as the State believes But if the Church cannot use force in Religion for this reason because she cannot Infallibly determin to the Conscience without convincement much less can a few Doctors or the Civil Authority use force where they can much less judge Unless you would make them the Civil Executioners of your displeasure that have no Civil Power to give them such Commission and to be sure no Ecclesiastical to any Force or Violence about Religion For the Papist by judging his Principles punishes them that believes not as the Church believes though against Scripture but the Protestant who teaches every one to believe the Scripture though against the Church persecutes against his own Principles even them that in any particular so believe as he in General teaches them to believe This is hard but true upon the Protestant for what is plainer then that he afflicts Those that according to his own Doctrine believe and honour holy Scripture but against it will receive no humane Interpretation though Universal Them I say who interpret Scripture to themselves which by his Position none but they to themselves can Inter-pret Them that use the Scripture no otherwise by his own Doctrine to their Edification than he himself uses it to their punishing and so whom his Doctrine acknowledges true Believers his Discipline persecutes as Hereticks To sum up all at this time If we must believe as Caesar appoints why not then as the Church believes But if not as either without Convincement pray how can force be lawful Let me recommend one Book to you that of Right claims a place with you and that is Bishop Taylor 's of Lâ—â—erty of Prophecy never answer'd that I have heard of and I have reason to believe never will be attempâ—ed for indeed it is Unanswerable That was the Judgment of a Bishop under Persecution I could be glad if it might be the practice of Bishops in their power I may say the same of J. Tillotson's sober and seasonable discourse before the Commons on the fifth of November And the truth is I am the more earnest with you at this time because I find that God daily shows us he has great good will to poor England O why should we drive him from us by our disobedience to him and our Severities to one another He has lately put a price into our hands and continues to prove his Favours upon us all depends upon a sincere Reformation and our perseverance therein To give Testimony of this let us with our whole Hearts turn to Goâ— and keep his holy Law and let us but be jealous of his Glory by punishing Vice and cherishing Virtue and we may assure our selves he will interest himself in our safety Of this we cannot doubt for he who has begun to do it under our Disobedience will not desert us in our sincere Repentance And as this is our Duty to God without which we vainly hope for deliverance so is there a duty we owe to one another that is the next Requisiâ—e to our Preservation Let all Aspeâ—ities be avoided Nick-Names forbidden and the oppressed Protestant deliver'd Receive the noble Principle of Liberty of Conscience on which the Reformation rise For in vain do we hope to be deliver'd from Papists till we deliver our selves from Popery This Coertion upon Conscience and Persecution for Religion are that part of Popery which is most justly hated and fear'd And if we either fear or hate Popery for its Cruelty shall we practise the CRUELTY we fear or hate it for God forbid this were the way to be deserted of God and left to their Cruelty The same Sins will ever fix the same Odium and find the fame Punishment where-ever they are If they burnt your Ancestors don't you strip and starve your Brethren Remember the many Thousands now perseâ—uted in this Kingdom for the sake of their tender and very peaceable Consciences Husbands are unnaturally separated from their Wives and Parents from their Children their Corn Cattel and Houshould stuff swept away perhaps at the Instigation of some lewd and indigent Informer or to please the maliâ—e of an ill dispos'd Neighbour In the mean time many once sufficient are expos'd to Charity the fruits of their honest Labour and Bread of their Children being now made the Forfeiture of their Conscience Friends and Country men there is deep Doctrine in this present Providence examine it well that you may reap the benefit of it And among the rest let me tell you this is not the least part of it that God is shewing you Mercy that you may shew Mercy and has awaken'd you at the brink of the Pit that you may help your Brethren out of it Be wise and considerate 't will be much your own fault if you are not happy And truly I have no manner of scruple but God will preserve us if wâ— will not cast away our selves For our own Sins and Folly can only direct the hand that seeks to Stab us and shall we make it succesful to our own ruin Let us therefore turn away from all Impiety let the Magistracy discourage and punish it and let us forhear and love one another If we begin with God we shall end with God that is with Success Else be assured we shall only inherit the Wind of our own Invention and be deserted of him then when we shall most want him In short reverence the present providence though your Lives have not deserv'd it let your Lives now be grateful and not abuse it Pursue your advantages throughly but wisely be as temperate as zealous and to your Enemies as generous as just Insult not over ill men for the sake of their ill Principles but pity their unhappiness whilst you abhor the cause of it let them see that you had rather inform then destroy them take more pleasure in their Conversion then your own Revenge This will be the greatest coufutation upon them that they be taught the Goodness of your Religion by the mildness of it and by its mercy the Cruelty of their own The Indian Atabaliba rejected the Romish Baptism because of the Spanish Tyranny whence it was usual with those poor Americans to desire they might not go to Heaven if the Spaniards went thither I know there be little Arts used to prevent Protestant Union and that in a Protestant Guise and 't is a Trick not of yesterday to put one Party of Protestants upon devouring four or five that both the Protestant Church may have the Odium of Eating or Devouring her own Children that another Interest behind the Hangings may find the more easie and creditable access to the Chair 'T is the Men of this Strain though under disguise that now seek to distract you and to effect it the better old Stories must be had up Acts of Olivion violated the dead disturb'd their Tombs rifl'd and they hal'd out of their Graves to receive a new Sentence That Condemning the Living of that interest
workest Wonders in the Earth whose Power cannot be Control'd in whose Hands are the Souls of Men and the Spirits of all Flesh who canst turn them in a Moment Turn thou the Hearts of King and People unto thee and One unto another Do thou proclaim a FAST FROM SIN throughout these Sinful Kingdoms let Wickedness and Oppression find no place among us Turn away thy Fierce Wrath Wipe away our Reproach and Love us Freely O God for thy dear Son ' s sake THE SECOND PART OF THE Address to Protestants UPON THE Present Conjuncture HAving then finisht the First Part of my Address relating to the Immoralities of the Times and left it with the CIVIL MAGISTRATE as in Conscience I found my self Oblig'd to do whose Peculiar Charge it is and I Earnestly and Humbly desire and pray that it may be his Great Care Effectually to Rebuke them I shall betake my self to the Second Part of this Address that more immediately concerns us as Profest Christians and Protestants But before I begin I desire to premise and can with much Sincerity Declare that I intend not the Reproach of any Person or Party I am weary with seeing so much of it in the World for it gains nothing that is worth keeping but hardens to a Desperateness what 't is our Duty to endeavour to soften But if without Offence I may speak the Truth that which to the best of my Understanding tends to the Present Settlement and Future Felicity of my Poor Country I shall by God's Help deliver my self with that Modesty Plainness and Integrity that becomes a Real Christian and a True English-Man Those Capital Sins and Errors that relate to the ECCLESIASTICAL STATE or Church-Capacity of these Kingdoms and which are so Inconsistant with Christian Religion and purest Protestancy and that above all displease Almighty God are First Making Opinions Articles of Faith at least giving them the Reputation of Faith and making them the Bond of Christian Society Secondly Mistaking the Nature of True Faith and taking that for Faith which is not Gospel-Faith Thirdly Debasing the true Value of Morality under pretence of Higher Things mistaking the very End of Christ's Coming Fourthly Preferring Humane Authority above Reason and Truth Fifthly Propagating Faith by Force and Imposing Religion by Worldly Compulsion These I take to be those Church Evils that have too much infected even these Parts of the reputed Reformed World And though the Roman Church for the most part hath transcended all other Societies in these Errors and may in a sense be said to be the Mother of them She from whom they took Birth by whom they were brought forth and propagated in Christendom yet there hath not been that Integrity to the Nature of Christianity and First Reason of Reformation from Papacy in our own Country as had been and is our Duty to conserve First In that Opinions pass for Faith and are made Articles of Faith and enjoyn'd to be embrac'd as the Bond of Communion That this is so let us take the most impartial View we can and we shall find it to be true both of the National and many other Select Societies That I may be understood in the Signification of the word OPINIONS I explain it thus Opinions are all those Propositions or Conclusions made by Men Doctrines of Faith and Articles of Communion which either are not Expresly laid down in Scripture or not so evidently Deduceable from Scripture as to leave no Reason of Doubt in their Minds of the Truth of them who sincerely and reverently believe the Text or lastly such as have no New or Credible Revelation to avouch them That this is our Case let the several Confessions of Faith published by almost every Party in England be perused and ye will find such Propositions translated into Doctrines of Faith and Articles of Communion as are First not only not Express'd in Scripture but perhaps not Deduceable from Scripture If one Party may be but believ'd against another this will want no Evidence to prove the Point And in the Next place such as are though not Exprest yet it may be Deduceable as to the Matter of them but either carried so high spun so fine or so disguised by Barbarous School-Terms that they are rather a Bone of Contention than a Bond of Concord to Religious Societies Yet this has been the Unhappiness even of this Kingdom after all the Light of Reformation which God hath graciously sent amongst us Men are to be received or rejected for denying or owning of such Propositions Wilt thou be an Episcopalian then Sign the Thirty-Nine Articles Renounce the Covenant and Conform to the Discipline and Jurisdiction of the Church Wilt thou be a Presbyterian Embrace and Keep the Covenant subscribe the Westminster-Confession and Directory and so on to the End of every Society that grounds Communion upon Conformity to such Propositions and Articles What a Stir have we had in England about the poor word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that says it signifies an Higher Office than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall have no part or fellowship with us On t'other hand they that will debase Episcopos to Presbyteros and turn Levellers of Episcopal Dignity shall be Excommunicated silenc'd punish't Is not this Fact can any deny it that love Truth more then a Party The Fire kindled by this Contention hath warm'd the Hands of Violence It had been well if Men had entertain'd Equal Zeal against Impiety and been but half asmuch Enemies to the Sin as they have been against one another If we look a little back we shall find that the Debate of Free-Will Unconditional Reprobation fill'd this Kingdom with Incharitableness and Division In the Arch-Episcopacy of Abbot reputed in himself a Good Man who ever held that Christ died so for all Men that all men might be saved if they would accept the Means and that none were absolutely decreed to Eternal Reprobation waa near akin to Heresie and Excommunicated as an Enemy to the Free Grace of God which it seems lay in being Narrow In the time of Arch-Bishop Land the Tide turns those that hold an Absolute Election and Reprobation without regard had to the Good or Evil Actions of Men and assert that Christ only died for the Elect and not for all must be discountenanc'd displac'd and pointed at as Men out of Fashion though at the same time Conscientious Sober and at worst Mistaken to be pittied rather than prosecuted and informed rather than confounded This Controversie begot the Synod of Dort he that reads the Epistles of that Judicious man J. Hails of Eaton upon the Matter and Conduct of the Assembly will find cause of being sad at Heart too many of them talked of Religion without the Spirit of it Men perhaps Learned in Books but few of the Sticklers gave any great Testimony of their Proficiency in that Science which is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated This Flame kindled
between Arminius and Episcopius c. for the Remonstrants and Gomarus Sibrandus c. for the Predestinarians distracted Holland not a little and had an ill Influence upon the Affairs of England at least so far as concern'd the Church But the Mournfullest part of that History is the Ill Usage Martinius Crâ—cius the Bishop of Landaff and others had who though they were acknowledg'd to be Sound in the Faith of those Times which generally followed the Judgment of Calvin as to the mean points controverted yet if at any time they appear'd moderate in their Behaviour gentle in their Words and for Accommodation in some particulars with the Remonstrators or Free willers Gomarus and his Followers not observing that Gravity of the Assembly the Rules of Debate and least of all the Meekness of Christian Communion fell foul of their Brethren reproach'd their Tenderness and began to fix Treachery upon their Sober Endeavours of Accommodation as if they intended to execute as well as maintain their Reprobation and blow up their Friends rather than not destroy their Adversaries But if we will yet rise higher in our Enquiry and view the Mischiefs of Earlier Times the Fourth and Fifth Centuries after Christ will furnish us with Instances enough We cannot possibly forget the Heavy Life some men made about the Observation of Easter Day as if their Eternal Happiness had been in Jeopardy for so far were they degenerated from the Love and Meekness of Christianity that about keeping of a Day which perhaps was no part but to be sure no Essential part of the Christian Religion they fell to pieces reproach'd revil'd and hated one another A Day was more than Christ who was the Lord and End of Days and Victory over Brethren better than the Peace and Concord of the Church the Great Command of Jesus But the Remarkable and Tragical Story of Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and Arius his Priest in their known Debate about the Nature and Existence of the Son of God with the lamentable Consequences thereof as all Writers upon that Subject have related witnesseth to the truth of what I say The Bishop's Curiosity the Niceness of Arius the Presumption of the one to expound beyond the Evidence and Simplicity of the Text and the Captious Humor of the other that would not bate the Bishop any thing for his Age or the Rank he held in the Church but Logically exacted the Utmost Farthing of the Reckoning began the â—ray Which as it became the Perplexity of Church and State some Ages so it raged to Blood and those that had been persecuted like Sheep by the Heathen not long before turn'd Wolves now to each other and made sport for the Infidel doing their work Nay so much more Christian was Themistius the Philosopher that in his Oration called CONSUL he commended and advised the Emperour Jovianus to Exercise Moderation and to give that Liberty of Conscience which profest Christians refused to do to each other who seem'd to think they never did God better Service than in Sacrificing one another for Religion Did we duly reflect upon the Unnatural Heats Divisions and Excommunications among them the many Councils that were called the strong and tedious Debates held the Translations of Sees the Anathemas the Banishments Wars Sackings Fires and Blood-shed that followed this Unnatural Division that sprang from so nice a Controversie one would verily believe no less than that Religion it self had been in Utmost Hazard that Judaism or Paganism were over-running Christianity and not that all this Stir had been made about an Iota For the whole Question was whether HOMOUSIA or HOMOIUSIA should be received for Faith in which the difference is but the single Letter 1 Certainly we must do Violence to our Understanding if we can think that these men were Followers of that Jesus that Lov'd his Enemies gave his Blood for the World who hated their Brethren and shed one anothers Blood for OPINIONS The Heathen-Philosophers never were so Barbarous in their Differences But how easily might all these Confusions have been prevented if their Faith about Christ had been deliver'd in the words of Scripture since all sides pretend to believe the Text and why should any man presume to be Wiser than the Holy Ghost 'T is strange that God and Christ should be wanting to express or discover their own mind or that the words used by the Holy Ghost should have that Shortness Ambiguity or Obliquity in them that our frail Capacities should be needed to make them more Easie Proper and Intelligible But that we should scarcely deliver any one Article of Faith in Scripture-Terms and yet make such Acts the Rule and Bond of Christian Communion is in my Judgment an Offence hainous against God and Holy Scripture and very Injurious to Christian Charity and Fellowship Who can express any Man's mind so fully as himself and shall we allow that Liberty to our selves and refuse it to God The Scriptures came not in Old time said the Apostle Peter by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Who can speak better or express the Mind of the holy Ghost plainer than the holy Ghost the Scripture is the Great Record of Truth that which all these Parties in Controversie agree to be the Declared Mind and Will of God they Unanimously say It ought to be believ'd and profest as such If this be true in what Language can we so safely and properly declare our Belief of the Truths therein contain'd orexpress those Truths as in the very Language of the Scripture And I cannot see how those Persons can be excused in the Day of God's Judgment who make men Heterâ—dox or Heretical for refusing to subscribe their Articles of Faith that are not in Scripture-Terms who at the same time offer to declare their Belief of God Christ Spirit Man's Laps or Fall Repentance Sanctification Justification Salvation Resurrection and Eternal Recompence in the Language of Holy Scripture 'T is preposterous and a Contradiction that those who desire to deliver their Faith of Truth in the Language of Truth should not be reputed True Believers nor their Faith admitted for this were to say that therefore their Faith is not to be received because it is declared in the Language of that very Truth which is the Object of that Faith for which it ought to be received and which is on all hands concluded to be our Duty to believe It seems then we must not express our Belief of God in his Words but our own nor is the Scripture a Creed plain or proper enough to declare a True Believer or an Orthodox Christian Are not things come to a sad pass that to refuse any other Terms than those the Holy Ghost has given us and which are confest to be the Rule or Form of sound Words is to expose a Man to the Censure of being Unsound in the Faith unfit for Christian-Communion Will
the Hypostatical Union in fine the Athanasian Creed and other Articles of Faith or Rites of your Church not so clearly express'd in Scriptures and not easie to be apprehended or assented to will not this poor Creature be look'd upon either as Infidel or Heretick renounced all share in Christ and Christian Fellowship because his Weakness or Understanding will not allow him to come up to the full Inventory of Articles believed and imposed by you Certainly you must either be partial and give him that Liberty you deny to Persons of equâ—l Tenderness or else you mustafter your present streightness conclude him Infidel or Heretick But I would beseech you that we may consider if this bears any Proportion with the Wisdom and Love of God in sending Christ into the World to save you and me The Apostle became All unto all to win some but this is becoming All unto none to force all he thereby recommends the Utmost Condescention that can be lawful but this use of Humane Authority about Faith seems to make it unlawful to Condescend As if Force were better than Love and Conformity how ever it become at it than Christian Condescention The Blessed Apostle had his Eye to the Good Intention and Sober Life of the Weak and used an holy sort of Guile to catch them he seems as if he â—…ssembled the Knowledge of those Averse Opinions which they held or the necessity of their embracing those Doctrines which as yet they might not believe He fell not to Debate and Canvass Points in Difference between them which instead of Union would have enflam'd the Difference and rais'd Contention No no He became all unto all that is He stoop'd to all Capacities and humbled himself to those Degrees of Knowledge that men had and valued that which was good in all and with this Sweetness he practised upon them to their further proficiency in the School of Christ These Allurements were all his Injunctions nay in this Case he makes it an Injunction to use no other Let us therefore says he as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be OTHERWISE minded God shall reveal even this unto you You shall not be impos'd upon stigmatiz'd or excommunicated for Want of Full Satisfaction or because you do not Consent before Conviction for God shall REVEAL it to you you shall see and know what you do and to God you shall owe your Knowledge and Conformity and not to Humane Authority and Imposition your Faith shall not be implicit nor your Obedience blind the Reason of your Hope shall be in you Pray let us compare this with the Language of our own Times where People cannot come up to the Prescriptions of men but plead the Liberty of Dissent though with never so much Sobriety and true Tenderness of Conscience they are upbraided after this manner Are you Wiser than your Superiours Were our Fore-Fathers out of the Way Did no body know the Truth till you came Are you Wiser than all our Ministers and Bishops and your Mother the Church Can't it content you to believe as she believes Is not this Pride and Presumption in you a Design to make and head Sects and Parties with the like Entertainment Now this is that which you your selves at least in the Persons of your Ancestors have stiled POPERY yea POPERY in the abstract the Sum-Total of that Mystery its great Master piece to wit IMPLICIT FAITH and BLIND OBEDIENCE If so then say I let us also have a care of Popâ—ry in Protestant guise for that Popery is likely to do us most Injury that is least suspected I beg you by the Love of God and Truth and as you would lay a sure Foundation Piece here and eternal Comfort to your own Souls that you would consider the Tendency of upbraiding and violently over ruling the Dissent of Conscientious and Peaceable People For if you will Rob me once of the Liberty of my Choice the Use of my Understanding the Distinction of my Judgment no Religion comes amiss indeâ—d it leads to No Religion 'T was the Saying of the Old King to the then Prince of Wales and our present King Make the Religion of your Education the Religion of your Judgment which to me is of the Nature of an Appeal from his Education to his Judgment about the Truth of his Religion And that Religion which is too tender to be examin'd is unsound Prove all things and hold fast that which is good lies an Impeachment against Imposition deliver'd upon Record by the Apostle Paul in the Name of the Holy Ghâ—st 'T was the same Apostle that commended the Bereans of Old for that they diligently searched the Scriptures whethâ—r those things delivered by the Apostles concerning the Messiah were true Nay Christ himself to whom all power was given in Heaven and in Earth submitted himself to the Test he did not require them to believe him because he would be believed he refers them to the Witness that God bore to him If I bear Witness of my self my Witness is not true He also sends them to the Scriptures pleads the Truth of his Authority from that of his Doctrine and Miracles If I had not done among them the Works which none other Man did And finally challenges them to convince him but of one Sin Which of you convinceth me of Sin and if I say the Truth why do ye not believe me He offers to reason the Matter and submit himself to Truth and well he might who was Truth it self But an IMPOSING CHURCH bears Witness of her self and will be both Party and Judge it requires Assent without Evidence and Faith without Proof therefore false Christian Religion ought to be carried on only by that way by which it was introduced which was PERSWASâ—ON If any man will be my Disciple let him take up his Cross and follow me and this is the Glory of it that it does not destroy but fairly conquer the Understanding I am not unacquainted with the Pretences of Romanists to Abâ—egation to a Mortified and Self denying Life and I do freely acknowledge that the Author of the German Theology Taulerus and Thomas a Kempis and others of that sort of Men in their Communion have written Excellent Practical Things but there is scarcely any thing of this Violent Popery in those Tracts On the contrary the very Nature and Tendency of them is Diametrically Opposit to the present Constitution of that Church and all others that practise Imposition in Religion And as it is one great Mark of the False Church to pervert the right End of True Doctrine so hath she excelled in the Abuse of that Excellent Word SELF-DENYAL For she hath translated it from Life to Understanding from Morals to Faith Subjugare intellectum in Obsequium fidei to subject the Understanding to the Obedience of Faith is the perpetual Burden of their Song and Conclusion of their Conferences But what is this Faith that
which conquers the World and purifies the Heart by no means But 't is to believe that the Church of Rome is the True Church and the Pope Christ's Vicar and the Visible Head of that Church So as that Self denyal which relates to our Wills and Affections in a corrupt State they apply to the Use of our Understanding about Religion as if it were the same thing to deny that which we understand and know to be Evil which is the Christian Self denyal and to deny that very Knowledge and Understanding which is God's Gift and our Honour Whereas Religion and Reason are so Consistent as that Religion can neither be understood nor maintain'd without Reason For if this must be laid aside I am so far from being Infallibly assured of my Salvation that I am not capable of any Measure of Good from Evil Truth from Falshood Why I have no understanding or use of any which is the same All the Disadvantage the Protestant is under in this is that of his greater Modesty and that be submits his Belief to be tryed which the other refuses under the Pretence of unaccountable Infallibility to that Authority Reason decides So that whereas some people excuse their embracing of that Religion by urging the Certainty that is in it I do say 'T is nothing but Presumption For a man can never be Certain of that about which he has not the Liberty of Examining Understanding or Judging Confident I confess he may be but that 's quite another thing than being Certain Yet I must never deny but that every Christian ought to believe as the Church believes provided the Church be true but the Question is Which is that true Church And when that is answered as a Man may Unlawfully Execute a Lawful Sentence so he may falsly believe as the True Church believes for if I believe what she believes only because she believes it and not because I am convinced in my Understanding and Conscience of the Truth of what she believeth my Faith is false though hers be true I say it is not true to me I have no Evidence of it What is this Church or Congregation rather as worthy Tindal every where translates it but a Company of People agreed together in the sincere Profession and Obedience of the Gospel of Christ Now look what Inducement they severally had to believe and embrace the Gospel that we must have to joyn with them for as they made not one another an infallible Authority to one another upon which they first embrac'd the Gospel neither are we to ground our Belief thereof upon their Authority joyntly but as they had a Rule to believe and commune so must we have the same Rule to embrace their Communion So that that Church cannot be the Rule of my Faith that have the same Faith and Object for my Faith that she has I argue thus I must believe as the Church believes that is I must have the same Faith the Church has then I must have the same Rule because the Church can be no more the Rule of that Faith then she can be that Faith of which some would make her the Rule If then the Church has Faith and that Faith a Rule and that she can no more be the Rule of her own Faith then she can be that Faith it self it follows she cannot be the Rule of the Faith of her Members because those Members have the same Faith and that they in Society are this Church For that which is the Rule of the Congregation's Faith in general must reasonably be the Rule of every Member's Faith that makes up that Congregation and consequently of every Member that may hereafter adhere to it So that to talk of believing as the Church believes to flowrish upon that Self-denyal and Humility which takes all upon Trust and revile those with the bitterest Invectives that are modestly scrupulous and act the BEREANS for their Souls who think that Easiness of Nature and Condescention might be better bestowed and in this occasion ill-tim'd and dangerous is to put the Knife to the Throat of Protestancy and what in them lies to socrifice it to implicit Faith and blind Obedience For it cannot be denyed but that the great Foundation of our Protestant Religion is the Divine Authority of the Scriptures from without us and the Testimony and Illumination of the Holy Spirit within us Upon this foot the first Reformers stood and made and maintain'd their Separation from Rome and freely offered up their innocent Lives in Confirmation With good Cause therefore it is the general Consent of all found Protestant Writers That neither Traditions Councils nor Canons of any visible Church much less the Edicts of any Civil Session or Jurisdiction but the Scriptures only interpeted by the Holy Spirit in us give the final Determination in Matters of Religion and that only in the Conscience of every Christian TO HIMSELF Which Protestation made by the first publick Reformers against the Imperial Edicts of Charles the fifth imposing Church Traditions without Scripture Authority gave first beginning to the Name of Protestant and with that Name hath ever been received this Doctrine which prefers the divine Authority of the Scripture and Spirit to that of the Church and her Traditions And if the Church is not sufficient implicitly to be believed as we hold it is not what can there else be named of more force with us but the Divine Illumination in the Conscience or Conscience in the best Sense of the Word then which God only is greater But if any man shall pretend that the Scripture judges according to his Conceptions or Conscience for other men and that they must take their Religious Measures by the Line of his Direction such a person makes himself greater then either Church Scripture or Conscience And pray let us consider if in any thing the Pope is by our Protestant Divinity so justly resembled to Antichrist as in assuming Infallibility over Conscience and Scripture to determine as he thinks fit and so in effect to give God Scripture Magistrates and Conscience the Law To this they have without scruple applyed that to the Thessalonians Sitting in the Temple of God exalting himself above all that is caled God To check this exorbitancy the Apostle Paul demands Who art thou that judgest anothers Servant to his own Lord he stands or falls which sheweth with great Evidence that Christians of all sizes great and small are but Brethren and consequently all superiority Lordship and Imposition are excluded But if there be a Difference 't is in this that as Christ taught He that is greatest is to be Servant to the rest but what is more opposite to a Servant then a Lord and to Service then Injunction and Imposition and that on Penalties too Here it is that Christ is only Lord and Lawgiver who is only King of this inward Kingdom of the Soul And 't is to be noted that the Apostle
Ignorance ought to be the Mother of Devotion with none but those that cannot be devout upon better terms it is the glory of a man that he is Religious upon Reason and that his Duty and Sacrifice are not blind or forc'd but free and reasonable Truth upon Knowledge though vext with Schism wise and good men will chuse before Ignorant Religion with Uniformity Enough of this But this Notion of an Infallible Visible Judge is as false in Reason as in Fact For first it takes away the Use of every Man's Reason and it is a Contradiction to have any unless he were such an Interpreter and such a Judge as would conclude us by Conviction and not by Authority that would be the most Wellcome person in the World But to over-rule my own Sight to give the Lye to my own Understanding say Black is White and that Two and Three make Ten thus Subjugare intellectum in Obsequium fidei to yield my Understanding to such an In-evident Way of Faith nay which is worse to believe a Lye for so it is to them to whom the thing to be believed appears Untrue is most-Unreasonable If we must be Led it had been easier and better for us to have been born Blind we might have follow'd then the Dog and the Bell for we could not mend our selves but to see and to be Led and that in ways we see to be foul or wrong this is Anxious Here lies the Dispute and truly here the Question might fairly end Either put out our Eyes or let us use them but if we have Eyes for our Minds as well as for our Bodies I see no Reason why we should trust any man or men against the Eyes of our Understanding any more than we ought to confide in them against the Sense and Certainty of the Eyes of our Bodies Where is the poorest Mechanick that would be paid his Labour in Brass half Crowns for Silver by either Pope or Bishop and can we be so bruitish as to think our Nobler part void of Distinction about that Treasure which is of eternal Moment For though Peter was to feed the Sheep yet the Sheep were not to follow Peter but Christ My Sheep hear my Voice and follow me and a Stranger they will not follow Here is no Mediator betwixt Christ and his Sheep nor does any body else hear his Voice for them but they hear his Voice themselves And though the Shepherd may have many Servants yet he only is their Shepherd and they are only the Sheep of his Fold But there are three places of Scripture that come fresh into my Remembrance that are very pertinent to the present Occasion The first is this That which may be known of God is Manifest in Men for God hath shewed it unto them That is The Spirit of man being the Candle of the Lord God hath enlightned it to manifest unto Man what is necessary for him to know both of God and himself Here is no need of Wax-Candles or Tapers or a Visible Guide and Judge for â—e that believes has the Witness in himself Another Passage is this Be ye Followers of me even as I am also of Christ In which the Apostle is so far from setting himself up a Judge over the Church of Corinth that he makes his appeal to them concerning his Doctrine and Conversation bounding both with that of his Lord Jesus Christ and making them Judges of the Truth of his Conformity to that Example Be ye Followers of me How after what manner What! Absolutely without Examination must we believe thee without any Tryal and take what thou sayest for granted without any more to do no such thing Be ye Followers of me even as I also am of CHRIST I submit my self to be judg'd by you according to that Rule and all Men and Churches are to be thus measur'd that lay Claim to the Name of Christian The Third Passage is in his Second Epistle to the same Church of Corinth 't is this Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received Mercy we faint not but have renounced the hidden things of Dishonesty not walking in Craftinesses nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God Here is the Utmost Imposition the Apostle makes use of he requires not Men to receive him without Evidence and refers himself to that of their own Consciences in the Sight of God This was the Way of making Christians then and this is the Way of making and keeping Christians now Conscience in the best Sense has ever been allow'd to be a Bond upon Men in all Religions But that Religion which under Pretence of Authority would superceed Conscience and instead of making Men better the End of Religion makes them worse by confounding all Distinction betwixt Good and Evil and resolving all into an Implicite Faith and blind Obedience unto the Commands of a Visible Guide and Judge is false it cannot be otherwise For to admire what Men don't know and to make it a Principle not to inquire is the last mark of Folly in the Believer and of Imposture in the Imposer To be short a Christian implies a Man and a Man implies Conscience and Understanding but he that has no Conscience not Understanding as he has not that has delivered them up to the Will of another Man is no Man and therefore no Christian I do beseech you Protestants of all Sorts to consider of the danger of this Principle with respect to Religion Of old'tw is the Fool that said in his Heart there is no God But now upon this Principle Men must be made Fools in order to believe Shall Folly which is the Shame if not the Curse of a Man be the Perfection of a Christian Christ indeed has advised us to become Little Children but never to become such Fools for as the Proverb is this is to be led by the Nose and not by our Wits You know that God hates the Sacrifice of Fools I will pray with the Spirit and with Understanding also saith the Apostle Let us commend that Testimony which we believe to be true to the Consciences of Men and let them have the Gospel priviledge of Examination Error only looses upon Trial. For if this had been the Way to Christianity with Reverence be it spoken God had not made our Condition better but worse For this translates our Faith and Dependence upon God to Man and the Possibility if not Probability of Man's erring exposes us to greater insecurity than before For where I never trusted I never could be deceived But if I must abandon my own Sense and Judgment and yield my self up to the Faith and Authority of another to say no more of the Blindness and La neness of such Belief and Devotion what Security can I have that the Man or Men whom I trust may not 〈◊〉 and deceive me and that
Deceit is irrepairable Again since Mankind is a reasonable Creature and that the more reasonable he is in his Religion the nearer to his own being he comes and to the Wisdom and Truth of his Creator that did so make him a Religion without Reason Imposed by an unaccountable Authority against Reason Sense and Conviction cannot be the Religion of the God of Truth and Reason for it is not to be thought that he requires any thing that carries any violence upon the Nature of his Creature or that gives the Lye to that Reason or Sence which he first endow'd him with In short Either Convince my understanding by the Light of Truth and Power of Reason or bear down my Infidelity with the force of Miracles for not to give me Understanding or Faith and to press a submission that requires both is most unreasonable But if there were no other Augument then this it goes a great way with me that as to such as have their understanding at liberty if they are mistaken there may be hopes of reclaiming by Informing them but where the Understanding and Conscience are enslav'd to Authority and where Men make it a Principal Doctrine to suspect their own Sense and strive against their own Convictions to move only by other mens Breath and fall down to their Conclusions nothing seems to be left for the soundest Arguments clearest Truths to work upon They had almost need to be re Created in order to be converted for who can reasonably endeavour to make him a Christian that is not a Man which he cannot be truly said to be who has no understanding or resolves not to use it but reject it which is yet worse for he that has no understanding has no prejudice against it but he that purposely denys abuses it is so much worse as that he turns Enemy to him that has and uses his understanding He therefore can never be convinced oâ— his Error who is prejudiced against the necessary means of Conviction which is the use of his Understanding without which 't is impossible he should ever be Convinced To Conclude I have reserved till last one Argument which is ad hominem unanswerable by us Protestants and without yielding to which we cannot be consistent with our selves or be thought to do unto others what we would have others do unto us and that is this The Translation of the Scripture was the painful work of our worthy Ancestors This I call their most solemn Appeal to the People against the Pope and Traditions of Rome in the business of their Separation For when the question rose of the divine Authority of this or the other Practice in the Doctrine or Worship of the Roman Church presently they recur'd to the Scriptures and therefore made them speak English that they might witness for them to the people This appeal to the People in defence of their Separation by making them Judges of their proceeding against the Church according to the Testimony of the holy Scriptures puts every man in possession of them Search the Scriptures say the first Protestants Prove all things see if what we say against Pope Church of Rome be not true and in case any difficulty did arise they exhorted all to wait upon God for the divine aid of his Spirit to illuminate their understandings that one should not impose upon the other but commend them to God be Brotherly Patient Long suffering ready to help the Weak inform the Ignorant shew tenderness to the Mistaken and with reason and moderation to gain the Obstinate In short Protestancy is a restoring to every man his just right of Inquiry and Choice and to its honour be it ever spoken there is greater likelihood of finding Truth where all have Liberty to seek after it then where it is denyed to all but a few Grandees and those too as short sighted as their Neighbours But now let us Protestants examine if we have not departed from this Sobriety this Christian Temperance how comes it that we who have been forgiven much have our selves fallen upon our sellow Servants who yet owe us nothing have not we refused them this reasonable choice have we not threatned beaten and imprisoned them Pray Consider have you not made Creeds set Bounds to Faith form'd and regulated a Worship and strictly enjoyn'd all mens obedience by the help of the Civil Power upon pain of great Sufferings which have not been spared to Dissenters though in Common Renouncers and Protestors with you against the Pope Church of Rome for this the Land mourns Heaven is displeas'd and all is out of due course To give us the Scriptures and knock our Fingers for taking them to Translate them that we may read them and punish us for endeavouring to understand and use them as well as we can both with respect to God and our Neighbour 't is very unreasonable upon our Protestant Principles I wish we could see the mischief we draw upon our selves which is worse our cause for the Papist in this case acts according to his Principle but we against our Principle which shews indeed that we have the better Religion but that we also are more condemnable For if we will consider it seriously we shall find it not much more injurious to Scripture Truth and good Conscience that we believe as the Church believes then that we believe as the Church says the Scripture would have us believe For where is the difference since I am not allowed to use my understanding about the Sense of Scripture any more then about the Faith of the Church and if I must not receive any thing for Faith or Worship from Scripture but what is handed to me by the Church or her Clergy I see my self in as ill terms as if I had sat down with the old Doctrine of believing as the Church believes And had the Controversie been only for the Word Scripture without the use and application of it for at this rate that is all that is left us truly the enterprise of our Fathers had been weak and unadvised but because nothing less was intended by them and that the Translation of the Scripture was both the Appeal and Legacy of those Protestant Ancestors for the reasons before mention'd I must conclude we are much degenerated from the simplicity of Primitive Protestancy and need to be admonisht of our Backslidings and I heartily pray to Almighty God that he would quicken us by his present Mercies and Providences to return to our first Love Let the Scripture be free Sober Opinion tolerated Good â—ife cherisht Vice punisht away with Imposition Nick-Names Animosities for the Lord's sake and let Holy Writ be our Common Creed and Pious Living the Test of Christianity that God may please to perfect the good work he has begun and deliver us from all our Enemies I am now come to the last point and that is PROPAGATION of FAITH by FORCE In which I shall with the
Extent in the Punishment of the Offender If the Offender will neither receive private Admonition nor hear the Church then says Christ let him be to thee as an Heathen c. Here 's not one word of Fines Whips Stocks Pillories Goals and the like Instruments of Cruelty to punish the Heretick for the Purport of his Words seem to be no more than this If any Member of the Church refuse thy private Exhortation and the Church's Admonition look upon such a Person to be obstinate perverse no more of you let him take his course thou hast done well and the Church is clear of him Well but say the Church Fighters of our Age Did not St. Paul wish them cut off that troubled the Church in his time Yes But with what Sword think you Such as Christ bid Peter put up or the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Give him leave to explain his own words For though we walk in the Flesh WE DO NOT WAR AFTER THE FLESH for the WEAPONS of our Warfare are NOT CARNAL but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong Holds casting down Imaginations and every high Thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God and bringing every Thought into Obedience to Christ What think you of this Here are Warfares Weapons Oppositions and Conformity and not only no External Force about Matters of Religion used or countenanced but the most express and pathetical Exclusion and Rejection of any such Thing that could be given It was this great Apostle that askt that Question Who art thou that judgest the Servant of another to his own Lord he standeth or falleth but he shall stand for God is able to make him stand Can we think that Imposition or Persecution is able to Answer him this Question in the Day of Judgment Do we with Reason deny it to the Papacy With what Reason then can we assume it to our selves Let us remember who said Not that we have Dominion over your Faith but are HELPERS of your Joy HELPERS then not IMPOSERS nor PERSECUTORS What Joy can there be in that to the Persecuted but if Paul had no such Commission or Power over Conscience I would fain know by what Authority more inferiour Ministers and Christians do claim and use it The Apostle Peter is of the same mind Feed says he the Flock of God not by Constraint c. neither as being Lords over God's Heritage The Heritage of God is free they have but 〈◊〉 Lord in and of their Religion Christ Jesus and they 〈◊〉 Brethren The Apostle Paul says That where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty but where Coertion Fines and Goals are there is no Liberty Is it to be supposed that men in these days are instructed by the Spirit of the Lord to destroy People in this World for their Faith about the other World it can't possibly be such mock at it Again says that Apostle to the Christians of his time You are called to Liberty from what Sin and the Ceremonies of the Law And shall the end of that call be the enthraling Conscience to human Edicts in Religion under the Gospel this would make our Case worse than the Jews for their Worship stood on divine Authority and if to make men free from them Christ came and that those very Ordinances are by the Apostle call'd beggerly Elements is it reasonable that we must be subject to the Injunctions of men in the Worship of God that are not of equal Authority The same Apostle yet informs us For this end says he Christ both dyed and rose again that HE might be Lord both of the Dead and Living But why dost thou judâ—e thy Brother then which nothing can more expresly oppose the Imposition Excommunication and Persecution that are among us 't is as if he had said Christ is Lord of Christians by what Authority dost thou pretend to judge his Servants thou also art but one of them A Brother at most Thou hast no Dominion over his Faith nor hast thou Commission to be Lord over his Conscience 't is Christ's right his purchase he has paid for it For this end he both dyed and rose again that he might be Lord of Dead and Living that he might rescue them from the Jaws of Oppression from those that usurpt their Consciences and made a prey of their Souls But why dost thou judge thy Brother If not Judge then not Persecute Plunder Beat Imprison to Death our Brethren that must needs follow Come let us look at home and view our Actions and see if we are not the Men. In short Let every man be fully Perswaded in his own mind and if any thing be short God will reveal it let us be patient It was not Flesh and Blood that reveal'd Christ to Peter they are Christ's words therefore let us leave off the Consultatiâ—ns and Weapons of Flesh and Blood and trust Christ with his own Kingdom he hath said the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and we cannot think that he would seek to Hell Gates to maintain it and if it is not of this World then not to be maintain'd by that Force and Pollicy which are the Props of the Kingdoms of this World God the Apostle tells us has chosen the weak things of the World to confound the mighty Therefore he has not chosen the Strength and Power of this World to suppress Conscientious People that as to humane force are justly accounted weakest and most destitute in all Ages of defence I will here conclude my Scripture Proofs with this Exhortation or Injunction rather of the Apostle Ye are bought with a Price not to be made the Servants of men The Subject here is not human wherein human Ordinances are to be obeyed that is not the Question but Divine and those that for fear or favour of men desert their Principles and betray their Consciences they renounce their Lord deny him that bought them and tread his Blood the Price under Foot Ye are bought with a Price Christ has purchast you you are not your own but his that bought you therefore be not the Servants of men about God's things or Christ's Kingdom vail to no mans Judgment neither make mans determinations your Rule Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith he has made you free be not entangled again into Bondage for we are not come to that Mountain that we cannot touch to Sinai we are not now to be kept under like School Boys or Minors that Imposition might be useful then which is a bondage now Moses was God's Servant and faithful he saw heard and went upon the Mount for the People but Christians are come to Mount Zion to Jerusalem the Mother of Peace and Freedom Much then depended upon the Integrity of Moses it pleased God then to appear by those ways but now the Law is brought home to every mans Heart and every one shall know