under it as well as throw it of the Gospel condemn'd not the Jews for swearing simply but for swearing vainly and for for swearing yet by his Son who was made under the Law and a minister to reform it for a time and after a time put an end to it and to the transgression and sin variance strife c. because of which it was added by bringing in the everlasting righteousnes he condemns somewhat more thâ—…n was condemned by Moses and the Prophets who yet by the Bishops own confession have condemnd both vain swearing and forswearing therefore that could be no other then the very thing call'd swearing it self even by Gods own Name as well as by any creature altogether as is seen hereafter But if the Bishop say he uses those Old-Testament Texts and examples as Mediums onely and premises by which ultimately to prove the lawfulness of swearing under the Gospel as one of the moral and so perpetual precepts of the Law which end not in Christ nor are abolished but established by his coming for thus indeed that we may do him no wrong â—…ut right to the utmost so far as 〈◊〉 words can help themselves he comes to speak in the passage following p. 37 38. Bp. If from all these premises it be clear that some swearing 〈◊〉 morally lawful agreeable to the express Law of God even in the third Commandment in which we are not onely forbidden to prophaâ—… the Name of God but the affirmative also is included of sanctisying his Name by all ways of praying praising vowing and swearing if in doing thus upon just occasion private or publike we sin not against any Moral Law c. it must underâ—…ably follow that Christ did not forbid or annul the old Law as to the sanctity and morality of an Oath but onely take away the corruption and abuse it being no desigh of Christ to destroy or diminish but to fulfil the Law Moral However he came in the way of fulfilling to abrogate the Ceremonial yea and the Politick Laws too so far as they were peculiar to the Jewish Policy in Church and State c. Swearing was a part of that Moral Law which Christ signally tells shem he did not come nor ever intended to abolish but to maintain so far as the love of God and our neighbour are great accomplishments of all Laws to both which Religious Swearing is most conform it being to God's glory and our Neighboâ—…s good There is no danger then of doing hurt to our own Consciences any more than in serioâ—…s Affirmation and Negatiâ—…us 〈◊〉 Oath having nothing but the attestation of God in it who is â—…iness â—…f all we say and do Ans Of what the Bish. speaks this iâ—… the sum the 〈◊〉 for Swearing was Moral as those for praying praising these standing under the Gospel in force as well as under the Law To which we return Let the Bish. take away the shadow and plead nothing but the substance of things and leave nothing but the morality of the whole Law and we will grant him that it may and must be used at this day But that 〈◊〉 not done in all things if it be in anything by the Popish nor yet by the Protestant Bishops to this very day The Law which had the shadow of the good things to come but not the very Image or substance it self that came by Moses but the 〈◊〉 things themselves 〈◊〉 the Grace and the Truth is that which 〈◊〉 Gospel hath and that came by Iesus Christ. Moses and the 〈◊〉 prescribed and enjoined the ceremony of all service to God and the figures of the true but as the day breaks the shadow vanishes the figures flee away and the maked truth it self of them stands only de juâ—…e under Christ now How beit I undervalue not the Law so as to liken it thereto as being in worth infinitely above them yet as all Aesops Fables which vvere but fancies had some moral or other after them the shevving of vvhich they pointed at so much more had all Moses his outward forms and figures some moral substantial more Evangelical spiritual and eternal Truth and true things which they vvere but the shadows shews and figures of and as the ceremoniality of the service of praying and praising was the offering of Incense and Sacrifice singing c. and other formal supersluities which then attended those services but the substance it self is the lifting up of the heart to the Lord in sighs and groans from the movings of his own pure Spirit and singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord under the Gospel in which time the offering up of sweep incense and other Sacrifices would be but the offering of Swines blood And the substance of circumcision is that of the heart Rom. 2. which being come by in Christ the other is but the concision Phil. â—… And Christ the Passeover in the substance in respect of whom the other killing of a Lamb once in force is but the cutting off a Dogs neck So the substance of that ceremouy of Swearing that now abides as the Bish. himself confesses is no other than what we are free to viz. the testifying the known truth from the heart with an addition of no more then as occasion may require it some kind of attcstation of God who is Witness of all we say or do and that no more than confession or denial by yea and nay with onely some attestation or calling â—…o witness to strengthen the asseveration which is no Oath as is shewed above is that stauding substance that answers to that shadowy ceremonious way of Swearing in use under the law is most evident by the Paul's rendering of that term Swearing as it 's spoken of in way of prophesie concerning its continuance then as Isa. 45. 23. To me every tongue shall swear under that term of confessing onely under the Gospel Rom. 14. 11. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God confession under the Gospel is made aequivalent with an oath under the Law And because the Bish. mentions the third Commandment in proof of the morality and perpetuity of all that Swearing that was commanded under the Law without annulling any tittle of it as if he judg'd every Letter and Tittle of the ten Commandments were moral and so in all respects unchangeable and uncapable of any unihilation by Christ's coming He much forgetâ—… himself in that vain imagiuation for all things in those ten words in the first Table of them are not so moral or perpetual without some cerâ—…nrality and subjection to alteration by Christ's coming as he imagiâ—… and if he had but remembred the very fourth commandment that is next to it he would have remembred that Remember to keep holy the sabbath-Sabbath-day which then was the very seventh day of the week which God had sanctified was but a sign type shadow figure and ceremony of the seventh day of the Worlds rest from its labour and of keeping after
Removing of that Antichristian Yoak of Persecution for Conscience complain'd on and cried out against by the Bishops themselves as well as others when they felt the weight of it from off the necks of Christ's truest Disciples whom for as much as their Possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty yea count and sell them all the day long as Sheep for the Slaughter and then say Blessed be the Lord for I am Rich yea their own Shepherds pitty them not Christ Jesus therefore the great Shepherd and Overseer of their Souls to whom they are now returned from whom they once ment astray after the other who fed them in the barren places of the Forrest and drove them from Mountain to Hill in their dark and gloomy Day will most assuredly feed and gather and destroy that Yoak from off their Necks and that heavy Burden from off their Shoulders by means of the Anointing And as to those Shepherds among whom the Poor of his Flock are as the Flock of the Slaughter I will eat the Flesh of the Fat saith the Lord and tear their Claws in Pieces yea I will destroy the Fat and the Strong and feed them with Judgement so that that which dieth let it die and that which is to be cut off let it be cut off yet those three S. S. Shepherds whose Soul hath abhorred me saith the Lord and my Soul loatheth them I will cut off in one Month They have been as a swift Dromadary traversing her way as a wild Ass used to the Wilderness snuffing up the Wind so that in her occasion none can reverss her yet in her month she shall be found They have dealt treacherously with the Lord they have begotten strange Children now shall a month destroy them with their Portions Ezek. 34. 16. Hos. 5. 7. Zach. 11. 8 9 16. Yea this we say in the Lord their Feet which stand on slipery places in the Dark shall slide in due time and the things that come upon them make haste and by how much the more in their Subtilty by giving goodly Words they deceive the hearts of the Simple and seek to seem more fair and favourable than in truth they are to implead all Persecution whatever even Doctrinally and yet practice it by so much the sooner will Wrath and Ruin be upon them suddenly from the Lord and so much the sorer and Sharper will the Stroak be when the Lord once shall arise to smite them with the Rod of his mouth and to rebuke with Equity for all the meek of the Earth Indeed it cannot be denied but many of their words are soft as Butter and smooth as Oyl yea Speciem Agninam pellem Ovinam pre se ferunt yet Intus in cute Mordent Even while they cry peace if men please them not so as to conform to whatever constitutions are according to their own coveteous Conceptions they bite with their teeth and prepare War against them by speaking out the proud things that are in their hearts proudly contemptuously and disdainfully against the Righteous thus under a shew of serving them secretly shooting at the sincere Servants of God so as we may say truly they are for a toleration in all cases excepting wherein they are against it and against all Persecution of tender Consciences those cases onely excepted wherein they are for it In a word they bait us with now a bit and then a bite kill us with a kind of cruell kindnesse cal d Christian Charity and as he of old who in more spite then Real pitty with a Complement commended Christ to Condemnation so do they at this day who under a feigned face of friendship in the persons of his People betray him into the hands of his open Adversaries with a Kisse But such Linsey Wolsey webs as these will never become Garments wherewith to hide their inward Enmity against the Truth As for the last Part of the Doings of this Bishop with whom we have here to do wherein he is more Argumentative for that Solemn Swearing now us'd in Judicature what litle strength he is likely to appear in for it who himself sayes so much against it as Bishop Gauden does let the Reader Iudge by his own and other Authors sayings by him cited and here recited to that purpose Viz. Evangelica veritas non recipit Juramentum Hieron The Gospel verity doth not admit of an Oath Non Oportet ut vir qui Evangelice Vivit Juret Omnino Chrisost. It is not meet that a man who lives according to the Gospel should swear at all Rarus apud veteres jurandi usus in Judiciis sed crescenâ—…e perfidia Crevit Juris jurandi usus In the better and simpler ages of the World Oathes were seldom used in Judicatures but after that perfidy and lying increased the use of Oathes increased Bishop Gauden out of Polibius There was no need of an Oath among Primitive Christians it was security enough in all cases to say Christianus sum I am a Christian Bishop Gaud. p. 4. Christians truly such need no Oathes in publick or private Bishop Gaud. p. 23. Nor can credit be given any more then to a lyar to any man that swears never so solemnly and in Iudicature who is a common swearer and hath no Reverence of the Majesty of God Bishop Gaud. p. 17. Certainly the affairs of Christians both publick and private would be no lesse to their honour and ease if there were in no case any need or use of Oathes or swearing but onely such an Authentick veracity and just credulity on all sides as might well spare even the most true sincere and lawful Oathes keeping on all sides as great a distance from Lying as from false swearing Bish. Gaud. p. 22. Quis legit Haec c He that can read all this need not go further then Bishop Gauden to find matter wherewith to Answer Bishop Gauden concerning the unlawfulnesse at least the needlesnesse of any swearing To conclude then for I am in an Epistle only here and not in the Book it self as it 's an ill Bird as the Proverb speaks that bewrayes his own nest so it 's an ill Wind that blowes no body no profit and so though the whirl-wind of the Bishops Doctrine wherein he whiffles to and fro in and out and sometimes round about cannot well serve his own ill turn against the Truth testified to by the Quakers yet 't is one good turn at least that it doth very well serve the Quakers wherewith to serve the Truths good turn against himself SAM FISHER The First PART THere being a Book lately put forth Intituled A Discourse concerning publick Oaths and the Lawfulness of Swearing in Iudicial Proceedings by Doctor Gawden Bishop of Exeter Written as he saith to answer the Scruples of the Quakers we having seriously perused the said Book with an upright Heart and impartial Eye to the end that we might own what is good in it and refute or at least refuse what is
turned over to be destroyed as wilfully and obstinately rebellious against God The sum then of this Bishops Christian Charity and pious Pitty to the Quakers amounts to as much as If he should have said tolerate them yet a little that they may be taken away totally at the last In altum tollantur protempore tolerentur ut lapsâ—… craviore cadant But that which is more observable yet in the passage above spoken to is the Bishops contradiction herein to himself and to what he himself holds forth for truth in other passages for howbeit here he condemns and objects it against us as matter of obstinate offending if after some respite given as to execution of Penalties and rational Courses taken though succeslesly for our Information we be found though unconvinced not conforming cheerfully to what is imposed yet elsewhere as namely page 10 11. he commends and praises it as good in the Quakers in that they choose where they remain unconvinced rather to Suffer than Sin against their Consciences which to do he himself saith were to Sin against God whose holy Will saith he there Shining on the Soul in reason and religion either seeming or real is indeed the present rule of Conscience Nor may any Man saith he Act contrary to these dictates which he judges to be God's though he err as to the Truth of the Rule yet his Iudgement binds so far as it represents though in a false Glass the supposed Light of God's Will for he that will venture to Act against Conscience though Erroneous will also Act against it though it be never so cleer and perspicuous if Conscience Act according to its Error it Sins materially against the Truth of God if it act contrary to its appearing Principles it Sins formally and malitiously as wilfully rebelling against the supposed Will of God Mark well the Confusion of this Man we do not deny but that to his own great disadvantage aswell as the perpetual Shame of himself and all such of his Brethren as go about by outward Penalties to fright and force men to act against their Consciences in these last Words of his he utters a most undeniable Truth but how grievously he interfeers and thwarts himself and his own Sayings in the place above spoken to he that is not sâ—…ark blind cannot choose but see One while if the Quakers do not Cheerfully obey after the Bishops rational Applications to them for their Conviction which in reality rather are Irrational if they all have no more then Bishop Gauden hath yet said to say for Swearing the Laws of men imposing Oaths upon them against their Consciences they are to be Condemned and Punished as Evil Deers that sin wilfully and obstinately against God and so are under the rigid Inflictions and severe Penalties of mens Laws most iustly as wilfully rebellious against both and inexcusably before both God and man Otherwiles again to sin against their Consciences though 〈◊〉 is to be condemned as Evildoing is to sin against God yea to act contrary to its appearing Principles or against the holy Will of God no more then sâ—…ming â—…o shine on the Soul which saith he is indeed the present rule of Conscience though they Err as to the truth of the Rule and to act contrary to those dictates which though falsly they iudge to be Gods or contrary to what his Judgement represents though but in a false Glass the supposed Light of God's Will is that which nâ—… man 〈◊〉 do is to act contrary to what every man stands bound to and ought to act is a sign of an unconscionable Man or one that makes no Conscienie at all in things that are never so true plain cleere and prospicuous is a sign of one that hath not so much as integrity of Intention without which there is no mitigation of any Fault yea is to sin formally yea malitiously yea a wilful or obstinate rebelling against God which sort of sinning formally wickedly or wilfully by how much it is worse than to sin no more than materially as he speaks or weakly for want only of Knowledge of what is good by so much the greater say we is the Guilt and Punishment that is by right to be inflicted for the Sin as to take away a man's Life materially only unawares and with no ill mind is not so bad as to do it formally malitiously and wilfully against the known Will of God to the contrary and by so much the more are they Good Praise-worthy and Commendable saith the Bishop himself who will rather choose to Suffer than so to Sin upon which ground it is that the Bishop who condemns it as Evil with a witness and as Sin in the highest degree for any men to sin against their Consciences expresses himself in way of Praise and Commendation of the Quakers and in way of Friendship and high Approbation of this as a good thing in them in as much as they choose by their Profession thereof in those Papers given in one day to some of the Lords rather to Suffer than to Sin against their Consciences and so against God page 10. which choice of Suffering under the presecuting Hands of Men rather then to violate the Conscience before God if it be so highly to be commended â—…o good and praise worthy a matter as the Bishop truly enough owner it to be then how little they are to be commended who fâ—… fear of the Wrath of men choose to save themselves from it by Sinning against God and their own Consciences much more how greatly and justly they stand Condemned at the Tribunal of God himself who without any Iust Cause unless Innocency be a Cause ministred to them so to do by Threats and Penalties seek to cause honest men so to Sin we leave to the Bishop himself to judge who hath given his Consent to such Transactions Howbeit we desire him to judge it by the Light of God which in his own heart shewes which is Good and Commendable and which is Evil for want of attendance unto which he hath in the blinâ—…ness and darkness of his Understanding run himself hitherto into such a mist of Confusion and self Contradiction as not only to commend the Quakers as a generation of Iust Ones for choosing rather then to Sin against Conviction to undergo the Penalties which man's Law for God and Conscience sake inflicts upon them but also to commend these as a generation of Iust Ouer that do afflict them For so he doth page 19. whilst he commends those Penalties as just Penalties which for doing no other thing then what himself before commended in them aâ—…e by men's Laws insâ—…icted on them which two things to wit the Quakers choosing to suffer the Penalties inflicted on them for their Consciences and their Adversaries choosing to inflict Penalties on them for their Consciences that they should be both good both praise-worthy both commendable both justifiable and just in the sight of God is as impossible as 't is
is the World and the Civil States and several Nations thereof which howbeit the Bishop takes Nations for Churches by whole-sale here as if the words Church and Nation were Synonima's yet qua Nations are not Churches to grow together with the Wheat until the harvest or end of the World and that with this Caveat least men in the midst of their Busslings and busie minds mistaking should under a pretence of plucking up the Tares root out the Wheat it self also which what Kingdom or People soever doth Bishop Gaudens Counsel and Caveat to the contrary notwithstanding who sayes he is not for such a â—…ame permission of Tares to be among the Wheat least that good seed of Religion which is sown by the Publick Ministry by which he means no other then their own and fenced by Legal Authority should be â—…hoaked had better busie it self wholly about other and meer secular matters of wrong and wicked Lewdness which reason wills they should be Totally taken up with in the exercise of their Civil Power those being the things which not onely properly but indeed alone appertain to them to be exercised in or take Congnizance of For if the Wheat which are indeed those true worshippers only who worship the Father of Spirits who is a Spirit and seeketh such onely to worship him in Spirit and in Truth in reference unto whom all other outside worshippers are as nothing for what is the Chaff to the wheat saith the Lord and which onely must go into the garner when all chaffy Formalists must in this day wherein the Lord is sifting out the house of Israel from among the Nations or several Sorts of Professions as Corn is sifted in a Sieve fall to the ground be driven away with the Wind and burnt up with the unquenchable Fire of that great day of the Lord which now burns as a Oven against all Flesh and fleshly Christianities if we say the foresaid true worshippers be of God then they cannot be withstood in a way of Safety to it self by any Nation Sith to withstandâ—… them is not onely to resist that People which are the Chariots and Horsmen thereof but also to be found fighters against God himself against whom and his People it is as impossible finally to prevail as it was for Egypt to prevail against Israel which when God arose to Redeem them from their bondage increased upon them so much the more by how much the more they were opressed and intended to be for ever suppressed by them God himself taking part with his own chosen against the other who hath said he will give Kingdoms for their ransome and Nations for their Life rather then his own Seed shall go unredeemed We say that this were the way to setle all in Peace to change all setled Lawes that are for Persecution into a Law for the Tolleration of all Religions much more of that one which though it be struck at both by and before all the rest will be found at last to be the onely true one which yet must unavoidably suffer Violence in some place or other while that Principle of Persecution hath place in Peoples hearts for as all Nations are not of one and the same but of many respectively so all men are not of one and the same Religion in any one Nation whereupon in case it happen that any Nation by Law Establish that Religion which is not Truth that Nation suppressing by outward Violence all Religions besides its own whether that be Heathenish Turkish Iewish Popish Prelatical Presby erian or any other must necessarily ex officio in point of duty Persecute and tread down the Truth it self for if the Civil Magistracy as such ought de jure to root out all Religions but that which it judges to be Righteous and convenient then even those that are heathen Magistrates who would be no more as to that capacity of Magistrates then now they are if they should turn Christians must root out quoad posse all that 's Christian and every Magistrate being a Magistrate as well as any one the notion of Christian adding nothing to mens Power as Civil Governors according to that rule of quatenus ipsum which includes de omni what ever belongs to any thing as so belongs also to every thing that is so not onely those Nations which happen to be of the true Religion must Persecute all those that are found in false ones but each Nation that is found in any false Religion must seek the utter ruine not only of all the rest but even of those also which are Established in the Truth But this is the way which the Bishop in no wise approves of for any Nation or at least for this to renounce the unsound Principle of forcing under Penalties all Dissenters to conformity in Religion unto it self because saith he it is not consistent with the Piety Prudence Honour or Safety of a Nation and Church when it judgeth its Constitutions to be Religious Righteous and Convenient But what a contrary conclusion is this not only to all Scripture Reason as is shewed above but also to all common Experience in this our Nation in which it hath been seen in the dayes both of Edward the sixth Elizabeth and Iames his times neither can it be denyed by the Bishops themselves unless they will deny themselves to be conscientious Dissenters from that Popery which stood here of old how much it was for the piety prudence honour and Safety of the Nation which did before generally judge those Popish constitutions it was then establisht in to be Religious Righteous and Convenient and yet upon further and more mature deliberation saw good ground for the sake of that small yet more enlightned Protestant Party that dissented to change the then and long before establisht Lawes concerning their Mass and many other matters as the Statutes themselves declare at large The Bishop therefore by this reasonless Reason both condemns that course of all the Protestant Princes of England that changed the Popish Laws before establisht for the sake of tender Protestant Dissenters as not savouring of piety prudence nor yet either safe honourable or convenient for the Nation but also secondly justifies the Pope himself and all Popish Princes in Persecuting such Protestants against him as are found within these Precincts and Dominions and in not changing their establisht Laws against the Truth for their sakes sith as the Bishops judge the English Constitutions so to be whereby they stand So other Nations judge their own Constitutions to be Religious Righteous and Convenient and thirdly makes a fence against the spreading of all sorts of Protestanism not that only which is so at large but of that which is Christianity so truly called Moreover where ever the alteration of any suppressive Lawes for the sake of a few Dissenters tends to the encrease of Love and Amity Peace and Unity which is a better thing than Uniformity in a Nation the preservation of
which is the main end of all civil Goverment it cannot truly be supposed to be prejudicious to either the Piety Honour and Safety of that Nation to alter its establisht Lawes for the sake of those few which for Conscience meerly cannot conform in meer outward matters And so the case is here for as that People that are most truly tender of keeping the truth and peace which are the party that though they least deserve it yet suffer most alwayes and for the most part only under those Laws that are made to force the Conscience in case of Religion cannot be forced to do against their Faith and so with more Pitty Piety Prudence Peace Safety and Honour every way may be let alone to live a quiet Life under all civil Governments in all Godliness and Honesty the disturbing them under the pretence of their being Disturbers being the true Cause of most Disturbance in most Nations So the generallity of the ruder sort that make no such Conscience about Religion as the upright ones do can without scruple change their Worship if men will have them and as people did by the lump worship that Image which was set up on pain of ruine if they bowed not to it eccepting three that did dissent for whose sake they found good cause soon after to change the Edict can conform quietly to and fro without scruple or controul as they did in Edward's Maryes and Elizabeth's Dayes to what Forms of Worship shall be required of them and so a Toleration by Law to the rest at least that cannot cannot be so far from a Nations Piety Prudence Honour and Safety as this Bp. Imagines and cannot but be most tending to its Security for those Nations which weave the Spiders Webb which catches and hampers the small harmless Gnats and Flies while Hornets and venemous Creatures that have strong stings and great strength that know how to foot it thorow every form and suite their peace to every Profession crawl over them without being caught or tangled do draw down upon themselves that Vengeance from the Lord which he will as assuredly recompence on them in due time as ever he foretold it by his Prophet who said Isai. 59. 4 5 6 7 8. None calleth for Iustice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in Vanity and speak Lies they conceive Mischief and bring forth Iniquity they hatch Cockatrice Eggs and weave the Spiders Webb He thâ—… eateth of their Eggs dieth and that which is crushed breaketh out into a Viper Their Webbs shall not become Garments neither shall they cover themselves with their Workes Their Works are Works of Iniquity and the Act of Violence is in their hands Their Feet run to evil and hey make hast to shed Innocent Blood their thoughts are the thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their pathes The way of peace they know not and there is no judgement in their goings they have made them crooked pathes whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace Lastly Though indeed it is not consistent with the Piety Prudence Honour and Safety of the true Church to alter its Laws and Constitutions for the sake of such as are not of it because Christ himself is their Law-giver who hath not put it into her power to make her own Laws much lesse to impose her Laws under outward penalties with carnal weapons on the consciences of other people and by his Law allowes a latitude as to outward observations in whicih his Kingdom stands not to do as every one is by him perswaded and required in his own mind so be that he who observes or observes not dayes or outward things does and does it not unto the Lord neither need the â—…asse-Church change her Orders for the sakes of such as dissent from it and are not of it as the Quakers are not either of the Bishops or the Popes each of which if they please themselves shall not disprease us in their Acts and Orders for superfluous Ceremonies so be they let us alone with whom as being not of their Church they have nought to do de jure as with Members of it yet so far is it from being against the Piety Prudence Honour and Safety of any Nation or earthly Kingdom to repeal such Laws as they have made by their Priests Direction to bind men to conform to Religions contrary to their Consciences that if any happen to err aster that sort of Priests which do direct them and the Bishop without the Light which we call all men to and which he opposes is no more infallible but as fallible to the full as the Pope and Presbyter yea none of the three do so much as pretend to infallibility save the Pope then it 's neither Godly Prudent Honourable nor so much as safe for any Nation not to change its establisht Lawes for the sake of Dissenters from its Error sith in not changing them God himself is rebelled against in such a case whether those lawes be made for Swearing or against true Worship which are the two things only aimed at in the Act against the Quakers about one of which there 's the self same reason as about the other and in proof of this we have the authority of the Bishops own true Testimony to the one which is as true when given forth in a way of evidence to the other whose Words concerning Swearing which with the Bishops consent to it mans Law now commands pag. 23. are as followes If it do appear that all Swearing is absolutely by our Lord Christ forbidden to his Disciples God forbid we should not obey his Word and rather change the lawes of man than violate his Commands to whom we Christians owe the highest love loyalty and obedience but if it appear as say we it doth not by any thing said in the Bishops Book or any where else to religious reason that the words of Christ do not import an absolute forbidding of all Swearing we must not be so much slaves to the Letter as to leade Truth and Reason captive or to deprive our selves of that religious Liberty which is left us and so not only lawful for Christians to use but in some cases prudentially necessary as to the expediences of mens Iealousies Lives Liberties Estates and good Names even in private much more in the dispensations of Iustice to the publick Peace and general Satisfaction of whole Polities and Communities wherein men live sociably under Law and Government To which Words of the Bishops concerning Swearing mutatis mutandis we subjoyn concerning our meeting together to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth which with the Bishops consent thereunto mans Law now forbids viz. if it do appear that all meeting together in Christ's name of above five of his Disciples at one time to Worship him in Spirit and in Truth in any one place except in some such Churches or Chappels as are of mans and for the most part of the Popes Consecrating of old for
concerning Gods People among the Gentiles as well as the Iews we find no such command to them not such example of the Primitive Christian Gentiles practicing such respect as the Bishop quarrels with the Quakers for want of mentioned in the Scripture we find Christ and his Apostles so far from exhorting others to respecting mans Person that they Practiced no such thing themselves yea the very Enemies of Christ confest thus of him Mat. 22. 16. We know that thou art true and Teachest the way of God in Truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the Persons of men the Apostle Iames also is so far from pleading as this Bishop doth against our Practice in this particular that he declares it as inconsistent de jure with the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ to have respect to the Persons of men because of gold rings goodly apparrel and gay clothing riches high places and such other accomplishments when the Poor because of vile raiment are slighted and despised and that it is contrary to the Royal Law of the Scripture and that it is Commission of Sin and Transgression Iude also declares it to be the guise of the ungodly Scoffers and complainers of the last times that should walk after their own Lusts while their mouth speaketh great swelling words to have mens Persons in admiration because of advantage Jude 15 16. Moreover Christs Disciples were commanded by him in their Itinerary Ministry to the truth to salute no man by the way Luke 10. 4. So that here is instance enough of Gods People both among the Iewes and others as in the Case of Elihu refusing themselves and reproving in others the shewing of the said outward respect to Superiors whose Iust Power yet they obeyed and were subject to as Children to Parents hired Sorvanes to Masters in their business in which they were faithful or Subjects to Kings and Princes under whom they had Protection to whom they paid Tribute also to that end and purpose whom in so doing they honored See Rom. 13. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 13. to the 18. Eph. 6. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 1. 2. Howbeit they neither did nor durst adore their Persons according to all the frivolous fashions of their Countreys Herein therefore is the Bishop found speaking contrary to the Truth and 't is too bad for a Bishop to be found besides it when he sayes the Quakers denyal of Civil Respect is contrary to the Reverent and humble behaviour of all Gods People in all Agâ—…s Iewes and Gentiles then whom none were more full of outward 〈◊〉 according to the Custom of their Countreys Moreover we appeal to the Bishop himself whether iâ—… would nor have been grossly rediculous and absurd for Paul who was a good Gospel Minister in those dayes to have said with his Hat in his hand and his body bowing to the ground to Timothy or Tituâ—… who were Bishops as well worthy of Honour as any in these dayes May it please your Grace Right Reverent Father or if it like your honour my Lord. Obj. But the Bishop perhaps may tell us according to the usual strain when ever called to give any account of that excessive eminent Earthly Glory Reverence and Preferments which are their proper Honoraries in these times in compatison of what was either injoyed oâ—… expected by the pure Gospel Ministers of the Primitive Times that then the Church was as yet but in her Infancy Non-age Child-hood and weak Estate and had not yet obtained to that perfection of Glory strength of Beauty hight of Dignity c. as it hath since grown to and attained Answ. When we talk to have all things according to the Primitive Pattern indeed in matter of true Beauty Holiness Righteousness Innocency Patience Long-suffering Truth Humility Love and talk concerning growth in Grace to the measure of those first best and purest People of God in former times that were his blessed ones in whose hearts was no guile who were undefiled in the way and walkt in Gods Law and did no Iniquity as we read Psal. 119. 1 2 3. and concerning the perfection of Holiness so far as to dominion over Sin and living by the more inward Revelation of God's mind to men out of his own mouth then we are told that we must not presume to expect in these dayes such high attainments in the knowledge of Gods Mind and Will such immediate manifestations of it to us such a powerful presence of God amongst us such a full measure of his Spirit Powred out upon us such eminent gifts as the Corinthians and other Churches then had nor growth to such a measure of Grace Wisdom and Understanding such clear Illuminations and intimate Asquaintance with Gods Counsel and those internal Dictates of his Spirit so as to discern them from Delusions nor such perfect Ability to walk so exactly with God as they then did And why namely because the Church in the Apostles times was eminently shining forth in its prime lustre and full vigour perfect glory and beauty and the Saints then were Fathers strong Men and well grown Christians in comparison of whom those in afer Ages especially we of these latter Ages are but as Children Weaklings Infants that must suck what Knowledge and attainment in Christianity we have as it were from their Breasts so that in the Respects fore mentioned the Church with them which now is grown young again and back into its Childhood into a state and stature of Infancy was then as it were in a state of Man-hood But when we query and expostulate with that Clergy that is but falsly so called as in contradistinction to them they call the Laity concerning that Pomp and Lordliness they now appear in that high Preheminence honourable Titles of Popes Cardinals Arch-Bishops Arch-Deacons The Deans Worship my Lords Grace c. Superabundant Maintenance as innumerable as unprofitable Traditions as supersluous as superstitious Ceremonies Orders Offices and Officials Parsons Vicars Curats Chapters Prebends Canons Registers Apparitors Proctors Organists Singers Choristers and outward Observations concerning Meats Drinks Dayes Times Postures Gestures Hats Habits and other not more multitudinous than Immomentary Formallities in their Worships of meer legal Concernment and Consideration never known not heard of in the pure Dayes of the Apostles Then in order to our resolution in this we are by them given to unâ—…stand that which can never stand under the animadversion of an impartial observer of their Absurdities without a just censure of Confusion and Contradiction to themselves to this purpose viz. That in the Apostles times the Church was then but in her non â—…age weakness infancy immature unpollished condition and could not be seded in that compleatnesse as to all those outward decencies orders and accomplishments which now it hath That was but the day of the Christian Churches Nativity wherein her Navil was not cut neither was she washt in Water to supple her nor salted at all nor swadled at all
seduced back again nor ever will be from that true Primitive Doctrine and Principle of the Light of Iesus nor from that foundation of God on which their Faith is built by all those various winds of Priestly Doctrine about the Forms of their several Woiships for which they contend with one another more than for the Power of Godliness which winds have blown now this way now that way of latter years in this Nation nor by any of that cunning Craftiness whereby the Clergy hath lain in wait to deceive them nor by any of those above said or any other specious Pretensions whatsoever And as for those Transactions of the Quakers which like some Great Master of that Art of Taunting and Agitators for his Party against the Quakers he flouts at under the wonted Ironical Terms of Raptures and Enthusiasms by which what he intends God knowes but if thereby he quips at the Quakers Petty Opinions and odd Practises as he speaks above of blindly Censuring boldly Dictating in their abrupt and obscure Way their good Words and godly Phrases bâ—…bbling forth many specious Notions short-liv'd Conceptions obtruding their Rudeness Silliness and crude Fancies in an Agâ—… of so much Learning against their Ecclesiastical Prudence We give the Bishop to understand that though it grieve him that it is not yet the Spirit of the Lord which blows where and on whom it lists will be never the more straitned for his forbidding it though he knows not the way of it nor which way it goes from himself who smites the Lords Prophets to speak unto those Prophets of his who are smitten by him Nay verily as little as the Bishop's Eyes are open to see and their Hearts to believe what is so palbâ—…bly declared to them of these last Dayes in the very Scripture of which they deem themselves to be such Divine Interpreters yet upon Young men who shall see Visions as well as Old men who shall dream Dreams will the Lord pour out of his Spirit even the fulness of that in these latter Ages which the primitive Churches had but the first Fruits of so that the Glory of this second house that is crected after the long treading down of the holy City and true Worship by the Nations that have got into the outer Court viz. the meer name of Christians and external Forms of Christian Worship shall exceed the Glory of the former that was before the Romish ruinations of it yea upon his Daughters and Hand-maids as well as on his Sons and Servants though the Mockers shall say as of old they did Acts 2. they are Drunk and Mad and they shall Prophefie and grand Gamaliels and great High Priests that have pass'd for Prophets shall cover their Lips because they have no answer of God and either Learn or mâ—…urn in silence while Doctorem et Dictraorem induit â—…xor not only young and mean Men as Timothy and Titus shall be old in sober-mindedness Examples of Gravity Paterns of Purity honourable for their Honesty regenerated into Primitive Innocency Grace and Glory Beautiful for Holiness Eminent in Righteousness Fathers for Experience of Gods Power upon their Spirits but very Women also be as mothers in Gods Israel though they seem at least in the apprehensions of some that go for Fathers who are yet strangers to that Chimical Divinity that God is declaring forth the misteries of his Kingdom by to be no better than meer Canâ—…ens Bablers and bubblers forth of such fine Fancies and short liv'd Conceptions from an empty airy Brain as cannot endure the firm touch or breath of any serious Iudgement Finally as to that Insinuation and suspition of Iesuitick Acts to be among the Quakers in order to some designe but whether publick or private forreign or domestick God knowes We say God knows and it is well for us sith men are and yet will be willingly ignorant of it let them have never so much experience of our Integrity that he does know it who will also once clear our Innocency as the Light and our Righteousness as the noon Day to whom principally we appeal to judge between us and our Mis-representers We say God knowes we have no other designe at all but to promote the Truth and Power of Godliness Liberty of Tender Consciences and the Gospel of Peace in the flourishing of all which the Peace of this Nation is so eminently concerned that if ever it come to know perfect Peace if any one Ecclesiastical Power whether Papal Prelatical or Presbyterial shall be permitted by the civil Power which is supream de jure to exercise such a superintendency and supreamacy de facto as to suppress as well the Quakers as all others called Christians but it self then the Lord hath not spoken at all by us Mean while this is the Ioy and Rejoycing of our hearts whatever the Bishops count of us or can do to us the Testimony of our Consciences that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity we have our Conversation both towards God and among all men being far from so much as seeming save that the Bishop looks upon us with an eye of groundless and needless jealousie to conspire with any crafty Loiolists or to bear an implacable Hatred to the Church of England the worst evil that we do as 't is the best good in Love we can wish to which is that it might once arise purely out of that grand Apostacy into the hundreds of pithless Forms of it up into the Life and Power of Truth it self and become as Apostolical as the Quakers are much less under any Religious Pretensions whatever do we seek to undermine the civil Peace amongst any Factions or factions Ones whatever Nevertheless if this Bishop had been such a Wise Man and Sober Christian as we perceive he accounts himself to be in comparison of the Quakers his Wisdom would certainly have justly restrained him here and have instructed him better than to seem so publickly as he does in his Book to be so much afraid of such a mean company of silly Fools or to suspect Iesuitick Acts among such sensless Simpletons un-catechized Ignoramus's such home spun plain-bred unpollisht Manner'd Petulant Incapacious shallow Brained Easie Unwary Blind People as he counts the Quakers seeing Iesuits are known and own'd to be Rabbies of no small Renown for Parts and Pollicy as well as their pretended Piety throughout the World Herein the Bishop hath utterly loosened his own Tackling so that he cannot well strengthen his Mast to bear him up in this battle against the Quakers but that he 'l sink before them as to one or other of his Assertions which can no more than two Contradictories be both true at once Ad Hominem What can such mean People as the Bishop represents the Quakers to be for Birth and Breeding for Reason and Understanding as well as Estates men so Unlearn'd and Unstable of such Rudenesse Sillinesse and Crudity of Fancy and possibly of no evil Minds People that have
it under Christ an everlasting Sabbath to the Lord by mans cessation from his own works as God did from his Isa 58. ult Heb. 4. which Iewish observation of the seventh day as a Sabbath now who so attends to never so solemnly though once sanctified and commanded to be kept will have as much acceptation with God that is none at all as he that never so solemnly swears by the Name of God in such ceremonious wayes as the Jews did of old or goes beyond the bounds of bare asseveration with attestation which to do we not onley think as the Bish. sayes of us p. 22. but know to be an old Iudaick superfluity now circumcised and by Christ precisely cut off from the lips of Christians Besides how that third commandment can be so immediately and peculiarly made use of as by the Bish. and the Priests it is in proof of the morality of Oaths or in proof of the legitimacy of them upon any whether Moral Political or Ceremonial account either more than other places which more directly and expresly as Deut. 6. 13. by way of precept command to swear by God's Name as if that were the most capital and Cardinal Text we do not see save onely that the Priests have insinuated that notion of Moral into peoples minds concerning all those ten words wrote with God's finger meerly as a figure of what he writes by his Spirit in mens hearts 1 Cor. 3. as if those were onely Moral and all Moses Writings by Gods own appointment had nothing in them but Ceremoniality or Politycism beside them and as if there were no morality in all Moses Law but in them for it's clear to all but the blind and their blind leaders that there 's Morality elsewhere and Ceremonials and Politicals or Iudiclals commanded there as well as in other parts of Moses Law among vvhich ceremonials and politicals that of Oaths to end controversies while that Nature was standing as it was yet among the Iews that affected strife being a part however Christ came to fulfil the Law Moral yet he coming in the way of fulfilling that as the Bish. says to abrogate the Ceremonial yea and Politick laws too it must necessarily follow he hath abrogated all laws for swearing which the Bish. cannot deny to be pertaining whether peculiarly or no that 's nothing to true Christians to the Iewish Polity in Church and State And as for those words Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain they rather forbid all than command any swearing if the Bish. words be true as they are who sayes A true Christians Oath is needless his word being as firm as it p. 41. and an evil mans Oath worthy of no more credit than a Lyar p. 17. Since upon that account whoever swears by the Name of God swears in vain and to no purpose whether he be a true man or one deceitful his word amounting to as much as his Oath for frustra fit per plura quod potest sieri per pauciora And so whereas the Bish. says there is no danger of doing hurt to our own consciences any more in Oaths than in serious affirmations and negations We say there is if swearing needlesly by God's Name be as it is a taking Gods Name in vain fith the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his Name in vain Moreover whether the Bish. who insists so much upon the morality of the command for swearing under the Law and so consequently for the perpetnity of it under the Gospel doth not in effect quit and desist from that kind of Plea for Iudicial Swearing of his own accord we appeal to discerning men whilst p. 23. he pleads the necessity of such solemn Swearing upon no other account than as in order to cure many Christians good Christians the whilst of ill diseases jealousies distrusts dissimulations frauds uncharitableness unsatisfactions insecurities for saith he quoting Grotius in his Margent Iudicial Swearing's necessary not absolutely and morally or preceptively as the Shool-men note well but by way of consequence and remedy as good new Laws are necessary for the curb or cure of new Evils in in Polities and Kingdoms Possibly as Christians truly such we should need no Swearings in publick or private but as men weak and unworthy we cannot 〈◊〉 without such Oaths to end controversies and to secure as much as man can do the exact proceedings of Justice seeing then he says Oaths stands non ex necessitate precepti but medii onely See whether the Bishop do not here with his own hands take that course of swearing off from the file of the Gospel which he could not do if it were a moral precept for than secundum se what is Moral being Evangelical it must abide unabolisht under the Gospel and put it upon the score of the Law onely which being added onely because of transgression must end in Christ and under the Gospel by whom the strife and all transgression is ended as is to be shewed more at large by and by So that whereas he says thus Swearing is a part of that Moral Law which Christ signally tells he came not nor ever intended to abolish but maintain he may as well say Christ came not nor ever intended by his coming to abolish strife and transgression which is the end of Oaths for if he came to finish transgression and make an end of sin among his people and to bring in everlasting righteousness then to end Oaths also among his disciples which stand for no other end then to end strife while and where it stands for Absente aliquo sine de jure cessat medium tendens ad istum sinem Finally in that he says Christ maintains Oaths so far as the love of God and our neighbour are great accomplishments of all Laws to both which religious swearing is most conform Herein he palpably contradicts not onely the Truth but himself also who says Swearing is to be no where but where strife is which is a work of the flesh inconsistent with true love to the neighbour and not most conform to it for love fulfills the Law works no ill to the neigbour ends all strife and so puts swearing the means to end strife out of place and date 4. The Bishops said Information according to the state of the Question ought to be of the legality of judicial swearing in the Church of Christ among true Christians and Christs Disciples truly so called who are not under the Law that came by Moses but under the grace and truth of the Gospel that came by Iesus Christ otherwise he reaches not at all ad rem substratam comes not close to the case in question between himself and the Quakers whom he would convince who grant the lawfulness of Oaths of old among the Iews What the Bishop says p. 21. he supposes is true enough viz. That it is so clear even to the sylliest and most scrupulous among the Quakers that they