duty And although he seems at first to restrain things of this nature unto things natural and of an essential Rectitude that is the prime dictates of the Law of Nature yet he expresly extends it iâ— Instances unto the belief of the truth of thâ— Gospel which is a matter of meer and purr Revelation And hereon he adds The formall and adequate reason of this exemption of Conscience from humane Authority and iâ— obligation unto duty before its consideration without it and against it which is not because Subjects are in any thing free from the Authority of the Supream power on earth but because they are Subject to a Superiour iâ— Heaven and they are then only excused from the Duty of obedience to their Soveraign when they cannot give it without rebellion against God so that it is not originally any right of their own that
mean time I say such persons as these in themselves and for their own concerns do think it their duty not absolutely to take up in what hath been attained amongst us much less in what many are degenerated into but to endeavour the Reduction of their practice in the Worship of God to what was first appointed by Jesus Christ as being perswaded that he requires it of them and being convinced that in the unspeakable variety that is in humane constitutions Rest unto their Souls and Consciences is not otherwise to be obtained And if at the same time they endeavour not to reduce the Manner and Course of their Conversation to the same Rule and Example by which they would have their Worship of God regulated they are hypocrites Short enough no doubt they come in both of perfection but both they profess to aim equally at And herein alone can their Consciences find rest and peace In the doctrine of faith consented on in the first Reformation and declared in the allowed Writings of the Church of England they agree with others and wish with all their hearts they had more to agree withall Only they cannot come up to the practice of some things in the Worship of God which being confessedly of humane prescription their Obedience in them would lye in a perfect contradiction to their principal design before mentioned For those things being chosen out from a great multitude of things of the same nature invented by those whose Authority was rejected in the first Reformation or Reduction of Religion from its Catholick Apostacy they suppose cannot justly be imposed on them they are sure cannot be honestly received by them whilest they design to reduce themselves unto the primitive Rules and Examples of Obedience In this design they profess themselves ready to be ruled by and to yield subjection unto any Truth or Direction that can or may be given them from the Word of God or any Principles lawfully from thence educed How their conviction is at present attempted let the Book under consideration and some late unparallel'd and illegal Acts of Violence conformable to the spirit of it be a Testimony But in the management of their design they proceed on no other Principles than those of the Libetty of judgement of diâ—eretion or discerning they call it for the determining of themselves and their own practices in what they believe and prosess about Religion and the liberty of their Consciences from all humane impositions than were owned pleaded and contended for by the first Reformers and the most learned defenders of the Church of England in their disputations against the Papists those they will stand to and abide by yea than what are warranted by the Principles of our nature and constitution for no man practiseth any thing nor can practise it but according to his own will and choice Now in these things in their Principle or in their management of it it may be they are mistaken it may be they are in an errour or under many mistakes and errours But from their integrity they know themselves innocent even in their mistakes And it is in the nature of men to think strange of sedate violences that befall them without their demerit and of suffering by Law without any Guilt Their design of reducing themselves in Worship and Conversation to the primitive pattern they openly avow nor dare any directly condemn that design nor can they be convinced of insincerity in what they profess And shall they they be destroyed if they miss it in some matters of smaller concernment which whatever some may boast of is not hitherto tolerably proved Shall now their dissent in Religious Observances on this occasion and those and that about things mostly and chiefly if not only that appear neither name nor thing in the Scripture be judged a crime not to be expiated but by their ruine Are immoralities or vicious debaucheries rather to be tolerated or exempted from punishment than such a dissent What place of Scripture in the Old or New Testament which of the ancient Fathers of the Church do speak at this rate Opinions inconsistent with publick Tranquility with the general Rules of Moral Duties in all Relations and Conditians practices of any tendency in themselves to political disturbances are by none pleaded for Meer dissent it self with different Observances in the Outward Worship of God is by some pretended indeed to be a Civil disturbance It hath alwayes been so by some even by those whose own established wayes have been Superstitious and Idolatrous But wise men begin to smile when they hear private interest pleaded as publick good and the affections which it begets as the common Reason of things And these pretences have been by all parties at one time or another refuted and discarded Let the merit of the cause be stated and considered which is truly as above proposed and no other set aside Prejudices Animosities Advantages from things past and by-gone in political disorders and tumults wherein it hath no concern and it will quickly appear how little it is how much if possible less than nothing that is or can be pleaded for the countenancing of external severity in this case Doth it suite the Spirit of the Gospel or his commands to destroy good Wheat for standing as is supposed a little out of order who would not have men pluck up the tares but to let them stand quietly in the field untill Harvest Doth it answer his mind to destroy his Disciples who profess to love and obey him from the Earth who blamed his Disciples of old for desiring to destroy the Samaritans his Enemies with fire from Heaven We are told that he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the promise and a work becoming him it was And if men are sincere Disciples of Christ though they may fall into some mistakes and errours the outward persecuting of them on that account will be found to be of the works of the flesh It is certain that for those in particular who take upon them in any place or degree to be Ministers of the Gospel there are commands for meekness patience and forbearance given unto them And it is one of the greatest duties incumbent on them to express the Lord Jesus Christ in the frame of his mind and Spirit unto men and that eminently in his meekness and lowliness which he calls us all in an especial manner to learn of him A peculiar conformity also to the Gospel to the holy Law of Love self-denyal and condescention is required of them that they may not in their spirits wayes and actings make a false representation of him and that which they profess I know not therefore whence it is come to pass that this sort of men do principally if not only stir up Magistrates and Rulers to Laws Seventies Penalties Coercions Imprisonments and the like outward means of fierce and carnal power against those who in any thing dissent