Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A40712
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Humble advice to the conforming and non-conforming ministers and people how to behave themselves under the present liberty / by the author of Toleration not to be abused.
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Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing F2508; ESTC R19538
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34,515
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144
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3. 'T is further complain'd Nor Popery Reflec 〈◊〉 27. that some of us speak too much in favour of Popery saying they had rather be Papists then Phanaticks c. these though I have no mind to defend yet 't is evident they intend onely either thus to Droll with Phanatieks oâ— to shew an implacable aversness to Phanaticism which they may suppose they can hardly do in a higher Form of Speech then that which prefers Pâ—pery it self before it Though I think the excellent Dr. is not yet answered who hath proved Popery to be founded in the grossest sort of Phanaticism However Comparison's especiaily where the terms are so opposite must needs be offensive and odious yet our Brethren ought to consider that such supposed rash expressions reflect nothing upon the Church of England which as it owneth not such extravagancy in expression so it self is owned by them that use them as the best Churâ—h in the World But to my Brethren I make bold to say that I know no reason they have to prefer Popery bâ—yond some sort of Nâ—n-conformity I am sure 't is neither necessary nor seasonable The Papists may know to use your kindness beyond your intention and you find the Non-conformists are scandaliz'd at our very Church for your sake and puhlickly plead it against us already And you cannot but remember the late horrid consequences that the groundless suspition that our Clergy was Popishly affected hath had upon us both in Church and State Yea give me leave to say soberly that some atleast of our Non-comformists I hope are not worse then Papists in their Principles about civil Government and I hope too their other principles of Religion and their practises also are nearer to us then the Papists Neither need we look on Non-conformity all things considered as a more formidable Adversary In my weak opinion all that are not for Popery have reason to unite against it But whatever weakness Non-Conformists are guilty of in thinking otherwise it is a truth that there is no Bulwork so impregnable against Popery as the Constitution of the Church of England And none can read without some astonishment the incomparable Zeal of the Convocation in 1640 to secure our Church both from Popery and Socinianisme Lastly let me conjure you not Continue Loyalty to be guilty of the least whisper against the Government of his Sacred Majesty but to do your duties without murmuring You have hitherto had the honour of being styled the Loyal Clergy 'T is our true glory that our doctrine establisheth obedience to Princes upon the best Principles in the World Why should it be said that the Non-conformists are now the Royalists as an ingenuous Person J. H. intimates Though I must have leave to remember As it is by J. H. him that herein as well as in some other things he seems to take too much liberty to his phansie If the rest of his Brethren will stand to his Notion of the power of Conscience and the power of the Magistrate touching it I should desire to put it to no other issue whether their Principle or ours be the most Loyal He saith that uâ—lâ—ss the matter His first Principles considered of the Princes command bâ— antecedently necâ—ssary in the judgment of the Subject it being commanded in Scripture or required by the light of Nature for the common good the Conscience â—f the Subjâ—ct is not obliged to obâ—y that command Not bâ—ing here aware that obediâ—nce to man in things we judgâ— indifferent is both commandeâ— by Gâ—d in Scripture and required As he saâ—th him self p. 74. also by God in the Law of Nature for the common good i. eâ— for the security of the publick Peace and Gods own Vicegerency upon the Earth God sâ—ith particularly Submit your selves to every Ordinancâ— of man for the Lords sake that iâ— out of Conscience to God Obeâ— them that hâ—ve-Rulâ— over you give unto Caesar the thiâ—gs that are Caesars You must needs be subject â—ot onely for wealth but Conscience â—ake These are exprâ—ssed absoâ—lutely but where do you find his condition we need obey and â—ubmit onely for wrâ—th not out â—f Conscieâ—ce if the thing comâ—anded be not otherways necesâ—ary or but indifferent in it self When Man commands what God â—orbids 't is reason we obey God â—hough with disobedience to Man but when we may obey Man and not disobey God we â—ust do it in obedience to God â—hat is out of Conscience The difference betwixt us is â—lainly this We say the Coâ—sciâ—nce becomes obliged to obâ—y â—ur Prince by virtue of Gods â—ommand that we should obey â—im You seem to say that Conscience becomes obliged â—rom the matter or thing commanded which quite destroyeth all obligation of Consciencâ— to obey our Prince For you say when a thing is commanded by God or we think it tends to the publick good then onely Conscience is obliged to obey ouâ— Prince But this Obligation iâ— onely from the necessity of the thing commanded and becausâ— you approve it to be a duty before and consequently in obedience to your own Reason anâ— Judgment and and not at alâ— out â—f Conscience of the command or in obedience to the King for you were in youâ— Logâ—ck equally obliged to do it whether Man had commandeâ— you or not But in all other Cases you need obey onely for wraths sake that is no further thâ—n you are forced and therefore when you â—re got above fear you will not or need not regard Authority This Principle will hardly prâ—ve â—he Non-Conformâ—sts the onely Loyalists But to make the matter a litâ—le plainer lâ—t us consider what â—an oblige the Conscience but God and the notice of his Will Those things which are indiffeâ—ent in themselves before as Bread and Wine are therefore made the necessary Elements of the Lords Supper by Gods command â—nd ought therefore to be used â—n Conscience to God But if man â—ommand any thing there are â—wo thing considerable the â—atter or things commanded and â—he Authority or command it self â—f the thing commanded be â—uch as God hath commanded â—efore we are bound in Consciâ—nce to observe it two wayes from the necessity of the matter and from the Authority â—f the command which are both from God for he that hath said before Do this hath also said Obeâ— your Governours But if the thing commandeâ— by man were not commandeâ— by God before and be not forbidden any way by him though the first way of obligation frâ—m the matter fails yet the seconâ— holds and obligation from God to obey our Gâ—vernours iâ— still upâ—n Conscience from thâ— notâ—ce of Gods will in that Case Besidâ—s as was before observed in all â—uch indiffâ—rent things Goâ— requires obedience to our Governours not onely by his positivâ— Laws in Scripture as if such obedience were indifferent beforâ— he required it but also by thâ— Laws of Nature for the preservation of Government and the â—ublick good Consider well that
famous Case of the Recabites They â—bstained from Wine in obedience â—o their Fathers command after â—e was dead and all fear of his â—rath was gone Now what â—ould move or oblige them but Conscience Conscience I say â—ot that the matter was otherwise commanded by God or was for the publick good but â—n honour to their dead Parent which God commanâ—ed Thereâ—ore we find God approves accepts and rewards it Which vâ—ry thing proves it was ultimately and really an obedience to Gods own Will for God approves accepts and rewards nothing elsé But the foresaid Author pursues J. H. His second Principle his discourse to a Principle â—hat seems to me of more dangerous consequences to Government P. 112 c. That hâ—mane Powers may not lawfully cemmand or inforce any thinâ— against the Conscieâ—ces or perswasions of the Consciences of thâ— Subject even in civil concernâ— And for this instance he is venturous to say that a Tax may bâ— P. 118. laid upon the People yet if anâ— one resuses to pay it as one oâ— the Fifth Monarchy he observes may possibly in point of Conscience do though distress may bâ— taken for the publick good yet thâ— person may not lawfully be punished for not paying it Anâ— thus his matter runs smoothly but if we may have leave to make choice of an Instance â— think he will desire no furtheâ— answer in this particular E. G. The Law of God is the Rule of Conscience This Law is Negative as well as Affirmative and binds the Conscience equally in both respects So far we are agreed Nâ—w admit a man of the Fifth Monarchy or a number of such men shall think they are bound in Conscience by virtue of some plain Text in the Revelations to destroy the Wicked to set up the Government of Jesus Christ in his Saints and from that of the Psalmist in order to this great work to bind the Kings of the Earth in Chains and our Nobles in Fetters of Iron Seriously say what think you of this Case may not the Sword of the Magistrate be made a terrour to such evil Doers may not those bloody Consciences be restrained by commands and menaces may not these bloody hands be cut off and punished may not Conscientious Murther be revenged no little Artifices of mans wit no cunning Subterfugs of debaucheâ— Consciences can possibly race out that indeleble Law of Nature and the God of Nature he that shedeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed And if the like colour from Conscience be put upon Theft Adultery or any of the sins against our Neighbour they may easily receive a like Answer You will say perhaps these are evil by virtue of Gods command before mans Law was made true so also 't is a good which God requires before the Tax be made that we should give to every one his due Tribute to whom Tribute Custom to whom Custom And I am apt to think that what is given to King Charles by our selves in Parliament is as due to him as what was exacted by Caesars command was to Caesar I am afrâ—id I shall trouble that Ingenious Authâ—r otherwise I should mind him that by such Principles the Non-Conformists are not likâ—ly to carry it in point of Loyalty or tendency to Publick Good which draw both Râ—ligion and Justice and prâ—pâ—rly it self under such Authority of private Conscience as unhâ—ngâ—th Government And to say no worse leave all those precious things in an unestablished condition But I spare them for he many times seems to explain himself a great deal better then his Principle will bear him out And sometimes especially towards the latter end of his Book when he had better considered the Consequences of it he more then seems to suspect it and resolves all into the Prudence of the Governour no doubt finding his distinction of the Power of restraint and coustraint would not serve him in all emergencies Let him consider the Law of God obligeth us to do as well as to omit Accordingly Conscience ruled by its apprehensions of that Law obligeth us to both Or whether it do so or no it may be perswaded it doth and that 's all one And though Conscience err yet it is to us as God and by obeying it we obey God and it is above all humane Authority Therefore the Magistrate hath no power to enforce me not to do my apprehended duty or to punish me if I do it though it be to murther the innocent as in the Case before He abhors the consequence but whose are the premises After all this and supposing some of us to be really guilty either of ignorance scandal idleness or imprudence in the aforesaid particulars I cannot be so fond as to believe that this is the chief cause of the present Separation whatever is pretended my Reason is because it hath hitherto so happened as a demonstration to the contrary that where the Dissenters themselves acknowledge their Parish Ministers freest from snch exceptions and all other there is generally the greatest cause to bewail Separation Consequently I have no great No hopes yet do your duties encouragement without a miracle to beleive that if you should reform every thing that is really amiss in you or that they complain of while you are true to the duties of your places the Separation will much abate upon it However you have other sufficient Motives to quicken you other Persons to account with Therefore sâ—t the fear of God and the good of the Church before you and remove all appearances of evil from your selves and all occasions of evil speaking from the Dissenters And let nothing discourage you in your Studies and cares to amend what â—s amiss to persevere in well doing to fulfil your Ministry and to receive your Crown And if notwithstanding your uttermost endeavours to prevent it they will be offended and forsake your Churches bear it as your Cross Pray sor your Enemies with the patience of Christians and the courage of the men of God And however they treat you or the Church cease not to pity and pray for them as you are taught Pray for them though your Enemies Though they slander you and persecute you and for nothing else but the truth's sake as they Apostle That it may please thee to forgive our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and turn their Hearts Pray for them as Sheep that are gone astray that it may please thee to bring into the way of truth such as have erred and are deceived We beseech thee to hear as good Lord. Now my Brethren I humbly and earnestly beseech you to pardon my freedome with you Onely take it by the right handle and I know you cannot take it amiss Seeing 't is said I have dealt smartly with our Adversaries if I should not deal plainly with you I should neither follow my Example nor answer my Reprover But I have a word or two also ad populum for our Conforming