Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	liberty_n	papist_n	protestant_n	1,212	5	9.6046	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77211	God save the King, and prosper him and his Parliament: or, A justification by the word of God, of the Kings gracious proffer for liberty of conscience, made to his Parliament and subjects, before he came into England, in matters disputable. By Theophilus Brabourn.	Brabourne, Theophilus, b. 1590.	1660 (1660)	Wing B4092; Thomason E1038_6; ESTC R207866	8,708	15

maintains the Doctrine of the ten Commandements the Articles of Faith with faith and repentance and any thing clearly revealed in Scripture all these may be reckoned for one truth and one Religion because we all agree herein as one but as for disputable points not cleerly revealed the Magistrate may tolerate them and not maintain or countenance them and yet he shall not be said to maintain two or many Religions or Truths St. Paul did tolerate the weak Christians who were of different opinions from the strong and yet he did not maintain them but dispute against them nor did he maintain sundry Truths and many Religions All things clearly revealed make up but one Religion and this we maintain and yet may tolerate many disputable opinions not clearly revealed Object 4. Papists may say if you tolerate liberty of Conscience in disputable points then we Papists must have a toleration Answ There is more then Religion and matter of Conscience in this matter there is matter of State and safety of Common-wealth in it which admits not of a toleration unless Papists could give us security for our lives For Papists are professed enemies to Protestants and to their lives so as we cannot live in safety by them for to further their Catholick cause they hold it their duty to blow up with powder an whole Parliament at once to cut the throats of an whole Kingdom of Protestants as in Ireland of late years and the like of the Popish massacre of many thousands of Protestants at Paris in France No Hereticks are so bloody minded as Papists nor so dangerous to be tolerated as they be No Heretick seeks the life of his neighbour and ruine of the Nation wherein he lives but a Papist If therefore it were safe to tolerate their Religion is it safe to tolerate such murtherers who wait daily for a time to cut all our throats Object 5. Christ rebuked the Angel of the Church at Thyatira for suffering Jezebel to teach and deceive his people Rev. 2.18.20 And St. Paul saith of deceiveable teachers their mouths must be stopped Tit. 1.11 Now this is contrary to toleration Answ 1. These Texts concern not the office of the Magistrate but of the Minister as of the Angel of the Church Rev. 2.18 He ought to rebuke them sharply Tit. 1.13 Now it is not meet that the Minister should suffer known errours to be in his Church but that he should stop them by convincing them by the Scriptures but I like not of some Ministers who in stead of convincing fall a railing at the persons crying out against them oh these Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists c. are dangerous persons c. I like well to hear these opinions soberly confuted but not reviled 2 These Texts speak not against disputable points but against Idolatry Rev. 2.20 and lying Tit. 1.12 which are sins clearly revealed in Scripture Obj. 6. If a kingdom be divided against it selfe it cannot stand Mark 3.24 Answ This parable is true of a Kingdome for if the Subjects take up Arms one against another that Kingdome will come to ruine but the case is not alike in a Church where all agree in all things clearly revealed but differ in some disputable points darkly revealed For 1. In Holland there are many of differing opinions yet that Nation stands and flourisheth and so doth that Church of Presbyterians 2. In the Common-wealth of the Jewes there were many strangers tolerated who were no Proselytes of the Jewish Religion for they were not circumcised neither did they eat the Passover Exod. 12.43 45.48 and see Deut. 14.21 And yet that Common-wealth stood and so did that Church Obj 7. Then the Master said unto the servant Go forth into the high wayes c. and compell them to come in to my Supper c. Luk. 14.23 Hereby we see that compulsion may be made in matters of Religion Answ By the Servant here is not meant the Magistrate of whom our question is for in these dayes they had no christian Magistrate that would compell any to be Religious but we must understand the Minister whose office is to invite and call in yea to compell the guests to come to Christ his feast now there is a compulsion and constraint by the forcible exhortations and perswasions of the strong arguments of the Minister Luke 24.29 Acts 16 15. So notwithstanding this Text the Magistrate may maintaine Liberty of Conscience FINIS

God save the King And Prosper Him and His PARLIAMENT OR A justification by the Word of God of the Kings gracious proffer for LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE Made to His Parliament and Subjects before he came into ENGLAND In Matters disputable By THEOPHILVS BRABOVRN Him that is weake in the Faith receive unto you but not put away from you Rom. 14.1 One believeth that he may eat of all things another which is weake eateth herbs Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not condemn him that eateth Rom. 14.2 3. For we shall all appear before the Judgement-Seat of Christ Rom 14.10 And every one of us shall give an account of himself unto God Let us not therefore judge or condemn one another any more Rom. 14.10 12 13. Judge nothing before the time untill the Lord Christ come 1 Cor. 4.5 London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Booksellers in London and by William Nowell Book-seller in Norwich 1660. A JUSTIFICATION BY THE Word of God of the KINGS gracious proffer for Liberty of Conscience made to the Parliament and his Subjects before he came into ENGLAND THAT Christians should be all of one heart and of one minde in all points of Religion is a thing highly to be desired by every good man but not to be expected in this life by the wisest of men Are not the Scriptures darke and hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 in many disputable points among us so as every man cannot light upon the Truth Are all Ministers and others of one stature in knowledge Have not one man five talents another four and another four How is it possible then that every one of these should be of one opinion in all things Can he that hath but one or two talents understand as much as he that hath five Or is any one perfect in knowledge There are and ever were strong Christians and weake wherefore the strong must bear with the weake not persecute the weak Rom. 15.1 In those purest Churches in the Apostles dayes they were not all of one heart and minde for some believers stood up for dayes and meats others were of a contrary minde Rom. 14. Some hold it lawfull to eat-meats sacrificed to Idols but others hold it unlawfull 1 Cor. 10.25 28. Now if those purest Churches had such differences in opinion who can think our Churches should be free What marvail is it that we have Episcoparians Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists and other differences in opinions It will never be otherwise untill we get into heaven where we shall be perfect in Knowledge in the mean time we must exercise patience one towards another the strong must bear with the weak These things premised I come to the point in question which is Liberty of Conscience Touching which know all men that I defend not a loose and wicked liberty for any man to speak or practice contrary to a light in Scripture clearly revealed I pefend onely a liberty in disputable points such as both parties do alleadg Scripture one against another or either of them for himselfe or when one alleageth a Scripture the sense whereof is dark and doubtfull to the other Before I prove my question give me leave to shew the originall rise and evill fruits of the Magistrates punishing the people for disputable points in Religion The Pope began it for he and his Clergy never left till they had moved Parliaments to enact cruell Lawes against Protestants to burn them to ashes that so his Catholique Church might be all of one heart and mind Now the Sacraments of the Altar or Christs corporall presence was in those dayes a disputable point both sides alleaging Scripture and see the evill fruits of this persecution The Magistrate made himself guilty of shedding the innocent blood of multitudes of godly Martyrs And since the Pope our Bishops abusing the Kings authority have imprisoned some and vexed sued and molested others in their Courts for things then disputable as for opening their Shops or working on Popish Holy-days for refusing the Cross in Baptism for Surplice Hood and Tipet with other popish trinkets now see one of the evil fruits hereof to the King he lost the hearts of many of his Subjects so much for arming his Bishops with his authority as when the King and Parliament made War thousands of his Subjects fell from him in his greatest need of them and joyned with the Parliament Those that love the King should not exasperate him but perswade him for his own safety to bear as much as possible may be with those who make conscience in matters disputable But those who perswade him otherwise are none of the Kings best friends For a King who is over all must so order his government as he may have the hearts of all but not for a disputable point in Religion to loose the hearts of many Men will do much for their civill rights but much more for their Consciences yet I justifie not Rebellion upon any account 1. Argument The Magistrate hath not received any Authority from God to compell or constrain by greater or lesser punishments the consciences of men in matters disputable and therefore he may maintain Liberty of Conscience in such things search the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and you shall find no such authority committed to the Magistrate As for the Old Testament I confesse there the Magistrate had authority to punish with death the Murtherer the Adulterer and the Idolater that worshipped the Sun Moon and Stars but these were no disputable points but errors clearly revealed in Scripture but you shall no where find the Magistrate impowred from God to punish any for matters disputable and doubtfull As for the New Testament neither Christ nor his Apostles left any order for the Magistrate to punish any for the liberty of his Conscience in things doubtfull and disputable Excommunication was for incest 1 Cor. 5.1 c. which is a scandalous sin and clearly condemned in Scripture but not for points doubtfull and disputable I may therefore conclude that God hath not given the Magistrate any authority in the Old or New Testament to punish any for liberty of his Conscience in things disputable wherefore the Magistrate may maintain liberty of Conscience in such things 2. Argument It is against the common light of Reason in all men to punish any for a fault which is disputable and doubtfull so you have the judgement of all men against this Furthermore in a disputable point St. Paul reckons him that holds the truth to be a strong brother and him that is in the errour a weake brother Rom. 14. Now is it not contrary to reason that a Magistrate should by punishment constrain a weak man to do more than he can do or carry a burthen above his strength But Papists who maintain Free-will and persecution for Conscience-sake will say as some Protestants do among us these men can alter

their minds if they will but they are obstinate Hereticks or Schismaticks after a sufficient conviction I reply 1. Doth perseverance in an opinion signifie obstinacy Why then all that persevere in the trueth are obstinate persons and such were our Martyrs it signifies self-perswasion but not obstinacy and may not a multitude be obstinate as well as a few 2. St. Paul knew as well as we or Papists what belongs to disputable points yet he made no such objections against an erring person he calls him a brother and a weak brother not an obstinate person or an obstinate Heretick he would not have a weak brother burnt or excommunicated but borne withall Rom. 15.1 We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak 3. You talk of sufficient conviction but where is it neither at Rome nor in England hath any man the spirit of infallibility to determine of all the controversal opinions in Religion or of all all doubtful and disputable points But suppose some man had as if any had St. Paul had it yet is not this excellent means often obstructed among us and made invalid partly for weakness of understanding and judgement in the party to be instructed and partly through the flesh and corruption of nature in all men more or lesse Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.18 19. Mat. 26.41 Now both these render a man a weak brother and if he be weak then is he to be born with not persecuted Rom. 15.1 Yet further Is there not more reason that one Christian brother should bear the infirmities and weakness in Conscience of another then to excite or desire the Magistrate to punish him for it The Scriptures do often excite us to patience and Ministers in Pulpit do the same and every man hath it in his tongue saying we must be patient but where is the man that will practise it God calls us to patience in these things but we refuse to use it Do not the most say Oh! he is one of dangerous opinions 't is pity he lives Oh that the Parliament would enact some severe Law to punish him Where 's thy patience then whilest thou desirest revenge Is there not more reason that the Magistrate should excite such impatient spirits to exercise their patience then for them to excite the Magistrate by his Law to punish and revnge 3. Argument It is against that golden Rule of our Saviour for the Magistrate to punish or for the people to desire him to punish any for his Conscience in matters disputable For Christ said Whatsoever ye would that men should do you even so do you to them Mat. 7.12 Now our whole Kingdome are a multitude of none but Sectaries in disputable points though they be unanimous and orthodox in the cleer Fundamentals yet are they divided into dark Disputables For the Episcoparian is a Sect divided from all others so is the Presbyterian so is the Independent and so is the Anabapist c. And if the Parliament should own none but Presbyterians yet these are but Sectaries because divided from all others and the greatest sort they may be and yet but a Sect. Now the Episcoparian would have liberty for themselves to read the Common-Prayer but would not that any of the other sorts should enjoy the liberty of their Consciences It may be the like is true of those other sorts of Presbyters Independents and Anabaptists But why should Christians be so selfish and partiall is not one mans Conscience as tender to him as another mans is to him Where is the practise of our Saviours rule to do that for another man which we would he should do for us The Magistrate therefore being of one Sect or other must be as willing to give liberty to others as to take it for himself 4. Argument It is against Christian charity to the soules of the people for a Magistrate by punishment to constrain them to sin against their own souls unto perdition For if the people for fear of punishment shall do any thing against their Consciences they sin against conscience Rom. 14.14 23. And the Magistrate by his constraint of them doth what in him is to destroy them eternally Rom 14.15 and to drive them to everlasting perdition of soule and body 1 Cor. 8 11 12. Now God forbid that any Christian Magistrate should be so severe as by his hard Lawes to force any man to destroy himself eternally and not onely so but also to make himself guilty of his peoples destruction Is it not better for him to grant liberty of conscience 5. Argument It is against Justice for a Magistrate to punish any man for a disputable opinion In matters of Justice God forbad the Magistrates to admit of one single witnesse as being not clear enough and therefore for more certainty there must be two or three witnesses Deut. 19.15 and see Deut. 17.4 5. our Magistrates will not punish any man unlesse the Fact be clearly against the Law probabilities are nothing how then can the Magistrate do injustice to punish for a disputable opinion which is doubtful Yet further If the Magistrate condemns for a disputable opinion out of doubt sometime he shall condemn unjustly and alwayes be in danger so to do for want of the judgement of certainty wherefore in these disputable points the Magistrate should do well to forbear his judgement until Christ the Judge come when we shall all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ and every one of us give an account of himself to God Rom. 14.10 12. Let us not therefore judge one another any more Rom. 14.13 Judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come c. 1 Cor. 4.5 But it will be said may not the Magistrate call into his help ten or twenty learned and godly Ministers and then judge of the opinion May not many Ministers judge of the opinion of two or three private persons I answer 1. There are no learned and godly Ministers who have the spirit of certainty and infallibility in a doubtful or disputable opinion 2. The Ministers call'd into the help of the Magistrate are ever of a contrary opinion to his who is accused and therefore they are incompetent judges May the Plaintiff judge the Defendant or the Presbyterian the Independent then may we know the Verdict before the Jury be impanelled These things considered oh that since God hath left many things in Scripture disputable out Parliaments and Magistrates would leave them so too 6. Argument It will be a great folly in the Magistrate to attempt by his authority to do that which is impossible to be done Will a wise man attempt to empty the water in the Sea or to wash a Blackamoor white Such is his attempt that thinks by lawfull means to bring all men to be of one mind and opinion in things doubtfull and disputable the Magistrate may as well cure one sick of an Ague or Feaver by his Sword as by it to to inform and reform a doubtful and weak

Conscience this is the Ministers office not the Magistrates In the Apostles dayes when the Church was most pure there was great differences in opinions and high contests among Christians about dayes and meates Rom. 14.2.5 3.10 Now if all men were not of one opinion in those purest Churches what hope hath the Magistrate to avoid all differences in opinion in our Church 2. Consider the obscurity of Scripture in disputable points St. Peter saith of St. Pauls Epistles some things are hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.15 16. And herewithall consider also that the wisest men know but in part in this life and the holiest men are sanctified but in part so as too often their judgement is blinded by unmortified passions and affections Now how is it possible that the Magistrate should rectifie all these by his sword the which unless he could rectifie it is altogether in vain for him to attempt to bring all men to be of one mind and opinion 7. Argument In the Church of God in the Jewish Nation many people were suffered to live under the authority of Moses and the Magistrates who were of different opinions from the most of the people For they had strangers among them who were no Proselytes or of the Jewish Religion and yet they were not constrained by the Magistrate to become Proselytes For the Text saith If a stranger will c. let him c. Exod. 12.48 It was left to his choise and will no punishment was appointed to compell them none though he neglected their Sacraments of Circumcision and the Passeover none though he did eate meats which the Jewes abhorred to eat Deut. 14.21 Moses and the Magistrates with Aaron the high Priest did all allow of this liberty and why then may not the King and Magistrates with all the Clergy allow of liberty of Conscience in our dayes in matters disputable among Christians 8. Argument If the King and Magistrates under him will govern by St. Pauls Discipline then they must govern by the discipline of liberty of Conscience the which I thus prove St. Paul said we which are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Rom. 15.1 and see Gal. 6.1 2. And he rebuked the believing Romans for that the strong despised the weak and the weak judged and condemned the strong Rom 14.3 10.13 Now what other thing is this toleration of St. Paul and bearing with the weak in matters of conscience but liberty of Conscience and no other thing is signified by this that he would not have believers to despise one another or to judge and condemn one another for conscience sake and differences in judgements The differences in those dayes were about the Ceremonies of meates and drinkes and Holydayes Rom. 14. Now we have too many Ministers of impatient spirits who cannot endure St. Pauls liberty of Conscience and to use patience in bearing with the weakness of others but like better of uncharitable persecution these have learned an evill art of aggravation by consequences to wyre-draw and draw blood from the opinion contrary to themselves and have drawn the people to hate and despise the persons of that opinion such Ministers if they had lived in those dayes could with the high Priest have made Christ guilty of blasphemy Mat. 26.65 and St. Paul and Heretick Acts 24.14 and these weak christian Romans obstinate hereticks For by their use of meats and dayes after Christ was come they signified that Christ was not come but expected to come as the hereticall Jewes do at this day Meats and Dayes were types and shadows of Christ to come Colos 2.16 17. Now no doubt St. Paul had as sufficiently instructed and convicted these believing Romans of their errour as any Minister in these our dayes can any man in his errour yet St. Paul did not count them obstinate hereticks nor by aggravations and consequences draw them to be guilty of heresie But it may be said to me of these different opinions among us which party is the weaker and which the stronger I answer To determine infallibly I cannot I must leave it for Christ to do it at his coming 1 Cor. 4.4 5. I shall only answer by the opinion of our times The multitude and greatest number countenanced by the King will think themselves the strong If so then say I those strong ones must bear with those that are weak and differ in opinion from them Rom. 15.1 If the Presbyterian think himself the strong he must bear with the weak Independent Or if the Independent think himself the strong he must bear with the weak Presbyterian and so of other opinionists we must all bear one with another Gal. 6.2 and so by a mutuall toleration we shall live in love like Christians So far of my 8. Arguments Thus I have made it appear that the King and Parliament may maintain Liberty of Conscience and ought so to do by the Word of God And now I come to answer sundry objections raised against this truth Object 1. If the Magistrate tolerate liberty of Conscience thereby he shall justifie embolden and harden some in their errours Answ 1. St. Paul tolerated liberty of Conscience and yet it will not follow that he did thereby justifie embolden and harden the weak believers in their errours 2. The Magistrate hath no authority from God to punish any for a disputable errour as hath been proved and therefore no blame is in him he cannot reform that which is not in his power to reform 3. He hath no infallible guide to know which side is in the errour how then can he punish any 4. If any harden their heart in errour because it is tolerated themselves shall answer to God for it at the appearing of Christ the Judge of quick and dead Rom. 14.10 12. Object 2. Yea but if the Magistrate tolerate errours he tolerates sins many say to tolerate errour is to tolerate sin Answ 1. Sin is the transgression of the Law 1 John 3 4. Now in disputable points no opinionist desireth liberty to break Gods Law as to commit idolatry to profane the Sabbath to commit adultery to steal or deal fraudulently or to do any thing contrary to a light cleerly revealed now in a disputable point no man can say for certain which is the sin and which not But suppose some man could say for certain his is the sin yet St. Paul did tolerate the sin of ignorance t Rom. 14. in weak Christians 2. Toleration is voluntary or necessary now the Magistrates toleration is necessary because God hath not given them authority as hath been proved to punish disputable sins Object 3. Some say there can be but one truth and one true Religion Now to maintain sundry and many opinions is to maintain sundry and many religions Answ The question is not about maintaining of sundry opinions which are disputable but about toleration and bearing with them so as they may be free of punishment The Magistrate