because they are not able but could they get force would be as ready to lead those the same way that lead them Where is the faith and patience of the Saints For indeed it is but a small glory to make a vertue of necessity and suffer because I cannot help it Every thief and murderer is a Martyr at that rate experience hath abundantly proved this in these last centuries For however each party talk of passively obeying the Magistrates in such cases and that the power resides in him yet it is apparent that from this Principle it naturally followes that any party supposing themselves right should so soon as they are able endeavour at any rate to get uppermost that they might bring under those of another opinion and force the Magistrate to uphold their way to the ruin of all others What Engine the Pope of Rome used to make of his pretended power in this thing upon any pretence of dislike to any Prince or State even for very small heresies in their own account to depose Princes and set up their subjects against them and give their dominions to other Princes to serve his interest they cannot be ignorant that have read the life of Hildebrand and how Protestants have vindicated the liberty of their consciences after this same manner is apparent They suffered much in France to the great increase and advantage of their party but how soon they found themselves considerable and had gotten some Princes upon their side they began to let the King know that they must either have the liberty of their Consciences or else they would purchase it not by suffering but by fighting And the experience of other Protestant States shews that if Henry the Fourth to please the Papists had not quitted his Religion to get the Crown the more peaceably and so the Protestants had prevailed with the Sword they would as well have taught the Papists with the Faggot and led them to the Stake so that this Principle of Persecution on all hands is the ground of all those miseries and contentions for so long as any party is perswaded that it is both lawful for them and their duty if in power to destroy those that differ from them it naturally follows they ought to use all means possible to get that power whereby they may secure themselves in the ruin of their adversaries And that neither Papists nor Protestants judg it unlawful to compell the Magistrate if they be strong enough to do it to effect this Experience shews it to be a known Popish Principle that the Pope may depose an Heretick Prince and absolve the People from the Oath of fidelity and the Pope as is above-said hath done so to divers Princes and this Doctrine is defended by Bellarmin against Barclay The French refused Henry the Fourth till he quitted his Religion And as for Protestants many of them scruple not to affirm that wicked Kings and Magistrates may be deposed and killed yea our Scotch Presbyters are as positive in it as any Jesuits who would not admit this present Charles the Second though otherwise a Protestant Prince unless he would swear to renounce Episcopacy a matter of no great difference though contrary to his Conscience Now how little proportion these things bear with the primitive Christians and the Religion propagated by Christ and his Apostles needs no great demonstration and it is observable that notwithstanding many other superstitions crept into the Church very early yet this of Persecution was so inconsistent with the nature of the Gospel and liberty of Conscience as we have asserted it such an innate and natural part of the Christian Religion that almost all the Christian Writers for the first three hundred years earnestly contend for it condemning the contrary opinion § V. Thus Athanasius It is the property of Piety not to force but to perswade in imitation of our Lord who forced no body but left it to the will of every one to follow him c. But the Devil because he hath nothing of Truth uses knocks and axes to break up the doors of such as receive him But our Saviour is meek teaching the truth whosoever will come after me and whosoever will be my Disciple c. but constraining none coming to us and knocking rather and saying My Sister my Spouse open to me c. and entreth when he is opened to and retires if they delay and will not open unto him because it is not with swords nor darts nor souldiers nor armour that Truth is to be declared but with perswasion and counsel And it is observable that it was the impious Arians who first of all brought in this doctrine to persecute others among Christians whose successors both Papists and Protestants are in this matter whom Athanasius thus reproveth further Where saith he have they learned to persecute Certainly they cannot say they have learned it from the Saints but this has been given them and taught them of the devil The Lord commanded indeed sometimes to flee and the Saints sometimes fled but to persecute is the invention and argument of the devil which he seeks against all And after he saith in so far as the Arians banish those that will not subscribe their decrees they shew that they are contrary to Christians and friends of the devil But now O lamentable saith Hilarius it is the suffrages of the earth that recommend the religion of God and Christ is found naked of his vertue while ambition must give credit to his name The Church reproves and fights by banishments and prisons and forceth herself to be believed which once was believed because of the imprisonments and banishments her self suffered She that once was consecrated by the terrors of her persecutors depends now upon the dignity of those that are in her communion She that once was propagated by her banished Priests now banisheth the Priests And she boasts now that she is loved of the world who could not have been Christs if she had not been hated of the world The Church saith Hierom was founded by shedding of blood and by suffering and not in doing of hurt The Church increased by persecutions and was crowned by Martyrdom Ambrose speaking of Auxentius saith thus whom he viz. Auxentius could not deceive by discourse he thinks ought to be killed by the sword making bloody laws with his mouth writing them with his own hands and imagining that an Edict can command Faith And the same Ambrose saith that going into France he would not communicate with those Bishops that required that Hereticks should be put to death The Emperor Marcio who assembled the Council of Chalcedon protests that he would not force nor constrain any one to subscribe the Council of Chalcedon against his will Hosius Bishop of Cordua testifies that the Emperor Constance would not constrain any to be Orthodox Hilarius saith further that God teacheth rather than exacteth the knowledg of himself
than a cutting off from the Church is not nor can be shewn Beza upon the place saith We cannot understand that otherwise than of Excommunication Such as was that of the incestuous Corinthian And indeed it is madness to suppose it otherwise for Paul would not have these cut off otherwise than he did Hymenaeus and Philetus who were Blasphemers which was by giving them over to Satan not by cutting off their Heads The same way may be answered that other argument drawn from Rev. 2.20 Where the Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering the woman Jezebel Which can be no other waies understood than that they did not excommunicate her or cut her off by a Church censure for as to corporal punishment it is known that at that time the Christians had not power to punish Hereticks so if they had had a mind to it Fourthly they alledge Obj. that Heresies are numbred among the works of the Flesh Gal. 5.20 Ergo c. That Magistrates have power to punish all the works of the Flesh Answ. is denyed and not yet proved Every evil is a work of the Flesh but every evil comes not under the Magistrates cognisance Is not Hypocrisie a work of the Flesh which our adversaries confess the Magistrates ought not to punish Yea is not Hatred and Envy there mentioned as the works of the Flesh and yet the Magistrates cannot punish them as they are in themselves until they exert themselves in other acts which come under his power But so long as Heresie doth not exert it self in any act destructive to humane society or such like things but is kept within the sphere of those duties of doctrin or worship which stand betwixt a man and God they no waies come under a Magistrates power § IV. But secondly this forcing of mens consciences is contrary to sound Reason and to the very law of Nature For man's understanding cannot be forced by all the bodily sufferings another man can inflict upon him especially in matters Spiritual and Supernatural 't is arguments and evident demonstrations of Reason together with the power of God reaching the Heart that can change a man's mind from one opinion to another and not knocks and blows and such like things which may well destroy the Body but can never inform the Soul which is a free agent and must either accept or reject matters of opinion as they are born in upon it by something proportional to its own nature To seek to force minds in ony other manner is to deal with men as if they were brutes void of understanding and at last is but to lose ones labour and as the proverb is to seek to wash the Blackmore white By that course indeed men may be made Hypocrites but can never be made Christians and surely the products of such compulsion even where the end is obtained to wit an outward assent or conformity whether in Doctrin or Worship can be no waies acceptable to God who desireth not any Sacrifice except that which cometh througly from the Heart and will have no constrained ones so that men so constrained are so far from being members of the Church that they are made ten-times more the Servants of Satan than before in that to their Error is added Hypocrisie the worst of Evils in matters of Religion and that which above all things the Lord's Soul most abhors But if it be said their error notwithstanding is thereby suppressed Obj. and the scandal removed I answer besides that this is a method no waies allowed by Christ Answ. as is above proved surely the Church can be no waies better'd by the accession of Hypocrites but greatly corrupted and endangered for open Heresie men be aware of and shun such as profess them when they are separated from the Church by her Censures but secret Hypocrites may putrifie the Body and leaven it ere men be aware And if the Dissenters prove resolute and suffer boldly for the Opinions they esteem right experience sheweth that such sufferings often tend to the condemnation of the sufferers but never of the persecutors for such suffering ordinarily breeds compassion and begets a curiosity in others to inquire the more diligently into the things for which they see men suffer so great losses so boldly and is also able to beget an opinion that it is for some good they do suffer it being no waies probable that men will venture all meerly to acquire fame which may as well be urged to detract from the reputation of all the Martyrs unless some better arguments be brought against it than a Halter or a Faggot But supposing this principle that the Magistrate hath power to force the Consciences of his Subjects and to punish them if they will not comply very great inconveniencies and absurdities will follow and even such as are inconsistent with the nature of the Christian Religion For first it will naturally follow that the Magistrate ought to do it and sinneth by omission of his duty if he do it not Will it not then hence be inferred that Christ was defective to his Church who having power to force men and for to call for legions of Angels so to do did notwithstanding exert that power but lest his Church to the mercy of the wicked without so necessary a bulwark Secondly seeing every Magistrate is to exercise his power according to the best understanding he hath being obliged so to do for the promoting of what he in conscience is perswaded to be Truth Will not this justifie all the Heathen Emperors in their persecutions against Christians Will not this justifie the Spanish Inquisition which yet is odious not only to Protestants but to many moderate Papists How can Protestants in reason condemn the Papists for persecuting them seeing they do but exercise a lawful power according to their Conscience and best understanding and do no more to them than the sufferers profess they would do to them if they were in the like capacity Which takes away all ground of commiseration from the sufferers whereas that was the ground that gained of old reputation to the Christians that they being innocent suffered who neither had nor by principle could hurt any But there is little reason to pity one that is but dealt by according as he would deal with others For to say they have not reason to persecute us because they are in the wrong and we in the right is but miserably to beg the question Doth not this Doctrin strengthen the hands of persecutors every where and that rationally from a principle of self preservation For who can blame me for destroying him that I know waits but for an occasion to destroy me if he could Yea this makes all suffering for Religion which of old was the glory of Christians to be but of pure necessity whereby they are not led as Lambs to the Slaughter as was the Captain of their Salvation but rather as Wolves catched in the snare who only bite not again
and authorizing his commandmens by the miracles of his heavenly works he wills not that any should confess him with a forced will c. He is the God of the whole Vniverse he needs not a forced ebedience nor requires a constrained confession Christ saith Ambrose sent his Apostles to sow Faith not to constrian but to teach not to exercise coercive power but to extoll the Doctrine of Humility Hence Cyprian comparing the Old Covenant with the New saith then were they put to death with the outward sword but now the proud and contumacious are cut off with the Spiritual sword by being cast out of the Church and this answers very well that objection before observed taken from the practice of the Jews under the Law See saith Tertullian to the Heathens if it be not to contribute to the renown of irreligion to seek to take away the liberty of Religion and to hinder men their choice of God that I may not be admitted to adore whom I will but must be constrained to serve him whom I will not There is none nay not a man that desires to be adored by any against their will And again It 's a thing that easily appears to be unjust to constrain and force men to sacrifice against their wills seeing to do the service of God there is required a willing heart And again It is an humane right and natural power that every one Worship what he esteems and one mans religion doth not profit nor hurt another Neither is it any piece of Religion to enforce religion which must be undertaken by consent and not by violence seeing that the Sacrifices themselves are not required but from a willing-mind Now how either Papists or Protestants that boast of Antiquity can get by these plain testimonies let any rational man judge And indeed I much question if in any one point owned by them and denyed by us they can find all the old Fathers and Writers so exactly unanimous Which shews how contrary all of them judged this to be to the nature of Christianity and that in the point of persecution lay no small part of the Apostacy which from little to more came to that that the Pope upon every small discontent would excommunicate Princes absolve their subjects from obeying them and turn them in and out at his pleasure Now if Protestants do justly abhor these things among Papists is it not said that they should do the like themselves A thing that at their first appearance when they were in their primitive innocency they did not think on as appears by that saying of Luther Neither Pope nor Bishop nor any other man hath power to oblige a Christian to one syllable except it be by his own consent And again I call boldly to Christians that neither man nor Angel can impose any Law upon them but so far as they will for we are free of all And when he appeared at the Diet of Spiers before the Emperor in a particular conference he had before the Arch bishop of Triers and Joachim Elector of Brandenburgh when there seem'd no possibility of agreeing him with his opposers they asking him what remedy seem'd to him most fit He answered the counsel that Gamaliel proposed to the Jews to wit that if this design was of God it would stand if not it would vanish which he said ought to content the Pope he did not say because he was in the right he ought to be spared For this counsel supposeth that those that are tolerated may be wrong and yet how soon did the same Luther ere he was well secure himself press the Elector of Saxony to banish poor Carolostadius because he could not in all things submit to his judgment and certainly it is not without ground reported that it smote Luther to the heart so that he needed to be comforted when he was informed that Carolostadius in his Letter to his Congregation stiled himself a man banished for Conscience by the procurement of Martin Luther And since both the Lutherans and Calvinists not admitting one another to worship in those respective Dominions sheweth how little better they are that either Papists or Arians in this particular And yet Calvin saith that the Conscience is free from the power of all men If so why then did he cause Castellio to be banisht because he could not for Conscience sake believe as he did that God had ordained men to be damned and Servetus to be burned for denying the Divinity of Christ if Calvin's report of him be to be credited which opinion though it was indeed to be abominated yet no less was Calvin's practice in causing him to be burned and afterwards defending that it was lawful to burn Hereticks by which he encouraged the Papists to lead his followers the more confidently to the Stake as having for their warrant the doctrin of their own Sect-master which they omitted not frequently to twit them with and indeed it was to them unanswerable Hence upon this occasion the judicious Author of the History of the Couneil of Trent in his fifth Book where giving an account of several Protestants that were burned for their Religion well and wisely observeth it as a matter of astonishment that those of the new Reformation did offer to punish in case of Religion And afterwards taking notice that Calvin justifies the punishing of Hereticks he adds But since the name of Heresie may be more or less restricted yea or diversly taken this Doctrin may be likewise taken in divers senses and may at one time hurt those whom at another time it may have benifited So that this Doctrin of Persecution cannot be mentioned by Protestants without strengthening the hands of Popish Inquisitors and indeed in the end lands in direct Popery Seeing if I may not profess and preach that Religion which I am perswaded of in my Conscience is true it is to no purpose to search the Scripture or to seek to chuse my own faith by convictions thence derived since whatever I there observe or am perswaded of I must either subject to the jungment of the Magistrate and Church of that place I am in or else resolve to remove or dye Yea doth not this heretical and Anti-christian Doctrine both of Papists and Protestants at last resolve into that cursed policy of Mahomet who prohibited all reason or discourse about Religion as occasioning factions and divisions And indeed those that press Persecution and deny Liberty of Conscience do thereby shew themselves more the Disciples of Mahomet than of Christ and that they are no ways followers of he Apostles Doctrine who desired the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 5.21 To prove all things and hold fast that which is good and also saith unto such as are otherwise minded God shall reveal it Phil. 3.15 not that by beatings and banishments it must be knocked into them § VI. Now the ground of Persecution as hath been above shewn is an unwillingness to
AN APOLOGY For the True CHRISTIAN Divinity As the same is held forth and preached by the People Called in Scorn QUAKERS Being a full Explanation and Vindication of their Principles and Doctrines by many Arguments deduced from Scripture and right Reason and the Testimony of famous Authors both ancient and modern with a full answer to the strongest objections usually made against them Presented to the KING Written and Published in Latine for the information of Strangers by ROBERT BARCLAY And now put into our own Language for the benefit of his Country-men Acts 24.14 After the way which they call heresie so Worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present World Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people Zealous of good Works 1 Thes. 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Printed in the Year 1678. UNTO CHARLES II. KING OF Great Britain And the Dominions thereunto belonging ROBERT BARCLAY A Servant of JESUS CHRIST called of God to the Dispensation of the Gospel now again revealed and after a long and dark night of Apostacy commanded to be Preached to all Nations wisheth Health and Salvation AS the condition of Kings and Princes puts them in a station more obvious to the view and observation of the World than that of other men of whom as Cicero observes neither any word or action can be obscure so are those Kings during whose appearance upon the stage of this World it pleaseth the Great KING of Kings singularly to make known unto men the wonderful steps of his unsearchable Providence more signally observed and their lives and actions more diligently remarked and inquired into by posterity especially if those things be such as not only relate to the outward transactions of this World but also are signalized by the manifestation or revelation of the knowledg of God in matters Spiritual and Religious These are the things that rendred the lives of Cyrus Augustus Caesar and Constantine the Great in former times and of CHARLES the Fifth and some other modern Princes in these last Ages so considerable But among all these transactions which it hath pleased God to permit for the Glory of His Power and the manifestation of His Wisdom and Providence no Age furnisheth us with things so strange and marvellous whether with respect to matters Civil or Religious as these that have faln out within the compass of thy time who though thou be not yet arrived at the Fiftieth year of thy age hast yet been a witness of stranger things than many Ages before produced so that whether we respect those various troubles wherein thou foundst thy self engaged while scarce got out of thy Infancy the many different afflictions wherewith men of thy circumstances are often unacquainted the strange and unparallel'd fortune that befel thy Father thy own narrow escape and banishment following thereupon with the great improbability of thy ever returning at lest without very much pains and tedious combatings or finally the incapacity thou wert under to accomplish such a design considering the strength of those that had possessed themselves of thy Throne and the terror they had inflicted upon Foreign States and yet that after all this thou shouldst be restored without stroke of Sword the help or assistance of Foreign States or the contrivance and work of human policy All these do sufficiently declare that it is the Lord 's doing which as it is marvellous in our eyes so it will justly be a matter of wonder and astonishment to generations to come and may sufficiently serve if rightly observed to confute and confound that Atheism wherewith this Age doth so much abound As the vindication of the Liberty of Conscience which thy Father by giving way to the important clamours of the Clergy the answering and fulfilling of whose unrighteous wills has often proved hurtful and pernicious to Princes sought in some part to restrain was a great occasion of these troubles and revolutions so the pretence of Conscience was that which carried it on and brought it to that pitch it came to and though no doubt some that were engaged in that work designed good things at lest in the beginning albeit alwaies wrong in the manner they took to accomplish it viz. by carnal weapons yet so soon as they had tasted of the sweet of the possessions of them they had turned out they quickly began to do those things themselves for which they had accused others for their hands were found full of oppression and they hated the reproofs of instruction which is the way of life And they evilly entreated the Messengers of the Lord and caused to beat and imprison his Prophets and persecuted his people whom he had called and gathered out from among them whom he had made to beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks and not to learn carnal War any more but he raised them up and armed them with Spiritual weapons even with his own Spirit and Power whereby they testified in the Streets and High-waies and publick Markets and Synagogues against the Pride Vanity Lusts and Hypocrisie of that generation who were righteous in their own eyes though often cruelly entreated therefore and they faithfully prophesied and foretold them of their judgment and downfal which came upon them as by several warnings and Epistles delivered to Oliver and Richard Cromwell the Parliament and other then Powers yet upon Record doth appear And after it pleased God to restore thee what oppressions what banishments and evil entreatings they have met with by men pretending thy authority and cloaking their mischief with thy name is known to most men in this Island especially in England where there is scarce a Prison that hath not been filled with them nor a Judge before whom they have not been haled though they could never yet be found Guilty of any thing that might deserve that usage therefore the sense of their innocency did no doubt greatly contribute to move thee three years ago to cause some hundreds of them to be set at liberty for indeed their Sufferings are singular and obviously distinguishable from all the rest of such as live under thee in these two respects First In that among all the Plots contrived by others against thee since thy return into Britain there was never any owned of that people found or known to be guilty tho many of them have been taken and imprisoned upon such kind of jealousies but were alwaies found innocent and harmless as became the Followers of Christ not coveting after nor contending for the Kingdoms
deceit or equivocation the most excellent Writings in the World to which not only no other Writings are to be preferr'd but even in divers respects not comparable thereunto For as we freely acknowledg that their Authority doth not depend upon the approbation or Canons of any Church or Assembly so neither can we subject them to the faln corrupt and defiled reason of man and therein as we do freely agree with the Protestants against the error of the Romanists so on the other hand we cannot go the length of such Protestants as make their Authority to depend upon any vertue or power that is in the Writings themselves but we desire to ascribe all to that Spirit from which they proceeded We confess indeed there wants not a Majestie in the Stile a coherence in the parts a good scope in the whole but seeing these things are not discerned by the Natural but only by the Spiritual man it is the Spirit of God that must give us that belief of the Scriptures which may satisfie our Consciences Therefore the chiefest among Protestants both in their particular Writings and publick Confessions are forced to acknowledg this Hence Calvin though he saith he is able to prove that if there be a God in Heaven these writings have proceeded from him yet he concludes another knowledg to be necessary Insti lib. 1. cap. 7. Sect. 4. But if saith he we respect the Consciences that they be not daily molested with doubts and they stick not at every Scruple it is requisite that this perswasion which we speak of be taken higher than humane Reason Judgment or conjectures to wit from the secret Testimony of the Holy Spirit And again To those that ask that we prove unto them by Reason that Moses and the Prophets were Inspired of God to speak I answer that the Testimony of the Holy Spirit is more excellent than all reason And again let this remain a firm Truth that he only whom the Holy Ghost hath perswaded can repose himself on the Scripture with a true certainty And lastly this then is a judgment which cannot be begotten but by a Heavenly Revelation c. The same is also affirmed in the first publick Confession of the French Churches published in the Year 1559. Art 4. We know these books to be Canonick and the most certain Rule of our Faith not so much by the common accord and consent of the Church as by the Testimony and inward perswasion of the Holy Spirit Thus also in the 5 Article of the Confession of faith of the Churches of Holland confirmed by the Synod of Dort We receive these books only for holy and canonick not so much because the Church receives and approves them as because the Spirit of God renders witness in our hearts that they are of God And lastly The Divines so called at Westminster who began to be afraid of and guard against the Testimony of the Spirit because they perceived a dispensation beyond that which they were under beginning to dawn and to eclipse them yet could they not get by this tho they have laid it down neither so clearly distinctly nor honestly as they that went before It is in these words chap. 1. sect 5. Nevertheless our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible Truth thereof is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our heart By all which it appeareth how necessary it is to seek the certainty of the Scriptures from the Spirit and no where else The infinit janglings and endless contests of those that seek their authority elsewhere do witness to the Truth hereof For the Antients themselves even of the first Centuries were not as one among themselves concerning them while some of them rejected Books which we approve and others of them approved those which some of us reject It is not unknown to such as are in the least acquainted with Antiquity what great contests are concerning the second Epistle of Peter that of James the second and third of John and the Revelations which many even very Antient deny to have been written by the beloved Disciple and Brother of James but by another of that name What should then become of Christians if they had not received that Spirit and those Spiritual senses by which they know how to discern the true from the false It 's the priviledg of Christ's Sheep indeed that they hear his voice and refuse that of a stranger which priviledg being taken away we are left a prey to all manner of wolves § II. Tho then we do acknowledg the Scriptures to be a very heavenly and Divine writing the use of them to be a very comfortable and necessary to the Church of Christ and that we also admire and give praise to the Lord for his wonderful Providence in preserving these writings so pure and uncorrupted as we have them through so long a night of Apostasy to be a testimony of his Truth against the wickedness and abominations even of these whom he made instrumental in preserving them so that they have kept them to be a witness against themselves yet we may not call them the principal fountain of all Truth and knowledg nor yet the first adequate rule of Faith and manners because the principal fountain of Truth must be the Truth it self i. e. that whose certainty and authority depends not upon another When we doubt of the streams of any river or flood we recur to the fountain it self and having found it there we sist we can go no further because there it springs out of the bowels of the Earth which are inscrutable Even so the writing and sayings of all men we must bring to the Word of God I mean the Eternal Word and if they agree hereunto we stand there for this Word always proceedeth and doth eternally proceed from God in and by which the unsearchable wisdom of God and unsearchable counsel and will conceived in the heart of God is revealed unto us that then the Scripture is not the principal ground of faith and knowledg as it appears by what is above spoken so it is provided in the latter part of the Proposition which being reduced to an argument runs thus That the certainty and authority whereof depends upon another and which is received as Truth because of its proceeding from another is not to he accounted the principal ground and origin of all Truth and knowledg But the Scriptures authority and certainty depends upon the Spirit by which they were dictated and the reason why they were received as Truth is because they proceeded from the Spirit Therefore they are not the principal ground of Truth To confirm this argument I added the School Maxim Propter quod unumquodque est tales illud ipsum est magis tale Which Maxim tho I confess it doth not hold universally in all things yet in this it both doth and will very well hold as by applying it as we have
us in the time of our ignorance providing always they did not seek to obtrude them upon others nor judg such as found themselves delivered or that they do not pertinaciously adhere to them For we certainly know that the day is dawned in which God hath arisen and hath dismissed all those ceremonies and rites and is only to be worshipped in Spirit and that he appears to them who wait upon him and that to seek God in these things is with Mary at the Sepulchre to seek the living among the dead for we know that he is arisen and revealed in Spirit leading his Children out of these rudiments that they may walk with him in his Light to whom be Glory for ever Amen The Fourteenth Proposition Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in matters purely Religious and pertaining to the Conscience Since God hath assumed to himself the Power and Dominion of the Conscience who alone can rightly instruct and govern it therefore it is not lawful for any whosoever by vertue of any Authority or Principality they bear in the Government of this World to force the Consciences of others and therefore all killing banishing fining imprisoning and other such things which are inflicted upon men for the alone exercise of their Conscience or difference in Worship or Opinion proceedeth from the Spirit of Cain the Murtherer and is contrary to the Truth providing always that no man under the pretence of Conscience prejudice his Neighbour in this life or estate or do any thing destructive to or inconsistent with humane Society in which case the Law is for the transgressor and Justice is to be administred upon all without respect of persons § I. LIBERTY of Conscience from the power of the Civil Magistrate hath been of late years so largely and learnedly handled that I shall not need but to be brief in it yet it is to be lamented that few have walked answerably to this principle each pleading it for themselves but scarce allowing it to others as hereafter I shall have occasion more at length to observe It will be fit in the first place for clearing of mistakes to say something of the state of the controversie that what follows may be the more clearly understood By Conscience then as in the explanation of the 5 and 6 Propositions I have observed is to be understood that perswasion of the mind which arises from the understandings being possessed with the belief of the Truth or Falsity of any thing which though it may be false or evil upon the matter yet if a man should go against his perswasion or Conscience he should commit a sin because what a man doth contrary to his Faith though his Faith be wrong is no ways acceptable to God hence the Apostle saith whatsoever is not of Faith is sin and he that doubteth is damned if he eat though the thing might have been lawful to another and that this doubting to eat some kind of meats since all the creatures of God are good and for the use of man if received with thanksgiving might be a superstition or at lest a weakness which were better removed Hence Ames De Cas. Cons. saith The Conscience although erring doth evermore bind so as that he sinneth who doth contrary to his Conscience because he doth contrary to the will of God although not materially and truly yet formally and interpretatively So the question is First Whether the Civil Magistrate hath power to force men in things religious to do contrary to their Conscience and if they will not to punish them in their goods liberties or lives this we hold in the negative But secondly as we would have the Magistrate avoiding this extream of incroaching upon men's Consciences so on the other hand we are far from joyning with or strengthening such libertines as would stretch the liberty of their Consciences to the prejudice of their Neighbours or to the ruin of humane Society We understand therefore by matters of Conscience such as immediately relate betwixt God and man or men and men that are under the same perswasion as to meet together and worship God in that way which they judg is most acceptable unto him and not to incroach upon or seek to force their neighbours otherwise than by reason or such other means as Christ and his Apostles used viz. preaching and instructing such as will hear and receive it but not at all for men under the notion of Conscience to do any thing contrary to the moral and perpetual statutes generally acknowledged by all Christians in which case the Magistrate may very lawfully use his Authority as on those who under a pretence of Conscience make it a principle to kill and destroy all the wicked id est all that differ from them that they to wit the Saints may rule and that therefore seek to make all things common and would force their neighbours to share their Estates with them and many such wild notions as is reported of the Anabaptists of Munster which evidently appears to proceed from pride and covetousness and not from purity or Conscience and therefore I have sufficiently guarded against that in the latter part of the Proposition But the Liberty we lay claim to is such as the primitive Church justly sought under the Heathen Emperors to wit for men of sobriety honesty and a peaceable conversation to enjoy the liberty and exercise of their Conscience towards God and among themselves and to admit among them such as by their perswasion and influence come to be convinced of the same Truth with them without being therefore molested by the Civil Magistrate Thirdly though we would not have men hurt in their Temporals nor robbed of their Priviledges as men and members of the Common-wealth because of their inward perswasion yet we are far from judging that in the Church of God there should not be censures exercised against such as fall into error as well as such as commit open evils and therefore we believe it may be very lawful for a Christian Church if she find any of her Members fall into any error after due admonitions and instructions according to Gospel order if she find them pertinacious to cut them off from her fellowship by the Sword of the Spirit and denude them of these priviledges which they had as fellow-members but not to cut them off from the world by the temporal Sword or rob them of their common priviledges as men seeing they enjoy not these as Christians or under such a fellowship but as men and members of the Creation Hence Chrysostom saith well de Anath We must condemn and reprove the evil Doctrins that proceed from Hereticks but spare the men and pray for their Salvation § II. But that no man by vertue of any Power or Principality he hath in the Government of this World hath power over the Consciences of men is apparent because the Conscience of man is the Seat and Throne of God in him of
40 41. where he expounds them to be the children of the wicked one and yet he will not have the servants to meddle with them lest they pull up the Wheat therewith Now it cannot be denyed but hereticks are here included but these servants saw the Tares and had a certain discerning of them yet Christ would not they should meddle lest they should hurt the Wheat thereby intimating that that capacity in man to be mistaken ought to be a bridle upon him to make him wary in such matters and therefore to prevent this hurt he gives a positive prohibition But he said Nay ver 29. So that they that will notwithstanding be pulling up that which they judg is Tares do openly declare that they make no bones to break the commands of Christ. Miserable is that evasion which some of our adversaries use here in alledging these Tares is meant of Hypocrites and not of Hereticks But how to evince that seeing Hereticks as well as Hypocrites are children of the wicked one they have not any thing but their own bare affirmation which is therefore justly rejected Obj. If they say because Hypocrites cannot be discerned but so may not Hereticks Answ. This is both false and a begging of the question For those that have a Spiritual discerning can discern both Hypocrites and Hereticks and those that want it cannot certainly discern either seeing the question will arise Whether that is a Heresie which the Magistrate sait his so And seeing it is both possible and confessed by all to have often faln out that some Magistrates have judged that Heresie which was not punishing men accordingly for Truth instead of error there can no argument be drawn from the obviousness or evidence of heresie unless we should conclude heresie could never be mistaken for Truth nor Truth for heresie whereof experience shews daily the contrary even among Christians But neither is this shift applicable to this place for the servants did discern the Tares and yet were liable to hurt the wheat if they had offered to pull them up Obj. § III. But they object against this Liberty of Conscience Deut. 13.5 where false Prophets are appointed to be put to death and accordingly they give example thereof The case no ways holds parallel those particular commands to the Jews and practises following upon them are not a rule for Christians Answ. else we might by the same rule say It were lawful for us to borrow from our neighbours their goods and so carry them away because the Jews did so by God's command or that it is lawful for Christians to invade their neighbours Kingdoms and cut them all off without mercy because the Jews did so to the Canaanites by the command of God If they urge that these commands ought to stand except they be repealed in the Gospel Obj. I say Answ. these precepts and practises of Christ and his Apostles mentioned are a sufficient repeal for if we should plead that every command given to the Jews is binding upon us except there be a particular repeal then would it follow that because it was lawful for the Jews if any man killed one for the nearest of kindred presently to kill the Murderer without any order of Law it were lawful for us to do so also And doth not this command of Deut. 13.9 openly order him who is enticed by another to forsake the Lord though he were his brother his son his daughter or his wife presently to kill him or her Thou shalt surely kill him thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death If this command were to be followed there needed neither inquisition nor Magistrate to do the business and yet there is no reason why they should shuffle by this part and not the other yea to argue this way from the practice among the Jews were to overturn the very Gospel and to set up again the carnal ordinances among the Jews to pull down the Spiritual ones of the Gospel Indeed we can far better argue from the analogy betwixt the figurative and carnal state of the Jews and the real and Spiritual one under the Gospel That as Moses delivered the Jews out of outward Egypt by an outward force and established them in an outward Kingdom by destroying their outward enemies for them so Christ not by overcoming outwardly and killing others but by suffering and being killed doth deliver his chosen ones the inward Jews out of mystical Egypt destroying their Spiritual enemies before them and establishing among them his Spiritual Kingdom which is not of this world And as such as departed from the fellowship of outward Israel were to be cut off by the outward Sword so those that depart from the inward Israel are to be cut off by the Sword of the Spirit for it answers very well that as the Jews were to cut off their Enemies outwardly to establish their Kingdom and outward worship so they were to uphold it the same way But as the Kingdom and Gospel of Christ was not to be established nor propagated by cutting off or destroying the Gentiles but by perswading them so neither is it to be upheld otherwise Obj. But secondly they urge Rom. 13. where the Magistrate is said not to bear the sword in vain because he is the minister of God to execute wrath upon such as do evil But heresie say they is evil Ergo. Answ. But so is Hypocrisie also yet they confess he ought not to punish that Therefore this must be understood of moral evils relative of affairs betwixt man and man not of matters of judgment or worship or else what great absurdities would follow considering that Paul wrote here to the Church of Rome who was under the Government of Nero an impious Heathen and persecutor of the Church Now if a power to punish in point of Heresie be here included it will necessarily follow that Nero had this power yea and that he had it of God for because the power was of God therefore the Apostle urges their obedience But can there be any thing more absurd than to say that Nero had power to judg in such cases Surely if Christian Magistrates be not to punish for Hypocrisie because they cannot outwardly discern it far less could Nero punish any body for Heresie which he was uncapable to discern And if Nero had not power to judge nor punish in point of Heresie then nothing can be urged from this place since all that 's said here is spoken as applicable to Nero with a particular relation to whom it was written And if Nero had such a power surely he was to exercise it according to his judgment and conscience and in doing thereof he was not to be blamed which is enough to justifie him in his persecuting of the Apostles and murdering the Christians Obj. Thirdly they object that saying of the Apostle to the Gal. 5.12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you Answ. But how this imports any more
perswading that whatsoever a good man saith may be equivalent with an Oath Who then needs further to doubt but that since Christ would have his Disciples attain the highest pitch of Perfection he abrogated Oaths as a rudiment of infirmity and in place thereof established the use of Truth Who can now any more think that the holy Martyrs and ancient Fathers of the first three hundred years and many others since that tâ—me have so opposed themselves to Oaths that they might only rebuke vain and rash Oaths by the Creatures or heathen Idols which were also prohibited under the Mosaical Law and not also swearing by the True God in Truth and Righteousness which was there commanded as Polycarpus Justin Mart. Apol. 2. and many Martyrs as Eusebius relates Tertullian in his Apol. cap. 32. ad Scap. cap. 1. of Idolatry c. 11. Clem. Alexan. Strom. lib. 7. Origen in Matth. Tract 25. Cypr. lib. 3. Athanas. in pass cruc Dom. Christi Hilarius in Mat. 5.34 Basil. Magn. in Psal. 14. Greg. Nyssenus in Cant. Orat. 13. Greg. Nazian in dial contra juramenta Epiphan ad versus haeres lib. 1. Ambros. de Virg. lib. 3. Idem in Mat. 5. Chrysost in Genes hom 15. Idem hom in Act. Apost cap. 3. Hieronymus Epist. lib. part 3. Ep. 2. Idem in Zach. lib. 2. cap. 8 Idem in Mat. lib. 1. cap. 5. Augustin de serm Dom. serm 28. Cyrillus in Jer. 4. Theodoretus in Deut. 6. Isidor Pelâ—sioâ—a Ep. lib. 1. Epist. 155. Chromatius in Mat. 5. Johan Damascenus l. 3. c. 16. Casiodorus in Psal. 94. Isidorus Hispalensis cap. 31. Antiochus in Pandect script hom 62. Beda in Jac. 5. Haimo in Apoc. Ambros. Ansbertus in Apoc. Theophylactus in Mat. 5. Pascasius Ratbertus in Mat. 5. Otho Brunsfelsius in Mat. 5. Druthmarus in Mat. 5. Euthymius Eugubinus Bilblioth vet patr in Mat. 5. OEcumenius in Jac. c. 5. v. 12. Anselmus in Mat. 5. Waldenses Viclevus Erasmus in Mat. 5. in Jac. 5. Who can read these places and doubt longer of their sense in this matter And who believing that they were against all Oaths can bring so great an indignity to the Name of Christ as to seek to subject again his followers to so great an indignity Is it not rather time that all good men labour to remove this abuse and infamy from Christians Lastly They Object This will bring in fraud and confusion for Impostors will counterfeit probity Obj. and under the benefit of this dispensation will be without fear of punishment I answer There are two things only which oblige a man to speak the Truth Answ. First Either the fear of God in his heart and love of Truth for where this is there is no need of Oaths to speak the Truth Or Secondly the fear of punishment from the Judge Therefore let there be the same or rather greater punishment appointed to those who pretend so great truth in words and so great simplicity in heart that they cannot lie and so great reverence towards the Law of Christ that for Conscience sake they deny to Swear in any wise if they fail and so there shall be the same good order yea greater security against deceivers as if Oaths were continued and also by that more severe punishment to which these false dissemblers shall be liable Hence wicked men shall be more terrified and good men delivered from all oppression both in their liberty and Goods for which cause for their tender Consciences God hath often a regard to Magistrates and their state as a thing most acceptable to him But if any can further doubt of this thing to wit if without confusion it can be practised in the Common-wealth let him consider the state of the United Netherlands and he shall see the good effect of it for there because of the great number of Merchants more than in any other place there is most frequent occasion for this thing and tho the number of those that are of this mind be considerable to whom the States these hundred years have condescended and yet daily condescend yet nevertheless there has nothing of prejudice followed thereupon to the Common-wealth Government or good order but rather great advantage to Trade and so to the Common-wealth § XIII Sixthly The last thing to be considered is revenge and war an evil as opposit and contrary to the Spirit and Doctrin of Christ as Light to Darkness For as is manifest by what is said through contempt of Christ's Law the whole world is filled with various oaths cursings blasphemous profanations and horrid perjuries so likewise through contempt of the same Law the world is filled with violence Oppression Murders ravishing of Women and Virgins Spoilings Depredations Burnings Vastations and all manner of Lasciviousness and Cruelty so that it is strange that men made after the Image of God should have so much degenerated that they rather bear the Image and nature of roaring Lions tearing Tygers devouring Wolves and raging Boars than of rational Creatures endued with reason and is it not yet much more admirable that this horrid Monster should find place and be fomented among those men that profess themselves Disciples of our peaceable Lord and Master Jesus Christ who by excellency is called the Prince of Peace and hath expresly prohibited his children all violence and oâ— the contrary commanded them that according to his example they should follow Patience Charity Forbearance and other vertues worthy of a Christian. Hear then what this great Prophet saith whom every Soul is commanded to hear under the pain of being cut-off Matth. 5. from v. 38. to the end of the chapter For thus he saith Ye have heard that it hath been said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But I say unto you That ye resist not evil But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also And if any man will sue thee at law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Give to him that asketh thee and for him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemy But I say unto you Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye Do not even the Publicans the same And if ye salute your brethren only what do you more than others Do not the Publicans so Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which in heaven is perfect These words with a respect to revenge as the former in the case of
School there is nothing learned but busie-talking 6. He is the Eternal Word 9. No Creature hath access to God but by him 9 10. He is the Way the Truth and the Life 10. he is Mediator between God and man 10 133. He is God and in time He was made partaker of man's nature 10. yesterday to day the same and for ever 18. the Fathers believed in him and how 17 18. his Sheep hear his voice and contemn the voice of a Stranger 40 201 203. it is the fruit of his ascension to send Pastors 50. he dwelleth in the Saints and how 88. his coming was necessary 89. By his Sacrifice we have remission of sins 89 119 120 133. whether he be and how he is in all is explained 90. being formed within he is the formal cause of Justification 128 148. by his life death c. he hath opened a way for Reconciliation 149 150. his obedience righteousness death and sufferings are ours and it is explained that Paul said he filled up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh 135. how we are partakers of his suffering 167 168. for what end he was manifested 164 165. he delivers his own by suffering 265. concerning his outward and Spiritual body 305 306. concerning his outward and inward coming 325. Christian how he is a Christian and when he ceaseth so to be 4 8 20 21 23 24 169 290 191 193 200.201 the foundation of his Faith 36 37. his priviledge 37. when men are made Christians by Birth and not by coming together 184 185. they have borrowed many things from Jews and Gentiles 278 279. they recoil by little and little from their first purity 293. the Primitive Christians for some Ages said We are Christians we Swear not 378. and We are the Souldiers of Christ it is not lawful for us to fight 386. Christianity is made as an Art 8. it is not Christianity without the Spirit 19 20 21 39 40. it would be turned into Scepticism 208 290 300. it is placed chiefly in the renewing of the heart 186. wherein it consists not 244. what is and is not the mark thereof 290 291 300. why it is odious to Jews Turks and Heathens 309. what would contribute to its Commendation 354. Church without which there is no Salvation what She is Concerning her Members Visibility Profession Degeneration Succession 181 to 199. whatsoever is done in the Church without the instinct of the Holy Spirit is vain and impious 203. the same may be said of her that in the Schools of Theseus's Boat 219. in her corrections ought to be exercised and against whom 323. she is more corrupted by the accession of Hypocrites 340. the Contentions of the Greek and Latin Churches about Unleavened or Leavened Bread in the Supper 321. the lukewarmness of the Church of Laodicea 192. there are introduced into the Roman-Church no less 〈◊〉 and Ceremonies than among 〈◊〉 and Jews 185. Circumcision a Seal of the Old Covenant 298. Clergy 214 218 216 226 227 321. Cloathes that it is not lawful for Christians to use things superfluous in Cloaths 364 365 366 388 389. Comforter for what end he was sent 6 7. Commission The Commission of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more legal than Evangelical 202. Communion The Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is a Spiritual and inward thing 303. that Body that Blood is a Spiritual thing and that it is that heavenly Seed whereby life and Salvation was of old and is now communicated 303 304. how any becomes partaker thereof 307 308 309. it is not tyed to the Ceremony of breaking Bread and drinking Wine which Christ used with his Disciples This was only a Figure 304 308 to 316. whether that Ceremony be a necessary part of the New Covenant and whether it is to be continued 316 to 331. Spiritual Communion with God through Christ is obtained 59. Community of Goods is not brought in by the Quakers 333 352 353. Complements See Titles Conscience See Magistrate It s definition what it is It is distinguished from the Saving Light 92 93 94 332. the good Conscience and the Hypocritical 176. He that acteth contrary to his Conscience sinneth and concerning an erring Conscience 332. What things appertain to Conscience 332. what sort of Liberty of Conscience is defended 333. It is the Throne of God 333. It is free from the Power of all men 345. Conversion what is man's therein is rather a Passion than an action 102. Augustine's saying 95. this is cleared by two Examples 95 96. Correction how and against whom it ought to be exercised 333. Covenant The difference betwixt the New and Old Covenant-worship 26 232 233 253 254 255 289 290. See also Gospel Law Cross. The Sign of the Cross 301. D. Dancing See Plays Daies whether any be holy and concerning the Day commonly called The Lord's Day 235 316. Deacons 323. Death See Adam Redemption it entred into the World by sin 65 66. in the Saints it is rather a passing from Death to Life 66. Devil He cares not at all how much God be acknowledged with the mouth provided he be worshipped in the heart 8 116 117. he can form an outward sound of words 16. he haunts among the wicked 165. how he came to be a a Minister of the Gospel 211 212 213. when he can work nothing 249 250. he keeps men in outward signs shadows and forms while they neglect the Substance 310 311 323. Dispute The dispute of the Shoemaker with a certain Professor 208 209. of an Heathen Philosopher with a Bishop in the Council of Nice and of the unletter'd Clown 209 210. Divinity School-Divinity 200. how pernicious it is 209 210 211 212 213. Dreams See Faith Miracles E Ear. There is a Spiritual and a bodily Ear 7 16. Easter is celebrate other-waies in the Latine Church than in the Eastern 30. the celebration of it is grounded upon Tradition 30. Elders 14 217. Elector of Saxony the scandal given by him 272. Eminency Your Eminency See Titles Enoch walked with God 169. Epistle see James John Peter Esau 241. Ethicks or Books of Moral Philosophy are not needful to Christians 209. Evangelist who he is and whether any now adaies may be so called 216 217. Excellency your Excellency see Titles Exorcism 301. F Faith its definition and what its object is 14 15 16. how far and how appearances outward voices and dreams were the object of the Saints Faith 16. that Faith is one and that the Object of Faith is one 17. its foundation 36 37. see Revelation Scripture Farellus 321. Father see Knowledge Revelation 14. Fathers so called they did not agree about some Books of the Scripture 39 48. they affirm that there are whole Verses taken out of Mark and Luke 29. concerning the Septuagint Interpretation and the Hebrew Copy 48. they preached universal redemption for the first four Centuries 78. they frequently used the word Merit in
173. concerning the Lord's Prayer 245. to pray without the Spirit is to offend God 249 369. concerning the Prayer of the will in silence 256. see Worship Prayer the Prayers of the People were in the Latin Tongue 207. Preacher see Minister Preaching what it is termed the Preaching of the Word 211 218 233 234. to Preach without the Spirit is to offend God 249. see Worship it is a permanent Institution 291. it is learned as another Trade 218. Predestinated God hath after a special manner predestinated some to Salvation of whom if the places of Scripture which some abuse be understood their objections are easily solved 97. Priest under the Law God spake immediately to the High-Priest 14 27. Priests see Minister of the Law 187. 188 205 220 221. Profession an outward profession is necessary that any be a member of a particular Christian Church 183. Prophecy and to prophecy what it signifies 215 216. of the liberty of prophecying 217. Prophets some Prophets did not miracles 198 199. Protestants the rule of their Faith 30. they are forced ultimately to recur unto the immediate and inward revelation of the Holy Spirit 36. what difference betwixt the execrable deeds of those of Munster and theirs 30 31 32 33. they make Phylosophy the hand-maid of Divinity 50. they affirm John Hus prophecyed of the Reformation that was to be 57. whether they did not throw themselves into many errors while they were expecting a greater light 83. they opposed the Papists not without good cause in the doctrin of Justification but they soon ran into another extreme 130 131. they say that the best works of the Saints are defiled 136. whether there be any difference between them and the Papists in superstitions and manners and what it is 184 185 197 198. what they think of the call of a Minister 188 189 190 191 192 196 197 198 199. it's lamentable that they betake them to Judas for a Patron to their Ministers and Ministry 205. their zeal and endeavours are praised 206. of their School-divinity 210 211. of the Apostles and Evangelists of this time 217. whom they exclude from the Ministry 219. that they Preach to none until they be first sure of so much a year 221. the more moderate of them exclaim against the excessive Revenues of the Clergy 224. tho they had forsaken the Bishop of Rome yet they would not part with old Benefices 226. they will not labour 227. whether they have made a perfect Reformation in worship 231 232. their worship can easily be stopped 251. they have given great scandal to the Reformation 272. they deny water-baptism to be absolute necessary to Salvation 285. of water-baptism 299 300 301. of the flesh and blood of Christ 308 309 310. they use not washing of feet 320. how they did vindicate liberty of Conscience 341. some affirm that wicked Kings and Magistrates ought to be deposed yea killed 342. how they meet when they have not the consent of the Magistrate 248 249. of Oaths and Swearing 372 373. Psalms singing of Psalms 275. Q Quakers i. e. Tremblers and why so called 117 242. they are not contemners of the Scriptures and what they think of them 38 40 41 48 49 50 54 55 89. nor of Reason and what they think of it 91 92. they do not say that all other secondary means of knowledg are of no service 9. they do not compare themselves to Jesus Christ as they are falsly accused 88. Nor do they deny those things that are written in the Holy Scriptures concerning Christ his conception c. 89 141. they were raised up of God to shew forth the Truth 83 84 115 116 126 212 243. their doctrin of Justification is not Popish 129 134 151 158. they are not against meditation 248. their worship cannot be interrupted 250. and what they have suffered 249 252. how they vindicate Liberty of Conscience 346 347. they do not persecute others 349. Their adversaries confess that they are found for the most part free from the abominations which abound among others yet they count those things Vices in them which in themselves they extol as notable Vertues and make more noise about the escape of one Quakea than of an hundred among themselves 351 352. they destroy not the mutual relation that is betwixt Prince and People Master and Servant Father and Son nor do they introduce community of Goods 352 353. Nor say that one man may not use the Creation more or less than another 353. R Ranters the blasphemy of the Ranters or Libertines saying that there is no difference betwixt good and evil 167. Reason what need we set up corrupt reason 23. concerning Reason 30 92 93. Rebekkah 241. Reconciliation how reconciliation with God is made 136 to 141. Recreations see Plays Redemption is considered in a twofold respect First performed by Christ without us and secondly wrought in us 134 135. it is Universal God gave his Only begotten Son Jesus Christ for a Light that whosoever believeth in him may be saved 67 68 103 104. the benefit of his death is not less Universal than the seed of sin 67. there is scarce found any Article of the Christian Religion that is so expresly confirmed in the holy Scriptures 71 72 73 74 75 76. this doctrin was Praached by the Fathers so called of the first 600 years and is proved by the sayings of some 78 79. those that since the time of the Reformation have affirmed it have not given a clear testimony how that benefit is communicated to all nor have sufficiently taught the Truth because they have added the absolute necessity of the outward knowledg of the history of Christ yea they have thereby given the contrary party a stronger argument to defend their precise decree of Reprobation among whom were the Remonstrants of Holland 68 80 81 82. God hath now raised up a few illiterate men to be dispensers of this Truth 89 90 116 117. this doctrin sheweth forth the Mercy and Justice of God 83 84 96 97. it is the foundation of Salvation 84. it answers to the whole tenor of the Gospel promises and threats 84. it magnifies and commends the merits and death of Christ 84. it exalts above all the Grace of God 84. it overturns the false doctrin of the Pelagians Semi-pelagians and others who exalt the Light of Nature and the freedom of man's will 84. it makes the Salvation of man solely to depend upon God and his condemnation wholly and in every respect to be of himself 84. it takes away all ground of Despair and feeds none in security 85. it commends the Christian Religion among Infidels 85. it sheweth the Wisdom of God 85. and it is established tho not in words yet by deeds even by those Ministers that oppose this doctrine 85. it derogates not from the attonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ but doth magnifie and exalt it 89. there is given to every one none excepted a certain day and time of