Empty Name but carries very momentous Offices and Duties in it it implies a Zeal for the Honour of GOD and the True Religion and consequently it engages the Magistrate to study such wholesom Provisions as will advance the Ends and Interests of it to the utmost Boundaries of his Dominions and those that thus wait for CHRIST shall not be ashamed Isai. 49. v. 23. And now Sir I hope I have prepared You for the main Argument You proposed by informing You how the Magistrate is determined for the Interests of Religion and particularly those of this National Church SECT VI. I shall proceed to consider Whether the Restraint of the PRESS is not a Necessary Provision not only to advance the Interests of the True Religion but to preserve and maintain the Ends aud Designs of it as profess'd in a National Church And this will appear from the Necessity of a publick Establishment in Religion and the Pernicious Influences which the Liberty of the Press has upon it It 's already concluded that GOD has instituted a Governing Power in the Christian Church and the accommodating it to the Districts of the State and the Constituting the Civil Magistrate a Guardian and Protector of the Church of CHRIST is at least a sufficient Warrant of the Lawfulness of a publick Establishment if not an Indication of its Necessity Indeed since there are Governing Powers in the Church of CHRIST we must conclude that GOD foresaw a great many Difficulties and Miscarriages under the great Revolutions and Emergencies of Human Affairs which he has Authorized them to adjust correct and remove and this will justly infer the Necessity of publick Decrees Articles or Canons and that too in Matters of Faith Worship and Practice It cannot be denied but Scripture it self has established the Authority of such Powers and Injunctions and consequently it 's an indisputable Argument of their Necessity since GOD never imparts special Powers or Functions but he infallibly discerns the Necessity and Usefulness of 'em Thus we have General Rules directed to particular Churches in the business of Publick Worship That things be prescribed and done according to the Laws of Decency Order and Edification And no doubt St. Paul points at the same thing when he reminds Titus why he placed him over the Church of Crete That thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting Tit. 1. 5. So that we may justly conclude there 's a Power given to prescribe such Laws and Rules and make such Publick Declarations as manifestly tend to the Edifying the Body of Christ or as are requisite to maintain the Catholick Laws of Unity or the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace But to descend to particulars And first as to matters of Faith Indeed it will be easily granted That the Holy Scriptures are a compleat Rule of Faith and consequently they seem to be a competent Standard for the Governours of particular Churches to try the Faith of Christians by But yet we are assured that they contain a Great many things hard to be understood which the ignorant and unlearned wrest to their own destruction and consequently things of the greatest moment and importance Again we are assured that Heresies will come that there will arise False Christs and False Prophets and Men of corrupt Minds who have not only erred but are reprobate concerning the Faith In a word it 's impossible but Controversies and Divisions as well as Offences will come this is the case of every Tribe or Colony of Christians And is there no Judgment to be made in these Circumstances Are these Persons to be suffered to proceed in their Errors and pervert the Faith of others If this must be so for what End has the Blessed AUTHOR of our Religion placed Governours and Pastors in his Church and enforced their Authority by the Discipline of special Censure They cannot remonstrate against them without making a Judgment whether the Doctrine be of GOD or is consonant to the Canon of Faith And yet 't is their Duty to declare the whole Counsel of GOD in these Cases And certainly if Private Pastors are Authorized to expound the Sence of Scripture and make a Judgment in these Matters and expect the Directions of the Holy Spirit to wait on their pious Labours and Endeavours much more may an Assembly or Council of Church-Governours interpose state the Sence of Scripture and deliver a Definitive Sentence in express Articles and Decrees and expect the Influences of the same Spirit in the whole performance Certainly where two or three or more are for these Ends gathered together it may justly be presumed GOD will be in the midst of ' em These are Proceedings warranted by the Practice of the College of Apostles and of all particular Churches from their Days to this very Hour Such Errors Divisions and Miscarriages concerning the Faith authorized and gave birth to the Confessions of Faith in all Particular Churches They were the only Barriers against Heresie and Error and indispensibly necessary to preserve the Unity of the Faith and the Church of CHRIST from Distraction and Ruine To affirm that Scripture in these Cases is a sufficient Rule and reject all Interposals or Determinations pursuant to it is to mistake or perplex the Argument For tho' Scripture is an adequate Rule of Faith and Manners yet GOD has constituted Guardians and Trustees to assert the Sence of Scripture and enforce a Faith and Practice conformable to it and to deny this is in effect to discard the necessity of any Visible Ministry since Scripture with the help of private Reason is as much an adequate Rule in this respect as the other and consequently there could be no necessity of a standing Ministry It 's true these Publick Determinations these Confessions of Faith are not established upon a Spirit of Infallibility but they are not to be rejected or less necessary because not Infallible GOD has not thought fit to impart a Spirit of Infallibility in the Exercise of the Power of Excommunication yet Scripture establishes it as a Standing Ordinance in his Church A Spirit of Infallibility does not accompany the Ministerial Function and yet GOD has made it absolutely necessary In a word then in as much as they are Decisions grounded on Scripture supported by Reason and confirm'd by the joynt Authority and Suffrage of the Church of GOD in the earliest Ages and of Saints Confessors and Martyrs they are the most apposite Moral Instruments under GOD and the use of Reason to determine the Judgment and satisfie the Conscience or at least to stop the Mouths of Gainsayers as far as concerns the outward Peace of the Church In this Case they become indispensibly necessary there must be some External Umpire and Decision where Matters must at last terminate that the publick Peace and Unity things in the judgment of our Blessed Saviour of the greatest value and importance may not be sacrificed to the Dissentions Heats and Animosities of
Villages and Territories where a Temporal Magistrate was likewise placed As the Metropolis of every Province had its Proconsul in the State so it had its Archbishop or Metropolitan in the Church And when the Government of Patriarchs prevailed it was formed after the same Model either in Imitation of the Vicars or Lieutenants that presided over a Diocese composed of several Provinces or at least in Imitation of the Pretorian Prefects that had several Dioceses under their Jurisdiction Upon the whole then as we are assured That the forming a Government in the Church after the Model of that of the State was by Apostolical Institution so we may justly conclude that it was by the special Directions of the Holy Spirit And no doubt the great Design was to advance the Interests of Religion by placing every particular Church under the Protection of the State whenever it should become Christian. And certainly as it was the only true Expedient to enable the Civil Magistrate to execute that Trust that is lodged in the Character of a Father or Nursing Mother to the Church of Christ so it 's a considerable Argument that the Care and Protection of the True Religion is a standing Duty incumbent on the Civil Magistrate For to make the Districts of particular Churches terminate with those of Civil Governments was absolutely necessary to make the Civil Magistrate the Supreme Guardian of the True Religion and since 't is an Ordinance that may very justly be resolved into Apostolick Institution it 's a manifest Indication that the Civil Magistrate should be obliged punctually to answer the Character whenever he became Christian. SECT V. From hence we may gain a true Notion of the Rights and Authority of a National Church And truly if we duly weight the Premises we must conclude That it rests upon nothing less than Divine and Apostolick Institution For if the Apostles themselves constituted particular Churches with regard to the Districts of particular Provinces and the Government of the State and if it be a standing Duty in the Christian Magistrate to protect and advance the True Religion within his Dominions we must conclude That a Church is to be established upon that Model of Government which was instituted by our Saviour or his Apostles in every respective Nation over which the Magistrate is to preside as a Father or Guardian and Protector and such a Church is what in other terms is called a National Church and a Church thus established undoubtedly rests on the Authority of Divine or Apostolick Institution I would not be mistaken as if I intended to deny the being of a National or Provincial Church till it has obtain'd a Civil Establishment for it 's manifest the Churches of Greece and of the Proconsular Asia had a being and a distinct Denomination before Christianity was received in the Courts of Princes Indeed when a particular Church enjoys a Civil Establishment it receives as it were a new Authority in as much as it becomes a Civil Right or Property So that unless its Constitution is Materially vitious and finful it 's a high piece of injustice to destroy or infringe any of its Established Rights or Immunities But yet since the Magistrate is only the Guardian not the Founder of a National Church its Original Authority resting on certain positive Laws and Sanctions enjoyned by a Power superiour to that of the Magistrate even that of GOD Himself where-ever a Church in any Province or Nation professes the True Religion by an Orthodox Faith and a pure Worship under Lawful Church Governours and Pastors that is the True National Church in opposition to all dissenting Sects and Parties tho it wants the Authority of a Civil Establishment But to return From hence we may easily determine the merits of the Question in debate I mean When there are two or more Sects of Religion in any Government why the Magistrate is under an Obligation of protecting or rather advancing the one more than the other For First it is abundantly demonstrated that the Christian Magistrate ex officio is constituted a Guardian Father and Protector of the True Religion and therefore if in any Nation or Government the true Religion is professed in an Orthodox and a pure Worship under lawful Church Governours and Pastors there the Magistrate is indispensibly boundto act as a Guardian and Protector in opposition to all Models and Platforms that are advanced against it For by this alone he pursues the Great Design of the Apostolick Platform in the Institution of National Churches as well as answers that of his Character I mean as he 's Prophetically styled a Father to the Church of CHRIST It 's certain one Great Design of Christianity is Unity or to range all the Parts and Members of the Church of CHRIST into an Holy Building and therefore if the Magistrate is constituted a Guardian of the True Religion all his Offices of Succour and Protection must be directed to this End I mean the maintainance of the Bonds of Catholick Unity throughout his whole Dominions Without this the Great Ends and Proposals of so pure and holy a Religion cannot be accomplished and therefore whatever Indulgences or Exemptions the Christian Magistrate may rightfully grant to Erroneous Judgments or Consciences acted with simplicity and a pious Disposition he cannot upon the Laws and Oeconomy of the Gospel or any Authority derived to him from thence rightfnlly give a Positive Establishment within the Districts of the same Government to two Opposite Communions or Altars of Worship especially when one of them is founded in a revolt from a pure and Orthodox National Church This is the very reverse to a Protector and Defender of the True Religion For it implies a power to pervert the Great Design of the Christian Religion vis a Unity of Faith and Worship by dissolving the Bonds of Catholick Unity and Authorizing the Members of CHRIST'S Mystical Body to disband and break into Schisms and Factions whereas it's an External Rule That the Magistrate can only challenge a Power to Edification not to Destruction This is so far from being a Prerogative of the Magistrate that where a National Church is constituted under Lawful Governours and Pastors tho' there may be some Defects or Errors in her Faith Discipline or Worship he 's not to unhinge and demolish but to endeavour to correct and remove them by such Means and Instruments as GOD in his revealed Will has decreed and appointed and when this is done he 's not to suffer any opposite Sects or Factions so much as to break in upon any of her Apostolick Rights or Immunities For it 's manifest the Duty of a Guardian Parent and Protector is to use all prudent Methods to cultivate and improve to advance the Interests and enlarge the Priviledges of those under his Care much more to defend them from Violence or Incroachment To be appointed a Father and a Protector of CHRIST'S Church or the True Religion is not an
word it is concluded If a National Establishment is any way defective or unfound in Faith Worship or Discipline the Magistrate is to endeavour a Reform in a Regular and Canonical Method and this I 'm confident was never declined by the Established Church of England but if nothing of this Nature can with any force of Argument or Reason be charged upon Her then the Magistrate ex officio is bound to protect and defend Her in the Purity of Her Faith and Worship and in Her just Rights and Immunities exclusive of all other Sects and Parties especially where the Publick Peace and Unity is attempted by ' em If therefore the Liberty of the Press is apparently prejudicial to Her Interests Rights and Immunities or the Purity of her Faith and Worship I cannot find how the Magistrate can fairly be supposed to discharge that Trust GOD has laid upon Him without laying a publick Restraint upon it SECT IX But further The Restraint of the Press is necessary if we consider the pernicious Influences it casts upon Religion in General as 't is the direct Inlet to Scepticism Heresie and Infidelity It 's certain the Attempts of a Licentious Press are almost infinite and inconceivable Error as well as Vice is extreamly prolifick and even as numerous as the sand of the Sea the most virulent Poison may be gilded over and Varnish and Colour may be laid on the foulest Cause and consequently the Press may be the Parent of the grossest Errors under the Mask of Innocence Zeal or Charity And truly if Experience and Matter of Fact must decide the Controversie we are convinced that the Lewdest Notions that ever entered the Heart of Man have been of late advanced from the Press And moreover the Mischiefs that are this way propagated are much more fatal than any other First Because 't is the most Effectual way of Communicating ' em A Transient Harangue or Discourse tho' never so malignant cannot be so entirely lodged in the Memory as totally to infect the Judgement and after this it passes not much beyond the Present Audience But the Press is a standing Monument and Record that not only communicates the whole Poison and leaves it to rest upon the Mind or Judgment but conveys it to Posterity Again as the Mischief is more Successfully propagated so 't is more difficulty removed The Men of Learning Judgment and Probity may be engaged in Matters of too great Importance to be at leisure to obviate the Mischiefs of every Poisonous Libel but if it happens to receive a just Confutation it's odds it either reaches not the deluded Reader or loses its just Efficacy by not presenting it self before the Infection is rivetted and the Defence of the Error become a Point of Interest or Honour But that which is more fatal than all this is an Unrestrained Press gives a kind of Imprimatur to every thing that comes from it As the Case stands the Generality of Mankind are scarce able or at leisure to detect the false Colours of an Artificial Harangue much less enter into the Merits of any particular Controversie and in these Cases where a right Judgment cannot be made every thing that appears in publick must pass for Orthodox unless it has some publick Note of Distinction fixed upon it So that the most Heterodox Positions in this Case rest upon equal Authority with the most convincing Truths till they have received a Censure from the Government either in Church or State And Since Paradoxes are capable of receiving a plausible Dress and Downright Contradictions may be advanced under a shew of Argument what fatal Consequences may not we justly dread when Religion is the subject of both The Injudicious and Illiterate Reader is exposed to the Rack and left to be divided and torn in pieces between contrary Opinions and either hangs so long between both till he commences Sceptick or Infidel and Believes Neither or at least follows the Biass of Lust and Corrupt Nature and is carried away with Declamation and Harangue the Usual Artifices of a Bad Cause and consequently is inevitably plunged into Heresie and Error But further the Mischief rises higher yet for it 's concluded An Unrestrained Press is often the most familiar with the Established Religion and never spares in bringing Disgrace on any Branch or part of it It 's the Publick Mark of Envy or Malice and consequently never wants the most Furious and Envenomed Assailant But then this is the direct Method to usher in the most fatal Consequences for it will not only sap the Foundations of an Establishment by bringing Her Authority into Contempt it being the Moving Principle of all such Attacks but it strikes at the Reputation of Religion in General and makes way for resolving the whole into Sham and Imposture For when the Government suffers the Press to attack a Received Article of the Established Religion without the least Censure or Controul an indifferent Judge must conclude that both cannot be true And because Authority does not proceed to Assert and Vindicate its own Establishment or upon a fair Estimate establish and determine for the Truth he 'll conclude there 's no real Difference between Truth and Falshood and that Religion it self is nothing but a Set of Maxims calculated according to the several Aspects and Interests of Government This is so great a Truth that I 'm highly perswaded those publick and repeated Attacks made from the Press of late Years upon the Faith Authority Worship and Discipline of this Church so many Articles of Religion having been so professedly questioned and rejected is the Great Cause of that Scepticism and Infidelity or at least Contempt of Religion which so visibly reigns in this Nation Give me leave to represent the Force of the present Arguments in a single Instance It 's already concluded that the Press has appeared in a Line of Contradiction to two of our Publick Offices of Worship the Anniversaries of that Glorious Martyr King Charles the First and the Restauration of King Charles the Second They are by Royal Authority as well as Statute-Law made part of our Publick Service The whole Body of the Clergy are indispensibly bound to Celebrate them and the whole Legislative Power in a Solemn Manner joyns in the Celebration of 'em and yet we have Books published in Contradiction to 'em published in the most open and audacious Manner For the Press has not done its Duty by sending 'em into the World but they are publickly sold in the Shops and exposed to sale from our Publick Prints and Term-Catalogues Now what dismal Consequences can we imagine must attend such vile Practices Our Law-givers piously declare That By the Murder of Our late Dread Sovereign the Protestant Religion hath received the greatest Wound and Reproach and the People of England the most insupportable Shame that was possible for the Enemies of GOD and the King to bring upon us 12. Car. II. c. 30. But pardon me if I
pronounce the Liberty of the Press to have advanced some Degrees beyond this For the Fact with its Preliminaries is now not only levelled against the Authority of Law and consequently that Blasphemy and Reproach that is due to it is renewed and heightened but a manifest Blasphemy and Reproach is entailed on the very Cause of Religion Such Allowances as these must cause the Enemies of GOD to Blaspheme and tell us that we either Worship we know not what or that our Worship is a Solemn piece of Mockery or at least a piece of Lip-Devotion or rather that the whole of Religion is Cheat and Imposture For if these things be reconcilable there can be no Truth nor Reality in Religion and this or that Profession is no longer a piece of Religion than it runs with the Tide and Bent of a Community But now when things discover such a fatal Tendency as this is if there be any such thing as a Guardian of the Church of CHRIST and if the Magistrate by Divine Designation is invested with the Character it must be an Indispensible Duty to exert with Vigour and Resolution The whole Case will turn upon a short Issue if upon a Due and Regular Examination these Religious Offices are Materially Evil and Unwarrantable let 'em be set aside and abolished that GOD may be no longer trifled with and blasphemed nor His Pastors loaded with Hatred and Contempt by being bound up to the Observance of things that are not Warrantable But if notwithstanding the utmost Efforts of Malice and Declamation they appear to be a Pious and a Just Institution the Magistrate if ever must be obliged to endeavour a speedy Redress and since these Mischiefs apparently derive from the Liberty of the Press certainly the Trust of a Guardian can never be discharged without destroying the Evil in its Cause and consequently without laying a Powerful Restraint on it When a Mischief is thus dangerous and destructive it becomes the proper subject of a Law and is to be suppressed with all the Ensigns of Authority and Power And now Sir I hope I have in some measure answered Your Demands and discovered the Necessity of Regulating the PRESS and that too with Regard to the Ecclesiastical Establishment of this Nation and therefore I 'm inclined to perswade my self the Argument will have its just Weight and Influence on Your Zeal and Affection for the Publick Good as well as Judgment But that nothing may intervene to cause a Miscarriage I shall endeavour a short return to the most Considerable Objections that have been advanced against it SECT X. And first It may be objected That the Mischiefs of the PRESS may be effectually obviated by Particular Laws and that a Restraint of the PRESS from the Experience of former Times has not prevented ' em Now it must be confessed That the Law produced in the last Parliament may serve as a Bridle to the Deist Atheist and Anti-Trinitarian but this can by no means obviate the Mischiefs of a Licentious Press For there are other Truths and Doctrines set forth in the Christian Religion and this Established Church which if publickly oppugned must prove highly Injurious to the Main Design of the Christian Religion as well as the Peace of the Present Establishment such as the Doctrine of CHRIST'S Satisfaction by the Sacrifice of Himself the Doctrine of Grance or Divine Assistance How these have of late suffered the Publick has been too lately made a Witness if not a Judge But certainly the Mischiefs of the Press can never be fully obviated unless by the Restraint of it or at least by such a Law as makes it highly Penal to publish any thing in Writing that is level'd against any Branch of the Established Religion for since National Establishments appear to be absolutely Necessary for the Carrying on the Ends and Designs of the Gospel that which is amiss is to be regularly corrected and after this is done nothing is to be suffered that any-wise invades the Peace of such an Establishment But after all Penal Laws of this Nature are not so apt Instruments to prevent the Mischiefs that usually spring from the Press as an absolute Restraint of it when the Authority of a License or Imprimatur is wanting Such a Restraint destroys the Mischiefs in its Seeds and Principles it stops the Contagion in the very Spring or Fountain whereas such Laws take place at a Distance it may be when the Infection is propagated to a considerable Degree There is a solemn Process and a great many Formalities and Steps to be made which may serve as so many Advantages or Chances to escape the Force of the Law The Author is not only to be discovered but an Information given in and received too according to the Genius and Temper of the Magistrate and consequently the Undertaker must have Courage enough to bear the Title of Informer an Office which as the World goes neither the Justice nor Merits of the Cause can secure from Ignominy and Contempt Again there must be a Prosecution by course of Law and the Case examined and tried whether it falls within the Penalty of the Law and all this perhaps without the least Recompence to the Prosecutor for Expences or Attendance In a word a Verbal Recantation after the Labour and Difficulties of Conviction may render the Author Rectum in Curia and after this he may under Disguise go afresh to work at the small hazard of the least of Punishments I wish some Provisions of this Nature had not been wanting in the late Act against Profaneness and Immorality whereby a Pious Design may become Insignificant and Useless For upon this bottom while the Press is open I 'm afraid the Enemies of our Establishment will publish their Notions with the Satisfaction of secret Smiles and Triumphs But now if the Press were shut till an Imprimatur is obtained the mere want of one is a Competent Evidence for Conviction and tho' some may be so daring to expose their Notions at the hazard of their Safety yet such a Restraint of the Press gives this considerable Advantage That whatever comes forth without Authority carries its own Mark in the Title-page and consequently gives an Alarm to the incautious READER of Infection and Mischief SECT XI But Secondly it is objected That such a Restraint of the PRESS is a giving up the Consciences and Judgments of Mankind to a Party and a condemning them to an Implicit Faith and is a direct Method to involve the World in Ignorance and Error As for the First part of the Objection If an Orthodox National Church is the Party intended I may safely affirm That as it is the Duty of every Person within her Communion to conform to her Faith Worship and Government so I hope it already appears that it 's a standing Duty in the Magistrate as well as Church Governours not only to enforce all Gospel Means to bring every Soul into the Pale of it but
to Maintain and Cultivate the Purity of its Faith and Worship against all the Attempts of its Enemies If any thing is unsound and deficient GOD has invested a Power of using such proper Means in the Governours of his Church and the Believing Magistrate as under his Divine Protection will secure a True and Orthodox Religion but if nothing of this Nature can be truly charged upon Her when Endeavours have been made in this kind tho' there may be no foundation by Violence and Force to compel Men to be of one Mind and one Heart yet the Magistrate is of Right as well as Duty bound not to suffer her Peace to be Disturbed or her Faith and Worship shaken by Publick Harangues and Professed Declamations This is no Persecution but a Necessary Provision whereby the Designs of an important Trust committed to the Magistrate are fulfilled and answered I mean that of a Guardian and since it is so I cannot imagine why any Government should be slack in the Exercise of a Just Power especially since all sides are sensible how much Unanimity in Matters of Religion contributes to the Publick Weal of a Nation And truly if to this Just Law another as Equitable were established That Persons who will not content ' emselves with the Communion of the Established Religion should thereby be uncapable of any Places of Trust or Office either in Church or State as we find it in Neighbour Countries I question not but it would have produced a greater Unanimity in Matters of Religion than the most hopeful Projects of Comprehension As the Case now stands the Tolerated Party is envigorated with the Hopes of one Day reducing every thing to their own Model but certainly had an Incapaciting Clause been fixed to the last Act of Grace I mean that of Toleration it would not only have proved an invincible Bulwark to our Pure and Apostolick Establishment but the most Healing Principle of Unity that could have been contrived or thought of SECT XII But to return As to the Charge of Implicit Faith it must be confessed That the Depriving Mankind of any of those Means or Instruments which GOD has appointed for the Discovery of His Revealed Will is a direct Invasion of the Privileges of a Christian and a considerable step towards the Introduction of an Implicit Faith But I presume it cannot be pretended that an Unlimited Power of Printing is one of those Means which GOD has appointed for the Discovery of the True Religion If so GOD seems to have been very much wanting to his own Designs in not communicating the Art by some Apostle or Prophet long before it obtained in the Christian World But it 's well known the True Religion rests upon other Foundations it was Established in Purity and Perfection long before this useful Art was formed or thought of and I question not will long continue so unless the Privilege of Printing the lewdest and most Heretical Notions subvert its Foundations As for this National Establishment I challenge her most avowed Enemies to produce one single Instance wherein she denies her Members the use of any Divine or Apostolick Means that are Instituted for the Discovery of the True Religion Our Church imposes no Article of Faith upon pure Church-authorities she recommends every thing to the Mind and Conscience upon rational Motives and Convictions She is careful to publish useful Discourses in Matters of Faith and Practice and in a word every thing that is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of GOD may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works She does not only allow but exhort her People To examine themselves whether they are in the Faith She denies 'em no Means of Information she does not only lay open the Well of Life or Fountain of Living Waters the Holy Scriptures but recommends 'em to their Search and Enquiry even to the Trying of the Spirits by them She allows 'em to propose their Doubts and Scruples to their Spiritual Pastors and administers Counsel and Advice upon the force of Reason and Scripture In a word as she conceals nothing of the whole Counsel of GOD so she admits all their Proposals by way of Enquiry and Information So that there is nothing wanting of those Means GOD has instituted to enable every Man To give a reason of the Hope that is in him Where then is that Nursery of Implicit Faith and Ignorance If Mens Judgments by all these Methods cannot or will not be set right and informed shall they challenge a Right to publish Dogmatically what they pretend to retain on no other Authority than that of a weak Conscience to bear down a rightful Establishment Are all the Means of Information useless and to be despised if this is not suffered Must they from Examiners and Enquirers immediately commence Doctors and Dictators and deliver their Sentiments with equal Authority to that of the Established Religion Where is that Spiritual Tyranny or Blind Obedience when they may propose their Arguments Doubts and Scruples to Private Pastors or a Publick Convocation when they may depute Proxies and be admitted to Conferences and Publick Debates without Passes of Safety without the Dread of an Inquisition or of a Writ de Hoeretico comburendo These are Privileges that may be obtained for asking and they are the most apposite Methods for the distinguishing Truth from Falshood They are such as GOD has appointed and consequently such as GOD may be presumed to give a Blessing to When therefore an Establishment has done all this shall the Magistrate that is constituted a Guardian and Trustee in the Church of CHRIST suffer the consciences of Men to be distracted and the Publick Peace of the Church invaded by the bold Cavils and Harangues of every Unreasonable Gainsayer SECT XIII Thirdly 'T is objected That every one not only of Natural Right but in point of Duty particularly that of Charity may and ought to publish whatever appears to be Truth for the Information and Direction of others and consequently the Restraint of the Press that abridges this Right must be unlawful and unjust But First it 's an indisputable Truth That the Natural Rights and Duties of Private Persons are perpetually consonant to the Rights and Interests of Publick Societies and the Exercise of the former is for the most part to be regulated and determined by the latter Again Whatever the Rights and Interests of Private Persons may be the Magistrate is absolutely entrusted with the Preservation of the Publick Peace and consequently may rightfully suppress every thing that is level'd against any Branch of the Publick Establishment since such Attempts unsettle the Minds of a People and engender intemperate Heats and Animosities and consequently carry a direct Tendency to Disorder and Confusion All Governments give a latitude for private Opinions and Sentiments and therefore do not usually extend their Tests or Subscriptions beyond Places of Trust or Publick Employments