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A49413	Christian liberty not to be abused, or, Antient and primitive truth correcting some modern, or new abuses, of that which is so much pleaded for, and so little understood, viz. Christian liberty in a sermon preached in the church of Bridport within the county of Dorset, on Sunday the forenoon, being November 3. 1672 ... / by Rich. Luce ...	Luce, Richard, Presbyter of the Church of England.	1673 (1673)	Wing L3423A; ESTC R5778	16,643	38

write unto you of the Common Salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Ver. 3. It was ever held for a good Rule whereby to understand the legality of any practice or to try the truth of any Doctrine which Vincentius Lerinensis gives Id tenendum quod semper quod ubique quod ab omnibus Creditum est Id tandem facimus si sequamur Antiquitatem Universalitatem Consensum That is to be held which hath been believed alwayes every where and of all And that we do if we follow Antiquity Universality and Consent When Simon Magus Ebion Cerinthus Menander Carpocrates with the Gnosticks other hereticks forsook the communion of the holy Catholick Church Justin Martyr and St. Irenaeus tells us what became of them Justin Martyr Secunda Apologia per Christianis how they ran into those excesses that the followers of Simon Magus worshipped him as the Son of God that appeared unto the Jews in Samaria And Irenaeus after Justin Martyr Irenaeus lib. 1 cap. 20. saith that Simon Magus is said to be honoured of Claudius Caesar of many he was glorified as God he Taught that himself was he who as the Son appeared amongst the Jews that in Samaria he descended as the Father and amongst other Nations he came as the Holy Ghost That himself also was the highest Power i. e. him who above and over all things is the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so exalting himself above all that is called God he also suffered himself to be called whatsoever men called him Who is the Father Eternal Moreover that his Trull Helena whom he called his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or prime conceit or principle did with him generate Angels and Powers of whom he also said that this world was made that according to his Grace men were saved that the God of the Jews was one of the Angels Created by him the said Simon and the said Holy Father St. Irenaeus in his 22 Chapter of his first book against Heresies chargeth the aforesaid Simon Magus to have said that he was the only Father who hath made Angels and Arch-Angels Virtues and Powers that his Picture or Figure was made according to the figure of Jupiter and of Selena or without doubt of Helena as Dr. Hammond notes after the figure of Minerva and these were to be worshipped Chap. 21. So Tertullian in his Tractate de Anima or of the Soul tells us How that Simon Magus was called of his followers The Highest or Soveraign Father Beloved I beseech you in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ to consider with your selves the dangerous and pernicious consequents of making Rents and Schismes in the body of Christ which is the Church It is a wonder if the Schismatick do find center till he become an obstinate Heretick or desperate Blasphemer witness that of Hacket who at his very Execution in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth died Blaspheming What should I speak of others in our own times know that out of Church there is no Salvation That the Church is known to be a true Spouse of Christ by that Faith and true Allegiance which she bears unto Christ This Faith is the Faith of Christ Crucified which she is not ashamed to confess with open mouth in the face of all the world Into this Faith she Baptized all them whom she listeth under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ In the defence of this faith which our holy Mother the Church of England professeth at this time dyed all the holy Apostles and Martyrs viz. Saint Peter St. Paul Saint James Saint John and Saint Jude and all the rest of the Apostles This is that same faith which was born witness unto by the first four General Councils Namely Council of Nice consisting of 318. Bishops Anno Dom. 326. the first Council of Nice called under Constantine the great wherein Arius and his adherents who denyed the Divinity of the Son of God Of Constantinople 400. Bishops and upwards Anno Dom. 383. were condemned for Hereticks So the Council of Constantinople holden fourty years after that first Council of Nice under the Emperour Theodosius the Elder against Macedonius the Heretick who denyed the God-head of the Holy Ghost Of Ephesus 200 Bishops Anno. Dom. 451. And the first of Ephesus summoned by Theodosius the Younger against Nestorious who affirmed two Persons in Christ Lastly the Council of Calcedon At Calcedon 600 Bishops Anno Dom. 451. called and convened under Martian the Emperour against Eutyches who asserted that there was but one Nature in Christ made up of the Divine and Humane All these Councils held and determined the same most holy Faith which is received in the Church of England which we have in our Liturgy or Publick Service under the Names and Titles of the Apostles Nicene and Athanasian Creeds In the defence and maintenance hereof dyed the renowned Saint Athanasius Saint Cyprian Iereuaeus and other the Holy and Learned Fathers of the Primitive Church And to come nearer home to our own times Cranmer was Arch Bishop of Canterbury Ridley Bishop of London Latimer of Worcester Hooper of Glocester Farrar of St. Davids these Goly Learned Bishops Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Farrar and those Godly Ministers also Saunders Taylor Bradford and many others under the Marian Persecution sealed this same holy Primitive Catholick and Apostolick Faith with their dearest heart-blood Not to trouble you with the instances of many faithful Confessours and Martyrs of a more Modern date whose blood cannot chuse but run fresh in most of our Memories All these I assure you dyed in the same faith which our Church hath taught us and doth still continue in teaching us to believe though hereunto too many I fear in our times who would be thought to be somewhat more wise then their Neighbours are too great Strangers This is that Faith upon which our Church is built and against which the Gates of Hell shall never be able to prevaile Though the Church be shaken by many confusions and disorders yet her Faith the best * Hae revelatio Patris est hoc Ecclesiae fundamentum est ●aec securitas aeternitatis est Hinc Regni coelorum habet clavem 2 hinc terrena ejus judicia coelestia sunt Hillac lib. 6. de Trinit security of Eternity is not shaken No! that remains still the same and so will do by the grace of God until the Angel in the Revelation shall proclaim that time shall be no more And now to conclude If any will forsake our Communion while we stand upon these terms I may justly say of them as Saint Ignatius said of the old Gnasticks and Disciples of Old Simon the Witch once and again before mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they had been true and genuine branches of God the Father they would never have been Enemies of

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY Not to be ABUSED OR Antient and Primitive Truth Correcting some Modern or New Abuses of that which is so much Pleaded for and so little Understood viz. Christian Liberty IN A SERMON Preached in the Church of Bridport within the County of Dorset on Sunday the Forenoon being November 3. 1672. before the Magistrates of that Burrough By Rich. Luce a Presbyter of the Church of England by Law Established London Printed for Rowland Reynolds at the Sun and Bible in the Poultry 1673. To the Reverend and his much honoured Friend and Neighbour Mr. Nathaniel Godwyn Rector of Bridport Reverend Sir YOur benevolent Admission of me to Preach in your Church to gratifie my good Friend Mr. George Spencer one of the present Bayliffs of your Town hath put me upon a little more Labour then I expected Yet I do not so much lay the blame upon your Admission which I pronounce free from blame as upon the over-imprudence of some whose Tongues being liquoured with the Oyle of Confidence have charged me with Rayling against the Kings Churches in my Sermon An odious Contumely indeed What! for a son of the Church of England to revile the Gods and speak evil of the Ruler of his People To fault the Edicts of his Soveraigne The Father of his Countrey And in a word the the nursing Father of this Church Sir now I declare unto you plainely whom I am bound notwithstanding to honour as a Father that you are highly concern'd Concern'd indeed that you would let me pass unchastised for profaning your Pulpit by so rude a Declamation wherein as is reported I was so unpardonably faulty But Sir seeing it is the usual practise of those who neither understand their duty to God or the King to abuse and traduce with all malice imaginable those who hinder the building of their Babel I am resolved in steed of any other Apology to expose my Sermon to your own judicious Examination And lest you should be thought to be over partial to your friend I know not what you can doe less then bring the Authour and his Sermon to a fair Trial. So without any more wordes when you have perused the Sermon which was preached before your self If you think it worth the Publication you may doe as you think fit with it and in order thereunto you may Command Chediock Nov. 18. 1672. Your most affectionate Friend and Fellow-labourer in the service of God King and Church Richard Luce. To the Worshipful and Loyal Bayliffs and Magistrates of the Borrough of Bridport in the County of Dorset Salvation in Christ Gentlemen I Here present that Sermon unto your eyes which was Preached unto your Ears in your Parish Church on the 3d. of this instant November I might have saved my self and you that labour had not some Tongues charged me with railing at the Kings Church for some so are pleased to call their New Erected Congregations in Contradistinction to the Church of England Established by the known Laws of this famous Kingdome Sirs If I have spoken amiss in any part or parcel of the ensuing discourse bear witness against me but if I have discharged my Conscience so far as became a Loyal Subject to his Majesty and an obedient Son of the Church of England no way Thwarting his Majesties Declaration in indulging his loving Subjects and wherein Himself hath declared his express Resolution Meaning and Intention to be That the Church of England be preserved and remain entire in its Doctrine Discipline and Government as now it stands Established by Law And this be taken to be as it is the Basis Rule and Standard of the general and publick worship c. You will be pleased to take this my humble Prostration of this ensuing Sermon as a sincere acknowledgment of my Obedience to his Majesty and all that are put in Authority under him both in Church and State and as a pledg of my hearty love to the publick Peace as well as to your selves whom with all that call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity I commend to your gracious direction and protection of Almighty God in whom I Rest Chediock November the 18th 1672. Your most affectionate Friend and Servant R. Luce. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY Not to be ABUSED 1 Pet. 2.16 As free and not using your or as the Original imports not having the Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God HE that goeth about to Perswade a Multitude saith the most renowned and judicious Hooker that they are not so well Governed as they ought to be Mr. Richard Hooker lib. 1. Eccles Polit. pag. 1. shall never want attentive and favourable Hearers Which comes to pass as that learned and godly Divine observed because they know the manifold defects whereunto every kind of Regiment is subject whiles yet they have not the Judgment to consider the secret Letts and Impediments or Difficulties which in publick proceedings are innumerable and inevitable And because as he adds such as reprove supposed disorders of state are taken for principal friends to the common benefit of all and for men that carry a singular freedome of mind under this plausible pretext whatsoever they utter passeth for good and currant That which wanteth in the waight of their speech is supplyed by the aptness of mens minds to accept and believe it whereas on the other side if we maintain things that are established we have not only to strive with a number of heavy prejudices rooted in the hearts of men who think that herein we serve the Time and speak in favour of the present State for our own advantages but also to bear such exceptions as minds so prepossessed with prejudice usually take against that which they are loath should be poured into them However it may happen to my self at this time in such a Chrysis of distempered humours in the minds both of the Masculine and Faeminine Gender I shall not be curiously inquisitive Though I durst not stand in Corahs Tents nor with his Rebellious Associates affront Moses and Aaron the King and the Priest Prince and Prelate with Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy And though I presume not in the least to Cavil against Acts of Parliament nor Edicts of Council-Table nor rudely to declaim against my Superiours or their sanctions to vent crude Politicks and impose them upon the Weak and Credulous Yet as the case stands you cannot take it amiss at his hands who hath very much Charity for your Souls if whiles he bespeaks you as Christs Free-men yet admonisheth you in the Language not of himself but of the Holy Ghost by blessed St. Peter in my Text as free and not using or not having the liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God If you look back into the precedent part of this Epistle you will find the Apostle setting forth the Priviledges and Dignity of our high and Heavenly

as in the solar beams displayes it self and spreads its rayes from the Seat and Throne of Majesty both in that so many Hundred Thousands are subjected to the power of o●e and in that the whole administration of a numerous People is in one hand and that the good estate of all dependeth on one alone under God So the inferiour Magistrates or rather those whom the Soveraign Power of the Prince hath put in Authority under him according to the Laws and Statutes Customes and Constitutions of his Realms Those I say by virtue of their Commissions and Charters receive a kind of an Impress of the Princess Majesty and Authority which as loyal Subjects and faithful Administrators of Law and Justice they are to improve for the glory of God the preservation of the publick peace according to the Laws of God and the known Laws of the Realm And who then is that Son of Belial that durst set himself in opposition to so solemn and sacred a sanction or what company of men durst violate so Divine a constitution Surely God will take this one day as an high affront done to himself and if any will be so impudent as to despise their Superiours whether in Church or State they may exspect to hear that in 1 Sam. 8.7 applyed against themselves They have not rejected Thee i. e. the lawful Superiour But they have rejected me that I should not raign over them God takes the dishonour which is done to those whom he hath placed in Authority over us as done to himself and this Refractory disobedients shall know one day both to their great grief and extreamest horrour unless God of his infinite mercy grant them repentance unto the humble and hearty acknowledgment and amendment of their most lew'd and wicked Errour Object But what need all this adoe Ad quid perditio haec To what end is all this wast we are Freemen we have a liberty c. to serve God according to our Conscience and what hath any man to say against it Solut. Ay! and have you a Liberty indeed A Liberty I say Well said But for what I pray you What! to say and do what you list I hope not so But if any of you durst think so or take it so I pray God you may see your mistake in time before it be too late You have a Liberty you say to serve God according to your Conscience I pray God when He shall call us all to a strict accompt and reckoning that that same thing which some call Conscience do not appear to be meer Humour and Obstinacy For they can shew us no grounds in all the World why their Enthusiasmes should be called the service of God And now I am come so far as to meet some who are hugely taken up with their New-erected Meetings neither may I baulk them though I must tell you I quarrel not with his Sacred Majesties Indulgence yet I cannot chuse but pitty their ignorance who so manifestly abuse it For let me demand of any Person breathing who dislikes the publick communion of the Church of England that refuse to joyn with us in prayers and praises in the service of God appointed in this Church in the hearing of the Word of God read and preached and in the participation of the blessed Sacraments I pray you upon what terms do you hold Communion one with another in your New erected Congregations or Societies if you do not openly and solemnly declare in the same societies and solemn Meetings of yours That you do renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of the wicked World all the sinful lusts of the flesh all the carnal desires of the same so as not to follow nor be lead by them do you profess openly and solemnly your belief of all the Articles of the holy Christian Faith And do your Speakers read unto you the Moral Law Do they call you to the obedience of Gods holy will and commandements And do they press you earnestly to walk in the same all the dayes of your lives do they press you and call upon you to confess dayly and hourly your sins unto Almighty God with an humble lowly penitent and obedient heart to the end that you may obtain forgiveness of the same by his infinite goodness and mercy do they teach you to pray and sue earnestly and heartily for the pardon of the many breaches and violations of Gods Law whereof you stand guilty before him and in the Courts of your own Conscienes do they teach you to pray unto God in and through the merrits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ for his special grace that He will incline your hearts to keep his Laws better for the time to come For mine own part I do declare my self freely to all the World how indifferent soever I am contented to be accounted in other matters which are but meerly circumstantial and arbitrable by common Authority yet without prejudice to any Person or Party I do solemnly declare it in the presence of God and in the face of this Christian Congregation That I cannot see good grounds for my self or any other Person professing Christianity to hold Communion with any Society whatsoever where the People are not put in continual remembrance of the Vow and Covenant which they have made with God in their Baptism where they have neither Creed nor Lords Prayer nor Ten Commandements nor the Doctrine of the Sacraments expounded much less the same Sacraments I mean of Baptism and the Lords Supper administred accordding to the order and form the judgment and practice of the Primitive Church For how can I or any man or woman seriously and in good earnest professing Christianity venture our Salvation in such a Communion where the faith once delivered unto the Saints is not openly confessed with the mouth so well as they pretend to believe it in their hearts especially seing the great Apostle speaks it so plainly That with the Heart Man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession of faith is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 I abhor such foolish Whimses to say no better and such horrid and dangerous Enthusiasmes to call them no worse which prefer every odd and idle fancy of any particular man or Minister whatsoever to the received Doctrine and Practice of the Universal or holy Catholick Church And so much the more for that the Apostle Saint Peter tells us plainly that no Prophesy of Scripture is of any private interpretation or resolution 2 Pet. 1.20 And surely if it be an absurd imposition of the Council or rather Conventio●… of Trent to change the Rule of the Christian Faith Sess 4. by Equiparating unwritten Traditions Decreto 1. with the very written word of God can we judge it less absurd in our Novellists at home who will have so many Creeds as Heads though never so contradictory each to other Beloved saith Saint Jude when I gave all diligencē to

the Cross of Christ But if in nothing else I may prevail with those who do dissent from us yet let them be perswaded whiles they have a Liberty not to use it or rather not to abuse it as a Cloak of Malitiousness Treason or Rebellion nor to Maintain any lewed Principles nor to set on foot any Malignant Practises against God or the King Church or State Friends or Foes But rather as becometh good Christians so let them demean themselves in all Places and upon all occasions and amongst all Companies as the Servants of God As free and not using or not having the Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God I know you expect somwhat to be said unto Persons in Authority by way of Advice but I have not had time to tumble over a Concordance according to the new mode of those who are hugely affected with the long-winded Cant. howbeit I shall not refuse to commend unto you two or three very pertinent places of Scripture to the purpose of your expectation The first shall be that in Exod. 18.21 which contains Jothro's Counsel unto Moses which sheweth you that you must endeavour to approve your selves able men such as fear God men of truth hating Covetousness The second shall be that of David 2 Sam. 23.3 He that Ruleth over men must be Just Ruling in the fear of God Remember you bear not the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 The Magistrate is Custos utriusque tabulae the Keeper of the two Tables of the Ten Commandments and however your Sword may not reach all causes yet so far as lyeth in your power let not disorderly living pass without such punishments as are confistent with Christian Charity You need not that much more should be said by me at this instant the Laws of God and the known Laws of the Land and the Constitutions of your own Society must direct you when this discourse of mine may be forgotten Let your own good example in frequenting the house of God together with your own Families according to the Order of the Church of England by Law establisht and your own Grave unblameable and discreet deportment put a blank upon dissenters And if the Rabble will needs cast scorn upon the Wisdome of God shining forth upon you in the Ministry of your Lawful Pastor Ordain'd and Constituted amongst you in due form and order of Law according to the known Laws of this Realm and the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of England piously and wholsomely made and provided It is your part and duty in especial manner to support and countenance him against all affronts and indignities which a factious and head-strong a Slanderous and Scandalizing Generation may cast upon him And for you that are sub potestate Constituti under the command of Authority I shall give you that same wholsome advise which follows immediately after the words of my Text Honour all men Love the Brother-hood Fear God Honour the King On which words I shall make no other Paraphrase than what the Church of England hath made to my hand in her most excellent and plain Catechism You shall next to the performance of your Duty towards God in believving in him Fearing him Loving him above all Worshipping him giving him Thanks putting your whole Trust in him Calling upon him Honouring his Holy Name and his Word and serving him truly all the days of your lives You shall I say next to the performance of your duty in this manner towards God not forget your duty towards your Neighbour that is to say You shall love your Neighbour as your self and do unto all men as thou would'st he should do unto thee Thou shalt Love Honour and Succour thy Father and Mother Thou shalt Honour and Obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him Thou shalt submit thy self to all thy Governours Teachers Spiritual Pastors and Masters Thou shalt order thy self Lowly and Reverently to all thy Betters Thou shalt hurt no body by Word nor Deed. Thou shalt be True and Just in all thy dealings Thou shalt bear no Malice nor Hatred in thy heart Thou shalt keep thy Hands from picking and stealing and thy Tongue from Evil-speaking Lying and Slandering Thou shalt keep thy Body in temperance Soberness and Chastity Thou shalt not Covet nor desire other mens Goods but shalt learn and labour truly to get thine own Living and to do thy Duty in that state of Life unto which it hath pleased God to call thee This is pure Religion and Undefiled before God and the Father indeed Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Rom. 13.3 For as St. Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good I beseech you Consider what is spoken and the Lord give you understanding in all things necessary in order to the Attainment of Everlasting Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost Three Persons and but One God be ascribed and rendered as of all due belongeth all Honour and Glory Praise Power Might Majesty Thanksgiving Dominion and Obedience both of us and of every Creature both now and for ever more Amen FINIS