this I doubt not to make it appear that the greatest part of those who talk so loud about Conscience I mean the Vulgar who have little to say for themselves besides that do scarcely understand the Word and are absolute strangers to the true sense and meaning of the thing That such therefore as are not resolved to be wilful may be undeceived and that they may not give to this pretended Conscience a greater Sovereignty than ever God almighty did design the true one by setting it up as an Omnipotent Idol in their hearts I offer this following Discourse which if perused with that sobriety and impartiality of consideration as becomes a Concern of so great moment may I hope conduce much to the present satisfaction of many and the publick advantage of my Native Countrey by removing the occasion of so many heats and animosities separations and divisions as draw their original principally from these mistakes about matters of Conscience CHAP. III. Of the great Influence which the true Conscience has upon all the affairs of Humane Life and therefore the great necessity there is that all men should be rightly informed concerning it HAving now shewn the great power of a pretended Conscience before we proceed any further it will be requisite to shew of what concern it is for all men rightly to understand themselves in this affair of Conscience which cannot be better done than by displaying the powerful Influence which Conscience challenges in the management of all Humane Actions We will therefore briefly trace it through its vast Dominions of Oeconomicks Ethicks Politicks and Divinity We will begin then with private Families and there we shall find Conscience to be the onely bond of Union the onely maintainer and preserver of those respective Duties which are owing from one to another in those little primitive Societies of Mankind And therefore we see where this bears the sway there is always the most Domestick peace concord and tranquillity on the contrary where this Principle is wanting neither the obligations of Nature Education or Reason are powerful enough to keep men within the limits of their Duty but Cain shall imbrue his hands in the innocent blood of his onely Brother Abel Amnon shall commit a Rape upon his beautiful Sister Tamar Absalom shall rebel against and endeavour to depose his Father in short without a sense of the Obligations of Conscience the Master of the Family will be unkind to the Wife of his bosome cruel to his Children tyrannical to his Servants The Wife will be false and treacherous the Children will be undutiful and unnatural the Servants will be negligent faithless and disobedient and all extremely vitious And in a word there will be neither Order Government Peace nor any kind of happiness in these little Communities without Conscience If we step out of private Doors into the wider World we shall find that without the ties of Conscience to oblige men to their several and respective Duties there would be no such thing as Virtue to be found in all Humane Race and one might as successfully seek and it may be more probably find Temperance Chastity Justice Fortitude Prudence Magnanimity Fidelity and Gratitude amongst the savage Inhabitants of the Woods and Desarts Without this men resign themselves up so wholly to the conduct of their blind Passions of Lust Hatred Anger Jealousie Fear and Despair that they seem not onely divested of all Morality but even of Humanity it self Let the late discovered Inhabitants of the Western World attest this truth amongst whom for want of this there was so little to be found of Morality that had it not been for Humane shape and amongst some of them the name of Religion it had been impossible to distinguish them from the so nearly related Brutes some of which wanted little advantage of them but a Language to express themselves in so as to be understood But leaving these barbarous Regions if we come where Morality has civilized and common necessity has united men into Combinations and Societies where there is the best establish'd Government the most prudent and excellent Laws for the promoting the common good and securing every mans particular Interest and Property yet still the great Obligation to these Laws and this Government must be Conscience which seems to have been the Reason why all the antient Lawgivers in imitation of Moses have pretended a familiarity and frequent intercourse with the Divinity and therefore proposed their Laws to the People as the will of the Gods as being well assured that no other Principle was capable of laying such a powerful Obligation to Duty and Obedience upon the minds of men as such a belief For all Obedience must be resolved into one of these Principles Hope of Advantage Fear of Punishment or Conscience of Duty to God Now if either Hopes of Advantage or Fear of Punishment are the onely Inducements to Order and Obedience less degrees of this Fear or however a belief that they are out of the reach of punishment or greater though onely hopes of private advantage shall cancel all the Obligation to Humane Laws and the publick advantage and like an impetuous Torrent shall violently break all the banks of Laws and Government and tear up the foundations of whatever does oppose its furious rage Nor was there ever any popular Insurrection Disorder or Rebellion in any Nation but took its original from one of these tempestuous Principles Whereas on the contrary no hopes of Impunity from Humane Laws no private Interest or Ambition can persuade a man from that Duty which he ows to Laws and Government upon the account of Conscience nay we have further seen that Cruelty it self with all its terrors and tormentors has not been able to shake men off from this firm and solid foundation of fixed Obedience Thus we see Conscience the best preservative against the threatning dangers of Intestine Mischiefs nor is it less available against Foreign Force For unity of mind which is the genuine and natural effect of Conscience is certainly the greatest policy as well as strength of any People whereas Discords Divisions and mutual Dissentions give all the hopes and encouragements to a Foreign Power to invade and all the helps and advantages to subdue This made the Roman Eagles stretch their victorious Pinions over the greatest part of the World the civil Dissentions of their Neighbours amongst themselves made many potent and otherwise invincible People become an easie Quarry to their ambitious Arms And whilst with a shew of Justice they pretended to espouse the Quarrel of the weaker part by overpoising of the Ballance both sides at last became their prey and thrust their own necks under the fatal yoke which by unity they might easily have avoided It is to this the Ottomans owe the prodigious successes of their prevailing Crescents which had either never been so or had long since been in their Wain again if the Divisions amongst the Christian Princes had
of my Actions I find no certainty of knowledge and so no absolute necessity within my self to act or not to act to abstain or not to abstain or if I do any such action where I am left at liberty I find no necessity of doing it this way or the other but am left to my own freedom because I have no certainty of knowledge from the Rule to determine me so that if I do it my Conscience does not accuse me if I do it not I find no uneasie guilt to sit heavy upon my mind for the neglect and what way soever I perform it still my mind is at peace and quiet with it self and all because there is no certainty of knowledge from the Rule and therefore no necessity or determination and so by plain consequence no part of the dominion of Conscience for this necessity of knowledge is the Law of Conscience and where there is no Law Rom. 4.15 there can be no transgression no obligation nor afflicting guilt Let not any person now think that I have straitned the Diocess of this Universal Bishop or to speak without offence this Overseer of the World for thus far his proper and absolute Jurisdiction does extend it self But Conscience has likewise a collateral dominion over all indifferent Actions which is thus All our Actions which may be done or not done without sin on either part are called Indifferent As for example If for my health or pleasure I design to take the Air it is indifferent whether I ride or walk or whether I go into that fair Field or this fresh Meadow Now all these actions though in their own Nature free and indifferent have yet this necessity upon them that they ought to carry a respect to the forementioned great designs of God's glory and the happiness of the Universe and therefore ought to be addressed to those ends and managed accordingly and if any indifferent action does not in some measure contribute to these ends I am bound in conscience not to do it Which seems to be the reason of the great severity our Saviour pronounces against idle words S Matth 12.36 not onely such as are contrary to those ends but such as by their being uncapable of contributing to those great designs are therefore sinful and unlawful because useless and unprofitable Thus for me to ride or walk to take the benefit of the fresh and free air though in its own nature free and left to my choice yet I have this obligation upon me that I ought to chuse that part which either from my own or better judgments may be thought most proper and conducive to my health that so I may be in a better capacity to praise and glorifie my Creator for and by the advantage of health strength vigour and alacrity of Mind and Body and that by these I may be enabled both for my own part to participate of the bountiful happiness which kind Heaven has so plentifully bestowed upon this life and also that I may be in a better capacity to promote and advance the happiness of my fellow Creatures so far as my power does extend it self and therefore in order to this I am not to be injurious to any person nor in taking the Air to ride or walk over the eared Corn or full grown Meadows and all this not onely out of an obligation to Humane Laws or for fear of an Action of Trespass a Clausum fregit or Pedibus ambulando but for Conscience sake because I am bound by the Rule to do good to all but injury to none And this truly explains the meaning of St. Paul in those two places 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do let all be done for the glory of God And Whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. ult that is Whatsoever indifferent action I do I ought to have a full assurance that it is not contrary but conducive to this great design of the glory of God in the happiness of the Creation CHAP. VI. The occasion of those Differences amongst us about matters of Conscience proceeds from the mistake of Opinion and private persuasion for Conscience What Opinion is and what Persuasion and how they differ from Conscience THus far I think it is clear what Conscience is and how far its proper Dominion does extend Now that Conscience thus rightly understood does universally and absolutely oblige all men I cannot think there are any will make the least scruple unless it be such whose Consciences are seared with an hot Iron and given up to that unthinking sense which the Apostle speaks of and to those who are past feeling I do not address my self or this Discourse But the misfortune of our Age does not lie in this particular we may have some of those who have no Conscience but we have multitudes of others who are so far from having none that they are all Conscience who strain at every Gnat and make every thing a scruple and matter of Conscience in the strictest sense I do heartily wish whilst they do so that they do not swallow many a Camel and in the end make shipwrack of true Faith Charity and by consequence of a good Conscience For such as these are were these Papers intended with all Christian tenderness and compassion if possible to give them a right understanding of what is so infinite dear and tender to them For to my certain knowledge as by much experience and frequent conferences with many of them I am able to affirm most of this sort of People who pretend to be acted by Conscience in every thing are not yet able to give a tollerable account what Conscience is 'T is something within them but they know not what some of them I am confident are so stupid as to believe it to be some living thing within them distinct from both Soul and Body And I remember a Quaker to whom I put the Question a little hastily What was Conscience after he had shewn his great surprize and ignorance by being in every joynt a Quaker and the first that ever I saw do the trick he very confidently as well as blasphemously told me it was the Spirit of the Lord. I demanded if he meant the Holy Ghost the Third Person in the Blessed Trinity To which he answered Yea. Which makes me fear that more who are not of his persuasion yet may be of his sense and believe what they call Conscience within them to be some Omnipotent thing to which every thing ought to bow and obey There have been and will be in all Ages some men who do ill with a design and knowledge of doing ill others there are who do ill with a design of doing well to both these it is that we may ascribe those unhappy divisions amongst us under the pretence of Conscience And had they taken half that pains and care rightly to instruct People what Conscience is that they have
onely my sense and opinion but that of all dissenting Parties who therefore propose the determination of them by the establishment of their way as the onely expedient to obtain these excellent ends Thirdly Indifferent things become necessary if they promote Decency and Order because so they are agreeable to St. Paul's general Rule 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Thus that all should kneel at the Prayers where it is appointed besides that it is a posture of supplicating humility and devout adoration That they should stand up at the rehearsal of the Articles of our Christian Faith and at the Hymns Psalms and Praises are all matters of great decency and order Whereas that one should sit another stand a third lean a fourth lie along at his ease are no less indecent and irreverend than disorderly and confused Thus that Church-men should wear distinct Habits both when they celebrate the Divine Service and at other times such as may shew gravity sobriety purity innocence or distinction of degrees are all decent and orderly and so far therefore necessary Lastly Indifferent things become necessary if they be significantly expressive of our inward profession Thus the Cross after Baptism the Ring in Marriage the Surplice and other Vestments Postures and Gestures having all their outward significations of the inward profession of our minds are necessary for those ends I should speak more fully of these things had not the Learned Mr. Falkner taken such pains about them and sifted them so narrowly as not to leave any just pretence of a quarrel against them to which incomparable Discourse I therefore refer the Reader for an ample satisfaction in all these particulars CHAP. XI Of the Way whereby indifferent things become obligatory to Conscience not only upon a Mans private Persuasion from the forementioned Rules but so as to oblige all persons who live under Government viz. by the Determinations and Commands of Lawful Authority THus far I have shewn the chief among many Considerations whereby any indifferent thing may become necessary so that if any person finds these or any other indifferent things in the Worship or Service of God conduces to these Ends he is obliged in Conscience to the performance of them but this layes only a private obligation and the same that it does upon all other indifferent things and actions which yet remain so by being undertermined But now in regard some of these things though innocent and indifferent in their own Natures may to some Mens Opinions and Persuasions appear very conducive to the before-mentioned Ends others may appear more effectual to some other Persons lest from divers Opinions about these Circumstantials of Religion which are best most decent orderly and edifying there should arise division distraction and confusion in the Service of God as by miserable experience we daily find there does it is requisite that we seek for some stronger obligation whereby those things which are indifferent may become necessary to all and this must be by the determination and commands of a lawful Authority which has power to judge which amongst all indifferent circumstances of Divine Worship conduce most to Gods glory and the good of Mankind especially those under their charge and jurisdiction by promoting and maintaining Peace Unity Concord and Piety and after such judgment to pass a final determination which shall lay the double obligation both of a prudent and necessary Law and also of Conscience upon all who live under their Government and expect the advantages of it and therefore owe Obedience to it For otherwise disputes and differences must be endless if Men will not refer themselves to some Umpires and Arbitrators to decide them which must after Men have tyred themselves to find out what these Arbitrators must be at the last be lawful Authority Now that all Dissenters are of the same judgment with us in this Point and believe that a lawful Authority has this decisive Power it is most plain from the frequent instances and repeated importunities which they make to the Supreme Authority to make Alterations in the present or to establish another manner or form of Worship according to their way or however if they cannot hope for such Concessions yet they will Petition that Authority will not interpose it self in these Religious Affairs but leave them to their freedom in the manner of the exercise of their Religion and this is if I mistake them not that which they call Liberty of Conscience And they must either be the greatest Dissemblers and Hypocrites in Nature by begging that from Authority which they believe it has no real Power over or else it plainly implies That it is in the Power of a lawful Authority to determine that Liberty in indifferent things which concern the circumstances of Divine Worship This therefore being acknowledged we have nothing to do but to prove That the Authority which has determined these indifferent things and by consequence now made them necessary to be done and matter of Conscience had a just Right and Power as well as wise and prudent Reasons and Considerations so to do as being a lawful Authority We must therefore consider and examine what is requisite to make an Authority so lawful as that it may of Right challenge such a decisive and determinative Power as that all Persons who live under it shall be obliged in Point of Conscience to submit to its definitive Sentence and take it for a finalis Concordia in all indifferent things and to which no Man can be disobedient without a manifest and wilful sin against Conscience in the breach of those known commands Obey them that have the Rule over you Rom. 13.1 And let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers First therefore that Authority which is of Gods appointment is without controversie a lawful Authority as pleading a Divine Right from him by whom Kings reign Such was the Authority of Moses Aaron Samuel and the Judges and even of Saul a wicked and tyrannous Prince of whom therefore David said to Abishai 1 Sam. 26.9 Destroy him not for who can lift up his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless And it was well for him that he fell into the hands of a Man who was after Gods own heart We have seen some whom a lesser interest than Davids in his death would have tempted to serve him as Epominondas did his sleeping Centinel had they found him sleeping they would have been of Abishai's judgment and have left him sleeping his last But to proceed secondly That Authority is lawful which is warranted by long Succession Prescription is accounted a good and safe Plea and Title for all other Men for their Estates and Possessions certainly much more for the Crowns of Sovereign Princes for hereby their Title passes into Inheritance which is a Right which no Man can violate or invade without being guilty of the breach of that positive and known Command
God's glory and the truth act contrary to the Rule of Truth and Righteousness But if at the last it shall be found that they have not been managed by Conscience but Opinion and Persuasion what can they expect but the greatest severities and insufferable torments and agonies of Conscience the worm that never dies which should put all men upon a strict examination of themselves especially those who pretend to be so much managed by Conscience whether it be a true and good Conscience or onely these Deceivers and Usurpers Opinion and Persuasion Secondly it follows That Indifferent things in Religious Worship laying no further Obligation upon mens Consciences than as they conduce to God's glory and the happiness of the Universe and a Lawful Authority having a Power to put a final determination upon every man's private Judgment and Opinion by declaring which of all these indifferent things they judge most conducive to God's glory and the happiness of all those under their Jurisdiction by promoting and preserving Peace Unity and Charity Therefore that all persons who live under their Authority are bound in Conscience to submit to those Determinations and from thence-forward to esteem that which before was in its own nature indifferent to become necessary because hereby many known Duties and particularly that of Obedience to Magistrates without which there can be no happiness on Earth are performed to the satisfaction of an absolute and indispensible Obligation of Conscience Lastly it follows That all men are bound in Conscience to promote and endeavour the well-being of the Lawful Government under which they live and as much as in them lies the happiness of all Mankind even here in this life Nor can they follow the Dictates of true Religion or Conscience whatever they may pretend or imagine who for their private Opinions make Parties break Laws despise Governments give disturbances to the Peace and Security of their Native Countrey at home and by promoting Faction Dissention and Division give encouragement to our Enemies abroad And by too just fears from what has been of what may be again by the same ways and artifices to make mens minds uneasie and their lives unhappy And should their Designs succeed a second time to involve so many millions in the calamities of War Confusion Ruine and Desolation These have been and are the proper effects of Disobedience to Laws and Lawful Authority and let all Dissenters look well to it for they will find here is no Conscience no Religion to be found in such ways and ends to which their Separation and Division do most infallibly lead them I wish I could conclude this Discourse with the most persuasive Arguments and irresistable Reason That all Christian People and especially those Dissenters of these Nations would seriously consider with themselves whether these Discords and Differences about Religious affairs will in the end lead them and in time turn back again before they come to the dismal brink of those Precipices Misery here and Damnation hereafter which when by a too late Repentance they would avoid they will not be able I wish they would no longer abuse that glorious name of Conscience to countenance those Irreligious practises of Disobedience Uncharitableness Dissention and Separation Let them consider what it is in this World that is most desirable and whether they do not act point blank contrary to their own Interest and Happiness both here and hereafter and directly against the publick Good of the Community of which they are Members and whether they may not justly fear that by these dangerous and unlawful practices they should so far exasperate Authority as to exercise its utmostrigors and severities upon them as being out of all hopes to reclaim them by gentle means and justly jealous of their malicious secret and ill designs in reality against the State though the pretence be onely against the present Church and its Government Let them consider that if they desire to have peace within their private Walls and plenteousness within their stately Palaces if they desire to enjoy quiet of mind at home tranquility peace and unity one amongst another that Justice should run down as a River and Righteousness us a mighty Stream That Truth should spring out of the Earth and Righteousness look down from Heaven That Mercy and Truth should meet together Righteousness and Peace should kiss each other and that glory may dwell in our Land If they desire to be safe from intestine and domestick troubles secure from Forreign force and invasion to be loved respected and honoured by their Friends and Allies dreaded by their greatest Enemies to be great in Riches great in Fame and greater in all Goodness and Virtue to be the joy and glory of all Lands If they desire these there is no way to obtain them but by uniting our selves with this common Bond and indissoluble Chain of a good Conscience towards God and all men which will teach every man his duty keep every man quietly peaceably and contentedly in his place and station and secure unto us all those dear Delights of Humane Nature Peace Property and Religion If they desire these thus must they endeavour after them and if they will not endeavour after them we cannot but judge that they do not desire them And I am sure if they do not desire these blessings both for themselves and all others they neither deserve them nor any love pity favour countenance or kindness but ought to be look'd upon not as men but fierce and savage Beasts Wolves Tigers and Bears given to Prey Rapine and Ravage and they may easily ghess what will follow if once they come to be look'd upon and esteemed such Lastly if they have any love or kindness for their Souls or ever hope for eternal Salvation it must not be expected without obedience to God obedience to Government and obedience to Conscience After all this I will hope that those happy days will shine upon us Psal 122 3. in which we may say Our Jerusalem is built as a City that is compact or at unity with it self And that we shall be able to sing that glorious and triumphant Song of Praise and Thanksgiving Psal 48.1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the mountain of his holiness Beautiful for situation the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the North the City of the great King God is well known in her Palaces as a sure Refuge To hasten which blessed and happy Age let every good Christian lay to his helping hand and his praying heart by endeavouring to follow the example of the great Apostle St. Paul which is the great Concern and Interest of every Man both in reference to Happiness here and hereafter Keeping alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards all Men. FINIS
done positively to tell them This is matter of Conscience and that no man can do with a safe Conscience whilst in truth they were either not matter of Conscience in a strict and proper sense or if they were they were such matter of Conscience as all people were obliged to act in contrary to both their Doctrine and Practise I say had they done this which was their duty they might have done God good service and promoted our common happiness by Peace Unity and Charity which now to the great dishonour and decay of Christian Religion and true Piety and irreparable mischiefs in our Politick capacities are almost grown strangers amongst us For whosoever shall without partiality consider the affairs of these Nations for this last Century shall find That Liberty of Conscience has introduced amongst us the Synagogue of the Libertines which now has more Votaries than the true Religion and all others put together There are two things which of late have been obtruded upon us whether ignorantly or maliciously God he knows under the specious name of Conscience and these are Opinion and Persuasion To this luckless Mother and fatal Daughter we owe all those divisions that strife those bitter envyings debate variance and in truth all those intollerable mischiefs under which both Church and State have for many years so heavily groan'd and so deeply suffer'd Some men it is to be feared out of Pride Avarice Ambition or desire of Novelty having embraced such Opinions as were most suitable to their private Interest or Designs presently usurp Heaven's Royal Prerogative and stamp these courser Metalls with the Divine Impress of Conscience which immediately makes them currant Coin amongst vulgar and undistinguishing Judgments These Opinions countenanced by the success of numerous Disciples and warranted by zealous Defenders and over-eager Promoters grew amongst many into firm Perswasions and having been rooted by long continuance and naturalized by Custom then they must be matters of Conscience then they must be obliging to all and give indispensible Laws to all then they are to be defended and maintained with Life and Fortune and supported with no less rigorous Penalties than Eternal Damnation to all those who will not fall down and worship this golden Image of Conscience I will therefore endeavor to shew what Opinion and what Persuasion are and how they differ from Conscience how far they do oblige and wherein their lawful right and dominion in the management of humane Actions do consist Let us act like Men and Christians with prudence and justice let us render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to GOD the things which are GODS let us not blindly injuriously and dangerously transfer the Title Dignity Power and Supremacy of Conscience the immediate Vicegerent of our Almighty Sovereign unto these two Vsurpers who in reality are but his Subjects I will begin therefore with Opinion as being the elder of the two And that you may know that it is far inferior unto Conscience this is the description which the learned Aquinas gives of it Opinio est dispositio ad Scientiam it is a disposition to Knowledge that is Opinion is an imperfect degree of Knowledge where still there is a liberty to doubt or suspect that this or that Opinion may not be exactly true As for Example that the Sun shines at high Noon this is demonstrative knowledge but because the Sun when it shines does communicate both light and heat that therefore the Sun is a vast Globe of Fire this is but Opinion because it may be so and it may not be so Or that the Moon is peopled with Inhabitants is but Opinion because being capable of doubt I can have no way to ascertain my self of the truth of either of these whether in reality the Sun be a Ball of Flame or the Moon another habitable Region so that Opinion is that private judgment which a Man makes of things or actions which are of an indifferent nature without any certainty of knowledge where he wants the assistance of some rule or way and means to attain to such a certainty And that I may not give only instances of Philosophy thus that there is such a place as Hell the residence of the damned is a matter of knowledge as being of Divine Revelation besides that it is founded upon the reason of rewards and punishments in a future estate But whether the Fire of Hell be material or sigurative or both these are matters of Opinion and it is indifferent to believe either or both because I am not positively directed to believe either of them more than the other neither if I do believe one of them rather than the other is any other Man obliged to believe it upon my affirmation of one part to be my Opinion but is still left at his liberty so he believe any to follow that part of the Opinion which to him appears most robable and the reason is because I want a certain Rule to determine me there being no Divine Revelation of it nor any way or means to attain to a demonstrative knowledge of it and further in its own nature it appears indifferent whether those infernal Flames be material or figurative or both since whatsoever they are God Almighty is thereby able to accomplish his design which is the punishment of the fallen Angels and such of Mankind as must there be eternally miserable and tormented because they would not accept of happiness upon Gods terms and conditions Come we now from Opinion to Persuasion which as before was said is the Child of Opinion and is nothing more but that belief which a Man embraces of any Opinion in indifferent things or actions which are undetermined by any certain way or rule of knowledge where the mind follows that part which appears most probable and likely to be true so that in Persuasion as well as Opinion there is no absolute certainty of knowledge to determine the mind only Men sit down with that as a determination for the present which carries the fairest appearance of Truth and with that rest satisfied though still they reserve to themselves a liberty to change their Judgment and Persuasion so soon as a clearer evidence or better way to find out the Truth about which they are uncertain offers it self unto them Thus to one Man the flames of Hell appear most probably to be material sire because the Bodies of the damned as well as their Souls must be there most exquisitely tormented and for that purpose he thinks this sort of sire most proper and therefore that part of the Opinion passes with him into his Persuasion To another who considers that the condemned Spirits and Souls of Men which are of an immaterial substance must there be punished as well as their Bodies a figurative Fire appears most probable and that is his Persuasion To a third who considers that both Souls Bodies and the wicked Spirits must have their share of pain and torment both
tells us If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true that is Joh. 5.31 if he had no other witness And therefore he refers the unbelieving Jews to John whom all men accounted a Prophet to the Scriptures which he bids them search to Moses in whom they trusted and in another place to his Miracles and wonderful works which they saw with their own eyes Come we therefore to the common Rule and it is no more but just that they should receive the same measure and stand to the determination of the same Judge to whom they have made their Appeal In the second place therefore Every one of these ways of Government which they would establish with the ruine of the present contradict a known Rule nay many plain Commands of Scripture for whilst they go about to overthrow the old Government and introduce a new One they are disobedient to those that have the rule over them both in Church and State whom they found vested with that Authority and which for any thing they are able to prove to the contrary was of Gods own appointment for so saith St. Paul The powers that be are ordained of God even those Heathen and truly Antichristian Powers how much more then the Supporters and Defenders of the Christian Faith They resist an Authority warranted with long succession supported with many prudent and antient Laws Laws to which they themselves and their Ancestors by their free Representatives in Parliament had given their Vote and Suffrage and therefore by their own voluntary Act and Deed and some of them by the stricter obligations of most Sacred and repeated Oaths they were bound with the strongest ties of Conscience to live under in all dutiful obedience which St. Paul enjoyns under the pain of Damnation the severest of all the penalties God Almighty can inflict upon Mankind and therefore he tells them they must needs be subject for Conscience sake Thirdly in their determination that their way or form of Church Government is the best they do not follow the better more sure and warrantable part of judgment in indifferent things Let them shew us in all Antiquity except some mistranslated places in the English New Testament where Presbyters are falsly rendred Elders the least footsteps approbation defence or practice of any other manner of Government in the Church for this Sixteen hundred years and upwards besides the Episcopal if they can do this then they may lawfully pretend they do not overthrow the Old but revive it by overthrowing the New Model of Government but if they cannot as I am sure if it could have been done we had heard it on both sides of our ears long before this let them dread the fearful doom which the wise Solomon pronounces against those who remove the ancient Land-marks Prov. 24.22 and are given to change for their calamity shall come suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Both of those who fear not God because they fear not their lawful King his Vicegerent but are given to change delighted with Novelties and Innovations Lastly this their determination is far from the judgment of Charity Peace and Unity either with the past or present Ages and much further from promoting the great designs of Gods glory and the happiness of Mankind either here or hereafter Let all Europe witness this sad Truth and particularly these British Isles which by this best way of Government of ancient Albion White and Happy was changed into Aceldama a dismal Field of Blood it were endless to recount what Wars Rapine Sacriledge Desolation and Confusion Bloodshed and most unparallel'd Solemn Murder of Majesty the most sacred thing on earth have been the effects of endeavouring to set up and establish these new wayes of Church Government And wherever any of these new Disciplines did prevail they quickly verified the Advice of young Rhehoboam's hot-headed Counsellors making their little Fingers heavier than the Loins of Episcopacy and changing the Whips with which those Reverend Fathers chastised such as really deserved it into Scorpions Axes and Halters nor did they spare either Life or Fortune that stood in their way or durst oppose them And this was the true reason why even those persons who were so violent against Root and Branch of Episcopacy notwithstanding their Solemn League and Covenant yet their Wisdom Fear or Policy would never give them leave to establish Presbytery which they found a Government so imperious absolute and insupportable Nor is this fair and honest dealing in Dissenters to pretend that because all sorts of Government are indisserent therefore why should not theirs be chosen which is the best when by experience we have found the contrary and in the mean time not to allow ours a bare indifferency but to persuade their credulous Followers with the greatest confidence That our way of Government by Bishops is Popish Vnlawful and Antichristian contrary to the Scriptures and that their own way is agreeable to them and the Primitive Discipline of the Church and therefore as a matter of Conscience and the main matter too the one to be avoided and the other to be embraced by all those who hope for Salvation of their Souls That Cause though it be the Good Old Cause betrays it self to be very weak which is to be supported by such unworthy feeble and Corner Arts and Arguments as Pagans and Heathen Philosophers would blush to have been found guilty of As for that common objection of theirs against Lord Bishops we will easily grant them that the Primitive Clergy did not abound in Temporalities but then they had such advantages as I believe none of these People will be willing to gratifie the most beloved of their Pastors withall when they who had possessions sold them and laid down the price at the feet of the Apostles Acts 4 34. to dispose of as to them seemed most sit This would be a hard saying who would bear it nor indeed could it be convenient as the affairs of the World stand at present But these Honours which the present Clergy do enjoy being Temporal are not by us believed to be at all essential to the Office of a Bishop and are only annexed by the bounty of Princes as are also their Estates for the necessary support of the Rank they are in for the encouragement of Learning and Piety and for the advantage of the Publick as it is a Politick Society of Men. And they may as well maintain a Levelling Principle and quarel with all Honours and Estates that are above theirs as with these for if any Temporal Estate or Dignity may by free Gift or Succession divolve upon a Church-man why not these And that this may happen without offence or scandal besides the experience we have had in an Illustrious Peer of this Nation who Earl of Kent not many years ago from a private Priest by succession came to the Honour of one of the first Earls in England I appeal to
themselves who would think it the greatest injustice upon the account of their being Churchmen to lose a good Temporal Estate from their Ancestors or a Barony either by Descent or Royal Bounty Besides let all men judge if this would not be the way to furnish us with Jeroboam's Priests of the meanest and lowest of the People not onely for Birth but Learning Parts and Ability And what a discouragement it would be to the Gentry and Nobility who by their Generous Birth Advantageous Education Noble Alliances and many other Excellent Circumstances and qualifications are fitted by the great influence they may have both upon the Prince and People to do both the Church and Sate the most considerable Honour and Service I am afraid few of them would addict themselves to the more serious and painful Studies of Divinity if by their devoting themselves to an immediate attendance upon God's Altar they must cast off the Entail of Temporal Honours and Estates from themselves Nor does this derogate a little from the superlative Bounty and Goodness of the Divine Nature to think that he who does so plentifully frequently and freely bestow these Honours and Estates as blessings upon all other Conditions of men should prohibit and deny them to those who have voluntarily obliged themselves to his peculiar Service and upon whom he is pleased to confer the excellent Title of his Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 and therefore most certainly does allow them honorably so as to be able to support the Dignity of so high a Character especially since they have his Royal word and promise for it 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour Prince and Priest were not by God thought inconsistent under the Law in that Government which he himself constituted and establish'd And therefore one word in the Hebrew Language signisies both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And till such time as he is pleased to declare his mind to the contrary I know not upon what pretence any man should divorce those two which he had once made one Neither by virtue of these Lordships do Bishops Lord it over Christs Flock as by the scoffing wantonness of some men who should be more serious than to be witty at the expence of Scripture they are said to do since it is clear that their Temporal Baronies give them not the least influence upon Church affairs more than they give unto the other Noble Peerage of the Realm And the Jurisdiction of a Bishop as a Bishop and a Bishop as a Baron are as wholly distinct as that of a Lord of a Manor or any other Lord is from the power of a Bishop in his Diocess 1 Tim. 3.2 In a word A Bishop must be given to Hospitality how shall he be able to do that without an Estate If he must have an Estate he must be Lord of it for so is every man of what he does possess and if it shall be thought fit by Royal Authority the Fountain of Honour to add to that common Right a more particular and distinguishing Title of Honour that may offend some mens Ambition or Envy but can never be found to be either diadvantageous to the â—hurch or State or contrary to the Scripture the Rule of Conscience From what hath been said it appears that no other way of Government in the Church can really pretend to those advantages which may make an indifferent thing become necessary and obliging to Conscience except the Episcopal by which it follows that to submit to this Form of Government as it is now establish'd in the Church is so far from being against a good Conscience that no man can resist it without sinning against Conscience since it has all the qualisications which are necessary for the making an indifferent thing become obligatory to every mans Conscience which all the other pretenders want viz. It comes nearest to the Rule of Scripture it follows the better more sure and warrantable part of our judgment it answers all the ends of Government by promoting the Glory of God and contributing to the happiness of mankind here by procuring Peace Unity and Concord and hereafter by teaching commanding and practising true Piety and Holiness And it is evident that to dissent from this Government can never be the effect of Conscience but of Opinion or Persuasion neither of which can lay any obligation upon mens minds which is absolute and indispensible as before has been made most evidently appear I wish that all Dissenters would seriously reflect with themselves whilst they do so violently cry up Conscience and pretend it for their seperation whether they have not abused themselves and the World in mistaking Opinion and Persuasion for it of which they may easily be satisfied by an impartial application of what has before been said of this particular After all this we shall difficultly be persuaded to relinquish the Plea of a Divine Right in Episcopacy for which so much reason has been and may be brought to prove it and upon which we shall have occasion briefly to touch hereafter CHAP. X. Of the manner and circumstances of Divine Worship and how from being indifferent they may become necessary to be done and obliging to Conscience THus have we seen that though private and false Opinion or prejudiced and mistaken Persuasion and it may be malicious Design and Interest combined with discontented Envy may be loud and clamorous against this Government of the Church by the excellent and antient way of Episcopacy yet Conscience is so far from being against it that it is wholly and clearly for it Let us now come to examine the manner of performance of Divine Worship which has occasioned no small stirs tumults and divisions amongst us And here likewise I suppose that all Parties do thus far agree that there ought to be some Modes and Circumstances in the Worship and Service of God that is some Time some Place some Words Gestures Postures and Habits for the performance both of Publick and Private Worship which Conscience tells us we are bound to pay unto Almighty God Herein likewise I suppose that all Parties are agreed that these things or however such of them as are in controversie amongst us are in their own natures indifferent and therefore properly the subject of Opinion or Persuasion and were there no determination on either side provided the Duty of Worship were performed it might be done this way or the other And from hence likewise it appears that no Circumstance of Religious Worship is in its own nature simply unlawful because no where in Scripture prohibited either in direct words or by necessary consequence so that no mans Conscience can be justly offended by the performance of any of them since where there is no Law there can be no transgression Let any Dissenters therefore shew either a positive command or a plain consequence from Scripture why I should not serve God in a set form of Prayers and Praises or
a just and warrantable if not an undeniable Plea to a Divine Right Secondly There is long succession of both of this very Race of Kings for above 600 years and long may their Imperial Crown and Royal Dignity flourish and increase even so long as the Sun and the Moon endure And for the succession of Bishops it is of much an ancienter date and though the time be not certain yet that the Britains did very early receive the Christian Faith and with it Episcopal Government is a thing not to be doubted if we will give any credit to the ancient Historians some of which would persuade us that Britain was Christian as soon or even before Rome it self Lastly there is Choice and a freedom of Election in the House of Commons which represents the gross Body of the Nation and is one part of the Authority thereof as for the Interest which the rest of the most Honourable Peerage have in the management of Publick Affairs it being one of the dear bought Fundamentals of the Magna Charta it was a thing never disputed till the late dayes of Confusion when the very foundations were violently torn up by the roots with the Tempest or rather Hurricane of Religious Rebellion and I hope it will never come to a second Vote that the House of Peers is useless to this Nation or a Government without them So that here is whatsoever is requisite to make any Authority lawful so as to have a just Right and Dominion over all those who live under it for the final determination and conclusion of all indifferent things both in Religious and Civil Affairs That this may appear plain to every apprehension we will give an instance in a point controverted amongst us Prayer is an immediate act of Divine Worship and of it self absolutely necessary to be performed to God Psal 65.2 Matth. 21.13 who is the God of all flesh and therefore unto him shall all flesh come because he heareth prayers and his house is the house of prayer for all Nations But to pray in a set and prescribed form of words or to pray as a mans abilities give him leave or as it is called by Extempore prayer according as the present occasion may seem to require are in their own natures indifferent and I doubt not but if either be done with all due circumstances they may be acceptable to God But now one man is persuaded that set forms in the publick service of God are the best another thinks Extempore prayer the best way So long as this is undetermined by a Lawful Authority every man is obliged to follow his private Opinion because Conscience obliges him to follow that determination of his judgment in indifferent things which he is fully persuaded is the best and conduces most effectually to God's glory and the promoting of Piety But because diversity of Opinion Persuasion and Practice in this Duty is apt to breed Division and Dissention and to prejudice if not ruine that Unity Peace Charity and Order which ought to be preserved inviolate amongst all men especially Christians therefore that Authority which has a just power over us as being of God's appointment of long succession and of our own choice to prevent these disorders and the confusion and dangers which may ensue upon divisions of Mind and difference of Practice interposeth it self and considering that our great Lord and Saviour who tells us he was to be our Example prescribed a set form of Prayer and positively commanded his Disciples so to pray Luke 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father c. That both the Antient and Modern Churches did and do use and approve set Forms of Prayer in Publick Worship that hereby rash and inconsiderate men shall not have liberty to utter any thing before God Mat. 6.7 nor to use vain repetitions as the Heathen did nor which is much worse than they were guilty of in their much speaking for which they thought to be heard non-sense indecent or irreverend expressions that men of greater abilities should not be puft up and those who have not that freedom and fluency of utterance should not be despised in regard for their Piety soundness of Judgment integrity of Life or ability to Govern they may be of as great use in the Church as others That hereby the ignorant and unlearned shall be better able to joyn with him that Ministreth knowing what he is to say than if they did not and with a safe Conscience may say Amen which I am sure to every Ex tempore Prayer they cannot and that all men may by Uniformity be brought to Unity that so necessary Bond of perfection both as to Religion and Civil Policy For these and many other necessary and prudent considerations this Lawful Authority judges it most conducive to God's Glory most agreeable to his Will and most effectual to procure the happiness of those under their Authority both here and hereafter to prescribe and command a set Form of Prayer in the Publick Worship of Almighty God And now that which before was indifferent becomes necessary in point of Conscience because the Scripture is clear in the case that Lawful Authority is to be obey'd in whatsoever it commands that is not simply and absolutely unlawful and that for Conscience sake and the obligation which before I might have from my private Opinion or Persuasion ought in Modesty as well as Duty and Charity to give way to the Determinations of my Lawful Superiors in all indifferent things And therefore they who now it is determined either despise it or refuse to use it or to joyn with those who do use it sin against Conscience because against many plain and positive commands of Scripture before mentioned and for which St. Paul seems extremely solicitous as well knowing Pride and Disobedience to be the most natural sins and therefore commands that men be put in mind as being apt to forget their Duty that they be subject to Principalities and Powers Tit. 3.1 to obey Magistrates The very same may be said of any of the rest of those things which are enjoyned by the present Authority of this Nation which by being commanded from indifferent become necessary and with such a dreadful necessity that whosoever resisteth a Lawful Power if St. Paul be to be credited shall receive to themselves damnation And let them seriously take notice of it how light a matter soever it may be made there is no man who does thus wilfully resist and disobey Authority that can hope for Salvation As for those who do it in ignorance I will not determine how indulgent God may be to them But they must know that though God may have winked at their former ignorance yet now he commands them and all men every where to repent And they will be inexcusable if they be ignorant because they will be so It is their duty therefore to look for a better Information of their minds and laying