and Christian way then all these put together To bear with one another to leave judging censuring despising persecuting to leave men to those Sentiments which they have contracted from insuperable weakness or less happy Education whilst they are good men good subjects good Christians sound in the Faith and Worship God no worse then the Scripture commands them And he that cannot Indulge his brother sound in the Fundamentals and walking together with his brethren so far as he has attained let him prate of peace till his Tongue akes 't is evident he would not purchase Peace with Shoobuckles The Apostle has recommended this expedient to us by his own example 1 Cor. 9. 20 21. which the Enquirer could see to quote and not to understand Unto the Iews I became as a Iew that I might gain the Iews To them that were without the Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without the Law To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some It seems the Blessed A postle had not yet learnt to snickle the private Conscience with his publick Authority That which he quotes from Greg. Naz is indeed more considerable to his design Who affirms how St. Basil dissembled the Coesseutiality of the Holy Chost and delivered himself in Ambiguous Terms on that point least he should offend and loose the weak The Reader will conclude by these instances that though the Enquirers designly open to condemn the Dissenters yet his Mediums do strongly plead their Cause We are illustrated with an Apostle with a famous Bishop both eminent for their Condescentions to the weak such as laid not the stress of the Churches Peace upon their own Wills or A postolical power or Ecclesiastical Authority nor defined too severely Controverted points and yet when he comes to the Application the duty of yelding is pressed upon the Dissenters Whose coming up in a hundred points were perfectly insignificant unless they could nick the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Canon-Conformity I would ask the Enquirer whether the Dissenters ever pleaded to be gracified in so weighty a point as the Coessentiality of the Holy Spirit Or whether Ambiguity or a handsome equivocation there must be one of those things we must give for Peace If neither of these he might have spared Bafil if not for our sake yet for his own And out of all these excellent Materials we expected he should have composed a Speech to the Reverend Bishops My Lords I have humbly set before your discerning judgments the great example of the Great St. Basil and the greater instance of the famous Dr of the Gentiles persons whose Authority in the Church and wisdom to manage that Authority was without disparagement equal to the same Qualifications in your Lordships And yet their hearts so humble when their places were so high their Condescentions greater then their Exaltations carries somewhat in it of that Divinity which bespeaks your Imitation They would become all things to all men though sin to none They were ambitious to wiâ—… the weak by Meekness and not to wound the weak by Majesty The way of Peace lyes plain before you stâ—…p to them in things Indifferent who cannot rise to you in what they call sinful your yeelding to the weak will be your strength And whilst you gain tender Consciences to the Church you will gain Immortal honour to your selves Let it be the glory of your lives that you have made up our Breaches and not the Epitaph of your Tombs That the way of Peace you have not known He comes now to the Grand example indeed that of our Blessed Saviour which if it be but faithfully alledged and Congruously applyed must silence all dispute and conquer the must restif reluctancy Let us then hear how Christs example leads us to Conform 1. Christ complied with the Rites and Customs he found What right or wrong 'T is true he complied with those he found because he found such Rites and Customs as were warranted by the Law He was Circumcised True It became him to fulfil all Righteousness He did eat the Passeover Very true He was made under the Law He wore their Garments spoke their Language No doubt of it He was a Jew by Birth and approved himself a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God 2. He condescended to the very humours of that stubborn people True Not by Imitating them not assuming the person of a Iewish Zealot but mildly reproving their irregularities He came not in the blustering Whirlwind nor in the terrible Earthquake but in the still small voice of Evangelical Meekness He came not to break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax but rebuked his mistaken Disciples that they understood not the spirit of the Gospel nor what a temper it called for that they must needs fetch fire from Heaven to Consume the truly Schismatical Samaritans when they should rather have Castigated their own heats and calmed their own passions which were kindled from a worse fire I expect still how he will accommodate this Condescention of our Blessed Saviour to his purpose for either the Dissenters must be those stubborn people and then if the Clergy will imitate their Lord and Master they must condescend to their very Humours or else Dissenters must in imitation of Christ condescend to the Clergy and then it supposes them to be the stubborn and inflexible party Besides Condescention in Inferiours to Superiours will be very improper Language 3. He used their phrase in his Discourse And the Non-conformists speak as proper English as their Wit serves them that they cannot Adorn their conceptions or cloath their thoughts in thunder 〈◊〉 ping Phraseology may perhaps be their Misery but certainly not their Sin 4. He observed their Feasts We Question it not He came to do his Fathers will and amongst other particulars that also of observing what ever Ordinance was of Divine Institution But the Render must know here 's a secret Argument couch't in these words against Non-conformity which I will ingenuously own and 't is this The Jews had instituted a Feast in Memory of the Dedication of the Temple Now this Festival had not the character of Divine Institution and yet this Feast our Saviour solemnized and who then can be so refractory as not to observe the Holy-Dayes and consequently all other Humane Constitutions which bear no direct Repugnancy to the Law of God I shall neither assert at present that this Festival had Divine Warrant nâ—…r deny that it was properly of a Religious Nature but this I return That it appears not that our Saviour performed any Act or spoke any Word that may be interpreted or Construed an approbation of that practise All that appears is from 10 Iâ—… 22 23. And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication and
design of its Institution I shall say the less because others will say the more some say it has distracted more Devotions than ever it united And others That it has accommodated them as much as could be expected from a Humane Contrivance that had no more of Christs Authority for its institution and therefore could expect no more of his Blessing for the success That this or any other Liturgy was an Expedient appointed by Christ to unite Mens Devotions he may explain and attempt the proof of at his best leisure But that Christ has not been wanting to his Church in leaving her the proper and sufficient means for the advancing of Devotions and uniting affections we are satisfied and so fully contented that we shall seek no further That Protestants in the days of Edw. VI. â—…d Rejoyce in the Liturgie Dissenters will not deny An English Liturgie left free was better than a Latin Mass Half a Loaf was much better than no Bread To them who had been in such Daâ—…kness and Bondage any Light any Liberty were most grateful The first Original of Liturgies as is express'd in the Preface to our own was that the whole Bible should be read over or the greatest part of it once every Year intending thereby that the Clergie and especially such as were Ministers of the Congregation should by often reading and meditation of Gods Word be sâ—…rred up to Godliness themselves And further that the People by daily hearing of the Holy Scriptures read in the Church should continually profit more in the Knowledge of God But these many Years past this Godly and Decent Order of the Ancient Fathers â—…ath beenâ—… so alter'd bâ—…oken neglected by planting in unceâ—â—ain 〈◊〉 Legendâ—… Responds Verses vain Repetitions Commemorations and â—â—nodâ—…ls that c. And moreover whereas St Paul would have such Language spoken to the People in the Church as they might understand and have profit by hearing the same The Service 〈◊〉 this Church of England hath been read in Latin to the People which they understood not so that they have heard with their Ears only and their Heart Spirit and Mind have not been edified thereby From hence we are evidently taught First that the true Original of Liturgies was only an Order for the Methodical Reading of the Scriptures for the benefit of an ignorant Clergy and sottish People and Secondly that that wherein the Reformers gloried to have out-done Popery and edified the People was that they had procured them their Woâ—…hip in a Language understood When therefore I hear these Popular Harangues How happy this Church and Nation was in Edw. VI. days In what Glory and Majesty the Prince Reigned in what Peace and Concord the Subjects lived how Devout and Pious an Age that was I am ready to think that as the Graves of Patients do hide the faults of Physicians so the follies and vanities of those days are buried in their own graves too for Dr. Heylin had almost perswaded me That the death of that Prince was none of the Infelicities of the Church of England But our Enquirer has set him right again and his days were the Golden Age of Reformation his Reign the Glorious Pattern of Peace and Concord and so shall continue till the next occasion those Men have to reproach the Reformation and then Edw. VI. days shall be an Infelicity again and as great a prejudice to Religion as ever So easie it is for a cunning Orator with his orient Colours to fill up the wrinkles of a furrow'd Face and again to deform the most Beauteous Complexion just as it pleases Master Painter The total summe of all is thus much The Primitive times were Glorious for Piety in Polydore Virgil's days and those of Popery there was a great deal of Sincere Devotion In the beginning of the Reformation affairs were in an excellent posture but now all 's degenerated and a Lukewarm Neutrality and Lazy Indifferency has over-spread the Face and crept over the Heart of Religion And what should be the matter What is the Reason of this sad change Why Men are not so fond of Ceremonies as they used to be and People have resolved against the building of Churches and endowing them But let us hear him Lament the change All Zeal then cold Indifferency now Then all Harmony now all Discord Then the Society of the Church was so venerable that to be cast out by Excommunication was as dreadful as to be Thunder-smitten But now it 's become a matter of some Mens Ambition to be cast out Then few or none but frequented the Church now the Church is become the Conventicle and the Cinventicle the Church as to frequency Then the Liturgie and publick Prayers were counted a principal part of Gods Worship now they aâ—… nothing without a Sermon Then there were few things that were scrupled but now it s become the great point of Sanctity to scruple every thing It will be time for me and the Reader to take our leave of this learned Introduction when we have observed and returned a few things 1. That the true Reason why there is more Discord now than at that time is because there are more difficult terms of Peace and Concord Several things were then in use which were not imposed Many were permitted to discharge their Ministerial Functions without subscription to the new terms and conditions of Communion It was pretty well in Queen Elizabeths Reign before A. 〈◊〉 Whitguift could strain Conformity to it's height and yet they are now screwed much higher Restore Indifferent things to their Ancient Liberty and we shall soon arrive at our Ancient Amity 2. That Excommunication has so much lost its former Authority upon the Conscience and become so like a Brutum Fulmen is to be imputed to these Reasons 1. Because that Thunderbolt is darted out for meer trifles some have been delivered over to Satan for a Groat Now it 's a sure Maxime That nothing will bring a Law sooner into disuse and contempt than the Disproportion of the penalty to the Offence It will be difficult to perswade weak understandings that that can be of God which has but one sort of punishment for all sorts of Crimes and the same Rigour for Vertues as for Vices To be delivered up for a Penny exposes to the same inconvenience as if it were a Pound and it shall fare as ill with him that scruples at a Ceremony as with him that commits Whoredom and some say the former has more evil in it than the latter though you throw in Drunkenness Swearing and half a dozen more such into the reckoning 2. It has been made an Engine to gratifie some Mens Passions and exonerate their Spleen upon the Innocent and nothing renders Iupiters Thunder more despicable than when the wretched Salmoneus shall dare to imitate it 3. It has been so frequently practised in pecuniary matters that Men discern it not to be a Spiritual Weapon Money has been a Lock to shut Men
it and I cannot loose my right through his malice Navar indeed cells us That Mortale est peccatuâ—… Audire Missam aut Recipere Sacramenta à notorio Concubinario That its a mortal sin to hear Mass from a notorious Whore maâ—…erly Priest but honest Suarez corrects that preciseness and clears it up that That Prohibition is repeated by the Council of Constance So that in this one point the Papists are as Orthodox as our Enquirer can reasoâ—…bly desire and have laid no Stone of offence at which any onâ—… might stumblâ—… into separation They do indeed hold That Holiness is necessary in a Priest necessitate praecepti and I hope even â—…e will not deny that but that they held iâ—… not absolutâ—…ly necessary necessitate medii so as that the absence thereof will make a nullity in all Ministerial Acts or render them utterly veid and of none effect and that 's as much as he can prove The Papists then are taught no such matter § 2. Protestants may without contradiction to their principles separate from a person who by Law is vested with all the Tythes Profits Perquisites Emoluments of a Parish whatsoever whether he be called Parson Vicar Curate if withal he be ignorant and not apt to teach Erronious and does worse then not teach and scandalously prophane and so does unteach all he taught before He must have a good Stomack that can receive the Sacramental bread from him out of whose nasty hands I could not take my Coâ—…poral Bread without a Vomit If a Preacher shall constantly Preach Heresies and damnable Doctrines such as the entâ—…rtainment of them would destroy my Soul must I venture the ruine of it out of civility and run the risque of being damned for fear of one of those Theological Scâ—…rcrows which men have set up to fright us into Compliance Can I in Faith expect that God will deliver me from Evil â—…hen I lead my self into Temptation Can I hope that he will preserve my Judgement untainted when I expose my self to be practised upon by the cunning insinuations of a sly deceiver and set my self as a mark for Satan to shoot at Mr Harding I remember presses the Reverend Iuel with this Be the Bishop of Rome's life never so wicked yet we may not sever our selves from the Church of Rome The Learned Man Answers from Cyprian Plebs obsequens praeceptis Dominicis Deum metuens à peccatore praeposito separare se debet A People that obey Gods commands and fears him not only may but ought to separate from a wicked Minister Art 4. And yet he understood the Principles of Protestants as well as our Enquirer But let Cyprianus Africanus go which way he pleases we have a greater than he Cyprianus Anglicus who in his discourse with Fisher from that Text Rom. 16. 20. Mark them which cause divisions amongst you Observâ—… to 〈◊〉 That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the causer of the Division is the Schismatick The prudence which we use in flying the Contagion of a scandalous Miâ—…ister does not imply that all his Minisâ—…erial Acts are meer Nuâ—…lities nor that God may not possibly concur wiâ—…h his Ministry to advance my Spiritual welfare but that a Soul is a Being so precious bought with a Price so precious the loss of it so irrecoverable and my whole concerns embarqued in the bottom that I ought not to expose it to apparent danger upon presumption of what God can or may do for ordinarily we know that â—…od delights to serve himself of the labours of those Instruments who having dedicated themselves inwardly to the Service of God in the Gospel do Sincerely design and Zealously pursue the glorifying of his Name in the turning Sinners from their evil ways to God which we may reasonably suspect of them whose Lives witness that they have no concern for others Salvation who have so little for their own The Apostle Paul commands his Son Timothy 1 Ep. 4. 16. To take heed to himself and so the Doctrine for in so doing he should both save himself and those that heard him More then implying that the Soul of another will never be dear to him to whom his own Soul is cheap As my running from a Pest-house does not suppose that all must necessariâ—…y die that come within its Walls but that it becomes a prudent Man to dwell not where he may possibly escape death but where he may most probably secure his life So my with-drawing from an heretical and scandalous Minister does not imply a necessity of damnation by attending upon his Ministry but that a Soul is too precious a concern to be put to that adventure In all matters of lesser moment we exercise our wisdom freely without the least scruple in our selves or rebuke from others If an Act of Parliament were made by advise of the Convocation it self that no sick person should consult any other Physician but only him that dwells in the Parish nor any one to take advise of other Councellor than him that dwells in the Viâ—…age he that knows how difficult it is to keep and preserve health and estate how much more difficult to recover them when lost would without any Prefaces of Modesty take leave to seek out the most experienced in their faculties and to become a civil Non-conformist to those Injunctions There 's no Man but will tell Money after his own Father and thinks it no incivility that he will see with his own Eyes and not anothers and why my Soul must be hazarded in a Complement as if it were the most inconsiderable trifle in the world I cannot once Imagine And the rather because if by my imprudent choice I should destroy my Soul the sin and guilt will lye upon my self alone but if I should ruine it by the neglect of timely escape none can give me security that he will answer for my folly before the Judge of all the Earth Nor can it be imagined that I should be such an Enemy to my own Soul as to destroy it wilfully or that any other should have a greater kindness for it than my self and when I find them not over tender of my Body Estate Liberty Good Name Life or Livelyhood which they have seen they have cautioned me into a jealousie that they can have no such miraculous good will to my better part which they have not seen I have heard of a Gentleman who having a Son fitted by Academick Learning for fome serviceableness and employment was much perplext within himself upon what particular Calling to fix for a future livelyhood He consults his Friâ—…nds and with them thus Debates the Case If I design him a Physician he must study long and gain good experience before any judicious person will put his Life into his Hand which he values so dear If I should educate him towards the Law he must wear out many a year before the wary World will intrust an Estate under his management The only way therefore will be to make him
received any such command to invent and impose Ceremonies she can tell us where others may read it as well as her self And to conclude at present they say That this one Principle granted That the Church may impose upon her Members whatever is not expresly forbidden does either put the Body of Christians under a more heavy Yoke then that of the Iews or else torment them with fears that they may be so And indeed supposing this exorbitant power to impose parts of Worship or Ceremonies or any of these things in Debate the condition of the Iews was much more desirable in this respect then that of Christians For § 1. Their Law-giver was Iehova who had an absolute and unlimited power over them and they that are Gods Creatures will not grudge to be his Servitors He was Lord paramount of Worship and Conscience and might he not be allowed to do what he would with his own He is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and shall they not live in subjection to him who expect to live in a Kingdom with him Since there is a necessity of obedience it sweetens it unspeakably that it 's both Interest and Priviledge to obey and that he who requires obedience is their God a God whose Will is the Rule of Righteousness and therefore the most satisfactory Reason of his Commands and his Creatures Duty And Implicit Obedience is then Honourable when God calls for it § 2. As their Law giver had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority to Command so he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a power to influence the weakest Elements He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had absolute Sovereignty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of Almighty power which was a double encouragement to the observers of his precepts For 1. He was hereby able to secure the Obedient in his Service upon which Account Christ claims the Legislative Power over Conscience â—…am 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy 2. By this Power he could render efficacious these Rudiments which in themselves were but beggerly Ordinances and produce by them Spiritual and Supernatural effects And I am 〈◊〉 the rather to think that God has not committed the â—…ral Power of instituting much less the Sovereign Power of imposing Religious Ceremonies and Observances because he has not communicated that other Power to bless their own appointments â—…or invigorate them with success God may well be allowed to Command what he pleases seeing be can and will bless whatsoever he Commands § 3. Their Law-giver was Faithful one to whom they might securely commit their Consciences one with whom they might â—…ith the greatest satisfaction of Heart commit their Souls He â—…hat has a sole right to any thing will be faithful in keeping it because 't is his own and who may better be entrusted with the Guardianship of Worship and all Religion then their Owner But though we ought not to be Censorious yet we may and ought to exercise some prudence and caution to whom we resign our selves in matters of Religion though the best of Men not knowing how they may use us but well knowing that we may more easily Captivate ourselves to the Will of an Imposer then being once enthralled vindicate our selves into our Christian Liberty Or if for no other Reason yet for this because they are but Men. § 4. The Jewish Yoke was a determinate Yoke It was Onus but Determinatum A Burden but a stinted Burden It 's no small alleviation to the Labourers toyl when he knows his work to the Traveller that he knows his Journeys end The fews had their work before them but upon the Modern Principle The burden of Christians is Indefinite which is but a better word for Infinite The Truth is in these Humane Impositions we see the beginning but no Man knows the end of them it 's a Nemo scit Our load must be bounded with no other Limits then a Churches Will and that Will perhaps bounded with no other then its Power since it 's Canoniz'd for good Divinity That the Church may impose whatever is Decent and that the Church is Iudge of what is Decent though who the Church is is not so certain § 5. Their Law-giver was one of known and approved Tenderness who either apportioned his work to their strength or their strength to his work he fitted the Yoke to their Neck and their Neck to the Yoke The main thing that renders Christs own Yoke so easie his Burden so light is that as his Authority imposes so his strength supporta Men may lay heavy burdens on our Shoulders but where there is most need cannot touch them with one of their Fingers § 6. Their Law-giver was one who in all his Impositions consulted their own good and benefit as wel as exercised his own Authority The Iews wrought hard indeed but their work had much of wages in 't The design of their Mystical Rites and Ceremonies directed them to a Saviour Legal Administrations well order'd were Gospel Priviledges Before Christ came Ceremonies were Illustrantia such as discovered the Person Nature Office and Grace of the Messiah a Candle is better then no Light but to us they are all Obscurantia such as darken the state of Christianity As before the Sun-rising the Prodromous Clouds whose edges are fringed with Gold comfort us with the hopes of an approaching greater Light which when the Sun is up do but darken the Horizon Thus did Ceremonies illustrate Christ at the Annuntiation but obscure him at his Advent It will be needless further to Vindicate the Dissenters I shall leave them to the Enquirers Patronage who by the same Reason that he justifies the Church of England from Popery will I hope clear the Non-conformists from Judaism p. 12. All says he is not to be accounted Popery which is held or practised by the Church of Rome Nor say I is all to be accounted Judaism which was either the principle or practise of the Iewish Church p. 13. Nor is it reasonable to say such a thing is received from the Church of Rome because it is there to be found unless it be found no where else And as little Reason to say the Dissenters have received this Principle from the Jews That no Worship is lawful for that is their Principle but what is prescribed by the Scripture unless it were found no where else But this was a Principle so clear in the Light of Nature that Numa the great Ritualist of Heathen Rome durst not hope that ever his Ceremonies would ever obâ—…ein amongst a people that had Fyes in their Heads unless he had or pretended to have a Conference with his Goddess Aegeria Thus the Palladium of Troy that Mystick Ceremony in which the Fate of their City was wrap'd up is supposed to have come down from Minerva the famous Image in Diana's Temple ' Acts 19. 35. is supposed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fallen from Jupiter and
especially sets us at Liberty to pursue our own Reason And can he pretend to be a Rational Creature that will not submit to it's Dictates If ever Christian Liberty have scope enough it must be when it exspatiates in the fields of our own Reason I am confident the most straight-Laced precisian cannot pretend he is pincht But now the Limitation And to Obey any Laws of men that shall not contradict the express Laws of the Scriptures I suppose there are very few or none in the world that form their Laws expresly contrary to Scripture Laws and yet they may make such as may as effectually frustrate the design of Scripture Laws as if they had in Terms point blanck contradicted them A rare Liberty this is and was the foundation of that Gentlemans humour who profess't he would Preach in a Fools Coat if the King should Command him For I do not remember that that contradicts any express Law amongst all the crafty devices of the Devil to induce our Grand-mother Eve to eat of the Tree of Knowledge and of all the weak excuses of Eve for eating of that Tree I wonder This was not thought on that it was not contrary to any express Law of God For. 2. Gen. 16. God commanded the man saying of every Tree of the Garden thou may'st freely eat But of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat But it seems the Devil had not learnt the Sophistry to evade the precept because the express Law was given to the man and not to the woman There are Consequâ—…ntial Laws which we have no liberty to contradict That a Minister contradiâ—…t not destroy not the ends of his Ministry a Christian the ends of his Christianity And it had been impossible that all Negatives should be expressed Thou shalt not stand upon thy head Thou shalt not wear a Fools Coat Thou shalt not play at Dice or Cards in the Worship of God but thus he thinks he has made goodprovision for a safe conformity to the Ceremonies because it is not said Thou shalt not use the Cross in Baptism Thou shalt not use Cream Oyl Spittle Thou shalt not conjure out the Devil At which back-dore came in all the Superstitious fopperies of Rome And with this passeport we may travel all over the world from Rome to the Port from thence amongst the Tarrars and Chineses and conform to all for perhaps we shall not meet with one Constitution that contradicts an express Law of Scripture 4. Concession p. 191. I have a power in utrámque and may do or leave undone all those matters that are not defined in Scripture This indeed makes amends for all for if it be part of my liberty to leave undone what 's not defined there as well as to do what is not so I have no great Reason to complain for want of liberty but yet there is a Restriction behind that recals one half of this According as publick Laws and the ends of all Society shall require Thus all along the Reader will observe that he seems to retreat from his Fort in the Concession and when we are mounted he springs his Mine and blows us all up with his Retractation The summ of this liberty then is thus much we have a liberty in utramque but you shall be determined to one you may do which you will provided you do which another commands you you may pursue your own Reason provided you do not pursue it but the publick wisdom you are not tyed up to any other insâ—…itutions save only those plain ones of the Gospel provided you be obliged to such other as Authority commands This is such an â—…tramque that I have been studying what should be the substantive to it and I cannot imagine what unless it be in utramque either a good benefice or a Comfortable importance I shall further offer these things 1. Christian Liberty may be restrained by publick Authority and by private Reason but if publick Authority restrain it one way and my private Reason would restrain it another and the publick authority shall carry it against my own Reason not only Christian but Humane Liberty is violated 2. The perpetual determining of my liberty to one part that I may in no case act the other way whether it be by an external compulsory power or by my own superstition is a violation and destruction of my Christian Liberty 3. Authority peace Charity prevailing with my Reason to determine one way will not violate Christian Liberty for when the great ends of Peace and Charity shall cease to be obtained by such determination it 's supposed also that Reason will cease and Authority ought to cease to continue such determination 4. If Peace and Charity shall cease to call for such a determination ad unum and thereupon my Reason cease to put me upon such a determination and yet Authority shall continue its determination my Christian Liberty will warrant me to follow my own Reason That which was the intolerable burthen of the Jews which they were not able to bear our Enquirer tells p 186. was especially this That the Law of Moses enjoyn'd a great number of little observances which by their multitude were hard to be remembred by their Nicety difficult to be observed and by their meer positive nature and having no essential goodness in themselves had less power upon the conscience of men to awaken their care and diligence about them and because it 's hard for the mind of man to attend to many things at once especially if also the things in which his care and obedience is required be such as are not enacted in his Conscience and when he can see no other Reason of or advantage by his obedience but meerly his obedience therefore was that Law called impossible This say the Dissenters would be their case should they submit to what the Enquirer pleads for and there fore an infringment of their Christian Liberty There is one Text of Scripture by which he will prove that his is the true Notion of Christian Liberty The Apostle says he in several of his Epistles but especially that to the Romans en joyns the Christians in their scruples about eating of certain Meats and in the conduct of themselves to consult Charity towards their weak Brethren the peace of the Church and their own edification to which purpose he advises us to see 14. Rom. and Chap. 15. Now if the Reader will be Ruled by me we will venture for one quarter of an hour to look into those places let the danger be what it will and I am confident we shall not find our Christian Liberty determinable by any outward power v. 3. The Apostle lays down the only true way of maintaining peace and love amongst Christians under their various apprehensions and various practises â—…t not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth And to this Rule the Canons of 1640.
to live in the practise of all Christs institutions if we cannot enjoy them in one place upon Christs Terms his Command and tenderness to our own souls oblige us to seek out where we may enjoy them better cheap § 4. He that cannot perform all that the Laws require of him may forbeâ—… judging them that do the man of a Tender Conscience finds it enough to judge his own actions This is a most excellent Rule and Dissenters desire no more liberty Let them but judge of their own actions and they leave all others to stand or fall to their own Masters And it seems hard if they may not be indulged this priviledge since the silliest Creature that ever was is presumed to have so much wit as to come out of a shâ—…wr of Rain rather then to be wet to the skin § 5. The truly tender Conscience that is the Fool all this while will freely part with money nay of all the men in the world there 's none so free as he for a Fool and his money are soon parted Well! But if he cannot conform to the Laws he can pay the penalty I promise you that 's a great Question whether he can or no. Where nothing's to be had the King must lose his Right But if this be the grand qualification of a Tender Conscience to be made a Begger I wonder what his Priviledge can be unless it be to succeed old Clause the King of Beggers For his satisfaction if the penalty be moderate such as I can pay without ruine to my self and family though I be not satisfyed in the justice of it yet herein I may lawfully depart from my own Right and shall esteem it a great mercy if my coyn may compound for my Conscience 3 Readers you have heard the qualifications of a Tender Conscience be but now Masters of so much Patience as to sit out the Priviledges and that last Scene will make you ample satisfaction â—… Every private Christian is bound in Charity and compassion towards such a Man to deny himself of some part of his Liberty to gain him that is in those things that are matter of no Law where you have first a Bit and then a knock or the fair Concession and the wary Revocation § 1. The Concâ—…ssion Every private Christian is bound in Charity to such a Man to part with some of his Liberty to gain him wherein there are several things to be advised upon 1. The subject of the Proposition Every private Person 2. The nature of the obligation Bound in Charity and compassion 3. The matter of the duty To deny himself of some part of his Liberty 4. The end to gain him In few or none of which particulars can I arrive at any clear satisfaction 1. Every private Person And are not all publick Persons bound by the Law of God to walk charitably not to destroy souls I doubt we forget that God is here the Legislator with whom is no respect of Persons Charity is the fulfilling of the Moral Law And if any Person be so publick as not to be obliged by it we must leave those Commands Thou shalt do no Murther Thou shalt not commit Adultery to exercise the small fry and hamper the vulgar The Apostle Paul was a publick Person and one as well qualified to discern and impose things indifferent as any that have made the fairest pretences that way and yet he Professes with more then ordinary servency 1. Cor. 8. 13. That he will eat no flesh whilst the world stands least he should make his Brother to offend And who shall venture to make that the matter of an Ecclesiastical Canon which the Apostle durst not venture to practise They that assume a greater Authority had need give greater proof of greater Charity And yet greater was the importance of Flesh to the Health and life of Paul then a Ceremoâ—… can possibly be to the peace of the Church For. 1. Flesh is Disjunctively necessary to the health and life of Man that is either flesh or some other food but neither this nor that humane Ceremony is necessary either to the glory of God the peace of the Church or Decency and order in the worship The Church has served God decently lived peaceably and glorified God eminently without them and in his time may do so again 2. Flesh was a thing perfectly indifferent in it self and owned so by all that were well instructed in their Manumission from the Mosaical servitude but the more we are faithfully instructed in the Doctrine of Christian Liberty the more are we satisfied that we are at Liberty from all other Ceremonies of men as well as from those that were once of Divine Institution 2 Bound in Compassion and Charity I am not well satisfied that a Debt of meer Compassion or free Charity is all we owe our Brother in this case However we owe our God a Debt of Iustice It 's he that says Destroy not him with thy mâ—…at for whom Christ dyed 14. Rom. 15. And that there is no comparison between the Law that enjoins Ceremonies and that Law that commands us not to offend our Brother I thus prove 1. The Law that forbids scandal is Negative but the Law that commands Ceremonies is but Affirmative Now Gods own affirmative precepts may have their outward acts suspended in some cases for some time but Negatives admit of no relaxation He that says thou shalt not do says thou shalt never do unless dispensed with by a power aequal to his that gave the Prohibition 2. The Command of not scandalizing is purely moral the heart and life of the sixth Commandement For he that says thou shalt not Kill primarily intends I shall not destroy the soul but the Command of Ceremonies but positive And positives ought to give place to Morals If there be any Truth in that Doctrine of the Enquirers That Godlays little stress upon Circumstantials that his own positive Laws give place to the Moral Law much more ought Mans Ceremonial Law give place to Gods Moral Law Thou shalt not Kill 3. The Command of not giving offence because Moral is therefore perpetual but the Command of Ceremonies Temporary and may be momentany for the Church of England 34. Art Asserts a power in every National Church not only to ordain but to change and abolish Ceremonies 4. The Command of not scandalizing the weak not destroying the soul is in Materiâ Necessarâ—… the thing it self is good in it self and for it self though no positive Command had interposed in the case but Ceremonies have no other Goodness but what is breath'd into them by the breath of Man which if it were measured by the good effects would be found very little 5. The Command not to offend is unquestionably obligatory but that Command for Ceremonies is at best questionable whether it be so much as lawful 6. The Command to avoid offence has a direct and natural tendency to beget and preserve Amity and unity amongst
Christians but the Command of Ceremonies apparently has occasion'd Divisions between Protestants and Papists between Protestants themselves between those of the same Nations and all Humane Terms of Church-communion necessarily produce the same bitter fruit 7. The power of ordering the smallest matter in the Church must conform to the Soveraign end of edification 2. Cor. 13. 10. The power which the Lord hath given me for edification and not Destruction But no power may suspend my duty of pleasing my Brother to his edification 8. Supposing the worst That it 's only a Debt of Charity which my Brother may challenge of me not to scandalize him and a Debt of justice to Obey the Magistrate in this very case yet the Miniâ—…s of justice ought to vail to the Magnalia of Charity As the Command of a Father in lower instances ought to yeeld to the preservation of my Neighbours life 3 Some would except against the matter of his concession to deny himself in some part of his Liberty what a small some that may be none knows perhaps there 's no part of his Liberty which that duty may not Command 4 I except lastly against his propounded end to please and gain him as not adaequal to that which the Command has in it's eye To scandalize or give offence may be taken either in a primary sense and so it denotes a culpable giving occasion to a Brother to sin or in a lower and secondary sense for the angering and displeasing of a Brother This distinction well observed would unravel much confusion which pesters our discourses 1. If we compare the displeasing of a private person with that of a publick the latter is more sinful and much more dangerous for the wrath of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon 2. To occasion culpably a publick person to sin is more heinous then to occasion the sin of a private person because the sins of those in eminent places have such a fatal influence upon the peoples pollution and the procurement of Gods displeasure 3. But if we compare a scandal in the primary sense with one in the secondary then it 's no measuring cast whether it be more eligible to displease the one or destroy the other Nor can there be sin in displeasing one when I cannot otherwise please but by destroying the other for though my own folly may possibly so ensnare me yet God never puts me under such Circumstances that I shall be necessitated to sin § 2. You have heard his fair concession now take his Limitation along with you That is says he in those things that are matters of no Law but left free and undeterminate there the Rule of the Apostle takes place 15. Rom. 1. 2. We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves And let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to edification and we will add 14. Rom 13. Let no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way v. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed v. 19. Let us follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another v. 20. for meat Destroy not the work of God This is the last retreat of these Gentlemen Hether they retrire as to their Triary and strong Reserves You ought to bear the infirmities of the weak to edify him heavenwards not to murder his soul till a Law be made to the contrary you are bound in Charity and compassion to such a one till you receive further Orders and then you must be savage and barbarous But his Reasons follow 1. Reason because we may not do evil that good may come The sinews of which Reason lye in a supposition that to omit a Ceremony is an evil thing compared with the saving of a soul. This General Rule may be applied that other way we must not do evil that Good may come and therefore may not draw a poor Brother into sin that some good may come by it and the rather if we consider what good comes by it As the saving my self a pecuniary mulct or Recognizing the Magistrates power to Command which may be done and is so in many ways wherein the scandal of another is not concern'd And if I should transgress a Ceremony or so for the saving of a soul we may Lawfully presume upon the general will of the Legislator that no positive Command of his should be so rigorously insisted on when it would destroy a greater good 2. Reason We must not break the Laws of God or man â—…ut of an humour of complaisance to a Brother Ans To discharge a weighty duty to avoid the scandalizing of a Brother to walk charitably which the Enquirer p. 137. when he had occasion to magnify Charity tells us is an essential part of Religion ought not to be put of with a frothy Droll as if it were nothing but the humour of Complaisance The Apostle whose head understood the speculation and whose heart entertained the love of this Doctrine much better then himself has taught us other things That to sin against the Brethren is to sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. 'T is to destroy with our meats indifferent things him for whom Christ dyed 14. Rom. 15. And if these be matters of humour and complaisance and we should venture a Ceremony for them it would be but to stake one Complement against another 3. Reason In those times says he the Magistrate being Pagan took no care of the Church nor had passed any Laws concerning the management of the Christian Religion And so Christians had a great deal of scope and room for mutual condescension But the case is quite otherwise when there 's a Law in being c. Really the Pagan Magistrate was very much overseen unless perhaps he knew nothing less or more of his Authority over things indifferent and then the Apostles must needs be to blame who never inform'd him of that Power over the Church wherewith Christ had eâ—…rusted him And above all St. Paul was utterly inexcusable having so inviting an opportunity to do it in Being so long at Rome having friends in â—…aesars Household and this in Quinquiâ—…nnio Neronis when the Lion was treatable and approachable Besides this must have obliged him to entertain better thoughts of Christians and Christianity and engaged him to protect and defend it when it lay so entirely at his devoir The Enquirer instructed us p. 144. that such a Society as a Church could never be conserved without some Rites or other nor any publick Worship be performed if all Ceremonies and Circumstances such as of time place persons and the like be left indefinite and undetermined He has told us since that the power of Determining and Defining these things ly's in our Governours who understand the Civil Policy p. 151. And now he tells us That in those primitive times the Magistrate had passed no Laws