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conscience_n humane_a law_n obligation_n 1,134 5 9.8189 5 false
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A61635 A vindication of the answer to some late papers concerning the unity and authority of the Catholic Church, and the reformation of the Church of England. Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699. 1687 (1687) Wing S5678; ESTC R39560 115,652 138

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of the Laws of the Land. 2. That altho we attribute the Supreme Jurisdiction to the King yet we do not question but there are inviolable Rights of the Church which ought to be preserved against the Fancies of some and the Usurpations of others The Replier Answers That our Religion is built on private Interpretations of Scripture established by Law and therefore if the Law be mutable the Religion is mutable The Defender desires I would make it appear that the Holy Scripture is such a Foundation as makes the Protestant Church unalterable for the Letter of Scripture is common to all who bear the Name of Christians And all Alterations of Religion are made upon pretence of Scripture To give a clear and distinct Answer I shall lay down these Propositions 1. That altho Humane Laws be alterable yet the Divine Law is unchangeable and continues its Force on the Consciences of Men so that no Humane Law can make that lawful which God hath sorbidden nor that unlawful which he hath commanded Whatever Change therefore may happen as to the Laws of Men the Law of God is still the same and its Obli●ation cannot be taken off by any Laws of Men. As suppose God hath forbidden the Worship of Images or of Saints or of any Creature upon Supposition that it is not a Creature no Law in the World can make this lawful because God's Authority is Superior and Antecedent to Man's and therefore cannot be superseded by an Act of Men. And this is one of the Fund mentals of the Christian Religion without which it could never have been practised when the Laws of the Empire were again●● it So neither can Humane Laws make that true which is agains● the Word of God nor that false which is agreeable to it They can never make Transubstantiation a true Doctrine if it were nor so before nor a Purgatory necessary to be believed unless it be proved from Scripture to be so So that the Foundation of our Religion being the Word of God and the Obligation of that on the Consciences of Men it must remain the same tho Humane Laws be mutable Howbeit I do not deny the Magistrates Power in making Laws for regulating the Publick Exercise of Religion But as we have cause to thank God for the establishment of the best Church in the Christian World by them among us so we are unwilling to put such Cases as the Defender doth when we enjoy our Religion as established by Law And it would be interpreted to be a mistrust of his Majesty's Gracious Promise to protect it 2. Although the Letter of Scripture be liable to Misinterpretations and Abuses yet the true and genuine Sense of it may be understood and then there is a great disterence between false and mistaken Notions and the proper Sense of Scripture This is very strange Reasoning if Men will infer that there can be no certainty as to the Sense of Scripture because so many have misinterpreted it Is it any Argument that the Constitution of our Government is not sirm or that Loyal Subjects cannot be certain of their Duty because Men of ill Principles have run away with false Notions of a Fundamental Contract and Coordinate Power Is there no Certainty in Law because Judges have been of different Opinions and determined the same Cause several ways Is there no Principle of Certainty in the World because Men have been imposed upon both by their Senses and Reason If notwithstanding this we must allow that we may judg truly of some Things or else we must all turn Scepticks then we desire no more than to observe the same Rules and Caution in judging the Sense of Scripture which we do as to our judgment of other Matters In them we take notice of the Causes of Errors the Circumstances of Things the Difference of Objects the Nature of the Medium and accordingly pass our Judgment And in Things too small for our view or too remote we make use of Glasses to help us but all this while Men do not reason so weakly in these Matters Do they say that some have been deceived by their Glasses and Telescopes therefore there is no certainty in any of them and they must all be laid aside and whatever they talk of Spots in the Sun and the unequal Surface of the Moon they are all Fancies and Chimera's of giddy Brains and no Men of sense can believe them If Mankind do not argue at this rate in other things how come they to be so fatally unreasonable about the Scripture The Letter of Scripture say they is used for this Fancy and the other Mistake and a third pleads it for down-right Heresy I very one thinks he hath the Letter of Scripture for him and upon that he grounds his Faith. And what then The natural Consequence is that every one would sain have Scripture of his side Doth it really follow from hence that no Body hath it Or that there can be no certainty who hath it and who hath it not But every one thinks he hath it And what follows Some or others must be deceived I grant it But who shall tell who is deceived and who not I pray let me ask one Question Are you willing to be deceived or not Who is willing to be deceived Every one that will not take the pains to be undeceived or to prevent being deceived What pains do you mean Such honest Industry and Diligence which every one ought to take who pretends he searches for Truth in order to his Salvation And I dare affirm such shall never want Means to attain certainty as to the Sense of Scripture in what concerns their Salvation But suppose the Question be about Churches how can the Church of England assure Men that is the true Sense of Scripture which is delivered by it I Answer 3. The Church of England hath ofsered all reasonable Satisfaction to Mankind that it doth follow the true Sense of Scripture And that by these ways 1. By not locking up the Scripture from the view of the People but leaving it free and open for all Persons to judg concerning the Doctrines here taught Which argues a great assurance that our Church is not afraid of any Opposition to be found to the Word of God in the Articles of our Religion And the contrary is vehemently to be suspected where Reading the Scripture is forbidden the People as it is in the Church of Rome if the Popes Authority signify any thing for Clement the 8th did revoke the Power of granting Licenses which was allowed by Pius the 4th And I do not see how any Confessor can justify his acting against the Pope's Authority 2. By not pretending to deliver the Sense of Scripture on her own Authority If she did require her Members to depend wholly upon her Sense without examining themselves that very thing would render her Authority suspicious with all Inquisitive Men who always mistrust where there is too much Caution